The Blue Fox's Rebellion
The blue fox, the yokai fox tale of the moonlit night (6)
Worried that the Force Arts woman might end up killing the fox yokai, I climbed the mountain—only to find my fears were unfounded. From higher up came the sounds of kwang, kwang, suggesting the fight was still ongoing.
The sights I encountered while ascending to the peak of Jirisan were horrific, even to someone like me who had seen every manner of atrocity in the Hidden World. First, the trees. Humans hung from the withered, emaciated trunks that had been drained by the fox spirit's potent yokai energy. Not fruit—humans.
"Krrrrgh…"
"Kill… me…"
"Cough, cough, cough…"
"Almighty God, forgive my sins and judge mine enemies, I beseech Thee as Thy humble servant…"
Even the dozens of people dangling haphazardly from the branches were still alive and fully conscious, despite their entrails spilling out into the open air.
The "how" didn't particularly interest me. As a fox yokai herself, it made sense that she could wield fox illusion arts. What puzzled me was the "why." Why hadn't she killed them? If there was any reason a fox yokai might spare humans…
"…Liver."
Right. The liver was the only human organ capable of regeneration. By suspending people from the trees and allowing them to heal over time, their livers would eventually regrow. The fox spirit had essentially created a living liver repository.
Disgusting.
Nausea surged up my throat. It was a cruelty that transcended human bounds. Though my yokai energy was nearly depleted, I began squeezing out what little remained to save them. The reason I would sacrifice my lifespan for humans was simple: what kind of person could turn away from the dying? I was still human. Even if my appearance was that of a yokai, my heart remained fully human.
However, rescuing these people with only three tails' worth of fox illusion arts was impossible. I would need at least four tails… no, five tails to even attempt it.
"Save… me…"
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to ignore their pleas as I pressed forward. I couldn't afford to manifest five tails here. If I did, I would have no means left to resist the fox spirit.
By the time I neared the summit, the thunderous sounds above had begun to fade. Had the battle ended?
"…"
A chill ran through me. My body trembled beneath the overwhelming surge of potent yokai energy. As expected, the Force Arts practitioner had been no match for the fox spirit. Was she dead? She must be. A fox spirit this cruel would have no reason to let her live.
Did she die because of me? It was a simple case of victim mentality, yet I couldn't deny my moral responsibility. She had expended considerable strength trying to capture me, and it was I who had told her the fox spirit must be dealt with first.
Would things have turned out differently if we had fought the fox spirit together? A meaningless hypothetical. The very notion of a human and a yokai joining forces was absurd.
The closer I drew to the summit, the more oppressive the presence became—enough to make my legs shake. To be honest, my heart felt ready to burst from tension and fear. But it was fine. I had endured far worse. Compared to Sangun, this fox spirit was nothing more than dirt beneath his claws. Not a metaphor—the fact was literal.
At last, I reached the summit, where all vegetation had been utterly devastated. It looked as though a woodsman had deliberately flattened the area; every tree within a fifty-meter radius lay in splinters.
Fortunately, the Force Arts practitioner was still alive. Barely.
I didn't know exactly what a "Force Arts practitioner" was, but I doubted she could recover from wounds this severe. Her throat had been torn open, and dark red blood bubbled forth with every pulse. Yet instead of staunching the wound, she seemed to have accepted her end. In her other hand glowed an enormous, unfamiliar force I had never seen before.
Opposite her stood the legendary blue fox spirit. Massive as an elephant, with razor-sharp claws and an overwhelming yokai energy that made my skin crawl. Ironically, her fur was a beautiful shade of blue, captivating enough to ensnare hearts.
The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew. I would not be leaving this place alive.
Then something inexplicable happened—something my mind struggled to comprehend. Upon seeing me, the fox spirit recoiled in horror, as though she had glimpsed a ghost.
Why? Was she startled because I, too, was a fox yokai?
The blue fox spirit trembled like an aspen leaf and spoke.
[What is your identity?!]
[Those three tails… What does it mean for a three-tailed fox to be destined to become either a celestial fox or a malevolent one?!]
[Could it be… Are you Dalki's vessel?!]
[According to the Taegong Divine Records, Dalki has already perished and vanished without a trace…]
"…"
[Why now, of all times?!]
[A thousand livers lie within reach, yet in this era there is neither the King of Yuldo nor the Head-Suppressing God to stand in this lady's way!]
