Chapter 66 I know that this world is as short-lived as dew, but, but.
Huangquan Town, Tanghongshan Sacred Road.
"Rin! What happened? Did you know something?"
The winding devil vines carried the lily of the valley and moved quickly on the shrine road in the mountains. Saotome Rin lowered her head with an unpleasant expression.
"It just occurred to me that the demon apostles were so well prepared this time by taking advantage of the time difference, but that doesn't mean they had no preparation eight years ago. Then eight years ago, when we were powerless, who stopped the crazy plans of these crazy people? Who stopped the anger of the mountain god last time on Tang Hongshan?"
Master Tang definitely did the same thing 8 years ago, but at that time, there was nothing unusual about Tang Hongshan, no eruption, and no other accompanying natural disasters.
Saotome Rin's voice was trembling: "My father is too late... Then there is only one person left."
The shrine maiden, the bloodline of the Shinto family, the worshiper of Tang Hongshan God, is also...
She was very friendly to them when they were young, but was mistaken for being a collaborator of the soup master and a witch who was buried in Huangquan Town 8 years ago.
Saotome Rin remembers what the last scene in the shrine looked like 8 years ago.
In the sea of fire, the shrine maiden in solemn ritual robes walked step by step towards the shrine lobby, dancing between the moonlight and the fire. The sparks around her were like fireflies transformed from the souls of the dead, and were swallowed up by the blood-red hellfire along with her.
She kept dancing like that until the flames reached the hems of her clothes.
The witch goddess said that Chizuru was not a bad person, but perhaps it was because she was too good that she had to die.
She thought that as long as she stopped Tang Zhu, she could save Shinto Chizuru, but she didn't expect that since Tang Zhu had already reached out to Tang Hongshan, Shinto Chizuru was destined to follow the same path as 8 years ago.
Saotome Rin thought of the sacrificial dance that Shinto Chizuru once taught her to do while holding her in her arms. She once said that this was the last trump card of the Shinto family, and that she could sacrifice all of her soul particles to calm the wrath of the mountain god, who symbolized volcanic activity. However, the dance was almost lost. At that time, there was no regret on Shinto Chizuru's face, but Saotome Rin only now realized how terrifying that weight was.
Saotome Rin gritted her teeth and almost forced out a sentence from her heart: "I won't let you die. You must survive this time!"
**
Huangquan Town, Shrine.
"The situation of the blood butterflies here has become relatively stable."
Bai Ye let out a long sigh of relief. The excessive frequency of soul particles made his vision a little black, and the slight vibration coming from deep underground made him a little unsteady, but he still stood up by himself by holding on to the wall.
"Thank you, the knife is yours now."
Shinto Chizuru bowed slightly and handed the broken sword of Ame-no-Kurokumo to Bai Ye.
Bai Ye hesitated for a moment: "It's not too late to leave here, but I always feel that... you don't seem to be bothered at all about how to explain the whereabouts of this knife to the Shinto family?"
Shindou Chizuru just smiled, her figure gradually becoming illusory: "Because it is not necessary, you are right, do it if you want to, and now, I will go to meet my destiny, no matter what, thank you."
Bai Ye's face suddenly turned ugly. He didn't know when the Shinto Chizuru here had turned into an illusion, and the real Shinto Chizuru...
The moment Shinto Chizuru's figure completely disappeared, Bai Ye gritted his teeth and rushed out with a knife in his arms.
**
Shrine, worship hall.
The night at the shrine was as dark as ever. The blood-red torii gate in the snowy night looked like a scene from a horror novel. The blood-red beam of light shot straight into the sky. In front of the shrine's worship hall, where sculptures of mountain gods were lined up, lily of the valley had just removed its vines and fell to the ground.
Saotome Rin stared at the figure in front of the worship hall. The shrine maiden turned around and smiled. On her pretty face, traces like maple leaves appeared faintly, which was a sign that the soul particles had begun to dissipate and the ritual process had begun.
