"This door is crafted from the rarest and most resilient metal known to man. According to our research, this metal has a fifty percent nullifying effect on all known abilities."
Modret's jaw slackened slightly.
The boy beside him gasped, and Axel's eyes flickered with brief astonishment.
'A fifty percent nullifying effect on all known abilities? Doesn't that mean more than half the power of all abilities will be rendered useless?' Modret's thoughts churned rapidly as he analyzed the situation.
Ronald continued with his explanation while making a series of intricate hand seals in front of the door. "Aside from that, due to its resilience, it is extremely durable. According to most sources, it is indestructible. Only by forming a blood contract with the metal can you reshape it according to your will.
"This piece was formed through a blood contract by our ancestor. Only those who possess an SSS-grade ability can form a contract with this strange metal."
By the time he completed his explanation, the hand seals were also done. He glanced at Modret and the others as the door began to tremble. With a low groan, it slowly tilted open to the side.
Modret, however, was far from calm. 'Such a strange metal... and there's also this concept of a blood contract that I do not understand. I thought reading countless books would grant me sufficient knowledge about this world, yet it seems there are layers of truth hidden beneath the surface, far from prying eyes.'
His desire to grow stronger surged once more, fueled by the unknown mysteries waiting to be unraveled.
"I will not be following you inside. Just walk in, and you will be led to the appropriate level," Ronald said lightly.
Modret nodded, turned to Axel, and gave him a subtle signal. Axel followed closely behind as Modret stepped into the mysterious gate.
A strange chill settled over him, like icy tendrils probing every corner of his soul. It felt as though the gate was scanning his very essence. After a few tense seconds, a blinding light engulfed him.
He instinctively shut his eyes. When the intense brightness faded, he slowly opened them and looked around.
He found himself in a unique space filled with numerous boxes, each one positioned neatly along the perimeter. However, a particular box on a slightly elevated platform drew his attention immediately.
Inscribed on the front was an unfamiliar sigil glowing faintly. Modret took cautious steps toward it. A peculiar force pressed against him as he approached, but it receded the moment it sensed something within him.
'It reacted to my SS-grade ability?' Modret reasoned silently. He did not dwell on the thought. Instead, he reached forward and slid the box open.
There was no resistance. Inside the box lay a single mysterious shard.
'A shard of glass?' Modret muttered internally with a frown as he analyzed the contents.
The shard appeared silvery at first glance, yet glimmers of gold ran through it like veins, and its surface shimmered like starlight. It felt ancient and unknowable.
'This has to be useless, right?' he mused. Still uncertain, he placed it back inside the box.
With a shrug, he closed the lid and walked briskly toward another.
…
After several minutes of inspecting other boxes, Modret came to a realization.
'The cultivation techniques here aren't as refined as the one I obtained when I awakened the SSS-grade ability,' he thought.
Although the core component of the Death Puppet cultivation technique was missing, Modret still retained the knowledge and structure of the technique within his mind.
'Wait a moment,' Modret's eyes lit up with inspiration.
'If I combine my understanding of these different SS-ranked techniques and use the SSS-ranked technique as a reference, I could craft a uniquely powerful cultivation method.'
The idea made his eyes gleam with determination.
He immediately began immersing himself in the study of the ten techniques available in the treasury.
'So only ten individuals in the Axaral royal family have awakened SS-grade abilities? Including me, that makes eleven. Then there's our ancestor with an SSS-grade ability,' Modret calculated mentally.
His eyes sparkled as the true strength of his lineage dawned on him. With such elites in their bloodline…
His thoughts trailed off. Once satisfied, he brushed the dust off his robes and cast one final glance around before heading toward a golden door nearby.
Moments later, Modret emerged outside and saw Axel standing not too far away.
With a slightly embarrassed smile, Axel said, "After entering, the gate seemed to detect something about me and forcibly tossed me out."
Modret's expression softened. He stepped forward and patted Axel on the shoulder. Then, noticing the slightly chubby youth who had accompanied them, he gave him a faint smile.
Turning to Ronald, Modret gave a brief nod.
Ronald returned the gesture, then performed a few quick hand seals to reseal the door. With everything completed, they began their departure.
He knew he had to report the news to the elders and send word to Modret's parents and the main household.
'Only they will know what to do with someone who awakened at the SS-grade level. He should be the third in this generation, right? This generation is shaping up to be fascinating. There's also that other one who awakened...' Ronald's thoughts drifted as he hurried away.
Modret and Axel parted ways with the young boy, who was eager to share the news of his awakening with his family. Yet, due to the restrictions of the blood contract, he could not disclose the nature of his ability.
Later that day, after Modret and Axel returned from hunting, they sat under a tree, casually chatting over a fire as they shared a well-cooked, tender steak.
"Axel," Modret said gently, observing him closely. Since they had returned from the awakening ceremony, Axel had seemed unusually distant.
'Even while we were hunting, he looked preoccupied,' Modret thought. 'No matter how hard he tries to hide it, the fact that he didn't awaken is clearly weighing on him.'
He patted Axel's shoulder lightly and said, "Don't let it trouble you. Nothing in this world is absolute. I will find a way for you to awaken."
His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a promise — one forged from years of friendship.
Axel emerged from his trance-like state, smiled faintly, and placed another piece of meat in his mouth.
"You flatter me, young master."