--
Black Nine Tail Fox HP: 100%
--
The first clash was inflicted, and Julius already got hit with a weird sensation in his abdomen. He thrust and kicked the fox away far enough to regain composure. The flower fields, now an empty sandy plain desert, are puddled with the blue blood, slowly drizzling out from the small but enlarging pores of his skin. It felt a little cold around there.
The fox’s claws shined blue. Its deceiving smile was taunting. Julius doesn’t understand why it was able to take the first blood despite the clash with his greatsword having enough range to block it from reaching. The next second, a transparent health bar percentage overtook the direct center of Julius’s visuals with a bluish look.
--
Julius HP: 89%
--
Holy hell! Julius reacted, resuming focus on the fox who immediately dashed right to his face. Narrowly, he bent his knees to drop and slid away from the flashing claws. The nine tails smacked his face when he thought he made it out from underneath.
He flew across hard through the plains, creating an entire hole that passed through an elevated hill.
--
Julius HP: 80%
--
Better, but no damn progress! Julius got lucky as at the last second an edge of his greatsword absorbed the impact enough to neutralize further damage.
Boom!
The top of the hill was sliced, cut, and exploded into bits in the sky, coming back down with a menacing rain of black qi. Julius couldn’t dodge it entirely, forcing him to cut through a couple raining bits of black dirt. Darkness overwhelmed his entire area of vision, restricting himself to only a few feet from his footsteps. No, I didn’t get hit! He was certain nothing touched him.
Swoosh!
“Urgh!” Julius grunted in pain after being inflicted on his back. Licht’s body wounds became blistering pain as the drizzling blood stopped from exiting. Black smoke whiffed out from his abdomen wounds as if he had a second mouth and blew it out from within. While feeling the purging force from down below, his brain ticked. His right arm felt an upswing as Licht took command and brought Julius’s arm right to his behind, hearing the clanging sound.
Ah, so this again…He internally mumbled. That save triggered a numbing experience when he first fought against the Adler only to be impaled right through the chest. The second time to be saved. Licht did it again. The fact it was almost a second experience infuriated Julius. His brain ticked again but much more aggressively to where he could hear the clicking within his inner ear.
--
Julius HP: 55%
--
Why is it still decreasing?! Julius was fathomed by the numbers dropping before another slash inflicted his upper thighs. He doesn't know what to do. His body turned frightened enough to experience fear. This is the first time to be reduced to such emotion. The heart can feel the legs' cowardly lock still. Subsequently, his mind recognized the signal that even Licht flashed; he received it as well, prompting him to communicate.
< Julius? What's gotten into you? >
<< I don't know. I can't comprehend this feeling I'm going through. Like I'm literally stuck! >>
< That feeling hurt my damn soul. What the hell is this?! > Licht sounded personal, before trying to control the blade again. Julius's arm reacted to the hilt, clashing right at the fox’s subsequent attack. < Come on, Julius. You have to get moving! >
Julius’s knees unlocked, causing him to tumble down hard to the floor in a kneeling position. << I can't…>>
< Are you just going to give up now?! >
Clash!
< I might be able to protect you, but this method will only kill you. It's a damn suicide! >
Clash! Clang! Splat!
Julius’s right arm was gashed at his triceps, spitting out a continuous amount of blood despite Licht being able to counteract most of the combo attack from the fox.
< Julius, wake up! Don't sleep on me now otherwise, you will perish. > Licht pleaded.
--
Julius HP: 15%
Warning!!
Danger: Blood Loss!!
--
Julius’s eyes grew heavy. He could still process what was happening but only as a passenger, feeling the paralysis beyond his thinking neurons. It began closing down slowly in a garage door fashion. Darker and darker as the seconds felt like hours went by. Is this it? So, unfair! Did I do all of this for nothing? Seeking redemption for the one who halted my career? Seeking answers for who I am? And hunting the mastermind behind the venue attack? Is that too much to ask for?! Julius angrily ranted, which was enough to emit a voice through his partially opened mouth.
He heard the sound of the black fox coming back to his surroundings while being stuck in place. Licht continued to plead, not giving up his cry. Julius’s eyelids stopped when his health indicator displayed the percentage dropped to dangerously critical. At this point, a nudge and he’s toasted like an ant getting squished by the gesture of a human finger.
His brain ticked once more. What followed was a hammer throb to his head that somehow jolted him awake with his eyelids back up. Somehow, it led to an end of his paralysis. He dropped Licht to the floor and vomited more blue blood from the cluster buildup in his esophagus.
