Six AM. Again.
The ghost of the needle's sting faded as my mind snapped awake. Loop twenty-two. No rush of joy from the breakthrough this time. Just a hard, icy focus. Stage Two Qi Condensation wasn't only a step up; it was my weapon. And the Void Salts were my prey.
I skipped the training yard. Ignored the hunt for silvers. Time was everything, even in a loop. My Qi felt stronger, heavier, more alive. I pulled it tight, letting it flow through my arms and down to my feet.
It was the rough start of 'Shadow Step'. I'd watched elite guards use it, moving fast and silent, melting into faint light. I was far from good at it. But with Stage Two Qi pushing me, I felt swift and light. My steps barely touched the dust as I left the barracks.
The City Archives opened at seven. A huge stone building packed with scrolls and hidden truths. Sneaking into the restricted area was a death wish for a lowly gate guard like me. Normally.
I got there just before the eight AM shift change. Guards were tired, annoyed, busy with handover. I pushed my Qi hard, sinking into the darkest shadows by the scholars' back entrance. A cart rolled by. A guard yawned. I moved.
Shadow Step wasn't like being invisible, but it was close. Just a blur, a flicker someone might miss. I slipped past the entrance guard, my heart slamming in my chest, Stage Two Qi buzzing under my skin, making me faster, quieter.
Inside, the air smelled of old paper and magic runes. The restricted section hid behind a thick, rune-locked door. But twenty-one loops teach you tricks. Like how Master Borin, the old archivist, always left the door a bit open between 8:05 and 8:10 AM to grab his morning tea.
I timed it right. Slipped in. Rows of scrolls, wrapped in dark leather, stamped with danger signs.
My sharper senses kicked in. I read titles fast, using Qi to catch important words. 'Prohibited Materials'. 'Clan Enforcement Edicts'. 'Volatile Substances'.
There it was. A dusty scroll, hidden away, telling the history and risks of banned materials. Void Salts.
