“It sounds like the battle is getting really intense back there.”

Hina said to Miko.

“Yeah, but I’m sure Momo will be fine.”

Miko stopped and looked around.

“What is it?”

“I can sense my parents.”

“You can? Then isn’t that great? We should regroup.”

Miko’s eyes narrowed.

“I sense Fang Xian there as well. They’re fighting him.”

“Really? Then how can’t I see any signs of them. A battle including a Divine Level fighter should be noticeable if they’re close by.”

“That’s the thing. They aren’t close by. They’re on the other side of the city.”

“And you were able to sense them?”

“…..I’m being baited. Fang mostly like used some technique to share the location of their battle with me. He wants me to know that he’s fighting my parents in a battle that could see them both killed.”

“He wants you to come to him.”

“Heh.”

Miko smirked and continued walking.

“Too bad for him that I have complete faith in my parents. He’ll die if continues to do unnecessary stuff in front of them.”

“…..Well, we can’t do anything against someone of his power so it’s best to leave him to your parents.”

Hina once again walked behind Miko.

“?!”

She suddenly felt a prickling sensation on her skin. Her eyes became golden and everything around became extremely clear. She looked down and saw that there was a different color coming from her shadow. It meant that there was a foreign entity hiding inside it.

“Hina?”

Miko turned around and looked at her with a strange look in his eyes.

“You’ve been pinned down.”

“Looks like it.”

Hina replied with a dry smile.

“Miko.”

The masked woman named Biyu emerged from a wall’s shadow.

“Young Master, is up ahead.”

“So after you left here you went to meet up with him and he then sent you to get me?”

Miko pointed at Hina.

“Is that your way of saying that she isn’t invited?”

“That’s right.”

A bright smile appeared on Miko’s face.

“I appreciate the invitation but I dislike the way you treat my lady.”

Miko took a step forward and immediately after Biyu felt a crushing force pressing down on her. She couldn’t move her body no matter how hard she tried. She looked up at Miko who was walking towards her with the same smile on his face.

“It doesn’t seem that you were trained properly to greet guests. I think some re-education is in order.”

Despite how menacing Miko looked, Biyu didn’t seemed worried. This amused Miko.

“Miko.”

Miko stopped and looked at Hina.

“I can handle her easy. You go on ahead. I’ll catch up later.”

She showed him a bright smile.

“Alright.”

Miko turned away from Biyu and started walking in the opposite direction.

“Be careful, Hina. That woman was ready to slit my throat if I had approached her any further. She’s probably near Tang’s level.”

“Don’t worry.”

Hina took a step forward and snapping sounds came from her shadow. Her body was no longer restricted.

“I wouldn’t be afraid if it was Tang himself much less his servant.”

“Well, have fun.”

After saying that, Miko broke out into a dash and ran towards Tang’s direction. Hina was left alone with Biyu.

“First, how about you lose the mask. It’s pretty distracting.”

“I was given this mask by someone who means a lot to me. So that’s a no.”

Biyu draw her sword from her sheath. She moved towards Hina without touching the ground like a classic ghost.

“Fantasy Maker.”

A katana similar to the one Biyu was using appeared in Hina’s hand. Her skin darkened and her hair turned white as she transformed. Biyu reached her in seconds and swung her sword at her head.

*Clang!*

Hina parried the sword and took a step forward and slashed at Biyu’s neck. The sword past through Biyu like she was a hologram; even so, Hina remained calm and stabbed the ground. Electricity flowed into the ground and caused it to burst open, Biyu appeared from underground trying to escape the electricity. Hina poured strength into her legs and leaped towards her while lifting her sword. She swung it down and a dark slash rushed towards Biyu, who swung her sword and cut the darkness in two.

“?!”

She suddenly saw Hina in front of her swinging down the sword. She moved back and avoided being cut in half.

*Clack!*

Her mask, however, was split into two and fell to the ground.

“Oh? Aren’t you the beauty?”

Hina rested the sword on her shoulder and said. Biyu had a beautiful face just like she said. It had a perfect oval shape, was without blemishes, and had a cute nose and lips. Hina however noticed that her eyes had two different looks. One was gold and looked like a beast’s, while the other was blue and looked normal.

“…….”

Biyu silently touched her face and started trembling. She looked down and saw her mask cut in two. Her pupils contracted and an old memory came to her.

