Man of Archives

The house provided turned out to be quite small, much like the study room. I estimate it could comfortably fit five students. If I were to teach practical magic, however, only three. The large bed was made with the finest linens. Several older women quickly tidied everything to ensure it was in proper order, allowing us to move in without any problems.

"When, honorable Timothy, do you plan to begin teaching?" asked the clan leader.

"As early as tomorrow," I replied with a nod. "But first, I'd like to know exactly who I'll be teaching. I can search for talent within your clan, but do you already have anyone in mind?"

"Of course," he answered promptly. "My daughters, Yan and Min, wish to become your students. Moreover, my wife, Shima, would also like to take a few lessons from you."

"That won't be a problem," I responded with another nod.

And indeed, there wasn't any issue. I spent the first night delving into the analysis of the books I had brought with me. Reading two books at once is a decent pace, though being able to analyze more at once would be even better. Still, we make do with what we have.

In the morning, I got up, quickly ate some food from my pack, and headed to the study room to prepare for the students' arrival. They were scheduled to arrive at nine, and, right on time, they did. Three women who made it quite clear that their intentions went beyond just learning.

"Good morning," I greeted my new students. "Please, take a seat."

"Good morning, teacher," they replied, offering a slight bow before taking their seats.

"How was your morning?"

"We're eager to learn something new," Shima replied, flashing a wide smile and sensually licking her red lips.

"Very well," I nodded. "Let's start with the art of potion brewing."

"Potion brewing?" Yan, the younger sister with blonde hair and a stunning figure, perked up with interest.

"Indeed," I smirked, pulling out a large cauldron. "I'm going to teach you how to brew potions. After all, there's a certain beauty in them."

Why did I choose potions? They're relatively simple compared to other disciplines, and the speed at which I can teach them is much faster. Plus, there's nothing particularly risky about potions! Alchemy is another matter entirely, but it's only accessible to a select few, and none of them are in this clan. I figured that out from the first bookshelf I absorbed.

The first potion I decided to teach them was the Sharpness Elixir. It would come in handy later if they wanted to study something else.

"Let's get started," I nodded.

With swift preparations, the water in the cauldron began to heat up slowly. Then I started adding ingredients, explaining each one in detail. They grow here, though not as abundantly as they do in England.

"It's getting a bit hot in here," muttered Min, loosening her clothes slightly. Her black hair cascaded down, still covering enough to hide anything too revealing.

"I agree," nodded Shima, also undoing her clothing a little. Yan did the same in silence.

Knowing their motives, I wasn't surprised. At this point, they were thinking more about how to seduce me than about actually learning or remembering the potion's details. Tsk. Slowly inhaling and exhaling, I took a brief dive into their thoughts. They had already divided me among themselves for the evenings. The speed at which they worked was remarkable.

"We'll end for today," I said after three hours of active lessons. The trio of women seemed mildly interested in what I was showing them. They weren't yet at a level where they could start practicing on their own, but at least they had grasped the basics—more or less.

Yan and Min exchanged glances, then nodded.

"Teacher, we need to take care of something quickly," Min said. "We'll be right back."

They ran off, leaving me alone with Shima. She smiled and slowly approached me. I sat on the table, curious to see what she would do next. Shima moved even closer and leaned in. Her blonde hair was tied in a bun, offering her a bit more freedom.

Not one to wait long, I gently wrapped an arm around her and leaned forward slightly.

"When a sheep approaches a hungry wolf, she should be prepared for the possibility that he might want to devour her."

"Oh," she whispered, excitement in her voice. "But what if that's exactly what the sheep wants?"

"Then the wolf will consume her," I whispered in her ear, running my hand over her luxurious rear and giving it a squeeze.

"Yes, that's exactly what this sheep needs," she purred, pressing against me.

But, honestly, I didn't feel any real excitement. Sure, I'm a healthy, grown man, and I don't mind such activities. But right now… I just wasn't in the mood. All it took was a moment of thought, and I was already more inclined to return to Nymphadora, Isolde, and the other beauties.

"You know what's even better?" I smirked, still holding her. "Magic."

