Alexia

I narrow my eyes at Grandfather as I look him up and down, feeling like something’s off. Like he blipped out for a second. Just glitched once throughout his entire body before returning to normal.

What was that about?

Zal glances at Grandfather, seemingly wondering the same thing. Either that or he is just responding to my thoughts, the creepy thought peeker that he is.

Now Zal looks at me with a brow raised.

I ignore him.

“My beloved granddaughter,” Grandfather states, making my eyebrow twitch slightly with that endearment, “if you are looking to clear your remaining requirements for ascension, you must search through the Dimensional Blocks of your father and his System’s creation. By doing that you will find more targets scattered across the dimensions.”

And without saying another word, the man vanishes in an instant. Startling me in the process as everything around us unfreezes.

I let out a sigh before glancing at Zal.

“I will be aiding you with your quantum energy manipulation training during this trip of yours, do not worry yourself,” Zal states with a nod of his head. Only for him to disappear as well. No doubt to give me time with Astrid and Ethan.

Finally I turn towards the two, finding them both looking rather confused.

Their confusion doesn’t last long though before they seem to shrug it off and continue approaching me, with Astrid soon giving me a hug as she says, “Welcome back.”

I hug her back while glancing at Ethan, who is staring at Astrid from behind.

He really did swap twins, didn’t he?

Huh.

His gaze turns towards me when Astrid and I separate.

“Welcome back to you as well,” I tell Astrid before Ethan walks up and surprisingly hugs me as well, making me awkwardly pat his back in response. Since I’m not used to physical contact with people outside of family.

He doesn’t linger long though and quickly backs up again with a nod and a smile on his face.

I blink as I wonder if he’s always smiled this much. Because I’m pretty sure he didn’t smile much when I first met him.

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Also, I’m pretty sure he’s looking at me the same way he used to, and the same way he’s looking at Astrid… does that mean he…

Actually, never mind. It’s probably best that I don’t wonder about any of this.

Well, his feelings aside, the three of us head inside of my house where we end up talking for a couple hours. Just catching up and even telling a couple stories about what we went through in the dungeons.

Specifically the Tier 4 dungeons.

Since all of us entered them. Although I’m the only one who completed it.

The other two simply left through exits they personally made through items that I didn’t even know about.

When they hear about my own story of The Horror though, they both show some rather clear disgust at the thought of being stuck in there. Along with fear when it comes to the lupin parasite itself.

It also seems to answer their question about how I killed a Tier 5, what with that Legendary Feat having been announced to everyone.

“I hate to admit it, but I would’ve been dead if I were stuck in there,” Ethan says, surprising both me and Astrid. Because the man is usually incredibly prideful and wouldn’t ever say anything like that.

I share a glance with Astrid before looking at him again and asking, “Have you changed?”

Now it’s his turn to look surprised, only for the surprise to turn into a light smile.

“Well…” he glances at Astrid. “I’ve been… facing my own pride recently.”

I look between him and Astrid, who looks confused herself.

Then it hits me.

Dragons are incredibly apathetic towards anything that isn’t a Class S species because they feel only Class S species deserve the right to stand beside them. And they despise undead, so they don’t care about people becoming Class S undead species.

Meanwhile I became a Class S species thanks to the System Architect. Which could excuse it in his mind.

But right here, directly in front of him, is a woman who became a Class S species without the aid of any godlike beings and isn’t an undead. Just someone turned into a Class S species by another regular Class S species and science.

It must’ve shattered some of his draconic pride and arrogance.

I give him a sad smile and pat him on the shoulder, surprising him again.

Astrid seems to have come to the same conclusion as I have at this point though, so she isn’t too surprised. She even pats his other shoulder.

I wonder if this will make him less apathetic towards others?

That thought gives me pause for a bit before I eventually shrug.

Then again, it doesn’t really affect me in the end.

“So you’re planning on traveling through the Dimensional Blocks again?” Astrid asks, making me turn to her and nod. “Then could you wait a few days for the tournament to start? Alara has something planned and she wanted me to ask if you could participate.”

I blink at that before narrowing my eyes a little and asking, “That depends on what it is.”

“Could you show everyone your True Form at a ceremony Alara plans to have right before the tournament is supposed to begin?” Astrid asks without breaking eye contact.

Show everyone my True Form? For a show of power, maybe?

Wait a second…

“Alara wants to use my True Form to gather the Dimensional Block at The Retreat, gain their business during the tournament, and show off The Retreat’s protector?” I ask for clarification. “Playing on everyone’s curiosity on what my True Form looks like and how powerful I am in it.”

Astrid just grins and nods.

I shrug and answer, “Sure. As long as I’m just showing off my True Form.”

Not like that’s much work. And I can gather the Block to make searching for a target easy.

After all, for all I know, there could be a target in Dimensional Block #108.

Then I can start my trip after that.

It’s a good thing I don’t have to be in this Block for the tournament myself.

That would just be a nuisance.