Eight-Tailed Fox (2)

It was a well-known fact that Old Man Wangtae liked children.

No.

To simply say he ‘liked’ children would be an understatement – he was an extreme pervert.

Even with over six tails, you could glimpse his perversion in aspects incompatible with me.

As someone who liked children yet hated mature women, it was roughly expected that Old Man Wangtae would dislike my eight-tailed state.

“Die, you monster!”

…But I didn’t expect him to suddenly swing his cane at me like that.

I lightly dodged Old Man Wangtae’s attack and told him:

“Calm down, Old Man.”

“You… you are a being that should not exist in this world…!”

“What did I do, you crazy geezer!”

“Just possessing that vulgar body makes you an evil existence!”

Ah, how vexing!

Why was I being treated like this when I did nothing wrong?

Old Man Wangtae was the same as ever.

[Oh oh oh… A ca, camera… I must find a camera…!]

And he was also a problem.

Grrowl didn’t seem interested in stopping Old Man Wangtae from swinging his cane at me.

Well, of course not – his body was trembling like an aspen tree.

His gaze was scorching.

Blatantly so.

If Old Man Wangtae’s gaze was filled with revulsion, Grrowl’s gaze was that of a lecherous pervert, a ball of unbridled lust.

Both of them.

Their eyes were rolling back in their heads.

Currently unable to control my spirit energy output, I couldn’t even use fox sorcery on Old Man Wangtae, so:

“Someone stop them!”

I called for help.

[Leave it to me! You there, Old Man Wangtae! Cease this at once!]

“Step aside, Grrowl. I have a duty to eliminate this evil existence.”

[Calm down and listen to me.]

“Huff, huff… Speak, Grrowl.”

Indeed, since Grrowl had a close relationship with Old Man Wangtae, the latter could calm down slightly thanks to Grrowl blocking his path.

Perhaps because Grrowl used his body to obscure me from view.

[She is no evil existence. It is Lady Miho. The very Lady Miho you adored so much!]

“I know no eight-tailed fox with such a vulgar body.”

[Calm down and gaze upon Lady Miho’s exquisite form. Is it not sublimely beautiful!]

Whoa whoa whoa.

He had to keep obstructing Old Man Wangtae’s view, if he moved aside what would happen!

[The bigger, the better! Indeed, the old saying misses not a mark! Ah, to have pursued false ascension instead of savoring such peerless beauty, my past self fills me with bitter regret…!]

“…Step aside, Grrowl. That brazen vixen must be beaten to death with my cane.”

[I cannot allow that, Old Man Wangtae.]

“If you won’t move, I’ll deal with you first!”

[I yearn for that!]

Eventually, Grrowl and Old Man Wangtae began grappling and tumbling about.

“…Let’s go, Depot.”

“Chik chik… Zzz.”

I left the scene with the now deeply sleeping Depot.

It seemed I had unintentionally destroyed their friendship, becoming a wicked woman, but…

Whether those two perverts fought or not was none of my business.

---

“Chik chik… Zzz…”

After carefully setting the soundly sleeping Depot down, I faced Lord of the Mountain.

Lord of the Mountain silently observed me without a word.

Unlike Old Man Wangtae or Grrowl, he didn’t fixate on any specific part of my body.

He focused his gaze on my tails, then spoke:

[Have you gained enlightenment?]

“Not some grand ‘enlightenment’, but I did establish my identity.”

[That is enlightenment.]

Whether it was enlightenment or self-realization, a problem had arisen.

“I can’t put my tails away.”

I explained my situation to him concisely, but didn’t mention Dalgi.

Even I didn’t know why I didn’t talk about Dalgi to Lord of the Mountain.

I just instinctively felt that I must not speak of Dalgi to anyone.

“How can I put my tails away?”

I didn’t expect Lord of the Mountain to answer my question.

He was always an enigmatic ruler who preferred ambiguous words.

This time too, I doubted he would give me clear advice and expected more vague ramblings.

However, the words that eventually left his mouth were unexpectedly straightforward:

[Expend your spirit energy.]

“…Huh?”

[Your vessel… that is, your physical body cannot withstand your spirit energy, so expend it.]

