Within the pure white, immaculate space.
Kikyo, dressed in shrine maiden white robes with a scarlet hakama, surveyed the blank expanse with lively eyes:
"...This is the kingdom of god?"
"Disappointed?" Luo Shu chuckled as he approached. "No endless fruits or mountains of gold and silver."
"This place is essentially just an extension of myself. While I could manifest those things, I prefer keeping my private domain clean."
"Oh, you'll receive your own room here later. You can decide its size and decorations—just will it into existence, like this!"
With that, Luo Shu clapped his hands together lightly.
In the blink of an eye.
The pure white space rapidly transformed as vibrant colours embedded themselves throughout. Soon after, the ancient shrine that the daimyo of Musashi Province had named Kikyo Shrine materialised before Luo Shu and Kikyo.
Stunned by this spectacle, Kikyo froze momentarily before murmuring to herself:
"...Is this wish fulfilment?"
'So this truly must be a divine realm, then? Otherwise, how could something like wish fulfilment possibly occur?'
Yet Luo Shu shook his head and quipped:
"It's just Scene Setting - still far from wish fulfilment. Costs 5 points monthly, though."
Hearing this, Kikyo merely turned her head, regarding Luo Shu with mild exasperation.
Did her deity truly possess no self-awareness whatsoever? Compared to mortals, this world-altering ability already belonged to the divine domain!
As Kikyo silently criticised, a bold female voice suddenly rang out from behind.
"Doting on the new girl again, my dear Director?"
At the sound, Kikyo frowned and turned towards its source. There, a golden-haired woman in professional attire entered the shrine courtyard, silver metal case in hand, high heels clicking against the stone.
Luo Shu turned without surprise. "You're earlier than I expected."
The case-carrying Kirika Tachibana replied impassively:
"Well, it is your first time giving me orders. Had to show some face."
After surveying their surroundings, Kirika's gaze settled on Kikyo.
"This sector's allocated to the shrine maiden girl, then? Not bad decor."
"Though speaking of which, where did you con this one from?"
"Con is rather harsh."
Luo Shu shot Kirika an annoyed look.
"Making me sound like some kidnapper."
After this retort, he turned to properly introduce them:
"Kikyo, this is Kirika Tachibana - consider her your Senior."
To Kirika, he provided more detail:
"Kikyo - talent I recruited from the Abyss. A Hero Rank shrine maiden."
"Hmm?"
At 'Hero Rank', Kirika's eyes widened as she scrutinised Kikyo before sighing:
"Sometimes I really want to comment on your way with women."
"A few hours apart and you've got another one or two around you - each either well-connected or absurdly powerful."
"Honestly, is your divine portfolio being a gigolo?"
"Slander costs 1,000,000 yen per statement."
Luo Shu glared before demanding:
"Did you bring it?"
"Right here." Kirika lifted the silver case, patting it with hollow thuds before opening it.
Inside, surrounded by ice packs, lay a sword resembling a spinal column, its entire length gleaming like white jade.
The Demigod-rank Abyss Artefact - Kusanagi Sword.
Placing the case at her feet, Kirika asked Luo Shu:
"What happened in that Abyss you explored to make you borrow Kusanagi from Lacus?"
"Ran into some complications."
Luo Shu approached while explaining:
"The passage to the Abyss is controlled by an evil spirit, most likely of Hero Rank. Chisato, Takina, and a newly recruited Great Yokai of mine are trapped inside."
"Chisato and Takina are trapped? And you even recruited a Great Yokai?"
Kirika Tachibana froze upon hearing this, her expression instantly turning extremely peculiar:
"A Great Yokai should be Hero Rank, right? So you just made one trip to the Abyss and recruited two Hero Rank talents?"
"Hiss—!!"
At this thought, Kirika couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
Hero Rank talents were rare not just in the SDS but across the entire world.
They were either executives or leaders of major secret organisations, or pillars of nations.
Yet Luo Shu casually picked up two on a single mission.
"Your Hidden Management Department might as well be renamed the Human Resources Department."
"If you're willing to change the name, I'd even kneel before Lacus to beg her to approve it."
"Piss off."
Luo Shu shot Kirika a glare. After inspecting the Kusanagi Sword, he closed the metal case, secured it, and said:
"Ignoring serious matters to focus on this useless chatter."
"Your so-called serious matters don't need my attention either."
Kirika couldn't resist retorting:
"Kurumi's clone, the Kusanagi Sword... You're bringing all this just for some evil spirit controlling an Abyss passage?"
"I truly can't imagine what that evil spirit could possibly do to withstand such preparations."
A Demigod's clone, and a Demigod Rank Abyss Artefact with a Sword Spirit capable of sealing abilities.
With this setup, Kirika couldn't fathom anyone who could resist.
Yet Luo Shu wore an utterly serious expression:
"It's better to be overprepared than underprepared."
"If some unforeseen change occurs in that Abyss world, or if a wild Demigod emerges, having these will make it easier to evacuate with all gains intact."
"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right."
Seeing Luo Shu like this, Kirika couldn't help but tease:
"Your paranoia is getting worse by the day."
Luo Shu didn't refute this, simply asking Kirika:
"Want to come help?"
"Hey? Enough already! You're bringing all this preparation and still want to drag me along too?"
Kirika was thoroughly exasperated by Luo Shu's excessive caution.
"I've got other matters to attend to, so no thanks. Just squeezing in this detour for you is already time-consuming enough—I'll probably miss my flight."
Kirika sighed, then looked up at Luo Shu with a smile:
"Go on then. Bring everything back."
Hearing this, Luo Shu's eyes flickered before he responded:
"I'd do that even without you saying it."
With that, Luo Shu turned to Kikyo:
"Let's go meet So'unga and see whether it's tougher than my Kusanagi Sword."