Inside the Grand Library,
each member of the group had settled into the section they had chosen.
Scattered tables, towering shelves, and piles of books surrounded them from every direction.
Kevin stared at his books for a long time, then said in despair,
"Alright… I admit it. I don't even know where to start."
Reinhardt closed a thick tome and ran his fingers across its cover.
"The titles are tempting, but many of them repeat the same ideas with different wording."
Aileen exhaled as she returned a book to its place.
"And the worst part is choosing wrong and wasting time."
Shuang Yu didn't speak, but her expression said the same.
Not far away, Jin was leaning against the wall.
To his right, a pile of books. To his left, another pile.
They approached.
He pulled a book from the right stack, opened it, and flipped through its pages at a steady pace.
One minute passed.
He closed it and placed it on the left stack.
Aileen raised an eyebrow.
"Did you… finish?"
Kevin smirked.
"Don't tell me you actually read it."
Jin looked up.
"I memorized it."
A brief silence followed.
Reinhardt counted the books on Jin's left.
"How many?"
"Thirty."
Kevin laughed without thinking.
"Thirty books… in two hours?"
"Less."
There was no pride in his voice.
Only fact.
Reinhardt took a deep breath.
"Alright… what do you suggest for us?"
Jin took out three books and placed them in front of Kevin and Reinhardt:
The Art of Shattered Fists
The Art of Multi-Point Close Combat
The Art of Sequential Breaks
"These suit your fighting styles."
Then he placed two books in front of Aileen and Shuang Yu:
The Art of Flexible Body Control
The Art of Kinetic Dominance
"Control movement instead of colliding head-on."
Then he placed one final book in the center:
The Art of Formless Combat
"Read it carefully. You'll understand why later."
He turned to Emily and handed her three volumes:
Fundamentals of Interlocking Circle Construction
Principles of Structural Mana Stability
A Practical Guide to Simple Non-Elemental Spellcraft
"They seem simple… but they're effective."
He gestured toward an untouched section.
"Standard Imperial Swordsmanship techniques are good,
but they won't add much to what you've already built."
Then he distributed movement manuals:
Flowing Current Steps
Fractured Shadow Steps to Kevin and Reinhardt,
and Silent Wind Steps to the two girls.
They stared at him for a long moment… without speaking.
Three Days Later
The scene repeated itself… but everything had changed.
Jin was no longer leaning against the wall.
Behind him were massive piles of books—
scrolls, combat manuals, movement treatises, arcane engineering, theories, philosophy, history.
Everything.
A calm voice broke the silence.
"Time is up."
The librarian.
Jin closed the last book in his hands:
Void Steps
He stood, returned it to its place, and left.
Outside the Library
Everyone exited with exhausted expressions.
Kevin:
"I read principles of close-quarters engagement… my head hurts."
Reinhardt:
"Combat balance theories… they'll take time to digest."
Aileen:
"Fundamentals of light movement… exhausting."
Shuang Yu:
"Center-of-gravity control… practical."
They looked at Jin.
Kevin laughed.
"Let me guess… a thousand books?"
Jin replied seriously,
"One thousand and thirty-two."
They froze.
Then Jin said calmly,
"I've made my decision."
Later — In the Director's Office
Jin stood straight, hands behind his back.
"I want a promotion test to the fourth year."
The director remained silent for a long time.
He studied Jin—not his strength, but his eyes.
"Why the rush?"
Jin answered,
"Because staying here will slow me down more than it helps me."
The director exhaled.
"Soho… you are strong, yes.
But reckless.
Your decisions often come before calculating the consequences."
He looked up.
"I'm not worried about the exam.
I'm worried about what comes after."
He paused, then added,
"I can prepare a special test for you.
Tailored specifically… unlike standard student exams."
Jin looked at him with respect.
"I appreciate that."
Then he said calmly and sincerely,
"But… I know you're already worried.
You don't have to do something you don't want to, for my sake."
The director's eyes widened slightly.
"Are you certain of your decision?"
"Yes."
The director sighed.
"Then…
one massive mission,
or two separate missions—one for each year."
Jin smiled faintly.
"All three."
Silence.
The director handed him the mission list.
Jin selected three files.
"That's fine," Jin said calmly.
"I know you're worried enough already."
The director watched him for a long time…
until Jin left.
End of Chapter