Chapter 85: The Great Sage Equal to Heaven
"That would be very dangerous."
Shirou offered a reminder.
"It will not do for a 'King' to face danger for the sake of my own sister while I hide in a safe place. I beg of you," Yuri pleaded earnestly.
"Very well. However, if you act on your own without listening to me, you will die."
Shirou nodded slightly, signaling his agreement.
"Yes, I understand."
Yuri's face lit up with joy as she nodded. Subsequently, she followed obediently by Shirou's side, looking for all the world like a personal attendant.
Amakasu Touma did not have the authority to enter, so he could only wait outside. Although he was a member of the [History Compilation Committee], he was an outsider to the West Heaven Palace and thus had no qualification to meet a "Heretic God."
As Shirou and Mariya Yuri entered the shrine, Shirou noticed a bundle wrapped in cloth that Mariya Hikari was holding in her arms.
"Hikari, what is that you're carrying?"
Hearing Shirou's inquiry, the girl immediately smiled and answered.
"My King, this is the 'Dragon-Slaying Blade'."
Kujiuka Mikihiko immediately interjected. "The cursed power stored within the 'Dragon-Slaying Blade' should be the strongest in the entire West Heaven Palace."
Hearing this, Erica reached out and took the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" from Hikari's arms, gripping it easily and swinging it twice. The blonde girl, who spent her years accompanied by swords, immediately noticed something was off.
"Aside from the cursed power, the quality of the steel and the forging technique are of the lowest grade... Is this truly the divine blade that breaks the seal of the 'Monkey Divine Lord'?" Erica's tone carried a hint of skepticism.
"That is... embarrassing to admit..." Kujiuka Mikihiko smiled awkwardly. "Though it is called the 'Dragon-Slaying Blade,' its symbolic value far outweighs its practicality. Our ancestors probably didn't put much thought into it back then; they likely just grabbed a random katana and started working on it..."
The Kujiuka family was very different from the other four great families; they were a genuine "grassroots success" story, having reached their current status entirely through the self-made efforts of their ancestors.
"I see. As long as this 'Dragon-Slaying Blade' is here, there shouldn't be any problem."
Shirou took the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" from Erica, his hand gripping the brown hilt.
"Next, how do we open the 'gate' here?"
"You only need to sever the shrine's 'Shimenawa' (sacred rope)," Kujiuka Mikihiko answered immediately.
Hearing this, Shirou raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't this require a Miko to perform?"
"Originally, it indeed required a Miko of 'Magatabi' (Exorcism) to wield this blade and exercise its power. However, as a Godslayer, you need not care about human sorcery of this level. You only need to hold it to be able to use it."
Upon hearing this, Shirou injected a small amount of magical energy, and the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" in his hand suddenly emitted a vibrating hum.
Buzz!
"Heh, I see."
Shirou smiled and raised the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" high.
"Stand back."
Upon his command, both Kujiuka Mikihiko and the Mikos stepped away. Then, Shirou swung the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" down toward the Shimenawa in front of him!
Supported by his immense physical strength, even if the blade was not a sharp edge, it still sliced through the thick peach tree and the Shimenawa together, leaving a deep trench in the ground stretching hundreds of meters back.
"I used a bit of strength; I hope that's not a problem," Shirou said as he handed the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" back to Kujiuka Mikihiko.
"It's fine, I will call for people to handle the repairs," Kujiuka Mikihiko said quickly with his head lowered. His words were filled with respect, showing no trace of negligence. After all, as the young master of the Kujiuka family, he knew that this King had defeated Leader Luo Hao—one of the oldest Kings. Who would dare to look down on this new "Demon King" now?
He didn't want to die young; therefore, he naturally had to act respectfully, striving only to ensure this King did not become dissatisfied with him.
"Can we enter directly now?" Erica asked, looking toward the main gate of the shrine.
When the edge of the "Dragon-Slaying Blade" severed the Shimenawa just now, everyone felt a "gate" somewhere connect with the "gate" of the shrine. As long as they stepped through the door, they could travel to another world.
"You all wait out here. A battle is likely breaking out inside; you might get hurt if you go," Shirou said with a smile, catching Erica's wrist as she tried to step through the "gate."
The girl struggled slightly before looking at Shirou with a gaze full of concern.
"Fine... be careful, My King."
The affection contained in her eyes was palpable without a word being said. Ever since a certain day after arriving in Japan, Erica's mindset had shifted, and she had become increasingly concerned with everything regarding Shirou.
"Mmh, I will."
Reaching out to stroke the girl's long golden hair, Shirou gave a soft reply. Then, he turned and stepped through the "gate."
In that instant, space rippled like a wave, and Shirou's body vanished.
"My King..."
Erica stared at the position of the "gate," her hands clasped over her chest. The Knight-Princess who once bore the nickname "Crimson Devil" now seemed almost fragile.
.
.
.
After stepping through the main gate of the shrine, Shirou felt the surrounding space suddenly grow dark, taking on a grayish-white hue. It felt as if he were traveling through a dark, narrow tunnel; after what felt like ten minutes of walking, the concept of time vanished.
Exiting the tunnel, he felt as if he had arrived at a hidden paradise.
"Just like the world of Pandora I saw before. This must be the boundary between life and immortality—the void land between the world of men and the realm of the gods. Further up leads to the Divine Realm; further down leads to the Netherworld."
The Astral Realm (Yusei) was like a world of pure will. Only existences like Godslayers, who possessed divinity, could walk here unscathed. If an ordinary person were to enter, it would be equivalent to entering a peril filled with certain death at every turn.
Shirou walked a bit further and finally saw a dilapidated small hut. It was uninhabited—likely a stable. A warm sun shone over the land, and the sky was as clear and blue as if it had been washed. In the distance, spectacular buildings were visible; massive city walls and palaces filled his vision, resembling a palace complex like the Forbidden City.
"This is the place... So, where are Luo Hao and Sun Wukong?"
Shirou did not find Sun Wukong where he was supposed to be in the stable, and he immediately guessed that Luo Hao had already met him.
At that moment, Shirou heard the sound of something breaking the air, and a figure soared into the sky. That petite figure was undoubtedly Luo Hao. And behind her, closely pursuing, was a monkey. Its face was not red, its fur was lustrous—a golden-orange color—and it stood about eighty centimeters tall.
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven—Sun Wukong!
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting