Chapter 61 – Farewell, Adam

"I-Is that all?" Toshiro asked after the vision in his head faded. "Will that really happen?"

"Yes," the omnipresent voice of the Primordial Goddess replied. "That is the unaltered and unbiased truth."

"B-But that can't be all, right? Right?!"

"Indeed, that was not all. Some information I withheld from you."

"I see… So there are still some variables…" Toshiro muttered. "Before you send me off, can I talk to my loved ones?"

"So be it, Adam. Seek an audience with me when you are ready to depart. But remember – this is something that has to happen, or else your very existence could be in danger. However improbable it seems to you now, it is a possibility or rather a must for you. And you do not have to worry about Kye; this conversation will stay between us."

"Understood…" Toshiro muttered and the room of blinding light was replaced with a mountaintop he was standing on. "Mother of God… This is too much for me…" he sat on the ground.

Livy appeared at his side and asked, "Master, what is it? What did you hear from her?"

"I knew that something was brewing, but this is going down shit creek without a paddle… But I'll tell you more later, okay? Right now, we'll have a guest soon."

"I understand, Master," she smiled. "We have to greet her correctly after all."

Communal Cemetery, District One, Neo-Berlin

European Republic of Karlsland

3rd September 2070

Heavy rain fell on the mass of people gathered around a small, freshly dug grave. Most of them had their laser umbrellas handy, but those unfortunate enough were dripping wet. Before the grave itself, an ancient gun carriage, complete with gun, was hovering on 8th generation ion engines. Just behind the gun lied a decorative casket draped in the national flag, and behind it a big holographic image of a young black haired girl was displayed, wearing a uniform of a long gone army formation, and smiling delicately, with a platinum order in the shape of a mountain flower hanging down from her neck.

Above them, an honor guard witch representation of the Eurowehr, hovered using first generation Transdermal Flight Ensembles, made possible due to a breakthrough in subatomic particle alteration, discovered by one of the people standing below the witches. They all had black sashes over their formal uniforms, and they held old semi-automatic rifles with their barrels pointing downwards.

The priest standing beside the gun carriage has ended his sermon. He looked at the gathered carefully. In front of everyone, he saw a very old woman on a hovering wheelchair, which he knew was once a famous opera singer. From that generation, according to his knowledge, there was nobody present beside her, but there were countless people of the following ones. Even the daughter of the deceased, with single strands of blond hair, was present, propping herself up with a cane from one side, and under hand with her husband.

He gave a signal to the conductor of the band that was present, and they started playing the melody of Ich Hatt ein Kameraden. At the same time, the witch honor guard loaded their rifles, and gave a salvo into the air. The pallbearers took the casket, and slowly moved it on to the winch, which steadily lowered it down into the grave amongst the wailing of some of the gathered, the gun salutes, and the orchestra playing.

When the grave was finally sealed, and covered with an enormous amount of flowers, the daughter of the departed cleared them up, so the tombstone could be seen

BrigGen. Aya Edelweiss-Romanov

1 September 1965 – 1 September 2070

A Forgotten Heroine

The rain stopped pouring, and the cloud cover dispersed slightly, letting a sunray shine over Aya's grave. Anastasia looked up into the sky, and saw a double rainbow appear.

"Rest in peace, Mom… You deserved it."

?

She opened her eyes, and saw a blooming sakura tree in front of her.

"Where am I...? The last thing I remember was going asleep in the hospital room and… This is comfortable… And warm…"

A familiar face suddenly slid into her view. A face she hadn't seen in eighty seven years.

"Grandpa?" she asked surprised. "How… Why are you so young? And where am I? And… My voice is so clear and strong!"

She jumped up, and noticed that she was now clad in her favorite casual clothes, and that her body felt as new. Then, she looked around, and saw an evergreen plain of grass and flowers. And then, it hit her.

"Grandpa, am I dead? Is this the afterlife? Is that why I'm so young?"

"Right on all accounts, Sweetie," he smiled and stood up from his hizamakura position. "By the way, here, you can freely control your age and... bodily features," he smiled wryly.

Aya raised an eyebrow, and then she felt a tremendous weight on her chest.

"Ugh, so this is how the poor Elwyn felt…" she sighed. "Okay, back to my regular size…" she said and her breasts returned to a double D she acquired after giving birth to her Anastasia.

