A Vassal Territory has reached Rank 3. Your Css, queror, has increased from level 14 to level 15. Your League has increased by 2. Your Chakra work and Silver Cord has been strengthened slightly, signifitly increasing your aether.

  “I see. I have a lot of options now.” Haru-san said, having ed the rge amounts of ether, a million strong, that Ixitt’s clever Artificial Ether Silos had ferried through the Ring Gates. Each Silo couldn’t hold that much, only a few thousand to perhaps ten thousand for the best designed, but the distance was short, so the ability to move it was effit enough, and ohe amount was there, Haru-san had rushed the upgrade. “So, now we just o solidate as much of Kyoto as we , right?”

  So now we successfully doher without usiherites, which we need for other things. Sure, it’s not going to work for distaories, but for those we access it’s fine. So, I could do the same for Shuta-san’s Territory, but… well, currently he’s fio a small area around Hisuikomushi Shrine, so adding a lot more Ether Spires there wouldn’t make too much se would allow him to capture some nd outside my owory due to his location, but… well, I’ll think about it. We have a lot to do, and it might make more sense for me to be Rank 4 first, though the pnning and cost…

  “Well, all the uerritory, sure. But we’ll leave things like the Kyoto Imperial Pace alone for now. After all, there’s no need for a fight, and the owner of that, whoever or whatever they are, made no move to stop us from entering or leaving during the Kyoto mess, so I think we owe diplomacy a try. For noant to cim Kiyomizu-dera and the surrounding shrines, Yamato-san’s old Territory.”

  “Some has already e under my trol.” She smiled. “It shouldn’t be too difficult, but ten kilometres is quite a wide area. I’ll need some help if I’m to do it quickly.”

  “Well, that’s what we’re here for.” I grinned, gesturing to our weaselkin and ratkin forces, as well as Hyath and Shaeu. “I’m hoping we should be able to get this done by m.”

  “It’s fasating, isn’t it?” Hinata said happily, talking to the irls who were here with us, despite the te hour. “Seeing how a Territory expands first-hand gives me a lot of ideas.” She rubbed her hands together, excited. “And to think that such a rge amount of Kyoto will be under our trol now. I think I o speak to Grandfather about what nd we have or purchase in Kyoto.”

  “No, it’s under Haru-san’s trol.” I corrected, before the woman iion ughed, shaking her head.

  “Silly, you know what is mine is yours. I’m your vassal, no, more than that. Without your aid I’d be floating around here wishing for death. No, that’s nht, I was already dead. Oblivion, maybe? Well, no matter. Kyoto is yours.”

  “Well, I’m gd someone is happy.” Shiro said, sitting down, face pale, looking like a used rag, silver sweat streaming from her body. “I’m totally wiped out. Aki is a brute…” she pio my irls. “He’s used me hard all day. I ’t even think about anything but having a dam.”

  As Motoko and Natsumi soled her, taken in by her mopints, I patted her head. “You have worked hard, it’s defirue. And thanks to you, we have a good ce of seg our position faster than pnned. It’s why I don’t feel worried about upgrading Haru-san’s Territory like this.” Shiro had worked herself to the bone calling on Anesidora’s gift. Hell, I was tired too, as I had exhausted myself giving her my aether. In the end, Shaeu had to help top her up too. Hyath had tried also, but her ability to transfer her aether successfully was meagre, much to her chagrin. It seemed that the successful transfer of aether in any quantity was affected by Chirurgery, so as well as Aether Manipution aher Healing, a Rank or two in Chirurgery was something I wao be standard issue for everyone going forwards. At least those close to me, anyway. Chirurgery is a trump card for us…

  In terms of skills, Asha didn’t seem to have anything that promoted the trees produg more aether, but she did have skills to promote elemental energy and the safe growth of her Tree, so we would be enhang those as appropriate. As I thought that, Shiro looked at me, and I felt a touch guilty as she had seemingly guessed my thoughts. Oh well, when she levels up a bit more she’ll have more aether to py with… Pushing the other two Rhyming Trees to effectively a better Rank 4 was far less effit than the siree to Rank 6, but ineffit didn’t mean it wasn’t still worth it, and over time the extra ether quickly added up.

