As Iris continued to follow the woman, she noticed how the sun's rays seemed to grow dimmer, the forest canopy becoming more and more dense. The woman led her through a maze of twisted trees and overgrown brambles. Fortunately, Iris's armor protected her from the thorns that would have otherwise snagged her clothes and scratched her skin. Despite the increasing discomfort and difficulty of the terrain, Iris refused to relent, driven by her determination to uncover the woman's intentions and her possible connection to the elusive fox.
The chase continued for what felt like hours, as the redheaded woman remained always just out of reach. The further Iris pursued, the more the forest seemed to transform, its beauty and serenity replaced by a dark and oppressive atmosphere. The air grew heavier, or perhaps it was all of the exertion she was doing. But she persevered, unwilling to abandon her quest.
In her rush, she caught sight of a branch obstructing her path. Her eyes still scanning the area, she reached out to push it aside, only to realize, to her astonishment, that it wasn't actually there. Confused and momentarily disoriented, she stumbled forward, nearly losing her balance.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Iris squinted her eyes and caught sight of the woman once again. She attributed her earlier mistake to being overly focused on her elusive target and, with renewed determination, continued her pursuit.
As the woman continued to lead her deeper into the woods, Iris noticed that the trees around her seemed to take on strange shapes, their branches twisting and gnarling like something out of a nightmare. The once-normal forest now appeared alien and menacing, but Iris refused to be deterred.
Finally, after a long and arduous chase, Iris saw her again, this time up ahead of her, standing still and looking out from across a small brook. Iris tried to quicken her pace, but the woman suddenly turned and disappeared once again. Iris let out a frustrated growl, feeling as though she was chasing a ghost.
Iris crossed the brook and followed along in the direction of where she saw the woman dart until she reached the edge of a small clearing.
She stepped into the open space and looked around before she caught sight of the woman sitting on a rock, her red hair shining in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. She couldn't quite make out her features from this distance, but there was something about her that seemed almost otherworldly.
And this coming from someone literally from another world.
As Iris cautiously approached, she noticed that the woman's form seemed to shimmer, as if she were not entirely of this world. Realizing that this may be her only chance to confront her quarry, Iris steeled herself for whatever lay ahead, her hand gripping her sword tightly as she walked toward the rock where the woman was sitting.
What the fuck?
She realized that the woman was not quite human.
Three long, bushy tails protruded from a hole in the woman’s dress and swished back and forth lazily. And as she got closer, Iris could also see two furry ears poking out of the woman's red hair.
Iris stopped in her tracks, unsure of what to do next. She had encountered many strange things since arriving on Eona, but she had never seen anything quite like this. The woman turned to look at her and smiled, revealing a set of sharp teeth that glinted in the sunlight filtering through the trees. The woman’s heterochromia was vibrant and gorgeous, giving her left eye a cyan color while the other was a deep violet. The pupils were shaped like a fox’s with their vertical slits.
What startled Iris the most though, wasn’t what was clearly a kitsune sitting right in front of her, it was that the woman’s face appeared startlingly similar to her own.
As Iris stood there, her gaze fixed on the mysterious woman, an eerie sound suddenly filled the clearing. A barking laughter, reminiscent of a fox, echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down Iris's spine. The woman gave Iris a feral smile as her form began to shimmer and quiver, as if she were no longer a solid being but a mirage. In a matter of seconds, the Kitsune's body dissipated into a cloud of glowing motes of mana that danced and flickered in the air like fireflies. The laughter faded away, leaving only a haunting silence in its wake.
Iris stared in disbelief at the spot where the woman had sat, her heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and awe.
Again, what the actual fuck?
She had no clue what was going on. And she wasn’t sure she liked that.
Iris's heart still pounded from her encounter with the Kitsune when she felt a familiar buzzing sensation in her head–her [Danger Sense] was warning her of imminent danger. As she scanned her surroundings, she spotted a pair of keen eyes watching her from the shadows of the woods. There, crouched low among the underbrush, was the fox she had been searching for.
Her eyes widened as she took in its size. It was absolutely massive, and a quick guess put it at around two meters long and its head would easily be even with Mocha’s shoulders. Its fur was a brilliant shade of red, and it also had three bushy tails flicking behind it. A low growl rumbled from the creature as it locked its gaze on Iris.
What the fuck? The farmer didn’t mention how much of a fucking unit it was.
The fox's eyes gleamed with intelligence and cunning as it assessed its opponent. In a sudden burst of speed, it sprang from its hiding spot in the underbrush, launching itself into the clearing. Its powerful legs propelled it forward in great bounding strides, covering the distance between itself and Iris with an alarming swiftness. The fox's three tails trailed behind it, whipping through the air like a trio of crimson banners as it closed in on Iris.
With the fox charging toward her, Iris knew she had to act quickly. She mustered the mana coursing through her and launched a volley of [Sparks] at the agile creature. The small orbs of lightning zipped through the air, but the fox proved to be an elusive target, effortlessly dodging each one as it zigged and zagged toward her. Its speed and cunning were a testament to why it had managed to elude the farmer and wreak mayhem on his farm.
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As the fox closed the distance, Iris prepared herself for a confrontation and raised her sword. However, in the blink of an eye, the fox darted to her side just as it was about to pounce. Iris felt the soft brush of its three tails as they whipped against her armor, leaving her momentarily stunned by the creature's audacity and agility.
