Hidden Faction: Shintoism

Bai Cangshu refused to believe it and groped around the Fox Divine Envoy’s spirit body again. In the end, however, he could not touch the spirit body itself at all.

His actions changed the expressions of both the white-haired old priest above the torii-lined path and the Fox Divine Envoy.

They could sense that Bai Cangshu held no reverence whatsoever for this solemn shrine, or even for Inari Ōkami himself.

Watching this, the professor’s breathing tightened, and his body instinctively shrank back. He felt that if things went wrong, he ought to run immediately.

The professor was one of The Chosen. Every Chosen possessed a special ability related to the authority of space, and that ability was often the first ability acquired after entering Reincarnation Space.

The professor’s first ability was called Crystal Divination. It had originally been a low-level ability barely above a parlor trick, with extremely poor accuracy and the restriction that he had to use a crystal ball.

But after he studied it, the ability mutated. The D-rank Crystal Divination became the B-rank Crystal Revelation.

He only needed to consume a crystal of any quality to receive a certain "revelation."

Such "revelations" were sometimes warnings of danger, sometimes a special kind of Spiritual Perception, and sometimes highly secret information.

The professor guessed that his sensitivity toward the plot and his talent for uncovering hidden events might be manifestations of this Chosen ability.

After becoming a reincarnator, the essence of being Chosen began to take tangible form through the abilities he acquired.

At this moment, the reason he had appeared before Kyoto’s largest shrine was because, after consuming an exceptionally high-quality blue crystal, he had received a revelation related to the shrines in Kyoto that had declined due to Kibutsuji Muzan’s changes.

He believed he had figured out where the Demon Slayer Corps faction’s greatest source of support lay in the Main Mission, so he had come to trigger the quest.

What the professor had not expected was that "Mercenary Tao," who should have been charging straight for the prince’s residence without a care, had arrived at Fushimi Inari Taisha before him and seemed to have directly triggered some remarkable side quest.

"Old sir, if there’s something to say, just say it. Me, heh, when I make a deal, I’m fair to young and old alike."

Bai Cangshu walked straight through the Fox Divine Envoy’s spirit body, causing its form to flicker unstably. He looked directly at the old man before the mountain shrine and spoke.

The old man kept his head lowered, yet his voice traveled freely down the hundred-meter mountain path. Such skill was not something an ordinary person could possess.

"I am merely a Shrine Master who serves Lord Inari Ōkami. Since the divine envoy has returned, naturally everything shall be decided by the divine envoy."

The little fox ignored the professor and instantly appeared before Bai Cangshu again.

"Arrogant mortal, Lord Inari Ōkami shall bring calamity upon you!"

The little fox’s red eyes had become somewhat bloodshot, and its feigned soft, adorable demeanor instantly took on a sinister air.

Hidden Faction: Shintoism's impression of you has decreased. Current status: Neutral (70/100)

Bai Cangshu and the professor saw the prompt at the same time. The professor widened his eyes, feeling rather wronged, while Bai Cangshu’s smile only grew broader.

Despite his blatant rudeness, Shintoism’s impression of him was still neutral, leaning toward friendly.

It was clear just how badly Shintoism’s power had been suppressed, and how far Inari Ōkami’s shrine had fallen.

Bai Cangshu also realized at this moment that he had indeed not thought things through carefully enough before.

In the Main Mission, the current balance of power between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan’s faction was close to one to nine. The gap was terrifyingly vast.

If he relied only on his original plan of hunting pro-demon ministers, the prince, and isolated members of the Twelve Demon Moons—

Then completing the Main Mission would probably be far too difficult.

After all, the reincarnators participating in this cooperative mission were all paper-rank reincarnators. Someone like him, who could swiftly kill a Lower Rank alone, was already an exceptional existence.

The best among the Lower Ranks were likely already at the parallel lower level, while the Upper Ranks would rise by an entirely different margin.

Ordinary paper-rank reincarnators could not possibly hunt enough Lower Ranks to complete this mission.

Reincarnation Space would not issue a certain-death mission. Therefore, changing the balance of power did not mean there was only one path: damaging Muzan’s faction. They could also seek support for the Demon Slayer Corps.

Those third-party factions that had suffered losses because of Kibutsuji Muzan and his affiliated forces were all potential allies.

With that thought, his perspective instantly broadened.

He glanced back at the professor disguised as a woman. The man really did have some skills.

With this line of thought in mind, Bai Cangshu lowered his gaze to the little fox, then still raised his head and spoke to the old man.

"You want to kill Hirohito and Kibutsuji Muzan too, don’t you?"

The old man’s entire body trembled. He looked at Bai Cangshu, his flesh unmoving, yet his voice emerged as steadily as ever.

"Sir must be joking. Prince Hirohito is the Emperor’s descendant. Naturally, we have no other thoughts. It is merely that…"

"Kibutsuji Muzan has acted perversely and tyrannically, ravaging the human world. Our god naturally must uphold the righteous path."

The old man said this, but Bai Cangshu merely smiled mockingly.

Shintoism had evolved from Japan’s native shamanistic religion. It had been established as the state religion during the Meiji Restoration and should have continued until the end of World War II, but the course of development in this world had changed.

Kibutsuji Muzan, an evil demon capable of freely granting "eternal life," had, in a short time, caused these priests of the supernatural—whose favor had been steadily declining since the Heian Period—to lose the people’s patronage.

Inari Ōkami, as a god of agriculture, had fallen even further with the Industrial Revolution.

The professor coughed twice. He feared that if he did not speak now, this "Mercenary Tao," who was so unhinged that he showed no courtesy even toward Plot Characters, would anger a rare potential ally. At the right moment, he crouched down and spoke to the Fox Divine Envoy.

"We can help Lord Inari Ōkami uphold the righteous path, but in return, you must also provide us with certain conveniences and assistance."

As the professor began communicating with the little fox, Bai Cangshu headed toward the mountaintop.

His steps were incredibly swift, and within a few breaths, he had reached the shrine entrance. At that moment, he smelled the thick scent of incense within the shrine, but its interior was no longer so pristine.

The old Shrine Master no longer kept his head down and maintained that humble appearance. He was not tall, just under one meter seventy, and had to raise his head slightly to see Bai Cangshu’s face.

"Well? Fushimi Inari Taisha is Kyoto’s foremost grand shrine. Once, worshippers came and went in an endless stream, and its incense never faded. Beneath Inari Ōkami’s gaze, we…"

"Heh, it declined."

Bai Cangshu rudely interrupted the other man’s thoughts, which had been immersed in better days. At last, the old man’s face darkened.

The old priest gripped his right sleeve with his left hand and formed a hand seal with his right. A gust of wind appeared from nowhere, causing his beard and hair to fly apart.

An indescribable force emerged from the shrine. Then, in Bai Cangshu’s perception, the priest seemed to grow taller in an instant, releasing an endless stream of intense pressure.

The old priest muttered an incantation. His right fingers came together like a sword, then suddenly pointed at Bai Cangshu.

Bang!

The old priest’s pupils constricted. Bai Cangshu’s figure instantly appeared before him, one hand already gripping his wrist while the other fist hovered before his throat.

"Is this the so-called Onmyōdō or Divine Arts?"

"Too slow."

You have triggered the Hidden Quest: Fallen Miracle

Quest Description: As the era progresses, the mysterious fades, and many factions are losing their color. But Shintoism is unwilling to decline. They have resolved to return to the center of politics once more.

Quest Objective: Help the Shintoism faction eliminate forces hindering its development.

Quest Rewards: Hidden Faction: Shintoism unlocked. Reputation Shop unlocked.