The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar hadn't seen Isabella in a long time, face to face. Rarely had he gotten even a glimpse of her because of how much he had actively avoided Gilbert. The few times he did run into her, they passed by without a word, regarding the other as a stranger. In fact, he never knew much about how she was doing and what she was up to.

Her life and her actions no longer mattered to him since the time they met in the Inner Hall to sever their faint relationship for good. Isabella had grown much since that time. A few years added a more mature look to her beauty. He still heard many rumors about her beauty and the jealous sentiment toward Gilbert through the grapevines.

Of course, Isabella made it to the Inner Sanctum. The powers of a Greater Elite Exalt in grade eight were near the top of everyone in Ashen Grove. It would be strange if she didn't make it by now. Oscar tensed up slowly. His previous encounter with Fabian made him wary of anyone who might have some slight against him, intentional or not.

Isabella may be cut from the same cloth as the saying went. In Oscar's mind, she had already fallen so far by casting off her father, Carlson. A horrible and unexpected outburst from her was well within reason. Oscar poked Gol-4 at his side, signaling him not to speak. He couldn't trust Isabella.

"Hey," Oscar said. His voice was similar in tone to Gol-4's, monotone and lacking emotion.

"Hey," Isabella responded in her dull tone. She shared Oscar's lack of enthusiasm for this unexpected meeting. Her eyes narrowed, and her face fell as she sighed. "I never expected you would climb all the way here….If anything comes to mind about you, it's your persistence."

"You choose now to think about our childhood? I thought you wanted to cut off that past. So why are you reminiscing now? Or do you feel some regret for your actions? In that case, go and apologize to Uncle Carlson." Oscar was tired of his own words. He sounded like a parrot, a unique bird recorded in books that can mimic speech repeatedly. "Though he's recovered, I know he's still waiting for a single word from you."

"None of my business," Isabella spoke without hesitation, not even a slight discrepancy in her tone to hint at her being emotionally shaken.

"Thought so," Oscar wasn't as bothered as in the past. He had long since come to terms with Isabella's detached behavior. Kicking up a storm over it seemed pointless. Oscar glanced behind Isabella, seeing nothing there. "I don't want anything to do with you, but circumstances suggest we work together for now."

"What makes you think I need your help? It seems you're the one trying to cling to me for help. Since the princess isn't here for you to ride her coattails, you decide to come for me." Isabella scoffed and walked with her head held high. "You can follow me if you want to, but I won't be doing you any favors."

'Kill her if you find the chance.' Demon's cold voice resounded in Oscar's head. 'Her existence is nothing but trouble for you, and she's annoying.'

'Enough. For now, I have to follow her for some safety. If I roam around alone and run into a Greater Elite Exalt, I'm screwed. Thankfully, she has some sense not to kill me.' Oscar put down Demon, ordering him to shut up. From what he understood, Demon would listen to him if it benefited both of them.

'And if she uses you as bait or leaves you for dead?' Demon responded.

'....I need to find others as soon as possible.' Scenarios like the ones Demon pointed out were very real. The experience with Fabian and how the board game could force allies to kill each other were unpleasant but could happen again. Oscar followed after Isabella from behind, wary of her actions.

The Inner Sanctum was hotter than the Outer Halls due to the moats of lava lining the halls. Smoke rose from the lava, absorbed by the crystalline trees of many colors as if someone had carved them from precious gems.

Oscar felt it was awkward, walking with Isabella with not a single word being said. Usually, he would talk a lot with his friends, but this was the first time he clammed up. Isabella's back practically screamed out at him not to say a single word. Hoping to get away from her, Oscar searched around for anyone else to tag along with.

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"KRAAA!"

Roars echoed, reaching Oscar and Isabella. Wielding his bulwark, Oscar surged his Ein to the utmost. The strength behind this roar far eclipsed his power. The only one who could stand up to the owner of this powerful roar was Isabella, who responded in kind.

Scarlet Ein flowed from her body, setting her ablaze; the power from her Ein was, as Oscar expected, domineering and intimidating. Isabella wielded a longbow, red with streaks of flames sprouting from its ends. The flames of scarlet Ein gathered into a small ball like an egg. Cracks formed on the fiery egg, and a beautiful bird burst out.

Each feather could be considered a masterpiece, a ruby glimmer within with gold shining from the edges. Its body pumped its chest out and lifted its head, entirely covered in red feathers. A pair of black talons extended from its legs. Flames sprouted to cover everywhere on its back, including the dome of its head.

