The infinite library section 1698 of the Akashic Records
"Uhh—" Mary groaned softly as she shifted on the cold, hard floor beneath her, its rough texture reminding her vaguely of the forest. Still half-asleep, she rolled over a few more times, arms and legs flailing sluggishly as if trying to escape a dream
Finally after what felt like five minutes, her eyes fluttered open, revealing an unfamiliar space. Groggily, she sat up, blinking and rubbing her eyes as she took in her surroundings. Far off in the distance, a familiar figure stood—Ethan. But something about him seemed... off to say the least
Glancing around, Mary couldn't help but notice the towering shelves filled with books stretching up to the sky as far as she could see and beyond what she could perceive, making her think that she was inside an impossibly large library—one that seemed to expand infinitely in every direction
But that wasn't her immediate concern. She flexed her fingers, testing her control over her body. After some testing relief quickly washed over her; it felt incredible to move again, a freedom she had sorely missed. A small smile crept onto her face as she performed a quick, celebratory twirl. It wasn't much, but to Mary, it was a moment of victory
But her little celebration was quickly cut short when she realized that Ethan had noticed her causing her to freeze on the spot. He turned around slowly, his eyes locking onto hers. The two stood frozen in an awkward silence while Mary quickly recovered from her initial embarrasment, after Mary had recovered the two just simply stared at each other. Then, something clicked in Mary's mind—Ethan looked... different. Smaller. Shorter. Almost... cute?
Unable to resist, she reached out and poked his cheek. It was soft. Softer than anything that she had expected. She gave it a playful squeeze, finding it strangely satisfying. But the warmth of the moment was shattered when the temperature around them suddenly plummeted. The chibi version of Ethan glared up at her, his eyes filled with icy disdain, making her recoil slightly
Then, a voice echoed inside her mind
'Tolle manum tuam off me domina'
(Take your hand off me lady)
Mary blinked before trying to come up with a response. "Umm... Hi? You look... different"
'The administrator and librarian of the Akashic Records, Dumdum, at your service. Iterum conveniant'
(We meet again)
"Dumdum?" Mary raised an eyebrow, while barely suppressing a laugh. "Isn't it supposed to be Bumbum?"
'I believe you're mistaken. Miss Stultus'
"Is that so?" Mary replied, trying to suppress a giggle at the end of the strange exchange
'As scheduled we will start the training program. Et iterum nos lets 'satus totus super' (And let's start this all over again)
"Wait a moment. Wait" Hearing them Mary quickly threw up her hands, backing away in confusion. "I think there's been some misunderstanding. I don't think i agreed to any of this"
'Sicut occidere me iam. It has been stated and agreed upon by both parties that after Mary awakens she will be given a proper training by Ethan'
(Just kill me already)
Hearing those Mary's eyes widened. "No, no, no! You've got the wrong person. I didn't agree to any of this!"
'Goddammit. What did you do?' Mary's voice snapped inside her mind, clearly addressing someone sleeping inside her. 'Hey! Answer me! I know you can hear me. Stop ignoring me! Don't just leave me with your homework!' A long pause stretched before a voice echoed inside her mind
'They won't wake up even if you leave this space, Lady Stultus. And I believe comparing this to an assignment will be more accurate than simply calling it homework'
Mary crossed her arms, glaring at the small figure standing before her. "If it's an assignment, then... wait. Does that mean there's a deadline for it?"
'Stultus es? No. There is no deadline. However, after a certain amount of time passes you will be sent to the somewhere to gain experience'
(Are you stupid?)
Her frown deepened. "Gain experience? Where? When? Why? And wait—who exactly are you talking to? Someone from higher up? Wait then is your boss... Ethan?"
'...'
A heavy silence hung in the air as Dumdum refused to converse any further. His tiny form, still eerily resembling Ethan, seemed to emanate impatience. Without warning, a longsword materialized in his hands. With a swift motion, he hurled it directly at Mary. Moving by instinct Mary barely managed to duck in time, the blade embedding itself into the bookshelf next to her head with a loud thunk
"What the hell?!" Mary yelled in surprise, with her heart racing as her instincts warned her to escape. "Are you trying to kill me?!"