A mirror appeared in Toshiro's hand, and he threw it to her. Aya looked at herself in it and said, "it's like I'm eighteen all over…"

"Yeah… I'm like I'm eighteen all over again too," he laughed. "By the way, your funeral was glorious."

"My fun…" she stopped mid-sentence as images flew before her eyes. "Humm, it was indeed… My… Only Tatiana lived long enough to attend it… But I think yours was a bit more… spiffy."

"Different times…" Toshiro sighed. "The EU was only a club, not a union of states… But you know that yourself. And about Tatiana… Well, she did nice, living out so many years. You're the only two that crossed the hundred year barrier."

"Yeah… My poor Kola died ten years ago…" she said sadly, but her face lit up quickly. "Grandpa!"

"Yes, you'll be able to see him soon," he interrupted her.

"Graaandpaaaa…" Aya squinted her eyes. "There's something fishy about you?"

Toshiro giggled and said, "Maybe this will refresh your memory."

A memory locked long ago found it's way to Aya's consciousness. She made big eyes, and said, "Grandpa… You? Really?"

"Heh… Who woulda thought, huh?"

"Yeah, defo'…" Aya said with a smile.

"Before I'll let you prance around in your afterlife, you have to be debriefed, so to speak."

"Debriefed?"

"Yup. Kari, come," he ordered.

The girl appeared before him, bowing deeply.

"Yes, Lord Adam?" she asked.

"The time has come, Kari. And really, don't be so formal."

"I understand," she straightened herself up and smiled. "Miiiiistreeeeeesssss!" Kari squealed and hugged Aya. "I was happy and afraid of this day…"

"I can guess why you're happy, but… Why are you afraid?"

"I… I have to go…" Kari said sorrowfully. "After the wielder of a Legendary Weapon dies, the Homo Telum returns to his or hers place of birth…"

"But I'm not dead… uh… technically…"

"Heheh…" Kari giggled. "I know that you can be very quickly put into a different state by your dear grandfather, but I need to report to Miss Kye anyway. We can still be friends, and I can still see you, if I'm permitted. The only difference is that I'll have my quest fulfilled."

Aya smiled and said, "Okay. I won't cry then. We'll have a whole eternity so see each other."

"Thank you, M…"

Aya placed her finger on Kari's lips and said, "Aya."

Kari giggled and said, "Goodbye, Aya. And thank you for everything."

"No, thank you, Kari."

"Astraia."

"Hmm?"

"Long ago, when I acknowledged you and transformed from Kagemaru to Hikarimaru, I decided that when we part, I would tell my birth name and place, so that I may invite you there to visit if it would be allowed."

Aya looked to Toshiro, and he nodded. She looked back to Kari and nodded.

Kari continued, "My name is Astraia Atlantis, the youngest of three sisters. My home is the sovereign of Earth in the Seven Stars, Atlantis City."

"The lost city?"

Kari giggled and said, "Yes. I would like to have you visit there sometime. You've already met my older sister, Astarte. She is Gaia and was wielded by Lady Kye's champion, the other Yoshika, until her death. My oldest sister is Atalante. You have not met her, but I think you would like her. She is not a Homo Telum like Astarte and myself... she's a god, and quite eccentric even among her peers."

"Is she as weird as Alissa?"

"I wonder about that sometimes," Kari smiled and the two shared a laugh. "Anyway, I must depart now. Lady Kye and my sisters are expecting me."

Aya nodded and said, "I'll visit you if you visit me!"

Kari smiled at Aya. "Farewell, Aya."

Kari looked towards Toshiro and nodded. He nodded too, and the girl disappeared.

"You know, Kye also has a "true" name too," Toshiro grinned.

"Oh please, Grandpa…" Aya sighed. "It's confusing already," she giggled.

He snickered and said, "Sure. And by the way, here's another thing, Aya."

"What is it?" she asked curiously, while tilting her head slightly.

"Have fun," he said.

"Heh… I will, Grandpa."

"Now, I'll transport you somewhere else. Somewhere where you'll feel much better than with me."

"Oh, but Grandpa… You know that I love you…" she pouted.

"Of course I know! I'm a damn Elder God!" he laughed. "But you'll see once you get there," he winked and sent her off.

