A New Earth (2)

USA

Inside a luxurious mansion far away from the city, an elegant young man was walking upstairs. However, his messy hair and the dark circles around his eyes were in disharmony with the grand house. The stairs were made of white marble, and a bright chandelier illuminated the place.

[What the f**k was that!? The security protocol was activated, and I had to run like a madman to the secret room for nothing!? Damn you weather!]

Walking through a corridor, he turned right and entered his sacred place: the library.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this was his most cherished place in the world. Considered a prominent genius, he had learned to read by the age of two. Since then, he devoured every book he encountered, from fantasy to science.

Now sixteen, many universities had sent him invitations. He couldn't tell if it was because he was a genius or maybe the fact that his father was a billionaire played a part in that. But he didn't care. He just felt that the world was too boring: he could have whatever he wanted, yet he was never satisfied, he felt like something was missing.

Perhaps the time he spent reading fantasy books made him realize that his life would never be as interesting as the protagonists he knew. And so, he read on, imagining the adventures he couldn't partake in, feeling the emotions he couldn't experience.

Sighing, the boy entered his library, yet what he saw made him angrier: empty bookshelves. His beloved books that should be on them were mostly spread on the floor.

[Stupid earthquakes!] He was really pissed off.

Trying to calm himself, he had no other option but to arrange his books, placing each one in its designated spot. The library, usually a sanctuary of order and tranquility, now looked like a battlefield. Leather-bound volumes and glossy paperbacks lay across the Persian rug, and a few rare editions were precariously perched on the edge of the table. He sighed deeply, feeling frustrated.

[This will take forever,] he thought, but soon he found a strange comfort in the task. 

The young man picked up a first edition of "Moby Dick" and gently placed it back on its shelf. Next, he retrieved "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" followed by "A Brief History of Time." As he continued, the familiar titles brought a semblance of peace to his turbulent mind.

It took hours but each book eventually found its place. Occasionally, he would pause to glance at his favorite passages, losing himself momentarily in the words that had once transported him to different worlds.

As he neared the end of the pile, a sudden glint caught his eye. Buried beneath a stack of historical biographies was an object he had never seen before. The light reflecting off its surface was almost hypnotic, drawing him closer. With a furrowed brow, he carefully moved the top books aside to reveal the source of the gleam.

It was a shining golden object—an unknown book!

Unlike any book in his collection, this one seemed almost... otherworldly. The symbols on the cover glowed faintly, shifting ever so slightly as if alive.

The boy knew each and every book in his library by heart.

"Weird, this book isn't mine!" he remarked. Still, he felt inexplicably attracted to the book.

As he turned it over in his hands, examining every detail, he felt a strange sensation. The craftsmanship was exquisite, unlike anything he had ever seen. It didn't resemble any contemporary or antique styles he was familiar with. The cover was smooth yet felt warm to the touch, and the edges were gilded with an elaborate pattern that seemed to shimmer in the light.

Then, somehow, the meaning behind the symbols came to mind.

[Endless Vision Cultivation Technique]

"What!?" He was shocked; it was as if his own subconscious were speaking to him.

Perplexed, he flipped the book open.

[A classic low-grade mind cultivation technique. By opening the Yintang acupoint, also known as the third eye in the middle of the eyebrow, the practitioner is able to evolve its mind and body. The steps that should be taken are...]

"Cultivation? Like the novels?" He eyed it suspiciously.

It would not be the first time that his father had played a prank on him. But wasn't this one a bit too much? In any case, he was really attracted by the mysterious book.

[It wouldn't hurt to give it a try, would it?] Shrugging, he sat down to meditate as instructed.

Moments later, he felt a gush of energy entering his mind. Immediately, he did as written and tried to lead it to his vessels, passing through his heart and lungs, then his legs, and all the way back to his head. After a few tries, he was successful, and the sensation he felt was extremely rejuvenating. His mind felt clearer, sharper, and his body more invigorated than ever before.

"It's true!!" The boy jumped, surprised.

After realizing the prospects of this event, he took his laptop and searched on the internet. To his surprise, he found that it was a hot topic around the world! Millions of posts in the media were discussing the phenomenon.

Thousands, if not more, people were stating that they had found strange books. Pictures of the books were flooding the internet. And to the boy's shock, none of the books were the same as his!

"Damn! What the hell is happening to the world?"

Searching a bit longer, he found people selling the books! Some were priced as low as a few thousand dollars.

Yet, the most shocking of all was the fact that he found some techniques were available for free on an anonymous site! Unfortunately, he didn't have the courage to check it, as his own book stated that there could be huge adverse effects from mixing techniques.

He would not miss this opportunity! The boy immediately ran downstairs to find his billionaire father.

[How can these people be so stupid to sell such a miraculous book? Well, lucky for me, I'll be able to buy and read them all!]

