Four days after the meeting with Frau, Lee Sungmin and his party patiently waited for the day when they would meet Kumiho. Frau said she had delivered the message to Kumiho, but added that it would take some time for the answer to return.
Whatever the case was, Kumiho seemed quite busy.
“Let’s be honest, you’re pretty strong.”
That night, Frau spoke to Lee Sungmin in her room with a naughty grin. She sat in an alluring position on the bed in a thin, revealing lingerie.
“You said you learned martial arts to a pretty good extent, right? Then you’ll be strong in bed too, right? How about it?”
Frau lifted the bottle of liquor in her hand. At her words, Lee Sungmin stepped back with a cold sweat trickling down his neck.
“……I don’t know what you’re talking about.”, Lee Sungmin muttered.
“Don’t say that. What do you mean you don’t know? You know it clearly. Why don’t you think less with that head of yours, and let your lower region do the thinking?”, Frau said smiling coquettishly at him.
Lee Sungmin gulped down his saliva.
It was true that Frau was beautiful, but strangely, Lee Sungmin had no intention or urge to sleep with her.
It wasn’t that he was forcing himself not to be allured by her, he simply had zero response in his heart, mind and body to have any kind of intimate relationship with her, even if it was for one night.
The image of Frau, who was shouting curses while calling on several demonic ghosts a few days ago, still lingered in Lee Sungmin’s head.
“What a sweet guy.”, Frau grumbled as she noticed Lee Sungmin’s distressed face.
It wasn’t unpleasant to her.
Rather, Frau thought he looked quite cute, as if he were a kid reluctant to have his first experience with a woman. Perhaps that’s why Frau licked her lips and became even more enamored with him.
“If you’re embarrassed, just turn off the lights and lie still. I’ll take good care of you.”, she kept trying to persuade him with more openly sexual advances.
“No, I just don’t want to…….”, Lee Sungmin stammered in defiance.
“It’s all males who will be the one who turn into a beast in the sheets with his lower half, once his upper half goes missing. You don’t think I know that?”
She grinned from ear to ear.
“What you like is something I hate.”, Lee Sungmin stood his ground.
“What a strange fellow. Why? Is there another girl who has captured your heart? Is it because of guilt? Don’t worry, what happens here, stays here. I won’t have anybody spreading any unnecessary rumors about how I’m playing around with Ghost Gun in bed.”, said Frau with a grin.
Lee Sungmin slapped his face with his hand and spat out a hoarse cough. Frau, who was giggling, took the bottle of alcohol to her mouth and took a sip.
“Well, if you really don’t like it, I can’t help it. I’m pretty fond of forcing things.”, Frau spoke and got up.
She approached Lee Sungmin and poured some alcohol into his mouth. After a few gulps of liquor, Frau put down the bottle.
“Answer came from Kumiho.”, she whispered in his ear.
Lee Sungmin, who was thinking about going back to his room, came to his senses real quick once he heard about Kumiho.
Lee Sungmin looked up at Frau with determined eyes.
“By noon tomorrow. They want you to come to a middle house, one that is safe and secluded from any unknown peeping eyes or ears. I said I won’t interfere with your business any further, so all you have to do is go and see Kumiho.”
“……on our own?”, Lee Sungmin was rather surprised that Frau wasn’t going to insist on coming with them.
“Why? Do you want me to come with you? I won’t even try to help you out with anything else even if I do come. So you shouldn’t expect anything from me.”, Frau teased.
“No, it’s okay.”, Lee Sungmin shook his head.
Frau said she was friends with Kumiho. Even if Lee Sungmin decided to fight with Kumiho, it was natural that Frau would not help him.
They weren’t close enough for him to ask for any kind of help from her.
—
The next day, Lee Sungmin and his party headed for the middle house located on Yugwak street. The building was surprisingly lavish and high end.
There was still a little time left until noon came, but when Lee Sungmin told the attendant that he had an appointment in the annex of the building at noon, the door opened immediately.
“She’s already waiting.”, the one-eyed female monster, who was the attendant, opened the door for them.
She curled her hair, looking and examining Lee Sungmin up and down, giving him the same flirtatious looks he had been receiving since coming to the City of Endless Night.
Passing through the hallways Lee Sungmin and the party saw a beautiful garden and pond. Beyond the pond, there was a small house in the back.
The one-eyed monster who was guiding them, stopped.
“Kumiho is inside.”
Upon hearing that, Lee Sungmin passed by the monster and entered.
There was no sign of anybody being in the detached house, and it was quite wide. So Lee Sungmin had to hesitate for a while and wondered about where to go.
Soon, a voice rang in Lee Sungmin’s head.
[This way.], the voice rang in the space.
It was a woman’s voice. Lee Sungmin hardened his expression and looked in the direction of the voice.
Rubia gulped, and the Crazy Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes with a bit of nervousness apparent. They all had different ways to express their nervousness, as for what lay ahead of them would be a monster of great strength and power.
