Chapter Twelve
Daichi was laying prone in the bushes at the edge of the enemy camp, his presence completely dispersed into the surrounding area. His black fur kept him practically invisible in the shadows of the forest as he surveyed the outpost of the first commander he was stalking. He had minimized his fox form down to a normal size for this excursion. It was already his third week in the forest and he wanted to return and talk to Sera, Gabby, and Rose. Ullr had been keeping Freyja up to date on his progress so she wouldn't be nearly as concerned with his absence.
His sharp eyes and tuned senses apprised him of any movement within the area. He had missed this more than he realized. The stalking, the challenge of the hunt, the feel of his prey falling before him. Those first years of his new life were simple pleasures, so much so that he planned to make a career out of it once he was ready to be unleashed on the world.
Culling the soldiers as he had been in these few weeks leading up to this moment hadn't been true hunting. It had been training, practice to learn new tricks in an arena that heavily favored his natural abilities. It was similar to how he had moved on to more difficult targets in the beginning, only returning to the rabbits for sustenance. They were without challenge, but now he had a true target worth his attention. He had to suppress a growl of anticipation.
The commander had a short crown of horns that identified it as a higher entity than the soldiers surrounding it. Its personal guard retinue was a six elf squad comprised of elite soldiers that flanked him wherever he went, in or out of the camp. The camp itself housed over two hundred additional soldiers that patrolled the surrounding forest. He'd spent the past three weeks whittling their numbers down steadily, and now he was preparing for his assault.
However, that was stage two of the plan. Stage one was to assassinate the commander during one of his excursions into the forest which is the reason he continued laying in the bushes unmoving. He had been keeping an eye on the camp for almost two days now while waiting for his chance to strike. His eyes and ears perked up as they finally registered movement coming from the commander's pod home. His fur rippled along the length of his body as he flexed dormant muscles in preparation to move.
He was perched on a small hill to the northeast of the camp to take advantage of a superior vantage point. The commander was making his way out of the western side of their fortifications, so Daichi made his move, slithering out of the brambles and padding on silent paws as he made his way around. He picked up the recent scent in the air from their passing and struck out along the trail.
He wasn't far behind, the group doing a patrol to check on the more permanently stationed smaller outposts. They'd stop, the commander would survey the soldiers who would do their part in acting busy and attentive, and then his group would move to the next location. This repeated itself four times before Daichi struck. It was the optimal location between the two stationary locations in order to at least initially avoid reinforcements.
His diminutive humanoid form sailed out of the trees in silence, his movements less than a whisper with one of the guards losing their life in an instant as Daichi plunged Touki infused claws through his back and ripped the creature's heart out. He couldn't mask the sound of the body crashing to the ground, but it didn't matter, Daichi having already vanished back into the surroundings.
He gripped the bow he had stashed in a dimensional pouch provided by Ullr. The bastard only let him borrow it this once, with the stipulation that he'll need to earn it by slaying another two commanders without outside assistance if he wanted to keep it. It was immensely convenient, especially with only his clothing converting with his kitsune form, the pouch converting along with them.
From an equivalent height, Daichi sat perched, bracing against the trunk of the tree as he drew the string back. He lined up the shot, the commander's head whipping around as the arrow formed on the string. The dark elf let out a warning cry too late, Daichi releasing the string and allowing the arrow to slice through the space occupied by two of the elite soldiers, each crumpling moments after the line of light piercing their chests dissipated. A roar of rage shattered the silence of the area as the commander obliterated the tree from which the light sprung, his own purple light disintegrating the foliage and leaving a bare circle on the earth.
Daichi had long since moved, having dropped to the forest floor and vacated the area in the same instant the arrow flew, repositioning to the side of the group. He wouldn't have another chance to utilize the bow again, not when the commander could sense the light as it formed. The dark elf would be prepared now that the weapon was known.
Daichi slipped the bow back into the pouch, the entrance expanding to allow the object entry. He had three more elites and the commander himself to deal with, and quickly or reinforcements would arrive. He stimulated his Touki, reinforcing his legs. He had successfully stealthily hunted three of his prey, now it was time to entertain more aggressive tactics. He pushed off the ground, his approach explosive yet soundless, having mastered the dispersal of energy into the broader environment under Ullr's tutelage, instead of the localized explosions he had been using.
