Under the dim yellow sunlight, the forest path exuded a warmth completely contrary to the approaching winter.
From the lush green woods on both sides came faint birdsong. A gentle breeze brushed through the leaves, causing the branches on either side to sway softly.
Tah, tah, tah...
On the muddy path, a warhorse galloped forward. Seated upon its back was a shrine maiden named Miko, dressed in ceremonial robes and clad in armor.
The plates of her armor reflected a dull metallic sheen, while her long black hair flowed freely down her back. The horse was equipped with a sturdy leather saddle.
Miko handled the reins with skillful precision, occasionally letting out a clear shout. It was evident that this shrine maiden—who often traveled between nations—was no stranger to horseback riding.
Behind her followed a luxurious carriage. The beast pulling it was no ordinary horse but a two-headed yokai roughly the size of a rhinoceros.
Inside the carriage sat Satsuki, resting with her eyes closed. At the front, Ruri sat in the driver's seat, hands tucked into her sleeves, staring blankly ahead with a sullen expression.
"To think that I, the 'Strongest System Across All Worlds,' would be reduced to a mere coachman... I really can't understand what this host is thinking."
Though traveling to another world had stripped Ruri of the ability to teleport freely as she could in the Naruto world, it didn't mean she had lost the power to fly.
Walking along the ground like this—what a ridiculous waste of time.
She had her complaints, of course, but there was no helping it. Under Satsuki's command, she had captured a docile yokai to serve as their beast of burden.
Controlling it wasn't difficult—Ruri merely released a faint trace of yokai energy ahead, and the creature understood her intentions. Its endurance and leg strength were excellent, making it an efficient mode of transport.
Still, it left her with far less time to laze about.
The path they took wasn't a standard trade route nor one of the official highways connecting nations. Instead, it was a secluded woodland trail, rarely traveled by humans.
After several hours of continuous travel, the dense border forest ahead grew thicker and wilder.
But crossing the border wouldn't be easy.
The road had long ceased to be even remotely flat. Ahead lay uneven mounds of scattered rocks, and beyond the forest stretched a vast mountain range.
"Once we pass through this area, we'll reach the southeastern part of the Kantō Plain," Miko said with a nostalgic tone. "The Grand Shrine of Katori is located there. I once trained there for a time as an apprentice shrine maiden."
"The Grand Shrine of Katori?"
Miko nodded, then continued, "It's also known as Katori Jingū. Its principal deity is Futsunushi-no-Ōkami. Beneath the Grand Shrine exist two branches—the Katori Shintō-ryū and the Kashima Shintō-ryū. The former mainly focuses on swordsmanship and martial techniques, while the latter is where shrine maidens undergo their spiritual training."
From within the carriage, Satsuki's calm voice could be heard. "Sounds interesting. So, you were from the Katori Shintō-ryū?"
Miko nodded, then shook her head. "I began my training under the Kashima Shintō-ryū. But after my teacher—who was responsible for our exorcism training—was killed during a purification mission, I was temporarily transferred to study under the Katori branch."
"Temporarily? Judging from your swordsmanship, I'd say you learned far more than just by 'attending lectures.'"
"Perhaps I simply had a knack for it." Miko smiled modestly. "While I was born with stronger spiritual power than most, I was never particularly skilled in prayer, dance, music, barriers, sealing, purification, or spells. Instead, I found archery and swordsmanship far more appealing."
"Later, my sword instructor recognized my talent and gave me the chance to study more deeply. Among the shrine maidens of that generation, I suppose I was a rather unusual one..."
"Since we're on the topic," Satsuki said after a pause, "tell me—how many different shrine maiden organizations exist in this world?"
While such information wasn't crucial, it was still useful for broadening her understanding of this realm.
"The shrines officially recognized by the various nations number four in total. The oldest among them is the Fushimi Inari Taisha, located in Kyoto. It primarily enshrines the deities known as the Inari Gods, led by Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami. Inari is the god of agriculture and commerce—revered by daimyō from every land. This is also the only shrine capable of training both shrine maidens and onmyōji."
