"Yawn..." My yawn echoed through the empty library.
The chandeliers illuminated the section where I was sitting, with a mountain of books stacked in front of me. The library was silent, except for the distant ticking of a wall clock. I glanced at it, almost 11 PM.
My day hadn't been physically exhausting. I hadn't joined the morning training with Lesley or the afternoon training with Elian. But mentally? It hadn't been easy.
Being around Selene placed an unconscious weight on my shoulders. Even when I wasn't the topic of discussion, just having her there, standing still, made my body tense.
At least my day had been productive—or so I liked to think. My meeting with Selene lasted until after dinner, when she returned to her royal duties, leaving me with the rest of the afternoon and evening free to do whatever I wanted.
I spent a few hours talking with Dalia, Hera, Lesley, and Elian about the week's schedule and the best way to prepare for the upcoming duel.
Even though everyone seemed confident, I still struggled with racing thoughts and bursts of anxiety. Analyzing the events of the day, I realized that my overconfidence in defeating Thadeus so quickly in a mage duel had been pure luck. That wouldn't happen again.
With my mind in chaos, I turned to something that had always calmed me back on Earth, reading. For the first time, I had the chance to explore the second-floor library.
It was massive, with books written on thin, yellowed paper, similar to recycled sheets back on Earth. The writing didn't seem handwritten, it was uniform, well-spaced, with neatly defined lines and columns, though not as perfect as modern printing.
'Maybe magic,' I thought.
I made my way to an isolated section at the back of the library, one dealing with more sensitive topics. Among the many books, only a handful covered dungeons. Most of them focused on their hostile environment, classifications, and how to close them.
'Not a single book explains why they happen?'
The content was shallow, and from the way it was written, it was clear that it was intentional.
'If it's not on purpose, then the races of Atlas don't truly understand what's happening to the world.'
A very quick but interesting summary.
"So, there are beasts that can cultivate, called wild beasts. And monsters are actually creatures that emerged from a dungeon rift. Pretty informative."
Another surprising detail was that some dungeons remained open even after being cleared.
"At least most dungeons that appear are classified as 'Desolate,' the kind that can be closed."
The second classification was Calamitous, extremely dangerous dungeons. The creatures inside were intelligent but driven by an instinct for destruction that surpassed any sense of reason.
And this was the main difference between beasts and monsters. Beasts were native to Atlas and had evolved, able to live in harmony with their environment.
Monsters, on the other hand, were not. They caused environmental disasters, death, destruction, and bloodshed wherever they went.
"Apparently, all races react the same way when encountering a monster, immediate extermination."
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to search for answers to all my other lingering doubts.
"I'll leave it for another time."
The brief period of immersion in reading brought an unwanted melancholy. I had been in this world for over three years, and most of that time had been spent fighting to survive.
At that moment, I tried to recall my parents' faces, but their features were blurred.
"Time for the cliché?" I muttered to myself.
These quiet, lonely moments were usually when characters reaffirmed their conviction to return home, to go back to Earth.
Go back to a body I knew was dead?
Return to a life that wasn't any different from that of a lab rat?
'My conviction to stay in this life is far stronger than any desire to return.'
The truth was, I had probably survived those three hellish years in the mines out of fear, fear of one day waking up and realizing I was back in my frail, dying body on Earth.
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I remembered Selene's words from earlier.
'You're also forbidden from dying.'
"Who the hell wants to die? I'm going to enjoy this life to the fullest!" I said to myself.
"Enjoy what to the fullest, young master?" A voice intercepted me on my way to my room.
"Agh..." I flinched, startled by Dalia, who was staring at me.
"Nothing, nothing. I was just lost in thought," I replied.
"What are you doing here?"
"Lady Lesley asked me to warn you if you went past 11 PM. She said you have some kind of hyperfocus and lose track of time when you're concentrating."
"Haa... No need to worry, I was just heading to bed."
"Then, if you'll excuse me, young master," Dalia gave a slight bow in my direction, revealing her cleavage, and with a subtle wink, she headed back downstairs.
"I'd better get some sleep. Looks like it's going to be a long night."
"Thud... thud... thud... thud... thud... thud..." A muffled sound echoed through the walls, invading the room.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
A hand was raised to the face, covered in a viscous, obscene liquid.
"How much longer do I have to settle for this?!"
"Faster and stronger," Elian corrected.
"Agh..." I gritted my teeth as I charged forward, trying to break through the flames surrounding his body as he floated a few meters off the ground.
Using gravity to my advantage, I was trying to refine the technique I had used during the avalanche, pulling and pushing.
My legs tensed slightly against the floor as I launched myself toward Elian, who hovered in place, simulating a fire mage, releasing flames from his feet and hands.
My body shot toward him as he swiftly moved out of my path.
'Now,' I thought, attempting to pull myself toward him, altering my trajectory midair.
"Hooo... very good, creative. I like it," Elian commented as he watched Glenn curve toward him.
"But now what? How will you attack if you're being pulled toward your opponent?" He was guiding Glenn through the fight.
'It must be rare for mages to use two elements at once. But honestly, I don't see the difficulty in it.'
Glenn was testing different ways to attack with lightning, ways that were less predictable and harder to counter. His amber eyes gleamed as bolts of lightning shot from them.
"Suck it, Superman and Darkseid!"
"What?" Elian asked. "Is that the name of this ridiculous attack?" He countered, firing a stream of flames from his hands, intercepting the lightning. "It's nowhere near as strong as what you release from your hands."
Glenn finally got within a few meters of Elian and unleashed his strongest attack. He clapped his hands together, sending a storm of lightning in his direction.
It didn't work. Elian moved toward the ground, landing lightly. Glenn's entire attack hit nothing but empty air.
"Damn it, you slippery mage!!!" I grumbled, collapsing onto the ground, panting.
"That attack is powerful!" Elian admitted. "But it has too many flaws, it's raw and too easy to read."
"Shit, I thought you'd move at the speed a full-ranked Awakened would. Why the hell did you suddenly boost your power and speed?" I complained.
"I decided to prepare you for the worst. If, by some twist of fate, Thadeus has broken through to Champion rank, you'll be ready."
"Fuck you!" I spat, frustrated, since Elian had increased the difficulty, I had only landed a single effective attack.
"Ten-minute break. Your next sparring partner has arrived."
Through the training room door, Dalia entered, wearing a green robe with blue accents, loose flowing sleeves, rigid, form-fitting pants, and carrying a large staff in her right hand.
And you might be wondering why she was here.
And well, unfortunately, it wasn't for sex.
That had been decided yesterday. I would train with more partners of different affinities, not just Dalia, but Hera and Lesley as well.