I then swiftly stepped to the side, slipping out of her grasp. Her flash of anger was unmistakable, but she quickly regained control. When I turned to face her again, there was only a smile on her lips. Mentally, she was already planning a new tactic to get me into bed. Amusing.

I spent the rest of the day meditating, analyzing books, and filling in various gaps in my knowledge. The girls were looking for me, but I hid under spells of invisibility and concealment.

By evening, I was free and went to dinner. I had been invited to dine with the clan leader, likely because they were trying to stay on my good side. During dinner, they couldn't resist pestering me, but I endured it stoically, paying little attention. Let them think what they will.

That night passed with more book analysis, despite Yan looking for a chance to sneak away with me. This became my daily routine: teaching in the first half of the day, then avoiding the women and continuing my studies in the archive during the second half and night.

One day, after a meal, an elderly man approached me.

"Honorable Timothy, may I have a word?"

"Of course," I nodded, stepping aside to let the servants pass as they attended to their duties.

"I'd like to talk to you about relationships," he began. "I understand you may have your own thoughts on the matter, and I'd be happy to hear them. But don't you think it might be better to be straightforward about what you think? Many in the clan are already asking questions…"

"What can I say?" I replied. From his thoughts, I knew he was acting on the clan leader's orders. I still don't understand how a man can send his own wife to become someone's plaything… For what purpose? Sigh. "To earn my favor, a person must be interested in their own development—especially when they're shown what's truly important in the art of magic."

"I understand," the old man nodded. From his thoughts, I could tell he truly grasped what I was saying.

After this conversation, the women changed their approach. They genuinely started to learn and show interest in the material I was teaching them. Moreover, their seduction tactics evolved—and I can't deny they worked.

While brewing the Sharpness Elixir, they realized they had achieved something truly remarkable, though it wasn't until after their first successful potion that they fully appreciated it.

The second potion we made was the Spicy Pepper Potion, which intrigued them even more because it was completely unlike the tinctures they had made before. It was surprising and fascinating. As a result, they pursued me even more, determined to get me into bed.

And I gave in. Yes, I confess. When a woman is that persistent, knocking on the same door every day, eventually it will open—especially when it's the door to a man's bed, with minimal competition.

The sex brought me a kind of inner relaxation and a desire to work even more efficiently. It even led to a slight improvement in my book analysis skills.

The day of the tournament quickly arrived. The weather was pleasant, hinting that spring warmth was just around the corner. The sun shone brightly, illuminating the surroundings. Honestly, when I looked at the sky, you could easily tell the difference from other parts of the planet.

The local "elites" were traveling to the tournament by car, as they didn't have any artifacts that could get them there faster. The caravan consisted of several buses filled with clan fighters, their commanders, and the clan leader's personal security. There were also trailers where people could sit and sleep. Not a bad setup, to be honest. I might consider creating something similar with magic in the future.

The town we arrived in was nestled between several beautiful peaks. It's called Lhasa and serves as one of the administrative centers, attracting the best warriors from the surrounding clans. The presence of other local "summoners" was obvious, given the large number of expensive cars and people in traditional clothing.

We settled into a hotel that the clan had rented entirely for its needs. Several nearby buildings were occupied by guards and support staff. My room was on the top floor, offering a stunning morning view of the mountains. The other rooms on this floor were occupied by the clan leader, his wife, and his daughters. I had already had at least a few nighttime activities with each of them.

The tournament participants stayed on the floor below, where they had access to several training halls and specially equipped medical rooms. The tournament would be held at a local stadium that can accommodate more than one hundred thousand people. It's a massive structure, dwarfing anything I've seen before. But also... it wasn't built by wizards. Amazing, isn't it?

That night, while everyone was asleep, I slipped out of my room and used a broomstick to begin my own investigation, aiming to get a rough idea of how events might unfold. It didn't take much effort—just visiting the rooms of other clan leaders. Finding them wasn't hard; they had rooms similar to ours but in different hotels.

The first room I checked immediately revealed that a conspiracy was brewing against the clan I had arrived with, and the plan was to carry it out on the last day of the tournament, aiming to kill as many people as possible. Four clans were involved in the plot, leaving two neutral clans. I doubt they will help or interfere.