One who also was pulling the string behind Predator and maybe even more organizations. Lee Sungmin didn’t know what kind of character Kumiho was or just how powerful she would be, but he knew he should not get comfortable with her.
In the hallways of the detached house there was a white door, behind that door, the voice of Kumiho could be heard.
Lee Sungmin reached out and pushed the white door to open it.
In the middle of the splendidly decorated room, sat a beautiful woman.
The woman sitting down by a table was dressed in beautiful kimono radiant with colored embroidery. She had pale, fair skin with a platinum blonde hair that flowed down to her waist and deep, blue eyes.
Lee Sungmin stood there at the entrance, and looked at the woman carefully before opening his mouth
“……Kumiho?”
“Yes.”, the woman replied with a small voice and nodded her head slightly.
Kumiho had an impressive beauty, much different from the image Lee Sungmin had expected. To be honest, Lee Sungmin thought Kumiho would have a domineering appearance and character, one he would not be able to even look at.
However, Kumiho looked far different from his impression, and had a subtle air of grace and dignity.
Kumiho raised her hand with a graceful smile and spoke, “Please sit.”
Kumiho turned her gaze to the seat opposite of her and suggested it to Lee Sungmin with her eyes.
Lee Sungmin briefly pondered on how to accept the kindness he felt from Kumiho. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find a reason for her to be so kind.
“Are you embarrassed?”, she asked, picking up on Lee Sungmin’s confused expression.
“……yeah.”, he replied honestly and nodded his head.
Kumiho smiled as if she had expected it.
She stared only at Lee Sungmin without giving a glance to the Crazy Heavenly Demon and Rubia that stood behind him.
No, to be exact, she saw Lee Sungmin’s armor and his dantian infused with Heoju’s spirit.
“How’s your tolerance to the power inside you?”, Kumiho asked politely.
Lee Sungmin’s expression slightly stiffened. It was the same with Heoju, as his spirit subtly shook.
[What? How do you know me, nine-tailed fox, Kumiho?], Heoju spoke at a frequency that only Lee Sungmin could hear.
“……how do you know about Heoju?”, Lee Sungmin realized Kumiho could not hear Heoju and asked on his behalf.
At the question, Kumiho raised a faint smile of approval. Her gaze went upwards as if she was reminiscing the past, rather than focusing on the present.
“When Heoju was still alive, 500 years ago…… I became indebted to that old man.”
[Debt? What kind of debt? I don’t even remember.], Heoju questioned.
“What kind of debt?”, Lee Sungmin asked again on Heoju’s behalf.
“Maybe he wouldn’t remember me then. I was nothing but a normal fox at that time.”, she smiled faintly.
Her smile contained no malicious intentions but instead one of thankfulness.
[Of course I wouldn’t remember. ……wait. 500 years ago, you were just a normal fox?], Heoju was astounded at her remark.
[An ordinary fox became a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox in just 500 years? You’re crazy. That’s completely preposterous!], Heoju exclaimed as he could not believe it.
‘What do you mean?’ , Lee Sungmin asked Heoju in his mind.
[Of course it’s preposterous. An ordinary fox must live for more than 100 years to become a demon fox, and usually grows its tail one by one every 200 years. You would only be able to become a nine-tailed demon fox after 2,000 years or so. That’s why Kumiho is considered to be one of the most powerful and special creatures among the great monsters in Eria!], Heoju spat out in vain and mockery as if the situation Kumiho was proposing was impossible by all means.
“You’re saying it’s been 500 years since you became a Nine-Tailed Fox”, Lee Sungmin then asked Kumiho in a non-intrusive manner of speech.
“Yes.”, she replied with a nod of the head.
[I can’t believe it.], Heoju murmured to himself in disbelief.
Kumiho spoke as she looked at the magic armor Lee Sungmin had on.
“Can we talk directly to Heoju through your connection?”
Badump…Badump….
Kumiho’s sudden words made Lee Sungmin’s heart palpitate in anxiety, as cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck. Heoju, hearing her words, rose up from above the armor in the shape of a surging purple flame for all to see.
Kumiho smiled brightly at the sight of the flame emerging.
“Heoju.”, she spoke in a comforting and friendly tone of voice.
[Don’t pretend to know me and speak in a friendly way. I don’t remember you at all.], replied Heoju harshly in a rude manner, as his voice was audible to all now.
Kumiho, who was looking up at Heoju, looked back to Lee Sungmin again.
She continued to speak, looking at the left eye of Lee Sungmin, which was dyed gold from the mutation of his cultivation, embracing Heoju’s powers.
“Not yet, I assume?”, she asked cryptically to Lee Sungmin.
“Yes?”, Lee Sungmin replied in confusion.
“Your transformation.”, Kumiho spoke out to him matter-of-factly.
After her words, silence dropped in the room. Shortly after the brief silence, something started to creep up from Kumiho’s back.
Nine, sleek and golden tails swayed in a mesmerizing manner.
