Zephi was an incredible bundle of energy and a great distraction as Alistair's senses picked up the occasional loud noises from the back of the ship until he put up a privacy sphere to isolate the cockpit, something he and Riseth did when they weren't alone on the ship.

  “They seem to be… enjoying themselves,” Riseth observed over the Akashic Link as Alistair guided Zephi through the displays, showing her how to scan nearby planets and systems.

  After finishing his explanation, Alistair stood up and walked over to Riseth, leaning against her chair and placing a light kiss on the top of her head, leaving Zephi to explore the console.

  “I wonder who the offspring will take after,” Riseth mused. “Or if they’ll bring another new dragon species into the world.”

  Alistair shrugged. “Given King’s progenitor status, I’d say it’s more likely they’ll be Vexaldris like him. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if some were mixed or unique.”

  Zephi, who had been listening intently, chimed in with a bright tone. “As an ascended dragon and a progenitor, his records will likely dominate. Rovari’s influence would be minor, so most of their offspring will probably be Vexaldris like him, though they may inherit a stronger affinity for fire.” She paused, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “I’m guessing King’s breath is cursed flames? If not, it’s almost certain their offspring will have it as a variant. In that regard, she is an amazing match as a matriarch.”

  Alistair and Riseth turned to watch Zephi as she eagerly tapped at the console, her focus absorbed in exploring the display. Then, they exchanged a glance.

  “You seem pretty unbothered. I take it dragons don’t care much about privacy?” Riseth asked.

  Zephi shrugged, still absorbed in the console. “It depends. Dragon courtship can take forever or be over quickly—it’s all about pedigree and age. Rovari probably couldn’t find a dragon that met her standards,” she replied, her tone matter-of-fact. “Now, if a powerful gold, a silver, or even King wanted me as a matriarch, I’d consider it. My records are still lacking, but I’m young, and my drive isn’t quite there yet."

  She paused, her voice sharpening with excitement. “But now? I finally have a real chance to grow strong! I’m no longer stuck in that cave. I’ll reach heights where only the strongest and best dare to court me!” She looked up, eyes blazing with fierce determination.

  Riseth chuckled. “I’m sure we can help you get there. So, how old are you anyway?”

  “I’m 21,” Zephi replied proudly. “Technically still juvenile, but due to being constantly exposed to the dragon veins all my life, I matured a little faster,"

  This took them a little aback, particularly when coupled with her willingness to become a matriarch, having interacted with the dragons a bit, Alistair had almost forgotten that they were technically considered feral, a term he wasn't sure was a perfect fit, especially since he could tell that was just the closest translation his Myriad Language skill gave when he read any books on dragons. Another thing that stood out was that their speech frequently lasted longer than the words they spoke, indicating that their language was quite dissimilar to most others and that they tended to speak fewer words with more meaning than most languages.

  Alistair felt the sudden pull of entering warp space and watched as Zephi suddenly held onto the console in front of her eyes wide yet sharp.

  "What was that?" Zephi gasped.

  Riseth smiled at her, "That was us entering warp space. We should arrive in the Ryse system shortly,"

  Alistair still had to get used to the name for their system, but it was certainly one of the better options that had floated around during discussions on naming their quadrant. He pulled up his titles, scanning for recent upgrades and the new one he’d acquired earlier.

  While Riseth explained the warp space phenomenon, Alistair entered his soulscape.

  With a focused thought, he called up reports on records and their influence on titles. Books glided off the shelves, flipping open to project hovering screens that displayed the specific condensed information he was after.

  His brows furrowed as he summoned combat reports to compare. By now, Alistair had a solid understanding of how titles formed—they were closely tied to his actions and the records he gained. Yet, not all of his title-worthy deeds seemed to crystallize into actual titles. He had a strong suspicion that this was linked to his intent and self-perception. Despite having engaged in diplomatic activities that could warrant a title, he didn’t consider himself a true diplomat, and the same held for exploration. This self-image likely influenced the titles he received—or didn't receive.

