The chains tightened relentlessly. He couldn't break free—he couldn't even move. What kind of ability was that? For the first time, real fear appeared in the masked man's eyes. Thora narrowed her gaze and clenched her fist. The chains jerked him forward and slammed him hard into the ground. Meanwhile, Davis had already ordered Valen to rush over. Surveillance was fully restored and streamed straight to the principal's office. Davis wasn't an ability user, so he couldn't see the ability waves. Still, the strange battle on-screen told him enough. He'd seen plenty of ability users before, so that alone didn't shock him. What caught his eye was the flame flickering at Thora's fingertips. He'd never seen anything like it. Was her ability fire? After watching their first exchange, Davis was sure the masked man had to be academy staff. Could he be the hidden mole? The footage darkened his expression. He immediately told Valen to get to the rooftop and ordered all surveillance records sealed. "Ah—" the masked man screamed in agony. Even through the mask, his face visibly twisted in pain. The solid chains kept tightening, slicing into flesh like blades. Blood seeped along the chain lines and dripped onto the ground. At some point, Darius had reached the rooftop. He stepped up beside Thora and said gently, "Easy, Thora. If he dies, he won't be useful for questioning." He was smiling, but he was shaken inside. That wasn't just one ability. She was controlling solid matter—something that didn't fit any known category. His reminder made Thora think of the two who had self-destructed earlier. Her eyes sharpened, and the chains stopped tightening at once.The masked man collapsed to the ground, completely drained. Thora stepped forward and placed a hand on him. Her perception spread through his body, locking onto his heart. Just as she thought, something was hidden there. The masked man had no idea what she was doing. Before he could react, a faint crack sounded, and his body jolted. Darius could tell what Thora did. His eyes went cold as he watched. She'd used a manipulation-type ability to destroy the self-destruct device inside the masked man. Now, no matter what he said, he couldn't blow himself up. "What did you do?" the masked man demanded, panic creeping into his voice. "Removed something that didn't belong to you," Thora replied flatly. His eyes widened in disbelief. "What thing?" Thora sneered, grabbed his collar, and yanked him up. "You get one chance. Tell me what I want to know. Or you'll beg me to kill you." Her threat was sharp and absolute. Darius leaned against the wall, watching her with a smile. His eyes were full of indulgence and quiet admiration. Just then, Valen arrived with several soldiers. Seeing Thora interrogating the suspect, he stepped forward—only to be stopped by a hand. Valen looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Draven?" Darius curved a cold smile. "You've got the wrong person." Valen frowned, but he didn't dwell on it. To him, Draven and Darius were basically the same. Davis had mentioned a distinguished guest surnamed Blackwood at the academy today. That had to be this man. Valen nodded politely. "Greetings, Mr. Blackwood." Then he tried to step past Darius.But Darius didn't move. His hand stayed firmly in the way. The soldiers behind Valen immediately tensed, ready to act. "What do you mean by this, Mr. Blackwood?" Valen asked coldly, a hint of accusation. Darius glanced at Thora, still questioning the suspect, and replied calmly, "Can't you see she's busy interrogating a criminal?" "This is academy business!" Valen snapped, reaching out to shove him aside. Darius's eyes turned icy. He twisted his wrist and clamped a powerful grip onto Valen's shoulder. Valen tried to pull free, but the crushing force and sharp pain locked him in place. Shock flashed across his face. Just how strong was Darius?