For a long moment—
No one speaks.
Only the soft crackle of foxfire beneath the spirit roads…
And the distant mountain wind whispering through ancient trees.
The massive procession continues moving through the lower paths of Mount Kyobi, but even the surrounding travelers remain quieter now.
As though the mountain itself is listening.
Miko looks around slowly, her eyes shimmering beneath the foxfire glow.
Miko speaks as her voice is barely above a whisper.
"So…"
Her voice trembles softly with awe.
"The mountain remembers him…"
The drifting foxfire reflects in her wide eyes as she looks toward the towering cliffs above them.
Miko: "We've been walking on his legacy this whole time…"
Yukito slowly nods.
For once, there is no joking in his expression.
Only thought.
Yukito: "A place where even death wasn't the end…"
The ceremonial drums echo faintly in the distance.
BOOOOM…
Yukito clenches his fist.
"…but the beginning of something greater."
His eyes sharpen.
Yukito: "That's…"
A slow breath escapes him.
"…powerful."
Kaito exhales quietly beside them, trying—and completely failing—to sound casual.
Kaito: "Executed at the heart of his own home…"
He smirks faintly while staring ahead of the spirit path.
"And somehow…"
His fist tightens.
"…he still won."
Shizune glances toward him.
"Yes."
The foxfire surrounding the spirit roads pulses gently.
Kaito: "Turning the place of his death into a forge for future generations…"
A grin slowly forms.
"That's the kind of legend that never disappears."
Shiori steps forward slightly, her voice calm yet filled with deep respect.
Shiori: "No grand palace."
The mountain wind brushes through her hair.
"No golden shrine."
Her eyes lift toward the higher cliffs.
"Only warriors growing stronger where he fell."
A soft smile appears.
Shiori: "That feels right."
Jack remains silent for several moments.
The mountain looms endlessly above them.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then finally—
Jack speaks quietly.
"All this time…"
His gaze remains fixed ahead.
"I thought the battleground was a place to test strength, courage and determination."
The foxfire beneath the roads flickers softly.
"But now…"
His eyes narrow slightly.
"It feels more like a place that tests whether we deserve the future he believed in."
Shizune's expression softens warmly.
Around them, nearby kitsune travelers continue listening in silence.
A younger group of warriors whisper among themselves while walking.
Young Kitsune: "The Amatsuragi leader…"
His voice lowers instinctively.
"I only heard about him in old stories…"
Nearby fighter glances nervously toward the mountain heights.
Another Kitsune: "To think we'll stand where he once fought…"
A slow breath.
"That's terrifying."
The fighter shakes his head firmly.
"No."
His eyes burn with determination.
"It's inspiring."
Their voices fade back into the endless procession.
Miko slowly straightens her posture.
The fear in her eyes begins transforming into resolve.
Shizune resumes walking forward.
The foxfire spirit roads respond instantly beneath her steps, glowing brighter as the procession advances deeper into the sacred lower mountain.
Shizune: "Remember this feeling."
She doesn't turn around.
"Because once you step onto the battleground…"
Her voice lowers slightly.
"…Mount Kyobi itself will test whether you truly understand its meaning."
The group follows silently.
Above them—
The sacred mountain towers endlessly into the heavens.
No longer simply a home.
No longer simply a battleground.
But something greater.
Ancient.
Judging.
And then—
From farther ahead—
Elder Renkai's voice suddenly cuts through the mountain wind.
Deep.
Ancient.
Absolute.
Elder Renkai: "And remember this well…"
The entire surrounding procession seems to still instinctively at his words.
Even the foxfire flickers.
Slowly—
Renkai turns his head slightly, his glowing eyes visible from the side beneath the drifting mountain mist.
Elder Renkai: "The leader of the Amatsuragi Clan was not merely a warrior."
A cold gust descends from the upper cliffs.
The ceremonial drums thunder violently.
BOOOOM…!