As he sprinted down the grand staircase, his mind raced with the possibilities. Would every technique grant different powers? Would he and every single human become powerful as stated in the book? He had to get more books to read!

Bursting into his father's study, he found the older man engrossed in a video conference. The room was lined with shelves filled with business awards and family photos, and the air was thick with the smell of leather and polished wood. His father, a tall man with a stern face and sharp eyes, looked up with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

"Father, you have to see this!" the boy exclaimed, thrusting the laptop towards him.

With a raised eyebrow, his father paused the meeting and took the laptop. As he scrolled through the articles and posts, his expression shifted from skepticism to astonishment.

"This... this is incredible," his father muttered, more to himself than to his son. "If these books are real, they could revolutionize everything. We need to get our hands on as many as we can."

"I know! People are selling them online, and there are even some techniques available for free. But we have to be careful. My book warns about mixing techniques."

His father nodded thoughtfully. "We'll approach this with caution. But first, let's see if we can acquire more of these books. Money is no object."

*********

Japan

Inside a traditional dojo, about twelve students were practicing with swords, mimicking the movements of their master. They wore simple white robes with belts of various colors, each signifying their rank and level of expertise.

Suddenly, fast steps echoed from outside.

The door opened with a loud "bang," and a youngster rushed in. Wearing the same outfit as the others, the boy had short black hair, a straight nose, pale skin, and small red lips. His features gave him a good yet childish look.

"M-master, I've stumbled upon something interesting. Take a look!" He got on his knees, panting, and took an object from his backpack.

Everyone stopped training and looked at the boy, perplexed.

First, it was the storm outside, and now this?

"Furaya Reizo, what happened?" the master asked, halting the lesson. He knew that his disciple wouldn't be so reckless as to barge in this way without good reason.

"A book... found it..." Reizo answered, still out of breath.

The master walked over and took the object from his hands.

It was an old, tattered green book with a golden title. As the master looked over it, he grew angry: the book contained some strange language he had never seen! He thought the boy was playing a prank on him.

His face turned red, and he was just about to explode when suddenly, a meaning came to his mind.

The symbols on the cover translated themselves effortlessly.

[Wind-Sword Cultivation Technic]

The master blinked, astonished. The title alone piqued his curiosity. Surprised, he said nothing but decided to take a closer look at the old book. He flipped through the pages, and more meanings flowed into his mind. 

[A low-grade swordsmanship technique, designed to refine one's physical and spiritual abilities. Through precise movements and the harnessing of inner energy, the practitioner can achieve feats of speed, strength, and precision far beyond normal capabilities. The steps that should be taken are...]

Shock filled his eyes at each word he 'understood'. It turned out that this thing contained a marvelous technique!

What is this?" the master muttered, his anger forgotten.

Reizo, seeing his master's change in demeanor, stood up. "It's not a prank, master. I found it just after the storm. It was like it appeared out of nowhere."

The master, however, was lost in thought, his mind racing with future possibilities. He couldn't even fathom how much they could improve their lives at the dojo. Perhaps his disciples could win the national championship and shock the world.

[Ha! I can't wait to see the faces of those senile old men!] the master thought, a smile forming as he envisioned his old rivals' astonished reactions.

"You did well, Furaya!" The master patted Reizo's shoulder and called for all the other students nearby. Holding the book in his hands, he addressed them:

"From now on, I'll teach you the manual contained in this book. With it, we'll be able to win the national championship for sure!" He looked closely at each student's eyes.

This dojo was small and poor, but many of the kids had even more precarious lives at home. For them, this place was their only hope for a better future.

"But remember, this will be our utmost secret!" After all his students nodded, the sensei continued. "Furaya Reizo, you are truly blessed by luck, my boy! And for this immense contribution, the only way I can think of to repay you is to make you my direct disciple and teach you all my secret sword techniques. What do you say?"

"Yes, Master!" Reizo exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.

The sensei's gaze softened with pride. "Good. Now, everyone, gather around. We have much to learn and little time to waste."

The students formed a circle around their master, their faces filled with anticipation. The master began to read aloud from the book, explaining the techniques and demonstrating the movements.

**********

In the wilderness, far from the touch of civilization,

Between the dark woods, a pack of wolves howled at the shining moon. Among them, the carcasses of many animals lay scattered over the lawn. The moonlight reflected off the blood-stained grass, giving the impression that the ground itself was glowing red.

The pack was celebrating the arrival of a new leader, one destined to be their king. The one who would dominate the entire land of beasts!

In the center of the pack, a newborn wolf licked its blood-stained silver fur. Its eyes, red as fire, shone with an intelligence that was far beyond that of a typical wolf, especially a newborn.

These unusual occurrences were happening all over the world. People would soon come to understand that a new era had begun.

A new Earth had been born.