  “So, what are the pns for my Territory then, as regards infrastructure?” Haru-san asked. “I don’t miing you a tithe rate of a hundred pert. After all, this is all down to you.”

  I shook my head. “That’s too much, you her to upkeep the territory and the defences. Besides, I’d like you to have at least some ether of your own, so that you pursue your Thrones and anything else you want. But then, I do need a lot of ether…” Kyoto rodug abnormally high ether, so even at a reduced efficy via tithes with the rate set high enough, it could be like having ara Ether Spire for eae structed here. And there’s light element too.

  “Right then. Well, first I’ll set our Ether geion to the maximum. That means all my Spires to Rank 4, and all your Spires, plus the new oo Rank 4. That would hugely increase our accrual. I thiy pert tithe? Damn, I feel usurious. I’ll have to look at Shuta-san’s again, as well as Miyu’s.” Miyu was currently alternating dang and grinding for levels at the coast, aerritory r slowly. I ’t easily get ether to her Territory through Ixitt’s Silos though, so doing what I pn for Haru-san’s Territory is impossible for now…

  “Well, I don’t mind. Besides, I am the Under-Secretary at the Ministry.” Haru-san decred, proud of her role. “I uand you o reach Rank 4 as soon as possible. After that, when yent need diminishes, you always lower the tithe a bit.” She smiled.

  “True.” I ughed. “Though I always have a need for more ether, we ever have enough.”

  “Well, if you ask Akio nicely, I dare-dare say that he will provide you with what you need.” Shaeu teased her.

  “Sure, sure. Well, she is my precious vassal after all.” I waved that off. “In terms of rush-building, we know that Rank 1 and 2 Spires are trivial. You build Anchor Spires now as well, right?” I asked, and she nodded. “Well, in your case, let’s hold off oher Density Anchor Spire. That goes against what we are trying to achieve here. No, you want the Ether Spire Anchor Spire. You won’t need extra queues yet either since we’ll be relying on blowiher on rush-building. I think we’ll sider other options. Anyway, a Rank 1 Spire will set you back three thousand, and a Rank 2 twenty-two and a half thousand. We have all of your Spires to Rank 2 including the new ones we o build by the weekend. That’s the most effit for the both of us.”

  Haru-san agreed. Hinata was happily listening as well, eyes sparkling. She really loves the eic side of things. That reminds me… week, looks like it’s time to do some more Ether Healing. She wants to extract maximum value before our powers bee on knowledge, and ifted with healing Divine Favours or skills start peting with us…

  “In that case…” Shaeu grinned wolfishly. “We shall quickly secure areas with elemental resources. Daiyu, you e-e with me. Hyath, apany Eri and Kana.” As the pns were set and the girls scurried off, while Ixitt and Grulgor were leading their own forces, Grulgor apanied by a t giant and a number of rolls I had not been introduced to yet, I tio expin to Haru-san, Shiro, Hinata, Motoko and Natsumi the path I po take.

  “Rank 3 Spires are expeo build instantly, at three huhousaher, but even in the slowing, with Shiro’s exceptional work…” she groa that, but did look proud. “… we are easily able to pull in well over two huhousaher an Astral day as the Trees do their work. In fact, we early afford one Rank 3 spire a day. If it wasn’t a slowing right now, we could afford multiple each day that passes ierial. Oh well, sooner or ter the slowing will ebb out. Anyway, my Rank 3 Spires are pulling in on average around fourteen huher per Astral day pre-slowing. It varies by location, of course. But then, the density is higher here, so it wouldn’t surprise me if you get a bit more. I think it’s not unreasoo assume with the tithe your Spires give me around that as well.”

  So, overall, we were looking at four and a half millioher to this point, but it would be adding around twenty thousaher an Astral day after the slowing ended. It’d pay for itself in a hundred days oerial then, assuming we didn’t hit a deepening tide. Damn, I know quied tides offer many more dangers, but the extra Astral days aeher gain sure would be awesome.

  “Then there’s Rank 4 Spires. Now things do start getting expensive.” I admitted. “Eae should produywhere between five or six thousaher an Astral day. But they cost a bit under one point nine millioher for an instant build. If we assume that we are making around four thousara ether a day, that’s… well, assuming the slowing ends, and time dition at roughly two and a half days per day oerial as I’ve beeo… that would be half a year to pay for itself. Really, that’s not too long, as after that, everything is pure profit.”

