Chap 22: tower and books
"I sorry miss. The only place that could sell the item you're looking for is in there." The vendor woman pointed to the tower.
Walking away, Takumi has passes a dozen or so vendors that have the same answer for him.
'Of course it wouldn't be so easy.' Takumi walked while thinking.
Who would've throught that finding books or scripture about jujutsu would be so hard. Takumi throught if he became more proficient in using curse energy as time goes on, his curse technique would also become stronger but so far that has not changed. So he turn to another option, record of jujutsu.
Sure the system are there but wasting pulls on a slight hope he gets a better technique is wishfull thinking.
Entering the gate is also available, but using the first challenge he went through as a bench mark. He won't be going in without higher stats.
Joinning the jujutsu society is another choice, but that would be like putting a collar on himself. He has enough of people pulling him down in one life to tell that if the high council running that place found out about him, it won't be good.
Soon he arrived, standing in front of a gates lead him to the monumental tower.
Compelled by an urge to see the full scope of this place, Takumi gradually lifted his gaze. his neck craned back and his eyes straining to take in the full scale of the tower's heights, feeling a sense of vertigo wash over him. His eyes tracing the towering lines of the structure as they soared upward, seemingly without end, disappearing into the swirling darkness that clung to the uppermost ceilling to the underground that wasn't illuminated by the light from the tower itself.
Takumi slowly approached the entrance, the ground beneath his feet shifted from rough, cobblestones to a smooth, polished floor of black and white marble.
The first floor is a big lobby to greet the many group of guess. He saw sharply dressed individuals moved about with purpose, greeting guests and leading them elsewhere.
In his vision one of them, a short, slender boy with dark brown hair that fell just above their shoulders approached him. Wearing a fitted, white button-up shirt tucked into high-waisted black trousers, the outfit completed with black leather shoes that clicked softly against the floor with each step.
With a slight bow and a soft, melodic voice. "Hello madam. I can see that you are new here, may i provide you a guide to the tower ?" He asked in a cheery tone, the politeness and professionalsim is there but it isn't what Takumi expect-actually a femboy buttler should sound like this.
"Yeah, i'm looking for something to read. Do you have a have library in this place ?"
"Yes ma'am. We do have an archive, alow me to lead the way."
Takumi follow him to a elevator, when they both entered. The boy press a number and begin to go upwards through various floor. As Takumi stepped inside, he noticed that the entire front of the elevator was made of clear glass, offering an unobstructed view of the tower’s interior.
Taking in the new scene in silence, Takumi watched in fascination and curiousity of each floor he passes.
Either the boy managed to pick up on the curiosity in his silence or maybe that's part of his training. Regardless, he began explaining to him.
"That's our arena floor ma'am, we organize fights every night."
Through the glass, he can see a huge circular arena with the audience seating assembled around it.
"One hundred meter in diameter and twenty-two meter in height." The boy then go on to share more info about the arena and it's rule.
"All this, in just one floor ?"
"No ma'am, we have allocate five floors and turning it into one section." He pointed out.
Acording to the boy servant, tower is divided into big section. Floor 1 and 2 is the accommodation area, 3 to 8 is the battle ground for guests entertainment, 9 to 15 is the merchant section, and from 16 to 19 is where they're heading to, the archive.
"Wow, how did anyone able to stuffed this place down here."
"All thanks to our clan head, ma'am." The boy pointed to a symbol on his clothes.
'Clan head?' Now he just noticed. Engrave on the button of his suit is a symbol of a crow grabing a coin in it's talon.
'Never seen that one before.'
"The next match begin in a hour, would you like to visit later ma'am." He sugested.
Giving it a throught, Takumi shake his head in refusal.
"No, i'm just here for the books." As interesting as it seem, he's only here for one thing.
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*Ding*
A bell sound indicated that they have reach the designated floor.
"Here we are sir, floor 16."
"Thank you."
"No problem ma'am. It's my duty, and you should able to find the librarian just ahead." Finishing his sentence, the boy lower his head into a bow before closing the elevator door.
The moment he steppeđ through, Takumi could recognize the the familiar scent of candles and books. A hint of sweetness in the leather which add to the age of this place.
As he enter, Takumu eyes scan the aisle of book shelf. Row upon rows of knowledge waiting for him to find and discover.
'No kidding, this place is a archive.' Takumi throught while walking deeper
It din't take him long before he found a open space, it look like a place for reading as he see a few empty table with no one in it, in the middle is where he asumed the librarian is. The counter table is in a crescent shaped, with one person sat in one person in it.
Takumi approaches the old lady who momentarily huffs at the interruption of her work.
"Hi, miss." He said politely, trying to make a good first impression.
"What book are you looking for ?" The woman asked, picking her glasses and letting them rest on her light cyan hair.
"Well, i'm looking for a way to get stronger so-"
"Ha! You're funny kid, if there are anything in this place that make you stronger then people be flocking to this place by now." The woman let out a laugh, interupting his word.
"You're not from a big family are you ? you won't be here if you were. Let me tell you this, there's no shortcut to it, so find another thing to read or get loss."
Stuned by her words, Takumi was at a loss for what to say. He hesitates, He stood scratching his head in thought before opening his mouth to reply.
"So what would you recomend for me miss ?" The old librarian raise an eyebrow at his answer, it seemed she didn't expect this type of answer at all. She squint her eyes in silence and for a seccond, Takumi really think that see could she his face behind the mask.
"This way." Standing up from her seat, she urge Takumi to follow behind.
Winding through corridors, the space becomes increasingly cramped. The aisles narrow, and piles of books encroach upon the walkways.
"This one."
"This one too."
"And this."
Takumi throught she would just guide him to one or two books, but by the time they make the way back to the counter. Takumj have both hand full in books, even some old scroll was added to the stack he was holding.
He think, the old lady was really taking the piss on him by making carrying all the books. "You want my recomendation, you get to carry them."
His respon was to nod in agreement, so he follow through each hall of books with her. Inside, Takumi was actually happy that this would happended. Self-learning isn't that great for Takumi since he don't know what he did when training was wrong or not. Now there's some one that is knowledgeable helping him out, Takumi couldn't be more eager to learn.
Pulling a chair out, Takumi sat down and begin flipping through the pages.