Life in the Afterlife

"Is this.... Heaven? I must have actually died then.", he then started to wander around scanning the wide peaceful area.

As he kept wandering, he encountered a forest and proceed to venture, since he knows he will be here all eternity, the forest gave a fresh fragrance of pine and lavender, he continued walking and found a clearing and..... a shrine???

"What is a shrine doing in the middle of the woods?", Katsu questioned as he slowly got closer, he then started investigating the shrine and it had all the typical things of a Japanese shrine, classic Japanese architecture, statues, , pedestals with writing, and old as sh*t.

"I guess it would make sense, since this is the afterlife so there will be some kind of god to worship.".

As he got closer he notices that there was another person.

"Hello?", he shouted.

The person then turns around to reveal that it was woman who had incredible beauty that no other woman has he has ever seen in his life.

"Yep, I definitely died and went to Heaven, because there is no way this is real.", Katsu thought to himself.

"Can I help you with something?", said the beautiful woman.

"The real question is, can I help you with something?", said Katsu who is trying way to hard.

"Real smooth there.", said the woman with a sarcasm.

"So do you actually need something or what?".

Katsu after hearing that made him really regret saying the pick-up line.

"Anyways, can you at least tell me your name?", said Katsu with a slightly embarrassed tone trying to change the subject.

The woman immediately perked up as he asked, "I will gladly introduce myself for MY NAME IS IZANAMI, GODDESS OF LIFE, REBIRTH, AND REINCARNATION!!!", she exclaims with confidence and boldness.

Katsu cringed a bit after hearing that but also made him feel better from what he said earlier.

"Goddess of Reincarnation, huh?", said Katsu.

"Indeed, I can only assume that you probably want to be reincarnated into your new life? You want me to make you reborn into a wealthy family, royalty, or even a person with better pick-up lines?", said Izanami jokingly.

"I get it, I get it.", he said with irritation.

"But unfortunately what I have to say is that, even though I can reincarnate someone after death, I'm not allowed to choose what fate they were given, whoever is reborn will live to be same in their next one.", said the goddess with a calm lady-like demeanor.

"Hmm, I see.", Katsu said

"But, you know, I could do just one thing, since you are the first person I have met in a long time.", said Izanami.

" Oh REALLY NOW?", said Katsu as his mind started wandering places it shouldn't be going, and Izanami realized and got pissed saying:

"NOT THAT KIND OF STUFF, YOU CREEP!!!".

"SLAP!".

Izanami slaps Katsu leaving a red hand print on his left cheek.

"OW!!! I'M SORRY, I WOULDN'T THINK THAT AGAIN!!!", said Katsu almost on the verge of tears.

"SNAP!".

Izanami snaps her fingers, once they were both in a forest and now in front of what it looks to be a small cottage.

"WOAH! What the heck was that, did we just teleport or something?", said Katsu who feels like he's off-balance.

"Its nothing much since all gods can do that.", Izanami explained.

"Wait, there are other gods?", asked Katsu.

"Of course there is other gods, there isn't just one that controls everything, I mean there is but that's not the point.", says Izanami.

They both enter the cottage and Katsu looks around in awe from how cozy it looks.

Katsu was told to sit in the living room and wait until she comes back and of course like anyone else would be in this kind of situation, he felt bored out of his mind and wondered how long will it take for him to wait for her.

"HEY IZANAMI, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK!?", shouted Katsu with impatience.

"IN A MINUTE, AND DON'T CALL IZANAMI, I'D PREFER IF YOU WERE TO CALL REFER TO ME AS GODDESS OR GODDESS IZANAMI!", shouted Izanami.

"I COULD CARE LESS IZANAMI AND HURRY UP!", shouted Katsu in response.

Izanami then returns with something that is wrapped in a cloth and places it on the table in front of Katsu.

"What is it?", asked Katsu.

"Take off the cloth and find out.", says Izanami with a calm smile.

Katsu then picks up the object and started unraveling the cloth, as he finally took it off lays a sword.

"Its just sword.", says Katsu with a bit of disappointment.

"Its not just a sword, HOW DARE YOU!?!" This is a sword that was forged by the god of blacksmith and weaponry, PEOPLE WOULD BE AT YOU'RE DOORSTEP FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE PURE CRAFTMANSHIP!!!", shouted the angry goddess

Katsu shows no interest whatsoever in whatever she is saying.

"I could just take it back and you leave with nothing.", says Izanami with resentment.

"Fine, I will take the sword.", Katsu says with the feeling like he had no choice but to accept.

Izanami then grabs the sword, her eyes started to glow, her hair is getting raised, and she started to chant a mantra.

"Umm, whats happening?", Katsu asks with concern.

"I need silence, I must keep my mind clear from all distractions.", she says as she continues chanting.

Izanami then bites her thumb and then laced it across the blade with blood.

The sword then seemed to have absorbed the blood and then it made slight blue glow and reverted back to silver.

"What did you do?", Katsu asked.

"I gave half of my power and you may be able to use it. BUT to make sure that not just anyone can use it, I will create an encasement spell in a sheath so that only people who are worthy and strong-willed are able to use it.", Izanami explains.

Katsu then gets really invested in knowing what power the sword may contain.

And as Katsu grabs the sword:

"SNAP!".

Then as he looked up, he was no longer in the cottage but now in the middle of a town filled with people.

"What the- where am I now?", Katsu says out loud.

FUN FACT:

Izanami is actually based on a real Japanese goddess/deity of the same name, she is known for both the creation of life and death, her name means "Female who invites", her honorary title as "Izanami no Mikoto", which means Highness Izanami or the Revered Lady Izanami.