  “I see.” Hinata grinned. “The Gover wants you to push for Rank 4 to protect Tokyo, so while there is the ce of receiving support, it makes seo build up your infrastructure.”

  “Indeed.” Motoko agreed. “Grandfather says that the JSDF is so successful at what it does because it is built on solid foundations. Though he does worry that in these ging times, the foundation might crumble.”

  “That’s why they want Akio to shore that up, Motoko.” Natsumi smiled.

  “Well, now is the hard part. I’m already upgrading one Spire to Rank 4 as we speak, but to simplify the maths I won’t worry about that. So, between us that’s twe Spires. Adding on the previous costs, and also getting your Ether Spire Anchor Spire to Rank 2, as any more than that isn’t cost effective right now, we are lookiween fifty-three and fifty-four millioher, but then from Spires alone, I’d be getting, for oerial day, outside the slowing, around four hundred ay thousaher.”

  “So, uh… the Rank 6 Rhyming Tree with my buffs… doesn’t that mean it essentially performs around the same as that on its own?” Shiro blinked, shocked. “How is that even fair?”

  “It’s not. I’m so grateful to Asha, and to you.” I ughed. “Well, even a basik 6 would be equivalent to sixteen Rank 4’s, and Rhyming Trees tend to produce at arouo twenty pert more than a Spire of their equivalent Rank anyway. Add your other buffs on top a a monster w overtime. Hell, even keeping the other two Trees running at buffed Rank 4 is noticeably valuable. All told, I think we get above a millioher per Material day when all this is dohough if the slowing persists, we’re still looking at rather less than half of that.”

  “It sounds to me like we should make getting more Trees a priority.” Hinata mused, to agreement from everyone else.

  “Yeah, I know. I do io talk to Shaeu about it soon, but that’s… plicated. Politically, certainly. But if she knows of any areas that we might be able to obtain them from without damaging our is, you know we’ll be pnning that.”

  “So, what about ste?” Hinata asked.

  “A good question. Yeah, we en million to start the Rank 4 Anchrade, and we store uwenty pert of that currently. A Rank 6 Silo would hold that and more, some twenty-two and a half millioher, but the cost is far too wasteful right now. No, at Rank 5 we hold four and a half million, so two Rank 5 should do in the meantime. We upgrade our Rank 4 and one of our Rank 3 Silos to Rank 5, and with the Expanding Silo we already have we should have ten million in space, for aen million iher.” I hardly believe I’m talking such huge figures… well, Rank 4 is a colossal uaking. I wonder how the ese are managing…

  “Then, at ten million to start the upgrade, plus the previous spending, that’s a total of seventy four million. Then to finish, another hundred and sixty million?” Natsumi said, frowning. “That’s a lot!”

  “It is. Well, aher we have ing in will be decreased as the Territory upgrades, barring the Trees of course, by perhaps around forty pert, if it holds true to previous upgrades. Even so, every day we should be able to reduce the five thousand days it’ll take by multiple days more, and Miyu will daoing it even lower. We do it in a sensible timeframe of a year, maybe. Though I’d like to put everything in pce faster, of course, if we .”

  “It will very much depend on what the Ministry end up extrag from the other Chosen of Japan.” Hinata mused.

  “Not just that.” Motoko agreed. “We collect ether by defeating enemies while growing stronger. We should tio aggressively proceed, right Natsumi?”

  “Yes, if I get stronger by helping, I want to do it!” she said, clearly excited.

  “As for me… my fate is sealed. Miyu and I will drown our sorrows together… ugh, she’s not old enough to drink in bars, but at least she’s had experience drinking as a noble during parties. She get hammered with me!” Shiro pouted.

  “Well, sorry but your buffs are simply too awesome to miss out on.” I soled her, and that brightened her up almost instantly. She puffed out her impressive chest with a grin.

  “I knht? Well, now we know oals, it’s time to start implementing them!” She was eager suddenly, and that brought ughter to us all.

  “Right then. It might be more effit to grind on Sagami bay, at least for now, but we o secure Kyoto. e on, I’ll escort you all and we kill two birds with oone. No, three birds as we get ether too.”

