"The light of the Divine One shines upon all followers! Would you like to join us in worshiping the Deity? They are the most merciful of all gods, a towering presence who delivers all beings from suffering and misfortune, bringing peace and happiness! Fate may be unjust, but the Divine One can change destiny..."
The shrine maiden Miroku stepped forward with a serene smile as she watched the expression on Kocho Kanae's face.
Having left the Land of Demons some time ago, she had already seen this kind of bewildered reaction many times.
Oh, lost girl from another world!
Become a follower of the Divine One. Spread Their light to every corner of your foreign realm!
...
"If I believe in this Divine One… will they help their followers?"
Kanae quickly sheathed her Nichirin Blade as Miroku approached.
She glanced nervously toward the reclining figure on the lounge chair, who, with just a snap of their fingers, summoned fresh chairs from the ground, sculpted from living vines—this was the so-called "Divine One."
Pressing her lips together, Kanae struggled to form her request.
Or rather, she didn't even know if the Divine One would respond to her hopes at all.
After all, her world wasn't lacking in temples or statues of deities.
Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima was as devout a monk as could be.
But she had never seen a god—truly high above all—show mercy or respond to those who worshiped them day after day.
...
"If a greedy sluggard seeks riches, they will only find greater hardship. If an evil soul seeks to enslave others, they will only end up in chains. The Divine One will listen to your story, but whether They help you depends on whether you are worthy of that help."
Miroku's gentle smile radiated a holiness that somehow felt warm and inviting instead of distant or cold.
She turned toward the one lying lazily on the vine-made lounge chair and called out again.
"Divine One~ could I have two chairs? The hanging basket kind, if you please!"
No sooner had her words left her lips—
Vines burst from beneath Miroku's feet and swiftly wove themselves into two beautifully designed hanging chairs, complete with tiny green leaves swaying gently on the frame. They looked incredibly comfortable.
"Thank you, Divine One~"
With a sweet laugh, Miroku gave a graceful curtsy toward Yamanaka Shinno before smoothing out her skirt and seating herself on the basket chair.
"T-Thank you… Divine One."
Kanae blinked in disbelief, then quickly followed suit.
Wait a second...
Is this how your deity normally behaves?
Not only can you ask for a chair—but even the design and type?
And the god actually grants the request?
Even if Miroku is a formal shrine maiden, a medium who offers both body and soul to channel the Divine One's will… this was still way too…
Kanae swallowed hard and awkwardly sat down on the other hanging chair, clearly still unsure whether this was a dream or reality.
...
On the other side—
Kushina stretched with a loud yawn and reclined sideways on her own vine lounge chair, glancing toward Tsunade and Teresa.
When Tsunade had gone over earlier, Teresa had finally snapped out of her illusion.
And only now, no longer focused on Teresa's injuries or origin, did Kushina notice—
Her eyes were a striking, silvery hue, dazzling and rare.
There was a seductive beauty to the way they shimmered in the light.
What gorgeous eyes…
...
"So… you were fighting that Number Two—Rafaela, right? Then suddenly got hit by a spatial distortion, lost focus, and she punched a hole in your chest?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow and turned toward Yamanaka Shinno, her expression unreadable.
"Yes," Teresa replied evenly. "My heart was removed. Then my body got hit by a second spatial blast. Next thing I knew, I woke up here."
Her tone was calm as ever, but there was a trace of warmth in her words now—a subtle show of goodwill.
All because Tsunade had heard she'd killed a few bandits and immediately spat out,
"Good! They deserved it!"
The Organization Teresa came from had strict, unbending rules.
As one of the Claymores, she was forbidden from harming ordinary humans.
Her peers—Numbers Two, Three, and Four—couldn't understand why she would break the code and kill mere bandits. Some even saw her as unforgivable.
The Organization had issued a kill order on her.
She had wrestled with guilt and doubt.
But after that near-death experience… remembering those humans again…
She still couldn't forgive them.
...
Tsunade glanced toward Shinno, her expression blank.
So that's why this woman had nearly every organ replaced and somehow lived through it.
Somebody thought it was their fault and yanked her back from the Pure Land by force!
...
"Hey now, it's not like I meant to! She just happened to bump into me. Call it good luck! If not for the spatial rift, she would've been diced up by Rafaela—hand first, then head."
Shinno rolled his eyes with a sigh.
Teresa didn't argue. She simply glanced toward the portal to her world, her silver eyes filled with worry.
Technically, Rafaela should've been too proud to attack the weak.
But once she awakened…
...
"Whew—she was hiding behind a rock by the gate, waiting to ambush me! That was way too close!"
Jiraiya came stumbling out of the portal with Rafaela slung over his shoulder—wings outstretched, a horn jutting from her forehead.
Right when he'd stepped out, she'd gone for his neck with a massive blade.
If he hadn't powered up recently thanks to his loving wife…
Seriously, she almost got him!
Still, despite her absurd physical prowess, her illusion resistance was surprisingly weak.
She couldn't even resist a B-rank genjutsu before collapsing!
...
"Is she strong?" Orochimaru asked, setting down Dōma and turning his gaze toward the injured creature.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted a small figure clutching Jiraiya's clothes.
The child looked eleven or twelve. Her expression was numb, and she gripped both Jiraiya's robe and a massive blade she dragged behind her with great effort.
Wait...
"Clare!"
Teresa's silver eyes lit up with an unprecedented gleam. She struggled to rise from the ground.
"Teresa?!"
The girl dragging the giant sword looked up in shock, eyes wide.
Seeing Teresa still alive, she dropped both Jiraiya's robe and her sword and sprinted toward her with everything she had.
Even when she tripped and fell hard to the ground, she didn't stop.
She clawed her way up and kept running, finally throwing herself into Teresa's arms—arms that still radiated warmth and that familiar scent.
And then, she sobbed.
Teresa had given her everything.
Hope in despair. A reason to live.
If Teresa had died…
"Ahhh… hhhhhh…"
Teresa cradled the weeping Clare gently. Her expression softened as her tears rolled freely down her cheeks.
...
"huh…"
Shinno watched the pair embrace and let out a small smile, resting his head against his arms and closing his eyes.
Two lonely, tormented souls.
Clinging to each other. Comforting one another. Saving each other.
Moments like these always made him feel as if his own heart, too, could be healed.
Of course...
If only Jiraiya weren't there to ruin the mood.
...
"Purely in terms of physical prowess? Insanely strong. But come on, you know how strong I am! Hahaha~"
Jiraiya grinned as his wife shot him a look that screamed "Idiot."
He thumped his chest proudly.
"Idiot."
Orochimaru gave him a withering look and pointed at the unconscious Dōma.
"Okay, okay."
Jiraiya slung Dōma over his other shoulder and meekly followed behind Orochimaru.
Was that an insult?
No way!
That was totally a loving nickname!
The kind of teasing only a devoted wife would give her dear husband!
...
"Shinno-kun, if you find more of these fascinating specimens in the future, do let me know early."
Orochimaru gave a wave toward the lazy god flopped in his chair, twisting her waist in a gesture equal parts flirtation and dismissal.
Then she turned and stepped back toward the portal leading to the world of the Hokage.
New species. New energy systems. From other worlds.
Her current research backlog was starting to pile up...
Ah, what a wonderful problem to have.
...
"Sure, sure."
Shinno waved lazily after her.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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