Chapter 79: The Disappearance of the Heavenly Cloud Sword (Fourth Update)

The Ame-no-Murakumo Sword.

Susanoo, also known as the Storm God, after intoxicating the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi with fine sake and slaying it, retrieved a great blade from the serpent’s tail.

Afterward, this sword was offered to the sun goddess Amaterasu and remained for a time in the High Plain of Heaven.

Its next appearance came in the legend of Yamato Takeru, hailed as the Martial Hero of the land. This tragic hero pacified the western gods, returned triumphant, only to be exiled.

During his banishment, Yamato Takeru passed by the Ise Grand Shrine and was granted the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword.

While crossing a plain, his enemies set fire to the grasses, hoping to trap him. In desperation, he drew the sword and cut through the blazing undergrowth, escaping the snare.

From then on, the sword gained the name Kusanagi, “Grass-Cutter.”

At last, Yamato Takeru returned the sword, and not long after, he died of illness. Thus, the legend of the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword drew to a close.

After his passing, his wife gathered the clan and established a shrine in Atsuta, safeguarding the sword there.

This was the birth of Atsuta Shrine.

The principal deity enshrined at Atsuta is, in essence, the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword itself.

Therefore, the loss of the sword from Atsuta Shrine is tantamount to the disappearance of their very god.

This was no small matter.

Upon hearing Masato Yukinokuchi’s words, Qiao Qiao was bewildered.

Hold on a moment, my friend.

Never mind that the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword is one of the three sacred treasures, the symbol of the emperor; the sword enshrined at Atsuta Shrine is clearly an exceedingly powerful exorcist artifact.

How could it simply vanish?

“You’re asking me, but I don’t know either,” Masato Yukinokuchi replied, catching the doubt in Qiao Qiao’s eyes.

“Even if you asked that fellow, he probably couldn’t divine anything because of the interference of the sacred artifact… No, I’d guess he’s already tried.”

He murmured something Qiao Qiao didn’t quite understand.

But based on the information provided, Qiao Qiao could see why Masato said he was getting a good deal.

The sword’s disappearance would inevitably lead to a search. Should one be fortunate enough to find it, the gratitude and goodwill of Atsuta Shrine alone would be worthwhile, not to mention the chance to come into contact with a sacred treasure—a stroke of luck by any measure.

Even if one’s involvement was minimal, it would establish a connection with Atsuta Shrine, making future dealings much smoother.

A guaranteed win.

“Thank you, Yukinokuchi-san, I understand now.”

Suddenly, Qiao Qiao realized much more.

For instance, why Asano, the shrine maiden, had taken leave for the Nagoya headquarters a week before; the sword must have already gone missing by then.

It seemed Atsuta Shrine had initially hoped to keep it quiet, since losing a sacred treasure was a monumental blunder.

That was why they first mobilized personnel from their branch shrines to search everywhere for its whereabouts.

After a week to no avail, they had no choice but to seek outside help.

And why, when trouble struck Atsuta Shrine, they hadn’t broadly summoned every exorcist, but had instead selected only a few.

In the end, it was a matter of pride.

If word got out that Atsuta Shrine, which had safeguarded the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword for a thousand years, had lost the sacred treasure, it would be a source of ridicule for generations.

Especially since, when Qiao Qiao first met Ariko Asano, he had searched for information about the sword on his phone.

Historically, the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword was not entirely immune to theft; there had been incidents of it being stolen.

Yet, in the end, the divine blade seemed to possess its own will and always returned.

But this time, the sword’s will seemed not yet to have awakened.

In any case, the loss of a sacred artifact was undeniably a severe blow to the faith of its followers.

Aside from that—

Qiao Qiao glanced around the train car. Representatives from the Onmyoji Bureau, temples, and shrines were all present, their numbers roughly equal.

It was likely a matter of balance; no group wished for another to resolve the problem alone, so there had been endless wrangling.

