"You three should step out for a moment. After all, you are of the Manyū clan, and your presence might cause unnecessary misunderstandings for Ochiha Muneto regarding her first impression of me."
Kagefusa Manyū stood up, nodded, and headed for the door.
"Alright, Master, just don't talk for too long. We still need to head back to the clan soon to deal with my father's situation."
Munehua Manyū glanced at Rasa, a sharp glint flickering in her eyes as if she had already guessed his true intentions.
A radiant smile bloomed on her face as she rose respectfully and walked gracefully toward the door.
"Please work hard, My God!"
Hearing Munehua's parting words, a broad grin spread across Rasa's face as he replied softly:
"Hehe, don't you already know what I'm capable of? Don't worry!"
Chifusa Manyū watched their exchange with a look of confusion, eventually shaking her head and deciding not to overthink the subtext.
She looked down at her own heavy, swollen breasts, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
For Chifusa, the prospect of meeting a member of her mother's clan was a thrilling one.
Once Kaede had risen and followed the others out, the room fell into a sudden, heavy silence.
Only Rasa and Chifusa remained.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
Chifusa was sensitive to the change in the air.
She fought to keep the excitement from her face, stealing a quick glance at Rasa before turning her head away, whispering with a note of genuine gratitude:
"Thank you, Great God."
In truth, even if Rasa hadn't asked Munehua and the others to leave, things probably would have been fine.
Their status as "sisters" was already established.
But Rasa had sent them away regardless.
Chifusa understood perfectly that beyond avoiding tedious explanations, he was primarily being considerate of her feelings.
Her position as a defector from the Manyū clan was, after all, quite awkward.
Rasa waved his hand dismissively, his tone casual.
"No need for thanks. It was just a small, convenient gesture."
Hearing this, the gratitude in Chifusa's eyes only intensified.
If an ordinary man had said such a thing, Chifusa might have been only mildly moved.
But coming from Rasa, in his capacity as a manifested "God," the weight of his kindness was magnified a hundredfold.
It was basic human nature; the higher the status of the person providing help, the deeper the recipient's gratitude.
This was especially true in the power-worshipping, male-dominated society of feudal Japan.
Rasa saw the burgeoning devotion in Chifusa's eyes and smirked inwardly, opening his system interface to check her Favorability.
When he saw that Chifusa's Favorability had already reached 20, he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He hadn't expected her to reach that level so quickly.
A rating of 20 was already considered the "Good Friend" tier.
In his previous life, under normal social conditions, it would have taken at least a month of consistent interaction to reach that level.
Yet Chifusa had gotten there in less than thirty minutes.
Perhaps it was the aura of his godhood combined with the unique circumstances of their meeting.
"System, use two High-Grade Favorability Fruits on Chifusa Manyū, followed by one High-Grade Favorability Doubling Fruit."
While reaching 20 so fast was impressive, the "Good Friend" level wasn't nearly enough for the "games" Rasa had planned for her.
He needed her to be more than just a friend; he needed her to be completely submissive and eager.
Rasa actually liked Chifusa quite a bit.
He didn't want to rely on Genjutsu to cloud her mind or use his divine status to physically force her.
He wanted her to be "voluntary."
Ding! Two High-Grade Favorability Fruits used successfully. Chifusa Manyū's favorability has reached 34 points!
Ding! High-Grade Favorability Doubling Fruit used successfully. Chifusa Manyū's favorability has doubled to 68 points!
The system notifications, which he hadn't heard in a long time, echoed in his mind.
Opposite him, Chifusa Manyū suddenly blinked, her expression shifting.
Looking at the God before her, she felt her breathing become shallow and erratic, and her heart began to hammer against her ribs.
Noticing the sudden physical reaction of her body, she quickly lowered her head, struggling to regulate her breath.
What is happening to me?
I know I admire and like him, but... this feeling is far too intense.
With her Favorability now sitting at 68, Chifusa naturally assumed that these physical symptoms were simply a result of an incredibly deep, burgeoning love for the man.
Rasa saw her look down, revealing the cute curve of the back of her head, and asked knowingly:
"Chifusa, what's wrong?"
Chifusa looked up in a panic, her eyes darting around as she stammered:
"It's... it's nothing."
"By the way, My God... may I... may I become your believer?"
Chifusa shifted her form of address naturally, blurting out a request she hadn't even considered until this very second.
Rasa looked at the light-black Faith Thread hovering above her head and replied with a smile:
"Of course you can."
Hearing this, Chifusa bowed excitedly.
"That is wonderful! Thank you so much, My God!"
As she spoke, the Faith Thread above her head deepened from light-black to a solid, ink-black hue.
Suddenly, Ume's voice drifted through the wooden door:
"My God, Ochiha Muneto has arrived."
Hearing the name, Chifusa immediately sat up straight, clearly wanting to leave a flawless first impression on her long-lost clanswoman.
Rasa pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Let her in."
The moment the words left his mouth, a tall, graceful woman pushed the door open and entered.
She was dressed in a simple, elegant kimono and had long, straight black hair; she looked to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven, possessing a tender, moving beauty.
She kept her head low, entering with extreme caution before dropping to both knees. She leaned her upper body forward until her smooth, white forehead was pressed firmly against the wooden floor.
Her entire body was folded into a posture of extreme submission, as if she were trying to flatten herself into the ground.
Then, she placed her pale, delicate palms flat on the floor on either side of her head—a perfect, textbook Dogeza upon their very first meeting.
Staring at the wood mere inches from her face, Ochiha Muneto spoke with profound respect:
"The lowliest of the Muneto clan, Ochiha Muneto, greets the Great God!"
Rasa blinked in surprise at such an extreme display of subservience.
In the original story, Ochiha Muneto's first meeting with Chifusa had only involved a standard seated bow.
She had only performed a full Dogeza much later, as a sign of gratitude for Chifusa staying with Ochiha Momoha until the end.
But meeting Rasa for the first time, she had gone straight to a prostrate kowtow without saying a single word.
It was clear that Ochiha Muneto viewed herself as having the absolute lowest status in this room.
This also spoke volumes about her internal desperation and her refusal to accept the current tragic state of her clan.
Chifusa also watched the perfect Dogeza in shock.
As a native, Chifusa understood the gravity of a woman performing such a bow far better than Rasa did.
Consequently, she felt a wave of profound sadness wash over her.
The Muneto clan's current situation was clearly even more horrific and pathetic than the memories she held from her childhood.