Kusunoki's Garden of Gods Episode 3: Training Wind Power in the Sacred Ground

The episode opens on Minato Kusunoki, diligently crafting a shopping list for sweets, a picture of domestic calm. Yamagami, the Wolf God, observes him, enjoying the quiet morning. This peace is abruptly broken by a flickering shikigami, a cross-shaped paper charm, spying near the garden wall. Yamagami destroys the spirit with a dismissive glance, but Minato, oblivious, continues with his list.

Meanwhile, Harima, accompanied by his assistant Horikawa, arrives at the Kusunoki estate, fueled by arrogance and impatience. He complains about the journey and demands entry, his anger rising when there is no response. In a display of sheer hubris, Harima raises his leg, intending to kick open the imposing wooden gate.

The moment Harima's foot touches the gate, a mystical wind chime rings, and he is plunged into a dark, purple-hued forest dimension. He cries out for Horikawa, but finds himself utterly alone in this eerie new reality. Every path he takes leads him back to a small, weathered shrine, trapping him in an endless, terrifying loop within this divine nightmare.

Back in the human world, Minato and Yamagami are enjoying a day of shopping in the local town. Yamagami remains invisible, yet his divine presence subtly affects passersby: schoolgirls notice a refreshing mountain scent, and an old woman bows in prayer. Minato, ever the considerate host, selects a large ceramic bowl for Yamagami's meals and orders a custom oversized futon for his comfort, ensuring his divine companion feels at home.

Their shopping leads them to Echigoya, a traditional sweets shop Yamagami has favored for centuries. The current owner, accustomed to Minato's visits, is surprised by Yamagami's growling disapproval over a new manju, preferring the smooth bean paste. A flashback reveals Yamagami, as a majestic white wolf, guiding the owner, then a lost boy, back from the mountain. Yamagami dismisses his kindness, claiming he only saved the family business to preserve his sweet supply, but Minato sees through the gruff exterior to a hidden heart.

Minato discovers a luxurious stone onsen bath, a gift from his divine tenants, now gracing his back garden. He joins Yamagami and the weasel spirits in the tranquil waters. Later, the Kirin spirit, accompanied by the talkative attendant Un, arrives to reward Minato for past assistance, offering him the staggering power to rule half the world. Minato politely declines, expressing contentment with his simple life and no desire for such immense responsibility.

The lightning and wind twins, Raijin and Fujin, appear, laughing at Un's confusion, acknowledging Minato's lack of greed as his best trait. They have grown stronger due to his genuine respect for them as deities, and they gift him a large, freshly caught fish as thanks. Amidst this pleasant exchange, Minato receives an urgent message: the protective wooden nameplates he carved for his family's main residence are cracking, their spiritual protection fading.

Yamagami explains that to create stronger charms, Minato must refine his 'Wind' affinity through intense training. He leads Minato to a small, unassuming wooden gate at the back of the property, a gate Minato had never noticed before. When opened, it reveals a brilliant white light, a portal to a different realm. Minato hesitates only briefly before bravely stepping through into the unknown.

In the 'Shin-iki,' a vast divine forest existing outside normal space and time, Yamagami informs Minato that this realm can withstand his full spiritual power. Minato unleashes his most potent 'Wind' technique, an emerald-colored tornado that shreds trees and carves a massive crater into the earth. Exhausted, he collapses, falling into a deep, well-earned sleep on the forest floor.

While Minato trains, the Kirin leaves a large, spiky durian fruit on the mansion's porch as a parting gift. The Dragon and Turtle spirits return to the house, immediately overwhelmed by the fruit's notoriously pungent odor. Mistaking the expensive delicacy for a weapon, they hold their noses and gag, promptly launching the offending fruit far away from the garden.

Minato awakens back at the mansion and immediately begins carving new protective nameplates for his family. He works with intense focus, infusing each stroke of his tools with the refined wind energy he mastered in the divine realm. The finished wooden plates pulse with a soft, warm light, radiating protection. He holds them up, confident in their enduring ability to keep his family's home safe for years to come.

In a post-credits scene, Harima reappears, standing before a dark, ominous mountain temple shrouded in mist. He is surrounded by a group of serious, black-suited exorcists, armed with various spiritual weapons. His grim, determined expression, as they look up a long, steep stone staircase, suggests he is seeking assistance from a darker, more dangerous authority to settle his score with Minato.