When Mio managed to push herself up from the floor, a terrifying silence hung over the room. Rubbing her bruised neck, she realized Mayu was nowhere to be found. 'Mayu...? Mayu!' Mio called out desperately, but only hollow echoes answered.
Searching for Mayu, Mio walked through the dim Guest Room hallway into the Study. Among the messy desk and bookshelves, she found an antique Spirit Radio and the 'Spirit Radio Note'. Beside it lay a softly glowing 'Spirit Stone: Mayu's Ruby'.
Stepping onto the second-floor gallery, Mio peered down through the railing and saw Mayu walking out of the Osaka House front entrance all alone.
'Mayu!' Mio shouted.
Mayu paused outside, turning around slowly with a gaze full of loneliness and sorrow: '...I'm sorry... Mio, I have to go.'
With that, Mayu vanished into the dark misty night.
Mayu leaving the Osaka House
Hurrying toward the second-floor window, Mio saw a spectral silhouette peering inside ('Vanishing: Woman at the Window'). Running downstairs to the entrance, thick spiritual malice coalesced in the shadows, and a dark male ghost ('Hostile: Man in the Dark') blocked her escape! Mio quickly raised the Camera Obscura and exorcised him in a burst of light.
Passing the window of the Kimono Room, multiple shadows flickered on the glass ('Vanishing: Man Searching', 'Man Chasing Twins', 'Man Fearing Disaster', 'Villagers Searching'), capturing the dark memories of the village hunting down twin maidens.
Exiting the front doors of the Osaka House, Mio spotted a shadowy figure ('Vanishing: Man Peering at Camera') and picked up the 'Spirit Glow Lens Memo'. Attaching the lens to her camera, she turned around and captured Mayu's glowing blue trail ('Vanishing: Called Mayu').
Following the spiritual trail, Mio turned left at the crossroads, tracking her sister's faint silhouette. Near the Tachibana House alley, she found the 'Document on Twin Dolls' and spotted 'Twin Doll 2' standing in the shadows of the wall.
Retracing her steps along the Osaka-Tachibana path, Mio entered a dilapidated hut. In a worn crate inside, she discovered 'Spirit Stone: Glowing Purple Ore'. Stepping outside and crouching low to aim through the broken boards, she captured 'Twin Doll 42' hidden deep within.
Following Mayu's trail down the stone steps, Mio gave chase to the left. Before the great gate ahead, she saw Mayu flanked by spirits ('Vanishing: Lured Mayu', 'Woman with Bloodied Kimono', 'Mayu and the Beckoning Woman'). By the time Mio arrived, Mayu had slipped inside. Mio pulled hard on the doors, but the Twin Bell Gate was locked fast with two distinct slot mechanisms.
As Mio pondered how to unlock it, a crimson butterfly fluttered out from the gap in the gate. Mio raised her camera and photographed the phenomenon ('Vanishing: Guiding Crimson Butterfly'). The butterfly danced in the air before flying deep into the alleyway, as if guiding her way.
Turning right to follow the butterfly, a hollow-eyed villager armed with a sickle lunged out from the dark ('Hostile: Sickle Villager')! After a tense battle, Mio exorcised the spirit. Looking up above the roof eaves, she spotted a woman gazing down coldly ('Vanishing: Woman Looking Down').
Rounding the corner in front of the Tsuchihara House, Mio entered the backyard of the storehouse. Peering through the barred window, she was shocked to discover a white-haired boy imprisoned inside (Itsuki Tachibana).
Itsuki imprisoned in the storehouse
The moment the boy saw Mio, his eyes widened with sorrowful nostalgia:
'Yae! Why are you still here?'
Mio paused, shaking her head: 'Who... who are you?'
Itsuki spoke with urgency: 'The ritual is about to begin. If that happens...'
Mio captured his photograph through the window ('Vanishing: Imprisoned Boy') and asked how to open the Twin Bell Gate.
Itsuki thought for a moment and replied:
'Two keyholes... you mean the gate to the Whispering Bridge? When the Crimson Sacrifice ritual is prepared, that gate is sealed. The keys are hidden across the village. Yae, follow the crimson butterflies... they will guide your way.'
As Mio turned to leave, Itsuki added softly: 'If you are ever in trouble, come back here... I might be able to help you.'
Leaving Itsuki, Mio followed the red butterfly into the Kayanoki area, picking up a 'Rosary' along the road. After capturing the fluttering guide ('Vanishing: Guiding Butterfly'), cheerful children's voices echoed: 'Over here, over here~'
Aiming her camera toward the sound, Mio photographed a playing child running past ('Vanishing: Playing Girl').
Hugging the right wall, Mio found a small straw hut. Crawling inside, she retrieved 'Child's Note 1', 'Photo: On the Stairs', and a 'Crushed Garnet', triggering the [Side Event: Playing Children].
Crawling out, Mio captured the girl peeking beside the straw pile ('Vanishing: Peeking Girl') and found 'Twin Doll 6'. Behind the grass opposite the hut entrance and on the right side of the house, she found 'Twin Doll 47' and 'Twin Doll 46'.
Deep in the village at Okunomiya, Mio turned right and aimed down through the window grating to capture 'Twin Doll 44'. Following the red butterfly past an ancient twisted tree, she aimed at the trunk to discover 'Twin Doll 39', and through a telephoto shot toward the riverbank, she captured 'Twin Doll 37'.
