Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

”How did you manage to get an Epic-Rank Relic?”

The receptionist’s voice came out louder than she intended.

The Guild hall quieted at once.

Several explorers near the floating mission screen turned their heads. A few B-Ranks at the side tables stopped talking. Even the workers carrying material crates slowed down and looked toward the counter.

Atlas’s hand remained near the crystal.

His expression did not change beneath the hood, but his thoughts sharpened immediately.

’Troublesome.’

He had expected the crystal to be valuable.

But he had not expected the receptionist to say it out loud in front of everyone.

Atlas looked at her.

”Is it that rare?”

The receptionist seemed to realize her mistake. Her face changed slightly, and she lowered her voice quickly.

”I apologize, Mr. Atlas. I spoke too loudly.”

It was already too late.

The nearby explorers were staring now. Some looked surprised. Some looked confused. Some looked like they were trying to guess how a human C-Rank explorer had returned from a Hollow-Rank Ruin with something that made the receptionist react like this.

The receptionist carefully looked at the crystal again.

”You said you found this after defeating the Chapel Wraith?”

Atlas nodded.

”Yes.”

”And this was inside the Abandoned Wind Chapel?”

”Yes.”

The receptionist glanced at his Guild record, then looked at him again.

”You cleared a Hollow-Rank Ruin in one day?”

Atlas stayed calm.

”It was manageable.”

”Even though you are a C-Rank, that’s...”

She stopped herself before finishing the sentence.

Atlas understood what she wanted to say.

A Hollow-Rank Ruin was not something a normal C-Rank should clear alone in one day. Especially not if the ruin had Spirit interference, flying monsters, and a Chapel Wraith as the Boss.

But Atlas did not explain.

Explaining too much would only make things worse.

The receptionist quickly placed the crystal onto a small inspection plate beneath the counter. The plate glowed for a moment, then several blue-white lines moved across the crystal’s surface.

Her expression became more serious.

”I can confirm it is at least Epic-rank, but I cannot identify the exact material or function. This needs a proper evaluator.”

Atlas asked directly.

”How long?”

”I will call one now. Since this is Epic-rank, it needs to be recorded properly.”

She turned toward one of the Guild workers nearby.

”Call Evaluator Nors Solace. Tell him we have an unidentified Epic-rank crystal relic recovered from the Abandoned Wind Chapel.”

The worker nodded quickly and left.

Atlas stood quietly at the counter.

The stares around him did not disappear.

He did not like this.

He had come here to report the mission, get his reward, register the relic if needed, and leave. Now the crystal had already made him visible inside the Guild.

A few explorers began murmuring.

”Epic-rank from Hollow?”

”Didn’t that ruin have wind interference?”

”He cleared it alone?”

”Human, right?”

Atlas ignored them.

Outside the Guild entrance, Seraphiel Rosaria also heard the commotion.

She had been speaking with several A-Rank explorers about the Abyss-Rank Ruin recruitment when the receptionist’s voice reached the entrance. Her words stopped naturally, and her gaze shifted toward the counter inside the Guild.

She did not walk over.

She only watched.

The hooded human at the counter stood calmly, with a large explorer bag at his side and a crystal relic placed in front of him.

Seraphiel had heard his name earlier from Guild conversation.

Atlas Crosswood.

A human explorer who had recently registered in Lumivale after coming from Ormolio.

C-Rank.

That information alone did not mean much.

But a C-Rank clearing a Hollow-Rank Ruin alone and returning with an Epic-rank relic was not normal.

One of the A-Rank explorers in front of her looked back as well.

”Lady Seraphiel, should we continue?”

Seraphiel raised one hand slightly.

”Wait.”

Her gaze remained on the counter.

After several minutes, an older Angel man entered from the inner evaluation corridor.

He had short pale-gold hair, narrow eyes, and a neat white evaluator coat with the Lumivale Guild insignia on the chest. His wings were folded tightly behind him, and several small inspection relics floated around his waist.

The receptionist immediately lowered her head.

”Evaluator Nors.”

Nors Solace walked to the counter and looked at the crystal.

”This is the relic?”

”Yes. Recovered from the Abandoned Wind Chapel by Mr. Atlas Crosswood after defeating the Chapel Wraith.”

Nors glanced at Atlas once.

”C-Rank?”

Atlas nodded.

”Yes.”

Nors did not comment further.

He picked up the crystal with a thin pair of silver tongs and placed it onto a larger evaluation tray. Three small relic plates floated out from his side pouch and arranged themselves around the crystal.

Blue-white light moved inside the crystal.

Nors narrowed his eyes slightly.

Then he injected a thin thread of Spirit into the tray.

The crystal reacted immediately.

Wind moved around it in a tight spiral, and the light inside formed several layered lines, almost like veins inside transparent stone.

Nors watched for several seconds before speaking.

”This is not a normal relic.”

The receptionist’s expression tightened.

Nors continued in a direct tone.

