The chamber glowed.
Not merely with light.
Golden radiance flowed through the air—
slowly.
Like breathing.
Alive.
At its center, the Core of Nutritional Energy rotated peacefully.
Calm.
Yet beneath that calm—
it felt limitless.
As though it was aware of them.
Arga froze.
The lunchbox in his hand trembled.
The eleven grains of rice pulsed together.
Perfectly synchronized.
Not with his heartbeat.
With something else.
"...It recognizes us," he whispered.
Sinta immediately stepped forward.
"We can't let them get any closer."
Her voice was low.
But sharp.
Determined.
Across the chamber, the Dominion Leader continued walking.
Slowly.
Unhurried.
Like someone who had finally reached his destination.
"Extraordinary..."
His eyes never left the Core.
"The purest form of energy."
Then he glanced at Arga.
"And you..."
"...have allowed it to remain free."
Farhan stared at the readings.
"This isn't just a source..."
Lila finished his sentence.
"It's the origin."
A faint smile appeared on the Dominion Leader's face.
"Exactly."
He raised a hand.
"And if we control it..."
"...we'll never have to imitate it again."
Kai's gaze sharpened.
"And what exactly will you create?"
The answer came without hesitation.
"Something better."
Bimo sighed.
"Every villain says that."
The battle began.
WHOOSH!
Bimo moved first.
Dika followed immediately.
The first clash erupted.
Rani and Nisa blocked the flanks.
CLANG!
Tono vanished into the shadows.
CRASH!
Several lights shattered overhead.
The chamber dimmed—
except for one light.
The Core.
It shone even brighter.
Amid the chaos, the Dominion Leader kept walking.
Straight toward the Core.
As if none of the fighting mattered.
Kai leaped forward and blocked his path.
"You stop here."
A small device activated in the Dominion Leader's hand.
Synthetic light burst forth.
Cold.
Sharp.
"We've learned," he said.
A wave of energy exploded outward.
KRAAAACK!
Kai was thrown backward.
His body trembled violently.
Golden energy shattered around him.
"...No..."
For a moment—
it looked as though he might disappear entirely.
"Enough."
Arga stepped forward.
His lunchbox opened.
Warm golden light spilled into the chamber.
It wasn't forceful.
It didn't dominate.
Yet somehow—
it couldn't be resisted.
The eleven grains of rice shone like stars.
The light touched the Core.
And—
nothing collided.
Nothing fought back.
Nothing was destroyed.
It was accepted.
BZZZZZZ—
The entire chamber trembled.
Not from conflict.
But from recognition.
Farhan froze.
"...This isn't a battle."
Lila stared at her screen.
"...It's synchronization."
Kai slowly opened his eyes.
His energy returned.
But it felt different.
Not wild.
Not forced.
More alive.
He rose to his feet.
And for the first time—
he no longer felt like an experiment.
Arga's lunchbox trembled harder.
The light gathered.
Denser.
Brighter.
Then—
something appeared.
A new point of light.
Small.
Yet somehow deeper than all the others.
The twelfth grain of rice.
Silence filled the chamber.
Everyone felt it.
Bimo stared in disbelief.
"...Okay."
"...That's definitely not a normal level-up."
Farhan's eyes widened.
"The energy structure..."
"...it's changing."
Arga and Kai stood side by side.
Two lights.
Two origins.
Now moving toward the same future.
For the first time, the Dominion Leader stopped completely.
"...This is beyond my calculations."
Yet a moment later—
his smile returned.
"Still not enough."
Click.
Another device activated.
Then another.
And another.
Small machines attached themselves to the floor.
The walls.
The pillars.
Surrounding the Core.
Farhan's face turned pale.
"Energy absorbers!"
"They're going to drain everything!"
Sinta stepped forward.
"Team!"
Her voice echoed through the chamber.
"Protect the Core!"
No hesitation.
No retreat.
Everyone moved at once.
At the center of the chamber, the Core shone brighter than ever.
Not because it was under attack.
Not because someone was trying to take it.
But because—
it was choosing.
The golden light pulsed.
Faster.
Deeper.
Like a heart that had finally awakened.
And for the first time—
Arga felt it clearly.
Not power.
Not energy.
But something else.
A will.
On one side stood Dominion.
Control.
Ambition.
On the other side stood Arga and his friends.
Life.
Choice.
And between them—
something older than both—
was making a decision.
Not about who was stronger.
But about who was worthy.