The floor was still cold
Ren shifted his weight, spine creaking from sitting too long. The stone pressed through his clothes like it was judging him for staying still. He didn't move. Not yet. He just stared at the last book
The first two lay beside him, shut but far from silent. The Death Scripture throbbed faintly, like a heartbeat wrapped in old linen. The Contradiction Scripture didn't throb at all. It waited. Smug. Like a riddle that knew you'd fail
But the third book?
It looked… normal
And that was the first red flag
Ren's eyes narrowed. No skull carvings. No veiny leather. No dripping ichor or twitching sigils. Just a rectangular book, carefully wrapped in golden thread. Not glowing. Not whispering. Not cursed. Just… quiet
"Alright" he said softly "why do I feel like that makes you the worst of the three"
He didn't trust it. Anything this polished was either holy, rigged, or both
He studied it in silence
The Scripture of Knowledge
It didn't pulse. It didn't beg. It just sat there like it had nothing to prove. Like it already knew everything and didn't feel the need to explain itself to someone beneath it
And that, of course, made him want to stab it
But instead, he reached forward. Fingers hovering
The thread twitched before he even touched it, as if it was tired of waiting for him
Then, it unwrapped itself
Not like a gift. Not like something welcoming
More like something disassembling its disguise
Layer by layer, the golden fibers fell away. No flash. No scream. Just the faint sound of fabric loosening and memory slipping through cracks
The cover opened on its own
There was no title at first
Just a shimmer
Then, one concept forced itself into focus
The Law of Knowing
"There is no ignorance only willful blindness
The world is a system The self is its shifting variable
What is known grants control What is unknown becomes danger without shape"
Then, in smaller, crueler script
Knowledge is power
Knowledge is destruction
Knowledge is weight and it never forgets who lifted it
Ren blinked once. Then again
He gave a dry chuckle "Okay Subtle"
It didn't scare him like the Death Scripture
It didn't twist his gut like the Contradiction one
It just… existed. Already in his head. Already judging
The Scripture didn't warn him
It didn't need to
It expected him to be smart enough to understand the consequences
He turned the page
How to Make the Vow (Scripture of Knowledge)
Become a Scholar or one whose title bears the weight of wisdom
Enter a place of absolute silence and lightless depth
Remove both eyes Offer them to the flame as proof of your hunger
In darkness meditate for thirty days Reflect upon your ignorance your insignificance your fragile claim to knowing
When the veil lifts and Enlightenment opens its eye
Speak these words
"I vow to see all things that wish to be hidden
Let no truth pass unseen no ignorance remain sacred
Where I walk knowledge awakens and power follows"
He finished reading. Then reread the line about the eyes
"...You want me to what now"
He squinted at the page like it might change if he stared hard enough
Nope
Still said to rip out his own eyes and throw them into a fire
"Right Totally reasonable"
He looked up at the empty air
"This is what counts as higher learning now huh"
He went back to the first step Become a Scholar
"Not just smart Recognized" he muttered "So no dropouts allowed"
Then came the silence and darkness. No lights. No sound. No contact. Isolation wasn't symbolic here. It was absolute. The silence wasn't a test of patience. It was a scalpel
He didn't like silence
It gave thoughts room to grow teeth
Then, the eyes again
"Yeah okay" he muttered "Because nothing says ready to learn like voluntary mutilation"
Still… he understood the logic. Give up what you depend on. Sacrifice comfort. See the truth beyond sight
He exhaled slowly
Thirty days blind, alone, and meditating
This Path didn't just want his dedication
It wanted him hollowed out
And after that The vow. Not a prayer. A contract. Spoken only when the self had been burned to ash and rebuilt
Ren closed the book halfway
"This isn't a test of faith" he said softly "It's a filter"
Most wouldn't make it past Step 2
That wasn't cruelty
That was design
He turned the next page
Mystic 1st Step Acolyte
"Begin with questions End with flame"
The heading was followed by dense but precise lines of text
Core Abilities
Gain control over one element Fire Ice Earth Lightning or Water
Cast small single-target elemental spells range 10–20 meters
Use basic glyphs and rune traps
Analyze terrain and materials for elemental properties
Ren tilted his head
"So… pick an element and throw tiny fireballs"
He read further
Mutation Glyph-Etched Pupils
Arcane runes appear in the Acolyte's eyes when casting Each element has a distinct glow
Rune Trap Imprint
Can inscribe 1–2 runes into small objects When triggered they cause minor elemental bursts Cooldown 1 hour
He stared at the description
