Despite her best efforts and keen senses, even after scanning the entire place, she couldn't find him.
"Where did he go?" she muttered to herself, her confusion evident as the audience mirrored her sentiment, each person left pondering the same question, their curiosity piqued by the sudden turn of events.
As Arale tensely scanned the arena for any sign of Valerius, he suddenly materialized behind her, as if conjured out of thin air. Standing close enough to feel her aura, he leaned forward, his presence almost ghostlike in its stealth and silence. In a chillingly calm voice, he whispered into her ear, "Looking for someone?" The whisper, soft and deliberate, sent a shiver cascading down Arale's spine, its icy touch seeming to freeze the very air around her.
