Chapter 103: The Heart of a Berserker

In stark contrast to the somber, martial atmosphere of the Armory, the Great Library was a sanctuary of tranquility, a place steeped in the quiet passage of knowledge and time.

The entire structure was housed within a colossal, world-piercing tree. Its canopy spread like a majestic parasol, so vast it blotted out the clouds and sky, and its roots explored the very heart of the elven capital.

Stepping inside felt like plunging into a galaxy constructed from books. Endless bookshelves spiraled up from beneath one’s feet, stretching into the hazy heights where sunlight filtered through the dome of leaves, casting a soft, ethereal halo over everything. The air was thick with the scent of ancient scrolls and vellum, mingled with the sweet, earthy aroma of the giant tree’s sap. It smelled like frozen time.

“The first three floors of the Great Library are open to you,” Eldara’s voice announced, a slight echo rippling through the cavernous space.

“The first floor covers the general history of the continent, its geography, and its cultures. The second floor contains basic and intermediate skills for various classes. The third floor holds high-tier skills and rare knowledge inheritances.”

She paused, her crystalline gaze sweeping over the four of them. “Considering your circumstances, I suggest you proceed directly to the third floor.”

Celeste and the others exchanged a knowing glance before making their way toward the grand spiral staircase that wound its way up into the higher levels. For them, equipment could be acquired through various means, but high-tier skills—abilities that could directly expand the limits of their power and strengthen their very foundations—were truly priceless treasures.

“The third floor is known as the Sea of Wisdom,” Eldara’s voice followed them as they ascended. “It is a culmination of the combat techniques and insights of countless generations of elven ancestors.”

“Unlike the Armory, what you gain here depends entirely on your own self-perception.”

When they arrived, they found the center of the third floor was not filled with bookshelves, but with a small, luminous tree only two or three meters tall. Its trunk had the texture of translucent crystal, and within it, countless golden veins of light flowed in slow, orderly, and impossibly complex patterns, like the neural network of some higher organism.

It was breathing. It was thinking.

This was the heart and brain of the entire third floor.

“Go on,” Eldara said, gesturing toward the small tree. “Place your hands upon the Tree of Inheritance. It will reflect your soul and reveal the rewards most suited to you.”

She added gravely, “Remember, you only have one chance.”

The expressions of the four women grew serious, their breaths catching with a shared sense of anticipation. This felt different from picking equipment in the Armory; it carried the weight of a fated, sacred ritual.

Selene was the first to step forward. Her personality was the most direct, her convictions the most pure. As the team’s unshakeable shield, her one and only thought was to become tougher—tough enough to block the entire world for those she protected.

She pressed her palm against the cool, smooth surface of the crystal trunk.

In the next moment, thousands of golden motes of light surged from deep within the tree’s core, unfolding into a cascade of battle-worn silhouettes before her eyes.

In the Cinder Canyon, she saw herself, shield held firm, weathering the crushing blow of a Stitched Abomination’s massive bone club.

In the Silent Woodland, she saw herself gritting her teeth, her own body serving as the final bulwark against the charge of an Undead Knight’s wicked blade.

Finally, all the images shattered. Light and shadow reshaped themselves, condensing into a single golden rune that radiated the weight and immovability of a mountain.

[Holy Shield (Active Skill): Condenses a shield of protection using Holy Light. For 10 seconds, all damage received is reduced by 20%. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

Selene didn’t even need to read the description closely. Just from the indestructible aura it projected, she knew.

‘This is it!’

She reached out and grasped it. The rune instantly dissolved into a streak of blazing light, branding itself onto the skin of her brow before fading.

Combined with her “Resilience of the Mountain,” she now had absolute confidence that the next time she faced a monster like that abomination, its bone club would be the first thing to shatter.

Clenching her fists in excitement, Selene stepped aside, her face glowing.

Next was Su Wan. Her expression was a complex mixture of anticipation for new power and a trace of deep-seated inner conflict.

The moment her palm touched the trunk, two distinct paths unfurled before her.

One path was a world of endless ice and snow, a solitary Frost Throne hanging high in the sky. It represented the pinnacle of frost magic, the glorious destiny her family had paved for her, but also a lonely, cold path of solitude.

The other path, however, was a magnificent chaos. Flames burned, storms howled, thunder roared, and the very earth trembled. All the elements were wildly intertwined, a maelstrom of the unknown and the dangerous, yet brimming with infinite possibilities.