'Quid enim simile? Yes' Answering her question Dumdum's indifferent gaze, framed by the innocent face of a child, seemed to say, 'What else does it look like?'
"Wait so you are admitting that you're trying to kill me?" she stammered, still baffled by the absurdity of the situation
'Yes. Si ferrum simplicem ictum non potes, non valens vivere'
(If you can't dodge a simple blade, you're not worth keeping alive)
Hearing his reply made her confusion only grow further as she stammered "I don't understand what you're saying"
'Non opus est tibi intellegere. Vos iustus postulo mori' he replied flatly, his tone almost casual, as if discussing something as mundane as the weather
(You don't need to understand. You just need to die)
Before she could try and process his words, Dumdum darted toward her, his small frame deceptively fast, longsword in hand. Desperately, Mary scrambled to free the embedded sword beside her, her hands slipping on the hilt as panic set in
"Wait! Wait! Pause! Stop! I said stop!"
Her pleas went unheard as the cold steel of the sword met her neck
•
Mary gasped awake, clutching her throat, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her breathing was ragged, and cold sweat dripped down her back. The sensation of having her neck severed was still fresh in her mind, the pain was vivid. She had died—or at least, she had felt herself die
But before she could catch her breath, the familiar childlike figure of Ethan stood before her, staring with that same cold indifference. Then, just like before, a sword came flying towards her face
•••
This time, Mary didn't scream. She forced herself to remain still, trying to process the nightmare she was trapped in as she recalled the events of her second try. Since despite her quick reflexes, she had suffered a deep cut across her face. Causing blood to trickle down her cheek, and the sting of the injury kept her grounded in reality as she died for the second time
On the third try the sword hadn't embedded itself. And without hesitating, Mary quickly grabbed it, allowing her to pull it free to defend herself causing her to find relief. But her relief was short–lived. As Dumdum's figure blurred, and before she could even react, both she and the sword were sliced clean in half causing her third death
Snapping out of her train of thoughts she quickly realized that she had to get up eventually as she will get killed if she just stayed still like this
Getting up she was met with the child version of Ethan once again as he threw a sword towards her face while saying something incomprehensible which echoed inside her mind with great clarity even when she failed to understand
'Tu ne extra quidem valet conatus'
(You're not even worth the extra effort)
Stepping to the side she tried to grab hold of the sword but failed miserably as the sword flew past her before she was split into two causing the world to go black once more
•••••
Mary opened her eyes again, but this time she remained motionless, lying still as she relived the vivid memory of being cleaved in two. It was etched into her mind, every moment of her body being split apart. Her hands trembled slightly, but she knew she couldn't afford to stay down
She had to stand. She had to fight.
Rising to her feet, she was once again greeted by the child version of Ethan, who seemed tireless in his assault. He threw a sword toward her, accompanied by more incomprehensible words which she ignored
'Non es vel pretium pretium'
(You're not even worth the price)
Mary sidestepped the attack, reaching out to catch the blade. But her timing was a little off, and it slipped past her fingers. Once again, she felt the sharp pain as the sword cleaved her in two
The world went black
•••••••
She jolted awake once more. The cycle was repeating itself
Her body reacted instinctively as another sword flew toward her face. This time, she attempted to stop it mid-air, but her movements were too slow. The sword pierced through her, and as she fell, the child approached, driving another blade through her skull
Darkness claimed her once again
••••••••••••
The nightmares continued, over and over, each death more excruciating than the last. But with every cycle, Mary's mind sharpened, her resolve hardening as she began to understand her enemy's movement patterns. There had to be a way out of this nightmare
No matter how many times she fell, she would get back up
No matter how many times she died, she would learn
And soon, Dumdum would realize she was no longer the same person who had entered this twisted training course
********************
Ethan stared at the image projected before him, his eyes narrowed in thought. He wondered when would be the right time to interfere, but he shook away the thought for now, focusing on the task at hand. Then he turned his attention towards the voice behind him
"Aren't you gonna talk? You said you had a quest for me"
Hearing them Ethan quickly turned around to face the fallen or the player standing before him, flashing them a polite smile before speaking. "Forgive me if I came off as a bit rude. But would you mind telling me a bit about the Cult of Immortals?"
