Tokyo: Starting with the Shrine Maiden

Haruhiko got out of the car, waved, and walked towards the Worry-Free Garden.

It was during class time, and the campus was quite quiet.

He suddenly remembered Hotaru Hoshino.

I haven't seen my sister-in-law for the past two days, and I feel a little uneasy.

He definitely didn't want photos of the two sisters.

Upon arriving at the Worry-Free Garden, Haruhiko opened the door.

There are two people in the living room.

Chiyo and Aizawa Kaoru.

Haruhiko stepped forward and greeted him.

It wasn't surprising that my senior sister was there.

"Let's go."

Kaoru Aizawa said with a smile, "There are still many procedures to go through when we arrive at Mount Oe, so it's not too early to go now."

"Ok."

Haruhiko naturally had no objections.

He got back into the car.

The driver was Aizawa Kaoru.

Haruhiko and Chiyome sat in the back row.

On the way, he learned about the general situation of Mount Ooe.

The person in charge of this place now is a descendant who claims to be a subordinate of Shuten-dōji.

The leader is called Chiaki.

It possesses extraordinary strength; it is a fifth-tier great demon.

But what its true nature is, no one knows.

Mount Oe was its former name.

Now it is Mount Tanba, located in central Kyoto Prefecture.

It is currently a tourist attraction, famous for its sea of ​​clouds.

In the afternoon, the three of them arrived at their destination.

Haruhiko glanced at it and saw that it was indeed shrouded in many white clouds.

Even in winter, there are still quite a few tourists.

The thought that this place is a gathering place for monsters feels quite incongruous.

“Here’s an invitation.”

Kaoru Aizawa took out a gold-rimmed envelope and said, "With this, you can enter the barrier."

"Ok."

Haruhiko put it away and asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No."

Kaoru Aizawa reached out and patted his head, saying, "Be careful. If you encounter danger, save your own life first."

Haruhiko couldn't help but sigh, "As expected of a wife, she's so gentle."

"and many more."

Chiyo suddenly spoke up, "Take out your Three Goddess Scepters, and I'll help you cover them up."

"Oh right, I forgot about that."

Kaoru Aizawa patted his chest, still feeling a bit shaken, and said...

A flash of white appeared before Haruhiko's eyes.

He shifted his gaze and handed the Three Goddess Scepters to Chiyome.

Soon, everything changed drastically.

However, the main issue is the appearance; it suddenly looks ordinary.

It would never be associated with any kind of treasure.

"The invitation will guide you."

Chiyome paused, then reminded her again, "Be careful. As long as you have the spirit tool, you can get it back. There's no need to take risks."

This is largely the same as what Aizawa Kaoru said before.

"I know."

Haruhiko took a deep breath, turned around, and walked into the mountains.

Gradually, the tourists disappeared.

He followed the directions on the invitation and arrived at a place halfway up a mountain.

White clouds were floating everywhere, impairing his vision.

The instructions in the invitation have ceased.

There was a cliff in front of Haruhiko.

He took out the Three Goddess Scepters and used the skill "Isohime King".

A flash of psionic light appeared.

His clothes tore, and a fish tail appeared.

Unlike in the sea, there was also a transparent air shield.

This allows him to float, eliminating the need for him to walk with his fish tail.

Haruhiko opened the invitation.

A surge of psionic energy erupted.

The cliff in front of them vanished instantly.

Instead, it was replaced by an ancient-style aerial fortress.

Haruhiko stepped forward, and two children immediately blocked his way.

It was very short, and it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female, but there were two clusters of phosphorescent light on its sides.

This is a Zashiki-warashi.

A monster that exists in the form of a child.

It can bring good fortune.

Therefore, some large families would specifically use zashiki-warashi (monster-like spirits) to guard their homes.

I didn't expect to find it here.

But it makes sense.

After all, this is the territory of a powerful demon, and it's an auction, so it's normal for them to hire two Zashiki-warashi.

"A male merman?"

The two zashiki-warashi looked at Haruhiko, momentarily bewildered.

Their appearance, combined with their looks, makes them seem rather adorable.

"Why can't there be male merfolk?"

Haruhiko asked with a smile.

"Invitation card."

The Zashiki-warashi on the left stretched out its little hand.

"Hold it."

The Zashiki-warashi on the right then took out a piece of white jade and said...

Haruhiko handed over the invitation and grasped the jade.

A few seconds later, the jade lit up.

"It's actually true?"

The Zashiki-warashi scratched his head, puzzled.

This jade stone is specifically used to test the purity of monsters.

If it is a 100% monster, it will light up.

"no problem."

Another Zashiki-warashi returned the invitation to Haruhiko and said, "Welcome, I will take you to your room."