MM Racing Chapter 15: Hagoromo and Hamura
Chapter 15: Hagoromo and Hamura
"Do you know what kind of place that is?"
Gamamaru stopped, raised its forelimbs, pointed to the divine tree in the distance, and asked calmly.
Hagoromo and Hamura exchanged a glance.
"Of course I know. That is the sacred tree, a holy relic protected by Mother, and the source that nourishes this land."
Yu Yi spoke first
This is what their mother taught them from a young age: the sacred tree is a sacred and inviolable existence.
"The source that nourishes this land?"
Gamamaru let out a sneer, his tone clearly mocking: "Have you ever seen the real Divine Tree? Did your mother ever allow you to approach it?"
No, not at all.
Hagoromo and Hamura's expressions changed slightly.
Indeed, their mother had warned them from a young age that the sacred tree was a forbidden area, and no one was allowed to approach it. Even the two brothers could only watch from afar.
"Nourish? Look for yourselves at what's around the divine tree."
Gamamaru pointed to the scenery around the divine tree.
Hagoromo and Hamura looked in the direction it was pointing, and their expressions instantly turned serious.
The area around the sacred tree was not the thriving place they had imagined; instead, it was a desolate desert landscape.
Not a blade of grass grows, the land is parched and cracked, and the air is filled with an aura of death, which contrasts sharply with the powerful chakra emanating from the divine tree itself, making it seem out of place.
"The truth is, this sacred tree isn't nourishing the earth at all; it's constantly absorbing the earth's energy and vitality!"
Gamamaru's voice became serious.
Yu Yi frowned, her eyes filled with confusion and doubt.
He looked at the desolate scene around the sacred tree and thought of what his mother had done over the years, and the "offerings" that were regularly sent to the sacred tree.
Hamura also fell silent...
"Whether it's true or not, you'll find out for yourselves."
Gamamaru didn't continue, only leaving behind this sentence.
With a flash, he turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared, leaving only Yui and Hamura standing on the summit, gazing at the distant divine tree with complex expressions.
A cold wind blew from the mountaintop, stirring up dust from the ground, and the two remained silent for a long time.
Yu Yi's doubts deepened, and he wanted to go to the foot of the divine tree to investigate and find out the truth.
But when he thought of his mother's stern admonitions and her powerful strength, he hesitated...
The mother's authority was imprinted in their hearts from childhood, making them dare not disobey her easily.
"Big brother, should we... go take a look?"
Hamura's voice carried a hint of probing; he too wanted to know the truth, but he was equally afraid of his mother's punishment.
Yu Yi took a deep breath, but ultimately shook her head, a hint of struggle in her eyes: "No. Mother has her reasons for not letting us get close. Perhaps... she's not telling the whole truth."
We cannot doubt our mother based solely on the words of a strange toad.
Upon hearing this, Hamura nodded, suppressing his curiosity.
Although their doubts had not dissipated, they ultimately chose to back down in the face of their mother's authority.
But once that seed of doubt is planted, it will gradually take root and sprout under the nourishment of time, eventually growing into a towering tree.
...........
A few days later, the day of the routine sacrifice arrived.
The orderly long line slowly moved toward the sacred tree.
The ordinary people in the group all had expressionless faces, as if they had already accepted this destined fate.
Hagoromo and Hamura stood on a high slope not far away, watching all this quietly, the atmosphere somewhat oppressive.
For the past few days, Gamamaru's words have been like a thorn, deeply embedded in their hearts.
The desolate scene around the sacred tree kept replaying in my mind, which was completely at odds with my mother's words that "the sacred tree nourishes the earth".
Their gazes darted around, landing on the sacrificial procession.
He kept glancing at the towering divine tree, his doubts growing wildly like vines.
Yet he was always bound by his reverence for his mother, and a thousand words stuck in his throat; in the end, he dared not step forward and ask why.
"Big brother, look..."
Hamura's voice suddenly became hesitant, his gaze fixed on the sacrificial procession, and his expression changed slightly.
Hagoromo's heart sank. Following his gaze, her pupils contracted sharply, and she exclaimed in shock, "Hagoromo? What?!"
In the middle of the sacrificial procession, a slender figure stood out conspicuously.
It was a woman dressed in plain clothes, with gentle features and her hair simply tied up. She was none other than the human woman that Yui had secretly loved for many years.
How did she end up in the sacrificial procession?!
Yu Yi's mind went blank; the shock and anxiety in her heart instantly overwhelmed all hesitation and awe.
"Haori! Haori!"
Upon hearing this, Yuzhi stopped and slowly turned around.
Seeing Hagoromo rushing towards her and Hamura close behind, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Hagoromo? Hamura? What are you doing here?"
"Haori asked calmly."
"How did you end up in the sacrifice line? Who chose you? Come out here! You can't go on this sacrifice!"
Yu Yi rushed to her, her eyes filled with anxiety and resentment.
As he spoke, he reached out to pull Yuzhi away from the group, but Yuzhi gently avoided him.
"Feather Robe..."
Seeing his anxious expression, Yuzhi smiled faintly, a bitter smile playing on her lips. Her voice was gentle yet unwavering: "I received the notification. This is my fate. I must go and offer sacrifice to the sacred tree."
Her tone was eerily calm, as if she were recounting something unrelated to herself, as if the impending death was nothing more than an ordinary farewell.
"Fate? What fate? This isn't fate at all!"
"These are the rules my mother set, but these rules are completely wrong!"
Yu Yi's emotions grew increasingly agitated, her clenched fists trembling slightly.
"You're her son, you don't understand."
Yuri simply shook her head. She didn't know the truth about the Divine Tree, nor did she ever think of defying the rules set by Kaguya.
In her eyes, Kaguya is the creator goddess, the ruler of this land, and the rules of the gods are the destiny that mortals must abide by.
"These are the rules set by Lady Kaguya. We are born this way, and we cannot resist them."
She looked at Yu Yi, a hint of reluctance flashing in her eyes.
"I'm so glad to have met you, Hagoromo."
As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her hand and took off the string of magatama necklace she was wearing around her neck.
That necklace was handcrafted by her from jade from the mountains; it was simple yet exquisite, and it was her most precious possession.
She tiptoed and gently placed the necklace around the neck of the feather robe.
"Don't forget me, Hagoromo."
The sound of the haori was soft, like a gentle breeze.
Having said that, she stopped looking at the feathered robe, turned around, and rejoined the sacrificial procession. With firm steps, she walked towards the sacred tree and never looked back.
That slender figure gradually disappeared from sight, eventually blending into the long queue and becoming indistinguishable.
"Haori!"
Yu Yi stood frozen in place, the magatama necklace around his neck feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds, making it hard for him to breathe.
He watched the haori's departing figure, feeling the cool jade against his skin, and felt unwilling!
Yu Yi slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white from the force, his nails digging deep into his palm, drawing blood, but he was completely unaware.