With Ei joining the group, there were now six of them. They huddled together and ventured into the mist.
Ei could have dispersed the mist with her Electro energy, but she hesitated. Forcibly dispelling it would be too forceful, potentially harming Yuna's last fragment of soul, which might still reside here. If she accidentally harmed it, she would never forgive herself.
However, while a large-scale dispersion was out of the question, a localized clearing was still possible.
As soon as they entered the mist, Lumine quickly scanned her surroundings to make sure everyone was present before sighing in relief.
Ei conjured a ball of Electro energy in her right hand. The surrounding mist recoiled from it like mice fleeing a cat, scattering into the distance.
"This mist... it seems to have a consciousness," Yae Miko murmured, drawing Paimon closer to Lumine.
The group advanced a short distance and discovered a wall blocking their path.
"We should go left," Lumine suggested, "There's an entrance that way."
Lumine led the way, holding the Electro orb aloft. Wherever the orb's light touched, the mist retreated.
-
Player World
This was the first time six characters had appeared on screen together, moving in such perfect unison.
[Doesn't it look like Ei is the mother hen, the others are her chicks, and this eerie fog is the hawk?]
[Ugh, you ruined the atmosphere I was building in my head!]
[Holy crap, everyone! I've discovered a secret! Compared to the Itto from before, the current Itto is noticeably taller, his horns are longer, and he looks even more imposing!]
[Well, duh! Otherwise, what was the point of Itto's Oni King Bloodline awakening?]
[Hisss—Suddenly my Itto isn't looking so appealing anymore.]
[Stay on topic, people! We should be discussing Yuna right now!]
[Speaking of which, is the Phantom really Yuna? Or could it be the black-robed figure...?]
-
Tsurumi Island.
After about twenty minutes, the group finally found the entrance to the cave on Mt. Kanna.
Upon reaching the cave, the dense fog suddenly thinned, and visibility jumped from a mere five meters to over ten.
Waaah... waaaah...
As soon as they entered the cave, the temperature plummeted by over ten degrees Celsius, and a young girl's weeping echoed through the cavern.
The weeping seemed to emanate from the depths of the Nine Nether Hells, carrying boundless anguish and despair. It was a mournful lament that pierced the heart like a knife.
Within the weeping lay the girl's boundless sorrow, as if she were enduring unbearable agony and torment.
"Lumine!" Paimon squeezed fearfully into the group.
"This is..."
Kuki Shinobu's pupils dilated violently. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm as she listened intently to the weeping.
The longer she listened, the more violently her body shook, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of primal dread.
"It's Yuna... Yuna's crying!"
At Shinobu's warning, the other five members pricked up their ears.
More than weeping, it was a wail—a piercing, heartrending wail that pierced their eardrums and struck deep into their souls.
-
Live Stream
[Ahhhh, you bastard! I can't take it anymore!]
[Who did the voice acting? It's terrifying yet heartbreaking.]
[She was such a lively girl... how did she end up like this?]
[Shinobu and the others must be devastated.]
[Mihoyo are heartless! How could they bring themselves to do this?]
-
Inside the mountain cave on Mt. Kanna, everyone felt unbearable anguish at hearing Yuna's sobs. Kuki Shinobu, Paimon, and Itto were particularly distraught, their eyes instantly turning red.
"Yuna, where are you? The Boss is here!" Itto roared into the cave, but only the relentless sobs echoed back. No one answered.
Ei and Yae Miko stood frozen for a long moment, listening to the cries. Ei strained her ears, but the sound seemed to come from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint its source.
She was about to activate her Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu when Yae Miko gently grasped her hand and shook her head.
Ei's Electro power naturally suppressed souls. Until they could be certain it wouldn't harm Yuna, extreme caution was paramount.
Meanwhile, Lumine sensed movement from the longsword within her Storage Space and drew it out.
The sword glowed with the same faint red and yellow light as before, its blade trembling as if straining to escape Lumine's grip.
Lumine released her hold, and the sword hovered in the air before streaking deeper into the cave with a whoosh.
"Trusted Friend, what is this...?"
"It seems to know where Yuna is. Let's follow it!"
Yuna was a Pure Soul, just like Rola and Qingge—they shared the same origin!
Perhaps Rola and Qingge sensed Yuna's soul, explaining their sudden urgency.
Though the longsword moved swiftly, it didn't abandon Lumine and her companions. Instead, it paused a short distance ahead, waiting for them to catch up before continuing its journey.
Finally, the longsword came to rest in a dark, secluded corner.
The six followed the sword to this spot, the sound of weeping now ringing in their ears. They knew Yuna's soul must be nearby.
Yet... they couldn't see anything at all in the corner!
Waaah, waaaah...
Suddenly, in the corner, Yuna's translucent spirit flickered into view.
"Ah! It's Yuna!" Paimon exclaimed. Everyone who had been frantically searching for the source of the weeping turned their attention to the corner.
Yuna's spirit huddled, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried deep in her lap.
She clung to the damp, icy corner, trying to shrink into herself and diminish her presence—a clear sign of extreme insecurity.
"Little Yuna... sister..." Kuki Shinobu approached cautiously, bending slightly and lowering her head.
She took a deep breath, striving to keep her voice as gentle as possible, terrified of startling Yuna. Even so, her voice still trembled.
Waaah, it hurts so much... I'm in so much pain...
In her spectral form, Yuna sobbed, seemingly terrified, pressing herself even harder into the corner.
As the group watched this scene unfold, their hearts twisted with anguish.
Itto crouched down and called out in his gentlest voice, "Yuna, don't be scared. Boss is here, Shinobu's here too, along with the Grand Narukami Shrine's Guuji, the Electro Archon, the Traveler, and Paimon. We'll all protect you."
As Itto spoke, he noticed cracks on Yuna's spiritual form—on her arms, the back of her neck, and her thighs. Tears streamed down his face as he continued.
"Yuna... it's Boss's fault. Boss couldn't protect you..."
Itto pressed his hand tightly over his mouth, afraid he would burst into sobs and frighten Yuna.
The spiritual form of Yuna continued to weep and speak to herself:
"Dad... Mom... Sis... Boss... Lady Guuji... Sister Ei... It hurts so much... it hurts so much..."
Ei, Yae Miko, and Lumine had managed to hold back their tears until this moment, but now their composure shattered.
Yae Miko frantically wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes as she crouched down, reaching out to hug Yuna, but her hand passed straight through the girl's spectral form.
Ei clenched her left fist, Electro arcs crackling in her eyes.
Paimon paced anxiously in circles, at a loss for what to do.
"Lumine, can't we do something for Yuna? She's in so much pain!"
Lumine's large eyes brimmed with tears, equally helpless.
"Everyone, step back."
At the critical moment, Ei intervened.