The next day, Arin didn't begin with cultivation immediately. His attention returned to the bracelet. He picked it up and turned it in his hand, observing it more carefully than before. The surface patterns were still faint, and the small crystal nodes embedded within it reflected light differently depending on the angle. It didn't look damaged, only unresponsive.
He opened his terminal again. This time, instead of general searches, he focused on older storage models and their activation methods. The results were still inconsistent, but a few entries mentioned a similar requirement—older devices needed an initial energy alignment before activation. Not force, not random input, but a stable and directed flow.
Arin adjusted his approach.
He took a low-tier energy crystal and held it loosely, allowing the energy to disperse slowly instead of absorbing it all at once. The flow entered his body and stabilized within the semi-core before he guided it outward with control, directing it toward the bracelet.
At first, nothing changed. The bracelet remained still, showing no response.
Arin didn't rush. He maintained the flow steadily, keeping it even instead of increasing the output. The process was slower than before, but more controlled.
After a short while, the change appeared. The faint patterns along the bracelet reacted, and a soft blue hue spread across the surface. It was weak, but stable. The resistance he had felt earlier was no longer there. It didn't feel like something breaking open, but rather something allowing access.
The space opened.
Arin stopped immediately, not moving further. He observed it first. The internal space was stable and clearly usable, though not large. It didn't feel damaged, but it also didn't feel complete.
Only after confirming that did he reach inside and take out the first item. It was a thin notebook with a worn cover and slightly damaged edges, as if parts of it were missing. The contents inside were structured but incomplete, with diagrams that didn't match the basic cultivation guides he had seen before.
He placed it aside for the moment and reached in again. Several items appeared one after another. A small collection of low-tier energy crystals, a few sealed vials, and a compact set of tools, all arranged in a way that didn't feel random.
The last item made him pause.
It was a damaged core fragment.
The structure didn't look natural. It was too refined, too controlled, as if it had been artificially created rather than formed normally. Arin didn't touch it immediately. Instead, he placed it down carefully and observed it along with the rest.
The items didn't feel like scattered storage. It looked as if someone had selected what to keep and left only what was necessary. Even the arrangement had a sense of order, as if the previous owner had intended quick access rather than long-term storage.
Arin picked up one of the sealed vials and examined it closely. The container was intact, with no visible markings to indicate its purpose. The liquid inside remained still, its faint color unclear under normal light. It didn't seem like something meant for immediate use.
He set it aside without opening it.
The tools were easier to understand. Compact and precise, they were likely meant for adjustments or small-scale work rather than direct use in combat. Despite their age, they were still in usable condition.
The energy crystals were more straightforward. All of them were standard green crystals, each marked at ten units. Based on common value, the total amount roughly ranged somewhere between one thousand to ten thousand credits. It wasn't exceptional, but it was far from insignificant.
Arin didn't rush the inspection. He went through each item briefly, not trying to understand everything at once, but forming a general idea of what he had obtained.
Arin leaned back slightly, his attention returning to the bracelet. This wasn't just a simple storage item. The response earlier had been controlled, almost selective. It didn't react to force, but it responded to the way energy was guided.
That meant the method mattered.
He picked up the bracelet again and rotated it slowly, paying closer attention to the faint patterns along its surface. Now that it had responded once, those lines felt more noticeable, though they didn't change further.
He didn't try to force another reaction.
There was no need to rush.
He checked the space again. It wasn't empty. There was a sense of depth beyond what he could access, but when he tried to reach further, nothing responded. The accessible space remained stable, while the deeper part stayed completely unresponsive.
It wasn't broken.
It was restricted.