Kohei's body erupted with power. Energy surged skyward as if to pierce the heavens, a storm of force so strong that the trees and grass around him shuddered under its pressure.
The mountain spirit narrowed her eyes, biting her lip.
What on earth is this?
Never before had she seen such a reaction. Normally, when one became Yama no Nushi, their latent energy simply opened and filled their body. That had been true for every contract she had ever made—even the bears of Mount Yufu, famed for their ferocity, could only let their aura spill faintly into the air around them.
But this was different.
Ssshhhhh.
The bluish aura swirled outward, brushing against the trees and grass, only to circle back and return into Kohei's body.
What kind of vessel is this? I can't feel any energy leaking at all.
Warmth still flowed into him through their joined hands, but from his body she sensed nothing—because he was containing it, storing it neatly inside, letting nothing escape.
Kohei opened his eyes. "This is… amazing."
His vision had changed. Or rather, a new sense had awakened. He could perceive the flow of energy in all things. When he looked at Yamagami, her aura was thin, hollow, and fading.
So that's why she asked for help.
Even the weak flicker she had left seemed on the verge of dissolving. The power he had pushed into her through their contact gave her a temporary boost, but it was only a stopgap.
"You can see it?" she asked.
"Yes. I can see it."
"That is ki—the life force. Every being carries it. If you look closely, you can read its condition."
His parents' faces rose unbidden in his mind.
If I looked at their ki, what would I see? Mother's must be weak from her illness… Father's as well. It would hurt to see it confirmed with my own eyes.
But he clenched his jaw.
If I can understand the flow of their energy, I can find the food, medicine, or treatment that will help them. This ability can be used for good. And since it was given by the mountain spirit herself, I should use it well.
"How do I help you?" he asked.
"First, we must make the soil fertile again," she said, her voice trembling.
Where did such a man come from? Is he even human?
She had met the mountain spirits of Tate and Haku, but never anyone with this kind of potential. And now, impossibly, he had become Yama no Nushi. Suspicious though it was, she had no strength left to question a blessing like this.
She pointed to a barren slope where saplings withered in dry, lifeless soil. "If the land becomes fertile, plants will grow strong again. For now, focus on restoring the earth's vitality. That will be the first step."
Kohei nodded. He was willing to help—at least for a time.
But before he could follow, he stopped. "There's something you should know."
She turned, wary. "What is it?"
"I can only help for about a week."
"What?!" Her cry rang out like thunder.
It was a devastating blow. She had imagined rebuilding the mountain with him, restoring its former glory—but a single week wasn't enough to plant even a fraction of what was needed.
She grabbed his collar, eyes filling with tears. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
He shook his head. "No. It's just… I need to look for work. Once my parents are stable, I'll return to Tokyo to find a job."
"But—you said you wanted to heal your parents! Once my divine power is restored, I can do that!"
It wasn't easy to dismiss her words, not after she had given him something as priceless as wild ginseng.
"How long would it take you to recover?" he asked.
"Perhaps ten years."
"Ten years…"
Too long. Far too long to gamble his future on. His parents' savings were meant for their old age, not for supporting him. He couldn't simply abandon his own responsibilities.
Yamagami's offer was tempting, and her desperation pitiful, but he couldn't decide so easily.
"…If there were a way to help you while still earning money, that would be best," he said at last.
Her eyes lit up. "So it was money all along? Don't worry. That I can provide."
"How?"
"There's a cache of offerings left to me long ago. We can use those."
In her days of power, some supplicants had brought not just prayers but gifts—valuable ones. She had stored them away.
She led the way, humming as if her troubles were over. After a long walk, they reached what looked like the remnants of an old streambed. Beside it yawned a small cave.
"Dig there," she said.
"With my bare hands?"
"It won't be difficult."
Reluctantly, he began. But with the subtle current of energy still flowing through his body, his skin felt tougher, his muscles stronger. The soil gave way easily under his hands.
Strange feeling. Next time I'll bring a shovel.
At last his fingers struck wood. He cleared the earth and hauled up an old chest, its exterior decayed but its core intact.
"Open it," she urged.
Inside lay gold trinkets and rolls of silk. The silk was ruined by mold, but the gold gleamed, untouched by time.
She puffed out her chest proudly. "Well? Isn't this enough to serve as wages?"
Kohei gave a short laugh.
She's really trusting me with this? If I ran off, she'd have no way to stop me. A lesser man could strip her bare and leave her to vanish.
But he wasn't that kind of man. That wasn't how he lived.
"There's one problem," he said. "You can't just sell things like this. They'll look like stolen goods."
Her brow furrowed. "Stolen?"
"Anything with no clear source is suspicious. Especially items this old."
Her cheeks flushed with indignation. "They're not stolen! People gave them willingly, as thanks for answered prayers!"
"When was that?"
"Before the war… a long time ago."
He looked closer. The designs reminded him of artifacts he'd seen in museums.
