Demonic Kitsune

“Hm?” 

As the gust of cold air burst in, Clare shielded her face. She soon looked beyond the exit and noticed something interesting. The open exit was unlike the one she had seen four and a half years ago. It was like another interior shrouded in darkness, yet boiling hot like the Gate of Hell. Sweat began to trickle down her skin even though she hadn't moved an inch. The intense ambient temperature was unmistakable. She took a deep breath with a single thought: the trial wasn’t over with just Seclusion training.

The popping sound of boiling magma seemed to lure her onward, and her bushy tail swelled and stiffened in alarm. The eerie silence and darkness suggested the end of this damned Trial. Who would have thought that after four and a half years, the areas she once passed would be completely inverted, reminiscent of the Gate of Hell? Sighing, she wondered what familiar yet eerily different challenges awaited her. Another query raced through her mind: after this passage of boiling magma, would it be the outside world? Or would there be yet another trial?

Clare’s ears briefly drooped, and her expression and shoulders sagged. She was already tired of these endless trials. But her expression soon returned to indifference. Whatever it may be, Clare was confident she could pass whatever was thrown at her due to her incredibly fruitful four-and-a-half years of secluded training.

Without hesitation, Clare moved toward the darkness, with only the popping sound of boiling magma waiting for her. A dark passage ran all the way through the exit, with randomly placed steps on the surface of the boiling magma. Her feet leaped between them. That magma-like passage vanished, and another different passage, a river filled with distinct footings, emerged.

The direction of the wind was disgustingly advantageous, while the ambient temperature was chilling beyond zero. Clare’s tail tensed up, and her ears perked up in confidence. Holy mana roused lightly around her hair follicles, oddly invisible unless one looked extremely carefully. Her feet leaped in determination between the footings. As she moved, the mysterious passageway narrowed and widened, descended, and continued steep slopes at seemingly random intervals. Clare leaped through the passage without batting an eyelid at what might be a difficult path for others.

Her speed was very fast, running through several obstacles regardless of the conditions. It wasn’t just her improved body from four and a half years of Seclusion training. Clare now understood why. Even without expanding her “Seventh Mind” or the reach of her eyesight with her Holy mana, her body was perfected and optimized. Thanks to the effects of the “Mithril Body and Soul Reinforcement” and “Mithril Physique Circulation,” whenever she concentrated her mind and aroused her energy just a little, they were much stronger than before.

How much time had passed as she wandered through so many passages?

Clare traveled through the mysterious passages with relative ease. Halfway through, another danger appeared out of nowhere. The air trembled with a swish sound that whispered through the dry, dark atmosphere. Her ears twitched as her senses tingled with impending danger. Chills crept up her spine. It was the sound of something sharp flying at rapid speed through the dimly lit passage. Her tail curled and stiffened, and Clare reacted swiftly.

She yanked her titanium white scythe from her back and quickly pivoted her foot into the rough sandy ground. She swung her scythe from right to left, twisting her body with the momentum. The semi-arcs of both opposite sides collided and deflected two long daggers shot from two directions in the darkness. Clare felt warmth emanating from both blades, which had been heated and flung at her. Her pointed nose tingled as a terrible smell wafted from the blades.

It was Nickel Poison. 

Clare hated to admire it, but it was the one that had slowly killed the real GIMEL after diving into it. She shifted her gaze back to where both daggers had originally come from, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. 

Unlike the other passage, which was mysterious with familiar yet different conditions and descriptions, and had a distinctly distributed footing, this current passage was a plain, sandy corridor without complicated conditions or descriptions. However, from what she had just witnessed and encountered, Clare could feel it. Hell, her entire “Seventh Mind” was tingling.

‘This wasn’t an ordinary passage either.’

It seemed that there were hidden machinery and traps, just like the last Valkyrie-Blitz Trial but different and strewn about. In other words, Clare could lose her life at any moment if she let her guard down. This was another passage and tradition for the Demon Clan to measure if the young Arrancars had properly trained in the last four and a half years.

Clare understood then. Like the traps from the previous Valkyrie-Blitz, which were infused with demonic energy, titanium arrows, and unpredictable trajectories, this passage wasn't meant to be taken lightly either. 

