Yoo thought about it, his father was alway fighting in deadly mission, and pushing toward Platinum rank, risking death to become strong enough to protect him.
'If Dad's risking his life, why shouldn't I risk mine.'
"I'll do it."
Seo-yeon gasped, Han smiled.
"Excellent, but not here, this core absorption is going to be messy, I think it's best to keep this private, and supervision, I don't want you dying alone." Han stood. "Come back tonight at midnight. I'll have proper space prepared, and bring friend if possible, or come alone if you prefer to die without audience."
He handed Yoo a token. "Shows you how to find me after dark, don't lose it, and don't tell academy staff, they'll confiscate core and punish us both."
Han vanished, not walked away. Just... vanished. Space where he'd been rippled briefly, then nothing.
"Spatial manipulation detected. Teleportation, Power level required: Platinum minimum. Possibly higher. Subject 'Han' is significantly more dangerous than presented appearance."
'I just made a deal with something wearing human skin, I hope I don't regret this'
Seo-yeon grabbed Yoo's arm. "You're insane! That core could kill you! You're six just months old!"
"Physically one and half years old, and mentally twenty-nine. I know what I'm doing."
She folded her arms. "Hmm, it's your life anyway. Do whatever you want"
That Evening
Ji-hye put Yoo to bed at 8 PM, as usual. He pretended to sleep.
At 11:30 PM, he activated Extras World, pulled his consciousness, and this time, his physical body, into the pocket dimension.
Inside, he'd prepared and practiced this maneuver dozens of times, he could now teleport his entire body into and out of Extras World within three seconds.
He reappeared outside the nursery building, shadows concealed him.
Seo-yeon was already waiting. "How did you, you just appeared!"
"Spatial ability, come on, we don't have much time."
Han's token guided them through maze-like passages, into sections of the academy Yoo hadn't seen, they walked down old and probably abandoned places.
Eventually: an abandoned warehouse.
Inside, Han waited. The space was already prepared, a ritual circle drawn in luminescent paint, medical equipment salvaged from somewhere, emergency healing supplies.
"You came, hmm, this shows you're serious." Han gestured to the circle. "Sit center, remove your shirt, this will hurt so brace yourself."
Yoo complied, his childish body looked fragile against the circle's geometry.
Seo-yeon stood at the edge, nervous. "If he dies, I'm telling everyone."
Han produced the red core. It pulsed like a second heart. "Last chance to back out."
Different thoughts came to his mind trying to force him away from his choice
'To survive, I need power. Power requires risk.'
"Do it."
Han placed the core against Yoo's chest. It sank in, not through flesh, but through something deeper, Into his soul-space where Gi resided.
Pain erupted.
The pain was very bad, his entire body felt like it was burning and freezing simultaneously.
The Dragon-series energy was violent, and predatory, it wanted to dominate, not merge, it wanted to replace Yoo's essence with dragon nature.
Yoo gritted his teeth, 'No, you don't consume me. I'll consume you!.'
He pushed back with everything, his soul's strange resilience and his desperate will.
The energy thrashed, his body shook, blood leaked from his nose, ears.
Seo-yeon screamed. "He's dying!"
"Not yet," Han said calmly. "Watch. This is the interesting part."
Something else activated, Adaptive Evolution.
The passive skill Yoo had gained during the entity battle, the ability to integrate traits permanently, it recognized the Dragon-series energy, and began incorporating it.
Not replacing Yoo's humanity with dragon nature, but merging them and creating a hybrid.
His cells restructured, bones hardened with trace minerals that shouldn't exist in human skeletons, muscles gained density, his energy pathways expanded.
And in his genetic code, an impure dragon lineage awakened,
The pain crested, peaked. Then...
Snap.
Everything clicked into place.
Yoo gasped, opened eyes that glowed faintly gold and silver.
"It worked," he whispered.
"Affirmative," Akasha confirmed. "Core absorption: successful. Rank advancement: Bronze rank 7. Physical capabilities increased 340%. Energy capacity expanded. New trait acquired: Minor Dragon Physiology, enhanced strength, durability, energy affinity. Warning: trait is permanent. Host biology no longer fully human."
