Hearing Teppei calling them from outside, urging them to come quickly so he could take them to see Lady Kokomi at the Sangonomiya Shrine—
Shao Yun replied unhurriedly, "Got it! We'll be there right away!"
Upon hearing Shao Yun's response, Teppei added, "I'll wait for you outside."
Shao Yun was overjoyed inside—he knew it was time to set his plan in motion.
With that thought, he downed the rest of his stew in a few quick gulps.
He casually wiped his mouth with his hand and said to Lumine and Paimon, "I'll go ahead and see what's going on at the Sangonomiya Shrine. You two take your time eating, no rush."
Before Lumine could respond, Shao Yun had already set down his bowl and eagerly walked toward the door.
"Shao Yun, wait for me," Lumine called out in an attempt to stop him.
But Shao Yun didn't turn back, speaking as he walked.
"Don't worry, I'll just go have a quick word with Kokomi. Nothing to worry about. You two enjoy your meal—no need to hurry."
Watching his departing figure, Lumine was struck by a sudden sense of familiarity. She realized she had seen a scene like this before.
As Shao Yun left, that strange feeling she once had back on Narukami Island surged back, and this time, it was even stronger.
...
As soon as Shao Yun stepped outside, he was enveloped by a wave of desolation.
On this seventh day, Watatsumi Island was steeped in a barren stillness that seeped into every corner.
Just as Enjou had said, the island had become a place even more lifeless than a desert.
Once lush and vibrant, the vegetation had withered away, leaving only brittle branches and dead leaves scattered across the earth, like the charred remains of a natural world consumed by fire.
The air was thick with the stifling stench of decay—the pungent odor of rotting flora, making one feel suffocated and uneasy.
This place, once full of life and energy, had been completely drained of its vitality.
Sunlight filtered weakly through thin clouds, casting a pale glow across the desolate land. But instead of warmth, it only deepened the sorrow and isolation of the scene.
At the doorstep stood Teppei, his face gaunt and his eyes dulled. Heavy bags hung under his eyes, and his whole body radiated exhaustion.
Shao Yun looked at Teppei, outwardly expressing concern, though inside he was elated—the more desperate Watatsumi Island became, the higher his chances of success.
"Teppei, you haven't rested in a long time, have you?" Shao Yun asked, feigning concern.
Teppei waved weakly, forcing himself upright as he said hoarsely, "Whether I rest or not no longer matters. We must hurry to see Lady Kokomi. Every minute we delay, Watatsumi Island faces greater danger."
Seeing this, Shao Yun replied calmly, "In that case, there's no time to lose. Let's depart immediately."
Hearing this, Teppei grabbed Shao Yun by the wrist and rushed him toward the Sangonomiya Shrine.
The village was thick with a heavy atmosphere. Everyone silently bore the weight of crop failure and despair.
Parents in Bourou Village forbade their children from playing outside, keeping them indoors to reduce energy use and hunger pangs.
Teppei saw it all and was overwhelmed with grief.
Yet Shao Yun, watching the hopeless villagers, felt a secret joy. People in despair, once shown hope, will unleash unimaginable strength.
At that moment, Teppei noticed Lady Kiyoko busy packing her goods, loading bamboo baskets one by one onto a handcart. She seemed to be preparing to leave.
Teppei halted and stared at her in shock. "Miss Kiyoko… are you leaving?"
Lady Kiyoko paused her packing, brushed her wind-tousled hair aside, and offered a strained smile. "No, I've just sold out all my stock and need to return to Narukami Island to restock. I'm not abandoning the village."
Teppei quickly objected, "But Miss Kiyoko, the journey from Watatsumi to Narukami Island is long and dangerous, especially during wartime!"
She glanced around and sighed. "If I don't go, the villagers of Bourou will have nothing to eat. Don't worry, I've made trips like this more than once."
Teppei bit his lip, hesitated, and said, "Then at least wait a bit—I'll find some Resistance members to escort you—"
But Kiyoko waved her hand firmly. "No need. You should conserve your strength for the fight against the Shogunate. I must go now."
"Rest assured—I'll bring back plenty of food. I'll sell it at the same low prices I always have. I won't exploit the situation."
With those words, Lady Kiyoko loaded the last basket onto her cart and slowly walked out of Bourou Village. The squeak of the cart wheels against the ground sounded like a weary sigh in Teppei's ears, weighing down his heart even more.
He stared at her retreating figure, overwhelmed with guilt.
Had Shao Yun not reminded him, he might've remained buried in regret even longer.
...
When the two arrived at the Sangonomiya Shrine, they saw two villagers from Bourou sitting quietly on the ground, with four baskets of radishes behind them.
