The Tale Of Kitsuna. By TheRealSkollie.
Class System
When a person gets their class, they will get 50 levels worth of stat points of their class ranking. That includes if they have Berserker and Wrath.
Training a lot before getting your class is essential because the higher your status, the harder it is to increase them without leveling.
Class system:
— Normal class (leveling doesn't give any boost in stats): Slave, Noble, civilian
— Common(1 extra stat point in every category on leveling up) — Chef,
— Uncommon (1-2 extra stat points in every category on leveling up) — Assasin, 'Weapon' wielder/user (Ex. sword wielder), Mages, smith
— Rare (3 extra stat points in every category on leveling up) — Sage, Engineer, Specialist Assasin, Warrior, Tank, blacksmith
— Exotic (4-5 extra stat points in every category on leveling up) — Fire Sage, Wind Sage, Duel Assasin
— Legendary (9-10 extra stat points in every category on leveling up) — Elemental Sage(More than one element expert), Weapon Master, Beast King, Weapons Sage
— (Berserker) (Double extra stat points in every category on leveling up) — On activation is doubled stats for 10 min backlash is a week of body pain.
— (Wrath) (Double extra stat points in every category on level up until leveling up 500) (level 500 up triple the different stat points) — If you activate this ability, stats will grow the longer you have it active but the backlash will grow as well. Ex. 1 min of activity Is stats increased by 10 but is 1 month of body pain. Backlash can kill immortals, even gods.
Black ops soldier ranking
You need to have a rare class or better to be able to enter
Private = Rare class until level 399
Training private = level 50 to 150
Low private = level 150 to 250
Mid Private = 250 to 350
High Private = 350 to 399
Corporal = from 400 until 599
Low Corporal = 400 to 475
Mid corporal = 475 to 550
High Corporal = 550 to 599
Sargeant = from 600 until 799
Low Sargeant = 600 to 675
Mid Sargeant = 675 to 750
High Sargeant = 750 to 799
Specialist (Only gets orders from Major up can command them) = Exotic classes until level 599. Exotic classes, go here from the beginning. (They would mostly be personal bodyguards for high-profile people)
Training Specialist = level 50 to 300
Low Specialist = 300 to 400
Mid Specialist = 400 to 500
High Specialist = 500 to 599
Major — Captain = 800 — 899
Specialist Major (Only gets orders from Commanding Major up can command them) = Exodic classes level 600 to 799
General Major (Can command a small army) = Rare classes over level 900, Exodic classes over level 800
General Specialist (Only the commander can ask them. Yes ask.) = Legendary classes
Supreme General (Dean)
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Discord
Everyone does this, so here I am, joining the lot of them.
I set up a discord for all of you to join and talk if you want to.
https://discord.gg/h5N6ZuMSTR
https://discord.gg/h5N6ZuMSTR
https://discord.gg/h5N6ZuMSTR
https://discord.gg/h5N6ZuMSTR
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Kitsuna Stats (Chap 130)
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3 Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9 Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 51
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath)
Hp: 4 312/4 738
MP: 68 652/71 938
Str: 2 469
Vit: 2 369
Def: 1 969
Int: 35 969
End: 3 769
Agt: 4 169
Skills: Dimension storage, Devil Fire, Devil Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Short distance teleport, sword domain, Mana sense, Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Healing
Passive: Heighten senses, Soul Regeneration, eyes of intimidation, Human Form, Night Vision, Mana Tails
Tail Abilities: Clone, Spiritual magic, Illusion magic, LOCKED
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Stacy Status
Name: Stacy Draig
Age: 36
Race: Nekomata
Bloodline: Nekomata
Gender: Female
Level 970
Class: Duel Assassin (Exotic) (Berserker)
HP: 20 680/20 680
Mana: 22 160/22 160
Str: 11 230
Vit: 11 140
Def: 10 280
Int: 11 080
End: 11 390
Agt: 13 000
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Status Chapter 202
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 15 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3 Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9 Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 163
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath Lord)
Hp: 8884 / 8884
MP: 76536 / 76536
Str: 4644
Vit: 4442
Def: 3963
Int: 38268
End: 5849
Agt: 6471
Skills: Dimension storage, Devil Fire, Devil Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Master Flash step, Novice Dimension Teleport, sword domain, Mana sense, Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Saint Healing, Sudo-god Black Smith, Novice Dimension creations,
Passive: Heighten senses, Soul Regeneration, eyes of intimidation, Human Form, Night Vision, Mana Tails, Mana eyes,
Tail Abilities: Clone, Spiritual magic, Fox Illusionist, LOCKED
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RE: Chapter 1: Beginning
Why is my body so sore? What happened? Where am I? The last thing I remember was sleeping in my class and pain then nothing. I must have passed out. Maybe I'm in the hospital. My body is so stiff. I wonder how long I was asleep.
I opened my eyes only to be disappointed at the view. It was not a white ceiling but a brown cement ceiling that I was looking at. Sitting up with a lot of effort, I looked around.
'Guess I'm in a basement or something. Was I kidnapped? This headache is killing me.'
When I move my hands up to my face, I stopped in shock at the sight of them.
'Why are my hands so small? I am a 17-year-old guy and was not on the small side? Why am I so small now?'
Touching my face, I realized it wasn't just my small hands but my face as well. Maybe I'm a 5-year-old now. I moved up to my hair and again stopped in shock.
'I...have...ears on top of my head...Why!? Why do I have ears on top of my head!?'
Feeling something move behind me. I instantly looked back and saw a fluffy black tail coming out under my shirt or rags.
Yup, It's confirmed. I died, and now I am a demi-human of some kind. Well, this is going to be interesting.
Just then, the door opened with 3 men walked in. Looking at them, I saw that they were 2 knights and a nobleman.
"Come brat. We are going to church. You better move fast. We have things to do. Hehe, I cannot wait. Guards take the brat we need to leave." The nobleman said, walking out again.
"Yes, sir!!" They both nodded.
The one guy pulled me out of bed and threw me on his shoulder. I was confused at what he said.
'What did he mean by things to do. Am I a slave or something?' I thought.
A while later, we were standing in front of a Japanese shrine, or close to it. It had more gold in it than needed. It was way too flashy. Looking around, I felt that I didn't belong here, especially with my rags that I have on and how dirty I feel.
"Lets' go. The faster this is over, the faster we can start." The nobleman said, dragging me inside.
'Start with what?' I thought, shuddering at those words. When we went inside, the first thing I saw was a giant statue of an angel. I mean an angel with wings and all. Coming to a stop, I looked away from the statue. Looking in front of me, I saw I was standing in front of a black plate.
"Brat, put your hand on the plate. Let's see what your status looks like." The nobleman said, putting my hand on the plate. The next thing I knew, letters started to appear on the black plate.
'So, this is my status.' I thought, surprised that I could read it.
Name: Kitsuna (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 5
Race: Demon Fox
Bloodline: Demon fox
Gender: Female
Level: 1
Class: Slave
Hp: 40/40
MP: 30/30
Str: 20
Vit: 20
Def: 10
Int: 15
End: 12
Agt: 40
Skills: Dimension storage, Fire, Lightning, Ice, Self-Analysis
"Hahaha, you're the best I could have asked for from those useless parents of yours. This is great!!"
"Good morning, your grace. I see you brought someone today for her status."
She looked at me and then at my status. When she started reading, her eyes widen.
"This... This is amazing. I have never seen a person with 2 rare elements, and her base stats for a 5-year-old is wonderful." She turned to the nobleman and asked. "Your Grace, may I call the head priest to witness this."
"No. I have things to do." He again took my hand and dragged me out without looking back.
'I am a female? How!? Nonononono!? Please tell me that I didn't see that right. I want my thing back!?' I never had time to look at my own body properly.
I still in denial about what I saw. That I did not know that we have already left the church and was on our way to the carriage that we came herewith, after coming back to my senses, we were already close to the noble man's mansion, and I could escape anymore.
After a while, we arrived at his mansion. I climbed out, and the nobleman gave his men orders to take me back to the basement. While he was walking away, he added. "Knock her out. It's going to be easier."
When I heard him, I wanted to fight back, but with my small and weak body. I didn't even have time to react to the knight who already had me in his arms and hit my over the head, making me blackout.
'Urgh! What happened!?'
As I woke up again with a headache. I tried to move my hands, but they didn't want to. My feet also were stuck. I looked around to realize I was strapped to a table. "What is going on? Let me go!?"
"Hahaha, you are not getting away. You were made and born on my order. Now become my experiment puppet for the rest of your life. Haha. Let us start." The nobleman said, standing next to a table. I looked at him in fear. I didn't want to die again. He picked up an injection with black fluid inside it and started walking towards me.
"Let's see how long you can survive." At those words, he injected the fluid into me.
"NO not again!? Aaaargh!!!!" I yelled before pain erupted through my entire body at the same time. It was worst than the pain I felt in my past life.
"Haha, this is going to be the best!"
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RE: Chapter 2: Survival
(Five years since the day the experiments started.)
I never understood how I managed to survive this long.
The first few months had been agony-days measured in needle pricks and the taste of copper in my mouth, nights drowned in fever dreams where my own blood burned me from the inside. But after a while... after enough injections, enough chemical cocktails, and enough screaming until my throat bled, the pain dulled into something different. Not gone-never gone-but changed. It became a constant background hum, a reminder that my body wasn't my own anymore.
I could feel it altering me, piece by piece.
The first year it was small changes-a slight shift in my vision, muscles twitching at odd moments, skin prickling under the surface as though something moved beneath it. By the second year, I stopped counting the days. By the third, I'd learned that other "test subjects" rarely lasted more than a month before their hearts failed or their minds broke. I'd even envied them sometimes. At least they didn't have to stay in this place.
I lost track of how many died around me. The cells always smelled faintly of blood and antiseptic. Some nights I would wake to the sound of bodies being dragged away.
A couple of days ago, the Duke-the nobleman who owned this hell-visited me in person. That never happened before. He looked at me the way a hunter looks at a rare beast, his lips curling in something between satisfaction and curiosity.
"You've survived longer than any of them," he told me. "Remarkable. I've decided to give you something... special. Your last injection."
His voice had been calm, but there was an edge to it-anticipation. He didn't say if it was mercy or simply another trial, but some stubborn spark in me wanted to believe him. That maybe, if this was the end, I would be free at last.
Now-
Leather straps cut into my wrists and ankles as I lay stretched across the cold metal table. The Duke stood beside me, turning a metal injector over in his hands. Its glass chamber swirled with a dark, viscous fluid that seemed to pulse faintly, almost alive.
"I hope this works," he murmured to himself. "You've lived so long... Perhaps you can handle the blood of this primordial."
My breath caught. Primordial blood? My mind reeled. That was the stuff of legends-ancient beings whose power shaped continents. Drinking their blood was said to grant impossible strength... or destroy you outright. More often the latter. How could anyone even get it?
Before I could speak, he stepped closer, pressing the injector to my arm. The needle was poised above my skin when the entire lab shook with a deafening boom.
The double doors exploded inward, splintering into shards.
"Who dares barge into my lab?!" The Duke roared.
A voice answered, calm but edged with authority.
"Duke Vermillion, you are under arrest for theft from the royal treasury. Return the primordial blood, or the King himself will pass judgment."
The Duke's head snapped toward the intruder, and his lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Hahaha... Marquis Draig. You're too late!"
He spun back toward me, plunging the injector straight into my chest before I could even gasp. The needle bit deep, stabbing into my heart. The liquid surged into me like molten ice, flooding my veins. My vision blurred. My limbs turned heavy. Somewhere far away, I heard the Duke laughing.
Finally... I'll be free from this hell. My thoughts slurred as my body went limp. My last sight was of a tall man with brown hair, his eyes shadowed with something like grief. I tried to smile for him.
"Thank you," I whispered.
And then, darkness.
(Marquis Draig's POV)
When the king had called me into the audience chamber that morning, I hadn't expected my day to spiral into this.
The orders were clear enough: arrest Duke Vermillion for stealing a vial of primordial blood from the royal vaults. The King had added, almost offhandedly, that the Duke had been conducting "inhuman experiments" for years. That alone should have been reason to shut him down ages ago, but the king's tone was... dismissive. As if the deaths were merely inconvenient.
I bit back the urge to argue then. This wasn't the time.
By noon, I stood at the gates of Vermillion's mansion. The building loomed like a predator watching its prey-tall, dark, and silent. Beside me, my wife, Stacy, adjusted her gloves, eyes narrowing.
"You clear the mansion," I told her. "I'm going straight to the basement. If he still has the blood, he'll be there."
"Will do, honey," she replied, a faint smile flickering across her face. Her voice was steady, but I knew she understood the urgency.
We breached the front doors without ceremony. I took the left corridor, descending the winding stone steps two at a time. The basement air was cold and damp, laced with the metallic tang of blood. Rounding the corner into the laboratory, I froze.
The Duke stood over a table. A child-no more than ten-lay strapped to it, skin pale, silver eyes dull with exhaustion. She was breathing, barely. The Duke's hands cradled an injector filled with swirling black-red fluid.
"Who dares barge into my lab?!" He barked, whirling toward me.
"Duke, you are under arrest for stealing from the royals," I said evenly. "The King will be far less lenient if you force my hand."
His grin widened. "Too late, Marquis Draig!" And before I could reach him, he slammed the needle into the child's chest.
I lunged, rage burning in my veins, and my blade flashed. His head hit the floor before his body collapsed. There was no place in this world for men like him.
Turning to the child, I saw her chest rising shallowly, her silver gaze locking with mine. She smiled-a small, tired thing-and breathed, "Thank you," before her body went still.
"No..." My stomach dropped. "No! I was too slow!"
I kicked the Duke's corpse with enough force to send it crashing through the stone wall. Stacy's voice cut through my haze.
"Honey, you almost hit me with that," she said, her tone sharp.
"Huh? Stacy-sorry. I lost myself."
Her eyes swept the room. "What happened? Why is he dead? Weren't we ordered to arrest him?"
"I tried to stop him from injecting her... but I was too late." I gestured to the table. "She's gone."
Stacy's expression softened, and she stepped forward to wrap her arms around me. "Honey, you can't save everyone."
I barely had time to feel the weight of her words before Stacy stiffened. "Dean... what's happening to her?"
I turned back-and froze. Black liquid was seeping from the girl's skin, pooling beneath her. It shimmered unnaturally before surging upward, encasing the table. Then it ignited-not with a normal flame, but with a fire that seemed to eat at the air itself. Sinister. Hungry. Threads of crimson and shadow writhed within it, and every few seconds, arcs of matching lightning snapped through the blaze.
The temperature dropped sharply, my breath fogging. Instinct took over. I grabbed Stacy and pulled her back, drawing my weapon.
The flames began to withdraw, crawling back into her flesh until only her right arm burned with slow, constant motion-black-red fire licking at skin that did not blister. Strange markings-tattoos that writhed faintly-crept along her forearm. Cursed. I knew it instantly.
Her left arm was different. Lightning crackled across it, the same dark hue as the fire, but frozen in place like glass.
"Why would a dead person be cursed?" I muttered.
"Dean... she's breathing again." Stacy's voice trembled, but there was awe in it too.
I stepped closer, scanning her. "So she is. Whatever those curses are, they're powerful. Let's get her to the palace. Someone needs to examine her."
From there, events moved quickly-though the king's reaction in the throne room was anything but satisfactory.
"What do you mean you permitted him to do the experiments?!" My voice echoed off the marble pillars. "Over a hundred children are dead because of your inaction!"
The king's gaze was cold. "Marquis Draig, remember your place. The Duke promised to create a weapon to defend the kingdom. I allowed him the freedom to work. I never ordered him to use treasury resources. As for the children-they were orphans. No one will miss them. Now leave."
"That," came another voice, "is where you are wrong."
The nobles shifted as Marquis Anlit stepped forward. A moment later, the crown prince himself entered.
"Grandfather," the prince said, his voice steady, "it is time you step down."
The king's face darkened. "This is not your concern."
"I am the crown prince. It is exactly my concern." The prince turned to me. "Marquis Draig, tell me everything."
I did. Stacy's evidence sealed the matter. The prince nodded. "That will suffice. We will open a trial. My mother will support it. Marquis-take the child. Train her. If she truly carries primordial blood, the kingdom may need her one day."
The trial ended with the king's execution. The prince took the throne, and his mother was named adviser-though she spent more time doting on her twins than governing. Life moved on. But the child remained.
(Hospital)
I knew Stacy wouldn't take this well.
"He wants you to make her a weapon?" she demanded, pacing the room. "Dean, she just endured years of torture. And you want to train her immediately?"
"It's not my choice," I said. "We don't know when the next war will-"
"Don't you dare," she snapped, stepping close. "If you think I'll let you turn her into a weapon, we're done. I'll take her myself."
I rubbed my temples. "Then what do you suggest?"
"Let me live with her at the border mansion. I'll help her adjust. I'm retiring as your vice-captain."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Fine."
"What about our daughter?"
"You know she's a daddy's girl," Stacy said with a faint smile.
"That's true."
"I'll leave tomorrow," she said, already heading for the door. "I need to pack."
And just like that, she was gone.
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RE: Chapter 3: New House
"Ugh. Why do I have a headache? Even in the afterlife, I have headaches. This universe really hates me."
My voice came out rough, the kind of rough that scrapes your throat and leaves grit behind. Air felt too big going in and too small coming out.
The bed beneath me was criminally soft. Not just comfortable-dangerously comfortable, like it had conspired with the pillow to keep me here forever. The mattress cupped my hips and shoulders, the blankets were warm without being heavy, and the sheets smelled faintly of lavender and sun-dried linen. For a second I let myself sink, to see if the pain would forget me.
It didn't.
This bed is so comfortable... Did I reincarnate again? The thought slithered in, cold and mean. Don't let this be another lab. I won't survive a third time. I mean it. I won't.
I opened my eyes. White ceiling. Clean, matte white. No rust, no peeling paint, no fluorescent glare. I focused on the faint hairline in the plaster. My heartbeat unclenched a fraction. No metal plates bolted across the corners, no mounted restraints, no observation slit cut into the wall.
I tried to move, and my body informed me that it hated me. Pain rolled through my ribs and shoulders like I'd been used as a practice dummy for a team of very enthusiastic horses. Muscles trembled with effort; I hadn't even started yet.
Slowly, breath by tight breath, I pushed myself up and eased back against the headboard. The room slid into focus. Cream walls with simple molding. Polished wooden floor, the kind that holds warmth and smells faintly of lemon oil. A small side table with a folded cloth and a porcelain bowl. A window with heavy curtains, the edge drawn back just enough to admit a blade of night-silver-blue, quiet. Not a cell. Not a lab. A guest room.
I looked down at myself. Same height, same general frame, but fuller. There was meat on me now-muscle weight that made my arms feel heavier in a way that wasn't unpleasant, just unfamiliar. My fingers skimmed my forearm-and froze.
Black and crimson markings coiled along my right forearm like flame trapped under glass. They didn't glow, exactly; they... shifted, as if the flame were breathing. My left forearm wore lightning in the same colors, jagged lines that seemed poised to snap and strike. Neither hurt. Both felt watchful, like a pair of sleeping animals that might open their eyes if I stared too long.
Not ink. Not the kind you choose.
A hinge creaked. The door opened.
"Sigh... poor child. I wonder when she'll wake up." The voice was low, warm, and worn at the edges. It carried the kind of tired that comes from long days and longer nights.
She stepped in-a woman with black hair coiled into a neat bun and a crisp black-and-white maid uniform fitted to a capable body. She moved like a person who could turn the whole house upright by herself if she had to. A wooden bucket hung from her hand and clinked softly as it swung.
Someone I haven't seen. Here to clean me? Or check if I'm still breathing? Or both.
"Good morning," I rasped, testing my voice, testing her.
"It's night," she said without looking at me, crossing to the table.
"...Huh?" I angled toward the window. The slice of sky beyond the curtain was a deep, velvet blue. "It is?"
"Yes. Just look outside-wait." Her head snapped toward me so fast the bun threatened to come loose. Our eyes met. Hers widened. "You're awake!?"
"Yes... hello?"
"I need to tell Stacy. I'll be right back." She spun, hauled the door open, and leaned into the hall. "You! Go get Lady Draig. Tell her the young miss woke up!"
"Yes, ma'am!" came a muffled reply from somewhere outside.
She-Rebecca, my brain supplied, because she felt like a Rebecca-returned, set the bucket down, and pulled the chair closer. She sat with her knees angled slightly outward, forearms on thighs, and hands loosely clasped. The posture of a woman who could spring up or stay put, who had chosen to stay put.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Like shit." Honest answers cost less. "Everything hurts. My head is trying to crawl out of my skull. I think I hate breathing right now."
The corner of her mouth tugged like she was suppressing a smile she didn't think I wanted. "We'll have the doctor check on you later. For now-do you remember anything about the experiments?"
That word walked a cold finger down my spine. "Experiments?" My throat tightened. "So... I didn't die?"
She shook her head once, slowly. Her eyes didn't leave mine. "No. You survived. Five years of that hell. That alone would be a miracle." Her voice lowered, gentled. "And you survived primordial blood injection."
The room narrowed. I blinked, and the window seemed farther away.
White light. Metal tray. A gloved hand turning a syringe so the bubbles rise like beads.
"Count down from ten for me."
Ten-nine-burn
"No one has ever done that before," she finished.
The bedsheets were too soft under my hands. I let out a breath that tasted like old smoke. "Guess I'm special." I looked around again, more sharply, as if the name of the place might be hiding under the table. "Where am I?"
"You'll find out when your-"
The rest of her sentence didn't survive what happened to the door.
It didn't open. It detonated. A crack like thunder, a spray of splinters, a cascade of broken hinges, and a handle doing its best impression of shrapnel. The sound hit my nerves like a whip, and something in the back of my skull flipped a switch.
Boots in the corridor.
The door bangs open.
Mask. The sweet, stinging bite of antiseptic.
Steel touches skin.
I moved on instinct, hands reaching for the flying pieces-but my body lagged, uselessly late. The fragments clattered harmlessly against the floorboards and skittered away in embarrassed arcs.
Useless. I ground my teeth. My body is a puppet with cut strings.
"STACY!" Rebecca's voice cracked like ice. She was already on her feet, positioned to intercept, her palm braced on a silver-haired head that had just burst through the wreckage.
"I'm sorry, Rebecca." The silver-haired intruder looked properly chastened, which didn't match the reckless glow in her eyes. Cat ears twitched atop her head. A silver tail flicked once, guilty-maybe. "I couldn't help myself. I wanted to meet Kitsuna as soon as possible."
"And if something had hit her?" Rebecca's glare could have stopped a horse. "She's still recovering, Stacy."
Up close, the dynamic between them wrote itself. Stacy radiated momentum even when she stood still, the kind where a person's thoughts outrun their body and the body races to catch up. Rebecca had grace with good posture.
"You two look like sisters," I said, because sometimes laughter is cheaper than fear. "Big sister, little sister. You can decide who's who."
"If I were her big sister, I'd be far less lenient," Rebecca said, and flicked Stacy's forehead with precision.
"Ow..." Stacy's ears flattened, tail swishing a little sulk into the air. "I said I was sorry."
"Anyway," I said, because my heart wanted out of my chest and I didn't want it to. "Where am I? And who exactly are you two?"
"Why are you asking her?" Stacy brightened immediately, as if chastisement were a gust of wind to tack against. She stepped closer, silver eyes shining. "I'm your mother."
"You don't look particularly reliable," I said without heat, glancing back to Rebecca. "I'll keep asking your big sister."
Rebecca laughed, quick and genuine. "I like her already."
"I can't believe my own daughter is looking down on me..." Stacy's tail drooped dramatically, like a theater curtain. Ears tipped out to the sides, performing sadness.
"Wait." The word crawled out of me, smaller than I meant it to be. "Mother?"
Now that I had time to look: demi-human. Silver fur. Balanced on the balls of her feet even when she wasn't moving. Pretty, yes, but bright with a kind of chaos that made your palms itch if you've ever had to dodge knives.
"Yes," Stacy said, perfectly matter-of-fact. "We adopted you."
"Why?" I asked, letting my suspicion show because pretending otherwise felt like asking for trouble. The word "adopted" slid against something raw in me.
"Because we were ordered to."
My mouth tasted like I'd bitten a coin. "So I'm supposed to become a weapon."
"Yes and no." Her tone shifted a half-step lower, ears angling forward as if to make sure the words didn't miss me. "My husband was ordered to train you. I refused. I brought you here instead, to our territory. You'll stay here until you're fifteen, and then we'll return to the capital." She tilted her head, and a lock of silver slid over her shoulder. "How does that sound?"
Not like a lie. Not like the truth, either. Something in between that real life favors. "Better than I expected you to say," I admitted. "My mind is... fine." Mostly. "My body's a mess."
"We'll have the doctor look at you," she said.
"Fine. Anything else I should know?"
"I think we should introduce ourselves properly," Stacy said, smiling enough to show a hint of fang. "I'm Stacy Draig, a demi-human like you. Former vice-captain of the Draig family's black ops. My likes are sweets and training; my dislikes are people who put themselves first. My dream? I already have it-my family. Rebecca?"
"Rebecca," Rebecca said, as if the name didn't need a surname because it was busy doing its job already. "Human. Likes and dislikes are private. Dream: be filthy rich." She crossed one leg over the other, shoes aligned neatly under the chair as if they'd been drilled together.
Stacy flicked her fingers toward me. "Your turn, kiddo."
"Disappointing news," I said, palms up. "I don't know who I am. Name's Kitsuna."
"Liar," Stacy said, not unkindly. "We know you're a reincarnate. Same as my daughter. That daddy's girl..." She winked. "Start over."
I sighed. The kind that deflates your shoulders. "Fine. My name was Shiro Adachi. Likes? Food, sports, weapons. Dislikes? Socializing. Introverts for the win. Dreams?" I considered the ceiling for a beat. "Don't have one."
"Shiro Adachi..." Stacy's ears tilted, listening inward. She tapped her chin with a claw-tipped nail, then snapped her fingers. "Oh! You were that class playboy. Or gangster. Or the teacher's pet-depends on who you ask. You were popular. My daughter Amari-Izumi Hitomi to you-hates you. Says you were stuck up. She grudgingly admits you were good at school and sports."
"Popular?" I echoed, because the word felt like a borrowed coat. "Could've fooled me. I wasn't exactly a people person."
Rebecca's brow arched. "Didn't Amari say Shiro was a guy?"
The air did a small, mean thing to my chest. My mood took the elevator shaft down a few floors. I didn't have to look in the mirror to know it showed on my face.
"Hey... Is it even possible to get more depressed?" Rebecca asked, genuinely puzzled, like she'd discovered a new science.
"My life's been hell," I said. "Depression is just the interest rate."
"I get that," she said with a little shrug that left the chair exactly where it was.
"What would you do," I asked, "if you woke up after seventeen years as a guy and found you were a girl?" I thumbed toward her. "Reverse it for you."
"Same as you," Stacy said, deadpan. "Depressed."
"See?" I said. "She gets it." I rolled my shoulders, winced, and made it look like I meant to do that. "Anyway. Moving on. Doctor. When?"
"He's already here," Rebecca said, standing and heading toward the door that-my brain did a double take-no longer lay in pieces across the floor. It stood where it belonged, whole, hinges shining like they were pleased with themselves.
I blinked. "...When did-wait, the door's fixed!?"
"The mansion has an auto-repair spell," Stacy said, as if she were telling me where the forks were kept. Her tail curled and uncurled, pleased by my surprise.
That tugged a little smile out of me despite myself. "That's... awesome."
Rebecca opened the fully reconstituted door with its fully reconstituted handle. "Doctor, you can come in now."
A short man with gray hair and a white lab coat walked in, and the room shrank to a point behind my ribs. The coat was too white. The smell of antiseptic rode ahead of him. His shoes made that soft tap that echoes in tiled corridors.
A light angles down. The world is all glare and shadow.
A gloved thumb presses a vein. "Good girl."
The needle enters, and the world-burn
"Aah, hello, little demon," he said, smiling in a way that showed a lot of teeth, and none of them friendly to my nervous system. "How do you feel?"
"Check me and fuck off," I said, and my body moved before my brain signed the permission slip. My hand lashed for his throat. He slipped back, surprisingly quickly. The motion threw me off balance; I clutched a pillow and whipped it at him. It spun end over end like a slow, fat shuriken.
"Eeeeh!?" He squeaked like a kettle. "The little demon is attacking me!"
He dodged the first pillow. I grabbed the second, surged to my feet, and my legs clocked out. I folded forward and kissed the floorboards with my face.
"You shouldn't move like that," Stacy sighed, already scooping me up with competent hands, setting me back on the bed as if I weighed nothing. Her ears tilted forward, listening for something only she knew to check, then eased back when she didn't hear it.
"Sorry, little demon," the doctor said-voice different now, careful around the edges. He kept his distance, which made him smarter than he looked. "I needed to assess your mental state. You seem stable overall. There will be triggers. Physically, you're in the worst condition. You need rest."
Gloves squeak on skin.
A cart rattles, metal on metal.
"Hold her." Hands on wrists. A strap tightens around an ankle. The buckle bites.
Do not cry. Do not blink. Count the breaths. Don't give them numbers to write down.
"How long before I start training?" I asked because if I didn't place my mind on a firm surface, it would slide away.
"A week, maybe more," he said. "Mostly muscle damage. Your connective tissues need recovery. Walking is acceptable. Strenuous training is not."
"That won't do," I said. A little more force than I intended, but at least it shoved the memories into a closet and held the door.
"So eager for power?" Stacy's voice went light, teasing, but her tail had stilled, which said she was watching harder than she let on.
"Do you blame me?" I asked and didn't add for wanting a lever big enough to move my own life.
She smiled in a way that had room for both teeth and warmth. Her ears angled toward me. "No. I don't. I'll help you get it-enough that your choices are yours."
"You know I might betray your kingdom, right?"
The room held its breath. Rebecca's hands didn't tighten, but I watched them anyway. The doctor pretended to check his pocket watch and checked me instead. Stacy's tail drew a lazy question mark in the air and then dropped the punctuation altogether.
"Meh," she said. "Wouldn't surprise me. Wouldn't change much."
Mask descending.
"You can scream if you want."
I don't.
I looked at her long enough to feel the urge to blink and refused to. The marks on my forearms gave a patient pulse I could almost time a breath to.
"I narrowed my eyes. "Why should I believe you?"
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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RE: Chapter 4: Bones!?
"Why should I believe you?"
All three of them stared. The doctor blinked like I'd coughed in his face. Rebecca's brows went up a millimeter. Stacy's ears tilted forward, tail flicking once, a cat hearing the exact tone of a challenge it likes.
"What!?" they echoed together.
I didn't flinch. "Why shouldn't I be defensive? You were ordered to train me for the kingdom, right? I've played Asset before. Didn't like the ending."
"Don't be so defensive, kid," Rebecca cut in before Stacy could chirp something reckless. She didn't move closer, just eased a hand against the chair back like she was keeping the room upright. "She wants a daughter to pamper, not a weapon to polish. And the doctor shouldn't even be in this kingdom anymore, so don't waste your worry on him. I'm only a maid."
The doctor sniffed. "Semi-retired," he corrected under his breath, which told me Rebecca wasn't wrong.
Stacy stepped in, her tone gentled but still unapologetically bright. "We weren't ordered to do anything with you. My husband was. There's a difference." Her ears softened at the edges. "What's the point of making your life more miserable than it already was? You've lived five years of hell. It's time someone pampered you for a while."
That pushed a tiny cool breath through my ribs. I didn't let it show. "You can say anything. Anybody can lie and stab later."
"Oh, come on," Stacy whined-actually whined-then hopped once in place like her body could bounce my suspicion out of me. "Let me pamper a daughter for once. Rebecca, help me out here."
Rebecca gave her such a flat look that if it had a surface, you'd skate on it. "Tone down the hopping."
It was ridiculous. It was also funny-this grown-up cat girl with blood on her aura throwing a tantrum in a guest room. The corner of my mouth tried to misbehave.
"You already have a daughter," I said instead, one brow climbing. "Why not pamper her?"
Stacy's ears dipped. "She's a big daddy's girl and never wants to be with me."
"That's because you want to train her or drag her into something active," Rebecca said, completely unsympathetic. "Let me remind you: she isn't fond of being active.'"
I blinked. "You're... an active person?"
"Yes!" Stacy brightened like a sunlamp. "I love training and running around." Her tail made a pleased S-curve in the air. She really was an airhead. A lethal, enthusiastic airhead.
"Huh." I rolled my shoulders carefully. "In my previous life, I liked the outdoors and working out." I let her see a sliver of that. "We might get along. I'll still see if I can trust you completely."
"That's fine," she said, beaming. "I'll make you call me Mother' in no time."
"We'll see." I glanced down at my forearms. "What happened after the Duke pushed the primordial blood? I mean, I can see I got some lovely tattoos-and my vision's sharper." I flexed my fingers; the marks pulled and settled. "What did I actually survive?"
"They're not tattoos," Stacy said quietly, pointing to my arms. "They're curses."
My attention clipped back to her face. "Cute."
"Curses with benefits," Rebecca murmured, for once not entirely dry.
Stacy nodded. "I'd rather show you than explain with an audience." She turned slightly. "Rebecca, Doctor-please give us the room. I trust you both, you know I do, but this part isn't for anyone else. Rebecca, could you also ask the kitchen for food? Something warm and easy, and... a lot."
"That works for me," the doctor said, already rubbing his eyelids. "Call me in a week or more if needed." He paused in the doorway. "Preferably more."
"Go," Rebecca told him, then to me, "I'll bring up food." She didn't add if you're still in the mood to eat because she was smarter than that. She closed the door behind them, and the room exhaled.
For a moment there was just the lamp's low hum and the soft brush of fabric when Stacy crossed to me. She took both my hands, palms up, cool fingers careful over the black-and-red lines that coiled there. Up close, the markings had depth, like ink poured into the grain of wood.
"They might be curses," she said, meeting my eyes, "but for you they're blessings. Let's start with the blood. You were injected with the blood of a nine-tailed primordial fox."
My mouth went dry. A light tilted through my skull.
Bright overhead glare.
Hand turns a syringe.
"Hold her," someone says, and the strap bites.
burn
"I survived that?" I asked, voice flat on purpose. "I felt myself go."
"You did die," Stacy said simply. "But the blood recognized you. You were the rightful host, so it dragged you back. The curses are the negative effects. Your eyes changed. Your hair, too." She released my hands gently, like she was giving them back.
"My eyes and hair..." I lifted my tail forward and blinked. It was no longer completely black; instead, red threaded through near the end like ember-glow. Something warm moved along the bone when I touched the fur.
"Here," Stacy said, offering a hand mirror.
I took it and braced for the usual hit. The girl in the glass blinked back, black hair shot through with red like sparks in soot. Eyes: black sclera, red irises, pupils narrowed slightly-fox slits, but not inhuman enough to belong to a monster. Just enough to make most people forget how to breathe for a second.
I rubbed my face and felt the pressure of teeth against my lip. I opened my mouth. Two six-centimeter canines extended like a vampire's party trick. I had to admit: they looked lovely on me. "How," I said dryly, "am I getting a wife with this face? I look terrifying."
Stacy blinked. "Wife? Don't you mean husband?"
I set the mirror on my lap and met her eyes. "Hello. I was somebody before. No way in hell somebody is going to-" I snapped my fingers for a word and didn't find a polite one. "Yeah. No."
"Right, right." She tapped her lips with a claw and nodded like she was filing it next to no broccoli. "Then you're like Rebecca. She prefers women. I don't really care either way; I married your adopted father because I loved him, not his category. He won't be against it, and you aren't the heir to the house. I'm sorry if that's a problem."
"I don't care about being heir." I flipped the mirror closed. "I like my freedom. Give me a title, and I'll die of boredom before a blade finds me. So don't worry about me fighting your daughter for the family name."
Her ears perked. "Your sister will be delighted. She thinks paperwork is a disease." A flicker of pride crossed her face and was gone. "Back to the curses. Positives and negatives-you should hear them from me."
"Go on." I leaned back and found a position that didn't make my shoulders complain.
She gestured to my left arm. "Left is lightning. It makes pain ten times worse than normal." She raised a hand before I could snort. "But it also makes your growth ten times better. "You'll climb fast, whether it's based on stats, attributes, or any other measurement that some priest prefers."
I looked at the thin scars around my wrists-ghosts of buckles I didn't let my brain name. "Ten times the pain, ten times the growth. Fair trade if I'm the one choosing."
Her mouth twitched. "Right is fire. It makes your leveling crawl at a snail's pace. But skills, arts, anything learned? You'll pick them up twice as fast. If it takes someone ten years, you can do it in five. Maybe less." She glanced at my arms again, and her expression grew complicated-jealousy and pride making a little storm. "I'm... a little envious."
"A curse that's a blessing." I rolled the words around. "Balanced like a bad joke that works."
"Exactly." Her tone hardened a notch. "One thing: never tell anyone the details. The colors are obvious, but the effects are your secret. Understood?"
"Will do, ma'am," I said, giving her a lazy little salute. I hadn't planned to tell anyone anyway.
"Good." She exhaled, and a coil in her shoulders loosened. "Let's get you food before you pass out. Then sleep. Tomorrow-" her eyes brightened-"fun."
"Fun," I echoed, suspicious. "Define it later." But as we walked, I noticed something quietly traitorous in myself: the more she spoke like that-open, a little chaotic, absolutely certain about taking care of me-the less the old panic had room to crawl. I didn't trust her. But a stubborn rock can still sit in the sun.
We left the guest room. The hallway smelled faintly of beeswax and warm linen. Sconces threw soft light over framed sketches-landscapes and beasts, all done with a sure hand. The floorboards had that solid, forgiving give under weight that only old wood knows. A string quartet drifted up from somewhere far below, or maybe it was just kitchen clatter turning musical in my tired ears.
By the time we reached the dining hall, the smell was a blanket: roasted meat, butter, herbs crushed under a knife, yeast and heat, and something sweet.
My stomach growled loudly enough to get an answering echo from the ceiling. Stacy bit her knuckle to hold in a laugh and failed. "Sorry," she gasped between giggles, "but-"
"Laugh it up." I pressed a hand over my traitorous gut. "I smell the kitchen from upstairs. Blame your house."
Rebecca was already there, sleeves rolled to her forearms, hair back in a no-nonsense knot. She'd overseen an assault. A long table, groaning with choices: a roasted bird glistening under honeyed glaze; thick stew with root vegetables and mushrooms; a casserole that steamed cheese and onion into the air; fresh bread broken into rugged halves; bowls of salted greens; a mountain of rice; platters of sliced fruit; little dishes of pickled things; and a tray of sweets that sparkled like bait.
"We didn't know what you like," she said, deadpan. "So we made everything." Her eyes ticked to the chair at the head of the table, then to my face, measuring whether I'd try to climb the table instead of sit at it.
"Huh," Stacy said.
"Huh, what?" Rebecca asked, already reaching for the ladle.
"Huh, as in: look down."
They both looked-and blinked. The chair scraped faintly. A ten-year-old girl with fox eyes and hungry hands was already seated, cheeks puffed, shoveling food with a mechanical efficiency that would have impressed any quartermaster. My hands moved faster than my thoughts when food was involved. Old habit: eat when you can. You don't know when they'll remember you.
"I think we should teach her some manners," Rebecca said, dry as salt.
"It's fine to let her be," Stacy chuckled, leaning an elbow on the back of the chair beside me, watching like she'd discovered a small, agile animal with endearing habits. Her smile stalled. "Okay, I take that back. Don't eat the bones."
I paused, a crisp, clean snap between my teeth. "Why?" I said around a mouthful. "They're good."
Rebecca squinted. "How are your teeth even handling that?"
"She's special," Stacy said, and for once the word didn't feel condescending. "Kitsuna, spit out the bones. Please."
I swallowed. "But they're delicious."
Stacy stared. Rebecca stared. I stared back, hopeful. The face I made must have been illegal somewhere.
"Fine," Stacy surrendered. "But don't do that in front of other people. They'll freak out."
"I'll try my best," I said, which was not a promise, and reached for another piece of meat. The skin crunched under my teeth. Juice ran across my tongue in a way that made my muscles briefly forget they hurt.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked between bites.
"A month," Rebecca said, sliding a bowl of stew closer. "The doctor said your system needed to reset after what it pulled, pulling you back."
A month. The number had weight, but it didn't crush anything. I filed it, neat. "Explains the hunger."
We ate. Or I did, and they watched with the kind of quiet that sounds like approval when you've had too many meals under observation. The stew burned my tongue in a way that wasn't pain, exactly-more like a reminder that I was alive. The bread cracked under my fingers, warm and yielding. The greens were salted just right, like someone cared. It felt obscene and normal at the same time.
"About trust," Stacy said eventually, when the first wave of animal need had receded. She'd waited, which I noticed. Her ears were in listening mode again. "You don't have to give it to me today. Or ever. I'll still make sure you eat and sleep and laugh at least once a day. That's the offer."
I chewed and swallowed. "You really want to pamper someone that bites bones?"
"Especially that someone." Her tail flicked. "I'm very stubborn."
"Same," I said. "Stubborn rock."
"Good." She lifted her water. "Two rocks are difficult to push over."
I almost smiled. "Poetry."
Rebecca cleared her throat. "As your maid," she said, "it is my duty to inform you that if you continue at this rate, we'll need to double the kitchen budget."
"That's on you," Stacy told her solemnly. "You said, 'Make everything.'"
Rebecca ignored her. "After you eat, you should sleep. The doctor was right about muscle damage. Tomorrow you can walk the gardens. No training." She looked at me to see if I'd argue.
Bright light. Hold her. Don't move. The old commands tried their keys on old locks. My mind shoved the bolt across, firm. "I'll walk," I said. "And not train." I didn't say much. "For a bit."
Stacy's ears flicked as if she had heard something unspoken. "We can spar with spoons," she offered, mock-solemn. "Very safe. Very slow."
"Idiotic," Rebecca added.
I snorted. The sound felt pleasing in my chest. "We'll see."
We drifted into smaller talks. Not the empty kind. The one with texture. Stacy asked me which sports I liked when I was my true self. I said that I enjoyed running, lifting, and any activities that kept me moving and quiet. She volunteered her favorite hill to sprint at dawn and promised to show me the path that had the meanest incline. Rebecca, the traitor, mentioned a bakery that opened before sunrise and made little buns filled with sweet bean paste. Stacy audibly wrote "bakery ambush" in her mental notebook.
At some point I realized I wasn't scanning the door every thirty seconds. The realization itself tried to spook me. I told them to sit. It did.
When I finally leaned back, full in the way that makes your bones feel heavier and your thoughts lighter, Stacy made a pleased little sound and pointed to a plate of small glazed sweets. "Dessert?"
"Yes," I said immediately.
She laughed. "You really are my child."
"I said maybe." I reached anyway. The glaze cracked like thin ice. The pastry left sugar on my tongue.
We let the quiet be quiet. No lab hum. No drip counting seconds. Just plates settling as they cooled, the house breathing, Rebecca's practical presence, and Stacy's tail drawing lazy question marks in the air.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Rebecca slid a cloth toward me without looking. I took it and pretended it was my idea.
"Thank you," I said. It came out easier than it had any right to.
"You're welcome," Rebecca said, which is how you know someone's not keeping score.
Stacy stretched, arms over her head, like a cat in sunlight. "Tomorrow, we'll get you clothes you like. If you hate dresses, I will buy you pants. If you hate pants, I will buy you weapons. If you hate weapons, I will faint and Rebecca will catch me."
"I won't," Rebecca said.
"See?" Stacy grinned. "Safe. Furthermore, we'll test your senses in the garden. I want to see how far you can hear the kitchen from the far hedge."
"Challenge accepted," I said before my caution could tackle my mouth. "But I'm not calling you 'Mother.' Not yet."
"I'll settle for 'Stacy' for now." She winked. "It'll be Mother' by the end of the season."
"We'll see."
We rose. My legs held. Not gracefully, but they held. Stacy neither offered an arm nor refrained from doing so. She hovered at the edge of reach, the exact distance between smothering and abandoning. It was... impressive. Annoying. Useful.
We headed back toward the guest room. The hall felt warmer on the return, like the walls remembered me now. A maid passed carrying linens and dipped a precise bow; I fought the urge to step out of sight. I didn't need to hide. The thought tried to argue. I ignored it and went silent.
At the doorway to my room, Stacy paused. "Sleep. If you wake in the night, the kitchen is yours. "Bones," she said, lifting a finger, "are only for private consumption."
"Understood." I gave her a look. "No promises about spoons."
She made a delighted noise. I refused to call a chirp. "Good night, Kitsuna."
"Night."
Rebecca appeared as if conjured, set a covered plate on the side table-just in case-and vanished again with housekeeping's specific magic: being everywhere and nowhere, seeing everything and nothing you don't want seen.
I sat on the bed. The sheets reminded me. I eased onto my side and stared at the white ceiling. It stared back, kind and blank.
Strap buckle.
Count down from ten.
Ten-burn
I breathed in, held, and breathed out. The memory slipped away as easily as a hand slides off glass. I was a stubborn rock. Stubborn rocks do not roll unless they decide to.
I touched the marks on my forearms. They were warm and patient. Lightning on the left, fire on the right. Pain and growth. Slowness and skill. Curses that weren't, if I carried them on my terms.
My eyelids got heavy. I let them.
If I dreamed, I didn't remember it. If I woke, I didn't announce it. When morning came, I would test the garden path, smell bread from a ridiculous distance, and pretend not to like the way Stacy's ears perked when I agreed to race her to the far hedge.
For now, I slept-full, warm, alive.
I woke to the promise of breakfast drifting under the door and a traitor stomach trying to sing. A smile did something dangerous to my mouth. I rolled out of bed, stretched until my back popped, and padded barefoot to the door.
In the hall, Stacy waited, tail swaying, wearing an expression that said, "I will absolutely pretend this wasn't a stakeout." Rebecca stood beside her with a tray like a shield.
"Morning," I said.
"Morning," they chorused.
Stacy's eyes crinkled. "Ready to be pampered?"
"Bring it," I said.
We went to the dining hall again. The smells made my bones clap. The table was once more a small country of food. My stomach made a sound only whales should be allowed to make.
"I'd guess anyone would be hungry if they haven't eaten in a month," Rebecca said mildly, pretending she hadn't been waiting to say it.
"I was asleep for a month," I repeated, testing the number now that it was morning-shaped. I nodded to myself. "Right."
"Talk later," Stacy said, sweeping a hand toward the spread. "Eat now."
I looked up-no, at-the table. Then at them. Then I wasn't where I'd been a second before. I was in the chair again, a small demon gusting through a feast.
"Huh," Rebecca said to the air where my confusion had been. "She's fast."
"She's hungry," Stacy corrected, laughing. She watched me with pure amusement until I took a bone between my teeth again. "I take it back. Don't eat the bones."
"I agree," Rebecca said. "How do her teeth even-"
"She's special," Stacy said, and I didn't hate the way she said it. "Kitsune, don't eat the bones. It's not good for you."
I paused, bone poised. "But they're so good."
"Is that your fox side?" Stacy asked, half-surprised, half-proud.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "They're delicious. Please don't take them away."
Stacy pinched the bridge of her nose, ears flattening in theatrical despair. "Fine. But not in front of other people. They'll freak out."
"Thank you." I grinned, all teeth. "I'll try my best." And I started eating again.
I didn't care what people thought. But if it was a banquet, fine-I could behave. Everywhere else?
My delicious bones were absolutely in danger.
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The following day, Stacy came and woke me up. To my surprise, when my head hit the pillow, I instantly fell asleep. I thought I would struggle to sleep with the amount of food I ate beforehand and that I have slept for a month already.
"Did you sleep well, Kitsuna?" Stacy asks.
"Yes, to my surprise, I slept like a log. I thought I would have nightmares or wouldn't even be able to sleep with the amount of food I ate."
"Well, you did eat enough food to fill three tables last night. I ask Rebeca to prepare lots of food again for breakfast. So, eat to your heart's content."
"I will do that. My stomach is already waking up with the smell of the food."
"You can already smell the food?" Stacy asked with a questionable look.
"Un." I nodded.
"That's nice." She smiled.
"I will say it is more a curse than a positive thing. If I concentrate, I can smell the lavender flowers outside that the gardener is watering at the moment. And don't you think he is too old? He is about 70 years old and continues to work for you. His back is going to give out one of these days." Stacy was stunned at what I said. Running towards the window, I saw the gardener holding a hosepipe in one hand while he was hunched over with his other hand on his back.
"Wow, I didn't know. I will talk to Rebeca about that."
"Don't just dismiss him. He is likely still working for a specific reason. Find out why, then work on that. He might have a big family he needs to take care of." After looking for a while, we started walking again.
"Kitsune, just a question? How are you so casual after five years of experiments?" I was stunned for a moment by what she asked.
"Huh!? Where did that come from?" I tried to play it off, but although Stacy may seem like an airhead, she is actually brilliant. I found that out last night. I might have tried to get some information about things, and she just said I should ask her straight instead of doing it the roundabout way. And my lying might be some of the worst there is.
"Your behavior." She didn't raise her voice, but her ears tilted forward, listening in that way that made dodging harder. "It's like you have never been tortured for five years. Yes, you have mental trauma, but the triggers are relatively minor compared to what you have experienced. It's like you have been through something like this before. "Have you experienced something similar in a past life?" Looking at her, I knew she was worried. I just wasn't ready to talk about it with her and didn't trust her enough.
"I don't want to talk about it. It is also in the past; there is no use talking about things that happened in another universe." I started walking faster towards the dining hall.
"I see. When you are ready, talk to me, okay? I will also need to train you how to lie." She chuckled at me.
"Sigh... well, shit. Well, I never tried to lie in my previous life. I just diverted the subject. But thanks. I will do that if I am ready." The last part was only a whisper; only she could hear it.
"You can call Mommy anytime, Hunny Bun." Stacy smiled at me.
"I am not calling you, Mom." I gave her a deadpan look.
"Tsk."
When we walked into the dining hall, I could see that the table was again stacked with food, and there was a lot of meat. My mouth started to water uncontrollably. "Thanks for the food!?" I shouted and started to dig in again without waiting for Stacy.
"We really need to work on your table manners, Kitsuna," Stacy said with an amused smile.
"I will try to improve next time," I said between bites.
Breakfast was the kind that makes your bones feel heavier in a satisfying way. I didn't rush, not exactly; I just didn't waste motion. Old habit: eat when you can. The stew steamed rich and savory, eggs perfumed the air with butter, and the meat crackled under my teeth with a crisp skin I kept pretending wasn't my favorite part. Stacy watched me like a delighted scientist who'd discovered a new species of fox-girl powered by calories.
After breakfast was over, Stacy and I were still at the table talking to each other.
"I can't believe you don't like bread. "Of all the things you ate, bread is the only thing that survived."
"Yeah, it just doesn't go for me. The rest of the food was excellent, though."
"I can see that. There is nothing left except bread on the table. Where do you even store all that food? We will need to hunt more for food if you are going to keep eating like this."
"I can go and help hunt if needed."
"You are not going to do that until you are fully healed, and I have trained you for at least a year."
"Fine. So, what will we be doing today? I am interested in how you are going to make me call your mother." I gave her a grin.
"Haha, we are going shopping. Shopping is the best way to make bonds." My face dropped at her statement. She was giving me a knowing smile. "Let us go."
Two hours later, Stacy and I were sitting in a carriage on our way to the city. For some reason, we live inside the dead forest or something like that. I asked why, and she answered me that it is the border between our kingdom and the federation. So, because we are the house of Marquis Draig, we need to stay close to the border, and they picked to stay inside the forest instead of the city. I'm not really concerned about that. The problem is that this forest is one of the most dangerous places in the world. That is why a border was made that is not easily crossed. There is only one way to cross the forest. So, it makes it difficult to invade our kingdom from the forest.
"What are we going to go shopping for?" I was hoping she would say something other than "clothes."
"Clothes-we don't really have stuff for you. We can't have you keep wearing those clothes you have on at the moment. Oh, let me guess, you don't like dresses." She smiled at me.
"Yes, hate them." Currently I was wearing jeans with a normal black t-shirt. They are a bit too big for me, though. Rebeca just gave me some clothes to choose from, and I picked the clothes closest to a guy's clothes. My arms were also bandaged close to hide the fact that I had a curse on them. Luckily, my curse mark started from my wrists and went up to my chest, so it was easily hidden behind the bandages.
"We will go to the shop. I mostly used to get that sort of clothes. Unfortunate for you, we will still need to get you a dress or two for formal events." I frowned at her because of what she said. At the moment, she was wearing a blue one-piece dress. "I know I am wearing a dress, but I do like one-piece dresses on my off day. That changes if I need to work. I get into the same clothes that you are wearing now. I still can't believe you almost fit in my clothes."
"Huh!? These are your clothes? I thought these were old clothes or something. I knew you were small, but not this small."
"Hey! I will let you know I am average in length. For my kind. "You are much taller than most people your age." She pointed at me.
"If you say so." I shrugged.
"You will see when we get into the city. Hmph." I laughed at her childlike behavior. I guess she has a thing about her body size.
We bumped along in companionable silence for a while. The Dead Forest pressed close on either side of the road, dark trunks like ribs, leaves whispering a language that was mostly threat and a little bit lullaby. Every once in a while the carriage jolted over a root, and Stacy's ears flicked with automatic balance, her tail making a lazy S in the air. My tail did the opposite: it remained relaxed, indicating that I was fine even when my nerves were not.
"So, how long before we are in the city?" I hadn't seen one in years. Just as I asked, we heard shouts coming from outside. "What's going on?"
"Don't you know we might be under attack?" Standing up, she opened the window to see what was going on. "Nope, we just arrived at the city."
"Airhead." Why are they so loud? All I can hear is people shouting at each other. Is there some shouting match going on?
"Don't know." Just when she was about to take another look outside, the carriage door opened, revealing a knight.
A sharp hinge squeal-too sudden, too close-popped something tight behind my eyes. Door exploding. Shards spinning. Hands on wrists. I locked my jaw and let the flicker pass. One beat. Two. Gone.
"What is going on?" Stacy turned and looked at the knight.
"My apologies, ma'am, but we just need to make certain who is coming into the city." He looked at Stacy.
"Why do you need to open the carriage, though? Isn't the house emblem on the carriage?" I asked, looking at him. When the knight looked at me. Our eyes met; he became instantly afraid of me. I could see him tremble. "Tch. And you call yourself a soldier. Being so afraid of a 10-year-old."
"Derik, what are you doing? Complete the inspection." Another knight called out to the one in front of us. I could hear him coming closer to the door to join the other knight. "Hey, are you okay? You are shaking."
"Captain... don't... come," Derik said with a shaky voice.
"What did you say?" The captain didn't hear Derik and walked even closer, standing next to him. He saw him staring at something inside the carriage. Following his gaze, our eyes met the same as the last knight. He started trembling. "Fuck this. I am out!?" He shouted while running away. The other knight joined him after that.
"Hahaha. I just can't. That's just too funny. Trained knights fled simply at the sight of you. Hahaha." Stacy could not hold herself in anymore and started rolling in laughter. After a while, the carriage started moving again.
"Why are they so afraid of me, though? Do I really look so scary that trained knights run away from me?" I looked at Stacy, who was still laughing.
"Your eyes have a passive skill that intimidates people. It's a passive skill, which means it won't appear on your skill list. She said, restraining herself from laughing again.
"How do I see my skill list even?" I questioned her and received a baffled face from her. "What? I have never been told these things." I shrugged.
"Right. Normally you need to go to the church to check your status, but you have a self-analysis. Just think or say 'status,' and then it will pop up."
'Status,' I thought. I saw a screen pop up in front of me.
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 10
Race: Demon-Fox (9-tailed primordial demon fox)
Gender: Female
Level: 1
Class: Noble
HP: 620 / 620
MP: 2000 / 2000
Str: 70
Vit: 310
Def: 100
Int: 1000
End: 75
Agi: 140
Skills: Dimensional Storage, Fox Fire, Fox Lightning, Fox Ice, Self-Analysis, Super Regen
The panel wasn't just text; faint lines of red fire licked the corners, and a hair-thin crackle of static traced along the edges-my curses showing off, apparently. I let my eyes run down the numbers and took stock the only way I know how: bluntly.
HP 620. "Chunky," I muttered. "Dying and coming back gives you a thicker health bar. Noted."
MP 2000. It hummed under my skin like the air before a storm. If I breathed slowly enough, I could taste it-sharp, clean, cold. "So I'm a walking generator. Try not to blow up the kitchen."
Strength: 70; Agility: 140. I flexed my left hand, and a hairline spark flickered under the skin. Lightning wanted out. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Later."
Vitality 310/Defense 100. Vital organs wrapped in stubbornness. Armor, but not invulnerable. I filed it under useful, not cocky.
Intelligence 1000. That one I didn't comment on. It felt like sitting in a large, silent room with all the doors unlocked. A good kind of danger.
Endurance 75. Lower than I wanted. But with the lightning curse multiplying pain by ten, maybe the outcome was a mercy. I could practically feel what "training" would mean: controlled suffering. Fine. I've done worse.
I flicked down to Skills and read them one by one, letting quick reactions flick and die like sparks.
Dimensional Storage. A pocket I could open anywhere. "Finally, somewhere for snacks. And knives."
Fox Fire. My flames, tuned by the fire curse. The status note indicated that the learning curve was reduced. "Half the time to master. Twice the trouble I'll get into. Acceptable."
Fox Lightning. Fast and mean. My left forearm thrummed a low warning, the pain magnifier quietly reminding me of the bill. "I'll pay later."
Fox Ice. That one made me smile. Heat, speed, and control. Three levers: more ways out of cages.
Self-Analysis. "Hi." I wiggled the panel at Stacy like it could wave back.
Super Regen. The line pulsed, and I imagined a crude image of my body stitching itself back together. I didn't love it, but I loved what it meant: survive first, decide later.
"It's a solid sheet," I said finally, closing the panel with a pinch. A couple of choppy flashes tried to barge in-white ceiling light, buckles on wrists, 'count down from ten'-but I slammed the door on them and looked at Stacy instead. "Let me guess: you're going to tell me not to use half of it."
"You guessed right," Stacy said, though the corner of her mouth betrayed a smile. "And don't you dare push your lightning curse in the first week. I'll know if you do."
I gave her a bland look. "Sure you will."
She narrowed her eyes like she caught the lie and chose to let it live. "Tomorrow, light training. Walking the gardens. Stretching. Breathing. Maybe a little stance works. No pain tests. To gain power, you must earn it without damaging what we have just recovered.
"Look at you, pretending to care." My voice was dry; my tail betrayed me by flicking once, amused.
"I do care," she said, as simple as the act of a door opening. Her ears angled forward, soft. "Also, I know stubborn rocks. You'll try to sprint up a mountain your first day if I let you."
"That's not wrong," I admitted.
The carriage rolled forward again, and the city noise took over-boots on stone, wheels against cobble, our driver trading shouts with someone whose job was literally to shout. I let the status numbers sink into place like bricks in a wall: not the whole house, but enough to stand behind.
"Anything else I should know about... hidden bits?" I asked. "Passives that don't show? Titles? Curses behaving badly at parties?"
"Your intimidating stare is passive, like I said," Stacy replied. "And the curses will not reveal themselves in your status updates." The effects are real; the labels aren't. Keep that secret. As for parties-don't eat bones in public."
I clicked my tongue. "You heard about that."
"I watched it happen," she said gravely. "I am changed."
We both almost smiled. The carriage lurched to a halt, the inspection madness finally behind us. I caught my reflection in the window's faint sheen: black hair threaded with a red ember-glow, fox eyes that made trained men run, and a mouth that could bare new canines or a joke. I didn't look harmless. I didn't need to.
"After shopping," Stacy said, "nap. Then dinner. Then you can glare at the moon for an hour if it helps."
"I'll glare at you instead."
"Promises, promises."
We finished the entry formalities (or rather, the guards finished being terrified of my face), and the carriage rolled on. I kept my promise to myself by not adding more detail to the entrance scene in my head, which included gates and shouting as we passed. That was enough. The city could stay a blur until it chose to matter.
avataravatar
Chapter 6: Skills
"Stacy, what are the normal stats for a 10-year-old?" I asked.
"First, you aren't normal. When we first checked your status a month ago, your strength was double that of a normal civilian child."
"35 is a normal civilian child's strength?"
"No, 10 is. What is yours?"
"70."
"You have got to be kidding me." Stacy just shook her head. Turning around, she hit the board behind her and called out, "Sebastian, take us to the church first, please." She looked back at me. "We will go check out your status at the church."
"Why can't I just tell you?" I tilted my head to the side.
"You can, but I want to see it. And I will also tell you some things about your skills."
"Okay." I didn't want to go, but if it helped me learn more about myself, then it was fine.
It didn't even take us 10 minutes to get to the church. Looking at the building, it looked the same as the one I saw 5 years ago. Walking behind Stacy toward the church, just when we were close to the entrance, one of the sisters ran toward us.
"Good morning, Milady. How can I help you today?" The sister bowed down toward Stacy.
"Yo, we are here to check out her status. Can we use the private room, please?" Stacy nonchalantly pointed at me.
"Ooh, hello there, ma'am. I haven't seen you here before." She looked at me. I was surprised to see that her eyes were golden.
"Name is Kitsuna, 10 years old, so no, ma'am."
"Ooh, I see. You are quite tall for a 10-year-old." She tilted her head to the side, looking at me.
"I told her she is way too tall for her age. She didn't believe me," Stacy complained.
"How should I know that 1.5 m is long for a 10-year-old?" I shrugged. In my last life, I was already 1.6 meters when I was 9 years old.
"Yeah, and 1.67 is small for a grown woman. You just had to use your head." She tapped her head mockingly, causing me to develop some tick marks on my face.
"Old hag, did you just call me dumb!?" I shouted at her.
"Please stop; you are in front of a church." The sister tried stopping us from fighting, but we both ignored her.
"Yes, you dumb child. And what is this about 'old hag'? I am just 32 years old, mind you." She puffed her nonexistent chest out.
"Really? I thought you were younger. You really are old and tiny." Giving her a shocked expression, trying to hide my grin.
"You are in front of a church making a scene; please stop." Ignoring the Sister again.
"At least I am already married. With your looks, no sane woman will even try to get near you." She retorted at my weak point.
"You want to fight, hag?" I was full-on pissed at her pointing out my obvious flaw.
"Let us go, you damn-" We both got slapped across the face by the sister. Looking at her, baffled, she started talking.
"You are in front of a church. Behave yourselves and apologize to each other, you stubborn fools." The sister was giving an aura that made neither of us want to talk back.
"Sorry for calling you an old hag." I bowed down 45 degrees.
"What about the tiny one?" Stacy inquired.
"I can't apologize for a fact," I said with no emotion in my voice.
"You-"
"Apologize!? Now!?" The sister hit me over the head this time.
"I apologize for everything I have said to you, Stacy." Bowing down again.
"Apology accepted, and I too apologize for what I have said to you." Stacy did the same gesture as me.
"Apology accepted."
"There, that is better. Follow me to the private room." The sister walked into the church. Following behind her obediently, we arrived at one of the private rooms. The sister opened the door and looked inside. "Here you go. I believe Milady knows how to use the room?"
"Yes, thank you for guiding us, Sister." Stacy said her thanks and walked in. Following behind her, I saw the interior of the room. I was absolutely disappointed. The room was completely white-no gold inside. The furniture was also just 2 wooden couches and a coffee table with a black tablet on top.
'You would think a church full of so much gold would have better private rooms.'
"You look disappointed?" Stacy asked while closing the door behind us.
"You would think with all the gold the church was built out of, these rooms would look nicer. Not that I mind this plain room-it feels calming." I was confused about how just 3 pieces of furniture and nothing else made it feel calm.
"Ooh, this room is specially made for our family and was designed by yours truly." She puffed out her chest in pride.
'What designing? There is only the furniture.' Looking at her with a deadpan look. "Anyways. Why do we have our own room? Also, why does it feel so calming? Is there some spell on the room?"
"Yes, there is."
"Ooh, let's get this over with. I want to know more about myself and how things work in this world."
"Eager, are we? Sit down and put your hand on the black tablet." Doing as she said, I saw my status pop up from the table like a hologram.
"Your status really changed after a month of sleeping. Well, now that I think about it, it makes sense. You were at your weakest then."
"Are you saying that a person's status will change every day?" I asked, looking my stats over again.
"No, it will only change if you are injured or something big is happening with your body. For example, if a monster evolves-during its evolving process, it will be at its weakest."
"So, it is the best time to kill said beast when it evolves?"
"No, you need experience to level up, and experience works on the stats of the things you kill. Because the stats of the evolving beast will be so low, the experience you will gain will also be low."
"Aah, I get it. So you want to kill it just before it evolves because it is at its strongest."
"Yes. If you look at a monster's stats, the most important things you look at are its strength, vitality, and defense. Those three are the most important to look at-if they are abnormally high, you know it is set for evolution, and it is best to kill the monster as fast as possible."
"I see, I will remember that."
"Brat, you better remember everything I tell you. Your stats look great. I will find a workout for you to get your dexterity and strength up. Let's get to your skills. Dimensional Storage is self-explanatory. Super Regen as well, and your Self-Analysis-I already told you how it works. You can upgrade that skill to Normal Analysis, which will grant you the ability to look at monsters' stats but not humans' or humanoids' stats. You will need a God-Eye for that."
"God-Eye?"
"It's something you are born with. There aren't a lot of them in the world. The most impressive thing about your skills is your racial elements. They are not as rare as God-Eyes, but they are close to it and very powerful."
"I am a cheat," I mumbled.
"Yes, you are. Most people are born with one or two base elements like fire, wind, earth, and water. Then there are the rare elements like light, dark, ice, lightning, etc. These rare elements are only seen every 5 years-excluding reincarnates, since every one of you has a rare element. But for normal people, it's only every 5 years. Then there are your racial elements. These elements are a specialty for each race-not one racial element will be the same. These are by far the strongest there are, and you have 3." She gave me a worried look, and I knew why.
"If people know about that, I will become a high assassination target. That's why the safest place will be close to someone strong, and stay at a dangerous place like the Dead Forest." I looked down, realizing what sort of situation I was in.
"Yes, that is why House Draig was ordered to look after you. We pride ourselves on being the strongest in 1 vs. X. Don't worry about your life for now. Only 5 people know about you having 3 racial elements."
"Sigh, that's good to hear." I was glad that I didn't need to worry that much about assassination attempts just yet. "Stacy, what element do you specialize in?"
"Sorry, kiddo, I can't help you with magic. I don't have an element, but I can help you with weapons and mana control. I am the best in the entire kingdom when it comes to weapons." She beamed at me.
"Awesome, do you know how to use every weapon there is?"
"Yes. Do you want me to teach you how to use every weapon?"
"Yes, please."
"I will think it through. Let's go-we need to do your shopping."
"Are we walking or taking the carriage again?"
"Hmm, let's walk." She smiled at me.
We stepped out of the cool quiet of the church and back into the sunlit streets. The transition was almost blinding-the white stone road reflecting the midday light, the hum of voices and clatter of hooves filling the air again.
The city felt alive in a way that pressed against all my senses. Merchants barked prices over the smell of fresh bread and roasted meat drifting from food stalls. The clink of coins mixed with the creak of wagon wheels. It was crowded, but not unpleasant-more like walking through a living river of sound and movement.
I noticed how little we stood out here. No one gave us a second glance despite our noble status; Stacy's simple, practical clothing and my own plain tunic blended us in with the crowd. I wondered if that was intentional-Stacy always struck me as the type to avoid unnecessary attention.
We turned down a side street lined with small shops, and that's when a foul, acrid stench hit me so hard my stomach lurched.
"Kitsuna, are you okay? You don't look so good," Stacy asked, noting my sudden grimace.
"I smell something revolting." I tried to keep my breakfast where it belonged while talking.
"I see. That's a problem." She scanned the street, and her eyes landed on a stall draped with colorful scarves. "There-follow me."
The scarf vendor greeted us warmly, but her eyes darted toward me when she saw my pale face. Stacy explained about my strong sense of smell, and the woman nodded knowingly, guessing it was the adventurers who had passed earlier.
I let my eyes wander over the neatly arranged display until one caught my attention-a black scarf with subtle red streaks, almost like embers in shadow. Without thinking, I pointed to it.
"You picked a good one, miss-it will fit with your hair," the vendor said.
The fabric was soft against my fingers as I wrapped it over my mouth and nose. The world instantly became bearable again.
"Feeling better?" Stacy asked. I nodded.
"Good, because we're almost there," she said, and after a short walk we arrived in front of a tall building with a polished sign: Lucy Clothing Store.
The large glass windows revealed neat rows of mannequins dressed in everything from traveling leathers to shimmering silk gowns. I could already tell this wasn't some ordinary tailor's shop-it looked like a place where nobles could wander in without anyone blinking, yet also where a merchant's daughter could save up for a special dress.
As we stepped inside, the air changed again-cooler, scented faintly with lavender and fabric dye. I had the feeling the shopping trip was about to be longer and more complicated than I'd expected...
avataravatar
Chapter 7: Shopping
It was a normal wood sign, no fancy color like what I have seen around. The letters were hand-painted in a steady, practical script, the kind that said, "I make good clothes" without shouting about it. In a street that loved gilded trim and hanging lanterns, the plainness almost made it stand out more.
The bell over the door chimed when we stepped inside. The air was warmer than the street and smelled like fabric pressed straight from sunlit lines-linen and cotton with a little lavender polish and the sharper tang of fresh dye. Racks stood in neat rows like disciplined soldiers: dresses to the left, coats and trousers to the right, and a central island of shirts folded with mathematical precision. Spools of thread sat in tidy pyramids in the glass case along the counter, and a trio of mannequins near the window wore seasonal ensembles that felt more "lived in" than "paraded."
"Lucy, I am back!?" Stacy shouted, as if the shop were a field and she was calling troops to assembly.
"What?! I am coming!" someone yelled from the back.
A blond blur shot out between two dressing screens. By the time my brain said "incoming," my body had already slid one step to the side to avoid the collision.
"Oneeeee-same!?" The blond shouted, leaping. She hit Stacy square in the chest with a thud that would have sent a normal person flying.
That's got to hurt, I thought, imagining what it would feel like to slam into Stacy at that speed. If I'd tried it, I'd bounce.
"Long time no see, Lucy."
"Yes, it's been like 2 years since you came here yourself. You always send your servants." Lucy pouted, still clinging.
"It can't be helped. I was in the capital for the last 2 years." Stacy petted Lucy's head, fingers ruffling short hair with absentminded affection. Watching the two of them, it didn't look like blood sisters-Lucy had short blond hair, a small round face, ocean blue eyes, and pink lips; Stacy was all sleek lines and silver-yet the way they settled into each other's presence said family anyway.
"So, what is the occasion for Onee-sama to come and visit me in person?" After being petted for a couple of minutes, she finally talked.
"We are here to get some clothes, obviously."
"We?" Lucy looked at Stacy, puzzled because she didn't see me standing next to her.
"Yes, my daughter and I are looking for new clothes." Stacy looked behind her to see me standing a couple of meters away from where I originally was standing. "Kitsuna, come; she isn't going to bite you."
"Didn't want to disturb your reunion with your sister," I said, walking closer to them. Looking at Lucy, I saw that she was a beauty. She has short blond hair, a small round face, ocean blue eyes, and pink lips, and she was actually taller than Stacy when she was standing straight.
"A demi-fox. Isn't she a bit old to be your daughter? Stacy, did you cheat on Dean? Or did Dean cheat on you? I would rip him a new one if he did." Lucy shot off question after question and a scary threat as well.
"She is adopted." Stacy's tone flattened. "No one cheated or anything, and she is only 10 years old."
"Wow, she is quite tall and scary for a 10-year-old." Looking at me again, she raised an eyebrow and asked. "What sort of demi-fox are you?"
"A normal one, I think. I haven't been in the social circle as of yet." I shrugged at her weird question.
"I see. Stacy, she isn't a normally adopted daughter, is she?" Lucy looked back at Stacy to receive a nod. Looking down at my bandages, she asked again. "I can touch her, right?" Getting a nod again, Lucy took me by the hand and started walking deeper into the store. "Let us begin your makeover."
"Lucy, can we start with dresses?" Stacy asked, following behind us.
"Stacy, she won't fit in a dress. Looking at her figure, she will most likely be flatter than you." For some reason, I felt depressed to hear that my chest might even be smaller than Stacy's.
"You don't know she is only 10 years old."
"In my line of work, you learn how to know things just from their figure alone."
"So she will be flatter than me?"
"Most probably. So we are going with the clothes she has on right now."
"Hehe, I am not going to be the smallest one in the family anymore." Hearing Stacy's words, I felt that I had lost a part of me that I never knew I had. "Hmm, why are you getting depressed? You are going to look more like a man, you know."
"I, myself, don't even know why I am getting depressed about this. It might be because I am losing to you."
"At least no man will try anything with you." Stacy shrugged.
"Thinking about it that way, that's true. Hehe, I will have my peace and quiet." I smiled under my scarf.
"Are you two done? I want to cut her hair." Lucy said behind me, clipping her scissors. Looking down, I saw I was in a barber chair with towels around my neck.
How did I get here? The chair faced a big mirror framed by ribbons and measuring tapes like a wreath of bright snakes. Pins lived in a cushion shaped like a tomato; chalk sticks dozed in a shallow wooden tray. The whole corner smelled faintly of clean steel and citrus oil.
"Why are you going to cut my hair?" I kind of like my long hair." I watched her in the mirror.
"I am not going to cut off everything. Just below your shoulders."
"That is still a lot."
"That is because your hair goes down below your ass, dummy. It's like you have never cut your hair before."
"Actually, I have never cut my hair before," I said, looking down.
"Wow, that's..." Lucy trailed off-somewhere between impressed and horrified.
"Good luck with your hairdo. I am going to look for some clothes." Stacy said, walking away from us, already drifting toward the men's jackets rather than the dresses.
"You better not get things for Kitsuna. That is my job today," Lucy called behind her.
"That was the plan." Stacy waved her off without turning.
"Okay, back to you." Lucy combed through the heavy fall of my hair, the teeth sliding smoothly. "I am going to cut off your hair until it is below the shoulders. Also, do you want to donate your cut hair? We can make wigs with it."
You never know if there are more mad scientists in the world. Better ask Stacy first.
"I don't know if I can ask Stacy about it."
"Oh, okay?" She clipped the first section, and the lock slid down into her palm, glossy as satin rope. "So, how long ago were you adopted?"
"A couple of days, I think. Not that long." I have only been awake for a day.
"I see. You know she already has a daughter, right?"
"Yes, why are you saying it like that?" I was confused about why she asked me something like that.
"It's just that her other daughter does not like her very much for some reason. People say it is because she is a training freak that her daughter doesn't like her, but I think it has something to do with her previous life."
"Something to do with her previous life?"
"Ah, sorry, you maybe don't know about the reincarnates. They..."
"I know I am one of them as well."
"I see. What was your name?"
"Shiro Adachi."
"Aah, the teachers' pet." Getting depressed being called "teacher's pet" again. Lucy tapped her chin while thinking. "Wasn't Shiro a guy, though?"
"Can we please move on? I don't like being reminded about my past. Also, I wasn't a teacher's pet. I was antisocial, so people made things up about me."
"Haha." The scissors made a clean, satisfying sound. "Back to Stacy's daughter. Her name was Izumi Hitomi. For some reason, from a young age, she clung to her father every chance she got. I think she never would come to my store if her father didn't come with her."
"Izumi Hitomi. Hmm." That name reminded me of a girl who was known for her looks and ice queen personality. "I know her. She was the ice queen of our school. She was apparently very cold toward everyone."
"Apparently. I thought you were anti-social."
"I am, but with the number of rumors about her, it was hard not to know who she was."
"I see. Do you know why she is so attached to her father?"
"Yeah, it's most likely because she had two mothers. She never knew who her father was. That's all I can think of."
"Aah, I see. So she was adopted, most likely. All done, time to get your clothes." She said while tying my hair into a ponytail. A few wisps fell like deliberate accents; the rest lay sleek and heavy against my back, ending a little below my shoulders-lighter, sharper, somehow more like me. "You go into that room and undress. I will bring the clothes to you." She pointed to a door curtained with thick navy fabric.
"Okay." I slid off the chair and went where she pointed. The fitting room was small but not cramped: a bench, a mirror with a tilt bar, and a little rug soft enough that bare feet didn't flinch on the wooden floor. I undressed and stacked my clothes in a neat pile. My bandaged forearms looked almost ceremonial in the mirror-lines of black-and-red ink peeking above the wraps like something alive and patient.
A pair of knuckles tapped the frame. "Ready?" Lucy's voice.
"Yeah."
The curtain rustled, and a hanger sailed over the top like a messenger pigeon. "First set!"
I caught it one-handed.
Dress-up: Round One
Black trousers with a sharp crease, a charcoal button-down, and a thin tie striped red and white.
I pulled it on and stepped out. The shop's light came from a row of shaded fixtures that made all the fabrics look richer; in the mirror near the dressing room, I looked like I was about to charge someone a late fee.
Lucy planted a hand on her hip. "Banker. But make it murder."
Stacy squinted, then shook her head. "No. She looks like she will audit your soul."
I tugged at the tie until it surrendered and went back in.
Round Two
High-collar white shirt, dove-gray vest, and long black coat with a subtle dark-red lining when it moved. The boots Lucy slid under the curtain were soft at the ankle and quiet on the floor. Everything fit. No pulling, no pinching, just smooth alignment.
Out in the mirror, the coat swayed when I turned. It felt... good. Too respectable.
Lucy's eyes lit up. "Dashing!"
Stacy cocked her head. "She looks like a teacher who wins sword duels after class."
I made a noncommittal noise and went back in.
Round Three
A deep forest-green shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbow with neat button tabs; black fitted trousers; a waist belt with a matte buckle. Lucy added fingerless gloves "for tone."
I stepped out, flexed my fingers, then closed one eye to test the look like it might change.
"Scout captain," Lucy declared.
"Bandit lieutenant," Stacy amended, deadpan. "Who taxes bridges at night?"
I smirked despite myself and disappeared behind the curtain.
Round Four
Crimson tunic with a diagonal fastening, black trousers, and a short travel cloak attached with a simple clasp. The fabric moved like water and didn't catch.
I turned once, fast. The cloak whispered.
Lucy clasped her hands. "Now you're a wandering swordswoman who has dramatic conversations with the moon."
Stacy nodded slowly. "We keep the cloak for a festival. Not for daily use. She'll end up using it to carry stolen bread."
I raised a hand over the curtain and gave a little "maybe" waggle before swapping again.
Round Five (Accessories Attack)
A simple black shirt and trousers-Lucy called it the "reset"-then she fed me accessories one by one: a chain at the belt, a narrow silver bangle, a leather wristband, and a pendant shaped like a tiny fox tail.
I stepped out.
"You look like you own a music tavern," Stacy said. "And like, you can beat up the bouncer."
Lucy tilted her head. "We're so close. She's sharp lines, not sparkle. Minimalist menace."
"Minimalist menace," I repeated, faintly amused, and ducked back.
Round Six (The One-That-Almost-Was)
Long charcoal coat with a high mandarin collar, black on black on black. The silhouette was as clean as a blade. When I stepped out, even I paused.
Lucy breathed, "Oh."
"Too much," Stacy decided after three seconds. "She looks like a myth. People won't sell her bread."
I returned to the changing room, half-reluctant, half-relieved.
Round Seven (Close, but no)
A black bomber-style jacket with subdued stitching, dark jeans, and a slate shirt. It was flexible, ready to run or fight.
Lucy's smile said yes.
Stacy's mouth pinched. "Not quite. She looks like she is about to steal a horse for fun."
Lucy snapped her fingers. "I have it."
Two heartbeats. A soft thump of hangers. Then-
Round Eight (Final)
The black leather jacket with sleeves that rolled to the elbow cleanly, a white shirt-not too bright, just enough contrast-black jeans that moved with me, and ankle boots with black and red detailing that echoed the lines of my bandages. Everything fit like it had been waiting for me to arrive.
I stepped out.
Even Stacy went still.
Lucy didn't say anything for a moment either. The shop hummed-the faint buzz of the street through the door, the whisper of fabric when the air shifted-but nobody spoke.
Then Lucy exhaled. "That."
Stacy's eyes swept me from top to bottom, measuring, weighing, and approving. Her tail made a small, satisfied flick. "That."
I turned once, checking how the jacket moved, how the shirt lay, and how the boots sounded. The mirror gave me back someone I would not pick a fight with in an alley: not a polished noble, not a runaway mercenary-something that stood on its own.
Lucy broke first, grinning. "We're adding one thing." She held up a black scarf stitched with slender red lines-the same one from earlier but steamed and fluffed. "You wore it in this morning, but now it belongs."
I looped it around my neck. The lines caught the light and echoed the ember-red in my hair and eyes. I looked like myself, sharpened.
"Keep that on," Stacy said, voice satisfied. "We'll do the final reveal properly. Back in. We'll make her wait."
I snorted but obeyed. Because I agreed.
(Stacy's POV)
I have been waiting for an hour already. I was sitting just outside of the dressing room Kitsuna was using. Thinking back at her status I saw this morning, I thought about how I should train her. It was important to get her at least halfway to elite knight status so she could stop herself from becoming a slave for the kingdom. The best part about her is her curses. She can get so strong before she gets a class. I forgot to tell her that you need to be level 50 to get a proper class. I will have to talk about that later. But I want her to become strong before she has to go back to the capital.
She asked me to teach her about every weapon there is. Thinking back to my childhood, my father did tell me about a legendary class called Weapon Master. He said that I need to master every weapon there is if I want this class. I tried doing it in the beginning, but when I joined the academy, everyone already had their classes, so I gave in and got the class I have now. Dual Assassin (Berserker). Thinking of how happy I was getting an exotic class and having Berserker with it-that made it close to a legendary class. Everyone praised me, even my dad, although he was a bit disappointed in me giving up on Weapon Master. He was still very proud of me. I still promised him that I would master every weapon, and I did that, but sadly, he died.
I rubbed the scar along my forearm-old training accident, old lesson. Kitsuna wanted blades, bows, staffs, chains-everything. Good. I could give her everything. And if she chased that class I never reached, I would be the hands that set the rungs for her climb.
Hearing the door open in front of me, I saw Lucy walking out with a grin on her face.
"Milady, are you ready to see your daughter?"
"That took you ages, Lucy. Just bring her out already." I whined, only half faking it.
"As you wish." She smiled and opened the door, completely revealing Kitsuna.
The first thought that went through my head was "dangerously handsome." She had long bangs on the side of her face, with the rest of her hair in a ponytail. She was smiling at me so I could see her large canine teeth. She was wearing a black leather jacket with the sleeves rolled up until her elbows. Showing her bandages around her arms that fit with her look, oddly enough. She had a white shirt on with black jeans and black and red ankle boots. All that was really missing was the scarf she got herself this morning.
"Put on your scarf," I told her to put it on.
"That's true. Put it on." Lucy also agreed.
Going back into the room she came from, she came back with it on. The scarf's thin red stitch lines caught the light in a way that mirrored the ember in her hair and the red ring to her eyes. The ensemble clicked into something whole.
"It's confirmed you look like the most dangerous person I have ever met. That is why we need to get you a class that fits with your looks." Her looks made me resolve to make her a legendary class wielder.
"That's good to hear, I think." Kitsuna tilted her head.
Sorry for the late chapter. I broke my leg again today.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 8:
"Of course it's good. I, one of the strongest people in the kingdom, am going to teach you everything I know."
"Is that so?" I said, more dry than impressed, though, yeah, a little surprised. A lot of people claimed strength. Stacy said it like a weather report.
"This is a clothing store. Please don't talk about combat here. Go to the smithy for that," Lucy interjected, sliding between us with a measuring tape looped around her neck like a scarf. The glint in her eyes said she'd happily evict both of us if we started discussing dismemberment next to her silk display.
"Sorry, Lucy, but can you ring us up?" Stacy lifted both hands in truce. "I want to go to Steve. Need to talk to him."
"Fine. Come visit again, Onee-sama," Lucy said with a smile that softened her scolding. She swept behind the counter, the bell on her scissors chiming faintly as she moved.
The next few minutes were a soft blur of paper and string. Lucy folded and refolded the clothes with a speed that felt like a magic trick-jacket sleeves tucked just so, shirts rolled instead of creased to save the seams, boots nested heel-to-toe in tissue. Each bundle got a wax-paper wrap and a tie of red twine. She packed everything into stout canvas bags stamped with a tiny fox emblem I hadn't noticed on the sign. Every so often she glanced up, checking the set of my scarf or the way my ponytail lay against the jacket collar, nudging things into place the way a good craftsman can't help doing.
When we finally stepped back into the street, the bell over the door sang a short goodbye. The afternoon had brightened while we were inside; the sun sat higher and threw white light down the stone street, bouncing off windows and turning the dust into glitter. The road outside Lucy's shop squeezed into a small square where three lanes met; a fountain burbled in the center, ringed by a low stone lip where children balanced and failed to balance. The stalls around us buzzed-spiced meat smoking on skewers, a woman selling combs shaped like leaves, and a cart piled with brass hinges and locks clinking as the wheel hit a rut.
Walking out of the store with a lot of bags in our hands.
"She really tried to drag me out with all the clothes she got you," Stacy said, shifting the weight from one arm to the other. Her tail flicked with the motion, amused and put-upon at the same time.
"Yeah, there are like ninety different sets of clothes." I looked down at the handles digging into my fingers. The canvas creaked quietly under the strain. "I think she hid a curtain in here just to see if I'd notice."
"Can't you put all this in your Dimensional Storage?"
"I don't know how to use that." I gave her a deadpan look over the top of my scarf. I'd only just learned to make the status panel listen to me. Fancy pocket dimensions weren't exactly intuitive.
"Just think of the skill and pour mana outwards."
"I don't know how to do that, Stacy."
"Fine, come here." She put the bags down and reached to tap two fingers against the center of my forehead. "I will give you some knowledge so you can use your skill."
I stared at her hand like it had grown a second hand. "How does that work?"
"You know that I told you I don't have an element, right?"
Nodding, I said, "Yeah, that's why you can't help me with magic."
"Well, it is true I don't have an element, but I have a skill that can work with souls and memories."
The square seemed to hush around the edges of that sentence. Or maybe the hush was just inside my head. Either way, the words slid under my skin in a familiar, unwelcome direction.
"Stacy, is that how you knew I was a reincarnation?" I asked. Her ears flicked back, just a fraction, before she nodded-slow, measuring, like she was approaching a skittish animal.
"So you can see my memories of my past life." Heat crawled up the back of my neck. Old rooms, old hospital lights, the click of a pen against a clipboard-fractured shards tried to slide free. I pressed my tongue to the back of my teeth and swallowed them.
"Don't overthink it now," she said quickly. "Yes, I can do that, but I need verbal permission from the person to see their memories. That is why I didn't know your name before you told me. All I knew is that you were a reincarnation when I looked at your soul."
"But you still tried the skill on me, didn't you?" My voice went sharp, then louder. "You tried."
"Yes, but I wanted to alter your memories so you could forget about the five years of torture." Her hands opened, empty, like that made an apology. "I didn't want you to carry that weight."
"That doesn't change the fact that you tried it on me!" The shout jumped out of me faster than I could put a leash on it. Heads turned. The fountain's burble suddenly sounded small compared to the ripples of attention rolling our way.
From the corners, the crowd's noise crept in-a tightening ring: boots scuffing to a halt, cloth whispers, the way people breathe when they're deciding whether to watch or interfere. A child stopped with a honeyed bun halfway to his mouth. A pair of apprentices carrying a ladder stalled and tilted it down so they could see better. The square wasn't hostile, just curious, but too many eyes at once pressed against my skin like heat.
Stacy reached for one of the bags. "You did it, nice. Here, store my bags also," she said, not realizing we had a crowd around us.
I was still panicking about the number of eyes on me that I didn't even look at her. My gaze skittered over faces-wide-eyed, wary, frankly fascinated-and then up, up, catching on the low roofs that framed the square. Slate tiles. Good distance. Two handholds to the gutter, then a pull.
While I was looking around, the mutters edged in, carrying the oily slide of guesses.
"Why is Lady Draig arguing with that man?"
"He looks so scary."
"Did you see his eyes?"
"Yes, they look like the eyes of a monster."
The words didn't hit me so much as they piled up against each other, a stack of bricks building a wall around my lungs. The scarf felt too close. The square felt too loud. The bags in my hands felt like anchors. Somewhere under the panic, a childish, offended voice wanted to correct their pronouns; the rest of me just wanted out.
I looked down at the bags and tried to do what Stacy said to me. Think of the skill. Pour mana outward. I had no map for "outward," but I had instincts and stubbornness. I pictured a door-small, clean-edged, opening where my fingers met the canvas handle. I pushed with whatever that quiet cold hum inside me was.
The world made a tiny, neat sound, like a bubble popping somewhere behind my eyes. The bag vanished without weight or drama, as if it had always been a thought.
I blinked at my empty hand. Then at the space where the bag wasn't.
"You did it, nice," Stacy said, pride brightening her voice. She thrust another bag at me. "Here, store my bags also."
I took them without answering and made the door open again. Pop, pop, pop. To anyone else, it looked like I was doing a simple trick; to me, it felt like slipping stones from a backpack one by one while running uphill. Every disappearance took a pinch of that cold hum, not painful, just noticed. Someone in the crowd gasped. Someone else clapped once before their friend elbowed them.
I was still breathing too fast. The press of eyes hadn't lessened just because the bags were gone. If anything, it thickened-curiosity turning to gossip turning to stories in the making. I traced a path to the roof again. One, two, pull.
Stacy saw the tilt of my weight and the angle of my shoulders. "Kitsuna, you are still injured. You might not make it," she said. Warning, do not order.
Ignoring her, I jumped up towards the roof.
The world tilted and compressed: the stone lip of the fountain became a stepping stone, then the edge of a windowsill; my fingers found the gutter and yanked. The slate greeted my boots with a scrape and a sliding complaint. Pain lit in both calves, clean and bright like a struck match, then flared to a ribbon that wrapped all the way up behind my knees. A reminder that you don't sprint on new legs, even if you're you. I braced low and rode the ache into stillness.
Landing on the top, I could feel that I injured my leg muscles with the jump, but I didn't care about that; I just wanted to get away from the crowd. The square shrank beneath me, people reduced to coins and bright heads. The noise softened by distance became almost pleasant-market sounds, not suffocation.
A shadow leapt up beside me and resolved into Stacy. She landed with a cat's economy of motion, a hand out like she'd catch me if I toppled, though she knew I wouldn't.
"I am sorry; I didn't notice the crowd." She said it without excuse, ears dipped.
"We can talk later. Point towards Steve's place." I said, taking the last of the bags from her and storing them as well. Pop, pop. The sky did not fall. The relief of lighter hands made room for the ache to register properly.
She started to move in a direction, and I followed behind her. We ran the roofline at a sensible pace, which for Stacy meant quick but not reckless. The buildings here leaned into one another the way old friends stand-close enough that their eaves nearly touched. Laundry lines hung like pale flags between them; a pot of rosemary on a sill threw up sharp green whenever our steps sent a tremor through the bricks. Somewhere below, a smith's hammer rang a steady heartbeat over the chatter of the streets.
"About my skill," Stacy said after we crossed a narrow alley in a single step. She didn't look at me, just watched her feet, the angles of tiles, and the places where the sun turned slate into glare. "I can't see people's memories without their permission, or the person's mental power must be weak. I can also lock away memories like I wanted to do with you. All I needed to do so was force myself through, but your mental power was too strong for me to do so. I was confused about how that was possible for a 10-year-old and one that has been through torture for 5 years. That is when I check out your soul. Just with one look at it, I knew you were a reincarnation like my daughter. It was still weird, though; your mental power shouldn't be that high even if you were a reincarnation. I gave up after a couple of days of trying. But when you woke up, I knew there was a reason behind your mental power, and it had something to do with your life before this one."
Her words threaded between footfalls. I let them, because the rhythm helped. Roof joint, gap, chimney; word, word, pause.
"How did you figure out in just one day that it had to do with my life on Earth?" I asked, still puzzled about how she knew so much without touching anything I didn't give.
"Your eyes and you aren't that good at lying." A corner of her mouth ticked. "You are good at hiding things visibly, but your eyes gave it away."
"My eyes gave it away? What do you mean by that?"
"I have worked with a lot of mental traumas. Over the years, I learned to read people through their eyes alone."
"You sound like a person that has decades of experience, but you are only 32 years old. That is not long enough to learn that."
"When the king found out about my skill, he used me to get to people and help people."
Realization crossed my face-hot and sour-as the picture filled itself in. "How old were you when it started?"
"5."
We ran two roofs in silence, and the city ran with us-clotheslines and sun-warmed brick, the smell of yeast from a bakery vent, someone tuning a lute badly at a window. The quiet between us wasn't empty. It was a room you could stand inside without tripping over anything.
"It seems we are more alike than I thought," I said finally. The first time I'd been strapped down had been at five. The first time I'd learned how to fold and put away fear had been at five. I kept my eyes on the next jump and made it clean.
"Yes, we both have been used and betrayed by people." She gave a sad smile that I caught from the side, quick as a bird and just as easily missed if you weren't looking.
"Did your mother or father betray you?" I asked without looking at her, partly because I didn't want to fall and mostly because some things felt easier to say to the city.
"Both in a way, and you?"
"Father."
We moved until the roofs grew lower and the houses got rougher around the edges-less glass, more patched shutters, the kind of place where the stone remembered heat longer because more fire burned inside it. The ring of a hammer got louder, steadier, and more confident. Somewhere ahead, a chimney smudged the sky darker than its neighbors.
"If you want to talk more about these things, we can." She gave me a gentle smile then, one she didn't pull over her face like a banner but let sit there like something found.
"Thank you for being so open with me," I said. "And I will if I am ready to talk about it. When I am ready, we can tell each other our life stories." The scarf made my voice softer; the roof wind caught the ends and tugged them like a friend.
"Any time, Hunny Bun," she smiled, lifting the mood of our conversation.
"Still not calling you Mom," I said, because balance demanded it.
"I will get you to call me that one day." She slowed and came to a stop on the roof next to an alleyway that cut a dark slice down to the street.
"Haha, we will see." I stepped to the edge and looked down into the alleyway.
"We are here." Stacy crouched, gauging the jump the way a person measures a cup by eye after a thousand breakfasts. The alley was narrow and clean by alley standards-just a stack of crates against one wall, a bucket tipped on its side, and a scatter of coal around a back door. The black scuff of boot traffic ran like a path toward the street end. To the right, past the lip, I could see the corner of a sign wrought into an iron hammer silhouette.
Jumping down into the alleyway, I aimed to land soft, knees bent, weight rolled onto the balls of my feet. The ground came up faster than my legs were ready for. The calf muscles that had already protested on the first jump decided to sing the same complaint louder; the landing wobbled, tilted, then dissolved into a graceful flop to the floor right on my face.
"Kitsuna, are you okay?" Stacy asked, already dropping beside me with hands hovering, not touching until I told them to.
"Yes, that jump from before just injured me more than I thought." The words came out damp against stone. I rolled to sit up and rubbed my shins with both palms, feeling the heat of strain under the skin. "Think you can carry me for a while?"
"Okay." She planted her feet, bent to scoop me up, then stopped mid-bend and facepalmed so hard her ears bounced. "We are dumb. Use your regen skill."
"Aah, that's true." I squinted at my own common sense. "How do I use this one, though? Is it the same as the other skills?"
She nodded. "Most skills work the same."
"I see." I pulled in a breath and did the same as before: thought the name without saying it, and let the cold hum in me wake and move. Super Regen answered like I'd flipped a switch I'd been leaning against all day. Across both calves, the soreness sharpened into a clean ache, then fizzed like seltzer poured over bruises. Threads tugged tight, heat turned to cool, and the heaviness I'd been ignoring let go.
It only took a couple of seconds for it to completely heal. Standing up, I bounced on my toes twice, then jumped around a little just to be rude to physics. Everything answered back steady. "I am all good. Let us go."
We stepped out of the alley toward the street, where the hammer rang steady as a metronome. The sign I'd seen from the roof showed itself fully now: STEVE'S, cut bold into the iron plate below the hammer silhouette. The door stood open to spill heat into the day. Inside, sparks jumped and died, and the air wore the smell of charcoal and hot metal like a cloak.
I touched the scarf once, a reflex more than a thought, then looked at Stacy. She looked back and didn't push. For once, we matched in silence without needing to earn it. We crossed the threshold together.
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Chapter 9:
"Okay." She started walking out the alleyway. Just before we were out, she asked, "Just a question: are you bad with crowds?"
"Yes and no." I gave a short answer as we stepped out into the sunlit street. The marketplace beyond the alley was alive with noise-carts rumbling, hawkers shouting, and the mingled scents of bread, spices, and sweat filling the air. The crowd pressed together in little knots, people weaving and bartering. It was busy enough that my ears twitched at every sharp sound. We started walking towards Steve's smithy shop, trying not to bump shoulders with every passerby.
"Aah, I see." Stacy nodded, glancing at me with that knowing look again. "So there were too many eyes on you, and it made you panic. You like the shadows, don't you? Being out of the spotlight?"
I just nodded at her. It still baffles me how she can figure so much out from so little information. Her tone wasn't judgmental, just matter-of-fact, as if she was laying down a truth I didn't even know I was carrying.
"Better teach me everything you can," she said suddenly, smirking. "I want to be as scary as you."
"Huh? I am not scary. I am an angel." She clasped her hands beneath her chin and put on an exaggerated angelic smile, tilting her head like she expected a halo to pop out above it.
"Yeah, and I am the cutest creature alive," I deadpanned, rolling my eyes at her antics. "You said that you'll get me a class that fits with my looks. How are you planning to do that?"
"I will train you in every weapon this world has to offer," she declared with absolute confidence. "I want to see if my dad was right about a legendary class. I'm already good at every weapon, but I got my class before I was finished. Once you have a class, you can never change it. That's why we're going to take advantage of the things on your arms and buy ourselves as much time as needed. Besides, you wanted to learn every weapon there is, right?"
"That sounds cool," I admitted, tail swishing lazily behind me. "But if you teach me every weapon, what class will I get?"
"My father said that a person who masters all weapons will get a legendary class called Weapon Master. It sounds plain, but the boost it gives is insane, apparently. I've never heard of someone with this class, though, so I don't know how big the boost really is. It's kind of a myth, but with your stats and curses, we can try and get you that class-if it exists, of course."
"Hmm. That sounds fun. We can do that."
"Yes, I can't wait." She smiled, eyes sparkling with the thrill of a plan. "But you'll need to have a class before going back to the capital. That gives us four years. We'll need to train extra hard."
She stopped walking in front of a long, blocky warehouse that stood a little apart from the more polished shops nearby. Its wooden frame was scarred by years of smoke and heat, the iron-banded doors propped open to let out wafts of hot metal and ash. The hammering inside was steady and rhythmic, a metallic heartbeat that seemed to echo even in my chest.
"Haha, why don't we do our bonding sessions over training instead of tea parties?" I joked, hoping to push her into starting sooner than she'd planned.
"We can," she replied smoothly, "but you need to relax for a while. I don't care if you feel fine; you need to settle in first."
"Fine." I gave up on the idea with a little sigh, then glanced at the warehouse. "Is this the place? There's no sign saying this is a smith shop."
"Yup." She didn't hesitate. Walking inside, the noise grew louder, the clang of metal and the hiss of quenching water surrounding us. Weapons hung from racks nailed into the walls, others stacked in barrels or simply resting on long benches. The sheer variety was dizzying-swords, spears, halberds, axes, and things I couldn't even name, their shapes wicked and strange. There were even massive weapons lying carelessly on the ground, too big to fit anywhere else.
The space bustled with activity: apprentices hauling coal, journeymen shaping metal at side forges, and sparks dancing like fireflies under the high rafters. It smelled of smoke, sweat, and oil.
Still following Stacy, we pushed our way through the crowd to reach the counter, where a tired receptionist sat behind a ledger.
"Go tell Steve I have business to talk about," Stacy instructed firmly.
"Yes, Lady Stacy." The receptionist bowed quickly and scurried deeper into the store.
"Are we getting it from a dwarf?" I asked, lowering my voice.
"Yes. You got a problem with that, miss?" A gruff voice cut in before Stacy could answer.
I turned, blinking down at a stocky figure on the other side of the counter. He barely reached my waist, but his presence was like a boulder planted firmly in the earth. His beard was thick and braided, his arms corded with muscle despite his size, and his dark eyes peered up at me with a scowl.
"No, I just... never met a dwarf before," I admitted honestly.
"Is that so?" He grunted. Then he shifted his gaze toward Stacy. "Stacy, did you pick up a new friend or something?"
"She is my daughter. Adopted one," Stacy said bluntly.
"Huh, daughter? Does Dean know?" Steve raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Can we just go to your office?" Stacy cut him off, clearly not in the mood for small talk.
"Fine, fine." He turned around with a huff, waving us to follow. "Follow me."
We trailed him through the forge floor, past sweating apprentices and roaring fires, until we reached a side room tucked behind the main workshop. When we stepped inside, I blinked in confusion. It didn't look like an office at all-it was another forge, though smaller. No tables, no chairs, just anvils, racks, and a low fire.
"Steve," Stacy said with rising frustration, "we're here to talk business. Not for you to make us a weapon. Take us somewhere we can actually talk."
"What sort of business?" he asked warily, narrowing his eyes.
"Just take us to your real office."
He rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. At least it's just next door."
We stepped into the adjoining room, and this time it looked the part. Two couches faced each other with a sturdy table in between, maps and blueprints scattered across its surface. Stacy and I settled onto one couch, while Steve slumped onto the opposite.
"Happy now?" he muttered.
"Thank you," Stacy replied, smoothing down her skirt. Then she leaned forward, all business. "Now, I want you to make me every type of weapon there is in this world."
Steve's bushy brows drew together. "Why?"
"It's for her." Stacy pointed directly at me.
"Why does she need so many weapons?"
"She is still ten years old, and she is still level one."
"What?" His jaw dropped. "She's only ten!?"
We both nodded.
"So you want to find her main weapon or-" His eyes suddenly widened. "Don't tell me you want to do that."
"Yeah. I want to test the myth of the Weapon Master," Stacy said without hesitation. "Will you help me?"
Steve groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Stacy, that's just a myth. You'll be wasting her time."
"Myth or not," I cut in before Stacy could speak, "I already asked her to teach me everything she knows."
The dwarf stared at me, then at Stacy, then back at me. Finally, he threw up his hands. "Fine, fine. If you're certain. Kiddo, what's your int?"
"Huh? Why does that matter? Isn't it strength that matters?" I frowned at him.
"Most people think that," he said, wagging a stubby finger at me, "but some weapons eat mana like it's water. Best example? Cross wheels. They need mana to spin properly, and you can even add elements to them if you've got the juice. So-what's your interest?"
"One thousand," I answered flatly.
Steve froze, then blinked. "I think I misheard you. Did you just say one thousand? Like, two thousand mana, in other words?"
"Yes. I have that much."
"What the-" He gawked, then slowly turned his head toward Stacy. "What's her race? She's no normal demi-fox."
Stacy only smiled, clearly enjoying his shock.
"Take that smile off your face right now!" Steve barked.
"It's not easy to surprise the Forge King," Stacy said sweetly. Then she looked at me. "Well, Kitsuna, may I tell him your story?"
"If you trust him," I said simply.
She nodded, then laid it all out-my past, the experiments, the curses, and the duke's crimes. By the time she finished, Steve's face was red with fury, his fists clenched so tightly I thought he'd snap his own beard braid.
"That bastard deserves worse. Dean let him off too easily. How could he do something like that to children!?" His voice thundered like a hammer strike. "I should go and resummon his soul just to destroy it-or lock it into a rusted dagger where it belongs."
"You can do that?" I asked, ears flicking in surprise.
"Yes. When I want to make a really strong weapon, I can use souls and infuse them." His tone softened, almost distracted, like a craftsman talking about favorite tools.
"Calm down," Stacy interrupted. "Let's talk about the weapons you're going to make for her."
Steve grunted, forcing himself back into his seat. "Fine. I'll do it. But you know it's going to be expensive, right? I can't make normal weapons for her because of her race's elements."
"I know," Stacy said smoothly. "Don't worry about money. We'll pay. All you need to do is make them."
"Alright then," Steve sighed. "We'll start small and work up from there. Give me a sec-I'll go grab some weapons to test her mana power."
He pushed himself up and stomped out, muttering under his breath.
I turned to Stacy. "Stacy, how do classes even work? You never told me."
"Aah, it slipped my mind again." She smiled sheepishly. "You need to become level fifty to get a proper class."
"Level fifty!?" My tail puffed out. "What's the max level a person can get?"
"One thousand."
"I see. That's a lot of leveling. But how do you get the class you want?"
"You train in that category the entire time before you reach level fifty," she explained.
"And how do people level up if they don't kill monsters or anything?"
"There's passive leveling from working jobs-cooking, smithing, anything really. But no, you can't just rush to fifty by accident. There are magic items that stop passive leveling before class selection."
"That makes sense," I admitted. "Then why aren't there more people with strong classes?"
"Because most people don't want to wait until they're twenty without a class," she replied, tilting her head.
"I see..." I muttered, ears flicking thoughtfully. "Second thing-what's mana power?"
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Chapter 10: Mana power and Rebecas secret
The forge smelled of burning metal and charred wood the moment we stepped inside. Heat pressed against my skin like a physical wall, making me squint. Sparks snapped from the open furnaces in the corner, while half-melted blades rested on racks, their warped edges gleaming like wounded animals. Steve stood in the middle of the chaos, his hair wild, his thick beard already flecked with frost from my earlier accident.
"Mana power is determined by how good your affinity is for the element you have," he explained in a teacher's tone, clearly enjoying himself. "The better your affinity, the more potent your mana. And you'll also need less mana for spells. Combine those two, and that's your mana power. I can already tell your strongest affinity is ice. So, use that when testing the weapon."
"Cool," I said with a small nod, my voice flat even though I couldn't help but smirk at my own pun.
Steve ignored me.
"I have some words for you to test." He grunted as he lugged a bundle of weapons in, the blades clattering like metal bones against each other. Dropping them by the side of a table, he bent down and hauled up a heavy two-handed sword. His thick arms flexed, veins bulging with effort, before he shoved it toward me. "Here, Kitsuna. Use this sword first. Infuse your mana into it. You do know your strongest element, don't you?"
Taking the sword carefully, I nodded. "Yeah."
"Good. Then use that element to infuse it."
"So... I actually need to control the mana this time instead of just throwing it out of my body like usual?"
"Yes, you can do it." Stacy's encouraging smile lit up from the side like I was her favorite student at show-and-tell.
"I guess I'm lucky that I'm a reincarnation from a world that never had this kind of power inside the body," I muttered, weighing the sword. Its balance was good-Steve wasn't a hack, at least.
"Even if you are, it's still going to take a while," Steve grumbled, already sounding impatient.
Ignoring him, I shut my eyes and focused. The mana inside me was like a restless river, always eager to spill out and freeze anything unlucky enough to be nearby. Trying to guide it was like trying to herd cats-angry, sharp-clawed cats. I winced, but slowly, painstakingly, I pushed it toward my hands gripping the sword.
"Think of your element," Stacy whispered, almost like she was holding her breath.
Ice. My mind latched onto it, visualizing sharp shards, frozen lakes, and the satisfying crack of water turning solid. The moment the mana brushed against the sword's hilt, the weapon seemed to drink it in, pulling greedily from me.
"STOP!?" Steve's voice cracked like glass.
My eyes flew open just as the entire sword exploded in frost. A jagged layer of ice crawled from the hilt to the tip, locking it solid in a cocoon of white-blue. The temperature in the room plummeted. I could see my breath. Steve's beard had already frozen stiff, icicles hanging from it like ornaments.
"Did I overdo it?" I asked innocently, though the sight of frost creeping along the floorboards made me wince.
"YES!?" Steve roared, his teeth chattering so violently I thought they might break. His arms flailed at his frozen beard like he was fighting off an animal.
"Oops." I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Sorry about that."
Stacy burst out laughing, doubling over until she nearly slipped on the forming ice patch. "She... she froze your beard!" she wheezed, pointing at Steve.
"It's not funny!" He barked, stomping a foot and breaking off some of the frost.
"Totally funny," I muttered under my breath.
Steve groaned and thrust another sword at me, one hand still working to thaw his beard. "Try this one. And this time, for the love of the gods, less mana."
I took it, concentrated again, and carefully dripped mana into the blade like feeding drops of water into a sponge. This time the sword glowed faintly, cold mist curling off it instead of freezing into a block.
"Better," Steve said grudgingly. "Do it again. And again."
Hours blurred by. Sword after sword warped, cracked, or outright shattered under my clumsy experiments. Some metals melted under the mana infusion; others froze brittle and snapped like glass. Stacy cheered every attempt, whether it was a disaster or not. Steve cursed more creatively each time, muttering things about "bankruptcy" and "lunatic fox girls."
Finally, after what felt like forever, Steve leaned back against his anvil with a deep sigh. His workshop looked like a battlefield-piles of ruined weapons, scorch marks, frost patches, and even one sword stuck halfway into the ceiling beams.
"Like I thought," he said, his voice resigned, "this is going to be expensive. Stacy, prepare your wallet."
Stacy groaned, clutching her head. "I knew it would be bad, but why must it be the most expensive metal in the world!?"
"If it makes you happier," I piped up, trying to lighten her mood, "I think I can eventually recreate weapons with ice itself. My eye feels like another limb, and it's strong." I lifted a hand, conjuring small ice cubes that plopped into my palm. They were misshapen and wobbly, and one cracked apart before it even finished forming.
Stacy chuckled despite herself. "Cute. But that'll take years."
"Well, mastering weapons will also take months," I countered. Then a thought struck me. "Wait-can't you make the kingdom pay for this? I mean, I am going to be their weapon, right?"
Stacy blinked at me. Then a grin spread across her face like the sun breaking through clouds. "That's it! Hahaha, I'll make the king pay for your weapons! Smart thinking, daughter of mine."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help a little grin of my own.
The forge windows glowed with the amber of late afternoon, shadows stretching across the floor. I rubbed my sore arms, realizing how long we'd been here. "Looks like we're out of time for shopping."
"Yeah." Stacy sighed. "We'll have Rebeca handle the rest tomorrow. And we'll need to start studying tomorrow, too."
"She's going to be mad, you know that," I said flatly.
"It'll be fine. She won't be that mad... I hope." Stacy's voice wavered.
I just stared at her.
Before she could defend herself, Steve returned with a heavy bag clinking full of weapons. "Here are the prototypes I forged out of Adamite," he said, setting them down with a thud.
I grabbed the bag and tucked it into my dimensional storage. Now that I had better mana control, using skills like that felt almost natural.
Steve's eyes widened with envy. "That skill's ridiculous. I want it."
"Not for sale," I said with a cheeky smile.
"Thank you, Steve," Stacy said with a small bow. "We'll send word when we need more. And, yes, the payment will come soon."
"Don't forget the money!" Steve called after us as we stepped out of the sweltering forge into the cooling evening air.
The Punishment
Rebeca was waiting outside the mansion gates when we returned. Her posture was perfect, her arms crossed, her expression colder than any ice I could conjure. Stacy visibly stiffened beside me.
I froze, too-but for different reasons. My instincts screamed danger. The veins on Rebeca's forehead pulsed like she was about to blow.
"Stacy," Rebeca said in an emotionless voice that made the hair on my tail stand up, "why were you buying weapons? I told you to buy things Kitsuna would actually need."
"I-" Stacy faltered, then plastered on a nervous smile. "I'm sorry, Rebeca. I just... When I saw her stats, I couldn't help myself. At least we got her new clothes! And, uh, plans changed. We'll start studying tomorrow, then training when she's settled in. Could you, maybe, buy the rest tomorrow?"
Rebeca's eyes narrowed into slits. Then, without warning, she reached out and grabbed Stacy's ear, yanking hard.
"Ow ow ow ow!" Stacy squealed.
"Who was it that wanted her new daughter to call her 'Mom' as fast as possible?" Rebeca hissed, tugging harder.
"Not in front of Kitsuna!" Stacy wailed, flailing her arms. "She already thinks I'm an airhead!"
"I wonder why," I muttered under my breath, smirking at the show.
My amusement didn't last long. Something tugged at my tail. I whipped around to see Rebeca smiling sweetly at me.
"Oh no," I whispered.
"You're not getting away either," she said. With a sharp yank, she dragged me forward by the tail. Pain shot up my spine, making me yelp. My scarf flew off, followed by my shoes.
"AAAH!? That hurts! Let go, let go, let go! You're pulling my tail out!" I screamed, thrashing.
Stacy, still in Rebeca's grip, gave me a pitiful smile. "I'm sorry, my daughter, but at least we're getting punished together."
"Shut it! I don't want this kind of bonding!" I barked.
Rebeca's lips curled into a sadistic grin. "Quiet, both of you. We're going to the punishment room."
As she dragged us across the courtyard, I suddenly caught a whiff of something strange. My nose wrinkled. Heat spiked in my cheeks.
"Rebeca..." I said slowly, looking up at her. "Are you... into torturing people? Because I can smell something... weird coming from you."
She froze mid-step.
Her face went red.
I gave her a knowing smile. "So you're into that, huh? Wouldn't have guessed."
"What do you mean?" Stacy blinked, confused. "I don't smell anything."
"Remember, I can smell way better than you. And trust me-she's getting wet down there-AAAAHHHH!"
I didn't even finish before Rebeca hurled me into the air like a sack of potatoes.
"You pervert!" she shrieked, her entire face scarlet.
"How am I the pervert here!?" I shouted back, still airborne.
She dropped Stacy like a sack of flour and bolted for the mansion, covering her face with her hands.
"Huh? So... we're not being punished?" Stacy mumbled, rubbing her sore ear.
I hit the ground with a crater-making thud, dust flying everywhere. Groaning, I pushed myself upright and cupped my hands around my mouth. "THANK YOU FOR DROPPING ME; STILL INJURED, BY THE WAY!"
Stacy hurried over, her face caught between concern and laughter.
"Your maid is a sadist," I grumbled, brushing dirt off my clothes. "She gets turned on by torturing people. I could smell it clear as day."
Stacy's eyes widened. Then, slowly, she started to nod, her face turning red. "...That explains so much. YOU PERVERT!" she screamed toward the mansion. "I'll get you back for all the punishments you've given me!"
I stared at her in disbelief. "How didn't you notice that in all these years?"
"She always had valid reasons to punish me!" Stacy said defensively. "And I don't have a nose like yours!"
"Whatever," I sighed, tail still sore. "Let's just eat and sleep. Studying starts tomorrow."
Stacy brightened immediately, skipping ahead toward the mansion, humming about books and lessons. I lingered a moment at the gate, watching her.
She was scatterbrained. Impulsive. A total mess sometimes. But there was warmth in the way she looked at me, even if I couldn't quite trust it yet. Could she really be the mother figure I never had?
In my past life, I'd had a mother too-until I was five, when she took her own life right in front of me. That scar still bled in quiet moments. I wasn't sure I could handle another loss if Stacy ended up leaving me, too.
But... maybe I wanted to risk it.
"Hey! Are you coming?" Stacy called from the doorway, waving.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," I muttered, shaking myself out of my thoughts. Pulling my scarf back on, I trudged after her, stepping into the mansion's warm light.
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Chapter 11: RIP Lily
The next morning, I was sitting at the long dining table with Stacy. The sun had barely pushed through the curtains, and yet plates upon plates of food had already been piled in front of me. I was halfway through demolishing them when I noticed her staring at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Where are you even putting all that food?" she asked, chin propped lazily on her palm. "Don't tell me you're secretly using dimensional storage just to stash it away."
I swallowed the mouthful of eggs and meat, wiped my lips with the back of my hand, and shook my head. "Nope. Don't know why I eat so much. But hey-it's getting less."
"Not by much." She gestured at the battlefield of plates around me. "You just ate more than two entire tables of food."
"It's only two and a half tables, thank you very much."
"That would be fine," she said flatly, "if the table you were eating on wasn't one that can seat twenty-two people. I think that's why you made that crater outside last night." She jabbed a finger at me accusingly.
I froze, fork halfway to my mouth. "Are you calling me fat?"
"No," she said sweetly. "I'm calling you heavy."
"...What's the difference?" I muttered, glaring at her. "Anyway, talking about last night, where's Rebecca? I want to get back at her for throwing me." I glanced around the cavernous dining hall, half-expecting her to appear just from hearing her name. But nope. No angry Rebecca in sight.
"She doesn't even care about her weight," Stacy sighed, shaking her head. "Rebecca locked herself inside her room. Said she's never coming out again."
"Tsk. Hiding just because her secret was exposed," I clicked my tongue. "Not owning up to it, huh."
Before Stacy could respond, a muffled voice drifted from just outside the door.
"I personally would love to be punished by Rebecca-sama... hehe."
Both of us froze. My fork hovered in the air. Stacy's eyes widened, mirroring my shock. Slowly, we turned to look at each other, disbelief written all over our faces. Then, in perfect synchronization, we both nodded. No words were needed-we had reached a silent agreement. Whoever had said that was not escaping.
"Whoever said that," Stacy called out sharply, her voice slicing through the room, "come inside. And don't bother hiding-we will find you."
There was a long pause. Then, with the sound of hesitant footsteps, a maid entered. She had brown hair tied neatly at her nape, dark blue eyes, and a face that would have been perfectly composed-if not for the blush dusting her cheeks. Pretty, yes. But clearly... a masochist.
"So, it was you, Lily," Stacy said, gesturing her closer.
"Yes, milady," Lily admitted, bowing her head, though her ears were pink. Her hands twisted nervously at her apron hem.
Stacy's eyes flicked from me to Lily, a sly smile forming. "Okay. You'll do. A good sacrifice."
"Milady?" Lily's eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back. "What do you mean by... sacrifice?" Fear flickered in her gaze, though the blush stubbornly remained.
"For Rebecca, of course."
"O-Oh?" Her blush deepened. "Why do I need to be given to her?"
"Because," I said bluntly, pointing my fork at her, "she didn't get her joy last night and was exposed by me. Now she's hiding away from everyone. We need bait to lure her out. Congratulations, that's you."
"Wait-what?" Lily sputtered, but Stacy was already circling her like a predator.
"Kitsuna, put her on your shoulders," Stacy ordered casually. "We're going to Rebecca's room."
Before Lily could protest further, I stood, scooped her up, and tossed her over my shoulder like a sack of grain. "Got it."
"W-Wait! Am I really being used as bargaining to get Rebecca back to work?!" Lily kicked her feet, but I tightened my hold.
"Yes," Stacy and I replied in perfect unison.
"At least give me a raise for this!" Lily tried desperately, clinging to the last hope.
"No," Stacy replied flatly without missing a beat. She started leading the way through the endless halls of the mansion, and I followed, Lily groaning on my shoulder like a martyr.
After what felt like ten minutes of walking (seriously, this mansion was absurdly large), we stopped in front of a pair of grand double doors. Rebecca's room. Stacy rapped her knuckles on the wood.
"This is her room," Stacy said, then leaned forward. "Open up."
From inside came a muffled shout. "Leave me alone!"
Stacy smirked. "We have a present for you. Or... a toy. However you want to take her."
Lily stiffened on my shoulder. "Wait, am I really a toy now?!"
"Yes," Stacy said again, utterly unapologetic.
"Am I still not getting a raise?"
"No," Stacy repeated, eyes on the door.
I couldn't help it-I snorted. Lily groaned dramatically.
Stacy banged on the door again. "Open it! We just want to deliver her, that's all!"
"NO!" Rebecca's voice cracked through the wood like thunder.
Stacy sighed, turned to me, and whispered her plan. "Alright, I'm going to bust the door open. You throw her in and seal it shut with your ice magic. Got it?"
"Got it," I whispered back, adjusting Lily, who was now whimpering softly.
Stacy counted down. "One... two... three!"
With a resounding crack, Stacy slammed the doors open. I didn't hesitate-I flung Lily inside like a sack of potatoes, and before Rebecca could even scream, I froze the doorway shut with a wall of ice.
Just before it sealed, Stacy yelled through the gap, "You have until tomorrow with her, then be back at work, cleaned up!"
The ice sealed with a final shhhk. Silence.
I looked at Stacy. "Do you think she'll survive?"
"Probably." Stacy shrugged and walked away as if we hadn't just offered a maid as tribute.
I followed quickly, shaking my head. "So, where to now?"
"To the library, I guess," Stacy said over her shoulder.
"Cool. I wanted to learn more about this world anyway."
The walk to the library only reminded me of one thing: this mansion was ridiculously oversized. By the time we arrived, I was already annoyed.
'It took us ten whole minutes to get here. Just to the library. Who even designs a house like this?'
The moment the doors opened, though, I was struck silent. The library was massive. Floor-to-ceiling shelves, neatly ordered rows of tomes, the faint but comforting scent of parchment and ink. And three entire floors of nothing but books.
"Don't you think the library is a bit far from everything else?" I muttered, craning my neck to see the top floor.
"My Amari wanted a big library," Stacy explained. "So Dean made her one. Sadly, that meant building it far from the mansion's center."
"Haha. The ice queen is a bookworm," I teased.
"Yes," Stacy admitted without hesitation. "She loves her novels. But rarely history."
"That's weird," I said, genuinely puzzled. "If I were reincarnated into a new world, I'd want to know everything about it."
"She already learned it all in the academy. That's probably why she doesn't bother now."
"Ahh, I see." I looked up at the daunting rows of books again and sighed. "So... where do we start?"
"The first and second floors are just novels. The third floor is what you're after-study materials." Stacy smirked. "Good luck."
She actually turned to leave. "Wait," I called. "You're not helping me?"
"I was planning to, but seeing this place gave me chills." She gave a fake shiver. "Too many books."
"At least show me where everything is," I groaned. "I'll learn on my own."
"Fine," she relented. We climbed to the third floor together, the sound of our steps echoing on the polished wooden stairs. Stacy went straight to a shelf and began pulling books, stacking them carelessly. Then she plopped the heavy pile in front of me at a nearby table.
"Here. Don't know what I was thinking yesterday when I said I'd help you study. I hate books. Or more precisely-paper." She scowled, muttering about her poor life choices.
But I was already flipping open the first book. The title read: Basic Knowledge About Planet Nibiru.
Time here was similar to Earth-60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day. But then I read the line that made me nearly choke.
"Seven hundred and twenty days in a year?!"
Stacy chuckled at my face. "Amari reacted the same. And before you ask-you still only get one birthday a year."
"In other words-"
"You lived ten Earth years' worth of torture," she finished for me, her tone casual.
I leaned back, the weight of that hitting me. Twenty-two years of torment condensed into what felt like a nightmare. My stomach twisted.
"I see... What's the maximum age someone can reach in this world?" I asked, trying to push past the thought.
"You don't need to worry about that."
"I died early in my past life. I want to live properly this time."
"I meant you wouldn't die of age," she corrected, her expression turning serious. "Do you remember what you can become? If you accept that race as your own, you'll be immortal. The only way you'll die is if someone stronger kills you."
I blinked. "That's... nice to hear, I guess. But what do you mean by accepting my true race?"
"Well, that's something only you can figure out," Stacy said, folding her arms. "I don't know how to help you. But I can explain a little. If you check your status, you'll see it says Demon-Fox. That's not your true race. Next to it, you'll see Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Primordial. That's your real race."
I frowned. "So it's... a mindset thing?"
"Exactly. You're clinging to the last scraps of humanity you think you have. If you accept your true form, you'll lose that."
"Huh. But I'm already a Demon-Fox. What's human about that?"
"A Demon-Fox is humanoid. But a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Primordial's true form is a fox. A monster, technically. That's the difference."
I leaned back, exhaling slowly. "Who wants to be a monster, right?"
Stacy didn't answer. She simply gestured at the pile of books. "Well, here's your basic world knowledge. Oh, and one thing you won't find in those pages-our kingdom goes to war every five to ten years."
She said it so casually.
I froze. "...Excuse me?"
But she was already halfway to the stairs, fleeing like a coward. "Good luck studying!"
I slammed my forehead into the table. "Damn it. Dropped into a kingdom that's always at war. Just my luck."
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Chapter 12: The Kingdom of Doragon
It had been about a month and a half since my new life began here, and I had to admit-I was finally starting to feel like I had a handle on how things worked. Well, "handle" might be too strong a word. More like... I wasn't running into walls every five minutes anymore. That counted as progress.
Stacy didn't hover around me the whole time anymore, which was a relief. At first she'd stuck to me like an overprotective hawk with a drinking problem, but now she only popped up when she felt like yelling at me, training me, or reminding me that I was still an idiot. Honestly, I think the reason she left me alone was because I spent most of my time in the library. Imagine me, nose buried in dusty tomes like some wannabe scholar. But hey, if this was going to be my new world, I wanted to know everything about it that I could.
And yes, I mean everything. History, geography, monster biology, why bread here is so damn hard you could use it as a weapon-if there was a book about it, I read it.
There was some good news on the personal front too. Lily had survived, and not only that, she had somehow landed herself in a relationship with Rebecca. I was happy for them. At least, I was until the day I caught the faint metallic tang of blood clinging to Lily's skin. My nose might as well be cursed; I notice everything. We had a very long, very awkward conversation about my "too sensitive nose" and her "shut up, it's none of your business." Spoiler: it was absolutely my business, but I let her win that one.
Still, none of that compared to the question that had been chewing at me since the start. Stacy once said something during one of our outings, something that had stuck in my brain like a burr: "Why would a kingdom be at war every decade?"
At first, I thought she was exaggerating. Then I found out the truth.
Of all the possible worlds reincarnators could end up in, I just had to land in one that ran on constant warfare. If it wasn't a hot war, it was a cold one-nations sprinting to see who could invent the most creative ways to stab each other faster. Lucky me. And as if fate enjoyed kicking me when I was down, we were currently in one of those cold wars.
The more I researched, the worse it got. Our opponent? The Federation. Supposedly the largest, meanest, most resource-hoarding superpower on the continent. And guess whose territory bordered them? That's right-the territory of the Marquis Draig. My new "family." Our job? To keep that entire juggernaut of a nation at bay. Alone.
I actually confronted Stacy about it once. She laughed at me so hard she nearly fell off her chair. Apparently, I'd "forgotten" that we lived smack in the middle of the Dead Forest, one of the most dangerous places in existence. The forest itself formed the natural border between us and the Federation, with only one passage that could be used as a military route. So really, the Federation wasn't just fighting us-they were fighting the world's scariest nature preserve at the same time.
That realization should've comforted me. It didn't. Instead, I had my first proper existential crisis here.
People say knowledge is power. Personally, I think knowledge is a loaded gun pointed straight at your brain. Because once I did the math and realized how massive this world actually was, I short-circuited for days.
Earth? Cute little marble compared to this place. This world was about a hundred times bigger. And our "tiny" Doragon Kingdom? Its landmass was the size of both North and South America combined. That was "smallest kingdom in the world" scale. Smallest.
Yeah, I needed to sit down after that one.
Thankfully, some things stayed familiar. Days were still twenty-four hours, weeks were still seven days, and months were still thirty days. The names of weekdays were even the same. It almost made me tear up-like finding a McDonald's in a foreign country. The only major difference was that the year had doubled in length. Twice as many months, numbered instead of named. Which meant birthdays were double the hassle.
Back to important things-the Doragon Kingdom. It might have been the smallest, but it wasn't the weakest. Not by a long shot. And the reason was simple: the Four Pillar Houses.
I'd read enough propaganda to recite their titles in my sleep:
Marquis Anlit, Shield of the South.
Marchioness Anabald, Shield of the West.
Marquis Kuni, Shield of the East.
Marquis Draig-my illustrious new family-Shield of the North.
And then there was the one surviving Duke house, Duke Boei. Supposedly the "support pillar." Another duke house had existed, but they'd been the ones running the human experimentation that ruined half our lives, so... yeah. Not around anymore.
Each Pillar House guarded a border. Anlit handled the seas, Anabald dealt with the Beast Kingdom, Kuni kept the Demon Kingdom at bay, and the Draigs got stuck with the Federation-and the Dead Forest as a bonus. Meanwhile, Duke Boei was supposed to provide support wherever needed, the reliable babysitter of the kingdom.
On paper, it sounded reasonable. In practice? Insane. One house protecting an entire border indefinitely? Good luck with that.
That's when I learned about my new family's little military quirk. See, each house ran its own army, but the Draigs didn't play by normal rules. Everyone else used squads and companies. We used lone wolves.
Literally-our "teams" were made up of a single soldier. If two wanted to pair up, sure, but that was the exception, not the rule. It made our numbers laughably small, but the quality? Terrifying. Stacy told me flat out: if you got accepted as just a soldier in House Draig's military, you were already considered knight-level by normal kingdom standards.
At first, I thought the books were exaggerating. Then I remembered the poor soldier who'd bolted when he first saw me and started connecting the dots. I asked Stacy, and she casually explained that guy had been a baron's personal soldier, not a Draig soldier. Oh. My bad.
And then she said something that broke my brain: if the Draigs wanted to take over the entire kingdom, they could. Even if every other noble house united against them.
"Bullshit," I said.She smirked. "Try us."
That was also the day I learned Stacy herself was Vice-Captain of the infamous Black Ops. The Draig military had a proper name, but nobody used it. The world called them the Black Ops-three thousand strong, feared everywhere. I laughed when she told me, until I realized she wasn't joking.
Naturally, I asked if her husband, the Captain, was stronger than her. She laughed so hard she nearly choked.
"No, he isn't. Don't let the title fool you. In the Black Ops, there are plenty of people stronger than him. He didn't become captain because he's the head of the house. Would you follow someone who treated you like a tool? No-he earned that position. He built a reputation, fought like hell, and people chose him. By the time he was twenty-two, they wanted him as their captain."
I blinked. "So he's... just really good at networking?"She slugged me in the arm. "No, idiot. He's the kind of man who treats every soldier like family. He knows all three thousand of them by name. That's why they follow him."
I stared at her. "Three thousand names? No way. I can't even remember my classmates back home."
"Exactly. That's why you're not captain material."
Ouch. Fair enough.
When I wasn't getting roasted by Stacy, I dug into the world's power system. It was surprisingly game-like. Kill monsters, get experience. Drag their corpses to the guild, get money. Simple. But classes were the weird part. Apparently, your class didn't just drop out of the sky-it was based on your life experiences before level fifty. Everything you did mattered. Cook a lot? Might end up with a cooking-based class. Spend years training? That shaped your path. Even small things added up.
Passive skills were even stranger. They didn't show up in your status window-you had to figure them out yourself. My eyes, for example, weren't normal. They glowed sometimes, and books hinted at passive effects. Did I know what they did? Nope. Helpful.
Stats worked as expected-you leveled up, you got stronger. But the boosts varied by class. Stacy, with her rare class, got four to five points per stat each level. On top of that, she had a berserker boost that doubled it to eight to ten. When she casually mentioned legendary classes started with nine to ten points and could stack boosts, I nearly fainted.
If I ever got a berserker boost, I could jump eighteen to twenty points per level. I short-circuited again just thinking about it.
I asked how to unlock one. She smirked. "Figure it out yourself."
Of course she wouldn't tell me.
Normal skills were a nightmare to learn. The big one everyone whispered about was the Sword Domain. To get it, you had to invent your own fighting style and rack up ten years of weapon experience. Minimum. If you pulled it off, though, you could double your stats for a whole minute. Sixty seconds might not sound like much, but in this world, sixty seconds was enough to wipe out ten thousand soldiers.
Don't believe me? Ask the late King Doragon X. The guy personally reaped ten thousand souls in a single minute using Sword Domain. A living legend.
He was also the strongest king Doragon ever had, a man who died at eighty-seven on the battlefield, where he said he belonged. His achievements were insane. He single-handedly forced the Federation-the warmongers themselves-to sign a fifty-year peace treaty.
Fifty years of peace. Imagine that.
It didn't last, obviously, but for a while, people lived without war constantly breathing down their necks. That alone made him a hero. The more I read about him, the more I idolized him. A king who treated his people like family, who despised pompous nobles, who wanted real change. He even made it illegal for nobles to harm citizens without a valid reason. It didn't erase corruption, but it helped. Citizens could attend academies, walk the same streets as their ruler, feel seen.
He was, in short, the kind of king stories are written about. His descendants? Less so. The current king wasn't terrible, but he wasn't great either. More interested in politics and power than ideals.
I once asked Stacy what she thought of him. She shrugged. "Don't care. Politics are boring."
Can't argue with that.
"HEY! ARE YOU DONE DAYDREAMING!?"
Stacy's yell nearly made me jump out of my chair. I looked up to find her looming over me, arms crossed, foot tapping like she was scolding a child.
"Yes," I muttered, rubbing my ringing ears. "Thanks to you. Goddess, you're loud."
"Good. Then stop drooling on the books and get your ass outside. Time for training." She cracked her knuckles and dropped into a fighting stance.
I groaned. "You know, some people ease into training. Maybe start with stretching? Meditation? Tea?"
She grinned, sharp and wolfish. "Nope. We start with pain."
And with that, she lunged.
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Chapter 13: Training
The stones in the training yard still held the night's cold like a grudge. Mist clung low over the flagstones, gloving my ankles in damp and making the grass around the edge glint silver. Somewhere beyond the walls, the Dead Forest breathed-long, slow, and patient. Birds hadn't committed to the morning yet; they only chirped in guilty little pockets and then shut up again like they didn't trust the light.
"Are you ready to start now?" Stacy asked, already limbered, already smiling that sharky, too-awake smile people only have at five in the morning if they're morally compromised.
"Yes, I will be in your hands," I said, still rubbing my ears from the pre-dawn wake-up scream that had peeled varnish off the hallway rails.
"Now," she announced with the drama of a stage actor, "you are going to be my first disciple. Amari didn't want to because of her... you know what."
I squinted. "I feel kind of happy I get to be your disciple, and also there's this little dagger of dread poking my liver. Why am I your first disciple? You seem like you've traumatized at least a dozen."
"Haha-no one wants her to train them," Rebeca called down from the balcony that overlooked the yard. She had a mug, a shawl, and the expression of someone watching a play she'd seen a hundred times and enjoyed every single time. "Good instincts, kid."
My tail flicked. "So that's what the danger feeling is. It's you." I turned back to Stacy. She was beaming, but the air around her had that subtle prickle, like it knew to step back. "No turning back now," I said, and was a little surprised to feel that I meant it. Fine. If I was going to be forged, I might as well jump in the fire.
"I'm happy you said that, Kitsuna," she said, already strolling toward the weapon racks lining the wall. "Have you ever used a sword or something like that in your previous life?"
"So we're really starting today? It's five in the morning. At least let me eat."
"No," she said, cheerful as a sunrise. "If we want you to chase that legendary class, we train. A lot. Now answer the question."
"I've held weapons. Used them, a little. Not for killing." I followed her, eyes running over the racks: spears in neat bundles; axes hung like metal moons; bows asleep in their frames; a row of swords catching the weak light like they were already moving.
"What weapons most?"
"Katanas and rapiers. Maybe cross wheels? I handled those a bunch but never learned to use them."
She paused and glanced back with a tilt to her head. "Cross wheels? Of all things."
"Neighbor back on Earth was a collector," I said, and couldn't help the tiny smile that slid in. "Any time he got a new piece, he brought it over. His favorite set was cross wheels. They looked ridiculous until you spun them, then they looked... inevitable."
"I see," she mused, eyes glinting. "Okay. We start with cross wheels. I want to see how you move them."
"Bold of you to assume I can move them," I muttered.
She vanished into the armory alcove and reemerged with two wicked, shining rings, each with a quartet of blade vanes set at the cross points. "No mana," she warned, tossing them to me. "These aren't adamite. You'll melt them."
I caught both, blinked down at my hands, and tried to remember which way you were supposed to not amputate yourself. "Don't I have to start with the fundamentals first?" I asked, very reasonably, while my brain did geometry with the sharp bits. "Like... what if the fundamentals are 'do not hold this like a pizza cutter'?"
"Oops," she said, with zero shame. "Right. Fundamentals. Maybe swords first. Hehe." She scratched her cheek.
Up on the balcony, Rebeca nearly spit her tea. "And that's why nobody signs up."
I sighed. "You do know how to teach, right?"
"I do," Stacy said, completely unconvincing. "I'm a practical teacher. I teach by doing."
"Which is how people die," I noted, but I was already walking to the racks. "Fine. Swords. We have the adamite bag from Steve, so I can use mana, right?"
She nodded. "You still have the bag?"
"Always." I palmed the dimensional storage, pulled the black leather bag into the morning air, and set it beside the rack. The adamite hum felt like winter under my fingers. I unbuckled the flap and took out the first sword that called to me: a double-edged, black-bladed thing with subtle carvings along the fuller, balanced like it wanted to dance or kill or both.
"This one will do," I said.
"Good." Stacy chose a similar blade and came to stand opposite me, ten strides away. "You block; watch how I move."
"I'll try."
"Don't try," she said, and all the warmth in her voice dipped away. "Do it."
Something old and twitchy in me flinched. Before I understood why, I'd jumped back, boot scuffing damp stone, until my spine kissed the yard's far wall. We were twenty meters apart now, easy, and my whole body was humming, skin prickling like an electrical storm had rolled in.
"Why did you jump back?" Stacy asked, all innocence, smiling like a kindly aunt. Her eyes were laughing. The air wasn't.
"I... don't know." The truth landed like a stone. "My instincts screamed at me to move."
"Mm. Good instincts." She rolled a shoulder. "Stop listening to them for now."
"That seems unsafe," I said.
She exploded into motion. One heartbeat she was there; the next she was arrowing toward me, sword low, feet whispering over stone. I didn't think-I fled sideways, then backward, gaining a dozen meters while she chased like it was a game. The edge of her smile sharpened.
"Stop running," she called, in a tone that would have sent birds from trees. "You won't learn if you keep running. I'm not going all out. This is training."
"My instincts-" I protested.
"-are good," she allowed, "and we'll use them later. For now? Plant yourself."
I forced my boots to stop. The yard's cold climbed my legs. I set the sword across my body, left hand steady, right hand light, and pulled in a slow breath. Fox Fire hummed, Fox Ice waited, and Fox Lightning yearned, but I held the mana down and let the sword be steel.
"That's better," Stacy said, and began to run.
I let a hair-thin trickle of mana slip into the blade-ice-cool, clean-and felt the sword tighten in my grip, like a tether had cinched. Stacy's blade came from the right; I met it. The impact was a white bell down my arm, not pain exactly, but presence, and my boots skated on stone. I held.
She didn't pause. Second strike from the left: faster, lower. I saw it-clear, perfect-the line of it, the place it wanted to bite-
-and my body just watched it come.
Her blade stopped at my throat, breath-close, the flat touching my skin. The mist seemed to pull back.
"You saw it," she said, voice even.
"Yeah," I said, frustration chewing. "Body was a postcard. Brain sent; nothing delivered."
"That's normal. Reflexes are trained. Don't sulk-seeing it on the first bout is good." She withdrew the blade and stepped back. "For reference, that second strike was roughly level 200 speed."
I stared. "Why would you-why?"
"To test your eyes." The corner of her mouth kicked up. "You said your natural senses are better than mine. I wanted to see how much."
"You also turned on the scary," I said flatly.
She didn't deny it. "I released bloodlust in the beginning, yes. That's why you wanted to run. You'll get used to it."
"Love that for me," I muttered.
"How much better are my senses than a normal soldier's?" I asked, partly to stop thinking about that cold blade on my throat, partly because data helped.
"A level 150 would be able to see that strike," she said. "Below that, no."
"Cool," I said, because my mouth didn't know what else to do.
"Again." She paced back out to our starting marks. "I'll hold back more. You'll block. And one more thing-no peeking at your status."
"Fine."
"No. Pledge."
I blinked. "What?"
"Make a pledge you won't look until you've mastered that sword."
I raised my chin because dramatic vows are free and because the idea of getting addicted to the numbers made my skin itch. "I, Kitsuna," I said, projecting for an audience I didn't have, "pledge not to look at my status until I've mastered all weapons and am ready for real combat."
The world clicked. A soft, invisible lock turned somewhere in my chest. Something tightened-a limit, a line drawn by my own mouth.
Behind me, Rebeca spat tea over the railing. "Congratulations, idiot! You just cursed yourself for life."
Stacy put both hands on her face. "I said that sword, not all weapons. Do you realize there's backlash if you break a pledge?"
"Aah. Well," I said, and shrugged because what else could I do? The lock in my chest didn't feel bad, exactly. It felt like a hand on my shoulder. "Too late. Guess I'll just... keep it."
"You're impossible," Stacy muttered, and then grinned, feral again. "But excited. I can smell it on you."
"I don't smell," I objected. "And if I do, it's cinnamon and murder."
She laughed, and then there wasn't space for talking because she was coming again.
This time, the bloodlust came like a wave, and I didn't run. I let it wash over me and set my feet like stones. The first strike met my blade; the second I moved to meet, to test the hinge of hips and promise of wrists. I still failed, over and over, but the failures got smaller. Pain slipped its fingers into my forearms, that ten-times curse sharpening each sting; I breathed through it. My lightning-tattoo nerves hissed complaints as I thinned into static.
We fell into a rhythm. She cut, and I blocked. She fainted, I swore. She bounded off a slick patch of morning moss like a cat and came in low, and I did not, did not, jump back into the wall. Sweat made new rivers down my spine. The fog thinned, then burned away. Somewhere in there the sun cleared the wall and laid a bright bar across the yard like a marker: here, see? Time's passing. Keep moving.
"Loosen your right hand," she said, while her blade tried to kiss my ear. "Your left guides; your right just asks."
"You're saying this while attempting to behead me," I said, and corrected my grip, and the sword whispered a different song.
"Better," she said, and then hip-checked me with a strike I absolutely should have seen. "Again."
A pair of kitchen staff paused in the covered gallery that edged the yard, whispering, maybe taking bets. A pair of blackbirds landed on the wall, thought better of it when Stacy spiked a little more killing intent into the air, and yeeted off into the sky like the smart animals they were.
We kept at it until the yard's shadow had slid all the way across and the stones sighed out their stored night. My arms trembled. The sword had gotten heavier, then lighter, then heavier again, like it was calibrating my spine.
Stacy finally stepped in, blade up and then down-a clean little tap to the center of my chest that said, "You're dead," without cruelty. I staggered back and sat down largely by accident.
Four hours had passed.
"You survived so long," she said, smiling down at me like a cat who'd discovered a mouse with extra health points. "I'm surprised."
I propped the sword against my shoulder and panted at the sky. The clouds had organized into smug little piles. "How long has it been?" I managed.
"Four hours," she said. "Longer than I thought you'd last."
"Great. So we eat now? I am starving."
"Yes," she said. "After that, we're going back to training."
I dragged my gaze down from the clouds to her face. "Why?"
"Hehe," she said, which was not an answer and also a crime. "You're working on stamina."
"I see," I said, in the tone of a man reading his own execution order.
"After stamina, we work your ice-if we can combine ice-made weapons with your class, you might punch gods before I die of old age." She was already scheming, eyes bright like someone with too many projects and not enough victims. "That will take us to lunch. After lunch, you get two hours of free time. After that, sparring and stamina again until dinner."
"The free time I can do what I want with, right?"
"Yes. Got plans?"
"Reading," I said without shame. "Weapon forging, construction, balance. I think knowing how a blade is born will help me shape it out of ice. Fewer... interesting explosions."
"Good plan," she said, and then caught herself and squinted like she couldn't believe she'd said it. "Fine. If you want to spend your youth in a stack of paper."
"I like reading," I said. "And I like not dying."
"Just don't end up like your sister," she said, the chisel of sadness edging her voice.
"I won't," I said, and meant it. "I liked our spar. I like moving. Books won't win against that."
"That's good." She rolled her shoulders, satisfied. "Let's eat. I'm starving."
"Hey-don't walk so fast!" I scrambled up and followed, sword sheathed, legs feeling like they were only speaking to me out of politeness.
We crossed the courtyard under the climbing sun. The mansion caught light like it was built out of it-pale stone waking to gold, glass panes brightening. Servants peeled off with smiles or double takes, and a few brave ones asked if we wanted towels, water, bandages, or a priest. Stacy waved them off with the confidence of an immortal and a stomach that had already committed crimes.
Inside, the cool hallways felt like baptism. The dining hall smelled like roasted something, herbs, and bread I refused to admit I liked. Stacy snagged a pitcher of water from a passing tray and drank like a battlefield. I didn't realize I was doing the same until my glass refilled itself twice.
"You're glowy," she said, nodding at my forearms. The black-red lines of the curses had a faint pulse, like embers remembering their job. "Pain?"
"Sure," I said. "Manageable. The left arm is louder than the right." Lightning sulked under the skin, making me itch at nothing. "I didn't even push it, and it still complains."
"Good," she said, and sat. "We'll make it complain every day until it learns manners."
"Abuse," I said, piling meat on a plate. "Report you to the union."
"You're the union," she said promptly. "File it with yourself."
I ate like someone had replaced my belly with a tunnel. The world softened around the edges as the food hit. My brain stopped spinning quite so fast. Across the table, Stacy watched me with that utterly inappropriate fondness people have for small feral animals and weapons they plan to teach tricks.
"You saw a lot," she said after a while, breaking bread without looking. "More than you blocked. That's fine. That's good. Sight first. Then hands. Then feet."
"You sound like a teacher," I told her.
"I am," she said, then wrinkled her nose. "Sometimes."
"Sometimes you're a gremlin."
"Dual class," she said, absolutely straight-faced. "Vice-Captain / Gremlin."
I snorted, almost choked, and refused to be grateful for her hand on my back.
After breakfast, she didn't give me time to pretend naps were legal. We were back in the yard, where the sun had gotten serious about its job and the fog had become a memory. The air smelled like warm stone and cut grass, and the wall shadows had shrunk until there wasn't much to hide in.
"Stamina," she said, and pointed at the perimeter path that circled the yard. "Run."
"How far?"
"Yes," she said, which was not how numbers worked.
I ran. The path took me around the practice dummies (straw men with more scars than sense), past the archery targets (pocked and proud), and along the low wall where the blackbirds had returned to watch like jurors. My breathing found a rhythm, my legs complained like old coworkers, and my left forearm buzzed in mild, judgy disapproval. I ran past Rebeca's balcony; she wiggled her fingers in a mock-gentle wave and mouthed, "You did this to yourself." I mouthed back, "traitor," and she laughed silently, eyes bright.
We layered in footwork drills-stutter steps, pivots, reverse slides-until the path felt like a dance I didn't know the name of. Stacy corrected angles with two-finger taps: ankle, knee, and hip. "Shorten your step." Tap. "Lead with the inside ball." Tap. "Stop clenching your jaw. You'll crack a tooth."
"You have so many opinions," I said, sweat running down my spine like it had rent to pay.
"That's why I'm the teacher," she said. "Also because I like watching you suffer."
"Honesty," I panted. "Refreshing."
When she finally called a break, the world had that oddly quiet ring it gets when your heartbeat is everywhere. I collapsed on the stone curb and leaned back until my skull thumped the wall, and the wall did not care. The sky was very blue and very smug. The curses on my arms had settled into a steady glow like coals thinking about dinner.
"Hydrate," Stacy said, tossing me a canteen. "Then we try ice."
"You just said the love of my life," I told her and sat cross-legged when I felt my legs belonged to me again.
She settled opposite, mirroring my seat, and softened in that strange way she did when it was about Mana. "No big shapes," she said. "No blades. Start with breath. In four. Hold four. Out four. Picture the cold-not winter storm cold. The cold inside a well. Deep, quiet, clean."
I breathed. Four counts in. Hold. Four counts out. The air had a taste when I did it right-sharp, spare, like first snow stepping onto stone. The lightning in my left arm hissed and tried to muscle into the front. I pushed it back; it sulked. Fire in my right side warmed, then politely stepped aside. Ice gathered in the space between my palms like the world was exhaling on my hands.
A film formed. Clear as glass, thin as patience. The first time I'd tried this, it had come out as wobbly cubes that looked like they'd lost an argument. This time I coaxed a disk. Flat. Smooth. Regal, in a tiny, ridiculous way.
"Better," Stacy said quietly. "Now, the trick: weight."
"Ice has weight," I said, but I knew what she meant-the balance of it, the way mass could be cheated with shape and density and will. I sank more mana, slow and steady. The disk grew denser, darkening just a shade as tiny fractures braided into strength.
"Stop there," she said. "Now tilt."
I tilted. The disk held. I felt like a child holding a soap bubble that had agreed to be a coin.
"Your face," Stacy said. "Relax it."
"I refuse," I said, and tried anyway.
We worked like that for a while. Disks to coins to wafers. I made a tiny blade-a paper blade, really-let it sit on my palm, then dismissed it with a thought before it tempted me. We weren't building weapons today. We were learning the alphabet of a language I wanted to speak in poetry later.
By the time we broke for lunch, my head had that fuzzy ache Mana leaves when it's been asked to do tricks, and my hands were pleasantly chilled. I could feel the shape of a future blade sitting somewhere behind my ribs, waiting for the day I could call it out and have it answer like a friend.
Lunch tasted like victory and salt. Stacy talked while she ate-as always-a stream of notes and plans and casually horrifying regimes. I nodded when appropriate, grunted when not, and stored half of what she said in the part of my mind labeled later panic.
She gave me the promised two hours after. I took them. The library was cool and quiet, smelling like dust and old leather and linden polish. I hauled a stack of tomes to a sun-square table near the window and dove in: metallurgy basics; the geometry of a good edge; how tang construction changes balance; the poetry of hilt and guard proportions; a treatise by some long-dead lunatic on the soul of a blade that made more sense than I wanted it to.
Notes formed. Sketches, too-curves that would translate to ice, angles that would let mana sing instead of scream. The hours slid like silk.
I could have stayed there until the moon sat on the windowsill, but I'd made a vow with my own stupid mouth, and beyond that vow was Stacy with a practice blade and a grin. I closed the last book, tucked a few pages of diagrams into dimensional storage, and stood.
Back in the yard, the afternoon sun hammered everything flat. Heat lifted from the stones in visible shivers. The servants had retreated to shade; even the blackbirds had declared a truce with the concept of effort. Stacy was exactly where I knew she'd be: in the center of the yard, blade in hand, smile on, eyes kind.
"Round two," she said.
"Round two," I echoed, and set my feet.
We did not do anything heroic. We did not unlock secret power or birth a legend. We did what we had done all morning: she cut, I blocked; she feinted, I learned. But sometime between the fourth and the fortieth exchange, my body started answering the messages my eyes sent without writing a formal complaint first. My left hand guided more, my right hand asked less, and the sword felt, for three whole breaths, like it had always belonged there.
Stacy noticed. Of course she did. She cut, I turned; she flipped her grip, and I didn't panic; she beamed, and I pretended not to see.
We pushed until evening softened the edges of things and the yard went lavender. When she called it, I was sweat and breath and a little bit of pride.
"Not bad for day one," she said, clapping me on the shoulder hard enough to make my teeth click.
"Not bad for a gremlin," I said.
"Dual class," she reminded me solemnly. "Vice-Captain/Gremlin."
I snorted, then winced, then laughed at myself for both.
We drifted inside with the dusk. The mansion's lamps blinked awake one by one, gold bells of light pooling on floors and turning corners friendly. Somewhere, Lily and Rebeca argued in hushed voices about grocery lists and "professional boundaries," which, given the pair of them, probably meant something I didn't need to smell again. Somewhere farther, a string instrument found a tune like a ribbon caught in wind.
At the dining hall door, Stacy looked over her shoulder at me. "You did well."
"Don't say that," I said automatically. "It'll go to my head."
"Good," she said. "Let it. You'll need stubborn pride to carry the pain."
"I have stubborn everything," I said. "I'm a rock. You said so."
"I did," she said, and held the door.
Dinner was less ravenous than breakfast and more civilized, if only because my hands were too tired to commit crimes. We ate, we argued about whether apples counted as dessert (they do not), and we made tomorrow's plan in the spaces between bites.
When I finally dragged myself toward my room, the corridors felt like a river I knew. I paused at a window that looked out over the yard. It was slate and shadow now, only the shape of it left. My eyes found the place my back had learned the wall, the lines where my feet had stuttered and then found new paths.
I touched the glass. "Tomorrow," I said to my reflection. "We do it again."
The reflection-black hair threaded with ember-red, fox eyes that made knights run, and a mouth that could bare a canine or joke-didn't argue.
In my room, I washed the sweat and dirt off, prodded the bruises already yellowing, and lay down on sheets that still smelled sun-dried and safe. The pledge hummed a little under my breastbone, not a threat but a promise. Numbers would not define me. Movement would. Choices would.
My arms pulsed-left with the sharp wire-bite of lightning, right with the patient glow of fire-and in between those two curses I felt the cool, clean line of ice, waiting for me to make something sharp and true.
I closed my eyes and slept like I'd been switched off, and if the old choppy memories tried to creep in-buckles, needles, countdowns-I let them find the wall I'd stacked in my mind out of new things: a black blade catching morning, a teacher who laughed while she threatened, a balcony critic with a mug, a yard discovering my feet, and the idea of a blade I hadn't made yet but would.
Tomorrow, I'd run again. I'd block again. I'd count breaths until Ice listened. I'd add pages to the stack on forging, because I wanted to shape not just what I held, but what I was becoming.
And what if Stacy yelled loud enough to rattle the windows?
Fine. Some traditions are worth keeping.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 14: 3 years
It had been three years since the Marquis Draig family adopted me. Three years of grueling schedules, endless drills, and enough sweat to fill a small pond. Honestly, I was still amazed I had survived it all. Stacy's stamina training was brutal-she seemed to think running laps until my legs gave out was some kind of character-building exercise. Her sparring sessions weren't much better; her idea of "light practice" left me crawling to bed like a corpse.
Magic training, on the other hand... that was another story. Stacy wasn't lying when she said she couldn't really help with that. None of the servants knew either. In fact, no one in the entire mansion could teach me how to properly wield my magic. So while my body toughened, my mana control still felt like a toddler with a sword-dangerous and clumsy.
Still, aside from that one glaring hole, everything else in my training went well. My life had settled into a rhythm, though "settled" was a generous word when your daily routine included getting slammed into walls by a woman who thought mercy was a myth.
The biggest event over those years wasn't even about me-it was Rebecca and Lily getting married. To be honest, I wasn't shocked that they got along after Lily's whole "sacrifice" situation, but what did shock me was how fast things moved. One night they were coworkers; the next morning they were engaged. Stacy and I were stunned. They said they had found their soulmates and all that. We didn't question it, just congratulated them, and hoped they wouldn't strangle each other.
Depressing part? They're flirting. Not the normal, cutesy stuff either-oh no. Their banter was about Rebecca "punishing" Lily later that night. And they weren't quiet about it. After a few too many complaints from the servants, we had to soundproof Rebecca's room. Their wedding was two years ago, and if anything, they got worse afterward.
As for me, I got my own maid about a year ago. Her name was Dizzy. A dog demi-human with floppy brown ears, a wagging tail, and green eyes that sparkled with equal parts loyalty and mischief. I hadn't wanted one at first-I liked doing things myself-but with how much training Stacy forced on me, I couldn't keep up. Dizzy had quickly become indispensable. She fussed over me, nagged me about food, and kept my room from turning into a battlefield of dirty clothes. Still, for the record, my tail is way fluffier than hers.
Things went smoothly until about three months ago, when my past decided to crawl back into my head.
Nightmare
I woke to the sound of screaming. At first, I thought it was someone in the mansion, but when I opened my eyes, I wasn't in my room anymore. I was back in a dark, suffocating chamber that smelled of iron and mold.
I stood up, legs heavy as if the floor itself wanted me to stay down. I moved toward the door, heart hammering. But before I could take another step, something grabbed my back.
Turning, I saw her-blond hair matted with blood, blue eyes wide and glassy. My mother. Blood dripped from her forehead and down her mouth, staining her once-soft smile.
"She will abandon you too," she whispered, her voice echoing like a curse. "She will never accept your true self. She will leave you for the dogs... to dissect you again like your-"
She never finished. I jolted awake, drenched in sweat, staring at the shadows in my room. Alone. Again.
The nightmares kept coming after that. Each one worse, each one dragging me further into memories I had tried so hard to bury. My sleeping schedule shattered. Nights were spent staring at the ceiling; mornings were filled with exhaustion. I drowned myself in training, hoping to distract my mind with aching muscles and sore knuckles.
Everyone noticed. I could feel their stares, their whispered worries. But even after three years, I still didn't fully trust anyone with my past. Not enough to open my mouth and tell them the truth.
The only one I even considered telling was Stacy. I had wanted to confide in her before the nightmares began. But she... she had become a mother figure to me, and that was the problem. If she knew the truth about my parents and about me and then abandoned me-like my real mother did-I wasn't sure I would survive it.
Yes, I knew I was overthinking. But fear doesn't care about reason.
A knock broke me from my spiraling thoughts.
"Come in," I called.
The door opened, revealing Dizzy's floppy ears and bright eyes. "Young Miss, Lady Draig requests you at the training grounds in ten minutes."
"Got it." I nodded, forcing myself off the bed.
The halls of the mansion were quiet as I made my way toward the training grounds. Tall windows spilled soft morning light across red carpets, making the place feel warmer than my mood. My footsteps echoed against the marble floor, accompanied by the faint rustle of servants cleaning in the distance.
I thought about my status while I walked. I hadn't mastered all the weapons yet-my swordplay was fine, my axes were decent, but my spear work still felt awkward. Stacy once said I could keep up with her if she limited herself to a level 200 Uncommon-class build. I couldn't beat her, but I could survive an hour. That was... something, I guess.
We had forgotten to use the passive leveling restrainers at the start, which led to Rebecca scolding Stacy for being reckless. Again. Typical.
By the time I finished replaying that memory, I was already at the tall double doors leading to the training grounds. Taking a deep breath, I pushed them open.
Inside, the massive space was empty. No, Rebecca, no servants. Just Stacy, standing in the middle of the field with her katana resting against her shoulder.
"Aah, so you still come when I call." Her tone was light, but her expression betrayed annoyance.
I looked around again, confirming we were alone. "Stacy, what do you want?"
Her annoyance melted into concern. "Let's cut straight to it. I'm tired of you avoiding me. What's going on?"
"It's nothing. I'm fine."
"Bullshit." She snapped, her voice rising. "Don't think I don't notice you sitting on your balcony at night looking like you're ready to jump! If you don't tell me, I'll beat it out of you!" She raised her katana for emphasis, the blade catching the light.
I stiffened. This wasn't her playful shout. This was her angry shout-the one she rarely used. She dropped her weapon with a clatter and stepped forward. "It's been three months since we really talked! Did something happen? Did I upset you? Tell me what I did wrong, and I'll fix it. Just-please." Her voice cracked with desperation.
The sight of her panicking made me panic too.
"No, no, it's not you. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just... having personal problems." I stared at the ground.
"Personal problems? Did you finally start your period?"
"Huh!?" My face went red. "That started a year ago!"
Her eyes widened. "What?! And you didn't tell me?"
"Dizzy helped me! And it's embarrassing to talk about, okay?!" I muttered, covering my face.
"Well, if it's not that, then what is it?" She stepped closer, her worry tightening her voice.
"I just... need time to figure out how to move on."
"Move on? So it's about your past?" she asked softly. "You know, talking helps. If you don't want to talk to me, talk to someone else."
"I don't trust anyone with my past except you... but I'm too scared to tell you."
"Why?" She stopped directly in front of me.
"Because I don't want my new mother to abandon me," I blurted before I could stop myself.
Her eyes widened. "Mother? Did you just call me your mother?"
I froze. Heat rushed to my face. "I-I didn't mean-" I turned to walk away, desperate to escape.
"Wait!" She grabbed my wrist. "Please tell me. Your world is different from ours. Whatever you've done, it won't scare me off. If anything, it might even sound like a joke to me."
Her grip was firm, grounding me. My chest tightened.
"...Fine." I sighed. "Let's go to my room."
My room was spacious but cozy, with bookshelves stacked neatly against the walls and the faint smell of lavender from Dizzy's obsessive cleaning. I sat on the bed while Stacy stood before me, looking uncertain.
"Use your skill on me," I said.
"You mean, look into your memories?" she asked.
"Yes. Explaining it all would take too long. This way, you'll see everything at once."
She hesitated. "...Alright. But I'll show you my childhood memories too. Fair's fair."
"Are you sure? Yours might be worse than mine."
"We'll see." She sat opposite me, placing her hand gently on my head.
"Before we start-why the training grounds?" I asked.
"It's where I feel most comfortable opening up," she admitted.
I smirked. "Figures. You're such a training freak that even your heart only works there."
She rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and focus."
We both closed our eyes. Her mana flared softly, wrapping around my mind.
Neither of us noticed the door creak open. Dizzy slipped inside, her green eyes sharper than usual. The wag of her tail was gone.
"Finally," she whispered, lips curling into a grin. "An opening. And it's a two-for-one deal."
Her hand slid toward the dagger hidden in her maid's apron.
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Chapter 15: Kitsuna/Shiro past
In Tokyo, in an apartment high in the sky, there lived a family of three. From the street below, their windows were perfect squares of warm light, the sort of glow that makes strangers imagine quiet dinners and gentle laughter. A perfect household, people said-the kind worth pointing to as proof that the world sometimes gets it right.
The father was Dr. Adachi, and to his colleagues he was not merely a good doctor-he was the doctor. He moved through hospitals as if hallways parted for him by habit, white coat sharp as a blade, shoes that never squeaked, and hands that never shook. At conferences they quoted him. In tabloids they photographed him. On television they asked him what he thought of complicated things, and he answered calmly and correctly each time.
He was big and tall, a slab of a man whose presence pressed against a room like high pressure before a storm. Close to two meters, with black hair and black eyes that carried the weight of every midnight he had outsmarted death. There was something inevitable about him, as if he were gravity in a suit.
His wife was the counterpoint-short against his height, all soft light against his sharp edges. In photographs people joked crudely that he looked like a lolicon, but that was only because he dwarfed her. She was average height for a woman, with ocean-blue eyes and hair the color of summer wheat. When she smiled, you understood immediately why a man like Dr. Adachi had once chosen humility; you understood how anyone could have fallen in love with her. She wore joy easily. She hummed while she cooked. She bought daft little keychains because they made her laugh. She softened the apartment simply by being in it.
They had one child, and they wanted another. They were the kind of family who made lists: places they would visit together, names they liked, parks with long slides, and foods the child must try once. The lists lived in drawers and on the fridge and on the back of receipts. The lists were a promise.
Promises are brittle.
The accident was small by the standards of television drama. No explosions, no dramatic chase. Just a wrong angle, bad luck, and the kind of damage that looks invisible because it hides in the future. Afterward, the doctors were kind and precise: recovery would be slow; complications were likely; more children would not be possible. They spoke gently. But news does not change just because it is delivered softly.
Something in Dr. Adachi curdled. Pride has a way of rotting into blame when it has nothing else to eat. He was polite to the world and poisonous at home. The living room learned to hold its breath. The boy learned the sound of his father's key in the lock and measured the footsteps that followed.
The mother did not break all at once. She chirped quietly. She made fewer lists. She started wearing long sleeves for no season at all. She apologized for things that didn't happen. She suffered, as people say, and people think they have said something when they have said nothing at all.
The boy-his name was Shiro-watched in the useless way a child watches, absorbing everything with nowhere to put it. He learned the art of shrinking himself in plain sight. He learned not to make a plate clatter when he washed it. He learned to laugh at school when other children laughed so the noise inside him didn't leak out in strange shapes. He learned to pretend he was unfazed. Pretending is a child's first surgery.
One night, at five years old, he was woken by a sound that didn't belong to the apartment. It wasn't the elevator or the television or the tap that dripped when it was tired. It was a private sound, a slow metallic intimacy. He padded barefoot along the hall, fingers skimming the wall like a blind man reading it. He stood in the doorway and saw his mother with a gun.
He did not understand-but he understood enough. He understood that she did not see him, or maybe she did and chose to pretend she didn't, and that those were two different kinds of mercy. He understood the way she held the gun like something delicate, like a bird she might hurt by gripping. He understood the blue of her eyes when they lifted once and then down again, as if she were memorizing the shape of him for later. He understood the sound more than anything-the sound that lives in the ribs long after the ears have given up.
The shot was an ending without any music. She fell. Shiro did not scream. He didn't move. He simply learned, all at once, how heavy silence can be.
When Dr. Adachi came home, the apartment arranged itself into a study: the body on the floor, the boy still as glass, and the gun a full stop. The father knelt and wept. It would be comforting to leave him there, human and wrecked, but that is not where he stayed. Slowly, the grief cooled and hardened into a familiar shape. He turned toward his son, and did what men have always done when they cannot bear a pain-they find something weaker to carry it for them.
"Shiro," he said, voice gravelly and wet. "It's your fault."
That was the hypothesis. He would spend the next decade conducting the experiment.
The first bullet he fired at Shiro was literal. He shot him in the leg. The boy screamed and rolled and clutched and learned-oh, did he learn-about the particular kind of pain that makes the world small. He learned you can be two things at once: a child and a wound.
The following sentence was more precise: "If it weren't for my reputation, I would kill you. But I cannot do that." The pause afterward was a space in which possibilities multiplied like bacteria.
Then came the plan, so elegantly phrased it could have been a line on a CV.
"You will become my practice dummy."
The apartment accepted this, too.
For ten years, Shiro became a useful fiction. To the outside world, he was a doctor's son with fine posture and better grades, the polite boy who nodded just the right amount. He was not thin or bruised or sullen in any way that counted officially. His uniform fit, his hair was well kept, and his lunches were balanced. Teachers praised him: a pleasure to teach, such potential, such composure. The son of a miracle worker must be a marvel himself.
Inside the apartment, he was a body that learned the geography of leather straps. He lay on a table that carried the smell of antiseptic and rubbed shoulders with stainless steel. He learned to tell time not by clocks but by instruments: a morning of scalpels, an afternoon of sutures, and an evening of pressure and ice. His father had hands that did not shake. Eventually they became so good that nothing showed on the surface. He left no scars.
Lucky, people would say. As if the absence of proof were the same as the absence of harm.
Shiro learned a few tricks of survival. He learned to count backward from a hundred in sevens when the pain got clever. He learned to leave his body hanging in the air for a while while the rest of him hid under the table. He learned not to ask questions, because answers have edges. He learned to breathe in ways that did not look like breathing.
He also learned the science of school hallways. Children are their own country with foreign customs, and he was a citizen without a passport. In elementary school he tried to make friends honestly. The trouble with honesty is that it quickly becomes exhausting. Word of his father's name traveled ahead of him like a legal notice. He discovered two types of smiles: the ones that asked for things and the ones that apologized after. He discovered you can be surrounded and still be alone, and that rumors thrive where people are bored.
"Arrogant." "Cold." "Robot." "Teacher's pet." "Secret delinquent." Rumors love the twin hills of contradiction.
Shiro stopped trying. He ate lunch without company, submitted homework on time, and developed an expression that suggested mild interest in the weather. No one told him he was good at this, but he was. It is a talent to be unmemorable.
On the tenth anniversary of his mother's death-his fifteenth birthday approaching like a slow elevator-he found himself wondering whether birthdays should be legally required to include cake. His last memorable one had been five years before, and the only candles had been the way the overhead lights reflected off the metal tray. "Dissection" is a useful word because it makes a person sound like a frog. A better word would have been "rummaging." There is a particular sensation when human hands are where only metaphors should be. He remembered that more than the pain.
On the day of his fifteenth birthday, Tokyo was noisily itself. Trains confessed their routes to the sky. Crosswalks sang their polite little songs. Vending machines blinked like tame stars. Somewhere a dog barked as if it alone understood the size of the city. Shiro walked home under a sky the exact color of the building he lived in. He carried his schoolbag the way a soldier carries a helmet after a battle he didn't win.
He thought about nothing as hard as he could. Nothing is a good blanket if you pull it over your eyes fast enough.
The lobby smelled of lemon and polished mahogany. The concierge nodded respectfully. "Welcome back, young master."
Young master. He almost smiled. He had thought many things in the last ten years-brave things, petty things, illegal things-but "young master" was not a title that attached itself to any of them.
He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The door closed with that particular hush that expensive things have. He watched his reflection in the brushed metal walls. He looked fine. The trick of looking fine is the only trick people care about.
The doors opened to the hallway that led to the apartment. The air here had a different sound to it-quiet in a way that felt premeditated. He stepped out, and the first sentence of the next scene arrived on schedule.
"Took you long enough, murderer!?"
The voice was familiar, the tone rehearsed. Shiro's body moved before his brain did. He hit the "close" button with the speed of a video game reaction test. The doors thought about it. The doors decided to be cinematic. A hand the size of a plancha slammed against the gap and pried them apart.
"No, you don't," said Dr. Adachi. "I have something special planned for your birthday."
He said it with the weight of a tradition. Shiro's heart, which had learned many rhythms over the years, chose the one that sounded like someone knocking from inside a closet.
The hall blurred into the lab the way bad dreams blur into worse ones. Lock, click, shut. The room was as he remembered it-chrome and light, a table whose straps waited the way a stage waits for actors who will die for a living.
There was a new thing.
On the counter: a glass box. Inside it, pale things writhed with the slow indecency of parasites. They were white as if someone had washed them too hard.
Shiro's mouth went dry. The funny thing about a body is how quickly it forgets to be brave. He swallowed against the taste of metal.
His father's smile bent into something joyful and wrong. "Yes. Those are my treat to you. Happy fifteenth birthday, murderer."
He said "murderer" the way some fathers say "champ."
Shiro's instincts are small animals that have lived with him a long time. They pressed their paws against the inside of his ribs and told him to run. He didn't. There is a kind of corner that isn't made of furniture.
His father moved to grab him, and Shiro's hand moved first. It was not graceful. It was not planned. It was the fist of a boy who has learned the shape of everything but his own anger.
It connected.
The sound was intimate and hollow, the noise a melon makes when you wonder if it's ripe. Dr. Adachi's head snapped to the side. Surprise is a kind of beauty when you see it on the face of a man who thinks he is a law of physics.
"You dare," he said, touching his lip and looking at his fingers as if the blood belonged to someone impolite. "You dare strike me!?"
He moved like a big machine switching tracks and came in hard and heavy. Shiro's gaze flicked for anything that could be called a weapon. The lab, obedient as ever, offered him a metal tray. He took it. A stupid object, really, when you are about to put it between yourself and a god.
He swung.
The impact rang. Dr. Adachi's eyes rolled in that unscripted way men's eyes roll when the brain flips a breaker. His body introduced itself to the floor.
Silence is different after violence. It sits closer.
Shiro stood over him and learned a new thing about laughter. It came up from some basement in him and sounded like it did not belong to a person with paperwork.
"Hah... heh... Hahaha." He clapped a hand to his mouth because that seems like something that should help. "Guess I finally got promoted-from practice dummy to lab assistant."
He wiped at his eyes and found, to his surprise, that they were dry. The worms in the glass box twitched as if applauding politely. He glanced at them and shook his head. "What is this, Dad? A party? No cake, just colonists."
He looked down at the man on the floor-his father, his architect, his storm-and felt both very small and very, very awake. It is a shock to discover you were always capable of the thing you just did.
The other discovery arrived a heartbeat later: you now have to decide the next thing.
He dragged Dr. Adachi by the shoulders. The man was heavy in a way that had nothing to do with muscle. Shiro got him to the table by thinking of nothing but friction. He strapped him down with the competence of someone who has rehearsed a role. The leather creaked, and the buckles sang a little prayer you only hear if you have heard it too many times.
"...Well," Shiro said, voice climbing the scaffolding of a breath. "Fair's fair. You always said practice makes perfect. Guess it's my turn to practice."
He tightened the last strap and looked at his own hands. They were steady. That felt like a betrayal and a miracle. He leaned down until he could see his father's resting face-the lines, the neat eyebrows, and the mouth that had spoken diagnoses to strangers and doom to family.
"Don't worry, Father," he murmured, dark humor settling over him like a lab coat. "I'll make sure to leave no scars."
He smiled then-an expression with teeth-and turned his attention to the table's familiar orchestra of instruments, to the gleaming lights, to the glass box on the counter, and to the awful and simple question in front of him: what now?
He didn't answer it yet. He simply stood there in the hush after a storm, the birthday boy at last in charge of the candles.
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Chapter 16: Kitsuna/Shiro past 2
The sound of pages turning was the only thing keeping me company as I sat hunched in the corner, the dim yellow glow of the overhead lamp cutting through the heavy smell of disinfectant and blood. The book was heavy in my hands, its margins filled with careful notes, diagrams, and neat handwriting that could almost pass as art if you forgot what they were about. I traced the illustrations with a finger-nerves, pressure points, arteries. My father's "life's work." His bible of cruelty.
Two hours passed before I heard it-the faintest rattle of metal chains and a groggy groan.
I snapped the book shut with a clap. "Well, well. Sleeping Beauty finally awakens."
My father blinked against the light, his head swinging side to side. His eyes darted from the cold steel walls to the instruments laid neatly on the tray beside me, then finally locked on me. His face drained of color.
"It... it took you two hours to wake up," I said flatly, rising to my feet. I knew my smile didn't reach my eyes. "Pathetic."
"You-" his voice cracked. He coughed and tried again. "You think this stuff is funny? Let me go, murderer!" He forced his voice to be loud, but it broke like brittle glass.
"Funny?" I tilted my head. "Oh no. This story is hilarious." I held up the book so he could see the title embossed on its spine-Advanced Practices in Neural Response Manipulation. His handwriting filled the margins. "Your notes are so well written. Two hours of reading and I already knew how to make you scream without killing you. It's like you signed your torture manual."
"That-that's my life's work! You can't just-"
"So what?" I snapped the book shut again, tossing it onto the table. The scalpel tray gleamed. "You don't have much time left anyway, dumbass."
His eyes went wide, brimming with tears. I could smell his fear already-sharp, sour, like sweat left too long on cloth.
"I... I'm your father. You can't do this to me." His lips quivered. Snot bubbled at his nose.
I leaned close enough that he could see my grin stretch wider. "You're a coward. For ten years you made me bleed, and I haven't touched you yet, and you're already pissing yourself. I expected... more."
I pressed a button on the control panel. Metal clanked as the straps on his table retracted, replaced by heavy chains that rose from the floor and ceiling. His arms and legs were jerked upward, pulling him into the air like some grotesque puppet. His body dangled, spread out, rotating slowly as the chains locked in place.
Now I could walk around him. Study him from every angle. A canvas of meat.
"No! Please!" His voice hitched. "I promise-I promise I'll never hurt you again!"
I ignored him. My fingers hovered over the scalpel before picking it up, twirling it casually like a conductor's baton.
"You know," I said, my voice calm and conversational, "your notes say the nervous system is tricky. If you cut too deep, the pain stops. But if you scratch just right-" I dragged the scalpel across his knee, shallow and deliberate. Not enough to sever. Just enough to scrape.
He shrieked.
"-Ah, see? Perfect. That's worse than losing the leg entirely. Amazing, really."
I circled him, whispering like a tutor at a lecture. Slice across the other knee. Another scream.
"Funny thing, Father. You wrote these notes so carefully. Angles. Pressure. Which cuts make a man vomit, and which ones make him black out? All neat little lessons. Did you imagine you'd one day be the classroom demonstration?"
He babbled incoherently, drool and tears mixing with snot. His cries blended into one wet, choking sob.
I didn't care. My hands moved with steady precision, opening him with scratches and slices. Each time I cut, I called out the technique like a student reciting flashcards. Median nerve. Tibial nerve. Sciatic root. He screamed with each answer.
Thirty minutes later his body was a map of shallow cuts. His skin was streaked in drying blood, his breaths rattling wetly. His voice was nearly gone, raw from screaming.
I stepped back, tilting my head to admire the pattern. A crude art piece. "You taught me well, Father. You really did."
My gaze shifted to the side table, stacked with the instruments he'd used on me over the years. Pipes. Drills. And-oh. My fingers closed around the hilt of a short sword. The memory hit me like a hammer: me as a boy, strapped to the same table, the sword's edge pressed against my ribs while he watched me writhe.
I walked back, holding it up in front of his bloodied face. "Do you remember this one?"
His head jerked side to side. His words were barely coherent. "No... please... Stop... it hurts..."
"It hurts?" I barked a laugh, sharp and hollow. "Then why did you do it to others if you couldn't take it yourself? Rule number one, Father: if you stab, be ready to be stabbed. If you torture, be ready to be tortured. If you kill-" I drove the sword into his ribs, hard. His chest heaved with a scream. "-then be ready to die."
I dragged the blade down to his stomach, carving a line that opened him deeper. The smell of iron and bile filled the air as organs glistened beneath.
He convulsed violently, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Don't you dare!" I snarled, grabbing his jaw. His teeth were clenched, crimson bubbling from his lips. His tongue was gone. He had bitten it off. His last escape.
"No!" I roared. I shook his limp head and slapped his face. His eyes had already rolled back. His body lay limp in the chains. Dead.
"You don't get to leave yet!" My voice cracked. Rage took over. I hacked at his body with the sword, carving limbs and scattering flesh. Feet. Hands. Strips of meat that slapped against the floor. His head dangled by threads before I severed it completely, holding it up to his glassy eyes.
"You took the easy way out, you coward. If I ever meet your soul again, I'll tear it into a million pieces. "I swear it on my mother's name, Ava Adachi."
I dropped my head. Blood pooled thick across the tiles, dark and sticky, clinging to my boots. The room reeked of copper and rot.
But even then, I didn't feel satisfied. He had escaped the long years of pain I'd prepared for him. My hands trembled, not from weakness, but from fury.
My gaze drifted to the sealed steel door across the lab. The forbidden one. My curiosity was a spark in the storm. I walked toward it, pushed it open, and stepped inside.
The control room.
Banks of monitors lit the space, showing every hall, every room, and every corridor. CCTV feeds stretched across the wall, providing grainy black-and-white views of the building. In the corner, panels marked with valves and release symbols glowed faintly.
"So this... this is how you always caught me." My voice came out hollow, half laughter, half whisper. "All those times I tried to run, and you gassed me like a rat. Always watching. Always pulling strings."
Rows of switches confirmed it: options to release gases-dizzying agents, paralytics, and sedatives. My fists clenched around the edge of the console until my knuckles whitened.
The people who worked here. They knew. They knew what he did to me, and they stood by. They helped.
Something cracked inside me.
A smile-far too wide, far too calm-spread across my face. I slipped into a hazmat suit, humming tunelessly as I began pressing controls. Doors across the building slammed shut. Locks sealed. Valves hissed open. Invisible gas flooded the halls.
"Let's see how long they last."
The next thing I remembered was standing knee-deep in corpses. My family's katana dripped with flesh. My hazmat suit was torn, my hands sticky with gore. The floor was painted in streaks of red. Limbs. Torsos. Faces I didn't recognize anymore, reduced to pulp.
I didn't remember swinging. I didn't remember killing. Only fragments: a scream cut short, the gurgle of blood, my laughter echoing down the halls.
Blink. Corpses everywhere.
I dropped the katana with a clatter, my chest heaving.
I had to leave. Before anyone came.
The hidden exit in the garage was my only chance. On the way, I grabbed what I could-my duffel bag, stuffed with money from his office, scraps of clothes, and essentials. The rest of me was drenched in blood anyway.
The garage stank of oil and rust. Fuel cans lined the walls. Perfect. I doused the support pillars, splashing gasoline in wide arcs, the fumes choking my throat. I left a trail leading to the exit, then flicked a lighter.
The fire roared to life.
As I ran into the night, the building behind me bloomed in orange. Heat pressed against my back. Smoke curled skyward. Windows burst outward, belching fire. The Adachi estate, my prison, my hell, became an inferno.
I didn't look back until I reached the ridge outside the city. From there, I watched it collapse. Metal and concrete crumbled inward, swallowed by flames. The screams had stopped long ago.
My lips curled into a grin that hurt my face.
The Adachi name would burn with it.
Only I remained.
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Chapter 17: Kitsuna/Shiro past 3
(1 year later in Kyoto)
It has been a year since the massacre. It has been one year since blood slicked the floor beneath my feet and since walls crumbled and fire painted the night sky. One year since I stopped being my father's son and became... something else.
People called it terrorism on the news. They blamed some nameless organization, spun their neat little story for the public, and fed it to the masses with smiling anchors. I sat in a cheap inn room watching the broadcast, a half-eaten convenience store bento on my lap, and I actually cried with relief. Tears streamed down my face not because I mourned, but because the world had chosen to look the other way. They gave me the one thing I didn't deserve-an alibi.
For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like a hunted animal. For the first time, I didn't need to constantly check my shadow or wait for sirens. The blame was gone, and so were the eyes that might have searched for me.
That night, after seeing the report, I laughed. I laughed so hard that the old man in the room next to mine banged on the wall and told me to shut up. And when my laughter finally died down, I made a choice. If fate was stupid enough to give me this second chance, I'd use it. I'd find a place to settle, not to rot in luxury, but to start again.
The money I stole from my father's safe was enough to live twenty years in quiet comfort. But I couldn't bring myself to be that kind of ghost-one who hid behind curtains, sipping expensive whiskey while pretending his hands weren't stained red. I killed eighty-seven people. I didn't know all their faces. Didn't even want to. I should have nightmares, right? But I didn't. Not a single one. The silence in my dreams was worse than the screaming.
That emptiness pushed me to keep moving. If I couldn't feel guilt, then maybe I could at least act like I deserved to breathe.
So I traveled.
The last year became a blur of train stations, nameless hostels, neon-soaked nights, and back-alley fights. When I was under my father's shadow, Japan opened up to me in ways I'd never seen. I ate ramen at midnight under paper lanterns that swayed in the wind. I visited shrines older than the country itself, their bells heavy with history. I got drunk once in Osaka and woke up wearing someone else's jacket.
And then there was the scar.
Two months after the massacre, a small gang of punks thought I was easy prey and jumped me. They weren't my father's killers. They weren't even professionals. Just street trash; looking for a wallet. I killed one. I didn't mean to kill him; however, the knife slipped too deep. Another slashed me across the face before I broke his jaw. The blade cut from the right side of my forehead, past my eyebrow, down to my cheekbone. A mark carved into me, a reminder that no matter how far I ran, blood always followed.
Funny thing? I didn't hate the scar. People stared, of course. Kids pointed, adults whispered. But me? I liked it. It made me look honest. No more pretending to be some harmless boy. The scar said exactly what I was: dangerous and not afraid to be.
After that, I trained. I wasn't as skilled at closing wounds as my father had been, so I learned to prevent them instead. Fistfights in alleys, self-defense lessons bought with cash, endless practice until my knuckles bled. I became good enough to drop most men twice my size. It felt right.
I picked up other skills too-fake paperwork, basic hacking, and little tricks to bend society around me. If my father had taught me how to kill, the streets taught me how to survive without needing a gun pressed to my ribs.
And finally, after circling the country, I returned to Kyoto. The city I'd always liked the most. Kyoto was a contradiction-quiet temples older than memory sitting side by side with loud pachinko parlors and glowing signs that never slept. It felt right. A place where ghosts could blend in.
I dyed my hair white. Not bleached blonde-pure white, like snow. My eyes, once as black as my father's, were now ocean blue, courtesy of contacts. Combined with the scar, I barely recognized myself in the mirror. The boy from a year ago was gone. All that remained was Shiro Adachi, a fabricated name with enough forged documents to back him up.
And for once, I felt like I was alive.
(1 Week Later)
The morning sun spilled over Kyoto like molten gold, catching on tiled rooftops and cherry blossoms that had bloomed too early. I woke up earlier than I had to, not out of nerves but out of habit. Sleep had become optional for me over the last year. My body didn't crave rest-it craved control.
Today was supposed to be my return to school. A strange thought, really. After everything I'd done and everything I'd learned, sitting in a classroom felt like playing dress-up in a dead man's clothes. But I had promised myself I'd try. Blend in. Live. Or at least pretend.
Walking through the narrow streets to the school, I noticed the looks. People didn't even try to hide them. Some gasped, others whispered, and a few outright stared at the scar. I ignored them. It only took me twenty minutes of weaving through alleys to arrive at the school gates.
The building was modern, bland, and utterly unremarkable. Exactly what I needed.
I found the teachers' office easily enough and knocked.
The door opened to reveal a woman in her late twenties with black hair, sharp eyes, and the kind of smile that made men stupid. White shirt, black jacket, red skirt. She glanced at me, blinked once, and then closed the door in my face.
"...Alright," I muttered.
From behind the door, her voice carried loud and clear: "HAS ANYONE PISSED OFF A GUY WITH WHITE HAIR, BLUE EYES, AND A HUGE SCAR ON HIS FACE?!"
The office exploded into murmurs.
I waited five minutes before the door opened again. Same woman. Same sharp smile.
"Sorry about that. You must be Adachi-san. I'm Suzuki Yua, your homeroom teacher." She bowed slightly.
I bowed back, polite enough. "Please take care of me, sensei. You can also call me Shiro."
Her lips curved into a grin. "Charming. You should smile more often. In fact, call me Yua when we're alone." She winked.
"You know I'm sixteen." I tilted my head.
"I like them younger," she teased, walking past me with the confidence of someone who'd already won the argument.
Shaking my head, I followed.
The first day blurred by. Introductions, stares, whispers. Nothing I hadn't expected. Most of the class looked at me like I was a wolf dressed in a school uniform. They weren't wrong.
But the strangest part wasn't the students. It was Yua.
She had the energy of a storm bottled into a human body-wild, erratic, and always two seconds away from saying something inappropriate. Where I maintained a deadpan expression, she radiated fiery energy. Where I was silent, she filled the air with noise.
The real shock came the next morning.
I opened my apartment door in running clothes, only to see my neighbor step out at the same time. Same black hair, same sharp grin. Yua-sensei.
She froze. "Shiro!? You're my new neighbor?!"
"Morning, sensei," I said flatly. "What are you doing up so early?"
"I could ask you the same," she shot back, slinging a sports bag over her shoulder.
"Going for a run."
"Same. Want to join me? Or are you scared of being outrun by your teacher?"
I sighed. "I'm more scared you'll try to flirt mid-sprint and get hit by a car."
She grinned. "Worth it."
And just like that, I found myself running through Kyoto streets at dawn, side by side with a woman who seemed determined to break every rule of professionalism.
Half an hour later, we were jogging back past a stray dog. Yua's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Oh my god, look how fluffy he is!" She squealed, crouching down.
The dog growled, teeth bared.
"Yeah, that's rabies waiting to happen," I said.
"Nonsense, he's adorable." She inched closer.
The dog lunged. She yelped, stumbling back, and I laughed.
"You looked like you were about to kidnap him," I teased.
"I wanted to!" she snapped, brushing dirt off her knees. "He was cute!"
"He smelled like garbage and ticks. That's your definition of cute?"
"You men wouldn't know real cuteness if it bit you in the ass!" she shouted, standing on her toes to glare at me.
I chuckled, walking ahead. "Well, he almost did."
"Ugh, shut up."
By the time we reached the school, she was still sulking.
And then it happened.
As I walked down the hallway, half-listening to Yua's complaints about the misunderstood stray dog, my vision turned white. Not the gentle fade of tired eyes, but a sharp, searing flash like lightning behind my skull.
I blinked-and the school was gone.
The fluorescent lights, the chatter, and the tiled floors-all vanished. I was back in that room. The one with Stacy.
Her hand was still pressed to my head, her skin clammy, her breath uneven. She looked pale, almost sick, as though digging through my memories had drained her dry.
I frowned, reaching to steady her, when movement flickered at the edge of my vision.
Dizzy. Standing behind her. A dagger in his grip, poised to slit her throat.
Everything snapped into focus. My muscles tensed, my pulse steady, calm. I'd been here before. A hundred times before.
And without hesitation, I moved.
"No!"
Yo Author here
Know that you know the past, and yes, he/she isn't right in the head. That is why the 5 years of torture didn't really do anything to him/her.
Ooh, some of you thought I am going to kill Stacy. That ain't happening. The only way she is going to die is of old age, most likely.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 18: First Real Fight
"No, you don't!?" I yanked Stacy in with my right hand and hauled her against my chest. With my left I snapped an ice shield into existence between Dizzy's dagger and Stacy's throat. I didn't have an opportunity to shape it clean-more slush than plate-so the blade punched through the ice and straight into my palm.
"Ugh." The pain lit every nerve like a fireworks factory going up; my left arm was howling with that ten-times curse-tax interest. I'd taken hits from Stacy for three years, though. Pain wasn't a stop sign anymore; it was a suggestion I ignored. I hopped off the bed with Stacy slung tight and put distance between us and the dog with the suddenly unfriendly eyes.
"What terrible timing." Dizzy's voice came out flat and irritated. "I wanted to do it in your dreams, but you just had to wake up. Tsk." She let the blood-wet dagger clatter onto the bedsheets and palmed two more-one reverse grip, one forward-like she was deciding which cutlery to use for dessert. She saw me glance at the discarded blade and smiled too sweetly. "Wondering why I dropped it? You'll find out later. Hehe."
"Can't wait." I fed mana to Super Regen. My flesh knitted together, and the nerve-screams faded to a barbed hum. I glanced down-my right hand had Stacy by the collar like she was a stray kitten I'd rescued from a well-and gave her a small shake. "Hey. Up."
"Don't take your eyes off your enemy," Dizzy sang, already moving. She dashed in, blades fanning for my ribs and throat.
I grew a greatsword in my left hand-ice shivered into length and weight with a sharp, clean ring-and caught both daggers on the flat. Sparks of frost hissed. "Dizzy," I said, meeting her eyes over the locked steel, "did you really think I'd be that easy? Furthermore, who trained you? You're crossing your lines like you're slicing cake."
Her answer was a hiss. I tilted my head to clear the stabbing line and kicked. My heel sank into her stomach like booting a sack of rice. Dizzy launched backward, taking the bed with her, then the wall, then most of my patience, and hit the far side of the room with a dent that was going to make the mansion's auto-repair spell work overtime.
I shifted my grip on Stacy, slung her over my shoulder fireman-style-so dignified-and faced the crater. Dizzy peeled herself out of the wall with a rattle of plaster and stubbornness. "How are you so strong?" she wheezed. "I knew you were a demon-fox, but you're still level two."
"Is there something special about being a demon-fox?" I asked, deadpan.
She laughed like I'd told the world's funniest joke with a knife in it. "Didn't you know? Your kind is rare and dangerous. Why do you think it's rare to see any others? The Federation gave a continent-wide order to exterminate you. Anyone who brings back a corpse gets a massive reward. It's open season."
Something low and ugly rolled under my tongue. It wasn't fear. It wasn't grief. It was the kind of anger that makes your hands go steady and your thoughts get clearer. Maybe it was the blood in me-primordial, old as everything. Perhaps it was the result of three years spent building something that felt like a life, only to suddenly hear that strangers wanted my species as a trophy. I leaned down close to Stacy's ear. "Sorry about this," I whispered, not sure whether I meant the wall, the mess, or the things I was about to do.
I let Stacy down gently to the floor and moved.
Dizzy saw a blur. She got her blades up-credit for that-and still went skidding in a skid of splinters. This time she didn't stop at the wall; she went through it, screaming metal and stone, and vanished into bright late-afternoon air.
I stepped to the hole. Outside, the sun slanted gold across the courtyard, throwing long shadows off the training posts. Beyond the outer lawn, the Dead Forest crouched and breathed: a black treeline like a jawline of teeth. Dizzy was a broken figure fifty meters out, sprawled in a churned scar across the lawn, fighting her body to stand.
Behind me, the door banged open. "Kitsune!" Rebecca held a chain-axe in one hand, while Lily stood beside her with a rapier at her side. They took everything in-the crushed bed, the hole, Stacy on the floor, me-and then their eyes hit mine. Rebecca flinched just a fraction. Good instincts. The idea of running away from me must have occurred to her, and then she sensibly left.
"Take care of Stacy," I said. "She used her memory skill." I didn't explain. I didn't have time. I dropped out through the hole.
Gravel crunched under my sneakers; the air outside was bright and cold with the first bite of evening. I walked toward Dizzy at a conversational pace, letting my shadow stretch long. She finally scraped herself upright, blades raised again, arms shaking like bowstrings pulled past their limits.
"Are you really Federation?" I called, pleasant as a clerk. "You're so weak. Level two did this. Has your battle power declined so much we wouldn't even need half our Black Ops to mulch you?"
"You-how dare you mock the Federation!" someone screamed behind me.
I turned. It was one of the kitchen staff-one of the night-shift chefs I'd seen laughing at stew-charging with a longsword from the crowd that had gathered. Behind him, faces. So many faces. Some pale, some worried, some too focused. The intense focus displayed by some individuals suggests that they have previously engaged in violence and enjoyed it.
I smiled. "One guy? That's sweet."
He screamed wordlessly and chopped. I brought the ice blade down in a simple vertical. The adamantine edge I'd molded through practice and temper didn't so much clash as dismiss his steel. My sword bit through his guard and then his skull, and gravity took our argument from there. I let the blade go, and he crumpled with it-folded like a wicked idea.
"Really?" I looked at the crowd. "First swing and he's gone? Has the Federation always been this squishy?"
That did it. Twenty broke from the edges at once, peeling off aprons and dropping tools, producing real weapons from places servants shouldn't have them. Twenty of the less than one hundred and fifty staff members were involved. Ten percent rats in our grain.
"Cute," I said, and reached into the pocket between moments.
Dimensional Storage unlatched. Fabric whispered and caught, and in one smooth breath I was in my fighting clothes: black hoodie, dark red tee, jeans, sneakers, scarf up, and my twin chakrams settling against my hips with a familiar, hungry weight. Adamite fibers kissed my skin like a promise. I curled my hands and felt the lightning itch under the left forearm, the fire purr under the right, and the ice sit in my chest like a cold star.
"Let's dance."
I stepped forward, and the first two came in tandem-butchers' rhythm, the kind you learn cutting meat. I gave them the respect of a clean response: pivot inside, left hand rising, and the chakram flicked in a flat arc that hummed through the air and took the first man across the throat. I was already ducking under the second's blade, my knee driving into his thigh; his leg folded, and I clipped him across the temple with the pommel. He went down boneless.
Six more rushed. Good. I needed something to do with my hands before I started thinking about extinction events.
"Federation special today," I called, because if I didn't talk I might start screaming, and I didn't want to do that in front of Rebecca and Lily. "Two for one in humiliation."
The courtyard roared and narrowed. I felt the world in the soles of my feet-the give of grass, the crunch of gravel, and the clean hard confidence of stone. A spear thrust for my ribs; I trapped the shaft under my forearm, let the point glance past, stepped on the spear foot, and shoved. The wielder stumbled into his friend, and I kicked both of them into a tangle of limbs. The left chakram whirled out-thunk, thunk-and returned to my palm with a wet breath.
Someone screamed behind me. The sound snapped and cut short. I didn't look; I didn't need to. Rebecca's chain sang. Lily's rapier made bright, neat music. We were a choir.
Dizzy staggered back into my view, spitting blood and sliding into the gaps, while my movement felt like rain finding a crack. "You can't-" she started, and I cut the conversation short by planting my foot in her chest and borrowing her body as a stepping stone to go up and over a sword swipe that would have taken my legs. I landed behind two men, took them by the shoulders, and clapped their skulls together. The sound was ugly. I didn't apologize.
"Are we sure the Federation pays you?" I panted, grinning, letting the humor sit on top of the iron under it. "Because I would ask for a refund."
An ax whistled at my spine. I let lightning out, just a breath. Agony bit into my left arm like a thousand frying needles-hello, ten-times curse-but speed flooded the world. The ax looked reluctant to arrive. I slid aside, caught the haft, and twisted. The wielder stumbled into me, and the heel of my hand broke his nose through his mask with a red pop. He screamed into my palm. I did him the favor of making it brief.
"Eyes up, fox!" someone shouted-a house guard, loyal, shocked, trying to help. He took a knife for his trouble. I identified the thrower by her low, balanced, and precise movements, and then I flicked my right wrist. The chakram left me like a thought and came back like an answer, and she folded her hands at her throat as if in prayer.
In the corner of my vision, the dagger Dizzy had left on my bed-now far behind us, through the hole in the wall-crumbled to powder. A faint scent carried on the breeze; not iron, not oil-bitter, metallic-sweet, wrong. A beacon. The hair on my tail bristled.
So that's what she meant: not poison, a call. "Later," she'd said.
"Rebecca!" I shouted, without turning. "We've got a marker out; expect company."
"Noted!" She barked back, and the metal ball at the end of her chain smashed a spy into the ground, breaking the courtyard stones. "Stacy's awake and swearing!"
"Language," Lily scolded primly, then ran a man through and flicked her blade clean like she'd just skewered a cherry.
The last five tried to regroup, moving with each other instead of at me. Better. I could give them that. They circled, feinting, testing for a mistake. I gave them one-a sloppy lunge, an overreach-then punished the first to bite, snapping my scarf up to blind him and kicking his knee sideways. He howled; I stole his balance and his breath with the same motion and let him drop.
Three charged at once. I grabbed an ankle, a wrist, a collar, and the physics worked out in my favor. I made a wall of ice-hip-high, clear as a winter stream-and threw two into it. The third tried to stop, failed, and joined the cuddle. I hardened the wall, let it bite inward. He made a noise like stepping on snow. Then he stopped.
The noise ended as quickly as it had begun. Bodies on the lawn. Blood in the grass. The scent marker from the bed edged the air with its metallic whine. Dizzy on her knees, hair over her eyes, still smiling with two cracked molars.
I walked to her.
"You wanted to meet with me alone," I said, sounding pleasant again. "You should have checked the books on our family first. We specialize in one-versus-many."
She giggled through blood. "Not alone. Just... busy. And now you're in the open." Her eyes flicked past me, toward the trees. My ears-curse them-caught it: a low thrumming growing under the forest's breath. Boots. Not many. But excellent ones.
I exhaled and, gently, since I don't prefer to be cruel, struck her temple with the flat of my blade. She slumped, breathing. If I wanted answers, one alive was worth ten dead. And I did.
I turned, raising my voice. "Anyone else want to revolt today? Speak now, or I'll make an icebox for confessions." No one moved. Good choice.
A shadow fell across the lawn. I looked up. Stacy stood in the ragged hole three stories up, pale but upright, one hand braced on the frame, black eyes locked on mine. She looked as if she'd fought a war while sitting still. Maybe she had.
"Hun," she shouted, voice hoarse, "marker?"
"Yeah," I called back. "Expect guests."
She snarled-an ugly, fond sound-and disappeared from the frame. A heartbeat later, the auto-repair spell began to stitch the walls back together around the void with a lazy ripple, like water pulling tight over a wound.
"Inside!" Rebecca barked, her voice going command-cold as she snapped her chain back around her arm and shouldered a fallen traitor with contempt. "Lily, call Lockdown Blue. All staff are inside now. Loyalists to the inner ring. "We will defend the courtyard if necessary."
"Yes, ma'am!" Lily darted, fast as a thought.
I dragged Dizzy by the collar with one hand and picked up my fallen ice sword with the other. The courtyard stones glittered with frost; the lawn glowed bruised-green where we'd torn it. Above us, the sky had the bland innocence of a child who did not watch any of this.
"Fox," Rebecca said in a low, even voice as we walked side by side toward the doors, "what did Stacy see in that look in your eyes?"
"My past," I said. "All of it."
"And?"
"And she's still here." I didn't look up. "Not the worst bet I've ever made."
"Good. You'll need her." Rebecca's mouth twitched, as if a smile were struggling to emerge from her facial muscles.
We crossed the threshold just as the first three figures broke the treeline-a triangle of gray-cloaked shapes whose movement said they weren't kitchen staff. They didn't shout warnings or threats. Professionals rarely do.
The heavy doors swung shut behind us and thudded home. A shimmer of mana crawled through the wood and into the stone. Lockdown Blue.
I hauled Dizzy into a side chamber we used for debriefs, threw her into a chair, and wrapped the legs in bands of ice that froze to the floor. She blinked blearily, then grinned as if we were about to share tea. "You're fast," she croaked. "Faster than a level two."
"Yeah," I said. "Our household has its own peculiar ways of doing things." I slid a chair opposite, sat down with my elbows on my knees, and let the sweat cool on my neck while my scarf hung loosely. "You and I are going to have a chat, and you're going to tell me who laced that dagger and how many more of your friends I should set the table for."
"Or?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Or I'll ask Rebecca to do it," I said lightly. "She loves cutting things that deserve it. And she knows how to make it last."
Dizzy swallowed. She believed me. Sensible.
The door opened. Stacy stepped in, clean clothes on, hair damp with a basin rinse, a blade in each hand, and a storm behind her eyes. She looked at me first, taking in everything about me, counting my limbs and breaths, before sheathing the knives and stopping an arm's length away. We didn't hug. We aren't those people. She still reached out and squeezed my shoulder once, like writing something simple in a language only we read.
"Hey," she said softly. "Hey."
"Hey."
Her gaze flicked to Dizzy. "Alive?"
"For now," I said. "She rang the dinner bell and brought guests. I thought maybe we should ask about the menu."
"Cute," Stacy said, but the curve of her mouth didn't quite hold. She exhaled slowly. "Rebecca's locking the rings. Lily's got the west hall. The outer ward will buy us fifteen minutes. Maybe twenty."
"Plenty," I said. "I only need five."
Dizzy watched us like we were a play she'd paid for. "You two," she murmured. "Mother and monster. Sweet."
Stacy's hand twitched toward a knife. I touched her wrist. "Don't waste the beneficial steel."
She breathed in, breathed out, and nodded. Then she shifted her weight and faced Dizzy with the kind of smile that made better people pray. "Alright," Stacy said, her voice going flat and professional. "Who's your handler? Where's your relay? And what exactly did your little party bring to our lawn?"
Dizzy hesitated. I waited, patient as winter. On the edge of my hearing, feet thundered, doors slammed, and orders snapped like flags. The house breathed around us like a living thing-our house, our ribs, our spine.
"Fine," Dizzy said finally, eyes glittering with the joy of betrayal. "You want a name? Our relay's in the Dead Forest-north line, old watch stump at the white roots. Two forward teams, one suppression caster. Target priority: your pet fox. The rewards list says bring her head, bring her tail, bring her heart. They'll pay triple if it's still moving when it arrives."
"Ah," I said, and smiled without mirth. "So personal."
Stacy's jaw worked. "What do they know about her?"
"That she's nine-tailed blooded," Dizzy said, eyes flicking to me. "That she didn't die when she was supposed to. That you're hiding her in plain sight like a favorite knife under your pillow."
"Good guess," I said. "Tell them to add a surcharge for stupidity."
Dizzy's grin faltered. She looked at me properly then-not at my clothes or the blood drying on my knuckles, but at my eyes. Sometimes, people look at you and then recall other things they intended to do. "You're not-" she began, and I let my irritation flicker outward through my stare.
She wilted. "Right," she whispered. "Right."
Outside, something struck the outer ward with a sound like a thunderclap wrapped in velvet. Stacy and I both turned our heads toward it-predator instinct, synchronized. The second strike came faster.
"We should go," I said.
"We should," Stacy agreed. She looked at Dizzy one last time and then back at me. "Five minutes?"
"Three," I said. My tail flicked once. "I'm feeling efficient."
She snorted and briefly touched my shoulder with just two fingers. "We'll talk later," she said, and somehow "talk" meant "about your memories, about your mother, about the part where you called me that word."
"Later," I said. It wasn't a promise I had trouble making.
We moved. Hallway, turn, stairs. On the landing, Rebecca met us, chain-axe lazily in her hand, hair a little wild, Lily behind her like a clean line drawn through chaos.
"Explain," Rebecca snapped, eyes cutting to Stacy.
Stacy's mouth twitched. " Short version: Dizzy's fed. Marked our air with a call-blade. Two teams are approaching, along with a caster equipped with a suppression rig. They want to serve Kitsune's tail on a plate.
"Over my dead body," Lily said primly, which, coming from her, sounded like a polite RSVP.
"Over theirs," I corrected, and the cold in my voice wasn't something I had to manufacture. It lived there rent-free.
Rebecca's stare flicked across the four of us-calculating. "Positions?"
"West hall," Lily said. "Shutters sealed. Inner servants ring under lock. Loyalists in pairs on the second line. I gave Margo a broom and told her she was a halberdier; she seemed excited."
"God help us," Rebecca muttered with a sigh that said she actually liked Margo. "Alright. Stacy will be accompanying me at the outer door. Kitsuna-"
"Let me clear the relay," I said. "If I break their caster's toy, we will prevent the suppression field from being deployed." I can be out and back before they've finished their dramatic entrance."
"Fox," Stacy warned, and that one word carried a thousand more-don't get cocky, don't overextend, don't make me watch you die, don't make me think I could've stopped it. "Pain tax."
"I know," I said. I flexed my left hand; the lightning answered like an eager dog that had never been fed. "I'll keep it light."
Rebecca was already moving, trusting me in that pragmatic way she had. "Three minutes," she said. "Then fall back on the inner ring. If you're not in by then, I'm sending Stacy to drag your corpse by the tail."
"Romantic," I said. "Note taken."
I ran.
The side door whispered open for me-house magic, friendly in the way a hungry wolf is to the hand that feeds it-and the evening slapped my face with cold. The Dead Forest waited, black and patient. I hit the outer steps, cut right across the gravel, vaulted the low wall, and took the slope at a diagonal. The smell from that crumbled dagger-a metallic, sweet rot-threaded the air like a trail only idiots or foxes would follow.
Good news for everyone: I was both.
The first wardline shivered over my skin like walking through a spiderweb. The second crackled around my ankles and tried to be a tripwire; I hopped it. The third announced itself with a cluster of pale mushrooms at the base of a dead stump-whiteroots-exactly where Dizzy had said. A small leather case sat in the hollow, runes stitched in a language that had to be ugly when spoken. A slender crystal rod sprouted from its top like a flower that had never seen the sun. The air around it hummed.
"Hello," I murmured, stepping into the circle without hesitation. "You must be the caster's favorite baby."
The suppression field reached for my mana, curious hands trying to smother my fire and choke my lightning. I fed it ice instead-pure, clean, cold-and the case shuddered, the rod frosting from within, hairline cracks racing like frightened rabbits.
"Shh," I told it. "You'll feel better in a second."
It exploded like a sigh, not a bang. The hum cut. In the distance, something-a ritual, a net-stuttered and died. The pain in my left arm ebbed as the field's dampening attempt stopped grinding against my curse. I flexed my fingers and smiled at the stump. "Five out of ten for effort. Zero for taste."
A shape moved to my left. Cloak. Bow is already rising. I didn't think. I pulled and threw.
The chakram took his arrow off its line and then took his breath a heartbeat later. He fell like someone had unplugged him. Another attacker tried to flank me; I kicked a slab of ice out of the ground like a door, deflected his blade off it, and then put my shoulder into his chest. He went away.
"Two," I counted, panting.
The third didn't rush. Sensible type. She hung back in the trees and began to sing. The hair on my neck stood up; the forest around us leaned in. Not suppression-something older, less civilized.
"Ma'am," I said, and gave her the respect of not letting her finish. I flicked a narrow lance of ice at the base of her throat. She twisted-good-but not enough. The song cut off in a wet gurgle. The forest lost interest.
"Three," I said, and turned to go.
I ran back the way I'd come, lungs burning pleasantly, legs remembering every drill Stacy had ever tormented me with. The house rose ahead, lights bright in the windows, doors barred, the sense of a beast bristling to protect its heart.
I reached the wall, vaulted, hit gravel, and slid through the side door as it opened for me like a friend.
Rebecca looked up from the inner hall, chain wrapped and ready, Lily at her shoulder with a smear of blood across one cheekbone like a careless artist's thumbprint. Stacy appeared from the other side of the corridor, blades clean again, eyes dark and alive.
"Relay?" she asked.
"Broken," I said. "Caster gagged by an icicle."
"Charming," Rebecca said. "Outer team?"
"Three less," I said. "The rest will get confused for a minute." I rolled my shoulders and smiled with most of my teeth. "Minutes are all we need."
Stacy's gaze flicked to my arm. "Pain?"
"Yes," I said honestly. "Manageable."
"Good," she said, and that word conveyed a multitude of emotions-approval, worry, and pride that she would suppress before expressing them aloud. "Let's clean our house."
We moved together, four lines braided. The doors shook once, twice, as something outside tested them and found them honest. I breathed in the scent of stone and wood and the faint medicinal tang of the infirmary down the hall. I thought about Dizzy, who was tied to a chair, and the questions I still wanted to ask. I thought about the word "extinction" and filed it under "reasons to get up early."
A bell chimed somewhere deeper in the house, playing three descending notes. Lily's mouth set. Rebecca's chain uncoiled. Stacy's knives sang as she drew them.
I pulled my scarf up and felt the lightning whisper, the fire purr, and the ice settle. No speeches. No threats. Just work.
The first door opened.
And I smiled.
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Chapter 19: Wrath
(Rebecca's POV)
"Dizzy attacked when I was busy digging through Kitsuna's memories. Kitsuna woke up in the middle of it because she felt the bloodlust Dizzy was giving off. Kitsuna got mad because the Federation gave a genocide order on her kind, and here we are. You know I said I wanted Dizzy to be Kitsune's first kill, right? That was actually unneeded."
Stacy's voice was calm-too calm-as she strode toward the broken wall like a queen inspecting her garden, hands behind her back, her steps crunching over shattered stone.
I trailed after her, my heart still hammering from the chaos below. "Wait. Are you saying she's already been killed before?"
Stacy didn't even look at me, her gaze locked firmly on the courtyard where Kitsuna moved like a little red flame, her swords flashing.
"Mm." A small nod. "Plenty of times."
"Plenty-what?" I nearly tripped on a chunk of rubble. "But wasn't her old world against killing?"
"Yes. Very much so." Stacy gave a small, humorless laugh. "In that world, she'd be classed as a mass murderer. Lucky for her, no one ever figured it out. A dumb terrorist group took all the blame for her handiwork. Worked out quite nicely."
I blinked at her. "You're joking."
Her lips were curved, sharp, and amusing. "Nope."
I turned toward Lily, who'd been following silently, her expression flickering between confusion and worry.
Lily finally asked the question hanging in the air. "She's... killed more than one person?"
"Un," Stacy replied breezily. "She's killed more people than you, Lily."
The words hung like a bomb.
"What!?" Lily's face went pale, then red. "You aren't serious! I know I haven't been in a real war yet, but my kill count isn't low, Stacy!"
Before I could jump in, my eyes were drawn downward at just the wrong moment-Kitsuna's sword came down on one of the spies, the blade slicing clean through him. The man collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. She didn't even pause. No hesitation, no flinch, not even a second glance.
Instead, her body began to hum-dark mana pouring off her in slow, steady waves.
"She's gone berserk," I muttered, my throat tight. "We need to do something-"
"Don't worry." Stacy's voice cut me off, firm. "She's in full control."
"She's only thirteen," I shot back, incredulous. "Thirteen. How can you look at that and say she's in control?"
Stacy's eyes softened-just a fraction. A shadow of sadness passed over her face before she straightened again. "I can't tell you everything," she admitted. "Not yet. All you need to know is that she'll be fine. Just watch."
I wanted to argue. Gods, I wanted to. But the look on her face silenced me. It reminded me too much of my own mother when I told her I'd been accepted into the Black Ops. That mix of dread and pride. The way she smiled while knowing she might never see me again.
That was the exact look Stacy had now-directed at Kitsuna.
And it hit me then: Stacy wasn't just training Kitsuna. She was proud of her.
"...I understand," I said quietly.
Her lips curved into the faintest smile-then it vanished.
"Hey!?" she barked suddenly, whirling on me. "Why the hell are more than ten percent of our staff spies, Rebecca!?"
Her tone cracked like a whip.
I froze. "U-uhm... I... haven't had time in the past couple of years to do a proper cleanup?" I admitted this while scratching the back of my neck.
Her eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I can see that. I've gone soft on you, haven't I? You need to get off your ass and take care of your damn work instead of flirting with Lily all day."
Heat exploded across my face. "Wha-Stacy!"
Lily turned scarlet. "S-Stacy!"
Stacy just smirked, perfectly pleased with herself, before turning back to the chaos below.
(Kitsuna's POV)
Twenty figures rushed me, blades glinting in the sunlight, feet pounding against stone.
Finally. Something real.
Stacy's training was always built on worst-case scenarios-fight against groups, fight when outnumbered, fight until your body begs you to stop. But this... this was the first time it wasn't training. The first time, every person in front of me truly wanted me dead.
It was almost exciting.
When they closed within ten meters, Dizzy's shrill voice split the air from behind me.
"Don't attack her so blindly! She's stronger than she looks. Surround her and then attack!"
Her little soldiers obeyed instantly, fanning out like a net to pen me in.
I tilted my head, a smile tugging at my lips.
'They actually gave me the advantage.'
"You idiots!" Stacy's voice rang out from the broken wall. "You just gave her the advantage!"
I glanced at her, shocked. "Oi! You're supposed to be on my side!"
She chuckled, looking infuriatingly casual. "This was supposed to be a challenge, but instead, they chose to listen to that foolish maid." I believe in you, though!"
"Some support, that is!" I snapped back-but couldn't stop my grin.
Then I heard it: a low shuffle of earth, a wet sound of bodies moving where there shouldn't have been any. My head whipped toward the ground behind Dizzy.
An unsettling voice rose from the dirt.
"I can't agree more, Stacy Draig. This dumbass just had to choose today to make a ruckus."
The man who emerged was tall, pale-haired, and green-eyed. His ghillie suit blended with the soil as if he'd been part of it. One by one, more figures rose behind him-like corpses climbing out of shallow graves.
My blood ran cold.
'How the hell didn't I notice them?'
At least fifty. Fifty men. At this hour? That meant they'd planned to strike after nightfall. And now here they were, dragged early into the open.
"Commander, what are you doing here!?" Dizzy squealed.
The spies all froze like scared animals.
The man didn't spare her a glance. "I have a mission to destroy this mansion. You're compromising it."
In a blur, he unsheathed his sword. Dizzy didn't even scream. Her head simply slid from her neck, her body collapsing at his feet.
The courtyard went dead silent.
'This is bad. Really bad.'
I spun, searching for an escape route-but I was already surrounded.
"Well... fuck," I muttered.
The commander turned toward me, cool amusement in his eyes. "You don't panic, even though you're in the worst possible place."
"And you don't seem to care; you just killed one of your own," I shot back.
"The Federation doesn't accept failure."
"Right. So who am I fighting, then? You?" Please say yes.
"All of us." He spread his arms, his men lifting their weapons as one.
"Of course you are," I muttered. "Fuck my luck."
I reached for my chakrams-but before I could attack, a familiar voice cut in.
"Like hell I'd leave you."
Stacy appeared at my side, blades flashing into existence.
Relief hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I forced a laugh. "I was starting to think you ditched me."
She didn't smile. "I'd leave Dean before I'd leave you."
I froze. "...What?"
Of all the things she could have said, that was not on my list. She loved Dean more than anything. I'd heard the stories. Dean was her whole damn world.
And she'd just told me she'd abandon him before me.
"Are you okay in the head?" I asked flatly. "You'd leave him before me? Yeah, right."
Her eyes were serious. "Don't believe me? When we're done, I'll show you my memories. You'll understand why."
"Fi-"
Her shove cut me off. A sword hissed through the air where I'd just been standing.
"Talk later. Can you make me two katanas?" She barked.
I shaped them instantly from ice and hurled them into her waiting hands.
"Thanks." Her grip tightened, mana flaring, and she lunged at the commander.
Steel screamed as their blades clashed, the courtyard erupting into chaos.
The others surged at me.
I ducked under the first strike, swept a man's legs, and cut his throat in one clean motion. Blood sprayed across my cheek.
"Oh, come on," I snarled, "can I just use my chakrams!?"
"Haha! Like we'd let you!" One of them jeered.
I flung my katana straight into his chest. His laugh died in a wet gurgle.
That shut them up.
I rolled, fingers finally closing around my chakrams. The first to rush me got a blade through the skull before he could even finish his warning cry.
"Now we're ready to dance." My grin stretched wide, sharp, and unnatural.
The entire courtyard froze, a collective shiver running through them. Even Stacy and the commander halted for a heartbeat, their gazes snapping toward me.
"That girl..." the commander hissed. "She must die. Everyone, change of orders-kill the demi-fox at all costs. We cannot allow a carrier of a Deadly Sin skill to live!"
"A Sin?" I echoed, tilting my head.
Stacy's voice was low and grim. "I thought she was just going berserk. But this... Wrath. The Sin of Wrath."
Heat surged in my veins. My hair bled from black and red to pure crimson, my eyes glowing like embers. Smoke billowed from my skin, thick and black, wrapping around me like a cloak.
I could feel it. Wrath. Alive in me.
And gods, it felt good.
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Chapter 20:
(Kitsuna POV)
"Everyone, the mission has changed. Kill the Demi-Fox at all costs! We can't leave a carrier of a Deadly Sin skill alive!"
The commander's voice rang out like a death sentence, and instantly, all eyes turned toward me. Dozens of them-wide, trembling, filled with something between fear and disgust.
And then it clicked.
They weren't just looking at me like I was the enemy. They were looking at me like I wasn't even human anymore.
I laughed. Loud. Ugly. Too loud for someone who was supposed to be their execution target.
"Why are you all so scared of a thirteen-year-old?" I smirked, twirling my chakrams, ice already crystallizing along their edges with a faint hiss. "Really? This is what terrifies hardened soldiers? I've seen scarier faces when I looked in a mirror after just waking up."
Their fear didn't vanish. If anything, my laughter made them shudder more.
The closest fool made the mistake of stepping forward, weapon raised. I didn't give him time to finish the thought. A single flick of my wrist and the chakram tore into him, faster than his body could react. He didn't even get to scream-just crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut.
That woke them up.
"She's not normal!"
"Kill her!"
"Surround her!"
A barrage of spells and weapons flew at me like angry hornets.
I pivoted, slipped sideways, and felt the heat of a fireball skim past my shoulder. Before the mage could launch a second, I lunged forward, grabbed him by the face with my right hand, and unleashed black flames straight into his skull. His scream cut short as the flames ate through flesh and bone, leaving only a twitching husk.
Another soldier was already rushing me. I didn't even glance-just hurled my left chakram, the edge glistening with icy light. It cut through him mid-step, leaving the top half of his body still trying to run before gravity remembered its job.
The chakram returned to me like a loyal hound, slick with blood.
(Expanding Environment & Humor)
The battlefield was chaos. Smoke and fire mixed with the unnatural cold of my magic, forming steam that hissed across the ground. The stench of burning flesh layered over the metallic tang of blood. Soldiers shouted orders that nobody followed, their neat formation dissolving into a panicked mob.
Some still tried to rally. "Form up!" one yelled, but his voice cracked halfway through. Another muttered a prayer under his breath loud enough that even I could hear it.
I tilted my head and gave him a wide-eyed smile. "Hey, if you're praying, at least pray for something useful. Like me missing my next throw. Spoiler: I won't."
His face went pale. He bolted before finishing his prayer.
(Back to Combat)
I spun my chakrams lazily, enjoying the way their icy glow lit up terrified faces.
"So," a deep voice cut in-the commander, stepping forward. "You can use more than one element. And that ice... top-tier, isn't it?"
I raised a brow. "Oh? You can tell? Congratulations, old man, you win a prize."
He didn't look amused. His men stepped back, giving him space. They weren't dumb; they knew cannon fodder wouldn't cut it.
The problem was-I knew I couldn't take him head-on, not yet. My muscles tensed. If Stacy wasn't still keeping him distracted, this might've been my last stand.
Then, like an answered prayer-
"Oi! Who said you could leave me behind!?"
A blur of motion, and suddenly Stacy was right beside him, her blade already slicing through his left arm. The commander stumbled back with a grunt, clutching the stump, blood spraying across the dirt.
"That's what you get for ditching me." Stacy grinned, her tone dripping with mock cheer. Then her eyes flicked toward me. "Who's in control?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" I tilted my head, still half-focused on a soldier sneaking up. He tossed a knife at me, and I casually flicked a chakram in response, splitting his head like an overripe melon. I looked back at her. "We're talking here. Rude."
Stacy frowned. "Kitsuna, you should stop killing for now. You might lose control."
I shrugged. "I'll try. No promises, though. You know me."
(Dark Humor Rising)
Holstering my chakrams, I formed jagged ice knuckles around my fists. "Alright, cannon fodder. Who's first? Step right up. Don't be shy."
They hesitated.
I waved mockingly, putting on a fake smile. "Come on, guys. It's not like I bite. Well, okay, sometimes I do, but that's not the point-"
"AAAHHH!"
One finally broke and charged, sword raised high. I caught the blade with my left hand-ice sparking around it-and smashed my right fist into his face. The crunch of shattering bone was almost satisfying. He dropped like a sack of rocks.
Another tried his luck. I ducked under his swing and uppercut him so hard his jaw practically left orbit.
I grinned. "Geez, your faces break so easily. Is everyone here made of glass, or is it just a discount army thing?"
Behind me, I sensed another. I swept his legs out from under him and kicked his stomach with an ice-reinforced boot. He went flying backward into the crowd, knocking several others down like bowling pins.
"Ice bowling!" I called out cheerfully. "Strike!"
(Enemy Adapts)
The surviving soldiers had backed up now, forming a wide ring around me. Their breaths were ragged, weapons trembling.
'Smart,' I thought. 'Took them long enough to realize close combat was suicide.'
"Pull back! All of you!" the same annoying officer shouted. "Mages! Take her out of range!"
I fluttered my lashes at him. "Aw, thanks for the breather. You're making me blush."
The first spell was already flying-a sphere of water hissing through the air.
I rolled aside, just barely missing it, and popped up with ice knives forming in my hands. With a flick, they embedded themselves in the mage's skull. She dropped like a ragdoll.
"Penny!!" someone screamed. "You monster!"
"Monster?" I repeated, tilting my head, then giggling. "I kind of like the sound of that."
(Escalation)
The soldiers were rattled now, their fear feeding me like a drug. Every panicked shout, every wide-eyed stare-it was intoxicating.
One idiot ran at me in rage, ignoring his comrades' warnings. I caught him with a punch to the gut, making him cough blood. Before he could recover, my tail whipped out, coiling around his legs.
"Hey, thanks for volunteering!" I chirped, swinging him like a club into the nearest group. Their screams echoed as bodies crumpled together.
Without missing a beat, I made more ice knives and peppered the downed men until silence fell.
The officer shouted again. "Fall back! We can't fight her up close!"
He was really starting to annoy me. So I grabbed my makeshift "club"-what was left of the soldier-and hurled him full force at the officer.
"Catch!"
The man screamed as the corpse smashed into him, sending them both into the dirt, a crater forming beneath.
The survivors froze. Someone whimpered. "She's a monster..."
I giggled again, this time darker, sharper. "Monster, huh? Doesn't sound so bad, you know."
And then something inside me shifted.
(Stacy POV)
'Damn it.'
The moment I heard Kitsuna giggle like that, I knew it was too late. Telling her to stop killing now was like telling a wildfire to cool down politely.
The commander glared at me across the battlefield, his left arm hanging limp. "Why are you protecting a Sin holder? You know what kind of being they are. We had to team up to kill the last Wrath holder. You were there!"
I exhaled slowly. Memories surfaced-thirty high-levelers against a monster of wrath. Sixteen dead, the rest broken. Dean and I finished the job ourselves. Or so we thought.
I stared at him. "How did you survive? We killed all of you."
He smirked. "I faked my death. And I'm not the only one. The rest will come for you too."
"I see..." My grip on my blade tightened. "Well, that was ten years ago. You had ten years to improve."
"And I did." He raised his sword. "I'm level nine-sixty now. Rare class. Stronger than you were then."
I blinked at him. Then I tilted my head. "You think you're a match for me now? That's cute."
He smirked. "Why do you think I was sent here?"
"Hah!" I laughed right in his face. "The Federation sent you on a suicide mission. That's hilarious."
"You won't laugh once you feel my aura!" He unleashed it, a heavy pressure spreading across the field.
I yawned. "Pitiful. Honestly, I think my daughter over there could kill you if she actually went all out."
His eyes narrowed. He turned his killing intent toward Kitsuna.
"Bad move." My blade blurred, intercepting him before his aura could distract her. Sparks flew as steel clashed. "Don't bother. I already trained her under full killing intent. Your cheap tricks won't work."
He pushed back, snarling. "You're making a monster. Do you think you'll be able to control her?"
I shoved him back with a single strike that rattled his bones. "That's not my goal. Why would I want to control her? She's my daughter. She'll live her life how she wants."
His lip curled. "She'll destroy the world if you let her exist."
I felt anger tighten in my chest. "Call her a monster again. See what happens."
And then-
A roar shook the battlefield.
We both turned.
There, standing tall and furious, was Kitsuna. A massive nine-tailed fox, eight meters high and sixteen long, with tails whipping behind her like living weapons. Her eyes burned with primal fury.
The soldiers screamed in unison.
The commander's face drained of color. "Y-you found a host for the Nine-Tailed Primordial blood!?"
"Yeah," I said flatly. "Playtime's over."
I vanished from my spot, reappearing behind him. With a single strike, I knocked him out cold.
The battlefield fell silent except for the ragged, terrified breaths of the few survivors.
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Chapter 21: New 'Pet'
I looked back at Kitsuna in her fox form, letting the Commander's body drop to the ground with a dull thud. The corpse bounced once before crumpling into the dirt, forgotten like a toy at the bottom of a chest. Kitsuna, though, was anything but forgettable.
She was mostly red, her fur glistening with streaks of blood and smoke. Black markings coiled across her body like living tattoos, shifting faintly with her breath. Her nine tails flared behind her, massive and wild, the same red-and-black coloration as her body, though each ended in snowy-white tips that looked far too pure for what they'd just done. Her eyes were back to normal now-no more glowing, no madness in the whites. Just those red irises, set in a sea of black sclera.
For anyone else, that would have been terrifying. For me, it was almost nostalgic.
"To think she'd unlock two major powers in one night. Haaah... troublesome." I sighed to myself, dragging a hand down my face. Then, louder, I called out, "Rebecca!?"
A shimmer of mana later, Rebecca appeared beside me, her cloak flapping in the hot, blood-soaked wind. She followed my gaze to Kitsuna, who towered over the battlefield like a vengeful goddess in miniature.
"Well," Rebecca said carefully, "how are we going to deal with her?" Her tone carried both respect and worry, the way one might speak of a sleeping dragon that could sneeze and flatten a mountain.
"Nothing." I shook my head. "Get everyone away from the mansion. Also, take the guy with you." I pointed lazily at the crumpled commander's body.
Rebecca blinked. "Wait-you can't be serious. She's going to destroy everything if we just-"
"Yes," I interrupted flatly, "and we're going to let her. I can't do shit right now. Digging through her memories earlier took more out of me than I expected. At the moment, knocking her out would be... let's say, unpleasantly difficult."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "You're planning to keep her alive?"
"Of course. She's my daughter." I frowned at her. The fact that she even had to ask annoyed me.
"That's not the only reason, is it?"
I just gave her a slow nod. No words. None needed.
Rebecca sighed, her shoulders relaxing just enough to show her trust, and with a flick of her wrist, she hoisted the Commander's corpse like luggage. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you." Then she blinked out of sight again.
'Of course, it isn't the only reason,' I thought, my lips quirking into something that was halfway between a smile and a snarl. Kitsuna is just like me.
And oh, how glorious it was.
I let my gaze wander across the battlefield. Federation soldiers were nothing more than crimson smears decorating the cracked courtyard stones, their broken weapons glittering like confetti. Some bodies were flattened, others torn in half, and some reduced to chunks. Kitsune's tails swatted them aside like flies, launching armored men through the air so high their screams cut off before they even landed.
It was... beautiful.
My only real worry was whether Kitsuna had completely lost control of herself. Judging by the blank focus in her eyes, she wasn't fully conscious of what she was doing. That made me nervous. Excited too, but mostly nervous.
I tore my eyes away from her and glanced toward the mansion. Rebecca and Lily were helping survivors out through shattered windows, their figures darting back and forth. But no one else. No guards at the perimeter. No Black Ops at their posts.
My stomach knotted.
"Where the hell is the rest of the guard?" My voice was low, but the unease in it was sharp enough to cut glass.
The question rattled in my head as I sprinted from the yard, leaving the smell of blood and fire behind me. My boots crunched over debris and bodies.
Turning the corner near the armory, I heard voices-panicked, hushed.
"No-ugh!!" A scream, choked and cut short.
I bolted forward. Another turn, and there they were: three of my Black Ops, lying crumpled in the hallway like broken dolls.
I dropped to one knee beside them. Two had wounds I didn't recognize-burns that weren't burns, punctures that didn't make sense. But the third... the third had a knife buried in his back.
That was no enemy strike. That was betrayal.
And the only way it could have happened this close to the armory was if one of our own had done it.
My eyes narrowed to slits.
I rose and ran faster, my hair whipping behind me.
"Move faster! They'll notice we're gone any minute now!" a voice hissed ahead.
I slowed, slipping into the shadows, and peered around the final corner.
There, at the armory entrance, stood Captain Dave-my captain. My most trusted Black Ops officer. He was flanked by five others, their arms laden with crates. Federation crates.
"Dave," I said, my voice flat, empty. Like the grave.
They all froze. Dave turned, mask slipping into something almost sheepish. "Milady. Shouldn't you be... watching the young miss outside?"
I didn't move. "I asked first."
He shifted closer to his men, his hand sliding behind his back. "What does it look like? We're saving the weapons, of course."
"Mm. And the bodies in the hall?" My tone sharpened, steel beneath silk.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he yanked his hand free and leveled something at me-a short, awkward-looking staff. Except it wasn't magic; I felt humming from it. It was something else. Something cold, sharp, alien.
"You'll let us go," Dave said, lips curling into a grin, "or I'll kill you. These weapons are newly made by the Federation. Incredible penetration power. Ha!" His laugh was brittle, tinged with mania.
I tilted my head, eyes on the staff. Recognition tickled the edge of my memory. "So. It was you who let the spies in. You who opened the door for tonight's little massacre."
His smile widened. "Smart as always. And yes. A reincarnation made this. Called it a... musket. Primitive, but effective. Just imagine-whole armies carrying them."
'So that's it,' I thought, suppressing a grim chuckle. Guns. Amari had told me about them years ago.
Before I could say more, the ground shook violently.
BOOOOOM!
Half the mansion collapsed in a roar of splintered stone and fire. Dust and smoke belched into the air.
All six traitors whipped their heads toward the sound.
"What the hell was that!?" one shouted.
"Kitsuna," I thought, my lips curling into a smile.
I moved.
By the time Dave turned back, I was already on him. My hand snapped around the musket, twisting it out of his grip as my knee drove into his gut. He flew backward, choking. The others barely had time to raise their stolen weapons before I was among them. A heel to the temple, a fist to the throat, a head slammed against stone-one by one, they fell.
When the dust settled, all six were unconscious, bound tightly with rope I scavenged from the racks. I dragged them into the courtyard like sacks of flour, dropping them unceremoniously by the mansion's shattered doors.
Kitsuna sat there, massive and silent, watching me. Her eyes tracked my every step.
I tilted my head at her. "You good?"
No answer. Just the faint ripple of her tail swaying.
I dropped the rope bundle and stepped closer. She followed me with her gaze, a predator's focus unwavering.
"Are you done?" I asked, voice firm.
This time, she gave me a small nod. Then her body slumped, tail sagging, and she collapsed onto her side. A moment later-
SNNOOORRREEEE.
I blinked. Then laughed. "It seems she overworked herself."
"At least she didn't destroy the entire mansion," Rebecca said, appearing at my side, brushing rubble dust from her cloak.
"True." I nodded gravely. "Though the self-repair enchantments are toast."
As if on cue-PFFFFFTTT!-a long hiss of smoke erupted from Kitsuna's body. Her tail flared, shuddered, then began to shrink. The great beast dwindled before our eyes, coughing out plumes of black mist.
Rebecca stiffened. "What's happening!?"
"She's losing her nine tails," I said, my voice calm but edged with sadness.
"What!? Why!? Is it because of the Sin?"
"Yes. Don't worry. It's a good thing. Training with fewer tails will make it easier for her to control herself."
Rebecca exhaled slowly. "So she can get them back?"
"Of course. Depends on how hard she works."
The smoke cleared, and there she was-still a fox, but... tiny. Barely a meter tall, her fur fluffier now, her proportions comically cute. Her tails, once vast and terrible, were now plump little banners of red and black, tipped in white.
"CUUUUUTE!!" a high-pitched squeal shattered the moment.
I whipped around to see Amari sprinting toward us, eyes wide, arms already outstretched. Behind her, Dean walked at a slower, resigned pace.
"Oi!? Dean, why is she here!?" My chest tightened. Amari was too young to be seeing this kind of carnage.
"Relax, Milady," Rebecca said. "We cleaned up the worst of it."
I exhaled. "Good."
Amari barreled into the courtyard and scooped up the tiny Kitsuna, hugging her tight. "MOM! MOM! Can we keep it!?"
Rebecca opened her mouth. "Young miss, that's actually-ugh!" My elbow found her ribs before she could ruin the fun.
"Yes, of course," I said brightly, smiling at Amari. "Just don't shake her too much. She's evolving."
Amari's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Mother!" Then, with sudden worry: "By the way... what happened to the mansion?"
I waved her off. "Oh, that? Just your sister being herself."
Dean finally caught up, his expression flat as stone. "How did you two get here so fast?" I asked.
"We took one of the new airplanes," Dean said.
"Airplane?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Another reincarnation toy. Think of it as... a metal bird that carries soldiers."
I snorted. "Of course." Then I pulled the musket from my belt and handed it to him. "Found this on Dave. By the way, Rebecca-there are six more tied up over there. Take them in."
Rebecca nodded and moved to drag the traitors away.
Dean inspected the musket, his frown deepening. "A musket? You realize what this means, don't you?"
"Mm-hm. That our enemies are arming themselves faster than our patience can handle."
Amari, oblivious, squeezed Kitsuna tighter. "She's sooo soft! Can I take her to the airplane, Mom?"
"Of course, dear. But before you go-hold her still a moment."
"Why?"
"Because I made a promise."
I reached out and touched Kitsuna's head, channeling my memory skill. In a heartbeat, I implanted fragments of my own life into her subconscious. A dream she'd carry, whether she liked it or not.
"There," I whispered, ruffling Amari's hair. "Take her to the plane, sweetheart."
Amari skipped away happily, fox in arms.
Dean stared at me. "Why the hell would you give her your memories?"
I smiled, sharp and humorless. "Because she's my daughter. And because she needs to know who she is."
Then, calmly, I explained the night to him-Kitsuna's awakening, her sin, her carnage.
Dean's face grew paler with every word. Finally, he buried his head in his hands. "So, just to confirm-the 'pet' our daughter is cuddling right now is actually a primordial Sin-holder. Wrath, no less. The second-strongest Sin in existence."
"Correct."
"And you thought it'd be funny to let Amari carry her around like a stuffed toy?"
"Yes."
Dean groaned. "Are you insane!? When she wakes up, she'll go batshit crazy! She'll shred us!"
"Mm." I shrugged, already walking away. "Let that be her punishment. Besides-her reaction will be worth it."
The sound of Dean's despairing groan behind me was music to my ears.
Yo
In my opinion, the most deadly sin is Gluttony. Then it will be Wrath. It also depends on how you want to use them. But overall, gluttony wins for me.
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Chapter 22: Stacys' past
"Happy birthday, little kitten. Time to wake up. We're going to church today."
The voice was deep, steady, and oddly warm. It tugged me from sleep like a fishing hook pulling a lazy carp. My eyes blinked open, and the first thing I saw was a pair of bright green eyes staring down at me. They belonged to a man with silver hair that tumbled down to his shoulders and a beard so thick it could probably catch crumbs for later. He also had two fluffy silver cat ears twitching on top of his head.
"You have an hour to get ready," Father said in his calm soldier's tone.
"Is Mother going with us?" I asked groggily, rubbing my eyes.
"Of course. It's your birthday and the first time seeing your status. She wouldn't miss it."
"I see. I'll be ready on time."
"Good." He gave a small nod before rising to his full height. The floor creaked under his boots as he turned and walked out of the room.
"Okay, see you in a while, Father," I mumbled, but he was already gone.
I swung out of bed and dragged myself to the mirror across the room. Staring back at me was a five-year-old girl with long silver hair tumbling down her shoulders, silver eyes that reflected the morning light, and two small silver cat ears perched on her head. My tail-long, silver, and annoyingly expressive-swished behind me.
"Haah... I wonder what sort of powers I'll get," I muttered, grinning at my reflection.
After brushing my hair, washing my face, and putting on my best clothes, I finally looked presentable.
(40 minutes later)
When I walked out of the mansion, the sun was already high enough to sting my eyes. My father stood by the carriage, talking quietly with a woman whose presence commanded more attention than the armored guards lined up at the gate.
Mother.
Her silver hair gleamed like polished steel in the light, and her eyes-also silver, but sharper-narrowed when they found me. She wore a long black dress that hugged her waist and arms like armor disguised as silk.
"Brat, what took you so long?" She snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut bread.
I glanced at my little pocket watch. Only forty minutes had passed. "Father said I had an hour. I'm early. I still have twenty minutes left."
"Don't get cheeky with your mother," she growled. Then, to my surprise, she smiled, reaching out to ruffle my hair. "But fine. You look halfway decent. Let's get on the road."
"Yes, Mother."
Father adjusted his white suit jacket, the silver hilt of his sword glinting at his waist. He didn't say much-he never did-but the small smile tugging at his beard was enough to calm me.
I hadn't left the estate many times, but I knew both my parents were soldiers. My father was a catkin of a rare bloodline, while my mother was... human. Pure human. Which was strange, because the Federation usually frowned upon cross-race marriages. Not that I cared. They were just my parents.
(2 hours later)
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of bumping along in the carriage, we arrived.
"We've arrived," Mother said, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeves.
"Why did it take so long?" I grumbled.
"Because today's ceremony is in the capital's main church," Father explained as he opened the carriage door. "You're not the only child receiving their status today. Many noble families will be attending."
Stepping out, I saw at least fourteen other families gathered in front of the church. The building towered above us, four stories of immaculate white stone lined with tall stained-glass windows that glittered in the sunlight. Broad stairs led up to massive double doors carved with angels and runes.
"Stacy, come," Mother called, already halfway up the steps.
"Yes, Mother."
We joined the others, and just as the clock struck, the church bells began to toll. The massive doors swung open, and a line of priests glided out as though their feet never touched the ground. They fanned out, making way for one man in ornate golden robes: the head priest.
"Praise the Angels. Seek the Angels. Worship the Angels. Trust the Angels," he intoned. His voice rolled like thunder over the gathering. "The heavens declare their glory; the skies proclaim their work. Day after day, their light shines; night after night, their wisdom speaks."
Stopping at the top of the stairs, he raised his arms. "Children of the Federation, step forward!"
I hesitated only a moment before joining the other kids. We lined up nervously, small figures compared to the grand church behind us.
"Today you receive your blessings," the priest continued. "Follow me."
We trailed him into the church. The main hall smelled faintly of incense and candle wax, its high ceiling painted with winged figures watching us from above. The polished marble floor was so clean I could see our reflections.
"Children," a younger priest announced, "you will change into the ceremonial robes provided. Then you will return to the entrance, where each of you will place your hands on the sacred plate. It will draw from your mana and reveal your status before all. Do not be afraid."
Robes were passed out. I deliberately took my time and ended up last in line, tugging the robe over my head. It was itchy.
At the entrance, again.
"Are you ready, children?" the priest asked cheerfully.
The first boy was nudged forward. He approached the black plate positioned in front of the church, placed his small hands on it, and gasped as the plate lit up. A glowing screen appeared above it, showing his stats. Everyone outside clapped. The boy puffed up with pride.
"It seems he got a favorable status," the boy in front of me whispered.
"Is that what it shows?" I whispered back.
"Yes. Didn't your parents explain this to you?"
"Nope. I didn't even know we were coming here today," I shrugged.
He looked at me like I'd just confessed to never hearing of bread. "The plate draws on your mana. It reveals your race, bloodline, stats-everything. Then the Angels' blessing chooses your class."
"Ohh, thank you," I said with a little smile.
One by one, the children went, each glowing screen met with murmurs, claps, and a few disappointed sighs. Finally, the priest turned to me.
"You are the last one. May the Angels bless you."
I nodded and stepped forward. My parents were standing at the back of the crowd, my mother smiling brightly, my father's expression tight.
I placed my hands on the plate. Mana surged from my body like water down a drain. The plate glowed bright white, then projected the status screen for all to see.
Name: Stacy Acura
Age: 5
Race: Cat-kin
Bloodline: Nekomata
Gender: Female
Level: 1
Class: Unknown
HP: 60 / 60
MP: 120 / 120
STR: 5
VIT: 30
DEF: 5
INT: 60
END: 15
AGT: 80
Skills: soul link, illusions, and mana fortification.
The crowd gasped. Whispers spread like wildfire. My jaw dropped at the numbers.
'Eighty agility at level one? What is Soul Link?'
I looked to my parents. Mother's face was radiant with pride, while Father's was pale with worry.
Then a booming voice cut through the noise.
"What a powerful weapon she will make for the Federation!"
I whipped my head toward the source. A man with short silver hair and a golden crown stood at the stairs, smiling like he already owned me. His eyes-sharp and familiar-glittered with amusement.
"Your Majesty!" someone gasped. The crowd dropped to their knees, heads bowed.
My stomach twisted. I knew who he was. Everyone did. The King.
"Brother, what are you doing here?" Mother asked, her tone sharp but laced with unease.
Brother?
I blinked, staring at her, then at him.
The king spread his arms wide, still smiling. "Of course I am here to see my lovely niece."
The word hung in the air like a guillotine about to fall.
Yo
How much of Stacy's past should I tell.
Until she meets the draigs or more?
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Chapter 23: Stacys' pass 2
"Well, that's fine. I was about to go to the castle to show you in person anyway." Mother shrugged, as if the matter were a passing thought instead of a decision that would change the course of my life.
"That's a great idea," the King said smoothly. "Why don't we go to the castle? We can talk all we want there."
"Come, sweetheart, let's go." Mother waved her hand at me, calm as always, her expression unreadable but her tone light.
"I am coming, Mother." I stood up quickly, robes still heavy around me, the stiff cloth brushing against my legs as I moved. In my excitement I forgot what I was wearing.
"Wait, you need to change first." The head priest's voice cut across the air like a warning bell.
"Ooh, yeah." I looked down at myself, grabbed the edges of the ceremonial robe, and started tugging it off. The fabric resisted, threads snapping, until-rip.
"Don't change here!?" Dean shouted hurriedly, his hand half-reaching out before he stopped himself, face already red with exasperation.
"It's fine. I never changed my clothes; I just put this over it," I said simply, letting the robe fall to the floor. Underneath was the simple dress I'd been wearing beforehand. With no shame, I bent, picked up the torn robe, and handed it back to the stunned head priest.
"..." His lips pressed together, but he said nothing.
Not waiting for anyone else, I ran toward Dean, who stood stiffly next to the King, his hand resting almost absently on his sword hilt.
"Okay, let us take my carriage to the castle," the King said, already turning, robes trailing like he owned not just the land but the air itself.
Taking Dean's hand, I leaned close, whispering up at him. "What did he mean about a weapon?"
Dean's jaw tightened. "Not now, Stacy," he muttered, pulling me along as if to prevent more questions.
"Stacy, sit here with your uncle," the King said once we reached the carriage, patting his knee as though I were still a toddler.
Confused, I looked at Dean.
"Un," he said with a short nod.
Seeing no objection, I climbed onto the king's lap, the cushions beneath us sinking a little under the added weight. His body smelled faintly of polished steel and expensive wine.
"Well, Stacy, how does it feel sitting on a king's lap?" His voice was full of amusement, as if he'd been waiting to ask that all day.
"Weird." That was all I said.
"Hah. Honest, aren't you?" He chuckled, then turned his attention to Mother. "Sis, how has it been?"
"It has been great. I am close to having another breakthrough in my training." Mother smiled faintly, the kind that carried both pride and challenge.
"That's good to hear."
The two of them kept up a stream of small talk, words bouncing back and forth in practiced rhythm, until the carriage rocked to a halt.
[Castle Gates]
The sight before me stole my breath.
I had seen the castle from a distance, its white spires piercing the sky like the teeth of a giant beast. But up close, it was something else entirely. The walls loomed impossibly high, stone upon stone layered with care, the banners of the kingdom swaying in the late afternoon breeze. Light reflected off the polished marble steps, almost blinding.
Our mansion, which I always thought was far too large for our small family, suddenly seemed like a dollhouse. The castle wasn't just bigger; it was overwhelming, built to crush any who dared to stand against the king's authority.
"I knew the castle was big, but why is it this big?" I asked aloud.
"Haha, it is to show that the king is almighty and how important he is. You can almost say it is to compensate for something, hehe." It wasn't the King who answered, but Mother. She spoke lightly, amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Ugh... why do you have to be so mean, Sis?" The king groaned, his expression twisting into a parody of being wronged.
"Can't we move on? I wanted to start with Stacy's training today." Dean's voice cut through the banter, sharp and tired.
"Hmm? Yeah, let's get to business," the King said with a raised eyebrow.
We followed him through the enormous doors, each one so tall I thought they could let a dragon stride through without ducking. Inside, the air smelled of polished wood and burning incense, the stone floors echoing with our footsteps.
[Drawing Room]
The room was lavish but cold. Velvet curtains framed tall windows, and chandeliers burned overhead, but it felt less like a home and more like a stage.
I sat between Dean and Mother on the long couch, my legs dangling above the ground. The king stood opposite, hands clasped behind his back.
"Does anyone want something to drink? Stacy?" he asked, voice smooth but distant.
"No, thank you." I declined politely.
"If you say so." With a casual wave, he dismissed the maids. The heavy door shut with a soft click, sealing us inside. His tone changed immediately, the warmth fading from his face. "Now, moving to the business talks. You both know the deal we had."
"Yes." My parents spoke together, voices steady.
"Then we understand that Stacy becomes the property of the kingdom from today onwards."
My stomach clenched, but I forced my face to stay neutral.
"Your majesty, she is just five years old. I know you want to use her Soul Link skill, but she is too young to be effective with it," Dean said, tension thick in his words.
"You don't need to worry about that. I will have one of the older ones teach her," the king replied easily.
"Brother, you should not be rushing this," Mother said, her face still emotionless, her voice calm but cutting. "There is no way that a five-year-old will survive mentally after using that skill on traumas."
"IO! What are we talking about? Can someone explain it to me?" I burst out, unable to hold the silence any longer.
"Well, honey," the King said without even softening his tone, "your parents were not really allowed to marry, but I made a deal with them. The deal was that if one of their children had an outstanding skill, I, the king, could take one of them for myself."
"I see." I frowned. "If you take me, my siblings won't be taken away?"
"Yes. I only get one child."
"I understand you want me because of my Soul Link. But what is Mana Fortification? Isn't that also rare?"
The king tilted his head. "Now that you mention it, what are all your skills? I stopped reading after the Soul Link."
All three of us stared at him.
"...What?" he said.
"Really, Brother? You have not even changed after becoming king. Still doing things before thinking." Mother sighed, shaking her head. She turned to me. "Well, she has three skills. Illusions-it's rare, but Mana Fortification is rarer. It is almost at the same level as Soul Link. Mana Fortification strengthens your spells and all mana that leaves your body. Still, the problem is that you don't have an element, so Mana Fortification is useless in your hands."
