As soon as my feet stepped onto the smooth stone floor beyond the ancient door, my eyes were met with an unexpected sight.
Not the dark room full of skulls I had imagined. Nor were there traps or bloody temples like in typical dungeons.
"Is this... a library?"
Before me stretched a vast room beyond imagination, far larger than it appeared from the outside. Towering shelves reached up to a ceiling I couldn't see, filled with old books, scrolls, even stone tablets carved with ancient writings.
To the right, there was a small garden with hundreds of medicinal plants growing in abundance. Some glowed softly, others emitted strange scents or had forms I had never seen in this world. To the left, specialized shelves displayed items and weapons swords, staffs, arrows, robes, bottles filled with colorful liquids, and other things that looked like rare artifacts.
A sacred silence enveloped the place, like a heavenly library forgotten by the world.
Simurgh walked slowly beside me, his feathers reflecting the soft light from the crystals hanging from the ceiling.
"This is the Hall of Inheritance," he said. "A place only those who are chosen may enter—those who have proven themselves through the trial of battle."
I was still staring at the shelves, amazed. Hall of Inheritance? This wasn't just a vault of items. It was a museum of a lost civilization. A place that stored knowledge, power, and perhaps secrets of the world before the chaos.
"You may choose two," Simurgh continued. "One from the book section... and one from the item section. Use them well. Your choices will determine your next path."
I turned to him. "Only two?"
"More than that, you are not yet worthy. But two is enough... if you know what you truly need."
I let out a breath. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. And now the problem was...
"This place is way too big!!" I screamed inwardly.
The bookshelves stretched toward the sky, and the number of items could make a national museum jealous. The only thing that helped ease my mind a little was that each shelf had a glowing label: [Skill – Offensive], [Skill – Defensive], [Spell – Elemental], [Spell – Forbidden], [Support Technique], and so on.
On the item side, labels like [Weapon – Blunt], [Weapon – Sharp], [Potion – Recovery], [Elixir – Enhancement], [Artifact – Unknown Effect], and many more marked the special racks.
I headed for the book section first. My eyes scanned each title quickly. Some immediately caught my attention:
[Phantom Clone] – Creates a shadow clone to confuse enemies.[Death's Hand] – A death-element attack that kills with a single touch.[Silent Step] – Enhances stealth and silences footsteps.[Blood Puppet Mastery] – Increases control over blood-based puppets.
I bit my lip. Which one was the best fit?
"If I go too frontal, I might die... but if I go too support, I could lose my striking power," I muttered.
Eventually, my eyes fell on a thin book glowing with a deep purple light. Its title:
[Gravebind – Forbidden Death Spell]
Binds the target's soul to the land of the dead, drastically reducing their defense and temporarily halting their regeneration.
I instantly knew—this was what I wanted. A binding spell that suited my zombie fighting style perfectly. Not just offensive, but weakening enemies too.
I touched the book, and instantly, light flowed into my body. A system notification popped up.
[Skill Acquired: Gravebind (Lv 1)]
Forbidden death magic has been added to your spell list.
I smiled faintly. "One down... one to go."
Then I turned to the item side. This part was more dangerous, as there were too many choices and their effects were sometimes unclear. Luckily, I had Appraisal now.
I began scanning the shelves one by one, checking out weapons, potions, and artifacts.
Some items stood out:
[Scythe of Mourning] – A scythe with bonus damage against undead.[Elixir of Dark Bloom] – Boosts the growth of darkness-based skills.[Ring of Chainlust] – Strengthens users of chain-type weapons.[Necklace of Dead Mercy] – Grants lifesteal on attacks.
I paused at one particular item. A small bottle filled with a purplish liquid that shimmered softly. Appraisal revealed:
[Undead Extract – Undead Core]
An injection that strengthens the undead's core existence. Grants a permanent effect: +15% to all basic stats.
I grabbed it without hesitation. And as I touched it, the system rang again:
[Item Acquired: Undead Extract – Undead Core]
Use to instantly boost bodily stats. The effect is permanent and irreversible.
Simurgh watched silently. As I returned to him, he looked at me for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Your choices... are not bad."
I gave a slight smile.
"Of course. I'm lucky, after all," I said half-jokingly.
But Simurgh responded with sharp eyes. "It's not just luck. It's instinct. And the will to survive."