"Alright, so the first time I laid eyes on them, I just figured they were some sort of mana. You know, the usual, anything that seemed plausible. But then I noticed they were completely unaffected by any of my mana manipulation or core stabilization skills, both of which directly deal with mana. Whatever these things were, they certainly weren’t mana."

Lotte watched me, that same amused glint in her eye. Oh brilliant, was she about to dish out another one of her cryptic little riddles? Still, I pressed on, eager to share my observations in the vain hope that I’d impress her enough to skip the mystery game for once. Worth a shot, wasn’t it?

"It was something else. A kind of... energy that only seemed to exist in dungeons, and curiously, on the moon. Nowhere else, from what I could tell. When I looked at places without them, it felt wrong. The shadows outside, their absence was unsettling. Off."

I cast a pleading glance at Lotte, but she stayed maddeningly silent. "Oh, for Thalador's sake, out with it already. This can’t possibly be some deep, dark, forbidden secret. I just want to know what I’ve been staring at all this time!" I paused, raising an eyebrow. "Or is it actually some form of forbidden knowledge?"

Her voice wove through my consciousness like a delicate strand of silk. "Tell me, Jade, what do you believe constitutes forbidden knowledge?"

I frowned. "Well, that’s out of left field, but fine. I’d say, based on your past theatrics, it’s the kind of knowledge I’m not supposed to have. Something dangerous—too dangerous for the likes of me. The sort of thing that would get those ‘Keepers of History’ or those divination zealots breathing down my neck. So yes, forbidden."

A soft, knowing laugh reverberated in my mind. "A fair attempt," she murmured. "But allow me to clarify—there is no such thing as inherently forbidden knowledge."

"What? Then what’s with all the secrecy?"

"You misinterpret," Lotte continued, her tail swaying with a languid, almost hypnotic grace. "The prohibition lies not in the knowledge itself, but in the manner of its acquisition. Picture knowledge as water. It flows—naturally, methodically—sustaining, filling, adapting seamlessly to its environment. But when seized too hastily, unnaturally, the currents begin to churn."

"Churn?" I repeated, squinting at her. "So you’re saying it causes some kind of... disturbance?"

"Far more than you might imagine." She said. "Sudden illuminations, abrupt insights—they fray the very fabric of existence. They draw unwanted attention, send ripples across the planes, unsettling the unprepared, making them vulnerable to those who walk the path of divination. True understanding comes through a deliberate pace—through effort, discovery, trial and error. That is how the world intends it."

“So… like studying from books? I mean, there are libraries full of knowledge just sitting there for the taking. Isn’t that just spoon-feeding?”

Lotte's grin broadened, as if anticipating my thoughts. "Books, too, must be earned, Jade. The process remains. You seek, you decipher, you apply the wisdom you've painstakingly gathered. This aligns with the natural course of things. You're accumulating knowledge, not merely seizing it. Whether it's through exploring a dungeon or experimenting with magic, the question isn’t whether the knowledge is concealed or forbidden. It’s whether you’re prepared to shoulder its weight. Acquire too much, too swiftly, and you won’t just fracture the boundaries of reality—you risk shattering yourself."

“So, what you’re saying is, if I don’t want to implode, I should let my knowledge simmer?”

"Precisely." Her gaze lingered on me, "There are no shortcuts. You must steep in it. Knowledge that is rightly earned finds its place—it won’t overwhelm you or the world you inhabit. But reach for what is beyond your grasp, and... well, you understand the peril."

I scowled. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of ticking time bomb.”

“You said it, not me.”

Hah! “So, does that mean… you’re not going to answer my question? About what these hues are?”

Lotte paused, letting the silence stretch, her immense eyes carrying that same amusement. "A compromise, perhaps," she finally said. "I could reveal their nature to you, even their name. But in doing so, I would unleash a torrent of questions within you. So—"

“Yeah, yeah, you’re gonna be cryptic and just ‘nudge’ me in the right direction, like you always do,” I cut her off, rolling my eyes. Honestly, at this point, a nudge would be worth it. I was dying to know what those hues meant, even if it was just a scrap of information.

