At this moment, shatter the dimensional barrier

The large, blue mushroom-shaped cap rushed towards Inaba Chitose, trying to crash into her.

"Flower monster and mushroom monster!" Inaba Chitose screamed with her eyes closed, terrified by the monsters attacking her.

"Sesshomaru!"

One of the cherry blossom petals on his forehead disappeared, and purple arcs of electricity erupted from his body.

A thunderous explosion resounded through the grove.

Chapter 104: The Oracle of the High Gods, Lightning Truly the Ring of God

A bolt of purple lightning flashed in the grove, instantly shattering the branches and leaves of the trees, turning them into a rain of leaves.

A purple fox phantom appeared behind Inaba Chitose, and bolts of purple lightning burst forth from the phantom, striking precisely the wind elemental mushroom beast that was already spinning and charging towards her with its umbrella on top.

boom--

The mushroom beast was instantly blasted away by the lightning element, leaving a shallow crater the size of a table where it had been. The blasted mushroom beast quickly withered and lay motionless on the ground, its body emitting black smoke as if it had been roasted by fire.

Click, click!

The sound of earth shoving came from the ground behind Inaba Chitose. In a flash, the Ice Phantom Flower emerged, its leaves and tendrils already glowing. A ball of ice element the size of a ping-pong ball grazed past Inaba Chitose, instantly turning her clothes white with frost. The ground not far from her feet froze, making a cracking sound.

Perhaps because it was in an environment devoid of elemental power, the Ice Deception Flower was in a weakened state and collapsed to the ground after launching an ice elemental ball.

Boom! Purple lightning struck the Ice Deception Flower instantly, causing it to explode. Blue fragments scattered everywhere, leaving only the flower cluster on its head, from which a pale yellow liquid flowed, emitting a sweet scent similar to nectar.

Boom! The purple fox phantom's attack was not over yet. One bolt of lightning after another bombarded the mushroom beast and the ice-smoking flower fragments until the mushroom beast completely withered and exploded into green powder scattered on the ground.

The elemental power left on her by Yae no Miko was enough to summon lightning for one minute to attack what Inaba Chitose feared, until one of the elemental powers was exhausted.

"It's over?" Inaba Chitose clenched her hands to her chest, her legs trembling, and swallowed hard as she watched the two yokai disappear after being struck by lightning.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Looking at the 'ashes' left after the exorcism of the monsters on the ground, she took a deep breath. The fear in her heart had disappeared, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement. She touched the cherry blossom mark on her forehead with her fingers, and her eyes shone with a watery light: "I exorcised two monsters! Lord Yae's divine power is amazing!"

Having accomplished something so amazing and incredible for the first time, she wanted to wrap herself in the blankets and roll around in them.

Inaba Chitose slapped her cheeks with both hands, then patted her chest, and walked out of the grove with a swagger. As soon as she stepped out of the grove, she saw her classmates peeking out from the corner of the old school building, watching her.

At this moment, all four students' eyes shone with excitement, and their cheeks even turned red with excitement.

"Nishiyama-kun, Komori-kun, Kurokawa-kun, Nakamura-kun." Inaba Chitose smiled and waved: "I have exorcised the monster, so there is no need to be afraid."

Four female classmates excitedly ran out and surrounded Inaba Chitose, their eyes filled with admiration, curiosity, and excitement.

"Wow! Inaba-kun! You're amazing!"

"Yes, the lightning just now was crackling and popping, it was amazing!"

"Inaba-kun, so you really are a shrine maiden. I'm sorry, I used to tease you like that. Please forgive me."

"Yes, so Inaba-kun really does have spiritual power and can exorcise demons."

"Inaba-kun must have been exorcising monsters before, refusing to let us go out to play. Protecting ordinary people in a secluded place is amazing." Kurokawa-kun's cheeks were flushed with excitement, and his eyes were full of admiration.

"No, no..." Inaba Chitose was overwhelmed by her classmates' enthusiasm, but she couldn't explain anything, since it was related to Yae no Miyako.

I used to always decline invitations to go shopping for clothes because I didn't have the money...

"Inaba-kun, could you tell us about the demon-slaying stories from the past?"

"Yeah, yeah, can we go take a look at the grove?"

"What do monsters look like?"

"Yeah, what do they all look like? Please, Inaba-san."

"I still advise everyone not to go see it. It wouldn't be good if you got infected by the curse of the monsters." Inaba Chitose quickly stopped her. She didn't know what the ashes left behind after the two monsters died were. What if they were harmful?

"Ok."

