Chapter 84: the King's Absence! Takamagahara’s Secrets!
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Yuri cautiously extended her right hand and, with a precise "Summon" spell, materialized an eight-sided diamond crystal.
Pinching it delicately between her thumb and forefinger, she applied a sudden pressure. The crystal erupted into a shower of shimmering, multi-hued shards that dispersed like radiant confetti.
Behind Yuri, a shadowy figure coalesced, the Book of Life and Death clutched in its left hand, a Judge's Pen poised in its right. With a decisive flourish of the pen, a jagged tear opened in the fabric of reality.
From Ena's perspective, the rift offered a chilling glimpse into a nightmarish landscape: a churning sea of blood, skeletal mountains piercing a crimson sky, and the crumbling ruins of an ancient city.
This was one of the Authority fragments Haru had bestowed upon Yuri for her protection, a shard of Yama, the King of Hell's power: the Great Summoning of Hell.
The rift pulsed with an irresistible force, drawing Yuri and Ena into its depths.
They materialized within Yama's Palace, deep within the Great Summoning of Hell. Before Ena could regain her bearings, Yuri produced another Authority crystal, crushing it in her hand. A sword, forged entirely of gold, shimmered into existence before her.
As Yuri grasped the hilt, her brown hair shifted, taking on the hue of spun flax. Her hazel eyes transformed, becoming luminous and glassy, a manifestation of her intensified spiritual vision, a regression to her ancestral bloodline. Her lips moved, forming the words of an ancient incantation:
"I know your true nature, Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. No, Ama-no-Habakiri! You are known as the blade of Susanoo, the god of storms and the sea, but that is merely a guise, a shadow of your former glory. Before you were a tool of the storm god, you were Orochi, the eight-headed serpent."
"Susanoo, through cunning deceit, vanquished Orochi, claiming you from its severed tail. The hero slaying the dragon to obtain either a woman or a weapon, a recurring motif in the sagas of Steel Heroes.
Susanoo ascended to the status of a Steel God through this act of conquest, while you, Orochi, once revered as an Earth Mother Goddess, were reduced to a mere implement of his will. Such was the tragic fate of the great serpent."
"Words of power, transform into light, coalesce into a blade, and shatter the bonds of divinity!"
The golden sword vanished from Yuri's grasp, reappearing in a flash above the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. With a resounding clang, it struck the hilt of the divine blade. The power of wind and sea that resonated within the sword dissipated, shattered like fragile glass.
Takamagahara.
A realm beyond the reach of mortals, a liminal space between life and death, a world where the soul reigned supreme.
Three ancient beings convened there, their voices murmuring in hushed tones. Suddenly, one of the figures rose, their countenance etched with astonishment. "The connection to the sword... it's been severed!"
A wizened figure, clad in the somber black robes of a monk, their emaciated form resembling a desiccated mummy, spoke. "The connection to the sword? it seems the new King has spurned your generous offer."
A third voice, ethereal and feminine, echoed through the space. "Perhaps the King has divined our intentions. After all, this was a blatant attempt to usurp his authority, was it not?"
Across from the withered monk, a figure of breathtaking beauty sat serenely. She was adorned in the resplendent layers of a junihitoe, the twelve-layered ceremonial robes of a Heian-era noblewoman.
Her eyes, like polished glass, reflected the ancient wisdom within. Her hair, the color of woven flax, framed a face of unearthly beauty, a countenance that transcended mortal standards.
"I sense the resonance of the Word Sword. It appears the new King has declined my proposition," the first figure, their voice tinged with resignation, mused aloud.
"The golden sword that cleaves divinity? Then, are we to concede defeat and offer our allegiance to the Elusive King?" the princess with the glassy eyes inquired, a subtle amusement lacing her tone.
"Have mercy! The moment that beast lays eyes upon me, I shall be reduced to dust," the old man exclaimed, a wry smile twisting his lips."
"Over the past three years, they had become intimately acquainted with the Elusive King's volatile nature. Surrender meant certain death for him, and the old monk would likely share his fate.
