Chapter 191

Chapter 191

"So, the Blade of the First Temptress' destruction is the only solution after all. And you're telling us Beatrice even insists that you do it?" Yumi asked me as we sat around the table at her house, eating her homemade curry.

Mio was in the middle of scarfing down spoonfuls after spoonfuls like a vacuum. How she was doing it was beyond me. Especially since she lathered every helping with chili oil and pepper flakes. However, I could tell her attention was on me the entire time. Out of worry for me or caution of Beatrice, I wasn't sure.

"Whether or not you believe her, I do. It's what she said. My mom was also sure that me returning to being a boy or getting rid of the sword should work, too. Whichever the case, I think we're all clear that the Blade has to go," I said.

"Well, deciding that is one matter. The other matter is how to even destroy such a weapon. It is an artifact-level piece of equipment that the demon lord himself created," Shayle reminded us.

"But, Queen Saeko, are you absolutely sure about destroying the Blade? It carries immense power. What if there are succubi that might no longer see you as their queen anymore?" Selene asked.

That was always a possibility.

"You wouldn't betray me, would you?" I teased.

My former enemy-turned most loyal succubus shook her head frantically.

"I wouldn't, and if any succubus dared to, allow me to correct them." Selene clenched a fist in front of herself.

"It's not that I don't understand your worry, but think of it this way— Without the Blade of the First Temptress, that eliminates the desire for anyone trying to usurp by stealing it. Remember Sarena? I might be weaker without it, but I have all of you with me," I said.

Everyone unanimously agreed that losing the sword was a net gain. Now, we just needed to figure out the how.

"By the way, how is everyone doing? I know the dryad fight took a lot of you and the others," I said.

"Just fine. Thank you for asking." Yumi smiled.

Everyone around the table followed suit with a nod.

"Dryads drain in the midst of fighting, such is their brutal way. A few succubi overexerted themselves, but nothing a little rest won't fix," Selene reassured me.

"Good." I sighed.

After adjourning the meeting and the others were beginning to leave, I considered paying Kana a visit.

"I'll come, too! We can get our fuck on!" Mio bounced excitedly.

"I'm not going to have sex, Mio! Just going to pick something up real quick," I said.

"Chee... Alright, fine. Be back at the apartment if ya need me." Mio flew towards home.

I went to Kana's house, hoping to find him there and ask for help. Maybe his infinite academic knowledge could provide some clues from the human perspective. All this talk about removing Beatrice from me couldn't possibly be good for Mio. It was best I distanced myself from her until then.

However, when I got to his place, he wasn't there. The door was unlocked and a pair of shoes that didn't belong to him sat neatly in the foyer.

"Kana?" I called into the house.

Some other boy, nerdy in appearance and with a bowl cut, poked his head out from the living room.

"Saeko?" he responded with my name.

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"It's Nozaki! One of Kana's friends? He called us over to have sex with you. The others went home, but I stayed behind to hang out with him until we head back to school," Nozaki explained.

"Oh, sorry! At this point, all of you kind of just blend together..."

"Somehow that hurts..." He sighed, then adjusted his glasses before lifting his gaze back to me. "Kana went out to buy some groceries. Did you need something?"

As a student from Tokyo University, Nozaki must be intelligent. Maybe he could help.

"Say, this might be kind of out there, but would you know anything about mythical weapons in folklore and mythology?" I asked.

"A lot actually! I'm majoring in religious studies!" Nozaki exclaimed.

"Seriously? I have a few questions about— " My eyes fell to the tent he pitched between his legs. "How about we help each other?"

Nozaki and I went to the living room, where I immediately pushed him down onto the couch.

"W-Wait, what if Kana comes back?" Nozaki asked in panic.

"Kana already gave you permission. Besides, you came inside me before. What's there to go back on?" I tugged his pants and underwear down, then slowly lowered my waist until we were connected.

Nozaki threw his head back, fingers clenching my thighs, as he entered me all the way down to the base of his dick. I grabbed the laptop, sitting on the coffee table. It looked like he was in the middle of something, but that was going to have to wait.

"Alright, tell me what you know," I said while rocking back and forth.

"But... nnh... Where to start? There's so many topics to cover... Maybe you can narrow it down?" Nozaki shut his eyes, savoring the feeling of my pussy again.

I started listing words and phrases off the top of my head. Magic in origin. Succubus. Unbreakable. Souls. Reincarnation. Unfortunately, none of it made any sense to Nozaki. I was beginning to wonder if he actually didn't know anything and was only stalling.

"Are you sure you're serious about helping me?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Why? Didn't we promise to go through thick and thin together?"

"We did, but this is Beatrice we're talking about. She was shitty to you, but do you really want to see her disappear just like that?"

"If you just went and came back without telling me, yeah. I probably wouldn't have cared to know how it turned out as long as you were okay. After everything Bea did, I still hate her. Should still hate her. But that bitch helped the most important person in my life. So, I'll come with you to see it to the end," Mio said.

