Demonic Kitsune

Instructor Julianne Xue led the children out of the Erebus Hell grass field and through an underground water tunnel illuminated by fluorescent beads scattered throughout. Then, they entered a narrow path between a partly flaming-purplish, canyon-like woodland. Surprisingly, the forest and path were neither burning nor charred and produced no heat. Flames raged from the canyon-like woodland, and the stairs were covered by pulsating magma that never burned the soles of their feet.

This path was one of the hidden routes between the towering peaks of the Salamander Continent and the Institute of Arrancar, which was well-hidden within the Demon Clan.

No one understood why such phenomena occurred or could comprehend the mysteries it held. They could only feel astonishment and curiosity. Even Clare was amazed inwardly, though she kept a mask of indifference at the unfathomable yet beautiful scenery.

As they proceeded, the amazement turned to surprise. The little Arrancars noticed more details. The stairs between the partly flaming-purplish woodland grew narrower. Glancing skyward, the path was quite wide. This was yet another mysterious occurrence. After following the female instructor for some time, the path narrowed to the point where it could barely accommodate two people at a time, forcing them to walk single file.

Clare glanced around as they followed the instructor, externally unconcerned about the landscape. Demons, especially Arrancars, were supposed to remain unwavering and devoid of emotions. There was no need to dwell on the “what” or “why” or “all 5ws and 1h” of their surroundings; they just went with the damned flow. Sighing, Clare pressed on.

As the flaming-purplish woodland vanished from sight, a dense, demonic white mist covered every inch of the canyon, making the end invisible and bleak. The instructor suddenly halted. "Just follow me closely, one step at a time, and don’t stray from the paths I take. Don’t succumb to the scenery or your curiosity, otherwise, you’ll get lost, confused, and suffocate," she warned.

Curiosity kills the cats, or in this case, curiosity would kill the chickens if one does not mind oneself. The little Arrancars gulped at the instructor’s mysterious words, cold sweat trickling down their delicate cheeks. Their horns tingled ominously as their instincts, honed through training, alerted them to the rising dense demonic energy swirling in the air. Yet, ‘as unwavering as those hoping to conquer a thousand seas’, the little Arrancars clenched their fists, gathered their drifting thoughts, and their gazes became intense.

Instructor Julianne Xue arrived at a ripple in space encased by the misty atmosphere. She glanced at the little Arrancars, observing their earnest gazes and feeling their determination to survive. She thought it was… cute and not too shabby for future demons. Without hesitation, she stepped into the ripple, and the little Arrancars gradually followed.

Like ripples stemming from the expanse of space, reversing back into a single point, each little Arrancar was swallowed up one by one without a trace. Before Clare turned, she wondered how anyone wouldn’t believe such a dense fog that could encase a ripple in space could exist. As the saying goes, ‘One couldn’t fathom how water entered a coconut.’ Indeed, the Demon Clan was becoming more mysterious and interesting. The ripple swallowed Clare and those after her.

They entered a passageway, or perhaps a realm of translucency—as if walking on the surface of a sea yet not sinking, surrounded by a dull white misty atmosphere. Only the ripple of one's footsteps could be seen. However, as the instructor had advised, it was crucial not to get distracted by the scenery, or one would likely get lost, confused, and die of suffocation.

The little Arrancars heeded the instructor’s warning, following Julianne Xue step by step, with one mind and one spirit—unwavering. Or at least, most of them did.

— — — — —

At the far end of the passageway, there lay a distortion in space. Beyond it, the demonic female instructor, Julianne Xue, stepped out, followed by the little Arrancars. A blinding light overwhelmed them. They blinked, trying to adjust to the intense brightness. The scene that soon unfolded was quite unexpected.

Under a cloudless cobalt sky, the sun shone brightly as a cool breeze blew across everything in its path. A high cliff emerged from the fading demonic white mist, which seemed almost ethereal. Below the cliff, dense, colorful forests spanned the horizon in all directions.

The Demon Clan called it "Kronos Peak," part of their treasure vault. Atop this peak stood a tower-like library. Each higher floor had less space and an entry with a double alloy steel gate. There were no windows except for one at the first-floor entryway. In front of the steel gate, a series of inscription arrays were carved with brush strokes on a white uranium stone.

Could this be the treasure vault the Senior Instructor talked about? Clare thought deeply, pondering the meaning of "beyond." the Senior Instructor previously said. It was supposed to be a secret building behind the tower, but she guessed the Instructor's words were meant to hide the true value of the tower itself. No one, not even Clare, would have imagined that the real Demon Clan was so well hidden. The clan she thought she had conquered in her past life seemed like a child-created association in comparison. Perhaps it was merely a branch of the true Demon Clan.

ARRANCER. 

