Book 1 Of The Seeker Of Knowledge: I Shall Find The Truth! 1 Arc 1 - Chapter 1: I Will Return

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Time*

Noise*

(Location)

Arc 1 - Chapter 1: I Will Return

(Continent: Solitas: Kingdom: Atlas: Schnee's Mansion)

In the middle of a snowy land, where it's filled with many highly advanced technologies that would bring this harsh cold environment to make it liveable. In fact, this is the land, where it contains the strongest military in the entire world.

Others will be jealous of the people living here.

Others will see it as a haven, a dream of paradise to live in.

Others desire to destroy it for denying them, to live there.

Others desire, hope, to gain a better future here.

For me?

I see it as a big giant cage. Especially my own home. You would expect born into a rich family. You would get everything you can dream of with money belonging to a rich family.

Yeah, I got all that. But, there's always a downside. You just have to look for it.

Mine?

I'm the Heir to the Schnee Dust Company, or as known as the biggest producers and exporters of [Dust] in the world of Remnant.

Well, it wasn't the biggest as it is now before my birth. Yeah, dear old Father really knows how to use other, even family, for profit.

Oh? You want to know how he uses me, to be able to make an average Dust Company into a worldwide Dust Company?

It's because I was born with inborn special eyes, that no one but my own family knows. Actually, scratch that. They don't know jack. As it was me who learned what I have.

My eyes can change the color of red and have this weird blue five-pointed stars in the middle of my eyes, with multiple symbols formed into two circles behind the five-pointed stars.

The first time I activated this cursed eyes, yes, they are a curse sometimes, and gained knowledge I have never about them and what disturbed me the most was this unknown being inside me. I first saw upon activating these cursed eyes with a featureless pitch-black humanoid shape, shadow figure, with no eyes, mouth, ear, just nothing.

And I learned that if I were to put under extreme emotional distress they activate the madness of the [Alpha Stigma], then this unknown being will take over my mind and rampage everything around me until everything is destroyed.

These eyes? They are the [Alpha Stigma], which give me the ability to a.n.a.lyze and comprehend anything I have the desire to solve them.

This is how my own Father used me. By forcing me to use these eyes to a.n.a.lyze all his works, to find out what is wrong and what will work for him.

Thanks to this, I was forced to work with Father at the age of 5, that is when I activated the [Alpha Stigma] for the first time and the day of when I learned about the cruel world that I was forced to experience so early on.

Even with the countless knowledge, I gained from the [Alpha Stigma]. I didn't get all of them at once, as it steady flow into me while I sleep.

It was on the third night when I cursed my fate for possessing these eyes. That is the night where I learned, that the [Alpha Stigma] is one of the Four Curses that was pa.s.sed on to humanity from the Dark G.o.d of ancient time, the younger brother of the two brothers, that created Renmant.

When I reached the end of my sleep of gaining knowledge from the [Alpha Stigma]. I found out I was the last bearer of the [Alpha Stigma], as the other of the Four Curses are gone by now.

Due to these so-called Four Maidens continue to hunt down anyone that possess one of the Four Curses until none remains. Sadly, I didn't learn why they were hunted down by these Four Maidens, whatever they are.

All I know that these eyes of mine will allow me to solve countless things. Which was pretty tame until the end of the first week, where I learned the part where the ability to a.n.a.lyze and comprehend was just part of the [Alpha Stigma].

It also allows me to copy anything I have solved, meaning that if I were to use it to learn a business-related subject. I learn how to do it better than the one that showed me, because I solved the problems of what needed to be done and how to improve the solution even further.

Yeah, doesn't make sense, but with these eyes, nothing makes sense when anything related to them. That is one of the lessons I learned early on.

The first was to keep my emotion in check or risk having this unknown being, which I have the feeling it's the Dark G.o.d that created the Four Curses.

Anyway, using these eyes on anything for a few seconds, even only partially the target demonstrated, will allow me to copy and improve them to beyond the limit of what it should be possible.

The only thing that's stopping me from becoming powerful beyond belief. Is my own body. Not because it's weak, it is, but that I'm literally 10 years old!

Thanks to the [Alpha Stigma]; I possess knowledge that surpa.s.ses countless of people in my Father's generation.

One of the many things I continue to remind me of why I hate my own Father. 5 entire years of forcing me against my will to continue to watch all these so-called experts on their jobs, then steal their earned knowledge and make them mine.

Of course, my Father didn't know I was stealing their knowledge during the process of them working before my [Alpha Stigma].

Afterward, my Father would ask me which people to keep and which one could do better at something else. With the latter almost impossible to do as I won't find every single thing about them besides the skills they display before me.

