Inazuma x Reader - Lost to Eternity

Chapter 23: Tatarigami Exorcism

Kuki Shinobu: "Well, this is the place."

Y/N: "Huh? Here? But this is barely a stone's throw away from the camp, how did we not find this before during rounds?"

Kuki Shinobu: "Hmm... I guess it's because nobody's known what they were looking for? And Kaji keeps his distance from soldiers, so it's not like there's anyone who could tell your soldiers what's up with this place, or it's true importance to the island."

Y/N: "I guess... but that giant bubble–looking thing stands out quite a lot. I'm surprised this is the first I've seen of it! So then, Kuki Shinobu, what is it we've got to do to cure this weather? Just burst this bubble open or something?"

Kuki Shinobu: "Heh, you can just call me Shinobu. There is no need to be so formal with me after all. Regardless, hmmm, maybe... Kaji isn't here anymore, but he told me that we'd have to have a look at the old Shrine. He said something about it 'rejecting him' when he tried to interact with it. I wasn't sure what he meant by that though, I thought I'd wait until you were with me before I went too far. After all, you're the only of us two that still have a Vision."

Y/N: "So I guess I'm just being used as a bodyguard then, am I?"

Shinobu: "Who said anything about me being defenceless? Heh, and aren't you the one suffering from Vision strain anyways? I can handle myself fine, so you don't need to go worrying about me."

Y/N: "Well, if that's how it is, then I suppose I'll be able to leave any fights that get picked for you to handle whilst I watch then!"

Shinobu: "I suppose you can, yeah, you can leave it to me if you don't feel confident in your skills without relying on your Vision. Just make sure to watch me, closely... Heh. Maybe you'll learn a couple things that'll have you less reliant on your Vision... among other things~"

Y/N: "Perhaps I will. As I understand it, you are quite skilled with Naku Weed in both offensive and defensive stances. I will look forward to learning from you, Sensei!"

Shinobu: "Don't uh— Don't call me that. It feels weird... Let's just have a look at that Shrine now, shall we...?"

It seems that my playful prodding back to my aggressor had proved quite effective, and Shinobu was quick to change the subject and lead us back on track. She walked on over to the Shrine, leaving me in her wake to keep up. This place... it was only on the other side of the gorge from the Resistance Camp? I mean, sure, the gorge is really quite large and difficult to traverse across, but surely I should have seen it by now? Just how little of this island have I actually seen, despite spending months on it at this point? I suppose the unending storms definitely didn't help with exploration, but even still I would have thought it would at least have been mentioned, no?

The Shrine was just like any other Shrine that you'd find out here in the wilderness, with it being just a simple wooden construction, built into the terrain with a stone platform. Shinobu was the first to the Shrine, with her taking the initiative to walk over there, and even though she was facing away from me, I think I could make out her face being a little flushed from the comment I made to her.

Shinobu: "Kaji said that putting his hand on it felt weird. Sort of like it was pushing him away... hmm..."

As she was explaining this to me again, Shinobu's arm was now making its way over towards the very same Shrine that she was explaining to have had a negative impact on the Kaji guy that she had spoken to earlier. Her hand growing ever closer to the old and weathered wood. Well, up until I grabbed her wrist and stopped her from making contact with the Shrine.