Dark Ambush

In Heian-kyo, atop a certain wooden arched bridge.

Kanako and Kaki, both dressed in civilian clothes, stood upon the wooden bridge, their expressions betraying a hint of anxiety as they waited. They were waiting for Suwako’s return; this was the place they had previously agreed to reunite. The two had arrived early and had been waiting for dozens of minutes, yet there was still no sign of Suwako.

"Lady Kanako, what is happening? Lady Suwako hasn't returned yet. Could something have happened?" Kaki asked Kanako, looking quite flustered as she took in their surroundings.

"Don't panic, Kaki. With Suwako's strength, ordinary yokai and onmyoji are no match for her. If she encountered any real danger, she could seek our help directly through a long-range message. She shouldn't be in any significant risk..." Kanako spoke slowly, crossing her arms as she continued to wait. Although she spoke of staying calm, a sliver of anxiety was still visible between her brows.

Finally, after Kanako and Kaki had waited a while longer with uneasy hearts, they finally saw the figure they had been expecting at the other end of the bridge.

"Kanako! Kaki! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Waving her hand, the petite girl wearing a frog-like hat ran quickly toward them. Seeing this, the unease on Kaki’s face vanished instantly.

"Lady Suwako, where did you go? We were so worried about you." Kaki stepped forward to check on Suwako, speaking with relief once she confirmed there were no obvious injuries.

"It’s a long story. I originally just wanted to go back and find something I lost, but I encountered a very unexpected situation..." Facing Kanako and Kaki, Suwako lowered the brim of her hat, her expression becoming quite solemn.

"An unexpected situation?" A trace of confusion appeared on Kaki’s face as she listened to Suwako’s words.

"Yes, it’s related to the Inari Okami we’re supposed to investigate. In short, the details are hard to explain in a short time. You’ll understand if you come with me to that place and see for yourselves!" As Suwako spoke, she grabbed Kaki’s arm, intending to pull her forward. However, Kaki suddenly hesitated and stood her ground, not allowing herself to be led away so easily.

"What’s wrong? Kaki, come on!" Suwako turned her head and looked at Kaki.

"Well... Lady Suwako, I feel like going directly like this is a bit... well, inappropriate..." Kaki stammered, her expression filled with hesitation. She seemed quite uneasy about being led away by Suwako like this.

"It’s fine, Kaki. Let’s go. We should see what Suwako has discovered." At that moment, Kanako, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Kaki turned to look at Kanako with some surprise.

"Lady Kanako..."

"Hehe, since Suwako went to the trouble of finding a clue regarding that Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto, how could we just let it pass by? Let’s go and see exactly what is there." With a smile on her lips, Kanako spoke with calm composure. Seeing this, Kaki set aside her hesitation and nodded. Suwako also broke into a smile.

"Ha, as expected of Kanako! No time to lose, let’s go."

Suwako then led Kanako and Kaki toward the outskirts of Heian-kyo. Eventually, they arrived at a dilapidated courtyard. Suwako let Kanako and Kaki enter first. The moment they stepped into the courtyard, Kanako’s brow furrowed slightly.

"This courtyard is so ruined. It looks like it’s been abandoned for a long time. Lady Suwako, are there really clues in here?" Kaki scanned the surroundings, her voice tinged with obvious unease. Behind them, Suwako revealed a sinister smile as she slowly approached.

"Of course there are clues. Here, let me show you..."

As Suwako spoke, she slowly drew near Kanako’s seemingly defenseless back. She slowly raised her right hand, which began to glow with a sinister energy.

Stepping forward, Suwako suddenly lunged at Kanako, thrusting her palm toward Kanako’s back. But just as Suwako’s hand was about to make contact, a massive force suddenly clamped down on her arm, preventing her from moving an inch further.

"What!"

The fake Suwako looked at her arm in shock. Wrapped around it was a thick shimenawa. The powerful force of the sacred rope bound her tightly, halting her attack.

"Heh, you finally couldn't resist showing yourself, you nauseating creature of the shadows." Kanako turned her head, smiling at the stunned Suwako. Her expression suggested she had anticipated this all along.

"I have spent so much time with Suwako. Did you really think you could fool me just by mimicking her appearance and tone? How naive... I only came here to let you expose yourself."

"Damn it... Die! You dogs of Takamagahara! Heian-kyo belongs to us!" the fake Suwako screamed. Following her words, a rustling sound came from the weeds surrounding the courtyard. Several dark shadows leaped out, launching a sudden assault on Kanako and Kaki.

"Hmph, pathetic..."

Kanako spoke dismissively as a whirlwind suddenly erupted in the space around them. The gale swept up all the incoming shadows, hurling them violently against the walls and the ground, where they exploded into pools of blood.

"Such a feeble ambush. How laughable. Speak, you scoundrels, who sent you? Why did you attack us? And where is Suwako now?"

Having easily dealt with the ambush, Kanako looked at the fake Suwako, who was still bound tightly by the shimenawa, and questioned her sternly.

"Ugh... You... will never... know..."

The fake Suwako spoke with difficulty before her body suddenly swelled and exploded. A mist of blood sprayed across the courtyard. Kaki quickly formed a five-pointed star barrier to block the blood mist from reaching them.

"Lady Kanako... this..."

"Hmph, she blew herself up so thoroughly that not even a soul remains. A true death soldier..." Kanako snorted coldly and retracted her shimenawa. Then, she shifted her gaze to the attackers who had been thrown against the walls and ground.

"These are... foxes?!" Kaki was stunned as she looked at the fox corpses scattered around the courtyard. Then, a realization suddenly struck her: the Inari Okami, both in the past and present, was said to use foxes as divine messengers!

"Lady Kanako, could the attackers this time be..."

"Yes, perhaps..." Kanako replied with a serious expression. At the same time, she recalled the words the fake Suwako had blurted out in her desperation.

"Calling me... a dog of Takamagahara?"