*********

“Here, Biyu.”

The little boy who she was ordered to protect gave her something wrapped in a fancy cloth.

“What’s this, Young Master?”

“I noticed that you didn’t like it when people stare at you, so I got this for you at the Dragon Festival.”

She removed the cloth and saw a fox mask.

“I saw it and immediately thought that you would like it.”

She looked back and forth between the boy and mask.

“You don’t like it?”

“No…It’s just that…I didn’t see it coming.”

“Of course. I’m good at surprising people.”

The boy said proudly.

“I don’t want those hanging around me to feel like they don’t belong. I don’t care about who you were in the Wakoku Nation. You’re a part of Dragon Storm now. My family.”

********

“You….!”

Hina suddenly feel the aura around Biyu change. The distant and barely noticeable presence had disappeared and was now replaced by a dark and oppressive aura.

“You bitch!”

*Bam!*

She swung her sword down and Hina suddenly found herself in a field of grass.

“What?”

She looked around in confusion and then saw the grass blades turn black at a fast rate until she was standing in a black field.

“Roar!”

Suddenly a giant black fox came out of nowhere and clamped its fangs into her, bringing her back to reality.

“Guh?!”

Blood started spraying out of her body from all sides.

“What just happen?”

While Hina was still confused about what just happened, Biyu appeared in front of her. She moved leaving afterimages behind her and slashed Hina, who attacked the first Biyu only for it to be an afterimage.

Finding herself in a dangerous position, Hina grew wings and took to the skies.

“Ok….What the fuck just happened?!”

She screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Illusions? Is she using illusions?”

She got a headache from trying to make sense of everything.

“Hey, you! What did you do?”

“……..”

Biyu didn’t reply and only glared at her.

“Strange. Normally villains would start explaining their abilities after you ask them in comics and novels. I guess that didn’t work.”

Despite getting hit with strange attacks Hina wasn’t panicking. She had faced worse in the Ruined World after all.

*Bam!*

Biyu’s jumped into the air and swung her sword overhead. Hina then saw the world around her become distorted.

“Guh?!”

A long cut appeared on Hina’s torso and blood gushed out of it. She turned around and saw Biyu thrust her sword towards her heart.

“?!”

She once again found herself and completely different scenery. This time she was in a lonely road. She stayed calm and kept her eyes in front of her.

“Roar!”

Suddenly a black fox rushed at her from the side. Hina calmly cut the fox in two. She then saw the two halves turn into smaller foxes that bit into her shoulder. She once again returned to reality and saw two holes in her shoulders.

“So that’s how it is.”

Hina still looked calm. She turned around and looked at Biyu.

“I think I’ve seen through your trick.”

Her eyes started glowing. She then rushed towards Biyu, who timed her and swung her sword down. Hina once again found herself in a different scene. Hina didn’t stop and static started emitting from her sword. As she expected another fox monster came at her. She swung her sword and the fox was cut into half, even so, she didn’t stop and followed up with a powerful slash that caused static to spread through the area.

“Ugh?!”

The scenery around her crumbled and she was brought back to reality.

“She saw my attack?”

Biyu was shocked.

“There’s nothing to be surprised about really. My eyes can see the many things that others could only dream of seeing. But I must give you praise though. I had to take all these attacks just to figure out that you’re a Kitsune.”

Biyu’s eyes widened.

“Like I said, I can see things that others can only dream of. I can see the mischievous aura of a fox on you.”

Kitsune, a Japanese Fox spirit that possesses paranormal abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. They’re known for their trickery and craftiness as well as their use of illusions.

“Since you’re a Kitsune, then you’re either from the Golden Fox Country or the Wakoku Nation. You incorporate swordsmanship with your illusions so it must be the Wakoku Nation.”

Hina smiled.

“I think this is fate. I’m from the Wakoku Nation as well.”

Her white wings turned black and the space behind her became distorted. Darkness covered the sky and dozens of gleaming eyes could be seen behind her.

“If you’re a Kitsune then you could say that I’m Nurarihyon leading the Night Parade of 100 Demons.”

A hundred terrifying monsters appeared behind Hina, all glaring at Biyu.

“She summoned so many monsters?”

Biyu gripped her sword tightly.

“This girl is extremely dangerous. I can’t allow her to meet the Young Master.”

