Tengoku-seki [Item Css: Legendary] [Item Type: Law]
This miraculous item is fed from the principles of multi-dimensional spad Cultivation teiques, f a small, sealed pocket of space which is invisible to the outside world. Based on the now-defunct Sessho-seki, the Cultivation Teiques employed here are the works of a child as pared to an adult, but with other crafts and great uanding of the stifiature of alternate non-Euclidean space, a facsimile was created on a smaller scale for a different purpose.
Trapped within, Heavenly Purifying Lightning and Chaotids are sealed by potent Id Spatial Elements and ied within the being of a spiritless Fae creature. These Elements be nurtured and grown by filling the Tengoku-seki, which allows passage in very specific ways, so supplying suitable Elements will prevent the dissipation of these Elements. The shell, formed from a mysterious Klein Bottle, is specially desigo magnify Adherend allow it to be collected.
The Heavens do not approve of such disrespect, and the fury of a Tribution is not to be mocked. The Tengoku-seki is fragile, and if overloaded, the Elements within will break free, and that which is hidden shall be revealed…
“Damn, it’s good. Everything I hoped…” I muttered, quickly sing the description of the item. Bjarki, his hands and arms little more than burned bones held together by mere sinew and willprimaced suddenly, coughing blood, though his eyes were feverish as he gazed at the small orb in my hand.
“It’n be dohen? I see… I see. Beautiful!”
“You damn fool.” I pined. Grabbing Bjarki by the shoulder with my free hand, I quickly started Ether Healing, aher surged from me, reknitting his flesh, sealing burns. His ruined hands flexed, and Bjarki let out a deep ugh.
“A fool? Aye, we Dvergr are fools f’but three things, ye ken? A tankard of ale, a o’gold, and stly, a mighty craft. And this’n… it be mighty indeed, aye? The sort that even Ivaldi would approve of.”
“I don’t know about that. It’s turned out how I hoped…” I replied as I brought Bjarki out of danger. I then turo the other injured smiths and regeed their lost fingers and other small injuries. While I was doing that, Hyath had trotted over to me, mopping my sweat and f words of praise for my efforts, while Shiro observed the em with i, one of her eyes a brilliant crimson, showing Tan was watg too.
“…but of course, it’s all theoretical.” I expined further. “Sure, I saw a lot of the Formations of the Sessho-seki, but my Cultivation talents are modest. But what I have noticed, from seeing those, and talking with Daiyu, as well as seeing the other Formation Ptes we have…”
“Got it.” Shiro had uood. “It’s a lot like programming, isn’t it? In a nguage we don’t really get, but heless, I know that Hayato and the gang have noticed as well and pn to run a lot of superputer time on it.”
“Yeah, it’s o put my degree and job to some use.” I snorted, tinuing to finish the remaining healing. “It’s not overly useful in battle, but… when it es to this sort of thing, and crafting… it helps to think logically ahodically. As well as to build a system that does what we want from first principles. Crafting seems to follow a simir process too.”
“From what I’ve seen, it’s ly that simple. Even if we don’t know what we’re doing, aether solves everything.” Shiro shook her head. “Although…”
“Yes, it is quite-quite true that many miracles be wrought with power.” Shaeu agreed. “I have experiehis myself, with-with the wind, but… it is not-not wise to merely rely on brute force. Power has limits, and greater feats require escation.”
“Exactly.” I agreed, having finished saving the maimed hands of er craftsmen. “I know I didn’t get this perfect, but I got it close enough, thanks to what I had to work with, to make things happen. It’s left me draihough. Although fortunately…” Eri was supplyih aether through Lovers’ Link, which should be enough to tide me over. Shaeu’s done what she , minimising my needed efforts, so it’s time to switch.
Thanking Eri in my thoughts and receiving an amused warning to not work too hard in response, I handed over the Tengoku-seki to Shaeu. She took it in her hands, looking at it almost reverently, while I sat down beside the silent, observant Tamamo-no-Mae, and the frail, pale Nebisuki. “Be very careful with it.” I warned. “It’s a tig time bomb in some respects, but you’re the perfee to feed it, sidering it’s mostly lightning and wind we’re trying to harvest.”
Shaeu’s eyes glowed amber, and she winced, a sickly frown crossing her features. Blinking, she narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of it all, before nodding. “I uand. Caution is something I do-do excel at!” she boasted, and Shiro snorted.
“Sure you do. What do you think, Hyath?”
Hyath froze, unwilling to criticise Shaeu, and her silver-violet eyes swam with uainty, before she decided discretion was the better part of valour. “I think that Akiooo should rest. You are w toooooo hard, Hyath is worried about you!” She had mopped my sweat, and was gazing at me with tender , though her g Bjarki and the others, whose injuries had required me to attend to them, were noticeably less warm.
“It’s fine. I’ll have plenty of time to rest on my trips abroad, hopefully.” I assured her, patting her head, which made her flush and giggle. “A lot of travelling, mainly, and some diplomacy. While I’ll try and keep my Astral body here as long as I , once I for something, you’ll have to do without me for the rest of the time.”
