Vahn materialized, breathing heavily, right into Aria's perfect striking range. The Lightning Saintess raised her greatsword for the finishing strike, her eyes cold.

​"It's over, Vahn Necrotis."

​Just then, Eterna, perched safely behind Seraphina, scrunched up her face in fury at the sight of her Papa being hurt.

​"Bad Aunty! Don't hurt Papa!"

​A sudden, intense flash of golden-red light erupted from the child. The light didn't strike Aria; instead, it solidified into a miniature, ethereal barrier of pure Realm Law that slammed down directly onto Aria's Lightning Greatsword, instantly freezing its movement and neutralizing its energy, buying Vahn the fraction of a second he desperately needed.

He seized the opportunity . He didn't waste the last of his strength on a physical attack. Instead, he summoned his most potent hidden aid: Espirit.

"Espirit! Come Forth!"

In a shimmer of dark, swirling heat, a powerful, humanoid figure wreathed in black and crimson flames materialized beside Vahn. The entity immediately bowed low to its master.

"My Lord," Espirit acknowledged, its voice a deep, resonant rumble of burning coal.

Vahn quickly handed the Nuclear Dragon Greatsword to Espirit. "Take the Saintess. Distract her and hold her. Use whatever power you need!"

The moment the greatsword was free, Aria's mobility returned. She snapped back, fury radiating from her form.

But Espirit was already in motion. The Infernal Spirit let out a challenging roar and shot straight up into the air, drawing Aria's attention away from the vulnerable Vahn and Seraphina.

With Vahn's command and the seemingly infinite supply of spiritual energy flowing from his dual core, Espirit began using that internal energy as fuel. The Spirit's power increased far beyond the limits of Vahn had ever reached.

Boom! Boom! BOOOM!"

Espirit immediately locked into a blazing Fire battle with Aria high in the sky. Their clash was a terrifying spectacle, displaying like small, controlled fire and lightning explosions that shook the heavens.

Espirit was no ordinary fire spirit, but an entity of immense, overwhelming power that no one knew of. As Vahn's energy poured into him, Espirit's true form manifested. He had a molten Crown over his head.

He was a Monarch-Level Spirit, a being whose existence surpassed the Emperor-Level Beasts themselves. Not even Vahn, his own master, had known the true depth of his power.

With Vahn's infinite regeneration for his spirit supply, Espirit fought without restraint, pushing Aria to her absolute limits. She was forced to focus every fiber of her attention on defending against the Monarch-Level onslaught.

Vahn watched the desperate, high-stakes duel, catching his breath and resting his aching muscles.

"Let's go, Seraphina," Vahn urged, clutching the Dragon Pearl tightly. "Now's our chance to meet Lilith and get out of this secret realm!"

The path was clear for now, but the blazing battle high above served as a terrifying, ticking clock.

​Seraphina shifted her attention from the roaring sky back to Vahn with a expression of shock and awe. She hadn't known Vahn was hiding such a powerful trump card capable of challenging the Lightning Saintess.

"Perhaps this was why he'd been so confident entering a Secret Realm surrounded by enemies," she thought inwardly.

​But in truth, even Vahn was surprised by Espirit's sheer, overwhelming capabilities.

But the amount of energy Espirit was consuming was nothing to underestimate; Vahn's energy reserve had been sucked dry in just a few seconds. His Dual Cores—the Black Hole and White Hole—had to work in overdrive, generating and replenishing the massive output Espirit demanded to sustain the Monarch-level fight.

​Still, he couldn't complain. At least Espirit was proving incredibly useful, neutralizing their most dangerous immediate threat.

They burst into the deep, winding canyon. The shadows here were absolute, offering excellent cover. Seraphina immediately confirmed their target.

​"Lilith is right ahead. She's waiting in a dark alcove," Seraphina confirmed, using her Spirit sense to pinpoint the Darkness Saintess.

​They found Lilith leaning against a rock, completely cloaked in shadow, blending perfectly into the background.

After noticing Vahn and Seraphina safe, she looked relieved but also acutely focused.

​"You're late," Lilith stated, her dark eyes flashing as she instantly noticed the Dragon Pearl in Vahn's hand and the adorable anomaly in Seraphina's arms. Her composure broke for the first time.

​"And who is this?" Lilith demanded, her gaze fixed on the golden-haired Eterna.

"Long story, no time," Vahn cut in sharply, clutching Eterna with one hand and the Dragon Pearl in the other. "We need to buy some time. I need to analyze this Dragon Pearl and figure out the exit before that lightning freak defeats Espirit."

​Lilith stared at the shimmering blue sphere in confusion. "This is the Divine Treasury?"

​Vahn smiled, showing it off to Lilith. "Haha... Yes. The Divine Treasury is inside this dragon pearl."

​"All of it?" Lilith repeated, stunned by the sheer simplicity of the object.

​"Yes, all of it."

​Lilith wanted to ask more, but she understood this was not the time. "Alright. You three go inside that cave. I will hold Aria at bay and divert attention until you find the key to exit."

​Vahn and Seraphina nodded in agreement. They immediately went inside the deep, shadowed cave alongside little Eterna.

​While Lilith stood guard, watching the shattering sky and preparing to engage Aria or divert other pursuers, Vahn finally sat down in relative peace. He needed to unlock the pearl.

​He focused his spiritual sense, pouring energy from his dual cores into the pearl, but the treasure remained stubbornly sealed. He couldn't unlock it, no matter how hard he tried.

​He gave it to Seraphina. "Seraphina, you try to open it. Your Light affinity might be the key."

​Seraphina also couldn't open it. The pearl resisted her pure Light Dao as well.

​At last, their hope turned to little Eterna.

​Eterna smiled, holding the Dragon Pearl curiously in her tiny hand. As soon as she innocently ran her little fingers over the surface, the pearl erupted with a brilliant, fiery golden light. The Dragon Pearl's restrictions were instantly removed.

​"Papa, can I play with it? It's so warm..." Eterna purred, looking utterly adorable.

​Vahn cautiously took it from her hand. "Not now, Eterna. I will let you play with it later."

​Vahn and Seraphina then moved closer, their heads bent together, intending to look into the Treasury. Their hearts pounded with anticipation.

​And what they saw inside left them beyond speechless.

​"WE ARE RICH!"

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