Chapter 70: Void Orb

[Ding! System has been upgraded to Level 4!]

[Ding! New System ability Unlocked: Void Summon!]

[Void Summon]

[Description: This ability helps you summon different things and items from your original world to this one, just by using your will!]

Alden stared at the notification flashing in front of his eyes while pulling on his jacket. He was preparing to leave the academy grounds for the week. He wasn’t leaving because he was afraid of the wild rumors spreading about him; he just had a plan to go out and find some reliable methods to earn a bit of money.

Reading the floating text, a sudden spike of curiosity hit him. This was a crazy new ability! It meant he could literally pull whatever he wanted from the real world into this magical one.

"Well, let’s try it out then."

He closed his eyes and willed the system to summon a simple piece of bread from his old world. A second later, a fresh slice of bread materialized in the air in front of him and began to drop. He shot his hand out and caught it smoothly.

"It actually works. I didn’t even feel a fluctuation in the space fabric."

He chewed on the bread, feeling a bit confused. He always thought ’Void’ and ’Space’ magic were the exact same thing. But since he sensed zero changes in the spatial structure of the room, he realized that Void was a totally different power altogether.

As he finished his quick snack, another brilliant idea popped into his head. He closed his eyes and willed the system once more.

Suddenly, a smartphone appeared in his hand. It was vastly different from the communication devices he currently used in this world. The academy phones worked on mana as their primary energy source, whereas his old phone relied strictly on electricity.

He tapped the dark screen, hoping to see it light up, but it remained black. Of course, it wouldn’t turn on. There was no way the battery could last for all the months he had been stuck in this new world.

[Ding! Do you want me to charge your phone?]

Alden heard the familiar female voice of his system and paused, feeling genuinely surprised by her generous offer.

"You can charge it? I didn’t know you ran a side business as a charging station. But I am not going to sacrifice my precious stats for a full battery."

[Ding! It is for free, Host! You do not have to reject it!]

"Okay, then charge it up."

The smartphone in his hand vanished into thin air.

[Ding! The charging is in process...]

[It might take a few hours to reach full capacity.]

Alden nodded, satisfied with the arrangement. He pulled his backpack over his shoulder and transferred his remaining items into his spatial inventory. Now, all of his stuff was safely with him, including a change of clothes and daily necessities that would help him survive outside for at least a few days.

He stepped out of his dorm and started walking down the long academy corridor.

Naturally, the students who hadn’t left for vacation yet cast lingering glances his way. He was currently standing at the very top of the academy rumor mill. He ignored their stares and kept walking toward the main gates.

Suddenly, a cold shiver ran straight down his spine. He felt a sharp, dangerous killing intent aimed right at his back. He spun around quickly to see who was targeting him, but the corridor was normal. There was no one present except a few bickering students carrying their bags.

’Was it just my illusion? Maybe. I should stay cautious, at least until I leave the academy grounds.’

He turned forward and continued his walk. A few steps later, he reached the grand gates. After showing his identification card, the guards registered his name on the departure list to keep track of his absence.

Alden finally walked out of the academy, leaving the massive stone walls behind.

His exact destination was unknown. He didn’t know where to go or what to do next. His journey was beginning without a clear path to walk on. He debated whether he should just return to the safety of the academy or find a place where he could earn money and train in peace. As much as he needed funds, he could not afford to stop his training, or his steady growth would take a massive hit.

The streets of Arclight City were bustling with activity. People swarmed from place to place, chatting and shopping in the afternoon sun.

As he walked past a busy row of commercial stores, his eyes suddenly stopped at one particular shop. It was a well-crafted weapon and artifact store. Beautiful swords and glowing trinkets sat on display behind the glass, but that was not what caught his attention.

He felt a strange, invisible attraction pulling him toward the building. Without waiting, he pushed the wooden door open and entered the shop.

Inside, the store was filled with tall shelves displaying various magical artifacts. At the front counter, a stout dwarf manager was cursing his staff for some unknown reason, his gruff voice echoing over the quiet hum of the enchanted items.

Alden ignored the commotion and walked deeper into the shop, letting his instincts guide him through the aisles. His gaze finally landed on a weirdly shaped stone sitting at the very end of a dusty shelf. It was treated with far less care than any other artifact in the store, looking like a worthless piece of junk ready to be thrown away.