“Ah… will that work?”

[Indeed.]

…That was a rather simple solution, wasn’t it?

Lord of the Mountain’s words made complete sense.

Currently, I housed an amount of spirit energy that even I could not withstand.

If I tried putting my tails away while harboring this immense spirit energy, as he said, my physical body would not endure it.

Ah.

Thank goodness.

I thought I might never be able to return to the human world.

By the way.

A question occurred to me:

“Are lings beings that evolve by gaining enlightenment?”

I could now unleash eight tails, but I didn’t intend to stop growing here.

If I wanted to completely overwhelm the goblin god Duergsini, I would need to at least unleash a ninth tail.

So I needed certainty on how to grow further.

Lord of the Mountain answered:

[It can be seen that way, and it cannot.]

“…Can’t you just give me a clear, conclusive answer instead of being vague?”

[I have merely conveyed the facts to you, interpretation is your responsibility.]

“…I understand. I’ll figure it out myself.”

[Excellent.]

Yeah.

I didn’t expect him to answer, anyway.

A multi-tailed fox is the sole existence in this world free from the shackles of bondage.

Freedom comes with responsibility.

I have no choice but to pave my own path forward.

Lastly, there was one more thing I wanted to ask him:

“What if. Just hypothetically.”

[…]

“What if I killed all the goblins? Could everyone then be happy?”

According to Dalgi, goblins were the embodiment of order itself.

Goblins were despicable beings who didn’t hesitate to commit evil acts for their own purposes, deserving of death.

But it was an inevitable fact that chaos would ensue if order collapsed.

Lord of the Mountain answered my question:

[If I were to deny your question, would you then spare the goblins?]

“No. I would still kill them.”

[Then the result is already decided, so your question is worthless.]

“But still…”

[Once before.]

[You told me something.]

For a moment, I doubted my own ears.

“Just do as your heart desires, Aha.”

I never expected such a vulgar phrase to leave Lord of the Mountain’s mouth.

---

After my audience with Lord of the Mountain, I recklessly released my spirit energy in all directions following his advice.

However, the overwhelming amount of spirit energy in my eight-tailed state wasn’t easy to expend.

Dozens of minutes passed.

“Hah hah hah hah…”

Finally, I managed to completely expend all my spirit energy.

I had no strength left in my body.

In this state…

I could put my tails away.

Resolving not to carelessly unleash my eight tails again, I retracted them.

“…Huh?”

Then a childish voice leaked from my mouth.

Huh?

I put my tails away, but…

…Why did I only put away six of them?

I only intended to put away enough for three tails or so.

I unintentionally ended up in a two-tailed state.

My current appearance would look around six years old or so.

Two tails wasn’t ideal.

With lowered vision and short legs, mobility became inconvenient.

At minimum, I needed six or seven tails out to be comfortable.

“Hngh!”

“Hah!”

“Hee!”

Eventually, I strained my rear with a shrill voice, but…

No new tails emerged.

Ah.

Damn it.

You could have at least warned me about potential side effects, you damn tiger.

…

…

…

“My den disappeared… Chik…”

“…Is that all you have to say?”

“Chik chik.”

How vexing.

Eight tails, then two tails.

No in-between, no in-between at all.

Who knows how long this state will last, but…

Well…

It’s better than eight tails, I guess.

At least my shoulders don’t ache.

To reassure Yi Haneul who would obviously worry, I headed towards the Inner Realm’s exit, when:

[This fool… how can he fail to appreciate Lady Miho’s beauty!]

“You idiot, that is not beauty but ugliness!”

Good grief.

I could still find those two yokai fighting.

Let’s not be noticed.

Quietly.

Tread softly.

Softly.

Softly.

Rustle!

Ah.

“Ooooh, Your Majesty… Miho, what is that adorable form! Hehehe. Come, embrace this old man!”

[Uuuurgh… Truly a little demon without compare. Begone from my sight!]

“What…! Grrowl, you fiend! What did you just call our small, lovely, cute Miho!”

[I called her a little demon without compare.]

“You dare, how dare you!”

Please.

I wish they would both disappear from my sight forever.