Arthur followed the directions given by the innkeeper, navigating through the winding streets of the city. The farther he walked, the more apparent it became that this district was wealthier than the rest. The roads were cleaner, the buildings more refined, and the people carried themselves with an air of importance. Lanterns lined the streets, casting a warm glow over the cobbled roads, and neatly trimmed hedges decorated the sidewalks.

After about fifteen minutes, he arrived before a grand building.

The Scholar’s Guild stood as a monument of knowledge and prestige, its towering structure built from smooth, white marble that gleamed under the fading sunlight. Tall columns lined the entrance, each carved with intricate depictions of historical events and legendary scholars. 

The massive double doors were made of polished dark oak, adorned with golden filigree that shimmered in the evening light. Large stained-glass windows stretched across the upper levels, depicting celestial constellations and arcane symbols. The entire structure radiated an aura of authority and exclusivity.

Arthur stepped toward the grand gate, but before he could get far, two guards in pristine armor blocked his path with crossed spears.

“Halt!” one of them barked. “Only members are allowed entry.”

Arthur stopped, unfazed, and asked, “How can I become a member?”

The guards exchanged looks before one of them, a tall man with a thin mustache, sneered. His gaze flickered over Arthur’s attire, simple, unadorned clothing, completely devoid of any noble insignia. 

“Hah! You think a commoner like you can enter the Scholar’s Guild?” His voice was filled with mockery, and his fellow guards chuckled at his words.

Arthur blinked, genuinely surprised at their attitude. He thought, ‘They have really terrible customer service.’

The other guard smirked. “Why don’t you go back to whatever hole you crawled out of? The Guild is no place for the likes of you.”

Before Arthur could respond, a firm voice cut through the laughter.

“What is going on here?”

The mocking stopped instantly. The guards straightened, snapping to attention as a well-dressed man stepped out of the Scholar’s Guild. He was in his late thirties, with neatly combed blond hair and intelligent blue eyes. His tailored dark-blue coat, embroidered with silver patterns, signified his high status within the Guild.

“Manager Elliot!” The mustached guard saluted hastily. “A poor fellow was causing trouble here…”

Elliot raised a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence, his sharp eyes landing on Arthur. Unlike the guards, there was no arrogance in his gaze, only curiosity. “Sir, are you here to become a member of the Scholar’s Guild?” he asked, his tone polite and respectful.

Arthur nodded. “Yes. I’d like to know the criteria for membership.”

The guards stiffened in confusion. Why was their manager speaking so courteously to a commoner?

“Manager, this man is clearly…” one of the guards tried again.

Elliot’s gaze turned cold, and his voice dropped to an icy tone. “Did I ask for your opinion?”

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. The guards felt a chill run down their spines.

Elliot continued, “I will deal with your conduct later.” His eyes promised punishment, and the guards instinctively shut their mouths, realizing their pay for the month might very well disappear after this.

Turning back to Arthur, Elliot gestured toward the entrance. “Please, follow me inside. I sincerely apologize for their behavior.”

Arthur, unaffected by the whole exchange, replied casually, “No problem.” He stepped past the guards, following Elliot through the grand doors.

The guards, now drenched in cold sweat, glanced at each other, cursing internally. ‘Just who the hell did we insult?!’

…

Inside the Scholar’s Guild

Arthur was led through a grand reception hall with high ceilings adorned with a painted mural of scholars gathered around a glowing tome. The floor was made of polished granite, reflecting the golden light of ornate chandeliers. Several scribes and scholars dressed in elegant robes moved about, engaged in quiet discussions or carrying stacks of parchment.

Elliot guided Arthur toward a reception desk, where an elderly woman with silver hair and round glasses sat, her quill scratching against parchment. She looked up as they approached.

“Sir Arthur is here to apply for membership,” Elliot informed her.

The woman adjusted her glasses, peering at Arthur. “Are you a noble, sir?”

