The Inner Demon (Completed)

The possession-type yokai called ‘Grrowl’ and Old Man Wangtae immediately embraced each other and began reminiscing about the past.

“I thought you were dead! After being granted ascension qualifications, I assumed you had been thoroughly subjugated by the Battle Mystics… But how are you still alive?”

[And I thought you had perished. Where is this place? And how are you, who ultimately failed to receive qualifications, still around…]

They knew each other…?

Well, the yokai ‘granted ascension qualifications’ had been active at least 500 years ago, so their periods likely overlapped with Old Man Wangtae’s.

It wasn’t strange for them to be acquainted.

After they began conversing, I discreetly took a step back.

Thanks to my fox ears, I could eavesdrop on their conversation no matter how far away.

The relationship between Old Man Wangtae and ‘Grrowl’ seemed to be former close friends.

Although a lecherous old man, Old Man Wangtae was a yokai with a kind heart, acknowledged even by that ‘Old Lech’.

For him to be close friends with ‘Grrowl’…

Meant this possession-type yokai had originally been a yokai with a conscience too.

It had likely fallen under the corrupting influence of the ‘God-Manifesting Talisman’.

Even accounting for allure’s potent effects, ‘Grrowl’ did not seem like an inherently vile yokai in terms of personality.

He had probably been a kind-hearted yokai originally, regaining his true nature thanks to my allure.

Their conversation seemed to be wrapping up, so I silently approached them.

‘Grrowl’ introduced me to Old Man Wangtae first.

[Old Man Wangtae, this is Ms. Miho. My benefactor who set me on the right path, and my love!]

“…Not your love. It just happened to turn out that way, Old Man.”

Since ‘Grrowl’s’ words carried some ambiguity, I corrected him.

I then explained the situation to Old Man Wangtae, prompting him to abruptly click his tongue and speak:

“Tsk tsk tsk. That debased fox vixen… I knew from the start you would go wagging your tails at men.”

“No, it wasn’t like that, it was an unavoidable choice to save someone…”

“Shut your mouth, lecherous fox vixen.”

Ah, this perverted old man who liked little girls.

Conversation was utterly futile.

…Right, it was my mistake for unleashing seven tails in front of Old Man Wangtae.

I immediately retracted four tails, reverting to the appearance of a 10-year-old girl.

“Heheheheh… Well done, Miho!”

Old Man Wangtae’s attitude did a 180-degree turn.

…Really vexing, honestly.

[Ah.]

Seeing my changed form, ‘Grrowl’ visibly displayed a disappointed look.

[Ms. Miho, it was your mature, alluring form I loved, not this…]

[Where have those massive, mountain-like breasts gone?]

[That plump rear?]

[Those fluffy seven tails?]

[Where have they disappeared to!]

“Ah, damn it! I don’t know, you lunatic! If I don’t take this form, that perverted old geezer won’t even talk to me!”

[Haah… I’m not a lunatic who likes kids like Old Man Wangtae.]

[I don’t]

[love your three-tailed form.]

“Heheheheh, Miho… Let me hug you again after so long.”

“…”

One yokai was a demented pervert who liked little girls.

The other was an obscene lecher.

This was dizzying.

Come to think of it, ‘Grrowl’s’ attitude suggested the allure had worn off after reverting to my three-tailed state, yet he remained amicable towards me.

To confirm, I bluntly asked him:

“Grrowl.”

[Speak, insignificant three-tailed fox yokai.]

“Do you still feel the urge to kill humans for ascension?”

[No, not at all. …Hmm, even I find this surprising. For hundreds of years, I pursued only ascension, yet why can I so easily abandon it now?]

It seemed ‘Grrowl’ had completely broken free from the God-Manifesting Talisman’s control and shackles.

…Phew.

I didn’t expect allure to be this potent.

Even without currently being entranced, just having been entranced once allowed him to shake off the Talisman’s temptations.

Certainly, the ‘multi-tailed fox yokai’ was no mere goblin’s natural enemy.

I asked ‘Grrowl’:

“Grrowl, did you survive in Korea after being granted ascension qualifications until now? If so, how did you manage to survive?”

[Hmm… It’s not too difficult to explain.]

[I would rather]

[converse with my love Miho in her seven-tailed form.]

“…”

‘Grrowl’ spoke:

“Hey, you rascal ‘Grrowl’! You’re as impudent as ever, even after all this time. Don’t make Miho do anything unsavory!”

[Unsavory? Receiving that lecherous grin of yours while in the form of a child is truly unsavory, Old Man Wangtae.]

