Inside Kai’s inner world, the cocoon finally shattered around his winged serpent. Origin mana surged outward, released from the now-absorbed soul, and his inner world began to expand at an unstoppable rate, 20 meters, 30, 40, 50, surpassing the size of a Magus’s domain. It kept growing until it reached 100 meters, the realm of a Grand Magus. Though the growth slowed, it didn’t stop.

  As the mana settled, the new form of Kai’s soul serpent emerged.

  Where once floated a winged serpent above the mana lake, now hovered a colossal draconic hydra. Its silver scales had deepened to a stormy grey, gleaming with a green sheen. Its wings had doubled in size, now fully draconic in shape and power.

  Where its single majestic head once stood, two more had sprouted. All three initially appeared similar, but their eyes revealed their distinct natures.

  The central head bore one deep blue eye and one deep green. Its third red eye, once ethereal, now looked solid and draconic, alive.

  The left head had one crimson and one silver eye. Lightning and fire coiled around its neck, etching tattoos of elemental chaos and coloring the head into a silver crimson hue.

  The right head opened its eyes, releasing pure green energy. Vines sprouted around its neck, forming a floral tattoo that twisted into an infinity symbol as the scales turned emerald.

  As the transformation was completed, the creature’s body thickened. Two powerful draconic legs and clawed arms emerged. Its tail, once serpentine, now fully draconic.

  It had evolved, through origin mana and draconic legacy, into a Winged Hydragon, a true dragon, and perhaps the first of its kind.

  The Hydragon took flight, soaring above the ever-expanding world. Lightning danced across the mana lake as the Soul Blade and Noxblade absorbed the ambient energy. The broken fragments of Kai’s old blades, long ago consumed by the Soul Blade, pulsed with renewed power as part of the white blade.

  The Arcanum’s control orb floated peacefully, untouched by the chaos.

  As the Hydragon flew, green mana flakes drifted across the lake. The liquid churned, and the world trembled as the flakes gathered into a single point. From the depths, a five-meter long island emerged, formed entirely of pure life mana.

  Once the island was born, the Hydragon summoned Kai’s Lightning Tree and his core into the inner world.

  The tree merged with the island, its roots diving deep into the mana lake. It grew larger, its crystalline branches expanding, its three leaves glowing with vibrant color. It resembled Viridya’s soul, a towering oak. Though only three leaves adorned its branches, countless buds waited to bloom, hungry for lightning.

  Kai’s core ascended into the sky, spinning slowly and releasing soothing moonlight mana. It absorbed origin mana and evolved into a radiant moon, etched into the sky of his world. It spun endlessly, drawing mana from the outside world through Kai’s draconic heart, guarding this realm.

  With its task complete, the Hydragon returned to Kai’s body, releasing origin mana intertwined with the goddess’s pure life energy.

  Kai screamed as divine energy tore through him. Some of it flowed into Umbra and Scry, who groaned in pain, Umbra more so than Scry.

  Kai’s Blood Moon tattoo absorbed the goddess’s energy and evolved. Now in its place stood a tattoo of an eternal tree behind it, a moon, half-shrouded by branches, glowing crimson and white.

  Mana surged into his right arm and into his wolf spirit. The tattoo of a draconic wolf howling at the moon remained unchanged, but its inner world transformed. The pup matured into an adult wolf. Its fur, once crimson, now burned with pure fire mana. Its wings grew silver and radiated destructive origin force.

  The wolf opened its eyes and howled. Kai’s arm glowed red, the tattoo etched deeper into his being. Satisfied, the wolf returned to slumber.

  The Hydragon turned its attention to Kai’s heart. Origin mana flooded it, and the draconic runes blazed. His blood grew purer, stronger even than Arthraxius’s. His new heart pulsed with crimson light, pumping enriched blood through his body, remaking him once again.

  Kai endured the pain, his mind hardened by past transformations.

  His bones and muscles strengthened. His aura surged and merged with his body, a sign of his breakthrough into a Master Knight.

