Library

Sorin couldn't help but let out a tired yawn as the final lecture of the day came to an end.

As the other students gradually left the classroom, Sorin remained seated, lost in thought.

'I should make my way to the magic library to rent a spell formula for my studies,' he thought, his mind already set on the task ahead.

'I also need to find out more knowledge on the time element. However, with how mysterious and abstract that element is, I highly doubt I'll find anything of worth in the lower library.' Sorin's brow furrowed.

Sorin knew it was gonna be a challenge trying to find information on such a vague subject.

'In the lower realm, barely anyone knows anything related to the space-time affinities.'

"The lower library probably won't have the answers I seek for something as abstract as time," he muttered to himself.

"Perhaps I should try going into the core area of the library. Knowledge in there is more vast than the lower library. However, it's going to be a little troublesome trying to get in." Sorin sighed.

'The academy has two main libraries which is the regular library and the magic library.'

The regular library has two areas which are the lower and the core.

The lower library contains general knowledge about Arcanists, spells, and various subjects related to their history.

Access to the lower library is open to all students. However, the core library, which holds more specialised and valuable information, can only be accessed through special privileges or spending arcane crystals.

These privileges are typically granted to exceptional students or upperclassmen.

Second-year students are allowed 2 hours of free access to the core library per week, while third-year students can use it for up to 4 hours a week.

Additionally, there is a magic library within the academy that houses a vast collection of spell formulas students can choose and learn from.

Students can rent these spells and return them at their convenience, but the later you return it, the higher the fees.

'With the cultivation of my Mana Cube, my funds are beginning to deplete rapidly. I can't afford to spend any more arcane crystals.' Sorin smiled bitterly.

"Being an Arcanist sure is tough," Sorin muttered to himself. "I'm even doing better than the majority of students, thanks to the starting funds from my inheritance."

"I can only imagine what the students who spent all their family's fortune to get into this Academy are doing," Sorin thought.

For most common families that aren't descendants of Arcanists, amassing three high-grade arcane crystals to send their child to a magic Academy would already prove to be an immensely challenging task.

However, those crystals are merely a drop in the ocean for an Arcanist. It's only when you advance to become a Tier 1 Arcanist and begin refining your Mana Cube that you truly comprehend the challenges of this path.

Becoming an Arcanist is a prestigious but also an exceptionally demanding profession.

Completing his thoughts, Sorin gathered his lecture notes and placed them into his leather satchel. He then stood up, and made his way to the magic library.

-

As he neared the library's entrance, Sorin couldn't help but notice the imposing figure of the guard stationed there. The man had a formidable presence, exuding an aura of authority that sent subtle chills down Sorin's spine.

His gaze bore the weight of years of experience, and his posture was rigid, like a sentinel guarding sacred knowledge.

The guard gestured for Sorin to approach, his eyes fixed on the young student. With a hint of trepidation, Sorin reached into his satchel and retrieved a red badge, the symbol of his student rank in the Academy.

He handed it over to the guard, who inspected it with a discerning eye. After a tense moment, the guard nodded, acknowledging the authenticity of Sorin's badge.

With a silent gesture, the guard granted Sorin permission to enter the magic library.

As he stepped inside, the tension that bore down on Sorin disappeared. 

'That guard must be at the very least a Tier 2 Arcanist. I felt chills just from the aura the man exuded.' Sorin thought.

Sorin had already visited the magic library two times to rent spell formulas, but no matter how many visits he made, he still couldn't quite get used to the imposing aura of the man guarding the entrance. 

In contrast to Alice, another Tier 2 Arcanist he knew, the guardian of the library exuded an even more overwhelming presence.

The weight of his accumulated experiences and countless battles seemed to hang in the air around him like an invisible shroud.

His aura was suffocating, an aura that had been acquired throughout his arduous journey as an Arcanist.

Sorin then placed his attention to the library.

The magic library was a vast chamber filled with bookshelves, each laden with ancient tomes and spell formulas of varying sizes and colors.

'Technically speaking, all these spells would be prime spells. However, teaching a prime spell to someone else or writing it down for others to use would make it a basic spell instead.' Sorin thought.

