10-1
We flew for about ten minutes, stopping mid-air above the crater of Mount Fuji, the symbol of Japan. Looking down at the base of the mountain, the dense Aokigahara forest below was unmistakably the ideal place for disposing of bodies and a notorious suicide spot.
"Ugh..." I gulped as I eyed the boiling lava. If you fell in, there was no chance of survival.
Kirisuke scrutinized the area and said, "This will do!" He then untied the black cloth around his waist. The cloth, surprisingly elastic like rubber, stretched out and enveloped us. In an instant, the six of us vanished from the sky.
"Where are we?" In the blink of an eye, we found ourselves in an unknown place. The surroundings were beautiful and idyllic, with clear skies, birds singing, and flowers blooming. Not far ahead was a grand shrine.
Boomer, half-jokingly, said, "Could this be heaven?"
"Idiot!" I punched him on the head, and he immediately clutched it in pain.
Unexpectedly, Shisui said, "Actually, he's not wrong."
Kimimaro added, "Here is... Takamagahara!"
Takamagahara? The term sounded familiar... I racked my brain, trying to recall its meaning.
"Takamagahara!? The divine realm ruled by Amaterasu-ōmikami!?" Butch exclaimed in surprise.
Kirisuke, with a serious expression, said, "Yes, we are going to take you to meet the gods now! Do not do anything disrespectful."
What!? What's happening now? I've never believed in Shinto or the existence of gods and spirits!
Moreover, we are Rowdyruff Boys. Asking us to be respectful is like asking a tiger to become a vegetarian—practically impossible.
We arrived at the entrance of the shrine, and as soon as the door opened, we heard a voice exclaim, "Damn it, I lost again!"
"Whoa!" We quickly covered our ears, the voice was so loud it felt like my eardrums were about to burst. The owner of the voice was a rugged man with a big nose.
"Although your martial arts and strength are unmatched, you're still a fool when it comes to using your brain!" said another man with a handsome face, in a mocking tone.
"Big brother, one more game!" "Wait, we have guests!"
Only then did the two, engrossed in their shogi game, notice us. Kirisuke and his companions immediately knelt down, "We humbly greet Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto and Susanoo-no-Mikoto!"
The three of us stood there, dumbfounded. "Idiots, kneel down!" Kimimaro commanded us.
"No need for formalities, get up!" the big-nosed man gestured to the three of them.
"Haven't we told you to just call us Susanoo and Tsukuyomi?" the handsome man said.
"What brings the three of you here? And you brought outsiders!" Susanoo asked, his sharp gaze fixed on the three of us.
"Things aren't that simple. The six of them are here because both of 'his' seals have been broken!"
Suddenly, a gentle yet authoritative voice interrupted. At the entrance of the shrine stood a woman in a white kimono with long black hair. Her beauty was indescribable, and she exuded an otherworldly aura. What caught my eye was the necklace she wore, adorned with a red crescent-shaped magatama.
As expected of a deity, she already knew our purpose for coming!
"Elder sister!? When did you arrive?" Tsukuyomi, Susanoo asked in surprise.
Amaterasu ignored her brothers' questions and continued, "While I was meditating in the Amano Iwato, I sensed a surge of evil energy from the earthly realm. When I traced its source, I found it was Him!"
Susanoo clicked his tongue, "What was bound to happen has finally come!"
I interrupted their conversation, "Excuse me, but who exactly is 'Him'? It sounds like you three know him well!"
Tsukuyomi let out a cold laugh, "Indeed, you could say he is our brother..."
"What!?" The six of us exclaimed in unison.
Shisui hurriedly added, "We didn't know about this either!"
Susanoo, looking nonchalant, said, "Is it so surprising? Just as humans can be good or evil, so can gods."
Suddenly, Amaterasu spoke again, "This story... traces back to the creation. Our parents, Izanagi and Izanami, were very much in love and bore many children. But when our mother gave birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi, she was burned to death in childbirth. In his rage, our father drew his Totsuka no tsurugi and killed Kagutsuchi.
"Later, our father wanted to see our mother again and journeyed to the underworld, Yomi. Despite our mother's warnings not to look at her, he disobeyed and saw her horrifying appearance, burned and rotting. Terrified, he fled Yomi. Our mother, in anger, sent beings to chase him, but he escaped by blocking the entrance to Yomi with a huge rock, severing the connection between the two worlds and ending their marriage."
Amaterasu looked at Tsukuyomi, signaling him to continue.
Tsukuyomi nodded, "After escaping Yomi, our father cleansed himself in the river at Awagihara in the land of Himuka (present-day Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu). During this purification process, many gods were born. When he washed his face, from his left eye came our sister, Amaterasu, who governs the sun. From his right eye came me, Tsukuyomi, who governs the moon. From his nose came Susanoo, our brother who governs storms."
