A few moments of silence passed through the group as we all watched the fire dance in the night. The crackling flames cast flickering shadows, the warmth a steady contrast to the cool evening air.

Mel, however, seemed far from relaxed. Her brows were furrowed, her arms crossed, and every so often, her gaze flicked toward me. It was clear she was waiting for something, though whether she was being patient or just trying not to explode was debatable.

“Mel, what’s on your mind?” I finally asked.

She looked up, caught off guard for only a second before her expression sharpened. Her eyes darted between all of us, as if realizing she now had the room’s attention. Then, with an exasperated motion, she threw out a hand in my direction.

“Is no one else curious at all?” she demanded, irritation creeping into her tone.

The others exchanged brief glances; confusion written across their faces.

Mel groaned, gesturing toward me with both hands like she was presenting an unsolved mystery. “That! He ascended! Again! But why? How?!”

Her words hit like a trigger. The rest of the group, who had clearly been holding back their curiosity, now turned their attention to me, expectant.

Brakor, however, chuckled, a low, deep rumble that carried through the air. The sound only made Mel more agitated.

“What’s so bloody funny?” she snapped, crossing her massive arms, her biceps flexing with the motion. On anyone else, the stance might have been intimidating, but on Mel; especially with the child-like tantrum written all over her face, it was almost comical. Her tusks jutted slightly as she scowled at Brakor, the glow of her turquoise eyes intensifying with her frustration. The soft, ethereal shimmer of her form pulsed faintly within her mocha skin, flaring in tandem with her irritation, like a fire burning hotter with each breath of air.

Brakor smirked, gesturing toward me. “Girl, that was no ascension.” His crimson eyes glinted with amusement, though his tone carried something else, respect. “What happened back there was something far rarer. That was a racial evolution.” He paused, his gaze settling on me with measured weight. “And I have to admit… in all my years, I’ve never seen one quite like it.” He grinned, flashing a prominent fang. “Or one quite so explosive.”

Trish’s eyes widened slightly. “Racial upgrade?” She turned from Brakor to me, her gaze drifting toward the celestial ring hovering behind my shoulders.

Brakor nodded. “It’s a rare thing, but not unheard of. Though usually, it happens after decades of growth. Not overnight.”

He shifted his attention fully to me. “Do you understand why this happened to you?”

I met his gaze, taking a slow breath. “At first, no. But after it was done… it made sense.”

A beat of silence.

Then, Mel groaned again, throwing up her hands. “Well, don’t leave us bloody hangin’!”

The fire crackled as everyone’s eyes locked onto me, waiting.

I sighed, a quiet chuckle escaping me. “My race evolved because of the circumstances I was in. Death wasn’t the cause; it was always going to happen. My death just… rushed it along.” My gaze drifted upward, toward the vast sea of stars. I could feel it, the remnants of the world that had given itself to me.

“A star, no, a world, was on the verge of death. It sacrificed what little power it had left to me, fueling my evolution.” My eyes traced the cosmos, instinctively finding the direction where the planet once existed. Even now, I could feel its lingering presence. A silent thank you passed my lips.

Lowering my gaze, I met the others’ expectant stares. “I didn’t remember it at first. Not until the process was complete. While I was out for that week, my soul was traveling through space. I was called to this planet, and a deal was struck. That dying world gave me the last of its strength… and in return, I swore vengeance.”

A ripple of tension ran through my body as I continued, my voice hardening. “That world was drained, left barren by a General and the Serpent Queen. Its people, extinguished. I promised to make him pay for what he did.”

The metal veins threading through my body flared bright red, reacting to the anger roiling inside me. “Because of that vow, it was able to fill me with just enough power to complete my evolution. It gave me the strength to reach its sister planet, to absorb what I needed to survive.” I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of my own words, the sheer gravity of the promise I had made.

“That General will fall.” My voice was steady, unwavering. “And so will the Serpent Queen.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing the anger to settle within me. “But before I can do that, no, before we can, we need to get stronger. Level up. Push ourselves to the limit. I can’t do this without any of you.”

Max’s grip tightened around the bow resting on his lap, his violet eyes burning with determination. “Not only will we help you do that, but we’ll take down any labyrinth that stands in our way.” His voice was low, seething with venom.

