The Spiritual Beast (3)

Wielding Spirit Power was not fundamentally different from using Demonic Energy.

Without anyone’s guidance, I could manipulate it as naturally as moving a part of my own body,

And it enabled actions physically impossible – those aspects were similar.

If there was one difference, it was that

Demonic Energy felt cold, while

Spirit Power felt warm.

After my conversation with San-gun, I began actively exploring Spirit Power,

With Dopo as my primary experimental subject, naturally.

“Why me, eeek!”

“Because you’re the most harmless.”

“There are plenty of harmless yokai besides me! You could easily subjugate other yokai too!”

“Look at this rat, where did you even learn such internet slang?”

“Miho taught me.”

“…Touché.”

“Eeek!”

“Anyway, just cooperate obediently. If you help properly, I’ll give you a big present.”

“A present? What kind? Is it an acorn?”

“No, something much better than acorns.”

Enticed by the word ‘present’, Dopo promptly poked his head out from my bosom to eagerly assist me.

“Well then, could you at least come out first? Before I shave off all that fluffy fur.”

“No way. It’s squishy soft, so I’m staying put. Experiment like this.”

“…Suit yourself.”

Ever since manifesting seven tails,

Dopo had practically taken up residence inside my bosom –

Sleeping there,

Eating there,

Drinking there.

It wasn’t as if my breasts were some squirrel den, but

His snuggling antics were inwardly endearing, and his fluffy fur felt quite pleasant too,

So I let it be.

In any case,

I began testing fox magic…

No,

Should I call it ‘fox mystic arts’ now?

I tested the fox mystic arts on Dopo, of course taking care not to harm him by moderating the potency.

One thing I learned through experimentation:

First,

The mystic arts, in other words Spirit Power,

Possessed a yogi-dispelling force akin to a Martial Artist’s martial power.

Meaning, if I became properly proficient in using Spirit Power,

It could prove extremely useful for subduing yokai going forward.

Of course, just as Lee Ha-neul’s martial power alone could not easily exterminate all yokai,

There were limits, but it was undoubtedly a useful power nonetheless.

“Eeeeek, my yogiii!”

“Ah! S, sorry.”

Oops.

A mishap.

I had unintentionally dispelled Dopo’s yogi with my Spirit Power.

Despite attempting to moderate my power,

Having his yogi dispelled, Dopo immediately began thrashing about inside my bosom.

“Apologize! Give me back my yogi, you stupid dumb fox!”

“We, well, I’m sorry, but what are you doooiingg!”

“Eeek eeek.”

Squirm squirm.

Dopo began wiggling around inside my bosom.

The sensation was so strange and lewd that I involuntarily shrieked.

For a yokai, yogi was a precious lifeforce energy,

So it was understandable that Dopo threw such a fit after having it dispelled.

…Still,

“Take it easy.”

“Eeek…”

Moderation was key in all things.

Another thing learned through experimentation:

Second,

Unlike yogi, Spirit Power was an infinite energy source.

It might take some time, but rather than having to resort to madness like absorbing vitality or extracting livers, it naturally replenished itself – an infinite energy.

One might object that it seemed ridiculously more powerful just from gaining one extra tail, but

That was not entirely accurate.

The ‘total’ power had actually decreased somewhat –

It was like the vessel containing the power had shrunk.

Yogi was not infinite energy, but if I harbored ill intentions, I could endlessly consume it.

For instance, let’s hypothetically assume

I was a lewd fox yokai obsessed with the carnal, whose hobby was absorbing the vitality of human males.

“…”

“What’s wrong, Miho?”

“…Nothing.”

Just hypothesizing gives me an unsettling chill, but this is purely hypothetical – I have no such actual desires.

Ahem,

Let’s say I ventured into the human world that day to absorb the vitality of human males.

Consuming one,

Then two,

Ten,

A hundred,

A thousand –

Even if I absorbed the vitality of ten thousand human males, that immense yogi would not leak out of my body.

In my three-tailed state, my body likely could not withstand it, but

With six tails or more, I could endure it without issue.

In contrast,

Spirit Power naturally replenished itself without needing to absorb human vitality or the like, but

Once it reached a certain level, it stopped replenishing further – there was an inherent limit unlike the limitless yogi.

In that sense, solely considering the ‘peak’ of power,

Spirit Power was actually weaker than yogi.

