Shrine * Spiriting Away

Today was a beautiful day with clear skies, and the Land of Hot Water was as crowded as when they first met.

But for us, it doesn't really matter what kind of weather it is.

Ever since Mokushō taught them how to see the Light Veins, Madara, Hashirama, and Tobirama have all inexplicably fallen into a state of training.

During the day, he would exercise in the yard, trying to remember and find Mokushō's whereabouts. At night, he would sense the Light Vein in the pitch-black room.

This has been happening for three days in a row.

During this time, Tobirama asked me if I could see the Light Veins.

I said, "No, I can't see it."

Tobirama seemed confused.

Mokushō said, "Why don't you give it a try?"

Yes, I slept very soundly.

The next morning, Ban and the others looked a little off... Well, they had the same expression when they imagined my tragic past.

After that, they were very obedient to me, and they would listen to everything I said except for sweets.

Although I don't know why they reacted this way, I figured I should take advantage of any opportunity that offered a good deal!

So, I had a great time these past few days, and I really enjoyed flying.

Hehe, flying is so much fun! It feels just as amazing as flying with elytra in Minecraft. It's a shame we can't fly between buildings, which is a bit of a disappointment...

Moreover, there was no one to share it with... and I quickly became increasingly bored.

I was planning to hang out with Enma and Haruto, but Enma said he had to finish his orders and needed to focus on his studies.

Haruto seems eager to go out and have fun, but having just taken over as the head of the family... well, a new broom sweeps clean, and right now he's acting like a tyrant at home because he's unhappy.

Sigh, life was already boring enough without cell phones and computers, but it was even more boring without friends around.

Ban Ge seemed to really want to make me happy, but his interests... well, I don't want to say it, but to me they're just too much like an old man's.

Playing shogi, flower arranging, tea tasting... besides these, there's reading and spiritual practice, oh yes, and cat's cradle.

As expected of you, Brother Ban, you're so health-conscious.

I tried teaching Madara and the others how to play board games, but because they're Ninjas, playing them was a disaster.

If I were the host, they would think I wasn't rigorous enough, but the way they presented the content was too serious and specific, making it feel like a game, so I had to give up.

After I complained about this to my fellow villager Mokushō, we had a serious discussion and finally decided to go out and have some fun.

That day, we walked along the sun-drenched Yukawa embankment, crossed the seemingly dilapidated bridge, and headed towards the Inari Shrine.

There were few tourists along the way, but there was still a steady stream of them.

Women in kimonos, mischievous children laughing and playing, couples holding hands—men, women, and children of all ages stroll along this road.

But there weren't many people coming to the Inari Shrine today.

There were quite a few people walking up the stairs when I went to worship that day, but now there's not a single one left.

"Because I set up Barrier," Mokushō said. "Ordinary People and those who don't have anything urgent to do won't go to that place. Normally, only the priests and Miko of the Shrine are still inside the boundary."

"Barrier?" Hashirama asked. "Why set up something like this? It's their freedom to go to the Inari Shrine, isn't it?"

"Isn't this to prevent them from Spiriting Away into my Divine Realm?"

Tobirama frowned. "Disappeared Spiriting Away? Why use that word?"

Hashirama asked, "Where are you taking us? Is it somewhere near the Inari Shrine?"

Mokushō nodded. "Yes."

"But why Inari Shrine?" Hashirama. The wind rustled through the trees, making the fallen leaves on the stone steps whisper in the breeze. "This country is full of Torii. If passing through Torii leads to the Divine Realm, then all Torii should be considered entrances to the divine world, right?"

"That's usually how it is." Mokushō tucked his hands into his sleeves and walked ahead with light steps. "But my situation is a little different. It's a bit complicated to explain."

"To make a long story short," Tobirama said.

"I can't make this a long story. I'll explain when we get there. Besides, look, everyone around us is giving us strange looks."

The three of them subconsciously looked around. They had now reached the steps in the woods, surrounded only by layers of green trees and moss-covered Stone Lanterns.

There was no one else there besides the four of them.

Tobirama said expressionlessly, "There's no one here."

"Ahem." Mokushō cleared his throat and turned around casually. "Anyway, let's go!"

For some reason, Hashirama found it somewhat amusing.

Hashirama had a strange feeling about Mokushō; he always felt that he knew the boy very well.

He couldn't quite describe the feeling. Perhaps it was because the atmosphere of the Land of Hot Water was so pleasant and calming that even if the child seemed strange, he couldn't really be wary of him.

Even when Izuna first appeared, he had considered how to take Madara away for interrogation with Madara's consent, but when facing him, it was as if he was fishing.

Standing here, lost in thought for a long time, yet only a moment of tranquility remains before it soon becomes lively again, a feeling that inexplicably follows its natural course.

After walking uphill along the moss-covered, leaf-covered mountain path for about ten minutes, they arrived at the entrance of the Inari Shrine.

The scene before me was exactly the same as when I visited a few days ago.

