Swordsmaster Fox-girl

But Esther was too fast. In under a second, Felicia’s throat was slit without Freya being able to do anything.

Esther stared ahead coldly. She splashed the blood on her blade to the ground before sheathing her sword. She could feel Freya rushing up to her, but she decided not to move.

The natural result was her being knocked over. Freya mounted on top of her and was practically trying to choke her.

“WHYY!!!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?”

“Would you rather risk staying in the tutorial for longer?” Esther said calmly.

“YES! YOU DON’T HAVE TO KILL HER! WE COULD FIND ANOTHER WAY!”

“What other way?” Esther slightly glared at her. Wishful thinking. You’re lucky I kind of like you. “Our survival is most important. Everything else comes second.”

Freya slammed her fists down again. She continued bashing against Esther’s chest before realizing something.

“Y-You, don’t tell me, the people at the start….”

Esther saw no reason to hide it anymore. She let out a long sigh. “That’s right. It was me. Less people means more rewards. You should try it sometimes.”

“J-Just for that!? W-Why do you keep me alive then!?”

But Esther just stayed silent, not wanting to answer. As she was getting uncomfortable and was about to restrain Freya, she felt her hair standing on end. A massive mass of killing intent was hurling toward them, and Freya’s body was blocking her sight.

“MOVE!”

“No! You’re just gonna kill more peo—”

“You fucking idiot!” Esther shoved Freya out of the way, just in time for the mass to arrive.

It was a massive worm-like creature with red eyes all over its charcoal-black body. By the time Esther could move again, her left arm was already severed and inside its stomach.

[Blight Worm, Nest of Disease]

Time seemingly slowed down. Esther could see everything clearly. From the gaping hole in Felicia’s corpse to Freya’s shocked face.

But she had only one thought at that moment.

Ah, that hurts like a bitch.

No matter. 

The worm was enjoying its meal right in front of Esther’s face; clearly confident in its defense.

She brought her right arm to the stub that was once her left one. Casting just enough healing so that it wouldn’t bleed anymore, she unsheathed Requiem as the worm was still enjoying its meal.

Esther grabbed the handle of her sword between her teeth. She stomped toward Freya, grabbed her collar, and growled. “Break the floor.”

“B-But your arm, it—”

“Irrelevant. Break. The. Floor.”

With a mixture of guilt and fear, Freya lightly nodded. She placed both of her hands on the floor and let vines infect the structure. Then, she broke it.

Everyone, including Esther, was in free fall for but a second. While Freya was confused, Esther was much less so. She’d inspected the ladder beforehand and found that they were really close to the bottom. She just didn’t want to rest on sewage.

But now, she had to fight on sewage.

With a mighty roar, the worm slithered toward Esther at break-neck speed. Spikes of Ice emerged from the water to halt its progress, but they barely made a scratch on its skin before breaking apart. Shit, wasted all my Mana for nothing.

“[Star Steps]”

Esther easily dodged the charge. However, the worm changed its target to Freya. Frowning, Esther walked above the worm and used [Meteor Sword].

The burning meteor embedded its sword in the worm’s skin, but it still squirmed around wildly. The worm was smart enough to smash the annoying bug that was Esther onto the sewer wall.

Esther groaned in pain. She tried to unstuck herself, but it was too late. The worm leaped forward and swallowed her whole, breaking the wall in the process.

By some miracle, the sharp teeth only grazed her body. But now she had to deal with its stomach. The stench was unbearable, the slimiest was disgusting, and the acid was slowly eating at her skin.

She tried to slice its stomach open, but she had no space to swing her sword effectively.

Outside, Freya looked at the worm nervously. The thing that N said to her came to mind.

“Don’t trust her.”

What happened to Felicia only proved his words. But….

Fox Spirit is still Fox Spirit.

Whether she killed people or not… didn’t matter. Her father, the Guildmaster, also killed people for a living. Why should she be afraid of Esther, who gave up her arm for her?

If what the Cube said is true, then I can probably use this. She took out a small blue crystal from her pocket and broke it apart.

Inside the stomach, Esther suddenly felt a rush of power entering her body.

[Status Restored. Participant Freya Spears has broken the Seal of your Power]

She didn’t even need to look at the screen to see that her power was restored. That brat, you want me to die or something? Ah, but I was going to become worm shit anyways. I should thank her when I get out of here.

The sudden pressure moved the air currents violently, expanding the stomach a bit.

That was all Esther needed. She sheathed Requiem and took a deep breath.

“[Moon Arch]”

One Arch, two Arches, three Arches, twenty Arches. The white Arches of Moon surrounded Esther’s body like a net. Fuck, my Aura’s gone. It’d better work.

And it did. The Arches sliced the worm’s body from inside out, leaving it no more than a pile of blood and gore. 

Suddenly, she felt intense pain and panic hitting her body. With trembling hands, she quickly sheathed Requiem back into its scabbard. Fifteen seconds is up already? Hah, just in time.

Esther walked out of the mess dyed red. With slow steps, she approached Freya and put a hand on her shoulder. “Dunno how you restored my power, but good work.”

But Freya couldn’t accept the compliment. Her gaze drifted toward Esther’s (lack of) left arm as her look became extremely concerned.

“B-But your arm! Because of me, y—”

“Hey, look me in the eyes.”

Normally, the red stuff would’ve made Esther’s eyes impossible to find. But since she last used Ice magic, her eyes were currently a calm blue color.

“Are those the eyes of someone who’s despairing?”

“N-No?”

“Then don’t worry about it. I can use my other arm just fine.” Esther smiled, careful not to let any of the blood get into her mouth. “And prosthetics are a thing. I’m going to be just fine.”

Seeing Freya blushing and nodding, Esther’s smile unwitting became wider. “Now, let’s get out of h—”

[Blight Worm uses Second Wind. Phase 2 commences]