"We've been delayed for several days, the Kuhoutsuka household must be getting anxious. Let's send Little Hikari to the Western Shrine today."
Having delayed the little girl's trip to the Western Shrine to become an apprentice miko in order to savor and train the Cult Leader, Sora felt quite embarrassed.
The girls naturally had no objections to Sora's arrangement and all nodded in agreement.
"Big Sister Cult Leader, you should come with us too. I hear there's an interesting monkey sealed there. I'm sure you'll be interested."
Looking at Luo Hao, a wicked curve pulled at Sora's lips as he spoke suggestively.
As if thinking of something, a sharp glint flashed in the Cult Leader's beautiful eyes.
"Yes, Husband."
The current Cult Leader had completely submitted to Sora, body and soul, so she naturally followed his every word.
And, just as Sora had said, Luo Hao was quite interested in that monkey!
…
"In the northern darkness there is a fish and his name is Kun. The Kun is so huge I don't know how many thousand li he measures. He changes and becomes a bird whose name is Peng. The back of the Peng measures I don't know how many thousand li across and when he rises up and flies his wings are like clouds all over the sky!"
In the courtyard, Luo Hao stood in the center like a celestial fairy from the heavens. Divine power surged, and her peerless figure emanated an aura of both majesty and sanctity as she recited the peculiar spiritual words in a voice like a moon zither.
After reciting the incantation, the ground suddenly darkened. But it wasn't because clouds had blocked the sun, but because something enormous had descended from the sky!
Under the astonished gazes of the girls, a holy bird resembling a great golden-winged Peng descended. Judging by its wingspan, its massive body was likely hundreds of meters wide, floating above the Kusanagi household like a canopy that blotted out the sun and sky.
Nikko City was not close to Tokyo; driving would likely take the better part of a day. Sora found that too troublesome, so he had the Cult Leader use her miraculous and esoteric Daoist arts to fly them there directly.
Nodding with great satisfaction, these Daoist arts, when performed by the Cult Leader, were in no way inferior to the Authorities of some gods. Sora felt very proud; his women were truly more capable than the last!
"Girls, we're leaving. The house is in your hands."
The Great Witch and Shizuka-chan had gone to school again. After giving instructions to the nine Secret Sword Girls and the two maids, Sora picked up his two teddy bears and leaped onto the holy bird's back.
The Cult Leader and Ena followed closely behind. Erica and Liliana brought Yuri and Little Hikari and followed as well.
"Let's go, to the Western Shrine!"
After giving the order to the Cult Leader, Sora and his two teddy bears found a comfortable spot to lie down and had Ena come over to massage his shoulders.
With the holy bird summoned by the Cult Leader, they should be able to reach the Western Shrine very quickly. Enjoying the scenery along the way—life is just so pleasant.
Nodding, with a single thought from the Cult Leader, the golden-winged Kunpeng bird let out a high-pitched cry. It flapped its two giant wings, and a turbulent airflow surged. The Kunpeng bird carried Sora and the girls, shooting out like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, it became a black dot that vanished over the horizon...
…
Nikko City is a historic city and a tourist destination, boasting famous sites like the Tōshō-gū Shrine, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinno-ji Temple. Every day, it is thronged with worshippers and tourists.
The Nikko Tōshō-gū Shrine is a sacred place that deifies Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Western Shrine, which the Kuhoutsuka family had invited Little Hikari to guard, was actually just a part of the Tōshō-gū Shrine.
As always, the Tōshō-gū Shrine was packed with people today. Men and women, young and old, solo travelers and families on vacation, couples, foreigners—in short, all sorts of people were there.
The golden-winged Kunpeng bird was very fast, and it didn't take long to carry Sora's group to the skies above Nikko City. The tourists below all stared, dumbfounded, at the massive figure in the sky that blotted out the sun, unable to recover for a long time...
"Ah, it's a monster!!!"
Someone screamed, and the cry instantly spread through the crowd. People panicked, scattering and fleeing in all directions.
The corner of Sora's mouth twitched. He wondered if he was being a bit too flashy.
