Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 88 Next Target

The tension in the was thick that you could just reach out and grab it. Vell's smirk lingered as he straightened up, towering over Jolly, who remained frozen on the ground. He glanced at Yenna once more, his expression unchanging.

"You're over it, huh?" he repeated, his tone light but his words laced with something deeper. "Well, I'm not."

Jolly's head snapped up, her eyes wide with fear. "Please, I—"@@@@

"Save it," he interrupted, holding up a hand. "You already said your peace. Now it's time to act. You say you're willing to do anything?" His eyes glinted dangerously.

"I am," she said firmly, though her voice wavered. She kept her gaze locked on the ground, trembling.

He crouched down again, bringing his face level with hers. His voice softened, though it didn't lose its edge. "Then prove it. You're going to help us take down the queen."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She glanced up in shock. "Me? But I—"

"No excuses," he snapped. "You owe us, and this is your chance to make things right. If you're serious about redemption, you'll do what I say, no questions asked."

She wallowed hard, her hands balling into fists. "I'll do it."

Yenna crossed her arms, watching the interaction with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "You really think she'll be useful?"

"Maybe," he admitted, standing. He turned to Kana, who was still sobbing quietly. "And you. Stop crying. If you're here to apologize, you can start by not being a liability."

Kana flinched, but she nodded quickly, scrambling to her feet. "I understand."

"Good," he said, his voice clipped. "Because things are about to get messy."

"Jia—" Yenna started, her voice gentle, but he raised a hand to silence her.

"Why shouldn't I?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the air like steel. "Don't tell me you don't know what I just told you." His eyes looked even softer, "You know this doesn't end until she's gone."

She looked up, her face streaked with tears. "Because she's not a monster!" she cried, her voice raw. "She's fighting for survival, just like you are, and all she's ever done is try to protect what's hers. Can you really blame her for that?"

He stared at her, his expression unreadable. The group around them remained silent, the weight of her words settling over them like a heavy fog.

She turned away, clutching her head as the emotions overwhelmed her. "I hate this," she whispered. "I hate that I feel this way. I hate that I can't hate you for what you're about to do. But more than anything, I hate that I'm powerless to stop any of it."

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Her shoulders shook as she broke into quiet sobs. "I've spent my whole life serving her. Believing in her. And now I'm here, begging the man who tamed me not to destroy her."

His expression hardening once more. "This isn't about belief. It's about survival. I'm not asking you to betray her. I'm asking you to choose the future. Can you do that?"

She didn't answer immediately. Her tears slowed, and she wiped her face with trembling hands. Slowly, she turned back to him, her gaze hollow but resolute. "If you're going to face her," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "then I'll come with you. Not to fight, but to make sure you understand who she is. And if you still choose to kill her..." She paused, her lips trembling. "Then I'll die with her."

The silence that followed was deafening. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned away.

"Suit yourself," he said coldly. "But don't get in my way."

As he moved forward, the group hesitated, glancing at Jia, who remained kneeling on the ground. Yenna approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come on," she said softly. "We'll figure this out together."

Jia nodded weakly, rising to her feet. Her mind was a storm of emotions, her heart caught between two loyalties that felt impossible to reconcile.