The academy courtyard was a sea of flashing police lights. Uniformed officers moved in and out of the shattered main building, escorting wounded students to ambulances. Broken glass crunched under boots; distant sirens wailed.

Ren sat on a low stone bench beside Amanda. Her right arm was wrapped in gauze and an officer had just finished cleaning a gash across her cheek. Kyouka stood in front of them, arms crossed, the faint glow of her own power still fading from her fingertips.

Most of the academy had been cleared. Those still alive were being treated. The traitors who had started this disaster were either unconscious, shackled, or lying lifeless under white sheets.

A woman in a tattered uniform ran toward them. She stopped in front of Amanda, breathing hard, and saluted.

"Ma'am," she said quickly, "more than half of the traitors are dead. Even those we captured—most of them bit down on poison hidden in their necklaces before we could interrogate them. We've managed to secure only three… maybe four alive."

Amanda's brows furrowed. "Three or four is enough," she said quietly. "Take that information to the High Commissioner at once."

The woman nodded and turned to go, but Amanda called out, "Wait. What about student casualties?"

The messenger's eyes fell to the ground. "It's… greater than we thought. Not from the traitors directly, but from the panic after they manifested powers."

Amanda's jaw tightened. A slow sigh escaped her. "They shouldn't have been given their powers before I stabilized the situation…"

"You did more than anyone else could," Ren said firmly.

Kyouka gave a short nod of agreement. "He's right."

Amanda looked at Kyouka, her expression softening. "Don't you have to report back to your guild?"

Kyouka hesitated, glancing at Ren before answering. "…Yes."

"Don't worry," Amanda said. "I'll bring your brother back safely. You can leave him in my care."

Kyouka still looked uneasy. Her eyes flicked between Amanda and Ren. She didn't know everything about this woman—only that she had saved Ren's life before and that Misa talk with this woman.

Ren gave Kyouka a small nod, silent reassurance. It's fine. I trust her.

Finally, Kyouka exhaled and gave a small bow. "All right. I'll be quick."

She turned and walked toward the line of police vehicles, her silhouette disappearing among the flashing lights.

With Kyouka gone, the courtyard felt strangely quiet despite the chaos around them.

Amanda shifted on the bench, wincing as she adjusted her bandaged arm. Then she gave Ren a faint smile. "Where do we even begin?"

Ren let out a small laugh. "Why don't we start with how the Chief of the NDA Dungeon Response Division became a government SWAT team leader?"

Amanda smirked. "That? Just a part-time job to pay my rent."

They both chuckled. The shared humor, however brief, eased some of the tension in the air.

Ren's smile faded. "Is Meiling going to be okay?"

"Yes," Amanda said. "Thanks to you using your Imperial Qi to stop her blood loss. But she'll be bedridden for a while."

Ren stared at the ground. "I see…"

Amanda studied him for a moment. "Ren."

"Hm?"

"About your ability," she said softly. "I won't ask much but just know you will face lot of problems in future."

He blinked at her. "I know"

"Also," Amanda shook her head. "It won't stay secret for long—not with the new principal here."

Ren tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

Amanda leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing toward the administrative building where a tall, calm woman stood surrounded by officers who is none other than Judith. "She's called the Goddess Eye. Her ability is to see the powers of anyone she looks at."

Ren's eyes widened. "That's why she said such strange things to me," he muttered. "Why she invited me to her office…"

He swallowed hard. The secret he had thought was safe suddenly felt paper-thin.

Amanda gave him a faint, reassuring smile. "I won't ask about your skill anymore. But there's one thing I need to know."

"What?"

"Why is that faceless woman chasing you?"

Ren blinked at her. "…That's what I'm confused about too."

He thought of the affection tracker—of the mysterious entry labeled only with question marks. Could it be her?

Amanda studied his face. "You don't know?"

"No. But it looked like you were chasing her the whole time," Ren said. "Is she some famous killer?"

Amanda's lips pressed into a line. "Lan Jia," she said quietly. "That woman wasn't who you think she was. She wasn't Lan Jia."

Ren frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Amanda drew in a breath. "Lan Jia—the woman you saw—was Ms. Jenny too."

Ren stared at her. "What?!"

"The real Ms. Jenny is dead," Amanda said flatly. "We found her body."

The courtyard noise seemed to fade. Ren's mouth opened but no words came out.

Amanda's voice was low but steady. "Right before this hostage situation started, your mother Misa and I went to meet Ms. Jenny at her house…"

Ren blinked. "You… you did?"

Amanda's eyes drifted for a moment, as if seeing another time entirely. "Yes. It was just a few hours before everything here went to hell."

She drew in a slow breath. "Listen, Ren. What I'm about to tell you might sound unbelievable, but it's the truth."

Ren leaned closer, his hands curling into fists on his knees. "Tell me."

Amanda exhaled, and the world of the courtyard seemed to dissolve, replaced by the memory she carried.

***

The rain had stopped only an hour ago, leaving the streets slick and reflecting the dim orange of the streetlights. Amanda sat in the passenger seat of a modest sedan, her gaze fixed on the quiet road ahead. Misa drove, her hands steady on the wheel.

