By focusing intently on my level, it once again unveiled itself.

[Level Cap Reached: Maximum Level Attained. Evolution Process: Available and Ready for Initiation.]

I turned my attention to the message.

[Maximum Level Achieved for Current Evolution Stage. Evolution will result in form alteration and stat enhancement as a monster.]

[Caution: Evolution will reduce Experience Points and Morphogen acquisition from lesser-evolved entities.]

Oh-ho, so that’s how it works? Naturally! It made perfect sense that I’d reap greater rewards for besting monsters above my station, while the spoils from weaker ones would be, well, somewhat paltry.

[Would you like to utilize the Evolution Space?]

Yes, yes! Get on with it, show me! But wait—what on Earth did it mean by space—?

Before I could even begin to untangle that thought, an odd sensation tugged at me, and the world around me began to shimmer and warp. The underground tunnel, the grotesque tree of bones, the rats bound in it, all of it began to fade into a hazy blur.

Eh? What on Earth was going on?

My mind spun, but before I could truly grasp the strangeness of it all, I felt the dungeon itself spring to life. The very soil beneath me writhed and surged, creeping up my body like an old friend wrapping me in a rather unsettling hug. Strangely, my body remained calm, though my mind was flailing in all directions.

Another message appeared before me.

Fear not, oh child of Gaia. Let your soul find peace and take all the time you need to choose your path.

In Her gentle embrace, you are held and protected.

Every time one of these blasted messages appeared, it had that same cold, monotone voice—except when Lotte sent them, of course, then there was no voice. But this time, it was different. The voice that echoed in my mind was warm, almost sickeningly so, like the heat from a fire that’s just a little too close.

I felt it seep into me as I surrendered to the dungeon's embrace. More and more soil piled atop me, its weight getting oddly comforting. I caught a glimpse of Barn, his form floating about, blurred and distant. Was he watching? Did he know this wasn’t some grave peril?

Instinctively, I let go. My body ceased its resistance, and I cast a final glance at Barn, offering a small smile as the dungeon’s earthy hold swallowed my vision whole.

Then, it all went black.

***

It was a door—oddly familiar, yet curiously distant, as though dragged from the misty edges of some long-forgotten dream. Carved into its surface were peculiar symbols, ones I was absolutely certain I'd never been taught, but somehow... I understood them. Deeply. Inexplicably. Quite unsettling, really.

[Chemistry Lab]

The door itself was solid wood, the kind that had clearly seen a few centuries and looked none too pleased about it. Aged, battered, and with a definite air of "I’ve been through things, mate." But the handle, oh, that was different! Gleaming like it had just rolled out of the blacksmith’s forge yesterday. Positively smug, in fact. I frowned at the contrast, gave my head a little shake as if that would make the weirdness settle, blinked twice for good measure, and then, with a breath that was meant to be calming (but wasn’t), I grabbed the knob. After all, what else does one do when faced with a mysterious door?

Inside was something that made my brain do a little pirouette. The room stretched before me, lined with long tables, all made from some glossy, polished stone that was smoother than a buttered slide. Not a single crack. Absolutely flawless.

Along the walls, shelves just seemingly groaned under the weight of countless bottles and jars, each made from glass clearer than the finest crystal goblets I’d ever seen—better even than that posh set the Mayor liked to flaunt at fancy dos.

And the contents! Oh, the contents. Powders and liquids in every colour under the sun, some even the colours the sun hasn’t dared to dream up yet. Bright greens, royal purples, and some that shimmered like liquid silver, swirling about.

Up at the far end of the room, a peculiar bit of kit caught my eye. A tangled web of tubes, cylinders, and a whole lot of glass and metal, all arranged in what I could only assume was some sort of distillation device. No fire, though—odd. Instead, little glowing squares sat beneath the glass, softly humming with light. Runes, no doubt. But since when did runes power things without flames? How was it even working?

Before I could puzzle it out, my attention was yanked elsewhere. I wasn’t alone. Behind the apparatus stood someone—a woman—holding a beaker full of bubbling purple liquid that puffed out strange vapours. She caught my eye, grinned cheekily, and gave me a wink.

"Welcome! Come on, what are you waiting for? Time’s ticking, so let’s crack on!" Her voice was chipper, urging me forward, but I stood there, rooted to the spot. My eyes were glued to her face, and I couldn’t look away. Those narrow eyes, those piercing blue irises... She looked exactly like me. Well, almost. No horns.

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And then it hit me. I wasn’t in my dragon form anymore. Somehow, I had slipped back into my old one. I glanced down, seeing the blue gown I’d worn just once—father had bought it for my last birthday, but I hadn’t had many occasions to show it off. It still fit like a dream, though.

But my twin across the room—she had chosen a different look. A loose tunic, half-buttoned, casually baring her midriff and part of her shoulder, looking quite... stylish. Or was it a crop top? Another pesky word from that strange dreamworld of mine. And a skirt to go with it, naturally.

I started towards her, eyes flitting about the room. It looked like an alchemical lab, but far more advanced, more… polished than anything I’d ever come across. Instead of the usual flickering candles, oil lamps, or mana-fuelled flames, strange glowing orbs hung from the ceiling, bathing the space in a steady, unnervingly bright light. They didn’t flicker, not even a bit. LED bulbs? Ugh, not again! More odd terms from my dreams bubbling to the surface.

There was a soft hum, too, vibrating faintly beneath the floorboards. The sharp, acrid scent in the air nipped at my nose, but oddly enough, it didn’t feel unpleasant. In fact, I felt... oddly at home.

