NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Another shrine II.
Kusa's curiosity was piqued by Nitori's request, and she inquired further, "What is your request, Nitori?"
With a hint of excitement, Nitori revealed her wish, "Can you beat the new god of the mountain?"
Reimu and Marisa were taken aback by the revelation. "Wait, there's a new god?" Reimu asked in surprise.
Marisa chimed in, considering the implications. "So, they must have arrived in Gensokyo recently?"
Nitori confirmed their assumptions, explaining, "Yes, that's correct."
Kusa, seemingly unfazed by the news, offered her assistance confidently, "If it's about the shrine at the top of the mountain, I know where it is."
Reimu's determination showed as she nodded firmly. "Then leave it to us. We'll handle it."
Before departing, Kusa reminded Nitori of their prior arrangement, "Nitori! Did you create the device I requested?"
Nitori shared her progress, "You mean the Switch? Not yet. I'm lacking some materials at the moment."
Kusa acknowledged the situation. "I see. I'll talk to you later, once they've dealt with the god."
Nitori added a final piece of advice, "Also, be careful. There's another god you should watch out for."
With that, Nitori walked away, heading back in the direction of the Kappa society.
Marisa, still trying to grasp the situation, questioned further, "Another god?"
Kusa, ever confident, reassured Marisa and Reimu, "Don't worry, Marisa. With you and Reimu, who can rival gods, it should be fine."
Reimu directed a question to Kusa, curious about her intentions, "Do you not want to participate in this?"
As the conversation unfolded, Kusa pondered the idea of participating in the confrontation with the new god. "I could, but it seems you two are quite eager to take on the god," Kusa noted.
Reimu was quick to clarify her stance, saying, "Me? Not at all. It's Marisa who's excited about fighting a new god."
Marisa chimed in, her eagerness is apparent in her tone, "Fighting a new god is bound to be intense, and I want to face every challenge I can get. Plus, I'm curious to see just how strong they are, considering they're from the outside world."
Kusa's curiosity was piqued once again, leading her to ask, "Has this happened before? Gods suddenly appearing in Gensokyo?"
Reimu confirmed, "Yes, it's not uncommon for gods to appear in Gensokyo."
Kusa nodded in understanding, then added with a hint of mischief, "I've heard that Mima is planning to become a god."
Reimu's response was mixed with surprise and amusement, "Really? She's been much more docile lately and even helps out at the shrine."
Marisa offered a suggestion, "Why not release her from her seal?"
Reimu considered the idea, acknowledging, "Yes, I think I should. It does seem unnecessary at this point."
With the matter resolved, Kusa steered the conversation back to their current mission. "Alright, let's continue."
The trio continued their ascent up the mountain until they reached a point near a waterfall. Suddenly, their path was halted by a presence.
"Halt!!!" a voice commanded, prompting the group to turn their attention to its source.
A figure emerged from the surroundings, catching their attention. It was a girl dressed in a distinctive white long-sleeved shirt and a contrasting large black skirt. Her short white hair and red Tokin added to her unique appearance. She wielded a Tinbe-Rochin, with her Rochin resembling a machete or scimitar and her tinbe being white with a red maple leaf pattern. Her yellow eyes revealed a sense of determination and seriousness.
The girl, identified as Momiji
, spoke up with a sense of duty. "I can't let you pass," she stated firmly.Kusa's curiosity led her to inquire, "Why not?"
Momiji's response held a note of regret, "Sorry, Kusa, but I've received orders from higher-ups that no humans should be allowed to pass."
Reimu, always one for a direct approach, posed a counteroffer, "What if we defeat you? Will you then allow us to pass?"
Momiji hesitated, visibly torn between her duty and the prospect of facing Kusa in combat. "That..." she began, her voice reflecting her inner conflict.
Momiji ultimately chose to withdraw from the confrontation, deciding to report the situation to her superiors. "I should inform the higher-ups about this," she said before taking off toward the higher reaches of the mountain.
