Why can't humans do it too?

"That's because... a terrible crime..."

The nine-tailed fox's voice suddenly became incredibly deep, and as her words faded, Su Er found that the world before him had lost a third of its brightness, as if thick dark clouds had covered the sun. He couldn't help but look up in astonishment, but there was only a lone, blazing sun hanging in the azure sky, without a single cloud.

When Suer looked down again, he found that everything in his field of vision had returned to normal. The brief change just now was just his illusion, but Xin Ke's slight shaking of her head proved that it was not an illusion.

Having also noticed the earlier anomaly, the giant jade fox raised its long, beautiful neck and gazed at the sky. After a long while, it lay back down, but this time it seemed to have lost the will to speak, its eyes half-closed as if it were thinking about something.

"Is it Amaterasu?" Sur asked in a deep voice, immediately connecting this anomaly with the sun in the sky.

However, the big fox simply shook his head and then said something that left both Suer and Xinke completely baffled.

"Gentle and kind, she shone all her light upon the world, whether it be gods or humans, or even the demons that breed in places where the sun cannot reach, or even the underworld to which the souls of the dead return. She wanted to make those dead beings feel satisfied with a ray of sunlight, and she couldn't even bear to scold her rude and unruly younger brother when he came to break in and acted recklessly..."

Suer had a rough idea of ​​what the big fox was describing—it was probably Amaterasu.

"Amaterasu...something happened?" Su Er couldn't help but interrupt these words of praise. He guessed that he actually meant to say that she had died, but he chose to be more tactful to avoid upsetting the person in question.

Without affirmation or denial, this large fox, whose eyes remained perfectly calm from beginning to end, was like an old man on his deathbed. He seemed to be talking to others, but his words were actually guided by the thoughts of his entire life, picking and choosing.

Suddenly standing up from the ground, the beautiful fox lightly shook its body, and Xin Ke was shaken off from its shimmering white fur, which rippled like ocean waves. She landed right in Su Er's arms. Its nine tails bloomed like flowers, emitting an incomparably dazzling light that even mortals could look at directly without feeling any sting.

A sun walking on the ground—this was the only thought that arose in Suer's mind at this moment.

The nine-tailed fox seemed to be stretching her waist, but when the bright light surrounding her finally faded slightly, Suer was surprised to find that the string of magatama that had always hung around her neck had fallen off, and even shrunk in size, and was now floating in front of him.

A wisp of slender, jade-colored hair pierced through the magatama, forming a closed circle, like a beautiful necklace. This hair, still emitting a faint glow, was naturally the fur of a nine-tailed fox.

Without any hint of shyness, Xin Ke even eagerly took the necklace in her hand and played with it.

Having already understood the Nine-Tailed Fox's meaning, Suer found it even more unbelievable. It was indeed their first meeting, and the jewel, which Yakumo Yukari had described as a gift from Amaterasu representing loyalty, was a treasure that this great fox had stolen hundreds of years ago. The significance of the gift was already so obvious.

So why did they take it? Why give it to him and Xin Ke? They didn't even have a deep relationship or a foundation of mutual trust.

Incomprehensible.

As if she had completed a difficult mission, the nine-tailed fox even let out a long sigh of relief, without glancing at the string of magatama that countless demons and gods coveted, without showing the slightest reluctance.

Sul stared intently at the beautiful fox, awaiting her answer.

Chapter Forty-Six Rising Star

“I should go,” the nine-tailed fox said calmly. “If your thoughts haven’t changed, if you want to travel upstream along that frozen celestial river, if you want to reach Takamagahara, which no one has reached for hundreds of years… then you will need it.”

The enormous jade fox, shrouded in mystery, raised its head and let out a clear cry. In response to her call, the demons she had subdued in the distance also howled. They moved and crawled, eventually gathering together and walking towards this side.

After glancing at Xin Ke, who was holding the Yasakani no Magatama in both hands, closing her eyes and looking solemn, Su Er turned her gaze to the Jade Fox, whose intention to leave was already clear.

"Why?" he couldn't help but ask.

“I’m just doing what I have to do. This is my destiny.” The beautiful fox looked back at Suer and seemed to be smiling. Although it revealed sharp teeth, the smile was extremely gentle. “There’s no need to worry about me or lend a helping hand. If you want, you can just watch quietly from afar. That will be enough.”

As if she could foresee what Suer might do, the nine-tailed fox calmly offered her advice.

Having said that, she turned and headed east without looking back. Her nine tails brushed against the chilly early spring wind, and her silhouette was incredibly dashing. The demons she had subdued gradually followed her. As they passed by Su'er and Xinke, they cast curious or provocative glances at them, but not a single sound was heard, and not a single demon stopped. The demonic aura that spread like clouds and smoke intertwined with the golden radiance, shining brightly and indistinguishably from each other.

No longer a solitary demon, but connected as a whole, like a piece of gauze draped behind the jade fox at the front. No more words are needed; just seeing it evokes the same thought in one's heart—ah, this is the Lord of Demons.

