Kazel planted his feet firmly on the undefined ground of his soul space, his smirk widening as he raised a hand and beckoned.
"Come!" he taunted.
The Musang Black Rabbit didn't hesitate. With a powerful push of its hind legs, it vanished.
Kazel's pupils shrank. (Fast!)
Before he could fully react, a black blur shot past his side, leaving a sharp gust of wind in its wake. The beast didn't attack immediately—it was testing him. Circling. Watching.
Kazel turned his head, following its movements with sharp precision. His instincts, honed from countless battles in his past life, were screaming at him to stay alert.
Then—it struck.
The rabbit lunged, its body stretching in midair like a spring uncoiling. Its sharp claws extended, aiming straight for his throat.
Kazel twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the swipe. The beast skidded past, but before it could recover, Kazel's fist was already flying forward.
His knuckles connected solidly with its side, sending the rabbit tumbling across the void.
It landed on all fours, its claws digging into the ground to stop its momentum. Its ears flicked, its crimson eyes locking onto Kazel with a new intensity.
Kazel rolled his shoulders. "Not bad. You're fast, but predictable."
The Musang Black Rabbit growled lowly. This time, its body flickered—disappearing and reappearing at different angles, forcing Kazel's eyes to dart in all directions.
Then—it came from below!
Kazel barely managed to shift his stance before the beast slammed into him, claws raking across his chest. He gritted his teeth at the burning pain, but his body didn't falter. Instead, he grabbed its front legs mid-air, using its own momentum to twist and slam it onto the ground.
The beast screeched in fury, but Kazel didn't let up. He pressed a knee onto its back and pinned it down with brute strength.
The Musang Black Rabbit thrashed, refusing to yield.
(Stubborn one, huh?)
Kazel raised his fist and drove it down, slamming it into the beast's head.
The ground cracked beneath them. The rabbit's body jerked, its struggles growing weaker.
Then, a flicker of white flame appeared just above its forehead.
Kazel's eyes narrowed as his breath steadied. He knew what it meant. The fight was over.
A smirk curled on his lips. He leaned closer, eyes gleaming with authority.
"Conquered."
The Musang Black Rabbit went still beneath him. The last trace of defiance in its crimson eyes faded, replaced by recognition—submission to its new master.
The white flame burned brighter, sealing the bond between them.
Kazel let out a slow breath and stood up. The beast, no longer an enemy, slowly rose as well. Its red eyes no longer burned with hostility but instead acknowledged him.
A grin played on Kazel's lips. "Good. Now let's see what you can do."
With that, the void-like soul space rippled—and in the next moment, Kazel opened his eyes, returning to the real world.
Noel's arms unfurled from their crossed position as he blinked in surprise.
"Huh?" His voice carried disbelief. "Kazel... you've done it already?"
Sitting in the center of the courtroom, Kazel slowly opened his eyes, the deep blue of his irises reflecting a sharp clarity. His body felt... different. Something unfamiliar yet intrinsically connected pulsed within him—a presence, neither hostile nor oppressive, but undeniably there.
"En," he nodded, lifting his hands before his eyes. His fingers curled and uncurled as he felt it—the faint trace of energy now residing within him. A bond, tethering him to something no longer just a spirit beast, but his spirit beast.
Noel's brows furrowed, a trace of doubt flickering across his face. "W-Wait, you're not joking, right?"
Kazel didn't bother looking at him. Instead, he stood up, taking a few steps away from where he had been sitting. His movements were fluid, lighter—almost as if his body had instinctively adjusted to the newfound energy within him.
"No," he said simply, his voice calm yet absolute.
Noel felt a cold bead of sweat run down his temple. His son wasn't the type to lie about something like this. But still—
"But it took me the whole day to take down my Two-Tusk Boar—"
His voice trailed off as he looked at Kazel, whose expression remained impassive.
A whole day—and that was him as an adult! He had battled tooth and nail against the ferocious spirit of the Two-Tusk Boar, struggling to overpower its sheer stubbornness and raw strength. But Kazel?
He had done it in mere moments.
Noel rubbed his temples, still processing what had just happened. "Kazel, are you really telling me you subdued a spirit beast in mere of hours? I think the market will still be open if we walk back."
Kazel finally turned, tilting his head slightly. "Is that strange?"
