---
The echoes of the battle had faded, but the energy still clung to the trees like mist. Yuki stood over the fading corpse of the Noctis-Strider, its form slowly dissipating into motes of void-tainted soul essence. The air was thick with something beyond mere mana—a spiritual aftertaste that clung to his scales and mind alike.
The Mind Forge pulsed faintly inside him, slowly processing the influx of essence and data.
> **\[Phantom Ripper – Skill Recognized]**
> *Category: Soul/Mental-Type Offensive Skill*
> *Description: A focused psionic claw manifested from condensed thoughtform and soulforce. Tears through non-physical defenses, bypasses standard resistances. Deals amplified damage to phased or spiritual beings.*
> *Sub-skills unlocked:*
>
> * **Mind-Talon Manifestation** – Form claw extensions at will from pure soul energy.
> * **Phase Shatter** – Temporarily disrupts enemy's phasing or stealth-type abilities.
> * **Soul Trace** – Marks target's soul signature, allowing tracking even through dimensions.
> * **Mental Laceration** – Strikes disrupt enemy concentration and can delay spellcasting.
> * **Twin Phantom Drive** – Allows dual projection of phantom claws for multi-target combat.
Yuki blinked slowly as the information integrated itself. He flexed his claws and extended his will. A shimmer followed.
Twin psionic talons burst forth from his forearms—translucent, crackling with jagged arcs of mental energy. They didn't burn like fire or sting like poison. They *cut through thought.*
He slashed through a tree's shade.
The shadow detached from its trunk—ripped clean from reality—and evaporated.
"Dangerous," Yuki murmured mentally, intrigued.
He began practicing.
In a clearing beside the glade, Yuki danced between luminous roots, flicking the phantom talons at targets only he could see—wraith-like decoys conjured by the **Mental Dominion** sub-skill. Each swipe carved shimmering lines into the air, leaving echoes that faded with distorted sound.
He activated **Phase Shatter**.
The world trembled. Leaves stilled. Reality warped briefly.
Any creature relying on stealth or void techniques within twenty meters would've been forcibly anchored and exposed. Yuki growled in satisfaction.
The predator had taught him well.
Still, something tugged at him.
As the sun dipped below the leafy ceiling, golden threads of spirit wind began flowing lazily through the forest—barely visible to mortal eyes. They brushed his wings and scales gently, almost affectionately.
His head turned, following them instinctively.
Something deeper stirred in the forest.
A rhythm.
Faint. Melodic. Almost like a lullaby woven into the breeze. He couldn't place it, but it resonated with something ancient inside him.
**Sovereign Mind** pulsed once.
> *"This region bears resonance with high-tier natural spirits… a greater presence lingers."*
Yuki narrowed his eyes. Not hostile. Not yet. But *aware.*
The spirit wind guided him to a ridge overlooking a crescent-shaped valley where translucent butterflies fluttered above glowing, silver-blue flowers. In the center stood an ancient tree—a massive white-barked colossus ringed with floating stones and arching vines.
And nestled beside one of its roots…
A single strand of white-gold silk.
It shimmered like moonlight in water, pulsing with wind mana so pure it made Yuki's soul thrum in harmony.
He didn't know it yet, but the veil was thinning.
The first sign of *her* presence had appeared.
Not a meeting.
Not yet.
But fate had taken notice.
And it was watching.
---
**Chapter End**