Fox Demon
*Boom!*
Even within the city, the thunderous echoes of the ongoing battle outside reverberated, a constant reminder of the peril that encircled them.
The relentless clash between humans and demons had raged for countless years, a grim conflict in which the humans' inevitable defeat loomed ever closer on the horizon. The reality of their ultimate demise hung heavy in the air.
Half a year prior, hope had flickered in the form of Irene, the Queen of Draganof. She had devised a technique to combat the relentless demon incursions from the Land of Demons, which entailed harnessing a portion of the demon's powers to increase one's own power.
This technique, though promising, could not hold a candle to the raw might of the actual demons and often drove those who wielded it to the brink of madness.
Yet, amidst the cacophony of war and the uncertainty of survival, something curious transpired in the town's taverns. Countless souls drowned their fear and despair in alcohol, recklessly inviting oblivion.
It was an odd paradox: a war raged just outside their sanctuary, and their time was rapidly dwindling, yet they sought solace in a drunken stupor.
To outsiders, this behavior might have seemed bewildering, even grotesque. But it was an understandable coping mechanism for those who had lived through these harrowing times.
In this apocalyptic conflict, the odds were unequivocally stacked against them. The Kingdom of Dragonof was an isolated enclave within the larger shinobi world, cut off from any external aid. Despite the presence of Queen Irene and many Uzumaki clan members among its citizens, they found themselves abandoned by their fellow clansmen, left to fend for themselves in this desolation.
As the desolation loomed, the inhabitants of Dragonof grappled with the realization that their days were numbered.
*Bang!*
The tavern's door burst open with a deafening clamor, and a hooded figure draped in ebony robes with cascading black hair strode in and claimed a vacant seat at the bar.
The man appeared in his late teens, his countenance shrouded by a grey robe adorned with fur lining that concealed his identity below the neck.
In a calm, measured tone, he broke the eerie silence that had enveloped the room, "Could you get me some food…"
The tavern's owner, who had been meticulously cleaning a glass, swiveled his gaze towards the stranger. But upon locking eyes with the newcomer, the tavern owner's visage contorted with sheer terror.
"That...that mask! That mask is!" he stammered, his voice trembling.
The man bore a white Kitsune Mask, its three unblinking eyes offering the only glimpse of his true identity. A stifling dread fell over the tavern's patrons as they noticed the man.
A perceptive ninja within the establishment recognized him, his voice quaking as he uttered, "You...you are the Fox Demon!"
The name sent shockwaves through the crowd. The Fox Demon was a legendary figure rumored to singlehandedly slay demons one after another, even when outnumbered.
Notably, not even Irene, the creator of the Demon Slaying Technique, could contend with multiple demons simultaneously.
Yet, despite his unparalleled prowess, the Fox Demon's infamy was a double-edged sword. His chakra had become so dark and chilling due to his relentless use of the Demon Slaying Technique that he felt more akin to a demon than a human. As a result, many regarded him not as a savior but as a harbinger of doom.
"It seems I'm not welcome…" the man spoke in a calm yet frosty tone. Unfazed by the palpable fear around him, he reached into his robe and tossed a gleaming gold coin onto the counter.
"Bring me a bottle of sake, and I'll be on my way…" With those words, he began to rise from his seat.
The tavern owner, eyes brimming with terror, hastily handed him a bottle of sake, lingering safely behind the bar.
The man clutched the bottle and strode towards the exit, murmuring, "It seems that even here, people are scared of your chakra... Your chakra really brings me a lot of trouble, Kyuubi..."
His thoughts drifted to a place beyond the physical realm as he pondered the Kyuubi trapped within his mental space.
Looking into his mental space, he could see the Kyuubi firmly tied down, her eyes almost blank as she was assaulted with subliminal messages and genjutsu.
Throughout the years, he had never stopped trying to control her mind. Still, it was hard to completely erase any resistance for a beast as old as the Kyuubi.
Although he could use her as a chakra bank for now, her condition would only last should he remain okay. This simply wouldn't do for Menma. He wanted complete control over the ancient beast...
However, recent revelations about the Demon Slaying Technique have rekindled his interest. Although he initially dismissed it due to its side effects, he saw its potential as a way to increase his power and further his influence over the Kyuubi.
A smirk played upon his lips as his gaze descended to his arm, adorned with ominous black tribal markings.
"Who would've thought that this journey would yield such bountiful rewards..." he mused.
His inner thoughts were met with a chorus of dissenting voices from the depths of his mind.
"Let's go back to killing demons…" one voice whispered.
"Yes, the way the demons fight is so interesting…" added another.
"Tennyo, Shinigami, all you two think about is killing demons lately…" he thought wearily, attempting to quell their relentless enthusiasm.
"Isn't it good combat experience…" Shinigami countered, undeterred.
"Hmph... Letting us take action against these lowly creatures is a waste of our time…" Byakko, ever haughty, retorted.
"What did you say?" Shinigami shot back icily.
"Okay, all of you stop arguing. Look ahead…" Menma interjected, hoping to divert their focus.
His gaze fixed upon the distant horizon, where a vast tide of beasts lurked, barely discernible.
"It's time to go. There are probably a couple of demons guiding the beasts..." Menma declared as he set off toward the beast tide.
******
Two hours passed.
A small group of bewildered ninjas witnessed an unparalleled confrontation on the town's outskirts. The participants were a lone individual and the leader of the demon onslaught, Thunder Demon Orko.
The solitary figure was none other than Menma himself.
