Chapter 284: Side Seventy-Two – Izumi Kana

So, it’s finally time. As Kana lay down on one of the beds in the penthouse at the top of the training school, she glanced out of the window at Tokyo proper, marvelling at the view. To think that the crappy shrine of my family has such a building here now. Everything really has changed.

“Nervous?” Akio asked her, seeing her hesitation, and she shrugged. “Well, a little. After all, I’m going to the world of the gods, right?” She said. “Still, you’ll be there too, and Shaeula isn’t scary, is she?”

“Great.” He smiled, his handsome face lighting up at my confidence in him. “Yeah, as long as you stick to my Territory around the shrine there’ll be no danger. You’ll be responsible for guiding Ren-san, Hinata and the others, so it’s a big ask, I know. But you’re a smart girl, you can handle it.” He said, and she flushed, looking down. He really shouldn’t praise me with a face like that, it’s cheating! Still, Kana was not one to be cowed easily, so she put on her best, most amused smile, hitting back. “Sure thing, Akio. I won’t let your fiancées come to harm. You are a sinful man, snaring beauties one after another!”

“Don’t I know it.” He sighed, looking mournful for a moment, which was odd to her. After all, wasn’t it the dream of every guy to have lots of beautiful girls chasing him? So stupid. He should be proud of it. Though as a girl, I admit it doesn’t please me…

“Anyway…” he continued, changing the subject, and she graciously let him keep his dignity. “… you remember how to enter the Boundary, right?”

She nodded. “Yes, Shaeula has talked us through it enough. All I have to do is cycle the aether within me, and then focus on the silver cord, right?”

“You got it.” He approved, and she closed her eyes, feeling the hot gush of prickling energy within her, forcing it to obey. I never thought about it before, but when I was younger I could occasionally feel a small sensation similar to this, though far weaker. It was often before I could see impossible things, or know what someone was thinking. I guess the root of all energy is the same. As she felt her mind drift she wondered if this was the way her ancestors had felt, back in the time when kami and spiritual beings could be talked to. It was a comforting thought, somehow. As her consciousness faded, she felt a brief thrill of excitement. Here I go. I wonder what this will be like…

Her answer came quickly, as she found herself looking around in awe. A large silver needle was jutting into the sky near her, pulling in glittering lights from the strange skies above. That shock of seeing such strange scenery masked the feeling in her body, but moments later she noticed, her chakra network greedily sucking in ether and converting it from the plentiful supply around her. The sensation made her shiver, and her mystical vision began to activate on its own, fuelled by the denser ether around her, coating everything in shining auras.

“It’s beautiful!” she gasped, looking around. There was a magnificent building, a shrine-like structure with beautiful snake statues crawling over it, and a towering tree soaring as high as a skyscraper. Silvery spires similar to the one near her were scattered about, and shimmering rainbows of prismatic energy were collected, shining like a sea of stars.

“It is, isn’t it?” Akio grinned from beside her. She hasn’t noticed him arrive, so engrossed she was in the world around her. “Still, not everywhere is. But there’s no way Shaeula would want a Territory that doesn’t look good. Speaking of the Territory…” his eyes went vacant a second, as if he was checking something. “Great. I can make the upgrades I need. The three Barracks speedbuilt to Rank 2, and then I can queue in the Build Queue Anchor Spire upgrade to Rank 2… it leaves me largely poor again, but we have a decent income coming in. And done.” He smiled. “It’s going to take fifty astral days to finish up, but it's definitely worth it long-term.”

“Uh, I don’t really know what you are talking about, Akio.” She admitted. “But you seem happy.”

“Oh yeah, well, basically I’ve strengthened the Territory. We are constantly gathering ether to do so. Maybe you’ll understand a bit better if I show you around. Oh, here she comes now!”

“Master, yooou have returned!” A beautiful girl was shouting, dressed in an old-fashioned maid outfit, her long black hair streaked with vivid green and purple highlights, her words strangely dragged out and slurred in places. “I have missed yooou! But Hyacinth has nooot stopped working hard! Praise me!” She raced over, before pulling to a halt, eyeing Kana warily.

“Hey, who is this maid?” Kana said, at the same time as the maid spoke.

“Whooo is this, master? The mistress I have heard abooout?”

