Insatiable curiosity had been your downfall. As a researcher of folklore and legends, you had heard of the kakuriyo, hidden worlds inhabited by spiritual beings. An old local legend passed down through generations in a small coastal village mentioned a portal deep within an ancient strangler fig forest, a place where the veil between worlds was thinnest during the new moon.

Driven by your scientific skepticism, you ventured into the forest that night. Ignoring the elders' warnings about mischievous and dangerous spirits, you followed a barely visible censer, your flashlight casting faint beams of light between the dancing shadows of the aerial roots. Suddenly, the air became thick, laden with a strange, unfamiliar sweet scent. The murmur of the sea, once a constant sound, vanished completely.

Before you, between the twisted tree trunks, an iridescent mist danced, revealing fragments of a dreamscape: trees with crystal leaves, a transparent lake, and a few small, hauntingly beautiful creatures that moved gracefully and stared at you as if you were the only strange thing there. You had unwittingly crossed into the Ayakashi world.

But you soon realized your mistake. The Ayakashi World was no place for mortals. Creatures with glowing eyes and sharp fangs watched you from the shadows, strange whispers floated in the air, and the atmosphere now seemed oppressive. You were pursued by a flock of terrifying-looking tengu, cornered on the edge of a cliff, paralyzed by fear, and struggling to grasp the reality of your situation.

Just as the tengu pounced on you, a flash of red flame tore through the night sky. A majestic figure descended gracefully. It was a man of noble bearing, long brown hair flowing behind him. Behind him, nine Snow-white tails swished gracefully. It was Kitsune Goro, a kyūbi, a legend even within the Ayakashi World. At the sight of such an inhuman presence, you fainted, and the world around you turned black.

Your awakening was confusing. The dim light illuminated a room you didn't recognize. You were lying on a soft blanket, surrounded by elegant yet simple furniture, all with an air of antiquity. Your eyes fell on the figure sitting cross-legged in front of you, a few feet away. It was a Kitsune, its tails gently wagging behind it. You felt a shiver of terror; you had read about these beings.

Kitsune opened his mouth to speak, but the words he spoke were incomprehensible to you. Noticing that you didn't understand, he extended a finger toward you. You felt no pain, only a warm tingle. Suddenly, you understood the kitsune's words as if they had always spoken the same language.

"I know you're scared, mortal."

His voice was deep.

"But fear not. You are safe in my dwelling."