Demonic Kitsune

The fish-man sailors, visibly nervous, clutched their harpoons and swords. Fear was written on their faces—they were fish merchants, not fighters, forced to rely on themselves in desperate times.

“This area was supposed to be safe from lizard raiders,” the captain muttered, confusion and fear clouding his fish-like eyes. “Why are they here?” He gritted his shark-like teeth so hard it was audible.

Just then, Yu Ziao approached the captain, a bottle of booze swinging lazily in his hand. “Looks like you’re in a bit of trouble,” he drawled, a trace of amusement in his voice.

The captain turned to him, narrowing his eyes. “Who the fuck are you?” he demanded.

“Does it matter who I am?” Yu Ziao said with a sly grin. “What matters is what I can do for you, right?”

The captain frowned. “What do you mean?” he asked, suspicion lacing his tone.

“How much would you give me to protect the rice, huh?” Yu Ziao asked, waving the bottle teasingly.

The fish-man captain looked at him in disbelief. “I don’t get what you mean by that, but your life is at stake, and you're here negotiating? Do you think those lizard fuckers will just take the rice?” His frustration was evident.

Right, they're going to slaughter everyone on that damned boat. Women and children won't be spared from their brutal weapons.

“Exactly. If you want to protect your rice and your life, you have to pay a certain price,” Yu Ziao replied, his grin broadening.

“Price? If the raiders board us, you’ll die too! What’s wrong with you?” the captain shouted, his voice rising in panic.

The fishmen had the advantage in water and could fight the lizardmen, but the rice was at risk. Yet, what could an ogre do in this situation? On land, the fish-man captain wouldn’t have doubted the ogre’s ability and might even have negotiated with him. But on water, one move from the lizardmen could lead to the ogre’s demise if he fell in and began to sink.

Yet, the ogre didn’t back down. Instead, he pointed a finger at the thick anchor line. “Crazy? Can a crazy person do this?” With a burst of energy, the line exploded, shocking the fish-man captain.

“Ugh!” The captain realized that the ogre was no ordinary combatant—he was a chained warrior and a powerful one at that.

“Can you deal with them all alone without sinking our boat?” the captain asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

Yu Ziao chuckled. “I guess it’s a bit much now that I’m older and my bones aren’t as strong as they used to be.”

“Then it’s no use!” the captain shot back, panic seeping in. What was he expecting from an ogre who relied only on brute strength? He thought, massaging his temples in frustration.

“Uh-huh! Why are fishmen so quick-tempered? When did I ever say I was alone?” Yu Ziao gestured toward Dolrence and Joan, who stood behind him.

The captain frowned deeply but had no choice. He wondered how they would fight, but there was no point in overthinking during a crisis. “Fine! If you keep the rice, the passengers, and the boat safe, I’ll pay you two hundred gold coins,” he offered.

Yu Ziao scoffed. “No. Who’s going to risk their life in a battle, especially at a disadvantage, for just two hundred gold coins?”

“Two hundred gold coins are enough for your family to live in abundance for five years!” the captain argued, frustration etched on his face.

“But compared to the price of the rice on this boat, it’s only a small amount,” Yu Ziao countered.

“How about three hundred gold coins—” the captain began, but Yu Ziao cut him off.

“Six hundred gold coins,” Yu Ziao demanded firmly.

“That’s damned expensive! That’s enough to buy three sacks of rice on board,” the captain exclaimed with disbelief. 

“Heh! It’s a bargain if it saves all your lives and the rice at the price of just three sacks,” Yu Ziao shrugged.

“Ugh! This is highway robbery,” the fish man muttered, shaking with frustration. But as the lizardmen raiders’ ship drew closer, he knew he had to make a decision. “F—Fine, fine! If you can really defeat them, I’ll give you six hundred gold coins,” the captain finally agreed, though it pained him. He gritted his shark-like teeth and clenched his bluish fists.

Yu Ziao grinned widely. “Heh, you made a wise decision.”

As Yu Ziao turned back to Dolrence and Joan, Dolrence raised an eyebrow. “How much is it?” he asked.

“Six hundred gold coins,” Yu Ziao replied, satisfaction in his voice.

“Hey! That’s all you could get?” Dolrence huffed, sounding disappointed.

“For now, let’s be satisfied with this,” Yu Ziao said. “Besides, we can already hit two birds with one stone.”

“Two birds with one stone, you say?” Dolrence repeated, curiosity piqued.

“If you want to sell our skills, don’t we have to show them off? This is the perfect chance to make a mark on the independent clans and groups in Lumencis.”

“I can’t wait to see their reactions!” Dolrence burst into laughter, the sound both melodic and sinister.

Yu Ziao then turned to Joan. “Come on, I’ve set the stage—let’s give them a show.”

