Demonic Kitsune

Silence pervaded the Yulin platform. Only the rustling of trees and the distant eruption of magma could be heard after the Senior Instructor's words. As eerie as it sounded, it confused the young Arrancars.

Even Clare was deep in thought, confused by the words while recalling the past. The Senior Instructor had said that the Valkyrie-Blitz Trials were only the beginning. The young Arrancars would soon undergo Seclusion Training, and the past three years had merely been the start. The words “Valkyrie-Blitz Trials only beginning in earnest as of right now” made all the young Arrancars on the Yulin Platform incredibly vigilant.

They remembered their first encounter with death against the Demonic Bulls and the sneaky Demonic Titanium traps in the First Trial three years ago. Over half of the little Arrancars in the Institute had died back then. The idea of starting seclusion training wasn’t exactly thrilling. As long as the name remained the ‘Valkyrie-Blitz Trials,’ they couldn’t stay calm.

Clare, like the other young Arrancars, was wary of the Senior Instructor's words. Despite not knowing what was to come, her past experiences at the Institute had taught her that the future would not be easy. However, she understood that with every trial and tribulation came an opportunity to grow stronger, albeit with equal risk.

The other young Arrancars appeared even more tense than Clare and Noir as they mentally prepared for the oncoming strife. As they recollected their thoughts and gulped nervously, the Senior Instructor spoke up.

“If you need anything, just let me or the other instructors know before you begin your personal Seclusion Training sessions. If it’s a simple request, we’ll prepare it for you. If not, don’t bother asking. You’ll only get whipped twenty-four times on your bare backsides.” 

The Senior Instructor's gaze intensified on some particular young Arrancars who had once made ridiculous requests that were troublesome to fulfill. The young Arrancar in question shivered under the intense gaze and stared at their feet. 

Sighing, the Senior Instructor continued, “You don’t have to worry about food or water and…” His gaze shifted to the female young Arrancars, and he clicked his tongue in annoyance. The females flinched in fear. 

“...a simple cleaning system and a series of robes in various sizes will be on standby. Balls of rice and meatballs, as well as buckets of water, will be prepared and sent to your seclusion rooms daily.”

Turning his attention back to the whole young Arrancars on the Platform, he continued, “Starting today, you are allowed to take off the iron bracers you’ve been required to wear for the past five years.”

At the news of being able to remove their bracers, the young Arrancars buzzed with excitement. For Clare, the weight of the bracers had long ceased to be a burden, as she had trained harder than anyone else at the Institute. To her, the bracers felt like mere "limiters" and an extension of her own body. However, she did miss the spiked balls.

Even so, there was a significant difference between wearing them and taking them off at each stage. Lightening the weights on one’s body made one much stronger, and the permanent removal promised even greater leaps in strength.

Some of the young Arrancars were already showing signs of excitement.

The Senior Instructor smiled genuinely at the sight of their visible relief and excitement about taking off their bracers.

“Six days from now, you all will enter the Second Trial of the Valkyrie Blitz for Seclusion Training. If you have any requests, reach out to the Instructors before you leave. Now, I’ll leave you all to prepare and talk amongst yourselves until then. Dismissed!”

“Yes, sir!” The young Arrancars stood upright and shouted with all their gusto, understanding the Senior Instructor's words with all their demonic hearts. 

They then scattered to their various colonies and groups. A few stayed behind on the Yulin Platform, enjoying the setting sun and cool breeze, chatting among themselves. Since all they had were fantasies that could only cause them pain, they didn't bother requesting anything. Clare, however, had something in mind. She stood in front of the grand stage, not returning to her initial spot to either train or relax and…

“Hm, what do you need, GIMEL?”

… seems to want something. The Senior Instructor's eyebrows wriggled at the sight of GIMEL standing in front of the stage. At his words, she opened her mouth confidently.

“I have something to request.”

The Senior Instructor looked a little surprised. He had given the young Arrancars six days to decide if they needed anything before their Seclusion Training, but GIMEL had already made her decision. Depending on what each child requested, their training path would be influenced for the next few years.