Mistress? Me? Before Kana could voice those thoughts, Akio denied it. “No, this isn’t one of the mistresses. There’s… a few of those you’ll meet soon enough. No, this is Kana. She’s a good friend of mine, so be sure to look after her, all right? Kana, this is Hyacinth, she’s our maid here. She’s a brownie, so she adores housework and looking after people.”

A brownie huh? Not sure what that is, but that doesn’t matter, it’s still amazing. I’m talking to another spiritual being! Still, what was more amazing was that Akio said she was a good friend. I’m a friend, I see. That’s… well, also kind of amazing. I never thought I’d be hanging around with an older guy like him, let alone seeing things like this. Friends, huh. Her thoughts were a bit disordered and complicated, but she put that down to being in this strange world. As she exchanged some talk with the maid, other alien beings were coming over, humanoid weasels. Some of them she recognised as Kamaitachi, from old tales, and she was wowed again by the incredible sight.

“Where is the princess?” The lead kamaitachi asked, before looking curiously at Kana.

“She’ll be here soon. She just wanted to finish up with some business.” Akio said, before introducing her again. “Oh, this is Kana by the way. She’s an important friend, and she’ll be leading others here to train and learn. Be sure to let everyone know to keep an eye out for her, okay?”

A friend again. I see. “Uh, I’m Kana, a shrine maiden of Shirohebizumi shrine. I’ll be in your care.”

“That snake’s priestess, I see-see.” The sickle-weasel remarked. “Well, it’ll be pleased.”

Oh no, I forgot about that in the moment! Kana suddenly felt sick. She was going to meet their kami, effectively the god of her family! Akio saw her sudden indecision, and smiled warmly, relieving her. “Yeah, but first I’d like to show Kana around. Can you let the White Snake know we’ll be over later?”

As the weasels left, Akio pointed to the towering tree. “Well, we might as well start there. We can go meet Asha, and I want to explain how to gain elements. It’s just a guess, but I think as a shrine maiden of Shirohebizumi, you might have an affinity for earth element.”

“So who’s Asha?” she asked. “Another girl? You are truly sinful!”

“Well, yes, technically Asha’s a girl. But there’s nothing going on between me and her.” He denied it, but Kana didn’t fail to notice the way his gaze strayed to the maid for a moment. Still, it wasn’t her business, so she overlooked it.

“Fine. I’m curious about that huge tree, I admit.” Kana said as they approached it, amazed at the scale of it. Vivid red energy was filling the air as they closed in, and out of curiosity she tried drawing a little in, only to feel a series of stabbing pains in her network, around her lower body.

“Hey, careful.” Akio warned, grabbing her arm. She felt warmth spread in from his touch, quickly numbing the pain. “That’s earth elemental energy. You can’t treat it like ether, it isn’t good for you.”

“You have returned!” A busty, reddish-haired woman with a pale green tinge to her skin said, seemingly appearing from nowhere. “I greet you!”

“So, Asha, I’m guessing?” Kana said, and the woman nodded.

“I am Asha, dryad of this grove. And you are…? You smell mortal.”

“I’m Izumi Kana.” She felt compelled to introduce herself, the aura of the dryad rather regal. “I’m a shrine maiden of Shirohebizumi shrine.”

“I see. Well, the shrine is now my home, so I give you my thanks. Compared to my previous hell, it is a paradise indeed.”

“Hell?” Kana asked, and she was regaled by a heroic tale of what Akio and Shaeula had done. It was unbelievable and incredible, and Kana was fascinated, even as the maid kept declaring she was there too, doing her part. It seemed the strange new visitor Ixitt, who had caused such a scene when his body collapsed, was a part of it too, as well as some huge angry troll, who she was not eager to meet.

While the tale was being told, Akio had started to work on the massive tree, as it apparently was still not fully healed from the corruption it had endured. It was enough to bring a tear to Kana’s eyes, thinking of the dryad and her suffering. Okay, Akio and Shaeula… I knew they were powerful, but to hear Asha talk, they are really incredible. Seriously, who’d have thought that day would change all our lives so much. If I’d not called out to them, how would things have been different?

As the talk was winding down, Shaeula finally arrived. On seeing her, Akio hopped down from the massive tree, greeting her. “Hey Shaeula. All sorted? So, what did Hinata want?”

Shaeula looked away, and Kana thought she seemed embarrassed. “It is nothing at all-all. Merely some more talk between females. It does not-not concern you yet.”

