Awakening : Becoming The World's Strongest Beast Master

After the meal, Lia's mood seemed to improve significantly.

"I'm going to report to the top ten academies soon, so I have a few things to take care of. Wait for me at home. I may not be back tonight," she said.

"I'll return by tomorrow night at the latest."

After Lia finished speaking, she left. Although Leo was worried, he didn't press her since she hadn't requested his help.

Once the table was cleared, Leo took the trash downstairs. When he returned to Finn's house, he found Finn sitting on the sofa, watching him with a serious expression.

"I just had a dream," Finn said, his voice low. "Sister Lia might be in danger."

Finn's words startled Leo. He listened intently as Finn continued, "The dream was similar to what I had when you went out to pay the bills. I think you should go find her."

"Where did you see her in your dream?" Leo asked hurriedly, realizing they hadn't asked where Lia was heading earlier.

Finn frowned as he tried to recall the details, but before he could respond, he suddenly dozed off again.

Just as Leo moved to wake him, Finn jerked awake and blurted out, "It was an old factory! The name had the word 'Gang' in it, but the rest wasn't clear."

Finn's ability to see visions in his dreams was still unreliable, giving him only vague glimpses.

"'Gang'? Factory?" Leo muttered, searching his memory for clues. Suddenly, a possibility came to mind.

"Could it be the old shoe factory?"

He remembered working there as a temp with Lia before it shut down. The factory had been abandoned for some time, so it matched the description of a dilapidated factory.

Finn nodded. "That could be it. You should go check. If you need backup, I'll notify the city guard."

Finn's tone was filled with concern, but he knew his condition made him a liability. Unable to control his sudden bouts of sleep, he wouldn't be of much help.

Leo nodded quickly. "Take care of Mia while I'm gone."

Without wasting another moment, Leo dashed out of the house. Finn stayed behind, his eyes clouded with worry. The fragmented scenes from his dream had been ominous.

Leo was fortunate to flag down a passing taxi. He got in and directed the driver toward the abandoned shoe factory.

At the same time, Lia stood at the entrance of the factory. Her eyes were filled with a mix of hesitation and determination, but she eventually stepped inside.

The shoe factory's location wasn't remote—it was near the city center—but it had become a popular hideout for troublemakers after its closure. With no supervision, the factory now served as a gathering spot for young people seeking freedom from their homes and schools.

The factory was bustling, almost like a chaotic party. Some vendors even brought snacks and alcohol to sell. Lia's arrival immediately drew attention.

Even though her complexion was pale and her frame thin from years of poor nutrition and recent illness, Lia's delicate features couldn't be hidden. Many stared, but the intensity of her gaze and determined stride discouraged anyone from approaching her.

Scanning the factory's dim interior, Lia quickly spotted Evan. He was surrounded by a group of people, but his tense posture and brooding expression created a heavy atmosphere.

Without hesitation, Lia walked straight toward him. The click of her heels on the concrete floor caught Evan's attention. When he looked up and saw her, his expression turned complicated.

Lia stopped in front of Evan. The others around him were stunned to see her. They recognized her from the incident outside the city when she'd been gravely injured. No one had expected her to show up here.

"Was my injury part of a plan to secure your spot in the academy?" Lia asked bluntly, skipping any pleasantries.

The air grew tense as everyone waited for Evan's response.

After a brief pause, Evan waved his hand, signaling the others to leave. Once they were alone, he sighed deeply.

"I truly valued you as a friend," he began, his tone soft but tinged with regret. "I admired your intelligence, courage, and perseverance.

Despite everything you've been through, you've always managed to outshine most people in the academy."

Lia's expression remained cold, her eyes fixed on Evan. She didn't want compliments—she wanted answers.

Evan continued, his voice laced with helplessness. "I know you have a bright future. Everything you've accomplished proves that. But I couldn't go against my family's wishes."

He stood up, his gaze firm as he explained, "If my fiancée couldn't secure a spot in the top ten academies, our engagement would be annulled.

"Our families are deeply intertwined, and if the engagement were called off, it would cause irreparable damage to both sides. My fiancée needed your spot to secure her future. I had no choice but to sacrifice you."

As he spoke, Evan's eyes grew cold.

"I didn't expect you to recover so quickly, nor did I expect you to come here. If you'd stayed away, I would've left you alone for Augustus's sake. But now that you're here, I can't let you jeopardize everything."

"Don't blame me for what happens next."

With those words, lightning crackled around Evan's body as he launched an attack at Lia.

Evan moved with merciless precision, his body enveloped in a dazzling layer of lightning. In an instant, he closed the distance between himself and Lia, his electrified hands reaching for her neck.

His ability, a B-grade elemental power called Thunderflash, was a formidable offensive skill—lightning being one of the most destructive among elemental abilities.

Just as his hands were about to seize her, a sudden gust of wind erupted around Lia, blasting Evan backward. The force of the wind lifted Lia into the air, carrying her three meters above the ground.

Hovering in the air, Lia looked down at Evan, her gaze cold and unyielding.

"If this is how it is," she said firmly, "then consider our ties severed from this moment forward."