Lady Raikou Faints! / The Four Heavenly Kings' Late-Night Chat

"Shirou, you used my Noble Phantasm before, didn't you?" Minamoto no Raikō asked with a smile, as if he wanted to claim credit.

"Yes, because we've encountered a formidable opponent." Shirou nodded.

"I knew it! When I was in the Demon Realm, I sensed a familiar aura coming from Kamakura. Someone who used the same Noble Phantasm as me appeared, and that person was you! It turns out that family ties are indeed connected by blood... Shirou, you are indeed the child of my destiny!" Raikou said with emotion.

"No, no, we're not related by blood. Besides, I'm just a clone of the Shirou I met back then," Shirou said.

"Yes, I know," Raikou said with a smile.

"Huh?" Shirou looked at Raikou in surprise. He wanted to explain properly, but the other party accepted it directly.

Minamoto no Raikō opened her arms to Shirou, revealing a motherly smile, and said, "Once a mother, always a mother! Even across countless worlds, the same principle applies. Shirou-kun! Just rely on your mother!"

Chapter 876 Lord Raikou Fainted

During Minamoto no Raikō's leave from Chaldea, a rumor about Shirou Emiya appeared in the Servant World. It was first spread by a few people, including BB, and gradually spread wider and wider. It was said that he was sleeping in the depths of the universe, and whoever found him would belong to him.

Upon hearing this news, Minamoto no Raikō Yorimitsu, who had formed a bond with Shirou, immediately set off for another world. Finally, he met Shirou here.

This is the love parents have for their children. Even if it transcends time and space, as long as the memories remain and the hearts are the same, nothing else matters.

As parents, we need love and tolerance; as children, we need filial piety and understanding. From the moment a baby is formed in its mother's womb, many things are destined to intertwine. Whether it's love or hate...

An ordinary family, living together as if it were natural, making demands and giving as if it were natural. And then, the feelings in their hearts accumulate day by day.

When the world collapses due to earthquakes, tsunamis, or typhoons, the world may look completely different. But as long as you turn to look at your family, it seems like nothing has changed. If you are well, then it's a sunny day. The role of family is to tell you that even if the sky falls, you will always have a place in your home.

Even if one day the children want to be independent and travel far away, there will be no problem. The relationship will still be maintained. They can video chat with their family during meals and say goodnight to their family before going to bed.

If things develop to the point where they become as indifferent as strangers, it must be because one of them did something that deeply hurt the other.

Even abandoned orphans, who have long forgotten their parents' faces, will feel a surge of emotions when they see others walking hand in hand with their parents in the quiet of the night.

This kind of relationship can never be severed in a lifetime. Even if you change your face, your body, or even your soul, there will still be some unspeakable things intertwined with you.

"I know! Then please help me rescue the person who was taken away by the Demon King of Hell!" Shirou bowed deeply and pleaded.

"Sure, I'll leave it to Mom!" Minamoto no Raikō puffed out his proud chest and agreed with a smile.

"What?! He accepted it so readily?!" Kintoki, standing to the side, widened his eyes, looking quite surprised. Raikou's appearance as a Heroic Servant was a little strange. Although he was grateful for being accepted as family.

But he has his own mother on the mountain, so he's really not used to being treated like a child by the eldest brother, like being held or anything like that; it's just too embarrassing.

And now... the other party is actually accepting this embarrassing and unreasonable thing without hesitation. Could this brother be some kind of extraordinary, cunning character?

"Speaking of which, Shirou, who is the person you want to save?" Minamoto no Raikō asked with a loving smile.

"It's my girlfriend Mashiro!" Shirou readily agreed.

"..."

"..."

A long silence fell over the room.

Minamoto no Raikō smiled again and asked once more, "Excuse me, I don't think I heard you clearly. Shirou, who did you say you wanted to save?"

"She's my girlfriend," Shirou replied once again.

"Eh..." Minamoto no Raikō's smile froze, and he stood there dumbfounded. Then he tilted his head back and fell to one side, looking as if he had been greatly shocked and was about to faint.

"Wow! Lord Raikou!"

"Lord Raikou ~!"

"Boss Raikou!"

The Four Heavenly Kings cried out in alarm and quickly embraced their lord.

However, Raikou was too shocked to stand up for a while, so they had to help her into the room to rest.

While Raikou was resting, the Four Heavenly Kings and Shirou actually started talking more efficiently. They went downstairs, called over the Horse-Headed Miss Shinigami and the Explosion Head Uncle, and started a seminar in another room.

"Hey, bro, I'm so sorry, I really underestimated you. I thought you were some kind of golden-kept man, someone who wanted to live off his boss. I didn't expect you to be such a real man." Sakata Kintoki gave Shirou a thumbs up and said with great admiration.