Hina could feel Biyu’s murderous intent on her skin. It honestly gave her chills.

“You, you care about Tang a lot don’t you?”

“That’s an understatement. I cherish him more than my own life. I’ll kill anyone that threatens him.”

Hina nodded.

“I feel the same way about Miko. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep him alive. I would even be willing to turn into the vilest of monsters and betray the whole world if it keeps him safe.”

The smile dropped from Hina’s face.

“That’s why I can’t forgive Tang for endangering his life. If Miko hadn’t insisted, I would’ve killed him myself.”

Biyu’s murderous aura intensified once again. Hina ignored and continued to speak.

“I admire your dedication to Tang but I also find it a threat towards those I hold dear. So you’ll have to die here.”

Hina lifted her sword and the monsters behind her started roaring.

“I won’t go down that easily. I’ll bite my way through if I have to.”

A shadowy aura started surging out Biyu’s body. She held her sword in front of her. Four black foxtails appeared behind her, her teeth turned into fangs, and she grew a pair of fox ears on the top of her head. The shadows then wrapped around her and formed black combat clothes and a mouth mask.

“I see. Then, let’s dance!”

Hina charged at Biyu with her hundred monsters behind. Biyu stood in place and gripped her sword tightly. Darkness started flowing from sword.

“Black Fox Sword Art: Mad Rush!”

Biyu dashed forward and swung her sword repetitively as she clashed with the horde of monsters. Monsters closest to her were instantly cut into chunks. She continued running and swinging her sword, cut down monsters by the dozen. She quickly made her way to Hina with monster parts floating around her.

“A suicidal charge.”

Hina lifted her sword and cut Biyu’s arm that was holding her sword off. She then thrust her sword at Biyu’s head.

*Clang!*

Her attack was deflected by Biyu’s sword that was being held by her severed arm.

“?!”

Hina had to leap back to avoid her head getting cut off. She looked and saw a string of darkness attaching the severed arm to Biyu. The arm was then pulled back and instantly reattached itself to Biyu’s shoulder.

“I cut her arm but she forcibly kept it attached?”

Biyu suddenly disappeared in ball of smoke. She reappeared above Hina, thrusting her sword at her head. Hina moved her head out of the way and the blade sliced her cheek. She stepped forward and slashed Biyu’s across her chest.

“No blood?”

Hina was shocked to see that Biyu’s wound didn’t bleed at all. Biyu took advantage of the pause and stabbed Hina in the chest.

“Ugh?!”

Biyu gripped the sword tighter and started forcing it to cut upwards to cut Hina’s torso apart. Hina however stopped the blade with her bare hand causing it to bleed. She gritted her teeth and glared at Biyu.

“You’re not the only one who’s willing to sacrifice themselves to win.”

She dropped her sword.

“Fantasy Maker!”

A bulky metal glove with huge spikes appeared on her hand.

*BAM!*

Hina slammed her fist in Biyu’s stomach and forced her into the ground.

“Ignition!”

*BAM!*

An explosion flames came from Hina’s fist and swallowed up Biyu.

“Ahh!”

A howl reached Hina’s ears and her face was grabbed by a burning hand. Biyu’s upper body lifted up and her burnt face emerged from the flames.

“I will win for the Young Master!”

Her voice was like a mad beast unwilling to die. She gripped Hina’s face and swung her entire body and slammed her to the ground. She then got on top of Hina and started raining down punches on her whiling howling like a beast.

“Ah!”

Hina roared and headbutt her with all she got. She then hit her with a right hook and forced her off her. She stood up and had to jump to the side to avoid Biyu’s sword that was thrown at her. The moment Hina’s feet touch the ground she Biyu was already in front of her. She thrust her four tails, which Hina was unable to avoid because of the lingering pain she was feeling.

“Ugh?!”

Hina was hit in the chest and stomach by the four tails and felt like she was hit by four trucks at once. She was blown back into a couple of old buildings.

“Hah~! Hah~! Hah~!”

Biyu panted heavily as her burnt body started to heal slowly.

*Bam!*

Rubble started flying after Hina violent blew them off her. She had a furious look on her face.

“That’s it. You’re dead.”

Her Apostle Crest started glowing.

“I wanted to win with my own strength but the young master’s life is worth more than my pride.”

Biyu’s Crest also started glowing. The two spoke in unison.

“You’ll die here!”