"That's not always true. What if she infuses her weapons with her mana? What then?" Dean asked.
"That's impossible. To do that, she must have perfect mana control, which will take years. She would also need weapons strong enough to withstand her mana output. Those would need to be very high quality." Mother's voice was calm, but her eyes flicked toward me with a glimmer of calculation.
While they spoke, my thoughts raced.
I will offer myself up to save my siblings, but I need insurance. With harsh training for five years, I can do it. I'll be strong enough mentally to withstand most traumas. But how do I secure those years...?
Looking up at the king, I drew in a breath. "I have an idea."
The room turned toward me.
"There is no way that I will survive mentally if I use my skill on traumas right now. I will be useless in no time if you force me to start. But if you give me ten years to build myself, to harden my mentality, I will last longer than anyone else. I promise you that."
The king tapped his chin, eyes narrowing. Mother's face remained calm, but I caught the faintest spark of approval in her gaze. Dean, meanwhile, had his mouth open like he couldn't believe the words coming from me.
"Ten years? That is too long," the King said. "The next war will likely start in six. Do you have a better plan?"
"Five years of intense training," Mother interrupted before I could speak. "That will be enough. We will train her ourselves."
"Hmm. That sounds better. The two best knights of the Federation are training her intensely-she may become strong in combat as well as mentally. That will work." The king laughed, pleased with himself. "See, Stacy? That's how you make a good deal."
I smiled back faintly.
"I want a contract." Mother and I spoke at the same time, then glanced at each other and chuckled.
"Fine." Snapping his fingers, the king summoned a maid. She entered with a golden tray bearing parchment and ink.
"I'm too lazy to write. You do it," he said, pointing at her.
The maid bowed and began to write the terms as dictated.
When the contract was finished, each of us signed. The weight of my signature felt heavier than the quill itself.
[Outside the Castle Gates]
The evening air was cooler now, shadows stretching long across the cobblestones.
Dean rounded on us the moment we stepped past the gates. "What just happened!?"
"You are so slow," Mother replied with her usual calm smile. "We got Stacy for five years."
She turned to me, her eyes softening just a fraction. "That was a great plan, Stacy. Thinking about the future even when you are only five years old-you really are my daughter."
"Thank you, Mother." My chest warmed under her rare praise.
"Well, no time to waste," she continued, her smile sharpening. "We need to start with your Spartan training."
I blinked. "Spartan...?"
Dean muttered under his breath, "Are we going to tell her about it?"
"Weapon Master?" Mother tilted her head. At his nod, she looked at me, then back at him. "We can tell her on the way back."
Her tone was casual, but something about the glint in her eyes made my stomach twist.
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Cahpter 24: Stacys' pass 3
It had been four years since the deal with the King. Four years of grueling discipline that felt less like a "training regime" and more like some twisted joke written by a sadistic god. From the very beginning, I had this gnawing suspicion that my mother's gentle smile, the one she'd worn that day, wasn't quite what it seemed. And sure enough, I was right.
My life since then was a carefully crafted machine of exhaustion. Every morning, before the sun even thought about dragging itself above the horizon, I was up at six, forced into a jog that wound around the mansion grounds like some endless loop of punishment. By the time the rest of the house stirred, my lungs were already burning and my legs trembling, sweat soaking through my shirt.
Then came the "intellectual sharpening." Hours of puzzles, reading, analysis, and drills that tested every corner of my mind. Strategy games that punished hesitation, riddles that insulted me for failing to see their obvious trick, books that were denser than bricks and twice as unforgiving. It wasn't enough to be strong; no, they wanted me clever, cold, and calculating.
Afternoons were mana control. Two full hours of sitting perfectly still, threading energy through my body as though it were glass that might shatter with one careless slip. I can't even count the number of times I fainted, or worse-nearly exploded from losing balance. Dinner never tasted right when your entire body was humming like an unstable bomb.
And then-just when you thought the day would end-I was thrown into weapon drills until my arms went numb, until blisters turned to calluses and bruises became part of my skin tone. Only then was I "allowed" to sleep. Rinse and repeat. For four years.
I'd like to say I endured it nobly, but I didn't. I broke down more times than I can remember. I screamed into pillows, cried until I was empty, cursed my parents, cursed the King, cursed myself. If I didn't know better, I would've thought my parents hated me.
But life wasn't all discipline and despair. Two years ago, everything shifted. Our family grew. Twins, no less-one boy, Toby, and a girl, Ren. My parents practically glowed with pride, like they had just pulled off a miracle, which, in a way, they had. And then, to top it off, not long after, Mother was pregnant again.
I remember the day they told me as vividly as if it were carved into my skull.
[Flashback — 8 months ago]
Dragging myself into the dining room after my morning run, I found my parents locked in an embrace. It wasn't unusual-they were affectionate enough-but this time there was something... giddy about them.
"Did something happen?" I asked flatly, trying not to sound too invested.
"Ooh, good morning, Stacy. Yes, something great has happened," Father said with that insufferable grin of his.
"UMU UMU. Something outstanding," Mother echoed, nodding furiously.
I raised an eyebrow, walked past them, and sat at the table. "Are you going to tell me, or are you just going to stand there like lovesick fools? I'm starving."
"Brat, don't just ignore us," Mother scolded.
"Mother, you of all people know I hate waiting for answers," I said, staring impatiently at the steaming plate set in front of me.
"That's true," she admitted, then puffed out her chest proudly. "Very well. I'll tell you. Your mother is once again pregnant."
I froze. "...Again? How many children do you want?"
"In unison," they replied: "Eight."
I nearly spat my drink across the room. "What!? Why so many!?"
"Because we want a big family," Father said simply, pulling Mother closer like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I tilted my head, squinting at them. "Is that so..." My stomach twisted as my mind wandered to the King's deal.
Mother must have noticed my shift because she quickly hugged me and whispered, "That includes you as well, Stacy."
And, damn it, despite myself, that made me smile.
[Flashback end]
The memory was warm in a way that training could never be. My parents really did care about me, no matter how twisted things felt sometimes.
"Grrrrowl!"
My stomach interrupted my nostalgia with a deafening complaint. I sighed. Time for breakfast.
Slowing my jog to a walk, I made my way up the marble stairs of the mansion, the morning sun glinting across its polished stone. The air smelled faintly of wet earth and roses from the garden Mother insisted on tending. Waiting at the entrance was our butler, as prim and proper as ever, his expression stiff.
"Good morning, Miss," he greeted with a bow.
"Do you need anything from me?" I asked casually, brushing past him toward the door.
His voice caught me mid-step. "War has started once again."
I froze. Slowly, I turned. His face wasn't just stiff-it was etched with worry.
"That isn't all, is it?" I asked, my stomach sinking.
He hesitated. "...No. Someone is here to collect you."
My head snapped up, eyes wide. "That can't be! Why me!? Shouldn't my father go instead!?" I shouted, panic rising. Without waiting for an answer, I sprinted inside.
The drawing-room door slammed open under my hand. Inside stood my parents, tense, protective, and opposite them, seated casually on the couch, was a man I had never seen before.
"Well, well," the stranger said smoothly. "Look who came running to me on her own."
Even sitting, he was towering, easily past two meters, his golden hair gleaming under the chandelier, his eyes glowing faintly like embers trapped in gold. The black suit he wore fit him like armor, radiating importance and menace both.
My eyes darted to my father, who stood firmly between Mother and the man, his posture screaming readiness. My mother's glare could've cut glass.
"What are you doing here!?" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to slice the air.
Before I could ask what was going on, the man's voice thundered. "It is insulting to ignore people, Stacy."
I swallowed hard, bowing quickly. "I-I am sorry. My name is Stacy Acura."
I looked up, hoping the apology was enough, only to find those golden eyes locked on me, cold and unreadable. My throat went dry. Turning desperately to my parents, I asked, "Mother, who is he?"
"You!?" the man roared, his fury filling the room. "How dare you not recognize me!?"
I barely had time to flinch before a massive hand gripped my head, lifting me effortlessly from the floor. My feet kicked helplessly in the air.
"This is what you get for disrespecting me!"
Then-impact. The wall cracked as he hurled me into it like I weighed nothing. Darkness swallowed me whole.
[Five years later]
Knock. Knock.
"Stacy, it's your turn," a voice called outside my door.
I pushed myself off the bed, sliding the veil over my face, and stepped into the corridor.
It had been five years since that man dragged me away. Five years since I last saw my parents. Five years of silence from them, and, to my surprise, relief for me. No letters, no search parties, nothing. For the first time, I wasn't haunted by them. Instead, I was... used. Molded. And, against all odds, I found someone else to love.
The King.
He had been kind to me that first day-so gentle, so warm. Even now, the memory made my cheeks burn.
I stopped before a plain wooden door. With a deep breath, I cleared my thoughts and steadied myself. Whatever lay beyond, I had a role to play.
"Hello," I said, pushing the door open. "How can I help you today?"
"Took you long enough," a man snapped from the chair inside. "I need help with my sleeping problem."
His tone dripped impatience, but his voice-it tugged at something deep inside me. Familiar.
"Oh? And what caused this problem?" I asked smoothly, stepping closer. Easy case, I thought. Probably stress, nightmares. I'd seen it all-torture survivors, thieves, soldiers broken by war, victims of things far worse. Compared to them, insomnia was a blessing.
"Can you just do it already? I don't have time to waste." He looked up at me, irritation plain on his face.
"Be patient," I shot back, annoyance flickering. "You came here for my help. Wait your turn."
I placed my hand on his head, letting mana thread outward. Memories spilled into me, flashes of a life not my own. Normally, I skimmed just enough to find the problem. But this man's voice, his golden hair-it pulled at me, demanded answers.
And then I saw it.
Him.
The man who had taken me away. The man who shattered everything.
My breath caught. My parents hadn't hated me. They hadn't abused me. No-he had stolen me. Stolen the truth.
And then, buried deeper, I found it: the King's order to have my memories rewritten. My entire life since then had been a lie.
I pulled my hand away, smiling sweetly as if nothing was wrong. "It's done," I said, stepping back.
He nodded dismissively, none the wiser.
I left the room quickly, but the second my door shut behind me, the facade crumbled. Tears burned my cheeks as I slid down the wall, shaking.
Inside my head, his memories replayed-training, battles, victories. He was strong. Stronger than Father. Too strong for me to kill, at least not yet. But I could learn from him. I would learn. And when the time came, he would pay.
Because the truth, no matter how deeply buried, had a way of clawing its way back up.
And now I remembered everything.
Sorry for missing Wednesday. To make it up, I will be upload two chapters today. The other one will be up in an hour or so.
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Chapter 25: Stacys pass 4
"He fucking killed him with just a touch," I whispered to the empty room, my throat raw. "How am I supposed to kill him?"
The words hung in the air, ugly and heavy. My sobs filled the silence until they didn't anymore. Time became meaningless-I just cried until my lungs hurt, until there was nothing left but a shaking body and a stubborn ember of rage that refused to die.
When the tears dried, I wiped my face with the back of my sleeve, forcing my breathing steady. Enough weakness. Enough wallowing.
"If I want to kill him, I need to get stronger," I muttered, dragging myself toward the bed. My voice cracked, but my hands were steady. "To do that, I have to start small. First... fixing my memories."
I climbed onto the mattress, legs folding beneath me, and shut my eyes. Inside my mind, it was easier-easier to see the fractures and the strange lock that always lurked in the back of my consciousness. We called them "gates," though really they were just barriers-carefully constructed lies wrapped around memory.
For hours, I searched. Time stretched until my joints ached from sitting still, but then-finally-I found it. I saw a faint shimmer and a distorted door that appeared to be patched together like a careless afterthought. My lips curled.
"This is it?" I whispered. Even in my mind, disbelief rang out.
I reached out, inspecting it. The craftsmanship was sloppy, almost insulting. I knew the head psychologist had done it, but why would she have left something so... fragile? She wasn't incompetent. That woman never was.
Sighing, I pressed my hand against the gate and pushed mana into it. Resistance flared, but only for a moment. The structure shattered like thin glass, splintering into fragments that dissolved into the darkness of my mind.
Then came the flood. Memories-raw, aching, bright-rushed in at once, nearly knocking me out of my trance. The promises my mother whispered when I was small. The day my siblings were born, their tiny fists were curling around my fingers. Laughter, warmth, and then-screams, fire, loss.
I sat motionless as it all slammed into me, and I cried again, this time not for Dean, not for my rage, but for everything I'd been forced to forget. My chest hurt like it was splitting open, but I let it. I let it all wash over me until my throat was dry and my eyes swollen.
When calm finally returned, I lay back on the mattress, staring at the ceiling through blurry vision.
"I'll have to talk to the head psychologist tomorrow," I whispered. My voice sounded far away, like it belonged to someone else. I yawned and stretched, exhaustion pulling me down. "For now, I need some sleep."
I curled into the blankets and let unconsciousness drag me away.
[The next day]
Steam rose lazily from the bath as I sank deeper into the water. My body floated in the warmth, but my thoughts churned like a storm. Yesterday had left me gutted, raw. Worse than that was the disgusting realization clawing at me-finding out that somewhere deep inside, I'd fallen for a thirty-four-year-old man.
My stomach twisted. Dean never looked thirty-four, and he never acted it either. That didn't excuse anything. That wasn't memory manipulation. That had been my opinion, my own pathetic emotions, and I hated myself for it.
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore," I muttered, dunking my head briefly under the water before surfacing with a splash. "He'll die by my hands one day."
The thought calmed me. Focused me. If I was going to kill him, I needed more than tears and anger. I needed a way out. I hadn't seen the outside world in two years, not since the war ended, and I refused to rot in this gilded cage.
Dragging myself from the bath, I dried off absentmindedly, thoughts still racing. By the time I padded barefoot into my room, with a towel wrapped around me, I was already making plans.
"It took you long enough to find that gate," a voice said.
"EEH!?" I screamed, nearly jumping out of my skin-and the towel. My body jolted so hard I nearly cracked my skull on the ceiling.
Laughter rang from my desk. "Haha! You got some air with that jump."
My heart hammered as I turned, eyes narrowing. Sitting there as casual as you please was Trinity, the Head Psychologist, dressed in her pristine white outfit, black hair glossy, and black eyes sparkling with mischief.
"What the hell, Trinity!?" I shouted, pointing at her. "Do you want me to die from a heart attack!?"
She didn't even flinch. Instead, her gaze swept down, and her grin widened. "Aren't you fourteen years old? How do you still not have any boobs?"
My jaw dropped. Then I realized, mortified, that in my panic I'd let go of the towel. Heat burned my face as I scrambled to the closet, yanking clothes on as fast as possible while she chuckled like the situation was the funniest thing she'd seen in years.
Once decently dressed, I sat on the bed, arms crossed, glaring at her.
"So. It took you five years to find my gate?" she said, her smile lazy.
I sighed. "Did you make it that weak on purpose?"
"Do you really think I'd make something weak by accident?" she asked, one brow raised.
"No," I admitted, although my tone was edged with irritation. "So why?"
Her expression softened slightly. "Your mother and I... were close friends once. And I hate the King. Consider it a favor, but mostly-it was spite."
I felt a catch in my breath, but I didn't allow my expression to change.
"And you know everything, then. You know I'll want to leave."
"Of course." She gestured toward my desk, picking up a neat stack of papers I hadn't noticed. She handed them to me. "I already planned it out for you."
Suspicious, I scanned the documents. My eyes widened with every page-new identity, travel papers, even safe passage routes into Doragon. I looked up sharply, only to find her smiling at me like a cat with cream.
"So... you're a traitor," I said slowly.
"Yes."
"And you aren't scared of me exposing you?"
She laughed softly. "Not at all. I know you hate the king as much as I do now."
My lips twitched. "...That might be true."
I turned another page and froze. The document was a mission assignment, signed with the royal seal, but it was clearly forged. My exit plan.
"That mission will get you out," Trinity explained smoothly. "On the way, one of my contacts will stage an attack on your carriage."
"And I'm just supposed to trust them?"
"Of course. They're professionals. And they're my husband's soldiers."
My head snapped up. "You're married!?"
"Yes." She waved the question aside like it was nothing. "When they 'capture' you, they'll take you directly to him. You'll be safe."
I frowned but nodded. Safe was relative, but it was better than here.
"Now, get ready. You're leaving today." She stood, walking toward the door. Just before stepping out, she looked back with a smile. "When you meet my husband, tell him I'll return in two months. For good this time."
The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with the papers.
I exhaled a shaky breath and dropped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling again. "How the hell am I supposed to meet Marquis Draig, though?"
Sleep came faster than I expected.
[Kitsuna POV]
Warmth. Soft hands brushing through my fur. I didn't move, not right away. My instincts screamed to stay still, listen, and gather information.
"So your mother said this little fox just showed up at the mansion?" A girl's voice asked somewhere nearby.
"Apparently," another replied. Her tone was closer, familiar. "But she didn't explain why half the place was destroyed. When Father and I arrived, the earth was shaking, with black smoke everywhere. It looked like it came from where Mother and this fox stood."
My ears twitched.
'Stacy... she kept her word,' I thought groggily. The memories she shared still lingered like dreams etched into my bones. It felt like I'd lived her life, endured her pain, and carried her burdens.
"Do you think the fox had something to do with it?"
"Most likely. But if she were dangerous, Father would have said something."
That earned a faint snort from me, though I kept my eyes closed. Their hands didn't stop moving, petting, scratching just behind my ears. Damn it-they were excellent at it. Too good.
"She?"
"Oh, yes. The fox is female."
"You checked?"
"Yes."
"Have you given her a name yet?"
"No, but I was thinking something adorable. If you have ideas, I'm listening."
I cracked one eye open, mildly curious despite myself.
"You really want a cute name for her? She's red with black streaks, white ears, and half a white tail, and she's over a meter tall. She looks like something out of a legend, not a pet rabbit."
The second girl giggled. "Imagine their faces when they expect a tiny fox and get this beast. It would be priceless."
"You are definitely your mother's child."
"Aha! How about... Baby Chino?"
My other eye snapped open, and I lifted my head, glaring at her. Really? Baby Chino?
The silver-haired girl, silver eyes sparkling with mischief, just grinned back. She looked so much like Stacy-but wholly human.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Amari said cheerfully.
I sat up, tail flicking, and moved away from her hands.
"I don't think she likes Baby Chino," the other girl murmured nervously.
Turning, I saw her-pink-white hair cascading down her back, dark brown eyes wide, blue dress neat. And wings. White feathered wings stretching gracefully from her back.
Our gazes met, and she stiffened. "Amari, I really don't think she likes the name."
"Yeah, I got that," Amari said, scratching the back of her head. "How about Nova? That's better, right?"
I tilted my head, considering. "Hmm. Not too terrible of a name." My lips curled. "Sadly, I already have one."
Both girls froze, their mouths dropping open.
"You... you can talk!?" Rachel stammered.
I smirked, my voice low and steady. "Surprise."
With this, I am back up to date with the chapters. See you guys in two days again.
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Chapter 26: A crying maiden
[3rd POV]
In a modern bedroom, two girls sat across from each other. One was perched uneasily on a couch, clutching her knees to her chest, while the other sat brazenly on the floor with her legs sprawled out. The one on the floor was not difficult to notice-her foxlike ears twitched lazily, a long tail flicking back and forth like a metronome. She was naked, her hands shamelessly kneading at her own modest chest as though this were the most natural thing in the world. The smirk on her face was unsettling, like a cat caught halfway between playing and killing its prey.
The other girl-Rachel-was a stark contrast. Pink-and-white hair spilled down her back, her trembling white wings giving her away as angelic. Her tear-streaked face was twisted in a miserable expression, not just crying, but full-on wailing, the sound bouncing off the walls like a funeral dirge paired with a broken violin.
If one looked only at the fox girl, one might mutter "pervert." If one looked only at Rachel, one might whisper "victim." But together in the same room, the entire scene was an absurdity that could have been mistaken for the opening act of a very niche, very illegal play.
[3rd POV End]
[Kitsuna POV Earlier]
I looked between my sister, Amari, and her friend Rachel, utterly confused. They were both staring at me like I had grown two heads.
"Did I say something wrong? If I did, I'm sorry. This is my first time talking in my fox form," I said, ears twitching. No response. They just gawked at me.
I tilted my head to the side.
"Waaaah!?" Rachel exploded into louder sobs, practically shaking the walls with her wailing. Amari, on the other hand, looked like she had seen a ghost. She stood up stiff as a board, muttered nothing, and bolted from the room like she was fleeing a crime scene.
"...Huh." I sighed. "So much for family bonding."
I turned back to Rachel, who was now in full breakdown mode. She hiccupped, snot running down her face, shoulders jerking. I had no idea how to comfort crying angels. In fact, I wasn't sure I cared enough to learn. Still, it seemed rude to just sit here naked while she cried.
So I decided it was time to switch forms.
Being human before made it simple-like flexing a muscle I'd forgotten I had. Bones shifted, skin stretched, and hair spilled down my back, and when it was over, I stood taller. Much taller.
Stretching my arms, I felt the weight on my chest and blinked down at myself. "Oh... well, hello there."
My hands cupped my new breasts instinctively, groping. They weren't huge-maybe a handful at most-but compared to what I'd had before, it was a promotion worth celebrating.
"Hehe, I have boobs now. I can brag about them to Stacy. Keke."
I smirked at my reflection in the nearby mirror before catching myself. Shaking my head, I forced my hands away. "Right. Focus."
I stepped into the bathroom to get a better look and froze.
"What the hell happened to me!?"
The girl staring back in the mirror was still me, but... not. My hair had shifted from its black-red gradient to mostly blood-red, streaked with black, ending just below my shoulders in a stark fade to white tips. My ears mirrored the same gradient. My tail, previously a short swish of fur, now stretched long-nearly one and a half meters-with a snowy white tip. It swayed hypnotically, alive with its own rhythm.
"I don't know why, but I like this. A longer tail feels... freer."
Leaning closer, I inspected my eyes. They'd reversed. Once black with crimson irises, now the red consumed the whole eye, leaving the iris black as a pit. Predatory. Creepy. The kind of eyes you saw glowing in the dark just before the screaming started.
"I thought my old eyes were scary," I muttered. "These look like Satan went shopping for contact lenses."
Then I noticed the curse marks. My body stiffened.
The old separate streaks of fire and lightning tattoos were gone, replaced by a fused design that crawled up my arms, across my shoulders, and coiled around my throat. It stopped just under my jawline-except one streak of lightning branched higher, curling up my cheek and ending just beneath my right eye like a scar carved by a god's fingernail. Flames pulsed faintly, and lightning sparked in brief flashes.
"...Cool," I said flatly. Then I screamed, "BUT WHY THE FUCK DID THEY CHANGE AGAIN!?"
The whole bathroom rattled as my voice cracked through it.
Breathing hard, I stripped off the panic by stepping into the shower. The water hissed down, hot enough to sting, but it did little to wash away the sense that I was both something more and something far less human than I used to be.
When I stepped out, I raided my drawers. My old clothes were now comically short. I tugged on my oversized hoodie and hacked up some shorts with a pair of scissors until they resembled something wearable. Bandages made do for a bra. Functional, if not stylish.
"I'll need to go shopping again," I muttered. "Maybe Rachel and Amari can take me. Assuming one stops crying and the other stops running."
[Back in the bedroom]
Rachel was still on the couch, reduced to sniffles now. Her eyes darted nervously around the room like she expected monsters to crawl out of the walls.
"Ah, you calmed down. That's good," I said.
Her head jerked toward me, eyes widening. She saw me in my new form and shuddered as if I'd walked in covered in blood. Tears welled fresh.
"Wait, don't cry. I'm Kitsuna — Amari's sister. I won't hurt you," I said quickly, waving my hands like a frantic shopkeeper denying refunds.
"You promise?" She whispered, trembling, those big angel eyes wet and pleading.
I couldn't help a laugh. "Of course. A friend of my sister is a friend of mine."
Her wings twitched uncertainly, but she dabbed her face and nodded. "So... you're Amari's sister. She said she had an adopted sister, but she's never even met you."
"Yeah. I was at the border mansion the last few years. She stayed in the capital."
"You mean the mansion that was destroyed yesterday?" Rachel blinked.
"...Yesterday?" My eyes narrowed. "That incident was hours ago, tops."
"No, it's been longer. Wait-" she tilted her head, "have you seen a talking fox around here?"
"You're looking at her." I smirked, pointing at myself.
Her mouth fell open. "You-"
A sharp whistle cut her off.
Instinct screamed. I pivoted, arm snapping out. My fingers closed around a spear midair, its tip already hissing with my mana as it melted like cheap wax.
The doorway Amari had bolted through now framed a man in armor, black hair slicked back, and brown eyes blazing with fury.
"Get away from my sister," he snarled.
"...You know," I said, rotating the melting spear in my hand before letting it clatter harmlessly to the floor, "it's not polite to throw pointy sticks at strangers."
"Bitch," he spat, drawing his sword. "I said get away from her."
"Brother, wait-she's-" Rachel's voice cracked.
"Don't listen to her! That's a monster!" His blade gleamed as he raised it.
"Really?" I sighed. "That's the card you're going to play? 'Monster equals bad, must stab?' You people need new material."
His jaw tightened. "This is your last warning."
I shrugged and lifted my hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Step away from your precious sister. Look, a whole meter between us."
He vanished in a blur of speed. To Rachel, it must've looked like he disappeared. To me? He moved like a drunken snail.
He swung. I raised a blade of ice in my left hand, let the steel clang against it, and with my right, I seized his head. My grip tightened, and then-slam.
The ground cracked as I drove his skull into it. He bounced once, dazed, and I kicked him sideways. His body sailed into the wall, plaster exploding around him.
"Ugh!?" His grunt ended in a wheeze as he crumpled.
"Brother!" Rachel screamed, rushing to him. She knelt at his side, frantic, then looked at me. "What... what happened?"
"You didn't see it?" I tilted my head. She shook hers wildly.
"He attacked me. I defended myself. End of story." I turned toward the door, bored now. "Anyway, I'm going to look for my mother."
And just like that, I left them-the crying angel and her broken brother-behind me in a room that smelled faintly of tears, ozone, and scorched spear.
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Chapter 27: Meeting my Grandmother
[Corridor-chasing the scent]
Walking out of the room, I looked right, then left down the long passageway. Polished stone, morning light pouring through tall panes, carpets thick enough to smother a cavalry charge-none of it told me which way Amari had run. I inhaled instead. The air here always carries a swirl of scents-chalk dust from the study, oil from weapon racks, Dean's steel-and-ozone aura bleeding out of the training yard, and a faint trail of citrus soap and ink that was unmistakably my sister.
"She ran to the right?" I murmured. "Well, then-right it is."
I started down the hall, and, because my brain delights in self-sabotage, another thought shoved itself in front of my feet. The oath lock I'd placed on myself-the one that kept me from peeking at my status-felt... gone.
"Hmm. I think I can see my status again," I said to the empty corridor. "I don't feel the pledge anymore." I shrugged. "Meh. Let's try it."
I pictured the familiar blue pane. "Status."
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 13 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 1-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 27
Class: Unknown (Wrath)
HP: 1860/1860
MP: 3120/3120
Str: 795
Vit: 930
Def: 600
Int: 1560
End: 870
Agent: 1140
Skills: Dimension Storage, Demon Fire, Demon Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Super Regen, Flash Step, Night Vision, Sword Domain
"Ugh. Wrath!?" I choked on air. "What happened to my status?"
The pane winked out as if it were embarrassed for me. I wasn't sure what to be more concerned about-the single tail or the sin in parentheses. Either way, last night had clearly been a lot, because I'd managed to evolve, devolve, and apparently develop a personality trait so serious it got capitalized.
"I really need to figure out what happened," I muttered, lengthening my stride.
The hallway curved and widened. Banners in Draig crimson hung between armored mannequins. Outside, the wind carried the clang of steel and the distant, cheerful sound of someone screaming on the training field. Homey.
[At the dining-wing turn-an interception]
I rounded the corner toward the dining hall and stopped. Amari stood halfway down the corridor, half-hiding behind a little storm front with legs.
The woman blocking the hall had black hair braided tight and eyes like lacquer. Her presence was all sharp corners, and her appraisal was sharper. I'd only seen her in Stacy's memories, and even then, usually from the far side of a crisis. Trinity. Ex-Head Psychologist of the Federation. Furthermore, apparently, my grandmother. Because why wouldn't the universe file her under "family" for maximum chaos?
"I asked you, who are you?" she said. No wasted words. Nothing was wasted.
"Ah-sorry, Trinity. My name is Kitsuna Draig," I answered, as casual as I could manage. "The adopted daughter of Stacy."
Recognition flickered-and then her hand flicked faster. The chop landed on the crown of my head like a gavel.
"Respect your elders, brat!" she snapped. "And how do you know that name?"
"Ow!" I squatted, rubbing the fast-growing bump. "How did you even hit the top of my head? You're way shorter than me."
She pulled her arm back for another go.
"Wait, wait! Stacy showed me some of her memories," I blurted. "Please don't hit me again."
Trinity's eyes narrowed. "Now, why would she do something like that?"
"Amari," I pivoted, "do you know where your parents are?"
"They're having a spar on the training grounds," Amari said, peeking around Trinity. Her voice was small but steady. "Mother said not to disturb them unless, you know, the house explodes again."
"Noted," I said-and tried to walk past.
Something snagged-and every muscle from my shoulders to my toes flinched. Trinity had my tail. Trinity made a clean grab at the base of my tail. The world drowned in red for a heartbeat.
"Where," I said very calmly, "do you think you're going?"
"Where," she said, entirely too amused, "do you think you're going, young lady?"
"Where," I said, dropping the calm, "do you think you're grabbing, old hag?"
"Ooh. Sensitive, are we? Is the tail... reserved?" Her mouth curved into the kind of smile that had ended dynasties.
I made a dagger of ice on reflex and flicked it. The blade thunked into the paneling beside her hand; she let go before I could pin her palm to the wainscoting.
"Okay, okay," she said, palms up. "Point made. I won't touch the tail. Again."
I exhaled, counted to three, and pretended my ears weren't hot. "Thank you. Sorry about the dagger. That's-uh-a soft spot for my race."
"Mm. So it is a partner thing." She didn't blink. "Come on, then. Breakfast. You can brief your grandmother while we eat. Stacy and Dean won't finish trying to break each other for a while."
"Food," I said, already walking beside her like a docile carriage horse. Food is the best bribe. Don't at me.
Behind us, Amari whispered, "Was she just bought with breakfast?"
[Dining Hall-the long table and longer shadows]
The dining hall had vaulted ceilings ribbed with dark beams and a skylight sluicing pale light over a table long enough to seat a small regiment. High on the walls, portraits watched with oil-painted disapproval as a dozen maids worked in a quiet rhythm. The room smelled like fresh bread, braised meat, and coffee-a smell so comforting it should be illegal.
"Kitsune?" came a familiar voice. Lily-hair in a neat bun, eyes already smiling-stood by the service door, a ledger tucked under her arm.
"Morning, Lily," I said. "Can you ask the kitchen to prepare extra food today? I'm starving."
"The poor chefs," she sighed theatrically. "I'll warn them. Milady? Young Miss? Your orders?"
"Something light," Trinity said, which was code for "everything with coffee." Amari rattled off a list that sounded like "pancakes, fruit, and something I can feed the fox," then blushed. I pretended not to notice.
We took our seats-Trinity at the head, Amari on her right, and me across from Amari with a wonderful view of the door. I always like a clean line to the exits. Or entrances. Depends on the mood.
"First question," Amari said before the cutlery finished settling. "How did you even get here? Mother said you were still in the woods last night and would join us later. We didn't see you get off the jet."
"Jet?" I said. "Whatever that is, I didn't take it. I was the talking fox Mother gave you."
"Mother gave you?" Amari echoed-and then the realization hit her in the face. "Mother gave me... you."
"Uh-huh," I said sweetly. "I'm going to rip her a new one when I see her."
"Did you do anything to Rachel?" Amari asked carefully. Earnest girl. Loyal. Terrible at masking worry.
"No," I said. "She cried. I left." I lifted a brow at Amari's relief. "Geez, I'm not a monster. I don't attack people for free."
Trinity tapped the table. "So. That's why Stacy told Daren to hover." Her eyes sharpened, measuring me like a tailor measures sin. "What are you, exactly, that you can turn into a fox? You might not be a monster, but you aren't human either."
"That's true," I said. "I'm not remotely human anymore." I held her gaze. "As for specifics-that's a secret. For now."
"A secret," she repeated, frowning. "Why not tell your family?"
"Family," I said, and let the word sit there. "We might be family, but this is the first time we've met in person. Stacy's memories belong to Stacy. Not me."
A beat passed. Then Trinity's mouth twitched. "Good. You'll fit here."
Lily and a small squad of maids swept in with trays, steamers, and orders. Bowls, baskets, platters, and silver domes. A tester approached with a tiny spoon and neat little vials, moving dish to dish with a professional blankness.
"Huh," Trinity said briskly. "Why isn't her food being tested?"
"Because she's immune to poison," Lily said cheerfully. "Also, if we tried to stop her, she'd eat the cutlery."
"I would not," I said around a mouthful of something savory.
"You bite swords," Lily whispered, deadpan, then bowed out. I pretended I hadn't heard.
We ate. I inhaled. Dark bread with salted butter. Eggs with herbs I didn't know the names for in this language. Something braised that dissolved on the tongue and probably cost as much mana as a medium-sized curse to make right. The coffee was dark enough to count as a war crime. I loved it.
"Why are we testing food for poison?" Amari asked once she had syrup on her nose.
"There were Black Ops soldiers who committed treason," Trinity said. "They were caught last night. There'll be a clean-up in a few days."
"Wow," Amari said, tone torn between awe and annoyance. "Again?"
"That's surprising," I said, reaching for another roll. "What sort of punishment do they get?"
"Execution," Trinity replied. "Public."
I chewed, considered, and swallowed. "Boring."
"Excuse me?" Trinity's brows ticked up.
"Showing your soldiers the price of betrayal is good policy," I said. "But if the goal is deterrence, spectacle works better. Make one lesson everyone feels in their bones. Not every time. Just for major events. Like an attack on the mansion." I waved a bread crust at the vaulted ceiling. "Last night qualifies."
"Oho," Trinity murmured. "You have an idea."
"I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't." I grinned. "We can talk after coffee."
She studied me, then nodded once. "We will." She set her cup down with surgical precision. "Now. That dagger you threw at me in the hall-what was it made of?"
"My ice magic," I said.
[Dining Hall-the explanation, the edge]
Trinity laced her fingers. "Fox Ice," she said, like she was tasting the name. "Yours feels... wrong. In a good way."
"Compliment accepted," I said. "It's sticky. It wants to cling to energy. Mana. Heat. Nerves." I lifted a hand and sketched a little ribbon of frost in the air. It hung there, a delicate twist of translucence, refusing to melt in the sunbeam.
Amari reached toward it, hesitated, and then reached again. "Can I-?"
"Touch," I said, softening it before she pressed her fingertip into the icy thread. The frost curled around her like a friendly snake, left a cool kiss, and drifted apart into glitter.
"Pretty," she said, and brightened. Her relief was a small sunrise.
Trinity's eyes didn't leave the air where the ice had been. "And the fire? Lightning?"
"It's local," I said, tapping my cursed forearm and then the other one. Dark tracery pulsed-charcoal lines shot through with embers and the occasional thread-crackle of blue. "But the ice is my problem-solver."
"I see." She leaned back. "By the way, speaking of problems-in two days, we're hosting the traitors' tribunal in the north courtyard. The usual thing: charges, evidence, verdict. I'll leave the 'not boring' to you. Draw me an outline by sundown."
"By sundown?" I took another bite because carbs sharpen the mind. "Okay. "Okay, how much blood are we allowed to set on fire?"
Amari choked on her juice. Trinity sipped her coffee. "Less than you want. More than Dean would like."
"So... tasteful horror," I said. "I can work with that."
We ate in the odd quiet that happens when everyone is calculating ten moves ahead and also deciding whether to order more pancakes. The clatter of cutlery, the streaked light, the low hum of the house waking up around us-if you squinted, it could have been any family breakfast. If you ignored the fact that the family ran a private army and my class sheet had a deadly sin on it.
When the plates were mostly wreckage, I pushed back my chair. "I'm going to check the training grounds. If Mother introduces me to anyone else as a pet, I want to be there to bite her ankle."
Trinity's mouth curved. "Take Amari with you. She gets bored when there isn't smoke."
"I do not," Amari protested, already standing. "I get... educationally curious. There's a difference."
"Sure," I said. "Let's go be educational."
[Arcade to the training yard-light, steel, and dust]
We moved through an arcade of arches open to the inner court. The light out here was sharper, glancing off sand and steel. The training ground was a broad ellipse of packed earth, ringed by weapon racks and dummies, with a raised platform in the center where two figures blurred in and out of each other's shadows.
Dean moved like thunder. Heavy, inevitable, travels through you rather than around you. Stacy moved like the shadow of lightning-sudden, precise, and grinning with her whole body.
They were not actively trying to kill each other, but they also were not completely avoiding it.
A knot of Black Ops troopers stood at a respectful distance, eyes forward, jawlines tense. Word had spread fast; betrayal makes everyone stand straighter.
As we reached the railing, Stacy pivoted, slid under Dean's guard, and tapped his ribs with the back of her blade. "Two," she sang.
"Don't count," Dean rumbled, stepping back. "We're not keeping score."
"Then it's three," she said, eyes slicing toward me. Her grin widened. "And there's my favorite sin."
I folded my arms along the rail. "Is that how you talk to all your pets?"
A laugh rippled along the spectators, childish and vicious. Dean sheathed his sword and, in one smooth motion, lifted Stacy under one arm and hoisted her like a sack of flour. "What did you do," he asked her, entirely deadpan, "this time?"
"She was adorable," Stacy said, legs kicking. "It was a victimless crime."
"You handed me-me-to Amari like I was a plush toy," I said.
"With a bow," Stacy said, shameless. "You looked lovely with a bow."
Amari pressed her forehead to the rail and groaned. "Mother."
Dean set Stacy down, and she bounced on the balls of her feet as if she hadn't just gone ten rounds with a man built like a siege tower. Then her gaze took in the new black veins on my curses and the small changes to my face, and, briefly, she sobered. "Are you okay?"
I nodded. We could discuss the rest later-Wrath, the tail situation, the fact that the word "immortal" wasn't helping my impulse control. "Grandmother wants a spectacle at the tribunal," I said. "And I want a peek at the traitors. Dave and the others. Additionally, I want to see the commander you captured last night. I can write a better outline if I know exactly what flavor of awful I'm seasoning."
Stacy's expression slid toward wicked delight. "We confiscated something you'll appreciate. Come on."
[Armory corridor-the air that smells like war]
The armory corridor always smells like oil, leather, and iron, but today there was an extra note braided in: burned wood and stubborn blood. The door to the evidence room stood open, and inside, the racks held not weapons but exhibits-bundled cloth, tagged items, and a table laid with the uglier curiosities of the night before.
Stacy plucked up a stubby, oddly shaped staff from a linen-wrapped tray and tossed it to me. Its weight was wrong-nose-heavy and cleverly balanced to be pointed, not swung.
"A musket," I said at once, memory snapping into place. Earth knowledge prickled the back of my neck. "Old design. Single-shot. Loud."
"Mm," Stacy said. "Daren said the same when he brought one in from Capital Security. Federation imports are getting creative."
"Daren?" I repeated. "Rachel's brother?"
"Mm-hmm," Stacy said without looking up. "Annoying, protective, gets skewered easily. That list."
"He's fine," I said, because Amari was there and worrying. "Probably bruised his dignity more than anything."
Amari tucked a smile into her sleeve. "He did limp."
"Focus," Stacy said, gesturing me to the center table. "Left pile: cheap steel from kitchen staff who were definitely not kitchen staff. Right pile: musketry. Middle pile: toys I don't like."
I surveyed the toys. Hooks. Straps. A thin needle coil, which hummed faintly with borrowed mana, was among the tools. These tools were designed to inflict pain in ways that were not visible unless you knew where to look. The kind of tools that man in the Federation had loved.
"Yes," I said lightly, setting a palm above the needle coil until it stopped humming. "Tasteful horror will be easy."
Stacy grunted. "Trinity wants a deterrent. I want a message. Dean wants to instill such fear in the next spies that they are too scared to breathe. Can you deliver all three?"
"Chef's choice," I said, smiling sharply. "I do have one constraint."
"Which is?"
"I promised Amari I'd keep it within 'not a monster' parameters."
Amari, who absolutely had not extracted any such promise, nodded solemnly.
"Fine," Stacy said. "Do not actually set anyone on fire. You can suggest fire. You can make them wish for fire. But do not make me file the paperwork for fire."
"Understood." I tapped the musket's wooden stock, thinking. "We'll need the north courtyard at dusk. A raised platform. A ring of ice runes I can key to their breathing. I'll build the illusions off that-half-truths anchored in their fear. We bring in the unit, masks on, torches out. The masks carry. The torches catch light well. Then we-"
"Outline," Stacy said, stopping me with a finger. "In writing. Before sundown."
"I'll have it on Trinity's desk after lunch," I said.
"Good." She cocked her head. "Now, what did I miss while I was winning at sparring?"
I gave her the short list: waking up fox, waking up human, the status pane with Wrath in parentheses, Trinity's tail assault, breakfast, poison-testing, and the broad strokes of my plan. Stacy listened in that taut, intent way she has when she's bracing for the part where she needs to break something to help. She didn't interrupt until I got to Wrath.
"Do you feel... pulled?" she asked. "More than usual."
"Yes," I said. Honesty is faster. "But it's not drowning me. It's... loud. And useful."
"Then we train around it," she said, as if I'd told her the weather. "Dean and I will rotate you through pressure drills; Trinity will annoy you on purpose to see where the edges are."
"I am excellent at that," Trinity said from the doorway, where she had apparently been eavesdropping like a cat with tenure. She stepped in, lifted the musket from my hand, and inspected it like an insect pinned to velvet. "And you will write me a plan for a tribunal that terrifies the loyal, soothes the frightened, and insults the Federation." She set the musket down. "Can you do that without blowing anything up?"
"I can do it with only a small chance of blowing anything up," I said.
"Acceptable," she said. "Oh-one more thing. Stacy tells me you melted a spear with your hand this morning."
"Mm." I shrugged. "Weak metal. Strong mood."
"Mm," Trinity echoed. "Next time, less melting in the guest suites."
"I'll try," I said, which was as close to a promise as I could get without lying.
[North arcade-on the way back up, with a tailwind]
We walked back under the arches, Amari between us swinging her arms, Trinity matching my stride with unnerving ease for someone a head and a half shorter. The house was in motion now-the thump of boots, the murmur of orders, the clatter of replaced glass. You could smell the fresh plaster where a wall had been yesterday, and under it all, the bright metallic tang of a place braced for the next hit and already planning how to hit back.
"You're taller," Amari said suddenly, squinting up at me.
"Not your imagination," I said. "It's either a growth spurt or a side effect."
"Cool," she said. Then, more softly, "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too," I said. And I meant it, even if I was still deciding how much of me I was letting here be "here."
We reached the main stairs and angled up toward Trinity's study. As we climbed, she said, without looking back, "By the way, your outline needs a prologue."
"A what now?"
"Begin your spectacle with the musket," Trinity said. "Let the audience see it. Name the reincarnate who designed it if we can find the name. Make it clear that we know what's being smuggled in. Then take it away from them. That's how you insult a Federation. You show that you understand their toys. You show you'll break them."
I smiled. "We're going to get along, Grandmother."
"Of course we are," she said. "We both like theater."
[Trinity's study-ink, paper, and a blueprint for fear]
Trinity's study smelled like dried ink and old arguments. Shelves marched from floor to ceiling, packed with spines that ran the gamut from "Trauma as a Teaching Tool" to "The Practicalities of Siege." Maps were pinned to cork, lines of thread crisscrossing borders and hearts.
She pointed me to the broad desk by the window and slid a stack of heavy paper toward me. "Write. Loud. And keep the jokes under the blood."
"Dark humor is my second language," I said, sitting. The chair had the right to give. The pen had the right bite. The courtyard below lay in a neat rectangle of sun, the dais empty, the stone pale.
I began.
Prologue: The Toy and the Mirror-I described the musket and the way its wood would look held under torchlight. The way sound carries under arches. How fear travels faster when it thinks it's being clever. I outlined the circle of frost I'd scribe into the flagstones, the little hooks of cold that would catch breath and spin it into something the eye could see. I mapped where the traitors would stand, how the masks would turn them into their own stories, and how I'd let the crowd see the truth at the exact moment the guilty recognized it too.
I wrote the pacing: the pause where a heart slows to listen, the snap where it races again. Tasteful horror, as requested. No fire. Probably.
"Agent: 1140," I muttered, adding notes for my speed-how fast to move, how slow to let the realization spread. "Who formatted that status pane, anyway?"
"Someone with a sense of humor," Trinity said from her chaise, not looking up from her paperwork. "Keep writing."
I did. I wrote until my hand cramped and the courtyard's rectangle of sun shifted, until the ink stained the edges of my fingers and left a little black crescent on my cheek where I'd rubbed a stray hair away. I kept the jokes hidden beneath the pain. I kept the structure sharp. I made sure that when the crowd remembered the day, they'd remember the way the air had felt colder because it had listened to them breathe.
Finally, I set the pen down. "Done."
Trinity took the pages and read quickly, eyes heating as they moved. When she finished, she stacked the sheets, tapped them flush, and held them a heartbeat too long. "Acceptable," she said. Then, softer, "Good."
I leaned back, letting my shoulders drop. "Now I go yell at Stacy."
"Eat first," Trinity said. "Yell second. Always keep your blood sugar up for family arguments."
"You're wise," I said.
"I'm old," she corrected.
[Corridor-back toward the training yard, with company]
Amari peeled off toward her lessons with a promise to "absolutely not sneak into the courtyard construction later," which, translated, meant she would absolutely sneak into the courtyard construction later. Trinity detoured to brief Security, walking like every corridor was already listening to her.
I took the long way back to the training yard. My steps tracked over mosaic floors and rugs thick as summer grass. Servants moved in efficient arcs, carrying buckets, replacing glass, and scrubbing soot out of stone. A little boy in a stable livery tugged a broom taller than he was and grinned at me as I passed. I nodded back. He didn't flinch. Good kid.
The sky had turned a pale blue, indicating that the day would be hot. In the yard, Stacy was alone now, running through forms like a hymn-a blade drawing lines only she could see and then erasing them.
I hopped the rail and dropped into the sand. "You gave your daughter to your other daughter as a pet," I said, deadpan.
"It was adorable," she said, deadpan back.
"I'm keeping the bow," I said. "But next time I get to pick the ribbon."
"Deal," she said. Her eyes softened. "Are you sure you're okay?"
I let myself be honest for a breath. "I'm... loud inside. But it's my volume knob."
"That's my girl," she said, then flicked her sword. "Spar?"
"Breakfast," I said. "Then spar. I fight better when I'm full of spite and bread."
"Relatable," she said. "Five minutes. Bring me a coffee."
I rolled my eyes and headed toward the service door. As I walked, the wind shifted, and with it came a faint, familiar scent. Smoke from the north courtyard. The crisp sweetness of snow, which had not been present just a moment ago, filled the air.
The crew was already chalking lines.
Good.
[Kitchen door-epilogue in a cup]
Lily met me halfway with a mug that steamed like a positive threat and a plate with something that might have been a pastry before it learned fear. "For Milady," she said, then held my gaze. "And for you." She tucked a second mug into my free hand. "Try not to traumatize the brickwork this afternoon."
"No promises," I said. "But I'll keep the jokes under the blood."
She smiled. "You always do."
Back outside, the yard spread bright and hot. Stacy lifted her sword in greeting. I passed her the coffee.
"Tribunal outline?" she asked.
"On Trinity's desk," I said.
"Blood?" she asked.
"Tasteful," I said.
"Good," she said, and grinned. "Try to hit me."
I smiled back, settled my stance, and slid forward, the sand giving way under my boots like it had been waiting for me to move. Somewhere behind us, hammers rang, and fainted in the air, the courtyard began to learn how to listen.
And somewhere under my skin, Wrath purred-loud, yes, but mine.
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Chapter 28: You reek go shower!?
"That... what! I thought you used one of Stacy's hidden weapon techniques, but to think you make them with your magic. Can you do it with bigger weapons as well?" Granny asked, intrigued.
"Yes." Stretching out my hand, I made a whip. After making it, I threw a plate in the air and slashed at it with the whip, making it shatter.
"That was so cool!" Amari said with amazement. Granny, on the other hand, had a calculation expiration on her face. Looking at her, I thought of why she would look at that display like that.
"Don't even think about using me as a weapon," I said, dispelling the whip in my hand.
"What? No, that's not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about how I can explain to you how to use the whip better." She said seriously.
"Huh? Grandmother, do you mean that she didn't use the whip correctly?" Amari asks, confused.
"Yes and no, she didn't make a big mistake, but if you looked closely, she didn't hit the plate with the tip but with the rope itself," Granny explained like a professor.
"Ooh, it moved too fast for me to see," Amari said dejectedly.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," Granny said sweetly. Looking at me, she took on a serious expression and said. "So that you know. Not everyone will think of you as a tool, especially this family. My husband will come out of his grave to beat the crap out of us if we ever think of making someone a weapon for our own gains."
"As I said before, this is the first time meeting you. I won't just trust you on my experience with Mother, but I understand and will remember that."
"Good." Granny nodded. "So your ice magic is flexible?"
"Yes, it is close to being a metal of its own."
"Hmm, can you infuse mana into it?"
"I am still working on that, but I think if I work on my mana control, I can do it."
"Mana control? Isn't your mana control already good enough?"
"You mean about my ice?" Getting a nod, I continued. "No, using my ice is like swinging my tail around. I just chuck the mana out and form what I want with it, but it's a different story when it comes to my fire and lightning magic. It feels like I am so restricted it isn't even funny."
"You also have 3 elements!?"" "Granny and Amari?" they said in surprise.
"Also?" Tilting my head, I looked at them to answer me.
"I also have 3 elements. Lava, storm, and earth." Amaris said proudly.
"That's cool." Two rare elements, nice." I said, smiling at her. "My ice might be solid, but my fire and lightning aren't handy at the moment. I can't use it further than a meter away from me. So in this regard, I am certain you win, Amari."
"If you put it like that. It really sounds like you have a mana control problem," Granny said, rubbing her chin. Looking up at me, she asks. "Didn't Stacy tell you about mana control?"
"She never taught me about magic." I shrugged and continued eating.
"Of course, we are talking about the weapon queen here. She wouldn't talk about magic if she could talk about weapons." Shaking her head while looking down.
"Kitsuna? Your food? Didn't it have bones in it?" Amari asks, out of the blue.
"Yeah?" I said, confused.
"What happened to them?"
"I ate them. That's the best part of the meal." I said with a straight face. Hearing my answer, both of them paled.
"You can eat bone?" Granny asked.
"Yes." Opening my mouth, I showed them my canine teeth. "See, my teeth aren't normal. They are strong enough to rip through bone easily."
"I don't think you-" Granny was about to finish when Lily coughed at the side, taking her attention. Having a mental talk, they nodded and dropped the topic. Amari, on the side, was looking at them confused but decided to drop it as well.
'I don't want another lecture from her on why bones are food for gods.' Lily thought to herself.
"How was it being trained by Stacy?" Granny asks, changing the topic altogether.
"It was the best 3 years of my life," I said, smiling.
Hearing my answer, Amari frowned and asked.
"Did my exercise freak of a mother go easy on you?"
"I don't know." We started at 5 in the morning and ended close to 9 at night."
"You monster." She said, looking at me like I was crazy.
"Haha, I have always loved moving my body around, so it's not that bad."
"Hmm?" Seeing Granny's confused face, I said.
"I am a reincarnation, like Amari here."
"What, really? What was your name?" Amari said, shooting questions.
Looking at her, I wanted to see her reaction when she heard who I was. Am I?
"Hehe, Shiro Adachi at your service," I said, smiling at her. Hearing the name, her jaw dropped. After a while of being in a daze, she started to smile.
"Pfft Haha, you got gender-bent. Haha, that's what you get for stealing Yua-sensei from me," she shouted while rolling around on the floor.
After being in this body for so long, I have already accepted that fact, but my habits and speech still need some work.
Getting amused at her reaction, I thought she would get mad with all the things she had told other people about me. Thinking about her words, something clicked in my head. "You were in love with Yua-sensei!?" That's why you hated me because you thought I stole her from you." I stood up and pointed at her.
"Shut up!" Standing up, she shouted at me with a flushed face.
"Wow, to think you hated me for something that I didn't even do."
"What do you mean you didn't do it?" Everyone knew that you and Sensei were a couple. They even saw you coming from the same apartment."
"Umm, I can't really defend myself about coming out of the same apartment. We were neighbors, though. But I do know that she isn't into men anymore, and I saw her as my best friend."
"What do you mean 'anymore'? Did you do something to her!?"
"Well, we got pretty drunk one weekend once, and yeah. After that, she found out she was really into women. Before you think I raped her or anything. She was the one to dominate me. I tried to stop her." I explained and hid my face at the end. I can still remember that night. She was an animal.
'Didn't you just say you didn't take her away from Amari, but you slept with her!?' Granny thought to herself, watching from the sideline.
"You got dominated!?" You! The scary Shiro Adachi! And by the smallest and cutest teacher, we had none the less!" She again started laughing and rolling on the ground. Calming herself down, she asked again. "When did you guys do it?"
"In July. First-year." Giving her a short answer.
"That early. That was also the time when the rumors about you two being a couple started."
"You are up-to-date about our lives, it seems."
"Of course I did, Stal-Cough, never mind." Hearing her answer, I thought back to the time, and it seemed I never noticed her stalking us.
'She is a good stalker.' Nodding at my thoughts.
"Cough. I think you two have talked enough. Can you explain to me what is going on, and Amari, what is this about you being in love with another girl?" Hearing a voice, I will always recognize it instantly. I looked at the door. I saw Mom standing there. Frowning at her, I was about to talk, but Amari talked first.
"Yes, I was in love with Yua-sensei, but that was the person I was in love with, not the gender. I was bisexual, but I liked men more than women. You also don't need to worry about me going for anyone other than my fiance because he was Yua-sensei." Amari explains, defending herself.
This time it was my turn to laugh and roll around on the ground.
"I am not alone. Yes!? To think, the best friend of my past life is in the same predicament as me. Haha." Laughing and fist-pumping the air, I shouted in joy. "The best part is she is in the same kingdom."
"It seems someone is happy." Hearing a new male voice coming from the door, I looked back to the door, but I smelled something rotten before seeing the person.
"YOU REEK. GO TAKE A SHOWER, DUMBASS!?" I shouted at my loudest, making the room shake.
"That's not how, Kyaa." Not making him finish, I made some daggers and threw them at him.
"You reek. Go shower now." Holding up more daggers with my free hand while another one was over my nose. Seeing me with more knives, he ran out of the room.
"I told him to go shower," Mom said, looking at Dean running away.
"I wouldn't talk if I were you," I said, narrowing my eyes at her. Sighing, I took my scarf out of my storage and put it around my neck. Looking back at my food, I said. "Fucking ruined my meal, tsk."
"You seem to have more composure after your evolution and have changed a lot in appearance," Mom said, sitting next to me.
"Yeah, I feel like now that I have accepted my bloodline, my mind wants to make everything amusing," I said with a frown. "With your memories and my old ones being refreshed, I am not really surprised at me changing. The change in my body is a welcome one, though. I hated to be that short, and my looks at this point just remind me of my old self, so I welcome it." I looked up at her with a smile on my face.
"WAIT, WAIT! She got more composure, my ass!" Granny and Amari, all of a sudden, screamed.
"Huh? You should have seen the last time I forgot to shower before dinner, and I also ruined her meal at that time. Ask Lily if it comes to food; you don't mess with her, and you follow her rules, or you get your ass handed to you no matter how strong you are. Don't let me get started on her bones. Just leave her alone; let her eat them." Mom said seriously while looking at Granny.
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Chapter 29: The drama never ends
"That does sound bad," Amari said softly, her brows furrowed as she leaned an elbow on the table. "Were you like this back on Earth as well?"
Shaking my head, I answered honestly. "No. This state of mind is something new to me. Back then, I didn't feel... this way."
Amari tilted her head, thoughtful, but before she could continue, Mom suddenly straightened. Her eyes sharpened, her mouth pressing into a thin line.
"Ooh, wait. Before we go on, I still have to ask this one thing," she said, her tone far more serious than before. She turned her gaze fully on me, the weight of it enough to make my back tense. "When I got here, you all said that you were dominant in bed. Is that true?"
I froze, blinking. Of all things to bring up now...
"Umm, can we not?" I muttered, turning my head aside. I wasn't going to answer that. But Amari-traitor that she was-nodded eagerly.
Mom's lips twitched. "I can't believe it. You-Shiro. A mass murderer. And yet you're the bottom in bed." She didn't laugh, didn't tease with her usual sharp grin. She simply shook her head slowly, as if she were disappointed in the entire universe.
I glared at her. "Mass murderer?"
The words slipped out of both Granny and Amari at the same time: "Mass murderer?" Granny's tone was confused-she didn't quite understand the phrase-but Amari's was sharp, alarm bells ringing in her voice.
"Mother, what do you mean that Shiro is a mass murderer?" Amari asked, her eyes darting between us, demanding an explanation.
Mom winced. "Oh no, please disregard what I just said." She rubbed her forehead, looking genuinely regretful-or at least pretending to be.
"That's not happening." Amari crossed her arms and turned to me, her voice steel. "Shiro, what did she mean by that?"
I sighed heavily, pressing my fingers to my temple. "It's too late now. And knowing how persistent you were back on Earth, Amari, I don't think you'll let this go."
Mom bit her lip. "I'm sorry."
I shot her a flat look. "No, you're not. You did that on purpose." Reaching out, I smacked her over the head, earning a sharp yelp.
"Ow! Can you blame me?" she said defensively, rubbing the sore spot. You can trust the people at this table with your life, I know for a fact. I was just... pushing you to say it out loud."
I exhaled, long and frustrated. "Sigh... not really. I was planning to tell Dean first and then Amari once our relationship had improved. With her now knowing the truth about Yua and me, it makes more sense. Granny, though-" I pointed across the table at the older woman. "You surprised me."
"That's true," Amari admitted grudgingly, folding her arms. "I don't hate you anymore. But I'm still mad that you took her first." Her lips jutted into a pout.
"Huh? I didn't take her first." I shot back instantly. "When we did it, she wasn't a virgin."
Amari blinked, utterly lost. "What?"
"Yeah," I said casually. "Her first time was with one of her friends in high school."
Amari leaned in. "Girl or boy?"
"Girl," I answered without hesitation.
She huffed. "Then I'm mad that you were her first male." She turned her face away again, cheeks puffed like an angry squirrel.
I shook my head. "I don't think that's important. What is important is what you're going to do about her. Because Amari-if you marry Yua... she might break you." My tone turned dead serious. "Especially now that she's in a man's body."
At that moment, I believed it was merely a clever tactic to deflect attention away from myself. Oh, if only I had known how much I'd come to regret that later.
"Aah, shit," Amari muttered.
"Aah, shit," Mom echoed at the same time.
The room went silent. Everyone seemed to sink into their own thoughts. The quiet was heavy, suffocating, until the door creaked open again and Dean stepped in.
He stopped in his tracks, staring at the gloomy table. "Why is it so quiet in here?" he asked suspiciously, striding in and sitting down beside Amari. His eyes swept across the room, landing on me last. His gaze narrowed. "Dean, we have a major problem!" Mom suddenly blurted out the news, her voice tinged with panic.
Dean stiffened. "What happened? Did Kitsuna destroy something again?" His eyes flicked to me. Then, as if finally noticing my slightly altered appearance, he added, "Hmm. You're one scary child. Ooh, wait. Is this about how she looks?"
"What? I am not that-" I started but then hesitated. My mind flicked back to the broken plate, the countless times I'd wrecked things in the mansion these last three years. My shoulders slumped. "...You might be right. I am reckless."
Dean raised an eyebrow, but Mom cut him off. "That's not relevant right now. It's about Amari's fiance."
Dean opened his mouth, but I interjected. "Wait. Before we continue, we need Rebecca and Lily here. We're having a family meeting." My palm smacked against the table. The sound echoed.
Everyone blinked at me in confusion. Everyone except Mom. She understood immediately.
"Trust me," I added. "They'll be a great help."
Soon enough, Rebecca and Lily joined us, and the rest of the staff was dismissed. The doors shut, locking us in with nothing but tension.
"Okay, let's start this meeting," Mom said gravely.
"Before that, let me do this." I raised a hand and let mana surge outward. Frost crawled across the walls, the air growing sharp and biting. My ice magic enveloped the entire room in seconds, creating a soundproof barrier. "Now we're ready."
Mom gave me a brief nod before she began to explain everything. Her words were steady, measured, but weighty. And to drive the point home, she used her illusion magic to show my past-life appearance.
I expected gasps, questions, maybe shock. Instead, their reactions were... flat. They simply nodded, saying it made sense. The casualness of it cut deeper than I'd expected.
It stung more than I cared to admit. Was my past self really so obvious that none of them were surprised?
That changed when the topic shifted to Yua.
Rebecca and Lily exchanged knowing glances and declared it made sense-because, apparently, I was "clearly submissive."
I tried to argue. I really did. But every protest I raised only dug me deeper. By the end, I slumped in defeat with my cheeks burning, while the others looked far too smug.
Dean, meanwhile, looked disappointed. Until Mom casually exposed one of his secrets as well. He went quiet instantly, sulking in a corner.
"That is a problem," Rebecca said once the explanations concluded. She tapped her chin, thinking deeply. "But it's easy to fix. Let me train Amari."
"NO!?" Mom and I barked in unison, slamming our hands on the table.
Rebecca clicked her tongue. "Tsk. Fine."
Dean, who had been quiet until then, leaned forward. "Okay, I got this. Let's start with you," he said, looking squarely at me. "With your looks, you'll most likely end up with someone strong. I don't have much advice to offer on that topic. but at least get me a good daughter-in-law." He concluded his statement with a solemn nod, as if he were delivering divine judgment.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'll... try," I muttered.
"Yeah, I was surprised you were somebody at first," Lily chimed in with a teasing grin. "But thinking about it, it makes sense. Your habits never changed. The funniest part? No matter the world, no matter the body, you always look scary. Even the eye thing came back to you." Her smile softened. "But how did you get that scar, anyway?"
"I'll tell you after this problem is solved," I promised. She nodded and leaned back, satisfied for now.
Dean cleared his throat, his voice shifting to something heavier. "Now that we have addressed that issue, let's move on to the bigger problem. Amari. How are we going to make sure her fiance doesn't break her?"
The debate that followed was long and loud. Voices clashed, and ideas were tossed around, countered, and discarded. Amari's voice tried to cut in-pleading, protesting-but no one paid her any mind. Hours bled together until finally a consensus formed.
"So we've decided," Dean said, his arms crossed. "We'll bump up her training. If she lacks motivation, she'll watch a session with Rebecca and Lily." His tone suggested there was no room for negotiation.
"Un," everyone agreed. Everyone except Amari, who had her face buried in the table, groaning in despair.
Dean frowned, still puzzled. "How did we even get to this? And what's so special about their sessions?" His gaze shifted to Mom and me, but we both suddenly found the ice on the walls very fascinating.
"Hehe, you can join tonight if you like," Rebecca said with a sly smirk.
Dean paled instantly. "Gulp... on second thought, never mind."
"I began to explain the second point, but Granny lifted her hand." Her calm, steady voice broke through the chaos. "Can we take an hour's break first?"
"I suppose we could," I said, nodding. I dispelled the ice walls with a thought-only to reveal the main entrance doors had been reduced to splinters.
"What the hell?" Dean muttered, staring at the wreckage.
"Attack!" shouts rang from the hall outside. I shot to my feet, summoning a scythe in my hand.
Ten men burst into the room, their weapons drawn, eyes sharp. At first, everyone froze, unsure of what was happening. Then Daren's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
"The one with the red hair-get her!?" He pointed straight at me.
The soldiers surged forward, but before they could move another step, Dean's voice rang out.
"What the hell is going on!?" His tone wasn't loud, but it boomed with raw authority. The air grew heavy, and my body locked in place for a split second, instinctively obeying his command.
I clenched my jaw, forcing my mana to surge. Muscles strained, veins bulged, but I broke through his compulsion. My body snapped free, and with a sharp motion, I swung the scythe onto my shoulder.
Dean smirked. "Haha, Stacy trained you well." He didn't seem surprised in the slightest that I'd broken free.
I just shrugged, my gaze already locked on Daren.
"So, Daren," Dean asked coldly, "why do you want to kill my daughter?"
"She attacked me!" Daren shouted. "She even used a spell on Rachel, making her believe this monster is an ally!" He gestured to the bruises on his body. They looked convincing-ugly, purple splotches across his arms and neck.
Mom and Dean both turned to me, their expressions demanding an explanation.
I shrugged again, nonchalant. "What? He attacked me first. I just defended myself."
"Was it really necessary to hurt him that badly?" Mom asked, one brow raised.
"I may have had a... jump in strength recently." I scratched my cheek sheepishly. "So yeah, I used all my power without realizing it. My speed caught him off guard, as he didn't anticipate my strength.
Dean's eyes narrowed. "A jump in strength? You're at the mid-private level, right? Do you know what your stats are at the moment?"
"Is the pledge still active?" Mom asked sharply.
"Yes and no," I said. "My strength is 795. My agility is 1140. Oh, and I'm level 27."
The silence that followed was deafening. Then came the collective choking of air. Half the Black Ops soldiers crumpled, fainting outright at the revelation.
Even Mom's eyes went wide with shock.
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Chapter 30: Sparring with Dean
"What sort of monster have you created, Stacy!?" Dean and Grandmother shouted at the same time, their voices overlapping in perfect outrage. The echo rang through the hall like thunder. Amari, meanwhile, was still frozen in a daze, her eyes wide and unfocused, lips parted as though she couldn't quite process what she'd just heard.
"She doesn't even have a class," Granny pressed on, her tone aghast. "And yet her stats are already that high. Normal people don't even unlock their class until their stats reach two or three hundred!" She shook her head slowly, almost disbelieving, as though her words offended her sense of order.
Mom, unfazed, folded her arms and asked the question I'd been dreading. "How are you only level 27 after killing seventy people last night?" Her eyes narrowed. "Albeit, they were just uncommon classes. The highest level among them was around 500. Excluding the commander that you took care of, of course." She rattled off the facts as though reading a ledger, her tone flat, but the weight of the words filled the room like smoke.
"Seventy people?" My voice came out thin, almost disbelieving. A cold shiver crawled up my spine. "Did I kill everyone last night?" I knew I was involved with the destroyed mansion, but I hadn't considered that not everyone had been killed.
"You don't remember?" Stacy's brows knitted together in confusion.
"No." I shook my head firmly, clutching at the fragments of memory. "From the moment I kicked Dizzy out of the mansion, everything got... hazy. The last thing I'm certain about is looking down at you in my fox form." My voice dipped lower, carrying a faint tremor of unease.
"I see." Mom studied me carefully, her expression unreadable. Then she straightened. "Let's take that break first. Then we'll talk about all this." She turned toward Daren, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "And we're going to make this look like it never happened."
Daren's mouth opened as if to protest, but the weight of her gaze pinned him down. With a stiff nod, he accepted the order. One by one, the others began filing out, cleaning and straightening the room as though nothing had transpired. The heavy atmosphere lifted only slightly.
"I will never get used to this family," Amari muttered, shaking her head as she trailed out of the hall.
"Kitsuna, do you want to have a spar?" The voice startled me. Surprisingly, it wasn't Mom who asked-but Dean.
I blinked at him, caught off guard. "...We can. But not a long one."
He gave me a single nod and, without another word, started walking out. I followed, my footsteps echoing in the hall. Behind us, Mom and Granny also fell in, silent observers to what was about to unfold.
The Training Grounds
The crisp air outside hit me first. Then the noise-the clamor of shouts, the clash of weapons, the steady rhythm of drills. The training grounds sprawled out before me, alive with movement. Soldiers sparred, jogged, or honed their techniques under watchful instructors.
A quick glance told me there were easily around a hundred people here, scattered across the field. Their disciplined formations stood in stark contrast to the chaos of the mansion.
"Why are there so many people training here?" I asked, curiosity pricking at me. "At the border mansion, I never saw anyone else train besides us."
Dean walked with steady steps toward a raised platform, answering without looking back. "That's because it's too dangerous there. Most of the people you see here are privates or corporals. Their instructors are, at most, sergeants. Gray is the only exception."
"Ooh, I see," I murmured, taking in the sight.
Dean suddenly cleared his throat. "Cough. Listen up!"
His voice cracked across the grounds like a whip. Immediately, every soldier froze mid-motion. Dozens of heads snapped in his direction. Silence fell.
"I am going to spar with my daughter really quick," Dean announced casually, as if stating the weather. "Clear out the field. You may watch the spar if you like."
For a moment, there was silence. Then a man with short gray hair and sharp black eyes, wearing an instructor's uniform, stepped forward. "Dean, wasn't Amari a mage type?" His tone was puzzled and skeptical.
Dean smirked. "Yes, she is. I'm talking about my other daughter."
The words dropped like stones in water. Shock rippled through the field.
"What!?" Half the soldiers erupted at once, their disbelief carrying across the grounds.
Dean raised a hand for silence. "She was adopted three years ago. She lived with Stacy at the border until yesterday."
The murmurs spread quickly-surprise, whispers, curiosity. The instructor, however, didn't waste time. "I see. Okay, everyone! Earth users, make an arena! Make it big enough so we can all watch the spar!"
At his command, the soldiers sprang into motion. Mana churned through the ground as earth users molded the terrain, raising sturdy walls and shaping a wide ring. Others began clearing debris, setting benches, or taking positions along the edges.
Watching the bustle, I turned to Dean, raising a brow. "What's going on?"
His wry smile said it all. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to meet them like this. Sigh... Gray sometimes takes everything too seriously."
I followed his gaze to the instructor. He was already striding toward us with brisk, purposeful steps.
"But this is important," Gray said firmly as he approached. His voice carried authority, calm yet heavy. "All of us need to know who is part of the house."
He stopped in front of me, his height almost matching mine. Although his expression softened slightly, he continued to study me carefully with his eyes. "My name is Gray. No surname."
I grinned, tilting my head. "Yo. My name's Kitsuna. And before you ask-I'm the same age as Amari."
His brows rose slightly. "Ooh, you're really tall for your age."
"Yeah. There's something... special about my race," I said with a shrug.
"Not a normal demon fox, then?" Gray chuckled. "I'm excited for your spar." His laughter was warm, not mocking. Then he glanced at the nearly complete stage. "Do we need to prepare any weapons for you, young miss?"
I shook my head. "No need. And no formalities with me."
"Understood." With a nod, he turned and walked back toward the stands.
Dean tapped my shoulder. "The stage is done. I'll formally introduce you to everyone another time."
I nodded back and stepped onto the freshly raised platform.
The Sparring Match
The arena was simple but sturdy-stone walls rising waist-high, the ground hardened for impact. Soldiers crowded the elevated edges, their faces a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Every eye was locked on us.
I rolled my shoulders, exhaling slowly as Dean stepped onto the stage opposite me. He stood five meters away, a greatsword resting in his hand, his stance deceptively loose. But the sharp gleam in his eyes betrayed his focus.
Taking my eyes off him for a moment, I scanned the crowd. Their expectant stares only added pressure. My lips twisted into a faint smile.
"Sigh... Let's make this a good show, shall we?" I muttered under my breath.
"Are you ready?" Gray's voice rang out from the edge of the arena.
Dean and I both nodded.
"Good. Start!?"
The sudden shout caught me off guard. Dean was already moving, charging forward with surprising speed.
I didn't flinch. Instead, I conjured a set of ice daggers with a flick of my hand and hurled them low, aiming for his legs. He weaved through them effortlessly, a small frown tugging at his mouth as he closed the distance.
At two meters, I conjured a scythe and swung in a wide arc. Dean stepped back just in time, the blade slicing through the air in front of him. I pressed forward immediately, swinging again, but he stepped in close, ducking under the scythe's sweep.
"As a scythe user," he said calmly, swinging his sword in counter, "you need to understand its weaknesses."
Smirking, I let the scythe dissolve, replacing it instantly with two short swords. One intercepted his greatsword, the other thrusting forward toward his gut. His eyes widened briefly, surprised by the sudden switch, before he leapt back out of reach.
I didn't give him breathing room. The two blades left my hands in a flash, spinning through the air. He dodged sideways, smirking-until the ground exploded beneath him. A warhammer slammed down where he had been a heartbeat earlier. He rolled aside, just barely avoiding the crushing blow.
As he steadied himself, two more daggers whistled through the air toward him. His sword came up, deflecting them with practiced ease. When he looked up, I was already standing with another scythe resting casually on my shoulder.
"Tsk. You really are like Stacy," he muttered.
"Haha. Mother taught me well," I answered with a grin.
From the sidelines, Mom's delighted voice rang out. "What!?" Her grin stretched so wide it almost split her face. I'd never seen her look so proud.
Dean and I both chuckled, understanding perfectly why she was so ecstatic.
"Let's continue," Dean said, charging again.
This time, I shifted my scythe into a katana. Steel met iron as his greatsword clashed against my blade. The impact rang out across the arena, sparking cheers from the crowd.
"Staying like that?" Dean asked, testing the weight of the clash.
"You wanted to see how good I was, right?" I shot back, pushing off and slashing again. Our blades collided, ringing again and again as we exchanged rapid blows.
After a flurry of strikes, Dean leapt back, his eyes glinting. "You're excellent. For a thirteen-year-old."
"Thanks," I said lightly, rubbing my cheek.
His stance shifted. "Okay. I'm going to do something now. I hope you can block it."
I nodded, tightening my grip. He lifted his greatsword and began infusing it with mana. Flames licked across the blade-but they weren't normal flames. They burned heavier and hotter. Lava. The air shimmered with oppressive heat.
My stance shifted instantly, preparing for defense. Flash Step remained my trump card if things went bad.
Dean vanished in a blur, reappearing right in front of me. His sword descended like a fiery mountain. I braced, my katana intercepting the strike. The impact jolted my arms, but I held. What I couldn't hold off was the heat. My hoodie and scarf caught fire instantly, flames devouring fabric.
"Aah, shit!" I hissed, Flash stepping back. In one swift motion, I tore off the burning clothes and flung them aside. My bandaged chest was exposed, the special wrappings thankfully untouched by flame. My skin, marked and cursed, drew gasps from the crowd.
Someone whistled. "Whistle. Holy crap, she's one hot and scary babe!"
"Yeah, look at those muscles! That six-pack's unreal," a girl shouted breathlessly.
"Un, by her body alone she looks stronger than half of us. And those curses... damn, even they make her look intimidating," another soldier muttered.
I blinked, dumbfounded. "...You're not bothered by me being cursed?"
"Huh? "No," one man called back casually. "There are so many cursed people in Black Ops; it's normal. Curses aren't that bad unless they affect others. And yours don't look like the kind that hurt anyone else." He shrugged.
I dropped my stance, staring at them in disbelief. "That just made me more confused."
"Haha, you're new here. You'll get used to it," the girl added, laughing.
Dean smiled faintly at me. I shook my head and exhaled before using Flash Step again to reengage.
Appearing in front of him, I slashed sideways. He ducked low, sweeping at my legs. I leapt over, rolling as I landed. His sword whistled down from behind, but I spun, blocking it at my back. Our eyes met briefly-his narrowed, mine smirking.
Then his gaze flicked down. His expression shifted. "Shit."
My tail had coiled tightly around his leg.
With a sharp jerk, I flung him across the arena.
Boom! The impact shook the ground, a plume of smoke rising.
I stepped forward slowly, scythe in hand, ready to help him up.
"Clap! That's enough!" Granny's sharp voice rang out as she clapped her hands together. The signal cut through the tension, halting the match.
I relaxed, lowering my weapon. But before I could move toward the smoke, Mom's laughter pierced the air.
"HAHAHA! You were just outplayed!?" Her voice rang with unrestrained delight.
As the smoke cleared, she was revealed standing on top of Dean, pointing down at him and cackling.
"Woah, the new miss isn't bad."
"Yeah, she's powerful," voices called out from the stands, admiration buzzing through the crowd.
Chapter 31: Bonding
After laughing at Dean for a while, Mom finally peeled herself off of him and ran over to me. Her grin was still plastered across her face, cheeks pink from how hard she'd been cackling.
"Well done, Kitsuna!" she said, her voice high with pride. She threw her arms around me in a tight hug. Because she was shorter than me now, her head pressed right into my chest. She froze. Her brow twitched. Slowly, her eyes tilted upward.
The realization hit her.
Her head turned slightly, cheek brushing against me. I could practically see the gears grinding in her skull as her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Seeing her look up at me, I smiled down innocently-then let a wicked grin stretch across my face. My voice dipped low, taunting.
"Keke... yes. I have bigger ones than you now. Keke."
"NO!!??" Her shout tore through the field, echoing over the arena. Her hands dropped, her shoulders slumped, and her entire posture screamed despair.
I basked in it, laughing evilly as her soul seemed to crumble before my eyes. "Hahaha, the sight of your despair is delicious!"
The patter of footsteps drew my attention. Looking over, I saw Granny approaching with her usual composed stride, Amari trailing behind her.
"You were watching?" I asked, arching a brow at Amari.
"Jip," she said brightly, giving me a little thumbs up. "Well done catching him off guard at the end."
I scratched my cheek. "Yeah, but let's be real-if he'd used everything he had, I'd have been dead long before that." My tone was blunt and matter-of-fact.
"That may be true," Amari admitted, "but look at how you handled yourself. I can tell you could easily kill a high private if they didn't know about your ice magic. And if they did know?" She shrugged. "Even a mid-private wouldn't stand a chance. All you really need to work on is long range."
Granny, who had circled me like a predator, inspected me with sharp eyes. She walked around me once, her gaze dissecting every movement. "Tell me, kiddo. You have sword domain, don't you?"
I stiffened slightly, then nodded slowly. "How did you know?"
Instead of answering, she turned the question back on me. "Do you even know what Sword Domain is?"
I huffed. "Yeah. If something comes within a certain radius, your senses pick it up immediately-even if it's right behind you. But it's useless for me. My senses were already that good three years ago."
Granny's eyes narrowed. Her voice dropped, almost a growl. "Stacy. What have you taught her these last three years, except combat?"
Mom, still sulking on the ground after losing the breast-size war, looked up lazily at her mother's glare. "Nothing. All the other knowledge she has, she got from reading books." Her tone was flat, almost bored.
Granny's glare sharpened like a dagger.
I frowned, feeling like the tension wasn't entirely my fault. "Was I wrong about Sword Domain?"
Dean, dusting himself off as he joined us, answered instead. "No. You weren't wrong. That's what the skill does. But that's not the important part." He stepped closer, his tone growing heavier. "Having Sword Domain means you're already creating your own fighting style. The earlier you have it, the stronger you'll be in the future-with weapons and with yourself."
Granny's expression softened into something proud. "Yes. Most people take ten years of grueling combat training before they even begin shaping their style. For you to reach that point this young, after only three years..." She smiled. "That makes you a prodigy."
I scoffed inwardly. Prodigy, my ass. It's only because of my curse.
I shrugged outwardly. "Ooh, cool. Anyway, can we get some food? I'm hungry again." My eyes lit up expectantly as I rubbed my stomach.
The others looked at me-and seeing that I wasn't the least bit fazed by their talk of prodigy or destiny-they smiled.
"Yeah, I suppose," Granny said, amused. "We can continue our conversation afterward."
"Yosh!" I cheered. "I'll see everyone back at the dining hall."
I started walking, deliberately slowing my pace when I noticed Amari falling in step with me.
A New Sister
"Hey, sis?" Amari said softly.
I turned, blinking. "Sis?" The word sounded strange and alien to my ears.
She hesitated. "I can't call you that?"
"No, you can." My lips curled into a small smile. "I never had siblings. It just... feels weird."
'I like her,' I thought as we walked side by side. 'She doesn't give up easily-like Yua-sensei. I like people like that. I appreciate the kind of people who stick with you through everything. But... I wonder if she'll still call me that once she knows what I've done.' My eyes flicked forward again.
"I wanted to know about your ice magic," Amari said. Then her cheeks tinted red. "On second thought-before you answer, please put on a shirt. Everyone is staring at you."
I laughed. "Aah, is my sister uncomfortable with me showing off my abs?" I teased. Glancing around, I caught several maids sneaking looks, their faces flushed bright pink. "Well, too bad. I don't have any clothes that fit right now. Sorry. Nothing I can do about being half-naked."
"How do you not have anything?" Amari frowned. "You have dimensional storage-I saw you use it this morning!" She jabbed a finger at me accusingly.
"My look now and my look yesterday are like night and day. Entirely different sizes." I spread my arms in demonstration.
"Ooh, I see." She accepted it with a sigh, then brightened. "Okay, then. Answer my question."
"I can make spells with my ice," I said. "But that would be a waste. Because my eyes are more like an extension of my senses."
Her brow furrowed. "Huh?"
"What I mean," I explained, "is I can put snowflakes on a person and track their exact location within two hundred meters. And I can improve that distance with practice."
Amari's eyes lit up. "That's almost the same as my lava magic-just shorter range!"
"Ooh, then we can work together on that."
"That'd be great." Amari nodded eagerly. "Granny helps me sometimes, but she's so busy."
I grinned. "We can see it as bonding time, if you like."
Her smile mirrored mine. "That sounds fun. We could rope Rachel in too-she's a mage as well." Then her head tilted. "I'm surprised you're cursed. But... it fits you. The way the flames and lightning dance around your marks, it makes you look cooler."
"Yeah," I admitted. "I had two before, but they changed. We'll probably talk about them later today. Honestly, I'm more surprised no one here sees curses like a plague."
"Our household doesn't," Amari said simply. "But others might. The Black Ops team, in particular, is trained to read curses. To tell whether one is dangerous to others or only to the bearer."
"Huh?"
She pointed at my torso. "Like yours. At a glance, I can tell it's tied to pain. But it only affects you."
"Explain."
The pain is caused by the fire element present in it. And I know it only affects you because it behaves like a tattoo. Stationary, personal, internal."
"I see." I nodded slowly. "There wasn't any information about that in the library."
"That mansion library always gets destroyed in wartime," she said with a shrug. "We don't store important books there."
"But aren't we only in a cold war right now?"
"Yes," she said, voice dropping, "but the Federation is making other moves."
I blinked. "Have you... seen war before?"
Her lips pressed thin. "No. Our parents hide it from me. Said I should enjoy my youth. Not like them-first battle at ten years old."
"But didn't you see last night's carnage?" My voice carried a hint of worry.
She laughed awkwardly. "No. It was cleaned up by the time I arrived."
I sighed. "I don't know how it looked last night... but I don't want my new sister to see me as a monster."
Her reply was immediate. "That's too late. I already see you as one."
I stopped, staring at her in shock. "Eh?"
She smirked mischievously. "I mean, come on. You look like a humanoid boogeyman."
My jaw dropped in betrayal. She only grinned wider. "But... I don't think you'll ever hurt us. I trust you."
"That's... a bit naive," I muttered as we walked into the dining hall. The broken door still hung loosely on its hinges.
Crash!
Plates shattered on the ground. I looked over. Rebecca stood frozen, staring at me with wide eyes-and drool sliding down her chin.
"You're married, for fuck's sake! Stop staring and drooling!" I shouted, pointing at her furiously.
"Gulp... "I'm sorry," Rebecca mumbled, wiping her chin. But her eyes kept drifting back to my abs.
I narrowed my eyes. "LILY! GET IN HERE!"
Seconds later, Lily strode in, looking annoyed. "Kitsuna, what do you-WOAH." Her eyes widened as she froze mid-step. "So that's what you look like under your baggy clothes..."
I jabbed a thumb at her wife. "Can you please get your wife under control?"
Lily followed my gesture. Rebecca was... drooling again. Lily's expression darkened like a storm cloud. She walked over slowly, dangerously.
"Babe," she said in a deceptively sweet tone. "What are you thinking about?"
"N-Nothing!" Rebecca squeaked. Then, grasping for a lifeline, she asked, "D-do you think you could get a six-pack like Kitsuna's?"
"You!?" Lily roared, smacking her over the head.
"OW!" Rebecca yelped, crumpling to the floor.
"Hmph! That's what you get for fantasizing about another woman's body." Lily huffed and stalked away, leaving her wife groaning on the ground.
Amari, unfazed, asked curiously, "They're married?"
"Yeah," I said casually, settling into the same seat I'd used that morning. "It happened a couple of years ago."
"Ooh. Then she deserved that," Amari replied, sitting across from me.
We fell into small talk, the atmosphere lightening with idle chatter until the rest of the family arrived.
"Why isn't the door fixed yet?" Mom asked, staring at the broken entrance.
"We're upgrading the mansion with new technology, so we took down the repair spell," Amari explained.
That made me perk up. "That reminds me-you talked about a jet before. Is it the same as jets on Earth?"
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Chapter 32: Updated
"Yes, in a way, it is the same thing, but more sci-fi jets than the normal jets we had on Earth," Amari explained. Her voice carried a hint of excitement, like she was proud of the kingdom's advancements.
My brows arched, interest piqued. "Who designed them?" I asked, leaning in.
Amari grinned knowingly. "Do you remember the nerd group from our class?"
I blinked. "Nope. I never knew anyone apart from you and Yua."
Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. "How do you not know of them? They were always at the top of the class during exams!"
I shrugged, unconcerned. "Haha, and what does that prove? They knew how to remember things from a book. Good for them."
Amari sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well, two of them are in this kingdom now. And they're the designers of the jets. Not just jets-they've been behind a lot of the other advanced tech as well."
I leaned back, lips twisting into a sarcastic smile. "Woah, how lovely of them. To think they'd improve the kingdom's war potential-basically painting an even bigger target on us than we already are."
Yes, it would protect us better. But it was also a double-edged sword. The kingdom was already a massive target because of its abundant resources. Piling advanced technology on top of that? It was like waving a flag at the Federation: Come and get us.
"We're already in a cold war with the Federation," I muttered darkly. "But if this keeps up, the other two kingdoms might join in. We'll be surrounded."
Dean leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "By cold war, you mean... the fight to outpace each other in technology." His tone was grim.
I stared at him, my gut twisting. "Don't tell me they're actually keeping up with us?"
Dean's slow, deliberate nod was all the answer I needed. My fist slammed onto the table. "Shit."
Amari's expression hardened, shadows dancing across her face. "Now we know where the rest of the nerd group is."
I exhaled sharply, then chuckled bitterly. "I take it back. Let's help them move faster. If I can advance medical science-even just how doctors operate-it'll be worth it."
Mom's head whipped toward me, her eyes sparkling. "That's a fantastic idea! With you being that bastard of a doctor's son-and having all his knowledge in your head-you could revolutionize medicine here." Her enthusiasm burned like a torch.
Granny frowned, unconvinced. "But you just said it was a terrible thing. Why are you suddenly pushing her to do it?"
Mom smirked at her. "You're slow."
Granny's nostrils flared.
Mom went on. "It won't help us to stop advancing when the Federation keeps moving forward. I could tell Kitsuna to stop, but then we'd just be sitting ducks. I should also mention that the Federation initiates most wars initially.
Granny grumbled but eventually gave a reluctant nod.
As the conversation shifted, a thought surfaced in my mind-one I couldn't shake. My voice came out low, almost hesitant. "Amari. "Have these two creators of ours considered making nukes?"
The word alone was enough to make her pale. Everyone in the room sat up straighter, tension thickening instantly.
Amari swallowed hard. "Sadly, I don't know. But I do know this-if they tried, they'd bring mana into it. And that might make it worse. We'll get a chance to ask, though. In a week, all the reincarnations will be gathering for our monthly meeting."
My mind worked quickly, calculating. "How many are in this kingdom?"
"Five. With you, six," Mom answered.
I grimaced. "There were twenty-five of us in the class, right? Including Yua, twenty-six. Knowing the Federation, they must've ordered a hunt. I'd guess they have between ten and fifteen of us on their side by now."
Dean shook his head. "I don't think they'd make a recruitment order." His voice was steady, certain. "Knowing the Federation as long as I have, it's more likely they made a kill order. Just like they did with the demon foxes."
The words hit like a hammer. The memory of that genocide order boiled up from the depths of my mind. All at once, my bloodlust surged outward, uncontrollable, spilling across the room like a tidal wave.
"The fucking Federation can burn in hell for that order," I snarled, my voice dripping venom. "Civilians and all."
The pressure filled the air, thick enough to suffocate. Then a gentle tap on my shoulder pulled me back. I sucked in a sharp breath, then forced myself to calm down, retracting the killing intent. "Fuck that order. Sorry." My voice softened as I looked at Amari. "Sorry about that."
To my surprise, she wasn't shaken. She didn't flinch, didn't recoil from the flood of malice. Instead, she looked at me with sadness in her eyes, her expression almost... gentle.
"I heard about that order too," Amari said softly. "I don't hate easily. But I hate the Federation the most. I agree with you about destroying them... though without the part about the civilians." Her voice was steady, her gaze unyielding.
Something warm flickered in my chest. I smiled faintly. "Thank you. Huh, so they also taught you to resist bloodlust?"
Dean leaned forward, intrigued. "Yes, of course. It's the most important thing in combat-not freezing under bloodlust. Hers may not be as strong as yours, but..." He paused, eyes narrowing. "You've killed before."
The way he said it wasn't an accusation but a fact.
I looked sharply at Stacy. She felt my stare and quickly raised her hands in defense. "I didn't tell him anything yet."
My eyes lingered, but her expression was too casual to be lying. Finally, I leaned back, letting it slide.
"Either way," I said firmly, "it would be the dumbest thing not to find them. Take Amari and me, for example-we both have three elements, and our stats are way above average. I bet every reincarnation is like that. Not to mention... we have knowledge."
Granny's expression was sour, but her voice was measured. "I agree it would be a mistake to waste such resources. But the Federation always prefers to eliminate threats before considering their value."
Mom's lips curved into a humorless smile. "They might think that way, but we'll prepare for the worst."
I slapped my hands together, breaking the tension. "Clap! Before we worry about the outside world, we should finish our problems first." My eyes swept across the room. "Or rather-my problem."
Amari leaned forward, her voice sharp. "Glad you brought it up. What did my mother mean when she called you a mass murderer?"
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to me.
I exhaled slowly. "To answer that... I'll have to tell you about my life before I went to your school."
Raising my hand, I summoned walls of ice, sealing the room off from prying ears. Only the family, Rebecca, and Lily remained inside the barrier. Then, carefully, I began.
[10 min later]
Amari's voice was steady, summarizing as though piecing the puzzle together aloud. "Let me get this straight. You were actually Shiro Adachi-the son of Doctor Adachi, the greatest doctor in the world at the time."
I nodded once.
"Because you were used as his test dummy for ten years," she continued, "you eventually killed everyone and burned the building down."
Another nod.
"After that," Amari went on, her face grim, "a terrorist organization took the blame for your work. They became the most hated people on Earth. With the money you looted from your father's safe, you traveled across Japan, hiding your identity. You learned from the black market, traded for a year, then settled down and joined my school." She exhaled sharply, finishing.
"Yeah," I said simply. "That sums up my life."
Lily leaned forward, confused. "How did you get access to the black market, though?"
I chuckled bitterly. "Ooh, that's a funny story. It's also the reason I got this scar." I pointed to my eye. "It happened a week after the massacre. I was wandering an alley when some dumbass attacked me with a knife. I was still on edge, and I had the family katana on me. I killed him easily. But then another guy jumped me from behind. I didn't know any close combat then, so it turned into a messy floor fight. At some point, he grabbed the katana, and I had the knife. By pure luck, I killed him-but I ended up badly injured."
The memory replayed in my mind, raw and unfiltered.
"I searched his body and found an address with keys. I needed a place to heal, so I went there. Imagine my surprise when I found out the second guy I killed was a master hacker." I let out a dark laugh. "I stayed at his place for two months. It was thanks to him-and the terrorist group taking the blame-that my life became... easier."
Lily shook her head with a wry smile. "I don't know if you're unlucky or lucky."
"Me neither." I spread my arms wide, smiling bitterly. "I went from being a test dummy to a killer to a fugitive, and now-look at me. A fucking primordial."
Amari stood up suddenly, her chair screeching back. Her expression was fierce, her voice shaking with anger. "Why the fuck did it take you so long to kill them? Your father was a monster! To think I idolized him-just the thought makes me want to vomit!"
Her sudden outburst startled me. I blinked, taken aback. "You know I was fifteen, right? And he was famous. It wasn't that easy!"
Her hands clenched into fists. "Yeah, I know that. But still... how did no one find out?"
I sighed. "People probably knew. But he was the best doctor in the world. Nobody wanted to cross him."
Her face twisted in disgust. "That... makes sense. Did Yua know about you? Could you explain what it means for you to be a primordial?
"She found out eventually," I said, my voice softening. "But her reaction was... different. As for my primordial self, that's another long story. One I'll tell later."
"It makes sense now," Amari said bitterly. "You killed over eighty people. When did Yua find out?"
"A couple of months before our reincarnation."
Before I could say more, Dean dropped a bomb. "If you want to see him again, you'll get the chance. He'll be visiting tomorrow."
My head snapped toward him. "Huh? No way."
"He found out about the attack," Dean explained calmly. "He knew Amari and I were headed here."
Panic twisted in my gut. "No. Make him go away." My voice cracked, pleading.
Amari's voice was steady, almost casual. "He's my fiance, you know."
"I don't care," I muttered, dropping my head onto the table. "I wanted to see her again... but not this soon. I'm not ready."
Mom's hand rested gently on my shoulder. "You'll be fine," she said softly. Then she stood, her voice turning firm. "Because Kitsuna told the first story, I'll tell the other one. She can add details when I miss something."
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TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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"At least it wasn't ten years this time," Dean said sarcastically, his arms crossed, though the weight in his tone made it clear he wasn't joking as much as he wished he was.
"That's not true for me," I muttered, leaning back in my chair. "Being from Earth, it was ten years for me. And I never had the chance to kill the bastard. That's most likely why I went straight into wrath instead of just berserk last night." My voice dipped lower on that last part, bitter heat burning in my throat at the memory.
Dean's eyes darkened. "That is a big problem, though. If people find out about you holding it, they will either try to kill you or try to control you." He spoke with a heavy expression, like he had already seen this play out in his mind a dozen different ways.
"Kitsuna," Granny suddenly asked, her tone firm and eyes sharp, "if you have the power to take over the world... would you do that?"
I stared at her for a second, then snorted so hard I almost choked on my own laugh. "PFFFT-are you crazy? Why the hell would I do that? Taking over the world equals taking responsibility. No thanks." I waved my hands as if batting away the thought itself. "I might've set my goal to become a god, sure, but I'm not going to go power-crazy and try to destroy the world. That's way too troublesome." I gave her a look like she'd just grown a second head.
Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forward slightly, not letting me brush it off so easily. "Why should I believe you?"
My mouth opened in outrage. "Hey, don't use my words against me!"
"Mom, you don't need to worry about her becoming power-hungry like the last wrath holder." Stacy's calm voice cut through the tension. She rested her hand on the table and spoke with quiet certainty. "She hates responsibilities over other people, but she loves having her own life under control. In other words, if you leave her alone, she'll leave you alone."
Granny let out a breath through her nose and leaned back, shrugging. "If you say so."
"Geez, Granny," I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Not every sin holder is all about power. Well... I might have said all that, but I am going to destroy the Federation." I added awkwardly, as if slipping that into casual conversation would make it less explosive.
"Not surprised," everyone said in perfect unison, their expressions unchanged.
I blinked at them, completely thrown off. "Really? No reaction?"
"Why would we react?" Mom said dryly. "We already know what you think about the Federation."
I leaned back in my chair and sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll be going, then. I'm going to do some laps around the mansion and then sleep."
"Why? It's only five in the afternoon," Amari said, tilting her head. "Dinner will be ready in two hours."
"Yeah, and we haven't even talked about your curse yet," Mom added, narrowing her eyes at me.
My spine stiffened. "Don't tell them about my curses, please. With the change, it's most likely not the same anyways." My gaze snapped to Mom, pleading but sharp.
"Why not?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Just... don't." I stood up abruptly, brushing past the question. "Before I go, when will your fiancee be here tomorrow?" I looked straight at Amari, but the answer came from Dean.
"Seven in the morning. Why?"
"Because I'm taking a day off from training. I want to sleep in for once." I started melting the ice on the walls I'd made earlier, the water dripping quietly in the tense silence that followed.
Amari frowned. "If you're taking a day off training, why are you running now?"
"Because that has something to do with my fitness. Training's one thing; keeping my body sharp is another. Also-" I turned at the doorway, flashing a grin. "Don't wet your pants when you see a fox outside. I need to test some... things."
Before they could say anything else, I walked out. My thoughts churned the moment the hall swallowed me. 'Sigh, why am I getting so irritated by everything all of a sudden? Hopefully running will help me calm down. If not... I'll have to figure something else out.'
Back in the dining hall, Stacy watched me leave, her sigh heavy. She turned back to see the others all staring at her like wolves circling prey. "What?" she snapped, annoyed.
"She left," Mother said smoothly, folding her arms. "Now tell us about her curses."
"Not happening," Stacy said flatly. "She told me not to say, so I'm not telling."
"Is she your boss now?" Mother teased sarcastically, raising a brow.
"No." Stacy's voice sharpened, her jaw tight. "She's my daughter. I will not push her too much. If it weren't for me, she would have never told you about what happened to her at all." The anger in her tone silenced the table.
Amari shifted uncomfortably. "Mom... I just want to know about her year after she killed her father. What did she do the entire year before she came to my school? She never went into much detail."
Stacy's expression softened slightly. "She went sightseeing. And if someone attacked her... she would torture them. Things like that."
Amari's face paled. "Torture them?"
"Yeah. She found it as an outlet for all her frustrations." Stacy's gaze was steady, her voice gentle but unwavering. "Before you think too much, she only ever did it to bad people. Never the innocent."
"Talking about torture," Mother said suddenly, cutting into the tension. "Kitsuna wants to do that with the guards from yesterday."
"I was planning on that," Stacy admitted. "I want her to teach our interrogation teams some... fun ways to get information out of people."
"Yeah, with her knowledge of the human body, it'll help a lot," Dean added, already thinking like a soldier.
"Before I forget-Dean," Stacy said as she stood, her tone brisk again, "go tell everyone we have a giant fox pet called Nova."
"Huh?" Dean blinked, looking completely lost.
"Dean, just go and tell them. You'll understand later." Rebecca rose with a small smile and started toward the door. "Also, don't prepare a room for her yet. I don't think she'll be sleeping inside." She directed the last part to the maids busy cleaning up the table.
Dean shook his head, bewildered but obedient. "I guess I need to do some work, then. See you guys at dinner." He got up, muttering to himself as he went to warn his troops.
Meanwhile, I had already been running for hours. 'What the fuck is this!? I've been running for five hours, and I still don't feel any fatigue!' My chest heaved more from frustration than exhaustion. 'No matter how long or how fast I go, it doesn't feel like anything's happening. The only thing going up is my irritation.'
I skidded to a stop and sighed, hands on my hips, scanning the area. Night had already fallen, yet I could see perfectly. 'So night vision activates automatically. Great.' I turned slowly, searching for a spot to cool down when I felt it-something tugging at me, like an invisible thread. My gaze snapped toward the source.
A tree. Not just any tree, but a monstrous one-over twenty meters tall and thirty meters thick. The trunk looked older than time itself. 'If I didn't know better, I'd think I was crazy for feeling like this thing is calling me.'
I walked toward it, my footsteps quieter now, and sat down beneath its massive roots. The air around it felt heavy, alive.
"I guess I'll try out my new skills and figure out what happened to my body." I muttered, erecting ice walls around myself for privacy. Stripping down, I shifted into fox form. To my shock, instead of my smaller morning size, my body expanded, fur stretching, and bones lengthening until I stood eight meters tall and twenty-five meters long. The ice walls shattered under the force of my transformation.
I stared at my massive paws. "Is this... my true size?" I whispered.
I paced beneath the colossal tree, agitation in my chest fading with each step. Then it clicked. "It's because I wasn't in my true form earlier... that's why I was so irritated." Relief flooded me, though it came with another realization. "But that means... I won't be able to sleep in a bed anymore." My ears drooped. The thought stung more than I expected. Still, the relief of understanding outweighed the disappointment.
'I'll just have to get used to living outside. How hard can it be?' I thought stubbornly, padding in circles. My mind wandered to my new skills. Self-analysis had replaced evaluation. Curious, I looked at the tree and thought the command. A glowing screen appeared.
Guru Tree.
I blinked. 'That's it? Just Guru Tree? Whatever.' I dismissed the window and finally curled into a circle on the ground. My body pressed against the warm dirt. 'Too warm.' With a grunt, I covered the ground in a wide circle of frost, the coolness soothing instantly.
As I settled, exhaustion finally tugged at my eyelids. My mind drifted. Why did I walk in circles before lying down? Ugh. I hope no one saw that. That's way too embarrassing.' Those were my last thoughts before I slipped into sleep.
Unfortunately for me, two people had seen it.
"Hehe, that was too cute," Lily whispered, watching from the shadows with Rebecca beside her. "She was like a dog, turning circles to find the perfect spot."
Rebecca chuckled softly, her smile warm. "That's true. And... about this afternoon, I'm sorry for staring at Kitsuna."
"It's fine," Lily admitted, her voice sheepish. "If I hadn't walked away, I would've been in the same state as you."
Rebecca raised a brow but nodded. "It doesn't surprise me. She's so lean, built like a beast... And don't get me started on her six-pack. Any woman would fall for her."
"That's true. Wasn't she walking through the entire mansion like that?" Lily asked, still smiling faintly.
"Yes. Yes, she was." Rebecca's voice was almost fond as she looked at the massive fox sleeping peacefully under the tree.
"I wonder how loud the maids' sleeping quarters will be tonight," Lily mused.
"Haha, that's nothing," Rebecca replied, laughing quietly. "I heard some of the Black Ops say she was also walking around like that during their sparring. Just imagine the barracks tonight."
"Poor guys," Lily said with mock pity. "They'll hear it, but they won't get anything out of it."
"Who cares about them?" Rebecca scoffed, her disdain sharp. "It's their fault they got split up. Tsk, trying to pick up girls while still stuck at private rank. How pathetic."
Hmm, Should I tell you guys about the word count?
Like most of the chapters are way above my target(1400).
Well hope you enjoyed the chapters so far.
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Chapter 34: Zagan Anlit
(Zagan Anlit POV)
It has already been eight years since my class and I were reincarnated into this world. Sometimes it still feels surreal. In my previous life, I was a teacher-the kind of woman who would scold students for dozing off and then stay up too late grading, sneaking a manga chapter between stacks of essays. I loved fantasy stories-swords, castles, magic-and that probably made it easier to understand what happened to me when I woke up here. Understanding, though, wasn't the same as accepting. It took a long time for the muscle memory of the old life to stop twitching under the skin of the new one.
Getting used to this body and this station wasn't immediate either. The food tastes cleaner here, sharper at the edges; the sky stretches wider, like the world is always inhaling. And then there were the people-bowing, waiting, anticipating my needs before I had them. As a normal teacher, you never have servants. In the first years I'd flinch when someone called me "young master" and try to carry my own tray just to prove I could. Now I catch myself waiting with an empty hand, expecting a cup of tea to appear in it, and it does. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the convenience. The best part of being young in a new world is the excuse to experience everything for the first time again: to be shamelessly curious, to learn like you're starving.
And this world fits me a little too well. There's no stale smell of exhaust, no stacked glass cages scraping the sky. The roads are dirt and stone, the nights actually get dark, and if someone wants to make a point, they draw steel rather than draft an email. War hammers, sabers, spears-real tools with weight and grain and balance. In my past life, I spent half a paycheck at a time on replica weapons and bored my favorite student, Shiro Adachi, with photos and specs. He'd listen with that sly little grin, the one that said he was amused and too polite to say so. Thinking about that used to warm me; now it's a cold echo.
Because I know who he was. Because under the smile and the neat notes and the quiet competence, he was a mass murderer. The boy I called a friend killed his family and everyone who worked for them. I test the thought sometimes, like pressing on a bruise: does it still hurt? Yes. Different pain, duller, but still there.
He doesn't matter, I tell myself. Not anymore. What matters is Amari.
Even now, the idea of being engaged to her feels like something I dreamed too hard and then got punished by waking up as someone else. She's beautiful in this effortless, dangerous way-like a flame that doesn't notice itself burning. When she looks at you, her eyes soften and sharpen at the same time, and you want to do better because she's watching. I fell for her at first sight, and then again when she laughed, and then again when she said my name like it was a promise. The twist? She's also one of the reincarnations from our class. That fact tied my old teacher-self in knots. Me, marrying a former student. We talked. She was patient. I confessed. She didn't flinch. It's different here, we told each other. We are different here.
It helped that I changed, too. In my past life I was a woman; here, I'm a man. Gender-bent, yes. The first time I saw my reflection, I stared so long I forgot to breathe. Strange at first, then a relief, then something I stopped second-guessing. It didn't change how I felt about Amari. If anything, it made it easier to let the feeling stand without apology.
Two days ago she and her father traveled to their border mansion to see her adopted sister-the one they took in three years ago who never once visited the capital. Amari was nervous, excited, and a little jittery in a way that made me want to hold her shoulders until the jitters had somewhere to go. Then the message came: attack. The mansion-destroyed.
I didn't think; I went cold. My mind jumped ahead to scenes my body wasn't ready for: Amari under stone, Amari surrounded by men in iron, and Amari's voice trapped somewhere I couldn't reach. I contacted Sebastian, their head butler. He took his time answering, as if he knew I'd fill the silence with fear and it would make the relief hit harder. "She's fine," he said. "Shaken. They are returning to the capital." I thanked him and then thanked him again, like gratitude might bribe the world to keep her safe.
They returned quickly thanks to the "creators"-two in the royal family, both reincarnated nerds from our class, who decided the laws of distance were just another exam to pass. The trip that should have taken days took hours. Amari sent a short note that night: tomorrow, come. I didn't sleep much. I kept getting up, thinking I'd forgotten something, putting on a cloak and taking it off, and checking my blade edges even though we both knew I carry my swords in the place that follows me everywhere, like a well-trained shadow.
The gates of the mansion creaked open with their familiar sigh of old hinges, and I stepped through with my heart beating a little stupidly hard. I expected Amari on the steps, or at least a maid to lead me to her. Instead, Lady Draig stood there with her arms folded, the morning light outlining the line of her jaw like the edge of a knife. The Weapon Queen in a casual mood still looked like she could commandeer an army by clearing her throat.
"Good morning, Lady Draig. It has been a long time," I said, bowing deeper than necessary because my body fell back on old formal gestures when my head was busy remembering not to be terrified.
She studied me with a conflicted look, like she had two thoughts and neither would cede the floor. Then she shook her head once, sharply. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do this formality nonsense here?" she said. "Where are your guards?"
I straightened and unclenched my hands. "I dismissed them. I wanted to be alone with Amari today."
Her mouth curved, not quite a smile. "I don't think that will happen. Her sister is here. They're catching up."
The way she said "sister" carried weight, like a name dropped on a table. I tried to set mine down beside it without scratching the wood. "I almost forgot," I said. "I hope nothing happened to her in the attack."
Lady Draig's laugh was brief, bright, and not comforting. "You don't need to worry about her. She isn't a pushover."
I hesitated. "Forgive me, but... With you here, how could the mansion still be destroyed? How many enemies attacked?"
"Seventy, give or take," she said, like she was estimating loaves of bread for a feast. "And the mansion wasn't destroyed by them. It was my daughter." Her eyes flicked up to gauge how I received that. I must have made a face, because she added, "Where did you get your information?"
"Sebastian," I said. "And-wait. Amari destroyed the mansion? She's only thirteen." My voice did that crack. I wish it didn't do that when my brain sprints faster than my breath.
She chuckled. Not unkind, but not soft. "You'll find out soon enough. When you see Amari, let her tell you the truth about Nova and Kitsuna. You'll be family in a couple of years; you may as well start hearing it from us." She turned and walked back inside, her shoulders saying the conversation was finished even if my questions were spilling over.
I took a breath and let the familiar corridors pull me along. I know this house well-how the carpets swallow footsteps, how the paintings on the second-floor landing pretend not to look back, how the garden smells at different hours. Four years of engagement teaches you the small rhythms of a place. Amari has a favorite bench out there, under a tree that used to look ordinary before today, and she goes to it when she wants to think where no one thinks she's thinking.
She was there now, a quiet figure framed by green, the sunlight threading gold through her hair. The sight knocked something loose in my chest. I smoothed a hand over my cloak, for no reason other than to put my fingers somewhere, and put a smile on my face.
"Good morning, beautiful lady. May I have a seat next to you?" I asked, giving the dramatic bow she pretends to hate and secretly expects.
"Zagan!" She didn't pretend this time. She sprang up, the bench scraping lightly, and threw herself into my arms. Her laugh hit my shoulder and stayed there. "It's so good to see you again."
"Same here." I wrapped her up, slower, memorizing the way her spine curved into my palm and the way the tension eased out of her shoulders by degrees. "When I heard about the attack, I was terrified you might've been caught in it."
"Oh no," she said, pulling back enough to tip her face up at me. Her eyes were bright, but I could see the edge of tired at the corners. "By the time Father and I got there, it was already over." She sat, smoothing her skirt, and the movement was so normal it made the world feel tilted for a second. Over, as if battles came with end credits.
"That's good to hear," I managed and sat beside her. The bench creaked under the shift of our weight. I watched her hands, because her hands tell the truth when her voice does the family version.
"Last time we met, you said you were going to get your class," she said. "Did you?"
"Yes." Pride sneaked into my mouth before I could be modest. "I got an exotic class."
Her smile widened into something that looked like a sunrise on purpose. She hugged me again, quick and fierce. "Congratulations, Zagan!"
"Thank you," I said, laughing a little as I hugged back. Her hair smelled like smoke and something sweet. "My family isn't thrilled, but they'll get over it."
She leaned back and studied me with that measuring look she shares with her grandmother. "I wonder how you'll fare against Kitsuna, though."
"Kitsune?" The name sounded like a prank.
"My sister," she said.
"I heard she was here." I glanced toward the house, expecting to see a small shadow dart past a window. "Where is she?"
"She's... sleeping," Amari said, choosing the word like it had pricks on the inside. "If you want to meet her, we'll have to wake Nova first."
"Nova?" I repeated. "Who's that?"
She didn't answer. She just pointed, her arm a straight line carving the air.
I followed it and saw the tree. I've seen the Guru tree before-broad, rooted, and ordinary in its own holy way. This wasn't that. The trunk was snow-white, thick as a keep's wall, and the canopy was luminous, with pale leaves catching the light like scales. It was huge-thirty meters across at least, twenty meters tall-and so still it felt like the world had paused to make room for it. It stood about two hundred meters away, exactly where the old tree had been, as if this one had grown overnight by swallowing its predecessor whole.
"Isn't that your Guru tree?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "What happened to it?"
"I don't know," Amari said softly. "I wasn't talking about the tree. Look beneath it."
I squinted. The shadows at the base shifted, and then my brain made sense of the shape: a massive ball of fur, red darkened by shade and shot through with black. It looked like someone had dropped a comet made of fox and winter on the lawn.
"How did I miss that?" I muttered. "That fluff ball?"
"Yes," she said. "That's Nova."
"Is she... your sister's pet?" The question felt safer in my mouth than the alternatives.
"You could say that," Amari said, her tone unreadable. She stood. "Let's go wake her."
We started across the grass. The air changed before the ground did. Every step closer shaved a degree off the temperature until the breath leaving my lips smoked like a hearth. I rubbed my hands together and then shoved them under my arms, trying to keep the bones from aching.
"Cold already?" Amari teased. She looked unaffected, her skin flushed with the kind of warmth that comes from the inside.
"How are you not freezing?" My teeth clicked at the end of the sentence. I hated that.
She lifted her hands, and let lava mana ripple over her fingers, small, controlled, and bright as a molten coin. It cast orange light on her knuckles and threw soft shadows up her wrists.
"That's cheating," I grumbled, stepping a little closer to steal some of the heat. It licked at my sleeve like a tame flame.
"We're almost there," she said. "Relax."
"Fine. But wake it up fast so we can get out of here." The cold wasn't just cold; it crawled into joints and nested there like it had a claim. Under it, something else hummed, a low pressure like the air before a storm. My skin knew it was mana before my mind decided not to think about it.
"Why do you keep calling her 'it'?" Amari asked, a note of annoyance sneaking into her voice. Her shoulders squared a little. "She."
"Because it's a monster," I said, and heard the brittleness. "It won't care what I call it."
"Kitsuna will beat you up if she hears that," she said, almost absently, but her mouth pressed flat as if the sentence had teeth.
I tried to laugh it off. "She's the same age as me. I'm level sixty with an exotic class. She doesn't even have a class yet." I rolled my shoulders to loosen them and felt good and strong and a little foolish. "I'd win easily."
The ground hummed. Not loudly, not for long, but enough to make the frozen grass tremble. Then a voice-not air forced through a throat, but sound carried by a body big enough to be its own weather.
"It seems you've grown arrogant just because you have a class."
My swords were in my hands before my mind realized I'd called them. Steel felt right against my palms. Amari didn't flinch. The red fluff rose in a slow, uncoiling movement that made small sounds in the ice: crack, whisper, crack. Ears appeared, white-tipped and alert. A muzzle, lined in black. Then the eyes opened-gold, depthless, the kind of eyes that reflect back a version of you that tells the truth.
"It can talk?!" The words burst out of me. I sounded like a child who'd never seen a puppet show.
"Yes, I can talk," the fox said. Her voice was deep and distinctly female, threaded with an old annoyance that didn't seem to be about me, specifically. "Didn't Amari tell you who I am?"
Eight meters at the shoulder. Twenty-five meters from nose to tail tips. Most of her fur was blood-red, richer in shadow, the kind of red that makes you think of embers; black threaded it like smoke, and the tips of her ears and tail were white, as if someone had dipped them in winter. When she shook herself, snow lifted from the grass and spun in the air, chiming softly as it fell.
"We don't tell everyone who and what she is," Amari said, her voice slipping into the calm tone she uses when the situation can either become a problem or a story. "Mother said it was fine to tell you. I... wanted to make it a surprise." She gave me a small, crooked smile that confessed and dared me to be angry in the same breath.
The fox-Nova-tilted her head. Her gaze moved from Amari to me with the lazy precision of a predator that knows you can't outrun it in any direction that matters. "Sigh. What do you want, Amari?" she asked, and when she sighed, the breath rolled out cold enough to sting my cheeks.
"I want you to meet my fiance, Zagan," Amari said. She took one step so she was closer to both of us, the way she does when she is trying to be a bridge instead of a barrier.
Nova turned more fully to me. The world narrowed to the space between her eyes and mine. My stomach dropped and then kept falling; my hands tightened on the hilts without my permission. Instinct whispered in my ear: if you swing, you will not land clean. If you run, you will not run far. If you speak, choose carefully.
I was a fool, I thought. I wouldn't scratch her if I went all out. There wasn't bravado in the thought or fear, just acceptance, the way you accept winter by putting on another layer.
"Nice to meet you, Zagan," she said. "You may call me Nova in this form." The word "form" was etched, a warning that I was only seeing the easy shape.
"Yes-nice to meet you," I said. "Form?" The question came out thin, and I despised that it did, but the curiosity stood up in me like it always does, even when common sense tells it to sit down.
"Now we've met, you may leave," Nova said. She sank to the ground with the heaviness of a living mountain. "I want to sleep."
"Kitsuna, we need to go shopping for you," Amari said. She pitched her voice not to nag, but to remind. "Wake up and change into your human form."
"No," Nova said. She closed her eyes as if the conversation bored her.
"Kitsune? Human form?" I asked because my brain had become a hallway of doors, and every single one felt locked.
"You'll see," Amari said, and then, like she was bargaining with a toddler and a tyrant simultaneously, "We can get food with lots of bones in it."
The silence that followed stretched, not long, but long enough for my breath to frost twice. I watched Amari's face while we waited-the small patient smile, the way her fingers tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to occupy themselves, and the tiny nod she gives to herself when she thinks a plan will work.
"...Fine," Nova said at last.
Ice rose around her in slabs, clean and fast, a cocoon growing itself. The edges sealed with a soft hiss, the way hot iron quenched in water sings.
"Don't come out half-naked again!" Amari shouted just before the ice closed fully.
I stared at the smooth wall where a fox had been. My mouth opened and decided not to help. The air was even colder now, as if the ice were drinking heat out of sound.
"What is going on?" I asked because all of my earlier questions had regrouped and multiplied.
"You'll see," Amari said, and then her eyes narrowed slightly, a warning sharpened by affection. "And you'd better not drool over her body."
"Huh?"
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Chapter 35:
After waiting for ten minutes, the ice wall finally cracked and collapsed with a crystalline groan. Shards of frost scattered like glass across the ground, the mist peeling away to reveal a tall, lean figure stepping out from the haze.
She stood around 1.9 meters, her presence sharp and commanding without her saying a word. Long red hair, streaked faintly with black, spilled past her shoulders, but the tips of her hair, her fox ears, and her swaying tail were pure white, almost glowing against the darker colors. Her clothing made her stand out as much as her features-loose black cargo pants tucked into worn boots, paired with a heavy, baggy coat that reached down to mid-thigh. A red-and-black scarf wrapped snugly around her neck, its fabric shifting slightly as if to guard the jagged lightning-bolt scar that climbed from her collarbone up to just beneath her right eye.
Even beneath all those layers, I could tell she was strong. The broadness of her shoulders, the way her posture seemed balanced for a fight at any moment-it all screamed warrior. Her coat wasn't fully closed, and in the gap I caught a glimpse of bandages wound tightly around her chest. She wore no shirt beneath, just that rough wrapping. For a moment, I froze, my gaze lingering longer than I meant to. Amari had warned me not to drool over her, and now I understood why. She was beautiful-sharp, dangerous, and breathtaking in equal measure.
If it weren't for the fact that I wasn't into women with six-packs-and that my heart was already taken-I might have fallen right then and there. Her face carried the same dominant, piercing look the fox had earlier, eyes like molten gold locking onto me with a weight that made me straighten instinctively.
Then she smirked.
"It seems you're as short as ever, Yua-chan," the fox girl teased, her voice smooth but threaded with mischief.
My head snapped up. "I'm still growing!" I barked louder than I should have, heat rushing to my face.
She winced, one ear flicking down as she lifted her hands to cover them. "No need to shout, geez..."
I blinked, thrown off by how casually she brushed me aside. "Sorry. Wait-what did you just call me?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she closed the distance in two long strides and lifted her right hand. It hovered there, expectant. Without thinking, I raised my own. Our fists met with a solid bump, and then-almost on instinct-our hands slid into a pattern, a shake and twist I hadn't performed in years. My chest tightened. That was a handshake I knew. A handshake I'd always recognize.
I stared at her, realization hitting me like a brick. "So the murderer has become Amari's sister... and a monster," I said, anger sharpening my voice.
(Kitsuna POV)
"So the murderer has become Amari's sister and a monster," Zagan spat, his words soaked in fury.
I sighed, my breath clouding faintly in the cool air. My eyes flicked over him. He had brown hair and brown eyes, wearing casual clothing that didn't match the blades he was holding. His stance was tense, rage twisting his expression, but I could see it-he was hesitating.
Before I could even speak, he lunged.
I dropped, his boot slicing the air above me. Rolling sideways across the dirt, I sprang back to my feet with a confused frown.
"What the fuck are you doing, Zagan?" Amari's voice cut in sharply from the side, her tone trembling between outrage and disbelief.
"I'm killing someone who should not be alive," he snapped, his eyes never leaving me as he sprinted forward.
My lips curled into a grin, sharp and amused. "You? Killing me?" A laugh burst from my throat. Cold magic flared around my hand, forming into an ice-forged sword within an instant. I raised it just in time, catching the cross of his dual blades with a ringing clash. Sparks and shards of ice flew.
He blinked at the sudden weapon but didn't falter. Strike after strike came down-left, right, overhead. Fast, relentless. But not fast enough.
Each blow I redirected, my arm moving with effortless precision. My other hand stayed tucked behind my back, casual, as if his assault was nothing more than a sparring warm-up.
'Speed below six hundred. Strength is maybe just above six. He's strong for his age, I thought coolly, sidestepping another slash.
The more I denied him, the more unhinged his face became. His teeth bared, frustration crackling off him like static.
"How? How are you defending my attacks!?" His voice cracked with rage.
"Zagan, stop!" Amari shouted again, desperation rising.
"Amari, stay out of this," I told her firmly, my eyes still locked on his. I met his next swing and shoved it away, my blade slicing through the air in counterbalance. "Look at you-trying to kill me for something that happened in a past life."
"I don't care!" he roared, both swords slamming downward in a furious arc. "I won't let you influence Amari!"
I twisted aside, his blades digging into the dirt, and planted a swift kick against his rear. He stumbled forward, nearly falling face-first. While he scrambled to regain balance, I spoke, my tone like steel. "How do you know my influence would be bad? Maybe I'm exactly what she needs to survive in this world. You might be her fiance, Zagan..." I smirked and jabbed my sword forward, halting inches from his chest. "But I'm her family now."
"Family?" His face twisted, veins bulging at his temples. "You killed your family in the past! What will change with this one?"
That was enough. My patience snapped.
I drove my foot into his stomach, sending him sprawling onto his back with a harsh grunt. His swords slipped from his grasp. Before he could move, I pinned him-one boot pressed against his chest, weight crushing down. With deliberate slowness, I stabbed one ice sword through each of his hands, pinning them into the dirt like insects on display.
"AAH!" His scream tore through the air. Pain twisted his face, sweat dripping instantly. I saw the flicker of shadow magic starting to gather, but my voice cut him off, cold and merciless.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Unless you want to lose your hands entirely."
His jaw clenched, fury giving way to uncertainty.
"You called me a murderer," I continued, my voice low, my eyes boring into his. "You're right. But did you ever ask why? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I lived through hell with them? That maybe those scars you saw on me weren't from training but from the people who were supposed to protect me?"
For the briefest moment, his glare cracked. I saw it-realization. Guilt, even.
I sighed, pulling back, releasing him from the full weight of my glare. "Don't get arrogant just because you have a class. You just had your ass handed to you by a level twenty-seven dumbass." I turned my back on him, dismissing the fight with casual disdain. "Amari, I'll be waiting at your parents' place. You can tell him about my father too, both of them if you want."
"Okay," she said quietly.
I walked off toward the mansion, and the moment I approached, the gathered family broke into whispers and laughter.
"He really had his ass handed to him just now," Granny commented, amusement flickering across her wrinkled face.
I laughed, brushing off the tension still clinging to me. "That's what happens when you rush into getting a class. Though... he does have a good one."
Dean tilted his head curiously. "You know what class he has?"
"Yeah," I replied, tapping my temple. "I've got Analysis. Can't see his full stats, but I get the basics."
I rattled it off:
Name: Zagan Anlit (Yua Suzuki)
Age: 13
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Level: 60
Class: Dual Warrior (Exotic)
Dean rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "Level sixty, huh. That's impressive for his age."
Mom snorted. "Impressive for a normal person. For a reincarnator? That's pathetic."
I smirked. "Exactly. His stats average around six hundred. Not bad for a regular, but... nothing special."
Dean nodded slowly. "Dual Warrior's an intriguing class, though. Flexible."
"Sure," I said dryly. "But let's be real-I bet Amari could beat him."
"Probably," Mom said, her smile sharp.
Dean blinked, frowning. "Actually, no. She wouldn't stand a chance."
Mom turned to him, eyes narrowing. "Have some confidence in your daughter. You're the one who trained her."
Dean flinched, looking away.
"Dean," Mom's voice dropped, dangerous. "How much have you personally trained Amari in the past three years?"
His voice faltered. "Hunny, I... I was busy with Black Ops; I didn't have enough time. So I got her a personal trainer."
"Who?" Mom asked, her tone like thunder.
Dean winced. "...Gray."
Smack! Bang!
He hit the ground face-first, Mom towering over him with her hand still raised.
"You fucking got a swordsman to train a mage!?" I shouted, disbelief boiling into laughter.
"No wonder she can't stand a chance against him," Mom snarled, kicking Dean in the ribs.
"But Granny helped her when she could!" Dean yelped, rolling over with a groan.
Mom folded her arms, glaring. "She has less time than you, and you know it."
The scene might've dragged on, but Amari's voice cut through the chaos.
"Are you guys done torturing Dad? Zagan has something to say."
(Zagan POV)
I lay there, my hands throbbing, shame coiled tight in my chest. 'Level twenty-seven,' I thought bitterly. 'How weak am I, that someone like that could destroy me?'
"Are you done brooding?" Amari asked, her tone flat.
"What level is she really?" I asked, hoping she'd tell me the truth.
"Twenty-seven," she said without hesitation.
I swallowed. "How strong is she?"
Amari crossed her arms. "Granny says she could beat a mid-level private easily, maybe a high one if they let their guard down."
I laughed weakly. "You're joking."
"She outplayed my father yesterday in their spar."
"What-" My words stuck in my throat.
"He was holding back," she admitted. "But she still caught him off guard."
"How?"
"She used her tail."
I stared, stunned... then chuckled despite myself. "That... does sound like Shiro."
"Is that so?" she murmured.
I flexed my pinned hand, grimacing. "Can you... take the swords out now? Please?"
"No."
I blinked at her. "Wha-?"
"Not until you listen." She crouched, her gaze steady. "You want to kill her for what she did in her past life. Fine. But you never bothered to ask why. "Let me explain what her father did to her."
And she did. Every word dug into me like glass. By the time she finished, my chest felt hollow.
"I'm an idiot," I whispered, tears welling. "Some teacher I was. Some friend. I abandoned him... her... without even listening." I swallowed hard. "Do you think she'd forgive me?"
"That depends on what you do now," Amari said.
I closed my eyes. "I'll apologize. For running away. For never hearing her side."
She slid one sword free from my hand. The sting made me hiss, but I flexed my fingers anyway.
"And?" she prompted.
"And..." I groaned. "I won't ever judge her halfway again."
"Not that." She twisted the other blade slightly.
"Ow! Stop, that hurts!" I yelped.
"There's someone else you need to apologize to."
I sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'm sorry, my sweet future wife, for attacking your sister."
Her smile softened. But then her eyes narrowed. "There's one more thing. What happened between you and Shiro?"
I froze, blood rushing to my cheeks. "No. He didn't-"
"She told me everything."
"We were drunk!" I blurted. "It didn't mean anything! Why would she tell you that!?"
"She had her reasons. Now promise me. Oath it, even."
I stared into her eyes, knowing I couldn't refuse. "...Fine."
I gritted my teeth, the words spilling like chains. "I, Zagan Anlit, swear I will only ever be with Amari Daig in this life." The oath burned through me, final and binding.
"Good." She tugged the last sword free.
"Dammit, can't you be gentle?" I groaned, cradling my hand.
"No." She smirked. "Now come on. You need to apologize and get healed. Then we're going shopping."
My stomach dropped. "Shopping? For what?"
"For my sister, obviously. You saw her clothes. Baggy coat, cargo pants-she owns one outfit. Rachel's coming too."
I groaned louder than before. "Ughhh... fine."
When we finally reached the others, Dean was still on the ground groaning as Mom kicked him again. And Amari's words cut through the chaos.
"Are you guys done torturing Dad? Zagan has something to say."
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Chapter 36:
(Kitsuna POV)
"Hmm. Is that so?" Mom said, her voice tinged with amusement. She didn't need to raise her tone, not when her eyes carried that knowing glint that made the back of my neck prickle. She was looking at me like she had already predicted every reaction I would have before I even breathed them into existence.
'This woman is too scary,' I thought to myself, forcing my gaze away. She hadn't been there for my last years on Earth, hadn't seen the nights when I clawed at walls or the mornings I pretended not to bleed, and yet she still knew. She knew enough about me to pull off little performances like this with her eyes closed, like a master playing with the strings of a puppet.
I let out a slow breath and dragged my attention back to Zagan, who was standing stiff in front of me now. The moment he noticed I was looking at him, he lowered his head, bowing deeply until his messy strands of hair fell into his face. His shoulders shook faintly, like even that posture was harder to hold than it should have been.
"Shiro... Kitsuna," he started, his voice trembling and roughened by something heavier than nerves. "I want to apologize for attacking you and for my reaction when I found out about your real identity on Earth. I should have listened to you first before calling you a murderer... even though I was a teacher who should always listen to her student before making decisions." His lips twisted as though each word was a blade cutting him. "I wasn't just a bad teacher to you, but I was a bad friend. I would do anything to make it up to you, if you allowed me to do so."
By the end, his voice had dropped, thick with desperation. I could almost hear the pulse racing in his chest. He wasn't just speaking to me; he was pleading with something inside himself.
I stepped closer, raising one hand, and placed it gently on the crown of his bowed head. His body went rigid under my touch.
"You know," I said softly, though my tone carried an edge, "I had a lot of time to think about this. Even if you still hated me, I would never-" I let the pause hang sharp, then finished in a harsher tone, "and I mean never-"
I felt the jolt run through him, the sudden tension crawling up his spine. For a second, I let it sit there, let him drown in the weight of what he thought was coming. Then I sighed, the sharpness bleeding out of me, and continued in a softer, almost worn voice.
"Hate you. I would never hate you. You were the closest thing I had to a real family. I mean, after you found out about me, you still didn't tell the authorities. You didn't drag me into the light. You just... left me alone. That's not hatred." My lips curved faintly as I rubbed his head, fingers slipping through his hair. "And what about you attacking me? Meh, it's fine. I just hope you learned something from it."
For a moment, I saw the tiniest shiver ripple through him. He didn't look up, though. His bangs still hid his face. The silence stretched, so I crouched down until I was eye level with him. When I finally caught sight of his expression, I tilted my head.
"Are you crying?" I asked, though a small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "You don't have to be that emotional."
"I'm not crying about that," he said quickly, voice muffled as he straightened. His hands lifted shakily into the air. "My hands hurt. Really bad."
I blinked. Looking closer, I saw his palms. The sword wounds across them had widened, red and enraged, as though someone had pressed salt into raw skin. Tiny half-moon punctures from his fingernails dotted the flesh. His fingers were trembling.
"Don't get me wrong," he added, forcing a crooked smile despite the tears still clinging to his lashes. "I'm happy-pleased-that you forgave me. But your start back there... it made me dig my nails right through my hands. Can we... be friends again?"
I stared at him, then let out a laugh. "That was the plan, idiot. And you should get those fixed." My smile lingered as I turned my head toward the others. Mom was watching with a sadistic curve to her lips, eyes glittering like she had been waiting for that moment.
I smiled right back at her, then pushed Zagan lightly toward her. "Go with my mom. She'll help you. Amari, you go get Rachel."
"But-" Amari started, her brows furrowing.
Dean cut her off, his voice sharp and commanding. "No. Let her do it. You're the only one left who knows Rachel."
Amari's jaw worked, her lips pressed tight, but after a moment she dropped her shoulders. "Fine," she muttered in defeat.
Once they left, only Dean, Granny, and I remained in the room. I stretched my arms lazily over my head, chuckling under my breath.
"I can't believe he did that to himself."
"That's your fault, Kitsuna," Dean rebuked, giving me a look that was part annoyance, part exasperated amusement.
"True," I admitted with a shrug, "but it was still funny, Dean."
He sighed, but the corners of his lips revealed a slight twitch of agreement. "It was. Just out of curiosity..." His eyes softened, carrying something uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Would you ever not call me by my name?"
I tilted my head at him, feigning innocence. "Do you want me to call you Father?"
The word slipped out more naturally than I intended, laced with a depth of emotion I hadn't prepared for. It weighed heavy in the air, sharp enough to make both Dean and Granny visibly shiver.
Dean paled. "Never mind," he said quickly, retreating from the weight of it.
I chuckled, shaking my head. "See? I don't even try." Then I glanced toward the window, catching sight of the pale glow outside. "Why is the guru tree I slept under so cold and white now?"
"Guru trees sometimes change if they take in mana from someone nearby," Granny explained calmly, though her tone carried that undercurrent of respect she always had when speaking of old things. "But it takes a lot of mana to change the entire tree."
"Is it going to change back?" I asked, already half-knowing what I wanted the answer to be.
Dean folded his arms. "It will, if you don't feed it any more of your mana."
"Ooh, is there a way to keep it like that?" My grin widened, a little spark of excitement flickering in my chest.
"I've read," Granny said thoughtfully, "that if a tree maintains one appearance for more than a year, it will stay that way forever."
"Awesome." I punched the air lightly with a fist.
Dean squinted. "Why do you even want to know?"
"Because that's going to be my sleeping area from now on," I said, grinning.
Granny arched a brow. "Isn't it uncomfortable outside on the ground?"
"Nope. I feel at home there. Especially with the cold." The memory of last night's sleep slipped through me, soft and grounding in a way I hadn't felt in years.
"If you say so." Granny gave a small shrug and padded away.
An hour later, I was at the front of the mansion, arms crossed and my scarf tugged higher against the breeze. My oversized coat flared slightly with the draft, my cargo pants swishing with every small shift of my weight.
"They're taking so long," I muttered, bouncing my heel against the stone floor in irritation.
The door finally creaked open. Zagan stepped out, looking like he'd just escaped an execution chamber. His skin was pale, lips pressed tight, and even his gait was unsteady.
"What did my mother do to you?" I asked, barely holding back a laugh.
"Why did you tell them?" Zagan snapped back, his glare weak but still aimed squarely at me.
I smirked. "I wanted to make my sister like me, so I told her everything."
He let out a shaky breath. "That... makes sense. In a way."
I leaned lazily against one of the stone pillars, scarf brushing my chin as I tilted my head. "Word of advice: whatever my mother said, listen to her. Don't go against her word. I would rather not see that demon again." A shiver slipped down my spine at the memory, and I rubbed my arm.
"I'll remember that," Zagan said, coming to stand next to me.
"Hey, guys! We're ready to go!" Amari's voice called from the doorway. We turned to see her stepping out, dressed in a deep red dress that hugged her form in a way that screamed confidence. Beside her, Rachel appeared in a white-and-pink one-piece dress, her soft pink hair pulled into a high ponytail. Her white wings framed her like a painting.
"Wow, Rachel, you look cute," I said without hesitation, a smile breaking across my face.
"C-cute?" Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked down, cheeks flaring crimson as she turned her face away.
'Well, that's a thing,' I thought, a chuckle rumbling low in my chest.
"So," I said aloud, "how are we getting to our destination, Amari?"
"We'll be taking a car until the subway, then using trains for the rest of the day," she explained with brisk clarity.
"Huh? Cars and trains? Wow, public transport's really advanced that far?"
"Yeah," Zagan cut in, his expression tight. "Shino and Yami focused on transport first, before they started pouring resources into modern weapons." His jaw clenched slightly, the conflict in his eyes plain.
'I see. He doesn't like the idea of modern weapons either, I thought, glancing at him.
"Yeah! The capital's changed so much in the past seven years. They even have scrolls now!" Amari's voice lifted with excitement.
"Scrolls?" I echoed.
"It's a phone," Zagan explained, pulling a thin glass device from his pocket.
"Ooh, I need one of those." I crossed my arms, grinning.
"That's why we're going out today," Amari said. "We need to get you new clothes and some tech. If we're lucky, we can even get you one with our house emblem."
A low hum filled the air. The ground vibrated faintly beneath my boots.
VRRRR.
The sound grew louder, coming from the side of the mansion, rushing toward us.
"Aah, the car's here," Zagan said, already moving down the stairs.
I turned my head and blinked as a sleek, silver shape appeared, gliding smoothly toward us without wheels. It hovered about thirty centimeters off the ground, moving with an almost arrogant grace.
"Cars can float now?" I muttered as it came to a stop in front of us. Its design reminded me of a luxury limo, except without the roof and without any bulky engines. The seats were arranged like in a Japanese limo: the driver in front with a passenger seat and two plush couches facing each other in the back with enough space to stretch your legs out.
"Yes," Zagan said with a forced smile. "They call it the float moto." He stepped aside, opening the door for Amari and Rachel.
"Shino and Yami are bad at naming things," I commented as I strolled over.
"Not their fault. Their older brother-the King-decides the names," Zagan replied, climbing in.
"There's something wrong with the King, then."
"I wouldn't say that in public if I were you," Amari warned. "The commoners love him. He was the one who made sure all these advancements reached everyone, not just the nobles. In his head, there's no difference between nobles and commoners."
I scratched the back of my head. "Alright, I take it back. Just his naming sense is awful. He actually sounds like a noble king."
Amari leaned forward. "Un. Daren, can you take us to the subway?"
"Ooh, Daren, is that you?" I teased Daren without even looking at the driver.
"Yes, young miss," he said flatly, voice devoid of emotion.
"Aah, are you still upset at me for kicking you? Come on, that was yesterday. Old news."
"You left a giant bruise on his stomach," Amari cut in, giving me a sharp glare. "What do you think?"
"Tsk, you're no fun," I muttered, glaring right back.
"Daren, just ignore her and take us to the subway," Amari said, still ignoring my look.
"I will, thank you, Amari," he replied, his tone noticeably softer with her.
"In her defense, he did attack first, and for no reason," Rachel chimed in quietly.
Zagan turned, intrigued. "Rachel, can you enlighten me about this incident?"
"Umu." Rachel nodded seriously, wings twitching as she began to explain everything that happened yesterday.
I have good news.
I think it's good news. I have finally figured out what I want to do with my novel.
Yes, I never really have a plan for my novel, but now I do.
Though I have Kitsuna where I want her to be in power, all she needs is a bit of experience and how to use her powers properly. I have plans for that though. I am also not planning to give her any more powers or evolutions until her class but that also won't make her OP just yet.
The release dates will stay the same for now-every 2 days. I just don't have enough time to write a lot of chapters into the future.
I will check if I can work it out to make it one a day, but at the moment, it will stay as every 2 days.
Ooh, and if you want a comment, tell me what sort of girl you want to have for the Mc's love interest. You can also say Rachel, but I have something plan for her, hehe. You might hate me for it.
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Chapter 37:
"Let me get this straight. When I went out of the room, he locked you up inside Amari's room and left you," I said, blinking at Rachel in confusion. My brows furrowed as I shifted my weight against the Moto seat, scarf hanging loosely around my neck.
"Yes. He said it was to protect me." Rachel's tone was soft, but her lips pressed together like she was unsure whether to defend him or not.
I turned toward Daren, staring at the back of his head. "You locked your sister in a room that isn't even hers. What is wrong with you?" My voice was flat, but my tail flicked once, betraying my irritation.
"I didn't think everything through. My priority was to catch you," Daren replied without turning, his jaw tight.
"Kill," I corrected, leaning forward slightly. "Not catch. To kill." My eyes narrowed, voice deliberately sharp.
Rachel winced, her hands wringing at the hem of her sleeve, but she didn't speak up for him this time.
"Wasn't it you who said this happened yesterday, and it's old news?" Daren asked, his tone defensive, almost desperate for me to let it slide.
"Yes," I admitted, my voice softening a notch before I tilted my head and smirked faintly, "but I'm just making certain Zagan here knows the entire truth."
"Sure you are," Daren muttered sarcastically, even as he tightened his grip on the wheel.
"Haha, don't worry, Mister Grumpy Pants," I teased, leaning back lazily and resting my chin on my palm. "I'm not going to do anything to Rachel's brother." I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, lips tugging upward when she flushed faintly.
Daren's voice darkened. "I don't care what you do to me. But if you hurt my sister, I would hunt you down to the depths of the world to kill you." His words carried steel, heavy enough to make Rachel's shoulders twitch.
I tilted my head, scarf sliding to one side, and gave him a bemused look. "Wow. Sis-con much?"
Rachel blinked, tilting her head curiously. "What's a sis-con?"
I smirked, lips parting as I lifted a finger. "Hmm, a sis-con is a brother that-"
"Don't taint the innocent," Zagan cut me off smoothly, folding his arms and giving me a sharp glance.
"Fine," I muttered, shrugging with exaggerated carelessness, coat sleeves hanging loose past my wrists.
"But you, mister-Miss Fox," Zagan said, clearly still tripping over the words, "I still need to get used to you also being gender-bent. Why did you encase the entire dining hall with an ice wall?" His eyes narrowed, suspicion threading his tone.
"We were talking about some imported things, and I didn't want other people to know." I waved a hand dismissively, the corner of my mouth twitching. Then, with a sly grin, I leaned in. "How did you react when you found out you changed genders?" I asked, trying to divert the subject.
"Don't try to bypass this. Zagan, we were talking about you and her, you know what I mean. That time how you domi-" Our panicked shout strangled Amari's words into silence.
"We were drunk!" Zagan and I exclaimed at the exact same time, voices overlapping in frantic defense.
The car went still for a beat. Then, realizing what we'd just done, Zagan and I turned toward each other, horror dawning, and our eyes widened with mirrored embarrassment. My cheeks warmed despite myself, and Zagan's ears twitched.
"Haha! That reaction was priceless." Amari's laugh rang out, loud and delighted. Rachel tilted her head, utterly lost.
Zagan cleared his throat, trying to recover dignity, though the tips of his ears remained red. "The first time I found out about my gender, I was happy... but also not happy. I don't know how to explain it." His brows furrowed, his voice softer now. "I was happy that I could go after girls without a problem. But I was unhappy to lose a woman's body. And you?" He glanced at me with a look of wariness.
I exhaled slowly, scarf shifting with the breath. "Mine was the same day I woke up before my hell started. We went to the church to see my status, and that's how I found out."
"By reading it on your status?" Zagan asked, frowning. "Didn't you feel anything different with your body when you woke up?"
I shook my head slightly. "Remember, I was a demi-fox, not fully human anymore. I never had the chance to examine everything new about my body. Everything moved so fast I didn't even know what was really going on until five years later. I understood that I had died and been reincarnated, but that was the extent of my awareness. My voice softened on the last words, and for a moment the hum of the road filled the silence.
"That must have been difficult. "I guess we're lucky to have a family that helped us," Zagan and Amari said together, their expressions dimming with quiet sympathy.
Rachel leaned forward suddenly, brows furrowed. "Excuse me, before you go on, what do you mean that you two are gender-bent?"
I glanced at Amari, one brow raised. "We can tell her about us, right?"
Amari sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "Yeah. Most people already know about reincarnation by now. All thanks to Hugo, sigh..."
"Hugo?" Rachel echoed softly, but I continued.
"Well, Rachel," I said, shifting to look her in the eyes, "Zagan and I were the opposite gender in our past life before we were reincarnated here."
Rachel's lips parted in shock. She blinked, then whispered, "I see. So... you were a boy before?"
I nodded once, calm.
Her face grew red as she hesitated, then asked, "Now that you are a girl, what is your preference?"
I smirked, the playful glint in my eye returning. "Girls all the way."
Her blush deepened, spreading down to her neck. She ducked her head slightly, clearly flustered.
Seeing her reaction, Zagan and Amari both looked at me with identical frowns.
"We are going to need to talk, sis," Amari said sternly.
'It took you this long, really?' I thought, biting back a grin. Tilting my head innocently, I widened my eyes just a fraction. "Okay?"
"We have arrived at your destination," Daren interrupted, voice flat, as he pulled the moto to a stop outside a three-story building.
I leaned out, noting the white and gold marble facade-far too polished for a common station, marking the proximity to noble districts.
"We'll talk about this later, in private," Amari added, her tone commanding now.
"If you say so," I replied lightly, slipping out of the vehicle. My oversized coat swayed around my cargo pants as I held the door open for the rest of them.
"I will go get our tickets," Zagan said, straightening his cloak before striding into the building.
I turned to Amari. "What's the layout of the capital even?"
"The capital consistsof three circles, with the castle in the middle," she explained while walking. "The inner, middle, and outer circles. Each circle is divided into districts-South, North, East, and West. There are only two entrances: the North and South Gates. The subway system can access all of this easily."
"How big is the capital?" I asked, curious, tugging my scarf tighter as we stepped inside.
Rachel answered this time. "If it weren't for the subway system, it would have taken a week to go from the North Gate to the South Gate for normal citizens. But now, it takes a couple of hours."
I whistled, eyes widening. "Wow. That big, huh?"
"Yeah. The capital has grown a lot in the past eight years. We live in the Inner North district. We'll be going to the Middle North district to do our shopping," Amari said, opening the last door to the main hall.
Inside, the roof arched high above us, three stories tall. Bridges crisscrossed the space, spanning over multiple train tracks. Gates lined the floor, glowing faintly with runes.
"Amari, can we go to the bathroom really quick?" Rachel whispered.
"Un, Sis, we are going to-"
"Un, I heard," I interrupted before she finished, offering a small wave. "I'll wait here for you guys."
"Okay, we'll be right back," Amari said with a nod, guiding Rachel away.
Left alone, I moved to the wall by the entrance, leaning casually with my hands shoved deep into the pockets of my baggy coat. Closing my eyes, I focused on my hearing. Conversations overlapped in waves, a dozen snippets at once. Since last night I had learned to dull and sharpen my senses with effort. Right now, my smell remained muted-no sudden nausea from sweat or rot. Hearing, though, I sharpened, letting the details wash in.
Time slipped by until a sudden slam of the main doors echoed, sharp enough to draw my frown. I didn't open my eyes, but I listened-seven sets of steps. Three light, arrogant strides. Four heavier, armor-clad. Nobles and guards.
'Please don't tell me they're going to bother me,' I thought, sighing inwardly.
They stopped in front of me.
"What is a disgusting commoner like you doing here?" One of the nobles sneered, his arrogance dripping like rot. His entourage laughed behind him.
'What is it with me and trouble...' I sighed silently, still not opening my eyes.
"Don't ignore me!" he shouted, voice grating.
My frown deepened. "Please, don't shout like that. It hurts my ears," I said politely, eyes still closed.
"Is that so?" His voice turned mocking. I heard the inhalation in his lungs. Just as he was about to bellow again, my hand shot up with inhuman speed, seizing his jaw and snapping his head toward me.
"I said don't shout," I murmured, eyes opening at last. My gaze locked on his-fear flickered there, buried under arrogance.
"What do you think you are doing to our young master?" one guard demanded, sword rasping free of its sheath.
"I am teaching a fat viscount's son that he cannot just do whatever he wants," I replied coolly, still gripping the noble's jaw. The other two nobles had already skittered behind their guards.
"Really, we left you for five minutes, and you're already in trouble," Amari said dryly from the side.
I released him and straightened, brushing off my coat. "Miss Draig, order your servant to apologize on her knees. "If the servant apologizes, her punishment might be lighter," the noble spat, rubbing his jaw, with a grin that was oily and triumphant.
His smugness lasted only a heartbeat before he collapsed face-first onto the tiles with a muffled thud.
"Servant?" I stepped on his back, summoning a blade of ice in my hand. My scarf fluttered as I leaned down slightly. "You think I'm a servant?"
"Sis, please don't hurt him," Amari said quickly, moving closer.
"Like I thought. You really were involved in the commotion. I have our tickets. The train will be here in three minutes. Can we go?" Zagan's voice rang from behind, calm as ever.
I stepped off the noble with a small huff. "Next time, keep your dogs on a leash," I said to the guards, eyes cold. Then I turned and walked toward Zagan.
"You! Aah-!" one of the nobles tried to shout, but his feet slid out from under him. He crashed down hard. His guards scrambled but slipped as well, all of them sprawling on a thin sheen of ice.
"Hehe, enjoy the floor, guys," I said, waving lazily over my shoulder.
"Nice one," Zagan muttered, suppressing his laughter.
"Really, sis. We left you for five minutes, and you got yourself in trouble with nobles," Amari sighed, shaking her head.
"It's not my fault they came to me. I was just standing there waiting for you," I said, throwing my hands up defensively.
"Are you a trouble magnet?" Zagan commented dryly.
I considered it for a moment, then nodded seriously. "To be honest with you, I think I am."
Okay, I understand I said I wasn't making Rachel a love interest. She still isn't. I need her to do something.
Sorry in advance.
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Chapter 38: You're to young for me
"I can't believe they made bullet trains," I said, amazed, staring at the sleek steel body gleaming under the overhead lights. It stretched endlessly down the platform, a silver beast resting just long enough to let us on. My scarf fluttered slightly from the gust of air it exhaled, my tail swishing behind me as though it shared my excitement.
"Yeah, of course. They don't do things half-heartedly," Zagan replied with his usual calm, stepping onto the train without hesitation. He moved like this was no more impressive than a walk through the park. Typical.
Following after him, my boots clicked softly on the clean floor. The excitement faded into mild disappointment the moment I stepped inside. Instead of glowing crystals, ornate decorations, or some futuristic marvel, it looked... ordinary. The same design as any regular commercial train-seats lined along the sides beneath the windows, facing inward, leaving the middle space open for standing.
"Huh. Nothing fancy here," I muttered, tugging my oversized coat tighter around me as if the plain interior offended me.
Zagan glanced back at me with a raised brow. "What did you expect?"
"I... don't actually know what I should have expected," I admitted, confused with myself. Maybe floating chairs? A bar that served slushies mid-ride? Anything besides... this.
Amari smirked as she brushed past me, her steps quick and impatient. "We're going to be here for a while, so get comfy," Zagan said, settling into one of the side seats. Amari flopped down next to him, stretching her legs shamelessly, while Rachel, ever graceful, took her seat carefully, folding her wings close so they wouldn't bump anyone.
"Come sit down, sis," Amari said, patting the open space beside Rachel.
"Umm... "I don't think I'd fit," I said, staring at the seat. It wasn't that the space was too small-it was my tail. The thing would either hang awkwardly across Rachel's lap or get stomped on. Neither option seemed particularly good.
"That's true," Rachel said, her calm voice carrying a faint note of amusement. Her golden eyes flicked to my tail with curiosity. "Your tail is so long you won't sit comfortably."
I gave a shrug, stuffing my hands into the deep pockets of my cargo pants. "It's fine. I can stand. We're only going to be here for a little while, right?"
"Yes," Zagan said, though his tone carried a trace of concern, "but we move pretty fast."
"I can freeze myself to the floor," I replied casually, like it was no big deal. My tail flicked lazily as I leaned against the metal pole, scarf shifting with the movement.
"If you say so," Zagan muttered, his gaze flicking down to my boots. His expression sharpened as if something finally clicked in his mind. "Your ice magic isn't normal, is it?"
I smiled faintly, not giving him the satisfaction of an answer. "Hmm, you could say that." The train gave a gentle lurch, then picked up speed at an alarming rate. I tightened my grip on the overhead bar as the sudden force pulled my body slightly back. My scarf and coat flared with the rush of wind.
"Is that all?" Amari asked, narrowing her eyes in disappointment at my vague answer.
"Haha, of course I'm not going to tell you everything," I said with a chuckle. "I might care for and trust you to a certain extent, but I don't know how good you guys are at keeping secrets."
Amari pouted dramatically, but Rachel tilted her head, her expression curious. "But you trust us. Why won't you tell us about your magic?"
I leaned slightly closer, lowering my voice just enough to sound conspiratorial. "Because my ice is my best weapon and favorite trick. If I let everyone know what it is and how it works, it becomes less effective in battle. A weapon loses its edge the moment the enemy knows every detail about it."
"I see," Zagan said, nodding thoughtfully. His sharp eyes glinted with quiet approval. "That makes sense."
"Exactly. Like you, Rachel." My gaze slid toward her, my tone calm but pointed. "Your race has a huge disadvantage against certain kinds of magic. Even if you're a half-breed, those weaknesses still apply. My race's weakness has to do with power. If I let everyone know how to counter me, I'll lose my edge, and someone could kill me much easier."
'I mean, technically I'm immortal, so age isn't my weakness. And I'm immune to most poisons. But no need to share that much.'
"How!?" Rachel suddenly exclaimed, her voice trembling. Her wings quivered slightly as her wide eyes locked onto me.
"What?" I asked, genuinely confused by her sudden panic.
"How do you know what my race is?" Her voice was tight, fear threading through every syllable.
"Your wings, obviously," I said, pointing at the pristine white feathers folded neatly behind her. "Kind of hard to miss."
'Like, come on. White wings. She screams "angel" to anyone with eyes.
"But there are a lot of demi-humans with similar wings," Amari cut in, defending her. Her expression was more cautious now, watching me closely.
"Really?" I frowned, doubtful. "Fine. I have Analysis, and I used it on her. Is it bad that I know?" I admitted with a sigh.
Rachel stiffened, her hands curling tightly in her lap. "No... it's just... My race doesn't like half-breeds. If someone finds out, they might try to kill me." Her voice was barely above a whisper, the edges fragile.
"Huh. Then why don't you wear a charm? That'd make it impossible to know your status." My words made her eyes widen in alarm. She quickly began patting herself down, her movements frantic, feathers shifting wildly. Her horror was plain.
"I forgot to put it back on," she whispered, her voice shaking.
"Oh no, we need to turn back! We can't have her out like this," Amari said, her voice rising with panic.
"Don't worry, I've got a spare," I said calmly, pulling a small golden button from my storage and holding it out. "Here. I always keep extras in case mine breaks."
Rachel stared at me for a long moment before relief softened her face. She smiled gratefully as she tucked the charm away. "Thank you."
"Just one thing," Zagan interrupted, frowning. "These charms are durable. How in the world does yours keep breaking?"
"I bet she either gets in fights all the time or forgets to take it off when she trains," Amari quipped, smirking.
"I do not deny or agree with any of those outrageous claims," I said, turning away dramatically and whistling.
"Mom, look, it's fluffy and moving!" A small, high-pitched voice suddenly piped up.
"Wait, Neo, don't-!" another voice cried, too late.
Rachel clutched her stomach, laughing as she leaned forward. "You really are reckless," she wheezed between laughs.
I was about to shoot back a retort when-YANK! Pain shot through me, and I nearly toppled forward. "IEEE!? Motherf-!? That hurts!" I yelped, whipping around.
A tiny girl, no older than six, dangled from my tail with both hands, giggling brightly despite my outburst. My tail flicked instinctively, but she clung with the grip strength of a climber.
"Kiddo, you're too young for me. Let go," I said dryly, pulling my tail closer to pry her off. She just giggled harder.
"I am so sorry!" A woman rushed forward, her blue one-piece dress fluttering as she bowed so low her hair covered her face. She wouldn't even meet my eyes. "I looked away for just a second-please forgive her!"
"It's fine," I assured her with a small smile. Lifting the kid gently into my arms, I looked her straight in the eyes. "Listen, girly. Don't pull on tails like that. They're very sensitive, okay?"
Her smile faltered, her lip trembling as guilt crept in. "I'm sorry. I just... it looked so fluffy."
I softened immediately. "I know, right? Hehe. Don't worry. I'm not mad. Just remember next time." I set her down gently, and she immediately grabbed her mother's hand.
"I will. Thank you," she said shyly before letting her mother pull her away.
The mother's posture stiffened further as she risked a glance at me, then quickly turned her head, dragging her daughter along. I sighed inwardly. Adults always reacted that way when they saw my eyes. But kids? They never seemed afraid. Not even before my evolution.
'Maybe I should visit an orphanage someday. Could test a few things out.'
When I turned back, Amari, Zagan, and Rachel were staring at me as if I'd sprouted a second head.
"Did you just say she's too young for you?" Zagan asked, incredulous.
"Yes," I said with a shrug. "There's only about seven or eight years difference, but I like them older." My tail swayed smugly as I stroked the fur.
"Is that so?" Rachel whispered, her gaze dropping.
Amari slapped her forehead, groaning. "I get why you said it, but did you have to say that out loud? In public?"
"Yeah..." I muttered sheepishly.
"Arriving at the North Main Road junction," the train head announced.
"Shit-!" I cursed as the train jolted. My body went flying, rolling helplessly down the cart until I slammed against the far wall.
"She forgot to freeze herself again," Rachel said, watching me with mild pity.
"Yeah, we should've warned her," Zagan muttered, hiding his smirk behind his hand.
"Haha! Look at her!" Amari doubled over, tears in her eyes. "She looks like she just got run over by a wagon. Ooh, here comes a granny!"
"Shouldn't you care more about your sister?" Rachel asked, frowning.
"Nope," Amari said simply, still laughing.
The old granny stomped toward me with a fan raised like a weapon. Before I could react, WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! She smacked me repeatedly, her strikes faster than some soldiers I'd fought.
"Please! Help me! Sis? Zagan? Rachel?" I shouted, shielding my head as the granny's fan cracked against me again and again.
"You're just like your mother sometimes," Zagan said calmly, ignoring my suffering.
(Time skip — later)
'I am done with this shit,' I thought bitterly, rubbing my sore head as we finally exited the station.
"All I'm saying is you guys could've helped me get rid of the granny," I grumbled, dragging my hands through my hair and pulling out splinters of fan.
"Why would we? It was hilarious," Amari said, still laughing. "She even broke her fan on your skull!"
"Yeah, and then I had to buy her a new one," I complained, glaring at her. "Rachel, help me out here."
Rachel covered her smile politely. "I have to admit... the granny was funny."
I gasped, clutching my chest. "I feel betrayed."
"Whatever," I muttered, flicking the last shard of fan from my hair. "Where are we going now?"
"We're going to Techo," Amari said with a grin.
"Techo? Seriously? That guy needs help with naming things." I shook my head.
"Actually, the twins named it," Amari corrected with a wry smile.
I groaned. "Figures. Guess they do have something in common."
"Well, let's go. Follow me," Amari said, leading the way.
"Okay," we all echoed, trailing after her.
"Ooh yeah," I said suddenly, glancing at Rachel. "Is your brother also a half-breed?"
"Daren?" Rachel tilted her head, then shook it. "No. We aren't blood-related. I was adopted when I was a baby."
"I see."
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Chapter 39: What is love
The capital had many more people than the border city, but it didn't feel nearly as suffocating. The streets here were wide, paved with neat stone tiles polished by countless feet, and lined with orderly rows of lamps and trees. Because of the space, the crowds seemed thinner than they really were, their voices a low hum blending with the clip-clop of carriage wheels and the occasional shout of a vendor.
While we walked, I let my eyes wander. Towering buildings of glass and steel reflected the sunlight, scattering the afternoon into a thousand shards of light across the road. Balconies wrapped around them like ribbons, and the smell of roasting meat mixed with the faint, clean scent of soap wafting from bathhouses. Something about the way the streets bent and the way the glass caught the sun stirred a sense of deja vu in me.
"Now that I take a good look around," I said, tucking my hands into my cargo pants pockets, "it just looks like Kyoto. All modern buildings, so much glass on every corner. Not like the border city with its medieval vibes."
"As we said," Zagan replied smoothly, his voice carrying over his shoulder as he led the group, "they didn't do things half-heartedly here. The capital has to look like the jewel of the kingdom. They also invested in the living environment."
"The outer circle as well?" I asked, watching a group of merchants hauling crates toward a warehouse.
"They're still busy with that," Zagan said as he turned down a corner street, his long coat fluttering lightly with the movement.
"Un." I nodded, pulling my scarf a little higher over my face as we followed. Rounding the bend, I immediately knew we had stepped onto the main road. The air was thicker here-vendors hawked wares from open stalls, families shuffled along, and guards in polished armor watched the flow of traffic with bored vigilance. The crowd carried with it the smell of sweat, perfume, leather, and spices, all at once.
Adjusting the scarf higher still, I muttered to myself. The last thing I wanted was some adventurer with a sharp nose sniffing too close. Thinking about adventurers at all reminded me of something.
"Hey," I asked, glancing at Amari, who walked beside me, "where do adventurers sign up?"
Her brows arched as though I'd said something strange. "You want to sign up?"
"Yes." I nodded firmly.
"I'll ask Zagan later. We can take care of that after shopping. I haven't signed up yet either." She gave a thoughtful little nod of her own.
"Okay." My gaze flicked ahead toward Zagan and Rachel, who were walking side by side in their own little bubble of chatter. Since they weren't paying us any attention, I lowered my voice again. "You wanted to talk to me. I'm all ears now."
Amari hesitated, her dark eyes darting once toward Rachel before returning to me. She took a slow breath, clearly weighing her words. "What do you think about Rachel?"
"Cute," I admitted with a shrug. "That's about it. I don't really know her personally. I've only known her a day."
"That's true..." Amari's lips pressed together briefly, then she leaned a little closer. "But you do know she likes you, right?"
"She was quite obvious about it," I said, narrowing my eyes at her. "I don't know why, though."
"You're handsome," Amari said matter-of-factly. Then she tilted her head, eyes gleaming with something like amusement. "You are beautiful, even though your eyes can appear intimidating." In this world, a lot of people like that sort of thing. Rachel is one of them. Your only downside is..." She pointed openly at my midsection, "...your curse and how ripped you are. Yes, you're lean, but anyone looking closely can see the definition."
I glanced down at my stomach, exhaled sharply through my nose, then looked back at her with mock offense. "You're mean. I like my six-pack. My build is lovely. It shows I'm not a pushover."
Amari smirked faintly. "That's true. And I didn't mean you should change it. Not that you could. How you look fits you-mean, ruthless, untouchable. That's the vibe you give off." She swept her gaze across the people around us. I followed her eyes, and sure enough, most pedestrians subtly curved around our group, giving us a wide berth. A mother tugged her child closer, and a pair of merchants turned down a side street just to avoid passing by.
"You see?" Amari continued softly. "People avoid us just because you're walking with us. You've been through more than any of us. That weight shows, even if you don't notice."
I frowned. "If what you say is true, then why does trouble always find me?"
"I don't know," she admitted, suddenly awkward. "Let's... get back to the topic."
"Fine. I'm listening."
"Un." She lowered her voice again. "The worst part is that this isn't Rachel's first time falling for someone. It's happened a few times. She falls in love at first sight, often. The last one was a recruit who just joined the black ops. She helped him with some things, and that's when she fell for him. They got along well, but it didn't last. He couldn't handle the training and quit. He never said a word to her about his struggles. When he left, he didn't even tell her. Her biggest mistake was chasing after him afterward, only to find out he was already married."
Her sigh was heavy, her shoulders drooping a little. "She took it badly. It took her a year to heal. I just... don't want that to happen again."
I blinked at her. "What? She's only thirteen. How has she already fallen for more than one guy? Does she think she lives in a fairy tale or something?"
Amari only shook her head. "She's just that type of person. I don't understand it either. But I want to know... What are you going to do about this?"
"To be honest? Nothing." My voice came out rougher than I intended. I exhaled and rubbed the back of my neck. "It'll take me a long time to answer her feelings. It's not that I think I'll never love her. But my past..." My words slowed as I forced myself to say it straight. "My past doesn't give me much experience with love. The first person I ever truly loved was Stacy-as a mother. Knowing that my only real love so far is a mother's love... it's depressing. But it can't be helped. I don't know how to love anyone else yet. That's why I want to start with family first. Only after that, maybe someday, I'll think about a partner. And that's far in the future."
Amari studied me with a kind of soft patience, then nodded once. "I understand. All I ask is-don't hurt her too much if you reject her."
"I'll try my best."
"Good." She faced forward again, though her jaw was still tight.
I fell silent, my thoughts swirling. Love... how many kinds are there? I know I love Stacy, but that's family. What sort of love is Rachel's? Admiration? Infatuation? Or something deeper? The question gnawed at me.
A sudden tap on my shoulder broke the spiral. I turned, meeting Zagan's effortless smile.
"Don't overthink it," he said warmly. "Take it slow. Rushing won't help. Especially with something like this."
I followed his gaze toward Amari, who now walked with Rachel, deliberately keeping her occupied.
"Hah. "You guys work well together," I said dryly. "Did she tell you to talk to me this time?"
"Yes." He chuckled. "I don't know how much help I can give. Amari and I had it easy with our love life. Yours will be harder. But remember-we're still young. Way too young to be worrying so much about this."
"Huh. That's true." The thought hit harder than I liked. I never really had a childhood in my last life, did I?
I gave him a small smile. "Alright. I'll do that. Enjoy my youth. Sounds... fun."
"That's the spirit," Zagan said, giving my shoulder a friendly tap.
"Guys, we've arrived," Amari called from the front.
I looked ahead. A white building rose before us, pristine against the street's bustle, with a polished sign reading "Scroll." My brow arched at the stark simplicity. Following Amari inside, I was immediately struck by the overwhelming whiteness. Marble floors, walls, even the counters-all blindingly white.
"Why just white?" I muttered.
"Because white screams fancy," came a voice from the side.
Turning, I saw a man in a white suit to match the decor, the word "Scroll" stitched neatly into the lapel.
"I guess you work here," I said flatly.
"Yes, Ma'am. How can I help you today?"
"Don't call me Ma'am." My irritation spiked, and I cut my glare toward Amari, silently prompting her to handle this.
"Hello," Amari said smoothly, "we're here to buy her a new scroll." She pointed at me.
"I see. "This way, miss," the employee said as he began walking toward a counter.
"Also, is it possible to have House Draig's symbol on it?" Amari asked.
"Yes, we can do that," he replied without missing a beat.
—
Two hours later, I stepped back out onto the street with an exasperated sigh. "It took two hours just to get a damn phone. What the hell?"
The scroll in my hand gleamed, as thin as glass and smooth as polished water. Functionally, it operated like any Earth smartphone, though sleeker and more elegant. On the back, etched in silver, was the fresh crest of House Draig.
"It was because they had to make the symbol from scratch," Amari reminded me.
I studied it carefully. A compass lay at the center, with four massive swords pointing in the cardinal directions. Between them, four shorter swords pointed diagonally, and between those, eight daggers filled the smaller spaces, radiating like a deadly starburst.
"They did a fantastic job," I admitted. "But did it really have to take two hours?" With another sigh, I slid the scroll into my inventory and looked back at Amari.
"Well, you have our contacts now. Let's get you some new clothes."
"Yes, please. And no dresses," I said, tugging my scarf higher again.
"We're not picking things out for you. Luna will do that."
"Luna?" I tilted my head.
"She's quite nice," Amari said.
"Yeah. "Yeah, she is nice, especially for girls," Zagan muttered with a depressed expression.
"What happened?" I asked him softly.
All I received was a grunt.
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Yo, It is me again
I have made her love interest but decided to mix it up a lot. I don't want her to fall in love at first sight and get together. That's boring, but it will also not be like 100 chapters before they get together, though it will take some time. In other words, it will be a slow romance but primarily because Kitsuna won't accept her feelings readily.
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Chapter 40: Luna is expensive
Luckily we didn't have to walk very long to get to Luna's clothing shop. The streets of the capital were loud and bustling, and I could feel the weight of every stare tugging at me as we moved through the crowd. Stalls and carriages rattled by, the scent of spices and perfume clashing in the air, until finally the carved wooden sign of a boutique came into view. Its painted letters were faded from years of sunlight, but the door was polished, a bell hanging from the handle as if it had been replaced just yesterday.
Following the group into the shop, I sighed as the wave of smell hit me. The powerful aroma of incense, along with the scents of fabric and leather, was thick enough to cling to my throat. It wasn't unpleasant exactly-floral and sweet, with something sharp underneath-but it was heavy, suffocating almost.
"Luna, where are you!" Amari shouted into the store before I could even take a step further in.
"Amari, dear, is that you? I am coming!" A voice sang back. From the back room came a clatter of things tumbling to the ground, rolls of cloth and what sounded like boxes crashing down in a chaotic cascade.
Deja vu prickled across my skin, and I instinctively sidestepped, leaving a clear path away from Amari just in time to avoid the inevitable. With a squeal, a blur of blond hair came flying out of the back room and collided with Amari. They tumbled down together in a mess of limbs and fabric.
Blinking, I looked at the woman sprawled on Amari. She looked so familiar my mouth moved before my brain could stop it.
"Lucy?" I said subconsciously.
The woman froze, her face pressed against Amari's chest, then turned her head toward me with a frown. Her eyes were sharp, narrowed like knives. "Hmm? Who are you?" she demanded.
"Me?" I blinked, startled by how hostile her tone was. "I'm her sister. And you must be Luna... Lucy's twin, I presume." My finger pointed toward Amari, who was still dazed from the impact.
At the sound of that name, the blond woman's lips twitched. Slowly she climbed off Amari, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt as her eyes swept me up and down. "Is that so? I can finally meet Amari's sister, huh." She tilted her head, but then her mouth tightened. "Also, don't say that name in front of me."
Noted. She didn't need to spell out her dislike for her twin-it was written plain in the stiff set of her shoulders.
"Yes, I'm here to get some clothes," I said, deciding not to prod her about it. Better not to drag Lucy into this.
"You seem like a smart one." She smirked suddenly, her mood shifting with dizzying speed. She grabbed my hand before I could react and tugged me toward the back.
I stiffened as she tried to roll up my sleeve. Instinct kicked in, and I pulled away, gripping my scarf tighter. "I'd prefer if you didn't do that just yet," I said, steadying my tone.
Her eyes narrowed in brief confusion before she shrugged, utterly unconcerned. "Fine. You can tell me all about it when I'm busy giving you a makeover." And before I could object further, she latched onto my wrist again and tugged me toward the back of the shop.
"No dresses," I warned quickly, dragging my feet a little but not resisting too much.
"Don't worry, I already know. You're the type who would rather die than wear one," she replied with a grin that showed too many teeth.
"This really does feel like deja vu," I muttered under my breath, though I let her lead me.
"Come sit down." She gestured at a polished wooden chair placed in front of a large mirror with ornate edges. With a soft sigh, I set my scarf aside and shrugged out of my coat, folding it carefully before draping it over the chair. Beneath, my chest was still bandaged tightly, faint traces of curses visible like shadowy veins crawling across my skin.
"Ooh." Her eyes widened in delight, and before I could sit, she had grabbed my arms, tilting them left and right like a child with a new toy. "These are so cool! You should be showing them off more. They'll pull in girls left and right, especially with that lean body of yours."
I raised a brow, impressed despite myself. "You're perceptive."
"Of course," she said with a wink, releasing me just long enough for me to sit.
Internally, I smirked. She may not be as sharp as Mom, but for a shop clerk, she is sharp enough.
"Yeah, I'll never beat Stacy." The words left her lips before she realized what she had said. Her eyes went wide, and she slapped both hands over her mouth, staring at me in the mirror with sudden fear.
"So you can read minds," I murmured, settling more comfortably into the chair. "Good to know."
"You aren't... mad?" She asked cautiously, lowering her hands a fraction.
"Try again," I said, flashing a smile at her reflection.
Her brows pinched, but she closed her eyes, focusing. A second later, her face blanched white, and she jerked back, clutching her head. "Why would you do that!" she shouted, her voice cracking.
I laughed, unable to help myself. "Honestly, I expected you to throw up." I had flooded my thoughts with vivid memories-torture methods I had used in my past life. I had edited those memories, of course, to portray myself as a girl, but the brutality still remained.
Her breathing was ragged as she steadied herself, her eyes wide. "Why would a girl your age even know how to torture people like that? And in the most gruesome ways possible."
"Haha." I leaned back, resting my elbows on the chair's arms. "You don't need to know why. But it was a wonderful stress reliever."
The smile crept onto my lips before I realized it, sharp and dark as I recalled those times. The thought of when Mom might finally allow me to deal with traitors sent a thrill through me.
Apparently my expression betrayed me, because Luna swatted me on the head with the flat of her palm.
"Stop that. I won't be able to concentrate with that kind of smile," she said, glaring.
"Hehe, sorry." I raised my hands in surrender. "I have a question."
"Ask away," she said, reaching for scissors and combs, starting to trim the ends of my hair.
"Why didn't you react to my eyes?" I asked, watching her in the mirror.
"Your eyes?" She tilted her head.
"Yeah. They're... different. But when our eyes met, you didn't flinch at all."
"Oooh, that." She hummed thoughtfully. "They might look scary, sure, but I've seen worse. And if I'm right about what you mean by 'special,' they probably only work on people who are trained or who have bad intentions toward you. I've heard of eyes like that before. The best way to resist them is either to have real strength or unshakable pride in something."
I blinked, surprised by how calmly she explained it. "Is that so... thank you."
While she cut, my mind wandered to the problem of my fox form. Changing always meant tearing clothes or awkwardly slipping out. "Is there a way to get clothes that can change shape with the body?" I asked.
"There is, but it's expensive." She arched a brow. "Why? Do you need it?"
"Yes. Money isn't a problem. Can you make all my clothes like that?"
Her scissors paused. "All of them? How many sets are we talking?"
"Thirty every day. Fifty for training. And... five formal sets." I didn't hesitate.
Her jaw dropped. "Pfff-why so many?"
"Reasons." I met her stare without blinking. "Can you do it?"
"I can," she admitted reluctantly, "but not today. I'll give you a few sets I already have in your size and deliver the rest later." She leaned back, brushing loose strands from my shoulders. "All done. How do you like it?"
I reached up, fingers brushing the lighter locks. My hair still fell below my shoulders, but it was thinned, the weight gone. The bangs framed my face better. "Thank you. But... why is there more white now?"
"No matter what I did, every time I cut, the ends turned white." She shrugged helplessly.
"I see." I stood, stretching.
"I'll fetch the clothes. Go to the changing room-I'll bring them to you," she said, pointing at a door near the side.
"Can you make sure they're baggy? I prefer that style."
She smirked. "I was already going to bring you men's clothes. Don't worry-they'll be baggy enough."
Shrugging, I walked to the changing room.
—
Twenty minutes later, I stepped out. Amari and Rachel were waiting on a small bench, chatting quietly. Both looked up when I emerged.
"Yo. Have you been waiting long?" I asked, walking toward them.
"Luna did an impressive job. You look so manly." Amari grinned, teasing.
Rachel's expression flickered between joy and disappointment, her cheeks flushed.
"Why do you look disappointed?" I asked, arching a brow. "Don't I look good?"
"You do," she admitted, fidgeting, "but..." The words trailed off into embarrassed silence.
Internally, I smirked. She's probably disappointed she can't ogle my body anymore. But glad no one else can either.
Turning to the mirror by the counter, I examined myself. A hoodie with the sleeves down and a tank top underneath. Black cargo pants tucked into ankle boots. A sports bra instead of the usual kind. My breasts weren't huge-barely a B-cup-but still bigger than Mom's, so I didn't care. My hair was tied back into a neat ponytail, my scarf wrapped securely around my neck.
I hadn't rolled up my sleeves. Not here, not in public with Amari. No need to start stupid rumors about her before introductions were handled properly.
"Aah, finally you're done," Zagan shouted from across the shop.
"Yeah, I just need to pay and finish my order," I said, walking toward the counter.
"Cool."
At the desk, Luna handed me a slip of parchment with the cost. My eyes nearly popped.
"How much did you say?" I asked, incredulous.
"That'll be fifty platinum coins," she said sweetly.
My lips twitched. One platinum was worth a hundred gold. One gold was a hundred silver. One silver was a hundred copper. This meant that my order totaled five thousand gold coins. I had saved for two years, and now that money was gone in a single purchase. With a long, suffering sigh, I pulled out the coins from storage and dropped them on the counter.
"Ugh, I'm so poor now," I groaned, slumping.
"To think you had fifty platinum on you," Zagan muttered, stunned.
"Where'd you get that money?" Amari asked, still staring.
"The person who wants me to fight for the kingdom," I replied flatly, eyes still on the counter.
"Huh? It can't be Mom or the Black Ops," Amari muttered under her breath.
"If it isn't one of those, then it must be the King," Zagan said. His expression darkened. "Is he... buying you, like a mercenary?"
"Hmpf. Don't worry about that. It has nothing to do with you." I shrugged, brushing him off.
"But-" Amari started, but she met my eyes and fell silent.
I don't care who they think it is. Some things are meant to be known only by our house, and no one else. I packed away the items, shoulders heavy.
All I received was a grunt.
Yo
We made 1000 collections and over 227,000 views. Haha, 2 months and 9 days, and we stand at that.
Thank You for liking my half bake of a novel. Again never thought I would be good at this. But hey looks like I am not as bad as I thought. Excluding grammar. We just don't talk about that.
I will be doing some reworking this week on my novel. I have extra time, so that will happen this week and maybe next week as well. I don't know yet. I will still be uploading chapters, so don't worry.
Ooh, and happy Valentine's day.
Only to the single people out there. # SingleGang
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Chapter 41: I'm lost
"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked, tilting my head slightly as I looked at Rachel first. She was standing there in the shop, still half in a daze, like her mind was somewhere else entirely. Her eyes were a little unfocused, lips parted as if she wanted to say something but forgot halfway through. When she didn't respond, I shifted my gaze away before the silence grew awkward and looked toward the others.
Amari gave me a bright nod, her ponytail bouncing as she did so, and Zagan pumped his fist in the air like he had just been waiting for the chance. That was enough to answer. With the group ready, we headed toward the door.
"Thanks for your patronage!?" Luna's cheerful voice carried after us from behind the counter. She waved with both hands so hard I thought she might topple over.
I raised my hand and waved back, a little stiffly, before we stepped out of the shop and into the bustle of the street.
The sun had climbed higher by now, warmth seeping into the stones underfoot. The faint smell of polish and perfume from Luna's store still clung to my scarf, which irritated me for some reason. Standing outside, I opened my mouth to ask what we were doing next, but Zagan beat me to it.
"To the adventurers' guild!" he declared, pumping his fist again like we were marching off to war.
"Okay, lead the way," I said, falling into step behind everyone.
We hadn't even made it a block when Amari suddenly leaned closer to me, her eyes narrowing in that mischievous way she had when she was about to ask something that would get under my skin.
"Sis, are you wearing a bra now?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity and just enough innocence to make it dangerous.
I blinked, caught off guard. "Yes," I admitted slowly, glancing down at myself, "it's the first time I actually need to wear one. Why?" My brows pulled together as I tried to figure out why the issue was such an urgent topic.
"Really? How does it feel?" Amari pressed, tilting her head like she was trying to read my expression more than hear my words.
"Comfy," I muttered, trying to sound casual while my cheeks warmed. I shifted uncomfortably and adjusted the hem of my oversized hoodie, wishing she'd drop it. My eyes flicked toward her chest for just a second. She was about the same size as Mom-small. Smiling faintly to cover my embarrassment, I made an exaggerated show of adjusting my chest, pressing my arms together.
"Hey, don't show off!" Amari cried, her cheeks puffing out as she turned away, pouting.
Before I could answer, Rachel spoke up, her voice carrying a gloomy weight. "Wait, this is your first time wearing one?" "I have been wearing one since I was ten years old." She looked down at her chest with a sigh, her shoulders slumping.
'Wait, how did I not notice those!?' I couldn't believe my eyes as I focused on Rachel's chest. D-cups. How had I been so blind? The longer I stared, the more depressed I became.
"You fiend," I said flatly, my tone completely deadpan. Amari, without missing a beat, said the exact same words at the same time. Rachel blinked at us, startled, while Amari and I slowly turned to look at each other. Our eyes met, and in that unspoken moment, we shared a mutual understanding.
A grin spread across my lips. Amari did the same. Without needing words, we had formed a pact.
(5 minutes later)
"Haha, all done," I said triumphantly, brushing my hands together as if I'd just finished a masterpiece.
"We did an impressive job," Amari agreed, and we slapped our palms together in a crisp high-five.
Rachel... was no longer Rachel. She was a walking cocoon. We had layered her in so many of my old clothes that she was basically a human burrito now. We layered her with ten layers of hoodies, jackets, shirts-anything we could get our hands on. The only thing poking out was her head, her wings awkwardly jutting through holes we had to cut in the fabric.
"To think my old clothes would still be useful," I laughed, doubling over as I looked at her blushing, mortified face.
"Poor Rachel," Zagan said with an exaggerated sigh, but the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him. He was enjoying this as much as we were.
Rachel shuffled toward us in tiny steps, her arms trapped in a stiff T-pose. "Can you guys take them off, please? "It's getting hot in here," she begged, her voice muffled by layers of fabric. She waddled closer like a penguin, her steps short and clumsy.
I had to bite my lip hard to stop the laugh bubbling up. My shoulders shook, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. Amari snorted beside me, covering her mouth, and even Zagan had to turn his head to cough into his fist.
After a few moments of torment, we took pity on her. With a simple gesture, I stored all the extra clothes in my space, finally freeing her. Her hair was a complete mess, sticking out at odd angles from static, and her cheeks were flushed bright red.
She did ask to keep one of the hoodies, tugging on the sleeve of her favorite, but I shook my head firmly. No way.
"Now that that's over with, can we move to our destination?" Zagan said, trying to sound like the responsible one.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's finish this and get some food," I muttered, shoving my hands deep into my cargo pants pockets.
"Didn't you eat anything this morning?" Zagan asked, giving me a puzzled look.
"Hello? You woke me up," I said, narrowing my eyes at him like he was the idiot here.
"O-oh, right... Yeah, we did that," he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"Whatever. The faster we do this, the better," I grumbled, gesturing for him to get moving.
We had barely gotten halfway down the street when a delicious aroma hit my nose.
"Sniff, sniff. Ooh, that smells good," I murmured, my steps slowing as I lifted my head, sniffing the air like a hound on a trail. A heavy, meaty scent curled through the air, rich and smoky. My stomach tightened in response. Ignoring whatever conversation the others were having, I followed the scent without thinking, my feet carrying me forward.
Then-bam.
I collided into someone, the impact knocking them backward to the ground.
"O-oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there," I said quickly, looking down at the person I'd just bowled over. I bent slightly, hand half-extended to help her up, when my heart froze.
Her glare was all too familiar. And in her hand-raised high-was a folding fan I knew far too well.
It was the granny from this morning. It was the same granny who had smashed her fan over my head as if it were nothing.
Panic flared in my chest. Before she could bring that fan down, I bolted.
Using Flash Step, I vanished from her sight and reappeared on the nearest rooftop in a burst of speed. My scarf whipped around me as I landed, crouched low, and looked back. The granny was still staring up at me, her expression a mix of surprise and fury.
I didn't wait to see what she'd do next. I dashed away across the rooftops, moving at full speed until the market square was far behind me.
Eventually, I stopped above a narrow alley, my chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Looking back, I didn't see anyone following me. Relief washed through me, and I let out a long sigh.
Dropping down into the alley, I brushed off my hoodie and started walking out toward the main street. "Haah, hopefully she won't find me here. I really don't want to buy her another fan," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face.
But as I looked around, recognition failed to spark. None of the buildings looked familiar. My stomach sank.
Face-palming, I groaned. "I'm an idiot."
Spinning in place, I searched for anything-anything-that looked recognizable. Nothing. Just endless stone buildings and bustling streets full of strangers.
"Nope. I have no idea where I am," I admitted aloud, shoulders slumping. "Hah... I'm lost."
Sighing in defeat, I picked a direction-south, hopefully toward the city center-and started walking.
After a few minutes, a wave of shouting caught my attention. I perked up, ears twitching under my hood, and followed the noise until I came to a stop in front of a wide, two-story building. A sign swung above the door in bold letters: Jimmy's Barbecue.
The smell wafting from inside was heavenly. My stomach growled.
A smile tugged at my lips. "I'll get some food. Then I'll start looking for them again," I told myself, already moving toward the door.
'It sounds more like a bar,' I thought as I reached out and pushed the door open.
Jingle!
A sharp, pleasant chime rang through the room as the silver dragon-shaped bell above the frame swayed.
The sound cut through the noise like a knife. Every conversation inside the place ground to a halt. All eyes turned toward me.
"Huh, what a cool bell," I muttered, staring up at it. Then, feeling the weight of the stares, I slowly looked back down at the crowd. Dozens of strangers sat frozen, their expressions unreadable, watching me.
"Yeah... "I'm not important enough for all of you to be staring at me," I said flatly, closing the door behind me with a thud.
"I haven't seen your face around here before," one of the waitresses said as she approached, breaking the silence.
"Un. I'm new to the capital and thought about going out for a bite," I explained, my tone calm, though my eyes traced her quickly. Blue eyes, long blond hair tied neatly back, and dressed in a maid-like uniform with a frilly apron.
"Is that so? Lucky for you, you've chosen the best barbeque shop in the capital," she said with a practiced smile.
"Is that so?" I replied, keeping my face neutral. "Can I have a seat for one, please?"
"First or second floor?" she asked.
"The second floor, please," I said immediately, glancing at the crowded tables on the ground floor. The noise was already rising again.
She nodded and led me upstairs, her steps light. Thankfully, there was one empty table tucked against the wall.
I slid into the chair, resting back against it as she handed me a menu. I didn't even bother reading it properly. "Ten plates of meat," I said.
Her eyes widened. "Are you sure you'll be able to finish all of this?"
Instead of answering, I adjusted my scarf slightly, tilting my head just enough for my smile to peek out-and one of my sharp canines to glint in the light.
Her expression shifted instantly. "Ah... that makes sense. It'll be right up," she said with a small bow before hurrying off.
I leaned back, smirking faintly. A memory surfaced-Rebecca dragging me out to eat years ago.
I had asked her if people would be disgusted by my teeth, if they'd throw me out. She'd only laughed.
"There might not be many people like you, but there are some," she'd explained. "If you eat out, the customers might stare, but the restaurant won't care. To them, you're a walking money bag. People like you eat a lot. That's all they see."
At the time, the explanation made me want to cry. I didn't want to be considered just some hungry monster with a bottomless stomach. And yet, she was right. I eat more than most, far more than normal. At least I wouldn't be turned away.
The clatter of plates snapped me back to the present. I looked up to see the same waitress setting down steaming dishes of meat, with a man in a chef's uniform beside her.
"That was fast," I said, smiling at them.
"Of course. We don't want you to go hungry," the chef said warmly.
"Haha, true, true," I chuckled. But as I scanned the plates, I noticed something-among the cuts of meat were scraps, offcuts, and tougher pieces. My eyes narrowed slightly.
"I see you guys went and found some peculiar meat for me," I said, my tone light but sharp enough to make them stiffen.
The chef coughed, shifting awkwardly. "Y-yes... we don't have a lot of A-rank meat left..."
"Don't worry about it," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "I like this sort of meat anyway. But-can I ask for something special?"
Their heads tilted in unison.
"Can you make me some bones boiled in meat sauce? "Please boil them for just ten minutes or so," I explained.
Confusion flickered across their faces, but I added, "Don't worry. I'll pay you for it."
When money was mentioned, their hesitation vanished. They nodded quickly and left without asking further questions.
"When they hear about money, they never ask," I muttered with a chuckle. Turning my eyes back to the feast before me, I clasped my hands together lightly.
"Thanks for the food."
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Chapter 42: Kayda the Scorch Dragon
"Hello, is it fine if I share a table with you?"
The sudden voice pulled me out of my focus. I had been slouched comfortably, gnawing on a thick marrow bone, my scroll propped against the side of my bucket. I had almost forgotten the thing existed until I started fiddling with it again out of boredom.
My ears flicked up, catching the words before I even bothered to raise my eyes. With deliberate laziness, I tilted my head upward and found myself staring into a pair of bright red eyes.
The girl standing there was... striking. Her hair was a bold red-orange, like embers caught in sunlight, falling in slightly messy strands that framed her face. Her cheeks were rounded, her lips small, almost delicate, but her gaze burned sharper than her soft features suggested. She wasn't tall-maybe a head shorter than me, around a meter sixty-but she carried herself like someone who believed she had the right to stand out.
And then, of course, there was the dragon tail. The long, red-scaled tail swayed lazily behind her as if it had a life of its own. It gave her away before anything else.
I narrowed my eyes briefly and tried to use my analysis skill out of habit-only to feel the dull thud of a blocker stone. Hn. Clever. I didn't require any analysis to sense her presence. Her aura seeped off her body like slow heat from a forge. Strong. Stronger than the average Dragonoid I'd crossed paths with. But still... when I compared her to Mom? She was just an ant before a mountain.
I leaned back in my seat, the bone still hanging between my teeth. "That would be fine. I got bonely anyways," I said flatly.
No reaction.
I flicked my ear, disappointed, and crunched down on the bone with a casual snap. "Guess if you don't mind me eating bones, we can share the table."
"I don't mind," she said, nodding slightly.
She moved with a calmness that was almost... too practiced. Like she wanted me to notice how unbothered she was. I clicked my tongue quietly and began pushing aside the clutter of my table-half-picked bones, an empty tankard, and plates stacked crookedly.
"Sorry," I muttered, stacking another plate on top of the leaning tower, "they haven't come and cleaned the table in a while."
"That's okay. Thank you." Her voice was polite but light-like she didn't care one way or another. She slipped into the chair across from me, her tail curling neatly around her side before dropping with a quiet thump against the wood.
I didn't reply. If she wanted silence, she could have it. I turned my attention back to the scroll, pretending to be absorbed in the glowing runes flickering across its surface.
For a few minutes, only the clinking of cutlery and the chatter of other patrons filled the air between us. The tavern wasn't rowdy yet, but a constant murmur of voices, footsteps, and the faint strum of a bard's lute bled into the background.
Then, her voice again:
"Ooh, is that the new scroll that came out last week?"
I didn't even look up. "I have no idea, really. Got this job today. So, most likely." I spoke with the bone still jutting from my mouth, not bothering to sound polite.
"If you're struggling to use it, I can help you."
That made me pause. Slowly, I raised my eyes from the scroll, narrowing them at her. "And why would I ask a stranger to help me with something like this?"
She smiled faintly. Too faintly. Like the kind of smile you practiced in a mirror until it looked convincing. "Wow. Now that I see your eyes-they look scary."
My ears twitched. I sucked on the bone once before shrugging. "If you say so."
The fake smile didn't budge. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, strands of ember-red hair slipping across her cheek. "What's your name, even, foxy?"
"Nova," I said without hesitation, chewing idly. "And yours?"
"Kayda."
I let the name roll in my mind once before giving her a nod. "What a unique name."
"I can say the same to you," she said smoothly.
Before I could answer, the blond waitress swung by with a tray. "Sorry, Kayda, we're quite busy today."
Kayda waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. You should know by now I'm not concerned about waiting. "And Nova is here in good company."
I turned to her sharply, narrowing my eyes again. She met them without a flinch. The way she sat there, utterly relaxed, tail swaying, lips curved faintly-it didn't match the Dragonoids I knew. They were usually sharp-edged, quick to bristle, and dripping with pride.
Her carefree act threw me. This left me with two possibilities: either she was impossibly strong, or she wasn't a Dragonoid at all.
I chewed that thought as she finally finished her order and leaned back, folding her arms. Her fake smile returned, irritating me.
"You aren't a Dragonoid, are you?" I said bluntly, eyes boring into hers.
She blinked once, then let out a laugh. "Haha, no way you'd just say that." Her grin turned mischievous, eyes narrowing with interest.
"Haah." I sighed, leaning forward, resting my chin in my palm. "It's obvious. Your attitude doesn't fit. And you aren't stronger than my mother. So that leaves only two options: you're faking being a Dragonoid, or you're a pure dragon. If you tried to fake it, you did a poor job-you forgot the wings. So that leaves pure dragon. It must be a young dragon, since you don't have any older ones yet.
I jabbed my finger in her direction for emphasis.
Her grin faltered-just slightly-before she chuckled again.
Most people think dragonoids and dragons are the same, but they couldn't be more different. Dragons lived thousands of years, making them patient and detached. Dragonoids lived shorter, fiercer lives-impatient, prideful, and quick to anger. Dragons were prideful too, but not impulsive. Dragonoids? They could tear down a city just because someone looked at them funny.
The one exception was royals, who actually knew how to think before acting. But all of them-every last one-still hated being commanded by other races. That was just ingrained.
Dragonoids grew their wings with their class. Dragons only gained theirs by meeting certain conditions-things like fully accepting themselves or, according to Mom, finding a soulmate who accepted them. But knowing Mom, that might've been a story she spun to make me laugh.
Kayda tilted her head, the smirk never leaving her lips. "Haha, is that so? Not stronger than your mother? Well, not surprising, seeing as you're a demon fox. But I am an Elemental Sage. I wouldn't say I'm completely out of the running."
I caught the edge of anger in her voice beneath the playfulness. She didn't like me dismissing her.
I chewed my bone slowly, then shook my head. "Hmm, no, you are. There's no way you'd win against her. Your aura's way weaker."
Her anger vanished instantly, replaced with interest. Her eyes gleamed as if I'd just dangled a secret in front of her nose. That-more than anything-confirmed what I suspected. She wasn't normal.
"You can see someone's aura?" she asked.
"No," I said simply, "I can feel it."
The truth was, I didn't really know how I did it. Ever since I evolved two days ago, I could just... sense strength. Mom's presence was still like an ocean, unshakable. Kayda's was strong, yes, but nowhere near that.
Her grin widened, that glint growing sharper. Before she could press, the waitress finally returned with food. Three plates piled high with fatty cuts of meat for Kayda, and another bucket of bones for me.
"Here's your food," the waitress said.
"Thank you," Kayda said immediately, already digging in.
I smirked, biting into another bone. "Haha, food's more important, I see."
She chewed quickly, already halfway through her first plate. "What? I might be a researcher at heart, but food's still more important."
I paused. "A researcher? That explains the glint in your eyes." Relief loosened my shoulders slightly. At least that explained her intensity.
"Aah, sorry," Kayda said, swallowing, "if something intrigues me too much, I get like that."
"That's fine. I've seen worse. What type of researcher? Body? Magic? Something else?"
"I am referring to knowledge in general," she said between bites. "Well, currently, I'm not a full-day researcher."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I work for the Black Ops," she clarified. "Missions every once in a while."
I leaned back, amused. "Ooh, a black ops soldier, huh? What rank?"
She lifted her chin proudly. "I'm a level 680 Elemental Sage. Legendary class. Where do you think I sit?"
I let out a low whistle. "Haha, true, you did say that. I apologize; I didn't mean to annoy you, Miss Dragon.
Her nose wrinkled instantly. "Tsk. Don't call me miss. I'm thirty-five, thank you."
I blinked, then laughed. "Wow. That's really young for a dragon."
Her eyes narrowed. "Shut up. I can beat your ass any day, you damn fox." She bared her teeth at me, but with a strip of meat dangling from her lip, it came off more comical than threatening.
"That's true," I admitted, smirking. "After all, I'm only thirteen."
Her fork froze midair. "You're only thirteen!?"
"Yeah. How old did you think I was?" I grinned, tail flicking.
"Like twenty-something! Not thirteen!?"
"Now that's rude. I'm still in my youth."
"Are you calling me old?"
"Huh? No. You're a dragon. Of course you're still very young. And a strong one, too."
She scoffed, setting down her fork. "Snort. Yeah, sure. Strong for my age, maybe. But I'm still a failure as a dragon. Got kicked out of my clan for accepting a mortal as a friend."
My ears perked. "Wait. You were kicked out for having a friend? Or for joining Black Ops?"
"Black ops came after. I didn't have anywhere else to go." She dropped her gaze, shoulders tensing. For the first time, she looked as if she expected ridicule.
Instead, I slammed my bone on the table. "Huh? Are you saying that making a mortal friend means you're a failure? That's dumb. Sure, I get the pride thing when it's about commands. But friends? That has nothing to do with pride."
Her head snapped up, eyes wide at the anger in my voice.
I crossed my arms. "Tsk. Your clan head's a bonehead. Too old of a lizard to see straight. Pride's more a curse than a blessing, sometimes."
She blinked once, then laughed. For the first time, it was genuine-her shoulders shook, her lips curled naturally, and her eyes softened. She looked prettier in that moment, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
I stared for half a beat too long before Amari's voice cut across the tavern, calling for me.
I sighed, pushing coins onto the table. Standing, I stretched, then walked around to her side. Reaching out, I ruffled her hair gently, ignoring the way her ears flicked back.
"Well, Kayda the Dragon," I said softly. "It was fun talking. But I need to find my sister. Thanks for all the information, by the way."
She blinked up at me, almost startled, then chuckled. "Haha, no problem."
Grinning, I turned and walked away, my tail swishing behind me.
I already think you know who Kayda really is.
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For the people who are going to say anything about age. They are long live races 22 years means nothing for them.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 43: A Fox hunt
"Nova!? Come back here!? You damn fox!?" Just as I exited the restaurant, I heard Kayda screaming at me.
"Haha, come and find me, Miss Dragon!?" I yelled back, springing onto the nearest rooftop. Tiles cracked under my weight before I pushed off again, heading south. The night air felt sharp against my cheeks, carrying the faint smell of grilled meat and soot from the street stalls below. My scroll buzzed, and with one hand steadying my run, I flipped it open to answer.
"Where the hell are you!?" Amari's voice boomed so loud it nearly ruptured my ear.
"Geez, don't yell like that," I winced, ears twitching. "I went and found some food for myself."
"Food?" she snapped, irritation heavy in her tone. "Couldn't you at least tell us? We only realized you were gone when we arrived at the guild!"
I grimaced, leaping over a chimney stack. "I was going to, but I, uh, ran into that granny from this morning again."
There was a pause. Then, in that flat, emotionless voice of hers: "And you decided to run, didn't you?"
"Well, anyway," I said quickly, brushing past the accusation, "I'm heading south toward the center. Where are you guys?"
A long sigh hissed through the scroll. "Whatever. Find the train station. We'll meet you there."
"Okay, BOOM-!?" A deafening explosion rattled the tiles beneath my feet. My ears rang. Spinning around mid-stride, I saw Kayda landing on the same roof I'd used earlier, her crimson hair disheveled, her eyes glowing like coals. She looked anything but pleased. "Shit, she found me."
"What was that?" Amari's voice asked through the scroll.
"Haha, nothing. I'll see you at the train station!" I laughed, jamming the scroll into my storage. I hurled myself sideways just as two balls of searing light scorched through where I'd been a heartbeat ago. Heat washed against my cheek, making the air shimmer.
"Wow, you're a scorch dragon!?" I shouted, landing and rolling before springing to another roof. "Here I thought you were just fire, seeing those red scales!"
Her growl vibrated through the air as she chased me.
'She said she's level 680, legendary class... Speed should be around 6500. Damn. But we're in the city, cramped rooftops, so she can't use it all-maybe 3000, give or take. Still way faster than me. Flash Step only doubles my speed, and it eats mana. If I shift down into my tiny fox form, maybe I can outpace her. Hopefully.' As more scorch balls arced past and burst into cinders across the tiles, my thoughts raced as quickly as my legs.
At least she wasn't aiming for lethal blows. That much I could tell. My gut said she was more irritated than murderous. However, getting hit by a scorch ball to the chest would definitely ruin my day. I could always reveal my true identity to her and put an end to this chase, but... why would I do that? Where was the fun in that? Additionally, teasing her provided its own benefits.
"I'm going to get you, you stupid fox!" Kayda bellowed, hurling another orb of burning light.
"Hey! That's not very nice-attacking your new friend like this! I thought we got close back there!" I teased, vaulting over the blast.
"Like hell we're friends! You cast a spell on me, didn't you!? To make me believe you, to trust you!"
"What? Huh? I can't even use spells like that!" I called, darting over a slanted rooftop. My boots scraped loudly as I landed, momentum nearly carrying me off the edge. I steadied myself and kept running south.
"Where do you think you're going!?" She snarled, hot on my heels. Her claws dug into the tiles as she pursued, chunks of roof cracking under her weight.
"Tsk, really hope this works," I muttered. Clicking my tongue, I dropped into a dark alleyway, shadows swallowing me whole.
"I know your smell," Kayda warned as she landed behind me, her tone dripping with predatory confidence. "I'll find you."
"Ooh, kinky," I called back, letting my voice echo through the narrow walls.
Her lips curled into a smirk. "Darkness won't hide your smell, dumb fox."
"No shit, lizard, but it does mess with your eyes," I replied, flinging a spread of ice daggers toward her boots.
She danced back, sparks bursting where they struck stone. Her eyes flicked toward the source.
"There you are!" she barked, unleashing a volley of spells that tore chunks from the building wall.
"Wow! Trying to kill me!?" My voice carried from behind her this time.
She whirled, fire already blazing in her palms.
"I see... You can see in the dark," she said, teeth glinting in amusement.
"Haha, of course. Well, now that you know... it's time for me to go. Cheers." My shadow flickered in place as I bolted.
"No, you don't-!" she snapped, lunging, but then froze. Her eyes widened as she glanced down. Both her boots were coated in ice, locking her to the ground. "What the-!?"
My chuckle drifted from the rooftops as I darted away, this time in my small fox form. Paws barely touched the tiles as the city blurred past me.
'Yeah, this way is faster. Way faster. About double my normal speed... which means, if this logic holds, my giant form should be terrifying. Still, there is so much about me I don't fully understand.'
I was so lost in thought I didn't notice the shadow above until it was too late. Someone dropped in front of me.
"-!" I collided with her back, both of us crashing onto the next rooftop with a loud thud.
"Owie," came a surprisingly adorable yelp.
I scrambled up, dusting off my fur before shifting back, and blinking down at her. She groaned, tail swishing in irritation-red-scaled, barefoot, hair a mess from the fall.
'Oh crap. How did she get in front of me so fast?' I thought, inching toward the roof's edge.
"Ouch, what the hell hit me?" Kayda muttered, pushing herself upright. She turned, spotting me, her expression shifting from confusion to suspicion. "What the hell are you?"
I tilted my head, ears flicking, but didn't answer. My muscles coiled, ready to spring.
She stared for a moment, then sighed in exasperation. "Whatever. Have you seen a demon fox running around on the rooftops here?"
I just tilted my head the other way. Her brow twitched.
"You don't understand me, do you?" she muttered. Another sigh. She brushed past me and ran on.
I smirked. "For a researcher, she's kind of dumb. Whatever. I'll ask Mom later about magic training." I resumed toward the station, finally thinking I was free.
Then-
"Come here, you damn fox!!" Kayda's furious roar chased me. Looking back, I saw steam literally pouring off her body, shimmering in the moonlight.
"Wow, you really are mad, huh?" I called, a grin tugging my lips.
"Shut up! Be a good fox and stand still!" she yelled, baring her teeth in a grin that promised trouble.
"Nope." I bolted again.
"Fuck you! I'll catch you!"
"You can try!" I laughed, ears flat with adrenaline.
Her restraint finally cracked. I saw it in the way her spells swelled larger, brighter, and more dangerous. "I'm done holding back! I can't let you run around with my secrets anymore!"
My eyes widened. Her scorch balls had ballooned in size-each one could wipe a block clean. "Oi! Civilians live here, you know!"
"I don't care!" she snarled, launching them anyway. Her grin twisted. "I was planning to retire from Black Ops anyway!"
"Are you insane-!?" I snapped, summoning blades. I hurled them, colliding midair with her scorching orbs. The explosions rattled the night, shattering windows.
Kayda stared, stunned. "Your swords... they negated my magic. How!?"
I smirked. "I'm not going to explain my tricks to someone I don't know."
Her eye twitched, but instead of rage, a grin spread over her lips. "Well, whatever. I still need to catch you."
"Oi! At least don't throw the big ones at me!" I said, lobbing daggers to intercept more blasts.
"Like hell I'll hold back!" She snapped her wrist, conjuring a spear of water laced with crackling lightning.
"Sigh..." I backflipped, catching it midair with my right hand. Frost spread from my palm, freezing the spear solid. Landing, I spun and hurled it back. It shattered into mist just before striking her, enveloping her in cold fog.
"Wha-!?" Kayda's voice echoed in shock.
I didn't wait. I sprinted for the station.
"Hopefully, she calms down before she catches me again," I muttered under my breath.
"There you are! What took you so long!?" Amari shouted the moment I vaulted off a roof and landed beside the station.
I brushed dust from my sleeves, trying to look casual. "I ran into some trouble. Like always."
"This trouble," Zagan said flatly, pointing upward, "wouldn't have to do with her, would it?"
I turned. Kayda stood atop the roof I'd just jumped from, hair wild, glaring daggers at me. Her bangs stuck up in ridiculous tufts from the mist.
"Haha... yeah. I may have pushed her too much," I admitted, rubbing the back of my head.
"Why is Aunt Kayda after you?" Amari asked, eyes narrowing.
"Aunt? Huh? Well, sis, I'd love to tell the whole story, but she clearly hasn't calmed down yet." I kept my gaze on Kayda. "Mind calling Mom and letting her know I messed up... again?"
Amari groaned but pulled out her scroll. "This happens a lot, doesn't it?"
"There's nowhere to run now, stupid fox!" Kayda shouted, vaulting down to ground level. The impact cracked the cobblestones.
"She's really lost it," I muttered.
"True," Zagan agreed beside me. "Kayda is a sage. She should've kept her distance."
I cut him a sharp look. "And what do you think you're doing?"
"Helping you," he said, puffing his chest.
"You're doing jack. Go back to Rachel," I said, jabbing a thumb over my shoulder.
"Man, that's cold," he muttered, sulking off.
I turned back to Kayda, lifting my hands, ice already curling around my fingers. "Well then, Kayda. You want to catch me, right?"
"That was the plan," she admitted, but a dangerous grin tugged her lips, eyes glittering. "But now I want to see just how far your magic can go."
"What, seriously!?"
"Of course," she said, smiling almost sweetly despite her chaotic hair.
"You are one weird-ass aunt," I muttered, lowering into a stance as frost crept up my arms.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 44: The Demoness
"So, are you ready?" Kayda asked, her voice carrying that casual sharpness she always had, like she was already bored of waiting.
I glanced around us, at the crowd forming in a loose circle. People whispered, craning their necks, some even grinning in anticipation. Great-exactly what I didn't want. A duel was one thing, but with an audience? Every little move of mine would be picked apart. My chest tightened, and I folded my arms, narrowing my eyes at her.
"Can't we do it at a training ground?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm even though the attention made my skin itch.
Kayda's lips curled into a sly grin, her tail flicking once behind her. "No. I'm in the mood to do it now." She stepped closer, her eyes glinting with heat, literally-her mana shimmered faintly in the air around her, warm enough that I felt the shift against my skin.
"Tsk, fine," I muttered, tugging at my scarf, unwrapping it slowly, and folding it once before tossing it aside. My hoodie followed, leaving me in a plain, fitted undershirt and cargo pants. The air against my arms felt colder and sharper, and I caught Kayda's stare lingering longer than I liked. With a sigh, I set my feet shoulder-width apart, raising my hands into a fighting stance. My voice came out steady, clipped. "I'm ready."
Kayda gave a low whistle. "To think you look like that under your hoodie." Her grin widened into something mischievous before she casually flicked her wrist. Two glowing scorch balls ignited in her palms and spun toward me, humming with compressed heat.
"Haah, whatever," I said under my breath. My fist met the first ball, heat exploding against my knuckles. It burst in a sharp flare, the shock rattling my arm. I clenched my jaw and swiped at the second one, my palm cracking through the sphere before it popped with a hiss. Pain lanced, but I kept my expression flat. "That kind of hurts," I muttered, shaking the faint smoke from my hand.
Kayda's brows lifted. "Why would you do that?" Her eyes narrowed, searching my hand-then widened slightly. My knuckles were coated in a thin sheen of frost, shimmering faintly. Her grin returned. "I see... so you do have a racial element." She said it under her breath, almost to herself. But I caught it anyway.
"Yes, I do," I answered, my voice low but firm. Then I tilted my head at her. "You as well, right?"
Her eyes flicked to mine, a little flash of surprise. "You could hear me from there?" She shook her head with a small chuckle, then nodded. "Is that so? It's our little secret, then." With that she bared her teeth in another grin and sent another wave of attacks my way.
I huffed and lifted my hands, stepping forward into the storm of fire. Each one I smacked aside or cut through, forcing my body forward. The air around me grew hotter, sweat pricking my neck, but I pushed, closing the gap one step at a time.
At four meters, I darted into a sprint. There's no point wasting stamina punching flames. Dodging was easier.
"You think just because I'm a sage, I'm weak up close?" she asked, annoyance flickering across her face as she whipped another scorch ball past me.
"Huh? Of course not." My tone was flat, my face unreadable. With a flash of speed, I slipped into her blindside, the war hammer materializing in my grip mid-motion. The weight felt solid and grounding as I brought it down toward her.
Her eyes widened, her form blurring back several steps before the hammer slammed into the ground where she'd stood. Dust plumed upward. I straightened, exhaling. "The reason's simple-I can't use long-range attacks yet." My gaze followed her as she adjusted her stance, still several meters off.
"Wow, your-" She didn't finish. Her head snapped up as a whip lashed toward her. She barely slipped aside before her eyes widened again, a scythe's gleaming edge grazing the air above her neck. She ducked, only to stumble back as jagged ice spikes erupted from the ground, slow but sharp, forcing her to scorch them away with a wave of heat.
She landed lightly several paces back, glaring. "Are you trying to kill me?"
I didn't answer, my expression remaining cold and detached. That only made her sigh before she resumed her barrage.
My lungs burned. Mana was running low. 'I don't really have a lot left. Flash Step and running ate most of it.' My arms felt heavier, my breathing sharper. I conjured a halberd in one hand, leaving just enough mana in reserve.
Her next volley came fast. I spun the halberd, its blade catching the heat, slicing one ball cleanly in half while the other whistled past my ear. I lunged, thrusting.
"You sliced it?" she muttered, eyes flicking in brief surprise as she twisted aside. Her palm flared, a searing line of heat shattering the halberd's tip in an instant.
I gave no reaction, flipping the broken shaft and spinning it into a strike aimed at her side.
She danced back, smirking faintly. "You really remind me of someone I know."
"Is that so?" I pressed forward, bringing the staff down hard.
"Yeah." She caught the shaft mid-swing and yanked, dragging me toward her.
I dispelled it instantly, the sudden loss of resistance pulling me forward. Two daggers appeared in my hands, the rest of my mana sputtering away in the creation. Momentum carried me into a slash, the left dagger arcing upward.
She stepped back, the blade grazing the edge of her robe. She prepared a spell, but I followed with the right dagger, forcing her another step away. From outside it might have looked like she toyed with me. But each dodge was tight and precise-she wasn't playing.
"Geez, you're quite a prodigy for your age," Kayda said between breaths, her grin sharp. "No-more like a monster prodigy."
"Pfft, and what does that have to do with anything?" I growled, not letting up.
"You really are-" Her words cut as danger prickled the air. Both of us froze, eyes snapping up.
A dozen swords whistled down from above. Instinct took over-we dove in opposite directions, blades and heat slicing the ground where we'd just stood.
"She's outraged this time," I muttered, pulling a sword from my thigh sheath. Kayda stood beside me, tense.
"Can you transfer mana?" I asked quickly.
Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, I can. Why?"
"Well, I don't have any left, and I really don't want to die today." I extended my hand without hesitation.
She blinked at me, then smirked faintly before grasping it. Energy flowed in, warm and steady, seeping into my veins.
'Mana transfer-only possible with precise control. Something I lack.' The realization stung.
"Thank you," I murmured. My eyes lifted just as a shadow descended. Mom-Stacy-landed from the aircraft, her presence heavy, oppressive. One look at her expression and I groaned inwardly. Pain. Lots of pain incoming.
"Do you know what you two just interrupted!?" Mom snapped, her tone sharp enough to slice.
I swallowed, lifting my hands slightly. "If I think about it, I have an idea... but I don't want to say it."
"Ohh, you do?" She tilted her head, eyes narrowing in mock curiosity.
"You do?" Kayda asked, clearly lost, glancing between us.
I leaned toward her, whispering quickly. "You know she was away for three years, right?"
She nodded slowly.
"Well... she was away from Dean as well."
Her eyes widened, realization hitting like lightning. "Ooh... ohhh." Her smirk returned as she looked at Mom. "You were busy 'stress-relieving' with Dean, weren't you?"
"Haha, Kayda, you really looking to die today." Mom's voice dripped menace.
"Can you not make it worse?" I hissed, glaring at Kayda.
"Oh, come on, we both know you won't kill your best friend," she shrugged.
Mom's hand twitched, a sword pulling itself from the earth. I reacted fast, shoving Kayda away just as the blade cut the air where she'd been. "Can you not taunt her right now!"
Mom's voice came from behind me, cold. "Did I not teach you not to take your eyes off your opponent?"
Her kick slammed into my ribs, launching me through a building wall. Dust choked my throat as I groaned against the rubble.
"Wow, Stacy, isn't that a bit too much?" Kayda called, running toward me.
"Where do you think you're going?" Mom flicked daggers at her back.
Kayda twisted away with a click of her tongue. "Calm down! You might've killed her just now!"
Mom laughed, sharp and merciless. "Do you really think a daughter of mine would die that easily?"
"Daughter!?" Kayda yelped.
"For fuck's sake, Mom!? Can you not send me into a building?" I shouted back, dragging myself out. My reply was punctuated by two spinning crosswheels flying at her.
"Ohh, are we taking this seriously now?" she said, batting them aside.
"Shut up," I muttered, stepping into the open, a war hammer slung across my shoulder, and a one-meter rock balanced in the other hand. I tossed it up, gripped the hammer with both hands, and smashed the rock midair, sending it careening toward her like a cannonball.
The hammer dropped from my grip as I flashed beside Kayda. "Attack her from a distance. Don't worry about me being in your way." I sprinted ahead, an ice katana forming in my hand.
"Okay?" Kayda's voice was hesitant and confused.
Mom's smirk deepened. "Oi, don't think your plans will work that easily." Her katana met mine with a clang, sparks flying. If she'd fortified it, my blade would've shattered.
I ducked, slashing low at her legs, forcing her into a hop just as Kayda's spells rained down.
"Kayda, you know these won't work on me," Mom said, slicing them cleanly.
"The only way out of this is to hit her at least once!" I shouted, swinging upward.
"That's right!" Mom's boot slammed into my stomach, knocking the breath from me.
Pain blurred the edges of my vision, but I gritted my teeth and stood again. Ten minutes bled away into a haze of steel, fire, and exhaustion.
Finally, I collapsed, face-first into my own blood. Kayda knelt in seiza beside me, chest heaving, her body trembling.
"In the end, you couldn't hit me," Mom said, her voice calm, almost smug, as she stood above us.
"You demoness," Kayda wheezed. "Of course we didn't. I was too scared to go all out, and she's..."
"Weak," I mumbled, forcing my head up, blood dripping down my chin. I glanced at Kayda, asking silently for mana. She shook her head. Empty. I turned to Mom-her expression said it all. Denied.
'Weak, huh? If she's weak, then I'm nothing but a booger, Zagan thought grimly from the sidelines.
"Sis is really strong," Amari whispered, her fists clenched tight, awe flickering in her eyes.
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Chapter 45: 3, No, 4
(Stacy POV)
Kitsuna had changed since her evolution. It was not just her power, which was evident in every sharp movement and every flare of mana that bent the air around her; it was also her presence. Her eyes had grown wilder, sharper, like they cut through everything they landed on. And yet, despite all of it, she still carried herself like a child who hadn't learned how to fit her own skin. She barely touched her chakrams. Her magic was raw, unpolished, like a blade pulled from the forge before the tempering. She needed a teacher who could shape that chaos.
And Kayda... Kayda might be the one to bring that out of her.
I turned to look at her-and immediately noticed something was off.
Her hands kept drifting behind her, fingers digging lightly into her back. Not scratching idly. It was deliberate. Almost frantic. The same way she does when she's hiding something.
I frowned. Without a word, I stepped closer and tugged her collar down before she could protest.
"Y-yelp! Stacy!" She squeaked, jerking forward.
But I'd already seen it. Her skin was cracked, jagged lines peeling in uneven patches, as if the outer layer was ready to fall away. Ecdysis.
My breath caught. "Kayda... why is your back like this?" My voice lowered, not in anger but in worry.
She didn't answer. Not directly. Her eyes were locked instead on Kitsuna, unconscious on the ground, streaked in blood. The look in Kayda's eyes wasn't simple worry. It was heavier. Tortured.
"Do you want to talk in private?" I asked carefully.
Her throat bobbed. "...Yes. Please."
I didn't give her the chance to hesitate again.
"Take Kitsuna to the aircraft," I ordered curtly over my shoulder. My voice left no room for questions. Then, before Kayda could second-guess herself, I gripped her shoulder and vanished us from the battlefield.
When we reappeared, the world was nothing but sky and stone. A forgotten watchtower rose out of the cliffs a kilometer away, high above the world. Wind howled around us, sharp and cold, tugging at our clothes and hair.
Kayda's tears had already started.
I faced her fully, searching her face. "Why are you crying?"
Her lip trembled. Her voice cracked. "Because I'm a failure, Stacy."
The words hit me like a slap. "Failure?" I echoed. My jaw tightened. "Kayda, we've talked about this. You are not a failure. You're different, yes. But not broken. Not worthless. You're a special dragon. Your father was wrong to cast you aside."
Her eyes squeezed shut, tears spilling fresh. "No... I was meant to fail from the start."
I blinked, the chill in my chest deepening. "...From the start? What do you mean?"
Her gaze rose, wet and pained, and for the first time she didn't hide it. "My soulmate is a fox. Do you know what that means? I'll be a joke, Stacy. To dragons, to demi-humans, even to humans. They'll all laugh at me. That a dragon sage, daughter of Vermillion, bound herself to... that."
It took a second for the words to hit me. Then they did. My blood ran cold.
"...Kitsuna?" I whispered.
She nodded.
My heart lurched. I stumbled back a step, the stone biting my heel. The world tilted. Should I be happy? Angry? Afraid? My mind clawed for footing and found nothing. Amari's bond with Zagan was messy enough, but this... a soulmate? A dragon's soulmate? That was forever. Absolutely.
Kayda-my best friend-is bound to my daughter.
My daughter-in-law?
"What the fuck..." The words tore out of me, raw, before I could stop them.
But then I saw her expression-not joy, not awe-shame.
"Wait," I snapped, finding my balance, my voice sharper now. "Aren't you glad to have found her?"
"Yes. And no." Kayda's voice broke on the words. "A part of me is... happy. But the other part, the part that sees she's a fox, refuses it. It feels... wrong."
Something inside me snapped. I lunged, fisting her collar and hauling her up so our faces were inches apart.
"You listen to me." My voice was low, venomous, and trembling with the weight of my fury. "Kitsuna is my daughter. Not by blood, but by bond. If you dare dismiss her-if you ever reduce her to just a fox-I will not forgive you. Not even you, Kayda."
Her lips parted, trembling. "...Lives? What do you mean?"
The question cut deeper than I expected. My grip slackened. For a heartbeat, the memories I had buried surged up like a tide.
I exhaled harshly, my voice a rasp. "She's carried more than one life, Kayda. You don't understand. She's seen worlds collapse. Watched them rot, watched herself rot with them. Every scar she wears isn't just from here."
I shut my eyes, pressing a palm to my face as if I could shove the words back inside. "Five years. Ten. More. Pain that doesn't end, it just piles higher. You see her smile, but you don't see how cursed she is to keep surviving."
Kayda sat frozen on the stone floor. The wind whipped her hair across her face, drying the tears into pale streaks, but her eyes stayed locked on me-horrified, stricken.
I steadied myself, but my voice stayed sharp. "You think she's just a fox. But you haven't even begun to see what she's endured."
I forced myself to continue, slower, each word dragging. "Three years ago... Duke Vermillion's experiments. She was the last child left standing. Except she didn't stand. She died. He filled her with primordial blood, and it killed her. But she came back. Not clean. Not free. Twisted. Her very race rewritten. Her curse chained her with regeneration that makes death nearly impossible. Strip her mana, cut off her head-maybe. Otherwise? She always comes back."
Kayda's breath hitched, her hands clenching against her knees.
"And that's not even the worst of it." My voice went hollow. "She's Wrath. A Sin Holder. The second strongest of them all. The hardest to leash."
I crouched in front of her now, forcing her to meet my eyes. "She's thirteen, Kayda. But she's immortal. Every choice she makes will outlast us all. So I'll ask you once. Are you going to help her carry it, or are you going to make it heavier?"
Kayda's eyes widened. Her body sagged, and she bowed low, forehead pressing against cold stone. "I... I'm sorry. I was selfish. Foolish. Please forgive me."
Her contrition cut through the air like the only honest thing left.
"I'll take that for now," I said, finally easing down to sit cross-legged across from her. "But don't think it's over. If you want her to accept you... you'll have to earn it."
She raised her head, confused. "Earn it? How?"
"You'll teach Amari. Full elemental training. Sage-level, before the academy begins."
She blinked. "...Amari? Not Kitsune?"
"You'll help her when you can. But Kitsuna's my disciple. Her weapon training stays with me. If you want her to see you as more than a fate-bound dragon, you'll need to prove yourself on your own merits."
Kayda hesitated, then a faint smile tugged her lips. "If she ever reached your level in weapons... that would be terrifying. And incredible."
"Three years," I said. "That's how long it took me to make her call me 'Mom.' You'll need at least that much."
A soft flush crept across Kayda's cheeks. She looked away, muttering, "Tch..."
I chuckled humorlessly. "Warnings, though. Kitsuna has... modes." I held up fingers one by one. "You've seen two."
Kayda tilted her head.
"First is her playful side-mischievous, light. Second is her serious mask. Cold, detached, the one she fights with. That one's dangerous because she forgets herself. Treats her life like nothing." My jaw clenched. "Once, during training, I cut her in half."
Kayda's eyes bulged. "You WHAT?!"
"She healed her lower body back in five seconds. With her curse amplifying pain tenfold. She didn't even flinch." I laughed bitterly. "Fifteen years of torment will numb anyone. Doesn't make it right."
Kayda shuddered.
"The third mode? Madness. I've only heard of it. Haven't seen it yet. Maybe we will tonight."
Kayda swallowed. "...And the fourth?"
My gaze darkened. "...Speculation. If she loses someone precious, or herself... Wrath will consume her. And then the world burns."
Silence stretched between us, broken only by the wind clawing at the stones.
Expanded Ending
Kayda lowered her head again, but this time it wasn't in shame alone. Her eyes darted to the side, unfocused, like she was looking into herself.
"I really..." Her voice cracked, softer than the wind. "...I really did treat her like nothing at first, didn't I?"
I stayed quiet, letting her speak.
Her hands twisted in her lap, claws scraping stone. "When she first joined us... I dismissed her. Called her fragile. Mocked her when she stumbled in training. I thought it was just teasing, but deep down I meant it. I saw her as lesser. I told myself it was because she was inexperienced... but no. It was because she was a fox. Because I couldn't accept that something so small, so un-dragonlike, could stand beside me."
Her breath shook. "And all the while... she smiled back. She joked. She teased me. And I thought she was too dumb to realize I was looking down on her. But she knew, didn't she? She always knew."
Her shoulders trembled, shame rolling off her like waves.
I let her stew in it; let it burn. Because she needed to feel it before it could change her.
Finally, I said, "Yes. She knew. But Kitsuna forgives more than she should. That's her weakness. She'll take the pain and keep standing. That doesn't absolve you."
Kayda's lips quivered. "Then I'll fix it. I swear I'll fix it. I don't care if she hates me for what I said, I'll... I'll spend the rest of my life proving I was wrong."
Her voice was raw, desperate.
"You'd better," I said, softer now but still cutting. "Because soul bond or not, if you break her, I will tear that bond apart with my own hands."
Her eyes widened. "You... you'd kill me?"
"Yes," I said, with no hesitation. "If it meant saving her."
The silence after that was thick, suffocating. Kayda didn't flinch away, didn't protest. She just nodded, jaw clenched, tears streaking down her face in silence.
I sighed and leaned back against the cold wall, letting the wind sting my skin. "...But I don't think it will come to that. You've got your chance, Kayda. Don't waste it."
She nodded again, slower this time. And for the first time since we'd arrived on that tower, I saw a flicker of determination cut through her shame. Fragile, but real.
It would have to be enough. For now.
When I wrote Stacy's rant, I found out how bad of an author I am, making my MC go through all that just to have a semy sane 9 tail fox. Haha, and it isn't even over. I really am a mean person.
Sorry, Kitsuna, for the past and future. Please forgive this Author-sama.
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Chapter 46:
(Stacy's POV)
Kayda still sat across from me, arms folded, her tail twitching in a way only I noticed. The stone room carried a faint smell of burnt incense, a leftover from earlier prayers, and the silence between us pressed as heavily as the weight of the mountains outside.
"Yeah," I said at last, leaning back against the wall, "I just hope you can help her when she finds out she has four modes."
Kayda's brows knitted instantly. "Wait-" she leaned forward, eyes narrowing, "you mean she doesn't even know herself that she's like this?"
I gave a slow shrug, as if it were obvious. "Yeah. Her thought process stays the same, no matter which form she's in. But for us? For those watching? The difference is clear as daylight. Her posture changes, her tone shifts, and even her instincts adjust. It's... unsettling if you don't know what you're looking at. So, please, don't mention it to her. She needs to discover it on her own. Forcing the truth on her at this moment will only cause her emotional distress.
Kayda's jaw tightened. "Isn't it dangerous, though? Keeping something that important from her?" Her voice trembled between worry and accusation, and I could feel her guilt bleeding through the cracks of her composure.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Dangerous? Maybe. But Kitsuna doesn't have enough people she can rely on yet. I'm one, yes-but one isn't enough. If we tell her too early, she might not lean on us. She might run. And if she runs, she'll put herself somewhere even I can't reach. Somewhere we can't help her."
Kayda bit her lip. Her silence wasn't agreement-it was doubt.
I stood, brushing the dust off my robes, and added, half to lighten the tension, half to test her, "Honestly, you should watch out for Rachel. That girl has some... questionable intentions toward Kitsuna." I let the sarcasm drip, but a shiver trailed my spine as soon as the words left my mouth.
Because Kayda's aura shifted.
Her killing intent poured like a tide, subtle at first, then sharp enough to make the hairs on my neck rise. Her smirk wasn't playful-it was dangerous. "You mean that dumb half-breed of an Angel?" she hissed, eyes glinting.
I winced. That was a terrible idea.
"Oi," I shot back quickly, "weren't you the one who wanted to reject Kitsuna not ten minutes ago?"
The reminder hit like a slap. Kayda froze, her bravado cracking as depression swept over her face again. I chuckled under my breath, easing the edge. "Look, I understand how you feel. But don't do anything reckless. Rachel's a half-breed, sure, but she's also our only tie to the Angels right now. If we touch her, the church won't just bark-they'll hunt us."
Kayda's glare softened into reluctant thought. "You're going to use her, aren't you?"
I grinned without denying it, lifting my shoulders in a careless shrug.
Kayda's frown deepened. "Haah... I still don't understand how your family is so comfortable with you using people."
"Huh?" I leaned in, staring her down with unshaken conviction. "I'm not using them for myself. And please keep in mind-most who approach my family already come with knives hidden behind their backs. I only make sure the blade turns on them before it touches us. Family, Kayda, means everything to me."
Her silence stretched, her deadpan stare accusing.
"What? Are you saying I shouldn't?"
"...Whatever." She threw her hands up and slumped back into her chair.
I smirked, but then blinked as realization struck. "Wait a second-didn't we come here to talk about your back?"
Kayda rolled her eyes. "Really, Stacy? My wings. We've been circling the reason this whole time."
Tilting my head, I feigned ignorance until her expression hardened.
"Don't you remember?" She asked, quieter now, as if confessing a secret. "I told you once-dragons sometimes receive their wings when their soulmate accepts them completely. Trust without condition. That bond pulls wings from the soul itself."
My eyes widened with hers as the implication hit.
"She already accepted you?" We blurted together, voices overlapping.
Kayda's face flushed with uncharacteristic triumph.
"N-no, no!" I waved my hands furiously. "I refuse to believe she accepted you that fast! It took me three years to make her even begin to accept me!"
Kayda leaned back, laughing with unrestrained victory, striking a pose that could only be described as smug. "Hah! For once in my life, I've beaten you, Stacy."
I groaned in defeat, shoulders slumping. "Ugh."
My daughter... Trust someone this quickly? I thought bitterly. Trust. Acceptance. How far does it go?
The question clawed at me, and I leaned forward. "Kayda. When you say trust and accept... does that include love?"
Her smile faltered, and for once, she looked unsure. "Huh? ... Actually, now that you mention it, I don't know." She frowned, rubbing her temples. Her tail stilled, and her mood sank like a stone. "I don't think so."
I forced a shrug. "She probably accepted you because you're in the Black Ops. And under Dean's command."
"Under his command?" Kayda snorted, clearly insulted. "Are you saying that in her eyes, I'm just a dragon who submitted to a mortal?" Her shoulders sagged with the weight of the thought.
I softened, patting her back. "Don't overthink it. She's a hard egg to crack, but not impossible. And remember-you are not allowed to tell Kitsuna about this soulmate thing. Not until she finds it out herself."
Kayda grumbled but nodded faintly.
I stretched, rolling my shoulders. "Well, I need to call Amari really quick. Calm yourself down while I'm gone."
(Amari's POV)
"Take Kitsuna to the aircraft. I need a word with Kayda." Mom's voice snapped, sharp as a blade, before she vanished.
I grunted, fists clenching. She really doesn't think things through. My eyes flicked toward the Capitol Police already gathering, whispering among themselves as they surveyed the chaos. What the hell am I supposed to do with this mess?
Turning, I barked, "Zagan! Help Rachel pick up my sister and carry her to the aircraft."
Rachel was already kneeling beside Kitsuna, her angelic glow faint against the grime and blood, her hands trembling slightly as she inspected her. Zagan nodded and moved quickly to help.
I squared my shoulders and walked toward the armored figures of the Capitol Police. The scent of smoke was overwhelming, and rubble crunched beneath my boots.
The officer I needed wasn't hard to find. Among the uniforms, one man stood taller, clad in silver armor that gleamed despite the ash. His gaze locked on me the moment I approached.
"Amari Draig," he barked. "What in the gods' names happened here?"
I forced a polite smile, though it felt brittle. "Sir knight. My family had a small... disagreement. Nothing major. There is no need for you to concern yourselves with identifying any culprits.
His nostrils flared. "Small? This?" He gestured violently toward the smoking ruins. "Five buildings destroyed, three still aflame, and a road shattered beyond repair. Weeks-months-to fix! You call this small?"
My lips twitched. "Umm... I don't know what to say."
"Who caused the most damage?" His tone was sharp and demanding.
I scratched the back of my neck, awkward. "That's... difficult. I couldn't track half the fight. They were moving too fast. Honestly? If I had to guess-it was my mother and... my sister."
The knight's brow shot up. "Lady Draig? Sister? You're an only child."
"Not anymore," I said smoothly. "My parents adopted her recently."
His surprise shifted to reluctant politeness. "Oh. Congratulations, then."
Before I could respond, a gratingly familiar voice sliced the air.
"Amari! What the hell happened here!?"
I sighed, turning. Of course. Hugo Boei.
The demi-lion strutted forward, his mane-like golden hair flaring in the light, his presence as obnoxious as ever. He was taller than me by half a head, his smirk twisting into mockery.
"Hugo," I muttered, unable to hide my disdain. "Why are you here?"
"I heard about the chaos in the capital. I came to investigate, and what do I find?" His laugh was sharp and taunting. "Once again, the most problematic family is making a mess."
I turned back toward the knight. "Now you know. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, Hugo."
"Who said you could leave?" His voice darkened, and before I could react-
Slap!
Pain stung across my cheek. I froze, blinking in disbelief. He'd actually slapped me.
"Hugo," I hissed, narrowing my eyes. "Why?"
He smirked cruelly. "Because a bitch who ignores me needs punishment." He raised his hand again.-
And then the world shifted.
The air itself pressed down. Soldiers collapsed. The knight dropped to his knees. Hugo's smirk vanished as his body hit the ground, pinned by a crushing aura.
A voice, dripping with malice, thundered across the square.
"This is your first and final warning. Hurt someone precious to my mother again, and you will lose your life. Understood, little pup?"
My head snapped toward the source.
Kitsuna stood at the aircraft's entrance, eyes glowing, her presence stretching as though she were standing right beside me despite the hundred meters of distance. Her killing intent made my chest tighten, but relief bloomed just as strongly.
Even half-dead, she protects me.
I ran to her, hugging her tightly. "Thank you."
"It's fine," she murmured, her body trembling. "But you... you should start training more."
Her breath was ragged, her hug weak. Still, I laughed softly and held her tighter. "Fine, fine. I'll get stronger."
But then she stiffened. Her lips parted.
"Blegh-!"
Blood spilled, and she collapsed limp in my arms.
Panic shot through me. "Aah, shit-I killed her!"
Frantically, I laid her on a seat inside the aircraft, checking her pulse. Relief washed through me-she'd only passed out.
My scroll buzzed. I answered with shaking hands.
"Amari? Are you still at the same spot?" Mom's voice.
"Yes," I said, glancing at Kitsuna, "but we had a run-in with Hugo. It didn't end well."
"She didn't fight again, did she?"
"No, but..." My voice trailed as I wiped blood from my hands. "She released enough force to crush everyone here. Everyone but me."
A pause. Then: "Tell me everything."
(Hugo's POV)
My chest still ached where the invisible weight had crushed me. Rage boiled through my veins, smothering the fear that had nearly broken me.
Who was she? How did she bring me to my knees from so far away? And how dare she call me a pup?
"Young master," the knight croaked, standing shakily. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." I spat the word. "Do you know who that girl was?"
"Only that she's Amari's adopted sister. Adopted recently."
A smirk curled my lips. "Perfect. Another way to get to Amari."
But then-
"Oooh?" A sultry, mocking voice slipped into my ear like poison.
I froze.
Lady Draig. Standing beside Kayda the Sage. Their auras rolled over me like thunderclouds.
"He stiffened just seeing us," Kayda laughed darkly.
"That's true," Lady Draig agreed, her smile sharp. "Should we crush him?"
"Nah. He isn't worth it. Let him play his games. The girls will be fine." Kayda turned away.
Lady Draig followed, her gaze lingering just long enough to remind me of my place.
My hands shook. My smirk faltered. The older generation... they're monsters.
Despite my faltering smirk, I swallowed hard and forced a grin. But monsters can bleed.
avataravatar
Chapter 47:
"Ugh, did I die?" I mumbled, waking up to a headache. Putting my hands over my head, I groan in pain.
"Aah, welcome to the living once again." Said a very familiar feminine voice to the right of me.
Peeking at Kayda through my hands, I raised an eyebrow at the background.
"Where the hell are we?" I said, dropping my hands. I was about to stand up but felt straps around my chest.
"We are in the aircraft Lady Draig came here with." Rachel said that she was sitting to my left.
"I see," I said, looking around. Seeing Amari sitting across from me next to Zagan, I nodded, getting one in return. I looked for Mom, but she wasn't sitting anywhere. Looking back at Amari, I ask. "Where is Mom?"
"She is in the cockpit," Amari said, smiling nervously.
"Makes sense. So, is this aircraft a smaller version of a cargo plane?" I ask, looking around again.
Up close, the cabin smelled like cold metal and oil and a faint trace of ozone from mana conduits. The walls were ribbed with reinforcement struts, rune-etched plates humming softly where a real plane would've had wiring panels. Each seat had a wide harness and, blessedly, a cutout for tails-someone in procurement actually had a brain.
"Yes, it is a military cargo plane." Amari slipped into her tour-guide voice, proud and a little smug. "A smaller version than Earth's ones and faster as well. I think the top speed should be close to a jet aircraft or higher. It has 20 seats for everyone, excluding the two pilot seats. Only the Black Ops has aircraft like these. The other armies have larger aircraft to accommodate more soldiers.
"Wow, how many of them do we have?" I ask again.
"About 200. They also use mana to fly." Kayda explains.
Her tone was matter-of-fact, but I could feel a drag of heat at my temples where her aura brushed mine-restless, watching me too closely. I filed it and pretended not to notice.
"Is that so? By the way, are you still mad at me?" I ask Kayda, curious.
"No, why?" Kayda said, confused.
Her expression was open-no fake curve to the lips, no tightness around the eyes. Real. Huh.
"That sounds great! Can you teach me about magic?" I said, making her chuckle.
"Sorry, I can't be your teacher," she said.
"Aah, I see. Well, worth a try." I said, sighing in defeat.
"I said I couldn't be your teacher, but when I have spare time, I can help you," Kayda said, making me confused.
"Huh? Wouldn't you like it more to use your spare time on your research?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
"For the type of research I want to do, I need to travel the world, and I can't do that," Kayda said.
"Isn't that why you want to retire from the black ops?"
"That was the idea, but something came up, changing my mind," Kayda said, beaming.
'She isn't fake smiling, huh.' I thought, confused. The smile altered her face-less sharp, more human. Pretty, if I'm being honest. I looked away first.
"What happened?" Amari asks.
Kayda looked at Amari and said, "Your mother persuaded me to teach you magic."
"What!? I will learn from Kayda the sage!?" Amari said excitedly, voice bouncing off the metal.
"Wait, does that mean you are going to stay in our mansion from now on?" I ask hopefully.
"That's a yes for both," Kayda said, smiling.
"Awesome, I can easily ask you then about magic. Do you have the money for me? I want to heal myself up." I ask, extending my hand at Kayda.
"Am I only a mana battery for you? I can, but I am not touching that hand," Kayda said, looking at my hand. As I looked at my hand, I realized it was full of dried blood.
"You are the only one who can transfer mana here," I said, freezing my hand over with ice before dispelling it again and cleaning it. Frost hissed, red cracked to gray, then flaked away. "Happy."
"Haha, fine," Kayda said, taking my hand and transferring mana.
Warmth threaded from her palm to mine, thick and steady like honey poured through a funnel. It wasn't just mana; dragons always tasted a little like their element. Hers rolled like embers under ash-contained heat, disciplined and bright. It slipped into me, and the aches unwound, ribs knitting, bruises fading from black-violet to nothing. My curses simmered, relishing the fuel; I kept them leashed.
"How do you feel, Kitsuna?" Rachel said, a bit concerned.
"I am fine," I said, smiling at her. Her wings flexed in relief, feathers whispering. She didn't realize she did that-tells like that to get people killed on battlefields. I made a note to bully her about it later.
"Ooh, and is your back okay?" I ask Kayda, unstrapping myself.
"Don't do that," Rachel warned.
"I will be fine. Thanks for the chase with Kayda. I understand my body more, so I should be fine." I said, stretching my arms. Tendons popped; the cabin creaked with the movement, or maybe that was my imagination. Being big in small places always made me hyper-aware.
"Is that so?" Rachel said.
"Are we really landing in 30 seconds?" Mom said over the intercom.
"Is that so?" I said, sitting down again. Luckily these seats have holes for tails, and they are big enough to accommodate my own. This allows me to sit comfortably and happily in the seat.
The aircraft dipped. Many engines whined down to a softer note; you can always tell when a bird is settling-everything goes quiet around the bones.
(While later)
The ramp kissed the stone with a metallic thud, and the air traded machine breath for the city's mix of greenery, baked-stone heat, and distant market spice. We filed out in a stagger, everyone suddenly busy pretending we hadn't just torn up half a district.
"Hey, Kayda, you still didn't answer me," I said, walking next to her toward the mansion.
'I wanted to ask her again on the aircraft, but I thought she didn't want to talk about it when Rachel was close. Luckily we are alone, with Rachel going to her brother. Zagan and Amari went to the garden again, and Stacy is still on the ship. Hopefully, she answers this time.' I thought, watching heat shimmer off the paving.
"About what?" Kayda asks, confused.
"You're back? Mom said something about your back. I couldn't hear what she said because of all the blood in my ears. I said, not looking at her.
"Ooh, it is fine. It is nothing to worry about." Kayda said.
"That is pleasing to hear. I thought you might have hurt it because of me." I said, chuckling in relief. Part of me meant it; part of me prodded at boundaries to see how fast she'd bristle.
"Haha, don't worry about it. It is nothing that serious." Kayda said. "So, you were adopted by the Draigs 3 years ago."
"Yes, or more; they were ordered to do so. My mother should have told you that already, right?"
"That's true. She did mention you survived Duke Vermillion's experiments. She didn't say anything about the order, though, but knowing her, she would have done it whether she had an order or not." Kayda said.
"Did she also tell you what I am?" I said, ignoring the last part.
"She didn't have to. I saw you change into a fox in front of me." Kayda said, looking at me like I was dumb.
"Haha, how careless of me," I said, laughing.
"Yeah, wasn't it you who said, 'I am not like you going around telling people about myself,' hmm?" Kayda said, amused.
"Yeah, I wanted to have fun with you while you chased me, but I was a bit careless and forgot that your speed is seven times faster than mine," I said, rubbing my head awkwardly.
"You are a weird one. You know that." Kayda said, smiling.
"You should smile more like this. It makes you look prettier. That fake smile of yours grosses me out." I said with a serious face.
Bang!?
"Sorry that I gross you out!?" Kayda shouted after she kicked me into the bushes. Snorting at me, she walked away, leaving me on the ground.
Leaves in the face. Dirt in the mouth. Dignity: zero. I spat out a twig.
"Why do I always get kicked by people?" I said with crocodile tears.
It wasn't entirely for show. Getting booted into foliage loses its charm after, say, the third time in a week.
I stayed put, letting the bed of shrubs hold me. Sun filtered through the canopy, turning my hair into a patchwork of red, black, and white. The cool earth seeped up into my spine, easing a tension I hadn't noticed I was carrying. I could've napped there, honestly, if the day stopped throwing people at me.
Footsteps approached, a familiar cadence-heels that didn't quite click because she always stepped like a soldier first, noble second.
"What happened to you?" Mom asks, looking at me still on the ground.
"I angered the dragon again," I said, still not moving.
"Again? You don't even know her for a day, and you made her angry more than once." Mom said, laughing.
"Haha, that's true. She never really has bad intentions, so it's fine. Additionally, it is enjoyable to provoke her or tease her. I said, smiling at Mom.
"Just don't push her too far. She might be a special kind of dragon, but she still has her limits." Mom said, warning me.
"I know."
"So, what are you thinking about?"
"My future, I guess."
Mom's shadow shifted, blocking the sun. She crouched down, her expression shifting from that of a battle-wife to that of a mother. That still felt warm in my chest in a way I pretended not to notice.
"What about your future?"
"I want to control it but also make the people around me happy at the same time."
"You don't have to worry about it. You're still young."
"I know that, but what will you guys do when all the noble houses team up against our house in a political battle to take control of me?" I am not that naive to think I can't get everything I want if I don't make a deal with someone." I said.
Mom's lips thinned; she hated politics like she hated dull blades. "Fine, that might work if you pick the right person to make a deal with."
I considered making a deal with other Marquis houses, especially since we have the Anlits supporting us. But seeing how the capital looks, I don't think it will be a bad idea to make a deal with the king." I said, waiting for an answer.
"Especially for you, making a deal with the remaining marquis houses is out of the question." The Kunis are too arrogant currently, with their twins being high dwarfs, and the Anabalds are justice freaks. Why don't you make a deal with the reincarnated twins in the royal family?" Mom asks, sitting next to me.
I would have made a deal if they weren't from my peaceful world.
"What do you mean?"
"They would most likely ask me to use my powers to bring the world to peace."
"You mean you want to leave this world in constant war." Mom said, confused.
"In a way, yes. Think about the last 13 to 14 years of your life. No battles or wars need to be fought. You enjoy it, right, the peaceful time?" Seeing her nod, I continued. "Now think how it would be if you never knew about it and the world was as peaceful as our original world. How would you act then? Would you still enjoy these years to their fullest?"
"I don't know how I would have acted, but I would definitely not have enjoyed it as much as I am doing right now."
"Humans are greedy by nature. They always want more. Like you saw in my memories. My father reached the top of the medical world but never stopped experimenting with me. He always wanted more. Any human or demi-human will be the same in this world. It will differ for each person, but the main thing is they would like to have more."
"Huh? What are you trying to say here?" Mom said, confused.
"I am saying if this world became like ours, it would end up like it. You are born to go to school for 18 years and then college for 4 or more years. After that, obtain a job, marry, have kids, and then die. They won't enjoy their life to the fullest. Here, having a war every 10 to 15 years would make people enjoy their lives more in peaceful times. Civilian or not, a war always influences people."
I could hear the hardness in my voice. It wasn't bloodlust; it was the cold logic of someone who had been caged too long and learned to count the bars. Peace is beautiful. Peace makes people soft. Soft people make poor decisions. And then the world breaks in sharper ways.
"So, are you saying you would go to war every 10 years to make people understand what peace really is?" Mom said this while raising an eyebrow at me.
"Gladly," I said, smiling.
Her mouth twisted into something between pride and worry. "I see. I never really thought about it, but it makes sense. So, is this why you want to make a deal with the king?" Mom asks, smiling back.
"Yes, I already told him I would stay with the kingdom 3 years ago. I just think it is time to make a proper deal with him. However, I would like to learn more about him before making that decision. I explain, standing up.
"Learn the man behind the crown," Mom murmured, following me up. "Good. Don't sell yourself cheap."
"True. Now let's forget about depressing things. Are you ready for tonight?" Mom said, smirking.
"Tonight," I said, confused.
avataravatar
Chapter 48: We prayer for your Soul
"Yeah, I told you, you can torture the traitors, right?" Mom said, still smirking at me with that sly look that meant she already regretted giving me permission.
"Aah, you mean we do it tonight? Really? Really, you mean it?" I asked, practically bouncing on my toes, my tail swishing wildly under my hoodie as I hopped around like a kid who'd just been told she could eat candy for dinner.
"Hehe... it seems you are excited," Mom said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck as her smirk softened into something closer to a worried smile.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? I can finally implement magic into my torture methods!" I said, grinning from ear to ear.
"That's true," Mom admitted, smiling wryly, though her eyes betrayed the faintest twitch-as if she was imagining the mess I was about to make.
"So what time are we doing it?"
"Later. For now, go shower. You are still full of blood," Mom said, pointing at the mansion with a raised brow.
"Okay!?" I chirped, already sprinting off like a bullet, ignoring the sticky rust-colored stains clinging to my baggy hoodie and cargo pants.
Mom chuckled softly behind me. "What a child, haha."
[Later that night]
It had been thirty minutes since Mom and I entered the forest. The heavy canopy filtered the moonlight into pale streaks on the dirt path, but all I could feel was my own restless energy vibrating under my skin. I was too excited, humming with anticipation. I wanted to test everything-how pain responded to fire runes, how blood vessels reacted when pressured by wind magic, how flesh screamed when layered with illusions. My thoughts were practically spilling out of me, and the way I kept pacing ahead and circling back had started to irritate Mom.
"How far are we from the prison?" I asked for what must have been the hundredth time, my voice laced with eagerness as I skipped forward.
Mom's face darkened instantly. She snapped, grabbing my head in one strong hand and squeezing. "That's like the 100th time you've asked that! Can you fucking stop!?"
"Haha, but I'm so excited!" I laughed nervously, wincing as her fingers dug into my scalp.
"I don't give a shit. Just shut up for the next ten minutes, okay?" She growled, grinding my head down until my knees nearly buckled.
"Ow, ow, okay! Okay, I'll be quiet for the next ten minutes!" I yelped, squirming under her grip.
"Good," Mom muttered, finally releasing me with a shove. She walked ahead, her crimson eyes flashing in the dark. Stopping at a massive tree, she pressed her hand against the trunk. The bark groaned, shifting aside to reveal a hidden door.
"Hum?" I tilted my head, curiosity prickling. But the second I peeked past the door, my confusion vanished.
The stairs stretched down and down, spiraling into shadow. Not one or two levels-dozens. The stone seemed to hum with stale, metallic air, like the very walls had soaked in years of blood and screams.
When I glanced at Mom, she was glaring at me again. I rubbed my head awkwardly and started down the stairs first, my boots tapping faintly against the stone.
It took five more minutes before the staircase finally opened into a wide corridor lined with prison cells. The air was heavy, thick with the copper tang of dried blood and the sour stink of sweat.
"I'll lead this time," Mom said firmly, stepping in front of me.
