Cendikia leaned back in his chair, fingers tracing the cracked leather cover of the tome he'd just finished. The room felt colder, the shadows in the library seeming to lengthen. The ancient text had revealed much, far more than he had expected but also left him with new questions. The Forgotten Scholar's legacy had been buried for a reason, and now, with the system guiding him toward it, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking a precarious line.
For a moment, he was tempted to leave it all behind. To avoid the dangers and stick to his role as a mere scholar. But he knew that wasn't an option. Not anymore.
[Mission Complete.]
The system's voice echoed in his mind, followed by a notification window:
[Reward: Knowledge Enhancement – Ancient Language Decoding +1]
He felt a strange tingling sensation in the back of his mind. New knowledge settled into place, fragments of forgotten languages he hadn't fully understood before now made sense, the runes in the old texts becoming clearer.
He couldn't help but smile slightly. So, there are benefits to this system after all.
But then, another window popped up, different from the ones he'd seen before:
[New Warning: Failures in system missions will result in consequences.]
Cendikia blinked, his smile fading as the text hovered before him. Consequences? He hadn't expected the system to have such harsh rules.
What kind of consequences? He wondered, a sinking feeling settling in his chest. The system hadn't mentioned punishments until now.
Before he could dwell on it further, the system's voice returned, more direct this time:
[Status Open.]
The world around him seemed to dim slightly as a new window opened in his mind. It was as if the air itself shimmered, pulling his attention inward. A list appeared before him, detailing his current abilities and attributes in a way that almost felt like a game. He examined it carefully, curious to see how far he had come since his reincarnation.
------
Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 1
Health: 80/100
Mana: 50/70
Stamina: 60/100
------
Skills:
Ancient Language Decoding: Level 1 (+1)
Knowledge of Forgotten Lore: Level 2
Beginner Combat Skill: Level 1
------
Current Quest: Investigate the Forbidden Archive of Esthara
Quest Completion: Incomplete
-----
Warning !! Failure to complete a major quest may result in:
Loss of knowledge enhancement
Reduction in mana or stamina
Permanent weakening of abilities
-----
Cendikia frowned as he read the warnings. So failure has a cost. It wasn't just a game where he could reset and try again. The system clearly had a mind of its own, and it wouldn't tolerate incompetence.
He swiped the window aside, the air around him returning to normal. For now, he would need to be more careful. Failing the system's missions wasn't an option, especially if it meant weakening his chances of survival. With that in mind, he focused back on his immediate situation.
The Academy of Esthara was massive, filled with both ancient and contemporary knowledge, but it was also filled with scholars like Aiden Drystan, people who thrived on competition and politics. Aiden's warning from earlier still echoed in his head, a reminder that there were forces at work here that could crush him if he wasn't careful.
He stood, tucking the ancient tome under his arm. The library's cool air felt sharper now, the weight of the system's warning pressing down on him. He needed to tread carefully, but he also needed to stay one step ahead of the game if he was going to unlock the full legacy of the Forgotten Scholar.
As Cendikia left the library and made his way through the academy's stone corridors, his mind wandered back to the novel. He had read The Chronicles of Aurelia years ago, not paying much attention to its finer details. But now, as he walked the same paths as the novel's characters, the memories of the story began to surface more clearly.
The plot had followed Ethan Vale, a young warrior destined to become the Chosen One, the hero who would rise to stop the Shadow King. Ethan's journey had been filled with trials, training, gathering allies, and uncovering ancient artifacts that would help him defeat the looming darkness.
But the timeline... Cendikia couldn't quite remember all the specifics. When exactly was the Shadow King supposed to rise again? How much time did the world have before the dark forces gathered strength? And how much of the prophecy had been manipulated by the Shadow King himself?
The novel had painted Ethan as the shining beacon of hope, but Cendikia had always found that aspect a little too convenient. The prophecy guided Ethan's every move, making his role in the story almost predetermined. Now that Cendikia was living in the world, he wondered just how rigid that prophecy really was. And, more importantly, whether his presence here would change the story's trajectory.
