Chapter 301: A Wild Leviathan Appears!
[Luna POV]
Two days after we saw the dance of islands while we were walking, Skadi and I noticed something approaching us from behind.
“Skadi.” (Luna)
“I know. It’s big, possibly a leviathan, but it’s still too far to tell at the moment. It is coming here quickly though.” (Skadi)
“I know the answer already, but are we going to stop and fight it?” (Velvet)
“I want to, but if most of you don’t want to, we can definitely escape from it.” (Luna)
“I’d like to see what a leviathan looks like nya.” (Mio)
“Same. Plus it’s an opportunity for you to level up, so why not fight it?” (Ophidia)
“Knew this was going to be the answer, not that I’m complaining. Just had to ask for the sake of it.” (Velvet)
“It wouldn’t be an adventure with big sis if something like this didn’t happen.” (Soleil)
I was about to retort to Soleil’s words when the world around us started to become dark.
“Darkness magic nya.” (Mio)
“Ugh. This kind of leviathan. These ones are annoying.” (Skadi)
“How so?” (Luna)
“Not that it matters much anymore, especially to you, but the leviathan coming for us right now is called a ghost leviathan. It covers a large area in darkness before hunting down whatever is trapped. The reason it’s called a ghost leviathan is due to it’s body that is super resistant to physical attacks normally. Hits slide right off of it like they pass through it. But again, with honestly most of our strength levels that won’t matter much.” (Skadi)
“Well, if needed, I can just use stellar magic again.” (Luna)
“I keep forgetting about that. Alright, but don’t completely destroy it, leviathan meat is like the sea version of wyvern meat, just a little less tasty.” (Skadi)
“Physical attacks all the way then.” (Luna)
“Hehe.” (Soleil)
We all grouped closer together while we waited for the leviathan to appear. We didn’t have to wait long though. We started to hear really loud, echoy noises that seemed to come from every direction at once. I set up a space barrier around us so that the sound wouldn’t actually disorient me and Soleil.
“Thanks, big sis.” (Soleil)
“No problem.” (Luna)
After another minute of looking around, the leviathan finally revealed itself. It was swimming at us head-on and it was massive. It gave off a fittingly ghostly blue glow with several points on its head glowing yellow. It had two long fins on the side of its head that were reminiscent of a hammerhead shark. It swam somewhat erratically while every so often being covered completely covered in darkness. Honestly, the effect was like those scenes from a horror movie where whatever is chasing the protagonist appears closer every time the lights flicker.
“Luna, is there any way you can make this barrier only cover out ears, otherwise we won’t be able to hit it.” (Skadi)
I snapped my fingers and adjusted the barrier in accordance with Skadi’s request. As soon as I did that, the leviathan twisted its body and one of the fins on the side of its head started scraping against the ground as it tried to get us to split up. Once it got close enough it let out the loudest sound its made so far to increase its chances to disorient us, though it had little effect. We did move to avoid its head and the first to strike it was Ophidia. She punched it in the bottom of its jaw which forced it shut and knocked it off its original course. After that, Mio descended into the darkness like the leviathan was doing earlier and appeared above it with a weapon made of pure darkness and swung down. The magic pierced it, but not deep enough for Mio’s attack to do what it needed to.
“Tch.” (Mio)
On the side opposite of me, Mio, and Ophidia, Skadi swung her sword and sliced the fin that was dragging across the ground off. The leviathan let out a strange groan of pain after that shook the ground. Soleil used some stellar magic to buff Velvet who extended her sword to try and restrain the leviathan before it could recover enough to either go into a frenzy or run away managed to get her sword to wrap around one of the other fins on the leviathan and pulled back. The leviathan was momentarily stopped but started to move again while slowly dragging Velvet with it.
“Luna!” (Velvet)
“On it!” (Luna)
I jumped towards the base of the leviathan’s head and stabbed my sword into it. Using my sword as a catalyst, I made a blade of ice around the blade of my sword. The ice blade then pierced out the other side of the leviathan. Then, using all of my strength, I pulled down on the handle of my sword and cut through the neck of the leviathan. It tried to let out some death noises but with most of its throat gone all that came out was some kind of gurgling. The blue glow and the darkness around us faded as the leviathan crashed into the ground kicking up sand in large clouds. Once the clouds of sand dissipated and I could see the surroundings again, I looked at everyone. All of them but Mio had a satisfied expression on their face.