We turned two corners before the passage opened into a large chamber. A group of soldiers stood at attention, silent and tense, facing four figures at the front. I recognized Kayda, Rebecca, and Lily immediately, but the fourth woman was new.
She noticed us first, her sharp eyes narrowing before she saluted. "Lady Draig, you have arrived."
"Don't worry about formalities, Trinity. Sorry we're late. This dumbo didn't want to wake up from her afternoon nap," Mom said, glaring at me again.
'What can I say? That Ice Guru Tree is just too comfortable, I thought smugly, offering her a grin.
"I see. You must be the new young miss, right?" Trinity said, stepping forward and offering me her hand.
I blinked, staring a little too long. She was striking-blue hair that shimmered like water, emerald eyes that seemed to cut right through, and two elegant goat horns curving upward. Her shinigami-style kimono was mostly black, a sharp contrast against her pale skin and fluffy animal ears twitching faintly. She was Stacy's height, but her presence radiated authority.
'Why are there so many pretty girls in the capital? First Rachel, then Kayda, now Trinity... seriously, it's unfair.' I thought, dazed as I took her hand.
I didn't say anything, just nodded and smiled faintly.
She frowned, lips parting to speak, but Mom cut her off. "Don't bother, Trinity. I told her to shut up for a while."
Trinity's brows rose, but she shrugged. "Alright. I'll ask her later when she can talk again." She stepped back to stand behind Mom.
I mimicked her shrug, slipping beside her with a sly smile tugging at my lips.
The group of soldiers standing before us wore similar uniforms to Trinity's, though theirs bore more white, marking them as subordinates. They stood ramrod straight, but their eyes flicked curiously toward me.
"Alright," Mom said, her tone cutting through the chamber. "Trinity should have briefed you about tonight, but I'll repeat it. We're here to teach new methods-healing, torture, or both. Or rather, Kitsuna will." She gestured sharply at me.
I gave them a cheerful wave, grinning wide. Mom sighed heavily. "Don't let her appearance fool you. She's only thirteen."
"EEEHH!?" The soldiers' shout rattled the walls, their disbelief almost comical. I braced myself, frosting my ears under my hood to block most of the noise.
"And don't think her age means she lacks experience," Mom pressed on, her voice hard. "She knows more about the human body than anyone here. She's smarter than all of you combined in that field. And she has over one hundred confirmed kills. Not clean ones, either."
"EEEHHH!?" The group's second outburst was even louder, echoing down the hall.
'My statistics make me sound insane,' I thought, fighting the urge to facepalm.
Beside me, Trinity muttered under her breath, "How does a thirteen-year-old have so many confirmed kills...?"
Their shock dragged on far too long. I tapped my foot, impatience bubbling, then smirked. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Trinity watching me warily. Perfect.
I leaned close, letting my breath ghost against her ear before blowing softly.
"KYAAA!?" she yelped, leaping back, face red as she glared at me. Her shout startled the entire group into silence.
I nearly burst out laughing.
Bonk!
"Owie," I groaned, rubbing my head as I glanced back at Mom-who was glaring again, hand still raised from smacking me.
"This overexcitement of yours is irritating," she hissed.
"Then let me do my job," I snapped, glaring right back.
"Yeah, but you didn't have to do something like that."
"Well, you didn't have to announce my entire life story either. We could have skipped that and gone straight into the night's program. Instead, you dragged it out, and now it'll take another ten minutes for them to calm down." My voice dripped with irritation.
Mom clicked her tongue and looked away. "Tsk, fine. Trinity, can we start?"
"...Yes. We have fourteen private soldiers who betrayed us, two corporals, and one sergeant. Then five federation soldiers-their commander and second in command among them. Trinity spoke briskly, but when she turned to hand the files to Mom, I snatched them first.
"Wait, that's-" she started.
"Can you explain the layout of the prison?" I interrupted, already skimming the files. When she didn't answer, I lifted my gaze with a frown. "Hello? I'm doing the torturing tonight. I need to know the layout to make it effective."
Trinity hesitated, eyes flicking to Mom.
"Just tell her. She'll do a good job," Mom said firmly.
"Not being disrespectful, but... is this really the same person?" Trinity asked, pointing at me.
I smirked, leaning closer again. "Miss Goat, pretty please tell me the layout of your prison," I whispered in her ear.
"Kyaa-!" she squeaked, and before I could laugh, her fist cracked up under my chin. My feet left the ground from the force.
I landed with a groan, rubbing my jaw. "Ouch. Okay, I deserved that one."
Trinity's face paled. She stepped forward quickly, panic in her eyes. "Oops-healer! Are you alright?"
I waved her off, grinning through the sting. "Haha, don't worry, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" she asked, blinking in confusion at how easily I shrugged it off.
"Yes. I've been through worse." My gaze flicked toward Mom, who smirked knowingly.
"Ooh, I see," Trinity murmured, realizing what I meant.
"So, can you explain the layout to me now?" I said, refocusing on the files.
"O-oh, right. The prison has fifty cells, each capable of holding twenty people. You saw them on the way in. There are also four wings for high-ranking prisoners, set in each corner of the complex. At the center is a square we use for disposal."
"I see. Where do you usually do the torturing?"
"There are separate rooms. I can show you-"
"Never mind. We're not using them," I cut in, grinning wickedly. "Tonight, it's public. A demonstration for everyone here. Lead me to the square."
Trinity hesitated, trembling faintly, but turned to guide us down one of the hallways.
"Ooh, and all the healers, come with me. Your lessons start now. The rest of you, drag the fourteen traitors to the square," I ordered, my voice ringing with cheer that clashed against the dark promise of my words.
The healers exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes drifting toward Stacy for help.
"Haha, don't look at me like that," Mom said, following casually, her grin sharp and knowing. "I hope you all have the stomach for what's about to happen." She paused, her crimson gaze sliding toward Kayda, Rebecca, and Lily. "That includes you three as well."
avataravatar
Chapter 49: Body Studying. Midevil style.
(Gore chapter)
Brain cell 1 is similar to what Stacy mentioned earlier. I hope you guys have the stomach for this.
Brain cell 2: Haha, as if someone will get sick reading about this.
Brain cell 1: Well, you never know. They might have an insanely good imagination.
Brain cell 2: That's true. Our host does have some dumb imagination. Especially seeing as he still has imaginary friends.
Host: I do not have imaginary friends! They are real! Cough, cough. I am sorry. My brain cells went on a dumb rant there. Just ignore them. Let us get back to the story... And I really do have real friends.
(Gore warning)
"So, you guys are the only healers we have?" I asked, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the five figures trembling before me.
Their robes were clean, hands clasped nervously together, but I could see their knuckles whitening, their shoulders stiff like prey cornered by a predator. They weren't ready for this. Not even close.
"Yes, young miss. We are the only healers at the capital at the moment. The rest are out on missions." One of them-a man with a shaky voice-spoke up.
"Missions?" I tilted my head, frowning. "Like group missions?"
"Yes," he swallowed hard, "dungeon exploring. The dead forest has many unexplored dungeons, and parties are sent out every week to go and explore them."
Kayda, leaning against the wall with her usual unimpressed face, added flatly, "It's true."
I shrugged. "Oh, okay. Whatever. Let's start."
Turning on my heel, I faced the row of fourteen private soldiers chained together. Their uniforms were stained, their faces pale, and their eyes darting like cornered rats. I smiled thinly, baring just the edge of my teeth.
"It's surprising," I said, drawing their fear out, "that out of the twenty-four capture targets, only one is female... and she isn't even from our kingdom."
Their silence was broken only by one muttering. A desperate chant, repeated like a broken record:
"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die-"
The sound grated on my nerves. My smile vanished.
With slow steps, I walked toward the source of the muttering. Each step made his voice falter, then crack, until I was standing right in front of him. His head was lowered, his hair greasy and clumped with dried blood.
"Ken," I said coolly. "Tank. Mid-private for the last five years. What are you muttering about?"
He jerked his head up, eyes wide, and I caught the tears streaking down his cheeks. His lips trembled, words spilling out like bile.
"Aah, please, I don't want to die!" His voice cracked into a sob.
I grabbed his head, tilting it up so he couldn't look away from me. Fresh blood trickled down his temple.
"Hmm," I hummed, pretending to ponder. My other hand caught his collar, lifting him half off the ground with little effort. He kicked weakly, pathetic. My gaze shifted to my free hand. I flexed my fingers, the faint gleam of my nails catching the torchlight.
A chuckle slipped from my throat. "To think I can have claws in my human form... well, close enough. Just nails, but an inch longer is enough, isn't it?"
Ken thrashed. "Please, I beg you! I would do anything-I just don't want to die!"
"Oi. Shut up." My voice cut like ice. My fingers clamped on his jaw, silencing his babbling as I dragged him back toward the others.
The healers stiffened as I stopped in front of them. Ignoring Ken's desperate squirming, I tilted my head. "So, how much do you all know about the human body?"
"We... we know the human body has internal organs, muscles, and bones," one explained hesitantly.
"Mm. So, you at least know the basics." My tone dripped with mock approval. "Do you know what's more important? The lungs or the kidneys?"
They blinked in confusion. "Longs? Kidneys?" they repeated, like children failing a test.
My eyebrow twitched. "Okay. Then what do you call the organ you use to breathe?"
"We don't have names for the organs. We divide them into upper half and lower half. We understand that the upper half is considered more important than the lower half.
A hollow laugh tore from my throat. "You're telling me you've never dissected a human body before?"
"Dissecting?" They mumbled, looking at one another.
"You've got to be kidding me." I sighed, the sound long and sharp, before extending my hand. Frost spiraled into existence, shaping into a pristine ice table large enough to fit a body. Its cold mist curled around my legs.
"You torture squad," I said, jerking my chin at the group still struggling to keep the prisoners subdued. "Make this dumbass shut up." I shoved Ken toward them.
"Yes, ma'am."
Before they could move, my fingers twitched.
RIP!?
THUD!?
The sound split the silence. Every head turned just in time to see Ken's person-still attached to a length of his spine-hit the ground and roll.
I stared at my hand, flexing it. "Damn. Ripped the spine out too." My voice was more disappointed than guilty.
"BLEGH!?"
Half the room lurched forward, vomiting violently. The stench hit the air instantly-sour bile mixing with the metallic tang of blood.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue. "You're already puking, and we just got started."
Laying Ken's limp, headless body on the table, I summoned blades of ice, slicing away his clothes. His skin paled further against the cold surface. "I'll give you ten minutes to recollect yourselves."
"Give them thirty," my mother said calmly from the corner, her tone unbothered. "There's no way the healers will recover in ten."
I glanced at the five healers. They were already on the ground, pale, trembling, and heads bowed. Pathetic. Still, Mom was right.
"Fine. Thirty."
My eyes slid to Lily. Rebecca was holding her hair back as she retched.
"I'm surprised at you, Lily," I said, tilting my head. "Sick from something like this?"
Lily spat, wiping her mouth. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. Sorry if I disappointed you."
I shook my head, almost amused. "Why would I be disappointed? I'm just surprised. I mean, come on-you're married to Rebecca, and your nightly activities are... colorful. I thought you'd be tougher."
Her face flushed crimson, Rebecca choking on laughter. I only shrugged.
"Don't worry. You won't easily disappoint me, Lily. You haven't seen war yet, and your style doesn't exactly throw you knee-deep into blood. You'll toughen up." My smile was sharper this time, genuine enough to make her blink in shock.
"Hehe," Rebecca chuckled, still holding Lily. "The more you talk, the more you sound like Stacy."
"But I do have one question," Trinity said, wrinkling her nose. How can you tolerate the smell?
I laughed. "I burnt my nostrils before we started. Can't smell a thing. I'll heal them back later."
Trinity blinked. "You're insane." She bent and picked up Ken's head by the hair. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Put it back."
She stared. "What?"
"Put. It. Back." I smiled, pointing at the floor.
Trinity scowled but obeyed, dropping the head where it landed with a wet thud.
"Good girl."
Her teeth ground audibly.
I turned back to the healers, ignoring Trinity's clenched fists. "Are you ready now? I'm only going to show you four times where every organ is. Thereafter, each of you gets one body to practice on and one for your test. Take notes-you'll have to teach the rest of the healers in the black ops."
Their hands shook as they pulled out notebooks, scribbling feverishly.
"Let's start body studying." I grinned. "Medieval style."
My blade sank into Ken's chest with a wet squelch.
[Stacy POV]
Trinity's eyes were locked on Kitsuna, her face caught between disgust and disbelief. "She moves like she's done this dozens of times."
"Well, she has. Like... five times." I said, my tone casual.
"Five, my ass. No one gets that good after five." Trinity's lip curled.
Rebecca smirked knowingly. "Is it because of HIS notes?"
"Yeah," I admitted.
Trinity blinked. "Who is he?"
"You don't need to know," I said, my tone sharp enough to cut off further questions.
"I see."
We all turned back as Kitsuna worked. Her movements were disturbingly precise. Each cut, each gesture-it was practiced, clinical. She explained every organ, every muscle, her voice steady, unaffected.
"I was wondering," Kayda murmured, frowning. "Did she really rip that guy's head and spine out by accident? Or was it on purpose?"
I grinned, teeth bared. "She's my daughter. What do you think?"
Kayda's face paled further.
SPLAT!?
Another corpse was tossed aside like trash, slamming against the bars beside Trinity. Blood sprayed across her arm.
"Next!?" Kitsuna barked.
Trinity's jaw clenched, blood dripping down her sleeve. "Yeah. She's your daughter, alright."
Rebecca snickered. "Well, she did say we needed to make a scene before the real torture begins."
Trinity looked up sharply as Kitsuna tapped a prisoner's forehead-and the man collapsed instantly, dead before he hit the ground.
"How the hell-"
"She froze his brain with ice magic," Kayda explained coolly.
"O-oh." Trinity's eyes flicked back to Kitsuna, unease settling in.
I noticed Lily then-eyes wide, unblinking, glued to Kitsuna's every move. She hadn't even flinched at the gore this time.
'Of course,' I thought, smirking. She's a rapier user. The instructor will sharpen her combat instincts if she learns anatomy.'
"Lily, you can join them, you know," Rebecca said.
Lily hesitated. "No... I'm fine here."
Rebecca shoved her lightly. "Just join them."
"A-ah!" Lily stumbled forward.
Kitsuna caught her hand without missing a beat. "Finally joining us," she said warmly, pulling Lily closer to the table. Then she returned to dissecting, explaining muscle structures with calm precision.
Trinity leaned toward me, voice low. "She's going to teach them torture too, right?"
I smirked, folding my arms. "Oh, yeah. Just wait until she shows her favorite method."
Trinity's brow furrowed. "What method?"
"The Blood Eagle."
Her face drained of color.
And I just smirked wider.
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Chapter 50: Illusionist eyes
Nodding my head in approval, I let a small smile slip onto my face. Watching the five healers eagerly dissect and point out every organ, explaining their functions with growing confidence, gave me a strange satisfaction. They weren't hesitant anymore, not even queasy-their voices carried certainty as they spoke, as though they were reciting truths they had known all their lives. It impressed me, honestly. Only two hours had passed, and yet they had absorbed the knowledge as if it were etched into their bones. Fast learners... I could use more people like them.
"Ma'am, I am still a bit confused about how this process will help us heal people." One of the healers finally asked, her brow creasing. Her voice was timid, but the question was genuine.
I folded my arms, tilting my head. "It will make you understand where to start healing and how each organ actually looks inside the body. For example, before this, you might have focused on stopping external bleeding first, then moved inward, right?" I let my gaze sweep across their faces, watching them nod slowly. "Well, now you know that's not always the priority. Stopping blood loss is important, yes-but what if a sword punctures a lung? What matters more-the wound itself or the lung?"
The same healer bit her lip before answering, almost hesitant. "The lung." Then her eyes widened as the realization hit her. She nodded quickly. "Thank you, Ma'am."
I gave a small grin. "No problem. Remember, visualization is just as important as channeling magic. If you can see the structure in your mind, you can target your spells more precisely." My eyes narrowed slightly, testing their resolve. "Will you stay for the torture side of the training as well?"
"No, I am fine," one answered immediately.
"Same here," another added, shaking her head.
"Yeah, I'm done for the night," the third muttered, looking pale now that the topic shifted.
But two of them didn't back away. "I will stay," one said firmly. "I think I'll learn more... and maybe we can help if needed."
"I will also stay," the other added without hesitation.
"Cool," I said, my smile sharpening into something more dangerous. "You two will be a great help."
Satisfied, I turned and began dragging a few of the corpses into better positions, arranging them almost artistically to give the room a more gruesome, eerie edge. Shadows from the torchlight clung to the walls like smoke, highlighting the unnatural poses. The smell of blood thickened in the air, metallic and suffocating. By the time I stepped back, it looked like something out of a nightmare-and that was precisely the effect I wanted.
When I was done, I walked over to Trinity. "Can you tell your men to bring the rest of the captured soldiers here? Except the vice-captain and the commander. I have... something planned for them. I want to talk to the vice-captain first."
Her eyebrow lifted. "I can do that. But why the vice-captain specifically?"
"You'll see," I said, smirking. "She's far more interesting than you think."
Trinity studied me a moment longer, suspicion flickering in her eyes, but she eventually shrugged. "Okay. Follow me. Luckily, the commander is in the same wing as his vice-captain." She started down the hallway.
My mother moved to my side, her steps unhurried, her presence steadying. "Why did you say she's more interesting than we think?" she asked, voice soft but probing.
"It's an assumption," I admitted, my grin widening. "But I think it's because of her that we didn't see the attack coming."
Mom frowned. "But she's only a Puppeteer."
"Maybe so. But she's also a demi-human-and the federation despises demi-humans. Yet somehow, she's still a vice-captain. Why is that?" I said, smiling with teeth.
Mom hummed thoughtfully. "If you say so. Either way, I'm leaving it to you."
"Don't worry. I'll get plenty of information out of them," I said, the smirk curling across my face turning sharper, darker.
Trinity stopped in front of a heavy metal door. "Here we are. Both individuals are inside, but they are in separate cells. She unlocked it and pushed it open.
The commander's voice cut through immediately, echoing from the right cell. "Ah, you finally arrived! You won't get anything out of me. Haha!" His tone was dripping with confidence, the kind born from sheer arrogance and blind loyalty.
I chuckled lowly, eyes glinting. "Haha... I can't wait to break you."
"Hah! As if you could break me," he shot back, smirking proudly even through the bars.
"Yeah, you think so? Sadly, I can't start with you." I let my voice dip into mock disappointment, feigning sadness.
"Go ahead then," he sneered. "She doesn't know anything anyway."
"It doesn't matter," I replied coldly. Raising a hand, I conjured an ice wall that sealed his vision from the other cell. Then I walked across to the opposite side.
Inside, sitting perfectly still with her legs folded beneath her, was a young woman. A demi-dog. Her eyes were closed, her posture tense but controlled. Something in me tightened at the sight. I sighed under my breath. "It's worse than I thought," I muttered.
"Analyst," I whispered in my mind.
Status flared into view.
Name: Apricot
Age: 20
Race: Demi-dog
Bloodline: Demi-dog
Gender: Female
Level: 463
Class: Puppeteer (Rare) (Slave)
A rare class... but shackled under the word 'slave.' My jaw clenched.
"Can you open the door? I want to go inside," I said, glancing at Trinity.
She shook her head instantly. "Not happening. She's stronger than you."
"I don't think she'll attack me," I countered.
"I don't-" Trinity started, but Mom cut her off.
"Open it," Mom said firmly. Her gaze flicked to me knowingly. "I think I know what you're trying to do, Kitsuna. But remember-we can't trust her easily." She didn't wait for Trinity's permission. She simply took the keys and unlocked the door herself.
"I know, I know. "Thank you," I said, stepping in. As soon as I crossed the threshold, I raised another ice wall behind me, sealing us in.
For the first time, Apricot opened her eyes. They were guarded, confused, but sharp. "Did you not hear him? I am no use to you," she said flatly. Her voice was void of emotion, mechanical.
I ignored her and walked closer. Her body told a different story-ears laid flat, tail limp and ragged, her whole form screaming exhaustion. Her right ear had been cut in half, her tail patchy with scars. Filth clung to her fur, masking its true color.
"You aren't useless," I said quietly, circling her like a predator. "You were vice-captain of the attack squad, weren't you?"
"Hmph. "That doesn't mean anything," she muttered, her chin dropping again.
I stepped closer, reaching out to place my hand gently on her head. The reaction was instant-she shivered violently, her body trembling under my touch. My brows furrowed.
"Why are you shivering like that?" I asked, crouching down to meet her eyes. Her eyes flickered and shook, unable to meet mine.
I pulled my hand back slowly, sighing. "So they did something to you, didn't they?"
She didn't answer. The silence was heavy, pressing.
I sat back, thinking. Torture wasn't the plan-not yet. But I needed her to speak, needed her to trust me enough to reveal something. After a moment, an idea clicked.
"Okay, I get it. You would rather not talk. Let's get you cleaned up first," I said, standing. Walking to a corner, I summoned an ice block and hollowed it with a swipe of my claws. Pressing my hand to it, I poured fire into the center until water filled the improvised tub, steam curling upward.
"There. That should do." I turned back toward her. She immediately shifted backward, eyes wide.
"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to wash you. Then we can talk again," I said, stepping forward and scooping her into my arms despite her weak struggles.
"No! Let me go!" she cried, thrashing. But she didn't have the strength to resist.
"It might be a bit cold-sorry," I warned and dropped her gently into the water.
Her head popped up immediately. "COLD!?" she shouted, sputtering. She tried to climb out, but I pushed her back down.
"Stay! You're filthy," I snapped, grabbing at her clothes and undressing her without hesitation.
[Ten minutes later]
I rubbed at my face, heat rising in my cheeks. 'That felt wrong in so many ways...' My embarrassment simmered, but anger quickly smothered it. I couldn't stop replaying the scars etched into her skin. Not the proud, jagged marks of a soldier, but the cruel, deliberate cuts of abuse. Fresh ones crisscrossed older wounds. My killing intent leaked out before I forced myself to rein it back in.
At least she was clean now. Her fur was light brown, her features striking-close to Kayda's level of beauty, though different in spirit.
"Who gave you those scars?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.
She lowered her gaze. "I got them in fights," she said dully.
"Fights for your body?" I pressed. Her stiffening told me enough. I exhaled slowly. "Some are fresh. And most are on your back. I think I already know who did this."
She stayed silent.
"You can't speak against your master, can you?" I said, my voice softening. "It's fine. I won't ask again."
"...Thank you," she whispered, barely audible.
"Don't worry about it," I said. Reaching forward, I gently tipped her chin up. "But I do have another question."
She blinked warily. "Yes?"
"Can I remove your contacts? I want to see your real eyes."
Her body jerked, panic flashing. "No... you'll be weirded out."
I barked out a laugh. "Weirded out? Have you seen mine?" With a quick motion, I held her still and removed the thin lenses. My breath caught.
Her eyes... Her eyes were radiant. A swirl of neon colors spun endlessly, like twin rainbows condensed into orbs. Beautiful, mesmerizing. Illusionist's Eyes.
"I can't believe it... "Illusionist's Eyes," I muttered. "One of the most powerful gifts in this world."
Apricot stiffened, uncertain how I'd react.
I scowled-not at her, but at fate itself. "This is so unfair. Why do I get terrifying eyes when you get something this beautiful?"
She blinked, then let out a small chuckle.
I pouted, crossing my arms. "Don't laugh at me."
"No, it's just... You looked so childish just now," she said, covering her mouth to hide her smile.
"Ooh, so I made you smile, little doggie," I teased, pulling her hands down.
"Hey! How are you so strong?" she demanded it, pulling back.
I smirked. "Strong? Nah. You're way stronger than me. The only reason I can handle you right now is because of the suppressors on your wrists and ankles... because I frozen some of your muscles earlier. Just enough to tilt the scales."
Her eyes widened faintly. "I see... Why are you being kind to me?"
"Hmm..." I tilted my head. "Because you've suffered enough. And I want to free you."
Her voice trembled. "Free me? You can't do that..."
"Not fully, no," I admitted. "You're a federation soldier. Slave or not, that's how they'll see you. But I can make you our slave instead of his." I jerked my chin toward the ice wall where the commander sat.
Her face fell. "I'll still be a slave. What's the difference?"
"Until my mother trusts you, yes," I said honestly. Then I stood, extending my hand to her. "But it will be better than what you have now. So... what do you say? Will you join me?"
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Chapter 51: Breaking a Commander
"I guess it will be better than him," Apricot said softly, the corners of her mouth lifting into a small, almost disbelieving smile. It wasn't bright; it was careful-like someone testing whether light would really reach them if they leaned toward it.
"Cool. We'll finalize everything after I kill the commander," I said, returning the smile. In my chest, a colder shape uncurled-purpose.
"Okay." She nodded, ears twitching once, as if the word itself were fragile.
"Hehe, let's go break a commander then." I pressed my palm to the ice partition; frost lines spidered outward, the wall sighing into mist as my mana unstitched it strand by strand.
"What took you so long?" Mom's voice was a dry blade. Her eyes cut from me to Apricot-and widened for a heartbeat. "Illusionist's eyes. So that's how you got through. I didn't think the Federation had more of them."
"They told me I was the last," Apricot murmured, shrinking a little behind my shoulder. "But... I don't know if that's true. The last one I knew was killed a couple of years ago."
"But wait," Trinity said, frowning, "you didn't have those eyes when you came in."
"She used contacts to hide them," I said, glancing back.
"Contacts?" Everyone except Mom and Apricot responded with varying degrees of confusion.
"Reincarnation thing," I said. That shut them up fast enough.
Mom stepped forward, the severity in her face easing. "Why are you hiding like that? We aren't going to do anything to you. You already said you'd follow my daughter, right?"
I rolled my eyes. "Ignore her. She isn't normal." I nudged Apricot forward, gentle but firm. As we passed Kayda, something on her neck made me stop-skin shading in a subtle band, like heat beneath stone.
"Kayda, what's happening to your neck?"
She swept her fingers over it with an airy smile. "Nothing. It'll fade in a few days."
"If you say so." I moved on to the commander's cell. Cold curled around my ankles; his cage still had a slim ice veil across the bars. I studied the shimmer. "How should I start with this one?" I muttered this question more to myself than to anyone else.
"So, Apricot," I said over my shoulder, "why did you use contacts to hide your eyes?"
"The commander said it was the best way to make use of them."
"Huh? The last one I fought wore a blindfold."
Apricot blinked. "Blindfold? Do you mean Lord Kaga, who was killed a couple of years ago?"
"Yeah, that Kaga guy," I said, flicking my hand. "Blindfold to conceal his eyes. He cast illusions on himself-claimed he could see straight through it, see everywhere at once. I tried replicating it with my skill, but it didn't take. It might be a trick that needs those eyes."
Mom's mouth quirked. "So you were the one who killed him." She eyed Apricot. "He never shut up about human superiority. Strong, though-scratched me once. Once I worked out his eyes, he crumbled. He relied on them too much."
Apricot bowed low, voice tight. "Thank you for killing him. He was... the worst I've met. He also killed my sister."
Silence bent around us for a breath. I let it pass.
"Got it." I looked to Trinity. "Do we have a decent puppeteer nearby?"
Trinity pointed at herself, chin up. "Right here."
"You're a puppeteer?" I stared, something complicated tugging at my mouth.
"Yes. Why that look?"
"Nothing." I lifted a hand, dismissing it. "Apricot, around the corner. I don't want him seeing you. Someone hold him when I drop the screen."
"I'll hold him," Mom sighed.
"Thanks." I dissolved the thin ice veil.
A hand lunged between the bars and drove into my chest.
Heat flared, bright and ugly. I frowned. The commander's grin gleamed-too many teeth, too much breath.
"Haha, torture me now, bitch."
"You're going to pay for that, you dumb fuck," I said evenly, closing my fingers around his wrist. A senbon bloomed in my other hand; I sank it into the back of his neck, precise as a clock hand at midnight. He slumped like a puppet with its strings cut.
I tugged my hoodie closed over the torn shirt and bra. "You really pissed me off. After tonight, you'll beg for a do-over."
Mom snagged an ice dagger that whistled toward her from his limp hand. "Sorry. Didn't think he'd try that."
"You were fast enough." I lobbed another dagger at her; she caught it without looking.
"I knew you'd be fine."
"Tsk. Whatever. Trinity, open the cell. He owes me clothes."
Trinity stared between us, pale. "How are you alive? He... stabbed your heart."
"Something that small won't kill me. Door." I didn't raise my voice, but she flinched and unlocked it.
I booted him onto his back, crouching so my shadow fell across his eyes. Confusion swam there-good. Confusion opens doors.
"Don't know if your reincarnates taught you about acupuncture," I said, twirling senbons. "Earth method-stress relief, health tweaks. But tools are just tools. It's all about how you use them."
The first needle slid into a point at his sternum. He jerked. The second found the notch near his clavicle. The third kissed the margin of the jaw, a neat pierce where nerves sing.
"Acupuncture can heighten sensation-touch, sound, heat, and cold." A needle clicked into the small notch beside his spine. "Pain too. Move while the needles are in..." I smiled with no warmth. "You'll prefer chest wounds."
He tried to sneer again. It broke into a swallow.
I kept working-map after map, line after line-until his breathing turned into staggered, high-pitched pulls. Sweat threaded his hair at the temples. His eyes went glassy, and I watched his bravado slip like oil off stone.
Then I added the crueler work-ice slivers beneath tendons to make every twitch a spark and a thin frost-coin pressed over the solar plexus to dull his breath and sharpen the ache everywhere else. The pain is not enough to kill, but it is sufficient to make the body shout with every tiny movement.
"Trinity," I said without looking up, "wire him."
Mana-filament flashed from her wrists, hooking elbows, knees, and ribs. She lifted him into a T, legs held straight, arms level. The lines trembled in the air like harp strings.
His breath hitched in little whines. "D-don't-"
"On my count," I said. "Right arm: one notch."
Trinity twitched her finger. The arm rose a fraction. The needles glinted. He screamed.
"Left arm. Stop." I held up a hand; the sound stopped only because he ran out of breath. "Good. We're calibrated."
I leaned close enough to fog his vision. "This is how it works. Every time you lie, I move something. Every time you stall, I move something. Every time you tell the truth, I still move something-but I take one needle out. That's called positive reinforcement." I smiled. "Ready to play?"
"I'll never-"
"Right leg-tiny notch," I said.
His body convulsed like a stringed instrument struck by a storm. The sound he made wasn't human; it was a trapped animal tearing its voice.
I waited. Silence has a weight; you learn to let it press.
"Name," I said.
He didn't answer.
"Two notches."
He tried to thrash; the wires held. He choked. "R-Raus Hendrik. Commander-Eighth Forward Cohort."
"Unit composition."
"Why... why does it matter...?"
"Left arm."
"Six-six hundred-no-five eighty-eight effective! Swordsmen, lancers, ten mages, and two siege-tile teams." He gulped loud enough to click. I removed a single needle from his shoulder. His body sagged with the tiny relief.
"Reincarnations in your command structure. How many in your theater?"
He clenched his teeth. I let the quiet stretch again, then flicked my fingers. Trinity raised his right leg slightly.
"Fourteen." He panted. "Fourteen in total, in the Federation proper. Four bound. Ten free."
"Names." I kept my voice bored, because boredom unnerves. If you sound entertained, they try to spite you. If you sound bored, they try to impress you.
He stared past me toward some private horizon. "I... I can't. Oaths."
I tapped a needle embedded near his ear lightly. "Oaths make pain worse when you break them, not when you speak around them. We'll go with roles. Class and specialty."
He squeezed his eyes shut. "Two elementalists-storm, gravitic. A duelist-shadowed blade. One healer that's... wrong." His throat bobbed. "Two artificers. A word-breaker. A sniper." He swallowed again. "A saint candidate."
Mom's brows lifted a fraction. Kayda's pupils narrowed.
"Locations."
"Scattered. Rotating fronts. They move us. I'm-I'm not briefed on the high tiers. I just get orders."
"Peace talks?"
He blinked, then flinched for no reason except he was waiting for me to move something. I didn't. I let him marinate in the expectation. Eventually, he broke first.
"Ongoing. They've sent three rounds of feelers to the other kingdoms. Offer tech... advisors... joint academies. They want to isolate your kingdom first. Then-then squeeze."
My jaw tightened. I pulled a needle from his ribs; he sobbed with relief. "Planned targets."
He hesitated. I tilted two fingers. Trinity didn't even touch the line-she only let it hum. After I had inserted the device into him, the vibration alone felt as powerful as a hammer.
"Supply hubs. Not the big ones-the feeder roads you don't guard. Bridges. Mid-tier academies to starve your officer pipeline. Underground arrays. Guru trees." He coughed. "They want the trees."
Apricot's shadow shifted where she hid out of sight; I didn't turn my head, but I felt the rage spike from her like heat shimmer.
"Guru trees won't be easy," Mom said coolly. "But noted."
He wheezed, fighting for rhythm. I reached out and adjusted a needle near his diaphragm by a hair; his breathing loosened. "See? I'm kind," I said. "Slave contracts on your side-who signs them, and how often do they fail?"
"High command authorizes. Enforcement is carried out by a brand-caster located in the capital. He swallowed. "People slip through. Those with strong backing... or leverage."
"Such as?"
"Bloodlines. Research we want." He attempted a sneer but ended up coughing out a laugh instead. "Useful monsters."
I stared at him until his eyes skittered away. "Timelines. When does the squeeze tighten?"
"Four months... six at most."
I took another needle out. He sagged, trembling, wrecked. He'd broken cleanly; the rest came like unspooling rope. Names didn't, not fully-oaths and seals tangled his tongue whenever I prodded-but roles, districts, staging habits, procurement patterns, preferred times for moving elites between fronts-those he bled with ugly, stuttering honesty. He tried to lie twice; both times, Trinity nudged a line, and his body gave him up faster than his mouth did. I rewarded truth exactly as promised-one needle at a time-until only a few were left, and he sobbed when the last came free like a drowning man finding air.
I didn't stop there. I froze the tiny bone between his wrist tendons, then thawed it, then froze it again, not to injure-only to remind his nerves they belonged to me. I iced the space above his ankle just enough to make standing impossible without agony. I wasn't after permanent harm; I was after a lesson his body would not forget when sleep tried to hide it.
Only when his head lolled and his answers slurred into soft repetitions did I step back and nod at Trinity to lower him. She eased the lines; he collapsed like soaked cloth.
I slid a final senbon into the needle-point at his neck to keep him unconscious and stood, rolling the stiffness out of my shoulders.
[30 minutes later]
Mom's face wore a look I hardly ever saw. "Well, that isn't good."
"No shit." The information ran a cold finger down my spine, even as the wound in my chest itched with healing. We were ahead in tech-that part I'd wrung out between screams without much trouble. But in power? They were stacking the deck: fourteen reincarnations; four leashed; ten free enough to be dangerous and loyal enough to be used like blades. And the peace feelers to the other kingdoms? If those landed, we weren't looking at fights-we were looking at a storm.
Apricot glanced between our faces, confusion knitting her brow. "If I may... why are you all so down? Wasn't the information good?"
"It was useful," I said. "But useful doesn't mean comforting. Fourteen reincarnations means the next war will be a slaughterhouse if the other kingdoms play along."
I nudged the senbon at the commander's neck, a tiny reflex of irritation, and straightened. "At least we know their habits. That's something."
"Why is that so bad?" Apricot asked again, voice smaller.
"You saw how easily I overpowered you." I didn't make it a brag; I made it a fact.
She flinched, then nodded. "You froze my muscles."
"Mm. Do you know what level I am?"
She studied me, then hazarded, "Sage-type class... maybe level 200?"
A dry laugh escaped me. "Sage type? I'm a speed typist. I don't have a class yet. I'm level twenty-seven."
"WHAT!?" Apricot and Trinity shouted together.
Mom tilted her head, bemused. "Huh. I understand why Apricot is confused, but why are you confused, Trinity? Didn't you know her level?"
"No, I never knew."
I know I know I am delaying the fun parts, okay. It's just Apricot, and Trinity will play a role in the future.
The next one is the final of the torture side, then its training again. Let me know if you guys want a training chapters or just one to settle her powers.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 52:
"Whatever, let's get back to the topic at hand," I said, shaking my head to pull the conversation back from Apricot's muttering. "Like I was saying-if you look at my level and my power, it doesn't make any sense. The reason is that I am a reincarnation. Amari is the same. If you take that into account, you can guess the other fourteen reincarnations can be as strong or even stronger than I am at my level."
I let the words hang there, watching the subtle shift in their faces-Mom with her guarded expression, Kayda with her brow furrowed like she wanted to scold me for daring to sound uncertain, and Apricot, who looked like she was only half-following the words and half-distracted by her nerves.
"I doubt that," Mom mumbled, almost too low to hear.
"Haah." I dragged my hand down my face, irritation leaking through my voice. "Like hell, I'm the strongest, Mom. Come on, if I have a bloodline, then they can also have one, right?"
The idea irritated me more than it should. Part of me wanted to believe I was one of a kind, untouchable-but reality wasn't so simple. I wasn't so arrogant as to think fate gave me everything. And if I could be born into this world carrying memories of another life, then so could others.
Mom only shook her head slowly, that infuriatingly calm gesture that made me feel like a child stomping her feet.
Apricot suddenly muttered, half under her breath, "I have joined in with the weirdest person ever. She is half crazy, ruthless, kind, smart, and dumb."
I turned my gaze on her, narrowing my eyes. "Are you regretting your decision, Apricot?" My tone was sharper than I intended, but her careless words stung more than I wanted to admit.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "Huh? Oh no! I was just thinking about how much will happen in the future, being at your side."
But then her shoulders stiffened, and her eyes flicked sideways. Kayda was glaring at her, a cold flash of killing intent rolling off her like a blade pressed to the throat. Apricot paled, fumbling for an add-on. "As a follower, of course!"
I let out a low sigh. Jealousy. Kayda's jealousy was like a storm cloud-dark, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. Still, I couldn't afford that spiral right now. I forced myself back on track.
"Okay? Mom," I said firmly, looking at her again, "before we go back to the square-what are we going to do about the information we've received?"
Mom crossed her arms, considering. "We'll have to tell the king about it, but I don't think we should make it public to everyone. Maybe only the main houses."
"We can't tell the duke's house, though."
Her eyes narrowed at me. "I understand you don't like Hugo, but they will need to know about it."
I clicked my tongue. "I don't care about my grudge. What I mean is that they accept any soldier without question. That means they should have the most spies buried in them. If we tell them now, the information will spread before we've even finished the sentence." I paused, breathing out slowly. "I think we should only tell the current heads of the houses. Then we will compel them to conduct a thorough cleanout of their forces before they are given any of the information. That includes us as well."
Mom frowned but didn't argue. "I understand that, but it will take time."
"Yes," I admitted, leaning back against the cold wall. "And I'm not the best at tactics, but... They actually succeeded in their mission to destroy the mansion, even though I was the one who truly finished it. That means the other plans are already in motion. We know about some of the places they'll attack, but those could easily be diversions. I'd say we recall everyone from the Dead Forest exploration for now."
"But the forest is used to level up our soldiers," Kayda interjected, her voice sharp with disbelief.
"I know that." My tone softened, almost weary. "But we need to do a proper cleanout, and the best way is to have everyone together. No shadows to hide in."
Kayda folded her arms, her lips a rigid line. "What about the border patrol?"
"Hmm," Mom hummed, tapping her chin. "I think we'll be fine for a couple of months. They won't try anything just yet. I'll have to talk to Dean about it."
"Okay. So, are we still going to make the torture public with our forces or not?"
Mom shook her head. "No. That would make it harder to find the traitors if we're planning a cleanout. I would say just teach them the art and get it over with."
A small grin tugged at my lips. "I see. At least I can still torture people."
Mom gave me a dry look before turning serious again. "I will be going then. You go with Trinity and Apricot and teach them your specialty. Rebecca, you and Lily come with me. As for you, Kayda-go to bed. You'll need to start training Amari tomorrow."
Just like that, she left, the sound of her boots fading down the hall with Rebecca and Lily following.
I stared at her retreating back. "Humm," I hummed under my breath, a vague dissatisfaction curling in my chest. Mom always did that-made decisions and left me to follow through without much warning.
Kayda stretched, stifling a yawn. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow," she said before also heading out.
The cell grew quieter. My gaze shifted to Trinity and Apricot. "Sigh," I muttered. "I have a question about your class, Puppeteer. Can you use this person as a puppet?" I pointed at the unconscious commander slumped nearby. "And if you can, does the strength of the puppet depend on how strong they were when they were alive?"
Trinity straightened. "We can, but not for long. The corpse doesn't last. It makes them useless after a while. We mostly use them in wartime. And yes, class and level matter."
"So it's only limited by how long the bodies last," I mused. A small thrill of excitement sparked in my chest. "That's fine. I'll teach you how to preserve a corpse."
Before either of them could reply, I drove my blade into the commander's chest, silencing his weak groans. The body jerked once before going limp. Without hesitation, I stored him away.
Trinity blinked. "Wait, aren't you going to use him in your torture class?"
I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "Huh? Oh, hell no. You just said the strength of the puppet depends on their class and level. His corpse will be very useful for Apricot." I smirked.
Apricot flinched, a complex expression flickering across her face. "Wait, you want me to use him as a puppet?"
"If you don't want to use him because of his past, I can give him to Trinity," I said bluntly.
Apricot shook her head quickly. "No. It's because he'd be wasted on me. I'm still low-level. Trinity's way higher than me."
I nodded once. "I see. We can talk about it later. For now, let's return to the square."
[back in the square]
The square was already filled with voices-anger, betrayal, and curses echoing from the Federation soldiers. They spat vile words at the three traitors bound nearby.
I coughed deliberately, drawing attention.
One of the Federation soldiers froze, his eyes widening. "It's you!?"
"Ooh, you recognize me, Gerry," I said with mock delight.
"Of course I recognize you! You fucking threw me!?" He was trembling, anger and fear blending into one.
I tilted my head. "Wait. You're the person I threw with my tail? How the hell did you survive that?" The memory was faint, blurred by battle frenzy, but I remembered launching someone with all my strength.
"I-"
Another soldier interrupted, pointing at Apricot. "What is that whore doing with you!? She betrayed us!"
The words hit sharper than I expected. Rage surged hot in my chest, and I had to actively stop myself from killing him instantly. Instead, I turned to Apricot. She was staring at the ground, her fists clenched, her face pale.
"Hey, Apricot," I said softly enough for only her to hear, "do you want me to start with him?"
She gave a tiny nod. That was all I needed.
I smirked and walked over to the loudmouth. Grabbing his head, I lifted him like he weighed nothing. "It seems the doggie has chosen my first prey."
"Fuck you. I won't tell you anything, you damn demon! I hope you burn in hell!" He spat.
"You know," I said, smirking wider, "that doesn't sound so bad."
I forced him prone, my claws digging into his back. With slow, deliberate movements, I began severing his ribs from his spine.
His screams tore through the square. "AAAAH! Stop! It hurts!"
I grinned, baring my teeth. "You're just like your commander. Talk big but no backbone."
That stung the others. "Do you really believe our commander would ever betray the Federation?" Gerry shouted.
"You think so?" I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. "He only lasted five minutes against me before spilling everything." The truth was different, but lies had their own power.
One of the others barked, "Like I'd believe a demon like you!"
"I don't care," I muttered. My hand plunged deeper, pulling one of his lungs free. I froze a corner of it, then held out my hand. "Trinity, wire."
Without hesitation, she tossed me a box.
"Thanks," I said. I tied the wire through the frozen lung, then did the same with the other. Stringing the wires up to the roof poles, I lifted him slowly, his weight dragging against his mangled insides.
"AAAAHHHHH!" His voice cracked into a final, dying scream before silence took him.
"And there you have it," I said, admiring my work. "This is what you call a blood eagle."
The others blanched, but I was already moving on. My gaze settled on the sergeant. My smirk deepened.
Before I could reach him, though, a healer stepped forward. Her hands trembled slightly, but her voice was steady. "Sorry, ma'am. Can you please hear my selfish request?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, okay."
She bowed slightly. "I understand you have been tasked to kill the traitors, but... may I please have the honor of killing the high sergeant?"
"HUH?" I blinked. That was the last thing I expected.
"You see," she continued, her eyes sharp, "that dumbass is my sister's boyfriend. He betrayed her and the black ops. I wanted to kill him when I saw him, but the torture squad stopped me."
A slow smile crept onto my lips. "Haha, now that was a surprise. What's your name? And your sister's?"
"My name is Sirona. My sister is Brenda."
"Healer and Sword, then," I said, connecting the dots. "She's in black ops too, isn't she?"
"Yes. She's a major."
I looked at the sergeant with disgust. "Your sister's taste is... questionable."
"I know," Sirona admitted, her lip curling.
"Well, Sirona," I said after a moment, "I can let you kill him. But you'll have to join my personal guard."
Her answer was immediate. "I will happily join your squad, ma'am."
"Cool. Here, use this." I held out an ice dagger.
She shook her head. "No need." She turned and walked to the sergeant.
His face paled. "Think about this, Sirona! Your sister will hate you if you kill me!"
Sirona's smile was dark, her eyes gleaming. "Have you not figured it out already? She's a siscon. There's no way she'll hate me. She'll be mine again."
Her words were quiet, but I heard them. A chill crawled down my spine. 'It seems both of you are insane,' I thought grimly.
A scream followed, high and broken, as Sirona's ability reversed healing into horror. The sergeant's body twisted into a blackened lump.
I grimaced. "Holy fucking shit. She can reverse heal?"
When she returned, wiping her hands, I forced myself to smile. "I have to say, that's quite a gruesome ability."
"Yes," she said calmly, "but I think with your teachings, I can improve it."
I shivered at the thought. "Okay. Go stand next to Apricot. She'll be one of your partners now."
Apricot blinked in confusion but looked at Sirona's back once-and understood.
I turned to the corporals, strapping them to chairs. A small ball of lightning danced in my hand. "Now, for you two-"
The square was filled with screams, and the air was heavy with blood and smoke.
By the end, I sat on a pile of corpses, five blood eagles strung up behind me. My clothes were spattered, my breathing even. To the torture squad watching, I must have looked like a demon queen on a throne of ash.
"Now," I said calmly, "I'll be writing multiple books for you on human biology. This will assist you in developing more effective torture methods. I know the ones I showed you today are a bit too gruesome and not always useful for extracting information. But you'll learn. I'll also write books for the healers. In other words-you'll have plenty of studying to do in the following months."
"Yes, ma'am!" they chorused.
"Can you not call me ma'am?" I muttered. Looking around, I frowned. "By the way, how do you clean this place? There are no drains here."
Trinity shifted awkwardly. "Well... we never do things this gruesome, so it wasn't needed."
"I see." I stood, fire gathering in my palm. "Okay. Everyone, leave the square. I'll make it easier for you."
They didn't question it. Once they left, I sealed the square with a barrier and let fire magic engulf everything. The screams, the gore, and the blood were all reduced to ash.
And for a fleeting moment, I wondered if I had burned a part of myself away with it.
I decided to give a 2000 word chap for you guys hope you enjoyed it because I drew this out so much.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 53: The Dragoness has arrived.
Waking up beneath the shelter of my ice tree, I blinked against the soft morning light filtering through its translucent branches. The air smelled faintly of frost and earth, clean and sharp. My body still carried the residual hum of power from last night, but my mind-my mind was a restless storm.
I thought back to the executions.
The memory came to me too easily, raw and vivid. The thrill I'd felt still clung to my skin, and that unsettled me. Excitement. Anticipation. And then... disappointment. Because it hadn't been fun-not in the way I'd imagined. I had been forced to restrain myself. I couldn't just tear them apart, not completely. They needed to talk, needed to scream intelligibly. That made it clinical, a job. My favorite things to break, the little pieces I always went for first, I had to leave untouched.
It made me restless. Dissatisfied.
I rolled onto my side, staring up through the crystalline branches. My voice broke the silence, half-whisper, half-growl. "Have you ever heard a man whose vocal cords are shredded trying to beg for help?"
The sound haunted me and even amused me. It was pathetic, grotesque-like a dying infant gasping through broken lungs. Horrifying and hilarious. And I knew how that sounded. Please, don't ask me how I know that. Some things are better left in the dark.
The only one I truly enjoyed was the commander. He was all bluster, all noise-like so many men I'd seen before. He reminded me of that bodybuilder I'd put down in my past life, the one who thought forcing himself on a girl was a show of power. I'd broken him muscle by muscle, acupuncture needles sliding in until his body became a map of agony. His screams then had been music. The commanders were nearly the same. A grotesque echo across two lives.
But then my stomach dropped.
"Wait." I sat up beneath the tree, tail flicking with irritation. "I didn't heal him after."
My claws flexed against my palm. That meant his muscles were still destroyed-completely useless for puppeteering. That was stupid of me. Wasting potential like that. I'd been too caught up in the moment.
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.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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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."
Then I vanished again, appearing on the roof, the cold wind tugging at my hair.
"What is with this world and its problems?" I muttered. My fists clenched.
A heartbeat later, Mom and Dean appeared behind me.
"Tell me why Rachel is in this mansion," I said, voice flat, stripped of all emotion.
Mom's lips pressed together, but she wasn't surprised. "Well... I guess you figured it out already."
"Yeah," I said, eyes narrowing. "She was demanding when we were alone just now. At first, I thought it was desperation, but thinking back-how she acts around Amari versus with me-it's like she's two different people. She only acts touchy when others are around. Alone? Cold, sharp, calculating. It's annoying. And it reeks of an agenda. So why is she still here? Is it the church? Or do you two want to teach Amari some kind of lesson?"
Dean opened his mouth. "Yes, in a way, both. It's more complicated than you think. Even if she's a half-breed, the church would still try to kidnap her. They'd use her as their angel idol."
I barked a laugh, sharp and bitter. "Yeah, nah. I'm not buying that bullshit."
Mom shot Dean a look. "Really, Dean? Couldn't you come up with a better lie?"
Dean lowered his head. "I'm sorry."
Mom turned back to me. "Okay, it's like this. The king hates the church."
"Then why are they in the capital?" I asked, brain was already piecing things together. "The reason she is here is that the king wants to use her for his own purposes." He wants to use her to get rid of them, doesn't he? But how? If the church knew about her, they would've already taken her. No... the church is more of a cult. You're planning to let them attack the capital, use her as a scapegoat, and then rally the people against them. That's the plan, isn't it?"
Dean let out a low whistle. "She really is like you, Stacy."
Mom smirked faintly. "Umu. You got most of it right. Initially, we considered using you to provoke them. But with Rachel becoming a full angel, it'll be easier."
"Using me?" I asked, my tone hard. "And when were you planning on telling me about that?"
"When we started proper planning," Mom replied evenly. "Once we had a date."
I let out a humorless laugh. "I see. Makes sense. I'm only thirteen, after all."
Dean tilted his head. "So you don't mind being bait?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, it's fine. But I want to know everything."
"Fair enough," Dean said with a nod.
"But this isn't your final goal," I added quietly. "Is it?"
Mom's eyes sharpened.
"You want to kill the God of Light," I said. "Don't you?"
Silence. Then Mom smiled faintly. "You really are like me. Thank you." She pulled me into a hug.
"Don't worry, Stacy," I said with a grin, leaning back.
Her brows furrowed. "What is with 'Stacy' again?"
"You lost the privilege to be called Mom last night when you let the commander stab me in the chest."
Dean's head whipped toward her. "What!? Stacy, how could you let that happen!?"
"But-" Mom started.
I smirked and pulled a set of restrainers from storage. The heavy cuffs are designed to block mana and skills, causing the body to feel as heavy as lead. I'd intended them for training, but revenge would do.
She was distracted, arguing with Dean-just like always. And I knew her weakness. When it came to him, her guard always dropped.
Sliding the cuffs onto her wrists and ankles, I whispered under my breath, "Hasta la vista, baby."
The moment they activated, Mom stumbled, her limbs weighed down.
"What!? Kitsuna, come back here now!" She shouted, fury burning in her eyes.
"Haha! Come and catch me, S-T-A-C-Y!" I yelled over my shoulder as I bolted.
Her enraged scream followed me as the chase began.
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Chapter 55: Kaydas' magic method
In a small clearing deep within the forest, two figures collapsed back-to-back, their ragged breathing filling the otherwise quiet air. Sunlight filtered weakly through the canopy above, speckling the ground with shifting patches of gold and green. The smell of damp earth clung to every breath, and somewhere in the distance, a bird let out a sharp cry before fluttering away.
"Huff... huff... I'm so tired," I muttered, sinking deeper against Mom's back, letting the rough bark-and-grass floor support me. My muscles ached as though I had just carried the entire mansion on my shoulders.
"Huff... yeah, you don't say." Mom let her head rest lazily against my shoulder, her ears flicking tiredly. "These restrainers are heavier than they look."
A laugh slipped out of me despite the exhaustion. "Yeah. Three hours running around with those strapped on... I could see ... I could see you struggling."
"Oh, hush." She smacked my arm lightly, though there wasn't much strength in the gesture. Then she tilted her head in thought. "By the way-why do you even have them?"
"I was planning to use them for training," I said simply, which only seemed to confuse her further.
Her ears twitched. "How would they help with that?"
"I'm too lazy to explain. Just check your status," I told her with a mischievous smirk.
She raised an eyebrow but did as I said. A second later her eyes went wide, and her tail fluffed up like a startled cat's. "What the-what the fuck!?" she shouted so loudly that it rang in my ears.
Using what little strength I had left, I lifted my hand and bonked her head. "Can't you not scream directly into my ears?" I groaned.
"Sorry, sorry! But seriously-look at this." She shoved her status scroll toward me, her expression a mix of disbelief and giddy excitement.
I blinked, taken aback. "Wait... scrolls can check your status?"
"Yeah." She puffed her chest a little, looking smug despite her earlier yelp. "I can show you how to set it up later if you like."
"That's fine," I muttered, but my curiosity got the better of me as my eyes scanned the glowing runes. It wasn't my first time seeing her status, but... the numbers made me do a double take. Then, before I could stop myself, I shouted just as loudly as she had. "What the fuck!?"
Status
Name: Stacy Draig
Age: 36
Race: Nekomata
Bloodline: Nekomata
Gender: Female
Level: 970
Class: Duel Assassin (Exotic) (Berserker)
HP: 20,680 / 20,680
Mana: 22,160 / 22,160
Str: 10,230
Vit: 10,340
Def: 10,280
Int: 11,080
End: 10,390
Agt: 12,370
"My agility went up by fifty since the last time I checked it," Mom said, her eyes still glued to the scroll.
"Wow. The restrainers work even better than I thought." I stretched out my sore limbs, feeling an odd sense of pride.
"Hehehe." Her grin widened until it was borderline terrifying. "I just got the best idea ever." She laughed like a maniac, her tail swishing eagerly.
I stared at her with dread. "...Why do I feel like everyone's going to start hating me for this?"
She ignored me for a beat, then abruptly switched topics. "Oh yeah, so how are you going to change Rachel into a full angel?"
I blinked. That was... a shift. "Last night, when I dissected a demi-human, I noticed their blood is very different from a human's. Being curious, I tried it again with a half-breed. The end result? Their blood doesn't mix at all. Like oil and water." A sigh escaped me. "The more I talk, the more I sound like my father."
Mom's tail drooped in confusion. "I don't get it. Can you simplify it?"
"Fine, fine." I rubbed my temple. "Imagine a sword made of steel and adamite. Together, it's weaker than it should be. But if you remove the steel and leave it as pure adamite, the weapon is stronger." I waved my hands to emphasize, even though I knew she'd mock me.
Sure enough, she snorted. "Your references are the worst, but I get it. So... how long will it take?"
"A month for a one-hundred percent success rate. And what do you mean by "worst references"? It's not my fault you don't understand my detailed explanations!"
"It is your fault. You suck at explaining." She jabbed a finger at me.
"Like you're any better!" I shot back. "You toss out one sentence and expect me to figure out the rest."
"But you do figure it out, don't you?" Her grin returned.
"Yes-but I have to overdrive my brain just to keep up with you!"
"Overdrive, my ass. You're one of the smartest people I know. If you actually used your brain properly, you could probably write a book with only one word."
I stared at her. "...That's not possible. Who would understand a book like that? It'd only work as a show where you can use gestures."
"You think?" she teased.
"Yeah. Take the word "fuck." It can mean many things depending on how you say it. I walked up to a nearby tree, stretching my hands as though I were presenting it. "Fuck."
Mom tilted her head. "Giant tree, yes?"
"Fuck," I said again, summoning a small ice pole. I cut the tree down and let it fall dangerously close to me, dodging by a hair. Then I jabbed at the pole with irritation. "Fuck!"
For the next minute I carried on a bizarre argument with the pole, using only that one word and changing my tone and gestures each time. By the end of it, Mom was watching me like someone who just realized their daughter had turned into a lunatic.
"You actually made a story with only saying fuck... and the worst part is that I understood it." She facepalmed.
"See? So if you want a story with only one word, it has to be a show." I grinned proudly.
She sighed but smiled all the same. "Yeah, fine. Thanks for proving my point-you really are one of the smartest people I know. A crazy, airheaded one, but smart." She resumed walking toward the mansion.
I opened my mouth to protest but froze, my eyes narrowing toward the giant tree in the distance.
"What's wrong?" Mom asked.
"...Who the fuck is using ice in my domain?" I growled, already sprinting ahead.
[scene shift-base of the Guru tree]
After a short run, I rounded the magnificent tree and saw Kayda and Amari standing beside a fragile-looking ice pillar, chatting casually. In a flash step, I appeared next to it and slapped the thing to dust.
"Don't use this crappy ice magic near me or my domain. It's a disgrace," I declared.
Kayda didn't even flinch. "And there you go. See how weak it is."
Amari's eyes sparkled. "But it's still amazing that you can create ice while being a fire-type mage!"
Kayda nodded, slipping back into lecture mode. "My scorch magic is fire mixed with wind. With proper control, you can split it back apart into two elements. If it works one way, it should work the other."
Her words struck a chord with me. A dozen ideas bloomed in my head instantly.
"But that's not a theory anymore," I said, amazed. "You just created ice using wind and water mana. Weak ice, sure-but it's still ice."
"Yes," she admitted, raising her hand. Mana threads shimmered like strands of glass between her fingers. "But to achieve this, your control must be absolute-like moving another limb."
I leaned closer. "Wow. Are those... solid?"
"They can be if I like."
"Awesome. Thanks." I smirked and turned to leave. "Oh, and next time, don't hold your magic lessons so close to my bed."
Kayda blinked. "...Her bed?"
Amari chuckled. "Kitsune sleeps outside, under this tree." She pointed at the Guru tree nearby.
Kayda's ears twitched pink. "And you're telling me now?" She shoved Amari lightly, flustered.
"Haha! That's why I didn't tell you," Amari laughed.
I barely heard them-I was too caught up in my thoughts. If I can transform ice into water and wind, then what could I do with my regeneration? Could I make it into an actual healing skill? Could dimensional storage be transformed into dimensional magic? Hehe, dimensional magic, here I come.
Grinning to myself, I made my way back to the mansion.
[scene shift-mansion interior]
The air inside was cooler, perfumed faintly with polished wood and incense. Servants bustled quietly through the halls, their footsteps barely audible on the marble floor. I stopped a maid mid-step. "Where's Dean?"
"He should be in his office, my lady."
"I see. And... where's that exactly?"
After she gave me directions, I followed them until I stood before a carved oak door. Knocking lightly, I heard his voice from inside.
"Come in."
I pushed the door open. Mom was already lounging on a sofa, one leg crossed over the other like she owned the place. Across from her, three figures stood with their backs to me-one of them instantly recognizable as Apricot. Dean sat behind his desk, looking as though the world had personally wronged him. Papers were strewn across the wood surface, his jaw tight, his golden eyes narrowed.
"Sorry, Mom," I said, pulling out a pair of keys from my storage. "I forgot to give you these."
She caught them mid-air. "I'm not taking them off just yet."
"Yeah, I figured." I shrugged before crossing the room and wrapping my arms casually around Apricot's shoulders from behind. Her warmth seeped into me instantly, and I caught the faintest scent of her hair-like honey and ink. Peeking over her head at Dean, I smirked. "He's not giving you trouble, is he?"
Apricot's smile was soft. "No, we're just about finished with the final arrangements."
"Like hell we are!" One of the others snapped, her voice sharp as a blade. "Why do I have to change squads?"
I tilted my head, assessing her. "You must be Brenda."
She looked like Sirone's twin, just taller. Black hair, black eyes-humans through and through. Ordinary features-but her glare was sharp enough to cut steel.
"And who are you?" she demanded, her tone like a whip crack.
"Calm down, sis," Sirone muttered, trying to soothe her. His voice wavered, though, betraying unease.
I stepped forward, extending my hand. "You don't know me yet, huh? I'm Kitsuna Draig-the one who requested your transfer."
Her eyes flicked to my hand but didn't take it. The tension in the room sharpened like drawn steel. Even Dean leaned back in his chair, watching with a predator's patience.
I held my hand there longer than necessary, smiling just enough to be unsettling. Inside, a part of me burned with amusement-Brenda had fire; I'd give her that. But another part of me simmered with warning. If she can't respect me now, this transfer's going to be fun.
Updates might get fucked in the next couple of weeks. I am getting busy again and can't find a lot of time to write.
Though it's not that bad, I just need -+3 hours to write a chapter.
The reason for this warning is more that I am thinking about writing all the other chapters as well. I will try my best to keep it at every 2 days.
With that out of the way, I am going to write every chapter before updating them. I am planning to finish in 2 or 3 weeks with the rewrite.
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Chapter 56: Squad of Crazy Heads
"Commander, why didn't you tell me that my new superior will be your daughter?" Brenda said, shaking my hand firmly. Her grip was strong, rough from training, but I could feel the hesitation behind it-like she was trying to measure me up while still showing respect.
Dean crossed his arms, his tone edging toward irritation. "I was going to, but you interrupted me."
I smirked, watching his expression tighten. "Dean, you sound like a pushover sometimes."
Mom let out a soft laugh in response, while Dean gave me a look that was part glare and part surrender.
"It's not like that. I just care about what my soldiers want to say," Dean said, his voice defensive.
I tilted my head, letting my golden eyes rest on him just a little too long. "Mmhm. If you say so."
Brenda arched an eyebrow, as if already enjoying how easily I poked at him. "You really do sound like a pushover, sir."
Dean sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't need two of you ganging up on me."
"Don't tempt me," I said under my breath, making Mom chuckle louder. Then, speaking more loudly, I added: "Anyway, I wasn't here to tease Dean." I actually had something to ask. Dean, can you please teach me about tactics and planning?"
He blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Huh? Your mother can do that too, you know."
"I know," I said quickly, shrugging, "but she isn't the best at explaining things."
Mom narrowed her eyes at me playfully, like she wanted to swat me but couldn't argue.
Dean rubbed his jaw, considering. "I see... that makes sense. We can do that, but I am a bit busy at the moment. We can start tomorrow."
"That's fine. I was planning to get acquainted with my new squad anyway," I said, flicking my gaze to the three watching us.
Dean nodded. "Alright. I'll finalize the paperwork then. Before I forget-you know about the reincarnation meeting that should have been at the end of this week?"
"Yes. If I remember, it was supposed to happen here at the Draigs mansion. What about it?" I asked, arching a brow.
"Yes, it would have, but Hugo canceled it. We moved it up to the banquet at the end of the month."
I let out a sharp exhale. "That damn furry."
"What is a furry?" Dean and Brenda asked at the same time.
I glanced between them, lips twitching. "Umm, how to explain this... It's what we call people who dress up like humanoid animals with a lot of fur on them. They end up looking more like an animal than a humanoid-like me, though. If you are wondering whether it is meant as a compliment, it is not.
Brenda tilted her head. "I thought all demi-humans see them as kings?"
I blinked slowly, then arched an eyebrow at her. "Huh, are you crazy? Do you think a demon fox will bow down to something like that?"
Her lips parted, and then she nodded sheepishly. "So no?"
"Yes, no," I said firmly. "It's only the demi-humans who don't have the self-confidence who would bow down to them."
Brenda frowned, clearly chewing on my words. "Is that true?" she asked, turning toward Apricot.
"Yes. It is mostly the demi-humans who can't defend themselves. For example, mouse-demis would follow them without question," Apricot explained, her voice calm but clipped.
"Ooh. Sorry, it seems I have been misinterpreting their existence, ma'am," Brenda said, bowing her head.
I waved a hand. "It's fine. Now come. Let's go and have a talk."
[Outside the mansion]
The air shifted the moment I stepped out, fresher, tinged with the faint sweetness of the garden blooms. I looked at Brenda again, my eyes catching on the massive sword strapped to her back. It was difficult not to. "I thought you were a samurai," I said, pointing at the blade.
"That is right, ma'am. "I'm just better with bigger katanas than with the smaller ones," she said, affectionately brushing the hilt with one hand.
I stared at the blade. Wide. Long. Brutal-looking. 'I don't think a forty-centimeter-wide, one-point-eight-meter-long slab of steel qualifies as a katana.' I shook my head internally.
"I see. You'll have to show it to me later. Let's head to the garden to talk."
"Yes, ma'am," all three said in unison, following me.
I stopped in my tracks, my tail twitching. I turned, narrowing my eyes with a sharp grin. "If you guys call me ma'am one more time, I'll pull out your vocal cords."
They stiffened, pale, then swallowed nervously. "We will remember that... "Kitsuna," they said in unison, their voices tight.
"Better," I muttered, starting to walk again.
I noticed Apricot adjusting her eyes as we moved. "Hey, Apricot, why are you wearing your contacts again?"
"Your mother said I should wear them so that no one finds out about my situation."
"That sounds about right. I'll let Luna know to make you some blindfolds for your eyes," I said casually.
"Is there something special about her eyes?" Brenda asked.
"Yeah. You'll see later." I let the mystery hang there, not explaining.
We reached the garden, the grass soft beneath my boots. I picked a patch and sat down, patting the ground beside me. "Sit down."
Apricot obeyed immediately, folding her legs neatly. The other two hesitated before lowering themselves onto the grass. Their hesitation didn't go unnoticed.
"Okay," I said, crossing my legs. "Now that everyone is here, we can do a proper introduction. Name, position in squad, class, and weapon preference. I'll start."
I took a deep breath while scanning my eyes over the group. "My name is Kitsuna Draig. I'll be the commander of this squad. I'm only thirteen years old, almost fourteen, and level thirty, so I don't have a class yet. I'm a speed-type, and I don't have a weapon preference."
Apricot's head snapped toward me, eyes wide. "You're only thirteen? And you don't have a class?"
"Yes," I said, lips curving faintly, "and I'm not planning to get one in the near future."
Brenda frowned. "What do you mean you don't have a weapon preference?"
"I use many different weapons in combat," I explained.
She tilted her head. "Is there a certain class you are going for then?"
"There is," I said, letting my smile sharpen. "But that'll stay a secret for now."
Brenda shrugged, still looking curious. "Okay. I guess it's my turn."
"Un," I said, leaning back slightly.
"My name is Brenda, no surname. I'm a major in the Black Ops army. I'm a samurai, level eight hundred thirty-four. I'm a strength-type, and I use a bigger-than-normal katana for combat." She tapped her massive sword as if to emphasize the point.
"Can I see your sword, if you don't mind?" I asked, standing.
She blinked, surprised, but handed it over.
I stepped a few paces away, letting the blade settle into my grip. Then I swung. Once. Twice. Again. The steel cut the air with a deep hum, surprisingly light in my hands.
"This object is much lighter than I expected it to be," I said, returning it before sitting down again.
Brenda stared. "I'm surprised you could swing it that many times."
"It's the same weight as my ice war hammer, so it was easy to swing around," I said, summoning one in my hand to show her.
Sirone blinked, leaning forward. "Huh? How did you make that weapon appear?"
"It's one of my abilities. I can create weapons out of my ice magic."
Apricot smiled faintly. "That explains why you don't have a weapon preference. You can just make your own anytime."
"Yes, that's good and all," I said, letting the war hammer dissolve into mist, "but I'm useless in a mid— and long-range fight. For the moment."
Brenda frowned. "I see, but that still doesn't explain why you could swing my blade like that."
"My strength sits at seven hundred ninety-five right now."
Her eyes widened. "What a prodigy."
Sirone echoed, awed. "Truly."
"Not really. Most reincarnations should be able to do that," I said, shrugging.
"Seriously?" Brenda asked, her voice tight with unease.
"Yeah," I said, my tone flattening, "but you don't have to worry too much about it for now. Sirone, you're next."
The girl sat straighter, nervous. "Okay. My name is Sirone. I am Brenda's little sister. I am a five hundred sixty-nine-level healing sage. I have no experience in weaponry."
I tilted my head. "Yeah, we'll change that. You can't go into a fight without any way to protect yourself."
"But she is a healer," Brenda protested.
I gave her a sharp look, lips curving in a cold grin. "I'm not going to have a healer on my team that can't protect themselves. I'd rather send my team on missions without one."
Brenda's mouth opened, but no words came.
"Don't worry," I added casually, "I'll get her a gun or something so she can attack from range. And new combat clothes. I can't have her looking like a healer, making her a target."
"But she looks so cute in her healing robes," Brenda muttered, pouting.
"You think I look cute?" Sirone mumbled, her cheeks pink.
"Of course. You look adorable in your healing robes," Brenda said, smiling brightly.
Sirone turned her face away, flustered.
I cut in, tone dry. "Okay, can we move on? Apricot, your turn. And tell them everything."
Apricot hesitated, then bowed her head slightly. "My name is Apricot. I am a slave of Kitsuna. The reason why is because I am an ex-federation soldier. I am not planning on betraying you, as the federation abused me and did things to me I will never forgive. I am level four hundred sixty-three, a Puppeteer with Illusionist's eyes. As a puppeteer, I don't specialize in any weapon, but I can use wires to a good extent."
Brenda snorted. "Pfff, yeah right, I bet-" Her words cut off with a sharp gasp.
An ice sword was pressed against her throat. I smiled thinly. "Look at her right ear."
Brenda hesitated, then glanced. Her eyes widened at the half-cut ear, and Apricot lowered her gaze in shame.
"That is only the surface damage you can see," I said softly, withdrawing the blade. "There is a lot more. And remember this: I might be friendly and easy-going, but I am not naive."
The air grew heavier.
"You forgot to add crazy," Apricot said suddenly, arms crossing.
Brenda gasped.
"Are you sure I did?" I asked, grinning.
"Would a sane person force someone to take a bath in ice after knowing them for only a few seconds?" Apricot shot back, glaring.
I tilted my head, amused. "What? You were dirty. I just wanted you clean."
"You didn't have to throw me in."
"I did warn you," I said, smirking.
"A second before you dropped me in does not count as a warning," she snapped.
I laughed softly.
Sirone tilted her head, smiling despite the tension. "You guys don't seem to hate each other, even though you're her slave."
"Un. Of course not. What isn't there to like about me?" I asked, grinning.
"I can name quite a few," Apricot muttered.
I ignored her. "Back to more important things. We start training tomorrow. And before you complain about your levels, it won't help you. Levels won't matter in my training."
Brenda groaned under her breath. "We're screwed."
I leaned back on the grass, staring at the sky. "Maybe. Or maybe you'll survive long enough to surprise me."
Their silence told me they weren't sure if I was joking. Neither was I.
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Chapter 57:
"Where should we get together tomorrow?" Apricot asked, tilting her head, her ears twitching with a mix of curiosity and impatience.
"Under the ice guru tree," I said, pointing lazily at the towering, frost-coated tree in the back courtyard. Its branches glistened faintly, like frozen veins reaching up toward the dim sky.
"But isn't that where that fox sleeps at night?" Sirone said, her voice trembling. Fear flickered across her eyes, and she hugged her cloak tighter as though the mention alone could summon the beast.
"Yes," I answered simply, hiding the grin that tugged at the corners of my lips.
"Don't worry, your big sis will cut that fox up in a million pieces if it even thinks about touching you," Brenda declared with loud confidence. She puffed her chest out as if daring the invisible enemy, her hand tightening on the hilt of her blade. The bold claim made Sirone's cheeks flush red, embarrassment chasing away some of her worry.
'These two are going to be a handful.' Apricot and I exchanged a quick glance, our thoughts crossing unspoken.
"It will be fine. She won't do anything to you, Sirone," I said calmly, lowering my hand to brush at a stray lock of hair falling into my eyes.
"How sure are you about that?" Apricot asked, narrowing her eyes, clearly testing me.
"You'll have to wait for tomorrow to see," I replied, standing up with a small stretch, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a clearer answer.
"What are we supposed to do today for the rest of the day?" Brenda asked, turning her bright gaze on me, still half-smiling from her bravado.
"I don't know. Go on a date with your sister or something," I said, waving them off as though it were nothing important.
"Aah, that isn't a good idea, thank you," Brenda muttered, though her grip on Sirone's hand tightened instinctively. With a reluctant blush, she led her sister away.
"Those two might be annoying in the future," Apricot said with a sigh, her tail flicking once behind her.
"Probably, but it's kind of entertaining to see how dense Brenda is," I replied, letting out a small snicker.
Apricot's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me you're into those kinds of relationships."
"You mean like incest?" I asked, perplexed, raising a brow at her. Seeing her nod with a serious frown, I immediately formed an ice staff in my hand and smacked her lightly over the head. "Hell no. I might be into girls, but family relationships still have their boundaries!" My voice carried sharper than I intended.
"Owie," Apricot muttered, rubbing the sore spot, though a mischievous smile tugged at her lips. "That's why you only have girls in this squad. You want to make a harem. I gotta say, you're doing a bad job-you already lost two people to each other."
"It just worked out like that, and I don't want a harem. It's way too much work to satisfy more than one person," I said flatly, smacking her a couple more times with the staff for good measure.
"Master, you're so abusive," Apricot said with an exaggerated pout, rubbing her head.
"And whose fault is that, doggie?" I shot back, annoyed.
"Stop calling me doggie," Apricot snapped, ears twitching furiously.
"No," I said, smirking, before turning away. "Come, let's go meet Trinity."
"Why her?" Apricot asked, her expression skeptical but her steps still falling in line behind mine.
"She's going to teach us how to use wires properly-or more like, I'll be asking her to do that," I explained as we moved toward the forest paths.
"I understand for me, but why you?" Apricot pressed.
"It's for my mastery of weapons," I said eagerly, my voice carrying a note of determination.
"Ooh, so you want to use string weapons or make them?" Apricot asked.
"Both. I also want to learn how to make traps," I admitted, slightly surprised she figured it out so quickly.
"Not a bad idea," Apricot said, nodding, her tail curling thoughtfully.
"Yup, and the best part-it works with my fox nature."
"Fox nature?" she echoed, tilting her head.
"Don't worry about it," I said with a sly smile.
[30 minutes later]
"You want me to do what?" Trinity asked, looking genuinely confused as she sat behind her desk, half-buried under mountains of paperwork.
"I want you to teach Apricot how to use wires properly. You don't have to worry, I'll be there the entire time to keep her under control," I said, putting on my most innocent expression.
'Why are you using the roundabout way to ask her to teach you!?' Apricot thought, glaring at me silently.
"Yeah, I heard that," Trinity said, skeptical eyes flicking between the two of us. "But why should you be there as well?"
"Because I'm her master, and as her master, I must keep her under control," I explained with the utmost seriousness, chin tilted high.
"That isn't needed. Remember, I'm a higher level than her-and by a lot," Trinity said, her tone mildly irritated.
"But she can catch you off guard," I said flatly.
"The more you talk, the more it sounds like you don't trust me at all," Apricot muttered, annoyed from behind me.
"Doggie, shhh," I said, dismissing her.
Trinity smirked, finally catching on. "Ah, I see. You also want to learn how to use wires, right? Why didn't you say that from the beginning? It makes everything so much easier. But in exchange, you'll show me how to preserve a corpse for puppeteering." Her smile widened, sharp.
"Of course," I said with a nod.
She stood abruptly, shouting, "Brad, get in here!?"
"Trinity, this is a warning for the future," I groaned, covering my ears. "Please don't shout like that-or at least warn me. My ears are really sensitive."
"Noted," she said smoothly. "Now, Brad, you're taking up my duties until I'm done, okay?"
"But Commanding Major, what are you going to do?" Brad asked, frowning.
"I was asked to do something for the house. So you have no say in this. Do the work, understood," Trinity said, walking out without another glance.
Left behind, Brad stared at the pile of paperwork, looking as though the world had ended.
"Good luck, Brad," I said cheerfully as I followed after her. Apricot clasped her hands together in mock prayer before trailing behind me.
"So, am I only going to teach you two?" Trinity asked once we were outside.
"Yes. Before we go, can I get more restrainers?" I asked, causing her to glance back, puzzled.
"Why?"
"I'm going to use them tomorrow for my squad. Do you have ones that can block only people's levels?"
"I do. But since when do you even have a squad? Didn't you just arrive here like two days ago?" she asked, baffled.
"Since this morning. And can I have ten of those restrainers?" I asked, smiling innocently.
"You work fast," Trinity said, shaking her head.
"Meh, if you think so. About your request, though-I'll have to find the materials first before I can show you," I admitted.
"That's fine. Just remember you owe me one," she said, winking.
"Of course," I said with a wry smile.
[4 hours later]
"Thank you, Trinity. I'll be sending Apricot every day to you for a couple of hours," I said, waving as she stepped back toward the offices.
"Huh? You're not joining the next training session?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes. Stacy is my master, so there are rules about me training with other people," I said, rubbing the back of my head.
"Stacy is your master? That must be hard," Trinity said, a flicker of pity on her face.
"Nah, I like training with her," I said brightly.
"You monster," Trinity muttered, staring at me like I was insane.
"Thanks for the compliment," I replied, tilting my head.
"That wasn't a compliment. Whatever. But what do you mean by rules?"
"I'm only allowed to be trained by another person in my free time, and their sessions can't be more than an hour. Before you say it-yes, today was four hours, but I'm taking a week off her training to get used to the capital. After this week, I'll be using my free time on my own squad."
"I see. Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow, Apricot," Trinity said, leaving us at the training grounds.
"So what are we going to do for the rest of the day?" Apricot asked, standing next to me.
"I need to find Kayda and ask her how to learn proper mana control," I said, walking toward the gates.
"Should I join you?"
"You don't have to. You can go back to your room or do anything you want," I said, shrugging.
"I think I'll go try to get some shut-eye. Ah, damn, I forgot to ask your father where our squad's barracks are," Apricot said, facepalming.
"I'll just call Mom and ask. Oh, and don't call him my father. Just call him Commander Draig," I said, pulling out my scroll.
After sorting Apricot out and showing her the barracks, I spent the next three hours wandering the mansion grounds in search of Kayda. My path crisscrossed the same spots-gardens, the main gate, shaded courtyards. I must have looked ridiculous, circling like a lost fox. I even tried sniffing her out, but... I'd forgotten her scent.
One upside, though-I learned the entire mansion layout, right down to the hidden paths in the forest. The only place I hadn't checked was the black ops barracks. Surely she wouldn't be there teaching Amari.
As I walked back toward the garden once more, wings sliced the air above me. A shadow blotted the light, descending fast.
I looked up.
A humanoid bird plummeted toward me, its wings spread wide, talons glinting.
"What the fuck!?" I yelped, stumbling back.
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Chapter 58:
Before I realized who it was, the shadow was already beside me. My body tensed instinctively, a bead of cold sweat slipping down the curve of my back. The hall's lanterns burned low, their light smearing across the stone like faint bruises. Turning, I caught the familiar outline of Kayda. Even as I recognized her, I didn't relax. My pulse still hammered, a reminder of habits too deeply carved to fade.
"Where have you been? I've been searching for you for hours," she said, her tone clipped with annoyance, but her eyes carried something softer. A flicker I couldn't quite name.
"That's my line," I answered flatly, though my shoulders eased a fraction. "I've been walking around this mansion looking for you for three hours."
Her brows shot up, disbelief flashing across her face. "Don't tell me-"
"I think we've just been circling each other. Both of us searched, never meeting." My words fell deadpan, but the absurdity almost dragged a twitch from my lips. I held back a smirk that almost escaped.
Kayda stared for a moment, then a breath escaped her, breaking into a laugh. "Ha... that's ridiculous. And kind of intriguing. Imagine us chasing shadows of each other this whole time."
Her laugh carried a lightness I hadn't expected. Her laugh caused the corners of her eyes to crease in a way that almost felt... dangerous. I fought not to stare too long. "Glad you seem amused," I said, though my expression stayed blank, my tone flat. Inside, it wasn't flat. Inside, I felt a little hurt that she could laugh so easily while my chest was still a battlefield of broken glass.
Her eyes softened. "So? Why were you searching for me?"
The question sank into me, heavier than it should. I swallowed, searching for words. "I... just wanted to talk to you, I guess. But why were you looking for me?"
Her smile was effortless, and it stung more than I cared to admit. That smile-it was too natural, too open, like the world hadn't carved lines into her the way it had with me. I looked away, fighting the tug in my chest. I still need to get used to that smile-it's dangerous. Dangerous because it made me want to believe in things I had no right to.
"I told you before. I'd help you with magic whenever I had the time," she reminded me, voice steady.
"Right. If that's the case, then you won't mind me asking for advice."
"Of course not," Kayda said. Her gaze flicked toward a bench nearby, half-hidden under the shadows of an overhanging roof. "But let's sit somewhere more comfortable first."
"That's fine," I muttered, already moving, pretending not to notice that I'd quickened my steps just slightly to stay ahead of her. I pretended not to notice that her presence alone seemed to create a warmth along my spine.
"You sit. I'll grab drinks." She disappeared into the mansion's side hall before I could protest, her crimson wings trailing the air behind her like silent flames.
Left alone, I sank onto the bench, the wood cool against my back. I draped one arm across the backrest, forcing my body into a lazy posture, as if pretending to be comfortable could make me forget the strange tightness in my chest. My eyes drifted upward. The sky above was a sheet of gray clouds pressing down on the horizon, heavy and restless. Always moving. Never still. Just like me-always dragged along, never given space to stop.
She returned swiftly, two glasses in hand. She held one out, her fingers brushing mine. "You look comfortable," she said lightly.
"I didn't realize how tired my legs were until I sat down," I admitted while taking the glass in my left hand. The cool rim of the glass provided some grounding, but it wasn't sufficient.
Kayda settled next to me. The bench was long, but she didn't keep her distance. Her dragon wings brushed against my arm, the scales warmer than I expected, almost alive. She could have chosen space-she didn't. My gaze slid to her side profile, the way the lantern glow kissed her cheekbones, softening the sharpness of her features. For a second, I forgot to breathe. She doesn't even try. And yet... she pulls me in. Damn it.
Kayda fidgeted with her glass, eyes lowered. Her fingers tapped the rim as though she were trying to steady herself.
"You look nervous," I said, setting my drink down, leaning just slightly closer.
"O-oh, it's nothing." She tried to dismiss it with a small laugh, but her shoulders betrayed her, stiff and tense.
"So," I said, tilting my head toward her wings, "how are the new additions? Already figured out flying."
Her crimson wings shifted in response to my mention of the new additions. They weren't extravagant, just raw and natural-red scales and curved horns at the top, looking almost ordinary if such things could be. But on her? They suited her too well. They were like pieces of her soul finally made visible.
"They're... comfortable. They don't feel like a burden at all. I just need to duck through smaller doors. Other than that, they don't get in the way."
"I see. So my arm isn't in the way either?" I teased, letting the words slip softer than I meant them to.
She gave me a sidelong glance, lips quirking. "Not really. I can't feel much through the scales."
"If you say so." My gaze lingered too long. "What about horns? Going to grow them out too?"
"Yes," she said, brushing her hair back to reveal two small stubs barely peeking through. "They'll grow with age."
I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped me. "Cute."
Her lips twitched in annoyance and embarrassment. "They're not meant to be cute. The older you get, the larger they grow."
"Huh. So you'll need to become an old hag to get proper horns?" I spoke impulsively, my words escaping before I could think.
Her fist drove into my stomach before I could regret it. Pain lanced through me, sharp and unyielding, blood rising in my throat. I doubled over, coughing. "Don't. Say. Hag," she warned, her eyes blazing.
Wheezing and hunched, I managed, "I understand, ma'am." The word came out half-choked, half-laughing despite the pain.
Satisfied, she sat back down, sipping her drink as if she hadn't just tried to kill me. I straightened slowly, clutching my stomach, biting back the groan. "Is there anything else you would like to share about your life?"
"Not really." She tilted her head at me, studying. "But I heard you've got three girls in your personal guard now?"
"Yeah. Lovely ladies," I said with mock grandeur, flashing a smirk that didn't quite reach my eyes.
Her eyes narrowed. "Why'd you say it like that?"
"Well... two of them are sisters. Into each other, at that. And the other-my little doggie slave-has finally grown a backbone and talks back to me." I leaned back, smug.
"You complaining?" Kayda's eyebrow arched, her tone daring me.
"Not really. Apart from the incest issue, I don't mind. I'm glad Apricot's more confident. Though... she's still carrying too much. That frustration has to go somewhere eventually. I wonder what she looks like when the bloodlust hits." I muttered, half to myself, the words heavier than I'd meant them to be.
Kayda's brows furrowed. "Bloodlust? Venting? Not everyone lets it out violently. Some break. Others internalize their pain, which can lead to depression, self-destruction, or projecting it onto others.
Her words were steady and calm, but the undercurrent of lived pain bled through. I frowned, catching it. "Maybe. But for me... it was always easier to kill. Damn, I sound like I enjoy it."
She studied me carefully, her eyes sharper now, as if peeling back layers I didn't want revealed. "It's fine... as long as you know the line. Innocent versus guilty."
"You think nightmares count as outlets?" I asked suddenly, my voice quieter.
"More than you realize. Alone, they can be the cruelest of all." Her voice softened, almost breaking at the edges.
Alone... yeah. That was me. My lips twisted bitterly. "I suppose it makes sense that I never had a strong negative reaction to it. I got used to it. Outside of... killing."
Kayda's gaze sharpened. "It does make sense. You were tortured by your only family. You never knew real love."
Her words cut like glass. My eyes narrowed. "Mom told you?"
Kayda paled, waving her hands quickly. "I... forced Stacy to tell me. Blackmail. And... we've been friends for twenty years. Don't blame her."
I sighed heavily, the weight pressing into my chest. "Figures. Guess I'll prank her later. Anyway-that brings me to why I needed your help. Did you know wirework needs elementless mana?"
"Yes," she said simply, meeting my eyes. "Why?"
"Because I am keen to learn it. But I can't infuse without freezing my wires solid. My natural mana is ice. I can't project my other elements more than a few meters." Frustration bubbled up inside me, causing my words to come out harsher than I intended.
Kayda tilted her head thoughtfully. "Your sister struggles too. But with lava."
"I see..." I muttered, though my mind was already spinning elsewhere. Always elsewhere. "I'll cut this short. There's something I need to check."
"Tomorrow, then," she said, unbothered, her patience a strange comfort I didn't deserve.
"Thanks. But-at least give me your contact info." I pulled out my scroll.
She handed hers over without hesitation. "I apologize for leaving so soon after we reunited."
"It's fine," Kayda said, then pressed a small metal sphere into my palm. Her hand lingered, warm against my skin. "For mana control practice."
Her warmth clung even as she pulled back. Without thinking, I smirked, patting her head. "Still shorter than me." I ruffled her hair lightly, more intimate than I intended.
Her eyes flashed with indignation. Before she could retaliate, I darted away, her faint growl chasing after me. And beneath my own smirk, a question echoed: Why does it feel so easy to breathe around her when it shouldn't?
[20 minutes later]
The new barracks loomed before me, wood beams still smelling of fresh-cut lumber, plaster not yet dulled by time. My chest tightened with unease. "Why... why am I worried about her?" I muttered under my breath, the words hollow as I stepped inside.
The room smelled of wood and faint oil. Ten beds lined the walls, five on each side. There was a kitchen in the back, with a small bath tucked behind it. Too quiet.
Two beds were empty-Sirone and Brenda weren't back yet. But curled up on the opposite side, Apricot whimpered in her sleep.
"It was good I came," I whispered, moving closer, boots silent on the floor. Her cries grew clearer, small broken sounds escaping her throat, her body trembling under the thin blanket. Even in her dreams, her face twisted in pain.
How do you even comfort someone like this? My mind scrambled. Don't touch. No touch. Be there. Don't be there. A memory surfaced-a film, a mother's hand brushing her son's hair. Simple. Gentle. Something I'd never had.
I sat on the edge of the bed, hesitating before laying my hand on her head. Heat burned my palm. "You're burning up, doggie... sick already?" I murmured, half to her, half to myself.
Her arms flinched, reaching blindly. I dodged at first-instinct. Always instinct. Then froze. She just wants a hug.
I glanced at the counter-a towel lay folded neatly. I meant to grab it to keep the distance. But before I moved, Apricot's arms locked around me. She dragged me into the bed, surprising strength born of desperation.
"Hey-what are you-" My protest was cut off as she buried her face in my chest. Her grip was iron, shaking but immovable. I sighed, the sound heavy and resigned. Damn it... I can't use ice. Can't wake her either.
Struggling was useless. Her breathing evened out against me, her body trembling less with each exhale. I stilled, listening to the fragile rhythm. I felt the heat of her cheek seeping through my shirt, causing my face to burn. My throat tightened, caught between comfort and shame.
"I muttered, teeth gritted and voice low, 'Dammit... that place is for my wife one day, you damn dog.'" Yet my hand hovered, betraying me, brushing her hair back gently as she slept, the way I wished someone had done for me long ago.
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Chapter 59:
Waking up to the sound of footsteps crunching over grass and fallen leaves, I sighed inwardly. I didn't bother to shift from where I was sprawled, back against the base of the tree. The air inside the training grounds still carried the chill of dawn, a damp coolness that clung to skin and fur alike. The bark at my back was cold, rough enough to dig faintly against my shoulder blades, but I had grown used to that long ago. Nights spent outside had long since hardened me to small discomforts.
The footsteps came closer, cautious but determined. I flicked an ear lazily in that direction. Whoever it was, they were still learning how to move quietly.
"Are you sure the fox won't do anything to us?" Brenda's voice, sharp with unease, broke the quiet. Her tone was always edged, like she was waiting for betrayal.
"Yeah, don't worry," Apricot answered quickly, her tone far too chipper for the circumstances early in the morning. The girl's optimism grated sometimes, but it was also... strange. Warning. Her steps quickened, pattering like rain on grass, and then she broke into a run. Before I could move, a shadow leapt toward me.
"Wha-"
Apricot landed on me with all the grace of a sack of flour, sending a dull thump through my ribs and forcing a grunt from my throat.
"Apricot, what are you doing jumping on her!?" Sirone's voice rose in alarm behind her.
I blinked at the ridiculous girl now sprawled across my chest, her cheek pressed against fur I hadn't even brushed after sleeping outside. "Seriously? One day. It's only been one day and you're already this bold!" I barked at her, eyes wide.
Apricot buried her face deeper into my thick fur, utterly unfazed. "But come on, Kitsu, you're so fluffy..." she mumbled, her voice muffled but brimming with delight.
The nickname made my ear twitch. The way it rolled from her mouth dragged my memory back to yesterday morning-the memory I least wanted to replay.
[Yesterday-Crazy Headed Barracks]
Apricot had clung to me then too, arms wound tight as though she feared I would vanish if she let go. Her face pressed against me while she slept peacefully, ignorant of the mortification flooding me. I'd tried to shove her off at first, but the girl had a death grip, murmuring faint nonsense until she drifted deeper into slumber.
I fiddled with the smooth, pale-blue sphere Kayda had given me. Supposedly a tool for mana control. At the time, I thought I understood mana, but the way this orb rejected nearly everything I poured into it proved otherwise. I pushed, forced, and even coaxed, but only a thread-less than one percent-passed through.
'Damn, I suck at this,' I thought bitterly. At this rate, Rachel's treatment is going to be delayed. And here I am, pinned down by a puppy that refuses to let go...'
I looked down at Apricot, who was murmuring softly in her sleep, with her fingers twitching as though she were chasing something in a dream. Against my better judgment, a strange warmth stirred in my chest. I told myself it was nothing. Just squad loyalty. Just responsibility.
I guess it's fine. My squad comes first... She's one of them now. That's all it is.'
The thought made me smile-an absent smile I hadn't felt in years, one I'd seen on worn-out parents watching their children sleep. That smile no longer felt like it belonged to someone like me.
An hour and a half later, after more stubborn attempts, I finally managed to push over ten percent of my mana through the orb.
"Finally!" I exclaimed loudly and carelessly. "Double digits! Haah-"
The sound stirred Apricot. She shifted, arms tightening briefly before she blinked herself awake.
My heart stopped. "Shit," I muttered under my breath.
Her bleary eyes met mine, confusion giving way to surprise. "Mmm... Kitsu? What are you doing here?"
I coughed, trying to keep my voice calm. "Well, little doggie, I came to check if the dumbos were back. Instead, I found you twisting in a nightmare. Being the kind person I am, I decided to comfort you-until you dragged me into bed."
Her cheeks burned crimson as she realized her position. "Wha-Wha-I'm sorry, commander!" She scrambled back so fast she nearly tripped, her hair a mess, eyes wide.
"Don't worry too much about it." I rose to stretch, brushing dirt off my clothes. "We'll talk later. Your two bimbos are on their way anyway."
But her eyes, wide and nervous, followed me. Then, without warning, she knelt stiffly on the floor in full seiza, bowing her head.
"I understand. You may punish me as you want."
"What?" I blinked at her. "Get up. I'm not going to punish you. Ever."
Still, a mischievous thought tugged at me. I smirked, shifting into my fox form, tails swaying lazily. "Or... will I?" I let my voice drop, low and menacing.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "Who are you!?" she shouted.
"Oi! No shouting," I snapped, my tail swiping her head with a dull thump.
Her shock melted into disbelief. "That's... you, Kitsuna?"
"Yes," I said simply, eyeing the door. "I am a fox. But don't tell them, okay? For now, say I'm Kitsuna's pet fox, Nova. I came to check on you guys."
"I understand!" Her eyes sparkled, fixated on my tails now, like some child spotting candy.
The door handle rattled. I slipped past her. "See you tomorrow."
The door swung open to reveal Brenda and Sirone.
"Aah! The fox is in our barracks!" Brenda yelped, dragging Sirone behind her like I was a rabid beast.
I ignored them and padded past, tail flicking dismissively.
[Present-Under the Tree]
I shook myself out of the memory, narrowing my eyes at Apricot as she burrowed deeper into my fur. Why was I so open with her? Is it because of what she's been through? Or... am I falling-no. That's not it.' I shoved the thought away. I'll think about it later. Kayda... I know why I'm open with her, but two days? Even that feels far-fetched.'
I sighed, annoyed by my spiraling thoughts. Then I leaned close to Apricot, lips curling into a grin. "Haha, you guys are going to suffer today."
With a flick of my hand, ice rippled across the ground, forming a dome that sealed us beneath its crystalline surface. Light filtered through faintly, tinting the air in shades of pale blue.
The others froze, mouths hanging open.
"You two," I said dryly, "are going to catch flies like that."
"It can talk!?" Brenda and Sirone shrieked in unison.
I ground my teeth. "Oi! What was that!?"
Standing, I shook Apricot from my lap. She landed with a small yelp as I shifted smoothly back into human form.
"Young Miss!?" Both shouted again, equally shocked.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday not to scream like that?" I said this while walking toward them, with my steps echoing in the ice chamber.
"Actually... you didn't," Apricot piped up, brushing leaves from her hair.
I paused, then shrugged. "Didn't? Oh well. Remember it for the future. My ears are sensitive." I tapped one of my fox ears, making it twitch. Then, reaching into storage, I pulled out three sets of mana-dampening restrainers.
"Put these on. Training starts now."
Brenda frowned, suspicion sharp in her eyes. "I wanted to ask this yesterday-how are you supposed to train us when you're inexperienced yourself?"
"Restrainers. Now." My tone cut her off like a blade.
"Fine." She slipped them on reluctantly, muttering curses under her breath.
"You're right, Brenda," I admitted, arms folding loosely. "I am inexperienced. But when did I ever say I'd teach you anything? I told Sirone and Apricot I'd help them learn. For you, there's nothing I can teach. Not directly."
Brenda considered that, lips pursed. "True. You never said you'd teach me something specific. So why am I here? Teamwork?"
"In a way." I smiled faintly, then blurred forward with Flash Step. My foot slammed into her side before she could blink. "But the main point is..." She hit the dirt with a grunt, breath leaving her lungs. "...to boost your base stats."
"Big sis!" Sirone cried, rushing toward her.
I appeared in front of her in a blink, chopping her lightly on the head. "Don't get distracted so easily."
Movement pricked at my senses. I twisted away as three humanoid puppets slashed at me with swords.
"You should watch out for friendly fire, Apricot."
"I know," she answered, smirking as more puppets materialized at her side, threads of mana visible around her fingers.
I glanced back-Sirone had already been snatched away by a fourth puppet. "Ooh. You used your fourth puppet to pull her back. Not bad."
Apricot tilted her head, smug. "Five seconds. It took you five seconds to realize that."
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue. "First time fighting a puppeteer. Don't get cocky."
Brenda groaned from the ground, clutching her side. "I could see you coming... but my body couldn't react."
"Those are the restrainers." I eyed her coolly. "They strip everything away except your mana pool."
"Damn..." Brenda muttered. "So this is what being at base feels like."
Sirone fussed over her with healing magic, far more dramatically than necessary.
"Oi, Sirone, don't waste mana like that. You will use bows until I can provide you with a gun." I tossed her a temporary weapon.
"Yes, ma'am!" she said stiffly.
"Kitsune," I corrected sharply.
"My bad, Kitsuna!"
"Good." My gaze slid to Brenda. "Your katana's length?"
"One hundred and eighty-six centimeters. One centimeter thick. Forty-two wide."
I winced. "Length is fine. The rest is garbage." With a flick, I conjured a thinner blade, three millimeters thick, three centimeters wide, and the same length. I held it loosely. "This will be my weapon. No tricks, no other tools. Just an odachi. If you can push me beyond this, then maybe you'll earn my respect."
Brenda squinted. "I can't tell whether you're arrogant or not."
"Neither. I'm showing you levels mean nothing. If your base is strong, you surpass anyone." My smile grew sharper. I pointed the odachi at them. "Come. Try to force me to use more than this."
"Now that is arrogance," Brenda snapped, charging.
"Apricot," I added lightly as our blades clashed, "there are about a hundred puppets behind you with two weapons each."
Her head whipped back in shock.
Sirone gasped, staring. "When did you-"
"Don't get distracted," I warned coldly, shoving Brenda back toward her.
The battle erupted in chaos. Puppets swarmed, Brenda swung wildly, and Sirone's arrows clattered harmlessly. I cut through metal with lazy sweeps, my movements precise but almost bored.
Apricot's brow furrowed as she poured mana into her creations, their frames thickening under reinforcement.
"Better," I acknowledged, cleaving one in half regardless. "But still brittle."
Arrows whistled-finally one came close. I glanced at Sirone. "Not bad. You missed sixty-four times out of ninety-seven shots, but at least you are still firing."
"Please stop talking like that!" Sirone cried, voice trembling with frustration.
"Why not? You need to be hardened. Reincarnations will be far worse than me-full of arrogance. If you can't stomach me, you won't last."
Apricot's eyes narrowed. "Be like what, exactly?"
"Like me," I said simply. "Looking down on anyone in your path."
Brenda smirked through her exhaustion. "Ha! I actually like the sound of that!"
She charged again.
I appeared behind her, my kick sending her face-first into the dirt. "Didn't I tell you not to shout?"
"Sorry, hehe..."
"Pathetic."
The spar dragged on, blow after blow, puppet after puppet, until their breaths came ragged and sweat dripped freely.
[Twenty Minutes Later]
"You lasted longer than expected," I remarked, odachi resting against my shoulder. "Brenda-fifty-seven full swings. Apricot-twenty-seven puppets, twenty-five destroyed by me. Sirone-ninety-seven arrows, thirty-three decent."
Brenda lay unconscious, a smile frozen on her lips. Apricot collapsed to her knees, mana spent. Sirone clutched her bow, barely upright, sweat dripping from her brow.
"You can rest now. I'll join Amari's lesson until this afternoon. Then we fight again." I stabbed the odachi to the ground.
"Oh-Brenda." I gestured at the sword by her side. "Test that later. Forged from two thousand mana. Stronger than your katana. Lighter too."
Without waiting, I flash-stepped away, leaving them inside the fading dome of ice.
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Chapter 60:
"Yo, sorry I'm late," I said, appearing next to Kayda. She was already there, hair tied up in her usual no-nonsense style, her hands moving with precise calm as she adjusted the table for our training session. She didn't even glance at me at first-her attention was on Amari, who sat nearby, swinging her legs absently while pretending not to be nervous.
Kayda finally flicked her eyes toward me, expression unreadable. "How did the first training go with your squad of crazy heads?" she asked, voice dry. "I assume they lived?"
"Brenda's unconscious from exhaustion," I reported casually, stretching my arms behind my head. "Sirone was on the verge of passing out-probably drooling on a pillow right now-and Apricot ran herself completely out of mana. So, in other words, it went well. They should realize how important base stats are after this."
Amari leaned forward from her chair, resting her chin on one hand. "How will that help them become stronger?" she asked. Her voice carried genuine curiosity, though there was a note of skepticism under it, the kind that said she wanted to believe but wasn't sure yet.
I smirked. "Have you ever seen Mother's stats?"
She shook her head, eyes widening in anticipation.
"Her agility total is twelve thousand," I said slowly, letting the number hang in the air like a blade. "Her level is nine hundred seventy, which means her level stats account for about ninety-seven hundred. Now you might wonder where the other twenty-three hundred comes from." I tapped the table for emphasis. "Those are her base stats. That's why I fear Mother the most-not just her experience, not just her weapon mastery, but because her foundation is terrifying."
Amari's lips parted slightly. "That... makes sense," she admitted.
Kayda, however, arched a brow. "Isn't it also because of her mastery with weapons?" she countered.
"That too," I said with a shrug. "I was just giving Amari some perspective. Besides," I grinned, leaning back, "she won't be the only one feared for weapon mastery in the future."
Kayda's lips curved faintly, though I couldn't tell if it was approval or mockery. "I see. But here, we aren't concerned about weapons. Only magic."
My shoulders slumped dramatically. "So mean," I muttered in a wounded tone.
Amari stifled a laugh at my theatrics.
Kayda, as if to ground the conversation again, set a small metallic sphere on the table. Its polished surface caught the light of the training lamps, gleaming like a stubborn little secret. "Yesterday, I gave both of you a metal ball. I'm certain you've figured out its true purpose by now."
Amari brightened, clearly pleased with herself. "Yes. Because our mana starts out aligned with an element, we need to learn to strip it down-to make it non-elemental. Doing so will make it easier to use other elements later." Her words flowed with the ease of a student who enjoyed proving she'd done her homework.
Kayda gave her a small nod of acknowledgment.
I, meanwhile, blinked. "Wait, that's what it does?"
Amari turned to stare at me. "You didn't realize that yesterday?"
"Nope." I pulled the sphere from my storage and set it on the table with a dull clink. "I only played around with it for a few hours. Tossed it, poked it, tried to push mana through without thinking too hard."
Kayda pinched the bridge of her nose. "It doesn't matter how long you fiddled with it. Could you please let me know how far you were able to
I scowled at the ball. "I sucked. I only managed to use about fourteen percent of my mana before the ball rejected me. The memory stung, and glaring at the little sphere made me feel no better.
"Fourteen percent?" Kayda repeated, deadpan. "Well, you're not the worst out there, but your mana control is clearly... subpar." She said it with such casual sarcasm that I nearly choked.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue.
Amari, smug, leaned back. "I managed eighty-four percent," she said with a tiny smirk. "Hehe."
Kayda's eyebrows actually twitched upward. "Well done, Amari. That's excellent for one day, especially with little explanation. You're close to my ability."
My jaw dropped. "Wait, how did you do on your first day?" I demanded.
"...Ninety-one percent," Kayda answered, almost sheepishly.
I slapped my forehead dramatically. "Damn. I really do suck."
Kayda softened-just a little. "Don't worry, you're still young. You have time." She smiled, and for a brief moment, her expression wasn't that of the strict teacher but something warmer. Something almost gentle.
'Time? I don't know if I have as much as you think. I thought silently, keeping my face neutral as I rolled the sphere between my palms. It was easier to focus on its cold surface than on the sudden knot of unease in my chest.
Kayda, as if sensing my shift, straightened and reached for something beneath the table. She set down a forty-centimeter metal pole, about five centimeters thick, riddled with small holes no wider than a fingertip. "For the next stage, when you reach one hundred percent, you'll use this."
Both Amari and I leaned closer, wondering what was going on.
"You're probably wondering why there are holes," Kayda said. Without waiting for us to answer, she infused her mana at the tip. Threads of light emerged from the holes like delicate strands of silk, glowing faintly as they extended outward. "The challenge is to control your mana so that it flows through the holes without touching the pole itself. If it touches-"
One strand deliberately brushed the pole. Instantly, all of it snapped back and disappeared.
My eyes widened. "Huh!? What the hell? Could you please clarify how I should accomplish that?
Kayda's calm tone was almost cruel. "When you can do that, you'll move to the next one." She produced another pole-same length, thinner, holes smaller. Then another. And another. Until six poles lay before us, each more impossible than the last. The final one was as thin as a reed, with holes barely pinpricks.
"This is impossible," I groaned, sinking lower in my chair. "Good luck, Amari. Looks like you'll outclass me very fast at this rate."
Amari giggled. "You're a monster at everything else. Let me have this."
Her grin was infectious, and despite myself, I chuckled. "Haha. I wouldn't be so sure about me being good at everything."
Kayda interjected, voice calm as ever. "It took me three years to reach the final pole. That was with dedication and experience. Expect it to take time."
Amari pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I'll aim to finish before the academy in three years. That feels like a reasonable goal."
Kayda nodded approvingly. Then her gaze shifted to me. "And you, Kitsuna?"
I hesitated. Then, with a stubborn lift of my chin, I said, "I want to finish in two years, max. I need that time for weapon mastery-and for... other reasons."
Their surprise was obvious. Kayda's brow rose. "How do you plan to do that when you struggled with the first exercise?"
"I'll figure something out," I said simply, shrugging. But inside, my resolve burned hotter. I want dimensional magic. I want to create my own domains. I don't have the luxury of dragging this task out.
I leaned toward Amari. "Oh, and you-try doing it in a year and a half. You were brilliant in our previous life, so I believe you can handle it.
She rolled her eyes. "Tsk. Fine. I'll try, sis."
The air felt lighter for a moment-until Kayda spoke again. "Enough about mana. Let's cover elements. What type of magic is stronger than others?"
Amari and I groaned in unison. "More learning?"
"Yes," Kayda said firmly.
I rattled off the basics with a sigh: "Fire beats wind, wind beats earth, earth beats water, and water beats fire."
"Correct. But don't rely too heavily on that. It mostly comes down to who can wield their element better."
Amari nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense."
I raised my hand like a student in class. "Question."
Kayda tilted her head. "Yes?"
"Yesterday, you made ice pillars at my tree. How did you do that exactly? I understand you used water and wind, but how did you form a rare element? Even if it's weak, it was still a rare one."
Kayda's eyes softened with memory. "That comes with years of experience. You split your elements into their base forms. For example, if Amari splits her storm magic, she gets water, wind, and lightning. Each of them would be as strong as a standard element, since storm is a race-element."
"HUH!?" I gawked. "Is her storm magic associated with a specific race element?" What race is it tied to?"
"You didn't know?" Kayda asked, confused.
"Kayda, I've only known my sister for three days! We haven't exactly traded magic secrets." I turned to Amari. She nodded sheepishly. "So all three of her elements are race elements," I muttered, shaking my head. Then, with a resigned sigh: "Fine. Guess it's fair to admit mine too. All three of my elements are also related to race.
Kayda tilted her head. "I suspected as much. Zagan's shadow magic is a race element. The twins also have them. I assume most reincarnates do."
"That's... shit," I muttered. "So all reincarnates have race elements. That's going to be a problem for the war."
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
Amari froze. "War?" she repeated, her eyes sharp with sudden alarm.
My glare snapped to Kayda. "You really are terrible at keeping your mouth shut," I hissed, a thread of killing intent slipping out with my words.
Kayda flinched, then lowered her gaze. "Sorry. I didn't know Stacy hadn't told her."
Amari stood, fists clenched. "If there's a war coming, I need to know. I want to help. I would rather not be protected and kept ignorant. I want to be useful."
Her determination shook me. For a moment, she looked so much like the girl I remembered from before-the one who always burned with conviction. My chest ached.
"I'll talk to them," I said softly. "But you'll need real power if you want to be helpful." I reached out and patted her head gently, a rare gesture I didn't offer lightly. Then I turned back to Kayda, my tone hard again. "That's twice in one hour that you've slipped. This time it's fine because we're family. But watch your tongue in front of others."
Kayda lowered her head further. "I will."
"Hey, sis, you don't have to be so harsh," Amari said.
"I do," I replied. My voice was steady, but my chest was tight. "There are things Kayda knows that must never be revealed. Not yet." I picked up one of the poles from the table and tucked it under my arm. "I'll be leaving. Thanks for the lesson, Kayda."
Without another word, I flash-stepped away, vanishing into the forest. My anger simmered, but beneath it was a deeper ache. I knew I should find Mother, talk to her, and confront her about all of this. But right now... I couldn't. If I did, I'd only blame her, and I didn't want to throw that weight on her shoulders unjustly.
No. I needed to cool my head.
The forest swallowed me as I ran, branches whipping past, the sound of my breath loud in my ears.
And beneath it all, one thought pulsed, insistent and sharp:
Time. I don't have as much time as they think.
Chapter 61.
After twenty minutes of running through the forest, weaving between thick tree trunks and vaulting over tangled roots, I finally stopped at the edge of a lake crowned by a waterfall. My chest rose and fell, but not from exhaustion-just from the sheer thrill of the sprint. Cold mist hung in the air, clinging to my hair and skin, the crashing water ahead filling the forest with its endless roar.
"Haah," I sighed, resting my hands on my hips. "Our backyard is far too big. I have been running for twenty minutes at full speed, yet I still haven't found the end of our backyard. My gaze lingered on the waterfall, the sheet of white pouring down with such force that it made the lake ripple all the way to where I stood.
"This looks like a wonderful spot to get away," I murmured to myself, stepping closer. Kneeling at the water's edge, I plunged my hand in. The chill bit instantly at my skin, sharp enough to make anyone else flinch, but for me it was perfect. A small smile tugged at my lips. "Cold. Just right."
I looked around, eyes narrowing, scanning the trees and bushes. The silence here was unbroken-no tracks, no snapped branches, no hint of other people. A hidden retreat. Satisfied, I peeled off my clothes until only my underwear remained and dove in.
The icy water wrapped around me like a familiar embrace. I broke the surface, laughing under my breath. "Haah, this feels wonderful. The temperature is just right for an icy fox to enjoy. Hmm..." I swam slowly toward the waterfall, my tail drifting behind me like a pale ribbon in the water. "I wonder how close this water actually is to freezing over."
As I neared the cascade, droplets splattered against my face and shoulders. I treaded water, staring up at it with a half-grin. "Man, not gonna lie, but this place is a perfect date spot. I should tell Amari later so she can bring Zagan here." My smile grew mischievous. "Or maybe I'll keep it to myself... save it for my own secret dates."
Curiosity tugged me forward. I slipped beneath the roaring curtain and swam to the rocks behind it, expecting some hidden hollow, maybe a cave like in those Earth stories. Instead, I met only solid stone. I placed my palm against it, pouting.
"It's a lie," I muttered dramatically. "All of it was a lie. There is no cave behind every waterfall. The stories of Earth are all lies." Clicking my tongue, I pushed off the rocks and drifted back into the middle of the lake.
I floated on my back, staring at the sky through the mist. My thoughts turned sharp, circling back to Kayda.
I'm surprised-and angry-that she's so careless sometimes. The first day we met, she went on and on about being a failure, yet she didn't deny being a pure dragon. Then today... blurting things like that. How is she in black ops if she can't keep secrets? Talking about an upcoming war in front of Amari, a thirteen-year-old innocent child...'
A voice flickered in my head like a spark. You're a hypocrite.
I froze, blinking. My ears twitched above the water. "Hmm? Did I hear something?" I glanced around, scanning the tree line. Nothing. The forest was still, save for the eternal rush of water.
I narrowed my eyes, then exhaled. "Whatever. My mind must be playing tricks on me." Still, the words gnawed. My tail twitched with unease. I just don't think Amari is ready to see the ugliness of this world. We have to preserve her innocence, at least a little longer.' My fists clenched under the water.
A heavy thud sounded on the shore. My ears perked, and I snapped upright in the water, eyes glowing faintly. The urge to strike, to pluck out eyes, rose-then I recognized the silhouette and sagged with relief.
"Mom," I breathed.
She stood at the water's edge, hands on her hips, crimson hair gleaming in the filtered sunlight. Her gaze was sharp, her voice sharper. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"
"It's only been twenty minutes," I replied, swimming lazily toward her. "I was just enjoying myself." I let a chuckle slip into my words.
"Twenty minutes is long when you vanish without a word." She tilted her head. "Kayda said you were looking for me?"
"I was," I admitted. "But I needed to calm myself first."
Her expression softened slightly. "Why?"
"Not relevant right now." I smirked, gesturing at the lake. "Why don't you join me? The water feels heavenly."
"No," she said firmly, frown deepening. "I don't have time for this, Kitsuna."
I sighed, paddling closer. "Fine, fine. So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Things." She folded her arms, eyes narrowing as I emerged from the lake.
Her gaze immediately widened. "Where are your clothes!"
I grinned, wringing water from my hair. "I can't swim with everything on, now can I?" My grin widened when I noticed the faint pink creeping across her cheeks. "Relax, Mom. I checked-no one comes here."
"Still, what if someone sees you?" She glanced around nervously, her tail swishing.
"They won't." I scooped up a handful of water, stepping out. "I made sure of it."
"Fine," she muttered. "But get out already. We need to talk about your problem."
"Will do." With a mischievous flash step, I appeared behind her and poured the cold water down her back.
"Nyaa!" Mom yelped, leaping forward.
"Haha! You just said, 'Nyaa'!" I doubled over laughing.
"That was cold!"
"I know." My grin stretched from ear to ear.
"And you were swimming in that?"
"Of course. Remember, I love the cold. I'm an icy fox." I conjured a towel from my storage and began drying myself, still smirking.
Her expression sobered. "So. What did you want to talk about?"
I hesitated, then said, "Yesterday I found out you told Kayda about me. At first I was upset, but I let it slide. She's your best friend, and I trusted your judgment. Honestly, I like her. She's fun and easy to tease. But today she crossed a line. She slipped in front of Amari. Hinted-no, outright said-that war is coming. Amari picked up on it instantly. That was the last straw. I became angry, expressed my feelings, and then left. But I needed to cool off before I could face you. So here I am."
Mom's face tightened. "She really said that?"
"Word for word, practically."
Her sigh was long and heavy. "I didn't want Amari to know about war before she went to the academy. I'll speak with Kayda later." Then her eyes flicked back to me. "But what about you? Wasn't it you who revealed yourself to your entire squad as a primordial?"
"Yes," I said bluntly, shrugging. "But I gave all of them a suicide bomb. I can kill them anytime I want."
Her jaw dropped. "You did what?"
"You remember the first time I combined fire and lightning? Two years ago." My body shuddered at the memory of my arm being blown apart.
She nodded grimly. "You lost your arm."
"Yeah. Thereafter, I kept trying until I learned to control it-by coating it with ice. Watch." I formed a small ice sphere, a black spark trapped within. Tossing it up, I released the ice. The sphere burst into a sharp crackle of flame and lightning.
Mom's eyes widened. "No way. How?"
I smirked. "Because I'm me. I slipped them into my squad's bodies without them noticing."
"When?"
"Apricot? The night of the torture. She was restrained. Sirone? While she slept, I tailed her. Brenda? When she collapsed from exhaustion." I listed them off casually.
Her voice dropped, horrified. "What if it goes off by accident?"
"It won't. The only way is if I will it. Or if Kayda's scorch magic touches it." My confidence rang like iron.
She looked torn between pride and fear. "That's... terrifying."
"Terrifying, sure," I said, shrugging. "But also effective. Even if someone hundreds of levels above me turned on me, they'd die in an instant. Don't worry, though. Only my squad and Rachel carry them. I'd never use it on your people. And I can dispel them if I need to. It's still connected to my mana."
Her shoulders eased a little. "Rebecca and Lily?"
"I only perfected the look a few months ago. I like them too much. And I'm sure they'd never betray us."
"That's excellent. But, Kitsuna, did you ever tell your squad to keep it secret?"
I blinked, then groaned, facepalming. "I can be such a genius and still be so dumb."
Her laugh was warm. "Don't worry. I told them for you."
"Huh? You were watching us?"
"From a tree. Your katana skills have improved."
My tail lashed. "And I didn't notice?!"
"Illusions, baby girl." She tapped her temple.
"Tsk. I'm hopeless against illusions. I'll learn one day."
"You will."
"Thanks. And sorry for being careless."
"It's fine. Just don't repeat it."
I slumped against a tree, hitting my forehead gently against the bark. "I'm such a hypocrite. Lecturing Kayda for being careless when I did the same."
"If you apologize, she'll forgive you."
"You think?"
"Definitely. Get her flowers. White ones."
"...Flowers?"
"She loves them."
I stared, then laughed softly. "Alright. Flowers it is."
[Two hours later]
I approached Kayda, clutching an ice vase brimming with white and red wildflowers. My heart thumped uncomfortably fast. The sunlight filtered through the trees, glinting off the frost that rimed the vase and making it shimmer like crystal.
She looked up from where she was sitting on a log, sharpening her blade. When her eyes met mine, something flickered-surprise, then warmth.
"Here." I thrust the vase forward.
She blinked, accepting it. Her fingers brushed mine, lingering for a second too long. "What's this for?"
"An apology. For what I said earlier."
Her eyes softened, but her lips curled into a teasing smile. "But you was entitled to say it."
"Not really. I was a hypocrite. Forgot to warn my squad. Mom covered for me."
"Oh." She chuckled lightly, turning the vase in her hands. The flowers caught the light, casting faint reflections across her scales. "Then I'll accept your apology-on one condition."
My eyes narrowed. "What condition?"
"You have to grant me one request, without question."
I groaned. "That doesn't sound fair. We both messed up. How about one request each?"
Her smile widened, but there was a spark in her gaze now, playful and almost daring. "Deal."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. She tucked the vase gently beside her, one hand brushing over the petals with surprising tenderness. Her other hand tapped her knee idly, but her eyes stayed on me-sharp, steady, and warmer than I expected.
I turned to leave, but my tail flicked once, revealing my nerves. "Good. Now, I need to go beat up my squad again."
"Mm." Her voice followed me, low and almost amused. "Don't keep me waiting too long for my request, Kitsuna."
I didn't look back, but I felt her smile even as I walked away-the kind of smile that lingered in the air, tugging at my chest long after I was gone.
YAY! We made 2 000 collections!!!???
Well, my phone says that if not, so we are damn close to it.
We also made 600k views, yay.
I actually missed the half-a-million views celebration, lol.
Anyways thank you all for everything.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 62: A crying maiden once more
It had been a long time since I'd had a day like this-busy, chaotic, exhausting. The last time I could remember being this physically and emotionally drained was back at Rebecca and Lily's wedding. Gods, that day had been insane. Between the beautiful ceremony, the drunk confessions, the heart-to-hearts, and the terrifying party games-I narrowly avoided a few of those punishments, thank all the stars-I'd been emotionally wrung out by the end of it.
That day also revealed a horrifying truth: Rebecca's entire family consisted of sadists. The whole lot of them. Except, weirdly enough, her father. He was the lone masochist in a sea of twisted smiles and evil pranks.
But anyway-back to today.
After giving Kayda the flowers and seeing her face light up in a way that warmed my core, I returned to my squad. I half-expected them to still be stretching or discussing the last fight, but no-Brenda had already started swinging my ice odachi around like she owned it.
My brow twitched in surprise. She'd barely had it for an hour. I thought she'd at least hesitate before testing it out, considering its weight and the magic properties etched into the blade. But nope. Full swings, wide arcs. Like it was an extension of her arm.
Well, I guess that's why I picked her.
Our second sparring match of the day went much better-for them. Brenda was noticeably faster, her movements more fluid and more aggressive. That sword suited her better than her previous one. She fought like a dancer now, every step bringing her closer to a dangerous rhythm.
Apricot, meanwhile, didn't slack off either. Her coordination with Sirone was tighter. They were learning how to cover each other-properly, this time. I could see it in the way she shifted her stance slightly to cover her right flank or how she'd call out a number instead of a full sentence to direct Sirone's aim.
And speaking of Sirone-gods, the girl's aim had improved. Her bolts weren't just accurate; they were anticipatory. She wasn't aiming where I was. She was aiming where I'd be.
If I were being honest, I almost had to use a second sword. Almost.
Their speed and adaptability pushed me and forced me to stay sharp. But once I adapted to their improved movements, I could still dodge everything. My reaction speed was significantly faster than theirs. But they had made progress. A lot of it.
It wasn't a steamroll like the first time. They actually made me work for it.
By the end, I was smiling like a proud mentor. So far, I was very pleased with my choices for the squad.
We went another couple rounds before Apricot had to leave. Something about reporting to Trinity. That left just Brenda and Sirone with me.
And what if we couldn't spar?
We ran.
And ran.
And then we ran some more.
I might've overdone it.
Brenda appeared to be struggling to avoid vomiting halfway through the last lap, while Sirone collapsed as soon as I stopped calling out the times. I had to carry both of them back to their barracks-Sirone on my back and Brenda in a bridal carry that made more than one person do a double-take.
To make things worse, I was still in fox form.
A large white fox strutting through camp with a groaning tomboy princess in her arms and a sniper draped over her tail was... a sight, to put it mildly.
There were laughs. Loud ones. I took them in stride, even grinned a little. It was fine. Let them laugh. My squad was getting stronger, and that was all that mattered.
After dropping the girls off and having a quick family dinner, I finally went to sleep.
Or... I thought I would.
The stars were high when I stirred again. The air was still and quiet-too quiet. Then I heard footsteps.
Soft.
Unsteady.
I blinked an eye open to see Apricot approaching with a blanket cradled in her arms, her expression pale and worn out.
"Apricot?" I yawned. "Are you sleepwalking?"
"No." Her voice cracked, her frustration poorly veiled. "I can't even fall asleep. How am I supposed to sleepwalk then?"
I sat up, tail flicking once. I didn't need to ask-her eyes said enough.
"Nightmare again?" I asked gently.
She hesitated. Then nodded.
"Can I... please sleep with you tonight?" She mumbled, not meeting my eyes. Her fingers clutched the blanket tighter, knuckles white.
A small smile crept onto my face. "At least you asked this time."
"Is that a yes or a no?" she snapped, flustered.
"It's a yes." I chuckled, shaking my head. "But are you really sure? My tree isn't exactly five-star accommodation. The floor's hard, and I tend to shift in my sleep. And, well, fox fur gets hot."
"I'll be fine," she said quietly. "As long as I can sleep in your fur."
She didn't wait for permission. She simply walked around, stepped carefully between my front and back legs, and settled against my side with a soft sigh. Her back pressed into my belly, her shoulders trembling just slightly.
I curled around her protectively, wrapping my tail outward so it wouldn't bother her.
"Thank you," she murmured, curling tighter under the blanket.
"No problem," I said softly. "And... if you ever want to talk about it-I mean really talk-I have some experience with what you've gone through."
A pause.
"...You've been forced before?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I winced. "Not quite."
"...You forced someone?"
"What? No!" I barked, ears folding back. "I might not have been a girl in my past life, but I would never force anyone."
"That doesn't help your case, Kitsu," she muttered, side-eyeing me.
"Listen here, you damn doggie-shut up and let me explain."
She huffed but went quiet.
"In my previous life, I was a man," I said slowly. "In my last life. A pretty tall one, actually. Scar over my eye, rough voice, the works. I lived with some... bad people. Real pieces of shit. Stayed with them until I turned fifteen. Then I finally got out."
Apricot didn't move, but I felt her breathing change.
"I wandered for a year," I went on. "Saw things. Bad things. Humans are hurting each other in every imaginable way, including murder, torture, and rape. You name it. And the worst part? That was still the best year of my life up to that point. Because I was free. I could breathe. I could release all the rage that those bastards had buried inside me.
Another pause.
She swallowed. "...Those awful people you lived with. What happened to them?"
I hesitated.
Then, with a sigh, "I killed them."
No drama. Just truth.
Apricot nodded slowly. "You mentioned rape. What... what did you do when you saw that?"
"The first time?" I said, voice flat. "I shot the bastards in the head. No hesitation. After that... I got worse. Started torturing any rapists I caught. I justified it for myself. Said it was justice. Said it was helping."
"And the girls?" she asked, hesitantly.
"They were scared of me," I admitted. "Big guy, scarred face, dead eyes. Even when I saved them, they didn't trust me. I never pushed. I just gave them what I could. Food. Directions. A way out."
"Did any of them... not make it?"
"Too many. Some killed themselves right after. Couldn't take it. Couldn't see a way forward."
Her breath hitched.
"But there was one girl," I continued. "She was different. After I saved her, I was going to call the cops. She stopped me. Asked if we could torture them first. I said yes. I didn't even think-I just nodded. She... she was terrifying. Brilliant. Cold. But after it was over, she broke. Cried for hours. I held her through it."
"Was she okay?" Apricot asked softly.
"In the end? Yeah. Not because she was strong-but because she had someone. Someone who understood."
Apricot was quiet.
Then: "Do you think I'm strong?"
I blinked. "You didn't kill your attacker when you had the chance. You haven't even mutilated his corpse. You've held everything in, bottled it all up. That's strength, yeah. But it's also dangerous."
A long silence.
"...Will you..." she started.
"I'll be your crying bag," I said without hesitation.
A weak chuckle escaped her lips. "Heh... whaa..."
And just like that, the dam broke.
She cried.
Gods, did she cry.
Her shoulders trembled, her breath hitched, and she buried her face into my fur like she was trying to disappear inside it.
"Let it out," I whispered, curling tighter around her. "It's fine. My fur's waterproof."
She wept until her voice gave out and her exhaustion claimed her.
I stayed there, awake, watching the stars through the branches.
If it hadn't been for Kayda's talk yesterday, I never would've thought to do this. To be this person. I probably would've just awkwardly patted Apricot on the head and left her to cry in a corner.
But Kayda believed in me.
So... I guess I could believe in Apricot.
Even if she hadn't left a note to say where she'd gone.
I snorted quietly.
'She better not make this a habit.'
Sleep claimed me not long after.
[Next morning]
"Kitsuna! We have a major problem-Apricot is missing!"
I groaned.
"No," I roared.
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, WOMAN! How many times do I have to tell you-STOP SHOUTING ME AWAKE!"
The trees shook with the force of my killing intent. Birds scattered.
Mom didn't flinch. Of course she didn't.
"I don't care!" she snapped. "We need to find her!"
Before I could answer, a voice mumbled groggily beside me.
"Mmm... Kitsu? Why are you yelling?"
Apricot stirred, rubbing her eyes with one hand, still tangled in her blanket.
Mom froze.
"...What?" she spoke blankly.
"Ask her," I growled, standing up and stretching out my legs. "I'm going to the lake. See you in an hour."
I padded off, tail flicking in annoyance.
[Stacy POV]
I stared at Apricot.
Then at the nest of white fur she'd clearly been sleeping in.
Then back at her.
She blinked at me. "Uh... good morning, Lady Draig..."
Oh gods.
Please tell me this wasn't what I thought it was.
"...What are you doing here?" I asked cautiously.
"I, uh... I..." she fumbled.
"Don't tell me you've fallen in love with Kitsuna," I said, already facepalming.
"HUH?!" she squawked.
I squinted. "No?"
She sighed. "No! Kitsu's beautiful, sure-but she's not my type. And I'm pretty sure I'm straight."
I relaxed a little. "Thank fuck. The last thing I need is a yandere dragon fighting over a fox."
"I just... had a nightmare," Apricot admitted. "And she's... well, she's the closest person I have right now. She can be surprisingly kind when she wants to be."
I raised an eyebrow.
"She really can," Apricot insisted.
I nodded slowly. "Alright. Don't worry about it. Just... next time, let someone know, okay? And if you ever want to talk, I'm here. You're part of her squad now. That makes you mine too."
Apricot nodded, eyes soft. "Thank you."
"One last thing," I added, crossing my arms. "Figure out exactly what you want from Kitsu. Because she's taken. Romantically, spiritually, magically, all of it."
Apricot chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't be joining the harem."
"Good."
I turned to leave, then glanced over my shoulder one last time.
"Also... maybe you should avoid letting anyone else see you in this state. Just saying."
And with that, I vanished into the dining hall.
Honestly, I didn't know how to write how Apricot will open up to Kitsuna about her time in the army. So I did what I thought would be interesting.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 63: Hugos plan
It had been exactly one week since I arrived at the capital. I spent one week pretending to be civil, enduring too many nobles' fake smiles, and trying not to accidentally-or intentionally-torch anyone. Honestly, it was exhausting.
And for the past four nights, Apricot had made a nest out of my fur.
She never asked outright at first. She just showed up with a haunted look in her eyes, holding a blanket too tightly and appearing smaller than she actually was. But now she didn't even pretend it was temporary. She just climbed under my tail like it was a given.
At this point, I didn't even flinch anymore when she pressed her back into my ribs and muttered, "Goodnight, Kitsu," before drifting off. I didn't mind. She didn't move much in her sleep, and she always smelled faintly of wild berries and soap.
But while she found comfort with me, she sure as hell wasn't finding peace with everyone else.
Namely Kayda.
It had been two days since I realized they didn't just have awkward tension-they were actively avoiding eye contact like two rival cats stuck in the same room. Kayda didn't even try to hide the disdain in her stare, while Apricot was clearly trying to understand what she had done to make Kayda dislike her so intensely.
I could see it in the way she studied Kayda's posture, the slight frown on her lips when Kayda walked away mid-conversation. It was subtle, but it was there.
Still, not my problem.
They were both old enough to have a conversation-or to throw hands; I didn't care which.
I wasn't going to mediate.
Not unless one of them set the other on fire. Then, maybe.
[Training Grounds-Early Morning]
Today, however, was about something else entirely.
The end of my so-called "vacation."
The mist still clung low to the ground as I walked into the wide stone training circle, boots crunching softly over dew-covered gravel. The air was cold, the kind of crisp that made your lungs sting a little with each breath. Perfect training weather.
I wore my black practice outfit-a loose-sleeved top, binding wraps at the elbows, and pants tight enough not to snag but loose enough to move in. My tail flicked idly behind me as I bounced on my heels, stretching each leg in slow rhythm. I could already feel the mana in my blood beginning to wake up.
The sky was only just starting to shift into that golden hue of dawn.
I was ready.
So where the hell was Mom?
Just as I was starting to think I'd been pranked, the door creaked open and Stacy stepped into the training ground.
And my jaw dropped.
She wasn't in armor.
She wasn't even dressed.
She was wearing soft lavender pajama pants and a ridiculously oversized white shirt that read "I CAST FIREBALLS BEFORE BREAKFAST." Her hair was still in a messy bun, two strands sticking out like devil horns. She had fluffy slippers on. Fluffy. With little fox ears stitched onto the top.
In one hand was a coffee mug the size of a small cauldron. It had a crack down the side and the words "#1 WAR MOM" written in silver ink.
She took a long sip. Sighed. They looked at me like I was the strange one.
"...You're not serious," I said, voice flat.
"We're not training today," she said, sounding far too smug about it.
I just stared.
"Why?"
"You have another engagement later."
"I woke up at five in the morning for this," I growled, pacing toward her. "I skipped breakfast. I skipped my tea. My muscles are primed. My nerves are vibrating. I am ready to suffer-and you're telling me I have the day off?"
"Technically yes, but also no," she said calmly, taking another sip. "And before you ask-yes, there's still something important we need to discuss."
"Unless it's a full training simulation or an enemy ambush, I would rather not hear it."
"It's about Hugo."
I stopped mid-step.
My entire body tensed. Tails froze mid-sway. I turned to face her.
"...When do I kill him?"
Stacy snorted into her mug. "No."
"I already have two dozen ideas involving boiling oil and reverse healing spells."
"I said no."
"Coward."
She ignored that and gestured toward the bench with a tilt of her mug. "Sit. This one's a bit long."
Grumbling under my breath, I dropped onto the bench. It creaked under me, and I crossed my arms with a scowl.
"Fine. What's the mutt done now?"
She walked over, her slippers making that shlup-shlup noise as she moved, and she leaned against the training ring's outer column. The morning light hit her from the side, casting her shadow long across the tiles.
"He's planning something at the Queen's banquet."
I arched an eyebrow. "You mean the one I'm being forced to go to?"
"Yes. It's the Queen's birthday celebration. Also your noble debut."
"...My what?"
"Your grand entrance into noble society," she said, waving her mug in the air like it was a wand. "Normally done at age twelve. You missed yours. So now the king's bundling it into the Academy Joining Debut."
"That's a dumb name."
"He came up with it himself."
"...Of course he did."
She grinned. "Noble families bring their young heirs and heiresses to showcase their achievements before enrolling in the academy."
"So, a rich person flexes off."
"Exactly."
"Lame."
"Oh, very. But also necessary."
I sighed. "Okay, so what's Hugo doing with it?"
"According to my sources, he tried to sneak into the Dead Forest with a small guard unit three days ago."
My brow furrowed. "He what?"
"He didn't announce his visit. No permission. No declaration. Just snuck in."
I blinked slowly. "Does he have a death wish?"
"He ran into one of our black ops scouts. Got intercepted before he got far."
"... Let me guess. He pulled the 'I'm a duke' card?"
"No. Worse."
"...He tried to bribe them?"
"Nope."
"...He tried to kill them?"
"Ding ding."
I slammed my fist into the bench beside me, the wood groaning under the impact.
"That's not arrogance-that's suicidal stupidity."
"He wants power," she said plainly. "He's leveling up. Preparing."
I narrowed my eyes. "He thinks if he can beat me in a duel, he'll win over Amari."
"Exactly."
My voice dropped an octave. "Can I castrate him now?"
Stacy sipped her coffee again. "Still no."
I pouted.
"But..." She set the mug down on the edge of the ring and crossed her arms. "We've also discovered something else. Something more concerning."
She waited a beat, probably for dramatic effect.
"There's another demon fox."
My heart began to race.
"Alive?"
"Yes."
Hope. The feeling of hope bloomed in my chest, cold and bright like frost in the morning sun.
"But-" she continued.
And hope was shattered.
"She's currently one of Hugo's harem girls."
I froze.
"No."
"It gets worse."
"No."
"He hasn't touched her-"
"I swear-"
"In his culture, engaging in physical relationships before adulthood is considered a serious sin. They can build harems, but they're not allowed to physically engage before adulthood."
"...That's the dumbest excuse I've ever heard."
"Agreed. But it's apparently true."
I stared at her. "If I find out he's touched her even once, I will burn him down to the marrow."
"That's fine," she said casually. "Wrath level. Full approval."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm already building behind my eyes.
"So... what's the plan?"
"Hugo sees you as the protector. You defended Amari last time he hit her. He thinks if he beats you publicly, Amari will stop clinging to you."
"He's going to challenge me at the banquet."
"Yup. In front of everyone."
"And the demon fox is the bait."
"Exactly. But remember-noble rules state the challenged gets to pick the duel conditions."
I smirked. "So he's going to try to provoke me into challenging him."
Stacy's grin mirrored mine. "I see you're already catching on."
"Perfect. I'll challenge him alright. I just need to decide whether I want to take his pride or break his kneecaps.
[30 Minutes Later-End of Planning]
"He's going to suffer so much," I whispered, eyes gleaming.
"And it'll be public, too," she added. "His whole family is watching."
"I'll make sure he limps for a week."
"That's my girl."
I leaned back again, satisfied. "So, what now?"
"We move onto the Rachel situation."
I groaned.
"How's that going?" she asked, her tone casual but sharp.
"Slowly. Daren continues to glare at me. He keeps yelling at me as if I'm the villain.
"You are the villain."
"I teased Brenda once and stabbed her by accident! Sirone flipped and shot me with reverse healing arrows!"
Stacy blinked. "She did what?"
"Yeah! I didn't even know that was possible! I bled backward!"
"Okay... that's terrifying."
"Right?!"
"Anyway. Let's return to Rachel. The King gave us ten months. That's our deadline to remove the Church."
I immediately sat up straight. "Ten months?! That's barely enough time to prep!"
"I've already started. But we need you to start leveling properly. You need to have a class before the Under-16 tournament. That's in eight months."
"Eight months?" I groaned. "I'm nowhere near ready! I haven't even mastered half my weapon sets!"
"That's why we're increasing your training."
"Shit," I muttered. "Then why aren't we training today?!"
She grinned.
"Because today is your last free day."
"...I'm going to die."
"You'll live."
"You're not the one getting shot by reverse arrows."
She glanced toward the gate.
"Our time's up."
[Gate Opens]
"Sorry I'm late," Kayda called as she stepped into view.
I turned.
And blinked.
She wasn't in uniform.
She wasn't even dressed for training.
She was... dressed up.
A white blouse with flowing sleeves, tucked into deep-blue jeans that hugged her legs. Knee-high boots, polished and dark. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that swayed with each step, showing off the sharp line of her jaw and the elegant curve of her horns.
She looked-
Elegant.
Deadly.
Stunning.
'White works on her,' I thought, my brain short-circuiting for a second.
Then my eyes widened.
"Huh!?" I blurted.
Both Kayda and Stacy turned to look at me.
I coughed, face heating. "I said nothing!"
Kayda raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow.
Stacy grinned like she'd just won a bet.
I immediately regretted waking up today.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 64: Last Day Off
When Mom said I had an arrangement with someone, I assumed it was either Dean or Amari. Not Kayda. I mean, I see her every few hours each day. Why the hell was there an arrangement made for us? Was it even necessary?
"I heard what is going to happen to you for the next eight months, so I decided to use my request on your last day," Kayda said, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.
"Okay?" I blinked at her, genuinely confused.
When I gave her a free request, I figured she'd eventually use it for something important-maybe help with her research or a favor against her clan. Hell, even asking me to assassinate some old dragon elder seemed more in character than... this.
Shopping.
Freaking shopping. That was her request.
What a waste. In my opinion, at least. But on the other hand, if she hadn't used her request, I would've just declined her. No hesitation.
Still... shopping?
Regardless, some time had passed since she made the request, and now we were sitting in a cozy little restaurant tucked away in the Middle South district of the capital. Sunlight spilled in through large stained-glass windows, painting the wooden floor in colorful hues. The air was warm, and the smell of roasted meats made my nose twitch every now and then.
I sighed, pushing another empty plate aside.
"Tell me again-why did we come to the South District when we live in the North?"
Kayda sipped at her juice before answering, her lips curling into a sly smile. "I was keen to explore the capital a bit."
"Explore? I don't even know which way is back home, and you want me to wander around like a lost child?" I glared at her, jabbing a chopstick in her direction.
"Yes," she said, unfazed. "It will train your sense of direction." She winked at me as if she had just bestowed great wisdom.
"Tsk, what sense of direction?" I muttered, rolling my eyes and turning my face away.
"Haha, precisely," she chuckled, clearly enjoying herself.
"Whatever," I grumbled. "Where are we going after this?"
"I would love to say, 'More exploring,' but I need new clothes-and a dress for the banquet at the end of the month."
I blinked. "You're going to the banquet too?"
She nodded, setting down her glass. "Yes. I was invited as well. I may not be a noble of this kingdom, but I am a pure dragon."
"So you're like... an asset they want to butter up. Keep you close in case they need your claws," I said, watching her thoughtfully.
"That's pretty much the case," she said, leaning back in her chair. "Politics are such a drag."
I nodded. "Speaking of politics... How much do you know about the current king?"
"Hmm," she hummed, tapping a finger to her chin. "Well, if he's anything like his parents, I don't think you need to worry about him being two-faced. His parents were straightforward. Maybe too much so."
"I see. Oh, and another thing. Where the hell does he get his naming sense?"
She giggled. "That's from his mother."
I snorted. "Ha-ha. It really runs in the family, huh?"
"Do you want more?" Kayda asked, glancing at my now-empty plate.
I waved my hand. "No, I'm good." I leaned back in my seat, patting my belly. "I'm done."
"Hehe, I forgot you're a big eater just like me," Kayda said, scratching her cheek while eyeing the pile of empty plates on the table.
"I'm a fox. Eating is a hobby," I said sarcastically, flicking my tail under the table.
"Is that your only hobby?" Kayda asked, tilting her head slightly, her golden eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"No, I have more," I said with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, and what may they be?"
"I'm not telling a blabbermouth."
"I am not a blabbermouth!" Kayda said this while pouting and crossing her arms.
"You are, and you know it," I said, stretching my arms above my head.
"...Anyway," she mumbled, clearly not willing to admit defeat, "I guess we need to go pay for the food."
"I guess we're splitting?" I said, cocking an eyebrow.
Kayda's face flushed as she looked down, embarrassed. "...Yeah."
"Don't worry about it. I understand you save most of your money for your research." I pulled out a small stack of coins and slid them toward her.
"Thank you... and sorry," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
"As I said, don't worry about it."
"I'll go give them the money. You can wait outside," she said, quickly standing up and escaping toward the counter.
"Will do," I said, grabbing my coat and stepping out.
The street outside was comfortably busy, the kind of flow you'd expect from a middle-tier capital district. Merchants called out to passersby, kids laughed while chasing each other through narrow alleyways, and the scent of baked bread mixed with the crisp smell of early afternoon sun.
It wasn't long before Kayda came out as well, a neutral look on her face that betrayed absolutely nothing.
Looking at her, I asked, "We got breakfast. Clothes or exploring?"
"Exploring, I guess." She shrugged and started walking in some random direction like she owned the street.
"You really did this on a whim, didn't you?" I said, catching up to walk beside her.
"Yeah. We can explore for a while, learn the layout, get my clothes, and then-" she grinned at me mischievously, "we can play one of my favorite games from childhood."
"What childhood? Aren't you still a dragon child?" I smirked at her.
"No, I am not anymore," she said, puffing her chest slightly and gesturing toward her wings.
"What? You've only had those wings for like five days. That doesn't mean you're an adult now."
"Yes, it does. And don't talk back to your elders, young missy," she said, narrowing her eyes in mock discipline.
"Ha-ha! Elder, my tail. We're practically the same age, Miss Sage." I laughed, elbowing her playfully.
"How can we be almost the same age? You're only thirteen," Kayda said, blinking in confusion.
"Reincarnated. I was seventeen in my previous life. Add that to eight-since I only woke up when I was five-and that makes me twenty-five. See? Only ten years apart. Not enough to make you my elder."
"Twenty-five, huh?" Kayda raised a brow. "Still younger than me."
"Yeah, of course... Oh, that smells so good," I suddenly blurted out, sniffing the air like a hound.
"What now?"
"That kebab stand," I said, eyes locked on a vendor not far from us.
"We just ate," she said flatly.
"Yeah, but that kebab smells so juicy," I said, already walking over, ignoring her groan.
"Sigh... whatever," Kayda muttered, trailing behind.
"Mm! These things are as delicious as they smell," I said happily, holding five kababs in one hand like a greedy beast.
"I can't believe you're still eating," Kayda muttered, watching me with half-lidded eyes.
"Ha-ha! Kayda, let me tell you something," I said between bites, "I am always hungry."
"Like... really? Never full?"
"In a way, yeah. But I think it has something to do with my race."
"Probably because of your immortality."
"Maybe. I might be immortal, but that doesn't mean I'm unkillable. Then again, my race literally screams power. Getting strong enough to protect myself shouldn't be a problem. However, I am uncertain whether that is a good or bad thing.
"Hmm, that's true. If you become strong enough, reaching a god-like level, you will achieve immortality in both body and soul.
"And get bored over time," I added with a shrug.
"That's also true."
I looked at the sky as I finished the last bite of my fifth kebab. "Guess I'll need to find a wife who can live long enough to match me," I joked.
"Hehe. That's true, isn't it?" Kayda said with an awkward laugh, looking anywhere but at me.
"You too. You're a dragon. You should find someone long-lived. Actually..." I smiled wide, a lightbulb going off in my mind. "Let's be each other's wing woman. I'll help you find a good guy to marry, and you help me find a lovely girl. I think we'll be wonderful friends into the future, Kayda."
"Is that so..." Kayda said, her tone darkening as she released a shadowy aura around her.
"Are you okay there?" I asked, backing up a little.
"You know what? Let's go get me some clothes," she said abruptly, grabbing me by the collar and dragging me away.
"What?! No, wait, wait. I want to explore!" I protested, flailing.
Clothing Store One.
Those weren't bad. The clothes Kayda wore looked excellent on her.'
Clothing Store Two.
'That one outfit? Sexy as hell. Then again, most things are when she wears them.'
Clothing Store Three.
How many sets is she even buying? Isn't this a bit much? What about her research budget?'
Clothing Store Four.
'Is she even thinking about the future at this point?'
Clothing Store Five.
"What do you think?" Kayda asked, stepping out of the changing room.
I blinked.
She was wearing a long, white dress-sleeveless, with crisscrossing straps over her shoulders. From beneath her right hip, a slit ran all the way down, exposing her long, pale leg. The dress hugged her body in all the right places, showing off her surprisingly toned figure and modest-but clearly present-chest.
"Umm... I actually don't have any words to describe you right now," I said, pinching my nose.
"You think I can wear this to the banquet?"
"Probably. But do you even have enough money to pay for that?" I asked, side-eyeing her already overstuffed bags.
"I think I do," she said, reaching for her bag near me. She rummaged inside for a while, then froze.
Kayda dropped to her knees.
"Kayda, are you okay?" I asked, crouching beside her.
"I... I spent all my money," she said in a tiny, broken voice.
"I thought so. Get out of the dress. I'll pay for it so you can wear it to the banquet," I said, standing up.
"Huh? You're going to buy me this dress?"
"Yeah. You look lovely in it, and I'd like to see you wear it that night."
"..."
She stood silently and walked into the changing room.
'What a weird dragon,' I thought.
"KYAAA!?" Kayda screamed just as I turned away.
"Kayda, are you okay?!" I said, opening the door without thinking.
"Eh?" she gasped, eyes wide.
"Why did you scream-like... that?" I trailed off, staring at her half-naked body. "Wait... I thought you were a B cup like me... but those are definitely C-cups."
"GET OUT, YOU PERVERT!" she shouted, kicking me in the stomach and sending me flying.
"Ugh... that actually hurt," I groaned, sitting up from a pile of mannequins.
"Are you okay?" the store clerk asked nervously.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I apologize for destroying the mannequins," I said, rubbing my back.
"It's okay," she said, blushing.
Noticing the blush, something clicked. I frowned and glanced back at the changing room.
"Wait... no way. Don't tell me... My far-fetched idea... No. Mom wasn't serious back then, right?" I shook my head. "Only one way to know."
Not long after, Kayda and I left the store.
I glanced at her flushed face.
'I wonder how she'll react.'
"Hey, Kayda..."
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Chapter 65: A Loli has appeared
"Hey, Kayda, why did you-"
"You know what? Why don't we play tag?" Kayda said suddenly, cutting me off with that usual playful glint in her eyes.
My ears twitched. "Huh?" I blinked at her mid-sentence, completely thrown off.
Without warning, Kayda leaned forward and tapped my arm. "Tag. You're it," she said with a smirk-and then she vanished, shooting forward at top speed like a damn missile with legs.
"...What just happened?" I mumbled, watching the space she'd just been standing in. Her fading footsteps echoed off the buildings. "I just wanted to ask her something."
I sighed, placing a hand on my hip and sniffing the air. Her scent trail was still fresh, carried lightly on the wind, tugging me to follow her. My tail twitched in annoyance.
"Even if she did get her wings because she found her soulmate... I doubt she'd tell me," I muttered to myself as I started walking. "It's not like it could be me. My soul isn't even from this world..."
I stopped to stretch, arms over my head. A slight ache in my shoulders reminded me that I hadn't fully recovered from last week's training binge.
"Whatever," I sighed again. "It doesn't matter. There won't be time for any of that for a while, anyway..."
Still walking, I added, "Wouldn't mind having her as my wife, though..."
I started speaking with hand gestures as if debating with an invisible audience-completely in my own world-when I noticed someone staring.
"Mom, that crazy person is talking to herself!" a boy shouted at full volume.
I froze mid-step. Slowly turning my head, I saw him pointing directly at me.
"...Seriously?"
Locking eyes with the little brat, I gave him a slow nod-then vanished with a flash step.
The moment I reappeared several blocks away, I smacked my forehead. "Aah, fuck! How am I supposed to get Kayda now?"
I'd flash-stepped right out of her scent trail.
Rubbing my temple, I muttered, "Okay, okay... think. Her trail was going south. That's a start."
[Outer South District | 3rd POV]
"We don't serve demons like you here!" a young man shouted, voice echoing through the second-floor window of a grimy tavern.
A small figure was hurled out into the street, landing hard on the stone path. Despite the fall, the figure twisted midair and landed on their feet, cloak flapping. They scrambled to wrap themselves tighter in their coat, trying to conceal their features.
But fate was cruel today-they'd landed right next to a table of three drunk locals.
"Beggars should just die!" one of them sneered, hurling a jug of cheap beer.
The ceramic smashed against the wall inches from the figure's head. Flinching, the small one ducked lower.
"Those marks... fuck off, you demon!" Another man growled, pointing at red markings faintly visible on the figure's arms.
"What's a damn demon doing here anyway?" A woman said, her face curled with disgust.
The little figure tugged the coat sleeves down tighter, lowering her head even more as the murmurs around her grew louder.
"The Church should just eradicate their kind."
"Don't say that out loud. What if Anabald's dogs hear you?"
"The Church would never allow them to do anything to us," someone else scoffed.
Heart pounding, the small figure took off running-blindly-legs pumping, hair flying behind her. She didn't care where she went. Just away.
THUD.
The girl collided with someone. Hard.
She staggered backward and looked up-right into the eyes of a tall dragonoid woman.
"Oh look," someone from the crowd chuckled, "the demon ran into another person."
"And a dragonoid nun, no less," a man added with a sneer.
"Shut up. Don't draw attention, or we'll get killed too," a woman hissed.
"Shit, this might be one hell of a show for us," one guy muttered, already settling into his seat.
"Yeah. I wonder if she'll torture the demon or just kill it."
"Who wants to bet on it?" a man shouted, holding up a coin bucket.
"Twenty silver on kill!"
"Fifty coppers on torture!"
"Cheapskate!"
"Shut up, Bob!"
While the crowd bickered and placed bets, neither of the two involved had moved.
The dragonoid was simply gazing at the small girl in a calm manner.
"Man, people really do talk too much these days, huh?" the woman spoke gently. "Don't they, little girl?"
The rabbit-eared demon said nothing. Her red eyes stared up, silent and tense.
"Kayda!? Kayda, where the fuck are you!?" A voice suddenly rang out from above-sharp, female, and annoyed.
Kayda's head snapped up. "Ah, shit. She found me."
"There you are, Kayda," I said, appearing beside her with a puff of displaced air.
[Kitsuna POV]
Kayda turned to me sheepishly. "Haha, I guess I'm it now-"
I flicked her forehead with a sharp thwack.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"You interrupted me earlier."
"Well-"
"Just kill the damn demon already!" someone shouted from the side.
My eyes narrowed.
"Shut the fuck up!" I barked, releasing a sliver of killing intent. The air pressure dropped. The crowd around us dropped like rocks, gasping or fainting outright-everyone except one person.
One small figure stood frozen in front of us, looking up with crimson eyes that shimmered with faint fear-and something else.
'Analysis.'
Name: Nekro
Age: 13
Race: Rabbit Demon
Bloodline: Rabbit Devil
Level: 23
Class: Unknown
A rabbit demon?' I blinked. 'Never heard of that.'
I crouched down, intrigued. Reaching up, I gently pulled back her hood, revealing jet-black rabbit ears that gleamed with a strange shimmer-like they drank in the light.
'Cool... And she's so small-barely even a meter tall. Is this really what 13-year-olds look like here? But... shit. Devil bloodline. That's trouble.'
As I examined her, I let some of my killing intent linger, and she suddenly collapsed to her knees, breath caught in her throat.
"Oops. Sorry," I said, pulling it back instantly. "I was agitated."
I gave Kayda a pointed look.
"You're strong, right?" Nekro asked suddenly, her voice small but full of something fierce.
I smiled. "For my age, yeah. I'd say so."
"Will you train me?" she said, eyes locking with mine. "I don't care what I have to do-just please. Teach me how to control my power."
I blinked. Then smirked. "I was planning to take you in anyway."
"You were!?" Kayda and Nekro said at the same time.
"Yeah," I shrugged. "She's the perfect size to be used as a loli backpack. And she's cute."
"...Loli backpack?" Kayda asked.
"Oh, it's a thing from my past life. In stories, powerful warriors would always carry a sweet little girl on their back-either while traveling or fighting. Instant cool points."
"You... want her to be on your back while fighting?" Kayda asked.
"How is that supposed to be training?" Nekro added.
I rolled my eyes. "Obviously I'm going to train her too."
"You think the Church will just let you train a demon?" A man sneered, stepping out from the crowd.
"Demon? Wait-how did you all-" I started.
"They saw the marks on my arm," Nekro said quietly, looking down.
"Oh," I said, lifting my sleeve. "So you've got tattoos too?"
The crowd gasped at my inked arms.
"Another damn demon!" the man growled.
"The Church is pathetic if they let two of you walk free," someone muttered.
"You dumbasses," I said, snorting. "These are curses. That doesn't automatically mean demon. Though yeah... In our case, it does."
"Curse or demon, we don't want your kind here!" the man shouted, waving a fist.
"Haha, no worries," I said, walking past him and picking Nekro up like a plush toy, cradling her in my arms. "Go ahead and report us to your little cult. Make my job easier later."
"Cult!? Blasphemy!" The man roared, but I was already walking away.
"Let's go, Kayda," I said, grinning.
Kayda followed close behind. I heard Nekro mumble, "Ma'am..." Are you sure it's wise to insult the Church like that?"
"Ma'am?" I laughed. "I'm the same age as you. Call me Kitsuna."
"...We're the same age?" she asked, stunned.
"And yes," I added, "pissing off the Church will help later."
"How...?"
"You'll see," I said with a wink.
Just then, a loud growl came from Nekro's stomach. Her cheeks flushed.
"Let's get you some food first," I chuckled.
[Later-At a Restaurant]
Nekro devoured her food like a starving squirrel while Kayda and I sat across from her. I rested my chin on my hand, watching with mild awe.
"So," Kayda said, leaning in slightly. "What is your reason for wanting to keep her?"
"She's interesting," I said plainly. "I want her in my squad."
"She's our age."
I nodded.
"You want a 13-year-old to join your team of lunatics?"
"Yeah. Apricot needs a partner."
"You want to pair her with a child?"
"Yup. For some reason, I think these two would click."
"Click how?" Kayda asked, narrowing her eyes. "Romantic or fighting partners?"
I stared at her. "I haven't even seen her fight. What do you think I mean?"
"...Are you sure she isn't interested in someone else?" Kayda said, Oddly aggressive.
I raised an eyebrow. "Positive."
"She's an ex-Federation soldier, Kitsuna. She might be playing you."
"She's suffered," I said, my voice firm now. "I've seen what she's been through. Hell, her past might be worse than mine."
Kayda stiffened.
"Don't hate her just because we're close," I added, staring her down. 'Jealous much?'
"Anyway," I continued, "her bloodline is intriguing. Never heard of a rabbit devil before."
Kayda blinked. "Devil?"
"Yep."
Kayda glanced at Nekro, eyes narrowing.
"If you're thinking of harming her," I said flatly, "I'll use every skill I have to disappear with her."
"I wasn't planning to."
"Good. Because I've got things under control."
"Really?" Kayda said with a smirk. "Like that time you stabbed Brenda and had Sirone on you?"
"We agreed never to talk about that," I said through gritted teeth.
"Help! Help, Kayda! Sirone's trying to kill me!'" she mimicked in a high voice.
"Tsk. Her arrows hurt, okay?!"
Kayda laughed, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "You're running for your life from someone half your size... Priceless."
"If you two are done," Nekro said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I'm finished. We can go now."
I blinked at the sheer amount she'd eaten... and smiled.
Hahaha, I thought about making Kitsuna figure it out, but it's too early for that. They only know each other for a week, but now you guys know her thoughts about the soul mate process.
Also, hehe, a loli backpack. HAHAHAHA I bet when I completely describe Nekro in the next chapter, this combo might even be better than Zaraki and Yachiro.
What am I kidding? They are unbeatable. HAAAAAH
I was drunk when I thought about it. If it's not funny, you need to drink some to make it funny.
Oh, one more thing.
Yes, Nekro is also cursed, but hers is way cooler than Kitsunas curses. Not really Kitsuna is bae. But her powers are cool.
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CHapter 66: Another F*cken Furry
"How did you eat so much?" I asked, my eyes drifting across the sea of empty dishes piled high on the table. Twenty plates. Twenty. These plates were not small; they were full entrees. My voice came out part disbelief, part awe, as I leaned slightly across the table, arms folded, tail swishing lazily behind me.
Across from me, Nekro sat with a self-satisfied smirk plastered on her face. Her petite frame looked even smaller surrounded by so many ceramic remains of defeated meals.
"What, never seen someone eat twenty plates before?" she asked, chin tilted proudly as she leaned back, arms draped casually over the chair.
"I have," I admitted, narrowing my eyes. "I've seen someone put away over a hundred before. But you-" I squinted at her, eyes roaming up and down her body like I was scanning her for hidden storage compartments. "You're so small. How?"
Then it hit me, and my expression dropped into quiet realization.
"...Wait. Did Mother think about me this way three years ago?
Kayda, seated beside me, snorted into her drink. "Probably. You were around Stacy's size back then, weren't you?"
I leaned back, eyes wide. "Huh... yeah. Guess you're right. Never mind then." My tail flicked thoughtfully. "Are you sure you're full, though? Money's not a problem," I added, giving Nekro a generous smile.
She wiped her mouth with a napkin before placing it neatly on her lap. "Yeah, I'm full. But first-how do you know my name?" Her cheerful tone shifted slightly, a hint of wariness seeping in. "And can you please introduce yourself, too?"
She straightened up, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. Her posture had stiffened ever so slightly, and her tail-thin, nearly serpentine-had curled closer to her body. Guarded.
"Nekro, isn't it a bit late to be guarded?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We just fed you enough to kill a normal man."
Ignoring her tightening expression, I added, "Whatever. I used my skill-analysis-on you. I also know your bloodline."
The moment those words left my mouth, her face drained of color.
Pale. So pale, it was almost amusing.
"Kitsuna," Kayda warned, her voice low. "I thought you wanted to keep her. Why are you scaring her like that?"
"I didn't mean to," I muttered with a shrug. "Anyway-my name is Kitsuna Draig. Adopted daughter of the Draig family. And this is Kayda." I gestured to the crimson-robed woman beside me, who nodded once, arms still crossed.
"You're not going to... experiment on me, are you?" Nekro asked hesitantly, shifting in her seat like she was ready to bolt.
"Hm." I tapped my chin with a grin. "I dunno. A devil bloodline is really rare..."
Before I could finish the joke, she moved.
"Come forth!"
The chant was sharp. Commanding. Instant.
The wooden floor beneath us cracked violently, splitting in spiderweb lines that radiated out from under her chair. Gasps echoed across the restaurant. Then, one after another, bony fingers punched through the gaps-followed by full skeletons clawing their way up like nightmare puppets.
Screams.
Chairs scraped. Plates shattered. Patrons scrambled back from their meals in horror.
Kayda and I remained seated, blinking in shared disbelief.
"... You really didn't like that joke, huh?" I said after a pause, slowly rising to my feet. "Well, I guess I didn't tickle your funny bone."
Dead silence.
Kayda's gaze was flat. "Really?" she asked, expression deadpan.
Even Nekro, still standing amidst her summoned army, looked at me like I was an idiot.
"What?" I shrugged. "They're skeletons. I had to."
Kayda sighed. "Just freeze them already. You're scaring everyone."
"Fiiine." I rolled my shoulders, then raised one hand casually.
A soft hum of mana filled the air, and within a second, every skeleton turned solid blue as frost overtook them. They shattered in unison with a soft crack-crack-crack, turning to dust and vanishing without a trace.
"I thought you said you wanted me to train you," I said, brushing my hands together. "And didn't you say you'd do anything for that?"
"How did you do that so fast?" Nekro asked, her voice trembling with awe and disbelief.
I glanced back with a shrug. "They were just bones. Nothing special."
"Actually..." Kayda interjected, her tone suddenly serious. "Necromancy is exceptional, Kitsuna."
My ears perked. "It is?"
Kayda nodded. "They're as rare as a god's eye."
I choked on my breath. "Wait-what?!"
Kayda smirked slightly. "Yup."
"Well, shit. Sorry, Nekro. Didn't mean to freak you out. Just didn't expect something that rare to jump out of the floor at me."
"I'm not going to lie," Nekro said with exasperation. "But what the actual fuck is going on? Are you planning to dissect me or not!?"
"No!" I threw my hands up. "That was a joke! I'm not actually going to experiment on you."
She turned to Kayda with wide eyes. "Is she always like this?"
Before Kayda could respond, a stern voice cut through the tension.
"Excuse me-but did you three cause this disturbance?"
We all turned as a group of armored knights began encircling the table. Their polished breastplates caught the flickering restaurant lantern light, creating an ominous shine.
"What the hell is going on?" I muttered, rising to my feet.
The lead knight stepped forward. "We received a report of someone raising the dead. As per royal law, any individual in possession of the necromancy skill must be brought before the king."
"Since when?" Kayda snapped, eyes narrowing. "I've never heard of any law like that."
"Dragonoid or not," the knight growled, "you are not permitted to question royal authority."
"You're not royal guards. You're Duke Boei's soldiers," Kayda said coldly, voice dropping an octave. "Don't you dare use the King's name like that."
While the two continued to argue, I slipped behind Nekro and placed a hand on her shoulder.
'That was fast. Too fast... It's like they were waiting for a trigger. This is how it works for rare bloodlines or skills.
I leaned in and whispered, "Nekro, they're not going to let you walk away. But don't worry. I won't leave you behind. Get on my back. Now."
She didn't hesitate.
The moment she jumped on, one of the knights shouted, "Hey! Don't move!"
I gave him a flat stare. "Calm your tits. She's just getting on my back."
The lead knight narrowed his eyes. "Is she the necromancer?"
"Yeah," I said simply. "But relax. She's already been recruited into the Black Ops."
The knight hesitated.
"...I've never heard of the Draig family having a necromancer."
A new voice entered the fray. Deep. Arrogant. I didn't need to look.
Duke Boei.
I slowly turned my head, biting the inside of my cheek. 'Of course it's him.'
"Duke Boei," I said, voice dripping with mock cheer. "Lovely to finally meet you in person."
His eyes landed on me coldly. "As stated, all necromancers must be taken into custody."
"Yeah? And like I said-she's with us. In the Black Ops. Nothing to see here."
"She's too young. And as an adopted daughter, you have no right to recruit anyone."
My tail stiffened.
"Oh? So you do know who I am. How touching."
"Hand over the child."
"You sound like a literal kidnapper, you know that?" I said. "Hand over the child, or else..." I mimicked his deep tone mockingly.
"You damn fox-" one of the knights started.
"Oi!" I barked. "You don't get to say that. That's Kayda's thing."
'Since when is that mine!?' Kayda thought, deadpan from the side.
"Listen, Furry," I growled, glancing over my shoulder. "I have a personal squad. I added Nekro to it. I can do that, can't I?"
"You will hand her over. Or face the consequences."
I tilted my head. "Or else what? Are you going to attack me? A marquis's daughter?" I laughed darkly. "Stacy will love to hear that."
"You only know how to hide behind others."
"Duh," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm thirteen. I'm allowed to hide behind my family's power."
"You won't always have them."
"Nope. But if you try anything today, you won't even live to regret it."
"Enough! Men, att-"
"Duke Boei," Kayda said coldly, cutting him off. "Do anything to Kitsuna Draig, and your mansion will be reduced to ashes."
He froze.
Finally realizing she was there.
"See?" I laughed again. "You didn't even notice that someone was standing two feet from you." Man, you're just as dumb as your son."
Kayda moved to the door, flames gathering above her open palm. Five floating scorchballs crackled ominously in the air.
The knights got the message.
They parted like the sea.
The Duke scowled. "I'll speak to the King about this."
"Oh please do," I called back. "Make sure you use my name."
"Kitsuna," Kayda warned through clenched teeth.
"Yes, ma'am," I muttered sheepishly, flipping the Duke off behind her back.
Smack!
"OW!?" I shouted, rubbing my head.
Kayda glared at me, fury radiating from her every pore. "Do you think you're invincible!? Talking back to a Duke like that?! What were you thinking!?"
"I just-ugh. I hate Dukes, okay? Especially that one."
"Why?" Nekro asked from behind, her arms wrapped tight around my neck.
"...Personal."
Kayda crossed her arms. "And what would you have done if I wasn't there?"
"Run. With Nekro. First sign of trouble."
Kayda stared at me long. Hard. "And when you're alone? What then?"
"I won't be. Not for a while. Not until the banquet at the end of the month." I turned slightly, grinning. "And by then, the Duke's house? Totally under our thumb."
Kayda groaned, exasperated. "For fuck's sake, Kitsuna..."
"You could ask Mom. Oh! I also need to tell her I probably pissed off the Church too today." I giggled. "So many goals checked off in one day. I'm a genius."
"I'm still confused about what the hell just happened," Nekro muttered, her chin resting on my shoulder.
"Welcome to the family," I said with a wink.
Hahaha, The banquet is going to so much fun to write about.
AND JOIN
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Chapter 67: Nekro and Apricot
"You did what?" Mom asked, eyebrows raised, her voice somewhere between disbelief and amusement as she leaned forward on the couch. Her long silver hair was loosely tied back, giving her a more casual appearance than usual.
I leaned back on the other couch, arms draped lazily over the backrest, Nekro nestled on my lap like a smug cat, and Kayda seated quietly beside me. Kayda's posture was as elegant and composed as always, her hands folded neatly over her lap, but there was an unmistakable twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
"I called the duke dumb," I said, nonchalantly, "and some other things too."
Mom blinked slowly. "Okay. Start from the beginning. And..." -her gaze shifted to the small figure on my lap-"Who exactly is this?"
"Oh, right. This is Nekro," I said, patting the top of her head lightly. She scrunched her nose at the gesture but didn't move away. "You'll understand where she fits in once I explain."
As I launched into the story of the day's ridiculous events, Kayda jumped in to fill in some details I purposely glossed over. Her voice was calm, informative, and just slightly judgmental-especially when she recounted the part where I threatened the duke with a not-so-veiled promise of hair removal.
Halfway through the story, Amari, who had been listening quietly on the rug in front of Mom, burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA, I can't believe you talked to the Duke like that, HAHAHA," she wheezed, rolling onto her side as if the laughter was physically overwhelming her.
I grinned. "I wanted to rip off his hair, but that was going a bit too far for the location."
Mom's face twitched, caught between wanting to scold me and wanting to laugh. She turned to Kayda with a pointed look.
"Kayda, how did this even happen? I understand my daughter is reckless 99% of the time, but in one morning, she pissed off the church and the duke and found a necromancer-an actual necromancer, and not even a normal one."
"My daughter is reckless 99% of the time," I said, frowning. "I am not that reckless... am I?" I tilted my head toward Kayda.
She didn't say a word, but the side-eye she gave me said everything. Amari, ever the traitor, piled on with a smirk.
"Every time we went out to the city at the border, you were fighting someone or a fight was about to break out."
I crossed my arms. "Those guys always started it. It's not my fault."
Mom raised an eyebrow. "What about the baron's son? Why were you about to cripple him?"
"He tried to order me around," I said simply, as if that explained everything.
"Why didn't you just say your name? He should know about the Draig family," Mom said, leaning back into the couch with a sigh.
"I didn't think of that at the time," I muttered, a bit sheepish.
"That's my point," she said, rubbing her temples. "You act way too recklessly. Violence is always your first instinct."
"I don't!?" I protested, sitting upright.
"I don't think it's her being reckless," Amari chimed in, tapping a finger to her chin. "It's more like... she's a trouble magnet."
"...I can't actually refute that," I said, slumping back into the couch, arms falling to my sides as I thought through all my recent... adventures.
Mom gave a long, suffering sigh. "That might be true, but every time you're out alone, something goes wrong. Every. Time."
"That's also true," I admitted, glancing down at Nekro.
She was staring up at me, expression unreadable. "Nekro? Something wrong?"
"Yes, something is wrong," she snapped, crossing her arms. "What the hell was I thinking when I asked you to train me? I must've been insane. I should never have asked you for anything."
I blinked. "I'm pretty sure it's too late to regret asking for anything now," I said, shrugging.
"No shit, you dumb fox," Nekro grumbled, glaring up at me.
I narrowed my eyes and reached down, rubbing my fist against her head with deliberate slowness.
"As I said," I muttered, "only Kayda's allowed to say that."
"Ow, ow, ow, stop! I won't say it again! Sorry!" Nekro flailed under the onslaught of knuckles.
"Oh? So Kayda's the only one who gets that privilege?" Mom asked with a teasing grin.
I turned toward her with a deadpan expression. "Did you say something, midget?"
Mom's eyes twitched. "Grrrr..."
I smirked but kept my gaze elsewhere. 'Actually, why do I allow Kayda to say things like that to me? It's not just tolerance... I don't mind it. Maybe it's because it's her.'
Next to me, Kayda's shoulders trembled slightly, her lips pressed tightly together as she tried-and failed-not to laugh.
"Anyway," I huffed, brushing Nekro's now slightly messy hair back, "where the hell is my squad? I asked for them like an hour ago."
"It's only been thirty minutes," Mom said, giving me a flat stare. "Calm down."
"But why are you even looking for them?" Kayda asked, her head tilted.
I gave her a sly smile. "I need them to look after Nekro, of course."
"What? Why me?" Nekro asked, eyes wide.
"Because my last free day for a while isn't over yet," I said, already rising to my feet and glancing at Kayda with a grin.
"That's right," Kayda agreed softly, standing up with me.
Mom nodded approvingly. "You can leave her with us, but... did you give her one yet?"
"Huh?" I paused, then caught on. "Oh! You mean that. Yeah, I did. Not as powerful as the other, obviously, but it'll do the trick."
Kayda blinked. "Put in what?"
"Can I tell her?" I asked, glancing at Mom for permission.
She tapped her chin, thinking. "Hmm... Yes, Kitsuna. She might even help you improve it."
"Cool. Amari, when the squad gets here, give Nekro to Apricot," I said, gently lifting Nekro and plopping her into Amari's lap.
"Wait-what?! I feel like a toy," Nekro grumbled, arms crossed again.
"That's because you are one!" I called back from the hallway, already halfway to the door.
[Stacy POV]
"Coming~," Kayda called cheerfully as she followed Kitsuna out, a subtle but noticeable sway in her step.
I blinked, watching the door close behind them. "...Kayda's getting bolder," I muttered.
"I feel like a toy," Nekro mumbled in my lap, clearly still brooding.
"That's because you are one!" Kitsuna's voice echoed back from down the hall.
Nekro jumped slightly. "She heard me!?"
"Ha-ha, yeah. Her hearing's sharp. Watch what you say around that one," I said, patting her head gently.
Amari leaned close and whispered, "Kayda's getting jealous, isn't she?"
"She is," I replied with a knowing smile. "Kayda's usually more passive... But with Apricot around? She feels threatened. "She doesn't want to lose her wife."
"Wifey?" Nekro repeated, eyebrows raised. "They're not together?"
"Not yet. They've only known each other a week. But they're soulmates. They'll get there." I said with a shrug.
Amari tilted her head. "Do you think Sis will ever figure it out?"
"Oh, she already has. She's just using the whole 'my soul's not from this world' excuse to avoid dealing with it," I chuckled.
"Are you sure?" Nekro asked skeptically.
I gave her a wry smile. "Kiddo. I'm her mom. I know how she thinks."
My tone darkened a little as I looked at Nekro again. "Now, you. Who was the devil? Your mother or father?"
Nekro looked down, her voice quiet. "I don't know. I've never met my parents."
"...Aah. Sorry, I shouldn't have-"
"It's okay," she interrupted quickly. "You didn't know."
I let out a slow breath. "Let's just hope it was your mother. If it was your father... well, devils pass down their aggression through blood. Male devils are typically more violent. Females are cunning but less destructive."
"How do you know this?" Amari asked.
"The church told us," I said with a grimace. "They used it to justify hunting devils down-especially the men. A vile excuse, but it worked."
"The church did that?" Nekro asked, voice trembling.
"They tried. They failed mostly, but they did plant enough fear to manipulate public opinion. Got them into the capital."
"Why didn't you stop them?"
"Because of the Marquis Anabald," I said. "They're demons now, but they descend from devils. We couldn't expose them without tearing down our political structure."
"So that's why Kitsu calls them a cult," Nekro muttered.
"One of the reasons, yes. But there's more," I added darkly.
Amari's expression turned serious. "Mom... what happens if the church finds out Sis is a young primordial?"
"They'll try to kill her. "No hesitation," I said flatly. "Primordials are stronger than gods. The church follows angels-they can't stand something above their so-called divine order."
"Did they succeed?"
I snorted. "Of course not. They've failed every time... until the god of light showed up. He's powerful enough to kill them. Five have already died."
"And if they kill them all?"
"Then gods rule the top. Simple as that."
"But how was Kitsu born if she's one of them?" Nekro asked.
I smiled softly. "That little girl? She's a special secret."
[Late Night | Kitsuna POV]
The house had settled into the hush of evening. I yawned, curling under my usual tree near the window.
Where is Apricot? It's almost bedtime, I thought, stretching.
"Kitsu, we are coming~!" Apricot's voice echoed through the hall.
I chuckled. "We? Guess Nekro's tagging along."
Moments later, Apricot appeared, all smiles. She cradled Nekro in her arms like a plush toy. Nekro, for her part, looked unusually relaxed-until her gaze drifted to the shadowy corner where I was lounging.
"Apricot, why are we going closer to that monster?" Nekro whispered, staring at me like I was an oversized predator.
"Nekro, don't worry," Apricot whispered back. "She's not going to do anything."
"That doesn't answer my question! I thought we were going to your bed!" Nekro squeaked, cheeks puffing in protest.
Apricot's face turned redder than a sunset.
"What the fuck!? I'm fucking Cupid!?" I shouted, dramatically throwing my arms up from under the tree.
And so, another night began.
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Chapter 68: 1 Months devil training
[Kitsuna Inner Mind]
I knew I'd hate myself for it. Honestly, what kind of dumbass shows Kayda-the Weapon Queen herself-how to restrain someone more effectively for training? That's practically asking for hell on earth. And yet... I did it. I showed her one little technique, thinking she'd nod and move on.
She didn't.
She took it to an entirely different level. No, to a different realm.
When I arrived here, I was barely scratching the surface of what you'd call mid-private rank-just a lost fox girl without a class, without levels, without much beyond sheer stubbornness and a tail too fluffy for its own good. One month later, I'm a low corporal level now. The real kind. Stats-wise, I've made insane progress.
And that's not even touching the terrifying improvement in my weapons mastery. I used to be proud if I could just hold a spear properly without poking myself in the leg. Now I can spin one behind my back while dodging a dagger with my eyes closed-and that's a light day of training.
Oh, and mana control? Yeah. That skyrocketed.
Before, making a katana out of mana ice took me 200 mana. It used to flicker like it was unsure whether it wanted to be a real weapon or a fancy icicle. Now? I can summon a sharper, stronger katana for only 130 mana. That's a 35% efficiency improvement and a power boost.
I even bothered to check my status today for once. Here, let me show you:
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 1-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 30
Class: Unknown (Wrath)
HP: 2460/2460
MP: 4000/4000
STR: 1183
VIT: 1230
DEF: 724
INT: 2000
END: 2203
AGT: 2500
Skills: Dimension Storage, Demon Fire, Demon Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Super Regen, Flash Step, Night Vision, Sword Domain
Yeah, I know. It's still not anywhere close to Mom's level. But she's an old hag. No, really-she's ancient. She should be stronger than me. It'd be embarrassing if she wasn't. I'm still just a 14-year-old, after all.
... Oh, right. My birthday was this month.
Didn't even remember it until I saw the age update on my status screen. Too busy being tor-trained. Yeah, let's call it training.
Anyway, let's break down the stats a little. My agility? It's sitting just below mid-sergeant level. My weakest stat is still mid-private level, if we ignore defense-and we do ignore defense, because I'm built for speed, not tanking. Defense is for people who get hit. I don't.
My mana pool has increased slightly as well, although the progress is slow. Still, with how efficient I'm getting, it feels like double the growth.
Now, let's discuss the mana control training known asKayda's infamous "pole test." That sounds worse than it is. Basically, her weird method teaches precision mana manipulation. I reached the second pole this week.
Thanks to that, I figured out how to create chains. Literal chains made from Fox Ice. I initially believed that I would need to start with threads or wires, but after one call with Steve, I experienced a breakthrough.
Of course, success came with its trauma.
During one of my first attempts in a sparring match with Mom, I managed to bind myself. Yeah. I caught myself in my own damn chains. Imagine standing there frozen (literally), struggling like an idiot while your smug, ancient fox mom laughs like she just won the lottery.
She took pictures.
Over 200.
I don't even know how she did it; in those three seconds I was stuck, but let's just say several phones mysteriously disappeared afterward.
A week later, I've gotten decent. Not outstanding, but decent. I am now skilled enough to combine chains with my swordplay. Weapons-wise, I'd say I've mastered about half of Mom's arsenal to her level of precision.
Don't get the wrong idea, though. She can still wreck me if she uses her full stats or any real magic. But if we're both set to 500 across all stats, no skills, no tricks, and one weapon each? Then we fight on even ground. One time, we sparred for 19 straight hours with just katanas before Mom had to stop... because she got worn out.
I didn't.
Sleep became optional the moment I transformed into this new being. This new... thing. I don't even need it anymore. But I used to be human, so the idea of "rest" is still etched into my habits. Even so, I spent most of my "rest time" training solo or fighting Black Ops soldiers.
Three times a week, I spar with ten of them-stats equalized at 500. At first, they underestimated me. Big mistake. But they got serious fast.
What baffles me is how a group trained for solo operations can work so efficiently as a team. After the first week, they started coordinating. Like, tactically. And that's when I started losing. A lot.
Eight out of ten matches-losses. But each loss taught me more than a victory ever could. I learned how to punish mistakes ruthlessly, how to read their group formations, and how to bait and isolate targets. I became an assassin in my own right.
Sirone helped too. She was present, healing the poor individuals I had injured. And while she patched them up, she trained the other medics. Her presence became part of the system.
There's probably something I'm forgetting, but hey, if I forgot it, it's likely not that important.
[Kitsuna POV]
At the moment, I was lounging in the newest car gifted to us by the twins. A customized vehicle-modded just for me and my multiple long, potentially chaotic tails. Spacious interior, sleek black trim, soft cushions built with stain-resistant fabric. I didn't ask how they knew what I needed. I didn't want to know. The twins were geniuses and terrifying in equal measure.
Across from me sat Mom, arms folded, eyes half-lidded but sharp as ever. On her right was Amari, quietly braiding a lock of her hair, and Zagan beside her, looking awkward in his ceremonial outfit. Dean was in the front seat next to the driver, his quiet presence grounding the car like an anchor.
"Well, it is the day of the banquet. Are you ready, Kitsuna?" Mom asked, her tone calm, but her crimson eyes focused on me.
I stretched lazily, letting my tails shift behind me before folding my arms. "As ready as I'll ever be for another political headache."
Sirone, perched beside me on my right, leaned forward with bright eyes. "Is something happening at the banquet?"
Kayda, sitting on my left and leaning against the window with an eyebrow raised, gave Sirone a flat look. "Why do you think you're here?"
Sirone blinked. "I thought Kitsuna liked me the most out of our squad. So she invited me to a banquet."
I tilted my head toward her, raising an eyebrow. "...Huh? Where did that idea come from?"
She puffed her chest proudly. "You let me see Brenda a lot. You gave me permission to go out with her. Apricot and Nekro rarely even use their beds anymore, and you personally train me in medical techniques during your free' time."
"Spare time?" I muttered, stunned. "I had free time?"
I shook my head, trying to recover. "Anyway, sorry to burst your fluffy little bubble, but no-I don't have a favorite. "I like all of you, but I don't have a favorite."
Kayda grinned. "Wait, wait. Didn't you let Apricot sleep curled in your fur for the last two weeks?"
I narrowed my eyes at her. "That's because she couldn't sleep without it. Nightmares. And even then-no one touches my tail."
"Why not?" Kayda asked, genuinely curious.
I glanced down at her chest, deadpan. "Would you like someone tugging on your horn for no reason?"
Her cheeks flushed. "I guess... not."
"Exactly. My tail is sacred. No one touches it."
"But didn't that little girl grab your tail the other day?" Zagan asked, scratching his head. "You looked fine."
"She was a child. I'm not going to kill a child over that."
He hesitated. "Wait... would you kill someone over it?"
"Yes," I replied without hesitation.
"No way."
"Yeah," Amari added casually. "Granny tugged her tail once. She nearly got a dagger to the throat."
Zagan blinked. "...Oh."
Mom cleared her throat. "Back to the original point-Sirone, you're here because you'll be healing people today."
Sirone looked horrified. "Healing? Are you going to attack people?"
I grinned. "No. Just one. I'm dueling Hugo."
Zagan leaned forward, alarmed. "What?! That's insane! He's got a legendary class!"
"I know. Beast King, right?" I snorted. "A furry with a title like that? It's hilarious."
"You shouldn't underestimate him," Zagan warned. "His level's 122."
"He's strong," Amari agreed, "but Sis's stats are higher."
"I'm nearly at low-corporal rank," I added with a shrug.
Kayda whistled. "Damn. One month did you nicely, huh?"
"Don't remind me," I groaned. "Seven more months to go..."
Mom smirked. "Before we arrive-how did Rachel's final treatment go?"
I sighed. "She's done. Ran off with Daren as soon as we finished. Straight to the honeymoon zone, I guess."
"That's good," Mom said with satisfaction.
Amari looked down. "She changed so much lately. I don't think we're friends anymore."
"She got real demanding," Zagan muttered. "Are you sure you didn't alter her subconscious?"
SLAP.
"Don't say that!" Amari snapped, hitting Zagan's head. "Sis didn't mess with her mind. Angels are just... like that."
'Technically,' I thought to myself, 'I did become part-angel... so maybe I nudged something subconsciously. However, I felt there was no need to share that information with them.
Dean turned slightly in his seat. "We've arrived."
I exhaled, stretching again as the car slowed.
"Let's hope this banquet doesn't end in fire."
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Chapter 69: The King and Queen
"Guys, we have arrived," Dean said from the front of the car, his voice clear and calm.
"That was faster than I thought," I muttered, glancing out the window as the vehicle rolled past the towering castle gates. The golden crest of the royal family gleamed proudly under the moonlight.
"The mansion is just around the corner, so it makes sense it was a short ride," Zagan added, looking over at me from his seat, his expression relaxed.
"Oh, right. Remind me again-why are you riding with us today?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him, genuinely puzzled.
"My parents are busy at the border for work, so I'm on my own tonight," Zagan explained, folding his arms casually.
"And your brother?" Mom asked, tilting her head with a slight frown.
"I have no idea where he is," Zagan said with a shrug that conveyed, "Not my problem."
"That brother of yours..." Mom sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Clearly, she had some stories about him she didn't feel like sharing right now.
Before I could prod more, the car gradually came to a stop. The soft purr of the engine died down.
"Welcome to the castle, Draig family," a royal knight greeted, opening the door beside Amari. His silver armor caught the light in a way that made him look more like a statue than a person. Gold shoulder guards marked his rank-definitely royal guard.
"Thank you," Amari said politely, climbing out with elegance. The rest followed, and I was last, as usual.
As I stepped out, I caught the knight giving me a look-curiosity mixed with surprise.
I stared at him and tilted my head. "Never seen a demon fox before?"
"Actually... no, Milady, you are the first one I've ever seen. Might I ask your name?" He asked respectfully, bowing slightly.
"Not Milady-Young Miss," I corrected with a sigh. "I'm only fourteen. Name's Kitsuna Draig."
His eyes widened slightly. "Ah! You're the adopted daughter. My apologies for the assumption."
"It's fine. This kind of treatment happens more often than you might expect," I said while waving my hand, as I was already accustomed to it.
"Kitsuna! You're dragging behind again," Kayda called out from near the entrance, her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way," I replied, striding past the knight, whose gaze lingered on me like I was a living myth.
Kayda raised an eyebrow as I joined her. "What took you so long?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it," I replied coolly, though I could feel a dozen stares sticking to my back like burrs.
"If you say so..." Kayda said. Then she gave me a once-over. "Wait. Are you really going to wear that to the banquet?"
I looked down at myself-tight black jeans, a crisp button-up shirt, my signature boots, the hoodie I never parted with, and, of course, my trusty scarf wrapped loosely around my neck. Practical, flexible, and breathable.
"I told you-I don't do dresses. Or suits. They're suffocating," I said with all the seriousness of a doctor giving a terminal diagnosis. Then I smirked, glancing at her outfit. "But I can't believe you actually wore the dress I picked for you."
Kayda crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks slightly in protest. "So I'm not allowed to wear my dress now?"
"That's not what I meant," I said, chuckling and walking ahead, only for her to catch up immediately.
We headed together toward the banquet hall, where the rest of our squad-including Sirone-was already waiting.
"Okay, when we step inside, we greet the queen first, then the king," Kayda said as we stopped in front of the grand double doors. Her tone was all business.
I nodded. "Un."
With a resigned sigh, she pushed the doors open.
"Just follow me."
The ballroom was breathtaking. Polished marble floors gleamed under floating crystal chandeliers. Nobles filled the space in flowing dresses and regal suits, their laughter and idle chatter humming like bees around a royal hive.
My nose twitched at the overwhelming perfume cloud. Still, beneath the floral assault, I picked up the glorious scent of food-roasted meats, savory sauces, and freshly baked bread. I could practically taste it already.
The banquet table was located to the back right, and my mouth watered at the thought.
"Kitsuna," Kayda whispered, nudging me. "Try not to drool in front of the queen, okay?"
"I'll... try my best," I said, hastily wiping my mouth.
As we passed through the crowd, I caught snippets of conversations. A particularly sharp one caught my attention.
"What is a barbarian like that doing with Kayda the Sage?" A woman muttered to her equally snobbish friend.
"I know, right? She looks so unworthy," her companion agreed.
I didn't even flinch. "Don't get worked up about dumb gossip," Kayda said beside me.
"I'm not. They'll be pissing themselves by the end of the night anyway," I whispered with an evil grin.
Kayda chuckled. "You know... I almost feel bad for what you're going to do to him. Almost."
Finally, it was our turn to greet the queen. I composed myself and put on the mask of emotionless calm I'd perfected by now.
The queen appeared to be in her late forties, although this might have been enhanced by magic. Her hair was an elegant wave of raven black, and her eyes-clear blue like polished sapphire-gave away a keen mind. She wore a lavish golden-brown gown that practically shimmered with every movement.
"Aah, Kayda! You made it," the queen said warmly, drawing Kayda into an unexpected hug. "And you've grown wings-congratulations."
"Good evening, Your Majesty. It's been a while," Kayda replied with a polite smile, returning the hug.
Then the queen turned to me. Her eyes narrowed in recognition, and she smiled mischievously. "You must be the new troublemaker of the Draig family."
"New? Was there someone before me?" I asked with a playful tilt of my head.
"She doesn't even deny it," a voice said to my right.
Turning, I saw a tall Dragonoid man in a finely tailored black suit. His gold-and-brown scales shimmered faintly under the lights, and his raven-black hair matched the queen's. Must be the King.
"You must be the current king," I said, examining him.
"Indeed. I've been waiting to meet you for quite some time," he said with a worn smile.
"Eager to see your new 'weapon' in action?" I asked flatly.
"I wish it were that simple." He exhaled. "Sigh... how do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Create three whole stacks of complaints in a single city visit?" he groaned.
"How big are the stacks?" I asked, suppressing a smirk.
"Big. Like, three-day paperwork big."
"Hun, please. We're at a banquet," the queen interrupted gently. "If you want to yell at her, do it on the balcony like a civilized man."
"Yes, Mother," the King muttered, clearly defeated. He motioned for me to follow him.
"Nice meeting you, Your Majesty," I said before turning to trail after him, already bracing myself.
Kayda walked with me for a few steps, but I waved her off. "You sure?" she asked.
"Yeah. Besides, Mom's not here," I said simply.
As we stepped onto the balcony, the crisp night air wrapped around us, and the distant hum of music faded behind the glass doors.
"When I became king," he began, his tone shifting into something heavier, "I knew I was signing up for headaches. But you-dear little Draig-are a full-blown migraine."
"Don't call me little. I'm taller than you," I retorted, glancing sideways.
"But you're younger."
"My soul isn't," I countered smugly.
He chuckled. "True. Finding out you were a reincarnate really threw our plans off."
"Original plans? Like what?"
He didn't hesitate. "We were going to rehabilitate you, assign Dean as your personal trainer, and then send a marriage proposal to make you queen."
"...What?" I blinked. "Marriage? That's... drastic."
"You suffered because of decisions the royal family made. If you joined the family, you'd be in a position to change things."
I frowned. "I could've done that anyway-by force."
"Sure," he admitted. "But I trusted the Draigs would teach you not to be an aggressive little warhead."
"...Fair."
He looked at me again, his eyes softer. "As for the soul-link thing... yeah. We argued about it a lot. We knew it risked damaging your trust, but we couldn't let you remember dying. In the end, we compromised. We made it look like you were rescued instead."
"Huh." I leaned against the railing. "Not that it matters now. But if I hadn't remembered my past, I might've accepted your plan. Though I probably would've still gone off to save my people."
"That was the ideal outcome. But then we found out you were reincarnated. My siblings just said, "Let her be. Let her have her way."
"Then Mom adopted me and dragged me to the border."
He smiled. "Exactly. We couldn't keep tabs on you after that. But it worked out. You didn't run off to another kingdom."
I gave him a look. "Let's be clear. I'm not loyal to the kingdom. I just hate the other ones more."
He didn't flinch. "I know. I won't force you into anything. But we will need to strike a deal."
I raised an eyebrow. "A deal?"
The wind tugged lightly at my scarf as the tension between us grew just slightly heavier.
"Yeah," the King said, his tone growing more serious. "This agreement will protect both of our interests and provide you with the freedom you desire."
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Chapter 70: The Deal and a lazy Queen
"That's true. We can do that, but do we have a mutual interest, though? Like, what do you want from me?" I asked, tilting my head at the king as my tail flicked lazily behind me. I wasn't trying to be rude-well, maybe a little-but I wanted to see how he'd respond.
He gave me a long, measured look. For a brief moment, the air between us was still, heavy with expectation.
"Mutual interest? That's a good question," he said slowly, as if testing my reaction. Then his tone turned serious. "Personally, I would like you to be loyal to the kingdom for the next 1000 years."
My ears twitched. "A 1000 years?" I repeated, blinking. "I guess I will be living that long, won't I?" I gave a low chuckle and crossed my arms. "Not happening. Loyalty is too restricted for my taste."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if weighing my words. "How is it too restricted?"
"Being loyal to the kingdom means I can't go against anything the kingdom does," I explained, casually waving a hand in the air. "So if some dumb descendant of yours decides to do me in, I can't do anything about it. I think it's better to say, "I will protect the kingdom for 1000 years, but I am not loyal to the kingdom."
The king frowned, clearly not thrilled by the distinction. "That might work, but-"
"Good," I cut him off smoothly, smirking. "And in return, I want full immunity to all my accidents that will be happening in the future... and a safe haven for my race."
He blinked. "The paperwork," he muttered, holding up his hands and looking at them like they were already aching. "My poor hands."
"Oh, and about the 1000 years," I continued, voice light. "You guys can give me missions that I should do for you. For the money, of course. But the missions are not allowed to go against my principles-which, fair warning, are quite messed up."
He looked genuinely baffled now. "Hmm, that's not too bad. But it feels like you can do what you want, and I need to clean up your mess every time."
I grinned. "That's the point, idiot."
His brow rose. "Excuse me?"
"It's like this," I said, gesturing between us. "You guys get a primordial as protection, and I get a safe haven where I can do what I want. Mutual benefit."
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine, that does sound good enough. But what do you mean by accidents that will happen in the future and a safe haven for your race? Might you give me an example?"
I gave him a lazy smile. "Hmm, let's say a furry hits someone precious to me. I might go and castrate him, or worse, make him lose his point for living."
The king flinched.
"And for my race," I went on, voice flat, "just give us a city or something where we can gather safely. Call it a sanctuary or whatever."
He stared at me, then slowly turned pale. "Furry? You mean... No, did Hugo really do something so dumb? But last I heard, he was still alive and fine. You and Stacy are planning something, aren't you?"
I said nothing. Just let my smile answer for me.
He stared. Then groaned. "Yeah, tonight's banquet is going to be so much fun," he muttered sarcastically.
I grinned wider. "You know what? I don't care. Our deal is set. We can sign the contract later, though. I need to get a drink," he grumbled, spinning on his heel.
"Hahaha, I hope your hands are ready for the paperwork," I called out after him, my laughter echoing across the balcony.
"Don't remind me!" he shouted back. "At least try not to kill him."
"Ha-ha, of course I won't kill him," I replied sweetly. "Do you think I'm a monster?"
"Yes. Yes, you are one. Giving your poor young king arthritis," he replied dryly as he disappeared into the ballroom. I could swear I heard him curse me under his breath.
I turned to lean against the railing again, letting the cool air wash over my face. "That was easier than I thought," I murmured to myself.
"Oh, my son is gone already," a voice behind me said, and I turned to see the queen stepping onto the balcony.
"Yes," I said, nodding toward the door he'd just exited through. "He went to get a drink."
The queen walked up beside me, her heels clicking lightly against the stone. "Hmm, did you guys already talk about the deal?"
"We did," I confirmed, glancing at her.
"Oh? Might I know what you decided on?" she asked, folding her hands together.
"I protected the kingdom for 1000 years. In return, I can do what I want within its borders. I'll also accept missions from the royal family, but only if they don't go against my principles," I explained.
"Not loyalty?" she said, tilting her head slightly.
"A lot can happen to a family in 1000 years," I said softly.
She nodded. "That's true. You never know what your descendants will do."
Then her expression brightened. "Let's forget about politics and things. Have you met my twins yet?"
I blinked. "No, I haven't even seen my mother since I came here."
"Oh! Here, I will show you some pictures of my genius twins!" she said excitedly, pulling out her scroll as she skipped toward me.
"Don't you need to be in the ballroom? I mean, you're the queen, and it's your birthday banquet, right?" I asked, watching her with mild disbelief.
She waved dismissively. "That's too much work."
My jaw twitched. "You're royalty."
"Exactly! It's exhausting," she said, giggling. She handed me the scroll. "Now, look how cute they were when they just hatched."
"...Hatched?" I repeated slowly. "Aren't you human? How did you lay eggs?"
"Yes, I am human. They used a spell on me so I could lay eggs," she replied matter-of-factly.
I stared. "Woah. That had to hurt."
"Yeah, it hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it. Those two are wonderful children," she said fondly, swiping through the images.
Now curious, I frowned. "Wait, how did you take pictures when scrolls weren't created back then?"
"Oh, they used picture magic. Most royals have someone with that kind of magic in their court," she explained.
"Never heard of it," I muttered.
"You won't. It's not important to most people, so they forget it exists," she said with a shrug. Then she offered me another image. "Here, look at them when they were five-just when they woke up their memories of their past life."
I raised a brow. "They remember everything back then?"
"No, they didn't."
"I see..." I said awkwardly.
"Don't give me that look. I already accepted them as mine way back then," she said firmly.
"But how? I mean... they actually aren't your children anymore, are they?" I asked quietly.
"They are," she said without hesitation. "We did a lot of tests. It's just-they forgot five years of their life in exchange for their past. But I raised them. They're mine."
I didn't respond. Just nodded slowly. 'That makes zero sense, but hey-if everyone's happy, who am I to argue?' I thought.
"See? They're so smart! In eight years, they moved us up in tech so fast we can now travel in the air!" she said proudly.
I raised a brow. "They are smart. Not gonna lie. I never knew we had someone like them in our class."
She gave me a sidelong glance. "Yeah... what was your name before Kitsune?"
I stiffened slightly. "I think we should go back to the banquet. They'll realize you're missing, Your Majesty," I said, pivoting.
"Nooo! I don't want to go greet boring nobles!" She whined like a teenager.
"You can't leave everything to your son," I chided, turning back to her.
"He's doing all the work anyway. The nobles just don't get it-I don't care about being queen. It's a position, not a dream. My husband understood that and never pressured me. Why can't my son do the same?" She grumbled, pouting.
"Wow... never thought we had a queen who hates her job," I said with a grin.
"What? You want to become queen?"
"Hell no. Way too tedious for my taste."
"My point exactly," she said, jabbing a finger at me triumphantly.
"I'm still going back. I want to get myself some food," I said, heading toward the ballroom.
"That's fine. I'm still hiding out here," she said, waving cheerfully.
'Kayda wasn't joking... These people are blunt as hell, I thought, navigating through the crowd toward the food tables.
As I passed through the ballroom, something caught my eye-a flash of black fur, a tail. Familiar.
I made a note to follow up on that after grabbing food.
"Oh wow, now that is high-class food," I muttered, taking in the spread of dishes piled high across several tables. Delicate aromas of roasted meat, sweet fruits, and exotic spices drifted through the air.
I snagged a big plate and began building a mountain of food on it.
"I see you found the food, Kitsuna," Mom's voice said behind me.
"Yeah, and I might've spotted the Foxy," I replied, not even pausing my eating.
"Kitsuna," she groaned, placing a hand on her face. "How many times do I have to tell you-not to talk with food in your mouth, and don't eat the bones. You're going to weird people out."
"Not happening. These bones are done to my taste," I said with a contented crunch.
"Whatever. Where did you see the fox?" she asked, her tone shifting to serious.
"Let me get my food first," I said, stuffing a piece of meat into my mouth.
"...Fine," she sighed.
After I finished stacking my plate like a fortress, Mom and I began weaving through the crowd, searching.
Didn't take long.
There, near the far end of the ballroom, stood Hugo.
With. His. Entire. Harem.
"To think they brought their entire harem to the banquet," I whispered to Mom.
"Twelve women... for a plus-one event," she hissed. "Who do they think they are?"
"Who cares? Do you see the demon fox or not?" I murmured, scanning the crowd of girls behind Hugo.
Then-I felt a small tug at my arm.
Looking down, I saw a little girl, no more than chest height to me. Black hair. Fox ears. Eyes like polished silver, brimming with tears.
"My Queen," she said, her voice trembling.
And my world came to a sudden halt.
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Chapter 71: It All Starts
"Queen?" I said, puzzled, blinking at the demon fox who had just whispered that title like a prayer.
"You can't hide it," she said softly, eyes shining with an almost reverent glow. "We can feel that you're a Prim-hmm."
"Don't finish that," I cut her off sharply, placing one free hand over her mouth before she could spill something dangerous in front of the entire ballroom. My gaze narrowed, voice dropping to a firm but calm tone. "It's a secret for now, okay?"
Her eyes widened for a second, but then she nodded obediently under my palm, letting out a muffled "Swrri" through my fingers.
For a brief moment, I believed that this awkward little incident had come to an end.
But of course... it wasn't.
"Kitsuna Draig, what do you think you're doing laying a hand on my woman?" A familiar voice barked across the ballroom. Loud. Irritating. So very full of himself.
I sighed without turning around. I didn't need to. That pompous tone could belong to only one overgrown golden-furred idiot.
"Aah, if it isn't the big dumb furry," I muttered under my breath, already feeling my eye twitch in annoyance.
Hugo Boei.
Of course.
The lion-brained moron stomped over with exaggerated steps, nostrils flaring like a bull about to charge.
"Did I not ask you to let go of my woman!" He roared again-this time loud enough for the entire hall to go silent and watch.
Before I could even react, he slapped the plate of food out of my right hand, sending my ribs and steak crashing dramatically to the marble floor.
There was a collective gasp.
I just stared at the mess on the floor.
"What a waste of good food," I said softly, genuinely mourning the perfectly grilled steak as it oozed sauce onto the expensive carpet.
"Tch." Hugo clicked his tongue, furious that I wasn't reacting like he wanted. He reached out for the demon fox, clearly trying to yank her away.
Still keeping one hand lightly resting on her shoulder, I smoothly moved behind her, spinning her to my right and hooking my right arm around her shoulders. She let out a surprised squeak but didn't resist.
"Come on," I said smoothly. "She just called me her queen. I find it cute. So, I've decided that she isn't yours anymore."
Chinada blinked up at me with a stunned expression, a soft blush forming on her cheeks. She wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but the moment I winked at her, her expression melted into something closer to amusement.
"You little-" Hugo growled. "There's no way she would want to be your woman." I am much better than you."
"You are?" I asked, tilting my head, playing dumb just to annoy him further.
"Of course! I am a man from the proud Lion King race! No other race is better than us!"
He said it with such unshakable conviction that even I had to pause.
A beat.
Then laughter. From me. From nobles around us. A few of the women were standing behind him.
"Ha-ha... fuck, you are dumb," I muttered, wiping a tear from my eye. "You're getting weird looks from nobles who literally bed dragons and gods, you know that?"
"Okay," I said, recovering. "Let's say your race is the 'best.' That means nothing in this world if you don't have the power to protect what is yours."
"Ha! Of course I have enough power!" he boomed, puffing out his chest.
"Is that so?" I grinned like a fox about to pounce. "Then how about we test it out?"
"You're challenging me?"
"Yup."
"For what, exactly?"
I looked past him at the group of girls standing silently in his shadow. Some of them still had that hopeful glimmer in their eyes. Others looked confused, uncertain.
"I don't know," I said casually, then glanced down at Chinada. "What's your name? I never asked."
"My name is Chinada, my queen," she said proudly, voice louder now, eyes still locked on me.
"What an interesting name," I replied with a playful smile.
Looking back at Hugo, I continued, "That group behind you... They're with you?"
"Yes. That is the rest of my women," he said with that same smug, arrogant grin.
"Is that so?" I murmured, turning my gaze back to them. "They are adorable themselves, and a lot of them are to my taste. Hmm... with this new body of mine, I'm certain I could satisfy them in bed in one go."
The temperature around me dropped by a few degrees.
I know Mom said I'd get a lot of hate for this plan, but even I can feel the daggers being stabbed into my back with their glares. I might have overreached myself.
Some of the hopeful expressions faded immediately. Replaced by disgust or shock.
Yeah, I went off-script. Fuck.'
"What are you trying to say, bitch?" Hugo growled, his golden mane bristling.
"If you narrow your eyes any more at me, your fur is going to cover them completely," I said flatly.
Smirking, I leaned into it. "I'm saying I'm challenging you for your 12-13 girls. I want them to be mine."
"You little-ha! And what do I get if I win?" Hugo snapped, barking a laugh.
"What do you want?" I asked casually, resting my chin on top of Chinada's head like she was a plush toy.
"Hmm." He rubbed his chin, clearly not used to thinking for more than five seconds at a time. "I got it! "I will convince you and your sister to join my harem."
"My sister as well?" I asked, glancing toward Mom, who stood nearby, arms crossed and already reaching into her dimensional storage.
"It's fine. You can agree to that," Mom said with a smirk, pulling out two neatly written documents out of thin air. "But I want some conditions added."
"Huh? What is this?" Hugo said, taking the documents from her suspiciously.
I took a copy myself, scanning the contents over Chinada's head.
Blood Contract-royal duel
Hugo Boei vs. Kitsuna Draig
If Kitsuna Draig Wins:
Hugo's entire harem is transferred to Kitsuna.
Hugo is forbidden from ever creating another harem.
Hugo must pledge himself to the king, who will decide his terms of service.
If Hugo Boei Wins:
Kitsuna Draig and Amari Draig join Hugo's harem.
The Draig family formally submits to the Boei house.
There was more-legalese, disclaimers, magic sealing clauses-but those were the key points.
"How is this fair? We only get two things while you get three!" Hugo shouted indignantly.
Multiple nobles gasped.
"Shut up," his father said through gritted teeth. "You accepted, and she challenged you. You know how royal duels work-the challenged party sets the rules."
"Of course, I have no problem with that. When do we fight?" Hugo asked, still trying to save face.
"Right now," I said, still smirking. "My people are already preparing the arena."
Hugo looked like he wanted to protest, but he nodded.
As I turned away, letting Chinada walk beside me, I glanced at my family-Mom, Kayda, Amari, and even Dean. No one looked particularly concerned.
My smile softened into something real.
'Yeah. My family, huh.'
Chinada leaned close. "My Queen... I need to warn you. He recently returned from a levelling trip."
"I know," I said. "What do you know about his class?"
"It's called Beast King. It's a legendary class for the Lion King race."
"Skills?"
"Nothing specific. But I've watched him fight. He's slow compared to you. Defense-focused."
"Perfect," I muttered.
'Beast King' is a defensive class. His race skill will likely grant him a temporary boost just under ultimate defense. But as long as I force a rule that bans race skills... I can win with speed alone.'
"My Queen," Chinada asked hesitantly, "might I know what class you have?"
"I don't have one yet," I said with a smile.
Her face went pale. "What?"
"Don't worry."
"But he's level 122! Even with armor, he'll still be around 1000 agility. That's not easy to dodge!"
"Only 1000?" I chuckled. "I double that."
"D-double? But that's impossible-"
"Oh, sweety. I'm not very normal."
Smack!
"Ow!" I rubbed the back of my head, turning to Kayda.
"You dumbass!" she growled. "This wasn't even close to what we planned!"
"Are you mad I challenged him for the whole harem instead?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Of course I am! We agreed you'd only try to take the fox girl!"
"It's sweeter this way."
"Shut up, both of you," Mom interrupted, appearing between us with her usual 'I'm-smiling-but-will-kill-you' expression. "Kayda, she's not keeping the harem. Kitsuna, you're just doing this to gloat, right?"
"Of course. Like hell, I have enough stamina to satisfy thirteen women in one night. That's too much work."
Kayda clicked her tongue and walked away.
"Now, Yandere Dragon, do you understand?" Mom said slyly.
"Mom, I don't think you know what yandere actually means."
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Chapter 72: The Duel Rules
"Mom, I don't think you know what 'yandere' actually means," I said with a raised eyebrow, wiping the last bit of dried laughter from the corner of my eye.
"You just shut up," Mom said, jabbing a finger at me with the stern authority only a mother could wield. Despite her tone, her lips twitched at the corners, betraying amusement.
Then she turned to Chinada, who stood beside me like a loyal statue with twitching ears and curious eyes. "Well, you understand what's happening now, don't you?"
Chinada gave a small nod, her tail flicking once behind her as she took a step forward. "Yes, so you guys were planning this from the start."
"Exactly," I said, snapping my fingers with a cocky grin.
Her posture relaxed slightly, her ears lowering respectfully. "Then my worries were for naught. Sorry for doubting you, my queen."
"Don't worry about it." I waved a hand dismissively, though the title still made me twitch. "But about this queen thing... Can you stop? Just call me Kitsuna."
Chinada's eyes widened. "I cannot call my queen by her name," she said, shaking her head vigorously, her silver hair swishing like a fan.
I groaned. "Call me Nova then. I don't want you calling me "Queen" like I'm some stuffy old matriarch sitting on a throne of bones."
"If you order it, then I will do so," she said softly, lowering her head.
"Fine," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I order you to call me by my name."
"As you wish, Nova," she said, nodding politely. The tone in which she said it made me feel as if she had just sworn a lifelong vow. It made my skin itch.
"I swear I'll never get used to this," I muttered under my breath, exhaling sharply. My ears flicked at the sudden silence, then I turned to Mom. "Oh, Mom-did he figure it out?" I asked my mother if the Duke had figured it out, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial tone.
She didn't say anything at first-her cheeks puffed up as she held in laughter. That look made my eyebrow twitch. Annoyed, I lifted my leg and gave her a sharp, but harmless, kick to the side of her thigh.
"If he did, it doesn't matter," she said, sidestepping the kick effortlessly with a laugh. "Hugo already signed the blood contract."
"Great." I clapped my hands. "Give it to me so I can sign."
"Here." She passed me the thick parchment. "And if you're done with that, go find Kayda. She'll be the main witness to the duel."
I pricked my finger with my canine and pressed the drop of blood onto the seal, the parchment glowing faintly as the contract sealed itself.
"Why do I need to look for Kayda?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because you are the one who pissed her off."
"No, that was you!" I pointed at her accusingly.
"Kitsune." Her voice dropped a pitch.
"See you guys at the arena!" I quickly said this and bolted away like the wind before her tone could drop any lower.
"Thought so," she said behind me, amused.
[Stacy POV]
As my daughter disappeared into the corridor, I turned to Chinada, who still looked like she was sorting through everything in her head.
"Now that she's gone... you're Chinada, right?" I asked, stepping closer and folding my arms.
"Yes, Lady Draig," she said respectfully, standing at attention like a soldier in front of a general.
"Why exactly did you call her Queen earlier?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, pulling her a little closer by the elbow so the conversation stayed private.
She hesitated, her brows furrowing. "It is because she is a... Wait. I don't think I can tell you."
I lowered my voice. "If it's because of her bloodline, we already know."
Her shoulders relaxed. "Oh. Yes, it's because she's a Primordial Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that I call her that."
"So you guys can feel it?" I asked, curious.
"Yes," she nodded. "When we are in close proximity, any Demon Fox will know our queen is near."
"That's a bit... problematic," I murmured. "Is it only your race, or can other demi-humans feel it too?"
"No, it's only us. It's not a widely known fact, but our race is quite family-oriented."
"Family-oriented?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.
She smiled, a little wistful. "No matter how far our bloodline spreads, we're always connected spiritually. Especially when it comes to Nova. Her being our primordial makes her deeply connected to every one of us."
I stared at her for a second, trying to sense any deceit. Nothing. Just honesty and instinctive reverence.
"Well, at least only other Demon Foxes can tell. That's something I didn't know. Thanks."
"That explains a lot, doesn't it?" Dean stepped forward and handed me the signed contract once more.
"Yeah," I nodded. "I'll go get the King to sign his part too." I turned, heading toward the drinking area.
[Kitsuna POV]
'Where the hell did she run off to?' I grumbled internally, my boots tapping briskly against the stone floors as I prowled the halls of the castle.
Just then, I heard voices echoing from around a corner.
"Hey, sexy, where are you walking off to?" a slurred male voice said,.
"Hey! Let go!" A sharp female voice snapped back.
"Come on, don't be like that..."
'Ugh, nobles getting drunk? 'Great,' I thought, sniffing the air and catching the stench of cheap wine. The next sentence made me stop cold.
"I've never slept with a Dragonoid before. Why don't we use one of these guest rooms for some fun?"
A loud slap echoed.
Turning the corner, I saw a young Dragonoid girl, no older than sixteen, standing tall with a hand raised and fury burning in her eyes. Her other hand was hidden behind her back. The man in front of her, some overconfident noble brat, was scowling.
"You bitch! I'm the first son of Viscount Jaman! How dare you slap me!" He shouted-and retaliated with his slap across her cheek.
My ears twitched.
"Oh, shit," I muttered, seeing golden scales flicker over the Dragonoid's wing. She was pissed. And then I saw the object in her hand.
'Nope.'
In an instant, I flash-stepped between them, grabbing the noble by the throat with one hand and her wrist with the other.
"Princess, that's not very smart," I said calmly, holding up the hand that gripped the gun.
"Ugh-let go!" The noble choked, scratching at my wrist.
"If you say so," I muttered before casually tossing him into the wall. He hit it with a thud and crumpled into a heap, unconscious.
"Who are you?" the girl asked, her grip loosening.
"Kitsuna Draig. Nice to meet you, Princess. What's your name?" I released her wrist and stepped back.
Her eyes widened. "Wait-you're the one fighting Hugo?"
"That's me. Anyway, have you seen Kayda the Sage around?"
"No, but she should be at the arena already," she replied, watching curiously as I bound the unconscious noble in ice chains.
"Tch, damn it. What were you doing here alone, Princess?"
"Bathroom." She folded her arms. "I was heading to the arena when that creep cornered me."
"Well, lead the way then," I said, gesturing forward while gripping the ice chain.
"What are you going to do with him?" she asked, walking beside me.
"Oh, I'm turning him into paperwork for your brother. Hehe."
She smirked. "Not a terrible idea."
"You still didn't tell me your name."
"Shino Doragon. Why do you want to know that?"
"Because I'm not calling you Princess every time we meet, Shino."
"But I am a princess! Shouldn't you show some respect?"
"Nope."
"What, but-"
"Oh, we're here." I smirked at the door. Voices echoed from inside.
Grabbing Shino around the waist, I flash-stepped again-this time appearing in front of the King mid-conversation.
He blinked at me. "Oh gods. It's already started."
The queen gasped. "Shino, dear, are you alright?"
"She's fine," I said, dropping the chain and stepping away. "You should really teach your nobles how to recognize royalty."
And then, without missing a beat, I flash-stepped to the middle of the arena.
[Arena-Duel Begins]
The arena was massive, packed with curious noble spectators. Compared to the one I sparred in with Dean, this was a colosseum.
"Finally, you've arrived," Hugo said, standing confidently in full armor. "I thought you backed out."
"To fight a dumb furry like you? I'd never let that kind of opportunity slip away," I said, grinning despite myself. His armor looked absurd.
The armor consisted of chest and stomach plates, armored legs and arms, and even a bizarre helmet with two horns jutting from the forehead. All polished and bulky.
Kayda stood to the side, glaring.
"What took you so long?" she asked.
"I was looking for you!" I shouted, pointing at her.
"Oh. My bad." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed.
I turned back to Hugo. "What are the rules?"
Hugo cleared his throat dramatically and pulled out a tiny paper. "Kitsuna Draig is only allowed to use magic and Hugo's main weapon-which is a war hammer."
My eyes twitched. They knew I trained with Stacy in weapons. This restriction was intentional.'
"And for yourself?" I asked.
"Nothing. I can use what I want."
"How fair," I said, tone flat. "So you can only win if you rig the rules."
He grinned. "Even with those rules, you can't beat me. You don't even have a class."
"Oh, is that so?" I said, hiding my amusement. "True. I don't. But Stacy-the Weapon Queen-trained me. So doubt that matters."
He scoffed. "You can only use magic and war hammers."
'Plural,' I thought with a flicker of glee.
"You're so confident but scared to even give me a single condition?" I said, tilting my head.
"Scared!? As if!"
"Then let me make one rule for you. Regarding your skills."
"Fine."
"You're not allowed to use race skills."
"Don't-!" Duke Boei shouted, realizing too late.
"Deal!" Hugo said confidently.
I grinned.
"Kayda, you can start now," I said, my outfit changing into cargo pants, boots, and a sports bra as I stepped forward to meet him in the center of the arena.
The match was on.
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Chspter 73: Hugo Duel 1
(Shino POV)
'Hot!?' I thought, seeing Kitsunas' six-pack.
"Sigh, Hugo Boei class Beast King legendary against Kitsuna Draig no class. Duel rules. Kitsuna only allowed magic and war hammers. Hugo allowed everything except race skills. The first one to surrender or knocked out wins. No killing." Kayda the Sage said, surprising a lot of us, especially me.
'There is no way she could be that fast with no class and being cursed.' I thought in disbelief.
"Tch to think that dumbass will get more woman and high nobles at that." My brother Yami said, annoyed.
"I wouldn't say that. She is more than we think, Yami." I said, shaking my head at him.
"And why would you say that, Shino?" Mother asked, confused.
"Her speed isn't normal. Before I came here." I said, explaining the events before I joined them, surprising them.
"I see now that's why she made that rule. Ha-ha, so she already won." Big brother said, laughing.
"You think so," Mother asked, looking at him.
"Definitely, she played him like a puppet." Big brother said, letting another laugh out.
"Mind explaining," Yami asked, intrigued.
"No, the duel is about to start. Watch and learn Little sister and brother. This is why you don't underestimate the Draig family." Big brother said, making me confused.
"Start!?" Kayda the Sage shouted. A second later, I saw multiple white war hammers flying towards Hugo.
"Holy shit!" We all exclaim in surprise.
(Kitsuna POV)
"Start!?" Kayda shouted.
At Kaydas' shout Hugo who was about 10 meters away from me, started to run at me extremely slow from my perspective. Sighing, I made war hammers in each hand and began throwing them at him with enough speed so he could easily dodge it.
"WAH!?" Hugo shouted in surprise, bring his war hammer up, blocking one ice hammer and dodging the other one. Not giving him a chance, I continued through ice war hammers at him while running around him, keeping my distance.
"What the fuck is this!?" Hugo shouted while dodging or blocking my hammers.
"It is magic, dumbass!" I said, smirking at him.
"How are you able to make weapons using magic!? That is impossible!? You are cheating!?" Hugo hollered in anger.
"Dude, this is a Royal Duel being overseen by Kayda the Sage? Do you think she would help me cheat? Are you belittling her name?" I said, coming to a stop. Putting my hands on my hips, I looked at Hugo like he said something unforgivable.
'She would.' Multiple people thought at the same time.
"Grrr," Gritting his teeth, he started running at me again.
"You are so slow~." I hummed, giving him a taunting grin.
"Aah Hammer of The Beast," He shouted, brings his down at me.
Boom!?
The ground cracked under the force Hugo brought down the hammer.
"How do you like that bitch? Huh?" Hugo said while hunched over. Not seeing me, he looked around confused until he felt an extra weight on his back. Looking at what he was feeling, he saw me standing there with a disappointed expression and my hands in my pockets.
"Really, it took you that long to realized I was standing there," I said, shaking my head at him.
Swinging his hands at me, I jumped up a bit. Stopping his arm with one leg making him lose balance. Using this opportunity, I kicked him in the head, making him grunt.
Using his free hand, he stopped himself from hitting the ground. Jumping of him, I landed a few meters away from him.
"You are getting sloppy~." I hummed, amused. Not feeling the joke, I sighed and added. "Never mind, that wasn't funny. You were sloppy from the start."
"Ugh, you bitch fights me like a man!?" Hugo shouted, getting to his feet.
"Like a man? But I am not a man. I am a woman. Get your genders straight, Furry." I said sarcastically.
"Shut up, Shiro Adachi, you gender-bent fox girl!?" Amari shouted with a wide grin on her face glancing at Mom.
"Tch, why you do me like that, Amari!?" I shouted back, not very amused at her actions.
"Whahahahaha!?" I heard Hugo started laughing.
"Hmm, what got you so happy?' I asked, tilting my head."
"You were Shiro Adachi, hahaha."
"Yo, that's me," I said, pointing at myself with a deadpan look.
"That's priceless. I was sad when I heard about Sensei but you. It's priceless. It made my day, thank you." Hugo said, calming himself down.
"Made your day? Dude, we are in the middle of a Duel." I said, baffled at his stupidity showing again.
"Oh, that's right," Hugo said with the realization he picked his war hammer up again.
"Fuck, man. Were you always this dumb?" I said, facepalming.
"What did you say!?" Hugo shouted before running at me, screaming with his hammer raised over his head.
"Tch, you are so uneducated. Running like that at an opponent that has more speed than you." I said, shaking my head, putting my hands back in my pockets, disappearing from his sight. Reappearing next to him with one of my feet out, I tripped him.
Boom
Faceplanting in the ground, Hugo skid on the ground for a meter before coming to a stop.
"Your father is doing a bad job at training you," I said, humming while walking closer to him. Coming to a stop next to his head, I crouched down, looking at his mane curiously. "Is your hair fireproof?" I asked, reaching out towards it.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!?" Hugo shouted, jumping up before attacking me recklessly.
"Already lost your sanity?" I said, dodging his attacks with ease while my hand was still in my pockets.
"You dare and try to touch my mane!?"
"Oh, is it that imported to you," I said, amused at his crouch-up furry face.
"It is our pride!?" He hollered, making me annoyed.
"Pride? Pfff, like I care about pride. On another note, your furry face can it get wrinkles?" I said, appearing next to him, grabbing his cheek with my right hand.
"Wha-?" Hugo said, looking at me confused and annoyed.
"Now this is quite disgusting skin you have," I said disgustedly. Pulling my hand away from him before kicking him in the gut intended to send him back.
"Hmm, your defense really is strong," I said, looking at my broken ankle.
"Kitsuna, your healing skill is listed under magic!?" I heard Kayda shout from her stand overseeing the duel.
'It's actually not.' Multiple people thought, looking at Kayda.
"Oh cool," I said, healing my ankle. Jumping away from the smirking Hugo? I tilted my head at him before looking at my right hand. "You know that feeling of your skin is still on my skin."
Rip
Ripping off my right arm, I sighed in relief before healing it back.
"Aah, that's better. Hmm, now, what to do with this." I said, stretching my hand a bit before looking at the dismembered arm. Looking up at Hugo, I smirked, seeing him look at me disgusted.
Slap
Slap
Slap.
"So how does it feel being slapped through the face by a dismembered arm, Hugo Boei?" I ask, dodging his hand grabs and taking the openings to slap him again.
Slap
"You bitch, I will kill you!?" Hugo shouted, smashing his hammer down, forcing me to jump away from him.
"Kill me? But that's not part of the deal." I said, acting innocently.
"Grrr, you damn woman. I will make you beg for my forgiveness!?" Hugo shouted, smashing his hammer down a couple of times.
"But I was a man in my previous life," I said, cupping my own cheek tilting my head.
"YOU!!!!!!"
"YOU fool, calm yourself right now!?" Duke Boei shouted from the stands having enough of me playing with Hugo.
"This is a Royal Duel. You are interfering, Duke Boei," Kayda said in a warning tone.
"Nah, Nah, let them talk. I want to see what happens," I said, waving at Kayda.
"Okay, you may talk to your son for 60 seconds," Kayda said, looking at the Duke.
60 seconds later
"I see, so you were trying to lure me into a trap. Not that it matters now as I have seen through your trickery." Hugo said with pride ending the conversation with his father. Walking closer to me, who was standing in the middle of the arena again waiting for him.
"PFFF, Furry, I am a fox. What are we known to be like on earth?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Cunning, but as I said, it doesn't matter as I have already seen through your trickery."
"You still going on about that? Okay, humor me. What is my plan?" I said, intrigued.
"You were hoping my anger will cloud my judgment and use that to knock me out."
"Boring~!?" I said with annoyance out loud.
"What?"
"I said that's so boring. If it were that simple, we would have been done already." I said, looking at him like he was dumb. Letting a crazy smirk appear on my face, I continued. "News flash, Boei family. I want to utterly humiliate you. Do you think your Furry asses are the best? Think again!" Walking closer to him, I brought my hands up, holding 2 chains with hammers on end.
"Let the rag dolling begin," I said with a crazy smirk. Starting to swing the hammers in circles and infusing the weapons with my fire and lightning magic.
BOOM!?
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Chapter 74: Hugo Duel 2
BOOM!?
"Ugh!" Hugo let out a strained grunt as his body was launched through the air, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Before he could recover, I was already descending like a comet, another hammer raised above my head. The weight of it, laced with mana and purpose, came crashing down toward his right shoulder.
BOOM!?
The impact shook the stone beneath us, a sharp echo ringing through the arena.
"Man, almost cracked that thick skull of yours," I said with a cocky grin, landing several meters away. "I don't want to end this too quickly, am I right?"
"You... bitch," Hugo muttered, pushing himself up on shaky hands. His glare tried to pierce me, but it looked more like a pouty kitten trying to act like a lion.
"Hm? Did you say something?" I asked innocently, and before he could answer, I was beside him again. My hammer surged upward into his gut like a piston.
CRACK-BOOM!
The weapon snapped in half, but not before launching Hugo toward the arena wall like a living cannonball.
"Aaaah!?"
Before he could even bounce, I appeared ahead of him and brought down my other hammer in a perfect arc-smashing him into the dirt and shattering the second weapon in the process.
"Two hits, not bad," I said, examining the broken stubs in my hands. "Especially against that overhyped defense of yours."
Dismissing the remnants, I strolled toward the two hammers I'd tossed earlier. They lay on the ground among a scattered circle of others-my little graveyard of blunt surprises.
"Now then," I said, glancing back at Hugo as he staggered upright again. "That's two down. Twenty-eight more to go."
From above, the camera crystal zoomed out, revealing the full picture: Hugo and I, standing at the center of the coliseum, surrounded by thirty identical war hammers, laid in a deliberate pattern.
They weren't normal hammers either-each one had shortened handles, reinforced heads, and chains dangling from the base like trailing serpents. Earlier, most people hadn't noticed my hammer tosses, attributing them to mere flair. But now-
'That wasn't just random throwing,' Mom thought, watching from her seat with a nod of approval. 'As expected from her.'
With a flick of my wrist, I summoned two more into my hands and began spinning them like windmills. The hum of mana around them was tangible. Then, I vanished-only to reappear directly in front of Hugo, crouched low with both hammers aimed at his knees.
"You won't be needing these anymore," I quipped, grinning like a fox.
Clang! KABOOM!!
A surprising burst of agility saved him, and he dodged just in time. The two hammers collided mid-swing, causing a fiery explosion that swallowed both of us in smoke and sparks.
From the stands, a few nobles gasped.
"What was that!?"
"Did they both just-?!"
But as the dust cleared, I emerged completely untouched, while Hugo...
His mane was singed, his fur smoldering at the edges, and several black scorch marks painted his face like ash tattoos.
"Oh, you dodged it. Impressive." I stepped through the smoke toward him, my grin sharp. "But... probably not a good idea."
His jaw clenched as he stared at me, rage barely held in check.
"I mean, I have fire resistance," I added, "but you? Heh. You smell like a burnt dog biscuit."
"YOU-!?"
He lunged but froze mid-motion. Another hammer was coming. Again. For the same spot.
"Not this time!" He growled, side-stepping right-straight into my second hammer, which cracked against his left shoulder.
"Ugh! My shoulder-!"
I paused, squinting at the dent in his armor. "Huh. Who the hell made this garbage? That's cracking already?"
Before he could answer, I reached out and touched the damaged spot. Frost rippled along the dent, sealing it temporarily.
"I can't have you falling apart just yet," I said, right before he tried to punch me. I sidestepped casually.
"Don't touch me, you filth," he spat.
"Oh? Sorry, I couldn't hear you. I have ice in my ears." I wiggled both ears, revealing tiny icicles sticking out.
"I freaking said don't touch me!"
With a roar, Hugo rushed me again.
"But I didn't touch you. I touched your armor," I said mockingly, tilting my head with a bright smile.
As he closed in, I sidestepped once more and slammed both hammers into his torso-one from the front, the other from behind.
WHAM!!
"You know what?" Hugo growled, vanishing in a blur of speed. "I'm done holding back!"
"Ohhh?" I blinked. "You've got Flash Step?"
"Of course. It's one of the easiest things to learn!" he barked proudly.
"Hah. If you say so," I replied, amused. It took me a year to control it. But sure, let the lion boy have his moment.
I ran at him, vanishing in a blur of my own.
Reappearing at his flank, I swung both hammers at his right knee.
CRACK!
He dropped with a snarl of pain. I retreated, tossing aside the broken weapons and grabbing fresh ones from my stash.
As he tried to stand, I came for the other knee.
BOOM!
He barely dodged, but the explosion from the missed attack engulfed him again.
"HOW are you that fast?!" Hugo barked in frustration, blinking around, trying to spot me. "Even with Flash Step, I can barely react-!"
"Yo. Behind you."
He turned-
BOOM!!
My hammer connected squarely with his groin.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH-!!"
"Oh shit," I muttered with a mischievous grin. "I missed. That wasn't the plan... but hey, it's not like you'll be needing that tonight."
"You... will... pay for this," he groaned, clutching himself and glaring up at me.
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who's going to make me pay? This is a fair duel, remember?"
"You lied-about your class. You have one, don't you?!"
"Lied? Never told you a damn thing about my skills." I shrugged. "And no, I don't have a character class. I'm using base stats, and they're not even maxed out yet."
He stared at me, eyes wide in disbelief. "No... way..."
I stepped closer, letting my voice drop just for him. "Didn't you say your race was the best? Want to rethink that?"
His mouth opened. "That's not possib-!"
"Then answer me, Hugo. Whose race is better?" I asked before appearing before him and slamming my hammer upward.
BOOM! BOOM!
For the next five minutes, the crowd could barely keep up. It was a flurry of speed, explosions, and hammer blows.
Each time Hugo tried to rise, I sent him flying again-like a ragdoll trapped in a game of pinball. His once-proud mane was all but gone, fur singed down to his skin.
"I... sure-ughh..."
He collapsed, wheezing, barely conscious.
"Nope!" I said cheerfully, stepping on his face. "No surrender now."
I sighed, examining the empty chains in my hand. "Hmph. All thirty were used. Shame."
With one last glance at his ruined armor, I released the ice holding it together. The metal crumbled off him like brittle bark, exposing his hairy chest.
"Ew. Not even a shirt?" I winced. "You really went full 'feral barbarian,' huh?"
I lifted my foot off his face and immediately brought it down again. —
CRACK!
"AGGGGGHHHH-!!"
"There we go. No more talking for you~" I sang, stepping back as he flailed, jaw clearly broken.
"Kitsuna Draig," Kayda called out from her seat. "Reminder: no killing."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving her off.
I created two long, sharp ice spikes-a meter long and 4 cm thick-and twirled them like batons.
"I hope you don't pass out."
"Mmm-nuhhh, don't-please-I beg you-don't do it!" Hugo tried to speak, but it came out as a garbled mess.
"It's too late," I said coldly, stepping behind him. "You lost everything the moment you decided you were the best."
THUNK!
One spike rammed into his abdomen, pinning him to the floor.
He screamed again.
Flipping the second spike, I aimed down between his legs. "Congratulations, Hugo Boei. You're about to become the world's first transsexual."
BANG!
A gunshot rang out.
Pain burst across my right shoulder. Blood sprayed.
"You dumb fucking furry," Kayda growled, her wing pierced by the same bullet.
She stood beside me, fury radiating off her in waves.
I followed her gaze to the stands-and locked eyes with the Duke, pistol still smoking in his hands.
My rage ignited instantly.
"You stupid piece of shit," I hissed. I clapped my hand, detonating a miniature explosion that drove the spike straight into Hugo's groin.
BOOM!
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
He writhed, voice cracking with agony.
BANG!
Another shot. I dodged mid-jump.
Just as I prepared to Flash Step straight into the Duke's throat, arms wrapped around my waist.
"Calm down," Kayda whispered. "You're about to go berserk. Stacy will handle it."
Right on cue-Mom appeared beside the Duke, her heel raised.
BOOM!
He flew like a ragdoll into the arena.
She was above him instantly, slamming him into the ground again and again.
Even from a distance, I could hear the wet cracks.
'Mental note: Never piss Mom off this bad,' I thought, shivering slightly.
"Are you okay?" I asked Kayda, eyes still on the blur of violence.
"What do you think?" She growled. "He shot me with a magic bullet. It pierced my wing."
"Yeah, that has to hurt," I muttered. "But his defense is holding, oddly."
"I don't think Stacy's aiming to bleed him," Kayda said dryly.
"True. At this point, his insides must be soup."
CLAP. CLAP.
"Enough!" the King finally spoke from the royal balcony. "We don't want anyone to die tonight."
I turned toward him, still holding my bloodied ice spike. "We have Sirone. My mom can go for a bit longer."
The king looked baffled. "Umm... can she even heal him?"
"Yeah," I said with a confident smile. "I taught her, after all."
"...Okay," he muttered, slowly sitting back down.
As the crowd roared, I looked at the Duke sobbing in the dirt and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Justice served."
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Chapter 75: Gloating
"OI, OI! Someone stop that woman! She's going to kill him!" The king's voice thundered from his elevated perch, echoing across the smoking remains of the battlefield.
No one moved.
Not a soldier, not a noble. Even the breeze seemed to hesitate.
"Seriously, no one? And you!" He jabbed his finger at me. "What the hell are you doing to the kid!?"
Boom.
A small explosion of flame flared up around my hand as I straightened from the still-burning body of Hugo. He lay crumpled on the ground like a roasted chicken, twitching slightly.
"Did you say something?" I asked, feigning innocence as the smoke curled up from his singed form.
"You already won!" the King said, exasperated. "Why are you still here-he's still on fire!" And what's that on his back!?"
I tilted my head, genuinely confused for a second. "Oh, that? I just thought the phrase 'I am the best sucker' really suited him. It's got layers. Ambiguity. Multiple interpretations. Very avant-garde."
I waved it off casually, letting the king stew in his frustration.
His eye twitched. "Fine. Whatever. But can you, I don't know, stop your mother? She's about to snap the Duke's spine like a twig!"
Following the direction of his shaking finger, I turned to see Mom still applying an extremely aggressive chokehold on the now thoroughly bloodied Duke. His eyes were rolling back, tongue lolling.
"Nah. It's only been ten minutes. He's got a few more left in him. Builds character," I replied nonchalantly.
Kayda, who had been silently observing the carnage beside me, leaned in. "Isn't he going to bleed out from that new hole in his shoulder?"
"Ah, good point." I nodded in appreciation. A small fireball formed in my palm, crackling with golden heat. Without missing a beat, I drop-kicked it into Hugo's side wound, causing a satisfying grunt of pain to escape him.
"That should cauterize it. Sirone can deal with the rest later."
Kayda looked unimpressed. "Won't his hair grow back and cover up the branding?"
"Pfft, no. I burned deep enough to scar the follicle beds. That patch of skin is now a permanent billboard."
Behind us, a soft, pitiful sob echoed.
Sob. Hick. Sob.
I glanced back at Hugo and grinned. "Aww, is the little furry crying? That's adorable."
At that moment, the Duke let out a gurgling wheeze and collapsed entirely.
"Did you pass out already?" Mom huffed, disappointed. "How disappointing. Kitsuna, come here and do that to him too."
I blinked. "I'm done! Dean Draig, get your wife and daughter under control!"
From high above, my father's voice rang out, clear and firm. "FUCK NO!"
"Amari Draig!" the king shouted again, nearly begging this time.
"NOT HAPPENING!" Mom called back gleefully, still holding the unconscious Duke like a chew toy.
The king clutched his head. "Can someone-anyone-just stop them? I don't want to lose the last Duke House!"
I looked up at him, eyebrow raised. "Who cares?"
Mom chuckled. "Ignore him. Go on, burn off his hair already."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm busy," I muttered, lighting my finger like a cigarette lighter.
[Two Hours Later]
The chaos had simmered down-well, mostly. I was now seated cross-legged on a massive bed, the chaos of earlier replaced by something quieter... and possibly more dangerous.
Hugo's harem-or what used to be his harem-sat across from me, some perched on chairs, others kneeling on cushions. Every single one of them had an expression that ranged from blank skepticism to outright annoyance.
"So let me get this straight," Rin, the tall white-furred bunny demi-human, said flatly. Her red eyes narrowed. "You only want us to gloat in front of the Furry?"
"That's... about it, yeah." I leaned back, stretching my arms with a grin. "Simple, effective."
Rin crossed her arms under her ample chest. Her pristine white fur, a rare trait among her kind, shimmered under the room's warm lighting. No wonder Hugo had his eyes on her-he probably thought she made him look more important.
"My queen isn't a pervert like the furry," Chinada piped up, puffing his chest with loyalty. "She just wants to use you all for strategic humiliation."
"We don't know that!" snapped Brit, a sharp-eyed catgirl with bronze skin and a black tail twitching irritably. "At least with Hugo, we knew he wouldn't touch us until he turned eighteen. This one? She looks like she eats people for breakfast."
"I do eat a lot, actually," I admitted.
"See!?"
"Come on, Brit," Mia, the curvy ram-girl with her curled horns, said with a wink. "We're free from that hairy freak. What's the harm in a little revenge?"
"Don't call Lord Hugo a freak!" Ava, the mouse girl, screeched. Her oversized ears twitched in fury.
Mia rolled her eyes. "Still as stuck-up as ever, huh, Ava?"
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Yeah, this is going nowhere. We need to be in the throne room in ten minutes."
Standing up, I gave the group a slow once-over, noting each face carefully.
"Alright. White bunny, the catgirls, ram girl, black doggie girl, Chinada, Miss Raccoon, and brave little mouse-you stay. Everyone else, you're dismissed."
One of the girls raised her hand hesitantly. "Where should we go, Master?"
I winced. "Don't call me that. Go to the Draig Family's estate. I'll sort everything out after the meeting."
As they filtered out, Ava remained, arms crossed and glaring.
"What are you going to do with us?" she demanded.
I smirked. "You're one brave little mouse, aren't you?"
"I'm not little!" she squeaked, stomping her foot.
"Ava, hush. What's your plan?" Rin asked, tone sharper now.
I sat back down, legs folded. "Honestly? No plan. I'm just shocked that idiot managed to wrangle a group like you. You're all way too spirited to have ended up as his trophies."
"Some of us were bought," said the small loli catgirl, her voice quiet. "Some caught by hunters. Others... well, joined voluntarily."
I nodded slowly, eyes flicking to Ava. "Let me guess. Mouse wanted the D."
"What? He was hot! Can't I just want a hot guy?" Ava said, hands on her hips.
"Hot? In what way?" The rest chorused, deadpan.
"Whatever. Time's tight." I stretched again. "All I want is for you to sit near me in the throne room. Nothing else."
Brit stood, frowning. "Why should we?"
I grinned. "Don't you want to see the Furry's face when he sees you all wrapped around me?"
That got them.
"I'm in," Mia said immediately, looping her arm through mine.
The rest hesitated but eventually gave in. Except Ava, who was still pouting.
"I hope Sirone healed him up properly," I muttered, striding out the door with the girls in tow.
[Shino POV-Throne Room]
We had been waiting in the throne room for nearly ten minutes. And that fox was late. Again.
I sat upright in my seat as Princess, trying not to fidget. Yami sat beside me on my left, stoic as always. Across from us, my big brother lounged casually in his massive golden throne, while Mother occupied the seat next to him, watching the nobles murmur among themselves.
All of them had come to witness the Boei family's official pledging today... But it seemed like the stars of the show were fashionably late.
"It's already been ten minutes. Where is that damn fox?" Big Brother grumbled. "When I get my hands on her, I'm going to strangle her to death."
Right on cue, the main doors creaked open.
And there she was.
Kitsuna strode in like she owned the place. Gone were the simple jeans and button-up shirt she wore earlier. Now she wore a crisp white suit, complete with a red bowtie and gleaming white shoes. Her scarf was gone, revealing the cursed mark on her neck for all to see-bold as ever.
Behind her, a colorful trail of girls followed, each dressed sharply or stylishly, all eyes on them. Some smiled, some looked bored, but they radiated energy. A few nobles gasped. Others began whispering frantically.
"Took you long enough," Big Brother said, legs crossed, acting like he hadn't just been yelling minutes ago.
'Strangle her, huh?' I thought, eyeing him skeptically.
"Yeah, we had a few things to sort out," Kitsuna said without missing a beat. Everyone assumed she would head toward our family's seating area.
Instead, she walked right past us.
Her destination: the seat of the disgraced Boei Duke house.
She stopped at the center and tapped her foot once.
Frost bloomed.
The temperature plummeted instantly. My skin prickled. From the stone floor rose a throne-not just any throne, but an ice throne. Regal. Ornate. Glimmering with frostwork detail. Its design mirrored Big Brother's, but with elegant white and silver blades fanning out like wings. It was-dare I say-cooler.
Literally and figuratively.
"Hey, hey, little sis, can you make me one of those?" Big Brother asked, nudging me.
"I can," I sighed.
"You don't have the copyright to my throne," Kitsuna teased, already seated.
Her girls took position around her. The loli catgirl hopped onto her lap and curled up, purring happily as Kitsuna pet her. The ram and bunny girls perched on the armrests like queens in their own right. The rest flanked the throne behind her.
Everyone except the mouse girl glared at the others as if she wanted to bite someone.
"So," Kitsuna said, grinning at Big Brother. "When are we starting?"
I don't know if I will be having a chapter for Tuesday, but I will try my best.
Oh, and we made 74 (when writing this) for the weeks' popularity ranking female leads.
HEHEHEHE never thought that would happen. I mean, I am a shit writer, and here we stand at number 9 for power stone ranking under female lead. It just doesn't make sense.
Not that I don't love you guys, and I am delighted you are supporting my novel because I do. I really do love you guys.
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Chapter 76: Duke Boei
(Kitsuna POV)
"We were waiting for you, fox." The king said this while shaking his head with a tired sigh. His tone was more amused than frustrated, though the lines around his eyes suggested otherwise.
I gave him a lazy grin, still stroking Olivia's silky hair as she curled comfortably in my lap. "Oh, I forgot to ask. What's your full name again?" I asked, clearly not reading the room-or more accurately, deliberately setting it on fire.
"Dan Doragon. Why?" the king asked, genuinely puzzled, tilting his head slightly.
"Cool. I'm going to call you Dan then," I said, nodding, expression completely serious as I continued petting Olivia like she was a prize I won at a festival.
"I'm your king, though?" Dan stuttered. His eyebrows twitched in confusion. The room collectively flinched.
"Nope. "I'm not a noble of your kingdom," I replied nonchalantly. "We have a contract that makes us work together. That doesn't make you my king." I tilted my head at him, as if to emphasize how obvious that fact should be.
"You dare talk back-" a red demon noblewoman began, voice sharp with outrage.
But Dan cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Sigh... I guess that's fine. But no funny business in the throne room. That's a rule-and there are other things I'll explain later... in private." His voice carried authority now, despite the lazy smile creeping onto his face.
"Sounds good," I replied, tipping an imaginary hat. Olivia mewed softly as I scratched behind her ears.
"But King!" The red demon protested again, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She's disrespecting-"
"What is it, Miss Anabald?" Dan said wearily. "Did I not say it's fine? So drop it." His voice was calm but had that weight-the kind that shut down rooms.
"Yes, Your Highness," she muttered reluctantly and gave a half-bow.
'Anabald...' I mulled the name in my head while giving her a once-over. She really did look like a tomato. All red with black eyes, her dress matching her mood, and skin so smooth it looked like it never saw a wrinkle. "No horns, no tail, no claws. I chuckled to myself, thinking of her as just a human tomato in a black dress. At least the tattoos on her arms were cool. Not curses, but actual magic ink. Probably inherited. 'I heard her mom's been busy fighting sea monsters or something in the ocean for over a year now... wonder if she's hot.'
Dan rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Alright then. Can we move on to the main event?"
"Brother, act professional, please. You too, Mother," Shino whispered beside him, clearly mortified by the level of chaos around her. Her face was scrunched with disappointment.
"Oh, did the show start?" the queen asked groggily, lifting her head from where she'd been... napping?
She was fucking sleeping?' I blinked. 'What a queen. I like her....
Dan cleared his throat. "Cough. Sorry. The Duke and his son-" He paused mid-sentence, frowning in thought, and then glanced at me.
"What is his gender again, Kitsuna?"
"Well... the way Sirone should have healed him should have changed his gender, technically." So... "male" with a question mark? I replied, grave.
Dan didn't skip a beat. "Duke Boei and his male son with a question mark, please come in."
The room broke into stunned silence. Then-
"Pfft-" I burst out laughing, doubling over slightly as Olivia shifted in my lap. Several of the girls beside me started giggling too; even Ava smirked.
"What?" Dan blinked innocently. "What did I say?"
"You didn't-" I tried to respond, but the main doors to the throne room slammed open so hard the noise echoed like thunder.
"What did you just call my son!?" The Duke shouted, eyes bloodshot and fury painted across his face.
"Male with a question mark? What's wrong with that?" Dan asked casually, raising a brow. "We don't know what gender he is anymore after Kitsuna did what she did. Seems accurate."
'Oh, he definitely knew what he said.' I laughed harder. 'I'm starting to really like this person.'
The Duke's glare snapped to me. "And what are you laughing at, huh?"
I stopped chuckling just long enough to deadpan. "Just your son's... or daughter's... situation. You pick the label."
"Big words coming from someone who also lost her original gender," came a smug voice from the side.
A kid stepped forward from beside Anabald-a short boy with thick curly hair and a puffed-out chest like he had something to prove.
"And you are?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.
"My name is Firhumri Kuni!" he said proudly.
'Kuni?' I blinked. 'No way. That's a dwarf house.'
"You're a dwarf?" I asked aloud, scanning his stocky build.
"Yes! My sister and I are High Dwarfs," he said, puffing up even more. His sister mirrored him like synchronized squirrels.
"High dwarfs, huh?" I raised a brow. "The high didn't help much with your height, I see."
A snort escaped from somewhere behind me as Firhumri's face turned redder than Anabald's hair.
"YOU-!"
"Did you forget I'm still standing here?" The Duke snapped again, voice sharp.
I turned back to him and squinted. "Oh yeah... I just didn't notice you without the beard. It's funny. Now that all your facial hair is gone, we can actually see when your face turns red with anger."
Laughter rippled through the girls behind me. Even Ava cracked a grin. That was until-
"How dare you laugh at my father-especially you, you mouse slut!" Hugo suddenly shouted, limping dramatically into the room. He was bandaged head to toe, walking like a half-dead mummy.
"What did you just call me?" Ava said darkly, her voice dropping like a guillotine.
"I think he just called you a slut," Brit muttered with a smirk. "Gulp."
I turned just in time to see Ava's eyes. Wide. Unblinking. Burning.
Yeah. That was the mom-is-about-to-kill look.
"BAHAHAHA-" Ava laughed like a person who just snapped. "I can't believe after everything I did for you, you have the guts to call me that. Honestly? I'm glad you lost the duel. You hairless furry just made the worst enemy imaginable."
Then she turned toward me, her grin sharp. "He called me a slut, so I'm giving you my first kiss, Fox."
"Wait wha-"
Before I could move, Ava lunged for my collar... but I was faster. With a flick of my wrist, I scooped up Olivia from my lap and planted her right in front of Ava's lips. The poor raccoon girl squeaked as their faces collided.
"...Sigh, that was a close one," I said, patting Olivia's head while pushing Ava back with my boot.
"Try that again, and you won't have time to even try being a slut."
"Sorry. Got caught up in the moment..." Ava muttered, red-faced and ashamed.
"You shouldn't say sorry to me-say it to Olivia here." I turned to Olivia, who looked like she wanted to disappear into my arms.
"That was close," I heard my mom mutter behind me. I glanced over to see her laughing from the crowd.
"If you say so..."
Dan clapped once. "Okay, enough entertainment for one night. Duke Boei and Hugo Boei, step forward."
"Yes, my King," they said in unison and dragged themselves to the throne stairs, kneeling stiffly.
"Now," Dan continued, "the duel stated that only Hugo must pledge. But since you interfered not once, but twice, Duke... you'll get the same punishment."
"I accept any punishment," the Duke said solemnly.
"Good. Because that includes your harem," Dan added with a smirk, his eyes darting to me.
"Wait-what?" I stood up.
"Yes. For the paperwork. Bring them in," Dan said, gesturing behind me.
