The only few interesting manuals were the magic manuals of Astran foot techniques, but they were useless to Julian. They focused on basic movement arts and ground-based combat forms that held no value for someone of his level and knowledge.

With that, he climbed the spiral staircase to the second floor.

The moment he stepped onto the second level, the atmosphere changed noticeably. The air felt heavier, almost thicker, as if something eerie was stored here. The mana lamps burned with a deeper hue, casting long shadows between the shelves.

Many of the books here were locked behind enchanted glass cases or bound with glowing runes that pulsed faintly when he approached.

The second floor was clearly reserved for more sensitive material.

Julian moved slowly down the central aisle, his fingers brushing lightly over the locked cases as he scanned the titles.

Most of the texts here were still disappointing. Advanced fire and lightning cultivation manuals. Detailed records of past Astran wars. A few forbidden healing techniques that bordered on life extension.

He pulled down one particularly old-looking tome titled On the Nature of Corrupting Flames and flipped through it quickly. It spoke of demonic flames and cursed mana, but nothing matched the specific black flame signature he had seen in Kraven’s memory.

He placed it back and continued deeper.

The silence here was even more profound than on the first floor. There were no servants, no guards inside the main chamber. It seemed even guards were not permitted to enter here.

Julian, however, appreciated the solitude.

As he moved toward the far end of the second floor, he stopped in front of a tall, locked cabinet marked with the Astran crest and a reddish pulsing rune.

After a brief examination, Julian sent a small amount of his mana into the lock and bypassed it with ease. The mechanism clicked open softly.

click

Inside was a normal-looking book with no cover. There were only pages that were stitched together, bound by nothing more than thick thread.

Interested, Julian pulled the book out.

The moment his fingers touched the coverless pages, something slipped into his body.

It was fast - like a small, fine thorns piercing straight through his skin and into his bloodstream.

Surprised, Julian immediately created distance and focused inward with all his concentration.

Meanwhile, inside his consciousness...

A grand, whitish sword had materialized.

It was massive, radiant, and impossibly sharp, hovering in the vast mental space like a divine judgment.

Around it, several smaller blades hovered in perfect formation, spinning slowly like satellites around a star. The blades pulsed with cold, pure energy that felt completely alien to Kraven’s sea of consciousness.

What is going on? Julian thought as he watched the bizarre sight from a distance.

As if responding to his confusion, the white sword surged forward without warning, shooting toward the deeper part of Kraven’s consciousness with terrifying speed.

No way, Julian muttered internally.

Its target was his soul.

For a second, a hint of genuine panic flashed across his features. If his soul were to be harmed in any way whatsoever, he could not even begin to imagine what it could lead to. The connection to his original body at the Silver Moon Inn, his very existence in this world... everything depended on the integrity of his soul. A single crack could unravel everything he had built here.

He reacted instantly.

With a surge of his own will, Julian manifested a barrier of golden-red flames around the core of his soul. The white sword slammed into the fiery shield with a silent but violent impact.

clang

Sparks of pure white light exploded outward as the two opposing forces clashed. The smaller blades followed, spinning like deadly projectiles, trying to find gaps in his defense.

The mental space trembled under the assault.

Julian focused everything he had, reinforcing the barrier while simultaneously trying to analyze the attacking sword.

It was not random. This was definitely a trap designed to protect the book or punish anyone who touched it without authorization.

An ancient security measure, he realized.

The white sword pressed harder and its edge managed to cut through layers of his flame barrier.

Julian gritted his teeth (both mentally and physically in the real world). He could feel the strain on his consciousness.

He had to end this quickly.

With a decisive mental command, Julian poured more of his original God Realm essence into the barrier, temporarily overriding the world’s suppression. The flames around his soul blazed brighter, turning from golden-red to a pure, blinding white-gold. The white sword recoiled slightly, as if burned by the superior power.

Taking advantage of the momentary opening, Julian lashed out with a condensed blade of his own will. It struck the white sword directly, forcing it back. The smaller blades scattered like frightened birds.

The guardian sword hovered for a moment longer, pulsing with frustration, before it slowly faded away, retreating into the pages of the book.

Only after confirming that the sword was completely gone did Julian open his eyes and exhale sharply. His shoulders relaxed as the mental pressure lifted.

That was dangerous, he thought, wiping a thin layer of sweat from his brow.

The book was far more protected than he had anticipated. Whatever secrets it held, the Astran family had gone to great lengths to ensure only the worthy could access them.

Just as he thought everything was over, a massive pain completely took over his body, blinding his senses in an instant.

"Argh—!"

Julian screamed, clutching his head tightly with both hands. The pain was unlike anything he had experienced in this world.

His eyes went blind, plunged into absolute darkness even though he knew they were still open.

His head throbbed violently, as if a giant was squeezing his skull between its fingers, trying to crush it into pulp.

His soul felt like it was scorching, burning from the inside out, every fragment of his consciousness screaming in agony.

He knew exactly what this was.

The world he was currently in was a realm that could only hold up to Grand Mage level power.

Anything above that would be forcefully ejected without explanation or mercy. In that split second of panic when facing the guardian sword, he had used a small portion of his original God Realm essence to reinforce his soul barrier.

The world had recognized the foreign, superior power as a threat and was now trying to expel him entirely.

Julian collapsed to one knee and his body convulsed violently as the invisible force tried to tear him out of this plane of existence. His vision remained pitch black. His ears rang with a high-pitched screech that drowned out everything else.

Every nerve in his body felt like it was being pulled apart and burned simultaneously. Even the connection to his original body at the Silver Moon Inn flickered dangerously, threatening to snap.

Not now—!

He gritted his teeth so hard he tasted blood. With sheer willpower, he forced his consciousness to stabilize. He could not allow himself to be ejected. Not here. Not like this.

If his soul was damaged or forcibly removed, the consequences would be catastrophic. The thread connecting him to his real body might break permanently, or worse... he could be scattered across the void between realms.

But as he had expected, because he had used only a small amount of his God Realm essence, the pain only lasted for a few agonizing seconds before it began to subside.

The darkness receded. The ringing in his ears faded. The burning sensation in his soul cooled into a dull, throbbing ache.

Julian remained on one knee for a long moment, breathing heavily, his body drenched in cold sweat. His hands were still pressed against his temples, fingers trembling slightly from the aftershocks.

He slowly lowered his hands and opened his eyes.

The library came back into focus. Everything was exactly as it had been.

Julian let out a long, shaky breath and pushed himself back to his feet. His legs felt unsteady, but he forced them to hold. He looked down at the coverless book still lying on the table.

Too risky to touch again without preparation, he thought.

The guardian was gone for now, but the book itself was clearly dangerous. He would need to study it more carefully later, perhaps with additional safeguards or after strengthening his control over Kraven’s body further.

He stood there for several minutes, steadying his breathing and checking the condition of his soul and mana core. The brief ejection attempt had strained him, but it had not caused permanent damage. His connection to his original body was still intact, though slightly thinner than before.

He would need to be far more careful from now on. This world’s laws were strict. Any further use of God Realm power, even in small amounts, could trigger another expulsion.

Julian’s expression hardened.

He had gained valuable information today, but the cost had been higher than expected. The library held secrets, but accessing them would require patience and preparation. He could not afford reckless mistakes.

He carefully placed the book back inside the cabinet and sealed it once more, making sure the locks were restored as closely as possible to their original state. Then he turned and began walking toward the staircase leading back down to the first floor.