"We're almost done for the day. Just a little more and then we'll head back to rest," Senbarisu said, her voice carrying over the tired crowd.
A few students groaned in response. It had been a long day. They'd been up since six, shuffled between places, traveling, then walking. Each stop had chipped away at their energy, leaving them drained, craving nothing more than to sit down, unwind, and maybe not move for a while.
Their final stop? They weren't sure if they'd come back tomorrow, but for now, the last destination was—
"Fushimi Inari Taisha," Senbarisu's tone lifted, showing a bit more interest than she had during the earlier stops.
The shrine stood as one of the most important in Japan, nestled in the Fushimi Ward of Kyoto. It had been there since 711 AD, dedicated to Inari Okami, the god connected to rice, fertility, and business. As the head of over 30,000 Inari shrines scattered across the country, it drew both those seeking to pray and those simply curious to explore.
Fushimi Inari Taisha's story traces back to ancient Japan. According to old records, it was established by Irogu no Hatanokimi. Empress Genmei had commanded him to enshrine three deities. A tale from those times says that he shot an arrow at a rice cake. The rice cake transformed, becoming a swan. The swan flew and landed on a mountain peak, which marked the spot, a divine signal that rice would grow strong there.
The shrine expanded over time, particularly during the Heian period when it received special attention from the imperial court. By 942 AD, it had earned the highest status among Shinto shrines. Since then, Fushimi Inari Taisha has been a central point for cultural and religious activities, a place where tradition and belief intertwine.
It remains a key part of Japanese spirituality. The shrine hosts several traditional festivals every year, each reflecting Kyoto's deep history, as the former capital of Japan. Its ties to agriculture and the hope for prosperity in business keep worshippers coming, seeking blessings for their fields and ventures alike.
Beyond that, Fushimi Inari Taisha stands as a cultural symbol. Its endless torii gates and its long history make it essential for anyone visiting Kyoto, a place where Japan's respect for nature and spiritual devotion is always present.
Yasushi stood there, staring at the shrine, that familiar feeling creeping up on him again. Whenever Hakufubuki was around, it always hit him like this. Being near a deity's shrine, this time Inari's, only made it stronger. He wondered if something might happen, maybe even an encounter with her.
Right when he opened his mouth to speak, everything seemed to slow down around him. His muscles tensed without warning. Someone had appeared, walking straight toward them. They flashed a smile in his direction. Short white hair framed their face, fox-like ears sticking out, purple eyes watching him, and shrine maiden clothes hanging off their frame.
It didn't take long for Yasushi to figure it out. Inari Okami. The thought settled over him as he stood still, waiting, barely holding back the tension building inside him.
"So, you're the boy Amaterasu mentioned?" Her voice reached him, calm yet direct, as she stopped in front of him.
Yasushi stared for a bit, trying to keep his voice even. "I am. Are you Inari?"
"That I am, boy. We've been watching since the meeting. Your deeds so far, they aren't enough. Prepare yourself. There may come a time where you'll have to fight the 'chosen ones' of other gods to prove your worth," she said, her words carrying a weight that couldn't be ignored.
Yasushi had already figured this was coming. He wasn't arrogant enough to think that what he'd been doing would be enough to impress the gods. That's why he'd been pushing himself harder, working out more since his meeting with Amaterasu and the other gods.
"I had a feeling." His eyes stayed on her, his voice calm as he asked, "Can I ask you something?" She gave him a nod. "Are any of those 'chosen ones' here today? Two people have been eyeing me pretty closely."
"Yes," she replied without pause. "They're from Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Don't worry, he won't get involved himself, but his 'chosen ones' can put you through hell without crossing the line. Maybe he wants to test you, given how different you are in our world. Either way, be on your guard." She turned to leave, her presence fading as quickly as it had arrived.
Just before stepping out of sight, she added, "One more thing — enjoy your time here. I'll make sure you're treated properly." Then, she disappeared, and time snapped back to its usual pace, everyone around him moving and talking like nothing strange had happened at all.
"Something up, man? You look kinda off," Furuya asked, eyeing Yasushi closely.
Yasushi exhaled hard, the breath coming out like he'd forgotten to let it go in the first place. He shook his head and muttered, "No, it's nothing. Just wondering if these ever got knocked over before. Maybe by some troublemakers?"
Furuya gave a shrug. "Could be? But they'd have to be crazy strong or something. These things weigh a ton." He stepped up, put some effort into pushing one, and nothing. Not even a shift.
"Yeah, maybe." Yasushi's voice trailed off as they kept moving, with Senbarisu chatting away, clearly enjoying the chance to dive into the history of the place and its myths.
But Yasushi wasn't really listening anymore. His mind circled back to other things. Bigger problems. He had no clue when Hades' goons were gonna make their move. They could come any time, and if they hit the villa, that'd drag more of his friends into the mess he was already drowning in. He couldn't let that happen.
+-+
"And that's pretty much how it went down," Yasushi said, leaning back in his chair, looking at Jingliu, Xinyi, Yunxue, Layena, and Yinhaie. They were the only ones who understood the truth — how the gods, supernatural, all of it was real. So he filled them in, told them about his encounter with Inari at Fushimi Inari Taisha. How she'd warned him, and about who had sent their underlings after them in Kyoto.
"Why the god of the underworld, though? Isn't that a bit... overboard?" Xinyi asked, sounding rattled. "Seriously, what'd you do? Kill a bunch of people in your past life or something for Hades to come after you?"
Yasushi shook his head. "Never killed anyone. But I beat up a lot of people, messed them up bad enough that they'll never be the same." He paused. "But let me make one thing clear — they came after me first. It was like those shitty manhua where you take one guy down, and then his whole damn family, his friends, and the gangs they run with decide you're their problem."
