In the days that followed, John pushed himself relentlessly. Before attempting to enter the world accessible through the crystal tower, he dedicated himself to intense physical training. He worked tirelessly on calisthenic exercises—pulling, pushing, lifting, and stretching—to build endurance and strength throughout his body.

  He also spent countless hours striking the anvil, honing his forging skills while simultaneously toughening his arms and shoulders. His commitment was driven by a single purpose: to be prepared in every way possible for the challenges that lay ahead inside the mysterious crystal tower.

  Kael had been coming once in a while, but his visits had grown less frequent and his spirit waned. The reason was Orwen's indifference—he simply let Kael and John labor away at the anvil without guidance or encouragement, which left Kael feeling demotivated. Despite this, Kael shared some important message with John. He told him that for his initiation to the crystal tower, the means of transportation he should use would be one summoned through Draco’s flute.

  John tried to inquire about what awaited him in the dimension beyond the crystal tower. He approached both Kael and Orwen separately, seeking answers about the unknown challenges and mysteries that lay ahead. Each time, however, their responses were the same and deliberately vague: "Don't worry, you will see." Neither was willing to reveal more, leaving John with only that cryptic reassurance as he prepared himself mentally for the journey into the uncharted realm beyond the tower. The uncertain future beckoned with a mixture of anticipation and unease, underscoring the unknown nature of what awaited him.

  When the day finally arrived, John stepped out of Orwen's workshop with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He clumsily raised Draco’s flute to his lips and blew uncertainly into it. Suddenly, a small, flying lizard appeared. It was not a dragon but something else. It approached, its wings fluttering gently as it came to hover before him. This creature, resembling a modestly sized lizard with delicate wings, was like a domesticated horse—steady, reliable, but silent, for unlike dragons, it did not speak.

  Just as John prepared to mount and take flight, Orwen suddenly appeared by his side. The dwarf was clad in a peculiar suit that blended the mystique of ancient craftsmanship with protective design. The suit was composed of overlapping plates of darkened leather and dull, burnished metal reinforced with arcane runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. It covered Orwen from neck to toe, segmented to allow movement yet looking strong enough to shield against harsh elements and unseen magical dangers. The helmet bore a narrow visor and intricate filigree, reminiscent of a warrior's armor fused with the robustness of a craftsman's gear fit for perilous ventures beyond ordinary realms. Nothing from Orwen was exposed as even the visor was covered by crystals.

  Without hesitation, Orwen spoke in a low, steady voice, "Wait, I will go with you." Together, they mounted the lizard-like steed, its wings flapping with a quiet strength as it lifted them toward the horizon, departing from the familiar shadows of the workshop into the unknown realms beyond the crystal tower. Their journey, marked by this unexpected companionship, was just beginning.

  When they landed on the enormous balcony that led to the crystal tower, Orwen immediately said, "Not yet, follow me." Without hesitation, he guided John away from the path to the towering structure, steering him through a maze of ancient dwarven tunnels carved deep into the mountain. The walls of the tunnels were rough-hewn stone, dimly lit by flickering torches that cast long shadows, emphasizing the weight of history in every step.

  As they reached a concealed chamber, Orwen paused and, with a silent movement, began to conjure a new set of armor from within his own. From his own strange suit, layers of metallic material shimmered and coalesced into a protective shell designed specifically for the harsh environment they were about to enter. The armor glowed faintly with runes and protective enchantments, designed to shield its wearer from toxic elements, extreme conditions, and unknown dangers below the crystal tower.

  Orwen looked at John with a grave expression and said firmly, "You must wear this." Without waiting for any protest, he helped John with the fitting, ensuring the armor settled snugly and comfortably. The suit felt light yet impenetrable, a necessary safeguard against the trials that awaited them as they moved closer to the mysterious fundament below the crystal tower.

  John felt very strange wearing the new armor. Though he was no stranger to seeing armor worn in battle, he was not used to do so himself, at least not heavy armor, but this felt entirely different than what normal armor would likely be like—heavy and cumbersome, as if it encouraged stillness rather than agility. He imagined standing still to take the full force of a fiery dragon’s breath without flinching. Why was such a burden necessary? The armor clearly wasn't designed for fighting or swift movement. It only allowed Orwen and himself to clumsily hop forward.

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  While John was lost in these troubling thoughts, Orwen broke the silence as they ventured deeper into the twisting tunnels. "The crystal tower is not powered by draconic magic," he explained. "It is fueled by a very special golden crystal. And there is something extraordinary about it. Given our condition," Orwen continued, his voice hushed but serious, "I need to show you."

  John's curiosity and unease deepened, realizing that this journey was about to reveal more than he had expected and that the armor he wore was but a part of the hidden truths surrounding the crystal tower and the power it housed.

