Ryuu wanted to get up and go near little fox, but he thought it might run away if he did, therefore, he remained stationary without moving an inch.

After pondering for a bit he got an idea and decided to try it out so he closed his eyes pretending not to notice her, but at the same time, he spread his consciousness into surrounding 50 meters in diameter and observed little fox's movements.

Even he had no idea why he could spread his consciousness outward when his spirit was still dormant but since he could he decided not to think about it too much.

Seeing the fox remain in the same place without moving a bit, he felt that something was amiss "Why did it run away previously if it didn't this time?"

He couldn't help but wonder and soon he got an idea "Wait, ... let me try it out." he thought and made small movement opening his mouth a bit.

As soon as he did that, faint melody from before spread to his surroundings

and it was the same one he was singing not long ago when coming here.

At the same time, the melody was resonating with surrounding plants and trees, he focused on a little fox.

To his surprise, he couldn't feel fox anymore and thought that it already left which had made him instantly sad.

He continued singing for a bit more and as he was about to stop something soft touched his forehead.

A nice and warm feeling spread from his head all the way through his body and he wondered why was this feeling so familiar.

At that moment he thought, "Wait, isn't this the same feeling as my blanket?!" and then slowly opened his eyes to see what was going on.

However, what he did not expect at all actually happened.

Little fox he wanted to play with came on its own and placed its head on his forehead.

His body jerked as if he got pierced by a needle and in panic stopped singing.

As he did that, suddenly ...

- "Huh, why did you stop it's a beautiful song?" thought spread in his mind.

Then for the following next seconds, he temporarily lost an ability to think as his brain was processing what actually happened.

"Did I imagine it or .... he thought.

"What, is it that strange?"

" ..... Y-YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK!" Ryuu blurted out looking at a fox with a very excited look.

"Of course I can, were you not aware of that?" little fox transmitted her thoughts while removing her head an stepping back.

"You ... how?"

"So you chased me without even knowing what I truly am?" the fox asked.

"What do you mean?" he inquired.

"You are in presence of the Heavenly Spirit Fox, overlord of Sacred Spirit Forest".

"Wait a bit, let me understand this situation first." Ryuu said holding his head in amazement.

Little fox stepped back two more steps and stared with golden eyes straight at little Ryuu holding his head trying to understand what happened.

After a while Ryuu said: "So you can actually transmit your thoughts directly to my mind, okay I understand that part." he said letting his head go.

"And what was that about being overlord of this forest? You are so small, not much bigger than me. How can you be overlord with that appearance?" Ryuu inquired looking at little fox nearly his size, waiting for her reply.

"Eh, you are surprisingly calm for a little kid. I thought kids like you wouldn't know anything regarding spirit beasts." the fox said looking at him with admiration, then continued.

"True, I'm only this big how could I be overlord with this petite appearance, but that doesn't mean I have no relations with the true overlord. Now then, can you guess what relations?" as the little fox said, she jumped making an arc in the air and landed in front of Ryuu.

She looked a bit at him and sat down like a pet in front of its owner, flapping excitedly with tail left and right.

The distance between them was only half a meter and for the first time, Ryuu could clearly see how this cute little spirit beast looked like.

Little fox's fur was completely white like Ryuu's hair reflecting surrounding light almost like a jade carving.

If someone saw them sitting like that and looking at each other, they would think that fox and kid have something in common from the way they behaved.

Little golden eyes looked at opposite enchanting purple and seemed like they were deeply attracted to them.

How could spirit beast be attracted to human? That's one question everyone would ask but Ryuu was no ordinary human, he just wasn't aware of it yet.

Seeing little fox in front of him Ryuu extended his little white hand trying to cuddle her.

Unexpectedly, the fox didn't run away and actually lowered its head like saying "Go ahead".

While Ryuu caressed her furry head and touched her sharp cute ears, he said: "My guess is that overlord is your mother, right?".

"For such a small kid you are actually very smart, aren't you?" the fox said and came closer to lick Ryuu's face after which she began playing joyfully with him.

"Eh, that's my little secret, I hope you can keep it." Ryuu said sincerely looking at cute fox running quickly left and right.

