A New Fox

"This Orange Fox is so cute and fluffy." Hyoran said.

"Oh no, are you cheating on Gris? You said he was fluffy when you petted him." I said in a joking manner.

"N-no, it's not like that!" Hyoran protested. I chuckled at her for falling for a trick.

"Let me see." I said and began my Appraisal skill.

"Uh, Hyoran? You said the fox is a 'him'." I said.

"He's not?" Hyoran said.

"No, that fox is a girl." I said.

"Then she's a cute fox. What are going to name her?" Hyoran said, smiling.

"I'll name her...Fennec." I said.

[Orange Fox has been named as Fennec.]

"Fennec...a cute name for a cute fox." Hyoran said. Fennec licked Hyoran's cheek as Fennec liked her newfound name. Hyoran giggled in response.

"Evolve Fennec. Red Fox."

"Fennec. Evolution."

[Acknowledged, now evolving.]

With this, Fennec jumped out of Hyoran's arms and raised her arms. The mist emerged and swirled around her almost instantly. The mist that first came was a mix of orange and gray. Now it turned red and gray. The mist soon disappeared and Fennec's fur is now red instead of orange.

[Evolution Complete. Fennec has evolved to Red Fox.]

[Due to evolution, Fennec's rank has risen to G+.]

[New skill acquired for Fennec. Fire Magic-II.]

"Evolve Fennec again. Ember Fox."

"Fennec. Evolution."

The red and gray mist swirled around her again for another evolution. If I remember correctly, I made an evolution that made her into a Hellkin. I took a Hellkin's soul and astral nucleus and gave it to Fennec, turning her into one. It gave her a lot of benefits including making her immortal.

The mist then became surrounded by small embers of fire and the mist dissipated. Fennec's fur is still red, but the parts that are white or gray were turned orange.

[Evolution complete. Fennec has evolved into Ember Fox.]

[Due to evolution, Fennec's rank has risen to F+.]

[New skills acquired for Fennec. Fire Magic-IV, Fire Nullification, Wind Resistance]

"Kain, is it bad to evolve monsters too quickly?" Hyoran said.

"No, why?" I replied.

"Just asking." Hyoran shrugs.

"Evolve Fennec. Flare Fox."

"Fennec. Evolution!"

[Acknowledged. Now Evolving.]

Fennec is now enveloped by the mist again and now it is red and orange. The small embers of flame flicker around her and grew larger in size. I began to wonder how will Fennec attain Dark Magic. It was until an alert blared at me.

[Caution. Incoming arrow attack from behind.]

I turned around, pulled out my sword and used the flat side of it to deflect it away. The arrow spun in the air and fell flat into the ground. If it weren't for that, it would've hit me.

Gris and Noire saw the arrow and jumped in front of me as a response and started growling in the direction where I was facing. Hyoran pulled out her shortsword and went into fighting stance. The other part is that Fennec is still evolving.

"Alright, who shot the arrow? Come on out!" I yelled.

In that response, a large group of bandits, much larger than what Grundel and Fredrick brought along combined. It made these two guys look like leaders of playground bullies.

Actually, calling it a large group is an understatement.

"Kekeke...looks like this kid got some moves." one bandit said holding a bow and arrow. More bandits come out, laughing maliciously.

"System, how many are we facing?"

[300 in total. The highest rank is S. 10 are rank A, the rest are rank C.]

Oh man...this is nothing like a horde of bunnies. What's even worse is that none of them are J ranks. Even with my monsters, we'll might not make it out of this.

"Woah...that's a lot..." Hyoran said, intimidated by the sheer number of bandits. She stepped back in hopes to gain distance.

"Hyoran, get back to the village and warn Mr. Olken that there is a raid." I said. Hyoran didn't like the idea.

"Without you?! Why?!" Hyoran cried.

"Those guys will be at our doorstep if we run together." I said. "Go!"

Hyoran clenched her fists as it trembled, hated the fact she had to run without me, but she reluctantly obliged and ran back.

"Well now, ain't you a brave and noble kind, eh?" One bandit said with praise. But I ain't buying that bullshit. I see the bandits wearing kinds of armor such as iron and leather, some also are wearing chain mail of some kind. Since most people are C ranks and bandits, I can't go assume they got trash fighting skills. I mean what if there are deserters from the army? Let's not get started on people who can use magic.

