Tokyo: Starting with the Shrine Maiden

Haruhiko raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's inside the Underworld?"

Under normal circumstances, the dead go to the underworld.

But once you go to the underworld, you can't go back.

What can return is no longer the soul, but something else.

"Otherworldly Demons".

Hoshino Rin gave an answer that Haruhiko hadn't expected.

How could there be otherworldly demons in the Underworld?

And judging from this, the quantity is extremely large.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have said it was to protect the world.

"This story goes back a thousand years."

Knowing Haruhiko's doubts, Hoshino Rin didn't keep him in suspense and explained the reason directly.

The exact date of Izumo Shrine's establishment is unknown.

But it is certainly extremely ancient.

They were quite active in the age of the gods.

The first few priests of Izumo Shrine had met Ōkuninushi.

This deity is different; he does not reside in Takamagahara, but in Ashihara.

A thousand years ago, Ashihara was Izumo Province.

In other words, he is a deity walking in the present world.

The connection with Izumo Shrine naturally became even closer.

Therefore, they know more.

For example, the reason why the gods disappeared.

It was caused by Yamata no Orochi joining forces with the Otherworldly Demons.

The former is actually easier to handle than the latter.

Even Susanoo alone is no match for Orochi.

But the Otherworldly Demons are different.

There are simply too many of them.

The structure of the Otherworldly Demons is relatively simple.

Only after reaching the fifth rank can one be considered a true member of the clan.

The rest are either tools or positions similar to poultry.

The Otherworldly race can continuously evolve as long as they eat enough.

Their strength is in no way inferior to that of the gods.

With the addition of Orochi as a spy, the gods were caught off guard and suffered a crushing defeat, fleeing in disarray.

But that doesn't mean they did nothing.

The first thing I did was to shatter the Nine Swords of Godslaying.

Of course, Hoshino Ri was unaware of this.

The second thing she knew was that all the invading demons had been tricked by the gods and imprisoned in the underworld.

The underworld is the world of the dead.

The otherworldly demons are the living.

Theoretically speaking, given an infinite amount of time, they would all die in the underworld.

Of course, the Otherworldly Demons are powerful and will not sit idly by and wait to be killed.

The method they used was to send it out.

Sometimes, it will appear in the real world.

In addition, the demons in the demon dimension are also attempting to invade.

Before the gods departed, the Ōkuninushi deity instructed the people of Izumo Shrine to guard the entrance to the underworld for generations and to prevent any demons from emerging.

"We mine spirit ore precisely to continuously reinforce the entrance."

Hoshino Rina added at the end.

"But why is it..."

Haruhiko started to speak but stopped.

"Why a spirit form?"

Hoshino Rin said what he hadn't finished saying.

Haruhiko nodded.

Even if you're there to guard the entrance, there's no need to kill yourself.

Isn't it the same for the human body?

"It was because of an accident."

Hoshino Rin explained, "About eleven years ago, the Otherworldly Demons attacked the entrance to the Underworld, causing a tremor. We all died in that accident, but because of the leaked aura from the Underworld, we became Earthbound Spirits."

Eleven years ago?

Haruhiko thought.

It's that familiar time again.

That was also the time when he was sent to the Inari Shrine.

Suddenly, Haruhiko had a flash of inspiration and realized something.

Were my parents also involved in that accident?

"good."

Hoshino Riko didn't hide anything and spoke directly.

Haruhiko's eyes lit up.

Previously, Mina Utsunomiya had told him that his parents had disappeared in the First Forbidden Zone.

However, Hoshino Aoi also said that the depths of the First Forbidden Zone have always been guarded by the Izumo Shrine, and she has never seen it.

Haruhiko had no idea whether they were in the first restricted area or not.

At this moment, Hoshino Ri finally helped him resolve this doubt.

On the other hand, he also said that the celebrity, Wild Sunflower, had deceived him.

She was so good to him, obviously because of his parents.

But she never told him the reason.

Are they dead?

Haruhiko snapped out of his daze and asked.

"No."

Hoshino Rin shook her head and said, "They disappeared in the underworld."

"..."

Haruhiko was stunned.

The Underworld is full of otherworldly demons.

Is it even possible for them to survive?

"don’t worry."

Hoshino Rin saw through his thoughts and said, "They were carrying the sacred artifacts of Izumo Shrine, so they shouldn't be dead."

Haruhiko breathed a sigh of relief.

Although they don't have much affection for each other, they are, after all, his parents.

Moreover, out of consideration for Tachibana Yui and the others, he had to save them.

After all, they have a very close relationship.

"Aunt Li, I have another question."

Haruhiko glanced at Hoshino Hotaru and asked, "Everyone's saying you and Aunt Aoi entered the First Forbidden Zone. What were you doing there?"

Since Hoshino Rin is in the ruins of Ōkuninushi, it means that the First Forbidden Zone may not be as dangerous as imagined.

At least it's not like someone has to die to get out.

Hoshino Rin fell silent.