Sure enough, as Clare moved along, more traps and machinery shot out hidden weapons and revealed hidden sandy pitfalls. The range of traps varied from poisoned hidden weapons, poison trapdoors, occasional and unpredictable pitfalls, a hail of daggers, spears, spinning blades, arrows, and much more.

Of course, this wasn’t a problem for Clare. Her speed was faster than the traps' activation speed most of the time. And if she couldn’t outspeed something, she could block or parry with her scythe with ease. Eventually, she encountered a trap she hadn’t faced before.

‘Black Quicksand of Death.’

Clare looked calmly at the hideous black quicksand in front of her. Her stiffened tails whispered to her what would she do now? She had no choice but to cross it. It was easier said than done. This quicksand was a dark, deep mass of loose sand mixed with water, filled to the brim with countless poisons that even leaves couldn’t float without being drowned and then melted to nothingness in its tight embrace.

If Clare activated her “Seventh Mind” throughout the quicksand in front of her, she could tell that it was made to look vast and extremely dark, but it was the complete opposite.

In other words, it wasn’t as vast as it appeared. But as soon as one's skin touched it, they would start to sink while their body corroded from the skin all the way to the bone by the dense poisons. 

Of course, the depth of the swamp was unknown, but Clare had no intention of finding out. One had to either cross the quicksand by emitting solidified, enormous amounts of demonic energy around their body, which required at least a Fourth Chain combatant's strength, or they had to find another way to traverse it.

Exhaling deeply as her nine tails curled among each other, swelling, Clare looked around the quicksand. The distance to the opposite side was just over 1524 cm or so. Considering the arduous training at the Institute of Arrancars thus far, it was clear they needed the young Arrancars to be able to adapt to and survive extreme conditions and places, as well as “think of a way” to escape the impossible.

To do so, they would have to become at least second-chain to be strong enough individually to have a slight chance of success. In this case, it was strengthening their limbs with demonic energy to jump such a distance across the quicksand. Clare looked at the alloy steel bracers on her arms and legs.

A weight of 250 kilograms in total.

A 1524 cm distance and she wouldn’t strengthen herself with Asura energy either. She needed to be at least this strong, Clare thought. Could she do it? A slight doubt crossed her mind. She could easily cross using her Asura energy. But she also wanted to wear the bracers while doing it and not circulate her Asura energy to her limbs. But what if she couldn’t? The hesitation she felt was brief before she came to a single reason. 

If she hesitated and fell short, she would never get her revenge. She had to be this strong at this age to slay the bastards who betrayed her in the Central Holy Church. She also needed to believe in her strength. It was one of the core traits of becoming a Heavenly Saintess in her past life and an Arrancar in this life. Her fist clenched.

Let’s do it. Clare closed her eyes briefly, her stiffened tails relaxing their tension but remaining swollen as her ears perked up. Placing her titanium scythe at her back, and clicking it into place, Clare stepped back and began to bounce on her toes slowly but surely. Gradually and steadily, her momentum increased as she exhaled skyward and earthward simultaneously.

At this point—pulse, breathing, blood flow, Asura energy flow, and every nook and cranny of her body system, even her own weight was felt by her. Immediately after, her eyes slowly opened, her fist clenched tightly—her feet parted the ground, shooting forward at a rapid pace. Clare decided to use a basic movement technique called “Demonic Blink” which required no energy but stamina and needed a bit of a warm-up.

Clare’s figure became a flash of light, swift and firm. The glitch on the surface of the quicksand dashed through the air in rapid zig-zag patterns at breakneck speed and eventually stopped a bit from the other side of the quicksand. Clare slowly ceased flicking and vibrating at high speed, her hair billowing in correspondence.

As her body slowly fell toward the Black Quicksand that seemed like an abyss, despite her heart beating vigorously out of fear, seemingly from the lingering feeling of the real GIMEL upon the body, Clare forcibly took three leaps of all her might across the 1524 cm without using her Asura energy or taking off her bracers. As sweat trickled down her forehead and delicate neck, Clare panted a bit from the exertion of “Demonic Blink.” Her tails wriggled in stress, but she wasn’t exhausted.

Simply put, she succeeded. If it was only half a step shorter, she would have utterly failed and met her end. However, she had succeeded in overcoming what had killed the real GIMEL. 

