Divine Beast Ascension

Lord Draco’s enthusiasm was climbing as the estate gate opened wide. Puula came out immediately, bowing in respect to the man putting off such a powerful aura. “Master, please forgive us for not knowing your status and identity. I’m Puula, chief of the Vanishing-night Fox clan.”

“I’m Isaac Draco, lord of our Nova Prefecture. I came here to confirm the truth about a certain young cultivator. Is the young fox, Netra here by any chance?”

Puula nodded and motioned for them to all enter. “Of course. It would be an honor for my daughter to meet such a man as you.”

“Yes, it is!” Laughing, Isaac entered first, followed by Rhyner and the rest of the entourage. “Now, where’s the special lass? I’ve heard plenty about her and am eager to see the truth with my own eyes!”

Led toward a small, private hut to the side of the main house, Isaac’s smile grew wider with every step. He spoke softly under his breath, barely able to hear himself, “So that’s her... Good. This might be true after all...”

Approaching the hut’s door, Puula knocked lightly with her paw. “Netra, we have company waiting to meet you. Do hurry!”

.....

“Yes, Mom...” a voice replied from inside just before the door creaked open. “Who do I have the honor of meeting?”

Before Puula could say more, Isaac vanished from where he stood and reappeared between the mother and daughter. “I’ve come to test your true abilities. Fight me, as if your life depends on it.”

“Y-yes...” Netra responded, startled.

“Good. Then be on guard.”

Then, Isaac reappeared at Netra’s side as he grabbed her two tails in one hand. In one fluid motion, Netra was thrown before she or anyone else could guess what Isaac’s intentions truly were.

Puula was about to shout but Rhyner stopped her from intervening. Bradok, Ania, and Hurdo were confused but waited on the sidelines, following Rhyner’s lead.

Shaking off the dirt from her impact with the ground, Netra instantly focused on the man who had yet to share his name with her. “I’m Netra of the Vanishing-night Foxes. Pardon my failure to be ready until now.”

Grinning again, Isaac chortled, “And I’m your opponent. Fight to kill me or you’ll die where you stand.”

“Very well.” A shroud of dark essence rushed over Netra’s fur coat, allowing her visage to disappear in the light of day.

“Great!” Isaac boomed, ecstatic to witness such an ability. “But against me, that’s too poor!”

Without turning around, Isaac threw out his hand and gripped the air. Yet he made a throwing motion, forcing dust and dirt to scatter as an invisible figure was again thrown into the ground. “It’s a great trick, but anyone with real battle experience will see right through it! Try again!”

While Netra briefly came back into view, Isaac vanished again. Once more, he grabbed Netra’s tails and threw her even further away, tossing her into the estate walls.

However, Netra regained her balance mid-air and landed feet first. The impact still cracked the stone and concrete wall but Netra remained standing despite her lack of breath. She then disappeared into her essence without leaving a sound or footprint to guide her opponent.

“You’re good! You use essence to conceal your steps and not leave tracks. That Blood-spotted Leopard is your teacher, isn’t he?” Not getting a response, Isaac chuckled again. “Not talkative? That’s good, considering your tactics of choice... But what else has your master taught you?”

Abruptly, Isaac threw out his hand to grip the air yet again. But instead of making the throwing motion, he blinked. “Oh... So you can create body doubles as well, and even conceal those along with yourself? For a mortal, that’s quite an accomplishment!”

As Isaac finished his praising statement, a paw doused in dark essence streaked through the air and tore into Isaac’s side.

Those spectating were shook. Rhyner, in particular, was astounded to see the fox girl land an attack and use such tactics. Laughing to himself in silence, Rhyner shook his head, “That leopard really did it...”

But the suspense of the unexpected blow fizzled out almost immediately. Isaac’s body was shredded by Netra’s claws and hastily burned away in a spray of flame.

“... For a mortal... You’re quite talented...” Isaac’s voice filled the area as if it had at least four sources of origin around the young fox. “But can you find me?”

No longer hiding, Netra focused on sensing her invisible foe. But for her, it wasn’t rare that her opponent would become invisible. Such was the norm thanks to her teacher. She quickly and effortlessly enacted the proper steps to discovering concealed cultivators, one of Vloz’s first lessons.

Essence oozed out of Netra’s body but at a dribbling speed. It wasn’t fast or taking a hard shape, unlike what most people would do to increase their senses in their immediate vicinity.

Then, Netra closed her eyes and sat up where the man once stood. She sniffed the air, carefully and gradually pointing her nose like she was the needle of a compass in search of the magnetic poles. But that quickly ended. Netra then opened her eyes.

A spark of flame appeared only three krin away from Netra, in the direction she now faced. That flame appeared and was followed by a dark claw pushing against a fiery human body.

“You found me?!” Utterly startled, Isaac’s smile nearly tore his facial muscles. “You actually-”

“I’ve come to kill!” shouted Netra, though not from either of the body double’s visible. The Netra sitting down faded with the wind and the one that had attacked did so as well.

Isaac turned and held out his hand to stop the next attack. “But what good is finding me if you can’t-”

Slash!

Stopping himself, Isaac’s grin weakened as he put down his arm and slowly turned around. Nearly every emotion rattled the prefecture lord’s heart as he looked down at the fox girl within striking distance, and then at the torn sash along his side.