Reincarnated as a Supernatural Horror Entity 137 - Paths to Illumination

Jack devoured the text. The book was thick with ancient wisdom. It laid out the seven paths to the 'Illuminated' stage.

Each was a distinct journey by its own. But it was all leading to the sa breakthrough. Breaking the 'World Illuminating' bubble. A taphysical prison that capped the true power of beings like him.

He read. His perception was absorbing every word. Every concept.

First... Desire Rituals. This was the path of the drears. The ones with deep yearning. It involved rituals designed to magnify one's inherent desire. To shatter the 'World Illuminating' barrier.

The book gave a serious warning. It was the easiest path to misuse. Often mistaken for a shortcut to power. A single misstep. Slight corruption of the heart's true yearning... The result of the ritual would deviate.

It could damage one's foundation. It could even transform the user into sothing evil. A host for darker entities. Or a perversion of the self.

Many had fallen here. Consud by their own twisted desires. Becoming monsters in pursuit of enlightennt.

It was a tempting. But, it was a volatile route. Requiring absolute purity of intent. And an iron will to resist the whispers of power.

Next... Wisdom Contemplation. This was the path of the philosophers. The inquisitor of thought.

Breaking through here was achieved through profound ditation. And relentless contemplation of the world's fundantal nature.

It wasn't about acquiring facts. But about understanding truths. Comprehending the universal laws. The inherent patterns. The ebb and flow of existence.

It demanded imnse patience. A sharp analytical and thodical mind. And a willingness to question everything.

In this path, one had to delve into the very fabric of reality. To find the cracks in the 'bubble'. Through sheer intellectual and spiritual insight.

It was slow, arduous, and offered no imdiate gratification. But its foundations were solid. Built on understanding rather than force.

Then... Knowledge Manifestation. The path of the scholars. The voracious learners.

This thod involved flooding the mind with an overwhelming volu of valid, accurate knowledge. Not just data. But interconnected knowledge.

Every piece of information. Every historical record. Every scientific principle. Every mystic formula. All of them contributed.

The theory was that a mind could exert enough pressure to break the 'bubble'. As long as the mind was utterly saturated with truth. The knowledge would be an extre tools for breaking it. Through sheer density of true information.

It was like building a massive, intricate logical construct. Within one's own consciousness. Until it reached a critical mass. Exploding outward and revealing the deeper realities.

This required imnse ntal capacity. Often a photographic mory. And access to countless libraries of forbidden or hidden lore.

The risk was ntal overload. Or insanity from too much input. Or drowning in irrelevant data. But it was quite reliable compared to most other ways.

After that... Tenacity Tribulation. This was the path of the ascetics. The unyielding. The one who thrived in suffering.

Breakthrough was achieved through severe self-discipline. And extre abstention. It ant pushing the body and spirit to their absolute limits. Denying comfort. Enduring hardship. And forging an unbreakable will.

In this path, every act of sacrifice, every endured pain, every temptation resisted... They sharpened the spirit.

It was about refining oneself into a pure, concentrated essence of willpower. Capable of brute-forcing the 'bubble' through sheer, willpower force.

The physical and ntal toll for this path was imnse. And many simply broke. Their bodies or minds were fractured under the strain. Or they succumbed to the gnawing emptiness of their self-imposed deprivations.

The book moved on to the less conventional and even less reliable paths.

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Artifacts of Faith. The path of believers. This involved crafting an object. While imbuing it with an extre, zealous level degree of faith.

When succeeded, the artifact beca a focal point. A condensed manifestation of belief. Which would then act as a hamr against the 'bubble'.

The catch was it required a very high degree of purity and absolute conviction. It wasn't just belief in sothing. But belief as sothing.

A rare, almost mythical level of devotion that few could ever achieve. Let alone sustain long enough. To empower an object to such a degree.

These artifacts were often unique. Tied irrevocably to their creator. This might look conventional. But for a Fateless like him, who could never use the power of faith... This path was pointless.

Next... Celestial Fruits. The path of the lucky ones.

This was simple. Find and consu an object. An extrely rare, almost legendary celestial fruit.

These fruits appeared perhaps once in several decades. Usually in specific, remote locations. They were imbued with cosmic energy.

Eating one would instantly trigger the breakthrough. It required no effort. No discipline. No knowledge. Just unparalleled luck. Jack scoffed at this. Relying on luck was a fool's ga.

Finally... Destiny Inheritance. The path of inheritors. This was perhaps the most tragic and profound.