The wide path leading to the temple is paved with fine white sand and extends into the depths. Stone Lanterns stand quietly in the plaza, and the wind rustles through the treetops, carrying the calls of distant forest birds.

Everything was quiet and ordinary.

Hashirama still found it strange. He relaxed his senses but didn't detect any unusual fluctuations.

However, the moment the three of them stepped directly beneath the Torii with Mokushō...

The scene before my eyes changed without warning.

Like a painting torn in half and then pieced back together, the steps underfoot, the plaza in front, and the Stone Lanterns on both sides all vanished for a moment, and then were rebuilt in a strange logic.

Hashirama paused instinctively, Tobirama subtly touched the edge of his Ninja Tools pouch, and Madara narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

What comes into view is a huge willow tree.

It stands in the very center of the square.

The tree was incredibly large.

His crown, like a dark green cloud, blotted out the sun and cast his shadow over the entire Shrine plaza.

The tree trunks are so thick that it would take seven or eight adults to barely encircle them. The roots rise from the soil, winding and intertwining outwards, some even thicker than a person's arm, deeply embedded in the ground, merging with the entire mountainside.

The tree trunk was covered with layers of Shrine talismans, and under the willow tree were various offerings: sake, steamed buns, and wooden ponies and dolls for children to play with.

The willow branches were covered with red ribbons, and when the wind blew, the branches and these red ribbons swayed gently in the breeze.

Hashirama the tree, lost in thought.

A strange, overwhelming sense of familiarity enveloped him.

Had he seen this tree before? No, right? But the drooping branches of the willow, the mottled moss on its trunk, and the red ribbons swaying gently in the breeze seemed like a scene he had seen somewhere long ago.

He was extremely familiar with it.

He couldn't help but slowly close his eyes.

Then, the darkness that Mokushō had described actually spread.

He felt like someone standing on a high mountain, blowing out a candle and looking up at the sky.

Without the light in my hand, the stars in the sky were clearly revealed.

A flowing, warm, and vast pulse of energy, like molten gold, appeared before my eyes.

Wandering streaks of light intertwined, branched, and converged in the darkness, extending in all directions.

He could "see" those veins flowing through mountains, across rivers, and into the city's underground, connecting all life and existence on this land like blood vessels.

This is... the Light Vein that Mokushō was referring to.

Hashirama could sense the vast energy contained within the pulse, a power far older and more primal than his Chakra, like the very breath of the world itself.

Almost instinctively, he crouched down, reached out, and tried to touch the light.

The moment his fingertips touched the golden pulse, a warm current surged from the ground, spreading up his arm and permeating his entire body.

At that moment, he seemed to hear countless subtle sounds.

The rustling of growing grass and trees, the whispering of insects scurrying through the soil, the babbling of a distant river, even the creaking of rocks slowly deforming within the mountain...

All of this converged into a magnificent yet tranquil symphony, echoing in his consciousness.

How amazing... the world is so... beautiful.

Why didn't we notice this before?

"Hashirama?"

Ban's voice came from behind, tinged with wariness.

Hashirama suddenly opened his eyes.

The golden pulse disappeared, and before me remained the enormous willow tree, along with the scattered wine vessels, toys, and red ribbons fluttering in the wind beneath it.

But that warm feeling lingered in his body, like the residual warmth of a winter fireplace, never dissipating.

"You saw it?" Mokushō looked at him and exclaimed, "No wonder you're a Senjutsu Master."

Hashirama stood up and noticed a thin layer of sweat on his palms.

He clenched his fist, feeling the strange warmth lingering in his meridians. He looked at Mokushō and asked, "Is that the Light Vein?"

"Yes, isn't it beautiful?"

Izuna stood at the edge of the Torii, looking at them with a puzzled expression. "What? What Light Veins? What are you talking about?"

Madara, Hashirama, and Tobirama, however, kept their eyes fixed on Mokushō, their expressions varying, but they all thought of the same thing at the same time.

Madara said, "So you brought us here because it's a better place for spiritual practice?"

"Yeah," Mokushō nodded. "After all, this is a closer place, and I saw that you were all quite serious, so I thought I'd lend you a hand."

"But we've been to Inari Shrine before, and nothing unusual happened. Why did we enter this so-called Divine Realm after following you here?"

Mokushō could explain, Izuna spoke up first, "Because this guy is Inari God."

Madara, Hashirama, Tobirama: "?"

Madara's expression was priceless. "... What the hell?"

"Inari God?!" That's Hashirama.

Tobirama was the calmest, but he was clearly annoyed. "Why didn't you tell us about this before?"

Izuna blinked her beautiful eyes, looking bewildered. "Uh..."

Mokushō shaking his shoulders where no one was looking.

"... You're laughing." Madara's tone turned dangerous.

"I didn't," Mokushō said firmly.

You must give us an explanation.