And then, there they were—shelves. Lining the walls like soldiers on parade. Not scrolls, though. Oh no, these were books. Neatly bound in stiff, pristine parchment. Each one looked smooth enough to glide one’s hand across without a snag. Proper posh.

I must’ve stared a bit too hard because my doppelganger grinned, leaving her spot behind the table and sauntering over to me. “Fascinating, right?” she said, a spark in her eyes.

I tore my gaze away from the books, momentarily forgetting my earlier bewilderment. “Fascinating indeed,” I muttered, still gawking at everything. There was something about this place... a strange familiarity, like bittersweet nostalgia creeping in, tugging at my insides. But where it was coming from? No clue.

She giggled, grabbing my hand and giving it a gentle tug. "Well, come on then, let’s get started! No time for dilly-dallying!" She pulled me towards a shelf with the fewest books, her enthusiasm practically infectious.

I hesitated, mind still reeling. What was happening? Was this a dream? Was I evolving without even realising it? Wait—didn’t that screen mention something about being sent to an ‘evolution space’? Was this it? And why was this strange version of me here, looking all… well, me?

"You know," she began, casting a cheeky glance in my direction, "you could just stop overthinking for a moment and ride the wave. Your thoughts are so loud, I can practically hear them bellowing from your face."

"I—"

"Shush!" She silenced me with a finger pressed to my lips, a gesture that was both swift and utterly bewildering. Her face was too close, "Let me do the talking first. It'd be frightfully rude if I didn't introduce myself, wouldn't it? I'm you—well, a part of you, anyway. The mental bit. The part that actually has a clue about how this whole system malarkey works. Instead of overloading your poor brain with all the nitty-gritty biological nonsense that comes with initiating an evolution, the system pulls out a slice of your mind and gives it a face. Mine, as it happens."

Ah, so she was the system. In my form. Splendid.

"And what… is this place exactly?" I inquired. "The screen said something about an 'Evolution Space.'"

"Of course it’s the same space! What, did you expect to be tossed into some bleak void and suffer the same exquisite torment as when you mutated? You know, where every bit of your insides does a… little dancey dance and twist?" She wriggled a bit in place, but I went rigid.

"Wait, how did you—"

"Naturally, I know everything about you, silly. We are the same person, after all!"

And that, precisely, was the bit sending a shiver down my spine! But then again, system business was always a touch peculiar. Probably best to just go along with it, I reckoned.

Something in me shifted, and I relaxed. Maybe it was the sheer oddity of standing there, facing a version of myself who knew me inside out. But, oddly enough, it was comforting. No point in hiding when someone can read you like an open book, right? I even giggled a little as we moved towards the shelf near that strange contraption.

The shelf was lined with books— different ones though, five neat rows, each row in its own distinct colour. The bottom row held books bound in jet black, while the row above was all grey. Then came the yellows, followed by deep reds, and finally, gold at the top. But there was another row, perched above the rest, and it didn’t look like it belonged.

While the other shelves were made from common wood—albeit polished and fancy—this top one was positively ornate. It shimmered with an… alien glow, encrusted with crystals and gemstones woven into its structure. Only two books sat there, and their covers gleamed with the same rainbow hue, crystalline and mesmerizing.

Without thinking, my hand drifted toward them, fingers itching to touch those shining covers. But I stopped myself just in time, shaking my head clear. What on earth was that? It felt as though some strange force had called me to those two ornate books.

“Pretty, aren’t they?” She said, nodding toward the rainbow books. Pretty? That was putting it mildly. I could practically feel the importance radiating off them.

“So, what are they?” I asked.

"Why don't you take a wild stab at it?"

I didn’t have time for guessing games.

"Oh, I know, you think time’s ticking away, but let me assure you, it’s a bit wonky here. A whole day in this little pocket might only be an hour back in the real world." Of course, she was mind-reading again—how charming. I could have grilled her on the logistics, but honestly, I’d seen weirder things lately. So, I just edged closer to the books, intrigued despite myself.

“Something to do with my evolution,” I ventured.

“Bah! What did I expect from myself? Come on, think harder. I know you’re connecting the dots!”

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I do love a good puzzle, but I’m not in the mood. Just spill it!" Honestly, I just wasn’t in the mood for cryptic riddles from my mirror-self.

“Fine, fine,” she sighed. “Each of these books contains a recipe for an evolution. And in your particular evolution space, it’s a potion recipe. And I, dear me, am the alchemist the system’s kindly assigned to brew it for you. Isn’t that just a treat?”

I squinted at her. The way she said ‘your particular evolution space’ set off a little alarm bell in my head. "Do all monsters get these swanky evolution rooms, complete with potion-brewing doppelgängers?"

"Of course not, you silly sausage," she replied, grinning. "The evolution space is tailored to each monster, a little haven that reflects what makes them feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The system cooks it up based on what feels safe to you. So, while your space is an alchemical lab, others might have a forest glade, an underground cavern, or perhaps something grand like a sprawling library. Whatever floats their boat."

“Huh,” I muttered, trying to imagine that creeper in a cozy reading nook. Not quite the same vibe.

"But... I don’t even know what this place is." I glanced around again, and that familiar pang of nostalgia and heartache gripped me once more. It was unsettling—like remembering a home you’d never lived in. Yet, she was right. Just being here made me feel strangely happy, more at ease. What was this feeling? And why did this place seem to wrap around me like a cosy blanket?

She caught my gaze and smiled, but of course, didn’t bother filling in the blanks. Instead, she sashayed towards the shelf as if she had all the time in the world.

"Come along, then," she called, "grab those books and see what evolutionary concoctions you’ve unlocked."