Spiritual Beast (2)
The director asked, "Lady Ha-neul. How are the results?"
"Hmm… Well, it seems usable enough, but the energy consumption is way too heavy. I think I need to do more research. Or maybe train until my bones break and increase my total energy reserves. Sigh, either way, it's a headache."
"I see…"
Being able to wield a goblin's weapon was another revelation that shattered conventional human knowledge. The director was starting to dread attending meetings more and more.
He turned to Lee Ha-neul. "Lady Ha-neul, about the matter we discussed last time… what do you think?"
"Ah, you mean Miho? Hmm…"
Lee Ha-neul mulled it over for a moment before continuing. "The real issue is how to convince people. That's what matters most, isn't it?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you…"
The director then began explaining his plan for how to introduce Miho to the public.
* * *
I headed toward Sangun's domain to meet him. Well, since I still didn't acknowledge him as king, "meet" was the better word. I was simply going to talk.
I appeared before him with seven tails out—meaning I was in a state where I could wield spiritual power. He gazed at me. As always, I couldn't read his thoughts.
I cut straight to the point. "As you can see, I've become a Spiritual Beast. Just like you."
[…]
"Doesn't that put us on equal footing? Shouldn't you share some information now?"
Equal footing. The words sounded ridiculous even coming from my own mouth. What equality? Even with spiritual power at my disposal, the crushing pressure I felt facing him still made my body tremble.
In our last conversation, Sangun had called himself a "foolish coward" and a "passive observer." He said he couldn't be sure whether I was an evil fox like Dalki or a celestial fox. So I hadn't expected much from him. Obviously he'd just spout something about heavenly mandate and refuse to tell me anything.
But the words that left his mouth shattered my expectations.
[In the past, fifty-six cycles ago.]
[Dalki, the nine-tailed fox yokai, threw the world into chaos.]
[With her own power she defied the Shang Dynasty.]
[She corrupted King Zhou.]
[She tormented the people and devoured their livers.]
Sniff, sniff. A pleasant scent drifted from somewhere. Not the thick ink fragrance unique to the Hidden World, but something warmer.
Sangun continued.
[Child.]
[Do you know what Dalki's goal was?]
"…How would I know that?"
I was only a two-year-old fox yokai, after all. Sniff, sniff, sniff. Even as I listened to Sangun, the pleasant smell made me grin like an idiot.
Looking at me with gentle eyes, Sangun went on.
[Dalki's goal was…]
[Ascension.]
"…"
I'd more or less guessed as much. For some reason, yokai were obsessed with "ascension." The stronger the yokai, the more terrifying their fixation became. So what exactly was ascension? Not like he'd tell me anyway…
[Ascension is—]
"…!"
[Ascension means finally casting off the mask of yokai.]
[It is the very act of advancing toward a noble and humble purpose.]
[Only by understanding and practicing benevolence and righteousness can one reach ascension.]
[If personal ambition or vile desire is involved…]
[No one can attain it.]
[Dalki was a fox yokai who could never reach ascension.]
"…The ascension I know and the one you're talking about seem very different."
The "ascension" I understood wasn't some lofty act like Sangun described. It was a shady goal pursued by trash with rotten personalities. I mentioned the Taeja Singi to him—the record written by the good side of the demigod Dueoksini, teaching yokai who symbolized savagery how to accumulate virtue instead of karma. Yet the ascension described in the Taeja Singi was clearly about piling up karma, not virtue.
When I brought up what Mangtae Grandfather had told me, Sangun suddenly let out a deep growl.
[Grrrrrrrrr.]
A cold wind blew. His spiritual energy shook the earth. His roar echoed throughout the entire Hidden World, splitting the clouds and soaring into the sky. The one who had never shown emotion toward me was now furious.
[The ascension presented in the Taeja Singi…]
[Is a fabricated goal offered by a false god.]
[In other words, it is fake.]
CRACK-BOOM! The moment he finished speaking, just like last time, lightning struck from a clear sky and slammed straight into Sangun's massive body. The sickening sound of burning flesh filled the air.
"A-are you all right…?"
[A slip of the tongue.]
A scar formed on Sangun's back, shaping the characters for "defying heaven." Ignoring my concern, he continued.
[If one sets foot upon true ascension—not the false ascension presented in the Taeja Singi…]
[The turbid energy known as yokai energy will vanish.]
[One will understand the principles of all things.]
[One will follow instinct, yet never become evil.]
[And one will be able to wield the miraculous power called spiritual energy.]
"W-wait, hold on."
Could it be… if what I was thinking was right…
[A Spiritual Beast…]
[Refers to a yokai who has set foot upon ascension.]
[You, Miho…]
[Have set foot upon ascension.]
"…"
Overwhelmed by the sudden flood of information, I stared blankly at Sangun for a moment. So…
"I achieved ascension… is that what you're saying?"
[No. More precisely, you have set foot on the path toward ascension.]
Why? No matter how I thought about it, I had never done anything grand enough to be called a "noble and humble purpose." After receiving yokai energy from the blue fox, all I'd done was save humans. Save humans. And save humans again… Ah.
[Dalki…]
[In her lifetime, she only ever harmed humans. She never once saved them.]
[Until she could manifest nine tails…]
[She could never wield spiritual energy.]
"Why?"
Everything was fine, but why was this usually tight-lipped guy suddenly dumping all this information on me now?
[Because you have finally earned the right to face the truth.]
[Until now, I could not tell whether you were an evil fox like Dalki or a new celestial fox named Miho.]
[As a passive observer, I merely watched.]
[However…]
[Seeing you become a Spiritual Beast…]
[It seems you are not an evil fox like Dalki, but a celestial fox after all.]
[You are order, not chaos.]
[You are inevitability, not coincidence.]
"…"
A strange feeling. Like someone had acknowledged me, saying, "You're a useful person." No—not a useful yokai. A useful person.
I asked Sangun again. "Who is the enemy?"
[You already know. The King of the Imoogi and other monsters.]
"The goblins… are they still alive?"
[They will show themselves soon enough.]
"…"
[You, Miho, the fox Spiritual Beast who has set foot upon ascension.]
[Fulfill your duty as a Spiritual Beast.]
[Carry out the mission of one who has entered the path of ascension.]
"I…"
Before answering, I hesitated. I was afraid that if I spoke my true feelings, Sangun might strike me down. Even so, I told him honestly.
"I don't know anything about noble purposes or whatever. I just don't like how every yokai chasing that fake ascension acts. I hate seeing humans die. I can't just stand by and watch. So I'm moving. I'm not some lofty person like you say."
[Person…]
"So from now on, I'm going to do whatever I feel like."
[…]
After finishing, I braced myself for the coming rebuke. My words directly contradicted everything Sangun had said, so I had no excuse if he punished me. But instead of anger, I received something else.
[Do as you wish, child.]
I witnessed a rare sight—Sangun smiling.
* * *
Before leaving, I asked Sangun one last question. I had obtained a goblin club from a formless shadow, and Lee Ha-neul, a Force Arts practitioner, had been able to wield it using her energy. Why?
The answer, as expected, was:
[I cannot answer that.]
We seemed to have grown closer, but apparently not enough for that.
Ascension. The words Sangun had given me were far too heavy for me to bear. My original goal had never been grand. I had only wanted to survive one more day. How things had gotten so tangled, I couldn't understand.
Whatever the case, I couldn't stand by while more humans died here either. I decided to protect them.
…Though with this appearance, it'd be nice if someone could convince people I'm not a bad yokai.