Turning back to see the tour guide, Milah's mouth gaped open in disbelief. "Your skill is now stage 5? It seems you've progressed accidentally.

  I didn't realize giving you a job that didn't exist would elevate you to this rank," he sighed, rubbing his temples as if to process the unexpected development.

  "Your attachment skill seems..." He trailed off, glancing at the text that materialized out of nothing and floated aimlessly:

  [Adaptive Evolution]

  The air around them seemed to shimmer slightly as the text materialized, drawing Leonardo's attention.

  Milah's eyes flickered with a hint of curiosity. "Well then, that seems brilliant for your new job," he practically snickered, though his voice betrayed a hint of nervousness.

  [Adaptive Evolution: Adaptive evolution is the ability to undergo rapid and targeted evolutionary changes in response to environmental stimuli or threats. This skill allows the individual to develop new physical, mental, or biological traits that enhance survival and effectiveness in various situations.]

  "Wait, can I adapt to dying?" Leonardo asked, blushing at his newfound skill. His heart raced with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

  The thought of evolving to avoid death felt like an overwhelming paradox, one that challenged his understanding of life and mortality.

  The tour guide looked at Leonardo flatly. "No," he said, his tone brusque. "Everyone has to die at one point; a story has to end." He stood up from the chair, and as he did, the world around them began to shift.

  The vibrant colors of the peach tree and the soft rustling of leaves faded away, replaced by the opulent surroundings of Milah's office.

  The transition felt like being gently pulled through a veil, with the scent of blooming flowers giving way to the rich aroma of polished wood and aged parchment.

  "Well then, these are your current skills," Milah said, his voice echoing slightly in the grand room adorned with ancient artifacts and intricate tapestries.

  Name: Leonardo Thatcher

  Age: 16

  Story Skill: Tour Guide Practical Officer, Stage 5

  Attachment Skill: Adaptive Evolution

  Unwritten Skill: Priest: 3 unwritten skills

  Title Skill: [Uninvited Guest], Champion Stage

  Rasvian Control: Rank: Adept

  Leonardo looked at this in awe. Each skill description seemed to glow faintly, their significance slowly sinking in. "You didn't explain Rasvian. What is that?" he asked, confusion evident.

  Milah's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It's a long story," he replied, dripping with sarcasm.

  He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together as if contemplating how much to reveal. The room's lighting seemed to dim slightly, adding a dramatic flair to his words. He seemed almost to enjoy the power he held over Leonardo's understanding.

  "Wait, what?" Leonardo responded, frustration creeping into his voice.

  "I'll tell you later."

  "You're acting-"

  "I'm acting?"

  "No, but you could at least tell me anything?"

  "How about you do a quick tutorial, per se," Tour Guide Milah said, smirking a bit.

  "You'll reach a city soon. It's big, so don't die from shock."

  "City?"

  "Anyway, it will take time before the big boss," Milah pointed upwards, "will accept my complaint." Dragging Leonardo out of the room, he said, "Go do your job before it's too late," smiling as he closed the door.

  "What does he mean 'do my job'!" Leonardo cried out back to the door, which was no longer there.

  The room that had been there before began vanishing, replaced by the museum's extraordinary walls. The transition was abrupt, the office's grandeur replaced by the museum's endless expanse, filled with a faint hum of energy and the distant echoes of countless stories.

  Leonardo wandered for a while, not knowing how to use anything in this space. He felt a profound sense of isolation. "I miss Ronald," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper in the vast emptiness. The museum, an infinitely expanding space filled with Rasvian energy, had an almost ethereal quality to it, the air shimmering with latent power. The walls seemed to pulse with life, the very fabric of the museum woven from the stories it contained.

  He stumbled upon a floating text that explained the uses of Rasvian energy:

  Three main uses- he skipped a line

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Building.

  He stopped reading from the text that randomly appeared in front of him. "Building?" He looked confused, his mind struggling to grasp the implications. "I mean, you'd think It would say creation?"

  A sudden wave of destruction expanded, transforming the entire space around him into chaos. The ground trembled, and the air was filled with a deafening roar. He gagged, feeling nauseated. "Not another one," he muttered, clutching his stomach as the world spun around him.

  The destruction was like a violent storm, ripping through the fabric of reality itself, leaving Leonardo disoriented and terrified.

  As the chaos subsided, he found himself in a new section of the museum. The shift was disorienting, the once-stable ground now replaced with a bustling cityscape. The transition felt like being torn from one world and thrust into another, the sensory overload almost too much to bear.

  [A City beyond the Museum of Stories] it read.

  [Ghent] appeared in full caps, practically in front of him. "Argh, I already see it," he told the text. The letters hovered for a moment longer before fading away, leaving Leonardo to take in his new surroundings. The city was unlike anything he had ever seen, a blend of advanced technology and timeless architecture.

  [Good] it responded, vanishing the next moment. He had been in the museum a while ago reading a text explaining the various uses of Rasvian energy.

  Now he was in a city filled with towering, futuristic structures. The buildings seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, their sleek designs a testament to advanced engineering.

  A train hovered in the sky, with most of the cars suspended above the ground. In the center stood a monumental tower that seemed to pierce the heavens, [The Stem].

