Suddenly, the witch in purple raised her staff once more, the smirk on her lips widening with a cruel, knowing amusement.

This time, the very air surrounding the shrine shimmered, twisting unnaturally. The serene, almost sacred atmosphere of the shrine distorted like a reflection in rippling water. Then, as if reality itself was tearing apart, fractures split through the space outside the shrine. Jagged, gaping rifts that bled darkness.

One by one, grotesque creatures crawled, slithered, and skittered from the swirling voids. Their forms twisted as if they couldn’t decide on a single shape. Limbs bent at unnatural angles, eyes appearing and vanishing in chaotic patterns across their shifting bodies. Some had too many mouths, others had none. The air grew heavy with a suffocating, corrupt presence, the very essence of these beings wrong, like they were never meant to exist in this world.

The shrine in the vision trembled under the weight of the unnatural energy. The paper charms hanging from the wooden beams fluttered violently, as if trying to ward off the encroaching corruption. The golden ornaments on the altar rattled against the wood, and the tatami mats darkened as an eerie shadow spread across the floor.

“I’ll collect my loot later,” the witch mused, giving a lazy wave of her hand. Her tone was almost playful, as though she had merely left behind an annoying little trap. “Enjoy getting corrupted.”

With that, she turned away, stepping off the cliffside as if gravity itself bowed to her whims. Her form melted into the darkness, vanishing into the distance as though she had never been there to begin with.

Then, with a final shudder, the vision collapsed. The holographic projection trembled before shattering into countless shards of glowing violet light. The fragments scattered into the air, dissolving like dying embers caught in the wind.

And just like that, silence.

The shrine returned to its eerie stillness, the weight of the past lingering like an unshakable shadow. The once-floating light was gone, leaving behind only the whisper of the wind filtering through the broken lattice windows. Dust swirled lazily in the dim afternoon sunlight, catching in the beams that streamed through the cracks in the wooden walls. The aged floor creaked softly under my shifting stance, as if the shrine itself had exhaled after witnessing something it had long tried to forget.

Yuzu's grip on my sleeve tightened. Her fox ears flicked back, her black tails bristling and puffed up in alarm. Even Ai, who had been silent until now, let out a low, warning growl, the fur on her tiny body standing on end.

“Bery bad,” Yuzu whispered, barely audible. Her voice trembled, her usually playful energy drained. “Bery, bery bad.”

The voice, distant yet pleading, seemed to seep into the very foundation of the shrine, carried by unseen forces that made the air around us shiver.

"Please… save us. Before we disappear completely."

It was as if the shrine itself was speaking, its ancient timbers groaning under the weight of unseen sorrow. The glow above the altar pulsed weakly, its dim light flickering like a candle struggling against the wind. Dust swirled lazily through the air, illuminated by the golden rays of the setting sun filtering through the broken lattice windows. The scent of old wood and faded incense lingered, a quiet reminder of the prayers that had once filled this sacred place. But now, the air was thick, heavy with something unseen, as if the very walls of the shrine were suffocating under an invisible force.

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to breathe. Yuzu stood close beside me, her grip on my sleeve tightening as her black tails bristled, the fur standing on end. Her ears flicked back, not in curiosity, but in alarm. Ai remained tense at my feet, her tiny frame trembling slightly, eyes locked onto the wavering glow as if staring at something beyond what we could see.

For a moment, the silence stretched on, pressing down on us like a held breath. Then, at last, the voice spoke again. This time, the weight in its tone was unmistakable, as though whatever was speaking to us was barely holding on.

"The corruption is severe… We only have two more weeks before it completely takes hold. We have resisted for over a century, but we are falling short."

A cold dread curled in my chest at those words. The air thickened, pressing against my skin, as though something unseen was trying to pull me under. Beneath my feet, the wooden floorboards trembled ever so slightly, as if the shrine itself was alive. Breathing, struggling, dying.

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“Corruption?” I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper. The word itself sent a shiver down my spine. “What do you mean?”

The glow above the altar flickered again, dimming until it was nearly extinguished before flaring back up, its golden light twisting unnaturally, as though something were trying to smother it. The moment stretched unbearably long before the voice finally responded.

"The witch sought the power of the foxes… specifically, the fox gift of spatial magic. With that power, she could summon beings beyond this world. Creatures beyond mortal comprehension. If she succeeds, this world will not withstand their presence. Reality itself will fracture."

