Extract from the -{ Tome of the ‘Forgotten One’ }- Divine scripture of the Church of the ‘Forgotten One’.

"...And thus he who was called forth from the eternal depths of night, chosen by the 'Darkness' to defy the mortal coil and transcend the boundaries of existence." ( The Decent of Darkness- 4:4 )

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The Guide leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. "There are three ways one can awaken," he began, his voice taking on a professorial tone. "First, by having someone they trust inject controlled pneuma directly into your body over time, helping it adapt to the changes. This method is most widely used as the variables involved can be easily controlled."

He paused, letting the information sink in. The office seemed to grow darker, the shadows lengthening as if eager to hear the secrets being shared.

"Second," he continued, "is by increasing the concentration of pneuma within the body through consumption of pneuma-rich substances. This causes one to awaken naturally once the body starts to accumulate and adapt to it. It's how wild beasts awaken and grow stronger."

Asher listened intently, his mind racing with the implications of each method.

"Third is by using pneuma core cultivation manuals," the Guide said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "These contain techniques that help one manipulate the existing pneuma in the body and grow its size by seizing pneuma from the environment, eventually causing awakening."

As he spoke, the Guide shifted within the sleeves of his robes, producing a pack of gum with a flourish. The casual action seemed at odds with the gravity of the information he was sharing.

"To prevent the error from cropping up, you have to awaken," he explained, unwrapping a stick of gum. "The system cares not for the method but the results, so the means matter not. In your current scenario, the first method is out of the picture."

He popped the gum into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Finding a suitable treasure for you would be easy through the power of the creation net. However, the system works on equal exchange, and unfortunately, you don't have enough withheld 'hidden credit' to accomplish that, nor time to collect more through quests."

The man spoke of all this as if it mattered little to him, which was true. But for Asher, it was a matter of life and death. He was certain that if the system scanned him again, it would once more flag him for soul destruction.

The Guide blew a bubble that burst and stuck to his stubble. Annoyed, he used his fingers to scratch it off as he continued. "So that leaves us with the third method. Unfortunately, I have no such core manual on me to give you. Even if I did, the underlying laws of equal exchange would make it impossible for me, especially as I have already interfered a lot previously. I don't want to get fired yet, hehe."

His casual chuckle sent a chill down Asher's spine. The contrast between the Guide's nonchalant demeanor and the dire situation was unsettling.

"Thankfully, an old business partner of mine came through and is willing to provide you with a core manual that is high-tiered enough to be compatible with your 'gift'." The Guide's eyes glinted mischievously as he said the word 'gift' as if it held some hidden meaning.

Asher waited, letting the information sink in. Once again, a path out of his predicament appeared. That was until the man continued the rest of his sentence.

"However, you don't have time to sit and start comprehending a pneuma core manual."

Rage consumed Asher's eyes as he clenched his fist. Controlling himself, he held his clenched fist with his other hand and rested his head against it, reeling in his emotions. The office seemed to pulse with his anger, the shadows deepening.

Seeing Asher's behavior, the man let out a light chuckle, as if enjoying the torment. "This black-bellied business partner of mine also realizes this, so he provided a solution." The Guide finally pointed towards the contract on the desk, the paper seeming to glow with an otherworldly light.

"The old man has a few tasks he wants to be completed. In return, he will provide you with an unidentified inheritance, which naturally contains a core manual as well. The acceptance of inheritance would allow you to directly comprehend the initial stage of the included pneuma core manual however it will also make it harder for you to change the core manual in the future. These core techniques which are only shared via inheritance are highly guarded secrets, one only shared with those bound by undying loyalty or blood ."

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The Guide's voice took on a more serious tone. "The synergy of inheritance, combined with you who is already on the verge of awakening naturally thanks to your constant efforts in the wilderness, will be just enough to complete the awakening process. Hence, your solution."

A devilish smile slathered his face as if he had told the joke of the century. "You're a smart kid. I know you must have realized a lot of loopholes in this. Things don't add up, right?"

The Guide swung in his chair, a light chuckle escaping his mouth. "Such as why this mysterious 'sponsor' doesn't just give you a consumable treasure to awaken. Why all this inheritance nonsense?"

The swinging stopped with the back of the chair facing Asher. The silence stretched, thick with tension.

"Truth be told, I already predicted this error and was going to just give you a consumable treasure as payment upfront and have you complete some other tasks over time to fulfill the law of equal exchange by the system. However, the 'sponsor' suddenly appeared and leveraged an old debt I owed to him, telling me not to interfere this time. Hence, the current situation."

