Re-Awakened: I Ascend as an SSS-Ranked Dragon Summoner

Noah's quarters felt unusually quiet after King Aurelius's revelations about dragons.He settled into the room's single chair, mind churning through everything he'd learned. The dragon tooth sat safely in his void storage, but first he had other business to attend to.

'System, show me the mystery box from the Clean House quest,' he thought.

[MYSTERY BOX (GRADE A) AVAILABLE]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN? YES/NO]

'Yes.'

Air shimmered in front of him as a dark cube materialized. The box was roughly the size of his torso, its surface a matte black that seemed to drink in light. Intricate patterns covered its sides—geometric designs that hurt to look at directly, like they existed in too many dimensions.

The box opened without sound. Instead of physical items, two scrolls of energy unfurled, text burning itself into his vision.

[QUEST RECEIVED: SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF THE VOID]

[DESCRIPTION: Discover the true nature and origin of void energy]

[DIFFICULTY: UNKNOWN]

[REWARD: CLASSIFIED]

[TIME LIMIT: NONE]

[QUEST RECEIVED: SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF CHAOS]

[DESCRIPTION: Understand the relationship between chaos and existing power structures]

[DIFFICULTY: UNKNOWN]

[REWARD: CLASSIFIED]

[TIME LIMIT: NONE]

The box dissolved, leaving Noah staring at questions rather than answers.

'The void and chaos,' he mused, leaning back as he processed this. 'The system wants me to understand my own powers and something else entirely.'

Void energy was entropy made manifest—the power to unmake things at their core. When he used his abilities, he introduced targeted disorder into ordered systems, erasing matter and disrupting energy patterns. Simple enough to understand, even if the mechanics remained mysterious.

But chaos seemed different. When Gigarose had appeared during his fight with Lilivil, she had done more than destroy. It manipulated his system directly, granted rewards, operated according to rules that bypassed normal reality.

'Void is destruction,' Noah thought. 'But chaos might be something else. Not the absence of order, but a different kind of order altogether.'

He considered his awakening back on Earth, when the system first activated and granted him void manipulation. Had that been random chance, or part of some larger pattern? If chaos was connected to void energy, what did that say about where his powers came from?

More questions emerged the deeper he thought. Why void abilities specifically when other awakened humans developed completely different powers? What connected his SSS-ranked summoning talent to void manipulation? Were his dragons part of these mysterious energies?

'I'll need to experiment,' he concluded. 'Meditate all I want, but understanding void and chaos requires investigation, not just thinking.'

Urgent knocking interrupted his contemplation, followed by someone bursting through his door without waiting for permission.

"Noah buddy, you gotta help me!" Kelvin dropped to his knees in the middle of the room, hands clasped in theatrical desperation. "I'm living in a nightmare disguised as every teenage boy's fantasy!"

Noah blinked at the display. "What's wrong now?"

"They all want me! Every single one of them! I thought this was just going to be fun, you know? Flirt a little, make some connections, get a few laughs. But they're taking it seriously!"

"Who's taking what seriously?"

"The women! The seventy-four marriage proposals I scattered around like confetti! They actually want to marry me!" Kelvin rose from his knees, mechanical arms gesticulating wildly. "They find my jokes funny, Noah. My jokes! Do you know how terrifying it is when people laugh not because they're being polite, but because they genuinely think you're hilarious?"

Despite everything, Noah found himself fighting back laughter. "That sounds like a good thing."

"You'd think so! But it's not! They love my cybernetic arms, they think my technical knowledge is fascinating, they're impressed by my combat skills, and apparently my personality is 'charming and unique.'" Kelvin slumped into the other chair like someone crushed by unwanted success. "I never thought I'd say this, but being universally adored is exhausting."

Noah studied his friend's face, recognizing genuine distress beneath the comedy. "Where are they now?"

"Five of them are in my quarters just sitting there, waiting for me to come back so they can discuss wedding plans. The others are on duty throughout the fleet—cooks, engineers, thermal specialists, security—but they've all been passing messages through the crew about wanting to see me later."

"That's not good. If they're all serious about your proposals, you're going to break a lot of hearts when you have to choose."

"Choose?" Kelvin's voice cracked. "Noah, I can't choose! They're all incredible women with unique personalities and real affection for me! How do I tell seventy-three of them they're not good enough?"

Noah considered the problem, an idea forming. "You need to figure out some way to narrow the field. Find the ones you actually connect with versus the ones caught up in excitement."

"But how? I can't take seventy-four individual dates. The logistics alone would be nightmarish, and the fleet doesn't have enough private spaces for that kind of romantic campaign."

"I have a plan."

Kelvin leaned forward eagerly. "Tell me."

Noah moved closer and whispered his idea, watching his friend's expression cycle through confusion, understanding, and finally cautious optimism.

"You think that'll work?" Kelvin asked.

"Absolutely. Trust me on this one."

"Alright, I'm in. What do you need me to do?"

"Go back to your quarters and tell the women you're setting up a formal process to get to know everyone better. Set up a meeting room with a table and chairs—make it look official. I'll handle the other part."

