"How did you break the barrier?!" A pause followed. The tone shifted. "Wait… are you a blessed one?"
Kriya didn't respond. His focus stayed on Astra. Her breath was faint, and the venom was clearly spreading faster now. Then he felt it…..something approaching. A strong surge, fast and sharp, coming right from behind and exactly at that moment.
"Kriya…?" Astra's voice came out weak, but just then, her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her gaze sharpened in an instant she caught sight of a claw cutting through the air, emerging from the shadows without warning.
"Kriya!"
She shouted, but it was too late.
The beast's claw struck him in a flash. Kriya hissed in pain as the force of the blow pushed him forward. The strike was heavy, brutal. Blood soaked through his clothes almost instantly, staining the fabric deep red.
Astra pushed herself up quickly, still dazed, but her eyes locked on Kriya's wound. Her breath caught in her throat. The voice returned, "I thought you might have some impressive spiritual power. But…you're just an insect after all."
The beast's laugh echoed through the cave, low and chilling. Astra struggled to help Kriya, pulling his arm over her shoulder and guiding him to lean against the wall. His blood still soaked through, but his breathing remained steady.
She turned toward the voice, her own voice shaking as she spoke.
"W-Who are you?! Where are you?! Why are you laughing? Why did you attack us?!" Her words stumbled out in fear, but she forced them anyway.
That's when she saw it ….a shadow forming in front of her, thick with dark mist swirling around it. It moved like smoke, pulsing with a strange Aura as it slowly circled her. Astra instinctively took a step back.
"Me?…I'm a demon… Haven't seen one before?"
"D-Demon?" Astra stuttered, her eyes wide, Her face drained of color now even paler than the purplish hue left by the venom.
"Yes… A demon…..And not just any demon… the legendary seven-tailed beast."
Astra froze. She blinked. Then began slowly counting her fingers.
One… two… three…Her mind processed the words, and her soul nearly left her body.
"You're… You're a seven tailed demon beast?! No. No, no, no!"
The dark mist paused its circling and drifted right in front of her, inches from her face.
"Are you scared?" it whispered, "Don't worry… I won't eat you alive." Astra squeezed her eyes shut, hands raised in surrender.
"I-I don't taste good. I'm bitter. Just… just let us go. Don't eat us."
The dark mist drifted away from Astra's face, hovering a few inches ahead as it spoke with a mocking edge.
"How would I know if you taste good… unless I taste you?"
Astra slowly opened her eyes, relieved to find the mist no longer inches from her. She quickly glanced behind her and froze.
Kriya had passed out. She turned her head back quickly and just in time to catch something. The mist was fading. Behind it, a pair of glowing green eyes stared directly at her.
She stammered, confused. "A-Are you… a pup?"
"How dare you!"
The mist cleared instantly, revealing sharp, furious green eyes and a sleek, white-furred fox its many tails swaying behind it like flames. Astra blinked and began to count them. Her eyes then flickered up to the strange symbol glowing on the fox's forehead.
"You're a fox…? And you can talk?" she said, almost whispering.
She took a step back, her body pressing against the cold cave wall. Her vision started to blur again exhaustion creeping in. Fear settled in her chest like a weight.
The fox began circling her, its steps slow and deliberate.
"Haven't heard of it?"
Astra shook her head, struggling to stay focused. " I heard only demons above tier five can take human form. But… not a fox. That doesn't make sense…"
The beast paused, its piercing gaze locked onto her. Then it slowly stepped away, and the mist enveloped it again. This time, when the mist cleared it wasn't the fox standing there.
It was a young woman.
Dressed in dark, flowing robes, her long white hair swayed gently. Those same glowing green eyes stared straight into Astra, sharp as blades. Her lips curled into a smile as she spun slowly, arms outstretched.
"So naive of you to think I'm below that," she said lightly, Then stopped her smile faded and voice dropped.
"I'm a seventh-tier demonic beast…Yuyan."
As soon as Astra heard those words, her mind went blank. Her vision darkened, and her legs gave out. She fainted on the spot. Yuyan blinked, then stepped closer with a faint smirk.
"Such a fragile state… I like it. I've been craving a human for a long time." She lifted her hand, and a dark, smoky force wrapped around Astra, raising her into the air. A claw-like shadow formed around Astra's neck, squeezing slowly.
But just as Yuyan took another step—
A flash cut through the air.
She winced, a sharp sting crossing her cheek. Her hand flew to her face, and when she pulled it away.....blood.
Her eyes narrowed, burning with fury. Before she could react, another cut landed on her other cheek. The wounds closed up quickly but not like before. She paused. Something was wrong.
She scanned the space, her voice low and sharp.
"Where is he?"
But Kriya was nowhere to be seen.
Then she felt it again, a presence behind her. She turned quickly, but this time, the strike hit deeper. The wound didn't heal.
Her eyes flared.
"How did she get free?"
She turned toward the spot where Astra had been suspended—but she was now lying unconscious on the ground. Yuyan snarled and stepped forward, but before she could strike again—
Kriya appeared out of nowhere and stood firmly in front of her, calm as ever.
"Are you ready to consider my offer?"