The artificing library, or that is what Kaden called it, wasn’t in the same area. It was located in a heavily guarded repository. It made sense, the sort of stuff stored in there was something Kaden would have had to pay a huge prize before. Even what was considered the most basic information. Yet, after being cleared to access the outernmost level by Cyrun, he could have access to all of that. The prize this time could be considered to be that one to be part of military and good enough that they would allow you to train on your own. The latter required acceptance from a high ranked artificer. Not just everyone could do that.

Kaden had to still pass through some checks and where his credentials were examined. He wouldn’t even be allowed to take anything out or take any physical notes. He wondered for a moment would it be such a huge matter, but apparently it was. Perhaps there were differences in the way artificers from Sacronan or Saint Empire worked? Or was there some other need to prevent spread of knowledge? He didn’t think of that much further as none of it mattered to him anymore. Next time he would have to be concerned of higher access, his skill should have advanced high enough for him to gain access to next level.

That wouldn’t happen in quite a while.

Kaden quickly found what he was looking for. Not only did he want to get an idea what enchanting was all about and how it worked, he also wished to get better grasp of formations related to mana systems.

Enchanting in its basic form was a simple idea. Mana affected all things. If an ordinary rock would be filled with mana, even it would eventually change somehow. This was basic of basic even regarding mana cultivation. Be it people or beasts, cultivation was to gather mana in oneself. What if you used some method to fill an object with mana artificially in specific way? Thats enchanting.

It wasn’t quite ‘cultivation of an object’ since it was only supposed to bring certain effect determined by its creation.

Still it obviously wasn’t quite as easy as that. Even mana tools you used your mana with was technically putting mana in them. It would eventually mostly leak out, though. To prevent this effect one needed a external focus, a ritual and an internal focus. The ritual was the actual ‘crafting process’ for enchanting, like for formation it was the carving of formation lines. Internal focus was the unenchanted item that was prepared to be enchanted. Problem usually was the external focus. The source of concept.

Kaden made mental notes on what he had to do to make it work. He would have to adjust Trohin’s schematic a bit and to understand the ritual creation the very least.

That was something he would be able to learn in time. Currently his problem was still his core that was still in the same process it had been all the time. Kaden frowned and looked at his core once again.

He examined it all the time. The most recent look had yet to change, but still Kaden felt it was becoming denser. Just how far would it go? He didn’t have the money to buy a high beast core just to see it and compare. High beast cores were much higher quality, though so it should probably take some time to form in any case, but Kaden felt his future was tied to it! This made him feel quite a bit of impatience.

To be able to give an actual fight against a Formation stage expert!

Yet he didn’t know what to do. His instincts told him it was going just fine. This was natural! Yet, he didn’t have any idea how long it would last. Months? Year or more? He was in a weakened state. His mid stage mana channels weren’t probably much weaker than his core at the moment. That was significant loss in strength!

He spent rest of the time reading books about formations instead of enchanting. He had to think enchanting some more, but formations were something he could actually produce. Therefore he had already thought of a personal order of learning. A curriculum, one might say.

Most of the things he knew, were just what he had found from trial and error and logic. It had taken him quite far, but Cyrun had only acknowledged him after discoverin Kaden’s training method. The fact that he had got even this far was was commendable, it seems. This all meant his quality was low! This had to be corrected, if he wanted to ever make anything useful. Including a personal mana system and in future potential adjustment of his innate formation in Formation stage! Those could not be rushed and had to be top tier quality, if possible!

His studies were later interrupted by a buzzin phone! It was time to return to train with Verdict.

Nelsen was nowhere to be seen, but Walden seemed to share his enthusiasm about having a new talented member. He showed this by having Kaden immediately showcase his abilities by fighting the other members. Basically the same as he had been doing with Sadge. Yet, this time it wasn’t to show some losers how to fight, but to show others what he could do.

Walden started immediately pointing a few flaws and asked some questions. He was planning on arranging Kaden a movement technique. The others used one each, but none were as ridiculous as Sadge’s. It was still something Kaden could fight against even with his problems regarding his core.

That idiot, Olren, wanted to teach Kaden a lesson, but could not manage to do so. Yet, neither could Kaden do anything to him. The winner was declared to be Olren at the end, though, since he could easily fight against Kaden, but Kaden simply tanked hits easily with his extremely tough body.