Sensing something, Suer withdrew his gaze and looked to his side. Xin Ke had reopened her eyes, and the semi-transparent forest spirit was holding the string of magatama in her hand. The string of magatama that the nine-tailed fox had just given her was now different from what it had been before; it was now a color even blacker than the deepest night.

It was so hollow that it seemed to be constantly absorbing the surrounding light, a blackness that did not reflect any light.

Sensing no warning, Suer only found the pitch-black color and the jade-colored fur that was still emitting a faint white light intertwined with it all to be exceptionally... ridiculous.

Was this the original color of the magatama?

negative.

Did the magatama turn this color because it fell into their hands?

negative.

Did this magatama already take this form a long time ago... or was it given away when the nine-tailed fox chose to give it to her?

--unknown.

But undeniably, Suer may already have a vague answer in his mind.

--------------

If you were to stand high in the air and look down from above, you would see that both the Nine-Tailed Fox and the army of Izumo were moving in a direction that they had never communicated beforehand, but in fact, they were moving in perfect unison. They only needed time to continue to pass, and then they would meet in the shortest possible distance.

Just like this moment.

The snow that had accumulated throughout the winter was melting, and the gurgling meltwater flowed down from the top of the mountain. It gathered, burst forth, and surged, roaring like a mountain torrent towards the foot of the mountain, but it was also invisibly drained of its spirit, gradually weakening, gradually slowing down, and gradually... drying up.

The fallen leaves from last autumn, barely moistened by the melting snow, were quickly evaporated and dried out, making the air incredibly dry. When the latent flames were suppressed to their limit, they burst into flames, transforming into fire dragons that coiled and danced, hurtling straight toward the imposing camp.

"Drink up! Hahahahahahaha!"

His hair was curly and emitted a disgusting stench; even his skin seemed about to crack. As the mortals of Izumo huddled together in fear to protect themselves from the massive event that was about to unfold, a man leaped out from the ranks of the Izumo army with a hearty laugh that shook the mountains and rocks, throwing a punch.

No, that was definitely not human.

The tiny body seemed to grow longer in the wind amidst the laughter, and soon a burly and enormous giant, who stood almost halfway up the mountainside, blocked the path of the Izumo army. Dressed in magnificent silk robes, his distinctive appearance and attire immediately identified him to Suer and Shinko, who were standing on the farthest mountaintop—it was the god they had seen earlier, accompanied by Yakumo Yukari.

The enormous fire dragon looked like a small snake in front of him. He simply grabbed it by the back of the neck and then disappeared without a trace, as if he were dusting it off.

"Nine-tailed..." the imposing god called out in a deep voice to the lord of demons who was approaching with elegant steps from directly in front of him.

He knew that for the fox in front of him, the attack just now... it couldn't even be called an attack, it was just a casual yawn as it stroked the toy it had made, a greeting that came naturally with the change of nature.

The monsters were restless, shouting, grinding their teeth and sucking blood. Whether they were monsters from Izumo or belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox, under the bright blue sky and in the air filled with demonic energy, they bared their fangs and brandished their claws, showing each other their most threatening side.

“Takeminakata…” The nine-tailed fox also recognized the identity of the god who jumped to the front. She murmured, her expression unreadable.

"Submit, Nine-Tailed Fox!" shouted impatiently. The god named Takeminakata grinned and said, "Amaterasu can stay in her Takamagahara. This Ashihara Nakatsukuni belongs to Izumo!"

These were undoubtedly provocative words, as could be seen from the angry shouts and curses of the monsters behind the nine-tailed fox.

"...Just like your dead brother?" Surprisingly, this was the first time Su'er had heard this big fox speak with such a mocking expression.

After saying this, the beautiful fox seemed to lose interest in feigning politeness. She arched her body, and points of light from the void leaped out continuously, converging on her like shooting stars. All life around her trembled instinctively in fear, knowing that she was accumulating boundless power.

"I am——Tamazo Mae!!!"

The sun erupted.

Chapter Forty-Seven: Old Grudges

For those old monsters who were lurking in the shadows on the edge of the battlefield or were long-time veterans in the Izumo army, time seemed to have turned back to that day hundreds of years ago. The only difference was that this time there was no seven-day-long night beforehand.

The sun in the sky and the sun on earth gaze at each other, radiating the same light. The earth is parched, the soil is cracked, and even the rocks on the mountain peaks have been baked until their surfaces are shattered. Those meteor-like points of light gather in the body of the nine-tailed fox, and when compressed to the extreme, they splash out in all directions, as if they have their own lives, avoiding the demons behind her, or those mortals who have never possessed power.

"...So her name is Tamamo-no-Mae?" As Su Er and Xin Ke floated cross-legged atop a distant mountain range, Su Er belatedly realized this question.

From the beginning, they seemed to have assumed that the beautiful fox was called the Nine-Tailed Fox. Because the atmosphere between them was so harmonious when they met, and the fox raised so many questions at once, Suer didn't realize it until the very end.

