[Changing Room—After Katie's Fight]
"Hey, are you alright?" An asked as she opened the door, her eyes immediately scanning Katie from head to toe.
"Yes, Mother. They already healed me," Katie replied, sitting upright on the bench with only a slight wince. She gave a faint nod, her usual energy somewhat dulled.
Ann stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. "Why were you so reckless about it?"
Katie shrugged, her expression unapologetic. "It was a good plan."
"It was," I chimed in, arms crossed and leaning against the wall. "Worked like a charm."
"You shut up," Ann snapped, turning sharply toward me with a glare. "You're the worst influence here."
She turned back to Katie, exhaling through her nose. "It was a good plan, but far too reckless. If that person had released one more burst of mana…"
Katie lowered her eyes.
'Well, she's not wrong,' I thought, but bit my tongue. I'd have stepped in… probably.
"Oh. You're still here," Mom said as she walked in, folding her arms.
I looked up. Her tone was calm—too calm. What struck me was how composed she seemed. No fear. No stress. Despite knowing her parents' killer had been nearby. She hated that man more than anyone.
"I need to talk to you," I said seriously, pushing off the wall.
"It wasn't him," she replied immediately, halting me mid-step.
"…What?"
Mom's expression didn't waver. "That wasn't him. Or at least, not the true one."
"Then who—?"
"He never sends his real body. He's a coward in many ways. Besides, our royal guard's top enforcers are still stronger than him."
I frowned. "How do you know it was a fake? And… are you saying a Sin Holder isn't as strong as them?"
She turned, resting one hand on the wall. "He wasn't fat."
"…What?"
"Every sin has a price," she said. "His gluttony is always active. He gains mass from his magic. If he's slim, he's suppressing it. Or it's not him."
"Oh… right," I muttered, connecting the dots. "Like how I'd destroy myself if I overused Wrath."
"Exactly."
"So he gets fat," I echoed, nodding slowly.
"His sin makes him fat," she confirmed.
"Well, that explains the pudding-like aura."
"But don't underestimate him just because he's a clone," she warned, her gaze sharpening. "He's still a god."
"Sure. Wasn't planning on fighting him anyway."
"That's why I came looking for you," she said, stepping forward.
I blinked. "Oh, so we're on the same page?"
She nodded. "Yes. You do not engage him. And don't get clever—we've already killed one of his clones before. This won't be our first time."
"…Great," I muttered. "No pressure."
"Kayda will be fine," she added, then paused. "And I will too."
"Kitsuna, you show worry in the weirdest ways," Katie said, grinning beside me.
"Shut it," I growled, shooting her a glare.
"Anyway," Mom cut in, "let's focus on the real problem."
"Yeah. That Logan kid."
Ann rubbed her chin, thoughtful. "You should pull Amari out of tomorrow's match."
"She won't like that one bit," Mom said, already shaking her head.
"Nah, I'm sure I can get her to drop out," I said, smirking slightly.
Ann gave me a narrow-eyed look. "Don't even think about hurting her to force a withdrawal."
"It's nothing like that," I replied quickly, raising both hands. "But… she's been itching for a proper duel with me. One without Zagan hovering around."
Ann tilted her head. "So you want to satisfy her, and then she'll step aside willingly?"
"Exactly."
"Well, tomorrow's quarterfinals should go quickly then," An said.
"I'll blast through my opponent," I said casually.
"Don't be cocky. This guy has some real tricks up his sleeve. And the one after him will be a genuine challenge—even for you."
I shrugged. "Just a challenge? I'll be fine."
"Sigh… You're giving me gray hairs."
"You're not even forty, Mom. Chill."
"Don't talk about my age!"
"…Alright, I'm going to find Amari," I said, stepping out of the room and waving them off.
"Don't push her too much!" Mom shouted after me.
[Hallway Outside the Arena]
'Is she still in the stands?' I wondered whether she was still in the stands as I turned the corner.
I collided with someone hard, sending them stumbling onto the floor.
"Ah—sorry about that," I said quickly, offering a hand.
"It's alright. I wasn't looking where I was going," the man replied, taking my hand and pulling himself up.
I held his hand a little longer than necessary, eyes scanning his face.
He didn't break eye contact.
Neither did I.
I grinned. "Take care."
And then I walked past him, the grin never leaving my face.
'I think he used my own trick on me. I'll kill him tonight.'
I looked down at my palm as the skin began to darken. With a soft sigh, I dissolved into ice particles.
[30 Minutes Later—Rooftop Overlooking a Forest Clearing]
"So Katie actually lost?" Amari asked, arms crossed as I landed next to her on the ledge.
"Yep. And you need to pull out of tomorrow's match."
"No!" Amari spun toward me. "I can beat that guy!"
"You probably can," I admitted. "But someone's going to make sure you don't. We just want to avoid serious injuries in the process."
"Ahhh!! No! I want to fight you!" Amari yelled, stomping like a child throwing a tantrum.
"I know, I know. That's why we're having this talk," I said, palming my forehead.
"Then why ask me to give up at all?!"
"Because I'm planning for us to have our fight tomorrow morning in the woods outside the capital."
Amari paused, then blinked. "What? Why there?"
"Because then I can go all out," I said. "You know I can't show my tails in public."
She grumbled, then muttered, "...Fine. Tomorrow morning. Early. In the woods."
"You don't need to hide your happiness, you know," I called as she stormed off.
She didn't turn around.
I smiled. 'Alright. Time to kill that little shit.'
I flash-stepped away.
[Ten Minutes Later—Forest Clearing]
"Hehehe… the Saintess is never wrong," the man said from the center of the clearing, stepping into the moonlight. His golden eyes glowed faintly.
