Turning upon his heel and sweeping his gaze over the blossoms scattered in every direction, Mel cried out in astonishment.
"I know every single plant here! This is amazing!"
He recognized every minute detail of the flora before him, feeling as though they were a natural extension of his own body.
"I guess Grandpa Drago's legacy isn't just about martial arts like I thought. All his wisdom is being seared straight into my memory."
That was precisely the reality. The true essence of being an Heir lay in inheriting everything belonging to the predecessor, without a single restriction.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
Muttering to himself, he stood in silence for a moment, and then the tome from within the ring materialized in his hands. The book was far too massive for the young boy to hold with just one hand, so he deemed it best to carry it to the stone altar where he had first awakened inside the cave, intending to read it there.
"If you are still within the cave, know that this sanctuary was built from the ground up entirely for you, my Heir!"
Mel had barely read the first sentence when tears began to cascade down his face. These were his grandfather's words; he would no longer have to wait for him every single day by that ruined hut.
Fate had definitively severed their paths; now, all he could do was try not to forget what it felt like to be close to him by reading the words he had left in this tome.
"You have only managed to claim a tiny fraction of my inheritance thus far. I hope you can utilize the cave and the valley to reach my Shallow Legacy and Deep Legacy.
Do these terms bewilder your mind? As a successor, if you wish to inherit the legacy of the previous generation, you must embark upon a three-staged journey. Once you manage to absorb the energy divided into the Shallow, Deep, and Profound Legacies, you will have truly earned your predecessor's inheritance.
Within the cave, the environment and the materials you require to hone your botanical mastery stand ready and waiting. The clay pots inside the ring are also abundantly filled with items that will aid you in this endeavor.
As for the valley, it is a proving ground meant for your martial prowess; you can find wild beasts of every caliber lurking within it. In the beginning, I highly recommend you do not stray too far from the cave. Higher-tier beasts are terrified of this sanctuary, so they will not dare approach it.
I know you are reading my words fraught with anxiety, uncertain of what to do next, but I cannot simply bestow every answer upon you, my Heir.
Now is the time to explore yourself and your surroundings. Go forth and live!"
The first page concluded with those exact words. Having absorbed the essential guidance for his beginning, Mel commenced his task by taking a stroll through the cavern.
Drago had spent many long years here, personally arranging every detail. The little boy walked about, touching every stone and every flower, feeling as if his grandfather were right there walking beside him. He allowed his body to rest upon the damp soil and closed his eyes.
For a long while, Mel simply observed the flow of time in a half-slumber, drifting into a meditative state.
He could feel a current of energy flowing directly from the roots of the plants into the pores of his skin. It seeped from his skin into his blood, and from there, it etched itself deep into his flesh and bone.
The absorbed energy was so tame and tranquil that the young boy could welcome it without the slightest discomfort, as if the plants were offering up their energy of their own free will for Mel to assimilate.
It was a state of pure bliss. When the flow of energy finally ceased a while later, Mel had no choice but to open his eyes. The young boy did not wish to emerge from this euphoric state that tasted of happiness, so he squeezed his eyes shut once more and attempted to draw further energy from the flora.
This time around, the energy rising from the earth did not seem to flow nearly as smoothly. The second it touched the pores of his skin, the young boy began to writhe in agony.
The energy was no longer comforting; it had morphed into a form that left him twisting in raw torment. Young Mel instantly snapped awake and leaped to his feet.
"What's happening? Everything went perfectly the first time; why did it feel like I was being stabbed by knives just now?"
Alongside the pain, a pang of guilt washed over the little boy. Even though he had no idea what was occurring, those heavy feelings descended and settled heavily upon his heart.
"Do not kill anyone who has not entered the Killing Cycle!"
He remained paralyzed by this sensation until that voice echoed within his mind. He was hearing Drago's final testament in the old man's exact tone.
"Did I do something wrong to the plants?"
Mel cried out in panic, and when he cast his gaze over the botanical garden, his worst fears were confirmed.
The flowers and plants that had been displaying their vibrant vitality just moments ago were now drooping, stripped of their hues in a clear sign that their life essence had been mercilessly drained.
"I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't know this would happen!"
The panicked child scrambled about in a frenzy, devastated by the thought that the energy he absorbed was vast enough to eradicate an entire botanical garden.
Thankfully, the plants slowly began to recover their vitality. As they drank from the waters of the stream flowing through the cave, their colors returned, and their sweet fragrances once again filled the air.
Realizing he had not made a fatal error, Mel surrendered himself to the second most captivating feature of the cave: the stream. He lay down at the edge of the water—where the deepest part barely reached his waist—desperately attempting to calm his spirit.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, his eyes suddenly snapped wide open, and his submerged limbs began to tremble uncontrollably. In less than an hour, the little boy was overflowing with such boundless energy he felt as though he could pierce the very heavens. He launched himself out of the water and began to sprint wildly around the cave.
Feeling as if he were on the verge of exploding, he threw himself left and right without any sense of direction. Moving in this frenzied manner, he eventually stumbled out of the main hall and arrived at an entirely different chamber within the cavern.
The instant he stepped into the room, his movements slowed. The raging waves churned up by the storms within him instantly shattered, as if they had crashed headlong into a breakwater.
Having finally managed to return to his normal state, the frail boy began examining the place he had stumbled into by sheer serendipity. The first thing to catch his eye was the glowing crystals upon the ceiling. Just like the massive main void, this section of the cave was illuminated by these stones.
While that was the first detail he noticed, the feature that truly commanded reverence was a massive Dragon Claw mark that appeared to have been carved directly into the wall. It exuded an aura of ancient, primordial majesty, as if the mark had resided there for an eternity.
After a swift sweep of the room, Mel deduced that this place was designed specifically for martial training. The large open space in the center was surrounded by training dummies crafted from wood, metal, and other materials he could not even begin to identify.
Directly across from the wall bearing the claw mark was an inscription carved from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. With Dragon Claw inscribed at the very pinnacle, he knew exactly what this tablet was meant for.
"This shows exactly how I'm supposed to use the only martial technique Grandpa Drago left me. With so much energy running through my body right now, it'd be a total waste not to start right away!"
It was unclear whether he spoke these words because the true weight of his responsibilities had dawned upon him, or if he was merely treating it as a game. Regardless, Mel was about to embark upon his very first martial training right here, within the sanctuary forged by the grandfather he used to trail behind while others trained.