[Elemental Affinity (Passive Skill): Your soul exhibits a natural friendliness toward all elements. Affinity for all magical elements is increased by 10%, and the precision of your magical control is increased by 15%.]

This skill wouldn’t let her summon a world-ending blizzard overnight. But it would open the doors to every school of magic.

Su Wan’s breathing quickened. She thought of Celeste’s endless, dazzling array of peculiar abilities, the freedom and ease with which she wielded her strange powers.

She no longer wanted to be limited by “Frost.”

She reached out, her fingertips brushing past the shimmering phantom of the Frost Throne without a hint of nostalgia, and resolutely grasped the chaotic vortex of elemental energy.

“I choose this.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it connected with the sound of invisible shackles breaking.

The skill rune merged into her body. Su Wan closed her eyes, a soft gasp escaping her lips. She could feel the fire and wind elements in the air—elements that had once been hostile and incompatible with her nature—now spinning around her like curious children, full of warmth and playful curiosity.

For the first time, the corners of her mouth curled upward into a genuine, unrestrained smile. This was the first choice she had ever truly made for herself.

It was Xia Lian’s turn. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she placed her hand on the trunk with a hint of timidness.

The cool touch grounded her for a moment, but the light and shadow that erupted before her eyes instantly transformed into her deepest nightmare.

It was an intense street fight. Enemies pounced from the shadows, their claws sealing off every path of retreat. She instinctively raised her shortbow to block, her other hand frantically fumbling for the dagger at her waist. That brief, fatal delay was what had plunged her into a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

The scene shifted. A blurry figure of an elven ranger appeared, facing the exact same predicament. But with a flick of the wrist, the bowstring was drawn back a mere fraction. An arrow was fired point-blank into the attacker’s face, forcing its movements to stall for a critical instant.

In that flash, a fierce knee strike slammed into the enemy’s abdomen. The ranger slid sideways, the hand that had just released the bowstring already gripping the hilt of a dagger. With a reverse-hand strike, the blade was plunged accurately into the enemy’s heart.

The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water, a lethal dance where every part of the body was a weapon. It was filled with a brutal, violent aesthetic.

‘…You can do that?’ Xia Lian watched, utterly dumbfounded.

A complex rune, one that merged the arts of archery and close-quarters combat, slowly took shape before her.

[Bow Mastery (Passive Skill): You have grasped the way of combat cooperation. When shooting a shortbow at close range, power is increased by 20%. Weapon switching speed is increased by 50%, and melee damage is increased by 20%. Gain Basic Elven Ranger physical techniques.]

Xia Lian instantly remembered the pair of “Shadowstrike Fangs” Eldara had given her. She finally understood the true meaning behind the commander’s gift.

She no longer hesitated and solemnly accepted the skill. A torrent of brand-new combat instincts flooded her mind. She felt as if her methods of attack were no longer limited to her weapons; every part of her body could now become a lethal fang at a moment’s notice.

Finally, only Celeste remained.

She walked up to the Tree of Inheritance with a composed, leisurely stride and pressed her hand against it.

‘Alright, let’s see what kind of surprises the elven inheritance has in store for me.’

The flow within the golden veins of the Tree of Inheritance didn’t just surge—it violently erupted. The entire crystal tree began to emit an overwhelmed, high-pitched buzzing sound, as if the CPU of a supercomputer had been instantly pushed to 1000% usage.

What appeared before Celeste’s eyes was not some holy radiance or a sacred prayer.

It was the burning, war-crying heart of a Berserker.

In the visions, a figure wielding a massive claymore performed a whirlwind slash amidst thousands of soldiers, sending flesh and blood flying everywhere.

The scene shifted, and another figure in full plate armor slammed into an enemy, launching them into the air with a brutal charge.

Immediately after, one bright red, violently aesthetic skill rune after another scrambled to jump out, lining up in a long, eager queue before her as if waiting for a military inspection.

[Claymore Mastery]!

[Greataxe Mastery]!

[Bladestorm]!

[Heroic Throw]!

[Wrath]!

Celeste: “…”

Selene, Su Wan, and Xia Lian: “…”

Even the usually expressionless Eldara couldn’t stop the corner of her eye from twitching violently.

“Sis… so this is your self-perception…” Selene murmured, her expression utterly blank as she stared at the long line of murderous skills.

“How does any of this… look even remotely like a Priest?”

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]