Cryace let out a low, resonant growl—not of pain, but of transformation. His body expanded, growing taller and more defined. The once-smooth ice that formed his limbs hardened into layered crystalline plates, each etched with glowing runes that pulsed in rhythm with his mana core. Jagged, crown-like horns of frost curved back from his head, and his eyes blazed with a deep, luminous blue—ancient, sharp, and intelligent.
The swirling mana began to condense, spiraling inward as the violent storm of energy stabilized. With a final surge, the light exploded outward in a blinding flash.
Silence followed.
When the glow faded, Cryace stood tall and regal, his presence far heavier than before. The air around him shimmered with cold authority, the very essence of winter bending subtly to his will.
"Wow… you really did it," he said, his voice noticeably more mature than before, though his expression still carried a hint of childish wonder.