Yet, this was the exact object calling out to him.

[Ding! Item is being Appraised...]

[Status: Hidden]

[Item: Void Orb]

[Description: This item holds the pure power of the Void inside it. It can be used to forge powerful artifacts and weapons, or it can be consumed to aid in cultivation.]

Alden stared at the dull rock, finally realizing why he was so attracted to it. It was tied to the Void power. He had no idea how such a rare orb ended up on a dusty shelf in Arclight City, but seeing the appraisal, he knew he had to buy it.

Then, reality hit him. He remembered just how broke he was. He didn’t even have a single penny to his name right now.

’Should I just steal it?’

Just as he debated dipping into a life of petty crime for the shiny rock, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

Alden turned around to see a boy with messy greenish hair and bright yellow eyes. It was Ronan. He wore a casual traveling outfit, suggesting he was also on his way out of the city for the week.

Alden had no clue how this guy managed to pop up out of nowhere.

"Nothing much. How come you are here?"

Ronan tilted his head innocently, acting as if the question was a bit silly.

"Well, I came here to check on the inventory. This is one of the shops my family owns, so I was passing through and decided to take a look. Do you see something you like?"

Alden blinked in surprise. He hadn’t realized his green-haired teammate was indirectly the owner of the shop he was just planning to rob!

"Well, yes. Can you tell me what the price of this stone is?" Alden asked, pointing to the dull rock on the bottom shelf.

Ronan looked at the stone and narrowed his eyes, tapping his chin in thought.

"I actually don’t know what that is, so I cannot be sure of the price. Do you know what it is? Why do you want to buy something like this?"

Alden kept his face perfectly blank and answered smoothly.

"I just like its peculiar shape, so I want it. If it is not for sale, that is fine too."

Ronan looked a bit startled by his quick dismissal.

"Wait, I was just asking! Let me get the manager. Uncle Sukhom, can you come over here for a second?"

The dwarf man who was yelling at the counter just a moment ago walked over, wearing a polite, professional smile.

"Ah, Young Lord! I didn’t know you had arrived. Sorry, I was busy handling some stock issues. Tell me, how can I help you?"

Ronan nodded at the dwarf and gestured toward Alden.

"This is my friend and teammate, Alden. He wants to buy that weird stone right there. He says he likes the shape. How much does it cost?"

Sukhom’s eyes gleamed as he cast a quick glance at the worthless chunk of rock. A scheming smile stretched across his bearded face as he looked back at Alden.

"Ahem! Well, young man, that is not just a simple stone. The rumors say it holds the sealed blessing of an ancient deity! No one has ever been able to unlock its true power, but seeing your bright spirit, I am sure you might be the one to do it! According to the market price, it is a steal at just eight hundred Gold Coins."

Alden narrowed his eyes, instantly reading the dwarf’s greedy expression. He was certain this guy was trying to scam him on the spot. It was a priceless item in reality, but there was no way the manager actually knew that.

"Uncle Sukhom, I said he is my friend." Ronan’s usual cheerful smile remained, but his voice suddenly dropped to a cold, warning tone.

"Do not try to loot him."

The shopkeeper pursed his lips nervously. He looked between the serious Young Lord and the blank-faced boy, eventually sighing and shaking his head in defeat.

"Fine. To be honest, we don’t even know how this junk got mixed in with the premium materials we ordered. It seems the suppliers accidentally stuffed a rock into the crate instead of a real artifact. We already filed a formal complaint to get our money back. You can just take it. It really is just a normal stone, nothing else."

Alden reached out and quickly swiped the stone from the shelf. The dwarf narrowed his eyes at the boy’s enthusiastic reaction to a piece of literal garbage, shaking his head as he walked back to the front counter.

"Hehe, it seems I was right. It definitely is just a useless stone," Ronan laughed. "Hey, why are you looking so happy? You look like you just got some hidden gem."

Alden couldn’t help but smirk internally. He had just secured a priceless, magical Void Orb entirely free of charge. His luck was really working overtime today.

With a light, energetic step, he headed for the exit, happily ignoring Ronan calling out his name from behind.