Chapter Title: The Library of Mastery
By now, Aryan had already stepped out of his classroom. Without hesitation, he was heading straight toward the academy's grand library. As he walked through the corridors, numerous students noticed him. Some pointed fingers, while others began whispering among themselves. Yet Aryan remained unaffected. It didn't matter to him what they thought or said—his focus was entirely on his purpose. Ignoring the stares and hushed conversations, Aryan continued his walk with steady resolve.
Soon, he arrived outside the library gates. There, standing with a calm and dignified aura, was Elder Saurav—the keeper of the library. Aryan offered him a respectful greeting, and upon receiving a silent nod in return, he stepped inside the colossal structure.
As soon as he entered, Aryan's eyes scanned the tall, towering shelves of books. His attention immediately turned to the sections that housed martial arts techniques, movement disciplines, and other combat-related knowledge. He was aware that once he ventured into the forest for training, he could face innumerable dangers—some perhaps even beyond his current ability to comprehend.
There was every possibility that he might encounter experts far more powerful than those at Martial Spirit Gathering Level 7. Should he face such individuals, he might be forced into battle. In such situations, survival would depend not just on raw strength but on refined technique. If he couldn't win, he would need to escape—and for that, perfect movement skills would be vital. Understanding this, Aryan immersed himself in the rows upon rows of martial books.
He headed deeper into the library, toward the area specifically dedicated to martial techniques. This wasn't his first visit—he had done something similar before. However, this time, Aryan wished to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. He didn't want to be interrupted or become a subject of curiosity again. To ensure this, he made an unusual decision.
Aryan quietly removed his shoes.
The sound of his footwear echoing through the silent library had annoyed others in the past. He didn't want that to happen again. Slipping them off, he carefully placed them in his backpack—an ever-present companion that held his few belongings. While storage rings were popular in this world, Aryan didn't possess one. In truth, he hadn't even seen one up close, nor did he fully understand their mechanics. But even if he had, it wouldn't have made a difference—he simply couldn't afford one. He was, by all definitions, poor.
And so, ignoring luxuries and focusing instead on his training, Aryan ventured deeper into the martial section. He began picking out books one after the other, this time concentrating on one category first: **fist techniques**.
He decided to gather and study all the books related to fist attacks before moving on to any other weapon or form. Quietly and efficiently, he selected hundreds of texts, carrying them to one of the maze-like reading booths in the corner—away from prying eyes.
Settling into a quiet spot, Aryan began flipping through the books—not reading them word for word but absorbing the essence of each technique rapidly. Within a short span, he had browsed through nearly **200 books on fist attacks**. Inspired by the knowledge and determined to create something of his own, he made an attempt to fuse their contents into a single, superior martial art.
With a whisper of intent, he spoke a command: "**Combine.**"
To his surprise, a single new book materialized in his hands, formed from the essence of the 200 techniques he had just reviewed. Excited, he opened the new book, only to be met with a bitter realization.
**Title: Heavenly Fist Attack — Flaws: 798**
There were 798 flaws in the fused technique.
His heart sank. After an hour of relentless effort, he was still far from perfection. Unwilling to give up, Aryan dived back into the books. He studied relentlessly, this time consuming over **1,000 texts** on fist-based martial arts. The library had no shortage of material. These books were either authored by the academy's elders or sourced from outside the nation—possibly donated or acquired by powerful figures and sent to the remote land of Rudrapur to assist the next generation of warriors.
Aryan didn't concern himself with their origins. In fact, even if he knew, it wouldn't have mattered. Such things were common in his past world too—when knowledge was scarce, governments often shipped books to schools, or schools purchased them with grants. That was reality.
Once again, Aryan activated the **combine** feature, using the full knowledge of the 1,000 texts. Another book emerged.
**Title: Heavenly Fist Attack — Perfected. No flaws.**
This time, his effort bore fruit. Aryan eagerly devoured the content and mastered the technique within 15 minutes. His eyes sparkled with a renewed energy. Having perfected his fist attack, he turned to the next logical step—**sword techniques**.
His teacher had gifted him a sword, and it was essential that he learn to wield it with precision. Aryan moved to the section containing sword-related texts and began his study again. After reviewing nearly 1,000 books, he once again used the combine feature.