“Oh, okay I guess.” Akio scratched his cheek awkwardly, and Kana had to stifle a laugh. Seriously, he’s got all these girls all over him, and he’s fighting against armies of hideous monsters, yet he’s still easily flustered by women. It’s stupid, but kind of cute. “So anyway, I was healing the tree while I was here, but now can you take over? I want to explain elemental energy to Kana so she can train the others.”

“I can do that.” Shaeula agreed, seemingly pleased the subject was changed. Akio then gestured for Kana to join him. “Our Territory has access to earth, wind and darkness elemental energy. I don’t recommend trying darkness yet. It’s pretty hard to grasp. Still, the key is your understanding of the element, as well as any affinity. So you should start with earth.”

His explanation was complicated, but under his tutelage Kana spent around an hour drawing in tiny portions of energy and getting a feel for it. It was slow going, but Akio promised her that with study and hard work, she would be able to master it in time. Now I need to study things like this as well as schoolwork. It’s no fun, but I guess it’ll be worth it. I always wanted to be someone special. This isn’t quite what I had in mind, but special is special, I guess.

“Oh yeah, Shaeula.” She suddenly giggled. “I met some Kamaitachi. You are a weasel too, right? I’m curious what you look like.”

“I see. I have no-no issue showing you my regal weaselkin form.” With that she shimmered briefly, before becoming an amber-furred weasel with brilliant shining eyes and curved blades of purest jade at her wrists and ankles. She was still wearing a cute yukata, and the dichotomy made her giggle uncontrollably.

“Well, you are certainly pretty, even like that.” Kana said when her laughter was finally under control. Looking at Akio, she teased him. “But I never knew you were such a pervert, Akio. I think they call people like you furries, right?”

“No way. I’m totally normal.” He protested, and seeing him flustered pleased her. Shaeula looked a little hurt at that, complaining that Akio “did not-not appreciate her true beauty” and he quickly changed his tune, pulling her into a hug. That brought more laughter from all of them, but the maid looked envious. Akio paused for a moment, before dragging her into the hug too.

Yeah, that’s bold, in front of me! The maid blushed and squirmed, breathing heavily, and Kana found it a bit off-putting, but Akio merely looked at the maid with warm eyes. Kana saw him looking at other girls like that, such as Mori-san and Shaeula, so it wasn’t too hard to guess his warm feelings. Well, it has nothing to do with me. It’s his choice if he wants to get stabbed. Mori-san looks the sort. “I feel better now though. Thanks. I’m all calmed down.” She took a deep breath. “I’m ready to meet White Snake-sama now.”

“All right. Well, we’ll swing past the workshop first, I need to make sure Ixitt is working on replacing our gear.” Akio said, and he led Kana towards the main shrine on the hill. Even from here she could see it was magnificent, a royal reflection of the run-down shrine she knew. Although I guess it isn’t so bad now, is it, after all the repairs? She could see many metallic objects, needles towering into the sky, silver orbs metres across, and more. In addition the shrine was bustling with activity. There were weasels, rat-people, slithering snakes, and even a massive troll. Kana found herself staring wide-eyed at everything, overwhelmed.

“This is incredible. To… to think it’s all real!” Kana said, shocked. “I mean, I didn’t really doubt you, how could I, with everything I’ve seen, but I thought you might have been exaggerating a bit! Gods, this is insane!” Everything we know about the world was wrong! I wonder what Mio-chan and Asami-chan will say when they see this. Or my father. Wait, grandfather really needs to see this too…

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“Oh I know.” Akio looked abashed. “I didn’t believe it at first either. But yeah, it’s all real, and all ours.” He grinned then, and Kana had to look away. “This is why I wanted to own the shrine. I have no intention of cheating your family, but there are real benefits. Anyway, Ixitt, are you there?” He called, and a few moments later a strange rat-person came scuttling out, carrying several strange objects.

“I am indeed. Oh.” He paused, seeing Kana, smiling politely. “It is you, I see. Congratulations on reaching this world. I hope you are impressed by here as I was by your mortal realm.”

Damn, he’s annoying. “I am. I’m super impressed. But as for you… why did you have to go and leave your body where people could see? I had a hell of a time sorting that mess out! The younger girls were very upset!” It feels good to let out some of the annoyance I’ve kept bottled up recently!