“We shall manage.” Shaeu promised, extending a faint trickle of vivid lightning into the Tengoku-seki, a merest whisper of power, judging the effect. “After all, even though we have-have many itments, what use would we be if we could not-not protect everything in your absence, is that not-not correct?”
Hyath nodded fiercely. “Indeed, I have been cooking in my pooot, any foe will be reduced to dust and rooot!”
“That’s rather poetic.” Shiro sniggered. “Scary too. But yeah, leave it to us, Aki. Besides…” She gnced over at the two foxes, and lowered her voice a little, though if she genuinely didn’t wish them to hear, she’d have takeions. “…even if the oning disaster happens, this time we’ve taken every avaible safety measure. Everyone knows what to do, even the Ministry has a broadcast ready. Britain’s been informed and stands ready. Just let us ha. You think you have to go, so just go.”
“Irust us and we shall prove-prove worthy of it.” Shaeu nodded fiercely. “Besides, did we not-not rescue this fox? Uranai did predict she would help, no?”
For the first time in a while, Tamamo-no-Mae spoke. She had sat in silence as Shaeu had ministered to her severe spiritual injuries, but now her bushy tails twitched. “Me? I fear you are being rather optimistic, little Kamaitachi. I may be the proud ailed fox, but… I am barely myself. The Kudan are wise ahe strands of what may be and what should be, but… even they are far from infallible.”
“No kidding. Else I should be dead.” I agreed. “Nebisuki, you wait a while? I’d like to take a look at Tamamo-no-Mae first.”
“Of course.” The now two-tailed fox sighed, her lone leg kig restlessly. “I am a patient woman, I have always been prepared to wait. pared to realms where time moves like droplets of pitch, endlessly slow… I ehough…” She looked at me, her expression teasing. “…I would greatly appreciate it if I too could taste the pleasures of the mortal realm while I recuperate, just as dear grandmother has. After all, I sacrificed for you, did I not?”
“Actually, you sacrificed for your own be.” Shiro pointed out shrewdly. “And don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, trying to win Aki’s pity and affe. You think you’re worth his love?”
“When in my prime? Certainly!” Nebisuki nodded fiercely, not bag down. Her grandmother looked at her, the detat in her eyes fading a little, and the younger Kitsune tinued. “I know you hardly care for me, daughter of Urakaze…” Shaeu that, so Nebisuki tinued. “…I indeed see why, though just because I have had… acquaintance… with some of your family before is no reason to spurn me. We all have pasts. It is the now and the future that matters. I am not as fickle as grandmother…”
“Fickle? It is simply so few were my equals or worth my effort.” Tamamo-no-Mae sneered. “And few of those that were liked me overmuch, or were to my tastes. Nurarihyon took little Seirei to wife, and he is… surprisingly loyal.”
“As he should be.” I nodded, remembering the strange ses inside his Territory, and the small doll he had given his love to. In terms of power, she’s a good match. Her ability to make wishes reality, even limited, still leaves me sweating. “I sometimes feel he’s a better man than me, but… this is for the best. I know I make everyone happy, so I will.”
As my Eye shone, peering deep into the ruin that was her spiritual body, Tamamo-no-Mae curled her lip, and tinued. “Strength is appealing, there is no question of that. But just strength abhors me. ōtakemaru and Shuten Dōji are both arrogant and boorish, though there is a certain savour in being… overpowered.” She g me then, her green eyes shining nigh-imperceptibly. “But few . Not without base trickery, like that worthless monk. But…” her expression turned sombre. “…I did have a few who I… cared for. All gone now, no doubt.”
“Not necessarily. We’ll know soon.” I promised, thinking of Su Caihong and her daughter, likely dead in the frozen north. But she put everything int to preserve their lives. And this Sekka is supposedly on the same level as many of the top Numbers of the Hyakki Yagyō. There’s still hope.
“The issue is, nooobody who Akio chooses may take any others.” Hyath said firmly. She was rather fasated by the Tengoku-seki, and was gng over at it, faint sparks of purple rising from her, matg the colour of her eyes. Of course. She’s unlocked a brief taste of spatial element, after all, having been making Ring Gates. Quickly measuring her growth, I smiled. Hyath is right. Just like the Myids, she punches way above her weight in terms of devastatiructive power, and even without that, she’s reached the same level of raw power as Shaeu, even if she has much lower flexibility and utility. It’s hard to use her properly, but anyone who attacks us will regret it!
