Zane and Shelby stood before two large archways that flanked them, each one carved in obsidian stone and marked with glowing ethereal runes.
One read: Library Hall.
The other: Weapon Hall.
A gentle hum of arcane energy emanated from both, but each carried a different scent in the air—old parchment and ink from the left, steel and brimstone from the right.
"Which one should we go first?" Shelby asked, cracking his knuckles. His eyes naturally leaned toward the Weapon Hall. "I'm guessing firepower would come in handy."
"Library," Zane replied without hesitation.
"Library? You nerd kid?" Shelby blinked at him. "Didn't peg you for a bookworm."
Zane shot him a glare. Just once.
That was enough.
Shelby raised both hands in surrender, chuckling. "Alright, alright. Lead the way, oh wise scholar."
Zane stepped into the Library Hall, and the moment he crossed the threshold, the air changed. Denser. Older. Wiser.
Shelby followed, but he slowed down, his eyes widening.
Inside, the room was massive—spiraling shelves soared into a domed ceiling painted with constellations that slowly rotated. Books floated through the air, guided by invisible currents. Some whispered to themselves. Others growled quietly when passed.
The walls were layered with ancient tomes, grimoires, and scrolls bound in flesh, glass, and shadow. Some shimmered faintly, others bled whispers into the air. On elevated podiums scattered throughout the hall, ghostly silhouettes sat in silence as books read themselves aloud in ancient tongues.
At the center of the hall stood a solitary pedestal, an altar-like slab of obsidian. Resting atop it was a massive tome—its surface cracked and breathing faintly, like the chest of a slumbering beast.
Suddenly, the room quieted.
Zane and Shelby approached the massive tome. Arcane writing glowed into existence, inscribed across the open surface:
Welcome to the Wisdom Tome
Insert your Mana into me and I shall select the books that align with your Energy Nature.
Cost: 10,000 A.P.
Shelby snorted and grinned. "So it's a vending machine for nerds," he muttered. Without hesitation, he pressed his palm onto the stone slab.
Lightning mana crackled violently around his hand as his mana surged into the tome. His wristwatch vibrated, flashing red briefly as it projected a blinking notification:
10,000 A.P. deducted. Current Balance: 137,800 A.P.
The tome pulsed with radiant white light.
All at once, the floating books throughout the hall began to twist and swirl, forming a miniature maelstrom. Dozens of tomes spun and scattered, reacting to Shelby's essence, before three specific books broke free of the current and darted toward the center.
They hovered in the air just inches from the pedestal—each book wildly different in size, shape, and aura.
One had leather bound in coiling runes of electricity. Another was transparent, its contents shifting like storm clouds. The third appeared cracked and scorched, vibrating gently as if ready to explode.
Shelby grabbed the closest one. The title shimmered in lightning script:
Lightning Serpent Strike
The moment Shelby touched the book, another wave of energy surged out of him. His wristwatch buzzed again.
5,000 A.P. deducted. Skill Projection: Lightning Serpent Strike (Intermediate – Rank C+)
Shelby's eyes lit up as the technique downloaded directly into his mind—a flash of instinct and understanding guiding him on how to move, charge, and unleash the spell.
He shut his eyes, burned his mana, and weaved a series of hand seals. Swinging his arm like a javelin, he muttered, "Lightning Serpent Strike!"
A serpent-shaped bolt of lightning coiled into existence and launched forward in a straight line. Just as it was about to strike a floating book, a translucent energy barrier flared to life around the tome, deflecting the spell harmlessly.
Shelby raised his hand and clenched his fist, and the lightning serpent dissipated on command.
"Hah! That's what I'm talking about!" he laughed, grinning wide. "It's like getting cheat codes for the universe."
But while Shelby was enthralled, Zane saw something entirely different.
To his eyes, the books weren't just floating tomes—they were data structures. Virtual tags hovered beside each one, displaying their titles, cost, difficulty rating, compatibility percentage, and even unlock paths and fusion potentials.
It was like seeing the source code of reality.
Zane narrowed his eyes. His system was working differently now. Enhancing. Reading. Analyzing.
As Shelby reached for the second book, Zane interrupted sharply, "Don't pick that one."
In the past, Shelby might've brushed him off. But after what they'd been through in the dungeon, he knew better. Zane's instincts weren't just good—they were unnervingly precise.
His trust had grown so deep that, if Zane pointed at a pile of shit and called it a gold nugget, Shelby would start collecting it with both hands.
So, Shelby paused and asked, "Why? Do you know something about this book?"
"I do," Zane replied calmly. "But don't ask how. Just trust me—I know which one fits you best. That book has only 33% compatibility and costs 15,000 A.P. Not worth it."
"Oh… what about the first one I touched?"
"67% compatibility," Zane replied. Then pointed. "Pick the third one. That one's 59% compatible, but the skill's value makes it worth the 25,000 A.P. cost."
Shelby didn't hesitate. He reached out and touched the third book—cracked, scorched, and vibrating as if it were barely containing its own power.
Instantly, another pulse of energy drained from him. His watch buzzed one more time.
25,000 A.P. deducted. Skill Projection: Hand of the Lightning God
(Lower – Rank A+)
Shelby let out a whoop of joy. "It's an A-rank skill!" he shouted. "I actually got an A-rank!"
This time, he didn't attempt to activate it. The technique was too complex—he needed to study the memory imprint thoroughly.
While Shelby celebrated, Zane silently stepped forward and placed his hand on the Wisdom Tome.
He poured his mana into it.
Then, something strange happened.
The writing on the tome shifted.
User Recognized: Unique Soul Imprint Detected
Override Access: Permitted
Cost Per Selection: NULLIFIED
Auto-Sync with Innate Codex: Initiating…
The tome pulsed black, then turned violet, humming with alien energy.
Shelby blinked. "Wait… why did the light change? That's new."
Zane didn't answer.
Two books floated toward him—each surrounded by a distinct aura.
One shone with a blinding white halo, a miniature tree embedded on its cover like a crest. The other was cloaked in shadows, sealed in thick black chains, oozing corrupted energy.
Zane's vision highlighted them with glowing labels:
Divine Judgment – Light Attribute – ??? Compatibility – Locked Tier
Law of Corruption – Dark Attribute – ??? Compatibility – Locked Tier
He stared at both, unreadable.
And then... he reached forward.