I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 1265: The Days

The days that followed passed in a steady and almost monotonous rhythm.

From the outside, the secret military facility still looked like nothing more than a massive industrial factory with gray walls, reinforced chimneys, and the constant hum of machinery that blended seamlessly into the surrounding infrastructure of the remote mountain.

Trucks came and went on fixed schedules, personnel rotated in carefully controlled shifts, and nothing about it drew unnecessary attention.

Underground, it was a different world.

The candidates returned to their routines without complaint. Training halls echoed day and night with controlled detonations, clashing energies, and shouted corrections.

Some focused on refining control, they did it while standing motionless as they forced volatile Magic to circulate without spilling a single trace beyond their skin.

Other candidates focused on pushing their raw output, blasting reinforced targets until their arms trembled and their reserves ran dry.

A few endured physical conditioning, forcing their bodies to adapt to Magic that still burned through their muscle and bone like foreign fire.

There were setbacks like nosebleeds, collapses, and silent frustration when progress stalled.

But no one quit.

The scientists adjusted their drills, increased difficulty in careful increments, and watched closely for instability.

What they were shaping here was not just power, but survivability for these candidates.

Above the training floors, Erend, Adrien, Billy, Jessica, Thomas, and Conrad also fell back into their respective roles.

Adrien oversaw combat evaluations and tactical readiness. Billy worked closely with squad leaders, reinforcing discipline and reaction timing.

Jessica and Thomas monitored the Magic assimilation data, tracking fluctuations, growth curves, and warning signs that might indicate overload.

Conrad now focused on handling logistics and coordination, making sure nothing slipped through the cracks.

Erend moved between all of it.

He observed drills, corrected stances, and occasionally stepped in when a demonstration was needed.

When he did, the candidates watched with quiet intensity, learning as much from what he chose not to do as from what he did.

So far, everything went smoothly.

No incidents. No sudden surges, or alarms screaming through the facility.

The routine held and kept going.

—

After a month, the routine began to feel repetitive on the surface. Days blurred into one another with training reports, evaluations, and steady progress charts.

But for those involved, the monotony felt like relief. It was far better than the volatile chaos of the past. Better than strange godly entities manipulating events from the shadows, better than the Storm God's avatar tearing their facility apart, better than disasters arriving without warning.

Stability, even a dull one, was something they had earned.

For Erend, that stability extended beyond the facility.

He returned home every night now. No emergency deployments or alarms dragging him back into armor at odd hours.

He spent his evenings with Arty and his mother, sitting under a roof that felt solid and comforting which, of course, in a way battlefields never were.

There was still a lingering uneasiness in his chest, a quiet knot tied to that vision he had seen before. It hadn't repeated itself or grown clearer or worse, and because of that he wasn't overly worried for now.

More than that, he wasn't eager to act.

Acting meant leaving. Leaving meant danger. And for once, he didn't want that yet. He wanted to enjoy his life here first.

That evening, Erend pushed the door open and stepped inside. Warm air washed over him immediately, thick with the scent of cooked spices, sautéed vegetables, and simmering broth.

His mother was in the kitchen.

Arty lounged on the couch, eyes fixed on the television, one leg tucked beneath her while she munched on a packet of snacks.

She wore an oversized T-shirt and shorts, looking like nothing more than an ordinary teenage girl who had never faced a godlike enemy or stood on a battlefield.

"You arrive right when dinner's ready," Arty said without looking away from the screen.

"Uh huh." Erend grunted in acknowledgment. He dropped his bag by the door and headed straight for his room.

The hot shower washed away the smell of metal and training halls and loosening his muscles that had stayed tense all day.

When he came out, changed and calmer, the table was already set.

They ate together.

There was steamed rice, grilled fish seasoned simply with herbs, a bowl of warm soup filled with vegetables, and a plate of stir-fried greens glistening with oil.

It wasn't extravagant, but it was filling. Familiar and real. This is a normal family life. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Arty complained about a show she was watching. His mother asked about his work without pushing for details.

Erend answered in short sentences, listening more than he spoke.

The clink of utensils, the low hum of conversation, and the steady warmth of the meal grounded him.

—

However, in another world, Eccar was the one who began to act. He knew Erend had returned to his family. After everything they had endured, Eccar understood why Erend would choose to stay where things felt normal and safe for now.

He decided not to disturb that peace.

As for Aesa, Eccar was certain she had chosen solitude in her ice cave again. If she wanted silence, he would respect it. He would not pull her back into worry unless he had no other choice.

So he moved alone.

For the past few days, he had already spoken with Saeldir, the Elf Archmage, about the vision he had seen. Not in detail or fully. Because he also hasn't understood anything yet. But it was enough to confirm that it was not something he imagined.

They agreed to keep it between them for now. Knowledge like that, if spoken too widely, had a way of shaping worry and anxiety before preparation could follow. Even with the King and Aurdis.

Eccar walked through the corridors of the Elf Palace, his footsteps echoing softly against polished stone. The palace remained as it always had, elegant arches, glowing crystals embedded in the walls, and ancient carvings telling stories older than most kingdoms.

Beneath it all, hidden far below, were the metal constructs and Magi-tech systems recently developed.

King Gulben had insisted they remain underground. The weapons were necessary, but the soul of the city would not be sacrificed for them.

The palace was not meant to look like a fortress of war full of metal.

Eccar reached Saeldir's chamber and pushed the door open without ceremony.

The room was wide and dense with knowledge. Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed with tomes bound in leather, bark, and crystal.

Scrolls floated slowly in the air, held aloft by gentle Magic, while artifacts rested on pedestals that hummed faintly with contained power.

Saeldir sat behind his desk, already waiting.

The Elf Archmage looked up from an open tome, his sharp eyes settling on Eccar at once. He closed the book slowly and folded his hands together.

"You felt it again?" Saeldir said, more a statement than a question.

Eccar stepped inside and let the door close behind him.

"No," he replied quietly. "Did you find anything?"

Saeldir shook his head slowly.

"The vision you described is still too vague," he said. "Fragments, impressions, it's still without shape. It isn't enough to define the threat. There are too many records of something like that."

Eccar sighed and moved toward one of the chairs near the desk, sitting heavily. The wood creaked faintly under his weight.

"This will be another disaster," he thought grimly. He lifted his gaze again.

"I already told you what Erend shared with me. About the creations of the Void Architect. Whatever I sensed… this has to be one of them."

Saeldir's expression darkened. The lines around his eyes deepened as he leaned back slightly.

He sighed, long and quiet, but said nothing. He did not dismiss the thought, and that silence alone carried weight.

For a time, only the soft rustle of floating scrolls and the low hum of artifacts filled the chamber.

"Is there any other Dragonborn out there," Saeldir asked at last, "that you can recruit for this time?"

Eccar turned his head toward him.

"Maybe," he answered honestly. "But it won't be simple. The three of us need to be together first and understand the power. Me, Erend, and Aesa. We still haven't mastered Krono's power yet. Only Krono himself was able to locate other Dragonborn through time before."

He paused, frustration tightening his jaw. "Right now… I'm not sure I can do the same. Like I said. I don't truly understand this power yet. And I think Erend and Aesa are also not able to do it for now."

Eccar raised his hand in front of him, palm open. His fingers flexed slowly as if grasping at something invisible.

His gaze fixed on it. His eyes looked thoughtful and distant, as though he were trying to feel the flow of time itself slipping through his grasp.

"Power like this isn't meant to be rushed," he thought grimly. "Can I do it alone? But I'm afraid that I will get trapped."

—