On the pedestal lay a black object. While the others did not seem particularly moved, Felix felt as if his soul was being drawn into it.

"A soul-bound weapon?" Even without any formal recognition, Felix could sense the strange power emanating from the black object. As expected, anything left behind by Francis was bound to be extraordinary.

As he stepped closer, Felix spoke again. "This looks like an inkstone, doesn't it?"

Paul nodded. "Yes, it's an inkstone. When we first found the land, the inkstone started emitting a black glow. According to the records, the stronger the glow, the closer we are to the serum. But no matter how much we searched, the glow never grew beyond a certain point."

Felix's mind began to race. The Inkspire Quill was a brush, and now this inkstone left by Francis—both were part of the traditional scholar's tools. Could there be a connection between them?

Though he could not figure it out yet, it did not stop him from wanting to claim the inkstone for himsel