Chapter Thirty-Three: The Five-Tailed Fox, the Ema, and the Priestess's Robes

Another ambush at the doorway?

Uesugi Tetsu, who had already pushed out a portion of his blade with his thumb, paused. He discovered that the thing tugging at his ankle was actually... a tiny, snow-white fox?

To say it was entirely snow-white was not quite accurate, as in the rain-drenched city of Edo, one could hardly take two steps without getting covered in mud, and the little fox was no exception. It was no more than thirty or forty centimeters long, its originally fluffy white fur matted with black mud. Yet, the fox seemed not to care; it simply swayed its five short, snow-white tails and raised eyes like blue gemstones to stare at Uesugi Tetsu.

Wait, five tails?

The vigilance Uesugi Tetsu had just eased began to rise again. In legend, a fox with three tails could be called a "demon." Wouldn't a five-tailed fox be a great demon? He stared intently at the top of the little creature's head for a moment, only to be stunned to find that it was classified as "Insignificant."

What was going on?

"Chirp, chirrup."

Uesugi Tetsu felt his trouser leg being tugged again. The five-tailed fox chirped, clearly wanting him to follow. What could the destination be? A trap concealed in darkness? Or a treasure trove where ancient relics were buried?

Interesting.

Regardless, Uesugi Tetsu’s curiosity had been piqued. As an outsider who feared no death, he had no reason to be afraid of a mere mysterious local fox.

"Lead the way." Uesugi Tetsu gestured toward the fox.

"Chirp!"

The five-tailed fox seemed to understand human speech. Upon receiving his response, it chirped excitedly and trotted off, leaving a trail of clear, plum-blossom-shaped footprints on the muddy path. Uesugi Tetsu looked down at the ground. Although the prints were quite distinct, there were very few sentient demons in Edo; overall, there shouldn't be any major trouble.

Perhaps fearing that Uesugi Tetsu couldn't keep up, the fox turned back after a few steps and chirped softly at him.

"Don't rush, don't rush." Uesugi Tetsu quickened his pace, his own footsteps erasing the fox's prints as he walked.

After following the five-tailed fox for a while, Uesugi Tetsu was amazed to find that he had encountered almost none of the swarms of minor monsters that usually roamed the city. Even when one was nearby, the fox seemed to possess the ability to foresee it, leading him around them with ease. One had to understand that previously, he would have been hacked to death by a wandering ronin and sent back to the mortal world within ten minutes.

Stopping at a corner, Uesugi Tetsu crouched down and asked softly, adding a respectful tone, "Brother Fox, can you sense the movements of these demons?"

"Chirp." The five-tailed fox nodded proudly, confirming his suspicion.

This ability was far too powerful. Uesugi Tetsu’s eyes glowed with fervor. If he could tame this five-tailed fox, wouldn't exploring the map be as easy as using a wall-hack?

"Chirp."

Seeming to sense Uesugi Tetsu's thoughts, the five-tailed fox shook its head solemnly at him before continuing forward. How could this fox be so clever? Uesugi Tetsu shook his head inwardly. If the creature were willing, he might have tried asking his fellow office-worker netizens if there was a way to tame a shikigami. But since it wasn't willing... he preferred to respect others' autonomy, especially when the other party was a friendly great demon who might be concealing its true strength.

He decided to just follow along honestly and see what the fox was up to.

After walking quietly for a short distance, Uesugi Tetsu saw the five-tailed fox stop in front of a torii gate that was half-buried in the earth. It stood upright, as if to say, "This is the place."

Uesugi Tetsu looked inside. He found that not only had the vermilion paint on the torii peeled away entirely, but the narrow approach leading to the shrine was overgrown with thick, black, viscous moss. The trees on both sides grew wildly, twisted and winding, looking eerie and terrifying. The entire shrine appeared desolate and ruined, as if no one had visited in a long time.

It felt exactly like a boss room.

"We're going up?"

The five-tailed fox nodded, chirped twice, and was the first to step onto the stairs. Uesugi Tetsu had no choice but to follow, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at any moment. Yet, the gloomy, sinister journey was exceptionally smooth; aside from the ground being a bit slippery, no accidents occurred.

