Chapter 54: Always Picking a Fight with One—Release Festival Explosion! (2/8)

At first, I really just wanted to hold back, but somehow the words slipped out mercilessly, and my claws didn’t hesitate either! When Rebecca’s paw slashed down my cheek, it completely ignited the fury burning in my heart.

“Damn it!” I shouted, flipping over and pouncing straight at Claudia!

Even Rebecca hadn’t expected this move from me. Perhaps she’d calculated that I could never beat her, which was why she bullied me so brazenly. But there was no way I’d just stand there and let myself be pushed around, right? I had to find someone to take out my anger on! Since they were all my enemies, it didn’t matter which one I hit!

So, before Claudia could even react, my flurry of cat punches left her dizzy and reeling, and from then on, she was at a complete disadvantage. Even Rebecca was caught off guard, unsure what I was doing for a good while before leaping over to try and help.

But by that time, Claudia was already sprawled on the ground, coughing and gasping for breath.

A handful of cats surrounded me, closing in step by step—especially Claudia, whose face I’d just scratched. She was hissing with every breath, clearly furious about her face being clawed. It must be excruciating for someone who cares so much about her looks!

But Claudia’s pain was my delight. Now, even if I was about to get bullied by these cats, I was exhilarated! At least I’d gotten some revenge!

As Rebecca drew closer, I retreated, hissing threateningly.

“Don’t come any closer, or I’ll set you on fire!”

Claudia laughed heartily. “You’ve always threatened to burn me alive—so do it! If you make the first move, you’ll be the culprit! Then you’ll have no hope of survival—our master will sentence you directly!”

I knew perfectly well she wasn’t saying this for my sake—it was just to stop me from fighting back, to convince me to give up resistance.

But in this situation, I had to make a decision. Looking at these cats closing in on me, if I swallowed my anger, the only outcome would be a thorough beating. In the end, no matter how Wangchuan punished me, these cats would have already had their fun. Even if I died, they’d still be swaggering around.

But what if I fought back? If Wangchuan judged me leniently, or realized I was falsely accused and forgave me, then instead of me being bullied, they’d be the ones licking their wounds. How would that feel for them?

There was no way I was going to swallow my pride now. I’d considered it, but these cats already made the first move.

A fight was inevitable—I could only choose between being beaten or not. And who wants to be beaten? So I decided to ignore Claudia’s nonsense!

Even if Wangchuan executed me later, if I let myself get beaten now, it would be for nothing!

I resolved not to heed my enemies, unsheathed my claws, and unleashed the fire spirit orb within me!

Though I wasn’t very good at controlling it, it was enough to scare them!

With a swoosh, flames burst from my claws.

Suppressing my own fear of fire, I shook my paw threateningly at them.

“Stay away from me, or I’ll burn this room down and take you all with me!”

Rebecca smirked arrogantly. “If you burn this place, you’ll die too. Don’t try to drag us down with you.”

Seeing her forced smile, I sensed she was actually afraid. After all, all the animosity had come to a head, and as the leader, Rebecca couldn’t just run away at the first sign of trouble. But if she didn’t run, she might get burned. Rebecca was beautiful—everyone knew it, both her fur and her true form.

Beautiful people always have weaknesses. I once had a classmate who was stunning, but a single pimple on her face sent her straight to despair! I figured Rebecca was the same—her fear of fire was really just fear for her precious fur.

So I pressed my advantage, waving the flames on my claw and advancing step by step, just as they had closed in on me. A triumphant grin spread across my face.

The other kittens, clearly terrified, scrambled to the back of the room—they didn’t have the power to handle real fire.

Now, with most of their backup gone, Rebecca and Claudia were left to face me alone. One was preoccupied with her looks, barely holding it together; the other, just a lackey, retreated spinelessly, following her leader’s example.

At the sight, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

But as the ancients say, never be blinded by pride. I let it get to my head, then suddenly felt the fire on my paw sputter out.

