The Legend of the Fox Yokai of Jirisan

In the distant, distant past,
All yokai were mere beasts.
They took delight in killing humans.
They sustained their lacking existences by tearing and devouring human flesh – they were beasts.
Though some yokai with minds have certainly emerged in modern times, it was not so in the past.
Their sole purpose was to kill humans.

Rumors of the blue-furred demonic fox roaming and devouring human male livers.
Rumors of a massive snake the size of a house, spewing venom.
Rumors of a grotesquely human-faced creature with a bird’s body, tearing off and devouring villagers’ faces.
Even rumors of a lunatic old man kidnapping wailing children.

Rumors here, rumors there.
As the rampaging yokai grew more brazen, the human world became an otherworldly hellscape.

Amidst this utter chaos, a new benevolent king ascended the throne.
An enlightened sage who created his own script to better guide his people, the human world soon stabilized under his reign.

By coincidence or inevitability,
Around this same period, a species called dokkaebi began appearing nationwide.
The dokkaebi were mischievous but capable of discourse.
Uncanny yet extraordinary, humorous yet cruel.
Unlike the purely savage yokai,
The dokkaebi possessed minds.

“Miho, as you know, the yokai of today undoubtedly possess what is called a ‘mind.’ Me, you, Depot – every being thriving under the Lord of the Mountain’s rule in this inner realm of Jirisan has one.”
“But in the time Monk was rampaging, yokai lacked minds, right?”
“Huhuhuh.”
“…Then Monk must have killed many humans too.”

Instead of answering, Old Monk Bangta gazed at the full moon with a curiously mournful expression.
Then he opened his mouth again with a bitter tone:

“As I said, before encountering the Taejasinggi, before realizing the truth, I was a beast. Not just me, but all yokai were beasts. However, this too is but an empty excuse – this monk committed grievous sins against the fallen souls.”
“It was the past, after all.”
“The past, and this monk’s own ugly history. Huhuhuh…”

Certainly just a lunatic old yokai obsessed with children, yet
Why did Old Monk Bangta seem so forlorn today?

“Karma is such a thing, Miho. No matter how much you struggle to erase it, you cannot erase it. No matter how violently you try to forget, you can never forget its weight.”
“…”

I think I somewhat understand what the monk is saying.
For even I have been having terrible nightmares since taking the blue-furred demonic fox’s life.

“Huhuhuh, the story has strayed. Let me continue where I left off.”

Beings without minds are bound to meet dreadful ends.
The Four Sages have spoken as one, the Buddha taught as much, history itself is proof.
Between the mindless yokai and the dokkaebi with minds,
Which would meet the more pitiful demise was a clear outcome.

Naturally, the yokai viewed the existence of the dokkaebi quite unfavorably.
They obstructed the yokai’s amusements, fraternized closely with humans, and above all, possessed minds unlike themselves.
So it was not strange for the yokai to begin antagonizing the dokkaebi.

However, the conflict between the yokai and dokkaebi was rather unceremoniously resolved by a single dokkaebi king.
The benevolent side of the demigod dokkaebi king Duuksin (頭抑神) authored the Taejasinggi (太者神記) and widely distributed it to the yokai of that era.

The Taejasinggi taught the yokai the truth.
It taught them to accumulate ‘virtue’ instead of ‘karma.’
It presented the method of ascension.

Before long, the yokai who received the Taejasinggi’s teachings
Began developing minds of their own.

The yokai who had mindlessly slaughtered humans without purpose eventually began contemplating the meaning of life.
With ascension as their goal, they sought the truth, accumulating ‘virtue’ instead of ‘karma.’

Of course, not all yokai heeded the Taejasinggi’s teachings.
There were many who defied its ideology and became utterly wicked evil spirits instead.
The important thing was that the yokai developed minds, thanks to Duuksin’s benevolent side.

The reason Duuksin’s benevolent side distributed the Taejasinggi to the yokai remains unknown.
Did he pity the mindless yokai?
Or was it a calculated step towards dominating the yokai?

In any case, the yokai who heeded the Taejasinggi’s teachings were no longer mere beasts.
Those not granted ascension eligibility began acting with causality, unlike their past senseless slaughter of humans.
After receiving the Taejasinggi’s teachings, their actions had clear ‘reasons.’

