Submit as Shikigami, or Move Away Together

Toga, the Great Dog General, gazed in reverence at the distant human city on the horizon, slowly sheathing his Tessaiga.

He was no ignorant yokai. Although most daiyōkai scorned gods, believing them to be mere lesser beings who had accepted human faith, he knew better.

True gods wielded limitless divine power, ruling over all things. A thousand years ago, whenever a god descended, everything within the vicinity was compelled to abide by their will. Even the most formidable yokai who dared to resist were instantly crushed and annihilated.

No one dared to openly challenge the will of a Takamagahara deity, for legend spoke of them as the creators of heaven and earth.

"A god of Takamagahara... surely, the first place they'll set their sights on is my Western Lands."

What should he do then? Should he relocate? Or submit?

Toga rubbed his forehead in frustration. Moving his entire domain was out of the question—where could so many yokai go? The other territories were occupied by lords whose power rivaled his own.

As for submission...

It wasn't entirely out of the question. After all, bowing to a true god wasn't a disgrace.

What worried him was whether this god would tolerate yokai at all. Would he seek to eradicate them entirely?

Hadn't the god's words upon descent made it clear?

"I was once the god of humanity."

"I fought to cleanse the four corners of the world, safeguarding this fleeting corner of existence."

Toga cast one last reverent glance toward the distant human city before silently turning away.

To make an enemy of a god of such immense might? Even before he could draw his blade, he feared the entire Western Lands would be buried under a divine mountain descending from the heavens.

"I only hope this god does not intend to wipe out all yokai... otherwise..."

Otherwise, he would have no choice but to lead his kin and followers in search of a new home.

...

Himeji City

Seven days had passed since Zhongli's descent.

Following his arrival, the forces of Liyue—its Adepti, the Liyue Qixing, and the Millelith—had steadily emerged from the World Gate.

The ragged townsfolk, gazing at these majestic figures, prostrated themselves fervently, calling them divine beings.

The Adepti and the Liyue Qixing, caught off guard by such reverence, felt somewhat uneasy.

Cloud Retainer stepped forward hastily and addressed the crowd:

"We are not gods, but immortals who follow the Geo Archon. I am Cloud Retainer."

Following her lead, the other Adepti introduced themselves one by one, ensuring they did not overstep their boundaries by accepting undue reverence.

"I am Mountain Shaper."

"I am Moon Carver."

"I am the Conqueror of Demons."

Seeing the confused expressions of the townspeople, Ningguang quickly intervened, her voice clear and authoritative:

"We are not immortals either, but mere mortals who serve the Geo Archon. I am Ningguang; you may address me as the Tianquan Star."

Beside her, Keqing, gazing at the frail and starving common folk, felt a pang of sorrow.

Liyue had never seen such suffering among its people. Even its most impoverished citizens could at least fill their stomachs.

"I am Keqing; you may call me the Yuheng Star."

Another voice chimed in cheerfully—"And I'm Tian; just call me the Tianshu Star."

Soon, under the guidance of Millelith Captain Fengyan, the town's existing guards were assessed and incorporated into the new ranks of Liyue's forces.

The first step taken by Liyue's Adepti and Liyue Qixing was to ensure that the townspeople had enough food and were taught agricultural techniques, medicine, and other skills.

Three thousand years ago, the Adepti had done the same to aid humanity's progress.

The people of Himeji City were deeply grateful, finding solace in the divine providence they had long prayed for.

In a time of chaos, their wishes were simple—to be fed and to feel safe.

And where could be safer than the domain of a true god?

Unknowingly, seven days had passed.

...

Under the diligent efforts of the Adepti and Liyue Qixing, Himeji City had undergone a complete transformation.

The buildings surrounding the World Gate had been rebuilt into magnificent Liyue-style palaces, reflecting the grandeur of the port city itself.

The shabby, dilapidated homes of the common folk had also been torn down and rebuilt. With the Adepti's abilities, reconstructing a city—even one as large as Kyoto—within seven days was no difficult feat.

The once destitute people of Himeji City now found themselves living in homes even grander than those of the wealthiest nobles in Kyoto. In gratitude, they flocked to the central square daily to kneel before the newly erected statue of the Geo Archon, offering prayers of thanks.

For now, this was the only way they could express their heartfelt gratitude to the god who had blessed them.

Not only had the city itself changed, but the surrounding land had been transformed as well. Once barren and desolate, the fields now stretched far and wide, lush and fertile, thanks to the powers of the Adepti. Enormous waterwheels drew water from nearby rivers, irrigating the fields.

In the fields, Tianshu Star, also known as Uncle Tian, was guiding the farmers in Liyue's advanced agricultural techniques.

Looking out at the endless expanse of fertile farmland, Tian couldn't help but sigh in admiration:

"As expected of the immortals, turning barren land into fertile fields in such a short time."

