บท 2180: The Dawn of a New Era?
With the formation of Capsule Corp and the Sage Dragon School, Communities formed by Bulma and the trio of Kusu, Vados, and Marcarita, the only thing Vahn needed to move forward with the establishment of the Aldrnari Empire was a willing 'victim'.
Though the simplest method was to convince an existing Alliance to let you subsume or take over one of their lesser-coveted Gates, Vahn's ambitions were too great to be constrained by a mere 4-Digit classification. He would eventually need to occupy more than half of the Gates between 1000 and 1010, so, while he had no problem playing nice and providing benefits to those willing to work alongside the Aldrnari Empire, Vahn knew the most expedient path towards his goals was conquest.
Fortunately, many of the highest-ranking 4-Digit Communities were either infamous, notorious, or on the verge of civil war. The previous war had crippled many of the most powerful and influential Pantheons of Gods. Were that not the case, the Draco Grief Alliance never would have been able to install itself as the Floor Master of the South Side, a region host to Zeus, the Olympians, Avalon, and the Norse Faction.
Simply put, now was the second-best time to strike at the Communities clinging to power in the Lower-Digit Gates. The absolute best timing would be to wait until the awakening of the Demon God, but, as he would rather avoid unnecessary bloodshed, Vahn intended to take action before then. There was a pretty substantial difference between overwhelming disobedient Communities through Rite of Challenge and wiping them out completely...
Vahn's first target, entirely as a result of their proximity to the Sage Dragon's Hearth, was intended to be Kotoamatsukami, one of the top three Factions in the East Side. They just so happened to be in possession of the 1009th Gate, and, thanks to his previous disagreement with Souta, the second son of the Japanese God of Wind, they were already marginally antagonistic towards him.
More importantly, the current leader of the Kotoamatsukami was Amaterasu, the Japanese Goddess of the Sun.
The Little Garden allowed beings with similar origins to challenge one another for possession of the associated Fragment of Origin. This meant, so long as they could convince the general populace or earn the recognition of the Central Network, the Amaterasu and Tamamo who originated from the Nasuverse would be able to challenge the current Amaterasu for her status and origin.
Though he had always possessed a peculiar affinity with the aforementioned Sun Goddess, literally marrying two separate versions of her, the Amaterasu of the Little Garden was rather infamous for her vanity and pride. She had even challenged Shiroyasha a number of times in the past, as, unlike her counterparts in innumerable Records, the Amaterasu of the Transcendental Path to Heaven was a Commander of the Divine Army and one of the greatest swordswomen in the Divine Realm.
If not for the fact she also possessed fox ears, a trait Vahn had come to associate with most versions of Amaterasu, he may have been worried...
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"You want me to accompany you despite knowing I possess no Authority within the Divine Realm? I would never dare to refuse a request from my beloved Shufu-sama but I fear you haven't given this matter due consideration..."
Though she was more than a little happy to receive a personal visit from Vahn, Amaterasu couldn't help smiling wryly in response to his request. She was one of the few people who couldn't readily depart his Little Garden, not because her existence was still required to maintain its structure, but because she was effectively powerless without her connection to the Sun. Even Tamamo was more powerful than her outside the Little Garden, so, as one of the most powerful beings on the inside, Amaterasu was reluctant to leave.
Understanding Amaterasu's concerns, Vahn casually explained, "I've already discussed the matter with both Tamamo and Shiroyasha. The former is willing to split her tails to create a new body for you to inhabit. Your original vessel will remain enshrined here while your Ego will be transmigrated to the outside world. As for Shiroyasha, she has agreed to entrust you with a Divinity related to her 14 Sun Authorities. You will technically be her subordinate, but, in exchange, your power should be even greater than it is at the present moment."
"Hmmm..."
Though she wasn't particularly enthused by the notion of becoming subordinate to someone other than Vahn, Amaterasu would be lying if she said she wasn't interested in the outside world and the Divine Realm. She was also infatuated with the notion of training to increase her power, so, after a very brief moment of deliberation, she answered, "Very well. If Shufu-sama trusts this Shiroyasaha-sama enough to leave me in her care, it is only natural that I do the same..."
Reaching up to her lips, Amaterasu playfully kissed the tip of her index finger before pulling it away to reveal a tiny yet unfathomably powerful golden flame. This was the core of her essence as a Tier 5 being, a physical representation of the 4.6 billion years of energy she had accumulated within her Ego.
As the color faded from her once vibrant pink hair, replaced by an ashen-grey color, Amaterasu fearlessly entrusted the flame to Vahn. This was something she never would have considered a few hundred years ago, but, understanding that Vahn could basically erase her with a thought, the once haughty and immutable Goddess saw no reason to hesitate. Rather, the notion of entrusting Vahn with her 'everything' made her more than a little excited...
"The next time we see each other...I'll be expecting...a reward..."
With her body turning to stone at an alarming rate, Amaterasu elected to punctuate her words with a remarkably seductive smile. She had become rather fond of the moments of intimacy she shared with Vahn, so, now that she was finally able to leave the Little Garden, she was looking forward to being able to spend more time with him. His recent impregnation spree had also reached her ears, so, depending on how things played out, she might give being a mother a try...