At this point, Miko glanced at Ruri and added in a subtle tone, "That shrine uses foxes as divine messengers, and it's said to be under the protection of the great onmyōji, [Abe no Seimei]."
"The second is the Ise Grand Shrine, located in the Kinki region. It enshrines the most exalted deity in the Japanese pantheon—Amaterasu Ōmikami. The sacred object housed there is the Yata Mirror, one of the Three Sacred Treasures symbolizing imperial authority. Among all shrines, it is considered the purest and most sacred. Within its grounds, there are no offertory boxes, and personal prayers for selfish gain are strictly forbidden. It exists solely for the gods themselves."
"The Ise Grand Shrine preserves a deeply traditional and unadulterated lineage of shrine maidens, and its selection process is among the strictest. In terms of spiritual capability—excluding combat proficiency—the shrine maidens trained there surpass those of the other shrines."
Hearing this, Satsuki asked curiously, "Does the Ise Grand Shrine not teach its shrine maidens how to survive in times of war?"
"Not exactly," Miko replied. "Their combat methods are... unique. They revolve around divine descent rituals—invoking the gods to temporarily possess their bodies. Most of the time, shrine maidens at Ise need only to please the deities. When it comes to battle, they simply lend their bodies to the gods. Because of that, their power varies greatly in battle. After all, divine radiance is not one's own strength—it's inherently unstable."
—So, it's basically a shrine that relies on divine backing, Satsuki thought dryly.
"The third is the Yasaka Shrine, located in the western provinces. It's quite far from here, and rumor has it they're in constant conflict with the local dog yokai. As a result, the shrine maidens there place utmost importance on spiritual cultivation and power. Many of the most formidable exorcist shrine maidens and even black shrine maidens have emerged from Yasaka Shrine. The deity they worship is the god of storms and battle—Susanoo-no-Mikoto."
"Sounds like a difficult place to live," Satsuki commented. "Have they ever sought your assistance?"
"Nearly every year, the other three shrines take turns sending exorcist shrine maidens to support Yasaka Shrine," Miko explained. "But the western lands are completely different from the east. Most of that territory belongs to yokai now, and even human activity is restricted. The shrine maidens there can only barely maintain balance—and that's largely thanks to the internal power struggles among the great yokai of the region."
—So, Yasaka Shrine is basically stationed on the frontlines of war.
"The fourth," Miko continued, "is my own shrine—the Katori Grand Shrine. I've already told you a bit about it. As for smaller shrines, there are far too many to count. You might find one even in some nameless village, but those shrine maidens are considered local or folk shrine maidens—they're not part of our formal system."
As the two continued to chat, they unknowingly reached the outer edge of the border forest.
A few hundred meters ahead lay a rugged field of scattered rocks. There, a group of around twenty to thirty people had set up camp for the night. Nearly all of them carried weapons, their armor and clothing worn and disorganized. Several small bonfires flickered across the camp as they roasted chunks of beast meat, fighting over them greedily. Some rested sprawled on the ground or crouched against rocks, unable to find any truly comfortable place to sleep.
Any seasoned merchant could tell at a glance—this was a band of brigands who roamed the borderlands.
This was a nameless band of ragtag brigands.
Due to their small numbers and poor equipment, they didn't dare to attack large, heavily guarded trade caravans—those were often backed by noble houses or government factions, and robbing them would only bring ruin upon themselves.
Instead, this group lingered along the borderlands, preying on isolated travelers. Occasionally, they collaborated with larger bandit gangs in chaotic regions, earning a modest share of the spoils.
"Boss, this campsite's terrible! How're we supposed to rest on this ground?"
The speaker was a scrawny bandit clad in tattered armor. Grumbling to the burly man by the fire, he twisted and turned on the rocky ground, unable to find a comfortable position.
"Quit your whining, you little brat!"
The bandit leader used a short blade to lift a chunk of roasted boar meat off the fire. After tearing off a large strip with his teeth, he tossed the rest to his men. The group immediately swarmed toward it, fighting over the scraps.