A humble farmer, filled with reverence, approached and offered him a roasted potato with both hands.

"Lord Tian, please... have some food..."

For these simple folk, this was the most sincere way they could express their gratitude.

Tian laughed heartily and accepted it. "Alright, alright..."

...

Meanwhile, within Himeji City, Ningguang and Keqing were diligently handling various administrative affairs.

As the Tianquan Star, Ningguang was responsible for commercial law and governance. She had drafted a set of legal statutes for the city, modeled after Liyue's judicial system.

In this world, laws were a privilege for the nobility, offering little to no protection for the common folk. The enforcement of laws depended entirely on the whims of the ruling lord.

However, laws should serve as a contract for all, binding everyone equally. A contract, by its nature, implied fairness.

After finishing the draft of the most crucial laws, Ningguang turned to the young noblewoman beside her—Princess Izayoi.

"Do you understand, Izayoi? The essence of law lies in fairness for all," Ningguang explained.

Princess Izayoi, filled with admiration, responded earnestly:

"Yes, Lady Ningguang. I may not fully understand everything yet, but I grasp most of it."

Though Ningguang denied being an immortal, how could someone not of divine origin descend from the heavens?

The fact that these celestial beings were willing to teach her their knowledge was a blessing beyond measure.

...

At the same time, within the Temple of the Geo Archon, Zhongli was seated on his throne, idly toying with a puzzle lock crafted from condensed Geo energy.

A blur of turquoise light flashed before him, and a figure knelt on one knee.

"Sovereign, I have completed my reconnaissance of the surrounding yokai forces near Himeji City."

"To the west lies the Western Lands, where the two most powerful factions are the Dog Demon Clan and the Leopard Cat Clan, both led by top-tier daiyōkai."

"To the east, yokai are sparse, primarily human settlements and towns. A lake there is said to house a water god."

"To the south, a formidable daiyōkai named Ryukotsusei dwells. I suspect his strength is on par with the leaders of the Western Lands."

"In the north, toward Kyoto, there are countless powerful yokai who serve the ruler of all yokai—Nue, the Lord of All Demons."

"Additionally, another force known as the Nura Clan, led by the yokai Nurarihyon, appears to have a more harmonious relationship with humans. They claim territory by defeating rival yokai but do not seem to prey on humans."

Zhongli's golden eyes gleamed with a faint trace of resolve and authority. His voice remained calm yet carried an undeniable weight of command.

"Xiao, following the contracts I have set for humans, yokai, and gods—go to the Western Lands and bring the two daiyōkai clans under our rule."

"If they refuse to abide by the contract..."

"Eliminate them."

Without hesitation, the Adeptus known as Xiao, the Conqueror of Demons, lowered his head and responded:

"As you command, my lord."

His expression was resolute—wherever Rex Lapis pointed, he would strike.

...

Western Lands

This region contained only a single city, established by the Dog Demon Clan—a nation exclusively for yokai, and one of the rare places where a semblance of order existed among them.

Although yokai order was far more savage compared to human societies, it was still considered highly civilized compared to the lawless wild yokai roaming the lands.

The city wasn't only inhabited by dog demons; various other yokai who had pledged allegiance to the Dog Demon Clan also resided here, bringing the city's population to tens of thousands.

It was worth mentioning that while Toga, Inu no Taisho, the Dog Demon Clan's strongest warrior, served as the supreme commander of the dog demons, he was not the lord of this city.

His title was Great Dog General, often referred to as the Dog General.

The founder and ruler of this city was none other than Princess Inukimi, a powerful demon princess of the Dog Demon Clan.

At present, the city was filled with unease due to the arrival of a Takamagahara True God in a nearby human city.

Even the ongoing war with the Leopard Cat Clan had been put on hold. Like them, the Leopard Cats were also paralyzed by fear and dared not make any moves.

...

Toga chose not to make a grand entrance by transforming into his massive true form; however, his demonic aura remained unconcealed.

The moment he landed within the city's Tenshu Castle, a small flea yokai bounced towards him, exclaiming in a panicked voice:

"Ahh! My lord, you've finally returned! When you snuck off to witness the god's descent, you nearly scared me to death! Thank goodness you're safe!"

Tears streamed down the tiny yokai's face as it put on the appearance of a loyal old retainer.

"Seven days without news, I thought the god had already smitten you... Wuuu!"

Toga chuckled and plucked the flea yokai from the air, holding it in his palm.

"Myoga, I recall you were on my shoulder earlier. Why are you suddenly in the city?"

"Did you run away when I went to witness the god's arrival?"

Myoga immediately began sweating bullets, stammering:

"W-Well... that's not exactly what happened... uh..."

Before he could finish, Toga clapped his hands together, flattening the tiny yokai and then flicking him away like dust.