  Another likely factor, he thought, could be his discomfort with the effects many social and diplomatic skills had on others' [Mind]—a route he wasn’t entirely comfortable taking. As for exploration, while he did view himself as an explorer to some extent, he’d only recently seen his Clan Explorer title advance to Epic. The upgrade had enhanced his environmental resistance and increased his chance of uncovering treasures. From experience, he’d noticed this translated into subtle instincts, occasionally nudging him toward items or plants he might have otherwise missed, or giving him a faint sense that certain areas were worth a closer look.

  Tier: [Epic]

  Name: Clan Explorer

  Effect:

  Grants a 5% bonus to the [Senses] statistic and strong environmental resistance. Increases the likelihood of discovering treasures by a moderate amount.

  Origin:

  A growing title acquired and improved by exploring, mapping and enriching [Clan Ryser] through planetary exploration and expeditions.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  -

  Tier: [Epic]

  Name: Stalwart Negotiator

  Effect:

  Grants a 5% bonus to the [Mind] statistic and greatly increases resistance against the effects of social skills, particularly those that would influence your original stance on a matter.

  Origin:

  A growing title acquired by frequent exposure to social skills and diplomatic settings and resisting most attempts at intimidation, persuasion, and other influencing social skills.

  He wasn’t certain if the dragons had tried using any Influence skills beyond the subtle elevation of their presence through Dragon Fear, but if they had, he hadn’t noticed it. Still, resisting that pressure and concluding the talks with what he considered an excellent outcome had likely contributed a fair share of records to those that had now crystallized into this diplomacy-related title. However, he was quite happy with its effects.

  The most notable realization, Alistair concluded, based on his gathered data, was that Combat titles weren’t his most prevalent simply because he saw himself as a fighter. Rather, they stood out because he wasn’t the only source of the records. Unlike other title types, it seemed clear that each time he killed someone or something, a part of their records transferred to him. This was especially evident in his slayer titles, which appeared to draw on relevant records from both parties involved in the conflict.

  He was confident this transfer wasn’t exclusive to combat titles, though he wondered what the crafting equivalent would look like. He suspected it depended on the type of craft—perhaps weapons that formed a weapon spirit provided the creator with additional records over time? He had very little data to go on right now; Denodia was the only crafts person he knew who successfully created a weapon with a spirit, and she had done so only once.

  Only time would tell. After all, he’d only been in the system for just over two years, and soon enough, he’d have a clearer picture.

  Alistair's intuition told him that somebody's attention was on him, and he tore himself out of the Soulscape just in time to feel the Artemis exiting warp space.

  However, Zephi seemed to have expected the sensation and had likely been warned by Riseth. Alistair could sense King and Rovari stirring in the back of the craft, likely getting ready to disembark.

  As the screens came to life, displaying the Ryse system in all its glory, Zephi was glued to the screens, mesmerized by the view of Lacustrine, Nautilus, and the massive station that loomed beside them. Glancing at the screens, Alistair noticed that the station’s weapons had initially trained on their ship upon arrival but were now retracting back into standby mode as the shields slowly flickered off and Riseth confirmed their identities.

  While it was highly unlikely that anyone could locate their world or track their crafts, the recently added advanced ECM suites and counter-tracking measures provided an extra layer of security. They left nothing to chance, activating shields and training weapons on new arrivals as standard protocol. The ECM suite on the Artemis—and throughout the fleet—could detect quantum entanglement beacons or other tracking devices to ensure security. This technology was among the key assets they’d acquired from the Aegis Coalition, funded in part by the substantial bounty payments the Coalition still owed them.

  "Your worlds are beautiful," Zephi said, awe-struck.

  "A bit too much water for my taste," Rovari commented, earning a raised eyebrow from Riseth. She huffed before relenting. "Fine, fine... it's breathtaking."

