u/NoSquirrel121

The entity in the Red House seems to treat Tsukasa VERY differently from the other sacrifices it has caught over the year. Rather than forcing Tsukasa to come with it, as we saw with its various other victims in the alternate timelines (Ch. 118, Ch. 121, Ch. 126), it seems to want him to come with it willingly (Ch.131?)

Why is this? Why does Tsukasa feel special to it? That's what I will be going into today.

Firstly, let's get into what we know about this 'pit god'. Before it came to the Red House, it was worshipped as a god by the ancient Kamome people. In exchange for a sacrifice, it would protect the people and keep supernaturals (called Yokai back then) from entering the near shore. (Ch.68)

As for the sacrifices it received, they seemed to always be adolescent girls, as they were the most expendable in the community. The Akane clan in particular offered up their offspring in exchange for more notoriety and power within the community. (Ch. 70, 88-89) However, the sacrifices seem not to have needed to be a girl, as Katakuri, a young Akane man, was sacrificed and had the same effect on the village. (Ch.80)

The sacrifices themselves would not pass to the Far Shore upon their deaths and would instead pass into a boundary of sorts where, over time, they would slowly go crazy and lose themselves. (Ch.80)

We see no indication of the Pit God ever interacting with them other than using them as the initial sacrifice and stuffing them in the boundary. What did it do with them? Did it slowly consume them over time?

Anyways, eventually the people of Kamaome found another solution to their Yokai problem, and they lost their faith in the Pit God. (Ch.70, Ch.111). We don't know exactly what their solution was, but my personal theory is that the Yorishiro are what is now sealing them away. (Ch.70)

The Pit God is described by Kako as a remnant of its former glory, the shadow of an old faith. (Ch.111) This wording almost makes it seem like a resentful spirit that likely took pride in its worship and seems desperate to regain that reverence.

Fast forward many years, and the Red House is built over top of an old well connecting to the far shore. (Ch.82-84) Within this well is, of course, where the former god resides and likely where all the sacrificed Kannagi are kept as well.

The Yugi family moves into the Red House, and at first things seem normal until Amane falls fatally ill. (Ch.78, Ch.81) This could, of course, just have been poor health, but something tells me that the Pit God had something to do with it. Teru mentions later on that this house in particular had a habit of causing misfortune to anyone who came close to it. (Ch.74-75, Ch.79)

How and why exactly did Amane fall ill then? Well, a popular theory is that Tsukasa himself caused it...

One day, while playing outside with Amane's ball, Tsukasa drops it, and it rolls underneath the house. (Ch.81) He tries to get it back because he doesn't want Amane getting mad at him, but he cannot reach it. That is when the Pit God grants his wish. It takes the life of the lizard he had collected in exchange for returning the ball.

Please note that at this point in time, Amane does not yet seem to be ill.

The next day, Tsukasa returns to thank the Pit God, offering it a rice ball. He asks it if it is a god and if it grants wishes. He asks that if it does, it give him a new book for Amane. When it does not take the rice ball, he offers it a frog, which it then takes. Tsukasa smiles and thanks it, but this time something different happens: the Pit God responds, imitating his speech.

It is right after this interaction that Amane falls ill. Therefore, prompting Tsukasa to continue returning to the god and asking it for wishes, so it can keep gifting Amane presents. (Ch.81) This continued until Amane reached the point where his illness was terminal and Tsukasa offered his own life up to the Pit God in exchange for Amane's health.

Okay, so what happened here? Firstly, it is very suspicious that Amane did not fall ill until after Tsukasa had made two wishes. One theory is that everytime Tsukasa wished for something, he made Amane progressively more ill by unknowingly sacrificing some of his health along with it. This theory is pretty solid, and it explains why his illness progressively got worse and worse over time.

But what was the motive behind it? And how does it connect to the Red House's seeming attachment to Tsukasa?

Well, I think the Pit God grew attached to Tsukasa as early as their first meeting. We are led to believe that Tsukasa was the first person to ask it for a wish in a long time, and he didn't only ask; he came back to thank it, offering it food and even referring to it as still a "god". The entity, a fallen god, a being that hadn't had a purpose in so long- those simple, kind actions were probably everything to it. And in desperation, would do anything to receive more affection.

Now, to Tsukasa, the most important thing in the world is Amane. The pit god likely recognized this and made Amane fall ill so that Tsukasa would have to keep returning to it, eventually escalating to the point where Tsukasa would have to sacrifice himself and go with the pit god in exchange for Amane's life.

Within the Red House, we can already see the difference in treatment between Tsukasa and the other Kannagi. He is allowed to roam freely around the distorted house and is given a heap of toys and other entertainment to keep him occupied and trapped there. (Ch.75-76) Tsukasa is seen conversing with the pit god, possibly even playing with it.

Now compare this to the other Kannagi, trapped in a boundary and slowly descending into madness. (Ch.80-81) Its favouritism and attachment toward Tsukasa is evident.

When Kou and Nene try to lead Tsukasa out of the Red House, it gets mad and tries to kill them for trying to escape with the boy. (Ch.76, 82) It isn't until Tsukasa decides that he wants to leave because Nene and Kou tell him that Amane misses him when he decides he should. Nene and Kou are kicked out of the house, and Tsukasa makes the decision out of his own volition that he wants to leave. (Ch.82) The Pit God is skeptical at first, but it isn't until Tsukasa mentions that they will both "go back together" that the Pit God allows him to return, with the entity inside of him. (Ch.82, 111)

Now let's connect this to chapter 131. Amane and Nene prevent Tsukasa from sacrificing himself, which angers the Pit God. (Ch.130) It takes the form of Yugi's mom, someone, and tries to coax Tsukasa into returning with it. (Ch.131) First, it uses this form to immobilise Amane with fear, allowing it to reach Tsukasa. It acts politely, reminding Tsukasa of his promise before leading him away. Except, in this timeline, Amane had told Tsukasa that he wants him around, so Tsukasa apologizes to the Pit God and says he can't go against Amane's wishes. It then tries scaring him into cooperating, which has no effect. And then finally resorts to asking nicely.

Tsukasa puts Amane above all else, so even though he is a very honest person who sticks to his promises, he will break them in a heartbeat if they go against Amane's wishes. The entity realizes this and finally resorts to possessing Amane and asking him as his brother whom he cannot defy in order to get him to follow. (Ch.131)

I think in the end, the Pit God, fallen from its former glory, clung to a generous, selfless boy in hopes of feeling the twisted pride and reverence it did in its glory days once again. It doesn't want to take Tsukasa forcefully like with the other sacrifices; it realized that it wanted a friend, someone who finally wanted to willingly be with it and offers wishes and deals to try and force Tsukasa into joining it.

The Tsukasa that returned to his family was not a fake, but both the real one and the Pit God. (Ch.111) They both share his body and, over time, grew from being two different beings into eventually becoming indistinguishable from each other.

Though maybe not exactly that, since supernatural Tsukasa can be seen conversing with the Pit God in ch.30

I think the two share a similar, very twisted vision of love, offering to grant wishes and other material things as an expression of love. To them, in order to be loved, you have to offer something to someone in return (ex, granting their wish). Which I think is why the Pit God was able to manipulate him so thoroughly and why Tsukasa was able to sympathize with it.

Anyways, that's all the word vomit I have for today :)