Clare felt the sensation of accomplishment as she calmed her shaking legs from dropping to the ground. Instead, she hoped the real GIMEL, who had died untimely, could rest in peace in Vinland. 

Soon enough, she dulled her sense of pride and contentment as a mask of indifference befell her. She knew there was still a long way to go in fully exiting this sandy passage.

In other words, she could only feel better once she fully completed the trial. Like that, swiftly and gradually with accurate precision and unwavering concentration, Clare continued to move. One-third through the passage, closer to the exit, she came across an even narrower pathway once more and noticed distortion in the wall which normally meant an array engravement was once located there, albeit an illusionary one

However, there seemed to be nothing there. Clare's tails whispered to her to be careful with the mind-boggling mystery. Even her “Seventh Mind” activated automatically as her Intuition tingled. Goosebumps rose on her body as Clare sensed something amiss, expanding her range with the “Seventh Mind.”

It was as if the Array Engravement meant to be there had been torn apart by something ominous. Clare’s ears flinched, and her relaxed tails tensed up in anxiety. The “Seventh Mind” revealed a breathing sound—occasionally rigid, yet hideous. It was the breathing of something human, yet not.

Clare gripped her titanium white scythe tightly and raised her guard, appearing defenseless. She was sure she felt the killing intent.

In the distortion between the walls, Clare understood the feeling. It was a sensation she had but hated to admire since the beginning of this trial—the possibility that there was someone she needed to kill to pass further.

The distortion pulsed slightly, as if alive yet not. As soon as Clare entered the range of the other mysterious being, her ears twitched to a movement. It was a movement with little-to-no sound, making Clare click her tongue at how heartless the Demon Clan was, never allowing a breather.

After all, there is a saying, “Hit while the iron is hot.” Was Clare supposed to be the iron? How would she know? She never wanted to be forged. Sighing, Clare pretended not to notice the movement to draw out the mysterious opponent. She could hear, feel, and smell the opponent trying to stay hidden. However, Clare feigned ignorance and kept moving until she came to a small tunnel. 

There were three other circular entries leading to the tunnel and one exit. However, the exit was blocked off by a giant uranium plain barrier. Clare slowly approached the barrier. Even then, the unidentified opponent was looking for an opening to attack Clare, eyes brimming with savagery in the shadows.

Whoever it was didn’t seem to notice that Clare had picked up on their presence long ago. Ignoring the opponent, Clare walked up to the Uranium Barrier and read the writing engraved on it. Her green eyes widened as she read the brushstroke writing.

“Death March; Unless one dies, no one may leave.”

Three circular entrances and only one survivor leaves. Clare understood that the mysterious assailant was probably another young Arrancar who had killed the other one who came through the distortion. This kind of training was the harsh and extreme opposite of the Central Holy Church methods. However, the Demon Clan was a pseudo-religion that pursued only absolute strength and power. Nothing more, nothing less.

At that moment, Clare’s bushy tails flinched in caution, and the goosebumps on her body intensified. She sensed something was about to happen. Contrary to her intuition, the mysterious opponent leaped out of the shadows over her blind spot to attack.

The assailant thought Clare was utterly defenseless, leaving her back completely exposed. The greatsword in its hand danced and drew an arc toward the back of Clare’s neck, seemingly to slash it off in one fell swoop.

The air vibrated as demonic energy dashed through, emitting a distinctively reddish-dark glow. Suddenly, the titanium white scythe blurred in Clare’s hand. She clicked her tongue as if she had expected this much from someone so mysterious. And that was all it took.

“C’mon, boy. I could smell you long before I entered this space. Did you really think you were fooling a fox?” 

Clare said icily, with intense bloodlust in her eyes. She wasn’t just an ordinary fox-girl; she was a Nine-tailed Demonic Kitsune. The scythe brimmed with vigor and Mana of Fossilization, vibrating the air molecules into hard stone.

It collided with the demonic energy-imbued greatsword in the assailant’s hand, flying backward as the strength from the scythe in Clare’s hands was heavy.

Friction stemmed as sparks ensued from the sharp collision, slightly revealing the opponent’s face. It showed utter shock and embarrassment. Quickly trying to reel his greatsword back in, the unkempt, long-haired assailant tried to gain both balance and distance.

