SURREAL MYSTERY

The air in the Secret Library dimensional space crackled with residual energy, a testament to the brutal battle that had just concluded. Dust motes danced in the shafts of ethereal light that pierced through the ruined shelves, illuminating piles of shattered books and the lingering stench of demonic ichor. 

Sparrow Night, his face grim, surveyed the scene. Canary, his little sister, lay wounded near a collapsed bookshelf, her face pale against the vibrant chaos. The air thrummed, a silent countdown to their forced departure.

Sparrow ignored the throbbing in his mangled left arm, the bones likely fractured in multiple places. Time was a luxury they didn't have. He moved with a practiced efficiency born of days spent surviving on the woods, a silent predator gathering his spoils.

First loots, the demon soldier crests. He scooped them up, their surfaces cool and smooth against his calloused fingers. Essential ingredients for artifact refining, his [Greater Appraisal] skill whispered in his mind. He shoved them into his low grade spatial backpack. 

Then, came the demon essences, clumps of viscous black jelly-like object promising potent alchemical concoctions. Those went into the same backpack.

He sifted through the debris, his singular green eye scanning the titles of the surviving books. Most were gibberish, arcane knowledge lost to time or deliberately obscured. But two stood out, radiating a faint, palpable aura: the Bible of Arcana, its cover shimmering with constellations; and the Necronomicon Grimoire, bound in what looked like flayed skin, its pages whispering secrets of forbidden magic. 

Sparrow didn't hesitate. He wasn't a scholar, but they were interesting enough as loots. If they could not use it, selling it was also a nice choice. He tucked them away, resolving to check them more meticulously later.

A glint of silk caught his eye. Near the spot where the Dowager Queen had fallen, a small, ornate pouch lay undisturbed. Inside, nestled amongst the silken lining, were a multitude of crystal shards, pulsating with elemental energy. 

Sparrow grinned seeing those objects. If they could bring it out, Canary could definitely make more elemental shards, he thought, a flicker of hope igniting in his chest.

He located the corpse of the Devil Sage, a cool-looking yet horrifying mockery of a human form. He searched quickly, his fingers brushing against something stuck under the devil's corpse. 

He pulled it out – a Kingscrown Herb, its leaves radiating a faint, golden light. His [Greater Appraisal] informed him of its properties: directly digestible, improving physical toughness. He pocketed it. 

Another search revealed a second herb, the jade-like Sagesring Herb, with similar properties, but this one promising enhanced reaction speed.

The final, and arguably most important loots, were the surreal stones. The air around them hummed with raw power. Red ones, pulsing with vicious energy, lay scattered amongst the corpses of the summoned demons. Green ones, emanating a chilling aura, were cluttered near the Devil Sage's decaying body. Sparrow swiftly gathered the surreal stones. 

"Tweety," he said raspily, as he approached his sister, sat down, and handed her half of the red surreal stones. "Here!"

Canary winced as she shifted, but she understood what to do. Without saying anything, she took the stones and started absorbing them. Sparrow immediately did the same.

The siblings each consumed half of the Red Surreal Stones. A surge of energy coursed through them, a burning, exhilarating sensation that pushed against the limits of their bodies. The pain in Sparrow's arm lessened, and Canary's breathing grew slightly easier. They had reached level ten, the maximum for the current stage of their mystery classes. 

Sparrow retrieved the green surreal stones from the Devil Sage's corpse. "Try to evolve your {Telepathy}," he said, handing them to Canary.

She took them, her green eyes shining with determination. Closing her eyes, she absorbed the stones' energy. A wave of power washed over her, reshaping her mind and spirit. When she opened her eyes, they seemed to glow with an inner light. 

Despite no observable physical change in her body, her talent {Telepathy} had evolved into {Grand Telepathy}, granting her nearly unparalleled mental fortitude and immunity to mental attacks. 

Her active skill [Mind Contact] transformed into the much more potent [Mind Power], which gave her telekinetic ability to control small objects in addition to her ability to communicate with other people's mind. 

