413 Mystical connection" (2/2)

Seiji stood up, removing his hands from her body, and continued the incantation while making hand seals.

All the cluster amaryllis around them stopped glowing, and the entire space fell into darkness.

”…The path leading towards a distant world, OPEN!!”

Seiji ended by extending his palms.

The blood-red runes from Yukari's body lit up with a blinding redness in the dark cave and formed a highly complex oval-shaped spell formation that resembled a humongous red mystical eye.

Seiji carried Yukari in his arms and jumped into the middle of this spell formation.

The spell formation closed up as if it was an eye that was shutting itself, and vanished in the darkness.

The Firelit Road.

In legends, this was another name for the road to the netherworld. That was because the road to the netherworld bloomed with a large number of cluster amaryllis, which were as bright-red as fire, making the road seem like it was burning up with flames.

Seiji was currently walking down this ”Firelit Road.”

He princess-carried the purple-haired girl in his arms and walked down this road with countless bright-red cluster amaryllis blooming, heading into the distance.

Apart from this path that was covered with blooming cluster amaryllis, everything else was pitch-black. If he strayed from this path, he would sink into eternal darkness.

Seiji wanted to talk more to his female spirit, but she fell silent again.

He was even beginning to wonder if he had fallen into a trap of some sort, but since she was his bonded spirit, she shouldn't have any negative intentions towards him.

If she wasn't Tamamo-no-Mae, though, just what powerful spirit was she?

She possessed the power to open up the path to the netherworld… Could she be…

Seiji thought of one possible name.

If that was who she was… if she was the spiritual manifestation of that concept, then that would be quite incredible…

He pondered this question as he walked.

Apart from his female spirit's identity, he was even more worried about Yukari's situation. He also pondered over many things about Yukari…

'…By the way, just how long is this road going to go on for?'

It seemed like there was no end… wait a moment, he finally saw the end to this road!

Seiji immediately quickened his pace.

He clutched Yukari tightly as he began running.

There was a large pit located at the end of the road. The pit was lit up with a golden glow that seemed quite extravagant.

Seiji held on to Yukari as he jumped down this pit.

He felt his body beginning to spin as everything before him turned golden. He could hear faint noises coming from around him and his consciousness became hazy…

He suddenly began falling!

He managed to adjust his position in midair and land safely. However, he discovered that the girl he had been holding on to had vanished!

”Yukari…” Seiji felt anxious as he looked around his surroundings.

This place seemed like a forest.

There was a silver full moon in the sky which illuminated the forest. Cluster amaryllis flowers were growing everywhere on the ground… apart from that, there was nothing except for darkness and quietness.

”Walk towards where there's the most flowers,” the female spirit spoke up in his mind.

”You're finally talking again. Why weren't you talking just earlier?” Seiji asked as he headed towards the thickest patch of flowers.

”I don't like talking when I'm busy doing things.”

”Oh…” Seiji interpreted as it must have been inconvenient for her to talk while ”opening” up a path to the netherworld for him.

”You successfully guessed my name, heehee… I originally wanted to keep the secret for a little longer.”

Seiji stumbled in his footsteps.

”You… really are…”

”While that is indeed my name, I'm not the type of existence you think I am. Someone just happened to give me this name.” The female spirit chuckled lightly.

”Someone gave you your name? Could that person have been…”

”Heehee… you should probably focus on what's before you for the time being.”

Seiji entered the deepest part of the forest.

Cluster amaryllis flowers were blossoming thickly everywhere. There were humongous spiderwebs to be seen everywhere between the tall trees. Many animals' bones could be seen on the spiderwebs, and there were even numerous human bones as well.

There was a purple-haired girl lying on one of the spiderwebs, quietly sleeping while illuminated by the moonlight.