Agnisotra: Origin Tails

30 minutes had passed and no jungle dragons or elves were approaching. Does this jungle not have any? Strange.

That is good news for the students, but probably bad news for this jungle. Who or what prevents stuff from going bad out here? Can a jungle just do fine on its own? I don’t know. I’m not a race responsible for that.

I activated my Elgards eyes and scanned this part of the forest. Some settlements of strange humans but the rest are just jungle animals and monsters. No other interesting races. Maybe they’re underground or like tree people or nymphs. I have no clue if those make their home here.

As I was about to return to the small ice village, I felt uneasy. I opened the filter that allowed me to see the dimensional fabric and it was also torn here. This has been popping up a lot lately. It can’t be a good thing. It had no maggots though and it wasn’t festering. Was it a new tear? I didn’t see anything behind the fabric that would have caused it. Why does the fabric tear? Does it happen by itself or is something trying to get in and just slashing at the fabric and making tears left and right? I targeted it with opaque white flames and closed the filter.

I returned to the ice village and I saw Crissy and Hayley looking around.

Strange where are my clones? They disappeared. It seems they got defeated by something but I don’t know what. Crissy and Hayley were the only ones outside. I jumped in between them, got another tail out and wrapped them in my tails.

Something is off here. Did you notice anything?

“We heard strange sounds after we came out to have a chat with you.” Hayley stroked my tail in a way that sent shivers through my spine. She isn’t going to steal it is she?

“Yeah, I have a lot to say to you!”

That can wait Crissy. I left 3 shadow clones behind here to watch over the ice village but they got defeated without knowing what happened.

I went through multiple filters but couldn’t find anything. I couldn’t find anything but my intuition told me to get away from where I was standing. I jumped away and saw space bend at where I just stood. It would have twisted us and sucked us through a small hole if we had stayed there. I still couldn't see what was attacking us.

My intuition told me to open the dimensional fabric filter. I don’t know why I don’t have these in the default filters I go through. The place was infested with dimensional ants. They were about as tall as a human teen. They had large mandibles. There was one big difference between them and ants as one would know them. A humanoid torso stuck out from their backs. It was light purple. It had eye sockets but no eyes. The mouth on the humanoid part of them seemed stitched shut and they had long black nails on their fingers.

They were extremely creepy. The humanoid parts seemed to cast spatial magic and targeted me for deletion. I briefly weighed my options. If their target is only me, they will leave Hayley and Crissy alone so it would be safer to leave them behind. Something told me that that was a bad idea. I moved away from the ice village because one of their spatial distortions almost hit a house. Another peculiarity of these abominations. They weren’t walking over the dimensional fabric. They were everywhere except on the fabric. There was also a big hole in the fabric here. Are these things like dimensional maggots? Or are these actual invaders? I have no idea.

“What’s going on? You look stressed.”

I realize that the 2 chicks can't see this. Maybe that’s good. These things are nightmare-inducing.

The ant part started shooting some strange liquid at me. I assume that it’s acid but that might be the best-case scenario. I froze it and sent it back to them. It got hit by its own attack and it seemed in pain. The liquid glowed and started to mutate the section it had hit this ant humanoid. Do I call this an Antoid? I stopped moving. Moments of Ted flashed back through my mind. What pun would he make. Would we tell him it was a bad pun?

“Hey, Agnis are you all right? And where are you going” Crissy’s voice snapped me out of it and I avoided more strange liquid.

I don’t want to end up as an abomination. How do I get rid of these things? I had successfully lured them away from the ice village but no plan.

I looked at Crissy. What color are my eyes?

“Ehh, some blue purple. Hey you can change your eye color?”

The color of eye depends on what I can see. At the moment we’re under attack but things you two can’t see. Well, it’s not we that are under attack, I’m under attack but I think it would be a bad idea to leave you 2 behind there.

I evaded another [Spatial Twist]. This left a small tear in the fabric of space. The Antoids that swarmed after me ran over it and teared it open in the process.

Ugh, is it you assholes who keep creating tears in the fabric? I disconnected from the leyline currents and I torched them with foxfire.

“I see it! Something is on fire there!” It seems that the chicks could see the fire but not what was on fire.

Crissy sent a [Flame Wave] at them but it passed through them.

“Huh? Why can’t I hit them?”

Probably because you can only hit them if its mixed with spatiotemporal magic but I can’t go ham on it because I will vaporize you 2.

“There are a lot of them! Is there really nothing we can do to help you? Not that I mind doing nothing and enjoy these soft tails.” Hayley stroked my tail in a way that gave me shivers.

“Hayley behave yourself! Is there a way to attack them without setting them on fire?”

Hmm, now that you mention it, Azu told me that I can infuse any element with spatiotemporal magic.

I focused and laced [Eternal Winter] with spatiotemporal magic and froze all these creepy assholes. This allowed the chicks to see how the Antoids looked like and they freaked out.

