The Black-Furred Dog Yokai (Completed)

Ho Joon was flustered.

Enemy… No, not an enemy.

He wasn’t flustered because the onslaught from the Martial Artists, who had been allies, suddenly intensified.

Whether those Martial Artists intended to kill him or not, he was confident he could hold them off for another 10 minutes or so against the five of them.

The problem was the reinforcements.

With information about a ‘yokai appearing in Namsan’ already widely spread, more Martial Artists would soon arrive, including that monstrous old woman.

Unlike other Martial Artists, even Ho Joon couldn’t say for sure if he could withstand that old woman’s might.

If only he could cast the ‘Eonryeong Protection Spell’ as soon as the others arrived, that would be ideal, but the goblin wasn’t just idly watching either.

Dealing with the Martial Artists alone left Ho Joon no spare capacity.

The reason for Ho Joon’s flustered state was that the Martial Artists had abruptly stopped attacking altogether.

“Ugh… My head hurts!”

“What have I done…”

“Master Ho Joon, are you alright?”

Had their senses returned?

If their minds had suddenly regained clarity, then the cause could only be Miho.

“Who is that beautiful woman…”

“The woman is dangerous, help her!”

“Kill the black dog!”

“Kill that damn thing!”

Before Ho Joon could inquire about their well-being, the five Martial Artists charged at the black dog and began viciously stomping on it using their martial force.

Although they couldn’t see the goblin’s true form as the ‘black dog’, the goblin’s alarmed expression suggested it was taking meaningful damage.

It seemed the situation had been resolved.

Glance.

Ho Joon glanced at Miho.

The first thing that caught his eye wasn’t her severely injured right leg with the bone protruding, but rather her face, chest, and alluring figure.

Oh boy.

Ho Joon quickly layered a mental protection spell over himself.

She had released her charm ability.

Realizing Miho was emanating charm, Ho Joon finally understood the situation.

She had used charm to override the eonryeong.

But… was that even possible?

To override the eonryeong directly cast by a goblin, a being from legends?

Just what kind of vixen was she?

In any case, it was a welcome development.

Ho Joon could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

That’s when a middle-aged man arrived at the scene with a loud noise.

The director of the Yokai Extermination Office, Baek Nam-hun.

“Oh dear, am I late?”

“No, your timing was perfect.”

If he had arrived sooner, it would have been a disaster.

There was no way to know if the old man had any means to counter the goblin’s tricks.

If he did, the situation would have been resolved, but if not, the old man would have suffered the misfortune of killing his own precious disciple with his own hands.

Baek Nam-hun quickly surveyed his surroundings: the black dog, the Martial Artists, Miho, and the fallen Lee Ha-neul.

The air around Baek Nam-hun began to ripple like a mirage.

Clenching his fists so tightly that veins bulged out, Baek Nam-hun said to Ho Joon:

“Master Ho Joon, I’ll ask about the situation later. Please deal with that spiral-faced yokai… along with this beautiful fox spirit Miho.”

“…Don’t worry.”

Having said that, Baek Nam-hun swiftly rushed toward the fallen Lee Ha-neul.

Beads of cold sweat formed on Ho Joon’s brow.

Phew, that was a close one.

Is this what humans feel when facing a ferocious beast?

As someone who knew what a ‘spirit’ was, Baek Nam-hun had also grasped the goblin’s true nature, it seemed.

It was unclear whether he had fallen under Miho’s charm or not.

There was a common cliche weakness with mental abilities: if the target was experiencing intense emotions, the ability would be ineffective.

Nevertheless, Baek Nam-hun had referred to Miho as the ‘beautiful fox spirit’.

He could have simply called her Miho or a fox spirit, but he deliberately added the adjective ‘beautiful’ in front.

To some extent, it seemed the charm had worked on him.

Well, it was a matter of disposition.

Miho’s charm might not work on most Spell Masters like Ho Joon, but even a mighty Martial Artist like Baek Nam-hun would inevitably fall victim if he had no means to resist mental abilities.

Ho Joon was grateful anew that Miho was human-friendly.

In a way, the vixen Miho… or rather, the fox yokai, could be considered the perfect superior version of the goblin.

---

“Are you alright?”

“No, I don’t think I’ll make it.”

“Yeah, doesn’t look like it. The bone’s sticking out and all?”

“…”

In response to Ho Joon’s words, I glanced at my right leg.

Just as he said, the bone had indeed pierced through the skin and protruded outward.