"So, is the quest about eliminating these so called cultists and their cult? Or do you just want me to find their location? Cause i can do both"
Ethan didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a moment to observe the fallen standing infront of him. The boy had an average appearance—brown eyes, black hair—nothing remarkable, yet Mary had specifically asked him to handle this fallen personally. What was so special about this fallen? Why had she requested Ethan to keep an eye on him, or recruit him if possible?
Ethan couldn't understand the reasoning, but he wasn't here to question. He was here to act anyway
His hand lifted slightly, and silver mana gathered in his palm. In an instant, he cast a quick spell
[Silver Aurora series:Frozen World]
The air crackled, and suddenly, the entire area froze over. Frost spread like wildfire, covering everything in a shimmering layer of ice. A towering mountain of ice surged toward the player, engulfing him completely
*****************
The district lay silent under a blanket of frost, the ground glittering in the eerie stillness. Ethan stood before a massive block of ice, his gaze distant and cold. The cold didn't bother him, nor did it seem to affect the figure walking casually before him, they both stood facing each other undisturbed by the freezing air around them
"12" Looking at him Ethan's eyes held a cold glint as he murmured under his breath
"Huh?" The boy's voice cut through the icy air. "What did you say? I didn't really catch that. Could you repeat it louder?"
Ethan didn't bother responding. Instead, a snowstorm erupted around them, the winds howling as snow blanketed the area. The ground bloomed with flowers made of ice, their delicate petals glistening in the silver light. A shimmering dome of silver mana and ice formed above them, sealing the area from the outside world
[Silver Aurora series:The Silvery White Dreams of Aurora]
The moment the dome was complete, the ice flowers burst apart, their fragile petals turning into deadly shards of ice. The shards swirled through the air, slicing through anything within the confines of the icy dome
But then everything came to a sudden and complete stop
[Time Lord series:Simple Time Stop]
The world became eerily silent as time itself stopped for everything except 2. The player moved effortlessly through the frozen world, his steps unhurried as he approached Ethan. His outstretched hand gleamed with a brilliant white light, ready to end this short fight
[Absolute Time series:Acceleration-Bite the Dust]
Just as the player moved in for the finishing blow, a fist cloaked in a pitch–black aura shot towards him, distorting the very fabric of space-time around it. The sheer force of it shattered the stillness of the frozen world
[Black Heaven:Rebirth the Heavens]
Using the Black Heaven, Ethan had seized a fragment from the flow of time, bending it to his will and adapting to the altered time around him. Yet, something still wasn't right. The momentum came to a halt once again since Ethan met a second resistance
[Absolute Time series:Reversal-Absolute Nullification]
Ethan's expression remained cold and distant as he observed his own frozen hand. But even that lasted only for a moment. Because with calm precision, he cast another spell, releasing the tangled web of time that had wrapped around him
[Celestial Magic series:Forced Time Manipulation]
The two opposing forces clashed violently, a chaotic storm of nature and magic. The equilibrium of the frozen dome shattered, and the suspended shards of ice began to move once more, resuming their relentless assault. They tore through the air, slicing anything within the dome's confines
Ethan's gaze remained unshaken, cold and calculating, as the battle raged on, the lines between time, space, and reality blurring into chaos
********************
Ethan stood motionless, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated the principles behind the class known as Ruler of Time. Was the Absolute Time Series truly as absolute as it claimed? He wasn't sure, but the idea fascinated him. Still, the time for philosophical pondering had passed, and his attention turned back to the storm raging before him
As the blizzard finally subsided, the figure of a fallen—ragged, battered, and covered in a web of bleeding cuts—was revealed. His body swayed, his breathing shallow and labored as he struggled to stand
[Absolute Time series:Reversal-Clock of the Absolute]
The spell had saved him again, albeit barely. The boy took in sharp breaths, forcing his body and mind to their breaking points. His resilience was remarkable. Most would have collapsed long ago, but here he stood, unyielding, driven by an iron will
Ethan quietly observed, calculating the boy's mental state. He was on the edge of collapse, yet still refused to fall. A faint flicker of something akin to acknowledgement crossed Ethan's otherwise impassive face
"Hey... How many times have we done this by now?" the player rasped, his voice hoarse, barely audible through the sharp breaths he struggled to take
"1208" Ethan responded coldly, his expression unchanged, the number rolling off his tongue with an almost mechanical precision
"That's... a lot of time we've spent together, don't you think?" The boy gave a weak chuckle, as if though he found some kind of humor in their situation "Did i accidentally discover a secret boss or something?"
