Chapter 55: Bridging the Sea and Patrolling the Sky

"Mikazukyu... Ah, as expected of the merciful Inari."

The umbrella-holder's figure reappeared, marveling as he looked at the only Inari shrine still standing.

Minamoto no Raikou grasped Spider-Cutter, while Dilu held up a glazed vase, both of them watching him with wary eyes.

The umbrella-holder chuckled softly, "Don't be so tense; I haven't done anything yet."

Dilu remained silent for a moment, then warned in a deep voice, "Although Your Excellency is mysterious, should you attempt to summon Yamata no Orochi back from the underworld once more, this poor monk will surely drive this divine treasure with the full might of my life, even if it trades for just a single scar upon you."

"Sigh, bald donkeys are always so stubborn," the umbrella-holder sighed.

"Rest assured, this was merely a tiny experiment. With a rare opportunity and a ready-made Great Youkai right before us, how could you expect me to resist? Well then, farewell."

Accompanied by a burst of laughter, the umbrella-holder bowed slightly, surrounded by pitch-black flames, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Until the very end, people remained unable to glimpse his true appearance beneath the umbrella.

Upon the ravaged earth, the shrine stood proudly.

The Ueno Park Garden Inari Shrine was a small shrine.

It was entirely incomparable to large-scale shrines such as Fushimi Inari Shrine, Toyokawa Inari Shrine, or Yutoku Inari Shrine.

Yet today, it was extraordinary.

The ground within a kilometer was flat and pristine; skyscrapers, shops, and small houses had all vanished. In the vast expanse, only a single shrine stood tall, making the originally diminutive shrine appear grand.

A pink-haired miko dressed in shrine maiden attire lowered her gaze slightly, exuding a transcendent aura, as if awaiting the visit of a distinguished guest.

The two finished their standoff and immediately approached the shrine, offering a polite greeting.

"Miss Miko, was that just now the supreme might of Mikazukyu?" Minamoto no Raikou politely asked a question to which he already knew the answer.

Yae Sakura nodded slightly, her expression devout. "Lord Mikazukyu is merciful and wished not to see Yamata no Orochi manifest from the underworld to bring calamity upon the mortal realm. Using divine power, she mended the rift to the underworld. The people of Tokyo need not worry about demons escaping from this opened fissure."

"May we enter to pay our respects?"

Yae Sakura shook her head slightly. "Lord Mikazukyu has given word that a distinguished guest will arrive shortly."

A distinguished guest?

Confusion flickered in their eyes.

That this Inari deity had manifested to suppress the underworld rift and prevent Yamata no Orochi from returning to the mortal world was something they could understand.

Although the contemporary world could no longer withstand the aftermath of battles between true gods, accommodating the lives of deities and the manifestation of divine miracles was still feasible.

However, a distinguished guest... surely it couldn't be those high-ranking officials of the island nation, could it?

Curious as they were, they did not pry further.

Strictly speaking, both of their lives had been brought back by Mikazukyu; to interrogate the matter right outside her shrine would be the height of discourtesy.

A moment later.

The sound of helicopter rotor blades whirring echoed from above as several helicopters landed dozens of meters away from the shrine. A group of high-ranking island officials trotted forward, with Superintendent Hakuba leading the pack.

"Master Dilu, Lord Minamoto."

Arriving before the shrine, the group of high-ranking officials fully displayed a traditional island custom—bowing.

First, they expressed their gratitude to the two who had fought on this very battlefield.

"We are immensely grateful to you all for saving the island nation from peril in its hour of crisis."

Minamoto no Raikou shook his head slightly. "It was Ukemochi-no-Kami who exerted divine power to seal the rift. We merely contributed a little effort and are unworthy of such grand courtesy."

The group of middle-aged men, all at least over forty, smoothly shifted their gaze... onto Yae Sakura.

"This shrine maiden, since Lord Mikazukyu has saved Tokyo from disaster, we wish to enter and pay our respects. Might we be permitted?" Superintendent Hakuba asked cautiously.

