Standing atop the Dragontooth armor, Sangonomiya Kokomi gripped Victor Wang's shoulders tightly to keep herself from falling. Once she grew accustomed to this strange way of flying, she asked, "Did you notice just now?"
Victor Wang instinctively nodded in response. He hadn't expected that even such a small movement would make Kokomi yelp and lean forward, pressing against his back.
"Ah! Don't move!"
"It's fine. Even if you fall, I can catch you."
"Enkanomiya is surrounded by endless abysses… don't—don't say something that terrifying!"
Lumine cleared her throat softly and brought the topic back to business. "There seem to be Dragonspine Vishaps behind the back of the Dainichi Mikoshi. It looks like you noticed too. Tsumi's Festival of a Thousand Lanterns probably isn't being maintained just for her own protection."
"Huh?" Paimon, the only one who hadn't noticed, blinked in confusion. "Tsumi's protecting the Vishaps? Then what's her identity?"
"She wears a mask, knows a lot about Enkanomiya, and can survive here all alone. I have a theory—she might be the Vassal of Watatsumi."
"The Vassal of Watatsumi?"
Facing Victor Wang's inverted Dodoco hood, Kokomi explained, "The Vassal of Watatsumi was the first servant of the Omikami. Their form was usually half-human, half-serpent, symbolizing their bond with the Serpent God. However, later generations of Vassals gradually lost that trait, and apart from their eyes, they became nearly indistinguishable from humans."
Standing behind Victor Wang, she couldn't help but compare. "Both wear masks that cover the upper half of the face. Victor at least leaves his eyes visible, but Tsumi's mask hides even hers. That's very unusual—she's likely trying to conceal her eyes."
"But if she's the servant of the Watatsumi Omikami, shouldn't she be helping Watatsumi Island? Why would she help the Vishaps?" Paimon asked, puzzled.
"That's… complicated," Kokomi sighed. "After the Watatsumi Omikami exhausted its strength creating the island, its power gradually waned, and no new Vassals were born. The last recorded Vassal…"
Looking toward the upside-down Dodoco that she had no choice but to face, Kokomi sighed again. "The last Vassal was said to be capable of communicating with both Vishaps and humans. She was highly anticipated, yet when she was just a baby, she and her caretaker priestess were attacked by Vishaps at the borders of Enkanomiya—and vanished. Many believed she died, but others thought the Vishaps raised her."
"That's… that's what happened? Then shouldn't we take Tsumi back to Watatsumi Island?"
"That may no longer be possible," Kokomi said gently. "The Vassal's lineage owes much to Watatsumi, and now that there are no longer territorial conflicts between the Vishaps and Watatsumi, I can only sincerely wish her a peaceful home…"
"Vishaps? A home? You mean… oh, right. Tsumi must be very old by now. Who knows how long she's lived among the Vishaps? To her, they're probably family…"
As they flew, Paimon suddenly realized something. "Ah! But if we're fighting the Vishaps, doesn't that make us Tsumi's enemies?"
"When survival's at stake, we have no choice," Kokomi answered calmly.
"There's another problem," Paimon said, halting in midair with a serious tone. "If we're gone, what if she releases the Vishaps trapped beneath the 'Dainichi Mikoshi'?"
Lumine frowned, also stopping abruptly.
Since both of them had stopped flying, Victor Wang had no choice but to slow down too.
Kokomi, however, seemed unbothered. "The void mist makes it difficult for the Vishaps to survive. If we don't dispel it, they can only move within the range of the Festival of a Thousand Lanterns, so don't worry. And since communication between humans and Vishaps is already possible, I'll talk to Tsumi before this is over."
"Oh! You really think things through. Let's hurry and get rid of that black mist, then find Enjou so he can never cause trouble again!"
In the time that followed, the mechanisms were all solved easily, and no powerful monsters appeared. Apart from the long travel distances, it didn't take much effort. The abyssal power released by the three Void Towers was completely replaced by the light of the Radiant Realm.