“Is that so? A proper period was given for careful consideration,” the Senior Instructor said, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

“Yes, it’s a well-thought-out request,” GIMEL responded confidently. Nevertheless, she already knew what she had been yearning for. 

On the other hand, the Senior Instructor could only wonder what such a rising star could be thinking about. Unlike the young Arrancars with minds full of fantasies, if it wasn’t training to get stronger and soar higher, what could she be thinking about? 

Deep in thought for a moment, the Senior Instructor smiled faintly as he considered GIMEL, the Half-breed Nin, standing below him. She had been a completely different Arrancar ever since she swam in the Hundred Nickel Poison a few years ago, and even more so since she was first found as an outcast in the “Bottom Forest of the Demon Clan” and sent to the Institute of Arrancars to die.

The Senior Instructor reflected on GIMEL’s achievements, which were increasing day by day. It was impossible for the other instructors and young Arrancars not to notice her incredible growth, unlike that brat SETH, who somehow could. 

According to the instructors who kept tabs on GIMEL, SETH was often seen around her, which was strange at first. Eventually, the Senior Instructor decided that SETH probably saw what GIMEL was truly made of. However, it was said that SETH was more of a bother to the Half-breed Nin.

Then it dawned on him. Could GIMEL have gotten past one-chain yet? The Senior Instructor swept his eyes over GIMEL, trying to gauge the level of strength in her demonic energy. 

However, he couldn’t get a proper read on her true strength. Perhaps she hadn’t awakened her Nin’s side energy, which is Reishi. It was a great surprise for the Instructor to notice this, possibly because he had become a Third-and-a-Half Chain Arrancar. Since GIMEL was like a closed book, rarely interacting with other young Arrancars, occasionally with SETH, and even less with instructors, it was hard to tell.

“I hope my request isn’t too enormous for you,” GIMEL said, her voice steady and determined.

Instead of being annoyed by GIMEL's confident tone, the Senior Instructor felt his curiosity piqued.

“Speak your request,” the Senior Instructor said, leaning forward slightly.

“Very well. I need eight alloy-steel braces, each weighing 50 kilograms. I’d like them measured as accurately as possible, and I also need a well-balanced silver scythe,” GIMEL stated firmly.

The Senior Instructor was perplexed by the unusual request. He had just permitted the young Arrancars to take off their bracers, and yet here was GIMEL asking for more, at almost unbelievably heavy weights. This request was beyond common sense, stirring his deep desire to gulp some booze to fully comprehend it.

“It must be much heftier than this,” GIMEL gestured to the bracers she was currently wearing. The total weight on her body would be around 105 kilograms with the added weight of the scythe. 

This meant 26.25 kilograms per limb. Simply put, it was like equipping five spiked balls on each limb or carrying a well-rounded boulder on one’s head. This was definitely not something even the elites among the young Arrancars had requested in years.

“That’s all for my request,” GIMEL added.

“Alright, that’s definitely doable. Wait until the end of the six days before you enter seclusion training, and I’ll have them prepared for you,” the Senior Instructor replied, nodding.

GIMEL bowed to the Senior Instructor in thanks and turned towards the fluttering crimson willow tree that shrouded the nearby grassland. 

As the evening slowly faded away, calling forth the starry twilight sky with an emerald crescent moon, the Senior Instructor gazed at GIMEL’s back with interest. With his hands behind his back, a drifting question raced through his mind: Is this what it means to be a real Arrancar?

No one could answer his questions, not even the fluttering wind wafting through everything in its path.

— — — — — 

“Boss, don’t you think GIMEL is such an asshole?” one of the young Arrancars asked mockingly.

“Everyone can see that. Don’t you think so too, Boss?” another chimed in, seeking their leader’s opinion.

SOATH nodded at the words of the young Arrancars in her group. She was clearly their leader. Although she was one of the top young Arrancars in the Yulin Platform alongside SETH and GIMEL, she only had six followers. However, they were quite talented.

What united these young Arrancars was the fact that they had been absolutely manhandled and punished by GIMEL at the beginning of the Institute for their impertinence. They had believed in their skills and thought GIMEL was weak. However, reality was cruel, and they were crushed by her. This wounded their pride, making the topic of GIMEL a sore spot for them.

