In the cloudy dark skies overhead, a lone red star shines bright as it brings a out a crimson hue on a lone mountain.
Littered across it's rocky surface are multiple Torii gates, one that occasionally manifests and demanifests various beings wearing a monk's attire. The gates are connected to animal trails and stone steps that the monks use to transverse the slope, choosing which ones hike towards their desired plateau.
Sitting atop one of the biggest plateau is a large, though unconventional, shrine.
And within the shrine lies the most important building there: The Honden.
Inside the sacred building lies one among many spaceous rooms. And within a particular room that loosely resembles a study, a green-skinned be heard erratically tapping his sharp fingernails on a thick enabored desk.
"A wellspring of energy, unending and overflowing... How was it conceived?" The kami's sharp gaze meticulously scanned the documents layered across the surface of his desk. "There are too many noteworthy event that happened, any one of them are viable for the conception of a new being. This much is believable with how many new fodder are casted out into the outskirts." He swiped the papers away, leaving a trail of slime.
"The problem is how any of those events can spawn a being of infinite energy." The green-skinned Kami stood up from his seat and paced around the study. "The child barely has a sliver of divinity, no different than one of that lunatic's pet projects." He stopped pacing and stood still, running a slimy hand across the many scrolls along the bookshelf. "If he was a result of his experiments, he wouldn't be willing to let loose such a valuable specimen. An utmost impossibility, as that man clings so harshly to his toys."
"Hm..." The Kami plucked one of the scrolls and unfurled it open. "A ploy from the fey, perhaps? There are records of them connecting humans to leylines as a game... No. Perhaps a Sleigh Beggy wandered to Japan and sprouted some tales? Plausible."
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"This better be important!" He shouted.
"Lord Ishimaru, your meeting with lord Kinnu is due within a tea's moment."
"Ah, yes. Has it already been a few hours?" He wondered aloud. "Very well, I shall be there as intended." The Kami no longer paid any mind to the servant as the sound of footsteps faded.
He propped up the scroll back into where it belonged.
"What a conundrum." He muttered to himself. "Regardless, I shall be the one who will own it all, as it should be."
~~~
Prowling through the dark corridors of the shrine's main building would have been significantly more difficult without my eyes attuned to lesser lighting. It was easier to spot anybody who was going to pass by as they carried with them a source of light and the creaking of the floor boards as they paced their steps.
The old, aged architecture of this place along with the lackadaisical care of its residents meant that the wood sounded precariously and the walls are stained with colonies of mold and pests. There is an odd scent of mildew coming from just beyond the corners but never were there, and the occasional jumpscares of flying bugs left much to be desired.
At the very least, the air wasn't heavy with oil or stale with too much decay.
It was troublesome having to dispell the heads when they were almost caught at times, especially after all the effort that went into losing my hanger-ons just to create them. I barely explored a fraction of the building so far and considering my expected schedule, I wanted to finish things as soon a possible.
It is hard to keep a leash on the thoughts trying to run amok. I've left most of the scut work of the night on me running on autopilot just so I can ponder my next course of actions.
The discussion and revelations of the day still left their mark on my mind and have since refused me peace.
A dilemma where I'm not sure whether I am in the right or wrong. Perhaps even, there is no proper answer to what is objectively correct, and only the results matter to whom it may concern the most?
Tomorrow, inevitably, I have to play the role of a dedicated doctor, a disconnected researcher as well as a human guinea pig to aid in its progress. With my ability to heal and the ability to create near-autonomous heads, the others are ecstatic on saving their research funds to funnel elsewhere.
However, I have to pull myself back to the present day. Because right now, I have to play the role of a narcissistic kami.
"Next." I declared with a lazy wave of a hand.
So much for being a kami...
When you think about being gods, what comes to mind is something along the lines of opulence and power. The reality of it is that being a kami is no different from a celebrity that is required to hold frequent meet-and-greets in addition to whatever schedule they have.
At the very least, I'm not as sleep deprived due to not needed much sleep. Thank the gods for small mercies.
Pun not intended.
"Next." Ignoring the way another stranger prostrated their gratitude, I waved my hand again and motioned for the priests to get rid of him and bring in the next begging believer to enter.
It made me wonder what the other kami did to deal with them.
