An upgrade

'Are you sure that I can show it to him? The soul core....' Quinn asked Void for confirmation. "Yes, he should know what it is".

'Fine...I'm also curious about what a soul core is since my inspect skill level isn't high enough' Quinn thought as he took out the soul core from his inventory. A ball of shining white light formed on top of his palm.

"Oh! Is this a... soul core?!" Andre exclaimed quietly, "where the hell did you get this...?".

'He knows what it is...!'

"Uhh...can you please explain to me what a soul core is?" Quinn asked the old man. "Yes, though it will take a while... before that, can I have a look at the core?"

***

'Most of the things he said is already mentioned in the information of the Gluttony skill'

"And, you have yet to tell me where you found this core" Andre reminded him. 'Might as well be honest with him...'

"I used a skill which extracts stat points from a beast or human that I killed... with the remaining energy in its body, a soul core is formed" Quinn explained.

"What?! A skill...? Which one is it?" Andre quickly asked. "Eh... it's a skill named GLUTTONY".

"Gluttony... I haven't heard of that skill but, in Dwarven history, there was a person who could extract soul cores... although the chances of it succeeding were slim

"People say that soul cores can be used to make or strengthen equipment and if it was a beast with elemental abilities, the equipment can inherit the element or get an active ability" he said, "although this was but a legend".

'A legend, huh...'

"Too bad... I wanted it to try strengthening my gear" Quinn said, disappointed by finding out that it was but a legend.

"What are you talking about? I'm the best person you could've possibly found! I can probably do something with that core" Andre said as he hold his hand out, "gimme the thing you wanna strengthen".

"You know how to do this?! Wasn't that just a legend?"

"Of course I don't know how to do it, I have an original ability to transfer energy so I can do it... probably" the old man said with a wide grin on his face.

"Then...! Here you go" Quinn's disappointment took a whole 180 degree turn. He handed over his 'Minor Blending Ring' Rank E.

"What's this? You know that I don't have my inspect skill anymore right?"

"Ahh...right, it's a minor blending ring, rank E that I got in a dungeon"

"Blending ring, eh? What's your class?" Andre asked him.

"You really think I trust you that much...?"

"hmm... it's fine, you made the right decision, you shouldn't tell other candidates or related people your class or they could use it against you... I will wait and gain your trust" Andre said, still having the grin he had a minute ago.

"I don't know what could happen to the ring but there's one thing I'm certain of, its rank will go up to at least D+ or maybe C- if what I heard about soul cores is true"

"What will the process be like...? I only have 3 more hours on this planet"

"It won't take too long, it should be done within 20 minutes... it's just transferring energy after all" Andre explained.

"You can trust me, feel free to take a look at the things I've made and buy a few because I'm doing this work for free"

***

[Mutated Golden-thread spider's armor]

Item rank: C

Type: Armor(Chest)

Defense +26

Agility -4

-Absorbs the impact of an attack on this armor-

———

[Dullahan's magic gauntlets]

Item rank: D+

Type: Gauntlets

Strength +17

Intelligence +6

Defense +16

-The gauntlets of a Dullahan which wielded magic. Enhances the power of the darkness element-

———

[Darkness charm]

Item rank: D-

Type: Accessory

HP +200

Defense +6

Intelligence +4

-An ancient charm which has been remade. Enhances the power of the darkness element-

"Now all of my hard-earned money is gone..." Quinn felt like he could cry any second now.

"What? That's all you took?" Andre asked him, "what do you think?! I used up most of the money I had!".

"Tch... whatever, I'm done with your ring" Andre said as he held out his hand and revealed the ring.

It looked the same as it did before.

'Inspect'

[Major blending ring]

Item rank: C

Type: Accessory(Ring)

'Oh... it became a major blending ring, huh?'

"So it worked..." Void spoke up after a long time. 'Where were you?'.

"I was here the whole time... just because I wasn't saying anything doesn't necessarily mean I was gone"

"How do you like it?" Andre asked with a grin on his face the whole time, "I used my secondary Inferno ability for the flames

"They can enhance the quality of an item which was enhanced in the flames of my ability by a bit".

"Did the inferno ability always have that effect...?" Quinn asked. "No it doesn't, normally that is... it works like this ONLY for dwarves".

AND NOW THE GODS THAT ZAYNE SPOKE OF ARE RACIST IT SEEMS

"Well... since we're done here, you should get going and look for more soul cores so that you can grow stronger

"Take this chip and tell me if you want anything else to be strengthened, but of course... I'll charge you! Don't expect me to keep doing things for free"

"...I can't say that you're being unreasonable, can I? I'll gladly accept," Quinn said as he took the chip which was being handed over to him and stored it in his shadow.

***

"Now that all students have arrived, we will proceed with the operation" A man who was in front of the crowd of people said.

"Operation?"

'What is he talking about?"

"Weren't we supposed to go back to Earth?"

'What...are they on about'