Only I Am A Reader

Leo wasn't sure if the rest of the Horror's body would still dissolve after he stored it, but he still took the time to cut it into pieces and put it into his Shadow Pocket as the intermediary plane quickly broke open.

Although Leo felt like a layer of reality was shed away, the scenery inside the Gate made it seem as if only a glass barrier had enveloped the unlimited space.

'Do I still need to clear this?'

Colt's internal recall had only mentioned a quick exit after the plane's collapse. As such, Leo wasn't exactly sure of how quick that exit would be.

However, his contemplation didn't last long!

"Oh?"

Leo had yet to do anything, but his body suddenly started glowing. In a matter of seconds, everything was so bright that he could see nothing!

'What the-'

Before Leo's thoughts could even catch up, all the light was replaced by deep darkness.

At first, Leo wondered if he had somehow messed up. However, once he lit up his glowing eyes, he realized that he just went back to the room from which he entered the Gate…

'So I was just thrown out?'

Not only was Leo ejected from the Gate, but the Gate's entrance had also disappeared as if it never existed.

Regardless of how much Leo had tampered with it, the purpose of the Gate was considered to be accomplished, so it made sense that this counted as a Gate Clear.

'If that was even a clear…'

Although basic requirements matched most of the time, there wasn't a specific clearing method for all Gates, and so was the case for exiting.

Sometimes there were portals similar to the entry ones that led outside instead, sometimes the clearer would slip through the Gate's floor and be back outside.

At the very least, in Cassian's memory, this was the first time he was assaulted by light like this before being ejected outside.

'Let's try and take less risks from now on.'

Despite eventually succeeding and coming out unharmed, Leo had to admit that he went a little crazy with the odds right from the start.

He was usually a little more paranoid and careful than this, but his self-confidence had skyrocketed ever since he entered this book. For once, an emotion that wasn't necessarily a negative one took over.

…And Leo had to make sure it didn't go too far.

'This isn't the time for this.'

Future preparations were still future preparations, what Leo needed to do now was sweetly crunch on the rewards of his effort rather than put himself down about it!

'I doubt there would be a better place than this.'

A special Enigma Stone needed special preparations, but this corner of the City was already abandoned by all. At the very least, Leo wouldn't have to worry about getting interrupted in the middle.

Leo didn't even bother picking a better spot, he just let the bounty rise from the ground in the very same room.

This Enigma Stone wasn't only taller than Leo but also just as wide, so the usual method definitely didn't work. Thankfully, Colt was kind enough to demonstrate.

'This is awkward.'

The first step towards this unconventional consumption required the user to give the Enigma Stone a deep hug!

Since it couldn't connect from the inside, Leo had to connect his half-emerged Enigma Stone with the one on the outside. 𝙗𝒆𝒅𝒏𝙤𝒗𝒆𝙡．𝙤𝒓𝙜

In order to properly do so, however, Leo sat cross-legged for a minute, trying his best to push all of the Enigma back to his Stone. Only by forming an energy link between the two stones could the magic start.

With his Enigma Stone prepped and ready, Leo pressed his torso to the Enigma Stone before quickly pulling back.

'Got you!'

Once his Enigma went into the special Stone and formed the link, Leo no longer needed to maintain physical contact.

He went back to sitting cross-legged, focusing on what the direct stream of energy did to his body. This was nothing like the initial contact that he had earlier!

Leo felt slightly overwhelmed at first as the foreign Enigma kept roaming his body as if it had nowhere to go, but then…

'There it is.'

For the first time in a very long while, Leo felt a familiar echo reverberating through his body. This was a sign that change was already starting to take place.

Just getting to feel that once again almost satisfied most of Leo's desire… Or was it Cassian's?

'Not enough.'

Leo continued to draw in more energy as he braced for a much greater change. He didn't take all of that risk for just some limited growth, a true evolution had to occur, and Leo could already feel it!

The energetic Enigma kept going back and forth, protracting and compressing. All that so it could condense itself much further.

Unlike the liquid or the crystal state that Sword Breath took when it condensed, Enigma still remained in its ethereal state that was still lighter than gas, yet somehow, it evolved to achieve a whole new level of both quality and capacity.

At the same time, the Enigma's low-profile nature was being dyed by something much heavier and darker. However, Leo had no plans to let that happen.

'No!'

He kept steering his Enigma to continue condensing and beat this new invasive nature into submission!

In the end, both natures blended together into one form. Leo wasn't sure if this was the most optimal result, but his heart seemed to affirm this development.

A few minutes later, one last echo spread through Leo's body before thinking went calm again. While the large Enigma Stone didn't lose any of its size, the mesmerizing energy at its center could no longer be seen.

"It worked… Right?"

Leo was confident that what he had just experienced was more than just a basic strengthening. However, he just didn't know if that was enough to reach the mythical final rating…

'Only one quick way to find out.'

Rather than try to personally discover the changes, wasn't it easier to consult the Personal Book first?