His question would be left unanswered as, in the next instant, he detected something far away.

Seraphine.

Without thinking of anything else, Leon teleported himself to her location in the next moment. These six months hadn't been a complete waste—he had discovered something quite useful during his time here. He could now detect things inside the dimensional space, albeit with limitations.

I've been checking on her so regularly that the thought just occurred to me one day, he recalled as reality blurred around him. If I can teleport anywhere I want inside the dimensional space without using mana, as long as I've visited that place once, then why not try detection as well?

The theory had proven correct, though with an unexpected quirk—he could only detect Seraphine. No one else registered on his newfound sense, which had perplexed him at first.

It must be because of that mark, he'd eventually concluded. The one I gave her that grants full access to the conscious realm of the dimensional space. This detection ability only works on her, and only in here.

These thoughts came to an abrupt stop as he materialized in their makeshift house and saw the sight before him—Seraphine was sitting up on the bed, her amethyst eyes open and aware, though she looked slightly disoriented from her long slumber.

Leon walked casually toward her, a relieved smile on his face. "You're finally awake, sleepyhead."

The air between them still crackled faintly, carrying the soft ozone scent of her reborn lightning. When she touched him, warmth bled through his shirt like sunlight through silk.

Instead of replying with words, Seraphine immediately wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. Her voice came out small and meek, muffled by his shirt. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long."

Leon felt her trembling slightly against him, and understanding dawned. She was aware of everything.

"I could sense everything around me," Seraphine continued, her voice breaking slightly. "My awareness was present, but I couldn't do anything. The changes happening in my soul and my body outside—they kept me trapped. I wanted to talk to you, to hug you, to touch you for so long, but I couldn't move, couldn't speak. It was so hard, Leon. So hard just lying there while you checked on me day after day."

Leon's arms came up automatically, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other rubbed soothing circles on her back. It must have been torture for her, he thought with a pang of sympathy. Especially knowing how clingy she is with me. Being aware but unable to act—that's its own kind of prison.

"It's okay," he murmured against her hair. "You're awake now. That's what matters."

They stayed like that for a long while, Seraphine drawing comfort from his presence and warmth after months of isolated consciousness. When she finally pulled back, her face was slightly flushed with embarrassment.

"I want to test my new strength," she said, attempting to sound excited and energetic. "And talk to you more about what I experienced during the transformation, but..." Her stomach chose that moment to emit a loud, unmistakable growl. Her blush deepened considerably. "I'm starving."

Leon couldn't help it—he laughed. The sound was genuine and warm, filled with affection for this powerful woman who could be so endearingly childlike at times. She acts like a kid sometimes, he thought fondly. There's nothing to be embarrassed about, but I'm not going to say that out loud. Her reaction is too adorable.

"Come on," he said, still grinning. "Let's get you fed."

With a shared thought, both of them withdrew their consciousness from the dimensional space and returned to their real bodies. The transition was instantaneous—one moment they were in the timeless mountain sanctuary, the next they were back in the physical world, blinking against the natural light.

The first thing that entered their minds was a bit of sympathy mixed with concern. The dungeon portal still remained sealed, its blue surface rippling with unstable energy. People were still trapped inside.

At least some of them must be alive, Leon thought, noting how the portal's instability suggested ongoing activity within. If everyone had died, it would have collapsed completely by now.

He deliberately averted his focus from the troubling sight and guided Seraphine away from the dungeon. They didn't mention it, both understanding that dwelling on what they couldn't control would only sour the mood of her awakening.

Once inside their temporary quarters—a room Leon had claimed in a nearby abandoned building—he reached into his inventory and began pulling out dish after dish. He'd gone all out, preparing for this moment. Roasted meats seasoned with exotic spices, fresh bread that somehow remained warm and fragrant, colorful arrays of vegetables prepared in different styles, rich soups that steamed invitingly, and desserts that looked almost too beautiful to eat.

The small table quickly became overwhelmed with the sheer variety and quantity of food.

Steam rose in lazy curls, wrapping the room in warmth and spice. The crackle of roasted meat and the faint sweetness of baked bread filled the air until it almost felt sacred—a celebration of being alive.

Seraphine's eyes widened at the spread. "Leon, this is too much!"

She didn't know he had such a feast stored inside his inventory.

"You just survived a six-month transformation," he replied simply. "You deserve a feast."

They ate together, the simple pleasure of sharing a meal making everything feel normal again. Between bites, they talked about everything and nothing—her experiences during the transformation, his training progress, amusing observations about the world around them. The conversation flowed naturally, punctuated by laughter and comfortable silences.

"My affinities have changed," Seraphine said at one point, her voice carrying barely contained excitement. " I have two affinities now, lightning and light affinity, just like the treasure said before, Rank 5 light affinity, and my lightning reached Rank 6. I can feel the difference, Leon. The power flows so much more naturally, responds so much more readily to my will."

Leon's face lit up with genuine pride and enthusiasm. "That's incredible! You can be so much stronger now!"

Seraphine beamed at his praise, the warmth of his approval meaning more to her than the power itself.

As the lunch drew to a close, the conversation shifted to more serious topics. Leon found himself sharing his frustration about the skill progression barrier, explaining his six months of failed attempts to break past level 100.

"I've tried everything I can think of," he said, his frustration evident despite his attempts to remain analytical. "Repetition, innovation, extreme conditions, meditation—nothing works. The skills just sit at level 100 like they've hit an absolute ceiling."

Seraphine listened carefully, her expression thoughtful. The fact that he'd even conceived of pushing skills beyond their apparent limits impressed her quite a bit—most people simply accepted level caps as immutable facts of reality. But as he described his various approaches, she began to understand why he wasn't succeeding.

He's approaching it like a problem that can be solved through effort alone, she realized. But maybe that's not the right approach.

She wasn't entirely sure how one would achieve such a feat as breaking past level 100—it was territory she'd never explored herself. However, one thing became increasingly clear as he spoke: his methodology was flawed at a fundamental level.

The conversation wound down naturally, both of them lost in thought about the skill barrier problem. Then Seraphine remembered something—a quote she'd heard long ago from one of her tutors, about the nature of progress and stagnation.

"Leon," she said slowly, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "There's something I think you need to consider."

He looked at her attentively, sensing the shift in her demeanor.

"When you do the same thing again and again, expecting different results..." She paused, letting the words sink in. "That's just insanity."

Leon's eyes lit up like fireworks had exploded behind them. The simple statement hit him with the force of revelation, reframing his entire six months of frustration in a single moment of clarity.

Of course, he thought, his mind racing. I've been hammering at the wall using the same fundamental approach over and over, just varying the details. But if the approach itself is wrong, then no amount of variation will matter.

His expression shifted from frustration to excitement as possibilities began cascading through his mind—new angles, different paradigms, approaches he'd never considered because he'd been too focused on incremental variations of the same basic method.

Seraphine watched his face transform and smiled, satisfied that her words had struck the chord she'd intended. Sometimes the simplest truths were the most profound.

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