Hyath
Noble Grey Fae
Space, Light, Darkness and Wood Aspect
[Material Statistics]
[Intangible Statistics]
Might
856 1156 +30
Fortune
5 7 +1
Fortitude
877 1174 +30
Majesty
2 +1
Intellect
765 1030 +30
Charm
9 13 +1
Resilience
781 1043 +30
League
11 16 +1
Acrity
916 1176 +30
Determination
10 15 +1
Precision
893 1165 +30
Fht
6 8 +1
Aether
2369 2879 +30
Fate
4 6 +1
[Material Skills]
Rank
Css
Type
[Aetheric Skills]
Silver Cord
Rank 4 Rank 5
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Eight Moons Chakra work
Rank 5
Noble (5)
Rule (5)
Aether Manipution
Rank 3 Rank 4
Suffit (3) Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Weal And Woe
Rank 3
Noble (5)
Artifice (6)
Ether Healing
Rank 3
Rank 4
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
[Elemental Skills]
Space Manipution
Rank 1
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Chakra Of Space
Rank 2
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Light Manipution
Rank 4
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Third Eye Chakra Of Light
Rank 3
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Darkness Manipution
Rank 5
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Throat Chakra Of Darkness
Rank 4 Rank 5
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Wood Manipution
Rank 8 Rank 9
Noble (5)
Rule (5)
Root And Sacral Chakras Of Wood
Rank 6 Rank 7
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Lunar Chakra Of Wood, Space, Light And Darkness
Rank 3
Imperious (6)
Rule (5)
[Intangible Skills]
[Unique Skills]
Sporecaster
Rank 6 Rank 8
Imperious (6)
Principle (7)
Blessings Of Home
Rank 4 Rank 5
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Curses Of Home
Rank 4
Powerful (4)
Foundation (4)
Lovers' Link
Rank 7 Rank 9
Noble (5) Imperious (6)
Artifice (6)
[Level]
84/104
100/163
[Css]
Great Darkness, Light And Nature/Wood Grey Fae 18/20
True Space, Light, Darkness and Wood Grey Fae 2/30
Walking Pgue 11/20 15/20
Pledged One 8/20
Dweller In Twilight 5/10 6/10
[Mastered Css]
Darkness and Wood Fae 10/10
Great Darkness, Light and Wood Grey Fae 20/20
Pledged One 10/10
Her nature element has settled on being called wood element now. Or rather that’s what my Eye has done. Is that merely a terminology ge, or something more fual? It’s wood element for me and for Asha, and as well as fbō, so…
“I believe I uand.” Asha spoke up quietly. She was rather self-effag most of the time, blending into the background, much as her Tree did, though that was a habit I wished she’d break. After all, she was going to be the mother of my children, and I cared deeply for her. “The past affects us, but… it is not who we are now. I… have many sorrows and shames. I… sometimes still feel unworthy of living on.” Seeing me ready to fort her she waved a hand, shaking her head, long red hair casg like an auburn waterfall. “I know. I have much to live for now, least of all my fallen sisters. But even these sweet months hardly erase the many long years of my past. This woman, Nebisuki… she has done much, but… wishes to turn over a new leaf?” She made the ped pun sound charming.
“Maybe so, but… it’s different for men and women.” Shiro interjected, troubled. “It’s not fair, and I hate that biased shit. But it’s how the world sees it. A man like Aki, having lots of lovers… sure, there’ll always be those who don’t like it, call him shameless…” She smirked, raising one hand, whispering loudly and mock-spiratorially. “…which our Aki most certainly is, just ask Eleanor. But… there are a lot of guys who’ll be jealous and respect him. Like Yasu, or David. But if the tables were turned… if say you or I had eleven male lovers, Asha, we’d just be seen as a loose woman, a slut. Now…” Her hand forestalled me again. “Aki, I don’t have any i in a you, so don’t even say it. Nobody here does. But you struggle with the unfairoo. Nobody has to e to you a virgin, that’s sexist crap, and while most of us did, maybe all of us…” She gnced sideways for a sed, before shaking her head. “…if I’d have dated around a little beforehand, you wouldn’t have minded, would you Aki? You’d still have wanted me, to help me, to love me?”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s only natural. Not everyone finds love first go. And I don’t think women have to be spotlessly chaste, waiting for the one…”
“The issue is… when someone has been around way too much. I mean, Tamamo-no-Mae is famous for it, and you’re er, Nebisuki.” Shiro pointed out.
“I am desirable, and I have my appetites. But… I am not disloyal.” Nebisuki insisted. “A firm hand keep me captivated as long as a strong, handsome man wishes. Be that a night, a moon, a year, a tury or… forever.”
“Maybe so, but it’s hard fuys to like a woman far more experiehan they are, and… well, Hayato wouldn’t be so crass, but… Shugo and Yasu… they’d probably think Aki was being a fool…”
Nebisuki drooped her ears, looking hurt, though I wasn’t sure if it was an act or her genuine feelings. Despite that, it was actually Shaeu who spoke up. “I do not-not care for loose females. Be it that foolish Bakeneko, or you.” She scowled, and Nebisuki managed a wry smile. “But I do uand wishing for Akio. That-that is simply, surely the natural state of any wise female. My brother, perhaps my father… well, do you still pine for them, fox?”
“Hardly.” Nebisuki shrugged. “I son my Number in the Parade, may Grand Nurarihyon drown me in his dark waters if I lie… I have given that up. I wish to live, to grow stronger, and if I must be a tamed pet, give my name, croud lick his feet, offer myself I shall do so. It… seems a rather sweet prison.” She licked her lips. “And dear grandmother seems to have little other choice.”
“My father, Orion…” Asha mused. “He and the noble Queen Ariel, their love lives are the stuff of whispered mirth and wonder about the Court. Powerful men and women do as they please, but… to have the strength to force such to yield…”
“That is it precisely.” Nebisuki sniggered. “If you could be the man to stop our errant ways, finally make ho women of us… while yes, fools may scoff, deride you… the wise would know it proves your strength, your desirability, that you are the man who yoked, tamed suen, made them yours and yours alohose who know would ud you as the greatest of men.”