This time, Susanoo spoke, "In Yomi, our mother's hatred and anger towards our father grew so intense that it created 'Him.' She didn't even name him and sent him to Takamagahara."
We stood there, trying to process this overwhelming revelation.
Butch immediately asked, "Excuse me for being blunt, but wasn't the entrance between the two realms sealed?"
"Because our father overlooked the Rift in time!" Amaterasu responded promptly.
"The Rift in time?" Boomer inquired, and Susanoo explained, "Through the rift in time, one can freely travel to different places, past, and future. However, only the gods or those possessing the four-colored orb have the right to open it."
! The words Him spoke... they are...
"In hundred years, when daylight perishes and darkness descends, I and my other self will be reborn and merge in the rift of time. Then the world will return to nothingness."
As I pondered the meaning of those words, Tsukuyomi continued the story, "He was beyond our imagination. His power could shake the heavens and the earth, and his obsession with destruction, devastation, and slaughter made him a monster without self-control. Takamagahara turned into a living hell because of him. I still remember it vividly..."
"Later, our father gave us the Three Sacred Treasures. With the power of these sacred treasures, we managed to defeat him... but he didn't die... he was only gravely wounded and fled to the human world!" Tsukuyomi's tone grew increasingly agitated as he spoke.
Susanoo patted Tsukuyomi's shoulder, "Calm down, brother."
Amaterasu continued, "After he recovered, human history had entered the Heian period. As for what happened afterward, Kirisuke and the others have already told you."
"Yes..." We nodded, still finding it hard to believe that this being, not fully male nor female, could leave such a lasting impression and instill such fear in the gods.
Susanoo's face turned serious as he addressed us, "With your current strength, defeating Him in his complete form is an impossible dream!"
Amaterasu, with heartfelt concern, added, "Your only way is to... become stronger!"
Tsukuyomi then turned to Kirisuke, Shisui, and Kimimaro, "As for you three, it's time to return."
Before leaving, Kirisuke patted my shoulder, "Even though we've only known each other for a day, we've already considered you our friends. I believe you can completely defeat Him and create a future!"
"Farewell..." With a flick of the black cloth, they vanished before our eyes.
… I couldn't help but feel a bit unlucky. It seemed I wouldn't see Momoko, or use my iPad, iPhone, and beloved PS4 for a while.
At this point, I had no choice but to give it my all!
The three gods simultaneously announced, "Let's begin!"
"You three must train separately, one-on-one!" Amaterasu commanded us with authority. Although I didn't understand her intentions, I had no choice but to follow her instructions.
"Come with me!" Susanoo and Tsukuyomi each spoke to Boomer and Butch. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared before me and Amaterasu.
"Let's go as well!" With a single hand seal, Amaterasu enveloped me in darkness, and suddenly, I found myself in a cave surrounded by rock walls.
"Where... where is this?" I asked.
"The Amano Iwato... where I meditate," Amaterasu replied casually.
"What am I supposed to do here?" I inquired.
"Simple, I'm going to kill you right now!" Amaterasu's palm suddenly ignited with a gold flame.
"What?!" I couldn't comprehend what she was saying.
Boomer was brought by Susanoo to a vast beach.
Boomer looked puzzled, "Strange? Where is this?"
"The Origin of the Azure Sea. This is the land I rule, but as you can see, it's just a barren wasteland of sand and water with nothing else," Susanoo explained.
Boomer asked, "What am I supposed to train here for?"
"You just need to make me draw the katana from its scabbard..." Susanoo replied calmly.
"Got it!" Boomer said confidently. He drew his katana and charged towards Susanoo, slashing at him. Susanoo extended his right hand and effortlessly blocked the sword with just two fingers.
Boomer was astonished and quickly retreated, pulling back his sword. Susanoo commented, "Your stance is good, but your speed... is too slow!" With that, Susanoo delivered an incredibly fast punch to Boomer's face, sending him flying tens of meters away.
Butch, on the other hand, found himself with Tsukuyomi in a realm of darkness. "Could this be... the Land of Night?" Butch speculated with uncertainty.
Tsukuyomi looked surprised, "Oh, you know about it? Indeed, this is the realm I govern, the Land of Night. It's a world that is forever shrouded in darkness."
Butch asked, "What kind of training do I need to undergo here?"
Tsukuyomi pondered for a moment and then said, "You just need to hurt me a little."
"Huh?" Butch didn't understand Tsukuyomi's meaning.
Tsukuyomi clarified, "Let's begin! Attack me however you like."
"Alright, here goes!" Butch pulled out his pinwheel. "Air Slash!" A powerful wind capable of tearing objects apart surged towards Tsukuyomi.