They were still a step too late after being deceived by the cunning witch.
Saotome Rin's voice was trembling. "You knew it long ago... You knew long ago that bastard Enryuchi would eventually go this far, and would use the power of the Demon King of Dusk Fire to detonate the geological activities at the bottom of the mountain, causing the Tanghongshan volcano group that has been dormant for many years to erupt again... And the blood of the Shinto family is the only thing that can appease the anger of the mountain god."
Shinto Chizuru looked up. The moon tonight was so dim that the stars were shining. “Well, I have long known that the future of our Shinto clan has been decided by some people in the sky, but even so…even so.”
Shinto Chizuru was even smiling, her voice gentle and pleasant, just like when she explained the Shinto story to the young Rin and Kagero, and the story of Susano's victory over the Yamata no Orochi, and began to recite a haiku widely circulated in Yedao: "I know that this world is as short as dew, but, but."
Saotome Rin knew that the shrine maidens loved to recite haiku. On the eve of the dance, Chizuru, who had already made up her mind to start the ritual process, confirmed this. She was as relaxed as usual chatting, sharing her feelings with the three people in front of her: "My favorite haiku is Kobayashi Issa's. He said that in this world, it is like walking in hell and gazing at the flowers."
"I originally thought that I had lost this qualification after I succumbed to the deception of the soup master and made a big mistake. I didn't expect that I still have the qualification to view the flowers now."
She turned around and smiled at Saotome Rin: "A person's life is to wait for a person, an event, or a moment. I am very happy that I have waited for a moment engraved in my life. So, future Rin, don't show such a sad expression."
As the words fell, the sound of the earth shaking became more and more obvious, and the Tanghong Mountain at the foot of the entire shrine and the entire Huangquan Town began to shake wildly. If the previous vibrations only brought slight dizziness, now the vibrations deep in Tanghong Mountain had become like the strong winds and huge waves on the endless ocean, and they were like a small boat, being swept by the wind and waves and shaking wildly.
Saotome Rin gritted her teeth and said, "But there is no need, Shindou Chizuru! I was powerless in the past and couldn't help you, but now Yangyan, Xuedie, and I...are no longer the same as we were in the past!"
"You can definitely survive!"
Saotome Rin clenched her fists, almost breaking the knife in her hand.
"Impossible, Xiao Lin, your opponent is Yuan Luzhi, the...demon king Mu Huo who was king in ancient times, and my opponent is Tang Hongshan who has been guarded by this Shinto family for generations."
Shinto Chizuru turned around, her miko's clothes blooming like flowers on her body, and she spoke softly: "...curled up in the underworld, a tide of flesh and blood controlled by a giant snake, waiting for me to sacrifice my life to decide their fate. The people I choose, the people I save can survive. If I don't go, it's like I have become a executioner who controls other people's lives morally. This is his plan."
Saotome Rin wanted to insist: "But there are so many devil players now-"
Qianhe shook her head: "There will be people who punish evil and promote good who will stand up, but it will be too late to wait for them. Huangquan Town 8 years ago can't wait, so for fewer deaths, so that players can fight the devils without worrying about the back, I would rather stand here."
Perhaps she already knew her own ending, Chizuru talked much more than usual. She glanced at the already shaky Saotome Rin reluctantly, and looked at Suzuran beside her. Her bright blood-red and golden eyes flickered slightly, as if she saw something.
"I'll give you a haiku, Miss Suzuran: The intermittent light of a firefly flickers on and off within a foot. How can you bear the loneliness?"
Linglan was slightly stunned, then she sighed: "Even if it's just a phantom of the past, Ms. Chizuru, you are strong and gentle enough."
She knew that she could not stop the will of the person in front of her, so she simply stopped trying to stop him. The winding ghost orchid left all kinds of marks on the ground. Lily of the Valley just said solemnly: "I don't read the traditional literature of Yedao, but there is a haiku that I think is very good: If the mountain cherry is a sentimental plant, it should bloom black flowers this year. I think, maybe even you have regrets."
