Chapter 298
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Chapter 298: A New Adventure Loading
The bus swayed back and forth, the road bumpy, yet the passengers were unable to shake off their drowsiness.
Jingūji sat quietly, struggling against the pull of sleep as she gazed out of the window. In front and behind her, there were three other witches.
On her right sat a sword witch with a doll-like face. She held Jingūji’s wrist and nestled her head against her chest, already fast asleep.
Found a good pillow.
Saki Jingūji, however, wasn’t the type to share such intimate gestures casually. She didn’t let just anyone lean on her like this. The reason she allowed this sword witch to do so was because of a deep bond between them.
Mizuko Morita, a sword witch from the outskirts of Edo, had crossed paths with Jingūji during a mountain hunt in Kyoto. They exchanged contact information and became friends. This time, they were both assigned to the same shrine mission.
The destination was Shikoku Town. The sword witches were tasked with infiltrating it discreetly, conducting covert investigations without attracting attention.
The shrine often faced a shortage of personnel, especially in December. With a smaller team of sword witches, large-scale operations weren’t feasible. Their mission was to infiltrate and gather information cautiously.
Shikoku Town was not far from Edo, but there were no direct vehicles. The journey involved a mainline bus and a transfer, totaling a five-hour ride. The town was relatively remote, with its earlier development driven by its use as a filming base. Later, production companies’ troubles with the local mountain deity caused their expulsion, and the area remained somewhat isolated from modernization. Though electricity was available, the customs of the people still leaned towards the conservative trends of the Taisho era.
This imbalance in development was noticeable.
Jingūji remained alert, fully aware that in small towns far from the city, being young and beautiful often brought danger. She had embraced the Heroic Spirit’s principles, making her fearless in the face of most risks. Even if someone tried to drug her, her connection to the Heroic Spirit would protect her—unless she willingly succumbed to it.
This mission, primarily focused on investigation, posed little threat. With the four sword witches and their powers, they could easily infiltrate Shikoku Town. Therefore, Jingūji wasn’t particularly worried.
As she looked around the bus, she noticed a lone female traveler, apart from the four young and beautiful sword witches. The woman, dressed in hiking gear with a backpack, looked like a mountaineer. However, without any mask or disguise, her face was completely visible, and Jingūji recognized her immediately.
Hokusinn Kichyō. Why is she here in this small town?
Jingūji’s only encounters with Hokusinn Kichyō had been within the Yagyū residence, where their interactions had been brief.
Her impression of Hokusinn was clear: danger.
Not only was she a rival in love, but she was also a dangerous woman who wouldn’t hesitate to kill. Jingūji had been in several bloody battles and could sense the blood on the swords of those who killed.
Instead of greeting her, Jingūji decided to remain hidden. Both of them noticed each other, but Jingūji felt that it was not the right time to get involved, especially during this mission. She chose to suppress her curiosity and caution for the time being.
…
The bus arrived at Shikoku Town’s bus station, and more than ten people disembarked. Among them were a few sightseers, several returning home, and five beautiful girls.
Upon arrival, Hokusinn Kichyō quickly attracted attention. Some locals even offered to introduce her to a nearby inn, but she calmly declined. She subtly revealed the Nine-Syllable Blade—the real sword she carried with her.
Women carrying swords were not to be trifled with, and some of the locals immediately scattered, glancing towards the group of sword witches.
The sword witches didn’t reject the attention right away. Instead, they smiled and started a conversation, gathering information subtly.
Jingūji wasn’t adept at this kind of delicate work, and neither was Mizuko. But the other two skilled sword witches quickly extracted valuable details. Once they had gathered enough, they changed their tone, signaling the villagers to leave.
The rowdy men, who hadn’t encountered many beautiful women, were reluctant to depart. Mizuko, however, swiftly handled the situation with her crimson tassel spear, winning a one-against-five fight.
They then headed to a nearby inn in the small village for the night.
“The information we gathered seems to have two main points,” one of the seasoned sword witches explained.
