The god from the far land of Yamato

The sky took a dark red color, as if there was a fire blazing within it. The earth shook violently, and the mountains seemed to crumble.

Rodrigo and several malakim were in a narrow mountain pass when they witnessed the mountains collapsing due to the immense power emanating from Tania on the other side of the planet.

—We need to get out of here immediately!— Rodrigo shouted to the malakim as they flew, trying to avoid falling debris and crumbling mountains.

—Tania! That's Tania's power. What could have happened to her?— Rodrigo wondered.

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and rain began to pour down. The intense heat started to subside. The rain was torrential, as if it were a deluge. Rodrigo could barely see due to the weather phenomenon. Then, he felt an immense presence approaching.

Rodrigo raised his arm to signal the group of angels to stay back. The shadow of the individual loomed tall, clad in what appeared to be a man dressed with kimono or gi, with long, disheveled hair. On his left side, he carried a sheathed sword.

—You should continue ahead— Rodrigo said to the group of angels. —I will distract this individual—

—There's no need for me to be distracted. The malakim can retreat if they wish— the man who appeared replied. —I am only interested in fighting you, Ryujin-san— he concluded.

—Are you serious? Do you allow them to retreat? Without any tricks?— Rodrigo asked as he observed the man, maintaining his defensive stance.

—Sono tori, Ryujin-san— the mysterious man responded.

—What? Sorry, I don't understand. You don't speak the divine language like the rest of us?— Rodrigo asked.

The man made a slight gesture of a smile, but remained composed. However, his face was barely visible due to the rain.

—It is the language of my realm in Takama-no-hara, which governs the human land of Yamato, Ryujin-san. I honor the language of that realm, even as an exile— the mysterious man explained.

—I've never heard of those places— Rodrigo thought.

—What I meant to say, Ryujin-san, is that the malakim are free to retreat. I have come alone to fight you and bring honor to my name— the man clarified.

—Sir Rodrigo, is it a good idea for us to leave him?— one of the malak asked the young Tannin.

—Don't worry about me. If you find Areopagus, remember to inform the others— Rodrigo replied.

The malakim bowed and retreated. Rodrigo kept a watchful eye on the man, ensuring he didn't make any sudden moves.

—By the way, my name is Rodrigo, not whatever you said—riuyinsan or something— Rodrigo said now that the malakim had left.

—It is an honor, Rodrigo-san. My name is Susanoo-no-Mikoto, but you may simply call me Susanoo— the man said, making a slight bow.

—You seem like a good person, Susanoo. Why do you fight for Ares, then?— Rodrigo asked, intrigued.

—I committed a great dishonor in Takama-no-hara and was exiled. My sister, the ruler of that realm, demanded a great feat in the world of humans for me to be allowed to return. I assumed that by joining the god of war, I could fulfill my objective. Now that I have encountered you, Rodrigo-san, a Ryujin, I know that your head will open the door for me to return home once more— the oriental god explained calmly.

—What is a Ryujin?— Rodrigo asked.

—Oh, a serpent god, Rodrigo-san. I saw how you repelled Khonsu's attack by turning your arm into scales, so I decided to engage you in a fight to the death— Susanoo replied.

—Wait! Yes, I am a Tannin, or serpent god as you say, but I am not interested in fighting someone as honorable as you. Can't we resolve this peacefully?— Rodrigo interrupted, trying to convince the oriental god not to fight.

—Muri muri, Rodrigo-san. Firstly, do not be deceived by appearances, for I am not a good person. That is why I was expelled from Takama-no-hara. And secondly, there is no honor in fleeing from a fight; moreover, among the gods, defeating a Ryujin is one of the greatest honors we can have. It's nothing personal— Susanoo responded, shaking his head.

—I guess I have no choice but to face him. I hope that with my training, I will be able to defeat him— Rodrigo thought as he charged his fists with energy.

—Aren't you going to use your ofuda... or as you call it, totema?— Susanoo asked, puzzled.

—I don't have... sorry— Rodrigo replied, feeling embarrassed.

—Usotaro!— Susanoo exclaimed in surprise.

—But I will fight you like this, with my bare fists. If we can't avoid this fight, then I must give it my all— Rodrigo responded, determined, although his legs trembled with fear.

—Muri muri. I cannot use my ofuda either, if you will fight with bare fists. There would be no honor in this battle— the oriental god said as he drew his massive sword from its sheath with his right hand.

It was a beautiful katana that shimmered with a bluish color. The god took a few steps forward, gripping his sword with both hands. Finally, Rodrigo could get a good look at him.

He had jet-black hair, slanted eyes with red markings on his eyelids. His expression was serious, almost as if he were angry. He wore a white gi with red edges and a red belt tied around his waist. He had wooden sandals with two elevated heels.