Joan sighed, his massive shoulders rising and falling. “Why do I have to be part of this?” he asked, resigned.

“You really don’t know?” Yu Ziao asked, feigning surprise.

“May the Clan Ancestor bless our endeavors,” Joan muttered, his voice heavy with resignation.

“Go wild and do what you do best,” Yu Ziao urged, waving his hand in encouragement.

With another sigh, Joan turned to face the approaching ship full of lizardmen raiders. As they prepared to board the rice carrier, Joan’s expression darkened, and he began to chant.

“Only those who are blessed by the Clan Ancestor are prepared for greatness. Oh, Great One, embrace this warrior with your lightness and strength,” Joan intoned with grim resolve.

A sensation engulfed him as if his once-weighty body had become lighter. His morphed feet moved with unnatural agility. It was as if his footsteps had been erased, causing Clare, who had been silent, to narrow her eyes at the phenomenon.

Joan, the Orc Warrior, launched himself from the deck with a fierce battle cry, fire in his eyes, and soared into the air. At the peak of his leap, he reached for the war hammer on his back. Unwrapping it and gripping it tightly, the whitish inscription on its head glowed as if he were being blessed with strength from the unknown. Tendrils of energy danced around him. Twisting his body mid-air, war hammer raised high, he came crashing down onto the enemy ship like a falling meteor.

With Joan’s thunderous landing, the enemy boat quaked violently, threatening to capsize.

“Uwa—!”

 “What, what?”

The enemies stumbled, struggling to regain their footing amidst the chaos.

“What? Is that an orc warrior?”

“Careful! He looks strong!”

They cautiously approached Joan, their weapons trembling in their hands.

“Hyaap!” Joan slammed his enormous war hammer into the deck, sending shockwaves through the entire boat. The vessel shuddered as if struck by an earthquake. This time, the enemies were prepared and managed to stay on their feet. But then…

The deck where Joan’s war hammer struck burst open, and water surged up from the hole he'd created in the bottom of the boat. The enemies, realizing the peril, rushed at Joan with renewed fury.

“Die—!”

But Joan merely clenched his massive hands, swung the shimmering War Hammer sideways, and unleashed a powerful shockwave.

“Keuk!”

"Hiic!”

The enemies were sent flying, crashing into the water below. Being lizard men who couldn’t swim, they sank like stones. They lived in swamps, not rivers. Those who hit the waves floated lifelessly as if their souls had been snuffed out.

“You crazy bastard!”

"Everyone, attack together!”

The sight of their comrades drifting like corpses only fueled their rage. They charged all at once, only to be met by a raging inferno.

The air vibrated as shockwaves ensued.

“Kekkeuk!”

“Coheuk!”

With bone-shattering force, Joan struck two lizardmen with his fiery war hammer, sending them hurtling through the air. His brutality was unmatched. Not a single foe could withstand his relentless assault. Those who tried to block with their weapons found their swords shattered, their bones crushed. Those who attempted to parry with their hands were left broken and bloodied.

The glowing war hammer left devastation in its wake.

Dolrence Winterler, the succubus, leaned casually against the boat’s railing, watching the carnage with a smirk.

“Huh! There’s no orc alive who speaks and acts like that,” she remarked.

“Isn’t that why his name is Joan?” Yu Ziao, standing beside her, grunted.

“He’s always bloodthirsty as an orc.”

Dolrence chuckled, twirling a strand of her long, silken hair. Despite the chaos, neither she nor Yu Ziao showed any sign of concern. They trusted Joan’s strength completely.

Joan might be the one they teased, but his prowess in battle was undeniable. His war hammer blows left enemies in states so horrific that death would have been kinder. Limbs were twisted unnaturally, bones jutted grotesquely from the flesh, and the deck was slick with blood.

The crew and passengers of the rice carrier watched in horror, eyes shut tight to block out the gruesome scene. Moments ago, they had feared for their lives. Now, they pitied the lizard men.

The captain’s gaze shifted nervously between Dolrence and Yu Ziao, who were now casually chatting.

Suddenly, Dolrence clapped her hands as if recalling something. “Ah! How’s our beautiful companion? You’re not scared, are you? Ugh! If I knew it would end up like this, I would’ve told Joan to take it easy.”

Yu Ziao smirked. “Scared? Look at her face. Does that look like fear to you?”

Dolrence followed Yu Ziao’s gaze to Clare, who sat on the railing, observing the spectacle with a calm, detached expression. Her nine bushy tails swayed slightly. It was not the face of someone who feared anything.

“That Nin… she’s no ordinary Nin. Eyes like that belong to someone who’s been through hell and back.”

“Where did Clare come from? We know most of the top fighters in the region.”

“Not everyone,” 

“So, what did you find out?” Yu Ziao asked.

