As the self-proclaimed Wisdom God, Kotoko Iwanaga prided herself on her pragmatism. Faced with an overwhelming force, compliance was the wisest choice.
Why take a beating when you could accept the reward outright? Refusing might mean settling for scraps instead of the whole prize.
Even with only one silk-stockinged knee, she could make the smart call.
"Alright," Kotoko decided.
Najenda, smiling faintly, handed her a subordinate god contract.
Initially, Najenda had assumed Kotoko, dubbed the "Wisdom God of yokai," was merely a yokai herself. But she had truly ascended to godhood, however weak.
Weakness didn't negate divinity. Pandora, for instance, once fell to sixth- or seventh-sense Saints. Power and rank weren't always equal.
Fortunately, Najenda had brought a contract, avoiding complications.
Kotoko signed, her eyes narrowing as new knowledge flooded her mind. She absorbed the contract's insights swiftly.
"The supreme God of Darkness, bearing the 666th rank, a being spanning the multiverse…" she murmured, eyes gleaming. "My Majesty? Incredible!"
"And he's no sanctimonious hypocrite!"
Her excitement grew, cheeks flushed as she squirmed.
Najenda, watching, sighed inwardly. We don't click. Kotoko's personality aligned better with Demeter, Sayuri, Utaha, or Albedo—kindred spirits in eccentricity.
A surge of divine power erupted from Kotoko. Her prosthetic eye and leg fell away, replaced by regenerated flesh. Her right eye and left knee restored, she blinked in awe.
"It's… fixed?" she whispered, feeling her restored leg and seeing clearly with both eyes. Previously, her right eye was decorative; now, it functioned.
Tears nearly welled, but Kotoko, seasoned and composed, steadied herself.
"So easily?" she asked, looking at Najenda.
Najenda nodded. "Not difficult. My arm was prosthetic too, restored instantly upon signing a kin contract. Yours took a moment—slow by comparison."
Akane approached, explaining softly, "Kotoko's case is unique. Her title as Wisdom God isn't empty—she's truly divine."
"She paid a price—her eye and leg—for the thrones of Wisdom God and Yokai God. Like Odin, who sacrificed an eye for wisdom."
Kotoko blinked, stunned. "I already held those titles?"
Akane nodded. "Per the Hell Council's analysis, in Kyokou Suiri, you're the key figure, critical to the second phase."
She spoke openly—Kotoko was bound by the contract, making secrecy pointless.
"Be cautious," Akane added. "Your rank and origin surged with the contract. Acting recklessly could ignite your divine spark or form a godhead, making you a true god."
Kotoko nodded thoughtfully. "So, His Majesty has bigger plans for me?"
Akane confirmed, "As Wisdom and Yokai God, you could lead the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, potentially becoming a ruler of gods and spirits. Meanwhile, His Majesty conquers a yokai-rich world, offering synergy."
Kotoko grinned. "Perfect! Everything's planned. Should I offer myself in gratitude? I'm fine with any pose!"
Najenda, exasperated, turned to Akane. "Kotoko's settled. I'll handle the rest—it's simpler now."
Akane nodded, unfazed by Kotoko's antics.
Kotoko, still leaning on her cane out of habit, asked, "Akane, what's next?"
"This world's mystery is nearly gone," Akane explained. "The yokai and urban legends chose you as their Wisdom and Yokai God to survive. Their disputes are just them asserting existence before you."
Kotoko nodded. "They cling to me to persist as mystery fades."
"Exactly. Najenda, Akame, and Murasame will summon skeletal armies to conquer this world, set barriers, collect world power for anchors, and drag it into the Dark World Tree as a new dark universe."
Akane snapped her fingers, smiling.
Kotoko understood, asking, "And after?"
"First, we capture the remaining yokai—urban legends. Viable ones join you; the rest are dealt with. As Yokai God, or even ruler of gods and spirits, they'll form your forces, potentially His Majesty's fourth army."
Kotoko caught the emphasis on "they," realizing the gendered implication, and grinned. She was ready to dive in.
"Urban legend capture?" she mused, nodding. "Let's do it."
Akane smiled. "Come on, Kotoko. We're setting barriers. No slacking."
"On it!" Kotoko followed, ready for the task.
In Kyokou Suiri, few qualified as kin. Kotoko was paramount, potentially rivaling Persephone and capable of forming a fourth force. Hence, Najenda's lengthy talk with her.
Others, like Saki Yumihara and Rikka Sakuragawa, were captured swiftly. Resistance? Unwillingness? No time for debate—into Hell they went, where time would ensure compliance. Kin contracts guaranteed loyalty.
Kuro Sakuragawa, a protagonist, held world power. Najenda, no killer, extracted it and sent him away altered.
Then came Nanase Karin, the Steel Lady, and other urban legends.
Orbs floated around Murasame, thirteen in total. Akame matched her count.
Murasame, munching snacks, asked, "Boss, so this world has no true yokai? Just urban legends?"
"Pretty much," Najenda replied, tossing Nanase into an orb. "How many captured?"
Akame reported, "Fourteen viable legends."
Murasame added, "Thirteen for me—one less than Sis."
Najenda sighed. "A world where mystery fades has few legends left. Most are false obsessions, clinging to existence."
In a yokai-less world, they'd take them. But with Onmyoji's yokai-rich conquest underway, these shadows were discarded as insignificant.
Saki and Rikka, bound by kin contracts, stayed silent. Zeus's contracts required consent, but Alistair's 666th rank overrode such limits. Only rare, unbreakable wills—like Marin's—risked collapse under forced contracts. She remained imprisoned in Hell.
Najenda turned. "Akame, Murasame, keep searching. Capture all legends in a day. Tomorrow, we process this world swiftly."
The sisters nodded, moving out.
Capturing legends was easy; finding them was trickier. With seventh-sense small universes (Murasame nearing it), detection was possible, but legends weren't fully corporeal. Psychic scans couldn't confirm their nature, requiring physical searches.
A day was enough.
Nanase, Hasshaku-sama, Hanako-san, Mary-san, Kuchisake-onna—viable urban legends were captured systematically.
***
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