"Feeling regretful?" Knowing perfectly well what the understanding man beside her was thinking, Xin Ke turned her head and smiled, saying, "But unfortunately, that fox doesn't need your help."

Tamamo-no-Mae undoubtedly had her own purpose that she didn't need to explain to others, just like a staunch martyr or an ascetic. This was an impression that had nothing to do with the title of nine-tailed fox in Su's mind.

The war between Tamamo-no-Mae and Izumo-no-Kuni is undoubtedly the most significant event in Ashihara no Nakatsukuni at present. It can be classified as a myth and will be sung by humans countless years later. It also attracts the attention of all the gods and monsters living in this era.

If Izumo were to win, it would mean that Yamato would be completely wiped out, and the rule of Amaterasu no Omikami in Ashihara no Nakatsukuni would come to an end. The gods of Susanoo's lineage would then truly rule Ashihara no Nakatsukuni, reversing the predicament of having to cede half of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni due to pressure from Takamagahara when the Milky Way was not yet blocked.

Compared to third parties like Suer and Xinke, who were hiding on the edge of the battlefield and waiting for the final outcome, Takemikado, who had enlarged his body and stood in front of the Izumo army, could not laugh at all. He was facing Tamamo-no-Mae's attack, which was as large as the sun.

He couldn't dodge, nor could he lose any momentum. Takeminaga knew that this could be considered the very first contest between Izumo and the Nine-Tailed Fox, and he couldn't afford to be at a disadvantage in this probing attack. He even had to retaliate with overwhelming force, because when he summoned that fire dragon in front of Tamamo and leaped out, he represented the face of Izumo.

Not to mention the god that the despicable fox mockingly mentioned at the end, his brother...

He bent down slightly, his legs spread wide, and his hands were already embedded in the ground in front of him. It was as if he was fighting against the earth beneath his feet. What reached the ears of humans and monsters was a muffled sound like roots breaking.

"Don't... joke around!!!" An angry expression spread across Takeminakata's face, which was made even more ferocious by his gigantic size. He had clenched his teeth, and every word was squeezed out from between his teeth.

The next moment, Kenjiro let out a deafening roar from his throat. It wasn't just an emotional outburst; he even straightened up abruptly. As he did so, the ground in front of him was also torn apart. The cracking sounds were not the sounds of plants and tree roots breaking deep in the earth, but the sounds of the earth's veins breaking beneath the land.

The sky was blocked out, and a thick layer of the valley in front of Takemina was even directly ripped away, sinking dozens of meters. The earth that was lifted up also pressed down on Tamamo-no-Mae with the pain of the earth's veins breaking. This was a tide, and also a tsunami, a pitch-black tsunami that belonged only to the soil.

However, the earth's anger melted away in the face of those light rays that should have been invisible and intangible. The monsters who believed in their masters laughed heartily without any sense of tension, and many lively monsters even made malicious faces to provoke them.

In the radiance released by Tamamo-no-Mae, the tsunami of soil was completely eroded and dissolved into pure energy, gradually disappearing into this world. As the last handful of soil that was lifted fell, the dazzling but not blinding radiance finally dimmed. The two sides seemed to be evenly matched in the first battle, and the only remaining result was the deep pit between them.

“…I have never forgotten…”, panting heavily with white breath coming out of his nostrils, even his body temperature seemed to rise a few degrees, Takeminaga stared fiercely at Tamamo-no-Mae who had just uttered the forbidden words.

His blood was surging, his muscles were trembling as if electrified, he was excited to the extreme, warming up for a big battle, and Kenjiro's broad shoulders and his muscular body were taut.

"...That Takemikazuchi, who came to my father's country under Amaterasu's orders, swaggering around..." His voice trembled slightly. Takemikazuchi seemed to be observing everything in front of him, but in reality, his eyes were returning to that unforgettable day, "...in front of my father, he drove my kind and soft-hearted brother to a dead end, and in the end, he even had to recite a curse to die..."

"But they were still not satisfied, until they forced my father to agree to cede the land. If he hadn't ultimately risked his life to agree to unite with the demons, I'm afraid all of humanity would be suffering at the hands of Ten'i-no-K ...

"..."

Speechless, even Tamamo-no-Mae didn't know how to refute what Amaterasu's grandson had done. Even though she knew that Takeminakata's words were mostly high-sounding and that "humanity" was just a pretext, and that his true intentions were far from noble, it was still a point that couldn't be avoided. Therefore, she could only remain silent, her fox tail swaying.

"...My affairs have nothing to do with the Yamato Kingdom..." In the end, Tamamo-no-Mae could only say this in a low voice, but it didn't matter anymore. In fact, it didn't matter what she said.

For the Izumo clan, who are determined to completely erase the traces of Yamato from Ashihara no Nakaku, this nine-tailed fox is someone who will be wiped out, regardless of whether she leads a group of demons here this time.

It's just a matter of time.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Gods and Demons Clash