CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 6: Library

Upon entering the majestic Library, Ethan's mind wandered to his latest meeting with the mysterious Ninth Sun. He struggled to match the scene unfolding around him with the typical young masters from the stories he'd known for so long.

Offspring of powerful clans, these heirs boasted riches, authority, and exceptional gifts. Instead of enjoying the benefits handed down by their heritage, however, they wasted their efforts bullying those they considered inferior, fueled purely by a vicious arrogance.

'Why can't they just enjoy the advantages given to them from birth? Wed as many brides as they want, bask in relaxation, and spend their wealth freely without any spite?' Ethan pondered with a tired breath, pressing onward in his stride.

'Well, I probably won't run into him again for a good while. He looked like he was on his way out of the Library,' he thought to himself softly, nearing a nearby desk.

A fellow lounged without care, his feet propped up lazily on the surface. Locks of hair mixed dark ebony with silvery threads, and sharp emerald eyes suggested a person around his mid-forties. Ignoring Ethan completely, he idly turned the pages of the periodical he held.

'Good morning, Great Elder,' Ethan said with due respect.

The figure gradually raised his head from the text, his cool green stare locking onto Ethan's in a firm, evaluating look that held steady for a beat.

'It's been some time, Asher. Curious what draws you to this old fellow's territory,' the Great Elder, who served as the librarian, noted in a serene, even tone.

'I'm just here to peruse some books, Great Elder,' Ethan answered steadily, his face a blank mask, showing no grin or scowl to reveal his inner feelings.

'Clearly,' the Great Elder shot back with a touch of humor. 'After all, folks step into libraries to read.'

'So, I guess nothing's holding you back then,' he continued effortlessly, his eyes flicking momentarily to Lyra standing quietly behind Ethan, then back to his reading material.

'Hmm. He's got a different vibe now,' the Great Elder pondered, watching Ethan sidelong.

Without noticing the examination, Ethan navigated purposefully along the Library's rows. Had he detected the watchful eyes, it wouldn't have swayed the reason for his visit today.

'Feel free to stay put or wander around as you like. I'll be back after a couple of hours,' Ethan instructed, not bothering to look back.

His statement made Lyra stop in her tracks, and she gave a quiet nod. She stayed fixed there, her gaze serene while tracking Ethan's motions.

Reaching a specific set of racks, Ethan whispered under his breath, 'Hmm. I'll start off with global history, then expand to various topics afterward.'

His arm reached up to pull down a hefty ancient volume named History of the World.

Ignoring any propriety or rank, Ethan dropped down to the ground, leaning his back relaxed against the shelf. Flipping open the tome to dive into its words, his brain soaked up the info with smooth precision and simplicity.

'Lucky my smarts transferred over. Makes you think about what kind of brain Asher must have,' Ethan reflected quietly while scanning the lines.

His sharp mind was what enabled him to hold a perfect 5.0 CGPA so casually, plus carve out moments to review and pore over med books, helping Jennifer prep for her tests.

Recalling from the past, Ethan never caught Asher buried in reading. From age five through sixteen in his youth, Asher's days were all about nonstop body workouts. A full eleven years of relentless grind, plenty to make folks write him off as 'pure brawn, zero brains.'

Ethan breezed through the dense volume, its countless sheets feeling light as feathers in his grasp. In mere moments, he'd taken in every bit. A subtle crease formed on his brow as he shut it, his thoughts carefully sifting through all the fresh details.

The realm where he'd crossed over was known as Crymora. On the surface, it seemed like a normal place, with people living routine exists free from mystic energies or superhuman feats, just like back in his old life. Yet, differing from that prior domain, Crymora showed no signs of tech progress.

Crymora stood as a land free of aristocrats, monarchs, rulers, nations, realms, or splits. No deities oversaw it. Rather, it thrived as one cohesive whole, a seeming paradise of peace and structure.

Crime still cropped up every day, but wrongdoers got caught quick and faced penalties matching their crimes' severity from the officials charged with upholding the law.

That is, until the whole setup shifted.

The initial alteration got noted some twenty thousand years back, although whispers suggested it might've happened sooner, lost in the fog of ages. A chunk of a celestial body crashed down from above, slamming into Crymora's soil with devastating force. On impact, a wave of power burst out in a flawless circle, wrapping around the whole world.

Those who saw the amazing spectacle hurried excitedly to where the star piece had landed, lured by dreams of riches or secrets. But what greeted them was just a massive crater, dug profoundly into the dirt by the crash's might.

Still, that marked merely the start.

The energy surge, seen by crowds but brushed off as a puzzle too deep to grasp—particularly as it happened only that one time—had stealthily kicked off a massive change.

With time, quiet alterations started showing up, too blatant to overlook. Certain folks began feeling a strange essence floating in the atmosphere, a subtle vibe. More had abrupt talents spark to life, popping up out of thin air, reshaping their core being.

Lawbreaking spiked as people started using their fresh skills wildly. But as chaos grew, order pushed back just as hard. Society wrestled to make sense of the evolving shifts and their causes, finally pinning the turmoil on that sky-fallen star shard.

And they weren't wrong about that.

The star fragment's effects reached way past just stirring hidden strengths; it signaled a much grander event, one still waiting to be truly grasped.