At a secluded, deserted intersection, Akashiki, the leader of a rising yokai gang, ambushed Mori-bozu, the yokai leader of the area surrounding Mount Kagami-oboro. Caught in a surprise attack, Mori-bozu had been struck by a poisoned blade, leaving him unable to resist the onslaught of Akashiki and his subordinates.
Even now, Mori-bozu remained surrounded by Akashiki and his men, but his heart held more questions than rage. He had ventured out today to fulfill an appointment—to visit the newly appointed Inari God of the Kagami-oboro Inari Shrine. Yet Akashiki claimed the Inari God had not arrived. If that were the case, Mori-bozu should never have received a reply to his letter.
"Hmph, so you're still pinning your hopes on the Inari God? I'll tell you straight: my men have been lurking around Mount Kagami-oboro for a long time. I know exactly if any powerful beings have come near lately. I only made my move against you once I was absolutely certain the Inari God wasn't here..." Akashiki stood his ground, revving a chainsaw as he continued to gloat at Mori-bozu.
"Once we clean this up, the next Inari God will be a stranger to these parts anyway. We'll just fool them and be done with it... Haha! Now, hand over your territory! You demon monk!"
With that, Akashiki gripped his high-speed chainsaw, preparing to swing it at Mori-bozu. Facing the incoming attack, the towering Mori-bozu tightened his grip on his iron staff with his weakened body.
Right at that moment, a soft voice suddenly rang out.
"Ah, it's Mori-bozu... Weren't you supposed to visit the shrine today? Why have you ended up here?"
The assembled yokai were stunned. They turned toward the source of the voice and saw a petite girl standing next to Mori-bozu. She wore a high school uniform, a bag slung over her shoulder, and had short black hair. She stood upon the cracked pavement, looking sideways at Mori-bozu as she spoke. Her sudden appearance sent a wave of shock through the crowd.
'When—when did she get here?!'
In the eyes of the yokai, the girl's figure seemed to have appeared out of thin air. It was only after she spoke that they realized she was even standing there. This was especially true for Mori-bozu and Akashiki; these two yokai, who possessed the ability to cross between realms, felt like humans in the human realm who had suddenly encountered a crossing yokai—they felt as if they were seeing a ghost.
But... they were the ghosts themselves. Where had this girl come from?
"You... you are the miko from Tadae's house?" Mori-bozu stared at the girl. After the initial shock, she looked familiar. After a moment's thought, he realized she was the miko living with his old friend, Tadae.
"Mm... it seems you remember me. It's getting late, so you should hurry to the shrine. Didn't you want to meet the new Inari God, Mori-bozu?" Miketsu spoke with a slight smile, looking up at the massive monk-like yokai. Her words and expression completely ignored the surrounding environment, which infuriated the circle of yokai, evil spirits, and ghosts.
Who was this brat?! How dare she ignore them?
Thinking this, the numerous yokai and spirits began to gnash their teeth and brandish their claws. They struck grotesque, terrifying poses and let out various horrifying sounds to intimidate Miketsu, attempting to instill fear. However, since Akashiki had not given the order, they did not attack yet.
"That brat... she was Tadae's miko..."
On the other side, Akashiki narrowed his eyes at Miketsu. Having investigated this district thoroughly, he naturally knew the girl's identity.
'This is bad... the ambush on Mori-bozu was witnessed by the Inari miko. If I let her leave, she'll spill everything when the next Inari God arrives, and that'll be a problem... I don't know how she appeared so suddenly, but I can't let her leave alive...'
With this thought, Akashiki pointed forward and roared.
"Tear them apart! Leave nothing but bones!"
At Akashiki's command, the horde of yokai and evil spirits surrounding the intersection lunged toward Mori-bozu and Miketsu. Seeing this, Mori-bozu's expression tightened. He gripped his massive metal staff, prepared to fight to the death.
"Run! Miko of Tadae! I will handle them, you must—huh?"
Just as Mori-bozu prepared to lift his four-meter-long heavy iron staff for a final counterattack, he realized his weapon wouldn't budge. No matter how much strength he exerted, he couldn't lift it an inch. Horror filled his heart.
'This makes no sense! Even if I'm poisoned and weak, I shouldn't be unable to lift my weapon even with all my strength!'
In his shock, Mori-bozu looked down. He saw the petite girl casually holding onto a section of his iron staff with one hand. Seeing this, Mori-bozu's eyes widened behind the gaps of his bamboo cage. He suddenly realized that the reason he couldn't swing his weapon was because this girl was holding it back.
This miko's single hand was stronger than his entire body?! And she looked so relaxed?!
Sensing Mori-bozu's stunned gaze, Miketsu turned her head slightly upward and spoke calmly with a smile toward the eyes behind the bamboo cage.
"I'll borrow this for a moment..."
As she finished, Mori-bozu felt a sudden, irresistible force rip the weapon from his hands.
Then, the petite girl in the high school uniform swung the five-meter-long solid iron staff in a horizontal arc. The swarming yokai and imps were struck by the staff, which carried the weight of ten thousand tons. Before they could even react, they were pulverized. Shards of bone and flesh were sent flying, some disappearing into the distance and others slamming into walls at high speeds, punching countless holes through the concrete.
With just a single sweep, performed at a speed invisible to the average person, the swarming trash had basically been reduced to splinters. By the time Akashiki and Mori-bozu could react, a rain of debris was falling from the sky.
"This power..."
"You—you've got to be kidding... How could a human have such power?!" Watching his subordinates turn into scrap in an instant, Akashiki's face froze in utter shock. He realized he had kicked a hornet's nest.
But before Akashiki could recover from his shock, he saw the schoolgirl-sized figure raise the massive, heavy iron staff vertically, seemingly about to bring it down right on his head.
"Damn it!"
In this moment of crisis, Akashiki had no choice but to bet everything. He channeled all his demonic power, causing his muscles to bulge. The chainsaw in his hand erupted with scorching flames. He swung the chainsaw with all his might to block the incoming iron staff.
CLANG!!
With a sharp sound of metal clashing, the chainsaw and the iron staff collided. The chain on the saw snapped instantly, but the massive staff stopped, locked against the chainsaw. Akashiki looked up in shock at the giant staff right before his eyes, seemingly having blocked it, and muttered in disbelief.
"I... I blocked it?"
I actually blocked an attack of this caliber?! No way! Was I always this strong? I never realized it before!
Akashiki thought with immense joy. Clearly, he hadn't expected to stop such a ferocious blow. For a moment, he felt he had underestimated his own strength in the past.
"Hmph... quite a powerful strike. I admit I underestimated you, miko of Tadae. But now, witness my true power!" Maintaining his blocking stance, Akashiki spoke to the black-haired girl. It was then he noticed that her gaze wasn't on him at all. She was looking past him, at something behind him.
"The vehicle is quite nice..." Miketsu whispered with a smile. Hearing this, Akashiki was stunned, then turned his head back in confusion.
He realized that behind him was the motorcycle he had bought for a high price and modified countless times.
"The bike? Ha! That's my masterpiece! After I kill you—"
BANG!
Before Akashiki could finish, the iron staff he was "blocking" suddenly shifted direction and slammed into him from the side. Before he could react, his entire upper body was smashed into scattered fragments by the immense force, leaving only a pair of legs in denim jeans to kneel and collapse.
"The bike is nice. It would have been a pity to smash it along with you." Having dealt with Akashiki, Miketsu thrust the heavy iron staff directly into the concrete ground. She then walked over to inspect the remaining modified motorcycle. Because of the positioning, if she had brought the staff down vertically earlier, its length would have pulverized the motorcycle behind him as well.
'This bike looks pretty cool. It must be fast. I just happened to watch a jidaigeki about bosozoku recently; I can ride this to experience the speed of street racing.'
With this thought, Miketsu walked forward to examine the motorcycle. Just then, Mori-bozu's voice came from behind her.
"Thank you for the rescue, but... are you... are you really the Inari miko?" Looking at the girl with such incredible strength, Mori-bozu spoke while using his staff to support his trembling body.
"Yes, of course. But besides being an Inari miko, I have another identity now: I am the Inari God of Mount Kagami-oboro." Miketsu spoke as she climbed onto the tall modified motorcycle. Hearing her words, Mori-bozu was stunned.
"The Inari God? You're saying you're the new Inari God of Mount Kagami-oboro? Both a miko and a deity? Could it be... you possess the aptitude of a manifested god?"
"Something like that. I was the one who replied to your letter yesterday. Given your current state, you should come back in a few days to pay your respects... For now, I'm going to take this bike for a spin~"
Turning her head, Miketsu gave Mori-bozu a final word before twisting the throttle. The motorcycle roared to life and sped away in a cloud of dust, leaving Mori-bozu staring blankly into the distance.
For Miketsu, one of the joys of being human was trying all sorts of new things. After experiencing a bit of "speed and passion" on the yokai-modified motorcycle, she returned to Mount Kagami-oboro. After putting the motorcycle away using a secret lore manifestation, she walked straight up the steps of the sando. There, beneath the torii gate at the top, she saw a somewhat unexpected figure.
"Mori-bozu? You didn't go back to tend to your wounds?" Miketsu looked at the tall yokai monk standing by the torii.
"Having already met the new Lord Inari God, it would be far too rude to simply leave. I am a yokai known for my physical constitution; these minor injuries are nothing. They cannot stop me from my mountain pilgrimage..." Mori-bozu spoke with a one-handed Buddhist salute. Hearing this, Miketsu nodded in approval.
"Mm... that's fine too. I actually have something to ask you. Come inside..."
After leading Mori-bozu into the shrine, Miketsu had the domestic paper shikigami in the kitchen prepare tea. Because Mori-bozu was so large, they chose to spread a blanket on the open ground of the shrine to drink and chat. A short while passed.
"I see. So because Lady Inaba possesses the aptitude of a manifested god, you were chosen by the Inari Honsha. After passing the test, you became an Inari God in human form. Hoho... your future is truly limitless. You are only fourteen as a human, yet you've already become a god. Truly astonishing..." Mori-bozu lifted his teacup and poured the tea directly through the gaps in his bamboo cage before continuing.
"Back in the day... Tadae was nearly two hundred years old when he passed the exam to become an Inari God. Now that Lady Inaba has become one at such a young age, your potential is boundless. I'm sure you'll have an outstanding career within the Inari lineage. It's not impossible for you to surpass Tadae and be promoted to the Honsha within three hundred years! Hahahaha! When that guy sees his former miko has become his superior, his expression will be priceless! Hahaha!"
Mori-bozu spoke with great boldness and frankness. Miketsu simply smiled silently. After Mori-bozu had finished his piece, Miketsu finally spoke.
"By the way, that fellow who attacked you just now—who exactly was he?"
"Ah... him. His name was Akashiki. He was a yokai born within the last few decades. Originally, he was a small-time leader under my command. He always seemed respectful and honest, but who knew he harbored such treachery? Sigh... I should have been more vigilant. After all, the situation in the Tokyo demon realm has been growing more chaotic lately. These kinds of 'subordinates overthrowing superiors' incidents have been happening quite a bit elsewhere."
At Mori-bozu's words, Miketsu frowned slightly.
"Is the situation in the entire Tokyo demon realm deteriorating?"
"Yes. I'm sure Lady Inaba has noticed as well. Currently, the Tokyo demon realm is full of rampant evil spirits, gang wars, and betrayals... it's becoming increasingly chaotic. Without the constraints of order, many places have fallen into a complete mess!" Mori-bozu slammed his hand onto the ground in indignation. Miketsu asked in return.
"Order?"
"The Nura Clan. Since the Edo period, they have been the order of the demon realm in the entire Edo region. In this territory, all the chimei-moryo, great or small, were under the jurisdiction of the Nura Clan. Hundreds of yokai gangs across the capital looked to the Nura Clan as the main house and followed their lead. The Nura Clan once firmly maintained the peace of the Tokyo demon realm." Mori-bozu poured another cup of tea into his bamboo cage.
Miketsu's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, and she let out a soft sigh of realization.
"Nura, is it..."
Mori-bozu nodded.
"Yes, Nura! The Nura Clan is the cornerstone of stability for the Tokyo demon realm. Their decline is the fundamental cause of this chaos!
"The assassination of the Second Head of the Nura Clan has had far too great an impact on all of Tokyo!"
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