Following Dr. Sato's directions, Ren ventured into the mountains, searching for the ancient temple. After hours of walking, he found it: a millennia-old stone construction, half-hidden among the vegetation. The temple seemed to emanate an ancestral energy, an aura of mystery and power.
The interior was dark and silent, barely illuminated by the dim light that filtered through cracks in the ceiling. The dense air, laden with the scent of incense and the humidity of the stone, made the atmosphere almost palpable. Statues of yokai deities, with imposing faces and enigmatic expressions, watched him from the shadows. Ren felt a shiver run down his spine, but also a strange sense of familiarity, as if that place was calling him.He knelt before the altar, his heart pounding. "Gods of the yokai world," he implored fervently, "I beg you to allow me to return. My place is there, with my friends, with Kiko... with my destiny."A sepulchral silence answered his prayer. Ren closed his eyes, feeling despair grow within him. Had it all been in vain? Were the gods not listening?Suddenly, a deep and resonant voice filled the temple, making the walls vibrate. It was an ancient voice, powerful, that seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth. A voice that emanated authority and ancestral wisdom."Ren," said the voice, "you have proven yourself worthy of our favor. We grant you passage to the yokai world, but know that there is a price to pay."Ren opened his eyes abruptly, hope reborn. "What price?" he asked anxiously, his voice trembling with emotion."To live among the yokai, you must renounce your human life," replied the voice. "Your mortal body will not be able to withstand the energy of that world. You must become one of them."A shiver ran down Ren's spine. Was he willing to give up his humanity? To leave behind his family, his life in the normal world? To accept an irreversible transformation?He hesitated for a moment, imagining the pain of his parents, the sadness of his friends... But then, the image of Kiko, with her eyes full of love and hope, prevailed in his mind. He remembered the adventures they had lived together, the friendship that united them, the promise he had made to her. And he knew that he could not give her up, he could not give up his destiny."I accept," he said firmly, his voice full of conviction. "I am willing to pay the price."At that moment, a blinding light flooded the temple. Ren felt a powerful energy run through his body, transforming him, remaking him... He felt his senses sharpen, his strength increase, a deep connection with nature flooding him. It was an overwhelming sensation, but at the same time, strangely familiar.When the light dissipated, Ren looked at himself in amazement. His body had changed, adapting to the magic of the yokai world. He was no longer a mere human. He was part of that world, a yokai among yokai.Before him, a shining portal opened its way through reality, a door to a new beginning. With a deep sigh and a look full of determination, Ren crossed the threshold, leaving behind his human life and entering a new destiny, full of challenges and wonders. The yokai world awaited him. And Kiko too.