The butterfly led into an abandoned house. Mio entered and opened a wooden crate in the corner, only for a pair of pale hands to thrust out as a hideous female ghost ('Hostile: Woman in the Box') shrieked and attacked! After a fierce battle, Mio banished her and obtained the 'Twin Jizo Key (Left)' from the box, along with 'Spirit Stone: Moonstone' in the nearby cabinet.
Exiting the house and turning left, the butterfly flew onward ('Vanishing: Luring Butterfly'). Along the path, Mio was ambushed by crazed villagers brandishing torches and poles ('Hostile: Torch Villager', 'Pole Villager').
After overcoming them, Mio photographed 'Twin Doll 43' beside a wooden barrel near the burning pyre. Passing an ancient well, she entered the ruined Tsuchihara House and found 'Twin Doll 4' in a dark corner.
Following the butterfly further along the overgrown path, Mio found 'Woman's Notebook 6' and a 'Crushed Zoisite'. The moment she picked up the ore, a spiritual tremor struck, officially starting the [Side Event: Miyako Sudo]! Mio captured the lingering phantom nearby ('Vanishing: Wandering Woman').
Climbing the hill toward the Misono heights, Mio photographed the clifftop ledge ('Vanishing: Woman Overlooking Village') and retrieved 'Woman's Notebook 7' along with a 'Couple's Photograph' on the ground.
To break Miyako's curse, Mio retraced her steps back to the Osaka House. Passing the outer window, she saw a sorrowful figure waiting inside ('Vanishing: Woman at the Window'). Inside on the ground floor near the corner to the Altar Room, she caught Miyako's pacing shadow ('Vanishing: Woman Heading to Altar').
Pushing open the Altar Room door, a burst of spiritual light revealed three entangled spirits on the left ('Vanishing: Sleeping Woman', 'Man of Duty', 'Separated Pair'), where Mio found 'Woman's Notebook 8'.
Advancing to the deepest back room on the first floor, Mio photographed the shadow at the entrance ('Vanishing: Woman Heading In') and found 'Woman's Notebook 10'. Entering the inner chamber, Miyako stood by the veranda ('Vanishing: Woman on Veranda') before morphing into a raging vengeful ghost! Mio fought calmly, purifying Miyako with the camera to obtain 'Spirit Stone: Zoisite', completing the [Side Event: Miyako Sudo].
In the courtyard corner, Mio found 'Twin Doll 12'. Returning toward the front doors, the spectral trace of Masumi investigating the village appeared ('Vanishing: Surveying Man'). Mio retrieved 'Man's Note' and 'Crushed Carnelian' where he stood, triggering the [Side Event: Masumi Makimura].
Following Masumi's trail to the Misono heights, Mio photographed him surveying the ridge ('Vanishing: Man Surveying Heights') and retrieved 'Village Survey 4' at his feet.
Leaving Misono, Mio returned to the storehouse to consult Itsuki.
Itsuki spoke through the window:
'The other key should be inside Kureha Shrine. Villagers might be roaming... stay careful. Yae... if you escape the village, you can break free from the fate of the twin shrine maidens... never give up...'
Parting with Itsuki, Mio crossed the Osaka-Tachibana path. Beside the old well near Tsuchihara House, she photographed Masumi examining the well ('Vanishing: Man at the Well') and picked up 'Village Survey 2'.
Navigating the alleys around the Kiryu House, she photographed Masumi examining the Jizo statues at the three-way junction ('Vanishing: Man at Jizo') to obtain 'Village Survey 1'.
Ascending the stone steps of Kureha Shrine, Mio captured Masumi trying to peer inside ('Vanishing: Man at the Shrine') and picked up 'Village Survey 3'. With all four parts collected, they formed 'Village Survey 5'.
Pushing open Kureha Shrine's heavy doors, Mio took 'Spirit Stone: Glowing Blue Ore' from the altar. Crouching beneath the inner shrine shelf, she retrieved the 'Twin Jizo Key (Right)'. Crawling out, she captured a patrolling villager ('Vanishing: Man Searching Shrine') and spotted 'Twin Doll 14' to the left of the altar.
After preparing, Mio opened the back door of the shrine and was ambushed by a torch villager ('Hostile: Torch Villager')! After banishing him, she found 'Twin Doll 15' and 'Twin Doll 3' along the shrine's outer walls.
With both keys in hand, Mio raced back to the Twin Bell Gate. Before inserting the keys, she aimed upward to capture a figure standing on the cliff ('Vanishing: Moonlit Man').
Turning both keys together, the gate unlocked with a heavy metallic sound! As the doors parted, a figure walked ahead ('Vanishing: Man Heading to Kurosawa'). Following closely, Mio captured a ghost hidden in the tall grass ('Vanishing: Man in the Grass') and found a 'Water-Soaked Note'.
Walking across the wooden bridge spanning the gorge, Mio found 'Spirit Stone: Green Crystal'. Aiming down toward the dark water, a pale face floated to the surface ('Vanishing: Woman on the Water')! In an explosion of water, a drowned woman's ghost ('Hostile: Drowned Woman') surged forth in a furious assault.
After purifying the drowned spirit, Mio crossed the bridge and pushed open the great gates, stepping into the front courtyard of the Kurosawa House.
A woman in a pure white kimono drifted past the entrance ('Vanishing: Woman in White Kimono'), while a man gazed down coldly from the second-floor window ('Vanishing: Man on the Gallery').
Mio picked up 'Stone Fragment: Glowing Fragment of Mayu's Stone' on the ground and photographed 'Twin Doll 5' deep in the overgrown thicket to the left.
Gazing at the imposing, dark entrance of the Kurosawa House, Mio took a deep breath and stepped inside...