Xinyi let out a quick snort at the comparison, but she couldn't deny that it suited Yasushi, given his past. She nodded, "Guess we'll have to keep an eye out more than before, right? Two of Hades' people stalking us now."
"Yeah," Yasushi replied. "We're only here for a week. They haven't done much since that meeting months ago, just watching us from the shadows. I'm hoping they don't make a move at the house, but... anything can happen. Just stay sharp." The group gave quiet nods, all in agreement.
Before the conversation could continue, Furuya burst into the room, shouting like he'd just seen something unreal.
"Hey! Anfeng's doing something insane with a metal rod, fire, and her mouth!" His eyes were wide, nearly popping out from excitement.
No one had time to react before Xinyi stood, moving fast, driving her elbow right into Furuya's stomach. The hit landed perfectly, and he dropped, gasping, knees hitting the floor as he clutched his gut.
"The fuck, Xinyi...?!" he wheezed, trying to catch his breath.
She walked past him without a second glance. "Sounds like fun. Let's check it out," she said, already heading out of the room.
+-+
A few hours had passed, and midnight was creeping closer. Yasushi felt relieved, for now, nothing had gone down. He had hoped they wouldn't try anything at the house, and it seemed like that hope might hold.
He stood by the balcony of his room, looking out at the streets below. Jingliu was stretched out on their bed, scrolling through cat videos, her quiet presence filling the space behind him. Yasushi's eyes drifted over the calm streets of Kyoto, but something caught his attention, just on the edge of his sight. A small detail, but it stood out.
He focused, squinting a bit, and there they were. The same man and woman from earlier in the day, standing in the shadows, still and unsettling. He didn't say a word, just locked his eyes on them. He waited, wondering if they were about to make a move. They didn't.
The woman caught his eye and, without a word, winked before they both disappeared into a cloud of dark smoke. Yasushi's brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms. "Was that a warning?" he muttered.
"Something wrong?" Jingliu's voice came from the bed.
Yasushi shook his head, sighing, then slid the balcony doors shut and made his way back to her. "I saw those two again. Same ones from earlier. There might be something happening tomorrow. Get ready. I'll let the others know."
Jingliu frowned but gave a small nod, already prepared for anything. She had been keeping up with Yasushi, following his lead in training ever since they started to suspect the Banquet of the Gods wasn't going to be a simple affair before their graduation.
She set her phone aside, then rolled over, positioning herself on top of him. "Let's just forget about that for tonight," she said, her voice low, her posture shifting in a way that caught him off guard. The way her nightwear had shifted revealed more than intended, making Yasushi swallow hard.
Before he could react further, the door swung open. Xinyi barged in, shouting, "Hey, we're about to—" She froze, eyes darting between them, face turning red as she processed what she'd interrupted.
"S-sorry for interrupting!!" Xinyi shrieked, slamming the door before running down the hallway, still yelling something about Yasushi and Jingliu about to go at it.
Both of them sat there, faces hot, sighing at the situation.
Yasushi chuckled. "Well, guess we gotta join them now."
Jingliu gave a small pout but nodded. She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, her finger trailing lightly across his chest. "We'll finish this later," she murmured.
Yasushi grinned, getting up to dress. Once they pulled themselves together, they joined the rest of the group for the night's game. It didn't take long before the teasing started, comments flying about their timing and how they couldn't keep it in on the first night of the class trip.
+-+
"Alright, so today's tour ended faster than usual because for some reason you're all being way too obedient," Senbarisu remarked, casting a look at her students. "Go have fun — don't break any laws and, to the couples, use protection." She gave a dismissive wave, signaling they were free to go.
The class burst into excited chatter, immediately splitting off into groups and pairs, heading off in different directions.
"Be back by curfew!" Senbarisu called after them, getting a few scattered replies of acknowledgment as the students disappeared down the street. "Damn kids," she muttered, turning toward a district known for its bars.
"So, since we've got the day to ourselves, how about the special Furuya tour?" Furuya suggested, grinning like he had everything figured out.
Laura shrugged. "We did agree, so go ahead. Lead on."
With a smirk, Furuya wasted no time taking charge, guiding them through the city like he had the entire day planned in his head.
+-+
"I'm disappointed in you, Furuya." Reina's voice carried over the clatter of dishes and murmurs of the café. Lunch stretched on, a few hours past the start of the guided tour Furuya had organized. Most of them had gone along, not exactly thrilled, but content enough. Reina, though, seemed bothered.
"You really took us to the most normal places. I mean, I thought we'd be seeing Kinkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji, Nijo-jo Castle, Kifune Shrine, Yasaka Shrine, Heian Jingu, Toji Temple, Tenryu-ji, Togetsukyo Bridge, and Kyoto Tower." She sighed, shaking her head. "Not...well, where we've ended up."
A couple of friends nodded in agreement, but Furuya leaned back in his chair, unbothered. "I was going to take you all there eventually. We've got a week, so why rush?"
Yasushi shrugged, finishing a bite of food before chiming in. "He's got a point. We've got time to take in all those spots at our own pace. No need to cram everything in, especially when we can appreciate the quieter parts of Kyoto."
The group kept chatting, voices blending with the noise around them, but after a few minutes, Yasushi and a few others stiffened when they noticed a familiar face. The woman from the day before strolled by, blending in like any other tourist, though the brief curl of her lips betrayed something else.
Yasushi exchanged glances with those who understood, a silent exchange passing between them, urging caution. Tension simmered beneath their casual conversation, but the woman kept walking, no sign of stopping. Minutes passed without her or the man appearing again, the unease slowly ebbing away. They settled back down, finishing lunch before heading off to another spot in Kyoto.