As much as I fancied a nibble of that Spectral Crunch, time simply wasn't on my side. So, with a hasty flick, I pulled up the available upgrades for the good ol' Macro-Trophic Sac.

Macro-Trophic Sac +5 Advancement Options

Choose one of the following:

Hyper-Digestive Enzymes:

Accelerates nutrient breakdown and absorption, leading to significantly faster stamina regeneration from meals.

Rapid Coagulation Response:

Transforms consumed food into a powerful healing mechanism, allowing for swift recovery from injuries post-combat.

Nutrient Conversion Efficiency:

Improves the digestion of a wider variety of food, including toxic or nutrient-poor sources, maximizing energy extraction from unconventional prey.

Stamina Surge Reservoir:

Enables the storage of excess nutrients in a reserve, which can be tapped into during periods of stamina depletion for immediate recovery.

Metabolic Surge Adaptation:

Upon feeding, temporarily enhances physical performance, including strength, speed, and stamina regeneration, for a short burst of heightened activity.

Blimey! I nearly had to pinch myself at the sight of these options. They were in an entirely different league compared to the other organs’ first upgrades. Wait a tick… Was this what that mission reward was on about when it mentioned a ‘Rare Organ’? And crikey, this organ was a right whopper to begin with! Stamina and a bit of healing, right out the gate? As I delved deeper, it became obvious—each upgrade seemed poised to double down on its original talents.

Hmm…

Right then, time for a proper breakdown. As much as I was in a mad dash, this was no decision to be made in haste. I began to mentally file away every little detail.

First up, Hyper-Digestive Enzymes: Boosted stamina regeneration after chowing down. Judging by the description, I’d even be able to convert small prey into a hefty energy stockpile. Mighty tempting, especially now that I knew my new skills guzzled stamina for the more impressive …effects. A cracking option. But I bit my lip—well, as much as my current anatomy would allow—and moved on.

Next, Rapid Coagulation Response: Similar deal, but instead of topping up my stamina, this one focused on healing. Recover faster after a meal, turning food into some kind of regenerative juice. Enhanced healing and wound recovery, essentially. I hadn’t taken too many scrapes thus far, but knowing what lies ahead in this hostile dungeon, it certainly wouldn’t stay that way. Another corker of an option.

Finally, Nutrient Conversion Efficiency: Now, this one had me pondering. I hadn’t had much trouble eating any creature so far, but this upgrade seemed to suggest I’d be able to munch on a wider variety—possibly even those toxic to me? The thought was a bit spine-tingling… considering I had been merrily devouring all sorts up till now.

Perhaps it wasn’t too big a deal, though. After all, I’d eaten those nasty creepers, and some of them were definitely toxic, but it didn’t seem to faze me. This upgrade seemed more about squeezing more nutrition out of less, ideal for places where food might be a rarity. But here I was, knee-deep in a dungeon, and I doubted food would ever be in short supply down here.

Fourth up was the Stamina Surge Reservoir: If I’d read it right, it meant I could squirrel away excess nutrients, stashing them as a reserve pool of stamina. And in the heat of battle, I could tap into that reserve to rapidly restore stamina in short bursts. I exhaled slowly. That would be bloody brilliant. I wouldn’t have to fret about running out of stamina while using my skills, so long as I’d made the proper preparations beforehand. A bit like having a second wind on tap. Perfect for dungeon diving, if you ask me.

But before I made my final decision, one last option loomed before me, and I couldn’t help but curse under my breath—why were they all so damn tempting?!

Ahh... the last contender... Metabolic Surge Adaptation: So, this one would let me temporarily boost my performance, provided I’d stuffed my face recently. Made sense, I suppose. How else would a ravenous dragonling rev up her metabolism? Essentially, it offered a short-lived burst of combat prowess, but it was all about how much grub I’d managed to shovel down beforehand. And something told me I’d be even hungrier after using it... a vicious cycle, really.

I stopped for a moment, letting the weight of it all sink in. Up until now, none of my upgrades had really altered my combat style much, but these? These were different. They were tailored for feeding frenzy combat, with each one offering its own special edge. I found myself missing the old, subtle upgrades. No fuss, no decisions to agonise over. But here I was, staring down five equally tantalising choices, and I could only walk away with one.

Right. Time to cut through the noise.

While Metabolic Surge Adaptation was undoubtedly the most powerful option on paper, something about it reeked of uncertainty. Sure, I had food in abundance now, but what about deeper in the dungeon? There was no Barn with me anymore—just me, scraping by on whatever I could scrounge. It was too dependent on having a full belly, and that gave me pause.