Regaining her composure, Iris turned to face the fox, but it had already made its move. It bolted across the clearing, its red fur a vibrant blur against the green foliage. As the cunning creature disappeared into the depths of the woods, a peal of barking-like laughter echoed through the clearing, clearly taunting her. Iris watched the fox vanish, leaving her with a mix of awe and frustration, knowing that she would have to muster all her skill and cunning to catch the elusive creature.
She sighed. I may have bitten off more than I can chew.
Iris sprinted after the fox, determined not to let it escape her grasp. The forest seemed to come alive around her, the once-quiet woods now echoing with the sound of the fox's laughter. As she ran, the creature seemed to materialize out of thin air at every turn, always just out of reach, its laughter ringing in her ears like a taunting challenge. Despite the fox's teasing, Iris refused to give up, her resolve only strengthened by the creature's taunts.
At one point, the fox appeared briefly right in front of her, and she fired off a [Spark] in surprise, only to miss. It yipped at her as it bounded around her, avoiding a swing of her sword before rushing off again.
Frustration and anger bubbled up inside her, and she yelled at the fox, “Stop playing games with me!” The creature merely stopped and looked at her. It tilted its head, its tongue lolling out of its maw, as it stared at her. Then she caught sight of its eyes…
They’re the same as the kitsune’s! Fuck!
The laughter intensified before it vanished once again, its elusive form darting deeper into the woods. Iris gritted her teeth and pressed on, her determination unwavering as she pursued the cunning fox.
After another timeless age of chasing the jerk, the fox suddenly changed its tactics, almost catching Iris off guard. Luckily [Danger Sense] gave her ample warning.
It charged straight at her, its sharp teeth bared and its eyes filled with a wild intensity. Instinctively, Iris raised her sword, ready to strike the creature down as it closed the distance between them. But just as her blade was about to make contact with the fox, it disappeared in a cloud of shimmering motes of mana, leaving Iris momentarily disoriented and off-balance.
Before she could fully recover, the real fox burst out from behind a tree. Oh, shit.
Her eyes went wide just before its massive form collided with hers in a powerful, unexpected impact. It was like getting hit by a truck.
Iris was knocked off her feet and slammed hard onto the ground. Her sword slipped from her grasp as her breath was forced from her lungs, clattering to the ground beside her. The fox's laughter echoed through the trees as it bounded away, taunting her with its continued defiance.
Iris shook off the shock and scrambled to her feet, her eyes fixed on the retreating fox. She quickly grabbed her sword and set off after the creature once again. The fox's laughter only fueled her determination as she charged through the forest, intent on finally putting an end to its tricks and mischief.
“You’re a bastard!” she yelled out at its retreating form.
A taunting yip came in reply.
Frustration mounting, Iris decided to rely on her spells to bring the elusive fox to heel. She launched a [Spark] at the creature, but it nimbly sidestepped the small orb of lightning, seemingly anticipating her every move.
The fox turned, revealing a long stick that it held in its mouth, wagging it back and forth before it bounced and darted away.
She burst into a sprint after it, using [Storm Armor] to ensure it wouldn’t catch her unawares again, the crackling sphere of electricity arcing into nearby trees as she ran.
[Spark] after [Spark] were easily avoided by the fox who seemed to be enjoying the chase, as if the two were playing a game.
Undeterred, Iris tried a different approach and unleashed a [Chain Lightning] spell, hoping to catch the fox off guard. However, her efforts were in vain, as the bolt of lightning merely scorched a nearby tree, leaving the fox unharmed and still on the move.
Determined to end the chase, Iris gathered a large amount of mana and cast her new spell, [Lightning Spear]. She thrust her hands forward and a spear made of pure electricity hurled out and toward the fox with unerring accuracy. For a moment, it seemed as though she had finally succeeded in striking the creature, but as the spear made contact, the fox's form shimmered and exploded in an expanding cloud of shimmering motes of mana, revealing yet another illusion. For its part, the [Lightning Spear] continued on its path, slamming into a tree with a deafening explosion of electricity, leaving Iris to wonder how she could possibly be getting outsmarted by a damn animal.
Gasping for breath, she chased the fox, soon realizing that it seemed to be leading her in circles. As their pursuit reached a familiar spot near the brook, the fox effortlessly leaped over the water using a fallen tree as a bridge.
Without hesitation, she employed her [Rushing Winds] ability to enhance her jump, aiming for the tree. But just as her foot was about to make contact, the tree shimmered and vanished.
“Oh, shiiit!” she cried out, tumbling through the now-empty space. Her foot splashed into the brook, causing her to stumble forward, roll through the water, and come to a stop on the grassy bank opposite.
Groaning, she struggled to her feet and surveyed her sodden, mud-covered appearance. Her hair was in complete disarray.
“Oh, come on!” she shouted, frustrated. “That was a low blow!”
The fox, only a few meters away, dropped the stick it held in its mouth and let out a barking laugh in amusement. Iris growled, launching a [Spark] at the creature, despite knowing it would evade the attack.
As expected, the fox leaped nimbly into the air, soaring over the sizzling orb that burst against a nearby tree. Landing gracefully in the same spot, the fox swiftly retrieved the stick and seemed to wink at her before dashing away.
Her eyes widened and she faltered in her steps as realization finally set in.
It’s as sapient as Mocha.
Fuck…