Arthur shook his head. “No.”

“Then, as per Guild regulations, non-nobles must pay twenty-five gold coins per month to become a member,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Arthur didn’t hesitate. He reached into his bag and withdrew the required amount, placing it on the counter. The woman counted the coins with experienced fingers before nodding in approval. “Your membership is valid for one month. You may now access the Guild’s resources, including the library and select research archives.”

Arthur took the membership token she handed him and placed it in his pocket.

Elliot, meanwhile, wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead. He had sensed it earlier, Arthur’s aura. Even though Arthur wasn’t trying to exert any pressure, Elliot could feel it. It was subtle, but unmistakable. ‘A Peak-level martial artist… or something even greater.’

He internally cursed the guards again. Had they truly angered such a person? If Arthur had been the type to hold grudges, their fates would have been sealed. He made a mental note to discipline them severely.

…

Inside the Library

Arthur stepped into the Scholar’s Guild library, and his first thought was that it was massive.

The grand chamber stretched far into the distance, its towering bookshelves forming endless rows of knowledge. Each shelf was stacked with countless tomes, scrolls, and manuscripts, their spines marked with runes and elaborate titles. Crystal chandeliers hung from the domed ceiling, casting soft golden light across the room. A few people sat at reading tables, their noses buried in books, while others meticulously copied texts onto parchment.

Arthur moved deeper into the library, his eyes scanning the titles. The books covered a wide range of topics, history, politics, magic theory, alchemy, and even myths and legends.

Without drawing attention, Arthur discreetly released a swarm of nanobots from his sleeve. They were microscopic, invisible to the naked eye. The tiny machines dispersed into the air, moving between the shelves and copying the contents of the books and scrolls.

Arthur closed his eyes momentarily, connecting to the swarm. In mere minutes, the nanobots scanned every book within their range, converting them into digital twins stored in Arthur’s internal database.

Within a short time, he had access to an entire wealth of knowledge, far more efficiently than any scholar could ever hope to achieve.

‘Now,’ Arthur thought, ‘let’s see what kind of world this really is.’

He picked a random book from a nearby shelf, flipped it open, and began reading the contents on his system panel, blending in like any other scholar. The real work had just begun.

…

Arthur started with the most fundamental aspect, the language.

He took a seat at one of the large reading tables in the Scholar’s Guild library, surrounded by stacks of books and dimly glowing crystal lamps. The wooden chair creaked slightly as he settled in, but he ignored it, his mind already focused on the holographic panel before his eyes. The book, titled “The Foundations of Thyrandelan Script”, was a linguistic guide designed for young scholars.

With his eidetic memory and enhanced brain, Arthur absorbed information at a speed no normal human could match. He scanned each page rapidly, breaking down the language’s structure, syntax, and phonetics. The written script consisted of elegantly curved letters, with certain symbols denoting entire words while others functioned as phonetic markers.

As he flipped through the panels, his mind worked in overdrive, forming connections and building an intuitive grasp of the language. Within minutes, he had memorized the entire alphabet. Within an hour, he was reading fluently.

“Done.”

Closing the panel, Arthur exhaled slowly. If he hadn’t possessed an enhanced mind, this process would have taken weeks, maybe even months. Now that he had a solid grasp of the language, he could properly interpret the historical records of this world.

…

Arthur then shifted his focus on a volume titled “The Chronicles of Thyrandel: From Creation to the age of Prosperity.” He scanned the introduction.

The world he was in was called Thyrandel, and it had been divided into three major continents for thousands of years.

Arkanis the human continent, home to various kingdoms, empires, and theocratic institutions.

Velmora the demi-human continent, formerly ruled by beastkin, dwarves, and other races.

Drakmire a land of towering mountains and dense, ancient forests, ruled by dragons and elves.

Thousands of years ago, each continent was sovereign, with humans, demi-humans, and dragons coexisting in an uneasy balance. But that balance shattered when the Demon Invasion began.

