The morning air was cool and sharp when Noel and Noir left the Thorne estate. A faint mist clung to the grass, and each step crunched softly against the damp soil. Noir padded beside him in her small form, tail swaying with visible excitement, her violet eyes gleaming like twin lanterns in the dim light.

"So," Noel said, hands in his pockets, "you said you wanted to show me how strong you are now. Let's see it."

'You're that curious, huh?' Noir teased, her voice smooth inside his head. 'Fine. But don't freak out, okay?'

Noel smirked. "You said that before. Now I'm actually worried."

'You'll live,' she replied, her tone carrying that same sarcastic edge he recognized from himself.

They walked deeper into the woods, away from the estate's wards and the busy grounds. The forest thickened until only faint beams of light slipped through the canopy. Birds scattered as they passed, the air humming faintly with ambient mana.

Noel stopped once they reached a hollow surrounded by moss-covered rocks and wild roots. He scanned the area briefly. "Perfect. No guards, no servants, no interruptions."

Noir stepped ahead, claws sinking slightly into the soft earth.

'You sure you're ready for this, Dad?' she said, her tone half playful, half warning.

Noel raised a brow, crossing his arms. "Ready? I've been fighting monsters for months. What's one overgrown wolf gonna do?"

Her tail flicked once, slow and deliberate. 'You'll see.'

The shadows beneath her began to stir, stretching outward like black ink bleeding across the forest floor. A low hum vibrated through the air, heavy with mana.

Noel's smirk faded as his instincts kicked in. He straightened, eyes narrowing slightly. "Alright then," he muttered. "Show me."

'Don't be too surprised,' Noir's voice echoed, smooth and confident. 'This time, I mean it.'

The forest went completely still. Even the faint breeze that stirred the leaves moments ago vanished as the shadows around Noir deepened, swallowing the light.

Noel took a slow step back, eyes narrowing as mana pressure began to build around him. "You're kidding… you've gotten even stronger since the last time."

'Stronger,' Noir's voice echoed, her tone smooth and proud, 'and a little taller, too.'

The black pool beneath her rippled like liquid glass, and then—burst outward. The wave of darkness swept over the clearing, bending the air with raw mana. Her body rose from within, growing larger with each pulse of energy.

Noel shielded his face from the gust of shadow as it passed. When the haze finally cleared, he froze.

Where a small wolf had stood seconds ago, now towered a creature that could have been mistaken for a living nightmare—a massive wolf of pure shadow and violet flame. She stood easily five meters tall at the shoulder, her fur a seamless blend of dark smoke and streaks of glowing purple. Her eyes burned like twin stars.

"...You've definitely grown," Noel muttered.

Noir lowered her massive head until her glowing eyes met his. The smirk in her voice was unmistakable. 'Impressed?'

He laughed once under his breath. "You've gotten bigger."

Her tail flicked, creating a gust of shadow that stirred the leaves. 'You shouldn't say that to a lady, you know.'

Noel grinned. "You're right—my bad."

The ground under her paws shimmered faintly with residual mana, every motion releasing faint traces of violet light. Her presence alone warped the space around them; she wasn't just large—she was powerful.

Noel looked her up and down, hands on his hips. "You realize you'd terrify half the continent if you walked into a city like this, right?"

'Maybe,' Noir replied, her voice dripping with amusement. 'But I don't intend to use this form unless necessary.'

Noel stepped back, nodding once. "Show me your power, Noir."

The forest trembled in answer.

Noir crouched low, her claws digging into the soil. The air around her pulsed with dark energy, faint ripples distorting the space as if the forest itself were holding its breath.

'Ready?' her voice echoed inside Noel's head, sharper now, focused.

Noel gave a faint grin. "Born ready."

Before he could blink, Noir vanished. A streak of violet light cut through the clearing—swift, silent, and deadly. The air cracked where she'd been standing, the pressure of her movement bending the grass backward. Noel's eyes darted around, his senses kicking in.

