Trick the Trickster or Lose Your Life

Her gaze lifted, sharp and amused.

“Finally, you here! Ever since the first trial, I’ve been itching to play with you.”

Rei blinked.

“Me? Why me?”

She sighed like she was already bored.

“At first, this tournament was fun. Watching exorcists panic in my forest. But it got dull. Same fear, same screams again and again.”

Then her claws rose, stopping just short of his chest.

“Until I saw you.” A quiet laugh slipped out “A regular in a magic tournament? That’s hilarious.”

“A regular? What she is talking about? Akire murmured

Rei’s heart skipped. If anyone found out, he’d be disqualified. He couldn’t let that happen. Not now. Not after coming this far.

He forced a laugh.

“I’m an exorcist. I just don’t have much mana. Maybe that’s why you—”

She pouted. Genuinely disappointed.

“Oh? Then I’ll just kill you and your friends.”

Rei raised a hand. Fast.

“Wait. If I really were a regular… you’d let us live?”

She clapped once, her eyes sparkled.

“In that case? We can play. If you entertain me, I’ll let you pass.”

Crack.

Electricity danced around Denryuu’s fingers as he stepped forward.

“We don’t have time for—”

Rei cut him off, arm out like a wall.

If we can avoid a fight, then yeah… I’ll take my chances with that.

Because let’s be real. With their powers still limited, fighting a kitsune was too risky.

But “entertain me” was too vague. He needed to established a clear goal.

“Okay, I’ll play.”

“But one condition. If you can’t figure out how I do it… I win”

Her claws hovered near his throat.

“And why should I listen to you?”

“Isn’t it more fun this way?” Rei grinned, eyes glinting with a spark of mischief

Silence.

The kitsune tilted her head, fingers brushing her chin, eyes narrowing as she considered him.

Then she laughed delighted.

“Ahaha. You’re right. Deal.”

Akira grabbed Rei’s sleeve.

“This is insane. She’s a yokai. She could lie.”

Rei spun toward him, eyes sharp and serious.

“Do you want to fight her?”

Akira dropped his gaze, finally grasping Rei’s choice.

…No.

“All right,” Rei said. “Let’s play.”

He was just about to begin when the kitsune’s sharp voice stopped him.

“Ah.” She raised a finger. “You forget something.”

Rei tilted his head, brow furrowed, not a clue what she meant.

Her grin sharpened.

“You have to admit it. That you’re a regular.”

The forest seemed to hold its breath.

“You’re right.” Rei’s fist tightened. “I’m just a human without magic. Happy?”

Clang.

Akira’s sword slipped from his hand.

“That’s … that’s impossible!” His voice cracked. “I saw you use magic!”

Rei turned back, soft smile. Sad eyes.

“I’m sorry. It was all tricks.”

Akira stared. Then at the others.

“Why aren’t you reacting?”

Because well, everyone already knew. Everyone except Akira.

Even the blind one had figured it out.

“Not a half yokai but his mana is zero.” Denryuu scoffed.

“No magical flow either.” Daichi scratched his cheek.

“And we could cast spells through him.” Sarutobi nodded.

Rei froze.

They all already knew?

Then he looked at the kitsune.

“I can start now, right? And I can use anything in this forest, correct?”

The kitsune waved a hand, settling back on her rock like a queen watching TV.

“Sure.”

“All right then.” Rei adjusted his hat, a sly grin on his face.

“Showtime!“

Glitter burst into the air.

Then—

Cards appeared from nowhere. plop, plop, plop, falling like a river. Rei’s hands moved fast, left to right, palms and backs visible, nothing but air, yet the flow kept coming.

Whoosh… swish… cards tumbled and spun, stacking at their feet, unstoppable.

The kitsune blinked. Once. Twice. Her ears and tails twitched.

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

Rei finished his first trick, a wide grin on his face.

“So, did you figure out how I did it?”

She leaned forward, eyes narrowing as they flicked to Rei’s hands.

“I bet it’s hiding in your sleeves,” she teased.