Could I alter the plot?
The thought sent a thrill through him. If he could manipulate events even subtly, it would give him a chance to navigate the dangers that awaited. But the risks were high. Every move could come with consequences, and the system had made it clear... failure had a price.
As Cendikia neared the scholars' hall, his mind continued to piece together fragments of the novel's plot. The Shadow King's rise had been inevitable, but there had been moments where Ethan's fate had wavered, points where a wrong decision could have led to disaster.
Cendikia sighed.If only I could remember it all more clearly. The events of the novel had been thrilling to read but vague in detail, especially since it had been years since he last thought of it. He needed more information, but the novel didn't exist in this world.
Unless…
His thoughts were interrupted as he walked into a group of scholars standing in the hall, discussing a recent discovery made by one of the academy's higher-ranking members. Among them was Aiden Drystan.
Aiden turned, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto Cendikia. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Ah, Cendikia. Still digging around in forgotten texts, are we?"
Cendikia gave a curt nod. "Always more to learn."
"Indeed." Aiden's voice dripped with condescension. "Just be careful. Some knowledge is more trouble than it's worth."
The underlying threat was clear, but Cendikia didn't take the bait. Instead, he simply smiled politely and moved past the group, heading toward the lower archives.
Aiden's presence lingered behind him like a shadow. It was only a matter of time before the scholar tried something more direct. Cendikia would have to be ready.
Deep beneath the main floors of the academy, the air grew cooler as Cendikia entered the lower archives. The dim light of magical torches flickered along the stone walls, casting eerie shadows. Few scholars ventured this deep into the academy's vaults, preferring the more accessible libraries above.
Cendikia moved quietly, his steps echoing softly in the stillness. The system had directed him to investigate the Forbidden Archive, a section of the academy's records that had been sealed off long ago.
It was said to contain knowledge too dangerous for the average scholar, it was dark magic, forbidden rituals, and secrets that had the power to reshape the world. This was where the Forgotten Scholar's legacy had likely been hidden, buried beneath layers of secrecy. If Cendikia could unlock it, he would gain more than just knowledge; he could change his fate entirely.
The system hadn't given him a map, but he could feel its presence guiding him as he walked deeper into the archive. Torches flickered with each step, as though the air itself was charged with energy. The deeper he went, the more the whispers of forgotten magic seemed to stir in the shadows.
[Mission: Investigate the Forbidden Archive.]
The system's reminder flashed again, but there was no new information. The lack of specifics bothered him, but he pressed on, following his instincts.
As he rounded a corner, he stopped in front of an old, worn door. The wood was cracked, its surface etched with faded runes. Dust lay thick along the frame, untouched for what seemed like centuries. He knew this was the place. The faint traces of magic emanating from behind the door practically hummed with a dangerous allure.
"Status Open," Cendikia muttered, wanting to check his abilities before proceeding. His status appeared in front of him.
------
Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 1
Health: 80/100
Mana: 50/70
Stamina: 60/100
-----------
Skills:
Ancient Language Decoding: Level 1 (+1)
Knowledge of Forgotten Lore: Level 2
Beginner Combat Skill: Level 1
-----------
Current Quest: Investigate the Forbidden Archive of Esthara
Quest Completion: Incomplete
-----------
He stared at the numbers, feeling uneasy. His health, mana, and stamina were all mediocre, and his skills weren't nearly where they needed to be for something as risky as this. He'd managed to unlock a bit of combat knowledge, but it wouldn't be enough if something dangerous lurked beyond that door.
Still, turning back wasn't an option.
Cendikia reached for the handle, but as his hand touched the cold metal, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Warning !!!
This mission carries high risk. Failure to succeed will result in severe punishment.]
His breath hitched. Severe punishment? What did that mean exactly? He wasn't keen to find out, but he didn't have much of a choice now.
Swallowing his nerves, he pushed the door open.