  Where mana passed, a purple sheen etched itself into his flesh. Now, both aura and mana surged within him, two distinct energies.

  The Hydragon roared as the aura affected it, too. A purple wave-like marking formed around the base of its necks, resembling a necklace made of pure aura.

  As the process neared its end, the Hydragon turned toward Kai’s two Circles, now floating alone where the Lightning Tree and core once resided…

  The Hydragon pulsed with green light as it released a viridian ancient glyph. Moments later, it shone with pure silver and spat out a second glyph, radiant and metallic. The two glyphs hovered in the air, drawn to each other like magnets. They merged in a flash of light and were swallowed by the Hydragon.

  Then, from the middle head, a concentrated orb of emerald light emerged, pulsing with vibrant life. As it expanded, it revealed a massive magic circle, larger than any Kai had ever formed.

  The circle took the shape of a Mandala, ever-shifting and alive. Vines twisted through its structure, and the internal patterns evolved constantly, reflecting the endless manifestations of life. It settled behind Kai’s other two circles, connecting with them in a seamless flow of mana.

  With that, Kai was pushed into the Magus Realm.

  His other circles pulsed stronger through the connection, and new spells etched themselves into his mind. The third circle, overflowing with life energy, surged into Kai’s body, and something cracked within his heart.

  Draconic runes multiplied, covering his heart entirely. Then came the pain.

  Kai screamed as his skin tore apart, deep red-hot blood pouring down his back. A wave of heat erupted from within, and two draconic wings burst forth. He felt them, real, tangible, and under his control.

  What is this? Am I finally turning into a monster? Will I become another Florian? Kai’s thoughts raced in fear.

  One wing shimmered silver, the other burned red, representing his soul and his draconic bloodline. They suddenly twitched and turned pure red like fire, the same hue as Arthraxius. His fingers elongated, claws sprouting. His legs reshaped into draconic limbs. Scales formed beneath his eyes, and his gaze turned fully draconic, deeper, more ancient.

  Two crystalline red horns grew from his head, his body drenched in blood.

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  “No! I don’t want to be a monster! I will not be a monster!” Kai roared, focusing on his third circle.

  The Mandala glowed brightly, as if understanding him.

  Slowly, the wings faded, leaving behind a tattoo of twin wings etched into his back. His limbs reverted to human form, his face returned to normal, and the horns shattered, feeding their mana back into him.

  Kai took a deep breath, trembling.

  I don’t know what just happened… but thank the gods it wasn’t permanent. He sighed through the pain and fear.

  The Hydragon, its mission complete, roared with all three heads and returned to Kai’s inner world. It coiled beneath the Thunder Tree and fell into slumber, origin mana still pulsing from its body. The goddess’s mana, it seemed, had not yet been fully consumed.

  Kai scanned his circles. They spun silently, absorbing mana. The third circle spun with quiet purpose, ever-changing, waiting for his command.

  Kai sensed it clearly now; if he wished, he could transform into that draconic form again. He would keep it as a last resort, a finishing move, if ever needed.

  A fear of losing his humanity ever-present in his mind.

  ***

  As Kai transformed within the whirlwind of mana, Scry and Umbra absorbed some of the origin energy as well, sharing the burden and helping stabilize the process. The mana surged through them, strengthening their bodies and spirits.

  For Scry, the effect was profound.

  His mind steadied. His body grew slightly larger, more defined. The mana he had spent over the past days replenished rapidly. He felt better than he had in years.

  Then something shifted.

  A lock in his mind broke.

  His eyes widened as a flood of memories surged forth. Magical seals, long hidden, became visible. Only the first of six had broken, but it was enough. He had finally begun walking the path he had once abandoned.

  Pain lanced through his soul as the memories poured in, dragging emotions long buried to the surface.

  Faces appeared, chosen ones from ages past. Some were stubborn, some wild and fierce, but he had cared for all of them. He had taught them magic, helped them forge contracts with their spirits. He hadn’t counted how many he had guided… and this was only the first lock.

