Contamination

Miketsu finally gained a preliminary understanding of the truth about Chang'e and the former Lunar Civilization after hearing Suwako's words. She also sighed at the nature of the Ancient Gods of old. With their disposition, it was no wonder they all eventually went extinct. Compared to those Ancient Gods, who were extremely arrogant, conceited, completely unrestrained, and ridiculously powerful individually, the Modern Gods were simply too good for this world, at least they wouldn't casually unleash world-ending calamities.

“So... how long ago did Chang'e's invasion and that Ancient God melee take place?” Miketsu continued to ask, looking at Suwako, who stroked her chin in thought for a moment.

“Hmm... probably about two hundred and fifty million years ago, back when those big birds weren't crawling all over the world. Even by the Ancient Gods' timescale, that's quite a long time ago.”

Big birds crawling all over the world? She can't be talking about dinosaurs, can she...? Miketsu couldn't help but inwardly grumble, listening to Suwako's words. She at least knew that the ancestors of birds were dinosaurs.

“In any case, that melee brought about a truly devastating disaster to this world. Over ninety percent of life was affected and destroyed. If those fellows hadn't stopped in time, this planet would have already become a dead star,” Suwako continued. After hearing this, Miketsu's resolve to prevent even a single Ancient God from reviving grew even stronger.

They were practically world-destroying engines... she wondered how this world had managed to endure it all...

As Miketsu thought this, Suwako continued to lament.

“Although the existence of Ancient Gods was a collection of disasters, one must admit that their unparalleled power prevented alien invasions. Throughout this planet's long history, it has suffered crises from beyond the cosmos more than once. Chang'e's incident was merely the most severe, but these crises were ultimately resolved by the Ancient Gods through their own strength, which is also their merit.

“To be honest, while the current world is peaceful and stable, its overall power is far inferior to the Age of Gods. If those extraterrestrial crises were to descend again, I don't know how this world would stop them. For instance, if Chang'e were to revive and invade again, this world would be completely eroded and alienized by her, with a hundred percent certainty.”

Suwako sighed, and Miketsu's expression grew solemn after hearing her words.

“Perhaps... Chang'e truly might descend upon this world again.”

“What?”

Suwako turned her head, looking at Miketsu with a hint of surprise. Miketsu, with a serious expression, then informed her about the Lunar Capital. The more Suwako listened, the uglier her expression became.

“You mean... there's a group of people on the moon calling themselves lunarians who have established a city, and they're unearthing techniques to recreate Chang'e's retainers, even trying to master Chang'e's power?”

“Yes, I have an expert from the Lunar Capital with me. According to her, due to the Lunar Capital's utilization, Chang'e's power has become increasingly active, and Chang'e is indeed in a state of gradual awakening,” Miketsu continued seriously. Suwako immediately grew anxious upon hearing this.

“Those fools are playing with fire!”

“Yes, but there's no reasoning with them. The arrogant lunarians only see it as a heaven-sent energy source belonging solely to them. Without understanding the truth about Chang'e, their revival of her is merely a matter of time,” Miketsu said gravely. A hint of anxiety appeared on Suwako's face.

“Then what should we do now? We absolutely cannot stand by and watch Chang'e be awakened by those ignorant fools.”

“The Lunar Capital must be stopped. I am already in a hostile relationship with them. Their advance on the surface world against me is inevitable. I intend to use this as an opportunity to thoroughly defeat the Lunar Capital and force them to completely abandon their research and utilization of Chang'e.” As she spoke, Miketsu emphasized her stance even more, looking at Suwako and saying solemnly.

“My purpose in coming to you this time is, first, to understand the truth about Chang'e. Second, to ask you and Kanako to lend your strength and join my side in the upcoming war.”

Hearing Miketsu's words, Suwako paused slightly, then pulled down the brim of her hat and said with a smile.

“Ah... of course...”

...

After returning to the Inari Secret Realm, Miketsu's first order of business was to find Eirin, who had just finished attending a celebration banquet. Arriving at her temporary workshop, Miketsu shared the information about Chang'e she had obtained from Suwako. Eirin was utterly astonished after hearing it.

“What... You're saying Chang'e isn't a lifeform born on this planet, but an Alien God?”

“That's right... she's an extraterrestrial deity who descended over two hundred million years ago, bringing her retainers to invade and reshape our world. The Lunar Ruins in the Lunar Capital... those are what they left behind.”

Miketsu explained the truth about Chang'e to Eirin in more detail. After a brief moment of shock, Eirin calmed down, a look of understanding dawning on her face.

“I see. If Chang'e is an Alien God, then many things can be explained. Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto... although I don't know where you obtained this information about Chang'e, it has indeed resolved some long-standing confusions for me...” Eirin mused, stroking her chin. Miketsu, watching her, felt a slight bewilderment.

“Long-standing confusions?”

“Yes, for a long time, I've been researching Chang'e's power. I've always wondered what this 'purity' was, brought by Chang'e's power, that granted the lunarians eternal life. Now it's clear. This so-called 'purity' is actually an alien law generated under Chang'e's influence, while 'impurity' is the law of our world. The lunarians' immortality is, in fact, a result of being contaminated by alien laws,” Eirin slowly explained. Miketsu, on the other side, tilted her head.

“So the lunarians, who claim to be 'Pure,' are essentially surface dwellers contaminated by an alien magical array? How ironic... But isn't gaining eternal life through contamination quite good?”

“That's merely because the degree of contamination is too low. On the surface of the Lunar Capital, Chang'e's power has very little influence. But if one delves deep into the ruins and excessively contacts Chang'e's power, extremely terrifying things will happen. The emotions of intelligent beings will gradually be eroded, all desires will completely vanish, reproductive capabilities will be entirely lost, and all motivation for action will disappear, turning them into 'stone statues' of eternally static life, merely existing—a life worse than death...”

Hearing Eirin's words, Miketsu couldn't help but swallow. According to Eirin, the result of Earthlings being completely contaminated by alien laws was to become immortal, unmoving vegetative states.

“That truly is a terrifying eternity...”

“Indeed. That's why the lower levels of the Lunar Capital are absolutely forbidden zones. The lunarians themselves don't want to be overly 'Purified' into such monstrous states. In fact, all lunarians experienced some side effects after gaining eternal life. For instance, their birth rate plummeted, and they became extremely apathetic and inhuman emotionally. The widespread arrogance in the Lunar Capital today is also a result of Chang'e's power's influence.”

Eirin continued, and after hearing her words, Miketsu secretly resolved that the so-called 'purity' must absolutely not be allowed to spread to the surface world.

“Actually, that extremely rigid state might have been the normal condition for Chang'e's retainers. During my investigation of the Lunar Ruins, I found that Chang'e likely controlled her retainers like puppets, and their entire society functioned like a machine, working as her appendages,” Eirin continued to elaborate on her theory. Miketsu, however, felt a hint of doubt about this.

“No, that can't be right. Logically, the moon rabbits are the survivors of Chang'e's retainers, but I don't think they're much different from us in terms of cognition,” Miketsu said. She currently had a large group of moon rabbits living with her, and she found them quite easy to get along with.

“Heh heh, if Chang'e's alien laws can influence the people of our planet, then naturally, our planet's laws can also influence Chang'e's retainers. The moon revolves around our planet, and those surviving moon rabbits have also been contaminated by our laws, gradually acquiring some of our characteristics.

“After the lunarians conquered the moon rabbits, they treated them as slaves, banishing them to live and toil far from the Lunar Capital. This further removed them from Chang'e's influence. After multiple generations, the current moon rabbits are no longer the original moon rabbits; they are now largely beings belonging to our planet.”