From the stands, Ethan could barely keep himself in his seat. His fists trembled, knuckles white from how tightly he was clenching them, his jaw clenched so hard it felt like it might crack. At first, when he saw Kairo initiating an ability, he was caught off guard.
"He's cultivating?" Ethan thought in disbelief.
Ever since receiving the Sanctum, he'd never had to cultivate anything.
Every ability had come to him at full efficiency, perfectly tuned to his being.
The concept of slowly building an ability, forming a Cortex, and nurturing it until maturity felt... foreign.
But the shock quickly gave way to something else—pure, burning fury.
What Kairo was doing to Sophia wasn't just a fight—it was torture.
Kairo's mastery over space was horrifying. He didn't just use it to win. He used it to ensure Sophia endured pain no human—hero or not—should have to feel.
