Chapter 54: A Proud Moment

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: A Proud Moment

Time passed quietly inside the treasure chamber.

Damon had long since lost track of the exact number of days.

Cultivation.

Nurturing.

Rest.

Then cultivation again.

That had become his routine.

The mountain of Aether Crystals that once filled large portions of the chamber had noticeably shrunk.

Many had already turned dull after being drained.

Even the elemental ores had reduced significantly.

Yet Damon wasn’t worried.

In fact, he was excited.

Because neither Freya nor Sylphie had left his second core yet.

That alone told him everything he needed to know.

They were growing.

Especially Freya.

He could feel it through their connection.

She was close.

Very close.

Like a dam ready to burst.

"Just a little more."

Damon smiled.

"You’ve never disappointed me before."

The treasure chamber had given him more than he could have imagined.

But even now, his thoughts had already begun drifting elsewhere.

He wanted more.

Not treasure.

Not wealth.

Challenges.

A stronger environment.

A place where he could continue growing.

The thought alone made his blood stir.

Still, before any of that happened, he intended to squeeze every last benefit from this place.

It would be foolish not to.

So Damon continued cultivating.

Absorbing Aether.

Refining his white core.

Strengthening his veins.

Nurturing his spirit elementals.

Then suddenly—

The second core trembled.

Damon opened his eyes immediately.

A smile appeared.

"It’s time."

The next second, lightning exploded from his chest.

Crackle!

The entire treasure chamber lit up.

A violent pressure swept across the room.

Even the remaining elemental ores trembled.

Damon stood up immediately.

His heart raced.

Then she appeared.

Freya slowly emerged from the second core.

For a moment, Damon simply stared.

Speechless.

The fox standing before him was no longer the same one that had entered Tempest Hollow.

Her body had become larger.

More elegant.

More complete.

Nine beautiful tails spread behind her.

Each one seemed woven from pure lightning.

Silver arcs danced along her fur.

Her silver-white coat shone softly beneath the light of the chamber.

The surrounding lightning naturally gathered around her as if acknowledging a queen.

She stood proudly.

Confidently.

And the pressure she released was completely different from before.

This wasn’t just an increase in strength.

It felt like a transformation.

A leap.

A true evolution.

For a brief moment, Damon felt as if he was looking at the same majestic figure he had seen inside the Ethereal Visage.

The future queen of lightning.

The sovereign who commanded storms.

The gap between eight tails and nine tails was enormous.

It wasn’t even close.

Freya stood there quietly, yet the room itself seemed smaller because of her presence.

"Holy..."

Damon shook his head.

"You’re ridiculous."

Freya lifted her head proudly.

Clearly accepting the compliment.

Then she let out a happy cry.

"Kyu!"

The next second...

A powerful wave surged through Damon.

Boom!

His body trembled.

The feedback arrived instantly.

His white core expanded.

His Aether veins strengthened.

A huge amount of refined energy poured into him through their connection.

Damon’s eyes widened.

The breakthrough happened naturally.

Like breathing.

Like water flowing downhill.

Everything clicked together.

The barrier shattered.

And his cultivation advanced.

Master Rank.

Damon slowly exhaled.

For a moment, he simply stood there.

Feeling the changes.

His senses became sharper.

His body felt lighter.

Stronger.

More responsive.

Even the Aether around him felt clearer than before.

A grin spread across his face.

"Master Rank."

He laughed softly.

"If the people outside knew this, they’d lose their minds."

And honestly...

He wasn’t wrong.

Back in Haven’s Edge, Master Rank Elemental Users were respected figures.

Many spent years trying to reach that level.

Some never reached it at all.

The city itself wasn’t known for producing monsters.

Most talents were average.

The reason the great families remained powerful wasn’t because every member was gifted.

It was because they possessed generations of resources.

Treasures.

Techniques.

Connections.

That was why Tempest Hollow had attracted so much attention.

Danger and opportunity always walked together.

And Damon had gained more from this place than anyone could imagine.

His gaze drifted toward Freya again.

A smile slowly appeared.

With her current strength...

Very few people in Haven’s Edge could threaten her.

The thought made him even more eager to explore the world beyond this region.

If Tempest Hollow contained opportunities like this...

What about stronger zones?

Stronger ruins?

Stronger lands?

The thought alone made his heart beat faster.

Still.

Those were thoughts for later.

Right now...

He wanted to enjoy this moment.

Freya finally stopped posing.

The overwhelming pressure surrounding her slowly faded.

Her body began shrinking.

The majestic nine-tailed queen disappeared.

Returning to a smaller, more familiar size.

Damon immediately understood why.

A second later...

Whoosh!

She launched herself straight into his arms.

"Oof!"

Damon nearly lost his balance.

Then he laughed.

"You’re still the same."

The terrifying pressure from moments ago had completely vanished.

Now she was simply Freya again.

Snuggling into his chest.

Demanding attention.

Demanding affection.

Demanding recognition for all her hard work.

And honestly?

She deserved it.

Damon gently scratched behind her ears.

"You did well."

"Kyu!"

"Very well."

"Kyu!"

"The best."

Her tails wagged proudly.

Damon couldn’t help laughing.

He continued petting her soft fur.

Freya happily accepted every bit of praise.

After a while, she finally raised her head.

Looking directly at him.

Damon blinked.

Then paused.

Because he understood exactly what she meant.

Perfectly.

Not through guesses.

Not through instinct.

He simply understood.

As clearly as spoken words.

Reward.

Freya wanted a reward.

Damon stared.

Then looked at her again.

"...Wait."

"You actually meant that."

Freya blinked.

As if asking why he was surprised.

Damon laughed.

The connection had become stronger again.

Much stronger.

The meaning behind her emotions had become incredibly clear.

Almost like words.

That discovery excited him more than he expected.

Still...

Important matters first.

Damon opened one of the storage bags.

Then dumped the contents onto the floor.

Snacks.

Lots of snacks.

Freya’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Kyu!"

The fox vanished from his arms so fast Damon almost thought she had teleported.

"Hahaha!"

"There she goes."