Although the fox was small she was also fast and loved playing and cuddling with Ryuu like they knew each other for a long time.

"Rest assured I never go near humans, and I would certainly not tell my mother. But you must keep a secret as well."

"You mean about your mother?"

"Smart kid aren't you?" the fox said seeming to smile at Ryuu.

"Aren't we both kids though?"

"Haha certainly, but there is a difference."

"Oh, what kind of difference? I'm really interested."

"I'm quite a bit older than you hehe" little fox said striking a pose with head up high.

That made Ryuu chuckle and laugh at her appearance, bringing them little closer even though they saw each other not long ago.

"How much older could that be?" he asked curiously staring at her with mysterious and beautiful purple eyes.

White fox remained silent for a bit, stunned from the look Ryuu gave her and his magnificent purple eyes then smiled like human saying:

"In human years, hmm it would be around 996 years old, when I break through a thousand mother said I'd evolve somehow but didn't tell me precisely what will change. She said it will be a surprise." Fox replied not caring about the fact that her little friend was human.

" ... Wow, that's awesome. Is that why you can talk? And by the way, why are you telling me so much? How can you trust me so easily?" Ryuu was perplexed so he asked. Although his mind was of a 25-year-old, there was still that childish curious nature in him seemingly from the fact that his physical brain was still that of a kid.

"No, that's not the reason I can talk with you, but that's not important for now you will find out later. About my trust in you, well I don't know why but I feel familiarity and closeness when I'm around you. That's why I approached otherwise I'd have already run far away on first sight of the human." Fox said approaching Ryuu then curling up on his legs and leaning on his small body.

She began letting out happy noises like "Ku" and "Hua" rapidly breathing and enjoying his ultimate work of caressing and petting her fur.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Ryuu asked in surprise.

"When I tried talking to other humans they would behave strangely and would try to catch me for their greedy desires like taking my fur or killing me for their cultivation. That's why I hate humans, they are so greedy although I didn't know why but when you chased me I didn't feel greed in your heart so I decided to try talking with you." fox's thoughts transmitted to his brain. "And as you see I succeeded".

"So, that means only I understand you besides other beasts?"

"Well, something like that so would you mind telling me why you chased me? It didn't seem like you wanted to hurt me."

"You see, I wanted to play with you and bring you home with me because I thought you were very cute, but now that seems impossible in multiple ways."

Ryuu said lowering his head.

"Why do you think so?" the fox put her paw on his head like a mother comforting a child that did something bad and asked curiously.

"First I doubt you would willingly come with me now that you know what my intentions were and second I couldn't bring you home even by force since you are bigger and faster than me." he said apologetically looking at her golden eyes.

"Maybe I will if you just ask ... why don't you try?" fox got up and sat in front of Ryuu transferring her thoughts to him.

"Huh?" a confused face appeared on little kid across her.

"What huh, I said I might come with you if you just ask nicely!"

"Really???" excited Ryuu jumped from his sitting position and appeared head-to-head with white fox.

"I will think about it, but if you want me to go home with you, you must first come with me for a bit."

Little fox said that and stood up going in forest's direction.

Ryuu remembered his parent's reminder not to go deeper and wondered whether he should follow little fox or not.

His heart was already overflowing with excitement and that made him resolve himself to follow her.

Ryuu caught up with little fox and followed her closely not falling even a step behind with a wide grin on his face.

After a while of chattering with each other, fox stopped and lowered her body near a ground level making sure not to get her white fur tainted.

"Why did you stop?" Ryuu asked.

"Hop on or we'll never get there." the little fox said pointing with one paw to her back.

Ryuu was confused at first but quickly understood what she meant.

His little body climbed up her back and hugged her tightly reminding him once again of his soft blanket.

"Good boy, now hold tightly or you will fall down."

As she said that, her fur glowed with nine colored light surprising both her and Ryuu who got scared and quickly loosened his grip.

"What was that?" the little fox asked turning her head and looking at Ryuu with a confused expression.

"I thought it was you, I have no idea!" Ryuu said seeming even more confused than his little friend.

