(Mael's POV)
"Ahh....." I opened my eyes with a groan, "W-What the hell....?"
I looked up, seeing a wooden ceiling above me. I felt like I was lying on the floor, so I sat up, my body feeling a bit sore. I looked around me, seeing that I was in a room that had wooden floors and walls, a sliding door at the front from what it looked like.
I looked down at my body, seeing that I was wearing some kind of silk kimono, and my arms were covered in bandages. I tapped my forehead, feeling that it was also covered in bandages.
"What happened....?" I asked aloud
I remember being attacked by a bird, slipping on the edge of the cliff, and falling down. I hit the side several times and eventually fell to the bottom. From there, I just remember being knocked out cold.
I didn't notice anything until the last second; whatever attacked me was able to sneak up on me until it let out a shriek.
"Hyper Awareness, my ass...." I grumbled as I looked around, "Where am I anyway?"
Suddenly, the sliding door opened and I saw a woman with pink hair standing in the doorway. She was wearing a white and blue kimono, which displayed her large cleavage. She was beautiful, her fair skin glowing due to the natural sunlight, the kimono was not that loose, and I could see her heavenly curves.
It was safe to say that she was very beautiful, an ethereal beauty that made me immediately gulp in response.
"Whoa...." I said as her beauty radiated
Then, I noticed something that took me off-guard; she had pink fox ears on the top of her head. Her pink hair covered completely where her ears would normally be, instead having a set of furry fox ears that were resting above her head. One of them twitched, probably as a response to my gulp just now.
It didn't change that she was an ethereal and busty woman who had a beauty that was unnatural, one that would not normally exist in my world. There were beautiful women, from what I can remember, but none like this. Her curves were perfect, her breasts were large, and the cleavage showed through her kimono. I can tell that her thighs were very thick as well; some of it was exposed, and the robes parted on the side. Her waist was smaller than her hips, which were wide enough to keep me from looking away. I can bet that if she turned around, her ass would be a sight to see.
Damn, she was so damn perfect that lustful thoughts filled my head. I don't know if this was an effect of the System or it was just naturally me.
"You are awake." Her husky voice reached my ears and gave me goosebumps
"I.....I...." I said, completely entranced by whatever she was, "Yea....."
She walked inside the room, her bare feet slowly touching the wooden floor, "You fell from the top of the waterfall, landing right on your head." She said softly as she reached me, kneeling down on the floor, "Any ordinary person would have died instantly. The impact would have snapped your neck or split open your head. You simply took a heavy blow and lost consciousness."
I blinked, "Oh." I said, "Well.....I guess....that's my resilience...."
She had her hands on her thick thighs, and her expression was serene as she looked at me. There was something about her voice; it was husky yet soothing. It was very beautiful, I had to admit. It made me a bit nervous, I don't know what it was about her, but damn.....
"You.....are not from this world." She said, her eyes staring right at me
"What?" I asked, "How can you tell?"
"Natives of The Distorted Godlands.....have a certain spirit that Yokai like myself can sense. Especially natives of Kazuha." She said, her eyes glimmering slightly as her ears twitched, "You have a different spirit in you. Aside from the foreign one, similar to the cosmic tear in the sky, you have a different kind of spirit. A divine one....and judging from your eyes, that much is true. You are a Cosmic Traveler....with the Spirit of a Dragon...."
"Wait....wait...." I said, raising my hands up, "Give me a second to process this. Yokai? You're a yokai?"
"Is it not obvious?" She said, her serene expression not changing, "I am a Kitsune. A Fox-Spirit."
"Oh....oh, right. Kitsune. I remember reading about the Japanese Yokai..." I said as I looked up, "Kitsune are fox-spirits that can shapeshift."
"We have lost that ability long ago." She said without wasting time, "We were merely left with some other abilities..."
"Right....." I said
"And what is this.... Japan....?" She asked with a frown, "This place is not called that. This is Kazuha...."
Okay, so this region of the Godlands must be based off Japan and Japanese history and its mythology. And it could be called Kazuha, which makes sense.
"Kazuha is the name of this region, right?" I asked
"That is correct. It is a vast and beautiful land that is ruled by the Nakamura Shogunate." She said, "I have reason to believe you have just traveled here, if you don't know that."
"Well....you're not wrong." I said with a nod, "But what do you mean.....Cosmic Traveler?"
"Foreign invaders or travelers. Those who are not from the Godlands. They are called just that." She said, "Their spirit...they are similar to that of the Cosmic Tear in the sky. That is why we call you that...."
"Hm...." I said, "Well, I didn't get here via a spaceship.....I came here through a dimensional breach."
"I see...." She said, "But you are a foreign traveler."
I nodded, "Right...." I said as I looked around, "W-Where are my weapons?"
"I have them stored safely." She said, "Apologies, I do not know if I could trust you."
"But you saved me." I said, "Why would you do that?"
She then bowed forward, her hair hanging down to the floor, "I am enacting an honorable exchange." She said as she prostrated in front of me, "I saved your life and you would help me..."
I saw the way her back arched slightly, her ass covered by the kimono was visible. To say that it was an amazing sight would be a lie.
Dammit, what was I thinking?
"Help you?" I asked
She didn't move, "You are in the Kurama East Shrine." She said softly, "One of the Four Shrines in the Kurama Forest. Over the weeks, I have lost contact with my fellow Kitsune at the other Shrines. I have heard whispers from the animals that Men have been capturing my brethren and taking them elsewhere...if the Shrines are not occupied, they would not have protecting..."
"Oh...." I said, "And these Kitsune, they look like you?"
"Each of us varies in appearance, but we do share the same beauty that you are currently entranced by." She said, "Men have found it desirable and have done everything they can to exploit it. I fear for my brethren.....my sisters....."
"I see....." I said with a frown, "And you want me to help you..."
The Screen suddenly appeared in front of me.
[Task Unlocked: Help The Kitsune Woman]
- Rewards: Gear and A Skill Unlock
And just as it appeared, it disappeared.
She straightened up, a serious frown on her face, "Please." She said, "I have nobody else to ask this of. Consider that as payment for helping you...if you don't consider it enough, I have other things to offer you. Valuables that have been stored in the Shrine and-"
"It's fine." I said with a nod, "I'll help you. I just need my weapons, that is all."
She nodded, "I understand." She said, "I will give them to you, then."
"What's your name?" I asked
"I am Ren." She said softly
"Ren." I said, "Pretty name. My name is Mael."
"I'll help you, don't worry."