Since I had already slept with the local beauties, I couldn't just leave them defenseless. In the end, the clan leader's gamble paid off. No, I hadn't done anything yet, but I had taken note of everything.

The next morning, everyone was busy preparing for the tournament. I simply meditated and continued analyzing the books I had absorbed. That evening, Yan came to visit, and I got my dose of delightful entertainment. It was active and enjoyable.

The night passed peacefully, and the next morning was bustling. It was obvious that the day of the tournament's opening had arrived, with crowds moving through the city. Various stalls and shops were setting up. Some were laying out blankets with different amulets and herbs, others were working from small machines, while some were doing business at tables. The city was buzzing with life.

During the night, the streets had been decorated with lanterns, golden dragons, and the crests of the clans participating in the tournament. At the appointed time, the participants and their mentors were organized and seated in black buses, which then headed toward the stadium. We, on the other hand, took expensive cars, a way to show off that the clan's wealth hadn't diminished but had, in fact, grown. People love putting on a show for others.

I didn't particularly stand out, but I didn't try to hide either. There was no point in doing so, as everyone would quickly realize I was different from those around me just by looking at my face.

At the stadium, security stopped us, quickly checked our documents, and directed us to where we could park the cars. From there, we had to walk toward the stadium, and, naturally, we ran into one of the conspirators plotting against the clan.

"Well, who do we have here?" said a man with gray hair and round glasses perched on his nose. His smile suggested he knew something others didn't. No one was going to dissuade him from that belief.

The two clans stood facing each other, with their leaders at the forefront.

"Didn't expect me?" asked our clan leader.

"Why not?" the opponent smirked. "But I don't think you'll find much success today. I have many talented students with excellent teachers."

"Don't be so quick to assume," our clan leader said calmly. "No one knows how things will turn out."

"I do," came the self-assured reply. But there was no further exchange.

The other clan leader simply turned and walked away, his entourage following behind.

"Arrogant bastard," muttered our clan leader. Not that his own people hadn't fed the man some false information. Of course not!

There were no further encounters, and we made our way to the stadium without any issues. A pleasant woman greeted us at the entrance and immediately guided us to the VIP section. All the clan leaders sat in the same box, while their closest entourage sat in the neighboring one. Since I was listed among the entourage, I ended up sharing a box with other representatives of the local elite. The first thing I noticed was that nearly every clan had brought some form of "dominant force," at least by local standards—experienced fighters who had seen plenty of battles, both against humans and magical creatures. They were already scanning for potential threats, well-informed about the upcoming events.

My presence piqued the interest of many, as I was an unknown figure who might influence events. Several "subtle" probes from their side I simply ignored, making it seem as if I didn't notice. This gave them the illusion of safety.

The tournament itself didn't interest me in the slightest, so I pretended to be watching while continuing to analyze books. The tournament consisted of several competitions, somewhat resembling the Olympic Games of the non-magical world. There were multiple disciplines in which participants competed: running, obstacle courses, logic and reasoning challenges, and so on. Nothing particularly exciting.

The same pattern continued for the following days until the tournament reached its final stage—the duels between participants. Those who had accumulated enough points were eligible, while those who hadn't were disqualified. Additionally, participants could forfeit their spot in favor of another person, allowing the clans to push their stronger duelists forward.

The initial battles weren't impressive at all. They looked more like regular martial arts contests than magical duels. Occasionally, participants used magic through their artifacts, but overall, it was a dull spectacle.

The next day was a bit more intense, as the weaker contestants had been eliminated, leaving the mid- and high-level participants. By the third day, I realized this was when everything would happen. The activity around our clan was abnormally high. The attack was going to be swift and violent, with the goal of eliminating the clan leader and his closest allies. The best fighters from the opposing clans had been dispatched to ensure success.

This time, I focused on everything happening around us to understand how events would unfold. All my belongings were with me, and if I needed to escape quickly, I was ready to do so.

"This all looks very suspicious," said Elder Gu. He wasn't aware of the impending attack, as the clan leader hadn't informed him of the planned actions.