At this point, I have gathered knowledge of different subjects, that would make me a genius in many peoples' eyes.

But, I kept this to myself, and continue with the tutors my Father hired to teach me. As a way to 'help' me improve my cursed eyes. In a way, he is, but at the same time not. Seeing how I made sure doing the minimum effort.

The only reason I haven't even tried to escape this place I loathe to call a home. Was because my own little sister, who is just born 2 years ago. When I was 8 years old.

Sadly, my own Mother died from giving birth to my little sister. Too bad, Father dearest didn't see the same cursed eyes on my little sister, much to my relief, when he tried to get my little sister to activate them by accident somehow.

Stupid old man doesn't realize that if my little sister did have the [Alpha Stigma]. He would be killed by his own newborn Daughter by making her activate madness in the [Alpha Stigma].

To make it worse, the old man didn't bother to give a name to my little sister, causing the people to be a bit stressful as they were too afraid to speak in the presence of my Father.

So, I named my own little sister the moment Father left my little sister to a nurse, who was very nervous.

It wasn't that hard to figure out.

She is scared of my own little sister having the potential to become a monster like Father, but is a bit relieved to not having my cursed eyes. As it is a known fact that no one is able to hide anything from me.

Well, partially true, as I can use it for many things, but digging out people's darkest secrets? Yeah, I actually need to see something to allow my [Alpha Stigma] to see it before I can get anything out of it.

Nonetheless, you would think Father would care about his own family, but nope.

Because on the very night on the same day where my little sister is born and the same day my Mother die. Mother was another reason for me not wanting to run away, as Mother was the only that actually care for me and love me.

Now, Mother is dead and only my little sister remains. I had to order a few people to do the funeral for my own Mother while Father continues to do his business.

It's a good thing Father was too frustrated and disappointed with my little sister to remember to take me with him at the time, to give me the chance to give my little sister a name and get people to give a funeral for my Mother.

I gave my little sister her own name, Brise. Brise Schnee.

During those two years helping the nurses and nanny to raise my little sister. It was during those two years, I learned I needed to become stronger. As it looks like Father managed to offend a few people, that would get their hands dirty.

By that, I mean someone hired an a.s.sa.s.sin to kill me, with my little sister as well due to her being with me at the time when the a.s.sa.s.sination took place.

On the bright side, I learned about [Aura] and how to unlock my own at the same time I learned about it from the very same a.s.sa.s.sin trying to kill me.

Giving me access to the Schnee family's [Semblance: Glyphs]. Which is one of the rare hereditary [Semblance] that goes down many families in this world. With the Schnee being one of the rare few.

It is thanks to unlocking my [Aura] and knowing what my [Semblance] is already, as the [Alpha Stigma] isn't a [Semblance], and so, doesn't use [Aura] at all. Giving me a major advantage in my first time having a life and death fight, with my side in a huge disadvantage as I have zero experience in fighting at the time.

With the [Alpha Stigma]'s help, I was able to master the [Glyphs] somewhat and killed the a.s.sa.s.sin, also my first kill. Like, being at the age before entering the double digits and already have my hand bloodied, was really sickening.

Thanks to learning my lessons of lower my guard down, just because I was in my own home, really having a hard time calling it that, doesn't mean I'm completely safe here.

You know what's even worst? My own Father didn't care that my little sister and I could have died during those countless a.s.sa.s.sinations.

As my Father already gained all the resources, power, and more thanks to me. And he discarded me afterward.

In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to find out some of these a.s.sa.s.sins were let in by him, to get rid of me in order to get his hands on my little sister, after discovering how smart she is.

Yeah, my little sister is smart for a toddler. Already known basic things, that should be taught at the age of 5.

If it wasn't for my cursed eyes at the time. I have the feeling my Father would find a way to get rid of me when I show such disappointing results from the tutors teaching me. As I didn't show much intelligence compared to my little sister at her age.

Pretty sure my Father regrets not helping raise Brise now, huh?

Because all the things I learned from the tutors, I taught it to Brise, who easily got the hang of it after a couple tries before she mastered them. Well, not everything, as there are some subjects too advance for Brise, even with her genius mind.

Of course, with great talent, come with a downside of other's unwanted attention. Out of greed, envy, all negative things to people with great talent from a different family. And they came for me and my little sister.

Due to this, I had to throw myself into training to protect my little sister, where I learned from the countless books in the Schnee's main library. Good things there were countless family members that weren't completely into business related.

Who knew that my own family used to be known as one of the greatest warriors in their times before [Dust] became a thing. It's no wonder we weren't very known a few years back to my Father's generation got into business related to mining [Dust] and other things related to it.

