Chapter 1623: Chapter 1623

After discovering that the sky of this world was an illusion barrier, Maria was quite perplexed.

"Oho? Now this is interesting. The sky is fake?"

"I-IT'S NOT FAKE! THIS IS A DIVINE REALM. IMITATING ELEMENTS FROM OUR ORIGINAL WORLD IS NOT AS EASY AS YOU MAY THINK! IT WAS SIMPLER TO CREATE A MIRRORED SKY THAN… Wait, why am I even explaining this?! LEAVE! WHAT SORT OF MONSTER ARE YOU?! LEAVE RIGHT NOW! LEAVEEEEE!"

"No, I'm not leaving."

Maria flew through the crack as it sealed behind her. The barrier's auto-repair function, which she found fascinating, activated swiftly.

As she approached the immense golden pagoda-palace spaceship, Maria faced relentless attacks from soldiers. These were now gigantic, nearly matching her size, though still formed of fragile light.

With a single swipe of her halberd, hundreds perished, and a slash of her sword felled a few hundred more, creating a devastating spectacle of her overwhelming strength.

"Come on, I just want to talk. I was passing by and grew curious about who rules this place. The Kami below are quite amusing. Are they all your friends?"

"THEY ARE MY ALLIES. WE CREATED THIS DIVINE REALM TOGETHER. IT IS A UTOPIA, A BEAUTIFUL, ENDLESS SPRING GARDEN! I CANNOT BELIEVE I ALLOWED A MONSTER LIKE YOU TO ENTER!"

Multiple shockwaves of light struck Maria, yet she remained unaffected. She steadily approached the colossal spaceship, outpacing its attempts to evade her.

"I spoke with a fellow named Shuten Douji. Do you know him? He mentioned you came from a world destroyed by something. Was it a Calamity or another force?" Maria asked.

"T-The Demon King?! Why did you…! How?! That wretch shared such secrets? Wait a moment, who are you? A wandering goddess of your caliber?!"

"I am Maria, from Yggdrasil," she introduced herself. "What's your name?"

As she spoke, she passed through the golden walls of the floating temple, unhindered by its holy light barriers, which could destroy or exorcise nearly anything, except her.

Upon entering the palace, she found herself in a vast hall with a grand golden throne at its center. Dozens of terrified servants gasped at her presence, some crying and vomiting black miasma while convulsing.

"Oops, my apologies," Maria said, deactivating her Aura and related Skills. She then healed them with a wave of purifying, radiant light, astonishing them further.

From the crowd, a petite woman, almost childlike, stepped forward. Though timid and slightly fearful, her face brimmed with anger and frustration.

She had long blonde hair, glowing green eyes, and wore a grand dress of gold, white, and green hues, crowned with a headpiece resembling a forest crafted from gold and jewels.

"You've invaded my domain! What sort of…! Even those from the higher floors could never breach this far so easily! How…! You said you were Maria, from Yggdrasil?! Yet you seem more like an Outer God! I thought your kind was barred from entering the Tower!"

She unleashed her power again, her Divinity surging as endless white radiance, transforming into a forest of golden light.

The attack struck Maria as she hovered midair. Her third crimson eye, set in her forehead, gazed unflinchingly through the blinding light, rendering the assault completely…

Useless. Maria emerged from the smoke, unscathed as ever.

"W-Wha…?! Your power…! You're so strong that you can withstand my attack so effortlessly?!"

The Kami retreated, as several servants revealed themselves as Kami, brandishing divine weapons at Maria.

"You won't harm Konohanasakuya-hime-sama!"

"You must face us first!"

"We won't fall easily, you aberrant monster from the outer void!"

"Calm down, everyone. I don't want to fight," Maria said, raising her arms and sitting cross-legged, her massive form causing the floor to tremble. "I just want to talk, I swear."

"T-Talk?! You… just wanted to talk? Then why didn't you say so from the start instead of causing such havoc?! Such deplorable manners!"

"I intended to, but you attacked me unprovoked. Was such hostility necessary?" Maria asked.

"I WAS SIMPLY WORRIED AND SCARED THAT A GIANT MONSTROUS OUTER GOD WAS TRYING TO ENTER MY DOMAIN!" Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novel(ꜰ)ire.net

"Goodness, must you shout so loudly? My ears are aching," Maria sighed, shaking her head.

"I-I… Uggghhh! I already dislike you! But fine, be my guest! It's not as if I could expel you anyway! If only Lord Susanoo were here, he would swiftly cut you into tiny pieces!"

"Susanoo? Is he powerful?"

"He's the mightiest god in combat! With his divine blade, he can cleave anything! He slew Orochi, the eight-headed serpent, father of Shuten Douji, that old geezer you met."

"I see. And who are you among these Kami?"

"Hmph, you've likely heard of me. Temples and statues honor me everywhere! I am Konohanasakuya-hime, Divine Kami of Mountains, Volcanoes, and the Forests and Nature tied to them."

"Hime, huh? So you call yourself a princess?" Maria asked.

"I AM A PRINCESS! My father, Ōyama-tsumi-sama, is the elder brother of my aunt Amaterasu-sama! I may be a young Kami, but I am the mightiest in my Divine Realm!"

"Uh-huh, and quite the cutie patootie," Maria said with a motherly smile.

"W-What?! I am not a cutie patootie! I demand respect as your goddess!!! Uuugghhh! Why can't I kill you?! Die! Die already! Die! Die! Dieeeee!"

The young goddess behaved like a spoiled child. It seemed her aunt and uncles had indulged her greatly, leaving her ill-equipped to handle a situation beyond her authority, connections, or divine power.

"Calm down. I came to negotiate. I wish to form an alliance with you."

"An Alliance?! What?! Why would I ever…"

"Please, listen for a moment, dear~ That's all I ask~!"

Maria tried to be amicable, forcing a smile that only unnerved the young Kami, who recoiled, sat on her throne, and sighed.

"Hmph… F-Fine… speak!"

Maria finally explained her intentions, revealing her plans and demonstrating her formidable power, as well as her connections to an Administrator seeking revenge and the Outer Gods supporting her.

Though initially repelled by Maria, Konohanasakuya-hime found her plan intriguing. The Tower had destroyed their original world, splitting it into three realms struggling to survive as separate floors within the very structure that caused their ruin.

Eventually, these new realms might also perish, and this time, they might lack the power to escape their doom…