"Ever since acquiring the power of the Fu Hua, I've barely gotten the chance to try it out," Akio murmured, a mischievous smile playing across his lips.
"Sorry about this, dear brother-in-law—I'll have to test my new move on you," he declared calmly, floating in mid-air. "And when I said you're small, I wasn't joking—aren't you?"
"Three feet of water, enough to sever the clouds."
As Akio's words echoed through the Imaginary Space, the entire realm trembled violently. In Aether's shocked gaze, an enormous sword—so massive its end couldn't be seen—slowly materialized above his head.
Razor-sharp sword energy instantly filled every inch of space, cutting Aether's skin with its sheer intensity.
"Divine Edge of Taixu!"
As Akio's voice softly faded, the colossal sword appeared instantly above Aether.
"What the fu—" Before Aether could even finish his curse, the immense sword descended upon him, engulfing him in a vast explosion that rocked the entire Imaginary Space.
Despite the spectacular explosion, Akio wasn't worried about accidentally killing Aether—he had deliberately held back 99.99% of his strength.
At most, this attack would leave Aether unable to continue fighting.
Indeed, once the explosion subsided, Aether stood pale-faced and weak, his eyes vacant and unfocused.
Looking at his nearly broken brother-in-law, Akio asked gently, "Brother-in-law, you alright?"
"Ye—yeah... I'm fine," Aether shook his head, sighing deeply with a complicated expression. "Thanks for holding back. You're unbelievably strong—I can't even begin to compare."
"Since that's the case, I can trust you with Lumine," Aether added quietly, fully aware Akio had purposefully restrained his strike. Otherwise, he'd have likely died right then and there.
This sword hadn't merely inflicted physical damage—it exerted an overwhelming spiritual pressure.
The moment the blade descended, Aether felt as if the entire world had crashed down upon him, his thoughts scattering into chaos and blankness.
Akio waved his hand lightly, and both returned instantly from the Imaginary Space.
"Akio, take good care of Lumine," Aether stared deeply at Akio, reminding him seriously once more. "Don't ever let her suffer."
"Relax, brother-in-law," Akio replied earnestly, slightly amused at how protective and motherly Aether sounded.
"..." Without another word, Aether opened a spatial rift, stepped through, and vanished.
"Ding~ Congratulations, Host, you've unlocked the achievement [Beating Up Your Brother-in-Law]. New skill unlocked: Divine Edict."
"Divine Edict: With my word, all creation listens. As a true god, when using this ability, your every word becomes truth, and reality bends to your command."
"Note: Currently, reality manipulation is limited to Teyvat. As your strength grows, so will the range and potency of this skill."
"This is...!" Akio's eyes widened in astonishment. Reality manipulation with mere words!
Good heavens! Such an overpowered ability actually appeared!
For now, this power was limited strictly to Teyvat—after all, he couldn't leave this world yet. But still, this was incredible.
"Heh, what 'Heavenly Principles'? From now on, I'll be the Heavenly Principles," Akio chuckled quietly to himself.
Seeing Miyuki approaching from a distance, Akio suddenly felt a twinge of unease.
The world was becoming increasingly dangerous—would mere immortal-level power really be enough to ensure his loved ones' safety?
Afflicted by a severe case of "insufficient firepower anxiety," Akio quickly made up his mind:
He would elevate every one of his beloved women into true goddesses.
"Miyuki! Come here," Akio called out warmly.
"Has Aether left?" Miyuki walked over, gently smiling.
"Yeah, don't worry about him," Akio said, taking her hand and immediately activating the Heart of Ultimate Resilience for her.
Next, the Pseudo-Herrscher Core of Ice appeared in Akio's hand, along with a giant, magnificent scythe. Its blade shimmered with icy blue, radiating freezing energy powerful enough to freeze all things. Countless snowflakes drifted from its edge.
As the Core of Ice merged into Miyuki's body, an overwhelming surge of energy erupted, breaking through her mortal limits instantly. With two Herrscher cores now within her, Miyuki ascended fully into the realm of gods.
A powerful blizzard engulfed the entire Grand Narukami Shrine for a brief moment before Miyuki quickly reined in her newfound power.
"What incredible strength..." Miyuki gasped softly, eyes wide with amazement.
"Miyuki, from now on, you're a genuine goddess," Akio smiled proudly. "Just like Makoto and Ei. Actually, even Makoto might not be able to match you now."
"Ah~ I could never fight Lady Makoto," Miyuki shook her head earnestly.
"Of course not. You're all my precious wings," Akio chuckled affectionately, handing her the enormous scythe.
This scythe was an item Akio had obtained from a sign-in reward after traveling back a thousand years—the "Skadi of Thrymheim," a powerful ice-elemental weapon originating from the Honkai universe.
After being upgraded by the system, its power had far surpassed even its original super-limited form.
"What a perfect weapon," Miyuki swung the scythe experimentally, her eyes lighting up with delight. It felt as if it had been crafted specifically for her.
"I never imagined you'd like scythes so much," Akio laughed warmly. "I was wondering what weapon to give you if you weren't fond of this type."
"No, I absolutely love it!" Miyuki hugged the Skadi close, clearly enamored with her new weapon.
"Then I'll teach you some scythe techniques," Akio smiled confidently. Ever since obtaining Fu Hua's mastery of all martial arts, he was proficient in every kind of weapon imaginable.
Thus, Akio spent the entire morning patiently instructing Miyuki in advanced scythe combat techniques.
It turned out Miyuki was truly gifted—going from a complete beginner to wielding the Skadi skillfully, adapting her movements fluidly, all within just a single morning.
"Darling, to master it fully, you'll still need lots of practice," Akio said gently, noticing Kamisato Ayaka standing quietly nearby, having arrived earlier that morning.
Ayaka had been quite surprised to see Miyuki wielding such a massive scythe. To see the gentle, mild-mannered shrine maiden swinging such a fearsome weapon, each strike filled with lethal intent, created a striking contrast.
"Hehe, Miyuki, let's spar together from now on," Ayaka suggested cheerfully. Now that Ayaka herself possessed both the Pseudo-Herrscher Cores of Ice and Flamescion, she too had reached godhood, her powers closely matching Miyuki's.
If the two of them regularly sparred, their combat abilities would undoubtedly soar.
"Sounds good," Miyuki nodded softly. While she wasn't particularly eager about fighting—preferring instead to cook delicious meals and keep their home cozy for Akio and the others—since Akio had entrusted her with such immense power, she'd diligently train and study it.
After all, when the day came for Akio to fight, she wanted to have the strength and qualification to stand proudly at his side.
A/N: Enjoying the story? Read 60+ chapters ahead on Patreon! Your support helps: Patreon.com/nneol