Snake showed her desire to teleport him to his house by seeing it in his memory, showing an amazing display of her power.
The transition from the labyrinthine caves to the familiar stone of his home happened in a heartbeat—a final gift of teleportation from the Snake that left Dreleon's head spinning.
This was the house he used to live in during his training days, but completely forgetting it after experiencing all the hell.
For a moment, he simply stood there, the silence of his room feeling heavier than the crushing gravity of the training caves.
Then he moved like a man possessed.
He bathed for hours, scrubbing away the layers of dried ant blood, cave dust, and the lingering scent of the Snake's laboratory.
He cleaned himself inside and out, forcing his breath to slow until he was no longer a predator in a hole, but a man viable for the civilized world.
As he dressed, he sensed a strange sensation from his mind space, after checking; he found the responsible one to be his Mid-Grade weapon—the Ancient Wood Sword.
A memory surfaced, a piece of advice from the old turtle, Elder Genbu.
"To truly know the information about that blade, you must find the Old Lizard at Bugs River." Dreleon frowned.
He had heard much of the Lion Clan's territory in his training days, yet he had never heard of a "Bugs River," nor an "Old Lizard."
He tucked the thought away, knowing there was only one person with the library of the knowledge to guide him.
'I will ask the Princess.
She knows the maps better than anyone.' he thought.
After checking his robes one last time, ensuring the Great Erosion snake was latched securely to his skin beneath the fabric, he set out.
The Divine Palace rose before him like a mountain of gold and white jade.
As he crossed the threshold, the clean, mountain-chilled air felt rough in his lungs.
His body, now optimized for the toxic, heavy atmosphere of the training grounds, found the 'purity' of the palace air almost suffocating.
He adapted quickly, his decentralized cells vibrating as they balanced his internal pressure.
Dreleon had discarded his savage rags.
He now wore a set of yellow and golden-mix robes, patterned with deep shining red stripes, and a piece of a divine jungle lion's claw that shimmered with royal authority.
On paper, he was merely the Princess's guard; in reality, he was her soul-pacter, a pact-bound royal whose status was higher than any general.
"Stop right there!"
The voice was rough, like two stones grinding together.
A guard in polished golden armor stepped forward, his spear-tip glowing with a faint, aggressive light.
He looked at Dreleon—specifically at the long, unkempt hair that partially hid his face—and sneered.
"Who do you think you are?
Do you have any idea whose quarters these are?"
the guard barked.
"How dare you impersonate a member of the Royal Court?
State your business and get on your knees, or I'll pin you to the gates."
Dreleon's hand twitched toward the Jade Token in his sleeve.
A cold, dark spark of the savage willpower flickered in his eyes.
He wanted to throw the token into the guard's arrogant face and watch him crumble.
He wanted to test if his new 150x strength could snap that golden spear like a dry twig.
But before he could act, a voice bloomed across the courtyard—soft, yet carrying a weight that shattered the tension of the air.
"Hah... and who is this?
How dare a gate-guard speak such words to a royal of this house?"
The voice was like a flower blooming in a desert.
A girl in her twenties stepped into the light.
She was the picture of elegance, her dress a masterpiece of green borders transitioning into a soft, vibrant pink.
Yet, beneath the beauty was the unmistakable, predatory might of the Divine Jungle Lion.
It was Vanessa.
"I greet Her Highness, the Princess," Dreleon said.
He didn't use his new power to intimidate her; instead, he performed a perfect servant's bow, hand over his heart, head lowered in genuine respect.
Vanessa's eyes locked onto him.
For a split second, her royal mask faltered.
She saw the hair, the robes, and the strange, dense aura that now radiated from him.
Unlike everyone, she didn't see a guard; she saw a man who had walked through hell and returned with the fires of it still in his blood.
"Dreleon," she whispered, her voice a mix of shock and relief.
Then, as if remembering the guards were watching, she regained her composure and smiled—a look that promised trouble.
"You're late," she said, stepping forward.
Before the golden guard could stammer an apology, she reached out and grabbed Dreleon's hand.
Her touch was warm, a sharp contrast to the cold jade and dead stone he had lived with for weeks.
"Come with me.
I want to show you something interesting.
We have a journey to prepare for."
She didn't wait for an answer.
She pulled him toward her private quarters, running with a playful energy that made her pink-and-green silks flutter like wings.
As he was dragged along, Dreleon felt the Great Erosion snake pulse against his ribs, giving energy to keep his body stable.