There is a place known as the Shadow Realm.
It is a sole afterlife belonging to one godlike being. And within this vast dimension, where there is no firm structure, a number of powerful individuals reside—among them the Specter Wolves and the Kitsunes.
Ordinarily, there should be peace in the afterlife… but not when the Kitsunes are also residents.
"Damn it! They broke the defenses so easily!" a dark wolf cried, watching the great ice wall surrounding their territory tremble.
"Tsk! They're plagues!" another wolf beside him bellowed. "Maybe that insufferable dark fox might be with them. Quick! Go and warn the Elite Jōnin!"
The first wolf nodded and started to leave, but before he could take more than a step, his body splattered across the snowy ground.
He was turned into a puddle of blood by the sheer force of the earth tipping into him violently.
"Ah! Specter Wolf #167!" the other wolf cried in horror.
"C'mon, we can't have you dampening our fun so early by calling those higher-ups, now can we?" said a small boy with brown fox ears and a matching tail.
He wore a black long-sleeved outfit that clung to his body, showing a remarkable physique despite his young appearance.
His lower half was dressed in loose white trousers, paired with simple black shoes.
"Brown, let's go!" called a small girl with red fox ears and tail, as she flattened the other wolf with a casual swing of her hand. "The Specter Wolves won't crush themselves!"
She wore a short red kimono with triangular symbols patterned across its surface.
With a wave of her hand, the massive twenty-foot metal gate bent further open, clearing the way for invasion.
"Stop, Red! F-Fighting is bad…!" pleaded a small girl with blue fox ears and tail. She wore a light-blue kimono and high wooden slippers.
Fidgeting nervously while clinging to another child, she continued. "We shouldn't play dangerous pranks on people. Right, Silver?"
"I agree, Blue," replied the small boy she clung to, his silver eyes, fox ears, and tail swaying behind him. "But these folks are the enemy. And the enemy, we shall crush, no?"
The moment the word "enemy" was spoken, Blue's bright eyes began to glow.
"Must… destroy the enemy," she whispered, and in that instant the entire high fortress of ice besieging the Specter Wolves was instantly shattered.
It fell apart as though struck by a massive invisible force that cared nothing for resistance.
"There is scarcely any need to make haste," said a small girl with green fox ears and tail, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "What we have in abundance is time… time to torment the enemies of Haha-ue."
"But we must meet Haha-ue as soon as possible," said another girl with snow-white fox ears and tail.
She wore a white garment layered over a flowing red skirt. "Truly, the enemies must be tormented. But it should not take priority over our lovely time with Mother."
"While you're all here dilly-dallying, I'm going to step on some wolves!" shouted a girl with golden fox ears and tail, darting eagerly into the enclosed domain of the Specter Wolves.
"Everything in moderation, minasan!" called a girl who stood slightly taller than the rest.
Her purple fox ears and tail marked her as different, and she wore a purple kimono that enhanced her aura of an elder. "Remember; run away if you see the Jōnin or Trigger!" she cautioned, even as the majority of the Kitsunes charged gleefully into the territory.
"Hai, Onee-sama!" they all responded in unison.
All the Kitsunes wore kimonos with charming symbolic icons on them, except for the white and brown Kitsunes, of course.
Today, as always, they had come to cause mischief in the domain of their neighbors, the Specter Wolves.
In the outside world, both sides served the same Master as allies. But in the Shadow Realm, the Specter Wolves were nothing more than pastimes for the Kitsunes.
Brown dashed forward toward the pack of incoming wolves.
With a swing of his leg, the snow-covered earth rose and tipped violently, splattering the wolves across the field.
Brown wielded the authority of the earth, treating it as though it were an extension of his own limbs—crushing, burying, and tearing apart wolves on sight.
Inside the wolves' walled territory, there were no homes or streets. Only three structures stood: a towering ice castle at the forefront, a small cottage tucked into one corner, and a spacious training ground set farther away.
Beyond these, it was a wide, flat field; perfect for Kitsunes to enjoy.
"Ah, Red-sama is c-cute as always today!" some of the Specter Wolves stammered, cowering as they praised the crimson-eared girl.
"E…Eh?" she blushed, quickly covering her cheek with her hands. "Y-You're just saying that so I won't turn you into a puddle of blood, right?!"
The wolves gulped hard, exchanged nervous glances, and continued desperately.
"N-No, surely not, Red-sama! Look! We are immobilized by your cosmic level of cuteness! Is that not so, Brethren?!"
Another wolf added desperately, "Yes, yes! My hostility even vanished the moment I reached her adorable presence! My soul is soothed, and I would in fact gladly become her slave!"
Red's eyes widened, sparkling with satisfaction.
Then she folded her arms across her chest and turned her face to the side with a huff. "H-Hmph! It's not like hearing that kind of thing makes me happy…"
"…"
"…Eh? You stopped?" She peeked at them curiously.
"Ah, no! W-We were merely entranced by your presence!" they cried, flailing their limbs. "You are an angel—no, a goddess! Red-no-Kami-sama!"
"A g-goddess?" she giggled, "I don't know… maybe I am, maybe not! Ehehe…"
"Indeed, you are! Uh, your… uh, h-hair is s-soft! As soft as the silkiest of silk!" one wolf added nervously.
Another nodded quickly. "I get what you mean! That silly short bob cut makes you want to pay with your blood just to touch it!"
All the while, Red blushed furiously and fidgeted shyly.
She possessed the power to manipulate reality itself, to control any form of matter; from turning stone into bread, transforming air into poison, and manipulating objects.
"Jeez! You guys are flattering me too much. It's hard to crush you like this!" she said, waving happily. "But it can't be helped, right? I'm just too cute, right?!"
"Yes, of course!" they chorused together. "Red-sama! Red-sama!! Red-sama!!!—ARGH!!"
"That's sexual harassment!" a small girl's voice cut in sharply, as the wolves' chants of praise turned instantly into screams of agony, and their bodies splattering across the snow like spilled red ink.
They had slammed themselves violently into the ground.
Standing in the center of the carnage was...