"Shadow Step…" he murmured.

'Correct,' Noir replied from behind him.

Noel turned fast, but she was already gone again—a flicker of darkness leaping from tree to tree, the afterimage of her movement leaving faint arcs of purple light.

'You haven't seen anything yet.'

Noir's aura flared, and this time, the shadows around them began to spread—slowly at first, then all at once, like an ocean swallowing light. The clearing dimmed into twilight. The colors of the world—green, brown, gold—drained away until only shades of black and violet remained.

Noir's aura flared, and this time, the shadows around them began to spread—slowly at first, then all at once, like an ocean swallowing light. The clearing dimmed into twilight. The colors of the world—green, brown, gold—drained away until only shades of black and violet remained.

Noel's breath hitched as he looked around. Even his shadow had vanished, replaced by a moving sea of ink that responded to Noir's presence.

"What is this…?"

'Shadow Domain,' Noir said, her tone smooth and calm. 'Everything you see now belongs to me. Every vibration, every breath, every heartbeat—I can feel them all.'

Noel turned a slow circle, his eyes widening as he felt the air itself thrum with energy. "That's… insane. You can track anything in here?"

'Anything,' she confirmed. 'If it steps, I know. If it breathes, I sense it.'

Noel let out a short laugh, rubbing his temple. "Damn, Noir. This'll make fighting so much easier. You're basically a living radar."

'Correction,' she replied with mock pride. 'A very elegant one.'

He smirked. "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

Noir's tail lashed once, and the entire forest seemed to pulse again—her power pressing outward, alive and vast.

Noel crossed his arms, glancing around at the rolling shadows. "You're right," he muttered. "This is… incredible."

'Told you,' Noir said, her tone smug but soft. 'You haven't even seen my last trick yet.'

Noel looked up at her massive glowing eyes, half amused, half wary. "There's more?"

'Always,' she purred.

Noel barely had time to respond before Noir crouched again, her mana shifting in rhythm with her heartbeat. The violet light around her mouth intensified, compressing into a swirling orb of pure shadow.

"Another trick?" Noel muttered, squinting.

'Shadow Flare,' Noir replied, her tone steady. 'It condenses darkness until it becomes volatile—then…'

She bit down and released. The sphere shot forward like a cannonball of night, exploding midair with a muffled pulse that sent ripples through the Domain. The surrounding trees bent under the pressure, yet not a leaf caught fire. Instead, they darkened—absorbed into the shadow's wake.

Noel blinked, genuinely stunned. "That's… controlled destruction, really nice."

Noir wagged her tail proudly, her massive form looming like a monument in the gloom. 'I told you, Dad. I'm stronger now. I can protect you too.'

The word Dad still hit him differently—soft, disarming. He smiled faintly, crossing his arms. "Protect me, huh? I thought I was the one doing that."

'We can take turns,' she said, her voice brimming with warmth through their link.

Noel exhaled a quiet laugh. "Yeah. I can live with that."

Just then, Noir's ears twitched. Her massive head turned toward the treeline. The playful light in her eyes dimmed into caution.

'Someone's here,' she whispered. 'Watching.'

Noel's expression hardened. "Who?"

The answer came a moment later—before Noir could speak, a familiar voice called out from the edge of the shadows.

"What… is that?"

Sylvette stood between the trees, her posture tense, eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the towering wolf wreathed in violet light.

Noel froze. Noir let out a low, uncertain rumble.

Then, in an instant, her body began to shrink—the shadows collapsing inward until only the small, puppy-sized wolf remained. She trotted forward, tail swaying innocently, as if the giant beast moments ago had never existed.

Noel sighed, rubbing his temples. "...Great. Just great."

Sylvette's gaze darted between him and Noir. "You're going to explain everything, brother."

Noir sat at his feet, tilting her head. 'Good luck, Dad,' she teased softly in his mind.

Noel muttered under his breath, "Thanks for the support."

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