Initially, Qiao Qiao had not been chosen, but was included later perhaps due to his boss’s formidable connections.

“What have you realized?” Masato Yukinokuchi asked, seeing Qiao Qiao’s sudden look of enlightenment, himself completely at a loss.

“But I didn’t expect Ariko to contact you,” came a gentle female voice from behind Qiao Qiao. He turned and saw, as expected, Ayano Fujiwara, the shrine maiden from Ueno Tōshōgū Shrine.

“Priestess Fujiwara, you’re here as well,” he greeted politely.

“Let me be clear,” Ayano Fujiwara adjusted her glasses. She still wore her braided hair, the very image of a traditional Japanese beauty. Taking the seat beside them, she said coolly, “Tōshōgū Shrine is helping purely out of friendship between shrines, unlike certain others who are clearly motivated by personal gain.”

“And who might you be talking about?” Masato Yukinokuchi retorted.

The two exchanged sharp words, neither giving ground.

“You two seem quite close,” Qiao Qiao remarked involuntarily.

“Who’s close with him?” “Are you blind?” they both denied in unison.

They exchanged glances and promptly fell silent.

Qiao Qiao, unable to grasp the intricacies of human relationships, could only turn to gaze out the window.

He hadn’t often ridden the Shinkansen in this country; compared to flying or the regular JR trains, the Shinkansen was noticeably more expensive.

From Tokyo to Nagoya, a journey of just over an hour, cost over ten thousand yen.

Far more expensive than back in China.

Qiao Qiao closed his eyes to rest for a while.

By the time they arrived, dawn was breaking.

There was little chance to savor the Nagoya air; the exorcists left the station and went straight to Atsuta Shrine in the Atsuta district.

In the morning light, the shrine buildings gleamed resplendently.

It was said that the roof of the main hall was covered in copper plates, and now, the ink-black roof shone pure and flawless in the sunrise.

Qiao Qiao followed the group quickly, with no time to admire the shrine’s scenery.

A party of over thirty exorcists, after bowing in respect, entered one of the side halls.

There, several others were already gathered.

Qiao Qiao noticed that many present were clearly not shrine personnel, sitting quietly in the corners.

“Those are helpers sent from Kyoto,” Masato Yukinokuchi explained casually.

“The Kyoto people have always looked down a bit on us in Tokyo, but, to be fair, when it comes to Shinto, Kansai really is the spiritual heartland.”

“Mind your words before the gods,” Priestess Fujiwara reminded softly, showing her respect for the shrine.

“If the gods were still here, we wouldn’t be needed,” Masato muttered, then took his seat.

Qiao Qiao sat beside him.

Among the exorcists sent from Tokyo, only Qiao Qiao, Masato Yukinokuchi, and Ayano Fujiwara were close in age; the others were mostly in their thirties or forties.

Sensoji Temple had even sent an elderly high priest with a white beard.

As for the Kyoto contingent, Qiao Qiao didn’t recognize anyone.

He turned his gaze toward the group at the center of the grand hall.

There were shrine priests in ritual dress and tall black hats, along with shrine maidens in white robes, undergarments, and scarlet hakama.

“Asakami Jin Saburō, current head priest of Atsuta Shrine and patriarch of the Asakami family,” Masato Yukinokuchi provided an explanation, perhaps finding a sense of superiority in doing so.

“The Asakami family has served as head priests at Atsuta Shrine for generations. The Asano family, who run the Tokyo branch, are one of their cadet branches.”

Hearing this, Qiao Qiao was filled with emotion.

Such an ancient lineage must be steeped in traditions—no wonder Shrine Maiden Asano could so casually produce such powerful exorcist tools.

He recalled the sword bell he had seen at the Happiness Bakery.

Lost in thought, Qiao Qiao soon spotted familiar faces among the priests and shrine maidens.

There was Shōji Asano, and seated serenely beside him with her eyes closed, Ariko Asano.