their wares on sturdy wooden tables covered in cloth, while others laid out goods directly on strips of fabric spread over the bare ground. Every single person in sight wore simple g

waist by leather belts, their eyes sharp as they scanned the crowd for any sign of trouble. Amidst the sea of g

pearance. He exuded calm confidence and deliberate composure in his plain grey robe, moving through the throng with a grace that belied his immense strength. Even as people brush

ingers over the faded ink markings that showed the layout of the sect's lower districts. The

this path," Icaros muttered to himself, folding the map carefully a

lowing stones set in simple metal frames, dried herbs bundled with colorful string, small wooden carvings of beasts that seemed to shift in the light. Though each di

e and only nobles allowed inside. But here, it's just a low-level library meant fo

lines gave it a sense of order and grandeur, with majestic pillars carved with images of mythical birds supporting the sloped roof. A large wooden sign bearing t

s he'd handed over the permit: "This card gives you access to all the knowledge outer disciples and unofficial disciple will ever need– basic cultivation principles, sect rules, maps of the surr

just need to focus like I did back on Earth. It's reassuring to know at least my unique abilities haven't been lost in this transition,as i haven't even tested my optic blast " He smiled slightly as he remembered one of his earliest acts on Earth, centuries ago – saving a bus of school children from plunging off a collapsing bridge by spottin

n he placed his hand on the surface to push them open, it felt cool to the touch, even in the warm afternoon air. As he stepped forward, he noticed the same armored guards from the marke

turdy wooden table near the entrance – Icaros noted immediately that he was missing his left arm, and the sleeve of his robe was neatly folded and tied at his elbow. The man seemed completely absorbed in a thick book open before him, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read. Before Icaros could step forward to speak

escension and disdain. "So you're the so-called strong warrior that brat Deimos brought back fr

ponse carefully before relaxing his expression and straightening his shoulders. He replied in a calm, even tone, with no emotion detectable in his voice: "I am indeed the one De

superhuman speed – so fast that Icaros barely saw the movement. It was a small detail, but one that made him raise an eyebrow in intere

who was used to being in charge. He turned the card over in his hand, his eyes scanning its surface. "But

ed. But as Icaros reached out to catch it, an enormous weight and pressure suddenly slammed into his hand, so strong it nearly made him stumble backward. He gritted his teeth and steadi

k deeper into the library. "All other floors are restricted unless you have a silver or gold permit – a

and smiled to himself, his earlier disdain replaced by a look of approval. "That brat Deimos fou

d beast classification to maps of the contested lands and histories of the sect's founding. With his enhanced physiology, his mind processed information far faster than any ordinary human could – he flipped through pages as if just scanning them, or glancing at the illust

ls into place," he breathed deeply, closing his eyes for a moment as he let the mountain of information he'd just acquired settle in his mind. He now understood t