I huffed and shook myself off in my fox form, small and sleek, fur glittering faintly like frost under the morning light. My instincts made me shake whenever I stood, like a wild animal shaking off dew. My gaze slid toward the mansion. That was home. At least, for now.
I padded forward, paws light against the ground. My mind wouldn't be still.
"I need to get back at Stacy," I muttered aloud, tail lashing. "For letting him stab me."
Yes, I'd healed. Yes, it didn't matter in the long run. But it was the principle of the thing. She'd let her emotions run wild yesterday, too wrapped up in her fun with Dean to care. Those two rabbits had been waiting three years already-what was another week? What was my suffering compared to their appetites? I had endured eight years, yet they still believed I should wait quietly.
My lip curled, but I forced myself to breathe.
Focus. Think. What did I actually gain last night?
Three subordinates. One was an ex-federation soldier, bound to me by the system's chains of slavery. The other two were sister-obsessed fools-amusing, really. They reminded me of Rachel's brother and that ridiculous devotion.
Rachel.
I smirked. I thought I'd figured something out about her, about half-breeds.
The difference in blood had become clear as I worked. Demi-human blood and human blood-they looked the same to most eyes. But not to mine. Not to someone who had dissected and spilled more blood than most surgeons ever would. There was a subtle difference, a shimmer, a viscosity. Half-breed blood didn't blend. It was oil and water-two halves forever refusing to mix.
And then the thought had hit me like a blade: what if I removed one? What if I purified it, made it whole? Would Rachel become a complete angel?
The thought curled around my mind like smoke. Dangerous, intoxicating.
I sounded like my father.
The thought lingered, ugly and sharp, but I didn't shake it away. Not entirely.
War. That was another thing I had learned. It was coming in two years. It takes two years to grow, harden, and climb. Two years to become untouchable-or to die, immortal or not.
If I wanted to survive, I needed to reach level two hundred. No-three hundred. But not yet. I couldn't take my class now. Not while my base stats still had room to climb. I'd learned enough from games to know: base stats were a foundation. Max them, and you become unstoppable. Neglect them, and you build on sand.
I licked my lips, mind racing. Tactics. Traps. That was where my instincts led me. My fox nature, maybe, whispering of cunning and snares. Combined with mastery of weapons, it would make me a monster on the battlefield.
I knew who to ask for tactics. But traps... traps were rare. No one in Black Ops specialized in that. Too uncommon, too undervalued. Which meant I'd have to learn myself. Wires, chains, snares. I'd need a teacher.
Trinity. Yes, she could help. Apricot too, though she'd whine. Wires first, then chains. From there? Long-range. The twins could make me something.
By the time I reached the stairs, my form shimmered back to human. Pale skin, sharp eyes, hair spilling over my shoulders. I called up my analysis.
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 13 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 1-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 30
Class: Unknown (Wrath)
HP: 1860/1860
MP: 3200/3200
Str: 795
Vit: 930
Def: 600
Int: 1600
End: 870
Agt: 1140
Skills: Dimension Storage, Demon Fire, Demon Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Super Regen, Flash Step, Night Vision, Sword Domain
I whistled under my breath. "Three levels overnight. Not bad."
Probably after killing the commander. That reminded me.
I pulled his body from my storage, unceremoniously.
[Hallway]
The corpse slumped at my feet.
Male, Rare class. Level nine hundred eighty. Weak now-down to three-fifty after my work.
I crouched, studying it. "Well, shit. Apricot can still practice on it, I guess."
I shoved it back into storage and stood, only to realize half the hallway had stopped to stare. Guards, servants, wide-eyed and pale.
Heat flickered at my ears. Awkwardly, I laughed and rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry! I got lost in thought."
A guard stepped forward, stern but not unkind. "It's fine, Young Miss. But please... don't do that again. Not everyone here is trained to handle such sights."
"Right, right. My bad." I waved him off. "Hey, is breakfast ready yet?"
"Yes, Miss. Your parents and sister are already waiting in the dining hall."
"Thanks."
I walked on, ignoring the whispers.
[Dining Hall]
The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the chamber. Sunlight spilled across the long table where Dean, Mom, Amari, and Rachel sat. Their laughter died as I entered.
"Good morning," I said, sliding into my seat. "Where's Granny?"
"She left for the academy," Mom replied, her eyes warm.
"Figures." I started piling food onto my plate.
Mom tilted her head, her gaze sharp. "Did you learn anything new after I left?"
