Chapter 227: Your Leash
Sora felt the shift, an explosive force clawing its way out, overwhelming his senses. At that very moment, Arthur's essence ejected from him, spiraling upward like wisps of smoke.
Arthur had always been present, only choosing not to respond so that this very scene could unfold. And when it did, even he wasn't strong enough to possess the boy.
The air stormed with chakra as Sora's body transformed, overtaken by the primal urge of the Tailed Beast Chakra. His face contorted into that of rage. His robes practically ripped apart, and a swirling mass of red, bubbling chakra engulfed him in a shroud.
The transformation was terrifying. Sora's skin turned a sickly shade, and his eyes were now completely slitted. Two long, crimson tails erupted from his back, lashing out wildly, tearing through the air like whips. Even his right arm had changed, becoming swollen and monstrous.
Arthur had only ever seen this once during his fight with Utakata. It was a grotesque thing, one that could bring fear into the weak-hearted. But the difference this time was in how much anger the Nine-Tails' chakra released as compared to the Six-Tails.
Sora dropped to all fours, and his mind slipped further from reason as instinct fully took over. Nothing mattered to him anymore except the need to fight, to assert dominance like a true predator would.
A guttural roar erupted from his throat, rumbling through the cavern and sending shockwaves that knocked the occultists off balance, terror planting itself in their eyes.
"Stop him!" one of them screamed.
Arthur could practically hear the fear rising in their voices. Their words fell on deaf ears. Sora was no longer a boy; he was a creature of fury, moving in an animalistic fashion, clawing at the air and dematerializing their confidence.
With every swipe of his claws, shockwaves erupted, crashing against the surrounding walls. The force sent rocks tumbling down.
"Please, I have kids!" a woman screamed.