The sudden voice caught Reiko's attention.
She turned her head in confusion, looking towards the source of the sound.
Then
She saw a strange scene... A comical Yokai with an adult's head but a body only half a meter tall, the size of a baby.
It laboriously climbed down the flowerbed and came to Reiko's side.
"You... are?"
Reiko stood frozen in place, staring intently at the comical Yokai.
She felt a sense of familiarity with it, yet for a moment, she couldn't recall its name.
"It's me!"
"Mountain God~!"
The comical Yokai stroked its beard, happily introducing itself.
Its kindly voice was like that of a benevolent elder enjoying its twilight years.
"Mountain... Mountain God?"
"Eh--...?"
Reiko gasped in disbelief, scrutinizing the comical Yokai from head to toe.
In her memory,
the Mountain God was a strong, burly middle-aged woman!
She was nearly three meters tall, with greyish skin as indestructible as granite!
Stern and harsh!
Authoritative and irritable!
She was the embodiment of the back mountain, the most powerful Great Yokai in these mountains!
However... the Mountain God before her was completely the opposite of the one in her memories!
Reiko observed it carefully for a long time before finally taking a deep breath.
There was no mistake... the comical Yokai before her was indeed the Mountain God!
..."Mountain God..."
"What exactly happened last night?"
"And why has your body become like this?"
Reiko asked, puzzled.
Combined with the Yokai she had just seen fleeing the back mountain in a panic,
her heart sank. She had a bad feeling; something must have happened last night!
..."Reiko, the past is past."
"You'd better not ask."
Hearing Reiko's question, the Mountain God gave a wry smile.
Recalling last night's events, the Mountain God was still trembling with lingering fear... Hearing even the Mountain God say this, Reiko became even more indignant.
She raised the branch in her hand and pointed it at the Mountain God.
"In that case..."
"Then I'll issue a third challenge."
"If I defeat you, you'll tell me about the shrine and the truth."
Reiko said slyly, trying to threaten the Mountain God.
She had seen the Mountain God's weakness, which was why she issued the challenge.
With the Mountain God's current strength, it certainly wouldn't be her opponent..."Is that so...?"
"Then I'll let you have this shrine."
"The miko here is already old."
"If you live here, you can look after her, and I'll be at ease."
The Mountain God smiled helplessly.
She stepped aside.
She personally gifted the shrine, where she was worshipped, to the human girl before her..."What...?"
"Isn't this shrine your most cherished treasure?"
Reiko was somewhat stunned, questioning it with great incomprehension.
"That's right..."
"That's why I'm entrusting it to you..."
"After all, you are so gentle..."
"Reiko, what do you think is the difference between humans and Yokai?"
"Yokai, after all, just live a little longer and see things more clearly."
Perhaps having experienced a great tribulation of life and death,
the once stern and harsh Mountain God had come to understand many things.
She shed her divine pretense and became a benevolent old woman.
Tending flowers, drinking tea... enjoying the human offerings, she began to use her divine power to perform whatever good deeds she could.
Then... the Mountain God unexpectedly discovered that
such a peaceful and tranquil life was simply too suitable for her!
Even her lonely, empty heart was gradually being filled with happiness!
Every day from this day forward was more fulfilling than any day she had lived before!
..."This is too strange..."
"Tell me the truth, has an even stronger Yokai appeared?"
"He's there! I'll go drive him out right now and make everything return to normal!"
Reiko said angrily.
She could no longer live in the human world.
No one understood her; her life was filled only with ridicule and curses!
Even children by the roadside would throw stones at her and call her a freak!
Despite this... she still treated the world with gentleness.
She had never sought revenge on anyone.
Nor was she looking for someone who could understand her.
She began to wander the back mountain, appearing in those spiritual places.
She associated with Yokai, and even made a 'Book of Friends'.
Many of the Yokai recorded in it lived on this back mountain.
But!
Her friends' homes had been destroyed!
Reiko could not tolerate such atrocities; she vowed to make the perpetrator pay!
...Hearing Reiko's angry words, the Mountain God immediately became anxious.
"Reiko, absolutely not!"
"Absolutely not!"
"You are no match for me, let alone that great lord?"
The Mountain God earnestly pleaded.
But... Reiko, in her anger, wouldn't listen at all.
"Then tell me! What should I do!"
"I have nothing left!"
"My only friends are Yokai!"
"If someone wants to drive them away, am I supposed to stand by and do nothing!"
Reiko roared in anger, speaking her heart.
How cruel this materialistic world was to her!
Why must even this last bit of warmth be cruelly taken away!
"Reiko..."
The Mountain God, with a troubled expression, wanted to advise the child before her.
But the words that reached her lips were not yet spoken.
A terrifying Yokai power, one that made even it shudder!
fell from the sky, enveloping the entire back mountain!
It was clearly midday, the brightest time of day!
But for some unknown reason, the sun's light became dim!
The entire shrine, the entire back mountain, was covered in an eerie blood-red hue!
"The sun in the sky!"
"She..."
"No... no!"
"It's Him, it's that Lord, He is inside the sun!"
The Mountain God, realizing something was amiss, urged Reiko to look at the sun above.
At this moment... the midday sun, for some unknown reason,
like an eclipse, had turned completely black!
And in the center of the sun, a white-faced, golden-furred Nine-Tailed Fox was coldly gazing down upon all living beings!
He... had come for Reiko...