'Of course, people can learn the same prime spell or something similar to it. However, it must come from your very own comprehension and understanding of your element.' Sorin casually pondered.

Sorin marveled at the sight before him. The library held a myriad of books, each book containing a single spell.

It goes to show how much knowledge and effort one has to give to learn even the simplest of spells.

Sorin meandered through the labyrinthine shelves of the library, his fingers tracing along the spines of ancient-looking tomes.

He carefully selected a few books, interested by their intriguing spell names and intricate covers. With each choice, he'd embark on a brief exploration of the first few pages, absorbing the initial concepts and ideas presented within.

The magical essence that enveloped these books fascinated Sorin. They were unlike any other books he had encountered.

The words and symbols on the pages seemed to dance with a subtle glow, a testament to the arcane knowledge contained within.

As he delved deeper into each book, he couldn't help but admire how the magical inscriptions and symbols wove seamlessly into the text.

However, the library had a safeguard in place, one that was both intriguing and vexing to students.

After reading through the initial pages, Sorin discovered that the remaining pages of these spellbooks were entirely blank.

It was a deliberate measure by the Academy, designed to thwart students from acquiring spells without the proper authorisation.

To access the hidden knowledge buried within these books, one had to seek out the Arcanist in charge of the library, who held the power to unlock their contents.

The person in charge of the library had to intricately weave the mana to 'unlock' the books. After that, The once-vacant pages would spring to life with an abundance of words and diagrams, revealing the secrets they held.

-

Sorin had spent a few hours navigating around the library in search of useful spells that might assist him. His Wind Formation and Heat Wave spell wouldn't cut it in future fights. He had to use too many schemes and tricks.

Sorin had quickly realised the limitations and disadvantages that these two spells had.

Wind Formation is very versatile allowing for defence and offence, however the mana consumption is simply too great. During his fight between the Dark Arcanist, Sorin had to create many layers of wind to block one spell which consumed nearly a quarter of his mana.

Sorin had to swiftly conclude the battle, or he'd be the one facing a life-threatening situation.

The advantage of a higher stage was the purity of one's mana, enabling the Dark Arcanist to cast spells with more potency or with less mana while achieving the same effect as Sorin.

This meant the Dark Arcanist could endure a prolonged battle of attrition, a scenario Sorin was determined to prevent.

The Wind Formation spell, while versatile, lacked the focused potency of spells honed in specific domains. It embodied the saying 'a jack of all trades but master of none.'

Then there was Heat Wave, a spell that generates heat to the surroundings. By itself, the power is utterly pathetic as his affinity with it wasn't completely compatible.

He needed to store this spell in his Mana Cube to harness only around half of the heat it was capable of generating.

Sorin had picked these two spells out as he wanted to use his knowledge of modern earth to his advantage.

However, the mirages he creates had many disadvantages. One of them being that it wouldn't work in dark environments as he had to refract light to create the illusions.

These mirages would also become useless against people of higher tiers. With their Mana senses, it would become impossible to try and sneak attack them with this trick.

In this world, power is the undeniable truth.

Even Sorin knows that in front of unrelenting power, all plans and schemes become null.

The world of Arcanists holds many mysteries.

The novel had shown the journey of only one man, however what about the rest?

There have been many others that have reached the same level as the protagonist. Whether it was the past or the future, others have forged their very own destinies.

Sorin hadn't even bothered trying to keep the plot the same. The moment he transmigrated, everything was bound to change dramatically, for better or worse, the outcome didn't matter.

Sorin's sole pursuit is absolute power, driven by the desire to firmly grasp his own fate and destiny.

The world is dangerous, with numerous uncharted lands that haven't been explored yet.

In this world, there exists demons that deceive, monsters that would devour and god-like entities that roam the universe having the ability to erase you with a wave of their hand.

If Sorin underestimates this world, only a quick death awaits him.

Sorin wasn't naive enough to think of this world as merely a novel. From what Sorin has seen and felt, he feels as alive as ever.

Should his journey be cut short, Sorin would feel no regrets, only satisfaction in knowing he lived life how he had always wanted.

Fear of death? Why should he?

He had already died once.

what's one more death? At worst, everything merely ends.