Her laugh echoed inside my skull, all too pleased. “"Surely, you've perceived it by now."

“What?”

"The way these hues behave. How they stand in contrast to mana?"

I paused, my mind racing. “They were just a nuisance at first when I opened my eyes. Couldn’t see anything but that damn glow. But if you’re asking what else… they didn’t linger around illusions. The dungeon spawned a monster using them, I think? And… they seemed to brighten everything, sticking to spider webs, that sap, even the bioluminescent trees.”

Lotte clicked her tongue. "I asked for the conceptual distinction."

“Conceptual?” I blinked, squinting at her. “I—huh?”

"The concept," she repeated, her tone implying I was a slow learner. "Doesn't it strike you as peculiar, Jade? These hues possess the potential to engender life itself."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

That made me stop cold. My thoughts tripped over each other. “Wait, what? You’re saying those hues—those little rainbow lights—can create life?”

"Consider it carefully," Lotte purred. "Mana may power spells, animate objects, or bring constructs into being. But does it breathe life?"

My brain had a mini-meltdown. Wait... IT SPAWNED THAT MONSTER! Those hues were part of the dungeon’s creation process. I thought it was just the dungeon doing its thing, like everyone assumed—but the dungeon was using those hues! How did I not notice? It was right in front of me.

Lotte watched my mental gears turn with a smug flick of her enormous tail. “You’re almost there, little hatchling.”

“Wait, so the dungeon is using them to build things? To create monsters?” I ventured.

“And reshape the ecosystem, tweak conditions, push its inhabitants in certain directions,” Lotte said, nodding slowly. “While mana is fuel for magic, the hues are something more fundamental. You could say they are part of the dungeon’s design, rather than just a tool within it.”

“...Not a tool, but part of the creation process…” I murmured. “Don’t tell me they have a mind of their own?”

Lotte’s silence was somehow the loudest answer she could give. Gah! But at least I’d figured it out. She didn’t even give me new information—just led me to what was right in front of me. Was I that thick? I shook my head. Of course, she couldn’t make it easy for me.

“Still feels weird to call them hues. You sure I can’t know their real name?”

“I’m quite sure.” She gave me that dragon grin again. “Why not christen them yourself?"

I sighed. “Hmm… a name for hues that literally create life. Oh, wait. There was a term for life energy in that old Thalador text… Prana. Feels fitting, don’t you think?”

Lotte’s laugh echoed in my head. “A fine name. I’ll allow it.”

I raised my head smugly. She could keep the name to herself. At least now I knew what these hues were. Prana. Part of me still wanted to ask why they were present on the moon too. And after a brief internal debate, I dropped that question in front of Lotte. “Is the moon some sort of dungeon too?”

"The Dungeon is far from the sole entity capable of wielding Prana," Lotte remarked. "So, steel yourself for the unexpected, for it may surface where you least anticipate."

I choked on my immediate “like what?” as the question died in my throat. Hmm. I’d know if I ever came across anything that used Prana, I guess. For now, I had enough to chew on. The discovery made it all the more fascinating. Also…

“Lotte, I’ve seen the Prana increasing in intensity, little by little. Considering it’s a natural phenomenon tied to the dungeon, should I be… concerned?”

“Hmm, what’s the current intensity?” she asked, her eyes glazing over, no doubt peeking into those mystical threads she always saw.

I described it—just a little more than usual, enough to be noticeable but not alarming yet.

She refocused on me, her tone neutral but unmistakably sharp. “About half a month.”

Huh. “Half a month until what?”

“Until a Wave occurs.”

That stopped my thoughts in their tracks. A WAVE?! A goddamn Wave?!

