Chapter 29- Inside the Mountain of Secrets
Moments Later – Mountain Entrance…
The group approached the concealed foothill entrance with a mix of curiosity and caution. Arthur's brow furrowed deeply, his mind racing to recall anything unusual about this part of the mountain terrain.
Vector stopped in front of the hidden entrance and turned back to look at them.
"We're going inside the mountain," he said calmly, "through a concealed entrance I discovered. I will explain other things when we are inside the mountain."
Rhea muttered, "Inside the Mountain…?"
Then, without a single word from Vector, a faint rumble echoed beneath their feet. The moss-covered rocks and vines shifted subtly, and the hidden entrance silently opened, revealing a mysterious stone corridor carved into the mountain, sloping gently downward.
Vector stepped inside without hesitation.
The others stood frozen for a moment, stunned by what they had just witnessed. But none were more shaken than Chief Arthur and Leo.
They, who had lived in Vantara since birth, walked these woods hundreds of times – yet never once suspected something like this lay hidden in their backyard.
Arthur whispered under his breath, "How is this even possible?"
Even Sebastian was also shocked by this – he didn't sense that there was a concealed entrance near the foothill. One must know that he was a higher level Body Refining expert. When he'd explored ancient ruins before, he'd never seen an entrance this well hidden – right in front of him, yet undetectable.
The rest of the group hesitated only briefly before following.
As they entered the corridor, the very air seemed to change. It grew cooler, crisper, carrying not the scent of earth and decay, but something older… ancient and faintly arcane.
One by one, arcane lanterns embedded into the corridor walls flickered to life. No flame. No oil. Just a soft, golden glow that bathed the corridor in a silent, ethereal light. The polished stone walls shimmered with carved symbols and mysterious formations none of them could understand.
The corridor opened up into a grand chamber.
They were now standing on the 2nd Floor - the Library Floor. Towering shelves made of crystalline wood lined the space, each shelf pulsing gently with light as though it were alive – breathing knowledge.
Arthur's voice was barely audible. "What… is this place?"
"A ruin?" Marcus muttered, though he immediately doubted himself. It didn't feel like a ruin. Everything was… pristine and alive. There is not even a dust presence and all the structure standings felt new without any inclination towards aging.
"It doesn't look abandoned," Rhea said quietly, scanning the room. "It looks new."
Vector turned toward them, his face calm and with a slight smile. "This 'Ancient Ruin'... is the Void Library."
He let the name linger for a moment before continuing. He emphasized 'Ancient Ruin' so that they can understand it and relate to the mysterious past of Ethereum.
"Previously when we came to inspect the surrounding terrains – I felt... something. Like a pull. So I came back here alone to investigate… discovered it then."
"When I approached the cliff, the entrance opened on its own. I don't know its full origin. But the moment I stepped inside, it acknowledged me... and activated."
A stunned silence followed. It was as they knew what Vector had said but they still did not understand it altogether.
Even Sebastian, always composed and silent, expressed his thoughts, "There are stories of ancient ruins holding knowledge and power from a time when our people wielded far greater technologies. But no one could ever claim them. The Novastra Empire tried, so did the powerful forces and families, but… result – All failed."
"There is also one ruin in the Avalon," he continued. "But the Royal family never granted access to anyone other than the ancient family. Our Astrum Family once visited… but gained nothing… Some of the rooms and floors have doors that even the elders were not able to enter – despite their 4th-stage power."
"But this? …" he paused, "These Ancient Ruins... can be counted on one hand. And the ones that have been discovered — none were intact."
He looked around again, eyes narrowed in restrained awe.
"None of them stood whole. Let alone shining, new… like this one."
"Exactly," Vector said simply. "But this one... chose me."
Then Vector continued and gestured to the structures around them to introduce its power.
"This… 1st floor is also called Library Floor…" Vector said, "...is for learning and study. Anyone who learns and comprehends here will do so twenty times faster. Their minds become sharper, clearer. Concepts that take days elsewhere can be absorbed in hours here. It can hold up to 100 people at once."
The group was even more stunned by Vector's declaration of the Void Library capabilities.
Rhea asked, her voice low with curiosity, "Young Master, how did you know about its power?"
Vector looked at her calmly and said, "The Void Library revealed its functions to me the moment it acknowledged me as its master," he said. "It didn't just grant me control, it embedded the knowledge directly into my mind, like memories I've always had… But as if I remembered it after entering the building."
