Ardent took a step forward, waving a hand as the floating board adjusted. The flickering images of ten individuals expanded. Their portraits hovered in mid-air, each one accompanied by detailed notes and records.
"These are the Ten Anomalies of this town," Ardent declared, his tone even but firm. "Each one holds influence—some lead factions and some are their dangerous followers, others are rogue powerhouses. And then... some are merely visitors, hopefully."
Yun Jin's gaze swept across the faces, absorbing the names and affiliations. Crime lords, cultists, independent warriors, and even scholars—all standing at the crossroads of power in this fragile city. But what caught his attention most was his own face, along with Merlin’s, among them.
Merlin blinked, startled. "Wait—us?!"
Ardent nodded. "Of course. You two are outliers. A powerful swordsman and a prodigious mage, appearing in town just as chaos brews? Naturally, you're being watched. Some might already see you as threats."
Yun Jin smirked at the explanation, crossing his arms. "Fair enough. I wouldn’t expect anything less." A quiet sense of pride stirred within him—if he had already earned a spot among the city's most dangerous individuals, then he was making an impact.
Still, he narrowed his gaze. "But if you want me to act against them, I need proof that some of these people are truly responsible for the town’s suffering."
Ardent inclined his head slightly. "A reasonable request. And one I can fulfill."
He tapped the board, and the images vanished. "Tomorrow, you’ll see it for yourself. I will arrange an invitation—a firsthand look at their operations." He glanced at Yun Jin’s battered form, the evidence of his battle still visible. "But for now, you’re in no condition to investigate anything."
Ardent gestured to one of his attendants. "You will both have rooms prepared, along with fresh clothing. We begin tomorrow."
Merlin immediately accepted the offer, fatigue pressing heavily upon him after exhausting his mana reserves.
But Yun Jin, though weary, wasn’t quite ready for sleep.
"I’d rather explore your library," Yun Jin said. "If you can spare a few books."
Ardent raised a brow. "Looking for anything in particular?"
"Information on monsters, especially Fae-types." Yun Jin’s thoughts lingered on the Dryad—the way it fought, its unnatural presence, and how it seemed to exist beyond the normal rules of combat. All his life, he had trained to fight humans—warriors, assassins, and the occasional sorcerer and their minions.
But these creatures? They were even more deadly and insidious.
Ardent, however, shook his head. "Unfortunately, I still have work to tend to tonight. I can’t personally assist you."
Instead, he turned slightly and spoke in a low, commanding tone. "Selene."
From the dim edges of the chamber, a tall, lithe figure in black robes materialized from the shadows. Even Yun Jin, with all his sharp senses, had not noticed her presence before. Her movements were fluid, like water, as if she had been a part of the darkness itself.
The figure neither spoke nor made any unnecessary movement.
Ardent gestured toward her. "This is my secretary and most trusted guard. If you need anything, you may ask her."
Yun Jin studied the woman with interest. She neither flinched nor reacted, her posture flawless, her presence restrained to the point of vanishing if one did not focus on her.
A shadow given form. He could sense the faintest whisper of mana around her, controlled so precisely it barely existed.
She met his gaze briefly—sharp, intelligent, unwavering—before lowering her head slightly, acknowledging his scrutiny but offering no invitation for further conversation.
Selene turned and gestured for Yun Jin to follow.
Yun Jin scanned the shelves before selecting several books on monsters, particularly Fae-type creatures. He took a seat at a nearby desk, flipping through the pages while Selene remained standing, her presence watchful yet unobtrusive.
As he read, Yun Jin’s expression darkened. These creatures were far trickier than he had imagined. Many possessed abilities that could kill him outright if he had faced them unprepared. Some could invade the mind, twisting perception and reality itself. Others were immune to conventional attacks, requiring obscure weaknesses to be exploited.
If I had fought certain ones without knowing this… I’d be dead already.
He shut the book and exhaled slowly. Preparation truly was everything.
After a pause, he glanced at Selene. "Do you have anything on Light Magic?"
Selene extended her shadow outward, a dark tendril slipping through the shelves. Without hesitation, it plucked a single book and placed it neatly in front of him.
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Basic Light Element.
Yun Jin flipped it open, skimming through the sections. It described the four fundamental spells of the Light element:
1. Manipulation – The ability to bend and shape light, allowing minor illusions, refractions, or dimming and brightening surroundings
1. Flashbang – A concentrated burst of light to blind enemies and disrupt other light-based magic or illusions.
1. Light Ray – A focused beam of radiant energy that burns through shadows and weakens dark-aligned entities.
1. Radiant Ward – A defensive spell that creates a barrier of light, nullifying weaker spells and repelling creatures sensitive to illumination.
