Above—
The fox's ears twitched.
Just slightly.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Oh?"
For the briefest moment—
The puppet's movement stuttered.
A single break in its flawless rhythm.
That was all the Mind Ripper needed.
Its body exploded into motion.
No hesitation.
No looking back.
It turned and dashed into the forest at full speed, every ounce of strength poured into escape.
Branches snapped.
Wind roared past.
Its presence dropped instantly, suppressed as it fled.
Behind—
The puppet froze for a fraction of a second longer—
Then resumed movement.
But by then—
The distance had already been created.
The fox's gaze lifted slightly, following the direction of escape.
Her expression didn't change much.
Just a faint narrowing of her eyes.
"…Not bad."
Above her—
The lizard's golden eyes glowed faintly.
Watching.
Tracking.
Because unlike the puppet—
He hadn't been affected at all.
And now—
The prey was running.
The forest bent around the fleeing beast.
The Mind Ripper ran at full speed, body low, movements sharp and efficient as it tore through the undergrowth. Its breathing was controlled, but its heart pounded violently.
*Don't stop.*
*Don't slow down.*
It didn't dare look back.
Its spiritual sense was suppressed tightly, minimizing its presence as much as possible.
*Create distance first.*
*Then hide.*
Behind—
Silence.
No pursuit.
No immediate pressure.
But that only made it worse.
*They're letting me go…?*
Its pupils tightened.
*No…*
*That thing…*
The puppet.
Seventh layer.
*And the one controlling it…*
Unseen.
Unfelt.
Unknown.
The Mind Ripper pushed harder.
Faster.
It weaved through trees, changed direction abruptly, cutting across uneven terrain without losing speed.
*Shake them off.*
*Break the trail.*
Its mind worked rapidly, calculating escape routes, safe zones, anything that might give it even a slight advantage.
Then—
It felt it.
A faint disturbance.
Not behind.
Not above.
But—
Everywhere.
Its body stiffened mid-motion.
*…No.*
For a split second—
Its instincts screamed.
It twisted sharply, changing direction again—
But—
The forest screamed.
Wind blades tore through the trees ahead, carving deep lines into bark and earth, forcing the Mind Ripper to halt abruptly.
Its claws skidded across the ground as it twisted its body sharply—
Instinct screaming.
*Not that way—*
It turned—
Ready to bolt in another direction—
Then—
**Pain.**
Sharp.
Sudden.
Its body jerked violently as something struck its side.
Its breath hitched.
Its pupils shrank.
Slowly—
Almost mechanically—
Its head turned.
And there—
He stood.
No longer small.
No longer hidden.
The lizard had returned to his original size.
Black scales faintly crackling with residual energy, his body hovering slightly above the ground, golden eyes glowing coldly in the dim forest.
Silent.
Still.
Watching.
The Mind Ripper froze.
For the first time—
True fear surfaced.
*So it was you…*
Its mind raced.
*The one controlling the puppet…*
No—
That wasn't right.
This presence—
This pressure—
It was different.
He wasn't just the controller.
He was—
*The predator.*
The forest felt tighter.
Smaller.
Like escape itself had been cut off.
The wind stilled.
The path behind—
Blocked.
Ahead—
Blocked.
And now—
Before it—
Those golden eyes.
Unblinking.
Unmoving.
The Mind Ripper's claws dug into the ground, blood faintly dripping from its side where it had been struck.
Its breathing slowed.
Not from calm—
But from realization.
*I didn't escape…*
A faint ripple of lightning flickered along the lizard's body.
Then faded.
He said nothing.
Didn't move.
But the message was clear.
The hunt—
Was over.
The Mind Ripper's body trembled.
Its gaze dropped—
Slowly—
To its side.
There—
Embedded deep into its flesh—
Was the lizard's tail.
Black scales gleaming faintly in the dim forest light.
Still.
Unmoving.
But alive with something far more dangerous.
The Mind Ripper's pupils shrank.
*…No.*
A burning sensation spread from the wound.
Not sharp.
Not explosive.
But creeping.
Relentless.
Its breath hitched.
*Poison.*
It could feel it.
Flowing.
Spreading through its meridians like a silent tide.
Fast.
Too fast.
Its muscles tensed as it tried to pull away—
But the moment it moved—
The pain deepened.
The poison surged further.
Its crimson eyes snapped back up to the lizard.
*This…*
Its thoughts fractured.
*This is the same—*
The same presence.
The same attack.
The same feeling it had sensed earlier in the clearing.
Realization struck.
*The one who killed them…*
Not the puppet.
Not the unseen controller.
But—
*It.*
The lizard's golden eyes stared down at it.
Cold.
Unchanging.
No emotion.
No hesitation.
Just quiet certainty.
The Mind Ripper's breathing grew uneven now.
Not from fear alone—
But from the poison eating away at its strength.
*It's spreading too fast…*
Its claws dug into the ground, trying to stabilize itself.
Trying to think.
To act.
But every second—
Its body grew heavier.
Slower.
Weaker.
And the one before it—
Hadn't even moved yet.
Desperation took hold.
The Mind Ripper's crimson eyes flared as its thoughts sharpened into a single, final decision.
*Now that I can see it—*
*I can strike back.*
Its body trembled from the spreading poison, but its mind surged forward, gathering everything it had left.
A pulse—
Silent.
Invisible.
Deadly.
It didn't target the body.
Didn't aim for flesh.
It struck directly—
At the lizard's **consciousness**.
A mental spike, condensed and violent, shot forward to pierce the mind of the one before it.
The lizard didn't move.
Didn't react.
Didn't even blink.
For a fraction of a second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The system's voice echoed calmly within his mind.
**[Warning: Foreign mental intrusion detected.]**
A brief pause.
**[Target: Host Soul.]**
Another—
Colder.
**[Threat Level: Insufficient.]**
Then—
**[Action: Blocked.]**
The attack—
Vanished.
As if it had never existed.
No backlash.
No resistance.
Just… erased.
The lizard's golden eyes remained fixed on the Mind Ripper.
Unchanged.
Unshaken.
Below—
The Mind Ripper froze.
Its mind went blank for a split second.
*…What?*
No feedback.
No impact.
No sign the attack had even landed.
Its pupils trembled.
*It didn't work…?*
*No…*
*It was blocked.*
A deeper fear crept in.
Something colder than before.
Because now—
Its last advantage—
Its strongest ability—
Had just been rendered meaningless.
The lizard still hadn't moved.
But now—
The difference between them felt absolute.
Not just in strength.
But in existence itself.