"No" Ethan replied evenly, eyes focused and unfeeling. "I simply deemed you to be too dangerous if you were allowed any further growth"
The player let out a small laugh, though it eventually turned into a painful cough as blood dripped from his lips. "I see... Well, considering the time we've spent together... would you answer me this, old friend? Is this going to be my last run?"
"Yes" Ethan confirmed, his voice soft but resolute. "This is your final chance. Tell me the names and locations of the Cult of Immortals, and I will offer you a position as one of the zodiacs if you wish to be one"
The boy's face contorted into a smirk, blood running down the side of his cheek. "Is that so? Well, you already know my answer. So let's skip the formalities and end this little game of ours, shall we? Old pal"
The moment his words faded into the icy air, reality itself seemed to slow down to a crawl. Time stretched, giving the illusion that everything had frozen, each second dragging painfully onward
[Time Lord series:Time Acceleration]
The boy blurred forward, his movements so fast that the space around him seemed to ripple. Ethan watched, his sharp gaze unwavering
'It's a flawed technique with too many risks' Ethan thought as he analyzed the boy's acceleration. It wasn't perfect. The strain on his body was evident in his every uneven step. But even so, the player's determination compelled Ethan to act. Out of respect for his tenacity, Ethan decided he would answer this final push in one of a kind
[Reverse Heaven:Absence of Time]
In a single fluid motion, Ethan stepped sideways, slipping out of the current flow of time, entering a parallel stream. Both he and the boy now existed outside the normal flow, racing through the very fabric of space-time continuum
As they moved, Ethan's mind raced. Something about the boy's approach struck him as quite odd. He treated this life–or–death battle as if it was nothing more than some kind of twisted game, something to be enjoyed rather than feared. His smile in the face of overwhelming odds, his laughter even when faced with death as his body failed him—it reminded Ethan of a few familiar faces. Battle maniacs
Those two... the ones he knew so well. They too were people who reveled in combat, who didn't fight to survive but for the sheer thrill of it. Ethan shook his head slightly. Such traits were dangerous, far more dangerous than any weapon. Since a sword wielded without purpose could only bring destruction to everything in its path
Still, there was something oddly captivating about it. Even if Ethan didn't share their passion, there was a certain logic to giving a warrior like this the battle he deserved. After all, wasn't it the final fight that was meant to be the most memorable of them all?
