The Great Library- II

[Rey we have come to the library, but I don't understand why?]

"Ah! I forgot to explain it to you.

You see, as I didn't get anything of value from you, I thought that I might as well come to the library and try finding something of importance. "

[Oh! Then please explain to this dumb system how you will read all these books, master?]

"That.... I didn't think about it. Hehe!"

[You really don't think before doing.]

[Looks like, Me, your supremely talented system will have to help you. *sigh* what will you do without me?]

"Cut the bullsh*t and tell me how you'll do it?"

[You really can't wait, huh! There is a function in me which allows the user to scan and analyse text.

Just accept the next window that pops up and leave everything to me, master!]

"Seems that you have your uses!"

The next moment, a window popped up in front of him and believing in his system, he accepted whatever was written on the screen and waited for something to happen.

° ° ° ° °

"I am waiting."

Even after 5 minutes, nothing happened and Rey just stood there like a fool.

"Man, I never should have believed that you can do anything. This is so embarrassing!

Everyone is looking at me like I am some kind of idiot."

[Wait.... wait.... wait! This is my first time doing something like this, that's why it is taking a bit long, master!]

Rey picked a book titled 'The Origin of the Empire' from a shelf and was about to go sit on a table when his pupils changed to a grey colour.

Finally, his system managed to activate the function and information about its usage entered his brain.

Rey rather than going to the table, went back to the shelf and picked a dozen or so books.

Back at the table, he started flipping through pages, merely glancing at them and then moving on to the next. Everyone was looking at him in awe, many people pick a bunch of books to read but none of them goes through them like this.

*20 minutes later*

Rey was done with the first batch of books and this time brought even more with him.

"System, why are they looking at me like that?"

[If you will read books like that, of course you'll attract attention.]

"Don't they also have this function?"

[By their reaction, seems like they don't.]

Rey stopped the book he was reading as it came to him as a shock that his system was better for once.

"If you have this, then they will surely have it. There is no way, you'll be more advanced than their systems."

[Hehehe! So you realise how unique I am, master.]

"Let's talk later, the library closes at 6 in the evening and it's already 12 noon and we have a shit load of books to read."

After 5 and a half hours of reading like a maniac, Rey managed to scan almost 90% of the books. Even with his scanning books, 10% were still left, showcasing the amount of books kept in the library.

*DING*

A screen appeared in front of him which he again ignored before realising something was wrong. He called back the screen and was shocked to see it, it read.

__________________

You have received a new title

"Bibliophile"

Seeing your passion for books, the dead souls of writers are very pleased and bless you for your future endeavours.

°Intelligence +5

°You will have an increased rate of reading

°Your critical thinking and analysis skills have increased.

___________________

Rey was thoroughly surprised to see that the text he couldn't read this morning was now completely understandable.

"What happened? How can I read this now?"

[Seems like scanning so many books also increased my understanding of your language and as a result the text got updated, master!]

"Ohhh! Nice.... very nice."

[What will you do now? You still have some time left.]

"Before that, I have read so many books, but I don't feel any substantial increase in my knowledge?"

[That is because all that we have scanned is stored within me, you'll have to give permission to transfer all the knowledge to you.]

"Then do it. What are you waiting for?"

[Are you sure, it can...]

"Just do it!"

[Fine, don't blame me later!]

____________________

Would you like to transfer the content you scanned?

Yes/No

____________________

"Transfer everything related to history."

With this command, all the information related to history entered his brain. And with the information also came unbearable pain, the cumulative of 5 and a half hours of reading was too much to handle at once, as he staggered down and barely managed to sit on a chair.

*15 minutes later*

*Huff* *Huff*

Rey was mentally exhausted for the first time in his life. Even when he pulled four consecutive all nighters, he didn't get this exhausted.

"Th... at was *huff* really some *huff* thing. I feel like my *huff* mind is in a mess. "

Rey took another 5 minutes to calm himself as he felt like he knew everything and questions he couldn't answer before seemed like child's play.

