The Goblin King, The Demigod Duergsini (1)

The most terrifying aspect of Duergsini is not his strength nor his insane ideology,

but the fact that he is an unpredictable existence.

Whether a fight between individuals or a war between nations,

there are always precursory signs before a battle breaks out.

However, we cannot know when the ascension-qualified yokai and goblins will appear,

or where they will emerge from.

They could show up in the heart of a city,

or in a remote mountain valley.

Or they could simultaneously emerge in several densely populated cities.

There are no precursory signs.

Literally ‘one day, suddenly’, Duergsini will reveal himself to the world.

And that ‘one day, suddenly’

is today.

---

The ascension-qualified yokai and goblins

began revealing themselves to the world.

Humans lack the ability to track them.

The only beings capable of accurately tracking their locations

were me

and Geusondae.

As I had to conserve my strength for the battle against Duergsini, the task of tracking the enemy fell entirely to Geusondae.

Dapoh,

Grandfather Mangtae,

Noeng,

even Lord Beast –

all the existences of the other world came out to actively move against the goblins.

Except me, that is.

I entered the pseudo-other world instead.

It was my judgment that listening to the situation from Geusondae would be better than simply remaining idle.

In the pseudo-other world,

I met Heukho.

Heukho’s target was not yokai or goblins, but Duergsini.

Like me, he had been waiting for Duergsini’s appearance,

yet he seemed utterly carefree about it.

Without any worries or concerns,

he could solely pursue meaningless values.

…What an enviably yet pitifully carefree character.

Leaving Heukho behind,

I met Geusondae.

Geusondae

still maintained Dalgi’s form.

Somehow, after seeing Dalgi’s story, facing Geusondae like this felt a bit strange.

Geusondae, the Dark Lord of the other world of Jirisan.

If Lord Beast supports the other world in the light,

then Geusondae is the yokai who supports it in the shadows.

All the darkness of this world was within Geusondae’s domain,

and great evils always hid in the shadows.

As the ascension-qualified yokai gradually revealed themselves, Geusondae tracked them and immediately informed the yokai groups.

Tracking ascension-qualified yokai with human detection capabilities is no easy feat.

The spiritual power radar is not omnipotent, and ascension-qualified yokai can often conceal their spiritual power.

In other words,

from the human perspective, Geusondae’s cooperation was a necessity, not a choice.

To deal with the ascension-qualified yokai and goblins,

the bizarre combination of yokai, martial artists, and Taoists was formed.

Together, they began exterminating the goblins and yokai one by one.

One plus one plus one did not equal three.

With yokai, martial artists, and Taoists combining their strength,

a value over ten was produced.

A result none could have predicted.

The martial artists handled physical force,

the Taoists psychic force,

and the yokai spiritual power.

By complementing each other’s shortcomings with their respective abilities, it became an unlosable battle.

Since Duergsini had not yet revealed himself, it was not time for me to make a move either.

The combined might of humans and yokai was sufficient to handle the goblin hordes.

The situation was positive.

“…”

No,

it doesn’t really seem that positive.

The fact that our forces are overwhelming the ascension-qualified yokai and goblins like this

seems to be the future Duergsini anticipated.

So I feel uneasy.

I still can’t shake the feeling that we are playing right into Duergsini’s palms…

“Ahehya.”

“…”

“Ahehya, are you uneasy?”

“Yes, of course.”

“What makes you so uneasy?”

“Just… it feels like all of this is part of Duergsini’s grand scheme…”

“It likely is.”

“…”

“However.”

Eventually,

Geusondae pointed at me and said:

“You are an existence beyond Duergsini’s predictions.”

“Think for yourself why”

“Duergsini has not revealed himself yet.”

“…Could it be because of me?”

“I think so.”

“You are”

“Duergsini’s greatest threat,”

“And also Duergsini’s only hope.”

“Even Duergsini”

“Cannot help but be extremely cautious.”

“So there is no need to be hasty.”

“The key”

“Is not in Duergsini’s hands,”

“But in yours.”

“…That’s an awfully burdensome statement.”

“Ahahahahaha! I have merely stated the facts to you.”

“…”

For a moment, I recalled the past.

The last time I conversed with Geusondae,

he clearly told me to persevere until I manifested my ninth tail.

“You haven’t changed your mind about that?”

