nChapter 413: “Mystical connection

"

nTranslator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

n

"That's not it~

" a lazy-sounding female voice spoke up in his mind.

nSeiji paused for a moment out of surprise at suddenly hearing this voice. It took him a few seconds to recall who this was.

nThis was his newly bonded spirit!

nApart from saying a few words when she was summoned for him, this mysterious female spirit had always been

"sleeping

" at all other times. He recalled that Natsuya had guessed that she was...

n

"Tamamo-no-Mae?

"

n

"Hmm? You believe that I'm that nine-tailed golden fox?

" The female spirit chuckled lightly.

"That's not it, either~

"

n

"If you're not Tamamo-no-Mae, then just who…

"

n

"My name is unimportant. What's important right now is this beautiful young lady, right?

"

nSeiji fell silent at this.

n

"You believed that this spider must have some sort of intimate connection with this young lady, which is why killing that spider caused her to become like this… Heehee, although the result indeed makes things appear like what you surmised, things actually aren't what you inferred them to be.

"

n

"You know something?

"

n

"I only know what I know, and I can't guarantee that I'm one hundred percent accurate. Even so, would you still like to hear what I know?

"

n

"…Please.

"

n

"That spider is the materialization of the 'mystical connection' that this young lady possesses. If she faces off against it by herself and defeats it, she should be able to awaken to certain powers,

" the female spirit explained.

"However, she didn't do so, as she requested assistance from you, and you answered her call for help and slew the spider for her sake. Although you were able to defeat the materialization of the mystical connection in this manner, she was unable to receive her own mystical connection's recognition. So, the mystical connection judged that she still lost and gave her a punishment that caused her to become like this.

"

nSeiji didn't know what to say to all this as he processed it.

n

"Did you not understand my explanation?

"

n

"Well… I understand the gist of what you said, but there's various parts that I don't understand.

" Seiji sighed.

"May I ask some questions?

"

n

"Go ahead.

"

n

"First, what is a 'mystical connection?'

"

n

"You can understand it as some type of fate involving a human and a demon or spirit and so on, which is why it's also called a connection.

"

n

"Could you go into more detail about this?

"

n

"Actually, I don't know much about it, either, so I don't know how to explain.

"

n

"…Alright then, my second question. Why would Yukari's own mystical connection transform into a spider and attack her?

"

n

"Because it was awakened.

"

n

"Awakened?

"

n

"Yes, all humans have a mystical connection of their own, either strong or weak. Once a mystical connection is awakened, it will affect the human in question. It might be harmful, it might be a trial, or it might be something else entirely,

" the female spirit explained.

"What this young lady is facing isn't something entirely harmful—instead, it's a trial.

"

nSomething flashed in Seiji's eyes.

n

"How are mystical connections awakened?

"

n

"I don't know the answer to this question.

"

n

"…You said that Yukari's facing a trial type mystical connection, and if she defeats this spider, she can awaken to certain powers. Are you referring to Spiritual Abilities?

"

n

"Indeed.

"

n

"If she loses—if the mystical connection judges that she lost, she's punished like this… is there a way to cure her?

"

n

"This is a punishment handed out by the mystical connection. If you want her to recover, you can try negotiating with its main body.

"

n

"Main body… where would that be?

"

n

"If you would like, I can help you open up a path to reach the mystical connection's main body. However, meeting it could be quite dangerous.

"

n

"There's a possibility of… death?

"

n

"Yes. If you aren't careful, your soul might sink forevermore into the depths of the darkness.

"

nSeiji looked at the face of Yukari who was in his arms and felt how cold she was. He came to an instantenous decision.

n

"I'd like to go. Please assist me in doing so!

"

n

"You've resolved yourself so quickly… Heehee, I like men like you.

