The ropes binding Nelson weren't thin wires anymore—they had turned into a solid sheet of metal. It was strong enough to hold him but wouldn't cut his skin. The instant Tyler made his move, Caroline acted too. As soon as Nelson was pulled out of the cave, Caroline sealed the entrance with ice. A loud crash followed—something slammed hard against it. It had to be Ryan, hiding deeper inside, using the darkness to heal. If she had been a second slower, he would have burst out right behind Nelson. "Go!" Caroline shouted. Tyler had already secured Nelson on his back. From a distance, they almost looked like conjoined twins. His hands reverted to normal, but a large metal plate spread across his back, locking Nelson in place. As long as Tyler stayed alive, no one could take Nelson. His shirt was shredded, leaving only a pair of torn shorts, but there was no time to care about appearances. He leapt onto Raven's back with Nelson behind him and said to Caroline, "Be careful. I'll be back soon." Then he took off at full speed. At that exact moment, the ice at the cave entrance shattered. Ryan stormed out into the sunlight. He looked even paler and more monstrous than before. Bloodshot eyes burned with hatred, and his face was twisted with rage. The half-foot he'd lost earlier was now wrapped in black mist, forming a new, shadowy foot. "I'm going to kill you, you filthy woman!" In a flash, Ryan vanished again. No one knew which shadow he had slipped into this time. Caroline silently counted, "One... two... three." That was exactly how long it would take for Ryan to appear in front of her.Right as she reached three, a gust of cold wind brushed her face—his attack closing in. She spoke softly, just loud enough for him to hear. "I'm your mom." Special Ability: I'm Your Mom Note: To activate this ability, the user must shout, "I'm your mom!" The louder the voice, the wider the range. Anyone who hears it will see the user as their mother and feel complete respect. Aside from being socially awkward, it's actually quite effective. However, the ability has one limitation—the user cannot harm anyone affected by it. After all, no matter how naughty a child is, a mother would never kill her baby. So, Caroline, are you ready to meet your good son or daughter? The attacking wind suddenly stopped. The darkness around her seemed to melt away. A warm breeze brushed her face. Then came a dull thud—someone dropped to their knees before her. It was Ryan. His face twisted between fury and pain, as if two souls were fighting inside him. "Mom... I—damn... Mom..." The mixture of rage and despair in his voice was almost unbearable to hear. Caroline rubbed her ear and sighed. This was why she had sent Tyler away. There was nothing else she could do. Using this ability on Tyler's old teammate felt wrong, but she had to try. Maybe she could still grant Ryan's last wish—to die while he was sane. She had thought of many other ways, even using Goldy on her wrist to sneak in and finish Ryan quickly. But the man had already suffered enough, cursed with such a twisted ability. So she chose this plan instead. She looked at Ryan, still trembling and fighting himself, and spoke in a calm, gentle voice full of warmth. "Ryan, Mom missed you." As soon as Caroline finished speaking, she saw Ryan—his face twitching and shifting from the inner struggle—suddenly freeze in place. Then, two clear tears slid down his cheeks. He lifted his head and looked at her as if seeing someone entirely different. His lips trembled as he whispered one word. "Mom." Caroline clenched her fists and forced a smile. "Yes, it's me." That single word, "yes," made her jaw ache. But in that brief moment of connection, she caught something—something important.