Chapter 204: Nine Tailed Fox "I have a question," Azel said as he brushed aside yet another branch. The forest of the Familiar Zone seemed endless, trees pressing in at every angle, each one larger than the last. Some of the trunks were so wide ten men holding hands wouldn’t be able to encircle them. Yes they were beautiful but still, the branches snagged at his shirt and hair, making the whole experience far less mystical than it probably should have been. With an annoyed grunt, he bent his knees and pushed off the ground. His body shot upward in a burst of strength, landing on a thick branch that dipped slightly under his weight before holding firm. He exhaled, crouched, and leapt again. Soon he was hopping from branch to branch, moving through the upper canopy with ease, every landing sending small showers of luminescent leaves tumbling down to the forest floor. "First of all," he continued while vaulting over a gap, "what’s this whole Divine Apprentice thing?" The small bird flying at his side faltered mid-flap, eyes widening in surprise. It hovered in place for a moment before darting after him again. ’You don’t know what you are?’ it asked in shock, its mental voice ringing clearly in Azel’s mind. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he balanced on another branch. "Where I come from has a different way of representing power. Titles like that aren’t really a thing." The bird’s eyes softened, and it nodded slowly in understanding. ’Ah... then it’s alright. A Divine Apprentice is simply someone who has awakened the ability to use divine energy, regardless of the type. Nothing more, nothing less.’ "So that’s why it’s called an apprentice?" Azel mused aloud as he launched himself forward again. The wind whipped through his hair before he landed on the next branch. "What’s after that then? Divine Masters?" The bird gave a chirp that sounded almost smug. ’Actually, yes. That’s exactly what comes next. They’re called Divine Masters... or Diviners, depending on what you prefer.’ Before Azel could answer, there was a shift in the air. His instincts prickled, and he realized they were running straight toward it. There was something dangerous up ahead. The bird flew faster, wings blurring as it zipped past a tree. ’Don’t worry. That’s where my friend is. We’re close now.’ Its voice carried pride. ’Not to brag, but my friend has met countless Diviners. She’s even spoken with gods themselves. You should be honored I’ve chosen to offer you a contract.’ Azel rolled his eyes. "Like you weren’t the one begging me for help two minutes ago." The bird coughed, if such a thing could even be imagined. ’Details.’ They reached the last tree before the clearing. Azel perched on a thick branch, muscles tensing. From here, he could feel the oppressive aura ahead. He bent his knees, pouring strength into them, then exploded forward in a single leap. The bird surged alongside him, feathers glowing faintly. ’Look, there she is! You have to save her!’ Azel’s eyes widened mid-flight. ’What the fuck?’ he thought, his breath catching. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮 The clearing stretched below them, lit with an eerie glow. At its center was a massive fox — a beast of shimmering azure fur, each strand glimmering like it had been woven from moonlight itself. Its body was sleek and majestic, but what stole Azel’s breath were the tails. Nine of them, long and flowing like rivers of liquid sapphire, each one thrashing weakly against glowing chains. The fox’s eyes burned with intelligence, deep pools of crystalline blue that radiated both fury and exhaustion. But the sight was tragic. Chains looped around each of its tails, tight enough to bite into the fur. One cruel loop circled its neck like a noose, runes glowing the same purple as the collar Azel had removed from the bird earlier. These ones were far more complex though. As Azel landed silently at the edge of the clearing, the fox’s body began to glow faintly. Her form shimmered, collapsing inward until the majestic beast was gone. In her place lay a young woman with cascading blue hair, her long locks pooling around her like a cloak. Her skin glowed faintly, pale and flawless, though streaked with dirt and strain. She had no clothes, her body as bare as the day she was born, but her beauty was so unearthly it almost hurt to look at. Her breath came shallow. Every movement was restrained by those glowing chains, which tightened automatically as though feeding on her weakness. Even lifting her head seemed to cost her everything. She slumped forward, trembling, unable to even raise her arms. Three figures loomed above her. "How’s the device holding up?" one of them asked. He was tall and thin, with a sharp, hawkish face. In his hand, he gripped a handful of her long blue hair, yanking her head back to expose her neck. She growled low in her throat, baring sharp canines that gleamed but they knew she couldn’t do anything. "It’s fine," another replied, crouching near a small metallic box on the ground. Runes glowed across its surface, connecting directly to the chains that bound the fox. "As long as this remains intact, the Watcher won’t be able to see what’s happening here. We have all the time we need to transport her out." The hawk-faced man sneered, twisting her hair tighter until she whimpered. "You shouldn’t have rejected our god five hundred years ago. Did you really think we’d let you live in peace forever? Foolish fox." He leaned closer, lips curling. "Once I deliver you to God Constantine, he’ll restore me as his top disciple. And you..." His eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction. "He’ll break you until you beg for chains stronger than these." Before the woman could respond, the air split with a whistle. A sword spun through the clearing, gleaming silver-blue as it tore past the three men. They immediately leapt backward, forming a defensive line, eyes narrowing at the figure that emerged from the shadows. Azel stood at the edge of the clearing, the bird perched firmly on his shoulder. His face was calm, but his eyes locked onto the woman and the chains that bound her. ’Impossible,’ one of the men thought, watching closely. They had let the bird go to bring another familiar, maybe like the fox... But it brought someone else, what was this person even doing here? His eyes scanned Azel’s aura. ’An apprentice? Weak. But... dual divine elements? Rare.’ Yet the sword hadn’t been aimed at them. With a deafening crack, it slammed into the small box of runes. Sparks exploded outward as the formation shattered, the glow across the chains flickering violently. One by one, the restraints fell away, dissolving into smoke until nothing remained but fragments of broken light. The woman collapsed to the ground, clutching her chest. Her hair fanned out around her as she gasped, her eyes flickering open again. Then they blazed. The three poachers stiffened, realization dawning too late. Her body erupted in azure light. The young woman’s shape stretched and warped until the fox was back... it was far bigger, more radiant, her nine tails spreading wide like the unfurling wings of a god. Her eyes locked onto them with pure, unfiltered rage. She opened her mouth, and the world shook. The roar that followed was a cataclysm. Trees that had stood for centuries ripped from the ground like weeds, hurled into the air as though caught in the grip of a hurricane. The soil split beneath their feet. The forest itself screamed, branches tearing and scattering as winds howled outward in a furious spiral. It was creating a tornado.