"Sword Empress! You still haven’t told us why you were in Purple Bridge Dimension for so long!" Isaac quickly said, hoping to divert the attention.
Leora’s eyes shifted from Professor Catherine to him.
"Come to the living room," she said after a while. "We have something important to talk about. It’s regarding the Purple Bridge Dimension."
She let go of Catherine’s collar and walked toward Avery, briefly speaking to the Water Elemental Spirit in a low voice before heading into the living room.
Seeing the two leave, Isaac exhaled in relief.
He scooted closer to Catherine and smirked. "I didn’t know you could show an expression like that. You were so afraid."
Catherine glanced at him, her earlier fluster gone. There was a strange pity in her eyes.
"You’ll know soon why I’m so afraid of her," she said calmly.
Isaac frowned. "What does that even—"
But she was already walking away.
He followed.
Everyone gathered in the living room.
Isaac. Emily. Alice. Celia. Vale. Avery. Selene. Sword Empress. Catherine.
No one spoke for a moment. The air felt heavier than usual.
Sword Empress stood rather than sitting. She looked at each of them once before beginning.
"Purple Bridge Dimension had a hidden trial. It could grant tremendous rewards, but it was equally difficult. That’s why I went there with Catherine," she said.
Her gaze settled on Isaac.
"Not all trials are about strength. Some require teamwork or innovative thinking. Since I’ve trained with Catherine and she is the one who works best with me in synchronized combat and tactical formations, I took her instead of you or anyone else in the room."
Isaac held her gaze for a second, then nodded. "I understand."
And he did. Mostly.
Still, he couldn’t deny that he felt a sting. A hidden trial meant hidden rewards, and hidden rewards often meant broken-level advantages. Missing out on that wasn’t pleasant.
But Catherine had gone. Which meant whatever she received could potentially be shared through his System. That thought eased him a lot.
Sword Empress continued. She reached into her spatial storage and took out two halves of a silver medallion.
"This is the most important reward we obtained."
The medallion halves were ancient in design, covered in faint crescent patterns and tiny draconic inscriptions. They pulsed faintly.
"It’s—"
Before she could finish, the two halves suddenly slipped from her fingers.
They shot forward.
Straight toward Selene.
"What the—" Isaac stepped forward instinctively.
"Calm down," Sword Empress said sharply, though her brows were creased.
The halves began circling Selene.
Faster.
And faster.
Selene froze in place, eyes wide. The medallion pieces spun around her like twin moons caught in orbit. The air hummed.
Within seconds, they blurred into streaks of silver light. The crescents aligned mid-spin, and with a soft, ringing chime, they fused into a complete medallion.
Then it shot directly into Selene’s chest.
Silence.
Selene staggered half a step but didn’t fall.
Her pupils dilated.
In front of her eyes, a translucent screen appeared.
Isaac recognized her reaction immediately.
She was staring at the system interface.
"This..." Selene whispered.
"It’s a trial only for Moon Dragon species, or their descendants. It seems you are one," Sword Empress said.
The room went still.
Selene’s breathing grew uneven as her gaze flicked across whatever information was displayed.
"The medallion was something we got from the hidden trial in Purple Bridge Dimension. Originally, only one medallion should have been rewarded. But because of Isaac’s 200% drop rate talent, two medallions were given," Sword Empress said.
All eyes turned to Isaac.
He blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
Catherine nodded once. "We confirmed it. The system notification mentioned abnormal drop multiplication."
Sword Empress continued, "Thanks to that, we didn’t need to locate the second trial location for the other half. Our quest was to deliver the medallion to a Moon Dragon or their descendant, so they could attempt the trial through it."
She paused.
"The quest was supposed to take years. Possibly decades."
Her eyes remained fixed on Selene.
"We were fortunate to complete it quickly. The rewards are quite good."
Selene swallowed. "It says... I can initiate the Moonline Trial at any time. It will overwrite my current advancement path temporarily."
Isaac frowned. "Overwrite?"
"Yes," she said, still staring at the screen. "It says my bloodline will be awakened forcibly. If I fail, I lose all Moon-related traits permanently."
Emily sucked in a breath. "That’s extreme."
Sword Empress nodded. "Moon Dragon trials were always extreme."
Her gaze shifted between Alice and Selene, thoughtful.
Isaac noticed it.
She was calculating something.
Vale cleared his throat.
"I have a question."
"Speak," Sword Empress said.
"This all sounds personal. Why was I told to stay as well? Is it acceptable for me to hear all of this?"
Isaac raised a brow.
When speaking to him, Vale’s tone was often sharp, and dismissive. But right now, he spoke with formal respect.
Sword Empress didn’t react to the difference.
"I’m going to train Alice, Catherine, and Isaac today. If you want, you can join us. I intended to tell you that. That’s why I asked you to remain," she said.
Vale blinked. "Training?"
"Yes. You wanted to grow stronger, correct? Even if you are a Cursemancer, I can teach you combat fundamentals, spatial awareness, and battlefield decision-making."
She looked at him steadily.
"Do you want me to train you?"
"When can we start?" he said immediately.
"In two hours. Clear your schedule for the entire day."
Vale nodded once and stood. "Understood."
He left immediately.
The door closed.
Sword Empress exhaled softly and looked at Catherine. Catherine gave a small nod in return.
"Now that Vale is gone, we should talk about the second most important reward from the hidden trial," Sword Empress said.