These letters were boldly written on the white uranium stone just before the alloy steel gate with arrays of inscriptions hidden from the naked eye. Clare had an indifferent expression as she read the words and array of inscriptions inwardly. It was a rumored library infamous throughout all of Salamander, said to contain techniques of demons and the incredible legends of demon knights and generals. Both demons and humans dreamed of entering it.

However, it was just within their imagination and would never become realistic. Why? It was the Demon Clan’s largest and most clandestine tower library. The name of this vault was commonly spoken among many political and influential forces beyond the Clan’s territories. To even have a space in the library meant having a famous and powerful technique or history. It held mystery, value, and culture.

The little Arrancars halted and aligned in a four-by-four formation. The female instructor stood in front of them. A shout filled with demonic energy resonated.

“Some of you have probably heard of it, either in tale, by rumor, or by chance, or never in your damned life. That’s why I am here to break it to you all: the very towering fortress behind me right now is the Demonic Treasure Vault.”

No one was allowed into the Demonic Treasure Vault behind this fortress, also known as “Kronos Treasure Vault,” without permission from the Demoness herself. Perhaps even at that moment, demon guards were ready to ambush unauthorized intruders, or defensive arrays in the “realm of translucency” were set to trap any unauthorized movements. Instructor Julianne Xue continued to speak, standing straight upright as her long black hair fluttered in the gentle breeze.

“Give gratitude to the Demoness for her graciousness. Because of her abundant grace and favor, and because she has been watching each and every one of your achievements lately, you have been granted access to this Demonic Treasure Vault!”

Of course, it was a downgrade of the library beyond the first, yet it was still a highly mysterious vault. Any demon or human would kill just to hear one or two rumors about the information contained within. Now, it was being opened to mere little Arrancars from the Institute.

Just what the hell is the Demon Clan truly up to? Clare wondered. What reasons are they cooking up to justify their actions? Clare closed her eyes and deepened her thoughts. Young demons had been scouted and filtered by going through difficult trials, tests, training, abuses, and survival scenarios not suited for their age brackets. They were then supplemented and massively rewarded for their tremendous growth.

In simpler terms, Clare knew it quite well: they weren’t only preparing the next generation of the Clan, but something more. When attempting to create a fourth-chain combatant, this was the most basic standard any powerhouse hoped to build. Though fourth-chain combatants were uncommon across the powerhouses residing in the entirety of Salamander, the Demon Clan was providing extreme backing to develop several of these. They were most likely intending to cultivate fifth-chain demonic combatants, or perhaps even greater.

While her demonic side grinned at their critical thoughts, her foxy side nervously gulped as her fluffy tails flinched slightly. She knew the means of such careful and thoughtful army building. Could the Demon Clan be planning for war? Even her heavenly saintess side chimed in. Or are they planning to take advantage of the Holy Grail War she caused ten years ago? She felt like biting all her fingers in anxiety, but she had to keep a mask of indifference.

Unbeknownst to her, such a world-disastrous war between the Heavens and the powerhouses of the Salamander continent using monster races had come to an end. 

But Clare, who had no memories of such an event of GIMEL she inherited, knew the two reasons she had in mind were remote but extremely dangerous options that couldn’t be ruled out. 

The Demon Clan had always intended to restore their Clan’s strength to that of the past—before they were forced to hide at the edge of the continent away from the Central Holy Church. If so, it wouldn’t hurt to use them for her growth as they are trying to use her. 

If the Clan’s intentions were actually to gain the upper hand and advantage in the Holy Grail War that she caused, it would be extremely helpful for Clare to grow and build her strength to an astounding degree to accomplish her revenge.

There was no need to consider the Clan’s loyalty. They had tried to take advantage of a little Half-breed Nin when she sought shelter. So, it was only natural for Clare to manipulate them for her own profit. The Clan’s practices focused solely on a better life for their kin and citizens.

In the history of Salamander, it was incredibly rare for the Demon Clan to initiate large-scale violence or take advantage in a war, especially a Holy Grail War caused unintentionally—at least that's what the one who caused it thought—unless the Holy Church took the initiative. The Demon Clan sometimes supported public welfare to expand their influence through non-violent means. This was rare for a race more violent, cruel, and cunning than the Monster Race.

However, through the ongoing Holy Grail War, Clare saw great opportunities to prove herself to the Clan and rise in political power. Their goal was to become much stronger than a mere backside unique race. Thus, it aligned with her goals of gaining power and influence through the Clan. Of course, to Clare, gaining power through the Clan was her last resort. However, the Holy Grail War she caused wouldn't hinder her growth in strength. 

As she suspected, the female instructor proceeded to speak. 

“Keep this in mind. You can only visit this location once during your stay and only for one day. The ‘ripple array’ has been designed for that purpose. Additionally, the ‘defense arrays’ limit the number of books you can take out to one. Otherwise,” the female instructor’s gaze became intense, “you’ll be disintegrated by the array defense system.”

