Chapter 425:

Chapter 425:

It's been awhile since I'd felt this utterly exhausted.

Leaving the battlefield and sitting down with the Shinto gods was mostly a blur.

I tried to make myself as composed as possible when there were many godly eyes on us, but I was feeling the overall fatigue and weariness with a significant amount of pain.

One does not get hit by Indra without feeling it.

"Why are your eyes bleeding?"

"Huh?" I opened them to feel something warm falling down my cheeks and it wasn't tears. I wiped it away and looked at it through my hazy vision. "First time using my Shikai, side effect I would imagine."

Izzy narrowed her own eyes at me as if she didn't believe me. "Have you even been paying attention to what I've been saying?"

"Would you like a truthful answer?" I asked in response.

Izzy grumbled, and continued her machinations. That being, she had began wiping the blood off my face. "I swear, you two." She said again for the umpteenth time.

"I'm fine, stop worrying." I reassured her.

"Look at you? How is any of this fine?" She shot back. "You're lucky I already messaged everyone else to not worry."

"Thank you." I nudged her shoulder where I was resting my head. Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

She let out a long winded sigh. "I can't even get mad at you right now as it's fairly obvious how out of it you are. Wilhelm, be honest with me, how are you feeling?"

"Dizzy, fatigued, a bit of pain here or there. Combination of my Authority, Balance Breaker, and Shikai added on didn't do me any favors in that regard...ah, I think my ribs are bruised, or cracked can't tell."

"Should I call Artoria to bring her Sheath? That will heal you quickly."

"It's fine, I don't want to bother her while she's doing things with Rin unless it's an emergency." I refused the good intentioned request. "But there's one thing that can help me...."

"...Dare I ask what?"

"Perhaps the kiss of a beautiful Goddess can alleviate my symptoms."

"Stop it." She huffed, pinching my cheek. "Not in front of my children." She added on very softly. "Besides, did you not embarrass me enough already?"

Oh right, her children.

I blinked, looking up a little and focusing my eyes and seeing Susanoo sitting in a nearby chair, nursing a bottle of something as he silently drank it and Amaterasu sitting opposite of us, awkwardly glancing our way.

"Are you embarrassed by me?"

"You know darn well that isn't what I meant." She gave me another cheek pinch.

"What's wrong with letting the world know that you're mine?" I offered with a cheeky smile.

"Hush." She cutely silenced me.

Oh well, I could stop teasing her infront of her kids. Besides, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to keep going anyways.

I hope this won't be a continuous side effect of using my Zanpakutō.

{It should become easier with practice.} My Spirit chimed in. {However, it is a trade off for having no restriction inherent other than your own capabilities.}

Eyes too?

I hoped I won't go blind.

{You should know better than most the repercussions of staring into the Kaleidoscope.}

Yeah, yeah. I knew it would have been worse if I did the same thing haphazardly on my own. It was one of the reasons that most of Gramp's former 'students' went mad. A lot of them were stupid enough to look directly into the wellspring of possibilities rather than stymy their view.

Though, thinking about it now, it felt an awful like when I used the Balance Breaker for the Spear and I gained some manner of clairvoyance.

Maybe I'm just imagining things.

Whatever, I don't feel like thinking about anything too difficult right now.

Instead, I took out a Health Potion from my ring and quickly down it. It did very little these days, but it would maybe lessen the headache I had and hopefully would dull the pain in my ribs.

After that I found a bottle of untouched Whisky stored away and pulled the cork off with my mouth and spat it away, chugging a big gulp of it.

Funny how this would probably ease things more than a literal health potion.

The consequences of becoming stronger metaphysically.

I noticed Susanoo staring at me and I sat myself up straight with a groan and slid the bottle across the new coffee table that I assume Izzy had purchased, made or something after the last time Susanoo broke it.

He nodded, thankful and took his own swig with a pleasant look on his face after savoring it.

The atmosphere was kind of weird. Not surprising considering everything that happened and the fact that Amaterasu was sitting in Izzy's living room, but still.

"I have a question." I decided to break the proverbial ice. "I hadn't really thought about it before, but who controls the Seas of Japan? I only ask because Ryujin making an appearance brought the question to my mind. Not to mention, there are tons of other Gods that have aspects of the Ocean."

