"Surprise, surprise," Lux said lightly. "I also have some problems with him. If releasing you means I disturb something he's built… then I'm definitely in."

A pulse of ancient power rippled through the chamber, uncertainty and warning intertwined.

"That is not—"

Lux raised a hand gently, cutting her off. "That's how it works. I promised Mira that I would claim the power and wake you. And I will do it. I'm a man of my word."

Silence followed.

The dragon studied him through Mira's body, weighing intent, resolve, and the unmistakable aura of Greed that radiated from him. Seconds stretched, heavy with judgment.

Finally, she spoke again, voice quieter, edged with reluctant acceptance. "Then do not blame me for what follows."

The molten glow faded.

Mira gasped sharply, stumbling as control returned to her. Ely and Naomi moved instinctively to steady her, while Rava watched with tense curiosity.

Mira blinked, disoriented. "What… what happened?"

Lux offered her a reassuring smile, though his eyes remained fixed on the colossal dragon before them.

"Negotiations," he said simply. "And we just reached an agreement."

Around them, the demonic chains began to pulse faster, as if sensing that their time was running out.

Lux smiled and turned to the dragon, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Now… let's do it."

He extended his hand toward the bindings.

"Absorb."

Dark energy surged from his palm, attempting to siphon the demonic power. For a brief moment, the chains reacted, but then a barrier of sovereign energy flared to life, repelling the skill entirely. The force pushed Lux back a step.

A guttural grunt echoed through the chamber.

Mira's voice came urgently, "Lux, she says it will be futile. This is a Sovereign-level bind."

Lux's smirk sharpened, something feral igniting behind his eyes. "Oh… don't f*ck with me."

Twin daggers materialized in his hands, their edges humming with Sin-infused power. He lowered his stance, gaze locked onto the barrier.

"Kingbreaker."

[Unleashing Twin Sin Energy]

[Target: Sovereign-Class Barrier]

[Effect: Authority Fracture Initiated]

[Effect: Skill Suppression Applied]

[Duration: Temporary]

A violent surge of Greed and demonic energy erupted from Lux's blades, forming a spiraling vortex of destructive force around him. The air trembled as the skill locked onto the barrier's core, seeking to shatter its sovereign authority.

He lunged.

Lux became a blur. He darted forward, daggers carving arcs of destructive energy through the air. The blades struck the barrier with explosive force, twin bursts of Sin energy detonating upon impact. The sovereign shield fractured, ripples spreading across its surface.

"Faster," he muttered, pushing his body further.

[Agility Activated]

[Your Speed has increased.]

The girls moved in perfect sync.

Rava summoned a roaring vortex of pressurized water, hurling it against the barrier to destabilize its structure.

Naomi, for the first time, manifested her Greed Rapier, its golden edge gleaming with lethal intent, as she charged beside Lux, thrusting precise strikes into the weakening points.

Mira unleashed torrents of blazing dragonfire, the flames coiling around the barrier like a living inferno. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Lux pressed the assault relentlessly. Each strike of Kingbreaker shattered fragments of the sovereign defense, stripping away its authority layer by layer. Cracks spread like lightning across the barrier's surface.

Then…

Shatter.

The barrier exploded into fragments of demonic light.

For a heartbeat, there was silence.

Then the power was released.

An overwhelming surge of ancient dragon energy erupted outward, colliding with the demonic essence Lux had begun to absorb. The shockwave blasted through the chamber, threatening to throw everyone off their feet. The pressure was suffocating, primal, immense, and utterly terrifying.

Ely reacted instantly.

A radiant barrier formed around the group, its golden light stabilizing them against the torrent of power. Even so, the force drove them back several steps, the ground cracking beneath their feet.

Lux remained standing at the epicenter.

But even he was shocked.

The magnitude of the dragon's power was staggering, far beyond anything they had anticipated. The chains writhed violently.

His shirt whipped in the storm of mana, eyes blazing with determination as he endured the clash of forces.

This was no longer just a rescue.

It was a confrontation between sovereign powers.

And Lux Vaelthorn stood at its center, refusing to yield.

He tightened his grip on the twin daggers, their edges vibrating with residual Sin energy. The shattered barrier's remnants still flickered in the air, but Lux had already moved, fast, decisive, relentless.

With a burst of speed, he dashed toward the nearest demonic chain.

"Let's end this," he muttered.

Lux leapt, twisting mid-air as both daggers came down in a cross-shaped strike. The blades connected with the chain, releasing a violent surge of Kingbreaker's residual authority. Infernal sparks exploded outward as the metal shrieked under the pressure.

-Crack!

The chain resisted for a fraction of a second, then shattered completely.

A thunderous roar erupted from the ancient dragon, shaking the entire chamber. The sound was not merely physical. It resonated through their souls, ancient and powerful, filled with both pain and awakening.

Lux landed smoothly, sliding back a step as the broken chain disintegrated into fragments of corrupted energy. He immediately turned toward the next binding, ready to continue.

Then the system's warning blared.

[Warning: Curse Integrity Still Active]

[Status: Dragon Soul Remains Bound]

[Threat Assessment: Extreme]

[Alert: Unstable Entity May Turn Hostile]

[Recommendation: Proceed with Caution]

Lux's eyes narrowed as the remaining chains pulsed violently, reacting to the loss of one of their anchors. Dark energy surged along the bindings and into the dragon's body, attempting to reassert control. The dragon's massive form trembled, caught between liberation and corruption.

"So it's not over yet," Lux said quietly.

Another roar followed, this one distorted, laced with agony and rage. The dragon's eyes flickered between clarity and madness as the curse fought to maintain dominance. The air grew heavier, saturated with volatile mana that threatened to explode at any moment.

Behind Lux, Ely reinforced her barrier, shielding the group from the shockwaves. Naomi and Rava steadied themselves, ready to intervene if the dragon lashed out. Mira watched with a mix of hope and fear, understanding the fragile balance of the moment.