"If it's cursed, then there's nothing we can do."

"What a pity."

"Hehe, my friend is actually a real shrine maiden."

"Inaba-kun has spiritual power and the ability to exorcise demons, does that mean the deity worshipped in Inaba-kun's home is real?"

"Yes, Inaba-kun, may I visit your family's shrine to pray for blessings?"

"I also want to go and pray for blessings, Inaba-kun."

"Yes, but I can't guarantee that the gods will grant your wish," Inaba Chitose said. No one from her family had ever come to her shrine to pray before, but she couldn't guarantee whether she would receive Yaehime's blessing. A shrine maiden cannot make decisions for the gods; that would be a great disrespect.

"I have important things to do right now, so I can't go back with everyone." Inaba Chitose hadn't forgotten the task that Yaehime had given her; eliminating the two monsters had already taken up some time.

"It's important!" The four students exchanged glances, becoming even more excited. Inaba was definitely going to exorcise the demon.

Every time they finished school, they would prepare their demon-slaying tools and then exorcise demons during the Twilight Festival. Involuntarily, images of Inaba Chitose dressed as a shrine maiden, holding a Kagura bell, and fighting demons would appear in their minds.

"Don't worry, Inaba-san, we will absolutely not tell anyone about your affairs," the four girls said in unison, because it was a secret between the four of them and Inaba-san.

Inaba's exorcism must have been a secret operation, otherwise, they wouldn't have only found out now after being friends with her for five years.

"?" Inaba Chitose asked in confusion, blinking as she said, "Then I'll leave it to you all."

Chitose Inaba and her four classmates greeted each other as they left the school.

See you tomorrow, Inaba-kun.

"See you tomorrow, Kuroyama-kun, Komori-kun, Nakamura-kun, Nishiyama-kun." Inaba Chitose waved and then quickened her pace to pick up her younger sister, Inaba Touka, at the junior high school.

"Goodbye everyone!" Inaba Touka waved goodbye to her classmates and looked at her older sister who was walking towards her. She quickly went up to her and took her arm: "Sister." Only then did she notice that one of the cherry blossom marks on her sister's forehead had disappeared.

"Huh, sister, did you use the divine power of an eighth-level immortal?"

"I just encountered two monsters at school."

"Monster! Tell me what happened, sister!" Inaba Touka became excited immediately upon hearing this.

Inaba Chitose explained in detail in a low voice as she and her sister walked toward the bus stop.

The 'Shrine Headquarters' is located in the city center, which is also the 'Chiyoda Ward', the economic and cultural center.

This area is home to all the nation's highest institutions and is divided into 23 districts centered around the Imperial Palace. The Chiyoda district has been the center of power in the country since the Edo period.

The Supreme Court, the Capitol Building, the central government offices, and the national bank are all located here. At the same time, the most powerful and wealthy people or families in the country reside in this area, and being able to live here is proof of being part of the country's upper aristocratic class.

"..." Inaba Touka tugged at her sister's sleeve and looked around. It was the first time she had ever been to such a bustling place. Every shop was sparkling, and the people walking on the street were all very well-dressed. Even the necklaces around their necks were reflecting light. Everyone looked rich and noble.

Even though there were many ordinary-looking passersby, they all seemed very reserved, afraid of bumping into those who were dressed in fine clothes.

"Chengxiang, let's go to the restroom and change into our shrine maiden outfits before we go." Inaba Chitose pulled Chengxiang toward the public restroom. They were going to the 'Shrine Main Hall' on behalf of Yae no Osamu, and they had to go as shrine maidens, which meant that they were now representing the deity being worshipped.

This was her first time visiting the 'Shrine Headquarters'. Previously, she had only visited local shrines in the city center, and this was also her first time visiting Chiyoda Ward.

"Okay, sister."

The two sisters changed into shrine maiden outfits in the public restroom, tied a tuft of hair behind their ears with a red string, and when they came out of the restroom, they had become two traditional shrine maidens, one big and one small. However, the cuffs of their white clothes were frayed from washing, and it was clear that they had worn them for a long time and were reluctant to change them.

In addition, the cherry blossom marks on their foreheads gave them an air of mystery, which drew the attention of passersby. Upon seeing them, they couldn't help but think, "These two shrine maidens are so beautiful."

Even if they aren't that beautiful, the mark of a fox spirit will naturally carry the aura of a fox spirit, which will become a unique temperament that makes people know at a glance that they are extraordinary.

Soon the two sisters arrived at the 'Shrine Main Hall', a tall building with many shrine elements. Two strong security guards stood at the entrance of the building.