  As John and Orwen ventured deeper into the tunnels, a warm golden light grew increasingly intense, bathing the passage in a radiant glow. Eventually, they stepped into a vast chamber dominated by a large golden crystal. John felt a strange sense of familiarity as he gazed upon it. This golden crystal was unlike any he had seen before, but it stirred memories of the blue crystal he had discovered deep within the oceanic cave and the black crystal hidden beneath the roots of the World Tree. The three crystals, each with their own unique colors and places of origin, seemed connected by an unseen thread of ancient magic. John wondered quietly to himself: What were these crystals, and what secrets did they hold? Their significance was profound, promising mysteries far beyond his current understanding.

  Orwen spoke to John with a solemn warning, "Be ready, it will hurt." With careful hands, he opened a small panel on John's armor—barely a square centimeter in size—allowing the radiant light of the golden crystal to penetrate the protective shell. Instantly, something miraculous occurred. John's stat window flickered to life before his eyes, flooding him with a surge of regained strength and power that revitalized his very being. The energy coursed through him like a torrent, reminding him of the system’s presence and the vast potential locked within. But just as suddenly as it appeared, the gap in the armor was sealed shut by Orwen, and the glowing system window vanished from John's sight once more, leaving behind the echo of the incredible moment.

  Orwen said: "Sorry for the excruciating pain." But his eyes widened with surprise when John calmly responded, "I felt no pain at all."

  "WHAT???" Orwen exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

  After the initial shock, Orwen explained with seriousness, "The light of the crystal can deactivate our collars, but it is a very pure energy emanating from it. It can kill a dragon if he stays too long in its presence, and of course, a dwarf or human would almost die instantly without protective gear. But you say you felt no pain?"

  John thought about the old elf who had suffered greatly from absorbing the black crystal's energy. However when he took Shira to the blue crystal, she did not seem to suffer—although her exposure was brief and she was very strong, yet not as strong as a dragon. Perhaps the water there dissipated the energy, assuming the crystals shared a similar nature. But why was John seemingly immune and even benefiting from the crystals' energy?

  The mystery lingered, suggesting a special connection or resilience in John that set him apart from others who had encountered the crystals' power.

  John began to remove his cumbersome armor, the strange feeling of constriction urging him to shed the heavy gear. Orwen's voice suddenly cut through the air in alarm, "Are you crazy?" But John remained calm and resolute. After slipping off his massive glove, he conjured a small, flickering flame in his right hand. "Don't worry," he said confidently. "The light of the crystal nourishes me."

  This simple flame, born of his own will and power, was a testament to his reconnection with the system through the crystal’s light—an energy that seemed to strengthen, not harm him. Orwen’s surprise deepened, and though he had warned against removing the protection, it was clear to both that John’s relationship with the crystal was unlike anyone else's. The nourishment and renewal he drew from the light were both mysterious and powerful, marking him as special in ways they had yet to comprehend.

  Orwen's eyes were filled with fascination as he studied John closely. "Truly amazing," he murmured. "Are you sure you're not suffering? I don't see any signs of corrosion on your exposed skin... How is this possible? The light of the crystal deactivates the collar, but it should kill you."

  John, with all his renewed strength, grabbed at his collar and tried to crush it, but to no avail. The collar was indeed deactivated, but still immovable. Orwen noticed John's futile struggle and said gravely, "You are lucky the crystal's power doesn't kill you, but you won't be able to remove the collar so easily. It doesn't matter if it's activated or not. This collar is of divine origin— not even a dragon could break it."

  John asked, "So I will lose my connection to the system again if I leave this place?"

  Orwen nodded sadly, "I'm afraid so... But the fact that you can survive unprotected from the radiation of the crystal opens up a lot of new research possibilities. For example, what would happen to the collar after prolonged exposure to the crystal?"

  The weight of the situation settled heavily on John, realizing the limits of his power and the mystery of his unique resilience. Yet, hope flickered in the promise that this rare trait might unlock secrets and untapped potentials yet to be discovered.

  Orwen declared with determination, "It's decided, I will move my workshop to the periphery of the crystal chamber. I will need to ask the old white dragon for permission, but given what I just witnessed, he will probably agree. I intend to run some experiments on your collar once I have the right tools."

  He then turned to John with a sly smile. "But for now, did you not have an initiation session at the crystal tower to attend, young man?"

  John couldn't help but feel that Orwen was subtly placing the blame on him for possibly being late, because the dwarf’s words carried the tone of a reprimand more than a simple remark. But wasn’t it Orwen who had led him somewhere else?

  Finishing the removal of his gear, John left it neatly beside Orwen, who was lost in thought, repeatedly muttering, "Fascinating... fascinating... fascinating." John then began climbing up the tunnels toward his awaited initiation, the echo of the dwarf's fascination resonating behind him. As soon as he got farther away from the crystal, John felt the restrictions of the collar bind him again. Was it even a good idea to leave or should he have stayed to absorb more energy from the crystal? He was not sure but still decided to go for the initiation to the tower first.