**Title: Heavenly Sword Attack** — this name, unlike the previous, was **not** generated by the library. It was a name Aryan himself chose.
Reading through it, Aryan realized something astonishing: the sword technique was flawless.
With both fist and sword techniques under his belt, Aryan set his sights on **movement techniques**. Over the next hour and a half, he immersed himself in reading and combining countless texts until he mastered a movement skill that was beyond conventional.
Still unsatisfied, he recalled another important close-range technique: **palm strikes**.
Aryan dived into another stack of books, combining and perfecting a technique he titled **Heavenly Palm Attack**. He now possessed a balanced set of combat techniques: one for striking, one for slashing, one for evasion, and one for close-quarters palm attacks.
Having acquired this powerful arsenal, he felt it was time to **practice**. He put his shoes back on, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked toward the martial arts training ground situated near his classroom.
Upon reaching the ground, Aryan began with his newly mastered fist technique. He took a stance, recalled the flow of energy as described in the book, and launched his punch. As his fist moved through the air, it released a visible aura—dangerous and fierce.
With a controlled breath, he struck a nearby tree.
The result stunned even Aryan himself.
The tree trunk, nearly one meter thick, now had a **perfect hole** drilled through it. The impact diameter was about **half a meter**, showcasing the terrifying power his strike now possessed.
Encouraged, Aryan moved on to practicing the sword technique.
The moment he unsheathed the blade, something surreal happened. His body began to resonate with sword energy. It felt as if his very limbs were being infused with the spirit of a blade—as though he was **becoming** the sword himself.
Confused but excited, Aryan focused and unleashed the technique.
With a single motion, he sliced clean through a nearby boulder.
It split into two neat halves as if cut by a laser.
In the distance, hidden from view, **Vaibhav Shrivastava**, Aryan's mysterious teacher, observed silently. Sitting cross-legged, he watched his student in deep thought.
"I created the Heavenly Library," he murmured to himself. "But I never expected it to be this powerful. This boy is mastering techniques faster than anyone I've seen... and creating flawless martial arts."
His voice grew cautious. "But he's only sixteen. He doesn't yet understand the importance of secrecy. One slip of the tongue, perhaps to a future lover, and the entire world might know about the Heavenly Library. No... I must act before that happens."
Vaibhav then considered something drastic.
"Should I place a restriction on his body? Something that prevents him from ever speaking about the Heavenly Library to others? Yes, that might be wise. If he even **tries** to mention it, he should instantly forget what he was about to say."
And with that, Vaibhav raised his palm and summoned a complex **seal**, shimmering with mystical energy. He flung it toward Aryan, who was unaware of anything occurring.
As Aryan continued practicing his palm strikes, the seal gently entered his body. It silently fused with the core of his Heavenly Library, activating its restriction. Aryan remained oblivious.
Unbeknownst to him, his teacher was no ordinary man. Vaibhav Shrivastava did not belong to this world—or even this reality. He was an entity from a higher existence, sent by the **System** itself. His mission: to find a worthy disciple in another reality and integrate the Heavenly Library into them.
The story Aryan had been told—that the library was an advanced mobile app—was a carefully planted lie. In truth, it was a mystical artifact Vaibhav had created long ago, in a drunken moment of inspiration. When he saw Aryan for the first time, his instincts told him **this is the one**. And so he devised the perfect scheme to become Aryan's mentor.
Vaibhav decided Aryan must not know the truth—at least, not yet.
They both hailed from **Earth**, though from different versions of it in different realities. Perhaps that was why Vaibhav felt such a deep connection to him. In his heart, he knew Aryan would one day be worthy—but not today.
Meanwhile, Aryan continued practicing until dusk. When evening arrived, he ate a simple meal and laid down outside his dorm to sleep under the stars.
But when morning came, and Aryan opened his eyes… he found himself in a **completely unfamiliar place**.
The sky was violet. The ground beneath him was like polished crystal.
Where was he? Was this a trap? Or had he been transported again?
Would Aryan be able to escape this new place? Or was his journey about to take a far more dangerous turn?
To find out, stay tuned for the next chapter of "I Can Learn Anything."