A small door creaked open, and Kayda walked through-followed by thirteen women.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, locking eyes with Kayda, whose expression was unreadable.
"Well everyone," she said, stepping to the side. "Meet the Duke's harem."
I scanned them. Of course, that bastard had a type. And half of them look... empty.'
Then I noticed her-a tiny brown-haired cat demi-girl, wearing a pink one-piece. Her ears were drooping, and her eyes looked hollow.
I flash-stepped to her. She flinched but didn't move away.
"Are you my new master?" she asked, her voice flat.
"That would be me," I said gently.
"I see."
"How old are you?"
"About to turn sixteen, master."
"Did he touch you?"
"Yes, but I'm still fresh unde-" she began, but before she could finish, my mom appeared behind her and silenced her mouth with one hand, holding the girl's skirt with the other.
I felt something snap in me.
"Danny boy," I said coldly, "you just lost your Duke house's head."
I flash-stepped to the Duke and swung down a glowing blue ice katana.
Clung!
A royal guard, drawing his own weapon just in time, stopped my blade mid-swing. He looked at me calmly, waiting for my next move.
"Kitsuna," Dan said, stepping forward, "did I not say no killing tonight?"
"Then I'll just torture him tonight and kill him tomorrow," I replied, grabbing the Duke by the shoulder and yanking him into a standing position. Chains clinked into place from my storage.
"This is going too far," Dan said as the royal guard stepped forward again.
Before he could grab me-BOOM-he was thrown across the room, crashing into a wall.
"He touched someone under sixteen, and she's a rare cat variant from the Beast Kingdom," Mom growled, arms crossed. "Now tell me if it's still fine to leave him alive."
Dan didn't answer.
I formed icy chains with jagged spikes, wrapping them tightly around the Duke's arms and torso. He tried to speak-I silenced him with a flick of frost across his lips.
"See you guys at home," I said, flashing a smirk before disappearing into the air with my prisoner.
"FATHER!" Hugo cried out, reaching toward the empty space.
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Chapter 77:
"What are you going to do to me? Drown me?" The duke asked, spitting the words like venom as he was unceremoniously dropped beside the lake's shimmering edge. He craned his neck, glaring up at me, blood matting his silver hair, still bound in chains, his limbs trembling under the weight of his bruises and arrogance.
I didn't respond right away. Instead, I turned my gaze toward the cascading waterfall behind us. It sparkled in the moonlight like a curtain of silver, concealing the cold beauty of the lake it fed. The sound of water thundering into the basin below echoed through the surrounding forest-isolated, serene, deceptive.
"Drowning you?" I finally scoffed, letting out a low chuckle that echoed like cracking ice. "Hahaha, that's far too easy a death for someone like you. No, I've got something special in mind. A place worthy of scum like you."
I stepped forward, my boots crunching softly on the grass and damp soil. The duke flinched as if expecting a kick, but I ignored him and made my way to the lake's edge. My breath puffed out in the cold air, visible for a brief second before vanishing into the night.
As I extended one foot over the surface, the lake responded-not with a splash, but a sudden crack and shimmer. The water froze instantly beneath me, rippling with veins of glowing blue mana. The illusion that once cloaked the lake's true nature shattered like glass, revealing a crystalline ice path that spiraled elegantly toward a small shack resting atop the water's surface. The structure looked modest, a simple cabin of enchanted frost and solidified mana-beautiful, deadly, and impossibly out of place.
The duke stared at the shack, his voice low with disbelief. "Who made such a strong illusion?"
I smirked, not bothering to look back. "And why should I tell you?"
"I am the Duke!" he shouted, struggling to rise despite the bindings. Fury twisted his features, but his voice shook with the beginnings of dread.
"Since when are you still a duke?" "I asked," my voice dripping with mockery as I stepped lightly onto the frozen lake. Each step hummed with the magic that obeyed my will. "You've got no right to order me around anymore. Want some advice for the future? It's unlikely that you'll survive long enough to apply it. Only people I care about get to order me around. You? You don't even make the list."
As I approached the shack, I waved a hand, and the door swung open with a creak. Cold mist spilled from the dark interior like breath from a sleeping beast.
"What is this?" he asked again, more cautious now.
I sighed theatrically. "Did I not just say I'd entertain you? Pay attention."
With that, I descended the staircase inside the shack, the steps spiraling downward into the heart of the lake. Walls of enchanted ice glowed faintly with inner light, pulsing like veins. My footsteps were silent. The air grew colder with each level, wrapping around us like a noose.
"I asked my mother if I could have this lake," I continued, my voice echoing in the cavernous descent. "Being the soft-hearted queen she is, she said yes. So, I claimed it and made it mine. A man cave? Nah. Welcome to my woman's ice dungeon. Or perhaps it could be called a torture haven-I'm still working on the name.
We reached the base level-an expansive corridor lit by soft blue runes embedded into the floor. The walls glistened with translucent layers of ice that hummed with my mana. To anyone else, this place would be a frozen hell. To me? It was home.
"You made this place... completely out of ice?" he asked, voice trembling-not from cold, but from the growing realization of how much trouble he was in.
I stopped and looked at him with a grin. "Yes. My ice. I have complete control over everything in this place. Every wall, every inch, every cell. This isn't just a dungeon. It's my world."
"A world? "A person like you could never have her own world!" he spat, trying to sound bold.
I tilted my head slightly. "Sigh. You're just as dumb as that son of yours. Or did he inherit it from you?"
"YOU-AGH!" The duke jerked forward, chains tightening around his limbs. Crimson droplets bloomed as the enchanted links bit deeper into his already broken skin.
I tsked mockingly. "Come now. I reinforced those chains just for you. They're not meant to be struggled with. After all, our little ride here wasn't exactly first-class, was it?"
He growled under his breath, fury smoldering in his eyes.
We stopped in front of a heavy ice door fitted with a barred window. I snapped my fingers, and the door creaked open. A gust of frost-tinged air escaped as I shoved him inside like the sack of garbage he was.
"This is your new home," I said as I stepped in behind him. "You've got a bed-nice frame, soft enough. A desk to write on. Working toilet in the corner. Meals will arrive when I feel like it. Welcome to solitary confinement, deluxe edition."
He stared around, clearly confused. "Why... why is this room so nice?"
I leaned on the doorframe with a smirk. "You expected torture chambers, didn't you? No. This is worse. Silence. Emptiness. Time. It'll eat away at you faster than any whip or blade. But hey-"
I pointed to the desk. "-If you get bored, write me a list. Slavery contracts. Illegal businesses. The more detailed, the better. If you're lucky, I'll make your death quicker."
"Fuck you, bitch! I'm no snitch!" he shouted, face red with rage.
I chuckled. "Ah, how lively. Wonder how long you'll keep that fire."
I shut the door on his curses and walked to the next cell.
[Brad's Cell]
Knock, knock.
"Are you still alive in there, Brady boy?" I called, peering through the frost-covered window. He was curled up on the bed, arms around his knees, shivering despite the room's insulation. My smile sharpened.
"Still kicking, huh?"
"..."
"Still not talking? I only want one name-who hired you to kill Apricot?"
"I told you... I don't know. They paid in coin and gave a name. That's all."
"You said that before," I said, tapping the ice with my claws. "But why would you, second in command of the torture squad, take assassination contracts?"
"I... I have a family to care for."
I leaned my head against the doorframe, sighing. "Brad, I've read your file. Three kids, a loving wife, and a stable home. And yet the Black Ops salary was more than enough. So tell me-what pushed you to take blood money?"
He didn't answer right away. Just curled tighter.
"Have you told my wife yet?" he mumbled.
"Tsk. Brady, boy, what do you take me for? A monster?"
"You're closer to a monster than a human... Primordial fox."
He finally looked at me, and I saw it-the fear, the guilt, the hopelessness. It soaked into his bones like rot.
"True," I admitted with a casual shrug. "But even monsters have rules."
I stepped closer to the door. My tone dropped, sharp and cold. "You aimed a blade at someone I care for. I might just throw my morals out the window and drag your family in front of you. Make you watch."
"You... wouldn't," he whispered.
"You never know," I said sweetly. "I do have mood swings."
"Pffft-mood swings?!" Brad barked a bitter laugh.
"Fine, fine, multiple personalities. But I keep them mostly in check."
"Like hell you do!" he snapped, glaring now.
"Ooh, you're finally fighting back," I teased. "But let me make this clear: you have one week. Reveal the name, or I will involve your family. Don't blame me. You're the one who tried to kill Apricot."
"She's an ex-federation soldier! The same federation that massacred your kind like livestock! And yet you welcome her into your personal squad?!" He shouted, rising to his feet, fists clenched.
"Aww," I mocked, "are you jealous, Brad? Of my little doggie? How adorable."
"Fuck you!" he roared, slamming his fists against the door.
I stared calmly. "Three days. That's your new deadline. Fail, and your family joins you for execution."
"You're a monster. A real monster! You should burn in hell!"
I smirked. "Brad... I am hell."
Turning, I walked off, waving a hand casually. "Oh, and Furry-seven days. Finish the list, or I start my training on you."
Their howls followed me as I stepped back into the icy hallway.
'With the furry's regen, I can finally practice a healing skill. Once I finish Kayda's remaining poles... I might even split my dimension magic. Hard, sure. But worth it.'
I exited the shack and looked up at the fake sky projected by the illusion. It shimmered beautifully.
"Apricot did such a fantastic job with this illusion. Completely worth letting her go out with that dense Nekro. Wonder how long it'll take the little 13-year-old to notice Apricot's heart eyes."
I chuckled to myself.
'Like you're one to talk!!!' The shadows groaned in unison, though only I could hear them.
[Dan POV — The Next Day]
"What do you mean fifty buildings were destroyed?!" I slammed my palm on the desk, the echo cracking across the minister's spine.
"Sir... I am unsure how to explain it. Witnesses say it was someone tied to a white rope and being thrown around by an animal. A teleporting one."
My eyebrow twitched.
"I know who did it. I want to know how. How the hell did twenty buildings in the north, six in the south, twelve in the east, and twelve more in the Midwest all get leveled-in one night-by someone who lives in the noble district in the north?!"
The papers scattered across my desk, each stamped with a red seal. Every one of them has a report. Every one of them is saying the same thing: giant, humanoid holes in buildings.
The minister flinched. "Your Highness... You know who did it?"
I slumped in my chair. "Yeah. I know. What a fucking pain."
Grabbing the nearest bottle of alcohol, I downed it like water, wiped my mouth, and stood.
"You may leave. I'm done for today. There's no way I'm dealing with more of this."
"But Your Highness, Marquess Anabald's daughter is waiting-"
"Let me guess. Complaints about the fox? Tsk. Fine. Let her in. I hate foxes."
I particularly dislike foxes that are red in color.
I will do the catch-up chapter tomorrow
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Chapter 78: The GUILD
"Good morning, Kitsu," Apricot chirped, wriggling her way out from the warmth of my thick fur. Her arms stretched skyward, back arching like a lazy cat welcoming the sun.
I cracked one eye open, the morning light casting a soft glow through the trees. "Morning," I mumbled, still half-asleep in my massive fox form. "Why isn't Nekro here?"
Apricot blinked, her expression shifting into one of faux offense. "It was her alone night, remember?"
"Oh... right," I muttered, finally dragging myself to my feet and stretching out. My front paws dug into the dirt as my back rose high into the air, tail flicking lazily behind me. The satisfying crack of my spine realigning made me exhale.
"Is it fun to lift your butt in the air like that?" Apricot asked in a mock-innocent tone, tilting her head while grinning up at me.
"What did you just say!?" I growled, eyes snapping wide as I brought my thick tail down like a hammer.
Boom!
Apricot yelped and narrowly dove to the side, barely avoiding being flattened. "Hey, I was just asking!"
"Shut it and go look for your Nekro, you spoiled brat," I huffed, batting a paw at her dismissively.
"Yes, Mother!" Apricot giggled as she turned and sprinted off into the woods.
I stared after her, ears twitching in disbelief. "Tsk. How can she say that to a 14-year-old without hesitation... I grumbled, still in fox form. My gaze drifted upward to the familiar shadow soaring in the sky above. Kayda.
She hovered with graceful ease, wings outstretched as the early wind tugged gently at her robes. "So," she called out with a smirk, "are you going to deny her having a mother?"
"A mother? "She's fucking nineteen," I snapped, beginning to trot toward the lake with heavy, padded steps. "She shouldn't be looking for a mother figure anymore-especially not from a 14-year-old!"
Kayda descended slowly, wings flaring wide as she landed on my back with practiced ease, resting there like she belonged. "You're thirty. Don't deny your true age."
"Tch. But I am no mother," I grumbled. "Get off. I'm not a ride."
She didn't budge.
"Oh come on," she said with a laugh in her voice, "you didn't even hesitate to throw yourself in front of that torture squad guy to save her life."
I snorted, swishing my tail behind us. "Of course I didn't. It wasn't like a poisoned dagger to the chest would kill me. Tch, I would've never done it if I knew she'd start calling me "mother" after that."
"But I think it's adorable," Kayda teased, leaning forward slightly, her chin resting on my neck fluff.
"Oi, wasn't it you who hated her before that?" I countered.
"That... That was a misunderstanding!" she said too quickly, her wings twitching in embarrassment. "Weren't you the same with Stacy, though? Looking for a mother figure and all?"
"Sure, but our situations are entirely different," I said quietly. "My mother committed suicide in front of me when I was five. Apricot never even met hers."
Kayda was silent for a beat. Then she said softly, "That... I guess you're right. But still, are you really so heartless you won't even let her call you 'mother' out of affection?"
"Kayda," I said, reaching the edge of the lake. Mist hung lazily above its surface, the sound of the gentle stream feeding the lake echoing like whispers. I am a primordial demon fox. Do you really think I have a heart?"
I took a step forward, paws brushing the water-then with a shimmer of magic, my form shifted.
Splash!
Kayda yelped as she slid off my back and fell onto the dirt with a thud.
"Ha-ha! I told you to get off me," I laughed, now standing tall in my human form, nude save for a layer of shimmering magic forming clothes around me.
"You could've warned me at least!" She pouted, brushing dirt off her rear.
"You could've asked for permission to ride me." I shot back, strolling across the water, each step dispelling the illusion surrounding the lake's surface.
Kayda followed, arms folded across her chest. "Would you have said yes if I asked?"
"No."
"See! My point exactly." She sighed. "Anyway, why are you here so early in the morning? Don't you usually come at night?"
"Yeah," I said, descending the now-visible staircase under the lake. "Wanted to check on the furry. See if he's figured out what this place is really about."
Kayda snorted, footsteps echoing behind me as we walked into the chilled stone hallway of the dungeon. "Ha-ha. It'll be even worse for him now, having all that fur fall off."
I smirked. "Nothing beats a suffering furry in the morning."
"When you smirk like that, even I get goosebumps," Kayda said, voice tinged with amusement.
"Huh. Scared or excited?" I asked over my shoulder.
"...Both, I guess," she said after a thoughtful pause.
I burst out laughing. "Wow. Scaring a dragon just by smirking. That's definitely going in my brag book."
"It's not something to brag about," she muttered.
"In my book, it is," I said, stepping into the prison hallway, the faint blue glow of frost-covered walls lighting our path.
We stopped in front of a thick metal door rimmed with enchanted ice.
Kayda tilted her head. "Why are you even here?"
"Oh, right," she said after a moment. "Stacy said we're going out hunting today."
A grin spread across my face. "Awesome. I wondered when I'd finally get to hunt."
I raised my hand and knocked twice.
Knock, knock.
"Yo, Furry. Are you alive in there?" I called out with a smug tone.
From the other side came a stuttering, half-frozen voice: "F...f...fuck...y...y...you..."
Kayda snickered. "Someone can't handle the cold."
"Let's see him in person then," I said, opening the door.
The moment it cracked open, the furry came charging out like a mad beast-but with trembling legs, numb fingers, and a completely lackluster aura.
"Still got some energy, huh?" I said-and then I kicked him.
Boom!
He slammed back into the room, crashing into the frozen wall with a muffled yelp.
Kayda peered inside. "How dumb. He still has the restraints on."
The poor bastard was stuck halfway in the ice, eyes wide with delirious pain.
"Hmph. I wonder how long you'd last in here, Kayda."
She paused, giving it real thought. "With this much cold mana draining the air? Three years. Then I'd start to feel it."
I gave her an impressed glance. "That's honestly a better answer than I expected."
She shrugged and stepped over to Brad's cell. "Has he even started talking? It's been a week already."
I leaned next to her, observing the sealed cell. "I don't know if I should feel amazed... or disappointed in my ice after that."
"You still don't have full control over your ice element," Kayda said casually.
"What?" I blinked. "I don't?"
She smiled and patted my head. "Nope. But once your mana control gets tighter, you'll understand."
"Oi. No petting," I grumbled, brushing her hand away.
We turned toward the exit, boots clinking softly on the icy floor.
"Let's go. I want to start hunting and level up. I think my base stats are close to maxing out."
"But your hair is so smooth!" She called, jogging after me. "We'll go to the Adventure Guild first to get you registered."
(Adventure Guild Secretary POV-Tracey)
Hi, I'm Tracy. Blue-haired monkey Demi. Northern-born, from near the Dead Forest. I'm a bit shorter than your average adventurer, but hey-I'm happily married with two adorable kids, so life's wonderful.
Today, I'm on secretary duty. I don't usually do this; my husband-the guild master-insists I don't do "grunt work." But we're short-staffed due to an incident in the Emerald Forest. A few folks had to go out there and investigate.
Anyway, if you want to work at a guild in the capital or countryside, you have to be at least a B-rank adventurer. The king states that this requirement is intended to ensure guild employees survive for more than two days. Fair enough.
I was B-rank once. Haven't gone on a mission in years, though. Some of the other employees still intimidate me-especially the combat veterans. Guess that's why my husband doesn't want me behind this desk.
"OI! Are you sleeping with your eyes open or ignoring me?"
The voice snapped me out of my daze. I blinked rapidly and looked up.
Standing there was a fox-woman with blazing red hair, crimson slit pupils, and a smirk sharp enough to cut glass.
"This is where we sign up, right?" she asked, tapping the desk.
I nodded rapidly. "U-Un! Yes, absolutely!"
"Cool. Can you sign me up?" she said, flashing her teeth in a grin that made my soul tremble.
I handed her the form with a trembling smile. "Y-Yes, of course..."
She leaned closer, watching me squirm. "You're stuttering a lot. Are you new? Or just unhappy with people?"
"I... I don't do this often," I whispered, wiping my eyes discreetly.
"So you're struggling with new faces?" she teased, snickering as her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief.
"You're scaring the poor thing, Kitsu," came a familiar voice behind me.
I turned and lit up. "Kayda!"
I jumped into her arms without a second thought.
"You're no fun, Kayda," the fox-woman-Kitsu-muttered, pouting dramatically.
avataravatar
Chapter 79:
"You're always spoiling my fun, Kayda," I said with a dramatic pout, planting my hands on my hips for emphasis. My tail twitched behind me, mirroring my mock disappointment.
Kayda didn't even blink. "Not always-just when you go too far." She casually nudged the blue-haired monkey demi away, who had been clinging to her sleeve like a nervous child.
"That's when it's the funniest, party pooper," I said, narrowing my eyes and flashing a sharp-toothed smirk at her.
From below, a small, meek voice chimed in. "Um, are you with Kayda here?" the monkey demi asked timidly, eyes wide as she looked between us.
"Yes, she's with me," Kayda replied, patting the girl gently on the head. "I asked her to wait so I could take her straight through, but it seems she didn't listen when I said wait."
I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "You told me to wait?"
Kayda raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you hear me?"
"Hearing you is one thing," I said, lifting a finger like I was teaching a grand truth, "but listening is another."
Kayda stared at me. "So... you didn't listen."
I gave a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of my head. "I was probably busy looking around when you talked to me. So, where are you taking me?
"To the guild master. Tracy, come with us," Kayda said without missing a beat, turning and walking deeper into the building without waiting for my reply.
"For what reason are we going to the guild master?" I asked, hurrying after her with quick steps. The soft thud of my boots echoed through the stone hallway.
"Who knows, but I think she's going to use the favors we owe her," said Tracy, the monkey demi, trailing behind me.
"Plural?" I echoed, glancing back at her in confusion. "I guess she-huh?"
"You'll understand when we meet the big guy," Kayda interrupted as we stopped in front of a massive wooden door reinforced with iron.
It loomed like the entrance to a dungeon boss room. I squinted up at it, gauging its size. "The boss, I guess," I muttered.
"Just be respectful," Kayda warned, turning toward me with an uncharacteristically serious expression. "He leads the Adventurer Guild."
I gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'll try my best."
Kayda sighed, her tone exasperated but resigned. "That's the best I can ask for."
With a low creak, she pushed open the door, revealing a spacious office lit by warm golden light streaming through the high windows. At the far end of the room sat a giant-not metaphorically. A real, honest-to-the-gods giant, hunched over a desk groaning under the weight of paperwork. He looked like a massive, muscular human with silver-streaked hair, but easily four meters tall even while seated.
'Huh, so this is what a giant looks like,' I thought, stepping inside and taking in his features. 'They look just like normal humans... just much, much bigger. Four meters bigger, I think? Can't really tell while he's sitting.'
"Aah, you're finally back-with the fox in tow this time," the giant said, his voice deep and rich like rolling thunder. He paused, eyes flicking past me to Tracy. "And you brought my wife as well?"
'Wife!?' My head snapped toward Tracy in disbelief.
"It looked like she needed a break, so I called her to join us," Kayda explained, already taking a seat across from the giant's desk like the occasion was a normal family gathering.
"Thank you. You've been working hard, honey," the giant said warmly, watching Tracy walk around his desk.
"Of course! I'm no slacker," she said, puffing her chest with pride. Her fluffy tail waved like a content cat's, clearly pleased with the compliment.
"Of course, you aren't," he said with a knowing smile.
"Huh. I'm not even going to ask," I said as I sat beside Kayda, blank-faced.
"Where did all the playfulness go?" Kayda asked, smirking at my deadpan stare.
I said nothing, simply maintaining my bored look. That was enough to answer.
Kayda just sighed and turned back to the guild master. "Guild master, I want you to let Kitsuna join the guild as a member-and give her the same privileges as me."
There was a beat of silence. The giant's smile vanished.
"You know damn well I can't do that," the guild master-Ed, apparently-said, narrowing his eyes at Kayda before shifting his gaze to me.
I held up my hands. "Don't look at me like that. I have no idea what's going on here," I said honestly.
"Ed," Kayda said flatly, "do you think I care whether your little board of old fogeys will like it? Just do it. You'll see-she'll be useful to you in the future."
"Me? Useful to him?" I blinked. "Where the hell do you think I'd let him use me?"
"Not like that," Kayda said with a groan. "When a dangerous monster or being attacks, he'll call you to kill it-or be a bodyguard for guild members. I meant that kind of useful."
"I get paid, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course. "Of course, I will do it very well," Kayda replied with a smirk.
Ed looked me up and down, unimpressed. "You say she'd be useful to me, but her aura screams brat."
"A little brat, huh?" I tilted my head. "Well, I guess I am still a brat in your eyes."
"Don't think that kind of smug face will scare me, fox," he growled.
I chuckled softly. "Wasn't trying to scare you. Anyway, you're way above my league in strength. Two hundred years old, level 999, exotic class sage, right? But I have to ask-why haven't you gone for godhood with stats like that?"
His eyes flashed with irritation. "You know it's against guild rules to use Analysis on someone without permission."
I blinked. "Oh. Didn't know that. Why didn't you tell me, Kayda?"
"When I said, 'Be respectful,' I also meant don't use skills on him," Kayda replied, shaking her head.
"But I am respecting him," I defended myself. "I haven't released any of my bloodlust."
"...You-how old are you really?" Ed asked, his expression difficult to read.
"Oh, I should probably introduce myself. Name's Kitsuna Draig. I'm fourteen. Oh, and I'm a demon fox," I said with a proud smile.
"Draig?" he muttered, frowning. "When did they get another daughter? Oh wait-King mentioned a troublesome redhead demon fox recently." His expression tightened. "You're not that one, right?"
"That'd be me," I said cheerfully. "However, I would prefer not to be called 'troublesome.'"
"So you're the primordial youngling he warned me about," he said, leaning back in his chair to get a better look.
"How did you know?" Kayda asked, visibly surprised.
"The king gave me a heads-up a few days ago-said you might show up at the guild soon. He didn't say much, only that you were... rare. Only Tracy and I know the details."
"Good to hear," Kayda said with a sigh. "So, will you give her the same privileges?"
"Yes. And from now on, Tracy will be her personal secretary," Ed replied before turning his attention back to me. "I hope we can work together-and that you'll answer my call when something needs killing."
"I see no problem in that," I said with a nod.
"Good. To answer your earlier question-giants can't become gods. And while only exotic and legendary classes can ascend, exotic class users have weaker bodies. It's ten times harder for us to achieve godhood."
"Interesting. I'll have to ask Stacy more about that later," I mused, crossing my legs and resting my chin on my palm.
"Your turn to answer some questions," Tracy said, pulling out a form. "It's for your sign-up."
"Shoot."
"What class do you currently have?"
"None yet."
"Fighting type?"
"Speed."
"Class goal?"
"Weapon Master."
"...That legendary class is a myth," Tracy muttered, tilting her head. "Many people aim for it, but I've never seen anyone get it."
"Okay then-something close to it," I said with a shrug.
"Preferred weapon?"
"None."
"Dominant arm?"
"Don't have one."
"... Dominant eye?"
"Neither."
"Leg?"
"Nope. Is this really necessary?"
Ed looked up, confused. "Is it even possible to not have a dominant side?"
"What? Stacy trained me from the beginning to use everything equally. I was dual-wielding as soon as I could hold two sticks," I explained.
"Sigh... okay. How many weapons have you mastered?"
"..."
Kayda chuckled softly behind me, clearly anticipating the flood.
"Katana. Odachi. Chakram. Daggers. Short swords. Greatsword. Bow. Crossbow. Warhammer. Spear. Halberd. Scythe..." I paused, ticking them off on my fingers. "Most of them I can dual-wield. Then there's also-"
"Okay, that's enough," Ed interrupted, raising a hand. "I get it. You're just like Stacy. Just younger."
"What'd you expect from Stacy's disciple?" Kayda grinned.
"I expected her to be half-dead most of the time," Ed said, completely serious.
"I agree," I nodded sagely. "Any normal person would be."
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Chapter 80:
As Ed stood up from behind his oversized desk, the sheer scale of the man finally struck me. Towering over us at nearly five meters tall, his shadow stretched across the entire room. The ceiling itself had been built to accommodate his massive frame, yet even then, he had to straighten carefully so his horns didn't graze the stone arch. His build was like that of a mountain given flesh-shoulders broad enough to support a house, arms thick with muscle that rippled beneath his tight uniform shirt, and a presence that demanded attention, even when he wasn't trying.
"Now," he said, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves with practiced ease, "with that out of the way, we'll need to see how your status looks."
I blinked, my expression turning cold as I stood up as well. My tail gave a slow flick of irritation behind me.
"No," I said flatly, shaking my head. "We can't do that."
Ed's brows lifted, surprised. "And why's that?"
"There are skills I don't want anyone else to see," I explained firmly, arms crossed. "If the wrong person finds out, they'll know exactly how to kill me."
The room quieted slightly. Kayda shifted beside me but didn't interrupt.
"You can trust us," Ed said, his voice softer now but still firm with that mountain-deep rumble. "You're among friends."
"I know how that sounds, and I appreciate it," I said, offering a small nod. "But I can't take that risk. I'll write it down instead-just enough for the guild records."
He stared at me for a moment, then sighed and gave a single nod.
"Fine. You trust Kayda with your status?"
"Of course," I said immediately.
"In that case, we'll allow only you two in the room where the procedure takes place," he said. "Kayda will be the one to write down the information for you."
My ears flicked. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously but relented with a sigh. "Alright. That works."
'I'll just tell Kayda my status directly,' I thought, walking toward the door. 'No need to risk the guild tablets remembering something they shouldn't.'
"Great," Ed said with a half-smile, sitting back down. "Tracy will show you the way. When you're done, come back here."
"Right this way," Tracy said, stepping past me and opening the door smoothly.
"Lead the way, then," I muttered, following behind her as Kayda silently fell in step at the rear.
As we walked down the hallway, I glanced behind me to see Kayda giving Ed a look. She leaned in, just before the door fully shut behind her, and whispered something low and sharp.
"Ed, you're playing the wrong game here."
'I guess she knows what he's planning,' I thought aloud, not realizing I'd spoken until I heard Tracy's voice ahead.
"Hmm? Did you say something?" she asked, glancing back with a curious smile.
"It's nothing," I said quickly, brushing her question off while shooting Kayda a sidelong glance. She gave a tiny shrug.
We turned the corner into the guild's main hall, the bright glow of magic lights washing over us in golden hues. Tables lined the walls, packed with adventurers talking, eating, or checking quest postings.
"Hey, Tracy, you're back?" A familiar female voice called out.
We looked over to see a tall blonde woman with slightly pointed ears sitting behind a desk-Tracy's desk, if I remembered right. Her piercing green eyes sparkled with amusement, but a faint tightness at the corners suggested stress.
'An elf? No... Her ears aren't long enough.' I thought, studying her profile. 'Maybe a half-elf.'
"Kana," Tracy greeted her, visibly guilty. "Sorry! The Guild Master asked me to handle this sign-up personally before going back to my post."
Kana arched an eyebrow, then sighed. "It's fine. The front desk is just slammed right now because of the incident earlier."
"Yes, I know," Tracy said apologetically, lowering her head slightly. "I'll be as quick as I can."
Kana waved her hand dismissively, then returned her focus to the papers in front of her.
Tracy led us past the counter and to a pair of pristine white double doors near the far wall. With a smooth push, she opened them to reveal a simple but sterile room. A single pedestal stood in the center, atop it a sleek black status tablet that pulsed softly with arcane runes.
"Here you go," Tracy said, gesturing inside. "I'm sure you know how the tablet works. Kayda, here's the form."
She handed a scroll of parchment and a pen to Kayda, then gave me a nod and stepped out, closing the door behind us with a soft click.
"Don't use the tablet," Kayda said immediately, voice firm.
"I wasn't going to," I replied, giving her a shrug as I stepped away from it. "I don't trust that thing to not keep records."
"Good." She unrolled the form and adjusted her grip on the pen. "Now, what do you want me to write?"
"Make my first name, Nova, for this," I began. "And for skills, just put Flash Step, basic elemental magic, Sword Domain... and Dimension Storage. That's enough."
Kayda nodded, already jotting them down with clean strokes. "I'll lower your stats a bit to make things easier for you in the future. But I'll put your real level."
"Thanks," I said, watching her work. "Honestly, I still don't understand how this guild thing works."
"It's not too complicated," she said, glancing up. "There are just a few important rules. First-no fighting in the guild hall. You can challenge someone to a duel, but killing is never allowed. Ranks go from E to S, with XR being the special rank for god-tier beings. There are only three XR-ranked adventurers in the guild, and two of them work as royal bodyguards."
My ears perked up in interest. "Ah, that explains why the royals didn't have a large escort at the banquet. I thought it was weird at the time."
"Yep. But even those god-level bodyguards can't win against your mother," Kayda said, smirking.
I blinked, stunned. "Wait... What? She can beat god-level adventurers?"
"In a duel? Absolutely. In a fight to the death, it might be closer. But skill-wise? She's unmatched-especially when she uses Berserk."
My tail twitched with pride. "Damn... Mom really is a badass."
Kayda laughed. "That's putting it lightly. And the worst part?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"You'll be even stronger than her one day."
I couldn't help but grin. "You got that right."
Kayda smirked and tapped the paper once more. "Alright. Quests work like this: you can accept any quest if you meet the requirements-enough party members or if your level far exceeds the recommended one. But since you have my privileges, you can accept anything. No restrictions."
"Hmm. But I won't get an S-rank badge, right?" I asked, cautiously hopeful.
"Nope," she said with a smile, "but you also won't start at the bottom. You're technically part of the guild's employee network now, so they'll give you a B-rank to start."
"Ahh, right. Only B-rank and above can work for the guild directly," I murmured to myself, connecting the dots.
"Exactly. Anyway, we're done here," Kayda said, rolling up the form. "Let's head back to Tracy so she can make your guild card."
I followed as she opened the door.
"Oh! You're finished already?" Tracy asked brightly.
"Here," Kayda said, handing over the form. "Can you make her guild card?"
"Sure thing. Let's see-what the... Kayda, did you add an extra zero to her stats?" Tracy blinked at the paper. "These numbers are insane for a 14-year-old. She doesn't even have a class yet!"
Kana peeked over her shoulder. "Whoa!"
"That's her real status," Kayda said casually, waving Tracy off. "Now get her card done."
"Right, right," Tracy mumbled, still staring at the form as she walked off toward the enchanted printer behind the counter.
"Come on," Kayda said to me, gesturing to the quest board. "Let's get you your first mission."
I nodded, tail flicking as we made our way to the towering wall covered in quest slips. The wall opposite the guild's dining and drinking area was bustling with adventurers of every shape and size-humans, demi-humans, and even a couple beastkin.
"I assume you want an elimination quest?" Kayda asked, scanning the board beside me.
"Of course," I replied, scanning the papers. "What else is there?"
"Well, there's dungeon raids, but you're not ready for those yet. Collection quests, escort missions, delivery work..."
"Boring."
She smirked. "Thought so."
"There. That one-orc elimination," I said, pointing near the top of the board.
Kayda reached up easily and yanked the slip off the wall.
As we turned, a voice spoke behind us. "Hey, are you two taking that orc quest?"
We turned to see a tall man with silver hair and a bulky build standing behind us. His armor gleamed with polish, and a heavy tower shield rested on his back.
"Do you already have the recommended number of people?" he asked. "Or can my party join you? We're all C-rank or higher."
Kayda was already shaking her head. "No, we're good-"
"Wait," I whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Let them join. I've never seen how this world handles combat firsthand."
Kayda blinked, then smiled. "Ahh, right. Good point."
Turning back to the man, she nodded. "You're in. How many are you?"
"Five," he said quickly. "Two mages, two swordsmen, and I'm the tank."
"Perfect."
"Nova, your card is ready!" Tracy called from the counter, waving it above her head.
"That's me," I said cheerfully, snagging the quest slip from Kayda. "Be right back."
Yo, I am still really confused at how my novel is doing so well.
I went and looked through my reading list last night and saw that my novel has 50 fewer chapters than the novel has, but my novel has 5 times the more views and collections.
Please, explain to me how this is possible. I really think my novel isn't that good.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 81: The guild isn't very...
It had been a couple of hours since our two groups had departed from the bustling guildhall. Now, the atmosphere had shifted. We were standing quietly at the edge of the Emerald Forest, a dense, emerald-green expanse that stretched far beyond the horizon. The wind rustled the trees gently, causing shadows to dance across the ground beneath our feet. The silence between our groups was heavy-not uncomfortable, but thick with that awkward tension that comes when strangers are forced into cooperation.
I adjusted the straps of my combat outfit, the material snug and worn in all the right places. My usual gear-form-fitting black cloth with reinforced joints-offered maximum mobility. At my hips, the two white katanas gleamed in the sun, each one strapped with a crosswise loop to rest diagonally along the back of my waist. I didn't have to say anything for people to understand these weren't for show.
Beside me stood Kayda-well, Kay, as she preferred to be known in disguise. She wore the same elegant-yet-practical attire she had on when we first met at that restaurant: black pants, a fitted crimson top, and a lightweight dark cloak that fluttered softly in the breeze. Her hair was tied back, keeping her horns subtly obscured. From a glance, no one would think she was anything more than a standard adventurer.
After several long moments of silence, I finally sighed and decided to break the ice.
"Well," I said, clearing my throat and offering a relaxed smile, "why don't we introduce ourselves?"
The five adventurers across from us shifted a bit, standing in a rough semicircle. Kayda was still beside me, arms crossed loosely, eyes cool and unreadable.
"I'll go first," Kayda said in a calm, confident voice. "My name is Kay. I'm a Fire Sage. A high-level one."
She gave a nonchalant shrug and continued, "I'll be keeping my guild rank private. I'm only here to supervise this troublesome fox." She ended with a sideways glance at me before giving my shoulder a light smack.
I blinked and dramatically placed a hand over my chest, right above my heart.
"Such a heartless Dragonoid you are," I said in mock pain, staggering back half a step. "Wounding me so publicly!"
Kayda just stared at me. Deadpan. There was not even a twitch of amusement on Kayda's face.
I held the pose a few more seconds. Nothing.
"You really are heartless," I added, letting my arms drop with an exaggerated sigh.
Clicking my tongue, I turned back to the others with a more genuine smile.
"Well, you guys can just call me Nova. I'm a Dual Warrior, low level. Same guild rank as all of you."
I tapped the hilts of the two ice-forged katanas strapped to my waist and gestured casually.
"Ooooh! Two exotic classes? That's so cool!" The girl with twin daggers at her thighs exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She bounced in place like a kid at a festival. "I feel so honored to be fighting alongside you two!"
She gave a flourishing bow. "I'm Mary! Assassin class, mid-level, and C-rank."
"I'm Nat," said the boy beside her. He was dressed in simple red robes with faint flame symbols embroidered along the hem. His expression was stoic. "Fire Mage. High-level. Same rank."
The golden-armored man beside him puffed out his chest theatrically, placing his fists on his hips and lifting his chin toward the sky.
"I am the wonderful and most powerful swordsman in the capital! My name is Dalton!"
"Dalton, can you not?" The silver-haired man next to him sighed, rubbing his temple with visible regret.
He turned to us, offering a small bow of apology. "Please ignore this idiot. My name is Gaby. I'm the tank of the team. High-level. B-rank."
I eyed the enormous tower shield strapped to his back and nodded.
"Cool," I said honestly. "Never seen a tank in action before."
"And that leaves me," said the last girl with a warm smile. She was shorter than the others and wore brown and green robes with earth-toned accents. "My name is Catrina. I specialize in Earth and Wind magic."
She gave a polite bow, her robes swaying slightly.
"Alright, now that's out of the way," Kayda began, pulling a paper from her cloak and holding it up for all to see. "We're here to eliminate five orcs. It's a quest normally meant for a ten-person party, but given your collective rank and strength, it was approved for a smaller group. I'm not included in the fighting, so you six will handle the actual engagement."
"Wait... only five?" I asked, blinking in disappointment. "That's it?"
"Don't underestimate them," Gaby said, his tone serious. "They're strong. Even if you're an exotic class, you'd need to be at least level 400 to take one solo."
I tilted my head slightly, thinking. "So... about 1700 in strength and defense stats?"
"More or less," he said with a nod. "Speed's a bit lower. Around 1300."
"Don't worry, though," Dalton chimed in with a confident smile, his teeth sparkling like some overzealous anime character. "I can handle one easily."
He gave me a wink.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and rubbed the back of my neck with mock embarrassment. "Ha... I murmured under my breath, "I'm not surprised that they are slow."
Mary leaned in toward Catrina and snickered behind her hand.
"It seems Dalton has charmed another maiden."
"Charmed?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Sorry, but I don't swing that way. Better luck next time."
Mary and Dalton both froze, wide-eyed.
"Wha-!?"
Before they could say anything else, I lifted my shirt slightly, revealing the defined lines of my six-pack.
"Oh my~," Mary and Catrina said at the same time, noses almost twitching.
The boys looked at me with complex expressions-somewhere between impressed and jealous.
'Hehe. That got them.'
"See? I'm as close to a male body as you'll find without the third leg," I said, letting my shirt fall back down. "So... does 'maiden' still apply, Mary?"
Mary tilted her head, grinning. "Hmm, you're still adorable in your own way. I bet a ton of girls would line up to date you."
She gave me a thumbs up, then turned to Dalton and patted his shoulder.
"Seems you lost this one."
"Can we please move on?" Kayda said, visibly annoyed. Her tone made it clear the banter had gone on long enough.
Mary, never one to miss a beat, smirked. "Huuuuh? So you're-"
"She's right. Let's go," I interrupted quickly, stepping past the group and into the forest's shaded trail.
"Aww, I wasn't done talking!" Mary whined, following me with a dramatic pout.
"Just let it go," Catrina said, bopping her lightly on the head.
"Fiiiine," Mary sighed, trudging along.
I glanced over my shoulder at the group as we walked deeper into the woods.
'At least Catrina has a level head... even if she's only a sage around level 400. Gaby's probably the strongest, clocking in at 530. Still, it's weird to call that high level. Is the social structure here just that different from the Black Ops system?'
Kayda's voice cut into my thoughts, soft and low.
"Yes. Don't compare adventurer levels with Black Ops. It's like comparing farmers to assassins."
I blinked, glancing to my left to see her walking a few meters away.
"Why are you walking so far from me?" I asked, confused.
"I'm only here to observe," she said quietly, avoiding eye contact.
I raised an eyebrow. "Kayda... Are you shy around new people?"
Her eyes went wide. "I-uh..."
"Come on, just admit it," I said with a teasing grin, moving closer and slinging an arm around her shoulders. With my other hand, I proudly pointed at myself.
"You don't have to be nervous. I'm here, after all!"
She groaned, slipping out of my grasp with ease. "You seriously are... ugh."
"What?"
She just kept walking.
Before I could follow up, a scream pierced the forest-high, panicked, and definitely human.
"AAAHHH!"
My ears twitched. Kayda and I both froze, then looked at each other.
"Oh no, someone's in trouble!" Catrina yelled, already sprinting past me.
The rest of the group followed close behind, weapons drawn and expressions grim.
Kayda tapped my shoulder. "Come on, Nova. We've got to help."
"If you say so." I sighed and took off running beside them.
After fifteen solid minutes of sprinting through uneven terrain and tree-lined trails, we reached a clearing.
It looked like a battlefield.
Trees were snapped and scorched. The earth had been churned up. Broken weapons and torn armor lay scattered. At least a dozen bodies were on the ground, some motionless, others groaning in pain. The smell of blood and smoke lingered in the air.
The forest beyond was lined with crushed trees, forming a tunnel of destruction where something massive had clearly charged through.
"Gods above..." Mary whispered.
"Hey, are you okay? How can we help?" Catrina knelt beside a man clutching his stomach, blood pooling beneath him.
Dalton stood over another, blinking. "Guild employees? What were they doing this far out?"
I stepped over bodies, scanning for breathing. "Why do I always find chaos wherever I go...?"
"I count about twenty-three people," Kayda muttered grimly.
"Huh..." I muttered, squinting at the ruined path ahead. "Wonder if we follow that-"
WHAP!
Kayda smacked the back of my head.
"Can you not?" she said with a glare. "We need to help those still alive."
"Does anyone have a way to get them back to the capital?" Gaby called out, already coordinating with his team.
"No healers," I whispered to Kayda. "Two options: You transform and carry them to the capital, or I do... and reveal what I am."
She frowned, clearly torn.
"There are sixteen that can still be saved," I said, glancing around. "The rest are either already dead or too far gone."
"You'd freeze them to my back?" she asked.
"Exactly. You'll have to leave us here."
"I don't like it..."
"If I go, we leave the others defenseless. Something's going to smell this blood soon."
Kayda hesitated... then nodded.
"Fine. I'll be back within the hour," she said and stepped back.
Then, she began to transform.
Her form shimmered, light bending and swirling as leathery wings unfurled and her limbs shifted. Scales rippled down her body, glowing faintly with magic.
Gasps erupted around us.
"Woah!"
"A-A dragon?!"
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Chapter 82: Thats quite a lot
"What, a dragon!?" Dalton shouted, stumbling backward as his wide eyes locked onto Kayda's massive figure.
The clearing trembled under the pressure of the transformation. Kayda's form ballooned with a rush of mana, her human silhouette stretching and warping, bones snapping and reforming. With a guttural growl, leathery wings burst from her back, sending a powerful gust of wind spiraling outward and kicking up a vortex of dust and fallen leaves. Her limbs thickened into powerful limbs ending in taloned claws, and her tail extended with a whip-crack, its spiked end tearing a groove into the earth.
She was magnificent. Terrifying.
Her crimson scales shimmered like bloodied rubies under the sunlight, covering every inch of her dragon body. Each movement of her wings sent a low hum vibrating through the air. Two curved sets of horns arched from her head like a twisted crown, and her glowing red eyes scanned the battlefield with the cold calculation of a predator. She stood a towering twelve meters tall, and if you included her tail, her entire body stretched over twenty-three meters in length.
"Dalton, calm down. It's me, Kay," Kayda's voice echoed, deeper and distorted through her draconic throat. "I don't have time to explain. Get all of the injured people on my back. I'll fly them to the capital and come back for the rest of you."
Her massive wings beat once, shaking the nearby trees. The force of her presence was overwhelming, even to those who knew her.
I took a few steps forward, brushing stray strands of hair from my face, my tone cool and unwavering. "I'll tag the people who can be saved with my ice magic. If they're not tagged, ignore them. They won't survive."
I held up a glowing hand already tinged with frost.
"There will be sixteen people tagged. No more."
Everyone froze, disbelief flashing in their eyes.
"What do you mean, ignore the rest?!" Gaby roared, his eyes ablaze with fury. He stepped toward me, fists clenched, teeth grinding.
I didn't back down.
"Big guy, we don't have a healer with us," I said, tapping my foot. "And Kayda can't carry everyone at once. The tagged ones will be encased in my magic. They'll survive the journey. The others won't."
A web of glistening frost snaked from my feet, branching through the soil and toward the unconscious and wounded. Small blue flames marked those I selected-sixteen in total.
"Tsk... bitch," Gaby muttered under his breath, scowling as he turned away to help with the injured.
I rolled my eyes. 'Charming.'
"Gaby, she's right," Catrina said quietly, placing a hand on his thick shoulder. "We can't save everyone."
'Thanks, Catrina.'
Kayda loomed over us, her wings partially outstretched and tail curling like a serpent behind her. "Move it, people. We don't have all day. More monsters will be here any minute."
Her voice carried the weight of command, and no one dared question her again.
"Yes, Ma'am!" we shouted back in unison, breaking into action.
'Yeah, she's scary when she's like this,' I thought, my pace doubling after one look at her draconic glare.
20 Minutes later.
The injured were laid out beside Kayda's side, their wounds partially stabilized with whatever scraps of magic and cloth we had. Blood soaked the grass in patches, the air thick with sweat, steel, and the iron scent of near-death.
I knelt beside Kayda's midsection. "Kay, you better give me more mana after this."
She was preening her tail spikes when I placed my palms on the earth and started channeling. My frost spread out in glistening arcs, wrapping around her massive belly and sides, reaching for the sixteen tagged survivors.
"How am I suppos-EEEEHHHH!? Why is it so cold!?" Kayda screeched, flinching in surprise.
Her wings trembled and slapped downward reflexively, nearly knocking over Dalton.
"Quiet down," I hissed, not pausing my spell. "You'll alert everything in a three-mile radius."
The ice formed a smooth cradle around the survivors, encasing them gently along her back and ribs, like precious cargo on a frozen sled. Thin straps of ice magic tethered them securely without restricting movement. Each one was breathing-but only just.
'The more mana I pour in, the colder it gets. Still... even I didn't think Kayda would feel it in dragon form,' I mused, a smirk playing on my lips.
"ORC is coming out!" Dalton shouted, voice shrill as he pointed to the treeline.
A hulking green beast with matted fur and bulging muscles barreled out of the forest, howling with rage.
"See? It's your fault for screaming like that," I said, throwing him a dry glare.
"Oh, you-! I'll get you back for that!" He snapped, gripping his axe and charging the orc.
"Hey, Catrina!" I called over my shoulder. "How many orcs can your team handle at once?"
She blinked, momentarily startled. "Uh... three or four tops, maybe ten minutes!"
I nodded, mentally calculating. "Then two each it is. Just stall them."
As the rest moved to engage the beast, I stayed behind, completing the final ice layer around the injured.
"Cough... cough..." a weak sound escaped from the icy pile.
One of the men-short dark hair, strong jawline, but half-conscious-was stirring.
"What the hell is this!?" He wheezed, trying to move his frost-covered limbs.
"Sir, please don't squirm," I said, inspecting his vitals with a glance.
"Who... who are you?" he asked, dazed.
"Relax. My friend here is going to fly you to the capital for treatment." I gestured upward at Kayda.
The man looked up, his expression frozen with awe. "A dragon? Red scales... I heard she received her wings, but..."
Snap snap.
"Focus, buddy," I said, snapping in front of his face. "What did this to you?"
"A king orc," he replied weakly, eyes hazy. "Been killing for a while. Guild said it was halfway to evolving again. That's why they sent forty of us."
"Forty?" Catrina echoed, face pale. "There are only twenty-three of you here."
"Rest might be tracking it. Or dead," the man muttered, eyes closing again.
I pressed my hand against the final seal of the ice, looking up at Kayda. "Kayda, you better come back fast. Even if I go all out, I'm not sure I can kill something like that if it shows up."
Kayda's dragon face twisted into a smug grin. "Who do you think I am?"
"One fat dragon who still owes me mana," I deadpanned, holding out my hand.
She responded by slamming her claw lightly down on my head.
Boom!
"I will make you pay for your mouth one day," Kayda growled, eyes glowing.
"Yeah, yeah. You always say that," I said, smirking as her mana flowed into me.
"Tsk. "Fucking fox," she muttered before she launched herself into the air, her wings beating once-then again-before she became airborne, streaking across the sky like a bloody comet.
"Are you okay?" Catrina asked, running to me as the wind died down.
"I'm fine. But we've got company," I said, eyes flicking to the treeline.
Five more orcs had emerged.
I cracked my neck and grinned. "Oh good. Now we can finish our quest."
"This is not the time to be thinking about that!" Gaby yelled as he charged the nearest orc, shield raised.
"Buzzkill," I muttered, drawing both my katanas from their sheaths. Their blades hummed with stored mana.
These are my best works. Let's see how they hold up.'
"I know they're pretty, but the present is not the time for admiring your craftsmanship!" Catrina snapped.
I didn't answer.
Instead, I stepped forward-and vanished.
Splat.
One orc's head rolled across the dirt, lifeless eyes still blinking.
"Damn," I muttered, disappointed. "Took everything just to do one clean cut."
"She just-" Gaby muttered.
"I didn't even see her move," Catrina whispered.
"Oi, more incoming!" I shouted, spotting six new figures storming from the treeline. "I can't hold all of them!"
"I'll stall them!" I yelled again. "Take out that last one and help me after!"
I flash-stepped toward the next wave.
Appearing behind the nearest orc, I slashed his right leg tendon clean through. He dropped to one knee. I raised my blade to decapitate him-
-but something huge slammed down where I stood.
Boom!
I dove and rolled as a massive club crushed the wounded orc under its weight.
"What the hell!? That person was your comrade!" I snarled at the attacker.
"Too weak," the orc grunted.
'Oh, a smart one. Great.'
I raised a hand and materialized two green mana daggers. With a flick of my wrist, I hurled both at his face.
Thunk! Thunk!
"AAAHHH!!" he screamed, clutching his eyes. His club dropped.
I sprinted up his body, leapt, and drove a katana straight down into his skull.
Thud.
One down.
Another orc blinked in confusion as I turned to him.
"You guys are slower than a brick phone," I taunted, charging with both katanas out again.
He swung. I sidestepped. Simple.
Suddenly-FWOOOSH!
A jet of fire tore through the air past me, scorching the orcs in front.
"Phew! That was a close one," a sultry voice said, followed by the sound of high heels crunching grass.
I turned.
A woman in a crimson dress-tight-fitting, elegant, and completely inappropriate for a battlefield-stepped into the clearing. Her black hair flowed like silk, and her piercing blue eyes locked onto me with interest. She was beautiful, radiant-and absolutely a fire mage.
She smiled. "Hey, where's my tha-UGH!"
I flash-stepped in front of her and slammed my hand around her neck, lifting her an inch off the ground.
Her eyes widened.
"Talk. Now."
Brick phone: it's the first type of mobile phone created in the early 90s, maybe late 80s. They were as big as a brick back in the day. That is where the phrase came from and if you didn't need this explanation.
How does it feel being old? Haha
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 83:
"What are you doing to her, Nova?" Catrina's voice rang out, her boots crunching over leaves and loose debris as she jogged toward me.
She came to a sharp stop, eyes wide as she took in the scene before her: me standing over the unconscious fire mage, one hand still gripping her by the throat, though not as tightly now. My knuckles were white, but my expression was calm-almost bored.
"Hmm, you guys already killed all the orcs on that side?" I asked casually, glancing sideways at her. I didn't loosen my grip, not even a little. The mage's face was red and puffy, and her arms hung limp.
"Yes, but can you please let her go? It doesn't look like she can breathe," Catrina said, her voice laced with concern, her brows furrowed as she glanced between me and the mage.
I tilted my head slightly, feigning curiosity. "And why would I care if she dies?"
"She is a guild employee. You'll get banned from the guild if you do anything to them," Catrina explained briefly, her tone growing more anxious.
I sighed and casually raised my other hand, displaying my silver guild plate, the embedded guild emblem catching the sunlight.
"Hmm, but I'm also one," I said with a shrug. "So who cares?"
"It doesn't matter. Let her go, or else." The warning came from deeper in the woods, the voice low, rough, and undeniably threatening.
Leaves rustled as a group of adventurers stepped out from the treeline-seventeen in total, led by a man clad in gear far too shiny for his job. He was tall, with sandy hair swept back and a trimmed beard. Definitely the leader.
My eyes flitted over the group. Seventeen... the exact number we'd been missing. My gaze hardened.
"Or else what?" I asked, voice lowering. "You attack me? Go ahead. I make no promises you'll leave with all your limbs."
I took a single step forward, letting my mana leak slightly, letting the air around me chill. "Even if you do attack me, you left your comrades behind to die. I'm certain the guild will love to hear about that."
The leader paused. I saw his jaw tighten.
"...We had to. The Orc King was getting away. We couldn't leave one of our healers behind for them, in case we needed them or they got attacked," he said, tone even-but the flicker in his eyes gave away the guilt.
"Multiple healers, and you couldn't spare even one? You could've left someone behind with protection. Then I wouldn't have had to-"
My sentence trailed off as the mage I held suddenly went limp in my grip. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth, and her eyes rolled back. I stared for a moment... then let out a short laugh and dropped her like a sack of potatoes.
"She isn't dead, is she?" the leader asked, wariness creeping into his voice.
"She'll be fine," I said dismissively, brushing my hands together. "But you, on the other hand..."
My voice sharpened. "What were you thinking? Did you really leave twenty-three injured people behind without a healer? If it weren't for Kayda, fewer than five of them would've made it. Maybe not even one."
"You sound like a hypocrite. Weren't you the one who didn't want to save everyone?" Gaby's voice cut in, loud and accusing.
I slowly turned to face him. "What?"
Catrina stepped forward. "Gaby, now's not the time."
"No, she was talking to Kay alone. I believe there was another way to save more people, but she chose to keep her own secrets instead. Am I wrong, Nova?" Gaby's glare bore into me, her eyes glinting with judgment.
My lips curled slightly. 'Did they plan this?'
As I scanned them, I noticed how Gaby and his group subtly fanned out, forming a semi-circle around me. Except for Catrina, who still stood to my side, the others were moving like chess pieces, cutting off angles of escape.
Behind me, the unconscious mage lay sprawled, and one of her party-a stocky dwarf-had quietly crawled over, grabbing her shoulders to try and drag her away.
I raised a brow. "What are you doing? Did I say she could go?"
"Bitch, she's our party member, you have no-UGH."
My boot connected with his face, sending him sprawling backward with a grunt. The mage's body flopped uselessly back to the ground.
"Oi. I don't give a shit. She stole my kills. And she needs to pay for it."
"...Wait, wait, wait, wait a minute." The leader held up both hands, baffled. "You're not actually upset because we left people behind. You're upset because Rin stole your kills?"
"Yeah!" I shouted, voice rising. "Today was the first time I got to fight things that weren't human! I just wanted to feel what it's like to rip some monsters apart!"
Everyone stared at me. Their expressions flickered through a range of emotions-shock, confusion, and a bit of disbelief.
"...Sigh. What was the guild master thinking when he accepted your employment?" The leader muttered, rubbing his temple.
"Well, Ed and I made a deal-"
I didn't finish. A flash of steel came from my right.
Clang!
I disappeared and reappeared a few meters away as Dalton's blade stabbed into empty air.
I glared at him, twin swords already drawn. "Oi. Attacking like that is really low, Dalton."
"What are you doing, Dalton!" Catrina and Mary shouted in unison.
Guilt flickered in Dalton's eyes for half a second, but he straightened quickly.
"To think you could dodge that even if you're an exotic class," Gaby muttered, stepping forward with his shield raised.
'Wait... didn't I say I was a dual warrior before? That's right. I never showed them my full speed.'
As I squared up, the other guild members nearby stiffened.
"Hmm, are you guys certain you want to do this?" I said, glancing around. "I think I have more people on my side-no? You're not going to help me?" I aimed that last part at the watching guild party.
The leader shook his head. "This is your party. You need to sort them out."
"What the fuck does that even mean?" I demanded.
"Rule number 45 for employees: never interfere with party disputes, even if it's a fellow employee."
"...Who the hell made that rule?"
"The King."
"...Dan did it?! What is wrong with that person!"
I paced angrily, kicking at a rock. "From this moment on, I swear-I hate Dragonoids. They're all dumb!"
"I'm out," Catrina said, turning away. "I only joined this party a week ago anyway-"
Mary stepped in front of her, knife flashing. "We can't have too many loose ends."
Catrina's eyes widened. "Wait-what-"
Before the blade struck, a white chain shot out, wrapping around Catrina's leg and yanking her back. She hit the ground with a thud and rolled to my feet.
"Loose ends?" I said, raising my voice and turning to the guild team. "Did they already forget about you guys?"
The leader's brows knitted in confusion.
'They're strong enough to beat all 17 of them,' I thought, before tossing Catrina toward the guild group. She yelped, but the guild group caught her, albeit clumsily.
"Alright," I said with a long breath. "You're targeting me, right? Then don't drag anyone else into it."
Dalton stepped forward. "Of course. If we bring your body to the Federation, we'll live a life of luxury for the rest of our lives."
My grin disappeared.
'I really should raze that country one day,' I thought grimly.
Before I could say anything, a voice called down from above, lilting and amused.
"Tsk, tsk. To think my hunch was right."
I didn't even look. "You're back faster than I thought. And what do you mean by 'your hunch'?"
Kayda's wings beat against the wind as she descended, eyes sparkling.
"You wouldn't have won if you fought them."
"I could've at least tried," I muttered, annoyed.
'Still not stopping my spell, though,' I thought with a smirk.
"And you, Dev-what the hell is that rule?" Kayda's voice shifted, accusatory. She pointed down at the leader.
"K-K-Kayda!" Dev stammered, paling.
"I got the dumb fox into the guild," Kayda said, jerking a thumb at me.
"Oi!" I snapped.
"Are you trying to cover up your mishap by letting your party die on you?" she pressed.
"No! Of course not!" Dev sputtered.
"You're sure?"
"..."
Dalton coughed. "Uh... am I being ignored?"
'No, we just don't give a shit about your dumb betrayal,' I thought with a deadpan look.
"Oh right, you guys are still here!" I said with a big grin.
Suddenly, chains erupted from the ground, tipped with glinting blades. They coiled and lashed around the traitors.
"AAAH?! What is this!" Gaby screamed as three chains pierced into his thighs and pulled him down.
All four were yanked violently into the dirt, unable to resist as the cold crept through their blood, freezing them from the inside. Even Gaby, the defensive brute, was overpowered-just with a few more chains to pin him.
Kayda watched silently before nodding. "Cunning fox."
"That's my nature," I said, collapsing backward onto the ground. "It took a stupid amount of mana to prep all that. I'm pooped."
"Thanks for stalling," I added with a grateful smile.
"No problem~" Kayda chirped, landing beside me with a smirk.
Dev blinked. "Wait... did you use us as decoys?"
"Yup," I said cheerfully. "And you did a fantastic job playing dumb."
"Y-yeah! Of course! We saw what you were doing!" Dev nervously scratched the back of his head while speaking.
Kayda's tone darkened. "Oh, but I'm not done with you, Dev."
His face paled further. "K-Kayda, come on, be a pal-"
"YOU!!" Kayda roared, wings flaring wide as her shadow stretched over him.
I looked at him solemnly. "May you rest in peace."
Ignoring the chaos, I stood up, dusted off my clothes, and slung the mage girl over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Help!" she cried weakly.
Kayda and I said nothing. Her cries faded into the background as we started the cleanup.
Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely
I have nobody for my own
I'm so lonely. I'm Mr. Lonely
I have nobody for my own
I'm so lonely
Joking, I have all you guys, hehe.
Group hug!
Wait a minute.
Group comment!
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 84:
The afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows over the neatly tended garden. A gentle breeze stirred the edges of the gazebo, fluttering the white curtains lazily around its wooden frame. At the center of the gazebo sat a large round table, topped with tea, snacks, and a single unconscious mage bound to a pillar behind them with glittering ice chains.
"So, let me get this straight," Amari said slowly, her fingers laced together on the polished wooden table. She sat upright, her tone stern yet bewildered. "On your very first day, you met Ed-the guild master-and his wife, Tracy. Then, instead of just finishing a simple orc elimination quest like anyone else, you stumble upon a battlefield in the Emerald Forest where 23 people are lying around injured, and somehow there's also a valley of destroyed trees?"
Zagan, who sat beside her with his arms crossed, shook his head in disbelief. "A whole valley?"
"I wouldn't say valley exactly," I replied, lazily spinning my ice teacup between my fingers. The cold emanating from it gave a satisfying chill that grounded me. "But yeah, close enough. The trees looked like something out of a war zone."
Amari leaned back slightly, her brows furrowed. "And after assessing the situation, you decided you could only save sixteen of the wounded?"
Her voice had softened, and I caught the conflicted gleam in her eyes. I sighed quietly. That tone again-the one that assumed every life could be saved if only we tried hard enough.
"Don't make that face," I said, my voice deliberately calm. "There wasn't much we could do. We didn't have a healer with us, and time was ticking. I'm still trying to learn healing magic on my own, but... it's not exactly my forte currently."
Amari looked down for a moment, nodding solemnly. "I understand. It's just-"
"Let's get back to the story," she said, cutting herself off with a small breath and forcing a neutral expression.
As she spoke, I caught Zagan giving her a side glance. He was clearly struggling with the same idealistic mindset. These two individuals still hadn't learned the first rule of adventuring.
'I don't understand how people care so deeply about random strangers dying,' I thought, watching them. 'It's inefficient. Unproductive. I should ask Mom if she wants to help change that mindset of hers later.'
"Anyway," Amari continued, tapping her nails against the table's edge, "after you identified the sixteen survivors and froze them for preservation, Kayda transformed into her dragon form and flew them to the capital for treatment."
Zagan, his curiosity piqued, looked up. "Wait. I've only read about dragon forms in theory. Isn't Kayda a fire dragon? How did you use ice magic on her? Wouldn't her scales burn anything before it even touched her?"
I grinned, a little too proud of myself. "My ice is special. It's not the run-of-the-mill kind. It's adaptive, and Kayda has better control over her body temperature than any dragon I've seen. She let it happen."
"Umm, Kitsu?" Amari interjected with a raised brow and an awkward smile. "You really need to think more before you speak sometimes."
"Huh?" I tilted my head, genuinely confused for a moment before waving it off. "Don't worry about it."
Amari cleared her throat and moved on. "So, after she flew off, twelve orcs entered the clearing, and you and your group held them off. Most of them were taken down. That is, until-" She pointed at the unconscious fire mage still chained behind me. "She showed up and stole a few of your kills. Then you... brought her back? Why?"
I looked at the girl, her limbs still rigidly encased in translucent chains of magic-infused ice. She groaned faintly but didn't wake.
"I don't know. Honestly, I don't really care anymore," I said, staring at her. "Initially, I believed she owed me repayment. Then I realized she had already suffered enough. Did you lose your dignity mid-fight, get choked out in front of your party, and then watch your comrades abandon you? Yeah, that's punishment enough."
With a flick of my wrist, the chains crumbled away in a slow cascade of shimmering frost, and the mage slumped forward, collapsing to the grass like a broken doll.
Zagan, unfazed, casually poured himself more tea. "After you grabbed her by the neck, her party arrived, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah. They didn't like that I nearly froze their friend to death. We argued. During the shouting match, the people I came with circled behind me to prepare a sneak attack.
Amari looked horrified. "Wait, they tried to betray you? But they were with you on the mission!"
I glanced at her. "Probably thought I'd be vulnerable without Kayda there. They must've known about the bounty on me from the Federation. A high-value fox girl alone in the forest? Tempting."
My hand clenched without thinking, and the teacup shattered again in my grip. I groaned in frustration and hurled the icy shards to the floor.
"Damn it!"
"That's your fifth cup today," Amari noted, exasperated. She refilled a new one for me from the pitcher beside her, her movements smooth from repetition.
"Yeah, well, at least I can-"
I froze mid-sentence, sensing something.
From the sky, a figure descended with impossible grace, her white wings catching the light like a divine signal. Her golden hair shimmered, fluttering down around her as she touched the ground without making a sound.
"Hello, Rachel," I said, forcing a smile. "Long time no see."
"Kitsune~!" Rachel whined, rushing over like an eager puppy and jumping straight into my lap.
"Ha-ha, what's with you today?" I asked, trying not to sound too irritated as I caught her awkwardly. I took a moment to observe her more closely. Her white wings looked the same, but the hair was new-golden instead of pink-and the most striking addition was the single gold feather under each of her eyes. Subtle but impossible to miss.
"I got my class!" she said proudly. "Light Sage. A legendary one!"
My smile twitched. "... what now?"
Behind me, Amari and Zagan both yelped, and I instinctively slapped ice chains onto their heads to shut them up.
"Ow!" they groaned in unison, rubbing the impact points.
'I knew she was gunning for that class,' I thought. But I figured it would fall under exotic, not legendary. This complicates things again.'
"What was that for?!" Amari hissed.
"For yelling like idiots," I replied.
"Yes! How could you hurt poor Kitsuna's ears?" Rachel pouted dramatically, and before I could respond, she slid behind me and began gently rubbing my ears.
'Great,' I thought dryly. 'Now she's being that Rachel again.'
"Amari," I muttered, keeping my face neutral, "can you leave us for a while?"
"But-"
"Come on," Zagan interrupted, taking her arm. "Let's go. It's for the best."
As he passed, he leaned close and whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "Keep her away from me."
I grinned at his retreating back. 'Heh. Afraid of a little light magic, are we, shadow boy?'
Once they were gone, Rachel wasted no time. She plopped herself fully into my lap, straddling my waist with an irritatingly smug look.
"Now that we're alone, we can talk freely," she said, settling in like a cat claiming territory.
"Did you have to sit on me?" I asked, pushing against her lightly.
"But it's so comfy here," she whined, nuzzling into my neck again.
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Just... move your wings. I need to reach my tea."
She happily complied, folding her wings tightly so they didn't obstruct the table.
"So," she said sweetly, "I heard you were in some danger today."
"Not really. It was just another job," I replied. "Went out with Kayda and a few randos from the guild. I managed to rescue several injured individuals, suffered a few casualties, experienced betrayal, and assisted in the firing and execution of a corrupt guild employee. You know. Standard day."
Rachel blinked. "Executed?"
"Yep. His name was Dev. It turned out that he had either injured or killed his own team in order to save himself. Kayda saw through it and dealt with him."
Rachel's eyes widened. "By Kayda? That woman killed Sir Dev?"
'Oops,' I thought. 'Should've kept that part vague.'
"Yeah, isn't she awesome?" I said quickly. "Strong. Brilliant. Amazing teacher, too."
Rachel huffed. "I can teach you things."
"I know," I said dryly. "I just don't need what you're offering yet."
"You're so mean!" She whined again, pouting and burying her head into my neck.
"You're always like this. "You are always playful and teasing, but I want the serious version of Kitsuna back," she mumbled into my collarbone. "She's really hot."
"Huh?" I blinked. "What are you talking about?"
Rachel pulled back and began to list the different types of Kitsuna. "There's playful Kitsuna-like now. Then there was serious Kitsuna, the one who performed surgery on me without flinching. Then there's that smirking one, the one who enjoys fighting a little too much."
I paused. 'Huh. Do I have personality shifts without realizing it? No... it's more likely that I am just wearing different masks. Or maybe... maybe I really am starting to split a bit.'
"I never knew I acted so differently," I said aloud.
"Serious Kitsuna was just here!" Rachel exclaimed, shaking my shoulders.
"Rachel. Stop doing that. It's annoying."
"Oops. Sorry!" she said with a sheepish grin.
"Well, anyway... I need to go. Kayda's arriving," I said, sensing the magical threads of my ice chains drawing closer.
"Oh?" Rachel tilted her head. "Do you still have any unfinished business with her?"
"Yeah. And apparently, she brought me another 'present.'"
"Again?"
"Yep. I've got skills that make handling these gifts more effective."
Rachel shivered at my smirk and instinctively took a step back.
"Can I come with you?" she asked.
I glared at her.
"No."
With that, I vanished using Flash Step, leaving nothing but a faint swirl of wind in my place.
I reappeared in front of Kayda, who was casually dragging Gaby and his party behind her like oversized luggage.
"Huh? Nova?" A surprised voice called out. I turned and spotted Catrina standing next to Kayda, arms folded.
"Wait, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.
Should I put up a yandere tag I wonder
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Nah
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 85:
The courtyard was unusually quiet as the late morning sun warmed the stone pathways and the occasional breeze stirred leaves across the gravel. I stood near the training grounds, my arms folded loosely as Kayda dropped the unconscious figures tied in my ice chains onto the grass. Catrina was standing beside her, shifting nervously from foot to foot.
"Aah, I wanted to ask you something," Catrina said, her voice soft, almost hesitant, as she fiddled with her fingers.
I turned to her with a curious tilt of my head. "Is that so? Well, what is it? I'm all ears." I raised a hand and twirled it casually, encouraging her to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Catrina straightened up, then suddenly bowed low-almost too low, her forehead nearly brushing her knees. "Can I join the Black Ops or... more like, work under you?"
Now that caught me off guard.
"Hmm," I muttered, narrowing my eyes in thought. "You're a sage, correct?"
"I can use earth and wind magic," she admitted with a slight waver in her voice. "But... I don't have a class yet."
That statement surprised me and made me blink. "Huh? You don't have one? How old are you?"
I gave her a more scrutinizing look. She had an elegant, mature air-waist-length black hair that shimmered faintly in the light, brown eyes full of restraint, and a posture that gave her an aura of discipline. She looked like she could be in her early twenties, maybe even older than Mother.
"I'm 17," she said plainly.
"Holy shit," I blurted without thinking. "I thought you were older."
A heavy thwack landed on the back of my head, Kayda's open palm cracking against my skull.
"Don't say it like that!" Kayda snapped, hitting me again for good measure.
Rubbing the sore spot, I winced. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to imply you were old." I looked back at Catrina with an apologetic glance.
Catrina chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's okay. I do look older because I'm half-elf."
I frowned. "Half-elf, huh? That makes you look older? Whatever."
I waved it off and leaned against the tree nearby. "If you don't have a class yet, is it fine if I push you toward a close-combat one? I've already got plenty of mages and long-range types in the squad-"
"No, it's fine!" she interrupted with sudden energy. "I always had a thing for swords anyway. The only reason I focused on magic was to get my parents' approval."
She paused, then looked down, her voice turning bitter. "That's why I don't have a class yet. My parents forced me to wear an experience blocker. They wanted me to gain enough magic proficiency first... They were grooming me to become an Elemental Sage."
Kayda crossed her arms, clicking her tongue. "Elemental Sage? That's not even possible for you. You don't have enough elemental affinity. And let's be honest-your parents didn't provide the kind of skilled training needed to reach that level anyway."
Catrina flinched. Her eyes wavered and began to glisten.
I narrowed my eyes at Kayda. "Recommended? Need skilled teachers? What does that have to do with anything?"
Kayda gave me a skeptical look. "It makes it easier. You know that."
"Yeah, but it's not a requirement. Born talent plays a part, sure, but it's the effort that matters more. Teachers can guide, but they're not everything. If someone's willing to push themselves hard enough, they can make it."
"You're not wrong," Kayda admitted, shrugging. "Still, her parents were aiming too high."
"Yeah, I get that," I muttered, waving her off dismissively.
I glanced back at Catrina-she looked like she was about to cry.
"Hey, why do you want to cry all of a sudden?" I asked.
"You just said it... I was born a fail-"
Smack!
My palm met the side of her head-not too firmly, but enough to snap her out of it.
"Dumbass," I said bluntly. "We said your parents were expecting too much. It's their fault, not yours. They're failures for not listening to their kid."
Kayda coughed. "Wasn't it you who wanted to make her a close-combat fighter a few minutes ago?"
"Ugh," I grumbled, clicking my tongue. "I asked if it was fine. That's different."
"Oh right, you did say it like that," Kayda said, her expression smug.
"Shameless dragon," I muttered under my breath, then looked back at Catrina. "By the way, now that I think about it-I've never been able to use Analysis on you. Are you from a noble family?"
"Aah, yes." She straightened her back, adopting a more formal tone. "I am the second daughter of Earl House Everstern. Catrina Everstern."
My eyebrow arched. "Ooh, fancy. So, how much do you love your family?"
Kayda blinked. "Are you going to-"
"No, I wasn't planning to kill them," I interrupted. "But I might get you disowned. Hehe."
Catrina's expression shifted to panic. "No, please don't! And don't hurt them either. I really do love them."
I grinned. "Okay. If you want it like that, then here's the deal: I'll take you. But from today on, you're moving to the barracks. You're going to hide everything that happens from your family-what you do, what you see, and what you become. Understood?"
Her face turned serious. She nodded. "...Okay. I understand."
I smirked. "Now that I think about it, you'll probably be the most normal person in my squad."
Catrina tilted her head in confusion. "...Normal?"
"Yeah. I'll get that fixed during training, though. A few screws loose here and there-perfect."
"I like to be sane, please," she whimpered, shuffling behind Kayda for protection. "And what do you mean by 'most normal person'?"
I chuckled. "Well, let me give you a rundown. We have two sis-cons who are totally open about it. Then there's an ex-federation lapdog who's head-over-heels for my backpack bunny demon, loli. Then we've got another demon fox who's vice-captain of the Crazy Heads Squad.' Oh, and she's extremely overprotective."
"Overprotective? How is Chinada overprotective?" Kayda asked.
"Well, not of me personally-but definitely of anything that belongs to me or people close to me."
"Makes sense," Kayda nodded. "You are her queen."
"I'm not her queen," I grumbled. "It's just because I'm a primordial fox and she's a demon fox. That's all."
Catrina gasped. "You're a what?"
I flicked my wrist. "Yeah. Why do you think I'm so powerful without a class at 14?"
"You're younger than me?!" Catrina yelled again.
I leaned in close, eyes narrowing. "One more thing-don't yell like that, or I'll break your vocal cords."
"Yes, Ma'am," she said immediately, her voice quieting to a whisper.
Kayda snorted. "Hey, Kitsuna. You forgot something about your squad."
"What?"
"You're also Apricot's mom."
My eye twitched. "You really won't drop that, will you?"
"Nope! Never!" Kayda burst out laughing. "It was too adorable when she cried and kept calling you Mom."
Catrina looked at me, sparkling with curiosity. "What happened?"
I sighed. "A couple of weeks ago, I made an ice dungeon in a lake. To hide it, I asked Apricot to cast a high-level illusion around it. She needed time, so she worked in shifts for about two weeks. Somewhere along the line, a spy in the Black Ops got wind of it and was ordered to assassinate her. The moment came when she was heading to the dungeon, and I was leaving it. I sensed something, used Flash Step, and took a dagger to the chest."
Catrina gasped.
"The wound healed instantly, but the poison knocked me out for a bit. I collapsed, unmoving. Apricot captured the assassin but thought I was dead and-well-cried over me the whole time. She muttered 'mom' over and over."
I glanced sideways at Kayda. "Still don't understand how that was cute."
"It was cute," Catrina said with sparkly eyes.
"Nooo," I groaned. "She's nineteen! How does that make me her mother figure?!"
"You're mentally 30," Kayda said dryly.
Catrina blinked. "You're a reincarnator too?"
I gave a small nod. "Yeah. I am."
Kayda clapped her hands. "Oh, right-I brought these guys for you."
She gestured toward the party members I'd iced earlier.
"Yeah, I figured," I said, walking over. "They won't have any useful info, so you don't mind if I kill them, right?"
"Go ahead," Kayda replied casually.
"You're really going to kill them?" Catrina asked, startled.
"They betrayed me," I said flatly, looking at her like she'd asked the dumbest thing in the world.
Kayda leaned down beside Catrina and whispered, "I told you that working under a demon wouldn't be easy."
Catrina swallowed. "Right. You did warn me."
I laughed quietly. "You already might have a screw loose for agreeing."
Kayda turned to leave. "Well, gotta go-"
"Not so fast." I raised a hand. "Chinada, take Catrina away. Test which weapon fits her."
A figure shimmered into view-Chinada appearing as if summoned by the wind itself. She nodded once, grabbed Catrina by the arm, and vanished.
As silence fell again, I looked at Kayda.
"...Do I have a split personality?" I asked.
I am going to concentrate a bit more on character development for a while. So the next 20 or 30 chapters will be more slice of life, and a lot of interaction between Kayda and Kitsuna means Yuri.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 86:
"Well..." Kayda hesitated, her golden eyes flickering away as she turned her gaze toward the nearby treetops.
I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms loosely. "Answer the damn question. It's not like I'll run away." I gave a shrug, then tilted my head slightly with a casual smirk. "I might go a bit quiet until I figure out how to fix it, though."
Kayda frowned. "You promise you won't run away from us?" Her voice was cautious, almost tense, like she was still weighing whether to push this subject or not.
I lifted my right hand slowly, palm facing her. "I promise I won't."
She studied me for a moment longer, then gave a small nod of approval.
"Okay, yes and no," she said at last. "You don't have a split personality, but... you do change in certain situations. Like when you are..."
"Killing, torture, having fun, teasing-stuff like that, right?" I interrupted smoothly, raising a hand to my chin as I listed each example like they were items on a shopping list.
Kayda blinked in surprise, then chuckled faintly. "Yes. Exactly like that."
I let out a low, awkward laugh and rubbed the back of my neck. "Huh, so it's like I push back my urges... and it changes me. Sounds like I don't have just one personality, huh?"
Kayda's smile faded slightly. "I wouldn't say it's like that..."
"Don't worry. I was mostly talking to myself," I said, waving a hand dismissively and stepping closer to her, letting the topic fade. "More importantly-this morning, you said I don't have complete control over my ice magic. Why did you say that?"
Kayda's face lit up a little at the shift to magic talk. "Oh, that." She crossed her arms, already slipping into explanation mode. "When you created your dungeon, you focused too much on toughness. Your ice lost its coldness. Like earlier-when you froze those guys behind me-you knew my scales were hot, so your ice should've been colder to counteract that. It didn't melt easily, but the temperature variance shows you're compensating instead of refining."
Magic always gets her talking, I thought, a smile tugging at my lips. Even when the topic's heavy, bring up spells, and it's like flipping a switch.
"Yeah, I get that. But magic works with imagination, so it makes sense it reacts that way," I replied, scratching my cheek.
"That's true," she said, nodding. "But you need to reach a point where your ice always functions properly-cold, durable, versatile-without you needing to think about adjusting it. Only then will you have full control."
I hummed, absorbing her words. "But that's..."
"Hard, right?" she finished for me, smirking. "All you need is to improve your mana control. Then everything else will start clicking into place. Anyway, I'm late for your sisters' lesson." With that, she turned on her heel and began walking off.
"Thanks for the advice," I called after her, watching her retreat with a thoughtful look before I turned back to the tied-up party members still slumped nearby.
'Still so much work left to do...' I thought, letting my hand rise slowly. Ice chains slithered up from the ground, each ending in a wicked blade. With a sharp whistle of air, the blades embedded themselves into each captive's head. A second later, their bodies froze solid. Then-shattering into glimmering ice particles-their forms vanished, leaving only sparkling motes drifting lazily in the morning light.
"No matter how many times I see it... it's always beautiful," I murmured, turning on my heel and heading toward the training grounds.
As I walked, a notification popped up.
[Level Up! > Level 31]
"Hm. Oh, nice. I'm level 31 now."
The training grounds buzzed faintly with life as I arrived. Catrina stood in the center of the field, gripping a large broadsword in both hands. Across from her stood Chinada, calm and unreadable, twin daggers already out.
"Why a broadsword?" I muttered under my breath.
"Aah, Mom! You came!" Apricot shouted from the far end of the field, waving energetically.
"Tsk. Damn doggie has no shame," I muttered, hiding the faint heat rising to my face.
"She really called her Mom..." Catrina whispered under her breath, just loud enough for Chinada and me to hear.
"The amount of disrespect that dog is showing toward my queen..." Chinada growled, her grip tightening on her blades.
As I approached, the rest of my squad turned to look at me. Brenda stepped forward.
"Kitsuna, why are we testing this girl again?" she asked, her voice genuinely curious.
"It's a long story," I said, stopping next to them. "Ask her after. The short version is-she doesn't have a class yet. I want her to try close combat. But since she's more attuned to magic, we're basically training her from scratch."
"So... she's got no experience, and she picked a broadsword?" Brenda frowned, raising an eyebrow as she eyed Catrina's slim frame.
"If you think about it, it's not that strange," I said with a shrug. "Coming from an earl's house, she's probably seen plenty of guards using broadswords. Most knights at higher ranks prefer broadswords or greatswords. It's what she knows."
"That's fair," Brenda admitted. "Though daggers and katanas aren't that uncommon either."
"Is that so?" I said absently, turning my eyes back to the match as Catrina rushed toward Chinada.
Chinada didn't move, only watching with that same blank expression. Catrina swung the sword-clumsily but with intent.
"Seems like she knows a bit about wielding it," Brenda commented as the second swing came.
"Maybe," I said, narrowing my eyes. "But she doesn't have the strength or stamina to keep that up. And she's not even using her magic to support herself."
Mother's years of beating me into the dirt honed my ability to spot flaws easily. Every misstep, every inefficient movement, was evident. Watching Catrina was like observing my younger self struggle, with no one available to explain the reasons behind her actions.
"Aren't we testing her to see what weapon fits best?" Sirone asked, glancing over.
"...That's true," I muttered, facepalming. "Kind of forgot that."
We kept watching. After a few more wild swings, Catrina tripped over her feet and landed in a heap on the ground.
"Sigh. Okay, that's enough for now. Come here, Catrina," I called.
She scrambled up, slightly flushed and panting, jogging toward me with sword still in hand. "Yes, Nova?"
"You can call me Kitsuna. That's my real name. Nova is just my alias when I'm outside in public," I explained. "Now then-for your crappy performance. Why a broadsword?"
Her cheeks reddened further. "I've seen many guards use them..."
"Yeah, figures." I summoned two swords-one a long nodachi, the other a shorter tachi, both made of my ice magic. "Well, it doesn't suit you. Try these."
Catrina took a cautious step forward, eyeing the blades. "Why is this one so short?" she asked, pointing at the tachi.
"Because it's like a short sword. It's lighter and faster. I prefer it," I said, spinning them once before holding them out to her. "Now take these, hold them like this, and fight Chinada again."
"But... I don't even know how to use one sword. How will using two help?" she asked, eyeing me nervously.
I smiled sweetly, tilting my head. "Are you saying I don't know what I'm doing?"
"N-no! Of course not!" she said quickly, waving her hands. She took the swords and ran back to face Chinada.
"Oh yeah-use your magic this time!" I raised my voice so that she could hear me clearly.
A sudden weight landed on my back, two tiny arms draping over my shoulders.
"Can she even infuse her mana into your ice swords?" Nekro asked, her bunny ears twitching as she settled herself like a backpack.
"Oh, hey Nekro. Didn't know you were here," I said, glancing over my shoulder.
"Of course you didn't," she muttered in annoyance.
"To answer your question-no, she can't infuse mana into my swords. But she can coat them," I explained.
"What's the difference?" Nekro asked, frowning.
"Coating uses more mana but needs less control. Infusing uses less mana, but it's more efficient and stronger. For example, if you use fire mana, an infused sword would burn hotter and cut deeper.
"Exactly," Brenda chimed in. "Infusing takes more skill, but the payoff is better."
'Yeah... I was surprised too when I found out there was a difference. Back then, I thought I was infusing-but I was just coating. It felt the same. Even when I fought Steve years ago, I was still just coating them, and they still shattered. The first time I actually learned how to infuse was when I met Kayda... Damn, Mother never explained it properly.'
"But why can't you infuse your mana into Kitsuna's ice?" Nekro asked again.
"Because it's not regular metal-it's solidified mana. My own. It rejects other mana on an internal level," I said, then paused. "Though... maybe I can adjust that. Maybe I can change the structure to accept external mana..."
I trailed off, falling into thought.
"She's doing better now," Sirone observed, drawing me back to the present.
"Yeah... but she's also wrecking the training grounds," Brenda pointed out.
Everyone turned to stare at her.
"Umm... Don't we all destroy it daily?" I asked, chuckling.
"Yes, but she's doing it alone! Why can't I join in?" Brenda pouted, collapsing to her knees dramatically.
"I wonder if Catrina will actually fit in," I murmured, watching the absurd scene unfold.
If she could survive this madness... maybe she really would.
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Chapter 87: Mind tricks
It had been over three hours since Catrina's initial test began, and the sun now hung low in the sky, casting golden light across the cratered training grounds. The air was thick with dust and the lingering tingle of mana. Despite the exhaustion, a sense of clarity had settled over the group. We'd finally decided on the weapon combo that suited her best: a greatsword for her dominant right hand and a tachi for her left. Unusual, yes-but it worked.
She was now slouched slightly, sitting cross-legged in our informal circle, her face smeared with dirt and sweat, her cheeks still flushed from exertion.
"So... you guys don't mind me joining?" Catrina asked cautiously, her voice tinged with nerves as her gaze flitted between the members of the squad.
The others nodded without hesitation. Chinada even gave a subtle thumbs-up.
"Hm, no," I said casually, arms resting over my knees. "All you need to do is make sure you get a rare or exotic class. That shouldn't be too hard with the people you'll be training with." I gestured toward Chinada and Brenda, both of whom radiated a calm sort of menace even while relaxed. "However, just a warning-if you don't, then I can't help you."
"I'll do my best," Catrina said with an eager nod, her voice brimming with youthful optimism.
Just then, an all-too-familiar voice rang out from the mansion, cutting through the warm afternoon like a blade.
"Sister! Come to the mansion! We have a problem!"
Amari's shout was sharp with urgency. I sighed, pushing myself to my feet with a lazy stretch. A problem. Of course.
"I'll come back later. There seems to be something I need to take care of," I said to the group, waving over my shoulder.
"See you tonight, Mom!" Apricot called after me, voice light and playful.
I twitched. "Tonight?" Catrina asked, clearly confused.
"Whatever," I muttered, brushing it off as I Flash Stepped toward the mansion balcony.
I appeared a few feet in front of Amari, who stood overlooking the garden with crossed arms and a slight scowl.
"Told you she would hear me," Amari said smugly, glancing at Zagan, who stood a few paces behind her with an unreadable expression.
"So, why did you call?" I asked, cocking my head.
Amari rolled her eyes and then turned to go inside the building. "Earl Everstern and his wife arrived about thirty minutes ago. They're demanding compensation-and an apology."
I followed her into the hallway, my boots clicking lightly on the marble floor. "Did they mention Catrina?" I asked.
"Yeah, and you as well. Apparently, it's your fault. Everything," she said, clearly unimpressed.
I blinked. "I guess it is technically my fault for their betrayal... but demanding compensation from a marquis house? How highly do they think of themselves?"
"Are they in the drawing room?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yep. Dad's with them. Mom left early this morning-some kind of border issue again."
"Cool." I cracked my neck and walked faster. "Let's go see what these idiots actually want."
We were just approaching the door to the drawing room when a shrill voice exploded from inside.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
I paused, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting," I muttered, then reached for the handle and pushed the door open.
Inside, a blonde elf woman stood stiffly behind one of the couches, her arms rigid and eyes burning with indignation. Her husband, a black-haired man with a pinched expression, was seated nearby. Across from them, Dean reclined on the opposite couch with a neutral look that screamed long-suffering patience.
"Aah, you finally arrived," Dean said calmly when he noticed me.
The woman whipped around, stomping toward me with heavy, deliberate steps.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Don't shout like that in someone's face, Lady Everstern," I said coolly, brushing past her without breaking stride. I dropped onto the couch beside Dean with an exaggerated sigh, Amari and Zagan flanking us like silent sentinels.
"Now that my daughter is here, we can start talking like civil people," Dean said, his tone bordering on diplomatic-though there was a subtle steel underneath.
"So you're the disgraceful being that led Mary and her party to their downfall," Lady Everstern hissed, venom dripping from every word.
Dean raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Honey, calm down," Sir Everstern murmured, placing a hand on his wife's leg in a weak attempt to rein her in.
Dean leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. "Now, might you tell us why you're here? I've heard about the incident from my daughter, but I fail to see why it concerns you."
"Ahem." Lady Everstern sat down stiffly. "We're here to get an explanation for what happened during today's extermination quest-the one Catrina joined with her party."
Sir Everstern took over, his voice steadier. "When she first joined the guild a year ago, we offered to make her a party, but she declined. She said she wanted to meet new people. So we let her... and she met Mary's party. They were kind and respectful. We even welcomed them into our home."
He sounded so sincere it was almost pathetic.
'Nice people?' I thought, biting back a scoff. 'They were clearly after her money. There's no way a group like that stays loyal for a full year just out of friendship.'
"In the end," Sir Everstern continued, "we're here to request that you release Mary and the others-and issue a formal apology for the slander. The rumors about them trying to kill you."
At that, I couldn't help myself. I chuckled. Not a polite laugh, but a sharp bark that made the couple flinch.
"Rumors?" I said, leaning forward. "Do you take me for a joke? People try to kill me every other day. What would I gain by inventing a story about some random party? I don't have time for petty drama."
I raised my hand and conjured a swirl of snow, placing it gently on the table between us.
"Here. This is the closest thing you'll get to the remains of that party."
"You-!" Sir Everstern shot to his feet, rage twisting his features. "You killed them?!"
"Yes. Of course," I said, unbothered. "But don't worry, your daughter is fine. She-"
"How dare you kill Mary, you bitch!" Lady Everstern shrieked, leaping up, eyes wide with fury.
I blinked, glancing toward Dean. He was already staring at me with a confused expression, mirrored by my own.
"What sort of combat house are they?" I asked under my breath.
"They're mages. "They occasionally produce skilled children who excel in the assassin class," Dean murmured back.
"Ah."
Turning back to the couple, I said louder, "Lady Everstern, calm down and let me finish."
"That doesn't change the fact you killed Mary!"
"And what of your daughter?" I snapped, standing to my full height. "Why do you care more for some outsider than your own flesh and blood? Do you even want to know how she's doing?!"
The woman's face paled, her mouth opening but no sound coming out.
"No? That's what I thought." I glared at her. "Is this how elves behave in this world?"
"That's not fair-" she began, but I cut her off with a snort.
"Did you know elves are supposed to be family-oriented?" Zagan chimed in casually. "Just under Demon Foxes in how much they value blood ties."
"Huh, is that true?" Amari asked, raising a brow, seemingly oblivious to the tension.
"Yeah," Zagan nodded. "Did some research. Elves value family loyalty. Demons care more about power, though."
Dean shook his head with a sigh. "So you're saying something's wrong with this elf's brain?"
"Pfft. Pretty much." I shrugged. "But it doesn't matter anymore. Go reflect on where you went wrong."
I turned toward the door. "Your daughter is training with her new squad. She's doing fine. Better than fine. I'll keep this conversation from her-for now. Figure out how you'll explain this yourselves."
Without waiting for a response, I slipped out and shut the door behind me.
'Maybe I'm too charming sometimes,' I thought, then immediately discarded it.
"What now..." I murmured, glancing around.
'Maybe I'll go ask Kayda about magic again.'
I wandered down the hallway, thoughts drifting.
'What a day... Guild registration. First quest. Betrayal. Murder. Mental breakdown revelations. Did some evil god curse me with perpetual chaos?'
"Where do you think you're going?" A familiar voice interrupted.
I blinked. I was standing at the mansion's front gates.
Turning slightly, I saw Mom walking up beside me, still dressed in full combat gear, weapons hidden but unmistakably present.
"Honestly? I don't know. Thought I was heading to Kayda's room," I admitted.
"Well, you're not," Mom said dryly. "You were heading toward the North district. That's where Kayda actually is, by the way."
I blinked again. "Toward her?"
Mom nodded. "And yes-I told them to keep quiet about your personality stuff. However, please understand that most people tend to avoid facing the truth. We just assumed the worst."
She gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"That's why we kept it from you. For now."
I have realized you guys like it when I make my author notes. So here is one.
Now last week, I didn't give one, and everyone thought I was sick. Well, you are not wrong.
But not right as well. I wasn't sick, but I had an inspiration about writing, so I have about 5 extra chapters at the moment. Sadly I am not going to go back to normal uploads yet.
I thought about it and made 3 goals for myself.
1. I will be back with a normal upload schedule end of June. so form first of July it will be normal again. (This is confirmed. Only if something major happens in my life will this not happen.)
2. I want to have at least 15 extra chapters then.
3. If I have more than 30 extra chapters schedule will change to daily.
Yes, I know I want to have way too many extra chapters, but I can't write every day for the moment. So, this is the best I can do, and I will work my hardest to get that 30 chapters.
I am sure some of you will also think I want to go premium. Well, that's true. I want to go premium. But that will be explained in the next chapter's author note.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 88:
"Yeah, but do understand that any normal person will run away from the truth most of the time, and, well, you are you, so we just assume the worst will happen." That's why we hid it from you for now," Mom explained, her arms folded tightly across her chest, the stiff expression on her face betraying just how conflicted she felt.
I raised an eyebrow, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "For someone who's so good at lying to other people, you really suck at lying to your family."
"Ugh." She let out a defeated groan, turning her head slightly like she was trying to avoid the truth of it.
"You would've never told me," I said, voice calm but pointed. "You knew I'd find out by myself. And letting me discover it on my own felt safer to you than actually saying it. I get it, though. Human beings hate to be called out on their flaws, and I'm no different. I felt angry when Rachel confronted me.
I let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of my neck with a sigh.
"And even if I did try to run after finding out, let's be honest-you would've beaten me up and dragged me back here anyway."
She didn't say anything. She just kept watching me with a conflicted stare. Her silence spoke volumes.
"I wasn't mad at you guys for hiding it from me... well, not that mad," I admitted, crouching slightly as I ran both hands through my hair with a groan. "What really got to me was that I didn't notice it sooner. I should have. I've seen myself laugh like a cartoon villain or smirk like I was already planning someone's murder-but I never put two and two together. Reflecting on it now, I realize that those reactions only occurred when I contemplated killing someone.
I dropped down into a full squat, arms resting on my knees, and let out another groan as I ruffled my hair in frustration. "Aah, fuck. I feel so dumb now."
Mom chuckled, her expression finally softening as she approached and squatted beside me. "Ha-ha, you're handling it better than I thought you would."
"Hmm," I hummed, finally sitting down properly and crossing my legs. "Well, I have a rough idea of what's wrong with me mentally... But I have no clue how to fix it. Either I go on some long self-reflection trip and hope for the best, or I pull the classic monk move and sit under a waterfall for a few months until I reach enlightenment."
I dramatically put a finger to my chin and nodded as if genuinely considering it. "Might take years. I'll probably freeze before I reach any wisdom."
Mom stood back up, brushing her hands on her pants. "Well, how about something more practical? Like a self-appraisal trip-toward the border city and back. You'd have six months, just enough time before the tournament starts."
I looked up at her, brow arching. "I'm down. But with whom? And why the border?"
"You lost your chakrams during the mansion raid, right?" she said, crossing her arms again, her expression sliding into something more calculating. "You haven't gotten replacements yet. So go visit Steve-he can forge you something new. As for company, Kayda's going with you. You're a trouble magnet, and she's already handed off her next 12-month training plan to Amari. She's free."
I blinked. "Not a bad idea, actually. I do miss my lovely chakrams."
However, I could already sense that this was planned. They were just using my mental state as a convenient excuse. Typical. But... It wasn't like Mom would throw me into danger without at least giving me a heads-up.
"That's why Kayda's already prepping. You two leave tomorrow-on foot," she added with a grin.
I flinched. "On foot?"
"It'll take two months to go there and back, assuming you just walk the whole way. But with six months to work with, you can take your time. Sightsee. Meditate. Whatever."
"But can't you guys just fly there?" I asked, pointing skyward dramatically. "Like-zip, arrive in a few hours?"
"If we use our planes, yes. They're a lot faster than you think, dummy," she said, flicking her finger against my forehead.
I rubbed it with a pout. "But they can't be faster than you, right?"
"Of course not," Mom said proudly, puffing out her chest like a smug cat. "I can run there and back before a plane completes one trip."
"If that's the case," I said, eyes narrowing with mock suspicion, "then why didn't you ever run back when we stayed at the border for two years?"
"I nev-!"
"Oh, sorry," I interrupted, shaking my head. "I forgot. You're old. You'd have broken your back if you tried that."
The look on her face froze like she'd just been slapped. "What did you just say?"
"Huh? Didn't you hear me, or was I too high up for your old ears?" I leaned down toward her face, smirking. "Can you hear me now?"
"You ungrateful little-!"
Her fist rocketed upward, uppercutting me cleanly in the chin. My feet left the ground, and I soared back a few feet before landing with a heavy thud.
"-daughter," she finished with a growl.
Still grinning despite the bruise forming on my jaw, I stood up and dusted myself off. "Says the flat-chested cat."
With a sudden flash step, I charged back toward her. Our hands collided mid-air in a grapple, pressure exploding from the impact and cracking the stone beneath us into a shallow crater.
"Still as fat as ever," she snorted. "I told you to eat less."
"Still as small-handed as ever," I countered, smirking as I easily encased her hand in mine. "Are these even usable in a fight?"
"You want to find out?" She shot back before slamming her foot into my stomach, launching me backward again.
I skidded across the stone before flipping upright. "Haven't had a proper spar in a while. Base stats only?"
"No, that wouldn't be fair to you," she said smugly as she activated her limiters.
"Tch. Old hag," I muttered, summoning two ice daggers and shifting into a ready stance.
"I'm thirty-six!" she yelled before bolting toward me with blurring speed.
I activated Sword Domain. The temperature plummeted around me in a sudden drop-frost crackling across the stone underfoot as a chill surged outward in a four-meter radius.
"Not bad," Mom said as she moved within range like it was nothing. "But not enough."
Crap. She wasn't slowed by the cold at all.
I barely had time to react before she drew her fist back. I crossed my daggers in front of me, reinforced with chains bracing my stance through the ground. Her punch hit.
CRACK.
Pain shot up both arms. My forearms shattered like glass under the pressure, and the chain anchors ripped clean from the stone. I went flying.
My back slammed against the front gate with a sickening crunch.
'That strength... It's way more than last time. At least 2000 base strength? Damn, even my ribs are cracked...' I thought, forcing my healing to work overtime.
"You blocked that better than I expected. I commend you," she said, walking toward me, her arms loose at her sides, calm and confident.
"To think your base stats overtook mine. I should be ashamed," I groaned, climbing back to my feet with a grin. "Losing to an old hag in growth."
"Oh?" Her brows rose as she smirked. "Still confident in beating your mom?"
"Of course. If I can't beat my mother one day, what am I even doing?" I said, flash-stepping high above her. I brought two war hammers down with full momentum.
She caught them. Effortlessly.
"These look fancy. Still weak." Her hands clenched. The hammers shattered like they were made of sugar.
'Damn it. Think! My ice is like metal. I need to forge, not just create. Weapon strength comes from structure, not shape.'
As she pulled a dagger from nowhere and lunged, I flash-stepped aside, breathing heavily.
She followed, another dagger aimed at my ribs. I deflected it with a backhanded sweep.
The folding method-layered density. I made my dungeon walls that way! Why didn't I apply the folding method to my weapons sooner?
"You know what, Mother?" I leaped back. "I haven't felt this dumb in weeks."
A new odachi formed in my hand-its blade gleaming, layered like folded steel, and humming with mana.
"Ooh. Looks good. Let's see if it fights as effective as it looks." She drew twin shortswords and advanced.
I crouched into a drawn stance, body still and focused.
Two meters out, I drew and slashed.
Mom leapt up-just dodging.
"Obvious stance," she said, smug.
"I know," I replied-and the trap sprang.
Four chains shot up from underground, aiming to snare her mid-air.
"Shit-!"
She twisted mid-flight, dodging the first two-just in time for my blade to cut across her.
Blood sprayed.
Her leg and arm fell to the stone.
"Agh!"
Time stopped.
Seeing her collapsed, writhing, bleeding-my heart clenched. I dropped my sword and rushed in, scooping her up with trembling hands.
I'd seen the sight before. The pool of blood surrounded the limp body. My mother's body-my real mother's body-burned into my memory.
"Sirone," I whispered, turning to dash for help.
But something moved.
I barely dodged a dagger flying from behind.
In my arms... my mother's body turned to water.
"Fucking illusion," I hissed, rage bubbling in my gut.
I looked up-just in time to meet eyes with the real Mom, a fresh trickle of blood down her leg, but otherwise grinning.
"That was good. You almost had me," she admitted.
Almost.
My rage boiled.
"You know I hate illusions!" I yelled, slamming a fist into the ground where she'd stood. The ground was cratered.
"Sorry, sorry! I went too-aaaah!" She shrieked, ducking as I hurled an odachi at her face.
I summoned a second blade mid-motion and caught the first on its rebound.
"Let's see how easily you break these, now that I've got a real forging method down."
"Dual-wielding odachis?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.
I smirked. "Who do you think taught me?"
And with a roar, I vanished in a blur of motion.
She met my charge with a smirk of her own.
"Of course, my disciple."
And this time, we clashed-not as parent and child, but as warriors.
I thought about when I would go premium. Don't get me wrong, this book wasn't written to make money, but if I can make some small bucks, then I will take it. Though I should get from your gifts that I appreciate a lot. But webnovel doesn't pay anything out that's under 200 USD-sad Face.
When the premium hit is up to you guys.
In the comment section, vote there. Just comment a number as a new comment, not on someone else's. I won't look at likes that much so that you know. Also, at the end of each choice, there is a number of chapters each, and every one of them will most likely change. This is just an estimate of when it will happen and small spoilers, my bad.
1. After the visit to the red demon territory. (15 chapters)
2. After Kitsuna gets her class (20 chapters)
3. After visiting Steve. (25 chapters)
4. After the tournament (40 chapters)
5. When I hit 5K on collections (that's 500 away)(I get at least 100 every 4 or 5 days)
Voting will end when I upload the next chapter.
Okay, I think this is fair to all, so if it ends up being never, then it will never happen. If it ends up to be the visit to the demons, then it will happen, not that I think it will happen that fast.
I will be a bit sad, though, if it ends up never, but this was a novel I just wrote for fun in the beginning. So there will be no losses in the end.
Suppose you guys are not satisfied after this, then bye-bye, I don't care. Do remember I can just do it if I want to. I don't need to ask you if it was fine.
The last part is only for the complainers. If you don't complain, then I am happy.
Oh, and there is one thing that will happen if it goes premium and I get enough money. I will get a fucken editor.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 89:
(Kayda POV)
It was supposed to be a normal day. Peaceful. Quiet. Just me, Kitsuna, and a smooth departure for our six-month journey together. The start of the day was normal. I woke up, had tea, made a checklist, then headed into town.
That all changed the moment we came back from that damn quest.
Those goddamn orcs had ruined everything-my time with Kitsuna, our plans, our calm. And now she'd learned about her shifting personality, all thanks to that angel's big mouth. Damn that winged nuisance. I'd kill her if I could.
But, presumably, I should thank her too. Because of her meddling, I now had six uninterrupted months with Kitsuna. Time alone, time to help her, time to just be with her.
All I had to do now was prepare everything.
And so I did.
I bought all the supplies, packed what we might need, arranged for some gear checkups, and even had a few scrolls enchanted just in case. With my list complete and bags full, I took to the sky again, heading back to the mansion to let Stacy know everything was ready.
That was the plan.
Until I landed.
The first thing I noticed was the main gate-or rather, what was left of it. The giant iron frame was bent inwards like something had crashed through it. Parts of it were crumpled and scorched, and the enchanted wood paneling was splintered all across the lawn. A crater lay a few meters beyond, broken stone and dust scattered in chaotic spirals.
I nearly dropped my bags as panic surged through me.
I was about to dash inside-when I froze.
Dean and Earl Everstern stood at the top of the front steps, pale-faced, unmoving. The earl's wife was clutching his arm, eyes wide in disbelief. But they weren't looking at me.
They were staring to my right.
Confused, I slowly turned my head-and my heart nearly stopped.
Kitsuna was locked in a full-on brawl with three Stacy duplicates, trading brutal blows in the scorched courtyard.
"What the hell is going on here?!" I shouted, eyes darting between the clones.
One of the Stacys hurled a punch at Kitsuna's side, but Kitsuna twisted mid-air and kicked off one of the duplicate's arms, flipping into a counterattack.
The real Stacy-judging from her expression-landed a fierce right hook directly at Kitsuna's face. Kitsuna barely managed to cross her arms and absorb the hit.
Even then, the force sent her flying like a ragdoll.
I gasped and nearly rushed to catch her, but before I could move, a massive slab of ice erupted from the ground in the trajectory of her flight. Kitsuna twisted her body mid-air, skidding across the top of the ice wall like a snowboarding fox. As she launched herself back toward Stacy, the impact from her jump shattered the wall behind her into glittering ice shards.
The shards slammed into the surrounding area-toppling flowerbeds, smashing new garden ornaments, and completely uprooting several newly planted trees.
A vein popped in my forehead.
Enough was enough.
With a flash step, I appeared between them mid-charge. My hands shot out and grabbed both of their wrists as they swung at each other.
BOOM!
I slammed them both into the ground, cracking the stone pathway.
"That's enough!" I shouted, glaring down at them. "This is not a training ground!"
Stacy blinked, only mildly fazed. "Oh, Kayda! Welcome back," she said casually, sitting up and crossing her legs like nothing happened.
Kitsuna winced beneath me. "Ugh... Why'd you have to ruin our fun?" She groaned, looking up at me with an exaggerated pout.
"Fun? You call this fun?!" I pointed around at the destruction-the crater, the flattened hedges, the half-collapsed statue of the founder. "You guys destroyed half the entrance! Do you know how long the damage will take to fix without a self-repair spell?!"
"Eh..." Kitsuna muttered, averting her eyes.
"OW! OW! OW! KAYDA-." Kitsuna suddenly yelped as I grabbed her by the ear and twisted.
"You're going to rip it off!" she whined, kicking lightly at the air.
"Hehe, get her, Kayda! She started it!" Stacy cheered, pumping a fist in the air.
"I started it? You called me dumb first, you ancient hag!"
"What was that? You want to feel a scorch spell up your ass?" I growled, a small flame igniting in my palm.
"NO THANKS!" they both screamed at the same time, instantly sitting straighter, the color draining from their faces.
"Good." I let go of Kitsuna's ear and shook the scorch spell away. "Now sit. And explain."
Kitsuna didn't hesitate-dropping to the ground like a soldier reporting to a general.
Stacy was a bit more casual. "Well... when you told me about Kitsuna discovering her personality shifts, I panicked. I was only a few hours away from the capital, so I came straight here."
She tilted her head, looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "When I got here, I saw Kitsuna walking toward the main gate. I thought Kitsuna was trying to run away, so I jumped in front of her. Turns out, she was heading toward your room."
I raised an eyebrow. "My room?"
"She said she wanted to talk to you," Stacy said, grinning.
I felt my cheeks warm. "Oh..."
"Anyway, we talked a bit... Then some insults flew, and the next thing I knew, we were throwing punches," Kitsuna added with a sheepish shrug.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "So it wasn't major..."
Then I glanced at the wreckage again.
"...I take that back. This is major. Look at all this destruction."
They ignored me.
"Kitsuna, I loved that fight," Stacy said, giggling like a child. "You're way more enjoyable when you're not all serious and tactical. That wild side? Loved it."
Kitsuna smiled faintly and leaned forward on her knees... then collapsed face-first into the ground.
"It's wonderful that you enjoyed it. I did too," she mumbled, voice muffled by the dirt. "But I'm out of juice. G'night."
"She's asleep already?" I blinked.
"She's always been like this," Stacy said fondly, brushing Kitsuna's hair back. "Though usually it's her fox form passed out in a sunbeam. Not quite the same."
"She sleeps on the ground either way," I said dryly.
"I meant it to be like this," Stacy said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, help me get her into a bed."
"Why should I?" I asked, crossing my arms. "This is your fault."
"Whose wife is this?" she countered smugly.
"...Tch."
I said nothing but bent down, lifting Kitsuna's arm and wrapping it over my shoulder.
"Thought so," Stacy said, moving to grab the other side-only to realize she was too short to be any help.
"Are you going to help or not?" I asked, annoyed.
"Hehe. I think I just saw Kitsune's ear twitch. She might've heard me call you her wife. Guess I'll be going now."
And with that, Stacy bolted, vanishing down the corridor in a blur.
"Kitsuna... Are you really awake?" I asked, staring at her face.
She didn't move.
I sighed. "Making excuses because you're too short to help carry your daughter... unbelievable."
(Kitsuna POV)
"Can't believe I slept for two whole days," I said, stretching out my arms with a groan. My muscles still ached. "Was the fight really that draining?"
"Yes," Lily replied curtly. She stood at my bedside like a nurse, arms crossed.
"What did I miss?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"Well, you delayed your departure with Kayda. Catrina is currently bedridden due to overexertion. And one non-important thing-Earl Everstern asked for forgiveness."
"Non-important?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "He probably watched my fight with Mom. Bet he saw me fly through a wall or something."
Lily nodded. "He and his wife walked home. Couldn't even bring themselves to get in their car."
"Didn't they have a car?"
"They did. But the driveway's covered in your ice. The walls and boulders create a frozen battlefield out there.
I chuckled. "Cars are that useless, huh?"
"Nothing with wheels could get through that mess. Honestly, not even horses could."
"I'll clean it up later," I said, waving my hand lazily.
"You will clean it up," Lily said firmly before bowing and leaving.
"...That was her plan from the beginning, wasn't it?"
I sighed and walked into the bathroom to splash some water on my face.
Then I froze.
"CRAP!" I yelled, dashing back out. "I forgot to interrogate Brad!"
I changed into combat clothes mid-run, using dimensional storage to slap on my gear. I leapt off the balcony, angling toward Apricot's location to borrow her illusion eyes.
[Two Hours Later]
"To think the list would be this long..." I muttered, flipping through a stack of paper with Brad's confession.
"Don't tell me they're all black ops," Mom said, her voice tense.
"Not all. Some are underground soldiers and shady operatives. However, at least thirty individuals have been confirmed as black ops operatives.
"Thirty?" She looked genuinely disturbed. "From one man?"
"Yup." I handed her the stack. "Oh-and you guys can use the ice dungeon while I'm gone to interrogate more. I reinforced the walls. They can now withstand up to 6000 strength."
"Impressive."
"Yeah... I finally remembered how I used to do it in my old world. Built it using layered compression. It should hold fine unless someone brings a divine weapon.
"And Apricot?"
"She'll keep up the illusion if needed. Furthermore, I've made sure the Duke doesn't die while I'm gone."
Mom didn't look up from the list. "Are you sure these are all traitors?"
"No. Brad gave me the names. It's up to you to verify."
Her eyes narrowed. "I recognize all of them. Three are Commanding Specialists."
She looked up at me.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
She stared at the papers again. "Alright. Thank you. Take care on your trip, Kitsuna."
She turned, walking away without another word.
"Poor bastards," I mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Apricot asked.
"Your mom isn't kind to traitors. And now that she has the dungeon? Let's just say... It's going to be a difficult week for them."
"Btw, why do you always call me Mom?" I grumbled. "Just call me big sis or something. I'm not that old."
"No," Apricot said simply, walking away.
"Stubborn dog," I muttered, walking toward the main gate.
It was time to leave.
Kayda was probably waiting.
This time, there would be no orcs, no angels, and no interruptions.
Just six months.
Her and me.
Well, it's been ruffly 16 hours since the vote started, and man its no brainer what will win. Not that I am surprised.
So after the tournament is the winner, I know I said until Saturday but from the 30 comments. 90% of it is 4.
Surprisingly 1 had... 1 vote, actually. I didn't think it will get any.
The second one that got the most votes is 2. When Kitsuna gets her class, well, that is a turning point, and the time she gets a bit to OP.
Well, now everyone knows, and I am really sorry for those that can't afford to buy coins.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 90:
(Kitsuna POV)
"If it isn't the lady of the hour," Zagan drawled sarcastically from the mansion's entrance, his arms folded as he leaned against the doorframe.
His silver hair gleamed in the midday light, and his eyes held the same teasing glint they always did when he was trying to rile me up. Amari stood next to him, arms crossed and a smirk playing on her lips.
"Oh? Come to see me off with Amari?" I asked, my steps casual as I approached them, my travel bag slung lazily over one shoulder.
Zagan shrugged. "We aren't here only for that."
Amari flicked her long hair over her shoulder, turning slightly to look back at the front yard. Her voice carried an amused lilt. "We wanted to see what you were going to do about this."
I followed her gaze. The front yard, once a perfectly maintained estate garden with trimmed hedges and a pristine driveway, now looked like a war zone. I blinked slowly, taking in the devastation that was the aftermath of my fight with Mother.
"Hehe... yeah, I actually don't know what to do," I said with a stiff laugh, rubbing the back of my neck as I surveyed the damage.
The main gate had been twisted like a crushed soda can, with metal beams bent and jutting out at awkward angles. Cracks split the paved stone driveway like spiderwebs, and the once-beautiful flower beds were frozen solid, covered in a thick sheen of glistening ice. Several small craters dotted the landscape-obvious signs of where I had crash-landed each time Mother yeeted me across the yard. A few ornamental trees leaned at weird angles, some having snapped completely under the impact.
"I didn't even manage to send her flying once," I muttered, sighing. "She, on the other hand, did it to me, like, thirty times."
The worst of it was the driveway. Since it had been the flattest surface, it became the de facto battlefield. It was littered with shallow gouges, some still steaming faintly, and half a dozen frozen weapons stood embedded in the earth like oversized toothpicks.
I walked down the cracked steps toward the closest blade stuck in the ground. The shimmering blue ice hummed with residual mana.
"Wait..." I frowned, crouching beside the sword and resting my palm against its hilt. "How did I even make so many swords? I was fighting nonstop with Mom, using St. Stephen. I shouldn't have had enough mana for this."
Zagan joined me, glancing over the battlefield. "What do you mean? You used to make hundreds before you ran out."
"Yeah, but those weren't like these." I gestured toward the nearest weapons. "You remember that the more mana I pour in, the denser and stronger the blade becomes." These... these are different. They're made of layered ice. Like sheets stacked one over another."
Amari leaned in slightly, curious. "Like sword folding? The technique Zagan told you about?"
"Exactly. Not as good, of course. More of a makeshift version. However, each layer consumes a significant amount of mana while I was engaged in battle. I shouldn't have had the juice to make thirty of these." I stood up and extended my hand.
With a quick flick of my fingers, I conjured a new weapon-a scythe with a long, sweeping blade, nearly 12 meters long. The handle shimmered faintly, forming perfectly in my grasp.
"Let's see how much that took," I muttered, pulling up my status window.
[Status]
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 1-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Level: 31
Class: Unknown (Wrath)
HP: 2800/2800
MP: 4549/4600
STR: 1200
VIT: 1400
DEF: 800
INT: 2300
END: 2250
AGI: 2600
"Only 51 mana used?" I blinked in disbelief. "That used to cost me around 150. Did I become secretly broken?"
Zagan let out a low whistle. "That's a giant improvement."
"Yup. I must've evolved again or subconsciously started using ice more efficiently. Huh..."
Before I could continue my thoughts, Kayda's sharp and commanding voice interrupted me from behind. "That's wonderful and all, but can you fix the front yard? We need to leave. You already delayed our departure by two days."
I turned to her with a sheepish smile. She was dressed for travel, her white cloak fluttering in the soft breeze, and her arms crossed in that 'I'm tolerating your bullshit' kind of way.
"Yes, ma'am," I said with a mock salute, dispelling the scythe and using flash steps to zip around the yard. In a few moments, I had gathered all the scattered weapons and returned to her side.
"You have a plan to fix all that?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Hmm... I could just melt it all, but then it'll flood..." I crouched and placed my palms on the ground. "Ah, got it."
The ground hummed with mana as I whispered an incantation, drawing the icy essence up from the destroyed terrain. Slowly, the chaotic craters, gouges, and shattered ice constructs were replaced with something new-sleek, controlled designs. Patterns of foxes-sitting, running, sleeping-formed in walls and pedestals, white bushes aligning neatly beside the walkway. At the end of the walkway, a fountain emerged, shaped like two intertwined dragons whose arched necks formed a heart.
Zagan blinked. Amari's jaw dropped.
"What the hell...?" she muttered. "You redesigned the whole thing."
"Yup!" I said, beaming. "Call it my final middle finger to Mother for chucking me through the yard like a ragdoll."
[Later-On the Road]
The early afternoon sun filtered through the forest canopy as Kayda and I walked the shaded path toward the southern gate. Our footsteps crunched over dry leaves, the forest alive with the quiet buzz of insects.
"So, what did you do this morning?" Kayda asked casually.
I whistled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Uhhh... had someone to interrogate. And someone to kill."
Kayda glanced at me sideways, unimpressed. "Furry? She's dead then?"
"Yup. Starving for two days broke them both. Should've told you earlier... sorry."
Kayda waved it off. "Nah, it's fine. I've seen more than enough people I dislike die."
Curious, I tilted my head. "How did you feel after?"
She paused for a moment, hands tucked behind her head. "Happy and empty, I guess. I mean, I was glad they were gone, but... It didn't change anything, really."
"Oh, thank god," I muttered, sighing with relief.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"That's exactly how I felt after I killed that person. I was so ready for some catharsis. But... nothing really changed."
Before Kayda could reply, a voice called out from the path.
"Ladies," a knight in full Duke Boei uniform said stiffly, stepping aside. "Not to pry, but please don't speak of killing people so openly."
"Why not?" I asked innocently. "It might be our job, you know."
The knight's face twitched, clearly unamused.
Kayda sighed and palmed her face. "Nova, you're making it worse..."
"What's he going to do?" I said with a grin, gesturing to the sword strapped to my back. "Arrest me?"
The knight's face turned beet red. "Grrrrrrr..."
"Just shut up!" Kayda barked, dragging me by the hand. "You-Mister Knight-ignore the idiot fox. We're leaving the capital anyway."
"Bye-bye~!" I waved sweetly over my shoulder.
"Bitch!" the knight yelled, flipping me off.
I cackled.
[South Gate]
"Ooh, by the way-why are we heading south again?" I asked as we passed through the gates, sunlight now bathing the open fields beyond.
Kayda's expression turned thoughtful. "I want to inspect Anabald territory. They've been quiet lately, and their house head is conveniently 'missing.'"
"Missing? I thought she was out at sea," I replied, remembering what Mom told me.
Kayda snorted. "That's just the public excuse. I think something deeper is going on. And with your powers, you'll be a tremendous help."
"Because I'm a demon?"
"No. Because the church hates demons. If you cause some trouble in Anabald lands, the church might openly target you during the tournament. Which works in our favor."
I nodded slowly. "Huh... smart. But will we even have time to do all that and get back to our territory in six months?"
Kayda gave me a sly look and gestured to the woods nearby. "Only if we travel normally."
I narrowed my eyes. "Oh no... You want us to transform, don't you?"
"You, specifically," she said, pointing at me.
"What about you?"
Kayda crossed her arms, unbothered. "If I transform, I have to fly to avoid mass panic. But if you turn into your smallest fox form, you'll look like my contract beast."
"...You want me to act like your pet?" I stared at her, horrified.
"I even got you a collar," she said sweetly, pulling out a glittering white chain from her backpack.
"Hell no! Not happening!" I waved my arms furiously.
"It matches your fur so well," Kayda pouted.
"NO!"
"It even has little ice crystal charms..."
I hesitated. "Shit."
[Draig Mansion-Dan POV]
I arrived at the Draig estate, expecting a serious meeting with Stacy Draig. What I didn't expect was... this.
The newly rebuilt entrance was blindingly white. The gates were now pristine ivory, and the path was lined with ice fox statues every few meters-each one different. Some sitting, some crouched, some mid-run. Their detail was breathtaking. There were bushes too-artificial ones, made of ice but shaped to resemble delicate flora.
At the end stood a fountain featuring two dragons intertwined, their snouts meeting in the center to form a heart.
My mother practically squealed. "Oh my goodness! That is adorable! We need to know who made this!"
As we drove up, we saw Dean and Stacy walk out-Dean's jaw dropped. Stacy looked ready to strangle someone.
"She didn't..." Dean muttered.
"She did," Stacy confirmed, groaning. "I asked her not to fix it. I never said how. Cunning little fox..."
"Good afternoon," I greeted, stepping out. "We came as fast as we could."
"Yeah... give me a sec," Stacy muttered, massaging her temple as she stared at the army of frozen foxes lining her front yard.
Mother stepped up beside her. "Might I ask who made this? It's stunning."
"Kitsuna," Stacy deadpanned. "She made it out of ice. Probably with Kayda's help."
My mother looked lost for words. "I... I see..."
Dean growled. "I'm grounding her when she gets back."
"Too late for that," Stacy muttered. "She already won."
"Bwahahahahaha!" I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
So it wasn't just me suffering thanks to that fox.
Chapter 91
'In the end... she won.'
That thought echoed in my mind, laced with reluctant amusement, as I padded down the dirt road toward the southern town, my thick, fluffy red tail swaying behind me with each step. My claws barely made a sound against the packed earth, and the surrounding woods were peaceful-sunlight filtering through dense branches and dappling the path ahead. On my back, lounging like royalty atop a giant, mobile pillow, was Kayda. The smug dragoness had claimed my spine as her throne, arms behind her head, legs casually crossed.
Not that I was bitter.
Well, maybe a little.
I was still in my fox form-half of my true size to keep things convenient. At this size, I stood taller than most horses and was broad enough that Kayda could lie across my back without fear of slipping. Her weight wasn't a problem. Her smugness was.
"Hey, Nova, why did you stop running?" Kayda asked, twisting around to face the front, her voice lazy like someone just waking from a nap.
I snorted, a puff of frost escaping my nose. "That's because we're close to the next town. I would rather not run through the place like a deranged beast. This is supposed to be a sightseeing and self-reflection trip for me, remember?"
I slowed further, now deliberately walking near the edge of the road to avoid drawing attention when we arrived. My massive paws left deep prints in the loose earth, and my ears twitched at every bird call and rustle in the distance.
"Yeah, but it's the first day," Kayda groaned, flopping backward again and letting her arms dangle over my sides. "We can't stop already."
"We're not staying the night," I reassured her, glancing back over my shoulder. "Just walking through. Maybe a snack. Stretch the legs. Then we move on."
"Oh. Then... do you want to change back to your human form?" Kayda asked, scooting forward until she was practically lying across the back of my neck, looking down at me upside-down.
I gave a soft chuckle, amused by the sight of her head hanging over mine like an upside-down bat. "Nah. I'll stay like this for a while."
"You sure?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "You're easier to bully when you're fluffy."
"Gee, thanks."
Kayda giggled and hopped lightly down from my back, brushing her cloak straight as she landed. "Alright then, but remember-not a word. Contract beasts don't talk, and you're already way too suspicious-looking."
I puffed out my cheeks slightly. "I'm rare. That's the appeal."
"That's precisely the problem." She folded her arms and looked at me sternly. "We don't want nobles sniffing around, trying to 'buy' you or recruit you into some dumb contest. So, zip it. No witty remarks. No growling in sarcasm. Silence."
I sighed dramatically, making sure the air huffed out in a frosty puff. "Okay, fine. But trouble's going to find us anyway."
She tapped the top of my head twice-lightly-and the oddly comforting rhythm made my tail thump once against the road.
"Still," she replied, "we can at least pretend to be cautious. Minimize risk."
"Stop tapping my head," I grumbled, twitching my ears.
"Yeah, yeah," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Anyway, shut up. We're almost there."
I turned my gaze ahead. True to her word, a town came into view, the outline forming beyond the thinning trees. Wooden watchtowers, stone walls, and a pair of iron-reinforced gates gave Mari Town its medieval charm. I slowed instinctively, taking in the view.
"So, this is the town called Mari," I murmured. "Not as big as I expected..."
It wasn't small, certainly. Compared to Earth standards, it resembled a medium-sized Japanese city, but by this world's scale, it was considered average. The town stretched in a linear fashion-one main road running from the northern gate to the southern, cutting straight through its center like a spine. Buildings leaned in on both sides, some old and weathered, others newer with reinforced stone bases. That single road was unpaved, dusty, and bumpy.
From my current height, I could easily see over the walls. Part of me was tempted to stand on hind legs and peek over like a curious monster, just to see the panic. But then I remembered that one time in the northern capital when someone actually peed their pants, and I startled them.
...Nope. Never again.
"Even though the capital is advanced, why is this area so far behind?" I asked, tilting my head toward Kayda. My voice was barely above a whisper, keeping my words between us. "The roads are dirt. The houses are all wooden..."
"Do you really think the world can change in only eight years?" Kayda replied flatly, side-eyeing me like I was the idiot.
"Touche..." I mumbled, ears folding in slight embarrassment.
"Now quiet," she warned, tugging gently on one of my ears. "You're talking too much again."
"Tch... Get off, then. I'm too big to fit through the gate."
"Oh, did you just call yourself fat?" She teased with a devilish grin.
Without a word, I shrunk down instantly, dropping to the size of a large dog and twisting out from under her in one swift movement. Kayda yelped as she fell straight through the air.
"Oof-Nova!" she exclaimed, tumbling into a crouch and brushing off her robes.
Before she could complain, I whipped my tail into her face.
"MMMMP-!" she mumbled, spitting out strands of fur.
'That's what you get, damn dragon,' I thought smugly, trotting ahead with exaggerated pride in my step. My paws clicked gently on the stone path as we approached the gate.
"Oi, get back here!" Kayda shouted, chasing after me as I darted ahead with my fluffy tail wagging mockingly.
(10 Minutes Later-At the Town Gate)
'Fucking dragon, let me go!' I screamed mentally, squirming in her grasp. No matter how I twisted or wriggled, Kayda had me locked in a firm, smug, teddy-bear grip. I dangled helplessly in her arms, forelegs twitching indignantly.
A guard standing at the gate coughed awkwardly, trying to keep his composure.
"Uhm, ma'am," he asked, clearing his throat. "Is that... your contract beast?"
"Yes," Kayda replied smoothly. "As you can see, she has a collar around her neck."
I growled lowly. The collar-white with blue ice-etched patterns-dug into my pride more than my fur.
"Ah, I see... Well, welcome to Mari. Entry fee is five copper per person and three for the beast," the guard said.
Beast.
My eyes narrowed, and I let out a deeper growl, flashing my teeth.
"Stop it," Kayda whispered. "Or no bones for a month."
I froze.
My mouth opened slightly, tongue hanging out as I let out a quiet whimper. My ears drooped.
"Yeah, you think I won't?" she continued. "Try me, fox."
Defeated, I lowered my head, tail curling between my legs.
The guards burst into laughter. "She really loves her food, huh?"
Kayda grinned. "She does. Thank you."
She handed over the coins, and the guards stepped aside to let us in. As we passed the gate, I lifted my head just enough to glare at the laughing men.
'This was a mistake. I should've transformed earlier.'
Once inside, the town bustled with midday activity. Merchants shouted deals from their stalls, kids chased each other across the streets, and blacksmiths hammered rhythmically behind their storefronts. It should've felt welcoming.
Instead, I felt like a display animal.
"Why do you look so glum all of a sudden?" Kayda asked, glancing down at me.
I turned my head slowly, glaring up at her with narrowed eyes. No words. Just judgment.
"Oh. You want me to let go, don't you?" she spoke with a smirk.
Without waiting for a reply, she loosened her arms and let me drop with a soft thud.
I stood, shook out my fur, and gave her a small thankful nod before padding forward-only to stop at a nearby weapon shop's window. My eyes sparkled. A glimmering katana sat on display, its silver hilt wrapped in blue threads.
I stepped closer-only for Kayda to hiss, "Don't walk off on your own."
I turned toward her, blinking.
"Remember what I told you," she said, wagging a finger.
Reluctantly, I backed away from the window and fell back in line beside her, muttering mentally about missed opportunities.
(One Hour Later-Outside the Southern Gate)
"Thank you for visiting the town of Mari," the southern guards called as we exited.
About 100 meters down the road, Kayda stopped and turned to face me.
"What do you want?" I asked, ears twitching with mild suspicion.
"Come on. You know what I mean," she said, her expression far too cheerful.
Clicking my tongue, I sighed and transformed back to my half-size form. Kayda grinned and leapt onto my back with the enthusiasm of a child jumping onto a snow pile.
"Awesome! Now, to the city of Armillian!" she declared, laying flat across my back and digging her hands into my thick fur like it was a heated blanket.
"Yeah yeah, sit your ass down and let me do the hard work," I muttered, crouching low before kicking off.
Mana surged through my body. I activated Flash Step, my surroundings blurring into streaks of green and gold as we accelerated, the wind rushing past us.
As we ran, Kayda tucked herself in tighter and murmured something softly, but I didn't quite catch it.
'Five hours to go... time to get lost in my thoughts again.'
And with that, I focused on the path ahead-my claws carving through the road, my mind drifting between revenge plans and potential snack recipes.
Buu, whoo, it so short.
Sorry guys, it's only just over 1400.
I will reread it later tonight again for incase there is any grammar problems.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 92:
I think we're only an hour away from Armillian. We were doing so well, I thought, my feet skidding slightly as I came to a sudden halt.
The dirt road ahead dipped slightly, revealing a chaotic scene a few kilometers away-plumes of dust swirling in the air and flashes of steel clashing under the noon sun. A convoy of luxurious carriages had come under attack by what looked like bandits. A full-scale battle raged in front of us-knights in glistening white and silver armor desperately fending off a mob of wild, bloodthirsty fighters.
Before I could process the situation fully, Kayda's voice erupted behind me.
"This is all your fault, Nova!" she shouted as she sprang off my back mid-run, her boots barely touching the ground as she launched herself toward the fray. "I was having the best nap of my life, but you just had to run us straight into these dumbasses!"
"How the hell is this my fault?!" I shouted after her, skidding into a full sprint as I shifted into my human form. "I was following the damn road!"
Kayda didn't slow down. "I'm blaming your troublesome luck, you damned fox!"
I groaned and picked up speed. "She acts like she isn't the one who always runs toward danger."
The closer we got, the more details came into focus. On both sides, ragtag but surprisingly coordinated groups of bandits surrounded seven polished and reinforced carriages. At least a hundred bandits, some donning mismatched armor and tattered capes, encircled the perimeter. The guards were clearly outnumbered-perhaps two dozen, half clad in gleaming white armor while the others wore silver. The silver-armored ones were struggling badly, their formations sloppy and fatigued. Meanwhile, the white-armored knights held more confidently, blades moving in clean, calculated arcs.
Kayda landed beside me just long enough to speak. "You help the knights with the small fry. Don't underestimate them, though. These guys aren't just random thugs."
Before I could answer, she vanished again-her speed a blur of flame-tipped motion.
"I always forget just how much they hold back around me," I mumbled, steeling myself.
I took a deep breath, my mana flaring subtly. Time to work.
With a whisper of wind, I flash. Stepped into the fray, appearing directly behind one of the bandits closest to the silver-armored guards. My ice dagger slid smoothly toward his neck.
"Urk-?" The man barely turned his head, sensing something too late.
He tried to duck, but the blade sliced across his throat in a clean arc.
"I see what she meant," I muttered, sidestepping a swinging mace and burying my second dagger into another attacker's ribs. "That was my full speed. And they still reacted."
No time to dwell on it. I moved from target to target, a blur of motion, ice slicing into flesh as I danced between chaos and steel.
"Enemy is attacking from behind!" A deep voice roared-an enormous, fur-coated figure near the edge of the fight, pointing straight at me.
Damn.
"I was doing so well," I sighed, flipping both daggers into a reverse grip and backing away slowly.
The call had drawn attention-several pairs of eyes flicked toward me, blades shifting in my direction.
"We've got backup!" a knight shouted from the silver line, renewed hope in his voice.
BOOOOM!
A thunderous explosion split the sky, and a pillar of searing white light shot upward, so bright it temporarily blinded the entire field.
"What the hell-?" I shielded my eyes briefly, then blinked. "Did she just... kill their leader or something?"
The battlefield hesitated, just for a moment. It was long enough for me to take advantage of the pause.
I leapt forward, ducking low, then drove a dagger into the thigh of one bandit and another into the stomach of a second. A third tried to scream-only to be silenced as I buried an ice spike into his chest.
"Ugh!"
The grunt of pain drew eyes again-this time back toward me as I retrieved my daggers. One man had a sword halfway raised when I flashed. Stepped forward and stabbed him through the temple. He collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.
"Get her!" the same massive fur-coated guy shouted, brandishing a massive axe.
"Tch. I should've stayed quiet," I growled, ice flaring around my hands.
I dropped my daggers and summoned a full scythe instead-crystalline and curved like death's personal tool.
"Watch out for her re-!"
I didn't let him finish.
In the instant before he could speak again, I closed the distance and swept the scythe in a wide arc. His voice-and his head-were severed in the same moment. Others near him followed, their bodies falling like dominoes as the edge of my weapon cleaved through them.
"You shouldn't be that off-guard," I muttered, spinning the scythe with one hand, preparing for the next target.
THWUMP!
I twisted instinctively, barely avoiding an axe the size of a man's torso embedding itself in the ground beside me.
"You worthless insects! "You worthless insects! You can't even handle one measly demihuman!" growled the source of the attack-a towering figure now standing beside his weapon.
His muscles bulged beneath black-stained armor, a snarl of fury curling his lips.
"Funny, I thought Kayda would be the one dealing with people like you," I quipped-
ZAP!
Another blinding scorch beam arced down from the sky, slicing through the man's neck like paper. His head popped off his shoulders and rolled with a thud.
"Ah... never mind. Thanks, Kayda," I said with a smirk, watching his corpse slump forward.
"Big Baby Ax!!" several of the bandits shouted, horror replacing fury.
"Retreat!" A new voice called out from the back. I turned sharply-
Just in time to see a blur of leather and steel.
I brought my scythe up to block, but the sword slammed into it with such force that the entire shaft shattered. Even so, it bought me just enough time to twist-
But not enough to avoid the cut.
"Gah!" I dropped to one knee, clutching my neck as hot blood poured through my fingers. My vision blurred.
The attacker stood above me-a dark-skinned woman with braided hair, a single arm, and eyes that glimmered with cold amusement. Her leather armor was torn, her clothes stained with ash and blood. Yet she stood like a predator among prey.
"You reacted better than I expected. But it won't help. You'll bleed out soon enough. This should be an acceptable present for that dragon bitch," she sneered, smirking before turning away.
"Let's move!" She barked, and her remaining soldiers fell in behind her.
The guards began cheering.
"They're retreating!"
"We won!"
But I couldn't celebrate.
"Fhggk-!" I tried to speak but immediately choked, vomit and blood gurgling from my mouth. Pain surged in waves through my neck and chest.
Soft hands suddenly touched my wound. I didn't think. I Flash. Stepped away, katana half-raised.
Only to see a healer-peach-skinned, golden-haired, blue-robed-eyes wide with worry.
"I-I'm just here to help," she said, holding up her hands.
I exhaled sharply, lowering my blade. "Sorry. Reflex. I'm fine now."
"You... fine? I just saw her slice your throat!"
I wiped blood from my lips. "Self-healing. It's not as awful as it looked."
She studied me, stunned. Then finally said, "You're... really something."
"And you're pretty," I added with a weak grin.
Her cheeks flushed. "Th-thank you."
"I don't think this is the time to flirt," a deep voice rumbled from behind her.
The healer bowed instantly. "Apologies, Archbishop."
I glanced past her at a knight in pristine white armor-well, it was pristine before the blood stains. A symbol of the Church marked his chest plate.
"She's at the front carriage," he said. "Your companion. Being treated."
My heart clenched. "What happened to her?"
I bolted toward the front without waiting for an answer.
"Let go of me! I said I'm fine!" Kayda's voice rang out, as angry and animated as ever.
"Just let them finish healing you," I said as I approached. She turned her head and glared.
"What happened to you? I told you to be careful!"
I gestured at my throat. "She got me. Big woman with the sword. If I hadn't blocked, she would've carved through my spine."
Kayda's expression darkened. "So she came after you, huh..."
"Yeah. Said something about delivering me as a present to you. Guess she doesn't realize I'm harder to kill than I look."
"Would've been nice if she stayed dead the first five times," Kayda muttered, standing up despite the sisters protesting.
"Sit down!" one cried, holding her shoulder.
"What? It's just a scratch," Kayda snapped, pulling her shirt up.
I blinked. "That's barely three centimeters."
"And they're still not done healing it," Kayda growled.
"Maybe it's because you're fully manifested now," I offered.
"Sirone could heal this in a blink. This isn't normal," Kayda said, brushing the hands off.
"Whatever. Are you willing to move?"
Kayda looked around at the now-calm battlefield. "Yeah. We're not needed here anymore."
We turned to leave-
"WAIT! Where do you think you're going?!" A shrill, entitled voice screeched from behind us.
I winced.
"... Don't tell me I recognize that voice..."
avataravatar
Chapter 93:
"Wait! Where do you think you're going? I order you to guard my carriage!"
An annoyingly pompous voice rang out from behind us, cutting through the thinning battlefield noise like nails on glass.
Kayda and I both froze mid-step, our heads turning slightly.
Kayda slowly turned on her heel, eyebrow twitching in irritation. "Who the fuck is this person?" she muttered under her breath, her voice already tight with disdain.
I squinted at the approaching man. He wore a garish red-and-gold nobleman's overcoat far too extravagant for travel, his boots spotless, and his hair styled with far too much oil. Despite the battle that had just ended, he looked like someone who had never lifted anything heavier than a wine glass.
"Umm... I think I've seen him before," I muttered, tilting my head. "But I can't quite put my finger on it..."
The man strode toward us with exaggerated swagger, like he owned the road itself. "I am the first son of Viscount Jaman," he announced, puffing out his chest, "and I order you two to guard my carriage!"
Kayda looked at me as if silently begging for permission to slap him.
"AAH! Now I remember!" I said with a spark of recognition. "This is the idiot who tried to flirt with the princess before Hugo's duel."
Kayda blinked at me. "He did that? And he's still alive?"
"Yeah, I think he just got a warning," I said, watching the man come to a stop a few feet in front of us.
He blinked, recognition dawning in his eyes. "Wait, it's you!" he pointed at me, voice rising.
"Should I knock you out again?" I asked casually, tilting my head, a lazy grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"N-No! No, that won't be necessary," the viscount's son stammered, his hands flying up defensively.
"Good. Then we'll be on our way." I performed a theatrical spin as I turned around. "Thanks for wasting our time."
Kayda huffed beside me as we started walking again.
"Wait up, ladies! Would you please just hear me out?!" Another voice cut in before I could even take two steps.
"Tch. Kayda, you handle this one," I said, already regretting stopping.
"Why me?" Kayda asked flatly, arching an eyebrow.
"Because this one's your kind of problem," I said, gesturing behind me.
Kayda followed my gesture-and immediately groaned. A man in ceremonial white robes approached with slow, deliberate steps. His uniform was embroidered with golden patterns and a symbol of the Church of Light. He looked far too important to be ignored.
"Oh. I see," Kayda said, giving my shoulder a light, sarcastic pat. "Fine. I'll behave."
"Good afternoon, Kayda the Sage. It is an honor to finally meet you," the man said, bowing respectfully once he reached us. "I am Archbishop Warlurd."
I kept a blank expression, letting Kayda take the lead.
"Why would an archbishop be heading toward Armillian?" Kayda asked coolly, one brow raised in suspicion.
"There have been unsettling reports from the south over the last few weeks," Warlurd replied calmly, his voice polished and diplomatic. "I chose to investigate them in person."
So, something major was happening in the demon territory.
"I see." Kayda folded her arms. "Then what does the Archbishop want from us?"
Warlord straightened his posture slightly, hands clasped together with grace. The fight with the Crimson Bandits has severely weakened our escort team. We may not survive another ambush if they return. I would sincerely request that Lady Kayda and her companion assist us by guarding the convoy until we reach Armillian."
He gave a deep, sincere bow, his long white robes billowing gently in the wind.
Kayda blinked, caught off guard by the humility.
"Hm... I don't know. What do you think?" she asked, glancing at me.
I crossed my arms thoughtfully. "Will we get paid?"
Everyone blinked.
"Oi," Kayda said in a flat tone, giving me a long, deadpan stare. "Not everything is about money."
I returned her look with equal seriousness. "We will need money to travel through the kingdom."
Archbishop Warlurd laughed softly. "Of course. You are a practical one. To think the disciple of Kayda the Sage would be so concerned with coin."
"She's not my disciple," Kayda snapped, already annoyed. "That's my sister."
"Never mind that," I said, stepping forward. "How much are you offering?"
Warlord chuckled again. "How about... twenty gold coins each?"
"Thirty."
He smiled. "Twenty-five."
"Thirty-five."
Warlord raised an eyebrow. "Fine, thirty."
"Fifty," I said without missing a beat.
The archbishop went pale, his mouth twitching.
"Stop!" he groaned, clearly realizing the trap. "We can't pay that much!"
"Huh? But you're hiring Kayda the Sage," I said, placing a hand on Kayda's shoulder with exaggerated reverence. "You don't think she comes cheap, do you?"
Kayda gave me a look of pure betrayal.
"...Sigh. I should have known," Warlurd muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Fifty gold each. But no more."
He turned sharply, robes snapping, and walked off before I could open my mouth again.
I smirked. "We'll be on the viscount's carriage if you need us," I called after him.
I turned to the pale, trembling viscount's son. "That's fine with you, right?"
"Y-Yes! No problem!" He stammered and scurried off.
Once he was gone, Kayda rounded on me like a storm cloud.
"Nova. Did you just sell my name?" Her voice was dangerously calm.
"Yep," I said cheerfully. "One hundred gold coins will be helpful."
She grabbed me by the collar, her face inches from mine. "Do you know how much a normal escort from the capital to Armillian costs?"
"Nope," I said innocently.
"ONE gold coin. One." Her eye twitched. "And how much are we getting paid?"
"Fifty. Each." I grinned.
Kayda's fingers tightened like iron vices. "Five hundred percent more than the standard rate."
"But we're special," I said with mock pride. "You're a living legend. I just did excellent marketing."
Kayda slowly exhaled through her nose, like a volcano on the edge of eruption. "You made it sound like I'm selling my name for money."
"But I was! That was the whole point!"
"That's not up to you!" Kayda yelled, finally letting go and storming off.
I brushed off my shirt. "Didn't you say this was my trip?" I called after her.
Before I could say anything else, something smacked into the back of my head.
Everything went black.
(Unknown time later)
'Ugh... what happened?' My mind was fuzzy. 'Oh, right. Kayda knocked me out.'
I groaned, blinking against the sunlight filtering through the cloth canopy above me. Something soft and warm cradled my head, the scent of lavender and magic tingling in my nose.
'No way. Is this what I think it is? Lap pillow?'
A slow smile spread on my face. 'Please be the cute sister from before.'
I opened my eyes-only to meet Kayda's unamused gaze.
"Aah. You're finally awake," she said coolly.
'I mean... not bad.' I secretly smirked, maintaining a confident expression.
"Oh? A lap pillow from you, huh?" I said with a sly smile, shifting slightly. "Don't mind if I do. I think I'll sleep a bit longer."
Kayda blinked once. "Is that so?" she said, lightly brushing her fingers through my hair.
'Wait... she's really going to let me?'
The warmth of her touch lulled me slightly.
Until-
"Like hell I will!" she snapped, suddenly pinching my ear and yanking me upright.
"OW! Why are you like this?!" I whined, rubbing my abused ear.
"You try being nice, and this is what I get?" she huffed.
"Lady Kayda, that's not very nice," a soft voice said from across the carriage.
We both turned.
The healer from before-Mil-sat with her hands folded neatly, a faint glow of magic still dancing around her fingers.
My pout returned instantly. "Yes, scold her, Sister Mil! She's so mean to me!"
I scrambled across the floor and threw my arms around Mil's waist, causing her to yelp in surprise.
From Kayda's angle, I made sure she saw my wink and slight head tilt toward the small window at the front of the carriage.
Kayda sighed, muttering under her breath. "You stupid cunning fox..."
With a wave of her hand, she created a small soundproof wind barrier inside the carriage, shielding our antics from the outside.
"See? Mil, she's always bullying me!" I said this while dramatically leaning into Mil's lap.
"It's okay," Mil said sweetly, gently petting my head. "You poor thing."
I froze.
She's petting me. Why is she petting me?'
Her hand continued to stroke gently, like I was some obedient housecat.
'This is fine. This is FINE. I'm doing this for Kayda's sake.'
"Thank you, Mil," I said with a bright smile, letting her go and sliding back to my side.
I tilted my head innocently. "But Mil... Why are you going to the South? I thought there were no churches that far out."
Mil nodded. "You're right. There weren't. But with the Head of the Anabald House going quiet lately, the Church decided to begin expanding south."
"That's... not a bad move," I said slowly, eyes narrowing slightly. "Less resistance, more faith."
"Yes, exactly," Mil said cheerfully. "Though a new problem has come up. Something strange. Something... wrong."
Boo, it's a short one again, only just under 1500.
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Chapter 94:
"Hmm, what do you mean by 'a problem arose'? What sort of problem?" I asked, lifting my head slightly from Mil's lap and narrowing my eyes. "Did the Head of the Anabald House come back?"
Mil gently withdrew her hand from my hair, folding it primly on her lap. "It wasn't explained in detail in the briefing," she said, her voice dipping slightly in tone. "But I've heard that many churches in the southern territory have started getting raided. Destroyed, even."
Kayda's eyes flicked over. I sat up straighter, already sensing the tension in the air.
"I see," I muttered, processing. "Do you think it's the Anabalds behind it?"
"No," Kayda said sharply, her tone like a blade. "They aren't cowards like that. If they wanted a war, they'd fight it in the open. Proudly. Loudly."
Mil nodded in agreement, her lips curling slightly in distaste. "Yes. As much as I despise them, House Anabald wouldn't stoop to tactics like this. They bask in the light-preach it, even. Their obsession with replicating angels is already loathsome enough."
I blinked, glancing at her sideways. "You really don't hold back when talking about them, huh?"
She gave me a worn-out look. "There's no reason to pretend. Not after everything."
"But do you at least know who is behind the attacks?" I asked, steepling my fingers and resting my chin on them. "And does this connect to the head of Anabald's disappearance?"
Mil's face soured as she exhaled sharply. "No. They're good at hiding. Too good. And frankly, no one's even cared about the Anabald head lately. These attackers have already destroyed four newly built churches. That's where the attention is now."
Kayda's eyes narrowed. "Where were these four destroyed?"
Mil lifted her eyes, voice steady. "Two in the city of Anabald. One in Dublin. And a few days ago, another in Armillian."
Her gaze settled on me for a moment.
A small ripple of unease passed between us.
"I see..." I muttered, fingers tapping my temple thoughtfully. "Is there any way to figure out what they used to destroy the churches? Explosions? Fire? Magic?"
"There were no traces of mana," Mil said plainly. "So it couldn't have been a spell."
Kayda shifted beside me, clearly intrigued now.
Mil continued, her brow furrowed in frustration. "But they always attack on a moonless night. If any guards present have night vision, they'll flash a red light to blind them-just for a second. That's all it takes."
That got a reaction.
"Wait," Kayda said, eyes narrowing. "How would they know who has night vision?"
Mil shook her head slowly. "We don't know. But they're always right. Every time, the guards with night vision are eliminated first. Like someone tipped them off."
I frowned. "That's... Wait. If they're being killed, how do you guys know these tactics?"
Mil hesitated for a moment, then looked up. "That's another thing. They always leave six survivors after every raid. No more. No less. Always six."
She paused, her eyes clouded by memory.
"And they're always found hanging upside down against a black pillar," she said. "Right in the center of the ruined church."
I blinked. "A black pillar, huh? "That's really original," I muttered sarcastically in an attempt to lighten the mood, but neither woman smiled.
Kayda leaned forward slightly, the tension in her shoulders tightening. "You said no mana traces. That rules out most spells. But..."
She paused.
"If they had control like me," she continued, "they could manipulate mana without leaving traces. It's rare, but not impossible."
That made me stare.
Mil immediately sat straighter. "Lady Kayda... Are you suggesting..."
"I'm saying," Kayda interrupted, tone firm, "that if I wanted to, I could raze a church to the ground and make it look like no magic was ever used. That level of mana control is... specific. Difficult. But clearly possible."
Mil's eyes widened, a flicker of fear dancing across her expression. "That is... troubling. Are you certain someone like that could be involved?"
"I'm not certain. But the signs point in that direction," Kayda said bluntly. "And if that's the case, you'll need more than an archbishop to deal with it."
My gaze drifted to the window.
'Someone with Kayda-level control... That's not something you hear every day, I thought. 'There aren't many people in history who have refined their control to that level. Even fewer people stayed hidden. Unless...'
My eyes narrowed slightly.
Unless they're from my world, where kids now get that kind of control for free.'
The thought chilled me more than I liked.
I leaned back in my seat and turned to Mil. "Mil, was there anything else mentioned about the explosions?"
"Not much," she said, brow creasing. "After every attack, all that's left is rubble, the black pillar, and-"
"Let me guess," I interrupted. "Shrapnel?"
She blinked. "Yes. How did you...?"
"Mostly metal?" I asked again, ignoring her question.
"Yes, the metal is concentrated mostly around the central zone of the blast."
I let out a low whistle. "Yep. That tracks."
Kayda tilted her head. "Are you going to explain for the rest of us, genius?"
"Well," I began, smiling slightly, "because reincarnated people have patterns. Weird, persistent ones. For instance, always leaving six survivors? Way too specific. Using red light to blind night vision users? That's a trick straight from my world. In modern warfare, tactics like that are standard. Using any means to disorient your opponent is crucial, particularly when they possess technological advantages.
Kayda didn't look surprised. "Nova, this sounds like speculation."
"Oh, it is speculation," I admitted easily. "But I'm also about 80% sure that whoever is doing this is either a reincarnator-or trained by one."
Mil blinked rapidly. "How... how can you be so sure?"
I crossed my arms. "The shrapnel. It could've been from an explosive container filled with natural elements-chemicals, basically. Mixed correctly, they can level entire buildings. No man involved. Just science."
Mil gasped slightly, but Kayda gave me a thoughtful nod.
"Using natural materials would leave no magical traces. Hmm. Not bad," Kayda said approvingly.
Mil, however, seemed shaken. "All of this isn't public knowledge. Please-don't spread this. The Church doesn't want people panicking. If the masses see us struggling-"
"I get it," I interrupted gently. "Your secret's safe with me."
"And me," Kayda added, surprisingly supportive.
Mil sighed in relief.
I glanced between the two of them and smirked. "Now that we're done being all doom and gloom..."
Without warning, I slid back down and flopped my head into Mil's lap again.
She stiffened immediately. "Nova! What are you doing?!"
"Getting comfortable," I mumbled without shame. "Didn't I say I was still tired?"
Kayda snorted. "Is this because of the fight earlier?"
"It's her fault," I grumbled, pointing at Kayda without looking. "She's a slave driver."
"Oh really?" Mil said with mock sympathy. "The poor little fox, bullied by a dragon."
"I swear, Dragonoids are nothing but trouble," she added with a bit too much edge.
Even Kayda raised an eyebrow.
"Woah, calm down," I said with a laugh. "If you want to insult a Dragonoid, don't say it to their face. You have to call them lizards behind their back."
Kayda's expression darkened immediately.
"That's worse than an insult, you stupid fox," she growled. "And get off her lap."
"How about... no." I grinned, eyes closed again. "Mil's lap is really comfy."
Kayda's eye twitched.
"Nova," she said lowly. "Get. Off. Her. Lap."
"Nope."
A long pause.
"Fine then," she muttered.
"What are you doing-wait, let go of me!" Mil squeaked as Kayda suddenly grabbed her by the collar.
I felt the lap vanish.
"Hey! Where's my pillow?!"
I blinked and sat up, just in time to see Kayda open the carriage door and toss Mil out like a sack of laundry. The door slammed behind her with a heavy thunk.
"Kayda," I said slowly, watching her turn around with a dangerous glare, "what did you do?"
"I. Can't. Take it. Anymore," she snapped.
I paled. "Uh... it was just a joke?"
"You think I'm going to let you play around like that forever?" she said, walking toward me like a predator. "Every time, it's a joke. A tease. A game."
I backed up until my spine hit the wall. "Kayda... let's not do anything we'll regret."
Her tail shot forward, curling around my waist before lifting me clean off the floor.
"Wait-what are you-?!"
She didn't answer. She just pulled me forward, sat back down, and dragged me beside her.
"Shut up," she muttered, forcibly guiding my head down onto her lap.
I blinked up at her, stunned.
"...What?"
"Don't say anything," she warned, eyes flicking away.
I swallowed and said nothing for a moment.
'Was... she jealous?'
It hit me then-this wasn't just Kayda being annoyed. She had sensed a presence observing me while I was in Mil's lap.
'I was trying to tease her-but did I actually get to her?'
I lay there in silence, peeking up at her face.
Her expression appeared calm, but I could see the tightness around her eyes. Averted gaze. Her tail was still lightly curled around my waist, which felt possessive but not threatening.
"Kayda," I asked quietly, "who is your soulmate?"
She stiffened.
"...Th-"
"So it's me," I said softly, eyes drifting to the side. "Hah... It took me a long time to figure that out.
I chuckled bitterly.
"Guess you drew the short end of the stick, huh?"
Kayda blinked down at me, mildly startled.
"And why would you say that?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I'm broken in many ways. Especially mentally. Not exactly soulmate material."
"You are broken," she admitted. "And yes, not ideal for a dragon."
I glared up at her. "Oi. That's not what you're supposed to say."
Kayda sighed. "But... soulmates are chosen for a reason. And after the past month... I can see why. You're..."
She trailed off, eyes softening.
"You're the embodiment of a storm. Chaotic. Fierce. But... alive. Real. And despite everything, you move forward."
I stared up at her, my throat tightening.
"...You really mean that?" I asked quietly.
She nodded once.
I didn't say anything else.
Just closed my eyes.
And for once...
Let me rest.
There finaly some Romance. Sadly nothing major will happen between them just yet.
Anyways, the bad news, the everyday update won't happen. The upload schedule will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Now for the open days will go to The world of Sazanami chapters when I will start uploading that. I already have most of the things ready and will start writing the chapters this week when I have time.
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Chapter 95:
"A Fox," Kayda said, trying to hold in her laugh, her lips twitching with amusement as she looked at me with a glint of mischief in her crimson eyes.
I gave her a flat, unimpressed stare, arms crossed and one brow raised in disapproval. "Seriously, why did you say it like that?" I huffed, looking away with an annoyed flick of my tail.
Kayda chuckled, leaning back lazily in her seat with one leg crossed over the other. "Haha, what were you expecting? Me confessing or something?" she teased, her voice laced with humor.
"No," I muttered, shifting my gaze to the window, watching the passing buildings blur by. "I was expecting you to at least tell me the good parts about myself. If there are any."
Kayda smiled, her laughter fading into a gentler expression. She leaned forward slightly, her tone softer. "But I did. You are a fox. Foxes are playful. They can also be profoundly serious when needed. And above all, they are loyal to their partners."
I scoffed, turning my head back toward her. "That's a lie. Female foxes will go and look for new mates if their partners die."
Kayda's smile dimmed, and her eyes dropped for a moment. She looked... deflated.
"So, what do you mean that when I die, you'll go look for a new mate?" she said, her voice tinged with frustration, though she tried to mask it with sarcasm.
"Probably not," I admitted, shrugging casually but not meeting her gaze. "I'm a demon fox, not a normal one. I'm... personally very loyal to my partner."
Kayda exhaled, a small sigh slipping out. "Good to know," she muttered. Then she smirked. "Anyway, foxes are evil."
"Wow," I deadpanned. "Couldn't you say that in a nicer way?"
"No," she said plainly, shooting me a sideways glance. "They're cunning and love playing tricks on people."
She gave me a pointed look that said exactly what she meant.
"Tch," I clicked my tongue and looked away again, my tail flicking in annoyance. "There's nothing wrong with playing with people's feelings."
"Like you did with Mil?" Kayda asked sharply, tilting her head. "Playing with her heart, knowing she doesn't like demons. You know that might kill her heart, right?"
I turned back to her, my expression serious. "I don't really care. That's her problem. Don't get me wrong-she's adorable, and if I knew her longer, maybe I'd give a shit. But she's a stranger. Weak and frail. Falling in love with someone you've just met is plain dumb."
Kayda raised an eyebrow. "What will you do if someone plays with your feelings then?"
"Haha," I grinned, brushing my bangs aside. "Like you said-I'm a fox. Knowing how to play the game means I know how to tell the difference between a lie and the truth."
"Now you accept being called a fox?" Kayda asked with a sigh.
"I never rejected it, though," I said with a raised eyebrow.
Kayda leaned her head back against the carriage wall, closing her eyes for a moment before asking quietly, "What will you do if I reject our soulmate bond?"
"Nothing," I said simply, stretching my arms behind my head. "I haven't fallen in love with you yet. So, it doesn't really matter if you do."
But in truth... 'I'll be pretty sad, though,' I thought to myself, keeping my face neutral.
Kayda looked at me for a long moment, her eyes softening. "That kind of stung, you know. But... at least you said 'yet.'"
I gave a small smile, tilting my head. "That's why I might actually fall for you. You don't easily get hurt by my words, and you see the deeper meaning behind them."
I reached out slowly and placed my hand gently on her cheek, brushing my thumb across her warm skin.
'Might? That's another lie, I thought. 'The last month, I've been jealous knowing you have a soulmate. And I don't even have a chance to get you... or so I thought.'
"Ooh, is the adorable little foxy falling for me already?" Kayda teased, grabbing my hand and holding it tightly.
Before I could reply-
Bam!
The carriage door slammed open.
"We have arrived, Lady...ies," Warlurd said, stepping in and immediately freezing, his eyes locking on me sitting in Kayda's lap, her hand still cupping mine. His face went red as whispers erupted outside the carriage.
I blinked in horror as several soldiers nearby stopped to look inside, their expressions ranging from amused to stunned.
"Ahem," Warlurd coughed, averting his gaze. "We apologize for interrupting you two, but we have arrived at the city safely."
"Don't look away like that!" I shouted, leaping up from Kayda's lap, a bright red blush spreading across my face. "Don't you know how to knock before opening doors?!"
"Woah, miss, calm down!" "Warlord," she said defensively, backing away.
"No! I was doing so well holding my embarrassment back, but noooo-you just had to ruin it!" I shouted, cheeks burning even more as I saw the smirks on the watching soldiers.
"You really are embarrassed," Kayda said, blinking in surprise.
"Who wouldn't be, you damn lizard!" I snapped, summoning a fireball into one palm and lightning into the other, the energy crackling wildly around my hands.
Kayda's eyes widened. "You can't be serious-EVERYONE, HIT THE GROUND!"
Bang!!
The carriage exploded in a blast of fire and lightning, the shockwave sending startled soldiers scrambling.
I leaped out from the smoke, flipping in midair before landing atop a nearby building. I crouched low, cloak flapping around me as I stared down at the chaos I'd caused. Then I stood and began sprinting across the rooftops, using my momentum to hop from one to the next with practiced ease.
"Shit," I muttered to myself, wind rushing past my ears. "Guess I'm not getting that 100 gold coin reward anymore. Tch. No matter. I'll find Kayda later."
My feet thudded softly against the tiled roofs as I moved toward the heart of the city, my thoughts wandering.
To actually think I'd be her soulmate... it kind of makes me happy. But... why does it feel like we're forced together? Like we didn't get to choose this.'
I came to a stop at the edge of a roof overlooking a large street near the market. The city buzzed with life below-vendors shouting, kids running between stalls, and smells of spices and cooked meats floating up to me.
"Mil said the church in Armillian was destroyed a couple of days ago. Maybe I can check out that black pillar she mentioned," I muttered.
With a quick hop, I dropped into a narrow alley, landing gracefully between two barrels.
"You there!" a gruff voice barked.
I turned slowly, finding five rough-looking men standing ahead of me, blocking the exit of the alley. Their stances screamed hostility, hands near weapons, and one of them-clearly the leader-had a dark, odd-looking knife in hand.
'Huh? I didn't even notice them...'
"Hey, don't ignore me!" The leader barked again. "Who are you, and what do you want with us?"
I sighed, brushing dust off my coat. "Wasn't interested in you guys at all, actually. But that knife you're holding..." I pointed at the black blade. "Where did you get it?"
"This?" he asked, glancing at the blade with a grin. "Bought it off the black market. Only three gold coins. They said it's indestructible. We even tested the coin with Jimmy's magic, and it didn't leave a scratch. "Oh, by the way, Jimmy is our mage, in case you were wondering."
He gestured to the thin, nervous-looking guy beside him.
"I already know what you guys are," I said, eyes narrowing. "Don't need a class breakdown. What I do need is the material that knife's made from-and directions to the black market."
"Oh, that's straightforward. It's in the west-side slums," the leader said helpfully, pointing west.
"Jeff! Shut up!" Jimmy snapped. "We don't know her! Giving info like that could get us killed!"
Jeff glared and punched him. "Shut it, Jimmy! Who's the leader here?!"
"Boss, calm down," one of the others said, trying to defuse the situation.
Jeff turned back to me. "Anyway, sorry. We can't say more."
"Then how about a trade?" I pulled a pouch from my pocket and tossed it toward them. It hit the ground with a clink.
Jeff bent down and opened it. "Twenty gold coins? This works."
"Great," I said. "Include that knife of yours, too."
Jeff grinned-and threw the knife at me.
"Wrong move," I muttered.
I caught the blade between two fingers, and in the next breath, ice spikes erupted from the cobblestones, impaling all five of them through the legs and torsos, pinning them in place.
"Ugh... when did you-" Jimmy gasped, blood bubbling in his throat.
I stepped forward, snatching my coin pouch back. "Before you even pulled the knife."
They writhed, immobilized but alive.
"Now," I said calmly, "where's the church that was destroyed recently?"
"Like I'll tell my killer anything," Jeff spat, glaring.
"Killer?" I echoed with a laugh. "You threw a knife at me first, dumbass."
"Bitch," he snarled.
I rolled my eyes-and slowly began expanding the ice spike inside his chest.
"AGHH! STOP!"
"Where's the church?" I asked again.
"It's across from the guild in the main market!" Jimmy cried. "Please, don't kill me! I have a family!"
"Thanks," I said, releasing the ice.
They collapsed, gasping.
I patted Jimmy on the head. "Sorry, but you saw my face."
BOOM! SPLAT!
Half their bodies exploded in a violent burst of gore and frost.
Blood spattered the alley walls. Steam hissed from melting ice.
I looked down, heart racing-not from fear, but a dark thrill that pulsed through me.
"So... that's what happens when I detonate the soul bombs I placed earlier," I muttered. "Gruesome. Even for me."
I inhaled deeply, centering myself.
"Sigh. Now that I know my personality's been shifting... I can feel every change. Every inch of it."
I turned, stepping out of the alley and into the sunlight again.
As I walked down the road, I pulled out the knife Jeff had thrown at me and began inspecting it closely.
"It really is odd," I murmured. "Not long. Not elegant. But definitely not normal."
The black metal was cool to the touch. Twelve centimeters, roughly. The blade looked simple-but the killing intent it emitted... Even wild goblins would flee from this thing.
"Knives aren't supposed to have auras like this."
My smile widened slightly.
"And yet... here we are."
There is some more romance for you all! It's not a lot, though. Sadly, I am not the best at Romance things seeing as I am single and not planning to change that for a while.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 96:
"Oh, there's the guild," I muttered to myself, wiping sauce off my fingers as I approached the large wooden building bearing the symbol of crossed swords and a crest. The Adventurer's Guild sign hung proudly above the entrance, the sunlight making its golden trim glimmer.
Taking another bite from the packet of ribs in my hand, I turned my head, chewing slowly as my eyes scanned the area opposite the guild. According to what those bastards told me before they died, the church should be around here-big, grand, and supposedly hiding something important.
But... all I saw was another enormous structure bearing a different insignia-something to do with trade. A merchant company, not a church. I narrowed my eyes, chewing thoughtfully, then glanced left and right across the bustling main market.
Crowds moved between stalls; children chased each other with sticks; merchants shouted discounts. But no spires, no stained glass, no symbol of divine authority. Nothing that screamed 'church.'
"I don't see any church or black pillar," I said aloud, my voice muffled by the food in my mouth. I swallowed hard and clicked my tongue. "Tch, did they lie to me? Even on their deathbeds?"
Disappointment soured my expression. I turned in a slow circle, hoping to catch some kind of steeple or bell tower hiding in the skyline. But no luck.
Just as I was about to take another bite, a hoarse voice chirped beside me.
"Little lady, you seem to be lost? Might this old bag of bones be of any assistance?"
I froze mid-bite.
That voice... it was too familiar.
I turned to face the speaker-and immediately felt a chill crawl down my spine. Standing next to me, somehow unnoticed until now, was her.
That granny.
That dangerous, fan-wielding monster of an old woman from the train.
Forcing a smile, I lowered the rib and bowed my head slightly. "May the lady with old bones help me in finding the church," I said smoothly, carefully keeping my tone respectful.
She stared at me, unimpressed. "The youth of today doesn't know how to respect their elders," she grumbled, glaring up at me with eyes sharper than any blade.
I matched her gaze. "And do elders today not realize that fans can be hazardous weapons?"
She scoffed, waving her fan in the air as if to remind me who was the real danger here.
"That was your fault for nearly smacking into this fragile bag of bones," she said with indignation.
"No, no," I shot back, trying not to sound too defensive. "It was the child who grabbed my tail. I had to unfreeze my feet from the floor."
"Excuses," she said flatly. "Stop making them, Fox."
I frowned. "I'm only stating facts, not excuses."
The granny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Accept your wrongdoings, or do I need to break another fan on you?"
I tensed as she produced a fan seemingly out of thin air.
"...No, thank you," I said quickly, backing off slightly. "Can the wise elder please give me the directions to the church?"
She gave a satisfied hum and lowered the fan. "Thought so. I don't know what a demon like you would be doing at a church, but it's another five blocks east-on the right side."
I bowed my head again. "Thank you, elder. As for what I want to do there... let's just say the black pillar intrigues me."
The old woman gave a long sigh and muttered, "If that's so, head to the west slums after. You'll get additional information there about the pillars and their material."
My ears twitched.
'West slums again? That's the second time I've heard that... Is she talking about the black market?'
"You really are a wise elder," I said, genuinely surprised.
Her face twitched-and in the next instant, a fan smacked directly into my forehead.
Smack!
"Did I not tell you I would break another fan on you?" She barked.
"Y-Yes, and it still hurts!" I yelped, rubbing the growing lump on my head.
"Now give me money," she said, holding out her wrinkled hand.
I blinked. "The fan was twenty silver, right?" I asked, already digging into my pouch.
"That should do," she said as I dropped the coins into her palm.
She turned briskly and walked away before I could say another word.
"Wait... I didn't give you any-"
I paused.
She was gone.
Utterly vanished into the crowd.
I looked down at my open coin pouch-only to find it was missing.
I stared at the empty space beside me where she once stood.
Realization hit.
"...So that's what she meant by 'that should do.' That bastard of an old hag!" I shouted suddenly, drawing startled glances from people around me.
Clenching my fists, I growled, "Old hag, just you wait!"
With a defeated sigh, I turned my eyes east and began walking again.
[Old Bag of Bones POV]
"Old hag, just you wait!" The fox girl shouted behind me.
I smirked to myself as I stood atop a nearby rooftop, hidden by a light veil of magic.
Lifting the stolen pouch from my sleeve, I opened it with the quiet excitement of a child unwrapping candy.
Only to frown.
"...Copper? Some silver?" I turned it over, letting the coins fall onto the rooftop tiles. "That cunning fox. She's improved more than I thought."
Chuckling under my breath, I teleported away with a flick of my fingers.
"She'll be here soon enough. Might as well enjoy a nap while I wait."
Dropping my illusion, I let my body sink onto the cold stone of a nearby dungeon floor, stretching out and closing my eyes with a satisfied sigh.
[Kitsuna POV]
"Mil didn't say anything about it being this thick and tall..." I said quietly, tapping my foot against the surface of the towering black pillar.
It was at least two meters thick, maybe more. Twenty meters high-easy. Its surface shimmered faintly, even in daylight, and the pressure it gave off was intense. Menacing.
Kneeling down, I pressed my palm against the base of the pillar, closing my eyes to feel for anything deeper than the faint killing intent already leaking out.
"I had a hunch the knife was weird. Then that elderly woman hinted at the black market and its connection to this material. I didn't think it would be the same thing." I exhaled through my nose, concentrating. "But then again... I didn't even notice Kayda was flirting with me for an entire month."
I grimaced, still rubbing the pillar, lost in thought.
Then-another voice.
"Does this pillar talk to you or something?"
I flinched, startled by the sudden presence behind me.
I turned. "You know, for a holy man, you're far too good at sneaking."
Warlord blinked at me. "Really? I shouted from down there and even used a light spell to climb up."
I stared blankly. "...Did I really get that distracted?"
Looking down at the pillar again, I furrowed my brow.
"I think I understand now."
'That killing intent... It clouded my senses.'
"What do you mean you understand?" Warlord asked, tilting his head.
I crouched again, placing both hands on the surface. "I'd jump off if I were you."
"What?"
Too late.
Boom!
A bolt of black lightning struck me-and the pillar-sending a shockwave rippling through the stone. Warlord had barely leapt down when it hit.
"Black lightning magic! Everyone, be ready for anything!" Someone below shouted in panic.
Boom!!
Another bolt struck, and this one was three times larger than the previous.
Cracks split the pillar, pieces crumbling as debris flew in all directions.
"It's breaking apart!" A nun screamed.
"Watch for falling rocks!"
People ran, dodging the chaos.
"Tch, why can't it all just fall like I want it to?" I grumbled, leaping between falling debris and storing key fragments in my dimensional storage.
Warlord stared up at me. "What did she do now?"
"There," I said, pointing at a small pile of collected rubble. "I left some for you guys."
Warlurd opened his mouth to respond, but another priest stormed up instead.
"From that big pillar, you're only leaving that much? You don't even have the right to take any of it! This is church business!"
I frowned. "What are you going to do? Fight me?"
"This idiot just doesn't know when to quit," Warlurd sighed, stepping forward.
"We want all the pieces now!"
"Yeah, no. That killing intent? Far too fascinating to let some angel-worshipping priests hog it all." I shook my head.
"Ken, drop it," Warlurd said, grabbing the angry priest by the shoulder. "She helped us during the Crimson Bandit raid-and she's Kayda the Sage's comrade."
"...Crimson Bandits?" I asked. "I forgot to ask-who are they, anyway?"
"You don't know?" Warlord blinked. "Even after fighting them?"
"Nope. Not a clue."
I turned to leave. "Anyway, I still need to find Kayda."
"Oh, she mentioned she'd be at the Sunflower Inn," Warlurd called after me. "Right next to the Adventurer's Guild."
I waved over my shoulder. "Thanks!"
As I made my way toward the west slums again, Mil's familiar voice called out behind me.
"Nova! That's not the way!"
I paused. "Oh, hey, Mil. Yeah, I know. I still have something to do over here before heading back."
She jogged up to me, clutching her skirt nervously. "N-Nova, are you and that Dragonoid together?"
I smiled faintly. "...I guess you could say we're 'together.'"
"I... see. Sniff."
I didn't look back.
'Yeah... that's the problem with weak hearts.'
I vanished from her sight with a flash step, landing softly atop a nearby roof, the city stretching out ahead of me.
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Chapter 97:
"Now, in which part of the western slums can I find the black market?" I mumbled to myself, stepping deeper into the tangled, grimy streets of the slums. The main roads had already faded behind me, replaced by cracked stone paths littered with scraps, broken crates, and the occasional rat tail darting into shadows. The air here was different-thicker, more humid, laced with the scent of burnt herbs, unwashed bodies, and distant cooking fires.
To avoid attracting too much attention, especially given how noticeable I usually looked, I wrapped myself up in my long, black-and-red coat. The thick, dramatic fabric was warm, sure, but it offered the benefit of masking my demi-human traits. My tail, unfortunately, was always a challenge-it dragged behind me at nearly a meter and a half, impossible to fully hide unless I wrapped it around my waist like some bizarre sash. Even then, it still twitched with my mood, often giving me away.
I sighed, adjusting the plain white mask I wore, one that only had eye holes and a faint shimmer of ice magic dancing across its surface. Since I lacked any illusion skills, this mask was the best I could manage. "I should've asked for something with a voice muffler," I muttered as I brushed a strand of hair back into the hood. However, my goal was to evade recognition from anyone. No tails wagging, no ears twitching. Just a quiet, anonymous, totally-not-suspicious girl skulking through the slums."
Looking up at the sky, I squinted at the amber hue that bathed the upper walls of the buildings. The sun was beginning to set, just a hand's width from the horizon. Still too bright for true secrecy, but getting there.
"Shit," I groaned under my breath. "I probably should have waited for sunset... and let Kayda know what I was doing. Maybe leave a note at least."
I scratched at the back of my neck, letting the thought drift. Then, more to reassure myself than anything, I added, "Nah. I'll just walk around until all the dwellers come out. Slums are always more alive at night, anyway."
(Three hours later)
I was perched on the crumbling roof of what looked like an abandoned watchtower, a skeleton of stone and rusted wood left to rot in the middle of the slums. The place gave me a decent vantage point-tall enough to see down the narrow alleyways, low enough to stay hidden under the growing shadows of night.
For the past two hours, I'd been sitting with my legs swinging lazily off the edge, silently watching. My tail hung beside me like a lazy banner, occasionally curling when I shifted positions. Boredom was setting in hard.
But at last, the streets began to change. Dim, flickering lanterns were lit one by one, creating a mosaic of warm gold against the chill blue of night. Dwellers emerged like ghosts-hooded figures, grim-faced men, and wiry boys all moving with the familiarity of those born in alleyways. They passed coins beneath cloaks, shared drinks in broken mugs, and swapped goods from bags that looked heavier than they should.
"Finally," I whispered to myself, standing and brushing dust off my coat. "Time to check out the black market."
I crouched at the edge of the roof, eyes sweeping the road below. Dozens of candidates moved in and out of view, but I wasn't about to follow just anyone. Too risky. Too noisy.
'Now, I just need to decide whom to follow...' I thought, narrowing my eyes.
First, I spotted an old man with a disheveled gray beard, his back slightly hunched as he walked closer toward the center of the city. His clothes were ragged but neat, his step slow but deliberate. Experienced.
Then, a small group of guys in their twenties ambled down the alleys, whispering to each other with unsettling grins on their faces. One of them kept looking over his shoulder like he was hoping someone was tailing them. Sloppy. Probably bait.
Not feeling particularly inclined to follow idiots, I turned my attention to a third figure-a person roughly my height, wrapped in a cloak similar to mine. They moved carefully, glancing around only once or twice before ducking into an alley with practiced ease.
"Hmm..." I murmured, eyes darting between them. "Nah. Let's go with the old man. He seems like a classic informant type."
Ten minutes later, after keeping a safe distance, I found myself outside an aged building nestled between a pawnshop and a boarded-up bathhouse. A crooked wooden sign swung gently above the entrance, the letters reading: Timms's Bar. A worn groove in the ground below the doorway suggested plenty of traffic.
"I guess bars are good free info brokers," I mumbled, stepping forward and gently pushing the door open.
Ding!
A small bell above the door chimed brightly as I entered.
The room inside was dim, lit mostly by flickering candles and a single magical orb floating near the center beam. Silence fell as soon as I stepped in. Dozens of eyes turned to look at me-most exhausted, some suspicious, and a few outright hostile.
Not one to back down from a crowd, I sauntered up to the bar and sat at the nearest open stool, making sure to keep my posture relaxed and confident.
Behind the counter, surprisingly, stood a young demon girl with jet-black hair and two small, sharp red horns peeking through her bangs. Her expression was unreadable, calm but alert.
"Welcome to Timms's Bar. What can I get you?" she asked, smoothed her voice smooth and practiced.
I tilted my head slightly, curious. "Aren't you a bit too young to be working at a bar?"
Several gasps rippled from nearby patrons.
The demon girl didn't flinch. She smiled sweetly, ducked down behind the bar, and popped back up-holding five large jugs of sake in each hand like they weighed nothing.
"Ten sakes it is then," she said casually, setting them all in front of me with a loud thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.
I blinked, taken aback by her strength. "I take it back. Holding five of those in one hand... You're a really skilled old lady."
Another wave of gasps filled the bar.
"Just shut up!" someone yelled from a nearby table, followed by others chiming in.
I tilted my head, confused. "Did I say that out loud?"
The girl's smile widened. "Too late to take it back. That'll be another ten."
And just like that, she stacked ten more jugs of sake onto the already teetering pile.
'Shit. I thought, "Where is an alcoholic when you need one?" while staring at the miniature tower of doom in front of me.
"If you don't finish that in thirty minutes," the demon girl added, her voice sugary-sweet, "I'll give you another ten to drink, girly."
"Y-Yes, boss," I said, and dispelled the lower part of my mask so I could start drinking.
The first sip hit like fire and ice-smooth but burning all the way down.
"So it's a magic mask," the demon girl said, not moving from her spot in front of me.
"Of course," I replied between gulps. "How else is a foodie like me supposed to eat?"
"What's a foodie?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Someone who lives to eat. Loves it." I finished the first jug and set it on the bar with a sharp clunk.
"At least your mouth isn't just for insults," she muttered, glancing at the empty jug.
"Huh? I wasn't insulting you. Not intentionally, anyway." I paused, then added, "Well, maybe the last one was."
"Yeah, whatever you say." She gave me a skeptical look, then scanned me again.
"But Miss Demon Girl, shouldn't you be working instead of checking me out?" I teased, giving her a sly glance.
"Nope. You're new. And interesting," she said plainly. "I know everyone else in this place. However, you are a rare find."
"Oh great," I groaned. "So I'm a showpiece now."
"Pretty much. And maybe slow down? You've already finished ten jugs. It hasn't even been ten minutes."
I pointed at her. "Says the demon who gave them to me."
"Little?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
"What? You're short. So, little."
She huffed, crossing her arms. "Whatever. What brings a rich person like you to the slums?"
"Rich?" I looked down at my coat. "Oh, this? I didn't buy it. I'm actually the poorest person here. Got robbed by an old bag of bones this afternoon."
"What stole your money?"
"An old lady," I said with a dramatic sigh.
"Damn," she muttered, then leaned in. "Didn't buy it? How'd you get that coat?"
"A girl I'm with bought it for me."
"Ohh," she said knowingly. "Someone important, huh?"
I nodded. "Probably my future wife."
"Well, damn. That's very important."
"Mhm." I downed another jug and set it down. "Been looking all over town to find her a present today. But nothing I saw felt right."
"What do you think would suit her?"
"White," I said instantly, remembering the dress she wore once. "She's just... perfect in white."
"A wedding dress?" she teased.
"No! That's far too early!" I blurted, flustered.
She laughed. "Alright, alright. I can try to get you to a better market for gifts."
"Sammy, don't you think it's too early to talk about that stuff?" A man at the bar called over.
"Hey!" I snapped. "It's not polite to eavesdrop."
"She's already drunk. "She won't remember a thing," Sammy said with a grin.
She's not wrong. But I have a feeling I'll remember this night forever, I thought, squinting at my tenth jug.
"So the young demon's name is Sammy," I said aloud.
"Yes. Nice to meet you. And you?"
"Alice," I replied, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you too."
"Great. Now follow me," she said, walking into the kitchen.
"Follow you? Alrighty." I stood, placed both palms on the bar, and leapt-only to slip on spilled sake.
Crash!
I tumbled, knocking over glasses, chairs, and part of the bar on the way down.
"What happened?" Sammy called, poking her head back.
"I slipped. My bad," I groaned, fixing my coat and picking myself up.
"What did you do?!" she hissed.
"You said to follow! I didn't see the door-thought I'd hop over."
"Dummy, the door's right there," she pointed, deadpan.
"...Oops."
She stared at the cracked bar. "How the hell did you break that? That bar takes my punches."
'Girl, you're not that strong,' I thought. 'Level 400 uncommon isn't impressive.'
"If you're wondering, no-I'm not fat. I'm just muscular," I added out loud with a grin, pushing her back into the kitchen.
"Hey! You're paying for that!" someone shouted from behind.
"Shit. Sammy! Know anywhere I can sell stuff right now?"
"It's your lucky day," she smirked, walking through a door behind the kitchen that led to a narrow stairwell descending into the dark. "The black market auction is tonight."
"Black market auction?" I echoed, following her into the depths.
"That'll work," I whispered, grinning under my mask as the darkness swallowed us both.
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Chapter 98:
"Didn't you say you wanted to get her something white?" Sammy asked, giving me a skeptical side glance as she sipped from a cup of cheap-smelling tea.
"Yes," I replied flatly, resting my chin on one hand as I stared through the one-way glass wall in front of us. Beyond it, attendants in black suits were preparing the auction stage. "She looks stunning in white."
Sammy raised an eyebrow. "Then why didn't you give her one of your white weapons to put on display?"
I blinked once. Then twice. 'Because they're made out of ice, genius,' I thought dryly, giving her a deadpan look. 'She'll fry those things in seconds if she even tries to use them, and why the hell would she put weapons on display in the first place?'
Apparently, my expression was enough to answer.
"Don't give me that look," Sammy huffed, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "You gave enough weapons to make the auction house offer us a VIP room! A VIP room! Do you know how rare that is?"
I shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "I just gave them fifteen items. They aren't that good, anyway."
"They don't have to be god-tier artifacts to be valuable," she said, waving her hands around like I was missing something obvious. "They're elegant, rare, and beautiful. They'll sell well-especially in a place like this, with half the room filled with bored nobles looking to flaunt wealth. I wouldn't be surprised if every one of your pieces goes for over 1,000 gold."
I leaned back into the plush velvet couch, gazing lazily at the sparkling glass that separated us from the main auction room. The lights hadn't dimmed yet, but you could feel the buzz of anticipation humming through the building.
"Oh?" I said, cocking an eyebrow. "So you're saying I should get at least fifteen thousand gold coins?"
Sammy snorted. "No. Your scythe alone will probably go for that much. I'd bet your knives will fetch around a thousand apiece, and the rest? Between five and eight thousand each, minimum."
I tilted my head, doing some quick mental math. "...Your wording is confusing. So how much do you think I'm going to make, exactly?"
Sammy let out a worn-out sigh and rolled her eyes. "Over fifty thousand. Easily. The amount could increase significantly if people engage in a bidding war.
I gave a low whistle. "Damn. And here I thought I'd have to break into somewhere just to get what I wanted."
Sammy paused. "Break in?"
"Yeah," I said casually, like it wasn't a big deal. "I didn't know how to access the black market before this. But thanks to you, here I am."
Her eyes widened in horror. "You-!" she shrieked, shooting to her feet.
Or trying to, at least.
Before she could make it a full step, a length of silver chain snaked around her ankles and yanked her back down into the seat she started in. With a yelp, she landed with a soft thump on the padded cushion, glaring daggers at me.
"No, you don't," I said calmly, tightening the chain with a flick of my fingers. "Sit down. I'm not going to do anything major. I'm just here to learn a little more about a certain metal."
She squirmed against the restraint, but the chains only coiled tighter, now wrapping around her waist and arms to pin her against the seat. "Let me go! I can't trust you!"
"Sheesh," I muttered, not bothering to hide my exasperation. "You're the one who brought me here. I just want to know what this metal is. That's all. I'm on vacation, and this metal just... intrigued me."
I pulled out the same black knife I'd found earlier that afternoon-the one with that eerie cold weight and sharp finish. I set it on the small table between us.
Sammy's eyes flicked to it instantly, and something in her posture shifted.
"A knife made out of demon rock intrigued you?" She said slowly, as if weighing every word. "That metal's as strong as steel but as light as air."
My eyebrows rose slightly. "So it's called demon rock, huh? Thanks for that."
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"But why does it sound like it's not all that rare?" I added, narrowing my eyes.
"Well... in the last couple of years, it's become more common," she admitted, still watching me carefully. "So it's nothing new to us."
"By us, do you mean the black market?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
She gave a small nod but didn't meet my eyes this time.
"Huh," I hummed, fingers tapping against the table. "If it's that common, then what's the going rate?"
She hesitated for a beat. "...Daggers like that one would go for maybe thirty gold coins."
I groaned, deflated. "That's boring. I thought it was some kind of mythical material. I mean, there are pillars of this stuff growing out of destroyed churches."
Sammy's head tilted, and she frowned. "I've heard about that. They say there's a terrorist group targeting the church. Whenever a church gets destroyed, all that's left is a pillar of demon rock... and six dead priests."
"And a lot of rubble," I added with a dry chuckle. "But yeah, the rest is spot-on. Do you have any idea who this group is? Or what their goals are?"
"I have no idea who they are," Sammy replied with a small shrug. "But their goal seems obvious-to destroy the church."
"You're wrong," I said quietly, eyes scanning her for a reaction. "A group like that doesn't just go after the church. There's something more. They're too adept at staying hidden. Even the king doesn't know who they are."
Sammy looked at me with surprise but said nothing.
Before either of us could continue, the lights in the auction house dimmed. Four spotlights flared to life, illuminating the stage with a dramatic flair. A man in his forties stepped onto the center of the stage, wearing a sleek black suit and carrying an unnecessary amount of confidence.
"It's starting," Sammy said quietly. Despite still being wrapped in chains, she seemed to settle back into her seat as if she'd accepted her fate.
"Yeah, they took their time," I commented.
The announcer cleared his throat. "Ahem, ahem. Good evening, guests! Apologies for the delay-last-minute merchandise was delivered to us, and we had to prepare it properly for tonight's event!"
I quirked a brow.
"Now," he continued, his arms raised theatrically, "let the 20th Annual Black Market Auction begin!"
"Don't shout like that, moron! We don't have hearing problems!" From our VIP booth, I yelled loudly enough for everyone to hear.
The announcer glanced up, squinting at our window in confusion, then ignored me and carried on like a true professional.
"Our first item is one of those last-minute arrivals," he said. "Two beautiful daggers, made out of magically reinforced ice. Combat-ready, yes, but best appreciated as decorative pieces."
My face twitched. "This bastard is degrading my weapons... I worked so hard on those," I muttered, fuming.
'Those took like 50 mana each. Do you know how hard it is to get the swirl just right?'
"You made them?" Sammy asked, looking surprised.
"Yes, of course I made them," I snapped.
"We'll start the bidding at 800 gold coins."
"950!"
"1,000!"
"Ho ho, he does know how to make money," I said, forgetting my earlier frustration.
"You really love money, don't you?" Sammy asked with a sigh.
"Heh. Of course. Without funds, how am I expected to make any purchases? I grinned.
"Sold! For 1,250 gold coins, to number 36!"
"Yeah! Make me more money, Baldy!" I cheered at the announcer, who still looked vaguely baffled.
Knock, knock.
"Hmm, did I already get a noise complaint?" I asked, glancing toward the door. "Come in."
A security guard stepped in, tall and dressed in black leather armor. He gave me a nod and said simply, "Please keep it down, ma'am."
Then he walked off without waiting for a response.
I blinked. "To think the guards here would be that strong... Level 700: a rare class. Guess I should've brought Kayda after all. She's going to kill me when she finds out."
Sammy snorted. "What did you think? This is the black market. Fights happen a lot here."
"Fair point. Anyway, what's up next?"
The announcer gestured toward a new object. "A white brooch, carved from sacred stone found on the Mountain of Ice."
My eyes widened as he added, "Starting bid: 1,000 gold coins."
"These things are expensive," I commented aloud.
Sammy gave me a strange look. "You're thrilled that your weapons are fetching thousands, but you get surprised at this?"
I turned toward her. "Yeah, and what's wrong with that?"
"...Nothing, I guess."
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "I think I should get her a robe instead. Something that fits. I don't see her wearing a brooch."
"You said she's your lover, right?" Sammy asked. After I nodded, she continued, "She'll probably wear anything you give her. Even if it's weird."
I sighed. "Maybe... But I've never seen her wear jewelry. Still, it's too late now."
As the brooch was carried off the stage, the next item rolled out-another of my creations. The next item was a sleek katana that featured a frost-coated sheath.
The announcer opened his mouth.
"100,000 gold coins," a woman's voice called out confidently from another VIP room.
My heart froze.
"Why does that voice sound familiar..." I muttered.
Sammy's face turned grim. "You know her. That's Grandenzil. Leader of the Crimson Bandits."
I choked. "Shit, I might die tonight. If not from her, then Kayda will do it herself."
"Do you have beef with Grandenzil?"
I waved her off. "Not really."
"Then I guess you have beef with us," Sammy said sweetly, her grin turning sinister.
I gave her a glare and disappeared from my seat in a flash.
"And now," the announcer declared proudly, "we have six chakrams made from demon rock! Great for close and mid-range combat!"
My head snapped back toward the stage. "Now I want this."
I turned toward Sammy, chains tightening just a little more. She let out a squeak.
"Shut up and stay still if you want to live," I said with a toothy smile, eyes glowing with greed.
The auction had just gotten intriguing.
Sorry for the late chapter.
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TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 99:
"We will start the bidding at 400 gold co-"
"3,000 gold coins!" I barked out, cutting him off mid-sentence as my finger slammed down on the betting crystal in front of me.
The announcer paused, blinking as the sudden shout echoed through the auction hall.
"Three thousand from VIP Room 7!" he finally called out, adjusting his tie and trying not to sound rattled.
A beat later, a smooth yet mocking voice came from another booth.
"3,100," Grandenzil said with unhurried confidence from her VIP room.
I didn't miss a beat.
"4,000," I snapped, my tone like steel as I stared through the one-way glass at her VIP window. My glare burned through it even though I couldn't see her directly.
"Four thousand gold coins from Room 7," the announcer echoed, clearly surprised by the escalation.
A hiss of frustration cut through the moment.
"Fuck!" Grandenzil's voice exploded from her booth, no longer silky or composed.
The announcer didn't even try to hide his amusement this time.
"Four thousand going once... going twice... final and last call..." He paused dramatically, his eyes flicking toward our VIP section.
"Sold for four thousand gold coins to Room 7!" he shouted, pointing up toward our booth.
I sat back down with a smug smile pulling at my lips. My fingers drummed against the armrest rhythmically, like a war drummer declaring victory.
"Well," I exhaled with a grin, still watching the glass, "guess I got what I wanted for the night."
Turning my head slightly, I looked over at Sammy, who was still bound in magical chains-arms and legs secured, mouth gagged with a thick strap of frozen cloth. Her dark eyes were narrowed into hateful slits as she tried to glare daggers at me.
Grinning wider, I stood and slowly walked over to her, each step deliberate and heavy.
"Well," I murmured, crouching in front of her, "I suppose there's one more thing I want."
Her eyes widened, and she tensed, straining against the bindings as I reached toward her face and yanked the gag down roughly.
"Fuck you, let me go!" she shouted, spitting the words out before she could catch her breath. "Grandenzil would butcher you if she knew you're doing this to me!"
"Now, now," I said, rubbing one ear and wincing theatrically. "You really need to stop yelling. My ears are sensitive, you know."
"Like I care!"
"Tch. "Rude," I muttered, ignoring her defiance as I leaned back on my heels. "Anyway, I'll give you one chance, since you were kind enough to bring me here without much fuss."
I stood up again, folding my arms. My expression turned cold.
"Tell me about the Crimson Bandits," I said, tilting my head slightly, "and why they attacked the church carriages heading toward Armillian this afternoon."
Her face twisted in confusion. "How did you know that!?"
"Fuck's sake, woman," I growled, grabbing her jaw and forcing her to look up at me. "Stop shouting. No one can hear you."
Then I punched her. Hard.
Her head snapped to the side, blood spattering slightly onto the pristine white marble floor.
"Ugh... fucking bitch," she groaned, head bowed.
"How did you know they attacked the church and not the viscount's son?" she slurred, glaring up at me through the pain.
I crouched again, my voice calmer now. "Because I was there. I fought them off to protect both the church and the viscount's people. And here's the funny thing..."
I leaned in closer, whispering near her ear.
"The bandits had more troops focused on the church side. They weren't interested in the noble brat. Just the priests."
Her breath hitched. For a second, the anger on her face wavered.
"And when my girl and I got there, we wiped the floor with them," I added casually.
Sammy blinked, incredulous. "Wait-are you blushing right now?"
"Yes, I'm blushing," I muttered, cheeks burning slightly. "Still not used to being someone's soulmate, okay?"
"Seriously?! In this situation?" she said it, exasperated.
Crack!
Another punch silenced her.
"Yes, I'm still embarrassed about it. Kayda's intense, alright?" I rubbed my temple. "Now answer my damn question. How do the Crimson Bandits operate? And why do they have such advanced tactics while being low-level and poorly classed?"
Tears welled up in her eyes as she flinched, her lips trembling.
"Please stop punching me. It hurts a lot," she whispered.
"Answer," I said firmly, lowering my voice and face until I was nose-to-nose with her.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"The Crimson Bandits are all orphans. We were taken in young. Trained hard. Raised to be shadows." Her voice was hoarse. "The leader always said, 'You must always be ready to run, so be faster than everyone else.' We lived by that."
I stood and crossed my arms. "Ah. Makes sense. But you're not quick enough. Is that why you're just a bartender?"
Her glare returned with renewed venom. "Not everyone can be a frontliner. I'm better at remembering things. That's why I'm an info broker."
I smiled.
"I see. So... you know many things."
"Yes," she said, hesitantly.
"Great," I said, pulling a wicked grin. "I want you to tell me everything."
Her expression twisted. "Why would I do that?"
I responded by conjuring a shimmering ice dagger in one hand, the blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.
"Because I'm in a positive mood, and I'd hate to ruin that." I took a step closer.
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the weapon. "Where did that come from...? "Wait, did the weapons you auctioned just appear out of thin air?"
I shook my head in mock disappointment. "You're slow on the uptake."
Then I plunged the dagger into her foot.
"Augh!" she screamed.
"Tell me what I want to know and stop stalling. The auction ends at midnight. We don't have much time."
Another dagger formed in my hand.
"Fuckin' bitch..."
"No, that's not what I wanted to hear," I said sweetly while stabbing her other foot.
She howled again, her whole body trembling.
"Now start talking, demon girl."
"AUGH! Fine, I'll talk!"
(Three Hours Later)
The room was still and cold. The silence buzzed like static, the air heavy with the scent of blood and frost.
"It seems the auction is finally over," I said, brushing a speck of blood off my coat sleeve. "Thwonderfulwonderful a great chat, Sammy. I'd love to do this again sometime."
I was standing near the door now, fully dressed in my white coat and wearing an elegant full-face mask sculpted from enchanted ice. My figure looked like a noble specter, cloaked and unreadable.
Turning back, I gave the room one last glance.
Sammy was hanging by her wrists, chained to a hook in the ceiling. Ice daggers pinned her to the wall in five places-shoulder, thigh, side, hand, and calf. Half her face was skinned, blood trailing down her jaw and neck in thick rivers. Her breath came in shallow rasps.
"I mean... if you survive the night," I added with a cheerful wave.
With that, I closed the door and walked away.
'Kayda is either going to be proud of me or furious when she hears what I got from Sammy... Meh, probably both.'
I descended the stairs humming softly, heels clicking on the polished stone floor. When I reached the ground level, one of the auction house employees-a slim man in a tailored black suit-approached and bowed.
"I hope ma'am enjoyed the auction. Would you like to collect your items now or on a later day?"
"I'll take them now," I said politely, adjusting my gloves. "Could you escort me to the receptionist?"
"Of course. Right this way."
I followed him through a gilded hallway lined with magical torches and glass-encased relics. Soon, we reached a counter where a sharply dressed receptionist waited. Her brows furrowed slightly as she saw me.
"Weren't there two of you earlier?" she asked, tilting her head. "You arrived with a demon woman."
"Oh, her?" I gave a coy laugh. "Yeah, she's still in the room. After I got the chakrams, I was in such a good mood... We had a little fun."
The woman's face flattened into a glare. "You'll be charged for any damages or cleaning."
'Fair enough,' I thought, remembering the broken furniture and blood-soaked floor.
"That's fine. Take 1,000 gold coins from my share to cover repairs and cleaning," I said with a dismissive wave.
"Very well," she said more professionally, clicking a few things on a crystal pad.
"Out of the 15 weapons sold, you earned 300,000 gold coins," she began. "After deducting the 15% cut, the 100 gold coins for damages, and the 74,000 gold coins you spent on your purchases, you're left with 180,000 gold coins."
Ten silver cases clinked as they were set on the desk, followed by a sleek black box containing my new items.
"That's a lot of money," I said, pulling the box closer. I opened it with anticipation.
Inside was a white coat with a red trim and buttons-tailored perfectly. Beside it were six stunning chakrams, stacked like dangerous halo rings.
Each chakram gleamed with a polished, obsidian-like shine and was about sixty centimeters in diameter. The curved blades on each edge were razor sharp and spaced like a propeller. Their structure hinted at dual-purpose design: clockwise spin for precision slashes and counterclockwise to shred and rip with wild force.
Tiny diamond-shaped carvings were etched into the ring-channels for elemental energy.
"These are gorgeous," I breathed, lifting one and sending ice mana into the grooves. The diamonds frosted over, syncing with me instantly.
"They should be," the receptionist muttered. "A blacksmith king made them."
"I didn't know that," I said distractedly, still admiring the craftsmanship. I floated each chakram into the air behind me, letting them orbit lazily.
A familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"At least you know how to use them," a woman said behind me.
I stiffened.
Turning slowly, I came face-to-face with Grandenzil.
She stood with her usual cocky confidence, an eyebrow raised. Beside her was a much smaller girl in a black coat and mask-her presence unreadable.
"Oh, you two must've been the other bidders," I said coolly.
"Yes," Grandenzil said, her lips twitching into a smirk. "I was about to ask for the chakrams, but seeing you control them like that... I suppose Peanut here still has a ways to go."
She lightly tapped the masked girl's head.
"Her main weapon is chakrams?" I asked, curious.
The girl puffed up a bit, arms crossed. "Yes."
"Rare to see," I said with a nod, floating the chakrams behind me before tapping the cases and stowing them in my dimensional storage.
Grandenzil's eyes widened. "Dimensional magic?"
"Indeed," I said nonchalantly.
"I'll be going now," I added, nodding politely and moving toward the exit.
"Wait!" the smaller girl called out. "What did you mean?"
I paused mid-step, glancing back. "Mean what?"
"You said it's rare to see someone using chakrams... but you use them too."
I smiled under the mask. "I use them, yes. But they're not my main weapon."
"Then what is your main weapon?" Grandenzil asked curiously.
I tilted my head, pretending to think.
"Well, I'm good at many things. Hard to say."
"Tch."
I reached into my storage and pulled a large boulder of shimmering black demon rock, holding it out.
"Here," I said, handing it to the smaller girl. "A gift. Since you're the first person I've met who uses chakrams seriously."
Grandenzil's jaw dropped. "What?!"
"As for my main weapon?" I said, turning away.
"I'd say... magic."
Then I vanished into the crowd.
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Chapter 100:
"Well, do explain why you are so late." Kayda's sharp voice rang out the moment I stepped into the inn Warlurd had mentioned earlier.
I paused in the doorway, the scent of warm food, burning wood, and faint perfume hitting my nose all at once. My eyes scanned the rustic yet polished interior of the inn before landing on her-Kayda, sitting at a corner table with her arms folded across her chest and her crimson eyes fixed on me like twin daggers. Her tone was light, but I could feel the irritation radiating off her.
"Oh, Kayda, I've been looking for you," I said, offering a wide smile that I knew would do absolutely nothing to disarm her mood. Striding toward the table, I took in the other person sitting with her-a woman dressed neatly in a brown and green innkeeper's outfit, hair tied back into a tight bun. I presumed she was the inn lady.
I pulled out the empty chair with a quiet scrape and plopped down without waiting for permission.
Kayda leaned back slightly in her seat, her eyes never leaving mine. "I'm listening."
"Come on, Kayda," I said, letting my head fall forward until it hit the wooden table with a dull thud. "I've been busy the entire night. Can't we just get something to eat and then crash? My legs are still sore."
"Oh, so that's why you got that room," the inn lady suddenly muttered, mostly to herself, but loud enough for me to hear. She nodded to herself with a knowing look.
Raising a brow, I gave her a sideways glance. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kayda ignored the exchange and instead narrowed her eyes further, a familiar calculating gleam sparking in them. "While you're busy explaining your absence, do include why you have six chakrams floating around you... and why they're practically humming with killing intent."
"Oh, right." I straightened up slightly in my seat, then jerked my thumb toward the inn lady. "Can we trust her?"
Kayda tilted her head slightly toward the woman beside her. "This is Sara. She works for the guild. Actually, it'll help that she hears my voice too."
Sara gave me a warm smile, her posture professional but not rigid.
I sighed, brushing a few stray hairs from my face as I leaned back in the chair. "Alright, alright. Just don't expect a dramatic storytelling session. If you want more detail, feel free to stop me."
Both of them nodded, so I began.
"After I blew up the carriage-don't give me that look, Kayda-I leapt onto a roof and ran into the city proper. At some point, I jumped down in front of this really gruff guy. He had this nasty knife on him. You could feel the killing intent rolling off it. Naturally, I confiscated it."
Kayda's brows lifted slightly, her expression a mix of amusement and concern.
"I was planning to head toward that creepy black pillar-the one where the church was destroyed. I wanted to compare the knife to whatever made that thing. And wouldn't you know it? Same material. Same aura. I asked the guy where he got it. He said it came from the black market."
Kayda's face twitched. "Please don't tell me-"
"I asked where it was," I admitted with a shrug, grinning at her. "So once I knew, I waited for the right time. Found myself an old, abandoned watchtower and waited there until after sunset."
Sara leaned forward slightly. "Alone? In the city outskirts?"
"It was peaceful," I said with a light shrug. "Two hours after sunset, the rats came crawling out. I followed an old man to a bar that reeked of sweat and regret. I joined in and had a few drinks-okay, twenty sake jugs, but who's counting-then the tiny demon girl who was the bartender invited me to a black-market auction.
Kayda blinked. "You accepted a shady invitation while drunk?"
"I was not drunk," I said, trying to sound indignant but failing as I chuckled. "Just tipsy."
"Still not better," she muttered.
"Anyway," I continued, waving my hand, "I went to the market. Sold some of my weapons. Bought a new toy."
With a grin, I waved my hand, and the six chakrams floated around the table, gleaming in the candlelight. Their sharp blades spun lazily in the air, catching the dim glow as if flaunting their lethality.
"They look expensive," Sara said, reaching out to examine one. She turned it carefully in her hands, studying the craftsmanship.
"They are," I said, proud.
"I also got you something, Kayda," I added, pulling out a black velvet box from my storage and pushing it across the table to her.
Kayda blinked, visibly surprised. "Oh... okay."
Her voice tried to remain flat, but her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the box. Inside was the white coat. She reached out and ran her fingers across the fabric with reverence.
"They cost a small fortune," I said nonchalantly. "The chakrams were 4,000 gold coins. That coat was 70,000."
The air went still.
"What!?" Sara yelped, nearly dropping the chakram in her hand.
"How do you have that kind of money!?" Kayda shouted, snapping the box shut like the coat might burn her.
"Well," I said with a mischievous smile, "I sold fifteen weapons at the auction and made 300,000 gold."
Their stunned expressions were deeply satisfying.
"You what!?" Sara choked.
"You just sold that many?" Kayda repeated, eyes wide.
"I also made them," I added smugly, summoning a small dagger beneath the table and then sliding it toward Sara.
She picked it up carefully and turned it in her hands. "It's... beautiful. Lightweight, perfectly balanced..."
"If you made a whole batch of those, it would explain the money," she admitted, more to herself than anyone.
"Yeah," I said, nodding, "but the money's not the important part. I got some juicy information too."
Kayda sat straighter. "We're listening."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. "The demon girl who brought me to the auction? She's an info broker for the Crimson Bandits."
The silence that followed was deafening.
"What!?" Kayda and Sara both exploded in sync, eyes wide.
"Yup," I said, popping the "p' as I reclined again. "Her name's Sammy. Small, sharp tongue, a bit punchable. I ran into Grandenzil, too. She was there with another girl-looked young and cocky. Uses chakrams as her main weapon. Can you believe it?"
Kayda stared at me. "Wait-you met Grandenzil again, and she didn't recognize you? She tried to kill you just yesterday."
I rolled my eyes. "Stop looking at me like I'm a corpse that got up and walked. You know, even if she tried, she wouldn't leave a mark on me."
Kayda leaned in, squinting. "Still. That's insane."
"You met and survived Grandenzil twice in two days..." Sara whispered, dumbfounded.
"Yup. Anyway," I said, straightening up again, "after figuring out who Sammy was, I tortured her at the auction. Not too loud, don't worry. Got as much info as I could before the auction ended."
I reached into my storage again and pulled out the knife, the chakrams, and a dark, dense shard of stone.
"All these?" I tapped each object. "Same material. Even that creepy black pillar. The stuff's called demon rock."
"Demon rock?" Sara repeated, her expression thoughtful.
Kayda frowned. "That name rings a bell. I think I read about it once, years ago. But I can't remember anything."
"It's apparently common in the underworld," I continued. "But I have a theory... I think it's made out of something no one wants to accept. Like... forbidden ingredients."
Kayda's brow furrowed. "Like souls?"
"Maybe."
"What about the attack?" Sara asked softly.
I nodded, the mirth draining from my expression.
"The Crimson Bandits were hired to kill all the church personnel. Full ambush. An unknown party gave the order and two million gold in advance. Sammy said no one-not even Grandenzil-knows who the client was."
I let that settle.
"That's... disturbing," Sara whispered.
"That's all she had," I said, sighing. "Nothing on the Anabald head either."
Kayda stood up with a groan, brushing invisible dust from her pants. "You did wonderful. Got more than I expected."
She turned to me. "Let's get some rest. I'm dead tired."
"Now you're tired?" I snorted, standing.
"Yes. "Is there a problem?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope. So... where am I sleeping?"
"I'll show you. Sara," Kayda turned and gave the innkeeper a grateful nod. "Thanks for the company. I'll file a more detailed report tomorrow."
"No problem, I'm always here for you," Sara replied with a cheerful wave.
"Come on, lizard. We've got sleep to catch up on. We're leaving tomorrow," I said, turning and heading toward the stairs. I stopped halfway up and glanced over my shoulder. "What did you just call me, fox?" Kayda growled, stalking up behind me.
I grinned. "Where's the room?"
"Tch. Top floor," she muttered, brushing past me.
"Lead the way." I followed, glancing back at Sara-and that's when my irritation peaked.
She was watching Kayda a bit too intently.
With a flick of my hand, three ice knives materialized and embedded themselves into the wood just inches from her mug, causing her to flinch.
"That's your first warning," I said coldly before turning and disappearing up the stairs.
Sara blinked. "My first what now...?"
At the top floor, Kayda opened the door to a massive suite. My eyes widened as I stepped inside. The place was almost absurdly luxurious-velvet curtains, polished floorboards, a fireplace in the corner... and one giant bed in the middle of the room.
It could easily fit three people.
"...Wait. Why is there only one bed?" I asked, looking at Kayda accusingly.
She was already halfway across the room, heading toward the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower. Don't peek."
"Peeking?" I echoed, blinking. Then her words clicked.
My face flushed red. "Who would want to peek at a lizard?" I shouted in frustration as the bathroom door clicked shut.
Well, this was one of the shortest chapters in a long time.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 101:
"That was a good shower," Kayda said, stepping out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped tightly around her horns and another loosely draped over her shoulders. Her wings shimmered slightly from the dampness still clinging to them, water dripping slowly down her exposed neck and collarbone.
Steam billowed softly into the room behind her, curling through the air like smoke from a dragon's breath. Her steps were slow and relaxed, like she was savoring the lingering heat on her skin.
"Good to know," I said flatly, looking at her from where I was seated on the edge of the bed. My tone was dry, edged with annoyance-not because I was angry at her, but because I knew exactly where this conversation was going, and I was already bracing myself.
"Now it's your turn," Kayda said lightly as she walked across the room and sat beside me on the bed, letting out a content sigh. Her tail flicked behind her lazily, and she leaned back, one hand propping her up.
"First, where am I sleeping?" I asked, eyes narrowing slightly as I looked her dead in the face. My tone was deadpan, but my brows twitched with restrained irritation.
"On this bed, of course," Kayda replied with a cheerful smile, patting the soft surface with one hand.
"Then, where are you sleeping?" I asked again, raising one eyebrow skeptically, although I already had a sinking feeling about what her answer would be.
"On this bed, of course," she repeated, grinning as she patted it again, this time twice for emphasis.
I stared at her. My ears twitched. "...No, seriously, Kayda. Where are we going to sleep?"
She tilted her head at me slightly, as if confused by the very question. "We are both sleeping on this bed together," she said, this time dropping the playful tone for a more direct, matter-of-fact delivery.
"And why would we do that?" I asked, folding my arms. My tail swayed low and slow behind me in annoyance.
Kayda gave a shrug, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Because we are soulmates."
I blinked. "Yeah, and?"
Her smile flickered into a small pout of confusion. "I thought it would've been fine if we shared the bed now that you know about it."
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I understand. But I would rather not share a bed just yet."
Kayda frowned slightly and tilted her head. "Why?"
I blinked at her. "Because we've only been together for, what, a couple of hours?"
Kayda's brows drew together. "Okay... So we're together, but you would rather not share a bed with me?"
"Yes. "Yes, we are together," I said, nodding slowly, "but it feels like we are now dating." I guess."
"Dating?" she repeated, her tail curling up in thought. "I remember Amari explaining that to me..."
"Yeah. It's like we're together, but it's not a done deal yet."
"What do you mean, 'not a done deal'?" Kayda asked, eyes narrowing again in utter confusion.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Why do I need to explain this to you?" I groaned. "Sigh... okay. We are dating, so we are partners, but not married yet."
Her eyes lit up. "So, we're engaged?"
My smile immediately vanished. "No, no, we're before that. It's as if I'm struggling to find the words to explain what dating is. It's not like I've done it before..."
I mumbled the last part, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment. My tail drooped behind me. The idea that I, someone who'd faced gods and monsters, was getting tripped up trying to explain something as mundane as dating made my cheeks heat.
"Ha-ha, don't be so depressed. I was just playing with you," Kayda said, laughing softly, her wings fluttering lightly behind her.
"You actually got me there," I said, letting out a defeated chuckle.
"And you said you could see truth from lies," Kayda added, clearly enjoying her victory as she puffed her chest slightly with pride.
"What does that have to do with this?" I said, still confused by how I got played like a fiddle.
"Remember what you said in the carriage? 'Because I-'"
"I know what I said," I cut in quickly, glaring at her as my ears twitched. "But that doesn't apply here. I don't even know if this world has the concept of dating, so I wanted to clarify that we're together but not that together."
"This world does have dating," she said smugly. "So you don't have to explain it to me."
"I see... So why are we still sharing a bed?" I asked again, though my voice had lost some of its edge, replaced more by exhaustion than frustration.
"Because I don't want to pay for two rooms," she said casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I deadpanned. "But... isn't there a room with two beds?"
Kayda looked away.
"...You need to shower before you climb into bed, okay?" she said, quickly dodging the question as she stood up and started pushing me toward the bathroom.
"Hey! Don't ignore my question!" I shouted, digging my heels in slightly.
"Go shower," Kayda repeated, this time dragging me by the wrist toward the bathroom door.
"Tch. We'll talk when I come out," I muttered reluctantly, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
(40 Minutes Later)
"I guess you weren't wrong about that being a wonderful shower," I said, stepping out into the room again while drying my tail with a thick, fluffy towel. The warmth still clung to my skin, and the minty soap lingered in my hair. I rubbed my scalp with the towel, only to realize the room was unusually quiet.
I glanced toward the bed.
Kayda was lying there, half under the covers, already fast asleep. Her wings, spread lazily across the bed, made it nearly impossible for anyone else to fit. She was completely out, one hand draped over the side, her face soft in slumber.
"...Is she sleeping?" I whispered, blinking.
I stepped closer and smiled slightly. "It seems so. I guess we'll need to talk about her wings being in the way someday."
'Though... I wonder... how does she look when she's sleeping?' I thought as I tiptoed around the edge of the bed, curiosity getting the better of me.
I leaned in, eyes landing on her face-and then my breath hitched.
My heart skipped a beat.
"...Yeah, definitely-ah shit, my nose is bleeding," I mumbled, tilting my head back slightly as I felt warm blood trickle down. "She looks adorable when she behaves this way."
'Crap. It's really pouring. I need to get away from her adorable face now before I die of blood loss.'
I stumbled back to the far end of the room and flopped down. With a soft flash of light, I changed into my smallest fox form-fluffy, round, and compact-and curled up tightly into a soft ball on the floor.
"...This is safer," I mumbled before drifting off.
(Next Morning)
"Hey, wake up! We can't have people see you like that," Kayda's voice rang in my ears as something nudged my side.
I groaned softly.
"Just five more minutes," I whined, voice muffled from my curled-up position on the rug.
"Sara will come up here any second," Kayda warned, her tone sharper this time.
With a reluctant grunt, I changed back into my human form and immediately collapsed face-first onto the now-empty bed, limbs sprawled across the still-warm blankets.
"No, stand up. You can't go back to sleep," Kayda said, grabbing my arm and tugging with enough force to nearly yank me off the bed entirely.
"Noooo... I'm exhausted," I groaned.
'I can't really tell her I didn't sleep because her sleeping face was too adorable and my nosebleeds kept me up all night,' I thought, feeling my cheeks warm again.
I buried my face deeper into the pillow.
Knock, knock.
"You two lovebirds, breakfast is ready!" came Sara's cheery voice from the other side of the door.
"Lovebirds?" I mumbled into the mattress, slowly turning to glare at the door. Then I turned to look at Kayda.
She refused to meet my gaze.
"... Did you tell her about us being soulmates?" I asked.
"No! But... it's probably how I acted last night," she said, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.
"I'm coming in!" Sara's voice rang again before the door creaked open.
"Did we say you could come in?" I snapped, looking up to see her carrying a tray stacked with food.
"Sorry, sorry! I just couldn't keep my curiosity in check anymore, okay?" Sara laughed as she walked to the table and placed the tray down.
"Kayda, I don't think that'll be enough for Nova here," she added with a chuckle.
"No, that won't even be close to enough for both of us," I said, finally pushing myself up. "Kayda eats as much as me."
"Oh! Okay, I'll tell Dad to make more food," Sara said with a nod. She walked toward the door again, but just before exiting, she turned and looked at me.
"Thanks for clarifying your relationship last night," she added slyly, and they closed the door.
"...Huh?" I blinked. "What does she mean by that?"
Kayda looked just as confused. "What does she mean you clarified it?"
"I didn't do anything except throw some knives at her because she was staring at your butt," I said, quickly looking away.
"You did what!? More importantly, she did what!?" Kayda shrieked, placing both hands protectively over her backside.
"She was checking you out, and I didn't like it. So I threw some knives into the table she was sitting at," I explained, now panicking as I watched her expression darken.
"So... It wasn't me who told her. It was you," Kayda muttered.
"I guess it was," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.
"And you wanted to blame it on me?" Kayda said, stepping closer.
"Well, you are known as Kayda the Sage, and I'm... not very likable. So I thought... you know, if people thought it was you, your name wouldn't lose credibility. " And, to be honest, you have a tendency to let secrets slip..."
I mumbled the last part under my breath.
"Oh, so you care more about my image, huh?" Oh, so you care more about my image, huh? No-wait-you mean that if my image falls, I become worthless and you can't profit from my name anymore!" she accused, grabbing my collar.
"Wait, wait! I didn't think like that!"
"You didn't?"
"No! It's more like... I didn't want the entire world to know about us while I'm still weak. If enemies come for us, I can't protect you. Or myself."
Kayda blinked. Then she let go.
"Oh... that actually makes sense. But I'm still punishing you."
"Punish!? Sorry, I'm not into those kinds of kinks," I said, stepping away quickly.
"Not sexual, you dumbass!" Kayda yelled, storming over to the table. "I meant to worry about me last night."
She sat down and began to eat.
'Don't tell me...' I thought, approaching the table.
Suddenly, her tail whipped out and blocked me.
"You stay there. "There's no food for you," she said in between mouthfuls.
"... Did you know you're a demon?" I asked in a deadpan voice, staring at her with betrayed eyes.
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Chapter 102:
"That was great, thanks, Sara!" Kayda said cheerfully as she pushed her chair back and stood up from the table in the inn's small restaurant. The early morning sunlight poured in through the open windows, casting a warm glow across the wooden floor. Her wings twitched in satisfaction as she stretched her arms high above her head.
Meanwhile, I sat at the table with a mouth full of food and a plate still half-loaded. I looked up with narrowed eyes. "No, wait, I'm still eating," I mumbled, quickly stuffing another bite into my mouth.
Kayda, already halfway to the door, didn't even glance back. "Nova, come on. I told you-we're going somewhere today, and we can't be late," she said, voice firm but not unkind.
I chewed quickly, swallowing with a sigh. "I take it back-you're a devil. You hear? A devil!" I shouted after her, reaching for the remaining food.
I swept nearly everything left on the table into my storage with practiced speed. Plates, utensils, the half-eaten toast-yoink. All of it vanished with a soft shimmer. Sprinting after her, I added over my shoulder, "Sara, I'll bring the plates back tonight!"
"Okay!" Sara called from behind the bar, raising one hand in a lazy wave as she watched me dash out of the inn like a fox on fire.
Outside, the streets were still waking up. Merchants were just starting to wheel their carts into place. I caught up to Kayda just as she stepped onto the main road, her expression smug as always.
"You're slow," she teased, glancing over her shoulder at me with a grin that screamed I planned this.
"Shut up. I'll get you back for this," I growled, holding one of the plates I didn't have an opportunity to finish in my hand like a weapon.
"Hey, I said this was a punishment for making me worried last night," Kayda said, her voice light but with a hint of seriousness underneath. The grin didn't leave her face, though.
"Punishment? That wasn't punishment-that was torture!" I exclaimed, my tail flicking behind me in agitation. "You made me sit there and watch while you ate both your food and mine, and I had to scarf down as much as I could in five freaking minutes!"
"That's more than enough time to eat enough food for you," she replied matter-of-factly, as if she were explaining how water worked.
I stepped in front of her and turned around sharply. "Kayda. What would you do if I sat you in a chair and put a juicy, fatty steak in front of you-one cooked just right, sizzling with flavor-and you weren't allowed to touch it? Just stare. Hungry. Smelling it. Watching me eat it."
Her smile faltered. Her eyes widened slightly. Her mouth opened a little, and she visibly swallowed.
I raised an eyebrow as realization hit her. Her wings drooped ever so slightly, and her tail stilled.
"Yeah," I said, crossing my arms. "That's what I thought."
"I guess... I went a little too far," Kayda admitted sheepishly, snapping out of her horror fantasy.
"At least you know now," I said, brushing past her. "But you said we had to be somewhere. So why have we been standing outside the guild for the last ten minutes?"
Kayda didn't answer right away. She just grinned again and looked up at the large wooden doors of the Adventurer's Guild, the sun gleaming off the brass handles.
"We're waiting for the guild to open," she said simply.
I blinked. "Why? Do we need to talk to the guild master about what happened last night?"
She shook her head. "No. I told Sara I'd give her a detailed report about your findings. But last night you were... let's say, vague. So I figured you wanted to talk about it in private."
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I see... "You sometimes remind me of my mother, don't you think?"
Kayda raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I do have additional information," I said with a grimace, "but it's complicated. Has me in a bind. It's not something I can just tell everyone."
"Hmm... something like mixed morals?"
"Exactly. They help people... but they're still a negative organization. Like, they do awful things for good-ish reasons. It's like-Robin Hood."
Kayda gave me a confused look. "Who's Robin Hood?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it. "Never mind. Cultural reference. They steal from the rich and help the poor, but they also engage in other questionable activities.
She nodded thoughtfully. "I get it. Well, we'll take a collection quest and head out into the forest first. Then you can explain it to me."
I narrowed my eyes. "Was that your plan all along?"
"Not quite," she said, brushing her hair behind one horn. "I primarily intended to observe the extent of your power."
"All my power? I believed you had already witnessed all of my abilities.
Kayda turned to look at me, her expression turning serious. "I haven't. Not really. We haven't trained or sparred since the day we met. I know your stats have improved, but that duel with Hugo didn't push you. I still don't know how strong you really are."
"Oh... So you want to assess me. See if I can handle what's coming."
"Yeah. That's it," she said with a smile.
Just then, the guild doors creaked open with a loud groan.
"They're finally open," Kayda said.
"Seems like it," I said. "Let's find a fun collection quest."
"Fun? There won't be anything that fits your definition of fun," she said, trailing behind me as we walked inside.
The air in the guild was thick with morning dust and ambition. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes were crowded around the quest board. I pushed through the group, scanning quickly.
"Hey, Kayda! Look-there's one at the top," I said, pointing excitedly. "Clearing the Mountain Crystal deposit mine. Twelve gold coins per kilo!"
"That's an A-rank party quest, girl. Don't be crazy," said a man next to us, his voice deep and gruff.
I glanced at him once and turned back to Kayda. "I'm going to take it."
"That's fine," she said coolly. "Let me put it in my name." She reached out, gently pulling the quest flyer from the board.
The man took a step forward, eyes wide. "Ladies, are you crazy!? You'll die if you go there! That mine's in troll territory!"
"Trolls?" I said, rolling my shoulder with interest. "Perfect. I've been meaning to test out my new chakrams."
I began walking past him, already done with the conversation. But the man wasn't.
"Are you even listening!? "Damn brat," he said as he grabbed my shoulder.
The room froze.
In a blink, my katana was out-its blade cold and sharp, pressed lightly but deliberately against his throat.
My voice dropped to a low growl. "Take the fucking hint. I don't give a shit what you say-so fuck off."
I didn't wait for him to respond. I kicked him square in the stomach, launching him into the quest board with a loud crack. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
"Nova, that wasn't necessary, you know," Kayda said, stepping beside me as she handed in the quest.
"I'm hungry," I replied, not bothering to elaborate as I turned and walked outside.
Kayda blinked, then sighed with a smirk. "I guess you are."
"Kay, remember to pay for damages!" Sara yelled from behind the reception desk, waving a broom in mock anger.
"I know! I'll get it from her later. At least she's rich now," Kayda shouted back, waving.
"I need food," I muttered, eyes scanning the streets for any open stalls.
"You're not going to find anything right now. They won't open for another two hours," Kayda said casually.
I looked at her slowly. "Devil."
"Hehe, sorry! Let's go to the mine and test out your new weapons instead," she said nervously, wings twitching.
I didn't reply. I just turned and started walking toward the nearest city gate.
(1 Hour Later)
The forest near the mountain range was lush and thick with scent. Birds chirped from the canopy, and insects buzzed through the underbrush. A light wind whispered through the trees.
"Hehe... food, glorious food~" I hummed, skipping slightly as I chomped into a raw wolf leg.
"Nova, can't you at least cook the meat before eating it?" Kayda asked, a horrified expression on her face.
I turned to her, face smeared with fresh blood, eyes gleaming. "Huh? It's not so bad, you know. Here-try some." I grabbed the other hind leg of the wolf and ripped it clean off, offering it to her with a proud grin.
Kayda took a half step back, her nose wrinkling. "No thanks. I like my meat cooked."
"Then use your scorch magic, lizard," I said with a sigh.
"Oh, that's right," she muttered, embarrassed. With a quick flick of her wrist, she wrapped the meat in fire and roasted it in seconds.
"See? Easy as pie," I said.
Kayda took a small bite and chewed slowly. "Yeah... but why aren't you doing the same?"
I shrugged. "I'm a monster. Raw meat doesn't bother me. Besides... I don't trust my fire magic."
Kayda blinked. "You don't trust your magic?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I'll still use it-but I think there's something about it I haven't fully figured out yet. Especially after what happened yesterday with the pillar. When I destroyed it... something changed. My curses... they faded. A little."
Kayda's eyes widened. She stepped forward and pulled down the scarf around my neck, inspecting the area quickly.
"It's not my neck. Look here," I said, rolling up my sleeve. "They used to stop just before my wrist. Now they've retracted halfway up my forearm."
Kayda leaned in, tracing the markings with her fingers. "That's weird... and I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad one."
"I have some theories," I said, standing and brushing myself off. "But don't worry-I'm 100% sure this won't kill me."
Kayda frowned. "Are you sure?"
I turned to her with a smirk. "Would I lie to you?"
She squinted. "...Yes."
I laughed. "Fair. But I'm not lying this time."
Kayda exhaled slowly and shook her head. "Okay. Then let's get moving."
I looked down at the blood-soaked ground. "I didn't even eat the entire wolf, so lunch is handled."
Kayda stared at the remains with a neutral expression. "Don't you think you ate a little too fast?"
"Nah," I said, licking my fingers. "That's just my version of fast food."
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Chapter 103:
"We are finally here," I muttered, taking a cautious step forward, peeking into the mine-or what I assumed was the mine. To be honest, it looked more like a giant, yawning cave than anything resembling a proper excavation site.
Darkness spilled from the mouth of the tunnel like a slow mist, and jagged rock formations loomed like the open jaws of a waiting beast. The stench of mold and decay hung in the air, earthy and heavy.
"That does not look like a mine at all," Kayda said from behind me, arms crossed and tail swishing with mild annoyance.
I glanced back at her and nodded. "Yeah, I agree. But the trolls control the mine, right?"
She shrugged, stepping up beside me and folding her arms across her chest. "Yes, they do-or at least, that's what that loudmouthed guy at the guild said before you kicked him into the wall."
I smirked faintly at the memory. "Oh, right. He did mention the area was troll territory."
"So... what do you want to do?" Kayda asked, one eyebrow raised as her crimson eyes studied the shadowed cave entrance. "We could just go in and kill everyone. Quick and clean."
"It's too small of a space to test out the chakrams," I said, pulling away from the entrance with a sigh. The narrowness of the tunnel was a problem. Tight spaces meant limited mobility-too risky for something that still needed testing.
"I see." She stepped beside me, watching the path I'd backed away from. "Then do you want to lure them out?"
"Yeah," I said, thinking it over. "Do you have any ideas?"
A glint of something mischievous-or perhaps grim-flashed in her eyes. "Trolls love the smell of blood. To be precise, they're drawn to the scent of female blood. Something about it drives them wild."
I grimaced in disgust. "Tch... fucking disgusting beings," I spat. Without hesitation, I conjured a small dagger of ice and jammed it straight into my wrist. The cold steel split flesh, but I barely flinched. Red bloomed down my arm in slow rivulets.
Kayda blinked. "You better let me feed you some mana for this."
"That's fine," I said, looking at her with a worn expression as I stabbed my other wrist too. "But you know, you could've mentioned this before I went full masochist."
She gave a helpless shrug. "I never said it had to be your blood. I only mentioned that it needed to be female blood. But... yeah, the technique will definitely work."
"It's easier this way," I said, blood dripping steadily onto the dry dirt at our feet. "Quick. Efficient."
"You're lucky you can heal that in seconds," she murmured, eyeing me with a mix of admiration and concern.
I rotated my wrists slightly, watching the wounds stitch themselves shut with faint golden light. "Yeah, I know. And don't worry-I would rather not rely on this ability too much. But for now... it's the best option."
Kayda gave a quiet hum, her expression softening. "Your mind is growing up, it seems."
I paused mid-wipe of my bloodied hand, glancing up at her. "Huh? Is my mind growing up? What the hell does that mean?"
She chuckled under her breath. "It means that you are now seeing things more clearly than before. For example, when we fought those Crimson Bandits a while back, you didn't just charge in recklessly like a lunatic. You did it with stealth and strategy."
I looked away. "That was because you warned me."
"True," she said, smiling. "But in the past, you wouldn't have even listened. You used to only listen to your mother. No one else."
I blinked. "I did?"
My voice came out quieter than I expected. Her words echoed in my head, and I found myself trailing off into thought.
Did I really never listen to anyone else? Not even Kayda? I frowned, trying to remember a single moment where I followed someone else's advice-not out of obligation or training, but because I trusted them. Even during the mansion massacre... I didn't listen to Mom's warnings. I made my own decisions.
Then again, I was a teenager. Wasn't that normal? To ignore parents? To believe you knew better?
"I don't know what to say," I admitted. "I can't remember ever really listening to you before yesterday. I mean, sure-I heard you out. But I didn't trust you enough to follow through."
"That's true," she said gently. "You did listen. Just... not all the way."
"Well, can you blame me?" I said with a shrug. "After what I've been through, it's difficult to trust."
"I get it," she replied. "But now you know I care. And maybe that means you'll listen next time I give advice."
"Hmm... I guess I can," I muttered, avoiding her gaze before glancing back with a smirk. "Since we are now dating, I suppose that means you might listen to my advice."
"Tch. We're soulmates," she corrected, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, and? I still am keen to learn about you. We're dating," I said, voice firm, "because I know nothing about you yet."
"Hmph... That's fair." She looked thoughtful. "I already know a lot about you thanks to Stacy. You, on the other hand..."
"I only know what you told me when we first met," I said.
Kayda nodded. "Right. So you know I was exiled from my clan."
"And the reason was... pretty dumb. Which makes me think there was more going on behind the scenes."
Her eyes widened slightly, impressed. "Yeah... there was."
"Sister or brother?"
"Older sister."
"Less talent than you, I assume?"
"In a way, yes," she said with a faint sigh. "She... sleeps around a lot. That caused problems."
I raised an eyebrow. "So because you were better than her in many ways, she schemed to get rid of you."
"Pretty much. She couldn't kill me directly, but exile was easier," Kayda said with a shrug, though her tone held quiet bitterness.
"Hmm. I wonder what I'll do if I ever meet your sister one day."
Kayda smirked. "Probably kill her."
"True. That might happen."
She laughed. "Enough reminiscing. How far are you from mastering your weapons?"
I puffed out my chest, grinning. "Every weapon is at the intermediate level."
"That's good," she said, then immediately asked, "What about your magic?"
My pride deflated like a popped balloon. "I'm still at the beginning of the second beam," I said, voice low.
"That's still good, you know," Kayda said, trying to lift my mood.
"Amari was close to finishing the second pole before Hugo's stupid deal. She's probably already on her third by now."
"Of course she is. Her only activity consists of anger control exercises.
"...Right," I said with a groan, feeling extra dumb now. "Speaking of things I forgot, what happened to the harem I got from the Duke and Hugo?"
Kayda blinked. "They... I don't know. Your mom is probably handling it. So don't worry."
I stared blankly at the trees. "My mom is doing something? That does worry me."
I thought, sighing, that I didn't care what happened to them.
"Oh, they're here," Kayda said, her ears twitching.
"That was fast." I turned back toward the cave, where the sound of thudding footsteps echoed.
Pulling the daggers from my wrists, I casually tossed them aside and summoned the chakrams into my hands with a thought. My fingers curled around the circular blades, feeling the cold hum of energy coursing through them.
Two hulking silhouettes emerged from the cave entrance-each nearly the size of an orc, but somehow... stranger.
I stared at them with wide eyes. "Okay... They're not quite what I expected."
The trolls were oddly humanoid-large, gangly arms, oversized noses, massive jaws with protruding tusks... and no hair. Not even on their heads. Their skin varied in color like someone had splashed them with paint-one was a deep olive green, the other a muddy brown.
"Grug female?" One of them grunted.
"They can talk? Kinda?" I asked, intrigued.
"Trolls are known for their soft skin," Kayda said from the side. "Some can talk a bit. They're as strong as orcs, but nowhere near as durable."
I lifted a brow. "Soft skin, huh? Let's test that."
I didn't wait. With a flick of my wrists, I launched two chakrams into the air-one spinning toward each troll.
Thud.
Thud.
Both trolls collapsed to the ground, their heads rolling several feet away from their bodies.
I blinked. "Uh... Kayda. It can't be that soft, right?"
She stared at the twitching corpses, jaw slack. "No... it shouldn't be."
The chakrams returned, dripping brown blood.
"Let's test something," I said, drawing another chakram and hurling it into the dirt. I expected it to stop a few centimeters deep-but instead, it sliced through the earth like water, disappearing several meters down.
Kayda leaned over the small crater. "Kitsune, is it coming back?"
"I can still feel it," I said, holding up my palm. The chakra zipped back into my hand with a whisper of air.
"So how deep was that?"
"A couple of meters."
I floated all six chakrams in front of me, inspecting the blood on two of them. "Wait. Is troll blood the same color as their skin?"
"Oh, right," Kayda said. "I forgot to mention that."
I snorted. "That's cool."
Grinning, I turned toward the cave. "Hehe... Since these things cut through both meat and rock, let's go have some fun."
Kayda sighed. "Might as well see how she handles this."
But just before I stepped in, I paused. "Oh-wait. One more thing."
I turned around and walked over to the two corpses.
Kayda narrowed her eyes. "Kitsuna... You're not going to-"
"Yeah, why not?" I said, conjuring a massive cleaver in one hand.
"That's disgusting!"
"They're meat."
"They're inedible!"
"I'll be fine," I said, waving her off cheerfully as I knelt down, cleaver gleaming in the morning light.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 104:
"I will never again try eating-blegh!!" I gagged, lurching forward with a hand pressed tightly against my gut. My knees hit the mossy cave floor, and I emptied what little contents remained in my stomach onto the already stained rocks.
The stench hit me instantly, and I gagged again, coughing as more bile surged up. Stars danced in my vision.
"I told you not to eat it!" Kayda shouted from behind me, rubbing my back with firm, frustrated strokes.
"You never said it was poisonous-blegh." I tried to defend myself, barely getting the words out before another violent heave wracked my body.
"Do I need to clarify everything for you?!" She barked, her hands flying up into the air in exasperation.
"You only said it's not edible for us," I croaked out between breaths, sweat dripping down my temple. "I thought-blegh-that you forgot I'm technically a monster now."
Kayda's face twisted in disbelief. Her voice cracked like thunder. "Ah, for fuck's sake, Kitsuna! You might be that, but you'll still get sick if you eat fucking troll meat!"
"I know that now," I groaned, slowly pushing myself to my feet. My limbs wobbled, and my vision swam for a moment before steadying.
"Did you get everything out?" Kayda asked, her voice softening just a fraction. She reached out and steadied me by the shoulder.
"Yeah, I'm as empty as air," I replied, trying to joke through the nausea. I gave her a half-hearted thumbs up, which only earned me a skeptical side-eye.
"Don't ever say that again," Kayda deadpanned.
"What, why not?" I blinked at her, genuinely confused.
"That just sounds... wrong," she said, dusting her hands off and stepping back. "Like something a possessed scarecrow would say."
"...That's oddly specific," I muttered.
Kayda raised an eyebrow. "You're not helping your case."
I chuckled despite my better judgment, but it quickly turned into a weak cough. "Okay, okay. Fair."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "And just when I said you were starting to listen to me, too. What do you do? Immediately prove me wrong by trying to eat troll meat I explicitly told you not to touch!"
"Ha-ha, yeah. Sorry, sorry." I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "It won't happen again."
Kayda huffed, folding her arms. Her tail flicked once in irritation before she let out a long sigh. "Whatever. Let's talk about the Crimson Bandits. You didn't tell me everything last night, and I want the full story."
"Right." I straightened up, posture growing more serious. "Well, first things first-Sammy was only a mid-level info broker in their ranks. She didn't have everything, but she still gave me a lot."
Kayda's eyes sharpened. "I see. Did you kill her?"
The question surprised me. "No," I said slowly, shaking my head. "But I did traumatize her."
Kayda didn't flinch. "Not surprised."
"Not the important part," I continued, waving off the topic. "What matters is how the Crimson Bandits operate. How they get new members."
"Go on," she said, arms still crossed. "I'm listening."
"They run about seventy percent of the kingdom's orphanages."
Kayda's brows knit together. "That sounds... ominous."
"Yeah. Sounds like child soldiers, right?" I said, a trace of sarcasm curling in my voice.
"Definitely," she agreed with a grimace. "Like they're raising them just to use later."
"That's what I thought, too. But it's not entirely true."
I took a breath and started pacing slowly across the uneven cave floor as I explained.
"At age sixteen, each child is given an option-join the Bandits, or start a normal life. That part is real."
Kayda's tail stopped swaying. She tilted her head. "Huh. That's surprisingly... fair. Not what I expected."
"It gets better. They take in any child off the streets. Feed them. Train them in basics-fighting, survival, some reading, and math. And when the time comes, they can either join the people who raised them, or... leave."
"And be left alone?" Kayda asked carefully.
"Sort of." I paused. "They're forced to forget everything about the orphanage. That part is true. But they're not entirely left on their own. Supportive people assist them quietly during the first year or so. They provide just enough support to help them become self-sufficient.
Kayda's brows furrowed. "So it's like... a test of independence."
"Exactly," I nodded. "But even though it sounds noble on the surface, the intention behind it is warped. They're not doing this out of kindness."
"They're building loyalty," Kayda muttered, putting the pieces together.
"Yes." I clenched a fist. "The children are trained to see the Bandits as their saviors. Family. So when the time comes, even if they have a choice... most of them pick the Bandits."
Kayda's expression turned conflicted. "That's manipulation-clever, calculated manipulation."
"They help," I said quietly, "but for the wrong reasons."
"Still," she said, glancing at me. "It's not like they force the kids."
"No," I admitted. "But think about it. You're sixteen. The only people who've ever shown you love, fed you, and trained you ask you to stay. And if you say no, you have to forget them. Would you really leave?"
Kayda shook her head slowly. "No... I wouldn't."
"Neither would I," I said. "That's what bothers me the most."
There was a long pause.
Then I smiled, sharp and sudden. "So, if I told you I want to take over the Crimson Bandits... what would you say?"
Kayda blinked. "Huh?"
I grinned wider. "You heard me."
She stared. "Wait-you want to what!?"
"Take. Over. The Bandits." I spread my arms as if I were offering her a gift.
"Why the hell would you want to do that!?"
"Because wiping them out would create a power vacuum. And it would hurt the kids they raise more than it helps anyone else."
Kayda's eyes flicked with understanding-but also horror.
"So," I continued, "if we get Grandenzil under control, we can convert them into a black-ops network. One where any class can rise up. With proper training. Real education."
Kayda's mouth opened and closed. "And... what about the choice thing?"
"It stays," I said firmly. "But we'll teach the kids about right and wrong. We will teach them about loyalty and morality. Let them decide for real."
Kayda narrowed her eyes. "And job requests?"
"Same as now," I said. "But high-risk or assassination missions? Those need to be cleared by Mom or Dean."
She studied me. "You've... thought about this."
"Only for a night," I admitted with a slight blush. "Couldn't sleep. Needed to keep my mind busy."
Kayda chuckled softly. "You're crazy."
"Maybe," I said, not denying it. "But you're still here."
"Hmph. So-have you figured out how to control Grandenzil?"
I smirked, summoning my chakrams and spinning one lazily on a finger.
"We use her daughter."
Kayda blinked. "What, daughter?"
"When I bought these," I gestured to the weapons, "Grandenzil tried to get them off me. She lost the auction, came to confront me... And she wasn't alone. A girl, half her size, spoke up. Sounded just like her-but younger."
Kayda frowned. "You're guessing."
"Yes, but when have I ever been wrong?" I teased.
Kayda gave me a withering stare.
"Anyway," I continued, "we kidnap her."
Kayda deadpanned. "Kidnap."
"Yup. Add her to my squad."
Kayda blinked. "That's your recruitment strategy?"
"She uses chakrams," I said as if that explained everything.
Kayda looked like she wanted to scream. "Seriously?"
"I mean, come on. How often do you meet someone like that?"
Kayda rubbed her temples. "You're insane."
I grinned. "That's why you love me."
She gave me a long, suffering look. "So-what about Grandenzil herself? You think she actually cares about her squad?"
"I don't know. But she did look genuinely upset when that axe guy died. Big Baby Axe or whatever."
Kayda tilted her head. "I've fought her before. Every time, she uses numbers. Like a coward."
"Then we'll see how she reacts when we take her kid," I said, spinning a chakram with a flick of my wrist.
Kayda was still staring at me. "You're not going to explain that comment from earlier?"
"Nope." I walked toward the back of the cave with a smirk. "Now come on-we've got trolls to slay."
Kayda groaned. "You're impossible."
"Hey, what kind of metal were we looking for again?"
"I dunno, hold on," she said, pulling out the quest paper. "Oh-blue gems."
"Got it." I caught my chakrams again mid-spin.
"You kill stuff, I'll search," Kayda said, summoning five floating scorch balls for light.
"Fine," I said, stepping forward. "I do need the kills."
[1 hour later]
"You still haven't found any?" I asked, crouched beside a dead troll.
"There's nothing," Kayda said, sounding annoyed. "But it's not just empty-it looks like someone already cleared this place."
"Already mined?"
"Not exactly." She led me over to a rock wall and pointed. "See this? These marks are straight, forced-like they tore the gems out instead of breaking them free."
I examined the grooves. "Yeah... this doesn't look right."
"Trolls don't mine gems," she reminded me. "But occasionally a troll king has different behavior."
My eyes lit up. "So we're fighting a troll king?"
"Seems like it."
"Can I kill it?"
Kayda gave me a playful nudge. "Only if it's slow."
"If it's hoarding gems, it's probably fat," I said dryly.
Kayda smirked. "Then let's go find the bastard."
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Chapter 105:
"Well, there are a lot of them," I whispered to Kayda, crouched just behind a jagged outcropping of stone. My eyes scanned the cavern ahead, narrowing on the crude gemstone throne where the troll king sat, massive and imposing, like a swollen blueberry covered in grime and muscles.
Dozens of trolls surrounded him, lazing about or gnawing on bones, drool dripping from their jaws. They looked dumb. Dumb and huge.
"What do you mean 57 trolls and one troll king-isn't that many?" Kayda whispered back with sarcasm so thick you could build a house with it.
I turned and gave her a deadpan stare. "Maybe for you, Miss 'I-bench-press-dragon-spines,' but I really don't think I can kill all of them and the troll king. I'm good, but I'm not that good."
"That might be so," she said, lips curling into a smirk, "but what if we let your ice magic go out of control? Freeze the place into a sculpture gallery?"
I scrunched my nose at the suggestion. "That won't be able to kill the troll king, though. Not to mention, I don't even have enough mana to do what you want me to do."
My gaze swept across the cave. Multiple tunnels snaked outward like the arms of some giant monster, joining together in this main chamber. It wasn't just big-it was massive. Trying to freeze all of that?
"You do have enough mana," Kayda argued softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "And I know it won't kill him. That's not the point."
"To encase the entire room..." I exhaled. "Kayda, I think you've forgotten something. There'll be backlash from a spell this big. I won't be able to hold both the spell and my healing. It'll snap me in half."
"I know," she said, her voice unusually calm. "That's why I'll give you my mana to fuel the spell. Just use your own for healing."
I blinked at her. "That might work... but the preparations will take time."
"Why is that?"
"Because I suck at big spells, okay?" I said, huffing and rubbing the back of my head. "Especially one this massive. The scale is completely off from anything I've done."
"So get started then," she said, nudging me forward with an encouraging smile.
"Yes, ma'am," I muttered. Sitting down cross-legged, I closed my eyes and let my body fall into stillness. Kayda's warm hands settled on my back, channeling a steady stream of mana into me.
With a deep breath, I let my senses unfurl like a net across the cave. Every little vibration, every sound-my world became sensation.
"Gurh."
"Girh."
Grunts and growls echoed in every direction. Trolls shuffled in the tunnels. Some snored. Some stomped. My awareness reached outward, mapping the whole place.
'There are 113 trolls spread across approximately five hectares of tunnels... 'That's a whole bloody army,' I thought, adjusting my plan accordingly.
I extended my ice two meters underground. It crawled slowly, a thin sheet of death spreading beneath their feet.
"They aren't that sensitive to mana. You can create it 50 centimeters underground," Kayda advised gently, reading my hesitation.
"Okay," I whispered. With a small twitch of concentration, I adjusted the ice, raising it closer to the surface. It began to pulse faintly, waiting for my command.
Two hours later...
"Sigh... "I'm done," I breathed, my voice trembling with exhaustion but satisfaction curling in my chest. I kept my eyes closed, feeling every inch of the ice field like a second skin.
"Let 'er rip then," Kayda said, amusement dancing in her tone.
"Un." With a nod, I activated the spell.
A deep rumble shot through the cavern, followed by sharp, wet crunches. Spikes and chains of ice burst upward in an instant, piercing troll flesh and snapping bones.
"Ugh!!"
"Augh!!"
The grunts turned to screams, then to gurgling silence.
The spell finished. My eyes opened slowly.
"Haah... haaaah... That was so tiring," I gasped, slumping forward, panting like I'd just run a marathon underwater.
"Good work," Kayda said softly, patting my head with a smile that made me feel ten years younger.
"I got a few spikes into the troll king too... Although I didn't inflict enough damage to kill him, my attacks should have slowed him down. Out of the 113 trolls, only nine survived. They are heavily wounded and should bleed out in about five minutes. I reported this with a small smirk of pride while still catching my breath.
"There were that many?!" Kayda said, visibly impressed.
"Yeah," I said, raising an eyebrow. "You really thought I was exaggerating?"
"Just give me a bit to rest, then I'll go take care of the troll king."
"Are you sure you're up for that?" Kayda asked, glancing at the towering beast who was seated on his bloody throne and surrounded by impaled, twitching corpses.
"He's a slow troll king, and I stabbed up his muscles, so... no. But that's why I have you here to save my ass if I mess up," I grinned.
"I'll interfere the moment I think you're about to die, okay?" she said, seriously.
"Thanks," I said, standing up and dusting myself off. "And with my mana full again... I'll go all out from the beginning."
"You better win," Kayda said, flashing her teeth.
"I'll try my best." I turned and stepped toward the throne, dispelling the ice. All around me, chunks of trolls fell with nauseating thuds. The cave filled with silence-except for the labored breathing of the blue troll king.
He looked... pissed.
"Ghu... What happened to my people!?" The troll king roared, rising slowly to his full height. His hulking figure was twice the size of the average troll, adorned with crude armor and a crown of blue gems embedded in his skull.
"They died. What else do you think happened?" I said, casually walking up to him and shrugging.
"Did you do this!?" he bellowed.
"Who knows?" I shrugged and summoned my chakrams to my side with a flick of my hand.
"You will pay-ugh!" He winced mid-sentence, buckling slightly as pain radiated from his right leg. Ice spikes still lodged in the back of his knee glistened like glass.
