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A large treasure chest of gold and purple rested before me, most likely left behind after I defeated the Nightmare Beast Lord known as the Venom Sovereign. What surprised me more was that it had dropped at all. In Your Story Online, bosses typically left behind treasure chests containing their loot, so this made sense.

Yet this had never happened outside the game. I had slain countless Field Bosses and Alpha Monsters without a single chest appearing. Why now? Had the Nightmare Nest transformed into a Dungeon?

"How is this possible, Astraea?" I asked. "Has the Nightmare Nest actually become a dungeon?"

[Yes, I believe it is already more than halfway complete.]

Astraea analyzed our surroundings through my senses.

[Naturally, after defeating such a powerful foe, the Andromeda System has chosen to reward you handsomely!]

"Do the Nightmares not know about this dungeon phenomenon?" I asked Mongrel.

"Like hell we would know about something that weird!" Mongrel snapped. "Your world is one of the strangest we’ve ever invaded. It’s filled with bizarre rules and systems. Most other worlds were far simpler by comparison."

"I’m not sure if I should feel flattered by that," I sighed. "Astraea, do you think the Nightmares know how to exploit dungeons?"

[It’s difficult to say. If their nest has become a dungeon, it means they’ve been unknowingly assimilated by the Andromeda System and now register as monsters. When a dungeon forms, the strongest monster in the area is designated as the Boss... and those nearly as powerful become Side Bosses. They are all strengthened to make the challenge far greater.]

"Wait, that’s why he was so strong?!" I asked in disbelief. "The System was empowering him?"

[I don’t know. It’s possible it wasn’t. The System usually only elevates monsters that are severely lacking in power. Nightmares are strange entities from another dimension. I believe the System doesn’t fully know how to classify them beyond their names. They are already too strong for it to empower them further.]

"So I fought him at his base strength? I can’t even imagine what it would have been like if the System had empowered him..."

[It likely would have led to your death... So this is better, Master.]

"Right," I nodded. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s open it and see what’s inside."

I stepped forward and lifted the lid. A burst of sparkling light poured out, revealing a pile of silver-glass coins, potions, a book, a scroll, and two pieces of equipment.

[You have opened the Nightmare Beast Lord Boss Treasure Chest (A Grade)!]

[You have received the following items:]

[System Point Coins (A Grade)] x1000

[Divine Soul Spirit Elixir (A Grade)] x10

[Random Species Path Skill Book (A Grade)] x1

[Nightmare Affinity Skill Scroll (A Grade)] x1

[Nightmare Venomous Sovereign Ring (A Grade)] x1

[Abyssal Bat Lord Cloak (A Grade)] x1

"Oh, this is interesting. What are these coins, though?"

In Your Story Online, the currency had always been gold. These were different—System Point Coins. How did they even work?

[You simply place them within the System interface. By touching a system window, they will be automatically assimilated.]

"Like this?"

I pressed one coin against her message window. It instantly digitized into bright white and blue pixels.

[You have exchanged one System Point Coin.]

[You have earned 1000 System Points.]

"That’s interesting! So System Points are the true currency of this world?" I wondered aloud. "I’ve lived so sheltered that I’ve barely seen money, let alone needed it."

[Correct. Since the Andromeda System’s integration, most monetary systems have shifted toward System Point exchange.]

[Although other countries or worlds may still use their own currencies, System Points are universal and can purchase nearly anything or be converted into local money.]

[You can also create physical System Point Coins. Their value increases with the grade.]

[SSS Grade Coins cost 1,000,000 System Points.]

[SS Grade Coins cost 100,000 System Points.]

[S Grade Coins cost 10,000 System Points.]

[A Grade Coins cost 1,000 System Points.]

[B Grade Coins cost 500 System Points.]

[C Grade Coins cost 100 System Points.]

[D Grade Coins cost 50 System Points.]

[E Grade Coins cost 10 System Points.]

[F Grade Coins cost 1 System Point.]

Astraea listed the exchange rates for each grade, from SSS down to E.

"That’s fascinating. But why does Yggdrasil use dollars?"

[Your great-grandfather unified that world under a single currency... If you meet him, you could ask.]

"Huh. Alright, let’s convert them all into System Points for now."

[Understood]

[You have exchanged 999 System Point Coin.]

