Chat group: My Fist of the North Star will never lose!

Chapter 401 The Birth of the Hakurei Divine Fist!

Monsters are born from human fears and can also be transformed from humans, wandering gods, or other creatures. If they are forgotten by humans, they will eventually disappear. Making threats or causing disturbances can prevent them from being forgotten.

However, this approach is ultimately limited.

No matter how scary a bedtime story is, it can only make it harder for children to fall asleep. Human civilization has now entered adolescence, and those old stories are unlikely to frighten them anymore.

So, how will monsters survive after humans have gradually forgotten their fear of them?
—To maintain the balance between humans and monsters.

What exactly does a harmonious society where yokai and humans coexist peacefully look like? Ibaraki Kasen, who is currently training, has never been able to figure it out, but now she feels that perhaps Yakumo Yukari's idea is better, having created Gensokyo...

"Shut up! You can't say things like that!"

"Ugh...!"

Before Hua Shan, the wisest elder among the demons, could continue making her dangerous remarks, Jia Ji, sweating profusely, had already instructed the other three demon kings to shut her up.

However, Kasen's idea was indeed correct; if Yakumo Yukari followed her plan, there was indeed a chance of success.

The image of monsters originates from the image given by humans and can change its form under the influence of human imagination.

However, the emergence of Gensokyo will liberate youkai from the shackles of human imagination, granting them true freedom and allowing youkai, who originally had no fixed form, to gradually embark on a path of independent evolution.

But all of this requires dealing with one key figure: the mediator and arbitrator who maintains the balance between humans and monsters.

………………

While the great demons were holding their banquet, someone else was continuing their efforts on the other side.

That place is not too far from the only remaining human settlement in Gensokyo, and there is a newly moved shrine there.

……

It was shabby, extremely shabby.

The apprentice shrine maiden, Yotsuya Miko, who had been entrusted with an important task by the boundary monster, was seeing such a shabby shrine for the first time. Not to mention the grand shrines she had visited before, even the "Sankodani Shrine" that had left a deep impression on her when she was a newcomer was more solemn than this "Hakurei Shrine".

The main buildings of the shrine are irumoya-zukuri (traditional Japanese house-style buildings), with hyōfu (broad-wind) and tōhāfu (traditional Japanese house-style buildings) structures in the horizontal direction.

The only word to describe what you see is poverty. The offering boxes on the steps in front of the shrine's main hall are empty, and the shimenawa (sacred rope) hanging above them has little dignity. Entering the main hall from the front, you can see that it is filled with a lot of miscellaneous items.

There was a shrine on the wall, but it was unclear what it was used to worship.

The deep red torii gate, the intricate paths and stone steps, and the ema hall without any ema hanging on it—a cold, desolate wind blows through, and apart from a few fallen leaves, there is nothing there.

Yotsuya Miko sighed, her expression instantly turning gloomy.

It seems that my hopes of getting some amulets for my mother and brother to ensure their safety are dashed. Are the shrine maidens in this shrine really reliable?
Well, maybe it's because he's indifferent to fame and fortune, content with a simple life, or perhaps his reputation isn't widespread enough—there are many reasons. In any case, things will definitely get better in the future.

The girl wore a white top and a red kimono skirt, forming a shrine maiden outfit. Her smooth, brown hair was incredibly long, reaching all the way down her back to the ground. She had a delicate and composed face, making her a beautiful girl with a Japanese style.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Jianzi with gentle and curious eyes, and her gentle smile was endearing.

hateful!

Didn't Yukari Yakumo say that shrine maidens must wear outfits that expose their armpits? And isn't the Hakurei Shrine Maiden supposed to be a very powerful person? How could someone as gentle and kind as her possibly deal with those vicious and ruthless youkai?

Without realizing it, Miko began to worry about the other's future. However, in the other's eyes, the girl who suddenly appeared from the dark crack and looked at her with sympathy was equally strange.

She casually picked up the huge cross-shaped soul-summoning banner, the two bells tied with red hemp rope on it making a crisp sound. The Hakurei Shrine Maiden's eyes were soft, as if golden light was shining on her, giving her the feeling of being gently basked in the warm winter morning sun.

"Excuse me... are you a guest here to pay your respects?"

"Wow, it's melting!"

Seeing that Zi was covering her face, this was the first time in this place that no one had complained about her being strange; she was so gentle.

She felt like she was being tanned to death by this dazzling, genuine shimmering shrine maiden, like a vampire, and even just looking at her made her feel ashamed of herself.

"Have you... had any contact with that elusive, blond-haired monster?"

Upon hearing Miko's words, the Hakurei Shrine Maiden tightened her grip on the Soul-Guiding Banner and nodded with a complicated expression.

"You must be the Sage of Yokai. I've heard some things about you, but I'm not quite sure what needs to be done... But why would the 'mastermind behind the disappearance' send you here?"

"Now that you understand, things will be easier."

Seeing Zixing rush over, he grabbed the other person's hand and then explained the core of the plan.

Soon after, the black-haired, golden-eyed girl and the brown-haired shrine maiden sat side by side under the eaves of the shrine.

Hakurei Shrine Maiden: "I see... The entire Gensokyo was created for youkai, and the humans here exist for youkai... Doesn't that make us like domesticated livestock?"

Jianzi: "...Is that so?"

She hadn't really thought about it carefully yet. Was Gensokyo really like this?

"No!... Zi's idea was clearly to create a paradise where all races could interact and coexist equally, not just humans and demons, but also the dead, gods, and celestials... Besides, once the barrier is established, demons won't need to attack humans to survive. My previous efforts were also to prevent such a thing from happening again, and with Jagi there..."

Seeing that Zi had just figured out the logic, he prepared to refute her.

The Hakurei Shrine Maiden spoke first: "But let's think about it the other way around. If youkai couldn't survive without humans, then humans should be the strongest in Gensokyo. Youkai can't beat humans."

Jianzi scratched his head: "It seems so."

Hakurei Shrine Maiden: "Anything can be forgiven as long as it's human. The so-called invincible existence in Gensokyo is humans!"

Jianzi clapped his hands and exclaimed, "That's absolutely right!"

"Although I don't know if I can do this role well, I'm willing to try my best!"

Seeing the self-assured shrine maiden, who was full of ambition and had already convinced herself, Miko felt relieved.

"Well then, it's all yours from now on! Bye-bye!"

With her mission finally accomplished, she waved goodbye to the priestess, whom she might never see again, and prepared to leave with a joyful heart.

"Wait, it seems I've forgotten something..."

Seeing that the girl had stopped, he suddenly turned around and looked at the slender shrine maiden. After examining her closely, he suddenly asked, "Would you like to learn some self-defense techniques from me?"

(End of this chapter)