"Actually, yeah." I bit into a roll. "Of the fourteen, only seven were Federation-born. The rest were kidnapped."
Dean's brow furrowed. "So... Seventh, we might sway to our side?"
I shook my head. "No. Only four, maybe. If the Federation's smart, they'll make the rest King's slaves. Untouchable."
Amari slammed her fork down. "I hate slavery."
I snorted. "Same."
Mom chuckled softly. "Says the girl who made one of them her slave last night."
The table froze. Amari's chair screeched back.
"You did what!?" She shrieked.
I raised my hands. "Wait-"
"Free her! Now!"
"Amari, listen! It's not like that!"
Her glare burned, but I pressed on. "She was a prisoner. I wanted her as a subordinate. But I can't trust her yet. The slave bond's just... insurance. That's all."
The silence that followed was thick. Heavy.
"I mean it," I said, softer. "She'll be part of my personal guard. I don't want a harem. I'm loyal-to one person. Always."
Dean leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Since when do you want a personal guard?"
"Since last night." I chewed another bite, casual. "Speaking of which, can I have Sirone and Brenda transferred under me? Sirone agreed already. I want her sister too."
Dean sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine."
"Thanks. Oh-and Rachel." I turned.
Her wide eyes blinked at me. "Yes?"
"Do you want to get rid of your half-breed tag?"
The table erupted. "What!?"
I clapped my hands over my ears. "Seriously? Sensitive fox hearing here."
Mom's gaze burned into me. "What do you mean?"
I smiled faintly. "Something I realized last night. I'll explain later. But Rachel-do you want to be a full angel? Or a full human?"
Her breath hitched. Her hands trembled. "Yes, please."
"Then we'll start this afternoon."
She burst from her chair, tackling me in a hug. Her warmth was desperate, clinging. I stroked her hair, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
And then-
A voice, sharp, feminine, dripping malice. "Huh. Someone's touchy this morning."
We all turned.
At the door stood Kayda.
No-this wasn't the same Kayda. My heart stuttered.
Her hair was the same crimson, glossy, and wild. Her eyes burned with the ruby fire of dragons. But she was taller now, her frame stretched, her presence heavier. Two enormous wings folded behind her, scales glinting like molten jewels. Scales dotted beneath her eyes, marking her as something more, something greater.
She was beautiful. Dangerous. Terrifying. And I couldn't stop staring.
Heat flickered in my chest. Attraction, sharp and unwelcome. My throat dried.
She was ten times hotter than yesterday. And my body knew it before my mind admitted it.
Download the app for greater interaction!
You can chat with me about my writing experience apart from the comments section!
TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
avataravatar
Chapter 54: Future plans
"Ooh, good morning, Kayda," Mom said with a smirk tugging at her lips, arms folded as if she'd been expecting the reveal.
Kayda didn't respond right away. Her crimson eyes stayed locked on me, wings stretched proudly behind her, shimmering with a faint glow. I could feel the heat of her glare like a physical weight pressing against my skin.
Dean leaned forward, confusion flickering over his face. "What happened to you, Kayda?" His tone was half bewildered, half cautious.
Kayda clicked her tongue. "Well, obviously, I received my wings, dumbass," she snapped, annoyed, though her gaze never wavered from me.
"I can see that." Dean raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, although his brows were furrowed in confusion. "But why now? Why suddenly?"
Kayda's expression shifted-still sharp, but something unreadable lingered beneath it. "Reasons I cannot say," she muttered, finally breaking her stare to glance at Mom instead.
Dean studied her for a moment longer, then sighed and let it drop. "I see," he said with a neutral tone, although suspicion lingered in his eyes.
Amari, sitting nearby, practically bounced in her seat, her face lighting up. "Wow, Kayda, you look so cool now!" she exclaimed, stars practically dancing in her eyes.
Kayda's tense demeanor softened slightly. She straightened her posture, the pride she usually carried settling more naturally into her smile. "I do, don't I, disciple?" she said, moving to sit beside Amari like a mentor pleased with her student's admiration.
I had been quiet the whole time, staring without realizing it. Something about the wings, the way they framed her figure and caught the light, had me caught off guard. It wasn't just power-it was beauty. My chest tightened, and I had to look away before anyone noticed.
"Hey, Kitsuna," Rachel's voice cut through my thoughts sharply. "Your nose is bleeding."
I blinked, startled, and lifted a hand to touch beneath my nose. Sure enough, crimson stained my fingertips.
