The Shrine (Part Two)

When Inosuke opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a grand white-tiled floor. As he slowly sat up, his first thought was simple but terrifying:

Where am I?

He looked around, expecting walls, buildings, something. Instead, there was nothing—just an endless sky of soft blue and drifting clouds, stretching far beyond the horizon.

Panic gripped him.

His eyes widened. Sweat rolled down his temple.

Everyone knew what a place like this meant.

A realm of clouds and silence?

It meant one thing.

Death.

“No...”

“I CAN’T BE DEAD!” he screamed, grabbing his head in frustration.

Calm down, Inosuke... he told himself, taking deep breaths. You’ve taken worse beatings before. This wasn’t enough to kill you.

And it was true. Inosuke had suffered more than most. The only difference this time was exhaustion—he had worked the entire day and collapsed from sheer fatigue.

“I assure you, you are not dead.”

The voice came from nowhere, carried on a gentle wind.

Inosuke froze, his eyes darting around.

“Who said that?!”

“Climb up to find out.”

Before he could question it, golden stairs shimmered into existence in front of him, each one glowing faintly as it floated upward into the sky.

Fighting the urge to panic again, Inosuke stepped onto the first stair. It lit up beneath his foot, and slowly, he began climbing—each step brighter than the last.

At the top, his breath caught in his throat.

It was beautiful.

A massive garden stretched out before him, bursting with color. Every kind of flower bloomed in perfect harmony. Birds chirped in the distance. The air smelled of honey and spring.

It was paradise.

Yep. He was definitely dead.

In the distance, he spotted someone— a man tending to the flowers.

“Uhh... hello?!” Inosuke called out.

The man looked up and smiled brightly. Then, without warning, he ran toward Inosuke at high speed, a trail of dust left in his wake.

Inosuke squinted, watching carefully. The man was in his mid-twenties, with golden eyes and hair to match. He wore a flowing white robe.

An angel? Inosuke wondered. But the way the man ran—arms flailing like a child—didn’t match the wise, noble image he had of angels.

Just before impact, the man leapt through the air, arms wide like he expected a hug.

Inosuke dodged instinctively.

The man soared past him and disappeared over the edge of the platform.

“Oh no,” Inosuke gasped, his short hair standing on end. His bright blue eyes turned pale as he rushed to the edge and looked down into the clouds.

“I killed that poor man…”

“And how exactly did you kill him?” a familiar voice asked behind him.

“If I hadn’t moved, maybe he wouldn’t have fallen.”

“Or maybe you both would have fallen together.”

“You’re probably right... but I wish I could’ve helped,” Inosuke murmured.

The voice handed him a small object— a button.

“It’s a long drop, but if you move fast, you might still catch him. Once you’ve got him, press this.”

Without hesitation, Inosuke turned to thank the speaker—only to realize it was the same man who had fallen.

“Thank you, mister!” he said quickly—and jumped.

As he plummeted, he spotted a figure floating below.

That must be him!

Inosuke streamlined his body like a soldier diving from a plane. Gravity eased, letting him draw closer to the figure. He reached out—

“Almost there…”

Fingers met fingers. He grabbed the man’s hand and immediately raised the other to press the button.

Nothing happened.

“Why isn’t it working?” he shouted against the wind.

The clouds thinned.

Below them now was a volcanic wasteland, molten lava bubbling and exploding like fireworks of fire.

“Come on! Work, work, WOOOOORK!” he yelled, slamming the button repeatedly.

Nothing.

Accepting the worst, Inosuke twisted midair, wrapping his arms around the man, positioning himself to hit the ground first.

He closed his eyes and let out a bitter laugh.

So this is how I die... again.

Then—everything stopped.

He opened one eye.

They were back.

In the garden.

Safe.

He lay on the grass, the man standing over him and smiling.

“How... how did I get back here?” Inosuke whispered.

Confused, he looked down, expecting to see the man in his arms—only to find a doll, shaped exactly like him.

“Thanks for saving my doll!” the man cheered. “Whew! I thought it was a goner for a second.”

Realization struck.

He tricked me.

Inosuke’s face went pale. Foam bubbled at the edge of his mouth as he fainted.

“Hey, don’t die on me now!” the man yelled, rushing over.

When Inosuke awoke, he was lying in a soft bed. The man’s face hovered inches from his, wide-eyed like he was in a staring contest.

“You’re awake!” the man beamed.

“Yeah. Can you... move your face away?”

“As you wish,” the man said, casually shifting to a nearby chair.

“It’s a good thing you’re still alive,” he said, crossing his legs. “Most people faint or die from heart attacks after that fall. Well done for surviving.”

Inosuke frowned. Was that a compliment or a taunt?

“So... where am I?” he asked.

“You, my friend,” the man said with a grin, “are in a shrine.”

Inosuke’s heart dropped.

A shrine?

His chest tightened.

It was well known: only those with Rayler blood could enter shrines. They served as gateways to other planets, used exclusively by elite warriors for battle, missions, and more.

For an ordinary human like him to be here... it defied all logic.

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