To Casey and Kairi's dismay, I whisked Mio away to Kon's shrine. They were just going to have to finish that game later.

We landed in the courtyard surrounded by cherry blossoms. Two young shrine maidens, who were sweeping up the petals, gasped upon seeing us.

"Hey, cutie. Don't mind us. Just passing through," Mio said, caressing one of the women's chin with her tail.

"E-Excuse me, you're not allowed back there!" the short black-haired one warned.

"Don't worry. We know the kami enshrined here!" I bowed and used my aura to put a pause to them following us.

When we got to Kon's shrine, we were surprised to see a thick rope sealing the door. I summoned the Blade of the First Temptress and sliced it open. A gentle burst of divine energy rippled outward, as well as an exasperated sigh from within.

"Hey, Kon! You in there? We wanna enter!" Mio hollered.

The door opened just a crack, and a glaring eye stared back at us.

"Have you ever considered maybe waiting until you pass away before coming back?" Kon asked.

With the minor kitsune god's help, we entered the afterlife to calmer skies. The sun was back where it belonged, but the moon was much closer than its previous position prior to Tsukuyomi's usurping. Whatever differences they had must have been resolved several centuries sooner than expected.

As soon as we hit the shores of Takamagahara, a tengu flew down to meet us.

"Amaterasu requests your presence at the palace," the yokai said.

"Have fun." Kon turned the boat without so much as a goodbye.

Mio and I nodded, then took flight alongside the tengu towards the celestial palace that stood vigil over all of Takamagahara. Below, the destruction had all been erased. Yokai and spirits were out minding their own businesses. Oni construction workers continued to expand the many realms of the afterlife. The militant tengu remained on guard for anyone upsetting the order.

"Fancy place this is," Beatrice whistled sharply.

"Don't pretend like you didn't have a hand in the Tamano-no-Mae fiasco," I fired back.

"Oh, please. I backed out from that. You were the one who turned it into a shitfest. Even I knew that bitch was too crazy," she said, cackling in my mind.

The tengu guided us through the sunroof, and I was surprised to find Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Raijin still sitting around the table together. They were just glaring at each other... menacingly.

"And I thought my familial relationship with Mio was unhealthy. They aren't even on speaking terms!" Beatrice snickered.

"Damn. Have you guys even moved an inch?" Mio asked as we touched ground before the gods of my world.

"We've reached a tentative agreement," Tsukuyomi said stiffly.

"And still in the middle of our bickering. What brings you back so soon, Saeko, wife of Utako?" Raijin asked, his voice much more subdued and weary than before.

"Is it perhaps to meet my son? You may visit him through his shrine, but please keep it short. He is a busy kami, for his influence continues to grow daily," Amaterasu explained.

"Actually, I'm here to meet Kagutsuchi." As soon as the name left my mouth, all three of them turned to me with a spiteful look. I shrunk underneath the powerful gazes of the sun, moon, and lightning. "Did... Did I say something wrong?"

The three traded unreadable glances at each other, then returned their attention to me.

"None of us are on speaking terms with Kagatsuchi after his birth killed our mother," Amaterasu said.

"Not to mention, our father decapitated him," Tsukuyomi added.

"What?!" Mio and I blurted out.

The three supreme kami proceeded to explain how Kagatsuchi's birth led to Izanami's death many, many years ago. Out of grief and anger, Izanagi cut his head off and banished his son, the kami of fire, and his shrine from Takamagahara.

"So... Is there any way to find Kagatsuchi? It's important that we meet with him," I said.

Amaterasu's eyes glowed a deep, fiery red. "I dare not ask why you wish to find him, but he resides in a distant part of Takamagahara that we cannot reach."

"Distant like... on the edge of the island?" Mio scratched her horn.

"No," she began exhaustively. "This realm is more than just the island you see with your eyes. There are countless layers overlapping each other. All of it is Takamagahara. If it is Kagatsuchi you seek, then I only vaguely know his whereabouts. Raijin, Tsukuyomi?"

Raijin struck one of his drums and Tsukuyomi drew out a crystal ball that looked like the moon itself. A thin line of energy shot forth to the ground in front of me and Mio, forming something like a doorframe. Amaterasu pulled out a folding fan and fanned in our direction. The light gust of wind ignited the doorframe and solidified into a door.

It opened, revealing a vast forest range and odd one-eyed birds flying past. Mio leaned through it with both hands braced against the doorframe for leverage.

"Uh... How are we supposed to get back?" I asked Amaterasu.

"First, you need to find Kagatsuchi's shrine. Good luck, and don't disturb the wildlife too much." Amaterasu collapsed her folding fan, and something kicked both me and Mio through.

We landed hard into the dirt, then glanced up at the exotic world before us of living vines, colorful animals like flying monkeys plucking coins from the top of trees, and flowers with a giant eyeball for a bulb.

"Maybe I should've stayed home," Mio remarked.