"Oh, you only found those now?" I asked, feigning disappointment.
"RAAAAGH!" he roared, charging at me with both hands outstretched like a toddler mid-tantrum.
"No weapon? How barbaric," I muttered, pulling two chakrams and flinging them at him.
Clunk. Clunk.
They bounced off like pebbles. There was not even a single scratch.
"What the-" I began but had no time to finish. I leapt into the air, just in time to dodge his massive grasp.
"Die!" he bellowed again, slamming a fist down where I had just been. I reappeared on his shoulder with my fist drawn.
"Let's see how long your defense holds up!" I shouted, slamming my fist into his left eye.
"RAAGH!" He flailed wildly, and I backflipped off his shoulder.
"So... he is not 100% invulnerable," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. I summoned the six chakrams and began spinning them mid-air, slowly increasing their speed until they whirled like a cyclone.
"This is going to take everything I have."
The troll let out another angry bellow and charged again.
'Can't dodge forever... I realized that I had to end this quickly, so I braced myself. I created a body-sized shield with two lower spikes in one hand and a bastard sword in the other.
Slamming the shield into the ground, I waited.
Bang!
His punch collided. Cracks spiderwebbed across the shield, but it held. Just. I winced, rebalanced, and lunged.
"You're definitely as strong as a high orc," I said, swinging the sword down at his wrist.
Clunk!
"Fuck!" The sword bounced off. I barely had time to lift the shield before his second punch sent me flying.
"Ugh!" I rolled across the rocky ground, coughing dust from my lungs.
"Ghahaha!" The troll laughed, stomping toward me.
"You think that was enough to finish me?" I snapped, blinking behind him. Swapping gear mid-flash, I reappeared with brass knuckles.
"You're a tough guy, right? Let's test that!"
Crack!
I slammed his right cheek with a left hook. He swung reflexively-but too slow. I danced up to his left shoulder, grinning.
"Too slow!" I mocked.
Frustrated, he began spinning wildly, flailing like a drunk ogre.
"He might be a troll king, but he's as dumb as a rock," I said, standing off to the side now. My chakrams had reached ten times their original speed, spinning like saw blades of death.
He roared and charged again.
I smirked. Disappeared.
Appearing right in front of his mouth, I grabbed two of his massive front teeth, then kicked upward with all my strength into his nose.
Crack!
"GUAGH!"
I planted my feet on his top row of teeth and pulled.
"Fuck you-I'm the tooth fairy now!!"
Snap!
Snap!
I leapt backward, the troll's massive canines in my hands. Kayda's voice echoed across the cave.
"Keep the teeth! They're worth money!"
"Got it!" I shouted back, tossing them into my dimensional storage. My grin returned. The chakrams floated obediently, waiting.
After teleporting again, I appeared next to his right knee and delivered a powerful punch.
No reaction.
'Of course. The kneecap. Idiot.'
"RAAGH!" He tried to slam his fists down again-but I didn't move.
"I got you," I said, raising my hand.
The chakrams shot forward in a blur.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Both armpits were shredded, rendering his arms limp and useless.
"AARGH!"
"Not done."
Flash. The action is now behind him.
Slash! Slash!
Both knees. Gone.
He crashed down like a felled tree.
Slash! Slash!
His eyes were the last to go.
"Now you can't see. Or stand. Or swing."
I took a few cautious steps back. 'Still alive. Barely.'
"...Actually," I muttered, forming two large ice bombs. I walked forward slowly.
"You were a worthy punching bag," I said, tossing the bombs into his mouth.
"See ya."
Snap.
Well, this is the second time or third time I did a proper fighting scene. I hope you guys enjoy it.
Oh, another thing. When you look at people's profiles, it seems you can like it but does that actually do something?
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 106:
Boom!!!!!
"Aah fuck, I should have flash-stepped away from him before doing that," I muttered, blinking through the thick cloud of smoke and guts that now painted the inside of the cave a grotesque shade of blue. The air was thick with the stench of burning troll flesh, charred blood, and something else I would rather not identify. Looking down at myself, I saw that I was absolutely drenched in the remains of the troll king-my arms, chest, and even my legs were coated in sticky, dark blue troll gore.
It dripped down my bandages in slow globs, staining everything it touched. The icy air seemed to cling to the wetness, making it all the more uncomfortable.
"Blue doesn't look good on you," Kayda said dryly, her voice laced with sarcasm as she casually strolled up behind me, arms crossed over her chest and a teasing smirk playing at her lips.
"Naha, you're just jealous." I shot back, turning to her with a grin despite the mess. "Don't worry, come here to give your girlfriend a big old-Grugh!"
A blast of water hit me square in the face, cutting off my words and sending me flying backward onto my ass with a wet splat. I landed with an unceremonious thud, coughing up water while troll guts slid down my cheek and into the grass.
"...No," Kayda said plainly, lowering her outstretched hand with a satisfied nod before blasting me again for good measure.
"Cough, cough-I think I'm clean now, Kayda!" I wheezed between hacking fits, holding up both hands like I was surrendering to a bandit raid.
"You sure?" she asked, one brow arched in a mixture of doubt and mock curiosity.
"Yes, yes, I promise!" I mumbled, hauling myself upright with what dignity I had left.
Kayda tilted her head slightly and stepped closer, her crimson eyes scanning me from head to toe. She reached out and flicked a piece of troll intestine off my shoulder with a grimace.
"It looks like you're right," she finally said, although her nose scrunched at the lingering smell. "Bleh, the smell is still there, though."
"Yeah, no shit," I said, sniffing at my arm and instantly regretting it. "I reek like a week-old corpse dunked in sewage."
"Let's go to that river we saw on our way here," Kayda said, already heading toward the exit of the cave and turning on her heel as if this entire bloodbath was a simple Tuesday errand. "We can clean up there."
"Wait-where are you going?" I called after her, blinking. "We need to clean up here and collect everything before we can go and clean up properly."
"Use your dimensional storage," she said without even glancing back.
"What a help you are," I grumbled under my breath, turning to face the piles of steaming troll remains. The battlefield was like an art piece from hell, with blood splattered on walls and bones sticking out at awkward angles. I sighed and trudged over to begin the grim task of collecting everything worth salvaging.
(1 hour later)
Splash!
"So refreshing," I said with a long, relieved sigh as I emerged from the river, water cascading down my hair and back. The chill seeped into my skin, but it was a welcome contrast to the heat and stench of earlier. Currently, I wore nothing but a pair of black shorts, my top wrapped up in fresh bandages that clung to my chest.
"It is, isn't it?" Kayda replied, standing waist-deep in the water with a content expression on her face. Her red bikini hugged her curves in a way that made my heart flutter and my nose bleed slightly for the second time that day. The water shimmered around her like a goddess stepped out of a fantasy painting.
'I am so lucky to have a chance with someone like her,' I thought, unable to look away. Her wet hair stuck to her collarbone while her tail swished lazily behind her-it was almost unfair.
"Yes," I said dreamily. "Sadly, I'll need to dry my tail again after this, but it's worth it."
Kayda looked at me with a smirk. "You sound like you've already made peace with your sacrifice."
"I have," I said solemnly before swimming closer to her, enjoying the soft tug of the current around my legs.
"What do you want to do after this?" Kayda asked, tilting her head as she met my gaze.
"I don't know," I replied, floating lazily on my back. "We could walk around the city or get ready to leave toward the demon territory. I'm not really fussed either way."
"We can leave tomorrow ," she said, flashing me a smile that instantly made me forget how to breathe.
"Great. I can't wait to see that tomato girly again," I said a bit too eagerly, instantly noticing the sharp glance Kayda sent my way.
"Why?" she asked, voice flat, eyes narrowing.
"I never met the Anabald yet and wanted to know how they are," I said hastily, waving my hands in surrender. "Purely academic interest!"
Kayda didn't respond immediately, just nodded slowly. "Ooh, okay, I won't say anything then."
Smartass.
"How much gold do you think we'll get for the gems we got?" she asked, changing the topic with a thoughtful tilt of her head.
"I don't have a clue," I admitted, rolling onto my stomach and propping my chin on my arms.
"Do you at least know how much it weighed?"
"No, but it should be at least a ton or two. That's excluding the value of killing all the trolls." I added that with a smug little grin.
"You got every single troll?" she asked, blinking.
"Of course I did," I said proudly. "We'll get money for each corpse since we eliminated the threat."
"In other words, we'll at least get 7,000 gold," Kayda said, her eyes sparkling.
"Probably..." I said, stretching out my arms before grinning. "I think Armillian is my favorite city."
"Why?"
"Because I became rich in this city!" I declared.
"Huh? Kitsuna, this quest was under my name, so all that gold is mine."
"What?" I cried out, flailing in the water. "That's highway robbery!"
"Hehe, all that money is mine," she said with an evil little laugh.
"Kaydaaaa," I whined, paddling over and wrapping my arms around her waist. "You can't be so mean to your girlfriend."
"Stop that. Your eyes get scarier when you try to pout," she said, pushing my head away.
"Moo... Come on, Kayda. Sharing is caring."
"Will you be sharing the money you made last night at the auction?"
"Of course," I said, letting her go. "I was planning to use most of that for food."
"Hmm... And what are you going to do with the quest money?"
"Buy more food, obviously," I said, as if that wasn't already clear.
"Good. It better be a lot of juicy steaks, then," she said, crossing her arms.
"Yaya, you can have them. I'll take the bones."
"It's good to know that we are compatible when it comes to food," she said with a soft smile.
"Hmm... I never thought about that, but that's true," I said, staring at her a little too long. Her smile made my heart flutter. Her bikini wasn't helping, either.
"That bikini and your smile are a bit of an overdose," I added, trying to look away but failing.
"Aah, is my girlfriend embarrassed?" she teased, inching closer.
"No, I'm dazzled," I said, holding my expression flat despite the burning in my cheeks.
"Aah, don't lie to me," she said, standing in front of me now, her grin almost predatory. She tapped my chin gently, eyes dancing. "It's just the two of us here for quite a distance."
"Heh, you're playing the wrong game," I said. Before she could react, I looped my right arm around her waist and gently pulled her toward me. My other hand came up to the back of her neck, and I leaned in close, planting a kiss on her forehead.
Kayda froze. Her cheeks flushed bright red.
"You're playing with a fox, my dear," I whispered with a grin.
"Why the forehead?" she asked, blinking in surprise.
"We've been dating for one day. I don't know if you want our first kiss to be romantic or what," I said, stepping back.
"I guess I would prefer a romantic first kiss," she muttered. "Wait, so you don't care?"
"Not really. Former male, remember?" I pointed at myself, smirking. "Your first kiss, huh?"
"That's true... And yes, I've never kissed anyone before," she admitted, turning away.
"Aah, don't be embarrassed. I haven't kissed anyone in this life either," I said, hugging her from behind.
'Now that I think about it... I really haven't kissed anyone in this life. I haven't kissed anyone in my life, not even my family or nanny. Guess I never had the chance, huh?'
"Don't mock me. I already know you've done everything," Kayda muttered.
"Hey, don't be frustrated. Remember, this body might be yours one day," I whispered into her ear.
"Don't do that!" she yelped, elbowing me hard in the gut.
"Ugh-kay, ow," I wheezed, falling backward into the water. "That hurt like a truck."
"That's what you get. Hmph," Kayda huffed, climbing out of the water.
She was just like me back when Sensei and I... yeah. I didn't even have the guts to hit her, though.'
"I guess we're done," I muttered, standing up and healing the cracked rib. I cupped my hands around my mouth and called out, "Remember to be my gift!"
(2 hours later)
"She killed a what!?" Sara shouted, gaping at us in disbelief.
"Are you deaf? Yes, I killed a troll king," I said, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
"How did you kill that!?"
'This freakin' woman,' I thought, narrowing my eyes and summoning an icicle in one hand.
"Sara, just a warning-don't get her too mad," Kayda said calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "And stop shouting. It's annoying."
"Tch, can we just get our payment already?" I snapped.
"Yes, of course! You can put the materials on that scale," Sara said quickly, pointing.
"Everything won't fit on that scale," I said, eyeing the tiny thing. "Got a bigger one?"
"We do, but it's in the back."
"Lead the way."
Sara turned and led us into the back of the guild, guiding us into a room with a massive 4-by-4-meter platform.
"You can dump everything here."
"Okay," I said, walking up and casually dumping a mountain of troll parts onto the platform.
"Dimensional magic?" Sara blinked.
"It's on her guild card, Sara," Kayda sighed. "You shouldn't be this surprised."
"Oh. Right. Ha-ha," Sara laughed nervously.
"Whatever," I muttered, already walking toward the door. "I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted."
Kayda watched me go, shaking her head and smiling softly.
Well, I have bad news.
All the chapters I had stored up are useless now. Well, not completely useless.
The reason for this is because I didn't do proper fight scenes in them, and I kind of figured out how to write fight scenes. I am still not a master in them, but I am learning how to do them.
Now for uncertain news. Because I will do proper fight scenes, there will be more chapters than planned before the tournament when I plan to go premium.
Now the reason why I am bringing this up is that I don't know how a web novel will react if this novel goes over 150 chapters and hasn't gone premium yet because that's where this is heading at this point.
There are 6 planned arcs before the tournament, and each should at least be 10 to 12 chapters at the minimum. Kayda and Kitsuna love arc is already close to 20 chapters, and there is more still to come.
Sheesh, am I dragging things out too much? Well, it's not going to change sorry I like to write like this.
Anyway, I will try my best I promise you to keep it at the tournament, but I really don't know if they will like that.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 107:
"Wake up, sleepyhead," I said, leaning over Kayda, my voice low but teasing as I stared down at her sprawled across the bed.
Her deep, steady breathing told me she was still out cold, completely dead to the world. Her crimson wings draped over the blankets like velvet curtains, fanned out and occupying nearly every inch of the bed's width.
'In the end, I still didn't sleep on the bed,' I thought dryly, rubbing my stiff neck with a small sigh. I'd given up halfway through the night and curled up near the window, propped against the wall. Not the worst place I've slept in, but not the best either.
Kayda let out a faint hum, a soft, almost kitten-like sound, and I watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked a few times, groggy, before focusing on my face above her.
"We need to go now," I said, my tone sharpening with quiet urgency. I straightened slightly, the playfulness leaving my voice.
Kayda groaned, rubbing her eyes lazily. "Why? The sun isn't even up yet," she mumbled, her voice scratchy with sleep. She rolled onto her side and squinted up at me, confused.
"Someone's here for us." I shifted my eyes toward the closed windows.
Kayda's brows furrowed. "Who the hell would be looking for us this early?" she asked, her head lifting off the pillow as she sat up, the sheets sliding off her shoulders.
"I don't know," I replied casually, though my gaze stayed fixed on the faint movement outside the window. "But they brought a full team."
In truth, I did know who. The moment I felt their mana signatures out there, my gut screamed it. But she didn't need to know that-at least not right now.
I tilted my head slightly, scanning the rooftops beyond the frosted windowpane. Four shadows perched in crouched stillness, ninja-like silhouettes just visible through the morning fog.
"Ugh, so annoying," Kayda groaned, throwing the blanket off herself and rising to her full height in one smooth motion. Her wings tucked slightly behind her as she stretched. She turned to the window and squinted at the distant shadows. "Did you go and piss off people while I was sleeping?"
My eye twitched. "No," I said, a bit sharper than intended. "I was sleeping the entire night before I felt them."
'Not that I could sleep with you in the room,' I added silently, glancing at her long legs, bare shoulders, and the way her hair tumbled in wild waves from sleep. It was... distracting, to say the least.
Kayda gave me a skeptical look, her arms crossed under her chest. "Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, I was here the entire night, Kayda." My tone flattened.
She arched an eyebrow, as if still deciding whether to press me further, then let it go with a shrug. "Just making sure. So what's the plan?"
"For now, they're just watching. Not moving yet. So... want to take this outside the city?" I asked, turning to meet her gaze again.
"Hmm..." she hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin. Her crimson eyes searched mine, still looking slightly doubtful. "Fine. We can take it outside the city."
"Okay. Are we running?" I asked, already moving toward the window.
"Of course, we're running," she said, lifting her hand and pointing at the window like it had personally offended her.
A second later, she fired a scorch beam that blasted through the wall with an earth-shaking boom.
Chunks of brick and wood exploded outward, the noise echoing through the silent streets like a cannon shot.
"Let's move to the south," she added over her shoulder-and then vanished in a blur of flames.
"...Damn it," I muttered, hopping up onto the windowsill. "She definitely knows this has something to do with me pissing people off."
I used a flash step to reach the rooftop, landing silently in front of one of the shadowy figures. His eyes widened in confusion.
"Huh-ugh!?"
Before he could react, I swung my scythe in a clean horizontal arc, and his head flew from his shoulders.
Thud!
"IAN! DIE!"
The remaining three shouted, their expressions twisted in rage as they launched themselves at me recklessly.
"Idiots," I sighed, stepping into their path. My scythe blurred again in a sideways sweep, cleaving all three of them cleanly in half.
Thud!
"...Just jumping in like that. Were they even trained?" I crouched next to the bodies and inspected one of their hands, noticing a ring on the middle finger.
Pulling it off, I narrowed my eyes. "This looks a lot like what Sammy described their rings to be."
'Whatever. I'm pretty certain it's the Crimson Bandits anyway.'
I pocketed the ring, slipping it into my dimensional storage, then took off south, leaping across rooftops with practiced ease.
After I had crossed a few rooftops, two more figures appeared on either side of me, running in parallel with my movement.
So they're leading me to their ambush? How helpful. "I was headed this way anyway," I thought dryly.
I glanced to the right and smirked.
"But that doesn't mean I have to take all of you on at once."
I disappeared.
A heartbeat later, I reappeared behind both of them, bringing my katanas down in twin arcs toward their heads.
"Dodge-ugh!" One of them managed to cry out before his skull split open.
The other twisted away just in time, losing an arm in the process.
"Ugh!" he grunted, stumbling back with blood spraying from the stump, trying to put distance between us.
"Naha, you're too slow to get away from me," I whispered directly into his ear from behind, enjoying the sudden stiffening of his spine.
"What!?"
He turned-just in time to see my grin. "Thanks for the shield," I added, grabbing him by the collar.
I hurled him toward a bright fireball arcing through the sky.
Boom!
The explosion knocked me back slightly, but I stayed on my feet, blades drawn.
"That bitch! Where is she?!" The mage who'd cast the fireball screamed in frustration, looking around.
"Behind you, miss," I whispered, appearing behind her and cleaving her head off in a single slash.
Thud!
"Now, what will you do, Grandenzil?" I murmured, turning my eyes to a distant watchtower a couple of kilometers away.
My gaze flicked skyward.
Kayda floated above us, her wings spreading a long shadow over the rooftops, watching the situation unfold with unreadable eyes.
"And you... What the hell are you thinking?" I muttered.
'Whatever. She won't let me die. At least there's that.'
I continued running south, but it didn't take long before another group of seven appeared behind me, emerging from alleyways and rooftops.
"More?" I muttered, glancing back in annoyance.
"Grandenzil gave the kill order. We're giving up on capturing her for Sammy," the leader barked to the rest.
"Yes, sir!" they all chorused.
"I really wanted to take this outside the city," I muttered.
I flash-stepped.
Crack!
My hand gripped the leader's throat before he could react, lifting him off the ground.
"Ugh!" he choked, his hands gripping my wrist with crushing strength.
"You're stronger than the rest," I noted, feeling pressure around my wrist, my bones creaking under the strain. "That's rare."
I glanced at his subordinates, who froze at the sight of their commander dangling helplessly.
"Let's take this outside the walls."
"Let go of the leader!" one shouted.
"Okay. See you on the other side," I said, then hurled the man over the city walls with enough force to whistle in the air.
"Aaaaaah!"
"Leader!"
"Sir!!"
"Cheers," I said, using their panic as a distraction to flash-step away.
Moments later, I landed on top of the southern wall-just in time to see Kayda waiting for me.
"So," she said with narrowed eyes, "have you figured out who they are?"
"You already knew; I knew from the start, didn't you?" I replied, exasperated.
Kayda crossed her arms. "I knew you had an idea, but I don't actually know who they are."
"It's the Crimson Bandits. Remember how I told you to wear that coat I bought for you?"
"Yeah, right after our swim."
"There was a reason for that. I wanted to see if Grandenzil was hunting for Alice after what I did to Sammy."
Kayda raised an eyebrow. "Oh. So that's why."
She stepped closer.
Slap!
The hit came out of nowhere. My cheek stung instantly.
"Next time, tell me when you're planning things like this," she said sternly. "We're partners now. Think ahead-for both our sakes."
"Ow, that hurt," I said, rubbing my cheek with a wince.
"Kitsuna, did you even listen to what I just said?" Her voice dropped low, dangerous.
I felt a cold sweat trickle down my back. "I heard you loud and clear."
Before she could respond, three figures leapt up onto the wall-Grandenzil and two masked allies.
"There's more than just them involved," I said to Kayda, not taking my eyes off the newcomers.
"Who?" she asked, her voice sharp.
"I'm not sure yet. But I know that keeping them alive will be useful.
"What are you whispering about?" Grandenzil sneered. "And I was pretty sure I killed you."
"What can I say? I'm hard to kill," I said, forming a glowing white mask in my hand.
Her eyes narrowed. "You're... Alice?"
"Not quite my name. Just a mask for safety," I said, shrugging.
"In that case... thanks for the demon rock you gave me."
She raised her right arm-now made entirely of demon rock.
Kayda blinked. "Nova... did you-"
"I didn't think it through, okay!" I said quickly.
Kayda groaned. "You dumb fox."
Whack!
She smacked the top of my head.
"Ow! You're really grumpy today."
"If you two are done," Grandenzil growled, "can we fight already?"
"Yeah, yeah. But your underlings and I are taking this outside the wall," I said, stepping toward the edge. I looked back at Kayda. "I'll help you out, though."
"How?"
I smirked.
Szzzzz.
Bang!
A bolt of lightning surged past Grandenzil's guard and struck her arm. She screamed as the demon rock crumbled away.
"Ma'am!"
"Mom!"
Both masked figures shouted in horror.
"Oooh, you heard that," I said, grinning. "Well, your fight just got easier."
Then I jumped off the wall.
As I fell, I summoned my chakrams and used them like stepping stones, each one catching my foot and slowing my descent.
Boom!
I still made a crater when I landed.
"Huh. Still made a crater even though I slowed myself down that much," I said, waving the dust away and cracking my knuckles. "Let's dance."
Sleepy Kayda = Grumpy Kayda
How do you feel if someone wakes you up in the middle of the night? I get irritated.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 108:
"So, you finally come on down, huh," I said, spinning my chakrams once before calmly storing them away in my dimensional space. My gaze landed on the two figures who had just slid down the wall and landed with smooth precision a few meters in front of me.
"Bitch, I will kill you for what you did!" the one on the right hissed, fury laced in every word. Her mana pulsed uncontrollably, leaking out in waves that shook the air around her.
"Whatever you say, Sammy," I replied with a dismissive wave, not even bothering to look at her for more than a second. My attention drifted to the other figure-more composed, calculating. Her aura was colder, but that didn't make it any less dangerous. "So Grandenzil is your mother?"
She didn't answer. Her silence hung in the air like a blade, tension thick enough to choke on.
"..."
Still nothing.
Instead, she slipped her hands beneath her long coat and smoothly pulled out two chakrams, one in each hand. The curved edges shimmered with enchantment, the metal etched with faint, ancient runes that pulsed in rhythm with her mana.
"Not going to say anything?" I asked, cracking my neck once and stepping forward. "Whatever. I'll take your silence as confirmation."
With a casual flick of my wrist, a spear materialized in my right hand. It formed from a web of white-hot energy, crystallizing into a solid shape with a satisfying hum.
"You said your main weapon is magic?" Grandenzil's daughter asked finally, her green eyes narrowing with a faint edge of suspicion.
"In a way, it's my main weapon, yeah," I replied, spinning the spear once before letting it rest lazily at my side.
"Then why do you have a spear now?"
"Hmm, didn't I tell you I know how to use all the weapons in the world?" I tilted my head slightly, the spear bouncing lightly in my grip. "Versatility is key in my line of work."
"Grrr, you're getting too arrogant!" Sammy growled, her killing intent flaring like a wildfire as she snapped into a combat stance.
"Fine, fine. Before we start, take off those masks," I said, pointing casually-not just at them, but also at the seven other people standing behind them who had followed me all the way here.
"That's fine, but why do you want to see our faces?" Grandenzil's daughter asked her question while still keeping her guard up.
As she spoke, she removed her mask in a smooth motion, revealing a surprisingly soft face-almost delicate. She couldn't have been older than Apricot. Green eyes, pale skin, and white-blond hair framed her youthful features. She looked far too innocent to be standing on a battlefield like this.
"I want to know the faces of the people that will be under me," I said, a slow, confident smirk spreading across my lips.
"YOU!" Sammy shrieked, only half-removing her mask. She stopped at the halfway point, deliberately covering the mangled, skinned portion of her face.
"Oh, don't be like that," I said sweetly, offering her a kind smile that probably only pissed her off more. "I'll heal you properly when the time comes. I promise."
"Like I'll allow you to get close to Sammy again!" the girl next to her-Grandenzil's supposed daughter-shouted, suddenly flinging both chakrams toward me with impressive speed.
"Tsk tsk, aren't you a bit too emotional?" I said, lowering my stance.
She infused them with mana, but... there's no element. That's odd. She's only using raw mana to boost their speed and rotation.' I noted internally as the chakrams cut through the air.
I moved swiftly, redirecting both chakrams downward with a clean strike from the butt of my spear.
Clung
Clung
The weapons bounced off the stone ground beside me.
"What?" Her eyes widened in disbelief, clearly not expecting me to deflect them so easily.
"Don't you have an element?" I asked, eyeing the fallen chakrams again. There was no trace of fire, wind, or lightning-nothing at all.
"Of course, she has one!" Sammy interrupted from behind, lunging toward me with a flurry of dagger strikes.
"You're faster than before," I admitted, quickly blocking her arms with the shaft of my spear.
"Attack now!" Sammy yelled, her voice sharp and commanding. The seven warriors behind her immediately sprang into motion.
"You heard her, men!" their leader shouted, taking the front as they all closed in.
"Yes, sir!" the rest echoed, charging toward me like a pack of wild dogs.
"Hmm," I said, letting out a quiet breath, "didn't I say you guys were too slow to fight me?"
I shoved Sammy back and twisted, planting the spear into the ground.
Clack
A ripple of mana surged from my feet.
Seven chains erupted from the earth, moving like snakes under my command. Each one darted up, piercing straight through the skulls of the attackers.
Schlk-Schlk-Schlk
The bodies dropped in perfect sync, limp and silent.
All except the leader, who barely dodged the chain meant for him.
"Ugh..." he grunted, catching himself on one knee, blood spattered across his face as he looked at his fallen comrades.
"You bitch! Raaagh!" He roared, eyes red with rage as he turned his fury on me.
"I told you to leave the killing to us," Grandenzil's daughter snapped, stepping between me and the man, grabbing him by the shoulder.
"Young miss, I truly don't care anymore," he said, his voice tight with emotion. "She's killed my entire team tonight. I want revenge-for them."
"You won't get revenge. You'll only join them," I said, catching Sammy's next strike with the tip of my spear.
"Damn you, bitch!" The man snarled, fists trembling with restraint.
"Fine. We'll work together to kill her," the girl-Wendy, I assumed-finally declared, giving him a firm nod.
'This is really getting annoying,' I thought, squinting at the leader again. Why do all of them have blockers? I'd love to know their levels and classes. Especially that guy. He's fast.'
"Thank you. We'll go with your plan, young miss," the man-Fred, apparently-said solemnly.
Crap, I wasn't listening to their plan. Might have made my fight harder...' I realized, sighing internally.
Without another word, I swapped to my combat outfit in a blink of light. A tailored coat snapped into place, fitting snug over my armor. I dispelled the spear and summoned six chakrams again, floating them in a slow orbit around me as I pulled out both katanas.
"I guess we can get serious now," I said with a grin.
"You're right," Wendy said, slipping off her coat and revealing twin chakrams hung on either side of her waist.
"Sammy and Fred, go in close. I'll support from range-and please keep in mind the plan," she whispered to them.
"Yes, young miss," Fred replied.
"Whatever you say, Wendy," Sammy said with a nod.
"Oh, so your names are Fred and Wendy," I mused aloud, nodding once to myself. "Thanks for confirming."
"Go!" Wendy barked.
Both Fred and Sammy charged toward me while Wendy hurled her chakrams again, this time in sync with their approach.
"Chakrams aren't really made for support," I said, matching her throws with mine in a clean clash midair.
Clink-Clink-Clang!
"How are you doing that!?" Wendy cried out, wide-eyed, as my chakrams redirected her own without me touching them.
"Magic, Wendy. Magic," I said dryly, before catching Fred mid-sprint with a sharp kick to the stomach.
Thud!
He skidded back, groaning.
'They're definitely stronger than my squad,' I thought as I deflected Sammy's strikes. 'If they were just a little faster, I'd be overwhelmed.'
"What do you mean by magic?" Wendy asked, recovering her chakrams and spinning them in her hands.
"I can explain it too-if you leave everyone behind and join me," I said, blocking Sammy's blow before extending a half-open hand to Wendy. My katana was still resting in my other hand.
"I know Grandenzil isn't your real mother. You two don't look alike at all."
"..."
She stared at the ground, visibly shaken.
"You know she's not a good person, right? She's raising child soldiers for her selfish cause. That organization you serve kills, rapes, and traffics people. All for coin."
Sammy and Fred froze for a split second, glancing at Wendy.
'I don't actually know if all of that is true,' I thought. 'But hey, they are bandits.'
"I know that," Wendy whispered.
"So what are you going to do?" I asked, lowering my hand. "Stay with your abusive fake mother, or join me... a fox?"
'Gods, that sounded cooler in my head.'
"A fox? Whahaha! Who'd follow a fox like you!" Sammy burst out.
"What? But I'm a friendly fox," I replied sweetly, giving her the brightest smile I could manage.
"Hah!? Then what the hell do you call what you did to me!?" Sammy pointed at her half-scarred face, rage twisting her expression.
"Nice foxes can still be ruthless to their enemies," I said casually. "That night, you were an enemy."
"What about my team? You didn't need to go that far," Fred growled.
"You attacked first."
"It was you who struck first!"
"Oh... Right. That's true. My bad." I scratched my cheek, awkward.
"You made one of my teammates kill her husband by accident before offing herself!" Fred shouted.
"Ohh... the fireball guy." I nodded. "That one's on me."
"The worst part? You just tried to make me betray my mother!" Wendy shouted, eyes blazing.
"Everything I said was true," I said calmly. "And she's done it for years. What did these two whine about? That was me in a week-and it was self-defense."
"...You still hurt them."
"Obviously. I never denied that." I crossed my arms. "Unlike you lot. Crimson Bandits always act like victims."
"They're our family," Fred snapped.
"Yeah. A family that rapes and kills people."
'Cough. Like I'm one to talk, I added in my mind, hiding a smirk.
"They're still family," Wendy said quietly.
"Wendy... have you seen someone who was raped?" I asked softly.
"...No."
"Then you don't know what they look like. What it does to them." I said, my voice sharper now.
"How would you know?! It's not like you were ever-"
"No. I wasn't." I cut Fred off. "But I've seen plenty of victims."
I met Wendy's eyes, voice steady.
"Just imagine it. Imagine if a group of men forced you to sleep with them-again and again."
"..."
"Why the fuck are we even talking about this!" Sammy yelled.
"I don't know. This monologue's been running a while," I shrugged.
"...How are you so casual about all this?" Wendy asked, bewildered.
'Casual? You see it often enough; you have to be, I thought grimly.
Then I smiled.
"Because I'm not stalling," I said, watching her closely. "I'm waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
Wheeeeeengh-
A blinding green light exploded behind us, leaving deep shadows across the field.
'Guess they're here.'
I closed my eyes... and listened.
avataravatar
Chapter 109:
Whistle!
Thud!
"Augh!" A sharp grunt of pain rang out as something sliced through the air-fast, precise, deadly-and slammed into Fred, knocking him to the ground. The force of the impact sent dust spiraling up around him, and his limbs sprawled out in an awkward heap. The sudden silence that followed was heavy.
I didn't even need to look to find out what had happened. Relying on my hearing and mana sense, I instinctively shifted the orbit of my spinning chakrams, moving them in a protective arc close to Sammy and Wendy. The blades floated in tight, controlled spirals, intercepting anything aimed at their upper bodies. They weren't perfect shields, but they were enough to keep them from dying immediately while I focused on the real threat.
Another sound-a whistle!
Clung!
Cling!
A volley of projectiles cut through the air, but I parried or blocked what I could with fast, precise movements. My chakrams sang as they collided with metal. Some of the hits were glancing, but others made sharp clangs that reverberated through the night.
After about a dozen shots, the barrage stopped. The night air turned still again, as if the battlefield were holding its breath.
"To think you would be able to block so many shots, Fox. Alas, you didn't block everything," a voice said, calm yet mocking.
The speaker strode into view confidently. He was a man with an air of arrogant leisure, someone who clearly believed the battle was already over. His boots crunched on the gravel as he approached, his black panda onesie flapping gently with each step.
I glanced down. Sure enough-five daggers were lodged in my legs and torso. Blood dripped slowly, staining the ground beneath me. Pain radiated from each wound, sharp and persistent, but manageable.
"Heh, why does that matter? Whaha." I started to speak seriously but then broke into a fit of laughter at the absurdity of what I was seeing. I couldn't help it.
"What are you laughing at?" the man asked, frowning, genuinely confused.
I pointed at him with a bloody finger, still grinning. "I'm laughing at you. Who the fuck wears that on a night raid?"
The panda onesie. The fully black-and-white furry monstrosity. Complete with ears and a tail.
'He seems confident enough to kill, that's for sure,' I thought, sizing him up while keeping my chakrams slowly spinning in defensive loops. 'No mask, no visible weapon. He's not worried. Probably because Kayda and Grandenzil are still occupied on the wall. He must be a high-level assassin. But even so... none of them are fast enough to kill me before Kayda shows up.'
I scanned the rest of the battlefield quickly.
Twelve more figures stepped forward out of the shadows, also dressed in black panda onesies.
"You dare laugh at our lord's dressing code!" One of them barked, offended.
"Dress code?" I echoed the question while looking around, my eyes wide with exaggerated disbelief. Seeing them all in matching black pandas broke what little composure I had left.
I doubled over laughing. "Whahahaha! Your lord has some style."
I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. A lord with this much confidence has to be a reincarnator. No other explanation.'
"If you think you can distract us with laughter long enough to complete your spell, you're sorely mistaken," the lead panda growled, stepping forward. He thrust his hand forward, releasing a wave of fire that burst across the ground, scorching the very earth beneath our feet.
The flames struck the ground beneath me and disrupted the spell I'd been secretly weaving underground.
"Aah, you noticed," I admitted with a slight shrug. "Still, you all look ridiculous."
I crouched down and yanked one of the daggers from my leg with a grunt. Blood spurted briefly before I sealed it with mana.
"Don't you feel any pain?" one of the pandas asked, genuinely confused.
"Fuck yes, I feel pain!" I snapped. "It's irritating. But unfortunately for you, I have such a high pain tolerance that the discomfort just feels like a shark bite."
"Shark... bite?" The person mumbled, clearly thrown off.
My grin widened. "You people are adorable."
He narrowed his eyes. "You still look so relaxed... even though you know you're going to die."
"Die?" I tilted my head. "Nah. That's not on my to-do list tonight."
Without another word, I turned and calmly walked toward Sammy and Wendy, both still lying injured on the ground. The panda guy shouted in alarm.
"Stand still, bitch!" he yelled, pulling his sword out from a sheath I hadn't even noticed. The steel gleamed under the moonlight.
"Shut up. We've got injured people here," I said, ignoring him as I crouched next to Sammy and began assessing her injuries.
Sammy looked like she'd been grazed. One dagger was lodged deep in her thigh, but otherwise, she was okay. I turned to Wendy-and my expression darkened. She had three daggers embedded in her: two in her legs and one dangerously close to her liver. Blood pooled beneath her.
"Did I not say-stand still!" the man roared, swinging his sword down at my back.
Clung!
There was a metallic clang as the blade rebounded harmlessly off my back. His eyes widened in shock as the impact vibrated through his arms.
"What?!"
'I used most of my mana to create that one-time-use shield,' I thought, annoyed. 'Was saving it for Grandenzil, but nooo, this guy just had to be annoying.'
"Did you really think I'm dumb enough to turn my back on an enemy without precautions?" I asked flatly. My tail shot out, wrapping around his ankle.
"What the-?!"
I yanked hard, spinning and flinging him across the field like a rag doll. He screamed the whole way.
"Aaah! What are you guys doing?! Get her!" he yelled mid-flight.
"Kayda! You finally made it!" I called out with a bright smile, looking skyward.
A fiery presence appeared overhead-Kayda, majestic and calm, descending like a goddess of destruction.
"Shit, we need to run-it's Kayda the Sage!" one of the pandas screamed in panic.
"And how could you forget about me?" Grandenzil's voice echoed coldly as she appeared behind another panicking panda, her sword gleaming in the dark.
"Shit! I thought they wouldn't interfere!" another man yelped, backing away.
"They wouldn't have," I said casually, letting go of the limp guy I'd just flung. He hit the ground hard and didn't move.
"I only inspired you guys to attack," I added with a smile. Looking down at him, I clicked my tongue. "Passed out after just a few spins. Are the rest of you stronger or weaker than him?"
"...Run!" one of them screamed.
Ignoring me completely, the remaining pandas turned and tried to flee.
"Tch. Remember-I want information," I said sharply, giving Grandenzil a pointed glance.
"And who are you to give me an order?" She snapped back, her eyes gleaming.
I didn't answer. Instead, I summoned a katana, letting it materialize in my hand with a crackle of magic, and pointed it at Wendy's bleeding body.
Grandenzil froze.
"No... Wendy..." she whispered.
"I'm the only one here who can save her," I said coldly. "So go get my information."
"You better save her," she growled, vanishing in a flash as she chased down the retreating pandas.
I let out a shaky sigh. "She really is a scary woman."
"You really are daring," Kayda said, landing beside me. Her eyes flicked to Wendy. "Can you really save her?"
"Yes," I said, crouching beside the girl. "But I need you to keep something a secret."
Kayda nodded immediately. "Of course."
"You too, Sammy," I added without looking.
Sammy, still breathing heavily, sat up with a wince. "Why would I do that?"
"Because otherwise I'll knock you out," I replied calmly.
"Fine. I'll keep your damn secret."
'Not that you'll be able to tell anyone after tonight anyway,' I thought grimly.
I formed a knife from my mana and sliced my palm clean open. Blood welled up, dark and rich. I channeled my regeneration skill into it-condensing it, enhancing it.
I brought the glowing blood to Wendy's wound.
Drop. Drop. Drip.
"Ugh!" Wendy grunted, her whole body seizing up.
"Wendy!" Sammy shouted, leaning over her.
"I never thought you could do that," Kayda murmured in amazement.
"It's difficult. I only learned it after watching Sirone's healing skill up close," I said, swaying slightly. "But I wouldn't recommend it. Not... often."
My vision blurred. My balance wavered.
"Nova, are you alright?" Kayda asked, stepping forward.
"Nope. Not at all," I admitted, collapsing backward.
Kayda caught me quickly. "Lie down. You've drained too much."
"This is the first time I've run this low on mana." "Ha-ha," I laughed weakly, face pale. "Only four points left. I checked."
"If it's mana, I can share mine," Kayda offered, her hand glowing as she reached for me.
"No. Let me recover naturally. It's safer," I said, swatting her hand away.
"But-"
"Don't worry so much. You already know this won't kill me." I smiled weakly. "Just... make sure those two don't run off. And bind that person who fainted."
Kayda sighed deeply. "Half-dead and still giving orders."
"Orders? I'm asking nicely," I said, grinning faintly.
"Yes, you're so nice," Kayda said dryly. "Let me tell you just how nice-"
[20 minutes of lecturing later]
"Kayda, you're so mean," I whined, sitting cross-legged and staring up at her with a pout.
"Shut up. I'm still lecturing you for your reckless behavior," she scolded.
"But look!" I gestured. "Grandenzil's back with everyone who attacked us."
Grandenzil marched toward us, thirteen bound pandas behind her.
"How long has it been?" she asked, eyes flicking to Wendy.
"About twenty minutes."
"They'll wake up any minute. These guys won't stay unconscious forever."
"Nova. Restrain them properly before we continue," Kayda said.
"Can't we just stop now? And how do you know I have enough restraints?"
"You cleared out your mom's torture storage," Kayda said flatly.
"How do you know that?! It's not my fault they begged me to stop her!"
"You enabled it."
Groaning, I summoned all the restraints. "This is going to take time."
"I'll help," Wendy said, walking over.
[20 minutes of more lectures]
"Okay, can you two stop now? It's almost sunrise," Grandenzil grumbled, stepping between us.
"Tch. Fine," Kayda muttered.
"You're a lifesaver, Grandenzil," I said, standing up-only for my legs to lock up with sharp pain.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah. I just need to wake up my legs.
"How many are awake now?" I asked.
"All of them," Wendy replied.
"Good. Then we start with someone random."
"What do you mean?"
"My interrogation, of course."
"So... You're going to do what you did to me... to them?" Sammy asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
"You're healed already? Whatever. Yes. But worse." I smiled. "Much worse."
avataravatar
Chapter 110:
"Why am I shivering?" Grandenzil mumbled, arms crossing over her chest involuntarily as a visible tremor passed through her. Her eyes darted to the side, clearly trying to play off the sudden chill settling in her spine.
Kayda and I exchanged a glance-then broke into twin grins.
"Have you ever seen modern torture techniques?" I asked, a glimmer of amusement dancing in my eyes as I turned fully to face her. My lips curled upward, forming a grin that promised nothing pleasant.
"I don't torture people," Grandenzil said without hesitation, her voice firm. That actually caught me off guard.
"You haven't? Really?" I blinked. "Wow, well, I'll show you why it's a fun hobby to do to bad people." My tone was playful, but the grin I wore never faltered. I stepped forward without waiting for a response, my hand reaching out to grab the nearest black panda-clad figure by the collar.
The person yelped, kicking out in panic. "Let go of me, bitch-augh!" His feet scraped the ground as I dragged him, his nails clawing at the dirt like a dying animal.
"Hey, hey, it's not going to help to try to get free," I said, releasing his head with a firm shove that left him kneeling in front of the others. I crouched down slowly, arms resting on my knees, face only inches from his. I made sure he could feel my breath and see the gleam in my eyes as I stared directly into his wide, panicked gaze. "Hmm, for a male, you have quite the soft skin, don't you?"
His entire body flinched.
"I wonder how your hands look," I mused aloud, reaching for his left glove. My fingers gripped the edge of the fabric and slowly peeled it off, savoring the uncomfortable silence from both him and the spectators.
The glove dropped with a soft flutter, revealing a pale, well-manicured hand-delicate and elegant, with not a scar or blemish to be found.
"What the hell? They look wonderful," Sammy muttered behind me, astonished.
I tilted my head. "Oh, right, we can't actually do this in the open, can we?" I said, glancing around. We were, after all, just outside the city walls. The distant lights flickered faintly through the trees.
"Don't worry about that. Guards won't come here the entire day," Grandenzil said casually, as if we were discussing the weather.
Both Kayda and I turned our gazes sharply toward her.
"Your men?" I asked, raising a brow.
"And if they are?" Grandenzil replied with zero shame, her expression unreadable.
"Nothing," I said, shrugging as my grin returned. "I don't really care too much for this city. On the contrary, I'm pleased you're so capable."
"What-?" she started, confused.
"Anyways, get back to work," Kayda interrupted flatly.
'I guess that grumpy Kayda is still here,' I mused as I turned my attention back to the black panda who was kneeling in front of me, his breathing shallow and his hands twitching.
"How did you get hands like these?" I asked again, gently cradling his exposed hand like it was some rare gemstone.
"I won't tell you shit," the person growled, clenching his jaw, trying to hold onto whatever pride or courage he had left.
"That might be so," I said, resting his hand against my knee, "but there are twelve others here. And one of them will get to watch the rest of you suffer-one after the other."
I casually nodded toward the one who had passed out earlier when I flung him around with my tail.
"No one will talk even if you torture us!" another panda snarled defiantly.
"We'll see about that." My tone turned cold as I refocused on the soft-handed man.
"Still not going to spill the secret about your hands?" I asked gently.
Grandenzil leaned toward Kayda and whispered, "Will she really be able to make them talk?"
"She made a Federation captain spill everything," Kayda said, her voice low but firm. "This will be a cakewalk for her."
A few eyes widened at that, including the man in front of me.
"Heh, he was only a measly Federation soldier," he sneered, though his voice cracked slightly. "They aren't trained like us."
"Of course, you guys are trained by some reincarnator, right? But sadly for you," I said, my smile returning, "I have a lot of experience when it comes to breaking people."
I placed my left hand firmly on his shoulder and my right on his finger. His body tensed.
"Like this," I said softly.
Then I pulled his finger downward while my thumb pushed his fingernail upward-until it cracked and tore off with a wet snap.
"Aaaaugh!" His scream split the quiet clearing.
I held the nail up to the moonlight. "I'm really jealous of how normal your nails look compared to mine. "Just look at mine."
I extended my hand, holding it in front of his tear-streaked face. My nails lengthened, growing two centimeters longer than my fingers-sharp, curved, and wickedly thin.
His eyes widened in horror.
"See? They're like knives. And quite sharp at that." I took his hand again and, with a casual thrust, stabbed through his palm. The nail exited cleanly on the other side.
"It's like needles," Wendy mumbled behind me, baffled.
"That's mean, Wendy. Anyway, it's funny how that didn't even take half my strength to do," I said, genuinely surprised. I glanced at his restraints. 'How high did Grandenzil set the limits?'
"Augh-fuck you, bitch-sp-glugh!" He tried to snarl through gritted teeth, just as he inhaled to spit at me.
I shoved a 1.5-meter ice pole into his mouth.
"Thank you for opening your mouth," I said sweetly.
I grabbed the base of the ice pole and held the back of his neck, pushing the rod upward and forcing his head backward so that he was staring straight at the sky.
"Well, I hope your gag reflex doesn't work... for your part, though." Slowly, I pressed the pole deeper, down his throat. His body convulsed violently, his face turning a blotchy red.
"That is disgusting," Grandenzil commented, taking a step back.
"Yeah, no, I'm not watching this anymore," Wendy said, shielding her eyes and turning away.
"Oh? Are you going to puke?" I teased, feeling resistance from the pole. Something was pushing back-his body trying to eject it.
I froze his lips shut and let go of the pole, stepping to the side.
Puke sprayed violently from his nostrils.
"I almost forgot that there were two more holes from which it could come out," I said nonchalantly while walking behind him.
Gripping the pole again, I channeled ice magic into it, freezing the vomit trail inside his throat and out of his nose.
"There. That should do it."
"It's getting worse," Grandenzil muttered, visibly turning green as she stared at the frozen puke icicles poking out of his nostrils.
"Blink twice if you feel like talking," I said, watching the blue tint of his face deepen from lack of oxygen.
"..."
"I guess I was going too soft," I sighed, getting nothing but a glare from him. I tapped the ice pole, creating a small air hole. He gasped like a drowning man breaching water, coughing violently.
"Sammy..."
"Don't ask me," Sammy said with a shrug, touching the half-healed scar on her face. "She just stabbed and skinned me. Nothing more than that."
"I'll heal that later for you, okay?" I said this while standing up and walking toward the group of pandas.
As I scanned them, one caught my eye-he was gagging violently, looking away. His skin was an unhealthy shade of green.
Is that gagging from the scene or something else? Oh... he's green as grass.'
I crouched next to him. "It seems like you can't handle this sort of scene. Here, let me help you with that."
Grabbing his head, I forced him to look at me.
"Wow, you've got quite a beautiful pair of eyes," I said genuinely, noting the bright emerald hue. Then I softened my expression and extended my claws near his cheeks. "I'm sorry you had to see something like this with those eyes."
His pupils shrank. Then-
"Aaaargh!" His shriek pierced the air as my nails stabbed into the sides of his eyes. With a slow twist, I slipped my claws behind the orbs and cupped them gently before popping them out.
"Blegh!!"
I turned to the retching sound and spotted Grandenzil bent over, vomiting onto the grass.
"Sheesh, you're a bandit leader who can't handle something like this?" I asked, disappointed.
"Mom, are you alright?" Wendy called, still shielding her face.
"I'm fine, Wendy. Just... please don't open your eyes, okay, honey?" Grandenzil said, clearly shaken.
"Well, we'll talk after the fact anyway," I said, turning back to the now-blind panda.
"This bitch is crazy..."
"I don't want to die!" someone else blurted, drawing my gaze.
I turned slowly and locked eyes with the speaker.
Fart.
"Did you just shit your pants?" his neighbor asked, recoiling in disbelief.
"N-n-no," the person stuttered, trembling.
"Now that's just plain disgusting," I said with a groan, pinching my nose as I walked up to him. I placed a hand on his quaking head and, without further ceremony, burned him to ash.
A pile of soot remained. Nothing else.
"What a peaceful death," the person next to him muttered, voice low.
My eyes narrowed.
"What, do you not want an easy death?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Of course I want a peaceful death," he snapped. "But with you, I'm certain I'll be screaming my lungs out first. Not like that lucky motherfucker."
I smiled. "I see. Okay, you'll be the sixth blood eagle."
"The what?" Sammy asked, confused.
"You'll see," I replied, turning my grin on the next unlucky soul.
It's been a while since we did a proper gore scene. Well, luckily for you, it's not...
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
avataravatar
Chapter 111:
"Let go of me!" the man in my hands yelled, his voice hoarse with panic as he thrashed like a fish out of water, limbs flailing wildly in a useless attempt to break free. His boots scraped against the dirt, sending up small puffs of dust as I dragged him away from the others.
"Oi, stop fooling around," I muttered, my tone casual, but my grip unforgiving. Without warning, I dug my nails into the side of his head.
"Augh!" he cried out, his eyes going wide as he froze in my grasp.
"Yeah, now shut up," I said flatly, continuing my slow stride forward. My fingers curled deeper into his scalp for a moment, just enough to make him whimper.
Reaching a clear space a few meters away from the group, I raised my hand and conjured two tall metal poles, each about three meters high. They emerged from the ground with a metallic groan, standing two meters apart like grim sentinels.
"Huh, what are you going to do with those?" Sammy asked, approaching from behind, her steps surprisingly light considering the tension in the air.
"You seem quite energetic with all the activity going on," I remarked, half-turning to glance at her. "Is it because of what I did?"
Sammy tilted her head up at me, brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't know. The subject is just interesting to me. But enough about me-how are you going to torture this guy?"
She waved vaguely in the direction of the man still squirming in my grip, like he was a minor detail in her growing curiosity.
"You'll see in a bit," I replied, my smile sly as I dropped the guy unceremoniously onto the ground with a dull thud.
He let out a grunt as he landed, quickly curling up and clutching at his head. But I ignored him for now. I held out my hands and began conjuring fine, glowing wire between my fingers-thin, yet strong enough to cut through bone with enough force. Each strand shimmered slightly with embedded mana, the air around them crackling faintly.
"What are you going to do to me?" the man asked, his voice shaky now. He struggled to sit upright, eyes wide as they darted between me and the glowing wire.
"Hmm... I never asked your name," I mused, glancing down at him with mock politeness. "Mine is Kitsuna Draig-"
I stopped myself mid-sentence, blinking. "...Oops."
"Hey, dumbass, it hasn't even been a week," Kayda muttered, her voice dry and unimpressed from her spot behind me.
"Sorry, I got caught up in the torture and forgot about it," I replied with a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of my head.
"Draig?" Grandenzil echoed, a curious glint entering her eye. "So you're the rumored adopted child."
"Draig? No wonder you're so strong," Sammy said, eyes wide with realization.
I shrugged, half-embarrassed. "I'm not forceful, though. I don't even have a class."
"You don't have a class?!" Sammy yelled, her mouth hanging open.
"Yeah," I said, casually looping the wire around the man's wrists and ankles. "I might be faster than you guys, but I'm not stronger."
"You don't have a class, but you're faster than my men? How does that make sense?" Grandenzil asked, stepping closer with a skeptical frown.
"You do know who my mother is, right?" I said, smiling awkwardly. "Yeah, that beast is my teacher too."
Grandenzil visibly shuddered. "That makes sense, I guess. I never want to meet that woman again."
"You guys fought?" Kayda and I asked in unison.
"No... it was a massacre," Grandenzil admitted quietly. Her eyes lowered, and her voice grew distant. "If she hadn't let me escape, I would've died."
'I can use that to my advantage, I guess,' I thought, tying off the last bit of wire. The man was now tightly bound at each limb.
"Huh. Okay, good to know," I said, nodding at Grandenzil before looking back down at the bound black panda.
"What are you doing?" he muttered weakly, his voice cracking.
"I was going to give you a simple blood eagle," I said, smiling coldly. "But I thought about evolving it into a human eagle instead."
"Dumb name. Think of another one," Kayda chimed in from the side, arms crossed and brow raised.
"What? But it sounds cool!" I protested, frowning as I looked over at her.
"Change it, or do you want to join the King in his club?" Kayda said with a smirk, a playful edge in her tone.
"Club? Uhh, no thank you. Dan can stay in his club alone. I'll change it later, though," I muttered, face scrunching in distaste. I looked back at the panda. "Anyways, let's get this job started."
With a practiced pull, I tugged on the wire connected to his wrists, hoisting him up into the air. His arms stretched wide as he hung in a rigid T-pose. The muscles in his shoulders bulged under the strain, and I could hear his breathing turn ragged.
I took the wires connected to his feet and looped them around the two lamp poles, securing him in place with a few sharp knots.
"There. Now stay like that, little panda star, until I get back to you," I said sweetly, patting his chest before turning around.
I flexed my fingers, letting the faint ache of drained mana fade from my hands. 'That wire took too much mana for me to continue with this one,' I thought.
"Hmm. Anyone up for talking yet?" I asked, forming a small, razor-sharp knife from ice and holding it between my fingers like a toy.
"Fuck you, bitch! No one will talk just because of some torture!" snarled the nearest panda, glaring up at me with defiance in his eyes.
"I understand what you're saying, and I get it." "You guys trained not to break under torture," I said, shrugging as I reached out and grabbed him by the head. My fingers dug into his scalp. "However... I really hate it when people call me bitch."
He squirmed under my grip.
"Like, you know nothing about me. How do you know, or why do you think I'm a bitch? Seriously, it's irritating." I frowned, dragging him a few steps closer to the group.
"How would you feel if I called you... Angel Lovers?"
"Don't you fucking dare call us that!!" they all shouted in unison, their outrage immediate and loud. Even the one with the rod still lodged in his throat let out a muffled snarl.
"Sheesh. You know what I hate even more than someone calling me a bitch? Someone shouting so loud my ears might bleed," I said, rubbing my ear with a grimace.
"Why should we care? You just called us Angel Lovers," the one in my hand said, clearly offended.
"Oi, don't get so mad at me. What should I call you instead? Elf lovers... dwarf lovers... monster lovers... beast lovers... demon lovers..." I let each name drip off my tongue like poison, watching for any reaction. "Come on, speak up. I won't know what to call you if you don't say anything. Aaah, what about... devil lovers?"
The group went dead silent.
Their bodies stiffened, expressions frozen.
"Well, that's troubling," Kayda mumbled under her breath, her posture tense.
"Yeah... that's not good at all," I agreed, scowling. Without another word, I clenched my hand-and crushed the man's head.
Thud!
His body collapsed in a heap.
"What do you guys mean?" Sammy asked, glancing between Kayda and me.
"These guys worship devils. That's why torture doesn't really work on them," I explained, still watching the remaining pandas closely.
"How sure are you?" Grandenzil asked, her tone skeptical.
"When I listed the names, they only reacted to 'devil.' The others just irritated them. That word triggered something else entirely," I said, flexing my stained fingers.
You know what? Let's do this. I thought, stepping toward Sammy.
"Why are you moving closer to me?" she asked, backing up slightly.
"Well, I'm going to teach you how to torture people. What do you think?"
"That..." she hesitated, glancing at Grandenzil.
"If you want to, you can learn from her," Grandenzil said evenly, watching Sammy's reaction.
"Thank you. I'd like to learn as much as I can," Sammy said, bowing slightly, a determined spark in her eye.
'You wouldn't think we're enemies if you saw us like this,' I thought, hiding a laugh behind a crooked smile.
"Good, good. Here, catch," I said brightly, tossing the knife to her.
She caught it awkwardly. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Just come here. I'll show you," I said, turning to one of the pandas and kicking him squarely in the side of the head.
Thud!
He dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"Okay. Now spread this person out, face-down," I said as Sammy crouched beside the body. I burned his clothes off with a flick of fire magic, revealing the broad muscles of his back.
"Now, like this, we're going to remove his spine... without killing him," I said, grinning.
"Huh? Is that even possible?" Grandenzil asked in disbelief, while Kayda merely sighed and shook her head.
"Yes, of course it is. You just have to be gentle about it," I said, turning to another panda and preparing the same way. I straddled the unconscious man's back, conjuring another knife. "Just watch how I do it. Then you can do the same."
"Okay," Sammy said, eyes focused.
I placed the knife at the base of the man's neck, aligning it carefully.
"Start here. Make a mark at the middle. Then cut to the bone, about three centimeters to each side horizontally. From there, cut downward, all the way to just above the waist, staying close to the spine, and then connect the lines."
With careful precision, I followed my instructions.
"Now, peel the skin down like this."
"Augh!!"
"As you saw, this wakes them up. You would rather not knock them out again. They need to feel it. But you also don't want them to bleed out, so-burn the holes closed." I did just that, cauterizing the open flesh. "Be careful. Don't overdo it. You still need to work around the bone."
Then came the next step.
"Here's the hard part. With the knife and your strength, you won't be able to cut them normally. But with these restraints weakening them, we can. Watch closely."
I slid the blade under the second vertebra and slowly pushed down, adding pressure.
"You can't go too deep, or you'll kill him. Just enough to sever the bone-then pull horizontally."
After a moment of resistance, the knife cut through. I moved to the eighth vertebra.
"Now, choose one in the middle. This is the hardest, because you're starting from scratch. Cut the sides. Sever the muscles. Once loose, slide your hand under-then pop."
The bone slipped out, slick with blood.
"That's one. Now you can continue down. It gets easier as you go."
Sammy held the first vertebra in her hands, eyes wide.
"You can also snap them like this," I said, cracking the next one in half and pulling it free. "But you're too green to try that just yet."
I smiled at her, blood running down my gloves.
I still didn't do my human Eagle damn. Well, I guess it can happen in the next one, or am I dragging this out.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 112:
"They weren't all talk after all," I said, surveying the battlefield we'd created. Around Sammy and me lay the dismantled corpses of the Devil lovers, strewn across the blood-soaked ground like discarded puppets, their twisted forms a testament to the hours of brutal interrogation.
"Yeah, how did they endure all that?" Sammy asked, her voice teetering between awe and discomfort. Her eyes flicked nervously between the bodies, and her expression shifted-at one moment proud, the next guilty. She wrung her hands, blood still drying on her gloves.
"Don't overthink it," I said, reaching over and ruffling her hair with a grin. "These guys are crazy in the head."
She recoiled slightly, swatting my hand away. "What do you mean by that? And don't rub my head, you crazy fox," she grumbled, cheeks pink from embarrassment or perhaps shame.
I tilted my head, my eyes narrowing as I studied her. "I thought you felt bad because you broke under my torture, but they didn't," I said softly, teasing but not unkind.
"That's not..." Sammy paused, exhaling through her nose and glancing away. Her voice dropped to a murmur. "...Yes. Compared to what you did to them, my torture was like a picnic."
I chuckled and shrugged. "Oh, come on. You tortured them too. There's not much we can do about it now," I said, gesturing to the neatly piled vertebrae beside each mutilated corpse-gruesome trophies of our work. Each bone was stacked carefully, some still glistening with marrow. They looked almost artistic.
"You're one to talk about enjoying it," Sammy snapped, pointing a trembling finger toward the grotesque centerpiece of the carnage-my latest 'masterpiece.'
I turned slowly, curious. "What's wrong with my masterpiece?"
Behind us, between two metal lamp poles I'd conjured, hung a single body-skinned from the neck to the ankles, suspended like a mock crucifix. The flesh that once clothed him had been carefully peeled away and draped over the outstretched arms on frozen wire. The result resembled grotesque wings-featherless, red and white, stretched, and stiff with frost.
The body itself was hollowed, his organs displayed like macabre ornaments, each one perfectly preserved in magical ice. Only the lungs remained inside, inflated and framed through his back like grotesque sails. His eye sockets had been burned black, the skin around them crisped and cracked, giving his lifeless face a haunting, almost mask-like appearance as blood continued to weep down the pale cheeks.
"I thought it came out nice," I added, folding my arms as I admired the symmetry.
"Kayda, what do you think I should call this?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"A Devil's Angel," a soft voice murmured from behind us.
We all turned. Wendy stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her skin was pale, and her eyes-usually bright-were dim, struggling to hold steady on the scene in front of her.
"You were watching?" Kayda asked, surprise evident as she turned to face her.
"Yeah," Wendy admitted, her voice shaky. "I thought... since Sammy was watching, I should too. But it was really disgusting." Her eyes flicked down for a moment before she turned away, swallowing hard.
"You are a bad mother," I said, raising an accusatory finger at Grandenzil. My tone shifted into a mock lecture. You are allowing your child to see something like this. Have you no shame?"
"What?! You're the one who did it in front of her!" Grandenzil barked back, her glare sharp as a dagger. "You should've known she was too young for this!"
"You're never too young to learn the important things in life," I replied sagely, placing a hand over my heart. "And I am younger than her. By two years, actually."
"Nova, shut up," Kayda sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Yes, ma'am," I said obediently, holding back a smirk.
"Let's get back to something important. Grandenzil, what are you planning for the future right now?" Kayda asked, her voice cold and cutting straight to the point.
"And why should I tell you?" Grandenzil shot back, one brow rising in defiance.
Kayda tilted her head slightly, then gestured toward me with a casual flick of her hand. "You do realize Nova healed your daughter, right? You owe her one. And she knows her way around a body. So... you never know if she might've slipped something into Wendy-something that could kill her in an instant."
I kept my face carefully neutral. 'Kayda, I didn't do something like that... yet.'
"You dare?" Grandenzil growled, her eyes flitting between the two of us as a surge of killing intent bristled off her skin.
"Nah, ah," I said, raising one hand as a warning. "Don't do something you'll regret."
"Now," Kayda said, brushing off the tension like it was dust on her shoulder, "tell me-what are you going to do?"
"Fuck this night," Grandenzil grumbled, her voice low. She looked as if she hadn't blinked in hours. "First, I attempted to get revenge, but I lost one of my squads to a child. "Then my client betrays me, and now I'm being blackmailed."
"Hey, you're a bandit group. Nothing's ever fair in your line of work," I pointed out, annoyed at her complaining.
"That's true," she muttered. "But since you are holding Wendy hostage like this, it's clear that you want something from me."
"Grandenzil," Kayda said, her tone growing sharper, "I asked what you are going to do from now on."
"I'll try and find my client. Get revenge for the betrayal. Thereafter, just go back to our usual operations," Grandenzil explained with a shrug, though her eyes flickered with unease.
"You're quite laid back," Kayda noted, narrowing her eyes.
"Am I?"
"Didn't I say to shut up, Nova?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now, Grandenzil," Kayda continued, her voice dropping low. "I want you to find them. And while you're at it, drop the word 'bandit' from your organization."
Grandenzil's face twisted in confusion. Then, realization. A quiet stillness settled between us.
"..."
"If you don't want Wendy to watch her mother die in front of her," Kayda said, gesturing casually toward me, "just before she joins her in the afterlife, then ignore what I said."
'What? What do you want me to do?' I thought, throwing a confused look toward Kayda.
She leaned closer and whispered, "Ah. Now you understand how it feels when others don't share their plans with you, right? Her lips curled into a smug smirk.
"I see... I'll try my best from now on," I replied, nodding with mock sincerity.
"Aah, good to know," she said cheerfully. "Anyways, we're heading to Bandin. See you there in a week, Grandenzil-with some kind of update."
Kayda turned toward the south and started walking.
"Tch."
"Hey, Grandenzil," I called, placing my hand gently on Sammy's head. She flinched but didn't move away. "Don't worry too much. Just do as we said, and your life will be a lot better. We might even get that bounty off your head-and everyone in the Crimson Bandits-if you do."
I paused, my smile turning sharp. "Well... except for the ones who raped someone. They don't get a second chance."
Sammy looked up at me but said nothing.
"I hope you forgive me someday," I said, my voice softening. "We might actually become good friends if you do."
"..." She stayed silent, just staring up at me.
"Oh yeah, here you go," I added, suddenly remembering. Biting my thumb, I smeared blood across her forehead and down the bridge of her nose.
"What are you doing!?" she yelped, wiping at the streak with wide eyes.
"Healing you, obviously." "Geez, you have no appreciation for my efforts," I said with a smirk.
"See you guys in Bandin!" I called back over my shoulder, flash-stepping after Kayda.
"Did you heal Sammy?" Kayda asked without turning around.
"Yes. So... can you catch me again?" I asked, just as I felt my legs give out beneath me.
"Tch. I guess it's my turn to care for you now," she muttered.
I barely managed to say, "Hey, I asked you to catch me!" before I collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Thud!
"You asked. I wasn't in the mood," Kayda said with a grin.
"Great wife material, you are," I grumbled into the ground.
"Ha-ha. I'll pick you up now," she said, laughing as she changed into her dragon form. I could feel her massive tail wrap gently around my waist, lifting me up.
I really can't be mad at her. It was probably amusing seeing me fall like that, I thought with a silent laugh.
"There. I picked you up. Happy?" she said, glancing back at me as she rose into the sky.
"Yes. Happier now. "Now let me ride on your back," I muttered, barely able to lift my arm to point.
"Nope. You'll fall if I do that," she replied gleefully-and then launched into the air.
"Fuuuuuuuck!!"
[]
(13 hours later)
"There. We'll camp here for the night," Kayda said, landing gracefully in a small clearing surrounded by towering trees.
'Finally!' I screamed internally.
"Uhhaa."
"You okay?" Kayda asked, looking at me with concern as I dangled limply from her tail, still in a half-upright position.
'Of course not!'
"Uahege."
"Hey, say something," she said, gently laying me on the grass.
'I am trying to!'
"Ughah."
Kayda frowned and leaned over me, studying my face. "What happened?" Then she noticed my swirled eyes. "Sigh. She's only dizzy."
This is so annoying. Fuck!!'
"Uhahae."
"Guess I'll have to set up camp myself then."
'Never mind. I'd like to stay like this for a while longer. Preferably until she's done.' I thought, grinning internally.
"Uhuhuh."
(2 hours later)
Clap. Clap.
"There. All done. Only the tent is left in Kitsuna's storage," Kayda said proudly, glancing at the crackling bonfire.
Prompted by the sound, I slowly sat up.
"That took you far too long to set up," I said, dragging my legs forward.
Kayda's glare could've cooked a meal.
"How long have you been recovered?" she asked suspiciously.
"About an hour ago," I replied, brushing grass off my pants as I stood.
"And you didn't think of helping me?"
"Nope. Getting flung around for 13 hours isn't fun, you know."
I pulled out two chairs from my storage and set them down by the fire.
"You had chairs?" she said, looking between the logs and the chairs in disbelief.
"Of course I do. I have everything we need for camping."
"Does your storage even have a limit?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"I don't know. I haven't reached the storage limit yet," I said with a shrug.
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Chapter 113:
"...So, you have everything we need?" Kayda asked, settling into the chair beside me with a slight creak. The fire's orange glow danced across her face, casting flickering shadows in her hair.
"Yes, I do," I replied, my gaze fixed on the firepit. The crackling flames licked the logs lazily, sparks drifting up into the night sky like stars in reverse.
Kayda folded her arms and leaned back, eyes half-lidded with suspicion. "So, can you take out the tent?" she asked after a pause, her tone casual-but there was a glint of uncertainty in her eyes.
"I can't do that," I said, shaking my head while suppressing a smirk behind an innocent facade.
"Why?" Kayda tilted her head at me, one eyebrow raising as the firelight illuminated her questioning expression.
"I don't have one," I said, letting my lips twitch into a barely concealed grin.
"Don't joke with me," she replied flatly, narrowing her eyes. Her body tensed ever so slightly, as if preparing for some inevitable nonsense.
"Remember, I like to sleep outside at night. Why would I pack a tent?" I said this while nonchalantly lifting one shoulder in a shrug. The night air was crisp, and the campfire's warmth hugged one side of my body while the other chilled slowly.
Kayda's lips parted in disbelief, then curled into a frown. "I am with you, you damn fox," she growled. In one swift motion, she reached over and grabbed my ear, twisting it lightly.
"Ow-stop! I was joking. Stop, it hurts!" I whined, twisting in my seat and slapping her arm lightly in protest.
"You were?" she said, her brows lifting in genuine surprise.
I glared at her, rubbing my ear as soon as she let go. "Why are you surprised? You really have to learn when I'm messing with you."
Kayda looked sheepish now, rubbing the back of her head. "True... I do need to learn that."
"Anyways, can you take out the tent?" She asked again, almost as if the conversation hadn't just taken a ridiculous detour.
"I'll do that when we're going to sleep," I replied, returning my attention to the fire.
"Why only then?" Kayda asked, eyebrow cocked again.
"...My ear hurts," I mumbled, rubbing the sore spot with exaggerated offense.
"That's your fault," Kayda huffed, but I caught the faint amusement in her voice. She looked away, trying to hide a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth.
"Probably," I admitted, lips puckering. "But do you always have to pull my ears?"
"Well, it's your only soft spot," she said smugly, turning back toward me with a wicked smile.
'At least she doesn't know about my tail,' I thought, breathing a mental sigh of relief.
"Of course, I mean your prideful tail," Kayda added with a smug and knowing tone.
'I stand corrected,' I groaned inwardly, mentally slapping my forehead.
"Prideful?" I asked aloud, tilting my head.
"Yes, I heard that only the person you love is allowed to touch it," she said, her voice laced with mirth and that self-satisfied smile still plastered across her face.
"That... Amiri told you, didn't she?" I asked, my voice dropping into a low grumble.
"Yup," Kayda nodded proudly. "Right after she said you told her she was too young for you."
"Well, she was too young," I muttered, flashing back to that awkward train ride when a curious child's tiny fingers had found their way to my tail.
"But you're ageless, aren't you?" Kayda countered, raising a finger like a professor about to make a grand point. "So, by that logic, even a toddler could have been your mate someday."
"Could, huh?" I said, lips curling upward. "You're quite confident, aren't you?"
"Of course I am. After the last month, I know we're meant to be," she said, her voice suddenly soft and sincere.
I stared at her. "You sound like one of those girls who gets obsessed with their crush and says all these cliche things."
Kayda blinked. Then her shoulders slumped. "Ugh, that's true. I did sound like that, didn't I?"
"Umu," I nodded solemnly, hiding my grin behind a sip of water from my canteen.
There was a moment of comfortable silence between us before Kayda tilted her head slightly, her gaze thoughtful. "Anyways... Have you thought about a plan for how we can continue to use the Crimson Bandits?"
"Hmm," I murmured, leaning forward. "Right now, they're probably panicking-looking for a bomb in Wendy's body."
Kayda straightened. "You didn't put one in her?"
I shook my head. "Nope. I didn't have enough mana left at the time. But even if I did, they wouldn't have found it."
Kayda blinked, her expression shifting from surprise to understanding. "Ah. Makes sense."
"Anyway," I continued, poking at the fire with a stick, "to really use them, we'll need to gain the trust of those individuals." That starts with getting rid of their bad rep and bounty."
Kayda frowned. "We can't get rid of their bounties."
"And why not?"
"Kayda explained, crossing her arms, that placing and removing a bounty involves a lot of procedures." "It's not something you can just wave a hand at."
"Yeah, and?"
"You don't have a strong enough connection to make that happen."
I gave her a confident grin. "I might not-but Dan will."
Kayda gave me a skeptical look. "I doubt he'll help with that."
"He will. I have a deal with him," I said, waving off her concerns.
"You might have that, but we're talking about a bandit group that's committed serious crimes over the years," she said, unconvinced.
"True. But they also run 70% of the kingdom's orphanages. That's something we can leverage," I explained, shifting in my seat.
Kayda gave me a flat look. "That just sounds like you want to make child soldiers."
"We still need to work out the finer details, okay?" I said defensively, glancing away.
"Whatever," Kayda muttered. "How are we even going to change them? It'll take years."
"That's true," I admitted. "But it'll be worth it. The real issue is the potential rebellion or coup from Grandenzil's underlings."
Kayda nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's another excellent point."
"And that's where we come in," I said with a glint in my eyes. "If we take Sammy and Wendy into Black Ops-specifically my squad-we can keep them safe and out of the line of fire."
Kayda leaned forward. "Not as hostages, I assume?"
"Of course not. More like allies. Maybe more of them will come later too... But as long as they're away, Grandenzil can work without distraction."
"You think that'll work?" Kayda asked, tapping her chin.
"I do," I said, grinning. "With her precious ones out of danger, she'll go full force and clean house."
Kayda nodded, cracking her knuckles. "Yeah... she'd go wild if she didn't have to worry about them."
"Umu."
Kayda stared into the fire for a moment longer, then asked, "Any other plans?"
I hesitated before answering. "Yeah. I want to destroy the black pillars made by the Devil cult."
Her head snapped toward me. "Because it's fading your curse?"
"I actually think that it is evolving your curse," I said, while my eyes drifted to the flames.
Kayda stood up abruptly, her chair scraping back. "Wait. You want to worsen it!?"
She grabbed my shoulders, shaking me slightly. "Are you insane!?"
"Well, I don't think it would be bad. I mean, right now the curse only amplifies my pain and reduces XP gain. What could it possibly do if it evolves?" I shrugged again.
Kayda stared at me in disbelief. "Even more pain and less experience!"
"Exactly," I said, beaming. "But I'm ageless, and I've learned to ignore pain. So it's fine."
She looked like she was about to cry and punch me at the same time. "That's not a good thing, Kitsuna!"
I kept smiling. 'It's a problem, sure. But I think the curse might become a blessing eventually.'
"What is a good thing in my life, Kayda?" I asked with a wry smile, mimicking the tone of an ancient sage. "There's a saying from my old world: 'If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger.'"
"That's a stupid saying," she said bluntly. "And you shouldn't live by it."
"What!? It's not stupid!" I said, indignant.
"No. End of discussion," she replied firmly, turning back to the fire.
"You're ending it like that?"
"Yes. No more talk about something so stupid."
'Is she really that worried about me... or is she serious right now?' I wondered, watching her from the side.
I leaned forward, resting my chin in my palm, elbow on my knee. I studied her expression, trying to read between the lines. The flickering firelight made her look unreadable, shadows dancing across her features.
"..."
"..."
"For crying out loud, stop staring at me like that!" she finally snapped, startling me.
"Sorry, sorry!" I raised my hands. "I was just confused why you think it's a dumb phrase!"
She sighed and met my gaze. "It's not dumb, but it's not something to live by. It's dangerous."
"Is that so?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. It gives people a reason to hurt themselves, thinking they'll get stronger. It's more trouble than it's worth."
"I'll... think about it," I said quietly. Then, slowly standing up, I walked a few steps away from the fire.
From my storage, I pulled out the tent and set it up for Kayda, working quietly.
When I finished, I transformed into my fox form with a puff of air and circled the edge of the camp until I found a comfortable spot in the grass.
"You're really just going to sleep like that?" Kayda asked, still seated by the fire.
"Nope. Good night," I replied, eyes already closed, tail curled over my nose.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 114:
"The city of Bandin. It looks a lot like Armillian. Especially the wall and the name aren't perfect." I said this while walking through the city gates, with Kayda beside me.
The city walls loomed high above us, constructed from the same pale stone I'd seen dozens of times before. From a distance, they looked impressive enough, all clean lines and disciplined masonry, but up close it was... predictable. Too predictable.
"I guess it's a bad name, and why would the city look different from Armillian?" Kayda asked, tilting her head up toward me with a confused expression, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly against the sunlight. She brushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, as if the matter was genuinely perplexing her.
"Because it's a different city, and I presume a different noble is running it," I said, rolling my shoulders as we passed beneath the iron-wrought gates. The guards gave us cursory glances, their attention flicking away quickly when I met their eyes. "So why do they want to do the same as the others when it comes to the architecture?" I gestured to the street beyond, where block after block of neatly aligned stone houses stretched out.
'It's like these buildings were copied and pasted exactly the same distance from each other. It's fucking boring.' I thought with a sigh, my ears twitching with mild irritation.
"Hmm, I never thought about that," Kayda said, her gaze now following mine, sweeping over the identical houses, the perfectly rectangular windows, and the dull uniformity of shop signs.
"Never? On Earth, we had dozens, no, thousands of cities, and over ninety percent of them were different in a lot of ways. That is the reason why tourism was such a big thing there." I explained, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips as nostalgia crept in. My voice softened without me even realizing.
"But we do have tourism here," Kayda commented, quirking a brow at me, clearly not seeing my point.
"Yes, but it is more nature-oriented than anything else. It wasn't like that on Earth. There, it was about landmarks, food, culture, and architecture. Here, it's more focused on nature and dungeons. Let's take Tokyo, for example. I waved my hand in the air, painting the memory before me. "It was a city where you go to have fun, to see the city itself-lights, crowds, festivals. Here you'll go to the Dead Forest to see what it's all about, maybe even try and level up there if you can."
I felt a bit of energy creep into my tone as I spoke, the image of Shinjuku's bright neon signs and endless bustling crowds flashing in my mind.
"Ooh, but the Dead Forest is restricted for the public," Kayda reminded me flatly, turning her neutral gaze on me.
"I know that. I just used it as an example. There is no way the Draig family would allow someone to take resources from that place."
"It's a deadly forest that's used as a border, and that Draig family needs to look after it. Therefore, I don't believe that is the reason," she said, tilting her head slightly as if she were challenging me to provide a better explanation.
"True, but that's a surface reason. If that was the only reason, then why couldn't Hugo level up there without any interruptions?" I asked, watching her face carefully.
"Because he was a furry dipshit," Kayda said innocently, her delivery so casual I had to blink.
"While that is true, it is not the main reason," I said, my shoulders slumping a little with a deflated expression.
"If you put it like that, then it makes sense," she admitted, nodding slowly.
"I thought you would know this. Especially being in the black ops yourself."
"I don't go to the Dead Forest outside of missions. So, I don't know all the procedures when it comes to that," Kayda said with a little shrug, as if dismissing the matter entirely.
"What a waste. No wonder you're still so far from my mother's level," I muttered, glancing sidelong at her.
"I might be, but we are basically on the same level strength-wise," Kayda said defensively, puffing out her cheeks slightly.
"That might be so, but you are a sage, while she is a close-range fighter."
"And what does that have to do with anything?" she asked sharply, eyes narrowing as though daring me to elaborate.
"Hmm, not much; it's just more about where you guys will be more useful. For example, who would be more useful in an open field surrounded by dozens of enemies?"
"Me, because I can make an area-effect spell."
"Yes, but then who would be more useful if you were in a cave trapped by enemies?"
"Stacy would be more useful in a fight," she said without hesitation.
"See? That's why I said it was a waste for you not using the Dead Forest."
"But my research?" Kayda whined suddenly, her shoulders slouching.
"Ah, you do have my research, don't you?" I said, laughing awkwardly and rubbing the back of my neck.
"Poo, how mean of you. "It's mean of you to forget about one of the most important things in my life," Kayda said, looking away with an exaggerated pout.
"Ha-ha, sorry, sorry. Here is some demon rock you can research," I said, pulling a small demon rock out of my storage and holding it out toward her.
"...You have tons of this. Can't you give me something rarer?" Kayda asked, eyeing the demon rock with suspicion and a greedy little sparkle in her eyes.
"Kayda, don't be greedy now, or else I will take everything back. Including my money," I said, narrowing my eyes at her.
"You're no fun, you know that? I was only joking, and it doesn't matter when we get-" Kayda said, but before she could finish, she snatched the demon rock out of my hand with practiced speed.
"You sound like an obsessed girl again. It's a total turn-off," I commented dryly.
"Aah, was I always like that?" she asked, blinking in mild surprise at her behavior.
"Don't know. I've only known you for a month," I said with a sigh, giving her a look that made her shift awkwardly.
"Hmm," Kayda hummed softly to herself, falling into thought again, staring down at the stone as though it held all the answers.
'It is weird that she is like that... Not that I mind it. I was told by Sensei that I am slow when it comes to a lot of things, I thought, glancing around at the people passing by us.
"Did you hear the church in Bandin was destroyed?"
My ears flicked at the sound of the gossip, catching the hushed, hurried tones of locals nearby.
"What, another one? Tsk, that's the fifth one this month."
"They weren't even built that long ago."
"Hmm, there was a church in Bandin?" I muttered, tilting my head.
Looking toward the source, I spotted two men sitting outside a small restaurant, speaking to a waiter as they ate.
'I guess there might be a pillar there,' I thought, changing course and dragging Kayda along with me.
"Good afternoon, I'm sorry to bother you, but I overheard you mention that a church in Bandin has been destroyed," I said, stepping closer and drawing their attention.
"...Y-Yes," the one sitting to my right stammered, paling as his fork froze halfway to his mouth.
"Can you please give me directions?" I asked with a polite smile, trying not to bare fangs.
"Aha, it's... in... in the... far south..." the other man managed, his voice cracking like dry wood.
"Hmm, why are you guys so stuttery?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hehe, it's probably because of how you are carrying your friend there," the waiter said, trying to suppress a snicker.
"Hmm?" I glanced back, realizing belatedly that I had Kayda by the back of her neck like one might hold a troublesome kitten. The baffling part was that she was still lost in thought, entirely unaware.
"That's not it, Linda. Do you not know who this is?" The first man spoke suddenly, pointing at me.
"Do we know each other?" I asked, tilting my head.
"We haven't met personally, but I have heard about you. You're the demon fox that turns guys into girls for fun."
"HUH!? What the fuck!? Where did you hear something like that?" I shouted, my voice cracking the calm of the street. The suddenness of it finally shook Kayda out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Nova, why are you holding me like this, and why did you shout like that?" Kayda asked, blinking up at me as she pulled my hand off her neck.
"We heard what you did to Hugo Boei and the Duke."
"Oh, so you are the demon fox that saved Sarayo?" The waiter chimed in, tilting his head with mild curiosity.
"Huh, how do you guys know about things like that?" Kayda asked, her gaze darting between the waiter and me.
"Sarayo told us about it."
"And who is Sarayo?" I asked, confused.
"She was a slave under the one furry."
"Huh, I see. Anyways, what are the directions to the church?" I asked, turning back-only to find the two men had vanished.
"Huh, they ran away," Kayda and the waiter said in unison.
"I guess I would as well if I were them," I muttered, making both of them give me baffled looks.
"Would you have?" the waiter asked, incredulous.
"Only if they deserved it," I said with a shrug. "Well, the explanation sits on you now, Miss Waiter," I added, fixing him with a smile.
"OH, that's easy..."
.
"Hey Kayda, how are we supposed to meet up with Miss Grandie?"
"Don't know."
"Do we need to go to the black market again?"
"No, definitely not. We will see tonight if they make contact."
"Okay, anyway, we are close to the pillar."
"So, there is one. And how do you know that?"
"Hmm, the killing intent in the air gives it away," I said, my gaze narrowing in the direction it was emanating from. The air itself seemed heavier there, the faint oppressive pressure lingering in the lungs.
"Oh, makes sense," Kayda said, raising her hands lightly in front of her chest as though preparing herself.
"You didn't notice it until I told you, did you?" I said, giving her a flat, deadpan look.
"Nooo... Maybe. Fine, yes, I was so in thought about why I always bring up us being together the entire time, okay," Kayda admitted, her cheeks puffing out as she looked away, pouting once again.
"Sigh, don't overthink it. I don't really mind it too much. Well, if you do that every five minutes, then I might get annoyed," I said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. She stiffened for a moment before leaning into it slightly, the pout softening.
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Chapter 115:
"Stop, you scoundrel!" two priests yelled, their voices cutting through the evening bustle as they sprinted after me.
Their sandals slapped against the stone road, robes flapping wildly as they tried to keep pace. Townsfolk scattered to either side, startled by the chase. A fruit cart was nearly toppled as one of the priests shoved it aside, apples spilling and rolling across the cobbles.
"Haha, as if I will stop for you," I said, laughter bubbling out of my chest as I vaulted off a barrel, catching the lip of the nearest rooftop with one hand. My boots found purchase on the tiles, and I sprang upward, landing smoothly, the city spread out beneath me like a flat, dull map.
The night air bit cooler up here, tugging at my scarf. I could feel my tail swish behind me in satisfaction, the chase only stoking my energy further.
"You have stolen property of the church. Return it right now!" The first priest shouted, his breath already ragged as he somehow managed to follow, jumping onto the rooftop behind me. His balance was clumsy, arms flailing for a moment before he steadied himself.
"Stole? That was not the property of the church, and you know that," I shot back, smirking over my shoulder. I leapt across to the next rooftop, tiles clinking beneath my boots. "Hmm, or are you guys in league with the Pandas?"
"Pandas?" one priest gasped, almost stumbling as he landed. He looked sideways at his companion in total confusion.
"Don't look at me. I have no idea what she is talking about," the other said, shrugging mid-run, sweat gleaming on his brow.
"You guys really are oblivious," I called, coming to a stop atop a higher roof. From here the whole city unfolded below-the smoke of dinner fires curling upward, bells tolling faintly in the distance. I looked down at them as if they were idiots who had crawled up from the gutter.
"What did you just say!" they both shouted together, skidding to a halt and staring up at me with indignation.
"I said you guys are oblivious. How don't you know your enemies are black pandas, huh!?" I tilted my head, letting the insult drip in my tone. My tail flicked once for emphasis.
"Uuuuh, she kind of has a point, you know," the priest on the right muttered, scratching his cheek nervously while eyeing me.
"...are you for real right now?" The other snapped, staring at his companion's stupidity. His hands clenched into fists, frustration evident even under the holy robes.
"How stupid can you be, taking your eyes off the scoundrel!" A harsh voice cut through the air, and in a blur, a bishop landed behind them. His robes were trimmed in gold thread, and the sigil on his chestplate caught the fading sunlight. He passed them in a blink, his movements sharper and faster than theirs combined.
'Hmm, he is quite fast. I guess I need to start running now, I thought, adrenaline sparking as I lunged into motion again, hopping to the next building and accelerating. My feet hit tiles in a rhythm that felt like music-one-two-three, vault, land, roll.
"Damn, she was just playing with us," the bishop growled, his eyes narrowing as he realized I had only been toying until now.
"Hey, don't be like-" I began with mock innocence, but my words were cut short as my gaze flicked behind him. Shadows detached themselves from the alleys, five black figures leaping effortlessly onto the roofs. Their silhouettes cut against the twilight, and my stomach sank with grim recognition.
"Shit, watch out from behind!" I yelled, halting abruptly before sprinting straight toward the bishop.
'I seriously don't want to save these dumbasses,' I thought bitterly, tightening my jaw, 'but I would rather sit with an angel cult than a devil one.' My hands moved instinctively, mana flowing and shaping into two sleek katanas that shimmered in the dying light. The weight of the blades settled into my grip like greeting old friends.
"Hah, I won't fall for that," the bishop sneered as he raised his sword, believing it was a trick. His stance was proud but sloppy in its arrogance.
"Your dumbass!" I shouted, fury spiking at his idiocy. My body blurred with a flash step, slipping past him in an instant. Metal screeched as my twin blades crossed, intercepting a hidden strike aimed for his spine. Sparks flew, and the clang echoed sharply across the rooftops.
"What the-!?" The bishop exclaimed, spinning in shock as the shadows behind him solidified into men with blades already dripping intent.
"Idiot, get your sword out and help you-" My words died on my lips as I caught sight of the two priests who had chased me earlier. They weren't even given a chance. Their bodies crumpled on the rooftops, throats cut clean, eyes staring wide at nothing.
"Tsk, too late. Run!" I barked, pushing the bishop away before seizing his collar. Without hesitation, I yanked him with me and sprinted, his boots dragging over the tiles as he tried to keep up.
'If that guy didn't hold back, he would've shattered my katanas with that stab. They're definitely stronger than the previous group, I thought grimly, dismissing the swords in a shimmer of light before they became liabilities.
"What are you doing!? Let me go!" the bishop shouted, thrashing against my grip.
"Mister Bishop, shut the fuck up and listen quietly," I snapped, voice low and edged. My tail lashed once behind me. "Those people are stronger than we are, and we're outnumbered. If you're wondering who they are, they're the ones that destroyed your little church a few days ago."
His eyes widened, but then something unexpected shifted in his expression. His panic smoothed, and a calm, almost clerical stillness replaced it.
"I see. Okay, so you want to work together for now," the bishop said evenly, surprising me enough to nearly stumble.
"You calmed down really fast there," I said, raising a brow even as I smirked.
"It's part of the job. However, don't expect me to let you go even after this," he warned, adjusting his grip on his sword.
"...sigh. "Dumb angel lovers," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Whatever, we can work together, but I'm certain they're after me actually. So, you can leave." I kept running, hoping he'd take the chance.
"You want me to leave? They are people who attacked the church. As a bishop, it is my duty to take revenge," he said firmly, voice tightening with holy resolve.
"Well, good. Then go get reinforcements," I replied casually-right before pivoting and Sparta kicking him square in the chest. His eyes went wide as he sailed backward, a strangled yell tearing from his throat.
"Haaaaa!" The bishop's cry echoed as he flew into the distance, robes flapping like a broken banner. A wet cough followed, and a thin line of blood sprayed across the sky before he vanished from view.
'He should survive that, right?'... 'I hope so,' I thought, scratching my cheek awkwardly. The amount of blood had been a little more than I intended.
"Heh, was he getting in the way?" one of the devil cultists taunted, landing lithely on the rooftop behind me. His hood shadowed his face, but I could feel the sneer in his voice.
"Hmm, in a way, he actually was getting in the way. But it's more about reducing the number of witnesses," I answered calmly, tilting my head as if genuinely pondering. My tone was conversational, but my stance was coiled, ready.
"Heh, there are witnesses to your death, demon fox," another cultist said as he appeared to my left. In seconds, more landed-eight, nine, ten shadows until I was encircled. They spread across the roofs like wolves tightening a ring.
"My death?" I smirked, narrowing my eyes as I rolled my shoulders. "I guess I might die. Nah, that's impossible. You guys are too weak for that."
Inside, my thoughts whispered a sharper truth: 'Well, I might not die, but I have no chance of winning this fight.' My gaze slid past them for a heartbeat, catching the sun sinking low, painting the sky in blood-red streaks. The sight made the moment feel heavier, as though the world itself was bracing for violence.
"Damn, you fucks actually ruined a perfect date I could have had with Kayda," I mumbled, eyes narrowing further.
"Sir, should we look for the bishop as well?" one of the cultists asked their captain.
"No. As she said, we might not be able to kill her, but with the numbers we have, we should be able to capture her at least," the captain answered, stepping forward. His daggers glinted wickedly, twin fangs ready to taste blood.
'Huh? Capture me? That will be even harder, I thought, brow arching. My smirk grew, masking the quiet calculation already forming behind my eyes.
"Yes, sir!" the cultists chorused, shifting into stances. The air thickened with killing intent, the sound of blades scraping free like an orchestra tuning to a single, dreadful note.
"Hmm, so only ten? I'm certain I heard more running around," I whispered under my breath, eyes darting briefly over the rooftops beyond.
"What did she just whisper?" one cultist asked nervously.
"I don't know. I didn't hear anything," his companion replied with a shrug, but his grip tightened on his sword.
"Whatever. Get ready, guys; let's take her down!" The captain barked, charging forward.
"Heh, bring it on," I said, letting my clothes shift in a shimmer of light-my usual gear, familiar and lethal. Sports bra tight against my chest, scarf fluttering at my throat, cargo pants strapped with hidden pouches, ankle boots ready to grip or kick. Beneath the scarf, I quietly molded an ice shield, thin and curved, a secret barrier in case someone went for my head.
"She is quite hot," I heard one cultist mutter to himself, earning a glare from his nearest companion.
"Sorry, but I am taken for now," I quipped back, flicking my wrists. Ten throwing knives shimmered into existence, five in each hand. With a sharp snap, I launched them. The blades cut through the air with a high whistle.
"Ugh!" one man staggered, a knife buried in his shoulder.
"Damnit!" another cursed, clutching his thigh as blood seeped out.
'Only two? Really? 'They're good,' I thought, eyes narrowing. The rest had dodged cleanly, their reflexes sharper than the last groups I'd faced.
"Don't get distracted. She is excellent with weapons," the captain shouted, swinging his sword down at me.
Clang!
"You might be right about that," I said, my own conjured blade catching his mid-swing. Sparks spat out between us, briefly illuminating his smirk.
I shoved against him, twisting free, and jumped upward, dodging three blades that scythed through where I'd been standing. Twisting midair, I landed hard on the back of another cultist. His breath whooshed out as his face slammed into the tiles.
"Ugh!" he groaned, body sprawling.
"But that intel gives you nothing," I said coldly, driving both blades down into his back, cutting the sound from his throat.
"You never know," the captain countered, flashing beside me in an instant, his dagger aimed at my ribs.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue, abandoning one sword and rolling away, the other blade still lodged in the corpse.
"She's unarmed! Get her!" one cultist yelled, rushing in with overconfidence.
"Wait!!" The captain barked, but it was too late. The man's head spun off in a crimson arc, my scythe humming as it slid free from the ether, already drenched in blood.
"Tsk, tsk, you guys are too normal," I muttered, resting the heavy weapon across my shoulder.
"Where did that come from!?" a cultist stammered, staring at the wicked curve of the blade.
'Six left. I wonder where Kayda is. She did say she would distract the church so I could get the pillar, but why hasn't she come to find me?' I thought, unease creeping in-until a distant glimmer sparked across the rooftops. A clash of light and magic flared far away.
"Aah, I see. So you guys already have someone to hold Kayda busy," I said, voice low but tinged with worry.
"Of course, we have all the preparations needed," the captain boasted.
"Well, your preparations aren't without flaws," I growled, settling into a stance. The scythe angled behind me, one hand free in front, fingers flexed like claws.
"We will see about that," the captain replied, lunging at me again.
'Hmm, he does have something planned, but what can he do with six people?' I thought, parrying his blow, that sparks were biting the air. My eyes flicked constantly, tracking the movement of the others.
"You really don't know what we're capable of?" The captain sneered, lips twisting. "Do it now!"
Slink!
Pain exploded through me.
"Cough-wow, that was actually unexpected," I croaked, blood spraying from my lips as I looked down. Five swords pierced through me at once from all angles, sliding between ribs and jutting from my chest. My knees buckled, the world dimming at the edges.
"I actually thought we wouldn't have been able to kill you," the captain said with chilling calm, stepping close. His dagger punched through my heart in a deliberate, final thrust.
The world tilted. The sky's burning red blurred into darkness.
No, I am not fully back or anything. I had this chapter for a few weeks so yeah here you go. At the moment I dont have a lot of time for writing for personal reasons. I think i will be back in a week or two.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 116:
"Heh, you weren't wrong," I said, smiling faintly at the captain, my lips pulling back in something halfway between amusement and bloodlust.
The captain froze for a heartbeat, his dagger still raised. His eyes widened, the confidence draining from his face as he staggered a step back. "How are you still-?" His voice cracked in disbelief. He took two more steps away as if distance alone could explain my survival.
"Who knows?" I said, rolling my shoulders. I let the shrug hang heavy, deliberately casual, though blood still ran warm from my wounds. The air around me responded to my pulse, frost bleeding outward across the rooftop. My mana strangled the evening's warmth, causing shards of ice to spread like spiderweb cracks and white steam to rise.
The cultists nearest me stiffened, their shadows quivering against the slanted roof tiles.
"Get away!" The captain barked suddenly, panic sharp in his tone. He leapt backward in a blur of black smoke, retreating before the frost could crawl up his boots. Two of his subordinates weren't so quick. The rime reached their legs, racing upward until their forms locked solid. Their bodies froze mid-motion, expressions twisted in surprise and fear. They became statues in the span of seconds, breath crystallized in their throats.
"Heh, so that's how you guys did it," I muttered, coughing blood into my palm. My lungs burned. "Shadow magic."
I tapped one of the frozen men with my scythe. The ice shell cracked like glass, splitting into shards. Both sculptures broke apart, collapsing into glittering chunks that scattered across the roof. What little flesh showed beneath was pale blue, stiff, and lifeless.
"Sigh... cough... such a pain," I mumbled, tugging the swords out of my chest one by one. Each metal scrape made my teeth grind. I flicked the blood away and tossed the blades onto the roof tiles, where they clattered, still slick with my ichor.
"Captain, what is she? How did she survive that?" One of the devil cultists whispered harshly. His hands trembled as he gripped his weapon tighter, eyes darting between my wounds and my steady stance.
"I don't know," the captain admitted low, his voice edged with frustration. He glanced at me, then back to his men. "But she might not be that simple. We still can't give up. We still outnumber her by a lot."
Outnumber me by a lot? I tilted my head, bemused. The math didn't exactly feel comforting in their favor.
Whistle!
Instinct screamed a half-second before impact.
Stab!
An arrow punched clean through my raised arm, slicing flesh and leaving a hot sting. My face twisted, but I forced the smirk to stay.
"Hmm, so this is what you meant," I said calmly, holding up my bleeding forearm where the shaft jutted out.
The captain's jaw clenched. "She... she could react to that." He sounded almost insulted, as if my survival of his ambush was an affront to their entire order.
"Why are you surprised?" I asked, gripping the shaft and yanking it free with a wet sound. The blood ran, but my voice stayed steady. I tossed the arrow aside like trash.
"That-"
"Was it because they used shadow magic while shooting it?" I guessed, quirking a brow.
The nearest cultist's eyes widened. "What? Are you saying you can see us using our magic?"
I blinked at him. 'Are they dumb or something? The sun might be setting, but it's still light out. Even if it were night, I'd still be able to see their damn shadows move.' I dragged a hand down my face, smearing blood and irritation together.
"Sigh, you guys aren't very smart, are you?" I said flatly, twirling my scythe in a lazy arc. Six more arrows hissed from my right. The blade spun in my grip, ringing as steel kissed steel. Sparks danced as I batted every shot away, shards of ice exploding in their wake.
"Tsk. We'll need to distract her," the captain growled under his breath, his eyes flicking to the archers still hidden among the shadows.
"You first need to worry about staying alive," I retorted. In a blur I vanished from their line of sight, reappearing behind the captain with my scythe already sweeping sideways. The blade hummed, eager for flesh.
"Same to you," the captain hissed before dissolving into black smoke. My scythe cut only air.
"Tch." I spun, scanning the rooftops. "Zagan, you are quite useless with your shadow magic," I muttered, leaping forward as three cultists' swords rained down where I'd been. My boots slammed against the tiles with a sharp crack as I dodged out of the way.
"Damn, she still dodged that," the captain cursed, re-forming behind me. His breathing was heavier now, chest rising and falling with exertion.
"When I see Zagan again, I'm going to put him through the wringer for not using his shadow magic this well," I mumbled, batting aside another arrow with the flat of my blade.
"Dammit! The intel didn't say she was this strong. We'll need to go all out on her," one cultist muttered, sweat beading his brow.
"Hey, mister captain," I called, spinning my scythe slowly in one hand. The edge shimmered faintly with frost. "I'm curious-where did you guys find out about me?"
Silence. Their eyes flickered nervously, the captain's jaw tight.
"Sigh, what's it going to hurt telling me?" I said, rolling my eyes. "I'll be killing you either way."
The captain's lips curved faintly. "...That's true. The people you tortured gave us the intel."
I froze for half a heartbeat. Confusion knotted my thoughts. 'If that is so, then it seems they can transfer memories or something along those lines. That would also explain why they didn't know about my regeneration ability,' I reasoned quickly, recalling the first group I'd clashed with.
"I-" My words cut off as I tilted my head just in time. A harpoon whistled past, grazing my cheek before embedding itself in the roof with a heavy thud. I stared at it incredulously. "Seriously, a harpoon?"
"What? They are useful," the captain said with a shrug that almost seemed smug.
"If you say so," I muttered, letting the scythe melt into twin katanas. Their lighter balance felt better suited to the flurry of projectiles coming my way. With a flick of the blades, I deflected another arrow and a second harpoon, sparks showering across the tiles.
"Distract her at close range," the captain ordered his men under his breath. "I don't think she can handle long-range fighters."
He might not be wrong, but this kind of long-range was laughable to me. I blocked his next sword swing with ease, sparks biting my arms as steel screeched.
"Are you sure, Cap? She can use multiple weapons quite well," one of the cultists muttered, clearly unnerved.
"That's why we're going to need to distract her. And don't worry. We have backup," the captain said, his voice low and confident.
As if summoned, seven more shadows burst onto the rooftops around me.
'Hmm, well, shit.' I flash-stepped away, the roof splintering under the barrage of a dozen harpoons and a single blade thrust. The air behind me detonated as projectiles tore through it.
"Well, I enjoyed our little scuffle, guys, but I've got to go," I said, giving them a mock salute before turning tail. My boots pounded against the rooftops as I ran, scarf snapping in the wind.
"She's running away!" The captain barked, fury twisting his face as he chased.
"What a coward," one cultist jeered, spitting blood.
"Yeah, all talk, no bite." Another cultist sneered, although his voice shook faintly.
"She's a fox, right? Then why do I see a scary-ugh!" A third started, but his words died in a scream as something struck his head.
Boom!
The explosion lit the dusk sky, hurling the man's body in pieces across the rooftops. Smoke curled upward, mixing with the smell of burning flesh.
"Now you are pissing me off," I growled, materializing an ice bow in my hands. The translucent string shimmered as I pulled back, an ice quiver forming at my hip. Dozens of black-ice arrows hummed within, crackling faintly with sparks of trapped lightning.
"A bow?" a few cultists muttered in confusion.
"Yeah, so fuck you," I snapped, loosing three arrows at once.
Augh! Augh! Augh!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each arrow struck true, erupting into fire and frost, bodies flung into the air like rag dolls before they hit the tiles with wet cracks.
"Ugh! Watch out! They explode on impact!" The captain roared, shielding himself as another volley landed.
'Umm... they don't. I just got lucky, I thought, my smirk widening as I jumped to another rooftop. Another harpoon sang toward me, but I twisted, sighted, and released. A fire-and-lightning-infused arrow streaked across the distance.
Boom!
A scream split the air. An archer's shadow twisted and vanished forever, his body obliterated into cinders.
"Shit, why can she-" the captain began, only for his world to end in fire.
Boom!
Flames engulfed him, and his scream tore through the night before silence claimed him.
"Ha-ha, that's what you get, you fool. Hahaha!" I laughed, eyes wild as the bow pulsed in my hands. My chest heaved, blood soaking my torso, but adrenaline drowned the pain. More arrows appeared between my fingers, and I drew them with glee. "The fun only started."
Boom!
"Ha-ha, get fucked!"
Boom!
"Ooh, that one was bloody, hahaha!"
Boom!
"Come on! Didn't you guys say I was a coward? Look at you now-all pissing yourselves in fear!" I roared, loosing arrow after arrow. My scarf snapped like a banner in the heated wind.
"Kitsuna, calm down right now!" Kayda's voice pierced the haze like cold water.
I blinked. My vision cleared. My arms were wrapped in writhing black fire and lightning, crawling up my skin like living veins. The bow pulsed with the same unstable energy, dangerous and hungry.
"Fuck. I knew I shouldn't have used those elements," I hissed, clamping down, forcing the power to die out. Slowly the flames guttered and faded, leaving only the stink of scorched cloth.
Shaking my head, I turned. My eyes widened. "Holy fuck, what happened? Are you okay?" I ran to Kayda, her robes torn and soaked red. Blood clung to her skin in streaks.
"I should be the one saying that to you," Kayda said, her brows furrowed in confusion as she studied me.
"What do you mean by that? You are full of blood," I shot back, already pulling her arms up to check her wounds.
"You are also full of blood," Kayda countered calmly, tilting her head, her eyes steady despite her state.
"Yeah, but it's usually a thing, isn't it?" I muttered, inspecting the cuts on her arms.
"Hey, stop doing that. This isn't my blood anyways," Kayda said, pulling away and sighing.
"It isn't?" I asked, head tilting.
"No. With this much, I would have passed out," Kayda explained, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. She exhaled slowly, then pointed behind me. "Anyways, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Huh? Oh-oops." I turned and saw what she meant.
One of the remaining cultists was crawling backward on his hands, eyes wide, face pale. "M-Mo-Monster," he stammered, staring at me as if I weren't human at all.
"Sheesh, that's so mean," I whined, though the pride in my grin betrayed me.
"They seem less strong-willed than the last group," Kayda observed, her tone thoughtful.
"I am not in the mood," I muttered, rubbing my head. My eyes flicked to the right, spotting familiar silhouettes. A smile broke across my face. "Luckily, my apprentice is here for that."
"Apprentice? What do you mean?" Kayda asked, her brow furrowed.
"I mean the dumbasses have finally shown themselves," I said, just as multiple figures leapt onto the surrounding rooftops, their cloaks snapping in the night wind.
"Huff... I finally made it," Sammy said as she landed with a thud in front of me.
"Oh, it took you long enough," I teased, reaching out my hand to rub her head.
"Hmph, like I would let you," Sammy snapped, swatting my hand away and stepping back.
"Ugh, so mean," I said, clutching my chest with exaggerated hurt.
"Sammy, stop being mean to her," Wendie scolded, walking forward with her usual measured steps.
"Yo, Wendie. "It's been a long time since I last saw you," I said with a grin.
"Hello, Nova." I can't honestly say that I'm thrilled to see you," she said dryly.
"What!? But you just-? You guys are so mean," I sputtered, looking between the two of them.
"Says the one who plants bombs into people," Wendie replied flatly.
"So, I have trust issues. Stop being so sensitive," I muttered, shrugging. Everyone gave me the same look: part exasperation, part disbelief.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Wendie said, waving me off dismissively.
"Don't just wave me off," I growled, narrowing my eyes.
"So, what should we do with them?" Wendie asked Kayda a question, completely ignoring me.
"You have a base?" Kayda asked, glancing at the sixteen cultists who had been bound and gagged.
"Of course," Wendie answered.
"Then let's go there."
"Wait," I cut in, pulling a massive demon rock from my storage and setting it down with a heavy thud. "Leave four of them tied to this."
"Why?" Kayda asked, brow furrowed.
"That bishop won't stop looking for me. This will distract him and let me slip away," I explained, patting the stone.
"That sounds like your problem," Sammy said sharply, arms crossed.
"You are with me, so it's our problem now," I countered, locking eyes with her.
"She does have a point," one of the crimson bandits muttered.
"Tim, shut the fuck up," Sammy snapped, her voice like a whip.
"Sigh. Hey, Kayda, can you carry me?" I asked suddenly.
"Are you tired?" she asked, raising a brow.
"Yeah, the backlash is getting worse," I admitted, my voice quieter now.
"So, it did activate," Kayda said, walking closer.
"Just for a minute or two, luckily," I muttered. My chest ached with every breath.
"What are you guys talking about?" Sammy demanded, stepping between us, her eyes sharp.
"Nothing for your ears, Sammy," I said, giving her a gentle push aside.
Yo, long time no see. I am back but not back.
I will upload once a week or if I have an extra chapter or something.
Reason being... it's personal sorry.
I will try and make it every Saturday for an upload.
Thanks for the support given even in my disappearance.
Comment if you want to ask more questions. I will answer if they arent too personal.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 117:
"Is she going to sleep like that the entire time?" Grandenzil said this as she entered her office, her boots clicking against the wooden floor more sharply than usual. Her tone was already filled with irritation, although she felt no surprise at the situation.
Kayda and I were seated together on one of the couches, her lap serving as my pillow, while Wendie and Sammy sat across from us on the other couch. They both had food on the table in front of them-bread, jerky, a few fruits-and their eyes kept shifting back to me. I was sprawled out comfortably, ears twitching faintly, pretending to doze while casually swiping bits of their food every time they got distracted.
Something like that might have happened once or twice already, but I was confident they hadn't noticed. Or maybe they noticed and were too polite-or too intimidated-to say anything. Either way, the bread in my hand was proof I was winning.
"What do you mean, Grandenzil?" Kayda asked, tilting her head just enough to acknowledge her. Her fingers continued stroking through my hair as if I were some spoiled pet fox, though the look in her eyes was far too calm to match the situation.
"The damn fox on your lap," Grandenzil snapped, her arms crossing as she glared at me. "Isn't she going to participate in the conversation?"
"I'm listening," I said without moving, my voice muffled by the folds of Kayda's robe. "So you can go on."
"She didn't even open her eyes," Sammy muttered, amusement slipping into her voice. She gave a small chuckle, shaking her head at my audacity.
"Sigh, whatever," Grandenzil muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can someone at least just tell me everything that happened tonight?"
"I guess I will start," Kayda said, her tone unhurried, as though she were explaining something trivial rather than recounting an ambush. "Now, you probably already know that Nova can destroy these demon rock pillars with her magic."
"Yes, she used lightning magic," Wendie said with a slight nod, her eyes narrowing with thought.
"Well, we decided to destroy all of them," Kayda continued, the casual tone making everyone else stiffen slightly in surprise.
"Why?" Grandenzil asked quickly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "If I recall correctly, you, Kayda, don't actually like the church. So why are you helping them?" Her stare sharpened, skeptical.
Kayda gave her a level look. "Personal reasons. Anyway, we headed to the church only to see them still on high alert because of this. I am fairly certain you can guess what happened afterward."
"Yeah," Grandenzil said, leaning against the desk with folded arms. "You distracted them so the fox could sneak to the pillar. After she destroyed it, she ran into those damn devil cultists. You tried to help but were also stopped by them. Actually, it was more like you were the main target, seeing the number of people who attacked you."
At that, my ears twitched reflexively.
"Yeah, the fuckers tried to suicide bomb me," Kayda said flatly, her tone laced with a growl.
"...hmm, so they even tried to kamikaze you?" I suddenly spoke up, finally breaking my long silence. The detached tone I used made the room go cold for a second, everyone shuddering slightly except for Kayda, who simply kept petting my head as if nothing was amiss.
"Hmm, yeah. That's how I got all that blood on me," Kayda said, shrugging lightly. Her fingers still stroked through my hair in the same rhythm, as if my sharp comment hadn't fazed her.
"Sammy," I said suddenly, eyes still shut, "I hope you are in for more torture training?" My words were casual, but my tail flicked once, betraying the edge in them.
"Hmm, I see no problem," Sammy answered evenly, her eyes narrowing. "However... are you going to join in?" Her head inclined, voice half-challenging.
"No. I'll only tell you how, and that's all. I think I've seen enough blood for the week," I said calmly. The admission seemed to throw the room off-balance; everyone turned to look at me, surprised at the hint of restraint.
"I see. "That means more fun for me, then," Sammy said with a grin, although her smile appeared sharper than usual.
"Are you okay?" Kayda whispered softly, leaning down so her voice brushed only against my ear.
"I'm thinking," I murmured back. With that, I sat up at last, stretching briefly before glancing at Grandenzil. "Hey, Grandenzil, is there anywhere I can get some shut-eye?"
"Down the hall, go left, then right; the third door on your left is a guest room," Grandenzil said with a dismissive wave, not sparing much attention.
"Thanks. And here, Sammy," I said, taking out a small leather-bound book from my storage and dropping it on the table with a solid thump.
Sammy picked it up immediately. "What is this?" she asked, flipping it open.
"Notes," I said simply. "Now, if you'll excuse me." Without waiting for a reply, I walked out of the room.
My body ached with every step, fire licking through my veins. 'My body feels like it's on fire. Is this really the negative effect of Wrath? I understand now why Mom said never to use it, but why did it activate?' I thought, jaw tightening as I followed Grandenzil's directions.
"Maybe it was emotions," I muttered under my breath as I turned down the hallway. "I know I got angry for being described as a dog, but was that enough?"
Blood didn't bother me. Killing intent didn't push me over the edge. Even killing itself-I'd already tasted that madness once with the Federation soldiers. 'No, it wasn't that. Emotions... it must have been emotions. The first time I experienced strong emotions was when Mom was almost dying. But today? Who was it for? Was it irritation or real anger?'
I found the door and pushed it open. The room was simple-a bed, a desk, and a candle on the nightstand. Nothing flashy, just enough for a guest to rest.
"Sigh, this is so irritating," I muttered, throwing myself onto the bed with an exaggerated flop.
The ceiling above was plain wood, but staring at it made my thoughts pour out. "I know I have a personality problem," I said aloud, letting my voice echo softly. "Well, obviously. I've got multiple ones. But is that really a problem? One is fun, another serious, and then there's the crazy one that loves torture and blood. What's wrong with having them? Oh, right... then there's the full Wrath personality. That almost came out today." My lips curled into a faint, grim smile. "Sigh. Good luck to anyone who witnesses it in the future."
I exhaled long, then said, "Anyway, let's move on to something more interesting." With a focused thought, I cast the analysis spell on myself.
The floating words filled my vision like a screen.
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 1-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 40
Class: Unknown (Wrath)
HP: 2800/2800
MP: 10,000/10,000
Str: 1500
Vit: 1400
Def: 1000
Int: 5000
End: 2800
Agt: 3200
Skills: Dimension storage, Demon Fire, Demon Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Super Regen, short-distance teleport, Sword domain, and Mana sense. Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Healing
Passive: Heightened senses, eyes of intimidation, human form, night vision
Tail Abilities: LOCKED
"...What!?" I shouted, bolting upright. My ears flattened, tail puffed with shock. "Illusions! "There must be someone using an illusion on me."
I scanned the room, releasing all my killing intent in a wave. The air thickened, the candle flame bent sideways, and the wood creaked under the oppressive weight. No hidden presence stirred.
"...Guess not," I muttered finally, sighing as I dragged my hands through my hair.
"This really doesn't make sense. How did my stats go up so much all of a sudden?" I lay back down, staring at my hands as I flexed them. My claws gleamed faintly in the low light.
"Hmm, shouldn't they be lower, considering the state my body's in? Or... are they already lowered, and these aren't even my true stats?" My thoughts tangled into knots.
Mom had once told me-and I'd read the same in old manuals-that when your body was damaged, your stats should reflect that, dropping until recovery. So why was I so much stronger? Could the pain be something else entirely? A backlash? A hidden trigger?
Before I could untangle it, my nose caught a familiar scent-perfume, faint but distinct. Footsteps drew near.
Knock, knock.
"Grandenzil, I am busy. What do you want?" I called, sitting up.
"I guess I can come in," Grandenzil said, ignoring me while she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"...," I stared at her blankly.
"What? It's not really like you're doing anything," she said with a shrug, closing the door behind her. "You're just lying on the bed."
"Grandenzil, what are you here for?" I asked, voice sharpening.
"I want to know why."
"Elaborate, please," I said, brow arched.
She folded her arms. "Why are you trying to help us?"
"Help?" I chuckled darkly, a smirk tugging my lips. "Ha-ha, I think you misunderstand something. I am not helping you. I am making you into something useful."
Her eyes narrowed. "Even if you say it like that, a bandit group is already very useful."
"No, they are not," I shot back immediately. My tone hardened. "A bandit group is just a mosh pit of outcasts who only want to take instead of working for anything."
"That's a lie," Grandenzil argued, her jaw tightening. "They are working their asses off."
"Yeah, sure. "They are engaged in robbing people," I said sarcastically, my tail flicking.
"And they need to work to make that happen," she countered stubbornly.
"Sigh, Grandenzil. I'm surprised you haven't destroyed this bandit group with that kind of thinking," I said, laughing humorlessly.
Her brows furrowed. "What?"
"How long does it take to ransack a mansion?"
"It depends on the size," she answered cautiously, clearly unsure of where I was going.
"The Anabald territory mansion," I pressed.
She thought, then said, "About four hours."
"Okay, longer than I expected. Now... how long did it take the Anabald family to amass all that wealth? Legally, of course. Building up what you can steal in four hours." I leaned forward, my eyes glinting.
Her face paled slightly as realization hit. "...Decades. Maybe a hundred years."
"Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
Her lips pressed into a line. "You only see us as bandits, don't you?"
"You are fucking bandits," I snapped, my voice cracking like a whip. "Bandits are useless. A plague on humans and any other race. They would rather not work for what they have. They just want to take what they shouldn't have."
She was silent, glaring at me with a mixture of frustration and grudging recognition.
"Now you already know I haven't put a bomb in your daughter. Does anyone else know?" I asked, shifting the subject sharply.
"No. I wanted to understand your motive before proceeding.
"You know the Black Ops?"
"Yes."
"I want to make another one like that. But this one will be more laid-back about recruitment, and it'll move without the king's eyes on it. You already have the structure. A strong base. But you can't have the word "bandit" in your name. And you can't keep doing bandit shit."
"So you want to make us look like a hero group or something?" she asked skeptically.
"What the fuck is a hero group?" I asked, genuinely confused, staring at her.
She waved it off. "Guess not."
"No. You're going to look like a mercenary group. Mercenaries already deal on the black market. No one questions them even if they're in the public eye."
"I see," she said, biting her lip. "I'll need to think about it."
"You don't have an option," I said flatly.
Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Grandenzil, you already know-we could've wiped you out if we wanted. We didn't, because we don't care about just bandits. But you? You own orphanages. That makes you different. That makes you matter. And that means we can't just leave you alone anymore."
She flinched slightly, then frowned. "...That makes sense. But what are you going to do to change this?"
"You are going to change it," I said, standing, my voice firm. "Kayda will draft the plan. You'll execute it."
"What if they use my weakness?" she asked quietly.
"All your weaknesses will go to the Draig mansion in the capital. And you'll join the Crazy Squad."
"...Crazy Squad? Really? I'm pretty sure they aren't actually crazy."
"The squad is. "That's why they are called that," I said, nodding with finality.
Grandenzil sighed, muttered under her breath, then growled one word. "...fuck."
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Chapter 118:
[City of Annabald]
[3 weeks later]
It has been three weeks since we met with the crimson bandit, and oh boy-got to say-it was way harder to get Wendie to agree to leave her mother than I thought it would be. Convincing her wasn't a fight of swords or magic; it was a battle of emotions, loyalty, and words sharp enough to cut. Wendie looked like she was being pulled in two directions the whole time. I almost thought she was going to swing at me more than once. And Kayda... Kayda just sat there like a stone, quiet, watching me squirm while pretending not to enjoy the show.
Oh yes, Grandenzil agreed to change the crimson bandits. She even added things she said she had wanted to change for years, though judging by the way she muttered and paced, she had never found the courage or leverage before. Now she has no choice. Honestly, I think she will have to start the group from scratch, or close to it. Most of the bandits don't exactly have a "we love reform" mindset. Still, having those orphanages under her care is going to help her more than she realizes. A group built from loyalty and gratitude is sturdier than one bound only by greed.
Now, about the last three weeks. I have eliminated all the demon rock pillars within my reach, and I must say-angel enthusiasts are an unappreciative group. Every single time I "cleaned" one of their church grounds of demon rock, they tried to kill me instead of praising me or even offering a thank you. Can you imagine that? I risk life and limb to save their fancy little sanctuaries, and the first thing they do is screech like banshees and lunge with holy spears. Pathetic. Not that they were particularly strong. The lowest of the pecking order is all the church seems willing to throw at me. Sheep dressed as soldiers.
The lucky part is the devil cultists haven't interfered for a while. But that isn't comfort-it gnaws at me more. They've gone quiet, and quiet enemies are always the most dangerous. They aren't being lazy. They're planning. Might is the wrong word. They are definitely planning something, and if my gut is right, it isn't going to be small.
And my body pain? That hasn't dulled at all. It's been constant, like a fire smoldering just under my skin. Three weeks of this ache. I've gotten used to it, I suppose, but that doesn't make it any less maddening.
Well, on to the next point. My curses have changed a lot. Changed in ways I can't quite make sense of. And not only my curses, but even my ele-
"Have you finished monologuing about your trip?" A female voice cut across my thoughts.
I blinked and looked up. A demoness sat across from me on a couch, eyes sharp and posture so stiff she might as well have been carved from stone.
"No, I was still busy, but it's fine now," I said lazily, shifting my gaze from her to the ceiling.
"Good. Now can you explain to me why you are here?" She asked bluntly, her tail flicking with restrained irritation.
"Hmm, didn't Kayda tell you?" I said, glancing at Kayda seated beside me.
"She did," the demoness admitted. "But I want to know why you are here, Kitsuna Draig, adopted daughter of the Draigs." Her glare hardened, like she was testing if the weight of my name would crack me.
"Man, it sounds like you don't like me," I said, putting a hand over my chest with a mock-hurt expression.
"I don't. The first thing you ever said to me was, 'Hello, tomato girl.'" Her face was perfectly deadpan as she said it.
I tilted my head. "But I was only stating the truth. You really do look like a human tomato."
Her brows twitched. "...I will kick you out if you don't explain yourself, Kitsuna." The way she said my name carried venom.
"Tsk, no formal speech, I see," I said, smirking just a little, testing her patience.
"For you? Never," she replied, shaking her head in disgust.
"Great," I said brightly. "I like it more like that anyway. Now, the reason I'm here is because I'm looking for your mother." I beamed as if I had just declared the happiest news. Out of the corner of my eye, I could swear I saw Kayda sigh in silent exasperation.
"And why would YOU be looking for my mother?" the demoness asked, her glare turning sharp enough to slice stone.
"Why does it sound like you don't want my help?" I tilted my head innocently.
"Because I don't," she snapped. "You are a derailing fox and a very problematic one."
"...That's quite rude of you," I said, my ears flicking with mock offense.
"It's as rude as calling someone tomato girl," she shot back immediately.
"No, it's not. You're literally attacking me on an emotional level," I protested.
"It doesn't feel great, does it?" she asked, a smug smile finally tugging at her lips.
"Hmm, some advice from a senior," Kayda interjected from my lap. Wait-my lap? I blinked down at her, confused. She had shifted at some point, her wings gone-hidden.
'She could have hidden her wings this entire time!?' I thought, baffled beyond words.
"When did you lie down onto my lap? And did you have to ruin my fun again?" I asked calmly, staring down at her.
"You are despicable!" the demoness suddenly shouted, springing to her feet and pointing at me with shaking hands. Her voice trembled with genuine anger.
"I am a fox. We don't know the meaning of that word," I said sarcastically, baring teeth in a grin.
"Garr, aghhh! I hate you so much!"
"Join the club," I muttered.
"That sounded like you hate yourself, you know," Kayda remarked from below, one brow arched.
"Uuh. It does, doesn't it?" I said with a chuckle.
"...I hate you," the demoness repeated, though her voice carried more weariness than fury now.
"Yet you're not doing anything about me," I pointed out.
Her jaw tightened. "Do you think I'm stupid? Firstly, I've heard of what you do to your enemies, and I've seen it firsthand. So the conclusion is simple: I hate you, but I won't try to act against you. That would only end in a battle I lose."
"Huh. You're smarter than I thought," I admitted, shrugging.
"...," she stared blankly.
"...," I stared back.
"...", Kayda's ears twitched once.
"Kayda, that's quite mean of you," I said suddenly, smirking.
"What? Am I not allowed to say that?"
"Yes, you're not. You're from her mom's generation. Such an experience is like having your aunt call you a stain on the family's name," I said, gesturing between Kayda and the demoness. Sure enough, the poor girl's eyes glistened faintly, like she was holding back tears.
"That-"
"I am leaving. Do whatever you want," the tomato girl muttered, turning on her heel and stomping out of the room.
"Great. She's going to do something stupid to prove you wrong now," I said, turning to Kayda.
"Why would she?"
"Kayda, as I said-you're from her mother's generation. When someone older says something, it weighs heavier than when it comes from someone their age. Especially from someone they look up to."
"But you're older than her. Look up to?" Kayda asked, confused.
"She didn't know that. Didn't you see the stars in her eyes when we showed up?"
Kayda paused, then nodded slightly. "Hmm. I see what you mean. I overlooked that. Seems I've spent too much time with you."
"Hey!? How is this my fault now?"
"You're someone who says whatever is on your mind, and it rubbed off on me. In simpler terms, it's your fault," Kayda said smugly, her lips curling.
"What!? That's just dumb. Who told you to pick up my habits?"
"You."
"Me? When and how?"
"...", she stayed silent.
"Hah, can't think of an answer, can you, lizard?" I taunted her, feeling smug,just before Kayda grabbed me and threw me bodily out the window.
"What the fuck, Kayda?" I screamed midair.
Boom!
The impact shook the ground and left a crater at my feet. Dust puffed up around me.
"That woman is mad in so many ways," I groaned, crawling up out of the dent and dusting myself off.
"Well, anyway, let's continue exploring Anabald," I muttered, adjusting my scarf as I strolled toward the front gates.
[3 hours later]
"Man, the city of Anabald is quite a net. Especially the view," I murmured, perched high in a ship's crow's nest. The salty air stung pleasantly at my nose, and the horizon stretched endlessly, painted orange by the sinking sun. The city behind me glowed as lantern lights began to flicker to life.
"I actually don't know what they call the ocean here," I admitted, tilting my head thoughtfully.
'Analysis.'
Skills: Dimension storage, Devil Fire, Devil Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Super Regen, Short distance teleport, Sword domain, Mana sense, Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Healing
Passive abilities include heightened senses, eyes of intimidation, human form, and night vision.
Tail Abilities: LOCKED
After three weeks, my stats haven't changed at all. I haven't gained even a single level despite killing all the monsters. Well, whatever.' I sighed.
"Though devil magic is quite problematic and useful, I guess," I mused, raising my hands. One burst into black fire, the other into black lightning. Sparks danced, and the flames licked hungrily at the air. "And here's the best part-I feel more relaxed and in control using them. I can finally train them more." My smile stretched.
"Hoy there, may I help you?" A voice bellowed from below.
"Hmm? Did I hear correctly?" I muttered, peering down.
"Hoy there, my boy, have they come down from my crow's nest?" The captain shouted, waving.
"Right," I nodded before leaping down. His eyes went wide in panic as I plummeted, but I landed gracefully, boots slamming into the deck without a scratch.
"How... you are not that flimsy?" he asked, gawking.
"Of course. I managed to reach your crow's nest without you noticing, didn't I? I said with a grin.
"Hoy, that's true. They want to join my crew?"
"Uh, ha-ha, sorry, but I'm a bit young to join your little crew," I said, scratching my cheek awkwardly.
"Young?" he asked, confused.
"Yeah, I'm only fourteen years old," I said with a smile.
"You're fourteen and cursed," one crewman muttered, pity in his eyes.
"Oh yeah, I forgot they're more visible now," I mumbled, brushing my cheek. Dark lines traced faintly, my curses etched into my skin.
"Yeah, born with it. Well, anyways, see you," I said, disappearing in a flash.
"Hoy, you're only fourteen and already that strong.They have a bright future," the captain murmured, confident that I could still hear him.
'When I first noticed my curses changing, I thought maybe-just maybe-they'd become obsolete and vanish. I mean, I'm a girl now. I don't want scars ruining my skin. But nooo. Instead of fading, they just got bigger.'
I sighed inwardly, darting across rooftops toward the Anabald mansion. By the time I reached the front gates, night had fully settled.
"Damn. I didn't think I walked that far from the mansion," I muttered, dropping lightly to the ground. "Lucky I already ate, so I'm not starving. Kayda probably grabbed me food anyway."
I vaulted the fence easily. The guards in the shadows tracked me with their eyes, but none raised an alarm. They knew who I was. They just looked, then turned away, pretending disinterest.
"Hmm, I see they already know about me coming in like that," I whispered with a small grin.
I thought, 'Now... I just need to find an open window,' as I prowled closer to the mansion.
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
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Chapter 119:
Luckily, it didn't take me long to find the open window or open door, this time to get into my room for the night. The climb was simple, my feet landing soundlessly on the sill before I slipped inside with a foxlike grace that came naturally to me these days.
"Finally, back, huh?" Kayda said this when I walked into the room.
"Hm, you here?" I asked, blinking, a little confused to see her sitting there so casually on the bed, as if she owned the place.
"Yeah, I want to see that curse of yours again. Just to make certain it doesn't change again." Kayda said, her tone halfway between worry and command as she turned towards me, her crimson eyes gleaming faintly in the lamplight.
"Oh, okay. Just let me shower, and then I'll be back."
"...okay, make it quick," Kayda said with a dangerous glint in her eyes, one that would have made most people freeze.
"Don't think I missed that glint in your eye," I commented dryly, giving her a long side glance as I headed for the bathroom.
"Tsk, it's not as if you dislike it," Kayda said, pouting like a child, though her voice carried that familiar sharpness that never quite let me forget she was a dragon.
"...that... might be true," I muttered inaudibly, my ears twitching in betrayal.
I still couldn't believe that she had been watching me ever since I kissed her on the head at that lake. Three weeks of noticing her gaze lingering, her excuses about "checking the curse marks," and her little smirks when she thought I wasn't paying attention. The worst part? I didn't even mind. Fuck, I hadn't even peeked at her yet, and I was somebody before. A teenage guy with working eyes, for crying out loud. Now I was a girl, cursed up to my spine, and somehow she was the shameless one. We hadn't even kissed yet.
Slap.
"Calm down, you dumb fox," I muttered, rubbing my now sore cheeks. The sting grounded me, like it always did.
Opening my eyes again, I looked at the mirror.
I stood one meter and ninety-seven centimeters tall, lean with muscle where it mattered, and scarred in places I pretended not to notice. Blood-red hair cut short to six centimeters, with a streak of icy white about a centimeter thick running across the crown, catching the light like frost. The hair was messy, spiking in every direction, but not enough to hide the pair of fox ears twitching on top of my head. As I looked down, I saw two black eyes with red fox-shaped irises staring back at me. They always unsettled people. My lips were on the smaller side, but sharp canines pressed against them when I tightened my jaw.
As if that weren't monstrous enough, two lines ran down from each eye to my cheekbones, like trails of blackened lightning fused with fire. The lines didn't stop there-they traveled down my neck, curling towards my shoulders, then abruptly shifted course towards my back. They met at the spine, pooling together into a dark, storm-like tattoo, three centimeters high and six wide, constantly shifting faintly as if alive. From the pool sprouted branching shapes, like lightning bolts disguised as tree roots, stretching lower towards my hips. Clouds, etched in black ink resembling fire, surrounded the pool, twisting and devouring unseen light while pulsing faintly as if they were hungry.
I touched the lines with my fingers and shivered.
"Sigh, I'm not even pretty anymore. "I'm just a pure monster at this point," I whispered bitterly, sighing as I reached for my sports bra to lift it and check if the lines had spread.
The creak of the door startled me.
"That's not true, and you know it." Kayda's voice came, softer this time, as she walked up to me.
"Hm, not just going to peek today?" I said this while smirking at her reflection in the mirror.
"Hey, don't try and change the subject," Kayda said with a severe expression, her sharp brows pulling together.
"What subject? Are you peeking at me or taking a shower?" I teased, tilting my head.
All I got was her silence. A long, unamused stare.
"So about you peeking on me," I said, smiling again, refusing to let her silence win.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why don't you talk to me about how you feel?" she pressed, her voice steady now.
"That's a dumb question," I said, looking at her as if she were the idiot.
"So, you don't trust me," she shot back.
"No, I do trust you, but this is far too personal for me to just tell you," I said, shaking my head slowly.
"So, you don't trust me enough?"
"In a way, yes."
"But-"
"Don't get me wrong," I cut in quickly, "I know we're soulmates. But I've known you for like a month, almost two. And I don't even know if what you said about us being soulmates is true. Yes, I do like you. Yes, I feel a connection. But I don't love you yet. Love and similar emotions still take me time to develop. My mother took three years to get me to open up. For three years, she was the only person I saw besides the guards and servants. Regardless of what you have experienced, everyone eventually breaks down at some point. And I..." My voice faltered, dropping to a whisper, "...I've been looking for that kind of connection for so long."
Kayda stared at me, her face softening slightly. "I see what you mean. But I want to understand how my present self, given the trust you currently have in me, can assist you. Her arms wrapped around me gently.
"Hm, that's a good question," I said, looking down at her, petting her head almost absentmindedly.
"You can tell me, you know. I can hold my tongue if I feel like it," she insisted, her voice stubborn with dragon pride.
"That might be true, but stop feeling me up and get out. I need a shower like now." I said, pulling her arms off me.
"Ugh, it's not my fault, okay," Kayda whined but didn't resist.
"Yes, yes, you weirdo."
I pushed her towards the door. Inside, I cursed myself. I should have never kissed her forehead that night. That one small act had set this all off.
"Hey, you don't need to push like this!"
"Shut it. Now go out. I need to think on my own."
"...Can I stay and wait? In the room, of course."
"...yes, and don't bring out your wings for tonight, okay?" I said after a pause.
"But-"
"I wouldn't complain if I were you, body pillow."
"Body pillow? Wait-" she started, then froze, realizing what I meant.
"Shoo and shut it," I said, kicking her lightly in the back, sending her stumbling out of the bathroom.
I quickly put up an ice wall across the bathroom for privacy, crouching on the floor as my face burned crimson.
"Haah, why did I say that! So embarrassing!" I groaned, slapping my cheeks again.
"I'm way too sensitive today," I muttered.
The memory of the ocean rose unbidden. The coastlines of Japan, the vast blue horizon, and the scent of salt in the wind always calmed me down. It had always calmed me down. Maybe today's view in Annabald had made me nostalgic.
"Guess I still miss my old life... Or is it just the sea?" I whispered to myself while undressing and stepping into the shower.
Contrary to what people might assume, I hated warm showers. They burned my skin and left red marks for days, and even my regeneration couldn't fix it fast. Kayda had learned that the hard way when she tried to draw me a hot bath a few weeks back.
I wasn't having a good day. The bath didn't help.
For three days straight I'd looked like a tomato. Three days where I wrapped myself up like a burrito to hide from everyone. It wasn't funny then. It wasn't funny now.
My new curse tattoo has already made people avoid me. Civilians, adventurers, even guild staff-they all stiffened, stepping back when I entered. Not that I minded much; moving through crowds became easier. The only downside? The receptionist at the guild was always a stuttering mess when I came near.
That reminded me-I still had to check in at Anabald's adventurers' guild. Technically, Kayda and I were supposed to report whenever we stayed in a city. Not that it mattered. I doubted we'd take any quests.
Well... maybe one or two. This could serve as a suitable pretext for conducting an investigation.
[Later that night]
"Uhm, Kitsuna. Are you sure about this?" Kayda's hesitant voice pulled me out of my drifting thoughts.
I blinked. Somewhere along the line, I'd ended up on the bed, cuddling her, with me as the big spoon. Her hair tickled my nose, and her warmth pressed against me.
"Are you against this?" I asked calmly.
"Well, you're freezing, you know. I might be a scorch dragon and all, but I can still feel cold."
"I understand, but I don't see you making any effort to move."
"...Well, you're in a sensitive position at the moment, so I'm taking advantage of it."
"If you say so."
Silence stretched for a while, broken only by our breathing.
"Did you know the sea-the ocean-was my favorite view in Japan?" I finally murmured.
"Japan? Where did you come from?" she asked, shifting slightly.
"Yeah. It's a large island located in the northern region of my former homeland. The year I spent running, traveling... I saw the ocean a lot. It always calmed me down and cleared my head. Today was the first time in a while I felt that clear. I don't like it," I admitted softly.
"So, you're more relaxed."
"No, more clear-headed. This clarity makes me reflect on my behavior over the past few months. My tone turned sharp with dissatisfaction.
"You don't like how you've been acting, do you?" Kayda said gently.
I said nothing.
"How do you want to spend the next month, then?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"I think we stick with the original plan-find the head of Anabald."
"But-"
"I've lived under stress for years. I won't cave easily. But little tomato girl is running on fumes. Earlier, while I was sneaking in, I heard her shouting around the mansion. I sighed.
Kayda's eyes widened. "Sigh, you're right. She might act mature, but she's only fourteen."
"Yeah. She's not like Amari and me. We've lived seventeen years before all this. She hasn't."
"So, you want to help her."
"In a way. And... I want a favor from her in the end."
"...Kitsuna." Kayda pulled back slightly, giving me a warning look.
"Relax, it's nothing awful. I just want some info on devils. For Nero." I smiled faintly.
"Fine. But what about afterward?"
"Afterward, we head to the Draigs' territory. I need smithing done." My grin widened.
"Sigh... you and weapons," Kayda muttered, shaking her head helplessly.
Yo, the chapter was fastly edited, so do tell me where I made some mistakes.
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Chapter 120:
Knock.
Creak.
"Hmmm," I hummed groggily, the sound of wood shifting and hinges whining pulling me out of whatever strange dream had been tugging me along. My eyes opened slowly, still heavy with sleep, and the morning light poured across the room in gentle rays that made me squint. It was far too early for noise like this.
"Yo, this is a sight I didn't expect to see happen."
The voice was sharp, annoyed, and female-cutting through the haze of waking. Blinking against the light, I turned my head toward the sound, only to find a very unwelcome presence stepping closer to the bed.
"Oh... Miss Anabald," I muttered, finally focusing on the tomato-red figure who loomed at my side. Her crimson hair caught the morning glow like it was trying too strongly to demand attention.
"So," she said, disgust dripping from every syllable, "mind explaining? I don't really want my servants touching some fox juices."
Her face twisted as though just being near me was a punishment in itself.
"How rude of you, Tomato," I shot back immediately, my tone flat with disapproval. "We didn't do anything. And shut up-you're going to wake her." My glare made the words sting sharper. Kayda was still asleep beside me, her breathing even, her body curled in a way that said she hadn't had nearly enough rest.
"Well, I don't care about that, seeing as the great Sage fell for-Boom!"
Before her poisonous sentence could finish staining the air, her body slammed against the wall with a heavy crash. Dust and fragments of plaster rained from the impact point. She groaned faintly, her limbs sprawled, her once-proud sneer faltering.
"I understand you're under a lot of stress," I said, voice low and lethal, holding her pinned by the throat with one hand, "but keep your mouth shut. You are making assumptions that will get you killed." My eyes bore into hers, making it clear this was no idle warning.
She coughed and choked but still managed to sneer, although her sneer was weaker this time. "Hah... so the fox does actually have a heart."
Her bravado ended abruptly.
CRACK.
"Augh!!"
The sound of ribs giving way beneath a sharp impact echoed in the room, followed by her gasp of agony.
"Wasn't it you," I said icily, tightening my grip around her throat until her airway was cut off, "who said you wouldn't be looking to make trouble with me because you'd lose? Then what is this? "Hmm?" My fingers pressed deeper, lifting her a fraction higher against the wall as her legs kicked uselessly.
Her eyes widened, panic replacing arrogance. Despair flashed across them, a silent plea that only deepened my satisfaction. Her strength ebbed as oxygen fled her body, and within moments, she slumped unconscious in my hold.
"Kitsuna, I think that's enough."
The gentle murmur came from the bed. Kayda's voice-sleepy, worn out, but concerned-broke through the haze of violence. She hadn't even bothered to sit up fully, her head still resting on the pillow as she watched.
"I just thought she needed to sleep some. The bags under her eyes are even bigger than yesterday," I muttered, my tone casual as I lifted the limp demoness into my arms. Her weight was negligible, her presence irritating even when unconscious.
"Yeah, but that was too extreme," Kayda sighed, finally pushing herself upright and brushing loose strands of hair from her face. "Something must have happened last night for her to act like this." Her brows knit in mild worry.
"I agree," I said, my gaze lingering on the unconscious girl. "We'll have to ask the butler."
Knock, knock.
"Talk about the devil, and he will appear," Kayda said dryly, her eyes flicking toward the doorway where, sure enough, the butler stood. He smiled faintly as he took in the sight before him, not seeming at all surprised by the passed-out demon cradled in my arms.
Though everyone called him a butler, he hardly looked the part. Sandals slapped against the wooden floor. A flowery shirt clashed horribly with denim shorts. Sunglasses perched on his head, glinting faintly in the light. Only his neatly combed gray hair and mustache gave away the slightest air of proper butler-like dignity.
"Sorry for the inconvenience," he said with a bow so slight it could almost be sarcasm. "We couldn't get her to sleep."
"As I thought," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "You were hoping for this."
"That makes me sound like a rotten retainer, young miss," he answered smoothly, though the corner of his lips twitched.
"Well, you are." My tone carried no inflection, no hesitation, just blunt fact.
"...Anyways," he continued, ignoring the insult with a professional ease, "I will take the young miss to her bed."
"Nope. Let's walk and talk." I gestured with a flick of my head, the unconscious girl shifting slightly in my arms. "Lead the way to little Tomato's room."
"...Okay, follow me."
"Kitsuna," Kayda interjected hesitantly, "shouldn't we change first?"
I glanced down. Oh. Right. Pajamas. A loose shirt and tiny shorts, nothing more. Meanwhile, Kayda sat up clutching the covers to her chest, her face reddening as she realized the same thing.
The butler's gaze flicked to her, then back to me. His mouth opened with a smirk. "I have seen more people naked than-"
"Shut up! We don't want to know that!" Kayda snapped, her voice flustered and loud.
"We'll wait outside for you," I sighed, cutting off whatever awful anecdote he'd planned to share.
"Hm, aren't you going to-" he started, only to pause as his eyes landed back on me. My outfit had shifted in the blink of an eye; my usual clothes, with a scarf wrapped snugly at my throat, were already in place.
"Yeah, I got skills," I said with a smirk.
"I see," he muttered, unruffled, before turning on his heel.
"Give me ten minutes," Kayda called, still hidden under the covers. I kicked the door closed behind us.
"So," I said, voice dropping as we moved down the hall, "mind explaining what's going on with the girl?"
The butler's silence stretched, thick and stubborn.
"You might want to tell us," I warned, tightening my hold on the unconscious girl slightly. "You never know what sort of connections we've built on our way here."
"I don't know if young miss wants to involve you two with the House of Anabald's problems," he answered politely, though guarded.
"House of Anabald problems?" I scoffed. "Heh. Do you really think something like the head of the house going missing is only your problem?"
"Yes," he replied curtly.
"Wrong," I snapped. "The Anabald are responsible for protecting the border. The kingdoms rely on them to do their job. But you've got a fourteen-year-old-whose training isn't even finished-forced to shoulder the entire territory? Madness. Stupid. Irresponsible."
"So you are saying to leave it to another fourteen-year-old?"
I hesitated, caught in my words. "...Ah, yeah, that doesn't make sense, does it?"
"Yes," he deadpanned.
"Well, leave it to Kayda then. She isn't as young as me."
Smack.
Pain thudded across the back of my head as Kayda's hand connected sharply.
"Don't say it like I'm old," she said, appearing from behind us in her usual clothes, glare fixed firmly on me.
"You're done? I thought you were going to take ten minutes," I muttered, rubbing the sore spot.
"Once again, I learned my lesson from you," she replied, her glare sharpening.
"What?" I tilted my head in confusion.
"Never mind," she muttered. "Mister Butler, lead the way."
"As you will," he said smoothly, turning and walking ahead.
"Now then," Kayda said after a beat of silence, "while we are walking, tell us what happened last night."
The butler sighed, long and weary. "I see you will not give up."
"Well, obviously not," Kayda snapped. "This is the purpose of my visit."
He adjusted his sunglasses slightly, his voice calm as he spoke. "We have been looking into the disappearance of milady for months now. A few weeks ago, we noticed something strange happening in the slums."
"A few weeks?" I cut in sharply. "When did the churches get destroyed?"
"Our intel told us it was connected to the church, so we dug deeper. We found... experiments. Cruel ones. The church was using the inhabitants of the slums as test subjects.
Kayda's eyes hardened. I let out a humorless chuckle. "I can already tell where the group is going."
"Yeah," Kayda agreed grimly, "so can I."
"After confirming, we made plans to raid them. Last night was the night we chose."
"Let me guess-it was a trap," I said flatly.
"Yes," he admitted. "We sent sixty high-ranking military men and women. Only three came back. They abandoned their duties. They even left the bodies of all fifty-seven behind." His voice curled with disdain.
"Abandoned their duties? What do you mean?"
"They ran away like cowards."
"I see," Kayda said coldly. "Let me guess-you killed them."
"Yes. On the spot."
She sighed, disappointment heavy in her tone. "Did you at least ask questions before?"
"They were traitors," he said flatly. "They deserved it."
"That's not what I asked." Kayda frowned deeply, but he didn't elaborate.
"We are close," he said instead, halting before a grand door.
"These guys are as dumb as it comes," I thought bitterly, narrowing my eyes.
"He isn't telling us everything," Kayda whispered to me.
"You don't say that, haha," I chuckled quietly to myself.
"Anyways, what are your plans now that your raid failed?" Kayda asked.
"We sent an investigation team this morning. They should return in an hour or two with a report," the butler answered as he pushed the door open. "This is the young miss's sleeping quarters."
"Great. Then open up so I can put her on the bed," I muttered, clicking my tongue.
Inside, the room screamed of teenage indulgence. Pink walls. Three enormous mirrors crowded one corner. A neon-purple bedspread is buried beneath at least thirteen stuffed animals. The massive walk-in closet loomed like a shrine to vanity.
"Yep. Definitely a teenager's room," Kayda observed, bemused.
"Now this is how a fourteen-year-old bedroom should look," I said as I approached the bed. Pulling back the covers, I set the unconscious girl down and tucked her in gently, surprising even myself with the softness of the gesture.
"She should be out for a day at least," I murmured, turning only to find two pairs of eyes on me, staring strangely. "What?"
"You can be that gentle," the butler said, visibly baffled.
"You actually know how to treat someone younger than you nicely," Kayda added with a teasing grin.
"Ugh. Whatever," I grumbled, annoyed.
"Hehe, just teasing," Kayda laughed softly.
"Anyways, Mister Butler," I said, snapping my focus back, "are you certain the church kidnapped the head of the house?"
"...I did not say anything like that."
"Don't play dumb," I growled. "Since I am from a demon house, the obvious first suspect would be those who oppose demons."
"In the beginning, we thought so," he admitted. "They had started expanding toward our territory. But..."
"But now, an unknown entity is attacking the churches," Kayda concluded for him. "You've figured out it wasn't them."
"Yes," he confirmed with a nod.
"Well, lucky for you, you won't have to start from scratch," I said with a smug smile.
"And what might you mean by that?" he asked cautiously.
"Simple," Kayda said smoothly. "We already suspect who kidnapped her. But we don't yet know their goal."
"We have suspicions, but nothing concrete," I added while crossing my arms.
"I see," he murmured. "Might I be briefed?"
"Nope." My answer cut through his hope before Kayda could even open her mouth. "I don't trust you at all."
Chapter 121:
"Kitsuna, he is the head butler," Kayda informed me, her voice low but tinged with confusion, as though she couldn't quite grasp why I was treating the man so dismissively.
"Yeah, and? I don't give a shit." I shrugged, letting my words hang in the air like they weighed nothing. "I'll only tell the tomato girly, and she can tell the rest if she feels like it." My eyes slid over to the butler's face, and as expected, he didn't react. Neutral, unreadable, the perfect mask of a servant.
Kayda sighed heavily, the kind of sigh that spoke of defeat. "Fine," she said, throwing in the towel with a tone that said she knew better than to keep arguing with me.
"Anyways," I continued without missing a beat, "let's go find that captain from yesterday. I think he might be of help."
Kayda raised a brow at me, skeptical. "Are you sure about that?"
"Not really," I admitted bluntly, scratching the back of my head. "But what else are we going to do here? Sit around and twiddle our thumbs? Oh, and Mister Butler-" I turned my gaze back to him, my tone shifting just enough to make it sound polite, even though the sharpness never left my eyes. "Do tell us where this place you tried to raid is located."
Before he could respond, Kayda cut me off with a sharpness that made me blink. "No. We are not going there, Kitsuna," she said sternly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"What? Why not?" My surprise was genuine, my ears perking slightly at the refusal.
"It's far too dangerous to go there." She shook her head, her long hair shifting with the motion, eyes narrowing at me in that way she had when she was trying to act like the responsible one.
"Hmm, you might be right," I conceded with a slow nod. My lips curled in thought. "But we do need to see the place eventually."
"We are not going in." Her voice was iron, her glare daring me to push further.
I lifted my hands innocently. "Yes, of course."
She kept her glare, not convinced.
"Fine, please tell me the location," Kayda finally said, turning her gaze back to the butler, who had been standing silently through our back-and-forth like a statue in the summer heat.
"I will get a written version for you right away," he replied smoothly before turning and jogging down the hallway. His sandals slapped against the polished floor as he disappeared around a corner.
I raised an eyebrow. "You think he'll really give it?"
Kayda only shrugged. "Don't know."
"Well," I said, turning back to glance at the sleeping tomato girl sprawled comfortably under her covers, "anyway, let's leave her to sleep in peace."
"I guess we can do that," Kayda said softly, her eyes softening as she followed my gaze.
"Oh right-what's the tomato girl's name? She never told me."
The silence that followed was suspicious.
"..."
"..."
"Aaah, I forgot," Kayda admitted suddenly, glancing away as if the floor had become the most fascinating thing in the world.
"You... forgot her name?" I said, utterly stumped, my tail twitching in disbelief.
"Uh, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I forgot it." She gave a weak smile that was more excuse than explanation.
"I see. "We will ask her later," I said, dismissing the issue, even though the absurdity lingered.
"Okay. Oh-here he comes back." Kayda straightened as the butler returned, a neat stack of papers in his hand.
"Great, took him long enough," I muttered, stepping forward to meet him halfway.
"Here you go," the butler said, his voice still maddeningly polite. "As requested, here is the location of the suspect along with additional information about the place." He held the papers out toward Kayda.
"Thanks," Kayda said, taking them without even a glance and immediately handing them to me.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Thanks, I'll read through them later," I said, sliding the papers into my storage space with a flick of my hand.
"You?" the butler questioned, his eyes flicking between us.
"Her analytic ability with some things is better than mine," Kayda explained with a sly smirk, "but her common sense isn't perfect yet."
"Are you praising me or dissing me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"No comment." She crossed her arms and looked away with that smug little grin that always made me want to pinch her cheeks-or set something on fire.
"Right. I will take my leave then," the butler said quickly, nodding once before striding away with a pace that suggested he couldn't get out fast enough.
"You wronged me," I called after him, annoyed.
"No comment," Kayda parroted again, turning on her heel and heading toward the exit of the mansion.
"Hey, you need to pay for that," I said, darting after her.
"I do?" She looked at me over her shoulder, baffled.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes, you do."
"I do."
"Right, I thought so. But I'll keep that in my pocket for later." I smirked, watching as her defeated expression twisted into confusion.
"...What?" Kayda asked, brow furrowed.
"I'll dish out your punishment at a later date," I said with a grin that could only be described as sadistic.
"Dealing with the devil is so troublesome," she muttered, sighing as though resigning herself to her fate.
"Ho, ho, ho," I chuckled darkly. "But don't forget, I also still need to get back at you for peeking on me for a month." My grin widened, sharp and gleeful.
"Troublesome," she repeated louder this time. "I tell you, troublesome."
[3 hours later]
"You want to know where the black market is, do you?" The captain from yesterday leaned back against a post near the docks, his eyes narrowing as he studied me.
"Yeah. I need some info, money, and connections. You know, the normal things," I said with a careless shrug, my voice light even as my eyes locked on his.
"Why don't you use that body of yours?" a passing drunk muttered crudely, his grin splitting across his face.
His head hit the ground before his words even finished echoing.
"Man, what a mood killer," I said lightly, snapping a small fireball into my palm and flicking it onto the body. Flesh and bone went to ash in seconds, the sea breeze carrying the acrid smell away.
"The usual things, you say?" the captain muttered, his eyes narrowing even further. He didn't flinch at the body that was burning to dust, didn't even move. Instead, he chose to ignore the burning body, which was unsettling in its own way.
"You don't need to worry," I said, giving him a toothy grin. "It's nothing that'll put a bounty on your name or damage your reputation. Promise."
"I'm not worried about that." He snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "Why would a fourteen-year-old kid be asking me for this kind of stuff, even when their guardian's standing right behind them?" He gestured toward Kayda, who stood just behind me.
"Guardian? No, she's my partner." I waved him off without hesitation.
He blinked at me, then at her, then back at me. "I'm not judging, but if she isn't the same as you, isn't the age gap..." He trailed off, eyebrows twitching.
"Oh, I never thought about that," I said, tilting my head, my tone far too thoughtful for his comfort.
"Hmm, me neither. Luckily, you look older," Kayda added casually, shrugging like this was nothing.
"I see. So it's mutual," the captain said, nodding in relief as though he'd just solved some strange puzzle.
"Hmm, in a way, it is," I muttered, my eyes flicking to the faint shimmer of Kayda's wings.
"In... never mind," he said quickly, shaking his head as though to banish the thought. "You wanted to know where the black market is located, right?"
"Uh."
"Okay. It's here, at the docks. Underwater." He pointed straight down, toward the waves lapping against the pier.
"You don't say." I looked down, genuinely surprised.
"Yeah. Best place to have it-you can run away easier."
"Hmm, I guess you can run easier then," Kayda said thoughtfully.
"Haha, it's like the mafia," I said suddenly, laughing. "They are always involved in drug-related activities at the docks."
"Mafia?" The captain's brow furrowed, confusion plain.
"Don't worry about her. She's just talking to herself," Kayda said smoothly, nudging me away before I could explain.
"I... I see," the captain muttered, clearly unnerved but unwilling to push the subject.
"Now, how do we get access to the black market?" Kayda asked, her smile polite.
"Come to my boat later tonight, and I'll take you there." He gestured toward his vessel moored nearby.
"Uh, that will be great, thank you," Kayda said, nodding.
"Hey, Kayda, do you think we'll need to swim to get to the black market?" I whispered, deliberately loud enough for the captain to hear.
"Hmm, I hope not," Kayda replied, her eyes flicking nervously to the captain.
"Don't worry, that isn't needed," the captain said with a hearty laugh.
"Aah, that sucks," I muttered, pouting exaggeratedly.
"Anyways, let's go. We have more things to do. Meet you later, Mister Captain." Kayda gave a polite wave as she tugged me away.
"See you later," the captain said, turning back toward his ship.
"Hey Kitsuna," Kayda asked the moment we left the docks, "how did you make him tell us?"
"Hmm, I looked around yesterday in my spare time," I explained casually. "First I checked the slums for any dealings, but all I found there was the fortress. Knowing that was a dead end, I went to the docks and asked around. Apparently, that captain is quite the softy. So, I went to his ship, climbed into his crow's nest, and sat there staring out at the sea like I was longing for freedom."
Kayda blinked. "You... played with him."
"Yes. He also asked me to join him," I admitted with a shrug, "but I said I was too young. For that reason, he decided he'd help me if needed. Well, that and the fact that I showed him I was cursed." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.
"I don't understand you," Kayda said, exasperation in her voice. "One night you regret how you've been acting, and the next day you do it again."
"...Yeah, it's my way of living," I said, my voice softer, tinged with a sadness I didn't often let out.
"Well, in some cases it's not bad to be like that." Her tone gentled, and she laid her hand on my shoulder, warm and grounding. "You just need to know the line."
"I will try," I said, smiling faintly at her.
"Haah. I will try, try, try-what exactly does that mean? You don't try. You do, okay?" Kayda scolded, her voice snapping with sharpness.
"...Wait, you sound like Mom," I said, smiling without realizing.
"Stacy? Hm. Yeah, I guess that's something she would say," Kayda said, her eyes softening as she thought about it.
"But you're right. There isn't something like 'try.' There's only doing. Hahaha! Thanks, Kayda, for reminding me." I laughed, wrapping her in a sudden hug.
"Uh, it's fine," she muttered, cheeks flushing.
"Now, to the slums!" I declared, releasing her before springing up onto the nearest roof.
"Oi, don't just jump on people's roofs like that," Kayda said, following me with a flap of her wings.
"What, why not?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Because it's not actually allowed."
"So? Who's going to catch us? City guards?"
"Y-yes," Kayda admitted, already anticipating my reaction.
"Pfft. What are they going to do, try to catch us? We both know city guards are far too slow. All they can do is yell at us to stop, and that won't do anything."
"...I can't really deny that. City guards are fragile," she mumbled, clearly giving up.
"Oh, I know. Why don't we make it a race? "The first person to the location wins."
"Why?"
"Because it'll be fun! And I always loved doing parkour in my past life."
"Parkour?" she repeated, brow furrowed.
"Hm, how to explain... It's like running through a training course, but you use the city as your playground. Illegal, but fun."
"I see. Are there rules? And what does the winner get?"
"Winner gets one wish, like always. There are no restrictions. Use everything you've got to get to the location."
"Is that so... You already know where it is, don't you?"
"Uh, I've been calling it a fortress, after all," I said with a smirk.
"Okay. How do we start?" Kayda asked, eyes narrowing competitively.
"Oh, when this-"
"You there! Stop right there and come down right now!"
A voice boomed from below. We looked down to see a lone city guard glaring up at us, hand on the hilt of his sword.
Kayda and I exchanged a glance. Then we both burst out laughing.
"Stand still and come down to the ground!" Kayda mimicked between wheezes.
"What a hypocrite," I chuckled.
"I am from the city-"
"Yeah, no one cares," I cut him off, waving dismissively.
"Okay, let's go when this hits the ground," Kayda said suddenly, pulling a knife from her belt. With a flick of her wrist, the blade spun up into the air, glittering in the sunlight.
Uhm forgot to press the publish button. LOL
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Chapter 122:
"Fuck! That backfired." I shouted, frustration ripping out of me as I skidded and landed on the tiles of a slanted roof, just barely managing to steady myself. The wood creaked under my boots, dust rising from the impact. Kayda touched down gracefully beside me a heartbeat later, wings folding back in smug composure. From here, only a few hundred meters away, the fortress loomed-an ugly, domineering shadow in the heart of the slums.
"Hehe," Kayda giggled, clearly savoring my sour mood. She tilted her head with the faintest sparkle in her golden eyes. "Now what will I ask?"
"Tsk, I didn't think you'd actually use your dragon form just to win this stupid race," I snapped, flicking my tail irritably. The scales along my arms still hummed faintly from my half-transformation, fox energy prickling at the edge of my skin.
Kayda smirked, her fang peeking in the corner of her smile. "Well, you used your fox form."
"Because you used your dragon form!" I shouted again, more out of wounded pride than anything.
Her laugh was maddeningly light, almost melodic. "You also used flash steps the entire time."
"Yeah, because you just flew straight over everyone while I had to dodge through alleys and leap rooftops!" I threw my hands in the air dramatically. "I had to keep hiding, sneaking, bouncing between chimneys like a damn squirrel while you just-" I mimicked her flapping my arms, "-floated over the crowd like it was nothing!"
Kayda covered her mouth with her hand, pretending to hide her laughter. "Yeah, but you said there were no rules."
"...True," I grumbled, shoulders slumping. "But doing that ruined the entire purpose of the challenge. The whole fun of it was supposed to be weaving through the city, pushing limits. Not just... flapping!"
"Excuses, excuses," Kayda teased. Then her tone softened as she tilted her head, curiosity slipping through. "Anyways, how did you know where this place was?"
"Aah, easy," she continued before I could answer. "I've been to this city plenty of times before. I might actually know it like the back of my hand."
My mouth fell open. "That's unfair," I muttered, puffing my cheeks slightly.
"Not really," Kayda said smoothly, stretching her arms behind her head. "You already knew where it was, too."
"Yes, but you're faster than me. Especially in dragon form." My words came out defeated, heavy with the weight of my wounded pride.
Kayda's grin widened. "Haha, there were no rules. You said it yourself."
I groaned and ran both hands through my hair, pulling at the strands in defeat. "Sigh, well, what's your wish then?"
"Hmm..." Kayda tapped her chin in exaggerated thought, then let her grin turn playful. "There's a festival in a week. Let's go together. Oh, and wear a kimono, okay?" She winked.
"Ugh, are you serious? A kimono?" I wrinkled my nose.
"Yeah." Kayda's gaze slid down and up me with a boldness that made my ears twitch. "I think you'd look good in one."
I bit back a groan. 'A danger-looking fox girl plus kimono equals... hotness.' The thought burned its way through my head. Damn her for knowing my weak points.
"Tsk. For some reason I can't even refute that anymore," I muttered, glaring at her half-heartedly.
"Hmm," Kayda tilted her head, studying me more closely now. "Did something happen with you?" There was a note of worry in her voice.
"No-no," I waved my hand too quickly. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Let's get back to the main thing," I said, forcing my eyes toward the fortress.
The fortress quickly distinguished itself from every other crumbling shack in the slums. Its four looming stories stood tall, walls gleaming pale marble that didn't belong in this part of the city. The metal windows caught what little sunlight reached through the smog, like watchful eyes. It was too pristine, too fortified. It didn't belong here.
"It really is a giant fortress," Kayda breathed, sighing. "It wasn't this big last time."
"Yeah? But how the hell did the Anabald even try to siege this thing?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
"Huh? Don't you see the giant doors at the bottom of the building?" Kayda asked, giving me a weird look.
"Oh. I see door-like shapes, sure. But those are no doors."
"Nova, don't you see the hinges on the sides pointing out?"
"Oh, you mean those little metal plates?" I squinted.
"Yes, those little-" Kayda froze mid-word, then frowned deeper. "Wait. They're fake."
"Jip," I said, crossing my arms smugly. "There should be other entrances hidden around, built into nearby structures. It is impossible for two thirty-centimeter hinges to support a marble door. And why would the hinges be exposed outside where anyone could just break them off? Smash those, and the door would fall on its own."
Kayda blinked, then chuckled softly. "Yeah. That's a clever trick."
"Hmm. I bet the place has self-repair too."
"Probably. Those hinges are too obvious. The Anabald team from last night should have targeted them first."
"Yeah. And yet, there's no sign of battle here at all this morning."
"Aah, that's probably because the Anabald care too much about their deceased comrades and servants."
"So they retrieved the bodies?" I asked, amused.
"Yes, most likely," Kayda said, disappointment flickering in her tone.
"I see. What a waste of time-"
"I would advise you not to finish what you are thinking."
The voice came from behind. Cold, sharp, male. Kayda and I turned together.
A man stood there, late twenties, built like a war statue. His armor gleamed black and white, plates overlapping with the heavy grace of a great beast. A massive greatsword strapped to his side glinted menacingly. His bright blue eyes pierced the distance, striking against his otherwise dark figure.
"Heh, that got you mad," I said, smirking, masking my instinctive jolt of tension.
The man narrowed his eyes, silence speaking louder than words. His hand slid toward his sword.
"Oh, you want to fight?" I taunted him while stepping protectively in front of Kayda.
'He isn't weak,' I thought, every sense sharpening. 'And I don't know how fast he is.' My smirk remained steady, even as my grip tightened.
"Tsk." He vanished.
My eyes widened as he reappeared directly in front of me, blade already plunging.
"Ugh!" I grunted, grabbing the steel with my bare hands.
"Die for the devil's cult," the man muttered in a flat, lifeless monotone.
"Nova!?" Kayda shouted, horror lacing her voice.
"Don't worry," the man sneered, his weight pressing down. "You'll be joining her in a few seconds. Wh-?"
"Hehe," I grinned, blood dripping from my lips as I held the blade deep inside me. "You missed, idiot."
His eyes went wide. "What!?"
"Cheers, idiot."
A beam of searing heat shot past me, cutting through the air in a blinding flash. The man's head erupted, vanishing in a burst of light and smoke. His body staggered, suddenly headless, blood hissing on marble.
"Nova, you're being too careless!" Kayda whined, smacking me sharply on the head.
"What? You were surprised that he got this close without us noticing," I retorted, while my gaze lingered on the twitching corpse. A complicated weight twisted in my gut.
"Yes, but provoking him? And trying to shield me in the process?" Kayda crossed her arms, her glare sharp but her voice thick with worry.
"I wasn't trying to protect you," I waved dismissively, coughing up a little blood. "I'd survive his stab. You wouldn't."
Kayda pouted and muttered, "Whatever suits your needs."
"Yeah, yeah. Now help me get this sword out of me." I grimaced as I tugged at the hilt that was sticking out of my chest. "This damn thing doesn't want to budge."
"Here, let me help." Kayda stepped closer.
"Dammit, why isn't-oh, he's falling over." I blinked in annoyance as the heavily armored corpse tilted, dragging me with it.
Crash.
"Shit, that armor was heavier than I thought," I cursed as the roof buckled under us, collapsing in a cloud of dust. Wood splintered, tiles shattered, and suddenly I was falling, still skewered on the sword, the weight of the corpse pulling me down.
Crash.
"Huh? "Oh fuck." My eyes widened as I looked down through the gaping hole. Darkness stretched below-deep, endless.
"What's wrong?" Kayda called, peering into the hole.
"Kayda, help! There's nothing under this roof. This house-it's an entrance or a trap linked to the fortress!" My hands yanked desperately at the sword lodged in me.
"This thing isn't coming out... Ah, got it!" I exhaled in relief as the blade finally slid free.
"Come on, let's get out," Kayda urged, her wings twitching nervously.
"Oh, fuck-this isn't what I wanted!" The words tore out as the weakened roof gave way completely beneath my feet.
"Nova!?" Kayda screamed, lunging forward, her hand catching mine.
"Hmm... it's actually not that deep," I muttered, squinting down. The fall stretched maybe a hundred meters, not endless after all.
"Kayda, go get backup from the Anabald!" I ordered, tightening my grip on her hand. "We're taking this fortress!"
Her eyes widened. "What are you-"
I twisted, slamming the flat of my conjured war hammer into her stomach. The force sent her soaring backward away from the hole.
"Ugh! Nova!" Kayda cried out, fury laced with pain.
"Sorry! I'll make it up to you later!" I shouted before letting go. Darkness swallowed me whole.
Night vision kicked in. The black abyss sharpened into shades of gray and silver.
"Now I need to land gracefully," I muttered while rotating midair. The floor raced closer, 76 meters down.
The shaft wasn't wide, maybe four meters across. My lips curled into a smile. "Perfect."
With a thought, I summoned twin sickles, long blades glinting faintly, linked by a chain.
"This'll do." I hurled them into opposite walls.
Boom. Boom.
The blades sank deep, chains tightening, halting my fall with a bone-jarring jolt. My muscles screamed, pulling taut as grooves tore down the walls.
"Hmm, is that... a door?" My eyes flicked to a wooden frame just meters above the floor.
"Yup, that's one alright." I gritted my teeth, adjusting the chains. "Let's shorten them."
The tension snapped me upward, my body swinging violently toward the ledge. Pain tore through my arms, but I clenched my jaw. "Ugh. Nope. I didn't break anything. I only strained a few muscles. Easy heal."
Now hanging directly before the door, I grinned.
Clunk.
The door creaked open. A man emerged, holding a lantern. "Did someone fall into the trap?" He stepped to the ledge, light sweeping the shaft. "Huh? Nobody? What was all that noise?"
"Yo," I said casually.
He blinked, looking up.
"...What?"
An ice cannon shimmered into existence before his face.
Boom.
The shot tore through his skull, a neat bullet hole blossoming as his body crumpled without a sound.
I blew out a sharp breath, eyeing the cracked barrel of the weapon. "Just one shot and it still explodes... My guns really need some work."
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Chapter 123
"Luckily, it is an effortless fix," I muttered, my voice low in the empty shaft. The faint metallic ping echoed up and down the walls as I adjusted the barrel of the ice cannon, sliding it back into place with careful precision. A little twist of mana and a soft hiss of cold sealed the split. The weapon gleamed faintly, whole again. I gave it one last shake before storing it away. "There. Good as new."
Swinging slightly on the chain, I shifted my weight and leapt. The blades embedded in the walls groaned under the strain, then released as I recalled them. I landed on the narrow ledge just outside the heavy wooden door.
'I'm probably close to the prison area,' I thought, narrowing my eyes as I pressed my head cautiously against the wood. Peeking through the thin gap, I saw not cells but a long hallway stretching ahead. Its floor was worn stone, polished smooth by time and boots. It curved ever so slightly inward, as if the path bent in a circle that looped back on itself.
"Hmmm. Guess I'll do that," I sighed. There's no point in being flashy here. Tucking all my weapons back into storage, I shifted my body, bones and flesh twisting into my smallest fox form. Four paws touched the stone floor silently. My ears swiveled forward, nose twitching.
The hallway was eerily empty. No guards. There were no torches; however, faint light emanated from glowing crystals that were embedded into the walls at uneven intervals. Left or right didn't matter-but my instincts tugged left.
'This will be boring, isn't it?' I thought, tail flicking with annoyance as I padded quietly down the featureless corridor.
[1 hour later]
"I finally found the exit," I groaned, stretching as I shifted back into my humanoid form. My back cracked in protest as I straightened. "To think it wasn't as simple as a circle."
The damned place had toyed with me. Every stretch of hallway had hidden traps: pressure plates, razor wires that would whip across the floor, and sudden bursts of wind designed to knock you into pits. I'd had to dance between them, triggering some deliberately, freezing others, testing each section of the path like a puzzle that wanted to kill me. It was relentless, exhausting, and clever.
More than once I ended up back at the same wooden door I had entered from, as though the fortress itself were mocking me. At least twenty times I'd circled back, tail bristling in frustration, before I finally discovered this-an iron ladder set into the wall, leading upward.
"Ugh, whatever. Let's just hope my luck is better after this," I muttered. Grabbing hold of the cold rungs, I climbed slowly, each step clinking faintly against the stone shaft. At the top, a circular hatch waited.
I eased it open carefully. The hinges squealed. My ears flattened as voices filtered through.
"It's your turn, Dave," one man said.
"Ha-ha, all this money is mine!" A second shouted gleefully, dice clattering across a wooden surface. His laugh died in his throat. "What?!"
"Ha! Three! Nice ones, Dave. Thanks for your money."
Crash.
"You buffoon, you broke the table again!" the first man groaned.
"Ah, shit, sorry-ugh!"
"You bitch!" the third roared, his fist swinging.
"You!"
Just like that, the room dissolved into chaos. Fists flew, curses bounced off the walls, and chairs scraped as two of them brawled like drunkards, while the third watched with a mix of amusement and annoyance.
'Guess this is my only chance,' I thought, lips curling.
With a burst of speed, I flash-stepped behind the spectator. My dagger slid effortlessly through his skull. His body went limp before his mind even processed the strike.
Before the corpse could collapse, I blurred again, appearing above the two men locked in their pitiful scuffle. Twin katanas shimmered in my hands. In a single downward arc, both blades plunged into their necks. Their heads jerked once, then silence fell.
"Okay, let's see what I can get out of here," I said to myself. A snap of my fingers and fire flared, engulfing the bodies. The flames devoured flesh and bone in seconds, leaving nothing but drifting ash.
The room smelled faintly of burnt iron and blood, but I ignored it. My eyes swept the chamber until they landed on it-a metal door at the far end, reinforced thickly with overlapping layers of steel, and even mithril gleamed faintly across its surface.
"Okay, I need to check that door out later," I murmured. For now, my attention shifted to the bookshelves. Dark spines lined the shelves, black and gray covers stacked in neat, dusty rows. My fingers brushed along them before pulling one at random.
I read aloud, "How to make a devil," and my voice was heavy with distaste. My jaw tightened.
I shouldn't have been surprised. The cult had left its fingerprints everywhere. Still, seeing it in writing-it twisted my gut.
"Let's just leave it for later." I shoved the entire bookshelf into storage with a flick of my wrist.
My gaze wandered again. Other than the hatch I had come from and that single metal door, there was nothing else. No windows, no side passages. Just a box with secrets.
"Why is there only... Don't tell me I need to go back down there." My groan echoed off the walls as I dragged myself toward the door.
Up close, it was even more formidable. The door was made of multiple layers of metal, which were etched faintly with sigils. Five separate locks glittered at varying heights, each carved with magical inscriptions.
"I said aloud that the locking system, made of multiple layers of metal, would put most engineers to shame." Then I smirked. "Luckily, I mean this world's engineers. Compared to Earth? Child's play."
I conjured several delicate ice keys in my hand, translucent blue and humming faintly.
"Let's see how long this takes." I crouched, fitting the first key into the lock.
[5 minutes later]
"Okay... uses mana as well. Huh. Quite a neat trick. Also frustrating as hell." My eyebrow twitched. "I guess there's no other choice but to burn it."
I pressed my palm flat against the door. Flames coiled up my arm, licking eagerly at the surface. I pushed Mana hard. The steel groaned, glowed red, and then sagged. A wave of molten heat filled the room. Within a minute, the entire barrier dripped in rivulets of glowing slag, pooling across the floor.
"Devil fire is far too strong," I muttered. I froze a section beneath my feet, creating a solid walkway over the glowing mess, and I stepped into the new passage.
The hallway beyond was blindingly white. Smooth stone walls hummed faintly with enchantments. My footsteps echoed in the sterile quiet as I walked, each step bringing me closer to whatever the cult had hidden.
At the end, the corridor opened into a massive chamber. The ceiling soared ten meters high. The floor was carved with intricate magic circles, symbols looping and interweaving in a language older than most kingdoms. And in the center-
In the center stood a towering cross of blackened steel, rising seven meters tall. Shackled upon it was a figure, bloodied, her black hair hanging in a tangled curtain over her pale face. A once-white gown clung to her bony frame, stained dark with filth and blood.
"Wait... no way." My chest tightened as recognition struck. I leapt forward, using a flash step to reach the midpoint of the cross. With quick movements, I unbound the ropes and chains, lifting the limp form against me.
Landing softly back on the ground, I cradled her carefully.
"Shit. To find her here, of all times..." Marquis Anabald's face was sunken, her breathing shallow. But she lived. Relief flooded me.
"She probably hasn't eaten in weeks," I muttered grimly, running my fingers gently along her arm. Beneath her skin, nothing but bone and frail muscle.
"There isn't much I can do for that," I said softly. "Let's get a note ready first."
Ice spread from my fingers, sealing the walls of the chamber in glistening frost. A protective shell, thick enough that no one would break in for at least an hour.
"There. I hope she understands... and doesn't kill me later," I whispered, grimacing.
I slit my palm, letting crimson drip. Holding it over her mouth, I poured regeneration into the blood, letting my life force flow into her. My skin paled, mana draining rapidly, but color slowly returned to her cheeks.
[??? POV]
'Ugh. My head hurts. And why is it so cold?' My thoughts slurred and muddled. 'What drug did they use this time?'
I groaned, forcing my eyes open-only to hiss and slam them shut as sharp light stabbed into me.
"Ugh... why is it so bright?" I whispered, then tried again, slower this time.
White. Everywhere. The walls were white and glistening faintly with frost. Confusion churned in my gut. I shifted, bones creaking, and saw her. A redhead with snowy white tips. Her head hung forward, still.
"Who the hell are you?" My voice rasped.
She didn't move.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Irritation surged. My weak hand lashed out, slapping her shoulder.
Flop.
Her body slid sideways, unresponsive.
"Hey-are you dead?" Panic flared. I sat up instinctively, surprised when my body obeyed with little effort. My gaze fell to my arms-thin, skeletal, but moving easily.
"Huh? Why do I... have the strength to move?" My brow furrowed.
Something fluttered to the ground. A paper. I picked it up with trembling fingers.
"Hmm... 'Yo, my name is Kitsuna Drag, adopted daughter of the Draigs. I don't know if you know about me, but yeah. Anyways, I healed you using all my mana; hence, you're passed out on the floor now. So I will only wake up in about an hour or so. I left some food out for you. You haven't eaten for a couple of weeks, so take it slowly. I don't know how well my healing has worked on you, so please really take it super slow. P.S. The room is protected by my ice magic. There won't be anybody getting through that in the next hour. So you can really take it gently until I wake up.'"
I blinked at the note, expression complicated.
'She could have made it briefer.' I sighed, then glanced at the unconscious figure beside me.
"Kyaaaaa!?" I shrieked, jolting violently. Two glowing fox-like eyes stared back at me.
"Oh, sorry," Kitsuna said quickly, blinking and offering an apologetic expression. "Didn't mean to scare you."
"Fucking hell, Fox!" My heart hammered in my chest. "You know I'm weakened right now, and you pull something like that?"
"Hehe, sorry, sorry." She clapped her hands together sheepishly.
"I thought you were supposed to be out for an hour," I grumbled, raising an eyebrow.
"I probably was. It just took you so long to heal, I think." She pointed casually at my frail frame.
"True... that might be it," I admitted with a sigh.
"Anyways, here, eat." She shoved a bowl of soup into my hands. "You'll need strength. Kayda and the others will be here soon."
"Kayda?" I echoed, confused. I sipped carefully, the warmth soothing down my throat.
"Kayda the Sage. We came to Anabald territory to find you." She gestured vaguely.
"Me? Who sent you?"
"No one, really. Kayda came out of concern. I just tagged along."
"Tagged along?" I narrowed my eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."
"When we're back at the mansion, we'll have a proper talk." Kitsuna sighed.
"Seeing that you found me... I guess you know about the cult?" I asked after a pause.
"Which one? Angels or devils?" she quipped lightly.
I choked on my soup. "Cough-dammit, don't make me laugh!"
"Sorry," Kitsuna said, chuckling. "Normally people don't laugh."
"Anyways, I meant the devil cult."
"Oh yes, we've met them. Fought them a couple of times too," she said casually.
"I see..." My gaze lowered. "So, how's my daughter doing alone?"
Kitsuna hesitated. "...How do I explain this..."
"She wasn't killed or kidnapped, right?" Panic flared in my voice.
"No, she's fine. Just... Currently she's knocked out in her bed. Sleeping. For quite some time."
"Knocked out? Why'd you say it like that?"
"Ah, she irritated me, and I strangled her until she passed out." Kitsuna looked away, ears twitching guiltily.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 124:
[Kitsuna POV]
"..."
"She was asking for it, okay."
"..."
"Please say something."
"... I will hear both sides of the story before judging you. Be glad you saved me." She said, nodding to herself in satisfaction, as if that statement alone was enough to wash her hands of the whole ordeal.
"Sigh, what a pain."
"Now, what is our situation?"
"What do you think?" I said, smiling at her, the corners of my lips tugging up even though my body felt heavy. My chest still ached faintly from forcing out so much mana earlier.
"Seeing as you risk passing out to save me. You aren't strong enough to fight them alone."
"Ding ding, you're correct. I might be overpowered for my age, but there are many black pandas stronger than me." I said, pointing at her with a smile I didn't quite feel.
"Black pandas?" She asked, tilting her head with a small frown, her crimson hair falling over one eye.
"The devil cultists wear a black panda costume sometimes," I explained with a slight chuckle at her reaction. The absurdity of it always got to me. Out of all disguises, pandas? Really?
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, it's quite funny."
"Whatever, I am glad you woke me up and all, but I don't think two mages will be good in a fight. Especially when one has almost no mana, and the other one is as weak as a low-class mage." She said this while shaking her head, as if she already regretted everything.
"Hmm, two mages? Oh no, I am not a mage per se. I do use magic and spells, but I am a close combat fighter with a lot of mana." I said smugly, tapping my chest.
"Huh? Wait, how did you create this perfect fortification?" She said, her eyes scanning the frosted room, the jagged edges of ice catching the faint glow of our light source.
"I use ice weapons, so I need to be able to make strong things with ice. This is like breathing for me." I said, gesturing towards the walls. The smooth frost still pulsed faintly with mana, a barrier between us and the cultists who hammered outside.
"I don't really understand?" She said, tilting her head at me again.
"I am Stacy Draig's disciple."
"Oh... ooh damn, seems I lucked out having you save me. So, what is your class? It should have to do with weapons, right? Hmm, maybe even weapon master." She said, beaming and overly joyful, like she had just been told her savior wasn't some random street rat but someone important.
"Nope, I don't have any class yet. I am only 14 years old. It's too early for a class, really."
"You don't have one?" She said, looking at me like I was stupid or lying, her brows furrowed as if the math didn't add up.
"However, I am a demon fox who possesses three elements."
"That... sigh, what a crazy family." She said, just sighing, not wanting to go on. Her tone expressed a combination of envy and resignation.
"Yeah, I am still not used to my fire and lightning, though."
"Huh, what do you mean by not being used to them?"
"They kind of changed like a week ago."
"Change?"
"Sorry, let's not talk about that right now. People are already here trying to break through my ice. I will give them another 15 minutes, though." I said, looking at the exit, the faint tremors along the ice telling me how determined they were.
"Shit, just a fair warning, they do have some sort of projectile weapons with drugs in them," she added with a thoughtful expression, her voice lower now, more serious.
"I doubt it would work on me, but thank you for the warning."
"Why do you think it won't work?"
"I am excellent at the healing abilities. Anyways, here is some light armor. You do seem the same size as Kayda at the moment, so I think it will fit you." I said, taking a set of armor out of my storage and laying the pieces down in front of her.
"That will be useful, thank you. Hmm, you won't by chance have extra clothes as well." She said, taking the armor and inspecting it like she half-expected it to crumble.
"Yes, I do. Here you go, and use this wall for some privacy." I said, giving her a set of clothes and making an ice wall with a flick of my hand. The wall rose with a satisfying crackle, separating her from me.
"Okay, thank you."
"Make it quick; you have 10 min at most," I said, walking towards the exit. While crouching down, I began to take out spears and shields from my storage and stack them neatly, feeling the rough weight of preparation in my fingers.
"Fuck, this is harder than I thought." I heard the red demon say, frustrated, her voice muffled by the wall.
"Do you need help?" I asked, not turning around, keeping my focus on setting up the barricade.
"No, I am fine. Haaah, there, it's on." I heard her say it before walking around the wall.
Looking at her, I nodded in satisfaction. Instead of the gown, she was now wearing jeans with a loose t-shirt. It was probably too big for her at the moment. Over her clothes, she wore boots along with knee pads and a breastplate. She didn't put the helmet on for some reason, holding it loosely in one hand.
"Why aren't you wearing the helmet?"
"Aah, I can say the same to you. Actually, you aren't wearing any armor as well."
"Speed-type fighters, something like that, will only get in the way," I said, shrugging before getting back to setting up my weapons for the fight.
"Fair enough. "The reason I didn't wear it is that I have a horn," she explained, parting her hair to reveal a small black horn that glinted faintly in the dim light. She said these words while parting her hair to reveal a small black horn that glinted faintly in the dim light.
"Oh, didn't know demons get horns?" I said this while examining the horn with curiosity.
"They don't." She spoke bluntly, and her tone was heavy with unspoken emotions.
"... I see, so they changed your bloodline," I said, nodding before slamming a shield into the ground. The ice floor groaned under the pressure but held.
"Not change per se, but strengthen."
"Aah, that's right, you guys are from a devil bloodline. So, you're a devil now?"
"Sadly, not only half." She said, disappointment written all over her face, her lips pulled thin.
"Only half? I can fix that for you if you like." I said nonchalantly, slamming another shield into the ground next to the other one.
"You can do that!?"
"Yeah, I did it for a half-angel a month ago. So why can't I do it for a devil?"
"You did it for an angel?"
"Yeah, and regret it to this day," I said, standing up from my crouching position, bringing two belts with 7 spears clipped into each.
"What are you going to do with those?"
"Woman, did the long conversation fuck your mind over?" I said, tilting my head at her.
"Huh?"
"We are about to have a fight. What else am I going to do with explosive spears?" I said, stepping the two belts over my back.
"Fight? Explosive spears?" She said, confused.
"Yeah, you see the spearheads. Those will explode on impact... I hope they do." I said, pointing to the spearhead, where faint runes glimmered beneath frost.
"Explode, you hope they do!? You're not even sure they will work!?"
"Well, no, not really. I am not a master after all." I said, shrugging.
"So, you're winging it."
"Yes, and you're supporting my wings from behind those shields," I said, pointing at the three shields on the ground.
"Uh, I guess that can work for the cover. Sorry for being so confused."
"It's fine. Just try your best in supporting me, okay?" I said, petting her head while smiling, my hand briefly brushing her hair before pulling back.
"Uh, will do." She nodded in response, her cheeks faintly flushed.
"Good, now get in the position; they are coming," I said, pushing her to the shields.
Boom!
The entrance shuddered, cracks spreading along the ice as black smoke hissed through the gaps.
'I only have just above 1000 mana. I can't use a flash step for this fight at all.' I thought, tightening my grip on a spear, eyes narrowing.
[Kayda POV]
[1 hour 53 minutes ago]
"Hey, butler, I urgently need some of your men right now."
"Huh, and why would I do that?"
"Kitsuna got captured."
"By whom exactly?"
"The devil cult. I can explain this while we make our way to the fortress in the slums." I said, getting annoyed by his nonchalant expression. His blank look only made my blood pressure rise.
"I cannot do that, ma'am. As the young lady is there right now, I, as the head butler, make-"
"If you think something like that will work on me, you are solely mistaken," I said, grabbing his collar, my claws barely restrained.
"Let me remind you who-ugh."
"Let me remind you that I have more authority than you in this country."
"This area is controlled by the Anabald."
"Are you... stupid? Don't you realize that I can actually just kill you on the premise that you were suspicious?"
"..."
"If you don't. Whatever, I am taking over command of the Anabald troop, and you will be put in the dungeon until further notice." I said, throwing him against the wall and knocking him out with a dull thud.
"What a pain." Walking up to the butler's unconscious body, I sat him down, finding a scroll in his pocket. Looking at the front screen, I saw that he was on a call.
"Oh, it seems we were found out." The other person on the call said before ending the call.
"Kitsuna is going to laugh at me if she hears I didn't see this coming," I mumbled, putting the scroll in my pocket.
"Sigh, now what? I can't actually trust the Anabald military anymore," I said, taking the butler up, his limp weight dragging against me.
"... Kayda, you dumbass, there's the fucking guild. I can ask for help there," I shouted, frustrated, before jumping out of the window with the butler in hand. I flew to the closest adventure guild, wings spreading wide as the wind whipped against my face.
[6 minutes later]
Slam
"I need help, like, right now!" I shouted, slamming the guild doors open. Heads snapped up instantly.
"Who dares to slam "Who dares to slam my guild? Kayda, what are you doing here?" The guild master shouted from the second floor until he saw me, his anger softening into shock.
"Yo, can I have some backup? And they must be strong."
"How strong." The guild master said, jumping down the railing to the ground floor, his boots hitting the wood with a dull echo.
"My level of strength will be awesome," I said, getting a sigh from him.
"That's going to be hard. How fast do you need them?"
"Under an hour, please."
"You're not making this easy. Clair, you heard her contact the other guilds and tell them about this."
"Yes, guild master." One of the receptionists said, nodding as she hurried off.
"So, mind telling me where we are going? Oh, and why are you dragging the head butler of the Anabald around?" The guild master said, pointing at the unconscious body in my hand, his brow raised.
"Sigh, it's troublesome, I tell you," I said, sighing, the weight of the situation pressing down on me harder than the body in my grip.
avataravatar
Chapter 125:
"Here goes nothing," I said, throwing an infused spear into the smoke. The spear spun through the air, leaving a faint shimmer of cold in its wake, before disappearing into the black haze. My heart raced a little, because I honestly wasn't sure if the runes etched into the head would activate properly.
"Incoming dodge to the side!?" The yell of warning came muffled but sharp from the other side of the smoke just when the spear hit something.
Boom!!
The blast shook the ground beneath us. Ice shards cracked along the barricade wall, and the smoke doubled, black and gray mixing until visibility was nothing but a vague outline.
"They explode. Watch out!?" One scruffy voice yelled, probably the leader of whoever had just survived that hit.
"What the fuck." Another voice, panicked, echoed after.
"You damn fox, they're friendlies!" Kayda yelled from inside the smoke, her tone sharp enough to make my tail go stiff in shock.
"Kayda?" I said, ears twitching. I lowered my stance, waiting for the smoke to clear completely this time. The acrid scent of burnt dust clung to the air, stinging my nose. Sadly, before it cleared, a figure came out running-or more like stomping-straight toward me.
Slap!
"Ouch, Kayda, you're so mean," I mumbled in surprise, feeling the sting of her palm across my cheek. I rubbed it with a pout, my tail swishing behind me in protest.
"You almost killed us. What were you thinking?" Kayda said, hitting me over the head again for good measure.
"Uh, Kayda, you do know that we are in an enemy's base, right?" I said, looking at her like I was the one wronged here. My tone came out more defensive than I wanted.
"Are you sure about that? We haven't seen anything. "It appeared to be an abandoned maze," Kayda said, tilting her head thoughtfully at me while her hands rested firmly on her hips.
"Didn't you see the bodies or any of the broken traps?"
"Bodies? Traps? No, there was nothing." Kayda firmly shook her head in denial.
"Oh, right, I burned them, teehee," I said, laughing at myself, though it came out sheepish.
"Hello, Kayda, be gentle with her. We really are in an enemy base." The demoness spoke, her voice echoing from behind me. She stepped around the shield wall with a steady gait, her crimson eyes flicking across the room as if daring anyone to doubt her words.
"Oh, An, you're here?" Kayda said, her sharpness fading into confusion.
"Jip, that's me."
"Huh? I am confused right now," Kayda said, looking at me with wide eyes, her brows pinched together.
"Same here. Anyways, I think we should get out of here. Even with the number of powerful people you brought, this scenario is still not a proper raid." I said, glancing at the sixteen adventurers crowding behind Kayda. They carried themselves with experience-some nervous, some too eager-but this wasn't a raid force, not by design.
"That's true. Let's get out of here," Kayda said, turning on her heel.
"Who will take the lead?" I asked, scanning the group.
"I will be doing that." A short man stepped forward, his voice clipped and professional. He emerged from the crowd with a confidence that indicated his familiarity with obedience. Black and brown dog ears twitched atop his head.
Inspecting him more closely, I noticed faint scars along his jaw and the way his tail swished-controlled, alert.
Nodding, I walked to An and slipped her arm around my neck, steadying her weight against me.
"Okay, then let's move," Kayda said, taking the other side of An without hesitation.
"I can walk on my own, you know." Ann complained, her pride clear in the way her eyes narrowed, but I ignored her, keeping her weight even.
"Walk, yes, but not run," Kayda said firmly. We all moved into the middle of the group and started walking out. The faint echoes of boots against stone sounded eerie in the silence of the fortress. Luckily, we didn't have any problems getting back to the hole where I had fallen into. The real problem came when we needed to get out.
"Kitsu, can't you make, like, ice stairs to get us out easier?" Kayda said, looking skeptically at the ropes they had used to come down with.
"Yeah, and let everyone up there know we are coming?" I said, narrowing my eyes at the opening above. From down here, I could see a few figures peering down at us with not-so-friendly gazes. My instincts prickled.
"Don't worry about them. They are also from the guild." The dog-eared man said, his voice steady as he looked up at me.
"If you say so," I said with a sigh. Letting go of An, I walked to the edge of the small platform. Without stopping, a small pillar of ice grew out of the wall just under my feet, spreading outward in steps. The cold bit at my palms as I shaped the path upward.
"This will be a pain," I mumbled, climbing while creating the stairs in a slow spiral. Each step glittered faintly under the torchlight, moisture freezing instantly.
"Alright, guys, let's go; just watch your step," Kayda said, following behind me while keeping a hand ready near her blade.
[20 minutes later]
"We are finally out," Kayda said, helping the last person up from the hole in the roof. Her shoulders rolled as if shaking off the stress of being underground.
"Welcome back, guild master." One of the guys at the top said, bowing slightly toward the dog-eared man.
"Thanks, Chris."
"So, what was the situation down there?" Chris asked, eyes darting toward the hole, as if expecting something to crawl out after us.
"We found the fox that was missing and the head of the marquis house, An Anabald." The guild master said this with a voice full of relief.
"That's great to hear, guild master," Chris said, his posture relaxing with a smile.
"And things up here?"
"I think the guild master must see it yourself." Chris said, turning toward the fortress. His expression darkened. All of us followed his gaze.
'Oh damn, that isn't good.' I thought, staring at the burning fortress. But it wasn't a normal fire. The flames burned black, rippling with an oily shimmer, sucking in light around them. The heat radiating from it wasn't natural either; it clawed at the edge of my aura like a whisper. It looked-and felt-the same as my devil magic.
"Kitsu?" Kayda's voice was tight, as if she already guessed my answer.
"Yeah, it's the same."
"Did you?" Kayda asked discreetly, her voice dropping low, eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, I am certain it wasn't me," I said, cutting her off before she finished the thought. My tone was sharper than intended, but the truth was clear.
"Shit."
"I agree."
"... it seems you two know something about this." The guild master looked at us with suspicion as he spoke.
"We don't, but we know what sort of magic that is," I said, staring down at him, meeting his eyes so he wouldn't mistake my seriousness.
"Do tell us now." The guild master demanded, his tone annoyed, the weight of command behind it.
"Devil magic." "As I said before I could open my mouth," her tone was flat and heavy.
"Umm, I think we three should go to the mansion while the adventurers stay here and let us know if something changes," I said quickly, glancing at Kayda and An. Too many ears here, too many eyes.
"What are we going to do there?" The guild master asked, his irritation bleeding through.
"Sigh, talk. There are too many eyes here," I said, gesturing to the roads where people from the slums stood in clusters, whispering, all watching the fortress burn. Their faces were pale with fear, shadows of the black fire flickering across them.
"Fine, let's go." Ann said this while slinging her arm around me again, as if to remind everyone that she wasn't beaten.
"Kayda, take Ann at full speed. I will catch up to you." I said, waving them off.
"Lady An, not just An." Ann corrected, her pride bristling even now.
"I will give that up, An," Kayda said flatly before picking her up and disappearing with a burst of speed.
"Be quick." The guild master said before vanishing as well, leaving the wind in his wake.
"Sigh, they want too much from the non-class person," I muttered, running off along the roofs. Below, a few stunned onlookers pointed up at me, but I ignored them, focusing on keeping pace.
'I should read those books when I get to the mansion.' I thought, vaulting down into the plaza, the cobblestones ringing under my boots.
"First, I need food. Can't do anything while starving." I said to myself, letting my nose guide me. The smell of roasting meat pulled me to a nearby stall tucked under a faded awning.
"Hello, dear customer, how can I help you today?" The stall woman greeted, her apron stained from hours of work, her voice polite but cautious.
"Hmm, if I said I want to pay for all your food, including the raw meat, how much will that be?" I asked, making sure not to sound too intimidating. My ears flicked as I tried to soften the edge of my tone.
"... are you trying to take me out of business?" The saleswoman said, looking at me deadpan, though her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Umm, no? Why do you ask that? I really don't know what it will cost." I said, blinking, genuinely confused.
"You aren't from them?"
"Them?"
'I guess I found something intriguing again.' I thought, sighing inwardly.
"You don't know, do you?" The saleswoman, now studying me carefully, had a sharp gaze.
"Well, obviously, I don't know who they are. I am just here for the food," I said, grabbing a piece of meat off the tray without hesitation. Sitting down at a chair next to the stall, I added, "Luckily, I have time to listen."
"You are a weird one, and you better pay for that."
"As I mentioned earlier, I plan to purchase everything completely," I said while taking another piece of meat and chewing slowly to savor the flavor.
"Aah, be careful. That one has bones in it."
"Yeah, that is the best part of these," I said, swinging the meat playfully before taking a giant bite out of the steak. The crunch of bone snapped satisfyingly in my mouth.
"Why must most foreigners be so weird?" the stall woman mumbled, shaking her head.
"It sounds like you believe there are many foreigners," I said, raising an eyebrow, causing her to freeze for a moment.
"You do realize this is one of three cities that have a public dock."
"Public dock?" I repeated, tilting my head.
"You know, the place the boats are and things. Those are called docks."
"Yeah, I know that, but why are there only three public ones?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Well, what I mean about the public is that if you're not registered with the Anabald military, you can only dock at those three docks," the woman explained, pulling more meat from a chilled crate at the back.
"I see, not a bad system."
"Not a bad system? Do you know how many problems this system is making? The number of problems this 'not a bad system' has caused over the years-millions, I dare say."
"No, and I don't really care. What does this have to do with the docks? I asked, wiping grease from my mouth with the back of my hand.
"Well, it does have something to do with the docks. Because of those rules, it takes time to restock our meat. We need to be there in person to order and get it."
"Let me guess. It's first come, first served, as well."
"Yes. We small stalls are having a problem getting stock because the owners must pick it up themselves."
"And because you work alone, you need to close business for the day just to fetch your stocks."
"Yes. The bigger stalls and restaurants have people working for them, so the owners have more spare time for it, and because they are bigger, the amount of stock is more as well."
"I see. I will have a talk with the marquis then."
"That won't work. We have submitted numerous complaints regarding this issue, yet we have never received a response."
"Yeah, leave that to me. Can I at least have a small batch of meat that won't cost you too much? I said, standing up and brushing my hands.
"At full price, certainly."
"Yes, yes, the full price, of course," I said, nodding while laughing lightly. My stomach growled again, already demanding the next bite.
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Chapter 126
"Took your time, didn't you?" The guild master said the moment I walked through the door. His voice carried irritation, sharp like claws against stone, but he didn't even look up from his position beside the bed.
"Huh, she's already awake?" I said, my ears twitching as I looked at the tomato girl sitting next to An on her bed. Her cheeks were flushed red-not just from embarrassment but also from exhaustion, though the nickname fit her anyway.
"..." Surprisingly, she didn't say anything back. She only lowered her head, staring into her lap, ashamed for some reason I couldn't place. Her hands twisted the fabric of her gown nervously.
"Please tell me you at least have food for me?" Kayda said, cutting through the moment before I could ask what had happened. Her tone was so casual it made my tail flick in annoyance.
"Of course, cooked and fatty, just like you like it," I said with a grin, taking out a giant bowl of cooked meat from my storage. The smell filled the room instantly-grease, spice, and roasted fat mixing into something that made even my stomach grumble.
"Did you ask her to get you food?" The guild master said, his irritation sharpening as he glared at Kayda like she had broken some sacred law.
"Sheesh, calm down, dude. You are just going to make me take my time even more." I said, plopping down onto the chair next to Kayda with deliberate slowness. The chair creaked under me, and I leaned back comfortably, ignoring the way the guild master's tail flicked.
"Kitsu, can we please get down to business? We don't know what that fire means." Kayda said this, but her tone suggested she didn't take the situation seriously. Her hand was already reaching for the meat, and she tore into a chunk like it was more important than any looming crisis.
"True, we don't. But we can make a guess at what it is," I said, talking around the rib bone I had just stuffed into my mouth. The meat juices dripped down my fingers, and I licked them slowly, deliberately stalling.
"That's true. We know that we are dealing with a devil cult, so it must be related to devils. "An," she mumbled, her voice low as she leaned back on the pillows. Even injured, her eyes carried authority. She nodded faintly, her long hair spilling across the bedding like blood.
"Yes, and I am certain we can find that answer in these," I said, reaching into my storage and pulling out the bookshelf I had looted. The wood thudded onto the floor, and the smell of dust and ink filled the room.
"This is?" The guild master asked, brows furrowing as he eyed the stack of books. His tail swayed slowly, suspicion written all over him.
"Start reading, and you will find out. Try starting with summoning first," I said, my voice laced with annoyance as I pulled one book free from the shelf and flipped it open lazily.
"Miss, we don't have time for this. Those flames might change any minute," the guild master snapped, his voice tight. His fingers twitched like he wanted to grab the books and toss them aside.
"Those flames are only a start. When they disappear, something will happen, and the more you complain, the less we will know when that happens." I didn't even look up at him, flipping another page slowly, deliberately.
"What makes you certain that something will happen only when the flames go away?"
"... Gut feeling," I said after a pause, shrugging because I had nothing else to give him.
"Gut feeling!" The guild master barked, his voice booming in the room, his glare like daggers digging into me.
"Ooh, I got something!" The tomato girl said suddenly, her voice breaking through the tension like a bell. She raised a book high, her eyes shining with a hint of pride.
"Hmm, what does it say?" I asked, intrigued despite myself.
"Fire summoning ritual." She tilted her head, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and dread.
"Fire summoning ritual? What does it say about the fire?" Kayda asked, glancing at me, her chewing slowing.
"It's difficult to explain. It looks like this." She turned the book towards us, and my eyes landed on the illustration. The black fire depicted in the ink looked almost alive, the curling flames drawn with unnatural precision. My stomach twisted. I knew my hunch was correct-the fire at the fortress was the same as mine, but way more potent, more menacing, and more wrong.
"Hmm, Kitsu, if you will?" Kayda said, bumping my arm with her elbow.
"What, why?" I said, blinking at her, caught off guard.
"We need to make certain it's the same. Even with that picture, I am not sure they are the same," Kayda explained, gesturing towards the book.
"Well, I can just tell you it's the same as the one at the fortress," I muttered. My tail twitched irritably.
"They already saw your spear, and I saw you make it," An said calmly, taking the book from her daughter's hands.
"Mom, I was reading that," An's daughter whined, puffing out her cheeks like an actual tomato now.
"We saw what?" the guild master asked, his ears flicking as he leaned forward.
"Her magic, of course. It was black flames. Didn't you see it?" She explained matter-of-factly, while I glared daggers at her for throwing me under the wagon so easily.
"No, I didn't see. Show it to me again." The guild master's gaze snapped to me, his eyes narrowing like a predator's.
"No, not happening." My voice was flat, final.
"Okay, let's forget about her fire magic. We have a big problem. That summoning ritual works on sacrifices." An's voice cut the tension, her expression suddenly dark, serious.
"What sort of sacrifices?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the book in her hands.
"Humanoid, monster-it doesn't matter. Any living thing will work."
"What!?" Everyone, except An and me, exclaimed in unison. The air felt heavier instantly.
"Hmm, but if it is like that, there must be some negatives. Seeing as they don't use it often," I said, putting my hand on my chin, trying to look sage-like.
"Correct. The primary disadvantage of this is that it only summons thralls and seekers, not real devils. An's voice was steady, but her eyes were shadowed. Everyone else exhaled in relief except me, since I had no idea what a devil was supposed to look like in the first place.
"What sort of monsters are those?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Thralls are humanoid-shaped ghosts. They are black, so in the light, it's effortless to see them." Ann flipped through another book, this one thick with drawings.
"The seekers are the big problem, though," Kayda said, her tone more thoughtful now, her brows knitting.
"Why?"
"What I heard about them is that they are floating eyeballs with many different appearances and powers," Kayda explained, making me look at her sideways.
'Floating eyeballs, really.' I thought dejectedly, ears twitching back.
"Yes, the common ones are flying eyeballs with bat wings. Easy to deal with. But then there are the rock ones," Ann added, her voice dropping.
"What makes them so hard?"
"Seekers attack with darkness, and that eats away at you at a rapid rate if it hits you. Now just imagine an eyeball floating in the air, shooting balls of darkness at you, with rocks floating around it protecting it." Kayda shook her head slowly, her expression grim.
"Ooh, that... doesn't really sound like a problem."
"What do you mean it doesn't sound like a problem!?" The guild master yelled, his patience snapping again. His voice grated against my ears.
"They need to shoot you with their darkness, right? So there should be a hole where they shoot it out of," I said, shrugging like it was obvious.
"Yes, that's correct," An admitted, nodding faintly.
"Do you know how small that hole will be? No one will be able to hit that shot with an arrow!" The guild master roared again, his hands balling into fists.
"Sheesh, you're the most annoying dog I have ever met," I said, flicking my ears mockingly.
"I am done listening to an uneducated brat!!" The guild master snapped, standing abruptly. His chair scraped against the floor, and he stormed toward the door.
"Fucking annoying. How the hell is that pup a guild master?" I muttered under my breath, folding my arms.
"I heard that!!"
"I don't give a shit, you dumb pup! Go take care of your troublesome adventurers like a good puppy takes care of his master! I shouted back, baring my teeth slightly.
"... " The silence after was thick. Even the tomato girl looked like she'd stopped breathing.
"Dumb bastard," I muttered, ears flattening as I leaned back in my chair.
"... Wow, that's something new." The tomato girl said softly, glancing at her mother.
"Yeah, I never heard someone disrespect him so much and still live," Ann admitted, her lips twitching into the faintest smirk.
"What, are people too scared to tell him off?" I asked, my tail flicking with irritation.
"Well, new guild members that disrespected his guild or him get killed some way or another. Mostly it's himself doing it."
"And you never do something about it?"
"Why would I?" The man casually shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. Maybe because he's killing technically innocent people!" I snapped, my voice rising, frustration bubbling out.
"This is the first time I have heard that he kills people," Kayda said, her tone sharp and displeased.
"Well, he does, and I don't really care too much to stop it. It only happens once or twice a year at most.
"And you let it go?"
"Yes. He gives more than he takes."
"Sigh. I can't really say it's no good, can I?" I said, looking at Kayda, my voice softer.
"Now that I think about it, no, you can't. We would have done the same for you," Kayda said, patting my shoulder with a faint smile.
"In all fairness, the amount of disrespect the person gave him was enough to get him killed. So it wasn't just a little bit," An added, placing the book down.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get back to more important things. How do you kill thralls?" I asked, eager to move on.
"You shoot them with magic, and they die."
"That sounds easy."
"You see, the problem comes with the amount. They duplicate every five seconds if not killed," An explained, her face grim again.
"Hmm, I might have a solution if the issue is related to their numbers." They can't jump, right?"
"They can, but not very high. Don't worry too much. They aren't very smart." Ann reassured, flipping another page.
"Awesome. Then my idea will work. Now, for seekers, how do we deal with them? I think you can leave the rock ones to me as well."
"I think I know what you want to do. But will you have enough mana?"
"Yes, I will have enough if I use my storage the right way."
"Okay, so you are finally going to use that week's worth of magic practice projects," Kayda said, her tone amused.
"For the other ones, we will get archers to get rid of them. They aren't that fast, making them easy targets," An said, nodding in satisfaction.
"That's a great idea, but you can't come with us," I said, tilting my head at her.
"Of course, I am coming. This is my city," An said firmly, swinging her legs off the bed.
"Yeah, you're injured. It will be best if you stay in bed," Kayda said, her voice carrying no room for argument. Ann sat back down reluctantly, her pride bruised.
"Yeah, don't worry. We got this," I said with a smug grin.
"Sigh, at least Kayda will be there," An muttered, ignoring me completely.
"Wha... fair enough," I said, glancing at Kayda.
"Ha-ha, let's go before the summoning starts," Kayda said, rising to her feet with renewed determination.
"Cheers, guys. And you, look after your mother," I said, pointing at the tomato girl.
"Oh, before you go, where is our butler?"
"In a jail cell, why?" Kayda said this while tilting her head back slightly.
"Why is he there?" I asked, frowning.
"He acted against me and was on his scroll with someone. I think he might be a traitor."
"Nah, it was probably just him talking to his boyfriend," the tomato girl said, waving it off casually.
"I will check into it to make certain it's like that. Thank you," An said, giving her daughter a look that screamed disappointment.
"Awesome. Then we'll see you guys later when it's over," I said, snatching the book from An before walking out with Kayda close behind me.
Uhm Hello?
Sorry for not saying anything here or on Discord. I just didn't know how to say or face you guys.
Firstly I am actually struggling to write about Kitsuna. No, not like writers' block or anything. I actually have like 3 chapters already of it. I am just enjoying writing Sazanami. Yes, Sazanami is still a go, but Dungeon princess might not be anymore. Don't get me wrong, I can write it, but Sazanami is way more interesting to write at the moment.
Oh, and No, I am not going to upload anything of Sazanami. The reason is I have so many chapters (36) that aren't edited that I am annoyed to do it.
No, I am not sharing or asking for help. I want to do it myself because I have become the laziest person ever at the moment that I am actually starting to hate myself.
I am changing this now.
Like I am starting with that today, the day I uploaded this shit.
Starting from today, 1 chapter a week. If I don't do that, spam me on Discord, okay. I am giving you permission.
PS only if I miss the upload date, that being Thursdays.
If you spam me before that, I ain't holding back.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 127
"Is there anything else in the books that you would like to share with me?" Kayda asked, her voice low and calm as she sat next to me in the carriage. The wheels creaked beneath us as we rattled along the uneven road toward the slums. Her arms were crossed, but her tail flicked, betraying her impatience.
"Hmm, An kind of explained everything. The only problem is that we need to shut it off or know how long it stays, but I can't find anything about it," I said, staring at the leather strap of my spear harness. My voice came out more frustrated than I meant, but hours of fruitless page-turning had left my head pounding.
"I understand; that could pose a problem. But didn't An say that it works on lives?" Kayda leaned back, her eyes narrowing in thought. The sunlight that cut through the slatted window painted one side of her cheek in gold, the other in shadow.
"Yes, do you think it might hold out until the life force that was sacrificed runs out?" I said this more to myself than to her, and my words came out almost as a mutter.
"Yes, but that's too vague to run on," Kayda said, nodding slowly.
"Yeah, you never know how long the life force of a dog can hold the summoning on," I said, shrugging. The image of the guild master's tail swishing popped in my head, and I almost smirked.
"Just don't call the guild master 'dog' or 'pup' in front of the other adventurers. It will make this operation just run way smoother," Kayda said with a long sigh. She rubbed at her temple like she could already see the future argument.
"I need to be friendly with the young man who has an attitude problem." No promises."
"Yes, but I wouldn't really say he has his head stuck up his ass," Kayda said, tilting her head slightly at me, her lips twitching like she wanted to smile.
"He expects everyone around him to follow his orders with-" I stopped mid-sentence, the words dying in my throat. A heavy realization washed over me, cold enough to make my ears droop.
"Kitsu? You okay there?" Kayda asked, her voice softening as she noticed my dreaded expression.
"Kayda, I am the-" I mumbled, the last part muffled, almost inaudible. My throat clenched, the words bitter.
"Kitsu, don't just stop in the middle of your sentences like that. You are making me worry."
"Kayda, I am the same as him, aren't I?" I said finally, forcing my eyes to meet hers. My voice cracked slightly, pleading for her to tell me I was wrong.
"Who, what now?" Kayda blinked, clearly confused.
"I am the same as the guild master."
"Ooh, yeah, pretty much," Kayda said after a heartbeat, not denying it in the slightest. Her answer was blunt, her honesty cutting sharper than a blade.
"You could have been nice about it."
"Why? You guys don't like each other because you share similar traits. And on second thought, he's worse than you. You won't expect someone to reveal everything about themselves on the first meeting." Kayda nodded to herself as if her words were comforting wisdom.
"I guess I won't, but I might force someone to tell me," I said, my tone turning thoughtful, though my stomach twisted.
"Might? You have done that a couple of times." Kayda flicked her hand up and swatted me lightly over the head.
"Tch, that's true," I admitted, clicking my tongue in annoyance.
"In all fairness, that was all I needed at the time."
"Still, it is frustrating to think that I am being compared to that dog." "It is quite irritating," I said, venom dripping from each word. My ears pressed flat to my skull.
"If you don't like it, change it," Kayda said with a chuckle.
"But that's a tall order."
"Yes, but I know you can do it," Kayda said suddenly softer, leaning close enough that her breath tickled my cheek before pressing her lips against it. My face went hot instantly. She pulled away just as the carriage jerked to a stop, her timing cruelly perfect. Without missing a beat, she hopped out of the carriage like nothing happened.
"We have arrived," the coachman announced politely, bowing slightly at the open door.
"Oi, that's unfair. You can't surprise me like that," I said, flustered, my hand flying up to cover my blushing face.
"Come on, Kitsu, let's get moving," Kayda called back, glancing over her shoulder at me with a wink that only made my chest tighten.
"Fricking dragoness, one of these days, you're going to kill me with these surprises," I mumbled, muttering into my palm as I stepped out.
"Pah, a heart attack won't kill you," Kayda laughed loudly, her voice echoing in the open air.
"Tch, it will still hurt, though," I said, turning away with a pout.
"With your pain resistance, it might just feel like an insect bite," Kayda rebuked smugly.
"... " There was nothing I could say to that, because it was probably true. My lips pressed into a thin line.
"Ah, you guys have arrived. Luckily, the summoning hasn't started," the guild master said, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he stepped forward. His dog ears twitched with irritation, and his tail flicked sharply.
"Yo, we have a bit more intel about the summoning," Kayda said, walking right up to him, unfazed.
"You do; do tell us, please. I hope it has something to do with how long it will last." The dog's voice was demanding, authority bleeding into every syllable.
"It is somewhat related, but we are uncertain about the duration it will last." All we can assume is that it depends on how much life force was sacrificed," I said before Kayda could answer, shrugging as casually as I could manage.
"Hmm, good assumption but useless in the end."
"No, it is instrumental, you know," I shot back sarcastically, my tail flicking.
"So, guild master, what's your game plan?" Kayda asked, bumping my shoulder lightly to keep me from starting another fight.
"We took all the houses away in a one-kilometer radius, making it open grassland so we can see the thralls easily," the guild master explained, sweeping a hand outward. The flattened ground stretched out around the fortress ruins, dirt still raw where buildings had been torn down.
"Not bad, but with that much open space, the thrall can run rampant much easier," I said, squinting. I didn't see enough people around to manage this wide of a field.
"True, but that's where I thought you might have a plan." The guild master's eyes locked onto mine.
"... I have something cooked up for that," I admitted with a nod, surprised he was willing to hand me that much trust.
"Great. I was also thinking to put all the adventurers who are only physical attackers on bows and arrows to have their shot at the seekers," the guild master continued, his voice calm now.
"That would work wonderfully," Kayda said brightly, nodding in agreement.
"Hmm, how many guys with magic sword skills do you have?" I asked, glancing over the gathered fighters.
"Let me give you a complete rundown instead."
"Clever idea," Kayda and I said at the same time, both focusing on him.
We have only 120 physical attackers, 114 mages, and 56 swordsmen who also use magic.
"That's quite many people. Sadly, I don't think it will be enough," I said, trying to sound polite but failing.
"If we work in shifts and properly, we will make it work," the guild master said firmly.
"You've done the calculations already?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. We will." His tone left no space for doubt.
"You can oversee that or tell Kayda. I'm just going to go set up the fence. Oh, and the rock seekers, I will manage them the best I can."
"Okay, ask Jess over there to help you," the guild master said, pointing at a woman explaining something to a group of adventurers sitting on the ground in front of her.
"Thanks," I said, heading toward them.
"Remember to hit the seekers in the eye," Jess said to her group, tapping her own eye as emphasis.
"Yes, ma'am," they chorused obediently.
"Now it seems I have something else to do, so go get your bows ready. If you don't understand, ask someone to help," Jess added, her tone brisk. She glanced at me, her gaze sharper than I expected, and I tilted my head at her.
'Did she hear us talk?' I thought, studying her closer. She wore greenish light armor with a hood hiding most of her face, but the long elf ears poking out made it obvious what she was. Her hair was the same shade of green, her pearl-white skin flawless, and her striking blue eyes clashed almost unnaturally with the rest.
"You seem to handle newbies quite well," I said sarcastically.
"And you seem too knowledgeable for your age," she rebuked, her tone clipped.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I said, frowning.
"You're too young to be here, but the guild master is listening to you. Let me remind you, our guild master never listens to someone younger than him."
"Hmm, what can I say? "I have a good head on my shoulders," I said with a shrug.
"Sigh, anyway, you were sent here for something, right? How can I help you?" she asked, shaking her head at my confidence.
"Aah, yes. I need help setting up a fence."
"Might I inquire what this fence is meant for?"
"Well, the mages will need a lot of protection. With only a small number of guys who can do physical and magic damage at the same time, the fence will provide protection by doing constant magic damage."
"Huh, you can make something like that?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"Yeah. Working with my element will be a bit complicated and dangerous for the people involved, but it shouldn't be impossible.
"I remember the guild master said you apparently have special elements. But do explain your plan."
"We will use these as poles, and in between each pole we'll span adamite wire," I said, pulling spears, rods, and long objects from my storage, laying them out like bones of a skeleton.
"Hmm, are these made out of your ice magic?"
"Yes, they are," I said, arranging the wires.
"Then can't we use these to kill the thrall?"
"I thought about it, but it won't work. My ice magic in this state is physical, not magical."
"Yeah, that won't work," she agreed.
"Anyways, in the first run, I'll channel my mana through a mana conductor. Those will be set every few hundred meters."
"Hmm, by mana conductors, do you mean those things that are made in guns?"
"Yeah, just bigger."
"How many do you have?"
"Enough. I made them mostly out of ice as well. They do work, if you were worried."
"You made it out of ice? Is there anything you can't make out of your ice?" Her eyes widened, almost glowing.
"Not much, actually. The guns I create from my ice can withstand one shot before breaking," I admitted, scratching my cheek.
"I give up. Okay, let's get the start-up."
"Oh, also, for each conductor, get someone with excellent mana control, okay?"
"But that would mean the stronger mages won't be able to fight."
"That, or your newbies get burned to death by devil magic."
"... Okay, fair point. I'll get everyone ready and explain," she said after a pause.
"Great. With a grin tugging at my lips, I said, "Let's move before things get messy."
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Chapter 128
"Is everything ready?" Kayda asked, her voice carrying lightly over the hum of adventurers preparing in the distance. She turned her head the moment she saw me walking up to her, her arms folded under her chest as if bracing for my answer.
"Yeah, most of it is. I just activated the fence, and I explained what to do." I nodded as I walked past her, continuing without slowing down and putting a few paces between myself and the crowd. I wanted distance from all their eyes and questions.
"That's pleasing to hear, but you said you were going to take care of the rock seekers. How will you do that?" Kayda asked, her footsteps quick and deliberate as she followed without hesitation.
"Ah yes, you will see. Mana, please." I stopped halfway down the path toward the slums and stretched my hand out toward her without looking back.
Kayda sighed deeply, the kind of sigh that carried both exasperation and affection. "You really need to increase your mana or acquire a regeneration skill for it," she said, clearly annoyed; however, her hand pressed against mine without hesitation, and her energy flowed into me.
"Yes, yes, Miss Sage. You never know, I might get to level 50 after tonight," I said, flashing her a grin, trying to lighten the weight pressing down on us.
"That might actually happen. Devil-related things give an insane amount of experience," Kayda admitted, her lips curling in a small smile.
"Oh, I didn't know that. I just thought that I would be the one that will kill the most thralls, and there will be a lot of them." I shrugged, feeling the warmth of her mana soaking into my system.
"You aren't wrong about that. For some reason, the system hates devils-hence the extra experience. Oh, and I have to say, that fence is a fantastic idea to hold them back and kill them." Kayda tilted her head toward the glowing perimeter in the distance, faint arcs of my magic sparking like frozen lightning along the adamite wire.
"Yeah, I just hope it holds up. Especially the opposite side from here. I can't really see what's going on there." My gaze lingered on the faint shimmer of the barrier. Worry itched in my chest.
"Don't worry too much about that. I will be there for backup."
"True, true, then I have no worries." I tapped my foot against the ground. A pillar of ice rose sharply beneath us, carrying us up several meters above the grassland.
"Are you going to use your guns?" Kayda asked, crouching slightly as she looked down at the tower beneath her.
"Yeah, but they don't hold on so well, so I might need a refill sometime if the action goes on for hours," I admitted, shaking my head.
"Okay, just shout if you need me then."
"Will do," I said, smiling at her happily. Her presence always steadied me.
"Oh yeah, I have been wondering, but why hasn't the summon started yet? That fire came out like three hours ago."
"I don't really know, but I think it's like ruffling a hornet's nest."
"You don't mean-" Kayda's expression hardened, her tail stiffening.
"Jip, exactly that," I nodded grimly.
"You want to send someone in there to get killed, and that will activate the summoning," Kayda said, her tone heavy with disapproval.
"Yeah, don't you guys have any criminals close by? Send them in." My voice was flat, careless.
"But they will lose their souls."
"Yeah, get rapists. They don't deserve to reincarnate," I growled, glaring at nothing in particular, venom lacing my words.
"...Sigh, I will go ask the guild master," Kayda said, leaping lightly off the tower of ice.
"Okay, now I need to get ready," I muttered. I crouched down, hands raised in front of me. Closing my eyes, I let mana surge through me, carefully shaping ice into a long barrel.
'Tch, the process is going to take a while,' I thought, feeling the cracks spiderweb through the fragile form.
Break!
"This is fucking hard! Why is it so much harder to make a sniper, but the handgun worked?" I shouted, shards of ice scattering.
Taking my ice handgun out of storage, I rolled it in my hand, inspecting every line.
"I was able to create this after a few weeks and a lot of studying the princess's gun. Hmm, do I actually need those twins to make one so I can study it?" I mumbled.
"Hey, Kitsu, the guild master said he has a couple of people that fit the category you said and wanted to know how many will be needed," Kayda's voice cut through the air suddenly. She appeared behind me without a sound, making me jolt slightly.
"...I think just one is fine, but bring all of them in case. I will construct a small jail at the bottom of this tower to confine them. My voice was calm again, forcing steadiness back.
"Okay. Hmm, are you struggling?" Kayda's eyes flicked to the broken shards at my feet.
"Yeah, it seems I can't make a sniper with my ice yet."
"A sniper?"
"You know, guns that are made for long range."
"Ooh, so you want to make a bigger handgun with your ice. But didn't it take you really long to make a handgun, and it doesn't even work properly?"
"Yes, I thought it would be easy to just work from that, but it isn't even possible for me. But I guess I will need to make a railgun. At least I know how to do that."
"Rail... railgun? You don't mean that thing you used when you blew up the mountain that one time."
"Nah, that was an accident. We don't talk about it." I waved her off, looking away.
"Okay, whatever, just don't kill innocent people."
"I will do that."
"Uh-huh, see to it then," Kayda said, and with a spring of her legs, she disappeared again, leaving me with the cold air.
"Sigh, at least rail guns are easier to make. Well, big ones are. The small mobile ones are fucking hard to do," I muttered, annoyed, gathering mana again. Standing up, I tucked everything away.
"Wait, is this going to... Augh, fuck, this is going to use so much mana!"
[Kayda POV]
"Yo guild master, Kitsuna said to get all of them. She will make a jail cell at the bottom of that tower to keep them." I strode up to the guild master and gestured toward the jagged ice tower gleaming pale in the dark.
"Does she want to kill all of them?"
"I don't know, but I don't think so."
"Hmm, sorry to disturb, but if that summoning will only activate when it gets a soul, why don't we just leave it be then?" an adventurer said this, stepping forward.
"... "
"... "
"... "
"Is he one of your newbies?" I asked, side-eyeing the guild master.
"No, his name is Timothy, and he is actually a veteran. A disappointing one, it seems." The guild master looked at Timothy with open disdain.
"Yeah," I said, nodding slowly. I didn't see any proof of him being a veteran either.
"I see. You explain to him why. Your problem anyways."
"Well, Timothy, it is true that we can actually leave it as is, but then again, it might activate on its own, and we won't be prepared like we are now," the guild master explained patiently.
"But we might also be more prepared and not risk all our hope on a demon fox with no class," Timothy muttered. But when he said Kitsu, he glanced at me, and I returned it with a glare sharp enough to cut.
"Sigh, I fully agree with you, but do you have any idea who or what has caused this?" The guild master pressed.
"... "
"Thought so. She knows the most about what is going on, sadly." The guild master shook his head, his disappointment obvious.
"What about her then?" Timothy raised his voice and pointed directly at me.
"I don't know." The guild master glanced at me but quickly looked away.
"What the fuck. You guys are talking like I am not even here. Should I cook you, or do you want to talk to Kitsu?" I snapped, glaring at both men. My aura flared, heat shimmering, killing intent pressing down on them.
VRRRRRRR
Boom!
The ground trembled violently, and smoke curled from the fortress.
"What in the heavens was that!?" The guild master shouted, his ears shooting upright as he looked toward the explosion.
"Hehe, I guess the fortress is destroyed," I said, laughing, my eyes fixed on the gaping hole torn through its side.
"Wah... what was that?" The guild master stammered, looking back at me.
"That was a railgun shot," I said with a shrug, pointing toward the ice tower. At its peak, a new structure had formed-sleek, sharp, and deadly.
It was smaller than the one Kitsu had made in the forest. Smaller, but still monstrous. The barrel stretched three meters long, squared at the edges. Inside, mana conductors hummed, black lightning running between them like veins.
"I wonder what she used for bullets," I murmured aloud.
"That thing is dangerous," Timothy whispered, wide-eyed, face pale.
"No shit, Timothy. That thing ripped a hole into something we couldn't touch," the guild master snapped, his voice both annoyed and tinged with fear.
"Now, who would you rather have a proper talk with? The one with a giant gun or the cool and collected dragon?" I smiled sweetly at them, flashing teeth. Their shiver only made me smile brighter.
"I will be going," Timothy muttered, retreating quickly.
"Thought so," I said, my glare following him until he vanished.
"How can she make something like that out of ice?" the guild master muttered, half to himself.
"No idea, actually. All I taught her is mana control," I said with a shrug.
"She must be good if she can make something like that work," he said, nodding to himself.
"Hmm, she is average, I guess," I said, remembering how clumsy her control really was.
"Your average isn't normal."
"Her sister should be better than her by now, though."
"She has a sister, and she might be better?"
"Oh, don't worry. Kitsu is the stronger one between the two. However, Amari is unlikely to lag behind, given her parentage. I shrugged again.
"Accuse me, but who ordered the little criminals?" A joyous, cheeky voice rang out from behind.
Turning, I spotted a bunny girl clad in full armor. Her hair was brown with black spots, and her ears were tall and twitching. She stood no taller than 1.6 meters, yet behind her she dragged seven grown men chained together, their faces pale with terror.
The funny thing was-she was alone. And she didn't seem to be struggling at all. The chains scraped the dirt, the prisoners groaning as their knees scraped raw.
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Chapter 129
[Kayda POV]
"Ah, I want one of these." The bunny girl, named Nix, said brightly, almost bouncing on her heels as she inspected the jagged ice bars of the jail cell Kitsu had made. Her long ears flicked curiously as she tapped a knuckle against the wall, listening to the dull, crystalline ring it gave back. "So clean. So solid. And it sparkles in the torchlight too. Practical and pretty. I want one for myself."
"I don't know about that," I replied, tilting my head as I looked at the seamless way the wall rose from the ground. The cell looked more permanent than temporary, more fortress-like than a makeshift cage. "You'd probably just end up freezing your own tail off in one of these."
"Oh, come on. It is made out of magic! Can't she just make one for the military as well?" Nix whined, stepping forward and pressing up into my space. Her bright eyes gleamed with unrestrained enthusiasm, and her nose twitched in a way that reminded me uncomfortably of a real rabbit.
"You'll need to ask her," I said, stepping back before she could crowd me any further. I jabbed a thumb toward the tower of ice above us, where Kitsu stood like some ominous guardian, railgun humming behind her.
"Hmm," Nix hummed, tilting her head, ears swaying lazily. "That structure up there looks dangerous. Maybe I'll save my questions for later. Don't want to get blasted into ash for nagging." She smiled as if the idea amused her rather than scared her, then cheerfully went back to tying the prisoners inside the cell.
The one she was working on snarled, his voice venomous. "Bitch, you're hurting me." He twisted against the chains, trying to spit at her.
Nix froze for just a fraction of a second, her ears going stiff, before she turned her crimson glare on him. "Oh? Says the one who raped a teenager to death. Shut up." Her tone was flat, like stone grinding.
The man smirked, defiant even in chains. "She loved it, and you know it. Don't you remember her face? Ah, you know what? I'll forgive you if we-augh!" His words cut off into a gurgle as Nix's hand snapped out, ripping his jaw free in one smooth, brutal motion.
Blood spattered the frostbitten ground. His jaw hit the ice with a sickening clack.
"I guess you die first," Nix said coldly. Without ceremony, she smashed his head against the ground, cracking his skull like an eggshell. The body went limp instantly.
I let out a slow breath, my lips quirking into a wry smile despite myself. "Hmm, you've got a temperament on you. But try not to kill more. We might need them."
She didn't answer at first, her hand still pressed against the corpse, fingers twitching. Then, finally, she stood, brushing her gauntlets clean. "I am not like the other rabbit demis. I don't take shit lying down." Her glare lingered on the broken body.
"That's not as rare as you think," I said, shrugging. "I've met a few rabbit demis with just as much bite as you."
Her head snapped toward me, ears perked, eyes wide. "...You have?"
"Yes. Kitsu actually has one in her personal squad right now. Though she's too weak to be of much use at the moment." I tilted my head thoughtfully, remembering how Kitsu had dragged Nekro back, half-dead, and how stubbornly the girl had clung to life.
"How interesting," Nix hummed, eyes sparkling with fresh curiosity. "A fox who collects strays. And a rabbit among them too. I want to meet her."
Her expression made me uneasy-like a child discovering a new toy she wanted to pull apart. I turned away, unwilling to indulge her. "Well, anyway, let's get this started, shall we?" I strode out of the cell, leaving her and the corpse behind.
"Finally. I was getting bored just standing here and watching," one of the adventurers muttered off to the side, leaning against the tower's base.
"Hmm, Jerry?" The guild master appeared like a shadow, his massive hand descending to smack the man over the head. "Are you so eager to get killed?"
"Ha-ha, come on, guild master, is it wrong to make some jokes? Every one of us is nervous. That black fire is as eerie as it gets, you know." Jerry rubbed the new lump on his head and jogged away, laughter a little too sharp, too hollow. Fear bled through his attempt at humor.
"That brat," the guild master growled under his breath, grinding his teeth.
"Let him be. Even I'm nervous," I admitted, shrugging. My chest felt tight, my wings restless. It wasn't a lie. This would be my first time facing devils directly, not just creatures tainted by their power. I'd seen horrors before, but this... this was something else.
"Sigh. True. We all are nervous," Nix said, stepping up beside me, voice oddly calm.
"Well, send them in then," I said, jerking my chin toward the prisoners.
"Okay!" Nix's face lit up like a child being handed candy. Her ears wiggled in excitement.
"You sound a little too happy about this," I muttered, my skin crawling at her enthusiasm.
"...I'm interested in how it will happen," Nix said softly, her gaze locked on the fortress. The black flames licked the air like living shadows, waiting. She wanted to see the moment their souls were torn free.
I said nothing, just nodded. She went back into the cell and soon returned, dragging a prisoner by the chains, her gauntleted hand firm around his collar.
"Same here," I mumbled under my breath, then bent and picked up another criminal by the scruff. With one beat of my wings, I launched into the air.
The fortress loomed below, cloaked in black fire, its twisted towers barely holding their shape. The heat was unnatural-more like a psychic pressure than physical warmth.
"I am getting tired of waiting," I said, halting above it.
"I agree. I just wish this day would end," the man in my grip said suddenly, shoulders slumping. His voice carried no fear.
I blinked, surprised. "Well, it's close to being night, but you won't be seeing it."
"True. Cheers, dragon woman," he said. And then I let him go. His body tumbled, small against the enormity of the flames, vanishing into the black maw.
"Sigh. Strange he didn't show fear," I murmured, folding my arms. "Well, whatever. Nothing to worry about."
Then it began.
"Raaaaooorrr!!!"
The roar tore through the air like a storm given voice, inhuman and primal. My bones rattled. My heart skipped. Terror flooded me, cold and sharp. All across the field, adventurers froze, their spines rigid.
"Shit, that scared the hell out of me!" I shouted, beating my wings hard to fling myself backward, putting distance between me and the fortress.
"Get ready, everyone! It's starting!!" The guild master roared, his voice cracking but commanding.
"Sreeeeek!!"
"Sreekk!!"
The shrieks rose like a chorus from hell itself. Transparent black hands clawed up from the earth around the fortress, dragging themselves into being. Their forms were vague, humanoid shadows, their eyes empty voids.
"So those are devil thralls?" I muttered. There had to be more than a hundred already, crawling out in seconds. Weak, yes-but sheer numbers made them horrifying.
"Well, let's see how easy they are to kill." I cracked my knuckles, readying a spell-
Zap!
The sound split the air, sharp and sizzling. My eyes widened. Down below, the fence Kitsu had made glowed as lightning crackled through its wires. Any thrall that came within a meter convulsed violently, their shadows unraveling like smoke before disintegrating.
It was almost comical-the way they reached out, only to crumple and vanish the instant they touched the barrier.
"Hmm. It seems the adventurers already realized how effective the fence is," I said, noting how none of them had lifted a finger yet. They were just staring, wide-eyed, hands idle at their sides.
"That's not good. The thralls might wear down the durability of the fence," I frowned.
"Oi, you fucking shitbags!"! Start using your fucking magic! My fence isn't going to do all your fucking work!!" Kitsu's voice thundered across the field.
"Wow," I muttered, genuinely startled. "Didn't think she could yell that loud."
"Pah, like she can-Boom!"
The adventurer beside me didn't finish his sentence before Kitsu fired her railgun. The thunderous blast shook the ground as the fortress shuddered, another section ripped apart in a violent explosion of black lightning.
"I am fucking watching you!!" she bellowed.
"She sounds pissed," I muttered, lips twitching. I conjured four scorch balls around me, each floating and glowing faintly, then set them firing thin beams of heat into the thralls. Small lasers cut through them cleanly, each hit making a shadow collapse.
"Skreeek!!"
Another cry echoed from the fortress.
"...Wow, what is-"
Boom!
"Dead." I finished my own question, watching as a larger thrall-something like a shrieker-was obliterated instantly by Kitsu's railgun. Nothing remained but twisted ash.
"Oi, fucking dog, get your people to carry their weight! I am not working for free!!" Kitsu screamed again, her voice sharp as a blade.
"What is going on over there to make her so angry?" I muttered, flying sideways to get a better view. My stomach twisted when I saw it-the thralls were pouring out thicker on her side, swarming the fence faster than ours.
"Weird. Is it because that side has-"
Boom!
"Has more firepower?" I guessed aloud, watching her blast another shrieker into oblivion.
"Brat! Call me "dog" again, and I'll rip-"
Bang!
"Argh!!!" The guild master yelped, a gunshot grazing his ear, blood spraying.
"Shut the fuck up and work!" Kitsu snarled from her tower, still aiming her gun at him.
My scroll vibrated suddenly.
"Kayda-"
"Don't even think about dragging me into this. Just get your adventurers to work properly, and all is good, okay?" I interrupted the guild master before ending the call, my patience gone.
I glanced at the far fence again and frowned. The glow was weakening, the magic fuzzing in and out. They weren't feeding it enough mana.
"Sigh. Guess I have to help." I muttered, disappointed, and began flying to each mana conductor. I pressed energy into each, enough to stabilize them, my body prickling from the constant drain.
"Kayda!"
I turned. Kitsu's sharp eyes were on me.
"Yo, something wrong?" I landed beside her tower.
"A lot. But... are you sure you're fine using your mana like this? You still have scorch balls active on the other side, and now you're fueling these too. Do you need to rest? I can take over for you, at least for a while." Her tone was softer, worry lacing every word.
For a moment, I just looked at her. The fierce, snappy fox glaring at everyone else was looking at me with real concern. My heart fluttered despite the battlefield roaring around us.
"Whoa, whoa, hold your horses. I'm fine. My mana regeneration can handle this much," I said with a smile.
"Yeah, but this might go on for hours," she pressed.
"True. Then I'll tell you when I need rest, okay?"
"Uh... please do," Kitsu said, finally nodding, her gaze shifting back to the battle.
I couldn't help it-I pressed a hand to my cheek, grinning like a fool as I looked at her back. She's so worried about me. And so damn cute.
"Well, see you later," I said, patting her shoulder before spreading my wings again.
"Be careful."
"Same to you," I smiled and soared back to my side of the field, heart a little lighter despite the chaos.
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Chapter 130
[3 Hours later].
[Kitsuna POV]
"Well, Kayda wasn't wrong when she said devil-related things give a lot of experience," I muttered, leaning back in my ice chair at the top of my tower, arms folded as I stared at the glowing number on my status screen. Level forty-nine. Just one more and I'd break fifty. The chair creaked faintly under my weight, and beside me my glorious railgun hummed softly, its barrel steaming slightly in the cool night air.
I grinned at it. "Heh, still awesome."
My grin faded as I looked down. "Sigh, forget about that. It's been easy after the dumb pup finally got his adventurers doing their jobs properly."
From up here I could see almost everything. Roughly three hundred had started the fight-right now maybe a hundred were still on their feet, flinging spells or loosing arrows through the fence. The other two hundred sprawled across the grass in little clumps, some resting, some nursing wounds, others just staring blankly at the battlefield as if they couldn't believe they were still alive. My fence crackled faintly, black lightning sparking along its icy wire. More than a thousand thralls had already died to its bite.
"Ooh, another seeker," I murmured, spotting a pile of rocks rolling unnaturally out of the summoning fire. I shifted the railgun into place, its weight comforting against my shoulder as I aimed. "Come on, come on, show me the eye..."
Boom!
The shot lit up the night like a second sun, shattering the rocks and the creature hidden inside them. I smirked. "There we-ugh!" My victory grin twisted into a grimace as pain lanced through my head. "A headache now!?"
I dropped the gun, clutching my temples. A moment later, my back flared like fire. "Agh, fuck, now my back hurts too. What the hell is going on?" I shouted, doubling over, my face pressed against the icy floor. My claws dug grooves in it as I trembled.
Time blurred. Maybe seconds, possibly minutes. The pain kept rising, crawling through my veins like molten lead. And beneath it, something worse-an urge. My throat vibrated, my chest tightening with the overwhelming need to roar. Not from the pain. From something else. An instinct was clawing its way out from my core.
"This... what is this?!" I hissed, sweat dripping down my face. "Fuck... hold it in. Can't let them know. Grrr..."
My teeth ground together, jaw aching.
"Ugh... roar-" The sound broke from me anyway, half growl, half whimper. Heat flushed my cheeks in embarrassment, even as my body shook. And then it hit-information. Like a river pouring straight into my skull, drowning me in knowledge I hadn't earned.
"Fuck-rawr!" Another humiliating noise ripped out of me as more of it filled me: blueprints, diagrams, the very structure of weapons and how they interfaced with magic, how to reinforce steel with mana, how to bend fire into a blade, and how to make lightning carve its own circuit. Then came magic itself. How it moved. How it wanted to move. How to coax it to dance more smoothly, more brutally.
'What is this? Why am I getting this info? Wait. No way. Is this... how we get classes?' My lungs burned. My fingers dug into my thighs as I pulled up my status.
Status
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 51
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath)
HP: 4,312 / 4,738
MP: 68,652 / 71,938
Str: 2,469
Vit: 2,369
Def: 1,969
Int: 35,969
End: 3,769
Agt: 4,169
Skills: Dimension Storage, Devil Fire, Devil Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Short Distance Teleport, Sword Domain, Mana Sense, Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Healing
Passive: Heightened Senses, Soul Regeneration, Eyes of Intimidation, Human Form, Mana Tails, Night Vision
Tail Abilities: Clone, Spiritual Magic, Illusion Magic, LOCKED
"Huh, three tails? Rawr." Another noise slipped out, making me want to bury myself in the ice out of shame. "That is such an embarrassing sound."
Sure enough, when I twisted around, three fluffy tails swished behind me. So, that's why my back hurt. I was growing new tails.' I dragged them around to the front, staring like an idiot before stroking them experimentally. Silky. Warm. Too fluffy. My cheeks burned harder.
"Hmm. Weapon Sage? I also got a class. Never even heard of it. Must be like Weapon Master, just with a sage twist." My voice dropped into a growl without my permission. "Grrr."
I frowned. "Oh, my tails give me abilities? That... wait. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO MY MANA? How is it over seventy thousand!? Rawr!!" My voice broke into another humiliating roar.
"This is... embarrassing." I slapped my face, groaning. "Mana Tails? What the hell is that? Ugh, whatever, I'll just hide them with illusion for now. Apricot said to use it like this, right?"
I pushed mana around me, weaving it into my fur. Slowly the three tails shimmered, merging into one again.
"There! All good," I said, dusting my hands.-
"Kitsu."
"Eh!? FUCK!" I yelped, nearly falling off the chair as Kayda's voice cut through the air.
She landed lightly beside me, eyes sharp. "What happened? What was that mana spike?" She grabbed my arms without hesitation, turning me this way and that, scanning me like a healer.
"Mana spike? Rawr?" I tilted my head, ears twitching.
"Yeah. Your mana spiked sky-high just now." Kayda didn't let go, her fingers pressing into my shoulders and my sides, searching for injury.
"You... you could feel that? Rawr," I mumbled, my cheeks heating again.
"Yes. It's a dragon's innate skill. By the way..." She leaned closer, brow furrowed. "What's with the sound effects?"
"Uh... I've never heard of that skill," I quickly deflected the question. "Anyway~, I became a sage!" I grinned, puffing out my chest, desperate to steer the topic elsewhere.
Her eyes widened, and then she slapped a palm over her face. "That's... wonderful. Wait, no-that's terrible. You have got to be kidding me. Your mother's going to kill me."
"A Weapon Sage, haha!" I couldn't help but laugh, even as Kayda gave me the flattest look possible.
"...You're hopeless," she muttered.
"Come on, it's an upgrade. I didn't get the class I wanted, but hey, sage sounds fancier."
"Sigh. Seriously, you made me worry for nothing." Kayda dropped onto her butt, exhaling hard.
"Hey, you can't relax now." I jabbed a finger toward the fortress. "We still need to finish this."
"It's fine. You can rest if you need to. We'll help."
"Are you sure those lousy adventurers can work without us?" I asked skeptically, arching an eyebrow.
She smirked. "Well, they had a rude awakening while you were out for ten minutes."
"Ten minutes? Was it really that long?"
"Yes. Luckily no rock seekers appeared. "But I could handle them if they had appeared," she added smugly, her wings flexing.
I smiled despite myself. "But others did, right?"
"Yeah. But it won't matter for much longer. The summoning's dying down." She gestured toward the fortress.
Sure enough, only about eighty thralls remained inside the burning circle, most dissolving as fast as they emerged.
"Jip," she said, "but do you have an idea how to stop it now?" Her gaze turned expectant.
A grin tugged at my lips. "Oh, this might be the perfect time to use it." Rawr."
"There it is again-the sound effect," Kayda muttered, exasperated.
"I said proudly, ignoring her, that I wanted to evaluate my new elements."
Her jaw dropped. "You... got MORE elements!?"
"Well, not new. Just... different," I shrugged, standing.
"If you say so..."
"Let's see what happens," I murmured, closing my eyes. My left hand rose, fingers curling like I gripped a bowstring. Energy surged.
Zap!
Golden lightning arced into form, shaping into a gleaming bow of crackling light. A string hummed into existence, and when I pulled back, a shaft of pure white ice formed, the arrowhead glimmering with frost.
"Golden lightning?" Kayda whispered.
"Yeah. Golden fox lightning," I said, focusing. My chest thrummed with excitement.
"Now blossom, my rose. Growl." The words slipped out before I could stop them, my stupid tick ruining the drama. I loosed the arrow anyway, sending it screaming straight into the fortress.
The world went white-blue.
Crack-BOOM!
Sprinkles of ice glittered through the smoke.
"Screeeeek." Thralls shrieked as the flames began to freeze, their forms locking solid before shattering. Black fire turned pale and brittle, consumed by the frost spreading outward.
"What the hell is happening!?" an adventurer shouted, his voice breaking.
"I don't know, but it's overpowering the black fire!" another yelled.
"Look at the middle!" A third was pointed, wide-eyed.
There, at the very center of the fortress, an ice branch was growing. Thick, crystalline, three meters wide, climbing skyward. At its tip, a massive bud swelled, pulsing with light.
"That's a flower bud?" A woman breathed, astonished.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! That's what it looks like!"
"You can't be serious-"
"I am! A Northern Ice Rose. Poisonous for humans and animals, but some monsters eat it for power. They only bloom once every hundred years." She stood tall, lecturing like a scholar to her baffled peers.
"Sacyr, nobody gives a fuck! Will it kill us or not!?" someone yelled back.
"Uh... maybe? Depends how far the ice spreads." She glanced nervously at the frost already racing across the ground.
"Fuck, we need to run!"
"Wait-look, it stopped," she pointed. The ice halted just a meter shy of the fence, as if respecting its boundary.
The adventurers sagged in relief, muttering among themselves.
"They sound so useless," I said flatly, watching them gape like children at a festival.
"Kitsu, they aren't like you," Kayda chided gently. "Not everyone can analyze things instantly."
"No, it's not that," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Look to the right."
She followed my gaze. Her face hardened. A group of twenty-three thralls had slipped through a weak point, tearing into adventurers who hadn't even noticed. Screams rose, and steel clanged desperately.
"Sigh. Losing focus in battle... You're just asking to die," Kayda muttered in disgust.
"My point," I said coolly. My gaze drifted back to the towering rose, now unfurling its petals in slow, majestic bloom.
"Well," Kayda admitted, awe in her voice, "I like your spell. Strong, beautiful. How much mana?"
"Tch. Forty-three thousand. High cost, but worth it. And..." My lips curled. "It's not done yet."
Her head whipped toward me. "There's more!?"
"Of course. You know I love going overboard," I said, smiling, and snapped my fingers.
Yo, if things don't sound right in the chap, do tell me, and if there are multiple problems, just say it at the end of the chapter. I will review it tomorrow with a fresh mind.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 131
"Hmm, hmm." Humming to myself, I stared out of the window, looking out of the Anabald mansion onto the white city. The whole capital was glazed in snow, rooftops powdered like sugared cakes, and streets layered in a thin frost that cracked under carriage wheels and children's wooden shoes. The air shimmered with the faint glint of ice, sunlight catching each drifting flake as if trying to apologize for my mistake. A view beautiful enough to make me forget for a heartbeat that it was my fault.
It's been a few days since the devil attack, and its aftermath was not what I was expecting. Firstly, my spell went crazy, and I lost control of it. However, I wasn't truly surprised by that. It was my first time using those elements together-and that much mana in one burst. Honestly, it was bound to backfire somehow.
The second thing to note is that it's currently snowing, despite it being the middle of summer. That's all thanks to my spell going wild. Every time I exhaled at the window, the cold air stung my nose and painted the glass with a brief fog. However, the children below appeared unfazed by the cold air. They were laughing, tossing snowballs, and chasing each other like the season had simply shifted out of kindness rather than chaos.
And thirdly... they decided to move the day of the festival.
Knock, knock.
"It's open," I said, hearing someone knock on the door.
The door creaked, and Kayda stepped in. Kayda paused momentarily, blinking at me as if she hadn't anticipated my completion of the dressing process. "Oh, you're ready?" she said, a bit surprised.
"As embarrassing as it might sound, this isn't my first time wearing a yukata, rawr," I said, looking down at my pink and red flower-themed yukata. The fabric was soft and silky against my skin, with stitched patterns catching light like tiny sparks. For shoes, I was wearing ordinary flip-flops with socks, and while it wasn't the traditional choice, at least my feet weren't freezing on these icy floors.
"You wore one like that?" Kayda asked, baffled. I knew what she meant: my old body, my old life.
"Yeah, it was when I was touring around Japan," I said with a shrug, like it was nothing.
"Um, can men also wear yukatas?" Kayda asked hesitantly, like she was trying to picture me in one and failing.
"Yes, of course, but they won't wear such a colorful one. They normally-" I turned around mid-explanation, only to choke on my words.
Kayda tilted her head, frowning. "Hmm? What is wrong? Did I wear it wrong?" she asked, her hand brushing over her side as if she might've tied the sash incorrectly.
"No, no, you look breathtaking. I... I don't know what to say." I stuttered while my hands flailed before me, as if I were trying to shield myself from her radiance. I knew white looked wonderful on her, but a white yukata? That was unfair. It hugged her in just the right way, light pink and lavender flowers drifting across the fabric like they'd bloomed for her alone. Her dark hair framed the picture perfectly, tied back with a ribbon that gave her this almost regal aura.
