Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

The gloomy clouds gradually dispersed. Pristine moonlight pierced the night's veil, cascading upon the earth.

In dim alleys, eerie shadows occasionally gnawed on flesh. Dazzling neon lights shone quietly like beacons on the sea's surface.

"Could Daiki-senpai have been trying to scare me? He hasn't sent a single message in ages." As Iroha prepared for bed, she instinctively glanced at her phone screen.

Contrary to her expectations, this playboy Senpai hadn't made a move. She'd thought he asked for her contact information to get closer to her.

Originally, she'd planned to play along and then teach him a lesson — to show him not all girls were as easily fooled as her senpai Nino. But it was as if he'd completely forgotten about her.

"The bracelet really attracts filthy things?" Her gaze involuntarily focused on the bracelet on her wrist.

It was an exorcism bracelet made of consecrated prayer beads. It was said to ward off Evil Spirits, dispel Curses, and have extraordinary effects.

"To think that fickle Senpai would try to deceive me with such methods — no way!"

After all, the Sanko Shrine she'd passed was bustling with worshippers! How could it be fraudulent, let alone attract filth spirits?

Although Iroha didn't believe in these things, she still picked up her phone. She searched for news about the shrine, trying to put her mind at ease.

"Huh? Why can't I find any news about it?" The search page showed no results. This instantly woke up the drowsy girl, "Could it be that the Sanko Shrine isn't very famous?"

This conjecture had barely surfaced when she dismissed it. That day when she'd climbed the mountain to burn incense and pray, she'd clearly met quite a few people. With such a scene, how could it not be famous?

Iroha persisted in searching but still found no information. She sat up in bed and used a map app to search for the address.

Finally, she found the shrine where she'd previously burned incense and prayed. The map app also included a photo and comment from a visitor.

| The Sanko Shrine, bustling with worshippers just over a decade ago. Unfortunately, strange occurrences began to plague it later. First, the shrine's guardian priestess mysteriously disappeared, then the exorcist medium vanished without a trace. Over time, the Sanko Shrine became an eerie place shunned by all. Revisiting the old site today, apart from the overgrown weeds and lack of visitors, the scenery is actually quite nice — perfect for enjoying the sunset. |

Below the comment was a selfie with the shrine gate and the setting sun. The beautiful sunset scene gave a sense of peace and tranquility. The photographer was a young woman with a radiant smile.

"Hm? Why is this picture so blurry?" Rubbing her tired eyes, Iroha squinted at the unclear photo on her phone screen.

In the sunset's glow, a shadow seemed to loom behind the photographer.

At first, she attributed it to eye strain from prolonged phone use. But as she focused, the blurry image gradually sharpened, revealing a massive, imposing golden fox.

The enormous fox's head hung limply on its neck, appearing disjointed from its gigantic body — as if it had been dead for ages, yet its corpse stood eerily upright.

This spine-chilling sight startled Iroha so much that she dropped her phone.

"What was that? Was Daiki-senpai right? Does this bracelet really attract filth spirits?" She glanced at her wrist, where the golden fox pattern had already faded. Her eyes, however, couldn't discern anything unusual.

Summoning her courage, Iroha retrieved her phone and continued scrolling.

The second picture featured the same photographer, but focused more on the sunset, shot from a low angle. The fox was still visible, its golden body bathed in the yellowish glow of twilight.

This time, the fox's head was completely twisted to the side, as if something had violently snapped its neck. It appeared utterly lifeless.

When the third picture appeared, Iroha froze in terror.

Another sunset photo, same photographer. But now, the golden, gigantic fox had been torn open from the middle like a costume, revealing a horrifying monster with bulging eyes.

A bone-chilling coldness coiled around her spine like a venomous snake, poised to deliver a fatal embrace.

After what felt like an eternity, Iroha regained her composure. Glancing at her phone again, she saw only a peaceful scene. The golden fox and the terrifying monster seemed to have vanished — as if they were mere illusions.

"It's... it's fake, right? I must be hallucinating from stress." She wrapped herself tightly in her quilt, curling up in the corner.

She intended to stay like this until dawn, but a warm sensation surged in her abdomen.

"What should I do? I need to use the bathroom..." Iroha gazed at the pitch-black room, feeling secure only beneath her blanket.

She squeezed her eyes shut, but they fluttered open moments later.

"Damn it! Why did I have to move out and live alone?" After a brief hesitation, she reluctantly climbed out of bed.

She flicked the bedroom switch, but the light bulb remained stubbornly dark.

"Seriously? Of all days for it to break!" Her face contorted with desperation.

After a beat of silence, she used her phone's flashlight to guide her way out of the room.

The empty living room was pitch black, seeming to teem with unseen presences. Though she knew it was just her imagination, Iroha couldn't shake her fear.

As she crept towards the bathroom door, a sliver of moonlight caught her eye. The curtains at the hallway's end weren't fully drawn. Pure white moonlight seeped through the gap, like a mother's gentle hand soothing away fear and unease.

"I'm just scaring myself silly. There's no such thing as ghosts." Her heart rate slowly steadied as she approached the window.

She yanked the curtains open, eager to bask in the moonlight's serenity. But instead of tranquility...

She found herself face-to-face with a ghastly female apparition, its neck bent at an unnatural angle as if hanged.

Iroha's smile froze, her face a mask of terror.

"You... can see me?"

The ghostly whisper sent shivers down her spine.

With trembling hands, Iroha slowly closed the curtains. Then, in a burst of panic-fueled speed, she bolted back to her bedroom, dove under the covers, and frantically typed on her phone.

| Senpai! Save me!! |

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