What percentage human am I now?
"Approximately 91%. Acceptable threshold."
Yoo stood, felt the difference immediately, he was stronger, faster and his senses became sharper.
He looked at Han. "I survived."
"So you did, congratulations. You now owe me one favor. I'll collect someday." Han's smile was unsettling. "But I'm always l patient, it might be in a few months, might be years, i'll find you when time comes."
He vanished again.
Seo-yeon rushed over. "You're okay! You're glowing a little but okay!" She paused. "Wait, you smell different. Like... Burnt hotdog?"
"I'm fine. Better than fine." Yoo tested his new strength, he unched the air a few times, felt power beyond what his body should contain. "This changes things."
"You're Bronze 7 now? After one core?" Seo-yeon's eyes were huge. "Wow. That was a huge leap!"
"I'm good at shortcuts." Yoo headed for the exit. "Come on, we need to get back before someone notices."
They snuck through shadows, and made it back to their respective rooms, no alarms, and no one caught them.
Yoo collapsed in his bed, exhausted despite new strength.
I did it, this is my irst major power gain. One step closer to being strong enough, but as he drifted to sleep, he thought about Han's parting words.
One favor. Unspecified. Owed to something pretending to be human.
This might come back to haunt me.
"Probability: 89%," Akasha agreed. "However, immediate benefit outweighs long-term risk. Host is now Bronze 7. Combat capabilities significantly enhanced. Survival odds improved."
'Worth it then.'
'I hope.'
The Next Morning
Routine examination, doctor scanned Yoo, frowned, they were already used to Yoo's former improvements but this was a whole leap.
"Your readings are different. Energy signature increased dramatically. Did something happen?"
Yoo shrugged. "Core Surge effects still manifesting?"
"Maybe, but this looks like... like you absorbed a core, you're reading Bronze 7 now. Yesterday you were unranked."
The doctor made notes, suspicious but not accusatory. "I'll inform Instructor Kang, she'll have to examine you personally."
Great.
But when Min-ji arrived, her expression wasn't angry. It was intrigued.
"Bronze 7. Overnight advancement. Either you're naturally manifesting rank growth, which is impossible, or you acquired and absorbed a core without my permission." She studied him. "Which is it?"
Yoo considered lying, but partial truth was safer in this case
"Found a trader. He offered a core and I took it."
"A trader in the academy? Interesting." Min-ji's eyes narrowed. "Describe him."
Yoo did, but left out the spatial manipulation and weird energy signature, he just described his appearance making him look more like just an unauthorized seller.
"I don't know anyone matching that description, and I know everyone in this academy." She tapped her fingers thoughtfully. "You made contact with someone who came from outside of the academy, one operating covertly within our walls. That's... concerning."
"Will I be punished?"
"Probably should be, but... " Min-ji smiled slightly "... you survived core absorption that should've killed you theoretically, and you're now Bronze 7. Which makes you more valuable, so no. No punishment, but in future? Inform me before accepting mysterious gifts from mysterious traders."
"Understood."
She left, but Yoo saw her expression. She wasn't worried about punishment.
She was worried about Han.
'She should be, because I too am worried,'
Three Days Later
Communication from Reaper's squad finally arrived, Jae-sung was alive, Platinum 41. Mission successful but costing, half the squad dead.
He would be returning in two months, This was an early release because the squad was too depleted to continue.
Yoo read the message three times, 'alive, Platinum rank, coming home.'
Relief flooded him so intensely he nearly cried.
Dad made it, He's going to survive.
"Probability of host father completing remaining two months: 94%, odds are in your favour."
Two more months, I can wait two more months, he had work to do anyway, training, growing and preparing for when his father returned.
So he trained harder, and pushed his new abilities. Sparred with Seo-yeon daily, she was Bronze 4 now, close match.
Expanded Extras World to fifty-three cubic meters, pacticed Bind until the energy threads could restrain objects up to twenty kilograms.
'In two months, Dad would return, just two more months, then we'll figure out how to survive this nightmare together.'