[Night]
Marco and Alice were at halfway towards the Treasure Cove of Captain Selene, they may seem near in the map but they are more far than one can imagine. So they set up a camp in the way to sleep.
Alice: Well, since we are here… Come with me, we will train once again.
Marco nodded and used 'Start' before standing up.
[Later]
Marco and Alice fought against each other, Marco was using his 2nd Tail because the 3rd one is not necessary, Marco was able to attack Alice, but he didn't even hurt her. This thing lasted for some hours before Marco was tired, he was kneeling and taking some air while deactivating his Gate.
Marco: Haa… Haa… Haa… I can't go on…
Alice: *Sigh* Alright, this should be enough...
Alice didn't taught any techniques this time, it would be difficult to remember all of them in one moment.
Alice: Still, where did you learn to fight?
Marco: Experience…
Alice: Well, you suck.
An arrow pierced Marco's heart, making him flinch.
Marco: 'Too straightforward…'
Alice: You have so many wasteful movements. It kills your speed and power.
Marco: Well, this is how I learned, either that or a punch on my face…
Alice closed her eyes and said.
Alice: Your movements need to be like the wind, your body one with the earth, and have fire in your attacks...
Marco: Yeah, yeah, and the mind calm as water, I heard that shit too many bloody fucking times...
Alice: You can't do nothing about it, that's the secret of fighting, if you mastered that you could last longer against Granberia even with 3 tails. We will try with meditation…
Marco nodded and crossed his legs before taking deep breaths, some time later Alice threw a punch at him, and he dodged.
Alice: As expected… You are doing it wrong…
This time Marco was surprised from her words.
Marco: ...Huh?
Alice: You don't need to empty your head from thoughts, it's the opposite, you need to concentrate on something, just on that thing, nothing else.
Marco raised an eyebrow before shrugging and trying again, this time he tried to concentrate on the System itself, some time later, Alice threw another punch, which stopped right over Marco's face, and this time, he didn't even moved a muscle.
Alice smiled and looked with satisfaction at her work.
Meanwhile, inside Marco's mindscape, he found himself inside a white room, it was completely empty, except for a wooden door in front of him, Marco noticed that he was in his 'Start' form, but he just shrugged and opened the door.
It opened rather easily, and he entered another room, this time the room he currently was is the same one of his house in Illias Village, and in front of him there was a door with metal bars, like the ones in a prison.
This time he had his 1st tail, but he ignored it and tried to open the door, it was opened as easily as the last one, and he entered the next room, this time the room was the same one of his house in Enrika, and in front of him was a door entirely made of copper.
Marco developed his 2nd tail, but he ignored it and tried to open that door too, it opened normally, and he entered the next room.
This time the room gave him nostalgia, it was his bedroom in his past life, light blue walls and white furnitures, Marco developed his 3rd tail, and in front of him there was a metallic door, he tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge of an inch, making Marco raise an eyebrow.
Marco: This should be the 4th Gate… I still can't access it… But I can feel it… Soon I will open it.
Marco then looked around and said with a soft smile.
Marco: I really missed this room… Now… How do I get-
Marco's vision blacked out before he opened his eyes and found himself back at the camp, in front of Alice, who was looking at him with a bored face.
Marco: -Out… Well, it was a strange experience…
Alice: What did you see?
Marco: ...A representation of my Nine Tailed Gate…
Alice: Interesting… It's time to sleep…
Marco looked up and found the full moon right over him, he nodded and entered in his sleeping bag while Alice took a tree to coil around and sleep.
[Tomorrow]
Marco and Alice reached the Treasure Cove, and stepped inside, when they entered, Alice sniffed the air and frowned in disgust.
Alice: Hrm… It smells like a fox.
Then Alice looked at Marco, he noticed her look and said with a frown.
Marco: It's not me, I may look like a fox when I transform but I don't release that smell…
Alice sighed and looked forwards while following Marco, some time later, they reached a certain point, Marco analyzed the stones which made the walls in the place and hummed.
Marco: They are pretty sturdy…
Alice: If pirates really did hide all of their treasures here, there is sure to be a lot of traps.
Marco: Meh… Probably some idiot already activated a majority of them… Still, someone lives here since this place is more clean than my bathro… Hm?
Alice: What happened?
Marco: Something is here… Come out!
Alice disappeared from the place, and a kitsune appeared from the shadows, she was a little flat-chested girl, the classic loli, she had grey short hair and a pair of fox ears, she was wearing a really short pink yukata without sleeves and black tight shorts, but the most eye-catching this was the two tails behind her.
The girl seems pretty dumb… And Marco knew… That indeed her IQ is on par with the temperature of the room.
Kitsune: Wawa! A human appeared!
She was surprised from Marco's presence, who looked at her with a poker face.