Her lips curved upward smugly. "Oh, so you like what you see."
"Uh, I can't deny it after saying all that. Rawr," I muttered, cheeks heating as I looked away.
"So, are you ready to go to the festival?" Kayda asked smoothly, pretending to move on.
"Of course. A bet is a bet after all." I turned back toward the window, letting the cold city distract me. "I'm still surprised they moved it up after the attack."
"Well, the attack was stopped, and it's snowing right now. So, it's like a double celebration this year." Kayda's eyes flicked sideways at me, full of mischief. "Let me remind you-it doesn't snow in the middle of summer."
"I could guess that was one of the reasons. But how was it set up so fast?" My gaze lingered on the streets where merchants were already stringing lanterns and banners between rooftops.
"Oh well, they were already busy getting everything ready. All they needed to do was make space."
A horrible thought struck me. "Don't tell me they are, rawr."
Kayda's lips twitched into a smirk. "You know that giant area you just evaporated-or more like cleaned up-with your magic? Yes. We are using that."
"Fuck, rawr."
"Jip. That flower will be on display," Kayda said, clearly enjoying my expression.
"I hoped they wouldn't... especially with it being in the middle of the slums," I groaned.
"Well, that sort of spell aftereffect isn't very common. It's actually super rare."
"Umm, I told you I didn't know that would happen!" I said, frustrated.
Images of that moment burned through my mind again. After I'd used my lightning bow to fire a fox ice arrow imbued with foxfire, a massive rose had bloomed out of the magic in the middle of the summoning circle. That had been the plan-disrupt the summoning, leave a symbol. But when I snapped my fingers to make it burst, the ice had caught fire instead of shattering. Not ordinary fire either-my foxfire. The blue-white flames completely devoured the ice, leaving only a flaming rose at the center. Even now, two days later, it still burned in the square, flickering in silence as if mocking me.
At least no one had been hurt. The fight itself had gone well-better than it should have. My conductor exploding should've killed people, but somehow it hadn't. Just a rain of injuries, bruises, cracked bones, and singed skin. The only real deaths were the thralls that slipped through at the end. But that wasn't on me. That was on the guild masters.
"Thinking about the guild master... what did he say?" I asked, remembering the aftermath meeting I'd skipped.
"Hmm, I guess the usual. Complaining about you putting people in danger and so on," Kayda said, not sounding particularly invested.
"So complete crap? Rawr."
"Basically." She shrugged.
"Sigh... he's going to be annoying in the future," I muttered in disdain.
"Probably. But enough about someone else. Let's go-An and her daughter should be ready."
"Is that so, roar?" I said, sneaking another look at Kayda before snapping my gaze away again, embarrassed.
She smirked knowingly. "It really seems you can't handle it, can you? Well, if it helps-your little roars are starting to get at me. In a cute way, of course." Her voice was light, teasing, and dangerous.
"..."
"Hehe. It's rare to see you so speechless." Kayda slipped closer, wrapping her arms around my neck, her breath ghosting over my ear. A shiver ran down my spine.
"Kayda," I warned, turning just enough for her to see the glare in my one visible eye.
"Oh no," she mumbled, realizing too late my tails had wrapped around her.
Bam!
"I've told you many times before-I'll get a heart attack if you do things like that," I said, annoyed, looking down at her sprawled on the floor.
"You know I won't stop, right?" Kayda said, smoothing her yukata as she stood.
"..."
"Well, whatever. Let's go join the other two." She strutted out of the room.
'I hope I can make it through the night,' I thought grimly, dragging myself after her.
"Oh right," I said suddenly, glancing at the snowy city one last time before leaving. "Are you sure An will be fine? I mean, she was tortured for who knows how long, and her body was so weak when I found it the other day."
"You shouldn't really say or worry about that," Kayda said, although she slowed her pace. "But... you're right. There's no way someone recovers so fast. We'll see when we meet."
"Hmm. Okay," I murmured, ignoring the jab and following.
[2 min later]
"So, you are going like that?" I asked, looking down at An in her wheelchair. Somehow she'd found one-sleek, wooden, wheels polished smooth. She wore a black yukata with gold flowers curling across the fabric, understated to the point of dullness. Her daughter stood behind her, ready to push, wearing the same style as her mother, as if the two had dressed as a matched set.
"Yes. Is there something wrong with it?"
"Yeah, it's really boring," I said bluntly.
Her daughter's face scrunched. "What? My mother looks wonderful in her yukata."
"Yes, yes. It fits her, but it's boring." I shrugged.
"Well, we don't have time to change," An said sharply.
"True. Now let's go to the festival-it'll start in an hour." Kayda shooed us toward the main entrance.
"Are we walking?" I asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem with that?" I asked curiously.
"No. Just wondering."
"Oh, Katie, dear, can you put the money in the vault for us?" An asked.
"Yes, Mother," Katie said, running off.
'Oh, so her name is Katie,' I thought, watching her ponytail bounce.
"Now, while we wait, start pushing me out, Kitsuna."
"No." Kayda cut in instantly, shaking her head.
"What? Why not?" An blinked.
"Because it'll start with just pushing your wheelchair. Then food. Then-before long-it'll just be you and Kitsu," Kayda said, arms crossed.
Too late. I ignored her and began pushing An out of the mansion.
"Hey! Hey!! "Don't just leave me," Kayda yelled.
"And listen to your delusions? No thanks, roar," I called back.
"You say that, but you're blushing," An whispered teasingly.
"I wouldn't talk if I were you, An," I growled, glaring at her.
"Tch. I was only teasing."
"What were you teasing about?" Kayda asked, catching up.
"Oh, just-"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it, rawr." I cut in and shot another glare. She chuckled under her breath.
"O-okay," Kayda muttered, letting it drop.
"Now, for something useful. What is this festival even about?" I asked, still pushing the chair.
"...Kayda, didn't you tell her?"
"Didn't think it was needed. Guess I was wrong," Kayda said, giving me dead eyes.
"Hmm. Is the reason important or something?" I asked nervously.
"It's the anniversary of the end of the war, Kitsuna," An said, staring at me like I'd just confessed I couldn't read.
"You guys celebrate that?"
"Of course! We remember the sacrifices made in the war."
"Sacrifices? If I remember right, only 137 people died on our side. On the federation side, it was over 10,000."
"Ah, at least you know some things," An said, dripping sarcasm.
"Oh right-it was also the most deaths in the last five wars," Kayda added flatly.
"Yeah, by one, roar," I said.
"It's still more," she shot back.
"Now, something I'm curious about-how was the death count so low?" I asked.
"Because we don't raise cannon fodder," An said simply, as if that explained everything.
Blegh! I haven't even written the chapter, and I want to vomit in my mouth. I am so bad at doing romance.
I am single, dense and unattractive, so I don't have much experience.
I guess I will leave that there.
Just letting you all know the following few chapters will mostly be about romance and kitsu x kayda development. Now I want to vomit again. Just think about the future chapters I will be writing.
Do tell me if it sounds forced or something I want everything to move naturally between the two love birds.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 132
Cannon Fodder: there is a lot of debate and references made worldwide for this word or phrase. Some say it refers to meat shields, bodies thrown forward to soak up the brunt of the enemy's strength so that the more trained or privileged can survive. Human shields to protect the valuable, the talented, or simply the lucky.
Others say cannon fodder is there to distract. To be an annoyance. To force the enemy to split their attention, to draw their eyes forward so they miss the flanking attack, the hidden dagger, or the strike that comes from behind. They are the noise before the storm, a sacrifice meant to buy a few moments of advantage.
In essence, cannon fodder is a sacrifice made by the higher-ups. A consequence of incompetence, of failing to craft strategies where fewer people need to die. The term has become a curse in some places, a shame in others, and yet a reality that repeats across every war.
But what makes you cannon fodder? Is it your lack of strength? Your birthplace? The society that raised you? Or maybe it's your own unwillingness to move forward, to fight, to rise above those around you. Are you condemned to the role because you fall behind?
Do you want the answer to that?
Well, you aren't getting any.
Remember this-whether or not you are called cannon fodder, you are still a living thing. And life, no matter how fragile, is precious.
"That's what my mother told me just before she died in battle protecting her soldier from a cannon shot," Ann said with a tingle of sadness in her voice. Her words hung there, heavier than the falling snow.
"Those are quite dumb last words if I say so myself. Rawr," I muttered, smirking-only for my head to snap forward with a painful bam as someone struck me.
"Kitsu, be respectful," Kayda scolded, glaring at me with that sharp look that always carried weight.
I rubbed the back of my head, scowling. "To someone I've never met? I don't think so. And don't drag out that she's a war hero. I don't care." I waved my hand casually, though the sting still lingered.
"Kitsu," Kayda's voice dropped low, a warning in its tone.
Before things could escalate, Ann raised a hand. "Kayda, stop. I understand how she won't respect the dead, but don't you think my mother's speech was somewhat inspiring?"
Kayda's gaze softened, her shoulders loosening slightly.
"Hmm," I hummed, leaning back. "For any normal person, it would be inspiring, I guess, but-"
"But for you, it sounds like complete bullshit?" Ann cut me off, her lips twitching with both irritation and curiosity.
I shook my head. "No, not quite. It's just that she didn't give you an answer, and that's what makes them dumb last words. How old were you when she died?"
Ann blinked at me, surprised by the question. "...Five."
"So, at five, what did you think about your mother?" I tilted my head, genuinely intrigued.
Ann's face softened. "She was my world." Her nostalgic smile carried the glow of a child's pure admiration.
"Okay. And what do you think about her today?"
"She's my hero, and I miss her a lot," Ann admitted, her voice quiet but steady, her eyes unfocused as if seeing a memory.
I nodded, satisfied. "Alright then. But let's imagine something. What if she had answered her own question with, 'The peasant is there to sacrifice their lives for me'? And I do mean me, not us. For me, personally."
Ann's head snapped up, glaring. "She would never."
"Obviously not, dumbass," I replied bluntly. "She sacrificed herself for her soldiers. Do you really think someone like that would say something that selfish?"
Ann hesitated, cheeks coloring as she looked away. "...No, I guess not."
"Thank you. Now, back to the point. What would you have thought about that answer if you'd heard it at age five?"
Ann frowned, considering. "...Nothing. I wouldn't have really understood what she meant."
"And if you heard it now, at your age today?"
Her lip curled in disgust. "That she was trash. Someone who shouldn't have been in her position."
I smiled at that, pleased. "See? Even twenty years later, with an answer to a question like that, you could learn a lot about someone. Their values, their selfishness, their heart. Words linger, even if they're foolish."
Silence followed. Ann and Kayda both stared at me, processing. The air between us grew heavy until I broke it with a grin.
"Man, this city is beautiful when it snows." I gazed up at the rooftops and roads, blanketed in white. The flakes glittered faintly under the lanterns lining the streets, and for a moment, everything felt still.
"Kitsuna, what will your answer be? To what cannon fodder is?" Ann asked suddenly, curiosity shining through her sadness.
I didn't hesitate. "What is it? I'll say everyone, I guess. There's no such thing as true privilege when it comes to cannon fodder in my eyes." I smiled faintly, still watching the white cityscape.
"What?" Ann blinked, shocked.
Kayda tilted her head. "Kitsu, what do you mean by that?"
"Hmm, how do I explain this..." I tapped my chin. "Everyone is born to do something in their life-protect someone, kill someone, guide someone. So everyone, in the end, is cannon fodder for someone else. It doesn't always mean sacrificing your life in war. It can also mean nudging someone onto the right path, knowing they'll go on to bring in more cannon fodder later. It's a cycle."
Ann's face tightened. "So, you mean to say my mom and everyone else is cannon fodder in your eyes?"
"Yes. Of course. And when you die, you've fulfilled your mission as cannon fodder-or whatever you want to call the circle of life." I shrugged.
Ann shook her head slowly. "...That's something I didn't think you would ever say."
"Really? Why?" I tilted my head at her, genuinely curious.
"I just never thought you were that selfish." She studied me with a thoughtful expression.
"Selfish? How am I-? Oh. Wait. When I said everyone, I did include myself, you know."
Ann's eyes widened slightly. "...Oh. I thought... sorry, misunderstanding."
The conversation might have ended there, but then Kayda suddenly dropped a bomb.
"Kitsu, what am I to you?"
The words hit me harder than any strike to the head.
Silence.
Pure, awkward silence that felt like it froze the world more thoroughly than the winter wind.
I stared at her, expression unreadable, mind in chaos. A million possible answers and a million questions tangled in my head. Was she serious? Was she teasing? Or... did she actually want me to confess?
Kayda's eyes were steady, her expression calm, but there was something in them I didn't want to name. Ann's expression was unreadable too, though I could swear she had stopped breathing.
Before I could form words, salvation arrived.
"Hey, guys, how could you just leave without me?" Katie's cheerful voice rang out as she ran up.
The spell shattered.
"Oh, sorry, we didn't mean to walk too far. We just got caught up in conversation," Ann said quickly, trying to smooth over the tension.
Grateful for the distraction, I let go of the wheelchair handles and allowed Katie to take over, pushing her mother forward. The group began walking again toward the festival, the bright lights visible in the distance.
Still unsettled, I reached out and lightly tugged Kayda's sleeve. "I'll answer later. Let me think," I whispered, so softly only she could hear. My cheeks burned, so I masked it with a quick illusion, hiding the redness.
Kayda gave me the smallest nod. "Okay."
Behind us, Katie whispered to her mother, "Hey, Mom, did those two fight or something?"
Ann chuckled softly. "No, they just left something unsaid. It's making things awkward."
"Huh. I thought they'd be on the same wavelength since they're lovers and all."
"...Katie, they aren't lovers. Not yet."
"What!?" Katie gasped. "I thought they... wow, I'm terrible at reading people."
Ann smiled faintly. "Honestly, I thought the same at first. I still do, in a way. But I think it's more like... they haven't declared it yet."
"I see. So do you think-"
"Yeah. Tonight might be the night they-"
"Fuck! I can fucking hear you two, you fucking elephants!" I exploded, spinning on them with my face burning hotter than fire.
Katie blinked, startled. "Elephant? What's that?"
"It's a big, fat animal," I snapped.
Her mouth dropped open. "Are you calling us fat!?"
"No. Loud." My deadpan stare made her falter.
"It's your fault you could hear us. Who said you should listen to our-"
"Ann, shut up before I rip out your tongue." My patience was gone.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Ann said quickly, raising her hands in surrender.
I groaned inwardly. So fucking annoying. Why do I always save her teasing ass? And Katie's acting like someone else entirely since her mother came back.
"But it's fun to tease them," Ann muttered.
I spun on her. "It's someone else's relationship. If you want to comment, at least think before you open your mouth."
"Okay, we-"
I cut her off, words spilling out sharper than I intended. "One of you is too young to even think about relationships. The other one divorced her husband-or more like her sperm donor. Why did you even have a wedding if you were going to divorce him a few months later? Oh, right. Because you were pregnant." My tone dripped sarcasm.
"Hey, that's going too far," Ann said, anger flashing.
"Oh, is it? I could also talk about your skin-"
"Kitsu, that's enough," Kayda interrupted, grabbing my hand firmly.
I froze, glaring, then sighed. "Fine. I'm calm."
Kayda didn't let go. Instead, she turned her sharp eyes on the others. "And you two. You love to talk and talk, but the moment someone talks back, you get mad. It's pathetic."
Her voice was stern and commanding. The scolding tone suited her too well.
My face burned again, for an entirely different reason. Fuck, she's so hot right now. Did I just-
Dropping into a crouch, I covered my face with both hands. "I want to disappear," I mumbled.
Kayda blinked down at me. "What happened with you?"
Ann and Katie shared her confusion, staring at me like I'd grown another head.
And me? I stayed there, crouched in the snow, desperately wishing the earth would swallow me whole.
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Chapter 133
"And we have arrived," Kayda announced with a little jump, landing in front of us with her arms thrown into the air like a child finally arriving at the candy shop she'd been begging her parents to take her to. Her yukata sleeves fluttered in the breeze, and the motion of her landing kicked up a light spray of powdery snow from the shoveled walkway. The cold air made her laugh sound sharper, brighter, as it carried through the winter air.
I sighed, rubbing at my temple. "Sigh, your yukata is going to get loose, Kayda, rawr." The way she moved around so carelessly in that festival attire was a disaster waiting to happen.
However, as I looked past her, I couldn't deny that the scene in front of us was impressive. A bustling festival ground had transformed the wide open space where we had fought devils just a week ago. Hundreds of stalls were lined up neatly on both sides of the paths, lanterns strung above them in long chains that swayed with the evening breeze. Food scents-sweet, salty, spiced-drifted across the air, mixing with the faint smell of burning wood from the braziers people gathered around to warm themselves.
And there, in the center of it all, still burning as though it had been set aflame only moments ago, was a giant rose wreathed in golden fire. My "masterpiece," as Ann had sarcastically called it. The flames licked upward endlessly, illuminating the snow around it in a brilliant amber glow. A landmark of destruction turned into art. People had even set up benches around it, treating it like a monument.
Oh, and of course, snow. Everywhere. Thick white blankets layered the rooftops and the tops of stalls, piled on corners and rooftops, clinging to branches, thirty centimeters deep in places that hadn't been cleared. At least the main walkways of the festival had been properly shoveled before people started arriving. The packed paths were clean and crunchy underfoot, a thin layer of frost still sparkling faintly with each step.
Kayda turned her head back toward me, her lips curling into a smirk. "Oh right, you don't want me to undo it, isn't that right, Kitsu~?" she teased, lowering her voice into that sultry, playful tone that always caught me off guard. Her gaze narrowed in a seductive manner.
'That's not it,' I thought, flustered, heat rising up the back of my neck.
"Hey, hey, we have kids here," Ann interjected from beside me, sounding exasperated, though there was an unmistakable note of amusement in her tone.
"Y-Yeah, Kayda, how can you-" My stutter broke midway when I noticed Katie herself staring wide-eyed at Kayda, her jaw slightly slack. "Hey! Why the fuck are you giving Kayda that look?"
Katie snapped upright like I had just doused her with cold water. "Cough, sorry, her smile just surprised me," she said quickly, trying to explain herself before I could snap further.
"Tch. You, come here!" I growled, entirely ignoring Katie. Marching forward, I reached out and grabbed Kayda-not by the hand, but by her wing, tugging her away without ceremony. My irritation didn't leave much room for subtlety. I dragged Kayda into the crowd, leaving Ann and Katie behind.
"Hey, don't just grab my wing like that-" Kayda began, but her voice trailed off, shrinking when she caught sight of my expression.
Her chest tightened. 'She really is seriously pissed right now,' she thought, a flicker of shame passing over her features.
When I finally stopped, the press of festival-goers around us drowned out the sight of the others. Lanternlight painted the snow in amber, the glow bouncing across Kayda's face.
"Now that we're alone, we can enjoy ourselves better," I said flatly, releasing her wing. The words sounded colder than I had intended, but they were honest.
However, inside my head, I felt far from calm. Fucking bastard dumb demoness, she isn't available-I cut the thought off before it spiraled. I could already feel the rabbit hole forming, one that would end in disaster.
"Kitsu, I'm sorry," Kayda murmured, head lowered, her voice trembling with genuine shame.
I didn't respond immediately. My chest ached, conflicted between irritation and something warmer. Instead of words, I simply reached for her hand and intertwined our fingers.
"Eh!" Kayda gasped, eyes widening. She stared down at our hands, then up at me, then back down again, as though her brain was failing to catch up to reality.
'Oh god, please don't let me die of a heart attack,' I thought, my pulse racing far too fast, almost painfully so. The heat in my chest and ears became unbearable, forcing me to reinforce the illusion wrapped around my body. No one could see me blushing like this.
"Come on. If we don't start now, we won't be able to visit every stall. I'm also quite hungry, rawr~." My tone was carefully even, emotionless, my illusion helping to portray the mask I couldn't maintain on my own.
Kayda didn't reply with words. Instead, she giggled, soft at first, then bubbling out like the sound of water over stones. It was pure, joyful, and childlike, and it made my heart stumble even more.
"Sigh, at least we got a giant budget for today, rawr," I muttered, trying to ignore her laughter.
"Okay, so what do you want to eat first?" she asked, tilting her head with a bright smile, the lantern light dancing in her eyes.
I shrugged. "Don't know. You've been to this kind of thing before. Festival food, I guess, rawr?"
Her smile widened. "Okay, so candy apples."
I grimaced immediately, my face twisting in disgust. "That sounds like it's going to be too sweet for me."
"Oh, come on, just try it," Kayda insisted, already tugging me forward by the hand.
"Tch. "Fine, I'll try it," I grumbled, feeling defeated before I even had a chance to argue.
"Yay! Let's go before they're sold out," Kayda said cheerfully, her pace quickening.
There's no way they'll be sold out already. 'The festival just started,' I thought sourly.
[5 minutes later]
"There are only three left, huh?" I said flatly, staring at the nearly empty tray in front of the stall. Three lonely candy apples glistened under the lamplight, bright red shells catching every flicker of flame. My gaze shifted upward, locking on the stall owner, who was smiling at me with an expression far too smug for someone selling sugar-coated fruit.
"Two or just one candy apple?" the stall owner asked, his grin widening as his eyes flicked down at Kayda's and my still-interlocked hands.
"Two, please," I said curtly, raising two fingers with my free hand.
"Coming right up." The man dipped the apples into the bubbling pot of liquid sugar, the sweet scent thickening in the air as he coated them carefully.
"Tch. What a shame," Kayda mumbled under her breath.
'Tch, my ass, you weirdo,' I thought, rolling my eyes at her soft pout.
"That'll be one silver each," the stall owner said, holding out the finished apples with one hand and extending the other expectantly.
"One? You've got to be kidding me. It can't be that much," I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Come on, lady. My stock's almost out anyway. Be a gal and sponsor this old man," he said, his voice syrupy, his grin plastered firmly in place.
"But you're robbing us, rawr," I muttered.
"Are you going to take it or not?" His eyes hardened slightly when he realized I wasn't going to fall for his pity play.
"Yeah. One silver for both, at most, rawr," I shot back.
"Kitsu," Kayda whispered, her tone pleading as she looked at me with those eyes that made my chest ache.
"Tch. Fine," I muttered reluctantly, slapping two silvers into his hand and snatching the apples away.
"Thank you for the business," the stall owner said cheerfully, waving us off-though not before pulling a lever hidden at the side of his stall. In an instant, the lone apple on the tray was replaced with a full table piled high with fresh ones.
"Huh. Nice trick, rawr," I said dryly, unimpressed.
"Yeah, I know, right?" the man chuckled to himself.
"Whatever. Good luck with your business, rawr," I said, waving my hand absently-the same hand still holding Kayda's.
"Kitsu?" Kayda mumbled, noticing how my grip had gone cold enough to make her hand tingle with numbness.
"Hmm? Come on, say goodbye to him too, rawr," I said, smiling thinly.
"You better share yours later," she muttered, waving politely to the stall owner.
I blinked. "Umm, what?"
Before I could get clarification, Kayda tugged me along again, changing the subject. "Why did you freeze the apples?" she asked, taking a delicate bite out of hers.
"Because he's an asshole," I said simply, glaring at my apple.
"But then why did you gesture to me to defrost it?" she asked, head tilting again.
Apples spoil quickly when they are frozen and then reheated. There might even be worms hatching inside right now," I explained with a wicked grin.
Kayda froze mid-bite, her face twisting in disgust. "There's no way it happens that fast."
"No, it'll take a few hours before the inside turns mushy. But even now, it'll already taste like shit."
"It will?"
"Yeah. You've never tasted an apple that was pulled straight from the freezer and then baked in just seconds, right? My grin widened.
"Ugh, don't even go on with that," she groaned, nearly gagging at the thought.
"Now you get it, rawr," I laughed.
"But... what about the customers after us?" she asked, worry flickering in her eyes.
"Hmm. Technically, we just wasted their money, but it's not our problem. They will not become ill; they will only be unpleasantly surprised.
"You're sure they won't get sick?"
"Positive. At worst, they vomit from the taste. The sugar might cover it anyway."
Kayda looked down at her apple, then back at me. "...I see."
"Yeah. Anyway, how is it, rawr?" I asked, nodding at her half-eaten treat.
"I've had better. But it's not bad," she admitted.
"I see, rawr," I muttered, finally bringing mine to my mouth.
Crunch.
The sweetness hit instantly, cloying and sticky. My eyes squeezed shut. "Mhmm. "It's too sweet," I complained, scrunching my face.
Kayda burst into laughter. "Pffft-hahaha! Your face!"
"Bleh. "I knew it would be too sweet," I said, sticking my tongue out dramatically while adding a playful growl.
"Hahaha-cough, cough-so you're not going to finish it?"
"Nope. Here, you take it," I said, shoving the apple toward her.
"Hmm. Just one more bite from the other side, then I'll take it. And it has to be the same size as your first one," she said, pointing at the untouched half.
'Is she after an indirect kiss, rawr?' My cheeks flamed, but the illusion held.
"Sigh. How troublesome. Crunch." I complied anyway, taking another oversized bite from the opposite side.
"Mmmmm. "Mmmmm, this is even sweeter than before," I groaned, with my eyes squeezed shut again.
"Haha! Your reactions are adorable," she teased, her tone dripping with smugness.
"Don't be so mean, Kayda, rawr," I whined, pouting.
"Hehe, sorry. I'm just teasing."
"Sigh. You're going to be the death of me."
Kayda only laughed again. "Well, now that we've had our candy apples... let's move on to meatballs with sauce!" she said brightly, tugging me toward another stall.
"Ah, finally, something meaty," I sighed in relief.
"And thereafter, cream crepes," she added cheerfully.
"...I talk too much," I muttered, expressing mock despair as my face fell.
I think there will be 4 more chapters of kind of romance. Well, they are there to develop the bond between kitsu and kayda.
Sorry if I am dragging them out. It's not my attention to do so. PS the end of the festival will be quite a cliche. I want to vomit just thinking about it.
Fun fact did you know dragons are my second favourite creature.
After foxes, of course. They are the cutest thing in the world. I want one so badly.
Oh, oh yeah, I changed something in her stats not saying what I changed but hint one: Skill. Good luck. It's easy to find.
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Chapter 134
Festivals. There are many different sorts of them scattered across the world, especially on Earth. Some are grand, stretching across entire cities, while others are small, intimate gatherings in a local neighborhood shrine or town square. America, for instance, has its festivals that lean more toward being massive parties than truly traditional celebrations. The festival featured flashy lights, loud music, endless food trucks, and people drinking and dancing in the streets until dawn; it was more about energy than meaning.
Japan, on the other hand, with its countless shrines and long stretches of traditions, held festivals that carried centuries of history in each carefully practiced ritual. Lanterns swaying in the night air, yukata rustling as people wandered through crowds, the smell of grilled food mingling with incense-it was less of a party and more of an experience woven into culture.
China could be compared to Japan in that sense. Both were deeply traditional countries, though the ways they celebrated were different. Both carried their past proudly, wearing it like armor. Though, well... those two countries weren't exactly on the best of terms historically. Not my problem. I definitely did not want to think about that while I was standing in the middle of a snow-dusted festival in a demon realm.
Sadly-or maybe fortunately-I had only ever seen Japanese festivals in person. The ones I remembered most vividly were the nights I went alone. I found myself roaming from stall to stall, sporadically stopping to observe fireworks bursting in the sky or take in the melodies emanating from a stage. There was comfort in the noise, in blending into the crowd, even when my hands were empty and my heart ached. The one time I hadn't been alone was when my teacher had taken me. Just once. Even that memory was hazy now, but it still existed as something warm buried in the coldness of my past.
And now? I guess I could add Kayda to that tiny list.
"Kitsu, I can't hit anything!" Kayda whined beside me, her tone dripping with childlike frustration. She held a small air gun awkwardly in both hands, her grip clumsy, shoulders hunched forward as she squinted down the firing range. Thirty-two small boxes were stacked on shelves of different heights, arranged in rows like a miniature fortress daring her to knock it down.
Her wings twitched with annoyance, her tail flicking behind her as she looked back at me for reassurance.
"Hmm, yeah, I can see that. You grazed only one out of your twelve shots, rawr," I said flatly, my voice monotone, carefully void of sympathy.
Kayda's jaw dropped. "Tch, can't you care a bit more?" She pouted, puffing her cheeks out like some sort of angry squirrel, her eyes narrowing at my lack of enthusiasm.
"I do care," I said, my tone still flat. "But it's not like it'll fall even if you hit it, rawr." My voice lowered, almost a whisper.
Kayda let out an irritated sigh. "I know that. I can feel the mana holding the blocks in place." Her tail lashed once, clearly irritated at the unfairness of it all.
"Well, it's not impossible to win," I explained, shrugging as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You just need to hit the right spots. But with your aim? Impossible, rawr."
Her glare sharpened, and she jabbed a finger into my shoulder. "Hey, don't be mean! It's these guns. They're so shitty. So how should it be done, then?" she pressed, her voice tilting into a whine again.
"Ha-ha," I mocked without humor, tilting my head toward the stacked boxes. "It's a magnetic mana trick or whatever he's using. There aren't many of the nodes, though, so they're spaced out. If you nail the sides first and then aim at the upper corners, you can make the boxes collapse. It's about angles, not brute force."
Kayda's ears perked. "Oh excellent, so you can do it. Hey, owner! Twenty shots for Miss Foxy here." She bumped my shoulder with hers, smirking as she handed the stall owner payment.
The man's lips curved into a grin that was just a little too devilish. "Oh, I see you are going for the big prize."
Kayda nodded eagerly, her smile bright. "Of course. She better win it for me. Remember this-I want that teddy, okay?" She pointed dramatically at a massive human-sized bear behind the stall owner, its button eyes reflecting lamplight.
"Hey! Why do I have to win something for you? I want one of these." I jabbed a finger toward the back shelf, where a standing dragon teddy loomed like a guardian beast.
"..."
"..."
"Because I'm your date," Kayda said plainly, with a face so serious it made my stomach twist.
"But I'm also your date, rawr." I replied sharply, my tone filled with irritation.
"Kitsu," Kayda said again, softer this time, but with an edge of dissatisfaction that made me feel like I had already lost.
The stall owner raised his hands quickly, stepping in before things could escalate further. "Woah, woah, no need to start a fight now, ladies. Since you're today's first same-sex couple, why don't we make the situation interesting with a deal?"
The way he said it made my eyes narrow immediately.
Kayda and I turned toward him in unison. "I'm listening," we both said.
"Okay. If you can hit all twenty shots and knock the boxes over, I'll give you both teddies," he said, flashing another devilish grin.
I crossed my arms. "Okay, but I get two test shots. They won't count if I knock anything over. Obviously."
"Hmm. Alright, deal." The stall owner nodded, though the flicker in his eyes told me he thought he had the upper hand.
'He thought smugly that the test shots wouldn't matter, but his smile revealed his true feelings.' 'She won't knock them over anyway.'
"Great. Then let's get started, rawr." I reached for one of the guns on the table, lifting it to inspect closely. The barrel was crudely made, the wooden stock rough beneath my fingers. Looking inside, I noticed something off.
'I see. So that's why Kayda's shots veered left every single time.' My lips curled faintly. It wouldn't be enough to stop me.
"So I just load this here and shoot, right, rawr?" I asked, sliding one of the corks into the barrel.
"Yes, ma'am," the man said with mock cheer. "The guns will create the air pressure on their own."
"Uh-huh." I hummed, pretending to be unimpressed. Aiming at one of the bears in the back row, I squeezed the trigger.
Poof.
The cork sailed slowly, veering low and left before smacking harmlessly near the bear's shoulder.
'Left low, huh? Damn, no wonder Kayda struggled. It's slow, too, rawr.'
I hummed, tapping the side of the gun until I noticed a small circular dial. Curious, I twisted it. Air hissed faintly. I twisted more, then tried again.
Bang!
The cork flew out with much more force this time, though it still missed. Better speed, though. Much better.
"You ready?" the owner asked, a hint of nerves in his voice.
"Yes. Now bring it on, rawr."
I steadied the gun, focusing on the stacked boxes.
Bang!
One toppled.
"Oh, she got one!" someone from the growing crowd shouted.
"Hehe, one down, nineteen to go," Kayda giggled beside me.
Bang!
Another.
Bang!
Another.
Bang!
Another fell. "And another one bites the dust, ptataaa," I muttered, humming an old tune under my breath as I reloaded.
Bang!
"And another one!" the crowd shouted together, startling me.
I winced. "Ugh, please, no," I muttered, refusing to look back.
Reload. Aim. Fire.
Bang!
"And another one!" The chorus rang again, this time louder.
I risked a glance and spotted Kayda egging them on, her grin wicked.
"Kayda, can you not make them do that, rawr?" I snapped, though I already knew her answer.
"But that song you hummed was funny," she said smugly.
"It's embarrassing, Kayda, rawr," I hissed, letting my illusion tint my cheeks faintly red.
"Heh. But it's cute when you blush."
"Tch. How is it adorable when I turn red like a boiled shrimp, rawr?" I said, snapping my head away.
"Don't you think I'm cute when I blush?" she teased, pressing closer.
"...Now that I think about it, Katie and Ann-since their skin is red, how do they blush?" I asked suddenly, shifting the topic as fast as I could.
Kayda blinked. "Wait, that's true. Huh. Never thought about it."
"Exactly." I used her distraction to line up my next shot.
Bang!
Another box toppled.
"And another one!" the crowd bellowed.
"Fuck! That didn't help at all," I growled.
"Haha, you failed," Kayda mocked.
"Tch. Whatever."
One after another, I fired, each cork slamming into the weak spots until the shelves were bare.
"They're all done, rawr," I muttered finally, exhaling.
"Woah!!! She did it!!"
"All twenty targets down!"
The crowd roared.
"Tch, they're so loud, rawr." I covered my ears, frustrated. Even my enchanted earbuds couldn't block them out, so I froze my ears over instead, muffling the din.
The stall owner's face had drained of color. "How... how can this be? I went through so much trouble to-"
"Oi. I won our bet. "Please give us our teddies," I said, with my hand outstretched.
"You... you cheated!" he barked.
"What nonsense are you blabbing now? Tch. I won. Give me my dragon teddy." My eyes narrowed dangerously.
"There's no way you hit twenty in a row and knocked them over so easily!" He ranted, voice shaking.
"Look again, dumbass. I just did, rawr," I shot back, pointing at the scattered boxes.
"I-I had magnets under each one to make it impossible!" he blurted, eyes wide.
The crowd gasped.
"Oh, is that so?" I said smoothly. "So you accuse me of cheating, but you've been cheating from the start?"
His face paled further. "W-what are you talking about?"
"Sigh. I don't care. Please provide us with our rewards, and we will be on our way," I said calmly.
Defeated, he shoved the two massive teddies toward us.
"Thanks, rawr~." I tossed one over Kayda's head, keeping the dragon clutched tightly in my arms. "There's yours. Enjoy, rawr."
"Hehe, thank you, Kitsu," Kayda said, hugging her bear tightly with a smile that could melt glaciers.
Then, from the crowd: "Wait. Didn't he admit it was impossible from the start?"
"Yeah! We wasted our money on his scam!" another voice shouted.
The crowd began to stir angrily, voices rising.
"Ah, let's get out of here before everything goes to shit, rawr," I whispered, shoving Kayda ahead of me as the crowd turned on the cheating stall owner.
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Chapter 135
"Where to next?" I asked, turning toward Kayda, my voice casual but my eyes scanning the endless line of stalls glowing beneath lanterns. The snow reflected the light back upward, making everything shimmer like the whole world was caught inside a crystal.
"I think it's more a question of where's the next stall business we can ruin," Kayda commented dryly, shifting the oversized teddy bear she carried so it wasn't blocking her face. The way she hugged it protectively made the comment even funnier.
I snorted, unable to help myself. "Oh, you want to keep going with that line of work tonight? I don't mind. It's actually kind of fun." My words dripped sarcasm, but part of me meant it.
Kayda shook her head vigorously, wings twitching a little in emphasis. "No, thank you. I don't want more people to hate me."
"But we're winning, so there's no downside," I said with a shrug, pretending like I was stating the most obvious truth in the world.
Kayda gave me a flat look, her expression unimpressed. "No, we're ruining other people's experiences." She adjusted the teddy bear, which looked absurdly huge in comparison to her size, as if she were trying to carry around a child.
"Are we, though?" I lifted a hand, gesturing like a philosopher about to deliver wisdom. "Or are we actually saving them money?"
Her eyes narrowed, deadpan. "Yes. We are ruining it for them."
"But they're ruining the event for us," I shot back, letting my tone slip into a mock complaint.
That response elicited a long, dramatic sigh from her, which conveyed the weight of someone regretting their life choices.
"Sigh, you do realize that you won that shooting game fair and square-even though the guy rigged it," Kayda said, her face calm as she explained. "It's not impossible to win. Just very hard."
I flicked my hair back arrogantly. "No, it's impossible for other people. I am Kitsuna, the fox, you know. There's no one like me out there." I puffed up my chest, proud.
"Did you use magic?" Kayda asked, tilting her head sideways, her tone cutting straight through my boasting like it was tissue paper.
"No," I muttered, shoulders dropping. Her lack of reaction left me feeling deflated.
"Then there's no problem," she said simply, shrugging like the conversation was over.
"Fine, fine," I grumbled, unwilling to admit defeat. "But you still didn't answer me. Where are we going next?" I asked, quick to steer the topic elsewhere.
"Let's get those meatballs we wanted before," Kayda suggested, finally smiling.
"Yeah!" I lifted both hands into the air in victory, accidentally letting go of hers in the process.
Kayda immediately frowned. "Don't do that. And store Big Chungus away." She pushed her teddy toward me like she was offering a sacrifice.
"It has a name?" I blinked, surprised.
"Yeah, of course, all my-" Kayda cut herself off abruptly, clamming up mid-sentence.
My ears perked. "Oh? Did I hear something intriguing just now?" I playfully teased her while gently taking Big Chungus out of her arms before she could pull away.
"No, you didn't. I said no such thing." Kayda glared at me, her pouty lips making the expression more comical than threatening.
"Pfft, 'no such thing'? That sounded like denial. As if you'd been caught being nice to someone." My laughter came out quick and sharp.
Kayda tilted her head, confusion written across her face. "Where did I compliment someone?"
I sighed like an exasperated teacher. "Don't worry about it. More importantly, what did you say about all your teddies? They all have what now?" I pressed, my grin widening.
"Aah, shut up. You didn't hear anything." She whined, reaching up and trying to grab my head.
I leaned back easily, dodging. "Oh, but you already know my hearing is impeccable."
"Yeah, but you have those earbuds in," she accused, narrowing her eyes at me like she'd just discovered my weakness.
"Not currently," I said smugly, showing her the earbuds resting in my hand.
Kayda's jaw dropped. "That's why you were acting smug!" she cried, sounding utterly betrayed.
"Haha. So let's recount. You said 'all my,' which means you always name your teddies and that you definitely have multiple of them." My tone was mockingly thoughtful, like I was piecing together a grand mystery.
"Aaah, stop talking!" Kayda shouted, lunging for my mouth.
I darted sideways, laughing. "That's so cute. You collect teddies as a hobby."
Kayda stopped mid-lunge, crossing her arms with a huff. "Hmph, so what? They're adorable." Her pout deepened, but her ears twitched in embarrassment.
"Uh-huh. Teddies are adorable sometimes," I agreed, softening my tone-before immediately undercutting it. "But nothing will ever beat your face right now." I reached out, catching her chin between my fingers and lifting it just enough for her to look straight into my eyes.
"Gah, don't look at me like that," Kayda stammered, face flushing before she practically leapt onto me, trying to cover my mouth with her hands.
"Ha-ha, come on, I'm just teasing you," I said between giggles as we half-wrestled in the snow.
"And they said they weren't lovers," Katie's voice rang suddenly from the side, startling us both into freezing.
"I know, right? Just look at them. All this screams lovers," Ann added, her grin sharp enough to cut.
"Huh?" Kayda and I turned in unison, our playful skirmish grinding to a halt. About forty meters away, Katie and her mother were watching us, each holding a small tub of food. Katie looked caught off guard, while Ann's smile was pure mischief.
"Oh, they heard us," Katie said, startled. She quickly handed her tub to Ann and grabbed the wheelchair handles, trying to retreat.
"Nope. You're not going anywhere," Kayda said, instantly appearing in front of them, blocking their path.
"Yeah, no. What is this?" I asked, popping up behind them. My eyes narrowed as I peered into the tub. "Is that supposed to be meatballs? Because it tastes more like deep-fried cabbage."
"Hey, don't take my food!" Katie shouted, leaping at me, only for her arms to pass straight through my body as I dissolved into red smoke.
Reappearing beside Kayda, I held the tub in my hands. "Kayda, was this what we would've gotten if we ordered those meatballs?"
Kayda shook her head quickly. "No. This is the healthy version. The restaurant also offers the delicious fatty versions. I really love them." Her eyes brightened at the mention, almost sparkling.
"Is that so? Oh, here you go. I won't eat your food anymore." I handed the tub back to Katie, who grabbed it protectively.
"You would've eaten it. But I already took a bite," she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"Yeah, so? I don't care," I said with a shrug.
"You-" Katie started to argue, but Kayda's sweet, drawn-out voice interrupted.
"Kitsu, what do you mean by that?" she teased, her tone dripping honey, sending a shiver crawling down my spine.
"Kayda, don't even think I care about something like someone else's saliva," I shot back, shaking my head with practiced calm.
"So..." Kayda's voice softened, almost sulky.
I deadpanned. "Are you a teenager on hormones? Indirect kissing isn't a thing."
"I am not," she argued quickly, but her eyes flicked away guiltily.
"Is that so? Then why did you make me take two bites of the candy apple I hated so much?" I grinned at the memory of her smug face back then.
Kayda's cheeks flushed pink. "That's... Wait. If you knew, would you still do it?"
"Hmm, guess you got me there." I smirked. "So you were after my saliva." Shrugging, I began walking away casually.
"No, no! Don't just dismiss my question like that!" Kayda hurried after me, her voice pitching into a whine.
"I'm not dismissing it, rawr." I tilted my head innocently.
"Yeah, you are. You didn't answer properly," she accused, glaring at me.
"...How many teddies do you have? I bet there's one named Cold, Fluffy, or maybe Snowy. Better yet... Kisses."
"Gah, Kisses? What a shitty name! I'd never torture my teddies with that gruesome name." Kayda froze mid-sentence, realizing too late what she'd admitted.
I smirked. "Oh, so you do have special names for all of them."
"Ugh." She groaned, face-palming.
"So, what's your favorite one? How does it look? And what's its name?" I pressed, grinning wickedly.
"Her-" Kayda cut herself off again, realizing she'd stepped into another trap. "No, wait, don't go changing the subject just because you don't want to admit you're also a teenager with raging hormones!"
"Also?" I raised a brow.
"Gah."
"Kayda, you do realize I'm actually fourteen, right? Around this time hormones do show up."
Her ears twitched. "...So you're not denying it."
"Well, it's my body that gets the hormones, not my brain and thoughts. But they're definitely affecting your thoughts," I said, watching her fumble.
Kayda froze, then blurted, "...Fine! I have twenty-seven teddies, each with adorable names. I'll introduce you later." She crossed her arms, as if to indicate that the matter was settled.
I blinked. "So it's more embarrassing for you to admit you've got hormones than to admit you've got twenty-seven named teddies?"
"I do not deny or agree with anything you just said," Kayda muttered, looking away stubbornly.
I chuckled. "I swear I've said those exact words before."
Before Kayda could argue, a shrill, high-pitched voice rang out.
"Crepes for sale! Get your crepes at Ben's stall!" A small girl darted past us, waving her hand high in the air, her voice carrying over the crowd.
"Hey," I said, appearing directly in front of her.
"Oof!" The girl squeaked as she ran straight into me, falling back on her butt with a thump.
She looked up, wide-eyed. "Sorry! I didn't see you there!"
"No, it's my fault. Anyway, where's the crepe stand you were shouting about?" I asked, reaching down to help her up.
Her green eyes brightened immediately. "Oh, you want Uncle Ben's stall? Follow me, I'll show you!" She grabbed my hand confidently and tugged me forward with surprising strength.
"Wait up. There's still more coming." I looked over my shoulder. "Kayda, are you coming?"
"Yeah, of course," Kayda said, quickly catching up and grabbing my free hand.
"And you two?" I asked Katie and Ann.
"Yeah," Ann said with a grin. "You guys seem entertaining tonight."
"Hmm." Kayda hummed low, her gaze sliding toward Ann.
Ann immediately raised her hands. "Okay, okay, I won't tease you."
"Good. Then let's go, little girl," I said, nodding.
"Okay! To Uncle Ben's stall we go!" she cheered, leading the way.
As I followed, I glanced down at her yukata. It looked almost identical to mine; only her base color was purple instead of red. Her short green hair shimmered beneath the lanterns, her emerald eyes glowing like jewels in the snowlight. She looked like a little mirror, almost like a smaller version of me-but with brighter eyes and more innocence.
And for a brief moment, I wondered what story this little girl carried with her.
Yo so there will be only one more chapter for the festival romance arc, but it's going to be a big one. I am also still writing it and it is already at 1800 words. It should be finished by next week. think I will end up around 3000 to 4000 words.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 136
"Umm, how did we end up like this?" I muttered, staring at the ridiculous pile of toys, prizes, and oversized stall rewards Kayda and I were carrying. They spilled from our arms in heaps: brightly colored stuffed animals, cheap wooden trinkets, masks, and strange magical toys that buzzed faintly with unstable mana. In one arm, Kayda carried a giant teddy as tall as herself, while in her other arm she balanced the girl from earlier-Jenny-whose tiny legs dangled and swung back and forth happily as if she hadn't noticed she'd become another one of Kayda's prizes.
"Well, I blame everything on you," Kayda replied with a dramatic pout, puffing her cheeks out as she shifted her balance. Her wings twitched in irritation at the effort of holding everything.
"Who was the one that said, 'It's fine, we'll take care of her for the night'?" I reminded her flatly, raising a brow.
"Ugh, that might be my fault," Kayda admitted, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly while looking away. "But I couldn't help it. Her puppy eyes were just... adorable."
I sighed, exasperated. "Yeah, and my glare did nothing."
"That... you were glaring at me?" Kayda tilted her head, genuinely confused. "I thought you were just wondering what I was going to do with that straight face of yours."
"...No, I wasn't," I mumbled, looking away in irritation.
'Fuck you, illusion,' I cursed inwardly. Of course my carefully crafted mask would make her misinterpret my glare.
Kayda giggled under her breath, clearly amused. "Also, I can't take all the blame for this. You didn't have to win all those festival games."
I clicked my tongue. "I hate losing, and you know that."
"Tch. True," Kayda admitted, glancing off to the side as if conceding a point she really didn't want to.
"So what are we going to do now? The main event is happening soon."
"What?" she asked, blinking at me.
"My flower," I explained, pointing toward the massive flaming rose at the center of the festival. The golden fire that had burned so brightly at the start was noticeably dimmer now, its brilliance draining away little by little. "It's going to vanish in about an hour or so."
"Wow, you're right," Kayda said, her eyes widening slightly. "Now that you say that, it does seem like the mana's being siphoned off."
"Yeah. Someone's drawing the mana out to make a perfect night."
Her ears perked. "Huh, you can see the mana moving now?"
"Huh? No." I shook my head. "Remember, that flower's made out of my mana. Of course I'd feel it moving around-at least when I'm close enough to it."
"But you can't take control back?"
"Well... no," I admitted.
Kayda stared at me silently, her eyes searching my face. She didn't say anything, but the weight of her gaze made my ears twitch uncomfortably.
I cleared my throat, shifting the topic quickly. "...Hey, little girl, let's get you back to your uncle, okay?"
"Okay!" Jenny shouted happily, her voice clear and innocent as a bell.
"You remember the way, right?" I asked to confirm that we weren't about to wander in circles.
"Umm, yeah, I do." She nodded, her small hands gripping Kayda's teddy bear for balance.
"Cool," I mumbled, giving her a kind smile.
"Hehe, Jenny is a smart girl," she said proudly, puffing her chest a little.
"Yes, yes, you are intelligent," Kayda agreed, her voice softening.
"Hehe, thank you for the great night," Jenny added suddenly, glancing between us.
"If you say so," I replied with a faint smile.
"You are a very nice person, Kitsuna," Jenny said, her voice earnest and innocent.
"And you're a very naive girly. Don't change." My words only made her blink at me, confused.
"It's Jenny," Kayda corrected firmly. "And she's a kid. What do you expect?" She gave me a disappointed look.
"Nothing. I meant that she should never learn what the world's really like," I said, shrugging.
Kayda sighed heavily and shook her head. "Okay, whatever. We're almost back to your uncle anyway."
"Okay!" Jenny chirped.
[10 minutes later]
"Thank you so much for taking care of little Jenny," her uncle said, bowing deeply to both of us. His relief was obvious in the way his shoulders relaxed.
"It's fine. We said we'd take care of her," Kayda replied warmly.
"We?" I muttered, side-eyeing her.
"Yes, we," she repeated firmly, ending the argument before it could start. I hadn't intended to argue about it.
"Again, thank you." The uncle bowed once more before taking Jenny and the mountain of toys we'd somehow acquired.
"Thank you, guys!" Jenny shouted over her shoulder, waving enthusiastically as she was led away.
"Blegh. "Blegh. There are too many sparkles," I muttered, wrinkling my nose at the overly cheerful tone she used.
"For once, I agree with you," Kayda said, waving back half-heartedly.
"Now what?" I asked, turning to her.
"Hmm, excellent question. Search for a spot where your flower explodes?" she suggested, tilting her head.
"Yeah, that sounds good," I agreed.
"And romantic."
"...I guess," I said reluctantly.
"Hehe. Come, let's go," Kayda said, her voice bright as she grabbed my left hand.
"Hey, guys, you're back!" Katie's voice cut through the noise. She waved at us from nearby, surprisingly without Ann by her side.
"Oh, Katie. What's up? Did you lose your mother?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Huh? No. She told me to tell you there are stands set up in that direction for everyone to watch the festival's highlight."
"Highlight? Not the end?"
"No, there's still a dancing part at the end."
"Oh shit," I muttered under my breath as realization hit me.
"Hmm? Is there a problem with dancing?" Katie asked, clearly confused.
"No, not at all," I said quickly, looking away.
"She can't dance," Kayda chimed in with a grin. "Or so she says."
"I really can't... I've never had it before," I admitted, my last words so soft they were almost inaudible.
Katie tilted her head. "Hmm, but you're a good fighter, right? Like, with using your body?"
"Hmm. "I'm not as good at dancing as my mother, but I'm decent enough," I said thoughtfully, unsure of what she was leading to.
"Then you'll be fine if you have a good leader," Katie said confidently, looking straight at Kayda.
"Nope, I have no idea how to lead someone in dancing," Kayda admitted instantly, raising her hands in surrender.
"Hmm. Then I guess I'll ask Mom to help her," Katie said to no one in particular.
"And if I don't want to?" I asked sharply.
"You don't have a choice. My mother wants to see you two dance together, and she's going to get it."
"...Why does this feel like a thing with the marquises? Like all of you just get what you want."
"Ah, now that you mention it, it does sound like that to you, doesn't it?" Kayda said, smirking.
"So, Mom and Ann do this to everyone?" I asked.
"No. Only to you," Kayda replied.
"Ugh, seriously?"
"Yeah~."
"Why?"
"Because it's probably funny for them," Kayda said, laughing.
"Ugh. I hate them," I muttered, pouting.
"Haha, don't be like that. They're doing it out of love," Kayda teased, grabbing my arm.
"Pfft. Yeah, sure."
Katie folded her arms. "So, are you all coming with us or not?"
"No, we'll find our own spot. We'll join you later," I said, trying to shoo her away.
"Uh, nope. You're coming. No choice."
"What? Really?"
"Just give it up, Kitsu. We're not getting out of this one," Kayda sighed.
"So let's go," Katie said firmly.
"...Damn it!" I cursed, trailing behind while still holding Kayda's hand.
[5 minutes later]
"Oh, you guys are finally here. The fireworks won't be happening for another thirty minutes," Ann greeted, smiling as we arrived at her bench outside the festival area.
"Yo, still that long?" I asked.
"Yeah, we planned them for midnight," Ann explained, pointing up at the dark sky.
"Huh. It's already that late?" I tilted my head back, spotting the moon high overhead.
"Yes. Haven't you noticed how dark it is?"
"Nope. Too preoccupied all night," I admitted.
"Sigh. With what? Destroying people's businesses?" Ann teased.
"Ah, Katie, let's get drinks," Kayda said quickly, dragging Katie off before I could retort.
"She-she just left me," I said, baffled.
"Yes. Just like that," Ann laughed. "She left you."
"Tch. So what did you two do all night?" I asked, sitting beside her.
Ann launched into a rant about smoothies, candy apples, and cheaters at the stalls, each detail making me grin wider. When she finished, I said dryly, "Man, that sounds familiar."
We swapped stories back and forth until she narrowed her eyes knowingly. "Do you know what all the chaos tonight had in common?"
I tilted my head innocently. "Hmm? No clue."
"A red fox," she said flatly.
"Nope, not ringing a bell. Anyway, Katie said you'll teach me how to dance."
And so, Ann stood and, despite my protests, pulled me into an impromptu dance lesson.
"Okay, now give me your hands," she ordered, holding hers out.
"Okay?" I hesitated, cutting them off and handing them to her.
"Not like that, you idiot! They're supposed to still be attached to your body!" she yelled, shoving them back.
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. "Haha, okay, okay. Here."
Soon enough, she had me stumbling through the basics, guiding my steps with surprising patience.
"Ha-ha, there you go. Not so bad, right?" she said.
"I don't really know what you mean," I admitted, baffled.
"Sigh. You dumbass. We're dancing right now."
"Huh? What do you mean we're dancing? I'm just dodging your-oh." Realization hit, and my eyes widened. "Now I get it. That's why you asked all those questions earlier."
Kayda's voice piped up from the side. "Wow, your mom is good."
"Of course she is," Katie replied proudly.
I stopped abruptly, glaring. "I object."
"What?" Katie blinked.
"I object that your mother's better at teaching than mine," I declared, helping Ann sit again.
Katie huffed. "But you just learned how to dance in five minutes!"
"Not really. All I know is how not to step on people's toes," I said, smirking. "Knowing how to dance means you can lead."
Katie tried to argue, but Ann sighed. "She's impossible."
Eventually Kayda and Katie returned with crates of food and drinks, the smell of sweet crepes and fatty meat filling the air. We ate, teased, and argued until Kayda leaned close again.
"Yeah... so what's your answer?" she asked softly, bringing the conversation back to what she'd been pressing me about all night.
I froze, stammered, then finally muttered awkwardly, "I guess you're my second most important person."
Kayda blinked. "...Is Stacy first?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
She only smiled wryly. "Don't worry. I understand. You're a mommy girl."
"Ugh, that's so mean," I groaned.
But before I could complain further, the flower at the center of the festival suddenly exploded into a cascade of golden sparks. The crowd gasped as the night sky bloomed with light.
And in that moment, without thinking, I grabbed Kayda's collar and kissed her.
Boom!
The crack of fireworks swallowed her muffled gasp, but she kissed me back, her arms tightening around me.
'Fuck. This will be addictive,' I thought, pulling her onto my lap as the night burned bright above us.
Now I have been editing this for the last 5 to 6 hours while watching movies( Pacific rim, the anime on Netflix, battleships and some boring things). So do make a comment if there was something wrong in the chap. Please.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 137
You know Kayda once said she couldn't lead someone when dancing, yeah? Well, that was an utter lie. She lied straight to my face with that smug smile of hers. The moment our feet touched the dancing floor, she took over like a storm blowing through a field of dry grass. She didn't just lead-she commanded. And I, poor little novice fox girl, got dragged along like some beginner student trying not to trip on her feet.
It wasn't graceful, not from my side anyway. Kayda was spinning me, dipping me, twirling me, and moving so confidently that I barely had a chance to breathe, much less think about what my feet were doing. The crowd cheered and clapped as if we were professionals, while I was silently praying I wouldn't collapse face-first onto the stage.
Even my stamina-usually more than enough for a fight or two-bottomed out by the end. That's how intense she was. Dragons don't just dance, apparently. They wage war on the dance floor. I swore my legs were jelly, and my lungs burned worse than when I trained with Lina. Fucking dragons. You can never trust them when they say something innocent like, "I can't lead a dance." Utter lies.
Anyways, that was three days ago. It has been three long, chaotic, headache-inducing, and strangely happy days since Kayda officially became my girlfriend. Even though that part came with complications.
She got mad-really mad-when I said we weren't technically lovers yet because, well, we hadn't slept together. She puffed up like a cat about to claw your face off, wings twitching and all. I thought she was going to breathe fire on me right then and there. She said I was being stubborn, that labels didn't matter, and that being together was enough. And maybe she's right. Maybe I'm too damn stubborn.
But deep down? I still think my feelings are being manipulated by this stupid soulmate bond we share. It's like a string tugging at my heart every time I look at her. Is it real? Or just magic forcing me? I haven't told her that, of course. If I did, I'd be slaughtered-not physically, sadly, but in a mental sense. Which, honestly, might be worse.
So, instead of poking that bear, I did the next best thing. I asked Kayda for a spar.
She accepted instantly, no hesitation. If anything, she looked too eager. Probably saw it as the perfect chance for payback after I denied her. However, I don't believe she hates me. She loves every excuse to fight me, even if it ends in both of us being sore and grouchy.
Ann and Katie overheard us whispering about where to spar and offered us the mansion's underground training ground. There was a catch though-they'd only let us use it if they could watch. Of course Kayda, ever the show-off, agreed before I even had a chance to ask important questions like, "Is it actually big enough?"
Turns out it was.
Big wasn't even the right word. Massive. The moment we stepped inside, I felt tiny. You could probably fit five Kaydas stacked in her dragon form on top of each other and still have space left over. The ceiling disappeared into darkness, and the walls were so distant that I couldn't even see them. A faint metallic smell permeated the air, likely due to the accumulation of mana over the years.
So here we were. Kayda and I stood across from each other, preparing to fight. Ann and Katie sat off to the side on a sturdy bench like the event was just some entertainment show. I asked them to sit further back-they refused. Ann claimed there was a barrier up and they'd be fine. I wasn't convinced, but fine.
"Man, it's been a while since we sparred, hasn't it?" I said, rolling my shoulders and stretching. I wore my usual training outfit: a sports bra and cargo pants, nothing fancy, nothing restricting. Looking up at Kayda floating in the air, wings spread and silver light armor shining, I couldn't help but smile.
"And whose fault is that?" she shot back, clicking her tongue.
"Aah~, do you feel neglected?" I teased, smirking.
"Hmph. Of course not. I don't care if you only concentrate on training even when you're literally riding on my back," Kayda said, arms crossed.
"Man, you could care a little more about how you word things," I said, rubbing my cheek.
"...Are you guys going to bicker the entire time or actually spar?" Ann's voice rang out, flat and annoyed.
"Hmm, that depends," I said, tilting my head at her mischievously.
"Kitsu, she already knows about your bloodline," Kayda reminded me with a sigh.
"Yeah, I know, but does Katie?" I asked, glancing at the girl.
Katie blinked, clearly lost.
"No, but she can keep secrets. Right, darling?" Ann asked, looking at her daughter.
"Uh-I won't tell anyone about what happens today," Katie said quickly, nodding like her life depended on it.
"If you say so," I muttered. With that, I dropped my illusion. My tails unfurled-three of them, fiery red fur shimmering in the light.
"Wha-!? She has three tails!?" Katie gasped, nearly falling off the bench.
"Shush, Katie."
"Right..." she whispered, still staring.
"So, Kayda, are we warming up first?" I asked, eyes on her again.
"Whatever," she said casually, conjuring a dozen scorching fireballs around herself.
"Hehe. Warm-up, it is," I said, grinning as two spears of ice materialized in my hands. Without hesitation, I hurled them at her.
Kayda only scoffed, flinging scorch balls to intercept.
Sizzle. The spears melted away.
Guess my ice still isn't cold enough. Gotta focus more on the mana itself. Come on, Kitsuna, you trained this.' I clenched my jaw, watching as two scorch balls broke through and came barreling toward me.
"Okay then," I muttered, forming a long ice sword. I waited until they were in reach and sliced both in half with a single sweep. The heat licked my skin before the flames fizzled out.
"I see you've finished the pole exercise I gave you," Kayda said with a smug nod.
"Yeah, thanks to my class. Well, not entirely, but it helps," I admitted with a shrug.
"I see. Well, Amari finished it before you-and she didn't even have a class," Kayda added smugly.
"Ugh, don't remind me how much better she is at magic than me," I grumbled.
"Haha, don't sweat the small stuff. You're both geniuses," Kayda said, waving me off.
"Hmm," I hummed, unimpressed. With a sigh, I created more weapons in the air-blades and spears-before sending them hurtling at her.
"Oh, you can conjure them like normal spells now?" Kayda asked, blocking them with her scorch balls.
"I could have done this from the start. It just wastes too much mana. "It still does," I said, annoyed, as I watched my creations dissolve.
"Oh." She tilted her head, mildly surprised.
"Tsk." As I clicked my tongue, I layered lightning and fire on top of my ice.
Bang!
Boom!
Sizzle!
The collisions shook the air, leaving trails of mist. Soon enough, a thick fog blanketed the space around Kayda. Her silhouette blurred in the haze.
'Perfect,' I thought, circling quietly.
But then her voice rang out sharp through the mist. "Do you really think I wouldn't know what's happening around me?"
She unleashed a volley of scorch balls blindly in the haze. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't in front-I was right behind, sword raised to strike.
"Pochi thought it'd work for a bit," I muttered, only to dodge sideways as the fireballs curved unnaturally toward me.
"-Oh fuck!" Kayda yelped when three blurry red figures emerged from the mist, charging straight at her.
"Da-damn surprise," I smirked, appearing at her flank with a warhammer raised.
The impact sent her flying, wings flaring as she tried to regain balance.
"Hehe, surprised!" I called, landing gracefully as my tails stretched behind me-massive, ten meters long each, glowing ominously with condensed mana.
Kayda's eyes widened. "What the fuck is that!?"
"My tails?" I asked innocently, tilting my head.
"That's unbelievable! How are you able to do that?" she shouted, pointing accusingly.
"Oh, they're manatees now. I can change the length," I explained cheerfully, swinging them experimentally, extending and shrinking them with ease.
Kayda's shock turned into curiosity. "What else can you do?"
"Huh? Why would I tell you?" I teased.
She sighed dramatically. "And why not?"
"Because that would make this spar pointless," I said, grinning as I blinked right in front of her.
BOOM!
[Kayda POV]
Before she could say another smug word, I launched a barrage of scorch balls, cloaking the area in another thick layer of smoke.
"Fair point," I muttered, expecting her to be hiding.
Instead, one of her figures stood there in the haze, only to crack and shatter into ice.
"I told you that won't work!" came her voice from my right.
"But we're the same person, dumbass!" came her voice again, this time from the left.
My head spun. 'What? Is she running circles around me? Then why is she arguing with herself?'
"Both of you shut up. You're being annoying," came another voice-directly in front.
'What the hell-there's more of her?'
"Says the one sending us in to die," another Kitsu snarked, tone sharp.
"Tsk, don't make it sound like we're different entities," one grumbled.
"But we need to keep up this banter until cutie notices us," one purred in a sultry voice that sent heat rushing to my face.
"Yeah, yeah. Shut it. The smoke's clearing," another sighed.
And just as she said, the haze began to thin.
The sight that met my eyes froze me on the spot.
"Oh hell no," was all I managed to choke out.
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Chapter 138
"Oh hell no, how are there three of you!" Kayda shouted, her tone sharp and carrying that edge of disbelief mixed with annoyance. Her eyes darted between us like she wasn't sure which one of me to attack first. Her brows knit together, wings twitching in irritation, and for once the magnificent red dragon didn't sound pleased.
I tilted my head slightly, more amused than concerned. "What's the problem?" I asked innocently, looking at all of us in turn, as if I too were trying to confirm what she was seeing. However, despite the presence of three bodies here, each of us had only one tail, including myself. Somehow that was reassuring. If all of us had sprouted extra tails, Kayda probably would have had a meltdown.
"Ah, we can actually be four," the clone to my left explained casually, almost smugly, shrugging like the loss wasn't anything worth making a fuss about. "But yeah, that one died right there in front of you, so you're only seeing three right now."
Kayda's eyes widened, her jaw tensing as she pointed a finger at me-or us. "F-four. You can make four of yourself?"
"Yeah, why?" I asked, blinking at her like she was the one being strange about this. "Is that a big deal or something?"
Her wings snapped tighter against her back, the leathery membrane rustling faintly. "Kitsuna, I will warn you right now..." She paused, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "If one of your clones does anything date-related-anything-I don't care what it is-you are dead. Do you hear me? Dead."
The weight of her words sent a shiver straight through me, my tail bristling without my permission. I wasn't sure if she was bluffing or not, but I wasn't about to test it. "Yes, yes, we understand," I said quickly. The other two of me chimed in at the exact same time, our voices overlapping in eerie harmony, making it sound like some weird choir.
Kayda squinted at us, but the way her cheeks flushed a faint pink gave her away. Still, she nodded firmly, satisfied with my obedience. "Good. Now we can continue."
"Ah, right," I muttered, trying not to sound too nervous. But at the same time, the itch to push her buttons was just too strong. With a sudden burst of energy, I lunged forward, my clones moving in step beside me.
"So what now?" One of the clones asked hesitantly, his tone lacking confidence.
"You guys can go," I said bluntly, swinging both my hands outward. Chains of glimmering frost and shadow coiled through the air, latching onto the clones.
"Ugh, fuck's sake, what a waste of mana," the first clone groaned, his body shifting before collapsing inward, reshaping into the jagged form of an ice axe.
"I must agree with that one," the second added dryly before changing as well, his figure warping into a heavy warhammer that clanged against the ground with a resounding weight.
"Shut it," I snapped at them both, tugging on the chained weapons as they rattled in my grip.
Kayda's sharp eyes followed every movement, her expression a mix of irritation and amusement. "I must agree with them, Kitsu. Making clones takes a lot of mana. That headache of yours isn't worth it."
"Yeah, yeah, I know that," I muttered, pulling the axe and warhammer closer to me with a sharp tug of the chains. My temples throbbed like someone was splitting my skull with a crowbar. "But I can't control them properly. This way's easier."
'It feels like my mind got split into four,' I thought grimly, wincing as the throbbing worsened. 'Scratch that-the mind does split into four.'
"Ah, I see," Kayda said coolly, her body suddenly moving in a blur. She jumped back effortlessly, dodging the whistling swing of the axe as it cut through the air, followed immediately by the hammer's brutal arc.
Bang!
The shockwave of her takeoff rattled the ground beneath me.
"I really hate it when you fight in the air," I grumbled, glaring upward as she flapped her wings and soared out of reach again.
"Haha, I won't be the last," she shot back, her voice carrying over the battlefield.
"No shit," I muttered. Crouching low, I launched myself after her with explosive force. Chains crackled, the axe spinning wildly toward her while I twirled the hammer above me, ready to strike.
"Oh damn," Kayda hissed, banking backward midair as the axe sliced past her.
"Hup!" I grunted, swinging the hammer. With perfect timing, I let it collide with the back of the axe's handle, sending it flying even faster toward her.
Her eyes widened as the axe's edge grazed her wing. "Damn, nice move," she admitted, but her smile faltered when she glanced at the weapon's blade and noticed that the tip was melting due to her heat.
"Tsk, you're using that now," I said through clenched teeth, annoyed as I yanked the weapons back to me and landed with a powerful thud on the ground.
"You didn't say I couldn't," Kayda replied with a maddening shrug.
"True. I did want you to use that," I admitted, letting the chains go slack. The weapons hit the ground with a dull clatter before dissolving back into mist. My hands shifted, energy coiling into a new shape.
Kayda noticed immediately, her smirk faltering. "Oh, really?"
Bang!
The shot rang out, the bullet grazing across her wing and leaving a scorch-marked line of blood.
"Ow, that hurts, Kitsu," she hissed, glaring down at me.
"Yeah? Then dodge it," I said flatly, holding the hand cannon steady, black lightning sparking across its surface.
"Tsk."
"Haha, now dance, you flying lizard!" I laughed, summoning a second hand cannon and opening fire. The air filled with thunderous cracks, sparks, and smoke as bullet after bullet screamed toward her.
"Shit, since when!?" Kayda yelped, rolling and swerving through the sky, her wings beating furiously as she tried to outmaneuver the onslaught.
"Class, baby! Rawr!" I shouted, leaping after her while still firing, cheeks heating in embarrassment at my slip-up.
"Haha, it came out again!" Katie's laughter rang from the sideline, her voice mocking.
Dong!
"Shut up, tomato girl!" I yelled, hurling a grenade against the barrier with enough force to make the ground quake.
Katie paled instantly, shrinking back. "Uh uh uh uh..." She shook her head, pale as paper, eyes wide like I'd just thrown it at her instead.
"Great-"
"Kitsu, hasn't your mother ever taught you not to take your eyes off your opponent?" Kayda's voice purred behind me.
A chill ran down my spine. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder, smirking. "Oh, Kayda, Kayda... You do know my mother, right?"
Her brow furrowed. "Huh? Yes?"
"Yeah, she would attack me in the middle of the night if she felt like it," I said, grin widening.
"She would!?" Kayda yelped, startled.
"Yeah~, and it seems you need that training as well," I said, my tail already tightening around her ankle.
Boom!
Her shriek of frustration echoed as she was slammed into the ground.
"Every time, Kayda," I taunted mockingly. "When will you-ugh-learn?"
Before I could finish, a blazing kick caught me across the chest, launching me back.
"Shut up already! Are you not already warmed up?" she snapped, shaking off the dust.
"Ugh, I guess I am." I winced, rubbing at my left breast where her strike had landed. "Man, you really chose the wrong spot to hit me."
Kayda's mouth twitched. "Oh, sorry, I didn't look where I hit you," she said, not sounding sorry at all.
"Right, you'd never hit your girlfriend's boob on purpose," I sighed, still massaging the sore spot.
"Yes, of course I won't," she said with thick sarcasm.
"Whatever." With another sigh, I flash-stepped forward at full speed, the scythe materializing in my grip and stopping mere centimeters from her abdomen.
Kayda didn't flinch. She brought her left hand down, mana coating her palm in a shimmering glow.
I ducked, rolling to the right, whipping the scythe back toward her head.
"Tsk." Clicking her tongue, she raised a scorch barrier, igniting a fiery explosion.
Boom!
The blast tore across the battlefield, and when the smoke cleared, I was standing meters away-my arms gone, half my right leg missing.
"Ah, fuck's sake, my pants!" I yelled.
Katie nearly fainted. "Wait, isn't that going too far!?"
But her voice cut off into a squeak as she saw my limbs regenerate in seconds.
"Pfft, don't pee yourself," I muttered, ignoring the way her face turned an even deeper shade of white.
The smoke shifted.
Bang!
Vrrrr!
Boom!
The sound of gunfire cracked through the haze, bullets tearing through Kayda's barrier. One slipped through, the explosion ripping the shield apart.
Her eyes widened. "Your clones!" she barked, whirling toward the left, where one of my copies stood, chains whirling axes and hammers at her.
"Too fast," I said, clicking my tongue as she evaded.
Three fingers raised.
Bang!
Her scream cut the air as the bullet clipped her leg.
"Now!" my clone roared, launching both chained weapons as I flash-stepped behind her, wielding a massive, bulky gun.
Bang!
The bullets hammered against her barrier, but she reinforced it instantly, patches of flame repairing the hole. The shots bounced off uselessly.
"Wait, it bounced!?" She shouted-only to see them detonate into a storm of explosions that sent her flying straight into the warhammer's waiting strike.
Boom!
And still, she didn't hit the ground.
"All that, and you still haven't fallen seriously," I muttered, disappointed.
Kayda huffed, sweat dripping from her brow as she held the warhammer mere centimeters away with one hand, the other gripping a spear she'd conjured from the earth.
"It really feels like you're trying to kill me, Kitsu," she said, breaking the spear and shoving the warhammer away, the force obliterating my clone.
Bang. Bang.
Two sniper shots cracked again, one obliterating her scorch ball, the other puncturing her barrier. But then-silence. The clone's mana signature winked out.
"Your clone only had four shots?" she asked.
"Yeah, but they're just clones," I answered from right beside her, scythe slicing toward her.
She flinched, blasting it apart with a scorch spell.
Bang! Bang!
I was already firing again, twin hand cannons blazing.
Boom!
Kayda cursed, dodging through the smoke, her wings flaring.
"Where are you going?" I called after her, tails whipping through the haze like vipers.
"Away from these raging tails of yours!"
"Nope, you aren't getting away," I said, flashing behind her with a smirk, katana thrust forward.
Drip.
The blade melted.
"Tsk, you raised the temperature," I muttered, tossing away the useless hilt.
"Of course I did," she shot back, steadying herself midair.
"No," I growled, forming an ice platform beneath my feet. Launching from it, I dove at her again, tails lashing out in a deadly arc.
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Chapter 139
"Tsk, you're like a stalker, Kitsu!" Kayda yelped, her voice echoing with frustration as she tried to keep my relentless tail and me at bay. Her wings beat furiously, scattering heat in shimmering waves around her, but I pressed on, every movement of mine designed to suffocate her with pressure.
"The best way to go against a long-range mage is being close range," I shot back, not missing a beat in my onslaught. My tails lashed like whips, the air itself cracking from their speed as I pushed her to react rather than think.
"I know that, but-fuck!" she cursed, teeth grinding together as she released a sudden burst of mana. A shockwave rippled out from her body, distorting the air and forcing me to stagger for half a second. Dust spiraled upward around her like she was the eye of some volcanic storm.
"Hey, now don't let your thoughts distract you," I warned, smirking as I ignored the wave's sting and flash-stepped forward. In the blink of an eye, I was right in front of her, arm cocked back, fingers curled, aiming to clamp down on her head.
"Tsk," Kayda clicked her tongue, eyes narrowing. Her hands rose, mana flaring as she began forming another barrier around her.
"Nope," I said before she could finish, my grin widening. I pulled out a giant slab of ice shaped into a shield, ramming it forward with all my momentum.
The moment my ice slammed into her half-formed barrier, the clash created a violent explosion. BOOM. Both of us were sent hurtling away in opposite directions, tumbling through the air.
Kayda recovered quickly, her wings unfurling to catch the air. She glared down at me, annoyance etched on her face. "Tsk, of course you'd prepare something other than your sniper," she said, immediately gaining altitude. Her body blurred as she ascended, clearly aiming to use her aerial advantage.
I landed hard, boots skidding across the ground until I forced myself upright. My shield dissolved into glittering mist, leaving me standing in a shallow crater. Looking up, I saw her climbing higher. "Yeah, well, knowing how to counter it makes things easier," I replied, brushing the dust from my cheek, "but the mana use is a pain."
"Yea!" Kayda shouted, her voice a battle cry. Dozens of scorch spells erupted around her, crimson spheres of molten energy forming in a dazzling halo. Without hesitation, she launched them all at me.
"This is why you always go for the kill against mages," I muttered under my breath, sprinting in erratic zigzags as the flaming orbs came raining down like artillery. Each explosion left smoking craters where I had just been a moment before.
Kayda's smug voice carried over the chaos. "Yes, but you don't want to kill me."
"...Kayda, why the hell would you say something like that right now?" I yelled back, heart skipping uncomfortably at the words.
"Umm, I don't know, sorry," she admitted, the awkward tone in her voice clashing with the fact that she didn't let up her barrage in the slightest.
I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes even as my body blurred into motion again. "Whatever," I muttered, disappearing into a smoke cloud with a Flash Step, masking my position.
"Kitsu~, don't try and hide now," Kayda chimed playfully, though her voice had an edge. The beams she launched next grew brighter and hotter, punching holes in the smoke to flush me out.
"Tsk, you are really trying to kill me, aren't you," I said from within the haze, my voice echoing.
A moment later, the air howled. Thousands of ice bullets erupted from the smoke cloud in a glittering storm, tearing toward her in waves.
"What the!?" Kayda yelped, clearly caught off guard. She doubled the amount of beams in desperation, lancing through the air to block the bullets. But I noticed immediately-the more beams she fired, the weaker each one grew.
"Damn, to think you could use the clone skill like this," I mused, stepping calmly out of the smoke as it cleared. My form was steady, my breathing controlled. Four massive guns hovered in the air above me-each one four meters long, half a meter thick, their barrels glowing cold blue with the energy cycling inside. They spat out bullets like unending thunder, tracking her wherever she flew. And most noticeable of all-I only had one tail again.
Kayda's eyes locked on me, or rather, on that single tail. "I see... so that's how your clone skill works," she murmured, half to herself.
"Hmm. Surprisingly, this sort of cloning doesn't even use a fifth of what it takes to make another body," I admitted aloud, rolling my neck with a faint pop. "And most importantly, it's way easier to use." I rotated my wrist, and the massive guns shifted in unison, obedient to my will. 'Instead of five thousand mana, it only takes a thousand,' I noted in thought, satisfaction settling in my chest.
"New guns, huh? I like it. Let's test them out," Kayda growled, grinning wide. More than a dozen scorch beams and blazing fireballs appeared around her as she prepared to retaliate.
"Ah, fuck," I cursed, kicking off the ground as the sky rained destruction. I darted upward, narrowly slipping through the storm.
Kayda's smug laugh followed me. "Now that you're in the air-whoa, I forgot you could do that for a second." Her smile faltered as she saw me leap effortlessly from one conjured ice platform to another, bounding toward her while my hovering guns never stopped firing. Each icy foothold shattered behind me, leaving only a trail of glimmering shards.
Closing in fast, I created another chain in my hand. This one was smaller and denser, the mana compressed into something razor-sharp and thrumming with power.
"Now that is something," Kayda said, narrowing her eyes at the sight.
"I know, right," I replied with a grin, Flash Stepping directly behind her.
"Ugh! No way!?" Kayda yelped as sensation suddenly drained from her wings.
"And now we fall," I said calmly, even as I glanced down at my own mangled body. My limbs were twisted, fractured, and broken from the strain of forcing the technique.
"Wait, why are you in that state?" Kayda asked, worry flashing across her expression.
"Huh, to get those pesky wings out of the way," I said with a bloody smile, moments before gravity reclaimed us both.
Bang!
Boom!
The impact rattled the entire training ground. I grunted in pain as I crawled out of the crater my body carved into the earth.
Kayda staggered nearby, shaking her head. "Kitsu, you really are way heavier than you look," she muttered, staring at the difference between the two craters. Hers was deep, yes, but mine was nearly double its size.
"Kayda, are you really calling your girlfriend fat right now?" I asked flatly, my eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.
"No, I said you don't look so heavy," she corrected quickly, scratching her cheek awkwardly.
"Kayda... "You're calling me fat right now," I accused, flash-stepping right up to her face and reaching for her head again.
"No, I wasn't!" Kayda yelped, jumping back just in time to avoid my hand.
"You were, you fucking lizard. Fuck it. Now we can start all over," I snapped, clenching my fists together. Frost spread across my hands, coating them in jagged ice gauntlets as my floating guns returned to my side.
"Tsk," Kayda clicked her tongue again, leaping away as I slammed the ground where she had been. The impact sent shards of frozen earth exploding outward.
"Keep on moving, keep on moving," I muttered, driving her back with strike after strike. My fists hammered at her, claws slashing, tails whipping like serpents.
"Fuck off!!" Kayda roared, stomping her foot down with force. A wave of molten heat erupted outward, the ground glowing before it began to melt into lava.
"Woah, calm down, Kayda," I said, though my tone carried zero sincerity. I raised my hands, frost spilling out and instantly freezing the spreading magma into a brittle shell.
"Shut it!" Kayda snapped, eyes blazing with anger.
My ears twitched, warning me. "Oh shit," I muttered, eyes widening. I leapt away just as her body exploded with light.
Gwaaaah!
Her roar thundered through the chamber, rattling my bones. Heat washed over me as her form elongated, wings stretching wide, scales glinting crimson.
"I didn't think you'd actually do that," I admitted, for the first time putting real distance between us.
"We never said we couldn't transform," Kayda said, her dragon voice rumbling as she loomed above me.
"I thought it was an unwritten rule, but okay," I shrugged.
"No, it was just that you couldn't use yours, so it was no fun using mine," she explained, her massive tail swishing behind her.
"...Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked, flicking my ears.
"Yes. Why?"
"Okay," I said simply. My body blurred, bones twisting, fur bristling. In a flash, I was beside her in my fox form, claws gleaming.
"What the hell was that!?" Kayda yelped as I slashed, her wings flaring too late. The strike left a long gash across her side.
"When you transform, your defense and strength increase, right?" I explained casually, circling her with a predator's patience.
"Yeah, but what the hell does that have to do with that absurd speed you just had?" she growled.
"Well, I am busy explaining," I continued smugly. "Anyways, since those aspects triple for you, what do you think happens to mine?"
"Speed and strength, I guess," Kayda admitted reluctantly, bracing herself.
"You are correct," I said with a sharp grin, vanishing from sight.
"Tsk, I guess there's one place you can beat me in right now," she muttered, scanning frantically.
"Nah," I said, reappearing just long enough to slam her head with my tail.
"Tsk, I can't even see them coming," Kayda complained, shaking it off with irritation rather than pain.
"How annoying. I think I hate tanks more than mages now," I muttered, darting up and raking my claws across her chin with an uppercut.
"Eh, I bit my tongue!" she mumbled through a bitten tongue, refusing to guard against blows that barely scratched her scales.
Finally, I drew back, exhaling hard. "Can we stop now?"
"Yeah, I agree. That only felt like pats more than anything else," Kayda admitted, sounding almost bored.
"Yeah, and using magic won't help much either," I said, annoyed.
"Hmm, probably. Well, your lightning could've hurt a little, but not much."
"Yeah, anyway, I've been holding this in since the devil skirmish," I said, crouching low.
"What?" Kayda asked, confused.
ROAAAAAR!!!
The sound ripped from my throat, shaking the training grounds. Dust rained from the ceiling, cracks spreading across the walls. The sheer force made even Kayda flinch back, her ears flattening.
"Sigh, that's way better," I said, satisfaction coursing through me as I shifted back to human form.
"Haha, my ears hurt, you know," Kayda said, returning to her human shape as well. To my annoyance, not a single scratch marred her skin.
"Man, it's unfair that you stay clothed, but I always need to undress before changing," I grumbled, looking her over.
"Privilege of being a dragon, I guess. Anyways, let's continue," Kayda said, brushing off the dust.
"Yeah, no. Sadly, that's all I'm capable of right now," I admitted, sagging with exhaustion.
"Huh? You're done?"
"Yeah, my head's killing me, and I still need to heal you," I said, beckoning her closer.
"You promise? Kitsu, if you surprise attack me, I'll rip your tails out," Kayda warned darkly.
"Eeh, please don't joke about pulling them out," I whimpered, paling at the thought. "I might actually die from the pain."
"Kitsu."
"I wasn't going to attack you. You're too paranoid."
"You are Stacy's daughter, you know," Kayda sighed before walking toward me.
"Ah, fair point," I chuckled weakly.
"Sigh, now heal me," she demanded.
"Lap."
"Yeah yeah," Kayda muttered, sitting down beside me with her back to the others. I moved closer, resting my head on her lap as I began to heal her leg wound with the warmth of my blood.
"Sorry I shot you in the leg," I murmured, guilt seeping into my voice.
"It's fine. But I can't believe you destroyed my barrier twice. Especially the second time," she said with genuine surprise.
"Haha, thanks. It was just smaller versions of the flower spell I used against the devils," I explained.
"Oh, nice work making it so small," Kayda said, her voice softer now, almost praising.
"Thanks," I muttered shyly, the fight's adrenaline fading as her words settled warmly in my chest.
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Chapter 140:
[Ann POV]
"Kitsuna is the same age as me, right?" Katie asked, baffled, her wide eyes glued to the battlefield. Around us, the training ground echoed with constant detonations, the crackle of ice magic clashing against the hiss of scorching heat. The sight of Kitsuna and Kayda throwing themselves at each other with wild intensity was enough to freeze anyone in place.
"Yes," I affirmed while folding my arms and nodding calmly, although I was also impressed by what I was witnessing. "She is only fourteen years old."
Katie's mouth fell open. "She is a total monster," she muttered, half to herself, her head shaking in disbelief as her gaze followed the endless barrage of ice bullets and scorch beams.
"Well," I said, allowing myself a small grin, "being primordial does make you a monster."
"P-Primordial!?" Katie blurted, her voice rising sharply. Her hands twitched like she didn't know whether to clutch her head or her chest. "She's primordial!?"
"Shh," I warned quickly, giving her a sharp look. My tail flicked once behind me, a warning gesture.
Katie flinched. "S-sorry," she whispered, shrinking down slightly in embarrassment.
"You didn't realize that she was primordial?" I asked, tilting my head toward her, genuinely confused.
"No," Katie admitted, guilt and bafflement mixing on her face. "I don't really know much about them."
"I see." My voice softened. "Do remind me to teach you about primordials later."
"Yes, Mother," Katie said obediently, her voice firm now, though her eyes were still wide.
I hummed softly, keeping my eyes trained on the battle. Sparks of mana danced in the air like fireworks, the two combatants refusing to let up. The raw chaos of the clash was enough to make the training field feel too small.
"...Mother, I am a bit confused?" Katie asked hesitantly, her tone uncertain, like she didn't want to interrupt my focus.
"About what?" I asked, though I kept my eyes on Kitsuna as she darted through Kayda's flames.
"Why is Kayda under so much pressure from Kitsuna? Isn't her level way higher than Kitsuna's?" Katie asked, gesturing weakly toward the ongoing fight.
"This might have been called a spar," I explained, shifting my stance slightly, "but it's more to test Kitsuna's class. Kayda isn't just fighting for dominance-she's probing, seeing what Kitsu can really do."
"But even then," Katie pressed, "Kayda is struggling there. Ah-never mind, she made a barrier." Relief softened her expression as a shimmering wall of flame encased Kayda.
"Hmm. "Interesting," I began, leaning forward slightly. "Now how will-" My words cut off, my eyes widening in shock as Kitsuna's attack tore through the barrier with frightening ease.
"She destroyed it that easily?" Katie gasped, baffled.
"Way too easily," I admitted, frowning. "That wasn't just brute strength. That was... something else. That spell was really powerful. But where-where did it come from?"
"I don't know," Katie said, her eyes darting left and right, searching for something invisible.
"There," I said at last, narrowing my gaze. "It was one of her clones."
"Where?" Katie demanded, spinning her head frantically.
"You won't see her," I told her calmly, "but she is about seven hundred and fifty meters to the right."
"Oh, that far," Katie muttered, giving up, her shoulders slumping.
"It's quite impressive that she hit from there," I said, acknowledging the skill required. Even the best elven marksmen would've struggled at that distance.
"I agree. Oh-Kayda made her barrier stronger than before," Katie noted, sounding hopeful again.
"...And the barrier was destroyed again," I sighed, shaking my head in bafflement.
"She even hit Kayda this time," Katie whispered, still stunned.
"Yes, but it seems the clone isn't going to shoot again," I said, sensing the mana signature flicker before disappearing.
"Just three shots?"
"Yes, it seems she is still limited to that."
"But-"
"I agree," I cut her off gently, watching the clash escalate once again. "How will Kitsuna deal with Kayda's barrier now?"
"...Uhm," Katie hesitated. "I know that Kitsuna's mother is a weapon master in her own right, but isn't Kitsuna too adaptable with weapons already?"
"I heard Stacy fully trained Kitsuna for three years," I said evenly.
"I see... but still, that adaptability is unreal."
"No, this is understandable," I countered, my voice growing softer as old memories surfaced. "You might not know her well, but Stacy is a training god." A sigh slipped past my lips. "I remember the time we tried to train together..."
Katie perked up. "What do you mean by that, Mother?"
"You see, Stacy is a devil in a cat tribe skin," I said, my lips twitching into a rueful smile. "She won't give up on you or give you proper breaks until she thinks you are at the right level."
"Wouldn't that burn someone out?" Katie asked, her brows furrowing.
"You might think that," I admitted, "but Stacy knows when to ease up and when to push harder. That's why she is a training god."
"I've never heard people call her that."
"Not many people are aware of those she has trained."
"Hmm. But isn't Kitsuna her only disciple?"
"She is, but she isn't the first person Stacy trained."
"...Was Amari also?"
"No. Amari is a mage type, so Stacy couldn't train her properly."
"I see." Katie fell silent, eyes darting back to the fight.
"Uh oh, Kayda is making another barrier," I said, noticing the telltale flicker of mana gathering around her again.
"Now, to see how Kitsuna will-"
"... "
"... "
"... "
Katie frowned. "Isn't she preparing to counter Kayda?"
"I must agree with you, my daughter," I said, my voice quiet, my eyes narrowing. Kitsuna wasn't moving the way I expected.
"...High." Katie made a small, distracted sound.
"Anyways, let's see how she deals with the distance now," I said, choosing to ignore her odd noise.
"... "
"... "
"... "
"She's just running around dodging Kayda's attacks," Katie muttered.
"Yes, now she's hiding in a dust cloud," I explained, my tone flat. At first glance, it may not seem impressive, but I knew better than to underestimate Kitsuna's planning.
"...M-Mother, how can you learn the cloning skill?" Katie asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I will need to find out as well," I admitted.
"Let's learn it together, then."
"Uh, I agree," I said while nodding in approval.
"They seem more at a standstill now."
"Yes, I wonder if they will..."
"Will?" Katie tilted her head.
"You will see," I said simply.
"Okay," Katie answered uncertainly.
[Five minutes later]
"... "
"They looked so cool in their monster forms," Katie said, eyes sparkling.
"Yeah," I replied with a faint smile.
"But their fight looked like some weird slum cat fight."
"Yeah," I admitted, chuckling softly.
"At least they didn't keep it up."
"Yeah."
"Moooom, say something else," Katie whined, clearly annoyed.
"What? What do you want me to say?"
"Something other than 'yeah.'"
"Fine. It seems they are done anyways."
"Are we going to join them?"
"And be the third wheel? No, not a chance."
"Yeah, that doesn't sound fun."
"Oh right, you asked about Kayda not attacking or using skills, right?"
"Uh, something like that, yes."
"Okay, so what do you think would happen if Kayda went all out against Kitsuna?"
"Kitsuna would be demolished?" Katie guessed, her tone hesitant.
I sighed. "You're not wrong. If Kayda went all out, Kitsuna wouldn't even be able to use mana. So yes, she would be demolished."
"Wait, Kitsuna wouldn't even be able to use mana?"
"Sages are legendary classes, Katie. Do you not think they have something special about themselves?"
"I know that, but how can Scorch racial magic stop Ice racial magic?"
"Oh, you already know that racial skills can cancel normal and rare magic out just by existing, right?"
"Yeah, but to do that, you need enough mana to make a carpet of mana over the entire area where you fight."
"I guess that's one way to see it. Anyways, the reason racial magic can cancel others is because, in Kitsuna's case, she does have the mana to make this 'carpet,' but she doesn't have the control."
"Oh, so if Kayda makes her carpet, Kitsuna can't counter with her own."
"Correct."
"I see. Is this the reason Kayda couldn't see through Kitsune's illusions?
"Ah. Hmm. Good question. I think it wouldn't really matter. Kayda might realize faster that she's in an illusion, but she wouldn't be able to break it."
"Why?"
"Because Kitsuna can use illusions without any skill."
"Really!"
"Yes. Her illusions are very strong and well-constructed. Even we in this barrier couldn't see through them."
"Huh? Why would the barrier change anything?"
"Because mana can't get through this barrier."
"Ah, it can't?"
"Yes. I am also confused about how she did it."
"I see. Oh-she's got three tails again!" Katie exclaimed, pointing at Kitsuna, whose tails were wagging happily while she lay in Kayda's lap.
"Hmm, yes," I said, chuckling softly at the sight.
"Umm, are we going to them?" Katie asked.
'This daughter of mine can't read the room,' I thought, amused.
"Nah, let them talk first. It seems Kitsuna is being pampered," I said, chuckling as I discreetly pulled out a scroll and captured a few photos.
Are you going to send it to Kitsuna's mom? Katie asked.
"Yeah. She'll tease her to death with it."
"Oh right, Kayda's barrier-did Kitsuna really destroy it twice?"
"Hmm, yes. However, I am unsure how she was able to destroy the second barrier. Kayda made it much stronger than the first."
"But she still made a hole in it."
"Yes. We'll need to ask when they're done."
"I agree. But what do you think of her class so far?"
"Nothing too special, really. All she got was more mana and some elements. A few skills, too. It's like her class is only meant to reinforce what she already had. But that makes sense. If you look only at her skills, they are terrifying for her age. You forget she is only fourteen."
"Yeah~. When do you think they'll be done?" Katie asked, eyes drifting back to the pair.
"Ah, there. I think they're done," I mumbled, watching Kitsuna kiss Kayda before stretching lazily.
"Oh, before we go-do you think you could win against Kitsuna right now?" Katie asked.
"Yes, I would win. But only if she doesn't use Wrath."
"Why?"
"Because the only real advantage I have over her right now is stats."
"Not skill or experience?"
"That too. But it wouldn't give me a big advantage. She's smart, and she was trained by that monster of a mother."
"So you're saying she covered that in her training."
"Yes. And Kitsuna has a strange past. It's not just her mother. She's learned her own counters, too."
"So a long fight wouldn't be the best for you."
"Nope. Especially since she uses ice, and I use water."
"I see. Do you think I'll ever reach her level?"
"Her combat level right now? Yes, of course you will."
"Haha, thanks." Katie smiled, cheeks flushed.
'Like hell I'll have my daughter fall behind her peers,' I thought, petting Katie's head gently.
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Chapter 141
[Kitsu POV]
"Hey hey, Kitsu, I think that's enough. I am fully healed," Kayda complained, squirming beneath me. Her lap was warm, her thighs sturdy as always, but she shifted uncomfortably as if she wanted to shake me off.
"No, not yet," I said stubbornly, still holding my cut hand firmly over the gunshot wound on her leg. My blood seeped into the skin, knitting it together. I knew it was already healing, but something inside me resisted letting go.
"Ugh, it was healed, but you rip it open every time, and it hurts, you know," Kayda whined, her voice a pitch higher than usual. Her body tensed beneath my touch, though she didn't actually shove me away.
"What are you talking about? I am not reopening your wound," I said, frowning. To prove it, I pressed down harder, then took my nail and cut a tiny slit just above the scar tissue on her thigh.
"...Kitsu," Kayda said slowly, her tone carrying both warning and resignation. My ears jolted upright at the sound of it, my instincts screaming danger.
"I will stop now," I said quickly, surrendering before she exploded. I gave her thigh one last squeeze, both affectionate and apologetic, before pushing myself off her lap and standing.
"Thank you," Kayda said, standing up as well and brushing herself off. She looked relieved but also oddly smug, like she had just won a battle of patience.
"Uh, I was the one who did it, so I need to take responsibility," I said with a cheeky wink, trying to turn the moment playful.
"Sigh, you take responsibility?" Kayda repeated incredulously, her golden eyes narrowing as she stared at me in surprise.
"What? Don't be so mean now," I whined, pouting. My tail swished behind me in exaggerated sadness, trying to guilt her.
"I'm only stating the truth," Kayda said, shrugging in that way that always made her look far too composed.
"The truth, my ass. I always take responsibility for my wrongdoings," I shot back with a grin, puffing my chest like I'd just declared a noble creed.
"What, like blowing it up or destroying all the evidence that you were involved?" Kayda asked flatly, baffled at my proud response.
"...Kayda, that is taking responsibility, you know," I said with genuine confusion, tilting my head.
"No, it's not. That's just dumping your problems onto another," Kayda groaned, face-palming herself.
"...That's true, isn't it?" I admitted after a long pause, frowning thoughtfully.
"Of course it's true. I don't say any lies," Kayda said with a cheeky grin spreading across her face, clearly satisfied she had out-argued me.
"... " I stared at her, my eyes narrowing suspiciously, my silence heavy and pointed.
"... Don't look at me like that. I always tell the truth," Kayda said quickly, her voice shifting into defensive whining.
"... "
"Fine! I might have lied a few times to you, but I never lied to anyone else!"
"... "
"Fine, I lie a lot more than I like to admit, okay?" Kayda burst out, frustrated, her cheeks slightly red.
"I am disappointed," I said softly, narrowing my eyes at her like I was a teacher scolding a wayward student.
"...Sorry," Kayda muttered, looking away.
"To think you thought something like that even mattered to people," I said, shaking my head as if her pride in lying-or honesty-was absurd.
"...I hate you," Kayda mumbled, still refusing to meet my gaze.
"Heh, but you said you loved me," I teased, letting a wide grin spread across my face.
"Ugh." Kayda ignored me entirely and turned on her heel, walking away toward the two Anabalds waiting inside the barrier.
"Hey, don't ignore me," I whined, darting forward and jumping on her back. Luckily, her wings weren't out anymore, so I managed to cling onto her without them smacking me off.
"Kitsu, you're going to make me fall if you do that," Kayda whined, wobbling slightly as she regained her balance.
"Don't make it sound like something like that would hurt you," I said cheekily, giving her a little shake with my weight.
"Kitsu." Her tone was warning, sharp, and just a little too serious.
"Sorry, that sounded better in my head," I admitted, embarrassed, my ears flattening a bit.
"How?" she demanded, exasperated.
"I don't know."
"Sigh, whatever. At least I know you didn't mean you don't care."
"Peck, of course I care a lot about my girlfriend," I said, peppering small kisses on her neck, enjoying the way she shivered despite her annoyed expression.
"Tsk, you're so annoying."
"Oh, sorry," I said again, my tone dropping, my arms loosening around her waist as if to let go.
"I'm not mad at you," Kayda said quickly, grabbing my hand before I slipped away. She turned her head, cheeks faintly pink. "Just... think about where you do some things, okay?"
"Hmm?" I tilted my head, confused, until I followed her gaze. Katie and An were staring at us with awkward, tight smiles.
"Please do learn how to hold back," An said, her voice sharp with annoyance.
"R-right," I stuttered, my face flushing hot. My ears flattened completely, and I suddenly wished the ground would swallow me.
"Well anyways," An continued coolly, shifting her attention to Kayda, "seeing as your girlfriend is a sage, teach her how to make a mana field."
"A what?" Katie and I said at the same time, equally confused.
"Mana carpet," Ann clarified.
"Oh, right, that," Kayda muttered, catching on quickly.
"Still lost here," I admitted, raising my hand sheepishly.
"Kayda, haven't you explained that to her?" An asked, frowning.
"Well, no. She doesn't have the mana control needed to make it," Kayda said defensively, looking between An and me like she expected backup.
"I see," An replied evenly. "But her mana control in the spar was good enough to start learning. If you don't think so, at least tell her how it works and how to make it."
"She isn't ready," Kayda said shortly.
"Just tell her the basics," An countered with a raised brow.
"...I am not allowed to teach too much though," Kayda mumbled, her voice deliberately loud enough for me to catch.
"Kayda, at this point, it sounds like you don't want to teach me anything," I said, chuckling softly, though my chest tightened.
"Of course I don't want to," Kayda snapped.
"Why though?" I asked, genuinely surprised. My teasing guess was apparently true.
"Hmph!" she huffed, looking away from me.
'Wait... does she think I'll neglect her again if I get caught up training?' I thought, my chest aching as I studied her tense shoulders. Her glare wasn't anger-it was fear.
"Okay, okay," I said quickly, smiling to soften the mood. "How about you make a schedule for me? You decide when I'm allowed to train and when I'm not."
"What?" All three of them said in unison, their faces equally stunned.
"You don't want to teach me because you think I'll neglect you again, right? Then make a schedule for me. That way, I won't." I explained plainly, tilting my head.
They all stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
Why are they so confused? Didn't I just explain it clearly?' I thought, baffled by their silence.
"...There is no way," Katie mumbled, blinking rapidly.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my ears twitching nervously.
"Kitsuna, uh... just a question," An said carefully, almost hesitantly. "Are you not the dominant type of person?"
"Huh?" I blinked, completely caught off guard.
"Wait, An, don't say that," Kayda barked, but the damage was already done.
"You! This-ugh!!" I sputtered, realizing exactly what An meant. My face burned hotter than any flame, and my tongue tangled.
"She broke," Katie whispered, eyes wide as she watched me freeze.
"Sigh, wait for it," Kayda said, rubbing her face with both hands just as my body dissolved into swirling red mist.
[Kayda POV]
"Sigh, I guess I'll need to go find her," I muttered, disappointed but not surprised.
"Wait, what just happened?" "An?" she asked, tilting her head at me, confused.
"As you can see, Kitsu doesn't actually mind taking second priority in some instances," I explained, sighing again. "Relationships being one of them."
"But, but I never got that feeling from her," Katie said, her brows furrowing. "She always seemed like she had to be the most important person."
"Sigh. You still have a lot to learn," I said gently. "She loves attention, yes, but she never wanted to be the most important person. That would only be a hassle in many ways."
"In what way would that give hassles?" Katie asked, tilting her head.
"More responsibilities, for one," I said simply.
"Uh... that does make sense. So she's actually lazy?" As suggested, I found myself nodding despite the crude phrasing.
"No, far from it. Just... self-centered in some ways, but not nearly as much as you think," I clarified, shaking my head.
"I'm so lost right now," Katie admitted, rubbing her forehead.
"Huh, you didn't understand my explanation? Hmm, how to make it easier..."
"No, no, just leave it. I don't want to know anymore," Katie said quickly, lifting her hands in surrender.
"If you say so," I replied with a shrug.
"So why don't you want to teach her about mana fields?" An impressed.
"Hmm. Why do you think?" I asked, disappointed already at where this was going.
"She hit the nail on the head?" An asked uncertainly.
"...Sigh. Yes. She'll run off training for days without rest," I admitted, frustrated as memories surfaced-her disappearing into the wilderness for stretches of time, returning ragged but grinning.
"She's a primordial. She doesn't actually need rest," An said matter-of-factly.
"I don't care if she's primordial or not. She needs rest. Everyone needs rest," I said firmly, my tone final.
"And some dragon needs attention," An teased, smirking.
"... " I glared at her.
"Pfft." She failed to contain her laugh.
"An, last warning," I said, my voice low, my eyes sharp.
"Okay~," she said sing-song, still smiling.
"Uh," Katie mumbled, not daring to intervene.
"Anyways, what are you guys planning now?" I asked, shifting the subject.
"Not so sure. Might go to the Kuni's domain and then back to the Draigs before heading to the capital for the tournament."
"Oh, you're going to the Kuni?" Ann said, sounding far more cheerful than she should have.
"Yeah. Just to let Kitsu meet them as part of the Draig family and all," I said, already dreading the dwarves' political games.
"Ah, politics," An sighed.
"In a way, yes."
"Sounds troublesome," An said, making me nod.
"The same thing Kitsu would've said if she were here," I muttered.
"Well, can I ask a favor then?" An said sheepishly.
"What is it?" I asked warily, narrowing my eyes.
"Hey, don't look at me like that," An said quickly, caught off guard.
"... "
"It's the devil cult. All-"
"They came from their territory, right?" I cut in.
"Y-yes. How did you-"
"Do you think I've been doing nothing these past few weeks?" I asked, sounding offended.
'Actually, that damn bandit gave me all the information,' I thought, irritated.
"No, I just didn't think you knew," An said, rubbing her head awkwardly.
"Well, now you know. Though I also have intel that they came from the demon kingdom, not just the Kunis," I said, shaking my head.
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Chapter 142: Needy
"So, you said we need to go to Kuni's domain?" I asked, my tone dejected as I dragged my feet a little. Just the thought of another noble meeting with some crusty old house head drained me more than sparring for hours ever could. My tail flicked back and forth lazily behind me, betraying how little I wanted to go. I shot Kayda a look, hoping she'd see reason and tell me it wasn't necessary.
"Yes," Kayda replied without hesitation. Her steps were steady as she led us down into the city's main district, the streets buzzing with afternoon life. Merchants shouted from their stalls, children darted around, and the smell of grilled meat lingered in the air. "You'll need to meet the house head of the Kunis. It's not optional."
I groaned, dragging my words out like a spoiled child. "And the devil cult?" I asked, raising a brow at her, trying to poke a hole in this plan.
"Ah, so you already knew?" Kayda said, blinking at me in mild surprise. She tilted her head, her crimson hair swaying as if she hadn't expected me to bring it up so casually.
I smirked. "You realize that they report to me first, then you?" I said, reminding her of the little arrangement I had with certain unsavory types.
Kayda's expression darkened, her lips pulling into a small pout. "What? Why would they?" she whined, her voice pitching higher in irritation.
"Huh? Because they're my subordinates?" I said, tilting my head at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Her wings twitched with restrained annoyance. "No, they are not yours."
"They are," I argued, brows furrowing.
"No, they are our subordinates," she corrected sharply, placing extra weight on the word our.
"...So now it's not just yours or mine but ours. Sigh, whatever," I muttered, giving up with a deep sigh and letting my shoulders slump. There was no winning that particular argument.
Kayda gave a small, victorious smile before shifting the subject. "So, how do you want to spend the last few months?" she asked as she veered toward a brightly decorated stall to our left, her eyes scanning the wares.
"I want to have at least three months at home to learn about smithing," I explained, falling in step behind her as she fingered through a rack of cheap jewelry.
"Three months?" she repeated, whipping her head around to stare at me. "That's like your entire trip."
"Yeah," I said firmly, standing my ground. "I don't want to do this half-heartedly, Kayda. I want to make good weapons with my ice-not just average ones that can be easily destroyed." I picked up a trinket from the stall and frowned at it before setting it back down. My standards were already rising, it seemed.
"Easily destroyed!?" Kayda shot back, looking at me like I'd just insulted her personally. "What do you mean easily destroyed? Your weapons are already good enough for people in the 300 levels to struggle to break them."
"That might be true," I admitted with a shrug, "but what about higher levels? I want to make weapons that even you would struggle to destroy, Kayda." A wide smile spread across my face just imagining it-the satisfaction of handing her a blade she couldn't casually snap.
"Eh," she grunted, narrowing her eyes at me. "Yes, of course. The only weapons I actually struggle with are demigod weapons, which are fucking rare. Do you really think you'll be able to make something like that?" Her disbelief was clear.
"Demigod weapons?" I echoed. "I think I remember my mother talking about them once."
"That makes sense," Kayda said with a shrug. "She does own, like, thirty of them."
"You said they're rare, right? Then how does Mom have so many?" I asked, baffled, my ears twitching in disbelief.
"Because she has a blacksmith that produces them every year," Kayda explained.
"He does? Hmm, I guess that makes sense. He was a Smith King or something... I don't really remember," I said, pressing a finger to my chin thoughtfully.
"Yeah. And making weapons like that won't only take three months. It'll take way, way longer," Kayda said, shaking her head.
"The earlier I start, the better," I said with a giant grin, refusing to back down.
"Sigh, you're so annoying," Kayda muttered, rolling her eyes.
"As I said, make a schedule for me to spend time with you, and then we won't have a problem," I said, dodging the jab with ease. My eyes lit up as I spotted another stall a little ways down. "Oh! How many kababs do you want?"
Kayda glanced toward it, her nostrils flaring slightly as the smell hit her. "...Sigh, two, please," she said at last.
Without waiting, I sprinted off toward the stall, weaving between the crowd like a fox through the forest.
"Not even waiting properly, sigh," Kayda muttered behind me, shaking her head.
"Alright, here you go," I said cheerfully a few moments later, handing her two skewers stacked with grilled meat.
"Thank you," she said, accepting them gracefully.
As we walked, I nibbled on mine before another thought hit me. "Now that I think about it, won't it take us a month to get to the Kunis and then another to get home?" I asked, my ears drooping at the idea.
"Yeah, the trips are quite long," Kayda admitted with a small nod. She chewed thoughtfully before adding, "Hmm, we might lessen it if we move in our beast forms, though."
"That can be done," I said with a shrug, "but why don't we just ask Mom for a plane?"
"Uh, we can do that, but..." Kayda trailed off, frowning.
"My squad will probably come as well," I said knowingly.
"Yeah. And Stacy will be there to pester us," Kayda groaned, clearly not looking forward to it.
"Yeah, but we'll have more time at home," I argued.
"Hmph!" Kayda turned her face away, pouting like a child.
"You do realize nothing much will change even if we're with them," I said with a sigh, shaking my head at her antics.
"Apricot," Kayda mumbled, her voice low but sharp.
"Ugh, she might be a problem," I said awkwardly, scratching my cheek.
"Sigh, well, whatever. When we're at the Draig, we'll probably be alone anyways," Kayda said, shrugging. She finished her kababs quickly, then tossed the two wooden sticks at me with more force than necessary.
"Hey, don't be so violent," I said, catching the sticks between my fingers before they could even reach me.
"Heh, as if something like that would hit you. Now call Stacy over, tsk," Kayda said, clicking her tongue.
"Huh, already? I can call them tomorrow instead, if you want."
"If you don't do it now, I might change my mind," she said sharply.
"Ah, I see, makes sense," I said, pulling out my communication scroll after tossing the leftover skewer into my storage.
Ring.
"Kitsuna! How are you?" Mom's voice boomed through the scroll before the second ring even ended.
"Mother, don't yell like that. You aren't an old hag yet, so there's no need for something like that," I said, wincing at the volume.
"Ah, sorry, I was just excited that my adorable daughter called me," Mom said happily.
"What about Amire? Isn't she there with you guys?" I asked, confused.
"Ah, she went to Zagan's hometown to train him," Mom said, her tone shifting into annoyance.
"She's training him?" I asked, baffled.
Zagan really is useless, I thought, shaking my head.
"Well, he was almost dead just before you went on your trip. I let him go for a while," Mom explained, trying to sound casual, but her disappointment leaked through.
"Ah, I see. You're so depressed about me leaving you that you allowed them to get away?" I teased, smirking.
"...So why are you calling me?" Mom asked after a small pause, her tone dry.
"Ha-ha, embarrassed are we now. Don't worry, I miss you too, Mom," I said, a little flustered despite myself.
Whack!
"Ow, Kayda, what was that for?" I asked, turning to glare at her.
"Finish up already," Kayda said curtly, her arms crossed.
This woman can't handle not getting attention, can she, I thought, shaking my head.
"Huh, did Kayda just hit you?" Mom asked through the scroll.
"Yeah, I was doing something dumb, so don't worry about it."
"Ah, I see. So the usual. Anyways, what do you want?"
"You make it sound like I'm needy," I said, whining.
"Yes, yes, you are."
"So mean. Sigh, I need a cargo plane-your fastest, please," I said, getting to the point.
"...Why?"
"To travel around."
"You want me to believe you need a military cargo plane to travel around? Kitsuna, come on. There are so many better ways to lie to me," Mom said skeptically.
"Eh, I'm not lying to you though."
"Kitsuna, who do you want to kill? I might help you if I know them."
"Mom, listen, we are in Aanbald territory right now. So-"
"You guys are still there!? What the hell? You should be halfway to the Kunis already," Mom said, cutting me off in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, stuff happened, and we got delayed."
"Sigh, I see. So you want fast transport. Why don't you just use your fox and dragon forms then?"
"Yeah, no. That will take too long. I want at least four months at home with the Smith King there."
"Sigh. You want to learn how to make demigod weapons, don't you?"
"Ding ding, correct. Now, send me a plane, please," I said sweetly.
"Sigh, fine. We'll get going later tonight. You'll see it tomorrow morning," Mom said in defeat.
"Cool. Thank you, Mother."
"Yeah yeah, see you," she said before ending the call.
"To think she actually thought you needed a plane to kill someone?" Kayda said with a weird expression, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What's with the expression?" I asked.
"Ah, it's just-why would you need a plane to kill someone?"
"Hmm," I mused, tapping my chin. "If the person is in a stronghold, a plane or jet would be useful to blow it up. If you want to give him a gruesome but quick way, you could put him in the thrusters or blades. There are quite a few ways a plane could be useful for killing people."
Kayda's face twisted, her expression worsening by the second. "Just how are you this knowledgeable in ways to kill people?"
"Ha-ha, experience," I said with a smirk.
"Bullshit. Firstly, I'm older, so I have more experience than you. Secondly, the ways you think of are just not right."
"Meh, whatever. Let's forget about killing before the city guards get called," I said, glancing around at the people giving us very strange looks.
"Eh, forgot we were in the city," Kayda admitted awkwardly, lowering her voice.
"Uh-huh. Now let's continue our date, shall we?" I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
"Are we not?" Kayda replied vaguely, giving me a sly glance from the corner of her eye.
She is way too mean, I thought, ignoring her jab as my tail swayed happily behind us.
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Chapter 143
"Ugh, how did I end up with a headache?" I groaned the moment I opened my eyes, my skull throbbing like someone had stuffed thunder inside it and let it rumble around for fun.
Shit, what happened? 'I can't remember anything,' I thought, pressing a palm to my forehead. Or... trying to. For some reason my right hand wouldn't move, like it was pinned in place. Confused, I shifted slightly and realized why.
"Huh? Why is Kayda spooning me?" I muttered, irritation flaring for only a second before confusion overrode it. I wasn't even lying on my side-I was flat on my back. Yet her arms were looped tightly around my waist, her cheek resting right against my shoulder. Her breath tickled my skin every few seconds, steady and peaceful. The reason my hand wouldn't budge was because it was trapped between her arm and my body.
I blinked, staring down at her. Her crimson hair was mussed from sleep, strands sticking every which way. Her expression was soft, lips parted ever so slightly, and I felt my irritation melt away.
'Her sleeping face really is the cutest thing ever,' I admitted, my heart betraying me. Slowly, I moved my free left hand and brushed some of that stray hair away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.
That was when I saw it.
"Wait, what is this?" I whispered, my eyes narrowing. There were faint red marks-bite marks-on her neck.
My ears twitched violently. With delicate care, I shifted my weight and lifted her head a little higher, adjusting her against the pillow so I could see better. In the process, the blanket that had covered us slid back.
My brain short-circuited.
Kayda's upper body was bare except for a thin strap of fabric clinging loosely to her arm. Smooth skin, toned but soft, was on full display.
"Boobs, rawr," I muttered without thinking, instantly snapping my head back and slapping a hand over my nose before it could betray me with a bleed.
'Now I know why last night felt so good when I-wait, why the hell is she half-naked?' I thought, utterly bewildered.
"Mhh... Kitsu, please stop moving. It hurts," Kayda mumbled, her voice husky from sleep.
I froze, panicked. "...How am I hurting you?" I asked quickly, terrified I'd done something irreversible.
"My body is sore, of course," she replied, peeking up at me with bleary, half-lidded eyes.
My tail stiffened. "Wha-what did we do last night, rawr?" I asked, hesitating, each word dragging painfully out of me.
A smirk tugged at her lips. "Heh, you don't remember?" she teased, tilting her head to grin up at me.
"I... I might have forgotten what I did," I admitted sheepishly, scratching my cheek, ears drooping in embarrassment.
"Well," she said casually, rolling onto her side and stretching like a cat. "We went out drinking. You attacked me. We found a place to stay, and here we are."
I froze again. "I-I attacked you, rawr?" I stammered, horrified at myself.
"Yes. You started it," Kayda teased again, leaning closer to kiss my cheek.
Heat exploded in my face. That might have happened since I still have my clothes on. But... then again, I could've used my storage skill to put them back on... oh gods, what if I did?' My brain twisted into knots trying to figure it out.
"Don't worry too much," Kayda said soothingly, standing up from the bed. My eyes betrayed me, trailing her movement. "It was my fault that this happened." She bent over, picking her shirt up from the ground, which only made my ears steam more.
"How, rawr?" I mumbled, unable to stop the sound of embarrassment from slipping into my words.
"We went to a bar, remember? I wanted to see if you could get drunk," she explained simply, tugging the shirt over her head.
"Hmm, I thought it wouldn't be possible," I admitted, looking away quickly to spare myself.
"I agreed with you there, but as we can see-"
"And I can feel it," I muttered miserably, burying my burning face into both hands.
"-it's possible," she finished, her tone smug. Then she chuckled. "Though I don't think it's a good idea to try it again, haha."
"Why?" I asked cautiously, peeking through my fingers.
"Neck, boobs, everything that was exposed is full of bite marks," Kayda said flatly, lifting her shirt to show me. Red blotches were scattered everywhere, like I'd gone feral.
I squeaked. "...I can heal you?"
"Please do," she said immediately, sitting back down on the bed.
"Here," I said, biting into my finger until it bled and holding it out to her.
She raised a brow. "...What am I supposed to do with your bleeding finger?"
"Just lick it. It will work. Trust me," I said impatiently, waving it at her.
Kayda sighed dramatically. "You have the weirdest fetishes." Then, deliberately slowly, she leaned forward, licked the blood off my finger, and even slid it into her mouth, holding eye contact the entire time with a mischievous grin.
"Hey! Don't do it like that, rawr!" I yelped, yanking my hand back as my face burned hotter than dragonfire.
"But you told me to," she teased mercilessly.
"Grr, don't be like that! Please-I'm going to pass out... or attack you again, rawr," I admitted, looking away, trying desperately to keep control.
"Fine, fine, I'll stop," she relented, hands raised in mock surrender. Standing, she gathered the blanket around herself and strolled to the bathroom.
"Oh right," she said casually, pausing at the doorway. "When does your mother get here?"
I blinked, momentarily distracted. "I don't know. Maybe in a few hours. Could you please tell me what time it is? I muttered, scrambling out of bed and glancing around.
Knock knock. "Is the tenant awake?" A familiar voice rang from outside.
Both of us stiffened.
"Fuck," we said in unison.
The door exploded inward a heartbeat later.
"Hey, hey, guess who's here!" My mom roared, stomping into the room like a conquering warlord.
"Mom! This isn't our place! You can't just destroy property like that!" I shouted, horrified at the splinters and ruined doorframe.
"Hello, my daughter," Stacy said sweetly, a dangerous smile stretching her lips. "How are you on this fine afternoon?"
"Afternoon!?" I blurted, spinning to look outside, where the sun was already well past its zenith.
"Yes, my daughter. I have been waiting seven hours for you to return to the mansion. "Seven fucking hours," Mom shouted, her voice echoing off the ruined walls. She stalked closer with predatory steps.
"Hehe, sorry. In my defense, it's not my fault," I said quickly, dropping to my knees with a sheepish grin.
"Oh? Do tell me whose fault it is, then," she said, looming over me with a glare.
"My girlfriend," I blurted, jabbing a finger toward the bathroom.
"Oh? Where is she? I haven't seen her," Mom asked, her smile widening in anticipation.
"She's in the bathroom," I said quickly.
But the moment my senses stretched out, my blood ran cold.
'She isn't in there!? She ditched me!' I realized, horrified.
"Is she now?" Mom purred, stepping toward the bathroom.
The second she turned, I bolted. I threw myself out the window, landing on the nearest roof with a roll.
"This little shit!!" Mom bellowed behind me.
"Fuck you, Kayda! I'll get you back for this." I yelled, sprinting across the rooftops of Aanbald with my mother-the most fearsome demon in existence-hot on my tail.
[Five hours later]
[Stacy POV]
'This damn little shit... she got strong,' I thought, panting slightly as I stared at my daughter sprawled on the ground, looking passed out. Dust and rubble marked the path of our "conversation" through half the training grounds.
"So, what is your class?" I asked, folding my arms and glaring down at her.
"Huh? You don't know yet? I thought I messaged you about it?" Kitsuna muttered groggily, lifting her head with confusion.
"Would I ask if I knew?" I snapped.
"...Yes."
Tick marks throbbed on my forehead. "Pochi. What is it?" I demanded.
Kitsuna gave me a cheeky grin that only fueled my fury. "Woah, woah, I'll tell you! Please don't hit me again!" She yelped, scrambling backward.
"Oh, will you now?" I said, cracking my knuckles ominously.
"It's Weapon Sage, okay!" she shouted, throwing her hands up.
I froze. "...Sage? Sage!? Why is the word "sage" in your class? I yelled, my voice shaking the ground.
"It's probably because I create my own weapons and have five elements, Mother!" Kitsuna yelled back, dodging as I lunged at her.
"Tsk... You're right, damn it," I admitted grudgingly, my anger turning into irritation.
"Can-can I stand up now?" she asked hesitantly.
"I never said you can't," I replied flatly.
"...Okay," she muttered before dissolving into a wisp of red smoke. I turned my head, and sure enough, she reappeared leaning against the wall, three tails twitching nervously behind her. Bruises marked her arms and shoulders, evidence of our spar, but her eyes still shone defiantly.
"You really are a monster," I said at last, unable to stop the pride sneaking into my voice.
"Hehe, thank you," Kitsuna said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
"Now, show me your upgrades. And hide those tails," I ordered, pointing at them before glancing around the area.
"Don't worry, they can't see us," Kitsuna said confidently. Suddenly she was behind me, arms looping around my shoulders.
I blinked, then narrowed my eyes. 'She might be better than Apricot in illusions,' I thought, unnerved by how cleanly she slipped through my perception.
"Right now, we're eating biscuits over there," she said, pointing to a tree. Sure enough, when I looked, I saw an illusion of the two of us calmly having tea and snacks.
"I see. That's a powerful skill you have there, Kitsuna," I admitted, begrudgingly impressed.
"This is just normal. "There's nothing surprising about this," she said innocently.
I sighed. "Now, what's this about having five elements?" I asked.
"Uh... I have my ice magic with devil fire and lightning. But now I also have foxfire and fox lightning. That part was before my class, though," she explained, conjuring small orbs of each element into the air. They flickered above her palm, each distinct and deadly.
My jaw tightened. "So not only do you have five elements, but all of them are racial elements?"
"Yeah, pretty much. I'm overpowered, aren't I?" She said it with a little grin.
"That would be an understatement," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. "You're an absolute monster in human form."
"However, I am a primordial," she smugly reminded me.
"That doesn't change the fact you have far too many elements!" I snapped, throwing my hands up.
"Well, I have two elements of lightning and two elements of fire, so they're the same," she offered with a shrug.
"...Just move on before I strangle you," I said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, okay," she replied dumbly, her tails swishing.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 144
[Kitsuna Pov]
"So you guys arrived here in the morning already?" I said, walking next to Mother toward the Anabalds' mansion, where the plane was waiting. The air smelled faintly of fuel and trimmed garden hedges, and the gravel crunched softly under our boots.
"Yes, it only takes us 8 hours to get here," Mom explained, tilting her head slightly as she looked up at me with that ever-so-smug smile that said, "See how much easier I had it than you?"
"Really, that fast? It took us at least a month to get here." I sighed, ears twitching in frustration as I remembered the long days of travel, monster ambushes, and sleeping in damp forests.
"You mean 2 months," Mom said, correcting me without hesitation.
"We got distracted, okay," I muttered, looking away and fiddling with the strap of my weapon harness.
"By what, hmm?" Mom hummed, the sound lilting like she was coaxing a confession out of a guilty child.
"The devil cult."
"... And?" Mom pressed, her tone dipping lower, clearly not satisfied.
"What do you mean, 'and'? It was only the devil cult that delayed us," I said, tilting my head at her, ears falling flat as I tried to act innocent.
"Oh, so no sexual stuff happened then?" Mom asked, sounding disappointed, like I had just ruined her favorite soap opera twist.
"No, that only happened here in the city," I said quickly, feeling my face grow hot. The tips of my ears burned, and I hated that I knew she noticed.
"Hmm, so how far have you guys gone?" Mom said with a teasing grin that promised torment.
"Wha-what? "Don't tease me, Mom," I whined, flopping my ears down in embarrassment. My tail even twitched behind me like it was betraying me.
"Oh, come on, do tell your mother. I won't tease you too much if you do."
"Why would I tell you if you are going to tease me about it anyways?" I said, annoyed, quickening my pace only for her to match it effortlessly.
"Please tell me. I am so curious," Mom said, her eyes practically sparkling. She actually skipped a step, which made her look like an overgrown kid begging for candy.
"Tch, we only kissed," I muttered, clicking my tongue, my words short and sharp as if saying them quickly would make them less humiliating.
"You? You only kissed her? You shared a hotel room to only kiss each other?" Mom said this with her brows furrowing in disbelief and her tone growing sharp.
"Yes," I said, looking away, my voice cracking slightly.
"I knew you were slow, but this isn't even comparable to someone working at a snail's pace," Mom said, throwing her hands in the air, her voice dropping into that deep, annoyed register she reserved just for me.
"What did you expect? We go into a half-married couple in a few months or something!?" I shouted back, flustered beyond repair, more than annoyed now.
"Yes, yes, I did expect that. Especially after you easily started to trust her," Mom yelled back, shocking me.
"Ugh, no, I won't fall for this soulmate bond that easily!" I said, standing my ground even though my tail was tucked low.
"... You can't be serious?" Mom's face dropped, frustration evaporating into sheer bafflement.
"I just don't trust it," I said, awkwardly looking downwards at my feet, ears twitching nervously.
"No, no, it can't be. Do you actually think the soulmate bond is manipulating your feelings?" Mom asked, her voice lower but sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
"..." I didn't answer. I couldn't.
"This dumb daughter of mine, you are fucking primordial. Do you think-" Mom snapped, her voice rising again.
"Shut up. I would rather not hear it. Okay, I already know... "I am just not sure," I said, interrupting her, putting my hands on my ears, and making sure no one around us caught that dangerous word, primordial.
Slap!
"Eh?" I froze, baffled, my cheek stinging.
"Sorry, I just had to," Mom said while puffing her cheeks and pretending to sulk, although her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Why?" I mumbled, touching my cheek, ears drooping.
"Because you were annoying," Mom said simply, looking away and crossing her arms like a child caught doing something wrong.
"How was I being annoying? I wasn't doing anything," I muttered, the last part under my breath.
"You are dense. Your saying you weren't doing anything is precisely the point."
"Huh? You're making me more confused, Mom," I whined, grabbing her shoulders and shaking them lightly.
"Don't worry. You'll understand someday," Mom said, grinning knowingly, infuriatingly smug.
"Ugh, why did you have to be like this?" I muttered as she opened the main gate to the Anabalds' mansion.
"Mother!"
"Oof, why did you jump into me!" I yelled, annoyed, looking down at Apricot, who had just flung herself into my stomach.
"I missed you, Mother!" Apricot said, burying her face in my clothes, her fluffy tail wagging like an excited puppy.
"Apricot, you are annoying," I said, kicking her lightly off me.
"Ow, Mom, don't be so mean," Apricot said, rubbing her side dramatically as she pouted on the ground.
"Stop calling me that."
"You are so mean. I am going to Kayda to complain," Apricot huffed, sprinting off like a child tattling to a teacher.
"I guess Kayda is here," Mom said beside me, dark energy seeping out of her like smoke.
"Please don't hurt her too much, Mom," I said, smirking despite my words.
"You really are the worst sometimes," Mom muttered, but she laughed anyway.
"Well, anyways-oh, hello, Nekro. How are you doing?" I said, feeling small hands latch onto my back as Nekro climbed up and settled onto my shoulder.
"Uh, good, I guess," Nekro mumbled, nodding and nestling against me like a perched cat.
"That's pleasing to hear. Did you guys train well?" I asked, patting her leg.
"Y-yes," Nekro stuttered, shrinking a little, her voice nervous as if the answer wasn't good enough.
"Ah, is that it?" I said, glancing at Mom. She was glowing with pride like she'd done something amazing, which only made me more suspicious.
"Well then, I'll leave you for now. Let me get Kayda before she gets away again," Mom said, darting off with terrifying speed in the same direction Apricot had gone.
"Sigh, she really is a demon," I said, glancing at Nekro perched on me.
"The worst. She's the worst and scariest demon I've ever seen," Nekro muttered, a grey cloud practically hanging over her head.
"Well, that's not hard to bet. You haven't seen a lot."
"Captain, you are a close second."
"Ugh, there's no way I am like my mother."
"That's right. You aren't. Your appearance alone makes you scary enough to be close to the top," Nekro said flatly, not even blinking.
"Ugh, you're so mean, Nekro," I whined, drooping my head.
"I'm only stating the truth," Nekro said, grinning slightly.
"Sigh, now you sound like Kayda," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"Well, I don't mind that," Nekro said dreamily, clearly looking up to Kayda.
"Huh, and why is that?"
"Kayda is cool," Nekro explained briefly.
"And I'm not?" I raised an eyebrow, flicking my ear toward her.
"I thought we already clarified this, Captain. You're scary, not cool," Nekro replied without hesitation.
"Tsk, whatever. How's it going with the other three?"
"That-I'll leave it to you to find out, Captain," Nekro said, clamming up quickly.
"Sigh, I guess something major happened to the three then," I said, pushing open the door. Immediately, cheers and weird noises echoed.
"You can do it, Apricot!" Brenda, Sirona, and Chinada cheered in unison.
Looking over, I saw Apricot desperately dodging Mom's slaps while Kayda used her as a human shield.
"Kayda, why are you using someone as a shield?" I said this while flash-stepping behind her and grabbing one of her wings.
"Oh, Kitsu, help me! Stacy wants to kill me," Kayda whined the instant I appeared.
"Yeah, no," I said, yanking Apricot's tail to pull her back while shoving Kayda forward toward Mom.
"Hey, no, Kitsu! How could you do this to me!"
"Oh, thank you, my daughter," Mom said, happily grabbing Kayda.
"Don't go too far," I warned, narrowing my eyes.
"You traitor, how could you?" Apricot hissed at me from the floor.
"She betrayed me first."
"Why is this sounding like a storybook right now?" Nekro muttered thoughtfully.
"Nekro?" I asked, confused.
"What? Just think about it. One leaves the other behind, but the survivor takes revenge on the one who abandoned her," Nekro explained seriously.
"... That doesn't sound like a story, though. If it is, it's a terrible one."
"Is it, though? Many people like revenge stories," Nekro countered, smiling faintly.
"Yeah, but here no one dies. So no one will like it or classify it as a revenge story."
"That's true... but can you please let go of Apricot's tail? She looks like she's in pain."
"Oh yeah, my bad," I said, releasing her and scratching my cheek sheepishly.
"Thank you, Nekro, you saved me," Apricot said, clutching Nekro and pulling her down into a hug.
"It's okay, don't worry about it," Nekro said, patting Apricot's head gently.
'Yeah, they somehow fit together,' I thought, watching the two of them sit on the floor, oddly comfortable.
"Well, whatever. So how's it going with you three?" I asked, turning to the trio of cheerleaders.
"Ah, my queen, it's going good," Chinada said, smiling nervously.
"Hmm," I hummed, eyes narrowing as I noticed she was wedged between Brenda and Sirona, who weren't giving her any space at all.
'It feels weird that those two aren't next to each other,' I thought, tail flicking suspiciously.
"Well, how about you two? Anything new?"
"Ah, not really," they both said in unison, their tones eerily similar.
"Sigh, you guys are so fucking boring. It's been a few months, and all you say is nothing has changed or is going well," I said, my eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Oh no," Chinada whispered, trying to inch away, but Brenda and Sirona blocked her.
"Oh yeah, all of you are going to suffer now," I declared, summoning ice chains that lashed out and wrapped around them. With one sharp motion, I flung them out the mansion windows, the glass shattering into glittering shards.
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Chapter 145: Crazy Squads get's Demolished
"Ah fuck, we are really going to get it now," Sirona said, hanging her head, her hands slumped on her knees as if the weight of impending doom was physically crushing her spine.
"Well, it is your guys' fault that you gave such lackluster responses to the captain," Nekro said, arms crossed, glaring down at the other three sprawled pathetically across the grass like defeated puppies. Her voice was sharp and clipped, and she was clearly trying not to say, "I told you so"-though it was all over her face anyway.
"Well, sorry that we didn't know what to say," Brenda muttered bitterly, shooting an annoyed glare back at Nekro without lifting her head too much. Her tone made it clear she would rather face a fireball to the face than this lecture.
"Hey, now don't start fighting over something as simple as not talking," I said as I appeared next to Brenda in a blink of red-black smoke. My sudden arrival made all of them freeze, except Brenda-who barely got the chance before my foot slammed into her side, sending her flying backwards in a clean arc.
"Sis!?" Sirona yelled, eyes wide as she watched her older sister fly past her, tumbling over the grass like a ragdoll. She moved to react.
"Don't get distracted!" Nekro snapped, grabbing Sirona's shoulder and pulling her back just in time to make my throwing knife miss by a hair. The blade embedded itself into the ground behind her with a soft thud and a dangerous shimmer of ice magic curling around the handle.
"Shit, we're going to be killed if we don't give a decent fight," Brenda groaned, staggering back toward the group while clutching her ribs. Her clothes were scuffed, and her glare at me didn't hide the pain.
"You guys have your weapons now, right?" I asked, standing tall, cracking my knuckles casually, like this was more of a warm-up than an actual threat.
"Yes?" Apricot muttered hesitantly, raising her hand halfway like a student answering the wrong question in class.
"Now get them out before I drill you guys into the ground with my fists," I said, my tone flat and terrifying, the sound of bones popping from my knuckles ringing ominously in the silence.
"Apricot, get behind and use it," Nekro ordered quickly, summoning five humanoids in a circle with practiced precision. Bones shifted under flesh as the grotesque creatures assembled behind her.
"Your necromancy is still fucking weird," I muttered, conjuring an ice spear in my hand, its blade longer and broader than usual, the edge practically humming with magical sharpness.
"Hup!" Brenda cried out, lunging at me with her blade, her battle cry louder than necessary.
"Don't announce yourself now," I scolded, easily batting her sword away with the blunt side of my spear. The impact rang like a bell, and she stumbled from the rebound.
"Uh, right," Brenda said, her voice cracking as her eyes locked onto my incoming foot heading straight for her again.
"Oh." I stopped mid-kick, my instincts flaring. I twisted my body, dodging just in time as an arrow whistled past, infused with a terrifying amount of mana.
"Sirona, that was quite the arrow," I said with interest, watching the spot where it landed crumble into dust. The very ground hissed with residual magic as it collapsed inward.
I jumped sideways, dodging Nekro's humanoid corpses as they lunged toward me. Their jerking movements were grotesque but coordinated-still predictable. As I spun midair, I cast a glance at Apricot, wondering what she was planning. She looked too pleased.
'Hmm, Chinada will be a problem as well,' I thought, narrowing my eyes as I searched for her aura. Nothing. That alone made me uneasy.
"Hmm." I frowned, realizing I couldn't sense Chinada anywhere. My feet hit something soft-too soft. I looked down.
A rune. A magic circle. Oh, hell.
"Hehe," I heard Apricot snicker off to the side like a kid who just pulled a prank on her sibling.
"You dumb dog," I hissed, realizing I'd stepped into a trap spell.
Boom!
A fiery explosion erupted beneath me, engulfing the area in smoke and force.
"Got her!" Apricot cheered, hands thrown in the air like she had just won a tournament. The moment was short-lived.
As the smoke cleared, she felt a sudden chill and stiffened, realizing too late that a strong arm had wrapped around her shoulders.
"Did you, now?" I said softly next to her ear, watching the blood drain from her face as she stared at the fading cloud of red and black smoke where I had reappeared.
"Ah, Aaaah! Help!" Apricot screeched, flailing wildly, only to feel a cold chain wrap tightly around her waist.
"Bye," I said, casually waving before letting go of the chain.
'No one tried to interfere.' I glanced at the rest of them. Sirona, Nekro, and Brenda-all frozen, eyes locked on Apricot's silhouette as she soared into the sky with a sharp scream.
"Kyaaa!"
"Wow, you really are a monster. Will she be okay?" Nekro asked, shifting slightly toward the spot where Apricot had been.
"Don't worry about her now. Worry about yourself," I said, suddenly appearing in front of Nekro. My spear came down in a sharp horizontal slash.
Clang!
"Nekro, move back!" Brenda shouted, appearing between us and catching the spear with her sword. The force made her boots skid backward across the ground.
"Right." Nekro nodded and darted back, falling behind Sirona for cover.
"Let's see how much better you've gotten with that sword of yours," I said, twirling the spear around and jabbing forward.
"Alright, but I'm not alone," Brenda said just as a hand burst from the shadow beneath me, latching onto my ankle.
"Uh, I know," I muttered, instantly freezing the hand solid before shattering it with a sharp twist of my leg. Looking back, I saw Chinada rising from the darkness, two daggers already in her grip.
Sighing, I spun the spear, the shaft hitting her square in the chest and sending her flying back with a gasp.
"Hey, that is no good," I said, redirecting my attention. Brenda was already trying to counter, raising her sword again. I jumped up, flipped midair, and landed on the flat of her blade.
"What the-!?" she exclaimed.
As I landed, I swung my spear down to the side-perfect timing.
Bang.
I batted away an arrow from Sirona that would've gone right through me.
"Eh!?" Brenda gasped, trying to wrench her sword away from under my feet.
"KYAAAAAA!" A scream echoed again from above.
"Sigh, you're lucky," I said, launching myself up and catching Apricot in a smooth princess carry.
"Help!!!"
"Shut up already," I said, exasperated, as I floated down to the ground.
"O-oh, thank you, Mom," Apricot sniffled, looking like she had aged five years from sheer terror.
"Yeah, well, this got real boring fast. Hmm, you know what? Let's restart it all," I said, casually dropping her onto the grass.
"What do you mean restart?" Nekro asked, head tilted, clearly suspicious.
"Get information and attack me," I replied, putting distance between us with a few easy steps.
"Ah, I see. Are you ready?" Brenda asked, tightening her grip on her sword and stepping forward again with renewed energy.
"Give me a second," Apricot said, pulling out six puppets from her storage scroll. They unfolded into grotesque humanoid shapes with metal limbs and glass eyes.
'Six, huh? I was genuinely surprised, thinking it was way more than I expected, but I kept my face blank.
"Is that all you can do, Apricot?" I said coldly.
"Tsk. Nekro, show her." Apricot gestured without turning.
"Okay," Nekro replied. She slammed her hands together, and the air rippled with dark energy.
I felt it immediately-an intense pressure.
"So this is how devil mana actually feels," I mumbled, intrigued. In contrast to my own mana, which I couldn't sense unless I was actively using it, Nekro's mana radiated malevolence like a furnace spewing hatred.
"I don't even need to try to feel the malice," I thought, watching the ground darken.
"May you follow?" Nekro whispered, her voice reverberating with a strange echo. Then she slammed her palms into the ground.
The air turned foul.
'27 seconds to summon... 46 corpses!?' I thought, baffled, watching skeletal soldiers claw their way from the ground, some still wearing bits of tattered armor.
"It's as creepy as always," Sirona muttered, clearly disgusted.
"Hey, it's one of our best skills! You can only shoot arrows-and you haven't even hit one at all," Apricot said, glaring at her.
"What did you say!? Do you know how difficult it is to shoot someone that fast!?" Sirona snapped, spinning on her.
"Hey! Not the time, guys," I shouted, slamming my foot into the ground and unleashing a wave of ice magic. The temperature dropped instantly.
Shards of ice burst from beneath them, destroying all of Nekro's summoned corpses in one sweep and knocking everyone off their feet.
Apricot fell with a yelp. Chinada helped Sirona and Brenda up.
"Ag, sorry," Apricot mumbled, not even raising her head.
"Whatever. I lost any motivation for this," I said, letting my magic dissipate. The field returned to normal, silence washing over it.
I turned and jumped back into the mansion, leaping cleanly through the same shattered window we'd exited earlier.
"Huh, you're back?" Mom asked, glancing over her shoulder from the lounge seat.
"Yeah, they are a disappointment," I said, walking past her and straight toward Kayda, who was sulking in the corner with her arms crossed.
"Kayda dearest, Are you okay?" I mumbled, lowering myself to her level.
"No!" she yelped, avoiding my eyes entirely.
"Oh, come on, you ditched me first," I said, scooping her up into a big bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground.
"No, let me go!" Kayda whined and flailed dramatically, but her punches were more like taps than actual strikes.
"Not happening~," I hummed, holding her tighter, cheek pressing against hers.
"Wow, you two, really... I will shut up," Mom said, watching us, only to shut her mouth quickly under our mutual glare.
"You are a meany," Kayda mumbled finally, arms drooping.
"Says the one who leaves her girlfriend behind and escapes on her own," I teased, walking over to the couch and sitting down with her still on my lap.
"Hmph!" she huffed, looking away but not moving off me.
"Right, so Kitsuna, what do you think about your squad?" Mom asked, arching a brow, clearly fishing for feedback.
"They talk far too much. They're more useless than me at five years old."
"You don't even know how you were at five. But I get your point. They do talk too much," Mom said, nodding solemnly.
"It made me lose interest in them."
"...Sigh. Are you sure?" Mom asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Yeah. Do what you want with them. I don't care," I said flatly.
"Tell me if you change your mind, okay?"
"I doubt I will, but sure. I'll tell you."
"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Kayda said, confused.
I no longer want to be part of the crazy squad. They're too useless. My mom trained them for three months, and they're just a bit stronger. But as a squad? Weaker than a colony of puppies," I explained with a shrug.
"Ah, don't you think you're jumping the gun?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, you only saw them fight you. Not real enemies."
"Pfft, they'll die if I leave them to enemies," I laughed.
"...Stacy, just transfer them to me instead," Kayda said after a pause.
"Are you sure?" Mom asked, surprised.
"Yes. The fox will change her mind sometime."
"Tsk. I highly doubt that," I said, clicking my tongue.
'I don't think she realizes what I'm doing,' I thought, glancing at the door. Apricot was sitting behind it, sniffling.
"They're more useless than before I left. Are you sure you actually trained them, Mom?" I asked with a pointed look.
"Sigh, don't start it."
"Alright."
"When do we go to the Kuni?" Kayda asked, shifting the topic.
"Anytime you guys are ready," Mom said.
"What, really? Alright, then, let us go," Kayda said, sliding off my lap reluctantly.
"Wait, let me get our things first," I said, getting up and heading out.
Closing the door behind me, I spotted Apricot curled up on the floor.
"Sniff."
You guys better get better fast. Teamwork is the most important... "Well, when it comes to squads," I thought, walking past her toward my room without saying a word.
avataravatar
Chapter 146: To the Kunis'
"So we're just leaving them behind," Mom said, blinking at me like I had lost my mind. Her voice was flat, but there was a definite edge of disbelief in it, the kind that said she was two seconds away from dragging me back out of the plane.
"What? Why do we need to take them with us?" I replied, emotionless, shrugging slightly as I crossed my arms, already half a step inside the cargo ramp. My tail swayed slowly behind me, betraying a hint of my annoyance.
"Mom explained that they have work to do in the Draig territory in a few weeks, gesturing vaguely behind her as if the weight of their usefulness was written on the walls of the hangar."
I raised an eyebrow at her. "So? That doesn't sound like my problem." I turned away, brushing her words off like dust on my shoulder. I had already made up my mind-if they wanted to be moody teenagers, they could sulk on their own time.
"Well, it's mine now," Kayda cut in sharply, her brow arched in challenge as she stood at the edge of the ramp. She was giving me the look-the one that said, "You're not getting out of this without a fight."
I looked back at her. Our eyes locked in silence for a few seconds. It wasn't even an intense stare, more like two tired wolves too stubborn to blink. In the end, I gave in first.
"Tsk, fine. Do whatever you want," I muttered, clicking my tongue and stomping up the ramp into the cargo plane.
"I will do that," Kayda replied, clearly still annoyed, though her voice had a smug satisfaction to it.
"Sigh, please don't start a fight over this," Mom said, pressing her fingers to her temple as if just existing with the two of us was a headache.
"We won't, don't worry," Kayda replied smoothly, snickering a bit when she caught the confused look on Mom's face.
"I'll explain later," I called out from inside the plane as I made my way toward the back.
I glanced around the cargo interior, noting how clean and cold everything looked. A few rows of reinforced benches were lined along the sides, each seat bolted to the metal floor with precise care. I noticed that the familiar backrests had tail-holes specifically designed for beastkin like us.
"Hmm, were these holes always this small?" I thought aloud, walking up to one of the seats and inspecting it. My tails, currently swaying at over a meter in length, definitely weren't going to slide in without a fight.
"Dammit, my tail won't fit in anymore," I grumbled, scratching my head in growing frustration. The gap was tight-too tight.
"It should be able to?" Mom approached from behind me, curiously giving the bench a second look.
"I don't think so, but I'll try it out," I muttered skeptically. I turned around and slowly bent down to take a seat, carefully guiding my tail toward the slit in the backrest.
Poof.
The moment I lowered myself, my tails refused to cooperate and bounced me off balance. I toppled sideways and ended up flat on my back on the cold floor, tails spread out in an embarrassing mess around me.
"Pfft, sorry, pfft-" Mom tried to hold back her laughter, but I could see her shoulders shaking.
"Sigh... My tails don't fit," I said, staring at the ceiling in defeat, cheeks tinged with embarrassment.
"Can't you just shorten them?" Kayda said, entering the plane with a curious tilt of her head. Her eyes flicked from me on the ground to the bench with casual amusement.
"No, this is the shortest they can go," I said grumpily, waving the fluffy meter-long tails around to prove my point.
"Ah, I see. Then just strap yourself to the floor," Kayda suggested with a shrug, saying it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"S-strap myself to the floor?" I blinked at her, confused and mildly concerned by how casual she was being.
"Or just stand?" She added, still tilting her head like she didn't understand why I was even hesitating.
"Uhm... How fast do these planes go again?" I asked cautiously, my ears flicking as I looked between the two of them.
"Hmm, about 2300 kilometers per hour," Mom replied calmly, tapping her chin as if calculating grocery costs.
"Yeah, no. I'll freeze myself to the floor then," I muttered, standing up with a fatigued groan.
"Huh? Why? It's not like you'll feel it once we're moving," Mom said, confused, her ears twitching.
"Yeah, but that's only when we're already moving. I'll be a pancake in seconds if I try to stand while it accelerates," I explained, glancing around the cabin for a safe spot.
"Ah... that might be true. "That might be entertaining, but it is still true," Mom said with a knowing nod and a very unhelpful smile.
"Did you just say entertaining?" I asked, pausing mid-step to look at her with suspicion.
"N-No~," she said, averting her gaze quickly.
"Tsk, you fucking cat," I muttered under my breath, walking to the center of the cargo bay and settling cross-legged on the floor. I conjured a thin layer of frost around my waist, anchoring myself down.
"Okay, with that sorted out, let's get everyone on the planes and depart," Kayda said, clapping her hands together with forced cheer.
The others slowly filtered in. Despite their movements being quiet, the weight of their sulky moods was heavy enough to make the air feel stagnant. The crazy squad looked like they'd collectively lost a battle against gravity and shame.
I sighed, tuning it out. I needed to prepare for the next eight hours anyway.
I wondered how I would explain everything to her. I thought, biting my lip as I stared at the floor. I already knew Mom would want to go over all the skills I'd unlocked with my class. And truthfully, who better than her to help me master them? But explaining some of them-especially spiritual magic-might be more difficult than expected.
'Wait, did I ever ask Kayda about it?' I wondered suddenly, furrowing my brow.
"Kayda, did I ever ask about spiritual magic?" I asked curiously, glancing toward her.
"You-you cannot be serious right now, Kitsu," Kayda said, looking absolutely done with me. She sighed hard enough to shake the seat, lowering her head as if questioning her life choices.
"Huh? What's with your reaction?" I blinked, confused by her exasperation.
"So that's one of your tail abilities, I presume?" Mom chimed in smoothly, throwing me off even more.
"Yes, it is. How did you know that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her in surprise.
"There have been quite a few demi-foxes turning up at the capital-and at our home," Mom explained, lounging in her seat lazily, arms folded like she was bored with the whole situation.
"Oh, right... They did come after me, didn't they?" I muttered, recalling the incident without much feeling.
"Uh-huh. We also went and found quite a lot of them at your request," Mom said, still sounding like she hadn't woken up fully.
"Ah, yes... thank you," I said sincerely, giving her a nod.
"No problem. You're my daughter, after all," she replied with a soft smile, and for a moment, the tension in the air lightened.
"Yes, yes, Mom. So how did you know about my-"
"We'll talk about it more privately," Mom interrupted, glancing up at the ceiling like she already suspected someone was listening in.
"Before you two try to drag me in with no thanks," Kayda said suddenly, raising a brow at us both. Her tone was sarcastic, but there was something honest beneath it.
"Okay, we'll talk later," I said, shrugging it off for now.
"Prepare for lift-off!" the pilot's voice rang out over the intercom. A moment later, the engines roared to life.
"That thing is loud," I complained, rubbing my ears as they folded reflexively against my head.
"Ugh, I hate this," Kayda mumbled, crossing her arms.
"Don't look at me like that. You should know what I'm talking about," she added, narrowing her eyes at me.
"This is the first time I flew in one of these at full speed," I said thoughtfully. "Well... while conscious, of course."
"Ah, what about the time with Amari in the capital?" Mom asked with a sly look.
"We only flew for a few minutes, so we didn't go full speed," I replied, shrugging again.
"Okay, that is true," Mom nodded.
Then-
"Ugh." The moment the plane accelerated, I felt the pressure slam into me like a mountain falling on my chest. My limbs tensed, muscles straining to resist the sudden force.
My body felt like it was being shoved into the earth.
It only lasted a few seconds, but it left me panting.
"I see what you mean," I gasped, catching my breath.
"Yeah, it's only the start. You feel that pressure," Mom said, calmly taking off her seatbelt as if nothing had happened.
"Why is it only at the start, though?" I asked, still confused by how we were moving this fast without being crushed.
"All thanks to the twins. They really are the smartest people I know," Mom replied fondly.
"I can't really debate that, but... how did they even make something like this?" I mumbled.
"I don't know. Anyway, come follow me. "It's time for you to show me your stats," Mom said as she stood up and beckoned.
"Yes, Mother," I said obediently, breaking the ice lock around my waist and brushing frost off my pants. I followed her toward the front of the plane.
She opened a small door that looked like a closet from the outside.
"Huh, it's bigger than I thought," I muttered, stepping in and looking around.
"Right? That was my initial reaction too," Mom said, closing the door behind us.
"Well, alright. Now, show me," she said, handing me a sleek black tablet.
"Uh." I nodded and placed my hand on it, letting my mana flow in.
The screen lit up with my status.
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 14 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 51
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath)
HP: 4,738 / 4,738
MP: 71,938 / 71,938
STR: 2,469
VIT: 2,369
DEF: 1,969
INT: 35,969
END: 3,769
AGT: 4,169
Skills: Dimension Storage, Devil Fire, Devil Lightning, Fox Ice, Analysis, Short Distance Teleport, Sword Domain, Mana Sense, Fox Golden Lightning, Fox Golden Fire, Healing
Passives: Heightened Senses, Soul Regeneration, Eyes of Intimidation, Human Form, Night Vision, Mana Tails
Tail Abilities: Clone, Spiritual Magic, Illusion Magic, LOCKED
"Hmm... it changed a lot in three months," Mom commented, her expression flat, but I could see the glint of approval in her eyes.
"Yeah, all thanks to my class," I said, a small, proud smile tugging at my lips.
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Chapter 147: Skills Explained and Fox Friends
"Hmm, it changed a lot in three months," Mom said, clearly impressed, her eyes scanning my status screen like she was trying to burn every word into memory.
"Yes, I owe all of this to my class," I said, practically glowing with pride. I couldn't help the big grin stretching across my face. It had been a tough road getting here, but seeing her reaction made it feel worth it.
"Is it, though?" Mom raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into her expression like a fog rolling over clear skies.
"What?" I blinked, caught off guard.
"You got a supporting class, Kitsuna. This is so misleading you can't even joke about it," she explained flatly, folding her arms.
"Oh yeah, that it is," I said, nodding without shame, "but it supports my skill set to the T!" I threw her a thumbs-up with a wink, hoping to deflect the scolding I knew was coming.
She didn't laugh.
"Well," she said slowly, her expression tightening, "if you had a dedicated attack class, we might have seen another nine-tailed fox going to ruin."
"... What?" I frowned. That came out of nowhere.
"You see, daughter," Mom started, slipping into lecture mode, her voice annoyingly calm, "if you had a class that made you a dedicated fighter, too many attack skills would overburn you. That kind of overload can easily make you weaker instead of stronger."
I immediately felt my head start to ache.
"Okay, okay, whatever, I don't really care about that," I said, waving my hands in the air and crossing my arms in defiance. That was my signal that the conversation needed to change. Thankfully, she caught on and moved on without a fight.
"Well, okay. Anyways, in the last few months, quite a lot of demi-fox came to our kingdom because of you," she said, her tone suddenly softer, more curious. "We also searched for them. You could even call them a small tribe already."
"A small tribe?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. That sounded... way more serious than I expected.
"Over forty of them. "I don't know the exact number," Mom said with a nod, as if she were discussing something as casual as a market haul.
"Ah, I see. "That's great," I said with a small smile. A soft warmth bloomed in my chest.
"It is. They will be a tremendous help in boosting military power in the future," she said, snickering. That snicker wasn't a positive sign.
"... Mom, what do you mean by that?" I said, narrowing my eyes. That dangerous glint in her eye wasn't helping.
"Oh, no, don't misunderstand. We're not forcing them to join," she quickly clarified. "We're actually declining them. We don't want them to enlist without your permission."
I let out a sigh of relief I didn't realize I was holding.
"Hmm, is that so?" I said, still eyeing her skeptically.
"Tsk, if it weren't for the king stopping me, I would have done it already," Mom muttered under her breath, her tone dripping with disappointment.
"Haha, I knew it," I said, rolling my eyes. "Well, Mom, they can join the Draigs anytime. They also want to include the Anabalds, but no one else is desired. Though-they must be of age. The usual things. I don't want them to go out and get killed."
"Yes, clan leader," Mom said teasingly, her grin stretching wider.
"Tsk, I will not be a clan leader," I snapped, already regretting my life decisions.
"Say that to them. They all believe you, the nine-tailed fox, are their queen and will lead them to greater heights," she said, bursting out in laughter as my face twisted in horror.
"Sigh... Even if I were that, it wouldn't have been difficult, considering they were treated as slave goods before arriving here," I muttered, sighing for the third time in under a minute.
"Take responsibility for this one, okay," she said. Her voice sounded normal, but somehow the words carried the weight of a decree. I knew then-I didn't really have a choice.
"Tsk, fine, fine. Did you find anything out about the previous nine tails?" I asked, switching topics before she started planning banners and tribal flags.
"Ah, not really. All I know about her is that she also had a god as a wife and killed herself by giving herself up for Gluttony to kill her."
"Gluttony?" I repeated, feeling a chill crawl up my spine.
"Yeah, that bastard is still alive," Mom said with a wicked smile blooming on her face, something feral flashing in her eyes.
"Heh, good, good," I said, grinning back at her, a matching smile pulling at my lips.
Clap.
"Let's get back on track, shall we?" Mom said, shaking her head, dragging both of us out of that vengeful haze.
"Right. Is there anything else you heard about the nine tails?" I asked, nodding seriously.
"Yes, quite a bit. Each tail possesses a unique ability along with several other characteristics.
"Oh? Do go on."
"First, the tails. At your class revival, you get three of them. Then, from level 300, you will get one every 100 levels. Each tail grants you an ability. In other words, you'll have nine tails with nine different abilities."
"That's intriguing. Do you know which abilities I will get?" I tilted my head at her, curiosity rising.
"That's the thing. I know about two of the powers, but I have no idea what the others are. No clue. One will be blood magic, and the other one will be immortality," Mom said, shrugging like she wasn't casually dropping game-breaking power into my lap.
"But I already have immortality? And another magic element?" I groaned. More training. Great.
"Yeah, your arsenal is only going to get bigger. Regarding immortality, I'm unsure how it differs from your current state of being. It could be a more refined version. It could be something spiritual. Who knows?"
"Sigh, it's fine. We'll figure it out later. Though what do you mean you only know about two? What about the other seven?"
"That, my dear daughter," she said, waggling a finger at me, "is because every nine-tailed fox is different. Especially you."
"Why especially me?" I asked, pointing to myself, confused.
"Because you're not connected to the sin of lust. Something that has never happened before."
"You mean-"
"Yes, for thousands of years, a nine-tailed fox held the sin of lust. Haha!" Mom laughed again, reveling in the horror on my face.
"So if gods meet me, they will-" I trailed off, already regretting this line of thought.
"Yeah, they'll want to fuck you," Mom said, laughing loud and free while I physically recoiled.
"Ugh, but she was married," I said instinctively, trying to find some logic in the madness.
"Don't worry, the previous one wasn't like that. And you're right. She was married. Loyal to her wife. That's what her right hand said, anyway."
"Sigh... I'll need to think about it later."
"Haha, don't worry. You won't have that problem. You're the sin of wrath. It has nothing to do with love or anything like it. However... you might struggle a bit more to control the sin. That's what I was told. But knowing you, I don't think it'll be a problem."
"Sigh. Thank the bones."
"Well, anyways, that's all I know right now about your bloodline. Let's get to your skills."
"Yeah, I got a few new ones and a few upgraded skills. Do explain them to me, please. I understand the functions of most skills, but spiritual magic remains a mystery to me, and mana sense is very broad in its applications.
"Firstly, it makes sense. I can teach you how to sense people, but you already have that. Hmm... I think I'll leave it to Steve."
"Huh?"
"It'll help in creating godly weapons. You'll see."
"Right?" I blinked. Still confused.
"Now for spiritual magic. All I can say is that you'll need to talk to a spirit to figure it out. I don't know anything about it. But... It seemed Kayda knew something. Ask her first."
"Sigh... dammit."
"Yeah, sorry."
"Okay, now explain to me how your cloning skill works."
"It can use up to 5000 mana. It all depends on what I make or want. For example, if I create a clone of myself, it requires 5000 mana, but the clone will only be half as strong as I am. I can also make weapons that sustain themselves. Those are way cheaper mana-wise."
Mom nodded, absorbing everything.
"I see, I see. That is fucking weird," she muttered, narrowing her eyes at me.
"What?" I said, baffled.
"That's not how it usually works, but I guess it doesn't matter." Next, your illusion magic."
"It's normal illusion magic, Mom. You have it too," I said, genuinely confused.
"Bullshit," she snapped, glaring.
"Ugh, fine, fine. I did not lie. It really is normal. It's just how you use it. Consider applying it to yourself rather than directing it towards others."
"... that... It can't be that simple, right?"
"It is, Mom. It really is that simple of a trick."
"Sigh... Okay, I'll test it out later. Next."
"Mana tails."
"I know a lot about manatees."
"Oh, you do?" I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yeah. "Do you want to see it?" she asked with a grin.
"Huh? What!?"
Before I could react, two glowing ropes wrapped around my waist and ankles, lifting me into the air like I was nothing more than a plush toy.
"They're cool, aren't they?"
"I fucking knew it! You had two tails!" I yelled, glaring at the two tails waving behind her.
"Hehehe, yes. I'm a nekomata after all. However, not many people are aware of this, so please keep it a secret.
"That's fine, but Mom, can you please let me go? It's starting to feel like BDSM things," I muttered awkwardly, squirming.
"BDSM? What is that?"
"Rebecca."
"Ah. That isn't right," Mom muttered, shivering.
"Yeah, don't do that to people, okay?"
"I never will." "However, I might consider it with Dean," she said, staring into space.
"Don't go down the rabbit hole, Mom. Please don't."
"Okay, let's move on," she said while slapping her cheeks.
"Okay, I'm not going to talk about my passive skills anymore."
"Oh, before we continue, remember that mana tails are classified as a passive skill. They give you a lot of mana."
"Yeah, I figured that."
"Well, anyway, your active skills look wonderful. You finally have your healing skill," Mom said, smiling brightly.
"Yeah, it took far too long to get it, though."
"Not really," she murmured.
"For me, yes."
"Sigh... whatever. Then you've got the upgraded version of Flash Step. The next one will be a proper teleport skill," she said, nodding with satisfaction.
"However, I can still use Flash Step."
"Yes, you can. That's normally how it goes."
"I see," I muttered, not really understanding, but too worn out to argue.
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Chapter 148: Hangry Fox
[Kayda POV]
"What do you want to eat?" I asked, glancing at Kitsu with more than a little hesitation. The weight in the air was unmistakable-icy and oppressive. You didn't need to be a mage to feel the chill in her killing intent. It was practically snowing in here.
The fox was pissed. And hungry. This was a deadly combination.
"Food," Kitsu snapped back, her voice clipped and curt. She wasn't in the mood for conversation. Honestly, I was just glad she hadn't started biting people yet.
"Hey, don't be like this. We can eat at the Kunis later," Stacy offered, trying to sound hopeful.
Her attempt at cheerfulness backfired immediately. The pressure in the air intensified as Kitsu's aura lashed out like a sudden squall. The temperature dropped another five degrees.
"Okay, okay, we will get food," Stacy relented, holding her hands up in surrender.
Smart move. Arguing with a starving Kitsuna was like poking a sleeping dragon with a firecracker.
"How could you not have any food on the plane!? Don't you know how many people want food on their flights?" Kitsu growled, turning her glare on Stacy like she'd just committed a war crime.
"Uh, well, I forgot to restock at the Anabalds," Stacy admitted, looking away like a guilty child caught sneaking snacks. Her cheeks turned a soft pink as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Tsk." Kitsu clicked her tongue, already looking around. Her eyes locked onto a building in the distance, and she jabbed a finger toward it like it had personally offended her. "There. We will eat there."
I squinted in the direction she pointed. It was far, but even from here, I could see the unmistakable signage and structure of a steakhouse. A big steakhouse, to be specific-and a famous one at that.
"Of course, we'll go eat there," I said with a nod, trying to keep things smooth before she stormed off.
Too late.
I turned back and found her already halfway across the street, marching with purpose like a soldier on a mission. She didn't even spare a glance for the waiter at the door. Instead, she threw up two fingers over her shoulder-her way of saying, 'Don't be slowpokes'-and disappeared inside.
"Sigh, what a troublesome daughter," Stacy said, holding her cheek like a dramatic noblewoman in a tragedy.
"Says the one that knows she eats a lot and forgets to bring her food," I muttered, shaking my head at the absurdity.
"Hey! You could have reminded me!" Stacy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
"After you beat me up just because we made you wait for a little?" I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms. "You could have restocked in the time you were pacing angrily around the terminal."
"... Let's get a move on before she eats the restaurant out," Stacy said, clearly ignoring me as she briskly walked past.
Figures.
As we approached the restaurant door, a man in a pressed vest and crisp shirt greeted us with a forced smile.
"I presume you two are with the fair lady?" the waiter asked, his voice tight but polite.
"You mean the grumpy fox?" Stacy responded with a raised brow and a half-smile.
"Y-yes?" The waiter blinked, clearly thrown off by the casual tone.
"I think 'scary fox' would be a better description," I added, giving the man a sympathetic nod.
"That might be true," Stacy agreed, stroking her chin as if pondering something truly philosophical.
"Ah, I see. Well, let me take you to her booth," the waiter said, regaining composure and motioning us inside.
"Thank you, and do forgive her for her attitude. She's just... not very happy currently," Stacy said, trying to sound diplomatic.
"Thanks to you," I added under my breath, just loud enough for her to hear.
"That, uh, that's fine. She wasn't disrespectful at all," the waiter said, shaking his head and relaxing a bit after hearing our banter.
"If you say so," Stacy mumbled with a half-shrug.
"Haha, don't worry. She wasn't the worst we've had," the waiter chuckled, leading us through the bustling restaurant. The place was alive with clinking glasses, sizzling plates, and dwarven laughter. The earthy scent of cooked meat and strong ale lingered in the air.
"Hmm, you get bad customers regularly?" I asked as I glanced around. Dwarves occupied most of the tables, but a few demi-humans were visible among the crowd.
"Bad attitude ones? Yes, especially from the noble crowd. They're well-known for it, so we've gotten used to it," he explained as we reached the stairs.
"I see. I hope we won't get them today," Stacy said with a sigh, already predicting drama.
"Flag," I muttered darkly. That was practically a cosmic invitation for trouble.
"They were here yesterday, so I highly doubt they'll come today as well," the waiter said with the confident tone of someone tempting fate.
"Maybe not. But we have Kitsu with us. She always brings trouble," I muttered, my voice just above a whisper.
"What the hell are you muttering about, Kayda?" Stacy asked, glancing at me suspiciously.
"Ah, just our future doom, that's all," I replied with a small, cheeky grin.
"Huh?"
"Well, ladies, this is the room your friend is in. I'll send a waiter to get your orders shortly," a deeper voice said. The manager himself had appeared to greet us, placing a hand on the booth door.
"Ah, you're the manager? Before you go, may I ask you something?" I asked, gently catching his wrist before he opened the door.
"Yes, certainly," the manager said, stepping back with a polite nod.
"Do you guys have bones?" I asked.
"... What?" he blinked, clearly not expecting that question.
"You know, bones of meat left over, stuff like that," Stacy clarified with a sheepish smile.
"You mean the leftover bones from animals and monsters?" the manager asked, tilting his head.
"Yes, the leftover bones of the animals," I said, snapping my fingers like I'd just remembered something important.
"We do have some, but we usually throw them away. Why?" he asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
"Well, can you do a special order for us?" I asked, smiling sweetly.
"..."
"Can you take all those bones, bake them in spice, and then bring them to the fox? She will adore you guys afterward," I added, gesturing enthusiastically.
"... Sigh, I'll see what I can do," the manager finally said, rubbing his temple.
"Please, it'll help all of us," Stacy added, bowing slightly in thanks.
"Yes, thank you," I said, bowing as well.
"If I can get that scary fox on my side, then won't the two Kuni brats be easier to handle?" the manager muttered as he walked away.
"Pfft. I guess those two haven't grown up yet," I said, snickering under my breath.
'Though that manager knows how to think,' I thought, nodding at his retreating back.
"Meh, whatever happens, happens," I said with a shrug, stepping into what could only be described as the ice room of death.
"Kitsuna, can't you make it a bit warmer in here? It's fucking freezing," Stacy whined as she rubbed her arms, shivering like a wet cat.
"Sigh, you won't be able to get through to her right now," I said, settling beside Kitsu. She was sitting stiffly on the floor in front of the low table, eyes locked onto the empty surface like it had insulted her ancestors. Her aura was still aggressive-like a volcano just waiting for a reason to erupt.
Sighing, I released a bit of scorch mana, spreading warmth through the booth like a heated blanket.
"Ah, you guys really are a perfect match. I won't talk anymore," Stacy grumbled, pulling her jacket tighter around herself and facing away.
"So, what will we do after this?" I asked, turning my attention to her.
"I guess we need to find the plane first?"
"Hmm, shouldn't they have landed at the Kuni's mansion?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Well, I don't know. We jumped out before that," Stacy replied with a shrug.
"We did need to follow Kitsu, after all," I said, glancing sideways at the ravenous fox.
"I'm not complaining about that. I know she jumped out because she was hungry, but we followed her without telling them what to do," Stacy said, her voice tinged with guilt.
"... I don't think they'll need orders to know something like that, Stacy. They're not dumb," I replied, frowning slightly.
"That might be true, but you never know," she said again, her gaze dropping.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
"Good afternoon, ladies and... ladies! I will be your waiter for the evening," a cheerful dwarf woman said, pushing the door open and stepping inside with a practiced flourish.
"Haha, good afternoon to you too," Stacy said with a chuckle.
"So! What will the ladies be having tonight?" the dwarf asked, her enthusiasm infectious.
"Food," Kitsu grunted, eyes still glued to the table.
"Hmm, ribs, steak, and a lot of sauce," the dwarf muttered to herself, nodding thoughtfully.
"Pfft, I'll take some steak with a lot of fat," I said, snickering. I could feel Kitsu's low confusion ripple next to me, which made me smirk harder.
"I will have fish," Stacy said, raising her hand slightly.
"... Fish? You came to a steakhouse for some fish?" the dwarf asked, staring at Stacy like she had three heads.
"I didn't pick the place. The fox did," Stacy said, pointing at Kitsu.
"I see, I see... I'll check for something you might like," the dwarf said, shaking her head as she left the room.
"Hey, what about my fish!?" Stacy cried, standing up.
Knock knock.
"Huh? My fish?" Stacy muttered, appearing in front of the door like a ninja and slamming it open.
"Ah, thank you," the manager said from the other side, sidestepping her swinging arm gracefully. He carried a small pot, steam wafting out with the rich scent of spices and meat.
"Special delivery for the fair lady," the manager announced, placing the pot gently in front of Kitsu.
"Thanks," Kitsu mumbled, immediately digging in without ceremony. Her icy aura melted in an instant, replaced by something warm, inviting, even... grateful.
"Hehe, my pleasure," the manager said with a wink, retreating quickly.
"Are you happy now?" I asked.
"Uh-huh," Kitsu nodded, bones sticking out of her mouth like a weirdly adorable horror show.
"Sigh. Enjoy."
avataravatar
Chapter 149: The Drunk Cat Review
[One Hour later]
[Kitsuna POV]
'This was the best decision I've made in both my lives,' I thought, patting my full stomach with a deep sense of satisfaction and joy that radiated through every inch of my being. My tail gently swayed behind me, echoing my delight. The afterglow of a hearty feast was like a warm, fuzzy blanket wrapped around my soul. My whole body was relaxed, joyful, and just a little sluggish from the indulgence.
Knock knock.
"How are the fair ladies doing?" the manager asked as he walked into our booth, giving a light knock before stepping in. His voice was cheerful, but you could tell he was testing the waters, probably unsure if I was still the cold menace from earlier.
"We are doing wonderful," I said with a warm smile, a stark contrast to how I'd been earlier. The food had fixed everything. His smile in return looked more relieved than anything.
"Hahaha, wonderful to hear," he chuckled, clearly pleased that no one was threatening to freeze the restaurant solid anymore.
"Well, seeing as everyone is happy, are you ready to move on, Kitsuna?" Mom asked, putting down her seventh empty glass of beer with a loud clink. She was leaning back in her seat, red-cheeked and grinning like a satisfied cat.
I raised an eyebrow at her, genuinely surprised. I never would have thought Mom would love drinking.' It was oddly endearing but also a little alarming.
I sat up a bit straighter, adjusting my position. To my left, Kayda looked absolutely done with life. She stared off at the mountain of plates I'd left behind with a blank, ghosted expression. It was like she was trying to calculate just how much I had eaten and whether it was physically possible.
"Are you sure you're up for it?" I asked Mom, my gaze still fixed on her while ignoring Kayda's soul-departing stare.
"Huh? What do you mean by 'Will I be alright?' Of course, I'll be alright! Who do you think I am?" Mom asked, proudly puffing her chest out before slurping the last foam from her mug.
"A drunk cat. What else?" I said without missing a beat, grinning as I watched her stunned expression freeze in place.
Kayda raised her hand, flagging down a waiter nearby. "Can you please clean our booth? We'll be here for a while longer," she said calmly.
"Ah, get me another beer," Mom chimed in immediately, lifting the empty mug with renewed determination.
"Don't listen to her. She's cut off," I said, waving a dismissive hand before the poor waiter could be swept into Mom's alcohol spiral.
"Ugh, Kitsuna! "Don't be so mean to your mother," Mom whined, flopping over the table with exaggerated dramatics like some noblewoman fainting in a play.
"Nope. You can't drink anymore. Otherwise, we'll never get anything done today," I said sternly, folding my arms like a disappointed parent.
"I take it the ladies will be settling the bill, then?" the waiter asked with practiced ease.
"Yes, you're right. Can you please bring it to us?" I nodded politely before turning back to Mom, who was now trying to pout her way into getting more beer.
"I'll be right back then," the waiter said, bowing slightly and leaving with a professional smile.
"Kitsuna, can't you let your poor mother enjoy herself?" Mom begged, her lips wobbling into a pout that might have worked if she didn't have beer foam on her nose.
"Hey, Kayda," I gently elbowed her side, "was Mom always like this?"
"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah, Stacy loves to drink," Kayda answered absentmindedly, clearly still caught up in whatever mental math she was doing with my plate stack.
"Huh. So not only is she a horndog, but she's also an alcoholic. Sigh, how problematic," I muttered, dropping my head into my hand and slowly shaking it.
"It's not really that bad," Kayda said, trying to sound reassuring. "She might seem totally drunk and useless, but she still has rationality under all that."
"...If you say so," I said, not fully convinced but not really wanting to argue over something I admittedly didn't know much about.
'Sigh. I never thought Mom was a drinker,' I mused, watching her flop her ears lazily and hum to herself. I guess I didn't know her as well as I thought... or maybe she just hid this side of herself from me. I suppose most parents wouldn't want their kids to see them drunk.'
"You won't get anything from staring at her like that," Kayda said, snapping me from my thoughts. "Anyway, why did you eat so much?"
"...Because they make good food," I replied simply.
"That can't be the only reason."
"Well, it's not. The main reason is because of the drunk cat over there," I said, gesturing toward Mom again.
Snore. Snore.
"She's sleeping," I muttered, baffled by how quickly she passed out.
"Hmm, this is normal for any drunk person, though. Why are you so surprised?"
"What? This is normal?"
"Hey, wasn't your teacher drunk when you guys... you know."
"She was," I said with a sigh, "but she never passed out that quickly."
"Sigh. I just don't understand you. How can you be so knowledgeable at times and so clueless at others-"
Bang!
A loud crashing noise echoed through the restaurant, interrupting Kayda mid-lecture.
"Hmm, what was that?" Mom said sleepily, rubbing her eyes like a cat waking from a nap.
"I don't know," Kayda said, turning her head toward the source of the noise.
"Yeah..." I mumbled, standing up and walking toward the door-only for a loud crashing sound to stop me in my tracks as a body came flying through the wall beside us and smacked into the floor with a heavy thud.
"I can't believe they came back already," the manager said, grunting as he pushed himself upright.
"What happened?" I asked, stepping toward the hole in the wall and peeking through the dust. Through the opening, I saw four people-two guys, two girls-standing around a broken table with smug, arrogant expressions. They looked vaguely dwarven, but... they were far too tall to be pure dwarves.
"Hmm, what do you see?" Kayda asked, standing beside me.
"I don't know. They look like dwarves but are too tall for that," I replied, frowning in confusion.
"What did you just say!?" one of them yelled, stomping toward us.
"Oh, it's you guys," Mom said, sitting upright with a yawn like she was greeting old friends.
"Who are you, old hag?" one of the boys spat.
"Old hag?" Mom repeated the words slowly, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Hey, what are you guys even?" I asked, deciding to step in before Mom turned them into shish kebabs.
"Tsk, you uneducated plebeian. We are the highest existences in this world-High Dwarfs! Feast your eyes, for you'll never see beings like us ever again!" the loudest one proclaimed.
"High Dwarfs? That's a thing?" I said, glancing at Kayda.
"It is," she replied simply.
"Huh, but it doesn't sound like something amazing. Why are they so arrogant about it?"
"Well..."
"YOU! You filthy demi-human! How dare you insult us!" Another shouted, stomping his foot.
"Shut it. I'm not talking to you," I said, sending him a death glare.
"I, Firhumri Kuni, have been insulted! You, commoner, have offended my honor. I challenge you to a duel!" The one in the back shouted, dramatically stepping forward.
"... Huh!? Kuni? You're a Kuni?"
"Haha! Now the commoner regrets what she said!" he laughed.
"Regret? Fuck no. If you're a Kuni, you're making my life easier," I said, grinning darkly.
"Ugh! You-"
"Come on. Let's go outside for our duel," I said, already walking toward the exit.
"Tsk. Fine. Let's go!" He barked, stomping after me.
"I'll be there in a second," I said, turning to Mom and casually picking her up, tossing her over my shoulder.
"I can walk on my own, Kitsuna," she grumbled, flopping against my back.
"I need a handicap to fight a smith," I said with a cheeky grin.
"You'll regret those words," one of the girls hissed.
"Huh? You still here? I thought I told you to wait outside," I said, eyeing her with a raised brow.
"..."
"Anyway, who are you to him? His girlfriend?" I asked, squinting at the family resemblance.
"I am his twin," she said coldly.
"Oh, no grand introduction?"
"For a commoner like you? I don't owe you anything," she said, not even bothering to look at me.
"Ah, you still have that dumb arrogance," I said as I walked out of the restaurant with my mom following me.
"Hmph!" she snorted, following behind.
"Well then, are you ready, Mister High Dwarf?" I asked once we were outside, surrounded by a forming crowd.
"Tsk, Sebastian. Kill this commoner. I would rather not dirty my hands," he sneered.
"Hmm? You're not going to fight me yourself?" I asked, watching the bodyguard step forward.
Level 786, common class? How is this person his guard?' I thought, confused.
"Hah! Since when did I say I'd fight you?" Fur sneered.
"Sigh, boring," I said, glancing at the bodyguard.
"What, you think I'm weak?" the man shouted.
"I don't think you're weak. I know you are," I said, deadpan.
"Hmph! You-"
With a snap of my fingers, ice spikes erupted beneath him, skewering him in a dozen places. He was dead before he hit the ground.
"WHAT?!" the crowd gasped.
"How dare you kill my bodyguard!" Fur shouted, drawing a hammer.
"Brother, let me," his sister said, stepping in.
"What? No-"
"She's a mage. Let me handle her."
"A mage, huh?" I said, appearing in front of her and swinging a sword down.
"Kyaaa!?" the scream echoed. I stopped the sword an inch from her face. She didn't flinch, but her eyes betrayed her.
Behind her, her brother had pissed himself.
"Make way! Move it! The young master and miss are in trouble!" someone shouted.
"Are they now?" I said, pulling the sword back.
Poof.
The illusion vanished. The girl collapsed, gasping. Her brother passed out.
"Well then, Kitsuna, are you going to drop the illusion now?" Mom asked, still dangling.
"Hmm, you weren't affected?"
"Nope. I broke through already," she grinned.
"You're sober again?"
"Yes, yes. Now drop it."
"Fine." I snapped my fingers. The real bodyguard was on the ground, alive. The two Kuni twins lay passed out in their own piss.
"Sigh. Kitsuna, was that necessary?"
"It was. They attack the manager every time," Kayda said, walking past us toward them.
I was wondering where she went. I guess she talked with the manager.'
"Ah, shit. Stop your wife before she-"
"Kyaaa! That hurts! "Don't pull my ear!" the boy screamed.
"Ah, too late."
"Huh?" I muttered, watching Kayda drag them off by their ears.
"Hey, stop! Let go of the young lords!"
"Do you even know who we are?" Kayda snapped, not stopping.
"Eh?" one of the guards mumbled, too stunned to react.
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"Hehehe, it's been a long time, Lady Draig, Lady Kayda." "Unmun Kuni," he said as he bowed respectfully toward the three of us, his hands clasped together in front of him with stiff formality.
'Huh, hammer user? His daughter has the same class... But why is the dumbass a smith? That kind of mismatch is a special talent. Whatever, it's got nothing to do with me.' I thought, side-eyeing the woman next to him-his wife, I assumed. At first glance, she appeared plain, but when I looked at the kids still kneeling on the floor, it became clear that she resembled them. Same eyes, same scowl when annoyed.
"You're a chef?" I blurted out without filtering, eyes still on her. It wasn't meant as an insult, more like surprise. She didn't look the part.
Her only response was a gentle, amused smile, the kind you'd expect from someone who'd heard that reaction one too many times. Unmun, on the other hand, looked absolutely delighted by my question.
"Hehe, yes, she is the best chef ever," he said proudly, practically puffing his chest out like a rooster as he gestured at the beautifully arranged snack platters on the table.
"I can smell that she's a great chef," I said, not bothering to hide my interest. I took one of the small plates from the side and began filling it with an aggressive level of snack-to-plate ratio. It was difficult to tell what half of it was, but it smelled divine.
"Kitsu, everyone needs to get some," Mom said, giving me that parental eyebrow lift. Too bad I was immune to that trick by now.
"Not everyone. You two aren't getting any," I said, glaring between her and Kayda as I shielded my plate from their greedy gazes.
"W-Why?" Mom muttered, her eyes locked on the plate like a starving wolf. I swore her pupils were turning into swirls.
"You dragged me to a family meeting that's not even about our family," I said plainly, leaning back with my plate held to my chest like a guarded treasure.
"But-"
"I don't care." I cut her off coldly, taking a bite of one of the fried-looking snacks and staring her dead in the eyes. It was a petty kind of power move, but worth it.
Mom slumped back in defeat, while Kayda sighed as if she were used to these battles.
"So... what are your guys' plans?" Kayda asked, nodding toward the two Kuni brats still kneeling in silent shame.
"That... we can't do anything," Unmun said after a pause, his voice carrying a heavy weight of resignation.
"What do you mean you can't do anything?" Kayda asked, her brow twitching. That tone of annoyance was rising quickly.
"They're high dwarfs," he said quietly, as if that one statement was supposed to explain everything.
"..."
"..."
"And you?" Kayda said, shifting her sharp gaze to the mother.
"I don't do that kind of thing," the woman replied with a perfectly calm tone, her face unreadable.
"You... you don't scold your children?" Kayda repeated the question, blinking as if she had misheard it.
"Yes."
There was a moment of pure silence.
"Sigh... What do I expect? All dwarfs are worship maniacs."
"What?" I asked, confused at the weird bitterness in her muttering.
"Ah, dwarfs worship things easily," Mom muttered, leaning closer to Kayda with a slight frown.
"Wow. That is not something I would have expected," I said, flicking my ears in irritation. The more I heard, the more annoyed I felt.
"Uh..." a soft sound came from the kneeling kids. I turned to find Ranina staring at my ears with sparkles in her eyes, the kind of look I only ever saw from people who were either too curious or too stupid.
I immediately felt a deep wave of discomfort wash over me and shot a glance at Kayda-who also noticed. But unlike my uncomfortable squirm, her glare was pure menace.
"Shorty, don't even think about touching those. Your name, Kuni, won't be able to save you," Kayda warned, her voice low and heavy with threat.
"R-Right, I won't do anything!" Ranina's brother blurted out his response while turning pale and visibly sweating.
"Who said you could talk?" Kayda snapped, glaring at him next.
"EEP!"
"Sigh, we're not getting anywhere," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face.
"Yeah... So guys, why don't you just educate your kids properly?" Kayda said, raising an eyebrow at the two utterly useless parents.
"As we said, we can't do that," the Kuni patriarch replied again, shaking his head like a worn-out teacher giving up on students.
"Sigh... Just send them to the Draig territory. We'll sort them out," Mom said bluntly.
"But-"
"No buts. We can't let kids like them take over a marquis house," Mom said, narrowing her eyes, her voice leaving no room for argument.
"I don't approve," Mr. Kuni said, glaring at her with rare defiance.
"What are you going to do? Swing your little hammer at me? Come on, please-everyone knows you don't have the courage to even try it," Mom shot back with a scoff and a sarcastic smile.
Oh, it's getting really interesting now. 'Though honestly, I understand him being afraid of Mom,' I thought as I kept nibbling my snacks with a satisfied hum. Who needed popcorn?
"This is my kids we're talking about! Who knows what they'll become after you're done with them!" the man argued, trying to hold firm.
"Uh... they will probably become better than trash," I said, still focused on the plate in my hand.
"Ah! They are not trash!" he shouted, standing up briefly before slumping back down.
"I beg to differ. People-or humanoids-who attack innocent weaklings don't deserve to be anything but trash," I said, still not looking at him.
"..."
"..."
Kayda and Mom both looked at me, clearly waiting for a follow-up explanation.
"I've never attacked an innocent person with malice," I said, sighing.
"True," they mutually agreed, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.
"But you do attack weak people a lot," Mom muttered casually, making me shoot her a quick glare.
"That's something I can't defend myself against," I said, turning back to my plate.
"Hah! So you're no-"
"Hold your horses. I said innocent. I've never attacked innocent people, okay?" I interrupted, narrowing my eyes at Mr. Kuni.
"Grr..."
"Now it's settled. They'll come to the Draigs with us," Mom declared, as if that was the end of the matter.
"Why now?" Kayda asked, groaning at the thought.
"Because we're here and heading to the territory tomorrow," Mom said simply.
"Tsk... I don't like the Kunis at all," I muttered, grabbing a second plate of snacks.
"Kitsu, you're going to get fat~," Kayda teased with a smirk.
"You!!" I started to argue-before the world shook.
Boom!
Multiple explosions echoed outside, the walls of the mansion trembling slightly. My body stiffened immediately.
Mom was already serious-faced, her expression unreadable. The Kuni head looked like he'd been dunked in ice water-pale and gloomy.
"What's going on?" Kayda asked sharply, glancing between them.
"Dwarf. Tell us what's going on," Mom growled, grabbing a fistful of Unmun's hair.
"W-We don't know!" He stuttered, still refusing to make eye contact.
'Why, why, why does shit always hit the fan when I'm nearby?!' I screamed internally, rage bubbling just under my skin as screams from outside grew louder.
"Kitsu, calm down?" Kayda said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Tsk. Fuck my bad luck!" I shouted, huffing afterward, the pressure around me flaring.
"Please do explain what's going on," Mom said coldly, still gripping Kuni's head like a bowling ball.
"The fucking Devil Cult freaks are here," I hissed, eyes glowing faintly with killing intent as I glanced at the window.
"How!?" Kayda said, more shocked than scared.
"How? You really don't know what's going on in this kingdom? I had my suspicions, but damn, you're worse than I thought," I muttered, glaring daggers at the Kuni head.
"How many?" Mom asked, finally releasing her grip on the man's scalp.
"Fuck knows. But the useless horny females are already fighting them," I muttered, walking to the window to get a better look.
"Winning?" Mom asked, grabbing my snack plate and holding it hostage.
"What do you think? If they were losing to those cultists, I'd kill them myself," I said, watching dark-cloaked bodies litter the streets below.
"Horny?" Kayda said, blinking at me.
"You didn't see? The twins are all over Canada. Nekro and Apricot are already head over heels too," I said, shaking my head in frustration.
"You?" they both said at once, blinking in confusion.
"Why are you two so confused? Isn't it obvious?"
"Yes, but... you're not actually that-"
"Don't even finish that sentence. I swear I will rip your arms off," I growled, my glare cutting through the air.
"Hahaha," Mom laughed, amused.
"You guys are making jokes while we're under attack?" Mrs. Kuni asked, absolutely baffled.
"What is there to worry about? It's not like they'll get anywhere near this room," Kayda said with a shrug.
"Ah, but I want to fight too," I said, my eyes sparkling slightly.
"I also want to capture one or two. Maybe we can get something out of them," Mom added, still not giving back my snacks.
"That might be tricky," I said. "They know about me. They've probably prepped better this time."
"Yeah, but that's for you, not me."
"And?"
"There is a big difference, my dear daughter," Mom said before casually slamming Kuni's head into the table and knocking him out.
Bang!
"There," I muttered as she walked toward the exit.
"How can she be so brutal to my baby?" Madam Kuni cried, cradling her husband's limp body.
"Why should she be nice to someone as useless as him?" I said this bluntly while shaking my head and turning to leave.
"Be careful, okay? They know about you," Kayda said.
"I will. You take care of this mess," I said, waving as I stepped out and closed the door behind me.
"Sigh... Always dumping the most annoying problems on me."
Chapter 151: Unexpected Company
While walking through the mansion toward the front door, I noticed how completely silent the halls had become. No footsteps. No distant voices. There wasn't even the sound of a passing servant shuffling. It was eerie-like the building itself had emptied its breath and was holding it.
Their mom must've told them to hide, or they were hiding out of sheer fear.
The reason I didn't think any of them would try to fight was simple. The Kunis were their masters. No one in their right mind would lay their life on the line for dumb dwarfs that spent most of their time either beating their kids or pretending their family name still meant something.
The quiet continued until something interrupted it.
Cough.
"What the fuck is that?" I said aloud, stopping mid-stride as something foul hit my nose like a punch.
My nose scrunched instinctively. It wasn't just awful. It was revolting. The smell was reminiscent of rot mixed with sewage and burnt rubber.
"Did someone shit themselves?" I muttered, glancing down the hall in both directions, trying to locate the source. There wasn't a trace of anyone, but then I spotted something-thin, wispy black smoke, nearly invisible to the untrained eye, drifting lazily in the air like it belonged there.
Narrowing my eyes, I followed the smoke. It felt familiar. Too familiar.
'This smoke... It's like the one I saw yesterday, I thought, a chill crawling up my spine. A memory of that ominous presence flickered behind my eyes.
For the next few minutes, I walked slowly, following the trail of black smoke. It twisted and moved strangely, sometimes vanishing entirely before reappearing again further down the corridor, like it was teasing me.
Eventually, I found myself at the front door of the mansion. The moment I reached it, the smell hit me ten times stronger. I almost gagged.
"Sigh. To think demonic mana would have such a foul stench," I said in disgust, pinching my nose even though it didn't help. The stink seemed to settle into my sinuses, clinging to me.
Why can I smell manure all of a sudden? I could never do that before...' I thought, "Alarm bells are going off in the back of my mind." The behavior wasn't just gross. It was new. And new usually meant dangerous.
My eyes scanned the area outside. To the left, I saw Nekro's undead-still as creepy as ever-fighting a devil cult member. Their movements were jerky, quick, and efficient. One of the zombies rammed its spear straight through the cultist's chest before twisting. Brutal.
On the right side, Chinada was slicing through heads like it was nothing. Three swings. Three corpses. That guy moved like a windstorm when he wanted to.
Looking straight ahead, I caught sight of Mom. She was standing atop a tall clock tower in the middle of the city, arms crossed, her hair swaying in the wind like a banner of war.
"I guess the devil mana isn't very close by," I muttered before disappearing with a short-range blink.
"You joined me as well?" Mom asked me if I had joined her as I appeared beside her on the narrow rooftop ledge. She didn't sound surprised-more like she'd been expecting me to show up eventually.
"Yeah. I started smelling devil mana," I replied casually, gazing over the city's skyline. The streets were chaos below us-screams, magic flares, and silhouettes darting from building to building. But there was something oddly still about this vantage point.
"...Is that even possible?" Mom asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
"It shouldn't be," I said, shrugging with a helpless smile.
"So they're drawing you out?" she asked, tilting her head.
They might be drawing you out, or they could be planning something big again. My voice dropped lower as I stared at the thickening black smoke in the distance. It had a pull to it. My senses buzzed the closer I looked.
"Sigh. "How problematic this is," Mom muttered, her eyes narrowing slightly in frustration.
"Agree... Do you think the Demon Kingdom's behind the cult?" I asked, looking over at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Nah. This cult feels like it came from the Federation," Mom said without hesitation.
"...Then what about the Angels? Could they be involved?" I asked, confused at how confident she was.
"No. They might come from the same country, but they'll never see eye to eye," she replied, shaking her head like it was obvious.
"I guess that makes sense. Ugh... I located the source." I winced slightly as a headache pierced through my skull.
"You okay?" Mom asked, suddenly concerned.
"Yeah. They burned one of my clones," I said, rubbing my temple and pointing toward the southeast. "It's that way. Four blocks from here."
"I'll follow behind," Mom said, patting my shoulder.
"Are you going to use me as bait like you usually do?" I said, giving her a mock grin.
"Tsk. I hate doing that, you know," she said with a sigh.
"I know, Mom. I'm just pulling your leg. Anyway, I'm not even close to strong enough to fight these things head-on." I gave her a nod and blinked away again, vanishing from the clock tower.
"Tsk," I heard faintly behind me.
Running across the rooftops toward the southeast, the smoke only got thicker. The smell was overpowering. Every breath was like swallowing ash mixed with rotten meat. I tried not to gag.
"Ah!?" I yelped as a black, monstrous arm suddenly shot out of a rooftop beside me, almost grabbing my leg mid-leap. I flipped in midair and landed on a slanted rooftop with my claws extended.
"Hehe, you dodge, you dodge, hehe," a crazed voice giggled. A deformed head poked out of the roof below me, its smile twisted and wrong. Its body was black and humanoid-but melted and writhing, like flesh never meant to exist in this world.
"The fuck is that!" I shouted.
"Hehe-ugh." The thing didn't finish its laugh. Before it could understand what happened, Mom appeared behind it in a blur. Her foot came crashing down on its skull, splattering it into a puddle of black blood.
"Mom... Have you ever seen— Wait, I guess you have, I started to ask, then paused as I saw her face. Cold. Focused.
"Where's the place you were heading to?" she asked sharply.
"I pointed quickly in the direction and said, 'Another four blocks straight that way.'"
"Okay. Go back to the mansion. Call Kayda. Tell her what we saw," Mom said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"..."
"Don't."
"I wasn't going to debate. But... What are they?" I asked, glancing at the black blood staining the rooftop.
"They're what you'd call a human-devil child," Mom said grimly.
"Huh?"
"Sigh. "They were born from humans and devils."
"Like... normal pregnancy and everything?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," she said flatly, not hiding her disgust.
"Ugh. Disgusting," I muttered, gagging again.
"Now go. And if you see any more-destroy their heads," she said firmly.
"The only way to kill them. Got it." I nodded, then sprinted off.
"Be careful," she muttered just before vanishing again from my senses entirely.
"Of course," I replied softly, already racing back toward the mansion.
[10 minutes later]
"Haah... Kayda, we've got a problem," I said, crashing through the drawing room window like a tornado.
"Huh? Why are you back?" Kayda said, sitting in a chair with an extremely red-faced, high dwarf bent over her lap, one hand raised mid-spank. The room was... something.
"...You doing parenting now?" I said, blinking at the absurdity.
"Well, they won't do it," Kayda said, shrugging as she looked at the parents tied up nearby.
"Anyways, we've got a problem," I said, hopping down from the window sill and walking toward the center.
"Yeah? What is it?"
"This is what I mean," I said, dropping a monstrous, severed head on the table with a wet thud.
"You should destroy those before they infect you," Kayda said, casually tossing a ball of scorch mana at the head, reducing it to ash.
"Yeah... Mom said the same thing. However, she didn't reveal the reason. I found it just outside the mansion's grounds." I added quietly, frowning.
"They duplicate," Kayda said, her face emotionless.
"Ah. So all of them are actually from one source..." I said those words while beginning to piece things together. My brows furrowed. "That's... not good."
"Most probably, yeah. Anyway, I'll go help Stacy before things spiral. Again." Kayda leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, what should I do?" I asked, watching her grab her sword.
"Nothing. Just watch these dumbasses," she said, nodding toward the bound Kunis.
"Alright, but you guys owe me a full explanation of what these things actually are," I said as she stepped through the broken window.
"Not much more to say. They're devils. Multiply by losing their heads. Destroy the heads to kill them. That's it." She was gone before I could say more.
"Hey, can you let us loose now?" one of the Kunis asked desperately.
"No. I'm just here to supervise," I said, flopping onto a couch and crossing my legs.
"But-"
"How much do you know about the devil cult?" I asked, cutting him off.
"T-The what?" The Kunihead blinked at me.
"You know, the devil cult," I repeated slowly.
"I have never heard of them," he said, looking genuinely confused.
"You didn't?" I asked, staring at him like he was brain-dead.
"Yeah, we haven't had any problems in my territory since the war years ago," he said proudly.
"Hmm... Guess that's why everyone's running around like chickens without heads," I muttered.
"W-What?"
"I'm just talking to myself," I said, waving him off.
"...Right," he mumbled, slouching down.
"You two. Do either of you have broken bones?" I asked, checking the brats over.
"Heh. So you can torture us more?" The male brat glared at me, despite his butt still twitching from the spanking.
"Haha. Yeah, try that again when your butt isn't glowing red," I said with a laugh. I glanced over at his sister, who was sitting silently, quietly sobbing.
'Well... they deserve this,' I thought. Still, I walked over to her and crouched down.
She flinched hard.
"Hey. "Don't move," I said gently.
"Please stop."
"No." I placed my hand on her head and channeled healing magic. She froze.
"Huh?" she muttered.
"I just asked if you needed-"
"What? Heal me too, then!" her brother barked from across the room.
"You just said-ugh. Shut up. We've got company," I muttered, hearing heavy footsteps pounding toward us.
'I guess I can try out my devil rock bullets,' I thought, summoning my hand cannon with a grin. Time for a test run.
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Chapter 152:
"It's probably our military," the Kuni head said, a flicker of hope lighting up in his otherwise pale and panicked face.
"Nah," I said casually, already grinning. "Your little military are cowards. They won't even think about coming to your aid."
"What are you talking about?" The man frowned at me, his voice rising with tension.
"You haven't realized it yet? You people... You've already been abandoned." I looked over my shoulder toward the door. The noise was getting closer.
"...That doesn't make sense, though." The man muttered, but his tone had shifted. It wasn't denial. It was dread. He stared at the door, shoulders trembling slightly.
"Shut up before they hear us." I raised my gun, narrowing my eyes at the wooden door.
"Ah, too late," I added calmly, hearing the faint scuffle of boots.
"What are you talking ab-"
"You fucking fool!" I yelled, slamming the butt of the gun into the side of his head.
"OW!" he groaned, clutching his skull and slumping to the ground.
I ignored him. My focus was already at the door. Without hesitation, I fired a single shot straight at head level.
Bang.
"Agh!!" a voice yelped on the other side of the door, followed by a loud thud.
"Tsk. I missed his head," I muttered, immediately unloading the rest of my clip-thirteen rounds total-through the door in rapid succession.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"What the fuck is going on!?" someone shouted in a panic on the other side before I heard the sound of footsteps retreating.
"Tsk. Just two?" I grumbled, sliding the empty clip from the handgun and slamming in a fresh mag.
"Blow the door open!" someone roared down the hall.
"Well," I sighed, extending my arm and conjuring an ice wall just in front of us. Thick, reinforced. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would do for now.
Boom!
The door exploded in a shower of wood and fire as a blast charge blew it off its hinges.
"Kill all of them now!" An older voice barked-commanding, enraged, and bitter.
"Good luck with that," I said with a smirk, tossing half a dozen ice orbs over the wall. As I turned to the Kuni family, I raised both hands and summoned chains of ice, wrapping them tightly around all four of them.
"What are you doing!?" The Kuni head barked, glaring at me like I was the enemy now.
"Shut up before I leave you behind," I snapped, already dragging them toward the broken window.
"Cheers, guys!" I yelled just as we leapt through. The moment we cleared the room, the ice orbs detonated behind us.
Boom!
"Kyaa!!" one of the twins shrieked as we tumbled from the window.
"Sigh, you guys are so distracting," I muttered, dusting myself off as we landed. The four Kunis were sprawled on the ground, their faces frozen in pure horror.
"Mom!?" Apricot shouted, running over as she caught sight of us.
"Oi, you dumbasses! How could you let them into the mansion!?" I yelled, glaring at her and Chinada.
"Ugh! "Could you please make the landing a bit easier?" The high dwarf brat groaned, trying to stand.
"...So. How did they get past you guys?" I asked Apricot, ignoring the dwarfs completely.
"We didn't let anyone pass us. I'm sure of that!" Apricot said this with her fists clenched in conviction.
"Hmm. Are there any tunnels under the mansion?" I asked, turning to glare at the Kuni Househead.
"That is a family secret you're asking about," he said, narrowing his eyes.
"Great, so there is," I muttered sarcastically. "Thanks for confirming."
"I guess we'll need to go and secure the tunnels," Brenda said, resting her sword on her shoulder.
"Nah. They might actually be after the family. "Not sure though," I said, tossing the Kunis to the side like sacks of grain. My clones blinked into position around them and began forming a dome of transparent ice.
Not indestructible, but more than enough to block stray arrows or low-tier spells. If someone wanted to get through that, they'd have to work for it.
"T-There's more of her," the Kuni head muttered, eyes wide and haunted.
"Are you sure you want to split yourself up like this?" Chinada asked, casting a nervous glance at the barrier.
"Don't worry about me. "Worry about yourselves," I said, my voice low as I eyed the battlefield. Nekro's undead were dying one after another, the sounds of bones cracking and bodies falling growing louder.
"Hmm. They work well together," Nekro said softly from my shoulder, her tone unusually tense.
"They are? How many?" I asked, scanning for movement. I haven't seen anything yet.
"I don't know. I can't see them. Hoped you'd be able to." Nekro frowned.
"They have a focused approach?" I asked, glancing sideways at her.
"In front of us. From the mansion," she said, pointing to the entrance.
"Good to know. Everyone, drop now," I ordered, forming a long odachi in my hand, mana swirling around the blade like fog.
"Hup!" I swung the sword wide, unleashing a horizontal arc of raw mana toward the broken entry path, tearing into the wall of corpses in front of us.
"Ugh!?"
"Do-Agh!"
Screams burst from unexpected places. I flinched. Some were behind me.
"What the fuck?" I turned to find a half-rotted corpse lying a few feet away.
"How did you see me?" A man's voice rasped.
A grey-haired old man staggered into view, one hand clutching his hip, a monstrous humanoid devil child supporting him from the side.
"Aah, for fuck's sake... they didn't die," I grumbled, glaring at the pair.
The old man had faint devilish markings on his skin, but unlike the others, his features still resembled humans. Barely.
"Whatever. Doesn't matter. Matt-kill everyone here. "Especially her," the man said while pointing directly at me.
"Heh, will do mast-"
Before the monster could finish, its head exploded in a burst of gore and smoke.
"What!" the old man gasped.
"Sigh, this is as addictive as always," I said, spinning my gun in one hand before glancing back at Apricot. "Get them out of here."
"A-Are you sure we should leave?" Apricot asked, staring at the thick red-black aura radiating off of me.
"Pfft. You'll only be dead weight right now. So shoo. Fuck off," I said with a grin, turning my attention back to the monster and its master.
"R-Right." Apricot hesitated but nodded and moved to follow the order.
"Well, thank you for waiting so we could finish," I said to the devil child, whose body had already regenerated.
"Heh. This will be fun," it said before vanishing with a sonic snap.
"Huh?" it said, confused. It had landed in front of nothing.
"Do you really think you're faster than me?" I said, reappearing beside it. I grabbed its arm, twisted, and flung it out of the mansion's courtyard like a piece of trash. I didn't even watch where it landed. I was already charging the old man.
"Matt! Ugh-you bitch!" the old man screamed, falling backward.
"Just die already," I muttered, bringing the staff down in a clean arc.
"Matt! Help me!" he shouted, trying to crawl away.
"Yes, master." The monster reappeared from beneath the earth, blocking the strike.
"Fuck sake," I cursed, jumping back just in time to dodge the devil's punch.
"Hehe. You'll be enjoyable to rip apart," it growled, summoning two long black sickles from the ooze dripping from its hands.
"Tsk. You can make weapons too, huh?" I replied, summoning an ice staff.
The thing lunged at me with a savage grin. I blocked its first strike and flipped the staff, cracking it under the chin and stunning it.
"I already know cutting you up only makes things worse," I muttered, keeping pressure up. A clean kill wouldn't be possible-not with this freak.
Seeing an opening, I turned toward the old man again. He was still there, holding his bleeding stump.
Not wasting a second, I swung my staff straight at his neck.
"Heh. Do you think that'll reach-" His words died in his throat. My staff had sliced halfway through before he could blink.
"Master!" the devil screamed, catching him as he fell limp.
"Yeah, as if that would work on me," I muttered, stepping back and launching two ice orbs at their feet.
Boom!
"ARGGGGHHHHHHH."
"Man... he's still alive?" I muttered, scowling at the thick smoke left behind.
"Aaaagh!"
"Right." I jumped into the air, shielding myself as a blast of force ripped up the ground below.
"How dare you!" the devil howled, its eyes bloodshot and wild.
"Heh." I didn't answer; I just raised both hands and flipped him off.
"Grrrrr!" It roared, charging at me.
"Try again." I sidestepped and swept his legs with the staff. He crashed hard.
"Come on, big guy," I said, taunting.
Then I froze.
A sharp, searing pain bloomed in my gut. I looked down slowly, my eyes widening as I saw the arm sticking clean through my torso.
"...Ugh. Old man... You're not dead?" I muttered, blood spilling from my mouth as I glanced back over my shoulder.
avataravatar
Chapter 153: Hehe Tooys
"Don't look at me like that. I know you knew; I wouldn't have died from that. I can't say the same for you." The man said, swinging his short sword through my neck.
'Fuck... huh? No way.' I thought, blinking as I waited for pain or death-or at least for my head to hit the floor. But nothing came. No pain. There was no loss of sight. Just... stillness. I touched my neck, feeling perfectly intact.
"Haha, I guess your information is old," I said, forming a grin while forcing myself to hold back the pure surprise and confusion coursing through me.
"What did you do?" the old man asked, backing up. His voice cracked slightly as he stared wide-eyed at me, beginning to realize the body he had just struck didn't feel right. Didn't move like it should. Didn't bleed like it should.
"Hehe," I chuckled, letting the sound bubble from my throat while my body slowly started turning to ice in front of him. Bit by bit, my form crystallized into shimmering frost, smiling all the while.
"This fucking fox," the old man roared, swinging his blade in frustration before the entire illusion of me shattered like glass. Too late.
Boom!
The ground shook violently as the explosion engulfed him from below. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was a crater.
"Okay, now I am sure he is dead," I muttered, brushing dust off my shoulder as I stepped out from the debris the monstrous child had created trying to hit me earlier. The bastard really wasn't concerned about friendly fire.
"Master!" a voice cried out in panic. The monstrous child descended rapidly from the sky, eyes wild and bloodshot, throwing multiple black weapons in my direction without hesitation.
"Woah!" I instinctively jumped back, but I was not fast enough. One of the weird, jagged weapons clipped my left arm, ripping it clean off in a spray of blood and mist.
"Shit!" I hissed, watching the limb vanish into the chaos behind me. The weapon had sliced through me like butter.
'Those are stronger than before... or is it him?' I thought, clenching my teeth as I summoned more mana. The speed, the force-it was different now.
"Agh!" I shouted, slamming my staff sideways in a wide arc. The air cracked, and the monstrous child was flung off course, missing his tackle. But even in that successful defense, his claws caught my side, tearing into flesh and muscle.
'This fucking bastard.' I thought, glaring at the black spikes still floating around him. I could feel the blood soaking through my side. That's going to scar.
"You, you, you killed him! You killed my master!!" The creature screamed, its voice warbling with hatred and grief. Its body trembled, twisted by rage. Its aura distorted the air itself.
"Yeah , I don't care about your little BDSM shit," I grunted, flying forward and slamming down on him with the full weight of my staff. His body cratered the earth below.
"Ugh! You-how!?" He growled, more confused now. He was slowly regaining clarity. His eyes weren't as wild. That worried me. The smarter he got, the harder he'd be to kill.
"Hehe, how? You don't need to know," I giggled, spinning my staff and cracking it across his head, which exploded into chunks of blackened flesh.
"This is..." he whispered.
"For fuck's sake, now I know how people feel fighting me," I muttered, half-laughing, wiping blood off my mouth. My eyes gleamed with delight. "Hehe... but it doesn't matter. I got a proper punching bag."
I cackled, my voice becoming higher, my throat dry, and half my face hidden behind my free hand as I peered down at the twitching mess.
"Die!" he screamed, vanishing from sight only to reappear behind me.
Without looking, I stabbed my staff backward-straight through his skull. A wet crunch echoed out.
"Hehe, you are a slowpoke, hehe. I wonder how much you actually can take," I cooed, looking over my shoulder, watching him writhe on the end of my weapon.
"Tsk! KILL!!!" He shouted again, jumping back, his voice sharper, more focused.
"Hehe, more. Hehe, more! Yes, more. You brought me more toys, hehe!" I laughed uncontrollably, eyes glowing, as shadows started flickering into view around us. One by one, more devil children arrived. Dozens.
'Hehe... I'm losing it, aren't I?' I thought distantly, barely holding onto my sanity as my body trembled with anticipation.
"Kill her now!" one of the devil children hissed.
"Oh, but these can die, can't they?" I asked, my voice soft, almost disappointed, before I twirled and sent one of them flying into pieces with a flaming strike. Their body exploded into ash midair.
"Kitsuna!! Stacy and Kayda are on their way back. Just hold on for a few more minutes!" Nekro's voice echoed from across the mansion, reaching me perfectly.
"Hehe... you guys are fucked," I muttered with a grin, slamming my staff down again, this time unleashing a wide arc of fire that engulfed half the courtyard.
"You will be dead by then," the devil children hissed in eerie unison.
"Nah, she just told me I can have Wrath take over. Hehe... good luck surviving this," I whispered, a final grin spreading across my face before my eyes rolled back and the world went dark.
[Kayda POV]
[7 Minutes]
"First, they leave me with the bothersome family. Now I need to go and fight fucking devil children," I growled, running across rooftops with practiced speed, the wind whistling past me as I headed for Stacy's last known location.
Boom!
"Ah, there she is," I muttered, spotting a blast of fire erupt to my right. That was exactly where Kitsu said Stacy should have been.
"Fucking bastards! Just die already!!" Stacy's voice echoed through the chaos, followed by more blasts.
"Sigh... what an annoying enemy," I muttered, descending into the battlefield, landing with a thud.
"Oh, Kayda, you're here."
"Yeah. So what's the detail?" I asked, already flinging a scorch spell at a devil child, vaporizing it on contact.
"They've been planning this event for a while. There are around a hundred of these devil children swarming the area," Stacy explained, panting slightly. She gave me a brief look before decapitating another one.
"I can see there's a lot of them," I replied dryly. "Do you know where the original one is?"
"No. These buggers aren't talking at all," she said, annoyed.
"Hmm... alright. Let's kill them all, then go for the original," I said, nonchalant as I tossed more scorch balls without slowing down.
"At least you're here. It'll be way easier to kill a devil child now," Stacy said with some relief.
"It'll still take a lot of mana to evaporate it," I muttered.
"But you are you~," Stacy teased.
"...What do you mean by that?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Ah, you know-someone great at mana control and using it sparingly." Stacy grinned as she smashed a devil child's skull with her heel.
"Stacy, I am not in the mood for your dry jokes."
"Ah, okay, okay."
"So what's the plan?"
"As I said. Kill them all. Then look for the boss."
"Fine."
[4 minutes later]
"Where are they going?" Stacy asked, confused, watching the devil children scatter.
"They're not retreating. They're repositioning," I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
"We'll need to follow, Kayda."
"I know. Give me a second to think," I said, glancing back toward the mansion.
"You think they're going for it?" Stacy asked, half-turning to leave.
"Wait. Let's go back to the mansion first," I said, grabbing her arm.
"What? Why? Kitsu is there."
"Exactly. I think she-or the family-is the main target."
"She'll be fine."
"The original one's probably there."
"That would make sense... but what about the rest?"
"Kitsu can kill it... but she doesn't know how," I said grimly. "They're running, but they can't stray too far if the original is there."
"Ah. That's true..."
"No more waiting. Let's go back. I've got a bad feeling."
"You think she used it, don't you?"
"Yeah. We didn't explain enough about these things. She might've panicked."
"Pfft. Kitsuna panicking? I don't believe you."
"Stacy, your daughter is still human. She's strong, but she's emotional. She'll make mistakes if we don't give her all the info. Do you even-"
"Kayda, don't think I'm not worried. I just trust her more than you do, it seems," Stacy growled, grabbing my collar.
"Sorry... I think I'm the one panicking," I admitted, rubbing my face.
"Sheesh. You need a vacation," Stacy said, dropping her hand.
"That was the plan when we went to the Draig territory, Stacy."
"...Well, we're wasting time now. Let's go," she said, vanishing.
"Sigh... "I hope you're okay, Kitsu," I whispered before launching after her.
[2 minutes later]
"I guess we should've been worried," Stacy muttered as we saw Kitsuna hurling the original devil child through a wall like it weighed nothing.
"How long do you think it's been active?" I asked, concerned.
"Not long. I can still knock her out easily," Stacy replied, already humming.
"Please do so," I said softly.
"Yes, ma'am," she said with a laugh.
"I'll handle the devil."
"Alright."
Jumping into the garden, I sprinted toward the two combatants. But before I could reach them, Stacy intercepted Kitsuna, her fist aimed straight for the girl's head.
Kitsuna blocked it with ease.
"Hehe, more playthings~" she giggled in a childlike tone, swinging a bloody red scythe at Stacy.
"What the fuck is that!?" Stacy yelped, dodging the swing.
"What-reinforcements?" The devil child muttered, staggering up.
"No," I replied, appearing in front of him with a scorch ball the size of a wagon. "This ends here."
"No! I don't want to die!" He screamed before being swallowed in flames. His cries ended in seconds.
Bang!
"That was harder than I thought," Stacy muttered, dusting her hands, standing over Kitsuna, now unconscious and curled in a crater.
"Stacy... was that needed?" I said, walking over, my knuckles cracking.
"Ah, Kayda... what are you doing?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I want to beat someone up."
"You can't use too much mana! You're still needed!" Stacy yelled, backing away.
But it was already too late for bargaining.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 154
[Kitsuna Pov]
"Ugh, pain, pain. Why do I always wake up to pain?" I sang dramatically, dragging myself upright from what had to be the softest, most inviting bed I'd ever had the misfortune of leaving. Every muscle in my body whined at me, like a chorus of frustrated cats clawing their way up my spine.
"Good morning," I heard Kayda's voice from off to the side, calm and familiar.
"Good morning. Good to see you're okay," I replied, rubbing my eyes and blinking through the crust of sleep. "Where are we, by the way?" I asked, turning to look at her sitting so casually on the windowsill like a painting.
"Your home, of course. Can't you see by your room?" Kayda said, gesturing lazily with her hand as she took in the surroundings.
"This... isn't my room, though," I said slowly, finally processing how absurdly clean and empty this space was. The walls were barren, the furniture minimal. Just a bed, a plain desk in the corner, and two old couches that looked like they'd been dragged in from the basement. That was it.
"I do agree there isn't anything nice in this room, but when I thought about it, it made sense if it was yours," Kayda said with a grin that stretched just a little too wide.
"Are you saying I'm boring?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her suspiciously.
"Oh no, no. You as a person are very entertaining," she said, hopping off the windowsill and walking toward me, her expression all innocent mischief. "But when it comes to fashion and decorations? Yes, you are as boring as can be."
"Ugh, I already have enough pain. I don't need emotional pain on top of it," I groaned, clutching at my chest like she'd stabbed me with a glitter-coated dagger.
"Glad you're okay," she said softly, pulling me into a warm hug.
"Of course, I'm alright. Did you expect anything less?" I spoke with mock confidence, despite needing to brace myself to avoid wincing from the aches still lacing through my ribs.
"So, how long have I been out?" I asked, forcing myself to move as if I wasn't in constant, burning pain.
"Only a week," Kayda said, voice flat like it was no big deal.
"That little? I thought I'd be out for at least a month after something like that," I said, brows raised. Genuinely surprised.
"Nah, you were only in that state for a few minutes."
"Yeah, but those few minutes were long enough to feel like a month," I mumbled under my breath, tilting my head.
"True. But you know... it's you we're talking about here," Kayda said, smirking and nudging me toward the couch like I was a child refusing to go to bed.
"I'm not that special, Kayda," I said, shaking my head.
"Yeah," she replied, referring to me as the one who held off someone twenty times my level for more than ten minutes, while grabbing my hand with zero ceremony and dragging me across the room.
"It was seven minutes," I grumbled. "And he wasn't even that strong. He was just level-boosted, no skill at all."
"Not a big difference," Kayda said, plopping down on the couch and yanking me down with her.
"It is, though. It's like, three whole minutes!"
"Three minutes isn't that much," she replied, staring me down.
"Whatever," I said, flopping next to her. "So... what happened after I succumbed to the skill?" I asked, letting my head rest on the armrest before she casually pulled me over onto her lap.
"You wiped out all the duplicates and were holding off the original when we showed up," she said, voice laced with both pride and worry.
"That's good," I nodded. "So where's that thing now?"
"It's dead. What else?" Kayda replied with a raised brow, like I should've known.
"So... it was possible to kill it," I muttered, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
"Ah, yeah... sorry. We didn't exactly tell you how," she admitted sheepishly. "The only way to kill the original is to disintegrate the body. Like, no trace left."
"...You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said slowly, glaring at her like I was about to throw her out the window.
"Nooo, sadly, we aren't at that stage yet in our relationship," Kayda said teasingly, flashing a grin that was definitely designed to distract me.
"..."
"Sorry, I just had to," she added quickly, looking away under my unamused stare.
"Tsk... So what you're telling me is that I could've easily killed it... and instead I nearly broke my body because no one told me the rule?" I said with venom in my voice, still glaring as I crossed my arms.
"Well... probably. Not sure, really," Kayda said, tapping her chin and entirely ignoring my passive-aggressive tantrum.
"For fuck's sake, I'm in pain for no fucking reason!" I snapped, shooting her a fresh glare.
"Sorry, sorry. But why didn't you try to incinerate him?"
"Because I was afraid I'd just end up creating a thousand little fuckers that would swarm me!" I said, throwing up my hands.
"Ah... fair point. But I'm sure you could've come up with a better plan," she said, poking at the wound in my pride.
"Not really. His master was there too. At the end of the day, I needed the stat boost to even stand a chance while holding the original off me."
"Wait, what? You killed that thing's master?" Kayda said, suddenly surprised.
"Yeah. Blew him up with a few bombs. Vaporized the smug bastard."
"Haha, wow. You just made Stacy's job a lot easier," Kayda said, bursting out laughing.
"...We're not telling her for a few weeks."
"What? Why?"
"Because she was the first to tell me about devil children and failed to mention how to kill the original. So, in simple terms, she's the reason I'm currently a broken heap of pain and suffering," I said, pouting again.
"Ah, okay. But you will tell her eventually, right?"
"Of course. I want to see her face when I casually mention I already killed someone she's been hunting for weeks," I said with a grin that practically gleamed.
"Haha, that's going to be hilarious," Kayda laughed, eyes glinting.
"Definitely."
"Oh, right. Devil children. Do all of them have masters?"
"Mostly yes. It's the best way to control them."
"Uh. Makes sense."
"...So what's the plan?" I asked, feeling the weight of boredom creeping in.
"Don't know whether we can go to Steve's today or tomorrow... What's the time right now?" I asked, glancing at the window again. The sun was still high.
"It's only 10 in the morning."
"Ah. "Then we will go today," I said, feeling more cheerful.
"Are you sure you'll be fine?"
"Yeah. Your lap is doing miracles right now," I said, burying my head deeper into her thighs.
"You damn fox," Kayda mumbled, blushing and turning her head away.
"Hehe~ Hey, cutie. Don't be shy now," I teased, knowing full well what I was doing.
"Yeah? How about this?" Kayda suddenly grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
"Ah-ow ow ow! Stop! That hurts, Kayda! Oh, I'm sorry! I won't tease you anymore! Please stop!" I whined dramatically, wiggling around on her lap.
"Ah-run!" I shouted, scrambling off her lap and dashing for the door.
"Hey! Come back here!" Kayda shouted, following calmly but quickly.
"Fuck! I'm so slow!" I cried, realizing my full-speed run barely matched her casual walking pace.
"Stop running, Kitsu~," Kayda called sweetly, a smirk on her lips.
"Ah, the young miss is awake," one of the maids said, stepping aside as I zipped past her.
"Can you let Stacy know her daughter's awake and get food ready for both of us?" Kayda asked, passing them with an amused smile.
"Yes, Milady. Right away," the maid replied with a bow before heading off.
"Keep calling me Kayda, for fuck's sake," Kayda muttered.
"But Milady is the young miss's wife?" The maid called back innocently.
"Tsk... these servant rules are annoying. We're not even married yet," Kayda grumbled, her ears pink with a faint blush.
"I know, right?" I called from down the hallway.
"Hey, you-stop right there!" Kayda yelled again.
"Well, gotta go!" I called, trying to run again.
"Got you!" Kayda said, wrapping her arm around my waist like a trap closing shut.
"That's unfair, Kayda! I can't move properly!" I protested, squirming in her grasp.
"Haha. Don't be like that. I'll carry you to the dining hall, okay?" Kayda said, starting to lift me princess-style.
"Oh hell no!" I yelped, writhing like a cat being bathed. "Put me down!"
"Just give up, Kitsu."
"No!" I defiantly said no, then leaned forward and kissed her deeply.
"A-ah..." Kayda froze, stunned like a deer in headlights.
'Hehe... even though we do it a lot these days, she's still weak to it. Perfect. Now... to sneak away.' I thought, gently slipping out of her arms and tiptoeing away.
"Ah, Kitsuna and Kayda. You guys are here!" a familiar voice called out.
Hearing it, I froze and turned around with a small smile. "Rebecca, shhh!" I whispered harshly.
"What's wrong with Kayda?" Rebecca asked, tilting her head as she saw Kayda still frozen in place.
Grabbing Kayda's arms before she could snap out of it, I turned around and teleported away.
"Ah, she ran off," Rebecca said, blinking.
"Uh... Rebecca? Where is Kitsu?"
"Oh, Kitsuna~ How cute," Rebecca teased with a cheeky grin.
"Ugh... where is she, Rebecca?" Kayda asked again, fuming.
"I don't know where she went-she just disappeared," Rebecca said, twirling a lock of her hair.
And so began the next chase.
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Chapter 155
"So you can at least move," Mom said, stepping into the dining hall with her usual elegance, her eyes locking onto me as I ate like a starved beast at the table.
"Yeah, it hurts like a bitch, though," I replied between mouthfuls of food, shoveling eggs and toast like my survival depended on it.
"That's excellent. Seems you're quite resilient to wrath," Mom said, walking over with a faint nod and joining Kayda and me at the long oak table.
"Are you also going to eat?" I asked, glancing sideways at her while chewing.
"Yes, I haven't had lunch yet," Mom said, already grabbing a plate and methodically arranging her food like it was a ritual.
"Looks like you've been busy, busy," I mumbled, eyes drifting back to my own plate as I slathered more butter onto a piece of toast.
"Yeah, sadly," she said, her tone more worn out than usual. "With the Kuni head being utterly useless, I had to take over to find out how the devil cult managed to kill thirty thousand people without anyone noticing."
"...Thirty... thirty thousand people!?" Kayda and I yelped in unison, both of us freezing mid-bite, distressed and more than a little horrified.
"Well, that's a bit more than the actual number, but sadly, we haven't found all of their hideouts yet, so... yeah. It'll be a miracle if it's only that amount," Mom explained, her sigh heavy, her brows pinching together as if the weight of it was pressing down on her bones.
"Ugh... Is that how they created that monstrous thing?" I asked, poking at my now less appetizing food.
"Yeah, sadly. It seems there are at least two methods to create them. We still don't know exactly how he-or they-was made," she said, rubbing her temples.
"Them? There are more?" My voice dipped a little, my stomach twisting for an entirely different reason.
"Thirty thousand people died, Kitsu. We have to presume more than one was created," Mom said, shaking her head slowly, expression grim.
"Aaah, I didn't think I'd wake up to something like this," I groaned, letting my head fall forward dramatically, nose almost hitting my plate.
"Sorry to tell you everything now," Mom said, her voice softer. "But you both need to know before I leave again anyway."
"Are you going back to the Kuni?" I asked, lifting my head, surprised.
"Yeah. As I said, they're useless, so I've taken over for now," she said, her tone clipped with irritation.
"Ugh, those shitty fucking dwarves," I muttered, slumping back into my seat with an annoyed glare at nothing in particular.
"Haha, get fucked," Kayda said, laughing and trying to lift the heavy air.
"I wouldn't laugh if I were you," Mom shot back with a sly grin. "You're going to need to train the dumb kiddos and the squad you took over, Kayda. Additionally, there will be admin work waiting for you when I leave.
"Ugh, fuck," Kayda groaned, letting her forehead hit the table with a solid thump.
"Sigh... What should I do?" I asked, glancing over at Mom.
"You're free until I get back. That'll be in a month or two. Do whatever you want. I already spoke with Steve-he knows you'll be heading to him in the next few days. He'll help you as much as he can, though he did say he's not very confident he'll be of much use," Mom explained, finally starting to eat between sentences.
"Ah, thank you. I'll also help if needed," I said, reaching over to give Kayda's back a few supportive pats.
"Thank you," Kayda mumbled, face still buried in her arms.
"Hmm, you seem calmer?" Mom asked, looking at me curiously, like I was a new puzzle.
"Well, they did cut my head off, so..." I said casually, grabbing my neck.
"But wasn't that your clone?" Kayda asked, sitting up and staring at me with growing concern.
"No, not originally. I swapped myself with a clone when he got surprised. Wait-how do you know that? Ah... Nekro, right?" I said those words while shrugging to indicate my uncertainty.
"Yeah. She watched the whole thing from a safe distance," Mom said, nodding.
"Ah, I see. Well, back to the topic-my head was cut off, but I regenerated so fast it felt like a bullet going through me. No pain, just... an overwhelming blur. I can't really explain it." I rubbed my ears, still unsure how I even survived that moment.
"Don't worry. We don't want to know how it feels getting decapitated," Mom said, waving it off like it was just another Tuesday.
"That's not good," Kayda said, eyeing me with concern.
"Yeah, but at that moment, I had already been using Wrath for a few minutes. Probably wrath made me invulnerable to decapitation," I said, another shrug escaping me.
"So you think it's only because you were in wrath that you survived?" Kayda asked thoughtfully, then sighed.
"Yeah. But I think getting stronger will eventually make it a normal thing. It's just a matter of when."
"I see... Sigh. Well, at least you were humbled somewhat," Mom said, her voice laced with something that wasn't quite amusement. She didn't sound happy about it, but she wasn't mad either.
"I guess you could see it like that," I said, nodding slowly.
"Hayo, What's with the atmosphere in here?" Lily's bright voice cut through the fog of seriousness like a ray of sunshine. She bounced into the dining hall with an exaggerated tiptoe, already grinning.
"Ah, hey, Lily. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other," I said, waving lazily.
"Hello, Kitsuna. What's going on here? You guys need more food, or is the food not to your liking?" Lily asked, glancing at our plates.
"Nah, we were just talking about some heavy stuff for a while," I replied, gesturing vaguely.
"Ah, so that's why no one was in here but you three. Should I...?" Lily half-turned toward the door, pointing at it like she might bolt.
"No need. We're done talking anyway, and I need to get back to work before I leave," Mom said, standing up and grabbing a sandwich.
"Well, good luck. Do tell us when you leave, though," I said, waving at her as she headed out.
"Will do-if you guys are still here," she called back over her shoulder.
"I don't think we'll be that long with Steve today," Kayda said, glancing at me for confirmation.
"Yeah, I'll just talk about what I want to do with him. Nothing too complicated."
"Hmm. If you think that's going to be quick," Mom added before disappearing out the door.
"Well, now what?" Kayda asked, stretching.
"Let's go to Steve. I do want to see my mom off before she disappears again," I said, pushing myself up from my chair.
"Right."
"Thanks, Lily. You can have them clean up what's left," I said, sweeping a few extra sandwiches into my storage.
"Oh, go on, go on. The more you take, the easier the cleanup will be," Lily muttered, practically glaring at the table.
"Sigh, you didn't even try to hide it," Kayda said, laughing.
"Oops. Sorry," Lily said, covering her mouth but clearly not sorry.
"Well, I'll have Rebecca know about this," I said, narrowing my eyes in faux threat.
"Ugh, that's not going to be fun," Lily replied, but she didn't seem all that concerned.
"Huh?" Kayda hummed, tilting her head.
"What? You don't know about them?"
"No, but looking at you... I don't want to know."
"Good choice."
"Well, let's go."
"We're going to need a vehicle. I'm not walking there," I said, casting a hopeful glance at Lily.
"Yes, yes. I'll get one ready for you," Lily said, bowing slightly before skipping away.
"Thank you," I called after her.
[30 minutes later]
"Thank you. Good work," Kayda said, climbing out of the car with a polite smile.
"That took longer than it should've," I grumbled, glaring at the workshop's sign.
"I agree. But it's not Lily's fault our ride took so long."
"Yeah, it's our driver's fault," I said, glancing at the poor guy, who was now drenched in sweat and staring at the steering wheel like it had betrayed him.
"Let's just get this over with. We might not have much time," Kayda said, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward Steve's place.
Tring Tring
"Oh, we have a customer," a voice echoed as the doorbell jingled above us.
"Hmm... this place changed a lot," I said, scanning the shop.
"Not really. They just don't have stock," Kayda said, tilting her head at the empty shelves.
"Last time I was here, I could barely walk without tripping over some blade or bow," I said, eyeing the clean floor with suspicion.
"With the monsters getting more active, the number of adventurers in the city doubled. More adventurers mean more gear, which means we sell more... until we're sold out," the receptionist explained.
"So you guys must be happy?"
"With more sales, more people die... and then blame us for their weak weapons," the clerk muttered, sighing.
"The Dead Forest? What happened there?" I asked, curious.
"Hmm. It started a few weeks ago, apparently. That's why Chinada and their team came back-they're emergency backup," Kayda explained, inspecting a blade on display.
"I see. Well, not my problem," I said, smirking at her.
"Ugh. Don't remind me," Kayda said, sighing.
"Now this is someone I would rather not see," a deep voice called out from the back.
"Oh, hello, Steve. Not the welcome I expected," I said, raising an eyebrow.
"Not you, little Stacy. I'm talking about the dragon next to you," Steve said, glaring at Kayda.
"Old man, are you still not over that?" Kayda said, smiling mischievously.
"Hmm? What's this about?" the clerk asked, eyes lighting up with curiosity.
And just like that, chaos was already brewing.
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Chapter 156
"Mind explaining why he hates you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, watching the tension practically crackle in the air between Kayda and Steve like lightning ready to strike.
"Well..." Kayda started, scratching the back of her neck with a sheepish look.
"That's nothing for your ears, young Stacy," Steve interrupted sharply, his gruff voice rising above hers as he continued to glare at Kayda like she was some kind of persistent roach he couldn't squash.
"Hmm," Kayda hummed nonchalantly, clearly not affected, and shrugged at me as if to say, "We'll talk later."
"Now come, young Stacy. Tell me a little about why you are here. Let's go to my office. And you-go away." Steve added, flicking his hand at Kayda like she was a fly in his forge.
"Alright, alright. See you later, Kitsu," Kayda said, walking over and planting a soft kiss on my lips before heading out. Her steps were light, but I could tell by the little twitch in her tail that she wasn't thrilled.
"I know you two have bad blood, but is it really necessary to throw her out like that?" I said as I turned back to Steve, frowning slightly.
"That is between the two of us, not you, little Stacy," the dwarf replied firmly, leaving no room for further discussion. His stance was final, like a boulder blocking the road.
"Sigh, whatever. Having you help me is better than trying to fix some ancient grudge," I muttered in defeat, shaking my head.
"Now come. Let's go talk in my workshop," Steve said, turning on his heel and walking into the back of his shop without waiting.
"Not the office?" I asked, confused but already following him.
"No," was all he said, his voice dry.
"Right," I hummed, glancing back at the disappointed clerk who had been eavesdropping with open curiosity but now shuffled away back to the counter.
"Come in. We don't have that much time," Steve called from ahead, already half-hidden in the dim lighting of his cluttered workshop.
"So, how much did my mother say about all this?" I asked as I stepped in, looking around. The place was chaotic in an organized way-tools hung on every wall, scraps of metal and raw ores littered worktables, and everything smelled of smoke and steel.
"You want to make powerful weapons with ice. That was about it," Steve replied with a shrug, moving toward a table where a few familiar items were laid out.
"Well, I do want to make useful, proper weapons with my ice. Like actual, reliable gear. Not that temporary nonsense."
"Hmm. Your mom brought me this," Steve said, picking up the mangled remains of my ice staff-the same one I'd used to beat the crap out of a devil child not too long ago.
"Oh, that thing? Mom brought it with her? I thought it shattered ages ago."
"She told me you were able to throw a level 700 devil child around like it was a ragdoll with this," Steve said, squinting at the object as if it offended him on a molecular level.
"Uh, well... yes," I admitted, awkwardly scratching my cheek.
"But you were pouring mana into it the entire time to keep it from breaking, weren't you?" Steve asked, narrowing one eye and glaring at me like a teacher who already knew you failed the test.
"Yes. If I hadn't, it would've crumbled in one hit," I confessed, rubbing the back of my hand with mild shame.
"Yeah, no shit," he said before abruptly pressing down on the staff with one hand. It disintegrated instantly-shattered into billions of glittering pieces.
"That looked far too easy," I said, slightly annoyed by how casually he destroyed it.
"It was easy," he said with a scoff.
"Haha... great."
"Make a sword," Steve ordered, folding his arms across his chest with a frown.
"Okay," I said, nodding and forming a broadsword in my hand out of ice and raw mana. The blade gleamed with an unnatural cold glow, its edges sharp and symmetrical.
"Sigh... you want to learn how to make weapons from me, right?" Steve asked with a long, worn breath.
"Yes, I believed that was clear," I said, tilting my head slightly.
"It is obvious. I'm just confused why you want to learn from a blacksmith specifically," he said, rubbing his face in clear frustration.
"Why is that confusing? You're a Smith King," I said, a little irritated now.
"You're making it out of magic, girl. Not metal," Steve said, pointing at my ice sword like it was a failed science experiment.
"Can't I just replace the metal with ice? I don't really see the difference," I replied, tapping the blade with my knuckle-it made a solid metallic ting.
"There is a big difference, and there also isn't," Steve said cryptically, his gaze still fixed on the blade.
"Can we not do riddles, please?"
"Sigh. There's a big difference between solid mana and metal, girl," Steve said, now looking genuinely serious.
"..."
"Creating a weapon out of mana is ten times harder than forging one the old-fashioned way," he said bluntly.
"Ah. So it wouldn't have helped. Damn, I thought this might make it easier," I said, disappointed.
"Whoa, whoa. I didn't say I can't help you improve your weapons."
"But you just said-"
"It's just that your original thoughts were wrong. But I've got an idea," Steve said, scanning me from head to toe like he was reading a blueprint only he could see.
"Oh? Let's hear it," I said, perking up a little.
"First, give me that sword."
"Okay?" I said, handing it over.
"Ah, like I thought. You really did make it flexible," Steve said, bending the blade like it was a rubber stick.
"Well, it helped prevent it from snapping so easily..."
"Yeah? You dumb girl," he said, giving me a deadpan look.
"Sigh... no need to be that blunt, old man," I said, my cheeks burning slightly.
"You made ice flexible. That's counterproductive. Ice is strong because it's rigid. The harder it is, the more pressure it can take. But we'll fix that later. Now, here. Take your shitty sword and try to cut this," Steve said, dragging a thick, shimmering block of adamite onto the table.
"There is no way I'll be able to cut through adamite with this," I said, pointing at my sword with skepticism.
"Of course not, with a weapon like that."
"So what now?"
"I said, cut it. Don't worry if it breaks. I want to check something," Steve said, gesturing firmly.
"Okay?" I raised the sword and brought it down with all the force I could manage. It shattered on impact, pieces scattering like confetti.
"Hmm. Like I thought. Not even a dent," Steve said, inspecting the adamite, completely unfazed.
"So now what? Are you going to show me something that can actually cut it?" I asked, arms crossed.
"Yes," Steve said simply. Then, with a smooth movement, he formed a blade of pure raw mana in his hand. No elements, no tricks. Just focused will. He brought it down in a clean, effortless arc-and the adamite split like warm cheese.
"What!?" I exclaimed, mouth open.
"I'm a Forge King for a reason, girl," Steve said, grinning just a little.
"I see... So when you forge, you make the weapon's core out of mana, then add the metal afterward?" I asked, watching his weapon fade away.
"You catch on fast. That's exactly how we do it. But this kind of forging is rare-even for people like me. It's taxing. I can't do it often."
"Were the weapons you gave me years ago like that?"
"Oh hell no! Do you have any idea how many swords I gave you? I'd be dead, and this kingdom would be bankrupt. These weapons are called demigod swords for a reason. I can only make one of them a year, and that's pushing it."
"Oh. I see. Would it be possible for me to do it, though?"
"I don't know. But honestly... I think it is."
"Oh? So you showed me all this to test me, didn't you?"
"Hahaha, yeah. Just think about it. You're the first weapon sage ever. I don't think it's impossible for you," Steve said, his grin stretching wider.
"Haha, okay, I get it. Then I'll buy ten blocks of adamite for now," I said, beaming with excitement.
"I'll get that ready for you. Just remember-the first step is using only raw mana. No elements. Start with the core," Steve said, already digging through crates for my order.
"Alright. Hey-how about we make a deal?"
"A deal?" Steve paused and glanced back at me.
"Yeah. If I can make a mana weapon and cut through one block of adamite, you make me your assistant for your next demigod sword. I want to see the whole process, from start to finish."
"That'll take a whole month, you know," Steve said, eyeing me with a raised brow.
"So? If I can pop out a demigod sword every other month after learning it, I'll call that a win."
"You... you're serious about that?" Steve asked, sounding stunned.
"Of course. As a primordial and the first weapon sage, I have to live up to the hype, right?" I said this while flashing him a manic grin.
"Whahahahaha! You have two weeks."
"Deal!"
"It's a deal. Keep at it, missy!" The Forge King laughed, mimicking my grin with one of his own.
"Before I go, show me your mana weapon again. I need to study it."
"Fine by me," Steve said, summoning another glowing mana blade.
"Hmm... so it's like that. Damn. I'll have to go back to Kayda's training schedule again," I muttered, rubbing my chin.
"Good luck, missy. Get the rest of your blocks at the front. I'll see you in two weeks!" Steve called, already walking back to his forge.
"I'll be back. Thanks, old man," I said, waving as I left.
[15 minutes later]
"You're already back? It hasn't even been an hour," Mom said, spotting me walk through the mansion's front doors.
"Oh, hey, Mom. You're already leaving?"
"No, not yet. What's that in your hand?" she asked, pointing to the block I was carrying.
"Ah, this? It's an adamite block," I said, hoisting it up for her to see.
"Why do you have that? And why are you carrying it like that?"
"To cut it, of course," I said with a grin, enjoying the confusion on her face.
"Mind explaining?"
"Nope. You'll have to wait until the tournament."
"Hmm... okay. If you can make demigod weapons by then, I'll give you a present," Mom said, holding out her arms for a hug.
"Hehe. Of course, you knew. Okay, it's a deal," I said, wrapping my arms around her.
"Okay. See you later then."
"Okay," I said, waving as I headed toward the training ground, already brimming with ideas.
avataravatar
Chapter 157
"Fuck."
Boom!
The ground cracked beneath me as the shockwave of my mana burst sent dust flying in every direction. The adamite block, however, didn't even wobble.
'How the hell am I supposed to do this?' I thought with unusual calm after the outburst, standing there in the middle of the ruined training ground, glaring at the chunk of metal like it had personally offended my family.
"I went back to Kayda's mana training, but there really isn't anything more I can squeeze out of that. So, how am I supposed to cut this damn material?" I muttered, more to myself than anything else, as I tossed the adamite block up into the air like a toy and caught it again, over and over.
"He made it look so easy yesterday. I really thought I would've made a dent by now," I said, my voice flat and disappointed as the block came back down with a loud thud in my hand.
"Ugh, what should I do next?" I hummed, dragging my fingers through my hair and staring at the block like it might magically offer up a solution if I stared long enough.
"Well, for starters, why are you trying to mimic him?" a voice asked from the edge of the training ground.
I turned my head just enough to see Kayda leaning against the gate, arms crossed, watching me with a look that danced between amusement and pity.
"Mimic? I'm not trying to mimic him, but I need to do the same as him to do that," I replied with a frown, tossing the adamite one last time before letting it fall with a dull thunk.
"He's a blacksmith. He lives by the hammer but forges the sword. You don't."
"Huh? What the hell? Why are you talking in riddles?" I asked, squinting at her like she had grown two heads.
"This is no riddle, youngling, but advice-"
"Don't even continue in that tone. Please. It feels like I'm dating a grandmother or something." I cut her off, groaning and rubbing my face with both hands.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry," Kayda said, laughing at my misery. "However, I was genuinely serious about the first clue."
"Sigh... So you were talking in riddles. Great," I said, glaring back down at the adamite like it was mocking me.
"Hmm... Another thing is that I would never be able to cut it," Kayda added with a casual shrug.
"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm a mage. I could easily melt that object with enough effort, but cutting it is impossible. Impossible. Not in the same way Steve did." Kayda explained, conjuring a small flame and spinning it lazily above her palm.
"Hmm... You're finally being useful."
"What! "I thought it would be nice to bring you some blacksmithing books from the Kunis," Kayda snapped, glaring as she pulled out a heavy leather bag and dropped it on the ground with a dramatic thud.
"...My lovely girlfriend," I said with the fakest smile I could muster.
"Don't even," Kayda growled, shooting daggers at me with her eyes before turning around and walking off without another word.
"Ah, I went too far," I muttered, watching her go. Her tail was puffed up in irritation.
"Her stress levels must be through the roof," I added with a sigh.
"There's not much I can do, but I can get this done faster." I thought, plopping down into a cross-legged position.
[Kitsu's inner monologue]
Steve is a blacksmith. Lives by the hammer. Makes the sword.
Kayda is a mage. Lives in the scorch. Kayda creates warmth.
...Hahahaha, what the hell am I thinking? Hahaha.
Wait. But that doesn't make sense.
Kayda said she could melt adamite but couldn't cut it-not like Steve did.
So the sword cuts. Heat melts.
Kayda's nature is characterized by her scorching magic. It fits. Destructive but flowing. It works with her.
Then what do I make? Or more specifically, what do I live for?
That sounds so weird, even in my head.
Live.
Live... live... live.
"Live... what do I live? Ice? No. Anger? Maybe. War? Too abstract. Think simpler, Kitsuna."
I'm a weapons sage. Something between a mage and a warrior. But crafting isn't my job-not the traditional kind.
Ugh, he made a sword out of pure mana and told me to do the same. But that hasn't been working. Kayda only provided cryptic advice, which has left me feeling even more confused.
Living anger feels too deep. And vague. I require a substance that penetrates deeply.
Fox ice? No.
Devil fire? Lightning? They're powerful, but they're just elements.
It has to be something I live by.
But that's too floaty again.
I'm arrogant. A narcissist. I act like I'm everything, really...
Fox.
Wait... no way.
I'm dumb.
I'm really dumb.
[Kitsu's inner monologue ends.]
I sprang to my feet like lightning struck me, adrenaline suddenly pumping through my veins. With a manic grin, I flung the adamite block into the air, letting it spin slowly as it reached its peak. Raising two fingers, I made a simple slashing motion through the air.
Clang.
My eyes widened.
"No fucking way," I whispered, staring at the 2-centimeter groove sliced into the adamite's surface.
"Hahaha! I can't believe I forgot how I lived on Earth!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty training grounds.
"The worst part is-I'm a fox. We live in shadows. We use everything at our disposal to win. We don't fight fair. We hide our fangs until the moment we strike. That's how I lived back then, after escaping... that thing. Hahaha... well, shit. I figured it out," I said, cackling with wild joy.
Ten minutes passed with me laughing, pacing, muttering, and laughing again. Finally, I wiped a tear from my eye and stood tall.
Bringing my hand up again, I held two fingers upright, the rest curled down in a tight fist. Focusing, I felt the mana react, sharp and silent like a whisper through my bones.
"You really can't see it at all... and it's gone," I muttered as the sensation vanished like smoke in the wind.
"I can't hold it long. But it's a start," I nodded, feeling excitement bubble beneath my skin.
'Now how do I make this kind of mana trailing stronger? I need to ask Kayda... but she's probably still mad at me.' I sighed, shoulders slumping.
"Wait, I've got those books she dropped off." I turned toward the heavy bag lying near the edge of the field.
"Let's see what we've got here. 'Blacksmithing for Dummies'? Seriously? They actually named a book that?" I delivered my line with a deadpan expression, holding the book as if it were contagious.
"Fuck... I guess I'll start here," I grumbled, cracking it open as I sat back down on the floor.
"Mother! Help us!" Apricot's voice screamed as she burst into the training grounds like a hurricane.
"Don't shout like that. And why are you in here?" I asked flatly, not even looking up from my book.
"Huh? 'Smithing for Dummies'? Really, Mom?" Apricot blinked, revealing a sudden lack of respect for me.
"Apricot. What do you want?"
"Please do something about your wife. She's killing us!" Apricot said dramatically, half-collapsing onto her knees.
"Killing you? You mean training, don't you?" I asked, raising a brow at her sweat-soaked uniform.
"Y-Yes, but she's going too far!" Apricot cried, rubbing her temples.
"Then it has nothing to do with me if you're getting overworked."
"But-"
"Apricot. Leave. Before I drag you back myself."
"Fine, fine, I'll go!" she huffed, stomping out of the field.
"How do you expect me to help you? She's mad at me too," I muttered after her, sighing.
'Let's see if we can at least make her a little happier.'
I raised my hand, gathering mana and shaping a small bird-a sleek eagle with sharp eyes and sharper feathers.
"Huh. Can you even move?" I asked, watching the creature blink at me.
"Caw. Of course I can move, caw," it replied indignantly.
"...And talk? How the hell? Whatever. Go to Kayda and thank her for the help."
"Caw. Whatever, whatever," the eagle grumbled, flapping off.
[Eagle Kitsu POV]
"Caw. This feels weird. Caw," I muttered, watching the wind ripple under my wings as I soared.
"Well, at least I don't have to stay like this for long," I mumbled before diving down toward Kayda, who was watching her squad train with the menace of a drill sergeant.
"Oh? And what are you?" She asked as I circled above, then floated down toward her extended arm.
"Caw. I'm your lovely girlfriend's clone. Caw," I said, puffing my chest.
"...Ara, how unfortunate," she muttered with a sigh, letting me land.
"How unfortunate!? Caw-whatever. I'm here to apologize... and also to snitch on Apricot. She ran away."
"Oh? She wants to apologize? What for?"
"She figured out what you meant," I said with a proud nod.
"Already? So what was the outcome?" Kayda asked, her voice suddenly more interested.
"Uh... I can't really do it myself."
"I assumed that. I want you to explain it to me."
"Trickery. She's using... invisible mana."
"What? Invisible mana? Is that even possible?" Kayda muttered to herself, rubbing her chin.
"Yes, that is possible if your core personality relies on stealth and deception."
"Yeah... No. I'm confused. I'll see her later," Kayda said-and then she grabbed my bird throat.
"Caw?!!!! Caw-what are you doing, caw!?"
"Teaching her another lesson." Her voice was deadpan as flames surged.
Then everything went black.
[Kitsu POV]
"Ugh, what the fuck!" I choked, grabbing my neck as pain lanced through me like a branding iron.
"She actually burned my soul link... I didn't think she could do that," I wheezed, trying to steady my breathing.
"Ugh. I think Kayda can even burn souls now... What a terrifying woman," I muttered, but then I smiled.
'I wonder how far mine can go.'
And just like that, my grin sharpened, determination settling in again like a blade sliding into its sheath.
avataravatar
Chapter 158
[1 week later]
[Kitsu POV]
"Sigh, it's bigger and stronger. I can also hold its shape way easier now," I said, wiping a bit of sweat from my brow as I looked down at the half-sliced adamite brick lying on the training floor, its surface glowing faintly from the residual energy. The clean cut shimmered with barely restrained heat, steam still curling from its exposed core.
"Hmm, you're really improving fast," Kayda said, crouching beside the adamite brick and tapping it with her knuckle, producing a metallic thud. She raised an eyebrow, then gave me a sidelong glance, lips curling in a soft smile. "You weren't even able to dent this last week."
"Well, I only have that much time left before the deadline," I said with a proud grin, twirling a small orb of golden fire between my fingers before letting it dissipate. "No time to slack off."
"That you do, that you do." She nodded thoughtfully, then turned her golden eyes back to me with a mischievous glint. "Hmm, do you think you'll be able to take my full-power scorch ball now?"
"Huh!" I blinked and stared at her, dumbfounded. "Have you gone crazy after I haven't seen you in a few days?" My eyes narrowed. "Because that's what that sounds like. Actual insanity."
