Chapter 59

The Hound, now with the Hare (reluctantly) in tow, was cautiously using the shadows cast by the swirling void and twinkling star of Inari’s domain to climb back up to the stone slab above. One end of his shroud was wrapped around the Hare, who had started debating with himself once more but the Hound was ignoring it, focused on getting back to Kaede and Yurika as quickly as he could muster.

He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

Gakuto gasped, waking up as he heard chimes echo in the distance. He sat up, unsure of how long he wasn’t conscious. His body was sore and stiff, aching all over. He struggled to his feet, looking across the ruined shrine grounds and saw no signs of anyone else. There was a gaping hole in the viewing platform and he hobbled over to where a small set of gems were gleaming in the sunlight.

Gakuto picked it up, turning it over before stepping over to the viewing platform, before rearing back and flinging it as far as he could, watching for it to splash into the waves below. Kitsuya, even if he had survived, wouldn’t be able to use the full power of his tool and his threat level diminished significantly.

Leaning against what was left of the railing, Gakuto briefly enjoyed the cool seabreeze blowing in before turning towards the shrine proper, his hand still gripping Setsuna. His instincts told him that’s where he needed to go and so far, during his excursion on Tsuiraku, they had yet to be wrong…

Kaede and Yurika were sitting back-to-back near the boundary between Inari’s starscape and the shinkan, absolutely worn out from their encounter with the fox. Yurika’s kodachi, which Kaede had learned had once belonged to the island girl’s father, was still pierced through Inari’s chest.

Between both girls’ fatigue and the fear that removing the blade would somehow bring the fox back, they hadn’t even considered approaching Inari’s laid-out body.

“Say, Kaede-chan…” Yurika said, gazing up at the stars. “...did you think your week on Tsuiraku would be this interesting?”

The oiran was silent for a moment before remembering what she told Gakuto not long after they checked into Nagato before giggling loudly.

“No, but I told Gakkun that I was going to make my first week outside of the palace exciting!”

“I bet you he’s grumbling about that now!” Yurika said, a grin on her face before both the girls laughed heartily.

“Well, I’m glad you two are in such fine spirits.” The Hound’s strained voice reached the two girls and they both gazed at him before putting their hands up in a V-shape.

“We took care of the fox!” Kaede and Yurika declared in unison.

The Hound reeled up the rest of his shroud, which held the bound, rambling Hare, before looking over at Inari and her new accessory.

“I can see that…” The Hound said, unsure whether to be impressed or scared at the two girls. They had proud smiles on their faces as they struggled to stand up before falling against each other again. “It’s okay to rest for a bit, girls.”

Kaede and Yurika both sighed, staring up at the stars. “Alright!” They spoke in unison once more.

“I see they’ve bonded even more in my absence.” Gakuto said, crossing the threshold between the shinkan and the starscape.

“Gakkun!!” Both the girls said, hopping up and rushing over to him. Kaede wrapped her arms around him while Yurika gently patted his shoulder.

“Ow-ow-ow-ow!” He cried out and they both stepped back. “Sorry, I’m glad to see you both but Kitsuya did a number on me.”

The Hound stared at Gakuto. “Did you actually manage to defeat that man…?”

Gakuto, shocked to see the Hound but too sore to even try to fight him, nodded slightly. His face must’ve looked like a bunch of question marks because Yurika clapped her hands together.

“Oh, right. The Hound, here? He’s on our side.” She turned to the Hound, a slightly annoyed look on her face, her hands on her hips. “Isn’t there something you need to say, dog-boy?”

“S-sorry about the whole kicking you down a ravine into a rockslide thing…” The Hound said reluctantly, avoiding Yurika’s gaze. She glared for a few more moments before nodding, seemingly satisfied with that.

Kaede giggled loudly, as Gakuto’s gaze looked around the starscape. “I feel like I missed a huge ordeal while fighting with Kitsuya.” His eyes fell upon the downed Inari, with Yurika’s blade stabbed through her and he glanced at the island girl.

She returned his gaze with a look of curiosity before glancing over at Inari.

“Oh, yeah. We did that.” Yurika said plainly, pointing between herself and Kaede.

Gakuto looked stunned, his eyes going from Yurika to Kaede. “How!?”

Yurika pouted, looking off to the side. “I told you I wasn’t just some damsel…”

The Hound cleared his throat, the Hare sitting bound beside him, muttering to himself. “I guess if we’re done here, we can go finish things up at the pe–”

“Who said you were done with me yet?”

The four of them turned in the direction of the voice, to see Inari, standing with the blade still pierced through her chest, her eyes covered by her bangs. A visible aura of malevolent energy surrounded her as her silver hair lengthened, down past her waist. Her muscles tensed as the energy absorbed into her body before twenty long foxtails sprouted from her waist.

She snapped her head up, her gaze falling upon Kaede, as the Hound, Yurika and Gakuto all stood in front of her. Inari let out a howl, as her claws grew longer and sharper, before the energy subsided.

“There’s no way…” Yurika said, her eyes falling on her blade impaled into Inari’s chest.

Gakuto had Setsuna up in a flash as the Hound extended his fists, both ready to shield the two unarmed girls from the threat.

“Inari…” Kaede said, her eyes locking with the fox’s amber ones.

“I’m tired of that look in your eye, Kaede.” Inari snarled, saliva dripping from her fangs as she gnashed them together in rage. “It is now my goal to make sure you suffer as much as possible until the end!”

Inari narrowed her eyes before rushing at the quartet.

“Just as much as your precious moon princess!!”