Rei let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“Nope. Nothing hidden in there. Let me show you.”

Rei rolled up his sleeves completely, revealing bare arms. Nothing hidden.

And yet—

Plop. Plop.

Cards kept falling.

Kitsune frowned

“It really looks like they’re appearing from nowhere.”

“So… I win?” he asked, a confident grin on his face.

The kitsune straightened. A smile touched her lips. Calm. Sharp.

“The illusion is perfect,” she said. “But I saw through it.”

Rei froze.

“Your cards,” she continued, tapping her chin, “are actually behind your hands. Slid between your fingers. Am I right?”

Silence.

Rei’s grin faded just a little.

Yes. She was right.

Rei let out a sharp breath, a little disappointed but not really shocked. After all, he’d known from the start that fooling the Queen of Illusions was never going to be easy.

Still… she looked satisfied.

“I see now how you fooled the exorcists,” the kitsune said. “That dexterity… impressive. Truly.”

Rei’s eyes widened.

“Then we can pass?”

She tilted her head.

“…Nope.”

She clapped once, excited, like a child who had just finished a candy.

“I figured it out. Do it again! One more!”

Rei’s stomach tightened.

Maybe he shouldn’t have set that condition. She might have let them pass without it. Now… he had no choice but to outdo himself if he wanted to win.

Then smiled.

“Alright, then how about this?”

He lifted his hat.

Pffft!

A swirl of smoke erupted, curling into the air.

From the haze, a small figure popped up, hovering just above the brim.

Kaitsuki.

The kitsune’s brows shot up, eyes widening in awe.

“Oh Right, the fake yokai. It’s really impressive how your puppet looks real. It even breathes.”

Rei crossed his arms.

“Ok, you know it’s not a real yokai,” he said. “But do you know how it came out of the hat?”

She stopped.

Thought.

Then snapped her fingers.

“It was already inside,” she said. “Curled up. Then smoke to distract, and it unfolds.”

Rei blinked.

She got it. Fast. Too fast.

He thought fooling her would be easier. But he forgot one thing: kitsune are tricksters too. Outsmarting her was like trying to steal from a thief. Tricky, but not impossible.

Time blurred.

Rei moved from trick to trick.

Flashes of fire. Fake teleportation. Explosions of light.

But each time the fox sees through the illusions: Strings, hidden gadget, mechanism and techniques. Everything.

Impressed, yet a hint of disappointment still in her eyes, she asked,

“Is that all?”

Rei clenched his fist.

“One last trick,” he said , “If you see through this… I lose.”

The fox leaned forward, eyes sharp and unblinking, eager to see the young magician’s final trick. Something probably incredible as it will decide the fate of him and his friends.

“Show me.”

Smoke exploded. Light. Sound. A sharp bang to shatter focus.

The world spun. 

And when the smoke cleared : 

Two Reis stood there. Side by side.

The kitsune froze.

“…Huh?”

She stared. Scrutinized. Circling.

“I sense magic,” she muttered. “But that’s impossible. You don’t have it”

Her eyes snapped to him.

“How did you do that?”

Rei smiled.

“A magician never reveals his secrets. But that means I win, right?”

The air dropped. Heavy. Bloodlust spilled out like a storm.

Her eyes turned razor-sharp, she growled

“Tell me. Now.”

Rei swallowed. No choice , he had to explain

“…It’s Kazumi. That’s her genjutsu.”

The world cracked.

“You cheated.”

She moved. Too fast. In a blink, her hand shot out, wrapping around Rei’s throat.The world tilted as she slammed him against a tree. His feet left the ground, dangling.

Air vanished.

Rei clawed at her wrist , his vision blurred, ears ringing. A sharp whine filled his head.

“That’s … not … cheating.” he gasped.

His chest burned. Dark spots crept into his vision.

“You said … I could … use … everything”

Cough. Cough.

Well in theory, he wasn’t wrong. But the kitsune didn’t see it that way. To her, it was betrayal.

And now, she was ready to tear out his throat.