Adventure World Online (AWO)

Chang Long chatted with Inari for a while longer until it was time to sleep. She slept in the clearing near the fire, just like the other foxes. The little thieving mouse curled up close by, sleeping peacefully. As Chang Long drifted off, she suddenly felt like she had forgotten something important, something she should not have forget. But no matter how hard she tried to remember, it did not come to her. She decided to stop thinking about it and finally fell asleep.

Siegfried paced anxiously in circles, as did the others, because they could not contact Chang Long. It felt as though she had disappeared into another dimension again. Although her in-game status appeared normal, no one could reach her.

"Where did Master Chang go?"

Peach Blossom muttered gloomily. They had barely started adventuring together before Chang Long disappeared again.

"Yeah, she vanished without a word. I wonder if she's met Inari yet,"

Jane said, her voice filled with worry. Everyone knew Chang Long had a life-threateningly terrible sense of direction, and now she had gone off alone again.

"Come on! She's got other pets, doesn't she? And those spirits in her possession too. I'm sure they'll help her out,"

Hero tried to reassure them, especially Siegfried, who still could not sit still.

"We can't do much. We've searched around multiple times and found nothing but rocks, pine trees, and snow. All we can do is wait,"

Destiny added, though he too looked troubled.

"We'll find out tomorrow, right? It's the seventh day, and Kitsune should hatch by then,"

Oliang said, resigned. They had been searching, but there was no trace of Chang Long or even a single fox.

"What a shame. I really wanted to witness the birth of a Sacred Beast at least once,"

Cat-Faced Angel said softly, looking disappointed since they had already missed Kitsune's resurrection before.

"We might miss the birth, but we'll still see the Sacred Beast. Let's get some rest. We'll know by tomorrow,"

Kimhant comforted Cat-Faced Angel, and everyone nodded in agreement. They set up their tents to sleep, except for Siegfried, who did not seem to hear the conversation. He continued to pace back and forth, sighing with worry, while his friends, fed up, went to sleep, leaving him as the unofficial night watchman.

.....

The next morning, Chang Long woke up early, eagerly awaiting Kitsune's birth. Inari could not help but chuckle at her excitement. As the first light of dawn touched Inari shrine, it illuminated the small golden egg with orange speckles. The shell began to crack, and a radiant orange-gold light shone from within. Everyone watched in anticipation, even the little thieving field mouse.

A tiny paw, covered in golden flames, emerged from the cracked shell, filling the hearts of all who watched with wonder. After all, the birth of a new life was always a moment of joy, far more exciting than death or loss. Even though the little thieving field mouse knew it now had one more fox eyeing it hungrily.

The golden flames emerging with that tiny paw flared intensely, forcing everyone to step back. The golden fire lifted the egg into the air, rising higher... and higher, while small pieces of the shell continuously flaked off. Finally, the largest piece of the shell fell, and the golden flames whirled midair, rising more than 20 meters before bursting like fireworks in all directions.

Kitsune's small body slowly descended. He looked around in panic, but then his eyes locked onto a familiar and gentle gaze—one filled with warmth and recognition, as though they had not seen each other in lifetimes. As soon as Kitsune touched the ground, he rushed into the open arms of the person who had been waiting with an open arm and a smile.

"Pure-blooded Sacred Beast, Flame Fox, Kitsune, has been successfully reborn. Kitsune must be acknowledged by Inari within five minutes to become a fully recognized Pure-blooded Sacred Beast,"

the system announced as Chang Long hugged the little fox tightly. The thieving field mouse, perched on Chang Long's shoulder, peeked nervously, unsure if this newly born fox might be so hungry that he would snack on it as a light meal.

Inari approached Chang Long and gently took Kitsune, holding it before him. He then used Kitsune's claw to slice his own finger, drawing blood, which he smeared onto Kitsune's forehead. Inari's blood, a deep, jewel-like red, looked pure and precious. As soon as the blood touched Kitsune's forehead, it glowed brightly before fading away without a trace.

