"I know I can," Max answered calmly, his voice resolute. His body responded at once, arcs of red lightning bursting across his form. He called upon the Storm King's Inheritance, invoking both Heaven's Wraith and Extreme Speed simultaneously.

The cavern quaked under the sudden release of power, cracks spreading across the stone floor beneath him as his aura roared outward. Yet even with this overwhelming force coursing through his body, he found the pressure too heavy. His arms trembled, his body strained, but he still could not rise.

'Infernal Demon Transformation!' Max's thought cut through the haze of struggle. His body instantly shifted, radiating a dark and terrible aura. His hair bled into a deep crimson shade, his eyes blazed with a dark red glow, and an ominous wave of energy erupted outward like the breath of a demon lord. The air grew heavier, suffocating with the sheer malevolence of the transformation.

Nina's eyes widened in horror. Evan stiffened, his heartbeat pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. Both of them felt a primal fear ignite in their chests, as though their very souls recoiled from the energy Max now radiated. They had faced terrifying beings before, but never had they felt an aura so suffused with evil, so raw and suffocating that it made their instincts scream.

Yet Max remained calm within the storm of his transformation. His gaze stayed locked on the meat, his will unwavering.

Trying to sit up, Max poured the full force of all his transformations into his body. The golden glow of his Dragon Scales shimmered faintly beneath the red arcs of lightning from the Storm King's Inheritance. The crimson aura of the Infernal Demon Transformation coiled around him like waves of fire, making the very air quiver.

Power surged violently through his veins, every muscle straining as though it were about to snap. The stone beneath him cracked and splintered, unable to withstand the raw pressure he released in his effort to move.

Slowly, painfully, his body lifted. His back arched, his shoulders pushed forward, and inch by inch he forced himself into a seated position. The weight pressing him down fought against every motion, trying to pin him flat to the ground again, but Max's strength and willpower overwhelmed it. By the time he finally managed to sit upright, his breath was heavy, his aura raging like a storm contained within the cave.

Evan and Nina watched in silent shock. Their own bodies remained glued to the stone, their limbs useless under the oppressive force. They could not even lift their hands, let alone raise themselves to sit.

For them, the pressure was unbearable, and the thought of resisting it was nothing short of impossible. To see Max not only resist it but force himself upright left them stunned. His power was not just higher than theirs—it was on an entirely different stage.

Max glanced at them briefly, then turned his gaze toward the thick slab of meat that the giant had placed in front of him. He reached forward with trembling fingers, his scaled hand closing around the warm flesh.

The aroma rose sharply as he lifted it, rich and strange, carrying a faint metallic tang mixed with something savory. For a moment, he studied it with narrowed eyes, as though trying to understand the intent behind the gift.

Then, without hesitation, he bit into it. His sharp teeth tore through the dense meat with ease, and the flavor spread across his tongue. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. The meat was tender, yet it carried an otherworldly energy that burned faintly as it slid down his throat.

It was not just food—it was filled with power. Each mouthful spread warmth through his body, seeping into his muscles and bones like invisible currents of energy.

He chewed slowly, savoring the taste and gauging its effects. His aura rippled faintly as the energy within the meat began to mingle with his own, sinking into his core. It was nourishment, but it was also a test, perhaps even a step within the trial.

Nina and Evan could only stare as Max continued to eat, the glow of power around him intensifying with every bite. They had thought of the meat as food to stave off hunger, but now they could feel it radiating energy even from where they lay. Whatever its purpose, it was not ordinary.

Max finished his first mouthful and looked at the meat again. His eyes sharpened, thoughtful and calm. "So this is what you wanted us to do," he muttered softly before taking another bite.

He could feel it clearly. The pressure that had been crushing his body moments ago was no longer the same. It was fading at a rate so fast it startled even him. To put it in the right words, it was not that the weight pressing down on him had lessened, but that the meat he was eating carried such a profound magic that it was forcing his body to adapt to the pressure of the cave at a rate visible to the eye.

With every bite, the energy within the meat spread through his veins like a blazing current. His muscles trembled at first, but soon they steadied. His bones, which had felt like they were on the verge of breaking, now hardened against the invisible weight. The suffocating heaviness around his chest loosened, and his breathing grew easier.

Max could sense his entire being shifting to accept what had seemed unbearable before.

A thought formed in his mind with perfect clarity. If he finished this slab of meat, he would be able to move freely inside the cave with only his Dragon Scales Transformation and the full power of his one thousand Draconic Essences. He would no longer need to call upon the Storm King's inheritance or the Infernal Demon Transformation.

And so he continued to eat in silence. Bite after bite, he devoured the strange but nourishing meat while Nina and Evan watched him with wide eyes. To them, it was beyond comprehension. They were still pinned helplessly to the ground, unable to move a finger, and yet Max was calmly eating as though the pressure no longer mattered.

It took only a few minutes before the slab was gone. Max placed his hand on his chest, exhaling slowly as he closed his eyes. Extending his Three Dimensional Body, he carefully sensed the world around him. The weight pressing against his limbs was still there, but it had been reduced to such a degree that it no longer threatened to bury him. His body had accepted it, absorbed it, and reshaped itself to endure it.

He let go of the Infernal Demon Transformation, the dark red aura fading away. The crackling arcs of the Storm King's inheritance also vanished, leaving only the golden glow of his Dragon Scales Transformation. Even without those extreme powers, he felt steady. His body remained upright in the sitting position, no longer trembling under the burden.

A small smile touched his lips as he slowly rose to his feet. His scaled form gleamed faintly in the dim light of the cavern, his movements smooth and controlled. He rolled his shoulders, stretched his arms, and flexed his fingers, savoring the freedom. "It feels good to finally move around," he said calmly.

Both Nina and Evan were stunned. Only moments ago, they had seen him struggle desperately just to sit. Now he was standing tall, stretching casually as though the cave's pressure was nothing at all. Their minds could only reach one conclusion—the meat was the reason.

Max turned to them, his expression calm but certain. "Try whatever means you have to eat the meat," he said. "It is magical. Once you do, you should be able to move as well."

Nina and Evan exchanged a look, then nodded firmly. They did not doubt his words.

With that, Max gave them one last glance before turning toward the mouth of the cave. His steps were firm and steady as he walked forward, and a moment later he stepped out into the strange world beyond.

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