Chapter 71 71: Tailed Beast
I had already washed off the dirt and blood tainted its fur and now had a clear full view of its whole body. All I can say is that it's more wondering than I expected.
Shiny, silky furs of noble silver, like the dazzling moonlight basking the lonely dark side of the world. Turquoise tint painted the tip of its ears and tails as if a paintbrush dipped in a palette.
When I said tails, it's really in plural form. The monster in front of me didn't have only one tail, but five bushy fluffy fox tails. Just as I said, the sleeping monster is a very rare fox monster.
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Race: Tailed Fox (Five Tails)
Condition: Dormant
LV: 604
MP: 14570
STR: 4896
DEF: 4262
MAG: 15182
MDEF: 5646
AGI: 9804
Racial Skill: Minimization, Spirit Sense, Spiritual Scathe
Extra Skill: Auto-MP Recovery, Auto-Recovery
Skill: Magic Sense, Martial Art: 4, Thought Acceleration, Parallel Thinking, Detection, Danger Detection, Weakness Finder, Concealment, Enhanced Senses, Bite, Claw Attack, Soundless
Magic Skill: [Elemental: Fire: 7, Wind: 5, Lightning: 4, Water: 3, Earth: 3, Compound: 5] [Non-Elemental: Pure: 5, Force: 4, Space-Time: 4, Illusion: 2]
Resistance: Pain Resistance, Impact Resistance, Exhaustion Resistance, Magic Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Visual Effect Resistance, Blast Resistance, Poison Resistance, Fear Resistance, Spiritual Attack Resistance
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This majestic monster was a very uncommon species in this world. They are powerful creatures that were stated ran havoc in fables. I only heard a few information about it from mothers.
The strength of a Tailed Fox are proportional to its number of tails. They were intelligent and cunning creatures, can understand and comprehend human words. Some powerful and elder ones could even talk.
They are very elusive and almost never show itself to anyone. Given the size of the forest, it's no wonder if there's one living there in seclusion. Or maybe wandering here and got a fight with stronger monsters.
I already checked its biological gender as I am cleaning it, not repeating the same mistake I did with Griffith. This fox is apparently female, like the sitting Griffon behind me.
The vixen is over Level 600, a S-ranked monster by Adventurers' Guild's standards. She had high proficiency in magic and could cause widespread devastation upon amok. But the thing I have been concerning was a Racial Skill of hers.
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Spirit Scathe - upon activation, the next attacks of the user inflicts a little damage on targets' soul and spiritual body.
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If I were to hit by her attack with Spirit Scathe active, the soul wouldn't leave unscathed. An injured soul cannot be healed consciously but naturally, albeit took time.
There's no way to fasten the process of healing. So I have to be cautious and avoid all the vixen's attacks at all cost.
Since it's a Racial Skill of Tailed Foxes, even without the need of my Plunder, I easily copied it from its flowing blood using the Organic Domination.
With Spirit Scathe, I can now inflict damage to souls without activating exhausting, mana-draining Level 10 soul-destroying spells. Though the damage made is still inferior compare to Level 10 soul-damaging spells.
Observing the vixen for a while before I sensed changes on it. "Hold your fire, Griffith. She's about to wake up." Lifting my butt from the grass, I warned Griffith.
The fox's hooves twitched, limbs of white started to locomote. Her platinum-lashed blepharon slowly move up, revealing her gleaming lapis lazuli stare afterwards.
Having her severe injuries repaired and stamina restored, she lifted her head cautiously. She sensed some presences and looked around to see a human and a Griffon standing by.
She immediately get her body up and jumped back from her sleeping position. The fox erected all of her thick tails like a male peafowl impressing a female.
Faint golden hue surrounds her entire body, indicating the activation of my most feared skill of hers.
"Wait...!"
Ignoring my hand, the fox whipped her first tail, releasing a magic spell in the process. A soul-cutting Level 4 Wind Blade is now flying swiftly at me.
To show my unhostility, I let the blade of wind hit my left arm, knowing it will definitely hurt my spiritual body.
"Ack!" I agonized. "Stand by, Griffith!" I ordered Griffith, who's about to attack.