"Ahem." Mokushō cleared his throat, suppressing a laugh. "Alright, alright, don't blame Izuna for being so slow. In our area, there are quite a few people who have become shikigami through Shikigami!"

"The saying goes that all things have spirits. The eight million gods could also be called eight million demons. It's just that we became gods because we have human faith. Compared to ordinary Yōkai, we only have the ability to decide whether or not to become Shikigami. I am still Yōkai, an existence that can be Contract."

Ban was completely unmoved by this "animism" theory. He crossed his arms and said, "Do you think we'd believe that kind of explanation? A god who has lived for hundreds or thousands of years, disguised as a child and hanging around us, eating dumplings, going to the market, and watching the fun every day—"

"That's really fun," Mokushō interjected.

Ban Qi laughed, "... Do you think we're fools?"

Mokushō tilted his head, as if seriously considering the question, and then said, "But don't you Uchiha use the names of the moon god and the sun god as techniques? Izanami, Izanagi, Susanoo— aren't they all names of gods? Why don't you mention that!"

Spot. "..."

For a moment, the air became quiet, with only the rustling of the willow trees in the wind.

The atmosphere was very awkward.

Hashirama cautiously began, "Madara, what he said seems to make some sense..."

"Shut up." Madara interrupted Hashirama without turning his head, but his aura visibly weakened.

Tobirama didn't dwell on this topic; he was more concerned with the practical question, "Since you are Inari God, what is your purpose in having us train here?"

Mokushō's smile faded, and he nodded seriously. "My purpose is simple. I think your efforts deserve praise, but it's still frustrating when efforts don't yield results."

"So you brought us to 'your' Divine Realm."

Hashirama clapped his hands. "Just like going to Shikkotsu Forest! The Natural Energy is always very concentrated in places where Summoning Beasts gather, and it's the same here?"

Mokushō gave him a thumbs up. "That's right! That's exactly it!"

Tobirama narrowed his eyes, seriously suspecting that the guy in front of him had ulterior motives.

If that's really what he was thinking, that would be fine, but he mentioned a certain word before.

--Disappeared into the Spiriting Away.

For his personal research, he had borrowed ancient books brought by Mito and studied them carefully, including things related to gods and monsters.

His main research focus is on the soul, but he also has a fairly good understanding of myths and legends.

"Spiriting Away" means "to be hidden away by gods or monsters," to be entertained by them, or to be lured or kidnapped, and to disappear from human society with no known whereabouts.

This usually refers to the phenomenon of someone suddenly disappearing, difficult to detect, or being hidden by so-called gods or monsters.

To put it bluntly, it's a disappearance.

It occurs most frequently among children, adolescents, and women, and is common in spring or at dusk.

Ancient texts believe that supernatural beings such as Tengu, fox spirits, and mountain men can cause Spiriting Away, and the missing may be found in the mountains and forests.

Villagers typically search for missing persons by beating gongs and drums and calling out their names.

However, there are no such "supernatural beings" in this world; most of the cases that have occurred were caused by Ninjas.

The reason why concepts like "Yōkai" exist is simply because Ninjas are seen as such supernatural beings by Ordinary People. In some remote villages where Ninjas don't even exist, people would mistake their appearances for the presence of Ninja or monsters, and record them in this way.

Perhaps Yōkai exist, but the closest thing to the description of Yōkai is the Tailed Beast. Even after being killed, its consciousness does not dissipate, and it can be reborn by gathering Natural Energy in other places.

These creatures, composed entirely of Natural Energy, are probably the closest thing to Yōkai in their world.

However, in Izuna and Mokushō's world, there really exist Yōkai like those in myths and legends. In fact, Yōkai themselves can be a race.

For example, in another world, the Uchiha Clan is the Tengu Clan.

They had all seen Izuna's wings before; they could touch them, feel pain, and even have feathers fall off, clearly indicating that they were a physical entity. Yet, when he extended and retracted his wings, his clothes were not damaged, which was quite amazing.

The fallen feathers will dissipate on their own after a period of time, leaving no trace.

Mokushō is a living example.

Just yesterday, because it was too late and Izuna hadn't seen Mokushō return, Izuna activated the summoning.

It could be called a summoning, but it wasn't quite like that, because Izuna only called out Mokushō's name three times, and the fan that Mokushō was residing in emitted a white light. Then Mokushō's name was projected and imprinted in mid-air, and the next second Mokushō's figure appeared out of thin air.

It wasn't a spatial teleportation like Summoning Technique; in Tobirama's perception, it was more like Shadow Clone returning to the main body and then being summoned again.

That's right, the human figure in front of us isn't the real body; the fan is.

Tobirama had never seen anything like it before. Although he didn't want to admit it, he had to accept that this creature was indeed a so-called Yōkai.

His use of the word "Spiriting Away" is quite intriguing.

He said he was afraid people would "Spiriting Away" to the Divine Realm.

But isn't what he's doing now just luring them to his place and then "Spiriting Away" from their lives?