With nightfall approaching, the remaining test participants—fourteen in total—gathered in the center of the valley, where a temporary military base had been established around the plane for the duration of the trial.


    In order to pass the test, all the participants were required to arrive before midnight and present the spoils of their hunt. Each type of beast found in the valley had a designated point value.


    If their trophies met the required threshold, they would pass the test and receive their certificate. If not, they would be barred from applying for the solo test for the next five years.


    “Congratulations to all who have successfully passed the test!” Sergeant Mason announced, addressing the nine recruits who had met the requirements.


    “Salute, Sergeant Mason!” all test participants responded in unison, regardless of whether they had passed or failed.


    “After a short three-day rest period, a transport will arrive to escort you and your families to the grand induction ceremony for the Vault Breakers Corps. There, you will swear your oaths and complete the necessary formalities. Afterward, you will receive your Exo-Rig suits—your standard armor for mobility and aerial warfare. Further details will be provided at that time. Any questions?” Mason asked.


    “I have one, sir.” Arnold stepped forward. “Who came in first place?”


    “There is no ranking in this test. Are you that eager to find out if someone was better than you?” Mason asked.


    “Yes, sir. I want to know if my abilities were enough to secure first place.” Arnold responded without hesitation.


    “If you lack confidence in your abilities, train harder to improve them. If you already believe you''re the best, then why do you need validation, recruit?” Mason countered.


    “I need no validation, sir.” Arnold stepped back into line.


    “Any more questions?” Mason asked.


    Silence followed.


    “Then board the plane and get some well-earned rest!” he commanded, dismissing everyone.


    . . .


    “Eden, my dear, how have you been?” My mother pulled me into a tight hug the moment I stepped inside the house.


    It was pointless to mention that it was already 3 AM. She had clearly been waiting for me all night.


    “Tired. Very tired and annoyed,” I muttered, returning her embrace.


    “Tired? But you passed the test! You’re a Vault Breaker now!” My father grinned, lifting me up with a bit of effort.


    “Even Vault Breakers need sleep,” I muttered through a yawn.


    “Have you eaten? Do you want something before bed?” mother asked, concern evident in her voice.


    The pride shining in my parents’ eyes seemed to fuel them with boundless energy. Despite the late hour, they looked more alive than ever.


    “All I want is to collapse onto my bed. Nothing else,” I told them.


    We lived in a new house now, bought with the money Vex had obtained from the Usub family. It wasn’t quite the same as the old one—not in a bad way, just unfamiliar. The furniture, the design, the atmosphere—it all felt foreign. But after days of little to no sleep, a simple bed was more than enough for me.


    “Alright, son. Get some rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow,” my father said. “The academy replied to our request—they’ve accepted your registration.”


    “The academy?” I muttered, already making my way to my room. Who the hell has time for that?


    I barely made it to the bed before collapsing face-first onto it. My body demanded rest, but I had more important things to do than black out for hours.


    Even though I hadn''t lived here before, my parents had set up my room just the way I liked it. The scent of sandalwood incense curled through the air. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, letting the slow rise and fall of my breath anchor me.


    I had done this countless times before—but never with such intense resolve.


    Tonight, I would push past the veil. Beyond dreams. Beyond meditation. To the place where all knowledge resided.


    Time was an illusion, yet under the weight of uncertainty, I couldn’t afford to waste it. By day, I would train my body, energy, and mind. By night, I would leave my flesh behind and learn. Just as I had in my previous life as Iskar.


    I focused on the steady rhythm of my heart, willing myself to slip free of the body tethering me to this world. A vibration started at the base of my spine, rising in waves, until my perception wavered. The physical world melted away, dissolving like mist.


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    Then—release.


    I floated above my own form, a shimmering silhouette weightless in the void. The veil between worlds had thinned, and something ancient, patient, called to me. I followed the pull, soaring upward as the earthly realm faded beneath me.


    Stars streaked past, their light humming in a language older than time. I moved beyond them—past dimensions filled with luminous and shadowed beings, past whispers of old prayers still echoing in the ether.


    And then, with unwavering intent, I arrived.


    The Akasha Library stood before me.


    It was not made of stone or wood but something alive—woven from thought itself. Its spires stretched into infinity, shelves spiraling in impossible patterns, holding every truth, every moment, every soul’s story.


    I stepped forward, my astral form humming in resonance with the place. The energy here was vast—overwhelming yet serene. A presence emerged from the shifting air. Not solid, not fixed—just an outline of light in constant motion.


    "You seek knowledge." The words didn’t pass through air but bloomed directly in my mind.


    I swallowed, steadying myself. "Yes. I want to understand."


    No matter how many times he came here, standing before these pure entities, Eden couldn’t help but feel awe. Their luminous forms exuded an air of quiet power—neither benevolent nor cruel, only resolute in their purpose. Their neutrality was absolute, their devotion unwavering, their radiant presence demanding respect from all who entered their domain.


    “To enter, you must pay 1,000 SP.”


    A translucent prompt materialized before him.