Before the little Arrancars could flinch nervously or gulp at her words, the instructor continued, “From the First to the Fourth Floors, there is no access to the Fifth Floor.”

In simpler terms, once any Arrancars left without taking anything, it would be nearly impossible to get back inside or at least within the day assigned by the instructor. Even if one took a book out, they could only carry one book from the First to Fourth Floors.

Clare clicked her tongue. Why only the First to Fourth Floors? she wondered. Could it be that there was a high-ranking book hidden on the Fifth Floor? She chuckled inwardly. ‘No matter, I don’t need it.’ After all, she had an Ancient Holy Text she hadn't even used to the fullest.

The instructor’s words were etched in Clare’s head. One day might seem like a long time to some, but it wasn’t for the little Arrancars at the Institute.

Whether or not only a book could be taken from the Library, Clare guessed she needed to gather as much information as possible from the First to Fourth Floors. Her eyes glistened as she looked at the Demonic Treasure Vault. From the perspective of the Heavenly Saintess, who had copious amounts of literary knowledge in the Holy Church library and from her first life, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She opted to add to her already extensive pool of knowledge.

“Choose wisely. I hope you find the best Demonic Technique that suits you well,” the female instructor smiled brightly.

Finally, the grand opening of the Demonic Treasure Vault began.

— — — — — 

“Did the little Arrancars access the Demonic Treasure Vault?” Mei Tai asked happily, sipping her fresh, lukewarm ‘Olifer Coffee Tea.’ This limited creation by the ‘Best Demonic Alchemist Bashai Zen’ of the ‘Ancient Demonic Tea Transportation Agency’

 filled her with elegance and pride.

Edgar Le Nigel, Senior Instructor, had just returned to report the number of little Arrancars who had survived the Valkyrie-Blitz Trials of the Erebus Crimson Grass field. The Assistant Dean would take a few days to return from the other Platforms.

“Yes, forty-five overall surviving little Arrancars from the Yulin Platform entered the First Demonic Treasure Vault,” he responded.

Earlier, Julianne Xue had reported an event to Edgar. Five Arrancars had failed to follow her path. Distracted by the mysterious scenery, they became confused, got lost, and succumbed to their curiosity. 

Considering the incident's timing, the little Arrancars should have suffocated or decayed due to the ominous dense demonic energy. They would have turned into mutilated corpses and their lively souls into wandering embodiments of emptiness. 

Even Edgar partially empathized with them. Such awful luck—“unripe fruits blew away by the wind before they could blossom”. What a pity. Those unripe fruits gradually rotted to death.

Mei Tai nodded, breathing deeply through her nose after another sip of lukewarm ‘Olifer Coffee Tea.’ Letting out a deep, warm breath, she said, “Only forty-five, huh? Out of a thousand candidates. Only a few with talent and luck can become geniuses and prodigies. It all depends on their self-made path and fate. Without those, even talent and luck are insignificant. Now, it’s about their decisions when choosing the finest demonic techniques that suit them.”

For the little Arrancars to prosper, they needed options, information, and luck to forge their paths. It would be fascinating to see what path Half-breed Nin, GIMEL, would choose.

Edgar nodded, relating to every word. He too looked forward to seeing what paths the little Arrancars would forge.

“By the way, this new edition ‘Olifer Coffee Tea’ truly lives up to its name. The texture, sweetness, and feel are different and nerve-relaxing!” Mei Tai flapped her cherry-red lips happily. “Would you like to taste some?”

Of course, Edgar Le Nigel would love to, but tea was not to his liking. He preferred booze, so he would turn her down politely since Mei Tai, the Dean of the Institute of Arrancars—the cold-blooded, calculated Arrancar Grand Rook in the Clan—was offering her favorite tea, something she was always excited about other than Clan affairs.

“Pardon me, Dean, I would love to, but I don’t want to inconvenience you with such trivial matters.” Edgar bowed as he declined.

“Is that so?” Mei Tai said skeptically. She seemed unconvinced by the flimsy excuse. Even her assistant wouldn't dare to question her. Her tone revealed her doubt. “You don’t say.” She stirred her tea with a spoon, briefly contemplating how interesting Senior Instructor Edgar Le Nigel had become. 

He had never given up in the past and now was no different. A faint, cruel smile curled her lips. How dare he reject her request?

She gradually aroused her demonic energy. The Senior Instructor sensed something was eerily wrong as cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Hell, he should have just accepted her offer. Contrary to his nervous thoughts, Mei Tai’s tone was strict and monotone. She pointed her teacup at him.

“Before my hand falls off, why don’t you take a simple sip?”

Bad news. This was far too bad. Goosebumps crept up his spine. He felt she could beat him up if he didn’t take a sip. He gulped repeatedly, staring deeply into the lukewarm tea, hoping it would somehow save him from this situation.

What would the Senior Instructor do in this peculiar moment?

Asking for a friend.