Though he was unaware of Amaterasu's interest in motherhood, an affectionate smile developed across Vahn's face as he placed the diminutive golden flame against his chest. He had yet to spend any quality time with her since his return from the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, so, even if she hadn't asked, he would have 'rewarded' both her and Tamamo until they were completely satisfied. This would probably take weeks, but, considering he had an eternity to work with, Vahn didn't mind investing days, months, or even years towards the gratification of his loved ones...
"I promise..."
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Unbeknownst to Vahn, each of his efforts to bait Kotoamatsukami into a conflict were for naught, as, the moment he spurned their good intentions, the trio of Gods presiding over the East Side's third most powerful faction had already decided to confront him. More specifically, Amaterasu was interested in Vahn's abilities while her brothers, Susanoo and Tsukuyomi, simply wanted to cut loose and have a bit of fun.
With the intention of discussing their future conquest of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, Amaterasu, an inordinately tall woman with fox-like ears and golden hair that shimmered like the horizon at dawn, had her brothers gather alongside several of her most trusted vassals. This included several Gods of War such as Takemikazuchi and Bishamon, but, more importantly, at least for the purpose of saving face, it also included famous heroes such as Uesugi Kenshin, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Sakamoto Ryoma, and Miyamoto Musashi.
Towering over everyone else present, much like the Goddess Vahn was familiar with, a rather fierce smile developed across the face of Amaterasu as she said, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has refused Kagutsuchi's offer, and, in turn, the olive branch we extended to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. To add insult to injury, he has conspired with the Jade Palace in an obvious attempt to avoid responsibility for the offense he has caused. Now that he has failed to secure an Alliance, I propose we move to eliminate or subsume the Sage Dragon's Hearth before they have the chance to grow even further."
Though rumors had already started to circulate regarding Mikoto's and Fenrir's power, it wasn't enough to deter people from antagonizing the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Rather, now that they had a better understanding of the power possessed by its core members, an ever-increasing number of factions were eying the Sage Dragon's Hearth as if it were a fat lamb. Kotoamatsukami was simply the first with an adequate pretext to maneuver against them.
Nodding his head in response to Amaterasu's words, a remarkably handsome man with wild, free-flowing black hair, golden eyes, and an untamed aura answered, "Leave it to me, Aneue. Fuujin is a member of my Strongest Storm Deity Community. Even if others are to act, doing so before I've had the chance to avenge my subordinate is improper."
Snorting in response to the untamed man's spirited words, a paradoxically handsome yet feminine figure with fair features, three glowing eyes, silky purple hair, and fox-like ears remarked, "Restrain your imprudence, Susanoo. Our venerable sister is far too wise to entrust such a delicate matter to one such as yourself. We're trying to subsume them, not destroy them."
Glowering in response to the androgynous figure's remark, Susanoo placed his hand on the handle of his trusted companions, the legendary Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi as he asked, "You believe your Fox-Moon Shrine to be the better option, Tsukuyomi?"
Seeing Susanoo reach for his sword, purple flames began to build at the edge of Tsukuyomi's robes as a black, scale-like pattern spread across his forehead. At the same time, two fox-like masks, one black and one white, detached from his shoulders. Black and white flames manifested behind them like the tails of a kitsune, but, before either Tsukuyomi or Susanoo could act, an overwhelming heat and pressure descended upon everyone present as Amaterasu said, "Enough."
Though Susanoo and Tsukuyomi were able to withstand it better than the others present, even they were forced to kneel when the purple-hue of Amaterasu's eyes was gradually replaced by a vibrant orange hue resembling the sunset.
"I didn't summon the two of you here to see you squabble amongst yourselves like children. I've already made my decision. Now, stay quiet and listen..."
Retracting her aura just enough to allow Susanoo and Tsukuyomi to stand, Amaterasu's expression relaxed into a smile as she added, "The Sage Dragon's Hearth hasn't even been around for a year, yet, in spite of this, they are already preparing to ascend to the status of a 4-Digit Community. At the same time, several other notable Communities have begun to appear in each of the Cardinal Districts. This is clearly a ploy concocted by that imp in the Thousand Eyes Community. I refuse to let her have her way. Thus, before the Sage Dragon's Hearth can expand its influence any further, the entirety of Kotoamatsukami will take action."
Surprised by their sister's words, both Susanoo and Tsukuyomi appeared slightly taken aback. Even the former, a God of Storms known for his violent temperament and lust for battle couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure this is the best course of action, Aneue? No matter how we try to spin things, our actions are certain to be interpreted as a declaration of war."
Surprising the duo even further, Amaterasu simply shrugged before saying, "Peace goes against the very nature of the Little Garden. It dulls our blades and leads even the greatest of gods astray. Now that a wave of change has begun to sweep across the Divine Realm, it is the responsibility of those who bore the banner of the previous era to break it. Our only other options are to go with the flow or be drowned in its wake. I, for one, have no intention of going down without a fight. Now, are you going to continue gawking like fools or are you going to help me come up with a plan...?"
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'She has fox ears? RIP...','Amaterasu, the Mega MILF...','I almost feel bad for her xD...')
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