--
Julius HP: 0%
!!!!!
--
Julius gave himself a punch to the face, feeling the cracking of his jaw. “Ouch!”
His body felt in between cold to freeze and hot to scorch in sweat. When he adjusted back his jaw, he saw his body wounds still exist with the black smoke. What happened to me? How am I still alive? Julius wondered, staring at the black smoke that was becoming more vibrant and traces of pure white brightness forced to blend in with the darkness. Then an upsurge erupted from his abdomen, shooting out a shotgun’s worth of smoke. And the other route through his mouth.
Something was not right. He felt something was reenergizing within his body amid the vomiting notion. Next second, a recognizable sensation around his eyes forced it wide open. This is—
Julius regained his stance and went up fully straight. He did a partial squat until his knees bent. Furthermore, one hard arc backward before slinging forward. A flash of white light exerted out from the floor reached up to his lower peripherals as slinged forward.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
He purged through his esophagus. His neck veins bulge underneath his skin around his jaws and traps. A cloud of smoke, near plume amounts, exhaled from his mouth as Julius forced the cervical muscles to steer his head with the weight of the pressurizing smoke.
The form switches after a couple of seconds, condensing into the beam similar to his two prior times firing one. The pure blueness is now tainted with the darkness wrapping around the color like a spiral, forming an outline and stripe layer of color that overlaps the blue.
When he lifted his head up, the beam rapidly widened and fired around the vicinity causing a small glass crack. A glimpse of light from the Realm of Blue River was sought inside, and it gave Julius a relative position upon comprehending the dark area he got trapped in was much larger than what he originally perceived.
Julius’s mouth beam was a very loudspeaker; concert-wise for all he knew. Amid the volume, he finally recognized the fox was still around hidden in the majority of darkness lingering around. The dark smoke in his abdomen transitioned into a dark qi and sent a pulse into his brain, triggering another surrounding sense. He’s there! Julius’s eye turned to his right, certain that the fox was hidden at that side.
His despaired mind has been healed to his commitment with the newly added anger as he felt his energy has been restored. Uh, no you are not getting a slice of me this time! Julius’s eyes raged. After a stare into the darkness, he maintained his eye contact while thrusting his right palm downwards to the ground, hovering right where Licht was. Come on, Licht! It’s time to get out of here.
--
Julius HP: 0% → 85%
Warning Alert Ceased!
Danger Alert Ceased!
--
The strain of pain in his knees ceased. He attempted to do telekinesis again for his greatsword to come to his palm and failed. As a result, Julius was forced to summon again right in his grip. The fox began to move to which he jerked his face away from the light, sending the beam to fire from within.
--
Black Nine Tail Fox HP: 85%
--
Yes! Finally! Julius wanted to shout in relief but couldn’t do it while the beam continuously firing from his mouth. Afterwards, he tried something cynical and redirected the beam right to the floor. He gave a one swing downward with his greatsword, striking at the mouth beam.
The whole area ignited in a detonating blast, shattering the entire darkness and bringing the trap to cease.
--
Black Nine Tail Fox HP: 55%
--
Finally, light once again. Julius took a couple deep inhales and exhaled while staring at the black fox, showing significant lacerations. Serves you right. He grinned at the black fox’s struggle. It didn’t limp but was startled enough to where its two front legs looked weakened. The nine tails are all ragged, each varied by the damage. The dominant tail appeared to be scorched and severely trimmed, leaving the grass pile of black fur scattered on the ground. The black fox’s growl turned into a roaring of vicious anger and pain, releasing all the sound waves that were strong enough to alter the nearby landscape.
The same hill has been wiped from existence, leaving a plain plateau-like landform spared. The topsoil eroded away, slithering all the uppermost layer that reached a mile radius. Reluctantly, Julius acknowledged the black fox’s strength. Viewing the landform’s erosion, he would think the clothes were torn up which would leave him exposed. Glaring down at himself, a thin layer of black qi surrounded his body from the neck down.
What is this? Julius touched it, and the spot vibrated upon contact. I don’t know what all of this was, but I’ll take the chance. He braced both his legs down to the ground, squatting halfway to create tension in his calves and thighs. The black fox hadn’t given up, flashing away.
Not this time. Julius’s eyes grunted, nudging a step at a whirl. He saw a shadow vivid enough of the black fox attempting to strike him similar to the first part of the encounter. Quickly, his left hand gripped below his right on the hilt followed by a plunging strike right on target.
