105 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed
Chapter 105: The Obsession of the Freed Slaves What are the immutable elements that distinguish a person? There are many, but at least one thing it’s not is the face. There's nothing easier to change than appearances. You could wear a mask right now and become unrecognizable. In modern Earth, things like fingerprints, irises, and various DNA can distinguish individuals, but this is a different world. A world where magic has evolved beyond science. There exist distinct methods of distinction befitting this otherworldly realm. Magic power, for one. The soul, for another. And vitality. Of course, when one perishes, these elements will dissipate, but with a sorcerer, a variety of things can be achieved through necromancy. Like resolving resentment. Or comforting the spirit. However, regardless of the soul's existence, reviving the dead is impossible without the presence of vitality, a fundamental and essential element in constructing life. And vitality, disappearing faster than anything else, makes resurrection impossible without immediate intervention, even for an archbishop. In this respect, Karami’s vitality vanished in an instant, defying expectation. Resurrection should have been impossible. Yet, a twist of fate. No, it was the fox's mischief that tampered with even the unchanging fate of the deceased. “You, you have his vitality, don’t you?” “Y-yes.” Meekly, Rin responds, gauging the mood. Succumbing to the fox’s sweet talk, much like stealing a liver, Rin had been surreptitiously snatching bits of Karami’s vitality. This got her into trouble with Karami and became a source of her inward retreat. Though she converted the other vitalities into power immediately upon absorption, Karami’s was an exception. It was such a precious treasure that she kept it safe, like a squirrel hoarding acorns. “Then there's vitality… Anything else needed?” Since the outcome was decided the moment the fox unfolded the eclipse, the Black Rain cooperated. “Calling the soul back to the body is necessary… but performing the ritual recklessly risks the soul wandering aimlessly.” Unless there's a strong lingering attachment like Mirabel’s father, Harold, the soul departs for the afterlife. In Karami’s case, since it wasn’t so, it was crucial to summon the vanished soul precisely back to his body. There are challenges involved. How to summon a fragile, delicate soul. The second is that this realm is rife with spirits who would lose their senses over a soul. There’s a risk the soul could be abducted mid-ritual. “That’s no problem.” “Pardon?” The fox shows the Black Rain a vision of the soul. “This is more wicked than most magic, you know.” The fox smirks wryly. Despite the caster’s death, these chains persist. As if to deny freedom in death, ebony shackles wrap around the soul. Since the chain is connected to Karami's soul, pulling it back should be a simple task. However, to reclaim the soul, the barrier must be lifted. Before that, the Black Rain must be prevented from causing any trouble. “Give it. Your fox bead.” “……” The core of the yokai. The indispensable fox bead for using sorcery. A fox bead isn’t handed over to even a parent or a beloved… “Not handing it over? Should I gouge your eyes out?” Like a thug of a senior robbing a junior, the fox threatens, swaggering. Reluctantly, the Black Rain summons the fox bead and places it into the fox’s hand. While the fox tries to take it, the Black Rain tightens her grip, refusing to let go. As the tussle continues, Rin pushes the Black Rain aside. She tumbles over without resistance and drops the fox bead in the process. “Trying to buy time?” The Black Rain, sprawled like a tragic heroine, glances up to meet the fierce glares of two foxes. A total of sixteen tails. Why are there multiple foxes? Is there no other ally to take her side? Once this is over, maybe she should leisurely raise a fox. The fox seals away Black Rain’s powers and dissolves the barrier. Rin, leaving the resurrection entirely to the fox, steps inside. “Everything’s ready. Shall we begin?” First, Karami’s soul. The fox pulls on the chain using her fox magic. The place known as the afterlife. A soul scurrying along in line is slowly pulled away. Just as the Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of hell, with its heads coiled, was about to pounce and chase the runaway soul from the afterlife. “Where do you think you’re going?” The fox’s magic surges in an instant. A gargantuan pink fox, with as many as nine tails, manifests, roaring ferociously. The colossal Cerberus whimpers like a mere mutt. Under the overwhelming pressure of the fox's immense power, no spirit dares to touch the soul. Thus, the small, shadowy soul, luxuriously escorted, appears before the fox. “Hello? You’ve gotten quite small, haven’t you?” A soul only barely holding its form. So fragile, it seems as if it might dissipate with a breath. Barely distinct from a passing horned rabbit. A testament to Karami’s frailty. Yet, he relentlessly ventured into perilous territory. All for the sake of the slaves. Having glimpsed his hardships through Rin’s memories, the fox knows. Not just for Rin, but for himself as well. Even this time, it was the same. Despite being told not