The scenery before her changed immediately. She found herself on a different part of the plane, but before her, stood a whole legion of people she all knew, or at least think she knew, because everyone was so young.

"Slooooooooow!" three generations of the Yeager girls shouted.

"She was just efficient with living her life!" Trude yelled at them.

"And you're still a damn pain in the ass…" Erica sighed.

"That only leaves my dear doch'…" Natasha said with a satisfied smile.

"True, only my granddaughter is left now," Sanya patted Natasha's head.

"How uncouth!" Perrine pouted. "Talking about somebodies death like that!"

"Everyone dies one day," Mio said, making Perrine blush.

"Ayaya, we waited for you!" Nami cheered.

"Yeah, we were waiting!" Shinobu added.

"We too!" the Lucchini clan started making grabby movements in sync.

"Touch Aya with those paws of yours and I promise you'll regret dying!" Sieglinde yelled.

"Oh come on, a little grope didn't hurt anyone…" Francesca sighed.

"If this is heaven, you don't want to see hell," Minna winked.

Aya looked at the unfolding scene in awe, but shifted her gaze around nervously. But then, all of a sudden, a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Looking for something?" a male voice asked.

The tears that Aya withheld while talking to Kari now started flowing freely. She quickly turned around and tucked herself into Kola's chest, not able to say a word.

"This really is heaven… Thank you, Grandpa… Thank you for creating this universe… Thank you…"

"The same day Aya came in, Tatiana finally let go of her life. I decided to take her in immediately, not waiting for the funeral. The 777th was now complete in the afterlife. But now, I had to tie down all the loose ends I could possibly think of. I was incredibly selfish, just tending to my closest social circles that I have forgotten about some figures from my life. The first one I dealt with was somebody from a previous age."

"Hmmm… Who are you?" Rinko asked. "You have something familiar in you, despite looking like a westerner…"

"You could say I'm your seventeen-times-great grandson, heh…"

"You? I… You probably know everything, right?"

"I don't blame you for anything. You just dumped that son of a bitch Nobunaga, taking a ring with yourself that I used as an engagement ring for my Yoshika."

"Ah, so you bear no ill feelings towards me?"

"Nope, not a bit," he smiled.

"By chance, did you perhaps meet the descendant of that whore Ranmaru?"

"Yeah, she's my dear, small framed cousin, heh… Her name is Mami, and her child and grandchild are in the afterlife too. But you don't need to keep a grudge towards Ranmaru, as I already made peace with her, as per Ranmaru's will."

"You did… So I can forgive her too. Nothing good has ever come from such a conflict."

"It's nice that you understand it, my dear ancestor."

"Did you talk with my daughter already?"

"She's next on my list of people to talk to."

And so, after a moment, Keiko appeared before Toshiro.

"My great-something grandmother, nice to see you," Toshiro said before she even opened her mouth.

"Oh, are you my descendant?" she asked surprised

Toshiro flared up with the Sacred Flame and Keiko's eyes widened considerably.

"Gods… You managed to tame the Sacred Flame!"

"The same one that you have used to try to enact your revenge on Nobunaga. I know what you did, Keiko."

"I am truly sorry for what I did, my descendant… I hope you have it in your heart to forgive me…"

"Yeah, sure. Without you, all what happened to me wouldn't happen to begin with. But I guess you'll have to bear the responsibility for killing all the priestesses back then…"

"If only I could apologize to them in person…"

Toshiro smiled and summoned Aganaimaru. The sword disappeared, and all the souls of the priestesses appeared around them.

"H-Himiko-sama! Everyone…" Keiko fell to her knees with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!" she shouted as she prostrated on the grass.

The head priestess kneeled before Keiko and pulled her up.

"Hush, dear child. It is true that your deed was despicable, but you were the one who triggered the events that lead to the purging of the Kai from the planet."

"Himiko-saaamaaaaa!" Keiko wailed and tucked herself into Himiko's chest.

"Even in death I manage to do something good…" Toshiro sighed. "Oh, and I have something else, concerning all of you who were serving me, both as Aganaimaru and Aimaru."

The head of all the priestesses turned to Toshiro.

"I should have done this a long time ago, while I still was alive, but well, I kind of forgot. I hereby release you all from your duty. May your souls rest in peace."

They all smiled, and the head priestess said, "Girls, what do we say on such an occasion?"

