Apology & making up pt 2

Miru, Ryo and Asura thought about Miko's words. What she said was true, but the question was if it was really worth it to sacrifice immortality for a single lifespan with a sweetheart. They could not find a solution to this complicated choice. If it were them, they would certainly pick cultivation to immortality! However, Miko already made her choice on this matter, so the next qustion was; who is more important, Takei or her family?

Miru then said, "Alright then. If you had to choose between that mortal and us, who would you choose to be with?" Miko's eyes widened and she nearly choked on her food. She had clearly not expected such an ultimatum! She stopped eating and pondered for awhile, before replying, "Takei is important to me as I love him. However, you all are too. As such, If given a choice, I would choose both of you." Although Miko's response was not quite what Miru intended, his heart still felt warm knowing his sister at least still cared for him. Now, there was only one problem - Miko loved that man as much as him! Miru's face hardened again, as he said, "Oh? So now that man has managed to catch up to me in my sister's heart?! Hmph, clearly you don't love me enough!"

To this, Miko chuckled before pacifying him, saying, " Hehe alright then! I loooooveee brother the most, and no man will ever compare to him! How about that?" Miko felt glad knowing her brother still loved her when he called her 'sister'. As the whole tense atmosphere slowly died down, Ryo began to join in.

"Really? What about me?! Surely I can compare to someone like him?!" Ryo whined, indirectly mocking Miru.

"Hey! No you can't! Miko already said that no one can compare to me! And what do you mean 'someone like him'?! I'm far better!" Miru countered.

"Hehe sorry both of you! Ryo, you can't compare to you because I already said no man can, but Miru, Asura can compare to you!" Miko giggled.

"Awwwwh," Asura cooed.

"What?! How?" Miru asked.

"I said no man, not no woman!" Miko joked backed.

"But I'm a fox..." Ryo sighed, pretending to be dejected.

"Then maybe you can!" Miko joked back. Ryo's face lit up, as Miru's face fell once again. Just like that, the entire tree was lively as the foxes joked back and forth.

When it was time to leave, they all returned to their respective treeholes. Why did this scene seem so familiar? It was probably because it was similar to one of the first memories Miko made after having just woken up.

Miko snuggled in her cotton nest after reverting back into her fox form. The garments created by her power dissipated, and she now returned to being an adorable, petite pink fox. Although she preferred her fox form, she tried to lean to her human form more. Afterall, when she married Takei, she would need to live with humans and get used to her human form, so it was just practice in advance. Miko's felt weary and started drooping, before she fell into a deep slumber...

The world was pitch black, devoid of any light. Miko knew it wasn't normal. The world is not supposed to be like this.

"Who's there?!" She called out, only for her voice to echo into the empty darkness with no reply. She took a step forward before she felt a sharp sense of malicious intent, although it wasn't strong enough to be called killing intent. Miko activated her cultivation, ready to attack.

"Strange... Didn't I lose my powers? Why does it always seem to come back? Unless..." Her thoughts were interupted when an attack came flying towards her, to which she dodged perfectly by bending backwards. Before she could question anything further, a half fox with dark, black hair and red eyes came hurling towards her, this time with a sword in her grasp. Miko immediately summoned her own sword, parrying the attack.

"What are you doing here?!" Miko asked, to which the figure showed no reply and backed off, before summoning ten duplicates of her sword, aiming it at Miko. Even though it was dark, the swords were jet black but seemed to reflect the light, although the light can't be seen from where. At the figure's command, the black swords flew towards Miko, with the sole goal of piercing her body! Miko could identify this skill immediately. It was taught by her brother when she reached third stage, core formation, in the past. He taught it to her when her body and mana reserves could support the power and mana usage of the skill. He called it [energy sword duplicate]. The user would control their mana such that their sword was duplicated several times out of their own energy, and it boosted the overall speed and strength of the main sword!

[Energy sword duplicate], Miko mumbled before ten pink swords were summoned out by her and dashed toward the black ones. The swords collided together, forming a loud bang before spinning aggressively, as it trying to drill and slice the other sword into two. At this part, it would be who had more mana to repair the cracks on their own sword while trying to drill through their opponent's summoned swords.

The figure, sensing she would not have enough energy to prolong this form of combat for a long time, unsummoned her swords, pulling them back before they vanished. She dodged the incomming swords by Miko before landing gracefully. However, Miko was intent on not giving up. Seeing her attack was dodged, she directed the swords back at the figure. The figure dodged every sword gracefully with backflips and skill, while Miko was getting tired controlling all the swords. It required great energy and concentration to maintain all of them. Miko unsummoned her sword, before rushing to the figure with her main sword pointed at her. The figure used her own sword to shield herself, and the two exchanged blows.

It was clear soon enough that neither of them were getting tired, so Miko decided to use some skills she previously had but could not use anymore. [Domain skill], [Heaven and hell]. Energy covered Miko's body as thin strands of pink wisp were emitted from her, before the darkness around her was transformed into a drastic, apocalypse land. Ice and snow rained down, but the floor was hot as lava. The figure clicked her tongue in irritation as she jumped into the air and created a platform from her own power. She created a shelter quickly to defend from the freezing snow which corroded her body by freezing it with every touch. If she did not shield herself soon, she would be burnt to death until ashes or frozen with frosbites until she was nothing but a pile of snow.

Miko's lips curled as she activated her next skill, [Moonlight flicker], while using her other skill, [Ice assimilation] into her sword. She danced around the figure, cutting her shield rapidly while occassionally managing to cut into her skin. The figure cried out in pain as a few snowflakes touched her bare skin and the sword cutting her wounds. Miko was moving so fast that she could not be seen!

"Lets end this now, shall we?" Miko asked, before using her skill, [ice compression: icicle] and hurling it towards the figure. Unprepared, the figure failed to defend as she got hit, the icicle piercing her stomach halfway. The figure cried out in pain and shock, before dissipating in a cloud of black smoke...