I loaded the geek game

Gao Tianyuan.

Daoman finally set foot here, entering this magnificent, desolate, and anciently chilled abode of the gods.

The pillars supporting the dome soared into the void, as if connecting to the spine of the universe. Above the shattered dome, nothing remained to obscure the view, revealing a backdrop as deep as an eternal night. Billions of stars, some bright, some dim, flowed silently within, converging into a dazzling yet heart-wrenching galaxy of light.

These rays of light from millions of years ago are silent, desolate, yet magnificent to the point of cruelty. They gaze indifferently at this divine palace, which was forcibly "anchored" from the void and finally made firmly manifest in the world, with an unchanging, icy demeanor.

At the center of the shrine is an ancient stone staircase that spirals upwards, and a stone throne carved from the most primordial star core and divine crystallization. It is simple to the point of being rough, yet it exudes an aura of power that covers the entire space and time.

Authority is concentrated here, and laws resonate here.

The entire temple trembled slightly at the manifestation of this divine throne, emanating an aura of antiquity, holiness, and absolute majesty that was impossible to look directly at or desecrate.

just.

After enduring countless hardships, when he finally stood in this grand hall symbolizing the highest end, Daoman looked up—

But the divine throne standing under the starry sky felt too vast, too heavy, too desolate.

It's like a dark, imposing, ironic tombstone looming overhead.

At this moment, Daoman was all alone.

It lacked that voice, which always carried a metallic echo, sometimes gentle and sometimes solemn.

Even less...

Whether in the dilapidated Tsujido Hall in Hakata, the tranquil mountains of Hida, or amidst the bloodshed of desperate situations, that crimson hue remained vividly imprinted in his vision like a flame.

“I’ve checked it for you,” Daoman said, his voice echoing in the empty temple before being silently swallowed by the magnificent yet cold river of light. “The divine palace high in the heavens is really nothing special.”

As he spoke, he slowly took something out of his pocket.

A bell.

The family heirloom that had burned as a warning in his arms during his youthful wanderings, and that had existed for a long time in a huge and distorted form at the top of the golden bell staff in Suzuhiko's hand after he met her... now, it has returned to its original and simplest form.

Small, golden bells, their bodies covered with fine, ancient patterns, lay quietly in his palm.

jingle--

Daoman released his hand.

The bell slipped from his palm and rolled crisply a few times on the smooth, mirror-like temple floor.

Then, stop.

Golden light rippled from the bell, spreading and shaping it gently like ripples on water. The light outlined her slender waist, her flowing red skirt, her bare ankles, and the loosely dangling golden anklets…

The light faded.

A faint, crimson figure stood silently before Dao Man.

"Suzumi" stood there, her posture upright and her expression calm, her crimson eyes fixed on Daoman. She spoke, her tone unfamiliar and cold.

"The supreme ruler of gods and spirits who is about to ascend to the throne."

"I am Suzuhiko-hime. Destined to guard this place, to witness you ascend to the throne of the gods, and to become the divine priestess who rules the heavens..."

She resembles her, but ultimately she is not her.

Before him stood a divine throne, radiant with boundless light, crowned by a flowing river of divine power, protected by a shattered starry sky, his supreme authority within reach.

The shaman stands by, his appearance unchanged, faithfully fulfilling the duty bestowed upon him at the beginning of his life, awaiting the arrival of the new master and witnessing the changing of an era.

Everything has been settled, and the dust has settled.

The sacrifices have been rewarded, the journey has reached its end, and the grand ambition is about to be realized.

but.

Ashiya Dōman, having finally arrived here, did not take even one more step toward the divine throne that sat beneath the starry sky.

He stood there quietly, gazing at the near-perfect "shaman" for a moment.

“You may stay here,” Daoman said, her voice even somewhat gentle. “She said that most of the gods on earth want to see for themselves… what the heavenly abode is really like.”

Then he turned around.

Calm, yet resolute.

Having abandoned all glory, authority, and "perfection," Ashiya Dōman plunged into the deep, boundless shadows of Takamagahara, where even the endless light could not reach.

……

……

……

Past events flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern. And at this moment—

The starry sea is silent, and ruins float in the air.

The newly born demon god and lord, Kamiyagawa, walked alone to Ashiya Doman, the shadow cast by his tall figure gently covering Doman's pale face.

“I saw your past memories…” Kamiya lowered his head, looking down at the dying former candidate for the supreme demon with a complex expression. “Is there anything I can do for you one last time?”

"Ho..."

Ashiya Dōman did not reply immediately.

His somewhat unfocused gaze lingered on Kamiya's face, then shifted to what lay behind him. There—

Mary's blood mist stopped churning, Hannya's mask floated still, Inugami lowered his body and barked softly, Tengu folded his wings, Kujira's conch shell fell silent, Baku restrained his lazy demeanor, and Onizuka also stopped and gazed.

The gods of Takamagahara, who have fought alongside Kamiyagawa until now, formed a semicircle behind him. They were all different in form and scarred, but without exception, they exuded a silent and majestic aura, like a silent and magnificent relief sculpture.

"Hehe, it's really lively..."

Ashiya Dōman forced a weak smile, a smile so pale it was almost ethereal.

"...If you are the ruler of all gods and spirits, that's fine too."

The last few words were so soft they were almost inaudible.

Ashiya Dōman's gaze eventually fell on something further away, on "Suzukiko-hime," who stood there blankly like a delicate doll, her eyes vacant.

That vivid crimson, that elusive dream he chased...

……

Doman's vision began to blur, as if he had returned once again to the starlit meadow in the Hida mountain valley.

A night breeze rustles the grass, and summer insects chirp softly.

"Doman, have you ever really thought about why you wanted to ascend to the throne of Takamagahara?"

The starry sky, wildflowers, the faint glow of the gathered spirits, and the red dress burning silently beside me... everything is fading away.

"Actually, I never wanted to become the ruler of all gods and spirits." (End of Chapter)