"So," Janice asked, her gaze steady on Godiva as the latter sipped from her glass of sparkling water, "what brings you to my corner of the world this time?"
Godiva placed her glass down gently, her expression a mix of sadness and resolve. "I won't beat around the bush. I'm here for the Sole Ring. I intend to deliver it to my granduncle, Duke Lambert III." Her voice softened as she continued, "Though disheartened, he was a little relieved to hear some news about my aunt after two centuries." Her eyes, though determined, carried no trace of deceit. After a pause, she added with a faint smile, "As for other matters, let our families handle them. Knowing my granduncle, he's never stingy when it comes to his only daughter. You guys really hit the jackpot."
Janice's previously light demeanor shifted in an instant. Her smile faded, and her expression hardened. Leaning forward, she cut through Godiva's reasoning like a blade. "Save your breath, Diva. Unless you're here as the official representative of Duke Lambert III, I can't give it to you. I was explicitly ordered to hand the ring only to him or his recognized representative. From where I stand, you're neither." Her voice carried an icy finality. "Don't bring this matter up again unless you no longer value our friendship."
Godiva flinched ever so slightly at Janice's words, then sighed dramatically, reclining back in her seat. "Damn it. I was too late to play the friendship card, and now you've played it. I guess I'm left with no choice but to play the villain. Story of my life," she said, a trace of dry humor in her tone.
With a sharp snap of her fingers, she turned to Claudia. The cloaked woman stepped forward, her expression unreadable, and once again threw her cloak wide. Its edges hung in the air like the frame of an enormous screen, revealing a starry night sky. The stars swirled, rearranging themselves into a luminous portal that shimmered with an almost hypnotic beauty.
Within the portal, an image began to form. It showed Delores, riding strong winds atop her titanium-grey surfboard, her form blurred slightly by the ferocity of the gusts. The scene zoomed out, revealing a massive twister swirling around her, its sheer size and power dwarfing everything in sight. As the view expanded further, it captured twelve curse masters stationed in a hexagonal prism formation, their combined efforts generating a glowing barrier that separated the raging storm from the earth below and sky adove. The hexagonal prism barrier pulsed with energy, holding the chaos at bay.
"That's the Sky Prism Formation," Godiva said, her tone even but laced with subtle pride. "Laid out by twelve Sky-Tier curse masters. Even a Void-Tier would struggle to break through it, let alone an Ocean-Tier curse master." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle before adding with a calm, calculating smile, "How about I trade Delores for the Sole Ring?"
Janice's gaze sharpened, her eyes narrowing as she studied Godiva. Her fingers drummed lightly against the armrest of the sofa, a sign of her simmering irritation. "If I go through with it, Delores will kill herself," Janice replied coolly. Her voice carried a hint of steel as she straightened in her seat. "She might not be the best bodyguard despite being one for over a decade, but she did warn me—never to risk my life for hers." Her determination crystallized, her lips tightening into a firm line. "Yeah, so no trade."
Godiva's expression darkened slightly, though her smile didn't waver. She shook her head, feigning disappointment. "I tried to be civil out of consideration for our friendship, but you've forced my hand." She turned to Claudia and, with a slight flick of her wrist, coldly ordered, "Rip those damned earrings off her ears—and make it hurt. I want to hear her scream."
"With pleasure, my lady," Claudia responded, a slow smirk spreading across her face. She began to approach Janice unhurriedly, each step deliberate. Though a Sky-Tier curse master herself, she couldn't completely hide her caution, her sharp eyes assessing the so-called Aurelian Eyes.
Janice tilted her head, watching Claudia's approach with a detached calm. "It seems you've made your choice," she said, her tone almost mocking. She gave a small wave, her fingers flicking in a gesture of dismissal as she added cheerfully, "Don't say I didn't warn you. Byeee!"
In the blink of an eye, Janice's figure vanished from the couch, her presence was replaced by a naked man with a towel wrapped around his waist, calmly applying cream to his face. His bronze skin glowed faintly under the room's lighting. Despite the sudden change in his surroundings, the nonchalant way he continued massaging the cream into his cheeks made the shift in scene all the more surreal.
Godiva and Claudia froze, their earlier confidence replaced by visible unease. The man's red eyes glanced between the two, taking in their panicked expressions with a flicker of amusement. His movements remained measured as he finished smoothing the cream over his face and wiped his hands clean on the towel at his waist as he began, "So," his voice deep and steady, "which one of you wants to die first?"
Godiva and Claudia felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end as the situation spiraled out of control, veering far from their carefully laid plans and hurtling toward the worst possible scenario. Despite their opponent's mounting pressure, Godiva was the first to react.
"Claudia, take the Sky Slayer hostage and do everything to survive. I'm returning first," Godiva instructed, her voice sharp with urgency as she activated her fail-safe to retreat. But nothing happened. A chill ran down her spine as her eyes darted ahead, only to find a pair of glowing crimson eyes staring back at her through the dim light.
Her breath caught, but Claudia acted swiftly. Letting out a fierce war cry, she threw her cloak wide, the fabric rippling unnaturally as it extended. "Crimson Eyes, fight someone in your own league!" she yelled, her voice ringing with defiance. The cloak surged forward, enveloping the man in a shadowy cocoon that seemed to writhe with an almost sentient energy. In the next instant, the cocoon vanished into thin air, taking Jason McSuile with it.
Godiva exhaled sharply, relief briefly washing over her, though her body remained tense. She pulled her phone from her pocket with shaky hands and quickly dialed her team. "Plan failed," she said, her voice low but laced with urgency. "Crimson Eyes is here. Teleport the entire Sky Prism Array Formation, along with the Sky Slayer, to our territory immediately. She's now the key to deterring the McSuile family from declaring war on us."
Her grip on the phone tightened as her instructions were met with a curt acknowledgment on the other end. Godiva's gaze flickered toward the spot where Jason had been moments before, her mind racing. Despite the temporary reprieve, the stakes had just risen far beyond what she had anticipated. Then she activated her fail-safe once again. This time, it worked, safely teleporting her out of the room and back to her territory, halfway across the globe.