"Strange?!" Noel's voice almost cracked. "Do you know how rare it is for someone to subdue a spirit beast so quickly? Even common-ranked ones resist like hell! My first integration with the Two-Tusk Boar took an entire day of struggling! And I was talented!"
Kazel folded his arms, his lips twitching in amusement. "Father, you're making it sound harder than it is."
Noel felt his chest tighten. (This brat—!)
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "No, you don't understand, Kazel. The battle inside the soul space isn't just physical, it's a battle of will. That means either the Musang Black Rabbit was incredibly weak... or you're just—"
"A tyrant?" Kazel interjected with a smirk.
Noel blinked, thrown off by his son's choice of words.
Kazel stepped forward, his eyes gleaming. "The beast fought back, but it only took a single solid strike to make it submit." He clenched his fist, remembering the sensation of his knuckles slamming into the rabbit's head, the way its body twitched before the white flame emerged. "When it realized there was no escaping my grip, its instincts told it one thing—bow down or be destroyed."
A heavy silence filled the courtroom.
Noel let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead. "…You're really something else, Kazel."
Kazel simply shrugged. "So, what's next?"
Noel eyed his son warily before smirking. "Next? You test out your new power. Let's see if that rabbit of yours was worth the trouble."
Kazel grinned. "That was no trouble at all, Father. But sure—let's see what my new beast can do."
Noel cracked his neck and stretched his arms, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "It's speed, right? Let's see how fast you are compared to me, how about that?"
Kazel arched a brow. "You mean like a race?"
"That's right," Noel confirmed, rolling his shoulders. "To our beautiful home."
Kazel hummed, glancing toward the open road beyond the sect's gates. The thought of testing his new spirit beast's ability excited him. "Alright."
Noel chuckled, taking a deep breath. "One warning, though—using the spirit beast skill requires a huge amount of stamina to pull off. So you might be catching your breath before you can use another." He shot Kazel a sideways glance, lips curling into a teasing grin. "Also, don't be sad if I end up faster than you. I have a higher cultivation than yours."
Kazel scoffed, shaking his head. "Alright."
Noel planted his feet, muscles tensing in anticipation. "Ready?" He paused, grinning. "You know, it's kind of fun that we—"
"GO!"
Before Noel could even finish, Kazel was already a blur, his figure vanishing in an instant.
"Hey!" Noel barked, pushing off the ground in pursuit.
But Kazel was already far ahead, his body reacting instinctively to the surge of power within him. The moment he launched forward, his muscles coiled and released like springs, his steps carrying him at an unnatural speed. The world around him blurred—trees and buildings stretched into streaks of color as the wind howled past his ears.
(This… is incredible,) he thought, his lips curling into a grin. (I feel light—like I'm flying.)
His breathing was steady, his strides seamless. He barely felt his feet touch the ground before he was already leaping into his next step. It was as if his body was working ahead of his mind, adjusting and correcting his momentum in real-time.
The road home stretched before him, but all he could focus on was the exhilarating sensation coursing through his veins. The spirit beast's gift wasn't just speed—it was liberation.
But fatigue crept up on him fast—too fast. His breath grew heavy, his legs dragging as his once-fluid movements turned sluggish. His speed faltered, and within moments, a gust of wind shot past him.
Noel.
Kazel barely had time to react before his father overtook him with ease, his stride still strong and controlled. The gap between them widened, but just as quickly, the familiar courtyard of their home came into view.
Kazel came to a staggering stop, his hands immediately dropping to his knees as he panted, his mouth wide open, desperately gulping for air. Sweat dripped from his forehead, sliding down his jaw before falling onto the dry dirt beneath him, instantly absorbed by the earth. His muscles trembled slightly, not from pain, but from sheer exhaustion.
"Hey, Kazel, are you okay?" Noel's voice was filled with amusement, but also concern.
Kazel lifted his head, his blue eyes still burning with the thrill of the race. He straightened his back, taking a deep breath before exhaling sharply. "Never been better."
Just then, the door creaked open, and his mother's voice rang out, "Huh? Oh, you're back! How was the market?"
Before Kazel could respond, Noel had already jogged toward her, excitement lighting up his face. "Oh, you wouldn't believe this!" he said, gesturing animatedly.
Meanwhile, Kazel remained where he was, hands resting on his waist. He tilted his head up slightly, letting the cool air soothe his overheated body. A small smile played on his lips.
(This power… it's just the beginning.)