The unexpected quakes alarmed everyone. The gods quickly started to use their powers to understand what was going on, but before they could understand, Susanoo spoke a little absentmindedly.
-"This... I can't control Takamagahara anymore. Sister, what is going on?"
-"Sigh, this is why we are in such deep trouble. Fūjin, do you have anything in your defense?"
-"It would seem that Lady Amaterasu is aware of what is going on. Then, will Lady still oppose him?"
-"I will never allow a traitor to return."
-"Traitor? No, he is the rightful lord of this pantheon."
-"Even if the history is correct, he lost that status when he agreed to become Buddha."
-"You are too shortsighted. He gained the power to save this pantheon from dangers."
-"No, he invited wolf into our house."
-"Sigh, pity."-Fūjin was disappointed by Amaterasu's choice.
After shaking his head, he started to walk outside. Some gods wanted to stop him, but before they could act, the quakes intensified, and the space nearby started to break. Fūjin approached the space crack and knelt before it.
-"The rightful king is back."
-"I'm pleased to see that your loyalty is still as solid as it was before, Fūjin."
A man emerged from the crack. He wore clothes like a Buddhist monk and had Japamala beads on his neck. His appearance was rather average, with an eastern face and bald head. The only notable thing about him was that despite turning into Buddha, his past as god couldn't be covered.
He exuded power that was not like the subtle and gentle Dharma of Buddhists but the tyrannical aura of a primordial god.
-"It's good to be back, but I'm deeply saddened by the reception I'm receiving. Sigh, Amaterasu, won't you step down?"
-"I will not."
-"Why do people always choose the hard way? Can't they see the bigger picture to avoid bloodshed?"
-"Don't preach those Buddhist hypocrisies, Izanagi."
-"I truly believe in my words. After all, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda."-Izanagi smiled lightly.
-"You truly became a dog for those baldheads."-Susanoo had an equally shocked and displeased look on his face.
-"Please, I just chose the future. It was I who established this pantheon, but after all those years, how can I not see the mistakes intertwined into the foundation of this place? Today, I came here to redeem the Takamagahara. To finally achieve perfection."
As he spoke, his aura became even stronger, and by the end of his sentence, his Dharma manifested into a six-legged, six-armed, and six-headed being. He carried multiple weapons, and each of his heads appeared demonic, somewhat similar to Fūjin's looks.
-"I will eliminate everything that stands in my way. So, for the last time, will you join me or stubbornly refuse to see the reality?"
This time, no one reacted instantly. Feeling the power Izanami possessed, they knew that it was almost impossible to stand up to him. He was the primordial god who was able to create a heaven while they were younger gods. Some of them didn't even know the cruelty of divine wars as they were born after the peace was achieved.
Looking at those gods, I could see that most of them were unveiling but also afraid. Few outright knew like Fūjin. Only older gods didn't falter and also started to unleash their divinity. Soon, a sun, moon, thunder, and a giant fox manifested around.
-"So be it. Worry not. I won't kill you. I shall make you understand your mistakes."
He waved his hand, and the throne behind Amaterasu shattered. At the same time, the quaking of Takamagahara stopped, but the space crack not only didn't close but even started to expand.
Amaterasu's throne was the hearth of the pantheon. Special artifact that symbolized god-king and also granted control over the heaven that this pantheon owned, so by destroying it, Takamagahara became overnless. Because of that, Takamagahara stopped resisting the invaders, allowing other Buddhas to enter inside through the space crack.
~"Then I'll act according to the agreement."~I spoke while looking at Amaterasu.
-"Please."
~"Jingliu, Cellinia, do what you want."
Two of them nodded. Jingliu stepped forward, swinging her sword at a kneeling Fūjin. He defended himself, but under the continuous offense of Jingliu, he was quickly pushed back out of sight.
-"Why do you meddle in divine matters, mortal?"-Izanagi looked at me as if only now noticing my presence.
~"Why do gods always assume that one without divinity is mortal? Sigh, never mind."
Focusing on Takamagahara, I forcefully took control of it. Soon, under the astonished eyes of all the gods present an ancient-looking sword, bronze mirror, and a jewel magatama.