Well, whatever. If anyone was to blame, it was their own fragile nerves.
Looking down at the large complex of traditional palace-style buildings, which he guessed was the Tōshō-gū Shrine, Sora led the girls to descend.
"Lord Kusanagi, we welcome your esteemed presence!"
A group of people hurried over. At the head was a young man in Shinto priest attire, who bowed respectfully to Sora. It was none other than Comrade Mikihiko, who had been waiting for a long time.
"Hehehe... My apologies, my apologies, Mikihiko-kun, for making you wait so many days."
Looking at the pleased expression on Comrade Mikihiko's face, Sora spoke with a chuckle.
"Not at all, not at all. For Lord Kusanagi to personally condescend to visit is the greatest honor for our Kuhoutsuka family."
Waving his hands repeatedly, Comrade Mikihiko thought to himself, forget a few days, I would have gladly waited a few months for you!
Because of the last incident, no one dared to covet Comrade Mikihiko's position as the family heir anymore. While it might have been just a word from Sora, for Comrade Mikihiko, it was a matter that determined the course of his life. So now, he was grateful to Sora from the bottom of his heart.
Kuhoutsuka Mikihiko was already very familiar with the two loli goddesses, Athena and Metis, being held by Sora, as well as Erica and the other girls standing behind him. However, when his gaze shifted to the Cult Leader beside Sora, a flash of utter amazement crossed Mikihiko's face.
The battle between Cult Leader Luo Hao and the Kusanagi King was no longer a secret. It had been spreading like wildfire in the industry for the past few days, causing a huge stir throughout the entire world of magic.
Although he had never seen her before, just from her peerless face and figure, and her queenly, majestic aura, Mikihiko immediately confirmed that this was indeed the legendary Cult Leader Luo Hao!
"Kuhoutsuka Mikihiko greets you, Cult Leader Luo Hao!"
Not daring to show the slightest disrespect, Comrade Mikihiko bowed to Luo Hao.
He was incredibly nervous and tense inside. He had long heard of this King's fearsome reputation—those who saw her face would have their eyes gouged out, and those who heard her voice would have their ears cut off. How cruel, how domineering!
If he had met her in the past, Mikihiko wasn't sure if he would have broken down from fear. Although he was still nervous and afraid now, he felt relatively at ease.
According to intelligence, she had lost to the Kusanagi King in battle and become his captive. Given the King Kusanagi 's style, this peerlessly beautiful Cult Leader had probably been... dealt with by him. With the King Kusanagi keeping her in check, she probably wouldn't be as willful as before, right?
"Hmph!"
With a cold expression, Luo Hao had no interest in Comrade Mikihiko and completely ignored him.
In the Cult Leader's eyes, apart from her husband and sisters, everyone else in this world was no different from an ant on the roadside. It was only natural for an ant to bow to her; did she need to return the gesture?
"Uh..."
His expression was a bit awkward, but Comrade Mikihiko dared not show any dissatisfaction. This woman's fearsome reputation was too great. Her current "friendly" attitude was probably only on account of the King Kusanagi.
He cast a look of immense envy and admiration at Sora. This King Kusanagi 's luck with women was enough to make every man in the world go mad with jealousy!
The blonde knight Erica, the sword fairy Liliana, the tachi-wielding hime-miko Seishuuin Ena, the Heretic Goddess daughters Athena and Metis... and now even the legendary Cult Leader Luo Hao had been subdued by him!
Honestly, any one of them was a goddess-like existence that countless men looked up to and yearned for. Comrade Mikihiko could only sigh in his heart that this damned old heaven was so unfair. Different people, different fates...
"Alright, Mikihiko-kun, take us to the Western Shrine now."
Comrade Mikihiko's envy and jealousy fed Comrade Sora's vanity a little, but thinking of the purpose of this trip, he spoke up.
"Yes, Lord Kusanagi and everyone, please follow me."
Putting away his thoughts, Comrade Mikihiko's expression turned serious again as he led Sora and his group deeper into the Tōshō-gū Shrine...