Kawashima Toya suspected that if they had been any slower, a riot would have undoubtedly broken out aboard the plane.
Fortunately, the aircraft finally arrived at the destination: Mount Kunlun.
The jet descended slowly toward a temporary airfield, where Toya was surprised to see an unusually large number of visitors. Rows of planes were already neatly parked on the tarmac.
The Trash Fox's Aerial Touring Fighter touched down gently, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Its appearance—comparable to a sci-fi movie starfighter—combined with its vertical landing capabilities left the onlookers stunned.
Toya took out a megaphone and announced to his group, who were scattered across the different zones of the plane, "Attention, tourists! We have arrived at the station."
"Please put on your heavy winter clothing and disembark in an orderly manner."
After a flurry of preparation, the beautiful girls stepped out onto the ethereal landscape of the foreign mountain range.
Toya, dressed in casual clothes, surveyed the majestic scenery.
"As expected of the famous Mountain. The scenery is truly beautiful and imposing."
"It's so c-cold!"
A sneeze interrupted his admiration. Sora, Yurine, Utaha, and Eriri were shivering in the freezing wind.
Seeing their pitiful state, Toya teased, "I told you all to change into thicker clothes, but none of you listened."
"Go put on something warmer now."
Teasing aside, changing clothes was urgent.
For the so-called "Famous Mountains," the temperature today was unusual—it was far colder than normal.
The cabin door opened, and the group, unable to withstand the biting wind, immediately rushed back toward the plane.
Even Jashin-chan and Medusa were mixed in with the retreating crowd.
"This temperature isn't right."
Nyaruko and Kuuko walked over to Toya, their expressions serious. "According to normal observations, the temperature on the mountain should absolutely not be this low."
Kuuko, the twin-tailed beauty with hair as red as flame, spoke solemnly.
"There must be some mechanism in the Sanctuary."
"It definitely has something to do with the Eastern Pantheon."
"Even you two can't see through it?" Toya looked gravely at the snow-capped peaks in the distance. "I hope nothing uncontrollable happens."
"Darling, Kuuko and I aren't invincible."
Nyaruko spread her hands helplessly. "Let me use a simple example."
"Oh? There are things even Outer Gods can't do?" Toya felt a surge of interest. "Do tell."
Since his transmigration, based on Nyaruko and Kuuko's words and the system's descriptions, Gods were omnipotent beings who transcended all worldly specifications.
Gods never truly died; no matter the form, they would not perish. Their "death" was merely a slumber, and they would return after endless aeons.
Nyaruko's face showed a hint of helplessness. "Darling, do you know how many deities are in the Eastern Pantheon?"
"Compare them to the Greek, Norse, or Cthulhu Mythos..."
"You'd need to combine almost every other pantheon just to barely match their numbers."
"It's not just the sheer quantity of deities; look at the top brass of that mythology."
"There are six Primordial Deities at the helm. Each one is a true ancient schemer who has existed for unknown eras."
"Some of these Primordials have existed longer than entire other pantheons."
Toya couldn't help but laugh. "That analogy is vivid. I understand your helplessness now."
"It's not that you aren't invincible, but that the Eastern Pantheon just has too many Gods."
Back when he had almost become the embodiment of Providence, even in that brief instant, he had gained access to infinite information, including knowledge about the Eastern Pantheon.
Omnipotent deities were as numerous as stars, lying dormant in various dimensions.
"Exactly," Nyaruko said weakly. "Gods are omnipotent, but you have to look at the numbers on the other side."
"If just two of those Six Primordials show up, Kuuko and I will be blinded. We can only sense a general idea of what's happening."
"Eh? Kawashima?"
Suddenly, the surprised voice of a young girl rang out.
Toya looked toward the source and was surprised to see Yukinoshita Yukino.
She had changed into a thick cotton coat, wrapped up tightly from head to toe.
Even so, her beauty was still evident.
Beside Yukino stood a woman who looked like a larger version of her, but with a figure that far surpassed Yukino's—Yukinoshita Haruno.
"Nee-san, this is Kawashima Toya. He runs a supernatural detective agency and has saved me many times!"
Yukino's face was cool and reserved as she introduced him to her sister with extreme formality.
Haruno wore a flawless, impeccable smile. "Hello. I am Yukino's older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno."
"Thank you so much for saving Yukino. Could I have your contact information?"
"I might need to issue a request in the future."
"Ask Yukinoshita. She has my contact info," Toya replied indifferently.
He had always kept his distance from people who wore fake social smiles, and the fact that Haruno looked like a magnified version of Yukino didn't change that.
Haruno, who was adept at reading people, realized instantly that Toya disliked her. She spoke softly to her sister, "Yukino, I have some things to attend to."
"I'll leave for now. Have a good chat with your friend."
With that, she turned and left decisively, saving herself from further disdain.
"I'm sorry, Kawashima." A hint of apology appeared on Yukino's cool face. "My sister has always been like that."
"You'll get used to it."
"It's fine." Toya's expression softened. "Yukinoshita, are you here for the Emerald Spire too?"
He disliked the fake-smiling Haruno, but he didn't dislike Yukino.
"Yes. This mountain is a sacred land in this country with legends. It's fascinating." Yukino's eyes flashed with anticipation. "I heard they're excavating the Emerald Spire."
"I want to see if it's the same as in the myths."
"I'm here with the same thought," Toya chuckled. "To see if it's myth or reality."
Although he wasn't sure about the situation inside the Sanctuary, he leaned more toward the mythological side.
With two Evil Gods lurking outside the world, and the Gods of the Eastern Pantheon blinding their vision, surely they wouldn't just reveal a mundane palace, right?
"Attention, guests from afar. The excavation of the Emerald Spire will begin in five hours. Please proceed to the hotel to rest."
A loudspeaker announcement echoed through the freezing air.
Yukino looked at Toya, her pale face flushed from the cold. "Kawashima, let's talk at the resort hotel."
"It's too cold out here!"
"Let me call the others. There are still people on the plane getting dressed for winter."
Toya turned toward the Scummy Fox fighter jet and shouted teasingly, "Sora! Are you guys never coming down?"
"We can't spend the whole trip on the plane, can we?"
"Coming..."
From the plane, the group emerged, wrapped up like dumplings.
Their youthful glamour was hidden under layers of bulky winter clothes, essential for survival in these temperatures.
Nearby, Kyon-kyon looked at Jashin-chan and Medusa in confusion.
"Jashin-chan, Medusa... you're demons. Why are you afraid of the cold?"
.....