-84- The trial in the forbidden area

Mount Tengu, the forbidden area of the Izanagi Clan.

It was a dark forest, completely shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see the interior.

At the forest entrance, a stone tablet was placed there, with an ancient inscription that seemed to have weathered over time, perhaps indicating a warning or "no entry" sign?

Led by Domon Kira, everyone who had just attended the banquet in the main hall arrived here.

Rozen also stood here, gazing at the forest before him. His eyes gathered magical power, emitting a faint aura of light that was invisible to outsiders.

That was the phenomenon when he activated his "Spirit Sight."

With "Spirit Sight" activated, Rozen immediately saw it.

The forest was surrounded by an invisible barrier, a type of common barrier known as the "Concealment Barrier." It could isolate the inside and outside of the barrier, concealing sounds and scenes. When used to its extreme, it could even function as a maze, making it challenging to find a way into the barrier.

Domon Kira stood before the stone tablet, pressing her hand against it, infusing it with magical power, and chanting incantations.

In the next moment, the entire forest seemed to shimmer like a mirage, swaying with an illusionary appearance.

In reality, only the barrier was swaying, not the forest itself.

Under Domon Kira's manipulation, the barrier enveloping the forest was opened.

As the barrier opened, the true sight of the forest entered Rozen's vision, and he was almost shocked by what he saw through his "Spirit Sight."

(What a dense miasma!)

What came into Rozen's sight was a black mist-like miasma continuously swirling in the forest.

This was no joke.

Miasma was a deadly chi harmful to living beings.

Ordinary miasma might be manageable, but in a forest with such dense miasma like this, encountering it would likely lead to immediate curses and death for an ordinary person, wouldn't it?

Seeing this, Akabane Kuukan furrowed his brows.

"Lady Kira, this..."

Akabane Kuukan immediately wanted to express his concerns.

However, there was no way around it.

Unless they were top-tier magicians, entering a place with such dense miasma would undoubtedly be very dangerous.

If it were Rozen, Akabane Kuukan wouldn't worry too much, but Akabane Raishin was an ordinary person without any magical accomplishments. How could he enter such a place?

In response, Domon Kira casually said, "Don't worry. With the unique nature of the 'Crimson Wing Blood,' even without any magical accomplishments, the immense vitality from the bloodline should be enough to support him in this miasma-infested place for a night."

In other words, if Raishin hasn't returned by daybreak, he could only rely on his own luck.

"Or is it that the esteemed second son of the renowned Akabane clan dares not take such risks?"

Domon Kira teased Akabane Kuukan, causing his face to darken, and he no longer said anything.

Rozen observed this scene and shifted his gaze to Akabane Raishin.

Akabane Raishin seemed to understand the current situation to some extent. His face was slightly pale, but his eyes showed a stubborn determination.

This guy had always been unwilling to admit defeat since he was a child. He probably wouldn't want to be underestimated by others now.

(Forget it...)

Rozen didn't pay much attention to it.

As Domon Kira said, members of the Akabane family were naturally blessed with strong vitality. Even if they were surrounded by dense miasma, they should be able to endure for a while.

(Anyway, Raishin isn't really trying to get the token and become part of the Domon family. He will probably just wandering around on the outskirts, right?)

Of course, Rozen didn't want to get the token either.

(But what if neither of us gets the token, and the Akabane family loses face?)

If they couldn't even pass such a small trial, one can imagine the ridicule and troubles the Akabane family would face.

Akabane Kuukan naturally understood this.

"Just do your best."

Akabane Kuukan advised Rozen and Akabane Raishin, but whether he meant to encourage them to try their best or to stay safe was unknown.

"Now, go in."

With a wave of her hand, Domon Kira parted the crowd, making way for the entrance to the forest.

Rozen and Akabane Raishin exchanged a glance and then stepped forward, entering the forbidden land of the Izanagi clan.

As everyone watched their departure, they began to whisper to each other.

The trial had begun.

...

In the pitch-black forest, the miasma spread like mist.

Faintly, amid the dense miasma, there seemed to be sounds of birds, beasts, and insects.

However, it was evident that ordinary birds and beasts couldn't survive in such dense miasma.

So...

"Those sounds must be coming from the shikigami born within the miasma, right?"

Rozen walked alone in the forest, muttering to himself.

Shikigami were entities born within the miasma.

Moreover, these shikigami need an object to possess in order to manifest in the physical realm.

Generally, they rely on lifeless objects such as puppets or magical props. Powerful onmyoji can use talismans as vessels to summon shikigami. As long as the talismans are intact and their magical power doesn't deplete, they can summon countless shikigami to their aid.

However, the shikigami in this forest...

"They're possessing living creatures?"

Shikigami are spiritual beings, and possessing physical bodies is not a common practice.

However, this requires not only advanced techniques but also considerable control. Otherwise, the shikigami will go berserk and attack indiscriminately, seeing everyone as enemies.

"But this forbidden land needs these kinds of shikigami."

After all, the purpose of the shikigami here is to hinder intruders and serve as enemies to test their abilities. Hence, the Izanagi clan fills the forest with miasma, allowing the shikigami to possess the birds and beasts in the forest, becoming natural enemies that mercilessly drive intruders away.

"I wonder if Raishin can handle such a place."

Rozen idly wondered about this.

Once they entered the forest, they immediately seemed to have separated, unwittingly becoming lone individuals. Rozen didn't know if it was due to the magical mechanism of the forest or simply getting lost.

"Now, I should focus on myself."

Rozen activated the skill "Heaven's Eye," emitting ripples of magical power.

"Mmm... The accuracy is quite low..."

It seemed that the dense miasma interfered with the transmission of magical power, resulting in surprisingly little information returned from the "Heaven's Eye."

Nevertheless, Rozen still discovered something.

"Roar..."

"Roar..."

Faint growls echoed from within the miasma.

Rozen activated the skill "Spirit Vision" and saw clusters of magical power swirling in the miasma, as well as pairs of glowing eyes.

"I really can't catch a break..."

Rozen wryly smiled and unhesitatingly released his magical power.

The next moment, shadowy figures darted out of the miasma.