“Of course not.”

“I do not regret the past,”

“Nor take back words I have uttered.”

“You speak like the real Dalgi, despite not being her. So, why do you think that manifesting the ninth tail will turn the cycle?”

“Rather,”

“I wish to ask you something.”

“Miho.”

“Why do you trust Duergsini’s words so much?”

“…Because Duergsini did not lie to me.”

It’s certain.

Duergsini absolutely did not lie to me.

I can sense it instinctively.

…No,

now that I think about it, it may not be because of instinct, but

perhaps I realized it thanks to Lord Beast’s Law of the Wheel.

Anyway, Duergsini did not lie to me.

In other words,

if I manifest my ninth tail, the cycle will really turn…

“How foolish.”

“Your tails have increased to eight,”

“You have established your identity,”

“You have mastered new powers,”

“Yet you are still”

“Merely a newborn child.”

“…Why the sudden personal attack?”

Geusondae is a yokai capable of observing all things in the world.

He must have witnessed me establishing my identity,

and using the power of freedom to exterminate the yaksha.

Thinking that my every move was monitored by Geusondae left a bad taste in my mouth, as did his baseless criticism.

Why should I be called foolish?

“If Duergsini’s words made you feel that way, then from Duergsini’s perspective, they are facts.”

“However,”

“They are only facts from Duergsini’s perspective.”

“From your perspective,”

“They may not be facts at all.”

“…?”

I did not understand Geusondae’s words.

Not because I was slow-witted, but

because Geusondae’s words were too ambiguous.

Lord Beast and Geusondae seem to share the hobby of speaking vaguely.

Seeing my perplexed expression, Geusondae said to me:

“What kind of existence are you?”

“Think for yourself,”

“And judge to answer.”

“Um…”

I don’t know why it suddenly became a question and answer session, but

regardless, I obediently answered Geusondae’s question.

“First, I’m a multi-tailed fox.”

“…”

“The only free existence in this world.”

“…”

“Duergsini’s nemesis, Dalgi’s vessel and Miho’s reincarnation who is Dalgi’s other persona, and one who has escaped the cycle…”

“That’s enough. You’re spilling information you shouldn’t know.”

“I said judge for yourself and answer.”

“I never said to eagerly open your mouth.”

“…”

“Now think again about why Duergsini’s words may not be facts from your perspective.”

Duergsini told me ‘facts’.

Duergsini’s statement that the cycle will turn if I manifest my ninth tail is a ‘fact’.

From Duergsini’s perspective, that is.

I am

a free existence who has escaped the cycle.

Being free means

I can do anything.

Literally,

anything at all.

…Wait.

If I think about it, there was a contradiction in Duergsini’s statement that the cycle will immediately turn once I manifest my ninth tail.

What Duergsini spoke of was a ‘prophecy’ and ‘inevitability’ about the future.

Words that do not align with freedom at all.

The cycle will definitely turn if I manifest the ninth tail?

Definitely?

How is that freedom?

That is bondage, not freedom.

I have free will.

Even if I manifest the ninth tail, the choice to not turn the cycle

is also my free will.

While it may be a fact from Duergsini’s perspective,

from my perspective, it is not a fact.

Because whether to define it as fact or falsehood

is also my free will.

Defying the Law of the Wheel

is also my free will.

…Damn it.

Why did I only realize this now?

I needlessly got flustered!

The ninth tail

could be manifested after all…!

No, it had to be manifested!

“Geez, you should have told me this important stuff sooner!”

“Did I not say in the past that I can observe but not interfere?”

“I thought you were also freed from the Law of the Wheel like Lord Beast!”

“I am not.”

“Moreover,”

“Freedom is not something one realizes just because someone says so,”

“It is a value one must seize and realize for oneself.”

“Argh! I get it, so where are those damn goblin and yokai bastards!”

This is no time to leisurely lounge around.

I too must take action and grow until I can manifest my ninth tail.

Thinking I could defeat Duergsini with eight tails was an arrogant notion.

“Um.”

“What is it? Hurry and tell me their locations, we don’t have time…”

“The cooperation between humans and yokai was truly formidable.”

“…Huh?”

“Just now, all goblins and yokai were exterminated.”

Ah.

This is bad.

The stepping stones for my growth have been completely blocked.