Multiverse: Library

What had taken root within Kaiser—what had sprouted after absorbing the power of the Fantasy Library—was, in essence, an Authority.

This Authority was both a symbol and an embodiment of supreme power.

Its effect was singularly focused on the concept of "Armament." Any form of equipment that could affect its wielder fell under its domain, including but not limited to weapons, armor, and artifacts.

Whenever Kaiser came into contact with such items, he would have the option to invoke his Authority and manipulate them in ways yet to be discovered.

Exactly how he could do so was something he would have to figure out on his own.

But one thing was certain—he had obtained an ultimate dominion over Armament, a power so absolute that it could even surpass the authority of gods!

"...I feel like I've just gained something ridiculously overpowered."

Watching the golden markings fully integrate into his body, that was the only thought left in Kaiser's mind.

Unfortunately, without possessing a powerful weapon, this ability was little more than a decorative title.

In short, for now, Kaiser was still an ordinary person.

But that… was about to change.

Rather than dwelling on his newfound power, Kaiser turned his attention to the towering bookshelves around him.

"Are these books really manifestations of entire fantasy worlds?"

Although the Fantasy Library had already imparted the basic knowledge to him, curiosity still stirred within him.

With that thought, he made his way toward a corner of the leisure area, stepping onto a staircase that wound along the walls. After circling a small section of the Library, he finally arrived at the archives.

Without wandering too far, Kaiser approached the nearest bookshelf and pulled out a book at random.

The moment he did, the Library's silent intent surfaced once more.

[By opening a book, you will enter the fantasy world recorded within its pages and undergo a randomly assigned life experience.]

[Please note: Until the assigned life experience reaches its designated endpoint, the Librarian cannot return to the Library.]

[If the Librarian dies within the fantasy world and revival is deemed impossible, the Library will revoke their status and select a new Librarian.]

Kaiser's fingers froze just before flipping the book open. His brows furrowed.

"So… if I die, I really die?"

After a moment of contemplation, his expression eased.

"That makes sense. The Fantasy Library exists to transform fantasy into reality. The moment I, a real person, step into those worlds and experience them, that process begins to take shape."

"If it's becoming real… then of course, death is real too."

Perhaps, before he set foot in them, those worlds were merely fantasies.

But the moment he entered them, his experiences would give them reality.

Which meant—

"Let's just get started."

Without further hesitation, Kaiser flipped open the book in his hands.

"Whoosh—"

Immediately, the book's pages began to turn on their own.

One after another, they lifted from the book, detaching completely, and began to flutter around him as though they had a will of their own.

"This… this many?"

Kaiser was stunned.

According to the Fantasy Library's rules, every single page in these books represented a different imagined life experience.

Much like writing a novel, some stories were built around protagonists who were exceptional from the start—blessed with noble bloodlines, powerful backers, or overwhelming abilities.

Others, however, depicted protagonists who began as ordinary people, struggling before they eventually rose to prominence.

When the Fantasy Library collected these imagined lives, it automatically filtered out the most illogical or broken settings, only keeping those that could exist within reason.

Even so, not all lives were created equal.

Some began at the peak, while others started at rock bottom—meaning that the experience could either be a dream come true or an absolute nightmare.

And now, as part of his first entry into a fantasy world, Kaiser had to randomly draw one life experience from these pages.

Once the selection was made, the remaining pages would vanish. Even if he reentered this world in the future, he would always follow the same path he was about to choose now.

After all, once he completed a life experience in a fantasy world, that world would become real.

At this moment, he was undergoing the process of choosing his role in this world.

If he was lucky, he would be the protagonist.

If he was unlucky… well, then he'd have to struggle to survive.

And worst of all—he had no control over this selection process.

Even as the pages swirled around him, Kaiser could only stand there and watch.

Time passed.

The number of pages dwindled, one after another.

Until finally—

Only one remained.

"Clang!"

At that moment, the book in his hands emitted a radiant glow.

Within that glow, a title appeared on the cover, as if an invisible pen had just written it into existence.

"The Asterisk War"

"...This world?"

Kaiser's expression flickered in shock.

"Shff!"

Suddenly, the last remaining page transformed into a streak of light and shot straight into his mind.

At the same time, the book in his hands lifted from his grip, opening once more in front of him.

Its pages remained intact, but now, they were all blank.

Because the one who would write the story… had yet to step inside.

As if guided by an unseen force, Kaiser reached out and touched the book.

The next second—

He vanished.

The only thing left behind was the book, hovering in midair, gently rising and falling as though breathing.

—

"————"

Kaiser's consciousness shifted.

He felt himself severed from solid ground, yet he was not floating.

Everything in his vision had been washed in white, devoid of any color.

The space around him wavered, like a film scene transitioning at a thousand times slower speed, gradually replacing the image of the mysterious Library with something else.

Then, as the white faded, the wavering ceased.

And his feet touched solid ground once more.

It was only then that Kaiser realized—

He was in a classroom.

A multipurpose classroom, to be precise.

There were only a few dozen desks, spaced apart from one another, each occupied by a student.

All of them wore school uniforms, giving Kaiser a strong sense of déjà vu—like he had just returned to his high school days.

At the front of the classroom stood a teacher, delivering a lecture. Behind him, a projected window displayed a catastrophic scene.

"This is the Invertia—an unprecedented disaster that changed the world."

The teacher's monotonous voice droned on.

"It struck the earth in the 20th century, bringing unparalleled devastation."

"For three days and nights, meteor showers rained down across the globe, obliterating countless cities."

"Nations crumbled. The world order was completely reshaped. If not for the rise of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, civilization as we know it may never have recovered."

The teacher's delivery was uninspired, causing most students to nod off in boredom.

"Furthermore, it was through the Invertia that humanity discovered an unknown element—Mana."

"This discovery not only revolutionized science and technology but also led to the emergence of a new kind of human—Genestella."

"And that is exactly what all of you are."

Most of the students remained completely uninterested, barely paying attention.

But Kaiser—seated near the corner—was gripping his hand tightly.

He slowly lowered his gaze and looked at his palm.

Within it, stardust flickered.

Tiny specks of light, like the cosmos itself, danced across his skin.

As he felt an entirely new power coursing through his veins, he understood.

At this very moment, he had truly become what the teacher was describing.

A Genestella.