"Shut up, Kintoki! Don't talk about Lord Raikou!" The samurai girl Tsuna, scolded Kintoki from the side.

"Yes, yes... She's already fainted, can't I even say anything?" Sakata Kintoki pouted, not taking it seriously at all.

A mature woman wearing a straw hat teased, "Kin-chan, why don't you find a wife too? That way, Lord Raikou won't bother you anymore."

"Uh... no, it's too early for me..." Sakata Kintoki and dared not talk back anymore. After all, he was as strong as a bear, but this was actually due to his physique as the son of the God of Thunder; his actual age was still that of a child.

"If you wish to enter Hell, may I ask this master if you have a specific plan?" Miss Shinigami asked, looking at the woman wearing a straw hat.

"Haha, if you want to ask about witchcraft, you'll be faster to consult the divination master. Don't let my appearance fool you; although I'm blessed by the Eleven-Faced Guanyin, I'm actually a true martial arts practitioner." The woman wearing a straw hat patted the sickle hanging at her waist and the spear behind her, and said with a smile.

"Huh?" Miss Shinigami and Explosion Head Uncle exclaimed in surprise, then followed the woman's gaze to the cold beauty sitting on the other side with a bow on her back.

Shirou wasn't too surprised by this, since the last woman dressed like this had returned from the journey to the West with a palm technique that descended from the sky. So it wasn't surprising that the woman called Hikari was a martial arts fighter.

As for Urabu no Suetake, the Urabe surname originally referred to a clan that was specifically responsible for managing shrines and performing rituals.

During Japan's Heian period, the land occupied by the Yamato people was not as large as it would become in the future, and it was constantly being divided and occupied by various samurai regimes. The imperial court, centered on the Emperor, did not have the military strength to suppress the rebels and could only let them each govern their own Fanzhen.

The imperial court merely led a complex web of numerous noble factions, content to compose poetry and indulge in a life of debauchery within the Imperial City. Once they died, they had no right to name a successor; instead, a group of ministers formed cliques, opposed each other, and vied for the throne by recommending different princes.

The only real power the Emperor holds is the divine authority that represents the people and the divine right to worship Heaven.

Chapter 877 The Nighttime Talk of the Raikou Four Heavenly Kings

In ancient times, the Emperor held the limited power they possessed and supported the growth of Shintoism, making the Heian period a time of great religious influence. Generally, regional separatist forces would support Buddhism and weaken the influence of Shintoism. However, the Emperor attempted to bring Buddhist influence under their control.

Four hundred years have passed since Buddhism was introduced from Korea and the Tang Dynasty. The native Shintoism has also absorbed many advanced management concepts from Buddhism, taking the Emperor as the highest point of faith and incorporating famous ministers and warriors as deities to worship, and has grown rapidly.

Wherever there is a natural disaster or an earthquake, the Emperor, as a descendant of the gods, would act as a representative to communicate with the gods through rituals, requesting that the gods grant Japan favorable weather and abundant harvests throughout the year. If anyone rendered any service to the court, the Emperor would not only bestow an official title but also a divine title upon them.

For example, during the Tang Dynasty, an Emperor heard from Kentōshi that there was a sweet fruit called tangerine in southern China. Unfortunately, tangerines were not grown in Japan. However, an official in charge of tangerine cultivation spent ten years researching and developing a feasible cultivation technique for tangerines.

After his death, the official was posthumously honored as the "Fruit Ancestor God" by the Emperor and enjoys the incense offerings at the shrine. To this day, in Japan, sitting in a kotatsu (heated table) every winter, watching TV and peeling oranges has become an essential part of the winter routine.

The Japanese Emperor has an ambiguous and unclear relationship with Shintoism.

"I've heard of the Urabe family's great reputation. Please tell me how to enter hell?" Shirou asked, looking at the cold-faced woman holding a bow.

"Well, although the Urabe family is not as good as Abe no Seimei, I do know a little about the sorcery that leads to the demon realm." Although the woman spoke very politely, it was clear that she had immense confidence in her profession.

"The Urabe family? I remember now~! Could it be that Urabe family?" At this moment, the horse-headed Miss Shinigami suddenly remembered something and exclaimed loudly.

"If you had known, you should have said so from the beginning," the Explosion Head Uncle said irritably.

"No, that's something I learned in history books. I forgot it after I graduated, and there's nothing I can do about it! After all, I'm still very young!" Miss Shinigami retorted.

Within the Imperial Palace, where Kyoto was located Heian period, there was a department called the Onmyōryō, which was specifically responsible for astronomy, calendar systems, and divination. The most famous figure in this department was the great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei.

