— — — — — —
Early morning
Around 8:30 AM, Ryo sat by the window with half a sandwich in one hand and a cup of milk tea in the other, gazing at the gray, overcast sky.
"Not a bad day. At least the summer heat's finally easing up."
He said it casually, then glanced toward the sofa opposite him.
Athena sat there in silence, watching him intently. She had little need for food herself.
"How long is this state of yours going to last?" she asked with mild curiosity.
She meant the strange condition where Ryo's power doubled every ten seconds. If he hadn't pointed it out, she might never have noticed—his control was that precise. Even for a goddess, his effortless ability to hold that explosive growth in check was something to envy.
"About five more days."
Ryo gave a rough estimate, then sighed.
"By then I should be at the peak of a Silver Saint. But I'll still be a step away from grasping the true essence of the cosmos."
Athena stared at him for a few seconds, then muttered two words under her breath.
"…Monster."
Ryo only shrugged, smiling faintly as he turned his head toward the guest room door.
At that moment the door cracked open, and Hikari Mariya poked her head out. She tiptoed into the hall, carefully pulling the door shut behind her. Through the narrowing gap, Ryo caught a glimpse of Yuri still asleep on the bed.
Once the door was fully closed, Hikari straightened up and shot Ryo a mischievous wink.
Amused, Ryo's lips curved upward. He glanced at Liliana and Ena, who stood behind him, and said: "Yuri's in your care. Let her sleep the whole day."
"As you command."
"Got it~"
Both girls answered at the same time, then immediately turned to give each other a pointed look and the faintest of huffs.
While the two squared off, Hikari darted to Ryo's side on her short legs, grabbed a sandwich from the table, and bit into it with gusto.
"I was starving. Getting that dumb sister of mine to sleep was such a pain."
Her mouth was stuffed, so her words came out muffled. "But you'll break that Monkey's seal before she wakes up, right?"
Ryo glanced at her and chuckled. "You little schemer."
He paused, then added, "If all goes well, I'll have it wrapped up within an hour."
"Whoa!" Hikari's eyes went wide, her face full of wonder.
She devoured the sandwich in a few bites, washed it down with warm tea, burped, and wiped her mouth.
"All full!"
Then she peered up at Ryo curiously. "So… are we heading out now?"
Ryo calmly finished his own breakfast, then looked at Athena.
She gave a slight nod. "The cult leader has already replied."
Ryo nodded back, raising his hand. "Then let's go."
A silver glow lit up at his fingertips. The space around them rippled like water, and within moments, their figures vanished from the hotel.
...
The Netherworld - In an old wooden cabin.
Inside, three figures sat cross-legged around a sunken hearth.
It was the traditional style in old Japanese homes—a square pit cut into the floor of the living room, lined with ash, where a fire could be lit for cooking or warmth.
The three figures were:
First, the burly, bearded old man, still broad-shouldered despite his age: Susanoo.
Second, the elegant goddess Sita, draped in a lavish juunihitoe kimono. Known as the Princess with Glass Eyes.
Third, there was a thin man in a black robe, looking half-dead, like a mummified monk. He called himself the Living Buddha.
It was rare for all three to sit together.
Buddha was the first to speak, his dry, raspy voice breaking the silence. "Are we really just going to sit and watch?"
Sita and Susanoo both turned to him.
He pressed his lips together before continuing. "The Muho line has gone dark. If my guess is right, the ritual sword's already been taken. And with that new king holding the Disaster Purification miko, plus Leviathan..."
"If this continues, the Monkey King will be unsealed. And if he's killed, Rama's resting place will be exposed."
"Not only that," he added, "if those two Campiones turn their eyes on us, not even Lord Susanoo may walk away unscathed."
Susanoo only narrowed his eyes, silent.
Buddha turned his gaze toward Sita.
"And if the mightiest steel senses the presence of Campiones, it will awaken on its own. Lady Sita, do you truly intend to sit idly by while Rama stirs?"
Sita lifted her hand lightly to cover her lips. "I have no power to stop that."
Then she shifted her gaze to Susanoo.
He rolled his eyes.
"Spare me. I graduated from being a Heretic God long ago. I've no desire to dive back into mortal quarrels."
He paused, his expression turning sly. "Besides, it's not even certain the two Campiones can kill the Monkey King."
"Oh? So the great Susanoo has some trick left up his sleeve?" Buddha asked in surprise.
"It's not about me."
Susanoo chuckled, fishing through the bubbling stew in the hearth with his chopsticks.
"Why do you think I chose the Monkey King as Rama's warden?"
"Oh?" Sita arched a delicate brow, intrigued.
Buddha gave a sharp snort. "Quit with the riddles, old man. This isn't the time for games."
"You're too impatient."
Susanoo sighed, then explained.
"In raw strength, that monkey is second only to Rama himself. On top of that, he's a hybrid Steel God, bound close to Rama, yet has suppressed him all these years. He's long since met the conditions to use that for a short time."
"Well, or maybe I should say, Rama just didn't want to wake up, so he let the monkey use it."
"…Wait? You can't mean..." Buddha was stunned.
Sita, however, caught on instantly. Her face paled. "You mean the great ritual of Old Covenant?"
"Exactly." Susanoo clapped his hands with a grin. "So there's really nothing for us to worry about."
His eyes gleamed, voice amused.
"Campiones like Ryo Yagami and Luo Hao are powerful, sure. But being Campiones also makes them weak against the monkey."
"With the Covenant in play, the more Campiones show up, the more danger they're in. One mistake and the monkey king will crush them."
He chuckled. "So for us, it's simple—just sit back and watch."
"Watch the Campiones tear each other apart while we drink and eat? That does sound entertaining," Buddha said dryly.
Sita's expression grew a little conflicted.
"Still… isn't that a bit heartless?"
Susanoo calmly picked up another bite. "What, would you rather go warn those fools?"
"…Spare me that, too." Sita sighed softly.
Buddha spoke with quiet certainty.
"Relax. We're the players, not the pawns. Let the fools struggle. I'm more concerned with the unrest in the Netherworld lately. More and more fairy kings are showing themselves, and I can't tell why."
"When the Monkey King and the Campiones finish their squabble, I'll investigate. For now, we sit back and enjoy the show."
Sita let out a long breath. "Truly, troubled times…"
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