“I feel useless nya. My attack didn’t do anything nya.” (Mio)
“Don’t feel bad, Mio. It probably had high resistance to darkness magic since it used it as well.” (Luna)
“It shouldn’t matter nya. I want to contribute more to the party than just being the one that naps all the time nya.” (Mio)
“I understand your feelings, Mio. We’ll try to find more opportunities for you to shine. I don’t want you to feel like you don’t-ugh.” (Luna)
“Lunya nya!?” (Mio)
I fell to my knees as a familiar pain started to course through my body starting at my lower back.
“Heh. Two levels from one leviathan. I like it. Ugh.” (Luna)
The others ran over to us when they heard Mio shouting.
“Another tail?” (Velvet)
“Uuuuugghhhh.” (Luna)
{Translation: Yes, and it hurts.}
“I didn’t think this leviathan would let you level twice.” (Skadi)
The pain increased further as I felt something change.
{Luna, why aren’t you letting yourself pass out from the pain?}
“Because I want to be able to continue moving after this is over. I don’t want to delay our journey for who knows how long because I’m passed out in bed. With the exception of my fifth tail, I was out of commission for some time afterwards. The time increased with the number of tails and I don’t want the others to have to wait for me.” (Luna)
The pain increased again and I bit down on my lip to keep from screaming. I tasted blood and I became dizzy. Another minute passed before the pain stated to rapidly fade. The sensation of another tail moving around caused me to smile before I shakily tried to move.
“Big sis, you look kinda scary with blood dripping from your mouth like that.” (Soleil)
I started to use healing magic on myself while I whipped the blood from my mouth.
“At least I managed to stay conscious. Give me a bit to actually be able to move again and we can start moving.” (Luna)
“Lunya nya, I know what I said earlier nya, but that doesn’t mean we need to rush nya. The merfolk can wait nya.” (Mio)
“Heh. It’s not just that, Mio. I also don’t want all of you to just wait around somewhere while I do nothing. I feel like if I did that, I’d be holding everyone back. I always feel that way when I get a new tail and am put out of commission.” (Luna)
“You do know that we don’t mind, right? Honestly, you don’t rest enough.” (Velvet)
“Yeah, big sis. While we do go on long stretches of time where all we do is walk and stuff, and nothing is a challenge for us, but you still hardly sit still. I mean, I have no idea if you truly relax when you see Goddess Tamamo, but still. Even when we go on off weeks where we visit home, you do a lot of stuff.” (Soleil)
“I’m of the same opinion as them, master. I know that you hardly sleep sometimes and are always making things and putting them in your inventory at night.” (Ophidia)
“Fine. I get it, you want me to take a break so that I’m in peak condition. I’m fine with that, but I don’t feel like teleporting to the one of the islands or the shrine. So how about we reach the merfolk city and I do what you say? We shouldn’t be that far from it, right?” (Luna)
“We’re still about four days away.” (Skadi)
Soleil and Velvet looked at each other and then back to me where they nodded their heads. Mio also nodded her head while Ophidia and Skadi didn’t react but I could tell that they agreed.
“With that decided, what changed this time, big sis?” (Soleil)
“Let’s see.” (Luna)
I took my necklace off and my other tails appeared at my back.
“Oooo. How pretty.” (Soleil)
I turned my head to see what she was talking about. When I saw one of my tails, my eyes widened in surprise. While the silver tip remained, the pure black color was replaced by what I could only describe as a starry sky pattern. When I moved the tail that I was looking at, the background didn’t move along with it making it seem like my tails were now like windows looking at a starry sky. I became mesmerized by this and moved my tails some more. I noticed a few of the constellations I made as well, so, if my hunch was right, Soleil and I would be able to use stellar magic without me opening up small domains now.
“It’s not just your tails that are like that, Luna. Your hair is like that as well, though it’s only the parts that people would only be able to see if you looked straight at them.” (Skadi)
{I can get used to this. It fits you so well.}
I chuckled at Tamamo’s words while pulling out one of the tags for my necklace. I enchanted it like the others that were on it while adding another enchantment to make my tails look like they did before. When I finished that and before I put the necklace back on, something in my head clicked.
“Wait, that’s a thing that can happen?” (Luna)
“What?” (Ophidia)
I concentrated on my tails and pictured them as a single one. A small ticklish feeling came from my lower back and I tried to see what happened only to be met with a giant fluffy thing blocking my view.
“Um, what just happened?” (Soleil)
“Apparently I can make all of my tails turn into one to hide them, but I guess it’s not as discrete as I thought it would be.” (Luna)
{Wait, can I do that as well?}
“Try it, Tamamo. If I can, you most likely can as well.” (Luna)
{…I can, but it’s weird. And heavy. I think I prefer 10 separate tails to one giant one.}
“I have to agree, though the big single tail would be nice as a hug pillow.” (Luna)
This statement caused Mio to perk up.
