Shadow Being System

As they reached their dorm, the sky above had turned a deep, foreboding gray, signaling the arrival of a heavy storm. Heavy clouds hung low, filling the air with the thick, electric scent of an approaching storm, the first distant rumble of thunder echoed, hinting at the downpour to come.

Inside, William and his friends unpacked the snacks and supplies they'd picked up from the market, arranging them on the small table in the center of the room.

William summoned the box from the system's inventory, and it materialized in his hands with a faint shimmer. Carefully, he opened it and withdrew two vials of the soul potion, holding them up with a grin.

"So, I'll be generous and sell these to you both for $2,900 each. Good deal, right?"

Gavin rolled his eyes but pulled out his phone to transfer the funds. "Right, so generous," he muttered, though he couldn't hide the smirk on his face as he transferred the money.

Liam accepted the potion with a nod, checking his own phone as he paid. William glanced at his balance, a spark of satisfaction lighting up within him as he saw it rise from $27,900 to $33,700. Maybe I can turn this into a business, he mused.

Just as he put the box back into the system, the first raindrops began to fall outside. A low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky, and the rain quickly turned into a downpour, beating against the windows with an intensity that promised to last. William moved to the window, watching as a few students dashed across the campus, desperately seeking cover.

"It doesn't look like this rain will let up anytime soon," he said to himself, realizing his plans to visit the lake would have to wait. Guess I'll make do with what I have here.

With a resigned shrug, he moved to his bed, sitting cross-legged as he summoned one of the remaining soul potions from the inventory. It appeared in his hand, glowing faintly blue, and he turned it over, noticing the instructions printed on the vial. So, it's meant to be consumed, huh? The dosage was marked carefully on the glass, enough for three days per vial.

With nine potions in total, he calculated he'd have enough for about a month.

(Author's Note: Mr. Beth gave William a soul potion, and he bought 10, but after selling 2, he's left with 9).

William ran the third eye ability over it to confirm that it was safe; the last thing he needed was to poison himself by accident. The system displayed the potion's ingredients but detected nothing harmful. Satisfied, he raised the vial to his lips.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"I sure hope it's sweet," he muttered, then tipped it back, letting the liquid flow down his throat. Its taste was odd—sweet with a bitter aftertaste and a strange sourness that lingered. But as it settled, he felt a warm surge of energy radiate through his body.

Storing the rest of the vial back into his inventory, he closed his eyes, settling into focus as he began to draw in soul essence from the environment. He immediately felt the effect of the potion—it made drawing in the essence smoother and faster, almost as if he were back at the lake.

If this is what it's like here, imagine what I could do with this at the lake, he mused, feeling his energy rise with each passing moment.

---

Hours passed as he continued meditating, pulling in soul essence until he reached his limit. Eventually, he opened his eyes, feeling a renewed sense of strength. Stretching, he glanced out the window. The rain was still pouring heavily, cascading in sheets that seemed determined to soak every inch of the campus. Gavin and Liam were both deep in their own meditative states, drawing in soul essence.

William got up quietly, walking over to the mini-fridge they'd stocked earlier. He grabbed a snack and munched on it thoughtfully, letting the brief break refresh him before he moved to the center of the room to practice his wind ability. He kept his lightning ability under wraps for now; after all, no one else knew he possessed two powers, and he planned to keep it that way.

As he practiced, he felt his control over the wind gradually improving, refining his precision with each attempt. A surge of satisfaction filled him when he noticed his soul essence had increased by three points, bringing his total up to twelve. Exhausted but content with his progress, he climbed into bed, drifting off to sleep.

---

The next day dawned with a faint light filtering through the remaining clouds. The rain had stopped, but the air was heavy with humidity, and the ground was still wet, reflecting the early morning light. William spent the day with minimal activity—heading to the cafeteria for food, then going to the lake to continue his meditation and practice.

With dedicated effort, he focused on his wind ability and enhancing his lightning skill as well. By the day's end, his soul essence had risen by another five points, totaling seventeen.

That evening, just before curfew, William lay beside the lake, staring at the mist that concealed the chasm, feeling a deep sense of awe and curiosity about this mysterious place. The lake within glowed with an eerie tranquility, casting faint ripples of light against the cave walls.

He reflected on his progress, marveling at how much he had accomplished in just a week. His soul essence had climbed from seven to seventeen—an increase that would have seemed impossible without the lake's powerful energy. He gazed at its luminescent surface, thoughts swirling.

What exactly is this lake? he wondered. Why does it exist here, hidden from the rest of the academy? Why would General Zhao keep such a powerful resource a secret? If more students could access this, they'd draw in soul essence so much faster, making our forces stronger in the process.

But he shrugged off the questions. Not my concern, he reminded himself. Rising to his feet, he cast one last look at the glowing lake before turning to head back to the dorm.

Thank you JDP9966 for the power stone, I really appreciate it.