Susanoo snorted, not in an angry way, but more mild annoyance. "I have greater authority over the Seas of Japan. He is the older deity but he relinquished his control after father mandated my ascension. However, he is the aspect of Power inherent in the Ocean while I am the unpredictability. He controls the tides and most sea life while I am the raging storm."

"Neat." I genuinely didn't know that. "He was pretty strong, even Ddraig only had respectful words to say about him."

"The Great Welsh?" Susanoo raised an eyebrow. "Surprising." He said simply while taking another drink.

"....Because Ryujin is worshiped among most Eastern Sea-coast countries." Amaterasu surprisingly chimed in. She sounded a little awkward, but continued. "Korea, China, Japan, and even India as one of the eight dragon kings."

Ddraig did mention that, but she wasn't silently staring anymore, so I didn't want to make her quiet again.

Besides, it wasn't my show.

And now that she had an opportunity, she looked less...meek? I don't know, it's hard to describe the way she was acting. The usual haughtiness wasn't there as I experienced the first time around. She was being respectfully distant if I had to label it.

"Mother..." She finally addressed the elephant in the room.

"Daughter." Izzy replied.

"I'm sorry for what happened."

"I don't blame Takamagahara." Izzy said directly. "You can reassure any of the others that I'm not looking to get revenge or enact any sort of judgment for a perceived slight."

"That's..." The Sun Goddess took a small breath. "I'm not here as a representative of Takamagahara. I'm here as the Daughter of Izanami."

Ah, so that's why she wasn't putting on airs.

And I could easily see how happy that made Izzy despite her not reacting much to the statement.

"I'm just happy that you're visiting."

"Mother..."

"How is your Husband, my other son? Are you still not speaking?"

"M-Mother, don't bring that up so suddenly. And with someone else here!"

"It's just your Bother and Wilhelm, whom I am dating if that was not obvious." She sent a glare my way, but it lacked any kind of heat to it. "And you act as if it isn't common knowledge. You do know that mortals have etched your marriage into their myths, yes?"

"Still as bad as it has been for the past thousands of years." Susanoo helpfully added.

"I don't need you talking about failing marriages." Amaterasu glared at her brother.

"Among us, who is the only one with a happy marriage?" He shot back.

"Y-you're a womanizer, a complete lecherous skirt-chaser!"

"Kushinada doesn't mind." Susanoo smiled proudly. "As long as I share."

Amaterasu gave a wry smile. "Other Pantheons will be more focused on you now. And your association with Mother will be linked to us with your further actions."

"So in the eyes of other Factions, I may as well be under the umbrella of Takamagahara, is that it?"

"If you don't like it, you can simply remove yourself from Mother's presence permanently." Amaterasu sniffed.

"I would sooner remove every other faction instead." I retorted.

"I do not like Devils." Amaterasu stated, her tone filled with contempt at the mention. "However, I am glad that Mother found someone that appreciates her."

Izzy's face brightened up.

"I should return." Amaterasu stood up from her seat. "I will need to settle all the particulars that came from this incident and be prepared to receive the response from Shiva and the Hindu Pantheon."

"You have an important job." Izzy acknowledged, but there was the obvious unwillingness present.

"....I will return once I finished settling matters, Mother. I promise to start visiting often."

"And I'll drag our Brother down here too." Susanoo patted his chest.

"Don't fight your Brother." Izzy scolded. "I don't want to hear about another big feud that happens between you all."

"You are asking the impossible, mother." Amaterasu snarked.

"At least I don't go crying in a cave."

"Don't you dare start with that!"

"you're fooling no one with your constant invitations for a private song and dance with Uzume."

"Mother! Make him stop!"

"Children." Izzy stepped in. "Behave."

"Bah, I'll go too before she starts trying to make a move on your lover again, Mother." Susanoo grunted, readily leaving before Amaterasu blew up at him again.

"Insufferable brute." Amaterasu huffed, but calmed down quickly. "I should check in on my Miko while I'm down here and clear up any misunderstandings she has." She paused, glancing my way. "I suppose I shall relay to her that the matter has been settled and not to worry."

"Thank you." I replied in genuine thanks.

She smiled warmly. I faintly felt the touch of the sun, a pleasant sensation like relaxing on a warm afternoon. "Child of the Rising Sun, you are most welcome under our warmth." With a burst of sunlight, she disappeared from the house.