“Nya.” (Mio)
“Not now, Mio.” (Luna)
“Fine nya. But at some point it will happen nya.” (Mio)
“Alright.” (Luna)
I made my tails return to eight separate ones again and put on my necklace. I then stood up.
“Oh, before we go, I’m gonna check my stats.” (Luna)
I pulled up my status to see the new changes and while I wasn’t really surprised, I did get this surreal feeling looking at it.
Name: Luna Reed
Race: Kitsune(Eight-tailed/Demigod)
Sex: Female
Level: 80
Class: Quintuple-mage
HP: 100%-SSS
MP: EX
Vit: EX
Def: EX
Res: EX
Str: SSS
Int: EX
Agi: EX
Dex: EX
Skills: Presence detection, Trap detection, Trap disarming, Trap creation, Dagger LV. 10, Short sword LV. 10, Archery LV.10, Poison crafting, Appraisal LV.10, Mana Regeneration LV.10, Stealth LV.10, Household, Sleep Resistance LV.10, Restraint LV.10, Brushing Technique LV.10, Telepathy LV.10, Intimidation LV.10, Parallel Processing, Cartography LV.10, Singing LV.10, Woodcarving LV.10, Hidden Weapon LV.10, Dance LV.10, Music(Flute) LV. 10
Magic Skills: Ice Magic LV.10, Lightning Magic LV.10, Healing Magic LV.10, Space Magic LV.10, Stellar Magic LV.10
Race Skills: Illusion Magic LV.10, Spirit Vision, Fox Fire, Fox Transformation, Enhanced Senses, Night Vision, Enhanced Physical Strength
Unique Skills: Status Effect Immunity, Ice Mist, Language Comprehension, Infinite Inventory, Divine Fluff Technique
Divine Skills: Domain Creation, Constellation Creation, Divine Judgement(Sealed), Abyssal Blessing, Apostle Creation, Summon: Apostle
Blessings, Divine Protection, and Titles:
Divine Protection of the Moon Goddess, Reincarnated, Fated One of the Moon Goddess, Abyssal Fluff, Sage, Trap Master: Dismantling, Ninja, Dungeon Clearer, Master of the Ancient Serpent, Wyvern Slayer, Spectral Mists, Demigod of Stars, Demigod of Space, Master of Hidden Weapons, Weapons Master, Jack of All Trades, Owner of Cerberus
Authority: Space, Fluff, Stars
Depth:[email protected]#%^#%
Labors: 7
“So, just how stupid strong are you now?” (Velvet)
“Only things that aren’t EX are HP and STR.” (Luna)
“That’s truly just stupid. I mean, you’re basically a goddess now.” (Skadi)
“Hey, I know. But we’re just going to treat this like it’s normal so that any curious gods that start watching me for whatever reason don’t get all upset that I’m more a goddess than a demigoddess that’s descended to play around.” (Luna)
{…I’ll be back. I need to check on something.}
I tilted my head at Tamamo’s sudden urgency before just shrugging it off. Once I made sure that I was in perfect condition again, we started moving again. Four days later, we could see the city of merfolk in the distance.
Chaos Realm:
Before you say anything, Tamamo, her race is still demigod, so no, she's not breaking any rules.
Tamamo: That's a relief. As for anyone else watching her, there aren't, right?
Nope. Aside from you and us here, no other gods are watching her.
Astraea: Yay! Miss Tama is here!
Order: Astraea, calm down.
Tamamo: Ufufu. She's gotten bigger again.
Yeah. Though she won't grow physically again for a while.
Order: Astraea come back, I you need to finish your lessons for the day.
Astraea: Ok. Miss Tama, I'll see you in a little bit.
Tamamo: What are you trying to teach her?
To read. After that we're thinking of starting to teach her the theoretical side of magic and stuff before we let her go on to the practical side.
Tamamo: Far be it for me to try and give parenting advice, but isn't this a bit too early to teach her that? Magic, I mean.
The book knowledge part, no. And I've also already placed restrictions so she can't sneakily try to do magic before she is actually ready to.
Tamamo: I see. By the way, where is Atmos?
Trying to figure out the perfect timing to prank Soleil.
Tamamo: I knew she would hold a small grudge for that. I guess I'll go and tell Luna and Soleil to prepare for something in the near future.
That's probably a good idea.