Henry didn't know so as Harbek. The ghost that was absorbed by the black core change it's color to more ethereal. It now has a dim neon glow at its side flickering.
-----
Harbek looks at Henry and nodded before waving his hand again. The patch of land below Henry is transfigured to a bowl pool that wakes him up.
"Ghost!!! Haaa!! What happened?!" Henry asked. Standing on the pool wet he looks around and breathes in relief.
"Use the energy inside you to recover faster or you'll regret it," Harbek said menacingly.
Henry gulps and closed his eyes. He removes a huge chunk of energy on his core and let it wash over his whole body. Then he feels a sliver of neon energy crawling toward his brain. Once, it reaches his mind. Henry sprang his head back like he is ascending to heaven as his eyes roll back in delight.
"Oooh!! Yes!!!" Henry moaned. Harbek looks at Henry with disgust before shifting to his inspecting and serious frown.
"What did you do? Why is there spirit energy inside your black core?" Harbek said shaking his head in dejection.
"Why? I feel great! Isn't it good?" Henry asks him.
"No... Because you have spirit energy in the black core that will blow it up. You need to have a spiritual core to use and have it. I can't remove it as fusion is already done. Haaaa... Do you want an agonizing death or a painless one? Tell me?" He started to wave his hand as Earth spike ruptured from the ground aimed at his neck.
"*gulp....* is there any chance to avoid both?" Henry ask.
"Yes, you must get a spirit core and essence core" Harbek replied. He doesn't believe that they can get both.
"Then how do we get one?" Henry asks with dejectedly.
"You aren't a spirit to have a spiritual core. Essence core can be made but years is needed to do that as you need to collect your inner energy or chi as you human call." Harbek replied going inside the house after turning the pool back.
"You can help me right?" Henry ask.
"No, I can't... I can't do either of them. I'm just a black gnome." Harbek said with depression.
"Wait!! What if I plan it out! Maybe, I can think of an idea to stabilize this." Henry panicking said as he sees Harbek pack his stuff.
"Hm... Haaa... Okay, you either die struggling and I have to wait for another unfortunate man." Harbek decided to gamble some of his time.
"Okay! Great!! Ha!! Now! What to do!? Yeah!! Books!! We need books for reference. You said only spirits can have that core right? Then why not get it from the spirit! I think I got the spirit energy from that ghost that passed by." Henry guesses what happens.
"Sounds possible. Here...." Harbek gives Henry the books and they started to work on the table in the kitchen. Having a mug of coffee to control his anxiety attack as his palm sweats and breathing can't stop heaving hard.
Time passed and night came. Henry has a notebook filled with ideas. He started to plan out a theory for what happened to him. He finally discovers that he absorbs the ghost when Harbek did a scrying spell that reveals what happened at that time.
"Okay, I got only one possible solution. A ritual that will devour spirit energy from ghosts. It will saturate your black core until it spills it and spirit energy will create its core but we also need to have essence core at the same time or you will become a spirit. It means no sex, no alcohol, and smoke if you ever do it." Harbek said after checking all references. No one ever wanted to have multiple cores and it would lead to mutation and that process only give headaches from users as massive control and knowledge are needed to do such.
Energy Invasion is also used for combat and killing.
Lucky for Henry, he only has a very meager amount of black and ethereal energy that can still be pushed out after the black core became saturated the spirit energy will again be a push to the edge as it's lighter.
"Okay... So what's the plan?" Henry ask.
"Easy, you will go collect ghosts and livestock from all over the town while I will create a sacrificial ritual for you. We have two weeks to complete that. In a week you need to avoid going in the backyard. I'll set the ritual there. Lot's of preparation to make sure. I need to create warding, scrying, purifying, and very ritual. You just have to make sure to have those two okay? Haaa... After this, I'm having a vacation. BTW, you need to enter 'The Tower' if we succeed. I don't want some investigation coming after me." Harbek fire all that he needed to say and left the kitchen after having his fill. He two books that make Henry sigh in relief.
"Let's pull an all-nighter." Henry makes another coffee again for the night.
The books Harbek left are pre-made curses, runes with sigils added, and an empty grimoire that is very heavy. Every page is 5 cm thick.
Henry focuses on curses that can affect spirits and ghosts but he reaches one problem. How can he contain them? Henry spends all night finding a usable spell or curse that can bind or store a spirit entity.
He didn't find any of it but came to an alternative.
"Yeah, sigil or rune..." Henry mumbles as he starts to inscribe a hexagram using his blood. His ever pale face became paler and body colder. Mental fatigue and the additional effect of over-saturated spirit energy that doesn't contain.
"Haha!! Let's get ready!" Henry runs out of the house. It was still dark outside just passing 2 AM.
When he passed by the door leading toward the backyard. Henry shivers as the ominous black fog covers the very door. Shaking off the feeling, he runs off the house from the bookstore entrance with a bike beside him.
"Where to go? Ghost? Graveyard and Church... That's my best bet. The church is close. I head to that place first." Henry put the grimoire on his bag and ride toward the South.