-"You..."
~"Another sword? Whatever, I'll keep all those guys out. Rest is yours."
-"Thank you."-Amaterasu bowed to me before focusing on Izanagi.
To be honest, the battle of beings of such power is hard to describe, but the best comparison would be that those are like discussions. Just, rather than words, they use their divinities and power to convince the world of their victory.
Some of those 'discussions' can be spectacular. Every time Susanoo uses his power, the thunder will rage all around. But when the power passes a certain level, one can't comprehend it by simply seeing it. The best example of that would be Amaterasu, who didn't move from the start of their confrontation with Izanagi, nor did her sun change, but it was she who was engaged in the most intense 'fighting'.
Tsukuyomi focused on resisting Izanami's power, helping other gods, while Inari gathered those capable of combat to assist Amaterasu and Susanoo. A hundred gods against one primordial god should illustrate the disparity of power not only between different gods but especially between older and younger gods.
As the state of the battle was stable, I continued to watch the confrontation, focusing on comprehending as much as I could from the clashes of divinities while keeping any invaders out of the Takamagahara.
Due to the intensity of the fight in Takamagahara, the gods all over the world could feel it. Most gods were surprised by the sudden divine war, but to some, it was a signal they were waiting for.
First to move were some dark and gray forces in Orario. After the fall of Evilus, orario entered a period of growth, especially as Hold began training people in the dungeon. Many adventurers began to learn in dojos set by Hold members, and many inventions and artifacts also increased the average strength of the people in the city.
The most notable difference made by Hold in the past year was almost eliminating the homeless population along with crime networks. As the people are what we need the most, we would often recruit people for work or even directly offer to give people a place to live for work on farms set in villages in Hold.
With a similar idea in mind, we opened many orphanages and began to teach orphaned children a trade there to give them a better future, which in return will make Hold's position in the city more solid in the long run. We also almost eliminated slavery from the city, taking all slaves to lead a free life in Hold. In that year, Hold became synonymous with opportunity and safety.
Because of that, the strength of many underground organizations fell sharply, being suppressed by us and lacking easy recruits to their ranks, not to mention that many civilians could defend themself now, so even level two adventurer couldn't act with impunity.
But some attacks were still carried on, disrupting daily life, and giving a chance to those who wanted to act. A group of ten or so gods arrived in Guild and demanded to meet Ouranos, wanting to force the old god to make changes and restrain Hold.
And all those seemingly hidden movements were clear as day for Loki and me as I was held in my Fox form by Loki, who sat on the highest floor of Babel. We long ago entered into close cooperation with Freya so that the whole Orario was under the control of one of three parties: Guild, Hold, and Freya familia.
-"Disappointing."-Freya commented as he looked at the scenes showing all movements in the city.
-"What were you expecting? There are few gods who are truly capable of scheming. Most are muscleheads or are too straightforward and overconfident of their divinities."
~"Not many can understand mortals. Even when using emotions to control them, you still need capable people to do your bidding. I doubt that a truly capable person would mix with those wastes."
-"Indeed, but then, why do you make so many contingencies this time? Why not just squash them?"-Freya looked at me, not hiding her desire to play with my Fox form.
-"We don't care about some god's petty squabbles, but this time, certain groups took action against us. It's not in my nature to take a beating lying down."
-"Hou? And who are those groups?"
~"Oracle and Ragnarök."
-"You provoked those maniacs?"-Freya was genuinely surprised by hearing those two names.
-"Why are you surprised? Oracele are control freaks, and Hold is now fully shielded from any divinations. The reason why Ragnarök is hostile is even more obvious. After all, they just seek the destruction of the lower realm."-Loki held me closer, trying to show off that she could hold me to annoy Freya.
-"So you want to startle the snake out of the hole?"
~"Partly. The main reason is to force others to recognize our position."
-"If they knew about your power, they would have no choice but to recognize you."-Freya tried to grab one of my tails, but I avoided her hand.
~"That would lead to prosecution of us as outsiders. That's why we need strong roots before my power is recognized."
-"Well, it's not my problem, so I won't meddle. I hope you prepared what I asked for."
