Chapter 34: A Step Further II

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: A Step Further II

Damon and Freya stood quietly.

The violent winds around them howled through the valley, carrying dust and sharp fragments of stone, yet neither of them took their eyes off the B rank beast ahead.

The Gale Shadow Panther.

Its emerald eyes narrowed, then it moved.

Whoosh!

It vanished.

At the same time, Freya chirped softly.

Four silver flashes split from her body.

Damon’s eyes widened.

Four?

He immediately noticed the difference.

Previously, Freya could only create three afterimages. Now, with the growth of her fourth tail, another one had appeared.

’So that’s it...’

’The number of afterimages matches her tails?’

But there wasn’t time to admire it.

The battle had already begun.

Boom!

One afterimage appeared in front of the panther and slashed.

The Gale Shadow Panther reacted instantly, twisting away.

Its body blurred like a gust of wind.

Yet before it could completely escape... Boom!

The afterimage exploded.

Silver lightning burst outward.

The panther narrowly escaped, though several patches of fur had turned black.

Growl!

The beast landed and immediately accelerated.

But the remaining afterimages were already upon it.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Each one chased relentlessly.

Whenever the panther evaded their attacks, they detonated, forcing it to continuously move.

And slowly, the proud B rank beast was being pressured.

But it was still a B rank monster.

Whoosh!

Its claws tore through one afterimage before it reached him.

The illusion exploded behind him.

The panther wasn’t even looking.

Instead, it had already appeared beside Damon.

Its claws glowed with green wind.

Wind Art.

Gale Ripper.

Swish!

Three blades of compressed wind flew toward him.

Damon’s pupils shrank.

Crack!

Silver lightning erupted around his body.

He twisted sideways.

One blade passed beside his face.

The second grazed his shoulder.

The third struck the ground behind him.

Boom!

Rocks exploded.

Damon inhaled sharply. "That was close."

His heart raced.

If that attack landed directly, he wouldn’t survive.

But rather than fear, excitement filled him.

This was the strongest opponent he had faced since entering Tempest Hollow.

And he was enjoying it.

"Heh."

"Come on."

"Let’s see who’s tougher."

Crack!

Lightning surged through his knife.

He dashed forward.

Clang!

His blade collided with the panther’s claws.

Sparks flew.

The impact sent Damon sliding several meters.

Meanwhile, Freya’s real body quietly blended among her afterimages.

The panther’s sharp instincts immediately locked onto her.

It ignored Damon.

Its body suddenly disappeared.

Wind Art.

Phantom Gale Step.

Whoosh!

Damon’s expression changed.

"So fast!"

The panther appeared above Freya. Its jaws opened.

But Freya merely tilted her head.

Another afterimage appeared.

Boom!

The panther bit down.

The copy exploded.

The blast forced the beast backward.

Before it recovered... Slash!

Freya herself had already appeared underneath it.

Her paw flashed.

Silver lightning cut across its chest.

Growl!

Fresh blood spilled.

The panther roared furiously.

The winds around it became violent.

Wind gathered around its tail.

Then... Boom!

Dozens of wind needles rained down.

Wind Art.

Storm Fang Barrage.

The entire area was shredded.

Damon rolled behind a boulder.

Freya’s afterimages exploded one after another.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Dust covered the battlefield.

The panther growled proudly.

But then...

Crack!

An afterimage emerged from behind.

Slash!

Another appeared from the side.

Boom!

The real Freya leapt from above.

The beast barely blocked her claws.

Its expression became uglier.

It couldn’t tell which one was real anymore.

Damon grinned.

"That’s right."

"Good luck figuring it out."

He joined in again.

Lightning danced around his feet.

His body moved faster and faster.

The bestial traits he inherited from Freya showed themselves once more.

His senses had sharpened.

His reactions had become incredible.

Most importantly... He was beginning to understand the panther.

He could almost predict its movements.

Every time its muscles tightened.

Every time its tail flicked.

Every time the wind around its body changed.

He knew what was coming.

Clang!

Slash!

Boom!

The battle became fiercer.

The panther attacked.

Freya harassed.

Damon struck whenever openings appeared.

Gradually, cuts and burns began to cover the beast’s body.

But Damon and Freya weren’t untouched either.

Their breathing had grown heavier.

His Aether reserves were slowly dropping.

Freya’s movements had become slower compared to the beginning.

This couldn’t continue forever.

Damon understood that. And the panther understood it too.

It roared as the winds around it intensified.

Damon clenched his knife.

But then...

Freya sent a strange emotion through their connection.

Continue.

Don’t stop.

Trust me.

Damon blinked.

"A plan?"

Freya chirped confidently.

Though confused, Damon trusted her.

They continued.

Again.

And again.

More explosions.

More slashes.

More lightning.

Minutes passed.

The Gale Shadow Panther now carried dozens of wounds.

Yet it still refused to fall.

Suddenly... Crack.

Damon froze.

"Hm?"

The sound wasn’t from him.

Nor Freya.

Crack!

Crack!

Crack!

Silver lines appeared across the panther’s body.

The beast stopped.

Its eyes widened.

Then...

BOOOOOOM!!

Violent lightning exploded inside its flesh.

The entire valley flashed silver.

"ROAAAARGHHHH!"

The panther let out a miserable scream.

Burn marks spread throughout its body.

Lightning erupted from every wound.

Its legs trembled.

Its fur stood upright.

Damon stared in disbelief.

"What the—"

Only then did he realize.

Every attack.

Every claw.

Every explosion.

Every scratch.

Freya had been leaving tiny traces of lightning inside the beast.

And now...

They had all detonated at once.

The damage was horrifying.

The once mighty B rank beast collapsed onto one knee.

Half its body had turned black.

Smoke rose from its fur.

Even breathing seemed difficult.

Freya proudly raised her head.

Her tails swayed happily.

Damon laughed.

"Hahaha!"

"So that’s your plan?"

"You’re terrifying, you know that?"

Freya chirped proudly.

Looking at her, Damon suddenly understood.

The ethereal nine tailed fox he had witnessed wasn’t just a vision.

It represented her potential.

And with each tail she gained... a new ability. Lightning Art followed.

That was absurd.

No.

It was monstrous.

Damon’s grin widened.

"You’re really broken."

"And I love it."

The panther struggled to rise. But it was too late.

Crack!

Silver lightning erupted beneath Damon’s feet and his body became a blur.

Whoosh!

A/N:

Hope you enjoying the story, most especially the fight scenes so far?

If you have an idea, for the name of Freya’s new Lightning Art. Drop it in the comments.

I used lingering current in the next Chapters, but it can be changed to the most liked comment.