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Hey Guys i'm back with a new story:)
If u like it and want to read more, you can support me an Paatreon. You'll get 10 advanced chapters. You can find the link in the synopsis:)
But for now have a good read and give me ur opinions in the comments:)
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"Hello, Grandmother," I said, bowing respectfully before the shrine in our garden.
I was dressed in a traditional black kimono.
I drew my trusty katana and placed it gently on the ground before me, kneeling and bowing again.
A clear and bright, bell-like voice responded from the shrine: "Mitsukawa Amateran, my grandson, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to be so formal? We Japanese gods have changed a lot in recent years. Just look at my black flames, which have replaced my white sun flames. Thanks to Kishimoto, I look soo much cooler now!"
I slapped my forehead and joked, "Man, Grandma, can't you let me have my fun and pride as a super cool samurai?! By the way, I dealt with the Robber- oni in Osaka as you asked; the three sacred treasures are back in the possession of the Jingū Shrine."
My grandmother Amaterasu chuckled and then spoke in a serious tone: "As always, I can count on you, my little blade. But I'm sorry I have to send you on another mission right away. This time, not in Japan. I told you that the Greek-Roman gods moved to the USA a few hundred years ago. I sense great sorrow and darkness brewing there. I want you to look after the few Shinto worshipers in the USA. You will be once again my blade on Earth. I've already announced your arrival. You have a visa and accommodation at Camp Half-Blood of the Greek gods for your time there. Go now and say goodbye to your parents, and pray to me often; you know you don't need a shrine for that. I always hear your prayers."
Even though my grandmother probably wouldn't have thought it necessary, I completed my prayer ritual and then went into the classic Japanese house in the heart of Kyoto that I called home.
But let me tell you a bit more about myself and how I got here. My name is Mitsukawa Amateran, or as the West would say, Amateran Mitsukawa. Why am I talking to you? Probably just a side effect of my main character syndrome, but who cares?
I was born on Children's Day, May 5th, 1990, in Kyoto. My parents were incredibly poor at the time and could barely support the three of us. My early childhood was simple but happy.
My parents adored me, and I loved them too. Our life was marked by poverty; the only glimmer of hope that kept my parents going was their deep-rooted belief in the Shinto gods. Especially my mother was devout, as her family had been in the service of the sun goddess Amaterasu for thousands of years, according to her stories.
But let's skip ahead a few years in my story, to my 5th birthday. The day our lives, especially mine, were completely turned upside down.
Let's take a little time travel to May 1st, 1995, a few days before my birthday and the day I went on vacation for the first time.
My parents had saved for years, and we were finally able to afford something special.
So we decided to take a trip to Ise in Mie Prefecture, specifically to the Jingū Shrine, the main shrine of the Shinto gods where Amaterasu is particularly worshiped. My mother even managed to use her family name to arrange for us to pray at the inner shrine, which is usually closed to the public.
And so we stood before the main shrine Naikū on my birthday, praying to the sun goddess. What I didn't think was possible back then was that she answered me.
I remember it like it was yesterday when I wished to become a strong warrior and samurai so that I could protect my family.
You wouldn't believe how my eyes almost popped out of my head when I first heard the beautiful voice of Amaterasu.
"My child," she said, "if you really have this wish, I can grant it. But be aware, it's a hard path, and you will live a demanding and dangerous life..."
"I don't care; I want my parents to always live in safety!" I replied with defiant pride.
"So be it, I will inform my high priestess so that she can talk to your parents. And now that the formalities are out of the way, call me Grandma from now on! After all, you are from the ancient lineage of the Tennō and thus something like my grandchild!"
In my childish naivety, I said, "Alright, Granny!" which made Amaterasu giggle.
I continued chatting with Amaterasu while my parents said their prayers. Just before they were about to leave, they were stopped by the high priestess.
"Mr. and Mrs. Mitsukawa, please wait a moment. The Jingū Shrine has a proposal for you, at the goddess's own request," the high priestess stopped my parents.
She explained that the temple school wanted to take me in and train me as a temple warrior. A great honor, as my parents felt, and so they agreed after a brief discussion, on the condition that they could visit me at the temple every summer.
And so it came to pass that I was admitted to the temple school of the Jingū Shrine.
You can tell I'm summarizing everything quickly, but that's only because the truly interesting years of my life are yet to come.
After a lengthy farewell full of tears, the high priestess led me to a small room that I would call home for the next few years.