~"Of course, just give me something that can trace that person, and I'll find who you are looking for."
-"I don't know, nor do I possess anything connected to that person. I just know that I will meet the person who is destined here in Orario."
~"Then I'll need to use you as the medium to find that person."
-"I don't mind, but you will have to make a vow not to disclose anything you say about me."
~"Sure. Let's start."
As [Wyrd] was Soulbound to me, it existed in every manifestation I used as long as it possessed a direct connection to my Soul. Even when I was in my Fox form, the ring would appear around my paw.
Using it as Omniscia, I began making a reading into Freya's Fate, looking for the person she calls her destined. I quickly discovered the certain person who was covered by a powerful secret, keeping him hidden even from me, but this was temporary. Gathering more power, I was able to see through that secret.
~"Hmm.."
-"What did you see?"
~"I'm not sure to call you lucky or pitiful. Your destined one is the child of the destiny of the lower world."
-"Child of Destiny?"
~"Chosen of the world. To be honest, despite being a world myself, my understanding of being such as children of destiny, children of luck, protagonists, etc, is a little lacking."
-"How come I more often hear that you don't know something than you do?"-Loki asked a little teasingly.
~"Because I'm proud that there is something I don't know. I can't stand unanswered questions, and I won't allow anything to escape my comprehension, but as long as those exist, there is a chance."
-"Chance? As if Hope?"
~"I'm not sure. This is a feeling I have, but surprisingly, I don't know what this feeling is."
-"Ehem. Can you tell me more about my destined person?"
~"He will arrive in Ororio in the near future, seeking glory and of a hero. But no one is born a hero. You are the whetstone to sharpen his naivety into charisma, passion into strength, and trials into experience."
-"Can't you speak normally?"
~"Why would I waste occasion to act as a true diviner?"
-"Men, always finding pleasure in strangest of actions."
~"Well, the true reason for me speaking like that is to not unveil secrets that can harm you. Also, by revealing too many things, I can harm the future of that Child of Destiny. Would you rather have a pretty vase or a champion?"
-"Fine. But you have to make sure that child grows well, and, in the end, he has to be mine."
-"Don't worry. I'll also make sure it'll happen."-Loki assured Freya.-"Now, it's time for your part of the deal."
-"Right, right. Crashing parties is something I'm good at."-Freya started to walk outside.
~"I'll leave the rest to you two. If anything unexpected happens..."
-"Don't worry, no one can outscheme me."-Leaving those words, Loki also exited the room, leaving me alone.
As the two different battles began, the third 'front' also couldn't be left behind. My third manifestation, also in the form of the Fox, sat on the high branch of a tree at the border of the forest. In the distance, I could see a great wall spanning the whole horizon, interspaced with forts on which banners of Rakia hung.
Moments ago, all gates in my view were opened, and legions of people started marching toward the forest. Most of them were barely first-level, with some second-level veterans and third-level commanders. Behind them, some more powerful auras could be felt, but in total, not even twenty people of a level higher than five were present in this army.
-"Your majesty, all Sentinals are on their positions."-Shandris landed next to me, invisible due to being cloaked in the night veil.
~"Good. Be on standby and wait for Riveria's signal."
-"Yes."-The branch swayed as the Night Elf left my side.
After taking a last look at the approaching armies, I also jumped down, landing on Lunara's back.
-"Grandfather."
~"What do you think about Elves living here?"
-"I have mixed feelings. Some are similar to us, but some seem alien. Rather than live with nature and magic hand in hand, they focus on bloodlines and acclaim like humans."
~"I see."
-"Will they join us in Emerald Dream?"
~"To be honest, I'm still thinking about it. Most likely, I'll just establish a connection to here, planting a Great Tree to protect this kingdom."
-"First, they have to agree to our conditions."
~"They won't, but Riveria is ready to overthrow her father if that is what it takes to save Elves."
-"Princess Riveria is indeed worthy of respect."
~"I'm sure she would be happy to hear that from you. I'll leave the front to you."
-"Don't worry, Grandfather. We will be unseen and ready for strike."
~"May the moon guide you."
After bidding farewell, I moved deeper into the forest, soon entering an Elven city.