-----
After Amaterasu departed, an oppressive silence settled over the scene, thick with lingering awkwardness.
"Well... I suppose I owe you all an apology, and my thanks," Kireina said softly. "Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, I never imagined that—"
"Don't misunderstand," Tsukuyomi interrupted, his glare sharp and menacing. "I acted only because I want you gone from my clan. Leave now, before I remove you myself. And Susanoo, stop this foolishness and return to heaven." He seized his brother's ear, tugging like a stern parent scolding a wayward child.
"Ouch! What the hell? Oi, onii-sama! Stop that!" Susanoo slapped the hand away. "I'm not a child. Kireina is the one who will help me master the Heart Method. I will become the first god to join the Heart Tribe, no matter what."
"What? Still chasing such absurd dreams?" Tsukuyomi snapped. "Only the poorest, weakest beings can grasp that Path. It demands endless suffering and perseverance. None of us qualify."