Even if I hadn’t experienced one firsthand, I’d heard the stories. Every creature, every soul living near a dungeon knew the terror that word carried. It wasn’t just an event—it was a catastrophe. A Wave was when monsters—thousands upon thousands of them—erupted from the dungeon’s depths like a volcanic eruption of claws, teeth, and death. Waves didn’t just affect the dungeon. They consumed everything in their path, overwhelming defenses, ripping apart settlements, leveling towns.

They were raw, unstoppable chaos. No barriers strong enough. No walls high enough. No escape once it began. The monsters weren’t just the usual dungeon spawn, either. They came in grotesque numbers, higher-level creatures emerging that no one had seen before, often led by bosses that should’ve remained far deeper underground. Everything caught in the path of a Wave was flattened, overrun, or forced to flee to safer, more fortified areas.

For adventurers, Waves were a deadly opportunity—a rare moment to fight powerful monsters and possibly gain enormous rewards. But for most, it was simply a harbinger of death.

And half a month? I had a month to prepare for that?

My mouth had gone dry. “So you’re telling me,” I managed to say, my voice wavering a little, “that this dungeon’s been gradually gathering energy… for a Wave?”

"Exactly. The escalating intensity of Prana is merely the precursor, a forewarning before the inevitable eruption," Lotte said.

I swallowed. Hard. “What about me? What the hell am I supposed to do during a Wave?”

"Perhaps, deep down, you’ve already discerned the answer to that," she mused.

I forced my thoughts to a halt. After all, I was a creature of the dungeon, wasn’t I? And with my knowledge of the System and how it governed monsters, I had a hunch no one else did.

“The System… it’s going to send out a mass call, isn’t it? A mission for every damned monster to raze the nearby civilizations, with rewards on offer. Don't bother answering, of course it will.” I drew a breath, struggling to keep my voice steady. “The real question is, what about me? I don’t want any part in this madness. But what happens if I refuse? There’ll be a sea of monsters sweeping over everything. I’ve got to get out, flee while I still can. But how—"

"Steady yourself, Jade," Lotte's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "Your primary concern should not be escape, but rather what advantage you can wrest from this situation."

“Huh? What are you getting at?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Tell me, when was the last occurrence of a Wave?"

What was she on about now? I wracked my brain. There was only one dungeon even remotely close to Randall—though "close" was a stretch; it lay far to the south. “I think it was over a decade ago,” I replied slowly. “I was still a kid then—maybe six. But it was never a threat to us because we were so far away. For the Wave to reach Randall, it would’ve had to tear through a series of fortified cities along the way. Which… it didn’t.”

“And if a Wave had been approaching, the word would have spread well in advance, wouldn’t it?” Lotte pressed.

“Yeah, I guess so… I mean, I don’t remember all the details, but I’m sure people with the right pathways or magic could’ve detected something like that.”

Lotte’s eyes gleamed as if amused by my confusion. "So, Jade, what does that imply?"

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “I don’t know! Just tell me, Lotte. My brain is scrambled from all this information you’re throwing at me!”

She chuckled, "It means, my little hatchling, that this presents an opportunity. The Elves in these lands are acutely attuned to the impending arrival of a Wave. Once they catch wind of it, they’ll retreat to their heavily fortified cities, preparing for the event. This, in turn, will leave the Dungeon more desolate than it's been in ages. Fewer of those shrewd Elves lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush you like they did last time."

Oh…

OHHHH!!

That actually made sense. With the Elves busy safeguarding their precious territories, the dungeon would be mine for the taking. Fewer eyes watching, less interference. I could hunt freely, gather what I needed, and level up fast. I’d consume enough morphogen to upgrade my organs and push further down my evolution. It was a lot of work, sure, but I was relentless. Efficient. A born predator.

And now that my Mana Manipulation was on the verge of advancement, I could finally tap into spellcasting.

I grinned, feeling a surge of excitement through initial fear. MAGIC! “Alright, then. I’ve decided what to do next. Help me choose a Path of the Lightning affinity,” I said, practically jumping with anticipation. “And teach me my first-ever Lightning spell!”