The boy's figure flickered in and out of the timestream, speeding toward Ethan with a determination that refused to die, despite his near–shattered body
Ethan's black aura flared once more, distorting the space–time around him. [Black Heaven: Rend the Heavens] and [Reverse Heaven: Timeless Mirage] wasn't just a technique—it was a statement. A declaration of challenge to the very laws that governed reality. In this fleeting moment, time, space, and reality were nothing more than suggestions made by the deceased gods of old
As the battle raged on and the clash of weapons reverberated through time the boys only grin widened in anticipation at every passing second
******************
As the battle raged on, the clash of weapons reverberated through the very fabric of time. The boy's grin only widened with each passing second, anticipation gleaming in his eyes despite the agony coursing through his battered body
'It was fun' He thought, his mind racing even as his body was sent hurtling through the air once again, crashing into the debris with bone-shattering force. Blood spilled from the deep gashes covering him, wounds that only worsened with each exchange. His regeneration, though formidable, was failing to keep pace with the relentless damage he sustained. Still, he refused to back down, launching himself forward once more, each step causing the ground beneath him to quake from the sheer force of his will
The surroundings shook violently as the shockwaves from their constant clashes consumed everything in the vicinity. Buildings crumbled, the earth splintered, and yet the two combatants remained undeterred, locked in an ever-intensifying duel. Explosions echoed, shockwaves rippled outward, but neither seemed to hear any of it—their focus lay entirely on the fight, and yet, both warriors were lost in their own thoughts
'It hurts... a lot more than i thought' The boy mused as his blade clashed against Ethan's. The impact sent him flying once more, his body rag-dolled through the air before he somehow found his footing, staggering back to his feet while ignoring the pain 'At this rate i won't even have the chance to mess up that damned face'
He concluded and yet, a twisted smile seemed to form on his lips. This was it—this was exactly what he has been searching for. The insurmountable challenge. He'd faced countless enemies, bosses, and monsters before, but none like this. No matter what he tried, no matter what strategy he concocted, this fight remained hopelessly one-sided
Ethan stood untouched, an indomitable force, calm and unblemished. In stark contrast, the boy's body was in shambles, yet he fought on, gritting his teeth in defiance. 'It's unfair. I'm out here bleeding from every inch of my body, while he doesn't even have a single speck of dirt on him' Every strike, every attempt—fruitless. It was as though he was fighting an absolute value of pure strength and power, a wall that could not be scaled, let alone broken
'None of his attacks make any sense... They're undodgeable. Every single one of them can kill me if they so much as graze me' Then he winced as another blow nearly severed him in half, only to be pulled back into existence by his failing regeneration. 'And worse, he's aware of my time reversal. He changes his attack pattern every time I come back and tells me how many times i tried fighting him'
This wasn't just a fight—it was an impossible battle, an encounter that no ordinary player could ever overcome. Yet, even as his body approached its limits, even as he felt the creeping sensation of time accelerating his own demise, the boy felt a strange peace. 'Well... atleast it was fun while it lasted'
His breathing slowed, his vision dimming for a moment before snapping back into focus. He knew his end was near. 'This will probably be my last moments in the game' he thought with a touch of regret. Time Acceleration had allowed him to push beyond his limits, but at the cost of his future. By the time this battle ended, his body would be nothing more than a husk—a skeleton on the verge of collapse
But none of that mattered now. He lived for this moment. He existed only for this one last final thrill
So with a deep breath, he set a challenge for himself: to land just one solid hit. One single hit against this damn near–perfect opponent
Snapping out of his thoughts, he fixed his gaze on Ethan once again. That annoyingly handsome face. 'Why does death have to look like that?' he mused bitterly before coming to a stop, the grin never leaving his face
Seeing the sudden halt, Ethan paused as well, watching with a cool gaze. 'What does he have left?'
Under Ethan's observant eyes, the boy focused everything he had—every ounce of strength, every fragment of time he had borrowed—into a single moment. His body screamed in protest as his muscles tore under the immense strain, but he ignored the pain
[Time Lord series:Proof of Time]
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly in acknowledgment as he answered with equal intensity to match his resolve
[Black Heaven:Blade of Eclipse]
The moment the two powers collided, the world seemed to split apart. A burst of blinding light, black and white, exploded from the center of their clash. For a brief moment, the universe seemed to hold its breath as the forces of creation and destruction met in a violent struggle for dominance
The boy could feel it—the black light of Ethan's Blade of Eclipse was swallowing his own attack, consuming it, wrapping around it with terrifying intensity. It was like an anti–matter capable of annihilating anything it comes in contact with. It was the very embodiment of annihilation itself
'It's responding in a kind. Perfectly balanced... mutual destruction' The boy smirked, his body shaking from the force of it all. 'Swordsmanship that defies all common sense. No... it defies this insane world itself' the boy mused
Yet, despite witnessing the overwhelming gap between them, he wasn't discouraged at all. No, there was something more profound driving him now. Something beyond victory or survival
'If this is my end... I'll make it count'
Waith that thought a bitter, mocking smile followed as it crept onto his lips. He knew, deep down, that no matter what he tried, he couldn't win. Fate had decided his loss long ago. But that only made him laugh. 'Looks like I'll be the first to defy that fate'
Drawing upon every remaining fragment of power, his body—on the verge of collapse—was momentarily restored to its prime. Strength coursed through his veins like molten fire, surging through him in waves
[Time Lord series:Spirits of Lost Times]
Countless iterations of himself, scattered across time, gathered, converging into his body. He became the center, the vessel for all of them. His eyes lost focus, then quickly regained clarity, his heart filled with defiance
As cracks formed along the black light, he knew the end was near. He watched as Ethan's attack devoured the last remnants of his power. 'So, this is it...?'
