The group quickly found themselves a private space in one of the buildings that was originally used for storage by the convicts—the one Ron had been tasked to search before the bloodmoon.

  The building was fairly untouched, with little structural damage, but also little room to move around in.

  Leo took a moment to begin while everyone settled, all eyes fixed on him.

  “What I’m about to tell you is going to sound completely insane, so just hear me out first.”

  Nods all round, he began his tale of last night.

  Leo spoke of the dreamscape he found himself in, the pain that threatened to consume him. Of the existence of literal Gods, including the Dragon, Iskarion.

  He spoke of the pact he made in order to protect himself from his own power. He did not go into detail about said power, nor did he mention his bloodline, Iskarion had warned him of such.

  Disbelief was plastered over their faces, clearly thinking him insane. So he needed to make it real.

  Finishing his explanation, Leo took a deep breath and reached within, gently pulling forth the Dragon Egg from his soul-space, pleasantly surprised he was able to do so.

  For a few moments, a heavy silence gripped the group.

  Cecelia’s hand paused mid-air, eyes wide in awe. Ron’s jaw slackened slightly. Ashley looked ready to explode with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the softly shimmering, scaled egg Leo now held.

  “I gathered it would be something slightly outrageous after seeing your eyes,” Cecelia said quietly as she gently touched the shell of the egg in Leo’s hands. “But this goes beyond what I could have guessed.”

  Once more, the group exchanged glances, their faces a mixture of confusion and unasked questions. Leo knew he had a lot of explaining to do. To which he got the head start on.

  “How about everyone gets one question for now so that we don't sit here all day. More questions can be asked later,” he suggested.

  “Hmm, yes,” Cecelia said agreeably. “We have much to do, even if I am brimming with curiosity.”

  “Who’s first then?” Leo asked.

  “I’ll go first!” Ashley said excitedly. “What are you going to name the baby dragon?”

  A stunned silence descended. Followed by a hearty laugh from Bjorn and subsequent laughs from Amy and Lena. Bjorn didn’t stop until his wife gently hit his arm.

  After calm descended once more, Cecelia asked incredulously, “Did you listen to the same story I just did?”

  “Yeah, and?” Ashley replied, as if it were obvious. “It’s a baby dragon Cece! It's going to be sooo cute!”

  Cecelia just sighed, unable to argue the point further. She looked towards Leo.

  “Go on, answer her.”

  “I honestly have no idea,” he said flatly.

  He genuinely hadn’t thought about it and probably wouldn't until she was born.

  Wait a minute… she? Why did I just assume that?

  It felt right though.

  He was somehow completely one-hundred percent certain that the dragon contained within this majestic egg was a girl.

  “Booo!” Ashley said, booing.

  “I’ll go next,” Ron said suddenly, before any more arguments could be mounted.

  “You mentioned Gods, plural, including a Dragon. Does that mean there are many out there?”

  Surprised by the question, Leo sat for a moment in thought. Iskarion mentioned that he had friends but not if they were gods or not. He assumed “the Nine” were all gods, so he could make an educated guess.

  “Excellent question,” Cecelia complimented. “That was also mine, so I shall consider my question answered also.”

  “Mine too,” Bjorn said.

  “I honestly couldn’t tell you. My instincts say yes, there are more gods out there. I have a suspicion that the “radiant architect” that wrote Ash’s starter guide is also one. I could be wrong, but it doesn’t feel like I am. Iskarion, the dragon, talked about a war between Primarchs, which must be like super gods or something. There are at least nine of those, according to him.”

  Ron nodded slowly, his face a mix of emotions he’d never seen on the man. Leo couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

  “Were you religious? Before the system, I mean.”

  “I was,” Ron said softly. “I am, rather. Until it's proved otherwise,” he finished confidently but Leo could see he was a bit torn, clinging on to his hope.

  “I believe it’s been fairly proven by giant ants, mystical powers, and a real-life dragon egg in Leo’s hands, that whatever beliefs we had before no longer fit in this world,” Cecelia said flatly. “Clinging to them now would be… comforting. But naive.

  Ron’s expression darkened, something tight and wounded flickering in his eyes. He turned and strode from the room without another word, the door thudding shut behind him.

  An uncomfortable silence settled. Leo shifted uncomfortably, guilt gnawing at his chest for unintentionally triggering the exchange. Amy finally broke the quiet, her voice soft but firm.

  "That was too far, Cecelia."

