Chapter 44 – The Knowledge Seeker

Я​е​аⅾ өṅ ​ǨɑтȒėαđίηɡСаſė

It was already surprising to find such a peculiar space beneath the snowy wilderness, but what was even more astonishing was that the space maintained a comfortable environment.

As if unaffected by the cold weather outside, not even a trace of frost could be found on the dark walls.

The strange characters etched into the walls had more to them than just their appearance.

As I gently ran my fingers over them, a peculiar vibration traveled through my fingertips.

It was as if the entire wall was pulsating rhythmically, like the heartbeat of a living creature.

At first, I thought it might be the footsteps of the Yeti above ground, but it didn’t take long to realize that wasn’t the case.

The wall was calling me. No, something at the end of the wall was calling me. Desperately, as if it had been waiting for me for a long time.

I continued walking down the dark corridor that stretched before me. Strangely, I didn’t feel the need to be wary of this unfamiliar encounter.

I simply felt compelled to go there. It was my own will, so there was nothing strange about my actions.

I soon reached the end of the corridor.

The wide, open space was adorned with an altar, seemingly prepared for a special ritual.

I frowned. Something invisible extended from the dark walls covered in strange characters, connecting to a small statue on the altar.

The statue itself was difficult to make out.

My perception was hindered by some hazy force.

The only reason I recognized it as a “statue” was because there was nothing else that resembled it.

Then, the statue spoke to me. No voice was heard, nor was it a telepathic message.

It was just a feeling—a sense that the statue had communicated with me.

“C-come closer?”

It began to explain how close I should get. Five large steps from the entrance of the corridor.

I took big strides, but the statue conveyed that I needed to take three more steps.

After taking those three steps, the statue conveyed a new message.

“Do you need help?”

It said it desperately needed help. I frowned and rubbed my forehead.

A strange headache began to creep in, similar to the sensation of using Void Gaze repeatedly.

The discomfort wasn’t just the headache. A nauseating feeling, as if something revolting was being forced into my mouth, made me gag.

The statue continued to convey its message.

“S-sorry? No, you don’t need to apologize… Who are you?”

It apologized repeatedly, and the faint image of a small girl bowing appeared and then vanished. I realized it was a hallucination only I could see.

When I blinked, the girl’s figure was gone.

“Was that your form?”

In response to my question, a new message was conveyed.

Look at your right hand and recall your dreams.

It was then that I realized the identity of the statue before me. The strange mass of power that had appeared in my dreams.

Enlightenment.

It awakens foolishness.

A chaotic, formless mass that seemed to gather and mix all existence in the world. Yet, it was a great pinnacle where all possibilities were open.

The realization came suddenly. At the same time, the hazy figure before me gained color.

Black.

That was as far as my perception went. I clutched my head as the headache intensified.

“Ugh, ugh…”

The black statue continued to convey its message.

At the same time, it felt as if someone was peering into my thoughts, and memories buried deep in my mind began to surface uncontrollably.

The moment I was moved by the beauty of this world, overlaid with a game system.

The moment I decided not to return to reality.

The smiles of Isolin and Gladie flashed by.

Then came a series of unpleasant memories.

The vanguard, the support funds, the Return Guild, their goals, and the growing resentment toward those striving to return.

[Objective. Alignment.]

Unlike before, a clear word surfaced in my mind.

Alignment? What objective was aligned? As soon as I pondered this, the image of a giant bird appeared before me.

Its vast wings spread wide, covering the world, and its gaping mouth swallowed everything. Its black-feathered eyes gazed upon a world filled with death.

[Bird. Knowledge. Hunt.]

“The bird… You want to hunt that bird?”

I stared blankly at the statue. The headache had vanished, replaced by a cool, refreshing sensation.

The existence of the bird, said to appear when the world was on the brink of destruction, and the cult that sought to summon it by burning the world, were sources of great anxiety for me.

Such a being should not exist. No, its very existence was unnecessary. To protect this world, the bird and the cult needed to disappear.

And the Return Guild along with them.

“How… how can I help you?”

