I walk through the ornate door in the massive tree, through the long tunnel that is bored smoothly through the tree and come into a large clearing. This large clearing is slightly oval in shape, approximately 300 feet long by 200-250 feet wide. The entire clearing is flanked on all sides by gorgeous purple wisteria hanging from wooden trellises along the entire border of the clearing. This place has a definite mystical feel to it as the artificial sunlight beams through the trellises illuminating the hanging wisteria. A breeze blows through the clearing causing the wisteria to sway back and forth. Admiring the beauty of this place has to wait though, for the enemy before me is one that absolutely cannot be ignored.
Standing in the center of the clearing stands yet another beast of myth. This is one any fan of Japanese culture or anime would recognize immediately. This is a creature straight from Japanese mythology. Standing before me is a massive fox. Its coat is shining silver with glowing purple accents on the paws, on its face and head, and ends of the tails that match the gentle glow of the wisteria around the clearing. Yes, I said tails as in plural! There are four of them, each waving in different directions from the other. This monstrosity stands about the size of a standard school bus. I inspect the foe before me but judging from the glare of its glowing purple eyes, I already knew this is going to be trouble.
Four-Tailed Kitsune
Level 115
HP: 18,000/18,000
MP: 600/600
Skills:
Maul
Dash
Camouflage
Shape-shift
Oh boy, that's not looking good. We are about evenly matched in terms of level, well, I'm at level 120, but it has a TON of HP, and it appears to be able to use magic as it has MP. It has the same skills as the Dire Wolf, but those camouflage and shape-shift skills are seriously concerning. Say nothing of the sheer size of this thing. It's like I'm about to pick a fight with a fucking city bus! A bus that has razor sharp teeth and claws that look like they are made of steel!
As much as I would love to stand here and admire the absolute majesty of this being before me, it's time to get down to business. I draw my daggers, but I don't move toward the boss just yet. We just stand there staring at each other, sizing each other up. The fur of its coat and the long silver whiskers on its face are waving with the breeze that's blowing through the arena. Its glowing purple eyes seem to pierce straight into my soul. Neither of us seem to be in a hurry to clash with the other. Well, at least I'm not as this Kitsune is giving off an aura that is telling me it's deadly, even at my current level.
If you would have told 17-year-old me on earth that 10 years from now you would be a 10-year-old girl standing in a forest clearing about to throw down with a level 115 silver and purple Kitsune, a Japanese mythological guardian of the forest, I would have told you that you lost a screw or two. You are not playing with a full deck. That you were absolutely fucking nuts. Yet here I am. This creature is so beautiful that I just want to stand here and admire it. It's going to be a shame to stain that beautiful fur red.
I take a step forward into the clearing toward my enemy. As I get closer, the purple glow on the creature's fur seems to crackle with energy. Suddenly, the whole fox shimmers and fades into nothing. I immediately take my stance.
*BOOM!*
"UUUAAAAHHHH!!!!"
I scream in pain as I'm suddenly struck from behind. I feel cracking in my spine as I'm sent hurtling toward the opposite side of the clearing. Suddenly the silver fox appears directly in front of me, a massive paw reared back for a swipe. I curl up holding my legs and arms in front of me to block the blow.
*BOOOM!*
I can feel the shock of the strike ripple through my core as I'm sent flying back in the direction I came from. The hanging Wisteria along the edge of the arena actually gets blown back from the shock of the strike.
I hit the ground, tumble backward once, then skid on my feet for about 15 feet before I stop, using one hand to steady myself. This thing is incredibly fast for its size, and it's got the power to back up its size and speed. That first hit caught me completely off guard as I stood there perplexed at how such a large beast could just vanish before my eyes.
The silver fox is just standing where it struck me, its head held high. It's purple accents still crackling with energy. I swear it's sporting a grin on its face.
"How did you like that little one! I'm impressed you can still stand after those blows!" An ethereal female voice emanates from the fox, even though its mouth didn't move.
"Y-you can talk?!!" I shout with genuine surprise.
The only thing that's ever spoken to me since I was dumped down here was the Sea King in the Grotto. Now, I'm talking to a bus size fox!
"I have been impressed with your fighting while in this forest." The Kitsune states.
"You... you have been watching me?!" I reply.
"Of course, little one. I am the guardian of the forest you see. However, there is one thing I couldn't ignore."
"Um, w-what would that be?" I reply with a bit of worry in my voice.
"You have killed an awful lot of my denizens here. Thousands of my denizens slaughtered at your hand. This I cannot ignore!" The fox shouts as her voice begins to be filled with anger, the purple accents glowing brighter, the energy crackling within them almost audible.
"S-s... I'm sorry!" I have to force out feeling the malice radiating from this wolf slam into me like a truck.
"It's too late for apologies now little one. I took the place of this floor's pathetic excuse for a boss. I have come for YOU. I have come for vengeance!" The wolf practically screams as a loud howl emanates from the wolf.
"PREPARE YOURSELF!! Your journey ends here... Christine..." the fox says forming a wicked grin as she says my name.
My eyes go wide at hearing my name being called from the mythical beast. My heart starts hammering in my chest. Sweat starts beading all over my body. A cold shiver runs down my bruised spine. My muscles actually start trembling. This is bad. This is very, very bad!
This isn't the floor boss. This thing is something else entirely, something that is definitely not supposed to be here. She has the power to invade a labyrinth and take over a floor boss like it was just a stroll through the woods. Did I just pick a fight with a literal God?!