On the other hand, Stamina Surge Reservoir was calling to me like a siren’s song. The logic was simple: I had skills that devoured stamina during battle, so having a backup stash was like carrying a spare flask of energy. As long as I ate the usual amount, I’d have a bit extra to fuel my attacks. No need to overcomplicate it.

Hmm.

Yes.

It was perfect. I cast one last glance at the other options, then closed my eyes and made my choice.

***

Name: Jade

Level: 10

Species: Hungerborn Hatchling (Draconis) (II) (+)

Attributes:

* Strength: 15

* Durability: 32

* Intelligence: 40

* Will: 27

* Mana Points: 0/0

* Stamina Points: 19/29

Species Skills:

* Echo Claw Swipe: Level 1 (III)

* Tail Whip: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Roar: Level 5 (I) (+)

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

* Scale Harden: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Stealth: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Spectral Crunch: Level 1 (III)

* Quick Dash: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Flight: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Deep Breathing: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Air Sense: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Climb: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Crush Claw: Level 5 (I) (+)

Exclusive Skills:

* Transformation: Level 1 (I)

Mutations:

* Eyes - Focusing Lenses, Peripheral Optimization (III): +0

* Claws - Claw Flexibility, Razor-Edge Claws (III): +0

* Scales - Colour Adaptation, Shock-Absorbent Scales (III): +0

* Wings - Hollow Bones (II): +0

* Legs - Joint Flexibility (II): +0

* Fire Gland - Mana Reservoir, Mana Conservation (III): +0

* Macro-Trophic Sac - Stamina Surge Reservoir (II): +0

Resources:

* Skill Points: 2

* Morphogens: 1

Everything was in place. I’d done it all – devoured more rats than I care to admit, mastered a ridiculous number of skills, and twisted my insides into a proper mess of mutations.

A deep breath. Steady now.

This was it. I was prepared.

Mentally clicking the plus behind the species, it appeared once again.

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

[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.]

Fair enough. The plan had been to have Barn bring in a veritable buffet so I could stock up on Morphogens before any pesky penalties kicked in after the evolution. But alas, looked like that would be my little side quest now.

Right then.

[Would you like to utilize the Evolution Space?]

Yes!

Once again, the familiar pull. The sap tunnel began its usual routine of twisting and turning into some otherworldly kaleidoscope. Out of nowhere, my dungeon crawled back to life, its tendrils of earth wrapping around me, layer upon comforting layer. How it managed to slip into the tunnel of sap was anyone’s guess, but there it was, swaddling me in that bizarre yet oddly comforting way.

Like a warm embrace from someone you loved.

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.

That same soothing, lilting voice. Now that I think about it… was that Lotte’s voice? Nah, I’m definitely imagining things.

And just like that, the dungeon continued its earthy embrace, wrapping tighter until my vision spiraled into oblivion.

Darkness descended, and consciousness slipped from my grasp once again.

***

Once again, I found myself before that oh-so-familiar door, back in my beastkin form, donned in that same inky black dress. But this time, rather than hesitating, I flung it open with gusto. No more dithering, I strode right in, where my doppelganger was, as usual, hunched over that strange apparatus behind the desk.

Ah, there it was again—that scent! The mingling of all those peculiar liquids filled the air, easing my soul. I’d come to appreciate this place, now that I was in the know. No longer on edge like before, I could finally take it all in, unbothered.

But the cheek of her! Not even a glance in my direction as she fiddled with those flasks, pouring and measuring her strange concoctions. A right thorn in my side, that one.

I let out a sigh. “Don’t tell me you’ve already guessed which evolution I’m picking this time!” She’d nailed it last time, and my eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Still, she didn’t look up. “Oh, no worries—this batch isn’t for you.”

I huffed, casting a sidelong glance at the shelf beside her. My evolution recipes. And blimey, there were a lot more books now.

“Well, well! Looks like even you haven’t a clue which one I’ll go for this time!”

“Oh, I’ve got a pretty good idea,” she smirked. “Just curious to see how you’ll wade through them.” Then she leaned in, voice low, “Bet you noticed something else too.”

I did. Unintentionally, of course. The first thing my eyes were drawn to, clear as day—four new books in the rainbow section.

…

“What’re the odds that at least one of those books has nothing to do with the sun or light?”

She burst into a wicked laugh. “Slim to none, love. But who knows! Go have a gander!” Still chuckling, she turned back to her... well, whatever experiment she was meddling with.

She grabbed a... test tube and casually dumped another mysterious liquid into it.

Now, my curiosity was well and truly piqued. “What are you doing exactly?”

Without even glancing up, she answered, “Oh, everything here’s designed to upgrade your body somehow. Fascinating stuff, really. Since I’ve got the know-how, I’ve been working on something that’ll tinker with your dragon body’s molecular structure.”