“What? You brat, how dare you run your mouth so freely in this place! Miho’s three-tailed form is heart-meltingly adorable! But that debased seven-tailed fox spirit vixen…”

[Debased? That is not debasement, but an innate allure, or what you might call a national treasure. Old Man Wangtae, you are the one who…]

“Both of you, shut it.”

Pphewing.

Puff puff.

Exasperated by the two lunatic yokai evaluating my appearance right before me, I eventually unleashed two more tails, taking the form of a 16-year-old fox yokai girl.

[…Hmm.]

“Mmm…”

[Ambiguous.]

“Ambiguous, indeed…”

[The breasts protrude adequately but lack fullness, and the rear cannot be called plump either.]

“While still bearing the figure of a maiden, untainted by sagging flesh, those protruding breasts and rear are quite unsightly nonetheless.”

Ah.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

While humans ought to respect their elders, I was not human.

I was a fox.

My fists brimming with yokki possessed formidable might…

…Or so I thought, but not really.

Let’s not forget – Old Man Wangtae was a powerful yokai over 500 years old, and this ‘Grrowl’ was also a mighty yokai granted ascension qualifications.

The punches from my five-tailed self were mere love taps to them.

Still, I had demonstrated my anger, so ‘Grrowl’ eventually began his story:

[After being granted ascension qualifications,]

[I voraciously devoured humans.]

“…”

[The condition for ascension bestowed upon me by the God-Manifesting Talisman was simple:]

[To possess a human body,]

[And devour other humans.]

[However, contrary to my impatient heart, filling the human quota was no easy feat.]

[Around the time I devoured my tenth human,]

[The host’s mind would utterly collapse.]

It was a dreadful tale that made me lose any desire to forgive him, but…

…Thinking about it, Daepo and even Old Man Wangtae must have had periods of indiscriminately devouring humans too.

So I continued listening to his story.

[Excessively expelling yokki caused the human host’s body to crumble,]

[As my innate yokki was not particularly potent compared to other yokai.]

[This is]

[Why I could survive the Battle Mystics and mystics in the past.]

[At that time,]

[The number of humans I had devoured was]

[Eight hundred and sixty-nine.]

“…What?”

Wait a minute.

He had clearly stated that 130 humans remained until his ascension at this point.

So for 500 years, he hadn’t devoured a single human?

“…What were you doing for 500 years?”

[I was imprisoned.]

“Imprisoned? Where?”

[I don’t know either. 500 years ago, on a day when ascension was near, the moment I saw that being’s form, I lost consciousness.]

[I was imprisoned somewhere for 500 years.]

[Likely, the other yokai granted ascension qualifications who survived the ‘Dark Night’]

[Were also imprisoned by that being, just like me.]

The ‘Dark Night’ likely referred to the great yokai massacre caused by ‘Half-Blank’, the evil side of the half-deity Half-Blank.

Half-Blank had tried to kill all the yokai closest to ascension at the time.

But for some reason, due to someone’s interference, it failed to achieve its goal.

Judging by the circumstances, the one who interfered with Half-Blank was probably Half-Blank’s benevolent side, Half-Blank.

And the being who sealed ‘Grrowl’ was also…

“A goblin?”

[Correct.]

Half-Blank.

In conclusion, Half-Blank was not Half-Blank’s evil side, but a being that could be called Half-Blank’s benevolent side.

---

After the story ended, I asked Old Man Wangtae and ‘Grrowl’ if they knew anything more about ‘Half-Blank’ and ‘Half-Blank’, but they simply shook their heads, unable to answer.

They truly knew nothing more.

‘Grrowl’ was certainly a gentle yokai that could not be called vile, so it seemed unnecessary to kill him.

…If other yokai granted ascension qualifications could be reformed this way, how wonderful that would be.

I told ‘Grrowl’ and Old Man Wangtae:

“Alright. Grrowl, you’ll live here from now on. I’ll summon you if I need you. Of course, I’ll have to report this to Sангун as well… Old Man, take Grrowl to Sангun.”

[Hmm.]

“Hmm…”

[Why should I heed your ambiguous words?]

“Why should I heed Miho’s ambiguous words?”

…These lunatics really didn’t quit, did they?

Alright then, you lunatics, I’ll grant your wishes.

I retracted two tails and told Old Man Wangtae:

“Take Grrowl to Sангun, you demented perverted old geezer.”

“Heheheheh… If it’s a request from our adorable Miho, I’ll gladly oblige.”

Then I unleashed four tails and told ‘Grrowl’:

“Live here. Don’t even think about going outside, you lunatic.”

[Of course! If it is your command, Miho, I would leap into a pit of fire!]

…How utterly devoted.

I should eat some dog food cereal and relieve some stress.