"…It's going to rain."
The girl hid inside a cave, looking at the clear sky outside, certain that it would rain soon.
Although, right now, there were no signs of rain.
However, the girl, using the system's weather forecast function, discovered that a heavy rain would fall soon.
Therefore, the girl chose to hide in the cave to avoid the rain.
Yes, the system not only had a map function but could also broadcast the weather conditions for nearly seven days.
Moreover, it was accurate down to the minute.
*
Fifteen minutes later.
The sky darkened.
The rain fell like broken pearls, and the strong wind carried the falling raindrops, like whips, mercilessly lashing the earth.
(…Time for breakfast.)
The girl looked at the heavy rain outside the window, confirmed the reliability of the system's weather forecast, and then exchanged for a bowl of self-heating ramen, intending to eat breakfast.
She had been traveling all night, walking until dawn.
Originally, with the girl's physical condition, she should have been exhausted by now, but thanks to her becoming a Youkai, continuous travel wasn't very tiring. In fact, she maintained extremely abundant energy.
With such physical fitness, she could definitely work overtime every day for a long time and then outcompete everyone.
Strangely, the girl thought so.
Then, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps, becoming clearer and clearer amidst the pattering rain.
(…Is it a beast?)
The girl was a little flustered, then grabbed a stone beside her, ready to smash the uninvited guest unconscious as soon as it came in.
In such a wilderness, probably only wild animals would come over, perhaps some wild boars or wolves.
If she was lucky, she might even get an extra meal.
Don't misunderstand, it was the girl who could get an extra meal. After all, the girl was now a Youkai, and even facing an adult male, she could make him cry with one punch.
Dealing with some wild boars or wolves shouldn't be… a problem, right?
Moreover, the system the girl possessed required fighting monsters to obtain rewards.
If she didn't fight, she could only achieve some special accomplishments to get rewards, such as establishing a country or promoting civilization.
The girl just looked at the special accomplishments… and decided to give up.
Perhaps when the girl grew stronger later, she could try, but for now, there was no chance to obtain these special rewards.
It was more convenient to actively fight and gain experience points, as long as they were alive.
They could all provide experience points for the girl.
After a while.
A woman wearing a straw cape and a bamboo hat walked into the cave from outside. Her appearance was beautiful and delicate, her slender, fair hand held a bow and arrow, and a quiver was on her back. Underneath her straw cape, she wore a white and red miko outfit.
"…"
The girl silently watched the miko walk in. She should still be some distance from human settlements.
Why would she encounter a miko here? Would she be unlucky enough to be exorcised by the miko as an afterthought?
Wait, speaking of which… she was a Youkai after all.
If it was just dealing with one miko.
Perhaps, there was hope of winning.
"…"
Kikyo calmly looked at the girl in front of her. When she saw the girl's highly human-like appearance, she initially thought she had encountered a powerful Youkai.
However, she quickly discovered… the fact that the girl's Youkai power was very weak.
Although the girl's appearance was very human-like and extremely beautiful, she did not follow the rule that the prettier the Youkai, the stronger it was.
It could be said that the girl's strength among Youkai… was considered weak.
It would probably only take one finger to exorcise the girl.
"…Um, are you here to take shelter from the rain?"
The girl smiled, trying to communicate peacefully. If possible, she didn't want to fight the miko. It would be great if the problem could be resolved peacefully.
It would be even better if this miko couldn't tell she was a Youkai.
"…"
Kikyo was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly with a cool demeanor, carefully observing the girl in front of her, finding it difficult to accurately pinpoint the girl.
This girl did not seem like a vicious and bloodthirsty Youkai; otherwise, she would have been eliminated with a single purifying arrow upon meeting.
Her Youkai power was also very pure, not containing the resentment and hatred of the dead, very close to the state of a Youkai Immortal.
Looking closely, there was a feeling of being close to a deity, but upon further observation, the girl seemed to be a Youkai, and after prolonged staring, the girl seemed to be a human.
These contradictions naturally and harmoniously blended within the girl, giving one a feeling of being neither human nor non-human, neither Youkai nor non-Youkai, neither divine nor non-divine.
If one couldn't clearly see the girl's true strength.
One would probably think the girl was very strong.
"…This rain won't stop for a while." The girl tilted her head, looking at the heavy rain outside the cave, her voice calm and indifferent. "It probably won't stop until the afternoon. If your home isn't far from here, then I suggest it's better to brave the rain and go back."
She was subtly trying to persuade the miko to leave. Although she didn't know how powerful this miko was, it was still more appropriate not to stay together.
If they ended up fighting, that would be bad.
"…" Kikyo looked at the falling rain outside the cave, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "How do you know the rain will only stop in the afternoon?"
"This is my special ability." The girl smiled calmly, her voice self-assured. "I'm quite good at weather prediction. Whether it's rain, snow, or lightning, I can know everything clearly."
She was trying to add some mysterious aura to herself, to make herself seem not simple and not to be trifled with.
It would be even better if she could make the miko wary and keep her distance.
"…" Kikyo's delicate and pretty face was calm. After a moment of thought, she asked again, "Do you know tomorrow's weather?"
"…Tomorrow?" The girl smiled calmly, glanced at the system panel, and then replied, "Tomorrow morning it will rain, it will stop at noon, and it will rain again in the afternoon."
"…"
Kikyo looked at the girl's confident smile, found no trace of lying, and so, asked another question.
"Excuse me, are you a deity worshipped somewhere?"
"…A worshipped deity?"
The girl felt a little confused, not quite understanding the miko's logical association, why she would connect a Youkai with a deity.
"Your ability is very useful to people." Kikyo seemed to have seen the girl's confusion, her voice softening slightly as she explained, "For ordinary families, knowing when it will rain and when it won't is also a matter of utmost importance."
It was not an exaggeration. If the girl's ability was real, then ordinary people would probably enshrine the girl in a shrine and worship her as a deity.
And the girl would only need to inform them of the recent weather.
"…I see, I understand." The girl nodded lightly, then shook her head. "I am not a worshipped deity, just an unlucky person."
"…I'm sorry, for making you remember something unpleasant."
Kikyo politely apologized, took off her bamboo hat and placed it aside, then walked to a clean stone and sat down.
The girl merely glanced at the miko calmly, then picked up the self-heating ramen. After gently opening them, a rich aroma diffused.
Then, the girl heard a 'gurgle gurgle' sound, which was the sound of hunger.
However, the source of this sound was not the girl herself.