“I can help you.”, she spoke to him
[What are you talking about?], Heoju’s voice this time cooled down as Kumiho seemed to be proposing something helpful towards the assimilation of Heoju’s powers and Lee Sungmin’s.
Kumiho, who revealed her tails, was showing a completely different vibe than before. The complete over-bearing strength and aura of a great demon, one that ruled over the 5 elders of Predator, surged out throughout the room.
Lee Sungmin subconsciously grabbed the spear he had set down beside him, and gripped it tightly out of reflex.
“It seems that the human vessel is already well prepared. If I help you, Heoju, you’ll be able to take possession of that body without any problems.”
Kumiho gave an ominous grin this time, completely shattering her kind, polite air of dignity earlier.
“What?!”
At Kumiho’s words, Lee Sungmin became awfully surprised and raised himself flusteredly. It was at that moment. Kumiho reached her hand out, and two of her tails stretched out in a flash.
The stretched tail clasped Lee Sungmin’s arms and held him back from moving an inch.
The Crazy Heavenly Demon shouted angrily at Kumiho. Then, a 3rd tail swung and hit Byuk Won-Pae’s body.
Gwa-a-a-ang!
With a loud noise, shockwaves reverberated on contact and thrust the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s body into the wall.
“I want to help you.”
Kumiho spoke politely once more, her actions completely in contrast to her manner of speech.
“You lost your body in the genocide that happened 400 years ago. You lost your strength by dubious trickery. The exorcists restrained you and destroyed your body. When I found out about that, do you know how frustrated and angered I was at being powerless, unable to help you?”, Kumiho spoke to the raging flame of Heoju.
The power of the tails that were restraining Lee Sungmin’s body grew stronger as it gripped tighter around his arms noticeably and Kumiho seemed to be angered.
Lee Sungmin clenched his teeth and started to rouse up his internal energy. Noticing this, Kumiho’s expression slightly stiffened and shot off two more tails to seize Lee Sungmin’s legs.
“That human body, it might not have your power when you were in your prime, but it could get there as it’s fairly close to it. What are you hesitating about? Are you doubting me?”, she spoke out once more to the flame of Heoju.
“Heoju!!!”, Lee Sungmin shouted out Heoju’s name in a harsh voice.
Heoju, shaking in the form of a flame above Lee Sungmin’s head, was still silent.
“The human body is already affected by your powers. It’s not completely turned over to a monster yet, but if I help you, you’ll be able to exterminate that human soul and push your soul into the body, becoming able to possess it fully. Aren’t you currently residing in that man’s armor? Haven’t you planted your powers in his body for this moment?”
Lee Sungmin’s face distorted when he heard that.
At first, he doubted Heoju when they first met, but as he went through the incidents and several life and death battles with him, Lee Sungmin erased his doubts about Heoju’s presence.
It was because Heoju had saved his life multiple times and even got along with him. Lee Sungmin honestly started to feel happy about having Heoju around and pretty much already thought of him as a friend. But, at Kumiho’s words, he felt for the first time in a very long time, to doubt Heoju’s intentions.
All of this… Him lending his powers to save Lee Sungmin multiple times… His sarcasm and friendly jokes…It was all just to possess his body?
His left eye had started to mutate as his powers started to assimilate with Heoju’s. Was it all because Heoju wanted to take away this body and kill him?
[……humph!]
Heoju suddenly made a noise after all the silence and snorted at Kumiho.
[Don’t speak nonsense. Do you think this old man is imparting his powers to this human because he wants to take over his body?], Heoju spewed out in scorn at Kumiho, and his purple flames started to rage and swell in anger at her.
[Don’t be silly. If you really knew me, you would tuck your tail in, bow your head down, and beg to be forgiven!], Heoju spoke in an enraged voice.
Heoju’s words made Kumiho’s eyes widen in shock. The Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was struck into the wall, raised himself up with a stream of red aura, and Rubia was bewildered by what to do.
Heoju who saw all of this happen shouted in an angry voice once more, [Do you not understand me?!]
“Is..it….really…?”, Kumiho’s shoulders trembled a little as she was a bit intimidated by Heoju’s cry.
After hesitating for a moment, Kumiho sighed in response to Heoju’s anger and nodded her head.
“……sorry.”, Kumiho bowed her head down and apologized.
The pressure that weighed on the space and the tails that were restricting Lee Sungmin’s limbs disappeared in smoke. Lee Sungmin looked up at Heoju’s flame as his body was lowered back down.
[What, asshole?], Heoju, who received Lee Sungmin’s gaze, answered in an irritated voice.
[Did you really think I’d bite you in the ass and take away your body, just like that nine-tailed fox said?], Heoju scorned Lee Sungmin as if he were lecturing an idiot.
“Uh….”, Lee Sungmin stood there dazed and stuttered.
[You bastard! You don’t really don’t trust people, even monsters huh?!]
Heoju cried out in a fit of rage as he was mostly just upset that Lee Sungmin almost dumped him in the toilet yesterday.