Through massive rifts that tore through reality, the demons arrived, an unknown race with incredible strength, dark magic, and a thirst for conquest. The war lasted for over a hundred years, and despite the fierce resistance of the demi-humans, Velmora fell.

With their lands overrun, the surviving demi-human races had no choice but to flee to Arkanis, seeking refuge among the human kingdoms.

But instead of finding allies, they were met with cold rejection.

While few individual rulers may have sympathized with the demi-humans, the human empires as a whole refused to act. Their reasoning was simple, helping Velmora would mean dragging their own nations into war, and they saw no benefit in doing so.

Eventually, when it became clear that the demi-humans would be wiped out, the human empires allowed them to migrate, but under severe conditions.

Demi-humans were forbidden from holding noble titles. Their rights were limited, and they were seen as second-class citizens. And in times of war, demi-humans were the first to be conscripted into battle.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed as he read this. “So they were only spared to be used as disposable soldiers later on.”

…

In recent years, the demons had once again begun invading human territories.

This forced the human kingdoms to finally act. The Order of the Church, one of the most powerful institutions on the continent, declared the demons to be the ultimate evil, branding them as an affront to the gods. Alongside the human empires, the Church waged war against the demon hordes.

However, due to the previous agreements, the demi-humans were conscripted first, sent to the frontlines in the highest numbers.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

The victors write history. That much is clear.

The Order of the Church depicted the demons as bloodthirsty monsters, but Arthur had long since learned not to take history at face value. Many conflicts were fought over resources, power, or politics, and history could easily be manipulated.

“I’ll have to see it for myself before coming to any conclusions.”

Drakmire, the third continent, had never participated in these wars.

The book stated that the dragons and elves remained isolated, avoiding entanglements with either humans or demons. Their reasons were unknown, but they seemingly had no interest in the affairs of Arkanis and Velmora.

This made Arthur curious. If demons were truly as destructive as the Church claimed, why wouldn’t Drakmire act? Did they consider the demons not a threat, or was there another reason?

…

Arthur then shifted his focus to another book, “The Principles of Mana and Chi.”

There were two primary energy systems in this world:

Martial Artists used Chi. Chi was described as the vital energy that flowed through all living beings and the universe itself.

And martial artists refined this energy to enhance their bodies, strengthen attacks, and extend their lifespans.

The ranks of martial artists were as follows:

• Novice
• Low-Grade Martial Artist
• Mid-Grade Martial Artist
• High-Grade Martial Artist
• Peak Martial Artist
• Master Martial Artist
• Grandmaster Martial Artist

And mages used Mana. Mana was considered a mystical energy that allowed mages to cast spells. Unlike Chi, which existed inside living beings, mana also existed in the environment.

The ranks of mages were:

• Apprentice Mage
• 1st Circle Mage → 9th Circle Mage
• Archmage

The book mentioned the presence of something beyond Archmages and Grandmasters, but the information was restricted.

According to comparisons made in the book, a Grandmaster Martial Artist was equivalent to an Archmage in terms of power.

Arthur closed the panel, his mind now filled with information.

…

The final piece of information he focused on was the city itself.

Durnholde was a major coastal city, situated near the Azure Sea, making it a key trade hub. It was also the closest city to Drakmire, meaning it had the most diverse population, with demi-humans, merchants, and adventurers from different backgrounds passing through.

“That explains why I saw so many different races when I entered.”

The city was ruled by a Viscount, but the Order of the Church also had a strong presence here, with many temples and inquisitors patrolling the streets.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

He had learned enough for now. This world was filled with complex politics, war, and deeply rooted prejudice. There was more to uncover, but for now, his primary goal was clear:

Gather more information. Understand the power structures. And most importantly, find out what he needed to understand the intricacies of magic and chi.

With that thought in mind, he closed the book, stood up, and left the library to begin his next move.

***

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