10-2
"!" The gold flames from Amaterasu's palm penetrated my body. My chest felt like it was splitting open, and it seemed as if all my bones were melting. "What... have you... done?!" I asked Amaterasu weakly.
Amaterasu remained calm. "Nothing much... I just transferred a part of my power to you."
"Ugh!" I spat out blood. The pain did not subside; instead, it intensified. "Aaagh!" My entire body was filled with excruciating agony, a pain that made me understand the meaning of 'wishing for death but unable to die.'
Amaterasu stood by, saying indifferently, "If you can't withstand this, you'll never be able to defeat him."
Damn it, she's just full of cold words!
In my anger, I clenched my fists and pounded the rock wall, shattering it to pieces. However, this did nothing to alleviate my pain. My consciousness gradually faded...
Meanwhile, Boomer continued his struggle with Susanoo on the vast beach. After being thrown back, Boomer picked himself up, determined not to give up. He knew that he had to unlock a new level of power if he hoped to draw Susanoo's katana. Gritting his teeth, he rushed forward again, trying different tactics and maneuvers, each time getting closer but still failing to make Susanoo draw his katana.
In the realm of darkness,Butch faced Tsukuyomi. His Air Slash had no effect on Tsukuyomi, who seemed to deflect the attack effortlessly.
Butch realized that brute force wouldn't work. He had to find a way to outsmart Tsukuyomi, to understand his movements and predict his actions. This was as much a battle of wits as it was of strength.
Both Boomer and Butch were pushing their limits, knowing that failure was not an option. The stakes were too high, and the consequences of not becoming stronger were unthinkable.
Boomer stood up and dusted off the sand from his clothes. He concluded to himself, "Using a standard Iaijutsu won't make him draw his katana."
In that case... Boomer gripped his sword with his right hand and, with a sudden push of his legs, disappeared. To be precise, his body moved at a speed beyond human comprehension, leaving only flying sand in his wake, but no visible trace of him.
"Shukuchi, huh? This time the speed is indeed fast enough, from a human perspective," Susanoo remarked just as Boomer's sword was about to reach him. But... "Clang~" The object struck by Boomer's sword was not Susanoo's katana, but its scabbard!
"The scabbard!" Boomer was astonished once again. "Don't naively think that when you attack with a sword, your opponent will always draw their sword to face you blade to blade!" Susanoo shouted, simultaneously delivering a powerful kick to Boomer, sending him flying into the sea. "Ugh!" Boomer cried out as he was kicked into the water.
In the depths of the sea, Boomer struggled to regain his balance. The water was cold, and the shock of being kicked into it had momentarily disoriented him. He quickly realized that brute force and speed alone would not be enough to draw Susanoo's sword. He needed a different approach, something more strategic and unpredictable.
Boomer swam back to shore, his mind racing with new tactics. He knew he had to understand Susanoo's movements and anticipate his actions. It wasn't just about speed; it was about precision and cunning.
Back on the beach, Boomer took a deep breath and readied his stance again. This time, he would not rely solely on his speed. He would use his mind as well as his body to achieve his goal.
Tsukuyomi stood calmly in place, letting the wind blades pass over his body. "Quite refreshing," he said with a smile.
"Not a scratch on him..." Butch appeared calm, but internally, he was shocked. "Let's try close combat!" Butch quickly rushed toward Tsukuyomi, swinging a series of fast punches. Tsukuyomi moved his hands, not to directly block the punches, but to redirect their trajectory. Finding an opening, Tsukuyomi kicked Butch away with his right foot.
"Ugh!" Butch adjusted his body mid-air, trying to regain his balance and avoid being thrown too far.
"How is this possible?" Butch thought, "My attacks feel like they're hitting leaves, with no effect at all."
While Butch was still processing, Tsukuyomi waved his hand, summoning a massive tornado. Butch, unable to react in time, was caught in the vortex, his body being slashed with multiple deep cuts and his clothes shredded, leaving him with severe abrasions all over.
Frustration filled Butch's mind. "Damn it, the difference in our abilities is too vast. An ordinary human would have been killed by that last attack!"
Tsukuyomi then asked, "Do you want to take a break?"
"No need!" Butch refused outright, preparing to use his windmill shuriken for another attack. Tsukuyomi, noticing Butch's movements, said, "You're relying too much on that pinwheel. If you continue like this, you'll never hurt me. Let me give you a hint."
"A hint?" Butch asked.
"Ugh... Ahhhhh!" I spat out another mouthful of blood, writhing in pain on the ground.
Amaterasu sighed and slowly approached me. "It was foolish of me to expect anything from you." With that, she reached toward my abdomen and began to slowly extract the golden flame she had previously infused into me.
I grabbed her hand, glaring at her. "What are you doing!"
