Ethan stood still at the center, and the light around him intensified while layers of energy began to form around his body, and it no longer looked like simple power but something refined and controlled.

It was sharpened.

His mana began to compress inward instead of spreading outward, and the chaotic flow he once had at Mythic rank started to settle into something far more stable and far more dangerous.

The air around him twisted slightly, and faint distortions appeared as if space itself was reacting to his presence and struggling to remain steady.

At Mythic rank, power was overwhelming and vast, but it still spread outward in waves.

But now, at this stage, it was different.

Ethan’s breathing slowed further, and his eyes closed briefly as he guided the flow within his body while maintaining full control.

His soul trembled.

Not from instability, but from growth.

A deep resonance spread through him, and it felt as if his entire existence was being reshaped from within while every part of him was being refined.

His bones, his blood, his muscles, and even his veins were undergoing transformation while the faint glow on his skin turned sharper and more defined.

A subtle radiance appeared across his body, and it gave the feeling that he was being tempered into something stronger and more complete.

The pressure increased again, and it became even heavier than before.

CRACK!

The ground beneath his feet split slightly, and a faint pulse spread outward like a heartbeat while the cave trembled once more.

Hale felt that pulse hit him directly, and his body stiffened as if something had locked onto him.

"This... You aren’t Mythic anymore..." he muttered, and his voice carried disbelief.

Ethan’s aura no longer felt like a single layer, and instead it felt layered and deep and endless, as if there was no bottom to it.

The difference was clear.

At Mythic rank, power dominated the surroundings.

But at Divine Knight it dominated reality itself and influenced everything around it.

A faint ring of light formed around Ethan’s body, and it pulsed once and then again before stabilizing, and his presence settled into a completely new state.

The chaotic energy disappeared completely, and what remained was something calm yet heavy and terrifying.

Ethan slowly opened his eyes, and a faint glow lingered in them while his gaze felt sharper and more focused than before.

He exhaled softly, and the pressure in the cave dropped instantly while the violent tremors stopped and everything returned to stillness.

A deep silence followed.

Hale stood there, completely stunned, and his mind struggled to process what he had just witnessed while his body still felt the lingering pressure.

"You..." he said, and his voice trembled slightly as he tried to speak.

Ethan looked at his hand briefly, and then clenched it slowly while a faint ripple spread from that simple motion.

"Divine Knight," he murmured.

There was no excitement in his voice, and there was no visible pride, but there was calm certainty.

And within that calmness there was confidence.

He lifted his head slightly and looked forward, and the difference was clear because he was no longer the same person as before.

And Hale could feel it with absolute certainty.

The silence inside the cave lingered for a few more seconds, and the air still carried the faint pressure left behind by Ethan’s breakthrough while the cracks on the walls slowly settled and dust continued to fall in small traces.

Hale was still staring at him, and his mind had not fully caught up yet, but Ethan did not give him much time to process it and instead lowered his hand slowly before turning his head slightly.

"We need to go out," Ethan said, and his tone was calm but firm.

Hale blinked once as if coming back to his senses, and then he straightened his posture while letting out a slow breath.

"...Yeah," he replied, though his voice still carried a trace of shock, and he glanced around the cave once more while the faint smell of blood and medicine lingered heavily in the air.

"We can’t stay here," he added.

Ethan gave a slight nod, and his gaze moved toward the entrance of the cave while Maverick, who had remained silent, stepped forward slightly.

"The surrounding area is still clear," he said.

Ethan’s expression remained unchanged, and without wasting any more time, he took the first step forward while his presence, although restrained, still carried a quiet weight.

Hale followed behind him, and though his body still ached from the injuries, he forced himself to keep up while the three of them moved out of the cave and their figures quickly disappeared into the outer darkness.

As they stepped outside, the cold air of the Demon realm greeted them, and the sky above looked dim and heavy while dark clouds spread across it and cast a constant shadow over the land.

The terrain stretched out in rough layers of blackened earth and jagged rocks, and traces of previous battles could still be seen scattered across the ground with burnt patches, broken weapons, and faint stains that had not faded yet.

Hale looked around briefly, and his expression turned serious again.

"...We are deep inside their territory," he said quietly.

Ethan did not stop walking and simply replied, "I know," while his eyes scanned the horizon once and his senses stretched outward far wider than before.

Everything felt clearer now, and the fluctuations in the air, the distant movements, and even the faint traces of life far away were easier to pick up.

Divine Knight.

The difference was obvious.

Maverick stepped slightly ahead, and faint distortions appeared around him as he prepared his spatial ability.

"I can open short-distance passages," he said, "but repeated use will draw attention."

Ethan glanced at him briefly and replied, "Use it when needed, but we will not rely on it completely."

With that, they began moving, and their figures cut across the dark land while their pace remained fast yet controlled and they avoided open areas while moving through rough terrain and broken paths.

At times, Maverick opened small spatial distortions, and they stepped through quickly before appearing kilometers away, and then they continued on foot again while staying cautious.

The journey was not smooth, and twice Ethan stopped them before they crossed into dangerous zones where strong presences lingered, and each time Hale could only feel it faintly while Ethan sensed it far earlier.

"You are seeing things before they even appear," Hale muttered once.

Ethan did not reply and simply adjusted their path while continuing forward.

Days passed, and they managed to sneak out gradually, but since they were taking a roundabout route, the journey became longer than expected and more exhausting.

Still, they kept moving carefully.

They thought they would not encounter any danger at this stage.

However fate did not seem to agree.

As they crossed a deep ancient mountain and moved down into a dense forest, the surroundings changed and tall trees covered the sky while shadows stretched across the ground and the air became quieter.

Ethan had barely taken a few steps into the forest when his expression suddenly changed.

"Damn... get cover!" he shouted instantly while raising his hand and twisting it sharply.

A barrier formed in front of them in an instant, and layers of energy stacked together rapidly like shields.

The next moment...

BOOOOOOM!

A catastrophic sound erupted across the forest, and a massive force slammed into the barrier while a ripple of destruction spread outward and shook the surroundings violently.

Trees were torn apart, and the ground cracked as the impact sent shockwaves in all directions while leaves and debris flew through the air.

Hale reacted immediately and ducked behind the barrier while bracing himself, and Maverick moved to the side while maintaining his focus.

The pressure was immense.

The barrier trembled under the force, and cracks of light flickered across its surface.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he held his ground, and his aura flared slightly while he reinforced the barrier.