100 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Two foxes danced through the skies and over the ground. They fought fiercely, their agile movements characteristic of their species, with graceful combat interwoven with attempts to exploit gaps using magic. Together, their tails numbered nine. Although one of them carried most of the tails, collectively they definitely added up to nine. The one with eight tails, the Nine-tale fox, shrouded in golden flames, focused intently on the attack, while the battle formed with Dark Rain taking a defensive stance. Dark Rain didn’t hold back because she was weak. Her approach was entirely attributable to her unique abilities. Silver Eye. A gaze that reverses fate. Merely by observing the target, she could invert all sorts of matters. Turning a virtuous king into a tyrant. A hero into a destroyer. A champion of justice into an avatar of vengeance. Not only could fate be reversed, but also location, weight, speed, emotions, relationships, even life and death, and countless other things could be inverted. The essence was like a mirror. By inverting the enemy’s attacks, one integrates offense and defense, thus needing not to worry about launching attacks. This combat style of Dark Rain starkly contrasted with the Nine-tale fox's impatient temperament. “Always a nuisance, no matter when I see it.” The Nine-tale fox searched through the trajectory of fate to find a meaningful move. However, any attack of significance became meaningless due to Dark Rain’s Silver Eye. Impending misfortune for Dark Rain transformed into fortune. In the grand exchanges of masters, a single pointless move could spell irreversible devastation. Yet she was the Nine-tale fox. Countless times had she dueled with Dark Rain, and she was well-versed in countermeasures. The Nine-tale fox glanced into the trajectory of fate, emulating an alternate movement of herself from a crossroads of destiny. She raised her claws sharply and raked them vertically upwards. A fiery slash shaped like claws rushed towards Dark Rain. Dark Rain’s eyes sparkled with the Silver Eye. Fate reversed. As she raised her hand in a knife-like gesture, she cleaved the fiery slash in two. Snap! The Nine-tale fox’s attack dissipated into nothing. Fate having been overturned, it was now the Nine-tale fox's turn to be ensnared by misfortune. Tick. “Uh?” Yet embers, not completely scattered, rained down on Dark Rain. Dark Rain frowned. She hadn’t let her guard down, nor made a mistake. She wasn’t naive. This was a phenomenon surpassing human capacity, akin to a divine jest—a prank of fate propelled by the Nine-tale fox. “Did you want misfortune? You should’ve said so sooner~” If Dark Rain’s Silver Eye reversed fate, all the Nine-tale fox had to do was throw fortune her way. Unaware of what to reverse, she could unwittingly bring misfortune upon herself. A clever blend of fortune and misfortune hidden between attacks by the playful Nine-tale fox. What was real and what was illusionary? Failing to decipher the fox’s trickery would render even Dark Rain cautious in using her Silver Eye. “An intriguing concept, however, by overusing your ability, even you, Nine-tale fox, won’t escape unscathed.” If Dark Rain fails to react when fortune is thrown her way, she would only end up benefiting. Rendering the ability less useful than doing nothing. “It doesn’t matter. To transcend destiny, one must also embrace risks, right?” “You’re still just as reckless…” Dark Rain murmured wistfully, as if recalling distant memories. The sharp foxes' perceptive showdown truly began. Nine-tale fox’s creation of misfortune or fortune, painstakingly navigated through by Dark Rain’s Silver Eye. Sometimes misfortune adhered to the Nine-tale fox, whereas other times, the goddess of fortune sided with Dark Rain. The Nine-tale fox’s reckless fate manipulation did not shy from enduring self-inflicted harm. As the powers of Righteous Eyes and Silver Eye were unleashed repeatedly, fate contorted, reversed, and entwined into a chaotic mix. The true trajectory of fate had long since disappeared. “Doesn't this remind you of the old days? We used to fight constantly, every other day." “I never wanted to duel. From the start, it was always you who insisted on sparring.” “Is that so? Indeed, you’ve never liked fighting since back then. That’s why you could never beat me.” Thousands of duels. Every single one ended with the Nine-tale fox’s victory. It was so in the past. And it would be so in the present. Swoosh! In an instant, the Nine-tale fox split into two. One rushed towards Dark Rain while the other leaped backward, preparing to manifest more magic. A foxfire flickered above the Nine-tale fox's head. The foxfire swelled dramatically, large enough to obliterate the entire surroundings. Dark Rain’s silvery pupils moved swiftly. ‘A clone. One of them is fake.’ Distinguishing with naked eyes or sensing presence was impossible. It was a binary choice. Was it a widespread attack using the clone as a decoy? Or was it an exploitation of such a psyche? The dilemma didn’t last long. Dark Rain crafted a black dagger from the foxfire. She ignored the Nine-tale fox charging right at her. She hurled it at the Nine-tale fox preparing the magic. The Nine-tale fox lightly tilted her head, dodging the dagger. As the dagger grazed past her side— Flash! The Silver Eye gleamed. Location reversal. Dark Rain and the dagger swapped places instantly. In a flash, Dark Rain seized the Nine-tale fox’s flank. If there’s uncertainty in what to grasp. ‘Just take hold of both.’ Dark Rain clasped her hands together in a prayer-like stance. Her palms extended outward. A black fox birthed from her hands enveloped the Nine-tale fox. Simultaneously, it pounced on the Nine-tale fox having charged at Dark Rain. Boom! Chatters of dust scattered. Dark Rain squinted her eyes, observing the clearing dust. Which was real and which was fabricational? Although it didn’t matter, curiosity inevitably emerged. Once the dust settled, no one stood there. “Dark Rain, you know, you've always been too honest for a fox." All of a sudden, the voice of the Nine-tale fox resounded. The direction was not the ground, but the sky. Though the foxfire should have vanished in the absence of its conjurer, it suddenly pointed towards Dark Rain like it was about to shoot, then acrobatically transformed. ‘A transformation?’ Both Nine-tale foxes were merely clones. The real one had disguised herself as the foxfire. “That’s what I particularly liked about you… But you betrayed my trust.” Flare! The Nine-tale fox unleashed her energy, enveloping her entire body with power. An orange haze shimmered around her, radiating a fierce aura that seemed to declare she would not allow a reversal this time. This was a qualitative countermeasure. In order to breach defenses, the attacker had to exert even greater force. To forcibly penetrate and overturn, immense energy was necessary—especially against the Nine-tale fox. Even if successful, the energy expenditure would be beyond comprehension. 'You always...' Dark Rain narrowed her eyes slightly, watching the Nine-tale fox trying to steal her power. She had always been like this. Unsatisfied with reality, driven by insatiable greed. That greed inevitably reached for the heavens. She cared not for the misfortune her ambition brought upon others. Selfish, arrogant. A mirror of the past. No longer did she anticipate anything from her. “This amusement ends here.” Dark Rain clasped her hands together. She formed a sign. Her Silver Eye shone brightly. Just before the Nine-tale fox's hand could reach Dark Rain— “Reversed Celestial Domain.” Darkness spread, consuming the surroundings. The Nine-tale fox's hand swept through emptiness. As if everything had been a mirage, Dark Rain's figure vanished. “…What is this?” The Nine-tale fox glanced around. Above, below, left, and right—all she saw were mirrors. Countless mirrors packed into one space. Only her own image infinitely reflected on their surface. Truly a world of mirrors. 'An illusion?' No. Casting illusions on a being of such caliber was no easy task. Moreover, the Nine-tale fox herself was a master of illusions; assuming it was an illusion would be close to impossible. Furthermore, the overwhelming realism dismissed it as mere illusion. Her hand against the mirror felt ominously cool, like the touch of a ghost. “Are you surprised? Surely, you must be. This is the first time the Nine-tale fox has seen this.” Dark Rain’s calm voice echoed from somewhere. Yet her form remained unseen. Shatter! The Nine-tale fox shattered a mirror before her, only for it to be restored instantly. The broken glass reversed and returned to its original state. Only then did the Nine-tale fox realize what this was. A subspace akin to a celestial fox's realm. A reversed heavenly world capable of overturning even divine will. A realm exclusive to Dark Rain, isolated from the outside world. Here, she reigned as a deity. Even a Nine-tale fox couldn’t run rampant in this place. “Clever, you've improved a lot, haven’t you? Performing such a trick.” “A long time has passed. While the Nine-tale fox slumbered, I have progressed. I am not the girl of the past. And please, do not call me by that old name. I have a proper name, Dark Rain.” “Spouting nonsense. Haven’t I always emphasized that names are merely curses and bindings intended to enslave us? Have you and your ilk joined the heavenly dog?” “If it ensures my safety.” The Nine-tale fox clicked her tongue. She inspected the mirrors, looking for a way out, but it wasn’t easy. This was Dark Rain’s territory. Within her domain, no one could exert their full power aside from Dark Rain herself. Even if one tried to force their way out, if the attack was infinitely reversed, they’d end up exhausted. The surest method would be to destroy the domain from outside or create a similar subspace to break Dark Rain’s concealed barrier. Naturally, the Nine-tale fox knew how, but… “You’d be wise not to entertain such thoughts. In your current state, Nine-tale fox, you cannot possibly break my domain.” Half her strength was in Dark Rain's hands. Righteous Eyes and the Silver Eye were a pair; without one, the other couldn’t unfold its full potential. Who’d have thought Dark Rain had grown strong enough to manifest a domain? A grave oversight born from the Nine-tale fox’s oubliette of time. “Rest well. If there is an afterlife, I hope you receive a modest fate.” “You…” Light seeped from the mirrors. The light reflecting infinitely filled the space with radiance. When the light engulfed the Nine-tale fox, her consciousness inverted and faltered. *** Dark Rain gazed down at the fallen Nine-tale fox in her mirror world with resigned eyes. Unleashing a domain required tremendous power. It had to be deployed at the right moment, fearing the clever Nine-tale fox might notice. Had the Nine-tale fox been her former self, she would’ve easily shattered such a barrier, but she had grown weak—merely a half of what she used to be. Perhaps she always won in the past, but not now. Never again would she defeat Dark Rain. Never. “Time to conclude this…” She must not kill the fox. The divine mandate requires restitution for her sins. After stripping her power, she’d be securely sealed so she'd never awaken again. Maintaining the barrier to guard against a possible awakening, Dark Rain was about to proceed with the process when— “Pardon me~ Is anyone there?” A voice penetrated from outside the barrier—a man’s voice. Overly cheerful and irreverent. Peeking outside, she discovered a man, a mere human, loitering around the ashes of the shrine. “I’ve come to have my fortune told~” He was a crazy man intent on having his fortune told amid ruined shrines.