Even if you let Futsu-Mitama stand on a supervolcano and detonate it, he could stand at the epicenter of the explosion and deflect it with his sword!
"No matter how many spells you cast, it's all in vain, Mr. Hayden. Ranged attacks are useless against me, and you'll be killed in close combat. I am the strongest god in Japan, second only to Susanoo!"
Futsu-no-Mitama spread its arms and proudly raised its upper body.
"Draw your sword of words and clash with mine! Otherwise, you will never win!"
After several rounds of this exchange, Hayden finally exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, what a swordsman!"
The term "Sword God" does not refer to Futsunomiya's swordsmanship, nor to the sword he possesses, but rather to Futsunomiya himself.
The so-called "Yamato God Clan" are not nature gods or land gods, but human gods. They are basically people whose souls ascended to godhood after death.
Upon closer inspection, Hayden realized that this Futsu-no-Mitama was likely a sword spirit, an ascension from the soul of a swordsman who had spent countless days and nights with his sword, honing his skills through thousands of days of training and refinement, at the very end of his pursuit of the unity of mind and sword. The body was the sword, the mind was the sword; wherever the mind pointed, the sword spirit would slay. This was indeed something of considerable depth.
Hayden had initially thought these new Yamato gods were all despicable creatures greedy for wealth and glory, but now it seemed that at least this Futsu-no-Mitama-no-Kami was indeed a sword fanatic who didn't care much about money... though that didn't mean he was a good god. Sometimes, a ruler who neglects his duties is even worse than a mediocre one.
Furthermore, Hayden doesn't believe Futsu-mitama-no-Kami's claim that he is "the strongest god in Japan after Susanoo-no-Mikoto."
"alright."
He exhaled.
"Then I'll chop you up with my sword."
His breath and words became swords—Hayden's "sword of words."
This was the most lethal weapon he had obtained from Angela.
When Futsu-no-Mitama saw Hayden finally draw his sword and reveal the divine sword he had been wanting to see again, he was overjoyed: "Very good, now this is a real battle. Mr. Hayden, don't disappoint me!"
To him, Hayden, who fought with the sword of words, was the only one who deserved the death, the only one who deserved the honor, the only one who deserved the merit. This way of thinking... hmm... doesn't it seem familiar?
--------------------------------
Karen received the news that Hayden was causing a ruckus in Kyoto from the Bodhisattva Kannon.
[I remember you saying before that your husband was responsible for staying in New Sprouts City to look after the house?]
In an encrypted communication channel undetectable by any of Mithra Bodhisattva's detectors, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva asked this question with a slightly sarcastic tone.
[Why is this house-guarding guy all the way to Japan?]
However, Karen's answer remained completely unwavering: "Anyway, we're all working together while also doing other things behind the scenes, right?"
"That's true, but Japan is still a place where I have a significant amount of influence." Guanyin raised her eyebrows on the communication channel. "If you're going to cause trouble in Japan, at least give me a heads-up, okay?"
In response, Karen changed the subject: "Let's get down to business. Has Hayden's actions in Japan affected our plans for Mithra Bodhisattva?"
"Strictly speaking, no," Guanyin Bodhisattva replied. "While there's some connection with Japan, it's not relevant this time. Rather, his commotion might actually divert Mithra's attention, which would benefit our surprise attack two days from now."
[But this is clearly not something you planned beforehand; it's just a coincidence. Don't try to take credit for it.]
"I never intended to take credit," Karen said. "But since everything's fine, let's just continue with our own things. Don't worry about what my husband is doing in Japan; it's useful anyway. Is that alright?"
Guanyin shook her head and sighed: "You are all far too arrogant."
Same to you.
The communication has ended.
Karen pondered for a while before informing her other companions: "Hayden is in Kyoto. For some reason, he got into a fight with the National Security Police and killed ten of them. Now he's charging towards the Prosecutor's Office."
These words caused the others—Pania, Alastor, and Abigail—to exchange bewildered glances. Then the old witch frowned and said, "This doesn't seem like Hayden's style. Could he be under some strange curse?"
“How could a curse possibly interfere with his mind?” Pania chimed in from the side. “I know there are some things Angela might not care about, but this is definitely not going to work.”
Abigail, in fact, understood Angela's worth better than Pania, so she was speechless for a moment. But she still said, "Not necessarily. After all, there are many stories in ancient legends about heroes going berserk and going mad; it's a kind of mythological tradition..."
“It shouldn’t be,” Alastor shook his head. “If the information from Guanyin is correct, Hayden hasn’t killed any civilians yet. In the legends of mythical heroes going berserk, how could they not kill civilians? This must be Hayden’s own choice.”
The old witch still frowned and asked, "Killing national security police officers is okay?"
“There’s no one who’s truly innocent,” Alastor said calmly. “They are both victims and oppressors, accomplices. On the other hand, revolutions are never bloodless.”
Abigail then looked at the group and noticed that, apart from Pania, Alastor and Karen didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with Hayden's actions.
Alastor has always advocated violent revolution and radical social reforms.
Although Karen is relatively conservative, she is never stingy with, and is very decisive in using force to solve problems.
