The Sacrifice

In the twilight of Tokyo, within a Hyakumonogatari Group yokai divine realm, Encho stood amidst the ruins, battered and blood-soaked. Facing an unprecedentedly powerful enemy, he finally produced his most formidable trump card. From the radiant treasure box, he gently withdrew a card and looked toward the girl. With a slight smile, he slowly turned the card to reveal an image overflowing with light. Amidst rays of brilliance descending from the heavens, a divine maiden was shown slowly drifting down, holding a sacred bow and flanked by divine foxes. Her face was obscured by soft light, making it impossible to see her features clearly.

"Is that... Uka-no-Kami? The Mythic card of the Inari Chief God?" Miketsu asked, her expression one of feigned shock. Seeing her reaction, Encho spoke with immense pride.

"Surprised? That a deity of myth could be reflected in the form of a card... this is the miracle wrought by the creator of the Secret Lore cards a thousand years ago!" As he spoke, Encho raised one hand high toward the sky and declared loudly.

"Rejoice! Girl of unknown origin, you shall be the first in a millennium to witness such a miracle! Behold the majesty of a god! Mythic Summon: Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami!" Along with Encho's shout, the card in his hand erupted in golden radiance, transforming into a streak of light that shot into the heavens. Golden light began to spill from the cracks in the clouds, and a thick pillar of brilliance struck the earth. A maiden dressed in a white robe and scarlet hakama, wearing a Heavenly Mirror Crown and riding a charcoal-black divine fox, descended from the sky. She hovered in mid-air with her sacred bow, scattering divine light that carried an aura of abundance. It brought a warmth to the heart of anyone it touched, though her face remained blurred by the dazzling glow.

"So this is Uka-no-Kami? Such majestic and beautiful divine form... truly astonishing." Standing where she was, Miketsu looked up at the descending maiden and offered sincere praise. Hearing this, Encho’s aura surged even further. He snapped his folding fan open and fanned himself slowly.

"Is this the power of a god? Prepare to suffer the divine wrath!" Encho pointed his fan directly at Miketsu. "Attack, Uka-no-Kami! Use your sacred demon-slaying arrows to annihilate my enemy!"

Encho made his grand declaration and remained in that pointing pose, waiting for everything before him to be consumed by infinite golden light. However, after waiting for a good while, absolutely nothing happened.

He stood there like a statue in his dashing pose until his outstretched arm began to ache. He slowly lowered it, his expression turning grim. 'What is going on... Where is the divine attack? Why hasn't there been any movement?!' Panic began to set in. He looked up and noticed something strange about the Uka-no-Kami he had just summoned.

At that moment, the "Uka-no-Kami" reflected by the Mythic card was no longer majestic. Instead, she was sprawled lazily atop the fox beneath her, her bow hanging loosely to the side. Her expression was heavy with sleep, looking utterly lethargic, as if she couldn't be bothered to move a muscle. 'Attack? That sounds way too tiring... I'm just going to slack off.' Though no words were spoken, she seemed to be broadcasting this exact message to Encho. Seeing his trump card in this state, Encho's lip twitched.

"Uka-no-Kami, please attack!"

Encho shouted again, but the maiden in the sky remained slumped on the fox, nuzzling its soft fur, seemingly intent on ignoring everything.

"Great and benevolent Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami, please grant this humble one's wish! Show your infinite divine might and destroy my enemy!" Seeing no response, he changed his approach, adopting a posture of prayer. But the only response from the sky was the maiden rolling over to find a more comfortable position on the fox, completely ignoring Encho's prayers.

Encho grew increasingly frantic. 'What is happening? Shouldn't the entities summoned by Secret Lore cards obey the summoner's commands? That's the most basic rule! Why does Uka-no-Kami refuse to listen? Is there something special about a god?'

He thought urgently. Because he hadn't wanted to draw Inari's attention with a large commotion, he hadn't tested this Uka-no-Kami Mythic card since obtaining and unsealing it, keeping it as a final hidden ace. He never expected that the summoned deity would simply refuse to move.