No, it has HP. I felt it strike me. It is physical. It's actually here. If it can cause me pain, then I can cause it pain! Why does crap like this continue to happen to me?! First I'm torn from my life on Earth by a mysterious electrical storm that only I could see for some reason, then I had to start over as a fucking baby, I had my mother slaughtered in front of me, I spent 5 years being mercilessly beaten, tortured, and starved, and then I got thrown into a labyrinth from which I cannot escape, and now I have a pissed off pseudo-god wanting to kill me! I'm sick of this bullshit!!! I take my fighting stance and sport a grin of my own. My fear beginning to subside, and my rage is beginning to swell deep inside.
"I can't let you stop me here. You may be out for vengeance, but I have my own vengeance I need to exact. I have a goal you can't possibly comprehend! You may know my name, but you know nothing of my pain!"
"You want me, you got me! Come get your vengeance you overgrown fur-ball!"
"Insolent brat!" The woman's voice screams.
The wolf suddenly shimmers again and vanishes. It did it again. I know it's going to try to flank me or strike me from behind again. I can't rely on my eyes with how fast this monster is. This time I have to rely on my other senses. I focus on the sounds coming into my ears, the feeling of the ground trembling from its heavy footsteps. I can hear it... I can feel it! My boiling rage begins to heighten my senses. I can hear it!!
I throw myself to the floor in a push-up position, just in time to feel and hear the woosh of air above me as a powerful paw splits the air directly where I was standing, claws extended fully. My body would be shredded were I still standing there.
I coil up like a spring then thrust myself backward pushing myself with my arms off the grass covered floor. My feet curled against my body, I let out a kick like a mule with both feet. I put all my strength into the kick. I feel my feet connect with something soft, as my powerful kick smashes into the Fox's face.
*BOOOM!*
I turn to see the massive fox tumbling on the ground, coming to rest 40 feet from me. It isn't down for long as it stands up, shaking its head. It turns to face me; a trickle of blood is flowing from its right nostril. So, the God can bleed after all.
"How did you like that little one? I'm impressed you can still stand!" I say mocking the fox using the same line it said to me.
"Impudent little shit! I will make you regret that!" She shouts at me, her purple accents once again crackle with power.
I take my stance as the Fox charges me at full speed. It swipes at me with a massive paw, claws outstretched. I counter with my dagger; a loud clang rings out as steel meets steel-like claw. The two of us dance around the arena, where we exchange a fury of blows with claws, teeth, blades, closed paws, fists, and kicks.
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*SLASH*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*SLASH*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
Our battle raged for what seemed like forever. Blades, claws, and teeth clashed. My blades slashed and stabbed the Fox, her claws slashed and stabbed me. She even got in a lucky bite on my left shoulder, but a quick stab to her neck had her backing off before she could do any severe damage. Numerous punches, kicks, paw swipes, and even a few headbutts from both of us found home bruising muscle, and breaking ribs.
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*THUD*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*THUD*
*SLASH*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*BOOM*
*SLASH*
*BOOM*
*THUD*
*BOOOOM!*
We finally skid to a stop after a powerful punch and paw strike met, flinging both of us back from the force of the hit. We both stand there staring at each other. Our lungs heaving, desperately trying to pull in as much air as possible. Both of us are bleeding from numerous slashes and wounds from our fight. My armor that I'm so proud of is torn or punctured in several places. The Kitsune's fur is stained with blood in numerous places from well-placed slashes and stabs.
Even though we are both messed up and bleeding everywhere, I take up my stance for round two. I smile at my opponent, not out of spite or even trying to be snarky. I'm genuinely enjoying this fight. We seem to be somewhat evenly matched, though she may have the slight advantage.
"Wipe that smile off your face you little kit. You think you are a match for me?!" She spits at me.
"Well, we seem to be evenly matched. You look like you could use a bath! You got a bit of blood on your nice fur!" I say chuckling a little.
"Alright pup, I think it's time I show you who you really picked a fight with!" the anger in the Kitsune's voice ramping up a notch.
"Hey! You picked this fight with me lady!" I shout back pointing an accusatory finger at her.
What a bitch! She comes all this way to invade a labyrinth just to pick a fight with me because she is pissed that I killed so many wolves, and then she has the gall to say that I picked the fight with her?! What a crock of shit!
"Silence! Save your breath you insolent little bitch! You might want to prepare as I will attack as soon as it's done!"
The fox sits on her hind legs and begins to start glowing white, her shape starts changing little by little. I remember back to when I used Identify on the monster and recall it has the ability to shape shift, and I'm not liking where this might be going. I holster my daggers and I begin swiftly healing my numerous wounds as the glowing fox starts shrinking in size.
I hurry my healing working as fast as I can as the fox begins to take on a humanoid form. Oh shit, that's not good. While I have almost completely healed my injuries, there is nothing I can do about my damaged gear. I'll just have to make do with what's remaining. Little did I know that my gear is going to be completely useless in the next round.
Suddenly the light breaks and I see a figure clad head to toe in a full set of samurai armor. The armor is colored the same as the fox's fur, silver with purple accents. The humanoid lifts its head to look at me, and when it does, it's eyes glow purple through the fox shaped mask, and the purple accents on the armor begins to glow and crackle with power as well. The samurai places a hand on a slender sword at its side.
"Oh fuck..."