Extra 16: Gate (28)

A week later, Koji Itami was sitting in front of Kurama, who was looking at the new report he had in his hands - "I see you have had a good stay in my city, a little too good."

Itami blushed when he heard this because he had to admit that some of his subordinates were enjoying the comfort of this city too much.

"Anyway, seeing as you've met with me, I guess you've received a reply to the messages you've sent to your people" - Kurama said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Ahem! Yes, they have sent me back the message with the proposal for our alliance" - replied Itami while giving a quick description of the items they could deliver for the help of the gods.

Kurama was silent for a few seconds before nodding.

Itami let out a sigh of relief when he saw this, but his expression changed when he heard the white-haired man's next words.

"Do you intend to make a fool out of me?" - Kurama asked as he looked at Itami neutrally - "Remember that I can practically read your mind, so I know for sure that these objects are useless. Do you want to repeat the actions of the colonizers of your world?"

Itami's expression turned horrible when he heard this because it was quite obvious what the white-haired man was trying to say. He was making an allegory to the colonizers who exchanged useless objects for the wealth of the ignorant natives.

"N-No, that was not our intention" - Itami replied as he started cursing his bosses actions. It was obvious that it was not a good idea to try to deceive a god who was practically omnipotent and could gather information with utmost ease, more so when he had no idea of the general content by orders of his leaders.

"I hope so, because if so, I would have no choice but to decline our alliance and wait for a different kingdom of your world" - replied Kurama calmly as he summoned an elongated pipe and started smoking - "And don't try to fool me by telling me that it won't happen anytime soon because I know very well how the human mind is, and its infinite greed"

Itami was silent before apologizing again and leaving the room, so he could talk to his bosses, more so when they almost killed him for such a stupid move. He had informed them about the white haired man's ability to gather information just by looking at a person.

"They're idiots, don't you think so too?" - Kurama asked as he looked into the shadows.

"Yes, although it's cute that they think they can fool you," said Hardy as she let out a laugh. She had stopped using Yao's body as a vessel now that her immortal body had entered the mortal world - "I wonder what the others will think when they find out I was the first to arrive? Thanks by the way."

"I didn't do anything, you were only the first because my influence in the mortal world caused your domain to appear next to you" - Kurama replied with a frown at the latter.

"Relax, the entrance is closed to the living, I made sure of that, though it is a relief that your presence began to allow a better connection with our divinity" - smiled Hardy as she showed her true appearance, a beautiful woman with chocolate colored skin, silver hair that reached to the ground and a body worthy of a goddess. She was wearing an open, almost transparent robe that showed much of her skin and fit her curves, over a sort of golden bikini with dark details.

"Do you like my true form?" - Hardy asked in a flirtatious tone.

"You're quite beautiful, I'm not going to lie" - Kurama replied with a small, quiet smile as he ignored how the goddess was getting dangerously close to him, clearly showing a lack of respect for his personal space.

"I guess the next one to show up, will be that idiot Emroy, if he hasn't shown up already" - Hardy said while clicking her tongue.

"Yeah, he's the next god who is more connected to my power, the next one would have to be Wareharun" - replied Kurama while shaking his head.

"Hmm, by the way, where should I move the entrance to the underworld now that it's materializing in the mortal world?" - Hardy asked with a frown.

"Ideally we'd like to have it nearby to prevent problems, but we don't know what kind of influence it could create with the mortals" - said Kurama as he pondered - "Maybe we could put it near the cemetery to ease the path of the souls to the underworld, we could even create an intermediate place between your realm and the mortal plane."

"Oh? Like what?" - Hardy asked with interest.

"Let's say that instead of a cemetery, we create some catacombs that serve as protection for the entrance to the underworld, a place where your best warriors can rest, who can have a day to be able to go to a ghost city and be able to communicate with mortals" - Kurama answered while creating a basic sketch on the creation of a new city under Hardy's direct command.

"OH!" - Hardy couldn't hide her excitement when she heard this proposal as she felt her immortal heart pounding - "That's perfect!"

Hardy quickly started with the preparations for this new ghost town while Kurama shook his head as this would keep the goddess of the underworld busy for quite a while.

"By the way, I still haven't forgotten about your reward for giving me such a good idea" Hardy smiled flirtatiously as she licked her lips.

Kurama remained silent as a cold sweat ran down the back of his neck because such seemed that his plan had been used against him.

"Do you really think you can fool me that easily, Darling ~?" - Hardy grinned as she looked into the white-haired man's differently colored eyes - "You need more than this to be able to make the goddess of the underworld feel like an idiot, so I guess I need to teach you a little lesson."

Kurama gave her a blank look before snapping his fingers and making the woman disappear.

Possibly, this annoyed her, but he didn't have the desire to indulge in carnal pleasure with a goddess, at least not for now.

"Kurama-sama, there's a strange man screaming who wants to see you" - said Yao, who now that she didn't need to serve as Hardy's vessel, was working for Kurama as a messenger between the churches, after all, she was resistant to the influence of the gods thanks to Hardy's blessing. He could even sense a small fragment of divinity in the dark elf.

"Strange man?" - Kurama repeated with mild interest, only to hear someone knocking on his door erratically.

"Let me in already, dammit!" - exclaimed a male voice - "Do you people want to die?!"

"Let him in" - ordered Kurama as he watched the door to his office open, revealing a tall, thin, messy-haired man - "Seriously, I was expecting something more prominent for the supposed god of death."

"Tch, not all of us are blessed to be a pretty boy, besides, I used to be much worse" - Emroy replied with a frown - "Let's face it, we take on an appearance that resembles what humans think we are, I was considered a crazy, horrible monster, so this appearance is as handsome as I can show myself to be"

"Oh, that's a pity" - Kurama replied nonchalantly - "That aside, I'm surprised you got here so fast."

"Well, the underworld made my job easy" - Emroy replied while frowning - "By the way, where is that annoying woman?"

"Working on a little project I showed her, I'm sure she'll surprise you" - Kurama answered with a mysterious smile.

Emroy remained silent, a bit annoyed, though his expression changed when he felt the slight change in the laws of the world - "Please tell me she didn't do, what I think she did".

"You mean create a waypoint between his realm and the mortal world?" - Kurama asked calmly.

Gosh, that bitch is crazier than I thought by accepting this proposal" - muttered Emroy with surprise - "I just hope the laws of the world won't take this as an attempt of conquest, after all, the underworld shouldn't have contact with the mortal plane for obvious reasons."

"Relax, I plan to put a restriction on the area, so Hardy's influence doesn't spread" - Kurama replied calmly.

"That's good to hear, after all, we can't allow that woman to increase her power so much on the mortal plane" - Emroy said with a frown - "You may not be afraid of this because of the power difference between us, but I and the others wouldn't feel too comfortable with the idea of her breaking the delicate balance that keeps us in a passive stance."

Kurama nodded calmly as a small smile appeared on his face as he felt a familiar presence outside his office - "Excuse me, I need to talk to my new guest".

"Relax, I just came to announce my presence, now I'm going to rest in my temple, that's the best place to be able to harmonize my presence with the laws of the world" - Emroy replied as he disappeared.