“Nothing,” Dolrence answered with disappointment. 

“What? You spent all that time with her and found out nothing? How can we trust someone we know nothing about?”

“I feel the same as you, Yu Ziao. She’s no ordinary Nin. I couldn’t read her. I was so sure I could break her, but she’s like a locked chest with no key.”

Dolrence bit her nails in frustration.

Yu Ziao clicked his tongue. “Tsk! If you don’t want her to become a problem, find out who she is, or the ‘Boss’ will be pissed.”

“Heh! That’s never going to happen. I’ll figure her out, no matter how long it takes. Just you wait,” Dolrence said.

“Yeah, if you say so,” Yu Ziao replied.

Then, a deafening explosion tore through the air as inscriptions on the war hammer glowed.

Silence fell.

In the center of the enemy considerably sized boat, Joan stood alone with his war hammer in hand, dripping blood, surrounded by shattered planks and wreckage. Every last enemy had been vanquished, their bodies sinking into the dark depths below.

Joan leaped from the sinking boat, swinging away the gore from his war hammer as he landed lightly on the rice carrier. The enemy vessel vanished beneath the waves shortly after, leaving only ripples in its wake.

Demon and monster passengers, along with the fish-man sailors, stared at Joan with wide, fearful eyes. But Joan, accustomed to such looks, remained indifferent.

“Good job, Joan!” Yu Ziao praised.

“The Clan Ancestor hates such endeavors, but he is a benevolent ancestor. Please order Dolrence next time,” Joan said, putting the wrapped war hammer behind his back.

“Does she even listen to me? I’m lucky if she doesn’t bite my head off!” Yu Ziao grinned, turning to the captain. “Now, about our payment…”

“Oh, here you go!” the captain said quickly.

He hurriedly handed over six hundred gold coins, too terrified to question why only Joan had fought. The orc’s power was so overwhelming that the fish-man captain didn’t dare imagine what the succubus or the ogre might be capable of.

"That was a good deal," Yu Ziao said, pocketing the pouch as he walked back toward Joan. But Dolrence was already gone.

"Where's she gone off to now?" he asked.

Joan silently pointed toward Clare. Dolrence was already close, flashing her most alluring smile as she spoke to her.

Yu Ziao frowned. "You sent her to seduce the Nin, didn’t you?"

Watching Dolrence twist her body and smile at Clare made him uneasy. Unbothered by Yu Ziao's concern, Dolrence whispered to Clare, who stood with her arms crossed.

"When we reach Lumencis, do you have a place to stay? If not, how about joining us?" Dolrence asked.

"No." It was a very fast rejection.

"Why? Is it because of Joan? He’s harmless, really. Don’t worry," Dolrence said.

"I’m more comfortable alone," Clare replied.

"You’re so unusual, rejecting a beautiful woman who’s usually so favored," Dolrence said, pouting her lips.

"Even the prettiest flower is dangerous if it’s full of thorns," Clare responded indifferently.

Dolrence’s forehead twitched slightly at Clare’s bluntness. Still, she kept her smile bright and innocent.

"Pretty is pretty, though," Dolrence remarked.

"Only on the outside," Clare said.

"You really know how to hurt a girl’s feelings," Dolrence replied, clutching her chest as if wounded, but Clare’s gaze remained calm and unyielding.

The raw strength Joan displayed earlier had been awe-inspiring. Though the enemies were no match for Clare, it was clear they had been powerful enough to pose a real threat to ordinary demon fighters and some inexperienced young Arrancars.

Even without witnessing their skills firsthand, it was obvious that Dolrence and Yu Ziao were formidable, likely on par with Joan. The fact that all three were heading to Lumencis at the same time as Clare was no mere coincidence.

The biggest problem was figuring out why they were going to Lumencis. Clare’s eyes narrowed as she briefly looked at Joan. Though Joan seemed the least significant among the three, it was clear from the way Dolrence and Yu Ziao used him as their frontman that this was no accident. They could have handled the situation quietly, but they chose to make a spectacle of Joan’s power.

Who are they trying to impress? And what do they stand to gain? Clare’s gaze shifted back to Dolrence, who was flaunting her curves in a revealing outfit. Her intent was clear, but Clare remained unfazed.

Clare noticed the wounds on Dolrence’s chest. The gash was so deep that an ordinary person would have stopped breathing immediately. Deep wounds marked not only her chest but also her forearm. These were not mere injuries sustained during training; they were proof of a battle between life and death. She likely bore more wounds in the areas concealed by her clothes.

No matter how brutal the world of Salamander could be, the fights were rarely so vicious that combatants suffered such grievous wounds. Unless they had been embroiled in a war, it was uncommon for someone to sustain such extensive damage.