Other than that, her passive [Advanced Mental Defense] evolved into [Impenetrable Mind], ensuring her safety against mental attack. More significantly, a new passive power bloomed to life: [Awakened Premonition], granting her the ability to sense future danger.

"Yes! [Awakened Premonition]! I can feel things more clearly now, Birdbro," she whispered, her voice filled with awe. "Dangers… possibilities…"

"Good. We need every advantage we can get." Sparrow smiled, and then took out the two herbs and explained their uses. "Which one do you want?"

Canary studied them, her brow furrowed in concentration. "You take the Kingscrown Herb, Birdbro," she decided. "I'll take the other one."

Sparrow nodded, accepting her choice without complaint. He quickly swallowed the Kingscrown Herb. It tasted earthy and bitter, but he felt its energy spreading through his muscles, hardening his bones, reinforcing his very being. He could feel his body becoming tougher, and his injury getting better.

Canary also quickly consumed the Sagesring Herb. The world seemed to sharpen around her, colors becoming more vibrant, sounds more distinct. Time seemed to slow, allowing her to perceive the slightest movements, the subtlest nuances in her surroundings.

Sparrow grunted and stood up. He was about to search the library one last time, hoping to find more hidden treasures, but a weird sensation washed over them. It was the pull of the realmgate, dragging them out of this spatial plane.

The world dissolved around them, the crumbling shelves and scattered books fading into nothingness.

---ooo---ooo---ooo---

The white mist swirling around their ankles felt strangely comforting. One moment, the Night siblings were in the demolished library with demon corpses, the next, they were standing in this… Judgement Hall. The air crackled with unseen energy, the silence broken only by the faint hum emanating from the majestic altar before them.

Sparrow ran a hand through his closely cropped black hair, his sole green eye taking in the scene. The marble floor felt cool beneath his bare feet, a far cry from the rough broken tiles they'd been standing on just moments ago. 

He glanced at Canary. Her small frame stood straighter than he'd seen it in the last few minutes, the color back in her cheeks. The broken leg, the grievous abdominal wound – gone. He reached out, gently touching her head with his left hand, which had also recovered completely.

"You okay now, Tweety?" His deep voice was full of relief as he messed up his sister hair a little.

Canary smiled, a flash of sweetness on her otherwise determined face. "Birdbro, I'm perfect. Better than... Wait. What's this?"

She pointed to the translucent screen that had materialized in front of them, shimmering with golden light. Sparrow's own screen appeared beside hers, identical in its proclamation: "Realmgate Judgement!" blazed across the top in ornate script.

Below, the choices beckoned:

'Survive and Explore!' Normal Mission Cleared! 

Choose one of the reward choices: 

[Passive Skill: Scout's Vigilance] 

[Active Skill: Frenzied State] 

[Active Skill: Adrenaline Rush]

Sparrow barely needed a second glance. He'd learned the hard way that passive skills were worth their weight in gold. They were the silent guardians, the constant advantages that worked continuously without needing any conscious decision making.

He nudged Canary. "Scout's Vigilance. No question."

She nodded, already moving towards the selection with the quick efficiency he admired. Even at fifteen, her instincts were razor sharp. In moments, the choice was made. A warm surge of energy washed over them, settling deep within their bones.

The first screen vanished, replaced by another, this one hinting at something more intriguing:

'Investigate the Fallen Nobles!' Secret Mission Cleared!

Choose one of the reward choices: 

[Combat Style: Hurricane Dance] 

[Active Skill: Focused State] 

[Transformation Magic: Vampire]

Sparrow's one green eye narrowed, his artificial purple one, usually hidden behind the eyepatch, remaining concealed. He remembered Leon Hunt, the vengeful vampire hunter who had been their reluctant ally. His acrobatic fighting style had been mesmerizing, a whirlwind of lethal grace. He could guess that the [Hurricane Dance] would probably refer to that combat style.

"Hurricane Dance," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Could be useful."

Canary, on the other hand, was already focused on her own strategy. Her small hand hovered over the [Focused State] active skill. She excelled at ranged combat, and this skill promised to enhance her accuracy and control over her elemental shards. 