No, no, no—I prayed silently, not now!

Whether it was my lack of control or something else, two seconds later, the flames vanished with a puff, leaving only a little black smoke curling from my claws. I stared at my paw, mouth twitching, bewildered.

Rebecca, on the other hand, was delighted. “You really are hopeless! You can’t even use a little spirit power. What else can you do?”

Annoyed, I mustered all the fire energy I could, pouring it into the orb to summon another blaze.

A small tongue of flame flickered on my paw—not as strong as before, but enough to scare the two she-cats in front of me.

They jumped, their smugness vanishing as they retreated several steps.

Crystals of ice began to form on Rebecca’s paw—she was clearly an ice-wielder. Fire and ice—who wins depends on skill! I wasn’t as practiced as Rebecca, but I was desperate, while she was too concerned for her life and her fur to risk much.

Hesitation leads to defeat. Gritting my teeth, I advanced with the air of one willing to die for victory, shaking my paw so that the little flame grew into a fireball and shot outward.

The fireballs landed all around the cattery, but strangely, they didn’t burn as I’d expected. Instead, each fizzled out almost immediately, leaving only a wisp of smoke.

At first, I thought Rebecca had doused them with her ice magic, but even she looked puzzled at the smoking ashes.

It was clear she hadn’t interfered—it was my own lack of skill.

I covered my face, frustrated, then tried again, rekindling the flames.

Again and again—I tested it multiple times, but each time my fire inexplicably snuffed out. It wasn’t a matter of technique; Yu Bao had said as long as I focused, it should work.

So why did it keep failing?

“Ha! I bet the master saw how hopeless you are and took back your powers,” Claudia commented with a swish of her tail.

I tilted my head, looking at my paw, which was behaving so differently from usual. Was Wangchuan meddling, or had she really withdrawn my spirit power as Claudia claimed?

Rebecca snorted, “You stupid cat! Even if you were given a golden-feathered cloak, you still wouldn’t become a consort!”

“Says who!” I stomped forward indignantly. “I’m a heroine with or without a golden cloak!”

“Huh?” Claudia didn’t catch my meaning, but she didn’t have long to think before I pounced at her again.

Sometimes, picking one target is the only way to win a group fight!

Rebecca seemed puzzled—why was I ignoring her and going after Claudia?

“Isn’t this a bit ungentlemanly?!” Claudia howled as I scratched and pummeled her.

“Sorry! I’ve never claimed to be a gentleman!”

“You—!”

“If you want to punish a dog, look at its owner first. Since I can’t beat the owner yet, I’ll beat the dog!” Another swipe of my claws.

“You—!”

Claudia curled up, clutching her head, while Rebecca seemed hesitant, perhaps wary that my flames weren’t really extinguished, that I was faking it and would burn her fur off if she got close.

In the end, the cunning overthink things and lose their nerve, which gave me the upper hand. Soon, Claudia was lying on the ground, panting and unable to move.

All the other kittens kept their distance, including Claudia, sprawled and groaning from my beating.

Rebecca didn’t dare move, her eyes suddenly filled with panic.

“What’s this? You finally know how to be afraid?” I dusted off my paws and scolded the supposedly elegant but thoroughly rotten kittens.

“Uh—” Rebecca let out a single sound, then backed away, her tail coiled tightly behind her as if truly frightened.

What was she afraid of?

Puzzled, I stepped closer. “What’s wrong? Weren’t you all so fierce just a moment ago?”

Rebecca lowered her body, nodding meekly, looking genuinely scared.

Nodding? What did that mean?

I reached out and tapped her on the head—no reaction.

Something wasn’t right. How had the tigress suddenly become a docile kitten? This turn of events was too—

Before I could finish the thought, I suddenly felt a grip tighten around the back of my neck, and my whole body was lifted off the ground!

My nerves, already stretched taut, snapped—instinctively I lashed out with a claw, then looked back and gasped in shock.

“Uh—Master!”