Amaterasu's expression was solemn. "My flame symbolizes the power of the sun, different from ordinary flames. It can devour anything and cause substantial harm to 'Him.' But if you can't withstand it, you'll be shattered to pieces!"
"If it can defeat 'Him,' then I'll endure it!" I mustered all my strength and pulled the flame back into my body.
"Suit yourself..." Amaterasu said, then turned and walked away.
I thought I was going to be burned to pieces, as if scorching lava filled my body, flowing everywhere.
Compared to the Amaterasu, my power is like a flashlight against the sun, completely insignificant.
"Am I going to die?" I asked myself, closing my eyes. At that moment, Momoko's face suddenly appeared in my mind, that always food-loving yet gentle and charming face.
If I die here, it means I will never see her again.
I still have Arashi and AKB48's latest albums that I haven't listened to yet!
How could I die here!?
My consciousness gradually returned, but my body was still in immense pain.
Suddenly, I heard a sound in my ear. Though faint, I was certain it was the sound of water.
Boomer thought to himself, "I can't match his strength at all. The only chance I have is to force him to draw his sword with a speed that Susanoo can't react to, but the Shukuchi I just used was already my fastest move."
Susanoo seemed to read Boomer's mind: "Aside from kenjutsu, don't you have another good weapon? You're really wasting your potential, aren't you?"
Hearing this, Boomer seemed to think of something, "Maybe... I should give it a try!"
Boomer gathered lightning in his palm and placed it in front of his chest. "His body... is glowing?!" Susanoo found it strange, but within a second, he understood.
The figure had already disappeared from his sight. " Flash Thundr Blade!" With all his strength, Boomer executed a super-speed sword-drawing technique. Susanoo's right hand flashed with the light of his sword, and the two blades clashed!
"Hehe~ I did it..." Boomer said and then immediately fainted.
"What a terrifying kid... He forced his body to conduct electricity to increase his speed and even managed to chip my katana. You are the second one after the Yamata no Orochi," Susanoo commented on Boomer. "However, it's no wonder he fainted after using up all his strength." Susanoo picked up Boomer and disappeared instantly.
"To harness the full power of the wind, you must unite your mind and body with it," said Tsukuyomi, revealing the secret. Butch closed his eyes, concentrating fully, merging himself with the wind. Suddenly, a ball of air gathered in his right hand.
"Not enough, I need even more power!" His focus intensified, and the airball in his hand grew larger and spun faster. "Take this, Wind Soul!" Butch raised his right hand and charged at Tsukuyomi. Just as he was about to strike, Tsukuyomi jumped up, easily dodging the attack.
"Boom!" A loud noise erupted as the Wind Soul shattered the ground behind Tsukuyomi, creating a crater several meters deep and hundreds of meters in radius centered around Butch.
"Damn it, I missed!" Butch, having used all his strength in that attack, realized he couldn't use it again. Disappointed, he fell to his knees.
"Why are you so disappointed?" Tsukuyomi smiled. "You've passed!"
"Huh?" Butch felt confused. Tsukuyomi's clothes had several new small tears and some scratches.
Looking at the crater-like ground, Tsukuyomi felt a bit shocked: "Luckily, if I hadn't dodged that attack, it wouldn't have ended so easily!"
"Now, take out your pinwheel."
"Oh." Butch obeyed and took out the pinwheel. Tsukuyomi held it, broke it, and blew on it.
"What are you doing?!" Butch asked in surprise. The pinwheel turned into powder and entered Butch's body.
"Now, you'll be able to harness the power of the wind even better."
Butch immediately knelt down: "Thank you for your guidance."
Tsukuyomi smiled: "Alright, let's return to Takamagahara."
In order to find the source of the water sound, I shattered the rocks blocking the way one by one. It was very close!
"Bang!" I shattered the last piece of rock wall and unexpectedly walked out of the cave. The scorching sensation became more intense. I finally found the source of the water sound: a well continuously gushing out clean spring water.
I crawled to the edge of the well and drank water in large gulps. My throat felt as if it had been dry for a whole year. I estimated that I drank about three liters of water. The burning sensation had long disappeared without me noticing.
Amaterasu suddenly appeared from somewhere and said, "You actually found the Ameno Manai on your own and successfully received my power. Amazing!"
"Spare me the compliments..." I was already exhausted and didn't even have the strength to have a nosebleed.
Suddenly, "Hey, Brick!" My two foolish brothers came running over.
"How are they?" Amaterasu asked Susanoo and Tsukuyomi.
"Don't worry, big sister, we both believe they are definitely qualified to wield the sacred treasures," Susanoo and Tsukuyomi said in unison.
Amaterasu said earnestly, "It seems you have all passed the test, and it is time to hand over the three sacred treasures to you."