...It would be more accurate to say that Abigail is the biggest conservative in this small group.
Pania? Does anyone really think she has any "political leanings" in her head?
Pania is optimistic: "Although it's a bit strange, I still believe that Hayden's approach has its reasons."
"hope so."
Karen also frowned.
"Hayden often doesn't consider the consequences of his actions. It's just that he hasn't caused any major trouble so far."
Alastor shrugged: "Don't worry, Hayden isn't really that bloodthirsty. What's the worst that can happen? He's not going to go on a killing spree and wipe out a whole bunch of Japanese gods, or even raze Mitra, which he uses as a rear subsidiary, to the ground all by himself, is he?"
It's possible that Karen might do something like that, but Hayden isn't like that, right?
——————————————————————————————————
(at the same time)
The samurai kimono—the black juban, kosode, and haori printed with the divine emblem—was chopped to shreds.
The shirtless Futsu-no-Mitama is now pinned to the ground by hundreds of swords. These swords are all "swords of words" uttered by Hayden, one after another, piercing Futsu-no-Mitama's entire body.
As for Futsu-no-Mitama's own soul sword, he manifested hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of them, but they were all cut down and shattered by Hayden's [Sword of Words], and could no longer be conjured up.
Since the Heart Sword, symbolizing the soul, has been shattered, it signifies the spiritual defeat of Futsu-no-Mitama.
Even if you kill me...
While spitting out mouthfuls of blood, Futsu-no-Mikoto muttered, "Even if you kill me, Lord Takemikazuchi will come and take you away..."
"Then I'll kill them all!"
The words had barely left his lips when Hayden mercilessly chopped off his head with the [Sword of Words]! Futsu-no-Mitama's head was violently chopped off and sent flying into the air, his body exploding in all directions! "Sayonara!"
As expected of Futsu-mitsukami, a top-tier martial artist even within the Yamato pantheon! Although he's only a minor god, he's a formidable opponent. In the final moments of that battle, when Futsu-mitsukami shot two divine swords from his ears, Hayden even had a fleeting premonition of death. Fortunately, the difference in their strength became apparent at the last moment.
While wiping the enemy's blood splattered on his face, Hayden turned his head and looked at the enemy god, Ebisu, who had only been watching from the sidelines from beginning to end.
Why are you just standing there watching?
Hayden asked, "Is Futsu-mitama in cahoots with you?"
"It's certainly not as profitable for two people to carry your head to the Mithra Group as it would be for me to go alone." Ebisu still wore a憨态可掬 smile. "Besides, a war of attrition would save me more energy. Your magical power has already been greatly depleted by Futsu-mitsuru-no-Kami, hasn't it?"
As he spoke, Ebisu took out his signature divine weapon: a red fishing rod made of bamboo.
"Besides, I've already figured out your fighting style. Once your moves are seen through, you have no chance of winning. So just take my bait!"
Hayden shook his head: "You think you can defeat me with a two-on-one strategy and refuse to cooperate? You're incredibly stupid. Fine. That way, you'll all die at my hands."
"Angela, help me restore my health and mana."
380: Each has their own plans
Hayden's battle with Futsu-mitsuru was not without its losses. He was struck several times by Futsu-mitsuru's sword, and his magical power was also greatly depleted.
But these minor problems were easily solved with a gentle breath from Angela. All fatigue and pain were blown away by her breath, and Hayden was instantly fully restored, his mana replenished. Only the steely rage within him still burned.
Ebisu was taken aback by Hayden and Angela's performance: "They actually have such a trick up their sleeve, that's quite impressive... Hmm, that's really impressive... This is going to be a bit troublesome."
"Is it troublesome?" Hayden raised an eyebrow and interrupted, "Actually, I feel the same way. Why don't you stop talking nonsense? I just want to beat you up and kill you right now."
Ebisu had originally hoped to gain a combat advantage by exploiting Hayden's losses, but now that hope was clearly dashed. Nevertheless, he smiled and raised his fishing rod: "Don't be so sure of yourself, Mr. Hayden. I already know your spells and artifacts, but you know nothing about me. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."
Hayden curled his lip: "You're really confident. How do you know I know nothing about you, Hiruko-gami?"
The kind smile on Ebisu's face vanished instantly. The moment Hayden uttered the word "Hiruko," Ebisu's smile twisted into a terrifying, resentful expression.
But it only lasted for a moment.
"Very good, very good! I'm going to hang you up like a fish, rip out your heart with a fishhook, chop off your head, and present it to Mithra Buddha!"
He swung the bamboo fishing rod like a whip, and the sharp hook immediately flew towards Hayden's heart. However, if this was an urban supernatural battle, it would be fine, but to call it a god-level attack would be too ordinary.
So, on instinct, Hayden jumped aside to dodge, only to see the fishhook hit the wall of the hall and immediately bounce back like a bullet, with the fishing line leaving a trail in the air that resembled ocean waves.
Hayden dodged several more times, but the hook and line only tightened their grip, and the waves they created in the air spread wider and wider, even carrying the sound of surging tides. For a moment, Hayden had the illusion that he was on the beach, listening to the tides and watching the waves crashing on the surface.
