Then—
A faint smirk touched her voice.
"If what it said is true…"
"That area should be even richer."
More beasts.
Stronger ones.
Better souls.
The fox's steps didn't slow.
If anything—
They became smoother.
More deliberate.
"…We should pay it a visit."
Calm.
Casual.
As if she weren't speaking about entering the domain of something far stronger than anything they had faced so far.
"The soul of an eighth-layer beast…"
A faint pause.
"…won't be bad at all."
Above her, the lizard remained still.
Silent.
But his golden eyes flickered once.
Processing.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
The forest ahead grew quieter.
Not empty—
But controlled.
The kind of silence that didn't belong to chance.
It belonged to something that ruled.
The stream narrowed as they moved forward, its glow dimming slightly under the increasing spiritual pressure in the air.
Even the ground felt different—
More compact.
More claimed.
The fox noticed.
Of course she did.
But she didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
Her ears flicked once.
The tension in the forest thickened as they advanced.
From the undergrowth, a second-layer demonic beast emerged—a lizard-like creature with jagged scales and twitching mandibles. Its eyes flared as it sensed the faint but deadly presences moving unseen.
The fox paused slightly, her tail curling behind her, voice low through transmission.
"…White. Take it."
Above her, the lizard tilted slightly, his senses extending outward as he assessed the target.
The beast lunged, claws tearing through empty air.
The lizard reacted instantly.
His small form wove between the strikes with effortless precision, golden eyes tracking every movement.
Then—
He struck.
His tail lashed out like a whip—
His fangs sank into the creature's neck—
A single, clean motion.
The beast let out a sharp, broken screech—
Then collapsed.
Dead.
The fox didn't even flinch.
With a slight motion, she drew the **Ghost Banner**, activating it just enough to pull.
The soul emerged—
Faint.
Struggling—
Then was dragged in.
Sealed.
Gone.
A second presence appeared almost immediately.
Third layer.
A heavier creature—quadrupedal, with blackened scales and thin trails of smoke curling from its nostrils.
It growled low.
Then charged.
The fox's eyes narrowed slightly.
"White. Take this one too."
A pause.
"Don't let it escape."
The lizard adjusted mid-air, still invisible, his tail flicking once with intent.
The beast lunged forward—
Powerful—
Direct—
But predictable.
The lizard slipped past the first strike.
Closed distance.
Struck from behind.
Fangs pierced deep—
Tail followed—
Driving force through its body.
The beast's roar was cut short.
Its body trembled—
Then collapsed.
The fox was already moving.
The **Ghost Banner** flared.
The soul was pulled out cleanly.
Absorbed without resistance.
The corpse followed—
Stored instantly.
No delay.
No wasted motion.
The forest fell silent again.
Only the faint ripple of water remained.
Then—
A third beast emerged.
Also third-layer.
Larger.
Faster.
Its body lined with jagged spikes, red eyes glowing with aggression.
It didn't hesitate.
It charged.
Straight toward them.
The lizard's eyes flickered faintly.
Calculating.
Timing.
Distance.
His tail moved first.
Precise.
The strike pierced through the creature's shoulder—
Breaking its momentum.
Before it could react—
He followed through.
Fangs found the neck.
The impact crushed its resistance instantly.
Its roar never fully formed.
Its body dropped.
Heavy.
Still.
The fox raised the **Ghost Banner** again.
The process repeated.
Effortless.
Smooth.
Controlled.
The soul was taken.
Sealed.
Stored.
Above her, the lizard remained still.
Watching.
Learning.
Refining.
Golden eyes dimly gleaming.
*All three—gone.*
*Efficient.*
The fox's voice broke the silence, calm as ever.
"Not bad."
A faint pause.
"Let's see what else is ahead."
The lizard didn't respond.
He only shifted slightly, adjusting his invisible form.
The forest stretched forward.
Darker.
Denser.
More dangerous.
—
The change came the moment they crossed into the territory.
Not gradual.
Not subtle.
Absolute.
The air grew heavier—
Thicker with spiritual pressure that pressed faintly against everything within it.
The sounds of lesser beasts vanished entirely.
No movement.
No distant calls.
No life.
Only silence.
The kind that belonged to something that ruled.
The fox moved lightly, stepping onto the branch of a tall tree overlooking the area ahead.
Her body remained relaxed.
But her eyes—
Sharp.
Focused.
"…You feel that?"
Her voice flowed calmly through the transmission.
"Late-stage presence."
A faint pause.
"…More than one."
Below—
A small spiritual lake shimmered faintly, its surface unnaturally still, reflecting the dim light filtering through the canopy.
And there—
At its center—
Coiled.
The python.
Massive.
Its body layered in thick coils, scales dark and heavy like forged metal. Faint patterns glowed along its length as spiritual energy pulsed slowly through it.
Its head rested low.
Eyes half-closed.
But not asleep.
Never asleep.
Watching.
Waiting.
Breathing slow.
Controlled.
Each breath carried weight.
Power.
The fox's tail swayed once behind her.
"…That's it."
Her gaze didn't waver.
"Eighth layer."
No excitement.
Only certainty.
Above her—
The lizard remained perched.
Invisible.
Unmoving.
His golden eyes locked onto the python.
Not just seeing—
Analyzing.
Measuring.
*Pressure… density…*
*Far beyond the others.*
This wasn't like before.
Not prey.
Not something to overwhelm.
This—
Was something else entirely.
The fox continued, her voice quieter now.
"…And look around."
Her senses stretched outward.
Around the lake—
Subtle.
Hidden.
But present.
Other auras.
Late-stage.
Watching.
Keeping distance.
Respecting the territory.
Her lips curved slightly.
"…Told you."
"Not just the python."
A faint pause.
"…This place is valuable."
Rich.
Dense.
Dangerous.
She leaned forward slightly on the branch, her eyes narrowing just a fraction.
"But also…"
Her voice softened.
"…profitable."
Silence followed.
Neither of them moved.
Neither rushed.
Because this—
Was no longer simple hunting.
This was a decision.
Above her—
The lizard's eyes flickered once.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
But something colder.
More precise.
One target…
Multiple observers…
Unknown interference.
His thoughts moved with cold precision.
The python—
Strong.
But stationary.
Territory-bound.
The others—
Watching.
Waiting.
Not interfering.
Yet.