Kaine finished his drink and stepped out of the tavern, pulling his mask and hood back on.
The bartender only sighed, already knowing what Kaine was about to do.
"Selling it would be easier than taming it. What is that man even thinking?"
Somewhere else in the district, Kaine arrived at a supply shop. His dagger was ruined, its blade worn down from clashing too many times against the hardened bodies of monsters.
The door opened with a chime. A 13 year old girl looked up and broke into a wide smile when she saw him.
"You're back, Kaine?"
He removed his mask and hood, looking at the shopkeeper's daughter. She always handled customers out front while her father worked in the back, hammering iron.
"Do you need something?" she asked.
Kaine unstrapped his dagger and handed it to her. The moment she held it, she could tell it was beyond saving.
The blade was dull, shortened from years of sharpening.
"I already told you, if you come again asking me to sharpen this thing, I won't do it. I might lose a finger."
Kaine slowly shook his head. "No sharpening. I need a new dagger."
"A new dagger? Now that's what I like to hear."
She scanned the rack and picked one whose grip fit his hand. It did not take long before Kaine made his choice.
"Five copper."
He paid and received a new dagger, its blade sharp and ready to tear through monster flesh.
He swung it lightly to the side. A faint blue glow trailed along the arc of the blade.
"Your skills are getting sharper, Kaine."
"Yeah," he said, sheathing the dagger. "If I didn't train, I'd have died five years ago."
She nodded. "Do you need anything else?"
Kaine lifted his head and studied the hunting gear displayed along the wall.
"I want that rope," he said, pointing at a coil carved with magic runes.
"That one? Are you sure? It's ten copper. Single use."
"Yes."
She looked confused, unsure what he planned to do with a magic rope and a new dagger. But seeing his cold expression, she doubted he would tell her.
Better to stay seller and buyer. That was safer for both of them.
The transaction finished. Kaine secured the enchanted rope. The binding spell would automatically restrain its target.
The restraint could only be released if the rope was cut from the outside using the wielder's blood.
Simple enough.
After finishing his purchases, Kaine left the shop and walked along the dusty road of the Jaxi District.
Patches of blood still stained the ground from the desert dragonfly monsters.
Ten minutes later, he was beyond the district's edge. He tucked the magic rope into his leather bag and began running.
Goggles shielded his eyes, a mask covered his mouth and nose, and his hood concealed his face.
He ran alone through the desert, vaulting over ruined buildings and ducking behind broken walls whenever he encountered a level 2 monster.
He had killed many level 1 monsters. But level 2 was different.
They required far more effort and time to defeat, though their cores sold for a good price.
He hid because he did not want to waste energy fighting one.
A fox spirit was trapped in the Hanging Tree Red Land, a wide stretch of blood colored sand and black leafless trees.
Kaine picked up a stone and threw it far off to the side. The sharp clatter echoed clearly through the desert ruins.
When the level 2 monster lumbered toward the sound, Kaine slipped forward, circling through the wreckage toward his destination.
Three hours later, he knelt atop a rocky hill. His mask and goggles still covered his face, hood lowered, shoulder length black hair whipping in the wind.
He looked ahead at a massive yellow brown sand cloud rolling toward the region.
Below him stretched the red land, marked by blood colored sand and black trunked trees. The air felt heavy with mystery.
At that distance, the sandstorm would hit here in two hours, and Jaxi District in five.
Kaine narrowed his eyes. He had time.
He drew his dagger and sprinted down the slope.
The moment his boots touched the red soil, a sulfur-like scent rose from below.
He stopped.
A red magic field flared across the entire area.
Kaine tensed. Kitsune were skilled with magic and illusions.
What is that damn fox doing?
A magic portal opened and launched blue fire at him. Kaine dodged quickly.
Better to evade than block. That flame carried high magical force. It could easily shatter his blade.
An explosion detonated behind him.
He thought it was over.
It was not.
More portals opened, firing blue flames from multiple angles.
With the growing number of fireballs, Kaine began to struggle.
BLAST.
An explosion hurled him backward. His body slammed into the ground. Blood spilled from his mouth.
The blast burned the surrounding black trees.
"Where are you? Show yourself!" Kaine shouted.
"Are you looking for me?"
The voice was soft and melodic, coming from above.
Kaine looked up.
A fox spirit in the form of an adult woman stood there, three tails swaying behind her.
"You damn fox spirit!"
"You're no knight. Just a weak man," she said coldly.
"A weak man who dodged all your flames. So who's weak?" Kaine shot back.
"You—!"
Without warning, Kaine leapt forward and attacked.
The fox woman manifested a sword of blue fire and blocked his dagger.
Kaine drove his foot into her body. She crashed to the ground, coughing blood.
"Why are you so physically strong?!" she cried.
He pressed the attack, slashing sideways. She barely dodged. Dagger clashed against flaming sword. Human versus kitsune.
"People become strong… because of their hatred!"
He kicked her through an opening in her guard, sending her flying.
She slammed into a black tree. The trunk snapped and collapsed over her, trapping her beneath it.
Kaine stepped through the wreckage and stared down at her.
Her mouth was filled with blood. Her eyes were dull. She had already been injured before meeting him.
"Kill me… just don't sell me."
Kaine fell silent. He removed his mask and goggles, revealing his face.
She gasped.
His hand trembled as he stretched the dagger. Veins stood out along his neck.
"You killed my family. You kidnapped my sister!"
"I have every reason to treat you worse than death," he said.
She shook her head weakly. "I don't know anything about your family."
"Of course you don't," Kaine replied, pulling out the magic rope. "Killers don't need to remember their victims' names."
He bound her body and dragged her from the fallen tree. The red magic field faded as her strength gave out.
Red light enveloped her form. She transformed from an adult woman into a three tailed fox with white and pink fur.
Kaine crouched and placed a hand against her body.
Her heart was still beating.
He secured the fox inside his bag, still bound. She remained unconscious, drained of power.
The only way to save Rachel was to extract information from a kitsune.
She might be the only path left.