Black Phoenix Heir

Outside the Library, Lyra sat cross-legged beside Victor.

She had been cultivating quietly for some time.

Victor, however, was completely lost in his own cultivation.

His breathing had slowed to an almost imperceptible rhythm. His attention was so deeply focused inward that Lyra could no longer feel his awareness extending toward her through their Soul Bond.

That was unusual.

Throughout their time together, Victor had never been this completely absorbed.

Lyra glanced at him.

She had never once tried to peer into Victor’s inner world.

The thought had never really interested her. In fact, before their relationship had changed, the idea had almost felt repulsive.

But now…

She was curious.

She had already seen Victor peer into her inner world several times. He had seen her Core, her bloodline, and her Shadow Flame.

At this point, she reasoned, it was only fair.

Yeah. It’s only fair.

Lyra focused on the connection between their souls.

The moment she did, her consciousness slipped through the Soul Bond.

Her surroundings disappeared.

A moment later, she found herself inside Victor’s inner world.

Lyra’s eyes widened.

His Core floated within the darkness of his Inner World.

It was beautiful.

Unlike anything she had ever seen before, the Core appeared almost like a solid mass of crystallized energy, constantly rotating within itself. It pulsed gently as it spun, giving off a faint, brilliant glow that illuminated the surrounding darkness.

Lyra stared at it for several seconds.

Then her attention shifted.

The flame.

Victor’s Black Phoenix Flame burned beside his Core.

It was enormous compared to her own Shadow Flame.

Dark.

Almost impossibly deep.

Yet there was a faint purple hue hidden within the blackness, as though another color existed beneath the surface.

Lyra stared.

The longer she looked, the harder it became to look away.

Something seemed to move within the flame.

At first, she thought it was simply the shape of the fire.

Then she saw it.

A silhouette.

A black phoenix seemed to take shape within the flames, its outline appearing for only a moment before disappearing again.

1

Lyra’s eyes widened.

She tried to understand what she was seeing.

But the more she focused on it, the stranger she felt.

Her thoughts became slower.

Her awareness began to fade.

What’s happening?

Panic suddenly surged through her.

She tried to pull herself away.

The Black Flame seemed to draw her deeper.

Her consciousness began to warp.

Then everything disappeared.

⸻

When Lyra opened her eyes again, she was standing somewhere completely different.

She looked around.

Rows upon rows of enormous bookshelves stretched into the distance.

1

Lyra had no idea where she was.

She didn’t know what the strange objects around her were.

She took a cautious step forward.

Then—

Her foot caught on something.

”Ah—!”

She fell forward.

THUD!

Several books scattered across the floor.

Victor and Jack immediately turned around.

Victor stared at her.

His mind went completely blank.

How had she entered the Library?

Jack looked just as confused.

Neither of them had any idea what had happened.

Lyra slowly pushed herself up and looked toward Victor.

”Hey, Victor.”

She gave him a guilty smile.

She already had a pretty good idea why she was here.

Victor, however, wasn’t thinking about that.

He was still trying to understand how she had entered the Library.

Can anyone enter if they look into my inner world?

He thought about it.

Probably not.

If that were possible, there was no reason the Library would have remained hidden for so long.

The Soul Bond was the obvious difference.

It must be because of our connection.

And if Lyra could enter the Library…

Victor’s eyes slowly brightened.

This could actually be useful.

Lyra had recently gained her Shadow Flame through the Soul Bond. She needed to understand it better.

The Library contained countless forms of knowledge.

If she could learn here, she might be able to develop her abilities much faster.

Before Victor could say anything, Jack walked over to Lyra.

”So you must be Lyra.”

He reached down and helped her to her feet.

Lyra smiled politely.

”It’s a pleasure to meet you. But I don’t know your name.”

Jack froze.

He slowly turned toward Victor.

”You haven’t even told her about me?”

1

His expression was one of genuine disbelief.

Victor suddenly found the books on the nearby table very interesting.

Jack stared at him.

Victor continued looking at the book.

1

Jack sighed.

”My name is Jack. I’m the spirit of this Library.”

He turned back toward Lyra.

”You’re probably very confused about all of this, and understandably so. I’m guessing Victor hasn’t told you much about this place.”

Lyra looked around.

”No.”

Jack spread his arms.

”This is the Black Phoenix Library.”

”The Black Phoenix Library?”

Lyra repeated the words.

Then she frowned.

”What’s a library?”

1

Jack paused.

Victor also looked at her.

Jack blinked several times.

”A library is…”

He glanced around at the thousands upon thousands of books.

”…where books are kept.”

Lyra stared blankly.

”What’s a book?”

1

Jack’s mouth opened.

Then closed.

Victor looked at Lyra.

”You don’t know what books are?”

She shook her head.

Victor finally understood.

The Shadow Fox Clan had lived in isolation for generations. The tribe had been isolated. Even the Lava Rock Monkey Clan had remained largely separated from the outside world.

Thousands of years of isolation had undoubtedly caused enormous amounts of knowledge to disappear.

Jack, meanwhile, had begun explaining.

”Books are objects that store knowledge. People read the words inside them to understand that knowledge.”

Lyra froze.

She glanced at Victor.

She didn’t know how to read.

1

Lyra quickly composed herself.

”Oh.”

She nodded.

”So books store knowledge, and you use the read technique to understand what’s inside them. Those books are kept in a library.”

Victor gave her a peculiar look.

The technique to read?

He had never heard anyone describe reading like that.

Jack, however, didn’t seem to notice anything strange.

”Yes! Exactly!”

Lyra nodded.

That seemed to settle the matter.

Jack continued explaining.

He told her about alchemy.

He explained how the Library contained ancient knowledge that had been preserved for thousands upon thousands of years.

He explained how alchemy could be used to refine spiritual plants, beast materials, and other resources into powerful medicines and other creations.

The longer Lyra listened, the more interested she became.

By the time Jack finished explaining the basics, her eyes were filled with curiosity.

She turned toward Victor.

”Victor.”

”Hm?”

”Would I be allowed to use this Library?”

Victor didn’t hesitate.

”Of course.”

He smiled.

”Our souls are already connected. At this point, the Library is just as much yours as it is mine.”

1

Jack’s eyes immediately lit up.

”This is going to be awesome!”

Victor looked at him.

Jack practically bounced with excitement.

”I’d be more than happy to show you everything! I can teach you how the Library works, explain alchemy, help you understand the different areas—”

Victor stared.

When he had first met Jack, the Library Spirit had barely given him anything.

Victor had been forced to figure out most things himself.

Now Jack was practically volunteering to personally tutor Lyra.

Victor narrowed his eyes.

Favoritism.

1

He shook his head. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

”I see how it is.”

Jack ignored him completely.

Lyra, meanwhile, seemed genuinely interested.

Victor eventually stood.

”Well, I’m going to head to the Alchemy Room.”

He glanced toward the shelves.

”I want to try practicing the Spirit Accumulation Pill again.”

Jack didn’t even look at him.

He was still talking to Lyra.

Victor sighed.

”Fine.”

Lyra looked toward him.

”Can I see the process?”

Victor shrugged.

”Sure. Why not?”

Victor walked toward the Alchemy Room.

Lyra followed beside him.

And Jack happily trailed behind them.