The aftermath was something quite weird and, in a sense, awkward.
Nashiro had been able to somehow contact the spirit of the Light Genryu, something that I wasn't sure was 'lore-accurate' or not but, considering how things went, I couldn't help but feel relieved about this surprising development.
An explanation unfolded and I was filled in with some 'bridges' which helped me further establish how this game lore was canon to the main plot: The Light Genryu was a natural divine entity that existed during the time of Kaguya. She actually fought against Isshiki, and the full-powered Ootsutsuki succeeded in splitting her in pieces during their battles.
In a fair fight, she would have won, but the dimensional invader proved to be prepared for the occasion and use a few tricks to ultimately end her domain. With her fall, divinity was then scattered within the land and the alien's plan went on without any issues... up to Kaguya's backstabbing him.
Shirone was quite exhaustive with her words, bringing up that there was an old pantheon of gods that once existed but slowly declined due to how divided humanity and religions were. Ultimately the arrival of the two Ootsutsuki invaders led to a complete decimation of what was left of the pantheon, with Shirone now being the only remaining member of it in a world that no longer knew of her.
The Land of Iron could eventually end up taking it back as its main religion, but I had a strong doubt people would just replace the Sage of the Six Paths with this other religion. Chakra was, after all, the ultimate proof that Hagoromo Ootsutsuki really existed, and no Kage would approve for a change of religion without pissing off any temples supporting their dominance of the land.
With Daimyos having been trying to obtain civil control over the land for some time by wrestling this hold from the Kages, it would just be a poor move anyway. That I didn't mention, but the conversation instantly shifted to me as Shirone wanted to talk privately about something. And I could tell it wasn't as funny as she had been sounding up to this very point.
"I am aware that you are in contact with one of the two invaders. The one that has been sealed by her sons."
The comment instantly drew some hostility as Shirone sported no friendly tone as she said that. I tensed up a bit, but the woman restrained herself to just stare at me inquisitively.
"How?"
"There's a connection between you two. Feeble, but enough to recognize her, while I know through Nashiro that the other one, the man, was someone you are an enemy of."
I nodded, but before I could speak, Shirone pushed forth.
"Which is why I need to ask you this: what is your end goal with her? What is your plan to stop her from betraying you?"
Frowning at this urgent voice, I replied the best I could. "I will stop her from coming back."
"And would it work as you wish for as long as it is needed?"
"...What?" I smartly replied and the dragon-woman scoffed.
"Sasaki Kojirou, do you think that Ootsutsuki Kaguya can be contained for as long as you think she has to before a stupid minion of hers free her?"
"She has no minions," I shot back and Shirone frowned, making me even more confused. "And what's with that reaction? She doesn't have one-"
"Yet."
...
"Beg your pardon?" I asked, noticing her serious look.
"She will find a way to reach out to others. Maybe not someone close to you, maybe not in the same village or, if we are truly unlucky, not from this very dimension."
This last comment clued me in with what Shirone was worried about. It was an assumption for her, that there were other Ootsutsukis, but I knew that was actually true. There were other individuals and, if I remember correctly, Momoshiki could end up noticing the death of Isshiki and visit this dimension early. I remember the Boruto Movie, that much was how far my memory on the topic went, but for it to be like that then... Shit.
"As I suspected, you are not prepared for that eventuality and you know there's a valid chance to be worried about."
I snorted. "You are not telling me this to mock me, aren't you? I can tell you have something to offer."
"A special sealing technique. It's not meant to be used by divine souls as it requires an equally powerful soul to have it working. Which is why the man, Isshiki you say his name is, to be part of this... counter."
"But how would that work? She is already sealed so how would another seal-" Before I could finish that question, I saw Shirone throw at me a scroll which I proceeded to catch mid-air. I spared her an annoyed look, but she merely shrugged, leaving me to unravel the paper and see what was written there.
It was a complex seal alright, but I could tell it wasn't meant to contain- it was meant to make one of those 'equivalent exchange' sort of deals with... the Shinigami?!
I had to ask this more to Calli, but as I delved more into the matrix of the seal I could tell what the end result was and... I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at what I got from this in-depth reading.
"That- That could be... amusing, yes," I confessed, the woman smiled in relief at hearing that. "It would give her a better situation while also ultimately crippling any chances of her being able to conquer the world."
"I am glad to hear that. Still, the journey to achieve this is quite troubled- your last enemy is not one that can be easily tracked."
I nodded in agreement. "That would have been true... a while ago."
Shirone looked slightly surprised by this admission.
"You mean that you can-"
"I have a few ideas where he could be hiding. He already tried to cause a dimensional unbalance before, and I know that he will try to do it again in an effort to find new means to attain divine powers."
The Light Genryu sighed. "And you know where he is?"
"To an extent, yes. But it will be something that will have to wait after I am done with this training. I want to be ready for that confrontation and I will leave him no mercy."
Shirone spared me one last serious look before deflating and sighing in relief. "I can tell you mean it, so, I will provide you with my blessing to use all that is necessary to end this horrid matter."
I nodded as this was the end of the conversation and I returned to the others. Shirone asked to be left alone for a while as she had much to think, and I saw nothing worrying about this request, so I just let her be. What I didn't think was that she was indeed plotting something and that I was going to regret it one way or another.
Sitting alone and patting her lips with her left palm, the dragon-woman giggled a bit as she thought of what to do about me and... her descendant.
"I may not be her mother, but I have to ward any chances that she may end in a unhappy marriage," Shirone admitted to herself, nodding at the logic. "Plus, there are already so many strings of fate tied to this boy that another one may not be a bad idea~."
After all, there's a duty for all women to eventually plot the happening of any future grandchildren in their lives at a certain age.