The [Blood-Starved Beast] that had indiscriminately slaughtered any humans it encountered now only killed those who desecrated graves.
The gluttonous [Gosuryeochil], previously a vile evil spirit craving human flesh, became a mere petty yokai stealing food and side dishes from houses after heeding the teachings.
[Old Monk Bangta], who had kidnapped and devoured wailing children, no longer did so, instead soothing their tears before returning them to their loving parents.
It is said that the mended child would go on to live happily, devoutly filial to their parents for life.

Such was the case for those ineligible for ascension.
Conversely, and rather ironically,
The few yokai granted ascension eligibility began harming humans even more after encountering the Taejasinggi.
The prime example was none other than the blue-furred demonic fox.

Once the blue-furred demonic fox, who had previously devoured human livers for mere pleasure, gained the purpose of ‘ascension,’ her liver hunts became far more vicious than before.

What truth had the Taejasinggi shown them, for them to accumulate such wicked karma?
The yokai ineligible for ascension, including Old Monk Bangta, could only wonder.

However, one thing was clear:
They must absolutely never, under any circumstances, encounter the yokai granted ascension eligibility.
Wherever those beings tread, the earth shook. With just a casual wave, they could cleave mountains in two…

…

…

“Even to this monk, a fellow yokai, their atrocities were unbearable to witness. Huhuhuh…”
“The ascension-eligible yokai were such formidable existences?”
“What a question. They were living calamities. To humans and yokai alike.”
“…Then I suppose Monk was already aware of the true nature of that recently appeared blue-furred demonic fox?”
“Indeed. Though I never saw her directly, I was well aware of the rumors.”
“…”

Somehow,
It felt overwhelmingly difficult.
This damned old monk should have at least given me a heads up beforehand.

Yet,
For such a grandiose title as ‘granted ascension eligibility,’ they seemed weaker than expected.
Or rather,
Was I stronger than I thought?

As if sensing my conceited thoughts, or perhaps my smugness was unconsciously showing on my face,
Old Monk Bangta suddenly fixed me with a stern look and continued:

“Miho, the blue-furred demonic fox you encountered… was in an unprecedentedly weakened state. Do not be arrogant.”
“No, I wasn’t being arrogant…”
“Consider this. How many livers had the blue-furred demonic fox devoured after her revival?”
“Well… there were around thirty human males hung from the trees, so maybe around thirty livers…”
Eh?
…Ah.
“You’ve realized it, haven’t you.”

Thirty livers.
To have become such a formidable existence by devouring a mere thirty livers,
Then her past self, having devoured nine hundred livers…
…Would have been an unimaginably powerful being.

“Huhuhuh. Now you can somewhat fathom how chaotic that era was, with numerous such existences, Miho.”

Old Monk Bangta stroked the bangta on his back with a bitter expression and continued:
“Brace yourself, Miho. From now on… the era will shift rapidly. As it did in the past.”

“Tch… don’t threaten me, I’m not scared at all. Anyway, you said all those ascension-seeking yokai failed and died. So there’s nothing to worry about, right?”

“This monk said they failed to ascend, not that they died.”
“…”
“The blue-furred demonic fox herself blatantly revived, did she not? Is there any rule stopping the other ascension-eligible yokai from reviving as well?”
“No…ne.”
“They are existences that bring chaos to the world, heralding a shift in the era. Huhuhuh…”

Well gee,
Thanks so much for the great info.
I’ll be sure to sleep well tonight.

“So then, what happened next? You haven’t mentioned this Eodukin guy or whatever yet.”
“…”
“Monk?”
“…”
“Why’d you stop talking, Monk? I was really focused and listening.”
“Begone!!!!!!!”
“Huh…?”
“Away with you, insolent fox yokai wench! How dare you run your mouth so carelessly in this sacred place!”

Ah.
Shit.
Surveying my body in response to the monk’s reaction,
My tails had all burst out, unable to withstand the surging yogi.

“Fuck… J, just wait a moment, I’ll retract my tails after catching my breath!”
“Huhuhuh, whether a fox yokai like you retracts your tails or lusts after human life force until you die a miserable death, this old one cares not.”

Conversing with a lunatic obsessed with children was no easy feat.