The others nodded in understanding… still trying to process the magnitude of what they were hearing.
"And that's not the only function… Time moves faster than the outside world. One day outside is 10 days here inside the Library Building."
He added one more sentence, "Time acceleration here doesn't affect aging."
He explained that this enhanced learning only takes place inside the study rooms – inside energy barriers enclosing the chair and table placed in the room.
The group felt that they were struck to earth after hearing this function. Their mouths hung open – wide enough that an egg would fit in it.
Vector let them observe the fact and waited… as he saw with amusement their expressions.
After some time… Sebastian asked, "Young Master! Are you sure of this?"
Vector nodded at this. "I have tested it myself."
Sebastian murmured… as he thought of the implication of this function along with the other function… "Does magic like this really exist? Then this alone function will enhance the power of the family… we will have more people to train them as scholars."
Then, Vector turned toward the shelves, his hand gently brushing the books glowing with soft blue lights.
"And… These books contain advanced knowledge that we cannot find anywhere. They are advanced technologies like a weapon that can destroy a city instantly within a minute and flying objects that can be used for transport… and many more technologies we can't imagine."
He continued, "They hold scientific knowledge – advanced engineering, metallurgy, medicine, agriculture, even military technology. Scholars can study these and develop real, usable innovations. This place isn't just a library… it's a cradle for rebuilding the future."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "With this, we can develop technology that the Lionheart Empire couldn't even imagine."
He gestured toward a shelf. With a flick of his fingers, several books floated into the air and a projection screen came to life — modernised weapons, blueprints, flying machines… were shown on these screens.
"This knowledge," he said, his tone measured but firm, "lays the foundation for firearm technology – guns, ammunition, and their many derivatives. We'll begin with simple rifles, but from there, we'll develop better weapons… stronger tools… even machines capable of touching the sky."
The group listened and watched the screen with a serious gaze as they tried to understand how these things were now going to change their life and increase their strength.
Vector kept the explanation brief, offering just a glimpse into what was possible. But it was enough.
The group fell into stunned silence once again. As Vector described the advanced weaponry, their jaws dropped. If these all the knowledge combined with the functions of the floor what will be their strength then… they can't think of it.
The Family strength would increase to unprecedented levels. And this technology, modern weaponry, was at another level entirely.
"This… changes everything," Marcus finally muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Then Rhea asked curiously, "Young Master, Did it give you any knowledge about the mysterious past of the planet – The fog surrounding Ethereum's history?"
Vector shook his head. "No. I wish it had. But I didn't receive any memory regarding it."
"Well, we should put this on hold for now. We will eventually find out about it… Let's move to our next target."
He takes them to see the rooms and the mysterious Energy Barrier arranged there on the Chair and Table. After giving them some introduction about it… then moved to his next destination.
"Follow me," he said. "Let me show you the next Floor."
He led them toward the staircase at the floor's far end. Then descended to the 3rd floor and the group followed behind him.
Their footsteps echoed faintly as they descended to the next floor.
━━━✧❂✧━━━
The group stood at the entrance of the 3rd floor — which appeared even larger than the Library Floor.
"This…," Vector said as the doors opened, "…is the Training floor."
A vast arena-like space stretched before them, with partitioned zones and a softly glowing platform in the center.
Vector introduced the functions and power of this floor. Vector explained them simply as if explaining normal things.
He explained the simulation function of the pods, the same 10:1 time acceleration ratio as the Library Floor, and mentioned that the capacity here was much greater — around 500 individuals.
The group entered the Room Section as he showed them the Pod to enter the Simulation Space.
Vector's gaze sharpened and said with seriousness – the thing that would surely increase the Family's power, "When practicing Body Refinement in this space, the success rate is one hundred percent."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
It wasn't that they didn't believe him. It was that the truth, spoken so plainly, was so far beyond anything they had ever known, their minds struggled to process it.
They stood rooted in place, speechless. Each of them caught between awe and disbelief.
"Is this… real?" Marcus muttered under his breath, his eyes sweeping over the glowing expanse of the simulation floor pulsing with arcane energy.
Time manipulation? Simulated wars? Perfectly replicated landscapes where pain felt real, but death wasn't?
And now… guaranteed success in Body Refinement, something warriors spent years chasing, often in vain. But here, they would succeed without fail – and without wasting extra resources. This alone would change everything.
