72 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

**Chapter 72: The Master is Injured** "Ugh." The excruciating pain that began in his abdomen overwhelmed Karami, gripping his entire body and clouding his mind. His body, which had been dangerously staggering, finally leaned forward, collapsing down. Rin stared blankly at Karami as he hit the cold ground. "Master...?" There was no response even when she called out. She hoped it was just a prank. He would surely rise again and tease her in his usual playful manner. Rin held that fleeting wish. But Karami did not stand up. All that was left was his motionless body, slowly growing stiller. In the forest, saturated with the scent of blood and gunpowder, a subtly different scent of blood grazed Rin’s nostrils. The sickeningly vivid smell of Karami’s blood. "Master!" Only then did Rin realize something was terribly wrong. Quickly, she leapt to Karami's side and rolled his body over. A huge wolf's claw had embedded itself into Karami's abdomen. It was an enormous claw, roughly 10cm in length. The claw twitched, akin to a living creature. Not only the claw, but the bodies of the blood wolves around them were convulsing, crawling towards them. The claw dug deeper still. Deciding that it would be disastrous to leave it as it was, Rin forcefully pulled the claw out. "Ugh!" With a slurping sound, the claw was withdrawn. Simultaneously, as the claw vacating the wound was removed, blood gushed out. "Oh... oh..." Rin's hands fluttered helplessly in the air. She had learned spells to slay demons and bewitch opponents, but never one to heal the wounded. Karami coughed dryly. Rin’s foxfire had set the forest ablaze, making the air unbearably hot. And then there were the blood wolves’ carcasses, still slithering towards them like worms. Faced with uncertainty about what to do, Rin lifted Karami and ran. Towards the city. Towards home. With a velocity incomparable to when she would stroll leisurely alongside Karami. She pierced through the forest in a single swift dash, with a boom resonating like the crack of a whip. As the city came into view, Rin's light steps swiftly brought her upon it. She vaulted over the city walls with agility. The city was packed with countless buildings, yet only one place caught Rin's eye. Seira’s home. When someone was injured, one might think of a hospital or a cathedral, but Rin knew nothing of those. In Karami's absence, the only person Rin could seek help from was Seira. Entering the house, Rin hurried up the stairs to the second floor where Seira stayed. She knocked on the door so hard it seemed it might break. "Seira! Seira! Master is hurt! Come out, quickly!" There was a creaking sound from within, as the door began to slowly open. Even with Seira present, restoring Karami was not within her capability, but Rin was comforted by the mere presence of a familiar face. "Seira, Master... Master..." Rin turned Karami's condition to Seira, but something was amiss with Seira. Her body was covered in wolves' fur, and her eyes, gazing down at Rin, were chilling. Tonight was the night of a full moon. A night when the werewolves' ferocity was heightened. And with still quite some time before dawn. In addition to being near the forest of the blood-soaked night, wasn’t it too stimulating for Seira’s wild instincts, considering Karami was covered in blood? "Seira...?" Seira approached with a frosty expression. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Rin slowly retreated. Crack. Seira's hands thickened, her nails extending into savage claws. Inevitably, Seira swiped a vicious arm diagonally. Whoosh. The claws swept past Rin's ears as she ducked. The wildly swung arm demolished the corridor wall. "Seira! Snap out of it!" But Seira’s assault continued as if she couldn’t hear. In an instant, the house turned chaotic. "Sorry, Seira!" Realizing her words couldn't reach Seira, Rin gathered her strength and gently kicked Seira in the abdomen, pushing her away. Boom! Seira crashed through the house wall, slamming outside. Taking advantage of Seira’s unconsciousness, Rin promptly left the house. Rin glanced down cautiously to check Karami's condition. His complexion was deathly pale, just like someone on the brink of death. Rin’s heart pounded fiercely. Where should she go? Whom should she ask for help? Rin was utterly clueless. She didn't know how to navigate the world. It was something