The Narrative Of the Dead

Kill me? Was he serious? Yes, actually. I got a good look at him, he looked serious.

I don't think this man is joking, and I don't think I can run away or defeat him.

"May I humbly ask why you would do so?" I said while rubbing my neck.

"Simple," he replied, his voice calm yet commanding. "You seem to hold so much knowledge and power, yet your body is weak. It irritates me."

I stared at him blankly for a moment before sighing. "Well, wouldn't you like to know why? What if I'm some all-knowing god?"

He chuckled, his crimson eyes narrowing as he scrutinized me closely. "No, you seem different. Like you're from a different world."

Well, damn, that was fast. I didn't expect anyone to tell, but this guy… I'm not sure I recognize his appearance.

So either he is extremely strong and useless, or so extremely strong that he wasn't even written into the story yet.

That's the more likely answer.

"I assure you, I'm of this world a resident of Veritas. My surname serves as a reminder of that."

I bowed lowly. "Hello, good sir. I am Inanis Fariness."

His gaze lingered from my eyes to my sword, then to my gun, and finally my bag.

"You are a traveler or maybe a wandering scholar. What is your destination?"

"The capital, sir. If I'm correct, it's about a week away."

He nodded before sighing. "Well, I was kidding. I won't kill you for such a useless reason. But do be warned I am the kindest of those above the Veil."

He then started walking past me, and as I turned my head to follow his movements, he disappeared completely.

Leaving only red mist with the smell of blood and a sense of fear that weighed on me like shackles.

I turned back and took a deep breath before pulling out my notepad and flipping through the endless pages.

Then I wrote down his appearance and, presumably, his Order.

That man… I'm certain of only one thing: he was someone among the strongest in the world, the Veil.

Only me and Natalie should know about that. It wasn't even mentioned in the novel.

It's a reference to the world beyond this universe and its kin alike. Once they transcend the Veil, they transcend everyone beneath it.

How truly remarkable. I just met a transcendent being, one who allowed me to gaze upon him without dying nonetheless.

...

One might call me unlucky, and they wouldn't be wrong. 

After all, I encountered a being who could slaughter me in an instant, followed by a man who pointed a gun at my head.

Only this man was someone I recognized. Leon Bell.

The same Leon Bell was destined to cross paths with the protagonist and eventually become a mentor after his transmigration.

His hair was a blend of gold and silver, streaked with slight wrinkles under his eyes, a look that simultaneously spoke of age and youth.

Dressed sharply in a fitted suit, he held a gun steady in his hand, his light skin illuminated by the sun.

"Listen, I'm not sure who you are, but I need you to hand over your bag and leave," he said, his voice firm, with a frown that only deepened with each passing second.

I considered my options, my mind racing.

Leon was important to the plot, a pivotal figure I couldn't afford to simply let rob me.

But more than that, he was on the job wearing a suit, which meant he was still working as a detective and a bounty hunter.

Why was he robbing me? Well, as the story goes, Leon was no stranger to bending the rules. A bastard and a prick who thrived on ruining people's days.

"Listen, man," I said, my voice calm yet firm as I rested my hand on my gun, "just walk away unless you actually intend to fight."

Leon raised his revolver, a pulse of white energy crackling around its barrel, the weapon humming with power.

"Fight you?" he said, his confusion evident. "Don't you get it? I'm going to kill you!"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Alright, Leon, what's the best way to kill a cat?"

He gave me a bewildered look, his brow furrowing deeper with confusion. Before he could utter some stupid, incorrect answer, I continued.

"Leave a mouse as bait."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did, Leon's expression darkened into something more akin to irritation than confusion.

His grip on the revolver tightened, but the energy flickering around the weapon flickered briefly before fading.

Leon paused, his frown deepening. "You think you can scare me off with riddles?"

"I don't need riddles," I said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. "Just your imagination."

"Leon Bell, age thirty-five, occupational bounty hunter, and detective on his off time, a wanted man in the kingdom of Grandia and the mouse paid by the cat."

He wavered his gaze slightly, and in that split second, I seized the opportunity. My hand moved swiftly, grabbing his gun and flicking it, pointing it back at him.

"Hey, what's the best way to kill a mouse?" I asked with a cold edge to my voice.

Leon's eyes sharpened, and his lips parted slightly as he spoke in a low, measured tone. "Lure out a cat."

I nodded in contempt. Leon also had someone hunting him a figure far more dangerous than a mere bounty.

Someone who wasn't content with just hunting. This person sought to eliminate him entirely.

I leaned in slightly, speaking with a calm, unwavering tone.

"You see, Leon, I know exactly who you are. And I'm not just some scholar caught in the crossfire. I'm the bait needed to catch you."

His hands slowly raised in a gesture of surrender, though his expression flickered with unease. "Who are you? I'm sure I've never seen you at any gathering."

He referred to the clandestine gatherings of hunters, those who tread dangerous paths.

Of course, he hadn't seen me. I was just some small-town scholar; I existed far beyond the reach of their limited world.

"I'm someone far beyond the hunters, dear Leon," I said, my voice carrying a weight that brooked no argument.