Was it because they had crossed the torii and entered the shrine's boundary?

After climbing the long approach, Uesugi Tetsu finally saw the main building of the shrine—the worship hall—along with the stone guardian statues standing on either side. Uesugi Tetsu squinted at one of the three-tailed fox statues and asked, "Brother Fox, is this you?"

Legend had it that a three-tailed fox only grew a new tail every hundred years. If that were the case, had the one before him been here alone for at least two hundred years?

"Chirp!" The five-tailed fox held its head high with pride.

It trotted inside with light steps and soon returned to Uesugi Tetsu, carrying a pale red, blank votive tablet in its mouth.

"For me?"

"Chirp."

Uesugi Tetsu squatted down and took the unremarkable tablet. "You mean, you want me to take this votive tablet and give it to someone?"

The five-tailed fox nodded emphatically.

[Shrine Votive Tablet]
[Quality: None]
[Effect: None]
[—An ordinary votive tablet. Perhaps giving it to a shrine maiden will have a miraculous effect.]

This cryptic description didn't specify which shrine or which maiden... another vague, directionless quest. But to build favor with the five-tailed fox, Uesugi Tetsu didn't mind accepting it.

"Fine." Uesugi Tetsu placed the tablet into his storage bag and nodded at the silent fox. "I'll do this favor. But I can't guarantee when it will be finished."

"Chirp, chirrup!"

The five-tailed fox let out a joyful cry and tugged at his pants again, signaling him to follow it inside. Uesugi Tetsu complied. Once inside the worship hall, he saw a cold, white robe enshrined in the center. The robe was exquisitely crafted and adorned with deep red cherry blossoms. Most importantly, it was free of stains and dust, forming a sharp contrast with the miserable environment around it.

The five-tailed fox leapt onto an offering table nearby and chirped at him twice.

Uesugi Tetsu paused, tentatively asking in disbelief, "You mean... this robe is for me?"

"Chirp~" The five-tailed fox nudged the robe in his direction.

Uesugi Tetsu, not expecting such a windfall, reached out to touch the robe. The moment he saw its attributes, he knew this was worth it.

[Chief Priest's Robe]
[Quality: Superb]
[Effect: Slightly increases spell power and casting speed.]
[—The robe of a chief priest from an unknown shrine. The emblem and inscriptions on it have been worn away by time; it is impossible to tell where or when it came from.]

Although his Hannya form might not be able to fight while wearing such a restrictive robe, this was an investment in the future; once he summoned a spellcaster-type demon, they could wear it immediately.

This exchange left both man and fox quite satisfied.

Taking the robe, Uesugi Tetsu walked to the torii gate of the ruined shrine, accompanied by the five-tailed fox. He walked a few steps further, but no longer heard the light footsteps behind him.

He turned around, understanding. "Are you going to keep guarding this shrine forever?"

"Chirp," the five-tailed fox nodded.

Uesugi Tetsu tried to persuade it. "No one will ever come to this shrine again. Won't you come with me to see the world outside?"

The fox silently shook its head. Under Uesugi Tetsu's gaze, it turned around and walked step by step into the quiet darkness. Since it had bid farewell to a kind guest, it was time to return.

Uesugi Tetsu stared at its small, retreating figure, thinking of the pristine chief priest's robe. Perhaps the five-tailed fox meticulously cared for it every day, hoping that when the chief priest returned, they could put it on immediately, repair the shrine, and restore order. But it had waited until now and the priest had not come; it knew, perhaps, that it would never see that person again. That was why the five-tailed fox had given this enduring, spotless robe to him.

After a moment of reflection, Uesugi Tetsu left the mundane world; if he slept any longer, Ririko would surely notice something was wrong.

The five-tailed fox looked back and saw that the Hannya who had taken the robe was gone. It nodded in satisfaction and bounded onto the offering table in the center of the hall, as it was the warmest, cleanest, and most spacious spot. The little fox curled up and fell into a deep sleep.

The damp wind of Edo blew into the empty shrine as it always did, but the five-tailed fox did not wake again. From this day forward, it no longer had to worry about how to care for the robe.