The library at night was nothing like its daytime counterpart. During the day, it was a place of quiet hums and faint whispers, where students poured over ancient texts and glowing tomes. But now, it felt… alive.
The massive bookshelves loomed like silent sentinels in the darkness, their edges gilded with faint traces of mana. The air was heavy, saturated with the scent of aged parchment and something colder, sharper, and a hint of danger that prickled the back of Seo Jin's neck.
He adjusted the strap of his borrowed satchel, his steps echoing faintly on the marble floor as he made his way deeper into the labyrinthine rows of bookshelves.
This was a risk, and he knew it. The academy enforced strict rules against being in restricted areas after hours. If he got caught, the punishment would be severe. But Seo Jin had no choice.
He pulled a folded piece of parchment from his pocket, the edges worn from being read and reread. It was a hastily drawn map, one he'd sketched earlier that day after piecing together fragments of the novel's plot.
"Room of Forgotten Secrets," he murmured under his breath, his eyes scanning the dim corridor ahead.
The Room of Forgotten Secrets was one of the academy's hidden locations, mentioned briefly in Battleborn Academy. It was described as a place where remnants of past students, like artifacts, scrolls, and treasures, were abandoned, waiting to be discovered. In the novel, the protagonist stumbled upon it midway through his first year, earning a powerful artifact that would carry him through his toughest trials.
But Seo Jin wasn't going to wait for that.
He turned a corner, his heart skipping a beat as he spotted the faint glow of a mana orb hovering in the distance. A patrolling guard.
Seo Jin ducked behind a nearby shelf, his breath hitching as the orb drew closer. He pressed himself against the wood, the faint hum of the orb growing louder.
Think. What do I do if they find me?
His fingers brushed the edge of his satchel, where he'd stashed a small vial of mana-dulling powder. He didn't want to use it because it was rare and expensive, but if it came down to it...
The orb paused just a few feet away, hovering silently before it drifted down another corridor.
Seo Jin exhaled slowly, his pulse still hammering in his ears. "Too close," he muttered, adjusting the satchel and stepping cautiously back into the main path.
The library stretched on for what felt like miles, its towering shelves casting long, uneven shadows in the dim light. Seo Jin's legs ached, his pace slowing as fatigue set in.
His Status Window appeared briefly in the corner of his vision:
[Stamina: 1]
He felt it was mocking him.
He gritted his teeth. "Just keep going," he whispered to himself.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached the end of the map; it was a narrow hallway lined with carved stone arches. At the end of the corridor was a simple wooden door, its surface scratched and weathered with age.
The Room of Forgotten Secrets.
Seo Jin hesitated, his hand hovering over the brass doorknob. This was it, the first real step toward rewriting his story. If he couldn't handle this, how could he possibly hope to survive the trials ahead?
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
The room was small and unremarkable, its walls lined with broken shelves and crumbling stone. Dust motes floated lazily in the air, illuminated by the faint glow of a single mana crystal embedded in the ceiling.
At first glance, it seemed empty.
Seo Jin stepped inside, his footsteps muffled by the thick layer of dust on the floor. He scanned the room, his eyes narrowing as he noticed faint markings etched into the walls: symbols and runes that pulsed faintly with residual mana.
He kneeled down, running his fingers along the edge of the floor. His hand caught on something, like a faint indentation in the stone.
"A hidden compartment," he muttered, his pulse quickening.
Seo Jin pressed down on the indentation, wincing as the stone shifted with a faint groan. A small section of the floor slid open, revealing a hidden chamber beneath.
Inside was a single object: a simple, rusted ring.
Seo Jin stared at it, his brow furrowing. This was the artifact? In the novel, the protagonist described it as unassuming, but seeing it in person was underwhelming.
He reached out cautiously, picking up the ring and turning it over in his hand. Despite its rough exterior, it felt strangely warm, as if it pulsed faintly with life.
The Status Window appeared the moment the ring touched his skin:
[Artifact Acquired: Enduring Resolve Ring]
[Effect: +5 Stamina]
Seo Jin blinked, the words sinking in slowly. Five stamina points might not sound like much, but for someone like him, it was a game-changer.
Without hesitation, he slid the ring onto his finger.
A rush of energy coursed through him, spreading from his hand to his chest, his legs, and his entire body. The exhaustion that had weighed him down moments ago lifted, replaced by a faint buzz of vitality.
Seo Jin stood, flexing his fingers experimentally. He took a cautious step forward, then another, marveling at how light his body felt.
"This is incredible," he murmured, a grin spreading across his face.
For the first time since waking up in this world, he felt like he could breathe. He wasn't strong, not yet, but he wasn't entirely helpless anymore.
As Seo Jin turned to leave, his eyes lingered on the symbols etched into the walls. The Room of Forgotten Secrets was full of possibilities, and he'd barely scratched the surface.
But this was enough for now.
He slipped back into the library's main corridor, his movements more confident as he retraced his steps. The mana orb patrol was still active, but Seo Jin avoided it easily, his newfound stamina allowing him to move quickly and quietly.
By the time he reached the dormitory, the first hints of dawn were breaking over the horizon.
Seo Jin sank onto his bed, the ring still warm on his finger. His body ached, his mind was spinning, but for the first time, he felt like he had a real chance.
"This is only the beginning," he said softly, his gaze fixed on the faint glow of the ring. "Not much, but it's a start. One step closer to rewriting this story."