she never learned. No one suitable came to mind to ask for help. People merely avoided the heavily bloodstained Rin, extending no helping hand. Because she was the red fox. A misfortune-bringing monster. "Master, Master..." Rin trembled, helplessly shaking Karami. Her master, who would embrace and comfort her at times like these, grew colder by the minute. Yet the blood pouring from him was unnervingly warm. Almost as if embodying her own misfortune. Rin sat on the ground, dazed. She just held onto her master, in a stupor. "Didn’t I warn you? That doom would befall him, covered in misfortune." A voice, familiar but subtly different, broke the silence. Startled, Rin lifted her head. Before her stood a young woman with her face veiled, wearing a traditional hat. Her presence was so faint that others hadn’t noticed her, but Rin focused intently on her. Through her gaze, Rin identified the woman as Yuhwa. "Grandma... Master. Master..." With a terrified Rin unable even to cry, Yuhwa turned her attention to Karami's near-death state. 'Is this luck, or misfortune?' Yuhwa, who had come out for a rare stroll, drawn by the commotion, had stumbled across the duo. Had she been just a little later, it would have been too late to intervene. His life force was dimming, yet it seemed fate decreed it wasn’t his time to pass just yet. *** After performing emergency treatment on the spot, Yuhwa brought the two to a guest room in the Celestial Pavilion. Yuhwa laid Karami on the bed and placed foxfire over his wound. This was a different application than the offensive magic Rin used; it was a healing flame. Karami's condition was not good. Though he had been treated, scars remained, and he had lost a lot of blood. More importantly, his weakened body would require time to regain consciousness. Yuhwa opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, where Rin was crouched, covered in blood. Having feared that misfortune would strike again, she had waited outside. "The treatment is complete, and his life is not in danger. Although he hasn't regained consciousness yet, he will." "..." "It seems something happened. How did it come to this? Did you stab him yourself?" "He said we should go back... but I didn’t listen... It was my misfortune... because of me..." "Hmm." Rin was too filled with self-blame to offer more details, but Yuhwa had a rough idea. Rin, who had become increasingly arrogant since learning her magic, had likely endangered Karami by being overconfident with her powers. In some respects, it was a complex matter. This could have been caused by disregarding Karami's advice or perhaps it was the result of the red fox's misfortune taking place. ‘What should I do?’ Consoling her by saying it wasn't her fault would only be a hollow gesture. What would be the right thing to say? What would help Rin the most? As Yuhwa pondered deeply, her pupils widened slightly, and she chuckled inwardly at the irony. Who would have thought she would worry about a nine-tailed fox? Life, indeed, was unpredictable. Nonetheless, she decided on what to say. "Indeed, by the sounds of it, it must be your fault, Rin. Your master was injured because of you." Yuhwa resolved to speak frankly. However, she wouldn’t blame her based on uncertain factors. "But it's not because of misfortune. It's because of your reckless actions." Matters of luck and misfortune aren't something that can be controlled by human effort. They are supernatural phenomena. Even someone with foresight like Yuhwa couldn’t predict everything flawlessly. However, some prepare in advance, and others take appropriate follow-up actions. "What have you done? Did you exert effort to overcome any misfortune that might come your way? Or did you gather knowledge to supplement what you lacked?" "..." "You did nothing. Merely because you had learned a few tricks, you acted like a god. You were lazy, arrogant, and lacked humility. That’s why those around you got hurt." Rin couldn’t object. Every word Yuhwa said was true. She buried her face in her knees, staring endlessly at the floor. "Do not blame misfortune for your mistakes. Do not use it as an escape route." Yuhwa's relentless critique offered no room to dodge. Had Karami been there, he would have blocked her ears, saying that the old woman was talking nonsense, but he wasn’t around. Rin had to take in Yuhwa's biting words without filter. "Look at your master. He is so