"When dawn breaks, we'll circle around the base of that mountain and head west. I heard there's a small merchant caravan passing through. They thought they could avoid the big gangs by staying off the main road—but they'll just end up running right into us!"
"Boss, you're a genius! The brothers haven't had a proper meal in ages." The small bandit fawned over him, grinning slyly. "I heard that a few days ago, Kansuke of the Rashomon Band ambushed a big target near Musashi Province. Made a fortune off it, they say. I'm so jealous! When will we get big like that, Boss?"
"You've eaten too much and started daydreaming, haven't you? You think recruiting's easy in these chaotic times? Remember how I brought you in? That cost money. We'll think about expanding once we've built up enough gold!"
As he finished speaking, the small bandit suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. After letting out a foul burst of gas, he clutched his belly and hurried toward the forest. Several of the men burst into laughter at the sight, while the little bandit cursed under his breath and vanished among the trees.
After walking for several minutes, he finally found a decent spot sheltered from the wind. But before he could squat down, the sound of hooves reached his ears from behind.
Startled, the small bandit ducked behind a large rock and peeked out. Through the dense forest emerged a girl leading a horse. She was dressed as a shrine maiden, wearing ornate armor that gleamed faintly under the moonlight. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, and her graceful figure defied his imagination. Even her steed was clearly a prized, divine mount.
Suppressing his stomach pain, he turned and ran back the way he'd come.
"Hey, what's with you running back so fast? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
The bandit leader frowned as his nervous subordinate came stumbling from the north.
"Boss... bad news... someone's coming!" the small man gasped.
"Someone? How many?"
"One... a woman..."
"You idiot! A woman scared you like that?" the leader barked, kicking the small man to the ground. But then, something clicked in his mind. He grabbed the bandit by the collar and asked excitedly, "Wait—did you say a woman? Alone?"
"Yeah, Boss! A shrine maiden! Really pretty too! And she's got a horse!" the small bandit panted, finally catching his breath.
That announcement drew the attention of everyone nearby. The entire camp stirred, as if some exciting opportunity had just fallen into their laps.
"Heh, brothers! What a lucky night! To meet a lone shrine maiden in a place like this... how pitiful! We can't just leave her defenseless out there... let's 'protect' her!"
At the bandit leader's shout, raucous laughter and obscene jeers filled the air. Weapons were raised, and the mob howled in excitement, some already rushing toward the direction the small bandit had come from.
"Listen up, you bastards! That girl belongs to the Boss! Don't even think about hogging her for yourselves!" the small bandit shouted while running alongside the leader, still clutching his stomach.
If it weren't for the pain in his gut, he would've sprinted ahead of everyone else!
Just as the small bandit returned to the camp, he realized something was wrong—every single one of the brigands had frozen in place. Each stood stiffly among the rocks, torches in hand, their mouths and eyes wide open. The rowdy noise from before had vanished, replaced by an eerie silence broken only by the faint whistling of wind through the trees.
At the edge of the forest stood a young girl leading her horse. Her bright, watery eyes blinked in slight confusion as she gazed upon the two dozen men before her. Her beautiful face showed only faint disdain, while the ornate armor around her chest rose and fell with her hurried breathing—clearly, traversing the forest had cost her some stamina.
So it wasn't a herd of beasts after all—just a bunch of bandits?
Though truth be told, seeing their kind sometimes angered her more than facing yokai.
Miko tossed aside her reins. The moment her expression hardened, the softness she had carried before transformed instantly into the commanding presence of a shrine maiden trained for exorcism.
"What do you intend to do? Rob a shrine maiden?"
At those words, a visible shudder passed through the group. Fear surged through their chests, clearing the fog of greed from their minds—they had just realized the woman before them was one of those capable of fighting yokai.
"Damn it! You idiots! What're you standing around for? We're humans, not yokai! Shrine maidens can't attack humans!" The small bandit brandished his short sword, his neck bulging as he shouted, "O holy shrine maiden! Saving humanity and protecting the weak is your duty, isn't it? Look at us—twenty or thirty poor souls, starving, freezing, and without women. How about you 'save' us, eh? Heh heh!"