“All right, enough of that.” I ged the subjeot wishing to dwell on it. I’m a normal guy, it’s somethi-warming to think that I’m the only man a girl’s ever been with, but… I’m also not enough of a hypocrite to make a big deal out of it. But… Tamamo-no-Mae… I mean, even my fide handling her isn’t high… “Shaeu, you did a good job stabilising them and repairing surface-level damage. But…”
“My Skills need work.” Shaeu admitted wistfully. “I have so-so little time, and you have surpassed me before I k. However…” She gri Hyath, her fellow Pledged One. ”…we do have many-many advantages. What you know, we learn also, in time. Now proceed, and I shall observe.” She was still trig in lightning element to the Tengoku-seki, but her eyes were on me and my Chirurgery now.
“True. I think I made breakthroughs in Spatial Perception because you already paved the way for me. Anyway…” I looked at Tamamo-no-Mae seriously. “Putting aside yranddaughter and her flirty eies, which don’t work, may I add, as I still find it hard tive her over nearly getting Eri killed or worse…” As Nebisuki made an apologetioise, looking deliberately pitiful, I ignored her. “…I’m n to cim you. I know your suffering, thanks to you making it abundantly clear…” My lips curled into a wry smile at that, and I couldn’t help but shudder at the remembered agonies. “…so long as you’re here, I think that Uranai’s words will be true. That’ll be enough for repayment.”
“You think so?” Tamamo-no-Mae studied me calmly for a long while, before turning tranddaughter.
“Is he a fool, little Hana?” she said at st, and as I gently began the arduous task of ref her melted Chakras aworks one by one, she shivered. They’re rgely destroyed, so I expect she’ll suffer a great loss of strength, even with my help, I’m not a God, or a miracle worker. But then she’s also retained her core League and massive aether reserves, so perhaps over time if I renew her she’ll naturally return to her peak? If so, are we talking months, years or even longer? Unless I think of a suitable solution, she might have to rebuild from a low ebb. Damn it, I really didn’t want this to be the sario where you recruit a boss character and they are o hell when they bee pyable…
Shaeu, Shiro, Hyath… everyone was ughing at me, even Asha c her mouth with one hand.
“Little Hana?” Nebisuki ughed. “So you remember? As for your question, he is undoubtedly a huge fool. But his foolishness is ho. And… though he did it because of my words pig at his is, as Uranai no doubt intended, I but think that some part of his desperate attempts to save you were for me.”
“You think it.” Shiro agreed. “We all think things that might not be true if it makes us feel more appreciated, better loved.”
“And so I will.” Nebisuki snorted, agreeing. “Also… I am also not the only enemy here, who wishes to be a friend now. That again speaks well to his strength, grandmother. Any fool crush enemies, sughter foes, but only those who are destio rule, who have true power, make enemies not only yield, but beg to be a part of his world.”
“Like Nurarihyon, and his Hyakki Yagyō…” Tamamo-no-Mae mused, before letting out a bitter, indrawn hiss. “Careful, that burns. Treat a beautiful woman with far more care. Have a delicate touch!” She g the others. “You should teach him how to handle us. I am not … that.” She the Tengoku-seki. The craftsmen and Bjarki were bringing out observation tools, but were careful not to bother Shaeu, instead chattering eagerly amongst themselves, paring ideas, not even listening to our versation. Makes a ge. This time when we’re having an embarrassing talk in publiobody’s even listening…
“No, I am Tamamo-no-Mae, I believe.” Her words were bitter. “I still have my memories, enough of them, I suppose, distant, fn though they seem to me. Only a few motes sparkle, bring me aion. But I am still the greatest seductress of the East. From the great empires of the Shang dynasty, through Tianzhu, the nd called Ind, and then these isles, I have been the woman all men have dreamed of bedding, all women wished to be as beautiful as, all who sought power envied. At least treat me so!”
“She’s… pouting?” Shiro cocked her head, sn with ughter. “Damn me, Aki’s a natural. I still don’t get how he could have ged so. I o speak to Aiko and Eri more. Find out just how this all started, and how he kept it hidden for so long.”
As Shaeu ughingly agreed, I sighed. “Mock all you want. Sorry, Tamamo-no-Mae…”
“Call me Mae. My true is unpleasant now I am so weak.”
“Mae then. I may have saved you, but… I did it for selfish reasons. But… I also don’t mean to treat you without due care and attention. It’s just…” I paused then. When she had pared herself to the Tengoku-seki, I had an idea. And it’s a truly terrifying, dangerous idea.
Looking at the Skill gains I had achieved, I had gained a new Skill, Calcutive Predis, which had rapidly risen, reag Rank 3 in the blink of a was one Ixitt made great use of, and I suspected Bjarki may have possessed as well, as it seemed to be akin to insight for a craftsman.
