A barrier flared into existence around her—
Thin.
Translucent.
Shimmering with desperate energy.
Draven stopped.
For the first time—
He paused.
His eyes settled on the barrier, head tilting slightly.
"…What is this?"
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Are you trying to push me away?"
A step closer.
Slow.
Measured.
"Tell me, my love…"
His fingers brushed lightly against the surface.
"…are you trying to push me away?"
The barrier hummed faintly in response.
Fragile.
Flickering.
Then—
His gaze darkened.
"…Then you'll have to try harder."
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
"Something like this…"
His hand lowered.
"…can't separate me from you."
The chains around him shifted slightly as he raised both arms.
Restricted—
But not stopped.
He brought both fists down—
**Bang.**
The impact echoed through the cell.
The barrier trembled—
But held.
For a moment.
Draven stilled.
Then slowly leaned his head back.
Farther.
Farther—
Before snapping it forward—
**CRACK.**
His head slammed into the barrier with terrifying force.
The shimmer fractured instantly.
Cracks spread like spiderwebs—
Then—
Shattered.
The barrier collapsed into fragments of fading light.
Gone.
Completely.
Silence filled the cell.
Tears streamed down her face now.
Uncontrollable.
Her body shook as she stared at him—
At what stood before her.
Draven met her gaze.
And smiled.
"Darling…"
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
"Shall we begin?"
Her pupils trembled.
Her thoughts spiraled—
*What is this—*
*What—*
Her vision blurred.
The world tilted.
Her strength—
Gone.
Her eyes flickered—
Then closed.
Her body went limp as she collapsed onto the ground.
Unconscious.
Still.
Draven stopped.
Mid-step.
He stared at her for a moment.
Then straightened slightly.
"…Damn."
A small sigh escaped him.
"Bitch, I haven't even started yet…"
He clicked his tongue softly.
"…and you already passed out."
A pause.
Then—
Flat.
Disappointed.
"That's no fun."
The strange sound—
That deep, distorted resonance echoing through the prison—
Stopped.
Just like that.
Silence.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
Then—
**Click.**
A single, sharp sound.
Followed by another.
**Click.**
Then another.
And another.
The noise spread—
Echoing through every corridor, every cell, every iron bar—
**Click. Click. Click. Click.**
One by one—
Every cell door swung open.
The chains binding prisoners loosened, mechanisms releasing with cold precision.
Across the room—
The boy's chains snapped open.
The sudden release sent him dropping forward, his body collapsing—
But he caught himself, hands hitting the ground as he steadied his breathing.
For a moment—
He just stayed there.
Processing.
Then slowly—
He looked up.
Draven was already watching him.
Unmoving.
The boy swallowed, still shaken.
"…I've been released…?"
His voice was uncertain.
Disbelieving.
Draven cut him off.
"You're not the only one."
His tone was calm.
Flat.
"Everyone else has been released too."
The boy froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Everyone…?"
Draven didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He glanced down.
At the chains still wrapped around his own body.
Unbroken.
Unmoved.
Still firmly in place.
A faint pause.
Then—
"…Everyone…"
His voice remained even.
"…except me, I guess."
Silence filled the cell again.
But this time—
It felt different.
Because now—
The cage was open.
For everyone—
Except the one who might have been the most dangerous of all.
Draven's gaze lingered on the chains around his own body for a moment longer.
Unbroken.
Unmoved.
A faint breath left him.
*…So that plan's gone.*
His eyes shifted slightly, unfocused for a second as his thoughts moved.
*I was just going to let that bitch lead me to whoever's running this place…*
*Beat the shit out of him…*
*End all of this in one go.*
His gaze sharpened again.
Cold.
*But that ends the moment she was locked up too.*
Silence.
Then—
His attention returned to the boy.
"Stay close."
His voice cut through the quiet.
Flat.
Direct.
"If you don't want to die."
The boy stiffened slightly.
Draven continued.
"This isn't like the prison we were in before."
His eyes flicked briefly toward the open cell door.
"Everyone here had mana collars."
