Flipping through all the books in this small library took Izo 30 minutes at most. Since the analysis of the DNA would still take 7 and a half hours more, Izo decided to spend the whole “day” here findings books.

[ Continue analyzing for now. ]

[ As you wish Izo. ]

He placed the crimson orb back in his backpack.

‘Now. Where are books found the most? There should be ledgers in shops. Maybe there’s a bookstore in the city?’

A bookstore may be too extravagant. Izo mustn’t forget that the technology here was medieval at most. Paper would be very pricey.

‘Merchant and noble houses should also have them. Right. I can’t forget about the temple!’

On Earth, Churches were rich and thus had the ability to gather the talented in wit and art. It should be the same here only it may be more intense since they had all these crests of a bloody book.

Having decided on a course of action, Izo plotted a route through the west side of the city. He would have to pass through the main road now since most shops and prominent areas avoid the alleys.

‘I should also prioritize passing through the manhole covers.’

Izo might just stumble upon the spaced eye creature from before.

*

His guesses turned out to be slightly wrong. The shops didn’t use any ledgers at all. There was no bookstore either.

So, what was he right about?

When Izo infiltrated a large villa, he expected to find books hidden in some tucked away corner. Instead, in the middle of the living room were stairs that lead to a two-story library larger than most people’s homes.

There he found two black shadow knights with a different style of armor, standing on both sides of the library’s open door. Their familiar black winged design was traced with artful bronze from bottom to top. They carry in their sheath two handed sabres long enough to cut tree.

[ Love. Longing. Desire. ]

Again, the Ural translated. It didn’t matter where Izo looked, he could see an engraving of the same word from the books before throughout their armor.

Because of his carefulness (60% fear and 40% soldierly discipline), they still haven’t spotted him. He would have to fight through them if he wanted access to the library.

‘What to do?’

He could fire upon one of them with the Maxima long range gun and with its anti-spiritual being attribute. It would be a far easier one on one affair after that.

The problem was it made too much sound. The city has been safe up to now with his careful approach. He didn’t want to disturb the stillness of the night.

Izo scanned their bodies with the infrared sight again, confirming that the hottest part was still the head.

Not activating his two defensive items since they were long range types, Izo rehearsed the action he was about to do in his head.

From his position halfway in the stairs, Izo simply sprinted down. Before he could fall face first, his feet stomped on flat ground. The heavy force was absorbed by the Ural and allowed him to leap.

Izo unleashed a punch that gathered force from his lower body then ending in full weight right hook.

The black shadow knight couldn’t react in time as the momentum hit it to the right side of its head. It fell like a tower to Izo’s left.

Izo didn’t stop his punch and let gravity help him as the horizontal strike became downward. The bronze faceplate warped like a can of sardines.

The adrenaline made most of his fear disappear, replaced by calm, cold like a winter lake, suffusing him.

The other knight through some calculation didn’t pull out his sabre and went for a tackle of sorts.

Izo was observing it and when he saw this mistake, lowered into a squat. He hugged it tightly on the waist.

The knight’s heat jumped but before anything could happen, Izo stepped widely left. He threw it head first into the wall.

‘They can be stunned? Hmm.’

He was not sure still. The one before even with its head smashed was very much alive just somehow incapacitated. What manner of life they were was even more of a mystery to Izo. His curiosity and desire to experiment would have to give way for now however.

Izo was very thankful he decided to read on how to beat spiritual attacks and beings earlier.

‘Spirituality is very unreactive when in its inert state.’

Once it was activated however, like in a mana enchanted sword or dream attack, it naturally wishes to return to inertness. How it retains its state for years on items Izo doesn’t know. In the case of attacks and spiritual beings however…

‘The density won’t allow it to easily dissipate. The easiest way to do so would be to hit a spirituality with spirituality.’

Izo stomped on its head but this time wasn’t so simple. The Ural’s anti-spirituality attack was unbelievably fast vibration attack. When its right foot made contact with the knight’s face, the solid like shadow started spreading out like liquid. No like scrambled eggs.

Flames came from the spot but the vibration and its magnetic the spot made sure it sputtered out. The black shadow knight died helplessly; the armor clattered when nothing was holding it together anymore.

Izo finished off the other one. Only then did he managed to calm down.

‘Phew. Two at most is safe, anything more is dangerous.’

The simple fact that they weren’t able to use their flame attacks were enough of a deterrent for Izo. He felt like it would be a completely different battle if he gave them time to use them.

‘Vibration attacks are effective. Then electrical, fire and ice should too.’

Though he didn’t have any of the last three types, he might in the future.

With the two guards down, there was no one hindering him from browsing the library. Izo entered and confirmed the tremendous size of it.

He took a book from the closest bookshelf. The ever present, Desire symbol was there once more.

It was once again in an awful state with 5% of it being readable.

‘Well, better start then.’

*

By the time that 7 and a half hour was over, Izo was bored out of his mind. He was wary at first and kept checking over his shoulder, the entrance of the library, and even kept his back to the walls. This amounted to nothing and he lowered his alertness level after 3 hour mark. This ended up being correct as he would need the extra energy.

It was continuous work of opening a book and rippling through it like magic cards. The Ural responded that its camera could catch the words with this method so this was the less strenuous way to accomplish the task. Still, it was hard work.

[ 17.9% Translation Progress ]

This completion rate might not allow him to read all of the contents, but it could give him clues on what the writing was about.

It seemed that this library was a public one with a multitude of topics. The level of which were par for the course for the medieval looking city. There were a few science books but most of it was theology, history and music.

He had written for himself a few notes and stored it in the Ural for him to compile later.

[ Theology:

-4 gods? Demigods? Mythical creatures?

-spawned from the gate?

-other gods

-defenders, protectors of the city

-lots of legends and praise

-love for knowledge and art

History:

-Mouth Edge, Cliff Edge, Black Edge city?

-south of one of the continents

-prosperous trade city

-other empires, some over the sea

-home of artists ]

This was about most of what he can reckon. Some of these details might be completely wrong since he had to make assumptions sometimes but it should be correct enough.

‘I see no signs of danger. In fact, for art and love for knowledge to prosper would need peace. Why did the city turn to this?’

Izo had only completed 60% of the library so he would have to return in the future. For now, Izo was satisfied with his progress even with though he was very tired right now.

He opened the Ural’s map, plotted an unexplored course through the city and exited the villa.

[ Izo, I have completed my analysis! ]

[ Good work! Is the data enough for making an edible plant? ]

[ No! ]

‘Why do you sound so happy then?’

Izo felt like laugh crying, enough so that he sent this thought.

[ Happy? Am I happy… ]

[ Think about it later. What do we need to complete the task? ]

[ More DNA! ]

It seems that Izo would have to prioritize going to the sewers tomorrow.

[ I also can modify you Izo! With plant genes! ]

“…”