It turned out that Vynsera was a Dual Affinity Awakener.

Only one in fifty awakened ever possessed such a trait. It was rare, but not novel among the high noble families.

Darien wasn't staggered by the revelation at all.

After all, both Velgrane twins were considered prodigies. Their father, the Duke, could control three elements: fire, wood, and wind.

So, what dazed Darien wasn't the dual nature, but the identity of her second affinity.

Darkness appeared to be a very odd affinity, especially since the Velgranes' bloodline pertained to Mother Nature.

Now she wielded two opposing forces, and to him, that felt like a volatile combination waiting to either elevate or consume her.

His sixth sense whispered that he was looking at someone who could be involved in the grand scale of events.

Perhaps she was.

Who had Darien befriended? A heroine in the story of this world?

He didn't address this verbally. Vynsera was a warrior now cosmically dangerous, but Darien didn't really seem to care too much.

There were plenty of drops to sort through. He had to swap out trivial items from his inventory for more valuable ones, so work had to be done.

Starting with the Forsaken Magus's, Darien shifted his attention.

[You can retrieve:]

[Life Core (Lv. 3) Baroque Staff (Epic) Soul Ink Flash (Uncommon) ×3 Witchborne Robe (Rare) Return Pebble (Common) ×5 Skill Book (1-star) ×2 Collector's Aegis (Epic) Conductor Ring (Epic) Communion Charm (Uncommon) Spirit Stone (Uncommon) ×10 Magical Runestone (Rare) ×2 Energy Potion (Common) ×5 Invitation of the Eclipsera Plane (Legendary)]

When Darien saw the loot list, he grinned. This was exactly what he wanted when he created <1000% Drop Rate>.

The Legendary item was bound to catch his attention first, drawing Vynsera's too, who was secretly watching.

"What's that?" she asked by reflex when Darien picked it up.

(Item Name: Invitation to the Eclipsera Plane)

(Type: ???/ ???)

(Rank: Legendary)

(LV. ?)

(Description: A living parchment. Grants solo entry to a highly cursed destination.)

(Skills: nil)

The parchment was unarguably the most valuable item in the entire lair.

Darien had little understanding of what this cursed destination detailed within could be, but Vynsera guessed it might be an Expanded Realm.

If that was true, Darien would think twice before venturing into such a place alone.

But the invitation's seal bore a single sigil, unmistakably marked for one warrior only. That meant no companions or assistance.

This left Vynsera visibly envious, but this was Darien's drop, and therefore, the invitation belonged to him.

Sighing, she trudged out of the cavern, leaving him to revel in his treasures.

'That invitation is definitely to an Expanded Realm,' she thought.

Expanded Realms had two types: secret and public.

A magical invitation from a parchment drop would certainly be for a secret type.

These realms were mini-worlds of their own, broader and more complex than dungeons, with powerful essence and theme, and a BOSS that regular warriors wouldn't want to meet.

Secret Expanded Realms eventually manifested as public, high-ranked dungeons, locations, or zones when cleared.

If invited aspirants failed to clear it, the realm would remain locked away until the BOSS within grew powerful enough to break into Primordial reality by itself.

Vynsera stopped in her tracks.

Darien, who was equipping a newly looted item, raised his head at the sound of reechoing footsteps.

His partner had just left, yet she returned again.

In her grasp was another parchment with the same fictive insignia, an invitation to the very same cursed destination.

"Can I have this one?" Vynsera asked, a fiddling gleam in her eyes.

It was, technically, still Darien's drop, so she made sure to ask with due respect.

Apparently, the Corrupted Bale Ogre had dropped an identical item due to his <1000% Drop Rate>.

Since the invitation could only be used by one aspirant at a time, having two copies meant redundancy for Darien.

He could sell it off for a fortune.

But selling it off would mean someone else joining the same trial, a stranger who might witness the depth of his powers and his identity, too.

A second invitation in the hands of someone familiar, like Vynsera, was less risky.

Fate seemed intent on pairing their paths.

"We agreed a deal, remember?" Darien said, rising to his feet.

"Right, that's true."

Vynsera replied. She remembered how eager he had been when they made the agreement at the core chamber.

It made her twinge because it felt like she was on the losing end, for now it was her responsibility to locate this secret Expanded Realm!

Storing the invitation, her golden eyes drifted toward an unusual item equipped by her partner.

It was a black, two-dimensional spherical artifact with charming runes like stars in ink.

When Darien activated it, it rose and hovered beside him, orbiting him like a small, obedient satellite.

(Item Name: Collector's Aegis)

(Type: Relic/Node)

(Rank: Epic)

(LV. 8)

(Description: A unique item that automatically absorbs loot within a 20-meter radius. User can mentally set a minimum rarity to collect, and lesser items will be ignored. Contains an internal space of 20 slots, regardless of weight. Increases user's own storage by 15%.)

(Skills: nil)

With this relic in hand, Darien didn't have to waste his time sorting through loot and swapping items from his inventory.

The Collector's Aegis shimmered at its circumference and then began its work, absorbing the Forsaken Magus's remaining drops and those of the Soul Skeletons.

Its user had set the minimum collection rank to Rare to ensure only valuable materials were taken.

This was perfect because the entire structure of the Sanctum and lair trembled, showing signs of collapse. There would be no time to review everything.

With his floating "moon" trailing behind, silently absorbing treasures, Darien strode past Vynsera, whose eyes tracked him in mixed expressions.

Together, the two warriors retraced their steps through the lair.

By the time they reached the Sanctum's altar, the whole vicinity was visibly fracturing, walls bowing inward as the cursed location began to crumble upon itself.

"C'mon, run!"

As fast as their legs could carry them, the two sprinted through the collapsing Sanctum, leaping over and dodging debris.

The instant they burst through the exit, a thunderous rumble shook the ground.

BOOOM!

Smoke plumed in the collapse as the edifice was brought to ground level.

Darien glanced at his partner to ensure her safety before he looked back at what remained.

The Sanctum was destroyed after all.

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