A deep, chilling silence followed. The kind that settled into your bones, the kind that made you feel impossibly small. I struggled to process the weight of what I had just heard. The fox-kin’s spatial magic… That’s what this was all about?

Yuzu’s grip on my sleeve tightened. When I turned to look at her, her usually carefree expression was nowhere to be found. Her dark jet black eyes, usually bright with mischief and curiosity, were clouded with worry. Her tails, normally swaying with playful energy, remained stiff, the fur along them standing on end like a warning.

Yuzu gripped my hand tightly, her usual playful demeanor absent. "Bery dangerous," she muttered under her breath, barely above a whisper. "Bery, bery dangerous."

A knot tightened in my stomach at her words. Even without fully understanding what we were up against, I knew one thing for certain, if Yuzu was scared, then this was beyond anything I had faced before.

I forced myself to take a steadying breath. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “What… what do we do?” I asked, my voice steadier now, more determined.

The light pulsed once more, as if in response to my resolve. The wind inside the shrine stilled, the eerie, suffocating atmosphere thick with anticipation. The air itself seemed to hold its breath.

"You must cleanse the corruption before it consumes us entirely."

The glow above the altar flickered one final time, then dimmed to the faintest ember.

"Or we will be lost forever."

A sharp chime rang through the shrine, followed by a ripple of energy surging through the air. I gasped as glowing symbols appeared in front of me, lines of text materializing in midair like a game interface. The letters shimmered with an ethereal glow, hovering just above the altar.

[Shrine Maiden authority activated, summoning corruption interface]

A second window blinked into existence beneath it:

[Corruption: 205,422 / 231,234 (88.83%)]

My breath hitched. I had no idea what I was looking at, but the meaning was clear enough. Whatever this "corruption" was, it had already consumed nearly ninety percent of the shrine. The numbers pulsed ominously, like a countdown to something irreversible. The moment I had stepped forward, something had responded to me, activating this strange system. It recognized me. A chill ran down my spine. Ai let out a low whimper and nudged my leg, her eyes darting between me and the interface.

Another prompt flickered into existence:

[Would you like to begin corruption purification?]

[Yes] [No]

I swallowed hard. Whatever this was, I had been chosen, no, forced into it. And if I had any hope of saving this shrine and those within it… I had no choice but to press [Yes].

The moment my finger hovered over the glowing text, a deep hum resonated through the shrine, vibrating through the wooden floor beneath me. The interface pulsed in response, as if acknowledging my decision before I had even made it.

I took a steadying breath and pressed [Yes].

A burst of light erupted from the altar, washing over the room in a wave of warmth. It wasn’t blinding, but it carried a weight, an undeniable force that pressed against my skin and sent shivers down my spine. The wooden beams groaned, and the dust that had settled over centuries stirred, lifting into the air like tiny stars caught in the shrine’s newfound radiance.

Yuzu’s grip on my arm tightened. “Mashiro… something bery happening.”

I barely had time to register her words before another prompt materialized in front of me, glowing with urgent intensity:

[Initiating Purification Ritual: Phase 1]

[Analyzing Shrine Integrity…]

[Spatial Distortions Detected. Sealing Barriers Compromised.]

The air grew heavier, thick with an unseen pressure that curled around my body like unseen tendrils. The shrine itself seemed to breathe, responding to the magic now coursing through it. Shadows flickered at the edges of the room, warping unnaturally, stretching as if resisting the purification process.

A new set of options flashed into existence:

[Select Purification Method]

▶ Direct Exorcism (High Risk - High Efficiency)

▶ Gradual Cleansing (Low Risk - Slow Efficiency)

▶ Invoke Spiritual Guardian (???)

[WARNING: Shrine Maiden Level Too Low]

[Attempting Direct Exorcism without adequate spiritual fortification will result in failure and potential backlash.]

I hesitated, my eyes darting over the choices. Each one pulsed with an eerie glow, awaiting my command.

“Mashiro…” Yuzu’s voice was quieter now, almost reverent. Her eyes reflected the shimmering text before us, her usual cheerfulness replaced with something more solemn. “This shrine… bery wants Mashiro’s help.”

I exhaled slowly. This was more than just some random interface, it was a desperate plea for salvation. The question was…

Which path should I take?