The rain would not stop.
It crashed against the kingdom like the heavens themselves were preparing for war.
Anna stood frozen on the balcony, unable to breathe properly.
Kitsune.
Alive.
The image refused to make sense in her mind.
She had seen him die.
She remembered the blood.
Remembered his body falling.
Remembered screaming his name.
Yet there he was beneath the storm, chained between celestial soldiers, barely able to stand.
And Shou Feng—
Shou Feng held a sword against his throat.
"Choose carefully."
Those words echoed inside her head long after silence returned.
Then suddenly—
Renji grabbed her arm and pulled her back inside.
"Enough."
The balcony doors slammed shut violently.
The storm outside became muffled, but the tension inside the room only worsened.
Anna immediately pulled away from him.
"That's Kitsune!"
"I can see that," Renji snapped.
"No—you don't understand—"
"He's bait."
The words hit sharply.
Anna stared at him.
Renji's expression was cold now, serious in a way she had rarely seen before.
"Shou Feng knows you'll react emotionally." He pointed toward the balcony. "That army out there isn't for intimidation. He came prepared to destroy this kingdom."
Orochi stood near the window silently watching the storm outside.
"He's unstable," the snake god murmured.
Anna looked toward him.
"What?"
Orochi's golden eyes narrowed faintly.
"I've known Shou Feng for centuries." His voice remained calm. "He was never reckless."
Another thunderous boom shook the palace.
"But this?" Orochi continued. "Marching an entire celestial army into mortal territory over one girl?" He slowly turned toward Anna. "He's losing control."
Anna's chest tightened painfully.
"No," she whispered. "He wouldn't…"
Wouldn't what?
Destroy kingdoms?
Threaten lives?
Hadn't he already done that?
The memory of Kazan collapsing onto the blood-covered floor flashed across her mind again.
Anna pressed a trembling hand against her forehead.
Everything felt twisted.
Wrong.
Renji walked toward the large table at the center of the room where maps were spread open beneath candlelight.
"We don't have much time," he said. "If sunrise comes and Anna doesn't surrender herself, he'll attack."
"And if she does surrender?" Orochi asked quietly.
Renji went silent.
Because they all knew the answer.
Anna looked between them slowly.
"What do we do?"
For a moment, neither answered.
Then Orochi spoke.
"We kill Shou Feng before sunrise."
The room became deathly still.
Anna's heart dropped.
"No."
Renji sighed heavily.
"Anna—"
"No." She stepped backward. "There has to be another way."
"There isn't."
She turned sharply toward Orochi.
"You barely even know him!"
The snake god's expression remained unreadable.
"I know enough."
"You don't understand him!"
"And you do?"
Anna froze.
Orochi slowly approached her.
Golden eyes staring directly into hers.
"You still cannot decide whether you fear him…" his voice lowered softly, "or love him."
The words sliced through her chest.
Anna looked away immediately.
"I don't love him."
Silence.
Then Renji quietly muttered:
"That wasn't a very convincing answer."
Anna glared at him.
Renji raised both hands.
"Just saying."
Another explosion echoed outside.
The palace shook violently again.
A soldier rushed into the room breathing heavily.
"My lord!"
Renji turned instantly.
"What now?"
"The celestial army has surrounded the eastern gates." The soldier swallowed nervously. "And… and something is happening in the sky."
Orochi's eyes darkened immediately.
Without another word, all three rushed toward the balcony again.
The moment Anna stepped outside—
her breath caught.
The clouds above the kingdom were moving unnaturally.
Not drifting.
Spinning.
A massive vortex had formed across the heavens, lightning tearing through it violently.
The wind screamed.
Even the mountains below trembled.
And at the center of the celestial army—
Shou Feng stood alone now.
Floating above the ground.
Black and gold spiritual energy spiraled around him like flames.
The soldiers behind him remained kneeling, heads lowered in fear.
Fear.
Not respect.
Fear.
Anna's heartbeat quickened.
"What is he doing?" she whispered.
Orochi's face became grim.
"He's opening the Heavenly Gate."
Renji immediately cursed.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Anna looked between them desperately.
"What does that mean?"
Orochi's voice lowered.
"It means he's bringing heaven itself here."
As if responding to those words—
the vortex split open.
A giant crack appeared across the sky.
Golden light poured through it.
Then shadows began descending from above.
Anna's eyes widened.
More gods.
Some rode massive beasts made of fire.
Others carried weapons glowing with divine energy.
The air itself became suffocating beneath their presence.
The heavens had arrived.
The kingdom below erupted into panic.
People screamed through the streets.
Soldiers scrambled into formation.
Children cried.
Anna stared at the nightmare unfolding above them.
"This is because of me…"
Renji immediately looked at her.
"No."
"But if I wasn't here—"
"This would've happened eventually," Orochi interrupted calmly. "You merely accelerated fate."
Anna hated how terrifyingly calm he sounded.
Suddenly—
a soft laugh echoed behind them.
All three turned instantly.
A woman stood at the doorway.
Anna's breath caught.
She was beautiful.
Dangerously beautiful.
Long white hair flowed down her body like silk, and golden ornaments decorated her black robes. Her eyes glowed silver beneath the candlelight.
