Her entire form jerked violently, a sharp gasp escaping her lips as an unbearable sensation coursed through her.

It wasn’t just pain... it felt as if something deeper was being shaken, as though her very soul was being torn apart.

She stumbled back, her breathing ragged.

Kael immediately stepped forward and grabbed the bars as well, but aside from a faint tingling sensation, he felt nothing significant.

Ivy, however, collapsed to her knees, dizziness overwhelming her senses as her vision blurred.

"Ivy! Ivy, what happened?" Kael’s voice trembled as he crouched beside her, gently tapping her cheek.

Ivy forced herself to stay conscious, shaking her head weakly.

"This cage... it’s made of something special... something that targets me specifically..."

A soft, chilling laughter echoed through the cave.

From the shadows, Roma stepped forward once again, and beside her stood Ferrero and Ariana.

Seeing them together, Ivy’s expression darkened.

Roma let out a low chuckle, her eyes gleaming with mockery.

"I never thought it would be this easy to fool someone like you, Ivy. If I had known earlier, I would have done this long ago."

Ivy glared at her, her voice cold despite her weakened state. "What is this...?"

Roma tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. "Let’s just say... we outsmarted all of you."

Ivy’s fingers tightened weakly around a small stone. With what little strength she had left, she flicked it toward Roma.

The stone barely made it halfway before losing momentum, dropping harmlessly near Roma’s feet.

Roma glanced down at it, then let out a soft laugh as it tapped lightly against her leg.

"Pathetic," she murmured. "After just one shock, you’re already this weak? You can’t even throw a stone properly."

Ivy’s jaw tightened, anger burning in her eyes. "What is this cage made of?"

Roma’s smile deepened.

"For someone like you, we had to prepare something special. A superior-grade mineral... designed to suppress beings like you. It doesn’t just restrain, it harms."

Ivy’s gaze sharpened despite her condition. "Then why am I affected so much? I feel like dying!"

Roma paused for a brief moment before laughing again.

Ferrero stepped forward, his tone calm but cutting.

"Perhaps because you’re a hybrid. Compared to true superior beings, you’re simply... weaker. That’s why it affects you more."

A faint itch suddenly crawled across Roma’s leg.

She frowned slightly, scratching it absentmindedly. "Strange... why does it itch?"

Ferrero’s eyes narrowed instantly, his expression turning sharp. "Poison," he muttered. "She must have mixed something earlier."

Roma’s gaze snapped back to Ivy, her expression turning cold.

Before anyone could react, she waved her hand.

A sharp force struck Ivy across the face.

The impact echoed, and blood trickled from the corner of Ivy’s lips as her head snapped to the side.

Kael’s chest tightened painfully at the sight, anger surging within him.

’I want to kill her... right now...’ But he clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay rational.

He pulled Ivy gently into his arms, his voice strained but controlled. "Whatever you want... just say it. Don’t hurt her."

Roma let out a soft, amused laugh. "What do I want?" Her eyes gleamed with malice. "I want her life."

Her smile widened, filled with cold intent.

Ferrero, however, frowned slightly as he observed them. ’Something’s off...’ he thought. ’They’re desperate... but not panicked. Why?’

He turned to Roma. "Be careful. They might still have a backup plan."

Ariana smiled faintly, her confidence unwavering. "There’s no need to worry. I’ve already accounted for that."

She was about to continue... when suddenly...

"Ouch!"

Roma’s expression twisted abruptly.

She bent down, grabbing her leg as the itching intensified into something far more unbearable.

Her movements became erratic as she scratched at her skin.

Ferrero stepped forward quickly, his voice tense. "What happened?!"

But Roma couldn’t answer.

Her body trembled, her control slipping as whatever Ivy had done finally began to take effect.

Ariana rushed forward, her expression tightening as she grabbed Roma’s wrist, her fingers pressing firmly against the pulse point.

Her brows furrowed deeply, and then her eyes widened in shock.

"Milk..." she muttered, her voice low yet sharp.

The single word sent a ripple of unease through the air.

Ferrero’s head snapped toward her instantly, his tone laced with disbelief. "Milk? Is there milk around here?"

Roma’s face twisted between pain and confusion as she forced out, "There’s no milk anywhere here... so how can I be affected?"

Ariana shook her head slowly, her expression darkening. "That’s exactly the problem. It’s not nearby... it’s already inside you. Ivy must have done it."

The moment those words sank in, both Roma and Ferrero turned toward Ivy, their gazes sharp and filled with suspicion.

"What did you do?" Ferrero’s voice dropped, cold and dangerous.

Ivy frowned, her expression genuinely puzzled despite the blood still lingering at the corner of her lips.

"I didn’t put anything inside her," she replied firmly.

The confusion in her tone made both of them hesitate for a brief second.

Ariana’s eyes flickered with calculation before her patience snapped.

"We’re wasting time," she said coldly. "Kill her now. We’ll figure everything else out later."

Roma didn’t argue.

With a slow, deliberate motion, she lifted her hand, her fingers curling slightly as if gripping something invisible.

Inside the cage, Ivy’s body suddenly stiffened.

Her own hands rose against her will, wrapping tightly around her neck.

Her eyes widened as she began to choke, her breath cutting off abruptly.

A strangled gasp escaped her lips.

Kael panicked and started to attack the cage; Annie too helped him. Meanwhile, Lily tried to throw a fireball at them.

"They’re too slippery... don’t give them a chance," Ariana muttered under her breath.

Caleb’s hands trembled as he focused intensely, his ability activating as he tried to slow down the flow of time around Ivy.

’Hold on... just a little longer...’ he thought desperately.

Martha clenched her fists, her mind racing. ’Think... think... there has to be something... anything...’

But before anyone could act... Ivy’s body went still.

Her hands loosened and fell limp.