After all, at the time in the past for the Schnee family. They treated [Dust] as something not worth using or something.

Talk about irony, as now the Schnee family of now relies on [Dust] for all their successful business, causing countless powerful skills to disappear from the world and left in this main library to rot.

In fact, I found one fighting style that doesn't rely on [Dust] at all, and could use with my own [Aura]; well [Semblance].

A fighting style that was said to be invincible at the time. Able to fight at incredible speeds and is able to react and move in microseconds. The fighting style call: [Exploding Gale Fist], created by Fon Schnee. The greatest Martial Artist of his time.

Furthermore, my ancestor Fon Schnee is also known to be a master of using the [Semblance: Glyphs] by converting it into something new than the standard [Glyphs], known as the [Flames of the Sky]. One of the reasons why the Schnee at the time deemed the [Dust] as useless.

Sadly, not many people in the Schnee family were able to use the [Glyphs] to be converted into [Flames of the Sky], in fact, only Fon, the creator of these [Glyphs] possess all seven flames. Being the [Storm Flame Glyph], [Rain Flame Glyph], [Sun Flame Glyph], [Lightning Flame Glyph], [Cloud Flame Glyph], [Mist Flame Glyph], and [Sky Flame Glyph].

Each of these seven flames has its own abilities. But, the rest of the Schnee family of the old only managed to bring out one of the seven instead of all of them. Until at some point, the [Flames of the Sky] were deemed useless after everyone else started using [Dust] to fight before all the Schnee family members no longer fight and become merchants, which started at my Grandparents' time.

I never did get the chance to meet them, with them being dead from old wounds and one of the main reasons Father hated doing anything physical if he can help it, with the chance of hurting himself.

Thanks to the [Alpha Stigma]; I've already managed to use all of the [Flames of the Sky] with my [Semblance].

What all these [Flames of the Sky] have in common is that every time I use one, the [Glyphs] would be on 'fire' and in the color of the flames.

And that it doubles the rate of my [Aura] being drained while using them.

Luckily, I can even overlay different [Flames of the Sky] on top of each other, to mix their abilities. But, this increases the consuming of [Aura] even more though.

Anyway, I have been training myself in the [Exploiding Gale Fist] and the [Flames of the Sky]. Which I have started using [Dust] after finding out I could use [Dust] as an extra source to power my [Flames of the Sky], increasing my training rate and decreasing the rate my [Aura] being used up.

Of course, unlike using the [Alpha Stigma] on moving, and maybe has to be alive, to give a better result, while using it on a book. Lead me to understand that, unlike other times. I have to work on these [Flames of the Sky] if I want to make it combat ready unless someone were to use them in front of me for me to copy their experience and having the [Alpha Stigma] improve it.

So for the 2 years while raising Brise, causing her to look at me in a better light compared to the others. As I have been there for almost all her life, with the other times I have to go into training or Father sometimes requesting my presence.

Slowly, Father started requesting from me less and less, which is great for me to spend more time with Brise and training myself to become better.

I would have to say, I'm somewhat decent. And it's a good thing Fon Schnee included the training methods to do in order to use his fighting style. If not, it would be almost impossible for me to learn and could only use a b.a.s.t.a.r.dized version of it.

Along with [Alpha Stigma] to increase my learning ability and the resource as the Schnee Heir, to make my training much effective or else it would take longer to reach my current strength.

Being at the age of 10 years old; I would have to say I'm a better than those at my age. Plus, having a.s.sa.s.sins coming after mine and Brise's lives too many to count over the 2 years. Tends to give me the experience in fighting stronger opponents, with better-trained body and experience over mine, which I gladly took for myself and discard the one that I deemed useless.

Thank goodness on the fourth week of gaining the [Alpha Stigma]. I gained the knowledge of how to discard useless memories/knowledge I gained with the [Alpha Stigma] from my memories.

I would expect the a.s.sa.s.sins or whoever behind them that sent them to their deaths to learn to bring stronger people or stop. I guess they are thinking there is some kind of hidden bodyguard protecting my little sister and me.

But, what I don't get is why they continue to send in a.s.sa.s.sins that very weak; well, for me, that is, and wonder if these a.s.sa.s.sins are really sent by my Father to train me. Because if so, he really messed up in his head to not tell me this. Then again, he doesn't tell me much either way.

Having a mature mind kind of make things frustrating. Not to mention, I still need to experience the outside world. Because at the rate I'm going; it would be a miracle for me to survive on my own upon entering the world as an adult.

