The woman named Eirin spoke very sincerely, but Sū ěr didn't quite know how to respond... Seriously, if she finds out about that, will she be angry?
Furthermore, there didn't seem to be anything she could help with.
"So you truly know nothing about the mysteries of the ancient era? The reason the Silver River stopped? The reason Takamagahara was sealed? The reason the older generation of gods vanished?" Think pressed, still unwilling to give up.
In the entirety of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni, only the newly born deities existed now. Even Susanoo, who had been driven down from Takamagahara to live on earth, had vanished to parts unknown.
"My apologies. I truly have no memory of those things. I have disappointed you," Eirin bowed her head in apology. "As I said, we are merely the final hope left by Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. He did not wish for us to be tainted by those matters again."
Think: "..."
"...Alright. So, what are you going to do now?" Seeing Think roll her eyes and stop talking, Sū ěr scratched his head and took over the conversation. "You aren't planning to stay here, are you?"
Neither the front nor the back of the moon looked suitable for life.
"We... will go to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni." Eirin sounded a bit hesitant, her tone not very firm. "Will you come with us?"
"You can cross the Silver River?" Sū ěr eyes lit up.
"Er, no. Actually, it's through a secret passage between the moon and Ashihara no Nakatsukuni. That stagnant Silver River cannot be crossed at all," Eirin confessed.
"There's a passage like that?" Sū ěr said, his voice carrying a subtle complexity as he remembered all the effort he had exerted previously.
"It was sealed until now, so it likely was never discovered by the gods of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni." Eirin turned halfway and pointed beneath the now-stone body of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. "Right at the bottom. The Night Kingdom used to be connected to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni through this passage... The Night Kingdom?"
Eirin suddenly opened her mouth in surprise, shocked by the words she had spoken so casually. It was information that had flowed out by pure instinct.
Previously, the "not quite dead" Tsukuyomi had used his body to block the passage tightly. From that perspective, calling it a "seal" was accurate.
"I see. Then take her and leave. If we have the chance later, we'll talk in detail," Sū ěr sighed at the convoluted mess and stood back up.
"...You aren't coming down with us?"
"Ah, we still have things to do," Sū ěr replied, reaching out his hand to summon the Yasakani no Magatama.
"Understood. Then please, be careful. Let us meet again in Ashihara no Nakatsukuni." Eirin possessed a decisive nature and didn't linger. She had already guessed their goal from their questions and immediately picked up the unconscious Tsukuyomi.
Using magic to move the remains of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, Sū ěr watched Eirin carry the girl into the opening and vanish. He then turned and flew to the edge of the moon.
Think had already merged back into his body. Before him lay the pitch-black universe, shimmering with countless stars of unknown authenticity. He only had to take one step outward to step onto the gelatinous, congealed Silver River—that now-stagnant river of light that Sū ěr once thought was made of countless stars of various sizes, but now appeared to be a mere ornament.
Their shimmering was only meant to make this "Galaxy" live up to its name, just as Sū ěr had secretly guessed... it was a decorated stage set; it only needed to look the part.
The Magatama in his hand was no longer jumping restlessly. Aside from emitting a more brilliant light, it showed no abnormalities.
[If there truly is a mastermind behind the scenes, Tsukuyomi's revival and death surely won't escape Their notice—especially with the massive changes happening to the moon right now. So, whatever we're doing, it's best to do it fast~]
Think was urging him.
"Yeah, I know," Sū ěr whispered. He closed his eyes, gripped the Magatama, and stepped forward.
One step, two steps, three steps... In the past, merely approaching would have been blocked by an invisible wall, but now he could walk forward unimpeded. There was no sense of rejection or being pushed back. When Sū ěr opened his eyes again, he was treading upon this shimmering Silver River.
He only had to look down to see that square plot of land. Everything in Ashihara no Nakatsukuni was still functioning in an orderly fashion. It was as if he were treading on the body of a giant dragon made of light, its shimmering tail winding all the way down into the soil of the earth.
Sū ěr stood right in the center of this giant dragon. Looking up, he could see the dragon's head at an indeterminate distance, vanishing into the deep, dark universe.
He continued to walk upward, his will shifting. When Sū ěr foot fell again, he had crossed not a mere step, but a small stretch of the star-river.
Treading on the scale of light, Sū ěr suddenly remembered the stone ball he had once returned to Takamagahara. From the reaction back then, Takamagahara definitely had a response... or rather, it contained something living.
What will it look like?
Maintaining his curiosity, Sū ěr gripped the Magatama and continued until he could no longer move forward.
The space before him rippled like the surface of a lake. Something seemed to want to come out, or perhaps it was just a simple ripple.
[Are you afraid?]
"...I wouldn't call it fear, exactly. Just being cautious," Sū ěr replied to Think teasing.
If this was the Gate of Takamagahara, what lay inside? Given the anomalies of all these years, Sū ěr was worried there might be a curse or some other monster inside that even he couldn't escape.
[Why don't you let me go in and look first? After all, I—]
"You know I won't agree," Sū ěr cut Think off with a firm denial. This time, however, Think didn't just laugh it off.
"Yeah, I know..." It wasn't a voice from his heart, but a voice from the outside. Under Sū ěr dilating pupils, Think emerged directly from his body and poked her head straight into the translucent ripples!
Think saw it, and Sū ěr saw it too. The same image entered their vision.
A humanoid figure with limbs bound by layers of iron chains. No skin could be seen; only exposed blood vessels, nerves, and crimson muscles were visible, with deep red blood constantly dripping down. The chains were pulled so deep into the flesh that they were half-buried within it.
Though he had never seen this figure before, Sū ěr felt as if he knew him. This bloody humanoid... the Heavenly Grandson ?