Reading the notifications, Andy immediately became curious about three things. The inventory, Fragmented Shard, and lastly, the Common Key.
What does it mean by inventory?
The moment he had this thought, the system seemed to have responded.
[Inventory: 20x20. Anything but living things can be stored here. Your own personal space.]
[Note: Only things in your grasp, can be stored. Just will it, and it will be stored.]
Andy read with fandom.
This was bordering on the line of 'legendary' type of powers. Grabbing a patch of grass beside him, Andy willed it, and it vanished from his hands.
His eyes opened with incredulity.
Spatial Magic!
This was something that they had been taught about, however, it was said that those who could use such a type of magic were extinct.
Mr. Charles said that it's a power that's too strong to wield and too complex to understand.
Andy was about to start testing this inventory when he remembered where he was. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him.
With a sigh, he dropped his guard. His gaze lingered on the surface of the water while his mind began to work.
If she were telling the truth, then even after she's been found missing, no one would truly suspect me. And if it was a lie, then I'm as good as dead by the morning.
Melinda's corpse wasn't going to float to the surface. At least not any time soon. Here limbs that Andy used to impale her to the floor of the river were embedded deep enough to hold her there for a while.
I can't be as passive as I was these past few days… but I have no idea how many of them there are, nor can I leave the academy's grounds now.
The only other option, once again, was to get stronger in this widened cage.
Cautious that someone dangerous would come here, Andy quickly made his way back to his room.
After making sure that his door was locked and curtains closed, he proceeded to continue checking the notifications he received earlier.
[Fragmented Shard of History (Old World) Aqcuired: A time when Humans ruled the world alone.
Location: The Tsardom of Durssia. Winter of the year 1565.
Identity Synchronizing: Yaroslav Feodorovich, Prince of Suzdal, Director-General of the Northern Frontier.]
[Accessing Primary Memory Fragment…]
The parchment in your hands weighed heavily with frost and import. The seal of the Tsar, broken:
"You are summoned from the frontier, dear cousin. Anastasia is dead. They say poison, and I cry assassination. But the Boyars think I have grown mad with tyranny, and the muskets of the Streltsy grow restless. A storm is brewing in Groscow, I have need of your bow, and your loyalty, now, cousin. Choose your side on your way back."
[Fragmented Narrative Loaded. Completion: 0%.]
[Reward on Integration: +20 Intelligence]
[Inheritable Echo Detected (Skill Seed): The Silent Draw (Epic)…]
[To awaken this Skill Seed, you must at least achieve 3% of the Fragmented Shard's completion rate.]
[Duration: 1 week. (Able to pause Memory Shard three times.) Note: Pausing the Memory shard can reduce the completion rate.]
[Penalty upon failure: None (Shard's Echo is weak, Mental Integration)]
[Begin Integration?]
It took a while, but Andy finally got an idea of what he had just read and it stunned for a while. He had never thought that things like this were even possible.
Thinking about the duration though, he felt a bit discouraged. One week was a considerable amount of time to be missing from the academy. If he didn't show his face where it needed to be seen, they would come searching for him.
This was a norm. There have been students who have passed away in their sleep in the academy. The most he could go without having anyone think he was dead was two days.
However, Andy didn't want to pause the integration once he had started it. He had no way of knowing how difficult it would be to achieve 3% completion rate, and he didn't want his chances reduced.
His eyes were set in the Skill Seed.
So far, he had only two skills, Fear Response Overdrive, and Drowned Resolve. Both of them had saved his life, the former most especially.
If not for this skill, fear would have overridden him and caused his demise. As simple as its effect was, Andy knew that it was a very valuable skill to not let fear override you in the face of terror.
As for the second, it gave a huge terrain advantage.
If he could acquire a third, an offensive type of skill for that matter, Andy felt that he would be more equipped to protect his life in this place better.
Just until he can find a way out of here.
With a sigh, he shook his head and turned his attention to the second notification.
[Key (Common): Use this key to access a Common Dungeon.]
[Duration: 10 Days (Limit)]
[Information: A Dungeon packed with monsters. Survive for 10 days or kill all the monsters in the Dungeon to complete the Dungeon earlier.]
[Hint: Find a Return Stone and you can leave earlier. (Rewards increment is possible and will be based on your completion rate)]
[Rewards: Uncommon Blade. Mana Crystals (10). Conditional Skill Points.]
[Penalty: Possible Demise.]
[Use key?...]
Andy was a bit excited by what he was seeing until he read the penalty. It was possible that he could if he used the key.
He frowned, shaking his head. The risk wasn't worth it for him now. While weighing his options and strongly considering using the Fragmented Shard, his stomach started rumbling.
When last did I eat?
He had been filled with so much anxiety that he had forgotten to eat today. Leaving his room with a hoodie and heading to the cafeteria, Andy made sure to avoid people.
Last night's fiasco was enough to make him wary of the students too. It was better to avoid them that have any confrontation now.
After buying a week's worth of food, he returned room and arranged the things he bought in his fridge. It took him 15 minutes to prepare a few slices of toast and hot cocoa, and even less for him to devour them.
Andy then tried tracing a part of the second Mana Circuit on his middle finger. Unfortunately for him, there was no progress. The system's warning had come to stop him.
With a sigh, he fell to his bed and closed his eyes, feeling sleepy. When last did I have a good sleep?
He had just asked himself this question when his mind started to drift into slumber.
And then it flashed in his face.
The back of the monster as it was bent over consuming Selena's corpse, and then Zeladin's lifeless eyes.
"You didn't even try to… save me," Zeladin said as his lifeless hand seemed to move and pointed at Andy as he was peeping through the small opening of the door.
With a bright flash, Melinda's inhumane face appeared before the slightly opened door, scaring and startling Andy out of his nightmare.
With a yelp, Andy got up from his bed and rolled on the ground. His eyes were wide open, frantically scanning the room for any monsters as his chest heaved up and down heavily. Even his heart pounded as though it wanted to break through his chest.
[Fear Response Overdrive (Lv1)]
Suddenly, the young man began calming down. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and sat where he was for a while…
"Fuck it," He whispered before summoning the info of the Fragmented Shard.
With a thought, he activated it…