While Xelth'Ruun, the archive caretaker, was gone, the altar meant to dismiss Rey with low-tier scraps stood exposed.
What was supposed to be a quiet deception turned into something far more terrifying.
The Will of the Origin descended.
And in a single moment, Ruun's carefully layered plan shattered without resistance.
Rey stood frozen before the altar, his breath unconsciously slowing.
Books filled the air.
Not dozens.
Not hundreds.
Thousands upon thousands of ancient tomes hovered around the altar, circling it like predatory vultures over a corpse abandoned in a sunless desert.
They moved with intent.
They watched him.
They waited.
Yet none of them dared approach.
There was no hesitation.
It was fear.
These were not ordinary books pulled from a mundane archive.
They were remnants of the Grand Archive of the Darkness Origin Law, sealed away for an unfathomable number of eras. Each carried an ego, a will forged through countless ages.
And yet, something invisible prevented them from even showing Rey their covers.
A barrier.
A presence.
Something neither Rey nor the books fully understood.
When tiny gaps appeared in that unseen wall, the books seized the chance.
Their ancient egos stirred.
Whispers slithered into existence—promises of power, dominion, eternity. Concepts too vast for mortal minds tried to press themselves into Rey's consciousness.
But nothing happened.
Rey didn't react.
He didn't even notice.
Because he couldn't feel them at all.
Eight books revolved calmly around him.
Unlike the others, they did not rush or beg.
They radiated authority.
A pressure so absolute that it forced every other tome to keep its distance.
As long as those eight existed, nothing else could approach Rey.
The vast eye hovered above, watching everything, missing nothing.
The eight books descended slightly, aligning above Rey's head like a silent crown.
Rey swallowed.
"My lord… I don't think I can accept such a gift," he said carefully. "Someone like me should be grateful simply for mercy. The books I already chose are more than enough."
His tone was humble.
Too humble.
The image of Ruun being taken away still lingered in his mind.
Even someone as powerful as Veylen had frozen in place before that scene.
Rey had no intention of testing the limits of beings like this.
Her gaze shifted slightly.
Rey turned instinctively toward his spirits.
Aiden.
Victor.
Zero.
All three stared at the eight books as if they were witnessing the birth of a universe.
Their expressions were vacant. Reverent. Almost… desperate.
"No, Ms. Will," Rey said quickly, stepping back toward them while still facing her. "They're just… mesmerised by your generosity."
He leaned closer to Aiden.
"Guys, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this over some books?"
No response.
Not even a blink.
Rey frowned, then grabbed Aiden's shoulder.
Nothing.
He shook him.
Nothing.
He slapped him lightly across the face.
Still nothing.
Victor. Zero. Veylen.
All statues.
"So time really stopped?" Rey muttered. "But isn't everything supposed to turn black and white or something?"
The Will's tone carried mild amusement.
Rey scratched his head.
"Then… why stop time at all, Ms. Will? If you don't mind."
Rey nodded slowly, then hesitated.
"…Then why wasn't I affected like the others?"
The word remained echoed strangely in Rey's mind.
Before?
But he didn't interrupt.
"So… was this a test?" he asked instead. "To see if I'm special or something?"
She drifted closer until the massive eye hovered directly before him.
"Yes, I am smart—"
Rey froze mid-sentence.
His lips stopped moving.
His thoughts stalled.
His body became no different from the others.
Darkness gathered above Rey's forehead.
A small orb formed, swirling with countless colours, black dominating the rest.
Rey felt no pain.
No discomfort.
The effect would only manifest once time resumed.
After several seconds, the orb detached itself from him and drifted into the Will's eye.
It was absorbed silently.
Time passed.
Or perhaps it didn't.
Finally, she moved back.
A pause.
Time resumed.
Rey gasped mid-word, a sharp sting flaring across his forehead.
He staggered slightly, rubbing the spot in confusion.
Everyone around him moved normally.
Aiden blinked.
Victor smacked his lips.
Veylen exhaled slowly.
The Will's eye was no longer near him.
Maybe I imagined it, Rey thought.
Trying to understand beings like her was pointless.
She gestured toward the altar.
She smiled faintly.
The answer seemed obvious.
Eight versus thousands?
Rey turned to his spirits.
"Guys… eight books or—"
"No," Aiden said instantly. "Take the eight."
"Yes," Victor added. "Those are treasures even the greatest existences would kill for."
His eyes glowed unnaturally.
"They're calling to me. Begging to be devoured."
[Rey], Zero transmitted, [this may sound selfish… but my existence itself demands you take them.]
Veylen spoke last.
"Even in my diminished state, I know this. One of those books outweighs everything else here."
A pause.
"But the choice remains yours."
Rey stared at them.
"…You're all serious."
"Yes," they answered together.
"Victor," Rey said slowly, "weren't you desperate for the Blood Mana Cultivation Technique?"
Victor stiffened, then shook his head.
"If destiny wills it, we'll find it later," he said calmly. "But these eight… even one eclipses hundreds of others."
Rey sighed.
"If you want me to take the eight, raise both hands. If not, one."
All four spirits raised both hands.
The Will manifested two hands of darkness and raised them as well.
"You're all ganging up on me," Rey snapped. "Then why pretend I have a choice?"
"Fine," he exhaled. "I'll take the eight."
He paused.
"But I need to know what they are first."
His expectations were modest.
High-grade body techniques.Mana cultivation manuals.Maybe one or two singularity-level texts at best.
After all, why would the Will give Absolute-ranked treasures to someone like him?
The books floated forward.
One by one, their titles revealed themselves.
Rey's breath stopped.
His vision blurred.
His mind went blank.
"What the hell…"