My daily routine was full, but I had a great time, even though life was tough for a five-year-old. I would rise with the sun and always start with a conversation with Granny.
After that came tasks at the temple, such as sweeping the temple grounds and tending to the beautiful and serene gardens. Then I had calligraphy lessons, as well as regular subjects like math, grammar, and even English lessons. I hated these subjects as much as the sunset, but according to the priests and Granny, they were extremely important, so I faithfully slogged through the lessons every day.
Learning wasn't even difficult for me; I just didn't like it. After a brief, simple lunch break, my favorite subjects began. The lessons I received from Granny herself. Don't ask me how it happened; I think I simply charmed Amaterasu with my childish charm. She taught me meditation with complex breathing techniques, which she called sun breathing. Then came the highlight of my day: my sword training!
In these three hours of the day, Amaterasu was like a different god, strict, sometimes almost cruel, and very meticulous about my technique. But it paid off. She showed me how to incorporate the sun breathing into a beautiful yet deadly sword dance. And if she was to be believed, I was a natural with the katana. But enough bragging.
After the sword lessons, I had another hour of meditation before returning to my chores at the temple. At the end of the day, I would say a prayer to Granny, asking her to please let the next day shine again. And then I would go to bed, completely exhausted, before everything started all over again the next day.
All the priests, and especially the priestesses, were enchanted by me, and thus I found my second family. Not that I ever forgot my first; the visits from my parents were the highlight of my year. And so five years quickly passed, and I turned ten.
The day I received the greatest gift Amaterasu could bestow upon a mortal—her blessing as the Sun Goddess— it was truly extraordinary. According to her, only emperors from ancient times had received it, which placed me in a highly exalted and honorable line.
It happened as a great surprise. I was told to perform my Sun Sword Dance for the pilgrims, which I did on the evening of my birthday. Dressed in a beautiful traditional kimono and holding an ancient katana that had been in the temple's possession since its founding, I began the first steps before numerous pilgrims and my parents.
Initially incredibly nervous, I quickly fell into a trance and moved faster. When I heard Amaterasu's voice.
"I, Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun and Light, bestow upon you my blessing, that you, Mitsukawa Amateran, may be my blade and warrior on Earth!"
I felt an incredible heat rising within me, burning with the light of the sun in my heart. With my next breath and step, my blade ignited, and for the first time, I performed the complete Sun Sword Dance. A tremendous euphoria and power spread through my entire being, and I completed the ceremonial sun dance with sunfire in my breath and on my sword.
Everyone present began to bow before me, and panic welled up inside me. Amaterasu had strictly forbidden me from revealing anything supernatural or speaking of her to people outside the temple or the imperial family.
"Crap! Granny, I think I just broke your most important rule..." I whispered as a quick prayer to Amaterasu, but I only heard her laugh.
"Don't worry, little warrior; the Mist will make everyone think it was just an incredible show..." Amaterasu assured me.
"Mist?!" I asked her, to which she only laughed and said I had much to learn.
After receiving the blessing, my days went on as usual, except that in addition to my sword training, I now also received lessons from Amaterasu about the supernatural world. From gods of various pantheons to monsters in different parts of the world.
Additionally, I began training with the flames in my heart, which proved to be extremely challenging. I simply lacked the creativity to come up with techniques to use my flames outside of my sword dance.
When I spoke to Amaterasu about this, she introduced me to the wonderful world of manga and anime. We were both huge fans of Naruto, especially Itachi. Well, his most prominent technique after the sharingan was named Amaterasu...
And after I mentioned in training that I wanted to use the same technique, Granny and I wasted no time and set out to devise a technique with which I could ignite sunfire using my gaze.
And just before my 13th birthday, we finally succeeded. We had brought Itachi's technique into the real world.
But the euphoria didn't last long, for the next day, I heard Amaterasu curse for the first time: "Fuck! WHO DARED?! I'm sorry, Ama-chan, but you have your first mission as my blade. Some cursed spirits are causing chaos at the Shibuya subway station. Your task as my blade is to stop them, and since they have human lives on their conscience, you must kill them. Such is the demand of the old pact! Can I entrust you with this responsibility?"
Knowing that this day would come, I gripped my katana firmly in hand and knelt on one knee. I held my bare katana with outstretched hands toward the sun and said as I had been taught: "My sun. My lady. You call upon my blade to uphold the old pact. I, Amaterasu's blade, heed your call and will follow it!"
But in my mind, I added, "Fuck, my first mission and it's against multiple cursed spirits?! Fuck me!"