Boy in the Library

Several tumbling books came crashing down on a spectacled young boy's head.

He had been trying to reach the very top of the ivory bookshelf, but ended up buried under a pile of books. He was currently in what was the largest library imaginable. Countless halls diverged and converged, lined with bookshelves and books stacked at almost impossible-to-reach heights.

The young man stuck his arm out from under the pile of books, feeling around before forcing himself up. Light shone in through the glass panes in the roof and the windows.

Beside the distant echo of his recent clamor, there was an eerie silence. This youth had been here for years already, surviving all alone in that relic of a library.

It seemed that as society advanced, it left certain aspects behind. This library was left to rot as digital replaced the physical. As the saying went, one man's trash was another man's treasure. In this case, the youthful boy adjusted his glasses and smiled brightly.

He treasured these books more than his own life, as they held the secrets to things he could only dream of.

Besides, his life wasn't that valuable anyway. What worth was there in being a half blind friendless orphan, twice abandoned? He found solace in the library, and was safe amidst the knowledge.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, however, was a great secret.

This boy's consciousness, or perhaps his soul, belonged to that of a certain martial artist from another world. He had reincarnated as this pitiful boy, vowing to find a way back to his world.

He abandoned all else, surrounding himself with books and advancing his knowledge. Before long, he had achieved master level qualifications in various fields. This was enough for him to reassess the flawed scientific theories and whatnot, thus perfecting them.

What orthodox scientists and philosophers called 'perverse,' he saw as perfect. It did not matter to him what was right or if he was breaking several laws of nature.

His only goal was to return to his world in any way, shape or form.

Unexpectedly, he had made tremendous gains. The system of this world was focused on applications that strengthened or bettered something that was already humanly possible. In essence, human limitations were the basis on which they designed creations that went beyond what they were limited by.

What he found was that they found even better ways, theoretically, to supplement for what they were lacking.

After an in depth study, he realized that if he used their applications hand in hand with his cultivation methods, he could strengthen his own body multiple times with one simple advancement. Seeing this, he decided to put his return on hold and studied everything he could. In doing so, he was able to acquire the confidence he needed to confront his world a second time.

In his previous life, the vicious and powerful Yuan Zhen, Lord of the East Springs Faction within the Golden Purgatory Realm, was a mighty figure. He swept through the human realm and terrorized innocents, fearlessly and crazily murdering.

His reputation spread far and wide, causing all to fear him.

However, resistance arose. Out of nowhere, several human factions rose up against his armies, destroying them in a matter of hours.

Yuan Zhen, a living beast of evil, immediately sought revenge.

He slaughtered many of the vengeful humans, but ultimately lost due to negligence. Other Faction Lords of the Golden Purgatory Realm had schemed against him, colluding with the humans.

It seemed they wanted peace more than anything.

In his last moments, Yuan Zhen swore that he would return in the next life, or the life after. He vowed to torment them and their lands, burning the world to the ground.

As such, he utilized his time in this new world to advance his knowledge. He had neglected certain things before, but now he had the chance to rectify that.

He made up for where he was lacking, thus increasing his already terrifying potential. In his youthful hybrid body, his manner of speech conflicted with his high pitched voice. Still, the domineering tone persisted.

"Today is the day. If the spiritual energy fluctuating in this world wasn't so mediocre, I would have prepared myself properly before heading back."

He tossed aside the book, a smile creeping up on his pale face. His dry lips and the cracks on them reverted to a healthy appearance. His eyes twinkled like distant stars in the night sky, while his deathly pale face became rosy and alive.

"However, this will have to do for now. Once I return, I will begin my cultivation. The path leads only to world destruction!"

He brought one of his tiny hands before him, willing his fingernails to grow.

After that, he dragged his jagged and long fingernails over his wrist, cutting it open and letting the blood pour out on the ground. He then caused the scant energy within him to close his wound and began painting with his blood.

A large diagram, like a rectangle with dozens of semicircles within it, could be seen.

He then brutishly bit off a fingernail, scraping his tongue and cutting his lips in the process.

He then relaxed, allowing his hand to return to normal in order to save energy. Blood ran down his neck, but he didn't care. He tossed aside his glasses, walking to the center of the diagram with the long and monstrous fingernail he had bitten of.

"The only aspect of my true self that reincarnated with me was this. My Beast Claws, ruined by human genes. Yet, they are still an echo of their true selves, and will tie me to the Beast Race. Thus, when I cross over, I should inhabit a Beast body."

He smiled a wretched and devilish smile, then dropped his fingernail onto the blood diagram. The bloody shapes began to glow, becoming increasingly warmer. The intensity increased, causing it to become blinding. The blood boiled on the floor, then evaporated into nothingness.

"And so it begins."