SSS Cultivation: I Can Conquer Earth's Rank System
Chapter 62: Books in Stone

Chapter 62: Books in Stone

The school really was busy but on something else. The death of Gabe had caused quite a stir this morning. It was something that has never happened, so there was no real explanation for it. A wide bite mark on the neck of a student safe in the school environment was very far fetched.

Hunter Man and Amelia Grenn flew past Leo and Rosa on their way to the library. Hunter was huffing after Amy. They both seemed eager to get somewhere very fast...like another death had happened or something close.

"I fear the curfew time will start from 7pm today," Rosa said. "Everyone’s on edge."

"Hmm," Leo replied.

"Hurry," Rosa urged. They both stomped away through turnings that Leo never knew existed in the academy. He reminded himself again that he hasn’t gone anywhere apart from his usual classroom journeys, and back to the dorm.

Students littered outside, having the much fun they didn’t know was possible in the early mornings of a Wednesday. Many freshers scattered out on the field, sparring. Leo heard a loud "twack" sound even from that distance. The strongest of the spar mates have overpowered the other, of course, but in a brutal way. It didn’t seem to be a friendly duel.

Everyone nearby laughed at the loser. Another boy was pushed into the middle to take on the winner. Leo knew this would go on and on till someone beats the champion. He saw no reason why this would look like fun to these boys. The last loser had a bad bleeding nose, yet they were restraining the only healer nearby from administering first aid.

Something stirred in Leo. Anger, most definitely. That champion had done nothing to anger him directly, but he felt like he has just picked an opp in the boy. Leo looked at him very well. Sandy hair, sharp nose, sharp jawline too, thin frame, and a gaunt build. He saw him once in Fong Yuk’s combat class.

"I’ll see you again," Leo muttered.

"What?" Rosa asked, thinking Leo was talking to her.

"Nothing," Leo waved it away.

He needed something to drive him to get better in that Combat class, and he might just have found one.

"Do you know the name of that lad?" Leo asked Rosa.

"I don’t know his actual name, but people call him ’Stingray’. You don’t have to worry about him. He’s just a show off. Just tell me if he ever messes with you."

"Okay. I will tell you," Leo replied hiding his smile. There was no way he was going to report someone bullying him to Rosa, even if he was going to die. This Stingray guy will probably be the one to report Leo when he’s done with him, Leo vowed.

"We’re here," Rosa declared to an absent-minded Leo.

He looked up and saw that they were in front of a building that looked to be carved straight from a large piece of rock. For all the good it does, it was slanted, like it was about to fall also.

"The beautiful library, Leo," Rosa gestured at the entrance.

"Beautiful indeed," Leo said. This thing that Rosa was calling beautiful looks like a cave that once served as a settlement for savages while they were escaping from a sudden war. It stood about a hundred feet high, painted dusty brown making it look like some actual sedimentary rock that surprised everyone with it’s success in the test of time. Hundreds of small, tiny windows went round the fat mass of stone from a level as low as Leo’s head, spiralling right to the top of the building. The windows didn’t appear closed with a glass even though it was.

It was indeed ridiculous how there are many Hi-Tech buildings throughout the length and breadth of this academy, and there stood this one, the library, coming straight from a history book about the medieval times.

"Uhh, did we teleport here? Are we still inside the academy?" Leo asked, a little bothered by this eerie piece of rock.

"I was even more shocked than you are now when I saw it the first time. Come here often and you’ll get used to it. It’s beautiful for real."

"I disagree," Leo persisted. Rosa walked into the tiny cave-entrance-like door, and Leo followed her sheepishly. "I hate this."

They walked down the pitch black passage till they got to a well lit space. This was the reception. Sat by the large table was a fat-headed Goblin or so, Leo thought.

"Hi, Amanda," Rosa sang a greeting to Goblin. Goblin croaked back. Rosa laughed. Leo wrinkled his nose even though nothing smelled awful. He was just disgusted.