I stared at the fox spirit, who seemed to be talking only to herself, and felt bewildered. Why was she acting this way? Though somewhat flustered, I was relieved she hadn't attacked me outright and eventually spoke.
"I…"
[KRRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
It was strange. The moment I opened my mouth, the blue fox spirit began raking her own body with her claws. Shlick. Shlick. Shlick. Her beautiful blue fur began to stain dark red.
Both the Force Arts practitioner and I were stunned by the sudden act. I didn't fully understand what was happening, but one thing was clear: the situation had turned in my favor. At some point, the fox spirit had begun bowing her head toward me, as though unconsciously.
Seizing the moment, I spoke quickly.
"I didn't come here to fight. I have questions for you."
[KRRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
[Three tails—how dare a newborn fox yokai with only three tails command this lady?!]
"Answer me."
[KRRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
Crackle. At my command, the fox spirit's yokai energy scattered in all directions. Then, in a submissive posture, she bowed her head and spoke.
[S-Speak…!]
"Fox yokai obtain yokai energy through two primary methods: consuming the livers of human males or absorbing their vital essence. Correct?"
[…Your words are true.]
"Then, is there any other way to obtain yokai energy besides these two methods?"
[There… isn't! Not through conventional means…!]
"Conventional means? Does that imply unconventional methods might exist?"
[Yes… they do…!]
I shuddered at the affirmative answer. And I rejoiced. I could survive. I could prolong my life without resorting to those vile methods…!
Under my silent pressure for more, the blue fox spirit groaned and continued.
[Grrr… The first method is to absorb yokai energy from another yokai of the same kind…!]
"By 'same kind,' you mean another fox yokai."
[Yes… However, this method is meaningless.]
"Why?"
[To my knowledge, the only fox yokai left in this world… was this lady alone…!]
"…!"
[This lady will never… surrender her yokai energy to you.]
[If not for you… If not for you!]
As she said, the first method seemed difficult to achieve. Though I might be able to kill her and take her energy. The silver lining was that if one method existed, so did the second. I asked her about the second method.
But unlike before, no answer came. At some point, the head that had been bowed toward me had lifted—as though refusing to submit—and was now raised toward the blue full moon.
Thud! The fox spirit slammed her claws, brimming with yokai energy, into the earth.
[If not for you, this lady would have become a celestial fox. For she was the last fox yokai remaining in this world! As the Taegong Divine Records state, even a wild fox like this lady could have become a celestial fox!]
Crackle-crackle-crackle! The blue fox spirit released yokai energy so intense it scorched the air.
"…!"
[Yet this lady was but a mere mortal, while the one truly destined was not her—but you.]
[How…]
[How utterly displeasing this fate is.]
Crunch-crunch-crunch. The fox spirit's entire body began to ripple, then twist and contort. Her muscles contracted and expanded, growing larger by the second.
[Grrr… Every fox yokai is fated to submit to Dalki's vessel.]
[Yet this lady… would rather die a hundred times than yield to destiny.]
[The one who becomes a celestial fox… shall be this lady, not you…!]
[No matter if you are Dalki's vessel, this lady will never bow her head to you.]
Shlick. Shlick. Crackle-crackle. Under the overwhelming yokai energy spreading outward, the surrounding vegetation began to wither and die. Before long, the blue fox spirit had grown so massive I had to crane my neck to look up at her. Unlike before, she was now the one looking down at me.
Our eyes met.
Grrr…
Finally, the fox spirit growled low and spoke.
[This is rather convenient.]
[Here and now, this lady shall kill you and twist fate itself.]
Riiiiiip. The blue fox spirit opened her maw wide enough to swallow the moon itself. Then, before I could even react, she unleashed a barrage of yokai blades upon me.
Of course, with only three tails manifested, I had no way to resist. All I could do was take the full brunt of the yokai blades with my body.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.
Yokai blades embedded themselves all over my body. Dark red blood sprayed forth. My throat was sliced a quarter of the way through. My side burst open. My nerves went numb.
Surprisingly, I felt no pain. It was the first time I realized that when death drew this close, pain ceased to register.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
As I tumbled across the ground and came to rest far away, the fox spirit began to laugh maniacally.
[Hah… Hahaha, hahahahahahahaha!]
[Behold, King of Yuldo!]
[This lady has overcome even fate itself!]
[The difference in vessels… is…]
[Power is… everything……]
[……]
As my ears rang and my consciousness faded, six tails sprouted—not by my will, but by pure instinct.