Why can't I open my eyes?
Despite the darkness, everything felt strangely... comforting.
A warm environment, muffled sounds.
The last thing I remember is the miserable food on the airplane...
Then I fell asleep.
And now I'm here?
Suddenly, I felt pressure all around me.
As if I were being pushed through a narrow tunnel.
Hey! Who's kicking me?
Then came light.
At first faint.
Then blinding.
Even with my eyelids still shut, I felt unfamiliar hands catch me.
A moment later, I was slapped on the rear.
I screamed.
"Lady Tamamo no Akari! The child has nine tails!"
Oh no.
Please, not that kind of reincarnation.
I was way too young to die!
Shortly after, someone carefully took me into their arms.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a woman with golden hair.
And on her head...
fox ears.
My eyes widened.
Wait.
That's supposed to be my mother?
Her face was beautiful, with gentle features.
But her ears made it immediately clear that she was not human.
A kitsune.
Excuse me?!
I'm a kitsune?!
The woman smiled softly.
"Your name is Airi, my daughter."
A warm kiss landed on my forehead.
In that moment, I could clearly feel how much love was coming from her.
Airi...
Okay, the name isn't bad.
I felt my mother suddenly tremble as a servant carefully took me from her arms.
"Lady Tamamo no Akari... it seems you've had twins."
Twins?
As I was laid on a soft pillow and stared up at the ceiling, one thought crossed my mind.
Phew.
Lucky.
I focused.
Come on...
System.
Nothing.
System?
Silence.
Menu.
No display.
I sighed inwardly.
Great.
No system.
Airi lay in her mother's arms.
Her little sister Kaguya rested in the other.
She looked at her sister.
But honestly... the name isn't bad.
I would've preferred that one.
Damn. Why did I have to be the firstborn?
A servant stepped closer.
"Lady Tamamo no Akari, just look how beautiful the two of them are together in your arms. They are far too beautiful for children who were only just born."
Tamamo let out a quiet snort.
"Akio, you have served my family since before I was even born."
Her cheeks puffed out slightly.
"And I'm quite sure I was much cuter back then than these two."
The servant only smiled.
"Of course, Lady Tamamo."
Tamamo sighed in exhaustion.
"But could you please inform Lady Amaterasu that my children and I are doing well?"
"I'm going to get some rest now."
Airi froze inwardly.
Wait... Amaterasu?
Tamamo smiled softly and looked down at her two daughters.
"I wish you both a good night."
Then she carefully lay down on the bed with them.
Soon after, only the quiet breathing of the kitsune could be heard in the room.
Four years had passed since the twins were born.
Akio ran through the temple garden, looking for the little sphere of energy.
"Why is Lady Airi so different from her little sister? Even her mother didn't go through this phase until she was eight..."
She stopped for a moment and sighed.
"And yet she carries such power at only four winters old."
Akio turned to the guards.
"Help me find Lady Airi. She has to attend her etiquette lesson."
As she rounded a corner, she suddenly noticed Lady Tamamo's gaze.
The kitsune was standing there, leaning lightly against a pillar and grinning.
Akio came to a stop.
Tamamo merely shook her head slowly.
Akio stepped closer.
Then she gave Tamamo a look that made even the powerful kitsune flinch for a moment.
"I can also remember certain things a little vixen used to do."
Tamamo raised an eyebrow.
Akio crossed her arms.
"Now, let me think..."
"How many times did that little vixen set the temple on fire back then?"
She tilted her head.
"Four times in two months?"
Tamamo suddenly sprang forward and quickly clamped a hand over Akio's mouth.
"I didn't do anything!"
At that moment, a small voice rang out.
"Mommy..."
Tamamo and Akio froze.
Little Kaguya stood behind them.
Her golden tails moved nervously.
"Who was that vixen who set our home on fire?"
Her eyes grew wet.
Tears slowly ran down her face.
Tamamo immediately knelt in front of her daughter.
"Akio is remembering things wrong."
She smiled gently.
"She's very old already. Almost a thousand years."
Tamamo stroked Kaguya's head.
"There has never been a naughty little vixen here."
Kaguya sniffled and wiped the tears from her face.
"Really?"
She looked at Akio.
"Is Auntie Akio already so old that her memory doesn't work properly anymore?"
Tamamo nodded at once.
Very quickly.
"Exactly."
Just as Akio was about to respond to Lady Tamamo, an explosion shook the forest behind the temple garden.
A flock of birds shot screeching into the sky.
Akio sighed.
"Lady Tamamo... I think Lady Airi has been playing with her powers again."
She crossed her arms.
"She is definitely worse than you were back then."
Tamamo raised an eyebrow.
Akio continued,
"Her powers are developing much faster. If one were to judge their divine growth, Lady Airi had already reached Ember Rank, while her sister still remained at Spark Rank."
She shook her head.
"Her growth is extraordinary."
Tamamo sighed.
"I hate to admit it, but you're right."
Then she turned toward the forest.