Originally, according to their expectations, they were prominent figures in the modern era, equivalent to major figures in ancient times. It was only fitting that they expressed their gratitude by paying respects to the deity after the battle, but there were exceptions to every rule.

"I am merely a miko and unworthy of being called a shrine maiden. Lord Mikazukyu has decreed that, aside from distinguished guests, no miscellaneous persons are allowed to enter." Yae Sakura's expression remained indifferent, completely failing to hold these island "big shots" in any regard.

This was the aftereffect of a deity descending into the world followed by her younger sister's recovery.

As calm as water.

Though surprised by this response, everyone obediently stepped aside and stood on either side.

Didn't they see Lord Minamoto and Master Dilu waiting as well? What were they, a bunch of "big shots," in comparison?

Before the pinnacle of the mystical realm's deities—especially after witnessing such a god-defying spectacle—they, who were by no means foolish, quickly caught onto the underlying message.

Without a doubt, that distinguished guest was also a transcendent entity, and one so formidable that even the Inari God, the island nation's most widely worshipped deity, had to treat them with utmost seriousness.

Chances are, it was yet another mighty god!

With such thoughts in mind, despite having myriad questions they longed to ask, they had no choice but to endure.

Forbearance was a required course for becoming a prominent figure.

After the storm comes the calm.

Bathing in the familiar warmth of the sunlight, everyone couldn't help but feel as though a lifetime had passed.

When had the island nation become so dangerous?

Fortunately, they still had their deities.

Swish.

Hmm?

Everyone snapped back to their senses, PTSD acting up again.

Nowadays, the mere sound of a loud commotion gave them the illusion of treating every bush and tree as an enemy.

Yae Sakura raised her head slightly, her expression respectful.

Seeing her action, everyone looked up at the sky.

Azure skies, white clouds, and a deep blue ocean... The ocean???

The high-ranking officials widened their eyes in disbelief, staring at the ocean visibly approaching, with waves rolling forward from the edge of the sky.

Amaterasu save them, they were actually seeing an ocean flying in the sky.

Some craned their necks left and right, attempting to find the boundaries of that sea, but no matter how hard they strained their eyes until they ached, they could not see the end of it.

"Hmm?"

Dilu let out a soft exclamation of doubt. The next second, under everyone's watchful eyes, the glazed vase slipped from his grasp, joyfully flying toward the ocean in the sky.

Good grief, they could actually sense joyful emotions emanating from this ritual implement.

It was only then that they noticed a... person? standing above that ocean.

A question mark lingered because they were unsure whether such an existence could truly be called human.

The azure seawater obscured the path they had come from. Through the water, sunlight filtered down, casting dreamlike colors that made the ruined urban district look like a mirage.

They barely managed to see that figure catch the glazed vase, only to toss it down with a look of apparent disgust, sending it falling back into Dilu's hands.

By this time, the figure standing on the waves had become somewhat clear—it appeared to be a handsome young man.

As he continued forward, everyone's gaze followed him until that figure vanished into the sky above the shrine along with the waves. However, the azure ocean suspended in the sky was no illusion.

"Gulp." The sound of swallowing saliva echoed one after another, expressing their profound shock.

Towers spanning the sea and patrolling the heavens.

This phrase unconsciously surfaced in everyone's minds.

"Everyone, please return." Yae Sakura's voice pulled them back to reality. Her expression remained calm, and she did not move an inch.

Someone wanted to speak, but a single glare from Superintendent Hakuba forced them back, and several people nearby quickly pulled him away.

"We have intruded. Rest assured, upon our return, we shall devoutly worship Lord Mikazukyu."

With that, Superintendent Hakuba invited Minamoto no Raikou and the others to leave together.

Watching the group depart, Yae Sakura stood obediently at the entrance of the shrine. The twisted, colorful light reflected from the ocean painted patterns across her shrine maiden attire, flashing with brilliant and dazzling hues.