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Leaning idly against the window frame, Kaito paid little attention to the battle unfolding between the two shinobi.
The same drama of vengeance had played out far too many times already.
Surely even the audience was growing weary of it by now.
He thought this, supporting his slightly woozy head with a hand.
King Enma's mischievous sense of amusement was truly tedious.
At this moment, he had completely forgotten that there was no fundamental difference between King Enma and himself.
"Feeling drunk?"
A pair of slightly cool, small hands began gently massaging his temples.
"Hmm?"
Kaito tilted his head back, resting it against Yūrei's lap.
"Perhaps a little."
He closed his eyes gently.
"Kaito, aren't you concerned?" Yūrei spoke softly.
"If someone with considerable power but questionable character ultimately ascends to a throne, wouldn't that also cause trouble for King Enma?" She clearly also understood King Enma's true identity.
"Heh, you still don't fully understand beings like gods." Kaito raised an arm, capturing the soft hand that was massaging him within his own palm.
"How so?" Yūrei bent lower, her curiosity piqued.
"Come a bit closer. I'll tell you quietly." Kaito tugged lightly on her hand.
"Alright." Yūrei leaned in again, placing her ear near his lips.
"Hehe." Kaito chuckled softly, pleased to see Yūrei's ear twitch and flush red.
"You…" Yūrei shot him an annoyed glare.
"Because becoming a deity signifies a new birth."
Kaito had already begun his explanation with a serious tone.
"Those shinobi, as long as they can ascend to a throne, will be thoroughly transformed into deities under King Enma's auspices, remade by the laws. They will gain divine power while simultaneously losing their chakra, shedding the emotions of their human existence, and even losing most of their emotional sensitivity."
"Then…" Yūrei's eyes widened in shock. "That's just like…"
"You're thinking… puppets of the throne?"
Seeing Yūrei nod, Kaito smiled meaningfully.
"That's not entirely accurate," he continued in a low voice. "Because their memories from their time as humans will not fade. That means they will not lose their sense of self."
"Losing emotions… that's a terrifying thing." She sounded somewhat apprehensive.
"It's fortunate you didn't become like that, Kaito."
"No, your understanding isn't entirely correct." Kaito explained. "They won't lose emotions. Deities still possess their own joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures. They merely lose the emotions born from viewing the world through a human lens. In other words, they will acquire a deity's perspective. Their way of thinking will become fundamentally different from that of humans."
"Even if the nature is different, the effect is similar." Yūrei was not satisfied with Kaito's semantic quibbling.
"This is the price of becoming a deity." Kaito raised his hand to gently stroke Yūrei's cheek.
"It is a rule defined by the laws."
"It's fortunate you didn't truly become the Lord of Yomi yourself." Yūrei was still relieved about this point.
Kaito couldn't help but laugh.
"I never intended to become a deity in the first place." He clarified.
"Deities are the executors of the world's laws. With power comes inevitable restriction. That was never my aspiration. The emergence of King Enma was part of my plan from the very beginning."
"King Enma… seems somewhat more lively in private than you yourself are?" Yūrei seemed to have spotted a contradiction.
"That's merely appearance." Kaito laughed again.
"Because I, a being of the same origin, serve as an anchor for Him, He can indeed experience a bit more than other deities, but that is the extent of it. From the moment He became a deity, the connection between Him and me became fundamentally different from the initial one. I cannot command Him to do anything as if He were a mere clone. Our relationship is more equal. Like that of brothers born of the same parents. Moreover…"
A serious light flashed in his eyes.
"Someday, we will sever the connection between us completely."
"Why?" Yūrei hadn't anticipated he had such a plan and couldn't quite understand.
"He is, after all, the Lord of Yomi Hell, occupying a divine seat of immense importance to this world. My current arrangement is simply exploiting a loophole in the laws. If this continues indefinitely, problems will inevitably arise someday—for Him, for me, or for Yomi itself."
"I see." Yūrei felt somewhat dispirited, squeezing Kaito's hand tightly.
"Then… you… you…"
Kaito understood her worry and couldn't help but smile. "Hehe, concerned that I might make the same choice Lord Seimei did?"
"What are you laughing at!" Yūrei was both embarrassed and irritated, using her other hand to pinch his cheek.
"Nothing."
Kaito shook his head, freeing his cheek from her grasp.
"You're still laughing!" Yūrei went for another pinch.
"You…"
Kaito let her pinch his cheek, looking up to meet her gaze.
"Don't worry. I am not Lord Seimei, and I won't make the same choice he did."
"But…" Yūrei still didn't comprehend. "You don't share Lord Seimei's yōkai heritage, and you plan to sever your connection to a deity. So even if your power is immense, you cannot escape the human cycle of life, aging, illness, and death. Otherwise, why, out of all the Onmyōji throughout history, is Lord Seimei the only one who has lived into the modern era!"
"Don't worry. There are many methods."
Kaito smiled at her reassuringly.
"Have you forgotten? I have already begun studying the Taizan Fukun no Sai. If I am fortunate enough to master its higher mysteries, I can carry my memories and power through successive reincarnations. Or, I've already transformed Orochimaru into a yōkai. If it's for myself, naturally there would be no issue. Of course, those are options of last resort."
Kaito sat up, looking directly into Yūrei's eyes with a serious expression. "For now, I am still on the path of cultivation and seeking. Perhaps I will discover an even better choice in the future?"
He leaned closer again, grinning playfully. "In short, there are various methods available. Miss Yūrei really needn't worry about becoming a widow."
"Wha… what… wid…"
Yūrei was momentarily stunned by his words. Then, flustered and angry, she grabbed his sleeve and delivered a solid punch to his chest with her fist.
"Stop saying such nonsense!!!"
Then, without looking back, she ran off to join Kenetsugu and Kaori where they were chatting.
Hiss…
Kaito drew in a sharp, pained breath, clutching his chest with a trembling hand.
This was no playful, coquettish "little fist pounding your chest" like a human girlfriend might give.
This was a genuine, full-force yōkai punch.
Though Yūrei was not a yōkai who relied on physical might for combat, her strength was still far greater than that of any human girl.
And while Kaito was currently in spirit form, yōkai could still attack spirits using their spiritual or demonic energy.
Well, this could also be considered to suffer the consequences of one's own actions.
He channeled spiritual energy into his palm, giving the spot a quick rub, which immediately alleviated the pain.
At that moment, the match between Uzumaki Ashina and the Third Mizukage concluded.
The aged yet stalwart and immensely experienced Uzumaki Ashina emerged victorious, employing sealing techniques with even greater mastery than Uzumaki Mito had displayed.
*****
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