Divine Beast Ascension

“Yes. But only because you underestimated me and made it too easy.” Netra replied, ending her attack with a gentle grin. “There’s no way for me to defeat you. You can kill me without batting an eye and my claws can’t create so much as a paper cut against you. If you hadn’t insisted, I would never choose you as a target.”

“As a target?” Isaac blinked and asked, “So you’re training in assassination?”

The fox girl nodded. “That’s why I aimed for just under your rib cage on the left side. But there was no way I’d be able to break your defenses and reach your internal organs.”

“Ha... Ha! Ha! HA!” Isaac became hysterical as he felt the clean cut in his sash and robe. “If you had been a perennial, you would’ve killed me!”

“You demanded that I ‘fight to kill,’ so that’s what I did. Even when I knew there was no chance for me to kill or scratch a king,” Netra replied, not paying attention to the spectators nearing the two in absolute shock.

“You knew I was a king?”

.....

“Yes. You’re incomparably stronger than my teacher, who’s only a high-perennial. But you’re also stronger than the other king’s that I’ve felt before. Such as King Rhyner during his last visit.”

Blinking, Rhyner was left speechless as Lord Draco turned to him.

Curious, Isaac asked, “Rhyner, did you tell her about your cultivation?”

“No... I told no one that I was a king until I claimed the region. In fact, I was hiding it...” Flabbergasted, Rhyner looked to Netra. “You... You knew?”

“I did. But I didn’t tell anyone, besides my teacher who said he felt similar,” the fox girl clarified. “I only knew because you had dark essence. But because I could understand your strength briefly, I understood that this man was by far your superior in terms of essence alone.”

“... You grasped how strong a king was by the feel of his repressed essence, and then you used that standard to compare him to me? But I wasn’t-”

“It was your energy that scanned my hut not too long ago, correct?”

Lord Draco’s jaw tightened, keeping him from saying more.

Netra continued, “I felt the warmth of your fire essence then, allowing me to gauge your strength prematurely. That’s why I didn’t expect you to throw me the first time. How was I to suspect a powerful king to toss around a lowly early-elder like me without warning?”

“That. Does make sense...” Sighing, Isaac wondered what to say next. “... By the way, I’m Isaac Draco, the prefecture lord of this Nova Prefecture.”

“Your excellency!” Netra dropped to her knees without hesitation.

“Rise! BE PROUD! I don’t remember the last time anyone hit me, and that’s including other kings!” Grabbing Netra’s shoulders, Isaac dropped to one knee and surprised everyone even more. “You! You’re unbelievable! You actually did it! You truly understand how to hide your presence! And you fooled me into thinking otherwise!!”

“NETRA!” Puula shouted, now able to comfort her battered daughter. “Are you alright? Can I-”

“She’s fine! She’s more than fine! She’s a real contender!! A GENIUS!!!” Lord Draco yelled, tossing Netra into the air in celebration. He effortlessly caught her and looked at everyone around them. “But not a word! THAT’S AN ORDER!!”

“What’s an order?”

A calm voice appeared in response to Isaac’s great shout, and two figures soon appeared as the source of the voice. It was the man behind the leopard that continued to talk, “Already giving orders to those far below you?”

“OF COURSE!” Isaac shouted again, laughing this time. “Just testing out that potential candidate you wanted to see.”

“Yes, so I finally get to see her?” Slazza stated, turning his attention briefly to the fox girl in Isaac’s arms. “So? What’s your verdict?”

“I’d say she has potential, but I’m not sure if she’ll make it past the prefecture.”

“I see. Then I’ll include that in my report.” Slazza sighed in disappointment. “Then I’ll be off. Before the last sunset, I’ll return with guards for the mine. Until then, I’ve placed a barrier at the entrance. Should anyone so much as touch it, I’ll know. So until my return, you and no other representative of any prefecture shall go near the mine.”

A bit confused, Lord Draco nodded. “Understood...”

“Then, I’ll be off.”

The armored man disappeared as he sped back to the school and blinked away with a spread of purple energy large enough for the entire town to see.

“And not so much as a thank you...” Vloz muttered as he walked up to Netra and the crowd around her. “So you’ve tested her, and you don’t think she’s a contender?”

“Oh, she’s a contender! And you’re a genius instructor!” commented Isaac, smiling with pride.

“Then-”

“Not a word shall be mentioned about her! She’s our surprise weapon to clinch the championship!!” Isaac roared. “Not a soul shall know about her until it’s time for the main event!”

“Huuuuhhhhh...” Vloz sighed and grunted after hearing that. He and many others felt their hearts skip a beat.

Lord Draco then asked, “Well, Vloz was it? What did Slazza think of our mine? I’m guessing he was impressed, given his immediate leave.”

“He didn’t say much. I simply showed him the entrance and he left me there for a few minutes,” explained Vloz. “When he came back, he set up the barrier without saying a word and asked me to lead him to our territory’s best mortal candidate. So I brought him here and then he left...”

“I guess we’ll learn more when he gets back.” Shrugging it off, Isaac questioned, “So, you must be a master assassin to have taught her the true meaning of stealth! And you’ve perfectly taught her how to utilize her abnormal affinity!”

“Yes, yes, but Lord-”

“Why haven’t I heard of you?!” Isaac continued. “A man of your talents should’ve been more-”

“Lord Draco, may I ask you a question?”