As for what exactly she had done... that was a secret.
"Morning, Kikyo!"
Sirin greeted the sacred Miko practicing archery ahead of her in high spirits. She was not surprised that Kikyo had gotten up so early to practice shooting.
Whoosh!
An arrow flew from Kikyo's hand and struck the trunk of a small tree three hundred meters away with perfect accuracy.
"Morning."
Kikyo lowered her bow and nodded to Sirin.
Kikyo's archery had already reached a masterful level. As for why she still practiced every day, first, it had become a habit; second... she could not let her skills grow rusty.
"You seem to be in a very good mood. Did something happen?" Kikyo approached Sirin and could clearly sense her good mood.
"Something like that."
Sirin thought about it, admitting it without intending to explain.
Seeing that, Kikyo did not mind. She simply nodded.
After the others had finished preparing, they set off once more. They were already close to Shimōsa Province, and barring any accidents, they would reach Sōma Royal Castle before nightfall.
"This feeling..."
Kikyo had been walking alongside Sirin as they talked when she suddenly stopped, as though she had discovered something.
"What is it?"
Seeing Kikyo's reaction, Sirin hurriedly stopped as well. With a thought, she immediately spread Honkai energy in every direction, blanketing the surrounding area.
The next moment, strange invisible creatures were exposed in the distant forest, over the flowing river, and throughout the vast sky.
Realizing they had been exposed, the strange creatures immediately swarmed toward Kikyo, Sirin, and the others.
"These are..."
"Shikigami... Tsubaki's."
After only a moment of hesitation, Kikyo immediately recognized the origins of these strange creatures—or rather, the shikigami.
"Tsubaki..."
Sirin froze for a moment, recalling that there indeed had been a Miko hostile to