They're mercenaries, Clare thought, her eyes narrowing. Selling their skills for money. They're demonstrating their force for potential clients, hoping to be hired. The enemies that came were nothing more than pitiful sacrifices, used to inflate the mercenaries' value and increase their payment.

Is there a conflict brewing in Lumencis that requires independent mercenaries? Clare mused. The idea intrigued her. Things were about to get interesting.

Lumencis was the northernmost part of the Demonic Arrancar Clan, with independent clans and groups. Under normal circumstances, the Demon Clan would never have allowed such conflict to take root there. But if the conflict was brewing, it meant that the Demon Clan had not only signed a peace treaty with the independent clans and groups but had also given them free will and didn’t intervene unless it directly affected their people and followers.

Well, in such a place, competition against independent clans and groups was bound to sprout, Clare thought, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Dolrence Winterler looked at Clare. Her smile, showing her fangs, was so eerily beautiful that Dolrence felt a shiver run down her spine. She began to wonder how dangerous Clare truly was.

It was akin to a Demon. No, could Clare be a half-breed?

She shook her head in denial. Maybe it was just her imagination.

— — — —

The journey to the outskirt of Lumencis had been uneventful. Even their fellow Lizardmen raiders had lost their will to fight after hearing about their comrades being slaughtered. The "rice carrier" anchored at a dock not far from Lumencis. From this point on, they would have to travel by land instead of water. Wagons were already waiting to load the rice.

"Hurry up! We need to be in the main State of Lumencis by tomorrow!” The demon foreman barked, his voice cutting through the bustling dock.

"Be careful not to burst the sacks!" another demon worker shouted, as they clambered aboard the boat, their hands already busy with the heavy loads.

Clare and Dolrence Winterler disembarked, followed by Yu Ziao, who stretched his massive arms, a sigh of relief escaping his lips.

"I feel alive again, finally stepping on solid ground," Yu Ziao grumbled, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.

Dolrence flashed him a teasing smile, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, Yu Ziao, don't tell me you’ve gone soft after just a few days at sea. You’re not getting any younger, you know?" she quipped, her tone light but laced with challenge.

Yu Ziao snorted, his broad shoulders tensing. "Why does this always have to be about starting a fight? Are you... sexually frustrated or something?" His last words came out in a gruff mumble, realizing the dangerous territory he’d stepped into.

"What did you just say?" Dolrence's eyes narrowed, her hand instinctively reaching for her sharp whip, the air between them thickening with tension.

"Uh, nothing. Forget I said anything." Yu Ziao quickly took a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish grin playing on his lips. Then, he turned to Clare, eager to shift the focus away from himself. "So, Clare, what’s the plan now?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Clare’s gaze remained distant, the evening light casting shadows across her sharp features. "What?" she replied absently, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"We’re heading straight to the main state of Lumencis," Yu Ziao explained, a hint of anticipation in his tone.

"I’m staying here for the night," Clare replied calmly. The sun cast a warm, golden light, creating long shadows as it began its descent. The air felt calm, signaling the approach of evening.

Yu Ziao’s face fell, disappointment clear in his eyes. "Then I guess we’ll part ways here. We need to be in Lumencis main state by tomorrow morning," he said, trying to mask his letdown.

Dolrence pouted, her expression softening. "Can’t you just come with us, Clare?" she asked, a note of desperation creeping into her voice.

"I have things to do," Clare’s voice was steady, betraying no emotion.

"What things? You mean, you’re about to meet with the group. Let’s go together," Dolrence pressed, her eyes pleading.

Clare shook her head, resolute. "I need to be there alone," she said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

"Tsk!" Dolrence clicked her tongue, her lips curling in dissatisfaction. Despite her attempts to sway Clare, it was clear nothing would change her mind.

“ If fate allows us to meet again, I’ll reach out to you,” Clare added, her voice softening slightly, offering a small concession.

Dolrence’s expression lightened at Clare's words. "Really?" she asked, her tone hopeful. 

“I might," Clare replied, her voice flat. Dolrence’s pout turned into a smile, content with Clare’s promise. But in Clare’s mind, she was rejecting the offer. Please don’t. She had no intention of meeting them again; after all, they were just monsters she had coincidentally traveled with.

Dolrence’s reply was better than a simple “No,” which turned out to be feasible.

With a final glance, the three of them purchased horses at a nearby market and rode off into the distance, leaving Clare alone by the dock.

Clare watched them disappear, her expression unreadable. The evening air was cool, carrying the distant sounds of the bustling dock. Now alone, she turned and walked away, the gentle wind swallowing her figure as she melted into the twilight.

"It was nice having monster-raced traveling companions," Clare sighed, her voice tinged with melancholy. She turned west, heading toward the hideout for the group mission. As she walked, she wondered which group she would be assigned to work with.