With a powerful surge of defiance, Hadrian thrust out his hand towards the pulsating energy sphere, a command ripping from his lungs. "Nora, activate core absorption!"
Golden tendrils erupted from Hadrian's outstretched hand, swiftly, purposefully, wrapping themselves around the erratic energy core. Once fully enwrapped, the shimmering threads pulled the core inward, shrinking it, until its raw energy was absorbed into Hadrian's body.
Hadrian instantly gains 5 levels, his esper and guide energy reserves nearly double in size and he gains a bunch of skill points.
A brilliant white light engulfed him, almost blinding, before his own luminous golden guide aura pulsed outwards, a beacon against the disappearing light, smoothly breaking down the immense power he had just consumed.
Mason stood frozen, his emerald eyes wide, reflecting the golden glow that now surrounded Hadrian. "Did he just... eat the energy core?" Mason finally asked, his voice low, tinged with disbelief.
"It just... vanished," Athena breathed, her previous console work forgotten as she stared at the empty space where the sphere had pulsed moments before. "Every single fluctuating energy reading is gone. Not just stabilized, gone. How is that even possible?"
Nyx's crystalline device, which had moments ago been a whirlwind of frantic colors, now shone with a calm, vibrant gold, mirroring Hadrian's aura. Her baby blue eyes, filled with profound awe, focused intently on him. "His absorption is complete. The core's essence... it has become part of him. An incredible feat of... integration."
Artemis let out a soft whistle, his earlier readiness for combat forgotten. "I thought you just made walls fall down, Guide. You got a superpower buffet going on too? That thing could've powered a city, and you just made it disappear."
Leo Harten tilted his head, a wry smile gracing his lips. His illusory orb spun hypnotically, mimicking Hadrian's golden hue. "From demolition man to energy devourer. Our Hadrian keeps revealing new layers. I suppose this means stabilization is no longer a concern?" He chuckled. "A rather... permanent solution."
Mason walked a few steps closer, his gaze hardening into determination as the golden light began to subside around Hadrian. "Unorthodox doesn't even begin to cover it, Hadrian. But effective. Nyx, confirm energy footprint; Athena, scan the residual integrity of the facility now."
Hadrian leaned back against a fallen conduit, the powerful energies thrumming exhilaratingly beneath his skin. He was wired, like he had just drank 10 energy drinks in one go. There was no way he was gonna be able to sleep later.
He felt alive, buzzing, and ready to share his startling reality with the group. "There's a lot you don't know about me," he began, looking up at Mason, "that nobody knows. That I have kept secret. I'm willing to tell you, after we return to the Guild base... If you're willing to listen."
Mason's gaze was unreadable for a moment, then a soft nod affirmed his unspoken trust. "We'll be listening, Hadrian," he stated, his voice calm amidst the echoes of chaos. "You just earned that much, and more, today."
"No doubt about that," Artemis chimed in, a wide grin on his face. "Anyone who can make a core disappear and pull rebar from thin air has a story worth hearing."
"A story indeed," Nyx added softly, her focus still on Hadrian, her crystal device radiating a steady, comforting glow. "Your uniqueness continues to inspire wonder, Hadrian. Perhaps your secrets hold even more."
Athena approached Hadrian, her hands on her hips, a playful twinkle in her eyes. "Well, whenever you decide to write that memoir, 'The Guide Who Ate a Power Source', I've got dibs on the dramatic reading. Until then, maybe we should focus on getting home before the rest of this place tries to fight back without its central power." She nudged the silent space where the core once pulsed.
"She has a point," Leo Harten remarked, his illusory orb dancing overhead. "A job well done. No power, no threats, no fuss. Just a quick and clean exit." He paused, looking at Hadrian. "Though, I suppose you were the one to make it clean, and rather less 'no fuss'."
Mason turned towards the way they came, the remnants of the wall Hadrian collapsed now a clear path. "Alright, team," he announced, his voice clear and resonant. "Let's consolidate. Prepare for extraction. Hadrian's just given us a golden ticket home."
"Alright, team, let's consolidate," Mason reiterated, leading the way towards the jagged opening they'd arrived through. His stride was firm, purposeful. "Extraction point isn't far. Let's keep moving."
Artemis stretched, a loud cracking sound from his knuckles. "Couldn't happen soon enough. All this excitement has me craving some real food, not just high-octane dramatics." He clapped Hadrian on the shoulder, a robust thump that made the already wired Guide stiffen for a fraction of a second. "Still can't believe that move, Guide. Straight out of a storybook."
"Indeed," Nyx added, her light steps making no sound as she followed. Her crystal device now pulsed with a soothing, golden hum, mirroring Hadrian's subdued aura. "To absorb such power... it still leaves me breathless with wonder. What energies must flow through your being, Hadrian, to contain such a vast resource?"
Athena grinned, ducking easily under a low-hanging pipe. "Forget that, Nyx. I'm just glad we don't have to lug that massive sphere out with us. Saves on our cargo quota. Hadrian, your utility as a glorified, energy-absorbing black hole continues to impress."
Leo Harten floated backward slightly, surveying the core chamber as they exited. "It does make one ponder," he mused, a soft chuckle in his voice, "the efficacy of traditional methods of 'stabilization' when 'absorption' becomes an option. Truly revolutionary, Guide. Perhaps all power crises could be solved simply by feeding them to you."
Hadrian offered a small, almost imperceptible nod to their comments as he followed their path, quickening his pace to keep up. He walked slightly behind the core group, letting their banter and chatter fill the void. The raw energy thrumming inside him made every fiber of his being feel alert, buzzing with an overwhelming, almost manic, intensity. He had to suppress the urge to hum with the lingering power.
"The Guild master will certainly have questions," Mason stated, his voice a low rumble. "Plenty of them. But for now, focus on safe passage."
They navigated the return journey with swift efficiency, a faint hum replacing the previous clamor of the facility, courtesy of the absorbed core. As they neared the designated extraction zone, a clear beacon pulsed in the distance. The mission was complete.