SSS Awakening: I Can Class Change at will - Chapter 257 The Three Tailed Fox [2]
Chapter 257 The Three Tailed Fox [2]
“So that’s why you didn’t stop my puppet Mara from continuing to ‘heal’ everyone… despite having your own suspicions about her behavior.” Moon nodded, “Of course, why would I? They can’t see me or interfere now. Which means I can fight you at the full extent of my abilities without holding back. You’ve actually done me a tremendous favor.”
The fox’s face darkened, its smirk finally evaporating, “I see…you planned this from the very beginning. You are quite the intelligent one, you would add a remarkable specimen to my collection.”
Moon’s eyes narrowed. “What makes you think you can win now that I’ve seen through your illusion tricks? I can kill S-rank beasts with a single attack. And you’re clearly not built for defensive tanking or direct combat—you’re a control specialist, a manipulator.” “Because,” the fox replied, its purple eyes beginning to glow with intensifying radiance, “I’ve been stalling you just long enough to finish casting my strongest illusion spell. I don’t believe you have the ability to escape the same skill twice, whatever natural treasure you used…you can’t use it again.”
Purple mist began pouring from the fox’s body, flowing outward like liquid smoke. “And besides, don’t compare me to those pathetic weaklings you’ve been fighting. A pet can never overpower its owner…so become my pet.” The mist spread rapidly across the chamber, filling the space with alarming speed.
Moon immediately summoned wind element, channeling powerful gusts to blow the purple fog away from his position.
But the wind had almost no effect. The supernatural mist was far too dense, too magically reinforced to be dispersed.
Moon’s frown deepened as the fog continued approaching, creeping closer despite his efforts. He was certain he wasn’t trapped in an illusion yet.
Before the mist could reach him, Moon made a calculated decision to take a significant risk.
Although the fox believed it had been successfully stalling Moon while preparing its ultimate illusion spell, the reality was quite the opposite.
Moon had been the one buying time.
Despite the healing magic he’d cast on himself, he’d barely been able to stand upright moments ago. The multiple deaths he’d suffered while trapped in the illusion had taken a massive toll on his body—a cumulative debuff that even [Purify] wasn’t able to fully address.
But thankfully, through his conversation with the fox, he’d managed to stall long enough for his recovery to restore a significant portion of his combat capability.
Now he could actually fight.
Lightning began crackling intensely around both of Moon’s hands, and before long a wolf-shaped construct started forming on his palm, growing larger and more defined with each passing second.
The moment it reached the threshold, Moon unleashed [Lightning Raiju] directly through the approaching purple mist.
The electrical wolf-spirit tore through the fog without being affected by its illusory properties, ignoring the mental manipulation effects entirely.
The fox’s eyes widened with alarm.
It didn’t wait to see if the attack would track or dissipate. Instead, it immediately bolted from its position, abandoning its confident stance and fleeing at maximum speed, its three tails streaming behind it as it ran.
But to its growing dismay, the Lightning Raiju didn’t travel in a straight line and lose momentum.
The construct followed the fox’s movements, adjusting its trajectory mid-flight as Moon mentally guided it through their connection.
‘He can control that spell to this extent…troublesome.’ The fox thought.
ZAP!
The Raiju caught up within seconds, closing the distance despite the fox’s supernatural speed.
Realizing the futility of trying to outrun a guided spell, the fox made a decision. It spun around mid-sprint and charged directly at the approaching Raiju, meeting it head-on in a collision of spectacular display of purple and blue.
The Lightning Raiju detonated on impact with a blinding flash of blue-white brilliance and the deafening crack of a direct lightning strike.
When Moon’s vision cleared from the afterimage, he could see the fox still standing…
The creature was limping, one of its front legs favoring significant injury. Smoke rose from singed patches across its white fur, and its breathing had become labored and irregular.
But it was alive, very much alive.
Moon’s eyes narrowed with surprise and growing concern as he reassessed his opponent.
He’d channeled tremendous amounts of mana into that strike—easily enough destructive power to instantly kill any of the S-rank beasts he’d faced in the previous gates.
Yet this fox had tanked it in a head-on collision and survived, even if it was wounded.
“Just what the hell is this fox? Is it stronger than an S-Rank…?”
His expression darkened as the purple mist continued its inexorable advance, now only meters away from his position despite his attempts to slow it or move away from it.
Moon activated [Appraisal], directing it at the approaching fog.
Nothing. No information returned, just like when he’d been trapped in the illusion earlier.
He immediately shifted his appraisal to other objects in the chamber—the stone floor, the walls.
All of those returned basic status information normally.
Realizing he might not be able to completely stop the fog’s approach through defensive measures alone, Moon made another decision.
He rapidly activated three of his most powerful prepared runes simultaneously—the healing rune, the defensive rune, and the offensive rune he’d inscribed during his waiting period and on Earth.
All three activated at once around his position, their enchantments blazing to life.
Ten ethereal swords suddenly materialized in the air above Moon’s head, floating in a protective formation. Each blade was poised and ready to strike.
A green halo manifested around his entire body, wrapping him in healing energy that would continuously heal damage as it occurred.
And finally, a translucent protective bubble expanded outward from his position, creating a spherical barrier of concentrated defensive magic that could defend against the direct strike of an S-Rank beast.
The floating swords had been inscribed with conditions—they would automatically attack anything that attempted to physically harm Moon’s body, responding faster than conscious thought could direct them.
Between the three-layered defense and his own ability in escaping the mist, Moon had created the best protection he could manage in the seconds available.
The purple mist continued its advance, now touching the outer edge of his defensive bubble.
Moon accessed his status, placing the five attributes he had left into the attributes he believed he needed most in the next ordeal.
[Constitution: 53 -> 55]
[Mana: 68 -> 71]
