The Quest for Knowledge (1)

Elysar settled down in a cozy corner of the grand library, surrounded by the books he had selected from a plethora of different subjects regarding this new world he found himself in. He then shortly pondered over the various hypotheses he had formed while watching the original Elysar's memories.

The bird's eye perspective had allowed him to perceive many different aspects of the world that the previous owner hadn't grasped as well as to notice some obvious gaps in the knowledge base that he wanted to fill in presently.

He watched those memories of the previous owners like a movie from a total outsider perspective allowing him to develop many new kinds of insights and outlooks that the original owner didn't possess. Elysar was eager to delve into these books and uncover the truths behind his theories.

Elysar had also ventured into this Valthoren Grand Library precisely for that reason, because the books required to fill those gaps and test his new hypothesis weren't inside the personal library in his room, and additionally, all those books in his personal collection, inside his room, were already familiar to him through the memories of the original Elysar, there wasn't much to gain. He knew even from his past life that knowledge was power, and he needed to have more of it. That's why, before even starting to train his body, he visited here instead first.

As he opened the first book, he felt a tingling sensation of excitement at the prospect of uncovering new insights and understanding. As he read, he found that some of his hypotheses were confirmed, while others were disproven. Each revelation, however, only fueled his curiosity and drove him to explore further.

Elysar marveled at the potential impact this newfound understanding could have on his future actions and decisions. As he continued to read, he couldn't help but feel grateful for this unique opportunity to learn and grow. This second chance at life had given him the chance to not only inherit the original Elysar's memories and abilities but also to build upon them, creating a more complete and well-rounded individual.

Elysar's mind raced as he absorbed the knowledge from the books, allowing him to form a clearer picture of the world around him. With this new understanding, he was eager to see how he could utilize it in the future, shaping his path to conquering the world and coming to the top of the food chain. He also confirmed one more thing, that immortality is possible too!

'I don't understand why, but due to mana or some other kind of influence, I think my brain processing power and overall cognitive ability is way superior here than it was in my past life. Also, those two souls are a perfect match, my intuitive power from my past world and the fast brute computing power of this soul makes all the knowledge sink in like I'm a sponge now...', Elysar nodded in satisfaction. He felt like he was already up a few levels than before.

As he continued to read, he found that the grand library was a treasure trove of knowledge that went far beyond what he had encountered in the original Elysar's memories. Each new piece of information expanded his understanding, allowing him to view the world from a different angle and form a more comprehensive picture of the complex society he now inhabited. He wasn't aware of how much time passed already as he was so immersed. Elysar also recognized that having access to such a vast repository of knowledge was a privilege not afforded to many in his world, especially those of lower social status. He became increasingly aware of the stark contrast between the lives of nobles and commoners more and more with each page he read. Especially after reading some books on sociology here.

'So, it seems this world is truly set in a different dimension, with distinct laws of physics compared to my previous world... No wonder magic and all those magical-like abilities are possible here... Mana is present in the atmosphere, likely accompanied by unknown particles and physics forces related to mana...', Elysar mused, sighing as he gazed at a particular book from which he had finally managed to deduce something substantial.

As a result of the pervasive mana energy, the natural environment evolved into an enchanted realm, brimming with extraordinary creatures, magical flora, and landscapes infused with arcane powers. The planet became a focal point of mystical energy, attracting mana particles and continuously enriching its surroundings.

The book Elysar was read first during this session proposed that during the early stages of human evolution in this fantastical world, humans were simple beings devoid of any inherent magical abilities. However, as they thrived in the mana-rich environment, they were exposed to omnipresent mana particles found in the air, water, and food. Over tens of thousands of years, the human body gradually adapted to the presence of mana particles, slowly integrating them into its genetic makeup.

Through the process of natural selection, humans who could more effectively absorb and utilize mana particles from their environment had higher chances of survival and reproduction. Over generations, this selective pressure led to the emergence of humans with innate mana-carrying capabilities firstly usually in the form of the most primitive elemental magic.

This adapted form of mana became deeply intertwined with the physical and spiritual aspects of human life, granting humans the power to manipulate mana and wield it for various purposes. The human mana then, in fact, differentiated from the atmospheric mana, also known as natural energy. Human mana is also referred to as the combination of spiritual and physical energies. As living beings, humans had to develop unique mechanisms for storing mana, setting them apart from inanimate objects like rocks. The mana's effects on humans themselves were also responsible for creating those spiritual and physical energies.

Elysar's naturally inquisitive mind drove him to understand the fundamental principles governing this world through a top-down approach, beginning with its physics. As he delved into the various types of energies, he gained insights into the reasons behind his transmigration into this world.

In addition to the energies he already knew about, he discovered divine energy, primarily harnessed by the Church of Illumination's members to battle in the name of their deity, the Shining Sovereign. However, this energy wasn't relevant to his current situation.

Elysar also learned about positive and negative energies, generated by the emotions of tens of millions of people worldwide. These energies were relatively unknown, and he could only glean information about them due to his family's status as one of the most powerful noble families in the world. Lastly, Elysar discovered the most enigmatic energy of all, which he dubbed "fate energy."

This energy was so rare and mysterious that it wasn't even mentioned in the books he perused. He speculated that he might be the only one, or among a select few, who had inferred its existence. Elysar hypothesized that fate energy played a significant role in his transmigration to this world, along with the dream energy.

In this world, human dreams have a unique connection to the natural energy, or mana. The collective consciousness of humans generates a specific type of mana called "dream energy." This powerful and concentrated form of mana is influenced by the thoughts, desires, and dreams of humans.

When dream energy interacts with the natural world, it infuses plants and trees with its essence, giving birth to the Dream ability plants. These plants, being living organisms, absorb dream energy into their biological structure, manifesting unique abilities associated with the dreams that influenced them.

Dream energy became prominent 5,000 years ago due to a significant shift in human cognition and the development of their collective dreams. As humans evolved, their brains became more complex and creative, enabling them to conceive increasingly vivid and intricate thoughts, desires and dreams. These "dreams", shared by the collective consciousness of the human population, began to generate the powerful dream energy.

As people consumed the Dream Plants, they gained access to the magical abilities contained within them, effectively harnessing the power of their collective dreams. This marked the beginning of a new era in the world's history, as the Dream Plants and the powers they granted shaped the course of human civilization, leading to the rise of the Noble Houses and the establishment of the Dreamroot Empire.

The Noble Houses, with their exclusive access to the Dream Plant they monopolized, were able to maintain their dominance over the commoners and further entrench the caste system that defined the social structure of the Dreamroot Empire.

Back to the present, the original owner, plagued by misfortune, sought to change his fate by performing a complex and dangerous ritual to manipulate his own luck and fate levels. However, due to the high risk associated with meddling with fate, the ritual went awry. As the original owner conducted the ritual, he was overwhelmed by a powerful surge of fate energy. This energy tore his soul apart, leaving his body nearly empty and without a soul.

Simultaneously, his innate spatial-related dream energy automatically acted out and burst inexplicably from within and near him, creating a black hole, drawing mana energy there and then bringing a soul from another world into this body. The situation had an infinitesimal chance of occurring, but in a bizarre twist of fate, it happened, and he found himself in this new world.