This time it was Shinto Chizuru's turn to be stunned. The maple leaf-shaped soul particles surrounding her body increased in number. Before she completely entered the state of worship, she nodded and said, "Miss Suzuran, you are joking. Although I am indeed very sorry that I can't enjoy the mountain cherry blossoms next year, there is nothing I can do. It is just winter now."
Linglan snapped her fingers and said, "It's okay. I have a way. Ms. Chizuru, I'll give you a cherry blossom blizzard. Don't thank me."
"Beautiful things are always short-lived, Ms. Chizuru, but we can make it bloom again."
Shinto Chizuru looked at the ghost orchid under Linglan thoughtfully, and suddenly laughed: "The color of the cherry blossoms is too light, give me a red rain. I want to leave like fire."
Linglan nodded: "As you wish. On the banks of the Styx, Tang Hong will guide you along the way."
Saotome Rin just listened to their conversation indifferently. Shinto Chizuru glanced at Saotome Rin and sighed with pretended regret: "If possible, it would be nice to see the sea." There are shrine maidens on the islands, but they have never seen the sea. I heard that Susanoo is the sea god of the short sea. Rin, you have the blood of Susanoo. If possible, please help me see the sea in this world and take good care of the blood butterfly. ”
Saotome Rin raised her head suddenly: "You have to take care of yourself!"
Although she was very, very angry, she still did not reveal the true identity of Blood Butterfly, just because she did not want to make Shinto Chizuru, who was destined to leave, feel sad.
Shindou Chizuru noticed her awkwardness, she turned around and waved her hands, no longer dignified and formal, but with the liveliness and unrestrainedness of a young girl: "Sayounara, the last sentence, I am not shouting for anyone, but for you, Rin, Xuedie, and Yangyan who is not here. In fact, I hope, I have always hoped so - it would be great if you were also the owners of the soul tags. That way we can rescue everyone here, and you will have the ability to protect yourself."
She walked towards the worship hall, and when there was only the last step left, a hurried sound of footsteps came from the shrine behind her. Saotome Rin turned around vigilantly, but only heard a loud shout.
"Saotome-san! Go on!"
Bai Ye breathed rapidly and hurriedly threw the ancient sword in his hand directly on the Shinto road. Saotome Rin jumped on the spot and caught the sword. The rotten blade reflected bright reflections under the light of snow. In a trance, it returned to its peak in the past and became extremely sharp.
Shinto Chizuru did not stop. The short wooden gate of the shrine slowly closed behind her, and a light-colored barrier rose up, covering the entire worship hall.
Saotome Rin mobilized all her soul particles with the force of thunder, and Ama Murasaki lit up with a light brighter than the sun and chopped down heavily, but the short hollow wooden door did not move at all, just stood there quietly, with only the light of the barrier flashing by.
Shindou Chizuru blocked her sword. The Kusanagi sword flashed a brilliant light, then fell silent, turning back into a piece of scrap metal.
She once again refused to be saved, and Ame Murasaki supported Shindou Chizuru's choice and rejected Saotome Rin.
Can't be stopped.
Bai Ye suddenly realized that she was a consciousness simulated by the DM system, and her fate had already come to an end in reality, but, but...
Bai Ye thought of those broken fragments of fate's revelation and took a deep breath.
But is it really... destined that someone will leave... and there's nothing they can do?
t173 didn't even give him any option to save the witch in front of him.
The shrine maiden in red and white dress began to dance, and the Kagura bells in her hands made bursts of clear sounds, like the singing of birds in a stream or the sound of a spring.
Saotome Rin and the other two were isolated outside the short wooden door and could only watch the shrine maiden dancing in the hall.