Well,

Since I had no intention of extracting livers or absorbing vitality anyway,

This was preferable for me.

Another thing learned:

Third,

Unlike the negative energy of yogi, Spirit Power was a positive energy.

…I’m not entirely sure what that vague, abstract statement even means myself.

I have no evidence, yet

I can say with certainty that

Unlike when using yogi, employing Spirit Power filled me with a warm feeling.

“So warm…”

It seemed the subjects affected by my Spirit Power felt that warmth too.

Truly,

The term ‘mystical power’ suited it exceedingly well.

Thanks to Dopo, I had learned quite a bit, so as promised, I bestowed a gift upon him.

“Here.”

“What’s this?”

“A squirrel wheel.”

“Ooh…Oooh, oooooh!”

Before leaving the Yokai Extermination Office,

I had asked the director in advance

To purchase a squirrel wheel.

Upon seeing the wheel, Dopo instinctively crawled inside without me even explaining,

And immediately began scurrying with his short legs.

“Fun… Fun, fun!”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I like it! Not as much as Miho’s boobs, but I still like it!”

“…”

Did he have to add that aside?

Geez.

It was about my bodily changes after manifesting seven tails, so

If that was an issue, then it was an issue.

Why did they have to grow so unnecessarily large?

Would they expand further if I gained another tail?

They were already plenty heavy, uncomfortable and burdensome, so if they grew any larger…

…It seemed it could really become troublesome.

It was as if the heavens bestowed this physique saying, ‘Here, a perfect body for absorbing vitality, enjoy your meals!’

Well, I had no intention of absorbing vitality, so.

A lascivious fox yokai like Daji might relish it, but

I was a fox who still retained masculine identity and humanity.

Pitter patter pitter patter.

Dopo, busily running in the wheel, suddenly addressed me with a curious look:

“Miho.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re shapeshifted as a human right now, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why are you insisting on walking on all fours?”

“It’s more comfortable this way.”

“Aren’t humans supposed to walk upright?”

“True, but this is just more comfortable.”

Even with this physique,

Suppressing these ‘fox instincts’ was quite the predicament.

“I see? Well, if you say so.”

As a beast-form yokai like myself, Dopo could understand and accept it, but

Humans would react differently.

Just envision some lewd woman with massive breasts sashaying about on all fours, swinging her plump rear.

It would be a catastrophic sight.

In that sense, since I would likely frequent the human world often going forward, in addition to training to suppress my fox instincts,

A beast could not train itself without a trainer, could it?

…This was not a metaphor or self-depreciating expression.

Having unleashed my fox nature, I truly felt like a beast in need of a trainer.

However, requesting training from a man seemed rather inappropriate, so

I would have to ask Lee Ha-neul later.

…She wouldn’t resort to corporal punishment if I was disobedient, would she?

---

Five days had passed since returning to the other world.

When I left the Yokai Extermination Office, the director had earnestly requested that I visit again in five days, so

I headed back to the outside world once more.

At this point, I could hardly tell if the other world or the office was my true home.

Since I did not want the staff witnessing my unsightly form crawling about on all fours in shapeshifted state, this time I did not shapeshift into a human at all.

They all knew my appearance anyway.

As I proceeded down the path,

The sound of falling trees began emanating from up ahead.

Perhaps Lee Ha-neul was training?

She must be quite busy experimenting with the might of the goblin club too.

Heading towards the source of the sounds to greet Lee Ha-neul,

Hee hee.

Hee hee hee.

I caught a whiff of something.

Not Lee Ha-neul’s scent, nor a human female’s, but

The scent of human males –

A pungent reek of alcohol,

A foul stench of cigarettes.

Ah.

“Well, if it isn’t a fox.”

“Yeep…”

“Oh? Seven tails… Don’t tell me you’re Miho?”

It was the Spell Master I was acquainted with –

Ho Joon.

Seeing Ho Joon here too, the director must have summoned us to convey something important.

That aside,

I had to do what needed doing.

“Grrrrrowl…Woof!”

Incensed by his obliviousness, I pounced and sank my teeth into his hand with a crunch.

“Aaaarrgghh! What the fuck, you crazy bitch!”

Crazy bitch?

You’re the crazy one, you bastard,

Smoking cigarettes in the mountains like some lunatic.