What followed was a loud bang subsequently with the sound of a breaking tree branch. A light generated from the strike engulfed the area. In reaction, Julius dashed and leaped away from the light, standing afar on the plains with enough view to witness the motion. As he stood, the health percentages of the black fox rapidly decreased, causing Skoltor to almost glitch on the left side when it sent notifications of the matter.
--
Black Nine Tail Fox HP: 55% ↓
42% ↓
21% ↓
12% ↓
1% ↓
--
No, you are not! Julius leaped in the air, summoning a load of qi to engulf the entire blade. “Say, Goodbye!” he yelled, deploying the load of qi. The blade unleashed a modified wave of qi, and the weight was significantly heavier making the slashing gesture more straining to his triceps. It formed a ridge-like earthquake as the ground was lifted and broke apart from the excess energy.
Julius skewed away enough to watch the damage the black fox was inflicted with. The ridge quickly turned lengthy, reaching a minimum of a mile at each side. At each end of the ridge, any leftovers deposited into the air and ceased.
At the center of the impact, there was a wide crater and deeper than an average swimming pool. The black fox lay directly at the spot, tattered and lacerated beyond repair. Nothing Julius could do other than descend slowly while maintaining his new shielded black qi.
--
Black Nine Tail Fox HP: 0%
Julius HP: 85% → 91%
Mission Completed (3):
Enter the Realm of The Blue River (蓝河)
Choose one of the two perks from the chest
Survive → Defeat the Black Nine Tail Fox. (黑九尾狐）
Rewards:
+ $2019 Thalers
General Class (LV.2) Meter: [10.8%] → [19.6%]
Swordsman Class (LV.1) Meter: [85%] → [100%]
Swordsman Level Up! [Level 1 → Level 2.]
Swordsman Class (LV.2) Meter: [0%] → [54%]
Class Bonus created: +15% Power; +9% Durability; +12% Endurance; +5% Qi containment.
Realm of The Blue River (蓝河) Cleared!
Granted indefinite access to level one.
Merit Universe Unlocked.
--
A short gust blasted from Julius’s feet, uplifting his entire body like a breeze and shooting his hair up before it calmed. He strolled to the dead black Fox’s body. No movement. He perceived. Afterward, he read for any qi remaining, only to find nothing. With his greatsword still drawn, he reached next to the body of the black Fox with four tails being decapitated, scattered into the dirt of the crater. Julius saw two sticking up like a spear from underneath. Upon noticing, he sliced it, dripping the black blood and chunks of the vertebrae bone off.
Eventually, he curiously cut off the remaining five to be certain. Definitely dead. Julius dashed with his back turned while still facing the fox. He then gave another slash followed by another in a flurry, striking down.
Something wrong immediately came when he recognized it exploded, provoking him into the air and landing on a roll on the ground outside of the crater.
What? How is it not dead?! Julius lifted his head up and turned to the scene, witnessing the massive dark pillar illuminating high into the sky. It clashed with the dark clouds, evaporating it altogether. The wildlife returned as the surviving withered flowers returned into blossoms. Sandy terrain too disappeared, removing the desert-like conditions. The dark pillar formed a spiral around it like a wheel. Quickly, it dissipated peacefully, dispersing everything it caused and subdued to dust. However, it revealed an additional aspect.
A beautiful lady emerged from the pillar in the sky before plummeting down to the ground, causing a slight rumble. A shield of dust and debris surrounded the landing site. Julius ascended from the floor, blocking the gust of qi from her with his greatsword. Give me a break! He ranted.
“Relax, Julius. Put your weapon down.” A slightly raspy, low-pitched female voice telepathically communicated.
Julius reacted with a minor strain on his head. He momentarily rubbed his forehead aggressively.
“Great a second telepath…What business do you have right now?!” Julius angrily demanded.
The cloud of dust surrounding the lady’s landing dispersed, revealing her tall, slanderous figure, walking up to Julius with a straight face.
“Hello, Julius,” she greeted, flashing a glimpse of her white pupils.
“How do you know my name?” Julius wondered.
The lady pointed to her temple. “That thing in your head, it’s connected to the world of Merit. Or Merit Universe. It revealed a bit of your identity.”
Skoltor? Julius lowered his greatsword. “What’s your name?” he asked in a grumbling tone.
“For ripping my nine tails off, you can call me Hu (狐),” she answered.