Erebos' Secret

I am Uda of the Jibashiri. Hero of Sangonomiya, I acknowledge that you are worthy to take on this challenge.

I am in charge of the trial of "wisdom." Go forth and solve all the puzzles to return the Flames of the High Gate to their places.

It is not bravery that advances bereft of wisdom, but foolhardiness instead!

I will await your completion of the challenge at the Tower of the Three Realms above.

Go forth, hero of Sangonomiya, and take on the challenge!

Return all the Flames of the High Gate to their places.

I, Uda of the Jibashiri, acknowledge your great valor.

Indeed, you are both "extensive and meticulous" in your wisdom.

How can you tell a person's character from these trials?

To be honest, these words are praises that the Divine Priestess used to bestow upon skilled youths. They eventually came to be written on pennants at the Jibashiri headquarters.

I am Uda of the Jibashiri. Unrelated people may not enter.

I am Eki of the Jibashiri. Hero of Sangonomiya, I acknowledge that you are worthy to take on this challenge.

I am in charge of the trial of "insight." Go forth and solve all the puzzles to return the Flames of the High Gate to their respective places.

The battlefield is ever-changing. Only by keeping your eyes and ears wide open at all times may you grasp the situation and master all these variables.

Have you completed the challenge, hero of Sangonomiya?

Use your insight and find all the Flames of the High Gate!

Impressive. You cleared that trial with ease. I, Eki of the Jibashiri, acknowledge your great valor.

Your insight can be said to be sufficient to seek out an eel in the winter.

And what's that supposed to mean, huh?

Breeding season unagi fry are very, very small. You must exert the greatest visual acuity to see them.

I am Eki of the Jibashiri. If you are here on unimportant affairs, depart from this place.

I am Daimon of the Jibashiri. Hero of Sangonomiya, I acknowledge that you are worthy to take on this challenge.

Valor is the power to defeat all your foes, regardless of the method used. Simply defeat all the opponents here and release the Flames of the High Gate, and you shall be allowed passage.

It should be said that all these foes are illusions, born from the Sunfire Phantasms and the great enemies you know of in your heart.

Even so, you will be vanquished if you are not careful.

I will await your completion of the challenge at the Tower of the Three Realms above.

Have you completed the challenge, hero of Sangonomiya?

To pursue true valor, use all the means at your disposal to defeat the foes before you.

Yes, yes! Scatter them all before you!

Such power can truly be considered "unmatched throughout Tokoyo"! I, Daimon of the Jibashiri, acknowledge your great valor.

I am Daimon of the Jibashiri. I know not how you entered this place, but please leave.

That I have appeared before you must mean that the Bloodbranch Coral is in Watatsumi's hands. And a most comforting thought that is.

My name is Erebos. In the Inazuman tongue, that would be Eboshi. I am an auxiliary of Sangonomiya, one of the shrine maidens of Enkanomiya.

You must be the hero who obtained the coral, I suppose?

That would be me.

My apologies, but that which I shall shortly speak of is a most complicated matter. In truth, I do not know where to begin.

Just start from the start! We'll listen!

You have my gratitude. In that case, allow me to introduce such matters as I may to you. We must begin with Watatsumi Omikami opening the gate to the depths.

The depths of Enkanomiya play host to a natural cave system that leads to Watatsumi Island. This is the paradise that was promised to us by Watatsumi Omikami.

At Omikami's instruction, we learned the culture of Narukami, and we established foreign relations with many different nations.

Narukami Island even knew us as the "beauties of Watatsumi," renowned for our soft skin, which would conceal seven types of skin blemish...

...This, of course, being mostly a consequence of our ancestors' lack of sunlight in the depths of Enkanomiya...

Ah, sorry. During the process of establishing foreign relations, I would give guided tours to visitors in my role as a Sangonomiya auxiliary, so I just...

Right. Back to the point. Lady Sangonomiya and I had a disagreement, which resulted in the current arrangement, following Watatsumi Omikami's mediation.

Due to the phenomenon known as Sinshades, the "past," "history," and "truth" of Enkanomiya would endure even if left to their own devices.

As such, great effort was expended, not that we might remember, but that we might "forget." Lady Sangonomiya was of this view.

(The Sangonomiya she's talking about must've been from a real long time ago...)

The trial to obtain the branch was intended to limit the number of people coming after us who could know the whole truth of the matter.

As for me, I supported leaving records of the truth. As such, Watatsumi Omikami permitted me to add another trial path that, if passed, would lead to knowledge of our secrets.

Please accept this challenge.

I accept your challenge.

That is well. In that case, allow me to open that path for you.

Ah, you have been recognized by all the Jibashiri. They represent the will of Watatsumi, and so have you obtained the right to learn everything.

You are the savior of the people of Watatsumi, and are one acknowledged by Watatsumi also. Thus, you have earned the right to ask and to be answered.

Still, I ask that you follow the rules and not take the truth beyond this ocean abyss.

What else do you wish to know?

They are primordial elemental beings, unbent and unbowed by the power that came from the heavens owing to their living deep underwater.

They are actually very intelligent, and they are adept at evolving. They would even evolve into different elemental forms throughout the history of their war against us.

I would not be surprised at all if they have learned language or perhaps even evolved into lizard-people of a sort.

The Holy Soil phenomenon is, in fact, the expansion of their habitat. That means that the primordial elemental power of the three realms is growing stronger.

Only by using Watatsumi Omikami's life force to awaken its second servant could we convert this raw, raging elemental power.

I've got nothing else to ask.

Fair enough. Again, please remember to keep all that you have seen here in Enkanomiya an eternal secret.

Please go unto the Jibashiri's souls to prove your valor.

Only when you have completed the trials can I tell you all of our secrets.

Ah, goodness, look at me! Behaving like a young maiden with a little secret she cannot wait to share.

The three trial areas have been prepared.

Now, allow me to give you the clues to clearing them.

Now, in this Evernight, gaze upon the borders of Byakuyakoku.

"In the faintness of everlasting night, beyond the rushing of the river Styx, within the sinless flow of heavenly light."

Release the seal on The Emanant Skylight. Then, you may ascend to the Gate of Heaven and access the site of the trial.

The Emanant Skylight?

At night, you can see three pillars of light that descend from the dome above. These pillars point unto The Emanant Skylight.

You're speaking in riddles!

Sorry, this is how the script written by Watatsumi Omikami reads. And I mean, aren't unclear instructions also part of the tradition of such trials?

Whatever the case may be. All the Jibashiri at the trial area are weirdos. If you don't pass through the teleporter to get there, they won't speak gently to you.

Either way, I can only stay here and hope that you will conquer all the obstacles set before you, and that you will return crowned in recognition.