"Even if they can take human form still will they really lower their status."

Ethan hadn't met one but from tales he remembered,Dragons were lofty beings.

The thought reminded him of those novels where the protagonist always ended up with a dragon wife. He shook his head with a sigh. "I guess even legends have their absurd parts."

He continued to read until he found something more practical. "The higher the concentration of dragon blood, the greater the manifestation of draconic power," he read aloud.

"At around fifty percent, a human can take the shape of a semi-dragon. And when it reaches full concentration, one can completely transform into a dragon itself."

He turned another page, his eyes scanning through diagrams and notes about transformations.

"At the lower levels," he murmured, "a person might manifest dragon scales for protection. Then wings, tails, or even claws. The stronger the blood, the stronger the body."

After reading for nearly an hour, Ethan finally looked at the vial of Flame Dragon Essence resting on the table. The red liquid shimmered softly, glowing like molten lava. He picked it up between his fingers and stared at it in silence.

"It's just one ml," he said quietly. "How much change can it bring? Maybe it'll help, but I doubt it'll cause any big transformation."

Still, the curiosity in his eyes betrayed his calm voice. He wondered if it would be enough to form dragon scales or awaken some part of that power within him.

He sighed, setting the vial back down and closing the books. After a long moment of silence, he came to a decision.

"I should refine this first," he said to himself, "and once that's done, I'll use my insight to push through a breakthrough. That way I can reach the next stage safely. For now, I'll experiment using the Mage insight."

He sat cross-legged and took a deep breath, focusing his mind. Then, with a single thought, he activated the stored insight.

"Use eight years of Mage insight," he commanded.

A surge of energy shot through his head.

SWOOOSH!

An overwhelming rush of images, spells, and ancient symbols flooded into his mind. His temples throbbed painfully. Veins bulged across his forehead, and he clenched his teeth as his whole body trembled. His head burned with heat as if fire had been poured into his skull.

The pain lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like hours.

Then it happened.

BREAKTHROUGH!

[Middle Beginner Mage.]

[late Beginner Mage.]

The energy in his body raged like a storm. As it began to calm, Ethan pushed again.

"Use the remaining years."

The flood came once more, and the last of the insight was absorbed.

BREAKTHROUGH!

[Early Intermediate Mage.]

His body jolted lightly as the power settled. The air around him rippled faintly, bending from the invisible pressure that now surrounded him.

He opened his eyes slowly. The candle flames in the room flickered as if bowing before him.

His vision seemed sharper, but it wasn't his sight that had changed—it was something else.

He could sense everything around him in a strange, intangible way. Every presence, every particle of mana felt alive in his perception.

It was as if the world had opened a new layer, one visible only to the mind.

He exhaled slowly, eyes widening in awe. "This... This feeling is completely different from a Knight's advancement."

Now he understood what the old masters meant. A Knight's strength came from the body, forged through pain and endurance. But a Mage's strength was born from the mind, from understanding and harmony with the unseen forces of the world.

He felt light, almost detached from his body, as though his consciousness had grown larger than his physical form. His mind felt sharper, calmer, and more aware of everything—the flow of mana, the weight of thoughts, the whisper of life around him.

"A Knight trains to harden his body," he murmured, "while a Mage trains to sharpen his mind."

He paused, then gave a faint smile. "But once you reach the higher levels, when the body can no longer carry the soul's power, that's where the Knights get stuck. They try to transcend using their flesh, while a Mage simply evolves through spirit."

He let out a quiet breath. "No wonder Mages are so respected. No wonder they command so much attention compared to us Knights."

He smirked faintly. "To them, we must look like insects crawling at the bottom of the ladder."

"Tsk," he clicked his tongue. "Let's see who gets crushed first."

The candle beside him flickered again, casting a long shadow of Ethan on the wall, one that seemed to stretch far beyond the man himself.

"Let's use blood and then Knight Insight to push further."

....

Somewhere around Blanks...

A golden-haired man with a cloak draped over his armor walked slowly down the dirt road.

The sound of his boots hitting the ground echoed faintly in the quiet air. His expression was sharp and serious as he muttered under his breath.

"The upper echelon seemed to have abandoned the case, but how can we just let it go…" he said, clenching his jaw. "Someone from our side got killed. After waiting for so long, I finally managed to slip through."

He paused, his eyes burning with determination. "I should meet that man and see for myself if it's true."

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white. The fire in his eyes spoke of righteous anger and unshaken resolve. But as he walked closer toward the town, his confident steps slowed down. His brow furrowed.

"Wait a second… am I even at the right place?" he said loudly and pulled out a worn-out map from his bag.

He compared the map with the buildings in front of him, then blinked in disbelief. "What the hell?"

He looked around again, his eyes wide. "Isn't Blanks just a barony? How the hell did it become so developed?"

His voice carried a mix of shock and confusion. The walls stood tall and strong, glimmering faintly under the sunlight. The guards patrolling the entrance wore shining armor and held polished weapons.

"The walls, the weapons… everything looks like a Duchy City rather than a small village," he said, shaking his head slowly. "Just what happened here?"

For a moment, he stood frozen, feeling his old understanding of the world begin to crack.

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