  “Yeah, think about how he must be feeling maybe,” Lena added, voice harsher than usual.

  “It was about time he realised if he hadn’t already. Whatever preconceptions we had of the world before now are completely pointless,” she argued.

  “That isn’t the case,” Ellen said sharply. “And even if it is. It is not your place to force someone to abolish the religion they had cherished before this ‘System.’ You will go and apologise to him.”

  Cecelia's gaze swept across the group, recognizing the disapproval in each face. Her shoulders slumped slightly, her pride giving way to regret.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Fine,” she said amicably. “I overstepped. I'll go find Ron.”

  “Good,” Ellen replied, offering a small, reassuring nod.

  “Any more questions?” Leo asked, trying to break the tension.

  “I think that’ll do, eh? How about we all take a break and regroup in a few hours to plan on what’s next?” Bjorn suggested.

  “Indeed,” Cecelia said, still a bit reserved.

  “Alright, I’ll wait here. I’m probably going to do something stupid and flashy,” Leo said, non-chalantly.

  “I’m not even going to ask,” Cecelia said, promptly leaving.

  “I am!” Ashley said excitedly.

  “I’m going to go see if I can figure out this tailoring profession. I’m worried I won't be able to afford the things I need… I might have to fight more ants,” Lena said worriedly.

  “I’ll send you the Credits you need,” Amy said, putting her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Let’s head out too.”

  The sisters headed out, Bjorn and Ellen had already departed with Cecelia so that left just Ashley and Leo in the room.

  It wasn’t a moment before Ashley blurted out her curiosity.

  “What are you going to do?! Are you hatching the egg? Can you do that?” The questions came like a barrage of fists.

  Leo took the assault calmly. “Not sure, honestly. In terms of the egg hatching I mean,” he paused, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to buy the mystery box,” Leo barely managed to get out, as if the last statement caused him physical pain.

  “You’ve got a thousand credits?!” Ashley exclaimed in surprise, before whistling.

  “And here I thought I was meant to be the rich girl,” she winked.

  Leo got in a little closer, whispering, “How rich were you before the System?”

  She smiled, it wasn’t the teasing smile she had before, it was one of sadness and longing.

  “Think of everything you could possibly want to buy,” she paused, a bittersweet smile crossing her lips. “All of that would barely count as a rounding error in my family’s accounts.”

  Leo's eyes widened slightly, concern flickering across his face. Even with his social ineptitude, the sadness in her voice was unmistakable.

  “You don’t seem all that pleased about it,” he suggested gently.

  “They say being rich isn’t all that. Those people are wrong, it’s great being rich. Having money means you can do almost anything you want. But finding things you want to do can be hard.” She sighed. “People always approached me with some kind of angle. Some game they were playing, like they wanted something. It became so much that I just decided I was done. I stopped working at my Daddy’s company and just moved to a small town to try and enjoy myself in a place where no one knew me.”

  “It was peaceful, for a while. Met a boy, fell in love. All that good stuff. Then this system happened and it’s been a rollercoaster since. But I’ve started to enjoy it,” she shook her head before putting her head in her hands.

  Leo wanted to interject but she wasn’t finished, so he let her continue.

  “How insane is that?! I’m enjoying fighting for my life, almost dying, saving people from the brink of death. I look forward to every day here and what it might bring, unconcerned about money, politics, or people's agendas past killing me or not.”

  Leo gave it a moment to make sure she was finished, before speaking confidently.

  “You’re not insane.” She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Okay, I might not be the best person to say so, based on my actions so far, but hear me out.” Her look softened so he took that as a gesture to continue.

  “This place has changed me. Before this place I was a bit of a timid punching bag. Taking shit from anyone and everyone who wanted to take a swing, afraid of what would happen if I swung back.” He made his hands into fists, looking down at them.

  “Now, I have strength. I have confidence. It’s only been a week and I’ve loved almost every minute. I feel the loss of everyone who has died, as their deaths feel like they are on me, but I keep going. Keep fighting. I tell myself it’s because I want to grow stronger to protect those I care about but that’s not even half of it.”

  He lifted his head, eyes steady.

  “The main reason is simple. I love fighting.”

  She started laughing, tears in her eyes.

  “Of course the punch-man loves fighting,” she chuckled, before taking his hand in hers.

  “You’re right though. I shouldn’t be so concerned about enjoying myself, no matter what my brain tells me what should be right.”

