Reincarnation of Nikola Tesla in another world-Chapter 34: final test

Kim paced his room, hands tucked into his pockets, deep in thought.

Something wasn't right.

The tests Vaqihr had put him through, the ease with which the book had come into his possession—it all pointed to something more than coincidence.

If the book was truly dangerous, it would have been stored in a facility that couldn't be accessed accidentally. Even with all the security in the tower, it had simply... appeared in his hands.

A test.

But of what?

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

Kim's fingers tightened. If this was a test of honesty, then the logical move was to return the book.

That meant one thing—he had to put it back.

A Room No Longer the Same

Kim retraced his steps through the tower, his mind meticulously reconstructing every turn, hallway, and door he had passed before discovering the book.

It took time, but eventually, he found the hallway where the book had been stored.

But when he reached the door—he stopped dead in his tracks.

The room was no longer normal.

Instead of the well-lit chamber he had seen before, it was now completely flooded, filled with shimmering blue water that extended from floor to ceiling.

An energy barrier covered the entrance, sealing the water inside while keeping the hallway perfectly dry.

Kim narrowed his eyes.

So this wasn't a test of honesty.

It was a test of endurance. A stamina trial.

And the worst part? There was no system message. No quest. No reward to make things easier.

Vaqihr was watching.

Kim ran his fingers through his hair. The book needed to go back to the center of the room. But the space was too large, meaning he'd have to swim all the way there and back in a single breath.

The problem?

He didn't know how to swim.

A Solution in Magic

Kim racked his brain, searching for a way around this.

If he had more time, he could have built something, but that wasn't an option.

Instead, he thought back to the spellbooks he had read.

Was there anything useful?

He closed his eyes, mentally flipping through pages of knowledge.

Then he found it.

A basic water-breathing spell—only two minutes of effect.

Not enough time to waste.

Kim cast the spell, feeling his lungs tingle as the enchantment took hold. His wristband glowed faintly, restricting some of his mana output, but the spell still activated.

He exhaled. Time to go.

Kim stepped through the barrier and into the water.

Instantly, the temperature dropped, and the liquid pressed against his body with unnatural resistance.

He tried to swim—only to flail awkwardly in place.

Right.

No experience.

He attempted to walk along the floor, but the moment he took a step, his foot slipped, and he was forced back outside the barrier.

He clenched his jaw.

If he couldn't swim and couldn't walk, then there was only one other option.

Propulsion by Fire

Kim glanced around the room, looking for a mana crystal to assist him, but there was nothing.

That left only one method.

He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and re-entered the water.

As soon as he crossed the barrier, he cast a blast spell downward, using the force to propel himself forward.

It worked.

Barely.

The movement was unstable, sending him drifting off course. Each time he cast the spell, it burned through his already-limited mana.

Not sustainable.

Then he remembered something.

Attack Mode.

Kim activated his system's attack function and cast Blast Fire again—and this time, the propulsion was controlled.

He surged forward, pushing toward the compartment in the center of the flooded room.

But when he reached it, a new problem arose.

The book wouldn't go back in.

Breaking the Lock

Kim tried pressing against the compartment, checking for a mechanism or latch, but nothing moved.

Dammit.

Then he remembered the Swiss army knife-like tool the system had given him.

Quickly, he pulled it out, flipping open the ultrasonic cutter and slicing through the corners of the compartment.

The moment the seal broke, the book slid into place perfectly.

Kim exhaled in relief—until he realized his two-minute water-breathing spell had just ended.

Survival Instinct

The spell had required a vocal incantation to activate, and now, he was out of air.

Kim tried to open his mouth to recast it, but the last remnants of his breath escaped, making him more vulnerable to drowning.

His vision blurred. His lungs screamed for oxygen.

In a last-ditch effort, he focused on the feeling he had when casting the spell before—the sensation of mana moving through him.

And at the very last second, when his body was about to give out, he succeeded.

The spell activated without words.

Kim's lungs filled with air, and with one last push, he cast Blast three times in succession, each burst launching him closer to the surface.

One.

Two.

Three.

He broke through the barrier, collapsing onto the dry stone floor, his chest heaving as he sucked in air.

A chime rang in his head.

[ Bonus Achieved. ]

Mana Level Increased. New Skill Acquired: Spell Without Words.

Kim stared at the words.

Then, finally, he let out a breathless chuckle.