Inside, the room was unlike anything he had seen in the academy so far. Dark shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls whose covers shimmered faintly in the dim light. Magical wards pulsed softly in the air, like faint heartbeat echoes, keeping the knowledge locked away from prying eyes.
As Cendikia stepped inside, the door creaked closed behind him, sealing him in.
The atmosphere was oppressive, as though the room itself was alive, watching his every move. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't supposed to be here, that this place had been designed to keep people like him as side characters out. But he wasn't just a passive observer. He needed answers.
He approached the nearest shelf, his eyes scanning the titles of the dusty tomes. Many of the books were written in languages long lost to time, but he could understand fragments of them, thanks to the system's knowledge enhancement. Scrolls of forbidden magic, rituals of the ancients, and arcane symbols filled the pages. But nothing seemed directly tied to the Forgotten Scholar.
The system, however, remained quiet. It was waiting for him to take the next step.
As he walked deeper into the room, a faint glow caught his eye. On a pedestal in the center of the chamber lay a single open book, its pages illuminated by an unnatural light. His heart pounded in his chest as he approached it cautiously.
The book itself was enormous, bound in dark leather that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. Arcane symbols floated above the pages, glowing faintly, shifting and rearranging themselves as if alive.
[Mission Update !!
Discover the Forbidden Knowledge.]
Cendikia hesitated. He could feel the pull of the book's magic, but there was a weight to the air now, a sense of foreboding. Whatever knowledge lay in this book, it had been sealed away for a reason.
"Is this really worth the risk?" he muttered under his breath. The system's promise of reward was tempting, but that lingering threat of punishment loomed larger now. One wrong move, and the consequences could be disastrous.
But if he didn't take this chance, he would remain exactly what the world thought him to be as a side character, an insignificant scholar in a story he had no control over.
He took a deep breath and placed his hands on the book. As his fingers touched the page, a surge of energy coursed through him, the runes shifting faster, the magic swirling around him like a vortex.
Suddenly, the system's voice returned, more urgent than before.
[Warning !!
Dark magic detected. Proceeding with caution is advised.]
Cendikia ignored the warning. His mind raced as the knowledge from the book flooded into him. It was overwhelming there are runes, ancient spells, theories on dimensional magic, and the secrets of the Dark Rifts. This was the core of the Forgotten Scholar's research, the very knowledge that had been buried and lost.
But it was too much. His vision blurred, and his body shook as the raw magic threatened to tear him apart.
[Punishment Imminent!!
Overload Detected.]
Cendikia's hands flew off the book as the pressure built inside his mind. His head pounded, the magic running wild within him.
Suddenly, the glow from the book vanished, and the room plunged into silence. He gasped for air, feeling the searing pain in his head subside, but his limbs were heavy, weighed down by the magic's residual force.
He collapsed to his knees, breathing hard, trying to regain control. His body felt weak, and the system chimed in coldly:
[Punishment Activated:
Stamina and Mana permanently reduced.]
He gritted his teeth, a wave of anger and frustration washing over him. Permanent reduction? His stamina and mana bars flickered in his mind's eye, both taking a noticeable hit. His punishment had been delivered swiftly and without mercy. He would now be weaker moving forward, thanks to his failure to control the magic.
But despite the setback, something or knowledge more deeper and profound had settled in his mind. Fragments of the Forgotten Scholar's knowledge. It wasn't complete, but it was a start.
He pushed himself to his feet, legs trembling beneath him. He would need to be more careful moving forward, but this moment had taught him something vital. The system didn't care about him personally. It had its own agenda, and Cendikia was simply a vessel for whatever it wanted him to achieve.
That realization both terrified and empowered him.
Cendikia glanced back at the forbidden book one last time. The knowledge he had gained, even at the cost of his own strength, was invaluable. This was the key to unlocking the Forgotten Scholar's true legacy. But the more he delved into this path, the more dangerous it became.
There would be no turning back now.