“Oh, I… well I forgot. My apologies!” He tried to dissemble. “But I had much on my mind! After all, I believe I can now help Hyacinth with her modifications of the spores!”

“That’s great.” Akio approved, and I felt annoyed at his lack of support, but only for a moment, as he then addressed him sternly. “But even so, causing Kana trouble is bad. If you do it again, I’ll bar you from the Material realm for a time, so be warned!”

It was amusing watching a rat go pale, which shouldn’t have been possible, but he was so fearful that even his fur seemed to go whiter. As he stammered apologies, Kana graciously forgave him. A dwarf then came out of the building, shouting in a thick accent, and Kana realised something. “Err, what language are we speaking?”

Akio paused for a minute. “You know, I’ve no idea. Bjarki here and a lot of the Fae seem like they speak English. Do you understand that?”

“Well, only what I’ve learnt in school.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t understand a conversation this vast or complicated. Maybe I’m a genius?”

“Well, I do think you are a smart girl, but I think it’s more likely a property of the Boundary. Perhaps we all understand each other here? I’ve wondered whether Shaeula speaks English and Japanese because I do, and Ixitt had no troubles communicating. Damn, more to look into. Maybe I need to learn another language. Chinese seems an obvious choice. Or maybe Russian. Spanish or Arabic might be good too…” he mused.

“Is learning a language to test something really that easy?” Kana asked, and he shrugged.

“Well, with my stats I doubt it’d take too long. It may not make me good with women, but when it comes to memory and learning, I have no equal.” His smile then was charming, and she had to look away again.

I’d say you are plenty fine with women. But it isn’t like you need more, is it? Still, I’ve felt it myself. Kana had noticed that since she had been worked on, her attention and ability in class had gone up significantly, and while she had good grades before, now she was the equal of even the top people in her year, calculations and memory coming easy to her. So now I have to know. “So, just how high are your stats, as you call them?”

“Well, to put it bluntly, I’ve surpassed human limits four or five times over.” He said, and Shaeula nodded beside him, still in her weasel form, looking proud, which was quite comical.

“Damn, I thought you were good when you beat up those yakuza. But that’s … well, I have no words.”

“Yeah, I struggle myself. Anyway, are you ready?” He asked, and Kana looked up at the main shrine. The beautiful white snake statues and red ropes hung around the richly appointed red, white and gold building were magnificent, and under the dark glow of the strange skies above it looked like something she would only see in dreams. And at the top of the stairs… she could see it. A massive white snake wearing ornate robes and a large, pointed hat, surrounded by other smaller snakes, with various items such as rods and bells on coloured cushions before them. Those are replicas of Shinto prayer tools, right? No, not replicas. Divine originals. She swallowed, her nerves spiking. “That’s the White Snake, right? Our kami?”

“Yeah, he’s a friend and ally, and your enshrined god, so no need to be nervous.” Akio said, and Kana felt the urge to hit him all of a sudden. No need to be nervous? Really? Still, this was why she had come, and if she wanted to be special, this was an important first step. Gingerly she began to ascend the set of steps to the shrine, Akio and Shaeula behind. As she approached she could feel the pressure, as if something was being drawn out of her, enriching the kami before her. As she reached the open ground in front of the snake, she knelt, adopting a pose of prayer and supplication.

“Oh great White Snake kami, I am Izumi Kana, shrine maiden of Shirohebizumi shrine. It is a great honour to meet the kami that my family has served all these years. I humbly thank you for watching over us.”

“Risssssse, Daughter of the sssssssshrine.” The kami hissed, and at the words of her god, Kana felt tears welling up in her eyes. Why? I didn’t think I was that religious. I hated being tied to a poor, dead-end shrine, thinking I deserved a better life. But hearing his words… I feel enraptured!

“I am pleasssssed at the faithhhh your family has sssssshown over the long ccccccenturiessssss. Many kami have fallen, yet your family remainsssss loyal, protecting the faithhhh. I give you my blessssssing!”

