Miketsu was well aware of how powerful her divine energy was. After hearing Tsuruha’s words, she couldn’t comprehend how the former Inari Okami could fall into slumber because of a yokai possessing divinity. It was incomprehensible.
“Hmm… Generally speaking, in your normal state, Lady Uka, you indeed shouldn’t have fallen into slumber due to a disaster caused by the Earthquake Catfish. However… at that time, Lady Uka’s state wasn’t very good…” Facing Miketsu’s second astonished query, Tsuruha continued, a hint of somberness appearing in her eyes.
“Tsuruha, you mean… my state was problematic back then?” Miketsu’s eyes narrowed as she listened to Tsuruha, speaking in a deep voice. Tsuruha nodded and continued.
“Precisely. At that time, Lady Uka, you responded to a summons and went to Takamagahara. When you returned, your state became very strange. Not only was there an oddity Tsuruha couldn’t quite describe, but you were also extremely fatigued, as if even your spiritual power had been affected.”
“What… you’re saying I was summoned back to Takamagahara before my slumber, and my state was strange upon my return?” Miketsu’s face showed a flicker of surprise as she listened to Tsuruha. She had considered that the former Inari Okami’s slumber might be related to Takamagahara, but she never imagined it would be in such a manner.
“Yes… At that time, after Lady Uka returned from Takamagahara, the previously calm and peaceful Earthquake Catfish, for some unknown reason, suddenly became enraged again. It gathered its strength, preparing to trigger a massive earthquake, and this time… Lady Uka was surprisingly unable to appease its fury…” Tsuruha continued, and Miketsu’s brow furrowed deeper the more she listened.
“Unable to appease the Earthquake Catfish’s fury… Was that because I was in a poor state back then?”
“It should be so. In any case, facing the impending disaster, Lady Uka at that time, at the cost of overdrawing her spiritual power, covered the land with a vast barrier, forcibly neutralizing the earthquake caused by the Earthquake Catfish. This forced resistance to the disaster was reckless. It directly led to Lady Uka’s body being injured and forced her into slumber. Before falling asleep, you used your last strength to appease the Earthquake Catfish, and then you remained in slumber for over a hundred years…”
After Tsuruha finished speaking, she sat silently. Miketsu, who had listened to her words, wore a complex expression. She truly hadn’t expected the difference between the former Inari Okami and herself to be so vast… Overdrawing spiritual power to stop a disaster? Could my spiritual power ever be overdrawn?
Whether it was when she instantly annihilated the Miko Orochi with a Burst Demon-Slaying Arrow… or when she wielded two demonic blades to unleash her full power against the Tokoyo-no-Kami… or when she clashed with Takeminakata-no-Kami’s divine domain… or even when she simultaneously cast multiple barriers to protect all the towns surrounding Heian-kyo and suppress the Miko Orochi’s resentment…
During these massive expenditures of spiritual power, Miketsu had never felt her vast sea of spiritual power significantly diminish. This even made Miketsu wonder if her spiritual energy was truly limitless… But now Tsuruha was saying that the former Inari Okami had actually overdrawn her spiritual power to resist an earthquake? To Miketsu, this was almost incomprehensible.
What was the reason for this? Did going to Takamagahara give her an overly powerful negative buff that affected the manifestation of her spiritual power? Or was this limitless spiritual energy situation unique to her, and the former Inari Okami was just like Kanako, possessing only the spiritual power an orthodox god should have?
Miketsu’s thoughts raced for a moment. Finally, after much deliberation, she continued to question Tsuruha.
“Tsuruha, I ask you… until the very end, did I still only want to appease the Earthquake Catfish?”
“Yes, the former Lady Uka’s boundless compassion remained unwavering. Even at the last moment of crisis, she only wished to appease the Earthquake Catfish…” Tsuruha responded slowly. Miketsu sighed softly upon hearing her words.
It seemed the former Inari Okami was just as she had thought, almost entirely adhering to the divine virtues of Inari, a true and unwavering benevolent deity. Just as Dakini-ten had said, a pure deity, adhering strictly to her divine role.
“Phew… Regardless, according to that man from the Hinanawi clan, it seems that catfish is showing signs of activity again. We need to resolve this now. Tsuruha, do you know where that catfish is?” Turning her head, Miketsu asked Tsuruha.
“The Earthquake Catfish resides in Lake Biwa, not too far from Heian-kyo. At our speed, we should arrive quickly.” Tsuruha responded to Miketsu, speaking slowly.
“Good, in that case, there’s no time to lose. Let’s go.” Miketsu said, clapping her hands and standing up, looking out the window.
…
Lake Biwa is located northeast of Heian-kyo, within Omi Province. Unlike Ogura Pond to the south of Heian-kyo, this is an enormous natural lake. Standing on one shore, one cannot see the opposite bank, much like facing the open sea.
Between green hills and shores, the vast azure lake surface shimmered with rippling light under the sun. Miketsu, riding Tsuruha, floated above Lake Biwa, gazing at the colossal lake before her.
“Is this Lake Biwa? It’s much larger than I imagined…” Miketsu murmured with a slight sigh, looking at the immense lake below.
“Yes, Lake Biwa is very large. Perhaps two-tenths of all Omi Province is this Lake Biwa…” Tsuruha responded from beneath Miketsu.
“Since the lake is so vast, where would that catfish be hiding?”
“Lady Uka, you needn’t worry about that. The Hinanawi clan has been making offerings and monitoring the Earthquake Catfish here for over a hundred years. They will certainly know its whereabouts. We just need to find them now…”
“Understood…” Miketsu nodded lightly, and then Tsuruha carried her, flying straight in one direction.
…
On a cliff by the shore of Lake Biwa, a shrine of considerable size stood. At this very moment, two men dressed as shinkan, one older and one younger, stood at the edge of the cliff, looking at the lake with worried expressions.
“According to the journey, Shigi should have already reached Heian-kyo by now. I wonder if Lady Inari Okami will hear his prayers…” The younger of the two shinkan spoke.
“That’s entirely unclear. According to our ancestors’ accounts, Lady Inari Okami should have fallen into slumber a hundred years ago to combat the disaster of the Earthquake Catfish. We’ve only inferred that Lady Inari Okami might have reawakened from various rumors circulating in Heian-kyo, but what is the actual situation? No one knows… Perhaps in the end, we can only hope in vain.” The older shinkan, with a beard, had a deeply worried look in his eyes.
“But now… the Earthquake Catfish’s activity is becoming increasingly frequent. Our offerings are almost ineffective. If Lady Inari Okami hasn’t revived, then… Ugh…”
The young shinkan was speaking when the ground beneath his feet suddenly began to tremble slightly. A rumbling sound started to echo all around.
“Damn it… It’s happening again…”,
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