This was also noticed by Walden and he suggested Kaden to consider taking role of front line fighter. To Kaden this was not entirely unacceptable despite the extra danger. To begin with he only worked with the team. As was as he cared he was always alone in the end and in that case he would always have to deal with all the dangers himself with full brunt.

Then again there was also questions about Kaden’s past and since he had lived among beasts in the wilderness, he had some survival skills and understanding that many, who had lived their entire lives in a city, lacked. This meant he could also be a scout during excursions into beast territory.

All in all, Walden found Kaden to be quite versatile, yet, inexperienced. He berated him quite a bit about his single minded combat style where he simply rushed at his opponents. His toughness would eventually fail him, one way or another. He had to train better style and Kaden agreed readily.

Walden wanted Kaden to immediately learn a movement technique and he, with difficulty, maintained his usual cool outward image, but in his mind he was in joy.

The others were left to train while Walden led Kaden to a small vault area. There were stored some more basic techniques the team used. Still, they were sealed in shielded containers.

Walden let Kaden to choose some and start training. It would only be the baseline where to start and he suggested Kaden to find one that suited him personally more, but he could not be without one any longer.

Problem was that none of them seemingly made no sense to Kaden. Was there something different about spells and techniques? They were kind of supposed to be the same thing, but different method of use. Casting pure construct of mana or casting one through your body.

Kaden wondered for a moment, if it was just a matter of him learning how to use the technique. Casting Devour had taken him quite a few tries, but he was good at the mana gathering part. Yet to Kaden it all felt almost like nonsense. He could understand that idea and the concepts required and to gather right kind of mana, but then… just fizzle out of control.

Walden was feeling a headache. Was this really a genius? Even the most basic movement techniques available went over Kaden. All in all, to actually use a technique properly one had to learn to use it, just like spells. Still, one had to start somewhere, have an idea, Kaden didn’t really get that part at all.

“We need to sort this out!” Walden said and sighed. “I have seen that you are pretty powerful and have extremely high cultivation for your age, but how can it be that you cannot grasp these movement techniques! Damn it, I suppose I’ll have to give you one that I really don’t want my team members to use. All of you should be above it. I don’t even know why its here...”

Eventually Walden gave up and started rummaging a container that was set in the corner. It wasn’t as well kept as the others and only security Kaden could see on it was a scuffed looking shield formation. Then Walden finally tossed Kaden a scroll, not even a mana crystal with information, just a dirty scroll.

Kaden looked it and realized why Walden acted the way he did. It was the most simple one to use it seemed. The entirely forcible stupid method. It was names by just what it did ‘Force Move’. Just push around yourself with mana. Simple as that. In truth it was more of a list of tricks on how to achieve efficient movement towards any chosen direction and was not actual technique even. Kaden had strong enough body to use it without injuries, though. While it allowed one to move as they pleased, it took a toll on body and was predictable. Then Walden told Kaden to find one later that he can truly use since the one he now had was almost an embarassment.

Kaden himself felt down. Could it be because of his core? No, he had been able to take out the mana and it was already away from its influence when he had tried to use the techniques that Walden offered him. He had just not … understood them? If that was what he could call the feeling he had. The mana had just always felt slippery and left his control. Could it be that he was actually an idiot? He grimaced at such thought and told himself he had been able to learn formations! That should be difficult and required intelligence! Then again his method for learning had been rather bad.

Idiot or not, he would make do with what he had so it didn’t matter! Even, if it was true, he would not stop. He would continued to the end, whatever it was.

He looked at the so called movement technique. You just give yourself a push. Just force. Just done in a clever way. It was still the most basic concept of mana. Technically he had been able to use such a thing even back in Dashire by infusing his body parts with mana! Kaden cursed. He felt disapointed! He had seen the true power of such techniques and now he found he was not able to use any of the actual ones!

Still, he had not been too much behind the other team members. He could fight with them! Winning might be hard! Yet, if he cultivated hard and gained experience, even with a crappy technique he might reach an acceptable level!

Just once more training goal among all the others. There was no need to feel dejected! This was going to be his growth period!

“Thats right!” Kaden assured himself. “I have nothing to worry about. If any problems pop up, I’ll just find solution for it! Problems exist to be solved!”

This is what Kaden told himself and he believed it fully.