A Direct Disciple

<<Exclusive Quest Alert!>> 

<<Prove that you are better than the others!

Defeat the outer disciples 0/13>> 

<<Rewards: Points ×400, {Acupressure (A+)}>> 

<<Bonus Condition: Defeat all the opponents without taking a single hit.>> 

<<Bonus Reward: Beast Ball (S+)>> 

Kento felt immense pressure as he placed his hand over the door to the inner shrine.

<Opponent has racial advantage over host!>> 

<<Herculean Strength Activated!>> 

<<Hermes' Celerity Activated!>>

<<Atlas' Will Activated!>> 

<<Athena's Insight Activated!>> 

<<Coeus' Perspicacity Activated!>>

'This pressure does not belong to a single entity.' He frowned, realizing that the pressure was possibly a combined aura from multiple divine entities.

He remembered two of those pressures. One was from Inari and the other was from Susanoo.

However, there was another power that he did not realize.

What was worse was that it rivaled Susanoo, which meant it was an entity in the realm of a Greater Kami.

Calming himself and being able to handle the pressure because of his recently increased stats, he walked inside.

He was not going to show that the pressure affected him, mostly because he was aware it was a test.

And secondly, he knew that proving that he can withstand such pressure would lower the morals of the disciples that he had to fight.

'Thanks for the heads up, system.'

As he entered the inner shrine, he heard a booming laughter.

"Gahaha! I told you he has gotten stronger." Kento heard the voice of the storm god. "Much stronger."

"You are finally here." The silky voice belonged to Inari, who had a pleased smile looking at Kento. 

"Ignoring the call of a goddess is not something I can afford, Kami Inari."

Kento long since figured that acting respectful and praising the supernatural beings worked the best.

In a sense, they were no different from humans. They wanted to be praised and revered. 

'They are not that difficult to understand.' Kento thought.

This put a smile on Inari's face. "Thank you for listening."

And as the two gods complimented him for his growth, he finally saw the third person. Walking in from behind a partition with a tengu following behind him.

"When Susanoo told me about you, my expectations were mixed." 

The person's voice was smooth, but even smoother was his hair that flowed as he walked. He had two red markings under his eyes that resembled semicolons.

He wore an exotic kimono of red and white with golden lining, a type of arm protector on his hand and an aura that was chilly.

"But seeing you in person, I must say your strength was highly underestimated."

'He is pretty.' Kento was amused at how a man could be so pretty. 'But I would be stupid to think he is not strong because of his appearance.'

{Inspect}

{Name: Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto 

Age: 30000+ years 

Class: Greater Kami 

Skills: Godly Physique (SS+), Lunar Manipulation (SSS), Super Strength (S+), Divine Immunity (S), Shadow Manipulation (SSS), Godly Combatant (SS), Cosmic Awareness (SSS), Flight (A+), Night Empowerment (SS), Ice Manipulation (SS)

Special Trait: Being the god of the moon, Tsukuyomi possesses the ability to manipulate the lunar cycle and absorb the lunar essence to strengthen himself. He is able to manipulate shadows to give them physical properties.

Tsukuyomi is far stronger during the night as compared to the day.}

<<Note: A Greater Kami is on par with a Satan Class Devil>>

'I hope I never have to fight him during the night.' Kento hoped.

"Your words are wasted on me, Kami Tsukuyomi."

Hearing this, Tsukuyomi was impressed.

"You know who I am?" He asked, a small smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.

"The power you exude is on par with Kami Susanoo." Kento said. "And to match the power of Kami Susamoo, one has to be part of the Shinto trinity."

Tsukuyomi was impressed by his analysis.

"And the chilly aura you exude reminds me of the night winds, the coolness of the moon." Kento added. "Those were enough for me to know that you were the God of the Moon, Kami Tsukuyomi."

"A boy with both strength and intelligence." He said and looked at Inari. "You found a gem, Inari."

Inari nodded. "Not to mention that he is kind and devoted."

Kento could not say that he hated the praises, but it felt a tad bit weird that they treated him as a kid.

'Then again… They are old… Very old.'

"We did not call him here to talk, brother." Susanoo said. "He starts his training today."

Tsukuyomi nodded. "That he will." The god looked at the tengu. "We need to show the boy around this place."

"Yes, my lord." The tengu bowed.

…

…

"I explained this to you before." Susanoo said. "Kagutsuchi was the one to build this place so the place expands as we walk and the time also slows down. You can live in this place for days and only a few hours will pass in the real world."

"Is this where I will be taught?"

"Indeed." Tsukuyomi explained on Susanoo's behalf. "Since we have a lot of outer disciples, who are different from a direct disciple like you, we had to give them a place to train."

This drew Kento's interest. "What is an outer disciple?"

Inari smiled. "The definition varies from pantheon to pantheon as if you ask a Chinese god, their answer will be totally different. However, the basic meaning of the word is still the same." She explained. "As you know, every Pantheon has a bunch of secrets and techniques, powers, arts and even weapons that many people desire. And as pantheons, we need to provide the devotees with something to help them grow and also help us when we need them. So, we take the prodigious devotees as outer disciples, who are students that are not directly taught by us gods."

