Sensing danger, Mira hurriedly jumped back, landing roughly on her paws.
Right after she dodged, a massive explosion went off right where she just stood.
'This fucking…' Mira's eyes glowed dangerously as she stared at the floating red-haired woman holding a spear. 'Can't she recognize me?!'
While that attack wouldn't have killed her, taking one of Nova's techniques head-on wasn't something she particularly wanted to do.
'How many other 9-tailed foxes with multi-colored tails are out there? Is she really that stupid? Or does she just want to fight?' Mira contemplated, but before she could come to a conclusion, another beam of fire was launched in her direction.
*BOOOOM!*
A crater was formed in the ground from the impact, but Mira was nowhere to be seen.
'Fine. I'll humor you for now. Let's see if you've gotten any stronger.' Mira chuckled as her hind legs crunched into the ground before she lunged in Nova's direction.
As Mira closed in, the aura around Nova intensified, her crimson hair dancing wildly in the wind, reflecting her growing agitation. Sparks of fire spiraled around the woman's spear, signaling her readiness for a heated battle.
"Sunfire Sphere Spear Shot!"
"Sunfire Sphere Spear Shot!"
"Sunfire Sphere Spear Shot!"
Mira, with her multi-colored tails flowing gracefully behind her, twisted and turned through the air, dodging the rapid strikes of energy that Nova unleashed. The fiery explosions left a trail of destruction on the ground, but Mira's agility kept her one step ahead.
Nova, seeing that her long-range attacks were proving ineffective, tightened her grip on the weapon. She channeled her energy, infusing the weapon with a brilliant glow. The surrounding atmosphere became scorching hot, with patches of ground spontaneously combusting.
"Sunfire Spear Surge!" Nova shouted, thrusting her spear forward. A torrent of flames, shaped like a spear, surged towards Mira, covering a wider area than the previous attacks.
Mira, realizing that evasion might not be enough this time, gathered Primal Energy in her paws, creating a barrier in front of her. The two forces clashed, causing a blinding explosion and sending shockwaves throughout the Nurturing Zone.
The dust settled, revealing Mira standing firm without a single hair out of place. Nova, however, looked genuinely surprised. "What beast is this?" she murmured, intrigued by Mira's resilience.
Determined to end the battle, Nova decided to unleash her most potent technique. "Sunfire Sphere Spear Shockwave!"
The entire ground trembled as Nova slammed her spear into the earth, releasing a colossal shockwave of fire that radiated outwards in all directions. Trees were uprooted, and the earth was scorched, transforming the vibrant landscape into a fiery hellscape.
Mira, sensing the immense danger, focused her energy on her tails, creating nine separate shields, each deflecting a part of the shockwave. However, the sheer force of the attack sent her skidding backward, her paws creating deep trenches in the ground.
For a few moments, the only sounds were the crackling of burning trees and the heavy breathing of the two combatants.
As the smoke and dust began to clear, Nova, eager to maintain her advantage, lunged at Mira with unprecedented speed. Her spear glowed even brighter, with trails of flames following her every move.
Mira, catching onto Nova's intention, shifted her stance, prepared to parry any close-range attacks. The air around them seemed to electrify, charged with the tension and anticipation of their impending clash.
With a mighty yell, Nova swung her spear downwards, attempting to pin Mira to the ground. Mira narrowly sidestepped the attack, allowing the spear to bury itself into the earth. Seizing the brief moment of Nova's vulnerability, Mira swung one of her tails, infused with Primal Energy, aiming straight for Nova's torso.
However, Nova was no rookie. Using her Sunfire Spear Surge technique, she created a propulsion of flames from her spear's tip, rocketing her out of the way in the nick of time and freeing her weapon.
They continued in this deadly dance, a flurry of swings, thrusts, and parries. Their movements were so fast that to an ordinary observer, they might have appeared as mere blurs. The surrounding landscape bore witness to their incredible power as it transformed from a once-peaceful nurturing zone to a chaotic battleground.
Nova, attempting to regain control, hovered above, her spear pointed directly at Mira. "Sunfire Sphere Spear Barrage!" she shouted. The air became thick with flaming projectiles, raining down on Mira like meteors.
But Mira was prepared. Harnessing the Primal Energy, she summoned a protective dome around her. Each sphere that struck her shield exploded on impact, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle of fire.
