The tablet began to tremble, and soon three lines appeared, dividing it into four equal parts.
In the first section, a figure of a mage wielding a wand emerged. In the second, an image showed a psyche leaving a body to form an eye. The third contained a curse symbol, and the fourth displayed a formation symbol.
Jay had four Paths: the Path of Magic, the Path of Divination, the Path of Curses, and the Path of Formation.
Luke examined the stone tablet carefully, taking a moment to steady his nerves.
"I hope nothing goes wrong."
Jay's sweat flowed in anticipation.
"I can't believe it... you have four Paths," he said, looking at Jay with surprise.
Jay crossed his fingers, silently hoping for a good news.
"Is that a good thing or... not?"
Luke shrugged.
"It's good, generally, but having too many Paths makes it harder to master any one of them completely."
He glanced at Jay with a thoughtful expression.
'Besides, you don't exactly have a natural talent for controlling spiritual energy.'
"So... what should I do?" Jay asked.
Although he understood, he knew he didn't have the talent to master it all. But now, he couldn't just give up—he had a promise to live up to, after all.
"Well... just keep practicing, and focus on what you can."
"Not the most inspiring advice."
Nearby Jin said, closing his book with a slam, and tossing it onto a large pile of finished books.
"Did you really read all these in one night?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. I read them all, so I'm stacking them up here," Jin replied calmly.
Luke looked puzzled.
"So, you didn't sleep?"
"Didn't need to," Jin replied with a shrug.
"Wait, you're saying you don't need sleep?" Jay asked, perking up.
'So he can get excited after all… come to think of it he was just also excited during Albedo's lesson too.'
Jay continued.
"Lord Albedo mentioned something about that, but I thought he was joking. Can you teach me that skill?"
Jin glanced at the dark circles under Jay's eyes.
'Looks like he hasn't slept for days. Must be something weighing on him. A fear perhaps that prevents him from sleeping.'
"It's called 'Sleep Resistance.'"
Jay leaned forward eagerly.
"How do I get it?"
Jin rubbed his temples, searching for the right words.
"Skills like this can't be taught; they're gained through experience. For instance, to develop 'Fire Resistance,' an Awakened would have to be exposed to fire repeatedly."
'Honestly, with how hard he struggles to sleep, I'm surprised he hasn't picked it up already.'
"You might get it if you level up," Jin added.
"Level up? I've been stuck at level 1 for two years… leveling up is easier said than done," Jay muttered.
Jin looked at Luke for an explanation.
Luke nodded.
"For most people, leveling up takes two to four years. For the gifted, maybe a year or so."
'Interesting… I didn't realize cultivating Harmony was such a slow process.'
Luke continued.
"Still, each level brings a huge boost in power—dozens of times what you had before. It means even a single level difference can make you nearly invincible."
Jin leaned back, hands behind his head.
'Though, that power jump depends a lot on the soul's strength. A strong soul can get more power in one level than a weaker one might get in two or three.'
"So, what was that 'great method of spiritual energy control' you mentioned?"
Jin smirked slightly towards Luke.
"You'll see soon enough."
Just then, the library door opened, and a man stepped in wearing a sharp three-piece suit, complete with a tie and polished leather shoes.
He looked to be in his early forties, with a neatly trimmed mustache and well-groomed beard. Holding a cane with gloved hands, he tapped it softly on the floor, then glanced at a wristwatch worn on the back of his wrist.
"Hello, gentlemen. My name is Nell Paro, and I'm here to take you to the market for some refined equipment,"
He said with a polite yet dignified tone.
Luke cleared his throat and nodded respectfully.
"Ah, pardon my ignorance, Mr. Paro. I'm Luke Grimdal. May I ask who you are exactly?"
Luke spoke politely, choosing his words carefully to avoid offending the gentleman.
"Of course, I should have introduced myself more thoroughly. Lord Albedo sent me to guide you in acquiring what you'll need. I'm a merchant, you see, and well-versed in the market."
"Of course," Luke replied, bowing slightly. "Please forgive any misunderstanding, and thank you for your time."
Luke's words were formal, a refined display of his noble lineage in response to the gentleman before him.
"Think nothing of it,"
Nell replied with a slight smile.
"And who might these other gentlemen be?"
Luke glanced over at Jay and Jin, who hadn't stood up. Jay seemed captivated by Nell's refined manner, while Jin studied him with a focused, calculating gaze.
With a forced smile, Luke introduced them.
"My apologies for their lack of decorum. The quiet one here is Jay, and the… reserved one is Jin."
"A pleasure to meet you."
Nell said with a slight nod.
Jin kept his gaze fixed on the man, his eyes narrowing.
[Unique Skill: Seer of the Unseen]
Before Jin's eyes, Nell's true identity was revealed.
'Interesting… but why the disguise?'
Jin thought, standing up with a concealed smile before turning to Jay.
"You understand the basics of your Paths, right?"
Jay nodded.
"Yes, I think so."
"Good. Then let's discuss your Paths on the way to the market, and we'll begin your spiritual energy control training after that."
He looked to Nell.
"Will that be alright, Mr. Paro?"
"Certainly," Nell replied.
They passed through the gate that connected the Nameless Domain to the human realm, where a car waited to take them to their destination.
It was a seven-seater SUV with a spacious sunroof, designed to ensure passengers didn't feel cramped. The driver opened the door for them.
'So, this is a car... it's definitely better than a summoned creature for travel,' Jin thought, taking in every detail of the vehicle with fascination, experiencing a car for the first time.
'I can't believe they've advanced this much in just twenty years.'
As Jin pondered, he found it remarkable that the human realm had progressed so rapidly in two decades—progress they hadn't achieved in the seven hundred thousand years of human history.
He examined the car's features: the expansive panoramic sunroof, cooled seats, and an infotainment system that offered navigation and communication.
'Even with a leap in civilization, shouldn't technology be more rugged and primitive at this stage? It's as if they've jumped ahead by a century's worth of trial and error.'
Jin glanced at his smartphone, equally mesmerized. It had apps for ordering food, watching videos, playing music, accessing maps, and an entire network of information at his fingertips—all while serving as a communication device.
'The ORDER must be hiding something.'
The group settled into the car. With the air conditioning running, the interior became cool and comfortable.
The driver smoothly guided the car toward their destination.
It took them half an hour to reach their destination. Although it wasn't far, the heavy traffic made the five-kilometer journey feel more like fifty.
During the ride, Jin explained Jay's Paths, outlining their strengths and weaknesses.
Jay found Jin's explanation far clearer than Luke's.
"So… you're saying all my Paths are connected to the Mystical Arts?"
"Exactly. Your Path of Magic is directly tied to the Mystical Arts, but the others—like Divination and Curses—are also branches of it."
"I get Curses and Divination," Jay nodded, "but what exactly is a Formation?"
"Formations are a type of Mystical Art as well." Jin explained.
"But unlike the others, they're preset spells with a large area of effect. They take preparation, like drawing a circle, and aren't great for quick battles. But if you use them strategically, they're incredibly powerful."
Jin continued detailing various Formations and their uses, as Jay listened intently.
Soon, the car stopped in front of a towering building. As the group stepped out, Jin gazed up, astonished.
'What an incredible piece of architecture!'
Never having seen anything like it, his eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Is this your first time here?" Nell asked with a smile. "Then welcome to the ORDER Global Market—where you can find anything you could ever desire."