“Right then,” Trish said, her jaw set with resolve. “Let’s start by pushing one of these dungeons tomorrow.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“What are the rules for these dungeons?” Leo asked, glancing between Esmara and Brakor.

Rather than recounting every detail, here’s the long story short.

The Starter Dungeons, meant for freshly ascended adventurers, were the most forgiving. No time limits, no pressure. Just clear the dungeon at your own pace, face whatever enemies lay within, and at the end, a chest appeared. Everyone in the party rolled for the loot inside.

The dungeons themselves weren’t tied to this world; they acted as portals to fragmented realms scattered across Aterios. Most were linear, crawling with monsters. Some simply required a full clear, while others held a final boss. Rare or legendary creatures occasionally lurked within.

Then there were the Boundless Dungeons, designed for those halfway to ascension. That was when things started getting serious. These dungeons had time limits, if you didn’t clear the monsters and reach the final chest or boss in time, you were forcefully ejected. No loot. You had to come back to it after a week cooldown.

And finally, the Veilbound Dungeons, meant for those on the verge of ascending again. The time limits were even stricter, the monster density was brutal, and worst of all. The final boss was always berserk. Aggro was nearly impossible to manage, and they hit twice as hard with twice the health pool.

For those looking for an even greater challenge, higher-level dungeons could be modified. Starting at twenty percent harder, all the way up to a staggering one-hundred percent increase in difficulty. Only the reckless or the truly elite dared to attempt those.

“Before we even think about stepping into a dungeon,” I gestured down at my armor less state, “I really need to make some new gear. And with my blacksmithing mastery, I might actually be able to craft something decent…”

I stopped mid-sentence, noticing everyone shaking their heads at me.

“What?” I frowned. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Have you looked at your professions page yet?” Leo asked, arms crossed.

Confused, I immediately pulled up my menu and navigated to my professions tab. The moment I saw it, my jaw slackened.

Both of my professions were wiped back to zero.

I was an apprentice again.

“What the actual…” I started.

“There’s a reason we leveled our professions so fast on Achui,” Trish cut in, her voice calm but knowing. “Even though it’s not technically an introduction world, it has introduction mechanics built in. Professions are one of them, it’s meant to teach you how they work and give you a taste of progression before you hit the real thing.”

I could feel my irritation rising, and I’d like to think it was completely justified.

“Now, hold on before you get your panties in a twist,” Mel said, holding up a hand before I could fully start fuming. “The stuff you can craft as an apprentice here? It’s about the same as what you could make as a master back on Achui.”

“Oh, and before you do anything with your professions, you’ll have to make a final decision on them,” Leo added. “Once you start leveling them here, you’re locked in.”

Both my eyebrows shot up. Final decision?

Without another word, I opened my menu again and started digging into the new system.

Someone, likely Trish, muttered something about how they’d lost me for the next several minutes.

Would you like to continue working with Blacksmithing? YES NO

Would you like to continue working with Gem Cutting? YES NO

I selected yes to blacksmithing without hesitation.

But when I hovered over gem cutting, my finger stalled.

A battle waged in my mind. I had spent so much time with Muldra, learning under her gruff but masterful guidance. The weight of that knowledge, of the bond we had formed, made it difficult to let go.

But in the end, I knew what I had to do.

With a deep breath, I selected no.

The moment I did, gem cutting vanished from my menu. A flicker of memory surfaced, Muldra’s sharp, no-nonsense voice, the way she had sighed at my mistakes, followed by the smallest glint of pride when I finally got something right.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

A silent thank you left my lips, barely more than a breath.

Then, a new choice appeared before me.

Armor Craft Expertise or Weapon Craft Expertise?

This one was easier.

Max, Mel, and I all wielded weapons that couldn’t be reforged in a normal forge. Trish and Leo had no need for what I could make. But armor? That, I could improve. That, I could build.

I selected Armor Crafting.

The moment I did, all the knowledge I had gained from Theron back on Achui came rushing back, but this time, it was clearer, sharper, refined. Every technique, every lesson, every detail fell into place, as if my mind had been reforged just as surely as the armor I was about to create.

Sure enough, blacksmithing was back at zero. But there was something new, something added to the menu.

PROFESSION – BLACKSMITHING, APPRENTICE 0/350 ~ ARMORSMITHING 0/5000

I pulled out my pickaxe, letting out a long sigh before glancing at the rest of the group. “Well… looks like I’ve got some farming to do. Anyone wanna watch my back so I don’t die?”

