( Hours Earlier, before Kiba-Tora's defeat. )
[ Inside the Hidden Barrier ]
" Master Yakujin is going to be killed!? " Shiro asks the person as he finally releases his mouth so he could talk.
" Hush, idiot! " Shiro gets knocked in the head after he shouts it.
" This barrier might be invisible, but if you make so much noise, the outside ones will hear us... "
" But, aside from that, yes... "
" What happened now is an attempt by the people in 'your' village, to kill Yakujin. " said the mysterious random person to Shiro, covered by the shadows.
" My 'village'? " Shiro asks as he wonders how is it possible.
" Yes, your 'Sakurazaka Village' Head Shaman, Yamagami Arikato is the one who gain many from this. "
" Aside from your 'Master Yakujin' busy fighting the Chimera Master from the Thorned Mountains. " the person explains which made Shiro scratch his head even more.
" That's..., crazy... " sais Shiro the 'person', he still not get it what's going on here all of the sudden.
" You're telling me as if the Head Shaman already planned this in advance or something...? " Shiro asks.
" He did. " said the person to Shiro.
" For someone delved into the Spiritual Arts such as Shamanism, he should've learned the art of Divination or some sort, to Divine the path ahead. "
" Meaning, he did this by seeing into the future. " the person tells Shiro which astound him.
" The 'Head Shaman' could do that!? " Shiro shouts hearing this.
" How is that possible!? What's your proof!? and speaking of which... "
" Who are you anyway nice Mr.!? "
" Why are you protecting me in the first place and suddenly told me all this!? " Shiro asks, as the person didn't introduce himself even after explaining to him so much about what happened.
" Me? " the person responds.
" Oh me, well... "
" The name's 'Black Merchant'. " said the person, revealing himself as 'Black Merchant'.
" I'm a travelling Merchant that travels across the realms using the Gates. " Black Merchant explains.
" The Gates? " Shiro asks.
* Black Merchant give an confused expression. *
" You don't know what the hell a 'Gate' is? " Black Merchant asks, but before Shiro respond, he quickly explain the basics to the boy, telling him that it was an 'Interdimensional Portals' made using the particles of the Universe or some sort.
" That's basically what it is, that's the most easiest definition of what I could explain to you. "
" But first, after Yakujin's fight is over, you must go to her. " Black Merchant tells Shiro, making him afraid.
" Go..., to her? " Shiro asks as he shivers.
* Shiro whimpers. *
" Hey, it's alright, she already must forgiven you by now... "
" But to make it sure, you must tell her yourself. " Black Merchant tells Shiro.
" Really? She won't hurt me? " Shiro asks while Black Merchant tries to assure him.
" Of course not, don't worry about the path ahead. "
" It will be glorious if you follow what I've told you. " Black Merchant says while assuring Shiro up and whisper something to him.
Not just that, Black Merchant immediately put two pills into Shiro's mouth, random pills which made Shiro cough as he swallowed it.
" Black Merchant, what is... "
" It's some pills that would help you survive the path ahead, boy. "
" 'They' will support you. " Black Merchant says as he pushes Shiro outside his 'Barrier'.
...
( In the present. )
" You win this fight, Chimera Master Yakujin... " Chimera Master Kiba-Tora says that after seeing the overbearing giant radiance of Yakujin's [ Divine Storm Sky Manifestation, Thunder Radiance Avatar ].
" So this is what they say, that a Kitsune's tail had the power to summon Divine Spirits from the Heavens...? " Kiba-Tora asks as he sees this in awe, he may only had his head active, but not for long as he finally passes out.
" You done? " Yakujin asks as he sees Kiba-Tora passed away.
She looks at the 'Thunder Radiance Avatar', she looks at it and sighs, to think she would finally draw it out.
" *Sigh* "
" Return... " Yakujin tells it which it look at her for a while, it's expression looked at her as if it asks her if that's really her wish.
" You've done enough, return... "
Yakujin orders again, but 'Thunder Radiance Avatar' didn't comply to her as it still looked at her with the same expression.
" I said, 'Return'! " Yakujin yells to it as the Divine Spirit finally returns to where it came from.
" I really hate using it, but it is one of my arsenals. " Yakujin says while looking at one of her tails she used to summon it.
* The tail looses it's beauty as it wither for a bit. *
" Hmmm... " Yakujin sees it and then look at Kiba-Tora's corpse, realizing that she needs to refill her energy by claiming her prize of victory.
* Yakujin feasts on Kiba-Tora's flesh. *
" This flesh is mine, Kiba-Tora..., was it? " Yakujin munches it.
" After all, those who lose agains the winner in the world of beasts must immediately become the prey to feed the winner's energy. "
" That's the unwritten rule that every non-human being knows. " Yakujin gulps and could taste something emerging from her body, she felt a great tremendous amount of energy flowing to her as it make her more powerful than before.
" Ah! " Yakujin says it as she began to feel ecstated with the newfound power, her mood drastically changes as the light of power engulfs her, dramatically changing her body.
" Oh my, it seems I've gotten a great boost. "
" To think I would reach this form. " Yakujin says as her body transform into more 'humanoid' form, appearing herself naked as blond beautiful woman with long hair, alongside some visible fox ears and tails (alongside her peacock wings and some new visible chimeraic features of her. )
" The 'Humanization Stage'... " Yakujin says as she smiles.
" The stage where Monsters, Beasts, Hybrids, and Chimeras body become that of a human, despite still possessed their monstrous features. "
" Within this form, they gain the Humans very versatility and adaptedness in the environment, a powerful human trait but the humans always fail to used it, unlike us... " Yakujin says after witnessing her new beautiful form, by looking at her slick hands.
While looking at her new form, Yakujin still sees the visible 'Red String of Fate' thread that binds her hand and her pinky.
" Hmph! "
" Speaking of human... "
" Have you come to apologize, my dear...? " Yakujin asks as from behind her, Shiro comes out with his body shivering from head to toe.
" Master... Yaku... " Shiro says as he comes out.
" Approach me, dear. " Yakujin orders him in her new form.
" Let me have you close. O dear fated one~ " Yakujin teases Shiro while she herself pressures him with her pressence after what Shiro did to her forest earlier.
______
Extra:
Humanization Stage:
An evolution stage for every Non-human creatures. This stage is acquired after a Non-human Creature had reached the peak of their evolution. Especially for Chimera Masters, being the pinnacle of Evolution they are. With their status, this stage is possible for them to achieve, making themselves more agile and versatile like any human plus their Chimeraic features and powers to easily make them a deadly combatant than before.