"I'm gonna be honest with you, lad. I wanted to show you these intriguing murals out of gratitude. However, the path I guided you through is quite dangerous, but worry not, It's nothing serious if you know your way around. If memory serves me right." He pointed at the previous mural and added. "After that particular engravings right there, we'll be passing that thing next."
"What thing?"
Baron expressions subtly turn grave, as though remembering an unpleasant memory. He answered.
"Honestly, no one knows what it is. But we call it forbidden knowledge. Why? Because those who read its cursed contents had their minds distorted, reducing them to deranged mad men. Be it strong or weak."
Baron grabbed Zyro's hard shoulders with a bit of pressure, as he warned him seriously.
"Listen to me Zyro, do not, ever, read those scriptures ahead when we are passing by. Or else your mind will be compromised. Believe me, I've seen dozens of people become lunatics after letting their stupidity get the best of them. I would not want you to join those fools."
Hearing this, Zyro can't help but feel a sense of unease. If he had not known better, and accidentally venture into this ruins, he will be returning as a lunatic without even knowing how. Still, to think such dangerous literature exists, holding interdicted knowledge that's capable of driving its readers mad. After living in this world for quite a while and learning its ways, he thought he got the hang of it. Logic bending occurrence that can only be explained as fantastical magic didn't surprise him anymore. Zyro's mind common sense had come to terms with this world's strangeness. Still, the forbidden scriptures are too much! That said, aren't the legends these murals told were unbelievable, as well? Baron didn't seem to be joking around when he warned him about the dangers of knowing the forbidden contents. If that's real, then the tale of these murals might actually be genuine too.
That event might have been an utter horror in reality.
As he made his way forward, Zyro kept thinking about the scriptures threat. The harmless walls beside him now seemed to have a similar presence to the dreadful creatures he faced in the wilderness. Ominous and foreboding. Apparently, comparing these walls to those monstrosities is degrading. After all, he could fight those beasts to death, while merely seeing these scriptures contents are enough to kill him mentally. Which is not that better than dying. Amidst this, a horrific realization dawned upon him.
Obviously, these deathly scriptures are written by someone to be here! Then... What kind of creature can even do that? Simply knowing its contents already meant madness. Let alone, peening it on these stone walls. Surely, one needs to memorize or oftentimes view the details to jolt down information. But that only applied in normal circumstances, this set of literary lines beside him was not normal at all.
How did they even write it? Zyro didn't know. Well, he might find some clues if he studied the texts itself, which is just by his side.
'Restrain yourself magot, the last thing I want is dying because of stupidity.'
An idiotic end was beyond him. Still, refraining his curiosity was taxing, he had always been a curious person who has a great tendency about knowing details. The forbidden knowledge beside him was strangely alluring, it has a secretive and ancient charm to it. A significant secret of the past buried in these ruins, forbidding mortals from knowing the tales it hid. Zyro, being a confirmed anomaly in this world might grant him access to its contents without suffering its curse.
However, it's too risky.
'What a waste.'
Not learning these scriptures messages are truly a waste of rare opportunities. If not for these letters's maddening effect, Zyro would have recorded all this ancient data of unknown significance into Aizra's memory. At that moment, a twisted revelation bloomed within him.
'Wait... Record? Damn it, why haven't I thought of it earlier!'
Zyro's eyes suddenly lit up as bright, and an extremely daring idea graced his mind. A wide grin found its way on Zyro's pale face, like a crooked crack where devastation hid.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and fell into a blank trance. His mind is devoid of thoughts, nor processing consciousness evaluating what his senses sent to his brain.
The next moment, Zyro did the unthinkable. Gollowing a set of actions his consciousness left behind for his subconscious to execute, his body moved. Disregarding Baron earnest warning, and every urge to take caution. His black ires drifted to the corner of his eye, its hollow gaze focusing at the forbidden knowledge as it scanned its contents!
Turning off one's mind from all senses is not that hard, truthfully speaking. Students do it often subconsciously, when lectures get too boring or complicated. Some students simply look at the blackboard, yet despite seeing its sophisticated contents vividly. None of the information came to mind nor understand things about what their teacher is discussing. Until the fragile balance breaks, leading them to fall asleep involuntarily or be jolted back to reality.