"Flame Fox, Kitsune, has been fully recognized as a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast by Inari,"

the system announced once more. Kitsune was placed back on the ground, where he bowed to Inari before affectionately circling around Chang Long's legs.

"Master,"

Kitsune called out, his voice sounding like that of a small child, just as he had when he first hatched. Chang Long quickly opened Kitsune's status to check.

To her surprise, aside from Kitsune's new status as a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast, his level and skills had all been reset, even the number of spirits he had consumed, meaning Kitsune would have to start over from scratch. Fortunately, his memories of Chang Long remained intact.

"Starting over from level one, huh…"

Chang Long muttered softly.

"You did it, Chang Long. Your pet is now a fully recognized Pure-blooded Sacred Beast. It's a divine creature,"

Inari said warmly, smiling as always.

"Thank you… thank you so much. I think I should be going now,"

Chang Long said, her heart filled with gratitude. She smiled happily as she cradled Kitsune in her arms.

"Don't you want to take this little one to meet his parents first?"

Inari softly asked the question, causing Chang Long to be stunned. She then looked down at Kitsune, who seemed quite eager to meet his parents.

"Do you want to go meet your parents?"

Chang Long asked. Kitsune nodded shyly, despite knowing that his parents once considered abandoning him just because his egg did not look as beautiful as his siblings'. However, he understood that his parents gave him life, and that was how he got to meet his master, Chang Long, whom he loved and respected with all his heart.

"They live up there, on that mountain. To be honest, foxes of the Flame Clan are solitary creatures. They don't like outsiders—uh... other living beings—invading their territory. It's best if you let the little one lead the way,"

Inari added kindly, gesturing in the direction.

Chang Long bid farewell to Inari, bowing sincerely before heading toward the direction he had indicated, with Kitsune leading the way. Meanwhile, the thieving field mouse clung tightly to Chang Long's shoulder, unwilling to leave her side, as they were now in a territory filled with dangerous creatures that could devour it at any moment.

As they passed through the golden fields, the warm aura of Inari's domain disappeared without a trace. Chang Long, Kitsune, and the little mouse found themselves walking through falling snow in the cold morning. The sky was overcast. The thieving field mouse was shivering so hard that its teeth clattered loudly next to Chang Long's ear. She was tempted to flick it away but pitied it, fearing it might freeze to death, so she tucked it inside her cloak to keep it warm.

Kitsune sniffed the air and hesitated, he stopped walking. He seemed unsure about moving forward. Chang Long understood that he had likely found the place where his parents lived. She approached and gently stroked its head in a comforting manner.

"It's okay, Kitsune. Let's go meet them. At the very least, they'll respect you now because you're a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast,"

Chang Long reassured him. Feeling comforted and more confident, Kitsune nodded and led the way, disappearing into a large boulder. The boulder was, in fact, just an illusion—one of the advanced skills of the fox clan.

Behind the boulder lay a small village, with houses made of wood and stone. Beautifully dressed people walked around. They all turned to look at Chang Long as one. Many frowned, some bared their sharp white teeth, but none dared to attack, showing respect for the small Pure-blooded Sacred Beast standing before them.

"Who are you here to see?"

A deep voice, more like a growl than speech, called out from one of the houses. A man with pale yellowish skin and wild orange hair stepped out, his face bearing a striking resemblance to Kitsune's human form. He approached Chang Long with an air of elegance.

"We're here to see his parents,"

Chang Long replied, pointing at Kitsune. The man and the other villagers turned their attention to Kitsune in unison.

"No Pure-blooded Sacred Beast has ever been born here,"

the man said coldly, his gaze on Kitsune unreadable.

"This one wasn't born a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast. He was once an ugly egg, all mottled and discolored. I even wondered what kind of creature would hatch from it,"

Chang Long responded firmly, watching the man closely for any signs of guilt. He reacted just as she expected—stunned by her words.

"What did you say!"

