3:00 AM.
The Secret Underground Tunnel of Biswas Palace.
The path was dimly lit by torches mounted on rough, stone-hewn walls. But the flames were not the warm yellow of ordinary fire—they burned with an eerie, toxic green hue, casting long, ghostly shadows that danced upon the walls.
Habib Biswas led the way. Following him were Sukumar Talukdar, Mansi Delal, Monir Chaprashee, and young Foysal Ahmed.
Mansi Delal's eyes were wide with astonishment. His expression betrayed his thoughts—never in his wildest dreams had he imagined such a secret world existed beneath the foundation of the Biswas Palace. Sukumar's eyes mirrored the same surprise.
But Monir Chaprashee? He was different.
Amidst the group, only Monir remained strangely calm. A warm smile played on his lips, as if he were not walking through a tunnel to hell, but taking a pleasant evening stroll. This terrifying nonchalance set him apart from the rest.
After walking for ten minutes, they came to a halt before a massive stone door.
This was no ordinary gate. Carved upon its surface was an ancient and enigmatic design.
A giant circle, containing a Pentagram. At the heart of the star lay a Triangle. And surrounding the perimeter were eight deep, dark eyes staring out from the stone. At the four corners of the design, intricate web-like carvings seemed to guard the seal, as if a cosmic spider lay in wait.
Except for Habib, everyone was flabbergasted. Their jaws dropped.
"How? How is this possible?"
"How did Habib find this?"
"Is this truly the 'Sealed Legacy' left behind by that Demonic Masterer two hundred years ago?"
Foysal Ahmed's eyes were wide as saucers. He found himself staring hypnotically at the design, drawn to it by an instinct he didn't understand.
The others looked at Habib with eyes burning with greed and envy. If they could, they would have killed him in an instant to seize this treasure. But it wasn't that simple.
They knew this Seal was bound to Habib's bloodline. It recognized him as the inheritor. Moreover, a cunning fox like Habib would have surely left behind countermeasures to deal with betrayal.
Habib placed his hand on the door and issued a command.
RUMBLE!
With a deep grinding sound, the massive stone door began to rise.
Instantly, a blinding red light erupted from within. The radiance was so intense that even from a hundred meters away, it felt as if someone had buried a star beneath the earth. Their vision blurred in the crimson glare.
Shielding their eyes, they entered.
A colossal hall greeted them. The walls were alight with flames of red, purple, and green, creating an atmosphere thick with mystery.
In the dead center of the hall stood a massive Crystal Sphere.
Floating inside it was a pulsating Red Orb.
At least five meters in radius, this orb seemed like an infinite source of power. It burned ceaselessly.
Looking at it felt like staring into the eye of a primordial force that was laughing back at them.
Around the main hall were three more stone doors, each bearing an inscription:
Treasury, Fusion Chamber, and Research Room.
Habib gestured toward the glowing red orb and began his explanation.
"This burning red sphere... it is said to be the remains of a Legendary Spirit. The original owner of this entire domain was a Legendary Masterer from seven hundred years ago. Later, two centuries ago, a Demonic Masterer seized it and eventually left it behind. And now... it is in my hands."
The guests were not fools. They understood the gravity of what stood before them. A part of a Legendary Spirit! It was unimaginable!
Legends said that every 'Legendary Spirit' had the power to alter the very nature of creation. For instance—the Legendary Fire Spirit could create or destroy suns at will.
Fear crept into their hearts. But when Habib spoke again, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Although it is a fragment of a Spirit... alas, I am neither a Fusion Master nor a historian. Thus, I can do nothing with this sealed crystal."
Habib turned to face them, a smile on his lips.
"But the Ahmed Clan possesses 'Adamar's Diary'. Adamar Ahmed... though he died in the 18th century, he was a legend himself. I believe he knew of this Spirit. I further believe that his diary contains the method to use it properly... or perhaps, even the recipe to resurrect this dead Legendary Spirit."
Everyone gasped. Monir and Sukumar asked in unison,
"How can you be certain that Adamar possessed the recipe?"
Habib laughed, a sound bordering on maniacal.
"Because before that Demonic Masterer, the owner of this Legacy was Adamar himself! Or to be truthful, it was Adamar who left it behind for that Demonic Masterer. And the research notes of that Demonic Masterer state clearly that Adamar had used this Spirit for his own purposes."
Mansi Delal whispered in a panicked voice, "That means... we must remove Ruhan, take over the Ahmed Clan, and find that notebook. But how can you be sure they still have it? Even Azgaar never found it."
Habib sighed.
"It is only a possibility. No one knows where Adamar hid his diary. It won't be easy. He himself was a legendary 'Wisdom Path' Masterer. Rumor has it... dragon blood flowed through his veins..."
Next, Habib led them to the Treasury.
Rows upon rows of rare items were neatly arranged. Items ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 'Baowa' in value. Most were rare ingredients for Spirit Fusion, Potions or Elixirs. There were even blueprints of sealed Artifacts and maps to their locations.
