Midnight Shrine Steps Vanish

Kagami

The lanterns just went out. All of them at once.

Tsukasa

(This isn't just the wind... something feels wrong)

Kazuma

These aren't normal power outages. The spiritual energy here just... vanished.

Kagami

Tsukasa, grab my hand! Don't let go!

Kazuma

(A purification circle... but it's inverted. Someone deliberately broke the shrine's protection)

Tsukasa

Kagami... there's someone standing by the offering box.

Kagami

Stay behind me. Whatever's here... it's been waiting for us specifically.

Kazuma

(The Hiiragi shrine's spiritual barrier... it wasn't protecting the shrine from the outside. It was keeping something in.)