All living things thrive, grasses grow and birds fly. The world never stops turning because of any one person.
On the contrary, humans feel that life is much better than before because of the absence of the gods of Takamagahara.
Monsters that once plagued humans, such as giant snakes and Toad, have now disappeared without a trace.
However, legends from various regions have added other monsters, such as a cat demon taller than a person and a mountain eagle the size of a room.
A boy stood in front of the mountain temple, took a deep breath, and pushed open the temple door.
His name is Yamahiko, he is sixteen years old, and he comes from a small village at the foot of the mountain.
The villagers have been saying that life has gotten better these past few months, but Yamahiko doesn't think so.
There are fewer monsters now, but the new cat demons and mountain eagles are even more ferocious than the monsters of the past.
Last month, a hunter from the next village had his arm bitten off by a cat demon, and the day before yesterday, someone's child was snatched away by a mountain eagle over the mountains.
Yamahiko vowed to eradicate all the monsters in the world.
However, being young, he had no special abilities, and his grand ambition to quell the monsters of the world remained just a pipe dream.
Until he happened to see an old woman leaping through the mountains, jumping dozens of meters in a single bound.
After exhausting all his ideas, Yamahiko finally became an apprentice of the old woman to learn Senjutsu, hoping to become a high and mighty immortal.
The sleeping quarters in the mountain temple were still closed. Yamahiko knew that his master was still sleeping, so he didn't dare to disturb him. Instead, he practiced swordsmanship with a bamboo knife in the open space outside the mountain gate.
Suddenly, an elderly woman with white hair appeared on the roof of the mountain temple.
She looked at the boy on the open ground below, a hint of sadness creeping into her eyes.
Although this young man has some talent, he could become an immortal in the future.
However, becoming a god and possessing special abilities is indeed as difficult as ascending to heaven.
When Yamahiko finished practicing his swordsmanship, his back was soaked with sweat.
He braced himself on the ground with a bamboo knife, panting heavily, and looked up to see the old woman standing under the eaves watching him.
He quickly composed himself and knelt down to pay his respects.
"Master."
The old woman didn't try to get him up as usual. She just looked at Yamahiko for a long time, then gently shook her head.
"Get up, Yamahiko. Your swordsmanship has improved greatly. Now go down the mountain. You don't need to come back."
Yamahiko suddenly looked up, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his face.
"Master, why? Did I do something wrong?"
"I can't teach you anymore," the old woman said. "You have some talent. Go down the mountain and find a martial arts school, or train on your own; you can survive either way."
"But I want to learn Senjutsu from you!" Yamahiko cried out anxiously, crawling two steps on his knees. "You promised me that I could become an immortal someday."
"I have already taught you the method of cultivating Natural Energy," the old woman interrupted him, her tone more somber than ever before.
"Let's go, or it will be too late."
Just then, a woman's giggles suddenly came from the woods in the distance.
"Haha, I thought I hid it well, but I didn't expect you to find out!"
I never expected that the famous Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto would be hiding here, and transformed into an ugly old woman.
I remember you were extremely vain back then!
The old woman did not answer, but only sighed softly.
She slowly raised her right hand and gently wiped her face.
The wrinkled face suddenly rippled like water. The wrinkles, age spots, and gray hair all vanished with that single touch.
It scattered into countless extremely fine silver threads, peeling off her face like a spider web, then retreating back between her fingers and into her body.
The face changed; the wrinkles disappeared, and the white hair turned black.
Standing in front of Yamahiko was a young woman in her early twenties.
She was dressed in plain white, her eyes were cool and aloof, and her lips were slightly pursed, like a flower that had bloomed for a long time under the moonlight but had never been seen by anyone.
Yamahiko's mouth was open, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto looked at the woman slowly emerging from the woods, her expression turning from indifferent to cold.
"I don't remember having any conflict with you, Ame no Uzume no Mikoto."
This is a place for self-cultivation and tranquility; you are not welcome here.
A very soft laugh came from the Ame no Uzume no Mikoto.
" Takuhata, it's been a long time."
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto barefoot, with two silver bells tied to her ankles, which jingled softly with each step.
She walked into the courtyard, stopped, and looked at Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto with a hint of mockery in her eyes.
