The Source

Above the cloud-shrouded sky, mighty thunder boomed, and golden lightning flashed through the clouds. A thick bolt of lightning, summoned by the vajra in Miketsu's hand, struck directly from the heavens. In an instant, the colossal body of the Earthquake Catfish was engulfed in a dazzling, widespread electrical light, its pained cries swallowed by the thunder.

With the thunder's might and the radiating electricity, the entirety of Lake Biwa was illuminated by this intense discharge. Before such overwhelming divine power, countless mortals, including the Hinanawi shinkan, were struck with fear and immediately fell to their knees.

As Inari Okami, Miketsu could, to a certain extent, control the weather and command lightning, but it was difficult for her to use this incidental lightning power in combat like a true Thunder God. The lightning here was punitive lightning released by Dakini-ten as a guardian deity, possessing the power to eradicate evil and wickedness.

After the golden lightning, the charred body of the Earthquake Catfish plummeted from the sky. Just as it was about to fall into the lake, Miketsu reached out and grabbed its caudal fin, stopping it mid-air. "Not only was its body not directly destroyed, but it seems to still have a breath left… Heh, this fellow's survival ability truly is extraordinary, or is it due to the divinity of the earth?"

Holding the Earthquake Catfish by its tail, Miketsu slowly spoke, watching the charred catfish twitch intermittently with swirling eyes. For this fish to survive that lightning strike truly showed it was thick-skinned to a certain degree. Regardless, the Earthquake Catfish had finally completely lost its ability to fight.

As Miketsu spoke, she dispelled her Celestial Maiden Form, returning to her miko attire of white robes and crimson hakama. At this moment, Dakini-ten, who had been softly integrated into her mind, also separated, her voice echoing in Miketsu's thoughts.

'Heh, though it possesses some divinity, this fish is still just that. Ultimately, it's merely a mortal creature. For you to have once been driven into slumber by such a creature, you certainly had some 'skill' yourself~' Dakini-ten's words carried a clear mocking tone. Miketsu's self-deprecating thought when catching the falling Earthquake Catfish was likely also her consciousness at play. When fully manifesting in Dakini-ten's form, Miketsu's and Dakini-ten's consciousnesses were merged. Although Miketsu's consciousness was dominant, it didn't mean Dakini-ten's consciousness had no influence.

"At that time, 'I' was in a somewhat strange state due to factors from Takamagahara. Defeating this fish alone wasn't impossible… but the 'me' of then was far from what I am now. She chose to save everything, and naturally, there was a price to pay…"

Facing Dakini-ten's words, Miketsu spoke with a sigh. With Dakini-ten's Kishin power, she could directly withstand the Earthquake Catfish's falling strike, yet the former Inari Okami could not. When the Demon-Slaying Power proved ineffective and disaster was imminent, the former Inari Okami chose to use her limited divine power to erect a barrier to protect the land, enduring the Earthquake Catfish's blow. This excessive overdraft of divine power led to Inari Okami's slumber.

Holding the enormous Earthquake Catfish, Miketsu thought about the different outcomes she and the former Inari Okami had achieved when dealing with the same event, and a wave of emotion surged within her.

Miketsu flew to the lake shore and tossed the unconscious giant catfish onto the bank. It was then that she noticed several deep cracks on the back of the Earthquake Catfish, in the colossal sacred stone it had carried, bound by shimenawa.

"This is…"

Miketsu activated her causality vision. She could clearly see that the source of the Earthquake Catfish's immense power came from within that sacred stone. The stone was the embodiment of its divine power, an aggregate of the divinity of the earth.

'The reason this catfish lost control of its emotions and became temperamental was likely because it bore this divine power that no mortal creature should carry. My divine lightning has the effect of eradicating evil thoughts, and that sacred stone was precisely the source of its chaotic consciousness…' Dakini-ten continued in Miketsu's mind, and Miketsu nodded in understanding.

"So, your lightning cut off the fish's connection to the sacred stone, then? That's quite impressive…" Miketsu praised Dakini-ten, who responded with a rather strange tone.

'One could say that… but I need to correct one thing: this is your lightning, not mine… I merely provided the channel for you to release the divine lightning. The divine power consumed was your own… To be honest, when I used this technique by myself before, it never had such immense power as yours…'

"Huh? You mean you can't use that kind of power when you strike lightning yourself?" Miketsu asked, scratching her head in confusion. After all, that was her first time striking lightning.

'It's not that I can't use it… it's that using it would excessively consume divine power, making it not worth the effort. The same applies to my Kishin power; although my physical strength is great, it's not limitless. Exceeding those limits also requires a huge consumption of divine power. When I use it myself, I'm not as extravagant as you, using it as a constant state to beat people without restraint!'

"Is that so… So that means using your abilities actually enhances them? Turns out you're not as strong as I imagined…" Miketsu said knowingly, and Dakini-ten responded indignantly.

'Don't compare your situation to other gods! A person like you, who possesses invisible divine power, is a special case among special cases!'

Just as Miketsu was interacting with Dakini-ten in her mind, the giant sacred stone on the Earthquake Catfish's back suddenly shattered and crumbled, breaking into fragments like ordinary rocks. Miketsu turned to see this, knowing that the sacred stone had been over-consumed in its resistance to her lightning strike and had thus collapsed.

Among the shattered fragments, most had lost their divinity and become ordinary stones. Only one piece, less than half a meter in diameter, still retained its divinity. Miketsu could feel that this smaller sacred stone was slowly recovering its divine power.

Miketsu stepped forward and picked up the remaining sacred stone. At this moment, the Earthquake Catfish, which had been unconscious, slowly began to awaken.

Slowly opening its eyes, the Earthquake Catfish saw Miketsu's figure. Immediately, its expression changed, and it frantically flapped its fins and tail, thrashing about on the shore.

"No, don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Don't approach me! Don't you dare come near!" The Earthquake Catfish cried out in utter panic. It tried to twist its body and desperately move away from Miketsu, but being on land, it only kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Quiet…" Miketsu said in a low voice. Hearing Miketsu's words, the Earthquake Catfish suddenly froze, then lay flat on the shore, not daring to move. Its huge eyeballs watched Miketsu with extreme unease, its body trembling slightly. The image of the thunder striking it was deeply imprinted in its mind.

Looking at the Earthquake Catfish's appearance, Miketsu, holding the sacred stone fragment, nodded slightly and then spoke.

"So… do you still say I am Inari Okami?"

"Yes! Yes! You are absolutely Lady Inari Okami! Undeniably, there's no mistake!" The Earthquake Catfish nodded vigorously, secretly thinking that whatever god she said she was, that's what she was.

"Then… since I am Inari Okami, am I as gentle, kind, and considerate as you remember the former Inari Okami to be?" With a benevolent smile, Miketsu continued.

"Yes, yes, yes! Your gentleness, kindness, and consideration are those of the benevolent Lady Inari Okami!" The Earthquake Catfish continued to speak urgently. Miketsu nodded in satisfaction, then asked the Earthquake Catfish again.

"Now, I ask you one thing: where did the divinity on your body… or rather, your ability to unleash the power of the earth… come from?"

Hearing Miketsu's words, the Earthquake Catfish paused, seemingly pondering in confusion for a moment, before slowly speaking.

"The power of the earth? That… that seems to be something I gained a very, very long time ago, I can't remember exactly how long ago… when I was just a young, ordinary catfish yokai… after eating a piece of meat…"

"Meat?"

"Yes… I still remember… it was the meat from a huge, huge, huge… countless times larger than me now… frog-like monster's corpse…"