Chapter 2855 - 2856: Let Her Go

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"I'm sorry, nee-sama, but I cannot let you harm her!"

Susanoo stood defiantly against his sister, Amaterasu, wielding his sword of white thunder to shield Kireina, cradled protectively in his arms.

She had died only moments ago, yet his Divine Lifeforce had revived her, granting new breath and allowing her recent breakthroughs to settle deeply within her core.

Her eyes glowed with cosmic light brighter than ever before. For an instant, she sensed countless versions of "herself" drifting in different directions.

Her consciousness stretched toward each one. They were not mere copies, but truly her own existence.

The strike she had unleashed had not targeted Susanoo, but a Star of Misfortune she could not destroy, only damage enough to trigger profound change within her.

This Merit of Cosmic Proportions had allowed her Trait to fully blossom, fusing seamlessly with her very being.

Through the battle, as she cultivated her Heart, her inner self had risen beyond mortality, ascending higher and higher.

She was still unraveling what she had become, yet part of her was already aiding her siblings in defeating the Overseers and freeing Khaos.

"Mother..." she whispered softly, causing Susanoo to raise an eyebrow.

"Susanoo! How dare you oppose your sister! I have tolerated much from you, but this crosses every line! Hand her over now or face my wrath! Even as my brother, I will show no mercy!"

Amaterasu remained stubborn, refusing to let Susanoo claim the Chaos Spawn—who had wrought such destruction—as his bride.

Not in a million years.

Yet Susanoo could not yield. Kireina had revealed something so beautiful and precious to him that he could never release her now.

His own Heart Essence was evolving. This mighty god of storms and swords stood on the verge of awakening as a member of the Heart Tribe.

The power of the Heart Tribe was fragile, however. If he failed to hold onto this fleeting "feeling" and make it permanent, the enlightenment would slip away, rendering everything meaningless.

He needed Kireina to guide him toward that permanence.

He had also fallen deeply in love with her, though that felt secondary in this moment.

"I'm sorry, nee-sama. She is not guilty. Kireina is an honest and powerful swordswoman whom I respect with all my heart. She bears no resemblance to the Chaos Spawn that destroyed our sect long ago. Yes, she is flawed and has committed grave sins, but she is undergoing Repentant Enlightenment at a level comparable to a Bodhisattva. I will not release her. I cannot."

With Susanoo—one of the three Great Kami of Japan—protecting Kireina, the balance of power shifted dramatically. Many gods who supported him agreed and stood at his side, while those loyal to Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi upheld her authority.

Thus...

"Please, Auntie, show mercy!"

"We beg for your mercy!"

"Oh great goddess of the sun, have mercy!"

Kaguya and her brothers, the three Squirrel Gods, dropped into a deep dogeza, tails raised high as they pleaded with Amaterasu.

"Y-You little ones! Is this how you repay me for saving your lives?" Amaterasu faltered, visibly shaken.

Then their parents arrived: the Fire-Thunder War God, Takemikazuchi, and Kayanohime-no-Kami, Lady of Grasses and Valleys—Kami renowned for their enduring, joyful marriage across millennia.

"Please show mercy to the Chaos Spawn. She is not evil. No truly wicked person could wield a blade with such purity."

"I agree. I have read her Heart many times. There is no evil left within her."

"Takemikazuchi? Kayanohime?" Amaterasu gasped, her composure cracking. "I never imagined you would side with my brother!"

But more followed. A multi-eyed goddess, half-Yokai and half-Kami—Nanako, long forbidden from involving herself in such matters—descended boldly.

"Please have mercy on her soul, great empress of the sun!"

"N-Nanako?!"

Her father, deeply moved, hurried to support his daughter. For the first time, Nanako was fighting for something she believed in.

After years of passivity, never asking for anything, never pursuing ambition, confined by Amaterasu's decree, her father had quietly grieved. He had even wondered if allowing her to roam freely might have been kinder than this eternal seclusion.

Yet now, seeing her stand firm, the old Kami could only lend his strength.

"You too? What is happening? Is anyone else siding with my foolish brother? Step forward!" Amaterasu demanded, her voice thunderous, yet even her supporters quailed under her gaze and remained silent.

"Please, stop this! Kireina is innocent!"

"She's not a bad person..."

"She's not evil, I swear!"

"She saved everyone earlier..."

Though mere mortals, Frank, Harumi, Erika, and Mammon stepped forward courageously to defend Kireina.

"Why are you protecting her, traitors?" Matsuo alone glared with hatred, refusing to join them.

Amaterasu wavered but dismissed their words with a wave. "I care nothing for the opinions of lowly mortals, especially those outside my clan. You are banished forever from our headquarters. Leave!"

Her divine pressure surged, crushing down upon them. Kireina, still dizzy, forced herself upright and shielded them with her own body.

"Please... We don't have to do this," she pleaded, struggling to comprehend the vast new powers flowing through her as she simultaneously fought to save her mother through a newly born Heart Avatar.

"Hmph! You...!" Amaterasu raised her hand, fury blazing.

However.

"Nee-sama, this has gone far enough."

The voice belonged to Tsukuyomi, the God of the Moon—her most trusted brother.

"B-Brother...?"

"This time, I stand with Susanoo."

Tsukuyomi floated beside his brother and rested a hand on his shoulder, leaving Susanoo stunned.

"What?! Why?" Amaterasu cried, stomping furiously.

"You saw her wield her Heart in battle. I saw it too. There is no doubt. If malice dwelled within her, if she were truly evil or vile, we would have felt it."

"...!"

"You, my sister, are judging her solely by her species and old grudges born from misunderstandings—misunderstandings sparked by your own cherished great-granddaughter."

At his piercing gaze, the Soul of the Great Ancestor shrank behind Amaterasu, trembling with the dawning realization of her grave error.

"Nngh..." Amaterasu clenched her teeth, her usually serene and beautiful face twisting into an uncharacteristic scowl—like a child denied her way. "You idiots! Baka! Baka! Stupid aniki! Do whatever you want! Hmph! I'm leaving! I don't care anymore!"

With an angry flick of her fingers, Amaterasu restored the clan fully—buildings, pagoda, and all wounds healed in an instant.

She ascended to the Heavenly Realm with the Soul of the Great Ancestor, upon whom she would soon vent every ounce of her frustration.

Silence fell once more, heavy and profoundly awkward.

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