Finally, I understood what my quest for the next rank was really about. The first time I saw it, I had no idea what the hell it was even saying. And after grasping its meaning now, I knew better than to mention it, even to the emperor.
—--------------------------------
[Transcendence Quest Unveiled]
Yet a spark cannot awaken without a flame.
Within you lies the Core that longs for revival.
Beyond lies the heart of another world, pulsing with stolen breath.
To ascend, you must decide:
Will you devour what sustains another, or let the Dawn remain a husk?
Objective: Awaken the Dawn Core by feeding it a World Core.
—--------------------------------
I had received this quest long before my talent ever upgraded, which meant the System knew exactly what it was doing. Maybe it had already decided my path, or maybe it had seen what was going to happen and gave the quest ahead of time. Either way, it felt deliberate, not random.
My eyes moved slowly over the objective written in the notification.
"A world core?" I muttered to myself.
The word alone made me pause. I had been to the Emperor’s library, one of the most complete collections of knowledge I had ever seen, and even there I couldn’t find a single mention of something like a world core. That in itself said a lot.
"Some kind of secret... maybe something that has been kept hidden to protect this world core," I whispered.
Still, I knew where to start looking for answers—Peanu. That was a world too, so it had to be connected in some way. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was what the quest meant by feeding the world core to the dawn core. That phrasing unsettled me.
I let out a long breath and stood up from where I was sitting. No further notifications came from the System. No hints, no help. Just silence.
I placed my hand on my chest and whispered softly, "Come out."
At once, crimson mist surged out of my body in thick waves, filling the space with its eerie glow. One after another, my summons stepped out of it, each of them radiating the unique power I had come to rely on. My gaze went to Ragnar, his giant, towering form casting a shadow over everything.
"Let’s do this," I said, activating my ability.
The System’s interface flickered, and a list of four options appeared before me.
The moment my eyes landed on the fourth option, I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t waste a second thinking it over. My finger moved on its own, and I selected it instantly.
As soon as I did, the runes engraved all over my body came alive. They lit up in a blazing pattern, each one pulsing as the trait began embedding itself into my flesh, my bones, and even deeper into my essence.
I closed my eyes and let the process run its course. The sensation was overwhelming—a mix of burning heat and crushing force pressing against me from within. It lasted for what felt like forever, though in truth, it took about ten minutes before it finally ended.
When the glow faded, Ragnar’s deep, steady voice echoed in my head.
’You will look strong like me.’
A faint smile tugged at my lips. "Thanks, buddy," I said, nodding at the massive ape.
Then I turned toward Lyrate, who was standing patiently nearby. "Lyrate, some good clothes, please," I asked her.
Lyrate tilted her head with a little smirk as I asked. She raised her hand, fingers weaving in delicate arcs.
Threads of light unraveled from her palm and wrapped around me, layer by layer. First came a dark shirt that clung comfortably to my body, then long trousers that flexed with my movements. Finally, a black coat took form, the fabric flowing down almost to my ankles.
The coat swayed with a strange grace, shadows hugging its folds. It looked heavy, but when I moved it shifted lightly, like air.
I glanced down at myself and had to admit it, she had nailed it. The coat gave me that sharp, imposing look I had only seen in old movies. Something about the length, the collar, the way it caught the light, dashing didn’t even begin to cover it.
"You’re really getting good at this," I said, turning once so the coat flowed around me.
Lyrate smiled faintly, crimson eyes glinting. "It suits you. A commander should look the part."