“You have lost, Mr. Hayden. You are now completely under my spell!”
Ebisu, the god of fishing, stood motionless, his expression unchanged. Whoosh, whoosh, splash. The seascape grew even more magnificent, as if he had truly pulled the ocean into the building with his fishing rod, as if everyone were actually standing on the beach.
Hayden raised his staff and casually fired ten magic bullets at Ebisu. In the next instant, all ten magic bullets drew arcs in the air and flew towards Ebisu's diagonal rear.
What on earth happened? Although Hayden had only casually cast some spells to test the waters, he never expected that the spells would bypass Ebisu.
"No way?" Hayden couldn't help but pinch his cheek. "This isn't some kind of illusion, is it?"
Angela chimed in from behind him, "Mind illusions are useless against you."
Since Angela guaranteed that mind illusions wouldn't work on Hayden, then... could this be some kind of sensory illusion, or something that attacks the brain's nerves with cosmos energy?
“It’s no use, Mr. Hayden. I am the real sea god, and of course I can pull the sea into our battlefield.”
Ebisu scoffed at Hayden's understanding.
"You have absolutely no chance of winning on my turf!"
In the blink of an eye, a force as powerful as the ocean surged into the Prosecutor's Office, creating a massive vortex that threatened to suck Hayden in as well.
Actually, if there really were "seawater" and "whirlpools" here, Hayden would have had an easy time dealing with it—he's done the same thing before, he could just do it again and force the seawater apart.
But there is no real sea here. Everything seems like a dream, an illusion, a mirage drawn in space by Ebisu with a fishing rod and line, like the moon's reflection in the sea—visible but untouchable.
"What a mirage."
Hayden himself couldn't help but complain—and then he came up with a solution on his own.
At the same time, Ebisu once again raised his fishing rod, struck a mysterious pose, and cast his line: "Die, Mr. Hayden!"
An incredible fishhook and fishing line traced a fantastical trajectory, attacking Hayden from behind a blind spot! Although Hayden dodged immediately, his left arm was still cut by the fishhook! Not only that, the sharp fishhook immediately burrowed into the wound and crawled towards Hayden's heart!
"Hahaha! Die a miserable death like this!"
Ebisu, seeing that his attack had hit its mark, laughed with wild joy.
Hayden ignored him and suddenly made a decision: "What we see is illusory, so it doesn't really matter. Let's just blow everything around us up."
Before he could finish speaking, he tapped the ground of the building with his staff.
A burst of intense light erupted.
--------------------------------
The foremost deity of Japan, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, also known as Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
As his name suggests, he is the only great god in Japan and the de facto ruler of Japan today.
Although the bodhisattvas of the Mithra Group still hold sway over Susanoo, the Mithra Group's influence over Japan is ultimately layered, so the actual rule and specific management details are left to the Yamato God Clan. The Mithra Group generally does not interfere, only making some other requests—such as allowing the stationing of troops and establishing fixed trade contracts.
In addition, Susanoo and his Yamato clan can exercise sovereignty within Japan under normal circumstances.
After saying all that, the main point is actually only one: in short, Susanoo did indeed possess complete ruling power over Japan, both legally and practically.
So when Hayden caused a ruckus in the old capital—Kyoto—Susanoo quickly received the news: "The son-in-law of the Peacock King killed fifty Kenbishi, stormed into the Kenbishi Hall in Kyoto, and even killed Futsu-no-Mitama??"
Summarizing it like this sounds really strange.
Furthermore, his subordinates reported to him: "Hayden is currently battling Ebisu in the Kenbishi Building. His every move is like the beginning of the universe. His divine power is so great that it has shattered the Kyoto city defense barrier. The sky and the ground have been broken, and the shockwave has reached all the way to Lake Biwa."
Susanoo: ? ? ?
In truth, the divine society knew who Hayden was. They had always kept an eye on Karen, the only daughter highly valued by the Peacock King, and therefore also on her chosen husband. In the eyes of the divine society, Hayden was indeed a very capable person. Although he had never become a new god, nor did he possess the talent for godhood, the divine society consistently regarded Hayden as an excellent technical talent, extremely loyal to Karen, and even capable of representing her in espionage activities.
In other words, although Hayden was the Peacock King's son-in-law, no god regarded him as a combatant. Even if some gods regarded Hayden as 007, they wouldn't consider him a soldier—although 007 is also very capable, he is ultimately not a soldier on the front lines.
...But now, Susanoo received a report that "Hayden wreaked havoc in Kyoto, killing and killing and killing." No wonder Susanoo initially doubted that he had misheard.
But his subordinates still asked, "Susanoo-no-Mikoto, what should we do now?"
In any case, this problem cannot be left unresolved. So, although Susanoo still had some doubts, he still ordered, "Send Takemikazuchi first, with Ten no Boshin assisting him, and then use a hundred Yokozuna warriors to suppress him. I will go over after I finish dealing with things here."
This answer surprised his subordinates: "Is it really necessary to mobilize to this extent? This is already the scale of an operation against a god, while Hayden is just an immortal."