CHAPTER 440: I LIKE A BIG FRAME

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]

The Dawn stirs.

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.

Progression: 0/1

—--------------------------------

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.

[Trait Acquisition]

The System’s interface flickered, and a list of four options appeared before me.

[Titan’s Grip]

[Primal Endurance]

[Ape King’s Roar]

[Colossus Frame]

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."

I gave her a small nod. "Yeah. Thanks."

With that, I clapped my hands together softly. "Alright, everyone back."

The crimson mist rose again, curling around each of my summons. Silver flicked her wings once before vanishing, the panther slipped back into the haze without a sound, and Lyrate gave me one last look before dissolving into the crimson veil.

Finally, Ragnar’s enormous frame sank back into the core, his voice faint in my mind, still rumbling with pride.

The mist compressed itself into my chest, leaving silence behind. I tapped the coat once at my side, feeling its weightless texture, and then stretched out my hand.

The air bent, space tearing like glass. A violet-edged portal shimmered open. Without hesitation I stepped through.

The world blurred. For an instant my vision stretched into streaks of color as I burst out of the portal above the capital.

The coat whipped around me, snapping loudly in the wind. I shot forward, flying straight for the palace. The city below became a smear of rooftops and lights. My speed was beyond anything I had done before, it felt like my body itself was a streak of light.

In the next heartbeat I was hovering in front of the emperor’s study balcony. The heavy door loomed before me, and then I heard his voice, steady and calm, from the other side.

"Come in."

I pushed the door open. The emperor sat at his desk, pen in hand, but his eyes lifted to me at once.

"You’ve grown again," he said. "Good. We’ll need it."

I stepped in and gave a short nod. "How is the preparation for the spatial channel to Peanu?"

The emperor leaned back slightly, folding his hands together. "Yes. The construction is already underway. By tomorrow, it will be ready. You’ll be the one to step through first."

I nodded. "Understood."

He studied me for a moment, then spoke more softly. "Stay here tonight. No need to go back and forth."

I didn’t argue. The tension that had been pulling at my shoulders eased a little. "Yeah. I’ll take you up on that."

Later, in the quiet room they gave me, I lay back on the bed. The coat hung neatly on a chair nearby, its dark folds catching a sliver of moonlight. My eyes closed, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let sleep claim me without resistance.