The meeting room fell silent, the air heavy with anticipation.
The women, contemplating the vast possibilities, instinctively swallowed hard.
If their thoughts were correct, the potential gains were staggering—beyond imagination, shaking them to their core.
Alistair watched with a faint smile.
Truthfully, Sayuri Sawamura, Akane Kosaka, and Hiromi Kato excelled in this regard compared to Pandora, Lana, and Kalji. The reason was simple: imagination.
Pandora, a survivor of the mythic era, and Lana and Kalji, hailing from Western fantasy worlds, needed time to adapt. In contrast, Sayuri, Akane, and Hiromi, products of a modern, information-rich era, thrived. Their ability to analyze and delve into a world's intricacies allowed them to uncover its hidden treasures.
With enough creativity, unhindered by conventional thinking, they could seize these opportunities.
"She embodies the goddess of destruction, annihilating all life, yet once was the mother who birthed creation," Hiromi Kato said softly, reciting a description. "With blood, she nurtures worlds, harvesting their power when ripe. Her lullaby of slumber extinguishes existence in an instant, casting all into the Sea of Nothingness."
"Goddess of destruction, mother of worlds…" Lana murmured, her eyes gleaming with realization. "That's… almost the rank of a creator god—no, an Absolute God?"
Hiromi shook her head. "It's uncertain without direct confirmation. But this world is undoubtedly at the level of a parallel universe. A multiverse? Unlikely."
Parallel universes and multiverses were distinct. A world could contain multiple parallel universes—two, ten, or even a hundred. But a multiverse required infinite expansion across time and space, an entirely different scale.
Onmyoji was a parallel universe, not a multiverse. A world's strength wasn't just about power but its completeness and structure. Even weak worlds could be multiverses if their framework was robust, allowing rapid growth with time.
"These gains…" Kalji sighed, awestruck. "They're immense. Just thinking about it is staggering."
"Absolutely," the others agreed, sharing their thoughts.
Akane, after a moment's reflection, added, "There's more, isn't there?"
"You've caught on?" Hiromi asked.
Akane nodded. "Some ideas."
The others looked over, feeling a touch outpaced.
Akane explained, "The core lies in Yomi. In Japanese mythology, Izanami is its ruler, the goddess of the underworld."
"In other words," Hiromi continued, nodding, "in Onmyoji, we might find Yomi, a realm equivalent to our Underworld or Hell."
The room fell silent again.
The prospect was dazzling, far beyond mere wealth—it was a monumental gain, thrilling to contemplate.
The women's breathing grew rapid, their excitement palpable.
Alistair watched, smiling, unfazed by their choices.
"Dust, what do you think?" Persephone asked, turning to him with a gentle smile.
He chuckled casually. "No issues here. Honestly, you—Hiromi, Akane, and the others—have thought this through more thoroughly than I have."
His smile widened. This wasn't flattery; it was fact. One mind was limited, two were better, and many were stronger still. He acknowledged his growth but knew true omniscience was far off. The Hell Council existed to pool their insights, catching what he might miss.
Time was precious, and their collective effort saved it.
"They're growing," he noted. "So, the next steps are yours. The second phase has three conquests."
His gaze swept the room, his smile deepening.
The women froze.
"Three conquests?" Pandora murmured, stunned.
Persephone's smile grew, her eyes sparkling. "Dust, you've found a way to conquer two worlds at once?"
"Indeed," Alistair nodded, grinning. "A bit unexpected, but the Dimensional Galaxy Chart has evolved."
The room buzzed with anticipation.
He explained, "With my divine power, the Chart gained a new function: World Devouring. It's not as grim as it sounds—I control how it works. Conquered worlds no longer need fixed anchors or dragging. The Chart devours them, integrating them directly into the Dark World Tree."
"It activates every six months."
The women pondered this. Five worlds, originally a fifteen-month endeavor, now took nine.
"This means," Persephone mused, "before the Earthly Relic forms and we join the Holy War, we can complete the second phase."
Her smile widened. Five months might seem minor, but it could birth a God-King. Yama, perfectly suited for Hell, could reach that level with the power of five worlds—or even become Taishan Fujun.
"And," she continued, "there's time to start the third phase before the relic forms."
"Exactly," Alistair said, nodding. "That's the Chart's new power. Don't disappoint me—plan it out."
He left with Demeter, the languid goddess content to laze in his arms.
The six council members, led by Pandora, sat stunned, blinking in silence.
Persephone chuckled. "Children, your work's piling up. Dust spoke, so get serious."
Her words snapped them back, and they nodded resolutely, determined not to fail their Majesty.
"But," Kalji said softly, "Hiromi, you explained Onmyoji's potential clearly, but why include Kyokou Suiri?"
The others looked curious.
Pandora, thoughtful, said, "The one-eyed, one-legged Wisdom God, Kotoko Iwanaga—that's your focus, Hiromi?"
Hiromi nodded. "Exactly. Kotoko is critical. I've studied divine paths, and if I'm right, she could master the law of yokai, even the concept itself—a vast domain."
"She could lead the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, becoming a fourth force under His Majesty."
"But," she cautioned, "these are just theories."
"Yokai, spirits, the Night Parade," Sayuri summarized. "In Japanese mythology, the line between yokai and gods is blurry. Kotoko could become a ruler of both, potentially rivaling Lady Underworld's rank."
The women fell into thought. Could this be true?
They looked to Persephone.
She smiled, nodding. "If Sayuri and Hiromi are correct, Kotoko has such potential."
She paused, shaking her head. "But some things are better left unsaid for now. Follow your ideas and take it step by step."
The discussion resumed, Persephone's smile growing. The Dark World Tree was thriving.
Potential wasn't just in actions but in rank. A high rank, even in a weak being, promised rapid growth.
Esdeath, for instance, had neared the eighth sense in under a year, a genius unbound by her world.
Kotoko Iwanaga, Saeko Busujima, Izanami—these three worlds alone promised transformative gains for the Dark World Tree.
This was just the second phase. What of the third, the fourth, or beyond?
***
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