"Perhaps," I smirked. "But I'm not too worried. Honestly, I'm more interested in the duels right now."

On the dueling field, an incredibly dramatic fight was unfolding. Two young men were battling for the attention of a girl. They weren't just fighting—they were using all their skills, knowledge, and abilities. It was a dirty fight... Moody would have liked it.

One of them leapt back and swung his sword, sending a wave of fire toward his opponent. The other reacted swiftly, sending his own wave of fire in return. The two attacks collided with a loud boom, scorching the ground. They closed the distance again, clashing swords, still wielding fire as part of their battle.

"Who do you think will win?" I asked Yan and Min. They, too, were watching the duel closely.

"I think Hao will win," Min said, pointing to the boy who was approaching the fight more calmly. I couldn't disagree with her. He was slightly better than his opponent—just enough to secure victory if he played his cards right. So far, he hadn't made any major mistakes.

"I think so too," Yan agreed with her sister.

Meanwhile, the noose around us was tightening. Among the service staff were seasoned killers from other clans, as well as experienced fighters. By now, the odds weren't in favor of the girls' clan. But... I knew every single one of those who wanted to kill me too.

A moment later, Hao pulled a trick, tossing some powder from his pocket toward his opponent. The other boy didn't expect it and failed to protect his eyes and airways. Moments later, he began coughing and clutching his throat. Hao stepped forward and placed his blade at his opponent's neck. The boy made a gesture of surrender, still struggling to clear his throat.

"A dirty trick," Min exhaled. "But effective."

I sensed from their thoughts that a few of the "waiters" were approaching to stick a knife in my back. Concealing my wand, I created an illusion of myself, cast various concealment spells, and stood up, quietly stepping aside.

"Would you like to order anything?" one of the waiters asked, his eyes betraying clear murderous intent.

"Probably not," my illusion replied in my voice.

"Very well," he nodded, then lunged, plunging a long stiletto directly into my illusion's heart. "You should have ordered something for your last meal."

"Aaah!" screamed Min, immediately realizing what had happened.

Things began to unfold rapidly from there. The attack came almost simultaneously from all directions, targeting every member of the clan.

"How sad," I said, dissolving the illusion and locking eyes with the astonished assassin. "You could have lived a little longer."

In the next instant, the upper half of his body was blasted apart by a quick spell. Another spell lifted all three girls into the air and whisked them away, pulling them out from under the strike of incoming lightning bolts.

"Kha!" Elder Gu cried out as a sword protruded from his body.

Sensing the attack in time, I intercepted the spell with my wand. In front of me stood a young man with a smirk on his face, holding a wand.

"Well, who do we have here?" the boy drawled. "Looks like a rat wandered into my sanctuary... Tsk-tsk-tsk."

"I didn't expect to encounter a real wizard in a backwater place like this," I replied. "This, I wasn't prepared for."

"Well," he said smugly, "sometimes the backwoods clans hire us to solve their problems. And let me tell you, they pay handsomely. Now, entertain me as I kill you."

His spell shot from his wand, forming a small arc aimed at me. However, I was ready for such an outcome and easily deflected it aside. It wasn't very strong. Adjusting my grip on my wand, I launched a fan of simple, light curses toward my opponent. He leaped behind a chair, seeking cover. That was a mistake I wasn't going to let slide. With a wave of my wand, the chair transfigured into a deadly trap. The Chinese wizard didn't have time—or the skill—to react, and the chair impaled him, tearing him apart.

"Pfft, weakling," I muttered as I approached to absorb his soul. That triggered a chain reaction within me.

After consuming his soul, my own began to vibrate with the energy it had gathered. This vibration paralyzed my movements until a ball of power flared up inside me. Containing it was impossible, so I simply let it go. This triggered the next sequence of events.

A black wave of energy burst from me in all directions, engulfing everyone around. This wave carried death.