"Pfft." Kayda burst out laughing, her voice echoing slightly in the stone training room. "I guess you can," she added with a wink, clearly not taking my terror seriously.
"Sigh, whatever." I flopped down onto the floor, my long tails twitching with a mix of exhaustion and exasperation. "Do you want to go on a date?"
"..."
Her laughter stopped. She blinked. Then he just looked at me. Silent. Serious.
"I'm serious, Kayda. Do you want to enjoy the day today or not?" I asked, turning my head to look up at her. Her expression remained unreadable. "We both have the day off, after all."
"Are you taking a break from training?" she asked, but there was uncertainty in her tone now, like she wasn't quite sure if I meant it.
"Yeah, I got far enough for the week." I rolled onto my back, arms spread. The cold floor felt oddly comfortable against my skin. "I think I'll only need two more days before I can manage it well enough."
"Huh. Are you getting arrogant now?" she teased, her smirk making a comeback as she poked me in the side with her tail.
"If someone is stating facts, it is not called arrogance," I said, nodding wisely at her like some ancient monk.
"Oh sure, sure. Whatever the old lady says."
"You are older than me."
"No, I'm not."
"Yeah, you are. "You are older than me by two years," I said, laughing as I sat up and grinned at her smugly.
"Nooo," Kayda whined, turning her head away dramatically, pretending to be offended. Her tail flicked behind her like a pouty cat's.
"Kayda, just accept it, okay? Wisdom comes with age."
"Tsk." She crossed her arms. "So, what do you want to do on our date?"
"There are a few places I know you'd like to go," I said, grinning as I stood up and dusted off my clothes.
"Oh? So you're actually planning this, huh?"
"No, I just thought there might be places you'd like to go. You know me-I wing things like this." I shrugged.
"Sigh. As expected," Kayda said, her voice laced with playful disappointment.
"Heh. Get used to that feeling."
"..."
"Okay, okay, I was joking, alright?" I said, chuckling. "I do actually have a plan for everything we're doing today."
"You say that, but..." she said, trailing off suspiciously.
"Haha, don't worry. I'm confident everything will go halfway in my plan."
"Ah, so I should expect 50% of everything to go right."
"Pretty much," I confirmed, flashing her a sharp-toothed smile as I opened the front door for her with a dramatic bow.
"Haha. Thank you, milady," Kayda said with an exaggerated curtsy as she stepped out, climbing into the car parked in the driveway.
"You know where to go already, right?" I asked the driver as I slid into the other side.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied, and the car purred into motion smoothly, rolling down the polished path toward the estate gates.
"Good. Then let's go," I said, settling back into my seat and letting the moment stretch.
"So... do you have any hints about what we're doing?" Kayda asked, turning to me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
"Well, it's almost lunchtime. First, we're going to this lovely little shop I found the first time I went to the city alone."
"Okay, so it's a meat place."
"Of course it's a meat place. What do you think of me? That I'd go to a vegetarian restaurant?" I gave her a scandalized look.
"Sigh. It would be the world's end if we saw you in a vegetarian restaurant, Kitsu."
"Pfft. Only the world?"
"Haha. Okay, okay. I get it."
"Well, anyway, we're here."
"Kitsu, we haven't even driven that far," Kayda said, glancing out the window. The mansion was still visible behind us, only a few blocks away.
"Yeah, so? Look, we're at a steakhouse." I pointed proudly at the large sign above the elegant building.
"Right... I never realized this was here," she muttered, eyeing the place with interest.
"Mother said the same thing the first time I brought her here." I pushed open the restaurant doors, letting the rich scent of seared meat roll over us.
"Huh. Then what was the point of the car?" Kayda asked, throwing a thumb behind her.
"Oh, the next stop is going to be some distance away."
"And the next stop is...?"
"Hehe, it's a secret," I said, grinning mischievously.
"Sigh."
"Good afternoon, ladies. Your table is on the second floor," the waiter said, bowing deeply with a smile.
"Thanks, Sebastian. I knew I could trust you." I clapped his shoulder as we stepped in.
"Well, knowing a moneybag is coming in, we need to prepare properly," Sebastian replied, straightening with a knowing smirk.
"Money bag?" Kayda asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah, it's a name and badge they give to people who spend a lot of money here," I said, puffing my chest out proudly.
"How much?"
"Uuh, what's the minimum, Sebastian?" I asked.
"Three hundred gold, ma'am," he replied smoothly, pulling out a chair for Kayda with a waiter's grace.
"There. Three hundred. That's the minimum," I said, plopping down in my seat.
"And how much did you spend?"
"Hmm... about nine hundred, I think?" I said casually.
"Great. Just great," Kayda muttered, resting her head in one hand.
"Yeah, and I'm not even the top spender," I added, smirking.
"What?" Kayda looked truly baffled now.
"Hehe. That's why this place is so great. Their target market is basically people like me-who eat a lot and aren't concerned about price."
"Huh... that's... strangely smart."
"I thought so too. Anyway-Sebastian, no budget today."
"I will do that, ma'am," he said before walking away.
"Hey, it's only lunch. No need to go overboard," Kayda warned.
"Well, our next activity will be quite physical." I wiggled my eyebrows.
"What are we doing after this?" she asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"It's a secret," I said again, smirking like a fox with a fresh rabbit.
"You-sigh-whatever."
[45 minutes later]
"You can't be serious, Kitsu," Kayda said, staring at the looming forest in front of us. The trees bent inward, shadowing the entrance like a giant mouth. The air carried a strange, sharp scent-something between burnt wood and wild animal.
"I am." I adjusted the straps of my gear and stretched my neck. "I asked Rebecca about the issues concerning the Dead Forest and everything related to it. After talking to her, I worked out a route for us to take care of the monsters while circling."
"You call that a date?"
"Well, it's not just that." I wagged a finger. "Afterward, we'll head to the night market in the lower district. They have an event going on tonight. Come on, let's get a move on. We don't have all day."
"You let everyone know we're coming today?" Kayda asked as we stepped into the gloom.
"Yup. Rebecca and Lily said they'd handle that part. I've never worked with Black Ops before, so I figured it was best to let the veterans handle the internal stuff."
"I see..." Kayda looked around the dark forest. "You really were planning this."
"I only planned it for a few days. That's not a long time, Kayda. It's just a few sketches and ideas, not a whole operation."
"True. Still, when did you even decide to do something like this? And don't say this is your idea of a romantic battle date."
"Ugh. I'd never call it that. I'd call it a... couples battle." I said, cheeks flushing a bit.
"Kitsu..."
"Fine, fine." I waved my hand. "The moment I learned about the Dead Forest. It's a wonderful place with strong monsters and a high chance of dying horribly. However, it has become more stable due to the efforts of Rebecca and her squads. So, it's the perfect place to test my invisible mana and level up."
"Sigh. So you want me to stand on the sidelines while you punch things?"
"Nooo. I'm a sage in training. You'll be my guide."
"Sigh. That night market better be amazing."
"Hehe. Thank you. And don't worry, you won't regret it."
"Well then, lead the way."
"Yes, darling," I said with a dramatic kiss to her cheek.
"Hmm. Do you have a map for this route?"
"Of course I do." I pulled it from my storage and handed it over. "Whether we follow it is another thing."
"Why... oh. We go up the mountain a bit?" Kayda frowned, studying it.
"Only halfway. We are just two people, after all. If we push too far and something goes wrong, we might actually die."
"At least you know that. Still, halfway up is already a bit of a push."
"It is?"
"Yeah. We'll survive, but if one of the kings comes down from the summit..." she trailed off.
"We get caught up in something we really shouldn't."
"Huh... yeah. Let's not take the risk."
"I agree."
avataravatar
Chapter 159: Zoo Keepers
"Are you ready to move?" Kayda asked, standing tall beside me, her arms crossed as she watched me squatting in the dirt with a dozen small components scattered around me. I was surrounded by fragments of adamite shavings, loose vials of compressed mana, and a soft humming glow from half-formed projectiles. I glanced up briefly, noting the expectant look in her golden eyes.
"Almost. I am just making the last few bullets," I said, nodding as I slipped the next core into its casing and sealed it shut with a flick of heat magic. The bullet clicked, hardened, and glowed faintly with energy. I held it up to inspect the runework before placing it in a small slot on my belt.
Kayda shifted her stance, turning to face the thick curtain of trees behind her. "Now that I think of it... how long can you hold your invisible mana?" she asked, her tone drifting with idle curiosity but laced with subtle intent.
I stopped mid-assembly, pausing to tap my finger against my cheek as I thought it over. "Depends on what I make with it. If I create a sword, thirty seconds tops-maybe thirty-five if I keep it light and balanced. A small dagger, though? That'll last long enough to throw and kill something five meters away, maybe a second or two longer if I angle it right."
I shifted to the side, reaching for another casing as I continued, "Wires are different. I can hold them for four minutes, give or take. Depends on the length and number, though. If I go crazy with them, they start to break down quicker. But the time difference is small-just a few seconds or so."
"Hmm. Not bad," Kayda said, her voice calm yet carrying that familiar teacher's edge. "But you can do better than that, Kitsu."
I frowned slightly, my tail twitching. Her tone stung more than I wanted to admit. "I know I can," I muttered, not looking at her. "I just run out of mana rapidly."
"We need to work on your mana recovery," she said again, like a mantra she'd chanted too many times.
"I know we do. I just don't know how." I snapped back a little sharper than I meant. I sealed another bullet and set it aside, brushing metal shavings from my gloves.
"Meditate, for starters."
"That's not going to work," I said immediately, narrowing my eyes. "You know how my brain works."
She hesitated, lips pressing into a thin line. "...Sigh. You at least need to try and figure something out," Kayda said, softening her tone in an attempt to sound sincere.
"Kayda," I said as I stood, brushing the dust from my legs and stretching my back with a low grunt. "I've been thinking about how to fix it for ages. Nothing works. Meditation, breathing techniques, sleeping potions. None of it matters if my brain's still a mess. The only thing that's worked so far is forcing my control to improve and expanding my mana pool the hard way."
"So you're forcing it," she said with a slow nod, as if mentally filing away the words for later.
"Yeah. If you want to look at it like that," I replied, shrugging. "It works, doesn't it?"
Kayda didn't respond right away. Instead, she crossed her arms and tilted her head up slightly to meet my gaze. "Kitsu, do you remember the reason we're on this trip? The main reason?"
"For me to learn more things," I said, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.
"Yes," she said firmly. "It's for you to learn and grow. That includes your mind."
"There's nothing wrong with my mind," I grumbled, glaring at her as a sharp gust blew dust across the clearing.
"Right," she said with a knowing look, and then, without warning, she pulled something from her pouch and tossed it at me.
Instinctively, I reacted-before it even hit the ground, I flared my magic, and the object burst into white flames the moment it touched the dirt. In seconds, it turned to ash.
"See?" Kayda said, folding her arms again and pointing at the smoldering pile. "You didn't even look at what it was. Just torched it because it was white."
"No, I didn't do that," I said quickly, turning away, but even I didn't believe myself.
"Kitsu, don't try to ignore this," Kayda said, worry seeping into her voice.
'I already know that, Kayda,' I thought bitterly, my tail curling around my leg. Meditation is just something I can't do. There are too many demons in my head for me to sit still for that long.
"Hey, say something, fox," Kayda snapped when I didn't answer. She was clearly annoyed I'd clammed up again.
Before I could respond, a faint rustling sounded to the left. I perked up immediately. "Oh, our first meal is here," I said, grabbing a handful of throwing knives and flicking them toward the bushes.
Ugh!
Gra!
Urk!
Three dull thuds echoed, and a trio of goblin bodies tumbled out from behind the foliage, blades stuck in their throats and chests.
"The poor goblins didn't even want to fight," Kayda muttered, watching their limp forms crumple.
"And the orcs heading this way?" I said, tilting my head.
"Ah, that's true." She hummed, not bothering to explain her earlier sympathy.
"The first layer of the Dead Forest mostly consists of goblins, orcs, kobolds, and lizardmen. Although they're different races, they seem to love working together-or so I've been told," I said, thoughtfully rubbing my chin.
"That is correct; however, there are many more races in the forest beyond just those," Kayda replied. "They even have their own towns in the forest. But monsters are monsters. They fight. A lot. Wars happen constantly between towns."
"This forest gets more fascinating the more I hear about it," I laughed. "It's like a dysfunctional kingdom of bloodthirsty gremlins."
"Yes. And very annoying."
"So is there a war going on right now? I mean, the forest feels more unstable than usual," I said, eyes drifting to the distant mountain ridges.
"There is. And it's way bigger than usual. We don't understand why yet, but something's changed," Kayda said, sighing.
"So we need to investigate that," I nodded.
"Yes, but we already have a few theories."
"Are you suggesting that a more powerful monster came down the mountain?" I asked. Even from here, the mountains were just slivers on the horizon. The idea that something from up there had wandered all the way down made my ears twitch.
"Usually, they wouldn't. But this time, we think something else came into the forest from outside. Something new has arrived, and now everyone is riled up and scared.
"So the scaredy-cats are coming down to avoid it?" I said, grinning.
"Pretty much, yeah."
"But then why is the main focus in the lower section of the forest?"
"Huh. Kitsu, think about it. Why would we send troops to deal with some powerful monster up in the mountains when the civilians are the priority?"
"Ah. I don't know. Because it might become a danger in the future?" I asked, holding up a severed orc head like a puppet.
"That's true," she said with a flat stare, "but that's only in the future. The immediate threat must always come first."
"And that's the town?"
"Yes and no. It's the powerful monsters that came down. Some of them are smart-smart enough to unite the weaker towns under their command." Kayda's voice grew sharper.
"Ahh, the intelligent ones. Those are the real pains," I said, nodding in understanding.
"Kitsu. To your right."
"I know," I muttered, shifting slightly as a dark wolf lunged out of the trees. My invisible wires snapped taut, and the beast was sliced into a thousand ribbons before it even reached us.
Kayda grimaced. "Ugh, we are not going to spar anymore."
"Huh!? Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"Yes. Your invisible manner is annoying. I need my carpet to even feel them," she said, gesturing to the shimmering blood-thread still hanging in the air.
"But I can't use mana when your carpet is active."
"I know. So we're learning that today," she said with a tone that ended the conversation before I could argue.
"But it's a date."
"No. It's an investigation."
"No, it's a time just for the two of us," I insisted. "No teaching, just walking and murdering monsters together."
"And killing everything we see. Fine. I'll drop it then," she said with a sigh.
"When you're open again, we can spar properly, okay?" I said this while leaning in to kiss her cheek.
"Okay." She smiled faintly, soft and rare.
"Oh, look at these two different symbols," I said, crouching by an orc's body and inspecting the cloth on its shoulder. The stitched pattern was crude but deliberate.
"Ah. Looks like we found a collaboration. The first symbol represents Blood Bear Town, while the second symbolizes the Blood Wolf. Kayda knelt beside me, ripping the cloth free.
"Sometimes I really hate my luck," I muttered.
"Why?"
"I always get pulled into something bigger. Never just a quick run. Always something we need to fix."
"Hmm, that's true. But hey, you'd be bored otherwise."
"I'd take a nap over this," I grumbled.
Kayda studied the cloth. "Looks like the towns are working together."
"Who named them that? It's awful."
"I don't know. I didn't write the naming guide for monster towns."
"Ugh, whatever. So what now? Do we go destroy the town?"
"No. Destroying a town causes more problems."
"Why?"
"If we wipe them out, another town just moves in and takes over. Stronger town, more territory, bigger threat."
"Oh. So it's better to let them stay in balance?"
"Exactly. Keep the chaos evenly distributed."
"So what do we do?"
"We find the commander. Take it out."
"Ah, so we are going to attack the town." I grinned.
"You can go wild. Just don't pursue. If they run, let them go."
"Okay, okay. So where's the nearest town?"
"I don't know."
"...What?"
"Kitsu, there are dozens of towns. Why would I know where all of them are?"
"Fair point. But they're not new towns, right?"
"No, but they move. Twice a year, minimum."
"Ahh... so do we need a supervisor?"
"Yes. I'll call one now." Kayda spread her mana into the air like a beacon.
Supervisors of the Dead Forest were like overworked zookeepers. Each had a designated area and had to ensure monster activity didn't spiral out of control. Cleanup, crowd control, and occasional extermination duty-usually alone. They were tough enough to take down hordes without blinking. Most of them were special-grade soldiers.
We were about to meet one.
And I had a feeling things were going to get even more complicated.
avataravatar
Chapter 160: It is too easy
"Young miss, Lady Kayda, how may I help you today?" A man knelt before us with a professional smile on his face, yet his posture resembled that of an eager puppy waiting for his master's attention-tail wag not included, but implied.
"As you can see, we found two towns working together and want to investigate it ourselves," I said, gesturing toward the cloth Kayda held in her hand. The blood-stained fabric bore two crude symbols: one resembling a snarling bear, the other a howling wolf.
"Yes, I see the Blood Bear and Blood Wolf towns..." The man leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at the markings. "Hmm... but how are they working together?" he asked, his tone suddenly doubtful as if trying to solve a puzzle.
"Why are you saying it like that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the shift in his voice.
"You see, young miss," he said, respectfully crouching instead of kneeling, "the towns of the bear and wolf aren't very close to each other." In fact, there are four towns between them."
Kayda and I blinked. Then, without a word, we both turned our heads toward the bloody battlefield behind us. Dozens of orc and goblin corpses lay strewn across the ground, and in unspoken agreement, we knelt to check for more markings on their clothing.
"What?" I muttered, finding a third symbol-this one of a serpent coiled around a fang. Kayda found a fourth, a crude lizard face with a single eye.
"Ah, it seems the situation is on a bigger scale than we thought," Kayda said, chuckling, though her voice was strained with irritation.
"Yes," I agreed. "It seems we don't only have two towns working together, but a minimum of six." I stood up and dusted off my hands. "How many monsters live in one town?"
"Each town averages about fifty thousand monsters, young miss," the man said, nodding gravely. "Must I call for reinforcements?"
He looked at Kayda for confirmation, but he spoke to me with deference. Smart move.
"Nah," I said with a grin, glancing at Kayda. "We'll take care of the main problem. You guys can handle the cleanup afterward."
"You mean you're taking care of it," Kayda said, pointing a thumb at me.
"Ah, if you say so," I replied with a shrug.
"I see. I will let my commander know at once." The man bowed again and ran off in a blur, leaving a faint cloud of dust in his wake.
As silence returned to the clearing, I looked over at Kayda. "...So were you serious when you said I need to take care of this alone?"
"Yes. I'll help with a spell occasionally," Kayda replied without hesitation.
I sighed, long and deep. "Okay, okay. Hmm, now that I think about it... We didn't actually get any info about where they are."
I clapped my hands together in realization.
"Well, shit." Kayda clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed. "Hmm. Let's head toward the mountain for now." She pointed toward the misty peaks in the distance.
"Okay!" I said cheerfully, skipping toward the looming ridges like a child headed to a candy store-one filled with violent, bloodthirsty candies.
We walked over monster corpses as we went, the scent of iron thick in the air.
"Did you get a level from all this?" Kayda asked.
"Of course not. You know how challenging it is for me to level up," I groaned.
"Right. That is true."
Suddenly, I stopped mid-skip. "Ah. Here they come. And way more than before."
From the forest depths, a thunderous wave of footsteps echoed.
"Hmm. Well, enjoy," Kayda said, casually stepping away and letting the distance grow between us.
"Sigh... yeah, will do." I grumbled, cracking my knuckles and turning toward the noise.
I created a large claymore in my right hand, its transparent blade humming with invisible mana. Flicking my left hand, I sent threads of razor-thin wire lashing out into the trees ahead, attaching to trunks like anchors.
'Let's take the initiative this time.' I yanked the wires hard.
Eight trees ripped from the earth like weeds, roots tearing out dirt and moss as they tumbled forward. The wires tied them into a giant bundle. I pulled again, dragging the tree bouquet close.
"Hup." I jumped high into the air, bringing the bundle with me.
As I twisted midair, I began to spin the trees in a circular motion like a monstrous flail. Below me, a fresh horde of monsters charged through the clearing, two ogres leading the way, their clubs raised.
'Well, this helps.'
I hurled the spinning mass downward. It struck like a meteor.
BOOOM
The ogres were flattened instantly. Screams erupted around them.
Arg!!
Ugh!!
Grrrr!!
Chaos spread. I landed in the middle of it, swinging the claymore in a wide arc and beheading the first orc to charge me.
"Man, that took far too much stamina," I muttered, dodging two blades and killing both wielders in the same breath.
A kobold lunged, and I spun left, letting its weapon miss before skewering it through the chest. Another monster tried to grab me from behind, but I pivoted and removed its head.
"It's boring," I said flatly, dancing between them, claymore slicing in wide, bloody arcs.
Despite the monotony, it was an experience-holding off an entire horde alone. Not bad for a warm-up.
Mom had trained me in all weapons, and my class gave me adaptability, but the claymore was always the one I used the least. Too heavy, too slow. But in this chaos, it felt right.
The deeper I moved into the horde, the more I noticed something odd. Their strength increased slightly-not in body, but in equipment. The gear was getting better.
'I can't believe monsters are capable of forging armor,' I thought, eyeing a goblin wearing a surprisingly well-crafted iron chestplate with minimal dents. 'Who the hell is supplying them?'
Eventually, the monsters began avoiding me, trying to spread out and stay away from my blade's reach. Cute strategy-but ineffective.
I formed a ring of ice arrows around me, infused each with lightning magic, then sent them flying into the horde's rear ranks.
CRACK-BOOM-ZAP!
Monsters screamed as the arrows exploded in bursts of frost and sparks. With their backline torn apart, they had no choice but to charge me again.
"Gha grr!" One snarled, eyes gleaming with desperation.
Hooooorrrrrrrroooooo!
A loud war horn echoed through the forest.
Every monster froze. Heads turned toward the sound. It came from the east, low and resonant like the roar of something ancient.
'A retreat horn?' I wondered, stopping my spellcasting.
The goblins around me glanced at each other before turning and fleeing without hesitation.
"Hmm, what was that?" I muttered aloud, still cleaving a few stragglers who were too slow to escape.
"Kitsu, let's go. Something exciting is happening," Kayda called, floating down beside me, her feet just above the blood-soaked ground.
"What was that horn?" I asked, looking up at her.
"It's a war horn," Kayda said, not taking her eyes off the retreating army.
"I thought so. But what does it mean?"
"War," she said again, sharper this time.
"Ah. "Ah. Right," I said, feeling embarrassed about my question.
"Hmm."
"So this horde was normal?" I asked as we began to follow the retreating wave.
"Hordes happen," Kayda replied, her voice thoughtful. "But not like this. There are more of them... and they're weaker than expected. It doesn't feel right."
"You still think there's a stronger monster behind all this?" I asked, more seriously this time.
"Yes and no. I think there's a new monster in the forest... But I also think someone is using the chaos to stir things up. Maybe even target Draig territory."
Her theory made me frown.
"Hmm. Do you have any suspects?" I asked, jogging alongside her.
"I have one... maybe working with the main culprit," she said, then stopped and picked up a piece of armor from a fallen orc.
"Hmm?"
"Look here." She held up the breastplate. There was a small blacksmith's stamp near the collarbone. "Here's another one." She pulled a second armor piece from a goblin nearby.
"Huh... Stamps are like crafting seals, right?" I said, squinting.
"Yes. And both of these are from Draig territory," she said, sounding disappointed.
"Is that so?" I looked at the stamp again, not recognizing the marking.
"Well, take a few of the bodies. We'll examine the gear later and check the seals."
"Okay," I said, running around the battlefield and tossing corpses with armor into my storage. At least a hundred made the cut.
"Are you done?"
"Yes. We can move on again."
"We go and watch the war, of course," Kayda said with a mischievous grin.
"Hmm. Okay. Where is it?"
"Should be this way," she said, though her voice wasn't very confident.
"Then let us go and see bloodshed!" I shouted, already moving ahead with a grin on my face.
Kayda followed with a hum, and we ran in the direction of the war horn.
[7 minutes later]
"Right... this seems bad," I said, crouching on a hill with Kayda, looking down into a massive clearing. It was easily a kilometer wide, maybe more, and filled with monsters-thousands upon thousands of them, marching, assembling, shouting. A literal army.
"That's an understatement," Kayda muttered, arms crossed.
"I thought the few thousand I killed earlier was a lot..."
"It was a lot-for a town."
"Ah, shit. How long has this been going on?" I said, clenching my fists.
"Way longer than the reports suggest," Kayda said, her face grim.
"Haha... Now what?" I asked with an awkward laugh.
"We watch," Kayda said. "This is clearly a war between two intelligence factions. We need to figure out who they are... and what they want."
"Alright, then we have our picnic now."
"What?"
"Yeah, when we got halfway through the tour, I had planned for a picnic break." I pulled out a thick cloth from my storage and started laying it on the grass.
Kayda blinked, stunned. "...Huh. That might've actually been quite romantic."
"Thank you. I actually thought of the idea," I said proudly, setting down plates. "Didn't make the food, though. You know I suck at that."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry about it."
"I'm not," I said, finishing the setup with a satisfied smile. "Now let's eat while we watch the monsters try to kill each other."
"...Romantic in a very you way."
avataravatar
Chapter 161: Making Skewered Monster Meat
"Well, I think the red team is going to win," I said, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees as I watched the absolute carnage unfold below. The battlefield stretched like a canvas of chaos, smeared in dark crimson and smoke, the air vibrating with roars, clashing steel, and the occasional scream cut short.
It had been about two hours since the battle began. From the very start, the clash had lived up to the bloodbath we'd expected-maybe even surpassed it. The ground was already so drenched in blood that it had turned into a mud of gore and earth, and the monsters just kept hurling themselves into the fray with blind fury.
The lesser monsters-goblins, kobolds, and other small fry-were more like cannon fodder than anything else. Their deaths barely slowed the flow of the battle, only thickening the carpet of corpses that painted the field. They were simply there to increase the blood underfoot, to be crushed beneath heavier steps, their weak lives traded to thin out the stronger foes' stamina.
The orcs had taken their role as the vanguard. The orcs were large, brutal, and ugly creatures, with each one standing at least two meters tall and filled with muscle and feral cunning. They fought viciously, hacking and slamming into the ogres and bulkier monsters. Even they were being torn apart. The ogres fought like battering rams, their clubs reducing orcs to pulp. Still, the orcs' numbers had done their job-they had softened the front enough that the next waves pushed forward.
A dozen chimeras had appeared at the start, their twisted forms a grotesque mix of lion heads, goat horns, and serpentine tails. Each one was a nightmare on its own, spraying fire or venom, swiping with claws that could shred stone. But now they were nothing but carcasses-mangled husks sprawled across the dirt. Wyverns and griffons had made quick work of them, swooping down in coordinated strikes, wings whipping the air into storms. Kayda told me once that flying monsters found chimeras particularly good eating. Judging by the way the wyverns ripped chunks out of them mid-battle, I believed her.
Still, what fascinated me most wasn't the blood or spectacle. It was the style of war itself. Witnessing how monsters clashed and slaughtered each other was like studying a primal history lesson. It was raw, chaotic, and... outdated. Mobs rushed headlong into each other, guided only by instinct. No strategy beyond overwhelming numbers. The scene represents a medieval style of warfare in its most primitive form: run, kill, die.
"This style of warfare is outdated and unproductive," I muttered under my breath, my gaze following a pack of gnolls who were torn apart by an ogre's swing. But then again, I suppose this is the expected behavior of unintelligent creatures.
Kayda hummed thoughtfully beside me, her green eyes glowing faintly as she tracked the field with a predator's patience. "Hmm, it seems the big bosses are coming out." She tilted her chin toward the far sides of the battlefield, her voice calm but edged with interest.
I followed her gaze and immediately felt my throat tighten. On one end, a giant minotaur was lumbering into view, its massive horns catching the sunlight. On the opposite side, a wolf emerged, equally colossal, its fur bristling and black as midnight. The air around them seemed to ripple, as if the battlefield itself acknowledged the presence of these apex predators.
"Ah, isn't that minotaur too big?" I asked, frowning. I had seen plenty of minotaurs earlier in this bloodbath, but this one was on another scale entirely.
"Yes, but they aren't infrequent." Kayda crossed her arms, her long braid shifting as the wind caught it. "Though, why did you only ask about the minotaur? What about the wolf?" She jabbed her thumb toward the hulking beast, its growls rolling like distant thunder.
The funny part was that if Kayda and I stood next to those two monsters in our full sizes, they would actually look relatively small. But even so, to the mortals and lesser beasts scrambling below, these two were living calamities.
"In my old world," I began, chuckling at the memory, "we had a myth about a god's pet being a giant wolf. So, I guess I'm already used to that idea."
Kayda turned her head slightly, her lips quirking. "Huh. Interesting."
"Yeah. The imagination of people back there was pretty wild." I gave a soft laugh, remembering the old myths that had fascinated humans so much.
"Well, those are just myths," Kayda said, her tone thoughtful as she gazed at the wolf. "But myths can be based on truths."
"Myths are myths, Kayda. They don't exist." I shook my head firmly.
"True, most myths are not real," she conceded with a nod. "But you never know."
"Yeah, it seems like all of them are just myths," I countered with a small smirk.
She didn't argue further, instead shifting the topic back. "Well, anyways, what are their levels? You can check, right?"
I grinned. "Hmm, you're right, I can." My eyes narrowed as I activated my skill and let the information unfurl before me like a scroll.
Name: Onirus (Yuusaku Sakaishi)
Level: 176
Race: Great Minotaur
My teeth clenched as I read the name. I already didn't like it.
"What about the wolf?" I muttered, flipping my focus to the other side.
Name: Fenrir (Akutami Gegege)
Level: 179
Race: Wolf Lord
My jaw tightened. "Of course," I muttered under my breath.
"What do you see?" Kayda asked, noticing the way my expression twisted into annoyance.
"They're both reincarnations," I said, grumbling.
Her brows lifted. "Really. I had a suspicion reincarnations might have had something to do with this, but I didn't think it was true."
"Yeah. But tell me, do those kinds of monsters even have human forms?" I asked, curious despite myself.
"Yes," she replied, waving a hand casually. "If their intelligence is high enough. But that usually doesn't happen until around level 400."
"Well, these are reincarnations," I pointed out. "They already have the intelligence for it."
"True. Are you going to kill them then?" Kayda asked suddenly, her calm tone making the question even more surprising.
"...What?" I raised an eyebrow.
"They're a wonderful experience," she said simply.
I blew out a sharp breath. "I know I've said I don't care about my classmates, but reincarnations are powerful. Powerful things are useful." My eyes shifted between the minotaur and wolf, then to Kayda.
"Yes, I know what you mean," she said, shaking her head, "but those two aren't up for grabs."
"Why not?"
"Kitsu, don't you see the bands on their necks?" Kayda pointed again.
I squinted, leaning forward. My stomach dropped when I noticed it. "What? Oh shit-they're slaves!?"
"Yeah." Kayda spoke in a flat tone, but even she appeared slightly unsettled. "But the question is-why aren't they attacking each other?"
I narrowed my eyes at the motionless titans. "Ah, I get it now. The higher-level the monsters, the more experience they'll yield."
"Do explain," she said, testing me.
"They're using the battlefield to farm them," I said, snapping my fingers. "They made the towns fight each other, letting them level up, and once they're strong enough-they'll be killed and harvested. Like that."
As if on cue, the wolf and minotaur suddenly moved, massacring the nearest monsters with terrifying ease.
Kayda exhaled slowly. "Huh. That's actually quite a smart plan of theirs."
"Well, they're Federation dogs," I growled, clenching my fist. "We'll take care of them."
"What about surveillance?" Kayda's calm question cut into my eagerness, making me pause mid-motion.
"What?"
"They're slaves. They have a master. What do we do about that person?"
I looked around sharply, my eyes scanning the field, especially the ridges and shadows behind us. "Is that person..."
"No," Kayda interrupted, shaking her head. "I already checked."
I let out a breath of relief. "Then we don't have to worry for now."
"True forms, then?"
"True forms, yes."
"Hide your tails. And can you turn my scales green?" Kayda asked, her tone even, but the request obvious.
"I can do that. You're only using wind?"
"Correct."
"Alright, done." I stretched my arms, rolling my shoulders, then spread my mana wide. "How long before their babysitters arrive?"
"Hmm. Quite long. Maybe an hour."
I grinned, confidence flaring. "Then I don't need to worry. I'll finish in five minutes."
Kayda's lips quirked. "As I said, I'll only support if needed."
"I know." I closed my eyes, then let my body shift. In a burst of light and mana, fur bloomed across my skin, my tails lengthening and fanning out, and in moments I towered as a giant white fox over the hill where we'd been sitting.
"Beautiful," Kayda whispered, her body glowing as she transformed into a massive green dragon.
"Thanks for the compliment, cutie." I nuzzled her neck playfully.
She snorted and pushed me away. "Tsk. Go kill them already."
"I will do that, darling," I cooed, laughing as she looked away to hide her blush.
'Let's start with the cow,' I thought, teleporting directly in front of the minotaur, jaws wide.
"What!?" Onirus shouted, barely dodging to the left. My teeth closed around his right arm instead, ripping it clean off.
"Agh, what the hell are you!?" He screamed, staggering back, blood spraying.
"Urk. Damn." I spat out the arm. "I thought cow meat would taste better raw."
He gawked up at me, eyes wide. "Fuck, this thing can talk!?"
"I can say the same about you," I snarled, stepping forward.
"Fenrir! I need help!" Onirus bellowed.
"I already know!" The wolf's voice growled, appearing behind me-only to be snared as my tail coiled around its neck.
"You guys aren't very impressive for level 170s," I mocked, slamming Fenrir into the dirt before clawing at Onirus.
"Bitch!" Fenrir snarled, venom in her voice.
I ignored her, yanking her up and hurling her into Onirus, knocking them both sprawling.
"Ugh! Catch me, dumbass!" Fenrir snapped.
"Concentrate on the fight!" I snapped back, sinking my teeth into her throat.
"Fenrir!" Onirus cried, panic in his voice.
I blinked, tilting my head. "You're a female?"
"Ferk you!" Fenrir spat, blood gurgling in her throat.
"Here, let me heal you-" Onirus began, reaching toward her.
"Like I'd allow that." I blurred forward, biting off his left arm before he could cast.
"Crunch!" His scream split the air.
"You're far too weak," I muttered, slamming my tail through Fenrir's chest, then into Onirus's, killing them both.
I stepped back, disappointed. "Pathetic."
But then-ssssss.
A sizzling sound. I froze, watching in shock as both corpses dissolved into steaming blood, vanishing as though they'd never been there.
Kayda landed beside me, wings stirring dust. "What's wrong?"
"They dissolved," I muttered. "Not really dead, it seems."
"Fail-safes," Kayda mused. "Federation? Or their doing?"
"Good question," I murmured.
However, faint voices could be heard coming from the west.
"Tsk. They failed to some level 50 demon fox." The woman's voice was filled with irritation.
"Could that fox be the Draig's daughter?" A man asked:.
"She's cursed. Can a cursed person be that strong?"
"Maybe it's a double act by the dragons. Revenge."
"Revenge?" I whispered, frowning. "Why would dragons want revenge on the Federation?"
Kayda's voice was low. "Angels."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry. Let's go back."
"Not going to confront them?"
"No. They are unaware of our identities, which is precisely what we intended. Let them report back." She spread her wings, her eyes sharp.
"...Okay."
avataravatar
Chapter 162: A Grumpy Fox
[Two days later]
"Haaah!"
Clung!
Thing!
"On the right, Brenda!" Apricot's sharp voice cut through the mess of steel and grunts. Her tone carried urgency, though her footing betrayed nerves.
"They're getting better," I muttered, resting my head lazily against Kayda's shoulder as I watched the chaos below. To any outsider it might look like a simple sparring session, but it was more like a squad-sized street brawl with rules that were barely holding together.
"They still need a lot of work before they can be called a proper black ops unit." Kayda sighed heavily, and her wings twitched faintly, as if her body was also frustrated with the lack of discipline.
"That's true," I said, snorting softly as Apricot miscalculated her step and collided with Brenda. Brenda's stance broke immediately, and she nearly toppled, saving herself with an awkward stumble.
"Sigh... they're so unorganized." Kayda shook her head, but she didn't look away. She was studying everything, her eyes trained on the flaws that others would miss.
"I guess the mock battle is doing its work. At least it's pointing out the flaws." I lifted my gaze briefly to the opposing side.
"Mm. But the opposing side is becoming overly confident. Kayda gestured with her chin toward the enemy leader, who lounged in a chair as if he were in a tavern instead of overseeing a training exercise. His posture screamed arrogance-an arm draped carelessly, a leg crossed, a faint smirk on his lips.
"Well, it is twenty-three against seven," I said with a shrug. "From his perspective, this is nothing but a waste of time."
"It is a waste of time," a deep voice said from behind us, startling me enough that my ears twitched.
I turned and blinked up at the man approaching. "And you are?"
He was... big. A whole head taller than me, wide shoulders filling his black suit as though the fabric had been stitched directly onto muscle. His head was large and square, his short black hair trimmed neatly, and his face hard like chiseled stone. No visible weapons, but I could feel the hidden steel on him. Stacy's fingerprints were all over his type-the kind that looked simple but killed before you ever noticed your mistake.
"Good morning, Miss Kayda. Lady Kitsuna. My name is Special Major Tony Sanderson. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand politely toward me.
"Oh, a special major, huh?" I reached up and gripped his hand firmly. "So they're your squad? And don't call me 'lady' again."
"Will do, miss," Tony said smoothly, dipping his chin in acknowledgment.
"Tony," Kayda spoke then, her tone sharpening slightly. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, you're the acting head general, aren't you? Who else am I supposed to bring reports to?" His head tilted, his smirk subtle but pointed.
Kayda ignored the jab. "Did you find anything new?"
"No, ma'am. I only found that the dust from the corpses is composed of black organic matter. Tony's face tightened just slightly as he spoke, but his delivery remained professional.
Both Kayda and I sighed almost in unison.
"Black organic matter? That doesn't give us shit," I muttered, clicking my tongue in frustration.
"Has the forest calmed down?" Kayda asked next, rubbing her forehead.
"Somewhat, ma'am. Just the usual-territorial wars between monster clans. Thirty-five towns were destroyed." Tony glanced down at the small folded paper he was carrying, as if to double-check the number.
"Sheesh. Thirty-five..." I muttered under my breath. The number was staggering, even for monsters.
"And the new monster in the forest?" Kayda asked, her voice calm but edged.
"We tracked it to a cave dungeon. It hasn't moved since arriving."
"So it's not a danger?" I asked, one brow arching skeptically.
"Not at the moment, ma'am." Tony gave a crisp nod.
"Good. Tell all the special agents to observe from a distance. If anything above the allowed strength shows up, neutralize it." Kayda's tone brooked no argument.
"Will do, ma'am."
"Oh, but do you know what kind of monster it is?" I asked, tilting my head, softening my voice like butter wouldn't melt on my tongue.
"Not yet."
"And it'll stay that way until the thing makes a move," Kayda added firmly. Both Tony and I nodded in agreement. No need to waste lives chasing shadows.
Tony shuffled slightly, then said, "One other thing, ma'am. We found the blacksmith."
"Oh?" Kayda's brow lifted. "And who is he?"
"We don't know much personally. But his family has lived in the city for forty-five years." He handed her a slip of paper.
"That long..." Kayda hummed. "Is this a Federation long game?"
"I doubt it, ma'am. I think he was desperate."
"Why?" I asked, curiosity sparking.
"Blacksmiths have struggled recently. Business was poor before the influx of adventurers. I suspect he was just... cornered."
I nodded slowly. "So this was before all the adventurers arrived."
"Yes."
"But aren't adventurers barred from entering the forest?" I asked, frowning.
"They are, unless proper procedure is followed-like when your group went in. Authorization from the quest giver or direct approval from leadership is required. Tony explained smoothly, his words almost mechanical.
Kayda accepted the paper and gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Tony. If there's anything else, bring it to me."
"Will do, ma'am."
"Oh, and put all of this in writing. I'll consolidate it for the supreme general."
Tony groaned softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sigh... will do, ma'am." He turned and walked away, shoulders stiff.
I smirked the moment he was out of earshot. "I love it when you get so serious about your job. It's quite hot."
Kayda jerked slightly, her cheeks going pink. "W-what?"
"Hehe, you're adorable, you know that." I slipped my arms around her waist from behind, grinning against her neck.
"Kitsu, not now," she hissed, trying to pry me off.
"Winners are the elite!" a voice bellowed across the field.
I looked over just as the match ended. "Oh, they lost. Not surprised."
"Well, at least they took out half of them. Better than the first time."
"First time?"
"They only took out two."
"Wow. So, from two to eleven? People might call that improvement, but the elites didn't even take the difference seriously." I wrinkled my nose. "Dumb name, too."
"Yes, and they know that," Kayda said, narrowing her eyes at me. "So don't push them."
"I wasn't planning on talking to them anyway," I said with a lazy wave.
"Sigh. You really don't understand tough love," Kayda muttered.
"Probably not. Anyways, you want to go see that blacksmith?"
"Not today. I'm too well-known. You go alone. Tomorrow we'll go together." She passed me the paper Tony had given her.
"... Are you sure you want me doing the work alone?"
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to have something besides training?" She smirked knowingly.
"I actually like training," I admitted, scratching my cheek.
"You're already in the final stages of invisible mana. The forest fights helped, didn't they?"
I sighed mentally. I can cut through Adamite now, though it burns too much mana. I'll need to see Steve soon and finish that challenge.'
Kayda poked my shoulder. "So go explore this smith's shop."
"Alright, alright. Good luck with the depressed kids," I teased, nodding toward the squad dragging themselves toward her.
"Thanks," she muttered, bracing herself for the headache.
I glanced at the paper again. "Grumpy Shaman? What the hell, Tony? That name's a joke." Shoving it into storage, I shook my head.
[45 minutes later]
"Grumpy Shaman. Seriously, what an absurd name," I muttered for the tenth time as I walked through the slums.
The directions took me further into the poorer districts, where the air was filled with the smell of smoke and damp earth, and half of the buildings leaned as if they were too worn out to stand straight.
For effect, I shifted into a tiger demi-human with dark green fur. My tail swayed lazily, my ears twitching. Better to stand out-intimidation and allure in one package. A rare race, a rare sight. Most would stare but not approach. Especially here.
Weapons hung on my waist, each one deliberately visible.
"I know what Tony said about desperation," I muttered, "but that can't be the whole story."
"Hello, oh fine lady," a slurred voice called. "What brings you to the slums?"
I turned my head slowly, locking eyes with the man. He froze mid-step, legs trembling as though his instincts screamed at him to run.
"Y-Yes?" he stammered.
"Tell me where the Grumpy Shaman smithy is." I tapped the hilt of my katana.
"R-right there, ma'am." He pointed shakily toward a broad, soot-stained building at the end of the street.
"Good. Next time, don't approach armed people so casually." I tapped his neck lightly, sending him crumpling unconscious to the ground.
My eyes narrowed at the building. Smoke poured steadily from the chimney. The rhythmic clang of a hammer striking metal echoed even from this distance. Definitely the place.
Thing!
"Oh, a customer this early?" A woman's cheerful voice greeted me as I stepped inside. Her smile faltered when her eyes scanned me, narrowing suspiciously.
'Hmph. I guess I'm overdressed for the occasion, I thought, noticing her rags-like most here in the slums.
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Chapter 163: Miss Pendragon has Arrived
"Good morning. Is Grumpy Shaman here?" I asked politely, keeping my tone light, almost cheerful, though my eyes never softened.
"Depends on who is asking." The receptionist, a woman who looked more worn down than the counter she sat behind, narrowed her eyes at me. Her voice was sharp and defensive-like a cornered rat baring teeth.
I didn't answer right away. I simply stared. My gaze tightened, one eye narrowing with that slow weight I knew carried more force than words. Her bravado faltered almost instantly.
"I don't know if he is-"
"Woman," I interrupted coldly, taking one deliberate step forward, "that was a yes or no question." My eyes didn't leave hers, and she visibly trembled.
'I just want to know whether it's his real name or not,' I thought with a faint curl of amusement tugging at my lips. 'How hard is that?'
"B-Boss!" The woman suddenly shouted, turned on her heel, and hurried toward the back like a rabbit fleeing into its hole.
I let out a long, drawn-out sigh and muttered under my breath. "Ugh, this is why I hate the slums so much. Everyone reacts to my eyes like I'm about to gut them."
I glanced around while waiting, letting my gaze wander across the interior. My lips pressed into a thin line.
"...It's exactly like Steve Smith's," I whispered to myself. "And I mean exactly. Same layout, same placement of shelves, the size of the room, even where the doors are. Reception desk, everything." I could've closed my eyes and navigated it like I was back in Steve's smithy. That... was unsettling.
The sound of heavy boots thudded against the wooden floor.
"Who dares?!" A voice bellowed.
A dwarf stomped out from the same back door the receptionist had fled through, hammer clutched in his hand. His beard was soot-stained, his eyes bloodshot, and he carried the kind of energy that screamed temperamental drunk uncle.
"Oh, Mister Grumpy, you are here," I said casually, as if we were long-lost friends catching up. My hand drifted lazily to the table beside me, picking up a small dagger that rested there.
"And who are you?" The dwarf demanded, gripping his hammer so tightly his knuckles turned pale beneath the grime.
"Oh, I wonder who I might be? Your mother?" My tone snapped suddenly, my words cracking like a whip. "Who the fuck do you think I am, you stupid dwarf?" I snarled, hurling the dagger at his feet. Lightning crackled across the blade on impact, sparks leaping up the floorboards.
The dwarf froze.
'I wonder if my tactic will work,' I thought, suppressing a grin as I watched his eyes widen, his brain stumbling over itself.
Then, like flipping a switch, his entire demeanor collapsed.
"This-I am terribly sorry, Lady Pendragon!" He blurted, his voice trembling. He dropped to his knees with a thud and smashed his forehead into the floor so hard the wood cracked beneath him. "I have sinned by not recognizing you! Forgive me, Lady Pendragon!"
I blinked once, taken aback.
'Pendragon? Another reincarnation? Or just some idiot's half-memory of a story?' I thought. Either way, he even said it wrong. Unoriginal fool.'
"Pendragon, you fool." I let magic lace my voice, just enough to make the air around me hum faintly.
"I am sorry, I have sinned again!" The dwarf's forehead smacked the floor a second time, louder, leaving a fresh crack.
"Whatever. Make sure you get it right next time." I huffed and flicked my hair back, as if I were dismissing him from my royal presence.
"Yes, ma'am. Ma'am, might I know where your bodyguards are?" He asked carefully, his eyes darting around the room as though expecting hidden soldiers to emerge.
I leaned down slightly, sneering. "Sigh... do I, Lady Pendragon, need something like a bodyguard?"
"I know ma'am is a commander in the mighty Federation army, but"-his words dripped venom-"the Draig territory crawls with those disgusting black ops soldiers."
I rolled my eyes. "Let's stop with the nonsense and get to business."
"Yes, ma'am." He straightened up, still kneeling, but his hammer was now lowered in obedience.
"Now, tell me what you've been selling me." My voice sharpened, but I kept my posture lazy, letting the arrogance drip off me like perfume.
"I don't quite understand what ma'am means by that," the dwarf said, feigning confusion.
"...Right. Blacksmiths really are dumb." I gave him a long, pointed look. "You already know we're the reason the Dead Forest is so stirred up, don't you?"
"Uh... yes?"
"Well, our operation has failed." I tilted my head, glaring at him as though it were entirely his fault.
"What?! I-I am sorry, ma'am! I only made the armor stronger and faster!" His voice broke, and his head dropped again in shame.
"That is true," I admitted grudgingly.
His eyes flicked up cautiously. "Ma'am, this might sound arrogant, but... will ma'am still require the big sets of armor?"
I hummed thoughtfully, letting silence stretch, watching him squirm.
"Sorry, ma'am!" He panicked again, slamming his forehead against the ground. Blood spotted the wood this time.
"They might come in useful," I finally said. "Show me the way, then."
"Yes, ma'am."
'I hate acting as someone else,' I thought sourly as I followed him through a set of double doors. 'At least I'm alone... well, mostly alone.'
"They're right behind these doors," the dwarf announced, pushing them open.
My breath caught.
Two massive suits of armor stood gleaming in the dim light.
'What the fuck... They're completely made of Adamite?' My eyes narrowed, trying to process the sight.
"When did you finish them?" I asked smoothly, masking my shock.
"Both of these armors are made entirely of Adamite," the dwarf explained with pride. "Each has artifacts embedded within to boost defenses. Despite their size, they're lighter than standard steel."
I stepped closer, fingers brushing the cold, shimmering surface. "It worries me, knowing you've used so much Adamite. People will start asking questions."
"Do not worry, ma'am. I have used my contacts to acquire every scrap without raising alarms." He puffed out his chest smugly.
My lips curled. "Hmm. Those contacts sound useful. Give them to me."
He hesitated. "Sor-ugh!"
My fist shot into his gut, making him wheeze and double over.
"If I tell you to give me something, you give it," I snapped. "Worried about payment? You'll be compensated later."
'Dwarves are so short it's annoying to hit them properly,' I thought irritably, flexing my knuckles.
"Yes, ma'am," he croaked.
"Good. Go write them down. I'll continue the inspection." I waved him off like an insect.
"Y-yes, ma'am!" He scurried out, clutching his stomach.
"Hey, Shadow," I whispered, glancing at the floor beneath me.
"Yes, ma'am?" A girl emerged from the darkness of my shadow itself, bowing respectfully.
"Don't tell anyone about my acting," I said coldly, flaring my killing intent just enough to make her swallow hard.
"Yes, ma'am." She saluted.
"Good. Once we reach a safe distance, please have your squad set up camp here.
"I already sent the order, ma'am." She melted back into the shadow.
"Oh. Okay."
I hate it when Kayda or Mom assign shadows to me. Having someone live in your shadow is just... irritating, I thought with a sigh.
I turned back to the armor, placing my hands on it. Mana flared invisibly around me. Thousands of blades sliced outward, shredding the suits into glittering fragments.
"As I thought. He's nowhere near Steve's level," I muttered, storing the ruined pieces away.
"Ma'am, we have a problem." The shadow reappeared suddenly, her tone nervous.
"What's wrong?"
"The real Pendragon is here."
I facepalmed. "Ah, fuck. Well, improv time. You'll have to get out without me."
"Are you sure, ma'am?"
"Yeah. If a fight starts, then come drag me out."
"Understood."
The building shook as a woman's voice thundered. "Who dares impersonate me, Dea Pendragon."
"Well, shit," I muttered, coughing awkwardly as dust fell from the rafters.
A tiger demi-human stormed into the room, fury blazing in her eyes. She jabbed a finger at me. "You!"
I dropped smoothly to one knee, bowing my head. "My Lady Pendragon. It's been a while."
Her anger faltered. "...Candy!? What are you doing here?" Dea's voice softened, almost timid compared to the explosion seconds ago.
'Candy? Who the fuck is Candy?' I thought, though my face remained composed.
"I heard some of my lady's plans had gone astray," I said smoothly, "so I came to help."
"I see. So he already knows," Dea muttered, shaking her head.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, bowing slightly.
She sighed, waving a hand. "Hah, I knew he'd find out anyway. Don't feel awkward about it."
I stayed silent.
"Oh, you already stored the armor? Good. We can leave, then." She gestured casually.
"I'm just waiting for the dwarf to provide extra contacts," I lied smoothly.
"I already have them; don't worry," Dea said with a smile.
"...Might I see it?" I asked, lowering my head with one hand extended.
"Of course. You're my brother's right hand, after all." She handed me a folded slip.
"Thank you, my lady." I scanned the names quickly, burning them in memory before handing them back.
"Huh? You're not keeping it?"
"I'd leave such matters to you, my lady," I said, smiling faintly.
"Hehe, I love you, Candy. You're the best." She beamed at me, making my stomach twist in awkwardness.
"Lady Pendragon! We need to leave!" A bodyguard burst in, sweat streaking his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Candy-ma'am-we're surrounded!"
"By whom?"
"Black Ops Shadows."
Dea gritted her teeth and cursed. "The special squad? Fuck! Now what?"
'So they were special,' I thought.
"Candy, you have a plan," Dea demanded, turning to me.
"Uh... yes, but I'm not sure it'll work."
"I'm listening."
"Right." I turned and, in one swift motion, slashed my hand across the bodyguard-splitting him into neat pieces. Blood sprayed the floorboards.
Dea's eyes went wide with horror.
I straightened and let my illusion drop.
"Kitsuna Draig," she hissed, fury igniting as her hand gripped her sword.
"Hehe. Hello," I purred, appearing before her and grabbing her face in one clawed hand.
"You! What did you do to Candy?!" she shouted, struggling.
"Nothing. I don't even know who the fuck Candy is." I shrugged, grinning. "But thanks for being gullible."
"Fuck you! Eeeeh!!" She shrieked as my hand gripped her tail, sending a jolt through her.
"Just shut up and let's go, Miss Shadow," I said. The shadows beneath us swelled, swallowing us whole as we vanished from the room.
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 164: I am bored let us play Chess
[10 minutes later]
"Haaaah! Cough, cough." Coming out of the shadows, I doubled over, clutching my knees as a violent coughing fit tore through me. Each inhale burned my lungs, smoke and dust still clinging to the back of my throat from the last fight. My ears twitched, flattening back against my head in annoyance at my weakness.
"Sorry, ma'am, but-" The shadow closest to me began speaking, her voice tight with guilt, but she quickly stopped when I raised a hand sharply.
"No, don't explain." I forced myself upright, holding her gaze despite my labored breathing. "I know why. They were determined to catch us. More determined than usual. "In fact, check if your entire squad is here."
While she began signaling with subtle hand motions to the others, I took a moment to glance around. My eyes adjusted to the pale glow of lanterns further down the alley, and realization struck me-we were at least twenty blocks away from where we had started. The sheer distance I had pulled us through shadow hops and teleport bursts left a hollow ache in my core.
"Yes, ma'am," the shadow leader confirmed after a headcount, her tone firm. "We haven't lost one person."
Relief flickered through me, easing some of the tension in my shoulders. "That's good to hear." I shifted my weight, adjusting the limp girl hanging against me. "Then let's get on the roofs and run to the mansion. We'll cut through faster up top."
"Yes, ma'am. About the hostage-" the leader hesitated, her voice dipping low, worry etched across her features as her eyes lingered on the unconscious form I carried.
I snorted softly. "I just shocked her. She passed out, nothing more. She isn't dead." To emphasize my words, I tightened the weave of icy threads I'd wrapped around her arms and torso, binding her snugly to me so she wouldn't slip. The cold bit faintly at my skin, but it was a small price for security.
Unsurprisingly, the girl also possessed lightning magic. The crackle of it had stung against my control, but in the end, magic purity was everything. And mine? Untouchable. I couldn't stop a low laugh from escaping at the thought.
"Okay, let's move out, ma'am. You'll stay in the middle of the formation," the shadow leader offered.
"No," I cut in immediately, shifting Dea higher onto my shoulder as if she weighed nothing. "I'll be in the front. You're too slow." Before she could form an argument, I pushed off the cobblestones, vanishing in a blink as teleportation carried me to the roofline. My laughter echoed faintly in the night air.
From below, I caught the resigned sigh of one of the shadows. "Right... she is Lady Stacy's daughter."
[20 minutes later.]
"Kitsu, I am sure I told you to just look around!" Kayda's voice snapped like a whip as she slammed the prison door wide open. The clang reverberated down the stone hallway.
I looked up from the bindings I was securing around Dea's wrists. "Actually, no, you didn't. You said, 'Go check it out. I'll follow you tomorrow." I mimicked her voice as I clicked the final lock into place.
Kayda blinked at me, then let out a groan. "Touche. Well, who is this?" She jerked her chin toward the girl slumped in the chair.
"Dear Pendragon. Apparently she's a commander of some sort," I answered carelessly, scratching my cheek as if the name barely stuck.
Kayda's sigh was heavier this time. "Dea Pendragon, commander of covert operations. Her older brother leads the frontal force squadrons at our borders."
I tilted my head, ears flicking. "So... Have I successfully caught a large fish?
Her sharp eyes cut toward me. "Do they know you took her?"
"Yeah. They saw me drag her off. And yes," I added before she could push further, rubbing my cheek sheepishly, "they know who I was."
"Shit." Kayda pressed her fingers to her temples. "Then we'll be expecting a visit from her brother." She studied the unconscious girl, lips tightening with thought.
"Huh. So... should I torture her real quick?" I innocently asked the question while tilting my head again.
Kayda's glare could have frozen the air by itself. "No. Leave her alone. Take her to a guest room. We must avoid doing anything foolish while Stacy and that obnoxious brute are away.
I puffed out a small sigh. "Ah, okay?"
Kayda's expression softened for a moment. "Don't worry. You did well anyway." She bumped her shoulder against mine with a grin.
"Kayda, you're talking in riddles again." My tail flicked, betraying my growing annoyance at her cryptic reassurances.
"I'll explain later. For now, get her out of here and into a guest room. Make sure to monitor her closely. Kayda's smile returned, calm but sharp.
"Okay."
"Well, see you in a bit. I'm going to call Stacy and pray she can get here in time."
"I feel like I messed up," I muttered under my breath, dragging Dea out of the prison.
"Hey," Kayda called after me, her tone gentler. "Don't let her get hurt. And you didn't mess up. The information could help us get real intel on the Federation." She tapped my cheek playfully as I passed.
"I'll heal her if I have to. Don't worry," I replied with a small wave.
Once I left, Kayda sighed, turning to Rebecca, who had been silently observing. "Let's get Stacy back here before that obsessed man shows up."
"Yes, ma'am," Rebecca answered with a firm nod.
Meanwhile, I dragged Dea upstairs into the mansion's second floor. Choosing the nearest guest room, I stepped inside and sealed the door with layered ice walls, thickening them until the entire frame shimmered faintly.
"Well, you can wake up now," I announced, tossing her onto the bed without much care.
"Kyaa! Don't just throw people like that!" Dea's shriek echoed, her body jolting upright.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Miss Gullible." I waved her off, already crossing to the table.
"This is for you, Lady Dea," she huffed while rubbing the back of her head.
"Yeah? Then I'm Master Kitsuna for you," I countered with a wide grin.
"You-!" Dea sputtered, grinding her teeth audibly.
"Miss Gullible," I said, my ears twitching at the sound, "you're a prisoner, even if the room isn't a prison cell. Furthermore, stop grinding your teeth. It hurts my ears."
She exhaled sharply, shoulders slumping. "Right... that's true."
"Now come here. We're going to play chess to pass the time." With a snap of my fingers, an ice board with crystalline pieces materialized between us.
"Why would I do that?" she asked, glaring.
"Because your brother is on his way, and it'll take him a while to arrive. Might as well kill time," I said coolly.
She clicked her tongue but dragged herself to the chair opposite me. "Tsk. Fine."
"Good choice."
Her eyes narrowed. "How do you play this game?"
"...Right. Okay, I'll explain."
[10 minutes of explaining]
"The king is useless," Dea declared at the end, making me nod.
"Many people in the real world are like that," I muttered darkly.
"...You know that's actually true," she admitted. Then her chin lifted proudly. "And as it should be. Women are the strongest."
I rolled my eyes. "Ready? Since you're the commander of covert ops, you should be good at this."
"Hah! That's right. Get ready to be defeated!" Dea smirked, sliding her queen's pawn forward.
"Good luck with that," I replied, already predicting the outcome.
[Kayda POV]
"What do you mean he's already on his way here?!" My shout rattled the walls. "How the fuck does he already know we captured her?! Fuck!"
Rebecca flinched slightly but held her ground. "I don't know."
"Shit. Fine. How long until he's here?"
"About three hours, Kayda."
I forced myself to breathe. "Okay... okay. That's enough time."
"Stacy won't make it," Rebecca reminded.
"She'll arrive in five hours. If we can delay him for two, we're fine." My mind raced. "I'll message Kitsu to reinforce the ice walls around the room. If she works on it the whole time, that'll give us another thirty minutes at least."
"That still leaves us short," Rebecca muttered.
"Yes... unless we distract him."
"We could stage a mock battle at the landing pads," she suggested.
A grin split my face. "That could work. Get all the trainees out there in two hours. Split them however you like."
"Will do, Kayda." Her eyes gleamed, already plotting mischief.
I texted Kitsu, instructing her to fortify. Moments later, my phone pinged again.
"Dea has a tracker in her head. It's most likely the work of her brother. He's already on his way." I read aloud, grimacing.
Rebecca froze. "She figured it out already?"
"Hah. At least we have an answer." I forced a laugh, though disgust churned in my gut. "But in her head? What the fuck..."
[Kitsu POV]
"How? How did you do that?"
I tilted my head innocently. "Huh, what?"
"You beat me in four moves!" Dea nearly slammed her fists on the table.
"Yeah. You left your king open for my queen." I pointed lazily.
"Again," she hissed.
"What was that?"
"We go again. This time I'm Black." She spun the board with determination.
"Okay."
"Go first," she demanded.
"Yes, yes."
She smirked. "Hehe."
"So... who's Candy?" I asked casually.
Her focus faltered. "Oh, she's my brother's right-hand woman."
"Like a wife or something?" I arched a brow.
Dea shook her head quickly. "No, but... I'm pretty sure they're a thing." A small, genuine smile tugged her lips.
"Figures. Both tigers are demis, huh?"
"Yeah. Oh, what about you? Fox or wolf?"
"I'm cunning. You figure it out."
"Fox, then." She nodded, satisfied.
"Don't use that blacksmith again," I warned suddenly.
"Of course not. You already got his tail."
I pulled out a warped piece of armor. "He made trash armor for you guys."
Dea's brows furrowed as she inspected it. "It got cut...?"
"Yeah. Easy." I sliced the shard further with a flick of ice.
Her lips tightened. "That's how you killed my guard, wasn't it?"
I only laughed.
Her glare sharpened as she moved her piece.
"Focus. Check." I slid my knight forward.
"Fucking bitch!" she snarled, capturing it with her queen.
"That's not nice," I chided, immediately capturing her queen with a pawn.
"Fuck!" she roared, clutching at her hair as my ears flattened against the volume.
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Chapter 165: I need to get a pet
[Stacy POV]
"I don't know if I should be happy that my daughter caught a high-value target or worried that an obsessed sis-con is on his way to her," I muttered, darting between thick tree trunks as I sprinted through the forest. Branches whipped at my shoulders, snapping back violently, but I ignored the sting. Each breath filled my lungs with damp night air, heavy with moss and soil, the kind of smell that clung to you long after you left the woods. My boots pounded the earth in a rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.
The forest was alive with noises-crickets chirping, the occasional rustle of some nocturnal animal, and even the distant croak of a frog. But over it all, I could hear my own movements, the crunch of leaves and the rustle of my cloak, and it reminded me that time was running short.
"Stacy, I need an update," Kayda's voice crackled in my earpiece. She sounded calm, but I knew her well enough to detect the tension beneath.
"Right, right. "I will arrive in only thirty minutes," I answered, hopping over a fallen log without breaking stride.
There was a brief pause, then Kayda's voice returned, tinged with genuine surprise. "Wow. I thought you would take another hour and a half."
Her words made me grin despite the urgency. "Well, lucky for you, I was already on the city outskirts. Additionally, I understand how that guy behaves. If he's moving for his sister, he'll move fast and without thinking. I can't afford to drag my feet."
Kayda chuckled faintly, though her tone quickly sharpened. "Don't wear yourself out. If a battle starts, we'll need you at your best."
"It should be fine," I reassured her, leaping down a steep hill and rolling once before springing back to my feet. Dirt smeared across my arm, but I ignored it. "He won't start anything as long as we don't lay a hand on his sister. He's protective, not reckless."
"We'll see. She is with Kitsu, after all," Kayda muttered, the weight of her words hanging between us.
I slowed just long enough to push a branch aside and smirk at the thought. "Right. Anything can happen when she's involved." The smile tugging at my lips was both proud and exasperated. My daughter's talent for chaos was almost legendary at this point.
[Kitsu POV]
"What the hell is this!? Fifty-four losses against a kid!" Dea screamed, slamming both palms on the ice table. The sharp crack echoed against the frozen walls around us, her breath puffing out visibly in the cold air. Her cheeks were flushed red; whether from embarrassment, rage, or the chill, I couldn't tell.
"Hahaha, don't worry about it. It's your first time playing the game." I leaned back in my chair, tail swishing lazily behind me, enjoying her frustration far too much. My tone carried zero comfort, but that was the point.
"That doesn't matter!" She jabbed a finger toward me, her hair frazzled and her eyes practically sparking with static. "You just won in five moves again!"
"Well, your start was shit," I said plainly, shrugging. I picked up my queen and tapped it against the board like I was playing with a toy, not destroying her pride piece by piece.
"Grrr." She growled, gripping the edge of the table like she wanted to flip it.
"Well, to the next one?" I asked innocently, tilting my head as I began resetting the pieces. My claws clicked softly against the ice with each move.
"Fine," she muttered, scowling.
"Do you want black or white?"
"White. And can you stop with the damn ice walls? It's getting cold." She wrapped her arms around herself, glaring at the thick frost layering the walls like a crystalline fortress.
"No. Run your lightning through yourself to heat up or something," I said with a straight face, meeting her eyes without blinking.
Her mouth opened and closed twice before she let out a strangled sound. "...Are you serious? You can't be serious. Right-you're a fox. You aren't serious." She muttered to herself like she was trying to work out whether I was insane or mocking her.
"Hahaha, nice detective work, Miss Gullible," I laughed, ears flicking as her muttering made me grin even wider.
"Dea! Not gullible!" She snapped, practically hissing my name like it was an insult.
"Yeah, but you need to concentrate on the game more. You just lost your knight again." I lifted the little piece between two fingers and wiggled it in front of her face.
"Damn it! Stop distracting me!" She snatched it back, cheeks glowing with frustration.
"I'm only conversing with you," I said sweetly, leaning my chin on my palm.
"Tsk. I guess it's my fault then," Dea muttered, clicking her tongue and staring down at the board like it had personally betrayed her.
"Do you have any pets?" I asked casually, raising a brow as if the thought had just crossed my mind.
Her mood instantly flipped. "Hehe, of course I have pets. I have a few, actually," she said proudly, puffing out her chest.
"Oh, a few? I only have one, and she's full of energy already. How do you handle more than one?" I tilted my head, though in the back of my mind, I was already considering getting a fox myself someday.
"Really, only one? Well, mine keep themselves busy. They love killing monsters for leveling." Her eyes lit up as she spoke, her earlier anger melting into excitement.
"...So they're monsters themselves," I said, feigning shock, ears twitching forward.
"Huh? Aren't all pets monsters?" She stared at me like I'd just said the sky was green.
"No. Pets are mostly non-harmful creatures."
"Uh, that's food," she replied with a completely serious expression.
I stared at her in silence for a long moment. "...Right. So what sort of pets are they?"
"Oh, one is a minotaur, and the second is a wolf. I have more, but those two are my favorites because they can speak with me."
"They can talk?" I arched a brow, pretending to be impressed.
"Yes! Isn't it cool?" Dea beamed at me, her earlier hostility forgotten in her pride.
"...I agree. That's pretty cool," I admitted with a straight face, though I was biting back laughter. Internally, my thoughts twisted. So those were her pets? Slaves, more like. Mom always said the federation had no shame in binding powerful creatures to their will.
I flicked my queen forward and claimed her piece. "Check."
"NOOO! I hoped you wouldn't see that!" Dea wailed, smacking her thigh in frustration.
"This board is minimal," I said, shaking my head like the game was beneath me.
"Hmph. You're right. If this were a real battle, I would've outmaneuvered you long ago." She crossed her arms and huffed, her pride desperate to save face.
"Hmm. Probably. I'm more brawn than brains." I laughed, leaning back.
"Hah. Like I thought," she said smugly.
"So, back to your pets. What's the second-best thing about them?" I pressed, casually guiding the conversation.
"Oh! We can make clones of them so they can keep leveling up even though they aren't the ones doing the killing, but they still-" Dea froze mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing. "You bitch."
"Hahaha, thank you for all the information," I cackled, grinning ear to ear.
"Shit. Brother's going to kill me for this," she muttered, sinking into grief.
"Oh, don't worry. It's info I already knew," I waved her off.
Her head shot up. "What?"
"Your pets? Yeah, I killed them. "Thanks for the levels," I said, flashing a wide grin, though I had to resist frowning at the memory-it was only four levels. Not nearly worth the effort.
Her mouth fell open, her face paling. "Ugh, dammit. So it really was you."
"Yep." I can't believe that a simple illusion concealed me so effectively," I cackled again, my tail swishing.
"Dammit! I told Kay it was you," Dea fumed, slamming her fist on the bed.
"Kay? Is that your bodyguard?" I asked, tilting my head innocently.
"Yes! The one you fucking killed."
"Good. His name sounded like shit anyway." My smile widened at the sight of her fury.
"You! Your race really works well with reincarnation," she spat suddenly, a grin creeping onto her lips like she'd just thrown a knife.
"Oh? You're actually revealing that card?" I narrowed my eyes.
"What?"
"You thought I wouldn't know you knew about me being a reincarnation? Please. With all the spies you idiots have crawling around, I figured out months ago that you knew. And I'm sure you've also come in contact with the trans furry recently." I leaned forward, eyes sharp, searching for the flicker of recognition in her face.
Her pupils tightened. "Tsk. You can read minds, can't you?" she muttered, trying and failing to mask her slip.
"Hahaha! With a face like yours, anyone can read your mind," I said, pointing at her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment.
"What! There's nothing wrong with my face!" She shrieked, standing up and slamming her hands on the table hard enough to send pieces scattering.
"It's an open book to your mind, so yeah, there is," I said calmly, not flinching.
"How do you even have a girlfriend with a damn personality like yours?!" Dea yelled again, hitting the table until pawns rolled onto the floor.
"What the fuck is wrong with your head? Are you jealous now? You jump around like a kid high on sugar." I scowled at her whiplash mood swings.
"Hey, stop bullying me!" she whined, grabbing a pillow and hugging it tight as she flopped on the bed.
"...You are crazy," I muttered, watching her sulk.
"Whatever. Her brother just arrived anyway," I said, turning my gaze to the window. Outside, the whirring thrum of rotor blades grew louder as a helicopter descended toward the mansion. My ice walls groaned under the strain, holding firm like a bunker sealing us in.
"Hey, why are you smiling like that?" Dea asked, hugging the pillow tighter, glaring at me.
I only tilted my head. 'What is this woman?' I thought, bemused.
[Kayda POV]
"He's here," I announced grimly, eyes locked on the aircraft hovering above the estate. Its floodlights washed the landing zone in harsh white, making the sparring trainees look like ants caught in a spotlight.
"Yes, and they're demanding a landing pad," Rebecca said dryly, her expression unimpressed.
"Well, as they can see, we're conducting a drill," I replied, my lips curving into a smile that didn't reach my eyes.
"I told them that, but they insist," Rebecca said, handing me the comm scroll.
I snatched it up. "Yeah? Let me talk to the dumbasses."
"Hello, hello! Answer me, please. Where is our landing pad?" an agitated voice demanded immediately.
"Yo. We don't have one open right now. As you can see, we're running a drill. Just wait a few minutes for it to finish."
"What's a few minutes?"
"Thirty," I said without hesitation.
"WHAT?!"
"Tell your boss he can enjoy a free demonstration of our tactics," I added, smirking.
"Like hell those shitty movements are tactics," a harsher voice cut in.
"Oh, finally. The big bro speaks."
"Where is my sister?" he demanded, his voice edged with venom.
"With a lovely fox. "Don't worry about her," I said mockingly.
"You-"
"Listen well. If anything unexpected happens out here, that fox will kill your sister. And not quickly." My tone dropped into a warning growl.
"Is that a threat?"
I scoffed. "Of course it's a threat. You dare to meddle where you shouldn't and then make demands? Wake up, bro-con. If you want anything right now, you'll wait."
"You're stalling for time," he accused, voice tight.
"Pfft. Obviously. The more time we have, the more we'll wring out of that gullible girl." I laughed, letting the sound echo into the comm.
"You will-"
"Careful. We have your sister. Remember that."
"Grrr-" His teeth ground audibly through the magic link.
"Grind like that, and they'll fall out," I said sweetly, then cut the connection.
Rebecca raised a brow as she reclaimed the scroll. "Did you really have to go that far?"
I smirked. "Not really. But Kitsu's rubbing off on me."
Rebecca sighed, shaking her head.
avataravatar
Chapter 166: Welcome Home
[Assistant Federation Manager]
"That fucking dragon!" The commander cursed, slamming his thigh and making the plane shake. The metal under his fist rang with a dull thud. Even the overhead lights trembled for a heartbeat before steadying.
"Sir, please calm down. You might make us crash," I said worriedly. My hand was already braced on the armrest, fingers white around the leather. It was not the first time I'd ridden with him when he lost his temper, but the older pilots had warned me years ago: men who fly angry tend not to notice angles and altitude until after the screaming starts.
"Hah, if we crash, we will just blame it on them." The commander said, shrugging. He looked out the reinforced window again, as if he could will the landing pads below to split open from the sheer intensity of his glare. Vents hissed softly as the cabin systems compensated for his heat-literal heat; his mana flared when he was like this.
"Sir, that will start a war," I said, looking at him worriedly. I made my tone as dry as I dared. It was easier to get him to think than to back down; if he felt challenged, he escalated.
"So, it won't be the first." The commander spoke without even glancing in my direction. He rolled his shoulders back, the leather of his harness creaking as he leaned away from the window. The scar along his jaw stood out sharper in the cabin light, pulsing faintly with the flicker of nerves.
"Your sister will be the first victim of said war," I said, relaxing back in my seat, knowing he would calm down. The words were cruel because truth was cruel, but with him, only truth worked. The pilot shot me a quick, grateful glance in the mirror mounted above the cockpit bulkhead. Outside, rotors churned the air into ripples, and the landing pads-four of them splayed like the points of a compass-seethed with movement.
"Right, right, my baby sister is in danger of being harmed. Let's not get mad now." He said those words to himself, relaxing in his seat. His fists unclenched by degrees, the tendons across his knuckles slowly losing their ridges. I watched for the moment his breathing matched the engine drone; that, more than anything, told me he'd remembered he was a commander and not just a brother.
'Sigh, as strong and smart as this man is, he is too easily controlled by his emotions.' I thought, sighing and looking out the window. The crescent of the academy lay below like a polished blade. I looked down at the landing pads under us. Trainees formed loose rings and lines, clashing in sets. Their colored armbands-yellow, blue, and red-flashed and blurred, mana trails stringing between them like faint threads in the air. If I squinted, the whole scene looked like a toy set-a diorama of war, safe because it was small.
"Sir, why do you think they are doing something like this after capturing a high-profile person from our Great Federation?" I asked, looking back outside at the children's fights that are going on on the landing pads. Children-young killers, I corrected myself. Still, the choreography smacked of practice more than desperation. Their footwork had the looseness of people performing for an audience.
"They are stalling for time." The commander said, realizing something. His mouth tightened, and he sat up straighter as if the thought had put iron rods in his spine.
"Why would they do that, sir? To interrogate the young miss?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I flipped my notes open on my lap-not that I needed to; it was a habit, a way to signal I was thinking while also inviting him to think aloud.
"I am not sure." The commander spoke thoughtfully. The shift was always stark when he reached this place; the bro-con peeled back, and the tactician surfaced. He leaned forward and tapped the glass with one knuckle, eyes tracking the movements below, not the people but the patterns they formed. The set pieces. The staging.
"I see." I let the thought sit long enough to breathe. The pilots murmured coordinates to each other, and the altimeter ticked down a shade as we drifted lower, just low enough to feel intrusive.
"Hmm, I see, so they aren't here?" The commander said, narrowing his eye outside, confusing me. His single-lidded gaze, which he typically used for battlefield assessments, sharpened until I felt pinned by it, even though it wasn't directed at me.
"Sorry, sir." I followed his line of sight and tried to see what he saw. The trainees fought with vigor, but there was no heavy anchor in the flow-no signature flares, no distinctive cadences belonging to their senior commanders. The dragons were loud, always; when they were present, even the wind seemed to shift.
"Land the plane in the middle right now. Their head commanders aren't here." The commander ordered him to stand up. His hands flew to the harness buckles, the click-click sounding like the cocking of a gun.
"Yes, sir." The pilot said he was doing as he was told, but his eyes flicked toward me again and then toward the external feeds-the pads were packed. The term "Middle" referred to aggressively forcing our way into the drill, similar to how a fist would disrupt a chessboard.
"Sir, your action is going to start a war!" I said, keeping my voice steady by force alone. I had learned early never to raise my voice at him; it made him dig his heels in harder.
"No, it won't. They won't dare touch my sister." He said it the way some men said prayers and others said oaths. He believed it wholeheartedly, and that conviction, more than anything else, made me afraid. Faith got people killed as often as it saved them.
"But, sir, I heard the young Draig doesn't really obey the rules. She might just kill her after some torture. Kayda, the fire dragon, is also still here, sir." I said these words in an attempt to bring reason back to the man. Names had power. I dropped them like weights into our conversation, heavy enough to pull him down from his temper.
"Hah, that's true; pilot, just stay in the air but close to the ground, make them uncomfortable." The commander said this, dropping down into his seat, annoyed. The harness buckled again. My breath left me in a slow, measured release. Outside, our shadow slid over the nearest ring of trainees; heads tilted up, and a ripple of attention broke their formation.
"Yes, sir." The pilot's shoulders lowered by a sliver as he adjusted our hover. The engines settled into a steadier thrum, the kind that got under your skin. It would vibrate in their bones down there.
"Sigh, at least we won't start a war, just an argument," I said, sighing and falling back in my seat. Arguments we could file reports about later. Wars needed funerals.
The commander didn't answer. He was watching the mansion now instead of the pads, his gaze climbing its lines, windows glinting like eyes. Somewhere in there, his sister sat inside a cage of ice-so the stories said. He drummed his fingers once, twice, then stilled them by sheer force of will. The bro-con wasn't gone; he never was. But for the moment, the commander was sitting in the right chair.
[Kitsu POV]
"Hey, are you going to keep pouting for 2 hours?" I asked, lounging in the chair with my legs pulled up under me, heels tucked against the seat. My tail swished lazily from side to side, the tip flicking in amusement every time she tightened her arms around that poor pillow.
"Why 2 hours?" Her voice was flat with suspicion, like I'd hidden thorns in a bouquet and offered it to her with a smile.
"That's how long your brother will take to come get you, of course," I said, grinning at her confused face. Her eyebrows were scrunched together, a little line forming between them like a seam I could tug on.
"...What else do you expect me to do?" She said this, looking away. Her cheeks puffed slightly-adorable, if you ignored the part where she'd murder entire villages if someone told her it would make Big Brother proud.
"I don't know; talk?" I propped my chin on my palm and widened my eyes in fake innocence. The ice walls hummed faintly, a constant whisper of mana knitting and reknitting as the structure settled.
"No." She turned further away, burying half her face in the pillow. Static crackled over the fabric. She was actually doing it-running lightning just under her skin to keep warm. Good girl.
"... whatever," I said, taking out my scroll and starting to message Kayda out of boredom. The room was quiet except for the occasional thunk of her heel against the bed frame and the faint scrape of my quill over the scroll surface. A few ice motes drifted down from the ceiling like lazy snow and melted on the quilt.
I glanced at the window. The helicopter's hum had deepened-closer, more insistent. Good. Let them simmer.
[Scroll POV? Messages.]
Ding!
Kitsu, how is the time-wasting plan going?
Kayda-It's going fine, but the Sis-con is hovering a bit close to our people.
Kitsu, please let me know if I need to remove any nails from the gullible dimwit.
Kayda, please don't do that. If we don't do anything to her, he won't do anything to us but threaten us.
Kitsu-Threats can become reality rapidly, you know.
Kayda: Yes, it can, but he won't gain anything if he takes her by force.
Kitsu-well, he would get a corpse.
Kayda: That is precisely my point, and he is aware of it. Or his assistant knows that.
Kitsu: Oh, is it because he knows about my 'personality'?
Kayda: Yes...
Kitsu-great, good to know I am well known already.
Kayda, your mother will be here in 30 minutes."
Kitsu: Already!?
Kayda: Yes, apparently, she was on the outskirts of the territory, so she was quite closer to us than the city.
Kitsu: Great, I can show her my invisible mana.
Kayda, I am sure she would be amazed.
Kitsu won't be the first time she will react like that with me, haha.
Kayda— That's true. So, how are things going for you?
Kitsu-Photo (Miss Gullible glaring and cuddling a pillow): She has been like that for the last 20 minutes.
Kayda— What did you do to make her like that?
Kitsu-I played chess against her. She didn't win once.
Kayda: Ah, it must be an ego blow losing to a 14-year-old.
Kitsu-Though she knows I am a reincarnation, I don't understand why she hasn't realized I am older than her.
Kayda: Right, got to go. They just broke through the Team Yellow defense. The fight will be over in a few minutes.
Kitsu: Okay! Bye, cutie.
I let the scroll dim and tossed it onto the table, then sprawled back farther in my chair, hands linked behind my head. Dea peeked at me over the pillow, eyes narrowed. When she realized I'd caught her looking, she jerked her gaze away so fast her hair flicked her cheek.
"You could nap," I offered. "I can even sing you a lullaby. It starts with la-la-la-"
"Shut up," she muttered into the pillow. But the corners of her mouth twitched. She was fighting a smile and hated herself for it. Good. If she smiled, she would relax. If she relaxed, she would talk. And if she talked, I'd collect.
I closed my eyes and sent a testing pulse through the walls. The ice answered like a whale answering in the deep-slow, strong, and resonant. Satisfied, I cracked one eye open and studied the hostage. She had excellent posture even while sulking, with feet tucked, back straight, and chin tilted as if she'd learned since childhood to always meet the world elevated, even if only by inches. It made me want to poke at her. So I did.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
"No."
"Thirsty?"
"No."
"Bored?"
Her silence was eloquent.
"Do you want to play a game that isn't chess? Maybe cards? I could make ice cards. They're slippery. Like you." I smiled too sweetly.
She groaned and rolled onto her side so she didn't have to see my face. I hid a laugh behind my hand and conjured a tiny fox from frost in the air. It pranced along the bed frame, stopped near her ear, and yipped once, then dissolved into glitter that sank into the pillowcase. She slapped the spot blindly, missed, realized there was nothing there, and groaned again. Perfect.
[Kayda POV]
"Rebecca, get the landing pad ready when they are done," I said, looking at Rebecca, quite a bit disappointed, seeing that the fight would be over in a while. The trainees were flagging; adrenaline burned fast, and most of them were on their second wind, which was never as pretty as the first.
"I have already prepared for that," Rebecca said, sounding annoyed, as expected. Her braid snapped against her back when she turned to signal the battle maids. Platters appeared as if from air-tea, fruit, and those honey biscuits Stacy liked when she was pretending to be civilized.
"Good. I hope Stacy arrives before he gets through the ice wall." I said this while looking at the commander's plane. The plane hovered ominously, its engines disturbing the air. Even from here, I could feel the shift in atmosphere-pressure building, the way the sky felt before a storm broke and washed everything clean or bloody.
"We should be fine even if she is present, but the fact that Kitsuna is here makes me uneasy," Rebecca said, going silent, not wanting to talk too much. She didn't have to finish it. The rest lived in our heads the way a favorite song lived in the bones-Kitsu was a magnet for chaos. Give her a minute in an empty room, and somehow it would catch fire from boredom alone.
"Yeah, her luck is shit." I lifted two fingers to my temple and rubbed the beginning of a headache away. Anger ignited the heat beneath my skin, and I channeled it. Fire dragons didn't get to complain about being warm.
"I don't think it has something to do with her luck," Rebecca said, making me raise an eyebrow at her.
"Hmm?"
"Well, she has quite the knack for getting on people's nerves," Rebecca said, shrugging. Her mouth twitched, which for her counted as a belly laugh.
"You do have a point there. Well, we will deal with the problems when they come." I said, looking at the Federation ship land on the ground. They didn't land, not exactly-more like kissed the pad with the threat of a bite if we flinched. Dust plumed around the skids, and several of my trainees hopped back with hands up to shield their faces, then remembered themselves and returned to ranks, cheeks reddening.
"I will prepare the treats in the drawing room."
"Rather, let's do it outside, not inside the mansion," I said, jumping in the air and flying to the landing pad the Federation fuckers landed on. I needed the air on my skin. I needed the altitude-perspective-and the chance to look down my nose at them when my feet touched earth again.
"Will do," Rebecca said, taking a few battle maids with her. In moments, they were a procession of competence, skirts swishing, trays shining, faces politely blank. Our unique approach to conflict involves fighting with smiles that reveal only the tips of our teeth.
'Let's see how annoyed he is.' I thought, landing on the ground and looking at the plane before me. The door mechanism whined. Impatience made it sound like a scream.
Tsss!
"Where is my sister?!" A man yelled, not even waiting for the door to open properly before rushing out. He ducked and then straightened to his full height like a soldier reborn from a shell. Fury sat on him like armor.
"She is resting right now, but I have sent someone to get her for you," I explained, looking down at him. He had a pleasing face for posters-strong lines, clean rage. If he hadn't been a pain, I might have liked him.
"Bring her here then." Mr. Pendragon approached me with a glare. The air between us crackled-not with lightning but with the friction of two wills pushing and refusing to slide.
"She has been through a lot today. Let her rest," I said, turning around towards the mansion. I didn't hurry. Let him drown in the decision to follow me or swallow his pride and sit.
"If I find a scratch on her, I will hold you responsible." His voice dropped low, which told me he was thinking of throat-cutting, not shouting.
"What if? Are you going to start killing people? Good luck with that. Your sister will be the first person to die if you do that. I am sure you know who she is right now." I said, threatening him. I didn't have to look back to know my guards' postures had altered behind me-shifting weight, ready to move. We all knew how this dance went.
"You!" His stride stuttered.
"Have a point," I said, shrugging at him. Shrugging always enraged men like him. They spent their lives being a point of focus, constantly enduring the pain of criticism.
"Grrr." The growl leaked out despite his attempt to swallow it. A couple of the battle maids flicked their eyes his way and then away again, the polite version of a smirk.
"Kitsu said that grinding your teeth like that will make them fall out faster," I remarked with a chuckle that turned into full-on laughter when I noticed he stopped doing it in surprise. The sound got away from me; sometimes I forgot how much I liked poking at other people's composure.
"Hmm, is that true?" He whispered, thinking to himself. I let him have the moment. Let him imagine his heroic speeches whistling through gaps in his front teeth.
"Haha, we are here," I said, taking a seat at the table Rebecca set up in front of the mansion in the open. The tablecloth was a cool, crisp white, the silver catching the light, the porcelain thin enough to reveal a shadow of my fingers when I lifted a cup.
"Outside?"
"Yeah, it's a lovely day. I would rather not waste this lovely day by sitting inside," I said, taking a sip from the cup of tea on the table. It scalded my tongue pleasantly. I watched him decide whether to sit.
"Right." Mr. Pendragon said, sitting on a chair and going silent. He folded his hands atop his knee like he was pinning himself to the seat. Good boy.
We sat in silence with our respective guards behind us, just looking at each other. Wind ran small fingers through the flags above the mansion, making a nearby cypress murmur. On the pads, the trainees' sparring had devolved into breathy laughter and grunts and the occasional high shriek when someone landed a pretty throw. It was all theater, and yet the emotion was real: the way their shoulders loosened once they realized the plane wouldn't crush them, the way their eyes kept slanting toward us, not quite able to look away.
5 minutes later
The silence has not been broken. I let it stretch until it sang. Mr. Pendragon's jaw worked once, then was still. I refilled my cup and clinked the spoon against the rim once, an intentional, delicate chime. He did not flinch, to his credit.
'I wonder what Kitsu is doing now? Is she annoying the girl or just playing with a knife in her hands?' I thought, trying to make the time go by faster. The mental image of Kitsu twirling a knife while humming made my mouth twitch. She would hum something cheerful, too. The more murderous she felt, the sweeter the tune.
10 minutes later
'This is getting annoying.' I thought, pouring myself another cup of tea. The steam curled like a cat. A fly tried its luck and died of scald in the same second. I fished it out with the spoon and set it gently on a napkin. I did not offer it to him. I was not that kind of host.
"It's been 15 minutes. Where is my sister?" He finally cracked, the words dropping like stones.
"Ah, you see, my girlfriend froze them inside one of the rooms, so we are trying to break it open currently," I said calmly with a small, proud smile. Pride felt good in my chest. I wore it like a pendant with her name carved on the back.
"Tsk, what do you mean by that? How can your 14-year-old girlfriend make something that you take more than 15 minutes to break through?" Mr. Pendragon said, glaring at me. The vein at his temple pulsed. I entertained the brief, lovely fantasy of flicking it.
"Well, you know she is exceptional," I said, smiling proudly while taking another sip of tea. The porcelain hid my teeth.
"As if she will be that strong only after five years of training," Pendragon said, glaring at me. He leaned in like closeness could make disbelief turn true.
"Pfftt, hahaha, what a joy it will be if you meet her," I said, laughing at his naivety. I couldn't help it. Men like him put the world in boxes and then got offended when the boxes burned.
"What?" Mr. Pendragon said, intensifying his glare. If glares had weight, the table would have buckled.
"Oh, if you glare even more, some killing intent will leak out. Now that we don't want it, after all, Kitsu is really sensitive when it comes to killing intent. Especially if the killing intent is pointed at me." I said, bluffing mostly because I was not sure Kitsu would actually feel it through the ice wall she made. But I had learned early: say confidence with enough backbone, and the air around you hardens to match.
"If what you say is true, then Stacy must have trained her herself." He spoke reluctantly, as if acknowledging the truth left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Huh? You don't know? For being a spy-loving country, you guys seem far too bad at it." I was actually surprised that they didn't know that she was Stacy's disciple. I let my eyebrows lift. It was the smallest gift and also the meanest.
"What!!" Everyone on the federation side yelled, leaking killing intent. It spilled like a burst pipe-raw, ugly, practiced. Their guards' hands went to weapons by reflex, not use, a choreography we all recognized and chose not to follow to its end.
"Kya!!" The sound knifed out from the mansion: high, sharp, and startled. I didn't even have to turn to know exactly whose voice that was, and my grin came on its own.
"What?" Mr. Pendragon said, looking at the mansion, surprised at the shout. Surprise first, then fear, then anger arrived like his three favorite friends.
"I have warned you she is sensitive to killing intent," I said with a smile. I let a little of my heat leak then, enough to warp the air above my cup for effect. The tea rippled.
"You, you bitch!" Mr. Pendragon cursed, standing up and walking to the mansion. He did not run. He walked like a man who believed doors would open or break rather than accept his refusal. He was probably right; men like him got that too often.
"Oh, you're going to trespass now," I said, not standing up from my seat to stop him. My nails tapped the cup once, twice, thrice. Behind him, his assistant's hand flicked-the pilot would keep them hovering low but steady. Good. I liked competent enemies. They made the world more fascinating.
"Your commander isn't here, so what are you going to do?" He tossed over his shoulder, the words thrown like a dare.
"I warned you not to try and attack Kitsu when you see your sister without any arms, but I won't do anything." I watched his shoulders tighten at "without any arms" and let the ambiguity hang there. He heard what he wanted to hear. That was the trick: people built their own traps and begged you to call it fate.
"We will see about that." The man spoke without even looking at me. He had stopped grinding his teeth, at least. I would give him that.
"Sheesh, what do you think you are doing?" A dominant female voice said something, making me smile and recognize it. It came not from the mansion but from the path that cut between the rose hedges, a voice that did not need volume to fill space.
"What? How are you?" Pendragon, surprised, turned to look at Stacy. He missed the way even the wind seemed to pause like a dog lifting its head for its mistress.
"Well, I've got some ants in my territory. Do you really think I wouldn't come?" Stacy said, looking at Pendragon as if he were a little child. Her boots were still dusty from the run, and her braid was messy in a way only speed could make. She carried no visible weapon and did not need one. Men like him could list the ways she could kill him with a spoon and still underestimate the spoon.
"Welcome home, Stacy," I said with a nod. I meant it. The line of my shoulders eased without my permission.
"Yeah, I feel so welcome here," Stacy said, looking at all the guards smiling in relief. The relief spread like a tide I didn't fight-spines uncoiled, hands drifted inches away from hilts, and lungs remembered how to be lungs. Stacy's gaze flicked over the plane, the table, the open door of the mansion at the end of the gravel path, and then finally settled on Pendragon again. The corners of her mouth tipped up in a way that wasn't a smile and promised, very politely, hell.
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Chapter 167: Devil Fire magic is quite potent.
"So, when do I get my sister back?" The commander asked, his voice low, clipped, but sharp enough to cut through the still air of the courtyard. His eyes burned with an intensity that felt like he wanted to tear the answer out of us instead of wait for it.
"Get her back?" Stacy slowly repeated the question, raising one eyebrow as she leaned back in her chair. She crossed one leg over the other with the kind of unhurried grace that said she didn't consider his rage worth speeding up for. "She is our prisoner. Why would we just give our prisoner back?" Her tone was mild, but every syllable dripped disdain.
"Because this will lead to a war that you started," the commander snapped. His teeth ground audibly; I heard it even from where I sat, and the tension that hung around him spread out like a choking miasma.
Stacy tilted her head at him, and the motion was familiar-too familiar. My lips twitched when I realized she'd picked it up from Kitsuna. The little brat's habits were starting to infect us all. "We started?" Stacy repeated, her tone lilting, almost mocking. "Don't joke like that. You people are the ones who've sent spies into our country multiple times. Then, when that wasn't enough, you tried to start a monster stampede on our land. Hello, do you even know what you are saying?"
"You have no proof we did any of that," Pendragon scoffed, straightening in his chair. His broad shoulders flexed, as if that alone could protect him from her accusation.
"Are you sure we don't have any?" Stacy asked, her eyebrow arched like a blade, daring him to step closer.
"Yes," he said flatly, refusing the bait. He wasn't stupid; I'd give him that.
"Really? Okay, then listen to this." Stacy slid her scroll onto the table with deliberate slowness and tapped it. The surface shimmered before a girl's voice spilled into the air, sharp and clear as if she were standing right beside us.
"Ah, yes, my pets, they were busy leveling up in the dead forest."
The words cut the silence like a knife. Every soldier behind Pendragon shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between him and Stacy.
"Now do we have proof?" Stacy asked, cutting the recording with a flick of her finger. Her eyes gleamed as she leaned forward slightly.
"Hah." Pendragon pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly. "You know that sister of mine..." His sigh carried both frustration and reluctant acknowledgment. Then he looked up, gaze sharpening. "What do you want?"
"Oh, it's not that much," Stacy said casually, sliding a folded piece of paper across the table. She smiled like she'd just given him a gift, though we all knew it was a demand.
Pendragon unfolded it, and his expression tightened the further his eyes traveled down. "Lady Stacy, you are asking for too much," he said, his voice polite but taut, like a bowstring about to snap.
"Am I?" Stacy tilted her head again, her eyes narrowing in mock thought. "Didn't know your sister's life would be of that little worth."
"They're blackmailing us now," Pendragon muttered with a dry laugh that had no humor in it.
"Yes," Stacy said shamelessly, her voice smooth. "You started all this after all."
"Tsk. I want my sister first."
"Mr. Pendragon, that's not how negotiations work. You do know this." Stacy's tone didn't change, not even a flicker of sympathy or patience. She was a wall, and he was the fool trying to punch through it.
"Tsk. Fine." He placed the paper down and gestured with his fingers toward his assistant. "You take your time and get everything on this list. You have thirty minutes."
"Yes, sir." The assistant quickly took the paper, already fishing out his scroll and whispering urgent orders into it.
"Woah, thirty minutes? Are you sure he'll make it?" Stacy asked, her voice full of humor, though there was a note of genuine doubt tucked beneath it.
"Yes," Pendragon said firmly.
"Okay. If it's like that, we will go see your sister." Stacy stood smoothly, her chair scraping back over the stones.
"Uh, Stacy," I muttered, leaning toward her with a whisper, embarrassed and obviously faking it, "we still haven't gotten through the ice wall."
"That's fine. It should go faster if you try to do it, but why would we do that?" She whispered back, her lips twitching into an evil smile that confused me.
"What do you mean by that?" I muttered, brow furrowed.
"Don't do anything. Let him blast through it himself, Kayda." Stacy's eyes glittered with the kind of amusement that made my gut sink.
"Okay," I replied while nodding slowly, although a sense of suspicion gnawed at me.
[5 minutes later in the mansion.]
"What is this?" Pendragon demanded, staring at the thick wall of ice sealing the guest room. His breath puffed faintly in the chilled air, and his soldiers shuffled uneasily behind him.
"Ice magic, of course," Stacy said, shrugging as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I can see that," he snapped, turning on her, "but why is my sister on the other side of it?"
"Well, she's being held prisoner by my daughter. Didn't you know this already?" Stacy tilted her head again, mocking him with the same gesture as before.
"So, tell her to open up," Pendragon demanded, his patience unraveling.
"I already tried to call her, but she's unreachable. I think her scroll is out of power," Stacy explained with another shrug, casual as tossing a stone into a lake.
"She can recharge her scroll with mana, though. Why isn't she doing that? Is she dumb ?" One of Pendragon's guards muttered under his breath.
Every eye turned on him. Pendragon's glare froze the words in the man's throat.
"I don't know. I can't see through walls," Stacy replied breezily, deliberately ignoring the insult.
"She is your daughter, isn't she?" Pendragon asked sharply.
"She is adopted, but yes."
"Fuck this," Pendragon growled, pulling back his fist and slamming it against the wall.
Crack.
"Ugh!" His knuckles split on contact, the sound of bone giving a muted echo through the hall.
"Did you just break your hand?" Stacy asked, her tone amused, not concerned.
"..." He ignored her, coating his bleeding hand with wind magic and lashing at the wall in slashes that rang like knives against glass. Shards of ice shivered loose but reknit almost instantly, glimmering like steel.
"Hmm, this process is going to take a while. Get us some chairs, please," Stacy said, turning her head toward the nearest maid.
"Will do, ma'am," the maid replied with a bow before hurrying off.
"Kayda, is there any update you haven't told me about?" Stacy asked suddenly, her sharp gaze sliding to me.
"Hehe, well, you see..." I rubbed the back of my neck and looked away, laughing awkwardly.
"I can see that her ice magic has become something really annoying to deal with," Stacy said, watching Pendragon's futile slashes, "but not perfect just yet."
"Yes, I'm also surprised that her ice magic got this strong just from her new discovery," I admitted, letting some honesty slip through.
"New discovery?" Stacy repeated, one brow raised. "New discovery?"
"Yes. She's got something new to show you," I explained, nodding once.
"And you aren't going to tell me?" Stacy asked, her tone amused, though her eyes narrowed knowingly.
"Even if I do, you won't understand what I'm saying."
"Hmm." She folded her arms and looked back at the ice, silent but thoughtful.
[30 minutes later]
[Kitsu POV]
"Hey, we aren't even talking, and you're making dumb mistakes," I said, sliding my queen across the board and taking Dea's unsuspecting piece.
"Dammit, I didn't see your knight." Dea groaned, her hand clenching into a fist as she scowled down at the board.
They've been trying to break the ice for thirty-four minutes already. Why are they struggling so much? Kayda should've blasted it apart in seconds, I thought, eyes flicking to the doorway. The once-solid surface now sported a lattice of small cracks, but the wall still held firm.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" Dea asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Well, at the door, of course," I said with thick sarcasm.
"That's not a door anymore. That's just an ice wall." She scoffed and flicked her eyes back to the board.
"Why did you move your king?"
"Uh, because he hasn't moved yet?"
"But you could have done castling."
"I could do what now?"
"Didn't I explain it to you?" I said, baffled. I showed her the move, rearranging the pieces briefly.
"What you could do is that."
"Yeah, only if those two pieces haven't moved, though."
"Oh, I get it."
"Yeah. But anyway-checkmate," I said, sliding my queen to its final spot.
"What!! This isn't fair!" Dea slammed her forehead onto the table, sulking like a child.
"Let's try the game again, shall we?" I said, already packing the board for another round.
"Fine," she grumbled, sitting back up.
Just as she reached for a pawn, the ice wall exploded.
Boom!
"Kyaa!!" she screamed, clutching her pillow as shards rained down.
"Well then," I said, standing slowly, an ice whip snapping into existence around her neck. My grin widened as I turned to face the man who'd shattered the wall. He floated mid-air, one fist extended-only to be caught inches away from me by Mom's hand. Blood ran down his knuckles in a steady drip.
"What is this?" Pendragon demanded, baffled, seeing his arm trembling, caught effortlessly by Stacy.
"I'd like to know as well. Why'd you try to attack me, huh?" I asked, my other hand conjuring a massive greatsword of ice. The blade hummed with cold as I rose to my feet, whip tightening on Dea's throat.
'As I suspected, it won't deter someone in a leadership position,' I mused, but my grin only widened. I looked at Mom, her calm smile meeting my excitement.
"Huh, brother? You're here already?" Dea asked with a flicker of joy despite being bound.
"No, no, we're still busy here," I said lightly, tightening invisible wires around her arms.
"Huh?"
"You let go of my sister," Pendragon snarled, ripping apart several of my wires with a surge of wind magic.
"Nah. Why would I do that?"
"I already made a deal with your mother, Kitsuna Draig," Pendragon snapped.
I tilted my head at Mom, then back at him. "Yeah, I know. But that deal didn't include you almost attacking me," I said with a grin.
"...Haha. And what are you going to do about it?" He smirked, sending small wind blades that shredded the rest of my wires.
"Oh, I don't know. "Maybe you should consider taking your sister's life," I said, tightening my grip on the whip.
"You aren't fast enough," Pendragon sneered.
"Don't you guys already have a list of my skills?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"We do, of course."
"Then you know I love my bombs, right?"
"You dare threaten me?" His hand drifted to his blade, while Mom's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Hey, it's insurance, man, insurance," I said, raising my hands with a mocking laugh.
"Tsk. I should have known. What do you want then?"
"One of your arms, please. I would prefer your right arm," I said, smiling.
"...What?" Everyone gaped.
"Come on, give it to me." I held out my hand expectantly.
"Fine," Pendragon said at last, and without hesitation, he cut off his right arm. The blade was clean, his face stoic, and no grunt escaped him.
"Brother!" Dea screamed.
"Thank you," I said cheerfully, catching the arm and engulfing it in black fire.
"Augh!!!" Pendragon roared in pain before collapsing, his remaining arm falling limp as his unconscious body hit the ground.
"Oh, that's how it works," I mused aloud, snuffing the devil's fire.
"Commander!!" His soldiers surged forward, weapons drawn.
"Oh, now you're threatening me?" I asked, conjuring a halo of ice needles in the air.
"What have you done to the commander?!" one soldier shouted, his sword trembling.
"Sheesh. The Federation dogs get dumber every time I meet them. Where do you think you are?!" I shouted, my killing intent slamming into them. One by one, they buckled, knees hitting the ground. Mom's aura joined mine, doubling the pressure.
"Okay, that's enough of the show," Mom said, clapping her hands lightly as if ending a performance. She stepped between me and the soldiers.
"Are you happy now? It's really annoying when you make me do this," I muttered, dispelling my mana.
"I know. But seeing you put people in their place is always fun," Mom said with a laugh, slinging her arm around my shoulders.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm done," I sighed, teleporting away to my training grounds.
"Brother!!" Dea cried the moment I disappeared, her voice cracking in despair.
It's been a while since I made a 1700-word Kitsuna chapter.
Do remember to join the discord if you want.
Also, I have a second novel named Sazanami. Please go check it out.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 168: I am back
[Kitsu POV]
"Well, how have you been?" Mom asked, her voice carrying easily across the open stone training ground as she stepped inside. Her presence was always obvious-the air itself seemed to straighten when she walked in, like even the wind bowed to her.
"I have been great, Mom," I said quickly, brightening when I saw her. A genuine smile tugged at my face as I set down the practice blade I had been working with. "How is the Kuni territory turning out?"
"Absolutely horrible," she said flatly, her expression souring. She crossed the open floor, her boots clicking lightly against the polished stone, and folded her arms. "The demons have noticed something has happened, so they're stationing more soldiers at the border to pressure us into something. I don't know what just yet, though."
I tilted my head, frowning at her words. "What do you mean by pressuring you into something? Don't they just want to start a war again?"
"No," she said sharply, dismissing my question with a flick of her hand. "They won't start one if the Federation doesn't move first. And besides, they lost all the previous wars against us-even when we were distracted by the Federation." Her tone had that crisp finality she always used when she wanted me to stop poking holes in her reasoning.
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "With those Kunis running the house?"
"They were forceful, you know," Mom replied, her voice calm, but it only made me more doubtful.
"When?" I scoffed. "Those dwarfs believe he fucked them over. They're a marquis house-they need to hold the line when the time comes. That's literally their job. If they're screwing it up now, then they're just dumb." My frustration leaked into my tone, my tail flicking behind me.
"I can understand that high dwarfs are really rare and strong assets for battles," Mom admitted with a sigh, shrugging her shoulders, "but then again, they pampered those two far too much. Made them useless."
I snorted softly. "I wouldn't know. I haven't been that attentive to what races exist in the world." I shrugged as well, mirroring her without much thought.
"That reminds me," she said, tilting her head slightly, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "How are they doing?"
"Right, right, they did come with us, didn't they?" I said, blinking, a little embarrassed at my absentmindedness. I nodded awkwardly, scratching the back of my head.
"You forgot about them," Mom said, smiling knowingly, her lips curving into that smile that told me she'd seen right through me.
"Yeah... I did," I muttered, ears twitching as I looked away.
"Did Kayda forget about them as well?" she asked thoughtfully.
"I think so? I haven't seen them since we got here." I tilted my head back, thinking. My memory was nothing but hours of training, the constant repetition of movement, mana flow, and experimenting with new ideas. Faces outside that loop blurred too easily.
"You've been training most of the time, so I doubt you would," Mom said, shaking her head lightly. "I'll have to ask Kayda, then."
"Is there anything else you would like to know?" I asked quickly, wanting to steer the conversation away from my forgetfulness.
"Yeah," Mom said, her tone shifting as she narrowed her eyes at me. "What was that mana you used on the sis-con?"
"Oh yeah, my invisible mana." I grinned and snapped my fingers, forming a dagger of translucent nothingness in my hand. The air shimmered faintly, warping light around it. "It's cool, right?" I asked before casually flicking the dagger at Mom.
Her hand shot up like a snake, catching it effortlessly despite the fact that it couldn't be seen. She frowned. "This is really fascinating. And don't throw stuff like this at me."
"Well, I knew you would be able to catch it," I said, shrugging, trying to hide my smirk. "To you, this is just a small trick anyway."
"I won't say it's a small trick, Kitsuna." She examined the invisible dagger for a second longer before letting it dissipate into the air. "This can potentially kill anyone without them knowing how they died or who killed them. The perfect assassin's weapon."
I nodded in agreement. "That is the plan."
"So, how did you learn this?" she pressed, watching me carefully.
"Well, that is my true self, Mana," I explained, puffing out my chest proudly.
"...What?" Mom tilted her head at me, eyebrows rising. "You mean... this trickery and stealth is your true self?"
"Well, in a way, yeah."
"It makes sense," she said finally, nodding to herself. "Did Kayda help you?"
"'Look into yourself to know yourself,'" I said, quoting Kayda's cryptic words. "She told me something like that and left." I shrugged.
"Fuck you, you're a monster," Mom muttered, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she let the last wisps of the dagger dissipate.
"Hey, that isn't nice," I protested halfheartedly.
"As if you care." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, why did you need to learn this?"
"Well, it's to cut through Adamite," I explained simply.
"What?" Mom blinked, baffled.
"I need to learn how to cut through unrefined Adamite. That's what Steve said." I shrugged, not really understanding everything Steve had told me but repeating it anyway.
"Wait, so that's how he makes demigod weapons?" Mom asked, her voice sharp, disbelief lacing her words.
"Yeah. He puts his true self's mana into the atmosphere before forging a weapon around it. Or... well, that's what I understood when he explained it to me."
"I wonder..."
"Hmm?" I tilted my head, humming curiously at her.
"Don't worry. I'll have to have a talk with Steve next time I see him," she said, which only confused me further. But her tone made it clear it wasn't something I needed to press.
"Okay," I said, dropping it.
"Well, when are you going back to him to start learning about forging?" Mom asked, her expression softening again.
"Tomorrow," I said. I flexed my fingers, creating a few hundred needles of invisible mana above my hand before letting them disperse in a glittering shimmer. "I can hold it for quite a while now, so I'm satisfied."
"That's good," she said warmly.
"Thanks for speaking with him about teaching me. This will be a wonderful skill to have before the tournament."
"Anything for my daughters," Mom said suddenly, stepping forward to wrap me in a quick hug. Her arms squeezed me just tightly enough to make my ears burn red.
"Right," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head shyly when she pulled away.
"Oh, another thing," she said, her eyes narrowing again. "How did you learn to damage people's souls? I hope you haven't done any experiments with people." Her voice carried a warning tone.
"Ah, no. It was my first time trying it after Kayda did it to me. I really didn't think it would work," I admitted, shaking my head quickly.
"Well, devil magic is terrible for a person's soul, so that might have been why it worked so easily for you," Mom explained, making me nod slowly in understanding.
"Ah, I see. Interesting."
"Don't do that, though. The world and the system don't like it if you destroy or damage souls too much," she warned more seriously, her tone sharper now.
"What? Why?" I asked, frowning.
"Don't worry about it. Just remember you can't destroy people's souls without backlash."
"But you can eat them," I muttered without thinking, raising an eyebrow.
"..." Mom's silence hit like a hammer. She just looked at me, and suddenly my back was slick with sweat.
"Sorry," I blurted, looking down, ears drooping. "I shouldn't have said it like that."
"He is the sin of gluttony. It is a skill created by society, so it is acceptable for him to engage in it," Mom explained stiffly, though her voice carried a simmering anger.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it," I said quickly, apologetically.
"Don't worry about it," Mom muttered finally, turning and leaving the training grounds.
I let out a long sigh, rubbing my face. "I should really learn how to filter my words."
[Next day morning]
"So Mom already went back to the Kunis' territory," I said aloud, sighing heavily.
"Yes, she left just after talking to you," one of the servants confirmed from the doorway.
"Aaah, for fuck's sake," I groaned, thunking my forehead against the wall.
"What's wrong?" Kayda's voice asked from behind me.
"I brought up the sin of gluttony," I muttered.
"Good idea," Kayda said dryly, slapping me on the back of the head.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, rubbing the spot. "We were talking about souls and stuff, but I got annoyed that I'm not allowed to damage souls."
"Kitsu, I didn't show you how to damage souls so you could torture people like that," Kayda scolded, crossing her arms. Her sharp eyes pinned me in place. "I showed you that there is a weakness you still need to work on. And you need to be on guard for that critical weakness."
"What? Is that what you meant when you did that?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"Yes. Didn't you understand that?" Kayda sighed, exasperated.
"Ah, of course I understood," I said quickly, looking away in embarrassment. "I'll create a proper shield for that."
"Alright. If it makes you feel better, I actually didn't think you'd know how to do that in a few days. You really made that sis-con suffer with ease."
"Well, that was the only way I could actually make him hurt. If it weren't for you two, I would've been a pancake against my ice wall," I admitted honestly.
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you," Kayda said suddenly, her tone shifting, "Angel Bitch disappeared again. But I think she actually left the kingdom this time."
"Really? To where?" I asked, tilting my head.
"The Federation."
"Great. So she joined the angels there?" I muttered thoughtfully.
"Most likely."
"She has already left, and it hasn't even been a year." "Well, it's not really a surprise," I said with a shrug. I really couldn't care less what she did.
"You don't seem mad or anything," Kayda noted, watching me carefully, like she was probing.
"She can do whatever she wants," I said flatly. Then my voice dropped to a mutter, "But if I see her again, I'll be ripping those wings off."
Kayda smirked faintly but chose not to comment.
"Anyway, that concludes my updates," I said, shaking my head. "What are you going to do?"
"I'll be going to Steve's smithy to get some learning done before the tournament," I said firmly.
"Did you go through all those Smith books I gave you?" Kayda asked, one eyebrow rising.
I nodded. "No. Some of them are way too advanced. I need practical experience to understand the intermediate ones first."
"Okay. Good luck with that, then. Please don't go and kidnap anyone," Kayda said dryly.
"I won't do that. And it's your fault for letting me go on my own," I teased, shrugging.
"Don't try to shift the blame," she shot back, narrowing her eyes.
"Fine, fine. Anyway, I've got to go to Steve's smithy. See you later today." I turned, pulling open the massive double doors of the mansion. Cool morning air rushed in.
"Okay. Enjoy learning," Kayda called after me, waving lazily.
Her words followed me out in the bright morning. For the first time in days, my mind felt light, fixed on what lay ahead rather than the mess behind.
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Chapter 169:
"Yo, is Steve here already?" I asked the receptionist, leaning lazily against the polished wooden counter. My tail swayed back and forth in a casual rhythm, betraying the energy buzzing under my skin.
"Yes, the young man is in his office at the back, Miss Draig." The receptionist nodded at me, her crisp tone professional, though her eyes flickered with that same mix of wariness and forced politeness I had grown used to seeing whenever my surname was mentioned.
"Wait a minute, I was here first."
The voice came from off to the side, gruff and indignant. I turned my head, ears twitching slightly as I caught sight of the dwarf who had spoken. His stocky frame and broad shoulders were no surprise-most dwarves carried their bodies like walking anvils-but what caught my attention was the familiar set of his jaw and the glint of steel in his eyes.
"Do you have a brother?" I asked thoughtfully, narrowing my eyes at him. The resemblance tugged at my memory; he looked a lot like the dwarf I had dealt with just yesterday.
"Yes, I have. He was arrested yesterday for some crime the Draig family made up." The dwarf's lips curled back in a snarl, and his words came out more like accusations than answers. His glare fixed on me, sharp and unflinching. "That's right, she said your surname is Draig. What have you done to my brother?"
His tone was thick with venom, the kind that came from someone convinced of their truth before hearing any other side.
"Hmm, he never said he had a brother." I tilted my head slightly, my tone dismissive. "Whatever, I am not usually the one that handles it. Go talk to the Black Ops if you want information on what your brother actually did." I waved him off with a flick of my wrist, not even bothering to hold his gaze for long.
"They said he was working for the Federation!" The dwarf roared, his voice echoing through the reception hall. His anger was a storm breaking loose in public, and people nearby began glancing nervously at us.
"He was," I said flatly, already walking away, my back to him. I reached the heavy wooden door leading to the back offices and pushed it open, slipping inside and shutting it firmly behind me.
"Like hell, he was. He was working for me!" His voice thundered behind the door, muffled but still filled with fury.
"I am not allowed to talk about it," I muttered under my breath, repeating Kayda's words like a mantra. It was easier to recite someone else's logic than get lost in the tangled web of politics I had no desire to unravel.
"Are you going crazy or something? Talking to yourself like that."
The sudden interruption made me blink. I glanced to my left, and sure enough, another dwarf was standing there, arms crossed, brow furrowed as he looked me up and down like I was some kind of puzzle missing half its pieces.
I stared at him for a long second, deciding whether he was worth the effort of a reply. Then, deciding against it, I simply turned away and continued down the hall.
"He didn't even say anything," the dwarf grunted, shaking his head as he stomped off in the opposite direction.
'Dwarfs are weird,' I thought. They always had this strange way of blending together in my mind. Their faces were similar enough that if you didn't know them, you could mistake one for another easily. It was the same phenomenon humans had with race-they said all Asians or all white people looked alike until they actually lived among them long enough to see the nuances. I supposed it was the same with dwarfs.
"Ah, here it is." I stopped in front of a familiar door. Raising my hand, I knocked twice, the sound echoing softly against the wood.
"Come in," Steve's voice rumbled from the other side.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Huh, Kitsuna, you knock on doors?" Steve looked at me from behind his desk, brows raised in genuine surprise. Steve rested his large hands on a stack of papers, his full attention fixed on me.
"... "
"... "
"Why wouldn't I knock on doors?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.
"I don't know. It's just how I thought you were." He shrugged, leaning back slightly in his chair, his eyes narrowing in faint amusement.
"And that is?"
"Rude."
I let out a small laugh, shrugging. "Can't blame you."
Steve smirked, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "So, what can I do for you today?"
"Well, I win the bet." I puffed my chest out proudly, letting the smugness drip from my voice.
"... It's been like four days, Kitsuna."
"Five days," I corrected immediately, wagging my finger at him. "It was a breeze to figure out how to strengthen the mana. The challenging part was to find out what I needed to work with."
His eyes sharpened. "Your internal mental mana, you mean."
"Yes, that is the challenging part. Internal mental mana, IMM. I like it." I snapped my fingers, liking the sound of the abbreviation.
"Hmm, show me," Steve said, leaning back again, his tone skeptical.
"Okay," I said, pulling a block of Adamite from my pocket space. I balanced it in my hand, preparing to demonstrate.
"Wait, use this one. I want to make sure you don't use some trick or anything." Steve rummaged behind his desk and pulled out a fresh block of Adamite, holding it out.
"I can respect that," I said, smirking. I extended an invisible mana string and tugged. The Adamite flew into my hand, and with a subtle flick, I cut it into six clean, even pieces.
"What!?" Steve exclaimed, eyes widening as he shot out of his chair.
"Is that good enough?" I asked casually, tossing the pieces onto his desk with a clatter.
"Invisible mana strings? You trying to be the best assassin or something?" His voice was a mixture of sarcasm and wonder.
"That's not a bad thought, but I'm not excellent at stealth," I joked, shrugging.
"Yes, I heard you found some backstabbing blacksmith working with the Federation."
"Yes, I did catch him yesterday. That reminds me, look at this for me." I reached into my bag and pulled out a rough piece of armor, still unfinished and crude in design.
"What is this crap you're showing me?" Steve asked, not even bothering to get up, his eyes narrowing at the sight.
"Haha, as expected from a trained eye. You don't even need a proper look to know this is trash. Well, the item is a piece of armor made by the traitor." I tossed it onto his table.
"Bye, grumpy pants," Steve muttered, raising a brow at the warped metal.
"By the way, his so-called brother was at the front just now," I added, jerking my thumb toward the door behind me.
"What the hell does he want?" Steve groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"Don't know. Your problem, not mine."
"Ugh, okay, let's get you started then," Steve said, finally pushing himself to his feet.
"Where are we going?" I asked, excitement bubbling in my voice.
"Where do you think we're going? To a bar?" He gave me a look that screamed disbelief.
"With dwarfs, you never know," I shot back, raising an eyebrow.
"Touche. We're going to the furnaces," Steve said, chuckling.
"Oh, so you're going to start teaching me?" I asked, hitting my fists together with a grin.
"I am not going to teach you the basics of forging. I have someone who will teach you the basics. Steve explained, instantly deflating my enthusiasm, "After that, you'll be making some weapons that we'll hold in the shop."
"What exactly do you want me to do now?" I muttered, disappointment dripping from my voice.
"You're going to start making weapons, of course," Steve said, grinning at my misery.
"Why?" I asked, my ears drooping slightly.
"Huh, why? Can you be useful if we make the demigod weapon right now?" He looked at me like I'd asked if fire was hot.
"Uh, no, but I can at least learn better from you?" I reluctantly admitted this while recalling the dense and confusing smithing books I had attempted to study.
"I only have that much time to spend on you, fox." He gestured at the mountain of paperwork on his desk.
"That's true, I guess," I sighed, glancing at the mess.
"No shit, you dumb fox," Steve said with a smirk.
My eyes narrowed dangerously. "You don't call me that."
"Whatever, let's go. Allow me to introduce you to the second in command. He will teach you from the start." Steve looked away, a hint of nervousness in his tone.
"Ugh, alright."
"Here we go, Stan!" Steve shouted.
"Yes, what is it now?" A dwarf walked over, his expression already annoyed.
"Hmm, is he your son?" I asked, eyeing Stan, who looked uncannily like Steve.
"Pfft, hahaha! Do I look that young, or does he look that old?" Steve barked out, clearly insulted.
"Both, I guess?" I said honestly, tilting my head.
"Hahaha!" Stan slapped Steve's shoulder, laughing like a maniac.
"He is my brother, little Kitsuna," Steve said, voice dripping with depression.
"Ah, is that so? My bad. Good to meet you, teacher." I extended my hand to Stan.
"Teach? Brother, what does she mean by that?" Stan asked, frowning at Steve.
"Ugh, she is my disciple, not yours, but you need to teach her the basics, please."
"You took on a disciple that doesn't even know the basics?"
"She can use IMM."
"IMM?" Stan repeated, brows furrowing.
"Internal mental mana," I clarified proudly.
"Quite the shitty name, but it fits, I guess," Stan said, shrugging.
"Well, it's better than true mana," I shot back.
"So, are we going to start, or what?" Stan asked, now serious.
"We can get started anytime," I said, nodding.
"Hmm, I think this might pose a problem." Stan's gaze drifted to my outfit.
"What is it? My clothes? I can use others if needed," I said, glancing down at my coat, sports bra, and cargo pants.
"That might be for the best, but the problem will be your height."
"Hmm, oh, are all the furnaces low?" I asked, realizing the issue.
"Yes."
"Hmm, we can start working. I will think of something while I work," I said, shrugging.
"Alright then, let us go and work," Stan said, leading me toward one of the furnaces in the back.
"So, how much do you know about the basics?" he asked after a few minutes.
"I have read some books about it, but it was only basic. I can't understand the intermediate ones without any experience."
"Hmm, at least you are not arrogant."
"I can be if you like," I said, tilting my head innocently.
"Please, no. We have enough of that in the other furnace room," Stan said, sounding dejected.
"Okay, I'll stay humble then," I chuckled.
Now, let's begin by discussing what you will be making. Steve probably already told you we will be making some weapons we will sell in the front, right?"
"Yes, he did mention that, but I actually thought he was joking."
"Every metal we use in here will go to the front, so we don't waste anything," Stan warned sternly.
"However, I believe my weapons will be of poor quality," I admitted.
"It doesn't matter. You will work on the same weapon until it's up to standard."
"Are you saying I have to work on one weapon for days?" I asked, my voice dropping in dread.
"Yes."
"Shit."
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Chapter 170: Furnacing
'He wasn't joking when he said I would work on the same thing until it's up to standard,' I thought, staring down at the hunk of metal that was supposed to be a knife. At this point, it looked more like a bent spoon that had been beaten by an angry ogre. My arms ached from the repetition, and every strike of the hammer still echoed in my bones.
Thirteen hours. Thirteen hours straight of hammering, heating, hammering again, cooling, and hammering once more. I could feel the dull ache in my wrists, the sting in my palms despite the gloves, and the sweat soaking into my shirt. Even my tails felt sluggish, dragging across the dusty floor instead of swishing with energy like they normally did.
It just didn't want to take shape. No matter what angle I struck from, no matter how careful or how heavy, the stupid blade either warped awkwardly or snapped like a brittle twig. My frustration had reached the point where I wondered if the metal was cursed.
"How the hell?" I muttered under my breath, glaring at it like I could force it into compliance through sheer stubbornness.
With a growl, I slid the half-formed blade back into the furnace. The glow of the coals bathed my face in waves of heat, and the hissing firelight reflected in my eyes.
"Sigh, the heat is annoying," I said aloud, letting my voice carry into the cavernous forge room. Grunting, I pulled the bellows to get the fire roaring hotter, then waited for the stubborn piece of metal to glow red.
After what felt like an eternity-though it was probably less than a minute-I used the tongs to pull the knife out. The heat shimmered against the air, warping everything I saw behind it. I set it on the flat top of the anvil, hefted the hammer, and swung down with what I thought was a reasonable amount of strength.
Clang!
I created a sharp dent and a small stretch in the blade's length. It was progress, even if it was slow and pathetic progress.
"Stan said this length is enough to make a sword, but blades are typically around seventy centimeters long. "This thing isn't even seventeen," I grumbled, glaring at the stub of a weapon. It was barely big enough to butter bread, let alone serve as a blade.
In a fit of irritation, I swung harder.
The sound that followed wasn't the solid ring of a hammer against steel. It was the crack of something snapping under too much force.
The tip of the knife broke clean off, clattering across the forge floor.
I froze, my hammer still in the air. Then I lowered it slowly, staring at the ruined work.
...
....
.....
"That's the twenty-sixth time I did that," I said, my voice flat with disbelief. Twenty-six broken blades, twenty-six wasted starts, and nothing to show for it but piles of scrap.
I dumped the broken shards into the crucible with the rest of the failures, letting them melt down into slag for recycling. My motions had become mechanical by now-feed the furnace, melt the scraps, pour, wait, repeat. Start over. Again.
"Starting over again?" a voice asked.
I turned slightly. The dwarf at the next furnace had been watching me for hours now, occasionally tossing in commentary like he was some judgemental overseer. His apron was already streaked with soot, his hammer resting casually on his anvil as if mocking how natural the tool looked in his hand compared to mine.
"Yeah. Hit it too hard again," I admitted, shoulders sagging.
"You have too much strength to work with this sort of metal. Why did he give it to you?" the dwarf asked, the same rhetorical question he had asked me at least four times already. His tone said he didn't expect an answer, and I wasn't about to waste the energy giving him one.
'How can I be so bad at it?' I thought, dragging my hand across my forehead to wipe away the sweat, though it only smeared soot across my skin. The metal hissed and popped inside the furnace, taunting me with the promise of yet another failure.
Once the scraps melted, I pulled the crucible carefully and poured the molten mess into a waiting mold. The glowing liquid spread, filling the shape with a sluggish crawl.
"Now I just need to wait a few more minutes for it to cool down," I muttered to myself, forcing patience into my voice. I reminded myself of the last time I'd been too impatient. Four times, actually. Four times I'd tried to shape the blade before it had cooled properly, and four times the molten metal had run out, burning holes in the floor or destroying my shoes. My poor boots. One of them still had a hole through the sole from where molten steel had kissed my foot.
I folded my arms and waited. Slowly. Painfully.
Once the glow dimmed, I dunked it in the water bucket just to be safe, steam hissing up around my hands. Only then did I dare touch it.
"Sigh, let's try the experiment again."
[72 hours later]
The forge room smelt like burnt metal and sweat. My body felt like it had lived here, molded by the heat and dust. I was worn out, sore, and irritable, but I had something to show for it this time. Thirty-one short swords sat on the table, lined up in rows like soldiers. Each one was slightly different, each marked by the tiny mistakes I had made along the way.
"Is this really all you could do in three days?" Stan's voice cut in, laced with disbelief.
"Well, yes," I said, shrugging helplessly. "I struggled to keep my strength back."
"Struggled to hold back?" Stan looked up at me, brows knitted together like he didn't quite believe what he'd heard.
"Yeah. "My strength is almost three thousand," I said casually, not realizing until too late that maybe that wasn't normal to say.
His eyes widened slightly. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen."
"Level?"
I narrowed my eyes. "I don't need to answer that, but I got an excellent class."
"Right... It makes sense why you struggled so much," Stan muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"So what now?" I asked, tilting my head like a curious fox.
"You go on. You'll be working with a lot of metal when you work with Steve, and this will be one of them. So go on." He shoved another box across his desk toward me.
I looked inside. The metal ingots were stacked neatly like bricks and gleamed faintly in the forge light.
"Fuck," I muttered. Then a grin crept across my face. "Well, at least I can experiment on everything."
"Hmm. However, I mentioned that I wanted to try out the impure metals as well. Stan set another box beside the first one; this second box was filled with scrap metal that was bent, scarred, and mismatched.
"Okay, how should I work with the scrap metal?"
"Heat it, treat it, and fold it. It will be able to take more of a beating than the steel, but if it flakes, it's useless."
"Fold it?" "Okay, so I created my weapons," I muttered while tapping my chin thoughtfully.
"Folding metal to make blades only works when you work with impure metals. Remember that, okay? Avoid using this tool on pure metals, because it will weaken. Stan's voice sharpened, his eyes locking onto mine to make sure I was paying attention.
"Huh, I see. So pure metals don't need to get folded, but impure ones do?"
"Yes. Pure metals strengthen through heat treatment. Folding stretches them and weakens them. However, when folding impure metals, the process combines them and blends their flaws.
"So when I fold impure metal, they actually merge better because they're impure," I said, nodding.
"Yes, just like that." Stan waved me away with a snap of his fingers, treating me like a hurried apprentice.
"Alright then, I am getting back to work." I scooped both boxes into my inventory with a smirk.
"Good. Come to me when you've made fifty impure weapons and fifty pure ones. Of course, these thirty don't count."
"All right, it will do."
"Close the door when you leave," Stan said, already pushing the weapons I'd made to the floor as if they were clutter in his way.
[Steve POV]
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
"Brother, I have brought you something interesting," Stan said, barging in with a box.
"What is it?" I asked, looking up from my paperwork. My eyes landed on the blades. Thirty-one short swords, none with handles.
"Why did you bring an unfinished product to me?" I asked, brow furrowing.
"Well, these unfinished products are made by your 'disciple,'" Stan said sarcastically.
"You gave her steel to work with first?" I asked, incredulous.
"Yeah, it was the best one to start learning at," Stan said, shrugging.
"Yeah, if you have little strength, but not for her." I slammed my fist against the desk, annoyed.
"Yeah, I realized that I had made a mistake." But look, it took her four days to make thirty of these. She learns rapidly," Stan explained.
I leaned back, studying the blades. "Well, she is Stacy's daughter," I said approvingly. They were raw but impressive, especially for a beginner.
"Adopted."
"It doesn't matter. Those two are from the same bloodline, and I'm sure they know that."
"I don't know. Anyway, I let her start on impure metals now," Stan said.
"Good. She needs to understand the difference between folding and heat-treating."
"After that, let her go straight to Adamite. She doesn't have a lot of time."
"That doesn't make sense. Even if she doesn't have time, she still needs to learn the basics."
"She'll get them done in one day."
"What?"
"All one hundred weapons will be done in twenty-four hours."
I blinked. "Impressive, considering she took four days for thirty before."
"She knows how to control her strength now. She'll do it in one day."
"Tsk, whatever," Stan muttered, clicking his tongue as he stormed out.
"There's a reason why I am the Smith King, brother," I muttered, looking at the intermediate short swords again. For someone without even a smithing class, it was extraordinary.
[Kitsu POV]
"Right, impure metal is weaker than pure metal," I said, holding up the broken halves of a katana. I had been so sure I'd done everything right this time, only to watch the blade split under pressure.
"I've been making my weapons like this all this time... including my guns," I muttered, frowning.
"Didn't I fold it enough? Or did I fold it wrong?"
"You folded it wrong. Uneven. "Some places had six folds, while other places only had one or two," a dwarf at the other furnace explained without even looking up from his own work.
"Huh, are you serious? I messed up that badly?" I asked, laughing awkwardly.
"Yes." The dwarf's tone was as flat as a hammer's strike.
"Haha, alright, let's start over," I said, trying to muster some enthusiasm.
"You can't just melt it and start over, Fox," the dwarf said, giving me a withering glare.
"Then how do I reuse this?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Sigh. Give it here. Let me show you. Remember, I'm only going to show you once." He took the broken pieces from me with a heavy sigh.
"Okay, thank you. Sorry, I haven't even asked your name. My name is Kitsuna." I extended a hand.
"I'll keep calling you Fox. My name is Giga," he said without taking my hand.
"That's fine with me," I said, shrugging.
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Chapter 171
[1 day after.]
[Kitsu POV]
"Are you done?" Stan asked, looking up at me with that half-bored, half-suspicious look of his.
"Yes. "Fifty steel swords and fifty impure katanas," I said, dropping the swords onto Stan's desk in front of him with a loud clatter. The weight of the steel made the desk creak, and his brows twitched at the sound.
He reached for one of the weapons slowly, his thick fingers brushing over the polished steel. He pulled out one of the katanas, the blade gleaming faintly in the forge light, the curve sharp and deliberate.
"How do you know how to make katanas?" he asked finally, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the perfect lines and balance of the weapon.
"Books," I said simply. Not a lie, though not the entire truth either.
Stan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Right, like I'll believe that. Did Giga help you?" He lifted his gaze to me, his eyes trying to pierce through the casual shrug I gave him.
"With explanations, yes. "But I created all of them independently," I said firmly, shrugging again for emphasis.
"Hmm. Fine." Stan sighed, setting the katana back down with more care than I expected. "Let's go to Steve's furnace."
"Am I already going to work with him?" I asked, tilting my head curiously. My tail swished slowly behind me, betraying my anticipation.
"No, you are far away from that. You're going to start working with Adamite now." Stan stood up from his chair and gestured for me to follow. His boots thudded against the stone floor, heavy and deliberate.
"Are you sure?" I asked, blinking. Adamite wasn't some toy metal. It was rare, expensive, and stubborn. And dangerous if handled wrong.
"Steve said you should start with it after you make the hundred swords in one day," Stan said, his tone sharp, almost annoyed, like just saying the words left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Oh, okay. Are you going to teach me this time?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, letting a smirk play across my lips.
"I will supervise you, yes," Stan said, nodding as if that was enough.
"Good to know," I said, humming a tune as I nodded along.
"You mean something else, don't you?" Stan shot me a look, his brows furrowed.
"Yeah," I said without hesitation. "It's about time you actually do something." I let my voice carry the irritation I'd been holding back for days.
"You said you read some books," Stan said, shrugging dismissively.
"Ah, so that's why you haven't helped me. Now I understand why you're working for Steve instead of running your own smithy," I said sweetly, my sarcasm dripping with venom.
Stan froze mid-step, shoulders stiffening. He was one of those men who carried the shadow of a genius brother like a curse, and I had just poked that wound with a smile.
"Little lady, I would watch my mouth if I were you," he said, turning to glare at me.
"Pfft. What are you going to do? Hit me with your hammer?" I laughed, tossing my head back. "That won't do anything to me."
"You might be from the Draigs, but you're just a trainee here. Watch your mouth," he growled, trying to intimidate me with his shorter but stocky frame.
"Trainee? No, I'm not a trainee. I'm here to learn from Steve because of connections, not because I want to be a blacksmith." I crossed my arms, glaring right back at him.
"So you won't even try to deny you used your connections." Stan scoffed, shaking his head.
"Why should I?" I asked, my expression blank with honest confusion.
"Ugh, you're shameless." He barked out a laugh, scratching his face in frustration.
"I'm straightforward, not shameless," I corrected him with a grin, my teeth flashing. That grin only seemed to irritate him further.
"That's almost like the pot calling the kettle black," Stan muttered, looking away.
"If you just did your job, I wouldn't be this grumpy," I said, stepping closer and lowering my voice. "Steve told you to teach me. Have you taught me anything at all? No. Everything I've done so far is just me putting in the work alone, with some advice from another dwarf-just as grumpy as you, but way nicer than your dumb ass."
"Tsk. You used connections to get here. How should I know you had any talent?" Stan shot back, still glaring.
"I don't have talent for smithing," I admitted, shrugging. "I'm just good at learning."
"... Whatever. Let's get to the furnace."
"Finally, we are doing something productive," I said, rolling my shoulders.
"Sigh, how can someone like this exist?" Stan muttered.
"I can hear you," I said flatly.
"I don't care."
"... "
"We're here. Let's get started before my blood boils me to death," Stan said, pushing open the heavy door to the main furnace chamber.
"Just drink some beer then," I said cheerfully, pulling a barrel out of my storage and setting it beside him.
Stan blinked, his eyes widening slightly. "Why do you have something like that with you?"
"I don't know. I thought dwarfs liked beer, so I got some, just in case." I shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Truth be told, I'd forgotten it was even in my inventory.
"You could have told me," Stan muttered, already grabbing the barrel with one hand.
"Okay," I said, tilting my head innocently.
"Let's get to work." Stan's tone lightened just slightly, the edge dulled by the promise of a drink.
"Yes," I said, taking my place at the furnace.
"Now. Let's talk about Adamite first. "What type of metal do you think it is?" Stan asked, already pulling the stopper from the barrel and taking a long gulp.
"It's weak if you know how to destroy it," I said, recalling my battles against weapons forged from it.
"Right. Of course it won't be easy," Stan sighed loudly, wiping his beard with the back of his hand before downing more beer.
[20 hours later]
"Yes, yes, just like that," Stan said, nodding vigorously.
"Really? It does look right, though," I said, holding up the small, weirdly shaped metal piece with cautious pride.
"No! You fucked it up!! Again!" Stan's face was bright red, his voice echoing off the forge walls.
"My bad," I said, watching the piece tear apart in my hands.
"Leave it on the anvil until it cools down to a solid!" Stan barked, his voice so loud my ears twitched in pain.
"I understand," I said quickly.
"Do you? That was the third time you did it." Stan glared at me, eyes narrowing in that same way I'd seen a thousand times over the past day.
"It was the first," I countered, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Third."
"First."
"Whatever. Just start over already," Stan grumbled, tipping the barrel back for another long drink.
"See? You were mistaken," I said, my lips twitching into a smirk just to annoy him further.
"Ugh!"
[35 hours later]
"Awesome! "I made my first Adamite knife," I said proudly, holding up the finished blade. The metal gleamed faintly, heavier and denser than anything I'd worked with before.
"Zzzzz..."
"Yo, Stan. Wake up." I nudged his foot with my boot. He passed out about twelve hours ago, leaving me blessed with enough silence to actually think through my forgery. His constant yelling had given me the worst headache I'd ever had.
"What?" he grunted, sitting up from the ground, rubbing his bleary eyes.
"I'm done," I said simply, dropping the knife into his lap.
"Huh. So we can move on to the next step," Stan muttered, examining the blade with surprising sobriety for someone who reeked of ale.
"Yes," I affirmed, nodding.
"Alright. Here are the blueprints for the next weapons. Now make one of them," Stan said, pulling a rolled blueprint out of seemingly nowhere.
"Just one?"
"Yes. It's a waste to make multiples of them. It's not like we'll be selling them."
"But they're excellent," I said, glancing at the neat sketches.
"It's from a no-name smith. No one would buy it," Stan explained, his tone dismissive.
"Fair point," I said, rolling my shoulders and heading back to the furnace.
[5 hours later]
"I am done," I said, kicking Stan's feet again.
"What?"
"I'm done with the axe," I said, holding up the heavy weapon.
"In five hours?"
"Yeah. Once you know how the metal works, the faster you can work with it," I explained with a grin.
"That's not how it goes... But to each their own," Stan muttered, shaking his head.
[2 hours later]
"One done."
[4 hours later]
"Three done. How many are there?"
[14 hours later]
"Ten done. Twelve to go."
[25 hours later]
"Finally... "I'm done," I gasped, dropping onto the floor. My muscles screamed, my eyelids felt like lead, and exhaustion pressed down on me harder than any hammer ever could.
"How is it going here?" Steve's voice cut through my haze.
"Yes, you can check all of them," I said, pointing weakly at the twenty-three weapons laid out across the floor.
"Hmm. You really are fascinating," Steve said, his eyes gleaming as he inspected the work.
"Sorry. I'm already taken," I muttered automatically.
Steve chuckled. "How have you progressed this much in so little time, Kitsuna?"
"Books," I answered quickly.
"Right. You do have the books from the Kunis," Steve said, clearly not believing me but choosing not to push further.
"Yeah. They're very detailed," I said, stating the simple truth.
"Can I read them as well?" Steve asked, still examining the weapons.
"Why? Aren't you already the best?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.
"You can always learn. It doesn't matter how good or how old you are. I'm sure you understand what I mean," Steve said, flashing me a small grin.
"That's true. I'll have to ask Mom, though. It's the Kunises', not mine." I shook my head.
"Why don't you ask the Kunis directly?"
"Politics," I said flatly.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't want to talk about it. I'll ask my mom later today," I waved him off.
"Alright. You can go home anyway. We'll start with the demi-god weapons in two days," Steve said, picking up one of the Adamite axes.
"Why not tomorrow?"
"I need to prepare for it, and you need proper rest," he explained.
"Oh, alright then. I'll see you in two days."
"Yeah, and bring more beer. I want some too," Steve added just before I walked out.
"I'll do that," I said, pulling two barrels from storage and leaving them by the door.
'I started with forty-two barrels. I only have seven left. 'That old dwarf Stan took twenty-seven on his own,' I thought, trudging out of the smithy, exhausted.
"Let's go home," I said softly, heading toward the mansion with heavy steps.
Alright, so it's been some time since I uploaded. Sorry for that. I was busy with some studies and other things for the last few months.
Here is an update on both of my novels.
Kitsuna has five more chapters written but needs some editing to be done.
Sazanami has 10 more chapters written and needs to be edited. The average word count is already 1500 before editing. So expect around 1800-word chapters for Sazanami.
I might not have been uploading, but I was writing. With Kitsu, I am very close to the tournament.
I have already started writing about it. That's how close it is.
Yes, the last bit is going to sound rushed before the tournament, but I don't want to write 10 chapters on fucking forging. I know fucking nothing about forging. And we have enough training for Arcs at this point. (There will be more.). Action will now be the main thing. especially with the arcs I have planned after this. time to go international. (in the story)
Now the tournament will be the end of Volume 1 of Kitsuna. I know it's quite a volume. 300,000 words for one volume. That's a lot.
Alright, that's about all for an update. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 172: To the capitol
[3 weeks later]
"So, you have finished making the demigod weapon, but you aren't going to show us?" Kayda said, her golden eyes narrowing at me in a way that was both annoyed and, annoyingly enough, adorable. Her arms were crossed under her chest, her tail swishing in sharp little flicks behind her, betraying her irritation more than her voice ever could.
"Yes."
The single word hung in the air like a hammer strike on an anvil.
"Why?" she pressed, a frown deepening on her face.
"Because it will be my mother's present when I win the tournament," I explained simply, lifting my chin.
Kayda let out a long, dramatic breath, the kind of sigh that felt like it had been stored up just for me. It was exasperation incarnate.
"But why can't you show it to me?" She asked again, her eyebrow lifting this time. I caught myself noticing how she looked when she did that-how one brow arched with perfect precision while her lips pouted just enough to make her annoyance cute instead of threatening. She didn't even realize what she was doing.
"Because you will go and blabber everything," I said flatly, looking away on purpose. If I kept looking at her, she'd find some way to poke holes in my reasoning.
"I won't," Kayda whined, reaching out to grab my arm. Her grip was strong-of course it was-but the way she clung made her seem less like the mighty dragon sage and more like a clingy girlfriend.
"Kayda, you are critical to me, but you're still terrible at keeping secrets," I said softly, taking her hand in mine to soften the blow.
"I am good at keeping secrets, though," she insisted, her tone just a little too defensive to be convincing.
"Yes, you may keep secrets from outside sources," I conceded, "but if someone close to you presses for information, they will find it easy to extract harmless details from you."
Her eyebrow went up again, this time slower, her confusion clear. "... A demi-god weapon isn't harmless."
"Well, for the person it will be going to, it is," I explained patiently, knowing exactly how close she and Mom were.
"So, you're saying I'll spill the beans to Stacy the moment she asks," Kayda said, her tone sharpening into a glare this time.
"Yes."
Her lips parted in mock offense, and she puffed out her cheeks, looking away with a pout. "You aren't very nice today."
"I'm only stating facts. Don't get mad at me, please. It's for the surprise, okay?" I leaned a little closer, trying to catch her eyes again.
"I don't agree with you, though," Kayda muttered sideways, her pout still firmly in place. She sneaked a glance at me, then looked away just as quickly.
"I know. But it's for the best," I said gently. "It's only Steve and me who have seen the weapon. Not even his brother knows how it looks."
Kayda's pout faltered, her eyes sliding back toward me reluctantly. "Sigh... fine. But if I hear someone apart from me has seen this weapon, I will strangle you." Her tone was serious now, her glare sharp.
"Sorry, I'm not into that," I shot back with a straight face.
"Hmm. We'll have to test it before you decide that," Kayda teased, her lips curving into that playful grin that always made it hard to tell if she was joking or serious.
"Kayda." I said her name firmly, my eyes narrowing. That was enough to make her blink and back off with a small chuckle.
"Alright, alright. I won't sexually strangle you," she said, giving me one last jab before letting the topic drop.
"Back to serious things. Is the plane on its way?" I asked, shaking my head at her teasing.
"Yes, it'll be here in five minutes to take us to the capital," she said, her voice returning to its usual calm.
"Good to know."
"By the way," she added, "you finished earlier than we planned. The tournament starts in a week."
"Damn. What the hell am I going to do for a week?" I muttered, running a hand through my hair and dropping my head into my palms.
"Well, the Kuni children are coming with us. You could train them if you like," Kayda suggested, her voice careful, like she already knew what my answer would be.
I shook my head immediately. "No. There's no point in me doing that."
"They could learn a lot from you, though," she countered, although even she didn't sound convinced.
"But I can't test my new skills on them, Kayda. They'll die the instant I try." I spoke the words bluntly, without hesitation. She nodded slowly, understanding.
"Hmm. That's true. However, I am also unable to help you, and I apologize for that. Her voice dropped, sounding frustrated with herself.
"Yeah, I know. You're one of the tournament organizers," I said, my voice thoughtful.
"Yeah, and I fucking hate it," she muttered, her lips curling into a grimace.
"Well, you're a dragon and not really part of the country's upper logistics," I pointed out, shrugging.
"So what? My girlfriend will be in the tournament. Why don't they think I'll be biased?" she demanded, her wings twitching in irritation.
"Well, that's true. But you also oversaw my spar against the furry while being my soulmate," I reminded her, my tone dry.
"Yeah, but we weren't a thing just yet," Kayda argued, shaking her head.
"True. But you know how the soulmate bond can be," I said, raising an eyebrow.
Her glare softened into a small nod. "True, true."
"Anyways, I can't look after the kids."
"They're the same age as you," she pointed out.
"They're not reincarnations," I countered without missing a beat.
"Right. So what are you planning to do?" she asked, curiosity replacing irritation.
"Find some fights with the commanders and generals in the capital," I said, shrugging as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
Kayda's eyes widened. "Ah, I don't think that's a good idea. Firstly, they won't take that smile."
"Yeah, so?" I tilted my head at her, feigning innocence.
"They're your colleagues. You might need to fight alongside them one day," she explained, her tone firm.
"Ah... I didn't think of that." I tapped my chin. "Hmm. Then I'll spar with Marquis Anabald."
That thought weighed heavily on my mind. If I fought with people on the battlefield in the future, I'd most likely be the strongest there, but the future was uncertain. Marquis Anabald was a challenge I could measure myself against.
"That isn't a bad idea," Kayda admitted.
"Yeah. But is she already in the capital?" I asked.
"She should be. Her daughter is joining the tournament, after all." Kayda nodded.
"Are all the noble kids joining?" I asked, thinking about that tomato girl.
"Yes, the noble kids in your age group are joining," Kayda confirmed.
"Hmm. I wonder."
"If someone will give you a run for your money," Kayda guessed, studying me carefully.
"Yes."
"Your sister might push you a bit, but that's about it," Kayda said with a shrug.
"Seriously? Only her?" I groaned, the annoyance bubbling in my chest. "Then what's the point of joining? I want a fight where we don't have to play each other like puppets."
"Kitsu, you always fight like that. That's literally your main fighting style," Kayda pointed out.
"I only fight like that because I always go up against people stronger than me. In the tournament, I don't have to worry about interference or experience gaps," I explained.
Kayda sighed, shaking her head. "You've gotten a lot of experience these past few months, though."
"That's not enough to cover the years of advantage other people have. Like that first guy I fought at the mansion-he was way stronger than me," I said, remembering the times I had nearly died.
"You've beaten older, more experienced fighters before," Kayda countered.
"That was mostly luck and them underestimating me," I deadpanned.
"True," she admitted.
"How are the bandits doing?" I asked, shifting the topic.
"I thought they were yours, and we weren't allowed to butt in," Kayda said, side-eyeing me.
"I said Mom isn't allowed to butt in. You can," I corrected smoothly.
"Did you?"
"Yes." I lied effortlessly, keeping my face straight.
"Whatever. They're doing fine. But their name hasn't changed in the rumors."
I frowned. "So they're still known as bandits?"
"Yes and no. More as mercenaries than bandits. But the name itself still has 'bandit' in it," Kayda explained.
"Ah, I guess that's fine then."
"It is," she said firmly, shutting down further argument.
"So, how is the daughter doing?" I asked, switching subjects again.
"She's fine. But she's getting too psycho for her mother's taste," Kayda said with a sigh.
"Hmm. About the time that happens. If I see her, I'll wake her up from her psycho mode."
"And how are you going to do that?"
"Torture her, of course."
Kayda went silent, blinking at me.
"She's at the point where she thinks she can do anything but doesn't realize what she's putting others through when she tortures them," I explained calmly.
"So feeling what they feel will wake her up?"
"Yes."
"Did you go through that yourself?" Kayda asked carefully.
My glare cut her words short. "Kayda. For half my life, I've been tortured. Do you think I don't know how it feels?"
She winced. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"Don't feel bad. You know how I feel about them."
"Yeah. You hate them and want to destroy their souls."
"Yes. And you gave me a way to do that. Now I just need to find them." I let devilfire swirl across my hand, staring at the flames with narrowed eyes.
"Sigh... that, I can't help with," Kayda admitted.
"I know. But maybe I can ask that gluttony guy before Mom kills him," I said, tapping my chin.
"You want to talk to that psycho?"
"I want to try. But Mom's revenge comes first," I said simply.
"Again, I don't understand your brain."
"But you still love me," I teased.
"True, true," Kayda admitted, her cheeks flushing faintly.
"Anyway, are the two kids ready to go?" I asked.
"They're ready and on their way. And don't call them kids. They're the same age as you," Kayda said firmly.
"I'll try," I muttered.
"Just accept you're fourteen," she fumed.
"No. Then my girlfriend will be double my age. That's weirder for you than me," I teased again.
"I'm a dragon. No one cares," she shot back.
"Old habits never die. You only suppress them," I said slyly.
Her glare answered that.
"Sigh. Here's the plane," Kayda said, looking up as the jet descended slowly.
"And the two kids?" I asked, glancing back at the mansion. The Kuni siblings appeared, lugging their baggage toward us.
"Well, with that, we can go to the capital," Kayda said, turning toward the plane.
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Chapter 173
"Good afternoon, Amari. "How have you and Zagan been?" I said as I walked into the dining hall, the familiar scent of roasted meat and herbs greeting me. The long wooden table was set as always, half-covered in food despite it being between lunch and dinner.
"Ah, Kitsuna, you are back!" Amari shouted, her chair scraping against the floor as she leapt up. Before I could brace myself, she flung her small frame into me, hugging me tightly.
"Ugh, damn, that surprised me," I said with a grin, pretending to stagger back though she weighed next to nothing compared to me. My hand landed naturally on her head, petting her like a younger sibling. It wasn't difficult-Amari was barely taller than Mom.
"We are good. There's no complaint, and you haven't changed at all, Kitsuna," Amari said, her red eyes gleaming up at me, cheeks flushed from the excitement of my return.
"Well, I wouldn't think so after you forced that promise on him," I chuckled, remembering her stubborn streak.
"I like loyalty," Amari replied seriously, puffing out her chest as if it were the most natural answer in the world.
"We all do. I hope you all have at least become stronger," I said, raising an eyebrow, although I already knew she would respond with something absurd.
"Of course. Zagan has been drilled into a proper soldier." Amari stepped back, grinning wide as she flexed her biceps in a mock show of strength. Although the little muscle she displayed was barely noticeable, the pride on her face was truly sufficient.
"Soldier, not a general?" I teased her by shaking my head at her antics.
"I am a general, and he is my soldier. Kitsuna, you should know this. There can only be one general in the family," Amari said mischievously, her grin widening.
"So, who is the commander then?" I asked, indulging her game, one eyebrow raised again.
"You," Amari replied without hesitation, pointing at me like it was obvious.
"Why? I would rather not do all that paperwork." I groaned, letting out an exaggerated sigh that made her laugh.
"Too late to change that," she shot back, smirking at my dismay.
"Tsk."
"What in the hell are you two girls talking about?" Dan asked, his deep voice breaking our nonsense. He hadn't even looked up from his plate, still chewing on a piece of meat as he eyed us like we were a pair of lunatics.
"We are talking about girl stuff," Amari said, narrowing her eyes at her dad before plopping back into her chair, trying to look serious again.
"What?" Dan blinked, clearly confused.
"Don't worry about it," I said, waving him off as I slid into the seat next to Amari. There was already a plate on the side, steaming slightly. My lips curled into a small smile. What a welcome meal this was!
"That's Zagan's food," Amari pointed out, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Well, he isn't here, and there's a side of bones, so it's mine now. It'll go to waste anyway if we wait for him," I said matter-of-factly, picking up a bone and biting into it.
"We can get more, though," Dan said with a raised brow, amused at my logic.
"Nah, it's served cold anyway, so it's fine," I said dismissively, chewing happily.
"Okay, so are you ready for the tournament in a week?" Dan asked, leaning back in his chair and shifting the conversation.
"I'm almost ready. But I need a sparring partner," I said, glancing at him as I licked the grease from my fingers.
"We can spar with you!" Amari jumped in enthusiastically.
"Sorry, Amari. That's not going to help. I need someone who won't die if I mess up. I'm not implying that you will die, but I prioritize safety first. I softened my tone, but her shoulders still slumped, her face falling into a pout.
"Ah, fine." She stabbed her fork into her food, poking it like it had personally offended her.
"Hmm, I can spar with you," Dan said after a pause, sipping from his juice. "You just need to wait until I have time free. Or do you already have someone in mind?"
"That would be fun, but I was thinking of Marquis Anabald. She should be able to handle it," I explained with a shrug.
"She'll take it." "Stacy spars with her often to help each other," Dan said, surprising me. I hadn't known Mom did that.
"Ah, I always wonder how Mom trains and spars," I admitted, nodding.
"It's not easy for her. Furthermore, thank you for saving Marquise Anabald," Dan added, his tone softening.
"Save?" Amari tilted her head, blinking at us curiously.
"Yeah, she got kidnapped, and your sister found her by chance," Dan explained.
I grinned. "Well, the devil cult wasn't being quiet."
"Yeah, I've heard about them. So, what's their deal?" Amari asked, her expression serious now.
"The name says it all, Amari: Devil Cult," I said slowly, enjoying how her brow furrowed at me.
"But why are they in our country?" Amari pressed, sighing.
"Because the Federation loves fucking around with other countries," Dan answered this time, his tone blunt. I nodded in agreement.
"How is the Federation involved with this?" Amari tilted her head again, clearly frustrated.
"Because they come from them?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
"And how sure are you? All of them were demons," Amari countered, her tone sharp, as if implying something more.
"Not all of them. There were humans and demi-humans too," I said, shaking my head.
"Really? Dad, is she telling the truth?" Amari looked at her father, and I felt irritation flare.
"Why would I lie? I killed most of them," I snapped, annoyed.
"She's right about the mix but wrong about killing most of them. Anabald killed the majority," Dan clarified, making Amari look at me strangely.
"Small details," I said dismissively.
"Don't start lying now," Amari said, trying to glare at me but looking more like a pouting child.
"I'm not lying."
"Well, you aren't being a hundred percent truthful."
"I don't need to be. White lies don't hurt anyone," I said with a grin and a shrug.
"They traumatize people. Kids get hurt when their parents tell white lies," a new voice cut in. Zagan stepped into the hall, his hair messy and his clothes wrinkled. His eyes narrowed at me. "And why are you sitting in my chair?"
"Good afternoon, Zagan. You could look better. Are you alright?" I asked, giving him a once-over.
"Yes, I'm fine. But I need food."
"Ah, sorry. I already ate it," I said casually, shrugging.
"Really, you bitch," Zagan muttered, glaring daggers.
"But I have other food for you," I said, pulling a steaming bowl of stew from storage and setting it on the table.
"Where did that come from?" Amari asked, her brows knitting together.
"Monster meat? You are forgiven," Zagan said instantly, his mood flipping the second I nodded at his question.
"Hey, you can't eat meat in the middle of the day," Amari snapped, standing up.
"She gave it as a present," Zagan said quickly, already lifting the bowl and trying to escape her wrath.
"So what? You're on a strict plan to build muscle." Amari chased after him, eyes blazing.
"I need protein to grow muscle, babe!" Zagan protested, holding the bowl away from her.
"Shut it. Give me the food."
"Amari, I have more if you like," I offered, pulling out another bowl.
"Oh, I'll take that," she said, snatching it from my hands. Still, her eyes stayed locked on Zagan, who clutched his portion like a starving wolf.
"Hey, you have your own now! Let me eat," Zagan cried, dodging as Amari lunged again.
"No, your diet will be ruined!"
"You're on the same diet!"
"So? I'm a Sage. I don't need muscle to fight," Amari retorted, glaring fiercely.
"Dan, is this behavior normal?" I asked, turning to him.
"Yeah. This happens every morning," he said with a shrug.
"I guess Kayda's and my bickering is tame compared to this," I muttered with a chuckle.
Dan shook his head. "Stacy told me about that. Sorry, but yours isn't normal either. Yours usually involves death or torture."
"It is not."
"Most of them are."
"Nah. Only the ones in public or with others around. Private ones are different," I said with a sly grin.
"So you're saying private ones are about something personal?"
"Yeah."
Dan narrowed his eyes. "Why are you bickering about sex?"
"We aren't! We're teasing each other, that's all," I explained, my grin widening as his confusion deepened.
"What?"
"You wouldn't get it. Inside jokes. It's the same as the inside jokes you and Mom share," I said, leaning back smugly.
Dan sighed. "Alright, changing the subject. Stacy broke your prison."
"Huh?" I blinked, frowning. I'd made sure it was durable.
"She put someone too strong in there, and he broke out," Dan explained, shaking his head.
"Oh, so the prison itself broke down?"
"No. He just disappeared one day."
"Huh? How long was he inside before he escaped?"
"Two weeks, I think."
"Did you find him?"
"Well, we think so. We found a blue chunk of disfigured meat a week later."
"Yeah, that's him."
Dan stared. "What did you do?"
"Frostbite. Prisoners die after a few weeks, no matter what."
"Why so fast?"
"Worse if their affinity to ice is weak."
"That explains a lot," Dan said slowly.
"That's why it's good for interrogation," I added with a grin.
"That's the reason you made it," Dan muttered.
"Oh, right. Is my tree fine?" I asked suddenly.
"Yes, still frozen over. Nothing changed."
"Great. Then I'm going to nap," I said, vaulting out the open window with ease.
Dan sighed. "Enjoy."
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 174: Ann being Ann
"Well, good morning." Ann said, narrowing her eyes at me from the comfort of her bed, her voice dry and half-laced with suspicion.
"Oh yeah, good morning. How are you on this fine morning?" I replied, flashing her my brightest grin as if I hadn't just barged into the room at the crack of dawn.
"Very confused." She groaned as she shifted in the bed, rolling onto her side and then onto her back, clearly trying to get comfortable again as if I hadn't interrupted her peace at all.
"Why?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. My eyes flicked over her absentmindedly, and I had to hold back a chuckle. 'Wouldn't have thought Marquis Anabald would wear that sort of PJs,' I thought, catching sight of her black lace pyjamas. It was the kind of thing I'd expect from someone trying to make a statement, not someone in her forties just waking up.
"Some crazy fox came in this morning, demanding that I spar with her." Ann explained flatly, glaring at me with the sharpness of a blade.
"I'm sure she didn't demand it. She asked for it," I corrected with a shrug, completely unbothered by her glare.
"Well, she was very aggressive about it," Ann sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like she had been through this exact routine one too many times.
"Was she?" I said with mock innocence, tilting my head as if I couldn't possibly imagine who she might be talking about.
"Yes. The sun is barely up, Kitsuna, and now she wants to spar." She pointed at the curtains, the ones I had conveniently used as my window of entry earlier.
"Well, are you busy today? Or is there something making it difficult for you to spar with her?" I asked, folding my arms and leaning against the bedpost like I had every right to be here.
"No, I don't have work to do while I'm in the capital," she admitted with another sigh, shaking her head at me.
"So, you're free. Which means you can spar," I said brightly, smiling at her like I'd solved a puzzle.
"That's true, but I haven't even eaten this morning," Ann said, her sigh turning into a groan.
"You haven't? How late do you usually eat?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"How early do you eat?" She shot back, raising an eyebrow at me like I was the odd one here.
"When I wake up," I answered simply, her expression twisting into something between disbelief and amusement.
"You force your chefs to prepare food the second you wake up?" Ann asked, her tone accusatory, making me feel oddly guilty for a second.
"No. I keep prepared food in my storage so I can eat anytime. I also made a lot of it myself," I explained, making her stare at me like I'd grown another head.
"Is it raw?" she asked slowly.
"Maybe..." I admitted, glancing away.
"Monster meat?" she added knowingly.
"It's good for protein," I said defensively, still avoiding her gaze.
Ann chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, seeing what you are, that makes sense. Eating raw meat suits you."
"That's quite mean," I shot back, though I couldn't help laughing with her.
"It depends on how you take it," she replied, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"So, are we going to spar or not?" I asked, cutting through the playful exchange to get back to the reason I was here.
"Kitsuna, I'm not even out of bed. How the hell am I supposed to spar like this?" Marquis Anabald groaned, her tone halfway between irritation and amusement.
"Mom, why are all the servants outside your room?" Oh-Kitsuna Draig, why are you here?" Katie's voice cut in as she walked through the door, her glare landing on me instantly.
"Well, I'm here to ask a favor from your mother," I explained, gesturing at Ann, who still hadn't moved from her sheets.
"While she's in bed?" Katie asked, raising an eyebrow, her tone dripping with judgement.
"Yeah," I replied casually.
"Isn't that a bit rude?" she pressed.
"I guess, but I'm on a tight schedule," I said simply, earning a synchronized sigh of annoyance from both mother and daughter.
"What do you mean by a tight schedule?" Ann asked.
"Well, the tournament is in six days, so yes, it's a tight schedule," I said with a grin, leaning back on the bedpost.
"What do you want to learn in our spars?" Ann asked, finally pushing herself up on her elbows, her eyes narrowing.
"Well, it's more like testing things out and practicing," I explained, forming a small dagger in my hand from crystals. I let it glint in the morning light for a second before letting it crumble away into shards.
"Can't your sister and her boyfriend help with something that simple?" Ann asked, looking at me strangely.
"No, they can't."
"I know they might be weaker than you, but that doesn't mean you can't practice against them," she pointed out.
"That's the problem. If I mess up, I might kill them because they're weaker than me," I said, my tone dropping into something more serious.
"So, what exactly do you want to practice?" Ann pressed, her expression hardening as she demanded a clear answer.
"Umm..." I hesitated, scratching my cheek.
"Just say it. It's not like it can be that big of a secret."
"Well, it's almost on the same level as me," I admitted reluctantly.
"It is?"
"Yes."
"Can you at least give an example?"
"I just did, though?" I said, frowning.
"Yeah, well, I didn't understand that at all." Ann shook her head, unimpressed.
"Well, you know I create weapons, right?" I leaned closer, lowering my voice so the servants outside couldn't hear. Katie still could, of course, and her glare didn't waver.
"Yes, with your ice magic."
"Well, I asked a Smith King for some lessons, and he taught me a way to make a certain weapon to kill certain beings in this world. Forceful beings," I explained carefully.
Ann's eyes widened, almost popping out of her head. "You can't be serious."
"I am."
Her disbelief melted away into sharp resolve. "I'll be ready in five," she announced, vanishing from her bed in a blur of movement.
"Awesome. I'll wait outside then," I said, even though she was already gone.
"Huh, what were you two talking about?" Katie asked, her voice uncertain for the first time.
"Your mother will tell you later, probably," I said with a shrug as I walked out of the room, Katie trailing behind me.
"Why can't you?" she pressed.
"Because I don't want to. And if you knew, you'd probably call the tournament useless," I said, glancing over my shoulder with a smirk.
"Why would I do that?" Katie snapped, her voice sharp.
"Because I have a cheat, hehe," I said, laughing.
"So? Everyone in the country can join the tournament," Katie countered, her glare unshaken.
"Yes, but the number of people who can use this cheat can be counted on two hands," I said, flashing her a massive grin.
"Seriously?"
"Well, maybe a bit more, but they're too old to join anyway," I said thoughtfully.
"I still don't understand why I can't know the reason you want to spar with my mother."
"You can know, but I'd rather leave it to her to tell you," I said firmly.
"Sigh, fine," Katie muttered, finally relenting.
"So, how's it been these days?" I asked, softening my tone as I remembered her struggles.
"After Mom came back, it's been a lot better," she admitted, her smile genuine.
"I'd think so. You might be an heiress, but you're still a kid, and you haven't even gone to the academy yet," I said, shrugging. I didn't really know what they taught there, but I knew Grandma Amaris was the principal.
"The academy isn't for learning to run a territory. It's for making connections with the lower nobility," Katie explained, answering half my unspoken thoughts.
"Really? That's the reason?" I scoffed.
"Yes. I can see how you wouldn't care, because you're... well, you," Katie said with a laugh.
"Hey, what do you mean by that?"
"We need the lower nobility to help run territories," she said, changing the subject slightly.
"Sigh. I won't be head of house, so it doesn't matter. I won't be working with them in Black Ops either," I said, waving it off.
"On the contrary, most Black Ops come from those northern nobles," Katie said with a grin.
"I didn't know that," I admitted.
"You might want to care more, especially if you want to take over Black Ops one day," Marquis Anabald said as she stepped out, fully dressed and ready.
"Why would I? Amari will run the house and Black Ops, not me," I said, tilting my head.
"Dean may be head of house, but Stacy has the real power when it comes to Black Ops," Ann said, grinning.
"Isn't Dean the leader?" I asked, confused.
"Yes, but orders from him get double-checked with Stacy. Always."
"Huh. I guess that makes sense. But it's still Amari's job, not mine."
"You wouldn't be taking it away-you'd be helping her. Running a territory isn't straightforward," Ann said, her grin widening.
"What about Zagan?" I asked, testing her.
Ann's grin disappeared. "Really? You want to leave the strongest attack force to someone who rushes everything and barely thinks?"
"...Sigh. I guess," I admitted reluctantly.
"Anyway, that's not important. Follow me. Let's go to the field."
"The field?"
"Yeah. It's where Stacy and I spar."
"Alright."
"Sorry, daughter. You'll have to leave us today. I'll explain everything tonight," Ann told Katie, her tone leaving no room for argument.
[5 min later]
"Alright, we're here. Now show me your progress," Ann said, standing across from me on the field, her stance sharp and ready.
"Okay, just one thing-don't panic when it blows up. It's not enough to kill me, anyway."
"What?"
"You'll see. Just don't run toward me when it explodes, alright?" I said firmly.
"Alright, I won't."
"I hope so," I muttered, gathering mana and shaping it into the beginnings of an ice demigod weapon.
The energy surged violently, unstable.
"Shit," I hissed, raising a wall of ice between my arm and face.
Boom!!
"Kitsuna!" Ann shouted, her voice breaking through the smoke and ringing in my ears.
"I'm fine, don't worry," I coughed, waving the smoke away. My stomach dropped when I glanced down-my arm and half my chest were gone. But my face and neck were intact thanks to the shield I'd formed at the last second.
"Huh. It did less damage than before," I muttered, forcing my regeneration into overdrive. Flesh knit together, bone reformed, skin closed. Within moments, I flexed my hand like nothing had happened.
"Is this really the least damage one of those explosions can cause?" Ann asked, worry etched across her face.
"Yeah. It'll explode, but I won't die," I said, shrugging like it was no big deal.
Ann pressed her hand against her forehead. "Now I understand why Stacy always complained about you."
"Everyone has their own fighting style," I said, grinning.
"Yes, but yours is suicidal."
"Hey, I'm not that reckless in real fights," I lied smoothly.
Ann narrowed her eyes. "I've seen you take gambles firsthand."
"Yes," I admitted, looking away.
"Sigh... Alright. Try again. I'll see if I can spot mistakes. Though, I doubt I'll find any," Ann said, her voice filled with reluctant resignation.
"Sorry," I murmured, before beginning the process again.
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Chapter 175:
"So, you have a 3 out of 10 success rate?" Marquis Anabald said, looking at me sitting on the floor. Her tone was sharp but not mocking, more like a teacher trying to figure out how much of a mess her student was. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim light of the training hall, and even though I wasn't intimidated, I still felt like I was under a magnifying glass.
"Yes," I admitted without hesitation. I crossed my legs and leaned back against the wall, letting my breath calm. My shoulders were a little sore, not from the crafting, but from all the strain of testing and sparring earlier. Sweat dripped down the side of my face, and I wiped it off with my sleeve.
"Can you save these three, or do they only hold that long?" Ann asked, her gaze fixed on the swords still faintly humming with leftover mana. She didn't approach immediately; she just studied them from afar like she could judge every flaw by sight alone.
"No, they can be saved," I replied. To prove it, I put them into my storage for a moment. The blades flickered out of existence with a soft snap. Then, with another thought, I pulled them back out, the three demigod swords appearing in my hands again. Their weight was solid, their edges still shining as if newly forged. "See?"
"Hmm," she mused, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Let me guess. Is their durability as good as real demi-god swords?" Her words were phrased like a question, but her voice carried certainty, like she already knew the answer.
"Well, probably," I said, lifting one blade to the light and giving it a twirl, "but their power is the same." I countered her tone with a grin, one I knew would annoy her just a little. Confidence was everything in these little games.
"You know weapons don't have their powers, right?" "Ann," he said, finally stepping closer. The soft thud of her boots echoed against the stone floor, and she stopped just short of me, eyes narrowing like she was testing how much I really knew.
"Yes, it depends on what I do with it," I muttered. My ears twitched slightly with irritation. It was the kind of statement that every beginner weapon user got drilled into them on day one. For her to throw it at me felt insulting, like she thought I was a child. I gripped the sword tighter, feeling annoyed but concealing it with a shrug.
"Didn't Steve tell you?" Ann pressed her lips together, tilting her head as strands of dark hair fell over her shoulder.
"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Weapons have three things that matter," she explained slowly, holding up her fingers one by one. "The three important factors are durability, sharpness, and their effectiveness when mana is fused into them." Her tone carried authority, like a lecture she'd given a hundred times. "That's it. Everything else is just flair."
I blinked, thought it over, then nodded. "Ah, that makes sense." A grin spread across my face again, because it confirmed what I'd suspected deep down. "Alright, my swords are way better but less durable." I said it with a big-ass grin, practically baring my teeth.
"Well, it will be better when you use it," Marquis Anabald admitted, crouching down. She reached out and, without hesitation, picked up one of the weapons. The sword almost seemed to respond to her touch, the surface of the blade faintly vibrating.
"Umm, are you going to try infusing mana into it?" I asked quickly, eyes darting between her and my sword. I wasn't exactly nervous, but I felt a strange twist in my gut as I watched her handle something that I had created with my own power.
"Yes," she said simply. Then she smiled faintly, not unkindly. "Now come, let's spar." Her mana surged, a chill filling the room as she effortlessly fused her energy into the blade. The sword gleamed with a crystalline sheen, ice crackling along the edges. She did it so naturally that I almost hated her for it.
"Is it hard?" I asked, trying to sound casual. The truth was, I'd nearly pulled a muscle the first time I tried doing that with one of my creations.
"Not really," she said with a flick of her wrist, the sword humming with life. "But this sort of thing was never hard for me." She let her words drip with confidence, almost a brag.
"Are you bragging?" I grumbled, frowning at her smugness.
"So what if I am?" Ann said with a grin that matched mine earlier. She clearly enjoyed turning it back on me.
"Well, it doesn't matter to me. "Okay, let's go," I said, shaking my head. I grabbed the other two swords, dropped into stance, and without wasting a second, I infused one with fire and the other with lightning, the elements sparking and crackling. Then I charged at her.
"Don't do reckless things," Marquis Anabald said calmly, swinging her sword sideways in a motion so smooth it almost looked lazy.
"Don't worry. I am not naive," I shot back, teleporting a step behind her and swinging both blades at once.
"You are like Stacy," Marquis Anabald mused, her body twisting away from my strike as though she'd predicted it before I even moved.
"Well, she is my master," I said, smirking even as my attack missed. The thought made me proud, even if it wasn't helping me land a blow.
"Hmm, one thing, though." She raised her sword, ice glinting. "Don't infuse your swords. We are only sparring and testing them out." Her gaze fixed firmly on mine. Even though she was still holding the blade full of mana.
"But you?" I started to complain, then noticed her sword had gone dull. She'd already stopped infusing it. "Oh." My ears twitched in embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't notice you stopped." I quickly pulled back my mana as well.
"It's fine. I decided we should change just now. However," she giggled lightly, smiling like this was all some fun lesson, "always observe your opponent."
"I do, though," I said with a raised eyebrow. I was observant. Wasn't I?
"Did you see how I dodged you?" she asked, tilting her head.
"You moved to the left," I said, frowning. It was obvious, wasn't it?
"Did I? Or did I jump to the left?" she countered, her lips curving into that irritating smile.
"Why would you?" I muttered, replaying the moment in my head. Then I remembered that strange flash-her height had shifted for an instant. "Why the fuck did you jump?" I asked, staring at her like she'd grown two heads.
"Observe, okay," she said firmly. "You have a good memory, but it doesn't help you in a new fight."
"Hmm. Observe, alright." I muttered, relaxing my stance again, and in my head I added, "I have good eyes as well."
"Okay, let's go again," she said.
[10 minutes later]
"How the fuck do you do that?" I yelled in frustration, sweat dripping down my neck. My chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. I hadn't landed a single solid hit. "You have perfect control over your body even though you jump around like a frog."
"Hey! Don't call my movement technique "moving like a frog"! she snapped, glaring daggers at me, her cheeks slightly pink with irritation.
"I'm sorry, but the closest thing I can think of that moves so weirdly is a frog," I said, shrugging helplessly. Her jumps weren't bad-they were infuriatingly effective-but still weird as hell.
"Tsk," she clicked her tongue, annoyed. "No one likes my movement technique. Even my daughter thinks it is dumb."
"Well, that's understandable," I said with a chuckle. "Many people don't have your flexibility and control over mana." I meant it as a compliment, though she scowled.
"Oh, do you want to learn it?" she asked suddenly, her tone sly.
"No, thank you," I said quickly, shaking my head. "I like trickery and illusions to be my main thing. So being a common movement technique helps put their guard down against me." I shrugged, though in the back of my mind I considered if I could adapt parts of her style. It would be hard, but maybe...
"Right, you're a fox," she said sarcastically, clearly unimpressed.
"Yeah, so jumping around isn't my style," I replied with a grin.
"Alright then, get up. Let's go on." She sighed, gesturing for me to start again.
"Okay, let me just clean up a bit," I said, raising my hand to smooth the floor.
"Hey, don't make the floor out of ice," she warned, her eyes narrowing.
"Why not?" I asked innocently, tilting my head.
"Do I need to answer that?" she said flatly.
"No, I just wanted a small advantage, okay?" I admitted with a shrug. I'd been planning to clear some blood and rocks, but leaving the terrain broken worked in my favor.
"Now that you tried it, all I was thinking was, do you ever slip on ice? Or more specifically, can you slip on ice or water at all?
"Nope," I said proudly. "It's not possible anymore. Anything that contains liquid cannot make me slip. I grinned at her baffled look.
"So, you broke your ice down to liquid manipulation?" I asked, almost flabbergasted.
"Yes, same for air, but it's sadly not strong," I admitted, shrugging.
"Hmm, and your other skills?" she pressed.
"Well, the fire can't go down any further. The same goes for lightning," I explained with another shrug.
"Yes, but you store stuff and teleport around?" she asked, raising an eyebrow now.
"Space manipulation?" I said slowly, tilting my head. The idea hadn't really clicked until she spelled it out.
"Yes, you should be able to get it out of those two skills," she explained.
"I guess I never thought about it," I admitted.
"Well, whatever. Think about that later. Now attack me."
"Alright," I said with a grin. I took the other two swords, slashing both down as I sent an arc of fire at her.
"Good move, but easily dodged or destroyed," she said, casually swiping her sword to erase the fire arc.
"Cool to know," I said from behind her, swinging both blades in a downward strike.
"You're good at using your teleportation, but you use it very predictably."
"Hmm, is that what you think?" I hummed with a grin.
"Wow, that was close," Marquis Anabald said, her hand snapping up to block, just barely missing three thin needles that appeared from thin air aimed at her wrist.
"I know multiple ways to use it," I said, lowering my blades. "But all of them are more deadly and not something you do in a spar where you are trying to figure out how your swords work."
"Fair point. Sorry."
"No worries, but thank you for trying to help me."
"I did help you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Yes, I didn't know you could split up any skill into its basic form."
"My pleasure," she said with a smile.
Boom!
We both froze. I looked down at the handle of my right sword; the blade was shattered and smoking. "It exploded?" I muttered, confused.
"Now, why did that happen?" Ann asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm, I tried to put fire and lightning into it, and it exploded," I admitted sheepishly.
"Weird. Did you maybe overload it?"
"Nah, it has shitty durability. That's probably the case," I said, shrugging.
"Hmm, might be the grade of it," she suggested.
"Ah, right. All my elements are race-related," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Hmm, I will have to do some more tests, huh."
"Yeah. Now come test your things out. We have a week," she reminded me.
"Heh, you're right," I said, grinning again. I grabbed my remaining weapons and charged back at her.
[The day of opening]
[Unknown POV]
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." Welcome to the tournament of the year-something we all have been waiting for," Kayda said over the mic to the entire stadium. Her voice boomed, amplified across the massive arena packed with people.
"Boo!! Do a better job!" someone yelled from the stands.
"That fucking fox," Kayda muttered under her breath, shoving the mic into my hand.
'Guess she knows the red-haired fox,' I thought, clearing my throat as the crowd buzzed with excitement.
"Alright, ladies! And gentlemen!" I shouted into the mic, drawing the crowd's attention instantly. "Today, we have another battle royal on for all your entertainment!"
"Yeah!!! Let's go!" one girl yelled, louder than the thousands already cheering. Her voice carried above them all like a thunderclap.
"Kitsuna!!!" Shut up." another voice yelled back from the stands, making the crowd laugh.
"..." Kitsuna didn't reply, but her tail was likely swishing smugly somewhere among the crowd.
"Alright then," I continued, grinning at the chaos. "It's time to explain how the tournament will work. The first round will consist of four battle royals. Don't ask me how many are in one because I don't know, although I do know that there will only be eight winners."
'And the crowd goes wild,' the commentator whispered into his mic, watching the audience erupt in cheers and stomping. His eyes flicked toward the row where Kitsuna sat, noting her silence now. 'I guess the girl isn't going to say anything.'
"With the boring stuff over," I roared, raising my arm to the sky, "let's start this tournament."
The crowd exploded, the stadium trembling with their excitement, the roar of thousands marking the beginning of chaos.
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chapter 176: Angels are mentally ill
[Kitsu POV]
As I glanced up at the commentators' booth, where Kayda and another guy were sitting comfortably above the crowd, I muttered under my breath, "Guess commentators are still a thing here." My ears twitched with every roar of the audience, and I wondered if Kayda had volunteered for this or if someone had forced her into it. She looked far too invested, eyes gleaming with that smug grin of hers as if she'd been waiting for this moment all day.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to the first group!" Kayda exclaimed, her voice carrying clearly across the arena thanks to the enchanted crystals surrounding the stage. The cheer that followed was loud enough to shake dust from the rafters, kids stomping their feet and waving banners as if the game were some kind of national holiday instead of a bloodbath disguised as sport.
"Hm. I wonder if killing anyone will disqualify you," I said idly, letting my gaze sweep over the crowd of children gathered in the arena with me. The group was massive, easily filling the circular battleground like ants swarming over crumbs. My tail flicked lazily behind me as I studied their nervous stances, their overexcited expressions, and the faint glow of mana that leaked from some of their weapons. A few looked confident, most were terrified, and the rest were trying too hard to look like they belonged.
"Let's get into the rules first," the other commentator announced, his tone sharp and commanding. "Rule number one: We will not tolerate spells that pose a risk to spectators." He let that settle for a moment before continuing with a deliberate pause. "Rule number two: Killing is permitted. Good luck, people."
The shift in tone-from strict to almost gleeful-earned a ripple of noise from the crowd. Gasps, cheers, and even a few worried cries mixed together, feeding the hungry energy of the stadium.
"Well, that answers my question," I muttered, lips curling into a grin. "But wait, wasn't this tournament supposed to be for kids under sixteen? Did something change?"
"Of course it's only children," came a voice beside me. I turned my head slightly and found a boy, maybe fifteen, standing with his arms crossed. His armor looked polished but too big for him, like he'd borrowed it from an older brother. He puffed his chest out as if that would make him seem braver. "This tournament is exclusively for those under the age of sixteen."
"Then why," I asked, tilting my head, "do we have the right to kill people?"
He smirked, leaning closer as if he had the perfect comeback. "Terrified, you'll kick the bucket, huh?"
A snort escaped me before I could stop it. "Pfft, nah. That just makes it way funnier." I grinned back at him, flashing my fangs, and he actually flinched. His bravado cracked, and that alone made this conversation worth it.
"Don't listen to him." Another voice chimed in, higher pitched and matter-of-fact. I shifted to my left and spotted a small girl dressed in what could only be described as a witch costume, complete with an oversized hat that wobbled every time she moved. She stood no taller than my waist, clutching a crooked staff carved with glowing runes. Her eyes were sharp, though, far sharper than her adorable appearance suggested. "No one will actually die. There's a special barrier around the stadium to keep everyone safe."
She puffed her chest with pride as she explained, clearly pleased to be the knowledgeable one.
"Alright then," I said, creating two chakrams in my hands with a casual flick of mana. They weren't anything fancy-just circles of ice with razor-sharp edges and a simple cross handle in the center to balance the weight. They gleamed faintly in the light, humming with cold energy. "So I can go ham."
The air buzzed with anticipation as the commentator shouted again. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's get this show on the road!" Bells rang out across the arena, their chimes echoing like war drums, marking the official start of the battle.
"Get the fox first!!" someone shouted. I turned just in time to see the boy from earlier pointing directly at me, rallying his little squad to target me first.
"Good decision," I said calmly, eyes narrowing as I raised one chakram, "but you guys are far too weak."
Before they could even lunge, I hurled one of the spinning disks at him. It cut through the air with a vicious whistle. But I didn't even watch it connect. My focus was already on the small witch girl, tracking the direction her mana flared. She'd started chanting, her staff glowing dangerously.
"Sorry, Senpai," she said suddenly, her voice filled with a strange respect. "But you are too strong."
"Thanks," I replied, flashing her a sharp grin. "By the way, you're older than me." I moved in a blur, feigning a step before flickering behind her and making a mock chopping gesture at her head. The illusion of her body split, vanishing into sparks.
Not bad. Not perfect, but not bad.
'Not a terrible spell,' I thought as a shadow passed over me. I looked up, my eyes widening slightly as a massive fireball descended from the sky, still active even though I'd "killed" her illusion. 'But it's slow.'
"Kill her now!!" someone else screamed, and suddenly three kids leapt at me from behind, weapons raised. My tail whipped instinctively, striking them with a heavy blow. Steel clashed, sparks flew, and when the dust settled, only the severed tip of my tail lay on the ground. The rest of me was fine.
I let out a sigh. "Now, where are those angels?" My eyes scanned the crowd. I'd caught a glimpse of shining white wings earlier, and my instincts told me they'd come for me soon enough.
"What is this?" someone muttered, just as my tail swung wide again, smashing a few overeager attackers aside like broken dolls.
There had to be around twenty-five hundred kids in this first group. Even just running around and picking them off would take too much time. But if I went wild... if I really cut loose, I could flush out the ones I was looking for. The angels wouldn't be able to hide.
"Hey, brother, can't we kill this disgusting thing first?" A clear, young female voice echoed from above.
I tilted my head back, spotting them. Two angels, their radiant wings glowing faintly in the dim arena light, flew low to the ground, glaring at me with disdain. Their golden hair caught the light, and their pristine white armor looked untouched by the chaos below.
"I agree, sister. She looks and smells foul," the other angel-her brother-said with a sneer.
I grinned, baring my teeth. "I suppose the sentiment's mutual. You two practically drip arrogance."
"And you're not arrogant?" Another voice rumbled from behind me, deep and steady. I turned slightly, catching sight of a much larger boy pushing through the crowd. His presence was heavier than the others, and the way the children parted around him made it clear he wasn't just another weakling. His armor was dented and scarred-he'd fought plenty before.
"I suppose I am," I admitted easily, my grin widening. "But the difference is, I can back it up."
He raised a brow at that, sizing me up like a butcher inspecting a cut of meat. "We'll see about that, won't we, brother and sister?"
The angels nodded in unison, their eyes never leaving me.
"Three on one, huh?" I chuckled, twirling my ice blade lazily. "Still a bit unfair... but it does sound more interesting."
"Older brother, she thinks she actually has a chance," the sister scoffed, hiding her unease with laughter.
'I should check their stats,' I thought. My eyes flickered, focusing on them.
Name: Older Brother
Level: 287
Class: Unknown?
I blinked. "Wait. Your real name is... Older Brother?"
The angel nodded in agreement, clearly proud of this fact. "I see you can analyze us. Good. It seems Azales' artifacts are working."
My gaze flicked between them. "The levels are 287 and 276, and the girl is at 198. "Wow, you guys really are overprotective of her." I chuckled, my tail swaying. "Almost a hundred levels lower than you two, and still you hover like scared hens."
'Might be a problem if their classes are rare,' I mused. But angels only ever take holy classes. Paladins, priests... at best. Annoying, but manageable.'
"You have quite the confidence," Older Brother said, eyes narrowing. "Even though we are five times your level."
"Levels don't mean much to me," I said flatly. Six days of fighting Marquis Anabald nonstop had taught me that well enough. "I've bled against things far worse than you."
I formed a longsword of jagged ice in my hand. The blade gleamed wickedly, frosted breath curling off its edge. "Want a demonstration?"
The angel's brows furrowed. "What are those?"
"Ice weapons," I said sweetly, tossing the sword like it was nothing. "Want a closer look?"
The blade whistled toward him.
"Shit!" he swore, throwing up a glowing shield of holy light. The impact cracked the shield, shards of radiant energy scattering into the air.
"Sorry," I said, my tone turning razor sharp. "But you're going first."
In the same instant, I vanished from in front of him, reappearing right behind his sister. Her eyes widened, too late to react.
Sling!
"Khaaaa!!" Her scream tore through the chaos as my blade carved across her back. She plummeted, wings shattering mid-fall, feathers scattering like snow as she crashed to the ground.
"Oops. Missed." I grinned, stepping over her trembling form. My boot crushed her wing, and she shrieked again.
"You monster..." she hissed through the pain, glaring up at me.
"Oh, thank you." I swung my blade casually, sending out a wide arc of frozen mana. The ice cut clean through her neck. Her body dissolved into fragments, leaving only the memory of her presence.
The elder brother's howl of rage split the air. "You dare, junior?! You dare!"
"Why so mad?" I asked, tilting my head. "Because I clipped her wings? Or because I killed her?"
He charged. But before his blade could fall, mine did. A single swing of ice sliced him in half, armor and all. His holy blade cracked like cheap glass, his body vanishing before it even hit the ground.
I blinked. "...Wait, what? You guys can't be that weak."
The younger brother's cry echoed in my ears. "Older Brother!!"
"Nope," I muttered, looking between the fading fragments. "Guess levels really don't mean much. The girl almost dodged me. She was actually the strongest."
I stomped my foot, releasing a surge of mana. Frost spread outward in an instant, racing across the battlefield like a tidal wave. The entire arena froze over, a storm of jagged ice consuming everything it touched. Kids screamed, angels leapt into the air in desperation, but my ice followed relentlessly, tendrils lashing upward to drag them down.
When the storm settled, only a handful of angels still hovered in the sky. No humans. No demi-humans. There were only feathers and frost.
"Ah," I said softly, spotting a familiar face among them. "So you really are here."
Beeb!!! The end bell rang, shattering the silence.
"And that concludes the first group!" the commentator shouted. "Congratulations, everyone!"
Kayda's voice followed, dripping with forced cheer. "Well then, ladies and gentlemen... that was certainly... something. One person eliminated everyone else, so it was a bit boring. But don't worry! Tomorrow's second group will be fighting!"
I frowned slightly, scanning the arena. "So the barrier just reverses time? Interesting. Guess I should bounce."
"Kitsuna, how have you been?" a soft voice called. I turned, my eyes narrowing as I spotted Rachel, smiling at me with that familiar warmth.
My hackles rose. "A warning. Leave before you get yourself killed." I measured her defenses instinctively, noting the divine aura around her.
"Sorry, Kitsuna. I can't do that." She clasped her hands gently, her eyes shining with conviction. "The God of Light gave me a second chance at life."
My stomach twisted, a shiver running down my spine at the way she smiled. "I'm fairly certain I was the one who did that. Not that fucktard."
"I gave my warning," I said, shrugging. My voice came out colder than the ice still clinging to the arena floor.
"Don't worry, Kitsuna," she said softly. "I will save you from them."
I barked out a laugh, sharp and humorless. "From whom?" My tail lashed once before I turned, walking away without another glance.
Her words lingered behind me like a curse.
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chapter 177: Group 2 Zagan
[Zagan POV]
"Make sure you win, okay? You'll compete against the winners of Group 4, and I heard they're the strongest group this year."
Amari's voice carried a firmness that made me straighten my back, even though she was perched casually on the bed with her legs swinging. She always had that effect on me: one word of encouragement mixed with worry, and suddenly the weight of the fight ahead pressed down harder than the armor strapped around my shoulders.
"Babe, I'm sure Group 1 is the strongest," I replied, though my voice sounded more like I was trying to convince myself. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, noting the slight frown tugging her lips.
"No, Kitsuna isn't that strong." Amari folded her arms, her tone carrying that stubborn conviction she always wielded when she thought I was being naive. "This person who signed up late is apparently level 800. And that's the level he gave-it might even be higher."
The casual way she said it made the blood drain from my face. Level 800? That wasn't a number; that was a natural disaster disguised as a kid.
"And he's under sixteen?" I raised a brow, hoping she was exaggerating.
"Well, you can't join the tournament if you aren't an idiot," Amari said dryly, bonking her head lightly with her fist as if to show how dumb people could be.
"Right," I muttered, exhaling slowly. "But there's always a way to go around the rule."
Amari sighed at me, the sound soft but laced with exasperation. "I suppose there is. But Kayda will know if he's lying about his age. Forget about other things and focus on the fight ahead." She waved her hand dismissively, as if my spiraling thoughts could be swatted away like a fly.
"Alright then," I said, forcing a grin as I stretched my arms, the anticipation buzzing through me like static. "Let's get this done."
The door creaked open without a knock, and a familiar voice rang out. "Yo, Zagan, are you ready?"
I turned just in time to see Kitsuna stride in, her tails swishing behind her like banners of living frost, two short swords glinting in her hands.
"Don't you know how to knock, sister?" Amari pouted, her arms crossing even tighter.
"Yes, I understand, but this situation doesn't require it," Kitsuna replied matter-of-factly, laying the swords down on the table with a soft clink.
Amari raised a brow. "Sigh, what are you here for anyway?"
"Am I not allowed to support my future brother-in-law?" Kitsuna teased, her grin sharp enough to make me glance away awkwardly. "Well, jokes aside, I'm here to drop off these two." She pointed at the short swords as though they were the most natural offering in the world.
"He already has weapons, though." Amari gestured at the twin blades hanging comfortably at my waist.
"These are not just some weapons," Kitsuna said, her tone instantly shifting to something heavier.
"Of course they aren't made out of ice," Amari interjected, rolling her eyes, her patience thinning like glass under pressure.
Kitsuna sighed dramatically. "Mages won't understand. Just use them." She leaned back, folded her arms, and clearly indicated that she was done explaining herself.
"Babe, let me just use them," I said quickly, placing a hand over Amari's before she could argue further. "They're probably close to demi-god weapons. And you know she's been working nonstop to refine them."
"Close?" Kitsuna's eyes narrowed dangerously, her ears twitching in mock offense. "Do you two think so little of my skills?"
"Well, you did rip people apart with your tails instead of your sword," Amari muttered.
"And?" Kitsuna tilted her head, ears flicking with challenge.
"You tromped them and showed people how strong your tail can be!" Amari burst, voice pitching higher in irritation.
"Yeah, so they didn't really die. I coated my hair with ice and made it spiky. Problem solved."
Amari groaned, dragging her hand down her face. "Even if they didn't die, it feels like death. The way they went down-half of them will probably walk away with post-traumatic stress disorder."
Kitsuna shrugged. "If they get PTSD from something so trivial, they shouldn't have entered the tournament."
"Kitsuna, not everyone's like you." Amari's voice softened, though the tension in her shoulders didn't. "They can't shrug off pain and torture like it's ordinary."
"I didn't see anyone. Just one shot killed them." Kitsuna tilted her head, her innocence almost unsettling when paired with her words.
I stepped between them, raising both hands. "Guys, stop this. You're going in circles, and I need to concentrate on the fight ahead."
Almost on cue, the booming voice of the commentator filled the air. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the yearly under-16 tournament! We will start with Group 2's battle royale in ten minutes. Can all contestants make their way into the arena?"
My chest tightened. That was my call.
"Well, that's my time to go," I said, swapping my old blades for the icy new ones Kitsuna brought. Their cold weight fit my hands perfectly, humming with restrained power.
"Good luck, Zagan," Kitsuna said smoothly. "Do try them out. Although they may be useful against the tomato girl, I doubt that you and Zagan will actually engage in a fight.
"Wait, she's in this group too?" Amari's eyes widened, her worry breaking through.
"Yeah," Kitsuna said casually. "And she has one of my swords too. Before she disappeared."
"Babe, I'm using them," I cut in quickly, tapping the sheaths at my sides for emphasis.
Amari's lips pressed thin. "...Fine."
"Thank you. I love you." I kissed her softly before leaving the room, her warmth lingering even as the noise of the arena swallowed me whole.
The closer I drew to the stadium, the louder the chaos became. The roar of the crowd was deafening, the air heavy with mana and the smell of anticipation. I gripped Kitsuna's sword tighter. These are excellent swords, I thought, marveling at how easily my mana threaded into them, like water flowing through carved channels.
"Oh, she gave you one too?" A voice at my side startled me. I turned and found Marquis Anabald's daughter, Katie, standing calmly as if she'd been there the whole time.
"Oh, she can also make claymores?" My eyes darted to the massive blade strapped to her back. "Wait, since when do you use claymores?"
"I don't." Katie shrugged as though the weight of the weapon didn't bother her. "She suggested I use this device for the battle royale. Said it's easier to kill multiples at once."
I sighed. "She really is a weird one." My mind flickered briefly to Shiro-what he was before, what he became now-and I wondered if weird was just our new normal.
"She was always like this," Katie said suddenly, catching me off guard.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I understand you two were close friends in your past lives," she explained, her tone calm and almost scholarly. "My mother told me Kitsuna could always hide her true nature. The way she transformed... it aligns perfectly with the Foxkin bloodline. We've speculated about the reason for her survival and change."
My heart sank. "So you're saying she was lying to me all that time? When were we friends?"
"Yes and no." Katie met my eyes evenly. "She never lied. She just never showed you all of herself."
Suspicion coiled in my chest. "How do you know so much? I only ever told Sara. And Shiro would never tell you either."
Katie's expression softened. "Don't think too much about it. She went through a lot. Having a bond with someone helped her stay sane."
"Why do you sound older than me right now?" I muttered.
"I am."
"By a few months," I shot back, rolling my eyes.
She smirked.
"Oh, right. Are we having a truce then?" I asked, half serious, half grinning.
"Why not?"
"Alright then-you take the back, I'll take the front."
"Sounds fine to me." Katie walked ahead, her stride unhurried. I trailed close, the weight of the swords reassuring against my hips.
The commentator's voice boomed again, shaking the arena. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the second round of qualifiers for the yearly under-16 tournament!"
The crowd erupted.
"This world's way too excited for stuff like this," I muttered. "Don't you think?"
"No one dies here. You're overthinking things." Katie didn't even glance at me.
"That's not the point." A shiver crawled up my spine. "Based on what you just said... I expect a war soon."
She side-eyed me. "Hmm. She did say you were good at raising flags."
"Don't think about it too much," I muttered.
The bells rang. The arena trembled.
"Let the battle royale begin! Only eight will move on!"
"Oh, it's starting," I said, flipping my hair back as adrenaline surged through my veins.
"You should keep your guard up, Zagan." Katie's warning came just before she swung her claymore in a brutal arc, blocking a man rushing me from behind.
"I knew he was coming," I muttered, embarrassed.
"Then act like it. Do your job," she barked, glaring.
"I am!" I snapped back, unleashing a sweep of mana that sliced through three opponents.
"Idiot!" Katie snarled. "Stop wasting mana-you'll need it later!" She swung her claymore with terrifying ease, cleaving through attackers like she'd been born with the weapon.
"How are you so good with that thing?" I demanded, barely keeping up as I parried an incoming strike.
"Don't know," she said flatly.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I've used it in a few matches, but never seriously. Guess I'm just a natural."
"That explains nothing!" I groaned, cutting down another opponent. The corpses vanished almost instantly, the barrier restoring them elsewhere. At least they're not really dead.
Katie ducked suddenly, shoving me down as a fire spell whistled overhead. "Keep your guard up, idiot!"
"Sorry!"
"Shut it!"
I twisted, slamming one blade into the ground as I blocked an arrow with the other. My shadow stretched, and I sank into it, darting between the darkness like a phantom. My blades found throats and backs, my kills quick and silent. When I resurfaced near Katie, she glared daggers.
"Didn't I tell you not to use mana?"
"Sorry," I grinned. "But there's only one girl I listen to."
"Tch." Katie snarled, bisecting another fighter with one swing. "Now I know why Kitsuna wanted to throttle me before. You're unbearable."
I glanced around, panting. She'd already cut down a dozen fighters in the time I'd been shadow-hopping. Her claymore dripped with frost and light.
"You nobles are always so annoying," one boy spat, flinging sand in my eyes before lunging.
"You're pathetic," Katie muttered, dragging me back with one hand before cleaving him in two with the other.
"Sorry," I mumbled again, blinking grit from my eyes.
"Shut up."
And as I stood there, catching my breath while she carved through another wave, one bitter thought echoed in my head.
I am so weak.
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chapter 178: Group 2 katie
[Katie POV]
How does Amari even like this guy? The thought gnawed at me as I glared at Zagan slumped against the ground like a sack of grain left in the rain.
Despite possessing a superior class, despite being armed with Kitsune's own weapons-gifts that should have given him a terrifying advantage against ordinary contestants-he was pitiful. Weak. Hesitant. His every swing lacked weight; his resolve bled out of him before his blade even met flesh.
And yet fortune clung to him. A fiancee who adored him. Allies who shielded him. Even fate seemed to bend around his mistakes, allowing him to scrape by.
"I wonder if this girl will finally open her eyes," I muttered, staring down at the pathetic boy pouting into the dirt.
"Hey," I snapped, voice sharp, "get your butt up and fight." Without ceremony, I grabbed him by the collar, hauled him upright, and let him drop back down with a thud.
Turning before he could stammer out another apology, I hefted the claymore Kitsuna had crafted for me. Daggers clanged against its broad white surface, sparks and frost scattering into the air. The weapon was wider than my torso, which meant I could tuck behind it like a fortress wall, letting the enchanted steel catch and deflect the barrage with ease.
"Let's gang up on her! She's alone!" a man bellowed. His voice carried, and suddenly the thirty or so fools around him surged forward like dogs following a bell.
"Zagan," I called over my shoulder, my patience running thin, "you need to start taking responsibility for your actions. If you don't, I will." My glare cut into him before I turned, raising my free hand. Water spears shimmered into existence, a dozen crystalline javelins glinting in the sunlight. With a flick, I sent them raining down on the mob.
"Dodge? She's a mage!" The leader shrieked as his lackeys scrambled.
"It's Katie Anabald! Of course she's a mage, you stupid idiot!" another hissed, panic rising in his tone.
"Then why is she swinging that white claymore?" a girl demanded, staring at me like I was some contradiction of nature.
I almost laughed. Arguing mid-battle? Are they seriously that careless?
"I don't know," the boy stammered.
"Stop talking and attack her!" Their leader barked, rage bleeding through his panic.
"Yes, sir."
"Fucking commoners," he spat, face twisting with contempt.
"Oh?" I raised a brow. "You're also a nobleman?" I didn't recognize him at all. I knew the families of our territory well, and he wasn't one of them.
"Of course I am! I'm from the house-"
"I don't care which house," I cut in, shifting my grip on the claymore. "What territory?"
"Woman, I am a faithful follower of the Duke!" he shouted, puffing himself up like a rooster.
"Ah. That makes sense." My blade whistled through the air, cutting down one of his lackeys who lunged at me, their head separating cleanly from their body.
"What does that even mean?" The man sputtered, confused.
"...Sigh." I raised a wall of water in front of me, his fire spell crashing against it with a hiss before vanishing into steam.
He leapt away, grinning triumphantly as though he'd scored a victory. "Have you learned nothing? You never take your eyes off your enemy!" he crowed.
"Dude, just shut up." Frustration boiled in my chest. I swung the claymore, cleaving through my own water wall. The blade tore through, the spell dissolving as three startled heads fell to the ground in its wake.
Dropping the claymore for a moment, I conjured two spheres of pressurized water, hurling them into another pair of attackers. The orbs struck with a crack, caving in their chests and dropping them like broken dolls.
"Ugh! Get her!" the leader roared.
Ignoring his barking, I whipped the blade back up, sweeping it in a wide arc. A crashing wave of water burst from the edge, forcing the mob to scatter. Some leapt aside, others vaulted skyward, but none dared charge straight through.
"Zagan!" I shouted, fury spilling over. "Are you going to actually do something, or are you just going to sulk on the ground like a pathetic frog?!"
I leapt back, giving myself space, another dozen water spears forming in the air around me. My throat burned from the mana expenditure, but I didn't care. The spears rained down again, skewering more of the fools.
"You goddamn useless fuck!" I snarled, glancing down at Zagan. He hadn't moved. His eyes were hollow, and his shoulders sagged, as if the fog of despair had swallowed him whole.
With a sharp click of my tongue, I turned back. If he wouldn't stand, I'd just carve the path myself.
"Amari might want to kill me for this, but fuck it." I muttered under my breath, twisting aside as two swords slashed past. I wove through them, the fog thickening around Zagan, suffocating him. By the time the blades pierced him, I was too far to intervene.
His cry was weak and strangled. And then he was gone.
While they were busy ripping their swords free from his body, I swung my claymore in a wide, merciless arc. Frost laced the air, and every one of them fell in halves, bodies crumbling before the barrier whisked them away.
"Zagan!!" Amari's scream split the stadium, raw with grief.
"His teammate abandoned him," the leader sneered from afar, his smirk dripping disdain. "He was weak anyway."
The commentator's voice cut over the crowd. "There we go, ladies and gentlemen! We have our eight winners!!"
"Fuck, I wanted to kill this bitch," another man spat, glaring at me from the right. His hands trembled, his face twisted with hate.
I tilted my head. Did he truly think he could still challenge me? Is that why they'd banded together? It might work against ordinary fighters, but against me... laughable.
Strapping the claymore across my back, I strode toward Zagan's rewinding body. He was limp, his features pale. Without hesitation, I lifted him into my arms and carried him out, ignoring the cheers, boos, and curses that trailed after me.
"What the fuck, Katie!!" Amari's voice slammed into me the moment I stepped into his private room. Her eyes blazed as she stormed up.
"What?" I asked flatly.
"How could you let him die?!" she shouted, fury trembling in every word.
I barked a humorless laugh. "Hey, you saw him. Useless in the fight. What have you been teaching him these past months? How to curl up and mope?!" I snapped, glaring back down at her.
"You-!" Amari's voice cracked. Mana swirled around her hand, coalescing into a sphere of vibrant light, pulsing with deadly intent. My eyes narrowed, widening a fraction at her recklessness.
"You're going to attack me?" I asked, chuckling, though my muscles tensed.
"Attack? No. Threaten." Her glare hardened, the sphere glowing brighter.
"Oh, because I called your future husband a deadbeat?" I drawled, mocking.
"Katie, you talk too much!" She roared, hurling the spell.
My eyes widened for half a heartbeat.
Bang!
Kitsuna appeared, slapping the spell into the wall with casual disdain, as if it were nothing but a pebble tossed by a child. "Going off like that isn't healthy, Amari," she remarked coldly.
Amari's face crumbled. She looked from the smoldering wall back to me, the realization dawning of what she'd almost done.
"S-sorry, Katie! I'm sorry-I didn't mean to-" Her words stumbled over each other in panic.
"Amari, leave," Kitsuna ordered. "You fight tomorrow. Go home, cool off. We'll talk later."
"But-"
"Don't tell Mom what happened here. If she asks about the wall, say it was me." Kitsune's voice left no room for argument.
Amari swallowed hard, nodded stiffly, and left. But not before glancing at Zagan, lying unconscious, worry etched deep in her eyes.
When the door closed, Kitsuna looked at me. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Good. We won't speak of this again. Sorry she lashed out."
"Not your fault."
"She's my sister anyway." Kitsuna's grin returned as she tilted her head. "How was the claymore? Saw you cutting them up with it."
"It's a useful weapon," I admitted, running a hand along the blade. "I'll need more time to get used to it."
"Good. I'll forge you a few more over the coming days. Spares."
"That won't be necessary. This won't break."
"Maybe. But I'd rather you be overprepared." She glanced at Zagan. "What happened to him?"
"He was useless. Dead weight."
"I figured." Kitsuna shrugged. "Guess I'll handle him myself." She grabbed him by the collar, vanishing without a goodbye.
I groaned. "She's as bad as ever with her manners."
The door creaked open again, Stacy's head poking in. She scanned the room, said nothing, and disappeared as quickly as she'd come.
"I suppose they are related, despite their differences," I muttered dryly, turning to my left. My mother sat on the couch, calm as always, her eyes sharp with amusement.
"Ah, you finally acknowledge my presence."
"Mother. Why didn't you stop Amari's spell?"
She shrugged. "Kitsuna was faster. Kitsuna knew that the situation would occur and made preparations accordingly. I didn't bother. Thought she'd only threaten."
"But she didn't."
"No," she agreed, her smile cold. "And she'll pay for it."
"From you? Or from Kitsune?" I asked, arching a brow.
"They're sisters. So am I." She grinned wider, unbothered.
"Just wait until after her battle tomorrow."
"Of course." She tilted her head. "What do you think I am?"
"Avenger," I said simply.
She blinked, then laughed softly. "I suppose." And with that, she vanished.
I groaned again, slumping back in my chair. "What the fuck is with people today not saying goodbye?"
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chapter 179: Group 3 Amari
[Amari POV]
"You seriously fucked up this time, sis." Kitsuna's words were like ice, her tails twitching behind her as she glared down at me.
I shrank back, my legs numb and my hands tingling from the frost she'd left in her wake. Sitting there on the floor like a punished child, I couldn't even muster the strength to argue properly. "I know... but you didn't have to go this far," I whined, the ache in my body making me sound pitiful even to my ears.
Kitsuna's glare didn't soften. Her eyes held the weight of judgment, sharp and unrelenting. "I don't think you understand how badly you messed up, Amari. I'm not going to just let this go. But that's not even the main problem here." She shook her head, her voice calm but edged with steel.
"What is it then? And why is Katie so desperate for revenge? It was an accident!" I cried out, confused and frustrated, the shame bubbling beneath my anger.
"Would you say the same thing if you had actually killed her?" Kitsuna asked. The bluntness of the question hit me harder than the cold around my wrists. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Shame burned hot in my chest, and I turned my face away, unable to meet her eyes.
"..."
"Yes, silence." Kitsuna crossed her arms, her tails swaying impatiently. "Stop excusing yourself and listen for once. You said Zagan was stronger than before, but in my eyes, he's even weaker than he was before I left. So tell me, Amari-how did you come to that conclusion?"
"He is stronger," I insisted, my voice trembling as I looked down at my trembling hands. "His stats have more than doubled over the last few months. I don't understand why he acted like this today. He shouldn't have..." My words trailed off in helpless frustration.
Kitsuna's laugh was humorless, a sharp exhale that cut through the room. "Haah. I don't care if his stats are double, triple, or even ten times higher than before. Stats mean nothing if he can't use them. He could have the highest numbers in the world, and a baby could still kill him."
I blinked, raising a brow despite the sting in her words. "I don't believe a baby could do that."
"Amari!" Kitsuna's voice cracked like a whip.
"Figure of speech, I know!" I flinched, waving her off quickly. "But that's far too much of a stretch, Kitsuna."
Her gaze didn't waver. "No, really. If a baby griffin is born, its base stats are enough to kill an adult without trying."
I swallowed, the memory of bestiaries I'd read flashing through my mind. "Right... that's true."
She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Explain to me how you two were training the last few months."
I hesitated, guilt curling in my stomach. "Kitsuna... I know you could probably teach Zagan better than I could. But I can't be the one to guide him."
Her response was to conjure a splash of icy water that smacked me square in the face. I gasped at the shock of cold, but before I could protest, a dry breeze rushed past, evaporating the moisture instantly.
"Amari, right now you're a toddler trying to swim." Kitsuna crouched down, her sharp eyes locking with mine. "I know we're the same age, but you know I'm physically more robust than you. Correct?" Her tone was a warning, her presence suffocating.
"Sorry," I muttered, looking away like a child caught misbehaving.
"Kitsuna, you don't need to be so aggressive." Dad's calm voice cut through the room as he stepped inside.
Kitsuna stood tall again, her expression hard. "Yes, Father, but you're wrong if you think this is just me being harsh. There's no time to worry about her foolishness. I'll continue to invest in Zagan's training until the start of the second stage." She spoke like my efforts were meaningless, like I hadn't even tried.
"This is my last month with him."
"Why? He didn't even make it through to the next stage." My confusion overcame my shame, and I stared at her.
"Oh no, he'll go through."
"Why?"
"You'll find out when Mom comes back," she said simply, her words offering nothing but frustration. Before I could question her again, she added, "Zagan should be awake by now." Then she vanished, her tail flicking as if mocking me.
"She's getting further and further ahead," Dad murmured, his tone thoughtful. "It won't be long before she surpasses you completely."
I turned to him, desperate. "Is she really that much stronger than before her trip?"
Dad nodded. "She has a new disruptive class, and she's the Wrath holder. That alone makes her a powerhouse."
"She has so many OP skills," I muttered bitterly.
"That's how this world works," he said, his expression neutral. "What you do before you receive your class sets everything in motion."
"And her sin?"
"There are buffs. But don't consider it to be a gift. Even Stacy's Berserker comes with terrible downsides." His explanation made me frown, curiosity tugging at me.
"Even though it gives extra stats?"
"Of course. Equality must exist somehow. No class is free from balance."
I nodded slowly. "I understand, but..."
"Hm. Every so often, you'll face a trial that makes or breaks you. Everyone gets one. But the lower your stats are, the easier it is to endure."
I frowned, frustration bubbling. "That's even more of a riddle, Dad."
He sighed. "Maybe I don't know how to explain it properly."
"Then don't say it at all," I snapped, annoyance bleeding through.
"I apologize," he said, though his expression didn't change. His eyes flickered as if catching a message only he could hear. "An has sent me a message."
"Oh, already? Sorry, I let my temper get the better of me."
"I was debating whether to say anything, but... with those ice chains, it might not matter."
I glanced down at the frozen shackles binding me. The chill bit into my skin, even through my clothes. "It was really cold," I muttered pitifully, trying to win sympathy.
"I would think so. Even I felt the cold from here," Dad said with a small shiver.
"Well? Are you going to help me get rid of them?"
"Nope. Prove yourself capable." With that, he vaulted out the window as casually as leaving through a door.
I groaned, slumping. "Prove myself? Seriously? What is with this family?" My breath misted in the frigid air. "I can't squander mana on these chains... I have a battle royale tomorrow."
With a sigh, I gathered energy into my fingertips, focusing until sparks of light condensed into thin, cutting beams. Slowly, I chipped at the ice.
"This is going to take forever," I muttered, sweat dripping despite the cold.
[Next Day]
"Kitsuna has the most unique approach to training people," I grumbled, twirling a sparkling ball of mana in my hand. It was the ninth time today I'd formed it, and each one felt stronger than the last. To outsiders, it probably looked like a harmless light show. But I knew-it was the strongest spell I'd ever crafted.
All thanks to those damn ice chains. Breaking them down forced me to push past my limits and refine my control. I'd learned to make tiny lasers, then built them into this devastating sphere.
When I destroyed the last of her chains this morning, they hadn't shattered into shards-they'd disintegrated into dust. I hadn't even known ice could turn to dust. But Kitsuna always had a way of forcing impossible things to happen.
"Hey, Amari."
I turned, smiling when I saw the two tall dwarves approaching. "Hmm, oh, it's you two."
"Hey there," the sister said brightly. "We were wondering if we could team up with you."
I tilted my head, amused. "Hmm, no. The fight won't last long anyway. Just drop to the ground when the round starts, okay?"
They blinked, surprised. "Why?"
"Because I'm going to use my new spell." I let the sphere in my palm hum with power, its sparks casting a glow across their wide-eyed faces.
"Woah... pretty," the sister whispered, entranced.
"Yeah," I said with a grin. "Pretty dangerous."
"What?"
"I'm not going to explain how it works. Just listen to me and you'll pass." I waved them off, my confidence rising with the crackle of energy in my hand.
The two exchanged a look, then muttered in unison, "Kitsuna really is your sister, huh?"
"What?!" I shouted, louder than necessary, heat rushing to my cheeks.
"Sorry for bothering you!" They bolted before I could snap again.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, time for Group Number 3!!" The commentator's obnoxious voice boomed over the mic.
I huffed, stomping toward the arena. "I'll get those two later. I'm nothing like Kitsuna. She's rough, crude, and reckless. I'm a refined lady," I muttered, repeating it under my breath like a mantra.
Stepping into the arena, I moved to the center, ensuring my spell would reach everyone. The crowd roared, the air buzzing with anticipation.
"Oh, you want to take everyone on at once?" Someone sneered from beside me, grinning.
"Hm. I don't think this will even be a fight," I murmured softly, but his ears caught it. His grin twisted into a scowl.
"Hahaha, little noble lady, you'll be the first to die," he said, elbowing his friend with a conspiratorial smirk.
His friend frowned. "If you do that, the poor girl will suffer."
"So what? She deserves it."
"Sigh. How are we even friends?" The friend muttered, shaking his head.
I ignored them, focusing on the sphere glowing brighter in my hand. This isn't just training anymore. The sphere is proof. Proof I'm not just Kitsuna's shadow.
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{Kitsu POV}
As I teleported away from Amari, I appeared in Zagan's room, landing on the ground and groaning in pain. My body felt heavy, drained from pushing too much mana through in one go, but I forced myself upright. Looking sideways, I gestured for the maids to leave us alone.
"Yes, ma'am," the last maid acknowledged with a quick bow as she closed the door behind her, leaving the room silent except for Zagan's unsteady breathing.
"You really are pathetic, Teach," I remarked, pulling a towel from my inventory and tossing it at him. He fumbled to catch it, almost falling again.
"Don't call me that, Shiro," Zagan muttered, his voice hoarse as he struggled to stand on shaky legs. His hair was a mess, sticking to his sweat-soaked forehead.
"You know I won't stop calling you that," I replied, giving him a deadpan look. My tone left no room for argument.
"Ugh, what happened to me?" Zagan groaned, collapsing back to the floor with a dull thud. His limbs twitched like his body wasn't quite remembering how to function.
"That's something I should be asking you," I responded, narrowing my eyes at him as he tried once more to push himself upright, his arms trembling violently under his own weight.
"What?" He blinked up at me with dazed confusion, clearly not catching on.
"Hmm, well, you got killed," I explained simply, watching closely to see how he would react.
"And Katie?" he asked immediately, worry evident in his voice. His eyes widened as though that single thought had been keeping him tethered to sanity.
"No, she abandoned you, so she passed," I said bluntly, dropping the words like knives.
Zagan sat back on the ground, staring at the floor blankly. The towel slipped from his hands, forgotten.
"You deserved it, to be honest. You were just sitting there, depressed," I pointed out, my voice hard. I wanted the sting to reach him, to burn through that thick skull of his. He couldn't afford to wallow.
"I see, so that's what happened," he muttered, nodding slowly like he was trying to convince himself of something.
"So, what exactly happened?" I pressed again, not willing to let him drift back into silence.
"How was the first time you killed someone?" he asked after a small pause, his tone quiet, almost pleading.
"Dumb question, Teach," I rebuked immediately, irritated by his stupidity. My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't care.
'I'm the last person you should ask something like that, Teach,' I thought, trying to calm myself down before my annoyance tipped into outright rage.
"Right, you are a mass murderer after all," he added without thinking, bitterness twisting his voice.
"...sigh." I dragged a hand down my face.
'He needs a good lesson today,' I thought, glaring at the sack of depression in front of me.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that!" He quickly added, guilt flashing across his face. But the damage was already done.
"Well, you aren't wrong, but I had my reasons," I said, shrugging like it didn't matter.
"..." He didn't answer, just lowered his gaze again.
"Anyway, back to the topic: did you get depressed because you killed someone?" I asked again, pushing him to speak properly.
"I killed a kid, Shiro. A kid!" he shouted, his voice cracking. His hands shook as he clenched them into fists.
"You didn't, though. There's a barrier set up to reverse time after the fight," I explained flatly, reminding him of something he should already know.
"I know that, but still, I killed him." His voice cracked again, softer this time, raw with emotion.
"Hmm, so was this your first 'kill'?" I asked, trying to get to the root of the issue.
"Of course it was. I don't go out looking for trouble with other humans!" He snapped, glaring up at me, his face pale but his eyes burning.
"I don't either, but it just happens," I replied playfully, shrugging as if it were nothing.
"You aren't making it better, Shiro," he muttered, looking away like a sulking child.
"You know me, Teach. I'm not one for sentimentality." I said, grinning at him just to poke at his nerves further, which worked beautifully.
"Ugh, then let me talk to Amari," he grunted in frustration, his hands gripping the arms of the chair he'd finally managed to climb into.
"Denied," I responded immediately, shutting him down.
"What? Why?" His voice rose an octave, panicked.
"Because she's being punished at the moment. She also has a tournament fight tomorrow, and you'll only make her worry." I explained calmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Tsk, fine. Then what are you going to do to me?" Zagan asked, finally managing to sit up straighter, though he looked like he could keel over any second.
"Well, first, we need to get you over this issue with killing people," I explained bluntly.
"Hey, don't say it like that!" He yelled, his face draining of color, the panic crawling back up his throat.
"We won't be able to move to the next step if you can't get past this."
'Hmm, I can probably call her, right?' I thought, taking out my scroll and scrolling through for her details before making the call.
"Yo, I have a request," I said into the scroll when a bubbly girl answered on the other end.
[1 hour later]
"Where are we going?" Zagan asked, clinging to my clothes while I carried him in fox form. His fingers dug into my fur like he'd fall if he let go, which was both insulting and annoying.
"You've asked me that like 30 times, and I've given you the same answer each time. I don't know. I only got coordinates, and we're going to that place."
"But why? What are we going to do?" He asked again, voice high-pitched, making me growl in annoyance.
"Use your brain, Teach. You need to get over your killing issue, so what's the best way to do that?" I replied, glaring down at him.
"No!" He shook his head violently, nearly sliding off.
"When you see what's going on, you won't hesitate to kill them." I said as I jumped up a hill, landing smoothly before shifting back into my human form.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked, brushing dirt off his clothes nervously.
'Well, I asked her for a group known for raping and killing,' I thought, but I didn't want Zagan to know what they did just yet.
"Oh, we're here," I announced as we emerged from the bushes into a clearing.
"Hey, you, what are you doing here?" A guy asked, approaching Zagan and me with two of his buddies in tow. Their clothes were ragged, their weapons cheap but bloodstained.
"Oh, are you guys part of the dark guild group?" I asked casually, studying them. Their appearance screamed, 'We're dumb, broke, and desperate,' so it could be that they were part of it or just pathetic bottom-feeders.
"Huh? Who's asking?" the leader sneered.
"Someone who doesn't want innocents around here before things get messy." I said, shrugging as though this whole encounter bored me. I pulled Zagan closer, holding his collar tight.
"Who's this?"
"Product," I stated simply, making them look between the two of us with hungry smiles.
"Hehehe, he's a noble, isn't he?" The guy in front grinned, his yellowed teeth showing.
"Boss, wait, she might be trying to fool us," one of the lackeys muttered.
"Heh, as if. She's just some demihuman; they don't have any brains," the guy whispered, though I heard every word.
"Man, that's annoying," I muttered under my breath.
"What is it? That I'm telling the truth?" The guy said smugly, making me shake my head.
"Shiro?" Zagan whispered nervously.
"Shut up," I muttered, shaking him lightly.
"Ugh."
"Hey, don't damage the merchandise," the leader said, walking closer with greedy eyes, wanting to take Zagan from me.
"No, I caught him. I'm bringing him in," I responded, glaring back.
"Fine, follow us," the leader ordered, turning around and heading toward a hidden entrance.
"Teach, don't close your eyes, alright?" I whispered sharply, warning him as I followed them inside.
"That's a good hiding spot. Boss did tell me you guys had a good one, but that's an understatement, in my opinion," I said conversationally, feeding their ego.
"Haha, thank you. We actually found this place first."
"Oh, so you guys have been promoted as well?" I asked, tilting my head.
"You mean rewarded? Yes, we were rewarded." The guy corrected proudly.
"Of course," I said, nodding with fake sincerity.
"Now, let's show you where to put this merchandise." The leader gestured toward one of the doors.
"Yes, please. It's getting annoying to carry this meatsack." I said, sounding irritated.
"Hey!" Zagan protested weakly.
"I said shut up."
"For a cult member, you sure talk a lot," a guy said, stepping out of the shadows. His aura was heavier than the others.
"Ah, so that's where you were," I said, summoning a javelin of mana before spearing the guy through the head in one clean motion.
"What!!" Everyone else exclaimed as they saw their stronger ally appear and die in five seconds.
"Yeah, that's the highest-level guy here, so you three can die as well," I said, flicking my wrist and using an air-pressured arc to slice off their heads in one sweep.
"Shiro, what the hell?" Zagan yelled, looking at the lifeless bodies with wide, horrified eyes.
"Shut it. Let me show you what happens when you show weakness or fail to kill people like this when you have the chance." I said, releasing Zagan so he could stand on his own.
"Fine," he muttered, voice trembling.
"Let's go this way first." I opened a door where I heard yells-not cries of pleasure or torture, but desperate, pained shouting.
"What the hell is that noise?" Zagan asked, worried, his steps faltering.
"If you try to turn around and run away, I'll make sure you never meet Amari again," I warned sternly, gripping his arm tightly.
"Gulp, I'll try."
"Don't worry. We're actually starting on the easier side," I assured him. Humans as slaves might be worse than someone getting tortured, at least in his eyes.
'I'll save the rape side for last,' I thought grimly, only to be interrupted by the first jail cell, where two guards were doing something I really didn't expect.
"I thought you said we were starting on the easier side," Zagan muttered before doubling over and throwing up.
'How the hell was I supposed to know these guys were spit-roasting a prisoner for some reason?' I thought in disgust as I lit the jail cell on fire, killing all three occupants without hesitation.
Sending a clone ahead, I saw that only this jail cell had such disgusting activities going on.
"Okay, we got the worst over with for this side of the base," I explained, handing Zagan a towel to wipe his mouth.
"Are you sure?" Zagan asked, still shaking, his knuckles white as he clutched the towel.
"Yeah, well, we need to do this in steps at least, not just jump straight to the most messed-up stuff." I explained, shrugging casually, though my eyes were sharp.
For the next 30 minutes, I led Zagan through the base of a cult well-known in the underground but invisible in the light. They were quite adept at keeping themselves hidden.
This cult was notorious for how they operated and what they did. Drugs, slavery, murder, and revenge requests. They had multiple branches scattered across the world, and every corridor here reeked of their crimes. All around us, cells lined the walls-some filled with starved prisoners, some with corpses that hadn't even been cleared out. The smell of rot clung to the air, choking and sour.
Walking through the base with Zagan should open his eyes to the cruelty of this world. And judging by the way he stumbled, gagged, and forced himself to keep moving, maybe-just maybe-it was finally sinking in.
chapter 181: Group 3 finally starts
[Amari POV]
"So, we follow the plan, guys." The leader instructed the small group, his sharp eyes scanning them as they huddled together in the dusty holding area. His voice carried the weight of authority, firm but not loud. Everyone around him shifted nervously, gripping their weapons, glancing at the looming gates that would open into the arena.
"Sigh, as much as I hate this, I can't say no." His friend muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, but still nodding in agreement. He looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here, yet duty chained him to the moment.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let the game begin!" The commentator's booming voice echoed across the stadium, amplified by magic. Bells rang in the background, sharp and metallic, sending a shiver through the crowd as the gates rumbled open.
"Go." The leader ordered, his tone steady, but when he turned around a second later, his eyes widened. His friends were suddenly beside him again, but this time the battlefield stretched wide, with half of the entire arena already participating in the chaos.
"Ugh, so that's the backlash." I grumbled under my breath, lifting my gaze to the shimmering barrier walls. My arm ached fiercely, and when I looked down, horror tightened my chest. The arm I had used to cast the last spell was gone-nothing but a bloody stump remained.
"It wasn't as powerful as I anticipated... Oh no, it was blocked." I whispered, narrowing my eyes as I realized what had happened. My breath came sharp and ragged. A second barrier-one I hadn't noticed before-glimmered faintly inside the arena, and I was trapped dead center.
"Ah, what the fuck just happened!" The commentator shouted into his microphone, his voice cracking with panic. The crowd's murmurs turned to shouts as confusion spread like wildfire. His tone grated on my ears, and I glanced at the booth in annoyance, the corner of my lip twitching.
'This will be a problem,' I thought grimly. My mind raced as I assessed my situation. With only half my mana left and one arm lost, I was now a prime target. Vulnerable.
"Okay, the barrier did its job, boss. We can kill her for good now." A voice emerged from inside the cloud of dust lingering nearby, low and dripping with confidence.
"Don't tell me..." I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the thick smoke screen. My heart skipped as another shimmer rippled across the battlefield-a smaller barrier, distinct from the arena's.
'Can this barrier interfere with the time reversal barrier?' Panic surged through me like cold water. If it could, then all of the chaos wasn't just for show-it was meant to kill.
"Don't overthink it, Amari." I whispered to myself, shaking my head to clear the thoughts before they spiraled. If the barrier truly interfered, Kayda would have realized it already and stopped the fight. There was no need to panic over assumptions.
"Oh, you're a calm one," a smug voice remarked as the smoke finally began to thin, revealing several figures striding toward me. Their expressions twisted with malice.
"Hmm." I hummed softly, raising my remaining hand and conjuring a fire javelin. It seared through the air with a hiss, aimed directly at the mouthy one. He jerked to the side at the last second, dodging, but the three unfortunate souls behind him weren't as lucky. The flames pierced through them, and their screams cut off in an instant.
"Hey now, don't be that aggressive," the person said, laughing, as if the deaths of his allies meant nothing.
"Snap." I snapped my fingers, and the smug bastard turned to ash before he could finish his chuckle. The spell rippled outward, reducing several more nearby to dust.
"Shit, she's a sage!" someone shouted, panic lacing their tone. The crowd's reaction followed like a wave-gasps, screams, and whispers as fear settled over them.
"Yeah, now you guys know why you don't get close to a sage, don't you?" I said with a grin, my voice carrying across the blood-soaked sand. My heart raced, but outwardly I exuded nothing but cruel confidence. "Well, for the confused ones, it's because I can cast spells anywhere I want within a certain radius. And funny enough..." I raised my hand, mana spiraling around me like a storm. "All of you are in my range."
I laughed, the sound sharp and mocking, before unleashing a cascade of spells. Fire, wind, and raw pressure exploded outward, consuming everything within fifty meters. Screams filled the arena, then silence as the smoke rose in thick columns.
As I turned back toward the lingering cloud, my grin faltered. Shapes still moved within.
'Fuck! It's still not over! My stomach tightened. At least fourteen figures still stood, their determination unbroken.
"We can't leave her be." A man growled, stepping forward. His aura pressed outward, strong and confident. He advanced without hesitation, eyes locked on me. He knew my mana reserves were thin.
"Heh, to think you'd come closer on your own," I giggled, but my laughter had a sharp edge and hinted at the strain I felt. I pushed off the ground, closing the distance like a blur. My fingers wrapped around his throat, wishing for the crushing strength Kitsuna wielded so easily. Still, I twisted hard.
Crack! His neck snapped, and his body went limp.
"What the fuck!" Someone cried out in shock.
"Shit, distance yourselves!" another barked, retreating quickly.
"Welp!?" the last shouted in alarm as I hurled the corpse at him. He stumbled back, pinned under the weight. Without hesitation, I snatched the dead man's sword and drove it through the pinned fighter, ending his scream abruptly.
"Twelve left." I muttered, my eyes flicking to one figure with a belt of kunai. "Hmm, assassin?"
I plucked a few blades and, with precise flicks of my wrist, hurled them at six targets. Two parried with practiced ease, sparks flying, but the other four froze like statues. They didn't dodge. They didn't even flinch. The blades sank into flesh, and they crumpled lifelessly.
'Huh, they didn't dodge? Or couldn't dodge?' I wondered, my brow furrowing. Something wasn't right.
"Amari, are you okay?" One of the surviving kunai-wielders asked, stepping toward me cautiously.
"Yeah, I assume it's because of both of you?" I replied, piecing it together.
"Yeah, my sister made sure they couldn't move," he confirmed with a small nod, his voice calm.
"Huh, thanks, I guess," I muttered, surprised but not ungrateful.
"No problem," he said simply.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, as boring as the start was, the end was at least a bit surprising," the commentator's voice rang out again, desperately trying to hype up the shaken crowd. His tone grated on my nerves again.
"Woah!!" The crowd roared anyway, caught up in the spectacle, as the barrier activated to reverse time. Or... it should have. But the corpses around me remained still. None of the fighters inside the barrier revived. My arm didn't return either.
"That's not good," I muttered, my chest tightening as realization hit. The second barrier continued to shimmer faintly, remaining active and suffocating. Outside its walls, I saw the fallen bodies reviving, but here-nothing.
"Oh, it seems there is a problem," the commentator remarked casually, prompting me to snap my head up and glare daggers at him.
"What?"
"My kid isn't getting revived?" A mother's worried cry pierced the silence, her voice trembling.
"This is going to get hectic," someone whispered nearby.
"Yeah, so let's get out of here," Kitsuna's voice cut through, calm and firm. She appeared behind us, her sudden presence a relief and a warning all at once.
"Sis?" My eyes widened, but I barely had time to react.
"We'll talk later. Kayda should be able to fix this. First, you three need to get out of here." Kitsuna instructed us with a tone that brooked no argument. The scenery shifted suddenly, her teleport wrapping around us like a blanket.
"I'll be back in a few. And Amari, stop your bleeding. We can heal your arm later," she added before vanishing again.
"Umm, Amari, what's going on?" The kunai-wielder's brother asked nervously, his face pale.
"Uh, well, there was a barrier put up to interfere with the revival process we have in place," I explained, though uncertainty gnawed at me. Was it interference, or had it completely overridden the process?
"So... we actually killed people just now?" he asked, his voice trembling as he looked down at his bloodied hands.
"Hmm, yeah." "Oh, now I see why we needed to get out of there," I muttered. The realization sank like a stone. We would be targets now. Everyone would remember who struck the final blows, who stood within the cursed barrier.
'I hope Kayda can fix this,' I thought, my shoulders slumping as the sounds of retching reached my ears. The two dwarves in the corner emptied their stomachs, their bodies shaking.
"Haah, I can't do this." I whispered, dropping my head into my hands. The weight of it all threatened to crush me.
[Kitsuna Clone POV]
'How did something like this happen?' I wondered, standing in the middle of the arena. Corpses littered the ground around me, silent, unmoving. They should have revived. They should have been breathing again. Instead, they were just... bodies. The stadium had already been forcefully evacuated, panicked citizens ushered out, but their shouts and cries still echoed faintly through the walls.
"Kitsuna, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Zagan?" Kayda's annoyed voice rang out as she approached, her steps confident even as her eyes hardened.
"Clone. I took Amari and the kunai-wielders away for now." I explained, giving her a small smile.
"Hmm, yeah, I saw. Did you take them home?" Kayda asked, crouching to inspect the glowing lines of the barrier etched into the arena's foundation.
"Home," I confirmed simply.
'It's funny how her attitude changed the moment I told her I was a clone,' I thought, giggling softly.
"Good, now let me fix this shit," she muttered, pressing her hands against the ground. Mana pulsed out of her in controlled waves.
"What happened?" I asked, tilting my head, curious despite the tension.
"Someone created a second barrier inside the time reversal one," Kayda explained, manipulating her mana with practiced precision.
"Oh, so the barrier is stopping the other one." I mused, my eyes lifting to the sky, searching for the faint shimmer of magic.
"Yeah, but can't you see the second barrier?" Kayda asked, a bit surprised.
"No, I can't even see the first one." I shrugged casually.
"The first one?" she echoed, frowning at me.
"Same, I can't see it." I yawned, stretching slightly.
"Huh, that's a surprise."
"Yeah, but the real one should be able to see it."
"She can? Well, that's not important right now." Kayda quickly dismissed the question, sharpening her focus as she poured more energy into her spellwork.
"Hey, what the fuck are you two doing? Can't you fix this shit already?" A short man yelled, stomping toward us with fury plastered on his face.
"The fuck are you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I stepped forward, placing myself between him and Kayda.
"Ah, you don't know who I am!" The man shouted, veins bulging in his neck.
"No, should I?" I tilted my head, genuinely unimpressed.
"Yes, you should. I'm running this fucking tournament." He jabbed a finger at me, his face flushed with anger.
"The king is running the tournament." I corrected him coolly, making his face darken.
"I'm the one who organized everything!" he spat, spittle flying.
"Oh, so your head is going to roll, huh? Seeing as this shit happened under your watch." I grinned cruelly, gesturing to the bodies strewn across the sand. The blood painted the arena like a grim mural.
"You two, please shut up. I need to concentrate," Kayda snapped, her irritation sharp.
"Yes, ma'am," I said cheerfully before knocking the man out with a quick chop to the neck. He crumpled to the ground like a sack of rocks.
I stepped back, arms folded, watching Kayda work. For now, everything rested in her hands.
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Chapter 182:
[Kitsuna POV]
"How the fuck did this happen?" the king demanded, his voice reverberating through the council chamber like a thunderclap. He sat high on his throne, his crown glinting under the chandelier light, glaring down at us as if we personally dragged the disaster to his doorstep.
"How the fuck should I know? I wasn't even in the capital when this shit went down," I retorted, my tone sharp and unapologetic as I met his glare with my own. His authority meant little to me; I wasn't about to bow my head like some trembling noble.
The room stiffened at my words. Ministers shifted uneasily, and guards straightened as if they'd leap at me if given the word.
After Kayda finally brought the barrier down, all the corpses were revived. Relief washed over the audience, but it was short-lived. The corpses that Amari had turned to dust never returned. No ashes to restore, no bodies to heal. Just absence. It didn't surprise me in the least-Amari's spells were monstrously strong. If she poured enough power into them, a person could be erased in seconds, wiped away as if they'd never lived.
Amari herself, though, wasn't handling that reality well. She'd just realized she had unknowingly killed over fifty kids. The weight of that hung over her like a storm cloud, pressing down with a guilt that I knew she wasn't ready for. At least Zagan was with her now, though I doubted he'd be much use. From what he'd seen in those caves earlier, he'd probably be more broken than her.
Still, Mom should be with them now. That might help. She had a way of grounding people when they spiraled. Maybe she could help both of them shoulder the weight.
Dean, meanwhile, was here with us, standing tall despite the tension as if daring the king himself to challenge him. The air in the room was thick, the silence between words suffocating.
"Kitsuna Draig, you should watch your mouth in front of the king," the head of the royal guard barked suddenly, his eyes narrowing on me. His armor gleamed in the torchlight, his hand resting just a little too eagerly on his sword. He looked as if he wanted an excuse to discipline me.
"Shut it, old-timer," I shot back immediately, dismissing him with a wave like he was nothing more than an annoying fly buzzing in my ear.
Gasps rippled across the ministers, some whispering among themselves. Even the guards twitched, their knuckles tightening on their weapons.
"Kitsuna," Kayda murmured beside me. Her tone wasn't loud, but the weight behind it could cut steel. Her glare sliced through me like daggers, sharp enough to make even me reconsider.
"Fine, I'll stop talking," I muttered, rolling my eyes and plopping down onto an ice chair I conjured beneath me. The frosted seat crackled quietly as it solidified.
'I still can't believe Mom banned me from making an ice throne after the last time,' I thought with a soft sigh, running a finger along the armrest. Apparently, "showboating in front of dignitaries" wasn't proper behavior. Whatever.
"Hah, why is she even here? I mean, she said she had nothing to do with this at all. She wasn't even there," the king grumbled, his voice dripping with disdain as he gestured toward me like I was some nuisance that wandered in.
"...Her clone was there," Kayda interjected calmly, folding her arms. Her tone carried none of my flippancy-just the steady edge of reason. She knew full well I inherited the memories of my clones, even if sometimes they came back muddled.
"Yeah, so?" the king asked, raising an eyebrow as if that proved nothing.
"I think she's the one who made the barrier, considering how defensive she's being," the organizer chimed in suddenly, puffing out his chest like he'd just made some brilliant deduction. His words, however, had the opposite effect-everyone in the chamber turned to him like he was the dumbest creature to ever crawl into daylight.
"The fuck!" the king growled, his voice like rolling thunder as he glared daggers at the organizer.
"She is unruly," the organizer tried to press on, but his words only dug his grave deeper.
"Shut up for fuck's sake! Why the hell is someone as brainless as him the organizer for the under-16 tournament?" The king roared, his frustration finally snapping. His fury turned on his minister, who visibly flinched.
"Sorry, your Majesty. I didn't think he'd be like this," the minister stammered, bowing his head slightly.
"Haah, whatever. How many died?" the king demanded, shifting his attention to Kayda. His tone carried a bitter edge now, like he already dreaded the answer.
"About 72," she replied evenly, her voice a neutral blade slicing through the room.
"That's a lot," I remarked, letting out a low whistle. The sound bounced through the silent chamber, earning me several murderous looks.
"Yes, and it's also a big problem," the king admitted grimly, rubbing his temples as if trying to squeeze away the migraine pounding behind his eyes.
"Just a question: do we know all the families of the deceased?" he asked, directing his gaze at the organizer again.
"Yes, your Majesty. Everything has been documented," the organizer replied, this time sounding far more subdued.
"Hmm, I didn't really want to handle it this way..." the king muttered, annoyance simmering.
"What? Should we compensate the families of the deceased and allow the tournament to continue, hoping that the culprit will reveal themselves? Dean's voice cut clean through the tension, blunt and straightforward. He spared the king the discomfort of speaking it aloud.
The king's jaw tightened. "...You don't have mind-reading abilities, do you?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly-though anyone with half a brain could see the feigned uncertainty.
"No, but it's obvious what you were thinking. And no, you're not making light of the dead by thinking that way. It's a productive approach, and it might lure the enemy out," Dean explained, his tone firm, his stare unflinching.
The king sighed heavily, leaning back in his throne.
"Also, the main culprits are likely the angels from the federation. That Gluttony guy is probably involved too," I stated casually, the words hanging in the air like a guillotine.
The entire room fell silent.
"Kitsuna, where did you hear this?" the king asked sharply, his eyes narrowing like blades. Suspicion radiated from him.
"Hear? No, this is just something I suspect. Gluttony is a high-ranking member of the angel faction. I know this because Rachel is terrible at keeping secrets," I replied with a shrug, chuckling softly. The memory of Rachel's loose tongue amused me even now.
"She wants us to overthink this," Dean mused aloud, his gaze distant.
"Nah, she's too dumb to pull that off," I said dismissively.
"So her superior wants us to overthink this," the king reasoned, though his words held the weight of a question.
"Yeah, that sounds about right. But I doubt they'd go to all this trouble to create a barrier Kayda couldn't detect from a few meters away," I remarked, my gaze sliding to Kayda, silently inviting her to weigh in.
"Hmm, you have a point. But there's one thing, Kitsu-I wasn't there either," Kayda admitted, her words dropping into the conversation like a stone into still water.
"...You weren't?" I blinked, tilting my head. That caught me off guard.
"Yeah, I got called away by Stacy."
"... Don't tell me she didn't show up."
"She did, don't worry. She wanted to talk about something. "It was nothing important enough to prolong this meeting," Kayda said, brushing the topic aside.
"Hmm, so what we know is that they somehow knew you wouldn't be there and that their target was Amari Draig," the prime minister spoke up thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"I doubt they knew she wouldn't be there," Kayda interjected quickly. "But their target was definitely Amari. The intention was not to actually kill her, but rather to make us believe she was dead. Her voice was steady, though I caught the faint spark of anger beneath it.
"What do you mean by that, Kayda?" the king asked, his brows furrowing.
"Well, the only reason the 72 kids didn't come back was because there were no bodies left to reverse or recover. More accurately, their ashes were dispersed before the original reversal barrier kicked in," Kayda explained.
"Please explain this for those who are uneducated," the king sighed, rubbing his forehead as if this entire discussion were dragging knives through his brain.
"The reverse barrier can only reverse events within a specific time frame," Kayda replied with calm patience.
"Yes, but that timeframe is a few hours," the king countered, his voice rising again.
"Correct-it's six hours. But what if the secondary barrier sped up time? We didn't even manage to remove it until two hours after their deaths," Kayda elaborated. Her tone was analytical, but the undercurrent of frustration was clear.
"So, you're saying they did try to kill Amari Draig but ended up screwing themselves over with their barrier?" Dean asked, his lips curling in something that wasn't quite a smile.
"That's assuming the deceased kids were from the federation," Kayda confirmed.
"Or the angel faction," I added.
"That's true. But do they even use non-angelic beings?" the king asked skeptically.
"It's the most likely option," I replied. "The easiest way to gather forces and cannon fodder."
"Sigh... This is so annoying," the king muttered, rubbing his temples once more.
"Yeah, but don't cancel the tournament. Just let it continue and compensate the families of the deceased. End of discussion," I stated, my tone brooking no argument.
"Kitsuna, it's not that simple," the minister protested, shaking his head.
"They don't know about the second barrier. They'll just blame Amari for killing their kids. Well, at least the ones actually mourning their children," Dean remarked coldly. "Everyone in the arena saw her use her new spell, so just let them think it was that."
"You think not all of them are mourning?" the king asked, narrowing his eyes at Dean.
"Some of them are definitely from the federation, and we all know how those sick bastards view their kids most of the time," Dean replied bluntly.
"Fine. We'll handle it like that, but I'll go over it with the council first to finalize the best approach," the king decided at last.
"Sure, go for it. Now that's settled, can I go?" I asked, already itching to leave this suffocating room.
"Yes, you can leave."
"Wait, Kitsuna, we need to talk," Dean said, his glare pinning me in place.
"Fine. Let's take it outside," I replied, rising from my chair and striding toward the balcony doors.
"I'm coming with you," Kayda added, her steps echoing close behind.
Once we were outside, Dean wasted no time. "Why are you making your sister take all the blame?"
"It's the best outcome, and you know it," I shot back, crossing my arms.
"Yeah, for the country, but not for my kid," Dean countered, frustration bleeding into his voice.
"Hmm, Dean, you realize about 90% of the deaths were from the federation, right?"
"How sure are you?"
"My group only consisted of federation participants. All 2,499 kids were from the federation," I explained flatly.
"No, that's not possible," Dean said, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"It is. I checked yesterday. That's why I was speaking with Stacy during the tournament. Everyone from our country was placed in Group 4 with that over-leveled 800 kid. I haven't seen him myself, but it seems intentional."
"Still, why make Amari take the fall?" Dean pressed, his voice sharp.
"She'll be fine. Just explain everything to her-all the details, even the small ones. She'll be depressed for a few days, sure, but she'll recover," I said firmly.
"Kitsuna, you're terrible at understanding familial love," Dean muttered. His words cut deeper than I expected.
"Uncalled-for, sickhead," I snapped, glaring at him.
"It's the truth."
"...Sigh." I sighed heavily, irritation clawing at my chest as I teleported away without another word.
'How the fuck am I supposed to know how family love works?' I thought bitterly, rage and frustration mixing into a knot in my chest. My foot lashed out, kicking a tree nearby. The impact shattered it, the trunk splintering before toppling, crashing into several others, and sending them down in a domino of destruction.
'Should I just finish what Zagan failed to do today?' I wondered grimly, staring at the wreckage before teleporting away again.
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Chapter 183: dumb couple
Right in front of me, a small scrimmage was occurring between two fighters and an unknown number of opponents, who were heavily outmatched by the two crybabies. The clash of steel and the hiss of magic filled the hideout, echoing off stone walls cracked from the strain of battle. The air was thick with smoke and dust, with the acrid tang of burnt wood and flesh lingering like a heavy curtain over everything.
It would've been funny if it weren't so pathetic. Zagan looked like a broken puppet, staggering around with red-rimmed eyes, swinging his weapon with the grace of someone about to collapse. His grip on the hilt trembled with every motion, the blade dipping too low, too slow, yet somehow still connecting in jagged arcs that made his enemies stumble back. He looked more corpse than man-hollow eyes, sunken cheeks, and shoulders hunched as if the world itself pressed down on him.
Amari wasn't much better; tears streaked down her cheeks, cutting pale tracks through dirt and ash smeared across her skin. Her hair clung to her face in damp strands, but her hands still moved with frightening instinct. Spells leapt from her trembling fingers-gusts of wind that carved through armor, flames that scorched skin and screamed in the still air. Her sobs were loud, broken, and ugly, yet each spell was deadly, precise enough to reduce anyone foolish enough to get close into twitching heaps.
Their movements weren't coordinated-far from it. They stumbled like drunks, driven more by raw emotion than discipline. And still, somehow, impossibly, they were winning.
"To be honest, this was the last thing I ever expected to happen," I muttered under my breath, arms crossed, watching them with a mix of disbelief and mild irritation. They moved like undead, cutting down trained killers while bawling like children who'd just lost their favorite toys. It was grotesque, tragic, and absurd all at once.
One bandit rushed Zagan, his knife raised high, but the boy swung blindly, steel connecting with skull. Blood sprayed the floor, pooling under his boots as he barely seemed to notice. Another lunged for Amari, only to be caught in a whirlwind of flame that roasted his flesh before he even had a chance to scream properly.
The sight drew a long sigh from me. Enough was enough. I lifted a hand. The temperature dropped instantly, my magic filling the air. Frost raced outward in every direction, crawling along the walls, webbing across the ceiling, and slamming into the floor with a sound like breaking glass. In a heartbeat, the hideout was a frozen tomb. The supports groaned, coated in jagged ice; the ground glittered like crystal. Every straggler froze mid-step, mid-swing, and mid-breath. Silence slammed down like a hammer, snuffing out the chaos.
The sound of their crying became the only thing left, sharp and raw in the stillness.
Both of them turned to me, wide-eyed and startled. Amari's spell guttered out, the flames snuffed by frost, her tear-stained face illuminated by the faint blue glow of ice.