“First, there are illegal religious activities here—specifically, worshipping mountain gods. While regular worship is fine, it seems they’ve recently been secretly sacrificing living beings. If true, this must be stopped immediately. Deities who accept such sacrifices are not to be taken lightly. If they are ancient demons, many could perish. We must remain cautious.”
“Second, there have been increasing reports of supernatural creatures in the area. They’ve been appearing more frequently and are showing higher levels of organization. It’s likely that these creatures are connected to the mountain god’s rituals. Although we don’t have concrete evidence, this speculation is about seventy percent likely.”
“So, stay cautious, and only use your magical abilities when necessary. It would be troublesome if someone were to start tracking us.”
The seasoned witches continued, “Next, we will gather information from the more crowded areas. As for you, investigate the main buildings, focusing on the shrine.”
Mizuko asked, “Which shrine is nearby?”
“There are two shrines here,” came the answer. “One is abandoned, and only one remains in use.”
“What is its name?”
“Kamitsumi Shrine.”
…
The sword witches split into two groups. While their investigation didn’t need to be overly discreet, they still moved carefully.
The nearby village bustled with activity. Merchants, traders, and even some wandering vendors filled the streets, giving a sense of the times.
One wandering trader, however, didn’t walk to the village but arrived by car. He opened the van to reveal a variety of wholesale goods, a dazzling display of products.
Jingūji and Mizuko bought cups of a local specialty drink made from red beans, sticky rice, sugar, and milk. A single sip exploded with sweetness. For a sword witch, it was a good way to refuel—sugar could restore both life and spiritual energy when needed.
They pretended to be college students on a sightseeing trip, asking about nearby attractions and the location of the shrine.
Kamitsumi Shrine was located nearly ten kilometers away from the village, situated halfway up a mountainside. After a three-hour walk, they arrived at the shrine. Few ever visited, but the mountain spring nearby offered a refreshing drink.
Unexpectedly, they encountered familiar faces on the mountainside.
“That’s…” Mizuko began, about to speak, but Jingūji quickly pulled her back, hiding their presence from someone who had looked back.
“It’s Hokusinn Kichyō,” Saki Jingūji murmured, growing even more puzzled. “What is she doing here, looking for the shrine?”
“Do you know her?” Mizuko asked. “An acquaintance? No… by your reaction, it seems like a love rival.”
“It is a love rival,” Jingūji admitted calmly.
“What a disaster,” Mizuko sighed. “To encounter a love rival now. Why would she come to such a remote shrine? I hope she doesn’t have any sinister intentions.”
Mizuko speculated, “There are certain curse rituals performed at abandoned shrines. One of them involves a curse called ‘The Ugly Hour Woman.’ A photo is stuck to a doll and nailed to a tree at the shrine on a moonless night to cast a curse.”
“I’ve heard of it,” Jingūji said, snapping her fingers. “Kamitsumiwoikirihime, the true form of the deity here, is a white snake. The curse associated with this shrine would likely be…”
She paused and sighed, “What am I saying? Is this really the time for jokes?”
The sword witches continued to follow Hokusinn Kichyō, maintaining a safe distance and keeping an eye on her movements.
Hokusinn Kichyō arrived at the old, abandoned shrine, its atmosphere bleak and forgotten. The red torii gate still stood strong, maintaining its boundary between the sacred and the mundane.
After performing her worship, Hokusinn Kichyō carefully retrieved a small painted horse from her backpack, a personal offering. She hung it on the wooden rack in the shrine.
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shook the air, followed by flashes of lightning. Heavy rain poured down, and she quickly sought shelter under the eaves, avoiding the downpour.
The rain formed a curtain of pearls, mixing with the earthy scent in the air, while the mist enveloped the mountains, obscuring the view.
“This weather…” she sighed. “Could it be that the heavens are hinting my wish won’t come true?”
…
On the other side, the sword witches exchanged puzzled glances.
Mizuko asked, “Where did she go?”
Jingūji responded, “Maybe she got lost. Perhaps she knows we’re following her. But let’s focus on the shrine first.”
She wiped the sweat from her forehead and gazed at the sun. “It’s so hot. It would be nice if it could rain.”
