Snow shifted.
Ravok's head tilted slightly.
His nose twitched.
"…They're coming."
Ash glanced at him.
"You smell them…?"
A faint realization.
Then—
A shadow passed overhead.
"Ha…"
A voice echoed above them.
A figure descended, wings cutting through the air.
A seagull vessel.
"They only left two behind?"
He laughed.
"…This'll be easy."
Before he could react—
WHOOSH.
Ash was already in the air.
Gone from the ground—
A blur.
CRASH.
His foot slammed into the seagull's chest—
Sending him spiraling backward through the air.
"…You sure about that?"
The seagull barely stabilized—
Eyes widening—
Then—
Something snapped from below.
A tongue.
Fast.
Elastic.
It wrapped around Ash's leg mid-air—
YANK.
Ash's body was ripped downward—
SLAM.
He crashed into the snow, rolling across the ground.
"…Tch—"
A figure landed lightly nearby.
A frog vessel.
"…Yeah."
He smirked.
"We are."
For a split second—
Silence.
Then—
CRACK.
Ravok moved.
Fast.
Heavy.
His hand shot forward—
Grabbing the frog by the face—
And—
BOOM.
He drove him straight into the ground.
Snow exploded outward.
The frog didn't even get a chance to react.
Ravok stood over him.
Unmoving.
"…You were saying?"
Ash pushed himself up, brushing snow off his shoulder.
A faint grin forming.
"…Not bad."
Then—
His expression shifted.
He looked around.
Movement.
Everywhere.
Shadows emerging through the snow.
Multiple figures.
Surrounding them.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"…Looks like we're not done."
Ravok didn't move.
He replied calmly.
"…Good."
Ash's eyes shifted.
Movement.
One of them broke through.
Running straight toward the flag.
"…Not happening."
Ash moved.
WHOOSH.
**Shadow Step**
He vanished—
Then reappeared in front of the attacker.
SLASH.
His claws tore across the man's chest—
And—
BOOM.
A kick sent him flying backward across the snow.
But—
Before he could react.
CRACK.
A fist slammed into Ash's face.
His head snapped to the side—
Blood spraying slightly.
"…Ghh—"
Before the attacker could follow—
Ash turned—
And—
CRACK.
His kick connected clean with the jaw.
The man dropped instantly.
Ash steadied himself.
Breathing sharp.
Then—
He looked toward Ravok.
…and froze.
Ravok had changed.
His body was larger.
Broader.
Muscles tightening beneath his frame.
Claws extended—
Long.
Heavy.
Deadly.
His ears—
Sharp.
Animal.
He moved—
Not like a human.
Like a beast.
CRASH.
One opponent was slammed into the ground.
CRACK.
Another folded under the force of his strike.
A third—
Didn't even get the chance to react.
Ash's eyes widened slightly.
"…Damn."
Then—
His vision sharpened.
Something moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Low to the ground.
Silent.
A snake.
A rattlesnake vessel.
Its body cut through the snow—
Straight toward Ravok's blind spot.
"…Ravok—!"
No reaction.
Too focused.
Too late.
Ash didn't think.
He moved.
**Shadow Step**
Pushed to its limit—
He appeared between them—
And—
BITE.
Fangs sank into his shoulder.
"…GH—!"
Pain exploded instantly.
His body tensed—
Poison spreading fast.
The snake recoiled—
But Ravok had already turned—
CRASH.
His claw slammed the rattlesnake vessel into the ground.
Hard.
Too late.
Ravok looked back.
At Ash.
"…Why?"
"…I had it handled."
Ash exhaled sharply.
Trying to steady himself.
A faint, strained smirk appeared.
A pause.
"…Couldn't let you have all the fun."
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.