However, Clare was a step faster. Her arm wielding the scythe moved smoothly like an opera dancer on a stage. A torrent of Asura Energy sprang forth from her Energy Circuit as she swung the scythe in the shape of a cyclone, creating an oddly shrapnel-shattering suction force. The greatsword in the opponent’s hands started to get pulled forward, and his grey eyes began to shake.

Clare brought the cyclone to a halt, and the sword was flung back as it collided with the centripetal force of the scythe. The male opponent’s expression wasn’t good.

But Clare wasn’t one to show a hint of mercy.

As the atmosphere stemmed with Mana of Fossilization, the curved blade of the scythe sliced through the darkness, drawing several arcs in the air and marking the opponent’s body. The pressure from the repeated collisions between the greatsword and scythe was beyond what the opponent could handle. It shocked through his body like an electric shock, making his greatsword fling into the air with a loud explosive sound.

With considerable awareness and flexibility, the opponent parted his feet on the ground, evading the petrifying arc bound to end him. He grasped the greatsword hilt tightly and swung down after coating the weapon with demonic energy. But Clare wasn’t there; instead, the greatsword struck the ground with great force.

Both aftershock and shrapnel dispersed into the air. The opponent tsked his tongue at how nimble the fox was. That had been his chance to slay this unpredictable Nine-tail. He backed off, eyeing Clare carefully.

“Why are you backing off when I’m not there? Well…” Clare’s words trailed off as she took a step forward. The pre-adult reflexively flinched back, making the mistake of showing an opening to Clare.

“...If you don’t come to me, I’ll come to you.” 

Clare stirred, emanating her Mana of Fossilization more on her scythe. She started to circulate her Asura Energy rapidly. The purplish-dark yellowish and the “Deep Bluish Hue of Perfectly Tempered Mana of Fossilization”—she had perfected to reduce the high energy consumption and mental fortitude needed to maintain it to at least eighty percent efficiency—started to show its brilliance within her body.

The now densely green energy gushed into the Energy Circuit of Clare’s body, covering every millimeter of depth as muscle fibers stretched and contracted. Letting out a deep breath, she flexed her arm wielding the scythe. Her feet tensed, trembling abruptly as her tail froze in anticipation. The quivering increased, and her figure swiftly moved from its spot.

Διαπεραστικοί Μετεωρίτες του Σβήνοντος Αστέρα: Εκρηκτικός Χορός Λεπίδων: Piercing Meteorites of Fading Star: Explosive Blade Dance. 

Combining a hint of the technique “The Power of Three Absolute Explosion Techniques” with the First Form of “Six Binds of Grim,” Clare unleashed the First Explosion of Six Binds of Grim. High-density swirls of different rotations generated a loop of sparks that exploded from her scythe’s blade. Her tails tensed and curved at the tips, moving in rhythm with her. The scythe moved faster and faster as her hands and feet worked diligently and elegantly toward the pre-adult opponent.

Heavy blows were swung, and the curved blade parted the air, which exploded. The opponent hurriedly tried to defend. He felt a slight sense of relief when he managed to make contact with the scythe for a brief second. But then his grey eyes widened in bewilderment as he realized his mistake.

Two ambient air currents emerged as Clare tightened her grip, wielding the scythe to the right and left simultaneously, making a curved crescent arc that created more sparks. Mini curves coursed through the air, powerful enough to split open everything and anything in its path in one go. The air vibrated, and the aftershock trembled in her hand. She persisted, her body having changed considerably over the last four and a half years.

Mini curves appeared next to him, and his feet started to lift from the ground from the full explosive force of the arc he thought he had blocked. Three mini-explosions blended with blood, spraying out all over the stony room. The opponent couldn’t even scream properly as he was dismembered, his main body split in half and collapsed on the spot.

No one could survive the heavy, swift, and explosive Mini Crescent Meteorite slashes. They dismembered limbs and slashed bodies in half, followed by explosions that shattered the body parts—all done with just one scythe.

Clare swung the clotted blood off her scythe, and the sound of the split opponent’s body hitting the ground rang out. The blood splashed coldly on the ground.

Soon after, a heavy vibration came from the Uranium Barrier. Clare saw light coming through the gaps of the opening door. It had been years since she last saw proper light. Sweat dripped down her cheek and delicate neck. Clare frowned and squinted her eyes as her once-tensed tails relaxed. All the goosebumps on her skin vanished as a cool breeze dashed in, tickling her skin.

