The large blue sphere was gone. In its place stood a colossal door, ancient and sealed, its surface layered with countless symbols and grooves that pulsed faintly with a sinister red glow.

Max's eyes narrowed the moment he felt the shift in the air. His instincts screamed danger. "Everyone get back!" he shouted.

The warning came just in time. From the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling, thick red vines erupted outward like living tentacles. They moved with terrifying speed, writhing and lashing in all directions, filling the entire hall in the blink of an eye.

There was no safe ground left, no gap large enough for even a footstep. The tentacles struck with crushing force, carrying an energy that felt corrosive and malicious, as if it sought not only to kill but to consume.

Knowing that no one but himself and Lucien could withstand such an onslaught, Max acted instantly. The fifth level concept of space erupted from him, precise and absolute.

A spherical dome of compressed space formed around the entire group, sealing them inside an isolated pocket of reality. The moment the tentacles slammed into the boundary, space itself rebelled.

A deafening impact echoed as the first wave of tentacles struck the spherical barrier. Some were shredded instantly, torn apart as the spatial pressure sliced them into fragments. Others were blasted backward, reduced to twisted remnants before they could even exert force. The dome held firm, unmoving, an unbreachable shell in the midst of chaos.

"Stay close and move forward," Max said calmly as he began advancing. The spherical space moved with him, pushing forward inch by inch through the sea of red vines.

As the dome advanced, tentacles continued to strike relentlessly. Each time they touched the boundary, they were destroyed, crushed, or severed by the overwhelming spatial force. The path ahead was carved not by brute strength, but by absolute authority over space itself. Slowly, step by step, the group moved forward, the dome clearing a narrow corridor through the living nightmare.

The air inside the sphere remained stable, but outside it the hall writhed violently, as if resisting their advance. The red vines recoiled and reformed repeatedly, only to be destroyed again the moment they reached the spatial boundary.

Despite the resistance, Max maintained perfect control, his expression unwavering as he guided everyone toward the sealed door at the far end of the hall.

After what felt like an eternity, the pressure lessened. The density of the tentacles thinned, and the writhing mass finally receded. The dome came to a halt directly before the massive door. The red vines pulled back into the stone, leaving behind deep scorch marks and cracks where they had been destroyed.

Max lowered his hand, and the spherical space dissolved smoothly, releasing the group into the silent hall once more. They now stood directly before the ancient door, its surface pulsing faintly as if aware of their presence.

"This place does not want us here," Lucien said quietly.

Max looked at the door with cold focus. "That only means we are exactly where we need to be."

"Whatever lies beyond this door is deeply evil," Lucien said in a low and solemn voice as he stared at the ancient seal before them. "Most likely it is the crown tainted by the True Origin Devil Blood."

Max nodded slowly. The moment his senses brushed against what lay beyond the door, his expression hardened. "I can feel it too. The evil energy behind this door is at its peak. It is far denser and more malicious than anything we have encountered so far."

Before anyone could respond, Lucien suddenly moved.

His figure vanished from its place and reappeared in front of one of the squad leaders. A loud impact echoed through the hall as he slammed the man into the stone floor and twisted his arms behind his back, restraining him with overwhelming force. The person pinned beneath him was Michael.

For a heartbeat, the entire group froze in disbelief.

"I will kill you! I will kill you all!" Michael screamed like a madman, his voice hoarse and filled with unrestrained hatred. His eyes glowed a sickly red, crimson veins spreading across his face and neck. His skin looked pale and unhealthy, as if something inside him was rotting and trying to claw its way out.

"What happened to him?" Victor shouted, shock written all over his face.

Seraphina, Daniel, Arthur, and the others stared in horror, unable to reconcile the sight before them with the calm and reliable comrade they had fought alongside for so long. Even the four leaders of the Four God Nation were visibly shaken, their expressions grave as they sensed the twisted aura erupting from Michael's body.

"He was about to sneak attack all of you," Lucien said coldly, his grip firm as he kept Michael restrained. "His killing intent spiked the moment you lowered your guard."

Max had already moved. He arrived before Michael and crouched down, his gaze sharp and analytical as his senses swept across Michael's body and soul. "The corruption here is not passive," he said quietly. "It seeps into anyone who stays exposed for too long. I believe whatever has defiled this temple has begun to corrupt him as well."

As he spoke, Max briefly looked up at the other squad leaders and then at the four leaders of the Four God Nation. His Three Dimensional Body examined them thoroughly, tracing fluctuations in their aura and soul state. After confirming that none of them showed similar signs, he let out a slow breath.

"You are all safe for now," Max said, his tone firm but serious. Then his attention returned to Michael, who continued to struggle violently under Lucien's restraint, hatred pouring out of him like poison.

Victor clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he watched Michael thrash on the ground. "What do we do about him?" he asked in a heavy voice. "He is our teammate. I do not want to see him end like this."

The hall fell silent once more, the sealed door looming behind them as the corrupted energy pulsed faintly, as if mocking their hesitation.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.