Chapter 141 – What’s a Succubus doing in Heaven?

Chapter 141 – What’s a Succubus doing in Heaven?

Both of us were stunned by what could easily have been a caricature of Raijin, but here he was, sitting upon his throne, and chugging the gin we brought him like there's no tomorrow. There was no rumble of thunder other than the joyful gulps, and no fearsome presence other than the nose-pinching scent of alcohol and stale breaths.

Mutoh turned to us with an apologetic posture. "I'm terribly sorry you have to see Lord Raijin in such a state. He hasn't always looked so... miserable."

"My appearance isn't miserable!" Raijin contested, then reached over to a stand which sat a stack of peaches the size of his own head. "I can lose all this weight in an instant if I wanted to. I just choose not to."

"So he keeps telling himself for the past three centuries." The priest didn't need to show his face for me to know he rolled his eyes.

Although we couldn't see him, I could tell there was a very gentle nature about Mutoh, especially with how soft-spoken he was. So much so in fact that the cloth over his face didn't so much as sway from his breath when speaking.

Raijin, on the other hand, even though his appearance shattered any previously held conceptions I had of the fearsome god, still retained nature's tempestuous spectrum of peace and wrath. Sharp eyebrows crowned each swirling storm that were his eyes. Instead of just barrel-chested, he was double-barreled from that chest and bulging belly. All he wore were loose and baggy black pants that hid tree-trunk thick legs underneath.

"I-I was hoping to speak with Lord Raijin about getting me a meeting with Amaterasu," I said.

Both of them turned their heads to me, then traded glances with each other. They were the kind of looks one gave to someone who asked for the impossible.

"Now why would you want to meet with that old crone?" Raijin asked, his expression souring up.

"It's about her son, Utako. Maybe you know him?" I showed Raijin my finger which still bore the black ring.

"Utako... That little bugger from Hokkaido got hitched, eh? I remember the boy! Was there when my sister burped him out of her pearly teeth," he fondly remarked.

"Burp?" Mio whispered to me.

"In folklore, a lot of kami are born in strange ways... burping is probably the least weird," I hesitantly explained.

Though telling Mio 'a lot of kami' didn't really explain anything either, since there were literally millions of them.

"Hm. So the wife is fuming about her missing husband. Do you know why Amaterasu put Utako on that lonely mountain?" Raijin leaned forward and pieces of the fruit slipped messily from his jaws.

We shook our heads.

"What do you know about soul coins?" Mutoh asked, procuring a small silver coin with the etchings of the sun and its pointy rays.

"Only that it's currency in Takamagahara," I said.

The priest nodded. "Soul coins are currency, yes, but they are also the lifeblood of Takamagahara. The fruits that grow around the island, the fish in the sea which surrounds the city, for the sky, sun, and moon to stay afloat, what keeps the torii gates functioning and the prisons sealed— Everything. Without them, our paradise will fall to ruin, and it has during many periods of time when humanity begins to lack in happiness. That is chief among reasons why kami like Utako play such a vital role. His presence there provides humanity in that area good fortune and will in turn produce quality souls to flow into heaven."

"And chances are, during Utako's brief stay with you, all the fortune that was supposed to be disseminated into many people only went to you," Raijin added.

So that was why Amaterasu was so insistent on returning Uta to the shrine. She was right after all. I had no idea... absolutely zero about what the gods have to go through. What I was trying to do could have brought chaos to Takamagahara. So what did I even want? To greedily keep Uta for my selfish sexual pleasure when I could already have whoever I wanted?

If Amaterasu was right, then what did that make my parents? Was it just something I couldn't see because I was being selfish and naive?

"Hm? Leaving already?" Raijin asked as I turned to leave.

"Yeah... I was just in over my head this whole time and didn't even realize it." I sighed.

"Hahh? You're pussying out?" Mio flew ahead to stand in my way, wearing a frown on her face.

"You heard Raijin and Mutoh. This is beyond all of us. If we start meddling, we're just going to ruin heaven for the kami, yokai, and humanity. I'm—"

"If we're getting outta dodge, fine with me. We go back to the cum hydrant, have a grand old time, and forget this all happened. I can forget, but can you? When you lay in bed tonight, will you be able to go to sleep saying you tried?" she asked.

My answer was no.

I get it. I saw myself and my parents in Uta's relationship to Amaterasu. I wanted to selfishly exert my experience on him, thinking I could rebel against my parents through him. But somewhere along the way, I did start liking Uta because he made me happy, and I wanted to make up for the affection he was deprived of.

Mio cast her gaze on Raijin. "Hey, drunkie. If we're able to visit you, that means we're able to visit Uta, right?"

"Yes, you can. But—"

"Really?" I spun around.

"Unfortunately," Mutoh hesitantly began. "Amaterasu has placed a seal on his shrine. You will be able to speak with Utako, but entering is impossible."

Amaterasu...

That was like putting a lock on your own child's room from the outside. How much of Uta's life did she plan to control?

"Tell you what. You both were kind enough to wet my whistle. Now I'd like some entertainment. Be my champions at the Arena of the Sun and triumph over a battle. In return, I shall grant you a charm that will compel the tengu to look the other way. You will be free to roam Takamagahara as you please and at least visit Utako whenever you like," Raijin offered.

"Are you about to have us go through some sort of tournament arc?" Mio beamed.

"And where did you learn something like that?" I asked.

"I started hanging out with that otaku you were chumming up with. He's been letting me borrow a lot of manga to read in exchange for some of your pictures." She puffed up her chest in pride.

"Why are you still using my pictures like that?!"

"Ahem!" Raijin cleared his throat.

