Meanwhile, somewhere in Inazuma City.
"Boss, what should we do now?" a bald man said in a deep voice.
Boss: "Look for her! What else can we do? This is top-grade merchandise! Don't those big shots like them young? The money we get from selling her will be enough for us to live lavishly for several months!"
Boss: "For now, search thoroughly in Inazuma City. She has nowhere else to go!"
"That's the only way…"
Clearly, these people were not engaged in legitimate business. Where there is light, there is darkness, and such scum exist everywhere.
However, they did not know that the "top-grade merchandise" they spoke of had already become someone's cherished darling.
…
After leaving the dojo, Shiki teleported back to Kamisato Estate, then found Hyakubee and had him issue a task to the Anbu.
"Help me investigate a person named Kobayashi Sakura, approximately nine years old. Once you find her, tell me her parents' information and family situation."
"Understood."
Hyakubee nodded and agreed. After doing all this, Shiki frowned.
She had been wondering what was lacking in Inazuma, but the Kobayashi Sakura she met today immediately struck her.
She had promised Kazuha and Fujiwara that she wouldn't tell them the parents' information, but she herself still needed to understand the reason.
If it was a family issue, then new laws and policies would be introduced. If it was an external factor, then the Tenryou Commission would have work to do.
When it came to 1 PM, finding a family's detailed background in just a few hours was quite difficult, so Shiki went directly to Watatsumi Island.
At this moment, she and Sangonomiya Kokomi stood on the shore of the Eye of the Deep. The people of Enkanomiya originally ascended to Watatsumi Island from here, so naturally, they would return from here as well.
Sangonomiya Kokomi's eyes drooped slightly, then water emerged from beneath her feet, climbed up her legs and body, and finally formed ribbon-like streams of water behind her.
"Ryougi-san, please follow me closely from now on."
After speaking, Sangonomiya Kokomi condensed a path of water, which connected directly to the center of the Eye of the Deep.
At the same time, Shiki felt a strange power added to her body. Driven by intuition, Shiki stepped onto the path condensed by Sangonomiya Kokomi.
Pop ~
Several ripples appeared on the water surface, but Shiki did not pass through the water and fall as would normally happen; instead, she stood on the water.
"This feeling… it's very peculiar…"
This was Shiki's first time standing on water. Water was not as solid and heavy as earth, giving a Citrus-like feeling that one might fall if not careful.
"Hehe, Ryougi-san, don't worry. Although water is soft, it nurtures countless lives."
"Under the effect of the Ceremonial Garment, people can also swim freely in the water like fish."
Sangonomiya Kokomi said, doing a somersault in mid-air, floating around the water path. No, "swimming" would be a more accurate description.
Even though there was no water, she swam in mid-air like a fish.
Shiki, seeing this, followed the path downwards. Although the water path made her feel like she might fall, she actually wouldn't.
It was as if it had a life of its own. However much force you exerted, it would use just enough force to support you, no more, no less, just enough to keep you from falling.
At this moment, Sangonomiya Kokomi stood on the water with her hands raised as if holding something. The originally deep Eye of the Deep suddenly glowed, and then a small vortex appeared at its very center.
"Ryougi-san, I'll count to three, and we'll jump together!"
"Okay!"
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three, jump!"
Both of them jumped from the water simultaneously, then disappeared into the vortex.
Unlike teleporting with a Waypoint, this time Shiki felt as if she had passed through a deep blue tunnel. After a moment, a feeling of weightlessness followed.
"In mid-air?"
"Ahhhhh!"
Golden tomoe marks appeared beneath her feet as Shiki stabilized herself in mid-air, conveniently catching Sangonomiya Kokomi, who was in freefall.
Shiki: "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine…"
Sangonomiya Kokomi shook her head, still shaken. Why didn't any of the previous shrine maidens mention that it was hollow down there?!
"Good, then I just need to follow that opening and go inside, right?" Shiki asked.
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Yes, according to records, there's a buffer zone between Watatsumi Island and Enkanomiya. This must be it."
"Understood."
Shiki nodded, then leaped down from the air, though she didn't dissipate the tomoe marks formed by electro element.
Seeing the girl jump away without a word, Sangonomiya Kokomi also used a secret art to pull herself back to Watatsumi Island.
Without Sangonomiya Kokomi's support, the vortex passage eventually returned to calm.
But Shiki didn't care about that. By now, she had already entered through the opening and lit the first Waypoint.
As long as she had this, whether the vortex passage existed or not was irrelevant.
Passing through the narrow opening, the interior was a huge cavern. Perhaps due to the perpetual lack of sunlight, the plants here glowed faintly.
Whoosh…
The light sound of flowing water brought a sense of tranquility to this cavern, but Shiki, with her night vision, knew that it wasn't as peaceful as it seemed.
Dozens of dark blue Bathysmal Vishaps were seen wading or sleeping in the stream. Their forms were very similar to the adult Geovishaps in Liyue, but due to their habits, their skin was much smoother than that of Geovishaps.
They perfectly fit the characteristics of marine animals, looking slick and slippery, the kind that would make Mr. Zhong frown.
'Bathysmal Vishaps… It's better to avoid trouble, so I'll leave you alone for now.'
Shiki didn't bother with these Azhdaha, and it seemed these Azhdaha couldn't see her either, acting like blind creatures.
But thinking about it, it made sense. Living in a place without sunlight all year round, how good could their eyesight be?
Swish!
electro element flashed, and Shiki arrived before a massive gate. If this were a game, then it would be time for the essential puzzle-solving segment, right?
Looking at this enormous "door," Shiki couldn't help but think so.
It seemed like some items needed to be collected to reveal the true path to Enkanomiya, but an illusion was just an illusion. For Shiki, it was something that could be broken with a wave of her hand.
In the dark space, two points of rainbow-blue light suddenly lit up, followed by electro element bright enough to illuminate the entire cavern.
Boom!
With a loud bang, the seal set by Orobas was completely erased, and the path to Enkanomiya was revealed.
'It would be great if I had a map; otherwise, I don't even know the name of this area.'
Shiki really wanted to know the names of the areas within Enkanomiya. She hoped to find books recording these things inside Enkanomiya.
Shiki walked forward, releasing electro element to destroy the Ruin Sentinels along the way.
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