It occurred when an existing Illuminated transcendent individual willingly sacrificed their life. Pouring their entire enlightened essence into a chosen successor.

It was a transfer of illumination. A passing of the torch. Often done in tis of great crisis. Or as a final act of ntorship.

It was a guaranteed path. But it ca at the ultimate cost to the benefactor. And it relied entirely on being chosen. And... finding an Illuminated being willing to make such a sacrifice.

Jack reread the first four types. Desire, Wisdom, Knowledge, Tenacity. These were the dependable ones. The ones he could actually pursue through his own efforts.

The other three were either too reliant on external, uncontrollable factors like luck or another's sacrifice. Or too restricted to be practical for him, like the Artifacts of Faith.

He leaned back, his spectral form shifting slightly, a hum of thought echoing in his non-existent mind.

Desire Rituals felt too dangerous. The risk of deviation was too high. He was a harbinger of vengeance not a corrupted spirit.

Knowledge Manifestation was tempting. But the sheer volu requirent felt overwhelming. And he wasn't sure what "valid knowledge" truly ant in this context. It could be things beyond academic pursuits.

Tenacity Tribulation appealed to his raw, brutal side. He was tough. He could endure. But a constant state of severe self-discipline and abstention felt limiting. Potentially distracting him from his other goals. He didn't want to beco a living ascetic, losing himself in constant denial.

That left Wisdom Contemplation. The path of philosophers. This resonated. It was about understanding. About insight. His spectral nature already granted him a unique perspective on the 'veil' of reality.

He could observe. Analyze. Contemplate. This path seed to align with his current existence. It was slow, yes. But it felt right.

Jack closed the book. A plan was already forming in his mind. He would dedicate a few hours every night to ditation and deep contemplation. Probably it would cut so of his specter exploration ti. But he was sure it would be fine.

He would start with the fundantal questions. What was reality? What was the system? What was the 'World Illuminating' bubble? What defined existence? He would seek answers not just in facts. But in the echoes of the world itself.

Suddenly, the ethereal realm flickered. The soft hum of voices from Rainsister, Amaranth, Adam, and Alice vanished. The sense of shared space dissolved. With a sharp, almost painful pop.

Jack found himself back in his study room in their Lonestone house. The scent of old paper and dust replaced the clean, formless air of the spiritual realm. The gathering ti had ended. One hour, precise as always.

He sighed. His spectral form was drifting over to his desk. The choice was made. Wisdom Contemplation it was.

He would allocate ti. Cutting into the ti his usual spectral wanderings. He would try to reach the 'Illuminated' stage through understanding. Rather than raw power or risky rituals.

As for Reina, Jack decided he would share this knowledge about the 'Illuminated' stage later. Much later. When her karma had returned to neutral. She was still recovering from her past as Queen Mirage. Her karma was still bleeding from negative into neutral.

...

Life settled into the usual rhythm. Jack continued his nocturnal patrols as Jack Mystery. Handling silent judgent to the guilty and the worthy.

During few points of ti of the day, Racer Jack continued his public crusade. Against street cri. Building his infamy and fa simultaneously. A whirlwind of blades and taunts.

And at specific hours each night. Before and after his spectral patrol, Jack Mystery would enter a deep state of contemplation. Probing the fabric of reality. Seeking the elusive cracks in the 'World Illuminating' bubble.

It was frustratingly slow. Yielding no imdiate results. But he was patient. He was technically immortal after all.

Four days passed. Four days of routine. Of growing fa for Racer Jack. And silent contemplation at night.

Then, on the fifth day, change appeared. Jack was sitting in his study. Going over so regional maps he'd acquired from a less-than-reputable source.

Reina entered, a copy of newspaper in her hand. Aether Daily, the newspaper for transcendent. It was a specialized publication. Disguised as normal publication. Filled with news and announcents relevant to the transcendent community.

They had subscribed to it only a week ago. After realizing how much information they were missing.

"Dear!" Reina began. Her voice was calm. "Sothing interesting is set to open in three days." She gestured to a highlighted article.

Jack looked up from his maps. "Oh? What is it, Love?"

"A spatial gate." She stated. Her eyes were scanning the article again. "Seems to open a pathway to sothing called the Treasureland Junkyard."

She paused. Then she looked at him with an expectant gaze. "Are you interested in joining the exploration?"

Jack leaned back. Folding his arms. "Treasureland Junkyard? What exactly is that place?" He hadn't heard the na before.