"You will not go through a tournament. Only a single battle," Mutoh said.

Mio threw her arms in the air, seemingly dejected that we weren't going to have a big fight.

Basking in the fame lasted only a few seconds. A storm whirled beneath our feet again, opening a whole back to Raijin's shrine. We caught sight of more arena contestants coming out of each entrance again before being swallowed, then spat out to the howling laughter of the kami than cheers from a crowd.

"Haha! Compelling two contestants to have sex in the middle of battle! That's a first for Takamagahara! Very good, very good. It will make for another great memory to recall whenever I drink," Raijin said, lifting the cask to his lips.

"We did as you asked and won. Time for your end of the bargain," I reminded him.

"I haven't. Mutoh?" He gestured to the priest.

Mutoh opened a small jewelry box, but it contained two colorful charms like ones that could be bought from a store or at a shrine. People often gave these as presents for good luck and fortune around exam-taking times.

"These will put a protective ward on you, not to repel tengu, but to let them know you are a personal guest of Lord Raijin. The tengu will no longer bother you, but please do not try to cause trouble in Takamagahara. Being a guest won't shield you if you break the laws or disrupt the peace," Mutoh explained, helping to tie each one to our right wrists.

"Before I send you two off, where did you come from?" Raijin asked. "I understand you came through a shrine in Japan, but what world originally?"

"That's where Saeko came from, but I was from Elza. Cool place, lots of magic, and hot elves to bang," Mio absentmindedly said, more interested in the pretty charm than a conversation with the kami.

"Elza..." he repeated curiously.

"Do you know Elza?" I asked.

Raijin didn't answer, instead he created another storm to open a faraway shrine off the island of Takamagahara. Mio and I were transported in front of another large shrine similar to that of Raijin's, but this one was more... off-putting. It wasn't just because there was no one here, but also because it was dead quiet. The only sounds were the swaying foliage.

The bushes and cherry blossoms in the courtyard surrounded the building. A stone walkway led us to the doors, where gargantuan shimenawa, thick ropes that were meant to ward off evil or purify sacred grounds, tied around like a barricade on the shrine.

"Swank place, huh." Mio whistled.

Wasn't Uta supposed to be a lesser kami? I had no idea he lived in such a large shrine. Not to mention, it was so far away from the main city.

A chill ran up both of our spines as we walked up to the entrance.

"You feel that?" I asked.

"This is definitely weird," Mio said, placing a hand on the rope. "There's demonic energy on this, I just know it."

"Like... evil yokai energy?"

She shook her head. "Like demon lord from my world energy. Maybe it's just my imagination?"

That should be impossible. Takamagahara was a land for Japanese kami and yokai, but beings from another world like Elza. However, Mio had no reason to lie.

When I concentrated on it, there was in fact some sort of divine barrier on it. That must be Amaterasu's seal that Raijin was talking about. But delving deeper, I sensed what I could only describe was a splinter. Like if I prodded it enough with my own magic, it would break the seal.

"Uta! Are you in there?" I shouted, pressing my hands and face to the door.

"I'm here!" a voice called back.

"Damn!" Mio gasped since it was her first time hearing his voice. "Feels like deja vu whenever I visit Yumi!"

"I'm scared... I don't like it here... please help me out," Uta pleaded.

I wanted to see Uta one more time. Tell him that everything would be alright, and he didn't have to be afraid. He sounded so hurt inside.

Maybe I could break him out.

Reaching through the seal with my succubus aura, I touched the splinter and put force on it. To my surprise, it was much more brittle than it felt. Just a little more...

"Saeko, what are you doing?" Mio asked, her panic growing. "You're not seriously—"

The sound of glass shattering caused both of us to flinch. Even though there was no glass anywhere, the space splintered and cracked until it bursted. A frightening presence enveloped the tiny island and shrine, and something shredded the shimenawa before our eyes. Pieces of the rope fell to the ground and the door creaked open.

A dark and insidious shadow crept across the ground like hands pulling a blanket. The trees and bushes began to wither. Within the shrine, there was no one. Not Uta, no kami, not even furniture. Only many scratch marks all over the walls, ceiling, and floor that sent shivers through me.

Two, long furry tails that were orange in color and white at the tips, fired out from within the shrine to grab ahold of mine and Mio's throat, lifting us off the ground.

"My, that fat kami took centuries longer than he should," Uta's voice reached my ears, but the entity that walked out of the shrine wasn't him.

It was a fox woman, dressed in a disheveled state in her red and white kimono. Half her bust was showing since the sleeves were part way down her arms. She wore a white kitsune mask on the side of her face with red markings. Beautiful flowers, jewelry, and bead ornaments adorned her deep orange hair. As the woman emerged, I saw now that she had nine tails, two of which were holding us. In one hand, she held a long pipe and in the other was a white fan.

"Ufufu~ Do I have you darlings to thank for releasing me?" She smiled.

"Bitch... let go..." Mio snarled.

We concentrated our auras into trying to charm the yokai, but it didn't work. She was unaffected.

"Oh, you two are succubus!" Her voice slowly morphed from Uta's to a more mature and feminine tone. "I'm sorry, darlings. That won't work on me. You see, I invented manipulation. Beauty and charm are my weapons."

"W-Who are you?" I stammered.

The question brought an even wider smile to her face.

"I am the fox of ill-omens. The master of disguises. She who has wrought calamities across all of Asia and toppled dynasties. Speak my name, child. Answer your own question. Who am I?" she asked.

Realization struck harder than anything that ever hit until now. We screwed up. Big time. I just released one of the greatest evils of folklore.

"You're... Tamamo no Mae." I gulped.