The fog faded.
The water shimmered under the heavy silence.
Floating just above the surface, completely unharmed, stood Miss Calli—not a single burn, bruise, or scratch on her.
She hadn't even flinched.
Rin's jaw dropped. Foxey blinked in disbelief and slowly drifted down to stand beside her.
Rin muttered in awe, "Miss Calli... wow... You're such an Aura Farmer. You took that hit like it was nothing. And you're just—posing! Oh gods, I need you so bad..."
Foxey swallowed hard. "H-How did you dodge it? That lightning should've knocked out even a nexus user like you!"
Miss Calli didn't look pleased.
In fact—she looked furious.
Her crimson eyes burned like magma, her tone deadly calm.
"You two. Are you trying to KILL me?! That strike could've vaporized me if I hadn't used... Death Swap."
Rin and Foxey, in perfect unison:
"Death Swap??"
Calli's eyes narrowed. "It's a forbidden nexus technique. I swapped my upcoming death with someone else's life."
Rin froze. "Wait... you mean... someone else died in your place?"
Calli answered without hesitation:
"Yes."
Foxey winced. "That's... one hell of a trick. So—so that means… if you keep doing that…"
Rin gasped, "You could live forever!?"
Calli nodded.
Rin, breathless:
"Masterrr~ You're so freaking cool… I can't wait to see you eat me up down there~"
Silence.
The kind of silence that makes your soul leave your body.
Foxey and Calli just… stared at her.
Calli finally broke the silence, exhaling hard.
"Enough. You two… are going to PAY for what you just did."
She snapped her fingers.
BOOM.
A massive fire blast exploded point-blank—so fast, so brutal, neither Rin nor Foxey could react.
The illusionary arena shattered like glass.
They were back in Calli's office.
Rin and Foxey lay on the floor, unconscious, small scorch marks on their clothes, steam rising from their bodies. Smoke still lingered in the air.
Calli stood above them—tall, dominant, radiating fire and power.
She crouched beside Rin, brushing her fingertips softly along Rin's cheek. Her voice was a quiet growl.
"...You're starting to push my buttons."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Just like your Alpha mother did."
To be continue...