Gap

In the dark night, streaks of dazzling golden light pierced through the clouds, shining down. The sacred light, carrying warmth, dispelled the gloomy chill from the scene. Amidst that radiance, a divine figure slowly descended from the sky, hovering in the air, looking down upon all beings.

Wearing a Heavenly Mirror Crown, white robes and scarlet hakama, the red-eyed girl with short white hair held a magnificent longbow, seated upon the back of a divine fox. Her gaze was like a torch, her demeanor like water, discerning all things with an unruffled calm.

Borrowing Ao Andon's ability, Miketsu had summoned a Secret Lore image of her divine form. Looking at the sacred girl bathed in radiance in the sky, Ao Andon's stunned expression was completely frozen on her face.

"Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami... this... she actually summoned a deity?! The possibility is truly..." Ao Andon was utterly astonished by the scene before her. She was very clear about the limits of her own abilities; while summoning a deity was not impossible, the conditions were extremely stringent. Firstly, the immense demonic power required was already beyond her capability.

Looking at the other self that had appeared in the sky, Miketsu let out a slight breath of relief. After glancing at the numerous Yokai surrounding them, she decided to bring a decisive end to this battle.

"Great Inari Okami, hear my prayer. Now, extinguish all calamities...

"Sacred Arrow Rain!"

The image of Inari Okami in the sky obeyed Miketsu's command, drawing her bowstring and aiming at the heavens. An Arrow of Light condensed, and as the girl released the string, the Arrow of Light shot straight into the sky, finally bursting at its apex. It fragmented into countless tiny, dense beams of light that spread widely in all directions, then rained down like a meteor shower, completely covering the entire Eastern Island.

These beams of light poured down like raindrops onto the ground. The Yokai scattered across the desolate island were pierced through. The massive Tsuchigumo, in particular, was instantly riddled with holes, transforming into blue light and vanishing into space along with many other Yokai. In an instant, all the Yokai summoned by Ao Andon were completely annihilated by this rain of light. On the entire scene, apart from the stunned Miketsu and Ao Andon, only the 'Inari Okami' in the sky remained.

Ao Andon summoned Yokai from Secret Lore, recreating scenes, and things within Secret Lore are likewise subject to Secret Lore's suppression. It was Inari Okami who ended the demonic disaster in Heian-kyo, thus Inari Okami's Secret Lore not only possessed high status and power, but also held absolute suppressive effect against the Yokai summoned from the Heian-kyo demonic disaster.

Watching her numerous summoned beings utterly annihilated in one fell swoop, Ao Andon, after a long moment of astonishment, let out a relieved smile. She looked at Miketsu and the 'Inari Okami' above her, saying with a smile.

"It seems I've lost. I no longer have enough demonic power to continue fighting. You've won this battle, Owl."

Listening to Ao Andon's words, Miketsu waved her hand. The Inari Okami in the sky transformed into a blue light and vanished. Her demonic blade also reverted to a normal tachi, which she returned to its sheath, and she spoke solemnly to Ao Andon.

"Although you lost, you don't seem particularly disheartened."

"Heh heh, indeed. My fundamental reason for participating in this gathering was to witness more Secret Lores and explore the truths behind them. This time, I not only personally saw various Yokai Lords that previously only existed in legends, but also witnessed the descent of a divine miracle with my own eyes. For me, this is already enough." Seated upon her lamp staff, a peculiar glint suddenly appeared in Ao Andon's eyes as she looked at Owl.

"However, I'm even more interested in the truth hidden behind your Secret Lore, Owl General... Not only is your demonic power incredibly potent, but you can also borrow a deity's name without angering the deity. Can you tell me what kind of being you truly are... Can you tell me?"

"If you want to know, then seek it out yourself. The answer you gain that way might be more meaningful." Miketsu casually brushed off Ao Andon's questions. Just as she was about to leave, Ao Andon suddenly spoke again, calling out to her.

"Have me seek it out myself? Owl General, you are truly interesting... Since you won against me today and allowed me to witness such a divine miracle, I will tell you three hidden Secret Lores as thanks." Ao Andon said, simultaneously holding up three fingers towards Miketsu.

"Three hidden Secret Lores?"

"Yes, one Secret Lore is about this gathering. One Secret Lore is about this Nightless Island. One Secret Lore is about Shuten-doji, who is hailed as the strongest Yokai Lord and is very likely to be your next opponent. Which one do you want to hear first, Owl General...?"

Listening to Ao Andon's words, Miketsu was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Tell me about this gathering first."

"Alright, everyone at this gathering was invited by Tamamo-no-Mae, using Black Tortoise demonic power as a lure. This demonic power was originally the Black Tortoise spiritual power from Heian-kyo's Four Symbols Array. Tamamo-no-Mae converted it into demonic power, but, in the Tamamo-no-Mae Secret Lore I possess, he doesn't have the ability to convert such a massive scale of spiritual power into demonic power..."

"Tamamo-no-Mae can't convert spiritual power? You mean he has other helpers?" Miketsu asked with a frown, hearing Ao Andon's words. This coincided with her previous suspicions about Tamamo-no-Mae.

"Yes, Tamamo-no-Mae definitely has a helper, and I can probably guess who it is. There's only one Yokai capable of such a massive energy conversion: the Great Sage Yakumo Yukari, who can manipulate Boundaries and possesses power comparable to a deity."

...In the vast ocean, deep beneath the sea, in a dark and long tunnel, Yamakaze was speeding forward. This was a tunnel he had excavated when he first came to Nightless Island, and now he was returning along the same path.

Suddenly, Yamakaze abruptly stopped, as if sensing something. With his night vision, he reached out his hand, and then he touched an invisible barrier.

"A barrier... and quite strong. Who could it be..."

Just as Yamakaze was pondering, a strange sound suddenly appeared behind him. Yamakaze whirled around, and what he saw was a gap opening out of thin air in the center of the tunnel, with countless strange eyes staring at him from within.

"The Boundary of Waking and Sleeping..."

The moment he made eye contact with the countless eyes within the gap, an indescribable wave of drowsiness swept over his consciousness. Yamakaze immediately felt something was wrong and lowered his head, no longer directly looking into the eyes of the gap. However, he instantly discovered that new gaps were opening in the direction he was looking...

Closing his eyes, Yamakaze no longer directly looked into the new gap's eyes. He intended to rely solely on his other keen senses to perceive enemies around him. However, the moment he closed his eyes, something terrifying happened.

Inside his eyelids, the gap slowly opened, and its strange pupils stared directly into his eyes, at zero distance...

Immediately after, Yamakaze lost consciousness...

In the tunnel, Yakumo Yukari's figure slowly emerged from the gap. Looking at Yamakaze lying on the ground, she unfolded her fan, covering her smiling lips.