This Skill increases the ability of the bearer to perform plicated mathematid simutions in areas of natural w, such as material stressravity, propulsion, and other aspects of physid chemistry. It allows a limited predictive model to be created to test theories and applications of the sces mentally, though this is limited by the knowledge the bearer already possesses. In addition, biological and spiritual bodily processes you have uanding of be simuted. [Css: Powerful] [Type: Artifice]
I had also gained several Rank-ups in my crafting Skills, with Crude ???????? Crafting having finally bee simply ???????? Crafting and reag Rank 3. In addition, Shapercraft had jumped two Ranks from 3 to 5, Dvergr Crafting had finally risen to Rank 3, aher and Adherence Crafting had both increased, to Rank 8 and Rank 4 respectively. The gains had beeacur, but the question as to why was more important, and judging by some of the bes I received, in addition to the usual better, more effit crafts, I uood.
Basically, I ow create an item effect within an uing spiritual or material body using Shapercraft, and the flow of aether, elements, adherend ???????? be promoted and strengthened. And while most of the description of ???????? Crafting is obscured by the usual bevy of question marks, oelling point seems to be repairing the spirit through the fual aspects of ????????. I could only think of one reason these abilities had strengthened.
“…look, I’ll be ho with you, Mae. You’re very damaged. I mean, it’d be impossible for you to be unharmed, the monk was draining you dry, shredding you apart slowly, all those years.” She nodded bitterly, and I tinued. “But I’m fident I fix you to the state that you’ll stop hurting at the least, though using your League aher will still damage you again, and you’ll be weaker than yranddaughter, for certain. Much weaker.”
“Oh, how the tables have turned, grandmother. If I was not such a mutited, tail-shorn desdant, I would turn you over my knee and spank you for your terrible attitude.” She snorted a ugh as she met her grandmring eyes. “No, I suppose I would not. I too uand the bitterness of long years of yearning.”
“Go on.” Tamamo-no-Mae turned from Nebisuki to me. “I am wise, and I may have lost muy strength and will, but none of my ing. I hear a but in your words.”
“Right.” I agreed. Everyone was listening raptly to me now, and I could feel a hread of Fht chiming. This o wasn’t overtly dangerous, but… it tangled with the threat I could feel looming, and perhaps the deade here would have great influence, food or ill. “Yeah, I’m fident I allow you to fun, and you might slowly recover, you’re strong, after all. But… that could take lohan you’d like. A lot longer, but…”
The ailed fox wasn’t the only one who snorted, Shiro rolled her eyes and mouthed something to Shaeu, who ughed.
“Here it is then. Many sought favours from me. Some few I granted. Mostly, it went poorly. I did not like being badgered, boy.” Mae sniffed.
“I know. Look… you’re… actually wrong. You are like the Tengoku-seki… or you could be.” It wasn’t that risky, at least, in terms of failure, or so I assumed. It’s bining Chirurgery aher Healing with Shapercraft and also… other crafting Skills. Using her as a material, though we’ll also need… huh, yeah, that’ll work. I ran some Calcutive Predis, and my Eye also guided me. Okay, now I really think I’m a cheat protagonist. The synergy with all these Skills is broken.
I asked Bjarki and his smiths to fetch me a signifit amount of bluesteel, as well as a number of other preaterials. On the jouro Kyoto, which was drawing ever closer, I stopped looking at physics, and instead was cheg out surgical procedures and medical equipment, searg for what I needed. I then offered my solution.
“If you could trust me, a me craft you… I believe I fix the worst of your wounds. It wouldn’t be perfect, but if dht… it’d be like pacemakers, artificial body parts, medical gauzes that help veins and arteries regrow as a scaffold then dissolve away… I think your recovery time could be measured in a matter of weeks.”
“Aki’s making cybs now. It was only natural, Tan. After all, he’s already got pns for the cssic Sharingan-style eye transpnts.” Shiro joked out loud for us to hear, and Shaeu nodded, agreeing.
“I… do not uand.” Mae said at st. “You… do not have to ask my permission. I could fight you, resist yrip on my name and my invisible tail, but doing so, all I would gain is the satisfa of my death.”
“We don’t do non-sensual here.” I joked, tuning out Shiro’s iable ribald quips about that. “Holy, you’ve done many terrible things in your life, I’ve seen it. But… a lot ions have a Purgatory to pay for sins with punishment, and… you’ve had yours. Look, I fess, I want you to protect the seeds I’m to gather. I hat, if I’m going to be sure I protect Earth and those I care for on it. I’ll even protect you and Nebisuki here. And Su Caihong and Liena, if they still live. But… there’s a saying we have. Save someone’s life and you’re responsible for them from now on. I don’t think that’s necessarily true, but… you did want to die and I forced you to live, so… let me at least get you back to a state where you make your own choices without as.”
“Hana, you are a fool.” Mae said at st, and the Kitsune snorted.
“How so, grandmother? If you mean my sorry state, I agree, but… if he craft me ails, I will accept in a mere moment, and will kiss his feet, and…” she pursed her lips, lig them sciviously. “…other more fun things.”
“Enough.” Shaeu swatted the fox, who giggled, not hurt by Shaeu’s light chastisement.
“No, I mean your choice. You shall never be free of him, it seems.”
