'Itō City has just reported our entry into the Abyss?'
Frowning at this response, Luo Shu's expression turned serious.
A suspicion about the time flow during this Warring States period in the Abyss began forming in his mind, prompting him to verify the timeline with Kirika immediately.
Within moments, the reply came.
"Only five minutes have passed..." Luo Shu murmured upon reading Kirika's message.
From Luo Shu's entry into the Abyss, meeting Kikyo, dealing with the attacking wolf demons during Kikyo's purification ritual, to awaiting Chisato's arrival, approximately two and a half hours had passed internally, roughly 150 minutes.
"Five to one-fifty... about a thirty-to-one time differential. So, thirty days here equals one day outside?"
"Interestingly, the system's communications seem unaffected by this temporal distortion..."
Not that Luo Shu found this surprising. The Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System was, after all, a high-authority artefact capable of suppressing even Demigods and Gods. A mere Abyss dimension's altered time flow couldn't possibly interfere with it.
The real concern was the Onmyou Agency's initial exploration team.
Led by Divine General Suzaku - Shirayuki Hotogi - the squad had been in the Abyss for over a full day (by the outside world's reckoning). Given the local time flow, that meant they'd been exploring this region for more than a month.
So why hadn't Shirayuki Hotogi, equipped with an Emergency Escape Device, returned to the present world?
Was she trapped? Or had she perished?
'Did the Onmyou Agency know about this situation... or were they equally in the dark?'
At this thought, Luo Shu glanced at the sacred tree in the distance, his brow gradually furrowing.
...
"Hotogi Heavenly Arts - Flame Dance!!"
Crimson flames traced dazzling sword arcs across the dim sky as Shirayuki Hotogi danced with her blade.
The slashed sky revealed thin, dark fissures that vanished almost instantly.
This marked yet another failed attempt by Shirayuki Hotogi.
"Failed again?"
Landing gracefully, Shirayuki surveyed the sea of white bones and the mountainous skeleton clad in Warring States-era armour nearby, sighing softly.
"The temporal barrier proves more formidable than anticipated."
"Ho ho ho, spare your efforts, little girl."
Accompanied by strange laughter, a diamond-encrusted creature with a human skull at its core leapt down from a nearby slope.
The diamond monster's landing shook the ground as it cackled:
"This is the famous Underworld, the realm between life and death. Returning to the living world with just that sword of yours is impossible."
"Unless... you retrieve my old friend's Sacred Sword Tessaiga, forged for his child before death. Only its Netherworld Power could send you back."
"Wait, no, I'm confused - Tessaiga remains incomplete, having not yet absorbed Tenseiga's Netherworld Power."
"And crucially, I won't let you take Tessaiga, heh!"
"So it seems no safe path remains for you here, girl. At least none that opens from this side."
"Though... you could use that Emergency Escape Device like your companion did earlier. Care to consider it?"
Sheathing her sword calmly, Shirayuki addressed the creature:
"Master Hōsengki, please refrain from further persuasion."
"My mission from the Onmyou Agency is to collect this world's Abyss Artefacts. Having located Tessaiga here, neither I nor the Agency will retreat easily."
"Though I regret to say, intelligence about this location has already been relayed to headquarters. Elite specialists capable of resolving the passage issue will likely arrive soon."
"Your efforts are wasted."
"Tch, you people lack even basic shame!" Hōsengki retorted angrily.
"Tessaiga was forged from Tōga's own fang to protect his second son!"
"You trespass uninvited into his Underworld tomb, and now seek to rob his child's inheritance? Have you Onmyoji no decency?"
Shirayuki bowed apologetically:
"My apologies, but this decision exceeds my authority. Perhaps you could explain directly to our superiors?"
Hōsengki nearly choked on his own outrage.
What nonsense! A yokai nearing the end of his lifespan appealing to the Onmyou Agency's leadership? That'd be delivering himself to execution!
'Just your spells alone are enough to give me a hard time as I am now!'
But Hōsengki understood that Shirayuki Hotogi was already holding back.
When this girl's companions were still here, they had been clamouring to cut down the treasure guardian and take Tessaiga by force.
If not for Hōsengki's superior skills and his stockpile of jewels to seal off the area around Tessaiga, the sword might already be in their hands.
Of course, the key factor was that this shrine maiden, Shirayuki Hotogi, didn't want to resort to force—otherwise, things could have become troublesome.
Although those Onmyoji claiming to be from the Onmyou Agency had left the Underworld using some sort of escape device, this shrine maiden serving as their anchor point was truly a significant problem.
If those Onmyou Agency members found the entrance to this place through Shirayuki Hotogi, Tessaiga might really be stolen.
Speaking of which, which heartless bastard sent people to this Underworld in the first place? And to precisely drop them before Tōga's grave—wasn't that just asking for trouble?
Thinking of that unknown entity that had screwed him over, Hōsengki gritted his teeth in frustration.
He and Tōga had planned everything—when the time came, Tessaiga would be handed to Inuyasha. At most, Inuyasha's brother Sesshōmaru might interfere, leading to a sibling dispute over the inheritance.
But now, outsiders had come to claim what wasn't theirs.
Those so-called Onmyou Agency lackeys worshipped by the self-proclaimed Emperor are truly despicable, always taking advantage of others' misfortunes and preying on the vulnerable.
"Girl, since I can't persuade you, then keep wasting your time here."
"The climate of the Underworld isn't fit for humans. It's already a miracle you've lasted a month. I doubt you can last another."
After delivering this harsh remark, Hōsengki immediately turned and fled.
After all, youth fears no challenge. As an ageing Great Yokai on the verge of death, facing this Shrine Maiden who possessed Great Yokai-level strength and mastered various fire-based techniques would surely be the death of him.
Humans couldn't linger in the Underworld for long without perishing altogether, so Hōsengki could afford to wait.
Still, to prevent those Onmyou Agency members who couldn't endure the Underworld's aura from actually tracking him down, Hōsengki secretly contacted Tōtōsai, an old subordinate of Tōga.
Presumably, Tōtōsai was already mobilising Tōga's former followers to locate the second young master, Inuyasha, in preparation for retrieving Tessaiga.
But the thought of that Onmyou Agency with its twelve Divine Generals - Shirayuki Hotogi being just one of them - gave Hōsengki a headache.
Twelve humans at Great Yokai level? How on earth had Japan's Onmyou Agency cultivated such power? Why had he never heard of them before?
Even if Inuyasha succeeded in taking Tessaiga, future conflicts seemed inevitable.
With another sigh of resignation, Hōsengki mused:
'Ah, in this situation, we'll just have to take things one step at a time.'
'Tōga, you rotten bean sprout, why did you have to die so early and leave me cleaning up your mess?'
'If Tessaiga is truly lost, don't blame me. I've done my best for you.'
After some hesitation, Hōsengki finally sent a message through his private gemstone to Tōtōsai in the human world.
He instructed Tōtōsai to contact Tōga's first wife and eldest son, Sesshōmaru.
If Inuyasha could retrieve Tessaiga, well and good. If not, then the Dog Demons of the Western Country would intervene. Surely Tōga's wife and eldest son wouldn't stand by while their father's legacy was stolen?
And if even the Western Country's Dog Demons couldn't protect it... Well, there was nothing more he could do. Hōsengki had already gone above and beyond.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to the worst scenario."