Deprived of its source, the void mist weakened and sank into the ground.
Victor Wang clenched his fists. Within the black mist, he had felt overflowing with energy—just like those empowered Hilichurls. After all, he really was a Hilichurl. When the dark fog surrounded him, he'd even felt himself swelling, strong enough to take on two Lumines at once.
Now that the mist was gone, that sensation faded, but he didn't feel weak either. He still couldn't quite understand what Tsumi meant when she called it 'a slow yet addictive poison.'
…
"Tsumi, we did it!"
"I've already seen your results. All three towers have been dealt with. But… it seems something unexpected has happened. Please, follow me."
Tsumi led Victor Wang and the others to the Dainichi Mikoshi. The top of the structure glowed brightly, illuminating all of the Byakuyakoku now freed from the black mist—but its base was still shrouded in pitch-black darkness.
"The interior of the Dainichi Mikoshi is surging with darkness!" Paimon exclaimed in shock.
"By all logic, Enkanomiya should've completely returned to normal by now…"
Tsumi continued her act, but unfortunately for her, with Sangonomiya Kokomi—the current living Divine Priestess—present, her deception was immediately pierced. "This darkness looks like it's coming from the Dainichi Mikoshi."
The words caught in Tsumi's throat. She sighed and dropped the pretense. "So, you've seen through me. But what of it? This tower seems able to hear my wishes… As long as I will it, it can shift between light and darkness. As long as I will it, it can collapse before me. If you don't want it destroyed, then leave."
Kokomi stepped forward instead. "To directly control the Dainichi Mikoshi—then you truly are the Vassal of Watatsumi."
"What Vassal of Watatsumi…? I don't know what that is. All I know is that I've lived with the Vishaps since I was a child. And now, with just one thought, I can destroy this thing that brings them pain!"
"But you haven't," Kokomi replied softly. "From the moment we met you—even before we arrived—you had that power, didn't you?"
"…I only spared it because destroying it would make rescuing my companions harder. Don't flatter yourselves."
"Very well. The people of Watatsumi left Byakuyakoku over a thousand years ago. The Dainichi Mikoshi no longer represents humanity. There's no one left to contest the Vishaps for Enkanomiya. Today, let's cut away the last shred of pain it's brought them."
"What are you planning to do?" Tsumi asked cautiously, uncertain of Kokomi's intentions.
"If you are who I think you are, you'll recognize this." Kokomi took out a pendant and held it up.
"This…!"
Tsumi hurriedly pulled another pendant from her sleeve. Though incomplete, the two pieces fit together perfectly—the same material, the same design. She stared in disbelief. "This pendant's been with me since I can remember. How can yours fit mine?"
"It was left behind by the Watatsumi Omikami when reorganizing the government of Byakuyakoku. There were three in total—one given to the Dainichi Mikoshi, one to the Sangonomiya line, and one to the Vassal of Watatsumi. I represent Sangonomiya. You represent the Vassal. The piece belonging to the Dainichi Mikoshi should still be hidden within it."
"I've searched the Dainichi Mikoshi inside and out—there's nothing!"
Kokomi frowned thoughtfully, and Victor Wang reminded her, "Before you, Enjou already tore through the whole structure. Maybe…"
"Damn that Enjou!" Paimon puffed her cheeks angrily.
"Damn that Enjou!" Lumine echoed, mimicking her tone.
Tsumi hesitated, then turned back to Kokomi. "You still haven't said what you intend to do."
"Your very existence was the Watatsumi people's way of ensuring peace with the Vishaps after leaving Byakuyakoku—to create someone who could communicate between the two races. With you here, we no longer need to imprison the Vishaps. If you want to save them, you can. Aside from the coral, we have no reason to harm them anymore. Be the bridge between us and them."
Tsumi fell silent for a long time before finally asking Victor Wang, "The Vishaps want to know—why did you only take the coral back then?"
Victor Wang shrugged. "Kokomi already explained that, didn't she? Watatsumi Island needs the Bloodbranch Coral—not the Vishaps' lives."