"Hey do you now know why they don't have the scanning function? "

Rey expected an answer as after transferring everything, he naturally knew the answer and expected the same from his system.

[No, master!]

"But why? I know, so why don't you?" Rey did not expect this.

[Master, I may be sentient and extremely awesome but I still can't overcome being a system. I cannot do anything which the user does not permit me to. And you didn't tell me to analyse what we scanned so I am largely oblivious to the content.]

"So, analyse it first and then we'll talk."

____________________

Do you want to analyse the content of the scanned books? The system functions will be unavailable during this process.

Yes/No

____________________

Rey agreed and a notification displaying the time left appeared in front of him.

___________________

Time left

3:59:58

___________________

"Now that, that's done, shall we snoop around a little? "

After the knowledge transfer, Rey came to know about the secret basement of the library which was not known to the common public. It piqued his curiosity and he decided to make his way to the back of the library.

*thud*

On his way to the garden, behind the library, he bumped into a man coming from the same direction. Both Rey and the man fell down as Rey saw the man holding a book with a dark cover.

"I am sorry!"

"I... it's fine."

"Let me help you!"

"N.. no! I have to go." the man left in a hurry as he picked up the book and went away, continuosly glancing back.

Rey observed the man but as half of his face was covered by a hood, he only managed to get a glimpse of his golden tooth.

"What a weird guy?"

Rey checked the large clock above the library and seeing that he only had 10 minutes, dashed towards the tool shed in the garden.

The tool shed looked quite ordinary, not even the employees knew about the secret passage leading to the basement and thus did not warrant any attention or footfall from the visitors.

Rey entered the shed and moving the large trunk aside, which stored seeds, he found a trapdoor perfectly hidden. One needed to look carefully to make out the outline, otherwise they would miss it.

Rey quickly entered as he was short on time and when he jumped down, he was met with pitch black darkness.

In the darkness, Rey accidentally stumbled on a stool, trying to find his way and leaned on the nearby wall, activating the intruder alert.

"Shit.... shit... shit"

He had read about this and knew that he had at most 10 minutes if he was lucky, before the guards stormed the place and he was taken prisoner.

He searched the other wall and after some time found a hole where he injected his attribute essence and shortly the place lit up.

"WOW!!" Rey was left dumbfounded, there were not one or two shelves, but a never ending line of them.

These contained either forbidden skills, recipes or were general books banned by the previous and current emperors. Some of them even had secret techniques of eminent families.

Rey scanned through the first few shelves to see if he could find something interesting but all of them were books which were criticised by the empire.

"Just my luck! I'll have to go a bit deeper."

Rey could now hear the slight footsteps of the guards through the vibrations in the ground and knew that he only had a couple of minutes before he was caught.

He ran to his left and started searching shelves at random.

He was about to give when he didn't find anything of value when he saw a book whose cover was darker than any other book present and grabbing it, ran towards the trapdoor.

(Outside the town)

The same hooded man was slumped against a tree, bleeding from his left shoulder.

"I... I got it elder Yan!"

"Hoho impressive! You sure are the blood of the emperor." elder Yan's voice came from a screen in front of the man.

"Ughhhh! Those damn bastards. How dare they hit me with a sword? Ughhh! "

"Come back to the base, we'll treat you there and make sure to bring back the book. "

(Back at the shed)

Rey could now see the guards through the window as he tried to find a way out. He moved the trunk back to hide the trapdoor and stored the book in his inventory to avoid suspicions.

He got ready to face the guards, dusting himself when he felt the dagger that he used to keep with him for emergencies.

He took it out and held it in his right hand, ready to fight the guards, when a plan came to his mind.

He hurriedly stabbed his stomach with the dagger, carefully avoiding the vital points.

"Unnggghhhh!!" he tried to muffle his screams as pain seared through his body.

"Weapons down!"

A guard burst through the door holding a spear only to find Rey with a dagger stuck in his stomach who fainted shortly due to blood loss.