"So, what makes you think you can take all of us?" one bandit said, waving his dagger in my face trying to scare me.

"I don't. But I'm certain you and your friends ain't gonna live it down." I said.

"Haah?" he said in a threatening tone. However, multiple screams was heard.

"I can't see!"

"Who turned off the lights!?"

"Why can't I see my own hands!?"

The bandits are panicking from their sudden loss of vision and the numbers being affected began to rise.

[78 hostiles affected by Schwarze's feathers. 103 affected.]

"Alright, stay hidden while you provide support." I said to Schwarze by telepathy.

"What the hell did you do!?" the bandit yelled. He reached to grab me by the collar, but before his fingers tried to touch me, a silver blur went by and turned his forearm into a past tense.

The bandit blinked after what happened and saw his arm was missing half of what was there before.

"AAAAGH! My arm!" he screamed in pain, clutching his half-severed arm, spraying blood. He looked where it come from and looked at the silver wolf holding his arm in its mouth, growling.

"A Silver Wolf?" the bandit said with his voice trembling.

"No. A Silver Wind Wolf." I corrected him. I gestured Noire to kill him and she in turn became a black blur, turning his head into a past tense.

[C rank target slain. 50,000 EP acquired.]

With a death so swift, the other bandits are shocked and even more so of the sight of Gris and Noire.

"A Black Shade Wolf and Silver Wind Wolf...that's...one in ten thousand...how can a kid tame these two powerful beasts!?" one bandit said. Until he felt a burning sensation in his chest.

He began sweating profusely and started taking off the armor due to the total increase in temperature.

"Urgh! Why am I burning up!?" the bandit yelled and then steam began coming out of his body. And then blisters began to form.

"Arrgh! It burns! Put it out! Aaargh!"

His body soon began to smoke, bloat, and form boiling blood blisters. His skin began to burn and peel, the foam that was forming at his mouth began to evaporate. Blood began to emerge, his eyes redden.

He began to become more bloated until he exploded into a plume of red mist and rain, knocking few of the bandits off their feet.

[Rank C target slain. 50,000 EP acquired.]

His limbs, entrails, blood, or what's left of it was scattered upon the other bandits.

"Well, that's one way to start your debut, huh Fennec?" I said, impressed by Fennec sending a bandit to a explosive demise.

Fennec came from behind me with her fiery red fur and a longer tail. Her eyes was glowing from her Fire Magic.

[Evolution complete. Fennec is now Flare Fox.]

[Due to evolution, Fennec's rank has risen to rank D.]

[New Skills acquired for Fennec. Fire Magic-VI, Water Resistance, Intimidation, Concealment.]

[New Unique Skill acquired for Fennec. Water Ward-II.]

Since I am gonna hold the line, I better increase my chances.

"Rank A."

"Yes."

[Acknowledged.]

With this, a large surge of energy rises up inside me. With me gaining much more magic, the air around me began to warp and tremble. The tiny bits of stone began to float and quiver, the bandits that stood before me hesitated.

"What is up with that kid?" one bandit said, stepping back.

*Bwoosh!*

A powerful force exploded around me, forcing the bandits around me to shield their eyes as wind and dirt was kicked around. It's funny...I first fought Grundel and his cronies and now there's an S rank hiding around. No matter, I hope Hyoran gets to Olken soon.

[Rank up complete. You are now Rank A.]

[New Skills have evolved upon ranking up. Superspeed Regeneration, Hard Skin, Lightning Magic-VI, Wind Magic-VI, Earth Magic-VI, Dark Magic-VI, Healing Magic-VI.]

I placed my hands out in a t-pose and the wind swirled around my hand right hand, manifesting itself into a silvery green sword. Next, yellow sparks shot out from my left hand and soon became a yellow light in the shape of a sword, surrounded by yellow lightning.

"This kid can do magic?"

"Who is this freak?"

Many continue to clamor around while the others are still affected by Schwarze's feathers and me holding two elemental blades.

"Hey now, don't run." I said and then gave them a sinister smile, crazed for battle and blood while my head tilted to the side. "Let's have some fun."