Samuel placed his hand on the box, arcane symbols flaring across its surface. His computational power, now amplified several times over, surged, analyzing every symbol, structure, and stroke thousands of times in an instant—arranging, calibrating, until…
Mana erupted from within him, crushing the box. As its fragments scattered, the spells binding it shattered, their glowing motes dispersing into the air.
To clarify, Samuel no longer needed to "simulate." Once he learned something, he mastered it.
His essence was computation; his manifestations—electromagnetic force, Mental Out, magic, mana—were byproducts of that process. His calculations weren't for a specific goal but were pure thought, a relentless cascade of insights born from endless accumulation. That accumulation was now Samuel himself.
Bridging ability and mystery, wielding science and magic, his body and soul neared divinity.
The spells on the box were formidable, requiring dozens of experts from a major sect months to unravel.
To Samuel, who fused magic and ability, it was just a locked box.
Find the key, open it—simple as that.
Beneath the fragments lay a multicolored rope, knotted irregularly in clumps.
To others, it might seem a peculiar cord, but Samuel, through his mastery of angelic spells, magical spells, programs, and ancient linguistics, saw it for what it was.
A grimoire, inscribed in the most ancient method, its knots brimming with the profound wisdom of primordial sages.
"Analyze!"
The analysis faltered. His terrifying computational power stalled before this grimoire.
Countless spells, syntaxes, programs, and mysteries intertwined, eluding even Samuel's grasp.
His actions seemed to activate the grimoire's power. A voice—grand yet faint, majestic yet audible only to him—whispered in his ear.
But Samuel wasn't worried. His essence—computation—would solve it.
All his accumulated knowledge, even fleeting whims, fueled his calculations, weaving a world of data. His computational surge activated his long-dormant cheat code, the "Ark of Civilization," merging their unified power into an infinite future.
With such computation—or wisdom—Samuel was confident no grimoire, however ancient, could resist him.
"Today, I ignite the flame of humanity. Beasts, retreat! Henceforth, humans are no longer beasts; their wisdom lies within the fire."
Samuel deciphered the words and began "reading" the grimoire.
Authored by an ancient sage, the Fire Bringer, it held the flame of wisdom and the art of banishing beasts.
The Fire Bringer, a name revered in legend, pioneered artificial fire, knot-based record-keeping, tribal totem systems, beast naming, the solar calendar, pottery script, and early civilization—holding a paramount place in history.
Ancient texts chronicled his deeds: he drilled wood for fire, transforming raw, foul food into cooked meals, pleasing humanity and earning kingship. He taught cooking to nurture health, dispel odors, and purge toxins. Observing stars and testing woods, he sparked fire. In a land with a vast tree named Fire, a bird's peck ignited it, inspiring him to drill fire, earning his title.
Since mastering fire, humans could cook anytime, expanding their diet. The Fire Bringer taught fishing, enabling consumption of fish, turtles, clams, and mussels—once inedible due to their raw stench—by roasting them. Fire led to cooked diets, revolutionizing human physiology, separating them from animals. It enabled forest-burning hunts, harnessing nature to conquer it, enriching diets and advancing brain complexity, unlocking intelligence.
For these feats, the Fire Bringer was dubbed the "Fire Ancestor," later venerated as the foremost of the Three Sovereigns.
His knotted-rope grimoire was the final piece Samuel needed—the last step from Level 5 to Level 6.
He understood why he'd targeted the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church.
Computation sifted vast information, much of it useless. Samuel couldn't discern what mattered, so he entrusted it to the Firewall. It chose the optimal path from his perspective, communicating not directly but through subconscious nudges.
When Samuel encountered something vital, intuition flared—like his pursuit of these two grimoires.
If, say, Dolly were in danger, he'd instinctively act to save her, perhaps teleporting instantly.
Humans were limited; emotions could cloud optimal choices. Yet, they were limitless, achieving the impossible through passion.
Samuel delegated optimal decisions to the Firewall, focusing on transcending execution.
As for discovering these grimoires, his computation covered half the planet, simulating countless parallel universes. The data fed into the "Central Processor—Firewall," which weighed possibilities and costs to decide.
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL