Balance

In the afternoon, at Mount Inari, within the Inari Shrine.

Inside the small building of the Inari Secret Realm, Miketsu, dressed in her red and white robes, sat behind a small table. She was flipping through a stack of pamphlets. These documents recorded important events concerning the human realm and the demon realm. They had been compiled by Qin Xin and Menreiki to provide necessary intelligence for Miketsu, who did not often play the roles of Asakura Hao and Owl herself.

Lately, Miketsu's duties as Inari Okami had grown increasingly demanding, leaving her little spare time to attend to the affairs of the human and demon realms. Consequently, Qin Xin and Menreiki, acting as her doubles, began to play an even more vital role. They portrayed Asakura Hao and Owl, maintaining Miketsu's presence in those realms and becoming her literal masks.

At regular intervals, Qin Xin and Menreiki would transmit information from their respective domains, allowing Miketsu to maintain control over the Three Realms. At this moment, Miketsu was browsing the intelligence sent by them, but she was not alone in the room.

"So... you just let that fellow go back?" The speaker was a young woman who looked exactly like Miketsu. Dakini-ten leaned lazily against the bedside, teasing a small, unenlightened spirit fox while she spoke.

"Yes. I've already asked everything I could, and keeping him is useless. Since I can't comfortably subdue him, it's better to just let him go. If he's missing for too long, Takamagahara might send another god in his place," Miketsu said slowly, her eyes never leaving the pamphlets. She was referring to Takemikazuchi-no-Kami.

"Do you think those Yamato gods will stop coming just because you let him back? Next time, he'll likely return with even more gods. It would have been better to just slaughter him on the spot. One less opponent for the next confrontation—end of story," Dakini-ten said. A flash of killing intent crossed her eyes, causing the little fox in her hands to jump several paces away in fright.

Hearing Dakini-ten's words, Miketsu raised an eyebrow. She momentarily set down the pamphlet and looked at her.

"No. Letting him go back will actually keep Takamagahara quiet for a while. Killing him would only escalate the conflict across the board."

"Quiet for a while... why?" Dakini-ten's expression showed her confusion. In her view, if someone loses a fight, shouldn't they immediately go back, find reinforcements, and return for a rematch to save face?

"Generally, that is the case... but don't forget, the current Takemikazuchi-no-Kami is not the same as the old one," Miketsu said with a smile. Dakini-ten's confusion did not fade.

"You tampered with his divine virtue, so he is indeed different. But... what difference does it make when the current Takemikazuchi-no-Kami returns to Takamagahara?"

"There is a massive difference... haven't you felt it? That terrifying sensation when you realize you are an anomaly among the buddhas—the only 'normal' one in their midst?" Miketsu said, looking Dakini-ten in the eye. Hearing this, Dakini-ten recalled the time in the Western Pure Land when she gradually broke free from the shackles of mythology.

To be an anomaly among all the gods and buddhas... and in one's own eyes, to see all those gods and buddhas as anomalies. Recalling that intense sense of disconnection—as if she were a puppet with its strings cut, watching a grand puppet play—Dakini-ten felt a chill run down her spine. She finally understood Miketsu's meaning.

"I see. So that's your plan... If he returns in that state, he will indeed do everything in his power to provide cover for you." Understanding Miketsu's intent, Dakini-ten nodded knowingly. Miketsu offered a slight smile and returned to her pamphlets.

Suddenly, one entry caught her eye. It was a report from the Onmyoryo.

Anomalies have been appearing frequently in the southern seas. The rate of shipwrecks has increased. Surviving merchants and fishermen claim they encountered Yokai...

Reading this, Miketsu recalled the rumors she had heard among the Yokai in Choyo-machi a few days ago. It was said that thick mists often blanketed the sea, and Yokai who went out to hunt for food never returned.

"It seems... the sea hasn't been very peaceful lately..." Miketsu murmured, her brow furrowing slightly. She picked up a brush to annotate the pamphlet, instructing Qin Xin to use her identity as the Onmyo Taiyu, Asakura Hao, to dispatch Onmyoji to investigate the waters.

...

In the Celestial Realm, Takamagahara.

The rolling sea of orange-yellow clouds was boundless. A massive sun disk hung high in the eastern sky, its edges surrounded by layers of light rings extending outward.

Amidst the sea of clouds, a towering mountain peak pierced through. Atop the peak stood an immense, ancient stone torii gate. This gate, over ten meters tall, faced the brilliant sun disk on the horizon.

At this moment, a robust man with cloud-patterned tattoos and disheveled white hair was kneeling before the torii. His expression was respectful as he bowed his head, facing the distant sun disk through the great gate. He was Takemikazuchi-no-Kami, having just returned to Takamagahara. He was currently reporting on his mission.

"So... you are saying that when you went a second time, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto was still absent?" A mature female voice echoed through the space. Hearing it, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami answered immediately.

"Yes... when this humble god went to Mount Inari for the second time, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto had still not returned. I smote her realm with thunder punishment and slew many of her subordinates as a warning. I intend to return to the mortal world after some time has passed to check again." Takemikazuchi-no-Kami answered bluntly.

Though he appeared perfectly composed on the surface, his heart was in a state of violent upheaval. Intense fear churned within him. He knew exactly what he was doing: he was deceiving the ruler of Takamagahara, the chief goddess Amaterasu.

'You don't think you'll be safe just because you went back, do you? Have you considered this: would the original Takemikazuchi-no-Kami have returned after failing a mission? To Takamagahara, you are a weapon—one that completes its task with absolute loyalty regardless of the circumstances. But when that absolute nature is gone... how will Takamagahara view you?'

Miketsu's words echoed in his mind, making his already unstable heart race even faster. Since he had gained the capacity for fear, he realized how absurd his previous state—blindly and recklessly pursuing mission completion—really was.

It was just as Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto had said: he was merely a weapon. A weapon in Amaterasu's hand, one that was absolutely loyal and knew no fear. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami used to find this state normal; now, he loathed it. This loathing stemmed from the new emotion in his heart... fear.

Takemikazuchi-no-Kami was terrified. He feared Amaterasu; he feared what she would do to him if she discovered he was no longer the same, that he could no longer execute his duties without dread. At the same time, he feared Miketsu even more—he feared that if he troubled that impossibly powerful woman again, he would be dismantled entirely.

The current Takemikazuchi-no-Kami was shivering, caught between Miketsu and Amaterasu. Now, he could only do everything in his power to find a balance between the two.