"You coward."

Myoga floated midair, whining:

"M-My lord… I was wrong! But—but that was a Takamagahara True God! A tiny yokai like me would be purified just by touching His divine presence!"

At that moment, two high-ranking yokai stepped forward and knelt.

"Great General, we're relieved that you're unharmed."

"The princess has been looking for you. She wishes to hear what you've learned."

Toga nodded, his expression turning serious.

"Seiten, Kujaku, oversee the yokai within the city carefully for now. Ensure there is no unnecessary contact with humans."

He understood humans well. Despite being weak, they were a race protected by the gods.

Many yokai depended on humans to exist—whether it was feeding on their negative emotions, thriving on their prayers and faith as wild gods, or consuming their flesh to increase their demonic energy and transform into vengeful spirits.

Though weak, humans were intrinsically connected to yokai.

This was why he had always strictly prohibited his subordinates from slaughtering humans or pillaging human villages.

Additionally, a strict law had been established: yokai under his protection must not prey upon one another.

His co-ruler, Princess Inukimi, shared this belief, which was why the majority of the yokai in their city were animal spirits. They emitted yokai energy but not malevolent auras.

Once a yokai had tasted human flesh, they would inevitably produce evil energy. Too much evil energy would cause them to lose their reason and descend into madness.

Such yokai made up the majority, especially those of weak bloodlines who sought power through heinous means.

Toga stepped into the Tenshu Castle, his expression grave.

Inside the grand hall, a young woman with long, flowing white hair styled in the traditional hime cut, an elegant crescent moon marking on her forehead, and clad in an exquisite twelve-layered kimono, paced anxiously. Upon seeing Toga enter, she halted and furrowed her brows.

"Toga, you went to see where the god descended, didn't you?"

Toga frowned and replied, "Yes, Princess. I witnessed the Takamagahara True God descending through the gateway from the Takamagahara into a human city not far from our Western Lands."

Hearing this, Princess Inukimi anxiously bit her thumb, her eyes filled with worry.

"What should we do? The blood memory I inherited contains images of the Takamagahara gods, and this is no ordinary deity."

"At the very least, this one is on par with the Three Noble Children, the highest gods (Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo). And now, such a deity has arrived right next to us yokai. A god of that level will never allow a yokai nation to exist near their divine domain."

"The very existence of our yokai nation is an affront to their divine authority. We either disband our nation and fully submit as divine retainers and shikigami... or we will be annihilated."

Toga watched the princess pace back and forth, his thoughts drifting to the golden god who had descended from the heavens.

At that moment, he was certain that the deity had noticed him.

The god had glanced in his direction, and Toga was relieved that no divine punishment followed—perhaps the god simply didn't consider him a threat.

Or perhaps… the god simply didn't want to deal with him yet.

Toga sighed.

"What else can we do? The god is currently focused on caring for the humans. Once their affairs are in order, they will surely begin purging the surroundings."

"We have only two options: disband the yokai nation and submit to the god."

He recalled how the Fox Demon Clan had once served the Inari God as retainers. Even though Inari had disappeared over a thousand years ago, foxes still accepted human faith and became stray gods, completely shedding their yokai energy and transforming into divine spirits.

If the Dog Demon Clan chose submission, their fate would likely mirror that of the foxes.

However, what he truly feared was losing their freedom, becoming mere shikigami under the god's command.

"Or, we can move our entire clan elsewhere," he continued grimly. "But relocating this many yokai would mean battling the other daiyōkai in those lands."

As he spoke, frustration welled within him. Despite being one of the strongest yokai, carving out a new territory from other formidable daiyōkai would be a monumental challenge, likely leaving their clan severely weakened—or even facing annihilation.

Just as Princess Inukimi anxiously considered their options, weighing the peril of submission versus exile, a sudden commotion erupted outside the Tenshu Castle.

"Roarrrr!"

The roars of yokai filled the air, their voices tinged with fear.

"Bzzzz..."

A powerful pressure suddenly descended upon them, weighing heavily on Toga and Princess Inukimi.

Both of their expressions changed drastically. Their already tense nerves were pushed to the limit.

"Such immense power! It's not demonic energy, not spiritual power, nor divine power!"

"What... what is this?"

Without hesitation, they rushed out of the castle.

Before their eyes stood a small figure, hovering above the yokai city.

He wore a fearsome night demon mask, wielded a long green spear, and exuded an aura of immeasurable power that enveloped the entire city.

Although he appeared human, the sheer force emanating from his body surpassed that of even the most powerful yokai.

Toga could feel the terrifying strength contained within that small frame—if battle erupted, it would be nothing short of devastation.

His voice lowered as he cautiously asked,

"Who are you? What kind of yokai are you? And what is your purpose here?"

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