Max looked at Victor calmly and spoke with quiet certainty. "Do not worry. He will be fine."

As he said this, Max shifted his attention fully to Michael and examined him in depth using his Three Dimensional Body. Every fluctuation of aura, every distortion in Michael's soul and mind became clear to him.

He could clearly sense how the evil energy had invaded Michael's body and seeped into his consciousness, warping his thoughts and pushing him into a berserk state driven purely by malice and destruction.

If this had been normal infernal energy, Max would not have hesitated. He could have devoured it directly from Michael's body without any danger to himself. Infernal energy, after all, was something he understood deeply. It was born from the True Origin Devil Blood corrupting Mark, twisting the divine authority of the crownbearer into a darker form.

Mark had possessed the power of this world through his crown, and when that power was tainted by the True Origin Devil Blood, it transformed into infernal energy that Max had long since learned to control and suppress.

But this was different. The energy corrupting Michael and permeating the entire temple was not infernal energy. It carried a far more vicious and destructive nature, something colder and more absolute in its malice.

Max could feel it resisting his perception, as if it possessed a will of its own, eager to consume and corrupt anything it touched. He understood instinctively that if he carelessly tried to devour this energy, the consequences could be disastrous, even for him.

"This energy is not something simple," Max said slowly, more to himself than to the others. "It is far more potent than infernal energy and far more dangerous."

Michael continued to struggle, his breathing ragged and his eyes filled with madness, but Max did not rush. He steadied his thoughts, analyzing the situation with extreme caution.

Whatever lay beyond this door had already proven that it could reach out and poison even peak Divine Rank experts without direct contact. If they made a single reckless move from here on, the cost would not be small.

Max studied Michael in silence for a brief moment, his gaze deep and thoughtful, before finally reaching into his spatial storage and taking out a small jar covered in ancient and complex inscriptions.

The surface of the jar was faintly warm, and the runes etched upon it carried a suppressive aura that made even the surrounding air feel heavier. This was the very same jar that had once devoured his black flames when Balthazar used it against him, and Max had taken it from Balthazar's corpse after killing him, sensing that it would be useful someday.

He turned and handed the jar to Victor. "Take this," Max said calmly. "When I tell you to, activate the jar with your mana."

Victor did not understand what Max intended to do, nor did he fully grasp how this jar would be used in the current situation, but he could hear the confidence in Max's voice. Without questioning further, he accepted the jar carefully, holding it with both hands as if afraid it might react violently. He nodded solemnly, signaling that he was ready to follow Max's instructions to the letter.

Max then returned his attention to Michael. His eyes sharpened as he activated his Three Dimensional Body to its fullest extent, his perception expanding far beyond the physical layer. At the same time, black flames surged forth from his body, wrapping around Michael entirely.

These flames did not burn Michael's flesh. Instead, they acted like living shadows, seeping into his body and threading through his meridians, blood, and soul with terrifying precision. Slowly and carefully, Max began to devour the evil energy that had invaded Michael from the corrupted temple.

At first, the resistance was intense. The evil energy clung stubbornly to Michael's body and mind, writhing like a living parasite unwilling to be expelled. Gradually, thin streams of black colored energy began to seep out from Michael's pores, his mouth, and even his eyes.

This was the very essence that had driven him mad, the corruption that had twisted his thoughts and ignited his murderous intent. Max maintained absolute focus, forcing the energy out bit by bit using the devouring power of his black flames, careful not to let even a trace slip back inside.

When enough of the corrupted energy had been drawn out, Max lifted his head and spoke firmly. "Now."

Victor reacted instantly. He poured his mana into the jar, activating the inscriptions carved upon its surface. The runes lit up one after another, and a powerful suction force burst forth from the mouth of the jar.

The black evil energy that Max had extracted was immediately pulled toward it, twisting and compressing as it was dragged inside. The moment the energy entered the jar, the inscriptions flared brightly, sealing it away without any sign of leakage.

"Good," Max said with a nod when he saw that the process was working as intended.

He did not stop there. Maintaining the black flames around Michael, Max continued to draw out more of the evil energy, layer by layer, until Michael's body stopped producing that vile aura. Each time the corrupted energy emerged, it was immediately sucked into the jar, contained safely without giving it any chance to escape or retaliate.

This process continued for nearly an hour. Sweat slowly formed on Max's brow as he maintained such delicate and dangerous control, while Victor stood nearby holding the jar steadily, his arms trembling slightly from the continuous mana output required to keep it active.

At last, the flow of black energy ceased entirely. Michael's body went limp, his breathing gradually stabilizing as the madness faded from his face.

When Max finally withdrew his black flames, the evil energy had been completely removed from Michael's body, all of it sealed securely within the ancient jar.

Max let out a slow breath as he confirmed that the last traces of the evil energy had been completely removed from Michael's body. The oppressive aura that had clung to the hall weakened noticeably, and Michael's breathing became steady once more.

Only then did Max allow himself a moment of relief, knowing that a single mistake during that process could have cost Michael his life or dragged Max himself into unknown danger.

He straightened and turned to look at the others, his expression serious and unwavering. "I do not know what awaits us beyond this door," Max said solemnly. "Whatever is behind it is the source of this corruption, and it is far more dangerous than anything we have encountered so far. For that reason, I suggest that all of you enter the Life Space Rings. Only Lucien and I will proceed from here."

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