The amount of power that has been absorbed over hundreds or thousands of years would be terrifying. There isn't any feeling of will from the connection, so it is probably working on automatic. I spend quite a bit of time just trying to think of why someone would do something like that.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 65%

  The best idea I come up with is that maybe it is connected to a god's domain. When I think of that, I am immediately tempted to check the other planes for more connections. However, before I do that I spend some more time studying the connection.

  This time I am not trying to learn where it goes, I am trying to figure out how it was done. If I can figure that out, then maybe I can make a connection of my own. If I connected my bath to the lightning plane I would get way more benefits from it.

  Although, before I do something like that, I need to figure out what affects the other end of the connection has. If it just supplies power, then I can simply use it to fuel the castle. In that situation I can even connect the castle to all of the elemental planes.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 75%

  However, if it brings the lightning over intact, then it would be the perfect upgrade to my bath. I could still connect to the other planes, I would just use it to make rooms for the kids. Then they would be able to train without heading to the elemental planes.

  So far the planes don't seem too dangerous, but that doesn't mean that they are safe. If we can visit them, then so can others, and they might not be friendly. So, having training rooms in the castle would be a much safer option.

  However, since I can't see the far end of the connection I can't be sure what will happen. So, I either need to find another connection to study, or make my own and see what happens. Normally I would jump straight to make my own, but since I need to leave this plane soon anyway, I may as well look around.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 85%

  Looking for other connections sounds interesting and I can check on the kids while I am at it. Mainly, I want to see if I can figure out if the connections really go to godly domains. A way to sneak into a god's domain would be really useful, especially if the goddesses don't know about it.

  There is no way that they are going to give me permission to raid unknown gods' domains. However, I don't plan to be stupid and raid blindly, I will figure out how to identify the gods first. I will only raid the domains of gods that would count as my enemies.

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  Luckily, because the goddesses are their own pantheon, most of the gods count as enemies. Of course, this is all assuming that my guess about the connections is correct. I could be completely wrong, but I won't know unless I find a better connection to study.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 95%

  Almost there, just one more tick and I will rank up, but that will not put me halfway to evolution. It will put me at one hundred and ninety evolution points, so I can stay for two more ticks. That is what I plan to do, mainly so that I can see how much progress it gives to my core.

  If I manage to evolve before getting my final rank up I may just come back here. There shouldn't be a problem with me getting more lightning for my next evolution. I am perfectly fine with the idea of turning into a lightning dragon.

  If the pattern doesn't change, I will need eight hundred evolution points after this evolution. That is more than enough room that coming here to rank up shouldn't be an issue. Finally, I absorb enough lightning to get the last tick needed for my rank up.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 100%

  Core Upgrade Complete!

  Core Rank: 18 -> 19! HP +3,000, DP +1,500, MP +2,000, Skill Points +100, Evolution Points +50!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 5%

  'Alright! Just one more rank to go to find out what happens!'

  I activate the remote to summon a gate, I was planning to stay longer, but that has changed. I forgot in my calculations that ranking up also gives me evolution points. I am now forty points over the halfway mark that I was aiming for.

  +5 Evolution Points!

  Core Upgrade Progress: 10%

  Apparently, I managed to absorb enough lightning to get more evolution points before flying into the gate. It looks like my plan of evolving with half dragon isn't going to work out now. From this point on, I need to make sure that the only evolution points I get are for dragon.

  That means that I also need to avoid ranking up before my next evolution. That is going to be really annoying, but I don't want to risk messing up my evolution. It also means that I can't go into the plane of fire to look for connections.

  Instead I decide to head through the gate to the subplane of plants to check on Albion. Not only is he on his own, but I'm not sure if the plane can even benefit him. As soon as I enter the plane I spread my senses out, locate Albion, and head to where he is.

  "Albion, how are you doing?"

  Albion says "I am fine, father."

  "Do you like it here? Is this place of benefit to you?"

  Albion says "Yes, I like it here. It is peaceful. It hasn't benefited me yet, but I feel like it will. If it is okay, I would like to stay here longer."

  "That's fine. I am not here to make you leave, I just wanted to check on you. As long as you are happy, then stay as long as you need to. To be honest, I don't understand your ability. If this place can help you, then that is great."

  Albion says "Thank you, father. Don't worry, nothing here will hurt me."

  "Don't let your guard down. Considering all the worlds in the material plane, I highly doubt that we are the only ones who can travel the planes."

  Albion says "I didn't think of that. I will be careful."

  "I didn't think of it earlier, or I would have warned everyone before letting them run off."

  Albion says "I'm sure that my siblings will be fine. They are all stronger than I am."

  "Just because they can fight better doesn't make them stronger. From what I have seen, your race isn't very warlike. Your abilities lie in other areas, but that does not make them weak."

  Albion says "Thank you, father. That makes me feel better."

  I give Albion a hug and spend some time petting him, then I leave him to study the plane. After moving a decent distance away I spread my senses again and look for connections. To my surprise I find dozens of connections without even really trying.