I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Chapter 152: The Great Liberation (3)

There were also mentions of the so-called Free Lands. Border regions that were not under the direct control of any empire. Wild territories where the laws of mankind held no sway.

Ruins belonging to the ancient races, abandoned after the Great Liberation, where treasures and dangers awaited explorers. Forbidden forests where ancient magic still lingered in the air. Unexplored mountains where creatures that had never been subdued still lived.

Lakes that no one dared approach because their waters concealed secrets better left forgotten. Areas where extremely dangerous monsters still dwelled to this day, having survived humanity’s expansion.

Each page made Lukas realize just how much that world still concealed. It was not a place that had been completely mapped and understood, but a world filled with mysteries, secrets, and endless possibilities.

He slowly closed the book, his fingers still feeling the texture of the leather. He let out a long sigh, the air escaping his lungs as though carrying the weight of everything he had learned.

"This world... is enormous."

The realization was almost overwhelming. It was probably much larger than Earth itself, with entire continents still unknown, unexplored oceans, and regions where no human had ever set foot.

And he... barely knew a small region of a single kingdom. His knowledge was like a drop in the ocean, a single particle in a vast universe.

There were still countless people to meet, thousands of cities to visit, and hundreds of kingdoms to explore. Entire empires, each with their own cultures, histories, and secrets.

Extinct races, whose traces could still be found among ancient ruins. Unknown beasts that had never been cataloged. Forms of magic he had never imagined could exist, techniques that no human had ever mastered.

The more he learned... the more he realized that he knew absolutely nothing. Every answer opened the door to new questions, every discovery revealed new mysteries.

His dream of building a zoo filled with extraordinary creatures seemed more distant than ever. The task was immense, demanding knowledge he did not yet possess, resources he did not yet have, and experiences he had not yet lived through.

But not impossible. The words echoed in his mind with a clarity that surprised even him.

His gaze became resolute. The hesitation that had arisen in his heart was replaced by renewed determination.

"I’ll need to become much stronger."

It was the only possible conclusion, the only answer that made sense after everything he had learned.

In that world, knowledge was important. Information was power, and understanding was a weapon. But strength was indispensable. Without strength, he would never be able to travel across the continents. He would never set foot in ancient ruins where unknown dangers awaited. He would never encounter the creatures he longed to meet, creatures that lived in regions no ordinary human dared to explore.

Much less would he survive long enough to fulfill his dream. The history of that world was filled with examples of people who had died before achieving their goals, who had fallen to the dangers along the way.

Yet according to the books, the Five Heroes had lived for more than three hundred years. That made Lukas think that, somehow, it was possible to increase the human lifespan.

After remaining silent for a few moments, processing everything he had learned and reflecting on its implications, Lukas stood up once more. His muscles were slightly stiff after sitting for hours, but the excitement in his chest outweighed any physical discomfort.

His interest had now shifted. If Hyndor was only one of the planet’s continents, then how many more existed? What other worlds, lands, and cultures lay beyond the borders he knew?

He began walking between the enormous bookshelves, his fingers brushing across the spines while his eyes read the titles. There were books on every subject imaginable, but he was searching for something specific, something that could broaden his understanding even further.

His fingers slowly moved along the shelves until they found a volume even thicker than the ones he had already consulted. Its cover was dark blue, decorated with golden illustrations of globes and maps, with lines of latitude and longitude woven together into intricate patterns.

The golden letters engraved on the cover made his eyes shine with renewed intensity.

’Planet Akyo and the Seven Known Continents’

Lukas smiled, feeling excitement well up inside his chest. Seven continents. Hyndor was only one of them. There were six entire worlds waiting to be discovered, six other lands with their own histories, their own creatures, and their own secrets.

He held the book with both hands, feeling its weight like that of a priceless treasure. The cover was soft, the leather finely treated, and the scent of ancient parchment was even stronger than in the previous volumes.

He walked back to the table and settled into the chair with a contented sigh. The sun was already lower in the sky, and the light streaming through the window had taken on orange hues that signaled the approaching evening.

His first day in the library was still far from over. There was so much to learn, so much to discover. Every page was a doorway to a new world, every paragraph a window into a deeper understanding.

He opened the book to the first page. And began to read.

...

Three hours passed almost without Lukas noticing.

The silence of the library remained absolute, broken only by the occasional sound of pages being turned and the faint creaking of the old wooden bookshelves.

The golden light of late afternoon had vanished.

Now, small mana lamps scattered across the ceiling illuminated the enormous hall with a soft white glow, enough to keep every word perfectly visible upon the yellowed pages.

Lukas had not even noticed the change. His attention remained completely immersed in the book. Page after page, his understanding of that world continued to grow.

Beside him, Astra was already asleep.

The little eagle had tucked her head beneath her own wings, completely relaxed atop the table.

Inside the wooden box, the little rat also remained motionless. Perhaps it was sleeping. Or perhaps it was simply watching in silence.

Lukas absentmindedly stroked Astra’s head without taking his eyes off the book. Then, he continued reading a few more pages.

Until...

Lukas finally let out a long sigh.

His eyes were already beginning to sting. The amount of information he had absorbed in that single day was unbelievable.

"Enough..."

His voice was low, almost a whisper.

"That’s enough for today."