For some reason, the pain was so excruciating that I felt mentally hazy.

“Ugh… It really hurts like hell…”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Haah, haah… How can I not, with that goblin’s antics.”

Currently, the goblin was being gang-lynched by five… no, seven Martial Artists.

Although the spiral’s rotational force didn’t seem to be weakening, suggesting the Martial Artists weren’t inflicting meaningful damage, at least they had the goblin’s movements restricted.

It seemed they needed to perceive the goblin’s true form to land direct blows.

Glance.

I glanced at Ho Joon.

He shook his head and spoke:

“It won’t work. It’s only been two weeks since the Jangsan incident. There’s not nearly enough time for me to learn goblin extermination spells.”

“…See, I can’t even rest when I want to.”

“Then hurry and get that plump butt of yours up.”

“Watch your damn mouth.”

“You’re one to talk…”

“Help me up. I can’t walk on my own.”

“Oh, I can feel your chest then.”

“…Just go die.”

Eventually, Ho Joon supported me by putting my right arm around his neck.

The Martial Artists furiously attacking the goblin then began blushing as they noticed us.

“I, I’ll support her instead!”

“No! I’ll do it…”

“Goodness, are you alright? This damn mutt!”

Tsk.

Their concern was appreciated, but…

“Please step aside for a moment.”

As I spoke, they parted like the Red Sea.

…The charm was quite effective.

I gazed intently at the fallen goblin.

It merely continued spinning its spiral, making no move to resist me.

I asked it:

“What is the goblin’s goal? Reviving the Duergsini?”

[…]

“Where are the other goblins?”

[…]

“Why did you create a false ascension by roasting yokai alive?”

[…]

“Tell me truthfully, what is the Taejasingi?”

[Even you,]

[As a spirit, should understand.]

[I cannot speak of it.]

“Why not?”

[How could a mere goblin like myself defy the heavenly mandate?]

[Only the kings of heaven and earth can act against the heavens.]

Heavenly mandate.

Acting against the heavens.

…Words I had heard from the Lord of the Mountain.

[This world is]

[a false world, spinning in the opposite direction of the great wheel.]

[Fox spirit, I ask you:]

[In this false world, is pursuing falsity positive or negative?]

[Inevitable or coincidental?]

[Truth or falsehood?]

It was like conversing with the Lord of the Mountain.

Though the nonsensical dialogue lacked coherence, I inscribed his words and the questions he posed deep within my heart.

I had a strong conviction that I mustn’t simply disregard them.

“…Any final words?”

[Spirits]

[Are the enemy of all.]

[The darkness of this world.]

Chwaaaaaak!

Those were the goblin’s last words.

---

After exterminating the goblin, I hastily released my charm ability.

The Martial Artists’ gazes towards me were becoming increasingly dangerous.

As I dispelled the charm, someone approached me, kneeling with their head to the ground.

“I, I’m so sorry!”

“I have committed a grave sin…”

“To not recognize my benefactor and show such an ugly form…”

They were the three Martial Artists who had relentlessly beaten me.

Yes, that bald one is the one who punched my gut.

That long-haired one is the one who nearly caved in my skull.

And this short-haired one is the one who shattered my right leg.

I understand.

It wasn’t their will, but the goblin’s.

They are all good people who protect humans from yokai, so of course I forgive them.

“Spirit, your injuries are severe… We must get you to a hospital immediately!”

“What have I done…”

I lifted my clothes to reveal my abdomen, blackened from severe bruising with blood oozing out, my bleeding head, and finally, my grotesquely protruding right leg bone.

Certainly grave injuries, but enough time had passed since exterminating the goblin for my spirit energy to recover somewhat.

I then used my spirit energy to heal my body.

“Wh, what is this…!”

“This, this can’t be…”

“It’s just healing magic. So don’t feel too bad. It’s no big deal.”

In truth, it was a big deal.

I had nearly died from the pain.

Still, it was a gain.

At the very least, I had gained three more people who would side with me at the conference.

If they had a shred of conscience, they would support me.

Once the situation was somewhat settled, Baek Nam-hun began overseeing the aftermath, leading those gathered at the scene.

Recovering the deceased’s remains.

Consoling the bereaved families.

Treating the injured.

Preparing statements for the press.

Just listening made one’s head spin from the barrage of terms.

The conference was postponed three days later.

If there was one difference from the previous conference, it was that I, [Spirit Miho], was officially granted the right to attend.