"So Rachel told you, huh?" I asked as I landed softly on a branch above him.
"Yes. And she told me something else, too," he replied, tossing a small, glowing ice crystal to the ground.
I looked at it, then blinked. "Oh, so they did extract hers."
"Yes, yes—but that one's not Rachel's," he said, grinning. "That's mine. The one you put in me earlier."
"Huh?" I blinked, taken aback. "Wait… what?"
"Hahaha! Surprised, aren't you?"
I smirked. "Yeah. I'm surprised how stupid you are."
His grin faltered.
"You think I didn't learn anything from Rachel's case? You really think I only planted one?"
The man stepped back. "W-What do you mean?"
"I'm a fox," I said, leaping down into the clearing, eyes glowing. "There's always a trick in our tricks."
His eyes widened. "Wait, you—"
BOOM!!
The clearing was instantly swallowed in a burst of frost and shattering light. The ice detonated with a hollow echo, freezing the grass and air alike. Trees cracked under the force, and shards of crystalline mist hovered, glowing faintly in the moonlight.
I stepped forward through the dust, arms folded, not even flinching as fragments of snow and blood fell around me.
"What a waste," I muttered. "Could've at least screamed something funny."
But before the cold silence could settle in fully, I felt it.
Wings. The air was filled with ten pairs of wings. Rustling air.
The air shimmered.
I raised my eyes just as ten figures appeared in a tight formation—white robes trimmed with gold, swords of holy energy drawn, halos blazing like miniature suns.
"Seriously?" I asked, deadpan. "Ten of you?"
"You just executed one of our own," said the lead angel, his voice clipped with authority. "We are authorized to retaliate."
"Retaliate?" I raised a brow, lips twitching into a grin. I didn't realize I had stepped into a Saturday morning cartoon.
"We'll take you down in the name of the divine."
I snapped my fingers once, loudly.
Then I vanished.
I reappeared midair behind one of them, my hand already encased in a clawed gauntlet of frost. My fingers pierced through his neck and burst out the front of his throat like ice-tipped spears.
"One."
Before the others could react, I flipped forward, dragging the corpse with me as a shield. Three golden blades slammed into the dead angel's back—his body twitching as it absorbed the strikes.
I kicked him into his companions, landing on the shoulders of one who struggled to dislodge me.
"You smell like incense and daddy issues," I said, driving my heel down on his spine.
CRACK.
He screamed as I snapped his back. I flipped him off and formed an ice spike in my hand mid-air, throwing it without even looking.
Thwip.
It impaled one in the eye.
"Three."
They scattered, finally remembering they had wings.
I stood still in the center of the clearing, ice forming a jagged circle around my feet. My tail flickered briefly—visible now in the shadows. The temperature dropped another twenty degrees.
"She's a Sin Holder," one angel said in a panic. "We should fall back—"
"No," the leader shouted. "Hold formation! She's just one demon!"
"Rude," I said, stepping forward. "I'm not just a demon."
I raised my hand.
The frost on the ground pulsed.
Suddenly, long, whip-like chains of ice shot up—grabbing two angels by the ankles mid-flight. With a jerk, they were slammed into the ground hard enough to crater it.
I walked slowly toward them as they struggled, coughing blood.
"Do you ever wonder what your bones sound like when they break on every impact?" I asked conversationally, stepping on one of their ribs.
CRUNCH.
"Four and five."
The others charged all at once.
Blades out. Wings flaring.
I didn't move.
They circled, slashing from multiple angles. A coordinated strike.
Too bad they were trying that on me.
I raised my arm and spun once—an arc of frost exploded outward, coating three of them instantly in solid ice.
I snapped my fingers again.
Boom.
Three bodies shattered like glass.
"Six, seven, and eight."
The last two tried to bolt. One flew up into the sky; the other darted into the trees.
I clicked my tongue.
With a flash step, I appeared above the one flying, grabbing his face mid-sprint.
"Ever seen what happens when a holy type gets dragged into a shadow?" I whispered.
We plummeted.
At the last second, I slammed his head into the frozen earth—letting his halo shatter against the impact.
Nine.
The last one, the coward, was halfway through the trees, panting hard.
I appeared beside him, walking calmly.
He screamed and drew a blade.
I simply held out my hand—and it froze solid in the hilt.
"Drop it," I said.
His hand shattered inside the grip.
He howled, clutching the stump. "P-Please—"
"Oh no," I said gently, crouching beside him. "You drew your sword on me. That's intent. That's commitment. I respect commitment."
Then I smiled. "So I'll reward it."
I turned him around with a flick and carved a slow rune into his back with my claw.
"W-What are you doing?!"
I leaned in close.
"Marking you. So next time you think about running your mouth about divine law… you'll remember who etched your spine."
He passed out from the pain before I finished the second sigil.
I let him drop, then wiped the blood from my hands and stood tall.
"…Ten."
The clearing was silent.
Snowflakes drifted through the air. Blood stained the frozen grass beneath my feet.
I dusted off my sleeves.
"Next time, I will give you guys a clone to play with."
Then I vanished into foxfire.
[Next Morning—Forest Outside the Capital]
"You're late," Amari grumbled as I walked up the dirt path.
"To be fair, we never set a time," I replied, yawning and stretching.
"Whatever," she huffed. "So how are we doing this?"
"First, we wait for Kayda to set up the barrier," I said, nodding to the floating sigils already forming above the trees. "Then we go all out."
"Hmph. You mean I go all out, and you hold back to match me."
"If that's what you want," I said with a shrug. "But remember—I still have a tournament match after this."
She grinned. "Yeah, yeah. It's as if you need only half of your strength to handle those angels."