Lotte went quiet for a moment, and I got why. Yeah, that was a pretty dumb question. Felt like I'd just lost a couple of brain cells. Obviously, it meant a stage beyond what people called the peak—beyond gold.

I vaguely recalled Gwen mentioning something about this continent being a 'suppressed zone.' How folks here thought Gold Core was the pinnacle of power simply because they couldn't push past it. Kinda fascinating, really.

And looking through that lens, it made total sense. That drakkari was definitely above Gold rank—after all, he completely obliterated Lord Veyan. Just the thought of a rank beyond Gold sent a chill down my spine. A level of power so absurd, so catastrophic, that it could flatten a city in minutes. A walking, breathing embodiment of destruction.

Just how strong was Platinum Core?

On second thought, maybe I didn't want to know. Not yet. I was too weak to even entertain the idea. Worse, it felt like my progress had stalled. Ever since I got stuck outside the dungeon, my growth had plateaued. No active monster hunting, no real advancement.

That sucked.

I was this close to evolving.

"Guess you already have your answer," Lotte's voice echoed in my mind.

"Yeah, I should've figured. That was a dumb question."

Her chuckle rang through my thoughts.

"On a side note, I remember spotting something weird in that code—how him being a low Platinum Core was technically breaking some rule while crossing over. And since this continent's suppressed so no one can ascend past Gold, I'd wager those two things are connected."

"Indeed."

One question had been gnawing at me. "Sooo… who or what even set those rules?"

Lotte's chuckle dripped enigmatic syrup. "Some rules are parables wearing law robes, hatchling."

"…Come again?"

"Picture a mountain pass crumbling under avalanches. Authorities post a decree: 'No wagons over three tons.' Break it? The rocks sing your eulogy. Centuries later, it's dogma—never test the weight limit. But strip the mystique, and it's just physics with a fancy hat: defy gravity, meet consequences."

"Analogy's crisp, but there's lore beneath, right?"

I expected radio silence.

"All foundations have fossils. Perhaps if you spent less time playing and more time digging…"

"Excuse you? I'm juggling flaming swords here!"

Sassy lizard. Let her endure a day in my scales—chaos incarnate, zero naps. And Thalador's stinky boot, it'd only get stormier.

Ugh, just let me sip ambrosia in peace. Was serenity too decadent a request?

With the way things were escalating, power was becoming more valuable by the second. Sure, my poison immunity gave me a solid edge, and my alchemy knowledge was just the cherry on top. If given enough time to prepare, I could probably go toe-to-toe with even Red Cores.

I laid it all out to Lotte, and she agreed.

"Hmm, quite the immediate concern. I see plenty of golden threads in your fate... but an equal number of black ones too. So, while golden opportunities lie ahead, so does death, scythe in hand. Tread carefully. Evolution might tip the odds in your favor—though I have a feeling you might get something real good this time."

"That is not ominous at all. Also—hold up, what do you mean by that last part?! Am I getting some kind of special evolution this time?!" My eyes practically sparkled.

"Who knows? Perhaps."

"Cryptic isn't a personality trait, Lotte! Details or I'm revoking your riddle license!"

Lotte just chuckled in response. But coming from her, even that much was basically confirmation. She never said anything without a reason. Her way of telling me I had something to look forward to.

Now my excitement was through the roof. Just what was waiting for me?

Evolutions were based on achievements. And from what I'd seen, that meant all kinds of achievements—events, problem-solving, battles, the way I handled different situations. And my time in the city? Oh, I definitely racked up a curious amount of those.

So that was it. I needed to evolve. And soon. I'd been holding off for too long.

I craned my neck at the dreamscape's sky. When was the last time I'd flown just… because?

White wings spread wide, and I launched myself upward, making a beeline for the heavens.

Lotte just watched in amusement as I looped around her massive form, giggling as the wind brushed against my scales, parting and curling around them. There was something about flying that tingled in my dragon heart. But I knew it wasn't just the act of soaring.

Flight was freedom. It made the world mine to explore. And maybe—just maybe—that was what I truly craved in the end. Freedom.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

I stopped mid-flight, hovering at a certain altitude. Below me stretched the rolling hills, their entire terrain blanketed by Lotte's massive frame. And in the distance—an equally massive city.

It had to be at least the size of Varkaigrad. Even those towering skyscrapers looked small from here, swallowed by the vastness of the landscape.

Then, that same wave of familiarity washed over me. The one I always felt when I interacted with my doppelganger during evolution. The one that crept in when foreign words, ones I didn't even know, crossed my mind. When knowledge surfaced from somewhere, though I had no idea where.

I always felt like this should be confusing. But it never was. Not even now. Instead, it was... soothing, in its own way.

Maybe my mind was just weaving all of it together. Or maybe, once upon a time, I had lived here.

The idea of remembering an old life—hah, what a wild concept. But some religious texts spoke of such things, didn't they?

I used to think it was nothing more than my past life echoing back at me. But even that? I had no way of knowing. For all I knew, it was just some high-level magic fuckery. After all, there were forbidden pathways that could tamper with one's memories.

A prime example? My father. Memories erased. The thought made my chest ache—just a little. Another reminder of why I had to grow stronger. To protect the ones I held close.

"Another dilemma weighing on your mind?"

Lotte's voice echoed in my head, and I glanced around—but she was gone from her perch on the hill.

I barely had time to react before I felt her presence behind me, those massive crimson eyes gleaming like twin suns. Silent as a shadow, despite her sheer size.

"Just more answered questions... and a few fresh worries for the future," I admitted, exhaling. "Feels like fate is conspiring against me, throwing me into chaos at every turn."