  Joy filled him as he remembered their growth, their triumphs. But then came the darker memories.

  He saw them fall, some to jungle beasts, others to the dangers of the outside world. Some returned, only to die of old age, never reaching their full potential. He had buried them all… in a place he had forgotten.

  Tears streamed down Scry’s furry face. His heart ached as years of pain surged through him. But he was stronger now. Time spent with Kai had fortified his spirit, and the origin mana flowing through him rekindled a fragment of his old, glorious power.

  He watched the memories unfold, absorbing them, honoring them.

  He remembered everything.

  But he regretted nothing.

  ***

  Umbra squirmed beside Scry, her core absorbing even more origin mana through her bond with Kai. Their mana cycled and intertwined, resonating deeply.

  She roared in pain as the origin energy surged through her channels, flooding her entire body. Her core drank in as much mana as it could, until it reached saturation.

  Then, instinctively, Umbra knew what was coming.

  Her core exploded.

  The blast tore her apart on a fundamental level.

  Scry was thrown sideways, barely shielding himself. He had nearly finished his own transformation, but now he stared at the crater where Umbra had been.

  Floating in the air was a small black hatchling, a cub with a hawk-like head and two wings, surrounded by Umbra’s lingering mana and the origin energy she had absorbed.

  Orbiting around the soul a dark gem, a gift from Arthraxius.

  The mana whirled around the soul spirit as a new core began to condense, darker, deeper, and far more powerful. The small soul smiled and leaped into the core, followed by the gem, forming the foundation of Umbra’s new inner world.

  The Divine Core spun faster and faster, creating a black whirlwind. Dark flames ignited, and abyssal lightning scattered as shadows merged beneath it, feeding into the vortex.

  Within the circle, shadows fused with the core, forming dark mana channels. Darkfire and lightning merged with the shadows, birthing a new elemental force, Abyssal Thunderfire, flickering with the destructive power of lightning and darkfire.

  The mana spun violently, shaping a new Divine body for Umbra.

  The figure shifted between beast and humanoid before settling into a female form.

  Origin mana fed the transformation as bones, veins, and nerves rebuilt themselves. A new black heart, stronger than ever, formed within her chest. Organs followed, then skin and hair.

  The final form of Divine Beast Umbra was that of a young woman, appearing around twenty years old. Her skin was darker than Kai’s, sun-kissed and radiant.

  Her deep black hair danced behind her, as dark as the abyss itself.

  Two shadowy wings unfurled from her back, and beneath them, a sharp tail sprouted, twitching in the air.

  Her body was muscular and toned, built for battle. Her chest firm and big enough not to be a bother in combat.

  Dark mana settled over her bare form, weaving itself into a sleek, metallic armor that shimmered with power.

  Her face bore a resemblance to Kai’s, though far more beautiful. Her features were sharp yet graceful, with almond-shaped eyes and full lips.

  Her eyes were pitch black, and within them, lightning danced like living sparks.

  If not for the wings and tail, one might mistake her for a warrior princess from a distant tribe rather than a Divine Beast reborn.

  She clenched her fists, feeling the strength coursing through her new form. A sharp smile spread across her face.

  “Finally, I’ve reached this level. I feel ten times stronger!” she roared, her powerful feminine voice echoing through the valley.

  Scry stared at her, eyes wide. “Why are you so pretty? Goddamnit!” he cursed. How was he supposed to mock her now?

  “Wait… why do you look like Kai’s cousin or something?” he asked, squinting.

  “Hmph. I used my brother’s face as inspiration. He is my brother, after all,” she said proudly.

  Scry slapped his forehead. “Still the same crazy bird, I see,” he chuckled.

  “How do you feel? Can you still shift into your beast form?” he asked, curious.

  “I feel amazing. And yes, I can, but not yet. I want to see everyone’s reaction first,” Umbra laughed, her voice full of mischief.

  She truly looked powerful and beautiful, like a dark rose, elegant and dangerous, ready to pierce anyone who dared to touch her.