Manu's smirk widened as his golden, snake-like eyes swept across the group. His aura pulsed faintly, rippling through the air with a strange, serpentine rhythm. Slowly, deliberately, he began counting aloud.
"One... two... three..." His voice was soft but carried a chilling weight that made even the boldest hesitate. "Ten... eleven... twelve…" He paused, tilting his head like a curious predator inspecting its prey. Then, he shook his head in exaggerated pity.
"This is all?" he asked mockingly, spreading his arms as if welcoming a larger challenge. "I expected more from the so-called powers of this world. Truly, where are the rest of the trash?"
With a sudden, eerie movement, Manu's neck slumped unnaturally, twisting like a snake's as his piercing yellow eyes focused on the horizon. Hundreds of kilometers away, far beyond mortal sight, he spotted them—other significant powers lurking at a safe distance.
