The hallway outside the dining room felt quieter once I stepped out.
The noise of plates, Mia's chatter, and Mother's gentle voice faded behind me as the doors closed. Only the soft echo of my own footsteps remained—bouncing off polished stone walls.
Lyra walked beside me for a short distance before stopping at the main corridor junction.
"The treasury wing is straight ahead, Young Master," she said with a small bow.
"Yeah. Thanks."
She hesitated a second—like she wanted to say something—but then she spoke. "Good luck."
I nodded at her. "Thank you."
She nodded and turned away.
I continued alone.
The estate was fully awake now. Servants moving. Guards rotating posts. Mana lamps humming faintly overhead. Everything running like clockwork.
And here I was...
Walking toward a room filled with things worth more than entire cities.
I walked for a few minutes, my mind drifting. Thinking about breakfast. About Mom's soft eyes. About Mia's pinkie promise. About Sylvia waiting to kill me.
Sylvia? Kill me?
A chill ran down my spine.
Focus, Leo.
I shook my head. Couldn't think about that now. Had to focus on what was ahead.
The corridor got wider as I walked. Fewer servants. More guards. The air felt different here—heavier, older. Like the walls themselves knew they were guarding something important.
I turned a corner and stopped.
The treasury hall doors loomed ahead.
They were massive—at least twenty feet tall, made of dark metal that looked like it could survive a direct hit from a sovereign-rank attack. No wood here. No fancy carvings. Just thick, reinforced steel with the Celestial family crest carved into the center. The crest glowed faintly blue, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Guards stood on either side. Not normal guards either. These guys radiated pressure—the kind that made your instincts scream don't mess with them. Their eyes didn't even flicker when I approached.
And between them, waiting with his hands clasped behind his back, stood Han. He looked calm as always. Sharp eyes.
But on the right side of Han stood a man I didn't recognize. He had a grumpy expression on his face. I could tell by looking at him—he was strong. Very strong.
I approached them quietly.
"Young Master." Han bowed slightly. "You're on time."
I nodded at him. "Well, yeah. Don't want to waste your time."
Then I looked at the person beside Han. Following my gaze, Han spoke. "And this is the elder in charge of the treasury. He's been handling this responsibility for a long time."
The elder moved forward and bowed slightly. "Good to meet you, Young Master. I'm in charge of this treasury. The head of the house told me about your coming today." But I could see—he wasn't happy to bow to me.
…Figures. Council elder, huh.
I looked at him, a grin appearing on my face. "You didn't bow perfectly, but as your junior, I think I should forgive you. Judging by your age, it must be too difficult for you to bow. Your back must hurt, right? Anyway, I'll be in your care then, Elder."
His lips twitched slightly. "Ahem… Please follow me, Young Master."
The elder stepped towards the doors, and Han and I followed behind him.
He placed his palm against a small panel on the right door. Blue light scanned his hand. Then his eye. Then he spoke—low, clear, in a language I didn't recognize.
The doors hummed.
Then they started to move.
Slowly. Heavily. Groaaaaan—like they hadn't been opened in years. Cold air washed over me as the gap widened. It smelled like old metal and something else—something ancient. Like centuries of power compressed into one space.
The Elder turned to look at me. "You have one hour, Young Master. I will remain here. Choose carefully—once an item leaves this vault, it cannot be returned. Remember: one hour."
"Yeah, yeah. Got it." I snorted.
Honestly, this old man really talked a lot. But there was a reason for that why I could only spend one hour, not two or three. Maybe more?
Well, there was a reason for it. It was because of the high mana density. You see, the mana density was quite high here—especially inside the vault—because of all the skills and techniques stored inside. The density helped preserve the items.
But if a person entered such a high-density area for a long time, especially someone with a low core, they would die. Their body wouldn't be able to bear that much mana.
"The breathing techniques are on the left. They're stored as technique books. Skills are on the right—crystals or orbs. Artifacts and weapons are deeper in." He paused. "I hope your father already told you, Young Master, but let me remind you again—you have to choose one breathing technique and one—"
"One breathing technique. One skill. Nothing else." I cut him off. "I remember."
Seriously, this old man talked too much.
I could see he didn't like how I cut him off, but he still controlled his expression and said, "Good luck, Young Master."
