Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2412: Clash Of Venerables II [48]

-----

Drake looked down for a moment, sighing. "So we’re sparing him?"

"Yes," Amaterasu nodded. "Let him go to the Afterlife."

"S-Seriously?! No punishment? No eternal damnation or torture?" Nobunaga asked, clearly overjoyed.

"When I was recreated from the will and memories of my former self, I met a being on the other side," Amaterasu said with a gentle smile. "I believe you will answer for your sins when you meet him, Nobunaga. Your comrades are waiting for you there."

"My comrades... so Mitsuhide and Maeda...?" Nobunaga’s face softened into sorrow as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. "I see... It is only right that their general follows them."

"You’re incredibly lucky she is such a kind and wonderful woman, you piece of shit," Drake growled, his eyes flashing with anger. "But if you ever try anything even remotely suspicious in your next life, know that I will find you. I will shatter your soul into pieces and devour it."

"HYEEE! I-I GET IT! JUST LET ME GO ALREADY!"

"Hmph!" Drake opened his hand, and Nobunaga’s soul shot upward, vanishing moments later.

The two let out long breaths of relief. The battle against all of Zipangu’s invaders was finally over, and Amaterasu had been avenged. Yet the world itself lay in ruins.

Most people were already at the brink of death, their life force drained away. Some had already passed. All vegetation had withered, the seas were poisoned by miasma, and only spectral yokai thrived, feeding on the corpses and lingering souls.

It was a hellscape. Her once-beautiful world had become a nightmare.

"My beautiful world..." Amaterasu whispered, tears falling. "Oh, my wonderful world... It’s all gone... What... what do I do?"

"We can save it," Drake said firmly, his aura flaring to life. "It’s much smaller than Yggdrasil, right? It shouldn’t be impossible to heal at least a little."

"W-What? How?" Amaterasu asked, then her eyes widened in realization. "Wait... I know how! We just fused back with the Decay Goddess, and now... my Unique Skill. I can use it again?"

"Why wouldn’t you be able to?" Drake replied.

"I could only use it once before—creating Zipangu, teleporting myself here, and becoming its goddess, Amaterasu. My old name... it was Isla," she said with a faint smile. "I was a Scottish girl obsessed with Japanese history and mythology. I visit the country every year. I worked as a university teacher of history and humanities. Japanese history was always my favorite, though."

"I see. So you remember everything now," Drake said, smiling warmly. "That’s wonderful. Maybe I’ll tell you about my past life once we’re done here. Though mine is nowhere near as impressive. I was pretty much a loser compared to the accomplished woman you were."

"I would love to hear about you, Drake. And I don’t think you were a loser at all," Amaterasu said softly. "But you’re right. We have to focus on what’s in front of us first. This world is too damaged, too wounded. It needs our help."

"And we’ll give it everything we have," Drake assured her. "Your Unique Skill—what was its name?"

"{Creation of Heaven and Earth}!"

FLAAASH!

Amaterasu’s power surged forth. Countless rivers of golden essence poured from her body, drawn from her Heavenly Realm—the former Cursed Dimension. Every specter within had melted into this pure golden energy, an endless source of the Essence of Heaven and Earth.

Its origin was Amaterasu herself.

The Curse had merely been a corrupted version of this element, twisted by her past trauma and agony into something that turned everything it touched into spectral yokai.

Drake and Amaterasu watched in awe as her Unique Skill activated on its own. Rivers of golden essence rose into the sky, mending the shattered heavens, and flowed down to the earth, repairing cracked land, ruined mountains, and poisoned oceans.

All life lost within the last hour slowly returned—people, animals, plants—revitalized and whole once more.

Yet halfway through, Amaterasu faltered, exhaustion clear on her face.

"Ugh... Is this my limit?"

"No," Drake said gently, patting her head with one enormous finger. "Far from it."

FLUOSH!

Massive quantities of Divine Energy, Mana, Ascendancy Law Essence, and even Primordial Energy from Yggdrasil poured into her.

"A-Amazing! With this... we can do far more than just patch the damage!"

"Exactly. And its good practice for me too—I’ll have to do the same for Yggdrasil later."

Drake shifted back to his Dragonoid form and took Amaterasu’s hand. Their auras merged completely. The sun above turned rainbow-colored. The people who had just awakened or been revived looked up in wonder as two divine beings they had never seen before blessed their land with life and abundance once more.

Hajun, the demon who had brought ruin to all creation, was defeated. Some had witnessed the battle. Now the Goddess of the Sun and her husband, the Dragon King of the Nine Heavens, were restoring the world.

FLAAASH!

Vegetation spread rapidly across the land. The seas cleared, teeming with fish and creatures once more. Mountains rose anew, volcanoes grew dormant, rivers and lakes refilled the arid earth, and gentle rain fell in steady cycles.

"A miracle...!"

"The Goddess! Kami!"

"They killed him! They defeated Demon Hajun!"

"Ooh, Amaterasu-sama! You have returned after so long...!"

"Our Empress of the Sun... just as the prophecies foretold!"

"I knew it! Amaterasu-sama is invincible—she is our one true goddess!"

"She has a husband now, from another world... that enormous dragon!"

"The Dragon King of the Nine Heavens, exactly like the legends!"

"The prophecy of the Ancient Miko has come true!"

Across Zipangu, millions celebrated, wept, and embraced one another. The Era of Ruin had ended. Those who had survived and persevered through generations were finally rewarded with Paradise.

Clear white skies shone above lush forests, snow-capped mountains, and thriving wildlife. People walked, ran, and laughed once more.

And they prayed.

They worshiped their new Heavenly King and Queen.

Amaterasu, Goddess and Empress of the Sun.

And the mysterious Dragon King of the Nine Heavens, her husband.

Billions of sparks of light rose from every corner of the world, flowing into Drake and Amaterasu and filling them with immense Faith.

That Faith rapidly transformed into Divine Power—and for Drake, into much-needed Primordial Energy that had been running low.

His energy was refilled in an instant, and more kept coming without end.

-----