Chapter 117: The Enigmatic Quest

"Kurogami Masayuki, where were you yesterday morning, and what were you doing there?"

"Me? Why are you asking me that? Um... I was having a few drinks at a wine bar I just discovered in the World of the Divine Beings. The wine there was exquisite, and the food was delicious! We should go there together sometime, Snow Sky-Dog!"

"Haizza, so you're not the culprit then! I apologize for suspecting you since this happened. There were times I thought you were that darn culprit! Haizza, big brother, if you have time, let's go have some drinks wherever you want. But I advise you to drink moderately! Don't get too immersed in alcohol, Kurogami Masayuki!"

"The culprit? So what exactly happened yesterday morning?"

"Haizza, big brother, you don't know anything! Sometimes I admire your intelligence; but right now, I see you as a very ordinary white lamb, with thick fur!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Come here, I'll show you!" When Kurogami Masayuki approached Snow Sky-Dog's desk, Snow Sky-Dog opened his drawer, which surprised Kurogami Masayuki greatly. The thick cover of the old book Masayuki had just read yesterday lay next to a pile of ash from burnt pages.

"Who did this?" Kurogami Masayuki realized that this was a very serious matter. But if he showed too much surprise, Snow Sky-Dog, and Mizuchi Haruka would know that he had already read it before the book with ancient magical knowledge was burnt by some hidden enemy. If so, not only would Kurogami Masayuki be suspected by Snow Sky-Dog and Mizuchi Haruka as the culprit, but perhaps his plan to collect the seventh and eighth magical artifacts alone would be exposed. That would mean he might become despicable to his younger brother and sister, Snow Sky-Dog and Mizuchi Haruka. So he pretended to be as innocent as a real white lamb with thick fur, about to be sheared but unaware of it.

"Yes, this book has been burnt... Where did you buy it? Why did you know that I like to read books but didn't allow me to read them? You look so angry, you look ugly like a monster, Snow Sky-Dog. If you haven't finished reading it, then give me the address where you bought it, and I'll buy another copy with the same title for you!"

"Haizza, big brother, do you think the atmosphere in this room is too tense so you deliberately act funny? There's nowhere to buy a similar book like this one, Kurogami Masayuki! This book belongs to Seraphina Frostwind. I took it from her bookshelf without her permission. If she, that cute, lovely, and beautiful girl when not angry, finds out about this, she might sacrifice me to demons! But it's not as worrying as another matter! But this matter is not as worrying as another one!"

"What is it, Snow Sky-Dog? You're making me curious, Snow Sky-Dog!"

"This book contains a lot of knowledge about ancient magic. But the most important thing is that within its content are hidden layers of meaning. If these extremely complex hidden meanings can be deciphered, then surely we will know the whereabouts of the magical artifacts we haven't recovered yet. Haizza, big brother, I'm not a dumb god either! I swear, when I use all my intellectual abilities, I have learned all the important information about the sixth magical artifact, 'The Lamp of the Seven Stars Seizing Lives'! I was planning to ask you to decipher the remaining hidden meanings to provide information about the remaining magical artifacts. But yesterday I went on a date with Mizuchi Haruka, while you went to try the wine at the wine bar you just discovered. When Mizuchi Haruka and I returned, the culprit had already finished burning the book. Kurogami Masayuki, big brother, looks at Mizuchi Haruka over there, she is very sad, and she regrets not having read the pages describing the types of spells, and the wizards who can make a man love any beautiful woman despite her beauty. Haizza, big brother, while I am trying to pursue the great meaning of this mission, Mizuchi Haruka is pursuing another great thing, trying to use ancient spells to make me love only her!"

Mizuchi Haruka was eating a delicious strawberry-flavored pastry. But when Snow Sky-Dog said that, she temporarily lost her appetite.

"Snow Sky-Dog, please stop! Up until now, you've been mocking me? It seems like you're very skilled at flattering women and mocking women?"

Kurogami Masayuki thought to himself.

"So that's it! But anyway, my two younger siblings don't know that I've deciphered the entire hidden meaning of the book. Moreover, I have planned to collect the seventh and eighth magical artifacts alone. I've escaped, luckily!"

Then Kurogami Masayuki pretended to be calm and said.

