The Extra's Rise - Chapter 602

Chapter 602: Mortis Lucida (2)
“This,” Meilyn said with quiet intensity, “is a spell of enlightenment.”

Enlightenment. The word carried weight that went far beyond its mundane usage. In my previous world, enlightenment had been a philosophical concept, something achieved through meditation and self-reflection. Here, it was as real and measurable as gravity or thermodynamics.

I had experienced enlightenment myself—that sudden, overwhelming rush of understanding that had propelled me past the Wall from Integration to Ascendant rank. The moment when scattered knowledge crystallized into perfect clarity, when the universe itself seemed to whisper its secrets directly into my consciousness.

There were distinct categories of enlightenment, each serving different purposes in a practitioner’s development. Natural enlightenment came in two forms: progression enlightenment, the catalyst required to ascend between major ranks, and awakening enlightenment, the initial burst of understanding that accompanied a Gift’s manifestation. Without progression enlightenment, crossing the barriers between Ascendant, Immortal, and Radiant ranks remained impossible—the universe simply wouldn’t permit such advancement without the requisite understanding.

But this scroll represented something different entirely.

“This type of enlightenment happens by connecting with the Akashic Records,” Meilyn explained, her voice taking on the reverent tone reserved for discussing forces beyond mortal comprehension.

“The Akashic Records?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. In my previous world, the Akashic Records had been pure fiction—a mystical library supposedly containing all knowledge of past, present, and future across the entire universe.

‘Oh, they’re very real,’ Luna’s voice whispered in my mind, carrying an odd note of reverence I rarely heard from her. ‘Even we qilin speak of the Great Library in hushed tones. Akasha is… ancient beyond measure.’

“The Akashic Records are very real, Arthur,” Meilyn said, watching my reaction carefully. “I saw them myself when I used Mortis Lucida. A massive, sprawling, incomparable library that stretches beyond the horizon in every direction. Infinite shelves containing infinite knowledge, all overseen by Akasha, the Librarian. When you activate this spell, it grants you access to that very place.”

“How is that possible?” The question burst from me with desperate curiosity.

“Nobody knows,” Meilyn admitted with a slight shake of her head. “This isn’t a spell crafted by human hands or mortal understanding. Mortis Lucida is the creation of Akasha herself—a being worthy of being called a god.”

The word ‘god’ hung in the air like a foreign concept. Religion as I had known it didn’t exist in this world, making Meilyn’s casual reference to divinity both jarring and significant. If someone of her caliber used such terminology, the entity in question operated on scales that defied conventional understanding.

‘She’s not wrong to call Akasha a god,’ Luna murmured thoughtfully. ‘Though ‘god’ is such a limited word for what she truly is. The Librarian exists outside the normal flow of time and space, maintaining knowledge that predates the creation of worlds.’

I stared down at the ancient parchment in my hands, feeling the weight of knowledge it contained. The script was unlike anything I had seen before—not quite writing, not quite symbols, but something that seemed to shift and flow when I wasn’t looking directly at it. The very air around the scroll hummed with potential energy.

“However,” Meilyn continued, her expression growing stern, “you must not use this spell lightly, Arthur. In fact, I strongly advise you to avoid using it at all unless you face truly grave danger—the kind where your life hangs by a thread and no other option remains.”

I frowned, looking up from the scroll. “If it’s so powerful, why the restriction?”

“Because power always comes with cost,” she replied gravely. “You’re strong enough and talented enough to survive the process—that’s why I’m giving this to you now instead of two years ago when we first met. Back then, you were too weak to handle the strain, and more importantly…” She paused, a wry smile crossing her features. “You had an unfortunate penchant for finding yourself in dangerous situations. You would have used it at the first sign of real trouble and likely died from the attempt.”

The assessment stung because it was accurate.

“The Akashic Records will provide you with exactly one book,” Meilyn continued, settling back into her chair with the air of someone imparting crucial wisdom. “Containing the enlightenment you need for your specific situation at that moment. It’s not unlimited knowledge—it’s precisely what you require to survive or overcome whatever challenge you face. Think of it as the universe’s way of giving you a single, perfect answer to an impossible question.”

I nodded slowly, beginning to understand the gravity of what she was entrusting to me. This wasn’t just a powerful spell—it was a lifeline, a final resort when all other options had been exhausted. The kind of tool that could mean the difference between life and death, but only if used with perfect judgment.

“The process itself is… intense,” Meilyn added, her golden eyes distant with memory. “You don’t simply read the knowledge—it becomes part of you instantly and completely. When I used it during my own moment of desperation, the understanding hit me like a avalanche. One moment I was drowning in impossible circumstances, the next I possessed exactly the insight needed to survive. But the mental strain nearly broke me, and I was considerably stronger then than you are now.”

The weight of the scroll in my hands seemed to increase with each word. Such power came with tremendous responsibility—not just to use it wisely, but to ensure I was worthy of bearing it in the first place.

“There’s something else you need to address before you’d ever consider using this,” Meilyn said, her tone shifting to something more instructional. “Your balance has become dangerously skewed, Arthur. Your Deepdark has far surpassed your Purelight development, and that imbalance is limiting your true potential.”

The observation hit like a physical blow. I had known my Deepdark abilities were advancing rapidly, especially after my symbiotic integration with Valeria, but I hadn’t fully considered how that might be affecting the delicate equilibrium required for optimal performance.

“You need to focus heavily on Purelight techniques going forward,” she advised seriously. “Your strength comes from the harmony between opposing forces, not from the dominance of one over the other. Until you restore that balance, you’re operating at a fraction of what you could achieve—and more importantly, the imbalance makes you vulnerable to certain types of attacks that specifically target such weaknesses.”

I absorbed her words, recognizing the wisdom in her assessment. The symbiotic integration with Valeria had been extraordinary, but it caused Purelight to be behind Deepdark.

“How do I correct it?” I asked, setting aside my pride in favor of practical necessity.

“Discipline and patience,” Meilyn replied. “Focus your training on Purelight techniques exclusively for the next several months. I know it will feel like deliberately slowing your progress, but you need to bring your light-based abilities up to match your mastery of darkness. Only then will you be able to access the true synergy between them.”

As I carefully secured the scroll by storing it inside my spatial ring, I felt the weight of new responsibility settling over me. The power to access the Akashic Records was beyond anything I had imagined possible, but with it came the burden of perfect judgment. One moment of weakness, one instant of poor decision-making, and I could waste the greatest gift I had ever received.

The thought was both terrifying and oddly comforting. In a world where power often came through violence and conflict, it was reassuring to know that somewhere in the cosmos, a vast library existed where knowledge waited patiently for those desperate enough to seek it.

‘Just promise me you won’t use it unless you absolutely have to,’ Luna said quietly, her mental voice carrying genuine concern. ‘I know of what happens to those who aren’t ready for the Librarian’s attention. The knowledge itself can be overwhelming enough to shatter unprepared minds.’

I just hoped I would never be desperate enough to need it.