The whole lot bowed deeply and cheered, "Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!"

"Heh, no problem. Live a carefree afterlife, you all deserved it."

"A bit later, I met with Uncle."

"Geez, Uncs, is that you?" Toshiro asked surprised.

"You don't recognize me, dear nephew? Hah!"

"Well, I recognize you, but damn… Never thought you'd revert to your younger self…"

"Who didn't? My dear sister-in-law is also parading as her eighteen year old self."

"A woman is a woman, Uncle, have some pride in being a man…"

"Haha! So, Toshiro, I have to praise you for what you've done to Karlsland."

"Bah, Uncle… I did what I had to do. I just followed your secret instructions to the 'T'."

"But it seems you perfected them, you sly devil."

"I used that noggin of mine, of course… But I guess the following governments denominated my success a bit…" Toshiro sighed.

"Jesus, Karlsland is the most powerful state of the European Federation…" Franz sighed. "But what led to that… The Islamic Revolution of 2016… That was regrettable… But maybe it was necessary so peace would finally occur between religions?"

"There has to be war, so there will be peace," Toshiro said. "Have you met Aya already?"

"Yes, of course! What a bright girl! You already know she's an Edelweiss when you look at her, hahahaha!" Franz laughed vividly.

"Yeah…" Toshiro smiled. "Take care, Uncle, I have to take care of some other business."

"Have fun, Nephew!"

"The next person I met with was my favorite black haired goddess."

"Aaaaami, come ouuuuut!" Toshiro shouted in the middle of a meadow.

"What is it, my dear savior of humanity?" she asked with a roguish smile.

"Well, I have something to tell to you."

"Fire… Waaaaaait… Why can't I read it off your mind?" Amaterasu asked suspiciously.

"Well, I wonder…" Toshiro said.

His eyes changed. One could almost see the universe in the two dark round shapes, and a cluster of galaxies formed his irises. His clothes formed a black body suit, dotted with stars, and a wildly furling scarf appeared around his neck. Amaterasu's eyes in turn started to widen and her jaw slowly started dropping.

"Of all the people… YOU?!"

Toshiro shrugged, and Amaterasu hugged him, squealing from joy.

"I knew something was off with you from day one! I fucking knew it! Hahahaha! Weeee!"

Amaterasu lifted up Toshiro and spun around with him, but she quickly let go of him and prostrated on the ground.

"I'm sorry, my lord! My joy took the best of me!"

"Come on, stop… We've known each other for over a century. You don't have to dig in the dirt before me…"

"Oh… Okay," Amaterasu said and stood up. "So, what now?"

"Now, I want a bit of payback."

"W-What do you want to do?"

"Eheheh… You'll see," Toshiro winked and the two suddenly changed location.

They were now surrounded by all the gods of his world, looking around surprised. Odin, as the king of gods, moved forward and asked, "What is happening, Amaterasu?"

"I guess Toshiro has an announcement to make," she shrugged.

"It better be important, because even he can't just toy around with us."

"I can, Odin, believe me," Toshiro said calmly, dressed and looking normally again.

"Watch your tongue, or even your preferred status won't help you."

"Oh boo hoo…" Toshiro mocked him.

"Amaterasu, why are you smiling so wickedly? Punish your pet!"

"That won't do, Odin," Amaterasu shrugged again. "He's out of my reach."

"Out of your reach? What is this nonsense?!"

"You see, you old coot, I could just expedite you all to another universe just lifting my finger."

"And what proof do you have?" Odin asked with eyebrows twitching.

"Proof, proof…" Toshiro mumbled. "Here, exhibit A."

Toshiro summoned Livy before him.

"Welcome, lesser gods," Livy said with a mischievous grin. "And of course you, Master," she bowed towards Toshiro

"What is the meaning of this?" Odin asked confused.

"You know, Livy is the partner of the Allgod…" Toshiro mused and embraced her with one hand.

"…and the Allgod is my Master and eternal lover," Livy smiled and tucked herself into Toshiro's chest.

Immediately, all of the gathered gods dropped on their knees or whatever they had to move around.

"I humbly apologize for my insolence!" Odin shouted.

"Yeah, whatever. Everyone, get up, I have an announcement to make."

After all the gods raised themselves, Toshiro started talking again.

