Whether the position carried authority or not didn't really matter.
The important thing was that he could send the bill to the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Wait… why did the thought of charging everything to the shrine make him so excited?
Could it be that he was the same type of freeloading social recluse as Zhongli?
Akira Shindo pondered this seriously.
Far away in Liyue, Zhongli—who was currently enjoying a performance at a teahouse—suddenly shivered.
For some reason, he felt as if someone was maliciously slandering him.
"But are you really going to trust me that easily?" Akira Shindo asked, looking at Yae Miko.
"The Chief Divine Priest sounds like a high-ranking official in Inazuma, right? And you're just handing the position to me?"
"Perhaps," Yae Miko nodded.
"I've always trusted my intuition. You seem like someone worth trusting."
The reason she could give this position to Akira Shindo wasn't just that small bit of trust.
More importantly—
The Chief Divine Priest held no real authority. The position carried neither military command nor administrative power.
"Hot soup coming through!"
At that moment, the server arrived carrying two clay pots.
"Guuji-sama, honored guest, this is our restaurant's newly developed soup. Please try it and give us your feedback."
"Oh?" Yae Miko's interest was instantly piqued.
She scooped up a spoonful and tasted it.
She was always eager to try new dishes.
"Well, Guuji-sama?" the server asked eagerly.
"Mmm~"
Yae Miko nodded in satisfaction.
"The soup is light yet rich in flavor. The minced meat is fresh, and the aroma of the vegetables is delightful."
"The broth is delicious and leaves a lingering aftertaste."
"I must say, it's quite excellent."
"Really? That's wonderful!"
The server beamed.
Yae Miko was notoriously picky when it came to food.
If even the Guuji praised it so highly, then the new recipe was clearly a success.
"It's true," Akira Shindo said after taking a sip, his eyes lighting up slightly.
"This might be one of the best soups I've ever had."
In his previous life, Akira Shindo's family had been extremely wealthy.
He had tasted many soups prepared at state-banquet level.
Even among those, this one could rank near the top.
Encouraged by the praise, the server happily brought out the rest of their dishes.
"So this is fried tofu?"
Looking at the tofu on the plate, Akira Shindo found its appearance quite appealing. Curious, he picked up a piece and took a bite.
"Erika's cooking is as wonderful as ever," Yae Miko said with narrowed eyes as she enjoyed her favorite dish.
"Well?" she asked, glancing at Akira Shindo.
"Isn't fried tofu the most delicious food?"
"Soft and juicy, perfectly cooked," Akira Shindo nodded in approval.
"It's truly a rare delicacy."
As a foodie, Akira Shindo generally preferred meat.
But fried tofu was undeniably delicious.
Then a strange thought crossed his mind.
He looked at Yae Miko curiously.
Wait a second…
Wasn't she a fox?
Why was her favorite food fried tofu?
Shouldn't she love meat?
Look at Kirara—even after taking human form, she still wanted to eat little sparrows.
Detected that the host has tasted Yae Miko's favorite food. Unlocking template: Body of Steel.
Current Body of Steel template is equivalent to a god-level body. It allows the host to ignore attacks below the level of gods and grants immense physical strength.
The system's voice sounded in his mind.
Akira Shindo felt a warm current flow through his body.
Immediately afterward, he sensed a massive increase in his physical durability.
"System… you're really… random," Akira Shindo muttered.
He hadn't expected that simply eating fried tofu would grant such an excellent reward.
This system truly appeared out of nowhere.
Although he already possessed the Herrscher of the Void template, giving him combat power comparable to a god…
The physical constitution of a Herrscher in Honkai still differed somewhat from the bodies of gods.
Now, with Body of Steel, that weakness had been completely eliminated.
"Hm?"
Yae Miko glanced sideways at him.
Just now, she had sensed an extremely powerful surge of energy emerging from Akira Shindo's body.
"Did you recover some of your power again?" she asked in surprise.
"Yes," Akira Shindo nodded.
With Body of Steel combined with the Herrscher of the Void's power, even if he faced the Raiden Shogun directly now, he wouldn't feel the slightest fear.
"I really envy you gods," Yae Miko sighed.
"Gaining power seems so easy for you."
Gods were born with strength that surpassed all other life.
Even the weakest god was far beyond the reach of ordinary beings.
But for creatures like her, power could only be gained through endless cultivation.
Even after a lifetime of effort, reaching the level of a god was still nearly impossible.
Akira Shindo shrugged.
That was true.
The power he gained had come far too easily.
The same could be said for many gods.
From the moment they were born, they already stood above all others.
Even without training, their power would grow naturally with time.
"But aren't you also a celestial fox?" Akira Shindo asked.
"That's different," Yae Miko shook her head.
"When I was young, I was just like the little foxes in the wilderness."
"A creature with barely any intelligence, enduring the wind and rain and being bullied by wild beasts."
"If I hadn't possessed the Hakushin bloodline and been taught by Lady Saiguu, I might have starved to death on some rainy day centuries ago."
As she said this, her expression dimmed slightly.
"Lady Saiguu…"
Akira Shindo watched the faint sadness on her face and suddenly thought of the backstory behind Kagura's Verity.
Behind Yae Miko's playful and mischievous personality lay five hundred years of loneliness.
The great calamity of Inazuma had left her as the only remaining descendant of the Hakushin bloodline.
The seniors and friends she once had all left her one by one.
Perhaps her love of stories—and her mischievous nature—
were simply shields hiding her sorrow and solitude.
Ding~
I am the black that leads to hell! I am the white that descends from heaven! Born before creation, existing after annihilation.
Congratulations, host! Weapon unlocked: Abyss Flower.
Congratulations, host! S-Rank Template unlocked: Herrscher of Life and Death.
"!"
Akira Shindo shot to his feet instantly.
The Herrscher of Life and Death?
A being that possessed the absolute authorities of creation and annihilation.
If the Herrscher of the Void represented ultimate destructive power—
Then the Herrscher of Life and Death symbolized life and death themselves.
With this power, Akira Shindo would possess absolute control over life.
"What's wrong?" Yae Miko asked, puzzled by his sudden reaction.
"Miko, head back to the Grand Narukami Shrine first," Akira Shindo said quickly.
"I need to verify something."
"I'll come find you at the shrine shortly."
"Wait."
Yae Miko suddenly grabbed his arm and placed a map into his hand.
"I know you're a god, but still… be careful."
"I'll be waiting for you at the shrine."
Yae Miko understood when to advance and when to step back.
Seeing how urgent Akira Shindo seemed, she knew something must have happened. Naturally, she wouldn't follow.
"Alright."
Akira Shindo nodded.
The next moment—
He vanished from the spot, instantly warping through space to the coastline.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.