The fox's eyes narrowed, tail coiling behind her like a spring. Every nerve, every sense, focused on the python before her. It had fought, struggled, and yet it was tiring. Its massive coils moved slower now, its roars less precise, its strikes becoming predictable.
She didn't rush. She waited for the opening—the moment the python overextended, desperate to strike the herb it could no longer reach.
Then—
The seventh-layer puppet, moving as one with her thoughts, darted forward at blinding speed, slamming into the python's side. Ghosts swirled, clawing into its mind, disrupting its focus, fragmenting its awareness.
The python reared, coils thrashing, trying to crush the puppet—but the fox was already moving. Paws pressed into the ground, claws digging, propelling her forward in perfect synchronization with the puppet's strike. The ghosts surged, energy rippling outward, targeting the python's consciousness.
With a roar that shook the surrounding forest, the python lunged once more toward the herb—and the fox struck.
Paws slammed into the python's head with terrifying force, claws piercing and spirits lashing at its mind simultaneously. The combined assault—physical, spiritual, and mental—was precise, devastating.
The python screamed, body convulsing, massive coils writhing uncontrollably. Ghostly energy surged through it, disrupting every attempt to recover, every instinct to fight back. The seventh-layer puppet held its ground, unyielding, channeling her control with perfect precision.
Then—it faltered.
The fox's eyes gleamed as she leapt forward, landing on the python's neck with claws pressed down, teeth bared. A final ghostly strike tore through its mind.
The python's massive body shuddered violently, then collapsed. Limbs slackened. Coils uncurled. Its head slumped to the side, eyes dimming. The forest fell silent for a heartbeat—then the spirits of the ghosts absorbed its soul, flowing into the **Ghost Banner**, leaving only the empty, lifeless body behind.
The fox stepped back, tail flicking once. Her eyes scanned the cleared space, calm and composed.
"Done," she said through voice transmission. "The python is finished. Blood Vein Herb is mine."
Above her, the lizard remained invisible, golden eyes gleaming as he watched, silent but approving. The hidden late-stage demons still observed, calculating—but none moved. They had waited—and now they saw what she was capable of.
The fox crouched slightly, tail swaying lightly, ears twitching as she observed the herb.
"…And now," she murmured, a faint smile crossing her muzzle, "…we continue."
The forest held its breath, the first victor standing amidst the stillness.
The lake fell silent. Heavy. Oppressive.
The fox stood on the torn patch of land where the Blood Vein Herb had grown, her breathing slow—but deeper than before.
The python's massive corpse lay stretched across the shattered water and broken earth.
She didn't waste time.
A faint pulse—and the entire body vanished into her storage pouch.
Gone.
Her tail flicked once.
*…That took more out of me than expected.*
Her muscles ached—the strain of controlling the seventh-layer puppet, maintaining multiple ghosts, directing everything at once against an eighth-layer beast.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
*If another late-stage attacks me now…*
A brief pause.
*I won't win.*
But then—
Her gaze lifted. Calm. Certain.
*…I don't need to.*
—
The forest shifted.
No longer silent. No longer still.
From the shadows—they emerged.
One. Then another. Then more.
Late-stage demonic beasts.
No longer hiding. No longer waiting.
Their eyes locked onto her. On the pouch hanging from her neck. On what she had taken. The Blood Vein Herb. The python's corpse. Everything.
Predatory intent filled the air. Thick. Suffocating.
—
Then—they moved.
All at once.
Exploding forward.
—
And in that same instant—
**BOOM.**
A massive bolt of lightning tore down from the sky.
Blinding. Deafening.
It struck one of them directly—a four-horned bull mid-charge—engulfed instantly in white.
The entire forest lit up.
For a split second—everything disappeared in light.
—
Then—silence.
—
The light faded. Slowly. Revealing the aftermath.
The remaining beasts had stopped. Frozen.
A flaming lion stood, fire licking along its mane, eyes narrowed.
A massive centipede coiled low, its countless legs still.
A deer with blood-red horns stood rigid, pupils tight.
All of them—staring.
—
At the center of the clearing—
The lizard stood there.
No longer small. No longer hidden.
His body returned to its full size. Lightning still crackling faintly across his scales. Golden eyes glowing. Cold. Unmoving.
In his jaws—the four-horned bull.
Limp. Lifeless. Neck crushed, life already gone.
—
He held it for a moment. Then—released.
The corpse hit the ground with a heavy **thud**. Still. Dead.
—
Silence deepened.
He didn't look at the corpse again. Didn't acknowledge it.
His gaze lifted. Slowly. Meeting the remaining beasts. One by one.
Then—he raised his head. His maw opened.
And—
**ROAR.**
—
The sound exploded outward. Not just sound—force.
A shockwave tore through the forest, ripping leaves from branches, snapping trees, sending debris flying in all directions.
The ground trembled.
The lake rippled violently.
The air itself seemed to distort.
—
The beasts flinched.
Instinct. Raw. Uncontrolled.
—
The flaming lion's fire flickered. The centipede recoiled slightly. The red-horned deer took half a step back.
—
Pressure. Dominance. Declaration.
—
The lizard lowered his head slowly. Golden eyes burning. Locked onto them. Silent. But clear.
—
**Come.**
The fox's tail swayed lazily behind her.
Then—she chuckled.
A low, amused sound that didn't match the tension in the air at all.
"So… you all finally came out to play."
Her voice rang out clearly, no longer bothering with concealment. Calm. Mocking.
Her turquoise eyes swept across them—the flaming lion, the centipede, the red-horned deer.
"But I'm at my limit, so I'm not going to be playing with you."
A small pause. Her smile widened.
"**He is.**"
Her head tilted slightly toward the lizard.
"So try your best not to die too quickly."
—
The deer's pupils tightened. Its mind raced.
*Peak of Foundation Establishment…?*
*When did it—*
*How did it—*
*I didn't even—*
—
**BOOM.**
The thought shattered. Something slammed into its consciousness. Violent. Sudden. Crushing.
Not just the deer—the lion jerked. The centipede let out a sharp, distorted screech. All three staggered—for a split second—their minds ringing.
*Mind attack—!*
—
The pressure faded quickly. Too quickly. They regained themselves almost immediately, shaking off the disruption, instincts forcing clarity back into place.
The centipede's body coiled tighter, legs twitching rapidly.
*…Mental attack.*
*But weak.*
The deer steadied itself, breath sharp.
*Not enough to do real damage…*
The lion's flames flared higher, eyes narrowing as it locked onto the lizard.
All three stared.
—
The lizard stood there. Unmoving. Silent. Golden eyes fixed on them. No follow-up. No rush. Just—watching.
—
The lion's gaze hardened.
Then—a voice slipped into the others' minds. Controlled. Serious.
*"This one isn't simple."*
A brief pause.
*"Late-stage. Close to peak."*
Flames curled tighter around its body as it assessed.
*"We take it out first."*
Its tone sharpened.
*"Together."*
Another pause—colder now.
*"But don't lose sight of the fox."*
Its eyes flicked briefly toward her. Standing there. Calm. Untouched. The pouch hanging from her neck swayed slightly.
*"She has the Blood Vein Herb."*
Silence. Then—
*"If she escapes… we all lose."*
—
The centipede's many eyes glinted. The deer lowered its stance slightly. All three shifted—not toward the fox—but toward the lizard.
—
Because now—they understood.
—
He—was the real threat.
—
And the lizard… didn't move. Didn't speak. Didn't react.
—
He simply stared back. Waiting. For them—to try.