The next page was even more interesting than the last.
It read:
[During my years, I have encountered many strange things, some humans, some beasts, and others… different.
If there's one law that is known by most, it's that all living creatures are naturally attuned to one of the 7 elements; Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Darkness, and Light.]
***
Ray paused, "Should I just skip this part?" He scanned the words again. He already knew about the nature of cores. It almost seemed redundant to read it again.
But then his eyes ruminated over a single word, 'Others? What others? This S.L. knew something. Why else would he have been so paranoid?'
The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to know. He couldn't skip anything, else who knew what he'd miss.
Ray limped to his couch and sank on it. He fixed his eyes on the pages and resumed.
It read:
***
[Most people refuse to admit this to themselves but I'm not most, I'm practical and honest with myself.
Magical beasts are far too similar to humans for it to be considered a coincidence. Just like humans, most beasts are born with an affinity to a single element.
But the few are blessed with multiple affinities! And humans are no different!]
Ray paled, it almost felt like the world was mocking him. Whether it was a television or a literal abandoned journal left for who knew how long, he was reminded of his situation.
He let out a shaky breath and continued reading.
[These beasts are very interesting and just as powerful. Yet when it comes to humans, they're considered faulty or deformed?!
I'm not sure if it's human pride or ignorance, though the two aren't mutually exclusive. I dedicated years of my life to studying magical beasts, which eventually led me to humans and their cores.
After much effort, we managed to create a cultivation technique unlike any other! It's perfect, with the potential to reach up to Tier 4!]
***
Ray felt his head slightly spin, 'What?!' He couldn't believe what he was reading.
"Is this person mad?" He had a very strong hunch that the writer was clinically insane. Between considering his blight good and abandoning a Tier 4 cultivation technique, he was sure that something was up with him.
'Perhaps the danger he referred to was an asylum.'
Ray chuckled lightly before becoming silent. 'I mean what if he's telling the truth?' He immediately shook the thought back.
"These are the ramblings of a mad man or a dead one… maybe a dead, mad man!! Either one, I don't want to end up like him."
He paused, running his fingers around the edges of the page, "I mean he did say 'we', I don't think an institutionalized person would care about proper pronouns during a mad rant."
Ray looked at the page again, curiosity nibbling at him. "But on the other hand, I don't know if he is a special case… I mean who is he?"
He inhaled sharply, "I might as well be running mad because why am I thinking aloud?!"
With a sigh, he closed the journal. He'd attend to it after confirming he wasn't following the leftover will of a suicidal nutcase.
"The school library— uh-um." He cleared his throat and retreated to his mind, 'The school library should have most articles, and its database is pretty much updated. I should be able to find out about S.L.'
'Is it not liberating to think in your head?' He smiled internally.
He stood up and almost lost his balance as a wave of pain surged through him.
Ray winced, limping to the fridge. He opened it and grabbed a bag of ice. His eyes trailed the distance from the fridge back to the sofa, "Oh you've got to be kidding me."
He sucked in a sharp breath and pushed himself forward, limping to the couch in quick leap-like steps.
The journal was still in his hand yet Ray refused the tugging urge to take a further glance into its aged pages for fear of seeing something that would break his restraint.
'But that doesn't mean that I'll just leave it hanging around. It needs to be kept somewhere no one would find it but where to hide it…'
Ray glanced at the wall where he had removed it from and slapped his forehead. 'Of course.'
He pressed the ice into his ankle and winced from the cold and the contact.
Ray watched through his window as night slowly fell outside. By then, his ankle had numbed from the cold and the ice had pretty much melted.
He sighed and placed his foot against the ground, feeling nothing as he put a little weight on it.
It would bruise and continue hurting the next day but for now, he felt fine.
'So my agendas for tomorrow are basically two difficult tasks. First, avoid getting beaten to a pulp by those cowardly people, and secondly, find out if I've discovered a priceless treasure or a fantasy book.'
With his thoughts in order, he walked to the empty space and returned the journal. He carried the panel and placed it back over it.
Ray took a few steps back and nodded, 'Just like I met it. Barely visible.'
Having placed everything in order, Ray placed the broken TV back on the wall as a last measure of concealment.
The glass shards were still on the ground floor but he'd made up his mind to handle them later.
He walked back to the couch and picked up his shirt, the Basics of Cultivation book, and his bag.
"Perhaps tomorrow won't be so bad." He hummed to himself and he walked into his room to sleep.