fragile. Unlike us, who recover easily from such wounds, he teeters on the border between life and death." Rin glanced towards the room where Karami lay. She dared not even look at her precious person, fearing her misfortune might spread. "That fool wishes to be with you, though he has no strength at all, stubbornly standing in my way as he runs around barefoot. So how long will you remain seated? Until your master picks you up and coddles you again?" Yuhwa contemplated. If she blamed today’s events on misfortune, it would be easier in the short term. But doing so might lead Rin to continue using misfortune as an excuse to dodge reality, perhaps causing her to lose her will to grow entirely. That would be convenient for Yuhwa... yet, she chose an unprecedented course of action. Yuhwa took a deep breath and continued, her tone suddenly softer. "...Well, it means things might change if you work hard." The sudden softness caught Rin’s attention. "Do you want to return to the White Cloud Valley?" Rin hesitated, then shook her head. "Then, do you want to stay with your master?" "...I want to stay." "Do you wish to protect your master?" "I want to protect him." To defy the divine decree ordained by the heavens, one must pour every possible effort into it. Ordinary endeavors won’t suffice. One must possess extraordinary talent and exert oneself to the extent where not even the heavens could easily overcome it. Though the nine-tailed fox carries misfortune, there is potential to go against destiny embedded within her. “Then stop sitting there and stand up. I’ll make you a proper nine-tailed fox.” The heavens may threaten, swearing to remove her standing as a heavenly messenger if she does something foolish. In that case, she’d lose her power and become just an ordinary old fox. But Yuhwa turned a deaf ear. It was something a celestial fox should not do. But she would have done it even if she wasn’t one. The impression from the two had stirred Yuhwa's resolve. It was, in rebellion, the duty of an elder who had gained wisdom through years, not as the celestial fox. “Follow me if you want, or stay here if not. The choice is entirely yours. I shall say no more.” As if having seen all there was to see, Yuhwa waved her silk robes and returned to the heavenly realms. Rin stared into the void. But a clear determination shone in her heterochromatic eyes. With resolve sparking in her, Rin stood up. She glanced towards the room where Karami lay, and then followed the path Yuhwa had disappeared. --- **Comments Section** **빻빱이 2024.10.01 23:03** Gimme more, gimme more, gimme more! 1 **Desk10 2024.11.07 00:50** Profile picture info, please? 0 **빻빱이 6 days ago** Secret View original comment 0 **지극히주관적 2024.10.01 23:12** The top commenters seem too caught up in the dopamine. I think it's just the right amount. 0 **심해속상어 2024.10.04 17:43** Scenes right before an awakening always get my heart racing. 0 Note: Only logged-in members can leave comments. --- **Weekly Best** 1. +2211 How to Live as a Wizard at Magic School 2. +862 Liberated Slaves Become Obsessed 3. +283 I'm Telling You, I'm Not a Boss Monster 4. +944 Double Agent in the Heavenly Demon Cult 5. +305 Is It Just Me or Are My Skill Tooltips Weird? 6. +1446 Genius Magician Taking Medicine 7. +1507 The Childhood Friend of the World's Best 8. +268 I Have to Go to Work Even If Stuck in a Horror Story 9. +279 I Can Hear the Saint's Inner Thoughts 10. +3310 Apocalypse but It's Too Easy for Me 11. +4911 Became a Necromancer in a Zombie World 12. +4112 Became the Cute Role in a Problem Solver's Team 13. +1413 Raising the Grand Duke's Northern Territory as a Max Level Master 14. +5014 Martial Arts Aren't That Special 15. +6515 The King of the Underworld Is Tired 16. +3816 Dark Fantasy Restoration 17. +1217 A Reclusive Girl in a Despairing Confinement Story 18. +6318 I Want to Be a Former Virtual YouTuber 19. +6219 Life Is Easy When You're Handsome 20. +1820 Casino Wizard **Recently Added** - New US Lotto Winner: Spending Their Money Right - Allergies +11 - Re: How to Live in a Fantasy Novel Request - Conquered Human Request +1 - Just So You Know, Toki - Apocalyptic but I'm Living Well Fantasy Request +1 - 70 Billion-to-1 Irregular Latest Request - 🧩 - Re: Became the Snake of Destruction, the New Hit in Naver Series +11 - hehe~ +1 *Note: Listed stories and comments are fictional and created for translation exercise purposes.*