The discovery of gion microbes and gioncores changed everything. Once humans understood how gioncores functioned, they began reverse-engineering the process. Researchers learned to extract gioncore stems from stabilized grimmons. With proper nourishment, these stems could be cultivated into viable gioncores inside the new host. Implanting these gioncore stems into grimlocks allowed them to safely condense and sustain a gioncore within their bodies, achieving what had once been lethal with a high success rate.
However, they soon discovered that the quality of the condensed gioncore varied among grimlocks. Those with higher-grade cores could sustain larger colonies of gionworms, allowing them to generate, store, and recover greater amounts of gion than those with lower-grade cores.
The relationship was structural rather than biological. Gioncore grade determines habitat capacity. Habitat capacity determines colony density. Colony density determines both total gion reserves and recovery rate.
A higher-grade core does not create stronger microbes. It allows more of them to operate simultaneously without destabilizing the host. By increasing the structural integrity of both the gioncore and the gion circuits, containment efficiency improves, reducing the risk of systemic collapse.
A grimlock's gioncore grade determined the amount of gion they could safely spare and recover, which in turn set the ceiling of the grim deck they could build in their lifetime, effectively defining their combat potential. Over time, this limitation solidified into a formal hierarchy of gioncore grades: low, mid, high, top, and peak.
In time, researchers discovered that a grimlock's grim cypher directly influenced the grade of the condensed gioncore. They eventually concluded that using gioncore stems from grimmons whose nature was compatible or complimented the grimlock's grim cypher, condensed higher-quality gioncores. This overturned the common misconception that gioncore stems from stronger grimmons automatically condense higher-quality gioncores when implanted in a grimlock.
With time, researchers developed increasingly refined methods to extract and cultivate gioncore stems from different grimmons, allowing precise alignment with a grimlock's unique grim cypher. Over generations, the process of condensing a gioncore became progressively more sophisticated. Thanks to these advancements, grimlocks grew stronger than ever.
These days, a newborn grimlock needed only to choose a compatible grimmon. The corresponding stem serum would either be readily available or custom-produced, depending on the rarity of the grimmon and the complexity of the grim cypher. With sufficient wealth and preparation, a grimlock could reliably condense a higher-quality gioncore and craft a powerful gioncore and gion circuit cards.
Apart from allowing grimlocks to house a colony of gionworms, store the gion the colony produces, and regulate gion flow in and out of their bodies, the gioncore also serves as a sleeve for their grim deck, repairing and grow the grim cards within it using gionworms and gion.
Right now, as a latent grimlock, I can summon and use only one card at a time, aside from the four basic cards. Forming a gioncore card would elevate me to an awakened grimlock, allowing me to use two cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards. As my gionworm colony grows and the gion accumulated in my gioncore reaches certain milestones, grimlock climbs to higher ranks, each step granting the ability to use more cards at once, aside from the four basic cards. However, the grade of one's gioncore already cements the limit of the gionworm colony they can house and the gion it can store, limiting the rank of the grimlock.
Based on how many cards a grimlock can use simultaneously, the following ranking system was established:
>> Newborn / Latent Grimlock: Can use 1 card at a time, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Gain a grim deck with a cipher card and a grim web card.
i) Awakened Grimlock: Can use 2 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Craft a gioncore card and a gion circuit card
ii) Superior Grimlock: Can use 3 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Low-grade gioncore.
iii) Heroic Grimlock: Can use 4 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Mid-grade gioncore.
iv) Epic Grimlock: Can use 5 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: High-grade gioncore.
v) Legendary Grimlock: Can use 6 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Top-grade gioncore.
vi) Mythical Grimlock: Can use 7 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: Peak-grade gioncore.
vii) Divine Grimlock: Can use 8 cards simultaneously, aside from the four basic cards.
> Requirement: ????
Apart from the limitation on the number of cards a grimlock can draw at once, aside from the four basic cards, they can use any remaining empty card slots to seal grimmons, artifacts, or grim-tech, then upgrade or trade them, regardless of their rank provided they have the skill to do so.
In other words, without the four basic cards in their grim deck, one cannot be considered a proper Grimlock. That meant my G-book had to be a success. My future as a grimlock depended on it. After all, even with a powerful grim cypher, it would all be for nothing if I failed to condense a high-quality gioncore and gion circuit.
As I was considering how to introduce my G-book, My Contract Ceremony, on grim web, a knock sounded at my door, cutting through my thoughts. I set the idea aside and opened it, only to find the blonde medic from earlier standing there.
"How can I help you?" I asked politely, choosing not to bring up the previous misunderstanding. There was no need to force the issue. I would let her decide how this conversation unfolded. Maybe I had been overthinking it.
"I'm Mary Lou, the Grimmyth Research Institute liaison assigned to you. I'll be overseeing your integration into our organization," she informed me with a sharp tone despite her graceful composure. "I'd like to discuss your specific role in our organization. So, don't hold back and speak your mind."
So I hadn't imagined it. There was an attitude beneath her professionalism, I heard it in her tone. She had definitely taken offense over the misunderstanding during our pervious encounter.
"Weren't you from the Grimway Station?" I asked, unable to hide my confusion. Earlier, I had specifically requested a medic on duty at the city's Grimway Station, not someone from the Grimmyth Research Institute.
At the mention of our earlier encounter, the cool indifference on her face slipped. A faint warmth touched her cheeks before she quickly regained her composure. She reluctantly began, "I'm a researcher at the Grimmyth Research Institute…"