"Snow Sky-Dog, Mizuchi Haruka, please stop arguing! From this incident, have you both realized something important?"

"What is it, big brother?" Snow Sky-Dog and Mizuchi Haruka stopped arguing, and they looked at Kurogami Masayuki with curious eyes.

"I thought that when 'Steel Dragon' Ryujin Tetsu was expelled from this academy, we no longer had any enemies in this academy. But now, I realize that this is a sign for all three of us to know that we still have enemies in this academy. It could very well be that the culprit is someone sent by the dragon clan. Because all three of us have caused 'Steel Dragon' Ryujin Tetsu to be expelled from the academy; and 'Demon Dragon' Kamui, 'Desert Dragon' Ryujin Sabaku, we have seriously injured them. But this hidden enemy is likely a god who has been hiding and waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Now he has begun to act. He has awakened. But he may conspire with the dragon clan, or with the rebellious youkai, or with the demons of hell."

"Now what do we do?" Mizuchi Haruka asked her older brother with concern shown on her beautiful face.

"Well... um... There is a way, but..."

"Kurogami Masayuki, please just say it!"

"In this academy, there is a goddess who knows all the secrets in all three worlds. She is the Goddess of Secrets Amaterasu Yumi. She is very beautiful if Snow Sky-Dog seduces her, we will know all the secrets we want to know in all three worlds. If so..."

"Big brother, please shut up! Snow Sky Dog is my boyfriend. He had to seduce Seraphina Frostwind because of that silly task our master assigned to him. Because of that, I, your sister, felt deeply hurt in my heart. And now you're saying that! Are you my brother, Kurogami Masayuki? Who is the god who comforted me every time I cried and said he would try his best to make me the bride at Snow Sky-Dog's wedding? Have you forgotten all that, my brother, Kurogami Masayuki?"

Amidst the tension, Snow Sky-Dog suddenly noticed something.

"Hey, Kurogami Masayuki, Mizuchi Haruka, I would never do that! But have you noticed the bee hovering over there? It's unusually large. I'm thinking maybe a god is using animal transformation magic. If so, it must have eavesdropped on all our conversation!"

Kurogami Masayuki suddenly remembered something very important - yesterday morning when he read that book, that bee was perched on the window of the room. He exclaimed.

"It's very likely it's the culprit who burnt the book! Catch it, close all the windows, and don't let it escape!"

The bee flew away in fright and quickly disappeared from the three young gods. It flew to a room for academy students. It transformed back into 'The Deity of Deception and Cunning' Hokage Masayuki.

"Lucky me! They didn't catch me. I was going to use the magical item called the Magic Mirror. But the headmaster of the school, their master, also has this magical item. So if I use it, he will know everything I've done. Haizza, those gods will never know that I'm holding their precious book. I'm so smart to burn another book, tear off the cover of this book, and leave it next to the ashes of the other book, and they thought I burned that book! Now I have to quickly decipher the hidden meanings of this book. Let's see, the Light God Kurogami Masayuki has suggested some very good ideas to me, I can ally with the King of Dragons, or with the King of Demons, or with the New King of the Youkai World."

In the room of the three young gods

All three gods looked at each other with a solemn look, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. In the room filled with tension, the atmosphere seemed to become heavier with each passing minute. Snow Sky-Dog, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, said:

"We must find the culprit, and stop his plan before it's too late."

Kurogami Masayuki, with a profound look and knowledge, replied:

"We must use all the knowledge and power we have to deal with the enemy. But not only that, we must also find reliable allies, those willing to stand by us in this battle."

Mizuchi Haruka, in a confused and worried mood, said:

"But how do we know who is a reliable ally, and who is an enemy hiding under the guise of an ally?"

Mizuchi Haruka's question emerged as a challenge, opening up a new path, but also full of risks. In the complex picture of the war between supernatural forces, no one can be certain who is a friend and who is a foe. And in the not-too-distant future, meetings, decisions, and battles await them, with possibilities ranging from failure to success, from survival to destruction.

But amidst the anxieties and uncertainties, there was one thing that all three gods were certain of: they would not yield to any force that wanted to harm the World of the Divine Beings, which they called their home, which they were committed to protecting, by any means necessary. With faith and determination, they would step into new challenges, but they did not know what awaited them ahead.