With such efficiency, more practitioners could be trained using the same amount of resources, dramatically increasing their numbers and strength.
In the path of Body Refinement, resources are everything. Even with talent and the right manual, without resources, progress is impossible. But here? No failure – All it takes is a single set of materials for each stage, and success is assured. No wasted resources.
It was a miracle disguised as a method.
The realization struck like thunder.
This wasn't just training–
It was the evolution of the Family's strength.
Sebastian's tone had part disbelief, part awe. "Dozens, hundreds of talented warriors have wasted away their potential because they lacked resources or failed in the refinement process. But now… not only can we train them faster, but none of it will be wasted?"
He turned back to the others. "We could build a force of body refiners… in years… not in 100 years. And not just any force, but one trained, tested, and refined in a place like this?"
Sebastian was one with the most exaggerated expression as he began to laugh after analysing these functions.
"HAHAHA… HAHA… Now the Astrum family will have strength that no one can imagine. Peak-stage experts? We'll have more than any other empire. We'll be simply invincible in this world."
"I want to see the look on the Lionhearts' faces when they face us next…" he added with a grin.
Sebastian's disbelief faded, replaced by grim determination.
Tristan, standing in the group, said nothing, but his clenched jaw and widened eyes said more than words ever could.
They had been shocked before – but this… this was beyond disbelief.
This wasn't just a secret weapon.
This was a miracle.
This was a fairyland rooted in stone and reality.
A place that taught knowledge faster. Trained soldiers in accelerated time. And it was now under the control of their young master.
Vector understood what they were feeling — and he wasn't surprised.
He gestured towards the Chair and Table, the same as the Library Floor. He then introduced more about the floor, "This floor – the Training Hall, not only allowed for physical training in a wide range of environments, but it also carried additional benefits."
"Just like the second floor, it granted a 20x increase in comprehension, but specifically for martial arts, body refining techniques, and combat-based disciplines."
The group then moved to the Book Section of the Library where many Manuals on Martial Arts and Body Refining were placed from common to Legendary Grade. But the books mostly consist of the Epic and Legendary Grade.
And gestured for them to see the books; the group moved to examine the books. As they began to see they realized that these books were all of higher grade.
Arthur and Leo were shocked on seeing these books especially on Body Refining which were like treasure every power… but here they are placed so casually.
Leo said enthusiastically, "There are Legendary-grade manuals… for martial arts and body refining…"
But Sebastian and the Commanders, however, had more curious expressions.
Marcus asked for a confirmation, "Young Master! are these not the Manuals from the Family…"
"Yes, they're all the Manuals from the Family. As the Library hasn't provided any Manuals on this. So I had compiled all the knowledge to add it here." Vector replied.
Rhea chimed in and asked with concern, "Young Master… Is it okay to share the Manuals so openly?"
Vector shook his head, reassuring her. "Don't worry. No one can enter the Void Library without my permission. Only members of the Astrum Family and Vantara will be able to access these Manuals. So these books are still within our hands."
They nodded and didn't ask further questions as they also practiced the Legendary Grade Manuals, so they know that the family never compromise in increasing the strength of its subordinates.
But… Arthur and Leo exchanged glances. They were moved by Vector's words — by his inclusion of Vantara as part of his family.
'The decision to join the Astrums… is really one of Vantara's greatest luck.'; Arthur thought.
Rhea stepped forwards towards Vector, and With a suspicious squint, she reached up and began tugging and pulling his cheek.
"Young Master… Are you sure you're not possessed? Maybe someone possessed you after you entered this place with such a heaven defying function."
Vector cannot do anything to stop her and didn't even try. He simply sighed — she'd done the same thing since his childhood. Rhea was nearly 15 years older than him, more of a sister than a subordinate.
He gave her a half-hearted glare, "If you can't praise me then don't spit such ridiculous statements."
Rhea let go, laughing, "Okay, okay. You're the real deal."
She placed a hand on her forehead, "Young Master, this has to be the last floor… right? If there's one more surprise, I swear we're going to die from shock!"
Vector chuckled. "No, there is… one more floor."
The group tensed – ready for another impossible revelation.
"But," Vector paused, his grin widening, "its function and power isn't exactly heaven-defying..."
Everyone leaned in slightly – only for Vector to let out a soft laugh.
"Let's move to the Next and the last Floor."
[To be continued…]