Reincarnated; Nine Tailed Fox With A Temper

CHAPTER 3

Alya looked up to find a tall old man with a long white beard and lots of wrinkles wearing a long white robe. He stroked his beard as he slowly descended. Alya was left in a daze. Feeling and oppressive air around him, she took a step back.

"Who are you?" She asked as she took another step back. the old man stroked his beard and smiled.

"No need to be cautious, my name is Xyros, I don't bite." He paused for a moment then continued.

"As I said before, this is Nyth, not heaven. Most of your kind reside here."

Alya raised her brows in confusion.

"Wait, what do you mean my kind?" She asked, clearly not understanding what he was saying. The old man chuckled with an amusing smile on his face.

"You're a nine tailed fox are you not?" he inquired while she stroked his beard. Alya had read about those creatures, nine tailed foxes have nine tails. She stared at her tail and raised her brows. The old man clearly didn't know how to count. With his old age and those wrinkles covering his eyes, how could he? She then sighed softly and corrected him.

"Old man, I have only one tail. Nine tailed foxes have nine tails don't they?"

"They do, after evolving." he answered calmly.

"Evolving?" Alya stared blankly at him, not making sense of anything he said. she was surprised that she was still listening to the old man. Xyros, the tall old man, noticed her expression and sighed.

'I'm too old to be explaining this.'

"Let me explain thoroughly. Nine tailed foxes are born with one tail, and need to complete stages to get the others. There are eight stages in a nine tailed fox's life, one must complete each stage to evolve. It will s a long process, and each stage could take years, even decades to complete, and an evolution could also take a long period of time. Each stage is also very difficult to complete, each one more difficult than the last. If not careful, could cost you your life."

Alya could not take in this weird information at once. Now she was more than confused. Not only did she turn out to be a nine tailed fox, but needed to complete stages, which would be a waste of time for her. She still wondered how, and why she got here in the first place, now she had to do something that could kill her again.

'He's like those guides on video games.'

"I'm not doing that."

She then changed the subject and asked him the question she needed to know the answer to.

"How did I get here? Aren't I supposed to be dead?"

"Young lady, you did die, but you reincarnated here as a nine tailed fox."

Alya sighed and stared at the ground blankly.

'That's one question answered.'

"Ok, then why should I do those things you said?" The old man exhaled deeply and looked straight at her.

"Much like every other world, it's all about survival, the weak perish and the strong live on. There were others who didn't want to evolve and stayed the way there were. Unfortunately, some of them were either killed or sold as slaves. While others were lucky to live as merchants, or are protected. If you want to live, it's necessary for you to evolve and become strong, and not someone who depends on others to survive."

The old man then stared intently at her. Though it was hard to know, with all those wrinkles. Alya was still not thinking of doing it.

"Look sir, I understand your concern........ actually I don't since we just met, but I can handle myself, Im not planning on dieing again."

"But you want to be rich and powerful don't you?"

That question struck a nerve.

"Of course."

"Then I suggest you do what I told you." The old man's lips curved up to form a weirdly dangerous smile that caused the hairs on the back of Alya's neck to stand.

'Who is this man?'

"So, what do you choose?"

Alya froze on the spot, she stared at the ground and pondered for a while to weigh out the odds. Moments later she looks back at the old man in front of her.

"It's your choice."

With that look, it felt like more of a threat.

Alya then thought of her past life, all the suffering she went through, only to die without one single achievment. There was so hope for her then, but there could be now. Alya sighed and clenched her fists.

"Ok then, I'll do it." She stated with determination. She did not want to suffer a second time, or depend on others anymore. She would succeed and live her life to the fullest, something she could only dream of in her last life.

The old man smiled in satisfaction, as he clearly saw the fire in her eyes. He clasps his hands together.

"Very well, good luck on your journey to greatness then." He said quickly, then disappeared in an instant. Alya blinked at what just happened, which caused her eyes to twitch furiously.

"Hey........ is that it? What the heck?! At least tell me where to start from old man!" Alya yelled at the top of her lungs while searching for the Xyros.

'Heartless old man.'

"Why are you yelling?"

A feminine voice muttered behind alya suddenly. Alya looked up, but found no one.

'Oh, I thought there would be someone floating in the sky again.'

She then turned back and spotted a girl, who looked a few years older than her, hiding behind a large berry bush. Her voice was barely a whisper.

The girl's black cat ears led to a greyish hue at the tip, and her two tails had the same pattern. She had honey toned skin, long black curly hair and misty grey eyes. One thing for sure, she was attractive. Her lips were painted a dark red and she wore a grey turtle neck with black shorts and sandals.

The girl thought of Alya as some crazy person. She couldn't meet Alya in the eye due the glares she threw at her.

"Mind your business." Alya sneered in annoyance.