"Come. Let's bring that naughty little vixen back."
"She knows perfectly well that she's only allowed to use her powers inside the barrier."
A few minutes earlier — in the forest behind the temple.
The bushes rustled violently.
A deer darted panic-stricken across a small clearing as if its life depended on it.
"Hey! Stop!"
A childish voice echoed after it.
"I want to ride you!"
The next moment, a small kitsune burst out of the undergrowth.
Fiery red hair.
Nine little tails.
Airi ran across the clearing at full speed, trying to catch the deer.
Then—
suddenly laughter echoed across the river.
Airi stopped abruptly.
Using all her strength, she skidded across the ground, leaving long brake marks in the grass.
Slowly, she turned around.
A man was sitting on a large rock by the riverbank.
His dark hair was slightly messy, as if even the wind had not been bothered enough to put it in order.
Alone.
Calm.
The first thing Airi noticed was his clothing.
A black leather jacket.
Boots.
Something that should not exist here.
Not in this era.
Airi's eyes widened.
A cold instinct shot through her body.
Death.
She could feel it.
This man was dangerous.
Without hesitating, she raised her small hand.
All the energy in her body gathered together.
Flames collected in her tiny palm.
"Fireball!"
A massive fireball shot across the clearing—
straight at the man.
The blazing sphere tore across the clearing.
A moment later, it hit him.
An explosion shook the forest.
Flames shot into the sky, and a shockwave tore through the trees.
Birds scattered screeching.
Wild animals fled in panic through the underbrush.
But when the smoke cleared, the man was still standing on the rock.
Unharmed.
As if the massive fireball had never existed.
Laughter rang across the clearing.
"Wow... four years old and already that much fire."
The man casually folded his arms.
"I would've expected nothing less from my blood."
Airi's eyes widened.
Her instincts were still screaming.
Death.
Danger.
Run.
But she had heard something else too.
My blood...
A thought shot through her mind.
That presence...
That monster...
That's supposed to be my father?!
"Whaaaaat?!"
The man's red eyes studied her closely.
Now Airi noticed something else.
Fine red scales shimmered on his neck.
Only for a moment.
Then he suddenly burst into loud laughter.
He nearly fell off the rock.
"Hahaha!"
He wiped a tear from his eye.
"But her brain definitely comes from her mother."
Airi stomped on the ground in anger.
"Hmph!"
She turned away in a pout.
The man grinned.
Then his expression turned serious for a brief moment.
"I only came to give you a gift."
He looked at her calmly.
"When you're big enough... we'll meet again."
He snapped his fingers.
A small sphere of red light appeared above his hand.
He threw it to the ground.
The light exploded on impact.
"You will grow stronger."
When it disappeared, the man was gone.
Instead, lying on the ground were:
two swords.
And an old scroll.
Airi carefully stepped closer.
Just as she was about to touch the weapons—
the bushes rustled behind her.
"Airi!"
Her mother's voice.
Tamamo and Akio stepped into the clearing.
Tamamo emerged from the bushes onto the open ground.
Her nine golden tails swayed lightly in the wind.
Akio followed closely behind her.
Both of them stopped abruptly.
Airi stood before them.
In the middle of the clearing.
And at her feet lay two swords and an old scroll.
Tamamo's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Airi..."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"What happened here?"
Airi slowly turned around.
An innocent smile appeared on her face.
"Umm..."
She raised her hands.
"I was just training a little."
Akio immediately crossed her arms.
"Training a little?"
She pointed at the burned trees.
The ground of the clearing was black.
Several trunks were half-charred.
"So this is what your 'a little' training looks like?"
Airi scratched her head.
"Oops."
But Tamamo was not really listening.
Her gaze was fixed on the swords.
Slowly, she walked closer.
Her steps became careful.
Almost reverent.
She knelt beside the weapons.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she carefully touched the blade of the first sword.
A faint red glow ran across the steel.
Tamamo's eyes widened.
"...impossible."
Akio stepped closer.
"Lady Tamamo?"
Tamamo reached for the second sword.
This time, a silver light flickered to life.
The wind over the clearing suddenly grew heavy.
Akio immediately felt the aura of the weapons.
She drew in a sharp breath.
"These swords..."
Her voice turned quiet.
"They do not belong in this world."
Tamamo slowly rose to her feet.
Her gaze shifted to Airi.
"Who was here?"
Airi fell silent.
Inside, her thoughts were racing.
Should I say my father was here?
Or will they completely lose it if I do?
She shrugged.
"A weird man."
Akio frowned.
"What kind of man?"
Airi raised her hands.
"Black leather jacket."
Pause.
"Red eyes."
Another pause.
"And he laughed at me."
Tamamo froze.
Her tails stopped moving.
Slowly, she whispered:
"...red eyes."
Akio looked at her.
"Lady Tamamo?"
Tamamo did not answer.
Her gaze returned to the swords.
Then to the scroll.
Tamamo's tails tensed slightly.
"That damn bastard."