Habib gifted each guest a 'Sky Lily Crystal'.
Each was worth 20,000 Baowa. These were incredibly rare in Bhola District, as they only grew on the peaks of giant mountains like 'Saka Haphong' in Bandarban or 'Dumlong' in Rangamati.
The guests smiled with satisfaction. At least the trip was profitable, and working with Habib promised even greater returns.
After touring the Treasury, Sukumar felt a twinge of disappointment. There were no Spirits here.
He sighed inwardly. 'If only I could find a Rank 4 Fire Path Spirit! I would have paid any price.'
Then they followed Habib into the Fusion Chamber.
It was a cavernous room. The walls glowed with special crystals that trapped and amplified the light.
Even the central table was carved from a single, flawless crystal.
Scattered across the table were various tools for fusion—beakers, flasks, measuring instruments.
Beside them sat numerous Artifacts and bottles filled with multicolored Elixirs and Potions.
In one corner of the table, a massive cauldron bubbled with a thick, dark green liquid. It was three liters of fresh blood from an ancient magical beast.
In this world, humans used, nurtured, and fused Spirits. Spirits were mysterious entities born between the Spiritual World and the Physical World. Humans fused lower-rank Spirits to create powerful ones. Each Spirit required a unique recipe.
Unless it was a rare Rank 3 or higher Spirit, most could only perform a single function. For example, a Rank 5 'Thunder Fang Spirit' could only deliver a lightning bite.
But fusion was not limited to Spirits; humans fused various materials to create Elixirs, Potions, Amulets, and even fused metals and objects to create Artifacts.
The shelves of the Fusion Chamber were lined with thousands of jars and bottles. They contained preserved blood, teeth, eyes, bones, skin, leaves, flowers, honey, poisonous insects, fruits, and much more. All were ingredients for fusion.
Seeing no living Spirits here either, Sukumar sighed and headed out toward the Research Room. The others followed suit.
Habib's voice trembled with excitement.
"It is only a matter of time... once we are fully united, not just this village, but the entire Bhola Sadar will be under our control!"
The others looked at him with strange expressions. 'Has the man gone mad?'
They entered the Research Room.
In the center stood a large meeting table with exactly five seats. One was the honored seat of Habib Biswas.
In the corner stood a study desk, notes, and a massive steel almirah. A bookshelf was lined with ancient tomes written in a language none of them could decipher.
Everyone took their seats. Habib sat at the head, smiling. His eyes glinted with expectation.
Mansi Delal asked, "What do you want from us, Habib?"
Inwardly, he thought, 'Surely the fruit is too big for you to swallow alone, that is why you called us.'
Habib's face turned serious.
"If you provide me with the things I need, I will share 10% of the profits from this Legacy with each of you. Except Foysal. Foysal, until you become the Head of the Ahmed Clan, this is meaningless for you."
Foysal sighed internally. He had been dragged here against his will. He was the illegitimate son of Ruhan's grandfather, born to a maid.
Foysal remembered the old story his mother used to tell him with a laugh—
His mother was a stunning beauty of twenty. Ruhan's grandfather was then the terror of Shitapur, a powerful Rank 4 Masterer known throughout the Bhola Sadar district.
One night, Ruhan's grandmother was away, and the grandfather was mentally devastated by something. That night, the twenty-year-old maid had embraced her beloved master to comfort him.
In the end, she sacrificed her purity for her master. They spent the night together.
The next morning, Ruhan's grandmother discovered them and never spoke to the grandfather again.
Years later, she died. And Ruhan's grandfather? Consumed by trauma and guilt, he attempted suicide multiple times.
Now, he was a broken warrior—lost his rationality, memory gone, drowned in depression. He had been sent to another district to spend his final days in peace with Foysal's mother.
Finally, Monir Chaprashee asked in a heavy voice,
"What do you want from us?"
Habib Biswas leaned back in his chair. A primal, demonic hunger ignited in his eyes.
He spoke calmly, yet the words sent a chill through the room.
"Human corpses. Freshly killed is good. But if they are alive... even better. Especially young women... those whose bodies are brimming with vitality. I want them."
Sealed Legacy: An invaluable wealth of research, power, experience, or bloodline inheritance left behind by someone for the next generation. It is meticulously protected or 'sealed' to prevent the knowledge from being wasted or stolen, opening only to a worthy successor. It often bears the mark of the creator's struggle and sacrifice.
Potion: A liquid preparation made using specific ingredients and incantations. Used for increasing physical strength, healing, creating illusions, or gaining supernatural abilities.
Elixir: A special fluid or drought, typically considered life-giving or capable of granting immortality or supreme power. In ancient alchemy, it symbolizes the pinnacle of knowledge and mastery.
Amulet: A small object or jewelry worn to protect the wearer from harm, bring good luck, or grant supernatural powers.
Artifact: An ancient or mysterious object that carries the imprint of history, power, or magic. It is not just an item, but a vessel of stored power or knowledge, sometimes granting the wielder unexpected abilities—or curses.
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