Rodrigo prepared himself for the fight. Greenish scales appeared on his arms, and his eyes subtly transformed into a yellowish-green color. His hair started to ruffle, rising slightly.

—Alright, I'm ready— the young Tannin replied.

But like a flash of lightning, Susanoo ran toward Rodrigo with monstrous speed and attempted to strike him with his sword. Rodrigo was able to reflexively dodge the attack by blocking it with his left arm. The sword collided with Rodrigo's scales and couldn't cut through.

However, the oriental god was far from giving up. Susanoo swiftly positioned himself behind Rodrigo and tried to strike him again, this time from behind. The young Tannin managed to turn in mid-air and jump backward to evade the attack.

Rodrigo, then, ran toward Susanoo and attempted to strike his head, but the god once again stopped the attack with his arm, and at the same time, he tried to punch the oriental god with his right fist, but Susanoo easily evaded the attack. Unfortunately, this time Susanoo managed to pierce Rodrigo's chest with his sword, causing him to stagger back.

Hurt by the precise cut, Rodrigo tried to gather white energy in his fist and launch another attack at the god, but Susanoo disappeared before his eyes, only to reappear behind him.

—Not bad, Rodrigo-san. But you are no match for my sword, 'Totsuka'— Susanoo said as he assumed his combat stance.

Rodrigo's wound healed quickly, but he knew he would be in danger if the fight dragged on. Moreover, the heavy rain obstructed his vision.

At that moment, Rodrigo saw Susanoo's sword shimmer with a bright blue light, and the god positioned himself for combat, slashing through the air with his weapon, shouting:
"Mizu no Kiru!"

A crescent moon shot out from his sword, slicing through the ground at tremendous speed. Rodrigo barely managed to evade it, but to his surprise, he saw the oriental god leaping above him and launching the same attack again, injuring the young Tannin in his chest, while the ground behind him split in half.

Rodrigo fell into the chasm created by the powerful strike. Susanoo landed next to the hole and swiftly cleaned his katana with a quick motion in the air. The young Tannin was propelled out of the fissure, his wound healing, but the damage this time was much greater than the previous cut.

—Now you will see what I can do!— Rodrigo shouted in anger as he increased his power, his body shining like a star.

—Raios de Luz!— The young Tannin cried out and unleashed a barrage of white energy balls at the oriental god, but Susanoo swiftly sliced through each of the attacks with his sword.

Susanoo charged once again with his katana and leaped vertically toward Rodrigo, who was still flying in the air. His jump was so direct that the god resembled a blue arrow, and Rodrigo couldn't avoid the attack, taking a direct hit. This time, Susanoo pierced his chest, and when he appeared behind Rodrigo and swiftly cleaned his sword with a quick motion in the air, Rodrigo's chest exploded in a spray of blood.

The young Tannin fell to the ground, right next to the chasm Susanoo had created.

—He is so strong and fast— Rodrigo thought as he struggled to get back up, his wounds healing, but not as rapidly as before.

—Asclepius was only able to awaken two chakras within me, but if I can unlock the third, I will be able to fight this guy on equal ground— Rodrigo thought.

—The next attack will be your death, Rodrigo-san. I will ensure it is as painless as possible— Susanoo said as he once again touched the ground with his wooden sandals.

Rodrigo and the oriental god were separated only by the fissure that the warrior of Yamato had created earlier.

—Asclepius said that in adversity, the body can perform miracles. I need to focus and awaken the third chakra— Rodrigo thought as he tried to relax, closing his eyes.

Susanoo, surprised, looked at Rodrigo with respect and admiration.

—Despite not using your ofuda, you possess an impressive power— Susanoo said, then smiled.
—The Ryujin are truly remarkable— he thought.

Rodrigo leaped toward Susanoo and struck him with his left fist, filled with white energy. Then he struck him with his right fist, and continued to pummel him with both fists while the oriental god could not defend himself. Susanoo was thrown toward one of the debris left by the previous earthquake and disappeared within it.

But the oriental god was far from being defeated. Like an explosion, the debris was scattered as Susanoo assumed his stance to continue the fight against Rodrigo.

—Raios de luz— Rodrigo shouted once again, unleashing a series of energy blasts. Susanoo tried to cut through them, but realized that more and more were coming, and at a faster pace. They began to strike the god's body, and when he could no longer defend himself, he was hit by hundreds of blasts, sending him far out of Rodrigo's sight.

Just as Rodrigo felt that this time he had dealt considerable damage, a gigantic burst of bluish light pierced through the earth and headed straight for the young Tannin. Using his now scaled arms, Rodrigo managed to narrowly avoid the attack and redirect its trajectory, sending it soaring into the sky. However, more and more of these bursts began to arrive, and the young Tannin couldn't evade them all, sustaining severe cuts to his body.

