Kukah's smile flickered for a moment before his usual scowl returned, a grim expression concealing the unease in his heart. "Our village," he began, his voice low and shaky, "is plagued by a terrible force."
Axel stuffed his hands into his pockets, his gaze impassive. "Explain further," he replied, his voice cold and uninterested. His patience was wearing thin.
Kukah bowed deeper, desperation apparent. "We are not like your kind. We are demons—beasts that lie, steal, and kill. But even demons have children... families. We care for our own.
I beg you, rid us of this plague that's been haunting us for generations."
Axel hated these types. The ones who tried to tug at emotions rather than get to the point. "I won't ask you again," Axel warned, his tone hardening. "If you don't tell me what you need, I might just kill you all myself."
The tension thickened in the cold air, the demons surrounding Kukah visibly shaken by Axel's threat. This man, clearly no hero, held no sympathy for them.
Kukah straightened, sensing Axel's seriousness. "The great demon fox... it's the plague," he confessed, his words more direct now. "It has terrorized our people for thousands of years, slaughtering us without mercy."
Axel raised an eyebrow. 'A demon fox, huh? So Kurama's the bad guy in this story.' His hand absently raked through his hair as he processed the information. "So, you want me to kill this overgrown dog?"
Kukah nodded gravely. "It should not be too difficult for someone of your... strength."
Axel narrowed his eyes, detecting the doubt in Kukah's tone despite the demon chief's outward submission. He wasn't buying the flattery. "If I help you, then you and your people will serve me—forever. As slaves."
The village elder hesitated, his eyes betraying his inner conflict. But after a brief pause, he nodded. It was clear he had no intention of honoring that agreement, at least not after Axel had dealt with their 'plague.'
Axel smirked. That look—he knew it too well. 'He thinks that after I kill the fox, I'll be too weakened to defend myself. That they'll be able to take me out easily afterward. How predictable.'
"That explains everything then." Axel turned to Mane, who had remained silent beside him. He clapped a hand on Mane's shoulder. "Ever since I got here, I've sensed something—an enormous aura approaching fast."
His voice carried a warning. "You all better start running if you don't want to get caught up in this."
As if on cue, the demons in the village broke into a frenzied panic, sprinting away as fast as their legs could carry them. Their survival instincts kicked in, overriding any sense of loyalty they might've had for their chief.
Axel's heart skipped a beat. He stared at the fox, his blood running cold. 'Did it just say... gods?' His mind reeled as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing. Was his death not a coincidence? His reincarnation, his powers—had all of it been orchestrated?
Kurama's deep voice cut through his thoughts. "You are more than you think, Lord of the Undead. You are part of a plan far older and more dangerous than you can imagine. The gods—"
Axel's entire body went rigid. His fists clenched involuntarily, every muscle taut with tension. If this was true, if gods were involved, it meant his life, his choices—everything—had been manipulated from the start.
Suddenly, a deep, guttural laugh echoed in Axel's mind. Velerium, the voice of his system, had been silent for some time, but now, it made its return with a dark, twisted amusement. "Ah, finally figuring it out, are we? I would have told you earlier, but where's the fun in that? The truth is never as simple as you think, Axel."
Axel's jaw clenched. He wanted answers, but everything was becoming more convoluted by the second. "You better start talking, Velerium," Axel muttered under his breath.
The fox, as if sensing the inner turmoil within Axel, lowered its massive head toward him. "Follow me, and the truth will be revealed. The gods are watching, Axel Teras. They always have been."
Axel's breath hitched. 'They've been watching... since the beginning?' His heart pounded in his chest as Kurama turned its colossal frame, its tails swishing through the air like blades slicing through reality itself.
"You have no choice, Lord of the Undead," Kurama said, its voice low and haunting. "If you want the answers you seek, you will have to face the gods themselves."
Axel swallowed hard, his mind racing. The test he thought was about slaying some demon fox had now spiraled into something far more dangerous—a test against divine forces. Forces that had been controlling his fate all along.
Without another word, the Nine-Tailed Fox began to walk, its massive form disappearing into the snowy mist. Axel stood still, his heart pounding as he realized what lay ahead.
'The gods. My reincarnation. The truth.'
With a heavy sigh, Axel clenched his fists, stepping forward to follow the fox into the unknown.
And for the first time in his journey, he wasn't sure if he was ready for what was coming next.
***Author's note***
My head is on fire... I don't know how the plot keeps twisting but I think I deserve some support at this time... I won't say more than that because I know you all are great readers.