As I asked, I realized that I needed to gather something scattered across this world.

“If I help you, will you help me? Can you get rid of everything I hate?”

[Affirmative.]

“But how can I trust…?”

The strange being didn’t answer my question. Instead, it conveyed a new message.

Take a large step forward. My slightly raised right hand gently touched the black statue.

At that moment, I understood the power it held.

A great deity from beyond this world.

A being that roams outside the world, seeking new knowledge.

It had no fixed form, for it had never defined its own body.

Creak—

Something dark, connected through the statue, began to coil around my arm. But there was no discomfort. Instead, it felt soothing.

New power, how to use it, and what I needed to do. A flood of new knowledge rushed into my mind.

[New skill ‘Divinity of Another Realm’ acquired.]
[New skill ‘Deception’ acquired.]
[New skill ‘Mental Barrier’ acquired.]
[New skill ‘Invisible Hand’ acquired.]

I stared blankly at the system messages appearing before me. Recognizing the existence of a deity from beyond this world, I understood.

Even the power of a god was under the control of the system. Something far, far above, watching over everything.

I looked down at my right hand. The strange object that had coiled around my arm through the statue had disappeared. Instead, my entire right arm had changed.

The glove that had only covered my palm and part of my arm now extended up to my elbow, with strange characters etched into it.

The most significant change was on the back of my hand. An eye had appeared on the glove. It was closed now, but I instinctively knew that one day it would open and gaze upon the world.

[The Knowledge Seeker]

• Level Requirement: 0
  
• Equip Restriction: All Classes
  
• Mana Regeneration per Second +30
  
• Cooldown Reduction 20%
  
• Mental Strength +10
  -A strange voice began to be heard-

The description of the glove, Enlightenment, had changed. Its stats had significantly increased.

Next, I checked the newly acquired skills. I had gained four skills in total.

[Divinity of Another Realm]
[Deception]
[Mental Barrier]
[Invisible Hand]

I opened the skill window to read their descriptions, but like Void Gaze and Hidden Aspect, the descriptions were unreadable.

But that was fine. I already knew what these skills could do.

I looked down at my right hand, at The Knowledge Seeker, and spoke.

“Is everything you needed done? Now, tell me how to get out of here.”

[Unknown.]

“What…? Aren’t you a god? You don’t even know how to get out?”

[Affirmative.]

I closed my mouth, about to retort. Well, all its power had been torn apart and scattered across the world.

It couldn’t even speak properly, so maybe it was natural for it to be a bit clueless.

I fiddled with my right hand. I had been forced to wear this glove, which I couldn’t remove, yet no one found it strange.

No one questioned its unusual design, not even the clergy of the Arkereth cult.

The same people who would burn heretics without a second thought.

“This is safe, right…?”

[Affirmative.]

I was a bit uneasy, but since it had been fine so far, it would likely remain so. I nodded and walked back down the corridor I had come from.

When I reached the end and looked up, I could see faint snow falling through a crack in the ceiling.

I must have fallen through that crack.

“Ugh…!”

I stood on my tiptoes and reached up, but I couldn’t touch it. I tried using my new skill, Invisible Hand, but its range was too short to reach the ceiling.

In the end, I had to crouch down and wait.

How much time passed?

As I sat there, shivering in the cold snow, a faint voice came from the crack above.

-Supreme!

A tearful, trembling voice. It was Isolin’s voice. And not just hers—other unfamiliar voices were calling my name.

I jumped up and shouted.

“Isolin!”

-Supreme? Where are you? Answer me!

“Here! I’m here!”

Could they not hear me? I took out my mace and began banging it against the solid wall.

Clang-!

Clang-!

“Isolin! I’m here!”

-Over here! I hear it! Hurry! Hurry, we need to save Supreme!

Fortunately, the sound carried.

After a short while, Isolin descended through the crack on a thick rope.

Her face was streaked with tears and snot, and as soon as she saw me, she jumped off the rope.

“Supreme!”

She ran straight into my arms, crying so loudly that my ears rang. Her sobs echoed throughout the dark corridor.

[Excitement…..]

I didn’t.