Stepping out of the 40th-floor executive boardroom, Evren pulled his coat around his shoulders as Mikay walked briskly alongside him toward the private elevator.

"I’ll file the clearance as requested right away," Mikay said, tapping rapidly on his tablet. "Sector Three’s volcanic rift is heavily restricted, but with our verified S-Rank guild rating, the permit should be authorized within a couple of hours."

"Good," Evren said as the elevator doors slid open and they descended toward the private underground parking level. "Before I head into that inferno, I need to make a detour."

Evren brushed his thumb against the cool metal of the Spatial Storage Ring on his finger. Inside sat the S-Rank Glacial Wyvern Core and the dragonhide Armor Blueprint he had harvested from the Frost Rift.

Charging into a two-thousand-degree volcanic cavern in ordinary clothes would be foolish. If he intended to solo an A-Rank volcanic rift and harvest Amber’s cure without taking unnecessary risks, he needed gear forged specifically to counter extreme heat.

"Drop me off at the Sector One subterranean access tunnel," Evren instructed his security driver as he stepped into the idling armored SUV.

Twenty minutes later, the black vehicle came to a stop in the secluded, steam-shrouded industrial docks of the lower district.

Deep under the neon-lit alleys, heavy pipes hissed as Evren walked through the reinforced doors of Master Tridon’s workshop.

The underground workshop was hot and smelled like metal, oil, and coal.

Sitting behind a massive iron anvil was Master Craftsman Tridon, wiping soot from his goggled face with a leather rag.

When Tridon saw Evren walk in, his eyes lit up immediately.

"Chairman Evren!" Tridon boomed, setting down his smithing hammer. "To what do I owe the honor of the Sovereign Medallion holder returning to my humble forge?"

Evren took a seat on an iron stool and rested his hand against the counter.

With a slight flick of his Spatial Storage Ring, two legendary items materialized atop the workbench, sending a hum of power through the forge.

The first item was the S-Rank Glacial Wyvern Core... a crystal heart the size of a fist, glowing with deep blue frost that instantly covered the iron table in a layer of white ice.

The second was the glowing holographic parchment: the S-Rank Wyvern Armor Blueprint.

Tridon’s jaw dropped so hard his goggles nearly slipped off his nose.

He stumbled forward, his calloused hands trembling as he stared at the frozen core.

"Good heavens," Tridon gasped, his breath turning to mist in the freezing air. "The Ice Wyvern core... it’s pure S-Rank frost energy! And a top-tier dragonhide blueprint! Chairman Evren, you kept the best treasures!"

"I have a problem, Tridon. I’m heading into an active volcanic rift in Sector Three tonight where the temperature is well over a thousand degrees. I need armor that can protect me from extreme heat, and a weapon capable of cutting through magma beasts. I don’t have natural ice magic... only raw physical mana."

Evren tapped the blueprint and the frozen core.

"Can you forge something from these two items before sunset that solves my problem?"

Tridon picked up the holographic blueprint, his eyes darting across the glowing runic schematics before letting out a boisterous laugh.

"Solve it? Chairman Evren, you brought the perfect materials!" Tridon tapped the runic diagrams with his soot-stained thumb. "Look here, this blueprint contains the ancient schematic for the Glacial Wyvern Mantle. Its prime dragon scales will create an absolute-zero thermal barrier around your body, letting you walk through molten lava like an autumn breeze!"

Tridon pointed to the pulsing blue core.

"And for your weapon, I can forge this S-Rank core directly into the crossguard of a greatblade. The core will act as an elemental converter! Any time you channel your raw physical mana into the hilt, it will instantly transmute your power into biting, sub-zero glacial shockwaves! You’ll have both impenetrable armor and a frost blade by nightfall."

Evren pulled out his Sovereign Black Card, tapping it against Tridon’s payment scanner without hesitation.

BEEP.

[APEX NATIONAL BANK: $1,000,000.00 USD TRANSFERRED TO TRIDON FORGE WORKS]

[MEMO: EXPEDITED SOVEREIGN COMMISSION & OVERTIME BONUS]

Tridon stared at the instant million-dollar transfer on his terminal.

"Consider it done, Chairman!" Tridon roared, slamming his fist against the anvil. "In four hours, the greatest Glacial Regalia this metropolis has ever seen will be ready for battle!"

"I’ll return at five o’clock," Evren nodded, turning back toward the exit.

The armored car passed through the gates of Imperial Crest Manor and stopped in front of the Master Pavilion.

Evren stepped out into the fresh mountain air, walking through the grand foyer toward the rear terrace.

Sitting on a plush chaise lounge overlooking the sparkling reflecting pool was Amber.

She wore a soft, lavender sweater and a flowing white silk skirt that draped gently over her legs. Her long dark hair caught the afternoon sunlight, and for the first time in six months, a healthy, rosy color had returned to her cheeks.

Beside her stood Head Butler Arthur and a specialized female physical therapist in white medical scrubs, guiding Amber through gentle leg resistance exercises.

When Amber heard Evren’s footsteps, her face instantly lit up with a radiant smile.

"Evren!" Amber called out softly.

Arthur and the therapist bowed respectfully. "Chairman Evren."

"Take a short break, Arthur," Evren smiled. "I’d like to spend some time with Lady Amber."

"Of course, sir," Arthur replied, leading the therapist inside.

Evren walked over to the terrace edge, pulling up a comfortable armchair right beside Amber. He reached out, gently taking her soft, warm hands into his own.

Amber looked at him, noticing the tension in his posture.

