Chapter 1970: Takamagahara
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It happened completely out of nowhere. Elayne had been invited into the grand and beautiful divine realm of Takamagahara, home of the Japanese Kami. Among them was their greatest ruler, the goddess who embodied the land of the rising sun—Amaterasu-no-Mikoto-sama. Even before visiting Japan, Elayne had already known her for quite some time.
It was thanks to this goddess that she had obtained her Soul Trait. That power let her defeat Merlinus by suppressing his spatial abilities and, together with another Trait, helped her save the people of the Luminous Kingdom from perishing as collateral in that terrifying, country-shattering battle—one Elayne still remembered with vivid clarity.
Unlike the other Elayne who was still surviving and growing stronger in the Netherworld while searching for her friends and a way out, this version of her had yet to unlock such power. For now, she remained largely clueless about how to awaken it properly.
That Fragment of her Original Soul, gifted to her as the Embodiment of her Records, was still immensely strong. It carried fragmented "records" of the original Elayne, effectively transforming this copy born from those records—this Heroic Spirit—into something undeniably real.
Still, she had yet to figure out how to awaken those powers. Perhaps with Amaterasu’s guidance, that could finally change. Beyond that, she also hoped to learn more about this world and discover whether it was possible to create a safe portal back to Arcadia.
"We’re almost there! Welcome to the Grand Heavenly Sun Imperial Castle!" Kaguya announced with clear excitement.
Outside the castle, dozens of Kami and Buddhas awaited them. Each one radiated incredible divinity and majesty, leaving Elayne stunned at how plain she must look today by comparison.
Some were towering giants with muscular bodies and multiple arms. Others appeared entirely made of stone. Some emanated vast serenity and holiness, while others crackled with rage and thunder. They were all so varied and awe-inspiring. This was Elayne’s first time meeting so many divine beings in person, and the sight left her completely stunned and flabbergasted.
"Um, Gaia-sama? Please hurry!" Kaguya urged, gently pulling her along.
Elayne barely snapped out of her daze, shook her head, and offered nervous greetings as she followed behind Kaguya.
"K-Kaguya-sama, you never told me this place would be filled with so many gods!" Elayne whispered, trying to steady herself. "I’m so nervous I don’t know what to do! What should I do? How should I act? Do I look weird?"
"Please calm down," Kaguya reassured her with a gentle smile. "Everything will be fine. You are one of Amaterasu-sama’s honored guests today, so everyone will treat you with the utmost respect and hospitality."
As she spoke, the grand gates slowly opened. Many divine guards greeted them with warm smiles and solemn bows.
"We’ve been awaiting your return, Gaia-sama!"
"Please, follow us."
"Our Great Divine Empress awaits you in her throne room!"
"T-The Great Divine Empress...!" Elayne muttered, her lips trembling as she stepped into the vast temple. "Oh wow..."
The castle—or imperial temple, or whatever this colossal mega-structure truly was—proved mesmerizing beyond anything she had ever seen. It was not only infinitely vast but wondrously beautiful in every detail.
Ancient paintings of breathtaking beauty adorned the walls. Massive pillars featured intricate sculptures, while more statues, shrines, and wandering gods filled the halls. This was far more than the empress’s personal home; it was a gigantic sanctuary where the Kami, their ancient culture, and their legacies all converged.
Elayne could hardly take it all in. She kept getting distracted by giant paintings of fantastical landscapes. One particularly striking portrait showed Amaterasu with her family, including her two siblings, her son, her grandson, and her great-granddaughter—Kaguya herself.
Elayne could scarcely believe it. The woman casually dragging her along was right there in that majestic portrait. She felt utterly absorbed by this world, its beauty, its people, and its gods. She was even more stunned that one of these figures of immense authority had been treating her so casually.
"Great grandmother, Amaterasu-sama! We’ve finally arrived," Kaguya announced. "Gaia-sama, the Titaness of Creation who was resurrected through the Humans’ Holy War Ritual, is here as well!"
Kaguya led her into the greatest hall Elayne had ever seen. It was the size of several stadiums. In the center, high above them, sat a gigantic woman upon a massive throne. She gazed down with a solemn expression and eyes that shone like suns.
Elayne stood mesmerized, mouth slightly open, as she felt the intense and overwhelming presence of True Divinity. She had developed divinities before. She had wielded divine power before. She had even become something like the embodiment of a goddess’s existence.
Yet nothing could have prepared her for the shocking, mesmerizing sensation of facing a True Divinity like Amaterasu’s for the first time.
But that was not all. This radiant figure, so bright that Elayne could barely perceive her full form, was not the only source of True Divinity in the hall.
Elayne glanced around and noticed two other figures seated on their own thrones.
The smallest sat upon a bronze throne and stood roughly three meters tall. He was muscular, youthful, and brimming with vitality, with a handsome face, long silver hair tied in a ponytail, and white-and-silver robes decorated with a golden flood dragon. He carried a gigantic sword wrapped in white bandages to seal its immense power.
The second figure, seated on a silver throne, was over twenty meters tall—about a third the height of the giantess. Slender, handsome, and elegant, he had long white hair and sharp silver eyes. He wore silver, purple, and blue robes with a crown shaped like a half-moon adorned with stars. He held a fan and projected a calm, composed aura.
And at the center, naturally, sat the greatest Kami ever born in this land. A true titan hundreds of meters tall, she occupied a giant golden throne. She wore white, red, and gold shrine maiden robes and a magnificent crown shaped like the rising sun, radiating brilliant rays in every direction.
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