However, when it comes to rituals, there are other specialized institutions and officials, namely the Shinto officials of shrines. They are responsible for rituals, divination, and the management of shrines throughout the country. Like the head priests of Japanese temples, Shinto officials are a hereditary profession, traditionally held by members of three families, one of which is the Urabe family.

This aloof woman clearly came from this family. She possessed profound Shintoism magic and divination skills, and was proficient in the knowledge of worshipping and communicating with the gods. Although she was not as skilled in magic as Abe no Seimei, she specialized in divine magic and had unique insights in certain areas.

Shirou also noticed that the woman's eyes were unusual; they seemed to be the 'pure eyes' possessed only by descendants of Japanese exorcism families in later generations.

"Yes, if you want to get there, it's best to go directly through the passage to hell. There isn't one in the human world, so you have to go around to the underworld first," the cold woman said.

"Won't taking a detour cause too much delay? I'm worried about Mashiro; if that child is taken to hell, he might be in danger," Shirou expressed his concerns.

"The Ghost King kidnapped her to marry her, didn't he? I've heard of similar things. Ghost marriages in Hell require at least three days of preparation time. As long as you arrive before then, your girlfriend will be safe. In the end, the ghosts in Hell aren't very intelligent. They're the kind of beings that can't control their desires and will try to take everything they want until they perish because of this uncontrolled greed," the cold woman said.

"Don't worry, buddy. We've been to hell before. With us here, you don't need to worry at all," Sakata Kintoki said with a hearty laugh.

"Yes, let's set off after Lord Raikou wakes up," the martial arts-minded older sister wearing a straw hat chimed in.

"Everyone... thank you so much for helping me save people from hell. After this matter is settled, please feel free to contact me if I can help in any way." Shirou thanked the Four Heavenly Kings. Although Raikou had agreed out of friendship, these others were completely unrelated. Now, not only had they agreed to help, but they had also offered advice and strategies, which made Shirou extremely grateful.

"Since Lord Raikou has spoken, I will naturally obey. Moreover, it was for the sake of rescuing a girl in distress. Since I have witnessed it, there is nothing more to say. I am quite skilled at slaying demons." The sword-wielding samurai girl Tsuna, said righteously.

"Shirou-kun, is it alright for you to call me 'elder sister' like that? It's too formal. We're both from martial backgrounds, so there's no need for such formalities. Since you like my temperament, I can help you with this." The woman with the gun and the straw hat said with a smile.

"Since it's about defeating the Demon King, it's just an obligation for me. You don't need to feel any burden," the cold woman holding the bow said, a rare smile appearing on her face.

"Well, we won't stay in the human world for long. It was only Lord Raikou sensed a power similar to her Noble Phantasm appearing in Kamakura that we returned early. Otherwise, we might have been delayed for another month or so before we came out," Sakata Kintoki said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Huh? What's going on?" Shirou asked curiously.

"That's right, the proprietress's carrots are really delicious!" Miss Shinigami chimed in from the side.

"No, it's just that I'm not used to it. Modern Japan is just too chaotic. Not to mention the metropolis of Tokyo, even the rural Kamakura is like this." The samurai girl, Tsuna, shook her head in disgust just thinking about it.

"Huh? Why? The human world is much more fun than the underworld!" Miss Shinigami asked, puzzled.

"I do really like Golden's accessories, especially the motorcycle ones, and the Kamen Rider I've seen on TV are super cool too. But the others just don't like it. They keep saying things like 'shameless' and 'discipline' and stuff like that," Sakata Kintoki said, scratching his head helplessly.

"Exactly! Are modern people really descendants of the Japanese? The things they do are even more exciting than the events in The Tale of the Tale of Genji," the samurai girl Tsuna said, lowering her head.

"And having a girlfriend... isn't that just a secret engagement? If you elope, you can only be a concubine..." The usually cold-faced Miss Urabe blushed and said softly.

Chapter 878 How could Minamoto no Raikō be a woman?

Although the Four Heavenly Kings are considered Extreme Evil by demons and monsters, they hold rather conservative views on relationships between men and women, much like sheltered young ladies.

"What era are they from? They do seem very strong, but their thinking is so outdated!" The Explosion Head Uncle, puzzled, and asked Shirou and the horse-headed Miss Shinigami in a low voice.

"They're all spirits. They were powerful humans from ancient times who, because of their achievements, attained enlightenment after death and exist independently in the underworld," Miss Shinigami explained in a low voice.

However, despite lowering their voices, the two still underestimated these mysterious forces, which were said to be the strongest in Japan in an era. In order to fight against the ferocious demons and monsters, they had long since trained themselves to have superhuman combat wisdom and a savage body like a 'demon'.

The samurai girl frowned as she looked at the group of Explosion Head Uncle gathered there and said, "If you want to ask, just come and ask directly. Don't Gil around the bush. I am Watanabe no Tsuna, a samurai serving the Minamoto clan."