“Freedom? Perhaps all I ever needed was a strong binding, to tie me down. Perhaps that is all we Kitsune ever need, even you, grandmother. A sad shame. We are a pitiful race, are we not? Forever causing mischief, seeking pleasures, but always, always unfulfilled. Are you not the same?”
“I am.” Mae agreed finally. “Or so I felt. It is… strange. My memories that remain are much as that magical traption I watched in their home, with moving pictures and sound. Real, yet distant. But the hollowness is real to me.” She narrowed her eyes, and I felt her tugging on our bond, her tail, perhaps a warning to me. “Now, speak no lies, human. No, Akio, I suppose.” She amended, givihe honour of speaking my name. “What do you seek? What will your aid e? I am… not good at paying what I owe. And that led me to here. I… hardly trust myself. If you lend me aid, I will likely bite your hand, as I have so many times before.”
“Maybe so. But… I don’t think so. Nobody gh Purgatory and not uand the pain of others.” I shook my head. “Like I said. Protect my seeds, protect my home and those I love, until at least this danger has passed. After that, I’d love it if you tio aid us, but… it’s up to you. Just don’t cause trouble, go back to wicked ways, or else…” I stared into her eyes, my League at its maximum, and she grimaced, uo resist fully with her own without harming herself further. “I’d hate to make Su Caihong cry. And don’t think I ’t do it, if you push me.”
Mae was silent for a moment, before letting out a long ugh. “I see. Had you merely offered fair words, no threats, I would not have believed you. But…” she turo the others, just as the dwarves brought back rge stocks of ingots and other materials. “…he is too generous. I do not trust me.”
“Nor I. But careful, fox. I have never eaten one such as you. Do not test me.” Shiro’s hair burst into crimson fmes as Tan warned her.
“No need for threats.” I shook my head. “I think we have an uanding.”
“We do.” Mae nodded slowly. “Perhaps I am not myself, perhaps it is your dominance, but… I find myself curious. You promised this world would never be b again. I may cheat and lie, but I hate being cheated and lied to. So… tell me true. Is this for my be?”
“It is.” I promised a it. She let out a long sigh, before she turned once more to Nebisuki, who was snickering, amused.
“Be silent, granddaughter, else when we are both at our best, I shall have to teach you to respect your elders. It seems… we shall be together long this time. With much to do.” She squeezed shut her eyes. “Very well. You may begin then. But heed my earlier words. I am beautiful and precious, and handling me roughly, marring my beauty, is an affront I shall not five you for. And if… you should find the ce… I would appreciate you extending the same courtesy to Caihong’er and Liena. Should they have received their miracles as I did. They would have been far worthier of it than my sorrowful self, but… those who do good often face bad ends.” She ughed mirthlessly. “Girls, you should remember that well and watch out for him. He is too na?ve and kied. He needs women who are cold and hard to keep him safe.”
“We know it well-well.” Shaeu ughed, and I noticed her expression had ged as she looked at the ailed fox from myth. “We do try, but it is not-not something we do alorong, loyal, obedient… those are who we seek to be our sisters. And it is an enviable position to be in. For… we are never-never bored.”
“Damn, I wish we had time for boredom! Even now I’m a buffbot extraordinaire.”
“Gooooood girls, no matter how bad they were before, still be fiven. Hyath was.”
“My Tree and I did unspeakable things to survive, but… life still be beautiful. What was once desote and barren be regrown, and what buds shall sprout.”
“I see.” Mae nodded. “Then… we shall see routs from my withered, bitter ground, and whether my beauty is tarnished beyond repair. Begin.” She ordered me to start, her tone brooking nument, and I snorted, amused. Sure, I may be able to force you with your name, but… does it seem like I’m in trol here? Wome creatures who be easily tamed. All we do is show them the way…
***
“This would truly be impossible without my Eye.” I muttered, as the fine, almost impossibly mihreads of bluesteel, strengthened by a Dvergr teiques aher, were being maniputed on a level so precise as to make me thankful my Resilience was so obsely high. Shaeu had funnelled me all of her remainiher through Chirurgery and was n to recover as rapidly as possible. Ba the Material, Eri was doing the same. I was res to emptying out all the aether my Ether Spires provided me, as it required the draw of my Territory as well to work repeated crafts of these levels. At least we don’t need lightning element so Shaeu still carefully nurture the Tengoku-seki…
“I would hate to…” Mae moahough there was nothing lewd about it, only pained. “…see impossible if this… is not. I had thought… my tolerao torment… admirable, honed by the long… torture… but… gratutions… you rival… that wretched… monk!”
“Yeah, sorry.” I used wind element to catch the falling silver and red blood that seeped through her skin. Only the girls were present, and we had takeerials and Tamamo-no-Mae herself somewhere private, one of the Boundary shrine buildings. She was naked, her massive bosom heaving, her tails wagging, fur and hair drenched with sweat and blood, to which Hyath was attending as best she could, a sympathetic look in her eyes.
Nebisuki was watg on with a mixture of fasation and horror, her two remaining tails curled around her, her hands toug her stumps, and Shaeu couldn’t help but tease her, easing her own exhaustion with threats of the same surgery for Nebisuki.
“Apologies will… hardly… suffice.” Mae mao mutter.
