I bowed and removed my mask. A tired sigh escaped me as I sat on the ground. I could feel my entire body heating up, and I glanced at my sword, which glowed due to the heat from the dance. The Sun Breathing activated in the middle of the dance, and I was fortunate to be in the underground training facility with nothing but stones around us.
I was lucky that I hadn't moved my belongings inside this place yet; they would have been burned to ashes in the dance.
The dance was a bit peculiar. The knowledge from the system only stated that Sun Breathing appeared after I finished the dance once the sun rose. However, here, it activated even before midday. Not that I was complaining. It had been a good dance. Despite the duration of my performance, my body still felt fine. If my body didn't require sustenance, I would have continued dancing.
However, hunger dictated that I couldn't.
I shook my head and left the training area. I walked back to my room, deposited the ritual clothes into the laundry basket, and started to take a bath.
A few minutes later, I returned to the kitchen to cook a substantial amount of food. I was starving. I opened the fridge and assessed my options. After a brief search, I grabbed a large bag of frozen dumplings. I intended to devour them all.
I boiled the dumplings and headed to the spice cupboard. I took some vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a couple of spoonfuls of chili oil I had prepared earlier. A simple sauce, but it tasted delicious with dumplings.
Once the dumplings were ready, I placed them in a large bowl. I carried the bowl and the sauce bowl to the table. Taking one of the dumplings, I dipped it in the sauce and savored the taste.
I blinked for a second when I felt someone knocking on my barrier. I set down my chopsticks and went to the door. Upon opening it, I saw a Karasu Tengu standing on the other side of my barrier. I allowed him entry and watched him approach me.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Young Lord."
"It's not a problem. What's up? What can I do for you?"
"Lady Yasaka is requesting your presence, young lord."
"Right now?"
"Yes. I will teleport you to the palace."
I nodded and said, "Sure. Let me change my clothes first."
"Of course, young lord."
I went inside, changed my clothes, and put on formal attire. Upon returning, the Karasu Tengu teleported me to the palace. I furrowed my brow a little because I sensed a lot more people in the area, all of them powerful.
Using my Dragonforce mode and Sage mode didn't seem like a great idea. That left me with the breathing technique I always used to enhance my physical power and my Take-Over magic in case of an emergency.
I shook my head and continued to follow the Karasu Tengu to the meeting room. When he opened the door, I saw Yasaka wearing her priestess outfit and sitting on the side instead of in the middle of the room.
The person occupying the center of the room was a beautiful woman with black hair and golden eyes. She wore an exquisite white kimono with a red and gold pattern and a crown resembling the sun on her head.
Wait—the sun.
I quickly knelt in front of her and said, "Greetings, Goddess Amaterasu."
"That is me. I have been waiting for you, Ryan."
"You know me, my lady?"
"Of course. I know everyone living under my sun. I came here to thank you for your service."
Ah, it was because of Orochi, huh?
"It's not a problem, my lady. I'm happy to help."
"Even so, as a leader of a faction, I must reward someone who does a great job. Tell me what kind of reward you desire."
I glanced at Yasaka, who nodded. Looking back at the goddess, I said, "Then, can I request a sword?"
"Oh? A sword?"
"Yes."
She gazed at me for a few seconds before suddenly saying, "Very well. I will prepare–"
"Wait a minute, sister!"
I turned around and saw a middle-aged man with wild hair, looking as if he'd been struck by lightning. He had the same dark hair as Lady Amaterasu, but instead of golden eyes, he had deep dark blue eyes, resembling the ocean. He wore a simple kimono with dark pants and had a sword on his belt. A tremendous power emanated from that blade.
"Susanoo! What are you doing here?"
Susanoo, the God of Storm, Sea, and Harvest. He was known for his temper and battle prowess and was the one who slew Yamata no Orochi in the past. His control over the sea and storms made him a formidable god.
"Sister, a sword cannot be given. A sword needs to choose its wielder. I cannot give him a sword if he cannot use it."
"Then what do you propose? I have already given him my word, and I cannot take it back."
"Let me test him. If he cannot pass my judgment, I will take the sword you intended to give him."
Lord Susanoo grinned at me. I could only sigh; in the end, I had no choice in the matter. They were Gods, and I was a mortal. Perhaps when I possessed the power to challenge God, I could refuse his challenge, but for now, I could only sigh and nod.
"Of course, Lord Susanoo."
"Great!"
He created a magic circle, and suddenly, two katanas appeared before him. He tossed one of the katanas at me and said, "Let's go to the training ground. It's been a while since I had a sword duel."
I nodded, and we went to the training ground. While walking there, I ensured my breathing was stable and absorbed the Natural Energy around me. I noticed Lord Susanoo observing me, and instead of being angry, he laughed. His smile widened, and he quickened his pace.
Upon reaching the training ground, Lord Susanoo pointed his katana at me and said, "Come at me when you're ready."
I took a deep breath and saw it transform into fire. Drawing my katana, I assumed a battle stance. Releasing another breath, I conjured a larger flame. When I was prepared, I sprinted forward at an inhuman speed, appearing before him in an instant.
"Hinokami Kagura: Sunflower Thrust."