The Nine Tailed Fox

What is the first thing you would think of when you heard the words "nine-tailed fox"? The obvious answer, for many, would be a normal fox, perhaps magically enlarged, but fundamentally a creature of the wild, albeit one blessed with an impossible number of tails. A beast, cunning and ancient, pulled straight from the rich tapestry of Asian folklore.

Historians, particularly those delving into the darker corners of imperial courts, would inevitably link the story of the nine-tailed fox to a feme fatale—a dangerously seductive woman whose beauty and cunning brought entire dynasties to ruin. They would recall tales of Daji, the legendary concubine of King Zhou of Shang, whose insatiable cruelty and manipulative charm led to the collapse of a mighty empire.

In modern times, perhaps influenced by popular shonen series, the "nine-tailed fox" is often reimagined as a towering, rampaging demon, a force of nature capable of mass destruction.

Yet in Japan, despite its mythic origins and fearsome legacy, the most enduring image today is almost paradoxical: that of an anime girl. Beautiful, mischievous, sometimes benevolent, sometimes dangerous, but always charismatic, she wears fox ears and sports nine flowing tails. Through cultural absorption and reimagination, a terrifying legend has become a symbol of charm and allure, merging ancient power with modern appeal.

_______________________________________________________________

A full week had passed since the United States forces began their containment operation in earnest, a desperate holding action against the inevitable. The purple miasma remained a suffocating reality across Japan, and the efforts to cordon off the epicenters continued around the clock. Globally, the crisis remained a hot topic, dominating headlines and fueling endless discussions, both online and in day-to-day interactions.

Driven by morbid curiosity or a thirst for viral content, some brave—or foolish—souls even flew to Japan, attempting to experience the phenomenon themselves. A few, even braver still, tried to break into the containment areas around Nasu, seeking forbidden thrills or perhaps a glimpse of the supernatural. Some were surprisingly successful in breaching the initial perimeters but were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer density of the miasma. They turned up unconscious, their bodies riddled with the strange illness, only to be arrested and quarantined later. Of course, their fragmented, shaky live footage, often cut short by their collapse, only provided more potent fuel for the inferno that burned within the digital sea of the internet.

Today, however, was not a normal day.

Unusual phenomena began to be documented by U.S. personnel deployed across Japan. First, it was reports of multiple barriers across the nation failing simultaneously and was unable to be re-established. The other barriers that remained, primarily the massive one around Nasu, struggled visibly to be maintained, shimmering erratically, threatening to collapse at any moment.

Inside the central Nasu containment area, where the miasma had always been densest, the Killing Stone began to shake the earth. A deep tremor resonant rumble that vibrated through the ground. Ominous clouds of purple miasma, far thicker and darker than before, swirled frantically around the stone, as if being drawn into an invisible vortex.

Then came the sound. A sharp, loud crack, like thunder rending the sky, echoing across the desolate landscape. The Killing Stone, the legendary prison of a fox demon for centuries, completely split in two.

As the fragments crumbled, they didn't dissipate into dust. Instead, they dissolved into the very purple miasma itself. The swirling haze began to slowly reshape, coalescing, drawing inward, until it took on an impossibly elegant form. First, a silhouette, then features: long, flowing black hair materialized from the vapor, framing a face of exquisite, otherworldly beauty. On her head, a pair of distinct golden fox ears emerged, twitching slightly as if awakening to new sounds. Behind her, majestic, voluminous, nine golden tails unfurled, each ending with its fur tipped in white, swaying gently as they absorbed the last vestiges of the miasma.

She adorned a predominantly white kimono, its flowing lines accented with subtle linings of red and black, materializing as if woven from the very air itself.

Tamamo no Mae, finally free, stretched her lithe limbs after centuries of confinement. A soft, almost purring noise escaped her lips, a sound of profound satisfaction, before she lifted her head, her golden eyes blazing with renewed power and a chilling amusement.

"Ah, free at last," she declared, her voice a melodious whisper that carried across the ravaged landscape.

No sooner had Tamamo no Mae's declaration of freedom echoed, the very air around her warped. The shimmering, almost invisible, barrier that had encircled Nasu didn't simply dissipate; it collapsed inward, twisting and weaving with impossible speed.

It formed into countless ethereal lines, like glowing threads of fabric, that homed in on the newly unsealed fox spirit. Before she could react, they wrapped around her, forming a tight, restrictive bound that encased her lithe form.

"Huh, what is this?" Tamamo no Mae murmured, tilting her head. She wasn't bothered, merely curious, her golden eyes observing the strange phenomenon.

Then, a wave of numerous Paranormal Department agents surged forward from the perimeter, surrounded Tamamo no Mae. They were a motley array, each wielding a unique tool of their trade: some held gleaming swords, others gripped spears. Some wore power-enhancing gauntlets, while others approached empty-handed, channeling visible kinetic force. A few carried unique-looking firearms, their muzzles humming with suppressed energy.

"So, you are the onmyoji of this era," Tamamo no Mae purred, her voice carrying a mocking lilt. She tugged at the invisible restraints. "I was expecting a large welcoming party for my revival, but isn't this rather… lackluster?" Her eyes hardened, a glint of primordial power flashing within them. "Do you really think this will stop me?"