He was a shadowed blur, a black streak that slammed into another of the elites, the commander already swinging his polearm to intercept his attack but moving just a split second too slow to intercede on his subordinate's behalf. The elite paid for his leader's mistake, his head leaving his shoulders, flipping through the air, his body maintaining its flight for a moment before registering the change and descending to the ground like a rag doll.
Daichi stayed visible this time, gripping the bark of a tree and giving the commander a vicious grin, his sharp teeth highly visible as he flicked blood off of his hand. His eyes were taunting and malicious as he shifted and faded into the shadows of the surrounding forest. The commander gave his last subordinate an order, only to find he was all alone, Daichi having struck the sixth elite with his tails in passing.
Four areas could be seen having been punctured on the back, neck, and arms, though Daichi had not used Touki in the act. Senjustu had deadly capabilities all its own, and Daichi had leveraged its unique aura reading abilities to directly attack the dark elf's spiritual flows, severing his spirit from his body. It was an ability he had not been able to practice until he was provided with an overabundance of enemies with which to experiment, but was devastating in its efficiency once mastered.
Daichi let out a haunting laugh, his childlike voice echoing tauntingly, dangerously around the area. He could see he was getting to the commander, the fear and panic setting in, but he had not yet broken the creature. He was made of sterner stuff than the soldier fodder. Daichi tossed out a small pebble, launching it as if he was playing with marbles. The commander deflected the high speed projectile with his weapon, though it wouldn't have hurt him regardless. This continued for several seconds, Daichi launching pebbles, and moving, laughing the entire time until he finally launched one last rock, this one slightly larger, a single charged rune carved on its surface. With a small application of mana, Daichi started a cascading failure, destabilizing the rune and launching it.
The commander swatted at the rock with his weapon, the same as he had been, except this time the rune for explosion responded, the rock blowing apart sending jagged shards throughout the area. The rock itself was ultimately never meant to do damage though, the slivers simply bouncing off the commander's natural magical defenses. The sound and surprise were what Daichi had aimed for, and he leveraged the opening, his small body slamming into the commander and catapulting the pair into a tree.
Now inside his enemy's guard, Daichi went to work, tearing at the dark elf's defensive reserves with Touki and Senjutsu in equal measure. The commander attempted to swat Daichi off of him, but his smaller frame allowed a greater flexibility. Scratches began to adorn the chest of the dark elf as attacks began penetrating, the pair having fallen to the ground after Daichi shredded the elf's wings. With a cry of rage, the commander pulsed his magic, a wall of purple light exploding from him and sending Daichi somersaulting through the air with the force, his clothing singed slightly from the destructive nature of the mana.
Daichi laughed, his high, joyful childlike voice oddly discordant with the violence of the encounter. The pair charged each other, the commander swinging his polearm in a bid to bisect the demon child in front of him. Daichi flicked out two tails, pushing against the flat of the blade to send it soaring over his head as he ducked slightly and continued inside the guard, his crimson Touki coated his hands and the tips of his tails as he lashed out once more.
The dark elf dropped his weapon, both arms coming in to intercept and deflect the stabbing tails as he dropped low to avoid the hand blades the small demon was aiming at his chest, sending the attacks over his shoulders. Neither side hesitated, the dark elf going for a headbutt as Daichi simultaneously grabbed the back of the commander's head and pulled him in, directing the head to his shoulder while thrusting a crimson knee into his abdomen. He could hear the grunt of pain as air fled his opponent's lungs. Daichi disengaged, using the enemy's chest as a launch pad to separate but not before digging his claws into the back of the elf's head and shredding its skin and muscles along the side of its head all the way across its ears and cheeks.
Purple blood cascaded from its face as the commander screamed in pain, lashing out with a slice of magic that narrowly nicked Daichi's shoulder as he jumped away. He hissed in pain, eyes narrowed as the elf followed him, his eyes full of fury. Another blast of magic flew his way, Daichi deftly swerving along the ground to avoid it as he ran a circle around his prey. Blood had been drawn, the hunt was coming to a close.
