[Short-Short] The Maybe Benten

I got lost on my way down the mountain. It should have been a familiar path nearby, but before I knew it, I was in the fog. As I stood there at a loss, I saw an unfamiliar torii gate and a beautiful woman standing beyond the mist. She held an instrument like a biwa, and had long black hair... I was sure I had seen her in a hanging scroll of the treasure ship. I called out to her timidly.
"Um, by any chance, are you Benten-sama...?"
"Maybe I am."
The voice echoed directly inside my head. If a god is here, then this place is...
"C-could this be the afterlife...?"
"Maybe it is."
"Have I died!?"
"Maybe you have."
With nothing but vague answers, I started to get irritated.
"Why do you keep saying the same thing! You don't actually know anything, do you?"
"Maybe... I don't."
I was convinced. This wasn't the real Benten-sama. Probably some kind of mountain fox or tanuki. If that was the case.
"Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!"
I performed the nine cuts and slashed with a hand blade. With a squeal, both the torii gate and the fake Benten vanished, and the familiar path appeared nearby. Things like this happen often in the mountains... maybe.
(End, 409 characters)

Good evening. I would like to participate here.

Taraha-san, sorry for the trouble, but I look forward to working with you.
Thank you to everyone who read this.