With Momiji gone, Marisa couldn't help but express her curiosity. She picked up Kusa, who was in her tiny form, and asked, "What did you do to make her so scared of you, Kusa?"
Kusa shrugged, her nonchalant response betraying a lack of concern. "I forgot about it."
Reimu chimed in, raising an eyebrow, "But haven't you mentioned that plants have an excellent memory?"
"I just beat them fair and square," Kusa stated matter-of-factly, not showing any signs of arrogance.
Marisa wasn't convinced by the simplicity of Kusa's explanation. She pointed out, "Fighting you isn't fair... it's a one-sided beat down."
Kusa defended her actions with a grin. "To be fair, I didn't attack. I just grabbed them and threw them."
Reimu jumped in with a wry smile, referencing an earlier incident. "Like what you did to the goddess earlier?"
Kusa nodded in affirmation. "Yes, exactly."
Reimu's response was laced with a touch of playful admonishment. "Then it isn't fair."
Kusa let out a resigned sigh, realizing that her methods might not always align with everyone's idea of fairness.
"Let's just continue," she said, eager to move on from the discussion and tackle the challenges ahead. Her determination to progress was clear, even if her tactics raised a few eyebrows.
--
As they drew closer to their destination, a voice suddenly called out to them, catching their attention.
"Oi!!!" Aya's voice echoed through the surroundings.
Surprised, Kusa turned her gaze toward the source of the voice, spotting Aya approaching them.
"Aya?" Kusa questioned, a mix of curiosity and confusion in her voice.
Aya quickly explained her presence, expressing her desire to accompany the group. "Kusa, Reimu, and Marisa let me tag along with you! You three can solve this easily, so I want to be the one to get the scoop!"
Reimu's skepticism was evident as she responded, "And here I thought you were going to help us."
Aya chuckled sheepishly. "I'm just an ordinary tengu. I'm not strong at all."
Marisa chimed in, pointing out Aya's impressive attribute. "But you're the fastest tengu."
Aya shrugged, dismissing the notion. "Being fast doesn't mean being strong, you know?"
Marisa, never one to back down from a challenge, retorted, "But I'm fast and strong."
Aya's response was quick and teasing. "You're just an abnormality."
Marisa's irritation was palpable. "That somehow ticks me off."
Kusa intervened, bringing their focus back to the task at hand. "Well, let's continue, guys!"
With Aya now part of the group, they pressed forward.
--
Amid their flight, the group encountered Sanae, who seemed to attempt to slow them down but ended up leading them toward the shrine instead. As they confronted her, Sanae appeared surprised by their presence.
"Eh?!!! Why are you here?" Sanae questioned, clearly caught off guard.
Reimu offered a straightforward explanation, "We followed you."
Sanae seemed to realize the situation she had inadvertently created. "Does that mean I accidentally guided you to the shrine?"
Marisa confirmed her suspicion with a simple "Yes."
Aya chimed in reassuringly, "Don't worry! If you get the hang of flying, then you shouldn't be pursued next time."
Sanae's smile returned, and a flowery aura surrounded her as she seemed to grasp the situation better. "I see!"
However, her demeanor suddenly shifted as she remembered her mission. "Wait... I have to drive you all off!"
Reimu took charge, asserting her position as the shrine maiden. "I'll be the one to take care of this!"
With the three girls distancing themselves from Sanae, Reimu conjured her yin-yang orb and hurled amulets toward Sanae. Meanwhile, Sanae initiated her attack, creating two stars that multiplied into ten before blossoming into a scattering of bullets. The amulets skillfully maneuvered through the bullet barrage, forcing Sanae to evade and subsequently cancel her attack. The encounter was intense, showcasing the unique abilities of both shrine maidens.
As the battle between Sanae and Reimu continued, Sanae unleashed her formidable abilities. She created stars that emitted radiant light in all directions, while also generating light and shrapnel directed towards Reimu. However, Reimu skillfully navigated through the barrage, moving forward and evading each bullet with precision.
