Jack expected the book to be unique, considering how much his grandfather had emphasised that one book.
Would it have information about some rather unique forbidden techniques? Would it contain information that was crucial to him or make him stronger? Jack's mind had been racing with such thoughts the whole time after the dream.
And when he opened the book, his eyes widened, his grip tightened on the cover.
Not out of amazement, not out of satisfaction. It was out of confusion, shock, and a hint of disappointment.
The book's pages were carved out from the middle, forming a hollow cavity in which was nested a large stone, a sleek, blackish-purple, shiny stone with intricate patterns carved onto it that looked like... letters?
Jack's mind raced. Was the newer part of the dream or his memories he had discovered nothing but a fabrication of his mind? Or had someone damaged the book after his grandfather recorded the message?
"Ahh, so that's what we are planning, huh?" Enak's voice rang in Jack's head with a tone of realization.
"What do you mean, can we do something with this stone?" Jack asked.
"Ayo, wait... give the book to me," Ethan suggested, stretching his hand to receive the book.
Jack absentmindedly handed him the book. His mind was already preoccupied in a conversation with the situation about Enak.
"Trust me, that stone is something that can truly turn the tides, but there is lack of the raw materials required to use it. But since Rick left it, I'm sure he has a plan."
"Do you not know where he kept the materials?" Jack asked as he watched Ethan fiddle with the book.
"He stopped wielding me after the war, said I deserved a rest. He would come to chat with me every day, but he never told me about this," Enak refuted.
"Hey! Jack, I found something," Ethan suddenly spoke up, his face lighting up.
"What did you find?" Jack asked, getting up from his chair and walking behind Ethan's to look at his discovery.
"This USB contains a program, more specifically, a program for an AI, if my Ikanami chip is correct."
"What type of AI?" Jack asked as his mind wandered with possibilities.
"It contains parameters describing behaviours, memories. It's an AI version of a person. No... it is more like the neural data of a person uploaded into the form of an AI," Ethan said, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Wait... don't tell me..."
"Yup, it's Mr. Hauston's cranial data. All the things I know about him match the parameters."
"Woah... what are we waiting for? Let's run it?" Jack said as he eyed the storage device with hope and happiness.
"We can't run it on normal computers or other devices. The cords need to be fitted inside a robot... we need a humanoid robot," Ethan informed, shaking his head.
"I see. Viora? Think you can handle making a robot for this?" Jack asked, hoping he would hear a yes.
"Master Jack... I can do that. But I don't have enough materials for a combat robot. That USB also contains combat information. If I make a robot, it won't handle the pressure well. I would require a humanoid robot. I will then use materials from Creta and change many things to make a combat-ready robot ready to host Master Rick."
Hmm... I see, it would be nice. Where can we get a robot, hm... "We leave at dawn, to Bethlehem. Just a bit of a detour. There are very nice robot factories there. We just need to factory lift one, haha," Jack said, nodding his head with a smirk.
"Sounds good. I'm driving though," Ethan insisted as he handed Jack the stone back.
"Yeah yeah," Jack said, taking the stone. It was clenched in his fist as he went back to sit in his chair, hoping to uncover more.
As he sat down, he noticed a new development in the stone. It was glowing. He opened his palm, and there it lay, a bright purplish glow deep within the obsidian-like stone, pulsating like a heart. The script carved on it glowed energetically. The Kana energy of the atmosphere concentrated around them, forming a small capsule crackling with raw energy.
"I can feel energy coming from it," Jack said as he clenched his fists again, concentrating on the pulsing energy in the stone, noticing how it grew more and more concentrated and alive by the moment.
What happened next was what he didn't expect.
He heard a whisper, coming from the stone, deep inside his mind.
"The Sentinel is missing. He must be found," it said in a chilling voice, sending shivers down Jack's body.
What does it mean by that? he thought to himself. He focused on the energy again, and before he realised it, he was absorbing it from the stone.
"Favoured constitution found. Beginning linking at once," it whispered again.
This was preceded by a chain of quick actions. Purple glowing veins began to creep up Jack's arm from his palm, illuminating his Kana system. It burned at first, so much that Jack thought it would tear him apart from the inside out. He groaned in pain, and the sensation vanished soon, but energy was still creeping inside him.
