Miyamizu Yotsuha skipped along the mountain path behind her grandmother and sister, her small backpack bouncing with each step. Yesterday had been special—the first time she and her sister had made kuchikamizake together. Today, according to their grandmother, that sacred mouth-chewed sake had to be properly offered before the Goshintai.
The Goshintai, Yotsuha had learned, was the enshrined statue of the deity itself. It resided in the "Kakuriyo"—the hidden world.
They passed Itomori Lake, its surface calm and reflective, and continued climbing the hillside. After a while, Hitoha's grandmother began to tire, her steps growing labored. Hozuki Nozomi, still inhabiting Mitsuha's body, wordlessly hoisted the elderly woman onto his back and continued onward.
"Grandma, why is the Goshintai so far?" Yotsuha's voice carried a whine as they paused to rest under a tree at noon. Her small arms and legs ached from the climb. "How much longer do we have to walk?"
Miyamizu Hitoha smiled kindly, pushing her glasses up. "We'll be there soon, dear. Another ten minutes or so." Her expression grew thoughtful. "As for why Kakuriyo is so distant... it's related to the Fire of Gorō."
Hozuki Nozomi's eyes sharpened at the mention. The Fire of Gorō—the incident two hundred years ago that had destroyed the shrine's ancient texts and killed its priestesses. The pieces were connecting.
After resting, he resumed carrying the grandmother, and they continued their journey.
Up the slope they climbed, past roadside trees and wild undergrowth. Then, suddenly, the view opened up before them.
From their elevated position, they looked down upon a flat expanse of land. If one viewed it from above, the spot where they stood was the edge of a circular depression—an ancient crater. At the very center, a massive tree stood tall and straight, commanding attention.
"Do you see it, Mitsuha, Yotsuha?" Hitoha's voice carried across the open space. "That is where the Kamimusubi resides. Beyond that point lies another world—the inner shrine. The hidden world."
She gazed toward the tree with nostalgic eyes.
"Alright, Mitsuha. Put me down."
Once standing, she continued her teaching. "There is an ancient concept called Kamimusubi. The mountain gods who protect this land, the spirits dwelling in the forest—the ability to form mysterious connections with them is called Kamimusubi."
She gestured with her weathered hands. "Just like our braided cords. During weaving, threads come together, continuously intertwining. They experience breaks, endure changes, and finally take shape. That process is also Kamimusubi."
Her voice grew solemn. "As the shrine maidens of Miyamizu, after completing the Kagura dance, we must offer our Kamimusubi—our other half—to the gods."
Yotsuha tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. "Our other half?"
Hitoha smiled. "The kuchikamizake. During its creation, it becomes imbued with mysterious power. Only after offering it to the gods may we leave this place. We cannot come empty-handed and leave empty-handed. We must leave our Kamimusubi to receive the gods' blessings."
She turned toward the tree. "Come. Let us continue."
...
They reached the massive tree at the crater's center. Hitoha, leaning on her cane, approached an entrance that led underground and disappeared into the darkness. Hozuki Nozomi and Yotsuha followed close behind.
The passage opened into an ancient shrine chamber. At its heart stood an altar of stacked stones—simple, primitive, yet radiating age and significance.
"Now, Mitsuha, Yotsuha." Hitoha's voice echoed softly in the enclosed space. "Offer your other half to the gods."
Hozuki Nozomi opened Yotsuha's backpack and retrieved Mitsuha's container of kuchikamizake. He placed it carefully on the shrine's offering altar, positioning it on the left side. Yotsuha, mimicking his movements, placed hers on the right.
With the offering complete, Hozuki Nozomi turned his attention to the chamber's walls. Ancient murals covered the stone—records of events long past, messages from forgotten times. He scanned them methodically, searching for clues about the evil god.
There.
A mural depicted a meteorite falling from the sky, destruction raining down upon the land. But beside it, another scene showed priestesses raising a barrier, their combined power protecting the people from harm.
So Miyamizu Shrine had once possessed true power. The priestesses could borrow the gods' strength to resist evil. But now, apart from the formal traditions that remained—the braided cords, the Kagura dance, the kuchikamizake—everything else had been lost to the Fire of Gorō.
Hozuki Nozomi committed the mural's details to memory, then turned to leave.
Behind him, Yotsuha tugged at her grandmother's sleeve. "Grandma, are there rules for where to put the offering? Like, can I put my other half on the left instead?"
Hitoha chuckled softly. "No rules, dear. Place it wherever your heart feels right. As long as your sincerity reaches them, the gods will surely receive our prayers and bestow Kamimusubi."
"Okay, Grandma!"
Yotsuha's eyes sparkled with mischief. The moment her grandmother's attention wandered, she darted forward and swapped the positions of her sister's kuchikamizake and her own. She liked the left side better. Since Grandma said there were no rules, she'd do what felt right.
Hozuki Nozomi, already outside, remained blissfully unaware of the little loli's meddling.
He stood before the massive tree, eyes closed, reaching out with his spiritual senses. Faintly, barely perceptibly, a voice whispered at the edge of his awareness.
...This is the last of the divine power...
His eyes snapped open. "The last?"
Only one chance remained. One opportunity to reset the Itomori Town disaster. After that, the gods' power would be exhausted.
"Sister?" Yotsuha emerged from the passage, catching sight of her sister standing mysteriously before the tree. "What are you doing?"
Hozuki Nozomi turned, a slight smile on Mitsuha's lips. "Talking to the gods."
Yotsuha rolled her eyes dramatically. "Sister, are you even awake? Talking to gods..."
He reached out and ruffled her hair with Mitsuha's small hand. "You're still young, Yotsuha. You'll understand when you're older."
"Ugh. Yes, yes, I'm young." She batted his hand away, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and started skipping back down the path. "Hurry up! Time to go home!"
Hozuki Nozomi watched her retreating figure with a helpless shake of his head. These days, no one believed you when you told the truth.
He quickened his pace, caught up to Yotsuha, and carefully lifted their grandmother onto his back once more. The elderly woman's strength had limits, and he wouldn't let her struggle.
...
Back at the shrine, after the evening meal and rituals, Hozuki Nozomi retrieved his notebook. He wrote carefully, clearly, ensuring Mitsuha would understand when she next inhabited her own body.
Itomori Town will be destroyed. The meteor falls on [date]. These areas will be hit first: [detailed list]. You must evacuate everyone before impact. The gods' power can rewind time once—only once. Use it wisely. Trust Sayaka and Teshigawara. They will help.
He paused, then added one more line.
When the moment comes, remember the incantation: "Eris's chest is padded." You'll know when to use it.
Saving Itomori Town required everyone working together. He couldn't do it alone from within Mitsuha's body. This was, after all, a special past timeline—a place that had already been destroyed once. The gods had used their utmost power to rewind time and offer this second chance.
Now it was up to him and Mitsuha to make that chance count.