Yun Jin leaned back, tapping his fingers against the table. A small smile crept onto his face, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. But as he continued reading, his expression shifted—his brows furrowed. He understood the words, but not the methods. The descriptions were clear, yet they lacked the practical explanations he needed to apply them.
His gaze flicked to Selene. "Can you teach me about Light Magic?"
She shook her head without hesitation.
Maybe it’s time for Merlin to teach me.
Yun Jin exhaled, giving up on the idea for now.
Instead, he placed the book aside and called for more materials—history, monsters, dungeons, and anything related to the system itself.
As he read, he learned something unexpected—the country he now stood in, Velmoria, had once been a major battleground in World War II, seventy-four years ago. The war left deep scars, and in the aftermath, power vacuums formed, allowing various factions to rise and shape the modern world. Political instability, new magic discoveries, and shifting alliances—everything traced back to those events.
Yun Jin exhaled, his gaze lingering on the aged pages. So war, huh? Even this world has them too. He had imagined this land as something beyond his own world's conflicts, but in the end, life repeated itself.
He turned the page, shifting his focus to the system information. The various books explained that the system would appear as proof of one touching mana—a manifestation of an individual’s connection to the world's magical fabric.
However, not all records aligned. Some described the system as a natural phenomenon, an inevitable evolution of magic itself, while others hinted that it was an external force, something introduced rather than discovered.
One particular text, far older than the others, suggested that the system had not always existed.
Yun Jin found conflicting theories—some claimed it was granted by divine beings, others said it was an artifact embedded into the world long ago, and a few even questioned whether it was a curse disguised as guidance.
Yun Jin narrowed his eyes. Then how did the system first appear?
He closed the book, his curiosity still unsatisfied. Pushing himself up from his seat, he took a slow walk around the study, his eyes scanning for anything hidden—something that might reveal Ardent’s true intentions. He traced his fingers along the bookshelves, checked the placement of certain tomes, and even examined the desk for false compartments or arcane seals. But to no avail.
This man hides things very well.
Eventually, his wandering led him into a sprawling underground training hall. Wide, open spaces, reinforced stone flooring, and enchanted barriers lined the perimeter. Yun Jin turned to Selene, smirking. "Feel like sparring?"
She gave a small shake of her head in decline.
Yun Jin chuckled, stepping forward. "Your loss."
He hopped into the training ring, rolling his shoulders before gripping his sword. He exhaled slowly, then—
[Activate: Aura Blade]
A faint hum filled the air as his sword pulsed with energy, the blade glowing with a refined, sharper intensity. Ever since he left the dungeon, the skill had ranked up—and now he wanted to test the difference.
Immediately, he noticed the change. The energy circulation into his weapon was smoother, more precise, enhancing his control. His passive ability, [Weapon Mind], helped him understand the subtle improvements—how the mana reinforced his strikes, how the sword now felt almost weightless in his grasp.
He swung his blade, moving through the Light Blade Sovereign Style, testing the ease of control. Each cut felt sharper, cleaner—like the mana itself was guiding his movements.
Then he paused.
Something from the Light Ray spell description resurfaced in his mind. The text had described condensing magic into a singular point before releasing it in a burst. He glanced at his sword.
Well, you never know until you try.
Yun Jin concentrated, channeling his Aura Blade further. He condensed more energy into the blade, his control tightening. A faint ripple appeared along the sword’s edge.
Then he slashed.
[You have unlocked a skill: Sword Wave (Rank D-)]
A crescent-shaped arc of light energy blasted outward.
The air trembled as the wave shot forward, its edge refined so sharply that it barely made a sound—cutting through the air like a whisper of death. It struck the arena’s protective barrier, and for a brief moment, Yun Jin saw it: a sliver-thin gap carved into the magic itself.
Selene reacted instantly. Her shadow surged forward, forming a dark barrier to intercept the attack. The moment the energy collided, her shadow shuddered and frayed, struggling to hold before it finally dissipated under the force.
Behind it—the thin portion of the arena’s defense had been cut.
Her reaction hadn’t been mere instinct. She had blocked it because she had to.
And for the first time—
Yun Jin saw her clearly.
A woman with long, flowing black hair that shimmered faintly under the light, cascading like liquid shadow over her shoulders. Her eyes glowed with an ethereal luminance, catching Yun Jin in their piercing depths—an unsettling mix of cold allure and mystery.
The dim lighting highlighted the delicate yet impossibly sharp features of her face, giving her an almost surreal beauty. Her robe, form-fitting beneath the flowing dark fabric, hinted at a lithe yet curvaceous figure.
But more than that, something flickered above her head.
[Phantom LV. 27]