Mountain Sword

Within Takemikazuchi-no-Kami's Divine Domain, the Sword Thunder Calamity Divine Domain, the churning dark thunderclouds in the sky had completely dispersed. The sunlight from above shone upon the barren peaks, bristling with weapons. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami watched everything unfolding around him with a stunned expression.

“A Calamity-Dispelling Prayer… How is that possible? How could a mere Calamity-Dispelling Prayer seal away all my thunder? Your divine power alone could never dissipate my heavenly might!”

Looking at Miketsu, who stood on a distant peak, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami shouted. Perhaps because his Divine Domain as the God of Thunder had been sealed, his voice, though still furious, lacked the booming resonance of a thunder god. Its volume had significantly diminished, and Miketsu almost didn’t catch his words.

‘Without the special effects, his presence has certainly dwindled…’ Miketsu thought to herself, observing Takemikazuchi-no-Kami in the distance, not forgetting to reply.

“Oh… believe it or not, it doesn’t matter, does it? You can’t summon thunder anymore, can you, Lord God of Thunder?”

Seeing Miketsu’s casual tone and relaxed demeanor, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s already furious expression grew even more terrifying. He extended his hand, and a blade impaled on one of the peaks detached itself under an invisible summons, flying directly into Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s grasp.

“Hmph, though I don’t know what crooked methods you used to imprison this Divine Punishment Lightning, do not think that this alone can defeat me. In fact… it might be a better choice if you were to fall beneath my thunderous judgment.” Takemikazuchi-no-Kami said, tightening his grip and flipping the katana in his hand.

“Oh… and why is that?” Miketsu asked, feigning curiosity at Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s appearance.

“Because… if you fall beneath my blades, I cannot guarantee I can bring you to the heavens intact…” As he spoke, wisps of steam began to seep from Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s body, and his form, covered in rolling cloud tattoos, rapidly transformed into a crimson hue.

Takemikazuchi-no-Kami was not merely the God of War; he was also the military general, the God of War, and the God of Weapons. Even with his primary Divine Domain as the God of Thunder sealed, his other Divine Domains remained formidable.

The combination of the God of Weapons and the God of War granted him close-quarters combat abilities almost unrivaled among the gods of Takamagahara, second only to Susanoo-no-Mikoto. His current crimson form was a manifestation of his God of War power!

Even if Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto, as the God of Agriculture, possessed unexpected immense strength, in terms of close-quarters combat, the God of Agriculture could never contend with the God of War combined with the God of Weapons.

“Go!”

Takemikazuchi-no-Kami swung the blade in his hand, and instantly, countless weapons impaled on the peaks all flew up automatically, stabbing directly towards Miketsu. In an instant, Miketsu was engulfed in an overwhelming encirclement of steel spikes. At the same time, the crimson Takemikazuchi-no-Kami, gripping the blade in his hand, shot into the sky, rushing at high speed towards Miketsu, accompanied by countless blades around him.

Thousands of weapons stabbed at Miketsu from all angles. Facing this overwhelming crisis, Miketsu extended her hand, and golden spiritual power pulsed, rapidly forming a bow made purely of divine power. Miketsu drew the bow, and a golden Arrow of Light condensed on the string.

“Sacred Arrow Rain…”

The Arrow of Light shot towards the sky, then burst open like a firework, splitting into countless tiny beams of light, forming a dense golden rain of light that poured down. Each drop of golden light rain precisely struck a blade attacking Miketsu. The countless blades assailing Miketsu were almost instantly knocked down. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami himself, after deflecting numerous incoming light rains with the blade in his hand, charged all the way to Miketsu’s front.

At this moment, the muscles on his crimson body suddenly swelled. Gripping the sword in both hands, he slashed directly at Miketsu from a tricky angle, accompanied by his furious roar.

Then, Miketsu, seeing through all of Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s movements, extended her hand and directly clamped the incoming blade with her index and middle fingers. The immense force from the God of War’s body was instantly and utterly restrained. No matter how much Takemikazuchi-no-Kami struggled, the clamped blade could not advance another inch.

At this moment, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s expression froze completely on his face, his mouth slightly agape.

“Wh—”

Having only uttered a single sound, Miketsu twisted her wrist, and the two fingers gripping the weapon forcefully snapped the sturdy blade. Miketsu then swung a punch, striking Takemikazuchi-no-Kami.

Sensing the incredible speed of the punch, the God of War’s instinct made Takemikazuchi-no-Kami adopt a guarding stance, protecting his body and head. Miketsu’s punch landed on Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s guarding arm, and then, amidst the explosive roar in the air, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami was sent flying by the immense force, crashing at high speed diagonally downwards into the body of one of the Divine Domain’s mountains.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The sound of exploding rocks echoed repeatedly. The sent-flying Takemikazuchi-no-Kami, after piercing through one mountain, crashed into another. Only after consecutively smashing through four mountains did the colossal force that had sent Takemikazuchi-no-Kami flying slowly dissipate. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami finally came to a halt inside the base of the fifth mountain.

“Quite a fast reaction, wasn’t it…” Miketsu floated in the sky, slowly speaking as she looked at the dust-shrouded mountains below. She expressed a slight surprise that Takemikazuchi-no-Kami had managed to react and guard.

Miketsu silently assessed the situation below. She understood that since Takemikazuchi-no-Kami’s Divine Domain hadn’t collapsed, it meant he was still conscious and hadn’t lost his fighting capability.

“To still be able to fight after that… truly worthy of a God of War of Takamagahara, isn’t he?” Feeling the accumulated rage and surging battle intent within the mountain, Miketsu commented softly.

“Rumble!”

After a moment of silence, the bottom of the fifth mountain suddenly let out a massive thud. Then, the entire mountain, nearly a hundred meters tall, broke free from the earth and slowly rose from the ground amidst the swirling dust. In the center of the mountain’s fractured base, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami could be seen, dragging the entire peak. He was covered in blood, glaring furiously at Miketsu in the distance.

“Uka… no… Mitama… no… Mikoto…”

Amidst his resentful words, rocks began to peel from the massive mountain Takemikazuchi-no-Kami dragged. Under the influence of the God of Weapons’ divine power, the entire peak was instantly reshaped into a colossal rock sword, roughly the same height as the previous mountain. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami gritted his teeth, and holding this enormous blade forged from a mountain, he cleaved directly towards Miketsu.

“Mountain Sword!”