  “All right then.” Haru-san said, floating beside me, a smile on her face. “Hey, doesn’t the fact my Territory is Rank 3 mean I’m one of the stro Chosen in Japan?” she giggled. “I’m certainly ing up in the world!”

  “You know, you might just be right.” I agreed. “Well, I’ve already stood up the Detective, so I don’t want to do it again. Besides, you girls need your beauty sleep, right? ’t have you looking tired in css.”

  “Well, are a few hours more.” Motoko said, speaking for the three of them. “We need far less sleep now.”

  “I still need some, you know.” Hinata pined, face red. “I’m not lucky enough to… well, never mind that.” Her face was now a deep crimson, even her ned her ears flushed. “Well, e o’s go, let’s go!”

  ********

  “Well, I don’t have to buff this, right?” Shiro observed the t tree at Yasaka-Jinja shrine. assed through -in and Koda-ji, where the monkey Yokai had set up their camps. Fortuhe shrihemselves had sustained little more than a few holes where the Sarugami had tried to dig in, or had set up earthen walls. Likewise, Yasaka-Jinja was ued, and seemed to have been avoided entirely. Perhaps because of the strength of energy radiating from the tree here? I feel adherence from it, no surprise as an avatar of Tsumatsu-hime was here guarding it before. Well, I feel better now we’ve recimed it, and Haru-san will do a better job of guarding it than Yamato-san ever did…

  “hough I do wonder what it could bee, one day.” I ughed. “Well, we recovered the Kodama from Koda-ji, as well as a number of small bands of Yokai and other creatures who have accepted your rule, Haru-san, so… stop, Kiyomizu-dera.” I sighed, not having good memories of the pce.

  “That reminds me.” Haru-san said, smiling as she watched the younger girls looking around, eyes bright with excitement. “What of the Night Parade?”

  “Yeah, good question. Well, there’s no way a Rank 3 Territory will keep them out, they could crack the barrier very quickly. Hell, Red, Blue, Urakaze, that damn fox-woman… any of those could do it by themselves if given a little time. But, they should still keep out of the Shrines and Temples. Best we keep all our infrastructure in those if we , for now. Well, we are trading booze with them, so hopefully that should prevent problems, plus we have a retionship with Shaeu’s mother. Best to let them pass through on their Parade and soak them for their Etherites. Hmm, maybe we could eve up some sort of establishment like Asha’s café…”

  “That sounds a marvellous idea.” Hinata said happily. “Good busiies two parties together, and makes it worth more to stand together, than to pete.”

  “Indeed. It is rather like a marriage.” Motoko agreed.

  “Well, ours were proposed that way, certainly. But I like to think we’ve moved past mutual be and into love.” Natsumi giggled. “Be is still great though.” The two of them were in high spirits, having been able to fight uhe watchful eye of Haru-san and I. Even Hinata managed a few battles under our prote, and her level was capped out, sidering the training she had been doing before. I feel bad for her only being able to reach level twenty-five, but for now, that’s more than enough for her to be able to take care of herself from ordinary threats…

  “Well, once we’ve captured Kiyomizu-dera, you should head back.” I said, and we soon reached the brilliant golden geysers of light that shoh a cascade of indigo sparks. The magnifit shrine buildings were just as I remembered them, and the girls were awestruck.

  “Shit, this is sweet. Why doesn’t our Territory have anything like this, Tan?” Shiro pined, getting a zy grunt as an answer.

  “I feel… pelled to take it.” Haru-san said dreamily, drifting into the main building, which here was far bigger on the ihaside, golden pilrs holding up the massive, vaulted ceiling. Ihe likeness of Kannon, t even taller than the giant with Grulgor, arms thick as tree-trunks, looked down on us benevolently. I’m sure the reproach I see in her eyes is an illusion, only my guilt…

  “So… I see.” Haru-san nodded in satisfa. “I build them now. The Hands of Fiveness.” She smiled. “They aren’t cheap, but I believe they have many bes over normal Defensive Empts.” She paused. “With your permission, I could even build them in your Territory and those of your other vassals too, I think. Assuming you have the light element for it.” She winked happily at me, and I leased to see her tinued good cheer.

