Jaden opened his eyes, and a blue screen flickered before him with a chime.

[You have learned a 1-star spell: Shadow Projection]

[Experience +7 (Spell Learned)]

[Ding!]

[Host has levelled up!]

[Host has reached level 34!]

————[System]————

Host: Jaden Cross

Job: The Shutter Summoner

Level: 34

Experience: 0/200

Mark: [Shadow], [Sun]*, [Moon], [Nature]*, [Storm]*, [War]*

Grimoire: Platinum (Bound – 5/7)

▪︎ Bronze - Sun [+]

▪︎ Bronze - War [+]

▪︎ Silver - Nature [+]

▪︎ Silver - Storm [+]

▪︎ Gold - Moon

Skills:

• [Capture] – Seal targets into pictures using Slots (Film).

• [Summon] – Manifest sealed creatures temporarily.

• [Binding Codex] – Synchronise growth with bound Grimoires.

• [Site Tethering] – Save seven locations to teleport to.

Available Features:

• [Profile] – Status overview.

• [Epiphany Zone] – Training & comprehension mind space.

• [Picturebook] – Codex of Summons, Spells, Arts.

• [Quests] – Track active missions, objectives, and rewards.

Slots: 10

————[System]————

Jaden dismissed the status screen and focused on Maria, who was looking at him with narrowed eyes.

She stepped closer with folded arms and circled him.

He raised a brow and questioned, "What's wrong?"

She looked at his face and took a few steps before she asked in a curious tone while pointing at him, "What was that just now? I am sure that you just got stronger... like one per cent stronger than before."

He shook his head and placed the spell book on the chair and responded in a tired tone, "Didn't I tell you that I get stronger by killing and learning?"

She furrowed her brows and said in confusion, "Hmm? But you haven't even opened the spell book."

"I don't have to," he replied nonchalantly.

She stared at him in confusion and opened her lips to ask further, but before she could do that, Jaden muttered and took a step back, "Shadow Projection."

A clone appeared at his previous position, and her eyes widened. She walked over to it, touched it and mumbled with a surprised expression, "How?"

'She looks like a monkey...' he thought while watching her display various expressions of surprise.

She turned her head with her finger still poking the face of the clone and asked, "How did you learn it? And so fast?"

A proud smile appeared on his face, and he answered, "The manuals appear in the mental realm with me... and there I can learn things much easily."

At the same time, as if to mock him, a blue flickered before him.

[Seven Gate Sword Art: 6.9%]

His proud smile crumbled, and he remarked inwardly, 'Okay, not all are easy to learn.'

"You... what rank of spells have you learned till now?" Maria questioned with a curious expression.

Jaden shifted his attention to her and answered, "3-star... I couldn't learn 4-star spells because three wasn't any."

————[Picturebook]————

Entries Catalogued: 37

Sections: [Summons] [Spells] [Arts] [Relics] [Others]

[Summons]

• [Mistwraith – (E)], [Galewolf(s) – (F) - (x6)], [Umbralfang – (C)], [Tartarus Giant – (C)], [Dark Armoured Spider – (D)], [Earthen Boar – (D)], [Frostbear – (D)]

[Spells]

• [1-star spells], [2-star spells], [3-star spells]

[Arts]

• [Iron Body Form ★], [Shattering Fist ★], [Dashing Step ★], [Basic Sword Forms ★], [Falling Petal Sword ★★], [Gale Steps ★★], [Seven Gate Sword Art (Unranked): 6.9%]

[Relics]

• [The lost eye – Rare], [All-severing Moonlight (Replica) – Legendary]

[Others]

• [Bag of Fresh Bread - (x1)], [Canteen of Fresh Water - (x1)], [Lyanthros], [Packet of Dogfood - (x8)]

————[Picturebook]————

"You know 3-star spells?" She asked with a stupefied look.

He looked away from the screen and gave her a nod. The screen disappeared soon after.

"Wait!" She said loudly and pinned a finger her palm while she remarked, "It normally takes a person two weeks to learn a 1-star spell, a month for a 2-star spell and more than four months for a 3-star spell, that is with high talent and a mind vastly expanded using the spirit cores... so, how can you say that you have learned a 3-star spell when you have only awakened like two years ago?"

His eyes widened, and he thought, 'Ah! No wonder I am so slow, it's because I haven't used any spirit core to expand my mind... I believe the spirit stat is the same as that, otherwise I would've already reached a wall.'

"Jaden?" She called out.

He came out of his cloud of thoughts and answered her, "It's just possible for me... I can show you my spells if you don't believe me."

Maria sighed and rubbed her face before asking, "Why are you doing this?"

He frowned at her question, and words slipped out unknowingly, "What?"

She looked him in the eyes and asked with a serious look, her voice heavy, "Why are you trying to make me trust you? What do you need from me...?"

He frowned and said, "Why do you think I need something from you?"

She looked at him with a deadpan look and replied, "Really? That's your question...? Tell me, Jaden. When have you ever talked to anyone unless you want something from them directly or indirectly? No, let me answer you — Never!"

A calm smile appeared on her face, and she continued, "and that is the reason I feel... safe with you... You say anything you want instead of hiding it behind a facade of schemes or lies."

Jaden didn't know how to react to her mixed emotions; all he could do was nod meaninglessly.

"So tell me what you want?"

He looked in her eyes and thought about whether he should tell her or not, and finally, after thinking about it for a few seconds, he muttered, "I want you to allow me into all of the districts and... there should be no person with me."

She stared at him for a few seconds and nodded before she said, "Why don't you just ask me to give you my purity as well? You have already decided to figuratively fuck me, after all."

He opened her lips to continue his words, but she cut him off before he could even say anything.

"I can't do what you have asked... but we cannot deny the help of an unknown masked figure who happens to be quite strong."

She finished her words, winked at him and left the dark chamber.

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