The small room fell silent, except for the faint hum of the mana-suppression cuffs.
A heavy wave of killing intent rolled off Leo, filling every corner of the small room. It was the crushing weight of an Expert High aura, sharpened by instinct and power. To a broken teenager with a low rank and his mana sealed behind iron cuffs, it felt like the roof was caving in on his chest.
He couldn't breathe. His skin went cold. His blood felt like ice.
Leo stared down at him with cold blue eyes — lifeless, sharp, and completely empty of warmth. The message was clear: if he wanted the boy dead, he would be dead.
In the corner, the sixteen-year-old pressed his back against the wall as hard as he could. His heart pounded against his ribs like a trapped bird. He clenched his bound fists so hard his nails dug into his bloody palms. His teeth ground together until his jaw hurt.
