To a powerful god like Orobashi, the Bathysmal Vishaps before him were no more threatening than small pets. They posed no danger at all. But to the people living here, they were enormous monsters.
Higashiyama-Ō said earnestly, "These are the Bathysmal Vishaps, Lord Orobashi. They have many attacks and are very powerful. Please be careful—"
Before he could finish, Orobashi impatiently raised his massive tail and gave a light sweep forward.
With a crash, the great tail collided with the two vishaps, crushing them instantly. In a single moment, the two Bathysmal Vishaps had been reduced to piles of flesh.
Orobashi said impatiently, "Kid, what were you saying just now? Something about them being strong?"
Higashiyama-Ō was dumbfounded.
It had all happened too fast. To the people living here, these vishaps were nearly invincible. But before Lord Orobashi, they had been destroyed in an instant. He thought he must be dreaming. He pinched his arm—it hurt. It was real.
After standing frozen for a moment, he finally reacted.
"Lord Orobashi has descended! Lord Orobashi is invincible!"
Orobashi: "…"
Though he had instantly killed two vishaps, they had already overrun Enkanomiya. Higashiyama-Ō begged Orobashi to continue slaying them. Orobashi gladly agreed.
And so, the boy and the serpent fought through Enkanomiya for a full day and night. Countless vishaps were slain or driven away.
The next morning, when Higashiyama-Ō stood on Orobashi's back and saw the endless corpses of vishaps before him, he was speechless.
After a long moment, he climbed down and knelt before Orobashi. "Lord Orobashi, please grant me power. I want to fight alongside you."
Orobashi looked at him. "You?"
Higashiyama-Ō said firmly, "Yes. I want to follow you. I want to fight with you."
Orobashi looked at the determined boy and hesitated. As a defeated god, he should not have been able to grant power to others. But he liked this boy too much.
So, after a long hesitation, he gently broke off a small piece of the coral on his body—the source of his power—and placed it in the boy's hand.
"This coral branch may open the path of cultivation for you. But if you want to become strong, you must rely on your own training."
He placed the coral branch in Higashiyama-Ō's hand solemnly. To Orobashi, whose body was covered in coral, this small piece meant nothing. But the power within it was enough to open the door to cultivation for the boy.
Though Higashiyama-Ō did not understand the significance, the moment he took the coral branch, he felt its magic. He could feel its power flowing into his body.
"Thank you, Lord Orobashi. I will train hard and grow strong. When I grow up, I will protect you."
He swore in his heart: for the rest of his life, he would follow Lord Orobashi. Whoever opposed Orobashi would be his enemy.
After dealing with the Vishaps, Orobashi said calmly, "There are still the Children of the Sun, who have plagued this land. Lead the way. I will punish them."
Orobashi had never considered the Children of the Sun a threat. He could destroy them whenever he wished.
Beside him, Higashiyama-Ō's eyes burned with hatred at the name.
"Lord Orobashi, before we punish the Children of the Sun, I would like to see my masters."
Orobashi was surprised. "Masters? You have masters, kid?"
Higashiyama-Ō explained earnestly, "I did not mean to deceive you, Lord Orobashi. I do have two masters."
He told Orobashi about them. His two masters were sisters, Kumoromo and Amefuri, shrine maidens of Enkanomiya. They had taken in the homeless boy. But now, targeted by the brutal regime of the Children of the Sun, they were in danger.
Orobashi agreed. He descended upon the shrine of Enkanomiya as its god.
But an hour later, when they reached the shrine, they found it vandalized. There were even traces of blood on the ground.
Higashiyama-Ō rushed out to ask what had happened. The shrine maidens had been taken by the Children of the Sun to be offered as sacrifices to the god of Enkanomiya.
Hearing this, Higashiyama-Ō begged Orobashi again. "Lord Orobashi, please save your people. Punish the brutal Children of the Sun."
Orobashi, who loved humanity, was furious. He placed the boy on his back and charged toward the great ritual site of the Children of the Sun.
Before long, they broke through the Children of the Sun's defenses, crushing the tall walls. Their path caused a great commotion. Countless people of Byakuyakoku saw the enormous Orobashi and the sacred, glowing coral on his body.
Like Higashiyama-Ō, nearly all the people of Enkanomiya took Orobashi as their god. Everyone who saw him prostrated themselves on the ground, bowing and praying.
Seeing this, Orobashi was very happy. He even forgot that he was only playing the role of Enkanomiya's god—not the real one.
Soon, Orobashi saw the altar prepared by the Children of the Sun. He saw Kumoromo and Amefuri, the two shrine maiden sisters, tied to the altar, about to be sacrificed.
Orobashi was enraged. He opened his great mouth and shot a stream of water, extinguishing the flames beneath the altar.
"Kid, go save your masters."
He lowered his head, letting Higashiyama-Ō down onto the ground. Then he turned his angry gaze toward the aristocratic regime led by the "Children of the Sun."
The moment they felt Orobashi's gaze, the Children of the Sun and their nobles prostrated themselves, trembling, and cried out, "Welcome back, O god."
But the next moment, an enraged Orobashi swept his tail, annihilating the brutal regime of the Children of the Sun and their nobles in one stroke.
...