Chapter 128 128: How to Tame a Fox

Words : 1199 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

— — — — — — Inside a mountain cave— Ran lay there, head resting on her front paws, eyes half-closed in comfort. Her serene fox face radiated peace... until her eyes suddenly snapped open. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She shot up, clearly irritated, her golden fur bristling as her nine tails flicked with agitation. Her sharp fangs glinted menacingly in the dim light—whoever was watching her wasn't even trying to hide it. "You're seriously doing this again?" she growled. Right on cue, a gap tore open in the air. "Ara, Ara. You're pretty sharp when it comes to sensing things, aren't you?" said Yukari, her tone way too cheerful to be sincere. "Yukari Yakumo..." Ran narrowed her eyes at the gap yokai who had been harassing her on and off for years. The malice in her gaze could freeze blood. "Are you really trying to go all the way with this? You want a fight to the death?" "Absolutely." Yukari replied, grinning like a fox herself. "Then go die already!!" One of Ran's tails darted out in a sneak attack, striking from behind Yukari—but it wasn't alone. All eight remaining tails sprang into action, along with her claws and fangs. Foxfire flared in orange, red, and a streak of ominous blue, instantly engulfing the cave. Even the rocky mountain walls started melting in the supernatural blaze. "Whoops, that was close!" Just before the flames could touch her, Yukari slipped back into the gap, dodging with ease. Another gap opened elsewhere, and she popped out again, looking entirely unbothered as she waved her fan. "Let's see now—Boundary of speed and slowness! Boundary of motion and stillness! Boundary of health and weakness! Boundary of clarity and chaos!" Negative status effects piled up on Ran one after the other—sluggishness, weakness, confusion. Her proud aura visibly dimmed. Then came the finisher— Dozens—no, hundreds—of gaps opened all around, unleashing a flood of blue bullets that swallowed up the massive fox in a glowing storm of magical projectiles. "...Whoa." In the courtyard of Hakugyokurou, Saigyouji Yuyuko sat watching with wide eyes and a slack jaw. She'd never seen Yukari this fired-up before. When they first met, Yukari had introduced herself with that elegant, haughty tone—"a thousand-year-old yokai," she'd said. Only now did Yuyuko fully understand what that meant. And the opponent getting steamrolled right now? That big fox? From what Yuyuko could sense... even if she merged with the Saigyou Ayakashi, she still might not stand a chance against Ran. But watching this beatdown... something felt off. Was Yukari toying with her? "Exactly. That's what it means to grind her down," said Veyron, nodding knowingly. "I don't really know much about the shikigami training rituals, but judging from Yukari's approach, she's clearly trying to push Ran's mental state to the edge—probably prepping her for some kind of conversion." "If that's the case, this is gonna take a while..." Yuyuko muttered. Ran might not be as strong as Yukari, but she was still a high-level yokai who'd transcended the mortal form. If she wanted to, she alone could represent an entire race. And from the way she carried herself, she didn't take shortcuts—her strength came from legitimate, traditional training, not some fear-based trick. Even with all the psychological wear-and-tear Yukari had likely been inflicting over time, breaking someone like that wouldn't be easy. "Let's just sit back and enjoy the show," Veyron said, gesturing casually. "Alright." Yuyuko sat down obediently, gaze fixed on the battlefield unfolding through the shimmering gaps. Meanwhile, Veyron picked up a broken twig from the sakura tree and gently poked a small white fox curled up on the ground, playing dead. "Hey, can you hear me?" The little fox twitched, peeked out its head, and cluelessly opened its mouth to nibble at the branch. "Playing dumb, huh?" Veyron chuckled, then casually lifted the fox into the air by the branch it refused to let go of. "Careful now. Keep this up and I might start thinking you're treating me like the idiot here." "...Understood, sir. Please give your orders." The white fox quickly released the branch, dropped to the ground, and respectfully bowed its head in front of him, acting all obedient. "What's your name?" Veyron asked. "Hagoromo Gitsune." The fox replied. Hagoromo Gitsune? Looking at her pristine white fur, Veyron had a sudden realization. A legendary fox demon, in Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. "How old are you?" Veyron asked, gently running his hand along her back. Foxes really did have softer bodies—this one even more so than Inukimi when she was still a peak high-level yokai. He briefly wondered if Inukimi would surpass that softness once she evolved into a full-fledged great yokai. "Six hundred and sixteen," the white fix replied. "So... what does human meat taste like? Any particular cut you'd recommend?" He asked the question casually, but there was intent behind it. In Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Hagoromo Gitsune had devoured the livers of many young women during her time in Kyoto to revive Abe no Seimei. Her infamous conflict with Nurarihyon four hundred years ago had started because she had her eyes on the liver of his beloved, Yamabuki Otome. Veyron's tone was light, but his gaze was sharp. The little fox blinked innocently. "I've never eaten a human. I once met an older yokai who warned me that eating humans causes irreversible damage to our growth." "Smart answer." Veyron gave her a satisfied pat on the head. The little fox swallowed hard. The realization hit her like a thunderbolt—had she tried to bluff and picked a random body part, she might already be a dead fox instead of a living one. "Relax, it's not that serious." Noticing the panic still flickering in her eyes, Veyron smiled. "I can tell whether you're carrying any kind of malice or killing intent. If you were truly corrupted, I'd have known right away." "Are you thinking of keeping her as a pet, Veyron?" Yuyuko asked from the side. She remembered how, when they first met, Veyron had a silver-furred dog yokai by his side. Maybe he had a thing for snow-white fur? The White fox perked up her ears, glanced at the gap where that terrifying gap-hag was still thoroughly thrashing the massive golden nine-tailed fox, and instantly rubbed her head against Veyron's hand with the eagerness of a loyal puppy. "Hmm... keeping a fox around for fun might not be a bad idea." Veyron paused, then gently shook her paw in return. There was a time—back before his transmigration—when he used to binge-watch pet videos online and dreamed of owning a cat, dog, or maybe even a fox. But he knew himself too well. He was never the type to walk them daily, clean up after them, or play the loving pet owner. But now? With yokai like Inukimi or Hagoromo Gitsune—intelligent and self-sufficient—he didn't need to worry about that kind of hassle. They practically took care of themselves. . . .

Chapter 128 128: How to Tame a Fox

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