Consciously thinking about not thinking is of course a contradiction. Nevertheless not thinking is a state that is central to quite a lot of human cultures. Having issues with that while accepting aliens, magic and souls would be absurd. That does not make it easy. Nor do I know how good I need to become. I should have recorded a base line earlier, but if one session is so effective, it does not matter what I record here either.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">Gun:</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Tools of the Magister]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (86%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Joy of Sustained Fire]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Blood</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Attack</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (91%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[This is my Gun]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Myriad</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Attack/Conjuration</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
Iron 0 (45%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%"> </td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">Vast:</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Giant Form of the Ancestors]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (26%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Immortality]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Tree</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (6%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%"> </td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">Dimension:</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Teleport]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (15%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Dance by my Will]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Dance</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Aura Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (90%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Eternal Moment]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Reach</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (5%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%"> </td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">Battlefield:</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Equip the Army]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 1 (7%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">[Robotic Servant of War]</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%">Magotech</td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%">Special Attack/Conjuration</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (0%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 28.0873%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 11.3742%"> </td>
<td style="width: 31.0121%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
T: So you are saying the usage of cores versus the other methods is a global variable and irreversible?
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.P: Yes, so it appears.
T: Then using cores means making yourself depend on finding and entering intrusions. While otherwise you could for example play batman.
P: That is true, but we are still left with the question of how to get more Awakening Stones.
T: Would you care? What is the consequences of empty slots? Going hungry for power?
P: I am not sure. More navel gazing will be required.
T: But you can rank up powers while you have empty slots?
P: Yes, I have direct experimental evidence for that. Well, at least for the Special Ability type.
T: We need a way to measure the effect of that.
P: A lot of work
T: True. It may not be feasible if we need to teach at the same time. But it is odd.
P: Yes, they cannot possibly expect us to finish within the time they promise to finish this crisis.
T: You are thinking it is just propaganda?
P: Then why are we specifically teaching? They have other wizards.
T: So they are contemplating needing ritualists.
P: You think we are a contingency plan and they traded the detection device away for something else?
T: I wish we positively knew things.
P: Do you want to go back to your old life?
T: Rather than teaching school girls? Yes. If I could do science on magic? No. You?
P: I wanted to change my old life. But certain things I wanted are not available to a single man.
T: That is not helpful. And, I hesitate to mention it, but how good has that potion been? We were exposed to a lot of radiation.
P: You are thinking cancer?
T: No, or rather, we are too valuable for that now, even as contingencies. I talked to my doctors, when we were tested.
P: So did I. What are you referring to?
T: You sounded like you were talking about marriage and children.
P: Fuck ...
T: Indeed.
That hurt unexpectedly hard.
P: Another option, we do not have to stay in this country. I would have thought that they wouldn''t let us go, but if they are serious about that constitution thing, we could emigrate.
T: The grass is not greener on the other side. That is an illusion.
I am kidding myself. There is a time bomb in my storage space.
P: True. I just do not trust the promised peace.
T: You are thinking about who is behind the intrusions? That they''ll come themselves? Or who is behind the superheros?
P: The former.
T: Chewing the unknowable. If they come with irresistable force, nobody will ask us whether mankind should surrender. It would be up to the nuclear powers.