'If I'm going to die anyway... what's there to lose for one final push?'
With a primal roar, he surged forward with newfound vigor, his body straining under the immense pressure as cracks spread across his skin. The black sphere trembled, the cracks widening, light seeping through. And then, in one final burst, everything exploded into a cascade of colors—black, white, and every hue imaginable—erupting outward in a blinding display
His last attack raced toward Ethan, shattering the barrier of destruction that had threatened to consume him entirely
*********************
He stood, barely breathing, his body breaking down into nothing but dust. Yet his eyes remained fixed on the aftermath, searching for any signs of victory
As the dust settled, a figure emerged. Ethan. Standing, unscathed—except for a crack running down his face, glowing with a golden light. A radiant glow that matched the intensity of light from his star like eyes
Seeing that the boy cursed under his breath. 'Even after all that, he's still standing. He didn't even bother getting on one knee, after all that talk about me being "admirable" '
But before he could really dwell on the thought, the sound of footsteps crunching on debris filled the air. Ethan was walking toward him, the crack in his face vanishing into golden particles. Finally, Ethan stopped, extending his hand, now engulfed in white flames
"I must admit, I am impressed by your determination" Ethan said, his voice calm, but the intensity of the flame was anything but calm. "So, would you be willing to make a deal with me?"
Staring at the hand before him the boy shuddered, cold sweat trickling down his back. But even then, staring into death, a fearless grin spread across his face. He scoffed, mocking the outstretched hand before him
"A deal? I might be dying, but i'm not stupid enough to accept the devil's offer"
"I see" Ethan sighed, retracting his hand, his eyes filled with quiet resignation as the flame in his hand was extinguished
Then in the next moment, red light began to gather in Ethan's palm, swirling ominously. Looking at it the boy closed his eyes, bracing for the end
"If you're gonna finish me make sure to make it quick" he muttered, wishing for a quick death, and hoping that there was no such thing as an afterlife waiting for him
But Ethan's next words shattered that hope
"I never said you were going to die"
Hearing those word his eyes snapped open in shock. As the red light enveloped him
[Celestial Magic series:Forced Time Manipulation]
When his mind registered those words panic surged through him as he tried to move, but he couldn't feel his legs. Looking down, he saw they had been consumed by the red light. He desperately struggled, but nothing worked. His limbs were useless
He could only watch in horror as his body, which had been on the verge of collapse, was restored—only to break down again. Over and over, his body was rewound and rebuilt, a cycle of torment designed to keep him alive
Finally, his mind, overwhelmed by pain and exhaustion, shut down, plunging him into a world of darkness
********************
After sending the half-corpse to the shadow realm for further research and preservation, Ethan returned to the infinite library of Akasha, only to be greeted by an unpleasant sensation crawling down his spine
His brow furrowed as he scanned the vast expanse of bookshelves around him, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. As he narrowed his focus, a faint, dark pulse tugged at his senses, leading him deeper into the endless corridors of knowledge. Ethan moved silently until he reached a familiar area—Section 1698. As he approached closer the unease only grew sharper
Stepping into the dim-lit room, his gaze settled on a disquieting sight: Mary, kneeling over the motionless form of the librarian, her hands gripping a blade. She was repeatedly stabbing the still body beneath her with an almost mechanical intensity. What drew Ethan's attention most was the black, viscous substance oozing out of her body—tainting the floor and it's surroundings like a living miasma, swirling with every movement she made. The dark liquid substance was suffocating, and it radiated unfiltered raw animosity and hatred
Ethan's analytical mind kicked in. Is it just pure wrath? Animosity?... No, it's something beyond that. This is hatred given physical form. But how could someone manifest such an intense hatred? Looking at how it's spreading it's not directed at a specific target rather—it was aimed at the world itself
He examined the scene further, wondering how the librarian had been overwhelmed so easily. His gaze drifted back to the black liquid that kept leaking out of Mary's eyes and mouth, spreading like a malign force across the room. How did such concentrated emotion manifest itself physically? He mused, trying to understand the principle behind it. Is it a compression of will? Is there a density to it that allows it to exist in such a state?