Another woman emerged from the house, as graceful as the man before her. She stared at Kitsune, unable to believe her eyes—the first Flame Fox to hold the status of a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast. Meanwhile, the other foxes in their human forms, who were likely Kitsune's siblings, gathered around to observe. Kitsune, feeling shy and overwhelmed by the attention, quietly returned to stand beside Chang Long.

"If you're talking about that mottled egg... could it be our youngest?"

One of the transformed foxes said excitedly. Soon, the others crowded around, making even Chang Long feel a bit uneasy. As for the little thieving field mouse, there was no need to even mention it—it was shivering in fear, far worse than when they were out in the snow, hiding completely inside Chang Long's cloak, too scared to even peek out.

Though it should have been a happy reunion for the family, the intense gazes from its members made both Chang Long and her pet want to escape. Why? Because the looks were filled with expectation, pride, and envy. Kitsune knew that in the past, his family's gaze had never been like this. However, the two foxes in human form, who appeared to be Kitsune's parents, remained seated, silent and still, almost turning to stone. After inviting Kitsune and Chang Long inside their home, they had not moved or spoken a word.

"You must know… that we considered abandoning you,"

Kitsune's mother finally broke the silence, her voice and expression indifferent. Everyone turned to look at her, the chatter immediately dying down.

"The color... and pattern of the eggshell reveal much, like the nobility when it hatch. In your case, it signaled that you would be born the weakest, lowest-ranking member of the clan, with no power and no respect from the others,"

Kitsune's father continued in the same flat tone.

"We debated over and over. Letting you live might have been more of a torment than letting you die within the egg,"

Kitsune's mother added, her gaze toward Kitsune deep and unreadable.

"But you didn't die. Instead, you became a Pure-blooded Sacred Beast. The human who raised you didn't scorn you or cast you aside, as we had intended to. She helped you ascend to divinity. You must be very happy now…"

Kitsune's father glanced at Chang Long, who was gently stroking Kitsune's head with affection. Kitsune nodded joyfully at his father, indeed, feeling truly happy.

"Is that so? I see…"

A faint smile appeared on Kitsune's mother's lips, and her eyes moistened slightly. She stood up and walked into another room. When she returned, she held a necklace made of animal hide, with a large white fang as the pendant. The fang glowed softly, its beauty mesmerizing.

"We cannot ask for forgiveness for what we once did, but we want you to know that we are proud of you. This is the Ancestor's Fang. It is the most precious thing we have, not created through illusion. Please accept it, Divine One," Kitsune's father said earnestly. Kitsune's mother then extended her hand, offering the necklace with the "Ancestor's Fang" to her child, waiting for him to accept it.

Kitsune looked up at Chang Long, unsure. When Chang Long nodded in approval, Kitsune stepped forward and allowed its mother to place the necklace around its neck. As soon as it was adorned, a strange aura began to radiate from the fang pendant. The aura enveloped Kitsune's entire body, from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. Its once-fluffy orange-gold fur smoothed out and gleamed, his claws and fangs becoming sharp and imposing. Even though Kitsune was still in his pre-evolution form, he now exuded elegance and majesty befitting a divine beast, more so than when he first hatched.

"Kitsune, your pet, has received a unique fox-race accessory, the Ancestor's Fang. All basic attributes are now doubled,"

the system announcement declared, leaving Chang Long stunned. An item like this would have players scrambling to get their hands on it. Luckily, it was specifically for pets, limited to the fox race, and its appearance was not particularly attention-grabbing. No one would likely try to steal it unless they knew what it was and its hidden properties.

The soft white aura dissipated, leaving only a faint glow around the fang pendant. After spending some time with Kitsune's family, both Chang Long and Kitsune took their leave. Kitsune appeared noticeably happier, even though neither of his parents had apologized for considering abandoning him, nor had they spoken to him gently or embraced him with love. Despite this, the unspoken emotions came through—warmth and gentleness that not even the cold snow could extinguish.

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