“Boss, why don’t we attack her at least once?” one of them suggested boldly.

“Together?” another added, eyes lighting up with interest.

“I’ve felt much stronger ever since we took off the bracers,” one of them continued. “Moreover, we have become stronger since the last fights. I’m sure it’s the same for all of you too. With the six of us, we could take her on. What do you think, Boss?”

The single-horned, blue-skinned female preadult with a perky chest accentuated by her beautiful dark robes flirted with the idea. 

SOATH, in deep thought for a moment, looked at each of the young Arrancars one by one, examining their eager gazes. She also felt stronger ever since she had taken off the iron bracers. Their confidence seemed to have increased excessively along with their strength over the past three years.

“Would GIMEL also take her iron bracers off too?” one of them asked.

“I guess…” another responded uncertainly.

Two of the little Arrancars, one green-skinned and one pale-skinned with double horns, conversed among themselves. One pointed at GIMEL, who was walking back to the crimson willow tree, while the other nodded uncertainly. Then, one’s gaze pierced toward GIMEL’s wrists as she walked elegantly.

“...No, she’s still wearing her bracers. How arrogant,” one, who was uncertain, concluded firmly.

“Tsk,” the other clicked her tongue.

When SOATH turned her head, she also saw GIMEL walking with her bracers still on. She didn’t know why GIMEL still wore them. Was it arrogance? Or just overconfidence? She wasn’t sure.

“I think even with just the six of us, even if the Boss doesn’t want to join in personally to dirty her hand, we could beat her up mercilessly without giving her a chance to take her bracers off,” one of them suggested with a sneer.

At the mockery and jeer of another young Arrancar, SOATH couldn’t help but imagine GIMEL sprawled out on the grass. The thought of putting out her nine bushy tails and dragging her by her triangular ears stirred up pleasure in her heart. She pictured herself sitting like a queen on her back while dragging GIMEL’s tails as if she were a horse. It was a nasty yet euphoric thought.

However, SOATH couldn’t shake off the lingering anxiety from GIMEL’s last warning: “Repent and be strong. This is your last warning.”

She glanced at her minions’ expressions one more time. All five of them had great skills. Would it be enough to take out GIMEL with her bracers still on, considering she had surpassed her initial strength from four years ago?

As cautious as a cat, SOATH shook her head and glanced at the slowly impending starry twilight sky. Smiling insidiously, she decided to test her hypothesis using her minions as bait.

As nighttime fully arrived, the crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft, ethereal silver glow over everything. The six Arrancars in front of SOATH were eager and practically drooling to go all out and try their chances at revenge. Slowly, SOATH’s lips opened.

“Why don’t you guys have your ‘own’ way with her? Perhaps she isn’t as strong as you think she is,” she encouraged, stirring their desire even more.

At SOATH’s encouraging words, the six stood up immediately, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. They all looked at GIMEL from afar and shared the same insidious smile as they approached the crimson willow trees where she relaxed with her wrapped scythe in her arms.

As the cool breeze blew and fluttered about, making the tree’s red-blood leaves rustle gently, a mocking voice cut through the air.

“HEY! GIMEL!”

Clare, soothed by the gentle wind, opened her eyes slowly and raised her head at the sound of a voice calling her name. Before her stood six shadows, obstructing the moonlight and blocking the wind from tickling her skin 

They were six young Arrancars, now preadults, emitting a palpable bloodlust. Their weapons were clutched tightly, and their demonic energy shimmered in different hues like a dark, twisted rainbow.

Clare recognized their faces. They were among SOATH's lackeys, harboring bitter resentment towards her. Their sinister expressions and the hairs standing on the backs of their arms revealed their murderous intent, even without them saying a word.

It seemed they had seen an opportunity since everyone else had removed their iron bracers, yet Clare had not taken hers off. Something was different, though. Where was SOATH? Clare scanned the intruders, her mind racing. Could SOATH have chickened out? Probably not.

After all, where lackeys lurk, the ringleaders either plan a grand entrance or observe from a safe distance. Either way, it didn't matter.

