"This is the main gate of the Dainichi Mikoshi. I'll handle the process of dispelling the barrier for you—could you hand me the Golden Bridle first?"
Lumine and Victor Wang exchanged glances, both hesitant.
"What's wrong? You still don't trust me? That hurts, my friends. Haven't I been honest with you so far?"
Paimon stepped in on Enjou's behalf. "He's right, without his help, we never would've found the Golden Bridle!"
Victor raised a brow. "Then could you… perform that thing again?"
"P-Perform? What thing? Though this might sound exactly like what a villain would say… I have to remind you: right now, I'm the only one who can help you. You can hold a sword to my neck if you want—or if you regret not hitting me earlier, you can do it now. Just… believe me afterward, okay? Otherwise, none of us are getting into the Dainichi Mikoshi."
"That's exactly what I meant," Victor nodded with satisfaction. "Lumine, let's beat him up a little."
Lumine flexed her wrist, playing along.
"H-hey, wait! You're joking, right?! I-I'm afraid of pain, you know!"
Seeing Enjou's "iconic scene" unfold again, Victor couldn't help but feel a strange satisfaction before finally handing him the Golden Bridle.
"…Then I'll get to work. You should probably stand back a bit—this is my first time doing something like this, and if anything goes wrong when the barrier breaks, well, that'd be bad."
"Like what?" Paimon asked, as curious as ever.
"Oh, you know—maybe the shockwave knocks you straight into the abyss, or the stale air knocks everyone out with poison, or maybe a guardian dragon suddenly shows up… Or maybe I get cursed and turn into a fire-wielding monster that attacks you all."
"Eek! That's terrifying!"
He's just blurting things out now… Victor thought. Mixing truth and paranoia—saying everything that crosses his mind, just so no one believes him. Must be satisfying for him, in its own way.
As Enjou began operating the mechanism, the barrier surrounding the Dainichi Mikoshi—and most of the island it stood on—shimmered, then popped like a soap bubble. He let out a delighted sound. "Wow… Watching a wall that massive vanish—it's like burning down a great library! So cathartic!"
Paimon squinted. "Are you sure you're actually a researcher?"
"Ahahaha, of course! I can't wait to get inside the Dainichi Mikoshi. The book I'm looking for wasn't in the library after all. Come on, let's go!" Enjou's excitement was unrestrained, and though he was supposed to be a "clerk," he was already leading the charge ahead of the heroes.
With his urging, the group quickened their pace and soon reached the base of the Dainichi Mikoshi.
"Here it is—this mechanism is the central control hub of the entire Byakuyakoku. The trial records say the brave ones must touch it. That's where my part ends. No idea what'll happen next." Enjou folded his arms, looking far too composed. "Well then, heroes, give it a try. I suspect it's going to be… quite the experience."
The mechanism had no levers or buttons—nothing to indicate how it could be activated. Victor glanced at Lumine and Paimon, took a deep breath, and reached out his hand.
It really was just a simple touch.
The Dainichi Mikoshi, towering above, began to tremble. Its three massive corners spun faster and faster—then suddenly overloaded, fragments bursting outward as its light went out entirely.
In an instant, the entire Byakuyakoku was plunged into pitch darkness. There was no moon, no stars—only faint glows from luminous plants, candles, and crystal lamps. Everything else was black enough to swallow a person whole.
"G-G-Ghost!" Enjou screamed, throwing his hands over his face, absolutely terrified.
"Wah!" Paimon shrieked too, purely from being startled by him.
Lumine instinctively dropped into a battle stance, while Victor, having expected something like this, stayed calm.
Before them, on the platform, a faint blue silhouette had appeared—sudden and silent.
"We weren't scared bythe ghost," Victor muttered. "We were scared by Enjou."
"Ahem—embarrassing. I-I'm fine now," Enjou stammered. "Given Enkanomiya's ghostly nature, it's… normal for residual echoes to appear—remnants of strong emotions from the past. Their stories are long over, but fragments of their will remain, and they can still respond to you."
"So, these things are ghosts?" Paimon asked nervously. "They look just like the ones in Tsurumi Island!"
"Not ghosts, no. These echoes form from unusual leyline phenomena—manifestations of emotions so strong they're imprinted into the world. They have nothing to do with life or death. Because these projections can cause unrest, such emotions were once called 'Eidolons' or 'Ghostfire Phantasms'. The resulting echoes are called Sinshades or Shades of Tokoyo."
"So strong emotions count as a sin, huh? Then what about your little scream just now? Why didn't that make a 'Shades of Tokoyo'?"
Enjou scratched his nose awkwardly. "Maybe… it wasn't strong enough."
"…So, does that mean… the me you're seeing now—is being watched by future heroes?"
"Oh Archons—it spoke!"
Paimon grinned mischievously. "Enjou, I think you're even jumpier than me. Didn't you just say the 'Shades of Tokoyo' can react to us?"
"..."
Seeing Lumine, Victor, and Paimon all remain calm, Enjou fell silent in shame.
"Ah, it seems the brave ones have arrived," the apparition spoke again. "Greetings. In Watatsumi, my name is Aru, though in the Byakuyakoku, I was known as Argos."
When no one spoke, Aru continued,
"I am here to relay the next stage of the trial—to restore the Reins of Revival and demonstrate the king's dominion over the Whitenight.
"The Reins of Revival are crafted from the same material as the Dainichi Mikoshi itself. Using the Golden Bridle as its core, you must find and reassemble three missing fragments.
"These fragments are hidden in the three domains surrounding the Dainichi Mikoshi—the Narrows, the Evernight Temple, and the Serpent's Heart. Whoever designed this trial had quite the flair for torment. Please, do your best to find them.
"Also, with the coming of Evernight, Enkanomiya reveals another side of itself. You'll encounter many echoes on your journey. Unlike me, who remains as part of this ritual, they are born from emotions so intense that the laws of Tokoyo mark them as sinners—thus leaving their shadows behind.
"According to the law of Tokoyo, to know one's sin is to be absolved of it. Therefore, never tell them that they are echoes. The moment they realize they're merely shadows of their former selves, they will vanish."
Enjou nodded as if wrapping up the explanation. "So, three fragments, three heroes—perfect. One fragment each. I'll stay here and continue my own research. Good luck, everyone."