The commander built up another attack, the magic coalescing around his dominant arm. Daichi took advantage of the moment, his Touki flaring brightly as explosions split the atmosphere.
The next instant showed the result of the confrontation.
Daichi's small arms were buried up to his elbows inside the elf's chest, his hands and claws poking through its back ever so slightly while two of his tails had pierced the commander's shoulders to keep his arms from moving to counter, the other two buried within the dark elf's neck. The purple magic built up within his enemy's arm chose that moment to discharge, disintegrating the limb and sending Daichi tumbling through the air in the resulting explosion, slamming him into a tree where he groaned from the impact. He rested only a moment to catch his breath. Reinforcements would be arriving any second.
The buzz of wings filled the air as his thoughts manifested, a squad of eighteen soldiers flooding into the area only to find their commander dead and Daichi slowly standing, a massive grin stretched across his face. He began laughing, the scene throwing off the newcomers long enough for Daichi to disperse his presence and step into a nearby shadow, his form fading from view as his laughter continued.
He made his way back to his camp at a much slower pace. The explosions had bruised and battered him more than he had let on during the fight and the gash on his shoulder was still bleeding, though it had slowed significantly now that he was able to focus on applying Senjutsu to rejuvenating his body. He trudged back to his cave's area to find Ullr seated on his normal log while munching on a bag of popcorn.
"Not bad kid. You succeeded. Lots of room for improvement though. You enjoy the fight more than the hunt, it makes you inefficient."
Daichi mumbled a rejection as he slumped heavily to the ground.
"I'd disagree. I enjoy both equally, I simply enjoy them differently."
"Oh?"
Daichi snorted.
"Yea. The hunt is patience and anticipation for the kill, the savage pleasure of felling prey. The fight is the struggle of life, the adrenaline and euphoria of success after proving your superiority."
Ullr grinned.
"Good. You've learned well these past weeks. I'll take you back to Asgard in two days. It's a Saturday, so it'll give you time to visit with your friends and acquire anything you'd like to bring back with you."
"Success is rewarded, failure is death, huh?"
Ullr laughed.
"Exactly, though death is a bit much. I think we both know that Freyja would skin me alive if I didn't bring you back in one piece."
Daichi hummed in doubt.
"I'm not so sure about that."
Ullr's grin stretched slightly farther but he retained his silence on the matter. It was less a question of Freyja's feelings on the subject and more of a difference in capability.
"Spend the rest of today and tomorrow healing up. You'll be coming back with a good amount of bounty savings," he hefted a pouch up, displaying it in his hand. "I've been collecting the ears of your victims for proof, and the horned crest of the commander. A bit barbaric, but physical evidence is required to receive payment. It'll give you plenty of spending money." The pouch vanished into thin air.
"Get some rest, kid. You've done some good work today."
Daichi simply nodded as Ullr vanished once more. He shimmied his way into the cave, promptly laying down and fading from the conscious world.
Ullr and Freyja both popped into existence in the next moment, the gods watching him sleep with warm smiles on both of their faces.
"He's becoming quite the little monster. He'll be a terrifying brat by the end of these months." The brat in question flicked his ears, his tails shifting around him in his sleep.
"Yes. You've done great work with him so far. Thank you, Ullr."
"None of that now, Queen of the Vanir. We long ago agreed on the price of my services. There will be no more favors or thanks necessary beyond what you've promised me already."
"Nevertheless, you've gone beyond what has been required of you in the agreement, and for that I am appreciative."
Ullr muttered out a response, the words reluctant but the tone far from negative.
"Yea, well, the brat grows on you. It helps that he has such a strong affinity for my teachings."
Freyja knelt with a soft smile and brushed some of Daichi's lengthening hair behind his fox ears.
"Yes. He does. He'll eventually become a force to be reckoned with, even for us. My little monster."
"So when are you going to tell him?"
Freyja looked up in confusion at the question.
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed, Freyja?" The confusion remained as Ullr stared at her in bewilderment.
"His divinity! The spark he received from his father, have you not been watching it?"
Freyja blinked, eyes widening as she turned her gaze on the sleeping child.