The area bore witness to a macabre tableau of death, with countless beast and demon corpses strewn about, creating a nightmarish landscape drenched in blood. The arrival of Menma, though tardy, had spared the few remaining spectators from certain death.
Orko, now bearing the scars of a brutal battle, displayed an otherworldly transformation with lightning and thunder crackling through his obsidian skin. Menma, although his robe bore signs of damage, remained largely unscathed.
"It's you right... the Fox Demon who's recently gained such a great reputation in the Land of Demons, right?" Orko asked snarkily.
"Why inquire when your demise approaches?" Menma quipped with a sardonic grin.
"Damn human! You humans are only meant to be our food..." Orko retorted, concentrating his waning power into his hand.
"Human, pay for your arrogance with your life!" Orko bellowed as he surged forward with the concentration of lightning reaching its peak.
The atmosphere itself seemed to quiver as ozone burned in the wake of his advance.
Menma's response was a mocking laugh, the dark tribal markings on his right hand flickering to life, birthing pitch-black claws that extended menacingly from his fingers.
Undaunted, Menma lunged forward, his hand outstretched to meet the demon's attack. As he advanced, he channeled even more of the Kyuubi's chakra into his hand.
Boom!!!
In an instant, a colossal explosion engulfed the area, shrouding it in a swirling maelstrom of smoke and deafening reverberations. For an agonizing stretch of time, the battlefield remained obscured, veiled in a shroud of smoke. As the smoke gradually dissipated, the stunned onlookers were met with an astounding sight.
Menma, frozen in his initial attacking stance, radiated an aura of chilling darkness. His tribal markings pulsed ominously, casting an eerie glow on his visage.
Orko, on the other hand, appeared sluggish and disoriented, disbelief etched across his battered countenance.
"Demons Claw!" Menma declared, and an inky black miasma emanated from his clawed hand.
Overwhelmed by a sense of imminent doom, Orko sought to evade the impending strike but failed. Menma's claw cleaved through the demon's neck, leaving behind a grievous wound that corroded at an alarming pace.
"Aghhh…!" Orko's anguished cry pierced the air as he collapsed, writhing in excruciating torment.
With a sense of disappointment tainting his voice, Menma approached the fallen demon. "How disappointing... I expected more from a general-level demon."
Accepting the inevitable, Menma extended his hand, his tribal markings pulsating as he gently touched Orko's vanishing form. The demon's body crumbled to ash, disintegrating under the inexorable grip of Menma's dark energy.
As he surveyed the crumbling remnants, Menma's thoughts turned inward. After mastering the Demon Slaying Technique, he acknowledged the unnerving ease with which he dispatched these demons. The unexpected benefits gleaned from his perilous journey were not lost on him.
With an air of nonchalance, Menma rose to his feet. He cast a cursory glance at the few remaining ninjas, their expressions a blend of astonishment and disbelief.
*Roar~~!!*
From the distant night sky came a symphony of melodious yet furious roars, their echo growing louder with each passing moment. Countless shadows emerged, hurtling through the obsidian expanse, drawing closer to Menma's location.
With a graceful pivot, Menma, who had just stood up, snapped his attention toward the impending threat. The anticipation of an imminent battle brought a sly grin to his lips.
"It seems it's time to have some more fun... Hopefully, these ones are a bit stronger," Menma mused, a glint of excitement dancing in his eyes underneath the mask.
"Hmph... I doubt these beasts will be worth the time," Suzaku, the proud phoenix-masked beast, declared with an aloof air.
"Just make sure to let me out this time..." Shinigami added with an icy, matter-of-fact tone, clearly uninterested in indulging in camaraderie.
Menma couldn't help but suppress a mental sigh as he heard his friends start to bicker...
These guys were a bunch of Tsunderes...
Resolving to focus on the impending clash, Menma sought to clear his mind of their ceaseless bickering.
"Let's just clean up the small fry first," Menma thought, trying to hold back the urge to sigh. He raised his hand, extending a lone finger before him.
A mesmerizing spectacle ensued as myriad particles of deep purple and near-black converged from every direction, coalescing into a black orb roughly the size of a clenched fist.
"Great Spiraling Ring!!!"
A brilliant streak of light lanced across the night sky in the blink of an eye, intercepting several airborne dragons at a considerable distance.
Rumble!!!
The ensuing detonation reverberated through the night.
"Demon Slayer?!!"
Upon witnessing the devastating attack, the demons reacted swiftly, their predatory instincts instantly kicking into high gear. With Menma as their target, they bore down on him with lethal intent.
Menma, unburdened by words, leaped into the heart of the oncoming horde of demons. There, amidst the chaotic fray, he moved with the precision of a wolf amidst a flock of sheep.
Though Menma harbored little concern for the village that had suffered the demon onslaught, his formidable combat skills inadvertently gave the beleaguered villagers a fleeting opportunity to escape the encroaching nightmare.
Menma glanced at the demon in front of him, who seemed even stronger than Orko, and his interest was immediately peaked.
"Hopefully, you can entertain me a bit longer... Although I don't fight much, I've gotten quite good at it these past six months..." Menma said as the markings on his hand began to pulse again.
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Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
This chapter was a bit shorter at only 2000 words, though I hope you don't mind.
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Important Poll!
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Erza Scarlet is Menma's daughter.
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Yes (Comment)
No (Comment)
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If you couldn't tell already, the matriarch of the clan is going to be Irene. I'm going to have her be married to the one king because it involves her corruption, but I can have it where she only had sex once and happened to be pregnant, or I can make it so that she gives her first-time Menma and she gets pregnant.
I don't mind either way, and I can do it each way without much of a hassle, so it's up to you guys.