Pantheon Protectors
Chapter 4


Dear Pen Pal,

I apologize so much for being absent!
I have been so busy helping my brother on a project he needs for a class.

Despite this, I did make a chapter for you to review.
Our god friends are getting ready!

My english has gotten better, no?

Though yours is not that good either (-W-)

Annyways, I look forward to seeing what you think of this one!

Until next time.

Love,

~K

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Raijin put on a helmet that was way too large for him as the three stood at the training grounds outside the palace.

Susano gave a grunt as some minor gods laughed at Raijin's predicament.

"Stop making a fool of yourself, red lard." He growled and crossed his arms.

Raijin angrily threw the helmet into the ground and put up his fists.

"I don't need armor, I can fight like this."

Susano flicked the kami's nose, which sent him flying into a large tree with a terrible crash.

"Or maybe I do..." Raijin groaned as he slid down the trunk and fell face first into the ground.
"He's... really strong," he murmured and stood up.

There was Susano, charging at him with a large bamboo stick.

"Pay Attention-" Susano's yell slowed down as he did.

Raijin used his super speed to circle around the god and deliver a punch to his kidney.

"GRAH!" Susano fell to the ground and recovered.
"Ah... well that is something I have to commend you on," he dusted off his robe, "Your speed is definitely admirable, but it won't always save you!"

Raijin was taken back by the storm god's sudden burst and could not react fast enough to counter it.
"DWAK!" he was struck by the god's large bamboo pole.

Susano grunted and continued his assault.

This time Raijin was prepared.

Even though the kami sped up, he was still shocked to see Susano moved faster than the crawling he was used to.

However, Raijin was still much faster and caught the bamboo pole.

"HYAH!"

Susano was stunned by the kami's kick to his face.
"Nice, but can you dodge this?" he smirked and made a large ball of lightning in his palms.

Amaterasu gasped.
"Susano! You'll hurt him-"

"That's the point!" Susano yelled and locked on to Raijin.
"Death Lightning!" he made the ball of lightning into a bolt of lightning and threw it.

Raijin gasped and sprinted away from the lightning.
"Gotta go fast!" he yelped when the lightning started to burn his butt.

Eventually the kami gained enough speed to outrun the bolt, which soon struck a boulder in its path.

Susano saw the explosion from afar and chuckled.
"Bingo. He's fast," he looked at Amaterasu, who glared at him angrily, "But not faster than me."

"You're such a brute." Amaterasu pouted and crossed her arms.

"I need to toughen him-"

KAPOW! Raijin struck Susano from behind with a punch.

"I think I'm doing to good for this test." Raijin laughed and sped off before Susano could retaliate.

"Get back here you-"

KAPOW! Raijin returned from the opposite side with another side.

"Ngh!" Susano held his face and shook his head, "You..." he glared at Raijin,
"I see you are no minor god... You need to major god treatment.
Ama."

Amaterasu sighed.
"Very well, only because I am interested on how good you preform, Raijin." she said and pulled out her shining katana.

"Don't worry, punk." Susano grunted as he brought out his mighty sword, "These are powered down, so it won't kill you."

Their two swords went dull.

"I hope you perform well, Raijin." Amaterasu nodded as she looked at him, "Susano."

"START!" Susano blasted towards the kami with lightning speed and chopped down, only to strike nothing.

"I am faster than lightnin- AH!" Raijin was hit by Amaterasu and her sword.

"Stay alert!" Amaterasu kicked the kami away.

"Your super speed can only be focused on one character..." Susano turned to face him, "You need to work on that..." he sped up and caught Raijin off guard.

"HWAH!" Raijin was knocked into the wall.
"Ha... Ha..." he panted and shook his head, "No fair..."

"The enemy doesn't play fair..." Susano walked up to him, "Ama?"

Amaterasu jumped over the storm god and lunged down with her blade.

"HA!" Raijin gasped.

Amaterasu and Susano slowed down to a crawl.

"Must... maintain my speed..." Raijin murmured, "I cannot slow down!" he yelled and stood up.

However, Susano started to move faster.

"Hrraaaaaa..." he yelled in slow motion as he turned to face Raijin.

"Damn! Susano is fast!" Raijin commented, then saw a sight that startled him the most.

Amaterasu was now flying in regular slow motion, up to the point where she actually posed a moving threat.

"Ko...ke...ru..." she stabbed her dagger.

