Meanwhile, inside the Canglan Capital Ability Bureau, a fiery red figure stepped into the hall.
She was Flame Heart, the same person who once had a "fierce confrontation" with Yunli.
The moment she entered, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations died down, breathing faltered, and countless gazes turned toward her all at once.
Flame Heart raised an eyebrow slightly, a knowing smile flickering in her eyes.
She was long accustomed to this kind of attention.
With her flame-like figure, graceful and swaying, her bold and striking curves, her long crimson hair like a blazing sunset, and a face so enchanting it could outshine the stars, it was only natural she would become the center of attention.
More importantly, within the world of Ability Users, the name Flame Heart had already become synonymous with legend.
Her ruby-like eyes swept calmly across the hall.
"Why are there so many people?"
Standing at the entrance, her gaze sharpened as she observed her surroundings.
The hall was packed. Many were Ability Users transferred from other cities, and there were even numerous Unbound gathered inside.
Some leaned against the walls.
Others crossed their arms.
Nearly all of them carried an air of vigilance and unease.
Flame Heart could tell at a glance that something serious had happened.
Setting aside her earlier casual thoughts, she began to consider the reason her grandfather had called her back.
As she moved forward, she had barely taken two steps before someone suddenly blocked her path.
Flame Heart: (๑•.•๑)?
Before she could react, the other party spoke.
"Ma'am, you cannot proceed any further without authorization. Please state your purpose."
The voice rang out clearly, and at the same time, the surrounding gazes grew sharper, filled with undisguised suspicion.
Flame Heart froze briefly, then felt a wave of disbelief.
With so many people here, not a single one recognized her.
Her lips twitched slightly, but she still answered seriously.
"I am Flame Heart. Can I go in now?"
She gave a soft snort and stepped forward, clearly unwilling to waste any more time.
However, the person in front of her did not move.
Like a solid wall, they extended an arm and blocked her again.
Flame Heart: （｀Δ´）?
Now she was truly getting irritated.
She rarely came to the Ability Bureau precisely because she disliked dealing with tedious rules and procedures.
With her strength, she had every right to ignore them entirely.
And yet, even after stating her identity, she was still being stopped like this.
Under normal circumstances, she would have already forced her way through.
But out of respect for the Director, she restrained herself.
Taking a breath, she spoke again, her tone clearly impatient.
"Special Grade Esper — Witch, Flame Heart."
This time, she didn't wait for a response.
She stepped around the person and headed straight toward the Director's office.
But the crowd in the hall had no intention of letting her pass so easily.
A few hot-tempered Ability Users immediately stepped forward.
"Damn it, do you think we're fools? The strongest Ability User, the Witch Flame Heart? Why would she suddenly appear here?"
"You've fooled us before. Did you think we have no temper? With so many of us here today, there's no way you can deceive everyone!"
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Flame Heart stopped in place, a look of realization appearing on her face.
So that was the issue.
These people thought she was an impostor.
Thinking it over, she couldn't entirely blame them.
As the strongest Ability User in the Dragon Nation, she was notoriously elusive, with no fixed base and rarely appearing in public.
Most people only knew her through records and images.
Her sudden appearance here did seem suspicious.
Still, another thought crossed her mind.
Flame Heart (•᷄ࡇ•᷅): Even if I were fake, why are you all so worked up? Acting like I stole your girlfriend.
The man leading the accusations saw her expression and instantly lost his temper.
"You bastard! Have you already forgotten how you disguised yourself and seduced my girlfriend into a hotel? I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
Flame Heart (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!
Wait. How did you know I like girls? No, that's not the point. What are you even talking about?
Before she could respond, the situation escalated.
Encouraged by the man, several others stepped forward.
It was obvious that many of them had grievances to settle.
In the next moment, the hall erupted into action.
Flame Heart hadn't even turned around yet when she sensed a surge of attacks coming straight at her.
Various abilities intertwined, forming a dense barrage that rushed toward her without hesitation.
Her expression turned cold.
The flame between her brows ignited instantly, blazing like a crimson meteor.
Sparks burst outward like blooming red lotuses, climbing along her dress before erupting into a towering inferno.
A wave of heat exploded through the hall.
The air distorted, and the sudden surge of scorching force made everyone's eyes widen in shock.
Those who had rushed forward, along with the surrounding onlookers, were all caught in the blast.
They were thrown backward like broken kites, crashing heavily into the walls.
The hall descended into chaos.
Cries of pain echoed everywhere as people collapsed onto the ground, curling up like broken weeds in a storm.
At the center of it all, Flame Heart stood tall and unmoving.
Like a red lotus blooming amid ruin, her crimson dress remained untouched, radiant even in the midst of destruction.
Her gaze swept over the crowd, cold and emotionless.
If she had not deliberately held back, the entire hall would already have been reduced to a sea of fire.
No one would have survived.
Not even ashes would remain.
She crossed her arms, her expression filled with pride and disdain.
"Well? Do you believe I am the Witch Flame Heart now?"
No one answered.
Only the sound of uneasy breathing filled the hall.
Everyone understood the truth now.
She was no impostor, and they had just provoked the strongest Ability User in the Dragon Nation.
Aside from a few unlucky bystanders who had been caught in the crossfire, everyone else lay completely still, pretending to be unconscious.
Flame Heart snorted, seeing through their act instantly, but she had no interest in dealing with them one by one.
Her gaze shifted and locked onto the man who had accused her earlier.
The man's body trembled as he felt it.
Flame Heart was not someone known for her patience.
Just as she stepped forward, preparing to have a proper talk with him, a figure hurriedly rushed over and stopped in front of her.
"Lady Witch, please excuse us. The Director is waiting for you upstairs. Leave the cleanup here to me."
The tone was respectful, almost cautious.
As the woman spoke, her eyes swept over the devastated hall, and she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of shock.
This kind of scene spoke for itself.
As expected of the strongest Witch.