Yohan and Bai looked around the room for a bit. Finding nothing suspicious, he moved towards the table.
He approached the table and decided to touch the glowing shard. As soon as he touched it, his mind shifted, and everything around him changed.
Yohan found himself floating in a vast black space.
"Haan, what happened? Where am I?" he wondered aloud, trying to make sense of what had just occurred. Suddenly, the surroundings changed, and a being appeared in front of him.
The being had four long arms and a slightly elongated head. It was taller than Yohan.
"Are you the skeleton in that room?" Yohan asked, observing the being.
"Greetings," the being said,
"I am Xael-sha, a scholar from a Rank 6 civilization. I came to the Origin Shelter to find new life and study them. As an aspiring scholar, I wanted to join a prestigious group called the Institution. To pass their test, I ventured to this backward part of the Origin Shelter, hoping to make a new discovery and join their ranks. Unfortunately, I encountered an accident."
It became clear that this was some kind of recording.
Xael-sha's voice carried a note of sadness and determination.
"When I realized that I was going to die, I created this safe house. Here, I studied the species called Orcs which can be found just across the mountain and made an incredible discovery. My hope is that whoever finds this memory shard will take it to the Institution so that my discovery can be known, and I can be recognized as a member."
The recording paused, and Xael-sha's image seemed to focus directly on Yohan.
"As a reward for carrying out my wish, I will impart all the knowledge I have learned. This includes my studies, discoveries, and the secrets I have unraveled during life. You will find a device in my body which contains all my knowledge and the way to reach the nearest gathering of the Institution. I hope that you will fulfill my wish.""
Yohan stood there, absorbing the weight of Xael-sha's words. The room's hidden purpose, the glowing shard, and the being's skeletal remains all painted a picture of a scholar's last hope for recognition and legacy. Yohan felt a surge of curiosity.
"I will honor your wish, Xael-sha," Yohan said quietly to the recording, even though he knew the being could not hear him.
"Your knowledge and discoveries won't be lost."
He was intrigued by what had just happened. Despite Xael-sha speaking in another language, Yohan could understand the meaning of his words perfectly. It was as if the shard was translating for him.
Yohan prepared to search the skeleton for the device Xael-sha mentioned. He carefully approached the skeletal remains and began examining them. After a moment, he found a small, intricately designed device embedded in the ribcage. Carefully, he retrieved it and held it up.
"This must be it," Yohan thought.
As Yohan touched the small trinket-like device, it heated up slightly.
"Living organism detected. Starting scan... scan complete. Condition for ownership change checked. Process starting... process finished."
A voice resonated in his mind, clear and precise.
"Welcome, human. According to the instructions, you shall be judged as the new owner. I am artificial intelligence Gemini, and I hope to be of service to you."
Yohan blinked in surprise, "AI? What can you do?"
The voice responded, "I am an AI specifically designed to assist scholars. I possess vast knowledge and will aid you in your studies. However, due to the remoteness of this location from the mainframe, I can only provide knowledge accessed by the previous owner, Xael-sha."
"How can I reach the nearest Institution location?" Yohan inquired.
"Based on your current capabilities, you are not yet able to complete the journey," Gemini replied.
"The nearest Institution outpost is quite far from here. To successfully make the journey, you should achieve Rank 4 to be 100% certain of survival."
Yohan pondered this information.
"Rank 4... That means I need to grow a lot stronger."
"Indeed," Gemini confirmed.
"I haven't even finished this adventure, and I already have the next one lined up," Yohan said with a mix of excitement and exhaustion. Bai growled from the side, reminding him about food.
"Yes, okay, let's go," Yohan replied, chuckling.
They left the hidden room, retracing their steps through the short passage back to the main cave. As they emerged, Yohan looked at the bodies of the tempest monkeys scattered around. He decided to burn them as a sign of respect and to avoid attracting other predators.
With the bodies disposed of, Yohan and Bai headed back to their old lair to gather their bags and gear. On the way back, they encountered a wild pig-like monster. After a brief hunt, they managed to bring it down. With their prize in tow, they returned to the cave.
Inside the cave, Yohan started a fire and began roasting the wild pig. The savory smell filled the air, making both Yohan and Bai's mouths water. As the meat cooked, Yohan couldn't help but think about the journey ahead.
"Hu hu, it's going to be exciting," he said, grinning as he turned the roasting meat. Bai, sitting nearby, gave a satisfied growl.
Once the meat was thoroughly cooked, Yohan and Bai began to eat. The roasted pig was delicious, and the meal gave them much-needed strength. As they ate, Yohan reflected on the day's events and the new path that lay before him.
As Yohan and Bai sat by the fire, enjoying the warmth and the satisfaction of a good meal, Yohan looked at the small trinket in his hand.
"So, is this medal-like thing your main body? This little thing contains all that knowledge?" he asked Gemini.
"No, it is just my outer shell," Gemini replied.
"The knowledge is stored as a data stream, which is very small. I can change my form to any size you desire."
Yohan thought for a moment.
"Can you change into an earring? That would be convenient."
"Of course," Gemini responded. The trinket shimmered briefly and then transformed into a small, elegant earring. Yohan took it and attached it to his ear.
"How does it feel?" Gemini asked.
"Perfect," Yohan said, touching the earring.
"This way, you'll always be with me, and I can access your knowledge anytime."
"Excellent," Gemini replied.
"Shall we start your training and exploration of the knowledge left by Xael-sha?"