Brakor crossed his massive arms. “It’s nighttime. Wait till morning, and I’ll join you.”

Max stretched, rolling his shoulders. “Nah, I got you, James. There’s a cave nearby, could be promising for ore.”

Brakor opened his mouth to argue, but before he could, Trish cut in with a knowing smirk. “Brakor, don’t even bother. He’s just going to pretend he’s deaf.”

I grinned, pretending I hadn’t heard that.

Trish sighed but stood up anyway. “Fine. I’ll come make sure neither of you gets yourselves killed.”

Leo pushed himself up next, stretching lazily. “I can sense the ore around me, so I might as well help.” He smirked. “Could save us some time.”

Mel let out a dramatic groan. “Guess I better come too. Wouldn’t want anything fun poppin’ off while I’m stuck over here with these two.” She threw a teasing gesture toward Brakor and Esmara.

Brakor frowned, looking between us and Esmara, clearly debating whether to insist we wait or perhaps he wanted to join. Just as he opened his mouth, Esmara cut him off, waving him away like an exasperated mother.

“Oh, just go with them, you big oaf.”

For a moment, the massive bear-like man looked more like an overgrown child. His entire face lit up, a grin spreading across his broad maw as he launched up from his seat with a speed that shouldn’t have been possible for someone his size.

It was both entertaining and mildly terrifying.

“Right then,” he said, attempting to reign in his excitement. “I’ll, uh… make sure you lot don’t get lost.”

I chuckled, “Thanks, guys.” I said, beaming, then gestured to Max. “Lead the way, my friend, as I am the squishy one for now.”

Sure enough, with all of them there, the mining expedition went much faster than I had expected. With Leo pulling the ore straight to us and the others fending off any predators that dared to approach, I barely had to lift a finger outside of swinging my pickaxe. And I’d be lying if I said some of those creatures wouldn’t have been a nightmare to deal with alone, without Brakor’s sheer strength, they might have been a real problem.

As I had feared, I wasn’t able to save any gems from shattering, even with my past experience in gem cutting. It was as if all my knowledge had been erased, like I had never learned the craft at all. Still, I managed to collect some solid chunks I could sell later at the market.

Duriron, thankfully, still existed in this world, but what really caught my attention was a new mineral I unearthed, Orichal. At first glance, it bore a resemblance to copper, sharing some of its properties, but as I examined it further, I noticed key differences. According to Brakor, Orichal had a unique trait, it could enhance certain resistances when used in armor but would also drastically weaken others. It was a double-edged sword.

“Probably better suited for tinkerers,” Brakor mused after running a clawed hand over a raw chunk of it.

Max’s eyes lit up, a grin creeping onto his face. “Makes bigger boom stuff.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Why am I not surprised?” Then, with a small chuckle, I added, “I’ll smelt it down later and hand it over to you.”

Just as we were getting ready to leave the cave, Leo suddenly stopped in his tracks, his head tilting slightly as if sensing something beneath the earth.

“Hold up,” he murmured. “I’ve got another one in reach. It’s big… and it feels different than the others.”

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Well, bring it up here. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

Just as we were gathering up our haul, Leo suddenly stilled. His head tilted slightly, as if listening to something beyond our perception. A faint glow flickered in his violet eyes before his gaze snapped toward the far side of the cave.

“Wait.” His voice was sharp, focused. “There’s something else. Feels… different.”

I turned toward him, raising a brow. “Different how?”

Instead of answering, Leo extended his hand, palm facing downward. The ground beneath us trembled, a low vibration pulsing through the stone. A few seconds later, the rock shifted.

With a deep groan, a jagged vein of metal pushed its way to the surface, breaking through the stone like something unearthed from the planet’s core. It gleamed faintly in the dim light, gunmetal-gray with streaks of silver and deep blue running through it. The veins within crackled, tiny arcs of energy flickering across the surface like trapped lightning.

I adjusted my grip on my pickaxe and stepped forward. “Well, let’s see what we’re working with.”

I swung.

The first impact sent a resonant pulse through the cave, unlike anything I’d felt before. This wasn’t Duriron. It was denser, more resistant, but not in the way normal metal would be. Instead of simply absorbing the force, it dispersed it in rippling waves across its surface, as if the energy was being redirected before finally relenting.

