CHAPTER 72: GENESIS OF MAHARA

After returning from the Housemaster’s chamber, Derek entered his room, shut the door behind him, and immediately headed for the shower. His clothes and body were covered in blood and sticky residue. Thankfully, he hadn’t encountered anyone on his way back — otherwise, he would’ve had a hard time explaining his appearance.

When he finally stepped out, refreshed and clean, exhaustion hit him like a wave. He collapsed onto the bed and drifted off almost instantly.

After all, clearing three consecutive floors had drained him completely. He slept straight through lunch, waking only in the late afternoon.

Stretching his limbs, he let out a long yawn. "Ahhh... finally feels like I’ve got some strength back in my body," he muttered.

He raised his hand, and with a flash of light, the twin daggers and the red rune materialized from his storage ring.

"Good thing I had this ring," he said with a faint chuckle. "Otherwise, I’d have had to carry all these in my hands while leaving the tower. After clearing three floors, I was already half-dead — who knows what kind of trouble I would’ve faced if people saw these treasures. Anyway..."

He set the daggers aside and focused his attention on the rune.

It was crimson red, glowing faintly under the sunlight streaming through the window.

"It holds a technique, huh?" Derek murmured. "But how am I supposed to learn it? I lived a whole lifetime once, yet I still don’t know how to deal with things like this. What a shame. Who should I even ask about this?" Derek muttered to himself. "Instructor Meridith and the Housemaster seem trustworthy, but I can’t just blindly rely on them."

He pondered for a while, then suddenly an idea struck him. Without wasting a second, he got up, left his room, and walked straight toward Art’s quarters.

Once there, he knocked on the door.

Knock! Knock!

"Who is it?" Art’s voice came from inside.

"It’s me.... Derek."

The door swung open almost instantly, and Art appeared, looking pleasantly surprised.

"Hey! Where have you been all day? Didn’t see you during breakfast or lunch! Even Henry was looking for you."

"Henry? Why? Was it something urgent?"

Art shook his head. "Nah, nothing serious. He just noticed you weren’t around. You know how we usually head to the dining hall together, so he was wondering where you disappeared to."

"Oh. I was a bit busy," Derek replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Went for some training, and honestly... completely forgot about eating."

"In those training chambers on the fourth floor?"

"Y... yeah," Derek nodded hesitantly. He didn’t think it was the right time to reveal his special permission to use the instructors’ chambers.

"Man! Our orientation isn’t even over yet, and you’re already putting in that much effort?" Art exclaimed, half in disbelief and half in admiration. "I’ve just been wandering around, checking things out."

Derek smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I kinda enjoy this stuff. And you know how tough life can be for cultivators. If I don’t push myself, there’s no way I’ll achieve anything. Anyway, I actually came here for some help."

"Help? What kind of help?" Art asked eagerly. "Just say the word and if it’s something I can do, I’ll definitely help."

"Can you tell me how we can learn new techniques or skills? Like martial art techniques... or weapon-wielding techniques?"

Art blinked. "Huh? What kind of question is that? You learn from a master, take lessons, watch someone, or read a manual and practice. Isn’t that common sense?"

"Yeah, I know," Derek said. "But I mean... are there other ways? How should I put it? Maybe something involving runes?" He avoided being too direct, not wanting to raise suspicion.

"Other ways? Runes?" Art repeated with a puzzled look. "I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about." He shrugged helplessly.

"You have no idea?" Derek sighed, clearly disappointed. He’d hoped Art would know something — after all, Art was usually knowledgeable about things Derek wasn’t. But now it seemed even he was clueless.

"Sorry, Derek. I really don’t know what you mean," Art said apologetically.

"It’s alri...." Derek began but....

"I know."

A sudden voice came from behind them. Derek turned around only to find Eva was standing there.

"When did you get here?" Derek asked in surprise.

"I just arrived," Eva replied with a small smile. "You didn’t get to see much today, so I thought I’d take you around and show you the rest of the place."

"Oh, okay. But you just said you know something. Did you hear what we were talking about?" Derek asked, curious.

"Yes," she said calmly. "I caught a bit of it. You’re wondering if there are ways to learn techniques through other means — something different from the usual ways, right?"

"That’s right." Derek nodded.

Eva’s smile deepened. "Then I know exactly what you need. There’s a library here at the academy. It holds records and archives about alternative ways to learn techniques and skills. Not only that," she added, "you can even discover methods to awaken special abilities. For instance, a cultivator might even gain the power to cast magic — if they’re lucky enough."

"Really?!" Derek’s eyes widened in disbelief, excitement flashing across his face. Even Art looked stunned by the revelation.

"Yes," Eva confirmed with a nod. "Would you like to check it out?"

"Of course, yes!" Derek answered without hesitation, his tone filled with enthusiasm.

"Me too. I want to see it as well."

"Alright then," Eva said, turning toward the hallway with a grin. "Follow me — let’s go to the library."

Derek and Art exchanged a quick glance before following Eva. They stepped out of the dorm and made their way toward the main academic building.

After climbing several flights of stairs, they finally reached the top floor.

The moment they stepped out onto the landing, they froze in astonishment.

Stretching before them was a vast library—its ceiling high, its walls lined with countless shelves filled with books of every size and color. The faint scent of parchment and ink hung in the air, giving the place a mysterious, ancient feel.

In one corner, a glass display case stood apart from the rest, housing several old scrolls that looked fragile with age.

Both Derek and Art scanned their surroundings in awe.

"This place is... incredible," Art murmured.

"Let’s head over there," Eva said, pointing toward one section of the library before walking ahead.

Derek and Art quickly followed behind her.

After searching through a few rows of shelves, Eva suddenly stopped. Her eyes brightened as she reached out and pulled a thick, dust-covered book from one of the upper shelves.

"Here," she said, placing it on a nearby table. "You’ll find everything you’re looking for in this one."

Derek stepped closer, his gaze falling upon the title etched in faded golden letters on the cover...

"Genesis of Mahara."