"You see, despite me being the Allgod, I won't intervene more than it's necessary, that is, almost never. The way this universe runs is perfect already, thus, my meddling is unnecessary at most times. I'm just warning you about one thing – if you try to do something funny about my friends or family, both living or dead, I will take action. And you won't like it one bit," Toshiro said with a cold voice. "But I will make sure you won't do that by doing one simple thing…. Amaterasu, come before me."

"Yes!" she shouted and stood before him.

"Amaterasu!" he held his hand straight before her. "As the creator of this universe, I hereby exempt you out of the laws of causality. You no longer need Free Energy to exist, and your actions won't need equivalent counter-actions."

The gods around murmured, but Amaterasu was stunned.

"B-But… Why?" she asked.

"I can't trust all those schemers. Call this as you want, but you're the only higher being on this planet that I can trust. You will protect Earth, and its afterlife, both from alien invaders and from the other petty gods. You are the Goddess of the Sun and the Universe, and I bestow upon you the power to be so singlehandedly."

"Outrage!" Odin yelled.

"Shut the fuck up or I'll send you to a Nexus," Toshiro snarled.

Every god cowered in place, and dead silence befell upon the gathering.

"I also have another thing to announce," Toshiro thundered. "All the members of my family, both dead, living, and not-yet-born, as well as their spouses will become gods or goddesses immediately, or when they die. Their divinities were already chosen, and their current or potential power levels far outweigh all your lot. And of course they are exempt from what you're subjected to. That's all, have a good day," Toshiro turned around to Livy. "Come on, I don't have the power to do this alone."

"Of course, Master," Livy smiled and she grabbed his hand.

The two closed their eyes and engulfed themselves in celestial energy. After a brief moment of concentration, an omnidirectional explosion of raw power came from where the two stood, engulfing the whole universe in a split second.

"Done," Toshiro smiled, and turned to Amaterasu. "Now, Ami, I believe you wanted something from me all the time?"

"Me?" she asked. "Ah… Oh… That thing…" she blushed.

The scenery changed to a candlelit bedroom. Amaterasu was now only in black satin underwear, lying on the bed.

"….ay. What the fuck?!"

"Ami, you know, that I know, that you want to do it with me. If you don't want, just say it."

"Uh, you're sort of over my league, so you can read my mind anyway so…" she started to pull off her bra. "Just be gentle…"

"I have to be, or I could accidentally make a new universe," he giggled.

'Oh! But wait a second!" her hand stopped midway. "Livy?"

"Yes, Ami?" she asked as she appeared.

"Did you do it with Toshiro already when he became an Elder God?" she asked bluntly.

Livy nodded with a glad face and said, "Multiple times, Ami. Master is an incredible lover, so I do hope you will enjoy this gesture of good will from Him."

"You're okay? Just like that?" Amaterasu asked dumbfounded.

"No woman can sway Master's heart," she said with conviction ringing from her voice.

"I see… Toshiro, you always were, and always will be, a complete and unchangeable perv," she sighed. "Um… Can we be alone now?"

Livy disappeared, and Toshiro asked, "So, where were we?"

"You probably wanted to impale me on that Elder God dick of yours…" Amaterasu giggled.

"Everything for a good friend."

"I caaaan't moooooove…" Amaterasu moaned in pain. "Toshiro, you were too rough…"

"Ugh, sorry, Ami… I kinda was a bit too excited, heh…"

"I just hope I won't get pregnant…"

"Don't worry about that," he snickered and snapped his finger. "Your body is healed, go in peace."

"You're going somewhere, aren't you?" she asked concerned.

"Yeah… I have to…" he sighed.

"So that's why you anointed me," she nodded her head. "I do hope you return though."

"Hope dies last," Toshiro said. "Don't destroy the planet while I'm gone, kay? Now you're the Empress of Gods, with Aya being the Queen."

"Heh, okay."

Toshiro made his clothes appear on him and he teleported to Yoshika, who was not sitting at the lakeshore, alone. He placed his hands over her eyes from behind and asked, "Guess who?"

"Hmmmm… The Hispanic inquisition?" she asked amused.

"Heh, almost."

"Ummmm… Oh, it's probably Toshiro!"

"Ding ding ding!"

"You always have something up your sleeves, Toshiro. Where were you all… this time?"

"I was tying some ends together."

