Tournament 2

Henry froze, not daring to move a muscle. In all his years of combat, he'd never felt killing intent like this. It wasn't just the cold steel against his throat—it was the overwhelming presence behind him, a bottomless well of power that made his knees want to buckle.

"I..." He started to speak, but the words died in his throat as the pressure intensified. The air itself seemed to grow heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

"You know," Vell's voice came soft and measured, almost friendly, "I've worked very hard to maintain this little charade. It would be... unfortunate if someone were to compromise that."

The beast girl watched from her position by the fountain, her earlier playful demeanor replaced by an unsettling stillness.