Chapter 203: Afterdawn II
"Is this what you two are up to when I'm not looking?"
A third personality is personified as a dashing light that meets the darkness. Her graceful gaze inspected the battlefield, and she couldn't help but shiver inwardly.
The scope of the world had changed beyond question, everything occurred due to a catalyst event: Ray and Anubis' arrival.
'I must talk to him'.
"Amaterasu-sama, why are you here?~" A pair of disrespectful arms hugged her from behind and giggled with a rather scold-ish tone, "We have expressively told you never personally to come to the Greek Territory for diplomatic reasons".
Amaterasu looked back and sighed, even if she wanted to release herself, she was no longer strong enough to fight these two monsters that were already at the level of deities like Ouroboros Dragon and Great Red.
"With this much destruction, it should not matter anymore. Yasaka is my priestess, Ray is my husband Takamahara never expressed the said we were happy to be uninvolved
"You both are causing ruckus in the west and expect me to just sit down and do nothing?"
"This is not Japan's concern".
"You are my priestess and Ray is my husband" She repeated.
"…"
Amaterasu caressed the fox's flaming fur and detected the changes in the attitude of her priestess. Attitudes that were deserving of her, considering everything Khaos Brigade put her through.
Now that she was strong enough, it was natural for her to take matters into her own hands.
"If you keep going like this, the supernatural community cannot remain hidden".
"With the supernatural community exposed, Ray-sama will receive more faith" Yasaka countered, earning a sigh from Amaterasu.
'My little cub… are you so far gone?'
"Then all deities in this world will fear and harbour deep resentment towards him, it could result in future repercussions—"
"I am willing. My dearest must be at the top of this world and at the end of the day… fear is another form of faith".
The fox growled and disregarded her mistress, jumped off the mountain back to earth. Her body shrank considerably as it fell like a bullet to the earth.
*BOOOOMMM!!*
The explosion on the base of Olympus was akin to a meteorite that caved the mantle seeking a deeper goal.
The underworld.
Amaterasu stared with concern, Haku with amusement.
"Fufufu~ see you later, Amaterasu-sama".
"Where are you going, Haku?" She felt the need to ask just to be ready for the waves she'd produce wherever she went.
"I will just have my meal before it is due time for me to pick up the girls back from where master is" She licked her lips. Amaterasu imagined her 'eating her meals' couldn't be anything good but she ignored that statement for the other one which was more powerful, and made a suggestion.
"You can leave that to me" She said with determined eyes, extending her hand forward, "I will bring back the Gremory Heiress, her peerage and Anna-chan".
"Hoh?~ Are you telling me to yield to you a chance to go and see my master?"
"You could go and see him anytime…"
"And so could you, with a due sacrifice".
"That brat. I am his wife, I should need no sacrifice".
"Hehehe~ master can be a bit heartless sometimes. Many ladies beg for his attention therefore he gets a bit distracted, very well, I will create the gate for you".
!!!
Haku extended her hand and a moonlight mist passage manifested, she focused harder and the laws of the world twisted and shrieked. Once she was done, the moonlight mist showed the passage to another world.
"You can… replicate his trans dimensional gate?"
Haku giggled and put a finger to her lips.
"Shh~"
**
**
"This war was initially caused by a meeting held between the Norse Pantheon and the Greek Pantheon, two powerful deity groups of our world. They met in regards to Ray whom they believed to be an ancient survivor of the fallen Egiptian Pantheon. As this group of gods held a rather hegemonic attitude in the past, they were pretty much excluded from the community and weakened with constant skirmishes thst ended up with the fall of that civilisation".
"I-Interesting…" By now even the empress was captivated with another world's story.
Akeno continued where Rias left off.
"This meeting was secret and it had the intention to decide what to do with Ray in terms of diplomatic status, however, the heavens' intelligence group of Starlight Archon Raphael infiltrated this meeting and deciphered that one of the main instigators behind this movement were two members: Hades the God of the Underworld and Loki, the God of Trickery. Those two seemed to be rillying up a fire to hunt down Ray-kun within both pantheons with the intention of studying his body. Hades in particular suggested that Ray-kun had and I quote: 'A miracle artefact'
"Is it bad that he has that artefact?" Anna frowned.
"The problem is not that he has it. The problem is that nobody should know he has it. There is only one person who knows aside from us who are very close to Ray and that is an ancient Devil of pure blood, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, he's is someone Ray personally wants to get rid of" Rias' hair fluttered. Rizevim was also her older brother's enemy.
"Hades' words confirmed his involvement with Rizevim and from that moment a diplomatic war began between the heavens and Olympus in which they were adamant in protecting Hades innocence. Lady Yasaka couldn't take it anymore and went into the offensive while Lady Haku kept the Norse Mythology at a bay".
"Lady Yasaka, you mean… t-the fox?" Anna Blair shivered, recalling the stories of the northern border. All this time she has wondered where that fox is as she'd like to meet it.
"Yes, the fox~ in any case. Ray's position back in our world is quite unstable, although that's just temporary. By the time he returns from this world, it should all be sorted out" Rias said proudly, "Besides, he has more important matters to do with his hands than to fight".
A mere comment spread a wave of goosebumps among those who had already experienced those hands.
"Arara Fufufu~" Akeno teased Anna Blair's ears which were fluttering harder in expectation.
The chafeur stopped the carriage.
"Your majesty, we are here".
They all departed the carriage on flat land. Rias inhaled and exhaled, across from her was the Baharut Empress from whom she requested something simple: 'I want the best boutique available in the city'.
As it couldn't be any other way, the empress delivered.
An enthusiastic Rias and Akeno, a confused Anna-chan and an awkward elf. They stood in front of a giantic mausoleum in the centre of the city that resembled more a copy of the imperial castle than a boutique.
Rias and Akeno stared at it agape.
"There is none this big in the underworld..." The redhead said.
"Or on earth" The priestess said.
"Or in the elf kingdom" The elf said.
"That is natural~ women's beauty is one of the number one businesses among the noble after drugs and magic catalysts. What lord doesn't want his wife, slave or concubine to be pretty? This is the number one boutique not only in the empire but also in the world. As per Lady Rias' request, I have brought you here" The Empress boasted and approached Rias, whispering something, "I can imagine your intentions~"
*cough!*
"Then please guide us, I think I could lose myself inside".
"Please come in".
Just heading into the entrance, there were many gates and a lot of people from which women stood out a lot. They were shocked to see the empress but had enough decorum to realise she was escorting guests, gorgeous guests.
"It is so big... they must have snacks in there" Anna-chan wondered, ringing alarms on Rias and Akeno's heads.
"Most definitely you will find the finest beverages, Lady Anna... please don't hesitate to pick up whatever you wish, you're our noble guests–".
'Don't offer this girl free food!' Rias and Akeno panicked inwardly.
"Anna-chan, tone it down with the snacks inside–" Akeno began, but the girl had already disappeared leaving an icy haze.
"Find Anna!"
"H-Hmmm… I am here–"
"The other Anna! Find her before it's too late!" Rias led the group into the massive palace.
"Your majesty, where is the section of snacks?"
"Section, more than a section it is a whole floor–"
Rias paled…