"Are you so eager to offer yourself to him, Divine Ancestor?" the old man teased, glancing at the princess.
A blush crept up the princess's cheeks, and she covered her face with her hands, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "Forgive my indiscretion. That child… he possesses an irresistible allure for us Divine Ancestors, nay, even for the Earth Mother herself."
Silence descended upon Takamagahara, heavy and expectant.
...
Back in the underworld, Ena, oblivious to the nightmarish scenery surrounding her, sagged against the cold stone floor, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. "I'm saved!"
"Ena," Yuri approached, her expression grave, "perhaps you could enlighten me as to the circumstances that led us to this… predicament?"
"Ugh… it's such a pain!" Ena groaned, raking her fingers through her hair, her body writhing on the ground in a display of theatrical frustration.
Finally, she began to explain. "So, yesterday, after the Elusive King departed for Italy, my grandfather, who's been incommunicado for the past three years, suddenly decided to resurface and command me to pledge my allegiance to that Kusanagi fellow."
"As you know, Yuri, three years ago, when the Elusive King confronted the Seishuuin family, demanding my grandfather's whereabouts, the old coot went into hiding. they offered me, as his loyal sword bearer.
The King spent half a month scrutinizing the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, but ultimately, he couldn't extract any information about my grandfather's location and left in a huff."
"And now, out of the blue, my grandfather pops up and orders me to serve the new King! Does he not realize I'm already bound to the Elusive King? How am I supposed to serve two ? And my family insists I can't defy my grandfather's power, it's apparently beyond mortal comprehension, so they basically told me to obey and go serve the new King. What am I supposed to do, Yuri? I'm at my wit's end!"
Ena's voice cracked as she clung to Yuri's leg, tears streaming down her face.
"One cannot serve two, you know! And that damned Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, disregarding over a decade of shared history, decided to take control of my body and drag me off to the new King! The Elusive King is just on a trip! When he gets back and discovers I've defected to the other side, I'm toast!"
"So, I concocted a story, telling Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi that you're schoolmates with the new King and that I needed to glean some intel from you first. Then I hightailed it over here."
Yuri's lips twitched as she watched Ena's melodramatic display. She sighed, resigned. "And what, pray tell, is your grand plan now?"
"The Elusive King promised to take me in when I turn sixteen, so I figure I'll just lie low here until then. My birthday is only a few days away, after all," Ena declared, slumping back onto the ground.
"Wait," Yuri's eyes widened in surprise, "when did Haru say that? How… how scandalous!"
Flashback…
Haru glared at Seishuuin Ran, a vein throbbing in his forehead. "Old woman, didn't that Susanoo character claim to be your husband? Where is he? What's he hiding from?"
Seishuuin Ran, kneeling on one knee, fixed Haru with a frosty glare at the casual reference to her supposed husband. Lowering her head respectfully, she said, "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. My Lord has unilaterally severed all contact with the mortal realm. We are unable to ascertain his current location."
"He ruled over you for a thousand years, and you can't even track his whereabouts?" Haru's voice dripped with incredulity, his eyes darkening with dangerous intent. "Are you mocking me?"
"Ena, you may enter now," Seishuuin Ran called to her granddaughter waiting outside.
"Your Majesty," she continued, gesturing towards the young girl, "this is Ena, the current bearer of the divine sword. The Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi is the key to contacting My Lord. The Seishuuin family offers Ena to you, Your Majesty, as a gesture of our complete submission. We beg for your mercy."
Twelve-year-old Ena met Haru's gaze unflinchingly. "Your Majesty... from this moment forward, I am yours."
Haru massaged his temples with a weary sigh. "Let's revisit this conversation when you're sixteen, shall we? You're still a bit… young."
End of flashback.
"So, yeah, that's the long and short of it," Ena concluded, still sprawled on the ground.
"I'm utterly flabbergasted," Yuri muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. This girl, stayed in the mountains for all those years, seems to have completely bypassed any semblance of social awareness.
As Yuri turned to leave the underworld, Ena's voice called out after her.
"Don't forget the snacks and manga!"
Yuri stumbled again, barely managing to stay upright. Honestly!
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