Izumi's fingers trembled as he lifted the book from the corpse's grasp. The cover was old, its edges frayed with age, but the title was still clear.
Mana Focusing.
A bitter laugh almost escaped his lips.
"This… I've seen this before."
It was a basic guide—something many beginners tried when they first stepped into the tower. But to Izumi, it was useless.
He was classless.
Mana didn't flow through his body. No matter how many times he had tried, he couldn't feel even a trace of it. It was as if mana rejected him.
Yet…
Izumi's eyes flickered back to the corpse.
The dead man had clung to this book, even in death. His fingers were locked around it as if it were his most precious treasure. Why?
Slowly, Izumi turned the pages.
As he read, realization dawned on him.
"This… isn't just some ordinary copy."
There were thousands of books like this, scattered everywhere. Most were incomplete—barely scratching the surface of true mana manipulation. But this one… this was the original.
The true version.
Izumi's heart pounded. This book had been written by one of the first great mana users when the towers first appeared. A pioneer who had dedicated their life to studying mana, uncovering its deepest secrets.
The corpse…
Izumi's gaze softened as he looked at the lifeless face.
"Did you die protecting this?"
The Black Sun Guild must not have realized its worth. If they had, this book would've never been left behind.
Izumi clenched his jaw.
The man had died of blood loss. His final act had been to hide this book in his arms, clutching it so tightly that even in death, his fingers refused to let go.
"Who were you?"
He would never get an answer.
Instead, Izumi gently closed the corpse's eyes and whispered a quiet farewell. A small act of respect.
Then, he turned back to the book.
Hope flickered in his chest.
"I'm going to survive."
His hands tightened around the worn pages.
"And I'm going to take my revenge."
With renewed determination, Izumi opened the book—ready to learn.