  Alistair watched as she leaned into King, her tail still tightly intertwined with his, a look of satisfaction on her face. King wore a similar expression, though his attempt at a contented smile ended up looking decidedly awkward. Alistair couldn’t resist storing the mental image of King’s hilariously unpracticed grin, especially when King caught his eye.

  King still hadn't mastered facial expressions while in his humanoid form, and his current face was extremely goofy-looking.

  A mischievous grin spread across Alistair's face, leaving King even more perplexed. He filed the mental image away for later use.

  They descended swiftly toward Rathos, with Zephi’s awe-filled “oohs” and “aahs” filling the cockpit while looking at the large screens in amazement. Rovari tried to maintain a neutral expression, but her eyes widened just slightly when the landing hatch opened, revealing the expanse of the hangar below.

  As they disembarked, Nessyra and Zarrias were there to greet them. Nessyra offered a wide smile as she embraced her sister, then Alistair, though her eyes kept darting to the new arrivals.

  “Welcome back. It sounds like the trip was... productive,” Nessyra said, an amused gleam in her gaze. “I imagine congratulations are in order, though I’m not entirely sure where to start,” she added, glancing between King and Rovari, a hint of mischief in her expression.

  King raised his chin with a scoff. “You may bask in the presence of a true progenitor dragon!”

  Nessyra chuckled, bowing with a touch of respect, though her tone remained playful. “Oh, mighty progenitor, I’ll be sure to make a grand announcement in your honor,” she teased. Alistair noted Rovari edging closer to King, her tail flicking slightly in subtle agitation.

  Noticing the shift, Nessyra laughed warmly and inclined her head to the newcomers. “Where are my manners? I’m Nessyra, the clan’s executive. It’s a pleasure to officially welcome you.”

  She turned back to King, her gaze both warm and sincere. “King, congratulations on your Draconic Ascension—and on finding a worthy mate.” She offered Rovari a respectful nod. “Rovari, welcome to the Ryser Clan.”

  Rovari’s expression was composed, but Alistair didn’t miss the flash of annoyance in her eyes, along with a hint of hesitation in her stance. Nessyra’s subtle yet powerful presence had effortlessly suppressed Rovari’s faint use of Dragon Fear—a silent reminder of her own authority. Rovari, who likely saw Nessyra as a rival, seemed almost unsettled, a reaction that Nessyra no doubt intended to stoke though for what reasons he couldn't fathom.

  Nessyra then turned to the rest of the group. “While I need to catch our leaders up on some sensitive information, Zarrias will be your guide for now. If there’s anything you need, just let him know.” A glint of amusement returned to her eyes. “Braxik, our master builder, is also eagerly awaiting your arrival—seems the idea of designing a home for dragons has him quite excited.”

  The group turned to Zarrias, who offered a respectful bow. “I am Zarrias. Welcome to Rathos. I’ll be your guide. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

  Zephi, who had been watching the exchange, looked between them with a mix of confusion and concern. “I thought we’d all stick together?”

  Riseth placed a comforting hand on the young dragoness’s shoulder. “We will,” she assured her. “But there are certain duties we’re required to attend to.”

  Noticing Zephi’s disappointed pout, Riseth added, “Rathos is an incredible city. We have some of the best food you’ll ever taste and even an entertainment dungeon. I’m sure you’ll find plenty to enjoy.”

  Zephi looked a bit uncertain but gave a nod, her gaze shifting to Zarrias. He offered her a warm smile. "It would be my pleasure to show you around Rathos in all its glory," he said, his attention moving between Zephi and Rovari. "Are you hungry, by chance?"

  Both Zephi and Rovari perked up immediately. Rovari stepped closer, dragging King along with a firm tug. “Starving. Lead the way,” she commanded, her tone leaving little room for delay. Zephi’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she chimed in, “Yes, please!”

  Zarrias flashed a winning smile at the three dragons and gestured for them to follow, guiding them toward the nearest teleportation hub, ready to lead them through the heart of Rathos.