The Sun Priestess Surrenders
The Priestess of the Sun, Kamishiro Ayane. In the Japanese archipelago, the sheer weight of her name far surpassed that of the man who had only just been sworn in as the new Prime Minister.
Her fame, her popularity, her power—everything about her operated on an entirely different scale.
Born into a sacred Shinto bloodline, Ayane’s life had been under absolute control from the moment she first opened her eyes. From early childhood, all contact with the outside world was severed. She was raised learning nothing but how to serve the gods and perform their rituals. Friends, toys, personal freedom—none of it was permitted. Hers was a suffocating existence inside a beautiful cage.
Her only reason for being was singular: on the day she reached adulthood, to receive the will of the heavens as a clear, pure, and untouched vessel.
And at last, on the day she turned twenty and came of age, the ritual of divine descent was carried out amid the prayers of the entire nation and the fervent devotions of the priests.
The outcome was powerful enough to overturn not only Japanese society but the entire world.
To be precise, it was exactly what the citizens of Japan had longed for—and precisely what the nation’s politicians had dreaded.
Everyone who witnessed the descent that day—those watching the live broadcast, those present at the scene, even foreign journalists following Japan’s affairs—instinctively understood.
Ayane had obtained power that dwarfed even S-class standards.
With a single wave of her hand she could unleash rays of blinding high heat. She could bend light to create illusions, along with countless other luminous phenomena that could disrupt and deceive the senses.
Before long, Ayane claimed the title of Japan’s first and only National Power-Class hunter.
After that came true freedom.
On the surface, Japan’s politicians and bureaucrats continued to pretend they governed the country. In truth they were nothing more than puppets prostrating themselves at Ayane’s feet.
Of course, given her relatively ordinary disposition, she never went so far as to flip the entire nation upside down. Still, she acted according to her own beliefs in small but meaningful ways.
She used illusions to subdue corrupt politicians who chased bribes or engaged in crime. She eradicated every last yakuza syndicate in Japan. She tore apart political cartels without mercy.
From a pitiful bird trapped in a cage to the absolute ruler who now shook the very bars that once confined her—such was the story of Ayane’s life.
While she lived that monotonous, joyless existence, unsettling news began to arrive from neighboring Korea.
The unregistered awakener known as “Life Failed” had cleared the first floor of the Tower on both Hell and Extreme difficulty.
And in the heart of Seoul, a colossal blue dragon and a silver-gray dragon had appeared.
‘…!’
The moment Ayane saw the images, she was struck speechless. Because the dragons were simply too beautiful.
Having grown up under constant suppression, she harbored an impulse she had never dared confess to anyone—an urge to collect and admire beautiful creatures.
She wanted to see that dragon. She had already glimpsed photographs of its human form. The creature was breathtakingly lovely. If possible, she wanted to become acquainted with it.
I want to touch its tail…
She honestly hadn’t thought it would be difficult. After all, she had never once revealed her true power. Besides, who was she? A National Power-Class awakener known to the entire world. Fan clubs dedicated to her existed in Korea, and even in China.
Bursting with confidence, Ayane immediately prepared her private jet and flew straight to Korea.
Locating her target was laughably easy. The information carried by reflected light pinpointed the exact position of the A-class hunter Han So-yi, who had been seen traveling with the dragons.
Ayane approached So-yi with a gentle smile.
“Ah, are you by any chance Miss Han So-yi?”
“…?”
“My name is Ayane.”
“Eh? Ayane… you don’t mean the Kamishiro Ayane from Japan, do you?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Would you care to join me for a meal? My treat, of course.”
The answer was obviously yes. So-yi’s face practically glowed with honored disbelief.
While sharing a meal with her, Ayane wove an illusion. Following the traces she had left behind led to a house, and inside that house waited a dragon of impossible beauty and charm.
And then—
The instant she came face to face with the silver-gray dragon, Ayane instinctively understood. She could not possibly defeat this being.
She could not allow herself to die without first beholding such a magnificent creature! Moreover, this silver-gray dragon was exactly to her taste as well.
A scene from a manga she had once read flashed through her mind.
And so—
“I-I surrender…!”
“…?”
“I’m terribly sorry! I overstepped my bounds!”
Ayane dropped into a perfect dogeza, pressing her forehead to the floor. Yujin stared at her, utterly dumbfounded, and let out a helpless chuckle.