Red eyes, resembling Isabella's, opened, filled with majesty and pride. Oscar had never watched any of Isabella's battles, but he knew the nature of her anima—one of the most mythical and rarest Exalt Beasts in the world, the phoenix. True, with such an anima and a grade eight, she had the power to look down on others.

The phoenix anima perched itself on Isabella's bow. With a tug of the bowstring, the entire bow was lit aflame, and the phoenix made a piercing call. A burning red arrow formed out of nowhere, pinched between Isabella's fingers.

Creatures of unknown origins showed themselves. Oscar glanced behind him, seeing three such creatures in the Middle Elite Exalt realm. In front of Isabella was a larger one, emanating a terrifying pressure of a Greater Elite Exalt.

These newcomers resembled panthers with purple fur, twice as large with long claws. Lightning gleamed brightly from their eyes and coursed through each strand of their fur. Oscar tried to recall some details about these creatures and remembered.

Thunder-Eyed Panthers, a variant of panthers that sparked with lightning when they reached the Elite Exalt realm, were great predators. According to the book, these panthers were tricky due to their speed and natural defenses. But it didn't matter to Oscar.

"I'll handle these three. Can you handle the big one?" Oscar spoke while keeping his gaze on the panthers.

"Do what you want. Just make sure not to get in my way." Isabella released the fiery arrow; flames spiraled from its tip like a tornado. It was not the end as Isabella released several more, filling the entire corridor with red flames.

The power behind these flames could burn him in an instant. Oscar wanted to watch more, not because of admiration but to see how Greater Elite Exalts truly fought. However, the three other Middle Elite Exalt panthers didn't give him a chance.

Thunder clapped, followed by streaks of lightning. The Panthers moved within the lightning, reaching incredible speeds. Even with his Prinstyct breaking past their beast eidolons, Oscar lost track of them, relying on his instincts to sense them instead. The lighting of the panthers coiled and vanished, only to reappear somewhere else.

Unconcerned, Oscar waited for the panthers to make a move as they circled around him. One way remained for him to catch these panthers. The chance came when the panthers rushed in; the lightning crackled with their coming. Oscar enacted Eirin Eduresiclad, heavy and sturdy.

Three places on his body began to feel a tinge, a burn. His shoulder, right forearm, and back were slightly touched by the lightning-infused claws of the panthers. Oscar twisted his body, moving flexibly like a snake. Streaks of burnt blood fell onto him.

One panther crashed against the floor from his bulwark, and another flew up from being kicked. Neither suffered any heavy damage due to the thick coat of lighting, but it was enough for Oscar. He used the momentum to speed toward the third with Silver Burst.

Lightning defense? His Eirin Lances made a mockery of their prided lightning, breaking through without issue. The third panther was riddled from Oscar's onslaught and became a bloody mess full of holes. The other two panthers recovered from the blunt blow to their bodies and growled at seeing their dead companion.

Oscar threw his bulwark, wrapping it around a panther's head. In a forceful tug, the panther flew toward Oscar. Its mouth opened with lightning fangs, followed by a roar. Even though it saw its companion die, it foolishly made the decision to keep fighting.

An Eirin Silver Star punctured its eye, reaching the brain and escaping through the back. With its head in a mess, the panther fell to the ground. Oscar didn't think too much of the other and reduced it into a mess as well. Finishing his part, Oscar glanced at Isabella.

Her enemy, the larger panther, had several burns so bad the flesh smelled like charcoal. In an aggressive move, it charged straight ahead with its lightning. However, Isabella released an arrow, scorched black. The panther split into two, revealing a black, burnt mess of flesh in between.

She turned to him with a hint of shock. "You won against the three? I thought you would have died."

"It's good that I could handle it. From your words, it seems you had no intention of helping if I was in trouble." Oscar's heart went cold, and he stared at her, wishing to kill her.

"The strong have the right. You survived because you were stronger than them. That's all. Just as I have the right to decide to help or not." Isabella retorted. "If you don't stop staring at me so rudely, I might do something."

Oscar clicked his tongue but didn't withdraw his gaze.

Just as Isabella's face darkened, the halls quaked. She turned with widened eyes and mumbled, "It's here."

"What is?" Oscar asked. Terrifying pressure built as the halls continued to quake.

"A cleaner…." Isabella said.

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