Hugo led Ivan to a massive underground storage room, flanked on all sides by powerful guards. The atmosphere was solemn.
At the far end stood a towering door—nearly ten meters high—made of an unknown black-gold material that pulsed faintly with ancient energy.
As they approached, the guards stepped aside and gave respectful nods to Hugo.
"This," Hugo said, placing a hand on Ivan's shoulder, "is the Spellbound Family's treasure vault—the culmination of generations of effort. Our ancestors risked their lives to gather what lies beyond this door."
He looked at Ivan with rare seriousness.
"Today, you're going to choose the treasures that will accompany you on your journey."
Just then, a guard approached, holding a small tray. Resting on it was a gleaming, razor-sharp dagger.
Hugo took the dagger without hesitation and sliced a shallow wound on his thumb. Blood trickled out, bright and crimson.
Using his bleeding thumb, he drew a glowing blood-red magic circle on the massive vault door. The moment the last stroke was complete, the entire formation lit up ominously. The door began to tremble.
RUMBLE…
With a deep, grinding sound, the door slowly began to open, revealing a narrow spiral staircase descending into the depths.
Blue runes flickered to life along the walls, casting an eerie glow.
"Stay close," Hugo instructed. "Only one person can walk at a time."
Ivan nodded and followed silently.
After several minutes of descent, the passage widened into a small landing. At the end stood another door—this one smaller, about two meters tall, but ancient and covered in layers of dust.
With a wave of his hand, Hugo cast a cleaning spell, and the dust instantly vanished.
To the right of the door was a peculiar keyhole.
From his storage ring, Hugo retrieved what appeared to be a completely ordinary grey stone. Ivan tilted his head—he sensed something strange about it.
Hugo pricked his finger again, letting a drop of blood fall onto the stone.
The moment the blood was absorbed, the stone began to change—twisting and reshaping itself into an intricate key, glowing faintly with runes.
Anyone watching would have been stunned. Who would've thought such a security method existed?
Even if someone stole the stone, it would be useless without the blood of the family head.
Hugo inserted the key into the lock and turned it.
Click.
The door unlocked.
He turned to Ivan with a rare grin. "Follow me, son. What you're about to see will surprise you."
He pushed open the door—and in an instant, a blinding light engulfed them.
Ivan instinctively closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, he was in a completely different world.
They stood in an enormous hall, spanning nearly 500 square meters. All around them floated what looked like glowing stars, suspended in mid-air like jewels in the void.
Each "star" glowed with a unique color, radiating mysterious energy and ancient power.
Even someone like Ivan, who rarely showed emotion, couldn't help but widen his eyes in awe. It was the first visible reaction he'd shown in years.
Seeing his son so captivated, Hugo smiled proudly.
"This, Ivan, is the foundation of the Spellbound family. Each of these stars is a treasure—gathered over centuries by our ancestors."
"This place is a secret realm, separate from the outside world. Every major noble family has one, but they each function differently. Ours converts treasures into star-like forms and categorizes them by rank."
He pointed toward the glowing orbs.
"The colors represent rank and rarity."
Treasure Color Ranks:
SSS-Rank → Black
SS-Rank → Red
S-Rank → Gold
A-Rank → Orange
B-Rank → Blue
C-Rank → Green
D-Rank → Yellow
E-Rank → White
"Each color also has three stages: light, medium, and deep. The deeper and brighter the color, the stronger the treasure."
He continued with a thoughtful expression.
"We currently have two red-colored treasures—one medium-red and one light-red. We also have twelve gold ones, but two were already gifted to your sisters. That leaves ten."
"Besides weapons, we also store skills here, ranked in the same way. Skills are usually obtained from the Spirit Academy, which has an entire department dedicated to creating them. They can be bought—if you have the price."
Hugo sighed, his voice tinged with regret.
"If things weren't so dangerous, I'd have enrolled you at the Spirit Academy. It's where your sisters study. Anyone who graduates becomes a pillar of the nation."
He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
"Let's return to the matter at hand. I need to assess your cultivation level so I can choose an appropriate treasure for you."
Hugo placed his hand on Ivan's shoulder and focused his spiritual sense.
"…Huh?"
"You've already reached the fourth rank?"
Shock filled his face.
"How is that possible? No one in the history of the Spirit Star Continent has ever reached the fourth rank at age five…"
Even among talented races who awakened early, breaking through to the fourth rank this soon was unheard of.
But then again… Ivan wasn't ordinary.
Hugo blinked, then chuckled softly. "Well, what else should I expect from you?"
"I can't give you a weapon that's too powerful—you might not be able to control it. But anything weaker won't last long with your growth…"
Just as Hugo was contemplating, something unexpected happened.
Ivan, curiously wandering toward a nearby glowing orb, suddenly found three stars shooting toward him, unprovoked.
They floated around him in a slow orbit.
Hugo turned at the sound and smiled when he saw the scene.
"Well, of course. I almost forgot—you're an anomaly."
"If the treasures are choosing you on their own, it means they've recognized you as their rightful wielder. Go ahead—take them."
Ivan reached out and touched the first star.
The glowing orb began to shift—reshaping into a pair of daggers as black as void itself. They seemed to devour light.
The moment he gripped them, he heard a chime in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, for acquiring one of the ancient daggers: "Silence"]
Item Name: Silence
Effects:
Adjusts size and shape based on user's intent
Inflicts Silence status on target (disables spellcasting)
Ignores 30% of enemy defense
Emits no sound when swung
Special Skill:
Grows stronger by feeding on blood
Unlocks new abilities upon evolution
Current Rank: E
Ivan stored the daggers away and reached for the second orb—a deep red one.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, for acquiring SS-Rank Skill: "Void Step"]
Skill Name: Void Step
Description: Instantly teleport a short distance with no cooldown
Note: Higher cultivation = longer teleport range
Warning: Increased usage consumes more spiritual energy
The orb merged into his body, and instructions on how to use the skill flooded his mind.
Finally, Ivan touched the third and final star—a brilliant white orb.
It slowly transformed into a silver ring with a green dragon pattern.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, for acquiring E-Rank Special Item: "Green Dragon's Ring"]
Effects:
In moments of mortal danger, automatically liquifies and wraps around the user's body, blocking one fatal blow
Can be activated manually by expending spiritual energy
Special Skill:
Evolves by absorbing rare materials
Unlocks new abilities with each stage of growth
As the glow faded, Ivan stood silently, absorbing the information.
Hugo walked over and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Looks like fate chose for you."
"You're destined for greatness, Ivan… but that road won't be easy."