For the non-humans that come here, most of their problems consist of fading away from the lack of energy which is something I can easily fix but not so easy for the other kami. I mean, isn't this energy something they'd fight over for, an important resource for their continued survival? I wouldn't be surprised is they hoarded the vast majority of whatever they acquired and only give out a few measley ounces of it.
"Next."
Then for the humans that come here, I couldn't heal them. Or rather, I can't heal them at all without risking exposure!
I've already claimed that I'm a pure, newly existing supernatural. Beings from this side have powers but not quirks so I couldn't use that excuse when someone comes and asks me how a dark-attuned being can use something even remotely attuned towards light and holy attributes!
The best I could do for them is either putting on a somewhat flashy show and do exaggerated gestures, or I could hand them off to another kami for processing whenever they're free, which may or may not take weeks depending on how hedonistic they're feeling.
"Next."
Every now and then, it feels as if I don't have kami for coworkers. Oftentimes I wonder to myself if I'm actually the designated babysitter for overpowered children.
Which, isn't really a good comparison since some of them are actually smart and the others are just true to their desires.
Not like I'd know anyway... It isn't like I spent that much time here just yet.
"Next."
The sheer scale and narrow timescale made this investigation much more difficult than what I was used to, especially considering that I couldn't really rely on any outside support.
Dusk's Grace has no business anywhere near this place and I wouldn't want any of them being even closely related to any of it. Nanna's business might have some exchange here and there as psychedelics and cults go hand in hand like bread in butter, but that's just how Nanna usually is anyway and she definitely knows when to cut her losses as a veteran so I'm not too worried about her. I just don't want to rely on her this time as she might sour the connection.
"Next."
Maybe I should start getting close to some of the people here and subtly get info from them? Or maybe I could order something from Nanna and pry the secrets from someone else's lips?
Decisions, decisions...
"I'm taking a break." I announced to no one in particular. Nevertheless, no one dared to stop me as I left the room. I mean, why would they? They don't have that kind of authority over me.
And even if they did, why should I listen? I'm supposed to be the 'young master' kind of character.
Plucking a cut of cold meat from the offerings, I left the private worship hall and donned my hood.
I'm addition to my disguise, the shrine also has clothing provided for the Kami as 'garmets befitting our superiority' or something. I don't subscribe to their ideology of course, but it would be wrong to deny clothing enchanted with obscurity and inhibited recognition. There were other enchantments available but I chose these one under the guise of intermingling with the believers for the sake of understanding how to manipulate them better.
It was honestly easy to get them to believe it.
Almost too easy...
As simple as it was, my origin story is airtight. Nevertheless, a healthy amount of suspicions are within the expected parameters, albeit on the lower side of the spectrum. Though, this might have something to do with how unexpectedly hand-off the Kami are in terms of leadership.
Other than the occasional orders to the masses, only believers of a certain rank are consistently doing anything remotely important. The rest of the numbers are simply indulging in their desires, namely drugs, sex or both.
A common methodology among cults.
As I passed by the masses of roving bodies, I kept my head down as I let myself get lost among the tide.
The consolidation of the cult's power meant that most of not all do the people here are viable sacrifices. And or either as literal offerings to rituals or as a scapegoat when things turn for the worst.
A wise rabbit knows of three burrows, as the saying goes. I need more information before taking on an offensive. If not, then I have no doubt that the Kami are willing to cut off the lizard's tail and start over elsewhere.
I need data on the numbers of people we have, more comprehensive data about the upper echelon, about any other based and outposts, money and resources, logistics lines, goals and plans and maybes even their philosophy just in case it's useful.
I need to look around and find their bookkeeping room and sift through their ledgers. As awful as this place may be, any organisation worth their salt that last as long as this one needs to keep track of that sort details to stay cohesive.
But first, I need to lose my tails again.
.
..
...
That should do it.
Losing my tails this time only took a few minutes. It was exceptionally easier this time. Odd.
Normally it would have taken another ten minutes or so. Did something ward them off?
A growling noise attracted my attention. I turned my head to the source of the sound and saw an open depilated room with odds and ends scattered about. Through the scarce light of flickering candles at their last moments, I saw a cloak that was sitting in the middle of the room, a squirming mass was hidden underneath in a clear display hostility.
It was in moments like this I lament why I didn't extend my senses earlier.
...Oh right, the Kami would have noticed.
Immediately, the figure exploded into action.