  He walked around aimlessly, observing the [crossroads] and [stoplights]. "Uh, thank you, text," he said, embarrassed it had to explain everything for him. The streets were alive with activity, people of various shapes and sizes moving with purpose. He saw something zoom past him in a blur, the motor engine roaring, grey gas trailing behind. "What is that?"

  [Car: A wheeled motor vehicle used for transportation, typically powered by an internal Rasvian-based engine]

  "Wow," he continued watching as it drifted away in a cloud of smoke.

  "Are there any more text?"

  [? Sedans: Traditional passenger vehicles with separate compartments for the engine, passengers, and cargo.

  SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles): Larger vehicles designed for off-road capability and more cargo space.

  Coupes: Cars with a sporty design, typically with two doors. Convertibles: Cars with a roof that can be folded down or removed.

  Hatchbacks: Cars with a rear door that swings upward, providing access to the cargo area. Electric Cars: Vehicles powered entirely by Rasvian motors and batteries.]

  "OOOOH?! There's actually more."

  Leonardo stood at the edge of the bustling street, eyes darting across the endless streams of people and vehicles. The modern world was overwhelming, a cacophony of sounds and motion. He had been so lost in the sight of metal carriages—automobiles, they called them—that he hadn’t noticed the traffic light.

  A sudden blaring horn jolted him as he stepped forward. Before he could react, something yanked him backward with a force both unnatural and firm. His feet stumbled, and he found himself landing against a firm chest.

  “Hey, watch it!” A sharp voice rang in his ear.

  Leonardo twisted around, eyes wide, breath shallow. A green glow flickered near his shoulder before vanishing. His gaze darted toward the source—a girl, barely older than himself, lowering her hand quickly as if nothing had happened.

  He stared at her, then at the street, then back at her.

  “I almost died,” he breathed, heart pounding in his chest.

  “Don’t you know how to cross a street?” the girl scolded, crossing her arms. “Look for the green light before walking, genius.”

  Leonardo didn’t reply, still shaken. He glanced at his hands, then at the gloves that had come with his suit. Something was strange about them. He clenched his fists, feeling the material tighten around his fingers. There was more to these than he initially thought.

  A new thought struck him. His fear melted into curiosity as he turned back toward the road. He had never seen so many different types of vehicles before—each a masterpiece of engineering. His fingers twitched in anticipation. His mind formed a new goal.

  “My new goal is to find all the types of cars,” he muttered to himself, an odd grin creeping onto his face.

  He stepped beside the stop sign, blending into the crowd of waiting pedestrians. No one seemed to pay him any mind, their faces a blur of indifference. Only the cars, sleek and varied, held his attention.

  “Must be mad,” someone muttered nearby.

  “Yeah,” another voice agreed.

  Leonardo ignored them, his focus fixed ahead. The city was a marvel—one he would figure out, piece by piece.

  As he took his first step forward, two girls suddenly approached him. One spoke, her voice direct and commanding.

  “Hi.”

  Leonardo instinctively stepped back. He was used to being of average height, even tall for his time, but here… these girls towered over him like giants. He craned his neck slightly to look at them properly, feeling utterly small in comparison.

  “What are those?” he blurted out, pointing vaguely at them, his words a desperate attempt to cover up his bewilderment.

  [Humans living in the city]

  "They're so tall," he said nervously. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the girl and her friend seemed to catch every word.

  The other girl, who introduced herself, giggled. "You are really short," she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She was even taller than the last girl, and both of them had an ethereal grace that made Leonardo feel clumsy in comparison.

  As he walked through the bustling streets, he passed a myriad of shops, each more extravagant than the last.

  The people wore vibrant, intricate clothing, some of them cursing him as he accidentally bumped into them, a sprawling metropolis. The city's sheer size and the constant flow of people overwhelmed him.

  Tall skyscrapers rising with different lights to them

  "It really is big."

  He stumbled into an open square, where a grand fountain sprayed water in intricate patterns. The buildings around him were adorned with futuristic designs. The blend of old and new was mesmerizing.

  He could see flying vehicles zipping through the air above, and holographic advertisements of a woman with brown hair talking about a new idea floated in mid-air, displaying everything from fashion to technology.

  Feeling a bit more composed, he continued exploring, his eyes wide with wonder. He passed through market stalls where vendors sold exotic goods.

  The air was filled with the aroma of unfamiliar spices and the chatter of people in different dialects. Each stall was a feast for the senses, offering everything from alien fruits to handcrafted artifacts that glowed with their own inner light.

  He then stopped to ask the text, "How am I understanding them?"

  [Immediate language translator]

  He continued walking, pausing to ask if there was a king.

  [No current king; the current rulers is one of the 5 sages and a tour guide.]

  "Sages sounds fun, seems like another ranking," he mused. The atmosphere changed, reminiscent of when he had been in his earlier world staring at the moon. He appeared to be in a trance again, continuing, "Everything just got harder." He sighed, walking towards the enormous tower at the center of the city, [The Stem].

  "Welcome to the Skyway Hub," the conductor said cheerfully through a microphone to the crowd waiting to enter the train. Most people were on their phones, not paying attention to the speech.

  On the other hand, Leonardo paid attention to every possible detail. "You'll need to get through here to reach the floors of The Stem," the conductor finally said.

  Leonardo listened intently, his ears absorbing every word.