  Leo nodded once, before giving her a beaming grin.

  “Let’s do something fun now,” he said, still grinning.

  “Now, now, you should take me on a date before suggesting such a thing,” Ashley teased, fake blushing behind her hand.

  Leo froze, momentarily panicked at the teasing, but quickly composed himself, chuckling softly. "Very funny."

  Then, with a deep breath, he accessed the Tutorial Store, making his purchase. In a flash of golden light, the mystery box appeared in his hands.

  Mystery equipment box: 1000 SC (limit: one per initiate)

  Contains one piece of equipment suitable for your class. Rarity can vary from Common to Rare.

  Would you like to open the box?

  Yes/No

  Leo stared down at the elegant, beautiful, disgusting, golden mystery box in his hands, reluctant but committed.

  “Alright,” he muttered, bracing himself as he pushed the mental command to open it.

  Please no common, please no common, he prayed.

  The box hummed softly, golden light seeping through the seams. With a gentle pulse, the lid dissolved into motes of light, revealing a pair of sleek leather boots resting in the glow.

  They were light grey in colour, faint wind patterns etched along the sides, as if the air itself had brushed them into being.

  “How’d you do? They look fancy!” Ashley said from over his shoulder.

  He quickly identified them.

  Windswept Boots (Uncommon)

  Lightweight boots infused with a trace of Wind Essence. Worn by scouts and skirmishers alike, they allow for brief bursts of movement and improved balance in fast-paced combat.

  Enchantments:

  Windslip Step (Grants a short directional dash every 30 seconds)

  Self repair.

  +3 Agility, +1 Endurance

  Requirements : Level 8+ in any combat related class

  They were… okay? Nothing special but no doubt useful. It was a gamble after all, there was no point crying over not getting a Rare.

  He read the description to her, she looked interested but not amazed.

  “Can’t be dragon eggs every time, huh?” she said, patting him on the shoulder consolingly.

  “Suppose not,” Leo chuckled.

  He slipped the boots onto his feet, trying not to think about how almost his entire Tutorial credit stash was wiped out by a slightly better than average pair of boots.

  The boots were a perfect fit.

  Adjusting themselves to him as the gi did when he first equipped it. They felt extremely comfy and sturdy as he jumped up and down in them. He felt a little quicker, reminding him of the time as a child when he got new shoes and could have sworn he was faster. This time it was actually true.

  “Stand back a bit,” he said, “I’m gonna try the dash.”

  He tried to get the boots to dash him forward and it was like a gust of wind swept up behind him, carrying him around two metres forward. It was fast—with basically no wind-up. The boots were growing on him already.

  Ashley glanced down at the boots, then slowly looked him up and down. Her face twisted into a theatrical wince.

  “Kind of a fashion crime, if I’m honest,” she said from the side of her mouth, like she was trying not to get caught saying it, while also speaking loudly.

  “It's not that bad, is it?” Leo said worriedly as he tried to look down at himself. “I think they look pretty cool!”

  “Boys.” She shook her head.

  “I think I’ll get an Essence Crystal with my last credits. Unlock one of the four skills I have left.”

  “A dragon egg, new boots and a new skill. Dragon Santa was good to you,” Ashley joked.

  “He didn’t give me the boots, at least. Also please don’t call him Dragon Santa," Leo begged. Although he could apparently read his mind… which meant he knew if he was naughty or nice...

  “Fair enough,” she laughed, “he’s more of a Dragon uncle whose niece or nephew you’re babysitting.”

  “It’s a niece,” Leo said quickly.

  Ashley’s eyes narrowed to slits. “And how do you know that, Leonidas?” she asked inquisitively.

  “I’m not hiding the fact that she’s hatched, just that it feels like a girl.”

  “Hmm,” she considered it for a moment, still staring daggers at him, before relenting.

  “Fine, I’m gonna go think of some names and read my book.”

  She got right up into his face, close enough he could feel her breath on his skin.

  “Do. Not. Hatch. That egg. Without me.”

  Leo froze then nodded like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. He'd faced down bear-wolves and murderous ants without flinching, but the look Ashley was giving him right now made them seem tame by comparison.

  “Good!” she said cheerily. Before skipping off outside.

  Still slightly on edge from the killing intent that Ashley was exhibiting a moment earlier, he bought an Essence crystal from the store. It appeared in his hand in a soft flash. Leo followed the usual script and consumed the crystal, unlocking his fifth Essence skill.