While Encho struggled to maintain his composure despite his inner turmoil, the girl before him gave two dry coughs. "Ahem... it seems you have a bit of a problem. The goddess doesn't seem to be following your orders." Miketsu spoke slowly. Encho replied warily, "What are you trying to say?"

"Haha, nothing much. I just wanted to say that my profession happens to be that of a miko. I know that in various rituals, if you want to invite divine power, you must first—" Miketsu shook her head to clear a sudden stray thought, then coughed again under Encho's confused gaze. "Cough... you must first offer a sacrifice. Only after receiving a suitable offering will a god bestow divine grace."

Sacrifice? Encho considered it. It made sense that Mythic cards might have different mechanics from ordinary Secret Lore cards. A deity, even as a card reflection, possessed immense power that the original creator might not have been able to fully bind with a "submission" mechanism. But was the girl telling the truth? He hesitated, not wanting to trust an enemy's suggestion. However, a lazy, ethereal voice drifted down from the sky, clearly belonging to the maiden on the fox: "Offer a tribute... in exchange for grace."

Encho was delighted. It really was a sacrifice mechanic! But what did she want? "Great Uka-no-Kami, what kind of offering do you require?" He prayed respectfully, but received no answer. Desperate, he decided to guess. He pulled out another Secret Lore card.

"Legends say there is a secret forest in Hida where a mysterious table produces rare delicacies. Secret Lore Summon: Banquet Stone Table!" A beautifully carved stone table appeared, shimmering as it manifested a feast of sushi, tempura, and seafood sashimi. "Noble Uka-no-Kami, I offer this to you!" The maiden in the sky shook her head dismissively.

"It's not enough?" Encho's heart sank. He waved his hand to dispel the food and pulled out another card. "Legends say a ghost ship in the Seto Inland Sea carries millions in gold. Secret Lore Summon: Sunken Treasure Ship!" A massive, rotting wooden ship covered in seaweed appeared and crashed into the ruins. It split open, pouring out a mountain of gold koban that shimmered brilliantly. "Noble Uka-no-Kami! I offer all this treasure to you! Please bestow your grace upon me!" He knelt amidst the gold and prayed, but the maiden simply yawned and shook her head again. Encho's face turned even gloomier.

'Neither food nor wealth? What does Uka-no-Kami like?!' Encho thought desperately. Then he had an idea. 'Even if it's not in the legends, perhaps she has a taste for this as a god!' He pulled out several more cards, summoning a line of minor rabbit and grass yokai. He bound them with enchanted ropes and summoned several axe-wielding executioner yokai. "Noble Uka-no-Kami, I offer you a living sacrifice of blood!" As he spoke, the executioners raised their axes. Suddenly, a rain of light arrows fell from the sky, piercing the executioners and turning them into blue smoke. Encho looked up in horror. The goddess was holding her bow, looking displeased.

'What happened? Instead of pleasing the goddess, I almost provoked her wrath?' Encho clutched a pillar, his confusion and anxiety peaking. "Dammit... what does this Uka-no-Kami want?!" He squeezed the wooden pillar until it shattered into dust. Then, the familiar voice of the girl rang out again.

"My, my... it looks like you still haven't figured it out. You've taken so long without attacking that the countdown should be over. Your turn has been forfeited."

Miketsu spoke calmly after watching the farce. Encho gripped his remaining cards, focusing all his attention on her. "Actually, there's one more thing I haven't told you. My identity... I'm not just any miko. I happen to be an Inari miko. As a miko who serves Lady Uka, I might know a thing or two about the offerings she prefers."

'What? An Inari miko? She knows what Uka-no-Kami likes?!' Encho froze, his mouth hanging open. Miketsu reached into her bag and pulled out a can of Cola. She hesitated for a moment, then opened the can and took several large gulps under Encho's bewildered gaze. After drinking more than half, she raised the rest toward the sky.

"O beautiful, gentle, kind, and great Uka-no-Kami! I offer this 'Happy Water' purchased for 160 yen at a convenience store as a sacrifice! Bestow your divine grace upon me!" At Miketsu's shout, the "Uka-no-Kami" who had been slumped lethargically atop the fox suddenly perked up with startling intensity.