diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 6a1d014..c5c95a2 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
 dependencies = [
+  "pydantic",
+  "eth-utils",
+  "eth-hash[pycryptodome]"
 ]
 
 [project.urls]
@@ -229,8 +232,8 @@ dependencies = [
   "eth-utils",
   "pytest",
   "pytest-cov",
+  "rich"
 ]
-installer = "uv"
 
 [tool.hatch.envs.test.scripts]
 test = "pytest"
diff --git a/src/mantaray_py/__init__.py b/src/mantaray_py/__init__.py
index 2ff79ed..754c390 100644
--- a/src/mantaray_py/__init__.py
+++ b/src/mantaray_py/__init__.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def init_manifest_node(options: dict = None) -> MantarayNode:
     if 'obfuscationKey' in options:
         manifest_node.set_obfuscation_key(options['obfuscationKey'])
     else:
-        manifest_node.set_obfuscation_key(None)
+        manifest_node.set_obfuscation_key(gen_32_bytes())
 
     return manifest_node
 
diff --git a/src/mantaray_py/node.py b/src/mantaray_py/node.py
index 5063f59..b585b17 100644
--- a/src/mantaray_py/node.py
+++ b/src/mantaray_py/node.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
     StorageLoader,
     StorageSaver,
 )
-from mantaray_py.utils import IndexBytes, check_reference, common, encrypt_decrypt, equal_bytes, keccak256_hash
+from mantaray_py.utils import IndexBytes, check_reference, common, encrypt_decrypt, equal_bytes
+from eth_utils import keccak
 
 PATH_SEPARATOR = "/"
 PATH_SEPARATOR_BYTE = 47
@@ -450,11 +451,10 @@ def serialize(self) -> bytes:
         for fork_index in self.forks.keys():
             index.set_byte(int(fork_index))
         index_bytes = index.get_bytes()
-
         # Forks
-        fork_serializations: list[bytes] = []
+        fork_serializations: bytearray = []
 
-        for byte in index:
+        for byte in index.get_bytes():
             fork = self.forks.get(byte)
             if fork is None:
                 msg = f"Fork indexing error: fork has not found under {byte} index"
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ def serialize_version(version: Union[MarshalVersion, str]) -> bytes:
     """
     version_name = "mantaray"
     version_separator = ":"
-    hash_bytes = keccak256_hash(version_name + version_separator + version)
+    hash_bytes = keccak(text=(version_name + version_separator + version))
 
     return hash_bytes[:31]
 
@@ -713,8 +713,9 @@ def serialize_reference_len(entry: Reference) -> bytes:
         msg = f"Wrong referenceLength. It can be only 32 or 64. Got: {reference_len}"
         raise ValueError(msg)
 
+    print(reference_len)
     # Serialize the reference length into a single byte
-    return int.to_bytes(len(entry), byteorder="big", signed=False)  # type: ignore
+    return (reference_len).to_bytes(reference_len, byteorder="big", signed=False)  # type: ignore
 
 
 def load_all_nodes(storage_loader: StorageLoader, node: MantarayNode) -> None:
diff --git a/src/mantaray_py/utils.py b/src/mantaray_py/utils.py
index e2551d8..47f2d10 100644
--- a/src/mantaray_py/utils.py
+++ b/src/mantaray_py/utils.py
@@ -9,14 +9,9 @@
 
 
 class IndexBytes(BaseModel):
-    bytes_data: bytearray = Field(..., min_length=32, max_length=32)
+    bytes_data: bytearray = Field(bytearray(32), min_length=32, max_length=32)
     model_config = ConfigDict(arbitrary_types_allowed=True)
 
-    def __init__(self, **data: dict) -> None:
-        super().__init__(**data)
-        # Initialize bytes_data with zeros
-        self.bytes_data = bytearray(32)
-
     def set_byte(self, byte: int) -> None:
         """Set a byte value."""
         if byte > 255:  # noqa: PLR2004
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 29b3614..658a144 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 from mantaray_py import MantarayNode, equal_nodes, gen_32_bytes
-import pytest
+from pytest import fixture
 
-@pytest.fixture
+@fixture
 def get_sample_mantaray_node() -> dict[MantarayNode, bytes]:
-
     node = MantarayNode()
     random_address = gen_32_bytes()
     node.set_entry(random_address)
diff --git a/tests/test_unit.py b/tests/test_unit.py
index 17b7bbc..5a6bb26 100644
--- a/tests/test_unit.py
+++ b/tests/test_unit.py
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 from mantaray_py import MantarayNode, equal_nodes, gen_32_bytes, check_for_separator, init_manifest_node
 import pytest
+from rich.console import Console
 
+console = Console()
 
-def test_single_manaray_node_with_a_random_address(get_sample_mantaray_node):
+def test_single_manaray_node_with_a_random_address():
     node = init_manifest_node()
     random_address = gen_32_bytes()
+    console.print(random_address)
+
     node.set_entry(random_address)
 
     serialized = node.serialize()