A few more steady strikes and chunks broke free, their metallic sheen catching the flickering torchlight. I lifted a piece, turning it over in my palm, noting the faint hum beneath my fingertips. There was something… alive about this metal. It held onto residual energy, almost as if it was waiting for something.

Mel stepped up beside me, her eyes fixed on the ore. “This stuff… whatever you make with it; I want to enchant it.”

I looked at her, sensing the same thing. “It’s more than just that, Mel. This stuff’s stronger than Duriron in every way. Our armor game is about to change.”

She grinned, a spark of excitement lighting up her turquoise eyes. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get to mining the rest of it! Looks like we won’t be hitting a dungeon tomorrow, we’ve got work to do.”

After finishing the excavation, we finally left the cave, hauling our newfound prize with us.

The others were clearly exhausted. I, on the other hand, was just getting started.

“Brakor, is there a forge nearby I can use?” I asked as we approached his home.

“Yes… but you all need rest. I’ll show you to it in the morning.”

“No, they need rest,” I corrected, gesturing at the others. “I apparently slept for a week. I’ve got work to do. Besides, I’ll rest after I finish crafting some armor and hand it to Mel for enchanting.” I grinned, already itching to get started.

Brakor opened his mouth to argue, but Max raised a hand and shook his head. “Don’t bother, Brakor. Just point him in the right direction, you won’t win this one.”

With a sigh, Brakor conceded. “Very well. When we reach my hut, I’ll point you down the path.”

True to his word, once we arrived, he gestured toward a narrow trail leading deeper into the settlement. I gave Trish a quick kiss before turning away, anticipation thrumming in my veins.

I arrived at the forge, excitement thrumming through me as I pushed the door open. A wide grin stretched across my face as I called out, “Hey there! Name’s James. I was wondering if I could use your forge?”

The bear standing behind the counter turned his gaze to me, his size making Brakor look small in comparison. His fur was pure white, and a worn leather patch covered his left eye, the edges of an old scar peeking from beneath it. He bared his teeth, not in a snarl, but something close, before speaking, his voice a low rumble that held none of Brakor’s warmth.

“Don’t know how to tell time, boy? Shop’s closed.”

I crossed my arms, matching his tone with one of my own. “You don’t have to do anything. I just need the forge. I’ve got a lot of work to do, and sleep is for the dead.”

For a moment, silence.

Then, a smirk tugged at the corner of the bear’s mouth. He stepped around the counter, his heavy footfalls making the wooden floor creak beneath his sheer weight. Up close, he didn’t just tower over Brakor, he dwarfed him. And me.

Still, I held out my hand without hesitation. “Like I said, name’s James. I’d like to use your forge.”

A low chuckle rumbled from deep in his chest, and his massive, clawed hand gripped mine with surprising control, firm, but not crushing. It was a show of respect.

“A smith after me own heart.” His smirk widened slightly. “Name’s Thrymir.”

He dropped the handshake and gestured toward the forge. “Have at it. If ya need help, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be sittin’ o’er here watchin’ and observin’.”

I dipped my head in thanks. “Appreciate it, Thrymir. I might take you up on that, I’ve got a couple of new minerals I’ve never worked with before. Just need some coaching.”

I reached into my inventory and pulled out every chunk of ore I’d gathered. Piles of raw minerals appeared on the ground in an instant, a mountain of untapped potential.

Thrymir’s single eye widened. “That’s a lot of ore ya got there.” His gaze swept over the heaps, nodding approvingly. “Orichal and Voltherium too, good finds.”

He crouched, running a massive claw through the pile, picking up a chunk of Orichal and rolling it between his thick fingers.

“The Orichal’s useless for what we do,” he muttered, turning it over in his palm. “But them crazy tinkerers love it.”

I nodded. “Yeah, Brakor told me the same. I’ve got a tinkerer friend who’s been eyeing it. I promised I’d smelt it down for him.”

Thrymir’s ears twitched at Brakor’s name. He glanced at me. “Ah. So, you’re one of the guests I been hearin’ about.” He let out a grunt before continuing. “Can’t just smelt Orichal down, though. Gotta shape it into wire, or it ain’t any good to ‘em.”