Kelvin stood up, mechanical arms adjusting his appearance with nervous energy. "Noah, you're either a genius or about to make this exponentially worse."

"Probably both," Noah admitted with a grin. "But at least it'll be interesting."

They separated, Kelvin heading back while Noah went to find supplies. Walking through the ship's corridors, he couldn't help smiling at the absurdity. 'Back on Earth, we were both hopeless with women. Now Kelvin's drowning in romantic attention, and I'm getting relationship advice from a king with fourteen wives. Life got complicated after the academy.'

He was looking for something to write on when he bumped into Diana near the administrative section.

"Noah," she said, platinum blonde hair catching the thermal lighting. "How's everything going? Any news from Bruce?"

"Still working on the extraction. Says the mental conditioning is more complex than expected, so it's taking longer."

Diana studied his face for a second, "What's with your expression? You look like you're plotting something."

"I need to find a board or tablet, something to write on. I'm helping Kelvin with a situation."

"Kelvin?" Her tone shifted, becoming more focused. "What kind of situation?"

Noah explained the marriage proposal predicament, watching Diana's expression as he described Kelvin's romantic complications. Her face remained neutral, but he caught subtle changes that suggested personal interest.

"So you're setting up interviews to help him choose?" Diana asked.

"Something like that. Try to find the women who actually know him versus the ones attracted to marrying a soldier."

Diana was quiet for several moments, clearly working through implications Noah couldn't read. Finally, she smiled—an expression that seemed more calculated than amused.

"I'd like to help with your interview process."

"Really? Why?"

"Genuine interest. I'm curious to see how people evaluate potential romantic partners when forced to articulate their reasoning." Her answer was smooth, but Noah sensed deeper motivations she wasn't sharing.

"Sure, the more perspectives the better."

They found writing supplies and made their way toward Kelvin's quarters. As they walked, Diana asked casual questions about the interview format that suggested she was taking this more seriously than curiosity warranted.

'I'm probably missing something obvious here,' Noah thought, but decided to focus on helping his friend rather than analyzing Diana's motivations.

---

Kelvin had transformed his quarters into something resembling a formal meeting room. A table occupied the center with three chairs on one side and a single chair facing them. The women who'd been waiting had been relocated to common areas with promises of individual meetings.

"This looks appropriately official," Noah said as he and Diana settled into seats.

"I figured we needed to look professional if we're helping people make life-changing decisions," Kelvin replied, taking his place between them. "Plus, the formal setup might make them take this seriously."

When Kelvin saw Diana beside Noah, his eyebrows raised. "Diana's joining our panel?"

"She wanted in on the fun," Noah explained.

Diana's smile could have cut glass. "I thought it would be interesting to observe the selection process."

"Alright then," Kelvin said, though his tone suggested uncertainty about what he'd gotten into. "Let's start with candidate number one."

The first woman who entered was tall and athletic, with confident bearing that spoke of military training. Dark hair pulled back practically, uniform identifying her as a thermal weapons specialist.

"Candidate identification?" Noah asked, consulting his improvised notes.

"Thermal Specialist Rhea Sent," she replied, settling into the interview chair with composed professionalism.

Diana leaned forward with focus. "What's Kelvin's favorite food?"

Rhea blinked, clearly not expecting such a specific question. "I... I'm not sure. We've mostly talked about technical subjects and combat applications."

"Favorite entertainment? Music preferences? Hobbies outside work?" Diana's questions came rapid-fire, each designed to highlight gaps in personal knowledge.

"We haven't really discussed those topics," Rhea admitted, confidence beginning to waver.

Noah tried a different approach. "What attracted you to Kelvin's proposal? What made you interested in pursuing a relationship?"

"His technical expertise is impressive, and his combat modifications show dedication to serving effectively despite injury. He's clearly intelligent and committed to the mission." Rhea's answer was logical but impersonal, like she was evaluating a colleague rather than a potential partner.

Kelvin chose that moment for his question. "In your opinion, what's the theoretical maximum efficiency for quantum processing matrices when dealing with overlapping probability cascades?"

Rhea stared at him. "I specialize in thermal weapons, not quantum computing."

"But if you had to guess," Kelvin pressed with genuine enthusiasm, "would you say the cascade effects create exponential degradation or logarithmic optimization curves?"

"I... what?"

Diana's smile grew more predatory. "Thank you, Rhea. We'll be in touch about our decision."

After Rhea left looking confused and deflated, Noah turned to his companions. "I'm not gonna lie, that was brutal but effective. She's attracted to the idea of Kelvin, not Kelvin himself."

"The quantum matrices questions were completely unnecessary," Diana pointed out.

"Hey, technical compatibility is important!" Kelvin protested. "I need someone who can at least pretend to understand why I get excited about engineering problems."

The second candidate was a cook from food service—a cheerful woman with flour-dusted hands and genuine warmth.

"Jia Hen," she introduced herself. "I manage the thermal ovens in Section C."

