Abyssal Sovereignty

“Meow… be gentle, meow…”

“No way, little kitty. You were born to be devoured by me, your big sister!”

In the heart of the sacred shrine, the most revered and holy spot was the room of the shrine maiden. At this very moment, the esteemed shrine maiden, Misako, was in a private chamber of her room, watching scenes not meant for public eyes.

If one were to turn on the lights in this private chamber, they would see not only magical display screens but also numerous piles of books scattered around. Most of these books had covers that suggested dangerous content.

These were part of the treasured collection of Misako, the esteemed shrine maiden who had amassed these various items over the years—things referred to as manga.

The reason for having such items was due to the existence of people from other worlds in this realm. They spread the knowledge from their original worlds to this one, causing certain aspects of otherworldly culture to circulate here.

This had been happening even before Misako was cast into the abyss. Some of the races that had entered the abyss had preserved this cultural phenomenon.

“Hm… It seems that my earlier indifference was merely due to that person.”

Misako, munching on cookies and sipping iced tea, continued to watch a magical display screen showing a detailed analysis of the anatomy of foxes and cats.

“Speaking of which, if these two little ones discover the truth after all this… their expressions will surely be interesting.”

One was a shy cat who became bashful upon approaching her, while the other was a fox with a traditionally demure demeanor but another side when alone. Honestly, this was the most mischievous pair Misako had encountered recently.

[How has it been recently?]

“Grrr!”

The sudden voice in her mind startled Misako, causing her to make a fox-like sound.

[...Sorry, did I scare you?]

“It’s… it’s fine. Is there something you need?”

[No, just wanted to know about ‘her’.]

“Ah, her…”

Misako pulled up the image she had set aside earlier. In the display, the simulated version of herself was engaged in a fierce battle with a young girl.

Even the once pleasant scene of a warm sun, fragrant flowers, and a gentle breeze had turned into a hellish landscape.

“Her mental state hasn’t improved much, but her strength has significantly increased.”

Misako speculated that soon, even at the highest intensity of the simulation, the simulated version of herself might not be able to match her.

[Is that so…?]

“It’s alright, even if I can’t handle it, there’s still you, isn’t there?”

Sensing the worry in the voice, Misako attempted to comfort the entity.

[...Yes, we mustn’t give up until the last moment. And you mustn’t either.]

“…”

These words made Misako pause, her hand halting mid-air with a cookie, as she fell silent.

“...I understand.”

[Good, then let’s leave it at that for now. We’ll discuss it further later.]

The voice in her mind fell silent, and Misako looked up at the young girl on the screen whose once pristine clothes had become tattered.

‘Don’t disappoint me…’

…

Some time later, after countless days of relentless training, the young girl had regained her combat instincts and even surpassed her previous strength.

Unfortunately, her memories had still not returned.

“Tomorrow, you won’t need to go to the training ground. Come directly to see my true self.”

This was what the simulated Misako had told her yesterday at the training ground.

Following these instructions, the young girl arrived at the central area of the shrine.

“You’re here.”

Misako was facing away from the girl, looking at the large tree ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

“...Do you know? This tree is the descendant of the one you saw in the simulation at the training ground.”

Misako approached the tree and gently caressed its trunk.

“I haven’t seen the original one in a long time.”

She reminisced about the days when she and her companions used to play, frolic, and nap under that tree.

“...Well, let’s get to the point. It’s time.”

Turning around, Misako snapped her fingers, causing the scene to transform into a barren wasteland devoid of flowers and trees.

“This way, it won’t affect the surroundings. Come, let me see your strength!”

The petite shrine maiden unleashed her power, creating a pressure even more intense than when they first met, compressing the ground beneath her.

However, this time, the young girl’s strength had grown significantly. Not only did she withstand the pressure, but she also pushed it back a little.

“Impressive. But the real challenge starts now!”

Misako pulled out several sheets of paper covered in special runes from her shrine maiden robes. With a flick of her wrist, flames and lightning appeared in the air.

This was distinctly different from the magic the girl was familiar with. Normal magic involved magic circles or incantations, but this paper-based magic was beyond her comprehension, and the energy used was different from ordinary magical power.

“This is demonic magic. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Misako, the Fox Shrine Maiden and leader of the black demons.”

The black demons were a race known only to a few or some ages ago referred them as simply demons out of ignorance. Black demons doesn't look as they seem to be.

Monsters, as they were called, were beasts or objects mutated by magical power or formed from pure magical energy. Black demons shared a similar origin, gaining sentience under the influence of special magical power, either passively absorbing it or actively condensing it. They generally used a unique form of magic known as demonic magic.

Initially, they were regarded as monsters by those in the know. Whenever a black demon appeared, large extermination parties were dispatched to hunt or capture them.

Of course, no one knew how many were for the sake of the world and how many were driven by personal desires.

To escape this fate, the black demons chose to live apart from other races, gradually fading from view.

One day, a powerful entity stumbled upon their secluded existence and forced them into war, bringing the black demons back into public consciousness.

As the story goes, they eventually fell and were cast into the abyss. The black demons were lost to history through cycles of emergence and disappearance, and now only ancient beings who survived the war remember them.

“Ah, but I’m not old.”

Misako, still looking like a little girl, certainly wasn’t old. That’s what she said!

“Now that introductions are done, let me see if our black demons can once again make the world recognize us!”