As the divine light slowly dimmed, Arthur's mind stirred with a familiar presence.
"Elaris," he called silently.
"I'm here," the ancient voice answered within his mind.
"Read their status," Arthur commanded.
There was a moment of pause before Elaris responded, her voice laced with awe.
"I can't access much. There's divine interference now... but I can confirm this—Nyx's curse is gone. Completely lifted. And their cores... they're evolving. One by one, they're forming Divine Cores."
Arthur's eyes flickered with purpose. "Good. Once I break through... all limitations on you will lift."
Elaris chuckled softly. "Then hurry. Because once you're ready, I'll be joining the fight again."
While their silent conversation unfolded, golden light surged around Nyx. His body trembled—years of pain, suffocation, and silent agony shattered in an instant. He fell to his knees as the ancient curse that bound him disintegrated, leaving nothing but pure freedom behind.
His crystal core cracked open from within, layer by layer, glowing brighter than ever before. A new, vast core formed in its place—a Divine Core, thrumming with power. His element of darkness began to shift, twisting and deepening. It pulsed, no longer the mere shadow of night, but something more. Something ancient. Something forbidden.
Nyx gasped as the shadows around him bent unnaturally. His darkness was evolving.
At the same time, Jullian clutched his chest, eyes wide with disbelief. Flames flickered across his body—but they were no longer the crimson fire he once wielded. The heat changed. Refined. Purified.
His core, too, broke apart and reforged itself as a Divine Core, and his fire began to evolve—rising into something more majestic, more destructive. Something that could burn through fate itself.
Saryn stood still, fists clenched. The golden light around him focused inward, spiraling into his core. Unlike the others, his awakening came not with destruction, but precision. His entire mana system aligned in perfect synchronicity as his Divine Core formed. Then, like a switch being flipped—
His element awakened.
Not raw power, not elemental force—but Vector.
Force. Direction. Absolute control over momentum and trajectory.
Saryn opened his eyes slowly, a smirk forming. "Vector... I like the sound of that."
The golden light slowly faded, leaving behind five figures standing taller—changed. Their auras had evolved, their presence sharpened like forged steel.
Arthur turned toward Saryn, eyes gleaming.
"Did you awaken your vector element, Saryn?"
Saryn smirked, rolling his shoulder as crackling energy shimmered around him.
"Well, I don't know how you knew… but yes. I've awakened the Vector Element."
At the same time, Jullian opened his eyes, a faint flame flickering within his irises.
"Mine is the Sovereign Flame." He exhaled, and the air around him shimmered with heat.
Arthur laughed, voice filled with pride.
"Perfect for you."
His gaze shifted to the quietest one among them.
"And you, Nyx?"
Nyx stepped forward silently. He knelt, placing his blood-stained katana in front of Arthur.
"As I promised… from today onward, I will be your sword. I will kill who you want to kill and protect who you want to protect."
Arthur looked down at him, a rare softness in his eyes.
"Get up. Tell me your element."
Nyx rose, lips curled into a solemn smile.
"Umbral Dominion. With it, I can control darkness itself."
Arthur's smile deepened.
"Good."
He turned to Nyssara, the only one yet to speak.
"What about you?"
Nyssara lifted her chin, proud but calm.
"Astral Sylva. I can draw power from the stars ."
Arthur chuckled.
"Good, good."
Jullian nudged him, a knowing look in his eye.
"Hey, Arthur… do you also have a Divine Core?"
Arthur smirked, as if he'd been waiting for that question.
"Yes. Finally figured it out, huh?"
Nyx blinked, startled.
"Since when?"
Arthur's eyes darkened with memory.
"When I first formed my core and advanced to Rank 1. That was five years ago."
The group collectively froze. Shock rolled through them like thunder.
To form a Divine Core on one's own—without divine intervention—was almost unheard of. Divine blessings were already rare, but a self-made Divine Core? That was another realm entirely. Stronger, purer, far more terrifying.
Nyssara lowered her gaze.
"I see… I received mine through Lunaria, the Goddess of Nature."
Arthur gave a nod.
"Divine help or not—you've all done what most can only dream of. Not just forming Divine Cores… but breaking through."
He looked at Nyx, eyes gleaming.
"Congratulations, Nyx. You've advanced to Rank 2."
Nyx nodded slowly.
"I think my cultivation was already close… the Divine Essence pushed me into Rank 2 Intermediate directly."
"I reached Rank 2 a few months ago," Jullian added. "So I just advanced to the minor stage."
"Same here," Saryn said, adjusting his coat.
Nyssara smiled.
"Then all of us are Rank 2 now."
There was a brief silence, then Nyx looked up with a grin.
"Should we name our group something?"
Arthur raised a brow.
"Let's leave that for later. First, let's finish what we started."
With practiced efficiency, they gathered the remaining skills, treasures, and golden coins—careful not to miss a thing.
Then, one by one, they stepped out of the dungeon.
And the world… would never be the same.