Unexpected Heritage

The giant water lily floating under Little Idiot disappeared in a swirl of sparkling water. The small frog, looking slightly dazed, hopped towards Qiris. Curious to see the changes brought by the heritage stone, he decided to open his companion's status.

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Name: Little Idiot

Species: Frog

Element: Water

Rank: 1 (medium)

Quality: 1 star

Skills:

[Propelled Headbutt]

[Aquatic Reinforcement]

Unique:

[Heritage - Aquatic Lily Pad]

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Qiris's eyes widened, pleasantly surprised. "Well, my little green friend, it looks like you've made progress!" he exclaimed, a broad smile on his lips. "You've gone from beginner to medium rank 1!"

He concentrated, trying to sense the aquatic mana. Thanks to Little Idiot's improvement, Qiris now perceived the mana flows around him more clearly. It was as if a veil had slightly lifted, allowing him to better discern the aquatic currents surrounding him. He felt a subtle change, like a whisper of fresh water in his mind, more distinct than before.

"Not bad" he murmured, appreciating this new sensitivity. "It's subtle, but I can really feel the difference. The real change will come with the rank up, but this is already a good start."

What intrigued him most was the "Unique" category of the heritage. His readings had taught him that this was something rare, even among heritages. Only the most powerful heritages bore this mention.

"You never cease to surprise me, Little Idiot" he said, affectionately patting the frog's head.

"Come on, show me your new skill!"

But Little Idiot, remembering the threats of being eaten, the rough handling before opening the chest, and the multiple skull grabs, categorically refused, puffing up his cheeks in a sulky manner.

A mischievous smile spread across Qiris's face. In a honeyed voice that made Little Idiot shiver, he declared. "For every second without showing your ability, you'll lose a share in the sale of treasures... and thus purchasable food."

Little Idiot's eyes widened in horror. A sticky substance began to ooze from his skin as he realized he had already lost three precious seconds. Panicked, he concentrated.

Suddenly, a magnificent water lily appeared not far from them, filled with visible aquatic currents. It floated there, majestic, its petals gently undulating as if under an invisible breeze. Qiris approached, curious, carefully observing the currents swirling inside, but saw nothing particularly special.

"Is that all?" he asked, perplexed. Little Idiot shrugged his tiny shoulders, equally confused about the usefulness of this new ability.

Qiris sighed. "Well, we'll pay an expert when we get out of the tower to learn more. In the meantime, let's see if we can find other treasures."

They headed towards the entrance of the labyrinth, Qiris talking about his hypotheses on the potential usefulness of the water lily, while Little Idiot brooded over his potential loss of food, not even listening to his master.

Arriving at the entrance, they began to search meticulously. Suddenly, Little Idiot spotted a hole in the bottom of a wall and slipped through without hesitation. Qiris, surprised, followed by crawling, the narrow passage scraping his back.

They emerged into a small circular room, barely larger than a broom closet. The walls were covered with ancient runes that glowed faintly with a bluish light, casting dancing shadows on the polished stone floor. In the center of the room, on a pedestal of black marble veined with gold, rested a chest.

This was no ordinary chest. It seemed to be made of pure gold, but living gold, gently pulsing as if breathing. Complex patterns were engraved on its surface, depicting scenes of battle and magic that Qiris couldn't quite decipher. The chest shone with an almost supernatural glow in the darkness, as if emitting its own light.

"By the frog god" Qiris breathed, marveling at the beauty and mystery of the object. A translucent barrier, barely visible except for the slight shimmer in the air, surrounded the chest. But as soon as they entered the room, a prompt appeared

[Requirement - Astral Stone 1]

The bubble burst in a shower of sparks, leaving Qiris perplexed. "What kind of difficulty does this damn dungeon require for this chest?" he muttered, his face displaying a frustrated grimace.

He stepped forward and opened it cautiously, Little Idiot perched on his shoulder, eyes wide with anticipation. A white book, ordinary in appearance, appeared before them, gently floating in the air. But before they could react, it transformed into pure energy, a stream of white light that shot straight into Qiris's mind.

[Heritage Book - Ancient Language]

Ancient runes, similar to those on the labyrinth walls, etched themselves into Qiris's memory. It was as if a torrent of information was flooding his mind, each symbol carrying a deep and mysterious meaning. After several minutes of total immobility, his body rigid and his eyes fixed, he came to with a start.

Without a word, he rushed out of the room, as if possessed, leaving Little Idiot to frantically hop to follow him.

Outside, he frantically examined the walls, his fingers tracing the contours of the runes he could now understand. Little Idiot, perched on his shoulder, watched him with a mixture of curiosity and concern, beginning to believe that his master might have lost his mind.

Finally, Qiris turned to Little Idiot, his eyes shining with feverish excitement. He whispered, as if fearing the walls themselves might hear him.

"It's the first part of a cultivation art!!!!"