Levy set out on his journey with renewed determination. Before leaving Engrasia, the eldest elf blessed him, granting him the ability to heal his wounds—a gift that would prove invaluable. Alkuhbar, trusting in Levy’s strength, wanted to join him, but with the village still recovering, he decided it would be better for his daughter, Ela, to go instead. Levy, preferring to travel alone, declined the offer, but Ela had her own plans.
Ela agreed to her father’s wishes but secretly followed Levy, keeping a careful distance. As Levy ventured deeper into the forest, he sensed something was off. The rustling leaves, the subtle shift in the wind—something, or someone, was nearby. Deciding to confront the situation head-on, he suddenly turned around.
“You can come out now,” Levy called, his voice echoing through the trees.
Ela hesitated for a moment before stepping out from behind a thick oak, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I—I wasn’t following you,” she stammered, her face turning a deeper shade of red.
Levy raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Right, because people usually hide behind trees for fun.”
Ela huffed, crossing her arms. “I’m just here to make sure you don’t get yourself killed. My father asked me to look after you.”
“Didn’t realize I needed a babysitter,” Levy replied, shaking his head. “But if you’re going to follow me, at least try not to be so obvious.”
As they continued their journey together, Levy grew more accustomed to Ela’s presence. Despite their initial bickering, her company was somewhat comforting. However, Levy’s mind was still occupied with thoughts of the battles ahead, particularly the powerful enemies he might face.
Later that day, as they passed by a crystal-clear lake, Levy decided to take a break and freshen up. He stripped down to bathe, unaware that Ela, driven by curiosity, had climbed a nearby tree to watch. She found herself mesmerized by Levy’s muscular physique, his body sculpted by years of battle, the scars telling stories of his past victories. But what truly caught her off guard was his well-endowed figure.
Ela’s face burned with embarrassment, her heart pounding in her chest. She shifted her weight to get a better view, but the branch she was perched on gave way, sending her tumbling to the ground with a yelp.
Levy turned sharply at the sound, spotting Ela sprawled on the forest floor, her face a deep shade of crimson. “What are you doing up there?” he demanded, quickly wrapping a cloth around himself.
Ela stammered, struggling to find her words. “I—I wasn’t looking at anything! I just—um, I was scouting the area!”
Levy couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. “Scouting? Sure, let’s go with that.”
Just as Ela was about to retort, a menacing growl echoed through the trees. Levy’s senses went on high alert as he scanned the surroundings, his eyes landing on a large, nine-tailed fox emerging from the shadows. The creature’s fur was a brilliant silver, its eyes glowing with a dangerous intensity. Unlike the beast from the lake, this fox exuded a powerful aura, one that sent chills down Levy’s spine.
The fox circled them, its tails swishing menacingly. “You’ve trespassed in my territory, humans,” it hissed, its voice low and threatening. “And for that, you will pay.”
Levy stepped forward, positioning himself between Ela and the fox. “We didn’t mean to intrude,” he said calmly, gripping his wooden swords. “We’re just passing through.”
The fox bared its teeth, a wicked smile curling its lips. “Passing through or not, I don’t take kindly to intruders. Prepare yourselves!”
With lightning speed, the fox lunged at Levy, who barely managed to deflect the attack with his sword. The force of the blow sent him skidding back, his mind racing. This fox is strong—stronger than anything I’ve faced so far. I’ll have to use everything I’ve learned to beat it.
Ela, determined to help, began casting a wind barrier around them, but the fox’s sheer power shattered it with ease. “Your magic is no match for me, little elf,” the fox taunted, its tails whipping around like deadly whips.
Levy gritted his teeth, focusing his energy into his swords. He unleashed the Wolf Fang Sword Technique, the first skill he had gained in the forest. The air around his blades rippled as he swung at the fox, the attack aimed straight at its heart. But the fox was quick, dodging the strike with ease and countering with a blast of fiery energy from its mouth.
Levy barely had time to react, throwing himself and Ela out of the blast’s range. The ground where they had stood moments before was scorched, the intense heat still radiating from the crater.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” Levy muttered, getting back to his feet. He had never faced an opponent like this—fast, powerful, and cunning. But he couldn’t back down now. He had a mission to complete, and he wasn’t going to let a fox, no matter how formidable, stop him.
Ela, panting from the exertion, looked at Levy with a mix of fear and determination. “What are we going to do? It’s too strong!”