"Kitsune?" Amari's voice trembled, fragile and uncertain, as she wiped at her cheeks with the back of her sleeve.
"Hello, Amari. I assumed you were still at home," I said dryly, stepping closer. My boots cracked over the frost, each step a deliberate sound in the silence.
"We needed some fresh air," she muttered, looking away. Her face flushed, not just from the cold but from shame-or guilt. Maybe both.
"And fresh air ended up killing criminals," I remarked flatly, though I added a mock nod of understanding, as if I were discussing the weather instead of corpses.
"They deserve it," Amari snapped suddenly. Her voice had a surprising edge, though her tears still streamed, dripping from her chin onto her bloodstained tunic.
I gave a small nod, impressed despite myself, then turned my gaze on Zagan. He looked worse than yesterday-paler, hollower, his spirit eaten away. He wouldn't even meet my eyes. His body folded in on itself, hunched as if even standing was too much of a burden.
"Hm. So do you feel any better?" I asked Amari, though my eyes lingered on him.
"No," she whispered, her voice breaking as her gaze swept over the frozen corpses, the ones she'd cut down. "You didn't know something like this would happen. It's really not your fault they are dead." I placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, grounding her with the coolness of my palm.
"It doesn't matter. It was me who unleashed the spell. I killed innocent people, Kitsuna." She raised her swollen, red-rimmed eyes to me. Her words dripped with guilt, her lips trembling as if saying them shattered something inside her.
"Hm, you might view them as innocent, but I wouldn't," I said bluntly, unmoved. "Most of them came from the federation. Technically, you killed enemies from another kingdom."
Her deadpan glare could've cut steel. Her lip curled in bitter disgust. "That is not going to make me feel happier, Kitsuna. And secondly, we aren't at war with the federation."
"Hm. How about if I tell you those guys in the barrier had orders from higher-ups to kill you? They were just trying to execute you. Sadly for them, they underestimated you big time. So really, it was self-defense." I offered a hopeful look, as if reasoning could fix shattered hearts.
"They didn't, though. They knew my strength ahead of time. I learned that spell just the day before," Amari muttered, lowering her gaze, drowning in shame.
"Losing when you have a foolproof plan is always because you underestimated your opponent," I said evenly. "Something I hope you two will never do again." My words lingered mostly on Zagan, who still sulked deeper into his hollow shell.
'His girl almost got killed, and this person is still making everything about himself. "Or, at least, he is trying to," I thought with irritation.
Sighing, I patted Amari's head, her hair cold and damp under my palm.
"You always do these speeches," she muttered, cheeks burning as she swatted my hand away, embarrassed.
"Zagan, are you okay in there?" I asked, finally turning my words directly at him.
"Hm. I guess," he muttered hollowly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You don't look so good." My sarcasm slipped out sharp.
Amari crouched beside him, brushing her hand across his shoulder with gentleness he didn't deserve.
"I wonder why," Zagan bit back, glaring at me with eyes full of venom but no strength.
"So what now?" I asked, raising a brow.
"I don't know. Maybe wash ourselves in the nearest stream and go back home," Amari suggested, pulling at his arm, dragging him upright with surprising strength for her size.
"Hm. Okay, good luck with that." I smirked, knowing full well the nearest stream was a frozen sculpture under my spell.
"And what are you going to do?" she asked, her frown deepening.
"Well, I will clean up all this mess." I gestured lazily at the frozen bodies around us.
"You?" she asked, incredulous.
"Yeah? What? Did you think I wouldn't clean up a massacre?" I blinked, genuinely confused by her tone.
"Yes," she said flatly, her honesty like a slap.
Her bluntness irritated me more than I cared to admit. "Whatever. The nearest stream is that way. Now go."
"Fine." She dragged Zagan with her, both of them shuffling toward the exit like weary ghosts.
Once they were gone, I sealed the exit with ice, cutting them off from what came next. My shoulders eased as silence reclaimed the hideout.
Jumping lightly, I landed on the second floor, senses sharp.
"Where do you think you're going?" I said coldly, my hand clamping down on a shoulder, yanking a figure back, and tripping them with effortless precision.
To my surprise, the woman didn't panic. She fell smoothly, landing on one knee before me. And then, impossibly, she saluted like a soldier before her general.
I frowned.
"Sigh, who are you?"
"My name is not relevant enough for Lady Kitsune," she replied, voice steady.
'I hate fools like these,' I thought, irritation bubbling.
"Yeah, no. Answer the question." Ice formed in the corners of the room, creeping outward with my thinning patience.
"My name is Karen Wells," she admitted quickly.
"Alrighty. So why are you following my sister?" My tone sharpened. I didn't recall encountering anyone named Karen Wells in Black Ops.
"I am not following your sister, but young master Zagan," she corrected carefully.
"Huh. Why?"
"His parents are worried about him."
"...Hm. So how many did you kill for him?"
"Sorry?" She blinked in confusion.
My glare hardened, the air growing colder. "How many people did you kill for him?"
"N-nothing. Amari killed most of them."
I stepped closer, frost biting into the air, her lips trembling as blue crept into her skin. "I'm sure you know me from rumors already."
"Yes," she whispered.
"So don't fucking lie to me," I snarled, voice sharp enough to cut bone.
Her resolve broke instantly. "Seventeen, Lady Kitsuna."
"There we go. Now, Karen Wells, you can go." I gestured to the wall. "Open it and leave."
"Thank you, Lady Kitsuna." She scrambled up.
"Make sure you don't regret your life choices," I muttered darkly. She hesitated, confused, but I waved her off. "Just fuck off. You'll understand one day."
Once she was gone, I turned deeper into the base. A grin tugged at my lips. 'At least they left me some playthings.'
I dispelled the frozen corpses, the smell of iron rushing back, thick and metallic. "Always nice to have clean air," I muttered sarcastically as the copper tang coated my tongue.
I headed down toward the basement. The damp stench of mildew and rot rose up the stairwell, clawing into my nose. "Hm. Well, the clean air didn't last long."
Torches sputtered weakly, shadows twitching on walls of stone slick with condensation. Shackles hung from walls, iron teeth biting into stone. The reek of filth and despair was nearly suffocating.
"I knew this group was fucked up, but what the hell is this?" I muttered.
"Hello? Is anyone still alive down here?" My voice rang down the hall.
A faint presence tugged at my senses. I ripped open the far cell's door, iron shrieking as it tore loose.
"Hey. I'm not here to hurt you."
"No, don't come closer; he will know." A woman's voice, trembling, drifted from the dark. Two pink-slitted eyes gleamed faintly.
"He? Everyone above is dead," I said, stepping closer.
"...Did you kill a dragon?" she whispered.
My brows rose. "Hm? No. Is he a dragon?"
She shook her head frantically. "No, he's still alive. But it should be fine... He won't get through ice."
I smiled faintly. A white lie slid easily from my lips. "Of course not. My ice is impenetrable."
"No, no, you don't understand. He isn't just any dragon. He has a rare class... Berserker."
My grin widened. "Hm. At least he might get rid of my boredom, then."
"What?" Her voice cracked.
"You heard me. Now come out." I gestured lazily.
"I... I can't carry him." Her voice softened to almost nothing.
"What?" I raised my flame higher, spilling light into the cell-and froze.
"Whoa. That's the last thing I expected to see."
A wolf-kin girl knelt on the filthy floor, so thin she was nearly skeletal. Her skin was pale, her hair matted, and her eyes sunken. But behind her loomed a massive green dragon egg, nearly her height, its surface pulsing faintly with life.
I blinked, forcing my surprise down. "Alright. Can you move at all?"
She didn't answer.
"Okay, so I'll teleport you-and I presume your egg-to my room at the Draigs." I pulled a scroll from storage. Before she could protest, the spell flared, swallowing her and the egg in light.
"Well. With this, hopefully he shows up." My grin stretched wide.
I scoured the basement but felt no other presence. Shrugging, I lit the whole place ablaze, flames devouring rot and filth.
Stepping outside, I conjured an ice throne, lounging back with a lazy grin, waiting for the dragon she'd spoken of.
(10 minutes later)
"Man, I'm getting bored again."
(1 hour later)
"Zzzzz."
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TheRealSkollie
TheRealSkollie
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Chapter 184: Boredom Gives more problems
[Stacy's POV]
"Who are you!? How did you get in here?" I yelled, slamming open the doors to Kitsuna's room so hard that the hinges rattled. The sharp echo of my voice carried through the chamber like a whip crack.
"Ah, ah, where am I?" The wolfkin stuttered, blinking up at me with wide, watery eyes. Her ears pressed flat against her skull, her whole body coiled with tension like a cornered animal. She looked utterly bewildered, trembling as if she couldn't decide whether to run or beg.
"How did you get in here?" I repeated my demand as I stepped into the room. My hand twitched toward the hilt of my blade out of sheer habit. She didn't look like a threat, but in this house I'd learned not to take appearances at face value.
Her lips quivered as she tried to find her words. "Ah, ah," the shadowy figure said, "she comes from the Draigs," and then added, "I am sending you to my room." I don't understand what's going on here," she stammered, shrinking back. Her body shifted subtly, edging closer to something behind her. That's when I noticed it-a massive green egg tucked against the wall like a sentinel. The faint sheen of its surface caught the dim light, and my heart skipped a beat.
"...Is that your egg?" I asked, raising a brow, finally taking in the full picture.
"Ye-Yes?" She whispered, her voice trembling as she wrapped both arms protectively around the egg's curve. Her posture screamed desperation-like she'd fight me with her bare hands if I tried to touch it.
Sigh. "What the fuck did Kitsuna send us this time? Wait here. You're safe now, I guess." I muttered, rubbing my forehead before shaking my head. Another headache courtesy of my daughter.
"What?" she squeaked, her voice brittle.
"I'll go and call Kayda to talk to you. She's a dragon, so she-" I began, but her sudden panicked cry sliced the air.
"No!! Don't! Please spare my kid!" The wolfkin shouted, clutching the egg so tightly I thought she might bruise her own skin against its shell. Her eyes were wild, frantic, and full of terror.
"What?" My confusion doubled, but then the word "dragon" seemed to trip something inside her. Her pupils contracted to slits, raw fear flashing across her face.
"Oh, I see. Okay, I won't bring her here then," I said softly, lowering my tone, nodding as if to reassure her. She looked so fragile that raising my voice felt like it would shatter her.
"Thank you," she whispered, though her body stayed tense, like she didn't believe me entirely.
"I'll also send in a maid with some food for you," I added, deciding to ease her into this place with kindness. Without waiting for her reply, I stepped out and closed the door behind me with deliberate care.
Rebecca was waiting right outside, arms crossed, her eyes narrowing at my expression.
"Get someone to bring her food. Preferably a wolfkin. Furthermore, she's terrified of dragons-make sure no one mentions anything about dragons around her for now. Please go and personally retrieve Kitsuna; she needs to provide an explanation for this situation.
"Will do," Rebecca said crisply, already turning on her heel.
Sigh. "Now I need to go get Kayda and make sure she doesn't blow a fuse," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face.
"Why do you need me?" Came a smooth voice from behind, and I stiffened.
"Ah, well, you see..." I turned to find Kayda leaning against the wall, arms folded, eyes watching me curiously. "Is it possible for a dragon to have a kid with a wolfkin?" I asked, wincing at how clumsy that sounded.
Her brows rose. "Yes, it is-if she's in her human form," she answered simply. That alone made me realize-so the father dragon was female.
"And if it's a he?" I asked, a knot of unease forming in my gut.
"It is still possible, but the mother dies every time during childbirth," Kayda said bluntly, her brow furrowing as she processed my reason for asking.
"Ah, I see. But is there any chance the mother could survive?" I pressed, already knowing the answer.
Kayda's eyes narrowed. "Stacy, why all these questions?" Her tone carried suspicion now.
"My daughter found something outrageous again," I said with a defeated sigh, my shoulders sagging.
"...Haah, what is it this time?" she asked, already looking tired of the conversation.
"In her room, there's a wolfkin with a green dragon egg," I said, pointing to Kitsuna's door.
"And I presume the wolfkin is female?" Kayda asked, her tone quiet but sharp.
"Yes."
"Let me see," she said, pushing past me, shaking her head.
"No, wait. Allow me to explain more," I interrupted, stepping in front of her.
"What?"
"She's terrified of dragons. Like, seriously terrified. Who can blame her? She gave birth to a dragon egg the size of her." I spread my hands helplessly.
"...I guess it would be quite dramatic to give birth to an egg," Kayda mused, nodding slowly.
"Somehow I think we're thinking about two different things," I said flatly, raising a brow.
"Huh?? What do you mean?"
"She's scared of dragons-not because of the birth-but in general," I explained, watching realization dawn on her.
"Oh... so you mean it like that." Kayda folded her arms again, thoughtful. "Well then, we just need to wait for Kitsu to show up." She turned away, heading toward the nearest drawing room.
"Yeah," I muttered, following with a heavy step.
As we walked, two wolfkin maids hurried past us, arms laden with folded clothes, blankets, and trays of food. At least Rebecca had taken my instructions seriously.
[Two hours later]
The sun had shifted low, painting long golden beams across the courtyard. I sat with Kayda at the outdoor table, tapping my fingers impatiently against the polished wood.
"Oh, Rebecca, you finally got her," I said with relief as Rebecca appeared, dragging Kitsuna by her arm like a sack of grain.
"Yes," Rebecca said dryly, dropping my daughter beside the table without ceremony.
"Zzzzzz," came the utterly shameless sound of Kitsuna snoring.
"Is she out cold?" Kayda asked, frowning with concern at the sprawled fox.
"Yeah, I found her like this outside some big hideout. Most of it was burned down by the time I got there. Amari and Zagan were nearby too. They seemed to be doing something... but I couldn't get any info out of them," Rebecca explained, her voice tight with disapproval.
"Why? Did something happen to Amari?" I asked quickly, alarm flickering.
"They both looked red-eyed and depressed," Rebecca admitted with a sigh.
"...Okay, one thing at a time," I said, forcing myself to focus.
"Agreed. Let's go talk to Amari first," Kayda said, lifting Kitsuna gently onto the couch like she was a wayward child.
"Agree."
"Do not worry. Amari is on her way here. She just went to freshen up before coming to you, ma'am," Rebecca added, bowing slightly.
"I see. Kayda, dump some water on this dimwit," I said, pointing at the sleeping fox.
"No! Let me rest, for crying out loud!!" Kitsuna suddenly shouted, springing upright with a glare that could've curdled milk.
"Oh, you're awake," I said, utterly unsurprised.
"Of course I'm awake! Do you think this BDSM woman would be gentle with me?" Kitsuna snapped, shooting Rebecca a dirty look.
"But it seemed like you liked it," Rebecca smirked.
"Woman, you are married," Kitsuna said flatly, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"True. Well, I'll take my leave," Rebecca replied with a bow, still smirking, before walking off.
Sigh. "Whatever. So, how is the little wolf?" Kitsuna asked, stretching like a lazy cat.
"Scared. She got some food and is sleeping in your bed with the egg."
"Tsk. And no angry dragon showed up? Boring," she muttered with a click of her tongue.
"What do you mean by that?" Kayda asked sternly, her eyes narrowing.
"Uhm."
'At least Kayda can shut her up,' I thought, crossing my arms and waiting for the inevitable excuse.
[One long-ass explanation with many gaps later.]
"So you wanted to fight an unknown dragon because you were bored?" I asked, one brow raised.
"Yeah, the tournament isn't as fun as I thought it would be," Kitsuna replied with a complete lack of shame.
"Going after an unknown dragon isn't exactly smart," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"It's like the guy let his girl go with no protection," Kitsuna muttered, sounding genuinely baffled.
"What do you mean, his girl?" I asked, frowning.
"Well, she had his baby egg," Kitsuna said as if it were obvious. Her ears flicked in irritation.
"Kitsuna, dragons aren't loyal to anyone but their soulmate. And finding your soulmate is like finding a needle in a haystack," Kayda said firmly.
"Yeah, so? A descendant is a descendant," Kitsuna argued.
"The kid will be half-dragon, half-wolfkin," Kayda countered.
"Exactly! Both races have combat advantages," Kitsuna pointed out eagerly, tail swishing.
"Yes, and there are many weaknesses as well," Kayda said sharply, causing me to facepalm.
"Hey! Why did we shift from trying to help someone to discussing how the kid will perform in fights? I shouted, exasperated.
"Ah, right, sorry. Let's get back on topic," Kayda said quickly, clearing her throat.
"So the woman is asleep in your bed with her egg. And her egg is huge, even for royal dragonborns," I said, giving Kayda a pointed look.
"This is a common occurrence with interspecies births," she replied casually.
"...So what now?" Kitsuna asked, sounding more grounded than usual.
"I don't know. Maybe we talk to her?" I suggested with a shrug.
"Good luck with that. I'm going to bed," Kitsuna said, flopping toward the couch.
"Whoa, whoa, don't run away now."
"What?" she asked, tail flicking.
"She'll probably talk to you easiest."
"Why?"
"You're the one who saved her."
"Yeah, but I only did that to get her dragon here so I could kill him," she said bluntly, tilting her head as if that excused her.
"Dragons aren't easily killed, Kitsu," Kayda said firmly.
"Meh. Never tried," Kitsuna shrugged.
"Sadly for you, he's not coming. He might've already forgotten the egg existed," Kayda said, voice calm.
"..."
Kitsuna's expression darkened. Without a word, she stood and walked out, her silence sharper than any retort. Kayda blinked after her, confused.
"Why? What'd I say?"
Thud.
I smacked Kayda on the head hard enough to drop her to the floor, out cold.
"Lucy, get Kayda in a room. When she wakes, make sure she understands what she just said," I instructed, glaring at the maid who'd peeked in.
Lucy bowed quickly.
'To think Kayda can be denser than Kitsuna... I hope Kitsuna will forgive her.'
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Chapter 185: final group 4
[Kitsu's POV]
"So they said a level 800 is in here," I muttered, rolling my shoulders as I glanced at Mom walking beside me. My tail twitched lazily behind me, but my ears were perked in anticipation.
"Yeah, they said this should be the strongest group out of the four," Mom replied matter-of-factly, her lips curling into a small smile. She always had that tone when she was trying to make me pay more attention than I felt like giving.
"Only because of one person?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her, not sure whether to take the rumors seriously.
"No, there are quite a few angels in it as well," Mom explained with a shrug.
I clicked my tongue, unimpressed. "Yeah, so? They aren't very strong themselves, though. They always talk themselves up, but half of them break down the second you push hard enough."
"It depends on what class they have." Mom's counter was calm, but her tone suggested she was baiting me into an argument.
I sighed and shook my head again. "Yeah, but most holy classes are classified as rare, which means they generally have low stats." Some of them are higher, sure, but none have legendary classes. That's the real difference. Rare's good for support, but not when you're aiming for dominance." Even saying it out loud made the whole rumor feel inconsistent. If this group's strength hinged on a few winged idiots with rare classes, then it wouldn't amount to much.
"Yes, but rare classes are still good if they put in enough training," Mom said, smiling at me like she knew she'd caught me in my trap.
"True, true," I admitted grudgingly. "However, there is a reason the federation has yet to win a battle against the Draigs." My sarcasm was sharp, and Mom laughed at the bite in my tone.
"Haha."
"Now then," I said, trying to shake off the lecture before it dragged on. "Are we going to the VIP section or the normal stands?" I wasn't sure where she was leading me.
"Oh, the special VIP section, of course," Mom said with a grin. She loved pulling me into these things.
"Okay, let's go then. The battle will start any time now." I could feel a low buzz of excitement under my skin. Strong enemies meant potential entertainment, and I needed that.
"Kitsuna, remember what I told you," Mom said suddenly, her voice turning firm.
"Yes, yes, there is always someone stronger than you in life. I know that by heart already; give it a rest," I said quickly, annoyed. She had this habit of hammering lessons into me like I was still ten years old.
"I'm just making sure," Mom said, grinning at my scowl.
"Ah, here we go. Go down there and turn left and go up," she instructed, nudging me forward like a mother bird pushing a chick out of the nest.
"Okay, but why must I go first?" I muttered, feeling weird about her literally shoving me ahead.
"Just go."
"Fine." I groaned and obeyed, leading the way through the corridors, following her instructions like a half-obedient child.
After about five minutes of climbing stair after stair, weaving through guards and servants stationed along the way, Mom pointed at a tall set of doors decorated with heavy iron trim.
I raised an eyebrow but stepped forward and pushed them open. Instantly, sharp whistles cut through the air as several daggers flew straight at me.
The surprising part was their speed-they came at me fast, far faster than any ordinary thug could throw. But not fast enough. I flicked my wrist, letting a thin veil of wind catch and redirect them, the blades clattering harmlessly against the stone wall.
"Tsk, she used a human shield," a gruff male voice said in annoyance, as if I'd spoiled his little test. He didn't even bother to stand-he just leaned back into his seat again.
"Hello everyone, how are you doing?" I asked cheerfully, brushing the air of hostility aside as Mom finally came out from behind me.
"We already said hello, but we are doing well," the leading female said, standing and coming closer with calm, deliberate steps.
"Oh, that's good to hear." I tilted my head before glancing back at Mom. "So who are these guys?"
"Well, they are special generals," Mom explained, her voice edged with amusement.
"Yes, I presume so," I said, studying the three. My eyes immediately picked out the hierarchy.
One was a female Oni, her movements graceful yet dangerous. Despite her elegance, I could tell in a heartbeat-she was the sharpest blade in the room, the real threat.
The furry guy who had spoken first looked like someone had glued a bear pelt to a man. Human, yes, but with so much hair he resembled a stuffed toy. A dangerous stuffed toy, maybe, but still.
The last one hadn't even looked at me since I entered. His focus was locked on the arena below with almost religious intensity.
I nodded at the Oni and extended my hand for a shake.
"Oh, you're not introducing yourself," she said slyly while shaking my hand.
"No point. I know you've been following me around a few times," I said with a small smile.
"Oh, you knew." She looked genuinely surprised.
I didn't reply, but my grin widened.
"Oh, she got you, Samantha," Mom said, laughing loudly.
"Heh, it seems so," Samantha said with a grin of her own.
"Alright, guys, get to your seats; the tournament will almost start," the quiet man finally spoke, his tone clipped and precise.
"The commentators aren't even in their booth yet," I pointed out, glancing across the arena.
"They will be here in three seconds," the man said flatly, not even sparing me a glance.
And, like clockwork, three seconds later, the booth door opened and Kayda and another announcer stepped inside.
"So you're like a sensor or something," I asked, intrigued, dropping down into the seat next to him. Mom and Samantha settled on the other side.
"You can say that," the man said evenly, neither confirming nor denying.
"Huh, there is still so much I need to learn about what classes exist in this world," I chuckled, leaning back.
"You will never know all of them," he said, finally turning his head. His eyes shifted from purple to green, then back again, like the tide of some strange power.
"Oh wow, those eyes really give no privacy to other people," I said, chuckling knowingly.
"What?" Samantha muttered, her eyes wide. The man himself froze, his shock visible for the first time.
"How?" he asked, his expression breaking into disbelief.
"Oh well, there are many things that exist," I said casually. "Eyes that change color can mean a lot. Seeing as you have sensor abilities, I just assumed your eyes are the reason. I believe that the color of your eyes affects their abilities. I shrugged.
"Stacy, you've got a good successor here," the man said suddenly, grinning at me with sharp approval.
"Who said I will be the one taking over? I actually thought of giving Zagan that job," I said sarcastically. But the wave of killing intent that followed wasn't sarcastic at all.
"If you do, I will rip him apart as fast as you breathe," the gruff, hairy guy muttered darkly.
"I can breathe quite slowly if needed," I joked with a wide grin, unfazed.
"Tsk, you must be blood," the man said, glancing between me and Mom.
"Haha," Mom and I laughed together at his observation.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. "Let us begin the group four battle royal!"
"Ah, finally they are starting," I chimed, my grin widening as the announcer's voice boomed.
"Can all the contestants come to the arena?" The announcer's voice echoed over the mic, the crowd roaring in response.
"Man, I hope it lasts longer than the Kitsuna and Amaris battles," Samantha sighed, crossing her arms.
"What? Mine lasted quite long," I protested, giving her an incredulous look.
"No, no, it did not. Amari's fight was by far the fastest so far, and then yours. Most battles for the under-16s are over twenty minutes long, not just five," she explained, shaking her head at me.
"Seriously, that long?" I blinked, surprised, glancing at Mom for confirmation.
"Yes, normally it's like that. But with all the Marquis house children this year, it was bound to go faster than normal," Mom said, shrugging.
"Well, there are none in the last group, so you never know-it might be quite a long battle," I said, chuckling, secretly hoping for something enjoyable.
"Yeah, with a possible level 800 in it, I doubt it," Samantha said, her tone dry.
"Well, you never know. Maybe it's just some common class kiddy that decided to come and show off," I laughed, though I didn't even believe myself.
"As if. There is no way a common class can even get to level 800," Samantha scoffed, shaking her head.
"Never say never," I said with a grin.
"I guess that's true; it can happen," Mom added, giving me a knowing look.
"Oh, here he is," Samantha said suddenly, pointing toward the arena floor.
A cluster of angels descended in formation, their armor gleaming. And in the center of them walked a boy-slim, poised, with an aura of confidence that was far too polished for someone his age.
"Heh, to think they would send their little prodigy out to us," Mom said, laughing hysterically.
"Mind explaining?" I asked, frowning.
"Well, that person is actually sixteen years old, and he is also a reincarnation," Mom said, her grin widening.
"What?" My ears flicked forward in disbelief.
"His name is Logan Major Peter, an orphan. I don't know his previous name, though," Mom explained, clearly enjoying my reaction.
"I see. So he was adopted by the angel faction?" I said, piecing it together.
"Probably."
"Well, with the angels circling him like that, I would think so," Samantha added, her eyes narrowing as she studied him.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it seems the contestants are ready. Let's begin the blood splatters!!!" The commentator roared, bells ringing to signal the start.
The arena floor shook with the sound of weapons drawn, the crowd exploding into cheers. My grin widened. This... this might actually be fun.
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Chapter 186:
As I looked at the arena, I sighed loudly, leaning my chin against my hand, feeling that creeping annoyance settle in.
As we expected, the angels were doing all the work. Their formation was too polished, too clean. While they were mostly defending, wings overlapping to form radiant barriers of shimmering light, they counterattacked in coordinated bursts. Each swing of their swords was timed with spells, each thrust reinforced by buffs I could feel but not pin down. Slowly but surely, they were taking down opponents in the arena, one by one.
It was almost laughable how quickly the whole match shifted. What was supposed to be a chaotic free-for-all turned into a 32 vs. the rest. Every other participant, regardless of their faction or kingdom, instinctively joined forces to deal with the angels. Even enemies who would have slit each other's throats in another life were now shoulder-to-shoulder, throwing everything they had at the winged bastards. And it worked-for a time. A wave of steel, fire, and raw desperation pressed into the angels. But the teamwork on the angel's side was simply superior. Layers of glowing shields, timed heals, and devastating counters made them an unbreakable wall.
I sighed again.
"What's wrong?" Mom asked, her voice carrying that sarcastic lilt she always used when she knew the answer but wanted to poke fun.
"We won't be able to see what he is up to," Samantha muttered, crossing her arms, her lips pressing into a thin line. I could tell she was just as annoyed as I was, though she masked it better.
"Yeah, with his little followers around him like that, he won't have to lift a finger at all," I added, shaking my head. My eyes flicked back to the boy in the middle, surrounded by his angelic shield wall, and I had to bite back my irritation. He hadn't moved since the start. He was just standing there like a figurehead, with his hands folded behind his back, while everyone else fought for him.
"Hmm, we should really bring in rules about teaming," Samantha said, her suggestion sharp, though the annoyance in her voice was aimed more at herself than anyone else.
Both Mom and I immediately shook our heads in agreement.
"Yeah, then our little useless nobles can't team up as well," the silent man next to me finally spoke, his voice deep and gruff, carrying an edge of disdain.
"Hmm, I disagree. If some of our nobles don't team up, none will get through to the next round," Mom said, her reasoning crisp. She wasn't wrong, and the man gave her a small grunt of acknowledgment.
"Hmm, they should just be stronger," I said with a shrug, not really caring about the politics of it. My eyes narrowed as I tried once more to analyze him-the quiet boy at the center of all this-and my brow furrowed deeper when the same message blinked across my sight.
'I mean, I know you get blockers and all, but how does it say it's not available at all or has no target to analyze?' My teeth clenched in annoyance. Not a block, not resistance-just nothing. It was as if he didn't exist in the system at all.
"Now that I think about it," I said aloud, "if it's true that he is level 800, why hide your class name or rarity?" My words were pointed, aimed directly at the silent man beside me.
"Like you said, Kitsu, they're planning something. What will it help to show you his class now?" Samantha countered, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Well, that's true," I admitted reluctantly.
"Anyways, it seems this will be a waste of time; I am leaving," the quiet man said, rising to his feet without another word. His presence seemed to vanish the second he moved away. Samantha and the hairy brute followed him without hesitation.
"Well, what are your honest thoughts about what's going on?" I asked, now that it was only Mom and me in the room.
"We're going to have many unnecessary deaths," Mom said, her voice calm but her eyes sharper than blades.
That tilted my head. "No war can be won without death," I hummed, shaking my head.
"This isn't war, Kitsu. It's just one battle," Mom countered, her gaze holding mine firmly.
"It only takes one battle to start a war," I added, nodding, letting the thought linger.
"That is not the case in this country," Mom said firmly. "It takes way more than that to make us start a full-on war."
"Hmm." I leaned back, my tail twitching behind me.
"Well, anyways, I am pretty sure this guy doesn't have an offensive class," Mom said suddenly, her tone thoughtful.
"Why are you saying that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, the angels are fighting with higher stats than what they should have," Mom explained, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied their movements.
I attempted to analyze the angels myself, but just like with him, no results. I clicked my tongue. "So he enhanced their abilities," I muttered, realizing what it might mean.
"Seems so."
"Hmm, then he will be fragile in the final stage," I said, though I didn't believe my words fully.
"I doubt they would have brought him in without knowing that. He is most likely quite a smart reincarnation. It might be that friend of the princess and prince," I added, my expression tightening as I thought it through.
"What makes you so sure?" Mom asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Buff classes are indeed quite beneficial. You can enhance your abilities, strengthen your muscles, or engage in similar actions. While I am not entirely certain of the mechanics, I believe it is possible to apply multiple buffs to a single individual. Stack them until someone breaks limits." I recalled Kayda's old lessons about buff mechanics.
"That might actually be true. "I haven't considered buff classes in that way before," Mom admitted, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Of course I am intelligent myself, Mom," I said boastfully, puffing out my chest.
"You may be smart in some areas, but socially you struggle," Mom said, shaking her head, dismissing me with a grin.
"That hurts," I muttered, exaggerating a wince.
"So why are you saying he might be one of the royal's previous friends?" Mom asked, changing the subject.
"If I recall correctly, he was the supporter of the group, always in the background but crucial to the final ideas those three came up with. There was a reason he always got credit with them, even though he was the quietest one," I explained, remembering the quiet boy who'd hovered behind his stronger friends.
"So he was the brains of the three?"
"No, he just knew what to say, when, and where. He knew how to help people when needed. Haha, I remember this one time he tried to cheer me up as if I wasn't already happily content with my life back then," I chuckled.
"Hmm, do you think we can recruit him?" Mom asked, though her voice carried little hope.
"No idea. It's been sixteen years in a new life; a lot can change in that time," I shrugged, watching with mild satisfaction as two angels finally fell, their glowing bodies hitting the arena floor.
"Well, we can still try," Mom said, shrugging her shoulders.
"True, but how can we speak to him with all the angels surrounding him?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, the final stage is a 1v1 matchup, so you will just talk to him there," Mom said.
I looked at her with a smile. "What, are you guys going to put him against me in the first round?" I shook my head.
"Yeah."
"Ugh, why me?"
"Because you are the strongest," Mom said, her grin never fading.
"Touche."
"Wait, why send me in immediately? What if they are a complete counter to me?" I protested.
"Hmm, you have a point. But who else will stand against him?"
"Just send Zagan in to test him. After exposing the ages of some people, he advanced to the second round," I said, attempting to shift the blame elsewhere.
"I will think about it," Mom said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, then put me against a paladin. I want to see how strong that class is," I said happily, my tail flicking in excitement.
"They can't do anything special. They just use holy magic," Mom said, shrugging.
"Yeah, no shit, but what can that magic do to me, a demon fox?" I grinned, baring my teeth.
"Well..."
"I don't want an explanation; I want to feel it myself. Thank you."
"Masochist?"
"You wish, Mom."
"Touche."
"So how is it going with you and Kayda's relationship?" Mom asked abruptly.
"Man, our vacation together was great, but since we got back we haven't had much time for each other," I said, my ears drooping a little.
"What about at night? I hear you joined Kayda in her room," Mom teased, grinning.
"Yeah, sleeping in the same bed for a few months does get you used to it."
"Even though you're back to your tree?"
"Yeah, I was surprised about that as well," I admitted. I really did love that tree. Curling up in my fox form under its branches gave me a kind of peace no bed could match.
"Well, I understand. I don't like sleeping without Dean next to me after all these years," Mom chuckled.
"Hmm," I hummed, nodding as the battle royale below drew toward its conclusion. The angels remained dominant. I stood.
"Where are you going?"
"I think I will have to start preparing for him," I said, nodding at the boy in the center of it all.
"Hmm, I am sure your stats will be higher than his, though."
"Yes, but the federation will have something planned. I want them to underestimate me. In other words, I want them to believe that my stats are lower than they actually are. They shouldn't know I have wrath, right? So my stats are already way higher than what they are thinking," I said thoughtfully.
"It's important to ensure they remain uninformed," Mom said with a raised brow.
"Yeah."
"So how are you going to do it?" she pressed.
"Heh," I chuckled, ignoring her as I walked out of the room.
'It will be easier not to tell anyone,' I thought.
[Amari's POV]
"So how are you?" I asked softly, standing next to Zagan outside in Mom's garden. The wind brushed past us, carrying the faint smell of flowers, but it didn't ease the heavy atmosphere.
"I don't know," Zagan replied, his voice flat, his shoulders slumped. As depressed as always.
"Hmm," I hummed, remembering the promise I'd forced out of him a year ago. With a fragile smile, I reached out and gently took his hand, squeezing it with hope.
"Sorry, Amari." He pulled away almost instantly, letting go of my hand as he turned and walked off.
Tears blurred my vision as I watched him leave. 'I should probably abolish that promise,' I thought bitterly, wiping at my cheeks.
"It might be for the best," a sudden voice said behind me, startling me.
I turned quickly, meeting Apricot's colorful eyes. They were filled with pity, her expression softer than I had ever seen.
"Ahah, right, I will be fine on my own," I said quickly, forcing a smile, trying to seem strong.
Without a word, Apricot stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.
"Amari, it's okay. He may return to you, or not. But he's currently broken. Don't place too much blame on him," Apricot said softly, her voice warm.
"I am not blaming him," I cried, clutching her tightly.
"Hmm."
"I know it's not his fault."
"Then let it out."
"I know all this, but how can he... How can someone be that pathetic after not even killing someone? I killed seventy-eight kids! I took their lives away!" My voice cracked as I shouted, sobbing harder.
"You didn't know, Amari. It was all an accident," Apricot soothed, her hand rubbing my back.
"Murder is still murder," I countered, choking on the words.
"Anything in life is debatable, Amari," she said calmly.
Her words made me freeze, remembering what Kitsuna once said. Her tone was infuriating, suggesting that everything could be reasoned into gray.
"Murder isn't," I tried, though deep down I already knew her answer.
"It is. If you kill someone to save someone, you can never call that outright murder," Apricot said firmly, her voice almost echoing Kitsuna's infamous logic.
"Apricot, why are you even here?" I asked, desperate to change the subject.
"Heh, I don't know. Mom told me to come here," she said with a shrug.
"Kitsuna? Why?"
"She probably saw you guys. And we both know how bad she is at showing family love," Apricot said, smiling faintly.
"Right," I chuckled weakly.
"Are you good?"
"No. Can we stay like this for a while?" I asked, hugging her tighter.
"Sure."
"... Apricot, do you hate the federation?"
"Absolutely," she said instantly, venom dripping from her tone.
"Do you want to destroy them?"
"Of course."
"Haha, dumb question," I said, chuckling through my tears.
Just one thing dont ask questions about the Ice crytals thing okay not going to answer you. just remember it.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 187:
[Kitsuna POV]
I looked at the match board for the day and tilted my head. "Oh, I am first."
"Yeah, it seems like you're going to go against an Angel as well." Amari's voice came from beside me. She was perched on the roof across from the massive stone wall where the match announcements were displayed, her legs swinging lazily over the edge, but her eyes never left the shifting names.
'I thought I would go against the big guy first,' I thought, searching for his name, Logan. But as my gaze swept further down the board, my ears twitched in irritation. He was at the other end of the matches, tucked neatly into a different bracket. The only way I'd face him was in the quarterfinals.
"Hmm, is that going to be a problem?" Amari asked, noticing my gaze. Her eyes shifted toward the board as well, and when she spotted Logan's name aligned with Zagan's, her lips pressed together.
"Is he even going to show up?" I asked, turning to her for an answer.
"I have no idea; I haven't seen him for the last few days." Amari shrugged, but I caught the way her fingers tightened briefly around her knees. She was concealing her feelings, as usual.
"...Did he just leave?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, a flicker of concern tightening in my chest.
"Didn't Apricot tell you?" Amari tilted her head, her braid sliding over her shoulder as she gave me a sideways glance.
"I haven't seen her either; I was busy with something until now." I shrugged, my tail flicking behind me, waiting for her to elaborate.
"What, killing people again?" Amari scoffed, smirking as she tried to joke about it.
"No? Why do you think I only do that in my spare time?" I said, narrowing my eyes and putting mock offense in my tone.
"I don't know," she muttered, still grinning.
"Sigh, whatever. Regardless, he only has a two-day fight scheduled. He might show up," I said, shrugging again.
"Oh damn, we're only going to face each other in the finals." Amari groaned, her voice carrying equal parts irritation and disappointment.
"What, do you want to get beaten again in front of everyone?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused.
"Heh, as if it will be the same," Amari grinned, her eyes gleaming with a challenge.
"Haha, we will have to wait and see," I laughed, leaning back on my hands.
'She might give me a run for my money if I am as I am right now,' I thought, chuckling quietly to myself.
"I actually thought I would be getting that person first," I said, shifting the topic back, my gaze returning to the board.
'Though this works out better. I can conduct experiments on the other angels first, test their defenses, their holy spells, their stamina-everything-before I fight that guy.' My mind turned over the possibilities, plans already forming.
"Yes, Mom said she'd set up a match between you two, but I'm curious what happened," Amari said, squinting at the board with a thoughtful frown.
"The Angels, most likely," I muttered, shrugging. It was evident that someone within the management had taken advantage.
"Hmm, do you think Mom knows?" Amari asked, tilting her head back.
"Probably," I replied simply. Just as the word left my lips, Amari's phone buzzed loudly in her lap.
"Discuss the devil, and she will emerge," Amari chuckled, smirking as she picked it up.
"Don't call me a devil, Amari." Mom's annoyed voice snapped from the other side.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Whatever. Kitsuna, are you there as well?" Mom asked, her tone sharp enough to make me raise an eyebrow at the little device.
"Of course," I said flatly.
"Right. So I guess you guys saw the matches?"
"Yes."
"Good. It's too late to change anything, so just focus on the opponent in front of you. You two do your best to win every match, alright? Let the grown-ups worry about the people behind this. Kitsuna, please enjoy being a child for the next week. Don't take on any big responsibilities," Mom said, her voice softening at the end.
Her words made me grin. 'She probably has some plans set in motion. Well, I have my own, too, I thought, nodding to myself.
"It's okay, I'll play like a child," I said, my grin widening mischievously.
"Sigh, please just don't kill anyone, Kitsuna. Amari, you can go all out; just don't disintegrate the opponents, please. Well, if it's an angel, kill it."
"Alright, Mom," Amari replied, her lips twitching.
"Good luck on your first fight, Kitsuna. By the way, Rachel will be going against Amari first. You have some paladins to fight; go wild, alright." Mom dropped the bombshell casually before ending the call.
The line went dead, and silence hung between us.
"Sigh, I did think she would do that," I muttered.
"Why me?" Amari groaned, her voice filled with raw anger.
"Don't know. We both could kill her easily; she's still quite the weak ass."
"How sure are you?" Amari asked, her voice dropping low.
"Heh, against me, she will always be weak," I said, scoffing.
"Right, you have that thing in her," Amari noted, nodding.
"Nope, we managed to remove it," I said, shrugging.
"What?" Amari's eyes went wide, shock flashing across her face.
"Yeah, I tried to kill her the other day, but nothing happened," I explained with complete nonchalance.
"She managed to get rid of it somehow," Amari muttered, tilting her head, confusion lacing her tone.
"Yes, but I'm sure they don't know how I put it in her exactly."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because she might be dumb, but she isn't dumb enough to get close to me again knowing I can just put it back with ease."
"Hmm."
"In any case, I have a thirty-minute fight scheduled, so I will go and prepare." I leaned forward and gave Amari a quick hug before standing.
"You need to get ready?" Amari asked sarcastically, raising a brow.
"Yeah, of course. I need to make sure my plan will work," I said, laughing.
"Sigh." Amari just shook her head before turning and walking away.
"Haha." My laugh lingered as I leaped from the roof, landing lightly on the next, then the next, until I dropped down into the slums.
I wonder how our fight will go. I mean, I know the Paladin class and everything, but they might have some unknown skills. Angels always have their little tricks.' I smiled more broadly at the idea of battling a new opponent.
"Pah, who am I kidding? They're going to be weak regardless of what happens and what they have prepared," I said aloud, laughing as my voice echoed down the alley.
Pulling my hood over my head, I slowed my steps, emerging from the shadows of the alley into the crowd. Wearing a mask and a hat, I transformed into an unknown figure, vanishing from the sight of anyone foolish enough to be watching me.
'I can't even have Mom know about my plan this time,' I thought darkly, sinking into anonymity.
[Stacy POV]
"Ahaah, why did you change it?" I said sharply, glaring at the king seated before me. My arms were crossed, and my foot tapped against the polished marble floor, my temper barely in check.
"I want Kitsuna to take care of all the angels first," the king said evenly, though I could see his jaw tightening.
"I understand that, but why did you not put Rachel in her group as well?" I pressed, not letting him brush me off.
"I don't know the reason for that," he admitted, glancing toward the minister at his side.
"Even the twins are in Kitsuna's group. Do you have that little faith in them?" I demanded, my voice sharp enough to make both men stiffen.
"Yes, I do. They are spoiled kids," the king said bluntly.
"You would be surprised how they've changed in the last month because of Kitsuna and Amari teaching them," I shot back, my glare hard.
"Sure, but I won't check everyone's power ranking every month," the minister said flippantly, waving a hand.
I narrowed my eyes and leaned forward. "You don't need to. You just have to ask. Must I remind you who has the strongest army in this country?" My words carried venom, and my glare pinned the minister like an insect.
"Stacy Draig, do not make me take that as a threat," the captain of the royal guard growled, his voice like steel.
"I am only pointing out that we are better in training than you royal guards are. Or should I remind you who created your special squad?" My voice cut through the room, the memory hanging heavy.
The captain flinched, lips pressing thin.
"...Haah, Stacy, please just accept the roster changes," the king finally said, shaking his head.
"Your Majesty, we are in the middle of a crisis, and everyone is doing their own thing. No one is planning together. Like seriously, don't you realize how bad that can get if we go down this path further?" I said, my voice steady and controlled but carrying the full weight of my conviction.
"...You have a point."
"Right. So please, let me take it from here. The Black Ops team and I will be more than enough to minimize the damage," I said, bowing slightly, though my eyes never left his.
"Minimize?" The king raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. If we had forced them to start their attack earlier, there would have been fewer casualties. As we know, the closer to the finale we get, the more people there will be in the city," I explained, my tone precise.
"Yes."
"Damn," the minister muttered, cursing under his breath.
"Yeah, you didn't think about that, did you?" I said, my stare locking on him like a predator's.
The silence that followed was thick, but the point had been made.
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Chapter 188:
"Yo yo yooooo! Welcome to the final stage of the under-16 tournament! I hope you all have your snacks and drinks ready for the first round of the final stage. Today, we have 8 matches for you to enjoy, filled with excitement and competition," the announcer said, pausing to give everyone some time to shout in excitement.
The arena echoed with the sound of stamped feet, rattling seats, and vendors shouting last-minute sales as they dashed up and down the aisles. Flags were waving, charms were glittering, and somebody behind me was already crying that they'd lost their ticket before the matches even started. Typical.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, there will be a small change in the schedule of fights. Since one of the first fighters will be a bit late, we will schedule that fight for the end of today. If you ask me, it's the best idea. The Crazy Fox will be at the end. It's going to be a positive ending for today. Oops, I shouldn't have said that out loud. Please disregard that comment, everyone, and let's proceed with the first match!"
"He blabbers on as always," I hummed, a little disappointed that I wouldn't be fighting first and getting it over with. The crowd noise washed over me and then past, like waves that couldn't quite reach shore. Being pushed to the end meant more waiting, more staring, and more people pointing and asking if I was "that" fox. I tugged my hood a fraction lower anyway.
"Dammit, dammit, I am not ready," a small dwarf muttered next to me, voice pitched low but not low enough to hide the panic crammed into every syllable.
I glanced down. He had the blocky sturdiness dwarves always carried, a face dusted with grit that wouldn't wash away even if you scrubbed him with a river, and hands that couldn't stay still-wringing, flexing, patting the haft of a hammer that looked far too big for his back. His braids were tight, his jaw was tighter, and sweat made a clean line down one temple.
"Are you fighting first now?" I asked, intrigued despite myself.
"Yes, dammit."
"Hmm, if I recall correctly, most of the first fights will be against angels, right?" I said this more to organize my thoughts than to engage in conversation.
"Yes, I am fighting against Sir Arthen," the dwarf said, looking up at me as if I'd be the one swinging the hammer in a minute.
"Sir?"
"It's his first name," the dwarf said, like a man swallowing a nail.
"Right." I dismissed the harmful naming convention before it infected me. I let my eyes flick back to the arena. The warding barrier shimmered faintly, a translucent shell over an oval of hard-packed earth that had already been repaired a dozen times this week and would need it a dozen more by nightfall. Up high, the announcer's booth glittered like a jeweled cage; opposite it, the judges' box sat quieter, colder, with their lenses and crystals and the long, thin quills they liked to scratch with when something offended them.
"You can use earth and wind magic, right?" I asked the dwarf, already knowing the answer from a glance at his stance and the faint smell of stone dust that clung to him even in a breeze.
"...Yes?" He looked wary of the question, like a kid being quizzed by a teacher holding a stick.
"Construct a large defensive wall while remaining hidden underground until he either lands or attacks the wall. Use ranged attacks against them. They might be stronger than most, but they are really dumb," I explained, sketching the pattern in the air with two fingers. My hand moved without thinking-raise, fold, twist-old movements learned the hard way.
"...Why?"
"I hate angels," I said, shrugging as if that were a perfectly scientific rationale, then turned on my heel and started toward the stands.
He blinked after me for a heartbeat, then looked down at his hands like the answer was hidden in his knuckles.
I pulled my scroll from a pocket as I walked. The sun flashed along its edge; the etched runes pinged my fingers with cool, eager light.
'I wonder if Amari is in the stands,' I thought, flicking the seal and calling her. The haptic tremor tickled my palm twice before she picked up.
"We're on the north side. Apricot is here," Amari said, and immediately ended the call.
"Sigh, she is really becoming like Mom," I laughed, stuffing the scroll away as I threaded into the flood of people. Lines of vendors drifted like shoals-skewers hissing, steam buns winking in bamboo baskets, shaved ice turning to glitter in wooden cups. The scent of fried dough and caramelized nuts tried to mug me on the stairs.
Not even five minutes later, I found them. Apricot had claimed three seats like a tiny general laying siege-bag in one, coat in another, legs flung across the third until she spotted me. She waved both arms with zero shame.
"Yo, Mom, come sit next to me," Apricot yelled. Heads turned. A handful of people looked from her to me and then back, like they were trying to line up a portrait with inadequate lighting.
"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" I said, ignoring the weird looks. If I glared at every single one of them, we'd be here all day.
"Nope, it's too fun," Apricot laughed, scooting aside and patting the seat. Her eyes were bright in that way that always made me suspicious she had a plan and I was a pawn in it.
"Come on, Kitsuna, it's not that bad," Amari said, leaning back with her ankle hooked over a knee, mouth tugging toward a smirk she pretended wasn't there.
"I don't really care too much about it," I said, shrugging. My tail betrayed me by thumping once against the seatback.
"Yeah, tell yourself that more until we believe you, alright?" Amari said mockingly.
"Sigh, whatever. Did the first fight start yet?" I dropped into the seat next to Apricot, which made her weirdly happy, and propped my boots against the bar in front of us.
"Any minute now. ""Oh, there they are, walking onto the stage," Apricot said, pointing with a paper cone of candied nuts. She popped one in her mouth without looking and nearly dropped the rest when the drumline under the arena burst into a rolling thunder to welcome the entrants.
"Hmm, it really is the dwarf fighting now," I muttered. He looked smaller out there in the open, swallowed by the low ring of the arena and the high wall of crowd noise. Sir Arthen-what a ridiculous title for a first name-descended on white wings I wanted to burn, sunlight winking on polished bracers, his short sword hanging at ease against his hip like a promise.
"Hey, Amari, who do you think will win this?" Apricot asked, tipping her head toward the floor but staring at Amari for the answer like a school test was on the line.
"Hmm, hard to say. It seems the dwarf is a mage." I'm not sure what element he uses, but considering his race, it is probably earth." Amari deduced, her eyes narrowing as they do when she builds outcomes like towers in her head.
"Well, he has two elements: wind and earth." "I don't know much about the angel, but he likely possesses some light magic or something similar because of his race," I said, leaning into the words just enough to mock her-playfully, of course. Mostly.
"Hey, I am not racist," Amari muttered, but the corner of her mouth gave her away.
"Sounded like that, hahaha," Apricot said around a mouthful, laughter spilling out anyway.
"Hey now," Amari said, nudging her. "So who do you guys think will win?"
"The dwarf," I said without pause. I could see the outlines of it-the patience, the dirt-sense, the way rock could carry vibration better than any wing ever could.
"Sadly, the angel," Amari said, shrugging. That statement caused me to turn and look at her.
"What? There is no way he will be able to win in long-range combat," she added, glancing at the glinting wings and the sword. She wasn't wrong about speed or maneuverability, but speed without thinking is just running in circles faster.
"Who said he is a close-range fighter? You even said he is a mage just now."
"No, fighters can use magic as well. I didn't say he is a mage." She pointed with her chin toward the dwarf. "However, he could still be a mage; just look at the giant hammer on his back."
"...Amari, don't always assume things from appearances," I said, returning my eyes to the arena just in time to watch the dwarf sprint at the angel with the hammer in hand like a man late for work and trying to catch the last carriage.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered, facepalming as a collective rumble of amusement went around the stands. A few dwarves three sections over started shouting in their tongue, but it was unclear whether they were offering encouragement or hurling insults. Insults? With dwarves, encouragement and insults often sound indistinguishable from each other.
"Hahaha," Apricot cackled at my reaction. Amari folded her arms and lifted her chin like she'd personally planned the charge and was proud of it.
The bell chimed, clean and cruel. The angel shifted his weight, and then he wasn't there, a puff of dust in his place. He reappeared a stride to the dwarf's left, a powerful cross snapping into the dwarf's jaw with the casualness of a greeting. The hammer whistled through the air, missed by a breath. Laughing, the angel's voice locked into the unsightly bracket of a smug mouth.
I felt the dwarf's world narrow-even from up here, you can always sense it when someone's tunnel vision starts. His swings came faster and wilder. He ate a knee in the ribs, winced, and swung again; the angel was punished the way a cat takes a bath-irritated at the existence of water.
'Sigh, I actually thought he would listen to me,' I thought, annoyance tightening into a knot behind my eyes.
"Haaagh!!" he roared suddenly. He planted his feet and slammed the hammer into the ground, and the earth answered. Fracture lines webbed out from the impact, and a collar of stone leapt up around him like a ring of teeth. The angel hopped back, eyebrows up.
Seizing the heartbeat he'd bought, the dwarf hurled his free hand forward. A tight shiver rippled the air. The ring of rocks didn't just fall; they flew-lifted by wind, spun by it, sharpened by grit, and sharpened by anger. They whistled through space like slung bullets.
One caught the angel square on the temple. The pop it made against his helm echoed nastily. He staggered, wings flaring to catch himself, eyes blinking hard, and mouth curling like he'd just tasted something bitter.
"Woah, he actually hit him," Apricot said, surprised enough that she lowered her snack.
"Augh!!" The angel's shout lost its lovely tone. He drove forward, wings digging for air, sword flashing free in an arc that promised to end the match in one neat, heroic frame. He crossed the final meter-and the dwarf vanished.
No, not vanished. The dwarf sank-knees, hips, shoulders-into earth like it had been water all along. In the same heartbeat, the ground bulged and closed. Over him, a dome of rock smoothed itself, the pieces sliding together with the slick sound of a giant kneading wet clay. It wasn't pretty; it was better. It was safe.
"Hmm, what is his plan now?" Amari asked, though there was less certainty in her voice.
The angel landed on the dome and tried to walk his weight forward in the practiced rhythm of a soldier storming a bunker. He took two steps before his boot heels jerked. He hissed, jerking up again. A dozen tiny stone spikes punched up from the dome's surface, no bigger than thorns but exactly where a foot's soft points would come down. He leaped, flared his wings, and hovered instead, a few white feathers spiraling away like surrendered flags.
"And now they are stuck in a stalemate," Apricot said, more annoyed than bored.
"I am not so sure about that, Apricot," Amari said, pointing up. The angel raised his palms. Light gathered, obedient and smug, coalescing into dozens of lances that hummed with the clean threat of sharp iron freshly honed.
"Yes, but that won't be able to break through the rocks," I added, eyes half-lidded.
"How sure are you about that?" Amari asked.
"The dwarf is on the ground rather than on the stage. That dome is 100% rock," I said with a grin. Not just a shell scraped off the floor-a plug pulled from the arena's bones and reshaped. No hollow thump, no fake topsoil. Solid. Dense. Home.
The angel's lances hissed downward. The first six hit and shattered, the sound like bells thrown down a well. The rest stitched bright holes into the dome's surface, but not deep; they bled light, not stone. The angel's mouth tightened. His wings beat; he circled; he set up for another volley from a different vector, like the angle would change the math.
'Hmm, does he know where the angel is, or is he waiting for the angel to make a move?' I hummed, half to myself, half to the pulse of mana under the arena. The dwarf had to be listening-cheek pressed against bedrock, breath slowed, hands spread. Rock carries everything-footsteps, wingbeats, the greedy kiss of light against stone. If he were patient, he would turn a fight into a trap.
'I mean, I know I asked the guy to do this, but he doesn't know where the angel is, so he can't do any counterattacks against him,' I told myself. Then I caught the faintest quiver, like a yawn before it happens. The dome sharpened.
Thousands of spikes punched outward from the rock in a single, blooming instant, like a porcupine deciding it had had enough of hugs. The spikes were short, dense, and ubiquitous, creating a bristling burst that struck the barrier with a sound reminiscent of rain on glass-if rain could bury itself a hand deep into a shield woven by nine arch-wardens. The barrier flared hard enough to tint the air blue. People in the front row jerked back instinctively, and one noblewoman shrieked in the register reserved for mice and sudden bills.
As for the angel, he shelled himself in light-shoulders, torso, head-instinctively protecting the places his training told him were important. He forgot his wings. Or rather, he remembered them half a second too late. The spikes chewed through feathers, then membranes, knitting themselves through the delicate structure like someone had fed silk to a sewing machine.
"Aaaugh!!" he screamed, a raw animal sound. Light flared, but pain made it stutter. He dropped, not gracefully, not with that smug little glide angels like to use when they want applause. He fell like something punctured, the way a wineskin collapses after a knife.
He hit the ground hard enough to pop dust up around him-hands first, then knees, then forehead as his balance betrayed him. Before he could push off-before training could click the next muscle memory into place-the ground answered the dwarf again. Spears of earth erupted in a neat, ugly geometry from the stage. One went through the angel's thigh. Another spear pierced the soft area above the hip. One took him under the jaw. The last blow struck him squarely in the eye.
The sound the crowd made wasn't cheering. It was that sharp intake the whole world takes when something breaks in a way it can't unbreak. The warden's barrier flickered and dimmed, then steadied-blood never does a shield any favors.
"Woah, I didn't see that one coming," Amari said, voice thinner than usual. "Actually, I am surprised by how brutal that ending was."
"Well, it worked, I guess," I muttered, shrugging. You can't call it elegant. But clean outcomes are for people who've never watched a friend bleed. The dwarf's dome softened, crumbled back into chunks, and then subsided into a flat. He rose from the earth at its edge, covered in dust and shaking just enough that his hammer rattled against his back when he breathed. He looked ten years older and two inches taller.
Across the arena, a team of clerics and judges rushed in under the barrier's permission rule, robes flashing, hands already glowing. Two of them slowed as they approached, their faces closing when they saw the angle of the spears. One knelt anyway, whispering a prayer that sounded more like an apology than a cure. The spears withdrew at a gesture from the head judge, the stone flowing back into itself like a tongue into a mouth. They covered the body with a plain gray sheet that always looks too thin.
"And the winner is the son of Raje, Cam. It was an incredible match, and we're just beginning!" the announcer boomed, his voice a notch softer, just enough respect to say he'd noticed the sheet. The crowd surged again-less thunder now, more waves. The dwarves three sections over were on their feet, pounding chests and railings, one old dwarf crying so hard he'd forgotten to pretend he wasn't.
The wardens fanned out. Ribbons of golden sigils floated down and stitched the stage back together. The spikes that had buried themselves in the barrier loosened and fell like dry seeds, pattering onto the arena floor to be swept up by invisible servants. In the judges' box, quills scratched again: a note for the record, a fine measured out, and a sanction added to the list for "excessive lethal force," which would be argued about for exactly sixteen minutes and then waived because this was the final stage and everyone had signed a line promising they understood what "final" meant.
"Hmm, well, the next match will only be after they fix the arena. "Would you like to go get some proper breakfast?" Amari asked, turning away first. The reliable thing about Amari is that she steps out of the blood a half-second before it turns into a memory.
"Sure," I said, standing and stretching until my shoulders popped. The announcer yelled something about a "brief intermission," a brass band tried to restart joy like a stubborn engine, and vendors rose in a fresh tide.
Apricot hopped up and looped her arm through mine before I could pretend to be taller than this seat row. "You're buying. I need a mountain of food so I can judge the next fight with moral authority."
"You don't get moral authority just because you're chewing," I said, letting her tow me into the aisle anyway.
"Says who?" She said this while scanning the stalls like a hawk circling chickens. "Ooh-look, meat pies. And those stuffed peppers. The sour cream buns with the jam in the middle were also a delight. And-"
"And water," I cut in. "Or you're going to claim you're sick every time somebody gets impaled."
"That was once," she sniffed, then added, "Fine. Two waters. One for you to pretend you're responsible."
We descended with the throng, a ribbon of bodies moving toward heat and grease and the easy relief of buying a thing with your hands. Behind us, the arena hummed back toward readiness, sigils dimming as the wardens finished their weave. I glanced over my shoulder once. The dwarf-Cam-hadn't left yet. He stood near the archway that led back into the competitors' tunnel, his head bowed, his hands wrapped around the hammer like he needed to feel the weight to remember he was still here. A steward touched his elbow and said something quiet. He nodded and went inside.
Apricot tugged. "Come on, Mom."
"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" I asked again, because it made her grin every time, and because I wasn't sure I wanted her to.
"Nope," she said, bright as a bell. "It's too fun."
Amari fell in step on my other side, her phone already open to the bracket again, her mind racing past breakfast and into the next fight, the next calculation. "Think they'll keep the angels bunched?" she asked me, eyes not leaving the screen.
"If they're smart, yes," I said. "If they're arrogant, also yes."
"That's not how that sentence is supposed to work," Apricot said, laughing.
"It is when you're talking about angels," I said, and then-because the line moved and the meat pies smelled like they'd been cooked by someone who believed in butter-I stopped thinking about angels at all for one perfect, greasy minute.
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chapter 189:
"Yoo yoo yooo!! We're at the last match of the day, and I think it will be the most fun and fastest!" The announcer yelled excitedly, his voice booming through the magical amplification crystal. The crowd answered with a roar, horns and drums thundering from the stands, vendors almost dropping their trays as the noise slammed across the arena.
"Hmm, not sure about that," Kayda muttered dryly from her seat at the VIP section, her voice cutting through like a knife even though she hadn't raised it much.
The announcer blinked and turned to look behind him, caught off guard, eyes wide as if he had just realized who had spoken. When he saw Kayda, his face twitched into a stiff smile. Then, deciding not to test his luck further, he spun back toward the crowd.
"Alright, can the contestants come to the arena!" he shouted, brushing off the interruption with forced cheer.
The response from the audience was deafening, a wall of sound shaking the arena walls. Banners rippled. Some chanted my name, some cursed it, and others shouted random bets at one another, their excitement carrying on the wind like sparks.
I stood up from my seat in the waiting chamber and checked my reflection in the long, polished mirror bolted to the wall. My attire wasn't anything fancy: a simple sports bra snug against my chest, baggy cargo pants with plenty of room to move, and my trusted boots that had seen more blood and mud than most soldiers did in their entire lives. My hair, black with streaks that shimmered faintly under the light, was tied back in a low ponytail to keep it out of my face.
However, it wouldn't make a difference if my hair got in my way.
I stretched once, cracked my knuckles, then nodded to myself. My reflection grinned back, sly and eager.
I walked out, stepping into the corridor that led to the arena. The chants grew louder as I passed under the archway, the torchlight flickering across the walls. My ears twitched as the announcer's voice once more rattled the very air.
I expected a strong-looking angel, something like Rachel, or at least one of those arrogant holy warriors with muscles big enough to flex at the crowd. But when I stepped onto the stage and looked across the arena, I saw him-scrawny, lanky, his armor polished but not lived in, his wings neat but unimpressive.
I almost laughed.
"Huh, I thought I would be fighting someone strong like Rachel. You look so weak," I said flatly, my irritation plain.
Surprisingly formal for someone about to face defeat, the angel offered a small bow. "Good evening, Madame Kitsuna."
My eyebrows lifted. "I see you came prepared to lose."
"The Saintess told me I didn't stand a chance," he said without hesitation. His voice carried no shame, no embarrassment. Just calm faith.
"Saintess?" I repeated, tilting my head.
"Yes, our godly Saintess came back to us last year after being missing for years," he said. The way his voice warmed when he said her title made me want to punch him already. The reverence in his eyes suggested that he would kneel and lick the dirt off her sandals if she asked him to.
"...haah. "I don't understand, but whatever," I muttered, shaking my head at his nonsense. I rolled my shoulders, loosening them, and then dropped into a stance. My arms raised, fists ready, body relaxed but sharp, like a blade waiting to cut.
I doubt he'll be strong enough for me to use weapons. The fight will be too easy.' The thought came arrogantly, but it felt right.
The angel straightened, squaring his shoulders. "Ah yes, they also said you might underestimate me." His tone was almost amused. He reached behind and pulled free a long lance, gleaming silver under the sun, along with a massive shield almost as tall as he was.
My eyes narrowed slightly. 'He seriously is a shield paladin?' It was a rare branch of the class tree, and while uncommon, they could be dangerous in their own ways. But his posture gave him away-he was still raw.
The announcer's voice boomed. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let the final fight of the day begin!!"
The bell rang, echoing sharp as steel.
On the very first beat, I slammed my right foot into the ground. Frost exploded outward, white smoke racing across the floor in a spreading cloud, masking my movement. The crowd gasped as my silhouette disappeared in the mist.
Breaking out of the haze right in front of him, I drove my fist toward his chest with the speed of a cannonball.
He reacted, though-his eyes flicked to me, and his massive shield snapped into place. My fist slammed into its surface, the thud echoing across the arena.
Grinning, I opened my palm against the metal, my other hand already pressing down from above. My boots dug into the stone, muscles twisting, and with a clean pivot I flipped the shield-and him-over my shoulder, slamming him into the ground with a crunch.
"Ugh," he grunted, the breath rushing out of him. His shield shifted slightly, and his lance shot forward through the gap like a snake.
I leaped back, boots skidding across the dirt, putting distance between us. He scrambled up, shield raised, lance ready.
'So he is a special paladin,' I thought, circling him slowly. His defense is standard for paladins. His speed... above average, but not remarkable. His offense? Still unknown. Too terrible I can't test that part properly.'
He muttered something under his breath, then raised his chin, his eyes not meeting mine but scanning, watching. His stance was tighter now, less sloppy.
I dashed again, a blur across the ground. His eyes narrowed, his lance pulled back. At the last moment he thrust, but I twisted just enough to let it scrape past me. My right hand snapped out, catching the shaft, ice crawling across it instantly. His eyes widened as frost bit his fingers, forcing him to release it.
The weapon clattered onto the ground. I kicked it away, sending it spinning far out of reach.
"You don't know how to use a lance, so don't use it," I said coldly.
He tightened his grip on his shield and roared, charging. With his shield swinging in my direction, his steps carved gouges in the ground.
I raised one hand, palm open, and stopped it.
"You also-" I started, but then the light flared.
The shield burst with holy energy, blasting outward in a wave that singed the air. I leapt up and over it, twisting as the shockwave tore across the floor. Dust and chunks of stone rattled against the barrier surrounding the arena.
"Don't underestimate me too much!" he shouted, some bravado creeping into his tone.
"Pfft. "You think too much of yourself," I said, voice amused as I blurred and appeared behind him. My hand landed on his shoulder.
His breath hitched. "Wha!" He swung his shield wide, panic making the arc sloppy. I ducked easily under it.
"Don't panic like that," I whispered, then drove my fist into his gut. His body folded over the blow, air leaving him in a strangled gasp. I followed with a headbutt that cracked against his helmet and sent him sprawling to his knees.
"Pah!" He coughed, struggling to breathe. His hands trembled. But then-
"Augh." he roared, golden mana exploding around him like a fire. His body trembled as his aura flared, eyes glowing faintly.
"Berserk?" I muttered.
He slammed a foot down, golden bursts of mana rippling outward. I swatted one aside with my hand. Another came-swat. Another-swat.
'With Kayda's mana training, the situation is child's play,' I thought. I can control the mana in the air, divert it, and tear it apart. Unless you're Amari— or Kayda-level, you'll never push through.'
More bursts came, but each time I brushed them away, like swatting flies.
"Using my tricks against me will never work," I said, my voice carrying clear over the crowd.
His teeth clenched. With a beat of his wings, he launched upward.
"Air fighting? You seriously think this will help you?" I tilted my head.
He didn't answer. He dived like an eagle, shield raised, body a bullet of gold and white.
"Are you losing sight of your opponent now?" I muttered.
I stepped to the side, let him streak past, then snapped my hand out, catching the back of his neck mid-flight. His momentum died with a sickening jerk.
"Yaa!" he yelped, the sound strange, broken, and almost pitiful.
Disgusted, I flung him aside, sending him tumbling.
"This is getting annoying," I said flatly.
I lifted my hand, shaping the mana into a familiar construct. A barrel of ice and steel formed in my grip, a hand cannon with glowing veins. The angel stared, confusion in his eyes, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain.
"Sorry, but you're getting boring." My finger curled.
Boom!
The shot thundered. The cannon's recoil shook the ground. The angel's head simply vanished in a red mist. His body crumpled, shield slipping free, wings twitching once before going limp.
The arena went silent.
Even the announcer's voice faltered. The crowd stared, breath caught.
"She was playing around this whole time?" a voice whispered from the stands.
Then, chaos. Shouts of outrage, cries of "wasted money," and boos mixing with scattered cheers. Some called my name; others cursed it.
"Not my problem," I muttered, turning. My boots crunched on the dirt as I walked out of the arena, the silence of the tunnel a relief after the chaos.
Around the corner, a familiar figure stood waiting. A cat-girl with her arms folded, her glare sharp enough to cut stone.
"Mom, what now?" I asked, scratching the back of my neck.
"Where have you been?" she demanded.
"Planning."
"What are you planning?"
"Don't worry about it. It will literally do nothing against your plans. I can assure you of that," I said, raising a brow, hoping she wouldn't push.
"Can you now? And what are my plans?" Mom asked, one eyebrow arched, daring me.
"Well, the roster changes have ruined ninety percent of your plans," I sarcastically remarked, causing her glare to intensify.
"Moreover, I had hoped to engage in a battle with Rachel today." I mean, I didn't even see her the whole day," I added, trying to deflect.
"That's because she is scheduled to fight Amari tomorrow morning," Mom said, her voice softening slightly, though worry lingered there, as it always did.
"Hmm. So I'm here to get rid of all the fodder?" I asked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, it seems so. Or for them to find out how strong you really are," Mom said, shrugging.
"Sigh, how annoying," I muttered. But I wasn't frustrated. If anything, I was amused.
The game had only just begun.
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Chapter 190:
"So Amari is going against Rachel first? Did you talk to her about it?" I asked, glancing at Mom, who was standing next to me in the arena stands. The morning sunlight poured through the high arches, glinting off the barrier that sealed the fighting ground. The smell of dust and anticipation filled the air, mingling with the distant cries of vendors hawking snacks to restless nobles.
"Yes, we had a brief discussion about how she should not let her emotions control her actions," Mom said, settling herself into her seat with the kind of calm that came from experience, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.
"You think she's going to mop the floor with her," I said thoughtfully. There was no arrogance in the words-just a quiet observation. I knew how powerful Amari had become, how rigorously she had trained.
"...I don't know. A lot can happen in half a year," Mom admitted after a pause, folding her arms and leaning back.
"Yes, that's true. But both of them changed a lot in the last half year," I reminded her. My voice carried a note of quiet conviction. "She participated in a raid the other day that significantly increased her level."
"Amari should win," Mom said finally, her tone returning to the certainty of a commander making a call.
Just then the announcers entered their booth above the arena. The crowd erupted, stomping and clapping. Trumpets blared, and banners were raised, their crests fluttering in the wind.
"Ah, it seems like it's going to start," I said, raising my eyes to the booth.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Isn't it a good day for some blood and fights?" The first announcer bellowed, his voice magically amplified so it rattled the air.
"This guy is getting annoying," I muttered, while Mom let out a short grunt in agreement.
"First up, we have the all-lovable Saintess competing against the child killer, Amari Draig! Will justice win, or will the murderer keep on killing?!" The second announcer cried dramatically, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. His words drew murmurs from the audience, some jeering, others shouting Amari's name. I saw his partner glare at him from the corner of his eye, clearly annoyed at his choice of words.
"Where is Kayda?" I asked, realizing the other announcer wasn't her but some angel-loving replacement.
"She will be on the arena floor to make sure what happened before doesn't happen again," Mom explained, her tone grim.
I sighed. "And you don't think this will put a lot of pressure on her?" I glanced down at the arena, watching Amari enter from one side and Rachel from the other.
"Nah, she'll be fine," Mom waved me off, but the slight hesitation in her voice made me question whether she even believed her words.
'Sometimes I just don't know what she's thinking,' I thought, tapping a clawed finger against my thigh. My throat felt dry, so I reached into my storage.
"Hey, give me one as well," Mom said, holding out her hand without even looking.
"Sure?" I said, pulling out two cans and tossing one to her. She caught it effortlessly and popped it open, the hiss of escaping fizz barely audible over the crowd's roar.
"Kitsuna," she said after a sip, "can you please clarify what your backup plan is?"
"...It's to make them underestimate me," I answered simply, eyes still on the arena. I avoided her gaze on purpose.
"Oh, alright. I guess you will use that."
"Hmm, that might be good too. Alright, I will have that in mind at the time," Mom said, and I caught the faintest edge of approval.
"Yeah, I'm also busy leveling up," I added with a smirk.
"Where are you leveling up?" she asked immediately, narrowing her eyes.
"That I'm not going to say."
"Fine." She took another sip, watching the fighters prepare. "Ah, there are Kayda and Amari."
My gaze followed hers. "Hmm, why is Rachel dressed like that?" I asked. She was clad in heavy armor that shimmered faintly with enchantments, her movements slower but deliberate.
"Full magic resistance armor?" Mom guessed, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah, I doubt that will work," I scoffed, shaking my head.
Looking down at the arena, I saw Kayda standing between them, arms folded, lips moving as she spoke. Surprisingly, I couldn't hear anything despite the amplification runes. A sound barrier. My eyes flicked up to Mom.
"Kayda didn't put up a barrier," Mom said, handing me her scroll.
"What do you mean-" I started, but she tapped the screen. A direct feed.
"What do you mean this is all part of evolution, Rachel!" Amari's voice rang sharp from the device.
"Amari, you won't understand if I explain it like this. I must show you the way," Rachel replied calmly as she unsheathed a broadsword that glimmered faintly in the light.
"Seriously, I can't understand you anymore. We were such wonderful friends not even a year ago. Why?" Amari's voice cracked, pain flickering through her words.
"Why? Amari, you showed me where I belonged. The Draigs took me away from my rightful place when I was younger," Rachel said, her voice laced with conviction.
"What? Is it now a revenge story?" Amari expressed her feelings with incredulity and disappointment.
"A saintess will never harbor hate, even in revenge. I do not hate the Draigs," Rachel said, smiling serenely, as if her words made any sense.
"Then what is all this? Why invade?" Amari's question made me sit forward slightly.
"Invading? No. We are liberating this kingdom," Rachel said firmly.
Mom let out a grunt beside me.
"Liberating? "Could you please clarify if you fully understand what you're expressing?" Amari tilted her head, eyes narrowing.
"Of course I do."
"No, no, you don't realize what you are doing. It's been like this for years with you. You always jump into things without fully considering the consequences, acting impulsively instead of thinking things through," Amari said, a small smile playing on her lips despite the heaviness in her tone.
Rachel's expression hardened. She suddenly dashed forward, her broadsword whistling as it arced toward Amari's waist.
Kayda stepped back, letting them clash.
Amari, without even flinching, caught the sword with her bare left hand. The steel screeched against her skin but didn't cut. Her grip tightened.
"Thank you for proving my point. Rachel, did you forget who my mother is?" Amari asked coldly, glaring down at Rachel, who was straining to pull the blade free.
"Let go!" Rachel snapped, her composure finally cracking.
"Sure." Amari smirked, coating her right hand in mana before slamming a palm into Rachel's stomach. The blow sent Rachel flying several meters back, skidding across the dirt, her sword tumbling from her hands.
"Oh, they really are quite resistant to magic," Amari said, eyeing the untouched armor.
"So it cancels magic?" I asked, glancing sideways at Mom.
"Yeah, but it also means Rachel can't use her light magic," Mom said, her tone cutting with practicality.
I facepalmed. "Hmm, so Amari should win this before Rachel removes her armor."
"Yes, but then Amari can't go all out with her magic. They're in a stalemate right now," Mom explained.
"Hah, not really. This is your daughter," I scoffed.
"...right?" Mom asked, not sounding as convinced.
Down below, Amari pulled out two daggers. "Alright, let's do this the hard way, Rachel."
"Heh, as if you, a sage, can use those," Rachel yelled, snatching her sword back and charging again.
"Yeah, but then again, I am a Draig," Amari replied smoothly, her daggers spinning in her grip. She easily deflected Rachel's clumsy swing and drove a blade into her arm.
"Ugh," Rachel groaned, clutching the wound. She slammed her free hand into the ground, a shockwave of light magic bursting outward. Amari leapt back, avoiding it.
In midair, Amari conjured several glowing orbs of raw mana and hurled them down like stars. They pelted Rachel, forcing her to stagger and block without any chance to counterattack.
"Why is she just using mana without any element?" I asked, intrigued despite myself.
"Elements won't work at all against resistance armor. But mana might slip through eventually. It's also cheaper to use," Mom explained, and I realized she was right.
"Ah, I see. I didn't know that."
"Now shut up and let them go on," she snapped.
Rachel lunged again, her moves increasingly desperate. Amari sidestepped, her daggers flashing. In a fluid motion, she slashed down and severed Rachel's arm.
"Aaagh!!" Rachel screamed, collapsing to her knees as blood splattered the dirt.
"Give up," Amari said flatly, eyes sharp.
"I would never!" Rachel shouted, staggering back. Light erupted from her wound, reshaping bone, sinew, and flesh. Within moments, her arm had regrown, whole again.
"Of course," I muttered.
Rachel lifted her new arm and unleashed dozens of light spears. Amari calmly raised a shimmering barrier, the attacks clattering harmlessly against it.
"You are still as weak as ever," Amari said coldly. She closed the distance in a blink, blades poised for the finishing strike.
"And the winner is Amari Draig!!" The announcers suddenly cried in unison, cutting the fight short. The crowd gasped, confused.
Kayda had stepped in, standing between them.
"What is the meaning of this?" Rachel demanded, panting, her eyes wide with frustration.
"Rachel, it seems your parents have withdrawn you from the competition," Kayda said evenly, her hand resting on Amari's shoulder to calm her down.
Rachel's face smoothed into serenity far too quickly. "I see. With an eerie calm, she said, "Until next time, Amari."
Her tone made me shudder.
"I'm going. The next few fights don't mean much to me," I said, standing up.
"Isn't it Katie next?" Mom asked.
"No, she's just before Zagan's fight. Don't worry, we'll be watching those two," I said with a nod.
"Have we even seen Zagan in the last few days?" I added as we walked.
"I found him, and he'll be showing up. Don't worry," Mom said, her voice holding that tone that made it clear she wasn't telling me everything.
A few minutes later, we entered Amari's changing room. She was sitting on the bench, toweling her face, her expression taut with frustration.
"Why did they back off like that?" she asked immediately, eyes flashing as she looked at us.
"I don't know," Mom admitted, her gaze scanning her daughter critically as if searching for unseen injuries.
"They most likely realized you were about to cut her armor apart before finishing the fight," I said, shrugging.
"Tsk, I thought I was masking that part," Amari muttered.
"You weren't doing it enough," Mom said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, well, with them calling her a Saintess and all... Breaking her equipment was probably the only way I could humiliate her," Amari grumbled, tossing the towel aside.
"We understand," I said, my tail flicking once behind me.
The room settled into a heavy silence, but we all knew this wasn't over-not with Rachel.
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chapter 191:
[VIP Lounge — Arena Overlook]
"So it's Katie now, right?" I asked, glancing sideways at Kayda while we sat in the plush chairs of the lounge, the wide window giving us a commanding view of the arena below. The crowds outside our insulated room were a sea of noise, muffled to little more than background hums thanks to the enchantments built into the glass.
"Hmm, yes," Kayda said simply, arms folded under her chest as her crimson eyes lingered on the stage.
"Right, so what do you want to talk about? I mean, you were quite insistent that we need our own VIP room." I asked, reaching over to grab her hand as if to coax her into loosening up.
She pulled it back almost instantly, glaring at me with that sharp look that always made me feel like she was seconds away from calling me out. "Yeah, so what's your plan?"
"Hehe, of course you would realize, but don't say it, okay? And sorry, but I can't say too much myself." I leaned back in my chair with a chuckle, deliberately lounging like I didn't have a care in the world, though the truth was far from it.
"So what's the end goal of this plan?"
"I guess the end goal of this plan is to get looked down upon." I shrugged, as if that explained everything.
"They already do," Kayda said, shaking her head with a scoff.
"We don't know whether they know or not, Kayda. I mean, we had quite several leaks last year. I prefer not to rely solely on chance." I shifted my gaze back to the arena just as Katie and her opponent walked up to the stage, both of them radiating pressure even from this distance.
"Another paladin?"
"Hmm, yes, quite a high-level one at that," I replied, tilting my head as I observed his armor, his posture, and the way he carried his shield as though it were part of his body.
"Ah, she is still using my claymore, nice." I pumped my fist with pride, my chest warming at the sight of that massive blade gleaming under the arena lights.
"Of course she would. That thing is as close to a demigod sword as you can get," Kayda said, her tone making it sound obvious, like it was barely worth praising.
"Pfft, that thing isn't even close to the real thing, Kayda." I chuckled, shaking my head. "A real demigod sword? That's an entirely different level. The stat boosts alone, the way the weapon bonds with you, the abilities... That claymore doesn't even scratch the surface."
"I know. That's why I said, as close as you can get," Kayda corrected smoothly.
"Want one too?" I asked slyly, already calculating in my head what kind of weapon set she'd suit.
She gave me the most unimpressed look she could muster. "I'm a mage genius. What would I do with a weapon?"
"Close-range combat," I said without missing a beat, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Kayda deadpanned. "Thousands of spells. No need. But... Build me a catalyst that can handle all my magic, and I'll consider it." She gave me a sharp side glance, and although her expression was unreadable, the gleam in her eyes revealed that she was baiting me.
"Is that a dare?" I arched an eyebrow.
'It's not impossible, but catalysts are made out of monster parts, and there's a reason for that. Whatever monster part you use, its nature bleeds into the weapon-its instincts, its abilities. It all depends on the monster. But what would happen if I made one out of my ice? Could it even be done? A thought for another time.'
"Sure, why not? "Now be quiet; the fight is about to start." Kayda lifted her hand to silence me.
"Let the fight begin!" The announcer's voice boomed across the arena, and the crowd erupted into cheers as both fighters lunged forward.
The paladin surged at Katie with his shield raised high, wings flicking for balance.
Katie responded with a high swing, her claymore whistling through the air as she brought it down toward him with brutal force.
He caught the blow with his shield, but his knees buckled, the sheer strength behind Katie's swing catching him off guard. His jaw clenched as he fought against her pressure.
Katie didn't relent. She pivoted sharply and launched a kick toward his chest, aiming to crush his stance. But the angel's wings flared, a sudden gust of air carrying him backward just in time. Katie's foot cut through space, though she didn't let the miss go to waste. Even as her leg extended, her free hand gestured, summoning three water javelins that shot past her in a deadly follow-up barrage.
The paladin twisted midair, wings beating hard. Miraculously, he managed to avoid all three spears, his shield snapping back into position as he prepared for Katie's next swing. But each time she struck, he staggered a little more, forced back under the sheer physicality of her blows.
"Oh, the combo attacks are in full swing today!" I grinned, leaning forward, excitement sparking through me at how well Katie was performing despite her mage background.
"Yes," Kayda said simply, but I noticed the small curve of her lips.
The paladin, realizing he couldn't keep up on the ground, shot higher into the air, wings unfurling in full.
Katie, unbothered, spread her arms wide, and water burst forth across the arena floor, flooding it with a shimmering layer.
"Hmm, she is doing the same as Amari; it's quite obvious what she is intending to do with that water," I remarked, noting the tactical similarity to yesterday's match.
"Yes, but then again, water is her thing," Kayda replied, her tone making it clear she found the repetition excusable.
'Amari is more impressive than Katie,' I admitted silently, comparing the two in my mind. Amari had a flair Katie didn't yet match.
High above, the paladin discarded his shield and conjured three radiant lances of light, hurling them down like meteors. Katie countered instantly, flinging her projectiles. The resulting collisions detonated into bursts of steam and smoke, shrouding the arena in a foggy haze.
Katie surged upward through the smokescreen, riding a jet of water like a launchpad. In a blink, she was above him, claymore raised in a vicious arc.
The angel dodged, wings straining, and retaliated with another volley of light.
Katie crossed her claymore in front of her, deflecting the blasts, but the lack of footing in midair dragged her back down. She landed with a splash in the water below, looking up at him with growing irritation.
He grinned back at her, taunting, and hurled another series of light lances. The crowd gasped at the back-and-forth, the fight descending into a frustrating stalemate. Katie couldn't keep him pinned, and he couldn't hit her cleanly.
Sweat trickled down both their brows. The paladin's wingbeats grew sluggish-angels couldn't fly indefinitely. At the same time, Katie's mana reserves weren't bottomless' Obviously,
'Obviously I would have done the job differently,' I thought. 'Make the air violent, strip him of control, force him down. And the ground only needed about three centimeters of water, not the knee-deep mess Katie just created. Efficiency, Katie, efficiency.'
"Katie won," I said casually, already predicting the inevitable outcome.
And indeed, as the cycle repeated, Katie shifted her focus. Instead of going for the angel's body, she slashed at his wings. He didn't expect it. Her blade carved through one, then the other, severing feathers and flesh.
He fell, his scream cut off as he crashed into the pool of water below. The water welcomed him like a mother's embrace-before turning into his grave. He thrashed, bubbles frothing to the surface, but Katie held the water firm around him, drowning him with cold efficiency.
Katie landed beside him, her expression calm, unmoved by the life draining out of her opponent beneath the surface.
"She really was done with him, drowning him with that amount of brutality," I laughed, more amused than horrified.
"I think she learned that from you," Kayda said, blinking at the ruthlessness on display.
"Are you saying I am a bad influence?" I asked, feigning shock, hand to my chest.
"..."
"Well, Zagan is next." I switched topics smoothly, unwilling to give her the satisfaction.
"Yeah, we can finally see what that other kid can actually do," Kayda mused, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"You will be on the field with them," I reminded her, referencing Amari's fight.
"No, they weren't happy with me on the field with Amari and Rachel, so they banned that."
"Ah, I see. Do you think Zagan will actually fight?"
"Ah well, he should be good enough."
"What?"
"Dean stepped in to get him on the right track."
My eyebrow shot up. "Seriously?" Dean wasn't the type to interfere so directly. Stacy usually acted first; Dean followed up. While he participated in Black Ops work, he spent most of his time immersed in paperwork.
"Yeah, he said he had enough shit with the brat," Kayda said with a shrug.
"Damn, I should get some lessons from him."
"That's the smartest thing you've said in your life." Kayda smirked.
"What!! That was not needed." I shot her an indignant glare.
[20 minutes later.]
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen! We have finally reached the end of the day with the final fight!" The announcer's voice whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
"Now come in, contestants. Logan and Zagan...!"
The roar of the crowd nearly shook the arena walls.
Zagan entered first, his face composed, his stride steady. I almost didn't recognize him. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, his movements sharp and deli It's good to see that.
"Good, he is using my swords as well." I leaned forward, a pleased smirk tugging at my lips.
'I'm glad he is using my swords; they should be stronger than Katie's,' I thought, nodding.
"What did Dean do?" I muttered aloud.
"Who knows?" Kayda said, shrugging again.
"Damn, I should get some lessons from him," I repeated, shaking my head.
"That's the smartest thing you've said in your life," she quipped again, this time with a smirk that pushed me over the edge.
"What!! That was not needed." I shouted, glaring at her.
"Let the fight begin."
Logan, the other contestant, finally came into focus. Long blond hair cascaded down his shoulders, his green eyes burning with confidence. His aura radiated divine magic, shimmering faintly around him like a second skin.
The instant the announcer gave the signal, Logan thrust out his hand, divine magic surging forward in a wave.
Zagan scoffed and dropped into his shadow. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Logan's eyes widened. He spun, confused, searching-
And then Zagan emerged behind him, blade already swinging. The edge cut through Logan's neck like silk, so fast the crowd didn't even react at first.
Silence crashed over the arena.
Even Kayda blinked.
"Seriously?" I muttered.
Zagan wiped his blade clean with calm precision and turned away.
One move. One cut. He didn't even have a bead of sweat on his brow.
"Something isn't right," I whispered, my gaze narrowing as Logan's body remained eerily upright, a faint glow clinging to it.
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chapter 192
"Seriously, the fight is already over just like that." I said, narrowing my eyes at Logan's body as it started turning into light. For a heartbeat, the crowd was silent, their cheers caught in their throats as they watched the angel dissolve like mist into the air. A few gasps rang out, but most assumed it was the clean end to the duel, a decisive one-cut victory from Zagan that fit the calm arrogance he carried.
However, just as Zagan was about to walk away with his blade lowered at his side, a sudden crack split the air. A gunshot. The bullet slammed into Zagan's side with such force it hurled him backward, dragging a sharp grunt of pain from his lips. He tumbled across the wet arena floor, his blood staining the shallow water Katie had left behind.
I froze. My eyes snapped back to the stage. Not at the dissolving body-but at the other Logan. The real one. Standing smugly to the side, which I hadn't even noticed until now.
"Hahaha, did you really think I would lose that easily?" Logan yelled, his voice booming through the arena with laughter that grated in my ears. His blond hair gleamed under the stadium lights, his posture cocky, like someone who had already written the ending of the fight.
Zagan's surprise lasted only a moment before his narrowed eyes hardened. He flicked his wrist, conjuring half a dozen orbs of black mana that shrieked across the water as they flew toward Logan.
'Hmm, what just happened?' I thought, confusion twisting in my chest. My gaze shifted instinctively to Kayda. Even she, who rarely showed more than calm interest, had narrowed her eyes, her expression sharpened to something closer to suspicion.
"They said he had a buff class, right?" I asked, not liking the way Logan had shrugged off death itself.
"That is what we presume, seeing his actions in the battle royal a few days ago," Kayda said, finally tearing her eyes from the fight to glance at me.
"I understand; it seems that could be the case." I stopped short of finishing my sentence. My mouth closed firmly. Saying it aloud would be acknowledging too much.
"Might be what?" Kayda pressed, her tone clipped with annoyance, like she could smell the half-truths on my tongue.
"He's not just casting buffs-he's running them on himself. Constantly." I said it flat, my eyes never leaving Logan.
"That's a lot of mana usage," Kayda noted, one elegant brow lifting.
"Yes, but you can train mana and get skills to boost your mana efficiency. "That's not too difficult; I even possess one myself." I leaned back slightly, my jaw tightening. This Logan kid wasn't just talented-he was dangerous. Definitely another reincarnation.
With the sort of games we had on Earth, the endless novel systems, and the fanfictions people wrote about cheats and stacked builds, there were hundreds of ways to twist mechanics into absurd strength. Logan had simply implemented one of those methods here. He wasn't the only one either-the twins in the royal family were already pushing similar boundaries with their experiments. And me? I experimented occasionally, but because my mana reserves were so vast, I rarely worried about efficiency.
"Are you saying he is able to keep buffs on himself with a small amount of mana usage?" Kayda said, not surprised so much as mildly curious, like she'd already filed the possibility away for future use.
"Yeah, it's not that surprising. The twins do the same when they work on their projects."
"They indeed do," Kayda said, nodding as the memory tugged at her. "That month-long ordeal... It explains a lot."
"Hopefully they never make it public. It will only disrupt daily life. Ugh, that sounds so bad." I grimaced at my words.
"Hmm, so you're saying our world has been using skills wrongly?" Kayda asked thoughtfully, her voice like she was already theorizing ten new applications.
"No, you just didn't think of using it in other ways. But with time comes change. However, I am still frustrated with you. Let's just watch this fight." I said, deliberately dismissing her musing before she could try to drag me into some magical ethics debate.
Refocusing my eyes on the fight, I witnessed Zagan's body colliding with the ground as a spray of water blasted him backward once more. Logan's defenses once again prevented Zagan from breaking through.
Standing tall, Zagan glared at Logan, blood dripping down his cheek but his eyes defiant.
Logan grinned, arrogance radiating off him like heat. He started walking-not rushing, not even posturing with strength-just walking. The casual, unhurried steps belonged to someone who thought himself untouchable.
"Hey, teacher, you seem out of your depth here. Why don't you surrender?" Logan mocked, his smile too knowing, too sharp.
"So you really are one of my kids," Zagan muttered, his voice rough.
I cringed. That phrasing... ugh.
"Pah, your kids? Since when have I been involved with your kids? Logan shouted, spitting venom like it had been festering inside him for years.
Zagan lowered his head, his expression unreadable, and shook it once.
"I heard that Shiro guy got genderbent just like you. If I recall correctly, his name now is Kitsuna? She must be a sexy, busty chick, seeing as so many people talk about her looks."
My whole body stiffened. What the hell did he just say?
Zagan raised an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed.
"Hahah, that fox is no looker, sadly for you, and also she is already taken," Zagan said with a dry laugh, waving off the jab.
"Gross, I don't want anything to do with some fox woman," Logan spat on the ground, but the twitch in his face betrayed him. He looked more disappointed than disgusted.
'Bruh, seriously,' I thought, disgust rising hot in my chest.
"Oh, you looked like you might have fallen in love with her or something. "I must warn you that her partner is very possessive and not someone you want to anger," Zagan teased with a grin.
"Hey, I am not that possessive!!" Kayda suddenly burst out, her face blooming red. She slapped her hands on the armrest and leaned forward, practically shouting.
Her outburst startled me so much my ears rang.
"That was loud," I muttered, wincing as I covered one ear.
Her expression faltered, worry seeping into her features as she turned to me. "Sorry, are you okay?" She reached to hold my head gently, her touch featherlight but insistent.
"Yes, I should be fine," I said, pushing her hand away, eager to keep my eyes on the fight rather than on her flustered embarrassment.
"Pah, I don't care at all," Logan said dismissively before raising his hand again. A dozen light spells formed instantly and shot at Zagan, who dodged with fluid grace.
"He really seems to be back to his usual self, doesn't he? Amari must be happy," I noted, watching how Zagan moved-confident, calculating, almost like the Zagan from before his slump.
"She probably is," Kayda agreed softly.
Zagan gained ground with each dodge, closing the gap between himself and Logan.
"It's a trap," I sighed.
As Zagan neared, ready to strike, the arena erupted in brilliance. Multiple light lances impaled him from every angle, piercing shoulders, thighs, and sides-but pointedly missing his vitals.
"Oh, that's got to hurt," I muttered, knowing the cruelty in it. Not fatal. Just enough to drag out suffering.
Logan grinned, arrogance dripping as he strolled forward. He crouched and grabbed Zagan's head by the hair, yanking it up and forcing a grunt of pain.
"Tsk, tsk, Teach, you really are pathetic. If it weren't for the Draigs getting you into this fight, you wouldn't even have gotten this far," Logan said, mock pity dripping from every word. He clapped Zagan's face slowly, insultingly.
Zagan's lips curved into a grin, sudden and sharp. His blade flashed upward, cutting Logan's face clean in half from jaw to brow. Blood sprayed-yet in an instant, the flesh knitted back together, leaving not even a scar.
But healing didn't erase pain. Logan's scream tore across the arena.
"Agh, bitch!" Logan staggered back, clutching at his face, eyes wide with fury as he let go of Zagan.
"How long ago did the barrier reverse?" I asked Kayda, my eyes narrowing.
"Quite some time, why?"
"Hmm, I see," I murmured. I stood, stepping forward, and in the blink of an eye, I teleported down to the arena beside the two.
"Zagan is surrendering, which means you did a great job and won." I appeared in front of Logan, extending my right hand toward him as if congratulating him.
"What! No, he doesn't. Who the hell are you even?" Logan snapped, glaring at me.
"Shiro," I said, staring him down with a neutral face.
His eyes widened. "What, you seriously got genderbent and turned into one hot-ass chick?" His gaze swept over me, and I felt my glare sharpen to daggers.
"Hmm, as Zagan said, I am taken, not sorry, and I really don't want a jealous dragon on my hands. Not that I will ever think of being with a man, as the idea itself makes me want to commit suicide. So please, as the fight is over, can you leave the arena, as Zagan will need some healing?" I gestured at the exit.
"Heh," Logan scoffed, but he turned, walking away.
I slapped my hand against the light lances pinning Zagan, shattering them. His body collapsed into the water, his teeth gritted in pain but a grin tugging at his lips.
"Was that needed, Kitsuna?" Zagan asked with a bitter laugh.
"You made Amari cry for two days," I replied coldly, just as I felt a storm of spells surge toward my back.
"Sigh, seriously." I turned casually, releasing a wave of mana that unraveled Logan's barrage mid-flight, dispersing them into harmless sparks.
Logan's eyes went wide.
I raised my hand, forming it into the shape of a handgun and aiming at him.
'I can't just end it here,' I thought, watching as movement stirred at the edge of the arena. A white figure sprinted toward us-toward Logan.
An angel captain, judging by the stripes across his armor, thrust himself between Logan and me, wings flaring.
"Sorry, ma'am, he is just a child with a temperament," the angel said firmly, shielding Logan with his body.
"You do realize what he just did, right?" I said, my glare fixed on him.
"Yes, and I would like to take his punishment instead of him; he is but just a child after all." No apology, just arrogance in his calm voice.
"Hey Morg, don't say shit like that," Logan snapped, trying to shove him aside.
"I see. Are you sure you want to take his punishment?"
"Yes-bang! -AUGH." His scream tore through the stadium as his eyes and mouth ignited, white fire searing him from within. He collapsed, writhing, before finally falling limp, his body twitching as shallow breaths remained.
"What did you do?!" Logan yelled, horror flickering across his face as he knelt beside the angel.
"Nothing much; he should wake up in a few hours," I said coolly, stepping past them. I cast a glance over my shoulder. "And don't think this barrier will be of any assistance."
Logan's confusion was almost comical.
I turned away, dragging a half-healed Zagan with me. His weight was heavy, but his grin hadn't faltered despite the pain.
"I owe you a big one, Zagan. Thanks to you, I've tested my new bullet." I laughed, my voice echoing as we left the arena behind.
"What?" Zagan muttered, not comprehending my words, his eyes slipping half-shut.
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Chapter 193: I Broke an Angel and All I Got Was This Lousy Wing
"So since when could you destroy souls?" Mom asked sternly, her eyes narrowing as she leaned against the wall, arms crossed like she was interrogating a war criminal. The quiet hum of mana wards in the room seemed louder with the weight of her question, like even the walls leaned in to hear my answer.
I shrugged without looking up. "Since forever. I have demon mana, after all." My tone was flat and deliberately dismissive, but inside, I could already feel her glare digging holes into my skin.
She pushed off the wall and stepped closer, her boots clicking softly against the marble. "You do realize you just gave yourself an even bigger target." Her voice was sharp enough to cut.
"Not really." I let out a bored sigh and picked at the scuffed edge of my gauntlet, pretending the dull scratch on the metal was infinitely more interesting than her words. "I only damaged his soul a little. It's not like they know I can destroy it completely. And anyway..." I gave a sharp exhale through my nose. "This tournament's been boring as hell. Might as well add some spice."
Mom's eyes softened just a fraction, but her arms stayed crossed. "Why did you even make a spell like that? And don't say, 'Because I could.' It looked effortless-dangerously so."
I looked up, actually surprised. "Wait... seriously? You don't know why I made it?"
She frowned, confusion flickering behind her stern gaze. "No. Why? What the hell would make you want to destroy a soul entirely? Hurting them is bad enough. Didn't Kayda talk to you about this?"
I scoffed, my jaw tightening as I leaned forward. My voice dropped, colder now, carrying weight. "To make sure monsters like my father don't get another shot. I'm not risking him reincarnating, not ever. Souls like that? They need to end."
The silence that followed was heavy. The kind that pressed on your chest. For a moment, it was like she didn't even breathe.
Then finally, Mom exhaled. "...Right. Fine. Just... don't overuse it." Her tone wasn't approval but reluctant acceptance.
I smirked faintly. "I won't. That's what Kayda's for-keeping me in check."
She gave me a knowing look, sharp but almost amused. "She did tell me about the spell, by the way."
I tilted my head, eyebrows raised. "Oh?"
"She didn't want to, but you scared the crap out of her when you almost erased someone mid-yawn."
I snorted, breaking into a laugh. "Whoops."
Shaking her head, Mom finally eased her stance, though her gaze stayed watchful. "So... has Zagan talked to Amari yet?"
I slouched deeper into my seat, stretching my legs out. "Nope. Last I heard, he locked himself in his room again."
"I hope that fight wasn't just a fluke," Mom said, brushing her bangs back with a sigh that sounded more like frustration than worry.
I shrugged. "I doubt it. Dean said that Zagan just needs time to sort out his feelings."
I arched my brow at her. "What, like years of time?"
"I hope it won't take that long," Mom said, her voice tightening. "Amari's not going to wait around forever. Most nobles lock down their matches in the academy. And you two are heading there next year, remember?"
"Ugh, yeah..." I groaned, leaning my head back against the chair like it had personally betrayed me. "That's coming up."
She smirked faintly. "Well, your grandmother runs the place. No transferring out."
"Tsk. Total waste of time."
"It's also a great place to level," she added flatly, the practicality in her tone leaving no room for argument.
"I could just sneak into the Dead Forest and do it there," I muttered under my breath, already bracing for the incoming scolding.
Her sharp look landed like a dagger. "No. You're not ready for that place."
"...Riiight~," I replied, dragging out the word and rolling my eyes with a grin.
"I'm serious," she warned, her voice carrying that weight only mothers could pull off-the one that rooted itself in your bones.
"I am taking it seriously... just selectively," I added cheekily, flashing her a grin. "Anyway, why hasn't my match started yet?"
Mom tilted her head slightly. "Good question."
I glanced at the clock mounted high on the wall. "They probably forfeited."
"I wouldn't be surprised," she said with a dry chuckle.
I blinked. "Wait, why would they?"
She looked at me like I'd just failed the simplest math problem. "You blew the last guy's head off with a gun. What exactly do you think they'll do? Block it with prayer?"
I smirked, unable to hide my amusement. "I only use the gun if they're boring."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression caught between disbelief and resignation. "And you think anyone in this tournament can entertain you?"
"Maybe that kid who wrecked Zagan," I admitted, half-shrugging.
"You really think he's a threat?"
I shook my head. "Not really. He just buffs himself. At best, he has a rare class. And the rarer your class or title, the harder it is to level. You guys know that."
She gave a wry smile. "That was a lot of words to say, 'He's not a big deal.'"
"Yeah, yeah. I know. "Don't underestimate him," I said, mocking her tone, grinning at her like I'd just turned the tables. "I'm not that short-sighted."
Mom's tone dropped, her voice quieter but heavier. "Just... remember there's an adult watching."
I hesitated, my grin faltering. "You think he will be here?"
"I doubt it," she said quietly, almost to herself. "But there's always a chance."
The loudspeaker crackled overhead, saving me from answering.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the delay. The two contestants are ready to begin!"
"What the hell is going on now?" I muttered, standing and stretching my shoulders.
Mom's lips curled into a dry smirk. "You're fighting a big angel. I honestly didn't think he'd stay in. You're an agility fighter. He's... well, not."
I stared at her flatly. "And you're telling me this now?"
She shrugged. "I figured he'd withdraw."
"Whatever." I rolled my neck and smirked. "Let's get this over with."
[Arena-Match Begins]
The crowd roared the moment I stepped onto the field. The noise hit like a physical wave, banners waving, chants rising, but my focus tunneled to the figure across from me.
He was massive.
Just under four meters tall, his wings spread wider than a carriage length. His body was a wall of muscle, armored with divine plates etched in symbols that burned faintly with holy light. His jaw was square, his eyes glowing like twin suns, and the halo above his head pulsed like a living thing. Heat radiated off him, prickling my skin from meters away.
"Ah, so you didn't forfeit," he rumbled, his voice deep enough to vibrate the marble beneath us.
I tilted my head, openly sizing him up. "Wow. You're, uh... bigger than advertised."
The angel narrowed his eyes, his mouth twisting.
I circled him slowly, making a show of inspecting him. "No offense, but what did you eat to grow like that? Fallen stars? Divine steroids?"
He blinked, confusion marring his godlike face. "??".
"Oh. Right," I said, tapping the side of my head. "Muscles this big-gotta cut power from somewhere. Guess the brain got sacrificed first."
"What did you just say?!" he barked, stomping forward and swinging a fist down with all the subtlety of a landslide.
I casually stepped aside, letting the punch crater the marble floor, shards spraying outward like shrapnel.
"Hey now," I said with a grin, "the match hasn't started yet."
"Who cares?! Demons like you don't deserve rules!" he roared, his voice cracking the air as he slammed both fists down like twin hammers.
I backflipped away, landing lightly on the arena edge. "Okay, so we're doing this. Cool. Let's dance."
The gong rang, and the fight officially began.
I vanished.
Reappeared behind him and tapped the back of his head like I was flicking dust off a shelf.
He spun with a snarl, his fist blurring toward me-but I ducked, slid between his legs, and flicked his shin with a tiny frost spell.
"Ow! What was that?!" he bellowed.
"Oh no, I tickled the mighty angel," I said, leaping up and landing casually on his shoulder. "Now what?"
"Get off me!" he roared, grabbing at me with massive hands.
I hopped straight up as his hand swept through empty air. Mid-air, I snapped my fingers, sending an icicle straight into his armpit.
"ARGH!"
"You know what your problem is?" I called as I landed behind him. "You're all bulk and no technique."
"You think you're funny?!" He spun, wings lashing out like battering rams, trying to crush me under their sheer weight.
I blinked out of range before the feathers could clip me.
He flapped upward, rising into the air with surprising speed for his size.
"Oh, we're flying now?" I called, squinting up at him. "Fine, I'll come to you."
I blinked, reappearing mid-air above him.
His eyes widened. "What?!"
I stomped down on his halo. Sparks of divine light shattered outward, and he reeled, losing balance. I followed with a triple flip down his back, leaving behind a trail of tiny frost explosions that detonated one after another.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
He spiraled downward, barely catching himself before hitting the ground.
Snarling, he steadied and thrust his glowing hands forward. Twin beams of holy light tore across the arena, searing the air.
I blinked behind him again and tapped the back of his neck. "Too slow."
He screamed, rage twisting his face as he whirled to body slam me mid-air. I let him get close, then drove an ice-coated fist into his kneecap.
Crack!
He screamed, wings flailing as he plummeted.
I landed first, crouching. As he tried to regain footing, I darted in low and punched the back of his other knee.
POP.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
"Oh man, that sounded painful," I said, waving at the audience like I'd just performed a trick. "Can we get a medic here? Just in case?"
"You'll pay for that!" he roared, his face red, holy flames licking his fists.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Cue the righteous fury arc..."
He launched himself at me, wings spread. I let him get close, then twisted mid-air and landed on his shoulders.
"Say cheese," I whispered, slamming both fists into his head with frozen bursts.
He tumbled, stunned.
Before he could recover, I grabbed one wing at its base.
"Nope. You're grounded now."
With a heave, I ripped him into the ground. Marble cracked, feathers scattered.
I stood over his twitching body, his wings struggling weakly.
"You talk a lot of shit for someone with such weak joints," I said, cracking my knuckles.
Then I stepped on his back, grabbed both wings, and pulled.
"Wait-!"
RIIIIIP.
His scream rattled the stands as I tore the wings free. Blood and light sprayed in arcs, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Oh, come on," I groaned. "Don't black out now. This was just getting fun."
I conjured a sphere of icy water and dropped it on his head.
"Ah! Wh-what?" He sputtered, blinking in confusion.
"Ding ding! The winner is Kitsune Draig!" the announcer shouted.
"What?! I did not surrender!" the angel screamed, scrambling to his knees in panic.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but you lost."
Before he could argue further, I drew my gun and fired.
BANG!
His head snapped back, his body crumpling to the floor.
I blew smoke from the barrel, holstering it with a flourish as stunned silence gripped the arena.
"Seriously?" I muttered. "You guys still think holy magic blocks demon bullets?"
Turning toward the exit, I waved lazily at the frozen crowd.
"You don't stand a chance."
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TheRealSkollie
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chapter 194: A God's Favor, A Demon's Fury
[VIP Room — Post-Fight]
"Well done," I said, turning toward Amari as she entered the VIP room, her steps light but carrying that lingering buzz of adrenaline. Her hair stuck slightly to her forehead, a sheen of sweat still clinging to her skin.
"Thanks," she replied, wiping a bead of sweat from her temple with the back of her wrist. "That person was super weak."
"Or," I countered with a crooked smirk, "you're just far too strong for this tournament."
Amari rolled her eyes and threw herself down into the seat next to me with all the grace of a stone dropping into a pond. "Pah. As if." She stretched her arms wide across the back of the couch, sighing like she had just carried the entire fight with sheer annoyance.
I chuckled and looked down at the arena projection, watching the stage crews scurry around repairing the scorched tiles. "Well, it's Katie's turn now. She's up against that Logan guy."
Amari's expression soured a little, her lips pressing into a thin line as she leaned forward. "Yeah... and after that, it'll be me again."
I turned my head, raising a brow. "Hey, already assuming Katie's going to lose?"
"What? No!" Amari sat up straight, frowning. "That's not what I meant! I just meant-uh..." She paused, scratching her cheek nervously, then shifted gears entirely. "Hey, Kitsuna... Are you still angry at Kayda?"
My smirk faded. "Huh?"
She looked hesitant now, her usual sharpness softening. "Mom told me you two had a fight. Or... disagreement?"
"Oh, that." I leaned back in my seat, folding my arms behind my head like I was settling into a hammock. "You mean the egg thing. Yeah, I'm still mad. But don't worry about it-I already got back at her for it."
Amari frowned. "And you two haven't actually talked about why you were arguing?"
I shrugged, nonchalant. "Nah. We don't need to. We're just... like that."
Her frown deepened. "If it works for you," she said finally, though her tone screamed that she wasn't convinced. Then she gave me a sly look. "Also-how many warnings are you on now?"
I winced, shoulders tightening. "Uh... do I have to say?"
Amari's grin spread wide and mischievous. "Don't worry, I won't take advantage of it."
"You totally will."
She didn't deny it, and her silence was louder than any confession.
Just then, I leaned forward slightly, nodding toward the arena feed as the camera panned down to the gate. "Ah. Here they come."
Katie stepped out onto the field with her usual calm, collected presence, her massive claymore resting lazily on one shoulder like it was no heavier than a broomstick. Her hair caught the light as she walked, and there wasn't the faintest tremor of hesitation in her stride.
Amari leaned forward beside me, resting her chin on her fists. "Are you going to intervene again?"
"No," I said, shaking my head firmly. "They got my warning yesterday."
I reached into my coat and pulled out a folded parchment, its edges still crisp, the wax seal of the judges glaring up at me like a watchful eye.
"Besides, I got this this morning. One more rule-break, and I'm out. No more fighting."
I exhaled, leaning back. 'Even if I wanted to, I can't afford to interrupt again.'
"You think Katie'll do better than Zagan?" Amari asked, glancing sidelong at me.
I shook my head immediately, no hesitation. "No."
"Seriously?" Her brows shot up.
"He won't be playing around this time," I said, my gaze still locked on the field. "Not after yesterday. That caretaker of his should still be out cold."
Amari's lips pressed thin, and she nodded slowly. "Right."
[Arena — Katie vs. Logan]
"Let the match begin!" the announcer's voice thundered, carrying across the arena like a divine decree.
Logan wasted no time. His hand snapped upward, light flaring bright, and a dozen glowing holy lances materialized in the air around him. With a flick of his wrist, they launched in a deadly, precise volley.
Katie's reaction was immediate. She raised one hand and summoned a curved dome of water that enveloped her like a shield. The lances hit with explosive force-but instead of dispersing, they stopped cold, suspended inside the dome as though embedded in gelatin.
"She didn't dispel them," I muttered, leaning forward.
Amari frowned beside me. "What do you mean?"
"She's letting them stay. Using the water as containment, not destruction." My lips curled in a grin. "Smart."
Another volley came, wider this time, faster, a rain of light meant to overwhelm. Katie ducked, twisted past one, and sidestepped another, her movements smooth as water itself. Each dodge was followed by another shield forming with precise gestures. Soon five, then eight, then ten shimmering water barriers floated around the arena like orbiting moons.
"Damn rat!!" Logan bellowed, veins bulging on his temple. He conjured more lances, sweat already starting to bead on his brow. "Stop moving and die already!"
Katie landed lightly, her claymore glowing faintly as she balanced it easily in her hands. "Glaring and yelling won't help you," she said, her tone calm, clipped.
Her counterstrike came swift-a lance of water shooting forward with arrow-like precision.
Logan barked a laugh and conjured a golden shield, batting it aside with ease. Then he spread his wings of radiant light and shot upward, closing the distance in a single beat of feathers.
"You think you can bait me?!" he snarled, golden light pooling in his palm. It flared, shaping into a long holy sword that vibrated dangerously with unstable power. With a roar, he dove.
I laughed aloud. "That blade is so unstable, it's vibrating like a dying fly."
Amari snorted, grinning. "It's going to break before he even lands!"
Katie didn't so much as flinch. She raised her eyes calmly as he descended, holy sword aimed to cleave her in half.
Then her body burst apart-into water.
The sword passed through harmlessly, splashing into mist.
Katie reformed behind him a heartbeat later, her claymore already raised overhead. "You reincarnated types might be older in theory," she said, her voice cutting sharp, "but you're still full of flaws."
We both grinned in the VIP room. "She's not wrong."
CLANG!
Logan's golden shield flared at the last second, intercepting the strike. The impact rattled the arena, forcing him back, his boots skidding across the marble. But the defense held.
He grinned wide, arrogant. "See? I told you-"
Then he stopped.
Because he finally noticed.
Every one of Katie's water shields-twelve in total-had rotated during their clash. Slowly, precisely. And embedded inside each was a holy lance, aimed directly at him.
"...She baited you after all," I murmured, a wide grin spreading across my face.
Logan's eyes widened. He tried to leap away, but Katie pressed down hard with her claymore, locking his shield in place. He was trapped-his own weapon turned against him.
"FUCK YOU, DEMON ASS!!" he screamed.
BOOM!!
Twelve lances fired in unison, converging from every angle. The explosion was cataclysmic, a cyclone of force and holy light colliding with water, shattering stone. The arena shook, smoke and mist billowing so thick that the crowd screamed in confusion.
Gasps echoed through the coliseum, people clutching each other, pointing, and straining to see through the haze.
I didn't move. My eyes cut through the smoke like it wasn't there.
Amari leaned forward nervously. "Can you still see?"
"Yeah," I nodded slowly. "She didn't kill him. But she messed him up good."
As the smoke thinned, the carnage was revealed.
Logan lay on the ground, barely conscious. His right arm was gone, torn off at the shoulder. His body was shredded with burns and cuts, his legs twitching weakly as blood spread beneath him.
Katie stood-barely. She managed to stand on her feet through sheer will, with her claymore dug into the floor for balance. Her hands were mangled, fingers bent grotesquely. A deep wound punctured her abdomen, blood soaking down her thigh. And yet, she stood tall, glaring at him with unbroken resolve.
She staggered a few steps away, putting space between them, her chest heaving, her grip on the claymore shaking but steady.
"This will be interesting," I muttered, unable to stop the grin spreading on my face.
"Hey!" Amari swatted my arm. "No spoilers for us normal folks!"
I raised my hands innocently. "I didn't say anything!"
"She's in trouble though..." Amari's voice dropped, concern etched across her features. "She can't use her hands anymore."
"Oh, ladies and gentlemen! It seems Logan is down!" The announcer shouted, his voice pitched with forced excitement.
I raised a brow. "Huh. That's... optimistic."
Because Logan was moving. Slowly, painfully, but moving. He pressed his remaining hand to his chest, golden light pulsing as flesh knitted back together.
"Man... that was close," he muttered, his voice weak but smug.
Katie's glare didn't falter. "You should surrender," she said, voice ragged but steady. "You've got no mana left."
I frowned.
'She's bluffing.'
Logan's healing wasn't mana-it was raw divine energy, residual holy light feeding into his body. And Katie was the one at her limit. Her breath came shallow; her fingers barely twitched. Every ounce of her weight leaned on that claymore.
But Logan just laughed.
"Hah! As if I'd ever surrender to filthy demons!!"
Then his body erupted in light. A divine flare that blinded half the coliseum, forcing the crowd to shield their eyes.
"And the winner is... Logan!" The announcer's voice rang out, final and absolute.
The whole arena froze.
Even Amari's mouth snapped shut, her body going rigid beside me.
"...What the hell?" I whispered.
My aura surged. Glass shattered in the VIP room, shards scattering as dark mana rippled outward.
"Kitsuna-!" Amari shouted, but it was too late.
I vanished.
[Commentary Booth — Divine Interference]
I didn't land in the arena.
I landed in the commentary booth. Hard. The wood cracked beneath my boots, glass spider-webbing across the panel. The announcer shrieked, trembling under my shadow.
"You want to try that again?" I asked softly, my voice dripping with threat.
He stammered, mouth opening and closing-then froze as a singsong voice chimed behind him.
"Kitsune~."
I went still.
Then slowly turned my head.
Golden hair. Radiant skin. A smile so casual it could kill.
I didn't need an introduction.
I knew him. Not personally. But from every warning my mother had ever burned into me.
"So... you really are here," I said quietly, my eyes locked on his.
The God of Light tilted his head, his smile never faltering. "Oh? You know me?"
I stepped forward, lips curling. "Of course I do. You're a god."
His laugh was soft and effortless. "No need to be tense. I'm not here to trouble you. But I couldn't let my son lose before fighting you."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why does he want to fight me so badly?"
"Because he hates you, Shiro."
"...Huh?"
He chuckled, shrugging lightly. "Don't ask me. I don't know either."
"Ugh," I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Drama. Rawr."
He laughed outright this time. "How cute."
I turned, voice steady. "I'll make sure we meet in the ring."
"Looking forward to it," he said brightly. "Say hello to Stacy for me."
"I won't," I shot back, then jumped-shattering the booth window and landing cleanly in the arena.
[Arena — Aftermath]
Katie stood, still swaying slightly, her claymore dug deep into the tiles to keep her upright. Her wide eyes fixed on me as I landed beside her.
"Hey," she rasped, voice thin. "What's going on?"
"You lost," I said softly. "Sorry, Katie. We can't do anything about it."
Her lips parted, disbelief cutting her face raw. "What? Why?"
"It's complicated," I said, forcing a smile I didn't feel.
She stared for a long second. Then her shoulders sagged, her head dropping.
"...Alright. Fine."
"Let's get you healed." I slipped an arm around her waist and steadied her, guiding her toward the changing rooms. Her weight leaned heavy into me, her breaths shallow, but she didn't resist.
As we walked, her voice became quiet. "So... what really happened?"
I kept my eyes forward.
"...Something not even Stacy can control."
Katie didn't answer.
And neither did I.
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Chapter 195: Post-Fight Conversation
[Changing Room-After Katie's Fight]
"Hey, are you alright?" "An?" she asked as she opened the door, her sharp eyes immediately scanning Katie from head to toe as though expecting to see her collapsed on the floor. Her posture was stiff, shoulders raised just slightly, betraying the worry she tried to keep hidden behind authority.
"Yes, Mother. They already healed me," Katie replied, sitting upright on the bench with only a slight wince as she shifted her weight. Her hands were pressed to the edge of the seat, fingers curled white-knuckled, but she still gave a faint nod, her voice steady. The usual fire in her gaze was dulled, like embers after the flames had already burned themselves out.
Ann stepped fully into the room and shut the door with a decisive click. The sound echoed in the small space, cutting off the murmur of the arena outside. She folded her arms tightly, eyes narrowing. "Why were you so reckless about it?" Her voice was edged, but not with raw anger-more with that mixture of fear and frustration only a mother could wear convincingly, the tone that lived halfway between scolding and desperate relief.
Katie shrugged, expression utterly unapologetic. Her lips tugged at a smirk that didn't quite take. "It was a good plan."
"It was," I chimed in from my post against the wall, arms crossed loosely over my chest. I leaned there casually, one ankle hooked over the other, playing the part of the bystander. "Worked like a charm."
"You shut up," Ann snapped immediately, her head jerking toward me with a glare sharp enough to slice steel. Her eyes narrowed into slits, and her voice cut like whiplash. "You're the worst influence here."
I raised my brows and lifted both palms in an innocent shrug, though the corner of my mouth tugged upward despite myself. She wasn't wrong. I didn't mind taking the blame-hell, I probably deserved most of it.
She turned back to Katie, exhaling through her nose with a long, controlled breath that trembled at the edges. "It was a good plan, but far too reckless. If that person had released one more burst of mana..." Her tone softened at the end, the sharp edges melting away, but the weight of her words hung thick in the air.
Katie lowered her eyes, her shoulders sinking under that pressure. She didn't apologize, but she didn't argue either. Silence stretched, and in it, guilt pooled quietly.
'Well, she's not wrong,' I thought, teeth pressing against the inside of my cheek. I wanted to make a quip, something to cut the tension, but I bit my tongue before the words slipped free. I'd have stepped in before Katie actually got crushed... probably. Maybe. The thought alone wasn't comforting enough to voice.
"Oh. "You're still here," Mom said as she walked in, her presence like a cold wind that shifted the entire air in the room. She folded her arms, her eyes sweeping across the three of us before settling on me, her gaze steady. Too steady.
I looked up quickly, my posture tightening instinctively. Her tone was calm-too calm. What struck me more was her composure. No fear. No stress. Nothing that even hinted at panic. And this despite the fact she knew her parents' killer had been nearby. She hated that man more than anyone-had every reason to lose control-but here she was, standing steady, a pillar of icy control.
"I need to talk to you," I said seriously, pushing off the wall. The humor drained from me instantly, replaced with a tight seriousness. I braced myself for whatever storm might follow.
"It wasn't him," she replied immediately, halting me mid-step like a blade to the throat.
"...What?" The word slipped out before I could cage it, shock slashing through me sharper than steel.
Mom's expression didn't waver. "That wasn't him. Or at least, not the true one."
I felt my frown pull deeper, suspicion crawling under my skin. "Then who-?"
"He never sends his real body," she continued, her tone flat and steady as if she had rehearsed this truth in her head a hundred times before. "He's a coward in many ways. Besides, our royal guard's top enforcers are still stronger than him."
I blinked. "Wait, hold on. You're saying... a Sin Holder isn't even the strongest thing out there? And how do you know it was a fake?"
She turned away from me, resting one hand lightly against the wall like it helped anchor her thoughts. Her fingers pressed so hard her knuckles whitened. "He wasn't fat."
"...What?" My confusion must have been plain; the words fell flat out of my mouth.
"Every sin has a price," she said, her voice taking on the cadence of a lecture she'd given many times but never wanted to. "His gluttony is always active. He gains mass from his magic. If he's slim, he's suppressing it. Or it's not him."
"Oh... right," I muttered, the explanation slotting into place in my head like gears turning. "Like how I'd destroy myself if I overused Wrath."
"Exactly."
"So he gets fat," I echoed, nodding slowly.
"His sin makes him fat," she confirmed without hesitation, each word heavy with certainty.
"Well, that explains the pudding-like aura," I muttered, recalling that grotesque spiritual weight I'd sensed earlier. My nose wrinkled just thinking about it.
"But don't underestimate him just because he's a clone," she warned, her gaze snapping back to mine, sharp and dangerous. "He's still a god."
"Sure. Wasn't planning on fighting him anyway." My smirk returned faintly, but it was more armor than amusement, a mask to keep anything else from showing.
"That's why I came looking for you," she said, stepping forward, her tone hardening like she was drawing a battle line in the sand.
I blinked, momentarily thrown. "Oh, so we're on the same page?"
She nodded once. "Yes. You do not engage him. And don't get clever-we've already killed one of his clones before. This won't be our first time."
"...Great," I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair and letting it fall back against my neck. "No pressure or anything."
"Kayda will be fine," she added, then paused as if steadying herself. "And I will too."
"Kitsuna, you show worry in the weirdest ways," Katie said with a grin that was far too smug for someone who'd just been scolded. Her teeth flashed, and it was pure mischief.
"Shut it," I growled, shooting her a glare sharp enough to cut granite. My tail twitched behind me, betraying the flicker of irritation.
"Anyway," Mom cut in firmly, unwilling to let the conversation spiral further, "let's focus on the real problem."
"Yeah. "That Logan kid," I said, turning serious again. My jaw set, and my smirk vanished.
Ann rubbed her chin, thoughtful. "You should pull Amari out of tomorrow's match."
"She won't like that one bit," Mom said, already shaking her head with certainty. She knew Amari too well. The image of her throwing a tantrum was already alive in her eyes.
"Nah, I'm sure I can get her to drop out," I said, smirking slightly again. Confidence dripped from the words, but even I knew it wasn't going to be that simple.
Ann's narrow-eyed look cut across the room like a knife. "Don't even think about hurting her to force a withdrawal."
"It's nothing like that," I replied quickly, raising both hands as if surrendering. "But... she's been itching for a proper duel with me. One without Zagan hovering around."
Ann tilted her head slowly, suspicion still written across her face, but there was a faint flicker of curiosity too. "So you want to satisfy her, and then she'll step aside willingly?"
"Exactly." I gave a little shrug as if the answer was obvious.
"Well, tomorrow's quarterfinals should go quickly then," Ann said at last, finally conceding with a shake of her head. Her lips pressed tight, though, the worry was still there.
"I'll blast through my opponent," I said casually, leaning back against the wall again like none of this was a big deal.
"Don't be cocky," Ann warned, her voice tightening further. "This guy has some real tricks up his sleeve. And the one after him will be a genuine challenge-even for you."
I shrugged, rolling my shoulders in a loose circle. "Just a challenge? I'll be fine."
She sighed deeply, pressing two fingers against her temple. "You're giving me gray hairs."
"You're not even forty, Mom. Chill," I said, grinning slyly.
"Don't talk about my age!" she snapped instantly, her cheeks coloring just slightly.
"...Alright, I'm going to find Amari," I said, pushing off the wall and heading for the door, waving them off over my shoulder. The door creaked under my hand as it swung open.
"Don't push her too much!" Mom shouted after me, her voice echoing as the door closed behind me.
[Hallway Outside the Arena]
'Is she still in the stands?' I wondered as I turned the corner, my eyes flicking over the crowd thinning from the last match. The scent of sweat and mana still clung to the air, thick enough to taste, the arena humming faintly with lingering energy.
I collided with someone hard. The impact jolted me and sent them stumbling onto the floor with a grunt that echoed in the hallway.
"Ah-sorry about that," I said quickly, offering my hand without hesitation.
"It's alright. I wasn't looking where I was going," the man replied, gripping my hand firmly as I pulled him up.
I held his hand a little longer than necessary, scanning his face closely. Every angle. Every flicker of his expression. Testing. Measuring. My eyes narrowed, my smile faint.
He didn't break eye contact. Not once.
Neither did I.
My lips curved into a grin, slow and sharp. "Take care."
And then I walked past him, the grin never leaving my face. My footsteps echoed behind me, steady and controlled, but the tension coiled in my chest like a spring.
'I think he used my own trick on me. I'll kill him tonight.'
I looked down at my palm as the skin began to darken faintly with lingering frost, the residue of power brushed against me. With a soft sigh, I dissolved into ice particles, scattering into nothing as the hallway fell empty.
[30 Minutes Later-Rooftop Overlooking a Forest Clearing]
"So Katie actually lost?" Amari asked, her arms crossed as she stood on the edge of the rooftop, her hair swaying with the night wind. The moonlight caught in her strands, giving her silhouette a faint halo as I landed beside her with a soft crunch of gravel.
"Yep," I said with a pop of my lips. "And you need to pull out of tomorrow's match."
"No!" Amari spun toward me immediately, eyes blazing hot enough to burn the night away. "I can beat that guy!"
"You probably can," I admitted easily, with no hesitation in my tone. "But someone's going to make sure you don't. We just want to avoid serious injuries in the process."
"Ahhh!! No! I want to fight you!" Amari yelled, stomping once like a frustrated child denied candy, the sound echoing across the rooftop.
"I know, I know. That's why we're having this talk," I said, palming my forehead with a groan. The beginnings of a headache pressed behind my eyes.
"Then why ask me to give up at all?!" she shouted, fists clenching at her sides.
"Because I'm planning for us to have our fight tomorrow morning in the woods outside the capital."
Amari blinked, caught off guard, her anger pausing mid-flame. "What? Why there?"
"Because then I can go all out," I explained simply, my tone flat and serious. "You know I can't show my tails in public."
She grumbled under her breath, shoulders tensing. Then she muttered reluctantly, "...Fine. Tomorrow morning. Early. In the woods."
"You don't need to hide your happiness, you know," I called after her as she stormed off, her shoulders stiff but her grin tugging at the edges of her lips, betraying her excitement.
She didn't turn around.
I smiled faintly, shaking my head. 'Alright. Time to kill that little shit.'
I flash-stepped away, dissolving into sparks of frost and light.
[Ten Minutes Later-Forest Clearing]
"Hehehe... the Saintess is never wrong," the man said from the center of the clearing, stepping into the moonlight with a grin too wide to be sane. His golden eyes glowed faintly, unnaturally, lighting his face with an eerie shimmer.
"So Rachel told you, huh?" I asked, perching on a branch above him, the moon casting long shadows beneath us. My tail flicked once, restless.
"Yes. And she told me something else, too," he replied, tossing a small, glowing ice crystal to the ground where it pulsed faintly with captured power.
I looked at it, then blinked. "Oh, so they did extract hers."
"Yes, yes-but that one's not Rachel's," he said, his grin stretching further until it looked like it might split his face. "That's mine. The one you put in me earlier."
"Huh?" I blinked, taken aback, my head tilting slightly. "Wait... what?"
"Hahaha! Surprised, aren't you?"
I smirked, leaning forward lazily, letting my claws tap the branch beneath me. "Yeah. I'm surprised how stupid you are."
His grin faltered, lips twitching.
"You think I didn't learn anything from Rachel's case? You really think I only planted one?"
The man stepped back, his confidence cracking like thin glass. "W-What do you mean?"
"I'm a fox," I said, leaping down lightly into the clearing, eyes glowing bright enough to burn through the dark. My voice dropped into something low and dangerous. "There's always a trick in our tricks."
His eyes widened. "Wait, you-"
BOOM!!
The clearing was instantly swallowed in a burst of frost and shattering light.
[Next Morning-Forest Outside the Capital]
"You're late," Amari grumbled as I walked up the dirt path, rubbing sleep from my eyes. She tapped her foot impatiently, arms folded, looking like she'd been standing there for hours even though she hadn't.
"To be fair, we never set a time," I replied with a yawn, stretching out my shoulders and tail until the joints popped.
"Whatever," she huffed, spinning away with a flick of her hair. "So how are we doing this?"
"First, we wait for Kayda to set up the barrier," I said, nodding toward the floating sigils already forming above the trees. The air hummed faintly with their energy. "Then we go all out."
"Hmph. You mean I go all out, and you hold back to match me."
"If that's what you want," I said with a shrug, utterly calm. "But remember-I still have a tournament match after this."
She grinned, sharp and eager, her teeth glinting in the morning light. "Yeah, yeah. It's as if you need only half your strength to handle those angels."
Chapter 196: The Duel Before the Storm
Waiting a few more minutes, Amari and I both looked up as a pulse of magic surged through the forest.
Above us, Kayda's barrier shimmered into existence, locking the world away and sealing the clearing in layers of translucent crystal flame. The mana density spiked, pressing in on our skin like humid fog.
Not for me.
For Amari.
I guess Kayda wants to give Amari an edge. Or maybe... she's testing her? I thought, narrowing my eyes at the faint ripples crawling across the air. The pressure wasn't uncomfortable for me, but it shifted slightly, almost deliberately, toward Amari. She was still staring upward, fascinated by the sky-blue sheen of the barrier, her lips parted in awe.
Amari stepped ten meters away, exhaling slowly. Flames coiled around her wrists in lazy spirals, then flared sharper, wrapping her in that restless dual-element glow she always carried. She wore light armor, the kind meant for movement rather than protection, its sleeves scorched and blackened in places from overuse. The dual-element insignia stitched into her collar glowed faintly, like embers beneath ash.
"So. Are we doing this or not?" she asked, rolling her shoulders. The grin on her face wasn't arrogance-it was excitement. Pure adrenaline-fueled joy.
"Sure. Let's go all out." My grin matched hers as I released my limiters.
The clearing darkened, or maybe it only felt that way, as three tails burst into view behind me. They unfurled like banners of icy malice, swaying and snapping with restrained violence. The air around them crystallized, mist curling in little threads along the grass.
Her eyes lit up. "You're going to use them?"
"For you? Yeah. I need them." My voice carried no hesitation. She'd earned this. "You're over level 200 now. It would be rude not to take you seriously."
I reached into my inventory and pulled out a small bowl of soup. With a casual flick, I tossed it into the air.
Amari snorted. "Seriously? Mid-duel snack time?"
The bowl hit the ground.
Crack.
In an instant, thousands of elemental lances formed around her, glowing blue, gold, and red. They shrieked through the air toward me like a meteor storm, each one sharp enough to split stone.
I dashed forward, tails sweeping in wide arcs. Every strike shattered dozens of lances, their fragments dissolving into steam as my ice tore through them like paper. The rhythm of breaking projectiles echoed across the clearing-thud, crack, hiss-building into a storm of its own.
Creating a claymore of jagged ice mid-run, I swung at her with full force, a wide arc that would've flattened a boulder.
But something invisible slammed into my gut.
WHAM!
The impact knocked the wind out of me and hurled me backward, air rushing past my ears. Spinning in midair, I forced my claymore downward, cleaving through the massive ball of mana she had conjured in the same breath. It burst apart, scattering into a thick smoke cloud.
Perfect cover.
I vanished into it, flash-stepping forward. The smoke twisted as I reappeared behind her, katana low, ready to sweep across her legs. But once again, something I couldn't see struck me in the face with bone-rattling force.
CRACK.
The world tilted, pain buzzing along my jaw.
"That's new," I muttered, straightening as I rubbed my cheek, eyeing the unnatural coils of mana around her. It twisted tighter and denser near her body, forming a translucent bubble only my senses could pick up.
"Yeah," Amari said, her grin crooked and full of teeth. "Small range, but effective."
"Hmph."
Slamming my foot into the ground, I created a shockwave that blasted dust into the air. The world blurred gray. Ice lances formed above me, hundreds of them, then rained down toward her. Each one carried tiny explosive cores at their center, waiting to burst.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
The shockwaves tore across the clearing, rattling the barrier overhead. Leaves and dirt spun violently in the air, coating the barrier's blue shimmer in dust.
I narrowed my eyes. 'It only disrupts mana flow, not physical matter.' The explosions didn't fizzle against the field. They pushed straight through and warped it.
Amari stood tall within the swirling haze, her sage field curling calmly around her. "Don't test so many things out," she teased, raising her hand. The swirl of mana around her was stable and deliberate. "This spell's my baby. Made it last week."
I made a sharp snapping sound with my fingers.
Shhhkt.
The sage field froze over, with jagged frost instantly forming a spiderweb pattern across its surface and locking it in place.
"Unfair!" Amari shouted, hurling more lances at me in frustration.
I swept my hand. Crash. They shattered like brittle glass against my ice.
"Come on, Amari," I called, already behind her again, tails rippling. "You can do better."
"Shit!" she swore, diving forward just in time to dodge my descending blade. My katana slammed into the earth, carving a deep gouge. She rolled, came up with her sword, and parried my second strike. Sparks leapt between us as steel clashed.
Amari grinned fiercely. "Mom drilled me hard on weapon forms."
"Not enough," I replied, twisting to catch her ankle with a tail. I flung her into the dirt. She bounced, rolled, and tried to catch herself-but my boot caught her midair, punting her across the clearing like a stone skipping water.
"Gah! Agh!" She coughed, tumbling.
"Come on!" I shouted, stalking forward-only to halt as the air itself shifted.
The pressure changed. It pressed down on me, not crushing, but thick. Slowing.
Wind magic?
No. Denser. Familiar.
Another Sage technique.
Amari staggered upright, sweat beading along her brow. "Try to move now," she said smugly, holding her sword at her side.
I tilted my head.
Disappointment.
She fired another volley of lances. I stomped, the ice shockwave rolling outward, and the pressure thinned. Not gone, but weaker.
"Tch. That's all I can do." Although she sounded annoyed with herself, her smirk lingered. Still, the slowing effect clung faintly to my limbs.
She charged, sword raised. Flames licked the blade, casting her in orange light.
"You want to duel now?" I asked, catching her strike and knocking it aside with mine. In the same motion, my fist slammed into her ribs. She wheezed but kicked off the ground, twisting in midair.
I caught her mid-spin, slammed her down again, then followed with a strike that sent her skipping across the ground like a ragdoll.
"Come at me!"
Dozens of ice swords materialized above and fired in perfect formation.
Amari countered, slamming her hands together. A wall of flaming lances erupted, streaking upward to intercept. The sky turned into a battlefield of blue and gold, each impact rocking the clearing with thunderclaps.
Her arms caught fire, literal flames licking up to her shoulders.
Kayda's magic.
I narrowed my eyes. "Copying?"
"Not quite," she replied-and vanished.
She reappeared at my side. Instinct screamed. I raised an ice wall just in time. BOOM. Her dragonfire detonated, erupting in a circular shockwave that tore apart the wall and threw embers across the barrier.
"That's her element alright," I muttered, snapping my fingers. Lightning shot forward in a jagged arc.
She mirrored it. Lightning surged from her palm, colliding with mine. The twin bolts met and canceled out in a deafening crack, the light searing the inside of my eyes.
Damn, she's gotten strong. Zagan was holding her back.' I allowed myself a small smile-then winced.
My arm hit the ground.
I blinked at the stump. "You can use darkness now?"
Even as I spoke, frost raced over the wound. My arm regrew, crystalline ice knitting into flesh.
"And light." Amari's grin widened as spears of radiant energy erupted beneath me, slamming upward.
"Augh!" I growled, tails sweeping down to catch and crush them, forcing them back into the ground.
Her eyes widened. "I didn't know your tails were that strong."
The spears froze solid mid-thrust.
"Oh no, you don't!" she shouted, swinging her sword in a wide arc. The blade unleashed a wave of compressed air, a visible distortion in the world. Only my eyes tracked it.
I raised a thick shield of ice. The ripple struck, vibrating the surface, but it held.
Flash step.
I appeared behind her, hand clamping around the back of her neck. Victory for a moment.
Then three dark spears pierced straight through my torso.
"Shadows, too?" My voice was flat, pained, but unimpressed.
"Obviously," she panted, staggering as she ripped them back. Her mana reserves were burning fast.
I kicked her away, tearing the spears free.
"Don't lose focus."
"Use them," she demanded, breath ragged.
"No."
"Why not?!"
"Because nothing I know of can stop them. And I've tested it."
"Then give me a chance!" she cried, desperation threading her tone.
I sighed, letting the tension drain for one moment. A small 9mm pistol appeared in my hand, mundane, almost laughable compared to everything else.
She blinked. "Really?"
"Yup." I squeezed the trigger.
BANG!
The bullet struck her chest-and detonated. A sharp, controlled explosion swallowed her in a sphere of smoke and fire.
I flash-stepped above the crater, slicing my wrist. Blood dripped, crimson drops catching the light as they neared her mouth. Her regeneration flared, knitting flesh and bone back together in seconds.
"Never underestimate an enemy," she whispered hoarsely, grinning despite the blood on her teeth.
Then the mana shifted again.
"Don't," I warned, eyes narrowing, tails poised.
She chuckled softly, eyes blazing.
Then she detonated the entire barrier from within.
WHOOOOOM!!
The explosion rippled outward, light blinding and raw, filling the world with roaring heat. The translucent crystal flame shattered, screaming as it broke apart. For a heartbeat, everything was fire and thunder.
When the smoke cleared, I stood untouched, tails still swaying. My aura shimmered faintly from redirecting the blast.
Amari lay unconscious beneath me, armor cracked, hair singed, but alive.
I stared down at her, jaw tight. "She's definitely getting a lecture."
Back outside the barrier, Kayda turned, sensing the violent shift. Her eyes sharpened until I stepped out, carrying Amari slung across my shoulders.
"Oh hey, you're back?" she asked, brightening despite the lingering tension.
"Not quite. This peanut decided to try and kill both of us." I dropped Amari onto the floor with a thud.
Kayda blinked, tilting her head. "Yes, I saw. But I'm assuming you redirected the blast?"
"Of course, babe. Rawr. Who do you think I am? Rawr." I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close.
"Someone who's been sticking cl-"
"No, no, no." I pressed a finger to her lips, cutting her off quickly. "You're not allowed to say that word. Only two more days of this farce. After this farce, I will take you on a proper romantic date. Rawr."
I kissed her.
She kissed me back, sighing against my lips.
"Well, I need to get back to the preparations," I murmured, stealing one more peck before letting go.
She sighed, releasing me reluctantly. "Just be careful."
I nodded, turning to open a swirling portal. The colors shimmered with faint frost.
As I stepped through, Amari stirred behind me, groaning. "Ugh... Did I win?"
Kayda loomed above her, arms crossed, expression like stone. "Winning a talking-to? Yes. You won that."
Amari blinked up at her.
Kayda's shadow lengthened over her.
Amari gulped audibly. "...Oh no."
[Draig Mansion]
[Kayda's POV]
The great doors of the Draig mansion opened with a familiar creak, their heavy hinges echoing faintly through the long marble halls. I stepped inside, the crisp scent of waxed stone and old parchment filling my senses. Amari trailed behind me, dragging her boots with all the enthusiasm of someone walking toward their execution.
She was quiet. Too quiet. Amari always had something to say-a joke, a jab, a complaint. Silence from her was unnatural and heavy. But it wasn't because she had nothing to say-it was because the lecture I had delivered on the way here had wrung the energy from her. And for once, I didn't feel guilty. She needed it. She nearly blew herself up along with Kitsuna. That was beyond reckless.
We moved down the main hall toward Stacy's study. The air in this wing was calmer than the training grounds, but it still carried that Draig weight-tradition and discipline settled into the very stones. Even the portraits seemed to watch us.
"Straighten up," I muttered over my shoulder.
Amari stiffened, lifted her chin, and adjusted her stance. Her boots scuffed less against the polished stone as she obeyed, even if the tension in her jaw betrayed her irritation.
At the double doors ahead, Stacy's voice reached us before I even knocked. "I hear armor. Is that my daughter or a thunder spirit coming to yell at me?"
I pushed the door open without waiting. "Both."
Stacy sat behind her broad desk, maps and scrolls sprawled across its surface, ink stains marking where her quill had danced. She looked relaxed at first glance, but her sharp eyes immediately flicked toward Amari, scanning her for injuries. The concern was there, buried beneath a calm smile.
Amari stepped in hesitantly. "Hey, Mom..."
"Amari," Stacy said gently. "I heard about the explosion. Are you-?"
"She's alive," I cut in, my tone flat. "Mostly because Kitsuna saved her ass."
"I had it under control," Amari muttered, arms crossing defensively.
"You were unconscious when I got to you."
"I was resting."
"You were drooling into a crater."
Stacy's lips twitched, her gaze moving between us with faint amusement. "Well, clearly someone got a talking-to."
"Oh, she did," I said firmly. "And now she's here to tell you the rest."
Amari inhaled slowly, then squared her shoulders. "I'm withdrawing from the tournament."
Stacy's expression didn't change immediately, but her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. She rose from her chair, walking around the desk to place her hands gently on Amari's shoulders. "Why?"
"Because I'm not the right one for this next fight," Amari said, her voice steady, no longer the cocky drawl she had used earlier. "The opponent I'd be facing... he's not just dangerous. He's on another level. I can't beat him-not without risking my life. Only Kitsuna can handle someone like that."
Stacy studied her for a long, silent moment, then nodded slowly. "You're sure this isn't fear talking?"
"No," Amari said firmly. "I'm not scared. I got what I came for. I fought Kitsuna, and she gave me everything I could've hoped for. But this next match isn't a test of strength. It's suicide."
A flicker of emotion softened Stacy's eyes. She brushed her fingers lightly against Amari's cheek, a rare tenderness. "You've always been brave. Braver than I expected, sometimes too much for your own good. But today? You're being wise. That's rarer."
For a brief heartbeat, a genuine smile passed between them.
I stepped forward. "We'll file it as a precautionary withdrawal. Training-related internal strain. No scandal, no disgrace."
Stacy nodded in agreement. "I'll handle the paperwork myself."
"Thanks, Mom." Amari whispered, and the word carried more weight this time. No sarcasm. No deflection. Just sincerity.
Stacy squeezed her arm gently. "Thank you for choosing to live. That's all I've ever wanted."
A long silence lingered, warm but heavy.
Then Stacy's lips curved into a sly smile. "...Besides, this gives me time to sneak you out for cake later."
Amari blinked, then grinned wide. "Can we make it chocolate?"
"You're damn right we can," Stacy said, and pulled her daughter into a rare, unguarded embrace.
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Chapter 197: Echoes Before the Final
[POV Kitsuna]
"Yo yo yooooo! Welcome, welcome to the final stage of the Under 16 Tournament! I hope you all have your snacks and drinks ready for the first round of the final stage. Today we have three matches for all you lovers of violence!" the announcer's voice boomed across the stadium with infectious enthusiasm.
The crowd roared, cheers and stomping feet echoing like thunder through the arena.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, I know many of you came to see four matches today, but as of two hours ago, three competitors have withdrawn from the tournament! That means the ever-lovable blond Logan goes straight to the finals!"
Boos and scattered cheers followed, with a few diehard fans chanting Logan's name.
"But wait, I know what you're thinking: if only two remain, how are there three matches? That's because the semifinals will also happen today! That's right! And the finals? They've been moved to tomorrow! So if you've already bought tickets-congrats! You're in for the Grand Finals, folks!"
Up in the stands, Apricot leaned toward me, resting her elbow on her knee. "Seems like Mom's going to be tired tomorrow," she said, eyes sharp.
I raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. "Do you have a plan?"
She smirked. "You know how I operate, no?"
"Run in, ask questions after?"
"Hey!" She nudged me with her shoulder. "I'm joking."
Kayda joined us, folding her arms and glancing down at the arena. "Are you ready for today?"
"Of course. But why did they change the finals to tomorrow?"
Kayda gave a tight nod. "Why do you think so?"
I shrugged. "So we don't have time to prepare? Minimize casualties? To catch us off guard?"
"Exactly. The Angel cult is already in the capital."
I frowned. "So they'll only go after demons and demi-humans?"
"That's the plan. Which is why most of our operatives today are human. Let the cult focus their hatred where we want it."
"Smart and risky. But smart."
"As for your fight tomorrow-if you need help, Kayda and I are ready. Dean is stationed outside the city to intercept other forces."
"What about Amari?"
"Still recovering at home. Hospital-bound."
I sighed, nodding. "Alright. And the others?"
"Handling their assignments. Zagan's gone home."
"I'm not worried about Zagan. It's Amari I'm concerned about."
"She'll be fine. Focus on your match today. Use as little mana as possible. Don't expose your hand before Logan."
"I won't be distracted."
Apricot tilted her head toward Kayda. "Hey, Mom, aren't you up first?"
I looked down to the arena. An angel was already pacing angrily, glaring up at the stands.
"I've got ten minutes. Look at him-he's already fuming."
Kayda smirked. "I wouldn't push it. Go end your sentence quickly."
With a grin, I fast-stepped onto the arena floor-appearing just behind the angel.
"Oops, wrong side," I said innocently.
The angel jumped, wings twitching in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Getting ready to fight. What else?"
I casually walked to my starting point, pulling a longsword from storage.
"Let the match begin!" the announcer roared.
The angel launched forward immediately, shield raised and sword glowing. I sighed and swung my blade horizontally, sending a blade of ice that struck him midair, slamming him to the ground.
He groaned. "What? What the hell was that?!"
I strolled toward him, expression unreadable. "Poison didn't work, huh?"
He blinked in disbelief. "You're immune?!"
"Obviously. Mana-based poison? That's amateur stuff."
Reaching into my storage, I pulled out a pair of mangled angel wings.
The crowd gasped in horror and awe.
"Did you talk to your companion this morning? Oh wait-he's dead."
Angry shouts erupted from the angel faction's seats.
I ignored them and stepped up to the downed angel. With one clean swing, I beheaded him. Blood sprayed across the arena floor.
"That's your second-best angel? Absolute garbage!" I shouted toward the angel delegation.
"Kitsuna Draig, please leave the arena! The next match is about to begin!" the announcer called nervously.
I grinned at the crowd. "Let's make it a three-way! That was boring, right?! Let's make this fun!"
The audience roared in agreement.
But instead of leaving, I raised both arms high and paced the arena like a showman.
"Come on! That can't be it! Was that really your so-called holy might?!" I shouted, twirling my sword and pointing toward the angel faction's section. "Bring me a real fight!"
The crowd erupted again, some cheering, others jeering the Angels. A few even tossed snack wrappers into the air like confetti.
Children stood on their chairs waving flags, adults chanted my name, and the overall vibe shifted from excitement to bloodthirsty anticipation. This was no longer just a tournament-it was a spectacle.
"Draig! Draig! Draig!"
Even the announcer couldn't help but join in, laughing nervously into the mic. "W-Well, folks, the Fox Princess is certainly not shy about demanding action!"
Then, from the far tunnel, two more angels entered-the next act in this bloody drama-one a towering paladin, the other a slender female with silver wings and a gleaming bow.
"Sure, let's go, fox," the male said, planting his shield.
The female said nothing, her expression calm. But her aura was sharp-dangerous.
"Make your little chicken leave," I said, gesturing at the previously downed angel now being healed.
"Guard, fall back," the woman ordered. Her voice was cold and controlled.
The paladin bowed. "Yes, Milady."
We took our positions.
"Let the match commence!" the announcer shouted.
The paladin didn't move. Defensive stance. The woman behind the paladin closed her eyes to channel her energy.
'Oh, I see. She's prepped for something massive.
I flash-stepped behind her and went for a strike-
Clang!
The paladin blocked it just in time, his face set in grim focus.
"You're faster than I expected," I said with a grin.
He shoved me back with force, advancing in short, tight steps.
"Finally, a proper paladin," I muttered. I caught his shield with one hand and slammed my fist into his helmet.
Crack!
He stumbled but stayed upright.
With a snarl, he threw the shield at me and drew his longsword. I met him in kind-except my blade sliced clean through his.
"You!!"
The woman opened her eyes, raised her hands, and cast a massive sigil into the air. The arena's protective barrier shattered with a deafening boom.
"Ah. That's what she was charging," I said, intrigued.
Suddenly, four wings burst from both their backs.
"Noble angels... This just got fun."
I vanished-reappeared-and cut through all four of their wings in a blink. Blood and feathers rained down.
"Kyaaa!"
"Aaaagh!!"
They screamed in unison, collapsing.
"You should've stayed inside the barrier," I said calmly.
Before I could finish the girl, she summoned spears of radiant light. I blocked them with an ice dome, then countered with a wave of lightning.
The paladin charged again, flaming sword in hand. We clashed hard, my tail wrapping around his leg and slamming him backward.
The woman followed up with explosive arrows and a shadow spear. I intercepted the spear with my tail and dodged the blast.
"Let the light judge you!" she shouted, casting a sky-born holy beam.
I raised both arms and deflected the beam with a swirling vortex of wind and frost.
The paladin tried to rise again, panting and bloodied.
I summoned dozens of floating ice shards.
"Let's end this."
The shards launched. Half hit the shield. The rest pierced his armor. He collapsed.
She fired a final shot, but I twisted midair and sliced the arrow in two.
Then the king's voice boomed across the arena.
"That's enough. You have won the fight, Draig."
I bowed respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He stood in the VIP box, arms behind his back.
"Leave the wings."
"Tch... fine," I said, tossing the mangled wings to the ground.
The girl hissed from the floor, glaring. "You'll pay for this one day."
I chuckled. "Sure. But karma owes me a favor. It's going to take a while to catch up."
Her eyes widened with a mix of fear and hatred as I walked away.
Backstage was quieter than usual.
The roars of the crowd still rumbled faintly through the stone walls, but in here, the air felt heavy. Heavier than blood. Heavier than sweat.
I shook the last bits of ice from my fingertips, flicking them onto the floor as I strode past the nearest medics and stunned guards. Most of them gave me a wide berth-some out of respect, others out of fear.
Waiting by the corner was Stacy.
She didn't look frustrated. Not exactly. Just tired. Thoughtful. The kind of look someone gives when they know a storm's coming and no one else sees the clouds.
"Quite the show," she said, arms folded, her black coat catching the faint light from the sconces.
"You think so? I thought it was a bit tame," I replied with a grin, though my shoulders ached.
"You cut off their wings, Kitsuna."
"Yeah, well... They grew back last time."
She looked at me over for a long moment before sighing. "Tomorrow's the final."
"Yup."
"Logan."
I nodded.
She didn't say it, but I knew what she meant.
'Be careful. He's not normal. You might die. Or worse.'
We walked together in silence through the stone hallway, flanked by guards. The corridors gradually widened, the hum of enchantments growing stronger with every step.
"The king requested you come to his VIP chamber," Stacy said after a beat. "He wants to speak with you before the final match."
I raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Now."
"Let me guess-he's going to tell me not to kill Logan?"
Stacy gave a small, knowing chuckle. "Maybe. Or maybe he's hoping you will."
We arrived at the ornate double doors of the VIP suite, flanked by royal guards in red-trimmed armor. They nodded and opened the doors without a word.
Inside, golden light poured across the marble floor from arched windows. Velvet seating, silken curtains, and a map of the city laid out on a floating board showed just how serious the atmosphere had become.
The king stood facing the window, hands clasped behind his back.
"Kitsuna Draig," he said without turning.
"Your Majesty," I replied, stepping in.
Stacy followed, silent as a shadow.
The final talk was about to begin.
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Chapter 198: Guns, Light, and Gluttony
[Stadium, Royal Viewing Box]
"Why did you stop me?" I asked, eyes narrowed at the king, who lounged comfortably, gazing at the chaos in the arena below, his face unreadable.
"We can't kill a noble angel without a proper reason."
"...It's a tournament," I said flatly. "They signed waivers. They knew the risks; hell, they bragged about them."
"Yes, but-"
"They're the ones who broke the barrier, not us. That was on them."
"You already took his wings. That's enough."
"Pfft. They can grow back."
"With effort."
"Not really. Rachel could heal that easily. Don't ask how I know. You don't need to."
"It is necessary to know."
"It isn't." I crossed my arms. "It doesn't change the plan. In the end, she's just another angel. Especially now that noble angels are crawling out of the woodwork."
The king sighed, folding his hands. "Rachel is more than that. She's a saintess; she holds weight in every realm."
"Ah. Well... still not saying anything. Just know she won't be showing up. If she does..." I let my voice trail off with a smile. "I'd already be dead."
"What?" Kayda asked, tilting her head at me.
"My new skill," I muttered, watching her eyes widen.
"You can use that on people too?!"
"Hey, you two," another voice cut in. "We're still here."
"It's fine," I waved them off. "We'll stick to your plan. What I did won't screw it up; it just gives us an edge. You all do know what I really am, right?"
The king exhaled slowly. "Fine. Just keep casualties to a minimum."
"Be careful, all of you," I said, nodding once before my form scattered into snowflakes.
[Elsewhere, Dimensional Pocket]
'So that's their plan,' I thought, materializing in a quiet void of shifting gray. 'They really think I'm just a piece on their board... Cute.'
"Oh? Is the grand finals today?" rumbled a deep, sleepy voice.
"Yeah, Granny," I replied, turning toward the massive cat lounging behind me, eyes still closed. "There should be three of his clones down there, right?"
"Correct. You'll face one alone. Be prepared."
"Most likely. But not for long."
"Don't bet everything on that new skill," she warned.
I gave her a lopsided grin. "I won't. Besides, it can't kill me anymore, thanks to you."
"Pfft. It can still hurt."
"Pain's just pain. Nothing more, nothing less."
[Arena, Now Hidden Behind a Black Barrier]
The audience roared with anticipation until the arena shimmered and snapped shut behind a veil of obsidian mist.
"What the-!?"
"Is that supposed to happen!?"
Outside, soldiers rushed the edges. Several lesser angels and guards began sparring violently in the outer sections of the stadium. The crowd couldn't see what was happening inside the dome, but they could hear the muffled explosions and faint shockwaves rattling the stadium seats.
Panic? Maybe. Excitement? Definitely.
[Inside the Arena]
"Yo, yo, yo, ladies, and-wait, what the hell?!" The announcer's voice cut off the moment the dome fell.
"Tch. Dramatic much?" I muttered, stepping onto the arena floor and facing Logan.
The air shimmered as the black dome sealed overhead, cutting us off from the outside world. No audience. No referees. Just me, Logan, and whatever tricks he'd brought.
'Alright, showtime,' I thought, stepping onto the arena floor with my usual swagger.
Logan waited, blade drawn, armor glowing faintly with blessings. "Are you ready?" he asked, faking confidence.
"Always." I formed a black katana in my right hand, letting the edge hum with subtle, dark energy. "Let's see if you've stopped being a punching bag."
Logan snarled. "I've trained every day for this. You won't humiliate me again!"
With a shout, he leapt forward, holy light wrapping around his sword. "Radiant Slash!"
I met him halfway, clang! Our blades locked, sparks flying. He pushed with everything he had.
'He's stronger... not strong enough though.'
I twisted under his guard and drove my knee into his ribs, sending him flying back.
While airborne, he shouted, "Holy Lances!"
Dozens of spears of light materialized midair, aimed straight at me.
Bang. Bang.
I drew my M9 in a fluid motion, blasting the nearest spears out of the air. The rest rained down; I flash-stepped left, then right, weaving through them with only a few scorch marks on my coat.
"Are you still using that outdated magic?" I scoffed. "Gotta do better."
Logan clenched his teeth. "Blinding Halo!"
A circle of blinding white light erupted under my feet.
"Tch,"
I jumped, but the flash still seared my eyes for half a second. I landed in a crouch, blinking spots away.
'Annoying trick, but still weak.'
Ratatatat!
I swapped to my AR-56 and sprayed fire at him; he dodged, zigzagging behind a barrier of conjured shields.
"Sanctuary Field!" he called, forming a dome of light around himself.
'Not letting you get comfy.'
I switched mags to explosive rounds.
Bang, BOOM!
The dome cracked with the first shot and collapsed by the third.
"You bitch!" Logan shouted, his body glowing now as he drew deep from his mana pool. "I'm not done!"
"Then stop playing defense and fight me!"
"Purifying Wrath!" he roared, launching a torrent of searing white fire from his palm.
I dove to the side, flames licking the edge of my coat.
"Shit, that one was new," I muttered, rolling and firing back.
He charged through the smoke, slashing wildly. "Light Edge, Double Split!"
Two blades of compressed light carved toward me; I ducked, sliding across the ground as they passed overhead.
Clack. Click. Bang.
I fired three rounds upward, catching him in the shoulder and hip.
"Grah!!" He staggered back, barely staying upright.
"Come on," I said, rising slowly. "Where is the holy might that I was warned about?"
Logan snarled, and then his aura changed.
The air around him began to warp. A pale vortex opened behind him, spinning clockwise like a vacuum in reality itself.
'Shit. Now he pulls it out.'
He raised one hand, letting the vortex feed off his mana. "You think you're clever with your bullets and toys? Let's see how clever you are when your magic gets eaten alive."
"Ah, Gluttony, huh?" I muttered, watching the vortex pulse with growing hunger. 'Damn. Gran warned me about this.'
I fired a mana bolt directly at the vortex; it evaporated instantly.
Bang. Bang.
I aimed at Logan instead, but the bullets lost velocity the moment they passed into the vortex's range. The pull was subtle, like gravity pressing sideways.
'It's feeding. Shit, it's pulling from me now.'
My mana started to drain, not heavily, but like a leak I couldn't plug.
"Lightstorm Barrage!" Logan shouted, sending bolts of raw divine power at me, guided ones.
"Try it!" I hissed and flash-stepped again, bullets spraying from the AR-56. I aimed for the air around the vortex, trying to keep space between us.
'I need to distance myself. Can't get caught in the range of that skill... It's not just eating mana; it's learning from it.'
My breathing tightened as I felt the familiar tug on my reserves.
'Not yet. I can't let this thing copy me.'
I summoned another gun mid-air, this time a heavier model, plasma-based. I didn't fire yet.
"Still got a new toy? It won't help." Logan shouted, eyes wide and almost crazed from the mana burn. His skin had started to crack along the edges; he was burning his life for this.
The vortex pulsed. Everything within ten meters was being sucked in.
'It's too unstable,' I thought. 'He doesn't even realize it'll collapse if he pushes more.'
He launched himself toward me again.
"Divine Spike!" he cried, casting a narrow, high-velocity lance of energy straight from the vortex's core.
I side-stepped, but the edge nicked my side. A deep burn cut through my ribs.
"Fuck!"
"You bleed after all!" Logan grinned, charging again.
Bang bang, click!
I emptied the mag point-blank into his chest, cracking his armor. He reeled back, coughing blood.
I didn't stop. I switched to explosive rounds again and sent him crashing into the ground with three detonating shots. The vortex flickered.
'I can't get close, or it'll rip my mana apart,' I thought, holding my side. But if I let him go on, that thing will start copying my energy signature too. I have to end it now.'
He groaned on the ground, but the vortex still spun.
"Give up, Logan," I said, voice low, breathing ragged.
"Never... I was chosen. I'll be stronger than anyone, stronger than even you!"
He reached toward the vortex.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
I appeared behind him and aimed at his neck.
Just as I pulled the trigger,
Click.
My gun dissolved. The vortex had reached out invisibly, pulling apart the structure of my weapon at the molecular level.
"You son of a-!"
I kicked his leg out, caught him by the back of the neck, and slammed him into the arena floor hard enough to crack the stone beneath us.
He didn't get up.
The vortex still spun.
"Yeah. "This might present a challenge."
A voice chuckled softly from behind the vortex.
"Heh." "Like I thought," came a velvet-slick voice. "He didn't stand a chance."
I turned, eyes narrowing. A figure stepped out, refined, smug, and glowing faintly with divine gold.
"Huh. When did you get here?" I asked, stepping back.
I glanced up; the dome was no longer the same. Blackened, warped. The mana signature was wrong.
'We're not in the arena anymore... This is his realm.'
The God of Light smiled. "Not part of the original plan, but I figured, why not? Let's talk."
"Try again, fatty," I replied, smirking.
He appeared in front of me in a blink, his hand gripping my throat.
"Kkh,"
"Calm down," he muttered to himself.
"Yeah, you do that," I said, and exploded into white crystal, coating his body in jagged ice.
He shattered it with a pulse of light. "Cheap trick."
"You haven't seen anything yet," I said calmly.
Three blue portals shimmered open in the air above us, each one humming with power.
And I stepped through all of them at once.
"Oh? Three of you now?" he said, raising an eyebrow.
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Chapter 199:
"Heh. Bringing your sisters won't change anything," he scoffed. The God of Light scoffed, standing confidently as his radiant aura pulsed outward in waves. His eyes darted between the three of us-identical in appearance, voice, and mana signature.
"It will," I said flatly-my voice carrying from all three bodies, echoing through the arena's sealed black barrier.
He doesn't know. Good. The longer he thinks we're all separate people, the easier it'll be to overwhelm him.'
The god narrowed his eyes. "Hmm. The task might be a bit hard... only a bit, though."
He blurred forward again-straight at me-but halted immediately when he caught sight of the weapon in my hands.
He took a full step back.
"You... How do you have something like that?!" He demanded, staring at the black katana infused with demigod energy.
"Are you dumb? Who's my mother?" I said with a smirk, then vanished-reappearing behind him in a flash and swinging the blade downward.
Clang!
His own divine sword met mine, metal and light grinding against obsidian frost.
'That hesitation... He recognizes it. Good. Stay off balance.'
My weapon looked like a forged blade, but it was born of me-ice magic laced with demon mana, compressed and hardened through divine forge techniques Steve had drilled into my skull.
"I just need to keep the pressure on." I considered encasing my entire body in ice armor of demigod quality. Cold flooded the arena.
The god growled, stepping back and shielding his eyes for a split second. "You!!! What are you?! This isn't possible!"
"A fox," I answered, ducking under his counter swing and aiming low-trying to slice through his knees.
Clang! Another block, but he stumbled.
"You seriously are a fox!" he barked, slamming a palm into the ground. BOOM! A wave of light burst outward, blasting me back.
As dust settled-
Bang! Bang!
Two high-velocity shots rang out from behind the cloud-my sisters, both hovering in midair, rifles raised.
"AAAGHH!" the god screamed as the bullets struck his back, staggering him forward-straight into my waiting blade.
"Fuck off!" he shouted, catching my swing mid-motion and pushing hard.
He looked shocked when I didn't budge.
"No." I forced him back a step, holding my ground as my "sisters" repositioned above, lining up clean angles.
Bang! Bang! More shots fired.
The god jumped back, dodging the bullets with narrow movements, then lunged at one of my sisters, radiant sword flashing.
She grinned. "Heh. Seriously?"
Right before impact, her body dissolved into snowflakes, scattering harmlessly.
She reformed across the arena with her twin-both floating lazily like it was a game.
'Split-second clone-phase swap. Textbook misdirection.'
The god spun, disoriented-and caught five ice spears from behind, aimed directly at his spine.
CRACK-SMASH!
He snarled and twisted, barely shielding in time. The impact tore at his robe's seams.
"You're just like your mother. Annoying!"
"Thank you for the compliment," I said sweetly, motioning with my hand.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The twins resumed fire. One strafed left, the other right-pinning him between us.
"It wasn't one!!" he bellowed, erupting with divine light and smashing the spears before the bullets arrived.
'I need to speed up the bullet enchantments,' I thought. 'They're too slow to threaten him at this range.'
Then he locked eyes with me again.
I flinched. That look meant business.
"Let's get rid of the real one first," he muttered, summoning twin lightblades and darting toward me.
"Mom said never swing your swords in an X," I said, stepping sideways.
His blades crisscrossed down-harmlessly missing me.
I brought my katana up.
SLASH!
His right arm went flying.
"AUGH!!"
"That's why you don't do that."
As expected, his divine body began to regenerate almost immediately-but slower this time. I pressed the advantage, feinting high before going low.
He blocked it.
"You rat!" he snarled, furious at how I moved around him.
He was fast-blindingly so-but predictable. Sloppy. As Gran always said, gods were powerful, but gods were arrogant.
I backed off just enough to watch him panic.
"Boy!!" he yelled, eyes snapping to the sideline.
Logan, still kneeling, responded, "Yes, Father!"
He threw up several divine buffs-holy armor, agility, and even damage reflection.
"Good."
The god surged with energy, now glowing brighter than ever. In an instant, he appeared in front of me and slammed his fist into my gut.
"Agh-kidding." I winced, then smiled through the pain-and headbutted him.
"AGH!!"
"Don't play with your food," I whispered-then plunged my blade into his gut.
He staggered, coughing lightly.
I let go of the blade and jumped back, drawing a second one-gleaming with frosted runes.
Then, with a flicker, all illusions dropped.
I revealed my full form-nine fox tails extended, each glowing with their element. Ice, fire, storm, void...
Logan gasped from the sidelines.
"A nine-tailed fox?!"
The god scowled. "Hmph. This just got harder."
His body surged with radiant pressure. "AUGH! Boy."
Logan drew his sword and began charging toward us.
I raised my hand, pointing at him.
"Sisters-focus on the boy. I'll handle the god."
The two "sisters" vanished midair-reappearing near Logan, rifles trained on his position.
"That'll help," the god said smugly. "No more suppression fire on me."
"Sure."
I raised a handheld railgun.
FWUMMMM-CLACK-
I fired.
"It's slow," he said, stepping aside. —
And then he looked down.
Half of his torso disintegrated.
"What the-!"
The dimensional round had phased through his shields and bypassed armor entirely.
Seizing the moment, I rushed in.
SLASH.
My blade nicked his chest, exposing a swirling mana core deep inside.
"Oh... so that's how I kill you," I whispered, eyes locking onto the core before the skin closed around it again.
'Game on.'
"FUUUCK!"
The god erupted in a storm of light magic, lightning cracking around him like a divine storm.
I skidded back across the stone floor, hair whipping, tails shielding me.
'Ugh... why do I always jinx myself?'
[Stacy-Outside the Dome]
"Kayda, we don't have time!" I snapped, knuckles white around the grips of my axes. My eyes locked on the arena's heart-on the obsidian-black dome now webbed with crimson cracks. Kitsune's mana surged behind it, wild and unstable, flaring like a dying star.
Kayda stood beside me, silent. Arms crossed. Her expression was unreadable. The wind tugged at her crimson robes, but she didn't so much as blink.
"She'll be fine," she said at last, meeting my gaze with eerie calm.
I stared at her like she'd lost her mind. "Your wife is fighting a half-divine abomination in there, and you're telling me she'll be fine?"
"Yes," Kayda said simply. "But we won't be if we don't focus on our fight."
I followed her gaze-and grimaced.
"Ugh. Seriously?"
One of those bloated, golden bastards was descending from the fractured sky. Eight black wings spread wide behind him, twisted into a mockery of a halo, his golden aura pulsing with each beat. A second emerged from a spiraling gate across the battlefield.
"There are two," I muttered.
"Three," Kayda corrected, nodding to our left.
I turned-and froze.
Another figure had landed silently. No pressure. No theatrics. Just presence. The tattoos spiraling down his arms made my stomach drop.
Those markings...
'It's like the one that killed my parents... But I already killed him. I'm sure of it.'
My grip tightened on the axes, leather creaking beneath my fingers.
"That one's going to be a problem," Kayda murmured, calm as ever.
Before I could speak, a whisper curled beside my ear-smooth, smug.
"Don't worry about him for now. Go for the winged one. Sara and I will handle the marked one."
A figure of shadow-one of the kingdom's guardian gods-coalesced on my shoulder, his body like coiling smoke.
"She's not enough," I growled, refusing to look away from the tattooed clone.
A second voice joined in as another divine presence landed behind us.
"She doesn't have to win," said the other god. "She just has to stall him."
I glanced toward Kayda, then back to the winged clone descending ahead.
'Funny,' I thought, bitterness rising, 'our kingdom has three gods-and I'm stronger than all of them.'
A soft hum pulsed at my wrist-Dean's voice came through the communication rune, velvet-smooth and confident.
"Don't distract yourself right before the fight, love. I have things under control. You know that."
Click.
He cut the call before I could reply. Typical.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You heard him. Let's wrap this up fast."
Kayda didn't respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the dome.
"What now?" I asked, shifting into a stance.
She smiled faintly, with something wistful behind it. "Just wondering when she'll show up."
"Who-"
BOOM.
The sky split open again. But it wasn't the original God of Light.
It was the eight-winged clone-descending slowly, spear in hand, the weight of divine judgment pouring off him like molten iron. He wasn't like the others. He was a general. A herald.
And he was smiling.
I felt the rush of adrenaline kick in.
"Are you ready?"
He didn't answer. He just hurled his spear like a comet.
"Kayda, do your thing."
"Always," she whispered.
The air around us shimmered-magic and rot thickening the sky as scourge mana surged.
[Split from the Arena-Earlier]
Just minutes before, the team had split under fire.
The arena floor shook violently as the barrier dome encased Kitsuna and the divine threat inside. None of us could get in-not without shattering it and killing everyone within.
"We split," I said quickly, scanning the sky as divine pressure descended. "I'll handle the winged clone. Kayda's with me."
"Got it," Sara said, her knives already drawn, eyes on the marked one. "I'll stall the tattooed freak."
The gods appeared beside her, cloaked in smoke and light.
"I'll keep her alive," said one with a smirk.
"I'll bind space," the other added. "You know how this goes."
Kayda nodded once. "We'll meet back when Kitsuna ends it."
The last thing I saw before we took off was the sky fracturing above us-and Kitsuna's roar behind the dome.
[3rd POV]
Kayda and Stacy vs. a God of Light Clone
The sky was broken.
Lightning flashed across a war-torn horizon as the black dome crackled behind them. From its heart, Kitsuna's battle raged on, hidden from the world. But the storm outside was just as real.
Kayda, the Red Sage, hovered midair, eyes glowing with scourge runes. Below her, the earth rotted in patches, corrupted by residual magic. Standing on a shattered column with arms crossed, Stacy adjusted the twin axes strapped to her back, gaze steady.
Before them floated a clone of the God of Light, radiating divine energy like a second sun. He wasn't posturing. He was waiting. Measuring.
"You're wasting your strength," Kayda called. "This isn't your real body."
The clone smiled. "This body is really enough to kill both of you."
Stacy spat to the side. "You talk a lot for a glorified puppet."
"Mortal arrogance."
He raised a hand-light spears rained from the sky, a divine barrage.
Kayda raised a finger. "Decay Field."
The air warped as the spears entered her range-light twisted, aged, and crumbled mid-fall, disintegrating into dust before reaching the ground.
The rest? Stacy was already on the move.
She exploded forward, dual axes drawn in a reverse grip. No war cry. No hesitation.
Just steel.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each swing was a blur-force over finesse, yet precise. The clone dodged the first strike and parried the second, but the third embedded itself in his side, sending him tumbling.
He righted himself midair, expression tightening.
"She's fast," he muttered.
Kayda hovered higher, eyes narrowed. "You haven't seen fast yet."
She opened her palm.
"Entropy Wave."
A spiral of black light erupted from her fingertips, curving and weaving through the air. The clone turned with his blade drawn and sliced the wave in half, but the edges still brushed against his leg.
"Ugh-what...?"
He looked down. The flesh around his shin was decaying.
"Scourge magic," Kayda explained. "It doesn't burn. It rots you alive."
He tried to regenerate it-his divine body started reversing the decay-but then-
WHAM.
Stacy's boot met his face, sending him crashing into the cratered ground below.
She landed beside him, cracking her neck.
"Are you done monologuing yet?"
The clone teleported behind her, blade swinging low-
But she pivoted without turning her head, bringing up an axe with a perfect block. Sparks exploded as divine steel met mortal iron.
"Hmph. You're not human."
"Nope." Stacy shifted her foot and twisted, knocking him off balance. "I'm worse."
She kneed him in the stomach, flipped backward, and hurled one of her axes like a boomerang.
The clone raised a shield of light.
Too slow.
CRACK!
The weapon tore through his side, spinning back to Stacy's hand. She caught it without breaking stride.
Kayda descended slowly behind them, steps light, her presence like frost creeping across the battlefield.
"You look tired," she said.
The clone coughed. "You're not even using full power..."
"Neither is she," Kayda replied, nodding toward Stacy. "That's the scary part."
Stacy cracked her knuckles. "I'll swing for real next round."
The clone snarled. "ENOUGH!"
His body surged with holy light-an explosion of pressure knocked them both back.
He hovered, armor cracked, glowing veins pulsing across his body.
"I was sent here to slow you down. But I'll end this if I can."
Kayda rolled her shoulders, the decay aura around her intensifying. Sigils flared up along her spine.
"And we're here to remind you why that's not going to happen."
Stacy stepped forward again, dragging the blunt edge of one axe along the ground. Sparks flew.
"Come on, clone boy. Round two."
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Chapter 200:
Clicking my tongue, I jumped back-just barely avoiding the vortex of spiraling light magic that carved through the air where I'd stood a moment ago. That thing wasn't just for show-it devoured mana like a starving beast.
One of my clones landed beside me, panting slightly.
"What do we do now?"
The other clone landed behind us, crouched low with twin pistols drawn.
"Why are you even talking? We're all thinking the same thing."
"Stall," I said, already tracking the cracks spreading along the inner dome. Thin red fractures spread across the obsidian like lightning. "His tantrum earlier cracked the barrier. We buy time. That's all we need."
"The other one's analyzing the weak point, so we just need to keep this bastard occupied," one of them added.
I shot her a glance. "Stop talking. Mind link works fine."
Our tails lashed behind us-each one trailing a smoky, reddish glow, the mark of our divine blood and cursed roots. It smelled like burning ice and ash. Raw power condensed into twitching nerves.
The vortex faded-and the god descended, his blackened wings spread like judgment.
Eight of them.
Even darker than before, and yet he still radiated holy light. Divine irony.
"Father, I don't think we can win here," Logan muttered from the sidelines.
"Shut up, boy. You've never seen real power," the god snapped, his voice grinding like a blade through gravel.
"Look at that," one of my clones said, amused. "He's got four pairs of wings now."
"All black. Still using light magic. Must be having an identity crisis."
"Focus," I growled, but couldn't suppress a smirk. "Those wings are our cue."
Smoke coiled more violently off our bodies as we charged up.
"Let's make him work for it."
The god snapped his gaze toward us.
"You've been chatting for too long..."
He suddenly appeared between us with a loud boom, his hand already swinging in an arc of compressed air.
"Shit!"
All three of us dropped ice shields mid-motion. The pressure strike shattered the first layer, cracked the second, and only barely dispersed on the third.
My ears rang. Blood trickled from my lip.
'Air pressure... like what Amari was practicing,' I thought grimly, planting my heels into the ground. 'But refined. Weaponized.'
Before I could recover, he was already moving-spear out, stabbing straight at my heart.
One clone blurred forward.
"NOT today!"
The spear hit her dead center.
There was a flash-not blood, but light breaking apart illusion and magic.
The clone didn't scream. She simply froze, fractured-and shattered into snow and glass-like ash, dissolving into the wind.
"Dammit," I hissed. "One down."
My second clone raised her rifle and emptied a clip directly at the god's back while I lunged forward from the opposite side.
We caught him mid-turn. My blade carved into his ribs, shallow but sharp, and her bullets cracked his shoulder blade, divine ichor spraying from the wound.
But he didn't flinch.
He grabbed my arm with one hand and spun-slamming me into the ground hard enough to crater it.
CRUNCH.
Pain bloomed through my ribs.
I coughed but activated a blood seal beneath my skin, knitting the worst of it.
Above me, my last clone moved with elegant precision-switching from rifle to dagger, blinking into range with foxfire trailing her feet.
She slashed his neck-and he twisted, letting it land shallowly before retaliating with a burst of light.
CRACK.
Her leg was ripped off at the knee, and her body was flung across the dome.
"FUCK!" I screamed, flickering back to my feet.
I flash-stepped behind the god, grabbing the half-conscious Logan by the neck and lifting him like a ragdoll.
He blinked.
"Wh-wait, wha-"
"Let's see how heartless Daddy really is."
The god paused mid-lunge, watching as I held his son up like a meat shield.
My last clone crawled into position, AR-56 aimed at the god's chest, breathing heavily.
"Fire."
She didn't hesitate.
The god reacted fast-too fast.
He fired a beam of searing light straight through the boy's stomach and into my shoulder. The impact was enough to rupture the muscle, and Logan screamed-barely alive but bleeding out fast.
I dropped him and gritted my teeth, teleporting backward.
But that single moment cost me.
The god appeared above my last clone, spear ready.
"No-!"
She raised her gun to block-but it was too slow.
SHHHHK!
The spear pierced through her chest, but her hand remained steady, finger still on the trigger.
"Got you..."
BOOM.
The gun's magazine exploded with condensed fire magic point-blank in the god's face. The burst staggered him-long enough for me to lunge and drag my last clone's body away.
But she was already disintegrating. Tail first. Her breath was shallow.
"You'll live..." she whispered.
"No."
She gave me a faint smile as her form dissolved into ash-leaving only a silver ring of mana dust behind.
Alone again.
Bloodied. Exhausted. Barely holding myself upright.
But the barrier was cracking, and I could feel something.
Her.
"Just a little longer," I muttered, crouching low with my blade ready.
The god rose, his face burned, one eye flickering with divine instability.
"I'm done playing with you."
"Then come on," I spat blood. "Let's see what you can do when I'm the last one left."
[Dean-Fortress Interior, Aftermath of the Slaughter]
The scent of blood clung to the walls.
I stepped over the scattered remains of the last angel squadron, smoke curling from the edges of my coat as I walked calmly through the ruined hallway. Burnt banners, holy wards torn apart, pieces of armor-everything was either melted or dismembered.
"Hmm... it's worse than I thought," I muttered, nudging aside a scorched gauntlet with my boot.
Hundreds of demi-human bodies littered the floor. Angels too-some intact, most not. I hadn't even used a tenth of my strength.
'We should've just brought more humans.'
Another doorway, another pathetic attempt at resistance.
"You're no demon."
One of the surviving angels stepped from the shadows, weapon trembling.
I sighed, barely looking at him. "Nope."
I waved my hand lazily. The angel's body split in seven different directions before he hit the floor.
"Brother, charge!!" Another one screamed.
A dozen more angels came running.
"Stacy's not going to be thrilled about the losses," I said, cracking my neck as they closed in.
"Die, human!"
I didn't answer. Just took a breath.
Two meters away from me, they stopped existing.
The hallway went quiet again-except for the splash of meat hitting the floor.
I stepped through the aftermath, lighting a cigarette and tossing it onto the pile. It ignited instantly.
"I should wrap this up before Kitsuna gets here."
My eyes narrowed.
The mana pressure coming from the dome wasn't Kitsuna's anymore. It was the God of Light's. Stabilized. Linked.
She's still alive. But she's bleeding.'
I looked to the far end of the hall. More movement. More noise. But that wasn't my concern anymore.
'I wonder how Stacy's going to react when she sees our kid no... All grown up, buffed out like a monster.' I chuckled. 'Amari's going to lose her shit when she finds out she only fought a clone.'
I cracked my knuckles and vanished into the shadowed hall ahead.
[Sky Fortress-Containment Zone: Eliara & Thorne vs. the Strongest Clone]
The wind howled above the shattered floating plains.
The strongest clone of the God of Light had stabilized. His body pulsed with golden light, but now there was structure to it-calculated, hardened. He was no longer stalling. He was ascending.
Eliara hovered mid-air, chains of celestial law swirling around her like serpents. Her shoulder bled faintly where the last beam had clipped her-but she stood firm.
Thorne, weaponless after the clone snapped his divine hammer in half, now stood on a floating slab of obsidian, fists clenched. His warplate was scorched, smoking-but he still smiled.
"He's nearly done with the girl inside," the clone said. "Once he finishes her, I'll break you both."
Eliara raised a broken chain.
"Then we don't need to win. We just need to keep you here."
The air snapped-and time bent.
Chains shot toward the clone in spirals. The moment they touched his form, the space around him began collapsing-like a black hole made of oaths.
He roared, summoning light spheres in all directions.
"I AM DIVINE!"
The explosion that followed rippled across the sky, obliterating one of the floating platforms completely.
Thorne emerged from the smoke.
"Round two, sunshine."
He leapt.
CRACK!
His fist slammed into the clone's jaw.
The god spun-Eliara's chains coiled again, binding his left wing and shoulder.
BOOM!
Thorne followed with a knee to the chest, cracking divine armor.
The clone erupted in light and knocked them away-but it was clear:
They were stalling him.
And it was working.
Eliara looked up as the dome shimmered-threads of light linking the clones to the core.
"He's copying her energy."
"Then someone better kill him soon," Thorne growled. "Or we're all next."
And the battle raged on.
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Chapter 201: The slums to the forest to the death
[Kitsuna — A Few Weeks Earlier]
Blending into the bustling streets was easy.
Slipping out of the city? That was the problem.
"Getting out will be the hardest part-or perhaps it won't be." I could just use an illusion, couldn't I?"
I sighed. I considered hitting myself over the head. Why was I like this?
Disguised as a tall male adventurer-broad shoulders, stubbly jaw, and a cheap-looking sword strapped to my back-I made my way toward the city gates with all the swagger of someone who definitely wasn't on a blacklist.
I was halfway through when a guard called out.
"Yo, man, heading out for monster hunting?"
'I spoke too soon.' I gave him a wordless nod, hoping he'd take the hint.
"A quiet one," his buddy muttered.
"Well, let's not keep you. Good luck with the hunt!"
He stepped aside, and I walked out smoothly.
Once past the gates, I flash-stepped into the distance.
"...Did you see him move?" One guard asked, voice now slightly shaky.
"Nope."
Smirking, I reached the edge of the forest and shifted into my fox form. I didn't want to draw too much attention, so I cloaked myself in an illusion-a black werewolf dashing through the undergrowth.
[Two Days Later]
"This should be the place," I said, stopping at the foot of the dead forest.
I was about to step forward when a soldier in black ops armor suddenly blocked my path.
"Young lady, this zone is off-limits-"
"Code 9246," I interrupted, walking past him.
"...What?"
"Don't break protocol," I said, not even turning around.
Code 9246: Don't ask. Return to duty.
Best idea ever: stealing Dean's black ops codebook.
Twin chakrams spun into my hands as I flash-stepped into the forest. Monsters came instantly.
A pack of three-eyed shadow wolves pounced from the trees.
"GAAUUR-"
They didn't finish. They were minced before they hit the ground.
Too slow.
"Let's get some levels going."
My chakrams cut wide arcs through their necks and limbs-clean, efficient, lethal.
Two more jumped from opposite sides. I jumped straight up, flipped midair, and rained golden lightning bolts on their skulls.
CRACK-BOOM!
Smoke rose from their corpses.
"Keep it coming."
A larger beast charged next. It looked like a mutated lion-three heads, bone plating, and fire breath.
"KING BRUTUS — LVL 312"
"Perfect."
I dashed under his jaws, slashed through his tendons, and leapt up to plant both chakrams into his back. It roared in pain-
Too bad. I clenched my fingers together.
Golden Fox Fire detonated inside its spine.
"Next."
[One Day Later]
"Fucking curses," I grumbled, glaring at my stats.
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Alias: Shiro Adachi)
Age: 15 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Gender: Female
Level: 83
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath)
HP: 4,312 / 4,738
MP: 10,640 / 72,966
STR: 2,989
VIT: 2,884
DEF: 2,504
INT: 36,483
END: 4,282
AGT: 4,929
Skills:
Dimension Storage
Devil Fire / Devil Lightning
Fox Ice
Golden Fox Lightning / Golden Fox Fire
Saint Healing
Analysis
Expert Flash Step
Teleport
Sword Domain
Mana Sense
Pseudo-God Blacksmith
Passive Abilities:
Heightened Senses
Soul Regeneration
Eyes of Intimidation
Human Form
Night Vision
Mana Tails
Tail Abilities:
Clone
Spiritual Magic
Illusion Magic
LOCKED
"Those greedy clone bastards sucked up 60k mana... And I only gained thirty levels?" I muttered.
Most of the monsters I'd slaughtered were over level 300. I deserved more than this.
Golden fire and lightning crackled to life in my palms. The spheres pulsed-not with wrath, but healing.
"Hell? Do these things heal?"
"This is the opposite of my devil heritage-hah!"
I laughed, not noticing the footsteps behind me.
"Hmm. I haven't seen those in a long time," said an old voice.
I jumped back instantly, weapons drawn-eyes going wide as I stared.
"No way... fan lady?!"
Standing calmly with a smug smirk and two cattails was a woman I never thought I'd see again.
"The name is Fran, you impudent fox."
"... What's an old hag like you doing here?"
"I was sleeping. But someone's rampage through the ecosystem woke me up."
"I wasn't destroying it. I was culling it," I grumbled and sat back down.
She sat next to me like it was a picnic.
"So. What are you doing here, brat?"
"I should ask you the same, Grandma-walking-contradiction."
"I like quiet places. This forest used to be peaceful."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're not a real beastkin, are you?"
"Correct. I was a cat. Once."
"...So you're as old as you look."
"Older." She chuckled. "You remind me of my wife."
"You're being way too open right now."
"True," she said, stretching her arms. "Want some advice? Or better-training?"
"...Training?"
"That wrath of yours. It's too wild."
"Great. A stalker grandma who reads emotional states."
"She used the same golden fire and lightning you did."
"I don't use those. I use devil fire and lightning."
Fran's gaze sharpened.
"You do understand what devil magic does to souls, right?"
"Yes," I replied, raising a golden flame. "That's why I don't use it casually."
Her eyes softened as she studied the flame.
"You wonder about the golden elements' properties?"
"They heal. But they're fox-based. There's more, isn't there?"
"There is. Foxes embody deception and restoration. Trickery and rebirth. That fire? It's not just healing-it's manipulative essence. You can heal someone... or shatter their will."
"Yikes."
"You'll need to learn to wield it properly. Come with me."
Before I could protest, she stepped forward-and the entire scene shifted.
We were now inside a massive crystal cave, the air rich with mana. A translucent green pool bubbled quietly in the center.
"...Alright. I'll admit it. That was impressive."
"She's not the only one who can manipulate mana," Fran said smugly.
"She?" I blinked. "You mean your wife?"
"She could do that too-but with more effort. And she was younger. Less smug."
"Let's leave her out of this," I muttered.
"Fair enough."
"So... what is this place?"
"My dungeon," she said. "Built over a thousand years ago. You'll train here."
"...Not into that kind of thing."
"I'm married!"
"And you just told me your wife is dead."
Fran's expression sharpened, eyes glowing.
"Just as you dislike it when people mention your wife, I dislike it when people mock mine."
"...Fair."
Looking around again, my eyes landed on the green pool.
"So... that's it?"
"Your best friend. Dive in after each session. You can breathe in it. It heals everything."
"Sounds like I'm going to need it."
"You will," she said, eyes twinkling. "Time to temper your wrath, little fox."
[Later That Night-Campfire]
I sat slumped against a rock, the last of the day's mana reserves flickering inside me like a dying flame. A battered potion flask dangled from my fingers.
Fran, seated cross-legged across from me, sipped her tea with maddening calm.
"You look like hell," she said dryly, not even glancing my way.
I groaned, tossing the empty flask aside. "Feel worse."
"You should. You've burned through three days of stamina in one." She exhaled steam through her nose. "You fight like someone trying to outrun a nightmare."
I eyed the fire. The embers danced in shades of gold and crimson-eerily similar to my Fox Golden Lightning. My fingers twitched at the thought.
"...This lightning," I muttered, "it's not just healing. It's... manipulative. Trickster energy."
Fran raised an eyebrow, finally looking at me. "Good. You're starting to understand. Fox magic isn't about brute force. It's an influence. Disruption. Masking truth with fire."
I tilted my head. "So what about Wrath, then?"
Her expression turned hard. "That's what we train tonight."
I blinked. "Wait, tonight? As in, right now?"
Fran stood smoothly, her tail fanning out like blades behind her. "If you're strong enough to level half the forest, you're strong enough to handle this."
Groaning, I pushed myself up, joints cracking. "You're a sadist."
She smirked. "Only to my favorites."
She gestured toward the far end of the cavern-a massive stone slab etched with glowing runes. As we approached, the ground trembled faintly beneath our feet.
"That's Wrath's essence," Fran explained. "This entire room feeds off emotional output-rage, grief, vengeance. Every time you lose control, it gets stronger."
I narrowed my eyes at the slab. "So what, I scream into it and hope for enlightenment?"
Fran shook her head. "No. You fight."
With a sharp snap of her fingers, the stone shimmered. A mirror of black glass rose from the slab, swirling with blood-red mist. My reflection shimmered inside it-but it wasn't me.
She had my face.
But her eyes were wild.
Her tails lashed like whips. Blood stained her hands, and golden fire danced around her like a halo of fury.
"That," Fran said softly, "is your Wrath. Born out of your unchecked emotions. Fight her. Survive. And do not become her."
I stared at the reflection-at her. I didn't have time to ask more questions.
The mirror shattered.
And she lunged at me.
"Shit-!"
I barely managed to summon my chakrams in time. Her slash clipped my shoulder, sending a jolt of pain straight through my nerves.
"Fast-!"
She grinned at me-my grin-and slammed her foot into my chest. I went flying, skidding across the cavern floor.
"Get up!" Fran shouted, her voice echoing across the stone walls. "If you let Wrath control you, you lose!"
I coughed, blood in my throat. The clone-my rage-was already charging again, golden lightning flaring off her blades.
I flash-stepped sideways, barely dodging, and brought one chakram around to counter. Sparks exploded between us.
She doesn't stop.
She doesn't think.
She just burns.
My heart pounded. The fire inside me began to swell-urging me to lash out, to tear her apart without thought.
No. Not this time. I'm not her.
I exhaled through my teeth and dropped my illusion armor, focusing everything into raw mana flow. I let the rage come-but I didn't let it take me.
Fran's voice pierced the haze: "Wrath is not rage. Its purpose is sharpened by fury!"
I snarled and caught the next strike between both chakrams. Then, twisting my hips, I slammed my knee into her ribs and flipped her over my back.
She hit the stone hard-and didn't get back up.
Smoke curled off her limbs as her body slowly disintegrated into embers.
Fran stepped forward, her voice quiet this time. "You didn't become her."
I dropped to my knees, panting. My blades flickered, unstable.
"Barely."
She nodded. "That's step one."
"...Step two?" I muttered.
Fran cracked her knuckles. "Tomorrow."
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Chapter 202: Forest to the cave to the death to the Wrath
[Kitsuna — The Next Day]
"What the hell was life like a thousand years ago?" I asked, floating lazily in the green goo. The mana-rich slime clung to my skin, but I didn't have the strength to care.
Fran, Granny Fran barely looked up from where she sat cross-legged, sipping tea like she didn't just throw me through three walls.
"If you want to know that, read a history book. They're surprisingly accurate for once."
"Huh. Figures." I winced as a bubble of the goo popped near my cheek. "So... what's first on the torture schedule?"
Fran set her cup down, smiled faintly, and said, "Simple. Attack me."
Naturally, I did.
[Thirty Minutes Later]
"You're not bad," Fran admitted, casually stretching while I floated half-naked in the goo pit, trying not to drown in exhaustion.
"Even without my clones siphoning my mana," I muttered, "I still wouldn't stand a chance."
"Probably not," she said, smirking. "But let's talk while you recover."
"Sure. What's the lecture this time?"
"You've been trying to split your elements again, haven't you?"
I hesitated. "...Some of them, yeah."
"Have they shown up in your status screen?"
"...No."
"Exactly. That's because you're not forming new elements; you're diluting the one you already have. You're weakening your affinity instead of splitting it properly."
I looked away, scowling. "And you're going to help?"
"Oh, definitely. Kayda could help too, but, well, you know how she is. Terrible teacher."
"...We agreed not to bring up our wives."
Fran nodded once, eyes closing. "Right. My bad."
"So how do we start?"
"Like before. But with better guidance this time."
"And this goo pit?" I asked, flicking a finger through the glowing green sludge.
"It's a soul-restoration fluid. Designed specifically for users of Wrath. Helps you recover from spiritual backlash. It was made by a former Wrath bearer, one who created this dungeon."
'Probably her wife,' I thought silently, checking my mana reserves. Still only around 10,000.
"I'd have more if my clones weren't draining me back in the capital," I muttered.
That made Fran blink. "You what?"
"I left clones behind for the tournament. Can't just vanish and let everyone think I chickened out."
Fran groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Ugh. Okay, explain everything."
[Ten Minutes Later]
"...And that's the situation," I finished.
"To think that child is involved," Fran muttered.
"Child?"
"You call him the God of Light. But when I met him, a few hundred years ago, he was just a snot-nosed brat."
I tilted my head. "Why are you surprised he's back?"
"He approached me a few months ago and asked me to join his side. I declined, but I see now... it's more personal than I thought."
"How so?"
"He still holds a grudge. Against your mother's family."
"The Draigs?"
"No. Her birth parents."
"...I see."
"And before you ask, I don't know why. That family's always been weird."
I nodded. "Fair."
"Anyway," Fran said, shifting topics, "you came here to level up, right? But you're going up against one of his strongest soul fragments. He'll definitely send the Light clone. And probably two others."
"Wait... clones like mine?"
"No. Very different. His clones aren't copies of himself; they're splinters of his soul."
"What the hell?"
Fran leaned forward, her tone serious. "He breaks down his soul into fragments and implants them into newborns. Sometimes they even send them through the mothers. As they grow, those fragments develop powers and personalities like his."
"So he's a parasite."
She gave me a sharp glare. "Yes. But don't be flippant. It's dangerous magic. Especially because his clones grow stronger over time."
"And half-breeds destroy the fragments?"
"Correct. His soul fragments don't seem to survive well in mixed-blood hosts. It's a flaw."
"Interesting. And how many can he make?"
"No idea. Probably unlimited; he's a god. But with your fox lineage, you might be able to replicate a version of that magic. Eventually."
"...You want to train me harder, don't you?"
Fran grinned. "Of course. You're going to fight him, after all."
[Later-Theory Session]
"Alright," Fran said, placing a glowing stone on the ground, "let's start with theory."
I groaned. "Ugh, no."
"Too bad. You need it. Let's talk about elemental purity."
After two hours of ranting, scribbling symbols, and comparing mana flows, something clicked.
"Wait, my ice magic is the purest because it's fully developed, right?"
"Correct. If you break it down, you'll get high-purity wind and water affinities."
"And my dimension and lightning affinities?"
"Low purity. But I can teach you how to wield them more effectively."
I smirked. "You haven't even seen my lightning."
"Who's the teacher here?"
I summoned a plasma blade in response. Lightning surged across the cave, crackling against the walls with feral energy.
Fran's eyes widened. "You... made a plasma sword?"
"Yeah. I've got pseudo-god blacksmithing."
"You what?!"
"I can forge demigod weapons."
I summoned a few more and dropped them at her feet.
Fran stared. "...You're a monster. That's a compliment."
"I'll take it as one."
[Dimensional Magic Training]
"So," Fran said, holding up a worn shoe for some reason, "for dimension control: close your eyes. Toss an item from one hand into storage and pull it into the other. Feel the distortions in the mana around you."
I raised a brow. "...Did you just give me a shoe?"
Fran didn't even blink. "The item doesn't matter. The principle does."
"Okay, weird cat lady." I took the shoe, closed my eyes, and focused. "Toss it in, then yank it out with the other hand. Got it."
I tossed.
Nothing came out.
I opened my eyes and looked at my empty hands.
Fran blinked. "Did you just lose the shoe?"
"...Maybe."
"It was my favorite napping shoe."
"...You nap on your shoes?"
"You nap with tails. We all have our weird things. Now focus!"
I tried again. This time with a metal spoon.
I tossed it in, yanked, CLANG!
It smacked me in the forehead.
Fran winced. "Maybe you shouldn't yank so hard."
"It's not my fault spatial magic doesn't come with safety settings!"
"Try it again. This time, don't summon the spoon like it owes you money."
"Rude. But fair."
I exhaled slowly. I closed my eyes. Focused.
ZAP.
"Why does the air smell like burnt fox?" Fran asked, sniffing the air as I sat smoking slightly from my tail.
"I-I might've accidentally used lightning storage."
"You stored it... while it was still active?"
"...Shut up."
After a long string of failures, including one where I summoned an entire weapon rack onto my foot, I finally got it.
I tossed a small coin into my storage.
Held out my other hand.
Fwoosh. The coin blinked out, then reappeared perfectly in my palm.
I opened my eyes slowly. The mana had flowed like a ripple in space. A shimmer of controlled magic.
Fran, now lounging in her cat form atop a folded towel, cracked open one eye.
"You finally did it."
"I know." I dropped onto my back, arms spread wide. "I deserve a parade."
"You deserve a nap and a tail comb."
"...Not happening."
Fran yawned. "Still. You did great."
"Yeah yeah," I muttered, sitting up and brushing off my burnt sleeves. "Anyway, I've got to go. One of my clones is fighting Amari at full power. Can't let her overdo it."
Fran rolled onto her side. "Sure. What do you want for dinner?"
"Anything that wasn't murdered by your cooking."
Her ear twitched. "Oi."
"Not commenting." I stepped forward, opened a stable blue portal, and disappeared into it.
Behind me, Fran muttered, "It was one burnt fish. One time..."
[Five Hours Later-Return to Camp]
"Understand barriers now?" Fran asked as I emerged.
"Kind of. I'm no expert, but I could break most with time."
"Good. And the finals?"
I paused. "Wait, just got the update from my clone. Finals are tomorrow. Guess today's the quarterfinals."
"Then tonight you rest, recover, and resync your stats. Pull your clones in."
"Right."
I dispelled all my clones, watching as waves of mana surged back into me.
[Status Update]
Name: Kitsuna Draig (Shiro Adachi)
Age: 15 (Immortal)
Race: Primordial 3-Tail Demon Fox
Bloodline: Primordial 9-Tail Fox
Class: Weapon Sage (Wrath Lord)
Level: 163
HP: 8884 / 8884
MP: 53,536 / 76,536
STR: 4644
VIT: 4442
DEF: 3963
INT: 38,268
END: 5849
AGT: 6471
Skills:
Dimension Storage
Devil Fire / Devil Lightning
Fox Ice
Fox Golden Fire/Golden Lightning
Saint Healing
Sword Domain
Mana Sense
Master Flash Step
Novice Dimension Teleport
Novice Dimension Creation
Analysis
Pseudo-God Blacksmith
Passives:
Heightened Senses
Soul Regeneration
Eyes of Intimidation
Human Form
Night Vision
Mana Tails
Mana Eyes
Soul Sensitivity
Tail Abilities:
Clone
Spiritual Magic
Fox Illusionist
[LOCKED]
"Just one thing," Fran said, looking me dead in the eyes. "Do not take the Wrath skill lightly. I know we've been training it to extend the safe time, but anything can break that control."
"I understand. You know how good I am at concentrating."
She scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that, fox. It might come true someday."
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Chapter 203: Final stage, final fight, final breath
"Do you really think I won't kill him just to finish you off?"
The god's voice was bored, like he wasn't even trying anymore. His blade lazily scraped against the ground, eyes gleaming with mockery.
I gave him a toothy grin, blood smearing down the side of my chin. "Well... yes. I do."
He clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. You foxes really are the worst. Always dancing around, hiding behind illusions. Never once winning a fight head-on. Just tricks, tricks and tricks."
He raised his arms and began to monologue like a theater reject.
"I mean seriously," he said, gesturing wildly, "I've been exterminating your kind like pests. Not out of justice or vengeance-no. Simply because you're annoying."
He paused, glaring at me like I had personally insulted his fashion sense.
"It was fine-great, even. A year ago, your kind just vanished from the surface. I thought, 'Finally, they've all died off or slithered into some hole to rot.'"
'What the hell is this guy even going on about now?' I thought, one brow twitching.
"But no! It wasn't extinction. It was because your fucking queen came back! That golden bitch ruined everything! Now you're all crawling under her tail like good little pets again!"
'I swear this guy has issues with foxes... and moms.'
He didn't even notice the tension building in the air, too caught up in his rage. My mana tried to spike-too late.
SHINK!
"Agh-!"
Pain.
I didn't even see the strikes coming.
Both my arms and legs were cleaved off in an instant, and a moment later, his hand closed around my throat like a vise.
"Let's make this simple," he said, smug now. "At least I won't have to worry about you anymore."
Blood bubbled up my throat, but I still smirked. "Hehe... You really think I was the one you should worry about?"
And then it hit.
A pressure so heavy it cracked the sky.
WHUMMM-
A blue portal tore through the battlefield behind him, swirling with arcane energy. From its mouth poured golden lightning and concentrated fury. The mana alone warped the air-distorting sound, reality, and even time for a heartbeat.
The god's fingers trembled. He turned.
"What... this isn't berserk..."
He took a step back. His smugness vanished.
"This... this is Wrath-!?"
"No..." I choked out, laughing weakly. "It's worse."
From the center of the storm, a figure emerged-not wild, not unhinged, but deliberate. Her golden eyes were sharp enough to cut. Her three tails burned with foxfire, dancing behind her like living comets. She moved like gravity bent around her.
The god stumbled.
"Th-that's the real one...?!"
I looked up at her, awe and satisfaction swelling in my chest.
"She's finally here... Good luck, asshole."
And with that, I let go.
The pain dulled.
My vision faded.
My soul pulled back to join the others.
The real Kitsuna had arrived.
Time to watch her work.
The god stared at the portal, eyes narrowing.
Nothing came through.
His lips curled in disgust. "What? A bluff?"
"You like staring at empty spaces?" a calm, chilling voice spoke behind him.
"What!-Logan?!" the god shouted, spinning around.
Too late.
Kitsuna stood there, her hand gripping the freshly severed head of the warrior Logan. Her presence radiated like a burning furnace-red smoke trailing from her body like tendrils of wrath given form.
"I can't allow you to use this guy for any help right now," Kitsuna Draig said, tossing the head at the god's feet. She met his gaze coldly. Her hair fluttered unnaturally in the rising pressure of magic, and her four tails lashed behind her like serpents ready to strike.
"You're sacrificing yourself?" The god sneered, noting the searing heat rolling off her.
Kitsuna shrugged, unbothered. "Think what you want."
"So... all the ones I fought before... they weren't really you." The god's grin faltered. "That's why I couldn't feel a soul from them."
"Smart boy. Too bad it doesn't matter now," she said, removing her coat with slow, deliberate ease. Her crimson eyes flared. A soft tick...tick...tick echoed in her mind-her Wrath timer ticking down.
The god snarled. "I'll end you before you even hit zero!"
He lunged forward, golden light blazing around his form, sword raised high.
Kitsuna flash-stepped, her form blurring just enough to dodge the first swing. In a flash, she crafted a hand cannon midair and fired point-blank.
BOOM!
"AGH!" The god barely raised his sword in time to deflect the shot-but the explosion still sent him crashing backward through a broken pillar.
"You know I can counter bullets!" he roared, wings flaring out to stabilize.
Kitsuna blurred again.
She was already beneath him-low, swift, and merciless.
She struck upward, knocking his sword arm wide with a chakram, then jammed the muzzle of her hand cannon into his chin.
Bang!
Golden light burst forth as the god raised a barrier.
Too slow.
The bullet shattered the edge of the shield, penetrated it, and tore out his left eye.
"GAHHH!"
He flew back, hand clutching his face, light sputtering around him like sparks from a dying star.
Kitsuna calmly walked forward, reloading her gun without taking her eyes off him. "You gods really are pathetic at close range."
"You-you little monster!" the god growled. He clenched his fingers. Barriers materialized in layers around him, spinning like golden shields.
Kitsuna pointed her gun at him again.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each impact didn't pierce-but it rattled him. The barriers held, but the repeated shockwaves made his footing unsteady.
"Fuck this!" he shouted and beat his wings, kicking up dust to mask his next move.
"Really?" Kitsuna muttered. Her fox ears twitched once-then she fired twice more through the dust.
Bang! Bang!
"GAH!!"
The god shrieked as both shots punched into his wings. The golden appendages faltered, and he plummeted-slamming into the ground beside Logan's body with a sickening crunch.
"Aaaaaghhh!!" He roared, slamming his palms into the dirt.
Golden shields erupted outward in a wide dome, forcing Kitsuna back with sheer pressure. He gasped, barely maintaining his breath as he formed the holy barrier around himself.
Inside, he tried to regroup.
'Just need a second. Just one second.'
Outside, Kitsuna was breathing a little harder too.
"Should've brought snacks," she muttered, recharging mana.
Her tail crackled with energy-blazing red-black fire curling with golden lightning.
Inside the dome, the god's thoughts raced.
'She's stronger than expected... She knows how to use wrath properly. How can she know that?'
He realized it too late.
From behind him, the blue portal that she had entered earlier shimmered again.
He turned-senses screaming.
The moment he looked up, Kitsuna was already in front of him. She fired her cannon directly at the dome from close range.
The shot cracked through the holy shield.
And with that final strike-
BOOM!!!
The shield exploded.
The god howled, light blinding the area as he soared into the sky, golden wings flaring wide.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, VIXEN!!" he bellowed, flying straight up-breaking through the blackened storm clouds overhead.
Kitsuna looked up at him with a sigh. "Oh good, now I don't have to hold back."
She snapped her fingers.
All her remaining clones in the capital were dispelled.
A massive surge of mana erupted from her body as her full stats returned-her two tails expanded into four, each one surging to over 2.5 meters in length, crackling with violent, radiant energy.
The god, now far above her, froze.
"W-What... what did I just do...?" He stammered.
Below, Kitsuna's aura turned blood-red and violet, the sheer pressure warping the air around her. Her pupils were slits. Her fangs glinted. Her magic was boiling.
"Four-tail fox... with active Wrath," muttered another voice above.
Two new figures floated in the air: other god clones.
Clones of the God of Gluttony.
"Don't get distracted," said one clone, glancing sideways.
But the first one was still glaring at Kitsuna, mouth twitching. "She's dangerous. We underestimated her."
Kitsuna's mind sharpened.
'Take out the first one. Now.'
She teleported to the original clone-the one already weakened-and grabbed his head before he could react.
"WAIT-NO-!"
Her black demon fire and golden lightning exploded outward, consuming the clone entirely.
"STOP-DON'T-" the others shouted, but too late.
Dust.
Ashes spiraled into the air, glowing faintly.
Kayda had warned her about that.
'That dust... That wasn't just his body. That was a real soul,' Kitsuna realized.
Not fragments.
The clone had inherited a full soul from the original.
And now-he was gone.
She scanned the sky-Kayda and Stacy were still fighting. Another clone. Time to help.
She teleported mid-air, appearing behind the second clone fighting Kayda and Stacy.
BOOM!
The clone erupted in fire and lightning before he could even speak. Kitsuna's tail wrapped around his arm to stop him from escaping.
"Kit?! What the-" Stacy yelled in shock.
"Are you okay?" Kayda asked, stepping in front of her reflexively.
"I'm fine, but I don't have long before Wrath eats me alive," Kitsuna said, giving Kayda a quick peck on the cheek. "Let's wrap this up."
She turned toward the final clone-the strongest of the three-who was still fighting another god.
The moment she turned-
SLASH!
The god was suddenly in front of her.
Hands raised.
Blade is already moving.
"Another failure," he muttered.
His golden blade carved through Kitsuna's neck in a clean arc.
Her head hit the ground before her body collapsed.
The god clone watched as the smoke rising from her Wrath aura slowly faded-along with the terrifying presence that had blanketed the battlefield.
Gone.
Silent.
Calm.
He looked down at her body for a long moment before speaking.
"Well... with that, my biggest headache is finally gone."
He didn't even look at Kayda or Stacy as he waved one hand.
The rest of the angels-those still alive-gathered behind him in formation.
"I will see you on the battlefield, Stacy Draig," the god said with a mocking smirk. "Your parents would've been proud of you."
And just like that-he vanished in a shimmer of gold, taking his forces with him.
The battlefield was left silent.
But unknown to him-
Kitsuna's fingers twitched.
Her neck stitched itself together with glowing red threads of magic.
Her head lifted.
She sat up slowly, exhaling smoke from her mouth like it was a cigarette.
"...Fucking finally," she muttered.
She wiped a smear of blood from her cheek, stretched, and glanced up.
"They really don't wait around, huh?"
Kayda and Stacy blinked at her in awe, eyes wide.
Kitsuna rolled her neck. "Okay. That fight sucked. But hey... I'm still here, rawr."
Her tails flicked behind her, golden lightning flaring again as she stood tall, alone on the ruined field.
"Why did you make us stress like that!!" Kayda yelled, jumping into Kitsune's arms.
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Chapter 204: Aftermath of the 'Legendary Fight'
[Kitsuna POV]
"Haah... haah... fuck-thank god he left."
The words came out between ragged breaths as my body shuddered. My head, or rather the charred stump where it used to be, was knitting itself back together with a wet, sizzling sound. It wasn't pretty. I could feel each strand of sinew and muscle twisting back into place. My vision flickered, static at the edges, until my eyes reformed and the arena stopped spinning.
"We could have killed him here, you know."
Mom's voice was flat and uncaring, as if she were commenting on the weather.
"No, Mom, we couldn't have," I said, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "I had maybe-at most-ten seconds before I completely lost it. Ten seconds before I went insane. I'm already in enough pain as it is, and once I snapped, not one of you would have been able to stop me. Not even you. Only Gran could."
I tilted my head back and hissed through my teeth as a burning wave crawled through my skull.
Fuck... Gran did warn me it would happen again, but holy shit-this hurts more than I remembered. On the bright side, thanks to her training, I at least knew how to survive it now. I wouldn't accidentally burn myself out to death... but that didn't mean the recovery would be quick. I had weeks-maybe more-of slow, agonizing healing ahead of me.
"Gran?" Mom asked, brow furrowing.
"That would be me," came a voice like silk wrapped around steel.
A shimmer of heat distorted the air beside me, and then-there she was. A massive feline shape, fur dark as midnight, eyes glowing with lazy amber light. She padded across the cracked arena floor with the kind of grace that made you forget the place reeked of blood and ash.
She looked down at me expectantly. "Come, Kit. You need to get into the water."
"Gran, I can't use mana, remember?" My voice was dry.
"I know." She blinked slowly, like that fact was irrelevant. "Then let's go."
"Wait-let me explain everything first."
"No." She didn't even let me finish. "All you need to know is that she will return in a few weeks, thanks to overexerting herself." Her whiskers twitched with amusement, and before I could protest further, the world blurred.
The arena, the bloodstained floor, the smell of scorched air-all gone.
We were simply elsewhere.
"Hey! Where are you taking her?!" Mom's voice rang out in the distance just before she was left behind.
"Your dragon princess is quite possessive," Gran murmured, almost to herself.
"I am as well... Princess?" Mom's voice faded with the shift, but I caught the bite in it.
Gran replied, "It's not my place to tell."
Mom's sigh followed us like an echo. "...Whatever."
And then the pull of the magic settled, and I found myself standing knee-deep in a steaming spring.
Gran's tail flicked. "You're going to take a few weeks to get back to full strength. Don't even think about rushing it-it isn't needed right now."
I smirked faintly. "Right... It's not like a war's going to start while I'm gone."
Even in my head, the joke sounded hollow.
[Stacy POV]
"Fuck that fucking fox!!"
Kayda's voice cracked like thunder, her dragon aura bleeding into the air. She stood in the center of the ruined arena, fists clenched, glaring at the empty space where Kitsuna had just been.
I ran a hand down my face. Haah... what has my daughter gotten herself into this time?
"Stacy, are you alright?" Dean's voice pulled me back. He landed beside me, wings folding in, his expression tight with worry.
"I'm fine." I gave him a once-over in return. "Two clones down; the last one ran away with all the angels."
Dean's jaw tightened. "So that's how they slipped away so easily."
He was angry-more than he was letting on.
"How severe are the casualties?" I asked.
"It could have been better," he said grimly. "Civilian casualties are minimal, but soldier losses are high. They hit exactly where our forces were clustered around their targets, and they struck before anyone saw them coming. Even with an early response, we took a hard hit."
I cursed under my breath. "Dammit. They ambushed you."
"Yes. But..." He glanced at Kayda, who was still pacing like a caged beast. "What's with her?"
I rubbed my temple. "Our daughter got herself kidnapped by a cat."
Dean's eyes narrowed. "...How did she manage that?"
"She killed two god-clones."
He blinked. "She killed two?"
"Well... one and a half. We were about to finish one off when she took the last hit. She handled the other one herself." I shrugged. "They were weaker copies, but still-clones."
Dean shook his head slowly. "So she played them somehow?"
"I can explain what she's been doing these past two weeks," Kayda cut in, finally approaching. Her voice was steady now, but the tension in her posture hadn't eased.
Dean and I both turned to her. "We're listening."
"You remember the day you lost her in the slums?" she asked.
"Yes..." I said cautiously. "However, I am certain that I did not mention that to you."
"Well, she's been in the Dead Forest since then. More specifically, in a cave with the Sin of Sloth-that cat woman."
Dean froze. "...She found the Sin of Sloth?"
Kayda smirked faintly. "To be more precise, the Sin of Sloth found her."
Dean exhaled slowly. "...To think that being was in the Dead Forest."
"No need to worry," Kayda said. "Kitsu told me herself-the 'old hag' wouldn't move a finger to eat food, let alone start a war. I assume whatever happened two hundred years ago that led to her destroying part of the Federation was because someone really pissed her off."
Dean gave a low grunt of acknowledgment.
"Of course, Kitsu also overlooked the fact that the cat was actually a woman," Kayda added dryly.
I shook my head. "That cat's probably over a thousand years old."
Kayda shot me a sharp glare, but Dean cut in before she could bite back. "Can we get back to the important things?"
"Yes, dear," I said lightly, though my mind was still racing.
"We need to get a report to the border as soon as possible."
"Kayda can do that," I said, glancing at her. She gave a curt nod before taking off into the sky.
"Second-we clean up," Dean continued.
"Don't worry about that too much," came a smooth voice from behind.
I turned, already bracing myself. "Oh, so you stuck around?" My tone was pure sarcasm as I eyed the Prime Minister strolling toward us. Behind him, the king trailed along, drenched in blood, looking far too calm for someone in his state.
The Prime Minister looked as pristine as if he'd just stepped out of a bath.
"Of course," he said mildly. "I can't leave everything to you."
"My king, we must get you checked first," the prime minister urged, glancing back at him.
"Not yet," the King said firmly. "We'll sort the plans first. Then we'll worry about me."
I rolled my eyes toward Dean. The king's grandfather had been a demented old tyrant, but at least he'd been decisive. This one... was drifting toward uselessness. I just hope he opens his eyes before it's too late.
"Can we please get moving before I lose my patience?" Dean's voice cut through the air, deep and commanding. It sent an old, instinctive chill down my spine.
"You dare-!" The prime minister began but stopped when the two gods returned, battered and bruised.
"He's right," the female god said sharply. "We need to act before this spirals. The nobles won't keep quiet."
The king's gaze shifted. "Then I grant Dean Draig authority as captain to sort this out. I expect you three to follow his orders as if they came from me."
The gods accepted it without hesitation. The Prime Minister's reluctant nod was the only resistance.
This is why you don't make old friends your prime minister, I thought as the man escorted the king away.
"Alright," Dean said, turning to the remaining gods, "two requests. First-deal with the nobles. Arrange a strategy meeting with the high houses tonight. Make sure the Duke attends. I'm certain he's sorted himself out by now, and he'll be eager to redeem himself-and his daughter."
The female god nodded. "I'll handle the Duke. You call in the rest of the central nobles. Tonight, then." And with that, she and her companion vanished.
Dean turned to me. "Stacy, head home. Check on Amari and the Black Ops; make sure they're intact. Get orders out to reinforce the border-double patrols, pair them in teams. Recall all central-area soldiers from the noble houses so we can prepare for war."
I raised a brow. "You think we're headed there?"
"Most likely," Dean said without hesitation. "The Federation has been bolstering its forces. With the demon cult and angel cult both more active these past months, I'm certain they're feeling confident."
I exhaled slowly. War. Again.
And this time, with Kitsuna gone... we'd be walking into it without her.
[Kitsuna POV — Epilogue]
The water was warm enough to sting, heat sinking into my bones like a living thing. My limbs felt heavy, as if the spring itself was pulling the fight out of me. Steam curled around my face, thick and scented faintly of iron and wildflowers-an odd mix that told me the water was no ordinary healing pool.
Gran lounged at the edge, tail swishing lazily, watching me with those half-lidded eyes that always looked like she was on the verge of napping.
"This spring," she murmured, "is older than your little kingdoms. It will mend you-but slowly. The wounds in your body are nothing compared to the strain you've put on your soul."
"I know," I said quietly, closing my eyes. "I could feel it tearing."
"And yet you kept going."
I cracked one eye open at her. "Would you rather I hadn't?"
Her whiskers twitched. "I'd rather you learned when to stop before you burn out completely. Wrath is a sharp blade, Kit. It cuts clean-until it turns and cuts you."
I let the words settle, sinking deeper into the water until it lapped at my chin.
From somewhere deep in the spring, I felt the slow, steady pulse of magic-like a heartbeat that wasn't mine. It threaded into me, pulling the frayed edges of my power taut again. It would be weeks before I could fight like I had today... but I'd live.
Gran stood, stretching like the predator she was. "Stay here. Heal. When you leave, the world will already be moving toward its next war."
I sighed. "Guess I'd better be ready, then."
"You will be," she said simply, before fading into the mist.
And for the first time in days, I let myself drift.
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Chapter 205: Aftermath return of the crazy fox
[Later that night.]
[Kingdom War Table]
[Dean POV]
The chamber smelled faintly of ink and hot wax. Torches burned low in their sconces, casting the long war table in shifting shadows. Every noble present wore their house colors, a display of pride that only made the arguments louder.
"We must retaliate against these Federation scum!" roared Lord Halden, his voice booming across the marble hall. His fist slammed the table so hard the inkwells rattled.
"No," Lord Deyran shot back, leaning forward with his palms spread wide. "We do not have the resources for an all-out war! " His rings caught the light as he gestured sharply.
"I agree with Lord Deyran," added Count Reval, voice calm but eyes sharp. "If we start a war, the Beast and Demon Kingdoms will band together against us. We cannot survive a multi-front conflict."
"Pah! " Halden scoffed, throwing himself back in his chair. "Those small fries would be easy for us."
"As if we would back down to those beasts!" barked Baron Varric from the far side, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Yes! We must retaliate! " another shouted, half-rising from his seat. "Death to those flying birds! "
"God help me," I thought, watching them with growing irritation. They've been circling the same arguments for half an hour and still don't realize none of this matters without the marquis houses moving first.
I glanced toward An, who sat two seats down from me. Her elbow was on the table, chin in her palm, eyes glazed over. She hadn't spoken once. The Kunis had sent word they'd abide by our decisions, and Zagan's family hadn't even bothered to show.
I straightened and let my voice cut through the noise. "That's enough, people."
The words weren't shouted, but the tone-low and certain-snapped the room quiet. Lord Halden froze mid-retort. Even Baron Varric eased his hand off his sword hilt.
"Marquis Draig," Lord Deyran acknowledged, his tone guarded.
I rose, placing both hands on the edge of the table. "Let's get this meeting back on topic. I am representing the King tonight. The Prime Minister can confirm this-he was there when the decision was made this afternoon."
An's gaze flicked to me briefly, then away. She knew better than to challenge me here.
Lord Deyran turned to the Prime Minister. "Is this true? "
The prime minister gave a short, stiff nod.
"Tsk," Deyran muttered under his breath.
"Today was a tragedy," I began, letting the silence stretch just enough to keep their attention. "Before anyone here starts claiming your personal guards were lost-don't. Not a single one of your men died. Every casualty was either a civilian or a member of our Black Ops units. We will hold the funerals in three days."
A ripple of discomfort went around the table.
"Furthermore," I continued, "we are retracting all forces currently stationed in the central noble houses. Those troops will be redeployed to the borders."
"That's outrageous!" Halden shot up from his seat, face red. "We have a contract, Dean Draig!"
"Yes, we do," I said evenly. "And in that contract, it states that in an emergency, I may recall those forces. The present is one of those times."
"But-"
"That's the end of that discussion," I cut in, my voice hardening. "Consider this a courtesy. I could have done it without telling you first."
Murmurs rose, but no one met my eyes.
"Secondly," I went on, "we will require reinforcements from the central nobles."
"That's absurd! " Deyran's chair scraped loudly as he stood. "You expect us to send men into a war that might not even happen? "
"Oh, it will happen," I said, voice low but sure. "The Federation will make certain of it."
The Prime Minister frowned. "The King has given orders to avoid war at all costs."
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. "At all costs? Then perhaps we should just surrender in thirty days. I'm sure you'd all enjoy becoming Federation slaves."
Gasps and mutters of disbelief rippled down the table.
Baron Varric laughed humorlessly. "As if they could enslave us all."
"Have you ever been to the Federation, Prime Minister? " I asked, ignoring Varric.
"...No."
"They have over eight billion people. Twenty-five percent are slaves. Another twenty-five percent are bound by government contracts that are only slightly better than slavery. Adding a billion more bodies to their control would barely cause them to blink."
The prime minister's mouth closed with an audible click.
"Enough." My palm slammed into the marble with a sharp crack, silencing the last of the whispers. "This is not a debate. Contracts will be sent after the funerals. They are not negotiable."
I let my gaze sweep across the table, lingering on the ones who avoided my eyes. Too many of you are rotten to the core. The Duke can dig out the rest.
"With that, this meeting is adjourned. Prime Minister-stay behind. And you as well."
[Ten Minutes Later-War Table, Now Empty]
[Dean POV]
The room felt bigger without the crowd, though the air was still thick from the arguments. The Prime Minister lingered near his chair, shoulders stiff. Anne leaned casually against the far end of the table, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"The King will not be happy about this," the Prime Minister said at last. His tone carried that particular brand of irritation nobles get when they've lost a fight they thought they could win.
Ann smirked faintly. "If Dean says it's happening, it's happening. Who's going to stop him? "
The prime minister's head jerked toward her. "We have two gods-"
"Two young gods," An interrupted straightening. "And they'd be dead inside five minutes if Stacy took them seriously. You know as well as I do they're still green."
His jaw tightened. "You-"
I stepped between them, voice level. "So what do you want from me, Prime Minister? "
He hesitated before answering. "Support. I'd prefer to send as many forces as possible, but with the risk of the Beast and Demon Kingdoms joining the Federation, our seas become vulnerable. And the Federation might sail around the world to strike from behind."
A short laugh escaped me. "You won't have to worry too much. I'll send forces when they're needed."
His reply was curt. "Thank you."
Ann pushed away from the table. "No worries," she said, her tone clipped as she started toward the door.
"Not so fast," I said, turning my gaze on her.
She paused, one hand on the doorframe. "What now? "
"Who's been getting close to the King?" I asked, watching her carefully.
She arched her brow. "What do you mean?"
"Someone's been influencing him," I said, my voice casual but my eyes fixed on hers. "Or is it you? "
Her lips curved into a humorless smile. "...Dean, you really do hate me, don't you? "
I chuckled. "You're my closest special general. Don't take it personally."
She sighed, dropping her hand from the doorframe. "This assignment is the most annoying one yet. Why do I have to play politics? "
"Because you're the only one I trust to sniff out the truth," I said simply. "So-who is it?"
"A young lady the King calls Rose. Not her real name, but that's what he uses. She's from a small noble house in your territory."
I tilted my head. "Which one?"
"Haven't found out yet. She's only been in public for a few months. Between her and the Duke's nonsense, I haven't had time to dig deeper."
"The Duke's mostly sorted now," I said. "His daughters stepped up-helping in better ways than expected. She even has a boyfriend from our Black Ops unit. Good kid... though his taste is a bit..."
We both grimaced. "Right," she muttered.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence was heavier than before.
[Dead Forest — Sloth's Cave]
[Kitsuna POV]
The cavern air was damp and faintly metallic, the walls glowing faintly from the phosphorescent moss clinging to the stone. I shifted in the shallow pool, the warm "healing goo" sticking to my fur in an unpleasant film.
"Gran, this goo isn't helping at all!" I snapped, splashing water up toward her perch.
She stretched lazily, her massive feline body taking up half the ledge. "Shut it, Kit. I told you not to overdo it. "This"-she gestured with her tail-"is "why."
I scowled. "I only went three minutes over the time limit."
Gran's amber eyes narrowed. "And your clone backlash hit you too. Don't pretend you didn't know that."
I froze. "...Wait-it does?"
Her ears flicked back. "Don't give me that 'wait, really?' look. I told you after the first time."
"Right, right..." I muttered, sinking deeper into the pool until only my head was above the surface. "So... how long?"
She rolled onto her side, yawning. "Months."
I shot up in the water. "Months?! I don't have months! School's starting soon! "
"Pah," she huffed. "Your little war will start in days anyway."
I frowned. "Days? No. The Federation needs a proper reason to break the treaty. Dean won't let the Kingdom be the one to break it."
Her gaze slid toward me, heavy with something I couldn't read. "They might not need a reason. They have deep pockets. A noble family could be... persuaded to start it for them."
"Maybe," I admitted. "But even then, it'd still take months for them to maneuver their forces around the Dead Forest."
Gran's tail went still. "Around? "
The way she said it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "... You're saying it'll be more than just the four kingdoms?"
She didn't blink. "Of course. It will be a world war."
I stared at her, heart pounding. "...The world's bigger than these four kingdoms, Gran."
Her eyes slid shut. "Exactly."
[Draig Border Mansion]
[Stacy POV]
The war room in our border estate smelled faintly of parchment and oil from the lamps. Maps covered the main table, marked with colored pins for every patrol, unit, and supply line. Kayda stood across from me, her posture straight, her voice sharp.
"As ordered, patrols are now in two-man squads. Shifts have been reduced to four hours to keep them alert. Trackers are on every soldier," she reported.
"Good," I said, nodding. "And the rest of our preparations? "
The white-haired fox-kin standing beside her-Kira-stepped forward. "Most forces from the other noble houses in the central area have returned. They've been reassigned into active squads. Drills are more intensive, but we're keeping them short enough so energy isn't burned out before deployment."
"Glad to hear you're handling the new post well," I said with a small smile.
Her ears flicked, and she smiled back. "Thank you. The twins are doing well too."
I leaned back in my chair, grinning. "You mean your girlfriends."
A blush colored her cheeks. "Y-yes."
"How's Nekro? Haven't seen her in a while."
Her smile dimmed. "Still... angry at Apricot for leaving so suddenly."
I sighed. "Right. Those two..."
"Other than that, she's improving. Her demon powers are stabilizing," Kira added.
"Good. We'll need every edge we can get," I said. "Let's keep tightening our readiness. Assume war will come."
Kayda glanced toward me. "When's Amari leaving for school?"
"Soon. My mother should arrive in a few months to take both of them. Hopefully Kitsuna's back by then."
Kayda's eyes narrowed slightly. "If she's not? "
I smiled thinly. "War or not, I'll drag her back myself."
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Chapter 206 — Leaving Granny Fran
The smell of moss and steel hung in the air. The cave was quiet again, the way it always became after the morning ritual-water dripping from the ceiling into the shallow pool near the entrance, each drop loud enough to echo across the old dungeon walls. Light bled through the crack above us, thin and dusty, painting lines across the bedrolls and the half-finished tea on the stone table.
I'd packed everything already. My gear leaned against the wall-two sword cases, a folded jacket, and the sealed crate that held the demigod weapons. They were mine-made from divine-grade ice, born of my own hands and temper. Their runes were dull now, sleeping until I was strong enough to feed them again.
Fran stood across from me, arms folded, eyes half-closed in that way she did when she was thinking three things at once. The old woman didn't look like much-barefoot, hair tied in a messy knot, apron still stained from breakfast-but the air around her always felt thick, like the cave itself bowed a little to her mana.
"Are you sure you can walk that far?" she asked. "Two days to the edge if you don't use shortcuts."
"I've walked farther with worse," I said. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. "And I can't stay here forever."
Fran's gaze drifted along my forearms. The veins under the skin pulsed unevenly, dim lines of pale red against the white. Even so, my breathing stayed even, my body calm and steady.
"You still have a month before those veins finish knitting," she murmured. "Push too much mana and they'll tear again. You remember what that felt like?"
I did. Like swallowing fire backwards.
I nodded once.
She sighed, ladled a cup of dark liquid from the cauldron, and handed it to me. "Drink. It'll keep the pain quiet until night."
The brew smelled like burned herbs and copper. I took a sip and winced as it clawed its way down my throat.
"It tastes worse than the last batch," I said.
"Means it works better." Her mouth curved into a smirk. "You'll live."
"That's debatable."
Fran's smirk faded as quickly as it came. "Kitsuna," she said softly, almost carefully. "You've healed enough to move, not to fight. The world's different now-louder, crueler."
"I'm not surprised, seeing what happened in the capital."
"You don't have to prove anything."
"I'm not trying to." I slung my jacket over one shoulder. "But they'll need me."
"Stacy's army, or your lover?"
"Both."
She snorted. "Same answer every time."
Silence stretched. Only the dripping water and faint hum of the runes carved into the cave walls filled it.
I tightened the strap on my pack. The movement sent a faint throb through my wrists-annoying, not crippling. At least it's honest about it.
Fran stepped closer and pressed two fingers lightly against my chest, just over the heart. A spark of warmth spread through my ribs-her mana, gentle but firm.
"Your core's stable," she said. "That means you can live normally. No combat spells, no Wrath, no channeling. Not until the veins realign. You can use those weapons; you use them like steel, not magic."
I nodded. "Understood."
"Good." She drew her hand back. "Then I have nothing else to teach you-until you break something again."
"Give me a week."
Fran actually laughed. "I'll be here. Don't make me fetch your corpse out of the forest."
"No promises."
She rolled her eyes, rummaged through a shelf, then handed me a small charm-two interlocked rings of silver and glass tied with red string. "Keep it near your wrist. It'll dull mana pressure if you wander into another cursed zone."
I turned it over in my hand. "Didn't you say these were unstable? "
"They are. But it's better than nothing. They stay dormant unless you start channeling-which you're not allowed to."
I slipped it onto my left wrist. The glass ring shimmered faintly, catching the weak light. "You always give the prettiest death traps."
"Flattery won't prevent it from exploding if you disobey."
"Noted."
Fran leaned against the table. "Before you go, there's something else."
I waited.
"The Black Ops are active," she said. "I picked up chatter-squads moving through the eastern routes. Looks like they're hunting something for Stacy."
That made me pause. "You listened in?"
"I listen to everything."
"Of course you do." I retied my braid, mostly to stall. "So they're close."
"Close enough that you'll cross paths if you follow the ridge. Whether you should... that's another question."
"They probably think I'm dead."
"Then they'll be very surprised."
"Maybe that's good." I checked the latch on the crate, making sure the seal held. "They need a reminder: the fox still breathes."
Fran shook her head. "You've been quiet for weeks, and now you want to make an entrance. Typical."
"Would you rather I sent a letter?"
"You could barely hold a pen."
"Touche."
She smirked again, but the humor didn't last. "When you see them, keep your temper in its cage. Wrath might be sealed, but your tongue isn't."
"I'll behave."
"You've never behaved."
"Then I'll improvise."
"Stubborn girl."
"Teacher's fault."
She walked me toward the cave mouth. Outside, the forest waited-trees black with age, roots coiling over broken stone. Morning light barely touched the ground. Mist clung to everything like breath on glass.
I paused at the threshold. The air smelled different after so many months underground-cleaner, sharper, and full of noise. Birds somewhere far above. The low rumble of distant beasts. The world was alive and indifferent.
Fran stopped beside me. "If you hear the forest singing, turn around."
"That old myth again?"
"Not a myth." She glanced toward the treeline. "Something's wrong with the north sector. Even the corrupted beasts avoid it. Stay away."
"I will." Probably.
She must've sensed the hesitation because she clicked her tongue. "Kitsuna."
I looked at her.
"Promise me."
The weight in her voice wasn't anger-it was fear. That alone made me nod. "I promise."
Her shoulders eased. "Good. Then go before I decide to chain you back to the bedroll."
I stepped out. The ground was damp beneath my boots, soft moss giving way to stone. Pain flickered once through my calves where the veins hadn't fully settled, but it passed easily. My stamina held steady; whatever limits I had left, endurance wasn't one of them.
Behind me, Fran called out, "And remember-no mana!"
"I heard you!"
"You always hear me. You never listen!"
I waved my hand without turning back. The echo of her voice followed me until the trees swallowed it.
[Forest Path: Two Hours Later]
The path wound downward, following an old stream that had long since dried into gravel. Sunlight filtered through thick leaves, painting everything in uneven gold. My pack felt heavier with every step-mostly the weight of the crate, not fatigue.
The forest breathed around me: low hums, chirps, and the crack of branches in the distance. Somewhere east, a beast roared, deep enough to shake dust off the trees. I tightened my grip on the strap and kept walking.
By midday, the air grew heavier. The forest pressed on my ears like water. I recognized the boundary-an old corrupted zone, cleansed long ago but still scarred. The trunks bore faint burn marks, and the soil glittered faintly with residual mana dust.
I rested a hand on one of the trees. The glass charm on my wrist pulsed once, then quieted. The air tasted metallic.
Still poison in the ground. Guess the Church never finished their purge here.
I kept moving.
A low growl broke the monotony. Ahead, something moved between the trees-too smooth for wind, too silent for prey. I crouched, hand drifting to my sword hilt before remembering the rule: no mana.
Fine. Steel would do.
A corrupted boar stepped into view, flesh mottled with black veins, tusks glinting with crystallized rot. It snorted, steam rising from its nostrils, and pawed the dirt.
"Of course it's a boar," I muttered. "Never something graceful."
It charged.
I sidestepped and drew my blade in a clean arc, metal singing as it cut through air. The strike caught its shoulder; the impact jarred my wrists. Black blood splattered the ground. The boar turned, eyes burning faint red.
Another charge. I ducked low, slammed the flat of the blade against its snout, pivoted, and drove my boot into its neck. The creature crashed sideways into a tree.
I exhaled slowly. Still fast enough.
The boar staggered up again. I grabbed the shorter blade, curved for close work, and advanced. One step, two-then a precise slash across the throat. The beast collapsed, gurgled once, then stilled.
Silence returned. I cleaned the blade on the moss and slid it back into its sheath. My heartbeat is steady. No dizziness, no strain.
Good. Still stupid enough to fight without a warm-up.
Overhead, ravens circled-three of them, black against the sunlight. Watching. They followed as I resumed walking, keeping distance but never leaving sight.
Old superstition said ravens marked roads to change. I wasn't superstitious, but I didn't argue with patterns.
By the time the sun began sinking, I'd cleared the corrupted zone and reached the ridge. Wind swept through the trees, carrying the distant scent of metal and smoke-civilization. On the horizon, past the veil of heat and dust, something glinted. A moving line, metallic, rhythmic.
I shaded my eyes. At first it looked like a caravan, then shapes resolved-figures in formation, armor catching the light, banners folded against the wind. Not beasts. Not travelers. People.
And among them, faint but unmistakable, the silver-and-red insignia of the Draig squads.
A slow grin tugged at the corner of my mouth.
So they really were here.
[Nightfall-Edge of the Ridge]
I set camp in the hollow of a broken tree, a small fire hidden behind stones. The night air has turned cooler, laced with the promise of rain. I sat with one sword across my knees, polishing the blade with a rag soaked in oil. Each scrape of cloth on metal steadied the rhythm in my chest.
The forest crackled with distant sounds-wings, the scurry of small creatures, and the sigh of leaves. Somewhere far off, thunder rolled.
I sheathed the sword and leaned back against the trunk. The stars were faint through the canopy, blurred by the rising clouds.
Tomorrow, I'll find them.
And whatever comes after, we deal with it one blade at a time.
The fire cracked softly, throwing small sparks into the dark. I closed my eyes and let the forest breathe around me, the scent of rain thickening, the quiet settling deep.
For the first time in months, the world felt wide again.
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Rain found me before the sun did.
It came in thin threads through the trees, cold and persistent, stitching the canopy to the earth one drop at a time. I woke to the sound of it ticking on my pack and the stone ring I'd built around last night's coals. Damp, but not miserable. The kind of weather that hides footsteps and steals scent-good for slipping past things that think they own the forest.
I uncurled, joints reminding me I'm not actually immortal for discomfort, just for dying.
Lovely. The whole world's a wet towel.
I stowed the bedroll, checked bandages, and flexed my hands. The veins under the skin were quieter this morning, pulsing in a lazy, offbeat rhythm instead of the enraged drum from yesterday. Fran's brew had helped. Or the rest had. Or both. I wasn't arguing with the results.
Steel first: I laid the demigod blades across my knees and did a quick inspection. No mana, no awakening, just the old ritual-rag, oil, edge, spine. The weapons didn't hum as they usually do when I feed them, but even at rest they carried a meanness I appreciated. Balanced perfectly. Too honest to deceive about their purpose.
I strapped two long blades at my hips, the short curved pair across my lower back, and the long knife along my thigh. The pistols stayed in the robust case for now. Firing in forest fog is a good way to ring your ears and warn everyone from here to the coast. Besides, I wanted to hear the world today.
Walk it. Don't sprint it.
I kicked dirt over the last embers, shouldered my pack, and climbed out of the hollow. The rain threaded my braid and ran cold into my collar. I squinted up into the gray dawn smeared behind thick clouds like a bruise. The ridge path bent south, then knifed into trees so old they'd decided sunlight was a rumor.
I took the rumor anyway and started moving.
[2 hours later]
The forest changed under rain. The smell was big-wet bark, iron soil, and the faint chemical bite of old cleansing fires. Every few minutes the wind turned and brought me that metallic tang from yesterday, residual church wards cooked into the ground during some purge that half-worked and half-didn't.
I found the scar line twenty minutes in: a shallow trench running east-west, swallowed by roots but still straight as a ruler. You don't get lines like that in a place where plants are made. Humans did it. Or angels pretending to be.
Three paces north of the trench, the glass charm on my wrist pressed cold against the skin-just weight, no light. I glanced at it and kept going, placing feet where stone showed through the mud, avoiding patches that glistened too cleanly.
Tracks started showing up as the light improved, a slow parade of things that had come to drink last night. Three-toed prints with a drag mark: crawler. Hoof chips with scalloped edges: forest hog, not corrupted. Crisp, fresh human heel prints overlay both the three-toed prints and hoof chips in the new mud.
I crouched to read the human ones closely. The pressure on the ball, the depth of the toe, the stride.
"Healer," I murmured to myself, tasting the glass like a memory.
I followed them until the trench bent away and the squad's trail broke into wider paths across the fern beds. Standard practice: never let pursuers have one clean line to trace. They'd split, loop, and come back together. The rain did half the work of erasing. Time did the rest.
I could've cut it shorter. There were fractures in the ridge, and if I let my mind go soft, I could feel where they thinned the air-where a step could become a skip if I asked it right.
I didn't ask. Fran's voice still lived under my ribs: no mana. I wasn't about to pop a vein just to save ten minutes.
The forest let me pass anyway.
A berry bush bowed under the weight of water as I slid by. A rabbit shot out from under it and punished my shins for existing. I hopped backward, swore softly, and continued through ferns that seemed specifically designed to slap you in the eye at the least dignified height.
I missed this, apparently. God help me.
[Two hours later]
Something started trailing me about an hour after full light-a patience in the trees, a hush that wasn't raining. I felt it the way you have eyes on the back of your head in a room you thought you locked. Not pressure. Not hunger. Curiosity with teeth.
I took the next rise slowly, kept my profile low, and drifted right off the trail into a stand of thin pines where the needles swallowed sound. Beyond the rise, the ground dipped into a small bowl filled with bracken. Perfect place for something to think it had found a trap that looked like a refuge.
I made it look like I'd chosen the bowl by mistake: straight path, no checking corners, shoulders loose. Then I stopped behind a fallen trunk and bent like I was tying a boot.
The thing in the trees committed.
A ripple where rain didn't fall became a shape peeling itself from the shadows-a hunter, cat-shaped but too long, with too many joints. Fur clung in wet strings, blackening at the edges as if the world had burned it and decided to keep going.
It took the last meter quietly, then sprang. No roar. Good hunter. Bad choice.
I pivoted off the trunk, let it take empty air, and my right-hand blade flashed up and kissed its belly on the way past. Steel bit. The creature landed crooked and spun with a hiss from a mouth I didn't recognize. Its face: no eyes. A plate of pale bone like a mask, cracked and pulsing with dull, stubborn light.
I met it halfway-short steps, close range, no flourish. The fight stayed fast, ugly, and brief. When it finally stopped moving, rain filled the quiet again. My pulse steadied; the veins flared once and settled. I wiped the blade, scanned for company, found none, and moved on.
The rain softened toward noon. The wind shifted and brought me a new smell: oil, leather, and the faint sour ghost of powder burned in a hurry. Humans. Recent. And not from the direction of my squad.
I crouched behind a split boulder and listened. Beneath the drip, hiss, creak, chirp, and far thunder came a smaller rhythm-metal against metal, habitual, precise. A magazine is seated. A safety click. A sling buckled.
They passed twenty seconds later on the trail below, three men and a woman in Federation field gray, ponchos up, rifles cased against the rain. Not a regular patrol. Faces are too hard. Eyes calculating exits. Black-ops scavengers, maybe a cleanup crew.
They didn't see me.
I waited until the last one passed, then moved. A clean angle, a clear line, rain hiding the sound. The daggers left my hands one after another, four glints through gray. None missed. They dropped without a word.
I climbed down and checked each body. No movement. Among their gear I found a reinforced field bag humming faintly-dimensional tech, but mechanical, no mana draw. I slung it over my shoulder and stripped their weapons and ammunition into it. The veins in my arms complained at the weight, not the act.
"They'll be useful later," I muttered, and left the corpses in the forest.
The ridge broke into a low cliff, and a ravine cut the world in half. An old stone bridge used to span it; now it spanned about a third. The rest hung in broken teeth over empty air, vines stitched between them like a cruel joke.
I edged along a narrow lip on the left wall, half-eroded but passable if you liked making dumb choices carefully. I did. The rock betrayed me once-boot slid, hip hit, veins burned like oil. I froze, breathed through it, rolled out the tension, and kept moving until the far ledge accepted me.
Rain eased. The world went gray-green. "Bridge crossed," I said under my breath. "Zero angels explaining morals. Progress."
[Afternoon-The Low Pines]
The trees shifted from oak to pine, low and stubborn, turning rain into mist. The ground went soft and spongy, the kind of soil that forgets you once you lift a boot.
The squad's sign reappeared near a game trail: Sirone's even steps, Brenda's heavy precision, and Rin's ghost prints. Brit's inward-set heels, Olivia's long measured stride. Ava's tidy repair work on a white cloth snagged on a thorn. Soap, oil, faint sweetness. Their pattern was deliberate and familiar.
It was my squad.
The prints bunched and overlapped ahead-lead slowing, tail closing, standard drill. The rain ended; sound sharpened.
Then the boars decided to make undesirable choices together.
A mother and two grown offspring burst from the right, pushed by something larger up trail. They charged blindly through the ferns. I stepped into their path.
The fight was short, wet, and predictable. Two went down hard; one learned manners and fled. I cleaned the blades, dragged the carcasses aside, stacked branches for scavengers, and rolled out the tension from my shoulders. The veins under the skin murmured their disapproval and quieted.
The forest resumed breathing. I moved on.
[Late Afternoon-The Cutbank]
The trees parted and opened onto a cutbank overlooking a long, shallow valley-a ribbon gnawed through the earth. Wide flats of sand, tall grass, scattered rock. Track heaven or ambush heaven, depending on who believes faster.
Twelve sets of disciplined prints crossed the flats, stride and spacing unmistakable. Brenda's lead, Sirone's echo, and the rest falling into rhythm. They'd carried weight between them-Brenda and Sirone sharing the load.
I slid down the bank on my heels, crossed the flats at an angle so I wouldn't erase what I might need later, and entered the brush on the far side. Birds lifted ahead in pairs-forest gossip saying company uptrail.
By the time the valley narrowed into young trees, the rain was gone and light leaked gold through the canopy. My body moved like it remembered. The ache in my veins stayed a passenger, tapping the glass now and then.
[Evening-The Last Rise]
The climb was gradual but deceptive. Each bend promised a summit and lied. The prints grew fresher-minutes old.
At the crest, I went to ground behind a low juniper and waited.
At first only light and leaves moved. Then the rhythm changed: birds silenced in sequence, leaves shivering without wind, and silhouettes sliding between trunks.
Twelve of them. No banners. No lamps. The kind of silence that said trained.
They moved the way we used to. Because they were mine.
Brenda led, head low, iron in her posture. Sirone, half a pace right. Rin flanking left, Brit nearer center, Olivia steady behind. Toma and Sarian guarding the arc. Chinada in the middle, calm as cut stone. Mia is close to Ava, pretending duty. Nekro and Apricot are separated by distance and history.
Between Brenda and Sirone, the twin strap lines told the rest-they were carrying someone, bound, unhappy, with the weight shared perfectly.
My chest tightened. Not because of the prisoner. Because they still moved like us, even with me missing.
I stayed in shadow, watching for limps, tight shoulders, and scars new and old. Ava's ponytail is shorter. Mia's cheek was marked. Sarian's new knife. Toma's boots are finally broken in. None of them looked up.
Good. No theatrics. Not yet.
They reached the hollow's middle. Brenda raised two fingers; the line halted, spread, and melted into cover. No panic. No hurry. Discipline.
I slid back from the rock lip, lungs quiet. They were here. I'd found them.
The old instincts stirred, rolling their necks, eager. I pressed the cold charm on my wrist until it bit-a reminder, not an activation.
Not yet.
When the last pair disappeared west, I counted to sixty and stood. The forest whispered their trail ahead. I followed, slow and steady, until the wind brought their voices-Brenda's orders, Olivia's pen scratching against her waterproof board, and a laugh that started as Rin's and softened away.
My shoulders rolled once, remembering how to be part of something.
Then I stepped out of the trees and went to meet my squad.
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