Fundamentally, Dragon Essence is an organ carrying the purest dragon genes remaining in a Nagawira's body. This was no secret to the veterans of the Procession Tower. They knew that the ancestors of the Nagawira were True Dragons. Even in various historical records of Ignisira, there was ample evidence linking modern Nagawira to those sovereign creatures of the sky.
However, an event in the distant past caused the dragons to undergo a decline, losing their power and eventually becoming the Nagawira they are today. Because of this, the System and the Guide seem to aim to restore their blood purity to a level equal to that of their great ancestors.
Every increase in blood purity brings a Nagawira one step closer to the form of a True Dragon—and multiplies their strength. No matter how weak someone was before, even the slightest increase in blood purity will drastically elevate all their attributes.
This is why Shiki has no intention of training herself through conventional means. No matter how skilled she is at 0% blood purity, she would still be unable to rival a Nagawira with 1%. And that is why her current attribute numbers are exactly the same as when she first arrived at the City of Beginnings in her previous life.
But…
Though the display looks the same, something is different this time.
"Hm?" Shiki murmured.
Aside from the Secret-Revealing Eyes, a new, unrecognized ability has appeared, along with a piece of equipment: Ring: ???.
Shiki furrowed her brow. As she recalled, there was no equipment in the Procession Tower that granted abilities or added attributes. Armor certainly helped with protection, but rings, necklaces, or bracelets were usually just ornaments—no more than ordinary accessories like in the outside world.
There was no doubt that the "???" ability, which never existed in her previous life, was linked to the "Ring: ???" equipment. The fact that a ring could grant an ability recognized by the System was utterly nonsensical.
"Just as I suspected… this ring must be the reason I underwent reincarnation to the past," she muttered, staring at the ring on her ring finger with a suspicious gaze. "But… why doesn't the System even know its name?"
The "???" text on the display meant the System possessed no data regarding the ring.
Or…
"…It's not that it doesn't know," she whispered softly, "but rather… it doesn't dare to write it."
Shiki fell silent for a moment. Then a thin, cold, and dangerous smile slowly bloomed on her face.
"Fufufu… how interesting…"
From the beginning, Shiki had suspected that the mysterious ring on her finger was directly related to her reincarnation. However, all attempts to trace the ring's origins in Ignisira had always ended in a dead end. In fact, searching for this ring had become her second priority—right after her search for the violet-eyed man.
Ironically, the ring itself offered no clues. To the naked eye, it was merely ordinary jewelry. The only anomaly was its impossible nature: no matter how far the ring was removed or discarded, the next morning it would be back around Shiki's ring finger, as if refusing to be left behind.
At first, Shiki didn't dwell on it too much.
Clearly, there was a power behind the ring that surpassed Ignisira's technology. She was certain the answer would emerge once she reached the Procession Tower. However, that hope collapsed when even the System—known for knowing almost everything—was unable to recognize the ring.
The "???" label on her display served as proof that the ring's secrets lay beyond the reach of common knowledge.
Instead of getting trapped in thought, Shiki chose to move forward. As a veteran, she knew one thing: secrets reveal themselves only to those strong enough to force them open.
"Secrets only exist for worthless people," she murmured coldly. "For the powerful, they are just common information."
She understood that the path to the truth about this ring was not through asking, but through rising to the top. Much like the economic and technological structure in Ignisira—eighty percent was controlled by a handful of noble families, while the common folk didn't even know who was pulling the strings behind the curtain. Even the circulating conspiracy theories were often just false stories manufactured by those actually in control.
Power was the key to everything.
Information that felt impossible today would come naturally once her position was equal. Shiki was certain that time would reveal the identity of this ring—and whoever was behind her reincarnation.
She clenched her fist, feeling a faint pulse from the ring on her finger, as if the object were alive and observing her from behind its silence.
Her first step was clear: become the Dragon Bride before the Bride War began.
In her previous life, that war lasted for decades and destroyed many races. Yet ironically, not a single Nagawira succeeded in attaining the title of Bride—the highest title granted by the Guide and the System to the absolute representative of a race in the Procession Tower.
The problem lay in the fundamental nature of the Nagawira themselves.
They were far too arrogant to submit to anyone.
That was why none of them had ever succeeded in becoming a Bride. Even if a Nagawira were far stronger, the others would not necessarily acknowledge or follow them. They preferred to die fighting rather than live under someone else's command. Their pride was so immense, it was as if they were the perfect embodiment of the proverb: Better to die standing than to live on one's knees.
If only they were like the Demi-humans, things might be easier. Stubborn as they were, Demi-humans at least respected strength. To become a Demi-human Bride, one only needed to be the strongest among them.
Nagawira were different. Strength alone was not enough.
Attempting to buy their loyalty was also impossible. Though they loved gold, gems, and treasure, it was never enough to trade for their pride. If forced to choose, they would rather rob than submit for a wage.
This species was so troublesome that they ranked second on the list of races most difficult to cooperate with—losing only to the Elves. If Elves were annoying because of their complex and rigid noble culture, Nagawira were annoying because of their stubbornness and lack of knowing when to bow.
From the start of the teleportation to the war that eventually wiped them out in the Procession Tower, this arrogance was the Nagawira's greatest weakness. The very trait they took pride in was the primary reason for their species' failure to survive and thrive.
However, Shiki had thought of a solution long ago.
She knew that forcing all Nagawira to submit overtly was an empty dream. But making them submit without them realizing it? That was a game she could win.
Just like in Ignisira, where the people lived like slaves without realizing it—working for the prosperity of the nobles while believing they were pursuing their own dreams—Shiki intended to use a similar method.
The way was simple: control their life path.
Control the resources.
Control the distribution.
Control the access to power.
That way, even when the Nagawira felt they were working for themselves, the greatest profits would still flow into the hands of the party controlling it all.