"Your children are weird." I said towards izzy.

Her response was to pull me in for an overdue kiss.

[***]

"Can I confide something in you?" I hummed, looking up at Izzy while my head was comfortably in her lap.

"Since when do you even ask? I'm aware of almost every proclivity of yours and those around you." She snorted. "But very well, reveal to me your secrets."

"I think red eyes are a weakness of mine. I can't stop staring into yours and they're so beautiful."

"I constantly wonder how I managed to fall for these obvious flirtations." She sighed, running her hand through my hair.

"Alright, I admit I lied." I said with full sincerity. "Regardless of their color, I would say the same thing because you're too alluring."

"Oh stop it." She rolled her eyes, pinching my cheek playfully. "If you keep this up, the others will feel jealous when they arrive."

"You make a fair point. I guess I will have to flirt with all of them equally."

"Yes, yes. You're an unmatched romantic." She deadpanned. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Sore, but that's about it. Eyes feel better too. Aura is working well."

"Good, because they've arrived."

Just as Izzy said that, the door was nearly blown off its hinges.

"Master!" Raikou threw herself on top of me.

"Me too!" Jinn quickly jumped on me as well.

"I'm alright, don't cry. It wasn't that bad." I gave both of them a pat on the head.

"Student, you caused another incident." Scáthach sauntered in with Venelana and Yasaka following.

"Good, maybe you all can talk some sense into him. He refuses to accept that he did something wrong." Izzy huffed in annoyance.

"I agree with him." Scáthach said immediately. "It would be foolish to blame him for an action that any of us would take in the same circumstances."

"Agreed." Venelana squeezed between Jinn and Raikou and gave me a quick kiss. "But that doesn't make us not worry."

"You're not supposed to encourage him." Izzy grumbled. "What if he does it again?"

"Then he best kill the one responsible to not make it a third time." Scáthach said simply.

"Is Meridia not coming?" I asked, giving both Jinn and Raikou a playful slap on their butts to get myself some wiggle room.

"She said it was unwise to make an appearance for the moment less she takes action out of anger." Scáthach responded.

"That would probably make things worse." Izzy admitted.

I managed to force myself to sit up straighter after the Raikou and Jinn attack was over. Venelana was giving me an interesting look. And by interesting, I mean it basically screamed 'come fuck me'.

I met her gaze and raised an eyebrow and.....was she blushing?

I don't know what was up with her, but I used the opportunity to move my hand up under her dress and squeeze her nice round ass.

She giggled, and positioned herself to plop down on my lap. "Do you need some extra healing?"

"As tempting as that offer is. I'm so utterly exhausted right now that just keeping my eyes open is difficult. But I would love to have you in my arms when I fall asleep." I wrapped her up.

"You know he's telling the truth when he rejects an invitation like that." Jinn laughed.

"Yasaka, dear?" Izzy spoke up. "You are being uncharacteristically quiet."

Yasaka was looking out of it and suddenly refocused. "Sorry about that, I was just....lost in thought." Her gaze trailed towards me. "I've had an interesting past few hours. And I'm not talking about the aftermath of the fight."

"Did something occur? My Daughter said that she was going to visit. I hope that nothing went wrong."

"Funny you should mention that." Yasaka had a strained smile. "And I ask this question, mostly directed at Wilhelm as I believe he is the culprit."

"I claim innocence for whatever it is I am accused of."

Yasaka looked at me dryly. "Please explain to me why, when my Goddess appeared before me, she was apologetic." I was about to speak, but she held her hand up. "And not about one of the many concerns of mine in the past. Not even about the whole Kunou incident that I'm still pissed about. No, she appeared, apologized to me for 'leading me on' and told me that she can't accept my 'feelings' and that she is at fault for fostering the misunderstanding."

"....I genuinely don't know how to respond to that." I replied.

"Oh don't worry, it doesn't end there. She felt bad and wanted to give me a token of affection even though she doesn't share the same sentiment. As an apology, mind you." That was when Yasaka held her hands up, revealing a very familiar red thong.

"....."

"Daughter, why?" Izzy bemoaned, covering her face with her hands.

Wow, this has been a wild day.

"Your children are weird." I said again, and Izzy couldn't bring herself to refute me.

[***]

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