Just as Su Han prepared to depart the canopy, he was startled to find Zhongli standing within the restricted zone. The World Tree was notoriously exclusive—how had the consultant bypassed its defenses?
Noticing Su Han's bewildered expression, Zhongli offered a faint, knowing smile. "This tree possesses a remarkable intuition. It recognized my essence... and I, in turn, offered it a vow of non-interference. It understands I seek neither to harvest nor to siphon its vitality. Thus, I was granted passage."
Zhongli had recently assisted the tree in sundering the ancient seals of the stone forest; the World Tree likely sensed a familiar, grounding resonance in his power.
"I see," Su Han nodded, then gestured toward the shimmering amber orbs. "What do you make of these? Is it truly the power of the fallen ones?"
Zhongli's amber eyes swept over the three unique fruits. "Indeed. I would not mistake that aura; it is the raw elemental legacy of those three demon gods. However, your companions are correct—their original consciousness has been utterly eroded by time and the tree's digestion. Resurrection is an impossibility. What hatches here will be a new beginning... a continuation of their lineage, purified of their ancient malice."
"A form of karmic atonement, then," Su Han mused. "And what of Osial?"
"His presence has dimmed," Zhongli observed calmly. "He resists the devouring, but the World Tree seems content to merely draw upon him for supplemental growth rather than consuming him entirely. It is a harsh penance, but perhaps a necessary one for the turmoil he once brought to Liyue."
[The Resentful Fox and the Jade Balance]
As the group withdrew from the canopy, they were met with the "death stares" of Yae Miko and Ningguang. The two women looked as though they had been personally insulted. It was one thing to be barred from a secret area, but seeing a "stray fox" like Hanachirusato walk in while they—the Guuji of Narukami and the Tianquan of Liyue—were stuck outside was a bitter pill to swallow.
Ningguang began to seriously contemplate if it was time to push for a formal wedding. If the "Sovereign's Inner Circle" was the only way to bypass such restrictions, she wasn't about to be left on the sidelines again.
Klee rushed to Su Han's side, her lower lip trembling. "Big Brother... why wouldn't the Tree Mother let Klee in? Did Klee do something bad? I just wanted to see the baby elves!"
Su Han knelt and ruffled her hair. "The spirits are very delicate right now, Little Spark. The Tree Mother is just being a protective parent. Once they hatch, you'll be the first one they play with, okay?"
Klee brightened immediately, her grievance replaced by excitement.
[The Price of Creation]
"So," Yae Miko asked, leaning in with a sharp glint in her eyes. "What exactly did you find up there?"
"Three quasi-Demon God level spirits are being gestated," Su Han revealed.
The Fox's jaw nearly dropped. "Quasi-Demon Gods? From a single planting?"
"The World Tree recycled the remains of the suppressed gods," Su Han explained. "They will be the progenitors of a new spirit race. However, they will be born weak and without memory. It will take time for them to reclaim their potential."
Miko's mind immediately went to the Sacred Sakura. "If it can reshape a god... could it work for Makoto?"
Su Han looked at the emerald barrier and shook his head slowly. "Reshaping a divine body requires an astronomical amount of 'Origin' power. The three spirits inside are using the physical remains of the gods I provided. Where would we find Makoto's origin? She transformed hers into the Sacred Sakura. Unless you plan to cut down the tree that protects Inazuma, the World Tree has nothing to work with."
Miko fell silent. The reality was cruel: even with a miracle tree, you could not create something from nothing.
[A Night of Celebration]
To celebrate the completion of the 29th mission, the group held a massive barbecue on the lower branches of the World Tree. The main course was the meat of the Black Dragon King—an extravagance that provided not only incredible flavor but a surge of raw power to everyone who ate.
Amidst the swirling smoke and laughter, arrangements were made for the new arrivals. Karin, haunted by her memories of Orochimaru's "biological research," begged to join Sucrose in the chemistry department instead of Albedo. Konan, surprisingly, chose to step away from the front lines; she opted to manage Su Han's media empire, overseeing the publication of manga and newspapers to spread the Sovereign's influence.
By nightfall, the talk turned to the Inuyasha world. Sesshomaru's Mother sipped her wine, noting that the era of monsters was ending. With the Sovereign's forces subduing the land and exorcists gaining new powers, the Warring States period was finally drawing to a peaceful close.
[The Shogun's Request]
Late that night, Su Han returned to his quarters with Raiden Ei. He had neglected her during the mission, and he knew the "Hermit Goddess" tended to brood when ignored.
After several hours of quiet intimacy, the room was still, the moonlight filtering through the leaves of the World Tree. Suddenly, the Raiden Shogun—the puppet's consciousness—spoke from within.
"If a body can be reshaped... then we should make another," the General stated flatly.
Su Han was caught off guard, but before he could respond, the Shogun's spirit manifested in the air, her violet eyes icy. "It is inefficient to share one form. If we both continue to occupy this body, who does the child belong to? Who will the child call 'Mother'?"
Ei, startled by the bluntness of her own creation, looked up. The Shogun continued, "You love him too, do you not, Ei? You created me, yet you spend your days hiding in the Plane of Euthymia, longing for his company. I wish to walk the world, to cultivate, and to be with him without competing for time. We need two bodies."
The Shogun wasn't just being cold; she was being practical. The longing for a physical presence was no longer just Ei's burden—it was a shared desire that even the mechanical mind of the General could no longer ignore.
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