    <hr>


    [ Do you accept the entrance fee of 1,000 SP for the Akasha Library? ]


    [ Y/N ]


    <hr>


    Eden barely hesitated. "Sure."


    [ -1,000 SP ]


    The guardian’s voice resonated through his being, less heard than felt. "What do you seek?"


    Eden hesitated.


    Before him lay the sum of all knowledge, every secret of existence contained within these endless halls. He had so many questions, yet choosing only one felt like a cruel limitation. The weight of infinite possibilities pressed down on him, demanding clarity.


    Finally, he spoke with a steady voice. "I want to learn the best way to increase my strength."


    The guardian raised a hand, and reality shifted.


    In an instant, they were elsewhere. The shelves rearranged themselves, folding and unfolding like the turning of a great cosmic mechanism. Before him, on a lone pedestal, rested a massive tome of pure, radiant energy. Its surface shimmered, as if woven from strands of the universe itself.


    Eden stepped forward, drawn by an invisible force. The book sensed his presence, opening on its own.


    The pages were not made of paper but flowing light. They did not contain words, only visions.


    Eden watched as fragments of his soul’s past emerged—lifetimes stretching across eras. A scholar, buried in scrolls and ink-stained hands. A healer, mending wounds with both touch and wisdom. A wanderer, treading countless roads in search of meaning. And lastly, a spirit, in front of an army of spirits.


    Each version of the higher self had pursued evolution in different ways. Some had sought knowledge, others discipline. Some had wielded steel, others the mind. Every choice branched into infinite paths, some leading to power, others to ruin.


    A shiver passed through Eden''s/Iskar''s being, and he pulled back. This was not a single answer but a tapestry of existence. Iskar and Eden''s own existence were part of that tapestry. Fragments meant to unite with their higher self after their mortal experience had finished.


    Something that Iskar felt resistance against.


    The path to power was not something to be given—it was something that the higher self had always been shaping. But… was this truly what Iskar had sought? Was the only way for him to merge with his higher self? And to risk losing his own sense of self in the process?


    Or was there a way to refine his path separately? An idea took root in his mind.


    Eden turned back to the guardian, his expression thoughtful. "Perhaps my question wasn’t the right one. Or perhaps… it’s too costly to return here every time I need guidance." A slow smile formed. "Are you interested in making a deal, Mr. Librarian?"


    The guardian’s light pulsed. "Ajausha make no deals. We are the eternal wardens of knowledge."


    "You have all the knowledge in the universe here. But tell me—how much of it have you truly experienced?"


    The guardian stilled. "Experience?"


    "You can study every recorded event, every memory, every possibility. But has the question never arisen within you?" Eden stepped forward, voice calm yet insistent. "How would it feel to live those experiences firsthand? To be inside time rather than observing it?"


    The guardian did not react at first, but Eden felt something shift in the air—an imperceptible ripple of thought.


    "Ajausha were created to preserve and protect knowledge," the being finally said. "We have no need for experience."


    "Yet you remain confined here, surrounded by everything and nothing at the same time," Eden pressed. "You know all, but do you understand why existence moves forward? Why time was created?"


    "Time is a construct of the lower dimensions," the guardian replied. "It serves many roles. But its true purpose is something only those who evolve may understand."


    Eden nodded, sensing an opportunity. "Then let’s simplify it. Of past, present, and future, which is most important?"


    The guardian did not hesitate. "The present. It is the only point from which both past and future may be altered."


    Eden smiled. “Have you never wondered what it would be like to experience life as it happens, rather than just learning from the echoes of the past?”


    “Time does not exist here,” the Warden explained. “What you do, have done, and will do—all possibilities are recorded within these halls.”


    “Then does that mean my choices are meaningless?”


    “Quite the opposite. Every choice you make shapes the experience of your current perspective, while simultaneously expanding and collapsing the possibilities of your next actions.”


    Eden leaned forward. “And don’t you wish to see through my perspective? To understand emotions beyond mere theory? To feel the thrill of making a choice without knowing what the future holds?”


    The Warden remained still, unchanging in both vibration and aura.


    “What do you propose? Granting me direct access to your personal perspective? That would mean knowing someone is observing your every moment.”


    “That’s exactly what I’m offering,” Eden replied. “I don’t just live as a human—I exist as the Hollow Seraph. I don’t know how significant my perspective is in the grand scheme of things, but I know it is unique. And there is value in uniqueness. As for privacy, I am well aware that the Source itself learns from my experiences. In a way, I am already watching myself. But on a lower dimensional level, such an observation is external. We are constantly watched—by lesser spirits, by the very air we breathe. You, a neutral entity, are no different.”


    The Warden rippled before responding. “And what is it you seek in return?”


    It was a good sign. Now, Eden only had to name a price the Warden wouldn’t find too steep.


    “I want to learn everything related to my path as a Soulmancer without having to come here and pay an entry fee each time.” A thought surfaced in his mind. “If possible, I want a way—for knowledge to come to me as I progress, revealing answers to my questions.”