Half a second later, Enak shrieked inside Jack's head, "DON'T ABSORB IT, MASTER," as he deployed himself on Jack's arm, forcefully opening his palm. The stone dropped on the table, still pulsating.
"What?" Jack asked, taken aback, rubbing his palm where the energy burned him at first.
"That is a stone of consciousness. It is made out of Strobium and Kadestone. It's used by those with the authority to preserve their soul or consciousness so they can assist future generations. However, it requires a body with the initial genes for manifesting authority to function properly. Right now, it identified you as a host when you began to absorb it. Had you absorbed it completely, Rick's consciousness would have awakened inside you and the stone would have crumbled to dust."
"What? Wait... that would mean... if there was an unconscious fight for control deep inside, I would disappear forever?"
"Yes. This stone is used on bodies that are made from royal genes in the laboratory preferably, or a body that is completely okay metabolically and physically but brain-dead or something. We cut open the dantian, drop the stone inside, and it does the rest of the work," Enak explained.
Strobium and Kadestone had a special property. If they were introduced inside the dantian while they were not being inlaid with someone's energy, they would be absorbed into the dantian walls, increasing its capacity and the overall durability of the body.
However, it put a lot of strain on the body, often leading to death due to overwhelming pain or energy backflow or explosion of the dantian.
Now I see what you meant by lack of materials. But can't we make a body from my genes? I am pretty sure we have a pocket tent that has a research lab. It might work.
"It won't. Think about it. Normal rate of growth, you need to be at least seven to be able to wield the authority. You think we have time to wait around for seven years and nine months for this? We need a laboratory with accelerated growth. We had them back at Creta and even brought a few with us. The last time I saw one was at the spaceship, which I dunno where is."
"I see. So we can't even find it, huh?" Ethan said, sighing.
"Maybe, maybe not. We should place our bets on Vanthelis. He might know something about it. We can use psychic Ikanami to read his memories in case we ever cross paths."
"That's a big if," Jack said, sighing as he picked the stone back up. It was still pulsing, as if contact with Jack had activated it or something.
"I will put him back to sleep. Would be tormenting if we woke him up and just let him sit here for ages," Enak said, and with that he manifested, enveloping Jack's hand. A second later he withdrew, leaving the stone in its original state.
"Well, we did get this," Ethan said hopefully, holding up the USB drive. "All we need to do tomorrow is go to Bethlehem, factory lift a robot body and give it to Viora for modifications."
"Indeed," Jack said, reaching out for the book so that he could place the stone back in. "Wow, so books can heal up too, huh?" he said with a scoff.
The book's cavity had vanished now. He opened the book to find pages filled with fighting techniques and battle ideas inside, the knowledge of the eighth volume of Fangscript Codex now accessible.
"Guess I'll just toss it into the item pouch," Jack said as he did what he said.
"How do we get the storybooks back, or was it a one-time lock?"
"Here, like this," Jack said, holding the eighth volume up and stroking its cover with the side of his palm from right to left, the cover turning back into the storybook behind his palm.
"Wow, but you'll have to feed it blood again to open it," Ethan reminded.
"I never unlocked these books before. I have unlocked them once. All I have to do is strike the cover from left to right and I will get the Codex."
"Whew~ that's good. Can't have our combatant running on anemia," Ethan said, tossing Jack the USB drive so that he could store it in the pouch too.
"Indeed. Seriously though, my gramps died five years ago and he is still giving me homework," he said, shaking his head.
"Story looks interesting too. Lend me volume one once you finish your homework," Ethan said with a grin.
"Yeah yeah," Jack said as he flipped through the book absentmindedly. He froze when he spotted the word Sentinel somewhere inside, but it was too late. He had flipped past that. He flipped through again, but with no luck.
"Tell me the story once you are finished with it," Jack said with a defeated sigh and placed the book on the table, then started turning all the books back before asking Viora to keep them all back.
They both got up and walked out of the library.
"Well, all done here. I shall start doing my homework while I train tomorrow, and while I do, you will drive us to Bethlehem," Jack said with a smug grin as he tossed Ethan the keys.
"Happy learning, hehe~" Ethan said, smirking as he pocketed the key.