These radishes were all that remained from the fields—every last edible one had been sent here.
Iwata looked gloomily into a basket and muttered, "What do we do now… the radishes in the fields aren't even the size of my palm… At this rate, the soldiers at the frontlines will starve."
Hirai pinched the bridge of his nose and said firmly, "What can we do? If we have a mouthful to eat, the Resistance must too! Even if we go hungry, they can't go without."
Iwata looked up at the sky and sighed deeply. "If only the holy soilification of Watatsumi Island had come a little later..."
Just as he finished speaking, Teppei and Shao Yun approached.
Seeing Teppei, Iwata's eyes lit up. He stood quickly and rushed over. "Teppei! What's the situation on the frontlines?"
Teppei forced a smile—one filled with exhaustion and worry—but he tried to sound composed.
"Don't worry, Iwata. With General Gorou leading us, we've won several battles with fewer troops. The Shogunate won't break through Watatsumi Island."
Iwata shook his head gently and asked again, "That's not what I meant. I'm talking about the food supply… I heard the frontlines are facing a famine?"
When the topic turned to food, Teppei could no longer fake a relaxed demeanor. After a moment of silence, he answered helplessly, "The food situation at the frontlines…"
At this point, Shao Yun quietly slipped away while Teppei was occupied talking with the villagers and walked alone into the Sangonomiya Shrine.
...
Inside, Sangonomiya Kokomi was holding an emergency meeting with Gorou, Todoroki, and Lady Tsuyuko, compiling intelligence from all sources.
At that moment, Todoroki sat at the table, tears streaming down his face.
Over the past few days, his face had become increasingly haggard—his hair even more grey, the lines at the corners of his eyes more deeply etched.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes, which were filled with exhaustion.
After days of crushing despair, his lips were cracked, his voice hoarse—he looked as if he might collapse at any moment.
"Lady Kokomi, I'm useless. Not only did I fail to smuggle in even one of the three boats—I didn't even get a single one back safely! I've doomed Watatsumi Island! I've destroyed our last chance!"
Kokomi closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
A storm of bad news was bearing down on her, threatening to crush her—but she couldn't fall now.
Forcing a smile, she gently comforted Todoroki, who teetered on the brink of collapse.
"Todoroki, don't blame yourself too much. Victory and defeat are unpredictable in war. This isn't all your fault."
"If you fall now, our smuggling operations will collapse completely, and Watatsumi Island will face a true catastrophe."
Todoroki, nearly fifty, lowered his head onto the table and began sobbing softly.
Kokomi turned her gaze to Gorou, eyes filled with expectation and trust.
Gorou understood immediately. Nervously swallowing, he cleared his throat and tried to choose a relatively positive piece of news.
"With Captain Beidou's assistance, we've repelled multiple probing attacks from the Shogunate. Lady Kokomi, the frontlines are stable for now."
But Kokomi stared at him intently. She knew Gorou was simply trying to comfort her.
What she needed now wasn't comfort—but the truth.
Sensing her intent, Gorou lowered his head and admitted, "However… according to scouting reports, there's a high volume of Shogunate ships moving between Kujou Encampment and Narukami Island."
"All signs point to the Shogunate preparing a full-scale assault on Watatsumi Island. And our military rations… will only last through today. Tomorrow…"
He stopped, fearing that continuing would be too much for Kokomi to bear.
Kokomi gave a slight nod to show she understood, then consoled Gorou.
"I see. Please instruct our scouts to monitor the Shogunate closely. As for the food problem—I will find a solution."
But those were just words of comfort. In truth, she was feeling utterly hopeless.
One could substitute medicine with home remedies—but food?
With Watatsumi Island's land now holy soilified, in a few days, there wouldn't even be bark or leaves to eat!
Then it was Lady Tsuyuko's turn to speak.
She stood and bowed slightly to Kokomi. "Lady Kokomi, preparations for the Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri are nearly complete. However… we're still missing the most crucial item…"
Her unspoken implication: they had no Bloodbranch Coral. A team would need to be sent to Enkanomiya to retrieve it.
Kokomi nodded silently. The personnel would have to be chosen. Her mind wandered, and the figures of Lumine and Paimon emerged in her thoughts.
Seeing Kokomi still silent, Tsuyuko tried to offer a silver lining.
"However, there is some good news. The number of specters on Watatsumi Island has decreased significantly…"
The further she spoke, the less confident she became. With starvation at the doorstep, who cares about specters anymore?
Still, to Kokomi's ears, it was one of the few bright spots in the past seven days.
Everyone had said what needed saying. Kokomi nodded and said, "I now have a clear understanding of Watatsumi Island's current state. Once Shao Yun, Lumine, and Miss Paimon arrive…"