"Then let's go," Akira Shindo said.
In the next moment, he appeared above the sea.
Raiden Ei had directly kicked him out of the Plane of Euthymia.
"You who question Eternity!" the Raiden Shogun snorted coldly when she saw Akira Shindo.
"…."
Akira Shindo felt a little helpless.
Was the Shogun really this petty?
But in the next moment, he noticed the change in her demeanor.
Her aura softened slightly, becoming a little absent-minded.
That was Raiden Ei.
Akira Shindo recognized it instantly.
The Shogun was cold and imposing, radiating solemn authority.
Ei, on the other hand, had a slightly blank and quiet demeanor—almost a bit adorably absent-minded.
"Hurry, let's go!" Ei said impatiently.
She grabbed Akira Shindo and turned into a bolt of lightning, flying straight toward the Grand Narukami Shrine.
At the Grand Narukami Shrine—
"Miko, stop pacing around already," Kitsune Saiguu said with a sigh, watching Yae Miko walk back and forth.
"You don't understand!" Yae Miko frowned. "The Shogun is extremely rigid."
"And I really don't want to see those two fight."
"A battle between gods—no matter who wins—would be an immeasurable loss for Inazuma."
"Since Akira Shindo said he has a way to restrain the Shogun, it should be fine," Kitsune Saiguu said calmly.
"And if Ei learns that Akira Shindo truly has the power to resurrect the dead, she won't harm him."
"The chance to revive Makoto… Ei would never give that up."
"I hope so," Yae Miko said softly.
Suddenly she looked up.
A streak of lightning shot across the sky and landed directly within the shrine.
"A-Shindo!"
As the lightning faded, Yae Miko saw Akira Shindo and hurried toward him.
"The Shogun? No… you're Ei," Yae Miko said, examining her carefully.
"Miko…" Ei said quietly, clearly aware she owed this old friend a great deal.
"Oh my, look who it is," a teasing voice suddenly came from behind Yae Miko.
"It's been five hundred years, Ei, and you still throw tantrums like a little girl."
"Don't tell me you roll around crying in the Plane of Euthymia whenever you're upset?"
"…Kitsune Saiguu."
Ei's voice trembled when she saw her.
Akira Shindo had been telling the truth.
He really could resurrect the dead.
Watching Kitsune Saiguu tease Ei, Akira Shindo then glanced at Yae Miko.
Sure enough—
They truly came from the same lineage.
Both were mischievous foxes.
Though compared to Yae Miko, Kitsune Saiguu was somewhat more refined.
His theory confirmed.
At that moment, Ei turned anxiously toward Akira Shindo.
"I agree!" she said immediately.
"I'll be your woman!"
"Now hurry and revive Makoto!"
"…."
Akira Shindo's mouth twitched slightly.
"Oh?" Yae Miko covered her mouth with a soft laugh.
"Someone's giving herself away just like that?"
"My, my. It seems our mighty Shogun is about to experience love."
Ei ignored her entirely, staring at Akira Shindo with eager anticipation.
"Ei," Akira Shindo said helplessly, "I just revived Kitsune Saiguu. My power is heavily depleted."
"At least let me rest a bit."
Even work animals weren't pushed this hard.
He only possessed an S-rank Herrscher of Life and Death template.
Reviving someone perfectly had already consumed most of his strength.
Reviving a god like Raiden Makoto immediately afterward might kill him.
"…."
Ei fell silent.
She understood that resurrecting the dead must come with a heavy cost.
"Then come with me to Tenshukaku," she said seriously. "You're not allowed to run away."
"No!" Yae Miko immediately protested.
"A-Shindo is the Chief Divine Priest of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Why would he go live in Tenshukaku? I don't agree."
"Ei, don't worry so much," Akira Shindo said calmly.
"I told you already—Inazuma is my home now."
"Exactly!" Yae Miko quickly added.
"And he's the Chief Divine Priest. If he suddenly moved into Tenshukaku, people would start gossiping."
"Besides, the Chief Divine Priest doesn't even have the status to live there."
"Akira Shindo is a god," Ei said, glaring at Yae Miko's troublemaking expression.
"A mere position like Chief Divine Priest is beneath him."
"Akira Shindo," Ei continued seriously, "if you come to Tenshukaku, I will immediately proclaim you as Tokoyo Ōmikami of Inazuma."
"As long as you revive Raiden Makoto, I will personally serve at your side."
"!!!"
Both Yae Miko and Kitsune Saiguu were stunned.
Ei was offering to deify Akira Shindo?
Even Akira Shindo was surprised.
But after thinking for a moment, he understood.
Ei's real intention was simply to keep him under her watch, afraid he might disappear—the only chance she had to revive Makoto.
"Let's talk about that after I revive Makoto," Akira Shindo said, shaking his head.
He had no interest in living under constant surveillance.
"But—"
Ei started to speak, but when she met Akira Shindo's calm gaze, she stopped.
She was suddenly afraid of pushing him too far.
If he became annoyed and simply left Inazuma, Makoto's resurrection would become impossible.
"…Alright."
Ei lowered her head slightly, looking somewhat dejected.
"But you're not allowed to run away."
"I promise," Akira Shindo said.
"Then I'll return to Tenshukaku for now," Ei said softly.
"When you recover… tell me immediately."
With that, she disappeared in a flash of lightning.
"I've never seen Ei like that before," Yae Miko said thoughtfully.
Then she looked at Akira Shindo with a mischievous smile.
"A-Shindo, you actually rejected Ei's offer to make you a god?"
"That's the throne of Inazuma itself—far greater than a mere Chief Divine Priest."
"She wasn't sincere," Akira Shindo replied.
"She just wanted to keep an eye on me."
"And I don't like being watched."
"But, Miko…"
As he spoke, Akira Shindo slowly walked toward her with a playful smile.
"A-A-Shindo… what are you doing?" Yae Miko instinctively stepped backward.
"What am I doing?" Akira Shindo chuckled.
"Did you forget what you promised me?"
He cornered her against the wall, bracing one arm beside her head.
A perfect kabedon.
"I… well… could you give me a little time…" Yae Miko stammered.
For once, the normally silver-tongued fox priestess was at a loss.
"Afraid I can't," Akira Shindo said with a mischievous grin.
He gently lifted her smooth chin and gazed at her soft pink lips.
Under Yae Miko's shy gaze, he slowly leaned down.
Their lips met.
Sweet.
Soft.
Those were Akira Shindo's first thoughts.
He wrapped his arms around Yae Miko's slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.
"Mmm…"
Yae Miko's eyes slowly closed.
The unfamiliar sensation washed over her, something she had never experienced before.
For a moment, she felt herself sinking into it.
Her arms gradually wrapped around Akira Shindo's neck as she lost herself in the lingering warmth of the kiss.
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