Two days have passed since I joined the library club.

It was honestly way more profitable than I originally thought it would be.

The silence is a very nice change of pace from the noisy training yards, and having full access to the restricted section is a huge bonus.

I get to sit behind a desk, read forbidden texts, and avoid the annoying faction recruiters.

"Is this the one you asked for?" I held up a leather-bound book and pushed it across the wood.

The gold lettering on the spine read Spells to Hypnotise.

"Ah, yes," a skinny guy from the second year nodded eagerly.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking around nervously to see if anyone else was watching our little transaction.

I registered the book under his official student identification number, stamped the due date on the inside cover and slid the volume toward him.

"Bring it back within seven days, or there will be fines," I told him, keeping my voice low and professional.

I sealed an extra copy of the checkout receipt and handed it to him.

He snatched the book quickly, stuffed it inside his uniform jacket, and hurried away down the long corridor of bookshelves.

There is no need for me to judge him. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

This academy is filled to the brim with ambitious people exactly like him.

They are all desperately trying to outdo or force one another into submission. Some do it either through raw combat power or through dirty, underhanded tricks.

If he wants to waste his study time learning cheap mind games to control his classmates, that is his own problem to deal with. I have bigger issues to worry about.

I sat back in my comfortable chair, enjoying the quiet hum of the empty room.

I opened my own reading material on the desk.

The title across the cover read Spatial Block.

This is one of the defensive techniques that will actually help me create an invisible barrier around my own body.

It is the same concept the cultist used inside the illusion trial to block our sword attacks the other day.

Having reliable defensive magic is very important for my survival.

If my stamina runs out during a long fight, I need a way to protect myself without swinging a weapon.

I read the main instructions written on the yellowed page.

’To execute this technique, one needs to have proper control over their core. Then expel all his energy around him and keep his focus on holding the energy still. The mana should be spread equally on the barrier, and for that matter, it is important to have an outline of your shield in your mind, which should be later coated with mana.’

Yeah, I really don’t get it at all.

I am the kind of guy who just powers right through every single fight, no matter how tough the opponent is.

I rely on my physical stats and my battle instincts.

Sitting still and carefully forming complex spells was never my strong suit in my past life, either.

But I cannot just rely on sword arts all the time.

The enemies are getting stronger, and my current body is too weak to tank hits.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and started forming mental outlines around my physical body.

The mana slowly released from my heart.

It leaked out through my pores and started flowing around my skin.

The sensation was highly unusual and a little uncomfortable. My skin could actually feel the energy moving through the empty air.

It felt exactly like small earthworms lingering on my arms, slowly dragging themselves through the invisible pathways to form a shield.

’Damn, I think I am a prodigy,’ I thought to myself, feeling a rare surge of pride.

The invisible shield slowly expanded.

It covered the bottom half of my body and started creeping up my chest. The pressure was heavy but manageable.

Holding the energy still was the hardest part.

The mana constantly wanted to disperse back into the room, but I forced it to maintain the shape of a dome.

’Just a few more seconds to lock it in place,’ I encouraged myself, keeping my breathing totally even.

"Uhm, excuse me."

The fragile line of mana instantly broke.

My concentration wavered at the sudden, quiet noise.

The mental tether snapped, cutting the flow of energy and making the entire barrier disappear into thin air. The magic washed away like water down a drain.

’Fuck,’ I cursed internally, letting out an annoyed sigh.

I opened my eyes, ready to glare at whoever ruined my perfect casting streak.

But the anger died right in my throat the moment I saw the person standing on the other side of the counter.

A familiar figure stood there, gripping the edge of the wooden desk with white knuckles.

It was Ray Evenheart.

He had messy black hair, pale skin, and dark bags under his eyes.

His posture was totally defeated.

He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, clearly trying to hide his arms.

But I knew what was burning under his sleeves. The cult had already marked him and sent its first message.

So seeing him willingly approach my desk in an empty library was a warning sign.

Ray swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously.

He refused to meet my eyes, opting to stare at the checkout ledger instead.

"I need your help with something," Ray whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

Ray is supposed to be working on the given mission right now.

He is desperate, terrified, and backed into a corner by the demons who have his mother.

I kept my hands resting casually on top of the desk, making sure he could see them. I did not want to spook him, but I also needed to be ready to move fast.

"What kind of help?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral and calm.

Ray chewed on his bottom lip.

He looked over his shoulder, checking the empty library aisles just like the skinny guy did earlier.

The paranoia was eating him alive.

He looked back at me, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and desperation.

"I heard you are really strong," Ray started, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Everyone says you beat the trial boss by yourself. I need to get out of the academy grounds tonight. Just for a few hours. But the gates are guarded by the senior watchmen."