to come as it would be in the way, he had made his way there at just the right moment. What would have happened if he hadn’t come? What if he had been there in the past? It’s unclear. A warm, gentle feeling spreads from the depths of the heart. Who does this feeling belong to? Is it hers? Or is it Rin’s? The fox cannot decipher it. She’s never encountered such feelings through eternal ages. What it is, could be uncovered by reviving Karami and asking. The fox extracts Karami's vitality stored within her and returns it to its rightful place. Rin had taken it so sparingly that there wasn’t much, but it was enough for resurrection. Likewise, she places the soul into the body, with utmost care. With all the preliminary work done. The final step remains. “Cipher.” The Black Rain places Karami’s remains in silver. Tampering with the fate of the dead lies within the domain of taboo. And indeed, it should not have been reversed. Rewinding precisely from death back to one’s original life is nearly impossible. Yet here, Karami’s soul, body, vitality, and the unbreakable bond with his master still exist. Amidst the countless billions of paths, the life of Karami shines at one end, causing all other branchings to dissolve, leaving a single line. End to end. A clear symmetry. The conditions for reversal are met. With that, Black Rain overturns death. There were no grand outbursts of light or flashy effects. Just a serene quiet. Like sunlight piercing through dark clouds. In the once-empty pupils of Karami, a faint light kindles. Karami, who was staring blankly at the sky, blinks slowly as if just awakening from slumber. Gradually, focus returns to those cloudy eyes. The first thing Karami encounters upon returning from the afterlife is the fox, smiling down at him. “Hello, master? Did you sleep well?” “Well… more or less.” “How did it feel to take a free soul journey?” “I was almost at heaven’s gate, a bit disappointed.” Is this really a reaction from someone who was just resurrected? The fox let out a chuckle at his unabashed attitude. “Heaven, my foot. You’re destined for hell since you raised a fox.” “Isn’t hell a bit unfair just for raising a fox?” “The world’s inherently unfair. Why, do you regret it?” “If raising the world’s most beautiful fox means going to hell, then so be it.” “How do you always come up with such sweet answers? Makes me want to devour you.” Now it was clear why Rin had siphoned off Karami’s vitality. This man was a devil. More of a charmer than any fox that plays with women’s hearts. Wagging a non-existent tail. Being devoured by women was just his karma, deserved entirely. As Karami exchanged trivial banter with the fox, he soon noticed Black Rain. Black Rain, who subtly avoided his gaze. Fidgeting as if she had faced a significant defeat. Meaning the fox had won. “I take it things went well?” “Resultwise, yes. Thanks to someone who defied death and made sacrifices.” “If it’s for the slaves, then it’s nothing at all.” That’s a bluff. Karami hadn’t anticipated it would cost his life. His plan was merely to provoke Black Rain to send the Celestial Fox’s bead inwards. ‘Who would have thought it’d be a sudden death sentence?’ Assuming that even if Black Rain used force, he’d just get beaten, he didn’t expect a “split-and-die” level sudden death cheat. In memory, his last words were likely a confused “Huh?” The death experience was so sudden that it didn’t even feel real. More like nodding off and waking up. Karami realized a vital truth. ‘Death really is the end.’ He had assumed that, being in a game-like scenario, dying might just log him out into reality, but there was no such leniency. Dead was dead. He realized he needed to be more cautious from now on. With an effort, Karami used his arms to push himself up from the ground. Seeing him struggle, the fox came and supported his back. “Don’t overexert yourself. You’re still lacking vitality.” Such a tender demeanor. Her gaze was soft, like one reserved for a former lover, tinged with bittersweetness. ‘What’s with her now?’ A sudden shift in attitude. Still, it was better than being stared down as if she wanted to kill him. Welcoming at any time, so long as it didn’t involve literal devouring. But before anything, there was business to conclude. “If it’s all over, shouldn’t we settle accounts?” The fox sought Cipher initially to reclaim the power taken from her during the Lunar Eye. Along with Cipher’s own power. Absorbing the power of a yokai of Cipher's caliber would make it swift, requiring a tremendous amount of mystic power to retrieve what was lost. Given that the Black Rain’s fox bead was now in the fox’s possession, there was no hesitation needed. The final stride towards her wish. The fox shattered the black fox bead. Crack! As the fox bead broke, the power of Cipher and the Lunar Eye erupted forth, all absorbed by the fox. The golden shade occupying half of the fox’s own bead now mingled with the twilight sky-blue of evening. Sky, sun and moon, and darkness. The power of three yokai finally gathered in one place. Whoosh! Radiant beams of light burst from the fox. A pink column of light soared up to the sky. From her tail dance, a pink tail gracefully emerged. Swaying here and there. At last, the fox’s ninth tail had manifested.