"Congratulations" he said to the book "I'm officially a budget demolition expert"
He flipped the page again skimming the summary of the rank's Combat Role precision support low direct damage high tactical potential
Ren rubbed his forehead
"Knowledge is power" he echoed "But apparently that means landmines"
The sarcasm slipped from his voice for just a second
And in its place something colder lingered
A thought he didn't say aloud
This is the most reasonable one so far
And that scared him
Because it meant the other two weren't exaggerations
They were just the beginning
Ren turned the next page
There were no instructions. No diagrams. No elemental charts or ritual guides
Just a title, clean and deliberate
Mystic 2nd Step – Senior Researcher
He blinked. Then leaned in, frowning slightly
"That sounds… Normal" he muttered "Finally something associate with knowledge"
He waited for more information, but the page offered nothing else. Just the name. No powers. No hint at what this 'Senior' was supposed to be researching
Ren tapped the page
"So I survive thirty days blind, learn how to throw fire at squirrels, and then I get promoted to... paperwork"
He turned the next page
Mystic 3rd Step – Elemental Arcanist
That one made him pause
A little more flair in that title
Still, it felt vague. It didn't describe someone who knew. It described someone who used
"Alright" he murmured "so we've moved from intern to full-time caster"
He squinted at the page again. No extra lines. No ink bleeding out to whisper secrets
Just the name
Clean. Silent. Professional
He was beginning to get the pattern
These weren't powers being shown. They were milestones. Labels. Job titles from a profession that never stopped evaluating your worth
He kept reading
Mystic 4th Step – Alchemist
Ren straightened up a little
That one struck differently
Not just because it sounded dangerous — it sounded intentional
Acolyte. Researcher. Arcanist. Alchemist
Each one a shift in identity. From passive to active. From learner to maker
He tapped his knuckle gently against the page
"Crafting things now, are we? Bombs, maybe? Arcane rat poison? Magic grenades?"
He smirked, but there was no humor in it
The Scripture was building something. And it was using him as the mold
One more page
He hesitated
Then flipped it
Mystic Final Step – Elemental Wizard
The moment his eyes landed on the title, his breath caught. It was a small thing, subtle, but he noticed it — the texture of the page felt warmer
Almost like heat radiating from ink that had been sealed with fire
"Wizard" he said, slow and dry "so we're just skipping subtlety now"
He leaned back, elbows on his knees
"Acolyte. Researcher. Arcanist. Alchemist. Wizard. That's the journey?"
He scanned the row of titles in his head, then said quietly
"This is an Nuclear disguise as a scholar"
It wasn't just power. It was structure
This Law the Law of Knowing —didn't want chaos. It wanted clarity. Progression. Control
Every rank was a step toward becoming not just more destructive, but more defined
It didn't make the user into a weapon by force. It educated them. Sharpened them. Taught them how to build the blade themselves
And then, he guessed, how to point it
He closed the Scripture
But he couldn't help it. He stared at the cover a moment longer
Then he burst out
"…Are you sure you're the Scripture of Knowledge?" he asked slowly "Why are you so violent?"
He flipped the book open again, then flipped backward, double-checking
He wasn't wrong. There it was: elemental this, composite that, casting circles, destruction zones
"So let me get this straight"
He took a deep breath
"In this world, a scholar isn't someone who reads in a library. No. A scholar is a goddamn combat wizard who throws lightning, blows up doorways, and levels forests because they understand 'the shape of heat'"
He flipped back again, just to make sure
He hadn't misread a single word
"Is this normal here?" he asked the air "Is this just what education means now? Do you guys hand out fireballs with diplomas?"
He stood up, paced once, then sat back down hard
"I came here thinking I might find a path that made sense. Something logical. Something intellectual. But no. Turns out knowing things means turning physics into artillery"
He let out a slow breath, eyes flicking over the page one last time
The Law of Knowing didn't just want intelligence. It wanted output. Proof. Results. Violence
Clever, justified, elegant violence
Ren rubbed his face, then looked at his own hands
Not burning. Not glowing. Not yet
Just hands
Hands that had once held a patient's pulse while listening for lies. Hands that now might one day turn a mountain into steam
He shut the book with a soft thud
It didn't protest
Didn't hum or shake or demand attention
It didn't need to
It had made its point loud and clear
And somewhere deep in his chest, he felt it settle in. A quiet awareness
Knowledge wasn't safe
It never had been
This book just said Knowledge is power.....literally