Clara kept smiling as she stepped back beside Eliza, dusting her hands like the chaos in front of them was perfectly normal.

Even if Dahlia yelled about not being a shield…

She totally was one.

Thanks to Dahlia's nonstop screaming from inside the glowing cocoon...

The demonic drake's attention was completely locked onto her.

Its red eyes never left the swirling azure light.

The drake roared again, wings spreading wide, claws digging into the ground as it prepared another attack.

Clara peeked over her shoulder, then relaxed.

"See?" she said casually. "We're safe."

Eliza nodded quietly. "…For now."

Behind them, the junior disciples huddled together, pale and shaking.

"S-Senior Sister Dahlia is still screaming…"

"Is that… normal?"

"Should we help her?!"

Some of the senior disciples also looked uneasy.

They had seen many battles, but this was different.

One of them swallowed. "That glow… that pressure… is that really…"

Clara turned around and raised a hand.

"Relax," she said with a grin.

"Senior Sister Dahlia is awakening her [Unique Physique]."

The words hit the group like thunder.

"…Unique Physique?"

"You mean that legendary thing?"

"The one that Master awakens to beat the third-realm cultivator?"

Murmurs spread instantly.

Clara nodded proudly. "Yep. That one."

A senior disciple frowned in shock. "So this is the awakening process…"

Clara crossed her arms. "Painful, loud, dramatic, and very flashy. Totally on-brand for her."

From inside the cocoon...

"AAAAAAAGH!! CLARA I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU AFTER THIS!!"

Clara cupped her ear. "See? Still alive."

Eliza glanced at the cocoon, eyes sharp.

"…The mana is still rising. She hasn't reached the peak yet."

The drake suddenly slammed its tail against the cocoon again.

THUD!!

The cocoon shook but held on.

The juniors gasped.

"It didn't break!"

"That thing tanked a third realm attack?!"

Clara snapped her fingers. "Exactly. Awakening cocoon. Super tough."

She waved at everyone. "So for now, just sit tight and enjoy the show."

A junior whispered, "E-Enjoy…?"

Clara shrugged. "When else do you get front-row seats to a Unique Physique awakening?"

The cocoon pulsed brighter.

Dahlia's voice echoed again, hoarse and furious.

"THIS IS THE WORST PAIN EVER!! MASTER LIED!!"

Clara laughed, hands on her hips. "Nah. He didn't lie. He just… undersold it."

Eliza let out a quiet sigh and glanced at Clara.

"Senior Sister Dahlia will really kill you later."

Clara waved it off. "C'mon. She's not serious."

From inside the cocoon came another scream, louder than before.

"I AM VERY SERIOUS!!"

Clara coughed. "Okay. Maybe a little serious."

The third realm demonic drake roared and slammed its claws into the cocoon again.

BOOM!!

The cocoon rattled violently, but not even a scratch appeared.

It made the drake even angrier.

It beat its wings hard, then rammed its body into the cocoon again.

THUD!!

Inside, Dahlia screamed.

"CLARA! ELIZA! CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING?! THE COCOON IS STRONG, BUT EVERY TIME IT SHAKES, IT HURTS LIKE CRAZY!!"

Clara winced. "Oof… that sounds bad."

Eliza answered calmly.

"Sorry, Senior Sister. That is a third-realm beast. We truly cannot stop it."

Clara raised both hands helplessly.

"Yeah… please endure it. You're doing great. Probably."

"PROBABLY?!" Dahlia roared.

The drake snarled, smoke pouring from its mouth as it attacked again and again.

Each hit made the cocoon tremble.

And each one made Dahlia scream.

But the cocoon didn't break.

And after an hour...

CRACK!

A thin line appeared on the cocoon.

Clara's eyes widened. "Oh?"

CRACK!

More lines spread across the surface.

Clara grinned. "Ooo… this is the moment."

The demonic drake tilted its head. Its eyes gleamed with excitement.

It roared loudly, wings spreading wide.

It thought the cocoon was finally breaking.

It thought it had won.

Eliza stared at the cracks, her voice steady. "…No. That is not collapse."

Clara nodded, smile widening. "Yup. That's a breakthrough."

Inside the cocoon, Dahlia's scream changed. It was less of a pain and more of a rage one.

"GET THIS THING AWAY FROM ME!!"

Clara clenched her fists. "Ah… that tone."

Eliza's eyes widened slightly. "…She's past the pain."

But no matter what they felt, there was nothing they could do.

They couldn't stop a third realm beast.

All they could do was watch.

The demonic drake roared, furious and impatient.

It reared back, chest swelling, and released one last massive shockwave.

BOOOOM!!

The cocoon shattered.

Smoke exploded outward, covering everything.

The drake pulled its head back and let out a low, satisfied growl.

It thought it was over.

It thought it had finally destroyed the annoying glowing shell.

Clara squinted through the smoke. "Hey… Do you guys see a body?"

Eliza stared forward, completely still. "…No."

The smoke began to thin, and from inside, Dahlia walked out and was completely different.

Her hair was no longer its usual color.

It had turned azure-white, flowing wildly around her shoulders.

Glowing tattoos covered her arms, shoulders, and back, pulsing faintly with mana.

But that wasn't what shocked everyone the most.

Two dragon-like horns curved from her head.

Large wings spread open behind her back, flexing once and kicking up wind.

Her hands were also completely replaced with powerful dragon claws.

The juniors froze.

"…Senior Sister?"

"…Is that… still her?"

"…She looks like a monster…"

Clara's mouth fell open.

"…Holy crap."

Eliza swallowed softly. "…She awakened."

Dahlia rolled her neck once and locked her eyes onto the demonic drake.

The drake stiffened.

Dahlia leaned forward, claws digging into the ground.

Then she vanished.

She appeared right in front of the drake.

Dahlia drove her clawed fist upward.

An uppercut from below.

The impact lifted the massive drake off the ground.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR EARLIER."

She spread her wings and shot into the sky, grabbing the drake midair.

The juniors stared upward, mouths open.

"She's… flying?"

"She's faster than it!"

High above...

Dahlia twisted her body, grabbed the drake's head with both claws, and turned sharply.

"DOWN."

She slammed it straight into the ground.

CRASH!!!

The earth exploded.

Dust and shockwaves spread across the battlefield.

When the dust settled...

The demonic drake lay motionless, its body broken into the crater.

It was dead.

Clara slowly raised both hands.

"…That was personal."

Eliza nodded. "…Extremely."

Dahlia landed lightly beside them, wings folding behind her back.

She exhaled once.

"…I feel better now."

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