So after 2 years of training; I throw myself into the books for surviving the outside without relying on high tech equipment too much, to survive. Of course, I continue to train myself in the [Exploding Gale Fist] and [Flames of the Sky] to stop myself from losing my edge.

However, I didn't get enough time to work on this when I realize how stupid I was to think those people, whoever they are, would continue to send in low-level a.s.sa.s.sins forever.

Because, currently, the entire mansion is filled with more a.s.sa.s.sins than the usual, which I was more used to facing one a.s.sa.s.sin at a time. And is shocked to see so many a.s.sa.s.sins appearing almost everywhere until I took care some to make an escaped route for me to get some time to rest before taking care of the others.

All those a.s.sa.s.sinate attempts was mainly a group of two or four, but never over four. Until now, that is. As I continue running around the hallway, trying to reach for my little sister's bedroom, to get her out of here.

As it looks like things are going bad for the Schnee family. Luckily, I've already finished reading the books on [Dust] related subjects, for turning the [Crystalline Dust] into [Powered Dust] and so on. Along with weapon craft. Really need one of those soon.

As for surviving outside the world, I got distracted by thinking of using [Dust] into my fighting style besides just using them as fuel.

Bursting through the door with an [Aura Enhance: Stength] straight right punch, breaking the door in the process, which I didn't care at all.

And much to my horror. Brise or anyone that was watching over Brise while I was gone. Is nowhere in sight.

Sending me in a panic, as I thought someone has already kidnapped Brise.

Quickly, I started running around the bedroom in the hope to find Brise, that maybe the maid had taken Brise with them into hiding inside the bedroom.

At this point, I continue to berate myself for trusting, so easy by allowing a maid that my Father hired to watch over Brise. Really stupid of me, that Father could just use the maid to get Brise away from me.

Throughout the 2 years; I had my guards up against the maid until I was for sure the maid could be trusted.

How foolish of me to believe someone wouldn't try anything.

[Alpha Stigma] is powerful in its own right, but it can never help me see the inner self of others, to learn if they had any bad intention or not.

I grit my teeth and use [Rain Flame Glyph] to force myself to calm down, or risk of releasing the madness of the [Alpha Stigma].

With incredible speed from the training to use the [Exploding Gale Fist]. I only needed a few seconds to look through the entire bedroom, to search for Brise, but end up with nothing, causing me to have to use [Rain Flame Glyph] to cool myself down.

I may not have experienced the first time of the madness of the [Alpha Stigma], but I rather not risk it with Brise nearby. And by that, I mean in this entire mansion, with Brise in it.

Don't know if Brise is still in this mansion or not, but I won't risk no matter what. As the chance of Brise end up getting hurt or worse, killed by me, even if I wasn't in control. So, I continue to search for Brise throughout the entire mansion while killing off the a.s.sa.s.sins.

And much to my frustration, these a.s.sa.s.sins are a lot tougher than the regular one. Before, it takes me a twice as long to deal with one or two a.s.sa.s.sins at once.

If it wasn't for my [Aura] and [Sun Flame Glyph]. I would long be covered in countless injuries and that would limit my fighting ability.

Moving at a normal speed now, without tiring myself out and recovering my [Aura]. Nonetheless, I'm still faster than the a.s.sa.s.sins. How sad are these so-called a.s.sa.s.sins.

At this point, I got the feeling the a.s.sa.s.sins back before [Dust] back a thing; there would be more dangerous people and very skillful in their specialized subject.

It's kind of a little relief that I was born in this era and not the one before [Dust] is discovered.

Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't any powerful people these days. I learned the hard way when one tutor is a retired Huntsman, who is rarely lived to his age and have the experience to beat me with ease.

Only things that stop me from beating that old coot is my young body. The experience? I copy it from the tutors while trying to beat him, but I just took it as a reference instead after having some of my bones cracked a little from going past its limit. Learned the hard as well, after the first a.s.sa.s.sin. So all things I copy; I will have to train myself in them or risk hurting myself in the process instead.

Would have taken months instead of a few days to heal, if I didn't continue to use [Sun Flame Glyph] and [Cloud Flame Glyph] to increase my [Aura] natural healing ability.

So yeah, after a good beating, to stop me from getting a big ego. I redid my training to increase my own foundation before putting myself into extreme training that Fon Schnee put himself through, in order to create the [Exploding Gale Fist].

For the past hour and so; I have tried my best to look for Brise and no hint to show me she in the mansion.

I even went back to the main library to see if she was hiding anywhere there, but instead, I got nothing.

I grit my teeth, as I quickly grab all the Liens I could get my hands on and my blueprints for my weapons. Then, escape through one of the windows. Not risking my life of going through the front entrance or going to the first floor.

