Each rare ingredient acquired or promising alchemical formula discovered deepened her hope, though ultimate success eluded her persistent grasp.
Despite her frequent absences, Selene regularly returned to briefly assess Orion’s condition personally, her expression always calm yet filled with quiet worry and determination.
Each return filled the mansion with brief reassurance, reminding everyone of her unwavering dedication.
In this manner, eight full months passed quietly yet inexorably since the day Orion had fallen unconscious.
The Helstorm estate continued moving forward, sustained by the collective determination, loyalty, and quiet strength of its inhabitants. They remained patiently hopeful, silently preparing themselves for the day Orion finally awakened.
Then, on one seemingly ordinary day, sunlight spilled gently through Orion’s room, bathing the expansive space in comforting warmth.
Birds sang lodiously outside, their cheerful lodies filtering softly through slightly parted curtains.
Within, Orion’s imposing draconic form lay motionless upon the reinforced bed, breathing slow, rhythmic, and steady—an unchanged sight witnessed countless tis over the past months.
Yet sothing subtly shifted in that quiet mont. Orion’s eyelids twitched faintly, barely noticeable at first. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, his eyes slowly fluttered open, golden pupils gleaming softly with gentle awareness and curiosity.
A quiet groan escaped Orion’s throat, deep yet barely audible, as he gradually regained consciousness.
His mind felt clouded and strangely heavy, awareness returning slowly, piece by piece as he felt his Soul fusing with his Body. Confusion briefly dominated his thoughts—he blinked softly, montarily uncertain of his surroundings.
The familiar furnishings, comforting warmth, and gentle sunlight swiftly dispelled Orion’s initial confusion.
Relief washed softly through him, recognizing the familiar safety of his own room within the Helstorm estate. Yet, his limbs felt strangely heavy and sluggish, as though unused for far too long.
Slowly, carefully, Orion moved his powerful draconic limbs, testing their responsiveness. Muscles creaked softly, stiff and sore from prolonged inactivity, yet he gradually succeeded in regaining control.
Quietly exhaling a deep breath, Orion shifted his massive draconic body into a more comfortable position, gradually easing the lingering stiffness from his muscles.
As he lay there quietly, fragnts of mories slowly erged—vivid flashes of intense combat, powerful enemies, and his risky evolution within the heat of battle.
Orion’s heart tightened briefly, recalling the imnse strain he’d willingly placed upon himself to protect everyone he cherished.
Orion quietly examined his body, gently tracing the smooth, reinforced scales with thoughtful contemplation. His awareness shifted inward, first carefully looking at his Sea of Consciousness.
It had beco far denser than before, but he could also see visible cracks at its edges. However, his sturdy SoC was holding strong against collapse.
Then he shifted his focus and looked at the rest of his body—mana channels lay there cracked and battered, clearly having been damaged during that battle.
"Seems I’ve finally returned," Orion murmured quietly, voice deep yet faint from prolonged silence. "But... how long have I been asleep?"
He slowly sat upright, each movent careful lest he destroy sothing. Looking around, he noted the empty room, a gentle smile forming on his lips.
Clearly, everyone had diligently cared for him during his prolonged slumber, yet they currently remained unaware of his awakening.
"Six to eight months, hmm..." Orion guessed thoughtfully, estimating roughly based on the amount of ti he had been awake inside the SoC as his Life Fire. "This is much, much sooner than what Asteraxa told . Was she scaring ?"
[Ara~ You haven’t even woken up properly and are already doubting ? I’m 100% correct in my analysis. Sothing drastic has happened to you without any of us knowing about it.]
Orion smiled softly, feeling a warmth in his heart at hearing Asteraxa’s teasing voice once again.
Despite her flirtatious and sotis mischievous attitude, she had beco a comforting and familiar presence during his months of isolation within his Sea of Consciousness.
"Sothing drastic?" Orion mused aloud, gently flexing his draconic claws and watching how the muscles rippled smoothly beneath his glossy scales. "You may be right, Asteraxa. My body certainly feels different—far more resilient than I expected after such prolonged inactivity."