“…What is this?”
“Miss So-yi is currently dining with me! I’ll bring her back immediately! Please, just spare my life!”
“…Very well, for now. You will remain exactly as you are until my master returns.”
“Master…? U-um, how long exactly must I stay like this…?”
Yujin replied that she had no idea. Ayane immediately regretted everything. Wondering why on earth she had done something so foolish, she had no choice but to continue pressing her forehead to the floor.
“So this is how you ended up like that?”
Her personality could only be described as… arrogantly innocent?
If she had simply asked for a formal meeting, they would have received her. Yuhwa genuinely could not fathom why the woman had chosen to barge in and immediately drop into a dogeza the moment she saw Yujin.
“Still, you there.”
Yuhwa addressed the prostrated Ayane with casual indifference.
“You’re Japanese, yet your Korean is remarkably fluent. How is that possible?”
“T-that is…”
Still trembling with her forehead against the floor, Ayane answered.
“I paid coins at the shop and purchased an automatic translation and multilingual passive skill, I humbly submit…”
They really buy everything with coins these days.
Yuhwa glanced toward the living room. There, So-yi had summoned a spirit and was playing with her little sister So-ah, both of them laughing brightly.
Their eyes met. Yuhwa called out.
“So-yi, what do you think we should do about this situation?”
So-yi looked at the Japanese National Power-Class hunter lying flat on the floor and gave an awkward smile.
“Well… honestly, I shared a meal with her and we talked for quite a while.”
“I’m curious what sort of conversation you had.”
“She was praising you, Lady Yuhwa. She asked about your tastes, your habits… it really seemed like she was a fan of yours. Seeing someone like that lying on the floor like this feels… strange.”
“Does it now?”
Yuhwa crouched down and tapped Ayane’s head lightly with her finger.
“Priestess of the Sun, or whatever you are. You may rise.”
“Y-yes, I shall obey your command…!”
Ayane shot upright with such force that she slammed straight into Yuhwa’s chin with a loud crack. The blue dragon had been crouching at the time.
“Kyaaak!”
Ayane let out a short shriek and clutched her head with both hands, groaning in pain.
Yuhwa, of course, didn’t even flinch. Her transcendent body was far too sturdy for such a trivial impact.
“Ouch… my head… I-I’m so sorry…”
Her legs gave out. Ayane collapsed back to the floor, tears glistening in her eyes.
Watching the clumsy, ridiculous sight, Yuhwa thought to herself.
A National Power-Class hunter, huh…
She looked utterly pathetic right now, but objectively speaking she was an enormous asset. There were only four National Power-Class hunters in all of East Asia—one in Japan, one in Korea, and two in China. Since Yuhwa herself had not yet been officially registered, the count stood at four. In the end, this seemingly pathetic yet strangely adorable Ayane was one of the strongest beings in East Asia.
Yuhwa was curious about her power, and the woman did seem rather useful.
“Very well. I have decided. Ayane. Help me with one small task, and I shall permit you to touch my tail.”
“…Yes! Whatever it may be, I will stake my life on it if you but command me…!”
Yuhwa could see her wiping away tears. It must have hurt quite a bit.
She snapped her fingers at the sniffling woman.
“I have found a use for you.”
“A use… if I may ask what that entails?”
“We shall go on a raid together.”
“A raid…? You mean we will enter a Gate and hunt monsters together?”
“Precisely. A raid.”
“What manner of monster do you intend to hunt…?”
“I intend to catch that tiger currently lurking in Russia.”
The moment the words left her mouth—
“…!”
“….”
“!!!”
Ayane froze solid. So-yi, who had been playing with So-ah, did the same. Even Yujin seemed to flinch for a brief second.
“For your information, the tiger’s awakening abilities are gigantification, physical reinforcement, and acceleration.”
Another heavy silence fell.
“Understood?”
Yuhwa extended her hand. Ayane, eyes still glistening with tears, took it.
“Yes…”
“Good. Let us do our best together.”
“Um… could I possibly receive an advance payment?”
“An advance?”
“Yes… if you would allow me to touch your tail just a little beforehand…”
Just how badly did she want to touch it? Yuhwa swished her tail lazily. She watched Ayane’s gaze follow the movement, completely captivated.