"Ma Xiu, can you observe this phenomenon over there?"
After confirming that even Hoshikuma Yukina and her son couldn't figure out what kind of animal statue it was, Fujimaru Ritsuka became serious.
She first asked Samura and Hijikata, and Samura and Hijikata did tell them, but just like Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't see the image of the statue, she couldn't hear the name of the statue either.
After weighing the situation, she asked a question into the communicator.
"No, it cannot be observed."
Lawrence's tone was also a little solemn.
"After you stepped into this shrine, Chaldea's observation system was severely blocked. If I had to say it, it was probably similar to the situation I encountered when my spirit son was transferred. It should be the singularity itself.
Rejecting this kind of observation..."
"Titsuka, stop trying to understand that statue. If something unexpected happens, you will even be ejected directly from this singularity!"
Lawrence issued a warning.
"...Okay, I understand."
Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded.
Samura and Hijikata have already met the two miko-sama, namely Chacha and Sakamoto Ryoma, who helped greet them.
It is Himihu and Yiyu.
"Lord Samura Anno, Lord Hijikata Toshisan."
Himiko stood in the front, and Ichi and I stood in the back. The two shrine maidens together bowed slightly to the two visiting people.
Himiko seemed to be doing some daily cleaning work at the shrine.
"And these are..."
She looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka and Hoshikuma Yukina and their son with strange eyes.
"These three are visitors to the village, coming with us to investigate the anomaly."
Zuo Cun gave a brief introduction and bowed slightly to Himiko.
"Lord Himiko, Miss Chacha and Ryoma asked me to say hello to you on their behalf."
"We are here to go up the mountain. I heard that the village chief went up the mountain alone a few days ago?"
Hijikata took up Samura's words and asked Himika.
"Lord Nobunaga did go up the mountain a few days ago."
"But she seems to have made it clear to us that she won't be coming down for the next few days. Is there any problem?"
"Also...what does the abnormality in the village mean?"
Himiko seemed to realize the seriousness of the matter, his expression became serious, and he even stopped sweeping the floor.
...
"A strange creature that looks a lot like the villager, and it also has a knife?"
Himihu scratched the back of his head and showed a wise expression.
This...why does it sound like a joke?
"Those things do look interesting, but they are armed with knives." Hijikata emphasized, "There is no doubt that they have posed a threat to the village."
"Let's go up and have a look."
Xue Nai also joined in the conversation.
"At least after we go up, we can know whether the village chief will be on the top of the mountain."
"I see."
Himihu nodded and made way to the top of the mountain.
"Please be careful."
She gave instructions to everyone.
"Please let me pray for you and hope you can return safely."
Several people passed Himihu and Ichiyu and continued to move towards the top of the mountain.
After walking out of the barrier, Kurokawa Mountain returned to its gloomy state again.
And the further you walk towards the top of the mountain, the heavier the blackness becomes, and the blocking of sunlight becomes more complete, almost completely blocked, and you can only barely see the road ahead according to the sky, just like...
dusk?
Or is it early morning?
Anyway, it’s that closed feeling between morning and dusk, so heavy that one can’t breathe.
Fujimaru Ritsuka raised his head and glanced at Hijikata and Samura, only to find that these two "indigenous people" of the village looked normal. Even Hoshikuma Yukina and Suori looked normal.
"Today's weather is actually pretty good." Samura raised his head and said something that sounded a bit ridiculous to Fujimaru Ritsuka.
"If the weather is nice, don't delay here. You guys, who are willing to put down their swords because of the warmth, don't forget to fight me when you get back to the village!"
Hijikata Toshizo seems to have quite a strong opinion of Samura.
"Haha, don't be like this, Hijikata, you know I don't want to fight with anyone anymore, no matter what the situation is." Zuomura laughed, but he was probably smiling bitterly? In short, he shook his head and seemed to refuse.
The earthwork looks like this.
...Can't hear clearly.
Fujimaru Ritsuka walked in the middle of the team, but felt the most depressed.
Is the weather nice?
But why did I see that the sky was indeed gloomy and almost dark...?
She rubbed her temples.
The steps are also very heavy. I don’t know why they are so heavy...
Wait, when we came out this time, were there so many people?
Fujimaru Ritsuka felt that there seemed to be many people around him, following him, walking in front of him, walking upward with him, towards the lake on the top of the mountain.
No, something is wrong...
Fujimaru Ritsuka rubbed his temples again, but even though his steps were heavy, he did not stop. He just kept walking forward, seemingly mechanically.
Others seemed not to notice the strangeness of Fujimaru Ritsuka. Hijikata and Samura were still talking about returning to the village to test swordsmanship, while Hoshikuma Yukina and Suori looked around as if they were on an outing.
Only Fujimaru Ritsuka was depressed and dull.
"What am I doing now?"
She whispered to herself in a very low voice.
No, I'm not talking to myself.
Instead, he made no sound at all, just his lips trembling.
Snapped.
Along the mountain road, a trace of confusion and chaos appeared in Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes.
Snapped.
Wow——
Is it raining?
But why.
So hot?
"Today is a rare good weather."
Snapped.
Raindrops hit Fujimaru Ritsuka's face. Listening to Samura's voice and feeling the heat as if it was burning, Fujimaru Ritsuka——
He raised his head suddenly.
She has reached the top of the mountain.
I'm not sure what I saw...
Fujimaru Ritsuka could only tell herself this.
Sea of fire.
The mountain top is burning with fire.
heavy rain.
It was pouring rain.
The mountains are black, the forests are black, and the lakes are black.
The person standing on the lake is also black.
It was jet black, as if it had been painted with black paint.
Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't know who it was.
She just knows.
The other party should be looking at me.
He looked at himself with an extremely huge, unbearable gaze filled with unknown emotions.
"You shouldn't be here."
He said something in an indistinguishable male and female voice.
call----------
"ah."
Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly came back to his senses.
The weather is indeed sunny.
The sun was shining brightly, and after emerging from the forest, there was a ring-shaped lake on the top of the mountain.