The foxfire surrounding the spirit roads surges upward.
Nearby travelers lower their heads instinctively.
And when Renkai speaks again—
His voice feels less like speech…
And more like sacred truth carried across centuries.
Elder Renkai: "He was the God of Kitsune."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The wind stops.
The mountain itself feels still.
Even Jack's breath catches slightly.
Miko's eyes widen completely.
Yukito freezes.
Kaito's confident expression disappears entirely.
Shiori slowly lowers her head in reverence.
And far above the mountain—
The foxfire spiraling around the cliffs suddenly burns brighter.
As though Mount Kyobi itself acknowledged it.
Elder Renkai slowly faces forward once more.
"And even now…"
The mountain wind begins rising again.
"…his will still watches this realm."
The drums echo across the sacred mountain.
BOOOOM…
BOOOOM…
And somewhere deep within the unseen heart of Mount Kyobi—
Something ancient stirs.
The foxfire spirit roads continue winding deeper into the sacred lower mountain of Mount Kyobi.
But gradually—
The atmosphere begins to change once again.
The crowded terraces and lively lower pathways slowly give way to older stone roads carved directly into the mountain itself.
The air grows colder.
Sharper.
Even the foxfire changes color slightly here—
Its golden glow fading into deeper shades of blue and silver.
Massive cliffs now tower over the endless procession from both sides, their surfaces engraved with ancient foxfire inscriptions glowing faintly beneath drifting mist.
And ahead—
The path begins ascending.
Not gently.
But like a stairway leading toward another world.
The enormous spirit roads split into layered climbing routes spiraling upward around the sacred mountain walls.
Thousands of kitsune continue ascending together in glowing streams of various foxfire spirit paths.
Yet despite the sheer number of people—
The higher paths feel quieter.
Reverent.
Even the children lower their voices instinctively here.
Miko stares upward in complete awe.
"It goes up forever…"
High above them, colossal torii gates stand embedded into the cliffs, one after another, disappearing into clouds and drifting foxfire.
Massive prayer bells sway slowly in the mountain wind.
And somewhere beyond the mist—
The ceremonial drums continue echoing like the heartbeat of the mountain itself.
BOOOOM…
BOOOOM…
Jack looks upward silently.
The higher they climb—
The stranger the atmosphere feels.
Not dangerous.
Not hostile.
But aware.
As though the mountain itself is quietly observing every soul walking upon it.
Beside him, Shiori notices his expression immediately.
"You feel it too…"
Jack glances toward her.
"Yeah…"
A slow breath escapes him.
"It's like…"
He searches for the right words.
"…the mountain is alive."
Shiori smiles softly.
Not surprised.
Shiori: "Mount Kyobi has watched generations rise and fall for over a thousand years."
The wind sweeps downward through the ascending pathways, carrying drifting foxfire embers around the massive procession.
Shiori: "Places that carry enough history eventually develop a spirit of their own."
Shizune continues walking ahead of them, her voice calm as it echoes softly against the mountain stone.
Shizune: "And this mountain carries the will of the Kitsune God himself."
The surrounding travelers instinctively lower their gazes again at the title.
Even now—
The words carry immense weight.
Kaito looks upward toward the endless stairways ahead.
Kaito: "How much farther until the battleground?"
Yukito groans dramatically.
"Please tell me we're close."
Miko giggles.
"You're already tired?"
Yukito points upward in despair.
"This mountain has more stairs than sanity."
Even Jack laughs quietly at that.
The mood lightens briefly again—
But the mountain never truly relaxes.
The sacred climbing routes continue spiraling upward through the colossal cliffs of Mount Kyobi, glowing streams of foxfire weaving endlessly around ancient stone pathways suspended above deep valleys below.
Thousands of kitsune continue ascending together.
Some walk quietly in prayer.
Some carry offerings wrapped in sacred cloth.
Others speak excitedly about the coming battles, their voices blending into the steady hum of the mountain procession.