"I never expected them to be this fast!" Raijin avoided the stab and delivered a crippling punch to Susano's chin.

"Ha.. Ha... Ha..." he started panting as he ran around Amaterasu.

"Kurae!" Amaterasu sped up to normal speed and blasted forward with a ray of sunlight behind her.

Raijin was horrified and barely avoided the attack.

From the view point of the minor gods that were watching them, this battle was nothing but a blur.
All they saw was rapid movement and the occasional after-image of a god here and there.

Amaterasu was now slowed down as her sunlight attack ended, showing it was just a momentary burst of speed.

Raijin gulped and ducked under Susano and punched grabbed him, then threw him into Amaterasu.

The world returned to normal as Raijin slowed down.

"Phew... that should take care of it..." he wiped his forehead and saw the two gods crash into each other.

"OOF!"
"AGH!" Susano looked up to see his sister's face near his.
"Uh... Get off."

Amaterasu shook her head and hovered away from him.
"Apologies," she mumbled and dusted off her clothes.

Susano stood up and turned to face Raijin, who was cleaning out his left ear.
"What's up with you?" he grunted.

"I guess I passed the test?" Raijin said tauntingly and stretched playfully.

Susano shook his head and gave a huff.
"I guess you did." He responded, "You have a lot of potential, kid. But you have some flaws."

Raijin pouted.
"What are they?" He asked.

Susano walked up to him and conjured up a table,
"You lack strength." He responded and sat down, "All your punches, had they not had the power of speed behind them, would be incredibly weak."

Raijin crossed his arms.

"I nearly knocked your head clean off!" He shook his fist.

"I'll show you." Susano extended his hand, "Arm wrestle? Ama, get over here."

Amaterasu nodded and walked towards him.
"Please don't hurt him, big brother." She said and gave a sad stare.

"I won't kill him." Susano murmured and saw Raijin sit down.

"Think you are the best storm god?" Raijin chuckled and brought up his arm, "I'll have you know I was created top of my class in the Japanese Pantheon, and I've been involved in numerous raids on-"

"Shut up and put it up!" Susano yelled and gripped the kami's hand.

"Alright alright." Amaterasu stepped in, "3."

Raijin growled and tightened his grip.

"2" Amaterasu continued, "1."

Raijin laughed and used his might to pull down Susano's arm.

"Hehehehehe! I'll show you, Susano!" he laughed and put more power behind his push.

However, Susano did not even budge.

"Stop playing around!" Raijin saw the god's bored face and added more might, "Face me!"

"Huh..." Susano sighed as he saw a vein pop out of the kami's head.
"You're really trying aren't you?" he murmured and kept his arm straight.
"Ama, should I really try?"

"Just get it over with." Amaterasu responded, "But please don't hurt him."

"What's up with you? You have a crush on him?" Susano grunted.

"No." Amaterasu rejected Raijin coldly.

"Ouch." the kami frowned.

"Alright, buttercup." Susano murmured.

"It's strange you call your sister buttercup." Raijin chuckled.

"No." Susano responded, "I was talking to you."
Suddenly, the storm god yelled and actually put some effort into the fight.

"HRAH!"

Raijin was violently sent plummeting into the ground and tunnled through the world of the gods and appeared on the other side.

On the other side, Susano looked around and dusted off his palms.
"Welp, he's going to remember that." He said and put his arm over Amaterasu's shoulder.

"Wanna get something to eat, Ama?"

Amaterasu shook her head.
"Well, you did say you were going to toughen him up." she murmured, "Didn't expect much out of you after you said that."

Susano took his arm away and walked her to the palace, only to stop when he heard a gust of wind.

Raijin returned, panting heavily as he leaned on a tree.
"Wow, you're strong." he nodded and pointed to the storm god.

"Susano is the most powerful god in the pantheon," Amaterasu told him.

"Sis, stop teasing me." Susano smirked, "Father does not appreciate such a tone."

"Well whatever it is, you really do live up to the memories I had of you!" Raijin responded, "Though I feel like there was something more..." he murmured.

Susano grabbed the kami by the back of the head and brought him forward.
"Forget it, we're going to get something to eat, so run along now, kid."

"You can join us, Raijin." Amaterasu contradicted her brother, "Please, consider it your welcome into our pantheon."

Susano sighed.
"Very well, just because you said so." He looked at Raijin, "But you're paying."

Raijin growled.

"Well, a small price to pay to get on your good side." he chuckled and walked off with them.