With a sudden, explosive burst of brute strength, Tamamo no Mae strained against her ethereal bonds. The fabric-like invisible binding stretched, taut as steel wire, humming with resistant force. For a fraction of a second, it looked as if she might snap free. But then, with a sharp rubber banding snap, the binding recoiled, constricting her once again, even tighter than before.

Wasting no time, the paranormal agents attacked. A flurry of coordinated assaults descended upon her: a sword struck with blinding speed, a blast of pyrokinetic flame erupted, a unique handgun spat a humming projectile. Tamamo no Mae's expression now a mixture of annoyance and dawning frustration, twisted and evaded. Her nine golden tails whipped about her, a blur of motion, parrying their strikes, deflecting elemental blasts, and lashing out to send agents sprawling away. She was momentarily overwhelmed by their sheer numbers and relentless coordination, but no substantial damage was inflicted on either side. The agents couldn't land a decisive blow, and Tamamo no Mae couldn't break free.

"狐火! (Kitsunebi!)" Tamamo no Mae snarled, her voice sharp and infused with ancient power. With her command, multiple fox-shaped figures of brilliant blue fire materialized around her, shimmering with heat and malevolence. They rushed toward the agents, biting and clawing with phantom teeth. Some agents were caught in the magical flames, their protective suits momentarily flaring before they quickly retreated from the front line. Another wave of agents immediately took their place, seamlessly maintaining the pressure, while medics quickly moved in to heal the injured. One agent, previously engaged in close combat, deftly switched to a range-focused attack, unleashing a volley of bolts.

With an unparalleled level of cooperation, moving with the precision of a seasoned MMO raid team taking down a complex boss, Tamamo no Mae, despite her formidable power, was being steadily pushed back by the sheer, unwavering coordination of the human forces. Frustrated by the unexpected resistance, a curse escaping her lips, Tamamo no Mae suddenly leaped into the air. Her kimono billowed, her nine tails fanned out, and she began to ascend, hovering above the agents. As she continued to undo the stubborn binding that still clung to her, she simultaneously cast more Fox Fire, each of her nine tails independently conjuring and launching a relentless barrage of fiery blue spectral foxes downwards, raining destruction upon the disciplined ranks below.

The agents on the ground reacted instantly. Some ducked and weaved, agilely dodging the torrent of Fox Fire. Others, channeling unseen forces, moved the searing blue projectiles aside, causing them to dissipate harmlessly. Still, a few directly took the hits, their specialized suits smoking, before quickly being pulled back by their comrades for immediate healing. Several agents attempted to return fire with their unique weapons, but Tamamo no Mae merely floated effortlessly through the air, evading every shot. Some, desperate to close the distance, tried to bridge the gap via teleportation or by conjuring flight, but they were quickly swatted back down, outmatched in raw power by the airborne spirit.

Then, a streak of incandescent light tore across the sky. Tamamo no Mae noticed it, her golden eyes narrowing with a flicker of curiosity, wondering what new trick these humans possessed. Instinctively, she erected a shimmering barrier made of countless interlocking paper talismans and simultaneously shifted, narrowly dodging the incoming projectile. The missile flew past her, but then abruptly detonated mid-air, a blinding flash followed by a concussive boom that engulfed Tamamo no Mae in a fiery explosion.

As the smoke cleared, the paper barrier remained, though a bit charred and singed. Tamamo no Mae floated, her expression a mix of surprise and grudging respect. "What was that?" she murmured. "It almost scared me. When did humans develop such strange weapons?"

Below, the agents on the ground stood, their eyes closed, concentrating. Abruptly, something invisible entangled Tamamo no Mae once again, a powerful, unseen force that rapidly pulled her toward the ground. The agents then immediately fled the area, disappearing into the tree line.

Then, the sky erupted. More projectiles streaked across the heavens, a deafening whistle preceding them. Bombardment from the warships had begun. Tamamo no Mae tried to move, tried to go underground using magic, tried to teleport—anything to escape the inevitable—but she remained stuck in place, held by the invisible force. All she could do was desperately create layer upon layer of paper barriers to defend herself.

The first volley of ordnance exploded with thundering booms, shaking the very earth and tearing apart nearby trees with their raw shockwaves. But it didn't stop. Multiple nearby warships continued their unrelenting bombardment, transforming the area around Tamamo no Mae into a maelstrom of fire, smoke, and shattered earth. Yet, it was not over. More missiles screamed down, followed by the terrifying whistle of an air bomb dropped from a bomber that flew by, delivering a payload designed for sheer devastation.

In the midst of the billowing smoke, amidst the concussive symphony of destruction, a ferocious roar erupted. The ground shuddered. A giant golden nine-tailed fox, truly monstrous in scale, rose and lunged from the smoke. Its colossal form, towering over the tallest trees in the forest, was visible even through the fading haze. Its magnificent golden fur was visibly charred and singed from the explosions, but a faint golden light seemed to shimmer across its vast hide, and the scorched patches slowly began to heal, mending themselves with unnerving speed. Its nine colossal tails whipped like golden banners, as a golden flame coated it.