"You've actually become like this." Ame no Uzume no Mikoto tilted her head. "An old woman, huddled in a mountain temple, teaching children swordsmanship."
You are Omoikane's sister. Your brother has the whole of Takamagahara under his thumb, and you're here playing tricks on him, pretending to be a god or a ghost, playing house with a mortal.
Don't you feel ashamed?
"Shameful?" Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto laughed. The laugh was cold. "I don't see anything shameful about it."
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto did not reply; she took a step forward.
"I came to find you, not to argue," said Ame no Uzume no Mikoto. " Great Goddess Amaterasu wants to know where Omoikane is. Tell me, and I'll leave."
"I have no idea."
"Of course you know." Ame no Uzume no Mikoto stared at her. "You're his sister, and you're telling me you don't know?"
Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto did not look at her.
She turned her head and glanced at Yamahiko standing beside her.
That look was complex, containing disappointment, pity, and an inexplicable weariness. She said to Yamahiko.
"Go away, this is not something you should know."
Yamahiko didn't move. He looked at Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto, and then at Ame no Uzume no Mikoto.
He suddenly felt he shouldn't leave. Although he didn't understand what grudge existed between the two women, he could sense that the woman named Ame no Uzume had come to capture his master.
He gripped the bamboo knife tightly in his hand.
"Master," Yamahiko said, "I'm not leaving."
Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto looked at him without saying a word.
The Ame no Uzume no Mikoto smiled.
"Look, the disciple you taught has some backbone, but unfortunately, he's too weak and his aptitude for cultivation is lacking."
"If you don't accept sacrifices, you can never become a god."
Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto's expression grew even more unpleasant, as if she had heard something utterly disgusting.
"Sacrifice, how perfectly natural it sounds from your mouth."
But this kind of thing only disgusts me. I'm not saddened by Takamagahara's current fate.
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto turned to Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto, her tone changing; it was no longer mocking, but rather a deep weariness.
" Takuhata, do you really think the destruction of Takamagahara is a good thing?"
"Don't you think so?" Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto retorted, "Which of the gods of Takamagahara isn't parasitic on human beings?"
The Flower God was cursed by the Magatsuhi no Kami, and lived in fear her entire life.
Susanoo was slain by Madara Uchiha, while Takemikazuchi-no-Kami died outside the gate.
Amaterasu sat on her throne, maintaining a disgusting order with black flames.
But what lies beneath this order? A group of gods who suck the blood and bones of mortals.
They themselves are immortal, yet mortals support them generation after generation.
" Ame no Uzume, tell me! Shouldn't Takamagahara be destroyed?"
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto did not answer immediately.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just clenched her fists.
"You weren't like this before," Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto continued, " Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, the strongest god in Taijutsu in Takamagahara."
Your ability is ultimate control over your body. Your speed, your strength, your reflexes—no god in Takamagahara can defeat you in close combat.
But what have you turned yourself into? A dancer.
They danced to please the gods at their feast.
You're afraid that Takamagahara will discover your abilities, afraid that they'll see you as a threat.
So you'd rather be an actor than let people see your true self.
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto's face flushed red.
She took a step forward, and her silvery voice became urgent.
"Shut up!"
"Did I say something wrong?" Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto's voice was calm. "You clearly have power, but you dare not use it."
You clearly see through the decay of Takamagahara, yet you pretend not to.
You know what that place is like better than I do.
But you dare not leave. You're not even as good as my brother. Although he schemed against everyone, at least he didn't lie to himself.
Ame no Uzume no Mikoto's body began to tremble. Her feet moved slightly, and the sound of the silver bells grew more and more frequent.
Yamahiko saw her fingers contracting and tightening, like a bow stretched to its limit.
He knew that this woman named Ame no Uzume was about to make a move.
He held the bamboo sword, standing horizontally in front of Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto.
"Master, be careful."
"Get out of the way." Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto glanced at her apprentice.
"I won't let her! She's coming to arrest you, I can't let her."
Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto watched his retreating figure.
This sixteen-year-old boy, holding a bamboo knife, stood in front of a deity.
Suddenly, Takuhata Chijihime no Mikoto realized that Omoikane wasn't so bad after all.
"I Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, and I truly do not know where my brother is."
If you truly don't believe me and want to fight me, then I'll have no choice but to grant your wish.