"Huh?" The Explosion Head Uncle was stunned for a moment.

"I am Ji Wu of the Urabe family, and I do not change my name or surname. Do you have any objections, you heretical monk?" The cold beauty looked over and asked.

"Hey!" The Explosion Head Uncle opened his mouth.

"Haha, I am Usui no Sadamitsu, I studied at the Mount Usui Jōkōin Kongōji Temple. Where are you a monk from?" The pretty woman with a gun and a straw hat asked with a smile.

"Hey!" The Explosion Head Uncle opened his mouth as wide as it could go.

"I'm Sakata Kintoki! If you want to ask someone's name, you have to give your own name first, that's basic etiquette. But since you're older, I'll let you off the hook, uncle!" Sakata Kintoki said.

"Eh!!!!" The Explosion Head Uncle was so scared that snot was running down his face.

The Explosion Head Uncle his mouth wider and wider, his expression becoming increasingly exaggerated with each name he heard, his eyes almost popping out. He asked in a hoarse voice to Miss Shinigami beside him:

Are they telling the truth? Or are they just cosplaying?

"Hmm... that's how it is." Miss Shinigami nodded, but she didn't understand what was so strange about whether it was male or female. Her Horse-Face clan had had women holding official positions for tens of thousands of years; men and women were equal.

Miss Shinigami didn't understand, but to the Japanese, the Four Heavenly Kings of Raikou were like legendary figures in China, such as Yue Fei and Guan Yu.

In the past, some people have artistically processed and interpreted their historical deeds from multiple perspectives, then integrated them, adding some mythological elements in the process;

For example, Yue Fei, whose courtesy name was Pengju, was the reincarnation of the Golden-Winged Roc. Guan Yu used the momentum of heavy rain to conquer Xiangyang and Fancheng, so his previous life was the Dragon King, who flooded the seven armies, and so on.

Minamoto no Raikō could also be the Gozu Tenno, the reincarnation of Indra, or even Ushi Gozen...

These events were constantly adapted, initially becoming operas and storytelling performances, then passed down from generation to generation. In modern times, they were also made into TV series and movies, and appeared in animation and games. As a result, they became known to everyone in the country and were admired by many.

For exorcists and psychics, he is more like an idol.

"That person who went to rest... could it be...?" The Explosion Head Uncle seemed to remember something, turned to Shirou, and asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it's Minamoto no Raikō." Shirou nodded with a somewhat complicated expression.

"How is that possible! How could Minamoto no Raikō be a woman! Minamoto no Yoshitsune can cry!" the man with the afro shouted.

Shirou turned his head away, saying nothing more, thinking helplessly to himself: 'Because Yoshitsune is also a woman, and she has a nickname: Ushiwakamaru...'

Shirou actually loved the story of Raikou Four Heavenly Kings when he was a child, and Kintaro had even read it in a fairy tale book, so it's not that they couldn't understand the feelings of the Explosion Head Uncle.

But ever since that year, when he saw the majestic King Arthur without his armor, none of that mattered anymore.

"Is that so... that's why I'm not used to modern society." The man with the afro was still in shock and nodded somewhat dazedly.

"That's how it is, I hope you understand." Tsuna nodded.

Yes, for samurai like Minamoto no Raikō, the changes in the modern world were simply too great. Living here meant constantly being challenged by various new ideas. Although they had been introduced to modern knowledge when they arrived in this world as Servant, knowing it didn't mean they could accept it. That's why Raikou, along with the Four Heavenly Kings, left the human world and went to the demon realm to continue their work of slaying demons.

Even people living in modern times often argue because of differing values. If their beliefs differ, the arguments can escalate to the point of war, resulting in bloodshed, broken families, and death.

Not to mention the ancient people who lived a thousand years ago; the gap between them and the modern world is completely different, whether in terms of secular concepts, social systems, or moral standards.

Ancient Japan was actually a combination of a theocratic state and an active absorption of foreign cultures. The Emperor was more like a pope than an emperor who conquered the world. The Emperor was not human from the beginning, but existed as a god. The Emperor was a direct descendant of Amaterasu Omikami, and was Amaterasu's agent on earth. He was worshipped as a god by the people and was also the supreme leader of Shintoism.

When Minamoto no Raikō and his companions went to exorcise demons, deities would actually emerge from shrines along the way to give them hints and various forms of assistance. This was because they were all on the same side, working in the same company, and their superior was Amaterasu Omikami.

But in this era, everything has changed.

"Actually, it's not a problem with modern society. If I were just here to carry out a mission, it would be fine. As long as I'm following Lord Raikou, I can stay anywhere," Tsuna said.