The dim light from the dorm room flickered slightly as William sat cross-legged on his bed, staring intently at the glowing system interface in front of him. His breath was steady but shallow, his mind racing with questions after the system's revelation. A Shadow Crystal? He had heard about Soul Crystals, of course—every student at the academy knew that their primary goal was to form one. But a Shadow Crystal? That was something else entirely. He asked the system about it, curiosity burning in his chest.
"What is a Shadow Crystal?" William asked mentally.
The system replied in its usual neutral tone, "It is similar to a Soul Crystal. The only person who has ever possessed one was the Shadow Lord. Even he only had a single crystal, not two, like you."