The relentless, suffocating heat of the Fiery Lands was a constant, tangible presence, a pressure on the skin and a fire in the lungs. Sebastian and Kael moved swiftly along the jagged, obsidian ridges, their steps light and practiced, following the faint scorch marks left by the defeated Challenger Ignarok. The colossal dragon was not moving fast, its humiliation having translated into a slower, wounded retreat, but its sheer size made it difficult to trail discreetly in the swirling volcanic haze.
Sebastian had released his Storm Hawk to fly high above the plume-choked sky, a lightning-wreathed scout in the toxic atmosphere. Kael's Duskmane maintained its gentle, protective aura, a shield of spiritual serenity that barely held the aggressive fire mana at bay. Sebastian was relying on the combination of elemental opposites—Storm and Mystic—to move undetected through the Ignarok's volatile territory.
After nearly an hour of tracking across the treacherous landscape, marked by steaming vents and cracked earth, the Ignarok finally stopped. It had retreated to a secluded, concave basin formed by an ancient, cooled lava flow. At the center of the basin lay a large, still pool of liquid magma, its surface a smooth, glowing orange-red, bubbling softly with captured heat.
Sebastian and Kael quickly took cover behind a massive, partially cooled rock formation, positioning themselves downwind from the dragon. From their vantage point, they could observe the entire scene without detection.
The Challenger Ignarok, its armor scorched and its movement sluggish from the battle, approached the magma pool. Its powerful body was visibly weary, its internal glow faint, and the deep cracks in its armor were weeping a thin, grey fluid—the sign of significant damage to its protective layers.
Without hesitation, the colossal dragon let out a low, guttural rumble of relief and simply walked to the edge of the pool. It lowered its immense body and then, with a slow, deliberate movement that defied its bulk, submerged itself into the liquid magma.
The surface of the pool rippled violently for a moment, and then settled, leaving only the Ignarok's obsidian spikes and the ridge of its head visible above the glowing liquid. The magma pool, far from being a source of injury, was now a restorative bath, its intense heat and elemental purity providing deep healing.
Kael watched the process with a mixture of awe and bewilderment. The Duskmane beside him shuddered slightly, its Mystic-elemental nature instinctively recoiling from the sheer aggression of the Fire/Earth energies.
"Sir, what is this Ignarok doing inside the magma pool?" Kael whispered, the heat making his voice sound raspy.
Sebastian kept his eyes fixed on the submerged beast, the analytical part of his brain already drawing parallels with the data he possessed. "I believe it's healing itself," he replied, his voice a low, steady murmur. "The Book of Beast Records noted its high Endurance and its tendency to bask in lava pools. The pure, highly concentrated Fire Mana of the magma acts like a hyper-potent healing tonic for a creature of its nature. The magma is not hurting it; it's aggressively reconstructing its scorched rock-scales and replenishing its internal molten reserves. It's the equivalent of a human submerging in a pool of Tier IV healing potions."
They waited in silence, the only sound the soft, ominous bubbling of the magma pool. The seconds stretched into minutes, and during that time, they could observe the subtle, yet powerful, process of recovery. The obsidian spikes of the Ignarok began to glow with a steady, vibrant intensity, and the faint, grey liquid that had wept from its cracks ceased flowing. The air around the pool grew even hotter, a sign that the dragon was absorbing and rapidly processing the vast elemental energy of the magma.
Finally, with a powerful surge, the Challenger Ignarok rose from the pool. The liquid magma slid off its hardened scales like water off glass, leaving its massive body entirely rejuvenated. The scorch marks were gone, its internal glow was strong and steady, and its posture was now straight and resolute. The humiliation had not faded, but the physical weakness was entirely banished.
The dragon then moved away from the pool, heading towards a different area of the basin where a solitary boulder—a massive, twenty-foot-tall monolith of cooled volcanic rock—stood upright.
Kael watched, perplexed, as the Ignarok began to circle the boulder, letting out a series of low, rumbling growls. Then, without warning, the dragon took a running start and slammed its massive, lava-clubbed tail into the side of the boulder. CRACK! The impact was deafening, shaking the ground violently. The boulder groaned but remained upright.
The Ignarok pulled back, analyzed the result for a brief moment, and then slammed its powerful head and shoulders into the rock. BOOM! Another jarring impact, the sheer force of its momentum threatening to shatter the stone. It continued this process, alternating between tail slams, shoulder tackles, and even attempting to use its powerful claws to rip into the rock's base.
"Sir," Kael asked, his eyes wide with surprise, "do you think this Ignarok is training?"
Sebastian watched the disciplined, almost methodical assault on the unmoving rock, a flicker of genuine astonishment in his eyes. The sheer stamina and force were impressive, but it was the intent that was truly shocking. "Yes, Kael. It is. It's practicing its tackling ability, its shock absorption, and the coordinated use of its Seismic Slam and Inferno Charge capabilities. It's refining its attack vector and seeking to understand its own limitations."
The implication was immense, forcing Sebastian to rapidly re-evaluate the Ignarok's profile. The Book of Beast Records had rated the creature's Intelligence at a mediocre 6/10—indicating instinctual aggression, not conscious self-improvement.
"But Sir, didn't you say that Ignaroks are not very intelligent?" Kael pressed, confusion clear in his voice. "He even knows where he's lacking. He knows he couldn't break the Dominant Male's defense through sheer force, so he's practicing how to tackle something immovable. How is this Ignarok even practicing by itself?"
Sebastian watched the relentless, disciplined assault, the dragon moving with a focus that far exceeded simple instinct. He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing through possibilities drawn from his deep well of Rune-Beast lore.
"Hmm," Sebastian murmured, his voice trailing off thoughtfully. "The standard Ignarok is purely territorial and instinctual, yes. Its learning capacity is typically low. But this behavior… this self-analysis and deliberate self-improvement is indicative of a higher cognitive function."
He paused, a theory forming in his mind, one that brought a familiar, cold excitement to his eyes. "This one is showing signs of what we call an Ascendant Trait. It might be a variant, or it has gone through a mutation—a spontaneous evolutionary push that grants it higher intelligence and a desire for mastery."
Sebastian recalled the memory of his own Thunderjaw Wyvern, which had displayed similar signs of unique, non-standard growth. "It's very much like my Thunderjaw Wyvern. That one wasn't a standard T-Rex type; it was a mutant with an increased capacity for lightning mana and a unique talent. This Ignarok is showing similar signs of being an evolutionary outlier."
He watched the dragon execute a perfect Inferno Charge against the boulder, coating itself in fire, the impact resounding like a cannon shot. "However," Sebastian continued, pointing out the subtle flaws in the dragon's technique, "the process of this mutation is clearly not complete yet. Its execution still relies too heavily on raw force, and its focus breaks down after several attempts. It's struggling to align its powerful elemental body with its newly awakening strategic mind. It knows what to do, but it hasn't mastered how to do it efficiently."
Sebastian's gaze softened slightly, replaced by a glint of strategic admiration. "Kael, this is more than just a powerful Rune-Beast. This is a Rune-Beast seeking mastery. It's driven not by territory, but by the desire for strength—a drive that was catalyzed by its recent, humiliating defeat. It has the rare, unique potential for continued, rapid growth. The bonding difficulty might be high, but the potential reward is incalculable."
He turned to Kael, his decision now absolute. "We have found our true target. We will not approach it with a challenge of force, but with a challenge of knowledge and potential. We will offer it the missing piece of its evolution: a guiding mind to help it master its own strength. We wait until it rests, and then, we approach the variant of the fiery heart."