As the barrage subsided, Mira dissipated her shield and took to the air, meeting Nova head-on. Their eyes locked, and Nova couldn't help but feel a hint of familiarity from those eyes.
'Wait…' Nova's eyes widened when she realized that the beast was at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. The only way that was possible was…
'Ah! Mi-!'
With a ferocious battle cry, Mira charged forward, her nine tails radiating an intense energy. Nova, in response, created multiple copies of her spear using her Sunfire techniques, ready to parry Mira's assault.
The two collided in mid-air, an explosion of light and energy erupting around them. The ground below trembled, and the shockwave from their collision could be felt for kilometers.
Amidst the luminous aftermath of their clash, Mira and Nova found themselves suspended in the air, looking at one another.
As the two hovered, locked in combat, the energy surrounding them began to swirl, creating a vortex of flames and primal force. The brilliant colors of Mira's multi-colored tails contrasted sharply with Nova's blazing spear, weaving an intricate balance of power and grace.
Mira, taking advantage of this momentary pause, locked eyes with Nova. "Do you recognize me now?" she whispered, her voice echoing in the void.
Nova, visibly shaken by the realization, replied, "Mira... it can't be. Why are you in this form? Why didn't you let me know it was you?"
Mira shook her head, "I wanted to see if you've grown stronger."
Nova's eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and confusion. "If you wanted to test me, there were better ways!" she snapped, her voice tinged with an undercurrent of betrayal.
Mira smirked, "You always were too prideful. Look at you now, attacking without even confirming your target. It seems you've forgotten some of our training."
With a roar, Nova channeled her energy and executed the "Heavenly Sunfire Descension". The sky overhead darkened, and from the heavens, a massive pillar of flame descended, targeting Mira directly.
Mira, not to be outdone, swirled her tails, creating a whirlwind of Primal Energy around her, deflecting the pillar. But just as she believed she had thwarted one attack, another was on its way.
"Sunfire Starfall!" Nova cried. From the sky, a rain of fiery comets began to plummet down. Each star was imbued with a fiery core, making them both beautiful and deadly.
Mira, however, didn't seem fazed. She spun in the air, her multi-colored tails weaving a complex pattern. With a focused surge of energy, she transformed the Primal Energy into a series of protective orbs that floated around her. As the fiery stars fell, they collided with these orbs, creating a mesmerizing display of explosions in the sky.
But Nova wasn't done yet. Drawing from her inner reserves, she combined her Sunfire techniques, launching a new, more powerful attack, "Sunfire Spear Starstorm!" With a flourish, she transformed her spear into a multitude of flaming projectiles that resembled shooting stars, each one hurtling toward Mira with deadly precision.
Mira's eyes widened at the sight, realizing the enhanced danger of this combined technique. She quickly summoned a colossal Primal Energy shield in front of her. The fiery projectiles collided with the shield, causing ripples of energy to spread across its surface. But one by one, they were absorbed, leaving Mira untouched.
Both warriors were now panting heavily, their energy reserves depleting rapidly from the intensity of their battle.
Nova, gathering her breath, shouted, "Mira! Enough of this! If it's a test you wanted, you've seen my strength. Now let's end this!"
"Maybe you should've recognized me earlier," Mira replied with a smirk, her form shifting from the monstrous 9-tailed fox back to her hybrid form. Standing there, her hair flowing like a silver waterfall, she radiated a powerful aura that even made Nova take a step back.
Nova's spear vanished, and she slowly descended to the ground, her fiery hair settling back to its natural state. "You always had a knack for causing trouble, Mira," she sighed, rubbing her temples as if nursing a headache.
The two stood there for a moment, lost in the comfort of their shared memories and history. The burning landscape around them seemed to fade away as they reconnected.
After what felt like an eternity, they separated. Mira looked around at the destruction their battle had wrought. "Seems like we did quite a number on this place."
Nova chuckled, "Looks like the nurturing zone will need some... nurturing."
The two began to walk side by side, heading towards the heart of the nurturing zone. As they walked, Nova's curiosity got the better of her. "So, why the fox form? I've never seen you take on that guise before."
Mira's face became indifferent, "That's… a story for another time. Let's just say it's a part of my journey that I've embraced."
"...Fair enough."
