More Integration

"Oh, don't worry," Linfel smiled confidently. "I have plenty of Yellow Magic Energy available for me to use on a daily basis. Hehe!"

On the next day, at night, Linfel came to see Aelua at her research facility. "Linfel! Where were you yesterday?"

"Sorry, sorry," Linfel apologized. "I had a little trouble with my magic Energy Integration. I was forced to rest for the rest of the day so I could recover."

"A problem with Magic Energy Integration?" Aelua found it strange. "But you should have a technique perfect for your core in your memories. Why would there be a problem?"

"I'm not like other Familiars," Linfel explained. "I was born without the general knowledge most Familiars have. I need to learn everything from scratch, and yesterday was the first day I learned about the methods of Magic Energy Integration."

"I see..." Aelua understood. "Well, if you ask me, making a Familiar like that is just annoying. But then again, you managed to become independent, so this is your problem and your problem only. Your master doesn't need to worry about your education."

She then took out her MCOM and showed something to Linfel. "By the way, I got the news. You finished in the top ten during the last Field Exam, right?" She smiled at Linfel right after. "It was because of your ridiculously high Magic Energy Sensitivity, right?"

"You can tell?" Linfel asked back, surprised.

"I've been to the Dark Canyons before," Aelua explained. "That place is pretty much a maze. However, considering your sensitivity, I wondered if you were able to feel the Magic Energy Flow in the area. Seems like I was right."

Linfel didn't deny her words. "Yeap, that's pretty much it. People are still thinking that Donfin, Milia, or Miranda got privileged information and my group was only tagging them. Hahaha!"

"I can definitely see that happening," Aeulua also smiled, finding it funny. "Anyway, you have two days' worth of Magic Energy Separation to make. But with your sensitivity, that shouldn't be an issue at all."

"Yes," Linfel quickly nodded. "Well then, I'll start today's work."

Aelua nodded and turned around, going back to her room. Linfel already knew the entire process, so there wasn't a need for her to observe anymore. She could simply come out later and check the containers.

Seeing that Aelua left, Linfel couldn't hold his excitement anymore. He quickly went for the first Magic Energy Receptor, which was brimming with Yellow Magic Energy collected during the day from one of the nine pillars. 'Hahaha! Free Magic Energy, and a lot of it!'

Immediately, he began to absorb the Magic Energy and separate the Semi-Transparent Yellow magic Energy from Space before putting it into the container. That was his job. As for the normal Magic Energy, which was over 99% of all the Magic Energy in the receptors, Linfel began to clean it.

Yellow Magic Energy escaped his Core and dissipated in the surroundings. The Receptor's Magic Energy was even more polluted than the Magic Energy inside the Low-Grade Yellow Magic Energy Stones. As Aelua mentioned before, it was simply impossible for Maguses and Familiars to use such impure energy for Integration, so it had to be discarded...

Not for Linfel, though. The impurities didn't matter. His core could get rid of all of it. Sure, he would have to discard most of the Magic Energy for the exact same reason. However, the Nine pillars gathered so much of it that it completely made up for the losses. Above all, Linfel didn't need to pay even a single Academy Credit for it all!

Linfel was excited, but he was also a little bit nervous. He almost damaged his Soul the last night, and he concluded that it was most likely due to his low level. But... he couldn't be absolutely sure about it. It wasn't before he spent an hour and reached the fourth pillar that he finally relaxed.

'Sure enough, it is my level, which is basically the strength of my soul. I'm cleaning all the energy and producing Low-Grade Red Magic Energy. Fortunately, this level of Magic Energy is not too stressful for my soul. I can continue to integrate it into my Soul, and it is slowly changing my core.'

Linfel continued his work without any issues, reaching the eighth of the nine receptors he had to extract and separate the Magic Energy. However, because he was also using it for his own leveling, he was taking a lot longer than usual.

Aelua, who was working on the reports of her research, finally remembered Linfel hadn't appeared yet. 'Why is he taking this long?'

She came out of her room and made her way to the receptors. There, she saw the Magic Energy escaping Linfel's Core. That was normal. The contaminated Magic Energy had to be expelled. That's how the work goes. However, she also noticed that the amount of Magic Energy Linfel got rid of was smaller than the amount he was taking in.

Immediately, she understood what he was doing. "LINFEL!" She ran to him and covered the receptor. "What the hell are you doing?! You can't use this Magic Energy for integration! It will destroy your core!"

Linfel was taken aback for a moment. "Oh! Why are you here? I haven't finished yet."

"You were taking too long, so I came to check on you," Aelua explained. "Why are you doing such a dangerous thing?"

Linfel shrugged. "I have my reasons. Don't worry, Aelua, I won't cause you trouble."

"You are already causing trouble, idiot," Aelua complained. "If you collapse, then I will need to find someone else for the job, and no one else can do what you are doing here. You have helped me a lot with your perfect job. I can't let you lose yourself here."

Linfel sighed. He truly was not at any risk. But he also couldn't tell her he was immune to the impurities of Magic Energy. "I'm sorry, but... If I can't do this, I don't have much of a reason to continue coming here anymore. It's the Magic Energy that attracts me, even if it is polluted. Please understand."

Aelua was taken aback. She thought he was here for the Academy Credits instead. "Can't you simply buy Low-Grade Yellow Magic Stones? I'm paying 100 Academy Credits per night for you. That's at least 33 Magic Stones. They are the worst out there, but definitely safe to use, differently from this Energy you are taking. Besides, 33 Low-Grade Yellow Magic Stones are more than enough to last two or three days usually. You truly don't need to do this." Little did she know Linfel used hundreds in a single day.

"Also," Aelua continued. "You won't find places that pay 100 Academy Credits this easily every day. Consider that."

Linfel obviously couldn't just give up. "I still must insist. My Academy Credits already have a destination, so I can only count on this Magic Energy. Besides... I can definitely make more Academy Credits now if I want."

Linfel then moved to a Terminal and used his Magic Energy signature to access it. Finally, he pointed out. "Look at my Rank."

"Rank C Familiar!" Aelua was shocked. "You got sent to Rank C just like that?!"

Linfel nodded. "That I did. So, simply put, I can take quite some good tasks in the Mission Hall now, so 100 Academy Credits per day isn't that hard to do anymore. In the end, I'm only coming back here for the Magic Energy, nothing else."

Aelua still wanted to stop him. However, she couldn't pay him anything extra with her budget, so she didn't know what to do. "Is that truly the only way for you to remain? Will you not reconsider? I truly don't wish to lose such a great helper."

"I'm fine," Linfel spoke back. "As long as you leave me to use the Magic Energy, I will come back every day. Well, at least until I don't need it anymore, which won't happen any time soon. As for the dangers of the impurities, that's something for the future me to care about. This is the good thing about being an independent Familiar; I can make my own decisions."

"Sigh..." Aelua gave up and uncovered the Magic Receptor. "Fine. If you want to get yourself ruined, then so be it. However, I warned you. Don't blame me later when things turn for worse."

"Thank you," Linfel was happy to hear that. "Now, time to continue." At the very least, he wouldn't need to hide his actions anymore from her.