The characters on the Metal Ingot read: "Chanting."
Alka pondered their meaning. Does this imply a Spell? Such words, deliberately carved onto Metal Ingots, inevitably lead one to think in that direction. A Spell... a Spell? What could it be?
He couldn't help but wrack his brain, drawing on his familiarity with Jack as he began to recall.
Playing cards... the Dream Poker... the Poker Treasure Hunting Team... If it's neither the name of the ship nor the Treasure Hunting Team, what else could it be? What would Jack most likely use as the activation phrase for a Spell?
His gaze suddenly, involuntarily, shifted to the painting on the dining table in the room.
The painting depicted the former Jack Monk. It had its own name, printed below the frame—reportedly, a catchphrase of Jack's.
"False Reality."
As Alka spoke the words, it was as if they carried a magical power. The solid Metal Ingot resting on the edge of the bed began to melt like boiling syrup. The solid metal slid away to either side, like a highly viscous liquid, giving it the texture of mercury.
The contents enveloped within the Metal Ingot were revealed.
It was an extremely ordinary wooden box. The wood material seemed to be of good quality, and the craftsmanship was decent, but it was very plain.
Once all the liquid had slid off the wooden box, it re-congealed beneath it into a metal lump about the size of a palm, propping the box up. Although it was only palm-sized, its thickness remained the same as before.
Is this the real treasure? The scene that had just unfolded unmistakably indicated the treasure's value to Alka. This was a treasure hidden by special means.
His heart pounded with excitement.
Taking a deep breath, he brought the box before him and gently opened it.
Inside were a blue Ring, a palm-sized booklet, and three cards stacked together, the top one slightly askew. He took them out one by one.
The blue Ring had a metallic sheen. It was large enough to fit an adult's thumb and bore no patterns or Gemstone inlays—a very, very plain Ring.
He held the three cards in his hand, examining them one by one. They were similar to ordinary playing cards but noticeably heavier. To the touch, they felt like specially treated, smooth paper cards.
They're somewhat like the playing cards from my previous world. The cards in this world are quite crude, not at all like these, which feel very high quality. Touching them imparted a distinctly Extraordinary sensation.
However, the designs on these three cards were not typical card suits but strange symbols. The first card featured a design resembling a cross, fiery orange-red in color, with a reddish gradient on its back. The second card had a simple icon of a thin sword printed vertically in the center; the icon was metallic silver, and the card's back had a metallic silver-gray gradient. The third card depicted a circular ring, like a blue circlet formed of water, with a light blue gradient on its back.
This smooth surface, these vivid colors, and the gradient design—could this really be accomplished in this era? No, it's not even from this era; it's something from 200 years ago. Alka suddenly remembered these were heirlooms left by people two centuries prior, refuting his own thought.
Both the Ring and the three cards radiated a distinct aura of the Extraordinary.
He turned his gaze to the last item: the manual. It was about the size of an adult's palm, somewhat like Alka's own Treasure Hunting Manual. However, its cover felt like some kind of animal leather, snow-white in color. It had a fine texture that was smooth and soft to the touch. There were no words on it, and it was very thin.
Flipping it open, he saw densely packed words. The script exuded an air of unrestrained flair and was accompanied by simple, hand-drawn illustrations. A quick glance revealed the booklet was divided into three sections.
He flipped back to the first section and examined it closely.
"Cross of Righteous Fire: This Spell originates from the [Scepter]-grade Treasure—Burning Melting Tree. Originally, the Spell needed to be drawn on magically potent materials to be effective. However, with my improvements, it can be drawn using fire-related materials mixed with Magic Power on cardstock made from the bark of the Oil Reed Tree, achieving the same effect. The power of the resulting Spell is related to the materials used for drawing; the better the materials, the stronger the Spell Card produced. I recommend using the following drawing materials..."
Alka read the text in the manual, then turned to look at the three cards.
It was a very thin booklet, and it didn't take Alka long to finish reading. The entire booklet was essentially a crafting manual. Its contents taught, in great detail, how to create those three Spell Cards. This included how to draw the Spells and which materials were most cost-effective—yes, cost-effective. It also informed Alka about the effects these three Spell Cards could produce and their methods of use.
But the problem was, these three cards were consumables; they would be depleted after a single use. To create more, besides money, one very necessary thing was required: Magic Power.
Alka didn't just lack Magic Power; this was the first time in his memory he had ever encountered the concept, the very word itself. Extraordinary power lay before him, but distressingly, he lacked the very foundation for it.
This so-called Magic Power must be the foundation of the Extraordinary. Does it require a certain aptitude, Meditation, or some form of cultivation? Worry gnawed at him.
Slightly steadying his emotions, he focused his attention on the Ring, whose purpose was still unknown.
What is this thing? What purpose does it serve? Looking at the Ring in his hand, Alka wanted to wear it but was cautious. What if it requires Magic Power to function, or forcibly drains Magic Power to activate? That would be troublesome. Who knows if Magic Power is intrinsically linked to one's life force?
At this thought, Alka's gaze drifted to the Treasure Hunting Manual beside him, open to the map page. After a moment's thought, he tapped the blue dot on the map again.
Now that I've unlocked the heritage, will the information change?
[Jack's Magic Treasure]
[Difficulty: Adult]
[Fame: 1,325]
[Treasure Information: The legacy of "Magician" Jack Monk, captain of the renowned Treasure Hunting Ship "Dream Poker."]
[Treasure Acquired: Golden Sail x1, Golden Leaf x1, Silver Snake x6, "Magician" Ring, Spell Card x3, Jack's Spell Interpretation.]
It had changed. The heritage of "Magician" Jack Monk was now detailed as three specific items. So, this Ring is called the "Magician" Ring. However, its size seemed a bit large, even for Alka's thumb.
After a moment's consideration, Alka slipped it onto his thumb anyway. The moment he put the Ring on, it seemed to shrink, instantly adjusting to fit his thumb snugly.
Something was different. A new sensation washed over him.