The black ink beneath Sora churned endlessly, thick and cold, yet somehow harmless—at least for now.
He floated in the void, unsure if he was falling, standing, or even alive. The darkness stretched infinitely in every direction, yet there was something… waiting.
Then—a door.
It appeared without warning, framed in faint light, as if the void itself had grown tired of him drifting. Sora's fingers trembled as he reached for it. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a vast interior that seemed impossible: endless floating books, twisting towers of pages, ink drifting like mist, shadows stretching without walls. The Library had revealed itself.
[System: New environment detected – Library interior. Hazard: Moderate. Visibility: Partial.]
Sora stepped in cautiously. His eyes darted over the endless shelves, the floating staircases, the swirling ink.
He tried to process what had just happened—his fall, the system, the void, and now this impossible space. His mind was a tangle of fear, curiosity, and disbelief.
And then a single book floated toward him. Its cover shimmered with faint symbols, the ink pulsing like a heartbeat. Sora felt a pull, subtle but irresistible: Open me… open me…
[System: Object detected – Unknown artifact. Caution advised.]
He froze, unsure whether to resist or give in. The book's pull was almost hypnotic, whispering promises of knowledge, power… answers. His hand twitched toward it, mind racing, heart pounding.
"Whoa there, slowpoke!"
The pull vanished. The book hovered harmlessly in midair as a small figure appeared atop a floating page.
The boy looked maybe eight or nine, messy black hair covering his eyes framing a sharp, clever face. His robe sleeves draped past his hands like banners, and that grin… it radiated mischief.
"Ren," he said casually, bowing theatrically, "at your service. And you… almost made a very, very bad choice."
Sora blinked, still trying to piece everything together. "…Wait… what just happened?"
Ren shrugged, hopping lightly to a staircase of pages. "Things happen. Some are fun. Some aren't. You're alive. That's what matters."
The system window blinked open in front of Sora, filling him with a strange mix of awe and confusion:
~
[Entity Detected: Ren]Race: ??? (Unregistered Entity)Role: Guide/????Level: ????HP: — / —MP: — / —Title: ??????Skills:[Passive] Navigation Mastery – Moves flawlessly through the Library without controlling it.[Active] Mischief (Always On) – Plays tricks to test and guide Library entrants.[Hidden] History Veiled – ????
Interaction Mode: TricksterWarning: Mischief Likely~
Sora's fingers trembled as he read. Something felt off—like he wasn't seeing the full picture. Ren's status was incomplete, intentionally vague, teasing the truth without ever showing it.
Ren tilted his head, unaware of the window. Then, faintly, a voice echoed—just for him:
[System to Ren: Do your job.]
For a heartbeat, Ren froze mid-step. His grin wavered, the carefree spark in his eyes flickering. The Library seemed to hum around him, pages pausing in mid-air as if sensing his hesitation.
And just as quickly, he shook it off. His smile snapped back into place, eyes sparkling with mischief. "A talking invisible fan club. Very considerate," he said, hopping lightly to another floating page as if nothing had happened.
Sora's pulse raced. The Library stretched endlessly in every direction, the book hovering silently behind him. He hadn't realized he'd almost fallen into whatever trap it held.
"First lesson," Ren said, bouncing lightly across a floating page, "don't take anything seriously. Ever. Even me."
Sora hesitated. "Even you?"
"Especially me," Ren replied, hopping to another page, stepping lightly as it shifted beneath his feet. "I know my way around here—but that doesn't mean I control it."
[System: Note – User observation: Panic high, curiosity rising.]
Despite the chaotic, alive space, Sora felt a flicker of reassurance. Ren's playful confidence made him feel like maybe—just maybe—he could get answers.
"Lesson two: sometimes the Library does what it wants," Ren continued, landing on a floating desk. "You just… survive it."
"Lesson three," he added with a grin, "don't underestimate me. I can be cute, mischievous… but I'm also the one who knows how to survive here. Step out of line, and the Library will chew you up. Step in line, and I'll still make fun of you."
Sora exhaled slowly. Somehow, it didn't feel threatening.
It felt… fun. And maybe even like learning.
Ren waved a hand toward a narrow hallway of floating pages. "Now, move it. Your first real test starts… now."
Sora glanced at him, nervous but intrigued. "Test? What kind of test?"
Ren grinned, eyes glinting with mischief. "The fun kind. The kind you won't even know is a test until you're halfway through it. Come on. I'm not going to wait forever."
With a flip, a jump, and a tiny laugh, Ren bounded ahead, the floating pages folding behind him like a living path. Sora followed, still processing, unsure, excited, and terrified all at once. Every step, every flicker of ink, reminded him: this Library wasn't just a place of books. It was alive. And so was the boy who called himself its guide.