I blinked. “Oh… I’ll pretend I understood any of that.”

She smirked. “I’m synthesising a compound to boost the neuroplasticity of your dragon form. Basically, a potion to permanently up your intelligence stat by 1—better memory, quicker learning, cognitive supercharge.”

Another blink. “... You can do that?”

“Absolutely!”

“And I get to drink those potions?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s a downer.”

“Can’t help it. I’m bound by the rules. Just your evolution, nothing beyond that.”

“Then why bother?”

“Got any better suggestions?”

I thought for a moment, then gestured to the shelf stuffed with my evolution recipes. “How about you help me pick the most useful ones? Please!”

“You sure you don’t want to go through all of them?”

“...no?”

“That’s a yes.”

“Bah!” I grumbled, watching her heat some concoction in a flask over a strange rune that burned without fire. Then it hit me. “Wait—what’s that? Acetone?”

“Propylene glycol,” she replied. “Works as a solvent here.”

Things were starting to make a bizarre amount of sense. How on earth was I understanding this?

“Why not ethanol?” I asked, my brain moving faster than I could keep up.

She shrugged. “Less toxic, better reaction conditions for what I’m making. Also, I’d prefer not to knock us out with ethanol fumes while you rummage through your evolution scrolls.”

“What’s your reagent?”

“2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde.”

“And you’re condensing it with...?”

“An amine. Piperidine.”

“Schiff base?”

She nodded. “Spot on. Trying to create a ligand for metal ion coordination. Long-term neurotransmitter modulation.”

I blinked again, snapping out of my daze. How did I even know all of this? My doppelgänger was grinning like a Cheshire cat, and I’d bet my claws she knew exactly where this knowledge was coming from. From my dreamworld, of course. Lotte knew, too. But naturally, not a soul was going to enlighten me.

Still, curiosity won out. “What’s the end goal here, then?”

She swirled the test tube, eyeing the mixture. It had taken on an odd, gleaming hue. “Theoretically, better synaptic function. In practice? I’m aiming for heightened memory retention.”

I raised a sceptical eyebrow. “I actually understood everything you just said. Any idea why I suddenly get it?”

“Maybe,” she replied, turning to face me with a glint in her eye. “Fancy another go at it?”

“At what, exactly?”

“Your sudden knack for advanced alchemy. Or should I say... chemistry.”

I glanced at the evolution books for a heartbeat, my pulse quickening. “I—I don’t know. Feels odd. Maybe?”

“Brilliant!” She wasted no time, gesturing towards a set of pristine glass test tubes, neatly arranged and glimmering under the faint light. “First question: Which has a higher boiling point—hexane or ethanol?”

“Ethanol,” I replied, barely hesitating.

“Why?”

“Hydrogen bonding.”

“Good. What’s the pKa of acetic acid?”

“4.76.”

“Correct again. What’s the ideal temperature for a Fischer esterification?”

“Depends on the ester, but generally around 60 to 80°C.”

“Not bad at all.” She added a few drops of a deep crimson liquid to the concoction, watching it swirl and shimmer. “Last one: What’s the molarity of a solution if I dissolve 0.5 moles of solute in 2 litres of solvent?”

“0.25 M,” I answered, my eyes widening in surprise.

She stirred the mixture, a slight shimmer dancing in the glass. “Excellent. Now, would you prefer to increase neurotransmitter release or receptor density?”

I frowned, meeting her gaze. “Receptor density. But... what’s the catch here?”

Her grin widened into something altogether too mischievous. “You’ll find out. Bottoms up.”

She handed me the beaker.

I eyed it warily, then looked back at her. “Didn’t you just say I couldn’t have this? Only my evolution, nothing more.”

Her grin only grew. “I won’t tell the system if you won’t.”

“But... aren’t you... the system? In a way?”

She said nothing, merely gestured again at the potion. Bah, always so cryptic.

“This’ll increase my intelligence by one?”

She smiled and nodded. With a resigned sigh, I downed the concoction in one gulp. Gahh! So bitter!

“I don’t feel any different,” I grumbled.

“You will... once you wake up.”

Well, it was a +1 intelligence boost, anyway. I was gaining more than that per level, but an extra stat point never hurt. It did, however, make me wonder what else my doppelgänger could pull off. Could we possibly... tweak my evolution somehow?

“I know what you’re thinking. Don’t. Not yet, anyway. It won’t be possible for some time. Maybe when our intelligence is high enough.”

So it was possible. My gaze drifted back to the shelf of evolution recipe. Well, best get to work and see what new options awaited me this time.