"Oh? Why?"

Toshiro took a deep breath and said, "I have to go away for a while."

"Ohhhhh… Why?!" she asked sadly.

Toshiro manifested his godly eyes.

"Huh? I never saw your eyes glowing with such intensity…"

"Instead of flapping my gums, I'll just show you," he said and placed his hands on her forehead.

Yoshika stared blankly into his eyes for a good minute, and once Toshiro removed his hand, she said, "So you are like Kye now?"

"Yup, more or less."

"And… Am I a goddess now? Really?"

"Yes, my love. You're the Goddess of Celestial Love right now, heheh…"

"Sounds nice…" Yoshika smiled. "Speaking of which… You just haaaaaaaaaad to bang Ami right now… Sheeesh…"

"You know me; I couldn't waste the occasion…"

"Yes, yes…" Yoshika sighed. "So, how long will be separated?"

"Technically, we won't be."

"Huh?" she tilted her head.

"Toshiro the Third might appear in your life soon. Same body, same personality, same loving guy…"

Yoshika hugged him suddenly and said, "But you're the original Toshiro…"

"Yes, I know, Yoshika," he sighed. "But the fate of my whole multiverse could depend on whenever I go or not."

"It's that bad?" she asked.

"Yes…"

"Go then…" she hugged him tighter. "Stay safe, Toshiro."

Yoshika separated himself from him, and walked a few steps back, so he could look at her.

"Hey, fartface!" Yuki appeared all of a sudden in her snake form.

"Yuki? Sup?"

"You know what's sup…"

"Ah, yes… I can do that for you. It will be better for the both of us anyway."

Toshiro snapped his fingers, and suddenly, instead of a white tsuchinoko, before him stood a meter seventy-five beauty, with a 34E bust, long white hair, red eyes, and a black kimono. She looked down, weighed her breasts, wiggled around with her body, and finally ran up to Toshiro and kissed him.

"Heeeeeeeeey!" Yoshika protested.

"Weeeeee! I have my own body!" Yuki cheered.

"Yuki? Is that you?" Yoshika asked.

"Uhum!"

"Wow… Oh right, you always wanted your own body!"

"And I finally got it! Thanks, Adamshiro!"

"No problem, Yuki. But I'll kinda miss you…"

"I'll miss you too, you numbskull… But I guess I just have to call your name, and we can have a conversation like in the olden days, huh?"

"Indeed. Ah, but I guess somebody else is now awfully jealous…"

The two girls tilted their heads, and Toshiro snapped his fingers. Before them appeared a burly man with chestnut hair, meter eighty in height, wearing a white yukata.

"Oh? Who's that?" Yoshika asked.

"Kuuuujiiiiii!" Yuki cheered and ran up to the freshly appeared man.

Between the hugs and kisses, Kuji managed to say, "Yes, yes… It's me, my dearest Yuki."

"Toshiro, thank you!" Yuki cheered happily.

"No problem, Yuki," Toshiro smiled.

"Ah, but now, Yuki, I have a question to ask of utmost importance."

"What is it, darling?" Yuki asked.

"Will you show me your panties?"

Yuki's face went red immediately and she smacked Kuji so hard he cracked a nearby rock when he crashed into it.

"Fucking perv!" she yelled.

"Worth… It…" Kuji moaned.

"Damn, that was a nice smack…" Yuki pondered as she looked at her right hand. "Toshiro, did you perhaps…"

"Change you into a goddess? Of course, and Kuji too. And Kuro. And Bianca. And Ishtar, the child of the previous two. You deserve it for putting up with us."

"Wow…" Yuki gasped with tears flowing from her eyes.

"Haha, bye you three. I hope I'll return soon."

"Bye!" the two girls cheered and waved their hands.

"Thanks…" Kuji moaned and raised his hand slightly.

"Oh, and… I made sure all the other sentient familiars, both currently in the afterlife and those that will come, will obtain a human form."

Yuki's eyes widened, she pumped her first in the air and shouted, "Grandchildren!"

"Now that is fast thinking!" Toshiro laughed, and then, Livy appeared at his side.

"Master, I have… a request…"

"Oh? Let me hear it, Sweetie."

"Not here… Let's take Mistress Yoshika with us and go somewhere else."

"Okaaay then…" he said and all three changed places to a mountain plateau.