"They either learn themselves from the training manuals that we designed or from our champions and blessed warriors." Tsukuyomi added. "And if they are deemed worthy, they can also obtain a few of those secret arts and weapons."

"And since I am being taught by Kami Susanoo, I am considered a direct disciple." Kento said, figuring that it was not possible for one god to teach everyone.

'Otherwise it would be no different from a school where none of the students get enough attention because of the student to teacher ratio.'

"The pantheon with the highest number of direct disciples is the Hindu Pantheon." Susanoo frowned. "Which is not actually the Hindu pantheon but the Pantheon of the Sanātana Dharma."

"Sanātana Dharma?" Kento asked as Inari nodded.

"It is the true name of Hinduism, however since the Persians were unable to pronounce the name, they came up with the name Hindu that was derived from the river Indus."

At Inari's explanation, Kento got curious. "And the gods said nothing?"

Susanoo shook his head. "If it had happened with the Shinto pantheon or any other pantheon, those people would have suffered a fate worse than death. However, the `Hindu` pantheon is known to be peace loving, hence they never bothered with correcting them."

"The faction does have some bloodthirsty and wrathful gods, but the majority of them prefer peace." Tukuyomi added. "So, if you find any of their direct disciples or champions, do not think about fighting them."

"I hate to admit it." Susanoo frowned. "They are one of those few pantheons where having a large quantity does not lower the quality of their individual strength. The Hindu pantheon are in a league of their own."

"Thankfully they do not engage in the politics that others do. They keep themselves secluded most of the time." Inari said. "So, you do not have to worry about running into them."

This was an interesting piece of information that he learnt. And he was quite happy about it.

'Basically if I see a champion of the Hindu faction, I have to make an escape.' Kento told himself. 'Got it.'

As they walked past a hallway, Kento saw a bunch of people training. 

'So, they are the outer disciples.' 

Kento noticed a lot of people. Every one of them were training vigorously. Some in hand to hand combat, some in magic and some in weaponry.

But what surprised him the most was that they all were of varying ages.

It was not just youngsters that were training. There were people that looked like they were in their seventies practicing the different arts alongside young ones.

Noticing the look of surprise on Kento's face, Inari explained.

"We don't have the policy of taking in only young people. If someone has talent, we don't mind if they are old." She said.

"It's a different matter that many of those old folks were once young and just never succeeded in becoming a direct disciple." 

At Susanoo's words, Kento felt a bit bad about the outer disciple.

However, he knew that life was never fair.

Some people were born with talent and some no matter how much they tried… Never reached that level.

"They are hardworking." Inari said. "And honest. That's why we are happy to have them as the outer disciples."

"Sadly talent always beats hard work." Tsukuyomi said, making Inari frown.

"That is not true." The goddess said. "Many of those geniuses fail because of the lack of hard work."

"But the thing is." Tsukuyomi smiled. "We don't take those people into consideration. Just like how the hardworking yet talentless kids do not consider them to be their opponents. It is always the talented ones that also work hard who reach the apex."

Susanoo nodded. "Tsukuyomi is not wrong. No matter how hard those kids try, if a talented kid starts working hard… That kid will always outshine them."

He smiled at Kento, confusing the boy.

But just as he wanted to ask, he figured it out.

"It's him, isn't it?"

Kento heard whisperings.

"The boy that became a direct disciple."

The whispers were not all happy.

"He does not even look strong." 

"The Kamis never fail to identify talented individuals. So, focus on your training and not this useless chatter."

"No no! He must have used trickery!"

"He is right! How can a kid that just appeared be stronger and better than us who had been training for years?"

Hearing all these chattering, Inari became disappointed and a tad bit angry.

"I should–"

But she was prevented from interfering into the matter by Tsukuyomi while Susanoo had a grin on his face.

"So, my disciple." Susanoo looked at Kento. "As someone chosen by me, you are someone who if insulted, is also an insult to me. Them insulting you is an insult to my judgment."

Kento already figured what the god was getting at.

"It is not something that I can allow Kami Susanoo." Kento said, not really caring much about the whole ordeal. But he knew that this was another test and it was also the chance to complete his quest. 

"So, what will you do?" Susanoo asked, making Kento show a smile of his own.

"I will show them why I am here while they are there." 

This statement made the two brothers smile while the goddess felt a bit disappointed.

"You don't have to do this, Kento." She said. 

But Susanoo had other plans.

"Outer disciples, listen up!" The god shouted. "How would you like a chance to stand here in place of this boy?"

This immediately made Inari gasp. "We don't have to do this to test him."

But Kento knew that it was not just a test, but also an opportunity.

An opportunity to make those kids shut up.

"How about…" Susanoo grinned. "A duel to decide who is worthy?"

It was not a test to see if he was worthy. Susanoo had already made Kento his disciple and there was no changing his decision.

It was to make them believe that they should never question the Kamis.

"Whoever defeats this boy… Will obtain the right to stand in his position."

This drew everyone's attention, including Tsukuyomi, who barely whispered to the boy.

"Both yours and my brother's reputation are on your hands now, Kento." The god smiled. "Good Luck."

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