The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Chapter 64

Destiny

Destiny is the lifespan bestowed by heaven,

the command issued from heaven,

and the fate decreed by heaven.

It’s the will of heaven, impossible for a mere mortal to defy.

That’s what Destiny is.

Yuhwa, the celestial emissary, possessed a clairvoyant eye that could read destinies. By staring intensely at her subject with divine powers, she could see the destiny decreed upon them.

For example, whether they’d rise or fall.

Or if death was approaching soon.

"You're destined to die soon."

With her clairvoyant eyes, Yuhwa saw that Karamir was shrouded in black. It was the color that foretold imminent death.

"Will you really die, Master?"

"No way. The old lady must be getting senile."

"Senile?"

"It means her mind is starting to slip."

It was a scene of a father patiently explaining things to a child who was just learning to see the world.

Heartwarming, almost like a father and daughter.

But ironically, it only hastened Karamir's death.

"If you don't want to die, let go of that fox spirit immediately."

If the celestial foxes let the world flow according to destiny, fox spirits did the opposite. They disturbed destiny.

The moment one got entangled with a fox spirit, destinies would twist, and the world would plunge into chaos.

Yuhwa’s prophecy was as certain as a fixed future.

Yet, Karamir smiled brightly.

"I decline."

"There's no declining. If you refuse, I'll take her by force. Like the wind carrying the clouds, it is my duty to ensure the world flows according to destiny."

Yuhwa's aura grew heavy, pressing down.

"If Rin goes to White Cloud Valley, what happens to her?"

"The world will regain stability."

"I’m not asking about the world. What happens to Rin?"

"The fox spirit will continue to live as she always has. That is her destiny."

To be oppressed by her own kin, scavenging for potatoes, and fleeing from monsters—a never-ending cycle.

The world would find peace by having the fox spirit bear the burden of misfortune alone.

"I refuse once again. Peace gained by thrusting misfortune upon a young fox isn’t worth having."

"Despite death looming over you, you persist in your pitiful stubbornness. I thought you were wise, but you're a foolish child."

"I’m better than someone who seeks security through the sacrifice of the weak."

"You’ll realize how foolish your obstinacy was once you've tasted the world's cruelty."

Yuhwa moved her hand, raising her fingers slowly.

"Please understand, I can’t put the world at risk just to teach you a lesson."

At the movement of Yuhwa’s fingers, the clouds around them began to shift shape.

They gathered into the shape of a massive hand, as if they had gained life.

Karamir looked up at the sky, his neck craned to its fullest. It was enormous enough to cover the entire area in shadow. The situation was tense.

"Rin, let's run."

The two immediately bolted toward the door they had entered through.

But even as they passed through the door, they didn’t end up back in the Cheonsangru corridor. They were still on the clouds.

"This place is shaped by my magic," Yuhwa's voice echoed through the clouds.

The majestic voice was like a warning from heaven.

"This is a space I control, so no matter how much you run, it’s futile."

The cloud hand dropped, pushing the air around it with a whoosh! The violent gusts pressed down on them.

Rin crouched down, compressing strength into her legs.

Karamir would surely cough up blood once he realized he’d been fooled by an old hag. But for now, that wasn’t his concern.

Yuhwa entered Karamir’s mental world.

She could see it.

The chain linking him to Rin.

All she had to do was command him to release her.

‘His magic is pitifully weak, yet this is intriguing. Where did he learn this... hmm?’

She noticed another chain. He’d bound himself not only to Rin but also to someone else.

To be enslaved to such a man...

There must be a tragic story behind it.

How pitiful.

Might as well free Rin and this other one too.

The moment Yuhwa touched the chain—

Flash!

‘What?’

Her consciousness was sucked into another mental realm along the chain.

An endless cosmos, shackled like a prison.

Vast knowledge scattered like the Milky Way.

Enormous death spirits guarding it.

And then—

"Dare you."

A girl in a maid outfit stood at the center of the universe.

"Touch my master’s mark? A mere heavenly errand girl?"

In her current form, Yuhwa had no physical body.

But the girl’s gaze was undeniably directed at her, a chilling hostility bearing down with overwhelming force.

"Who... who are you?"

"I am my master’s eternal servant. To touch my master’s mind—regardless of being a witch—is intolerable."

The witch passed judgment.

"Your sentence is immediate execution."

The colossal death spirit swung its scythe.

Yuhwa couldn’t move an inch.

In that split second dominated by the thought of death—

Snap!

Pouring every ounce of her power into resistance, Yuhwa barely broke free from the spell.

"Gasp, gasp, gasp."

Panting and staggering, Yuhwa’s face was as pale as if she’d brushed with death.

Though less than ten seconds had passed, it felt like an eternity. She was drenched in cold sweat from head to tail.

"Huh?"

Karamir’s consciousness returned, his vision focusing.

'What the hell, why do I feel like absolute crap?'

His mind felt foggy, and he saw the old lady sweating and gasping. An indescribable disgust overwhelmed him.

If possible, he wanted to pull his brain out and scrub it clean.

Boom!

Meanwhile, as the Thousand Cloud Hand weakened, Rin instinctively released her yokai power, evaporating the cloud hands all at once.

"Grrrr."

In a beastly stance, she glared at Yuhwa, ready to pounce. The red yokai energy around her blazed like fire.

Rin kicked off and lunged at Yuhwa.

"Guh."

Still reeling, Yuhwa fell helplessly. Rin grabbed her arm firmly, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming as she bared her fangs.

As if ready to sink them into Yuhwa’s throat.

"Don’t kill her, Rin. She’s supposed to be your teacher."

With hands behind his back, Karamir looked down at Yuhwa, lying on the ground.

He wasn’t sure what had happened, but it seemed the old lady had overexerted herself, failing to act her age.

In any case, if things went smoothly, all would be well.