"Toshiro, what's going on?" Yoshika asked.

"Master Adam, am I part of your journey?" Livy asked.

Toshiro looked to the side and said, "Yes…"

"Then…" Livy looked at Yoshika. "Mistress, there's a way for you to be at Master's side."

"There is?" both asked surprised.

"I have a weird feeling that the two of us girls are… connected somehow…" Livy said. "But I can only confirm that if we merge ourselves."

"Merge?" Yoshika asked. "But… Who will be the dominating personality then? And how will we look?"

"That is unknown even to me," Livy said apologetically. "So, Mistress, do you accept?"

"Woah, Livy…" Toshiro said uncertainly. "Are you sure this will work? It's weird, but even I don't know the outcome."

"So you too…" Livy muttered.

"I accept," Yoshika said. "If I have a chance of staying with Toshiro, I'll take it."

"It seems I'm overruled," Toshiro sighed. "Proceed, you two."

"How do we do it?" Yoshika asked.

"With a kiss," Livy said softly.

"Heh… Good that I'm used to girl-on-girl action," she giggled. "Pucker up, Livy!"

Yoshika jumped into Livy's embrace, and as the goddess kissed her, a bright light that blinded Toshiro engulfed their vicinity. When he could finally see clearly, he saw that only Livy was standing there, with her right side turned to him.

"Livy?" he asked. "Is everything okay?"

She turned around, and Toshiro saw a two-centimeter wide string of brown hair dangling above her left eye.

"Yes, Toshiro?" she asked, and quickly covered her mouth. "Oh my… I meant… Toshiro… Oh… What…"

"I see it clearly," he laughed. "Yoshika is having the upper hand in this matter."

Livy closed her eyes, and after a few seconds, she said, "Indeed… Yoshika loves you so much that her part won't let me call other than by your given name. And her too for that matter."

"So I have a two-in-one girl now…" he pondered. "Come on, let's kiss."

"J-Just like that?" she asked. "Oh, these mortal emotions are… emotional! I feel so much better…"

Toshiro appeared just before her, and placed his lips on hers. As they kissed, they felt a surge of energy coursing into and between their bodies. They looked at each other in wonder.

"I feel stronger," Toshiro said. "Like… Two times as strong…"

"Maybe you don't have to go right now, Toshiro?" Livy asked.

"If I may interrupt," a familiar voice rang in the air and Kye appeared.

"I kinda wanted to visit you later," Toshiro said. "Hi."

"Hi, Adamshiro," she raised her hand. "And Livyshika."

"Hi!" Livy cheered, which surprised even her.

"Wow, she's something right now," Kye giggled. "You're going somewhere, right, Adamshiro?"

"Yeah… I have to perform another rebirth…"

"What's the cause?" Kye asked.

"Mavet is coming back from his mortal life," Toshiro said with a cold voice. "It was an utter failure, and he's pissed off eternally."

Kye looked at him, and she said, "So now that you're back, I don't have to protect your universe, despite the fact that you're weakened. Thus, you're undertaking the journey to reach your full power, so you can fend for your own, and so that I will be obligated to look after your sandbox."

"Uhhh… Yeah…" Toshiro scratched his head. "I'm sorry that this has to look like this but…"

"I swore, and I will keep my promise," Kye said adamantly. "You're doing the right thing now, despite it looking a bit selfish. Two minutes ago, you were 1/4th of Mavet's power, and Livy was only 1/4th weaker than him, so you two accounted to one Mavet, but remember about Maeve. But when Yoshika and Livy merged, and after you two kissed, your power got doubled, and Livy is now as powerful as either Mavet or Maeve, but that still puts you at a disadvantage. I alone can combat Mavet and his consort, so you don't have to worry about your multiverse."

"Thanks…" Toshiro muttered. "But I do wonder what happened just now."

"I think I know," Livy said. "Yoshika had a microscopic fraction of my soul inside her. And when I say microscopic, the fraction printed on paper would be enough to make a mummy out of you, Toshiro."

"And that was enough to trigger a power-up?" Toshiro asked. "Very weird…"

"That must have been an important part of Livy," Kye said. "The slightest things could trigger a power-up, but everything has to have its time and place."

"How did it get into Yoshika in the first place?" Toshiro asked.