Levy met her gaze, his expression steely. “We fight. Together. Use your wind magic to distract it. I’ll go in for the attack.”
Ela nodded, summoning all the energy she had left. She created a whirlwind of leaves and debris, sending it spiraling towards the fox. The fox snarled, momentarily blinded by the storm. Seizing the opportunity, Levy charged, his swords gleaming with a fierce light.
The battle was fierce, with the fox countering every move Levy made. The creature was relentless, its nine tails moving with blinding speed, each one a deadly weapon in its own right. The fox’s agility was unlike anything Levy had encountered before, making it difficult for him to land a decisive blow.
“This fox is no joke,” Levy thought, dodging another tail strike. His body was already covered in cuts and bruises from the relentless attacks. I can’t keep this up forever.
Summoning all his strength, Levy unleashed the Dull Storm Edge technique, the powerful skill he had mastered after fighting the orc. The force of the attack created a shockwave that rippled through the air, knocking the fox off balance. For a moment, it looked like Levy might have the upper hand, but the fox quickly recovered, its eyes burning with fury.
“You think you can defeat me with that?” the fox snarled, its voice dripping with venom. “I’ve faced far stronger opponents than you, human!”
Levy knew he needed to change tactics. The fox was too fast and too powerful for a direct assault. He had to find a way to outmaneuver it, to use its own strength against it. But how? he wondered, his mind racing. What else do I have left?
As the fox prepared for another attack, Levy’s mind flashed back to his battle with the lizard—a dragon-like beast with impenetrable skin. The fight had been brutal, but it was during that battle that he had unlocked a new technique: Iron Wall Blade, a defensive skill that allowed him to deflect even the most powerful attacks.
It’s now or never, Levy thought, steeling himself for what was to come.
The fox lunged at Levy, its tails whipping through the air with deadly precision. But this time, Levy was ready. He activated the Iron Wall Blade technique, crossing his swords in front of him just as the fox’s tails struck. The impact was tremendous, but Levy held his ground, the force of the blow dissipating against the invisible barrier created by his swords.
The fox recoiled, surprised by the sudden change in Levy’s defense. “What… what is this?” it growled, circling Levy warily.
Levy didn’t give it time to recover. He knew he had to press his advantage while he still could. With a swift movement, he countered with a series of rapid strikes, each one aimed at the fox’s weak points. The Iron Wall Blade technique gave him the defense he needed to withstand the fox’s attacks, while his offensive strikes began to wear down the creature’s defenses.
But the fox was still far from defeated. It unleashed a barrage of fiery blasts, forcing Levy to stay on the defensive. The heat was intense, the air around them crackling with energy. Levy could feel his strength waning, but he refused to give up.
Ela, seeing Levy struggling, cast a healing spell on him, restoring some of his stamina. “Don’t give up, Levy!” she shouted, her voice filled with determination. “You can do this!”
With renewed energy, Levy charged at the fox, his swords glowing with power. He unleashed a combination of the Wolf Fang Sword Technique and the Dull Storm Edge, the two techniques merging into a devastating attack that caught the fox off guard.
The fox howled in pain, its nine tails flailing wildly as it tried to recover. But Levy wasn’t done yet. Summoning every ounce of strength, he charged at the fox, his swords glowing with a fierce light. With one final, powerful strike, he slashed at the fox, the energy from his blade exploding on impact.
The fox let out a pained roar as it collapsed, its body trembling with the aftershocks of the attack. Levy stood over the defeated creature, his chest heaving with exhaustion. “It’s over,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
But the fox, though weakened, wasn’t finished yet. “You… you’ve proven your strength, human,” it rasped, struggling to lift its head. “I see now that you are no ordinary opponent.”
Levy knelt beside the fox, his expression softening. “You don’t have to die here. We don’t have to be enemies.”
The fox looked at him with weary eyes, then nodded slowly. “Very well… I concede. You are strong—worthy of respect. Take this as a sign of my surrender.” With a weak flick of its tail, the fox transferred some of its remaining energy into Levy, granting him a new skill.
Levy felt a surge of power course through him, and a new technique came to him: Inferno Slice, a devastating attack that combined fire with the sharpness of his blade.
As the fox closed its eyes, fading into unconsciousness, Levy stood up, looking at Ela. “We did it.”
Ela, still blushing from the earlier incident, managed a small smile. “Yeah… we did.”
The battle had been won, but the journey was far from over. With new powers at his disposal and Ela by his side, Levy was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.