I nodded at him and stepped inside.
_
The doors closed behind me with a deep, echoing THUD.
And then—silence.
Not the normal kind of silence. The kind that presses against your ears. The kind that makes you aware of your own heartbeat.
I stood there for a moment, just breathing. "Wow, this is crazy."
I looked around. The room was huge. Bigger than it looked from outside. Shelves lined every wall, stretching up into darkness—I couldn't even see the ceiling. A dense fog covered the ceiling. Each shelf held objects. Books. Orbs. Crystals. Weapons. Things I couldn't even name.
They glowed faintly. Some with soft blue light. Others with deep red. A few with gold. All of them humming quietly, like they were waiting.
I could feel them. Not physically. But there was something in the air. Pressure. Weight. Like each object was watching me.
Creepy.
I walked forward slowly. My footsteps echoed too loud in the silence. The shelves loomed over me like silent giants.
So, where should I go first? I had one hour, and I had to find something good. Then I noticed a symbol on the left side. It was the breathing techniques section. The elder had said the same thing anyway.
With my hands in my pockets, I moved toward it.
The left wall was lined with floating books. Each one hovered inside its own small barrier, glowing softly. Some were thick. Some were thin. Some looked ancient—leather cracking, pages yellowed. Others looked newer, their covers still crisp.
Below each book was a small plaque with writing.
I stopped at the first one.
Celestial Lightning Breathing Technique
Rank: Legendary
Requires: Celestial Bloodline, Core Rank S or Higher
I snorted. S-rank or higher. That's not me. I moved toward the next one.
Thunder God's Path
Rank: Noble
Requires: Lightning Affinity, Core Rank A or Higher
Again not me.
Frost Monarch Breathing
Rank: Rare
Requires: Ice Affinity, Core Rank C or Higher
I don't have ice affinity, but this one looks good.
Shadow Dance Breathing
Rank: Rare
Requires: Shadow Affinity, Core Rank C or Higher
Damn it. I can't use this one either.
I kept walking. Technique after technique. All of them required affinities I didn't have or core ranks I hadn't reached.
Fuck. This is hopeless. I don't even know how much time has passed already.
I kept walking. Deeper into the shelves. The pressure changed—lighter, less oppressive. The books here glowed softer. The plaques said Common or Rare.
I stopped at a section labeled Foundation Tier Techniques.
Now we're talking.
I started searching for a good technique.
Flame Heart Breathing
Rank: Rare
Requires: Fire Affinity
Iron Will Breathing
Rank: Advanced
Requires: None. Focuses on endurance and core stability.
Stone Body Breathing
Rank: Common
Requires: None. Enhances physical defense at cost of speed.
Wind Step Breathing
Rank: Advanced
Requires: None. Improves agility and mana circulation.
I kept reading. Dozens of them. Some sounded useful. Others sounded like they'd make me move slower, which was the opposite of what I needed.
Then I stopped.
Foundation Breathing Art
Rank: Advanced
Requires: None
Description: A basic but stable technique designed for those with weaker cores or damaged mana pathways. Each breath pulls mana into the core, holds it until it compresses naturally, then releases it through the mana vessels. Strengthens channels over time. Not fast. Not flashy. Builds a base that other techniques can build on later.
I stared at the book. It was thin. Plain cover. No glow. Just a simple leather-bound thing sitting there like it wasn't worth anyone's time. I read its description and my eyes widened slightly.
"…!"
For those with weaker cores and strained vessels.
I think it's perfect for me. It doesn't require any affinity. I can use this to perfect my foundation, and in the future, I can change my breathing technique anytime and choose a better one. But for now, this one is perfect.
I reached out and took it.
The barrier flickered. Then died down. The book dropped into my hand—heavy for its size, warm to the touch.
This is it. The mana foundation art.
I tucked it under my arm. Now that I'd found the book, it was time to find the skill. But before that—how much time had passed? I didn't even know how long I'd wasted here.
"Hey System," I shouted. "How much time has passed?"
The system's voice shimmered in my head.
[You've already spent forty minutes, Host. Only twenty minutes remain. Your time is running out. You have to hurry and choose a skill.]
Forty minutes already spent?
Fuck.