Loose Ends I

The Heavens, Sixth Heaven, Great Seraphs Residence.

I was enjoying my tea, and next to me sat Amaterasu, Tsunade, Yasaka and Hasshaku-sama. Gabriel had the decency and courtesy of serving us with delight, she was even wearing a beautiful white dress. Her golden hair now shone with a sun lustre that made her look like nothing if not a Goddess, combined with her shining halo and wings... it should be me serving her tea, not the opposite. 

*CLAANG!*

We were witnessing a spar, a fight between two Seraphs. Azrael the Angel of Death and Metatron. 

Compared to the rest of the angels, Azrael hadn't changed much in regard to her aspect. She was wielding a rather unconventional weapon, a scythe. While Metatron used... a crossbow?

*WHOOSH!* 

But his arrows were no joke, they were like golden homing beams that pierced through Azrael's hair, he knew to keep his distance from her scythe but she was closing in. Both of them blinked through the skies, nearly teleporting as Azrael split the skies with each slash of her hideous-looking scythe.

And they were just Seraphs, not Great Seraphs. 

"You shouldn't underestimate Sister Azrael, Lord Ray. Out of all of us, she's the most adept in combat, and also... it looks like she's enjoying herself" Gabriel placed both on her hands on my shoulders, staring in awe.

"The increase in power is obvious, I remember her stuns from the last devil war, that lass wasn't this strong" Amaterasu commented while Tsunade kept taking notes, I pried on her notebook to see what was it that she kept taking notes of all the time, but she had places, locations, names, races, statistics... does this woman have to study everything she sees?

"It is important for a shinobi to always have updated information".

"But they're our allies".

"Intel of our allies and enemies is always necessary. By the way, I'd like to talk to you about something" The sannin coughed.

"Are you planning on returning to your world?" I asked furtively but she frowned and shook her head.

"In fact, Tsunade-san, I think Master has something important to tell all of us, right?~" Kuu sipped her tea and commented while giving Yasaka a suspicious ominous grim that irked the kitsune.

*BOOOOMMM!!*

Metatron's body crashed on the platform as he coughed, Azrael blinked and landed on top of him, placing the edge of her scythe against his throat. 

"I-I surrender..." Metatron gave up and Azrael helped him up. She then walked right in front of me and bowed. 

"This increase in power is rather fulfilling, thanks my lord".

"It was nothing, Azrael".

She nodded, walked almost robotically, and stood behind me. I didn't pay much attention to her after that.

"She's right, my lord. I feel power coursing through my body like never before, if we had been this strong back then... we wouldn't have lost that war, no, we wouldn't even have needed all of our forces!"

Unlike the nonchalant Azrael, Metatron was all over the place, retelling tales of battles and analysing the powers he obtained together with Gabriel. 

They're now Starlight Angels and can use the Sun Laws, it is relieving for me as well. 

"I have an important announcement. I will be leaving this world temporarily" My words were ambiguous but I don't know how long I will be away, I only hope to reach the Overgod Stage before returning. If it takes less, better... but judging by the 320.000 Chaos Points tag, I don't know.

My words brought silence to the room, some of them were already expecting it, like Yasaka who immediately cracked and understood the position she was in. She wants to go with me, she can't come with me.

"Ray-sama, m-maybe if we bring Kunou-chan with us-"

"No can do".

"..."

She is Amaterasu's priestess, she is Kunou-chan's mother and she is the de facto governor in Japan, she can't come with me selfishly and leave everything behind, as much as I would want her to do that.

"I don't know what awaits us on the other side, it will be dangerous and that's precisely what I want; an environment in which I can become stronger, that's not an environment Kunou-chan should be growing up in. I have already decided who I will bring along... Hasshaku-sama".

"Fufu~ as expected of the master, he's insightful" The Ancient Youkai giggled in victory.

As for Yasaka... she bit her lips and teleported away. I didn't think she would be this pissed, her destination was unknown to me, but I could feel the traces of energy she left and chase her.

"Aren't you going to chase her?" Amaterasu asked me but I shook my head in denial.

"I'll after I finish setting everything up for my leave".

"When are you leaving my lord? a month?"

"Tomorrow".

!!!

"Don't you think that's too sudden? do you have a plan or destination?" Tsunade brought to light several matters of consideration, but I shook my head at each one of them. I don't know anything about that world, perhaps I'd try to contact Solution once I am there but I don't plan to rely on her either.

"I wanted to learn the Interdimensional spell and I did. Now nothing is stopping me so I won't be wasting any time".

Silence reigned, Amaterasu stood up in front of me, bent down and kissed my forehead, "Then I guess you and I have very few words to exchange... I wish you the best, my husband, stay safe and remember I'm here for you".

I nodded, "I won't be here, but I want you to have wide communication with Gabriel and Michael in case of anything. Gabriel, make sure there is a fluid cooperation between Takamagahara and the heavens during my absence, okay?"

"My lord, it shall be done as you say. There is no need to worry, thanks to you we are stronger than ever before, but..." She trailed and fidgeted, "Aren't you going to bring any of us?"

Gabriel for her part was rather downcast too, it looked like she wanted to bring HER along.

I had recently moved to the heavens, which meant I was going to spend a lot more time here... I know Michael is already in the process of selecting the beautiful angels who are going to 'serve' me. I'll have to disappoint him. 

"I'm okay, Gabriel. You don't need to worry about me" I patted her head, if she had ears they would have dropped.

I'm not even going to bring Kuroka along. I wanted to, but it doesn't make sense to do so. I think the place she should be is with Koneko-chan and that's what I'm going to do before leaving.

Talking of the devil, the cat woman in question teleported next to us carrying a load of books. 

"Oh, you did what I asked you?"

"Master -nya, this was a difficult task -nya!"

It must have been, I just hope she got the right thing.

"Kuroka? What is she carrying?" Tsunade questioned, opening one of the books and her eyes brightened up.

"I told her to get you a bunch of encyclopedias with all the medicine knowledge we have available up to the last year, encyclopedias usually take a year to develop so, the one for this year's research should be released in a couple of months. That should help you, right?"

"..." Tsunade gasped, stealing a few glances between the books and me.

"I felt bad that all the scrolls you were writing for two weeks burned up, so I had Kuroka get this for you".

"T-Thank you..."

This woman carried all of those books and asked Gabriel for some private quarters where she could analyse and study them, does she even know how long that is going to take?

The troubled Gabriel helped her carry all of them across the halls, tripping on her wings a few times before they both disappeared. 

"Now, let's go, Kuroka. You and I have somewhere to go".

"Where are we going -nya?"

"Should I come along, master?~" Kuu asked, her face looked so bright right now, she thought this was a declaration of her superiority over Yasaka.

"You can come if you want. Take me to the underworld, Kuroka. To the Gremory Territory"

"R-Right away -nya!" She stuttered as if she could sense what was going to happen.

Let's see, first I have to settle Kuroka, then... Anna-chan, that's going to be hard. And lastly, Yasaka...