"Not bad. Another thousand mana points and around a hundred points in each of my physical stats, and I should be able to break through to the High stage of the Condensed Core. The mana being richer here and so many monster cores I got... I reached very fast to this level."
Noah gave a satisfied nod before closing the status window floating before his eyes.
"Hah... this is nice."
After six months of relentless training, seeing his progress laid out before him always gave him a sense of accomplishment.
With a thought, the sword in his hand disappeared into his storage ring. Noah stretched his shoulders before turning toward the wooden house.
He had trained enough for now. As he stepped onto the veranda, a familiar voice reached him.
"Decided to take a break?"
"Yeah."
Noah glanced toward the source of the voice and smiled.
"I missed you, after all."
"Shut up."
Akari’s response came almost immediately.
She was sitting gracefully on the wooden floor beside the open sliding door, quietly watching the yard where Noah had been training.
Noah chuckled and walked over before sitting beside her. "You look cute each time I talk like that."
"Oh... dear, you are delusional." She replied with small smile.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The gentle breeze passed through the open doorway, carrying the fresh scent of the surrounding forest with it.
Noah eventually broke the silence.
"I’ve nearly mastered it."
"The Aura?"
"Yeah."
Akari nodded.
"I’ve been watching. Your control has improved considerably."
She glanced at him.
"As your Core Rank increases, your control over mana will naturally improve as well. Your mana will become denser, and maintaining Aura should become much easier."
"That’s what I’m hoping for."
Noah leaned back slightly, resting his hands against the wooden floor.
Then he remembered something.
"What about you?"
Akari turned toward him.
"Hm?"
"Your training."
Noah’s expression became slightly more serious.
"How is it going?"
He paused before asking the question that had been on his mind for some time.
"Do you think you’re finally ready?"
Akari didn’t answer immediately.
Her blue, vertically slit eyes shifted toward the peaceful forest outside.
"...Yes."
Her voice was calm.
"I think I’m ready."
Noah watched her carefully.
Akari raised one hand and gently touched the dark sapphire scales covering the side of her neck.
"I’ve been suppressing my bloodline for far too long."
Her fingers slowly traced the hardened scales.
"I think it’s finally time to stop holding it back."
Noah remained silent. Over the past six months, Akari had told him considerably more about her dragon bloodline.
She was already capable of awakening it completely. That had never been the true problem. The problem was what happened after the awakening.
Akari had attempted it before.
More than once.
Whenever she allowed the dragon bloodline to awaken beyond a certain point, its power became increasingly difficult to control.
Her instincts changed. Her emotions became violent. Her thoughts grew clouded.
Eventually, the overwhelming instincts of the dragon began drowning out her rational mind.
Each time, Akari had been forced to suppress the awakening before she completely lost control of herself.
That was also why she had spent decades strengthening herself.
Training and meditating. Improving her control.
Strengthening both her body and mind.
And now, after reaching the very peak of the Sovereign Core’s High stage—the pinnacle of what was commonly considered the human ranks—Akari believed she was finally strong enough to withstand the complete awakening.
Noah looked at her seriously.
"So you’re going to fully release it this time?"
"Yes."
"And you won’t suppress it halfway through?"
Akari slowly shook her head.
"No."
Her expression hardened with determination.
"This time, I’ll see it through until the end."
Noah stared at her for several seconds.
"And if you lose control again?"
Akari’s eyes shifted toward him.
There was no fear in them.
Only calm determination.
"Then I’ll regain control."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"I’ve spent sixty years preparing for this, Noah."
Her hand lowered from the scales on her neck.
"If I’m still too afraid to take the final step after all that time..."
She looked toward the endless forest.
"...then all those years of training would have been meaningless."
Noah couldn’t argue with that.
He slowly nodded.
"Alright."
His expression became serious.
"Then when you do it, I’ll stay nearby."
Akari raised an eyebrow.
"Noah—"
"Not close enough to interfere."
He quickly added before she could object.
"But I’m not leaving you completely alone."
Akari stared at him for a moment.
Then her expression softened.
"...Very well."
Noah smiled.
"Good."
Akari turned her gaze back toward the forest.
Soon, she would stop suppressing the power she had restrained for decades.
And this time she intended to awaken the blood of the Storm Dragon completely.
"By the way..."
Noah suddenly remembered something.
"According to the dragon who trapped you here, you’re supposed to be freed after fully awakening your bloodline, right?"
Akari turned her gaze toward him.
"Yes."
"But you’ve already awakened it completely before, haven’t you? Even if you couldn’t control it, you still managed to fully awaken your bloodline for a few minutes."
Akari fell silent.
Noah continued thoughtfully.
"So why are you still trapped here?"
"You’re not wrong."
Akari looked toward the distant forest.
"I’ve wondered about that countless times over the years."
She gently touched the sapphire scales covering her neck.
"But I don’t think simply awakening the bloodline is what he meant."
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I believe complete awakening having full control and being in right state of mind."
Akari’s expression became thoughtful.
"Or perhaps once I successfully awaken my bloodline and gain complete control over its power, I’ll acquire something I currently don’t possess."
"Something like an ability?"
"Perhaps."
Akari nodded.
"An instinct, inherited knowledge, a new ability... I don’t know."
She paused.
"But if that happens, I may be able to find the exit myself."
Noah rubbed his chin.
"That’s definitely possible."
Considering everything he had experienced inside the labyrinth, Noah wouldn’t be surprised if the method of escaping this place had been hidden within Akari herself all along.
He turned toward her.
"Then when do we start?"
Akari didn’t answer immediately.
Her blue, slit-pupiled eyes remained fixed on Noah for several seconds.
Despite her confidence earlier, Noah could see the faint hesitation buried beneath her calm expression.
This wasn’t merely another training session. She had attempted this before.
And she knew exactly what losing control felt like.
Finally, Akari exhaled softly.
"...Two days from now."
"Two days?"
"Yes."
She lowered her gaze toward her hands. Her fingers slowly curled.
"I want some time to prepare myself mentally. To meditate, stabilize my mana, and make sure my mind is completely calm before I attempt the awakening."
Noah nodded in understanding.
"Alright."
He gave her a small smile.
"Two days from now, then."
Akari looked at him before returning the smile.
"Yes."
Her gaze shifted toward the peaceful forest beyond the veranda.
"In two days..."
Her sapphire eyes narrowed with determination.
"I’ll finally stop suppressing it."
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