But for an elite soldier, this kind of empty trance was a skill to be mastered. Stealth related techniques often required an individual to grow proficient in blanking their minds from all sorts of thoughts. By doing so, their moves can be unpredictable, and allow their mind to enter an absolute tranquility. It affects their mobility too, an assassin sneaking with varying thought is noticeably cruder than those with an empty mind, somehow. Some say it's connected to souls, after all, mental activity is connected to one's souls. If a killer bears malicious thoughts towards other individuals, that individual soul is alerted spiritually. Which triggered their intuition.
When they passed the cursed scriptures range, Baron heaved a sigh of relief. The steady footsteps sounding behind him imply that the young man had listened to his warning, and made it through safely. If he had known what Zyro had done, he would be panicking right here and now. Or be amazed beyond words. I mean, who's courageous or dumb enough to gaze at these forbidden runes and lived to tell the tale?. At least, mentally. However, he didn't dare check on Zyro behind him, afraid to accidentally read the letters on the wall.
Meanwhile, Zyro regained awareness and was grinning from ear to ear.
He inquired in his mind.
'What does it look like?'
Aizra's monotone voice responds quickly.
[The runes were carved in human language crudely, tainted by substance that is mostly likely blood from thousand of years ago - Due to corresponding risks, I can't give a detailed description unless you permit it.]
'That's enough, thanks.'
He had long known that human language was treated as an ancient dialect by this world. Except this, Zyro didn't know a thing about its mysteries. But that didn't matter.
Because... He probably just acquired a power that could turn this world mad. Through his eyes, Aizra processes the seen information into her database. She's an Artificial intelligence residing in Zyro's mind, therefore, had no life of her own. Although, he didn't view her as such, in reality, Aizra is just a mere sophisticated tool. Her knowing the scriptures corrupted secrets was no different from rewriting it on these walls. After all, how would its maddening curse affect something that doesn't possess a mind, but a series of complex codes programmed to execute commands.
Truth be told, Zyro took a gamble with his mind on the line just now. Will the curse be triggered if it enters his physical mind? Even though he didn't know what it said? Whether he will succumb to madness or keep his sanity intact. Zyro didn't know. Yet still take the risk of recording the forbidden knowledge through Aizra. No one can blame him, the return is just too big.
Fortunately, Zyro succeeded.
He now holds the forbidden knowledge within his mind, technically, Aizra had it, and he had no idea what it says, even the slightest. Still, that works nevertheless.
Zyro was gratified, lost in his fantasy. Then, Aizra's notification popped up in his mind.
[Storing complete... System functions are stable, no abnormalities are found. Host physical and mental conditions remain unchanged, no abnormalities found. All test results showed no defaults, bodily examination complete.]
She paused for a while, before adding.
[You have acquired a new skill: Utter Vile]
[Skill description: Buried within the ancient ruins, a terrible secret was hidden untold in the depths of earth. No one knows what dreadful truths it holds, for all who read its vile message broke. Until he came, and dared to look at the runes without fear. And take the forbidden knowledge away for his foes to hear.]
Basically, Zyro wants to use this accursed knowledge against his enemies through speakers. His mask had two, which he sometimes activated to modify his voice. Like when he encountered the sealed sage. Even now, the poor old mage didn't know Zyro's face or voice. But, what if Zyro ordered Aizra to invoice the forbidden knowledge texts and share its hideous contents out loud? Making everyone involuntarily hear vile truths that should never be known by anyone. Spreading chaos and madness like tidal waves. Actually, comparing sound waves to mundane waves is stupid. Needless to say, sound waves had beyond supersonic speed, and could travel really wide depending on volume.
Aizra wasn't wrong in addressing Zyro as a monster in his [Elite] attribute. Because he really is... Perhaps, even surpassed that title.
Who would have thought, that the young man this world forsaken. Depriving him of the gifts of Marks, deemed unfit to wield magic and had no racial talents. To someday create power capable of destroying an entire village with his own two hands?
Satisfied, Zyro continue onwards. However, his attention was caught by another mural - this one was the biggest and most grandiose. Causing him to halt at the sight of its beauty.
He frowned, finding the depiction familiar.