Renji's expression immediately darkened.
"Well," he muttered bitterly. "That didn't take long."
The woman smiled sweetly.
"Hello, Renji."
Anna immediately felt tension flood the room.
Orochi's gaze sharpened.
"Amaterasu."
The woman's silver eyes moved toward Anna slowly.
"So this is the outsider."
Anna instinctively stepped back.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Amaterasu studied her carefully before smiling again.
"She's prettier than I expected."
Renji moved slightly in front of Anna.
"What do you want?"
Amaterasu sighed dramatically.
"Honestly? Peace." She glanced toward the sky. "Shou Feng is becoming troublesome."
"You're part of the celestial court," Anna said cautiously.
"I am."
"Then why are you here?"
Amaterasu's smile faded slightly.
"Because if Shou Feng fully opens the Heavenly Gate tonight…" her silver eyes darkened, "the balance between realms will collapse."
Anna frowned.
"What does that mean?"
No one answered immediately.
Then Orochi spoke quietly.
"It means your world and this world will collide."
Anna froze.
"…What?"
Amaterasu looked toward the storm outside.
"The barrier separating realms is already weakening because of your existence here." She looked back at Anna. "If the gate fully opens, the damage may become irreversible."
Anna's mind spun.
"My world… Earth?"
Amaterasu nodded slowly.
"Both worlds would begin merging together."
Images immediately flooded Anna's mind.
Cities collapsing.
Humans seeing gods.
Monsters entering Earth.
Chaos.
Death.
"No…" Anna whispered.
Renji looked genuinely disturbed now.
"Shou Feng wouldn't go that far."
Amaterasu gave him a cold look.
"He's no longer thinking rationally."
Outside, lightning exploded across the heavens again.
The crack in the sky grew larger.
Anna's breathing became uneven.
"This is my fault."
"No," Amaterasu said softly. "This is what happens when gods fall in love."
The words hit like thunder.
Anna looked up sharply.
"What?"
Amaterasu's expression became strangely pitying.
"Did you really not know?"
Anna's heart pounded painfully.
"No…"
The goddess looked toward Shou Feng in the distance.
"He loved you the moment you crossed into this world."
Everything inside Anna stopped.
No.
No no—
That couldn't be true.
Shou Feng barely showed emotions.
He was cold.
Controlled.
Distant.
But then—
the memories began returning.
The way he looked at her.
Protected her.
Stayed beside her.
The fear in his eyes whenever she was hurt.
The silence.
The gentleness hidden beneath cruelty.
Anna staggered backward slightly.
Renji looked uncomfortable for once.
"Well… this is awkward timing."
Amaterasu ignored him.
"Shou Feng spent centuries protecting balance." Her voice softened. "But loving a mortal broke something inside him."
Anna's chest hurt.
Badly.
"He knows loving you threatens heaven itself." Amaterasu's silver eyes lowered. "And now he's willing to destroy the realms just to keep you alive."
Outside—
another explosion rocked the kingdom.
Then suddenly—
BOOOOOOM.
The palace shook so violently the floor cracked beneath them.
A deafening scream echoed through the city below.
Renji rushed back toward the balcony.
His face immediately changed.
"Oh no."
Anna ran beside him.
And froze.
The Heavenly Gate had fully opened.
Massive golden chains were descending from the sky itself, wrapping around mountains and tearing entire sections of earth upward.
People screamed as buildings collapsed.
The sky looked broken.
Reality itself seemed unstable.
And in the center of it all—
Shou Feng floated like a god of destruction.
His spiritual energy had become monstrous now, swirling across the heavens like black storms.
Even the other gods kept their distance from him.
Anna's heart pounded violently.
Then—
Shou Feng slowly lifted his head.
And looked directly at her again.
Despite the chaos.
Despite the war.
He only looked at her.
Then his voice echoed across the collapsing kingdom.
"Anna."
Soft.
Gentle.
Almost painful.
"Come home."
Tears suddenly burned her eyes.
Because for the first time—
he did not sound like a king.
Or a god.
He sounded broken.
Then something horrifying happened.
Kitsune suddenly began coughing violently beneath the soldiers.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Anna's eyes widened.
"Kitsune!"
Shou Feng finally looked down at him briefly.
Then back at Anna.
And slowly—
he lowered the sword from Kitsune's throat.
Hope flickered inside her chest—
Until Shou Feng spoke again.
"If you refuse me…"
His voice cracked slightly.
"…then I'll destroy every world that tries to take you away from me."
The heavens trembled.
And suddenly—
behind Shou Feng—
something enormous began moving inside the Heavenly Gate.
Anna's blood ran cold.
A gigantic eye opened within the darkness beyond the gate.
Watching them.
Ancient.
Hungry.
Alive.
Orochi's face lost all color.
"That's impossible…" he whispered.
Even Amaterasu looked terrified.
The creature behind the gate began forcing itself forward.
The sky itself cracked apart around it.
Then Orochi spoke the words that made everyone freeze.
"He didn't open the gate to heaven…"
His golden eyes widened in horror.
"He opened something else."
To be continued...