"He's evolving."
"That's putting it mildly. It appears almost as if he's establishing his divine domains, but that's not possible. Not at his current level of power." Freyja continued observing her little fox's aura and presence.
"It's almost as if he's pulling from our domains. He's spent years accumulating power, unlocking Senjutsu and Touki and building up his foundations. All that potential is reacting in conjunction with our own influence on him now that he's unleashing himself in this environment. It has the same appearance, almost as if we've blessed him, but neither of our marks are upon him. Fascinating."
"Fascinating?" Ullr stared at the goddess as she continued stroking the kid's head. "Freyja, the kid is already more powerful than he should be for his level. If he continues to grow, with what Inari said about the seventh tail's qualitative change in power level, he's going to become more than the little monster he is right now. He'll become an actual monster. He obviously isn't a normal kitsune. We've been treating him like he is, but we kept failing to account for his divinity. His own perceptions of power are skewed from our own misinterpreted evaluations, while being surrounded by anomalies like that Rossweisse girl or the Christianity brats that he talks with."
Freyja frowned.
"You're right. Unfortunately, we can't correct it now."
"What? Why?"
"Currently, he's got it in his head that he's not as powerful as he really is. That's a good thing, at least for now. I don't want him picking fights he isn't ready for in an attempt to find his ceiling. He needs to spread his wings beneath the watchful eyes of those that would see him grow and prosper. Should he be discovered too soon, there are others that would see a potential threat and aim to remove it before it could take root."
Ullr was silent as he contemplated Freyja's words. He let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped.
"Yea. You're right. The bloody Hindu pantheon would have him slain immediately. Hel, even the Greeks could throw a fit if he isn't introduced in the right way. Allah wouldn't particularly care either way, he's still depressed about the Christian God's demise. The Egyptians have always been fairly isolationist, but even if they did take an interest, he's an animal so they'd probably support him. Set, Anubis, and Usir would all likely throw their weight behind him in an instant."
Freyja spoke up now.
"The Assyrians would be tough to persuade, and the Celtics would likely side with the Hindu, though the far eastern gods would likely support him simply because he originates from their areas of influence."
Ullr tisked.
"Old bastards. Tiamat isn't nearly as stodgy as the rest of them though. If he worked some of that charm he's got on her I'd be willing to bet she'd make the rest of them fall in line. I don't know why she masquerades around as a mere dragon king, but she's always been eccentric. You're correct about the Celts though. Those guys are assholes."
Freyja sighed as she stood from her kneeling position.
"You understand then, why it's important to keep him from the eyes of his enemies for as long as possible." Ullr gave a stoic nod. "He has the potential to be either the key to peace between the religious factions, or the explosive powder keg that sets the world ablaze."
The two vanished in the next instant, leaving Daichi to his dreams.
A/N:
Discord: discord dot gg/YNNwwvy
Anyone is welcome to join and hang out. I have idea teases for future fics and a lot of brainstorming that I do that shows how I go about setting up my characters and plot before I start writing, as well as some of my writing process for anyone who also writes or is thinking about writing.
Shout out to Aegis for beta reading this chapter!
Darkxlunatiic – I have several other fics that I've started already but haven't put much work into. Bleach would be a pretty difficult fandom to write for as well since I haven't refreshed myself on the source material in years. I can see the appeal, but I'm thinking I probably need to hit at least 100k words on the three I have going now before I look at other fandoms.
Yukilumi – You're right. I did. So I put it in this one instead with a bit more reasoning behind his thoughts and actions. Hope you liked it :)
All the Ullr details I put in outside of his personality are from actual myth as well. There's really not a lot known about him.
Reader0007 – No, he's definitely not eating them lol Ullr is providing food.
Middernacht – Ehhh, probably not. That'd come across as a little contrived to get him involved in the canon story.
Frankieu – The details I put in about Ullr are all from actual myth, so I'm glad you liked it!
Spacetojump – It wasn't just for the tits anyway lol
Everyone – thank you all for the continued support. The warm reception I've received by the fandom has been phenomenal so far, so thank you! For those still lurking along, please consider dropping a review of your thoughts on the story so far!