"You're sure about this?" Amanda asked softly.

Misa nodded, her dark hair brushing her cheek. "I said I have some… concerns about Ren's future. And you said you wanted to meet her yourself. This is the best way."

"I do." Amanda's voice held a hard edge. "But listen carefully, Misa. If anything feels off—if you sense danger—you get out immediately. Don't wait for me."

Misa gave her a sideways glance, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're worried about me?"

"I'm serious," Amanda said. "If it comes to a conflict, I need you gone. Can you do that?"

"I will," Misa replied simply. Then, with a small chuckle, "Don't underestimate me. I was once a healer in dungeons, remember? I'm rather good at escaping dangerous situations."

Amanda's fingers drummed lightly on her thigh. "Don't worry about my safety then. Just… focus on Ren. I'll focus on finding out if my suspicions about Ms. Jenny are true."

The car slowed as they turned into a parking lot. Ahead rose a rather ordinary-looking apartment complex: three stories, dull cream paint, a few bikes leaning against the railing. Not the sort of place you expected a teacher with secrets to live.

Misa parked. Both women stepped out, the cool air brushing their faces. Amanda adjusted her jacket and scanned the building automatically—fire escapes, security cameras, open windows.

"She's in unit 302," Misa murmured. "Second floor."

Amanda nodded. "Let's go."

They climbed the stairs together, boots thudding softly on the metal steps. When they reached the third floor, Misa took a calming breath and knocked on the door a few times.

For a moment there was silence. Then a woman's voice called, "Just a second!" They heard the faint scrape of a lock being turned.

The door swung open.

Standing there was Ms. Jenny—Ren's teacher. The woman Amanda had seen at the academy countless times. Her hair was pulled back in a simple bun, and she wore a pale cardigan over a black dress. Her expression, on first glance, was warm. But Amanda saw the flicker of something in her eyes when she recognized her.

"Oh," Jenny said lightly. "Amanda. I didn't know you'd be coming."

"I tagged along," Amanda replied with an easy smile. "Misa and I were on our way to get a drink, so I thought, why not?"

"How lovely," Jenny said, her tone pleasant but just a touch too tight. "Please, come in."

She stepped aside. The apartment inside was neat—almost suspiciously so. A small sofa set, a low table, bookshelves lined with teaching manuals, a faint smell of lemon cleanser.

"Was the traffic bad coming here?" Jenny asked as she closed the door. "You two must be tired. Would you like something to drink? Cold? Hot?"

"Cold would be nice," Misa said politely.

"Cold for me too," Amanda echoed, still wearing her relaxed expression.

Jenny smiled, though Amanda caught the quick glance she shot her way. "Please, sit. I'll bring them right over."

Amanda and Misa settled onto the sofa. Amanda's eyes swept the room while Jenny's back was turned: photographs, knickknacks, nothing obviously incriminating. Still, there was a sense of calculation in the way everything was placed.

Jenny returned a moment later with three tall glasses of iced tea balanced on a tray. She set them on the table. "So," she said with a teacher's warmth, "is everything all right? And why is the Chief of the NDA Dungeon Response Division here with us tonight?"

Amanda waved a hand lightly. "Oh, don't mind me. Like I said, I've been spending more time with Misa lately. We were together already, so I thought I'd tag along. Nothing formal."

Jenny's smile didn't falter, but Amanda could almost feel the annoyance behind it, like a thread pulled too tight. "That's great," Jenny said. "The more the merrier."

Misa cleared her throat softly and set her glass down. "Jenny… I wanted to talk about Ren."

"Of course." Jenny folded her hands in her lap. "He's a wonderful student."

"I know," Misa said. "But lately… I'm worried. With everything going on, with these sudden awakening of his and incidents, I don't feel Ren is safe."

Jenny's expression softened. "I understand. But I can promise you, I'll protect him. I care about my students, especially Ren."

Amanda sat quietly, letting the two speak. She watched Jenny's hands, her eyes, her breathing. So far, nothing. But her instincts told her something was wrong.

Misa leaned forward slightly. "It's just… Ren's real mother is gone. He only has me. I can't stand the thought of losing him."

"You won't," Jenny said firmly. "I'll keep him safe at school."

Amanda tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. "That's a lot of responsibility for a teacher," she murmured.

Jenny glanced at her, smiling faintly. "We all do what we can."

There was a short pause. Then Amanda set her glass down and rose, pressing her thighs together as if uncomfortable. "Sorry—mind if I use your bathroom? I've been holding it for a while."

Jenny pointed toward a door at the far end of the apartment. "Through my room, on the right."

"Thanks." Amanda smiled sheepishly and began walking, her posture slightly hunched, as though truly desperate.

Behind her, Misa launched into another question about Ren's safety, keeping Jenny's attention.

Amanda kept her pace steady until she turned the corner, out of sight. Then she straightened, her eyes sharp, her steps silent.

"Let's see what you're hiding," she murmured under her breath.

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