Technology

The afternoon at the Inari Shrine was bright and clear, with the sun shining brilliantly.

On the long sando, the stream of people coming to worship at the Inari Shrine was as endless as ever. Visiting the Inari Shrine during their daily free time had already become a routine for many residents of Heian-kyo. To accommodate the growing number of worshippers, the activities of the shrine's miko had increased significantly.

Within the shrine, the miko gathered on a dedicated stage to perform the Kagura, drawing a large crowd of admiring onlookers. Below the stage, they discussed the dancers, with one miko in particular becoming the focus of their conversation.

"Hey, did you see her? That's the new miko."

"Yeah, she's truly beautiful. Besides Lady Kikyo, the shrine has found another stunning miko."

"Hmm... but her hair and eye colors are quite strange. Does she have yokai blood?"

"She's pretty, but her dancing is a bit stiff..."

"Ahhh~ Lady Yorihime's dance is so beautiful too."

...

On the Kagura stage, among the many miko, there was one particularly conspicuous and unique presence. She had long, pale purple hair and crimson eyes, with porcelain skin and a lovely face. Although she was an undeniable beauty, her dance movements were quite unpracticed, often half a beat behind the other miko. Her expression betrayed an indescribable complexity.

This figure in the red and white robes was none other than Watatsuki no Yorihime, the former Lunar Defense Official of the Lunar Capital and a noble Lunarian. Now, she was reluctantly forced to serve as an Inari miko, all because of a single sentence from a certain Inari Okami.

"Didn't you call yourself the Priestess of the Gods? From what I see, you don't look like a miko at all. Kikyo, teach her well how to be a proper miko."

Recalling the words of that Inari Okami, Yorihime couldn't help but sigh as she danced. She thought to herself that the title 'Priestess of the Gods' was merely a metaphor to help others better understand her abilities; she wasn't an actual miko! Back in the Lunar Capital, she was a defense official, a position equivalent to a general!

Despite her internal protests, under the overbearing authority of a certain god, she truly began her life as a miko under Kikyo's guidance. She performed the duties of a miko in earnest—prayers, Kagura, rituals, and cleaning—all while being forbidden from using her powers. It was an unprecedented experience for her.

As she performed her clumsy dance, she watched the crowd before her, including the starry-eyed rabbits hidden among them. Yorihime felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.

'Master... Sister... help me...'

Within the Inari Secret Realm, centered around the lunar space station lying on the ground, the entire realm was filled with the clanging and banging of cacophonous noise. The tranquility of the past was nowhere to be found.

In a small hut slightly removed from the noise, Toyohime sat on a bed, supporting her weakened body. Beside her was Eirin, who had just finished examining her.

"Good, your recovery is progressing well. At this rate, you should be able to use your powers again in a month or so. But remember, just because you've recovered doesn't mean there won't be lingering issues. If you act so recklessly again, you will certainly lose your life, and even I won't be able to save you." Eirin spoke in a cautionary tone, and Toyohime could only manage a helpless, bitter smile.

"I didn't expect to survive this time, let alone the next."

"Heh, I didn't expect it either. It's one thing for your younger sister to be fond of those rabbits, but for you to do something like this... were you influenced by her?" Eirin said with a light chuckle, looking at Toyohime.

"Something like that... after all, aren't we sisters both recognized as anomalies among the lunarians? I've long had a feeling that one day we might eventually walk the same path as you, Master. I just didn't expect that day to come so soon..." Toyohime looked out the window toward the giant metal bow in the distance and sighed.

"Perhaps, from now on, we sisters will live a life of seclusion here on the ground with you, Master..."

"Seclusion? Heh... no... I'm afraid we won't be able to live in seclusion. Sooner or later, we will have to go toe-to-toe with the Lunar Capital..." Eirin laughed at Toyohime's words, prompting a confused look from the younger woman.

"Toe-to-toe... why?"

"Because of our ally, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto, of course. Facing the Lunar Capital, she seems to have no intention of backing down. She wants to face them head-on and crush them. As those under her protection, we will inevitably be swept up in it and used as her combat assets..." Eirin shrugged with a hint of helplessness, while the shock on Toyohime's face deepened.

"The Inari Okami wants to go to war with the Lunar Capital? This... even if she is a powerful deity, she can't possibly stand against the entire Lunar Capital. Master, haven't you tried to persuade her?"

"I wanted to, but before I could even speak, she asked me if there was any way to land directly on the lunar surface and counter-attack the Lunar Capital... Once I heard that, I knew it was impossible to convince her to give up her faith and return to Takamagahara or live in seclusion on Earth. She will inevitably clash with the Lunar Capital, and we won't be able to avoid being pulled in."

"Uh... that truly is... a confident deity," Toyohime said slowly, her expression full of shock.

"Not for the moment. I told her that the lunar surface is the absolute home turf of the Lunar Capital, where lunarians can more easily deploy the Power of Chang'e to suppress divinity. Attacking the moon directly would be a reckless choice. Heh... though Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto is direct, she isn't stupid. She took my advice and decided not to attack the moon immediately. Instead, she chose to maintain a defensive posture, planning to annihilate the main force of the Lunar Capital's attack on the ground first, and then counter-attack when their strength is weakened... Look, she's very actively making preparations right now..." As Eirin spoke, she looked out the window toward the distant mechanical giant bow.

"Actively... making preparations?"

"Yes. Don't you think it's been a bit noisy these past few days? That's because the Inari Okami is busy repairing the space weapon you sent down."

"Re-repairing it? Could it be she..." Toyohime's mouth twitched at Eirin's words.

"Yes, she plans to put that thing back into orbit to serve as her eyes monitoring the earth, as well as an outpost against the Lunar Capital. The detection system on that Monitoring Pavilion is still perfectly intact; if the Lunar Capital makes any move, we'll know immediately. Also, the weapon system known as the Star-Punishment Heavenly Fire Bow hasn't suffered any damage either. She might even be able to use it at some point." Eirin waved her hand with a strange smile. Toyohime sat in silence for a long while before finally speaking with a complex expression.

"That Inari Okami... her receptivity to the emerging technologies of the Lunar Capital is truly fast..."