The forest fell into silence after the kill.
The lizard stood over the corpse, unmoving, golden eyes distant and cold as his thoughts lingered on control… on understanding.
Then—
Soft footsteps approached.
The fox returned.
Calm.
Unhurried.
By the time she reached him, the corpse puppet had already been recalled, vanishing back into her storage pouch.
In its place—
A dark banner appeared in her paw.
The **Ghost Banner**.
Its cloth stirred faintly, rippling as though something within had sensed the fresh death nearby.
The fox's eyes gleamed.
"Hold on."
Her voice was steady. Casual.
"Don't start eating yet."
She stepped closer to the corpse, lifting the banner slightly.
"I'll take its soul first."
Her tail flicked once as she positioned herself.
"Don't worry."
A faint smirk formed.
"It'll be quick."
The banner shifted again—
Hungry.
Responsive.
The air around it grew colder.
Heavier.
As if something unseen was already reaching—
Waiting—
To be claimed.
The fox raised the **Ghost Banner** a little higher.
Her eyes sharpened.
Then—
She moved.
A thin stream of spiritual energy flowed from her paw into the banner, activating the formation engraved within it.
The runes along its dark surface flickered to life.
One by one.
Dim.
Cold.
Hungry.
The air shifted.
A chill spread outward as something unseen began to stir above the corpse.
At first—
Nothing visible.
Then—
A distortion.
Faint.
Like heat shimmering in the air.
Hovering just above the Mind Ripper's body.
The fox's smile widened.
"There you are."
She flicked the banner lightly.
The runes flared brighter—
And the pull intensified.
The distortion trembled.
Resisted.
A faint, silent struggle.
But it was weak.
Too weak.
The poison had already ravaged the body.
The consciousness had shattered at the moment of death.
There was no will left to resist.
Slowly—
The soul stretched.
Pulled free like mist caught in a current.
The air grew colder still.
The banner twitched in her grasp.
Eager.
The fox's voice remained calm.
"See?"
She glanced briefly at the lizard.
"Quick."
With one final pulse—
The soul tore free completely.
In an instant—
It was absorbed.
Gone.
The banner stilled.
But for a brief moment—
Something inside shifted.
As if a new presence had settled within.
The fox exhaled softly, satisfied.
"Done."
She lowered the banner and stored it away without hesitation.
Then her gaze returned to the corpse.
Her tail flicked lightly.
"Now you can eat."
—but—
Her paw froze mid-motion.
Her ears twitched sharply.
"…What's going on?"
A faint disturbance rippled from the **Ghost Banner**—subtle, but unmistakable.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
Without hesitation, she extended a thread of her spiritual sense inward.
And the moment she did—
She felt it.
Her expression darkened.
"That damn—"
Inside the banner—
The ghost she had captured earlier—the one from the Golden Core cultivator's storage ring—was moving.
Not struggling.
Not resisting.
But—
**Devouring.**
It had already latched onto the newly absorbed soul of the Mind Ripper, attempting to consume it before the banner could refine it.
The fox's teeth clenched.
"Damn bastard."
Her voice dropped, cold and sharp.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Her spiritual sense pressed down harder.
"Stop. Immediately."
A pulse of suppression followed.
"Unless you want me to burn you as fuel and refine this banner from the inside out."
A growl echoed back through the connection.
Dark.
Hostile.
Filled with arrogance.
"You dare—"
The ghost's voice twisted with fury.
"You insignificant fox, who doesn't know her place…"
"…and dares to command me?"
The fox's eye twitched.
"…Oh?"
Her tail went completely still.
A dangerous calm settled over her.
"It looks like…"
She murmured softly,
"…you still don't understand your situation."
Her paw tightened around the banner.
"Or who your master is."
The runes along the banner flared—
Bright.
Sharp.
Chains—
Formed from condensed spiritual energy—
Snapped into existence within the banner.
They wrapped around the ghost instantly.
Binding.
Restricting.
Suppressing.
A furious roar erupted—
But it didn't matter.
The fox's voice turned icy.
"Then I'll teach you."
She flicked the banner outward—
And in the next instant—
The ghost was dragged out.
Manifested.
Forced into the open air.
Its form twisted and unstable, bound tightly by glowing chains that locked its limbs, its core—its very existence—in place.
It struggled violently.
Rage poured from it.
But the chains held firm.
The fox stepped forward.
Eyes sharp.
Unamused.
"You want to act like you're still in control?"
Her tail flicked once.
"Go on."
A faint smirk formed.
"Try it again."
The ghost thrashed against the chains, its form distorting violently as it glared at her.
"Damn little fox—!"
Its voice burned with fury and disdain.
"You think I'll fall for the same trick twice?"
Its presence surged, pressing against the restraints.
"That soul attack from that lizard—"
It sneered.
"That thing with the draconic bloodline may have hurt me once—"
Its eyes gleamed with forced confidence.
"But a second time—"
"It won't work again."
A cold laugh echoed.
"If that's all you have…"
"…don't bother."
The fox stared at it.
Unimpressed.
Unmoved.
Then—
"Shut up."
Her voice cut through cleanly.
Flat.
Annoyed.
"It's irritating."
Her ears flicked as she exhaled.
"You really don't stop talking, do you?"
The ghost's expression twisted further.
But before it could speak again—
The fox's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You don't actually think…"
Her tone dropped, faintly amused,
"…that a soul attack is the only way to deal with you, do you?"
A pause.
Then—
"White."
The name fell softly.
But it carried weight.
The ghost froze.
Its head snapped toward the lizard.
Their gazes met.
Golden eyes—
Calm.
Cold.
Unfathomable.
For a fraction of a second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
A ripple.
Silent.
Invisible.
A **soul attack** launched.
Direct.
Unwavering.
It struck the ghost head-on.
**Boom—**
The ghost's form distorted violently as the impact landed.
"RAAAAGH—!"
It roared, chains rattling as its entire existence trembled.
Pain.
Real pain.
Not imagined.
Not resisted.
Its voice twisted with fury.
"You damn fox!"
"You dare—!"
"You trick me—!"
But the fox—
Just chuckled.
Light.
Amused.
"And here I thought…"
Her tail swayed lazily.
"…you were smart."
A small pause.
Her smile sharpened.
"Turns out you're not nearly as clever as you think."
The chains tightened further.
The ghost struggled—
But this time—
There was no confidence left.
Only rage.
And the creeping realization—
That it was no longer in control.