Hugo couldn't believe what he was seeing.
The books weren't just glowing — they were alive.
Each one pulsed faintly, like the beat of a distant heart. The air shimmered with threads of faint blue and gold light, bending softly around them. Some were bound in crystal and metal that hummed when touched by light. Others seemed grown rather than crafted — their covers shifting subtly, breathing, alive in a way that defied logic.
And every single one carried the same impossible inscription beneath its title:
[SSS]
He just… stared.
Arts were incredibly expensive because of how hard it is to find them.
A B-grade was worth a mansion and political protection.
An A-grade? Entire Domains went to war over them.
But SSS-grade?
He hadn't even known they existed until now.
And now they were piled in his room, whispering — softly, temptingly — like sirens promising godhood.
He sank slowly to the floor beside them, fingers brushing one cover. A pulse of raw energy shot through him — sharp, endless, hungry. The air thickened, pressing on his chest. For a heartbeat, he could see the lines of energy flowing through the room — the faint pattern of Eon currents that normal eyes could never perceive.
He jerked his hand back.
'Which ones do you like, master?" Randalf asked from the bed, tone sing-song — far too casual for the divine chaos surrounding them. The little Lich's eyes gleamed with something between amusement and pride, as though he were admiring the mess he'd just gifted his student.
"I…" Hugo began, then faltered. "I have no idea."
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaled, and picked one at random. The moment his fingers brushed the surface, the book pulsed — faintly rhythmic, like a heartbeat.
[Tears of a Weeping Goddess — SSS]
'Dramatic,' he thought dryly.
He opened it.
Instead of ink, flowing streams of ancient symbols rippled across the page, rearranging themselves until they formed words his mind could finally interpret.
Summon the sorrow of divine tides to annihilate all within a three-kilometer radius.
Hugo stared, blinked once, then shut the book slowly.
"..."
He reached for another — but Randalf's voice stopped him mid-motion.
"If I may, master, I wouldn't suggest learning any Art just yet."
Hugo paused, confused. "Oh? Why?"
Randalf folded his little arms, expression turning oddly serious. "To put it simply, all mortals — or lower beings — have very limited soul power. That power is what stabilizes everything: cultivation, resonance, and the channeling of Eon itself. If you burden your soul too early with arts, it'll strain your foundation and slow your cultivation."
He tilted his head slightly. "In my world, no one was permitted to learn any art before reaching at least the Paramount phase. By then, one understands their body and soul enough to choose properly."
"Oh." Hugo nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense."
"So I should focus on raising my level first."
"Precisely, master." Randalf smiled faintly. "You might be shocked to hear this, but even I — after thousands of years — have only mastered three arts."
"Eh?" Hugo blinked forgetting about the art part. "You're… thousands of years old?"
The raccoon chuckled, tail flicking lazily. "There are many things your world still doesn't understand. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose them yet. But I am certain you'll reach my level in time."
Hugo gave a bitter smile. Reach his level? The level of a creature that could destroy a thousand Earths combined? Yeah, right. He just wanted a better life for his mom — not cosmic dominion.
Still, he took a deep breath and called for his status window.
[Status Window]Name: Hugo ColeLevel: --Arts: --
Nothing special. He hadn't begun cultivating yet.
"So," he asked, glancing up, "should I start cultivating now?"
Randalf shook his head. "Not yet, master. I have something for you first."
The little Lich padded closer, raised his small paw, and pressed it gently to Hugo's forehead.
A warm sensation flooded through him — bright, gentle, almost cleansing.
Hugo flinched slightly. "What was that?"
"An art," Randalf replied calmly.
"Eh? I thought you said I shouldn't learn any?"
Randalf smiled, eyes glinting like starlight. "This one's different, master. Your world's Eon density is abysmally low and tainted with impurities. I can't let you cultivate using that filth. What I've given you is a method — a gateway. It allows your soul to enter a subspace where purer, untainted Eon flows freely. It's the perfect starting point for someone of your level."
Hugo blinked, the warmth still lingering beneath his skin. "So… basically, a cleaner training ground?"
Randalf's grin widened. "Exactly, master. A garden of Eon untouched by decay."