443 -437- [ Tsuchimikado ]

Distorted.

Dizzy.

Can't distinguish up from down.

Unclear left from right.

That's what it feels like to cross worlds.

After twelve years, Rozen finally got to experience this sensation once again.

However, this did not put Rozen at ease at all.

Instead, he endured a strong sense of discomfort, letting his body be manipulated in the turbulent flow of time and space.

Crossing over was just something that happened less than a minute ago.

His spirit, trapped in the virtual game world, returned immediately after that.

In theory, having laid in a hospital bed for a full two years, relying solely on intravenous fluids and machines to sustain life, upon regaining consciousness, Rozen should have felt a lot of weakness and discomfort.

Moreover, he might have been in a semi-lifeless state, making it difficult to move freely.

Plus, having grown accustomed to the virtual body in the virtual world, returning to his real body should have resulted in many oddities and discomforts.

However, Rozen couldn't feel anything now.

Because, at the moment the crossing began, Rozen's body was destined to be affected by the space-time and undergo changes.

So, even if his previous body was in a terrible state, Rozen couldn't feel a thing now. He could only sense the distortion of his vision and the dizziness in his brain, causing him to grit his teeth and endure it.

In this situation, Rozen's body started to shrink.

This indicated that Rozen was heading to a world where time flowed faster.

This made Rozen breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well, at least that aspect went smoothly."

After dying in SAO, Rozen had only a few seconds to escape the fate of his brain being burnt.

In a hurry, Rozen had used his consciousness to awaken the power of "Miracle" and had done his best to escape with it.

He didn't have the energy to decide which world to cross into.

Otherwise, Rozen would have definitely chosen to return to Chaldea or the Automaton World, then immediately open the door and return to the world of SAO to help Asuna and the others escape from their predicament.

In other words, in the rush, Rozen only managed to open the door to another world but had no chance to choose which world lay beyond.

Now, sensing the changes in his body, Rozen felt somewhat relieved.

After all, at the very least, he was heading to a world where time flowed faster, so when he had the chance to return, not much time should have passed in that world.

If he had gone to a world where time flowed slower, not only would his body have aged, but by the time Rozen returned, it would have undergone significant changes, rendering the endeavor meaningless.

"I wonder if I should thank my luck."

Rozen could only contemplate with mixed feelings.

Rozen's body continued to shrink.

This brought about another worry for Rozen.

"I hope I'm not turning back into an embryo?"

If that were to happen, it would be quite a problem.

"I just hope my luck continues to hold..."

That was Rozen's final thought.

And so, Rozen's consciousness was lost amidst the whirlwind of time and space, completely at the mercy of its chaotic currents.

As for Rozen's luck, it ultimately turned out well.

At the very least, Rozen didn't face the worst-case scenario he had imagined.

However, Rozen certainly didn't anticipate that, just like when he first crossed over, his body would gradually shrink until he eventually became a baby.

And this would once again burden Rozen with a family, just like in the Automaton World, but this time, it would be an even more unique family.

...

Evening, at dusk.

In the definition of the Shinto tradition, this time is referred to as the "Hour of Bewitchment."

Because dusk heralds the onset of night, much like dawn precedes the day, it marks the beginning of various supernatural phenomena and creatures.

The sunlight bathes the earth in its warm glow, adding a layer of splendor to the land.

And bathed in this radiance, in a rural area, by the side of a county road leading to a distant hill, there is a slope.

On the stone steps leading up to the hill, there stands a traditional Japanese-style house, seemingly constructed from an ancient shrine.

Beneath the roof of the house, large lanterns hang, emitting a faint light.

Upon closer inspection, on these lanterns, a pentagram is drawn with ink.

That is a family crest.

And it's an extremely unique family crest.

This "unique" pertains to the realm of Onmyoudou.

—Onmyoudou.

It is a distinctive natural science and magical system that gradually developed in Japan after the introduction of ancient Chinese natural philosophical thoughts and the Five Elements theory of Yin and Yang.

Today, Onmyoudou has become a part of Japanese Shinto and is synonymous with Japanese sorcery. It encompasses astronomy, calendars, timekeeping, and more as its primary focus, while also incorporating divination, exorcism, and other practices. Those who practice it, assuming roles as both scientists and practitioners of the occult, are referred to as Onmyouji.

The technique employed by Onmyouji is known as Onmyoujutsu.

It is an esoteric and mature magical system used to elucidate the workings of the world and the Five Elements of Yin and Yang.

When speaking of Onmyouji and Onmyoujutsu, familiar individuals invariably think of one person—Abe no Seimei.

He was an expert in cutting-edge fields such as astronomy and divination, specializing in Onmyoudou, which primarily focused on these techniques.

He was an exceptional and knowledgeable practitioner, active during the mid-Heian period as an Onmyouji. His life's story is shrouded in mystery, giving rise to many legendary tales.

Furthermore, he is considered the founder of the Tsuchimikado family, which governed Japan's important government institution—the Onmyou Bureau—from the Kamakura period to the early Meiji period.

The crest of the Tsuchimikado family is indeed the pentagram.

In other words, the mansion located here is the ancestral home of Onmyoudou, the ruling family of Japan's magical world—the Tsuchimikado family.

At a certain moment, the gate of this mansion swung open.

Emerging from within was a man in his early thirties, dressed in traditional Japanese attire, wearing glasses with gold rims, and possessing delicate facial features that gave off an impression of sophistication and refinement.

After emerging from the gate, the man immediately gazed as if he were looking at something, turned his eyes to the sky, squinting behind his glasses.

Shortly thereafter, as if confirming his direction, the man lifted his wooden clog-clad feet and began to walk forward slowly.

With each unhurried step, he followed the county road, seemingly taking a leisurely stroll. However, it was evident from the man's footsteps that he had no hesitation. His pace continued steadily, as if he had a clear destination from the beginning.

Before long, the man turned into the outskirts.

Here, there was a stretch of farmland.

The man stopped in front of the fields, scanned the surroundings, and finally settled his gaze in one direction.

Within the scope of his vision, there lay a sleeping baby.

Looking at the baby, the man briefly displayed an expression of hesitation, struggle, and bitterness, so complex that it seemed extreme.

But in the end, the man's expression turned into one of utter helplessness, as if he had run out of options.

So, he abandoned all his doubts, approached, and picked up the baby.

From this moment on, this baby was destined to bear the name of Tsuchimikado and, in the years to come, undergo an unimaginable journey.