Chapter 238: Kuki Shinobu
The Kuki Clan had long been a household of shrine maidens, its generations bound by the pride of serving the Raiden Shogun.
But in this generation… the Kuki Clan gave birth to a rebel.
After her elder sister, Miyuki, formally joined the Grand Narukami Shrine, the young Kuki Shinobu was sent there early as a trainee shrine maiden.
At first, everything was novel and exciting for the little girl.
But the endless flood of rigid rituals and suffocating rules soon became unbearable.
Fasting for days to prove your devotion, ritual baths to avoid defiling the sacred, even the exact number of steps from the offering hall to the Sacred Sakura Tree—every detail was laid out, precise and inflexible.
In the beginning, she still managed to follow the rules, one by one.
But with each passing day, Shinobu began to realize that many of these traditions might not be as absolute as they were made out to be. The work of a shrine maiden, too, wasn't quite the irreplaceable holy duty her family claimed it was.
So then… if being born into the Kuki Clan meant being chained to this path—wasn't it time to start questioning that rule?
Maybe these rules had their reasons—but mistaking rules for reason? That was just outdated thinking.
Then one day, after an especially frustrating series of rituals, she approached her sister with a clarity that felt like lightning in her chest.
"Nee-san, humans have their limits. That's what I learned from this short-lived shrine maiden career. The more you force people to conform, the more you fuel their urge to rebel. The only way to change anything is to break tradition."
"Huh? What are you talking about, Shinobu?"
"I'm done being a shrine maiden, sis!"
And just like that, Shinobu left everything behind—every scroll, every robe, every sacred item tied to that life. But as she walked away from the shrine, she noticed something strange.
Her bag, which should've only held a towel… now carried something else.
A shimmering, glowing Vision—resplendent and pulsing with power.
That was how she received her Vision.
Now, as for why that story's being brought up tonight… well, it all started with some roasted Lavender Melons.
"This is just plain bullying!"
BAM!
Arataki Itto smashed his fist down onto a rock nearby.
Thankfully, the area was empty at this hour. Otherwise, Inazuma City would already be buzzing with rumors about what "crazy stunt" the Arataki Gang was up to now.
Just moments ago, he'd noticed something off—Shinobu's Vision was missing.
And when he asked, she admitted it outright.
The Kuki Clan, being a long-standing family of shrine maidens, had close ties to the Shogunate—especially with that Tengu in charge of the Vision Hunt Decree.
Apparently, she and Kujou Sara had known each other for a long time. And to avoid putting that Tengu in a tight spot, Shinobu had voluntarily handed over her Vision without telling anyone.
"Boss, it's just a Vision. It's not a big deal."
Turning over the roasted melons by the fire, Shinobu was as calm as ever.
To her, the Vision was just another certificate—another "proof of worth" in a long line of qualifications. The only difference? This one was supposedly bestowed by the gods.
Gold-trimmed or not, it didn't matter to her.
People live their lives just fine without Visions. Most problems can be solved without divine intervention. And the ones that can't? Well, a Vision wouldn't help much anyway.
Instead of wasting energy getting angry, she figured it was better to start thinking about tomorrow's schedule.
After all, the gang's entire activity fund had been used up—paid as compensation for that half-pond of fish they accidentally destroyed.
So unless they wanted to live off roasted melons for the rest of the week, they'd better come up with a new plan.
"This is outrageous! First mine, now yours?! They're taking our Visions one by one! You call this no big deal?! This is—this is—uh—what's the word... something-something charcoal?!"
In his rage, Itto stepped right on Ushi's back.
"Uhh, Boss... I think you meant to say snow in June, or a knife in the back... but snow and charcoal? That's called helping someone in need, not... losing your Vision."
"Then... flowers on a brocade?"
"Forget it. As long as you're happy, Boss."
Arataki Gang member Mamoru let out a quiet sigh.
Ever since Shinobu started throwing around idioms with flair, their Boss had also taken a shine to using them...
Even if he never quite got them right.
But compared to Shinobu, the way their Boss used idioms was... a little off.
Who starts an apology by saying "A great favor is best left unspoken"?
And then during a fight, he actually yelled out "I will conquer you with virtue!" …Though, honestly, that one kind of worked.
"Losing my Vision doesn't really affect me," Shinobu said, brushing off some ash from her sleeves. "But you, Boss… please stop causing trouble. You think pulling you out of jail is easy?"
"Ehh... isn't it just a matter of sleeping it off?"
Itto scratched his head, cautiously testing the waters.
Well, he wasn't wrong. In the past, every time he got himself arrested for brawling, he'd just lie down, take a nap, and by the time he opened his eyes, Shinobu would be standing there with all the paperwork done, ready to drag him out again.
"You're asleep while I'm running around—gathering evidence, calling in favors, pulling strings— Ugh, forget it. You wouldn't get it anyway."
Judging by his blank expression, Shinobu knew even if she explained everything in excruciating detail, it would still fly over his head. So she sighed and turned her focus back to the roasting melons.
If this were normal times, they'd probably be stirring up chaos in Hanamizaka— ahem, conducting "gang activities."
But the moment they entered Inazuma City, Itto had started shouting about wanting to mess with the Tenryou Commission.
And then there was that day—when Itto went missing for hours, only to come back completely dazed and rambling after being sweet-talked by some guy named Mr. Bai. He almost accidentally broke into the Tenshukaku.
If not for the intervention of that woman, Itto would've ended up behind bars for at least three years.
And that's with Shinobu pulling every string she had. Without her? He probably would've been locked up for life.
So, given how tense things were right now, she had no choice but to lead the Arataki Gang into hiding around Konda Village, hoping to lay low. Maybe they could help the locals out with some farming, earn a few Mora here and there.
And when the heat died down, they'd head back to the city.
"Speaking of which—Mr. Bai! Now that's a man of mystery!"
Itto's eyes sparkled as he recalled the memory.
He'd given that title to the man after eating one of his grilled fish. Between the impeccable grilling technique and the otherworldly silver tongue, Itto was utterly captivated. The man had style.
He even started thinking, "If I call him 'bro,' I might be disrespecting him…"
It reminded him of that old guy Yasuda they met near Konda Village. The geezer was always going on about a wandering swordsman in crimson who used to pass through, always muttering "now that was a true man of mystery…"
So naturally, Itto just borrowed the phrasing.
"Yeah," Shinobu muttered, "definitely mysterious."
Mysterious enough to try stealing fish from the Tenshukaku. Not just any fish either—but fish raised by that woman. The man had guts. Or maybe no brain cells.
Wouldn't even be surprising if one day she heard he tried peeking at that woman in the bath.
"But Boss, seriously—don't get too close to him. He's bad news."
After hanging around Itto long enough, Shinobu had learned how to decipher his tall tales.
Sure, eight out of ten things he said were exaggerated nonsense, but even so, she could pick up the truth hidden between the lines. And this so-called Mr. Bai... probably had the same brand of awful personality as that woman.
The best way to not get played by people like that?
Avoid them.
Entirely.
. . . . .
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