Then suddenly his thoughts were interrupted when Mary suddenly stopped stabbing the corpse and turned her attention towards him. Her once burning eyes were now voids, spilling black tears that gave the impression of a twisted sorrow. Without hesitation, she lunged at him with a sword in hand, her movements devoid of grace, yet fueled by primal wrath
Ethan remained unmoved. His mind raced through the variables as he caught the blade aimed at his neck between his thumb and index finger. The force behind the blow was formidable, but predictable. Her sword... he observed, seeing how the darkness from her body had seeped into the weapon, turning it pitch black, its edge gleaming with lethal intent. It's lost all elegance—refined only for killing
She's not herself. That much was clear. But rather than react with emotion, Ethan continued his observations, calculating the origins of her condition. This transformation... what triggered it? How far has this power of animosity corrupted her? Did it always exist inside of her? Did it originate from her?
With a calm breath, Ethan released the blade and allowed it to fall from his grasp. In his free hand, a dull sword materialized—bland in appearance, but radiating a quiet, imposing power
Seeing the sword that appeared Mary had paused momentarily, perhaps sensing the shift in aura, but Ethan wasn't willing to wait for her next move. With a single step, he closed the distance between them and swung his sword downward in an arc aimed directly at her head. Immediately she responded on instinct, her blackened blade rising to meet his strike
Seeing her response a golden light bloomed from Ethan's weapon, dispelling the oppressive darkness as it cut through the air. As the two blades neared each other, the dark energy surrounding Mary's sword began to wane under the overwhelming light of his strike. The moment their blades clashed, the once-pitch-black sword splintered, the darkness shattered by the brilliance of his aura
Pieces of the broken sword flew in every direction. Sensing the danger, Mary instinctively tried to retreat, but she wasn't fast enough. As Ethan's hand shot forward, piercing through the light to seize her by the throat. He lifted her effortlessly, her nails scratching at his wrist in a desperate attempt to break free, but her struggles grew weaker as the light engulfed her
Her body slowly went limp, her grip loosening as her last gasps of resistance faded. Ethan watched as she lost consciousness, the black miasma dissipating into nothingness as the golden light overtook it
Satisfied that the threat had been fully neutralized, Ethan gently released his hold, allowing her now–unconscious form to hover in midair. His eyes swept across the ruined room, the tainted ground still resonating with traces of the dark energy. With a single motion, he radiated a brilliant light from his body, purging the remnants of the black substance from the surroundings
Among the debris, his gaze landed on the lifeless form of the librarian. Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers, erasing the corpse with a flicker of mana. In its place, a new form materialized—a fresh librarian born from the archives of the Akasha itself
"You will continue the previous librarian's work" Ethan ordered. "Record her body information and soul records. Prepare for further study"
The newly formed librarian—whom Ethan casually named Dumdum—bowed deeply
'Understood. Will there be any further instructions?'
"Fully analyze her records" Ethan said as his gaze flicked back to Mary. "Notify me of any abnormalities within her soul once she regains consciousness. For further instructions, access the previous librarian's archives. I want you to finish what he started"
'Understood. I will do as instructed' Dumdum repeated, bowing once again
With a final glance at Mary, who now lay peacefully on the hard floor, Ethan faded into the deeper recesses of the Akashic Library, disappearing among the endless rows of knowledge
The librarian, now left alone with its task, hovered over Mary's tranquil form. Despite the violence she had shown, she now rested peacefully as though used to such encounters. Dumdum levitated her body gently with magic and began reviewing the data stored by its predecessor, sifting through the records to uncover the cause of its former destruction—and silently hoping to avoid a similar fate