People dressed in Shinto priest robes or Onmyo robes came and went at the main entrance of the 'Shrine Main Hall', each with a look of worry or excitement on their face.

Even the security personnel who had worked here for a year didn't quite understand. It was the first time they had ever seen so many Shintoists coming and going. Normally, they would consider it a lot if they saw ten or so Shintoists coming and going.

Is Congress going to hold a grand ceremony to worship the gods of the heavens?

At this time, the prayer hall of the shrine's main building.

Although it's called a prayer hall, it's actually just a conference room similar to an opera house. The stage is provided when necessary to hold balls to please the gods of Takaten Masakami and invite shrine maidens from various shrines to perform Kagura dances.

In Shintoism, 'Kagura-mai' is one of the dances performed to please the gods.

Previously, the higher-ups in Shintoism did not believe that the gods enshrined in shrines actually existed. They regarded Shintoism as a culture unique to Japan, and even developed it into a unique national ritual.

However, since the 'Britain Incident', the 'Bogota Incident', and the 'Xia Kingdom Shudu Incident', they have come to realize that the gods truly exist.

Their analysis of each event led them to conclude that some gods remained in heaven, while others might have been reincarnated, with the angels of Britain serving as evidence of this reincarnation.

They now believe they have identified the identities of the gods who have appeared: 'Christ God' and His heavenly angels, Nezha the Third Prince from the Xia Kingdom mythology, an unknown sword immortal, and King Arthur, who may not be considered an angel or a god, but is comparable to a god.

Since the gods and angels of the West exist, and the gods of the Xia Kingdom exist, then the gods of Takamagahara must also exist.

To this end, they held no fewer than thirty Kagura dances and offering ceremonies to pray for the gods of Takamagahara to descend and look upon them, but none of them succeeded.

In particular, after obtaining the 'Source Awakening' from Brazil in South America, a transcendent awakening method that supposedly allows one to visualize the 'World Tree' and communicate with the divine.

Not only could the higher-ups not awaken the extraordinary, but even the priests of the major shrines and temples could not awaken it. In the end, they went to great lengths and directly distributed the 'Source Awakening' to the priests and priests of the major shrines.

However, only a few people in the major shrines throughout the Tokyo area have awakened; most people are unable to awaken.

Moreover, these awakened individuals are all priests or priests who frequently assist believers.

This made them realize that the gods in the world, just like those in myths and legends, only favor the kind and virtuous.

This situation left the high priests of these shrines who couldn't awaken their powers in an extremely awkward position. Fortunately, since 99% of the shrine chief priests couldn't awaken their powers, and since everyone was in the same boat, no one brought up this embarrassing matter.

"Does not being able to learn Source Awakening really mean we can't attract the attention of the gods? Our Inari family has been worshipping the Inari God for over six hundred years!" The Inari family shrine chief complained dejectedly.

“Our Amamiya family has been worshipping the Takaryū-gū (rain god) for over three hundred years. Alas! The son of the Mimi family (a family that worships the thunder god) who has awakened his source essence said that after awakening, he can truly establish a connection with the ‘World Tree.’ As long as the mind is continuously purified, one can awaken and even directly communicate with the gods, being granted the qualification to use spiritual power.” The priestess of the Amamiya family sighed.

Although the Amamiya family has not provided much assistance to its believers, they have worshipped the gods for hundreds of years. To deny them like this is too heartless of Lord Takaryūjin.

The lord of Ise Shrine sighed: "China, South America, Britain, and Europe all have many extraordinary individuals who can communicate with the gods, but we have none. Could it be that the gods of Takamagahara have not yet awakened?"

“I don’t believe that our Shinto Church, which has worshipped the gods of the heavens for thousands of years, has been abandoned by the gods. Perhaps it’s just that our gods have not awakened.”

"And what about those political families who are about to suffer the same kind of disaster as Britain, which is about to befall Tokyo? Are we really not going to leave?"

"Leave? What do you mean, leave? The gods will surely descend; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"Yes! We will not only not retreat, but we will stay! Political families are afraid of death, but we are not. Gods exist, and after death, we will have a new life in the underworld."

"Don't the gods only favor the virtuous? We stand at the forefront in the face of disaster, risking our lives to gain the gods' attention! I don't believe that the gods of Takamagahara would be so heartless."

Just then, a female clerk in a suit hurriedly pushed open the door and walked in.

"My lords and priests, two priestesses have said that they have brought a divine message from the gods to the 'Shrine Headquarters,' and, and!" The female clerk gasped for breath, clearly very excited.