“If she was a more i girl, I’d say Aki should be taking responsibility.” Shiro quipped, and Asha shook her head.
“A woman is a woman. Nobody wishes to be seen like this, touched so deeply. He is remaking… ref her, step by step. It is… greatly intimate.”
“It’s not any fun, trust me. I know some of the myths…” Obviously we had been researg Gods from every religion in our spare time, or rather, my staff were, and there was a whole subse of it at the Ministry as well. “…Pygmalion made a statue that the Goddess Aphrodite brought to life. But Mae already lives. So…”
“Bah…” Mae spat blood as the wires ected to her throat Chakra. Hyath had tributed too, but a tide of darkness element was being held within a carefully crafted false throat Chakra, made from bluesteel and other rare metals. Shapercrafting it and her surrounding spiritual body, the wires that were funing as a scaffold for the savage redrilling of her work linked up, pulsing with a sudden surge of aether as the flow tinued.
Speaking of flowiher… I was res to destroyiherites to keep up too, which was a waste, but we did have a rge stock of red and e ohe numbers increasing daily as more and more Artificial Ether Spires were densing them from the high-ether areas. My natural recovery was strong, but I was being taxed hard, as each Chakra was its own careful craft. Worse… “This is the ch. Third eye and .” I muttered, and Mae bnched, her tails writhing.
“The heart was…. bad… enough. I truly… believed… I would die. My tails… too. For another… reason.”
“Yeah, the tails. Guess you don’t like them touched, right?” Shiro observed sympathetically, and Nebisuki answered for her.
“It depends who is toug.” She expined. “It is an… intimate… part of us, for we are our tails, and they are our power. We do enjoy those we are close with pying with them, but…”
“This is a medical procedure.” I insisted, blinking sweat from my eye. Hyath was busy tending to Mae so it was Asha who handed me a goblet of fruity juice, which I gulped down, the fvour soothing. “And she knows it. Besides, a bit of shame is better than… well, death.”
Mae nodded weakly. “Quite. When… my heart… was grasped, a hard, etal inside… I believed I would die... at st.”
“Yeah, it was tough. I have to work so fast. But…” I had stirrings of hope. Admittedly, I had po do a lot more today and tomorrow before I would have to leave on the first leg of my trip abroad, but I was going to be wiped out after the two incredibly challenging crafts I had uaken. I then my own Chakra work, if so, I pull in much more… “…I think it’ll work. Now to prepare the third eye core.” Hyath had stepped up again, her light filling it alongside mine, and Shaeu had also spared what she could. The item itself was a work of art, based on a mixture of modelling, crafting and what I had seen of Tamamo-no-Mae’s true strength and form through the Tribution with my Eye.
“Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be perfect, as it’s eventually going to break down and be absorbed, but for now it’ll fun to allow you to draw on far more of your strength, hastening your recovery and redug plications.”
Temporary Third Eye Chakra Of Tamamo-no-Mae [Item Css: Imperious] [Item Type: Rule]
This artificial part of a spiritual body, fed from Adhereal, Elementally absorbent alloy and the flesh of Tamamo-no-Mae, has been fed in a facsimile of the inal, funing Third Eye Chakra. Ordinarily, such would cause signifit reje and damage, or at best fun poorly for a short while, but it has been ected to the spirit and ????????, and the surrounding spiritual body has also been Shapercrafted into at item as well, prepared to slowly encroach, absorb and repair itself.
Tamamo-no-Mae’s Regrowth [Item Css: Imperious] [Item Type: Principle]
This mass of spiritual flesh and energy has been threaded and ected with an artificial scaffold of Adherence, Aether and Elementally abs and elling threads, mimig the inal Chakra work. Instead of reje, it has been crafted to attach to all aspects, especially the ???????? of Tamamo-no-Mae, and gradually be subsumed and bee her new spiritual body. This process will be hastened by the flow of aether the body hold and maintain, with a stronger flow stabilising the body, spirit and ???????? at a more rapid rate, provoking a true regeion.
“Redug… plications. This is… nothing but… plications.” she spat, gl at me. “At least… if you err and I perish, I shall insist… my dear granddaughter Hana here… reminds you of it… every… single… day!”
“She won’t o.” I promised, my Eye shining brilliantly, as I precisely opened up Mae’s forehead. I heard a gulp from Shiro, and I uood, as it was effectively a fatal wound on us, but with Chirurgery rerouting the energies around the injury, as if it wasn’t there, aher Healing preventing the damage from spreading, it ossible.
“Was my healing like that, Tan?” Shiro asked quietly, but I barely heard her or the answer as I focussed my all in pg the artificial Chakra in pce. Worse, they had to be paired with Artificial Night Orb Chakras too, so it was a multi-stage process.”
“Not at all. It was finely banced, and your life was nearly extinguished many times, but… the finesse required here… it exceeds it many times over.” Tan replied out loud.