If these date back before the Meiji dynasty, they're not just valuables—they're cultural treasures.
That meant selling them was nearly impossible, and could bring the police down on his head if he tried.
"You're frowning. Is it not enough?" she asked nervously.
"It's not about the amount. These are cultural artifacts. You can't sell them." He shook his head. "But I'll still come help on weekends. I plan to visit my parents anyway, so I'll stop by."
She slumped to the ground, defeated. Her last card—her hidden treasure—had turned out to be useless.
"…I'm sorry. I've only wasted your time," she whispered.
"Don't worry. Even if I find work, I'll be here on weekends," he reassured her.
At that, her eyes suddenly lit with inspiration. "Wait. Did you say work? A company?"
"Yes."
"Then—do you have a phone?"
He blinked. "Why?"
She wiped her tears and grabbed his collar, urgency blazing in her eyes. "I have an ally. An old friend. He runs a company now—if I ask, he'll surely lend us money."
"You don't mean one of your past supplicants…"
"No. The mountain spirit of Mount Tate. A longtime companion. He will help us."
Kohei pulled out his phone and held it toward Yamagami. Her hand slipped straight through the device.
"Looks like your power's still too weak. I'll dial for you," he said.
"Please do. The number is…"
He tapped it in. A popular pop song blared from the other end until a sharp male voice answered.
[Who's this?]
"This call is on behalf of Yamagami," Kohei replied.
[Yamagami? That's strange. The mountain spirit is in purification right now— unreachable. Hm…]
A silence followed. Yamagami tugged anxiously at his sleeve.
"What did he say?"
"He claims the spirit has entered purification."
Her face went pale. "Purification… that could take ages."
"Who exactly am I speaking with?" Kohei asked.
[Tora. And you are?]
"Kuryu Kohei. For now, I'm Yamagami's Yama no Nushi."
[Oho! What animal are you, then?]
"I'm human."
[Human? Serving as a Yama no Nushi? Never heard of that before.]
So it was unusual after all.
[Anyway, what's the matter?]
"She asked me to borrow money on her behalf."
[Money? That, I can manage. Tell her I'll come in person tonight. Nine o'clock, after work.]
"All right."
[Good. I'll see you then. Give Yamagami my regards.]
Click.
The line went dead.
Tora… could he be a tiger? Kohei wondered.
Yamagami tugged at his clothes again. "Well? What did he say?"
"He'll be here at nine tonight."
"Perfect. Once he arrives, everything will be solved. As soon as I recover my strength, repaying such a sum will be trivial."
With the ability to cultivate wild ginseng—or even simply restore the mountain's abundance—she would easily be able to offer more than a single man's wages. Her chest swelled with renewed pride, as though she had never wept.
"Then let's get to work. We must make the soil fertile."
Fertile land needed fertilizer. In old days, people had used livestock manure. Nowadays, chemical fertilizers were common. But money was scarce.
"Even weeds like kudzu vine have their uses. We'll turn it into compost. Here—use this."
She led him to a discarded sickle. Rusty, but better than bare hands.
Let's see… how do I use this thing?
Kohei quickly looked up instructions online, then began hacking at the vines. The dull blade barely cut, forcing him to rely on strength. Hours passed in a blur of work until his phone chimed.
Beep. Beep.
The lunchtime alarm.
"I'll go eat and come back."
"Go on," Yamagami said.
After lunch with his parents, Kohei bought a new sickle and a shovel.
I'll pay it back after my first paycheck, he promised himself. At least he had Yamagami's treasure stored away as collateral.
Back on the mountain, he cleared the last of the kudzu, spreading it across the barren slope where pines once stood.
Strange… I'm not even tired.
Perhaps it was the effect of becoming Yama no Nushi. He could work all day without fatigue.
"All the kudzu's cut," he reported.
"Then let's turn it into compost. Follow my instructions. First, shovel that moist soil over the pile."
He did as told, covering the green tangles with rich earth until it looked like vegetables dusted with sesame powder.
"Now," she said, "recall the feeling when you held my hand. Pour that energy into the soil. The microbes will awaken."
Kohei pressed his palms to the ground. At once, he sensed faint motes of life, sluggish but stirring.
So these are microbes.
Like blowing warm breath, he sent energy into them.
Twitch. Twitch.
The tiny organisms stirred, sluggish movements turning brisk. They crawled into the kudzu vines and began devouring them hungrily.
They're multiplying… fast.
With each mouthful, they reproduced, and with each reproduction, more vines were consumed. Thick green stems and broad leaves slowly darkened, collapsing into black soil.
Natural, high-quality fertilizer was forming before his eyes.
Faster than a compost bin…
Slow, but visible. Astonishing.
"Is this the power of being a Yama no Nushi?" he asked.
"Huh? Ah… yes, of course. Impressive, isn't it?"
"Very," he said honestly.
Yamagami folded her arms and nodded, feigning composure. But goosebumps prickled down her back.
Why are the microbes multiplying so quickly?