This was news to me. But then I didn’t know much about the higher levels of cultivators, and even the rest of the world was limited in their knowledge. The arrival of dungeons like Kyrine could push the skill ceiling way beyond where it was now.

“What?” I turned to Astrid. “Did you know this was a thing?”

Astrid shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. I’m only a low-ranking agent; apparently there are some cultivators in the bigger government agencies who are way higher level than anyone in the EDI. Some people think they’ve got cultivators above Level 20.”

“Then those cultivators will have two additional spell slots,” Kyrine said. “Cultivators acquire an additional two slots every 20 levels.”

My mouth dropped open; I couldn’t contain my surprise. “It makes sense that no one would know about the additional slots since that’s a really high level.”

“That’ll change soon, Level 20 will become the norm,” Astrid said. “Dungeons are going to change everything.”

“Your world will never be the same again, Jeremy,” Kyrine said. “And you, as my Keeper, will be integral to the magical revolution.”

“Magical revolution? It sounds like the world could be in for D-Day Version 2.0.”

“That’s exactly what our boss, Agent Fallon, said when she briefed us,” Astrid said thoughtfully. “D-Day 2.0.”

Somehow, I was at the center of it. Who would have thought?

I didn’t want any of it to go to my head, so I focused on the task at hand: leveling my creatures and taking them to their next evolutionary stages.

Chapter 20

“Man, that cake really hit the spot!” I said as I got to my feet and stretched. Astrid beamed with pride at my compliment. “You know what’s weird, though,” I went on, “I’m not sleepy at all. It’s been a full day and a night since I got my head down, but I feel as awake as if I’d had a full night’s rest. Isn’t that strange? Did you put something in that cake, Astrid? Besides a whole truck load of sugar, I mean?”

Astrid laughed out loud, but it was Kyrine who answered, her disembodied voice speaking from the direction of the ceiling above us. “The Keeper does not need to sleep like regular mortals,” she said. “You shall find, now that you have taken on this role, that sleep will no longer be a necessity for you to function.”

“Great!” I said. “I’ll have so much more time!”