“Um… are you okay?” Higure asked as she poked her head above Rakna’s prone form.

“Does it look like I’m okay? I almost died, quite pathetically to boot,” the therian retorted and sat up, patting his clothes, of which the hole had already been repaired by Allegro. He then glanced at the system windows, specifically the notes, and clicked his tongue. “That brat… I can’t tell if she’s genuinely worried or just laughing her ass off,” he muttered.

“I suppose you’re fine if you haven’t lost that sass,” the lioness deadpanned. “So? Where does it lead to? It must be quite a hazard for you to come back like this...”

“Stratosphere and close to a Hidden Dungeon,” Rakna said and slowly stood up. “I looked at it for a short moment and something stared back. I got a Hidden Quest and by the looks of things, it’s a mission to kill a World Raid Boss.”

Higure made a beautifully-executed spit take at his answer. “Sorry, what?! World Raid Boss?! And inside a Hidden Dungeon?! For a Hidden Quest?! That’s, what, a World Raid Hidden Quest Boss?!"

Rakna looked blankly at her. “No need to use five words to describe it…” He uttered and looked at his chest. “The title of the Quest was Chintamani Lord… And my heart was pierced by some sort of projectile in the form of a jewel or gem.”

“Going by your tone, you recognize something?”

“Chintamani is the name of a wish-fulfilling jewel in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It’s an object of both power and prestige. And, among other things…” Rakna squinted. “It’s viewed by some as the equivalent of the Philosopher’s Stone in western alchemy.”

“Uh… that again, huh? It said ‘Chintamani Lord’; do you know who owns that jewel?”

“There are several figures that carry one at least; Buddha, the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara, and Ksitigarbha, Vishnu, Ganesha, the Goddess Lakshmi… But ‘Lord’? I have no idea,” Rakna concluded and glanced at the Anchor Point, his pupils flashing golden but without fully triggering his Crystal Sight. “But there’s one thing I’m sure of…” He added and smiled dangerously. “I’m sure its heart will be delicious.”

Higure stiffened in surprise at the sudden surge of killing intent but when she blinked, the therian had schooled his expression into serene indifference.

“Anyway, it’s enough for today. Ceres, I also have to thank you. You saved me out there.”

[You’re welcome…] He heard her sigh as she responded. [You frightened me.]

Rakna smiled lightly. “Isn’t that a good thing? It means our learning sessions are bearing fruits if you can recognize your emotions so easily.”

[Please do not joke about this,] she replied and he could almost hear the pout in her voice.

He snorted softly. “But yes, even I was a bit scared right there. If it wasn’t for the resistance given to me by my Emperor title, even you couldn’t have woken me up. Or maybe I would have crashed on the ground and ended up unconscious for days. Though, that is only assuming that the Boss did not finish me off or that my body restarted working for the bare minimum necessary for me to live without my blood being pumped.”

“So carefree…” Higure mumbled.

“What can I do? It happened. I can’t change that fact. Who wouldn’t act relieved knowing that you survived a sure-death situation?” Rakna retorted amusingly and the lioness fell silent. He snorted and picked her up. “All right, let’s go. Ceres, put that Quest on Obsidian Throne’s Board for now. I will show it to Throne of Glory later. It’s not urgent, after all. I need to be stronger to go there and I will not allow them to go without me.”

“That much?” Higure tilted her head as she enjoyed being carried in his arms. “Why?”

“Instincts,” Rakna replied candidly. “Something tells me I need to visit that place personally…”

* * *

Meanwhile, on the island hidden within the Fifth Plateau, a pair of glassy reptilian eyes gazed at a dark wall, piercing through it to observe the spot where a portal had recently closed.

The creature to which these eyes belonged was swathed in darkness, its roughly humanoid form sitting cross-legged on the ground of a massive, and pitch-black space. The only source of light came from the dim glow of a dozen precious stones orbiting around the creature in random paths, directions, and distances.

At some point, one of them flew by its head and illuminated it for a split second, revealing pristine jaded scales, and a draconic head partially covered by the hood of an enchanted robe.

Another jewel passed by his torso and exposed three pairs of scaled arms and claws. A third jewel, that had the exact same shape as the one that pierced Rakna, exposed a pair of draconic wings embedded with gems pulsing with an organic rhythm.

“Someone found me and they survived to tell the tale…” His voice boomed amazingly softly. “Does it mean that it’s soon time? I will fall… and Eden will be harvested. Hmm…” The creature hummed and stirred.