All the attacks of the fox contains soul-damaging properties. I cannot let it hit and hurt Griffith.
The fox is skilled in magic, making the magic spell output more powerful and precise. The blade was powerful enough to reap my Queen Evil Tarantula's silk shirt. The collateral damage caused the grass and earth behind me to leave a long scar.
It didn't hurt that much physically but I felt a newfound stinging pain inside. The aftermath left me slightly weakened for a second, like having my soul drove out from my physical body.
(So this is how it feels like.)
But the vixen haven't finished yet. She lashed both tails on the sides and released not one, but two another Wind Blades.
I instinctively crossed my arms to protect my head from the first blade. The second blade hit my things, but was obstructed by my magic-resistant Vermin Kaiser's silk slacks.
<Proficiency fulfilled. Spiritual Attack Resistance has acquired.>
(Thank you, Miss Announcer.)
Hearing a saving voice, the damage my soul took significantly lessened. The sudden and brief weakening gradually alleviated, which freed me from heavy burden.
Each of the tails of the vixen conjured a blazing spear of white flames. Fires are normally red or orange not white like that. It's because the fox casted Level 6 White Flames to strengthen the power of her blazes.
With paws on the ground, the fox whipped all of her silver tails. Five soul-scorching Level 4 Flame Lance are now homing fast towards me.
Enhanced magic spells will definitely and undoubtedly hurt a lot and affect my body greatly, even with my newly acquired Resistance. That's why I have to cast Level 7 Pure Magic: Anti-Magic Barrier to avoid getting that languishing feeling again.
The vixen stopped her attacks upon seeing me not fighting back. Realizing something, she scanned her body to find her former wounds had gone. She must have think deeply about me being the one who helped her.
(Foxes are intelligent beings after all.)
She cancelled her Spiritual Scathe and lowered her five fluffy tails. Turned her back to me and looked around as if checking the area.
I sensed mana running through her body, implying the activation of the spell. She did it multiple times but nothing happened around. Seems like something's stopped her to cast the spell she desired.
In terms of magical, physical, or whatsoever bump in the road, there's only one thing comes up to my mind, the absolute, indestructible, and inevitable pitch-black walls of dungeons.
The way she keep repeatedly spamming a spell means she only wants a thing to achieve. Looking at her skill set, she has Level 4 Proficiency with Space-Time Magic.
"You cannot teleport from here." I said approaching her. "If you want to leave, you have to get out of here first."
The vixen lowered her head and whimpered softly after hearing my words. She really wants to go back to where the belongs.
"But fret not, I will take you out of these place."
Her ears twitched and lift her head up with great enthusiasm. Although she's desirable to my rare monster collection, I can't just abduct anybody with family to come.
"Trust me, hold my hand." I said, offering a hand.
Mudded with hesitation, the fox tentatively reached out her warm right hooves to my right palm. I placed my left hand on her furry paw. It's so soft and comfy, definitely more softer than Griffith.
Speaking of the devil, I turned around to find her rapier eyes shoots sharp glances at us.
(You jealous?)
"Take my hand too, Griffith."
I take out my left hand and reach it out to Griffith, which her claws took afterwards. I cannot leave Griffith here alone, that is to say, I have to take her too.
"Ok. Warp."
The vixen startled for a second as the gloomy stone slabs suddenly replaced the pleasant grassy plain. I begun to move my feet towards the wide opened dungeon gate. The scenery turned back to green as we get out of the dungeon.
"We're out. You can now transport yourself back to were you came from."
With her outside the absolute authority of the dungeon, she can use Teleportation Magic spell again. But only recommend within the ten kilometer radius plain.
"If you use a Teleportation spell outside the plain, inside the forest of fertility and density, you might get teleported to somewhere else instead of your desired destination due to the thickness of mana concentration there."
For her safety, I elaborate the riskiness of teleporting outside of plain to the fox. The fox turned around and silently pistoned her head in comprehension.
She turned back and started to cast the spell she keep spamming inside the dungeon. Ultramarine magic circle appeared above her, covering her entire body.
Five seconds later, the silver fox completely vanished in the middle of the plain after casting Level 4 Long Teleportation to recall back to where she belongs.
"It was a short encounter, but I hope to see her again."