Her eyes sparkled as she cheerfully exclaimed. "Focused State for me. Yep! You can do the fancy kicks, Birdbro. I'd rather snipe from far away."

Again, their choices were made. The rush of energy was less intense this time, but no less welcome. Sparrow could feel the strange familiarity of certain movements seeped inside his bones, the promise of [Hurricane Dance] already beginning to weave its way into his muscle memory.

Then, the two individual screens dissolved, merging into a single, larger one, bathed in an even brighter golden light. This was it. The final reward. The words at the top sent a shiver down Sparrow's spine:

'Discover the Secret of the Sage King!' Unique Legendary Quest Cleared!

Choose one of the reward choices: 

[Dreamworld: Secret Library] 

[Totem: King's Domain] 

[Summoning Power: Demonic Soldiers]

A note, stark and uncompromising, was appended below: 'A team can only choose one reward for the unique legendary quest of this world. Once the reward is chosen, unique quest will disappear from the list of available missions in the realmgate.'

The pressure mounted. This wasn't just about individual power; this was about having only one chance to make the right choice for both of them. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on Sparrow.

He studied each option carefully. Demonic soldiers? Tempting, but risky. Could they be controlled? Or would they turn on them the moment they had the chance? 

The King's Domain totem held an unknown allure, promising a place of power and influence. But what kind of influence? And at what cost?

His eyes kept returning to the [Dreamworld: Secret Library]. Knowledge. That was the most valuable weapon of all. A vast repository of forgotten lore, arcane secrets, and perhaps, a way to understand the strange talents that simmered beneath his own skin. 

He glanced at Canary. Her green eyes met his, mirroring his own thoughts. "Library, right?" she whispered.

Sparrow nodded. It was the logical choice. The safe choice. The smart choice.

He reached out and touched the [Dreamworld: Secret Library] option. A blinding flash filled the hall, followed by a wave of information that slammed into their minds. 

It was very different from what they thought though, They didn't get access to wealth of knowledge at all. Instead, they acquired a shared, library-like, dream space where they could slowly gather information and knowledge. The Secret Library had complicated rules and characteristics, but they were still extremely useful... in the long run.

"It's not the delicious dishes. It's the cooking utensils." Sparrow summarized it with a simple analogy. 

Canary looked at her brother and nodded, understanding what he meant.

Slowly, the deluge of information about the Secret Library subsided. The golden light faded, leaving them standing in the now strangely quiet Judgement Hall. The screens were gone. The choices were made.

Then, another surge of information flooded their minds, this time, it was about the 'Legendary Result!' achievement. They could somehow take about 80% of the items they had found during the adventure out of the realmgate.

Sparrow felt a wave of relief wash over him. As he glanced toward Canary, he noticed that she looked more excited than ever.

"Birdbro, we are amazing. Legendary... legendary!" Canary shouted, her voice filled with excitement.

"Yep. Li'l Aunt will be shocked," Sparrow replied calmly.

Canary giggled. "I bet we are the best realmgate divers for this 'Prosperous Kingdom'. Wouldn't you think so, Birdbro?"

Sparrow retained his tranquility. "I think we should keep it secret for now, Tweety. Only Li'l Aunt should know this."

"I know," Canary smiled. "There are many things we haven't known about this... new life of ours. We should be very careful. I'm not stupid, you know, Birdbro?"

Sparrow nodded, a slight smile gracing his own tough features. They still had a long way to go, many dangers to face. But standing here, in the ethereal light of the Judgement Hall, with Canary at his side, Sparrow knew that they could face anything. They were the Night siblings, and they were just getting started.

As if on cue, a shimmering portal appeared before them, a gateway back to their own world. Sparrow glanced back at Canary, his green eye filled with a quiet determination.

"Ready, Tweety?"

Canary met his gaze, her own eyes shining with unwavering courage. "Always, Birdbro."

And together, they stepped through the portal, ready to face whatever the future held. The Prosperous Kingdom had been a trial by fire, but it had forged them into something stronger, something… much greater. The adventure was over, but their story was just beginning.