‘Hmm.’

Keeping her bracers on had been beneficial for her training. Now, it seemed SOATH's goons were giving her a justification to finally get rid of them. The hunter watching its prey was over. Since the prey had come to her, there was no need to lure it in.

Clare let out a deep breath, her bushy tails swelled in anticipation while her demon side grinned. She stood up slowly and calmly, grabbing the hilt of her scythe, which glinted ominously in the moonlight.

“Could it be that you guys came for a crusade?” Clare asked, her voice dismissive yet charged with underlying menace. She already knew the answer but wanted them to confirm their intention. Their appearance was more like starved animals craving meat than sinners seeking redemption.

“What do you think, half-breed?” one of them sneered, while another's grin widened like a crescent moon.

Calling her a half-breed to her face was humiliating enough to provoke her. 

Clare sighed at the cliche provocation.

“If my memory serves me right, I made it clear last time in the dining hall. That was your last chance for mercy. If this is a mistake, go back. I won’t stop you.”

Her calm, serene tone made the teens step back instinctively. They didn't know of her past life as the Glimmer of Hope and a hero for humanity. Despite her calm demeanor, they flinched at Clare’s murderous intent.

This wasn’t because of her power.

They knew she was powerful, but they couldn't gauge her strength accurately. Their demonic instincts tingled with anxiety, mainly because they remembered the bitter experiences they had individually endured from Clare.

However, they soon regained their wits, feeling confident in their newfound power. Not only that, but there were six of them here, against a half-breed.

“Damn it, what was that just now? It must be a fluke,” one of them said.

“Right? It was nothing,” another agreed.

“Let’s get her. With six of us, killing her will be easy peasy!”

The rest nodded in agreement. They had resolved earlier not to give Clare a chance to take off her bracers, and here they were, spacing out from just her bloodlust. Since she hadn’t taken off her bracers, they thought their chances were good.

Their overall physiques had increased in mobility without the bracers, and their movements were unlike anything from before. However, they weren’t the only ones who had improved.

Like a gust of wind, billowing leaves and petals into the air, a sharp blur passed them. As they turned their heads, wondering what it was, they saw Clare behind them with her scythe unwrapped. Blood splashed close to them like a fountain, staining their robes. To their surprise, it was the blood of the preadult Arrancar in the middle of their group, whose head was now missing. 

Their eyes widened in shock.

A thud echoed as the head rolled amid the grasses, spurting blood. They realized it was the head of their comrade.

“What… the hell is happening?” one of the young Arrancars shivered in terror.

“I… couldn’t even see her movements,” another said in confusion, their legs trembling frantically.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Some of them screamed in despair, their hands shaking as they desperately thought of how to beg out of the predicament they had put themselves in.

The remaining five knew that death, which had stayed far from them, had now loomed very close. Regrets filled their minds. If they had known…

Blood dripped from Clare’s dark scythe. Her emerald eyes glowed in the moonlight as she swung the clotted blood from her weapon.

“I said… there would be no mercy this time.”

The preadults paled, goosebumps creeping up their spines. One of them couldn’t handle it and frantically tried to escape, leaping away by coating demonic energy into his calves.

“Damn it, what a terrible mistake, trying to kill her. I can’t die like this…” His words trailed off as wrinkles of despair etched on his face, mingling with tears and mucus.

But Clare, who flickered out of existence like an idle screen, didn’t give him a chance to escape. Her scythe carved his body in two segments, blood splattering.

Clare didn’t give the others a second to collect their thoughts. The remaining four quickly realized what was happening and bared their teeth, but to no avail.

“You brats who came for this crusade don’t deserve to be forgiven any further.”

As thoughts of her betrayal and the Holy Church's crusade against her filled Clare's mind, she remembered the countless times she had tried to teach these brats the difference between good and evil. They were old enough now to understand her warnings, but they had never listened.

She finally decided they deserved death for their past transgressions. When they were younger, a few beatings had been enough to correct them, but even moments ago, they ignored her warnings and foolishly approached her again.

—only to have their lives reaped by her death-brimming scythe.