Chapter 15 · Forbidden Level-Up

"Get your hands off me, you arrogant prick!"

Ella didn't have hands, not really. She had the *idea* of hands, vibrating in the dark space behind Silas's retinas. But the moment she surged forward, Silas’s own body reacted. His fingers clamped around Vivian’s wrist, pinning her against the cold stone of the corridor wall.

"Careful, Vivian," Silas purred, his voice dripping with that fake, polished cruelty. "You’re acting like a guest who’s overstayed her welcome. Or maybe you just like being pinned?"

Vivian didn't flinch. Her eyes were like flint, staring right through Silas—right into Ella. "You're shaking, Silas. Your mana is leaking like a cracked vase. What's the matter? Losing your grip on your own soul?"

Ella felt a jolt of electricity. *Yes!* She didn't wait. She dove deeper into the core of his mana pool, ignoring the searing pain that felt like swallowing hot needles. She didn't just want to peek; she wanted to tear a piece of his power away.

*System: Mana Theft initiated. Target: Host Silas.*

Suddenly, Silas gasped. His grip on Vivian slackened, his knuckles turning white.