The chair turned slowly, and the serious-faced Guide looked deeply at Asher. His eyes seemed to pierce through to Asher's very soul.

"At first, I thought the 'Sponsor' wanted to also take advantage of your situation and have you sign a contract of slavery for a random fruit or something. However, he instead provided unidentified inheritance upfront in return for a contract where you would have to complete his given tasks in the future over time."

The Guide's expression was one of immense confusion and seriousness at this event that made no sense to him. The air in the office seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe.

"Maybe the whole 'honorable' brain rot had reached his head. Anyway, it's not a bad deal for you. Well, guess I should do something worthy of the designation of 'Guide' for once."

The devious grin returned once again. The Guide stood up as the scenery started to warp once more, this time turning into an empty classroom with Asher seated at one of the school desks and the Guide standing by the board, ready to give his lecture. A ruler materialized in his hand, and he pointed to the board where the five paths of power were listed.

"Ahem, so the hunter must have already told you about the five paths, correct?"

Asher went along with the man's antics and nodded, feeling as if he were trapped in some bizarre dream.

"Well, that makes things easier for me. You see, each core manual is a pneuma manipulation and storage technique that shapes the internal pathways over time and mends them according to the core manual contents. Elite cultivators have formed these core manuals over the eons, it is the proof of the path they had followed in their cultivation journey, each linked intricately to the existence of its creator."

Cartoonish diagrams started to appear on the board related to what the Guide spoke of as if the board had a life of its own and was assisting the lecture. The images seemed to dance and shift, adding to the surreal atmosphere.

"Due to this, once someone selects and starts using a core manual, it is very hard to change over to another. If they do so, it risks permanently crippling their pathways. The risk increases if the grade of the core manual that is being replaced is high and even more so if it's an inherited core manual."

The Guide's voice took on a more ominous tone. "As for why one might want to change one's core manual, you see, this has to do with the five paths."

He continued his lecture, supported by the ever-changing diagrams. "The ‘path’ one follows is only determined when one realizes their aura, which can only be done after awakening. Due to influencing the pneuma pathways in the body, some core manuals support certain paths better than others."

Asher listened intently, the gravity of the situation becoming clearer with each word.

"For example, if someone awakened with a core manual that creates pneuma pathways that enhance the aura of the enhancement path but once awakened finds out his aura is of the path of dominance, he is screwed. The effective efficiency of his abilities would be decreased in this case by more than 90% due to the huge difference in the nature of these two paths."

Asher understood what the Guide was telling him and started to realize why it was important to choose the correct core manual. The weight of the decision before him seemed to grow heavier by the moment.

"This is also the reason why the first method of awakening is preferred, as one can first realize the aura and then choose a suitable core manual that supports the path instead of being a hindrance to it."

The Guide then stopped his animated lecture and looked at Asher, his eyes boring into him. "In your case, the core manual is a high-grade one and an inheritance one at that, so basically, it's a gamble. If your aura is not suitable to it, you are screwed over, as I doubt you would be able to find a higher-level core manual to replace it with unless you are a powerhouse of your own and then sever the inheritance bond."

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I am not aware of the details of what level of stuff that old man is handing over to you. It could just be an inheritance of his average subordinate, all just to tie you to his faction, for all I know. After all, a tie of inheritance is not easy to get rid of"

The Guide gave Asher a creepy smile as he said, "Part of the deal with him to clear the debt was that I am not able to conceptualize what the thing being given over is. Weird, isn't it? The fact that I could hold it in my hand and stare for hours, yet my brain would refuse to register its information just because I signed a contract."

Asher felt goosebumps over his body as he realized the power contracts held in this world, especially contracts with beings beyond one's understanding. The classroom seemed to darken, the shadows growing longer and more menacing.

The Guide snapped out of his own musing and once again clapped his hands. The surroundings returned to the office, with the Guide now seated opposite Asher, the contract on the desk between them.

"So, Ash-boy, as a 'friend' of yours, I shared so much information with you out of pity. Now the power of choice is in your hands. What shall be your answer?"

Asher sat in silence for a bit, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. The contract on the desk seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, beckoning him. He knew that whatever choice he made would irrevocably change the course of his life in this strange and perilous new world.

With a deep breath, Asher steeled himself. He had come too far to turn back now. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them head-on. His hand reached out towards the contract, the decision made.

The Guide's eyes gleamed with an unreadable expression as he watched Asher's movement. The air in the office crackled with tension as if the very fabric of reality held its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

As Asher's fingers brushed against the contract, he couldn't help but wonder what price he would ultimately pay for this decision.