The night light flowed across the blade, reflecting the hideous marks of decay above. The ancient sword that the Son of God used to cut off the head of the Yamata no Orochi is now unable to even break the lock of a door, and cannot save a girl dancing in the red snow.
Lily of the Valley sighed. The human and the sword made the same choice. She closed her eyes. Countless ghost orchid vines spread underground. In the snow, the withered maple trees sprouted new buds. The blood-dazzling maple leaves grew slowly, shaking with the falling rain, gradually dyeing the entire shrine red.
Saotome Rin lowered her head. The candlelight from the shrine reflected on the katana, making it look as if someone had broken the moonlight.
Thus, the cursed demon sword Muramasa revealed its true face under the flickering of the Wheel of Fortune.
The blood-red sword was gradually tempered by the light of the maple leaves, and the priestess danced among her own soul particles. As she danced, Ama no Murasaki became sharper and sharper... and increasingly shone with the light that a token of the Ten Commandments should have.
Under the slightly curved arc of the blade, even the reflected light carried the bloody smell of the underworld. It was a completely different temperament from that of the Dusk Fire Demon King of the Blood Butterfly, but equally terrifying pressure.
Kusanagi was once given the Three Divine Sons by the ancestor god. It was the sword used by Susanoo to kill the Yamata-no-Orochi, one of the Four Demon Kings.
What was the final wish of the hero who slew the giant snake? Where is his gaze directed?
Ame no Murakumo knew the answer, so he chose to stand on the side of Shinto Chizuru.
Saotome Rin dropped her hands.
At least now Chizuru is finally free. No longer have to be bound by responsibility, conscience, and other people's opinions. Everything here will soon be cleansed away by the flames of hell, and Shindou Chizuru is now about to go back to the free and distant place that her heart desires.
Maybe she didn't want to be a witch.
Saotome Rin thought.
The witch's dance steps became faster and faster, heavy and light.
She sighed and smiled, and warned again and again in her heart.
"I will take away the last Shinto dance. No one will learn it and be forced to stand on the ground of justice where they must sacrifice... I will make the guy who used morality to make me leave fall into the same predicament."
"No one will die because of this dance or this volcano anymore."
She felt her soul becoming very light.
So, in the final Shinto music and dance, the souls that had become players for the family's wishes and had been saving for the expectations of others are now finally free for themselves.
She became a flying bird, the wind, the clouds, the waves of the sea, a free whale, or any other living thing except the witch, even non-living things.
At the end when the soul particles dissipated, Shindou Chizuru seemed to have returned to her childhood:
At that time, she hated rules and regulations the most. Facing the family's arrangement, she was completely resistant in her heart: "I don't want to be a witch, it's too boring, mom!"
But her mother just stroked her hair gently: "Mom won't force you to do anything, it's just the duty of a witch, you always have to make your own decision after understanding it."
Until that day, the shrine maiden who was protecting her mother died fighting the devil. At her mother's funeral, Chizuru finally chose to take over the duties of the shrine maiden.
"Mom, I'm coming to see you. I'm not throwing a tantrum this time. I really... have done my best."
"I am not here to let others die, but for our common resistance. Xuedie, Lin, Yangyan, you understand."
"さようなら——"
In the final dance, the silhouette of the shrine maiden turned into countless maple leaves and disappeared. With the disappearance of the shrine maiden, the tremors in the ground finally subsided, and even the flickering pillars of light around the shrine disappeared.
Shindou Chizuru did everything she could, just as she said.
"I have tried my best for this world."
**
Tang Hongshan, underground wreckage.
"It seems that stupid miko made the same choice as always."
Enryuchi noticed that the vibrations had stopped and sighed helplessly. "Master Blood Butterfly, what's wrong with you?"
Xuedie pressed her chest and said, "I don't know why. I feel sad, very sad, and it hurts."
Yuan Luzhi smiled: "It's just some useless emotions. If you really want to survive, you should not be obsessed with them."
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