A small black dragon clung to the massive trunk of a towering tree, its claws dug into the rough bark as it ascended higher and higher. This tree dwarfed the others in the vicinity, standing like an ancient guardian of the forest.
With steady, practiced movents, Kai climbed toward the top, his sleek, scaled body moving effortlessly. He had no imdiate threats pursuing him, no predators lurking in the shadows. For the first ti in a long while, there was a mont of peace.
But not even a week ago, this sa small dragon had been the catalyst for one of the greatest crises the first realm had ever witnessed. A battle between two powerful beings had erupted, shaking the entire realm and leaving devastation in its wake. Cities crumbled, landscapes were scarred, and powerful entities took notice.
Yet, despite the chaos, the anomaly they had fought over—Kai—was still alive. And not just alive, but stronger than ever.
Over the past week, Kai had not wasted a single mont. True, he had taken a brief respite, his mind reeling from everything that had transpired, but once he had processed it all, he had thrown himself fully into his growth.
His Monster Core had now reached the highest tier of the Silver Rank—an achievent that most players who started at the sa ti as him could only dream of. While the majority of players still struggled to break through the Bronze Tier, with only a handful reaching its peak, Kai had surged ahead at an almost unnatural pace.
Yet, despite his growing strength, his focus now lay on sothing else entirely.
"Why are we doing this again?" Isla grumbled, her tiny figure zipping around Kai's head, clearly exasperated.
"I need to look for soone," Kai replied, his voice calm but determined.
***
The morning after the Mana Sphere had reshaped the world, Lily had burst into Kai's room, her face alight with excitent.
"Brother! Guess what? I started playing Realms of Monster! We should totally et up and play together!"
Kai blinked in confusion, his mind still sluggish from exhaustion.
Village? He didn't even know what kind of forest he had ended up in, much less where he was in relation to the ga's map.
"Uh... I'm not sure. What village are you in?"
"Bramblewick! It's one of the three starting villages for humans. Is that close to where you are?"
Kai paused. He had never heard of Bramblewick. Then again, it wasn't surprising—he wasn't following the sa path as the rest of the player base. While others had chosen humanoid characters, he had been thrown into a much different existence: that of a monster.
"Hm, I think so," he lied. "I'll have to check once I log in. When are you playing next?"
"Tskl, you don't even know where you are, how clueless of you. Anyway, I'll login probably next weekend," Lily said, sighing. "I have too much howork, and you know how Mom is. But I'll be free on the weekends!"
Kai nodded slowly, the gears in his mind turning. One week. That should be enough ti to reach Bramblewick—assuming he could even find it.
"Alright," he said. "I'll make my way there."
"Wait, why don't we just add each other as friends in the ga? That way, it'll be easier to find each other!" Lily suggested eagerly. "What's your gartag?"
Kai stiffened.
Notamonster.
Yeah, there was no way he could tell her. If she saw his na, the number one player dominating global announcents, she'd start asking questions he wasn't ready to answer.
"Uh... let's just add each other when we et up, alright?" he deflected smoothly.
Lily pouted but didn't push further. After a bit of playful arguing, she finally left, unaware of just how deep her brother's in-ga identity ran.
As soon as she was gone, Kai let out a breath and called for Hilda to place his helt over his head, eager to get back to work.
***
"You're sure you'll be able to find Bramblewick once I reach the top?" Kai asked, his wings twitching slightly as he climbed.
The past week had proven far more challenging than he had anticipated. Finding the village had not been simple.
For one, the forest was teeming with powerful creatures. He had encountered nurous beasts, many of which he had slain and consud, absorbing their bloodlines. However, none held the sa appeal as his current bloodline—the Nocturne Dragon. The potential for unique evolutions intrigued him, but until he gained the ability to control his bloodline's interactions, he would remain in his current form.
His evolution progress reflected that effort:
[Growth Stage: Young Drake (3/5 | 3401/35,000)]
Upon evolving into a Young Drake, he had gained a new skill—one that he had desperately needed. Up until now, all of his abilities were built for offense or escape. He had no real ans of defense.
That had changed.
[Shadow Armor]
Description: A rare, dium-level ability of the Nocturne Dragon. Imbue Monster Energy within one's body to form a protective shadow armor, significantly enhancing defense against magical and physical attacks. The more Monster Energy used, the stronger the armor becos.
[Cost: 3 Monster Energy per second (minimum)]
The skill was invaluable, but it ca with a price.
Kai's biggest weakness was still his Monster Energy reserves. Even with his Maxed-out Silver Rank Monster Core, his energy capacity was far from ideal.
Previously, when he had first entered the Silver Rank, he had a total of 300 Monster Energy. Now, after reaching the highest tier of Silver Rank, that number had doubled to 600.
And thanks to his second-tier Varkul Cultivation Technique, he could temporarily boost that to 1,200 Monster Energy when necessary.
It was impressive compared to other players. But in the grand sche of things, it was still far from enough.
Finally, after minutes of climbing, Kai reached the highest branch of the tree.
From here, the world stretched before him. He could see vast landscapes, rivers cutting through dense forests, and distant mountains looming like sleeping giants. The view was breathtaking, but Kai wasn't here for sightseeing.
His sharp, reptilian eyes scanned the horizon, searching for a human settlent.
And then, from deep within his Monster Core, Isla's voice echoed in his mind.
"I think I found it."
Kai's eyes narrowed, following Isla's direction.
Nestled between the rolling hills and a winding river, a modest village stood—a collection of thatched-roof houses, dirt roads, and stone walls marking its borders.
Bramblewick.
A slow smirk crept onto Kai's face.
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