"How were the recruitment trials at Horizon Plaza?" Amber asked, squeezing his fingers. "Are thousands of hunters really trying to join Apex Guild?"

"The trials went well; we signed our first official vanguard recruit and purged a corrupt proctor," Evren smiled. "Though your uncle Garrett and four of his corporate lawyers decided to pay our boardroom an uninvited visit."

Amber’s breath hitched in her throat, her fingers tightening around his hand in sudden alarm.

"Garrett?" Amber’s eyes widened. "He went to your office? Evren, did he try to..."

"He tried to serve a custody petition claiming you were incapacitated, demanding fifty percent of Apex assets."

Amber’s expression turned pale with anger. "He has no shame! After throwing me out into the rain, he dares..."

"He left in tears, Amber," Evren interrupted gently. "I showed him your notarized severance affidavit, your certified medical recovery report, and a twenty-million-dollar delinquent debt ledger on Sterling Guild. If he ever steps near Victoria Hill again, I will buy out his bank notes and foreclose on his entire clan before sunset."

Amber stared at Evren in utter shock, before a melodic laugh escaped her lips.

A weight that had pressed against her chest for half a year seemed to lift completely into the mountain breeze.

"You really don’t show mercy to bullies, do you?" Amber whispered.

"Never to anyone who tried to hurt you," Evren replied softly.

He looked directly into Amber’s eyes with a serious, yet gentle expression. "Amber, I’ve secured the formula for your final medicine: the Stage 3 Celestial Rebirth Pill."

Amber’s breath hitched in her throat. She looked at him with wide, trembling eyes.

"Stage Three...?" Amber whispered.

"The first pill dissolved the necrotic poison in your nerves," Evren explained gently, holding her hands. "The second pill reconnected the spinal pathways and restored your feeling. This final pill will achieve one hundred percent cellular and nerve restoration. It will allow you to stand up on solid ground, walk without help, run through this estate, and reclaim your full Awakener power."

"F-For... for real?"

Evren nodded.

"But how’s that possible? The doctors... the doctors said..."

"Amber?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Forget everything they’ve ever told you. I have a plan, and I’m sure it will work. I just need to get the primary ingredient... the Solar Flame-Heart Essence. It’s in Sector Three. The A-Rank Solar Flare Caverns." Evren paused for a second. "The rift is active right now. I’m going in tonight to retrieve it."

Amber’s expression changed instantly.

Her hands gripped Evren’s forearms tightly.

"Evren, no... I saw the Guild Bureau emergency alert on the morning news broadcast," Amber urged in fear. "The Solar Flare Caverns is an A-Rank volcanic inferno. Two regional guilds that attempted it were incinerated at the gates. And the boss in a A-Rank rift? That’s a death zone, Evren."

Evren moved closer, gently brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"Amber, six days ago, people said your paralysis was incurable. Three days ago, they said solo-clearing an S-Rank Wyvern was impossible."

Evren placed his hand over her heart, feeling its rapid beat.

"I am an S-Rank Awakener with physical power ten times greater than any hunter in this city. I’ve already commissioned specialized Glacial armor and weapons from the Shadow-Bazaar to counter the heat. I am not going in there to take risks; I am going in there to bring back your cure."

Amber looked into Evren’s confident gaze.

Seeing the resolve and care in his eyes, the terror in her chest gradually gave way to trust and devotion.

Amber leaned forward, resting her forehead against Evren’s shoulder and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"Promise me you’ll come back safe," Amber whispered against his skin. "I don’t care about walking again if it costs me you, Evren. Promise me."

Evren wrapped his arms securely around her waist, kissing the top of her head.

"I promise. I’ll be back before dawn with your medicine."

By late afternoon, Evren returned to Master Tridon’s forge in Sector 1.

When he stepped through the blast doors, the four giant elemental furnaces were glowing white-hot, surrounded by a dozen sweating master smiths holding quenching tongs.

At the center of the main anvil stood Master Tridon, wiping steam from his brow with a proud laugh.

"Chairman Evren! Right on time!"

Tridon pulled a velvet shroud off the display stand, revealing the completed masterworks.

Sitting on the stand was a high-collared blue dragon-scale mantle giving off a cool frost mist. Next to it was a double-edged greatblade with the pulsating blue S-Rank Wyvern Core embedded into its handle.

"Pick it up, Chairman," Tridon grinned eagerly. "Channel your raw mana into the hilt!"

Evren stepped forward, gripping the leather-wrapped hilt.

The balance was sublime.

Evren channeled a fraction of his S-Rank Valkyrie Body Forge mana into his hands.

VROOOOOOM!

The moment Evren’s pure mana surged into the hilt, the embedded Wyvern Core glowed with a bright blue light.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

A terrifying wave of sub-zero glacial frost exploded from the blade.

The glowing white-hot anvil instantly frosted over with thick blue ice, and the ambient temperature inside the entire hundred-degree forge dropped to minus twenty degrees in a single second.

Tridon and his smiths gasped in awe, their teeth chattering as they stared at the freezing phenomenon.

"Incredible..." Tridon laughed through shivering lips. "A pure physical mana conversion matrix! You now hold the power to freeze a volcano solid, Chairman Evren."

Evren smiled with satisfaction, sheathing the Frost-Bane Cleaver across his back and fastening the Glacial Wyvern Mantle over his shoulders.

The cool frost mist wrapped around his body like a second skin, completely shielding him from external temperature.

Evren walked out into the cool evening air, where a black armored tactical SUV from Apex Security was already idling.

The driver opened the rear door.

"To Sector Three," Evren commanded calmly. "The Solar Flare Caverns."

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