[You earned 999,000 System Points.]

After exchanging the rest, my total balance appeared:

[Total System Points: 2,472,000]

"I’m rich," I muttered with a smirk.

I quickly turned to the other items. The first was the Divine Soul Spirit Elixir. It promised to nourish the soul, so I drank two immediately. A wave of refreshing warmth flooded through me.

"Phew! Using that soul ability really drained every last bit of my essence. I was starving," I sighed in relief. "It’s so strange... it feels like my soul has a stomach now."

Still sensing that lingering hunger, I drank two more elixirs, leaving me with six and finally feeling satisfied. I sipped them while snacking on the bats, using Harmonious Chaos Reversal to transform their ugly corpses into tender, delicious celestial meat.

"Now, the Skill Book."

I opened it, and glowing runes surged forward, piercing my chest before spreading through my flesh and soul. The book vanished as the new knowledge settled within me.

Ding!

[You have used the Random Species Path Skill Book (A Grade) x1.]

[You have learned the Human Path Skill: Adaptive Learning – Tier 1 (Level 1/10)]

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[Adaptive Learning – Tier 1: Level 1/10]

Description: Humanity’s greatest strength, the ability to observe, imitate, and rapidly improve. You can learn from watching others much faster than other species.

Effects: Increases experience gain from observed skills/spells by 30%. Reduces skill level-up requirements by 25%. Grants a small chance to gain partial insight or a mini version of a skill after seeing it used multiple times. Slightly increases all stat growth rates while actively training or fighting alongside others.

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"Oh, this is amazing," I breathed, genuinely taken aback.

The skill offered powerful passive effects that would accelerate my growth even further. I had never expected the "weakest" species path to grant me something so useful. So far, the Human Path has yet to disappoint.

"Alright, the scroll next."

I unfurled it, and thick black fog erupted, wrapping around my body and soul before I inhaled it deeply. The alien Nightmare element from another dimension slowly fused with my being until it became real.

The scroll dissolved, and dark, nightmarish power surged through my hands.

[You have used the Nightmare Affinity Skill Scroll (A Grade) x1!]

[You have learned the Nightmare Skill: Living Darkness – Tier 1 (Level 1/10)!]

"Living Darkness?" I murmured.

I flexed my fingers, watching living tendrils of darkness swirl around them like sentient smoke. It felt strange—cold, hungry, and whispering things I couldn’t quite understand. Not evil, exactly... but undeniably alien.

[Correct,] Astraea said. [It is an external element, highly compatible with your Chaos Demon path. It can also merge with your Dragon and Human sides if guided carefully. Be cautious, Master. Nightmares feed on fear and negative emotions. Even if your power won’t betray you, abusing it could still harm you. Nightmare affinity isn’t entirely new to the System. Your great-grandfather, your father, and your aunt all possess it. You are the fourth to obtain it.]

"So it’s still pretty rare!" I said, stunned. "Huh... Does my great-grandfather really have every element?"

[That’s right. The Divine Dragon King Drake possesses Supreme Dominion over every element. He is the strongest Magus in this universe—an Supreme Venerable Arcanist. This comes from his unique talent as the Dragon King, a singular species created to inherit every Elemental Dragon Bloodline. No one since has been born with that same talent. His descendants carry strong affinities, but none can assimilate as many Dragon Bloodlines as he did.]

"I see..."

[You, however, seem special. It hasn’t been fully confirmed, but many already speculate you may have inherited his true power—a "Dragon Queen" destined to one day claim his throne.]

"What?! Isn’t the throne already occupied by my dad? Nah, I’m good... I don’t want to become a queen yet!"

[Your father is the current Dragon King. The throne passed to him after he proved himself worthy of the burden. This finally allowed your great-grandfather to retire after hundreds of thousands of years of tireless rule.]

"Well, I’m glad for him... Though I wish he wasn’t somewhere out in space."

[You’ll likely understand him better once you live as long as he has.]

"I can hardly fathom that, and—"

"Would you two stop yapping?!" Mongrel growled. "We don’t have time for this! The Nightmares are preparing an all-out invasion on this realm!" He shook his head. "Ugh, I hate being the responsible one..."

"You’re right, we should hurry," I said, nodding. "Let me check the new skill first."

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