That was nerve-wrag too. But there, I was frantic, fearing Shiro would die. Here… I’m certain Tamamo-no-Mae won’t die, even if I fail, though… it still won’t be good. If I mess this up, a sed try will be orders of magnitude harder as I’ll have a mess to unpiow, ect… it’s like a circuit diagram. And a series of logic gates. I’ve made my own at uni enough times. But this is still w on the mi scale. Hell, factories work on nare-scale, at least I don’t have to be that precise. Even with all my Skills and Statistics there’s no way I could do that yet. Fortunately, I don’t o. Get it close enough, and like we discussed earlier, aether will eventually smooth out the minor issues…
“And done…” I muttered, Ether Healing regrowing smooth, jade-like flesh over the savage trepanning in Mae’s skull. Her breathing was ragged, her body shuddering, but she looked at me with a hint of respect, I thought. Though whearted howling and cursing me, spitting blood, I thought perhaps I was mistaken. “Now I have been… id bare, my very… thoughts… and what lies within… my flesh spied… upon… I am… humbled. My pride… such as it was… no, I lost… my pride to… that bastard monk… yet even he… has not stripped me to… nothing as… you have…”
“Final step.” I said, ign her, and the final Chakra, charged with vivid violet spatial energy, tributed by Hyath, mostly, a far-cry from the strength of the other artificial Chakras, ced in my hand. It’s not so much about the elemental energies anyway, it’s more to make sure everything meshes together…
“If… I… offer you… what I offered him… my… everything… will you… please… stop?” Mae cried out, and for a moment my hands froze, before I shook my head.
“You don’t mean that. I know this is awful, but… you’ve e so far. Unlike what the monk did, this will soon be over. Now… this… I feel bad about.” With a surgical strike, her long, golden-blonde hair was shorn off, exposing her bare skull and flickering ears. She flushed with shame and self-loathing, likely aoo, and her emerald eyes stared daggers into mine, even as eears flowed down her deathly pale face.
“You will… take... responsibility for… debaug and… disgrag… me!” She swore, and I nodded. I know enough to uand a woman’s hair is her life. But there’s really no other way. As for responsibility, I’ll do as I promised, and show her the world still has value.
Nebisuki was clutg her own long hair, her tails ed so tight I thought she’d snap herself in two. The irls were looking at me reproachfully, except Hyath, who giggled, wiping the suddenly bald skull. “Hyath uands. For… rebirth… nooo price is too great. Besides…” She bent down and whispered something into Mae’s twitg ear, and as I was so ily focused, I heard it. “I knooow. Akio loves long hair like yooours. He will fix it. And the more you suffer…” Her smile was amused and somehow evil at the same time. “…the cuter you bee to him.”
As Mae’s emerald eyes opened wide, I seized the moment, and Shiro turned away, uo look any further as I peeled her flesh and bone away expertly. Damn, why does the spiritual body have to resemble the material body so perfectly? That’s a damn brain… and it’s in the way…
Swallowing grimly, I carefully maniputed her head, pushing aside brain-matter, f a sort of small, bowl-shaped iion. Her body spasmed, and she bit down so hard she was likely to hurt herself, but Hyath merely shoved a stied from wood element in her mouth. It snapped, but it prevented Mae from biting herself. Tails filed untrolbly, and Hyath retraihem with vines so they didn’t distract me. I pced the Chakra where it should go, but that was the easy part. The most delicate array of brang paths, capilries and acupoints were around the root, the heart and the third eye, but here… eae runs through such vital areas. I have to do the best I …
“Hang ooon.” Hyath was grasping her hand. “The worst is over. Hush now, hush. Yooou know what it is to be hurt, hurt ooothers. You are like me. Hyath is here.” She g me, frowning. “Akio, be swift. Fooor this is a crueller invasion ooof her existehan any should bear. The Dark Maidens… if it was nooot for pity, passion, you would make the cruellest Maiden of all.” She giggled then, her free hand going to her crotch, which she tapped lightly through her maid outfit. “Thooough that would have tooo go first, Akio!”
No thanks… With that thought, and a shiver running through my groin, I began the final crafts, turning Tamamo-no-Mae’s body into a series of lireasures…
***
“And… done.” I gasped, colpsing beside Tamamo-no-Mae. Her skull was once more sealed and covered in flesh, though her long hair still y beside her. Shaeu gave me ohering gnce, seeing I ent, before ing over and gathering the golden strands, calling on what aether she had recovered to begiag it.
“It is… over?” Mae took a long, rasping breath. “You are not trig me? I am… safe?”
I nodded, blinding pain my own panion, as I had stressed my Eye, mind awork far too severely. In fact, my Eye was swirling with a mess of question marks and garbled e text. Have I broken it? Ugh… no, it’s probably just straiapping my head, shooting needles of pain pierced me, but I bli Tamamo-no-Mae, and some sentehough hard to read, slid through the gibberish…
Tamamo-no-Mae [ailed Kitsune] [Queen Of The Three Most Evil Yōka [Item Css: ???] [Item type: ???] [Namebound to Oshiro Moonstone Akio] [????????-bound Artefact] [Kin] [Fallen Empress] [Tribution’s Refugee]…
Shit, there’s a lot. Now… please all the Kami and Gods in the Pantheons, let me rest… Even as I wished for that, I khat was a forlorn hope, as ierial I ulling out a chair, Yasaka-san, Saionji gin-san and several uests, including the prickly, fearful Akai, waiting for me…
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