Extract from the -{ Tome of Light }- the divine scripture of the Church of Light.

"In the celestial hierarchy, none can rival my brilliance. From the heavens above to the depths below, I am the measure against which all others pale. Bow before the perfection of my divine radiance." (The Perfection of Light - 2:2)

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In a realm beyond mortal comprehension, where reality bent to the whims of cosmic forces, Asher found himself seated across from the enigmatic figure known only as the Guide. The office, if it could be called such, defied the laws of physics. Objects floated aimlessly through the void, their purpose as inscrutable as the man before him. Only the desk, Asher's chair, and the Guide's seat remained anchored in this sea of chaos.

The Guide leaned forward, his fingers interlaced before his mouth, masking any hint of emotion. His eyes, twin pools of glacial blue, bore into Asher with an intensity that seemed to pierce the very fabric of his being.

"Can I ask why you made such a decision?" The Guide's voice was a study in neutrality, betraying nothing of his thoughts.

Asher met that piercing gaze unflinchingly, his face a mask of calm determination. When he spoke, his voice was steady, carrying the weight of absolute certainty.

"Gut."

The single word hung in the air between them, a challenge and a declaration rolled into one. For a moment, the floating debris around them seemed to pause, as if the universe itself held its breath.

The Guide's eyebrows arched, his face transforming into a portrait of disbelief. "Guts? You really made a decision that can potentially be a life sentence based on gut feeling. Are you stupid?"

For the first time since their encounter began, Asher felt a shift in the balance of power. A flicker of satisfaction danced in his eyes as he formulated his response.

"You are right," Asher began, his voice measured and deliberate. "Only a stupid man would make a decision based on gut feeling. While a smart man would make one based on logical reasoning, however, there is a problem here."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. The debris around them seemed to slow its chaotic dance, as if drawn in by the gravity of the moment.

"Logical reasoning is something that requires information. Information is something that can be manipulated very easily in front of someone like me who knows so little and cannot tell the truth from false. So objectively, it would be very 'stupid' for me to rely on information I don't trust to make my decision. So between these two, what was more 'stupid'? That was all I had to decide upon."

As Asher's words faded into the void, the Guide's demeanor underwent a remarkable transformation. He sank back into his chair, the rigidity melting from his posture. A smile, small at first, began to creep across his face, growing until it blossomed into full-blown laughter.

"Truly remarkable, what goes on in your head, kid," the Guide said between chuckles. "What was wrong and what was right matters not now as the decision has already been made. My meeting with you has gone on for far too long. It is time you take your leave."

Asher noted the Guide's careful avoidance of passing judgment on his choice, but he let it slide. His attention was drawn to the peculiar exit - a door floating ten feet in the air, completely detached from any wall.

"Very well then, boya," the Guide said, his laughter subsiding. "It was interesting talking to you. Let's never do this again."

With a casual wave of his hand, a gust of wind materialized from nowhere, lifting Asher from his seat. The chair beneath him vanished, and he found himself hurtling towards the hole in reality that served as an exit.

As Asher tumbled through the void, a sight of breathtaking beauty caught his eye. A shooting star, its tail a mesmerizing shade of violent purple, streaked across the infinite darkness. The utter silence of the void only heightened its otherworldly allure.

For a moment, Asher forgot himself, lost in the star's hypnotic glow. Then, with a jolt of terror, he realized the cosmic projectile was hurtling directly towards him.

Panic seized him. He flailed wildly, arms and legs thrashing against the nothingness that surrounded him. But in the vacuum of this strange realm, his efforts were futile.

The star drew nearer, its radiance growing ever more intense. The purple energy it emitted became so bright that Asher had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut, bracing for impact.

In that instant, it felt as though a celestial bull had rammed into his chest. The force was overwhelming, driving the air from his lungs and sending him spiraling into unconsciousness.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

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Asher opened his eyes, as his mind that was immersed in recollecting memories from last night returned to the present. He found himself back in the mundane world, seated on the empty floor of the cabin. The vivid memories of his otherworldly encounter still swirled in his mind, blurring the line between dream and reality.

Outside, Inky and Jormu frolicked in the shimmering waters of the lake, their playful antics a stark contrast to the gravity of Asher's recollection of his first actual meeting with the guide.

Asher leaned against the doorframe, drinking in the serene vista before him. The cabin offered a breathtaking view of the pristine lake, lush forests stretching to the horizon, and snow-capped peaks piercing the sky in the distance. It was a scene of idyllic beauty, marred only by the weight of the horrifying memories associated with this place.

Yet, beggars couldn't be choosers. Asher had already decided to use this spot as a temporary base of operations. Its isolation from human settlements to the south and its position deep in the familiar wilderness made it an ideal staging ground for whatever challenges lay ahead.

As Asher sat there, lost in contemplation, the events of the previous night played out in his mind like fever dream. The changed world around him, the contracted quests he'd received, and the status window proclaiming his awakening all served as undeniable proof that his experience had been all too real.