Sanae's surprise was evident when she realized that Reimu was managing to outmaneuver her attacks. Suddenly, Reimu took action, swiftly moving in and delivering a powerful kick to Sanae, sending her tumbling toward the ground. Undeterred, Sanae retaliated by conjuring a wave of stars, but Reimu teleported to her side and delivered another forceful kick, propelling Sanae into the shrine walls. The impact left Sanae coughing and momentarily incapacitated.
On the sidelines, Aya, Marisa, and Kusa watched the intense battle unfold. Aya remarked, "Reimu is ruthless today..."
Marisa added, "I wonder who's the one giving her instructions."
Marisa playfully nudged Kusa, who responded, "I mean... it's the most effective way..."
Aya joined the discussion, noting, "It seems so... but don't you think that she also has some anger in her actions?"
Kusa contemplated this, "Probably. It could be related to the shrine."
Marisa nodded in agreement, "It seems so."
Struggling against Reimu's relentless assault, Sanae conjured a typhoon of bullets, a desperate attempt to regain control of the battle.
As the intense magical battle raged on between Reimu and Sanae, a sudden change occurred. Colored orbs of light began to surround Reimu, emitting a brilliant radiance. In a surprising twist, Reimu released these orbs toward Sanae, causing a burst of bright light to envelop the area. The orbs' impact created a dazzling spectacle, unlike the usual explosions seen in magical combat.
The torrential typhoon of bullets conjured by Sanae was abruptly dispelled by the radiant display, revealing Sanae's weakened state. She struggled to maintain her consciousness as she faced the aftermath of the confrontation. However, before the situation could escalate further, a new presence intervened.
A girl with a striking appearance emerged onto the scene. She wore an elaborate red shirt with long white sleeves, accentuated by a round mirror positioned over the center of her chest. Her attire was completed by a long black skirt adorned with a red flower print hem. The most distinctive features were her poofy intense blue hair and dark red eyes, which gave her a unique and captivating aura. Behind her, a large twisting rope circle known as a shimenawa was adorned with shide decorations, emphasizing her divine presence.
In a commanding voice, the newcomer declared, "Enough!" Her tone held authority, and her presence seemed to immediately shift the atmosphere of the encounter. It was clear that she held a position of significance.
As Marisa approached Reimu's side, she questioned Reimu's state of mind, prompting Reimu to admit, "Yeah... it seems I let my anger get inside of my head." Realizing her mistake, Reimu offered a helping hand to Sanae, who was struggling to stand. She expressed her regrets, acknowledging that her actions had been overly aggressive.
Sanae, despite her weariness, understood the situation, replying, "No, It's understandable that you will get angry about it." The tension between them seemed to ease as they reconciled, and the immediate threat was defused.
Kanako, the powerful goddess who had intervened, redirected her attention to Reimu, addressing her as the shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine. She questioned Reimu's determination to keep her shrine operational, emphasizing that it might not yield any tangible benefits. The query lingered in the air, awaiting Reimu's response.
Reimu's emotions flowed forth as she defended the significance of the Hakurei Shrine. Her voice resonated with determination, recounting the various memories that had shaped her connection to the shrine. She spoke of Marisa's playful antics, the mischievous ghost's presence, the gathering of yokai, the persistent training from an "annoying girl," and the patient teachings of her second teacher.
The genuine emotion in Reimu's words seemed to catch Kanako off guard, her surprise evident in the widening of her eyes. However, rather than reacting negatively, Kanako's lips curled into a subtle smile. Reimu's impassioned declaration appeared to resonate with the goddess, perhaps stirring memories of her own divine experiences.
Kanako's response was measured but decisive: "Then prove me!" Her challenge was clear, and her eyes held an air of anticipation, eager to witness the genuine extent of Reimu's devotion.
Reimu exchanged a determined glance with Marisa, both of them understanding the weight of Kanako's request. Without further words, they nodded in unison, silently pledging to demonstrate the depth of their commitment.
And so, in the heart of the mountain, a battle of conviction and determination was about to unfold as Reimu and Marisa sought to prove the sacred value of the Hakurei Shrine.