  “That’s something to look forward to.” I agreed. “Now, let’s get some Rank 1 Ether Spires dowo start with.” Haru-san nodded, and suddenly several beautiful golden needles appeared, and began drawing in the surroundiher and light element. Probably going to o upgrade my Elemental Silos as well, but that es after Rank 4…

  “Well, I think it’s time for you girls to head back.” I said, and they agreed, though Hinata looked as if she wished she could stay longer.

  “I’m tired. I go as well, Aki?” Shiro asked, and while I did wao grow stronger, she’d pushed herself way beyond her limits today.

  “That’s fine. Haru-san and I will ti more areas under our trol. Get some rest. As yoing to !”

  “Tyrant, monster, dictator!” She cursed me humorously, before she and the others vanished, returning to the Material, leaving me aloh Haru-san.

  “All right then. We should push on.” I said, and she agreed. As we headed north, bringing more nd under our trol, we ran into Shaeu, as well as Daiyu, who were heading down from Ginkaku-ji and Heian-jingu shrihese were areas uhe old Amaterasu fa, but the Territories around there could not reach them yet, and in the case of Shisendo-ji, was now fallow, the owner having perished alongside Mine-san during the ill-fated expedition Yamato-san led.

  “Akio, Haru, well met!” She enthused, amber eyes bright. “I trust you have had-had successes?”

  “Indeed we have.” I agreed. Daiyu merely nodded politely at us, as reserved as ever. “Oh, Daiyu’er, sorry to be a nuisance, but you’re still free to e interrogate the prisoners with me, well, it’ll be tomorrow nht?”

  “That shall be no issue. I fess wanting to speak to the survivors from Diamond Mountai.”

  “What about my prisoner?” Haru-san asked. “She’s bei here in Kyoto, due to her… well, tie to me, I guess.”

  “Yeah I want to speak to her too. But the prisoners in Tokyo first. I was going t you, but…”

  “I’ll be busy.” She ughed “Karen-san will be happy to stand in, I’m sure…”

  “Well, I have some iing news indeed-indeed.” Shaeu grinned. “We did bring a number of Yokai who dwell in Kyoto into the fold, my status as one of the Hyakki Yagyō did not-not prove worthless.” Her expression roud and expet, so I praised her, pulling her into a hug. “There were some strange burning spirits, tormented and sad-sad amongst these. But wheinguished the fmes with my spirit water, they did-did find release. Before they left, they advised me of a great-great fme, located to the north-west, atop a mountain called Atago. From their description, it did-did seem there is much fire element there.”

  “Mount Atago, that’s… too far.” Haru-san shook her head. “I’m not sure of the exact distance, but it’d be a little over ten kilometres from my Anchor.”

  “Well, I remember the map. A bit over eleven, in fact. However… that’s not insurmountable.” We always solve that with an Anchor Spire. Territory Expansion Spire at Rank 2… that should push us enough, I think…

  “Is it not-not? Excellent. I believe seg such a sacred pce only be us in the loerm.”

  “True, but… well, we’re going to have to fight. The hills and mountains outside of Kyoto seem riddled with Yokai.” I exged looks with everyone, who nodded. “Well, that’s for ter. For now, we tinue bringing Kyoto under is…” Mount Atago, huh? If I remember from school that mountain does have a retionship with fire…

  “Well then, want to stick together for a little while?” I asked, and Shaeu ughed.

  “I always want to spend time with you, Akio, do I not-not?”

  Daiyu agreed as well. “I would like to observe your spiritual waters further. When Shaeu did free those tormented spirits, I found it rather intriguing. The Spiritually Pure Physique is surely eveer than our old scrolls and jade tags say. I think… perhaps it is meant to be fed with yin and yang element as well…?” As we pushed outwards, I listeo Daiyu’s musings with i. Yeah, soon it’ll be time to start digging deeper into Cultivation as well. Right now I’m feeling strangely powerful for some reason, like I could do anything. Now might be the right time, and… I o set things up properly between Daiyu and me. Work out just where we stand, and where we want to stand iure… Yes, there was certainly a lot to think about, but right now, everything was starting to fall into pce. Though there’s always more to do. Always…

  ShipTeaser