"Let's go," Max said at last, stepping forward.

Victor and Seraphina followed closely behind, their steps heavy but resolute.

As they crossed the blood-soaked earth and approached the shimmering barrier, the battlefield behind them began to fade away—devoured by light until only the three of them remained standing before the gate to the core region.

The test was over.

The elimination was complete.

"I wonder if the geniuses we brought from our respective forces managed to get past that monster horde," Victor said quietly, his gaze fixed on the shimmering barrier ahead of them. His usual calm expression was replaced by something far heavier—a mixture of exhaustion and unease. "Even we had a hard time fighting through those monsters. I can't imagine how the others could have survived it. I wonder if they're all dead."

Seraphina didn't respond immediately. The question hung in the air, sharp and heavy. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

She looked back toward the path they had come from—the vast, blood-soaked battlefield that stretched endlessly into the mist. The smell of scorched earth and burnt flesh still lingered faintly in the air, a grim reminder of the horror that had unfolded there.

What Victor said was true. The journey from the inner region to the barrier of the core region had been nothing short of a massacre. Thousands of geniuses had entered the final stretch, each one representing a powerful faction or world. Yet only a few hundred, at best, had managed to survive. And even among them, many were badly injured or drained of energy.

If even they, two of the strongest geniuses among their generation, had struggled to stay alive during that chaotic battle, then what chance did the weaker ones have? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Seraphina finally spoke, her voice soft but laced with sorrow. "They were all talented, every one of them. I saw how determined they were when we first entered this place. Some of them might have survived, but…" She paused for a moment, her eyes darkening as she recalled the scene—the endless waves of monsters, the screams, the ground shaking under their feet. "Most of them probably didn't make it."

Victor's jaw tightened. "It feels wrong," he muttered. "They fought for the same cause, and yet this place treats them like disposable pawns. The secret domain doesn't care about who they are or where they come from. It only values strength."

"At least half of them are still alive," Max said quietly, his gaze fixed on the faint golden barrier shimmering before them. His voice carried a calm certainty that made both Victor and Seraphina turn toward him.

Victor frowned slightly. "Half?" he repeated. "You're sure?"

Max nodded, his tone steady. "Don't ask how I know, but I am sure of it. Out of all the geniuses who entered this secret domain with us, at least half are still breathing. They're already in the core region. Some of the golden-crowned geniuses led their groups through the monster horde, cutting a path for others to follow. Many fell along the way, but the rest managed to survive. And that is what matters the most—they survived."

Seraphina looked both relieved and puzzled. "Are you sure of that?" she asked softly.

Max didn't answer directly. In truth, he could sense it through the Black Lotus Guild's bloodline link. His connection to every guild member allowed him to feel their presence faintly no matter where they were in the domain.

Through that bond, he knew they had crossed the threshold safely. Their voices, though distant, reached him in brief murmurs—a quiet assurance that half of their forces had made it.

Victor exhaled slowly, nodding. "That's good news, at least," he said, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"Indeed," Seraphina added, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Let's hope they can hold on until the Divine Platform appears."

Max's eyes moved toward the glowing barrier once again. "They'll be fine," he said simply, then stepped forward. "Now, it's our turn."

Without hesitation, he walked straight into the golden light. The moment his body passed through the barrier, an overwhelming sensation washed over him. The world around him twisted briefly as if space itself had been rewritten, and then—suddenly—the scene changed.

He was standing on solid ground again, but everything was different.

The core region stretched out before him like another world entirely. The air shimmered faintly, filled with a dense mist that glowed with countless colors—gold, silver, azure, and faint streaks of violet.

This wasn't ordinary mist. It was pure energy, so concentrated that it had taken physical form. Waves of power rolled through the air with every breeze, so thick that each breath felt like drinking from an ocean of spiritual essence.

Victor and Seraphina stepped through behind him, both of them stopping abruptly as they took in the sight. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

"What… what is this place?" Seraphina whispered, her voice barely audible. "The energy here—it's visible."

Victor closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The moment he did, his body glowed faintly with blue light, and he could feel his aura strengthening instantly. His fatigue from the earlier battles began to fade, his energy refilling rapidly. "Incredible," he said slowly. "It's like absorbing pure beast cores, but smoother. Cleaner."

"It's purer than anything I've felt before," Max said quietly, looking around. "This energy isn't ordinary mana. It's very refined like Divine Essence..." He could tell this energy was very similar to Holy Nectar but much more purer and easier to absorb than Holy Nectar.

The three of them stood at the top of a ridge overlooking a vast landscape. Below them stretched a realm of surreal beauty and danger.

Forests of crystalline trees shimmered faintly in the mist, each leaf pulsing with light. Rivers of molten energy flowed between glowing hills, splitting the terrain into fragments of color. In the distance, enormous mountains rose into the clouds, their peaks crowned by radiant halos.

Everywhere they looked, the air seemed alive—vibrating softly, humming with power. Even standing still, they could feel the energy seeping into their bones, strengthening their flesh, calming their souls, and sharpening their senses.

Seraphina knelt down and touched the ground, her fingers brushing over a patch of crystalline moss. The moment she did, threads of light rose from it and danced across her hand. "This entire place is saturated," she said, astonished. "The ground, the air, even the plants—they're all infused with divine essence."

Max nodded slightly. "That's why the core region is so important," he said. "The Heavenly Lord's Secret Domain was built to protect this place. This is where true opportunities exist. The Divine Platform, the inheritances, the final trials—they're all here."

Victor chuckled softly, though his tone was tinged with awe. "No wonder so many died trying to reach it," he said. "This place alone is worth the risk."

Max remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the landscape. He could sense countless presences scattered throughout the region—other geniuses, each one searching, exploring, and waiting for the descent of the Divine Palace Platform. The tension in the air was almost tangible, as if the world itself was preparing for something monumental.

Finally, Max turned to the other two. "Stay alert. The core region might look peaceful, but it's the most dangerous part of this domain. The monsters here won't be ordinary, and the trials will be far beyond what we've faced before."

Victor smirked faintly. "After everything we've gone through, danger almost feels normal."

Seraphina laughed softly, though there was a hint of nervousness in her tone. "Let's just hope we can handle whatever comes next."

Max's eyes lingered on the horizon, where the mist glowed brightest. The faint outline of a colossal structure could be seen in the distance—something ancient and divine, half-hidden behind the veil of light.

He didn't say anything, but deep inside, his instincts told him that was where everything would end. The Divine Palace Platform. The final trial.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at his companions and said, "Let's move."

And with that, the three of them began their journey into the core region, their steps echoing softly against the luminous ground as the mists of divine energy swirled around them like a living sea.

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