His crude words broke the momentary silence, and the rest of the bandits soon regained their courage. They surrounded Miko in a loose circle about ten meters wide, weapons raised—but their fear was still obvious. None dared to strike first, especially after spotting the weapon at her back. A few others moved to seize her horse.
"So, you know shrine maidens are bound by such rules," Miko said, her tone icy. "That must mean this isn't your first time doing something like this."
Her gaze swept across the men, studying their faces. She wanted to be sure before she judged whether these were the kind who deserved no mercy.
The bandit leader frowned. This was the first time he'd met such a naive shrine maiden—one who showed no fear before bandits like them. It made the game all the more entertaining. With a smirk, he said, "Pretty lady, we've been at this trade for years. Shrine maidens like you are rare, but we still catch one or two every year, hahaha!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
At those words, fury surged within Miko's chest. Yes—scum like these always existed. The kind who thrived under the protection of those who sacrificed everything for them, only to bite back at their saviors in return.
"Haha, but none of them were as pretty as you!" the small bandit jeered, joined by a chorus of lewd laughter.
Then, from the sky above, came a cold voice.
—"That's why, to me, there's no difference between humans and yokai."
The bandits looked up instinctively—and gasped in terror.
A massive, twin-headed yokai beast descended from the sky, pulling a grand carriage that landed beside the shrine maiden.
"Y-y-yokai!"
The brigands, already cowards by nature, completely lost their nerve. Panic spread instantly—some dropped their weapons and turned to flee.
Yet the small bandit did the opposite. He darted behind Miko, trembling as he pointed toward the carriage, shouting in a voice that tried and failed to sound brave, "Shrine maiden! Aren't you supposed to protect ordinary people from yokai? Hurry up and destroy that thing!"
Miko could only laugh—her fury had reached the point of absurdity. She had met shameless men before, but never any quite this vile.
Satsuki, however, had no intention of wasting time on such creatures. She snapped her fingers.
From the top of the carriage shot countless thin threads of light, each one piercing into the heads of the bandits—none were spared, not even those who had already started running.
In the next instant, the men convulsed violently, their eyes bulging, mouths frothing, limbs jerking uncontrollably.
This was not death—it was pain extraction.
Through her Tenseigan, Satsuki had seen the lingering souls wandering near the camp—the souls of those tortured, murdered, and violated by these very men. Now, she was returning all that pain and suffering to its rightful owners.
"Ah—ah—ah—ahhhh!"
"Mercy! Please, mercy!"
"Gods, please—let me die!"
Agony, humiliation, torment, slaughter...
The very horrors they had once inflicted were now visited upon them in perfect measure. In this unending cycle of pain, death itself became an act of mercy.
Only after five full minutes did Satsuki retract the threads.
The bandits collapsed like sheaves of grain, their bodies limp and pale. They had not died—but their minds had shut down completely, slipping into unconsciousness as a defense against the overwhelming pain.
Watching them, Miko felt an unexpected pang of pity. Her earlier rage slowly faded, replaced by reluctant compassion.
"If possible... could you spare their lives, Miss Satsuki?" she asked quietly. "They only wanted to live..."
Despite her anger, the creed within her—the belief that humans must be protected—would not let her sit idly by as lives were extinguished. Having traveled across many lands, she had seen too many who had turned astray due to misfortune. Deep down, she still believed people could change.
"Oh?" came Satsuki's calm reply from within the carriage. "As the shrine maiden guarding the Shikon Jewel, I didn't expect such mercy from you. But tell me—if those yokai who come seeking the jewel only wish to live, why not hand it over to them as well?"
"..."
Miko had no answer. Her lips parted, but no words came.
To her, being a shrine maiden meant bearing a sacred duty. Humans and yokai could never be seen as equals.
But to Satsuki, there was no difference at all.
Neither view was wrong—they merely stood on opposite sides of the same truth.