Mythology

Listening to Suwako's narrative, Miketsu took a deep breath, trying to steady her heart. Finally, she understood what kind of existence she had been contending with this entire time.

Ancient Gods—powerful individual lifeforms born into this world since the dawn of time. Worshipped by the earliest civilizations and possessing colossal bodies and immense power, they were the most primitive of deities.

Yamata no Orochi was not merely a monster from Yamato Mythology; he was a god far older than the deities of Takamagahara... No wonder even a partial resurrection yielded such terrifying strength.

"Since you were converted into a wild god through faith after your original body was killed, what about Yamata no Orochi? What is his situation?" Miketsu continued to press Suwako. Orochi's current state was clearly different from Suwako's; besides being dead, he seemed to be suppressed by layer upon layer of seals.

"As for that... I don't know," Suwako said, crossing her arms with a serious expression. Her answer caught Miketsu off guard.

"What? You don't know?"

"Correct. Because when my original body died, that snake was still around. I fell into a long slumber after my death. By the time I woke up as a wild god, the world had undergone earth-shattering changes. Including that snake, almost all the remaining Ancient Gods I could sense had fallen into silence. In their place, you Modern Gods had risen... Not long after I woke, the Yamato gods of Takamagahara arrived to conquer the land, and Kanako came straight to my door," Suwako said with a hint of helplessness.

Miketsu asked without hesitation, "The rise of the Modern Gods—do you know the specifics of how that happened? Where exactly did the current Modern Gods of Takamagahara come from?"

Hearing this, Suwako froze. She looked at Miketsu with a gaze full of surprise.

"Aren't you a Modern God yourself? Why are you asking me?"

"Er..." Miketsu scratched her head awkwardly, realizing she had been a bit too hasty with her questioning. "To be honest, for certain reasons, I've lost a significant portion of my memories..."

"Amnesia... A deity like you can actually suffer from amnesia? Truly incredible..." Suwako murmured softly. Then, her expression turned solemn. "Actually, I asked Kanako about the origins of the Modern Gods. However, her answer and her behavior... they shocked me."

"What kind of answer?"

"She simply repeated the Yamato Mythology, using it to explain the origin of this nation and the Modern Gods... and she believed in it implicitly. In short, Kanako uses mythological stories to explain the existence of everything, including herself..." Suwako continued, while Miketsu struggled to grasp the meaning for a moment.

"Using mythological stories to explain... her own existence?"

Seeing Miketsu's confusion, Suwako thought for a moment and added, "Let me give you an example to explain this point, though you might find it hard to accept or believe."

"Go ahead. I'll listen first," Miketsu said directly. Seeing Miketsu's attitude, Suwako began.

"Then I'll say it. This land beneath our feet—or rather, Japan—is said in Yamato Mythology to have been birthed from the union of the sibling gods Izanagi and Izanami. They are considered the ancestors of the vast majority of the Yamato orthodox gods. However, what I want to say is that the reality is different. This land was not birthed by the union of gods; it was split and peeled off from the continent tens of millions of years ago. Though you might find this hard to believe, I truly witnessed it with my own eyes..."

Suwako spoke slowly, seemingly not expecting Miketsu to accept such a claim. However, Miketsu's subsequent reaction took her by surprise.

"Peeled off from the continent... Hmm, I see..."

"Wait... I said Japan separated from the continent and drifted here, and you're not surprised? You just accept it?"

"Well... I wouldn't say I just 'accept' it, but it's a very novel perspective. I think it might be correct," Miketsu answered calmly. In truth, she believed Suwako completely. After all, she possessed modern knowledge; theories like continental drift were deeply rooted in her mind.

"Heh, you really are a unique deity. Even if you've lost your memories, is it really alright to just deny the origins of your own mythology like that?" Suwako said with a smile. Miketsu simply shrugged.

"I only believe in what I see with my own eyes and experience for myself..."

At Miketsu's words, Suwako's expression tightened slightly before she smiled again.

"I have existed in this world for a very long time. I understand clearly how this land was formed. In my memory, there was no Izanagi or Izanami, and no Kotoamatsukami...

"Yet Kanako's perception is entirely different. She firmly believes in the Yamato Mythology and thinks it all truly happened, even after I pointed out the obvious flaws in the myths...

"And it's not just her. She said every orthodox god she has ever met shares this view. They all believe this is how Japan came to be, and that they are all descendants of the sibling gods... Isn't that strange? Her persistence sometimes made me wonder if I was the one who was wrong. I wondered if my mind had broken after dying once. It wasn't until I encountered that snake again today and confirmed the existence of other Ancient Gods that I knew my worldview was correct."

Miketsu felt another wave of shock. After a moment of processing the information Suwako provided, she spoke.

"Are you saying that the orthodox gods of Takamagahara might all have their thinking constrained by 'mythology'?"

"Exactly. While I don't know how the Modern Gods—or rather, the orthodox gods—came to be, they are undoubtedly inseparable from this so-called 'mythology.' I originally thought all orthodox gods were like Kanako, held under some kind of constraint by 'mythology.' But you are different, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto. You don't seem to be under that constraint..."

As Suwako spoke, her expression became extremely grave. She locked eyes with Miketsu with intense seriousness.

"Now listen carefully, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto. Tomorrow, Kanako will relay instructions from Takamagahara. They want you to go to the Celestial Realm immediately and return to Takamagahara. But I'm telling you, no matter what, do not go. Even if it means coming into conflict with Kanako, you must not go.

"There is a uniqueness about you that sets you apart from all other orthodox gods. Until we can be certain whether such uniqueness can be tolerated by the other gods, absolutely do not go to Takamagahara. Do not walk straight into the lion's den."