THIRD PERSON POV
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A few minutes earlier—
"You're being paranoid."
"I'm not."
Albert's voice was low, tight with frustration.
"Something's off. Something—" he stopped, frowning as Ivy stared at him like he'd just said something stupid. "—quit looking at me like that."
Ivy tilted her head slightly.
"Did you steal from Nora?"
Albert blinked.
"…What?"
"No, seriously. That's the only time you look this stressed."
"For Christ's sake—no." He dragged a hand down his face. "And why would I be scared of her? She just talks too much."
Ivy rolled her eyes and turned away, already losing interest.
"Paranoid."
She stepped closer to the barrier just as Nathan and the others returned from the field.
Donald finally peeled himself away from a cluster of giggling girls and slipped up beside her, naturally—like he belongedthere. His arm came around her waist.
Casual.
Possessive.
Ivy's expression didn't change.
She simply looked down at his hand.
Then—
Crack.
"Ow—! Ivy!"
Donald jerked back, gripping his wrist before snapping it back into place with a wince.
Ivy blinked up at him.
Innocent.
"What?"
A pause.
Then his lips curled slowly.
Dangerously amused.
"…That your way of flirting?" he murmured. "You're a sick one. I like it—"
He reached for her again.
She didn't hesitate.
Her fingers tangled in his hair—
"OW—! You psychopath—!" Donald yelled.
—and she started smacking his head with a pen like he was a misbehaving child.
The others didn't even look.
They'd learned.
Ignore it.
"Wow," Lily whispered, eyes sparkling.
"Boss can do that too?"
"Yeah," Nathan chuckled. "He's just a show-off."
Then—
A portal opened.
The man's voice cut through the arena.
"You're hiding her."
He sniffed.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"What are you talking about?" George called. "A name would help."
No response.
Just that slight tilt of his head.
Then—
His hand rose.
Something shifted.
Not wind.
Not sound.
Pressure.
Then it dropped.
The wave hit.
Invisible.
But brutal.
Screams ripped through the stadium.
Not excitement.
Not cheering.
Real.
Raw.
Terrified.
Bodies dropped.
Some slammed into the barrier.
Others just… crumpled.
Everything shattered into chaos.
Security scrambled, trying to force the crowd out. Fighters moved—some charging, some freezing, others running.
Mentors barked orders.
No one was coordinated.
George's team didn't move.
They watched.
Analyzed.
Lilian and her group were already advancing.
Too fast.
Too reckless.
"Idiots," Renzo muttered, almost amused. "They don't even know what they're dealing with."
Ivy stepped forward, shoving Donald aside without looking at him.
Her eyes locked onto the three figures below.
Unblinking.
Still.
"…Pretty."
The word slipped out.
Soft.
Almost admiring.
Zoe's head snapped toward her.
"What did you just say?"
Ivy turned slowly.
"What?"
That same blank calm.
Zoe's jaw tightened—but she said nothing.
"What are you waiting for?!" George shouted. "Zoe—Lily—Donald! Restrain!"
He was already moving, helping injured people out of the chaos.
Zoe grabbed Lily, webbing shooting out as they descended.
Roots burst from the ground moments later, twisting and binding.
Donald flicked his wrist—
Ice exploded outward, freezing the ground beneath the intruders.
Chains. Webs. Roots. Ice.
Layer after layer.
It worked.
For a second—
It actually worked.
The three were restrained.
Pinned.
Contained.
Silence fell.
Uneasy.
Fragile.
Then—
The first man laughed.
Low at first.
Then louder.
Then wrong.
Everyone froze.
Something about it didn't match the situation.
Didn't match anything.
And then—
From the stands—
A second laugh joined.
Light.
Soft.
Almost… delighted.
Heads turned.
Ivy.
She was smiling.
Then—
Giggling.
Even Renzo's expression shifted.
A frown.
Sharp.
Alert.
"Ivy…"
Albert grabbed her arm.
"Stop."
She didn't.
Her laughter blended with the intruder's.
Perfectly out of place.
Perfectly in sync.
Below—
Number Five's mask slipped, hitting the ground.
Her mouth—
Stitched.
Pulled.
Torn open from strain.
Something dark seeped through the seams.
Then—
It split wider.
And she screamed.
The sound wasn't human.
It tore through the arena.
Through bone.
Through thought.
People dropped instantly.
Hands clamped over bleeding ears.
Glass shattered.
Structures cracked.
Some passed out on the spot.
It didn't stop.
One second.
Two.
Ten.
A full minute.
Renzo moved.
His eyes burned red.
Fangs bared.
A snarl ripping from his throat as he lunged—
And tore her apart.
Silence crashed down just as violently.
Her body hit the ground.
Shaking.
And finally, unmoving.
The remaining two intruders stared at what was left of her.
Their laughter died.
Slowly.
But—
Ivy's didn't.
She was still laughing.
Soft.
Breathless.
Unbothered.
"You're all dead."
She said it lightly.
Like a joke.
Like a fact.
Blood trickled from her ears.
She wiped it away absentmindedly.
Albert didn't hesitate this time.
He grabbed her.
Pulled her back.
Hard.
But her laughter followed.
Lingering.
Wrong.
And for the first time—
Even the enemies looked up at her.