Hearing Raikou and Martha praise an old man so highly piqued Hitomi's curiosity.
She knew the true identities of Raikou and Martha.
Both were legendary heroes etched in history.
Especially Raikou—Hitomi had always assumed the historical Raikou was a towering, heroic man.
Yet, she was a refined woman.
This only deepened Hitomi's admiration. For a woman to leave such a grand legacy in history spoke volumes of her prowess.
Now, someone of Raikou's caliber was praising an old man…
Hitomi couldn't help but ask, "Just how strong is that old man?"
Raikou thought for a moment and said, "If I had met him in my lifetime, I'm not sure I could have defeated him."
Hitomi gasped. "That powerful?"
Raikou was, after all, the one who vanquished a host of yokai, including Shuten Doji.
Yet she said she might not be able to beat an old man.
Wasn't that a bit too outrageous?
Hana, equally shocked, said, "Is that old man really that impressive?"
Martha replied, "Even more so than you can imagine. The heroes of this era haven't disappointed me. I'm truly looking forward to facing them in the tournament."
At that moment, Morpheus spoke up. "Actually, even if you don't face them in the tournament, it's fine. They're martial arts masters from Ryozanpaku. If you want to spar, you can visit their dojo."
Martha, however, countered, "Sparring can't compare to real combat. True battles demand giving your all, using every means to defeat your opponent."
"In such a fight, we stake our lives. That's what makes it exhilarating."
Morpheus rolled his eyes. "I didn't say you couldn't fight for your lives. Even if you accidentally kill them, I can revive them."
Martha was taken aback. "Boss, you've even mastered resurrection?"
Morpheus nodded. "Just recently."
It was only after becoming a Magic God that he gained the ability to bring the dead back to life.
Even so, the revelation stunned everyone.
After exiting the elevator, the group gathered in Morpheus's room.
He had booked several rooms, but since it wasn't evening yet, everyone preferred to stick close to him.
After setting down their luggage, Morpheus glanced at the sky. It was still early, so he suggested, "How about we explore Kyoto?"
The idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm.
"Sounds great!" Hana was the first to respond, followed by Miko, Martha, Medusa, Medea, Oda Nobunaga, and the others.
And so, the group left the hotel together, stepping onto the streets of Kyoto.
"This is the modern Heian-kyo," Oda Nobunaga said, a nostalgic expression crossing her face as she walked.
Back in her time, after defeating Yoshimoto Imagawa's army at the Battle of Okehazama and rising to fame, she proclaimed her goal of "Tenka Fubu" and marched on Kyoto, supporting the last shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, Yoshiaki Ashikaga.
She gradually gained control of Kyoto.
Later, she set her sights on unifying all of Japan, breaking through the "Nobunaga Encirclement" Twice, defeating powerful rival daimyo one by one, and seizing over half of Japan's territory.
What audacity and freedom that was.
She had believed she would unify the land, becoming the true ruler of Heian-kyo and all of Japan.
Who could have foreseen that Mitsuhide Akechi would betray her at the Honno-ji Incident, shattering her dreams?
Of course, Mitsuhide didn't fare much better.
In the end, it was that monkey, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who claimed the land.
How ironic.
Like Nobunaga, Raikou walked the streets of Kyoto with a nostalgic look.
She, too, was a native of Heian-kyo.
Though modern Kyoto bore little resemblance to Heian-kyo, with its towering skyscrapers, modern buildings, and single-family homes, traces of the ancient capital lingered.
Through certain structures, Morpheus glimpsed the once-thriving Heian-kyo.
In contrast, Miko, Hana, Medea, Medusa, Karna, Saeko Busujima, and Hitomi, who had never been to Kyoto, explored with relish.
Laughter and chatter filled the air.
Finally, the group made a special visit to Kiyomizu-dera.
Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto's most famous landmark and one of its oldest temples, had been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. Its iconic Kiyomizu Stage, a suspended platform in front of the main hall, was a national treasure.
Surrounded by lush greenery, it was a renowned spot for cherry blossom viewing in spring and maple foliage in autumn.
Perched on a hillside in eastern Kyoto, it offered a panoramic view of the city. The elevated platform, supported by massive pillars, was one of Japan's iconic landmarks.
Notably, the Kiyomizu Stage, extending from the main hall, was a defining feature of the temple.
This wooden structure, thirteen meters above the ground, was built without a single nail.
Such architecture wasn't uncommon in this land, so Morpheus didn't marvel like the others.
The main hall enshrined Kannon, the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva.
When Morpheus entered, he glanced at the statue.
It indeed carried a strong aura of incense.
But there was no trace of Kannon's presence.
This suggested that Kannon's incarnation had not descended to this temple.
In this chaotic, stitched-together world, gods undoubtedly existed.
Yet, a temple dedicated to Kannon lacked her incarnation.
Something was amiss.
Perhaps Kannon disdained this place.
Or maybe she deemed it unworthy.
Morpheus didn't know. He had no connection with Kannon and couldn't fathom her thoughts.
After all, he hadn't yet dealt with the myriad gods of this world.
The only mythological figure he'd interacted with wasn't a god.
It was the Satan Lucifer.
Even then, Morpheus hadn't met Lucifer directly, only communicating through Sirzechs and Serafall.
Behind the main hall was the Jishu Shrine, with two large stones in front. Beyond that was the Okunoin, whose terrace was smaller than the main hall's.
Below the main hall lay the famous Otowa Waterfall.
Its clear, ceaseless waters were divided into three streams, each said to grant miraculous powers: longevity, wisdom, and health.
Visitors were encouraged to drink from it.
The spring, ranked among Japan's top ten, gave Kiyomizu-dera its name.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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