(Continent: Solitas: Kingdom: Atlas: Schnee's Mansion: Outside)

So, jumping through the window on the second floor was the best I can do while using [Gravity Glyph] to slow down my fall before using [Aura Enhance: Speed] to run as fast I can from the mansion, seeing how I started seeing more a.s.sa.s.sins coming out of nowhere.

I may be stronger than them, but even I can get tired out and they can overwhelm me with numbers on their side.

I just have to hope that Brise is alive and well, and if this is a way to get me to leave her by my Father, then so be it. I will come back for her soon, that is a promise.

All I need is the strength to beat all odds against me.

The only worry I have is that I would be too late to rescue my little sister, as she is still 2 years old.

For now, I just hope Brise will forgive me for abandoning her instead of continuing my search for her. But, I'm literally close to my death with a.s.sa.s.sins continue to appear one after another.

At the rate I'm going, I know for sure I will be killed or capture for some unknown reasons. For now, I have to escape the Schnee's Mansion and face the outside world earlier before I could prepare myself.

So with just the Liens on me, which I haven't even bothered to count how much I took and just hope it last me long enough for me to find shelter and food. Mostly the latter than the former.

As I continue to run until I start running low on [Aura], that I had to stop using [Aura Enhance] or risk having my [Aura Reserve] empty, making the [Aura s.h.i.+eld] disappear. And as a result of putting myself in danger even more.

So, I started running without [Aura Enhance] while checking behind me every time just in case I'm being followed by an a.s.sa.s.sin.

Really wished I had grabbed a book on survival, because I have no clue what is edible or not in the wild. Not to mention, being in the Kingdom of Atlas, where it's snowing pretty much all the time.

Thankfully, [Aura s.h.i.+eld] will protect me from the cold. Who knew that was possible with [Aura]. And another reason why I didn't dare have my [Aura Reserve] at 0%, then I would be completely screwed without having a winter coat or any cloth to keep myself warm.

Look like getting used to having [Aura] kind of backfire on me, for relying on it too much.

A few hours later*

(Continent: Solitas: Kingdom: Atlas: Unknown Snow Forest)

Well, I'm technically in a bad situation, seeing how this is literally the first time in my entire life coming outside the Schnee's Mansion. Pretty sure dear Father did this on purpose of not allowing me to come outside the mansion.

This way, I have to continue to rely on him as I have zero clue in which direction I should go to, for the nearest town.

In fact, I think for sure he did this on purpose, because all the tutors made sure not to reveal too much of what's going on outside the mansion.

Letting a tired sigh, but a bit happy that I'm kind of free from my Father's influence, then fall back into despair after my stomach growl at me. Reminding me that I haven't eaten lunch yet since breakfast.

At least, I grab some Liens or I would be completely broke, not like it does me anything. Since I have no clue where I am now in this forest.

Growl!*

I snap my head to the left, where I see the very first Grimm in real life with my own eyes.

A Beowolf. And there are more than one of them. Which is very bad for me, as I have no experience in fighting a Grimm before, let alone a pack of Beowolves. I should already consider myself lucky that there no Alpha Beowolf among them, and that only a few of them just in the early stage of forming their own bone-like mask, but no red markings and bone-like spikes yet. While the rest are still in their newborn stage, where they are pitch-black, featureless shadows in the shape of wolves, with red eyes and jaws.

"Well, I should expect there to be a Grimm in this forest. Seeing how I learned about Grimm just last month about them. Really wished, I learned more about them before thinking that was enough and jumped into other subjects before finis.h.i.+ng the rest of the books about Grimm." I mumble my thoughts out loud as the Beowolves continue to growl at me, while circling around me. Ready to pounce on me, to devour my flesh and blood.

"You can do this, Merlin." I try to motivate myself, as I get ready for my first Grimm fight, and without any weapons or [Dust]. Just pure hand-to-hand combat and [Aura], which is only at 50%. Barely enough to survive on, but against the pack of Beowolves.

Yeah, this is going to be a tough battle.

Nonetheless, I'm Merlin Schnee, and I won't back down from a challenge.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Current Age:

Merlin Schnee: 10

Brise Schnee: 2

Author Note: Got Wifi back, but may not have the same free time as before on working on my other stories. You have been warned, that you may not get your new chapters. Talking to the readers that want the next chapters of the Book 1 of the Gamer series and Book 2 of the System Series. You guys got weeks of early chapters already. So, just wait.

Also, I'm posting over to as well, if some of you haven't seen it yet. I've posted Book 1 of the System Series chapter 1 to 10 already over there since it's a finished, kind of, may as well. For the rest, I have no idea. But, this one I will.