NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: The Crimson Library
The city of Valtros was still humming under the aftermath of Riven's return.
Calen was now under noble investigation, the court filled with whispers of betrayal. But Riven didn't stop. The System had given him a new direction — and it pointed to a place everyone feared.
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📜 System Quest:
> [Major Questline: The Empire's Core Lies]
Objective: Find hidden records of the "Ashborn Project."
Location: Crimson Library (Sealed Section – Forbidden Knowledge)
Warning: High risk of detection by Imperial Enforcers
Recommended Level: 12
Your Level: 6
Risk Level: Insane
> "The wise man walks through fire. The foolish man avoids it. I am the man who built the fire."
Riven read the quest description with narrowed eyes.
> "This is suicide…"
[System Response: Then wear armor.]
"…You're funny now?"
> [System Trait Unlocked: Sarcastic Companion Mode Activated]
He sighed.
The Crimson Library was a classified archive located beneath the Old Cathedral, accessible only to Imperial Scribes, high-ranking warlocks, and the Emperor's archivists.
But Riven had one advantage: he designed the original security system when he was the Empire's youngest formation engineer.
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🏛️ Midnight – Outside the Old Cathedral
The streets were empty.
He wore a grey hooded robe, enchanted with shadow-displacement runes. In his hand was a black coin, stolen from one of the guards — an old passcode coin from before his fall.
> [Skill: Shadowmeld (Lv. 1) – Passive Camouflage in Darkness Active]
[Status: Invisible to Normal Eyes – 4 minutes remaining]
He knelt near a ruined gargoyle, pressed the coin into the stone base, and whispered:
> "Archivum accessus: Level Prime."
The stones shuddered, and a hidden staircase appeared.
A metallic voice echoed from deep below.
"Voiceprint verified: Kael, Riven. Rank: Engineer Supreme. Welcome home."
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🕯️ Crimson Library – Forbidden Vaults
Thousands of books floated midair, some chained, others whispering.
There were no candles. No guards. Only cold magic humming in the air like dead spirits breathing.
And at the center, an altar with a glowing scroll encased in red crystal.
> [System Notification: Hidden Record Detected – 'Ashborn Subject Logs']
Decrypting…
Warning: Psychological Damage Risk 43%
Would you like to proceed?
"Do it," he whispered.
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📄 [Declassified – Subject 03: Kael, Riven]
> Status: Rejected Candidate
Trait: Chrono-Perception Mutation
Memory Suppression Level: Extreme
Notes: "Unstable. Intelligent. Dangerous if left unchecked. Recommend disposal or deep memory erasure."
Project Lead: Duke Calen Fross
Riven's hands shook.
> They didn't just betray me… They experimented on me. I was a project. A prototype.
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Suddenly, one of the chained books snapped open.
A voice rang in his mind — ancient, cold, not the system.
> "We remember you, Ashborn."
"You were the key once. Will you open the gate again?"
> [System Alert: Unknown Entity Detected]
Warning: Sentient Archive Spirit attempting to link with your mind.
Chance of Sanity Loss: 12%
"Block it," Riven hissed.
> [Mind Shield Activated – System Core Protecting Consciousness]
The voice screamed and faded.
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But someone else had sensed the disturbance.
> [Alert: You are now being tracked by an Imperial Seeker.]
Time until arrival: 4 minutes.
Riven grabbed the scroll, burned the symbols into his memory, and turned to run.
But the way back was already blocked.
> [New Skill Unlocked: Rift Dash – Open a micro-portal through known coordinates (Cooldown: 12 hours)]
With a clenched jaw, he whispered coordinates from outside the cathedral — the old fountain behind the statue of Valor.
> "Rift Dash: Activate."
A glowing crack split the air.
He jumped through it just as shadowy tendrils reached for his throat.
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Outside – Gasping for Air
Riven fell through the portal, landing on his knees beside the cold fountain. His breath came in shudders.
> "The Empire…" he muttered, "They built everything on blood and lies."
> [System Update: Hidden Trait Restored – Chrono Perception (Lv. 1)]
[Effect: Can perceive slowed versions of future possibilities for 1.8 seconds once per hour.]
He stood up slowly.
Now he had proof. Now he had power.
And now… he had a reason to burn it all.
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> [Main Quest Updated: Uncover the Ashborn Experiments – Part 2 Unlocked]
Next Location: The Forgotten Prison of Elrach
Threat Level: Lethal
Reward: Unknown Genetic Memory