A blessing? From the kami? Really? As Kana thought that, she felt a reversal of the sensation of loss she was feeling, the something she felt draining from her suddenly flowing back into her, overspilling. She heard Akio and Shaeula cry out something behind her, but it was meaningless to her at that moment. What… what is this feeling? It’s like my soul is aflame…

With that Kana remembered nothing more, her memories of the remaining time she talked with the Kami fleeting, brief fragments of her responses lingering in her mind…

 

********

 

“So, sorry about that.” Kana said, looking out over the strange alternate Tokyo from on high. She was on a wooden platform atop the massive tree, Shaeula, Akio and that dryad beside her. Apparently it’s going to be some sort of café. Here. Odd, but Akio certainly has big ideas. No, I can’t run away from what happened. I can’t let my thoughts stray… “It was like I was touched by the kami, feeling his divinity. What happened to me?”

Akio patted her on the head, and she leant into his hand, feeling reassured by his touch. “I don’t think you need to worry. It seems the kami blessed you and you got a class. Since I know what I was looking for, it seems my Eye can pick it up.” He grinned self-deprecatingly. “It’s good for something, at least. Still, Kana, we match. You are a Kami-Blessed too now.”

“Class? Kami-Blessed. I don’t get it. But… it’s good, right?”

“It is indeed.” Shaeula grinned, taking a drink from a glass of strange fruit juice. Kana had a glass too, and was amazed by the otherworldly flavour. Apparently the maid and the dryad grow the fruits. I’m… I’m having something almost nobody alive ever tasted. And I’m apparently a Kami-Blessed? I think I can be proud of that, right?

“Classes are a precious way to grow stronger. Kami-Blessed increases many things, does it not-not Akio?”

By gaining the blessing of an enshrined kami, you will gradually raise your spiritual calibre, increasing your League. In addition, Fortune, Charm and Majesty will increase, and your ability to use aether will strengthen dramatically, growing further as your League rises. In addition, you generate additional Adherence for any kami who have blessed you, and the path to utilising Adherence as power opens, though this road is not one taken easily.

With my Eye I could see my own version of the class, and the question marks from before were gone, and it now had extra information on Adherence, which I had learned about recently. “Yeah, well if you had trouble fighting off the boys before, you’ll be worse off now. You get plenty of Fortune, Charm and Majesty as you level, and League is a powerful thing. Congratulations!”

Charm huh? As for Fortune, isn’t that how Shaeula makes money gambling? But mine wouldn’t be anywhere near hers I bet. Still… I’m a Kami-Blessed. Doesn’t that mean I’m one of the few true Shrine Maidens in the whole of Japan? “Well, it’s thanks to you, I guess, Akio, Shaeula. If you hadn’t helped me get here, I’d have never been blessed. So thanks.” She bowed, and was gratified to see Akio looking a little red.

“Think nothing of it. I’m counting in you to help the others acclimatise to here too. Once everyone can enter the Boundary you can alternate some training sessions here, making the most of the time dilation and ether density. Everyone should grow rapidly.”

“I won’t let you down.” She promised, drinking more of her juice. “I can’t wait to show off.” And with that they spent a pleasant few hours idly discussing matters, before Kana had to return. “Good luck with your battle ahead.” She said. It’s going to be dangerous but…  Akio, Shaeula… I believe they can do it. They can do anything it seems. I’m jealous, but maybe one day I too…

“We have planned to perfection.” Akio reassured her. “Our strengths strike their weaknesses perfectly, and we can negate their strengths. I’m not saying it is going to be easy, far from it, but we’ve got this!”

“See that you do. If you let me down and get hurt or worse, I’d be heartbroken, and you can’t make a beautiful, Charming girl cry now, can you?” Kana giggled, again enjoying his reaction. “Seriously though. Akio. Shaeula. Stay safe, you hear me?”

 

********

 

Kana opened her eyes, to see the still bodies of Akio and Shaeula lying near her in other beds. Shaeula was unmoving, but she could hear soft, slow breaths from Akio. Looking at his sleeping face she felt the urge to tease him, but shrugged it off. Good luck. Come back safely. May the blessing of the kami go with you.

Turning away she strode out of the training school and back to her shrine. The light was on, her parents still up, so she burst in confidently. Seeing her father, mother and grandfather all there, looking at her dumbly, her sudden entrance shocking them, she grinned. “Mother, father. Grandfather. I met our kami. And I received his blessing!” She declared matter-of-factly, as though such a revelation was no big deal.

The stunned looks on their faces made it all worthwhile. As they quickly crowded her, asking her what she meant, Kana smiled to herself. Kami-Blessed, huh? So how do I ‘level it up’ as Akio said? After all, there’s no point letting this go to waste, is there…

 

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