“Aaah! What is that! It’s so hideous!” Hayley screamed.

“I feel sick…” Crissy seemed disgusted. Hope she doesn’t vomit on my tails.

I snapped my fingers and made all the frost shatter into a million pieces oneshotting most of them. 3 big ones survived and dashed at me. I had gained a lot of mana from doing all this. It’s time to use one of my new skills. I used [Kryokym] laced with spatiotemporal magic and the Antoids got one-shot.

Whoo that packs a punch.

[Kryokym] returns all the mana I gained from using frost magic as damage. Just [Nilah] and [Kryokym] turns frost magic from quite defensive magic into extremely bursty in nature. If I play may cards well I can one-shot a lot of annoying opponents with these.

They are gone… they left some weird stuff behind though…

Every Antoid had left some weird purple dot behind after they had died. I approached one when all my tails popped out, warned me and pushed me back from them. The purple dots rapidly expanded in size and tore enormous holes in the dimensional fabric. It also took my right arm.

“Your arm!”

“Noo! We need a healer” Crissy did her panic thing and started to hyperventilate.

Ugh, chill, this is not the first time I lost an arm. It was also quite painless.

I inspected the situation. My arm was gone and not just stuck in a different dimension. I used frost magic to create an arm and layered illusions on it to make it look real.

I dropped to one knee. This is tiring. I looked at the dimensional fabric which looked like a beehive. I was staring directly in the void. I never had seen a hole this big since Boshi town.

Fixing this is going to take forever unless I use my pseudo 9t mode. But losing my 9t abilities for a day is not something I want to do now. I decided to torch this with opaque white flames but because the holes were so big there wasn’t much to torch. I doubt the maggots can do a decent job at partly fixing this. I sighed.

“Are you ok? You just lost your arm you know!” Hayley seemed to be having difficulties in staying calm but I appreciated it that she wasn’t freaking out like Crissy.

Thank you for your concern I’m fine. Having my arm made out of ice actually makes me stronger in some situations.

“You said you lost your arm before? Did a healer fix it?”

Oh no, give it 3 or 4 hours and it will grow back, courtesy of not being human. The blood loss is a problem though…

We looked at the pool of blood I had left on the ground. I froze it and turned it into fine dust so that nothing could use it for whatever.

Crissy had calmed down but seemed upset. It’s always something… “Why are you acting like it’s nothing? You just lost your arm fighting some strange invisible monsters! It’s fine to say you’re not ok! You guys also did that in that labyrinth. We didn’t know if we would ever make it out and you guys just act like nothing is going on!”

“Yeah! You can say when you’re not ok!”

Thank you but I’m fine. You don’t want to hear me say that I’m not fine, trust me. It will just make you hate the world and possibly your own race. Let’s go back.

Both Hayley and Crissy put up a sad face but I paid it no mind. I dropped them off at their house.

“Make sure you rest well! I will be checking up on you tomorrow!”

“Crissy is emanating some wife energy hehe.”

“Hayley shut up!”

They went inside and I sat on Teppei’s house and kept the dimensional fabric filter on. No maggots have appeared yet. I looked at the dimensional fabric over the jungle that I had blasted with white opaque flames and nothing there either. I created 3 shadow clones and decided to eat some raw chicken to help me get some blood back and then took a nap.

I woke up after the shittiest nap ever. My frost arm had fallen off and I had my real arm back. I moved it around because it was a bit sore and stiff. Strangely enough, it was easier to use than my previous right arm.

I looked around and didn’t see any Antoids or other anomalies. No maggots… This is actually concerning. How am I supposed to fix this dimensional fabric without the maggots? What if the maggots are also going extinct? Where do they even come from? Or did the Antoids eat them? Either way this situation is bad. I might have to add ‘find another 9t to help me’ on the list but our race isn’t doing so hot right now so this might be impossible.

Some early birds left their frost house. They looked refreshed. At least someone had a refreshing night.

I sighed and tried to nap more when old bones appeared. “I heard the story from Chris, are you alright?”

Stop being concerned, it doesn’t suit you.

Crissy and Hayley climbed onto the house.

Ugh, the pity squad has assembled, I’m fine!

“Stop being so stubborn! Let me see that arm!” Crissy wrestled me and took a look at my arm.

Hey, old timer shouldn’t you stop her? You don’t like guys getting close to your grandchild, right?

I broke free and escaped from Crissy. “Wait! Is gramps the reason you’re evading me? Gramps!”

Good luck old timer!

“Ugh, I swear, I will cut you down one day, no Chris! I’m not trying to keep him away from you! Yet…” Teppei gave me an intimidating stare but I ignored it as I jumped down. It was time to check on my students.

Sup students, what are you up to early this morning?

“Oh, we’re getting some fresh air. The air here feels noticeably cleaner than back at uni.”

“Yeah, I’m not much of an early bird but this is refreshing!”

“Why is it so much warmer here than at the academy?