Her eyes blinked and slowly adjusted. Finally, when her eyes fully adapted to the light, Clare saw what lay beyond the door.

Clare smiled faintly as she placed the titanium scythe over her back, clicking the belt. She had passed the second Valkyrie-Blitz Trial. It wasn’t as difficult as she thought. Hell, she had become strong enough not to be wavered by such a trial.

— — — — — 

When Clare stepped out from the exit of the passageway, a bright and dazzling light poured into her vision. She frowned slightly at the sudden flash that invaded her corneas. Slowly, she opened her squinted eyes and adjusted to the lighting of the room she had entered.

Clare twitched in alert when she saw the Senior Instructor from Yulin Platform, along with some individuals she recognized and others she had never seen before. They stood side by side, exuding equal strength on the grand stage of the bricked hall. The number of Senior Instructors was four times higher than usual—one. 

In other words, not only had her Senior Instructor arrived, but Clare suspected the other instructors were the Senior Instructors from the other Platforms.

Clare moved her emerald gaze slowly.

Only one young Arrancar had left the Valkyrie-Blitz Trial Seclusion Training before her. The pre-adult face of the one who had completed the trial earlier than she was unfamiliar. If he had been a member of her Platform, she would have seen him before, but that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t that she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings or the other young Arrancars. Clare was rather isolative, but she was sure she hadn’t seen this pre-adult male before.

‘I see. This is what must have happened.’

Clare understood why the other Senior Instructors were gathered. The number of young Arrancars who would pass through the Valkyrie-Blitz Trial was probably around thirty-five if they were being generous with the numbers from the Yulin Platform. Since the trial was meant to cull those who wouldn’t be useful to the Clan, the number of survivors would naturally be low.

Hence, there was no need to separate the young Arrancars by different numbered Platforms anymore. The entire population making up the Institute of Arrancars gathered here would be less than a hundred.

Or at least that was Clare’s assumption.

As Clare looked around, one of the instructors stepped forward and looked at her.

“Hmm… Is that GIMEL?”

The source of the voice was Mei Tai, the Dean of the Institute and overseer of all its activities. Her black hair shimmered in the ambient low light. Her sharp, dark, and whitish eyes, pointed ears, and horn reflected both elegance and belligerence.

With the appearance of Mei Tai, Clare turned her head and looked at her. She reflexively gulped and swallowed her saliva as she stared at Mei Tai.

‘She… she’s a Fourth Chain Arrancar.’

Clare had been barely above her in terms of strength in her previous life. Without the “Ancient Text,” she would be a “pseudo-Restrained Chain,” so above her in that sense. In Mei Tai’s presence, the strength Clare currently had was maybe enough to fend off her attacks for a few minutes with all her knowledge and experience.

After all, there’s a saying from her first world: “Experience and knowledge mean nothing against overwhelming and absolute strength.” 

Who the hell is Madara again?

In any case, Mei Tai was a ‘Fourth Chain’ Arrancar, on the verge of being a “Restrained Rank” Arrancar. Of course, there would be no need to worry about her strength with her previous life’s body and “Ancient Text”. Clare might have been wary of Mei Tai back then.

According to the ranks of strength sorted out by the whole of Salamander, Mei Tai was at the last threshold between “Four-Chain” and “Restrained Rank,” but Clare was a “pseudo-Restrained Chain” with the “Ancient Text” and a full-fledged “Fourth Chain” without it in her previous life. 

Right now, Clare felt she could exert the physical strength of a “Pseudo-Third Chain” if she took off all her alloy-steel bracers and utilized the “Ancient Text.” 

But there was no need to do that now.

Did Mei Tai notice GIMEL was measuring her strength with fox-like green eyes? Mei Tai grinned at GIMEL.

Her grin was devilish, enough to make anyone despair and faint on the spot. Even Clare’s tails anxiously shivered, whispering to her to avoid trouble with that woman. And Clare could relate, shifting her attention away. 

“Yes,” the Assistant Dean, a handsome, low-cut, dark-haired man with a slender physique, brown eyes, pointed ears, and one horn at the edge of his forehead, tilted his glasses and answered earnestly. “She is GIMEL, the Half-breed Nin.”