"I think I lost that bit of me… uh… let's not talk about that," Livy said and looked at Kye, receiving a nod from her.

"Anyway," Toshiro said. "Kye, I'm leaving my multiverse at your disposal. Be nice to Ami, she's the head honcho on Earth now. And if you can guide my godly family a bit…"

"You sure use your powers to do the weirdest of things…" she sighed. "But indeed, Ami without constraints from your universes rules is a very powerful goddess. And aren't you forgetting about something?"

"Huh?"

Kye shook her head and said, "You and Livyshika will be missing. Everyone will be looking for you."

Toshiro slapped his forehead with an open palm, and snapped the fingers of his left hand. A Toshiro and Yoshika appeared before them, looking surprised at each other and at them.

"Toshiro Trey," Toshiro said to his clone. "I have to leave my crib, so I want you and Yoshika Deuce to be stand-ins."

"This is weird as fuck, but okay," Toshiro Trey agreed and looked at his Yoshika. "How about it, Sweetie?"

"An eternal life as gods without worries… Hmmmm… I think I'm game," she smiled.

"It's nice you understand," Toshiro said and poofed them away. "Bye, Kye. I hope we'll see each other one day."

"You can't tell me what you saw, right?"

"How do you know I saw everything?" he smiled slyly.

"I see what you did there…" Kye snickered. "Bye, Toshiro. Bye, Livy. I hope that your quest will end successfully. It's not that I'm moaning about having to protect your shit, but I do want to see you fully realized, just like in the olden eons."

"Thank you, Kye," Toshiro cracked a smile.

"Good bye, Kye," Livy also smiled and they both disappeared.

"Hopefully…" Kye sighed and looked around. "I could live here…"

Jouten appeared at her side and asked, "Another indefinite multiverse protection gig from Adam?"

"Yeah. But I can't help it. I promised it to him, and I can't just look at him being so powerless."

"I sense something!" Jouten shouted, and at the same time, two figures clad in dark auras appeared.

"Where is he!?" one of the figures yelled. "Where is Adam?!"

"And hello to you too, Mavet," Kye smirked. "I trust you had a rough ride?"

"You don't know what I had to live through, you blonde wench!" Mavet shouted.

"Mark your words!" Jouten hissed.

"Easy, Joey, we're better than them in every way…" Kye said calmly. "Both Adam and Livy are at the Primordial Goddess right now, or probably somewhere else. And don't even lay a single thought on his creation, because I am the one protecting it. Move one atom out of place, and I will kill you. You have made enough trouble for the both me and him, so you're extending your welcome too much already."

"Fine then," he said. "I will find him, and I will make him suffer. I will make his life miserable, just as the miserable life I had to lead. And at the end, I will kill him," Mavet said coldly, and both he and his partner disappeared.

"Well then," Kye sighed. "I have to get down to the bottom of this matter."

"Don't tell me…"

"Adam will never walk alone."

A cloaked person appeared suddenly.

"Mentor, you here?" Kye asked.

"Yes, I'm here to communicate something to you."

"I'll gladly hear whatever you want to tell me."

"You will not interfere in the matters of the four that left anymore," the Primordial Goddess said.

"But why is that, Mentor?" Kye asked surprised.

"Because this game is something unprecedented and has to go along as it was planned before even you were created. I will personally see to it that nothing will happen to the order of this ordeal."

"Now you have me stumped…" Kye furled her eyebrows. "Can I hear some reasons?"

"I will only tell you two things, and what you deduce out of that is your own business. Firstly, the ring that Adam has a third property that only I know about."

"Third? I thought that only had two abilities…" Kye pondered.

"It is directly connected to the second reason, which I will now stream directly into your consciousness," the Primordial Goddess said, and both Kye and Jouten saw a series of events from times unaccounted.

"That…" Jouten gasped.

"Yes, my creation, you've deduced well… Adam's saga has opened it's final chapter, and the outcome will be something of unprecedented scale."

And we have a wrap! This time I won't make this AN unnecessarily long.

First of all I would like to thank everyone who read this story. You can pat yourself on the back if you're reading this now. Pat yourself a bit harder if you posted at least one review.

Secondly, an announcement – there's a sort-of follow-up to this story coming soon. Don't expect too much though, I'm saving the best for a fully-fledged book series.

Until next time!