"I've decided," Asher said, halting mid-flight as they hovered in the starry expanse. "I want to reach the peak of this universe before we leave."
Valeris turned to him, her silver hair glinting under the starlight. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
Asher's expression was serious, his gaze distant as he answered, "The Universal Membrane isn't like the Galaxy Barrier. If we try to force our way through it, it will trigger a response—like striking a divine bell."
Valeris raised a brow. "A response?"
He nodded. "The moment we pierce through the membrane, it's the same as announcing our presence to other universes. The Chains of Reality embedded in this universe will activate, marking us as anomalies. And worse... the signal could attract invasion scouts from other universes."
Valeris inhaled sharply. "So crossing the universal barrier isn't just a matter of strength."
"No," Asher confirmed, his voice low. "The universal system is deeply protected—not just by laws and dimensional pressure, but by the Span Guardians, ancient entities created by the universe itself to prevent exactly this kind of breach."
"And with their protection in place, no one can leave this universe without being noticed or stopped," he finished grimly.
Valeris was silent for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, I think you found a galaxy that can help us level up faster."
Asher nodded as they fell silent.
As the silence of the void deepened around them, Asher's eyes shimmered faintly—activating once more the powerful divine gaze of his Absolute Appraisal.
Threads of truth unraveled before him like constellations of knowledge. Galaxies pulsed with layers of information, revealing their natures, laws, and cultivation climates. Some were inhospitable wastelands, some tightly sealed sanctuaries where time itself flowed erratically.
It rotated with a majestic spiral of silver and deep violet, its core glowing like a forge of rebirth. Runes swam through its ether like serpents of light, and its outer edges rippled with layered dimensional zones.
But what truly caught his attention was its structure.
"A world of evolution…" Asher whispered, narrowing his eyes.
"What is it?" Valeris asked, slowing beside him.
"There's a galaxy not too far from here… a Peak-Level Galaxy that follows a completely different system of cultivation," he said, tone sharpened with interest. "Its worlds are saturated with a concept similar to trials and hunting grounds. They call them Dungeons—dimensional spaces that evolve themselves and spawn both danger and fortune."
Valeris blinked. "Dungeons? Like… real, living environments?"
He nodded. "Exactly. People there grow stronger not just through meditation or inheritance… but by entering these dungeons and collecting Cores—condensed nodes of energy, memory, and power. Each Core can elevate one's physical or soul abilities. The process isn't slow—it's direct, almost like refining yourself through battle over and over again."
Valeris's eyes lit up. "That sounds… insane." This chapter is updated by Novel~Fire. (n)et
"And incredibly efficient," Asher added. "The strongest cultivators there rise not by age or lineage—but by how many dungeons they've conquered. Some Cores even contain rare laws or abilities from fallen beings or ancient dungeon rulers."
He paused for a beat, then grinned. "That place might just be our fast track."
Valeris chuckled. "After all the slow bottlenecks, I won't complain about some combat-based growth."
With that, they shifted direction mid-flight. The vastness around them responded to their will, stars bending as they surged toward the Peak-Level Galaxy.
Asher's senses tingled.
This place would be dangerous—far more so than any realm they'd crossed before.
But for once, that danger came with structured opportunity. No twisted fate or divine meddling—just trial, survival, and strength.
Asher and Valeris emerged from the edge of the universe like falling stars, their bodies encased in radiant brilliance as they crossed the threshold into a new galaxy. The space around them crackled with raw mana, as if the very stars here hummed with the beat of an ancient, endless forge.
Before them loomed a breathtaking spiral of cosmic energy—deep amethyst interlaced with veins of cobalt lightning. It spun slowly, majestically, like a celestial beast slumbering in the void.
This was no ordinary galaxy.
Known across several star realms as the Dungeonborn Galaxy.
And in the heart of Eidralis burned a single world brighter than all the rest—its surface cloaked in dense, ever-shifting layers of mana storms, dungeons that reshaped the landscape, and battlegrounds that echoed with legends.
World Name: Kael'Tharion — The Crucible Star.
Asher narrowed his eyes, his Absolute Appraisal activated. The moment it touched the planet, data streamed through his senses—torrents of fragmented history, ambient mana concentration, dungeon activity, and power levels.
Mana Density: 430x Standard Realm.
Dungeon Emergence Rate: High.
Soul Core Manifestation Chance: Enhanced.
Tier: Peak Galaxy-Class.
"This planet…" he murmured, awe and intrigue laced in his voice. "It's alive with challenge. The mana is thicker than fog and sharper than steel."
Valeris floated beside him, her white hair catching starlight, her eyes scanning the continent below. "Kael'Tharion. The name alone sounds like war. Look at those dungeon gates… there must be thousands, active and dormant."
Below, the world was a patchwork of extremes: jagged mountains rose beside glowing mana lakes; entire forests were suspended in the sky, their roots pulsing with dungeon energy. Floating cities drifted amidst cloud-seas, guarded by titanic golems and rune-bound beasts. Great mana rivers connected ruins to citadels, with towers taller than dragons piercing the clouds.
The people here weren't weak.
Cultivators, warriors, artificers, and mages all trained within dungeon zones to harvest Cores—crystallized heartstones of dungeon creatures or beasts. These cores weren't just resources; they were lifeblood. Cores refined mana, empowered souls, unlocked skill paths, and could push one to ascend into the next realm.
Here, in Kael'Tharion, everything was earned in blood and magic.
"It seems that even within the same universe, different galaxies follow their own unique systems," Valeris remarked as they descended toward the world. "The people here don't cultivate spirit energy like in previous world we have been—they call it mana, just like in our previous worlds."
As they landed within a vast jungle teeming with vibrant life and rich ambient energy, they immediately began adjusting to the environment. The mana density was immense, but their enhanced physiques—especially their awakened Dragon Hearts—resonated smoothly with the laws of this realm. It was as if their bodies were designed to adapt across universes.