"I suggest you try and rob someone else, or better yet, stop altogether."

I released his gun, allowing it to crash to the ground. Without hesitation, I stepped on it, shattering the weapon beneath my foot.

I threw my gun into his grasp.

"Take note," I said coldly, "the only reason you're still breathing is because I don't feel like killing you."

Leon's eyes locked onto mine, his frown deep and his mind calculating.

For a moment, he studied me as though trying to discern whether I was bluffing or not.

He knew well enough that killing wasn't always the answer, especially when it wasn't worth the risk.

"I'll remember this," he said.

I smirked faintly. "Let's hope you remember that, Leon. Next time, maybe you'll think twice before pointing a gun at someone who knows your game."

With that, he slowly lowered his hands, his gaze lingering one last time before turning to leave.

The echoes of his footsteps soon faded into the distance, leaving the empty road in silence.

As I began to walk away, I heard his voice behind me.

"Are you going to report this to the hunters?" Leon asked, his tone cautious.

I didn't turn around. "No," I said simply.

Leon's brow furrowed. "You're not?"

I glanced over my shoulder, a faint smile on my lips. "Of course not," I said, continuing my walk past him.

With that, I left him standing alone on the road, watching as I disappeared into the horizon.

I think that was good; I put on a confident and powerful front.

If I'm going to influence this world, I need to be impactful to those who matter.

I needed him to remember me. It's only a few months before he aaactulizs his pathway and follows his Order.

As for my Order, well, as a scholar, I suppose I should be smart and knowledgeable. But, well, Scholar is only the first part.

A Scholar is an admirer of novels and literature; I need to follow my Order, and become Archiver.

When one is born into a pathway, they are given a set of tasks not by choice, but by stark requirements. Tasks one must achieve to reach the next level.

As there are stages, each gap between levels is grand. And by grand, I mean if I'm a bug, the next level would be something akin to a god.

So, I should definitely try my hardest to grow stronger, at least in that aspect.

I pulled out my notepad and flipped through the pages. Then I wrote down all the information I had on Leon.

After thinking for a moment, I put away my notepad and grabbed a quill from my bag.

Then I waved my hand over the notepad, and it shifted into something more like a small book.

Taking inspiration from a very good piece of media, I'll call this my Bingo Book.

I placed it back into my pocket and continued walking.

Those who follow my pathway, the Scholar, often never know its true name.

It makes sense considering I don't even know it. I do know one thing, Nat said that Scholar is the start of a greater pathway.

She said that Scholars never reach their full potential and that upon becoming an Archiver, they unlock new abilities.

Once I do that, I'll gain access to even more powers, though I already possess quite a few.

It was a long day, dealing with two individuals who tried—or at least threatened to take my life.

I had hoped to find something on my path after walking for so long, but night still beckoned.

From the looks of it, there wasn't a single lifeform in sight.

But the two moons and the dark sky hung over me.

With it came that overwhelming feeling of dread and despair.

I rested my hand on my sword's hilt and sighed as I continued walking.

It wasn't until I heard a low growl and then a screech that I finally stopped.

Turning around, I saw a large deer.

Its antlers glowed blue, and its eyes looked like vast oceans.

I brandished my sword, bent my knees, trying to assume some semblance of a stance.

Then it let out another low growl and opened its mouth.

This was a creature of the night a monster, something more.

It was tainted by darkness, and with that, it held the maddening ability to wield the very essence of it.

Before I could react, a beam of dark energy crashed into my sword, leaving me dazed as I tumbled against the hard ground.

A rush of memories surged through me. I had fought one of these creatures before once, with a group of ten people.

I looked up at the deer, watching as it charged towards me.

Now was the time I needed to use it.

Magic.

Of course, I was extremely limited. The only way for a Scholar to wield magic is by infusing it with words.

As the deer just reached me, I dodged left and spoke the words, "Veni, potentiam meam," and then kissed my blade.

I swung upward, cutting through the middle of the deer as it spun around, ramming me slightly into the air.

The force knocked the breath out of me, but I managed to steady my fall by planting my sword into the ground.

As I landed, I noticed the antlers glowing, and two orbs of dark energy formed. With terrifying speed, they shot out like bullets from a gun, racing toward me.

I parried both, the sound of metal clashing against dark energy echoing in the night.

I stumbled backward, struggling to maintain my balance as the energy crackled through the air around me.

Before I could react further, the deer rammed into me again, sending me flying through the air.

I hit the ground hard, the impact leaving me dazed as dirt and grass flew into the air around me.

I struggled to stand, my vision blurred from the force of the impact. Yet, as it charged again, I raised my sword and whispered, "Pax cum potential."

A calmness settled over me as I felt my body respond with renewed strength.

The ground beneath me steadied, and the darkness that threatened to overwhelm me began to retreat.

The deer's charge halted mid-step. Its twin orbs glowed with an unsettling light, and for a moment, there was an eerie silence.

Then, the beast knelt slowly to the ground, its massive form folding gracefully before me.

It seems the deer had heard my chant, interesting so I can affect others at my current level.

I reached out hesitantly and ruffled its head, and then I spoke again. "It seems you are going to be very useful."