MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 396: The Soulpen Sovereign

The door clicked shut behind Anthony as he stepped out of Colonel Vazeryth's office.

He paused for a moment, standing still in the corridor.

Then, a smile crept across his face, no, a wide grin spread from ear to ear.

At that moment, Anthony was genuinely elated.

After an entire year of following a rigid, robotic training regimen with no deviation, the recognition was a sweet reward.

The relentless grind had finally paid off.

That wasn't what irked him.

What truly bothered Anthony was the fact that he had to begin at the very bottom of the military ranks.

A Private soldier?

It felt no different from being a novice adventurer, tasked with mundane chores, picking herbs for weeks before graduating to fighting slimes, then goblins.

The very thought of it filled him with extreme boredom.

How long would it take to find his girlfriend if he was stuck in such a tiresome cycle?

But now, with the rank of Lieutenant, all that had changed.

He could bypass the drudgery and make his move forward.

Although Anthony was still uncertain about the specifics of the Lieutenant Rank, the clues he had gathered from Lieutenant Darren's body told him all he needed to know.

The deep scars that marred Darren's skin, despite being a vampire, and the palpable bloodlust contained just beneath the surface, were undeniable evidence.

The Lieutenant rank was one forged through constant battle and bloodshed.

'For now, let's head to the library'

Anthony thought, deciding to focus on the task at hand.

He wasn't familiar with the library's location, after all, just days ago he had been a mere Recruit, and the details of the place hadn't been provided to him yet.

But with the Authority of Information at his disposal, he knew the way.

In an instant, his body shot through the sky with astounding speed.

The wind parted around him, his clothes billowing in his wake.

Anthony's gaze shifted to the towering structure of the library before him.

Even a skyscraper from his former world paled in comparison to this monumental building.

It was as if comparing a humble bungalow to a towering skyscraper, there was simply no contest.

"Finally, a building with some design"

Anthony murmured to himself, his voice tinged with approval.

The structure seemed to defy the laws of physics, floating on its own in the sky.

It wasn't anchored to any land or island. It stood tall and majestic, as if suspended between the heavens and earth.

There was no ground to land on, no solid foundation beneath his feet.

Anthony drifted toward the entrance, where the door parted automatically at his approach.

Before he could take in his surroundings, a voice echoed from the side.

"Welcome to Floor Zero of the Tower of Knowledge"

Anthony's gaze shifted toward the source of the voice, his eyes narrowing as he studied the being who had greeted him.

Anthony approached the boy who had spoken to him, his steps deliberate.

To his surprise, he couldn't sense the faintest trace of mana or any other form of energy emanating from the boy.

It was as though the child existed outside the very laws of energy that governed the world.

Anthony's gaze drifted away from the boy, attempting to pierce the towering structure above him.

His eyes sought the upper floors, but something invisible and impenetrable blocked his view.

'This is a first. The military continues to surprise me'

Anthony thought, his curiosity piqued.

His gaze returned to the boy, who seemed unphased, staring at him without a hint of emotion.

"Your military point card"

The boy said, his voice cutting through the silence.

Anthony handed the boy his military point card, which the child promptly swiped across a nearby machine.

"Lieutenant Anthony. Welcome to the Tower of Knowledge"

The boy said as he returned the card.

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"Since this is your first time here, allow me to brief you on a few rules"

The boy continued, his voice steady and precise.

"No books here may be duplicated or taken outside the Tower. There are no reading time limits. Some books require military points for access. And please, keep your noise to a minimum"

The boy's words were short, concise, and devoid of any unnecessary flourish.

"Each floor of the Tower of Knowledge is restricted by military rank. Some ranks are granted access to more than one floor"

The boy continued, his tone steady.

"For instance, the Lieutenant floor grants access to five floors. Knowledge can be found on each of these levels"

Anthony simply listened, not interrupting, allowing the boy to continue without disruption.

"The Tower holds knowledge on nearly every subject imaginable, everything known to mankind at this point in time. The only limitations are your military rank and your points"

The boy's words came without pause, as if the message had been pre-recorded and tailored for each new visitor.

"Please do not damage any books. Even the slightest tear in the paper of even the most insignificant volume will result in significant consequences under the law"

"Keep your use of mana and any disturbances to a minimum, so as to avoid the wrath of the Tower Guardian"

With that, the boy fell silent.

'Tower Guardian'

Anthony thought, his mind racing.

His Sense Dome could detect the presence of the Tower Guardian.

It radiated an overwhelming power, one that permeated every floor of the Tower, except for Floor Zero, where they stood.

Anthony's instincts had already led him to that conclusion.

The immense presence he felt had to belong to the Tower Guardian.

"Who is the Tower Guardian?"

Anthony finally inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The boy's response was matter of fact, his voice as emotionless as before.

"All I can tell you is that the Tower Guardian hails from the Demi-human race. A Weretiger, to be specific. His name is Rudolph— The Soulpen Sovereign"

Anthony, for a moment, was taken aback by the weight of such a title.

He couldn't help but appreciate the coolness of it, though words failed him in that moment.

"Lieutenant Anthony, please stand within the circle"

The boy instructed.

"I will now transport you to the Lieutenant's floor"

Anthony gave a simple nod of acknowledgment before stepping into the marked circle, his movements fluid.

The boy manipulated the equipment before him, and it glowed with a soft, ethereal blue light.

Anthony could feel the space around him shift, bending with an eerie, perfect precision.

The air itself seemed to warp as the boy completed the process.

And then, in the blink of an eye, Anthony vanished.