[Ara~, aren’t you full of surprises?]
Asteraxa chuckled gently, her lodic voice filled with playful amusent. [Just when I think I know everything about you, you manage to surpass my expectations once more.]
Orion’s lips curled into a wry smile, eyes glinting warmly with amusent. "It seems keeping you entertained is becoming my specialty."
He stretched carefully again, testing each joint and muscle, sensing the imnse power hidden deep within.
Despite the subtle aches from long inactivity, Orion’s physique felt unmistakably robust—infinitely stronger and sturdier than he rembered.
Taking a steadying breath, Orion decided to regain his human form. Closing his eyes, he cald himself down, calling upon his innate connection to the draconic bloodlines coursing within his veins.
A gentle warmth suffused him, spreading outward through his enormous draconic form.
Slowly, the massive body began shrinking. His impressive wings smoothly retracted, scales receding seamlessly into smooth, healthy skin.
Draconic claws and horns vanished gently, replaced by elegant, human features. Within monts, Orion stood again in his familiar human form, the transformation completed effortlessly.
Blinking softly, Orion stepped carefully off the reinforced bed, feeling his bare feet et the cool, polished wooden floor.
Muscles rippled smoothly beneath his pale skin, body feeling strangely yet reassuringly familiar. He moved gracefully toward the large mirror set into the corner of his room, drawn by curiosity to see the results of his months-long evolution.
His gaze t the reflective surface, eyes widening imdiately in surprise and fascination at his own appearance.
He now stood tall at an impressive 190 centiters, body lean yet solidly muscular, exuding confidence and unmistakable strength.
Thick, lustrous, long black hair fell down behind his handso face, accentuating finely sculpted features now matured with subtle, dignified allure. All the youthfulness had left his features as he now seed like a young adult.
Yet Orion’s greatest surprise lay in his eyes, now strikingly heterochromatic—one eye flaming red, blazing vividly with fierce passion, while the other shone a captivating lightning purple, electric and srizing.
Clearly, each color vividly symbolized the two dominant draconic lineages now thriving harmoniously within him: Fire and Thunder.
[My, my,] Asteraxa purred appreciatively, her voice filled with unmistakable delight.
[Orion, you’ve grown even more charming. If I had a heart, it might just skip a beat.]
Orion chuckled warmly at her exaggerated praise, unable to hide his own satisfaction at the remarkable transformation. "Flattering again? You do know how to boost my ego, Asteraxa."
[Soone needs to do Lumi’s job hehe.]
He chuckled and flexed experintally, marveling at the sheer power and perfect responsiveness of his refined physique. Curiosity ignited once more, he closed his eyes briefly, focusing inward to carefully assess his internal condition.
Almost imdiately, his eyes snapped open again, shock plainly visible within their depths. He had unknowingly shattered through the Muscle Reformation Stage and even surpassed the starting of the Tendon and Ligant Tempering Stage, now standing at the very peak of Tendon and Ligant Tempering.
His body had transford far beyond his initial expectations, becoming astonishingly durable and extraordinarily strong.
"I truly underestimated just how profound this evolution would be. It not only improved my physique but also helped to break through two levels," Orion murmured quietly in genuine astonishnt, pride and excitent evident in his voice.
However, his enthusiasm briefly faltered when he assessed his mana cultivation. He discovered, with mild disappointnt, that his Mana Cultivation remained stagnant, still firmly stuck at the Third Level of Awakening Grade.
His Affinity Runes lay half-broken and visibly damaged, requiring painstaking reconstruction and repairs.
Even worse, his mana channels appeared heavily fractured, mana sluggishly responding to his ntal commands, stubbornly refusing smooth circulation.
He sighed softly, disappointnt flickering briefly across his handso features. "It seems my Mana Cultivation has not progressed as I hoped. I still have a long way to go. And I need to first fix all of this if I want to continue my Mana Cultivation."
Just then, the room’s door opened softly, hinges whispering quietly. Rina stepped gently inside, carefully balancing a small basin of warm water and a soft cloth—routine items used countless tis over the past months for Orion’s care.
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