Above them, drifting foxfire embers swirl through the cold air like stars carried by the wind.
The higher they climb—
The more unreal the world begins to feel.
Miko suddenly leans carefully over the edge of the ascending pathway.
Instant regret.
Miko: "W-Whoa…"
She instantly pulls herself back.
"That's REALLY high."
Yukito immediately peeks over beside her.
A dangerous mistake.
Yukito: "…Okay nope."
He steps back instantly.
"Never doing that again."
Kaito bursts out laughing.
"You looked down for half a second."
Yukito points accusingly.
"And I saw my entire future."
Even Shiori quietly laughs this time.
The atmosphere softens again as the procession continues upward.
Ahead of them, several smaller spirit roads merge together into a massive ascending route crowded with travelers from every direction across the realm.
Warriors in ceremonial armor.
Families carrying children.
Traveling merchants pulling carts filled with festival supplies.
Foxfire musicians walking while softly playing traditional mountain flutes.
The entire sacred route feels less like a climb.
—
And more like a pilgrimage shared by an entire civilization.
Jack looks around carefully.
"There are way more people here than I expected."
Shizune nods while continuing forward.
"The Kyobi Veilcrest Festival only occurs once every five years."
Her gaze lifts toward the higher mountain.
"Some kitsune travel for weeks to witness it."
Miko's eyes widen.
"Weeks?!"
Nearby, an elderly kitsune walking beside another procession lane smiles warmly after overhearing them.
Elder Kitsune: "My grandson has been waiting three years for this festival."
Beside him, a young kitsune carrying a tiny foxfire lantern beams proudly.
Young Kitsune: "I'm gonna watch every battle!"
Yukito grins immediately.
"See? That's the spirit."
Kaito folds his arms.
"Don't start acting famous before fighting."
Yukito: "Too late."
The mountain wind sweeps harder through the sacred pathways now.
The foxfire along the roads bends with the gusts, casting flowing waves of blue and silver light across the massive cliffs.
Then—
The ceremonial drums suddenly grow louder.
BOOOOOM…
This time the sound feels closer.
Deeper.
The surrounding crowds begin slowing slightly.
Not from exhaustion—
From anticipation.
Miko notices first.
"Everyone's looking ahead…"
Jack lifts his gaze.
Far above the ascending spirit roads—
Something enormous slowly emerges through the drifting mountain mist.
At first—
Only silhouettes.
Massive vertical shapes stretching impossibly high into the air.
Then the foxfire wind shifts—
And the mist parts.
The entire procession collectively falls quieter.
Towering before them—
Built directly into the sacred cliffs of Mount Kyobi—
Stands the colossal torii gate.
Ancient.
Overwhelming.
Its massive black-and-crimson pillars disappear upward into drifting clouds while countless foxfire inscriptions glow across its surface like living constellations.
Gigantic prayer ropes sway slowly between the upper beams.
Ancient bells hang beneath them, echoing softly in the mountain wind.
The gate is so enormous that entire streams of kitsune processions pass beneath it simultaneously like rivers entering sacred territory.
And carved into the center beam—
Glowing faintly beneath drifting foxfire—
Is an ancient symbol.
Not fully visible.
Not fully understood.
But undeniably powerful.
The atmosphere changes instantly.
Nearby travelers lower their heads respectfully.
Even loud children instinctively fall silent.
The drums thunder once more.
BOOOOOOM…!
Foxfire erupts along both sides of the ascending paths.
Miko's breath catches completely.
"It's…"
Her voice disappears.
Yukito stares upward with wide eyes.
"…No way."
Even Kaito looks stunned.
"That gate alone looks like the entrance to another world…"
Jack says nothing.
Because for the first time since entering Mount Kyobi—
He truly feels it.
Crossing this gate means leaving behind the ordinary world completely.
And ahead—
Beyond the colossal torii…
The sacred mountain awaits.
- To Be Continued