Isaac straightened in his seat.
Second most important.
Which meant it rivaled a bloodline-awakening medallion.
"Is it okay for me to stay if Vale couldn’t?" Selene asked suddenly.
Sword Empress studied her for a few seconds.
"It’s fine. You can remain. You will likely need this information in the future."
Selene nodded, still looking slightly overwhelmed.
Avery raised a hand, as if finding the situation fun. "What about me?"
"You can leave if you want," Sword Empress replied.
Avery leaned back, folding his arms. "Then I will stay."
No one objected.
Catherine stepped forward at that moment. From her spatial ring, she took out a small black box and placed it carefully on the table. The box was simple, and without ornamentation. She opened it.
Several pale silver pills lay inside.
They had a faint glow to them.
Catherine began speaking in a calm tone.
"The Moon Dragon race once lived on the Moon, which was considered a celestial body that ruled over the night sky. In ancient records, the Moon was called the Heavens, and the Moon Dragons who resided there were referred to as rulers of the world."
Her voice was steady, like she was reciting something well researched.
"Naturally, the Moon Dragon race possessed many unique treasures and relics. This is one of them."
She picked up one pill between her fingers and held it up.
"It’s called Heaven-Reversal Moon Elixir.
"If consumed by anyone, then when that person mates with a Celestial Kitsune, the Physique Refinement ability of the Celestial Kitsune will reverse. Instead of increasing the Celestial Kitsune’s physique level, it will increase the physique level of the other partner.
"Additionally, if certain compatibility conditions are met, the other partner can copy up to two skills or affinities from the Celestial Kitsune."
This time, the silence deepened.
Selene looked around, confused. She clearly didn’t understand the full implications, as she was unaware of the fact that Isaac had Celestial Kitsune bloodline and physique.
Sword Empress did not explain.
Isaac’s gaze immediately snapped toward Alice.
Earlier, Sword Empress had implied that Selene would likely walk alongside him in the future.
He expected Alice to get angry.
Or at least show visible displeasure.
But Alice was quiet.
Too quiet.
She sat still, her hands resting on her knees. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes shifted occasionally between Isaac and Selene. There was no outward reaction, but it was clear she was thinking deeply about something.
Avery’s lips curled slightly in distaste.
"These pills..." she said slowly. "I never saw them personally. By the time I appeared in the world, the Moon Dragon race was already gone. But I heard stories."
She glanced at the pill in Catherine’s hand.
"They used these with their Celestial Kitsune slaves after the Celestial Kitsunes lost the war against them. It’s an item that insulted thousands of people. Why is something like this being given as a reward in a trial?"
The tone in his voice was not angry, but there was something sharp in it.
Isaac opened his mouth. "That’s—"
"They taste quite good," Celia said casually.
Crunch.
Everyone froze.
All eyes turned to her.
She was chewing.
"...Did you just take the pill without asking anyone?" Isaac asked, staring at her.
Celia blinked. "Yes? What’s wrong with that? If there was some problem, Sword Empress wouldn’t have shown them to us."
Her face was already turning slightly red.
"There is no side effect. But...," Sword Empress said, exhaling slowly.
Celia smiled triumphantly. "See? Even Sword Empress said there’s no problem."
Isaac pinched the bridge of his nose. "You could’ve at least waited for a discussion."
"I was curious," Celia said simply.
Her breathing began to change.
It was subtle at first.
Then it became more noticeable.
She shifted slightly in her seat.
"Why is it getting so hot in here?"
No one answered.
Her skin flushed deeper. A faint heat shimmered around her body.
Sword Empress closed her eyes briefly, as if counting to three in her head.
The temperature in the room seemed to rise.
Celia swallowed. Her gaze slowly locked onto Isaac.
There was something different in her eyes now.
Hunger.
Isaac felt a chill run down his spine.
"Isaac, you have a lot of work to do," Catherine smiled playfully.
Sword Empress massaged her brows. "Send these two into a Mirror Dimension."
Catherine nodded.
Then Sword Empress turned to Isaac.
"Get it done within two hours. We have training after that."
Isaac blinked. "Huh? What is happening—"
Before he could finish, space twisted.
Isaac landed on solid ground.
He immediately recognized the faint reflective sheen beneath his feet.
Mirror Dimension.
He looked around quickly.
"Sis?" he called out, scanning the surroundings. Since she created this space, she should be here.
No answer.
Instead, a voice reached him.
"Isaac..."
He turned.
Celia stood a few meters away.
Her face was flushed red, and her breathing was uneven. She had already undone a few buttons of her shirt without seeming to realize it.
"It’s hot," she murmured, fanning herself slightly. "Why is it so hot?"
Her eyes were hazy.
Isaac understood now.
The pill didn’t have a harmful side effect. But it clearly triggered something.
Likely compatibility resonance with Celestial Kitsune bloodline.
Which he had.
He stepped back slightly, raising both hands.
"Celia, calm down. The pill is probably activating some kind of bloodline interaction. You need to stabilize your mana."
She walked toward him slowly.
"Isaac..."
Her voice was softer now, but insistent.
He took another step back.
It was an unconscious action he took after noticing the hunger in her eyes.
"We should regulate your breathing first," he said, trying to keep his tone steady. "Focus on circulating your mana through your core instead of your limbs."
She shook her head lightly, as if not fully hearing him.
"Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. Isaac."