The sensation of cold, similar to what I had felt during my rebirth, quickly filled the space following the black wave. It was impossible to see anything, which was somewhat terrifying. To calm myself, I closed my eyes and slipped into meditation. It helped, but only a little. Even in this detached state, I could still hear the horrifying screams of pain, despair, and death. Along with this came an even greater influx of energy from the souls I had absorbed, which, in turn, intensified the cold wave spreading outward. The newly absorbed souls fueled the wave, making it spread even further.

After the cold came the feeling of death, as if she had looked through me into the world, then just as neutrally left, leaving behind the taste of corpses in my mouth. After some more time, the cold stopped spreading, and I no longer felt any souls being absorbed.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of a dead field. Around me was absolute silence. Rising to my feet, I saw countless skeletons scattered everywhere. They lay in poses of fear, pain, and agony. A small twinge of fear began to rise within me, but I immediately suppressed it. I couldn't allow it to take hold of my attention.

Had I really caused all of this? Just moments ago, there had been a battle here. Tuning into the magical sensations around me, I could sense only death, pain, and an unwillingness to die. But death had swept through here with her scythe, taking everyone.

Although, it wasn't really death. To be honest with myself, it was I who had killed all these people, taking their dreams, hopes, and lives. It was I who had allowed this strange magical phenomenon to occur.

Pulling out my broom, I decided to get as far away from here as possible and think through what had happened, and how much I was to blame.

From a bird's-eye view, I saw nothing but a dead city, littered with the bones of not only people but numerous animals. Flying between some of the buildings, I saw skeletons inside as well—adults and children alike. Even I felt uncomfortable after seeing this. That's why I quickly flew away, stopping only outside the city to summon a cheetah and flee at top speed.

I had no desire to stay here any longer, so I let the cheetah run at full speed. I found a small cave at the top of a mountain and quickly set about making it my home. This time, I didn't skimp on magic, using it to make the cave as comfortable and livable as possible. This monotonous work allowed me to distract myself from what I had done.

Once everything was ready—with the tent set up, protections cast, and the cave sealed from the outside world—I pulled out a bottle of liquor. The desire to drink was strong, and this time, I didn't resist it.

Pouring the clear liquid into a glass, I raised it to the sky, paused for a second, then swiftly downed it. The burning liquid immediately interrupted my thoughts and heavy feelings. One glass was followed by another, and then another, and another—until I passed out from the alcohol.

Darkness embraced me in its comforting arms, taking away all my worries, fears, and hopes.

***

When news of the events in Lhasa reached Beijing, the authorities immediately dispatched their finest wizards to investigate. The situation was alarming and demanded swift attention. Among the group were masters of magic, their apprentices, and even non-magical specialists. Their task was to piece together the mystery of what had transpired.

"Master Fa," a young girl addressed an elderly man dressed in a peculiar kimono-like robe, tied with a red sash. "What do you think happened here?"

"Death," the old man replied, gazing at the skeletons strewn at his feet, trying to comprehend the horror before him. "Death came here, cloaked, and reaped her harvest."

"But death is just an abstraction," the girl remarked. "At least, that's what they teach us at the Academy."

"Hah," the old man, Fa, chuckled. "Student Chu, you wield magic yet call death an abstraction? I don't know what they teach at that Academy, but I've heard too many legends where death is not just a concept, but a real being."

"And have you ever seen proof of this?" Chu questioned.

The old man sighed deeply. Why had they assigned him such an obtuse student? She was just another arrogant fool who believed she was wiser than everyone else simply because she was young and had graduated with honors from the Academy.

"We live in a world of magic," he muttered, waving his hand dismissively. There was no point in continuing the conversation. He was counting down the days until her training was complete, so he could return to his beloved books and the legends of old.

"Tch," Chu muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

The city had been sealed off, and a count of the skeletons was underway. The initial numbers were staggering—over fifty thousand dead. No one knew who could have committed such an atrocity, but it was clearly the work of a powerful dark wizard. Many of the senior wizards were eager to wrap up the investigation quickly and avoid the troubling thought of a dark sorcerer roaming their lands.

The younger wizards, however, were determined to find and punish the perpetrator.

A few hours later, all the lead investigators gathered in a large tent that had been erected for the investigation.

"I'm waiting for reports," the head of the investigation said.

