Roland snapped his head up, his pupils contracting violently from excruciating pain and shock.

Less than ten steps in front of him, Van Buren stood, completely unharmed.

His bright silver Armor still shimmered with a cold light, without a single scratch. His brilliant gold hair fell over his shoulders, not a strand out of place.

He hadn’t even moved. His stance was identical to how it had been at the start of the battle.

It was as if the brutal scene of Roland cutting off his head and forcing him to his knees had never happened.

In his scarlet eyes, the previous cold, judgmental feeling had faded. In its place was a complex expression, a mixture of inquiry and something indescribable. And even...

A trace of lingering fear?

The Paladin looked at Roland’s wretched and pained state and slowly lowered his pulsating palms.

"A magnificent sight, Mr. Roland."

Van Buren’s voice was no longer as calm as before, now carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible tremor.

"Especially that final strike... You utilized Power, timing, and even the environment to the absolute limit. That resolute killing intent and destructive force... it was a tangible threat, one I felt even within my Will Territory."

He shook his head gently, his tone filled with admiration.

"If I hadn’t, at the last moment, withdrawn as the creator of the Domain and actively severed the connection... I’m afraid your blade truly would have minced me. However..."

Van Buren’s tone shifted. The scrutiny in his scarlet pupils finally dissipated completely, replaced by a sense of relief, as if something had been confirmed.

"You are definitely not the old acquaintance I know."

"Although he is far more powerful than you, he could never perform such a... fluid, almost instinctive dance with his weapon."

"Your understanding and use of weaponry have reached a state of perfection. It is a skill honed through countless life-and-death battles, something unique. Even in my era, it was a rare sight."

Van Buren gave a slight bow, his movement possessing the grace of an ancient nobleman.

"I was negligent, Mr. Roland. To rashly involve you in this dangerous test, nearly causing a grave mistake... that was my fault."

Roland’s mind was still consumed by excruciating pain and Chaos, but Van Buren’s clear words and explicit apology allowed his tense nerves to relax ever so slightly.

But he did not let down his guard, his eyes fixed on the unfathomable Paladin before him, waiting for what would come next.

"As a token of my apology, and to make amends for my offense..."

Van Buren’s voice became deep and solemn.

"I have nothing of value on me now. Even this temporary body is on the verge of collapse from demonstrating but a fraction of my power. All I have is a sliver of insight into the essence of Power, which might serve as compensation. You should have seen it just now..."

"That ability... is called a Will Territory, or ’Domain’."

"It is not inherited by bloodline, nor can it be granted by an external force. It is the ultimate sublimation and manifestation of an Extraordinary Professional’s own will, the qualities of their soul, and their understanding of the world’s Laws. It is one of the keys to a higher Realm."

He paused, a flicker of reminiscence in his eyes.

"Even in my era, those who could truly achieve their own Awakening and form a Domain were one in ten thousand."

"The form, Rules, and power of every Domain are completely different, determined entirely by its creator. It represents a Realm, an Authority to brand one’s own will onto reality."

As he spoke, Van Buren raised his right hand. A point of pure, gentle, white-gold light appeared at the tip of his index finger.

This light was not simple Energy; it emanated a profound and unsettling aura.

"This is my sliver of insight into ’Will Territory’ and ’Law Manifestation’. Although it cannot directly grant you the ability to awaken a Domain, it may illuminate the path forward and offer some small guidance when you truly reach that Realm."

Before he finished speaking, the point of white-gold light, as if alive, floated gently toward Roland and sank into his forehead.

The next moment, an indescribable feeling surged through Roland’s mind.

It wasn’t an infusion of vast knowledge, but a profound, esoteric "concept" taking root and sprouting in the depths of his consciousness.

In an instant, he seemed to glimpse countless fragments of strange spaces, each constructed from different wills and different Laws.

Some burned hot as a furnace, others were as cold as an endless night. Some teemed with life, others were deathly silent and desolate.

He sensed the cornerstone of their existence.

A pure and powerful thing, based on one’s own will and a deep understanding of the world’s Rules.

Though it was hazy and indistinct, like looking at flowers in a fog, it had undeniably pushed open a door for him to a completely new Realm.

The intense headache seemed to ease considerably after the white-gold light merged with him.

Roland slowly opened his eyes, feeling the heavy "seed" full of infinite possibilities deep within his consciousness. His heart was in turmoil.

The value of this seemingly "futile" and brutal battle, which had left him covered in wounds, far exceeded his imagination.

This insight into the "Domain"—its value was likely enough to drive countless Extraordinary Professionals into a frenzy.

"It seems you are satisfied with this ’compensation’."

Noticing the faint light shimmering in Roland’s eyes, Van Buren gave another slight bow.

"Well then, please allow me to take my leave."

The Paladin turned and walked toward the door.

Just as the door was about to close, he seemed to remember something, stopping to add one last thing.

"Oh, right, Mr. Roland. The battle within the Will Territory may have felt long to your Perception, but in reality, less than an instant has passed."

His voice came through the crack in the door, still clear.

"As I said before, I have not delayed you from your important business."

Before he finished, the heavy door had silently closed.

Roland temporarily suppressed the stray thoughts in his mind and turned his gaze to the Magic Core nearby.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and began to carefully examine the source of the dim light.

However, after only a moment, his brow slowly furrowed.

The core’s distorted surface seemed to be covered by an indestructible Energy Barrier.

Roland tried every conventional method he could think of, but he couldn’t find any way to breach it.

His gaze swept anxiously to the base of the High Tower.

The battle had reached a critical point.

Human soldiers were struggling to hold on under the crushing weight of the Magical Guide Structures and the frenzied attacks of the Undead Corpses. The defensive line was on the verge of collapse.

Farther away, blinding fluctuations of Power clashed violently with gray-black Negative Energy. The Witch Demon was locked in a life-and-death struggle with the Transcendents. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Every minute, every second, meant another life lost.

He was out of time.

Looking down at the Purgatory-like scene below the High Tower, Roland held his breath and focused, gathering his Magic Power. An orange-red fiery light began to wreathe his fingertips.

’Detonate it... It’s the only way left!’

The thought was incredibly strong, but the strange, flowing barrier on the core’s surface, along with the vast and unstable Energy it contained, made his heart clench.

’But what if... this violent Energy breaks free...’

He subconsciously tensed all his muscles, lowered his center of gravity slightly, and his toes unconsciously shifted an inch toward the door.

Just as the orange-red glimmer was about to coalesce into the shape of an Arrow...

"Mr. Roland, if you don’t wish to be torn to shreds by the turbulent Magic Power..."

A slender, graceful figure had suddenly appeared not far from Roland’s side.

"I would advise against that."

"Vanessa?"

Seeing the sudden appearance of the Purple-haired Witch, and given the urgency of the situation, Roland didn’t question her phantom-like arrival and simply asked directly.

"Do you have a way to stop this core from operating?"

"Of course."

Seeing that the young man before her didn’t ask any curious questions about her appearance, Vanessa shrugged with a hint of disappointment before speaking.

"The key to stopping this core is currently in your hands."

Hearing this, Roland immediately frowned.

Following the Purple-haired Witch’s gaze, he slowly looked down at the pouch on his waist.

"You mean... the Control Gemstone?"