" The female spirit chuckled lightly.

nAfter that, Seiji received a mental message from her and learned what he needed to do.

nHe gently placed Yukari onto the ground and put his right hand on her forehead and left hand on her stomach as he utilized his Mana and uttered an incantation.

n

"Physical body in the realm of Yang, and soul in the realm of Yin…

n

"Qi in the current world, breath of the mystical world…

n

"The five elements move in harmony, the six great divisions in the wheel of karma…

"

nAs Seiji muttered the incantation, Yukari's body gradually lit up with a red light, and complex blood-red runes appeared on her body and floated in midair.

nSeiji stood up, removing his hands from her body, and continued the incantation while making hand seals.

nAll the cluster amaryllis around them stopped glowing, and the entire space fell into darkness.

n

"…The path leading towards a distant world, OPEN!!

"

nSeiji ended by extending his palms.

nThe blood-red runes from Yukari's body lit up with a blinding redness in the dark cave and formed a highly complex oval-shaped spell formation that resembled a humongous red mystical eye.

nSeiji carried Yukari in his arms and jumped into the middle of this spell formation.

nThe spell formation closed up as if it was an eye that was shutting itself, and vanished in the darkness.

nThe Firelit Road.

nIn legends, this was another name for the road to the netherworld. That was because the road to the netherworld bloomed with a large number of cluster amaryllis, which were as bright-red as fire, making the road seem like it was burning up with flames.

nSeiji was currently walking down this

"Firelit Road.

"

nHe princess-carried the purple-haired girl in his arms and walked down this road with countless bright-red cluster amaryllis blooming, heading into the distance.

nApart from this path that was covered with blooming cluster amaryllis, everything else was pitch-black. If he strayed from this path, he would sink into eternal darkness.

nSeiji wanted to talk more to his female spirit, but she fell silent again.

nHe was even beginning to wonder if he had fallen into a trap of some sort, but since she was his bonded spirit, she shouldn't have any negative intentions towards him.

nIf she wasn't Tamamo-no-Mae, though, just what powerful spirit was she?

nShe possessed the power to open up the path to the netherworld… Could she be…

nSeiji thought of one possible name.

nIf that was who she was… if she was the spiritual manifestation of that concept, then that would be quite incredible…

nHe pondered this question as he walked.

nApart from his female spirit's identity, he was even more worried about Yukari's situation. He also pondered over many things about Yukari…

n'…By the way, just how long is this road going to go on for?'

nIt seemed like there was no end… wait a moment, he finally saw the end to this road!

nSeiji immediately quickened his pace.

nHe clutched Yukari tightly as he began running.

nThere was a large pit located at the end of the road. The pit was lit up with a golden glow that seemed quite extravagant.

nSeiji held on to Yukari as he jumped down this pit.

nHe felt his body beginning to spin as everything before him turned golden. He could hear faint noises coming from around him and his consciousness became hazy…

nHe suddenly began falling!

nHe managed to adjust his position in midair and land safely. However, he discovered that the girl he had been holding on to had vanished!

n

"Yukari…

" Seiji felt anxious as he looked around his surroundings.

nThis place seemed like a forest.

nThere was a silver full moon in the sky which illuminated the forest. Cluster amaryllis flowers were growing everywhere on the ground… apart from that, there was nothing except for darkness and quietness.

n

"Walk towards where there's the most flowers,

" the female spirit spoke up in his mind.

n

"You're finally talking again. Why weren't you talking just earlier?

" Seiji asked as he headed towards the thickest patch of flowers.

n

"I don't like talking when I'm busy doing things.

"

n

"Oh…

" Seiji interpreted as it must have been inconvenient for her to talk while

"opening

" up a path to the netherworld for him.

n

"You successfully guessed my name, heehee… I originally wanted to keep the secret for a little longer.

"

nSeiji stumbled in his footsteps.

n

"You… really are…

"

n

"While that is indeed my name, I'm not the type of existence you think I am. Someone just happened to give me this name.

" The female spirit chuckled lightly.

n

"Someone gave you your name? Could that person have been…

"

n

"Heehee… you should probably focus on what's before you for the time being.

"

nSeiji entered the deepest part of the forest.

nCluster amaryllis flowers were blossoming thickly everywhere. There were humongous spiderwebs to be seen everywhere between the tall trees. Many animals' bones could be seen on the spiderwebs, and there were even numerous human bones as well.

nThere was a purple-haired girl lying on one of the spiderwebs, quietly sleeping while illuminated by the moonlight.

nThis girl was not Yukari.

n