"No it wasn't, it scared the hell out of me!" she exclaimed.

"Never mind, hold on here we go." she said running off to a distant place with a little guy on her back.

Ryuu relaxed and hugged her tightly again and nine colored light shone again, but this time from both of them wrapping faint thread of light around their bodies seeming like a coiling dragon.

They got surprised again but this time they didn't stop. "Here it is again!" the little fox said. "Let's find out what it is, don't let go." and burst out with extreme speed while nine-colored wisp flared up instantly covering them both in a nine colored transparent sphere.

As they sped through the forest it seemed like small nine-colored meteor rushed through protecting both forms inside it.

Ryuu was surprised at first but when noticing there was no strong wind or repulsive force, he opened his eyes looking at rapid changing scenery around him.

As they progressed further bit by bit Ryuu had already gotten used to the extreme speed and excitedly peeked left and right amazed by the diversity of surrounding plants.

There were few times where they came near some strange spirit beasts Ryuu saw for the first time, but those beasts seemed as if not noticing two forms rushing which confused him but he trusted his dear little friend so he didn't inquire about it leaving that for after they arrive at their destination.

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At the center of big forest on vast fiery red and pure white grass, there was a big white form with crimson golden stripes going through its fur and giving off a terrifying aura that could pierce right through the heavens and earth.

That form was a big nine-tailed fox that had four completely crimson legs bellow certain point and two golden red eyes with vertical pupils glaring fiercely at the distance like she saw something that made her big form shiver. At first, she couldn't believe that something could make her dread but her assumption got confirmed when she spotted nine colored light and two forms running at extreme speed toward her.

Her big crimson eyes radiated glowing red aura as golden marking resembling vertical eye appeared on the top of her head.

When that eye appeared it was already focused in direction of those two forms and in that instant, her whole body started shivering fiercely and fell on the ground due to her legs losing all their strength.

A few moments later from the same direction it was looking at, two little forms appeared surrounded by nine colored light standing there seeming like they noticed big shivering fox on the ground.

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"Mother!" little fox cried out jumping down and coming next to her shivering mother.

"Why did you bring a human here, furthermore one so dangerous? Do you wish to die, you stupid child?" Big fox inquired little fox in front of her looking at the petite kid on her back.

"Human, state your purpose here or you else ..." Big fox said, her eyes flaring up with a fiery golden-red halo like a ruthless and bloodthirsty monster.

Before Ryuu could even open his mouth to say something, little fox below him interrupted.

"It's alright mother, he's not dangerous. He is my dearest friend and he won't hurt us because he is different from other humans." the little fox said lowering her body so that Ryuu could come off her.

When Ryuu touched the ground nine-colored halo retreated inside of him which made him very surprised and he curiously stared at his own body.

"What do you mean your 'dearest' friend, you couldn't possibly be ... " here, her words stopped not daring to finish that sentence, glancing at the little guy then to her daughter relaxing several points while standing up with previous oppression gone.

Little fox seemed to have understood her mother and lowered her head in shame like a child that did something bad. Then she looked up resolutely and said*:

"That's right, I don't know why but I seem to like him very much and feel very close to him and besides he likes me too so there's no problem." the little fox said coming to Ryuu's side and putting her head atop of his own and her paws on his shoulders.

At that moment, Ryuu felt something heavy on his back turning his head up and petting little fox's head above him.

"Hooh, he's surprisingly calm for such a little kid, but do you know that he gives off a strong and domineering aura. I didn't even have the confidence to stand up when I saw that bright halo. What's up with it?" big fox glared at Ryuu once again but with no hostility this time, there was just surprise and curiosity.

Little Ryuu who was previously watching and 'listening'** to their talk without uttering a single word, opened his mouth and weak voice resounded.

(To be continued...)

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* (said) - they aren't really talking, as mentioned fox's using telepathy to communicate and Ryuu is the only one who is talking. I'm using 'said' because it's easier than always writing 'she transmitted her thoughts'.

** (listening) - he can hear them through telepathy because the little fox was constantly sharing her thoughts with him.