He stood up and walked toward the wall. The multicolored jewels of various shapes followed after him, forming a neat circle hovering behind his back. The Chintamani Lord phased through the wall as if it didn’t exist and re-emerged inside a garden filled with emerald flora. Looking at the sky of his island, which was occupied by roaming jewels, the dragon-like creature squinted.

“Does this mean the wait has ended, Chronepsis?” He said quietly. “Your prophecy; I wonder, who is that child that can resolve it? Do you know, Adam?” He asked to the empty air, and after a while of watching the jewels spin in seemingly inexplicable patterns, his eyes widened.

“He’s your little sister’s big brother?” The robed creature reiterated blinkingly. “Hah… Hahaha, I’m not even sure how to take that, friend. But it’s a relief then, I suppose,” he laughingly declared and sat down. “At least… the one who kills me will be worthy and not a complete stranger.”

The gems in the sky moved again and the creature nodded without looking.

“Of course, Adam. I shall fight without restraint. This Lord does not yield…” A breeze carried these words away along with the harmonic sound of flying jewels colliding.

* * *

The elevator chimed and Rakna walked out with a hand massaging his nape. He noticed right away that someone was sleeping on one of the couches. He observed Flavia’s sleeping expression and glanced at the lunch that was placed on the table nearby.

“Did she fall asleep while waiting for me here?” He shook his head and smiled softly. “I forgot about a way to recall the elevator from above, didn’t I?”

“How did she not wake up from all that noise?” Higure remarked.

“Ah, you don’t need to overthink that. The training room is just soundproof. Though the vibrations can probably be felt up here,” the therian explained and looked out the window. Night had fallen, and a quick activation of Crystal Sight presented him with the sight of Pronos and Tyran sleeping on top of each other in their full size.

“Wow, your formation really makes it look like night,” Higure whistled.

Rakna nodded. “The lunar energy in the air is being properly condensed too. I can already feel my tails being recharged,” he remarked and she took a second to react.

“Huh? Wait, how many functions did you give that formation?”

“Not much. Temperature control, weather control, atmospheric control, light modulation, armed defense, and lunar energy siphoning. I think I can even make the latter permanent if I force it to stay in its night cycle…”

“…we need to have a talk about what you define ‘not much’. Also, does that mean you can literally simulate different weather here?”

“Of course,” Rakna said matter-of-factly. “If it rains or snows outside, the formation will gather the humidity from the earth around and reproduce that particular weather inside here. Obviously, I put a failsafe so as to not have a surprise catastrophe to form out of nowhere.”

“Really…” The lioness shook her head.

Rakna shrugged and conjured a blanket to cover Flavia. Not that she needed one with her physical attributes, but a warm cover made sleep somewhat more comfortable. He reached for the lunch she had prepared for him and when he took the first bite, his eyes widened in shock.

❮ ◈ ❯

You have eaten the meal of an Ascended-Stage Chef!

You will regain 50% more Stamina as you finish the meal.

❮ ◈ ❯

“Uh… that’s new. Did she reach Ascended in her cooking proficiency?” Rakna uttered and took a second bite. Higure curiously nabbed a piece of meat and tasted it with a hum.

At the same time, the door of the house opened and Nyx walked in with her usual regal gait. “She did,” she suddenly said while closing the door and Rakna eyed her in confusion. She smiled faintly and continued, “Her proficiency. She reached it earlier today.”

“Ah, I see.”

“By the way, have you summoned another Star Entity?”

“I did. How did you know?”

“Well, I sensed a new kind of divinity,” she replied and sat down at his right before pulling out an ice-cream cone from her storage. Rakna snorted in amusement at that and put down the utensils on the plate. “Who was it this time?”

“Chiron.”

“Hm, the Teacher of Heroes,” the night goddess pondered. “So, that’s what you were doing,” she casually said and sighed. She took on a more solemn expression and turned toward the sleeping Flavia. “Now… should we?” She inquired and Higure gazed at her quizzically.

“Right,” Rakna similarly dropped a bit of his tranquility and his pupils rotated and expanded into the golden crosses of Crystal Sight. If Nyx was surprised by the change, she didn’t show it. “Stop hiding. I know you’re there,” he abruptly said whilst looking at Flavia.

He pointed his hand at her and made a grabbing motion. He narrowed his eyes and steadily pulled something in his direction. An invisible link stretched between his hand and Flavia and snapped quickly after.

Flavia’s figure shot up with a gasp and her eyes opened wide. However, the hazelnut color of her irises had been replaced by an icy one akin to snow. Her expression was also stuck between a mix of scared, angered, and resigned.

“How…” She spoke up, her voice sounding nothing like normal. “Did you know…?”