Kitsune: Wh… What should I do… I got separated from Tamamo, and now a human shows up…
Marco: 'I could easily beat her even without the Nine Tailed Gates… If it wasn't that I can use the Magic Dispersion effect only when I use it…' Well… Why is a little kid like you here?
Kitsune: I-I'm not a little kid!
Marco: The situation clearly says the opposite…
Kitsune: Anyways… I will not let you take the Poseidon's Bell!
Marco: …
Marco stood in silence before he used 'Start', surprising the Kitsune from his sudden change of look.
Kitsune: Wawawawa! W-What happened?!
Marco: ...Just… Can you let me pass or should I seal you?
Kitsune: Tamamo said that I should protect the Poseidon's Bell, I will not let you take it anyways!
Marco let out a sigh of exasperation before he kicked her stomach, making her fly against a wall.
Kitsune: *INSERT ROBLOX DEATH SOUND HERE*
The Kitsune glowed before she was sealed into a cute little fox, the fox tried to stand up and looked at Marco, then she slowly came near him and raised her head. Marco found it cute so he tried to pet her, but she unexpectedly bite his hand, making Marco yelp.
When the battle ended he deactivated 'Start', so the bite hurt him, she hissed at him and ran in the depth of the cave. Meanwhile, Alice came and said.
Alice: Did you really used 'Start' against such a weak monster…?
Marco: Well, if I didn't do it then she would not be sealed…
Alice: Oh… Then it's ok… Still, it's strange… That type of monster shouldn't live in this cave…
Marco: Well, I heard that there was Tamamo, the Heavenly Knight, maybe it's something like a trip…
Alice: Tamamo? That's a surprise… Now that I think about it… You can use 3 tails to beat a kitsune with 6 or more tails… I wonder how strong will you be when you have all 9 tails…
Marco: Soon I should get my 4th tail…
Alice: The 4th… Will you become…
Marco: Yep, like that one… Let's go more deep…
[Later]
There was only Marco in the way, Alice disappeared because there was a monster, and Marco was looking at the monster with a dumbfounded look.
Marco: ...I still don't get what the fuck that should be…
The monster had floating purple long hair and a gem in her forehead, she had orange tentacles instead of ears, and below her abdomen there was a magenta shell, under the shell it was full of orange tentacles.
She was floating with closed eyes.
Meda: Catch…
Marco used 'Start' and immediately started the fight with Thunder Thrust, the attack was deflected from her shell, but it still managed to do a small crack.
The Meda sent tentacles towards Marco, who jumped out from the way and cut some others which were too near.
Then Marco rushed back at the Meda and used Demon Decapitation at her neck, his claws left a big injury in her neck, which was spitting out magical energy. The Meda tried to attack again Marco, but he backed away and let the injury to its work.
Meda: Ah…
The Meda glowed and turned in a sea louse. Marco was disgusted and walked away, soon Alice grouped back with him and followed him inside the cave.
[Later]
Marco walked with Alice when the latter suddenly disappeared, Marco turned to the way and looked to see what monster it was, and found the sealed Kitsune struggling in a cobweb.
Marco: Oh… Fuck no… I need to get a flamethrower for this job…
Marco had always feared the spiders, he just couldn't live with them if they are around 20 meters in radius, and a Spider Girl is even worse…
The giant spider girl appeared in front of Marco, but before she could even talk, Marco immediately got in 1st Gate and kicked her away, she crashed in a wall, but Marco didn't finished there, he used his tail to attack her since he didn't want to get near her, and finally she was sealed in a smaller spider.
While Marco rampaged at the Spider Girl, he accidentally freed the Kitsune, which fell in the ground and immediately ran away.
Alice came back again with an amused smile.
Alice: So you're afraid of spiders? Hehe…
Marco was pissed off and said.
Marco: Fuck you, I know you're afraid of ghosts…
Alice shut up immediately and trembled before asking.
Alice: H-How did you know…
Marco: You mumbled things like 'Get away from me... ' or 'Ghosts!', your were agitated so they were nightmares.
Alice was embarrassed before she stood silent and walked with Marco.
[Later]
Marco was still alone in a small room, and in front of him, some meters away, there was a treasure chest.
Marco coughed a bit before yelling…
Marco: Some…
The chest immediately opened and a black haired girl appeared from the chest, meaning that it was a mimic, who yelled...
Mimic: ...Body once told me the world is gonna roll me!
Then she realized what she did, and panicked.
Mimic: ...Oh fuck, I was found out!
Marco looked at the Mimic, and left from the room. He met with Alice, who looked at him with surprise and asked.
Alice: What did you do?
Marco: Nothing too important… Let's go.
Alice sighed and followed Marco again towards the Poseidon's Bell.
[SPECIAL QUESTS]
1st. Kick Gabriel's ass
2nd. Achieve coexistence between Monsters and Humans
3rd. Kill Illias
4th. Return to Lucifina's grave
5th. Visit every places in Illias Continent, Sentora and Hellgondo