A guy adjusted his glasses. Seriously Francis is everywhere when an explanation is needed. “The western Aquini mountain range traps warm air from escaping to the ocean. This keeps everything north and east from it temperate and anything west and south of it a bit more extreme.”

“What? Francis in Kaledonian please?”

Mountains keep this side warmer.

“Ah” The students were diligent and started practicing a bit.

I decided to practice too to work this arm in. I calibrated the leyline energy. 9.1% affinity and 3.9% authority. I wonder if the planet is doing well, my authority over the available leyline energy is steadily dropping. Is Isi weakening or is this location specific? I started throwing water Dragonvein skills around.

Teppei appeared 20 minutes later.

“Whew, grandchildren can be relentless. Is this what you used to give us the worst bus ride in history? It seems rhythmic, is it possible to use this with your sword fighting style?”

I can but if I do that, I will probably kill you.

“Oh, getting cocky again, eh? How about you give a demonstration!”

I want to beat you with skill not with cheats.

Teppei had already drawn his magic sword Kageshini. That sword scares me, it’s not as strong as Shirayuki but it can boost this old farts speed and make invisible cuts that aren’t even wind related. I haven’t found the filter yet to see the cuts so I have to deduce it from how he swings his katana but even then. The cuts don’t act naturally. And those cuts inflict [Spite]. Now he can remove it with his sword but in a life and death fight with this old fart just 1 or 2 cuts will cost you your life.

“Come on, I’m curious now, show me what you got brat!”

Go write a will first and say goodbye to Crissy first!

The students gathered around to watch. Luckily, they weren’t stupid and were quite far away and even climbed on the frost houses. Smart of them.

“I guess I have to make the first move then.” He stepped in and wind started to swirl around him. More like [Wind Blades].

Getting close to him would feel like stepping in my [Blender] or in the appliance that shares its name. For quick and sharp movements, lightning is the best. I shifted stance and used [High Voltage] and red lightning coursed through my body. I still had Shirayuki sheathed and took my stance for an Iai. The old fart picked this up and he was alerted.

He started sending the wind blades at me. I took a deep breath and exhaled. I cut all the wind blades down with lightning-infused [Iai: Nilah]. The 9 red blueish cuts eradicated the wind blades and homed in on Teppei in a wide arc. He realized that he couldn’t dodge it and used his [Iai: Kazeshini] but he only got rid of one of the 9 cuts flying at him. This was cool and all but I had already started using [Accel step] and caught up to the cuts causing Teppei to get attacked from 9 sides.

“This is ridiculous!” He prioritized parrying my strike.

He managed to get rid of 3 of the remaining 8 cuts and successfully parried my strike but got hit by the other 5. Blood erupted from his body as he got hit by the slashes. This whole scene played off in 4 seconds. Teppei was unable to continue fighting but he was still alive and kicking.

Are you still alive old fart?

“I concede… I didn’t realize there would be that much of a difference…”

Holy shit you’re still alive! It’s a zombie!

“I would cut you down if I could”

Let me fix that for you. I snapped my fingers and broke some illusion layers. I always make it a habit to form these before or at the start of a battle. Teppei returned to his healthy but still old self.

“Wait it's over already?”

“That was fast!”

“What was that?”

“Is he going to be the new Sword Saint?” The students seemed to have no clue what just happened. This must have probably been the shortest fight they have ever seen.

Teppei inspected himself. “Interesting, I assume that wasn’t your strongest attack.”

Not really but it comes close to one of my strongest sword attacks. But I’m not out here to kill you because I could also just turn the whole area in a popsicle, shatter the ice and kill everyone here. But that’s obviously not an option.

“And here I thought if it was just with physical feats that I could beat a mythical beast.”

Oh, you would still destroy me in most physical fights don’t get me wrong. But relying on those powers too much might actually get me killed, how paradoxical that might sound.

Teppei stroked his beard. “With great power comes great responsibility. I think I get it. Many nations had asked me to become their general and some have sent strong individuals or even armies at me to make me comply or even kill me.”

Oof, that must have been rough, but yeah something similar to that will happen if I randomly sent energy waves off whenever I need to beat something up. I will just be screaming. ‘I’m here! Come kill me!’ or something.

“You might want to tone down the flashiness of your skills though…”

It’s not me! It’s her! I pointed at Shirayuki.

“I see so it does have a will. It seems to have a strong will.”

Yeah… I have to be careful because she only cares about me. If I have her out and I get hurt like losing my arm earlier, she would probably freeze everything around me or cut it to pieces, including you guys. She is normally well behaved but she has 0 tolerance against anything that is a serious threat to me. Which could be a problem.

“Getting your sword under control is also part of being a swordsman. Only you decide what to cut and what not to cut.”

Thanks, Teppei, now you go deal with these students who seem to have a million questions I’m going to scout out the dungeon! Cya!

“Hey! What! Wait!”

I headed toward the pyramid temples while Teppei got buried under questions.