We left the dungeon as the afternoon light began to spread across the hills. The air outside felt lighter after the closed environment of the cave. The breeze moving through the vegetation carried the scent of damp earth and grass.
For a few moments, we walked in silence.
The feeling was strange.
It wasn't exhaustion.
It was more like a calm awareness that something had changed.
Rai'kanna was the first to speak.
"That was way too easy."
She spun her sword once before placing it on her back.
Lyannis smiled slightly.
"It wasn't easy. We just got stronger."
Elara looked at the dungeon entrance behind us.
"The boss of that chamber should have been a difficult enemy for most groups."
Liriel nodded.
"And yet we defeated it in just a few minutes."
Vespera walked a few steps behind, observing everything in silence.
I looked at the sword in my hand.
The blade reflected the sunlight that was beginning to dip toward the horizon. The Cyclops Stone crystal still emitted a soft glow.
During the fight, I had activated the golden armor again.
But this time it was different.
In the battle against the Fourth General, that power had appeared instinctively.
In the dungeon, it responded to my command.
Lyannis noticed my silence.
"You're thinking about the armor."
I nodded.
"Yes."
Rai'kanna looked at me with interest.
"You moved much faster."
Elara agreed.
"The speed amplification was evident."
Liriel added.
"And the final strike had a much greater concentration of mana."
I took a deep breath.
The memory of the impact was still fresh in my mind.
When I advanced against the creature, my body felt lighter. The movements were natural, almost automatic.
The golden energy flowed through the armor like a continuous stream.
There was no resistance.
No instability.
The sword simply responded.
Lyannis walked with her hands behind her head.
"It was also interesting to see everyone fighting together again."
She looked at Rai'kanna.
"You practically disappeared when you attacked."
Rai'kanna gave a small smile.
"Mana reinforcing the body."
Elara explained calmly.
"She's using energy to enhance reflexes and speed."
Rai'kanna shrugged.
"It works well."
Liriel seemed thoughtful.
"My light control has improved a lot too."
She raised her hand for a moment.
A small particle of light appeared in her palm.
The energy floated gently before disappearing.
"Before, I needed more time to form a spell."
Lyannis nodded.
"Now it appears almost instantly."
Elara walked with a calm expression.
"Control training helped reduce mana waste."
She opened her hand.
A small sphere of energy appeared.
The structure was stable and precise.
"Even using little energy, the effect remains."
The sphere disappeared shortly after.
Lyannis laughed.
"Pure efficiency."
Vespera finally spoke.
"Precision improved too."
Everyone looked at her.
She lightly touched the quiver on her back.
"Mana-infused arrows are more stable now."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms.
"I noticed."
Lyannis smiled.
"One shot took down an entire monster."
We continued walking along the road leading back to the Arcane City.
The sky was beginning to take on more orange tones.
Some distant towers could already be seen on the horizon.
Liriel looked at me.
"Takumi."
"Yes?"
"Did you notice anything different when you activated the armor?"
I thought for a moment before answering.
"The energy felt more stable."
Elara nodded.
"Your mana flow is already more aligned with your body."
Lyannis tilted her head.
"So it means he can use it in real combat without losing control."
Rai'kanna smiled.
"That changes a lot."
I looked again at the sword.
The Cyclops Stone reflected the last rays of sunlight.
Something inside me was different too.
Before, that power felt distant.
Now it was part of me.
Not fully mastered.
But accessible.
When we finally reached the outskirts of the Arcane City, the giant towers were already fully visible.
The white stone structures rose toward the sky.
Magical circles glowed in the streets.
Mages walked between the buildings carrying books and artifacts.
Lyannis looked at the city with a satisfied smile.
"Training here was a great idea."
Rai'kanna agreed.
"No doubt."
Elara looked at the towers with respect.
"Aurelius knew exactly what he was doing."
Liriel nodded.
"The training changed everything."
Vespera remained silent.
I observed the city for a moment.
When we arrived here, I didn't know how to control mana.
The sword reacted on its own.
Now things were different.
I took a deep breath.
That dungeon had been more than just a simple test.
It was confirmation.
We had truly evolved.
And for the first time since we began this journey, it became clear that our power had reached a new level.