Diana immediately launched her interrogation. "Kelvin's favorite color?"

"Blue," Jia replied confidently. "He mentioned it when he complimented our thermal regulators—said the blue status lights were soothing."

"His preferred sleeping schedule?"

"He's an early riser but struggles with insomnia sometimes. Gets up around 0500 fleet time, but I've seen him in the late-night cafeteria when his mind's too active to rest."

Diana's smile faltered as Jia answered each question with specific, personal details that demonstrated genuine observation and interest.

Noah took over. "What draws you to Kelvin?"

"He's kind," Jia said simply. "When he visited our kitchen, he thanked every person working there by name. Asked about our families, backgrounds, what we enjoyed about our work. Most officers barely acknowledge that support staff exist, but Kelvin treated us like people."

Kelvin's mechanical arms shifted nervously. "For my question... uh... what do you think about artificial intelligence development in culinary applications?"

Jia laughed, a genuine sound that lit up her whole face. "You mean like smart ovens? I think technology should make life easier, but nothing beats the human touch when it comes to food. A machine can follow a recipe, but it takes a person to know when something needs just a little extra seasoning or a few more minutes to develop proper flavor."

"That's... actually a really thoughtful answer," Kelvin admitted, sounding surprised.

After Jia left, Diana's expression showed frustration that her elimination tactics weren't working. "She seems... adequate."

"Adequate?" Noah raised an eyebrow. "She answered every question perfectly and showed genuine interest in Kelvin as a person rather than a status symbol."

"I suppose," Diana said grudgingly.

The third candidate was a security officer with sharp eyes and no-nonsense attitude. She handled Diana's personal questions with ease, demonstrated detailed knowledge of Kelvin's background and interests, and responded to his technical queries with intelligent engagement even when subjects weren't in her expertise.

The fourth was an artist who worked in cultural preservation. She brought sketches she'd made of Kelvin during his visits, spoke eloquently about finding beauty in the fusion of human and mechanical elements, and engaged with his technical questions by relating them to aesthetic principles in visual design.

After each interview, Diana's questions became more pointed, her attempts to find disqualifying flaws more obvious. But the women continued to impress with genuine knowledge of and affection for Kelvin.

The fifth candidate was an engineer from thermal regulation systems. She and Kelvin fell into a technical discussion that lasted twenty minutes, their conversation becoming increasingly animated as they explored theoretical applications of engineering principles.

When she left, Kelvin slumped back in his chair with obvious exhaustion.

"I don't know why I even proposed to any of them," he said miserably. "This was probably just my instincts kicking in. I got carried away with the party atmosphere and started making promises I had no business making."

Noah studied his interview notes. "They probably get the message now. You'll need to find your own path forward, but at least you have a better sense of who's genuinely interested versus who got caught up in excitement."

Diana stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "Maybe you don't need to look far at all," she said, her voice carrying an edge that made both men look at her with surprise.

Without explaining, she walked toward the door, posture radiating frustration and something that might have been hurt.

After she left, Noah turned to study Kelvin's face. His friend was staring at the closed door with dawning realization.

"There's something I probably should have told you," Kelvin said slowly, scratching his head with one mechanical finger. "Something that got lost in all this Eighth Ancestor mess."

"What?"

"Diana confessed her feelings to me back on Raiju Prime. Right before everything went to hell with the beast attacks and Lucas's father's kidnapping." Kelvin's voiced, "I was so caught up in everything happening, I never gave her a proper response."

Noah stared at his friend, pieces of interactions suddenly making sense. "She's been watching you collect marriage proposals from seventy-four women while having no idea how you feel about her confession."

"Yeah," Kelvin said miserably. "I'm an idiot."

"You're an idiot," Noah agreed. "But fortunately, you're an idiot with friends willing to help you clean up your messes."

"What do I do now?"

"Now?" Noah stood up, gathering his notes. "Now you go apologize to Diana and have the conversation you should have had weeks ago. The seventy-four marriage proposals can wait—they're not going anywhere."

"And if she doesn't want to hear it?"

"Then you'll deal with that too. But Kelvin?" Noah paused at the door, looking back at his friend who was still slumped in his chair like someone processing emotions he'd been avoiding. "Diana's been one of our team since the beginning of our space journey. She's fought beside us, saved our lives, trusted us with hers. Whatever her feelings are, she deserves better than being ignored while you play romantic games with strangers."

Noah left Kelvin alone with his thoughts, walking back toward his quarters with amusement and concern for his friend's romantic complications. 'At least some problems have straightforward solutions,' he thought. 'Even if the people involved are too stubborn to see them.'

Back in his chair, Noah's mind returned to the mysterious quests the system had given him. Void and chaos—concepts that seemed simple but clearly contained depths he hadn't begun to explore.

That investigation would have to wait. Tomorrow would bring intelligence from Bruce's extraction, plans for assaulting the Eighth's stronghold, and whatever consequences emerged from the team's personal complications.

Tonight was for letting his friends figure out their own paths while he contemplated the nature of powers that had changed his life forever.