”It is a crafting catalyst. Wind attribute. High purity. The structure is stable and the internal Spirit flow is not damaged. It came from the core area of the ruin, likely after the Chapel Wraith lost control of the chamber.”

Atlas listened carefully.

”A crafting catalyst?”

Nors looked at him.

”Yes. This type is not usually used directly in battle. It is used by craftsmen when creating or upgrading weapons. If a normal craftsman uses it, they can create a strong Epic-rank weapon with wind properties. If a high-level craftsman handles it properly, it may become the core of a Legendary weapon.”

The Guild hall became quieter again.

Legendary weapon.

Those two words changed the atmosphere.

The receptionist stared at the crystal.

”Evaluator Nors... are you saying it can reach Legendary-grade output?”

Nors nodded.

”If the craftsman is capable enough. The material itself has that potential. The item is called a Whirlstone.”

Atlas’s eyes narrowed faintly.

Whirlstone.

So it was not a weapon, but a material.

That changed its value.

A weapon could be used directly.

A material needed a craftsman.

But if the material could become the core of a Legendary weapon, then selling it immediately would be foolish.

Nors looked toward Atlas.

”Do you want to register it under your name?”

”Yes.”

”Do you want the Guild to purchase it?”

”No.”

The answer came immediately.

Several explorers reacted.

The receptionist blinked.

”Mr. Atlas, the Guild can offer a very high price for a Whirlstone. Even the base purchase would be several hundred gold, and depending on auction value—”

”I’m not selling it.”

Atlas’s voice stayed calm.

Nors studied him for a moment.

”Reason?”

”I may need it later.”

That was all Atlas said.

Nors nodded once.

”That is reasonable. Whirlstones are harder to find than gold. If you sell it now, buying another later will be almost impossible unless you have a connection with high-level merchants or noble auctions.”

The receptionist quickly began writing the record.

”Whirlstone recovered from Abandoned Wind Chapel, ownership registered under Atlas Crosswood, C-Rank Explorer. Guild purchase offer declined.”

Nors placed a small seal on the record plate.

”Done.”

The crystal was placed into a protective case and handed back to Atlas.

Atlas accepted it and placed it carefully inside his bag.

The receptionist then processed the mission reward.

”Your Hollow-Rank Ruin clear has been confirmed. Chapel Wraith defeated, relic fragments submitted, and core relic recovered under personal claim. Mission reward is twenty gold, with an additional ten gold for full clear verification.”

Atlas accepted the pouch.

Thirty gold.

That was not small.

But after hearing the value of Whirlstone, the gold felt secondary.

Atlas placed the pouch inside his bag.

”Anything else?”

The receptionist shook her head.

”No, Mr. Atlas. The mission is complete. Your Guild record will be updated.”

Atlas nodded once and turned away.

The stares followed him as he walked toward the Guild exit.

He did not look at anyone.

He only adjusted the bag on his shoulder and left the Guild.

Outside, Seraphiel watched him walk away.

Her eyes remained on his back for a few seconds.

’Hmm, interesting...’

A human C-Rank from Ormolio.

Solo cleared a Hollow-Rank Ruin.

Recovered a Whirlstone.

Rejected the Guild’s purchase immediately.

And did not look excited even after hearing it could become the core of a Legendary weapon.

That kind of reaction was not normal for someone who lacked backing.

Seraphiel’s gaze shifted slightly.

”Flora.”

A figure appeared beside her with a blur.

Flora was an Angel guard assigned by the Household head to follow Seraphiel closely. She wore light white-gray armor, and her wings remained folded behind her. Her presence was quiet, but her eyes were sharp.

”Yes, Lady Seraphiel.”

Seraphiel looked toward the direction Atlas had taken.

”What do you think?”

Flora followed her gaze.

”That man looks unwilling to sell it. The way he refused the Guild was too direct. If Rosaria asks to buy it, he may refuse us too.”

Seraphiel nodded.

”I think so too.”

She smiled faintly.

”So I’m not going to start by buying the item.”

Flora looked at her.

”Then?”

Seraphiel turned away from the Guild entrance.

”If you can’t buy the item, then at least persuade the owner to become your friend. That is what Father taught me.”

Flora lowered her head slightly.

”So you are planning to build a business relationship with him?”

”Yes.”

”When will you speak to him?”

”Tomorrow morning.”

Seraphiel’s tone remained calm.

”Reserve the private chamber of the Glassy-Tea House. I want the meeting to feel like a smooth business talk, not a noble summoning a commoner.”

Flora nodded.

”Yes, Lady Seraphiel. I will prepare it.”

Seraphiel looked once more toward the road Atlas had taken.

”Good.”

Flora disappeared with another blur.

Seraphiel remained outside the Guild for a moment longer.

Then she turned back toward the A-Rank explorers waiting behind her.

The Abyss-Rank Ruin matter still had to be handled.

But now, another useful person had appeared in Lumivale.