Leon held the woman's gaze without flinching.
Her presence pressed against the air like a tidal wave, dense enough to crush even seasoned divine Professionals.
The fog bent around her, coiling like a living thing that recognized its master.
Yet the pressure slid off him like rain on steel.
It slid off each of his squadmates too, and that was what finally pushed a flicker of surprise across the woman's refined features.
Her stare drifted toward Nikko first.
'A rank-eight resisting me… impressive. But rank-sevens?'
A faint crease tightened her brow.
'Have I lost my edge?'
She shifted her attention to Malachi next.
The beast man stood straight, though he wasn't completely unaffected.
Her eyes narrowed.
'So much primal energy, more than any chief has ever held. Yet even he bends. That much at least makes sense. But these five, their resistance is strange. No technique, no barrier. Just raw defiance.'
The woman's gaze sharpened as she glanced back to Nikko.
