The villain's side of the novel

As Fray cautiously entered the dimly lit hallway, the heavy door slammed shut behind him, engulfing the surroundings in darkness. However, a distant light at the far end of the corridor provided a faint glimmer of hope. Just as Fray's eyes adjusted to the low light, a small illumination emerged from the ceiling above him. Looking up, he noticed an enigmatic word written in an unfamiliar language that evaded his comprehension. Intriguingly, the tiny light transformed into a window right before Fray's eyes--a sight reminiscent of the windows granted by the gate of spirits.

Observing the window of energy that materialized before him, Fray recognized a text inscribed within it. However, due to its ancient language, he couldn't decipher its meaning. It became evident that the window was presenting a challenge--an inquiry for a password that Fray was unaware of. Determined to proceed, Fray sprinted towards the distant light, bracing himself for what lay ahead.

To his astonishment, shimmering words began to manifest on the walls, triggering an onslaught of attacks. Energy beams, flames, lightning strikes, and even a barrage of arrows assailed Fray, requiring swift reflexes and agility to evade them unscathed. Fortunately, Fray possessed the remarkable speed and dexterity honed from his training as a body developer, allowing him to navigate the treacherous onslaught unharmed.

At last, Fray reached the end of the hallway, having skillfully dodged every attack. Before him sprawled a vast chamber adorned with magical artifacts and weapons strewn across its expanse. However, what captured Fray's attention was a circular stone table positioned at the center of the room, cradling a book. Standing tall behind the table were two towering statues crafted from metal, their formidable presence denoting their role as guardians of the chamber.

As Fray began his approach towards the book, the statues' eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and they brandished their weapons, advancing towards him menacingly.

"Phase One," Fray muttered, activating a transformation within himself. His hair lengthened, his body grew taller, and his muscles hardened, empowering him for the imminent battle against these mighty guardians. Aware of the statues' immense strength, Fray knew that he must exert his full power to have any hope of survival. With determination coursing through his veins, he readied himself for combat, yearning to uncover the truth that awaited him.

However, as the statues perceived Fray's metamorphosis, they abruptly halted their advance. To Fray's bewilderment, the towering guardians knelt before him, parting to grant him passage.

"Is this the result of Phase One?" Fray pondered as he made his way towards the table.

Reaching the table, Fray retrieved the book--a seemingly diminutive volume containing fewer than ten pages. Despite its antiquity, the book remained pristine, indicating that its creation entailed extraordinary craftsmanship.

Opening the book, Fray beheld a collection of runic symbols akin to the enigmatic script adorning the chamber's walls. Runes, an ancient science capable of infusing words with the power of natural laws, revealed themselves within the pages. These runes enabled the creation of weapons, spells, and even combat statues. In fact, the gate of spirits itself was crafted employing this rune science.

"Remarkable," Fray murmured, captivated by the intricate words inscribed within the book.

Gradually, the words within the book dissolved into luminescence, seeping into Fray's consciousness like an influx of profound knowledge. The sheer volume of information flooding his mind left him astonished. In the original novel

, Lisa, after discovering the book, dedicated five years to studying its runes, striving to decipher even the most rudimentary symbols. However, now, an immense reservoir of knowledge that would have taken decades to comprehend was assimilated effortlessly.

After several hours, the words completely vanished from the book, leaving Fray in possession of advanced knowledge in the science of runes. This newfound understanding affirmed two truths for him: this knowledge belonged to humanity, and there existed a bygone era when humans had achieved far greater advancements.

Curiosity piqued, Fray wondered about the fate of this extraordinary kingdom. Such profound knowledge had the potential to empower a realm significantly. Yet, it had inexplicably vanished, leaving no trace behind.

"Morcal, do you have any insights into this kingdom?" Fray inquired, addressing his spirit.

"You know I cannot provide information about forgotten history, even if I possessed it," Morcal responded, bound by the contractual agreement between spirits and humans.

In the Prada family's case, their lack of knowledge about the barrier's existence stemmed from this restriction. While most spirit warriors could freely communicate with their spirits, the Prada family remained unaware of the barrier due to this clause. Fray's inability to communicate with his spirits resulted from one spirit's unintelligence and the other's slumber.

"I understand, but I believe this kingdom may be linked to Narod, and you are obligated to share information about my spirit," Fray pressed.

"Yes, but my existence in this world spans no more than a hundred thousand years, whereas this kingdom predates even that. I am unable to assist you, even if I desired to," Morcal clarified.

"Seems your bond with Narod is strengthening. Perhaps you will soon be capable of awakening him," Morcal added, acknowledging the intensifying connection between Fray and his fusion-type spirit. The conditions for accessing Narod's power involved delving into humanity's forgotten history, thus deepening their bond through the memories inherited from Yasine.

"Yes, my bond with Narod has indeed grown more formidable with this newfound knowledge. Perhaps now, I can wield thirty times his power," Fray contemplated.

With the book now vanished, Fray departed from the table, directing his attention to the two statues. In the original novel, Loe, a warrior from the sixth kingdom, failed to make a dent in these unyielding guardians. Only through Lisa's fortunate discovery of the rune supplying their energy and Leo's diversionary tactics did they succeed. However, Lisa's inability to decipher the metal's secret prevented its practical use in the story.

Yet, Fray now possessed the necessary understanding to confront this challenge.

"Reshape," Fray commanded as he reached the statues.

Witnessing Fray's instruction, the statues began to liquefy, melding together to form a spherical mass of metal. This amalgamation comprised one hundred and twenty runes, including a specific rune responsible for executing simple commands. Recognizing Fray as its master, the malleable metal proved cooperative and amenable to his directives.

"Form an axe," Fray uttered.

After several minutes of careful manipulation, the metal took on the shape of a one-sided axe adorned with intricate runes. Examining the weapon, Fray realized it weighed at least twenty thousand tons, possessing a razor-sharp edge capable of effortlessly cleaving through iron. Although he found the axe somewhat unwieldy due to its weight, Fray anticipated that it would become a formidable asset as he grew stronger or utilized the first phase of his transformation.

While various ancient artifacts lay scattered across the chamber, Fray paid them no heed, recognizing their insignificance to his immediate objectives. He intended to dispatch his knights to retrieve them once he exited this place. However, just as

he began departing the room, a sentence etched on one of the walls caught his attention. Intrigued, Fray drew closer, reading the words etched in the ancient language. Surprisingly, this time he effortlessly comprehended their meaning.

"Lord Narod, please avenge your feeble children," the inscription implored.