The mountain at night was, naturally, shrouded in darkness. No light from streetlamps could reach here, and the sky peeking through the gaps in the trees was a deep, ink-like black. It was an unpleasant silence, as if even the insects were holding their breath.

Togame Abo gripped the handle of the shovel with both hands, his entire body shaking uncontrollably. At his feet were wretchedly broken pieces of wood and debris. The shrine, which should have withstood hundreds of years of wind and rain, no longer retained its original shape.

His vision was blurred with tears. Not caring that his nose was running, Togame just cried. Between sobs, he repeated 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' like a broken record.

—It was then.

Something like light overflowed softly from the remains of the shrine. No, it wasn't light. It was something darker, deeper, and unfathomable. The moment Togame's retinas caught it, the atmosphere shifted completely. A pressure so heavy it felt as if the entire mountain had gasped.

And then—you were standing right in front of him. In a place where no one had been a moment ago. Without a sound. Without even a hint of a presence. You were simply there.