"Fernando Guerra was the- pun intended, pioneer of all gang-related gang shit gang gang of Barter!", yelled Addu as I asked him what the words in the book mean. "Four gang generations ago, there was one single gang which united all of Barter. Everything illegal didn't become fruit if it didn't pass through Guerra's eyes. Back then, this one single gang was called 'The Union'. And it was with Guerra's death that 'The Union' died and fractioned into four factions. One of which is the 'Placebo' faction which is divided into our 'Magnifico' and "Pioneers' faction.", he paused, "Do you get me?"

"Uh...", though I understood only a part of it. I just agreed. "Yes."

"You don't", he sighed. "Fernando Guerra is the father of all gangs. To put things into your province boy perspective."

"Wait...", something bugged me with the current gang hierarchy. "We have gang captains, right? What about the underbosses and the bosses?"

"Well, most of the high ranks are in college, so they usually stay around Barter State College, that's a kilometer away from Barter State High."

"Oh...", I scratched my head. "What about the alumni then? The adults?"

"Well, when a gang boss or some high-rank graduates, they usually pass it to a college lackey of theirs they deem fit. Adult gang members go off to either pursue higher education or remain here and join orders."

"Orders?", the concepts keep coming and coming.

"Yeah, like gangs, but on a bigger scale. They operate from city to city. Still- Fernando Guerra found this thing.", he retracted his eyes from his newspaper. "Orders are like gangs for adults, and they intervene in gang actions when it compromises their work. Some orders do illegal stunts here and there for the money. Some Orders even assign tasks for a certain gang and lend them some coins."

"Ooh.", I understood. "So that's why gang activities are rarely made action about even if it includes bullying."

"Of course.", Addu chuckled. "See the principal that made a speech in the orientation? He's an alumnus of the Twilight Gang, went on to pursue higher education, joined an order, and became the principal. That's the real reason why gang and illegal shit is tolerated in Barter High. Heck- even police chiefs are part of orders, so there's not really much police action for gang stuff if one has the right connections."

"Ahh..."

"So what's up with the sudden bring up of Fernando Guerra? Did the Magnifico morons use that name recklessly?"

"No...", I brought up the black book that the landlady handed over to me. "I received this book.", I raised the item that was right in my hand. Adorned with intricate designs, the cover unfolded a tapestry of craftsmanship. Delicate filigree motifs intertwined like a dance of arcane symbols, hinting at the power that lay dormant within. The leather, worn but resilient, carried the weight of countless spells, as if whispering its secrets to those who dared to open its pages.

"What book?", Addu seemed puzzled. "Bro, you're scaring me.", he flinched seeing me shaping a U-shape on my hand.

"Can you not see it?", I went closer to him holding the tangible book held by both of my hands.

"Why are you pretending to hold a book.", he sighed. "Get a grip. Those Magnifico trolls did put a toll on your mental state.", he redirected his eyes back to his newspaper.

Can he really not see it? What does this mean? Am I going insane? No, no. I'm quite sure of my sanity.

I walked back to my bed and opened the seemingly imaginary book.

As I sat back on my bed, uncertainty gnawed at my mind. Addu's dismissive reaction to the book I held in my hands only intensified my confusion. Was I losing my grip on reality? I took a deep breath, determined to gather my thoughts and explore the mysteries that lay within the book.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

With a hesitant yet determined motion, I carefully opened the pages, half-expecting them to be blank or filled with incomprehensible symbols. To my astonishment, the pages were filled with elegant handwriting, forming words and sentences that danced across the aged parchment.

The book had only one single page, and it wrote "Are you tired at the bottom of the hierarchy?"

"I am...", I mumbled.

Suddenly, another page appeared right behind the current one I was reading. Hold on... Am I going crazy? My heart skipped a beat as another page materialized behind the one I had been reading. Doubt and uncertainty clawed at my mind, but curiosity compelled me to turn my attention to the newly revealed page.

The subsequent page held an odd statement, each line etched with an intensity that gripped my very soul: "To see more than what these parchments lie... bring me a dead man's coin, a piece of a rotting wall, and a drop of your blood."

A surge of disbelief and apprehension washed over me as I read the peculiar words inscribed on the newly revealed page. The statement seemed to defy logic and reason, pushing the boundaries of what I believed to be possible. How could a book demand such specific and unconventional items to activate its hidden potential? Questions flooded my mind, intertwining with a growing sense of unease. But I have those things right now!

I took a piece of coin from my pocket, it was a coin from my desk. And the piece of this building's wall? I have that. I reached out to my desk and grabbed the piece of wall I took to remind me of my new adventures. New adventures my ass.

And my blood...

I bit my fingers and placed the three items on the book. My red blood was scattered across the book's eerie page.

Addu, with a gaze as piercing as a dagger, cast a judgmental eye upon me. The weight of his scrutiny bore down upon my shoulders, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable. It was a gaze that spoke volumes, filled with silent accusations and disapproval, conveying Addu's disappointment and disdain without uttering a single word.

As I watched my blood mingle with the other peculiar items on the book's pages, a mixture of trepidation and anticipation surged through my veins. The air seemed to thicken, charged with otherworldly energy. An eerie silence enveloped the room, heightening the weight of the moment.

Time seemed to slow as I awaited a sign, a response from the book that now held a part of me. Minutes stretched into eternity as I held my breath, uncertainty gripping my heart. Had I made a grave mistake? Was this a reckless act of desperation driven by my desire for something more?

Suddenly, a soft whisper seemed to emanate from the book, barely audible yet undeniably present. It was a delicate vibration that resonated within my being, urging me to listen, to pay attention. My gaze fixed upon the open pages, searching for any sign of change.

To my astonishment, the inked words on the book's pages began to shimmer and glow, their luminescence growing brighter with each passing moment. Patterns danced across the surface, intertwining and shifting in an intricate display of ethereal beauty. The room seemed to pulse with more otherworldly energy as if the very fabric of reality was being woven anew.

I watched in awe as the pages turned, guided by an unseen force. Symbols and glyphs emerged, forming a language I couldn't comprehend but felt a profound connection to. It was as if the book itself was unlocking its own secrets, revealing a path forward, a path meant only for me.

Though Addu didn't seem to react. These strange hallucinations were mine only. Am I going insane?

"Do you swear to curse Barter?"

Huh? What is this... I don't know what to reply to this. There are certain things that may give me hope about Barter, but I don't know the answer to this. But then again... the flashes of everything that went wrong. All the broken fantasies I had in this place keep coming back... that I just want to say... Yes.

"You are starting to curse Barter..."

It can read... my mind?! Wait!

"With a taglock of your blood and the activation components in this book, a hint of the secrets is being revealed to you."- after the book had written that in its pages, a migraine kicked in. And similar to what I had experienced, it was as if... a sudden surge of memories was implanted in my brain.

In the urban depths, a young femme embarked on a quest for wealth. Armed with knockoff bags, she targeted the ordinary men- kind and busy, only to find disappointment in their feeble grasp. Undeterred, she ventured into the underbelly, catering to a criminal breed - secretive and hostile. As her wares intertwined with their vices, she devised a cunning stratagem - blackmail. She used to tattle about their crimes whenever no criminal purchased her products. Her illicit empire soared, prices scaling ever higher, and she, the puppeteer, reveled in opulent triumph. She persuaded evil using evil.

"You can now try to persuade anyone that has any history of hurting anybody to a certain degree in Barter."

Huh? What does that mean... What does it mean by a certain degree?

"It refers to, but is not limited to Gang fights, bullying, attempted murder, or even successful homicide."

Well, shit.