Ethan quickly pieced together who the haggard woman that had joined him was.
"So you're that barrier bitch?"
"Barrier bitch?!" she snapped, recoiling slightly as if personally attacked. "What kind of name is that?!"
Clearly, no one had ever spoken to her like that before, which was to be expected as a revered A Rank. She looked genuinely offended and confused, but she didn't have time to dwell on it.
Before Ethan could say anything else, she stepped forward and grabbed his arm tightly, her fingers digging in with surprising strength despite her exhausted state and small frame.
"You need to get your two friends to stop fighting right now," she said, her voice lower now, more urgent.
Ethan looked at her, then at the arena, then back at her.
"How do you expect me to do that?"
His tone was flat.
"This is way beyond me."
She froze.
"Then everyone needs to run!" she snapped. "Now!"
Her voice dropped.
"They're just playing around right now. But when they get serious…"