The Senior Instructor, Edgar Le Nigel, on the other side of the Dean, nodded proudly. Mei Tai nodded at his words and ruffled her bangs. “I anticipated she would survive the Seclusion Training, but I never expected she would survive this long. What an unpredictable variable, piquing not only my cold-dark heart but also the interest of the other Senior Instructors from other platforms.”

Both the Senior Instructor and Assistant Dean nodded in agreement. Clare felt a more intense gaze toward her. Mei Tai was now measuring the strength of GIMEL, just as GIMEL had done earlier. 

Mei Tai then turned her head and compared GIMEL’s strength to that of the young Arrancar who had finished first. GIMEL was the second to arrive. The first young Arrancar had his robes in rags, slashed and blood-stained, whereas GIMEL had not a scratch on her, not even a drop of blood.

Mei Tai, having confirmed GIMEL’s strength, smiled and murmured to her Assistant and the Senior Instructor.

“She must be the Blessing in Disguise for the Clan.”

It was then that another entrance to the left, shrouded in darkness, began to vibrate and open.

The next young Arrancar to step out was SETH—Noir, whom Clare knew from the Yulin Platform. With her raven-black hair, vibrant golden eyes, striking nose, plum cherry-red lips, and blood-soaked dark robe, anyone could see—even the one born blind and in death—that she was an unrecognizable beauty. Her unkempt, messy hair ran down her two shiny horns protruding from either side of her forehead near her temples, adding to her psycho yet striking appearance.

“Oh, my cutie is here.”

Her attention shifted to GIMEL immediately. Despite her transformations and maturity, she always recognized GIMEL, waving her hand with a creepy, coquettish expression that sent chills down anyone’s spine.

GIMEL’s expression darkened. She still hated being called cute. She felt like killing this bitch. But GIMEL remained indifferent, calm, and composed as if she was already used to it. In fact, she kind of missed it after many years of isolation, yet she never admited it. Clare, seeing this from Noir, snorted and looked away, feigning ignorance.

Noir—SETH was curious about GIMEL before, but her interest and obsession had become even more riled up ever since GIMEL had killed SOATH and her six other lackeys with utter ease.

Of course, she did protect her plaything albeit late. Yet, she did her part. She sighed; at least that bitch would never smile in the afterlife. SETH’s anger stirred a little as she recalled that bitch’s smile on her deathbed after trying to hurt her plaything. She tsked her tongue and exhaled a deep breath, relieving her mind. But, in her eyes, GIMEL was a sleek and fit special Half-breed Nin with long, silky emerald hair and cold, empty emerald eyes, like one reborn from betrayal and on a lonely path of vengeance.

Which, of course, was impossible.

In any case, she knew GIMEL, but she didn’t recognize the first young Arrancar, and another young Arrancar was just entering as well.

Only Mei Tai, the Dean of the Institute, the Assistant Dean, and Edgar Le Nigel knew that these were the three young Arrancars who had established themselves very early on in the Institute of Arrancars. Of course, there was one more person… GIMEL, the unpredictable variable.

GIMEL hadn’t seemed promising initially in the eyes of the Instructors, but she had grown at a frightening pace with a higher learning curve than all the other three young Arrancars. As they examined each other’s strengths, they flinched, realizing these other three young Arrancars were the other elites from the Institute of Arrancars.

Starting with them, more young Arrancars passed through their own trials of the Valkyrie-Blitz Trial. When the door finally closed, there were a total of one hundred and one young Arrancars. A bit more than Clare had hypothesized.

“Hm, I think there’s quite a lot. It seems you all were able to pass.”

Mei Tai stirred her demonic energy and quickly summed up the deaths of the young Arrancars who had died. She addressed those who had gone crazy and couldn’t stand the solitude of the training.

“Well, without any further ado, you did a good job surviving to this point. You’ve fluttered this old lady’s dark heart.” 

She coughed softly and expanded her arms wide on the grand stage. 

“You’ve attained the titles of Half-assed Arrancars to ‘Full-Fledged Arrancars’ and now ‘Arrancar Vikings’ by passing the Valkyrie-Blitz Trial. Congratulations.”

Her voice, fused with demonic energy, resonated through the hall, trembling it with vigor.