Leo was beyond confused. Are creatures like this real? He had only seen them in his comic books when he was at the orphanage 78 years ago. The ones in his comic books had been funny to him, but this one looked rather too intimidating. So, Leo turned his attention elsewhere. He decided to survey the reception hall while Rosa chatted away with her Goblin friend.

The floor of the reception was made of pure white and pitch black marble tiles arranged in a chess board pattern. The walls were brown, rough and jagged like the inside of a poorly constructed man-made cave. All over the corners on the wall was pictures of some super old individuals.

Apart from all these, the reception was practically empty. He heard his name in their conversation. He didn’t turn to look.

"And that is Leo, my best friend," Rosa was saying.

Leo grunted in coded denial.

"He looks cute though. Have you two discussed your intentions yet? Hope he loves you as much as you do?" That was Goblin.

Leo who acted like he didn’t hear the conversation all along, took a massive turn when he realized what Goblin was taking about. "What intentions? What love—?"

The remaining words got stuck in his throat when he saw what was before him. Goblin was no longer there. He was looking straight at the most perfect girl he has ever seen. Yes, perfect was the word that came to his mind. This girl, just a little less beautiful than Rosa, has a very comely face, long straight back hair, a deep green eyes that was full of life, a straight nose with three freckles scattered round it—yes, he counted—and a well shaped and well rounded lips that made you think of nothing but a well chiselled sculpture.

Leo couldn’t look away.

"...and Leo, meet Amanda," Rosa said. "She’s the senior librarian here, and an S-ranked Morpher or Transformer, I don’t know the difference."

"What? Goblin?!" Leo blurted out before he could stop himself. He covered his mouth with his hands after the damage has been dealt.

"It’s okay. I get that shocking reaction a lot, but no one has even called me a Goblin when I Morpher into that particular creature. Not many people knows what a Goblin is," Amanda said with an amused smile. She already found Leo interesting.

Leo coughed lightly and muttered a "sorry" which was accepted with a lazy wave of the hand. Amanda wasn’t offended. She only got curious.

"It’s okay. I’m just curious about how you got to know what a Goblin is," Amanda said. "Only the really old group would know of that, and I’m not sure they will even remember such a childish thing. The only place you could have read about them is this library, but I’ve never seen you here. So, tell me how you know about Goblins."

Rosa jumped in. "Thank stars I’m not the only one that feels like he lived long before the Xollante race visited Earth. Can you believe that our precious Leo uses his knuckles on the door? Who does that?"

Amanda laughed so hard at that. Leo felt alone here. Jade walked in...

Jade walked in... Leo almost bolted due to instinct.

"What is he doing in a library?"

"Oh yeah, he saw Rosa and I going in this direction and he tailed us."

"Did Rosa just put me in trouble with her family again?"

"Hi, Jade. Where your blankets at?" Amanda said playfully. Leo noticed that she was using a rather ancient gang language, like the one his father uses when he was alive back then. She must have really read a lot.

"It’s down your morphing ass," Jade replied glumly.

"Home run," Rosa commented. Amanda laughed. Rosa laughed. Jade laughed. Leo was confused.

Jade saw Leo. Jade was shocked. Leo was surprised. Rosa smiled. Amanda giggled.

All these went, like they were passing some secret message between one another without Leo’s knowledge.

Rosa tip-toed closer to Amanda who was already changing her shape into something close to a Raccoon. "Erm, Amanda, where do you think I can find the last book on Norse mythology? Or something more disbelieving..?"

Amanda replied but wasn’t making human sounds. She sounded like a squirrel if Leo ever heard one.

"I understand," Rosa said. She understands nothing by the way. She picked up the animal form of Amanda from the receptionist table and scampered away down the hall to the book sections. Both Rosa and Amanda were giggling as they ran away, their different sounds making a funny combination.

"They planned this..."

"What are they even doing?"

"Why are they leaving me here with Jade?"

"Didn’t Rosa promise me to not worry about her brothers?"

"Again, I’m a fool."

A cough brought Leo back to reality. Jade felt uncomfortable again, just like in their dorm this morning.

"Uhmm, Leo..."

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