A tense silence filled the room. Liam remained perfectly still, his foot pressing against Kaine's throat, while Kaine's steel-gray eyes bore into him, unreadable yet smoldering with suppressed fury.
Then—something changed.
Kaine exhaled slowly, the tension in his muscles loosening just enough to signal that he wasn't going to lash out. Not yet.
Liam narrowed his eyes, but before he could react, Kaine's lips curled into something that was neither a smirk nor a sneer—just a knowing, dangerous expression.
"You're arrogant, but have power to back that up." Kaine muttered, his voice eerily calm. "I'll give you that."
Liam didn't respond. His foot remained firmly in place.
"But tell me something, kid…" Kaine's hand twitched slightly against the ground, but not in an attempt to fight back. "You think this… means anything?" His voice was low, controlled, almost condescending. "You think that landing a few hits—getting a momentary advantage—puts you anywhere near my level?"
