Learning 2.0

Adam's eyes fluttered open, his breath steady as he adjusted to the new sensation coursing through his body. Spirituality. It pulsed within him like a second heartbeat, suffusing every fiber of his being.

But something was off.

According to the book, a beginner should only have a small amount of spirituality after their first awakening—yet Adam felt a lot.

His fingers curled slightly as he tested the energy within him. He could feel it, surging under his skin, coiling and twisting like a living thing.

"Did I do something wrong? No, that doesn't seem right…"

His gaze landed on the book, still resting where he had left it before starting his meditation. Something about it felt different now, almost as if it was waiting for something.

Adam hesitated, then reached for it.

The moment his fingers touched the cover, the book dissolved into glowing golden particles.

"What the—?!"

The luminous fragments surged toward his chest, phasing directly into his heart before he could even react.

A sharp, icy-hot sensation flooded his body, making him stagger back, gripping his chest in alarm. His breathing became ragged. It felt like something was integrating itself into him, latching onto his very soul.

Then—

A voice echoed inside his mind.

[Library activating.]

Adam froze.

The voice was feminine, mechanical yet oddly smooth. It rang directly in his head, not spoken aloud.

[Absorbing information.]

"What the hell?!"

Panic surged through him. His eyes darted around the dim cave, searching for the source of the voice, but there was no one else. Just him and the silence.

"Who's there?!" Adam shouted. "Where are you?!"

No response.

He swallowed hard, trying to calm himself.

"Wait… This is the first voice I've heard since coming to this world."

The realization sent a cold chill down his spine.

The voices—the maddening whispers that had tormented him for days—were gone.

This was something else.

[Library online.]

"...Library?" Adam echoed cautiously.

[Yes. I am a systematic intelligence designed to organize your abilities, track your rank, and increase the rate at which you progress. Additionally, I function as your personal library for collected knowledge.]

Adam's mind reeled. A system? Like those overpowered abilities from games and novels?

This was starting to sound a little too much like fantasy.

"Alright… I'll play along for now," Adam muttered. "Where the hell did you even come from?"

[I originated from the catalyst you absorbed.]

Adam's eyebrows furrowed.

"Catalyst?"

"What even is a catalyst?" he asked.

[Catalysts are crystalline fruits that grow from mystical plants. They allow the mundane to become mystical. Consuming one is the first step toward advancement. A person must fully digest a catalyst to progress. This process is divided into nine stages, split across three ranks: Mystic, Noble, and Prince.]

The voice continued without pause.

[Each stage is digested in two parts. First, the catalyst is broken down and merged with the host. Once this initial process is complete, digestion halts until the host fully attunes to their newfound abilities. Only then can the second phase begin—Evolution—where one's abilities are refined, reshaped, and awakened into their true form.]

Adam absorbed the information as best as he could.

"So catalysts determine strength… but what about these 'families' I read about in the book?"

[Catalysts that share origins stem from the same Great Beast. There are eighteen Great Beasts, each of which serves as the foundation for an entire catalyst lineage. A Stage One catalyst from a Great Beast is the highest tier of its kind.]

Adam exhaled sharply. "Damn, that's a lot to take in. But here's the problem—I never ate a catalyst."

[Incorrect. You absorbed one. The fact that I exist proves it.]

Adam paused.

It was true. He hadn't eaten a catalyst, yet something had integrated into him.

"...Shouldn't I know the name and abilities of my catalyst?" he asked slowly. "If I did absorb one, I should have felt something, right?"

[That means you have not yet begun proper digestion. If you don't start soon, the catalyst will remain dormant inside you. If left unattended for too long, it will act as a poison and kill you.]

"WHAT?!"

Adam shot to his feet, panic flaring in his chest.

[Calm down.]

"Calm down?! I have a ticking time bomb inside me!"

[The solution is simple. Focus inward. Find the catalyst within you. Once you do, digestion will begin.]

Adam took a deep, shaky breath.

There was no other choice. He had to do this now.

Adam dropped into a meditation stance, his back straight, hands resting on his knees.

Closing his eyes, he focused inward, reaching into himself just as he had done when awakening his spirituality.

Slowly, he felt something within him—two massive spherical objects, pulsing with power.

He extended his consciousness toward them, his mind brushing against their essence.

Immediately, knowledge flooded into him.

His eyes snapped open.

"Two catalysts?!"

According to everything he had just learned, a person could only bond with one catalyst. Yet, somehow, he had two—and an empty slot for one more.

His mind worked furiously as he processed what he had just learned.

The first catalyst: Otherworlder.

It was the reason he was in this world to begin with. That meant, if he advanced far enough…

"I might be able to go back home."

His hands clenched into fists. He needed more information about its limits, about how to find the next catalyst in its line. But there was no rush.

One problem at a time.

The second catalyst: Systematic.

It was responsible for the Library. Not only did it track his progress, but it also increased his advancement speed and allowed him to store knowledge.

"An ability that lets me grow stronger faster and never forget information? Hell yeah."

But then came the real question.

"Why do I have two? And why do I have room for a third?"

Adam focused, trying to get more answers from the Library.

[This can be explained by two reasons: One, we are different from other catalysts—further information is restricted. Two, we were designed to be paired with other catalysts.]

"Different? Restricted?" Adam frowned. "Why? How do I unlock the rest of the information?"

[Restricted information can only be accessed at higher stages or ranks.]

Adam clicked his tongue. Of course.

"So I'm stuck in the dark until I get stronger."

He exhaled sharply. That just meant he needed to prioritize finding a way to progress.

For that, he needed resources.

"Enough of this. I need to focus on survival first."

Adam stood and approached his small stockpile of gathered fruit. It wasn't enough to sustain him for long. He would need more—a lot more.

His hand hovered over the crystalline fruit, the catalyst he had picked earlier. Now that he knew what it was, he placed it carefully into his pocket.

"I might need this later."

Taking one last look at his cave, Adam turned and stepped into the forest.

His journey was only beginning.