AN: Things go wrong in Gensoukyou...

Interlude – The one behind is She

"It should be alright now. I do not sense any type of Makai energy in your body," – Sanae, mesmerized by gentle voice of Shinki, slightly nodded in acknowledgment. The demon goddess warmly smiled and patted the wind priestess then glared at Kanako, who glared back – "Your arrogance could cost this child her soul, you know…"

"And whose fault is this?" – The serpent goddess replied with a little annoyance but remained otherwise civil. She did not live thousand years for nothing. She could easily tell whenever her opponent was on completely different level of power compared to her. Additionally, despite all arrogance and pride, she was knowledgeable to some degree and actually knew what kind of monster was standing right here, in front of her.

"Do not put the blame on the victim…" – Shinki's words were said with a flat tone. There was no any emotion in her voice, as if this sentence was an undeniable truth. The demon queen sighed and looked at the sky – "I am here to help. As a gratitude for your assistance, Yukari… It would be bad if your little youkai paradise cease to exist, wouldn't it?"

The present Yakumos kept silent. No matter how friendly this walking calamity was, it was still a calamity that could go wild at any moment. Yukari could only hope that they would be able to retrieve Alice from wherever she had been transported.

Kanako wanted to say some of her thoughts regarding the newcomer attitude but her pragmatism and accumulated wisdom shut her up. Sanae was looking back at her goddess and the silver-haired woman in red with dumb expression, she had no understanding what was going on.

"Anyway, Yukari..." – The gap youkai watched the Makai ruler, who grabbed something from the grass. It was a tiny, formless black ooze creature that should be barricaded inside the cave – "It seems that you were careless. There are probably more spawn pools aside the one you already found and destroyed in the past," – Shinki clenched her fist, the creature in her hand burst into particles, which was absorbed by the demon goddess – "If this continues, your haven will succumb to my younger sister handiwork."

"What?" – That was a surprise for everybody present. Especially for Yukari who believed that those things were connected to Shinki. The Yakumo matriarch glared at the demon goddess and asked in a low voice – "Do you want to tell me that it is Sariel work?"

"Well, it is what I meant. It is something that little Sariel made while I was shooed away by your Eastern youkai and deity alliance," – There was no malice. Shinki said that her banishment to the void was something like a vacation of sorts. It was clear that the Makai ruler had not grudge about that episode. At the same time, her words implied that somebody else had a very strong grudge.

However, Sanae felt that there was discrepancy between the intendent purpose and the actual result. The black ooze was not effective against youkais nor deities. The only ones, who was susceptible to that "infection", were humans.

"So, that Sariel failed to create anti-youkai or anti-deity weapon… Sheesh… Even I managed better with that crow…" – Kanako smirked without holding back her inner thoughts. Sanae glanced at Shinki, who continued to warmly smile at the Moriya resident goddess, like a mother… Who thought that her child was adorable despite making a stupid proclamation.

"No…" – Ran that kept her mouth shut shook her head. She managed to understand the true meaning of Sariel. It was easy if look at it from the different perspective. The simple addition of the unyielding grudge of the creator with effects of her creation – "That Sariel works perfectly and neatly, without any blind spots. You could say she is a genius that covered all possible countermeasures…"

"Eh?" – Dumbfounded by the serious tone of the fox youkai, Sanae blinked several time trying to comprehend the information. A minute later, she gasped from terrifying revelation. She looked at the still smiling Makai ruler and gulped.

"Yeah, my sister was always determined girl…" – There was a small vial in the right hand of Shinki. It glowed with a nauseating red light with black wavy lines – "It is more concentrated version of that thing… If fed directly to the human… He or she could instantly turn into berserk-like creature…"

Kanako stood in front of Sanae, protecting the wind priestess from the maniacal demon queen. Yukari did not react at all. Ran followed her Master's nonchalant attitude and did not move from her position.

"Something like this… It would be dangerous for your daughter as well. You sure had an antidote of sorts. Right, Shinki?" – The time for mind games had passed. Yukari got a clear picture of the current predicament. Even if Shinki was not aggressive toward them, the time bomb that Sariel placed in Gensoukyou would destroy it sooner or later – "What do you want for it?"

"Sacrifice…" – The warm smile that reached even her eyes, it made Shinki for every one present an incarnation of terror.

"Sacrifice?" – Sanae whispered behind the serpent goddess. Her hand gripped Kanako's clothes so hard that her nails dug themselves into the skin. Among the present, the only human was her… And talks about sacrifice would mean her…

"I am willing…" – Ran stepped forward while holding both of her arms in front of her, sleeve into sleeve. She knew that the unreasonable person wanted her from the beginning, so why she need to hide. If this would help her Master who cared for her, she was ready to take the risk…

Yukari silently balled her fists. She too, understood what Shinki tried to do… Such a petty payback for the past…