"Hmm, it seems so," I said lightly, trying to brush it off. Standing up, I rubbed the blood away with my sleeve. "Weird. I think I didn't get enough sleep last night."
"You think," Mom said dryly, raising an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.
"Yeah, don't worry, Stacy," I replied, deliberately using her name instead of "Mom." Her eyebrow twitched at that. "I'll go catch some more shut-eye."
I started toward the door but paused at the frame. Without turning back, I said, "Oh, and Kayda... Your future spouse is one lucky person. I'm actually jealous."
The silence that followed was heavy, cut only by Kayda's sharp inhale. I didn't wait for her reaction.
"Wait for me!" Rachel shouted, scrambling to her feet and rushing after me.
[Hallway]
Walking down the corridor, I glanced at Rachel clinging to my arm. Her grip was firm, almost possessive, as if she was afraid I'd vanish without her.
"So why did you follow me?" I asked, confused, tilting my head down at her.
"Hmm, I don't know." She smiled up at me, but her smile seemed a bit too rehearsed. "I just felt like it."
"I see. But can you let go of my arm?" I asked, irritation creeping into my voice.
"Ooh-sorry," she said quickly, releasing me.
"It's fine," I muttered, rubbing at the spot she'd held.
Rachel tilted her head, her tone suddenly shifting to something firmer, almost demanding. "So... how will you make me a full angel?"
I hid the twitch in my eye. "Hmm, I'll be using a technique I made in my past life," I lied smoothly, not giving her time to doubt it.
"I see. And how long will it take?" she pressed, her tone carrying the same sharpness.
"I could do it in a day," I said, glancing sideways at her with a raised brow. "But if you want a one-hundred percent chance of success, it will take a month."
She nodded, expression serious. "That is excellent. You'll be helping me out a lot."
Her confidence in saying that, like she was the one granting me a favor, made me even more confused-and irritated.
"I'm sorry, Rachel," I said at last, masking my annoyance with a calm tone. "But I need to go back. I forgot to ask Dean something."
Before she could respond, I disappeared.
[Dining hall after Kitsuna left-Stacy POV]
Watching Kitsuna vanish, I glanced toward Kayda. Her wings had folded in, but her shoulders were slumped slightly, her gaze on the floor. I smirked faintly. "It kind of sounded like she was giving herself a compliment," I said aloud.
Kayda's head shot up, eyes wide.
Dean frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," I said casually, "she is Kayda's future wife."
Dean's jaw dropped. "What!?"
Amari blinked, tilting her head. "How do you know that, Mom?"
Kayda turned toward me, confused. "Wait, I thought I wasn't allowed to tell anyone about that?"
"I said you couldn't tell Kitsuna," I corrected, shrugging. "But her sister and Dean should be fine."
Kayda straightened, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Ooh, then... hello, future family-in-law. I'm Kayda, Kitsune's soulmate." She gave a polite bow, though her wings twitched with pride.
Amari giggled. "Hehe, welcome, future sister-in-law! Please take care of me."
Dean finally snapped out of his daze, pointing at Kayda in disbelief. "Wait-wait a minute. You're saying Kitsuna has already found her wife!?"
"In a way, yes," I said calmly. "But she's not allowed to know yet. Kayda made mistakes and needs to pay for them."
Dean scowled, his voice rising. "I'm not giving you my second daughter! I already lost one!"
Kayda shot to her feet, eyes blazing. "HUH!? You've only known her for two days! And why would I need your permission to take my soulmate!?"
"Shut up!" I barked, slamming my hand on the table.
The air thickened. At that exact moment, a familiar presence surged at the edge of the hall. A second later, Kitsuna appeared, her eyes like sharpened blades as they locked on me.
"We need to talk. Now," she said, before vanishing again.
Dean swallowed. "You... don't think she heard us, right?"
"No," I said, though my chest tightened. "This is about something else. And if I'm right, it's about her. Honestly... it scares me how much she's like me."
"Her?" Dean asked, bewildered.
"You'll understand," I muttered, before disappearing after Kitsuna.
Dean stood there, blinking. "Okay..." Then he disappeared as well.
Left behind, Amari stared at the empty space. "Did they just leave us hanging?"
Kayda exhaled and patted her head softly. "Don't worry. They'll tell you eventually."
[Kitsuna POV]
I reappeared in the dining hall just long enough to glare at Mom and Dean. "We need to talk. Now."