He moved on, picking up a piece of Voltherium next. Unlike the duller, copper-like Orichal, this metal shimmered faintly under the forge light, deep silver-gray with veins of electric blue streaking through it.

“Now this,” he said, rolling the piece in his palm, “this is great for what we do. But ya can’t forge it alone. Gotta fold it with Duriron or somethin’ stronger.”

His tone grew more serious. “That stronger stuff, though… it’s rare. Only found in the Veilbound dungeons.”

I exhaled, filing that away for later. “Mind coaching me through the process of working with what I’ve got?”

Thrymir scratched his chin. “Depends. What’re ya makin’?”

“For myself, plate armor. For a friend, chainmail.”

He studied me for a moment, then gave a slow nod. “Aye, I can help. But this ain’t a one-night job. This is gonna take a couple of days.”

I shrugged. “Then I guess my friends will just have to wait till we’re done.”

A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest as he turned toward the forge. “Then let’s start with the Orichal first. Might as well keep your tinkerer happy while we work.”

We spent the night smelting the Orichal down into ingots, then shaping them into thin strands of wire using a specialized tool in Thrymir’s forge. It consisted of two heavy metal wheels with a small groove running through them, designed to gradually press the metal into finer cords.

Thankfully, Orichal was soft and easy to work with, but it had to stay hot to remain malleable. Keeping the forge burning wasn’t difficult, the metal’s melting point was fairly low, but the process was tedious. Each strand had to be carefully rolled, resized, and fed through the wheels until it was thin enough for proper use.

Thrymir hadn’t been exaggerating, it took all night. By the time the last of the Orichal had been shaped into a massive spool of wire, the first light of morning was already creeping over the horizon.

I exhaled, stretching my sore arms before hefting the heavy spool into my arms. "See you in a couple of hours?" I asked, stifling a yawn.

Thrymir let out a deep yawn of his own and gave me a slow nod. “Aye.”

As I approached the hut, Mel was already waiting, her eyes shining with excitement, until she caught sight of my expression. Her face fell. "No…?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Sorry, Mel. It's gonna take another day or two. This other metal is way tougher to work with than I thought."

She groaned, dramatically slumping her shoulders. “That’s okay… I guess I can be patient.”

I chuckled, shifting the spool in my arms. "But I did get this for Max to keep him busy while I work on our armor."

Max’s eyes lit up as he reached out to take the spool, a grin spreading across his face. “Oh, now this I can work with.”

Leo crossed his arms, smirking. "And what about the rest of us? You leaving us to twiddle our thumbs?"

I snorted, shaking my head. “I’m sure you all have plenty to do.” I turned, waving a hand dismissively over my shoulder. “I, on the other hand, need sleep.”

Without another word, I stepped into the hut and barely made it past the doorway before collapsing onto the floor.

The moment my head hit the ground; I was out cold.

I woke a few hours later, stretching as my muscles protested. The scent of the morning air drifted in, mingling with the distant crackle of a fire. Voices murmured outside, and as I stood, I recognized them.

Stepping out of the hut, I found Trish and Esmara deep in conversation. Everyone else seemed to have gone off to do their own thing.

Esmara’s gaze flicked to me, and she jerked a clawed thumb in my direction. “Does he hate sleep?”

Trish chuckled, shaking her head. “He was like that even before we came to this realm. I always wondered the same.”

I smirked, rolling my shoulders. “Hate it? No. It hates me.”

Esmara let out a low, amused huff, but I was already turning toward the forge. "I’ve got a lot of work to do."

Before I could take a step, Trish caught my wrist. “Wait. I was wondering… If you have any of that, what was it called? Vol… something? Whatever that ore was, do you think I could have some after you’re done?”

I smiled. “I already planned on giving you the rest.”

But then a thought struck me. "Can Mel even enchant your armor with how it works?"

She shook her head. "No, but I want to test if it’ll still do something on its own. Maybe it’ll add to my stats… or even enchant itself. I’m not sure, but when you found it, I felt a pull toward it, like my skill wants it.”

That caught my attention. “That’s definitely something I want to see for myself. If I run out, I’ll ask Leo to help me find more.”

She beamed, standing on her toes to kiss my cheek. "Thanks, babe!" Then, with a teasing grin, she shooed me away. "Now, go get to work!"

I laughed, shaking my head as I turned toward the forge. "Yes, ma'am."