A pause.
"Which means—"
His gaze settled back on the boy.
"Everyone here can use mana."
The weight of those words settled heavily.
"Maybe sealed. Restricted."
He shrugged faintly.
"But not gone."
His tone didn't change.
"Anyone who can use mana…"
A slight tilt of his head.
"…isn't ordinary."
Another step closer.
"Most of them are skilled."
"Combat. Techniques. Something."
The boy's breathing grew uneven.
Draven's voice remained calm.
Almost bored.
"I'm just saying—"
A faint pause.
"If you die…"
His eyes locked onto him.
"…without telling me where the ship is—"
The air seemed to grow colder.
"I'll find that your sister you're looking for instead."
The boy froze.
Every muscle locked.
"And if she resists—"
No hesitation.
No emotion.
"I'll kill her."
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
Draven looked at him for another second—
Then turned slightly.
As if the matter was already settled.
The boy's body trembled for a moment—
Draven's words digging deep.
But he forced it down.
Clenched his jaw.
Steadying his breathing.
Then—
He moved.
Following behind.
—
The cell door stood open.
For the first time—
Nothing blocked their path.
Draven stepped out first.
Chains dragging softly against the ground with each step.
**Clink… clink…**
Heavy.
Restricting.
But not enough to stop him.
The boy followed close behind, eyes darting around.
The hallway—
Was no longer the same.
Cells stood open on both sides.
Doors wide.
Chains broken or hanging loose.
And the prisoners—
Were out.
Some stood still, rubbing their wrists.
Others crouched low, gathering themselves.
A few were already moving—
Quiet.
Careful.
Predatory.
Eyes filled with something far more dangerous than fear.
One man leaned against the wall, flexing his fingers as faint mana flickered around them.
A woman nearby exhaled slowly, her aura stabilizing as she adjusted to the sudden return of power.
Further down—
Two figures were already fighting.
A sudden clash—
Mana flared.
The sound of impact echoed through the corridor.
Chaos—
Was beginning.
The boy swallowed.
"…This is bad…"
Draven didn't slow.
Didn't even look around much.
His gaze stayed forward.
Calculating.
"Of course it is."
Flat.
Matter-of-fact.
"Did you think they'd just walk out peacefully?"
Another step.
Chains dragging.
"People…"
A faint pause.
"…don't get locked up for nothing but I guess most do."
A scream echoed from somewhere deeper in the prison.
Followed by a crash.
Then silence.
The boy flinched slightly.
But kept walking.
Staying close.
Just like he was told.
A shadow moved suddenly from the side—
A man stepped out into their path.
Tall.
Scarred.
Eyes sharp.
His gaze immediately locked onto them—
More specifically—
On Draven.
On the chains.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Well now…"
His voice was rough.
Amused.
"Look at this…"
He tilted his head slightly.
"A chained one walking free?"
His eyes gleamed with interest.
"Must be something special."
The boy tensed.
Instinctively stepping slightly behind Draven.
The man took a step forward.
Mana flickering faintly around his arm.
"So tell me…"
A pause.
"…are you worth killing?"
Draven stopped.
Finally.
His chains settled with a soft **clink**.
He didn't look intimidated.
Didn't look interested either.
Just… mildly annoyed.
His red eyes lifted slowly to meet the man's gaze.
"…Move."
One word.
Cold.
The man blinked.
Then laughed.
Loud.
"Wrong answer."
He moved—
Fast.
Closing the distance in an instant—
His arm swung forward, coated in mana—
Aimed straight at Draven's head—
And Draven—
Didn't dodge.
Didn't block.
Didn't even move.
The punch landed—
**THUD**
His head snapped slightly to the side from the impact.
The boy's eyes widened.
But—
Draven remained standing.
Unmoved.
The man's grin faltered slightly.
"…Huh?"
Draven slowly turned his head back.
Neck cracking faintly.
His expression—
Still the same.
Empty.
"…I said move."
The air shifted.
Subtly.
Dangerously.
Because now—
The man realized—
He might've picked the wrong target.