"We've counted three hundred twenty-three thousand, four hundred twenty-six fresh skeletons," the leader of the counting team began his report. "These are only human skeletons. We didn't count the animal remains."

The number was staggering—over three hundred twenty thousand corpses, all within such a short period. It was terrifying. Without needing to confer, the elder wizards silently agreed: it would be safer to write this off as a magical anomaly. Delving too deeply into the matter was fraught with danger.

"We found no tracks around the city that could clarify the situation," the lead tracker reported. "Only animal tracks and occasional human footprints leading to nearby farms and villages. My team is currently checking those locations for any relevant information."

"If you find anything, report to me immediately," the leader instructed.

"Yes, sir."

"Anything else?" the leader asked. Behind him, a large map displayed the surrounding territories, marking small settlements and mountains. "Were you able to identify the spell or ritual used?"

"No," the academician from the school of magic replied, shaking his head. "It appears as though a natural disaster, controlled by someone's will, swept through here."

"Can you determine what kind of disaster or the methods involved?"

"It's possible," the academician nodded. "But should we? Should we dig any deeper?"

This was a question that had been troubling the senior wizards. It didn't matter whether they were investigators, fighters, or administrative staff. Finally, someone had the courage to voice it—a person unafraid of how society or the other wizards might react.

"What do you mean?" the leader asked.

"If there's a wizard out there capable of commanding such forces, wouldn't it be wiser to leave them alone?" the academician posed another critical question. "Who knows what else they might be capable of? I, for one, wouldn't want to wake up and find all my relatives cursed and dying in agony."

This last statement resonated deeply with the older generation of wizards.

"Khe-khe-khe," chuckled the oldest wizard in the room. He was a little over two hundred twenty years old, though he liked to call himself "still just a child." But others didn't share that view—they held him in high regard.

"Master Mao, do you have any thoughts or suggestions?" the investigation leader asked.

"Well, someone has clearly been meddling here, someone who could wreck all your plans and then walk away without a care, and you'd probably thank them for it," he said mockingly. "So why don't we just thank them now and go home?"

"But what about the city and the people?" Chu asked, confused. Fa merely closed his eyes.

"What city? What people?" Mao asked, feigning confusion. "Khe-khe-khe."

"We can't do that," the investigation leader said firmly.

"As you wish," the old man shrugged. "But don't say I didn't warn you. Khe-khe-khe."

"What else can you suggest?" the leader pressed.

"We should invite international experts," another wizard suggested. "Perhaps someone from Eagle's Nest. They would definitely be interested."

"That's not up for discussion," the leader replied calmly. "This is our problem, and we must handle it ourselves. Any other ideas or important details to report?"

A moment of silence followed. None of the local wizards had ever encountered anything like this—a town completely wiped out, along with all its inhabitants, and in such a short time. The silence dragged on.

"Perhaps we could find someone skilled in necromancy to raise the dead and interrogate them?" Chu suggested.

"Excellent idea!" the leader exclaimed. "Brilliant, Student Chu. That's exactly what we'll do."

His assistant immediately noted this down to send a request to the Palace. The Palace functioned similarly to the Ministry of Magic in England, modeled after a successful organization that had weathered various crises throughout history.

"What other ideas?" the investigation leader asked.

"We could interrogate the clans that participated in the local tournament to see if anything unusual happened," suggested another wizard, a man with glasses and a hunched posture. "If anything strange occurred, it might provide valuable clues for our investigation."

"Another good idea, but that will require more resources," the leader nodded. His assistant made another note to add to the Palace request. "We'll see what comes of it."

Once again, silence fell, but it wasn't as oppressive as before. Now that some initial plans had been made and further actions would follow, the wizards saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And they certainly weren't about to close their eyes or look away. They wanted to uncover the cause of this destruction and punish those responsible, if any could be found.

But there was one person among them who doubted that any significant results would come of it, or that, if they did, anyone would be allowed to act on them. That person was Old Mao, who had seen more than any other wizard in the room. What he knew was this: if they did find the culprit behind this, he would stay as far away from them as possible—preferably on the other side of the world.