With a deep breath, Asher called up his status window, the ethereal display materializing before his eyes:

[ Name: Asher Whitlock ]

[ Race: Human ] [ Tier 1 ]

[ Bloodline: Veiled Shade (common) ]

[ Stats:

Vitality- 78 (+5)

Endurance- 75 (+5)

Strength- 73 (+5)

Agility- 71 (+5)

Dexterity- 65 (+4)

Mind- 67 (+4)

Intelligence- 64 (+3)

[ Skills: Beginner Sword Mastery L.v 1, Beginner Knife Mastery L.v 4, Beginner Close-Combat Mastery L.v 4, Bloodlust L.v 4, Eyes of Odin (Sealed) ]

[ Bloodline Skills: The Heart of Chronos (Sealed)

[ Blood Beast contract:

Soul Soverign Dragon 'Jormungandr'.

Abbyssal devouver Kraken 'Inkara'.

[ Quests: 3 active quests ]

[ Titles: Conqueror of the Mighty, Beast Slayer I, Contractor of lords, Bloodline Inheritor. ]

As Asher pored over his status and the myriad prompts awaiting his attention, a sharp, insistent chime rang out in his mind. A new prompt materialized, superseding all others as if demanding immediate acknowledgment:

[ Background update complete ]

[ system has been updated ]

[ system access key generated ]

[ Access key level 1 has been granted ]

[ Assistant created ]

[ Host is being assigned an assistant ]

[ Hello, my name is 'Inquisitor' I am your personalized assistant for system-related tasks. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. ]

Asher's brow furrowed in confusion and disbelief. This development was entirely unexpected, flying in the face of everything he'd been taught about the system's passive, unresponsive nature. The creation of a personalized assistant felt surreal, bordering on the impossible.

Attributing this bizarre turn of events to the mysterious "immortal experiment," Asher decided to explore this new feature.

"Hi- hello, Inquisitor," he ventured hesitantly.

A silent tune accompanied the appearance of a text message: [Greetings, Asher Whitlock.]

"Can you tell me your functions?" Asher asked, curiosity piqued.

[ Certainly, at the current access level my functions are strictly limited, and the information I can access is also similarly limited. I can however as an example assist you by providing details of any system used terminologies which are accessible at the current level.]

Satisfied with this initial explanation, Asher turned his attention to the backlog of prompts he'd accumulated. Starting from the top, he began to work his way through the notifications:

[ Host has accepted an inheritance. ]

[ Host has gained the title of ' bloodline inheritor' ]

[ Pneuma from the initial part of the inheritance has caused the host to reach the

threshold for awakening. ]

[ Host has comprehended the first stage of the pneuma core manual of the Inheritance. ]

[ Host has awakened ]

[ Awakening bonus, plus 50 to all stats.]

[ Host has gained a new bloodline from the inheritance. ]

[ The bloodline has been sealed by the progenitor. ]

[ A Bloodline seed has been created instead ]

[ Another bloodline seed already exists in the host ]

[ ************* bloodline seed is trying to consume the inherited bloodline seed. ]

[ ************ bloodline seed has found the inherited bloodline seed in its current sealed state unworthy and has stopped the consumption process. ]

[ Common grade ' Veiled Shade' Bloodline has been obtained. ]

"What the fuck," Asher muttered, his mind reeling from the implications of these prompts. The idea that all of this had transpired within him without his knowledge was unsettling, to say the least.

His surprise was compounded by the revelation that the bloodline he'd obtained was merely of common grade. With a resigned sigh, he pushed aside his disappointment and continued through the remaining prompts:

[ Contractor of lords title gained as the only being in the first realm of cultivation to have contracted two Lord bloodline beasts. ]

[ The tutorial has been completed. ]

[ Please accept your rewards ]

[ A message from 'Mr. Guide' has been received ]

[ The seal on the skills: Eyes of Odin and The heart of Chronos has been loosened. The skills have been improved. ]

Deciding to postpone examining his new skills and rewards, Asher focused on the message from the Guide.

[ Open message from Mr.Guide ? yes/no ]

'Yes,' Asher thought, and a holographic screen materialized before him.

The video began with the comical sight of the Guide, now clad in a garish pink robe, fumbling with the camera. His repeated attempts to set up the device reminded Asher of amateur YouTubers struggling with their equipment. Just as Asher's patience began to wear thin, the Guide finally managed to position the camera correctly.

"Ahem," the Guide cleared his throat, smoothing down his robe. "Damn, these things are tough to set up. Just how do those tubers do it? Anyways, you, Asher, hope you are doing well."

The Guide's casual demeanor was a stark contrast to his earlier enigmatic persona, catching Asher off guard.

"I'm sure you must have initiated the quests by now and must be confused by the low amount of information the system provided. Ya' see, I wanted to add more but kinda forgot about it as I got distracted by the movies. Do you know about Oppenheimer?"

Asher's eyebrows shot up at this non sequitur, but the Guide continued without pause.

"I have a message to pass on from your 'sponsor' Mr. Dusk Herald." The Guide's face contorted into an expression of amusement, as if he found the name particularly entertaining. "It's a cryptic message of sorts. I was told to tell you that the keys to the seals are in the tower. Prove your worth by climbing the tower and obtaining it."

The Guide paused, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Other than that... uh, what else was there? Wait a moment."

With exaggerated movements, he rummaged through his fluffy pink robe, eventually producing a scroll that looked like it belonged in a medieval court. Next, he retrieved a pair of comically tiny glasses, holding them up to his eyes as he squinted at the scroll.

"Huh, huh, ohh right, forgot about that," he muttered, before clearing his throat dramatically.

Asher leaned forward, anticipation building as he waited for the Guide to continue his message, the absurdity of the situation only adding to the mounting tension.