Susanoo appeared above Rodrigo again, as if attempting to leap onto the young Tannin. Charging his sword with brilliant blue energy, he shouted once more:—Mizu no Kuri!—

A crescent moon of energy surged forth from the oriental god's swift movement, but Rodrigo managed to catch it with his hands and redirect it outward, slicing through some mountains that had not been destroyed by the earthquake.

—Shimatta!— Susanoo exclaimed upon realizing that he had left himself vulnerable to Rodrigo, trusting that he wouldn't be able to deflect his attack.

Rodrigo shouted at the top of his lungs: —My strongest technique: Esfera de Venus!—

An enormous energy ball formed in Rodrigo's left hand, and he hurled it toward Susanoo. It struck the oriental god chest, causing him to cry out in agony upon impact. Then, Susanoo was sent hurtling into the sky. Upon colliding with the boundary wall of the dimension protecting Mars, the sphere exploded in a gigantic white blast that blinded everyone's vision.

The body of the oriental god fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious, while Rodrigo struggled to catch his breath. He had used a large portion of his manna for that attack, but it had hit its mark.

—What did you think of my secret technique?— the young Tannin said, laughing as he rose to his feet with some effort.

—Subarashi! It was impressive, Rodrigo-san— said Susanoo as he rose again and his wounds healed.

Rodrigo looked at him uncertainly.

—That was my best technique, and he shrugged it off as if it was nothing— he thought, horrified.

—Rodrigo-san— the oriental god said. —Among Keres of Ares, I am the number twelve. Do you know why?— he continued explaining as he slowly walked toward the young Tannin.

—Because I never showed those warmongers my true power. My true power lies in my mastery of water. Despite being born as a Suisei, or Mercury, my control over water surpasses the Tsuki, or Moon, that I know— the oriental god calmly said as he continued his slow approach.

The god pointed his katana at Rodrigo, then shouted: —Mizu no hari—

From his sword, droplets that had been absorbed by the rain took the form of small needles, which were shot at incredible speed toward the young Tannin. They were so small and fast that Rodrigo could do little to avoid them.

Rodrigo fell to his knees, covered in blood, when he saw with terror in his eyes that Susanoo had created a massive spear of water using the rain and his sword. The god yelled: —Mizu no yari—

With a swift motion, he hurled the projectile, and it impaled Rodrigo's chest. Rodrigo tried to break the spear, but it was water, and whenever he tried to penetrate it, it was as if he was striking a puddle.

—Gomen ne, soshite, sayonara, Rodrigo-san— Susanoo said as he made a swift upward motion with his katana.

Then, five spears of water surged from the pooled water beneath Rodrigo. They pierced the young Tannin's body, leaving him immobilized as he felt his ichor draining away and his consciousness slipping.

—Did I lose again? Is this how you plan to protect Ana and Epona... even Tania? Is this how you plan to rescue Anpiel?— Rodrigo screamed in frustration.

Susanoo prepared his sword to deliver the final blow, severing Rodrigo's head. But Rodrigo's spirit was not defeated, and he raised his energy immensely. His body once again became enveloped in white flames that evaporated the spears created by Susanoo.

—No, not yet!— the furious young Tannin shouted as foam seeped from his mouth.

—Masaka!— Susanoo exclaimed in surprise as Rodrigo launched himself toward him, fists brimming with white energy. These fists struck the oriental god's face and body once again.

—He's turning into a beast, which means his blood must be turning into poison— Susanoo thought. As a reflex, he planted his foot on Rodrigo's body and propelled himself away from his punches.

—Even though you are losing consciousness, you forgot that in this rain, I hold the winning card, Rodrigo-san— Susanoo said calmly as he plunged his katana into the ground. Then, the oriental god uttered quietly: —Shi no ame—

At that moment, the rain transformed into sharp spears that rained down upon Rodrigo, mercilessly impaling and destroying his body.

—I didn't want to use this technique, but you truly forced me to, Rodrigo-san. I will remember you as an honorable warrior!— the oriental god said.

At that moment, the rain began to cease, and the sky cleared. Susanoo couldn't believe that something or someone had halted his atmospheric ability when he suddenly saw Rodrigo's battered body on the ground and something flying above it.

It was a small stone with a reddish color, upon closer inspection, it had a human face, with a large jaw-like structure. It also appeared to have a headdress made of brilliantly blue feathers. The stone had generated a kind of energy field, protecting Rodrigo with a wind-like element.

—This must be Rodrigo-san's ofuda— Susanoo said with a smile.