Good deeds should be done swiftly. Fortunately, Inari was not the type to require lengthy preparations. The various supplies ant for the second wave—the awakener strike team originally intended for deploynt—were all tucked neatly into Inari’s Divine Concealnt.
All that was left was to depart. On the rooftop, the helicopter pilot and two awakeners assigned as escorts waited for the signal.
“You’re the one, huh. I’ve heard of your exploits.”
“Oh, right… umm… Maru—”
“Maruyama. And this here is Takui.”
“Yo, looking forward to working with you again.”
Yes, they were Masaru Maruyama and Yuichi Takui—the sa pair of awakeners who had once visited the abandoned village. It seed Inari would be sharing another helicopter ride with them. For her, it was simply a matter of “how nostalgic,” so she had no complaints. Once the three boarded, the helicopter lifted off and sped toward Toshima.
“Once we drop you at Toshima, we’ll pull back to Izu Ooshima and wait there. You have an Awakener Phone, right?”
“Indeed.”
“Let’s exchange numbers. If you call or Takui, we’ll respond imdiately. Just… don’t expect too much in terms of rescue. Of course we’ll do our best.”
“Got my will written already, sa as always.”
“Takui, don’t say unnecessary things. Sorry, just call if anything happens.”
“Worry not. Now then, let us exchange numbers at once.”
Inari answered as though she truly wasn’t bothered in the slightest, and Maruyama exchanged numbers with her, chuckling despite himself. Takui did the sa, both n quietly impressed.
“She’s tough. Just how many battlefields has she survived in such a short ti?”
“Yeah, short-term rankers really are built different… Still, guess being around n all the ti really kills a guy’s tact.”
“Hey, sorry about earlier. I didn’t an to be tactless.”
“Hmm? I told you, I’m not bothered.”
“Yeah, but… consider it a matter of principle.”
“Well, I can respect that attitude.”
“You’re way more sensitive than I thought,” Inari teased, and Takui could only grunt in defeat. Maruyama laughed aloud.
“Hopeless. I can’t win against her in any sense. Maruyama, bringing her to HQ might have been the single most useful thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
“You’ve got to live a richer life than that. I worry about you, boy.”
“Help out here, Maruyama—she’s too right, I can’t argue back!”
“Ahaha! Don’t worry, Takui. She just reminds of my grandma!”
Because it was clear Inari’s words ca from genuine concern, Takui couldn’t refute her, and Maruyama had no intention of stopping it. Such things—call it selfless love—diminish as one grows older. Even between spouses, it was sothing rare.
That was why this mont in the helicopter felt so precious, filling the air with a warmth. Yet pleasant tis always pass quickly.
“…We’re almost there.”
“Mm… huh?”
At Maruyama’s words, Inari glanced outside—and stiffened. She could sense it. A foul presence, like a curse, leaking even through concealnt, rising all the way into the sky.
“Do not approach! Turn the helicopter back!”
“Eh!? R-right!”
The pilot obeyed imdiately, swinging the craft away. Of course, they couldn’t just fly back to Tokyo. Nor had Inari ant for them to.
“I will disembark here. Ooshima, was it? Wait for there.”
“Eh!? But below us is the sea! There aren’t even shallows—”
“I’ll be fine. Now then… may I open the door?”
She asked Takui’s leave before touching the hatch—after all, one couldn’t simply fling open a door mid-flight. Maruyama gave a nod.
“…So even approaching it is dangerous?”
“Indeed. I’ve not seen such a thing in ages. This will be a great undertaking.”
“Got it. There’s a parachute here, take it—”
“No need. Now then.”
Inari opened the door. Wind roared in as she stepped forward—then calmly walked out into the open air.
“…Eh.”
“…Huh?”
“Well then, I’ll be going. Don’t worry, I’ll shut the door.”
Closing the hatch behind her as if it were a proper foothold, Inari descended gently toward the sea—and began walking across the water’s surface. Watching from the helicopter, Maruyama and Takui stared in disbelief before slowly looking at each other.
“…I honestly don’t think I could tell anyone what I just saw and be believed.”
“Sa here. What, is ‘Fox Shrine Maiden’ so new-gen job class or sothing?”
“Doesn’t matter. One thing’s certain.”
“What’s that supposed to an?”
Maruyama slumped into his seat, cold sweat on his brow.
“If that girl can’t handle it… then no one can. That’s what.”
“Yeah… no argunts there.”
On that point, Takui could only agree. He still didn’t fully grasp how strong Inari was—but surely, she was extraordinary. She wielded powers like sothing out of a fairy tale. She would surely resolve this case as well. He had no proof, but he believed it all the sa.
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