After getting permission from Noboru and Tōru's father, Kūgen and Kō are allowed to stay in their house. Kūgen shifts into his male form and asks Noboru to bring him to the town's Shinto shrine, in accordance to the custom where a spirit has to ask permission from the local god before using his powers. They discover that the owner of the local convenience store is the local god, Ebisu, who serves as the patron of merchants. After accompanying Ebisu to the shrine, Ebisu orders his shrine's gatekeepers—a pair of imperial guardian lions named Kōga and Eiga to attack Kūgen's group. A battle then ensues which Kūgen wins after "summoning Shin" from the sky. Ebisu then explains that he was only trying to destroy his temple to attract more business. Ebisu also tells Kūgen in private that Miyako's spirit still haunts the land.