"Such is the tax levied on fate's favorites."

"Hah, so it's true, then. There was no way all this was natural. Definitely some fate fuckery going on ever since I turned into a dragon. And now, with your confirmation? Not even surprised at this point."

"Familiarity breeds content when chaos is your commute."

"Maybe. But I'm more worried about Alice and Belle. I have no way of knowing how they're doing."

Lotte hummed, looking up at the sky. "Should have told me earlier."

"Huh?"

Before I could react, her claw lifted—and two shapes materialized midair.

Doll-shaped. Badger-shaped.

Oh shit. I almost forgot she did this with Barn once! Stupid, silly Jade!

The moment Belle and Alice materialized, they shrieked, limbs flailing as they plummeted.

I caught them midway.

"M-Mistress…!"

"SQUEE!" SCARY!!

Lotte's warm amusement colored her tone. "Interrogate the sources directly."

Both of them trembled in my claws. A little too eerily similar to how Barn had reacted when Lotte pulled him through. Was their experience any different from my own?

Well, whatever. I finally had a way to get some answers.

Calming them took ages—Lotte's satisfaction practically purred. Increasingly convinced her hobby was harvesting existential panic... and fermenting it into personal joy-juice.

"While it's gonna take me some time," Alice said, "they've got a ton of security in place. Plus, there are some Gold Ranks in the mix. I've been using Sara's body to run errands for them—trying to gain their trust."

"Did you learn anything about what they're planning?"

"I… did. But I think something happened that made them change direction. The earlier orders I got were suddenly cancelled. Feels like something big went down in Varkaigrad. Do you know what it was, Mistress?"

Something big, huh? "Uhh… maybe. I'll fill you in once you're back. But still, the errands—anything interesting?"

"I think it's related to the ascension of one of their own. It's weird, Mistress. I don't have a solid theory yet, which is why it's taking so long. Belle could sneak in, but with those Gold Ranks around, I've prohibited her from doing so."

"SQUEE!" Belle emphatically agreed—they were scary.

"Honestly, I think that's for the best. Method for ascension, huh? I saw something similar before—when they invoked that entity using dungeon energy. But there's no dungeon energy here in Varkaigrad, so… what the hell are they doing?"

I looked toward Lotte, who was now lazily drifting through the sky like an enormous, amused balloon.

"Don't look at me like I've got all the answers," she said. "But maybe it's time you start expanding your worldview. You literally started gaining experience from passing Judgment. Now imagine your evolution required more than just hitting a level cap—imagine it required a very specific task. Like judging a lord who rules over ten thousand souls. Performing certain deeds… for ascension."

I chewed on that.

"Huh. So some kind of… ritual, then?"

"Decryption's your department."

It wasn't much in terms of concrete information, but it was a lot to think about. Everyone always talked about bottlenecks—those plateaus you hit when your core was about to evolve.

But… what if those bottlenecks weren't just arbitrary limits? What if they were tasks? Specific, meaningful tasks.

To ascend to Red Core… what if you had to resonate with the core concept of your element? Fully embrace it.

So then… what did it take to reach Gold?

The dots started connecting faster than I could think. Something was forming—some kind of insight. But it stayed just out of reach, like a whisper in the back of my mind.

Still, I was almost sure now: this was some kind of ritual. One meant to help one of their own ascend.

And in a sprawling, densely populated city like Varkaigrad?

Considering their earlier plan, back when the city's situation was spiraling out of control…?

Yeah. I had a really bad feeling about whatever task they'd chosen to fuel that ascension.

"What happened after you reported about the… condition outside the portal?" I asked.

"Told them the truth—that someone might be onto us," Alice replied. "Said that I—well, Sara, the lightning mage—managed to survive thanks to fate. Had to word it carefully since they've got a diviner sniffing out lies. It stirred up some paranoia, but when I mentioned the Iron Pact might uncover their existence soon… they didn't seem too bothered."

"Yeah, there's definitely some shady deal going on behind the curtains. According to Lysska, some of the higher-ups in Iron Pact are in bed with that Elven noble house."

"That's… rather horrible, Mistress."

"I know. Now tell me, what kind of errands are they making you run?"

"Mostly surveillance. They're hyper-focused on Varkaigrad—especially today. I've got a full Elven team and some beastkin out on recon, gathering details about whatever just went down."

"Ooh?" I smirked, my lips curling. "How tragic if a rogue draconic tempest… accidentally redecorated their reconnaissance picnic."

I licked my lips.

"Counterproductive theater," Alice deadpanned. "Would paint my host as either catastrophically unlucky or working with a walking apocalypse. Which—technically accurate—but let's not gift-wrap their paranoia."

Ugh. Logically bulletproof, emotionally stifling. My tail lashed. The lack of violence was seriously starting to get to me. I needed this wave to end so I could dive back into the dungeon and bathe in some good ol' monster guts.

"Well, take care, and don't get spooked next time Lotte pulls you in here. Honestly, it's the best way to get reports. Convenient, right?"

Both Alice and Belle shuddered.

***

When I opened my eyes, the familiar ceiling greeted me.

But there—just on the edge of my vision—a red dot pulsed.

Probably Air Sense leveling up again. Guess standing next to two Gold Ranks for a while had its benefits.

I'd mentally toggled off system messages from blocking my vision a while ago—made life a lot easier. But now that I was feeling better, I decided to check it.

The message unfolded like an ambush.

[Level Cap Reached: Maximum Level Attained.] [Evolution Process: Available and Ready for Initiation.]

...What the fuck?

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