Story by: Rhenhwa.
Virtual God's Online
Chapter 3: Counterpart
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, organizations, and settings depicted are entirely fictional and created for storytelling purposes.
***
In this dimension, three distinctive Orders exist, though, in truth, each has a hidden counterpart.
Three that are actually six: flipsides of each other.
These orders are led by a figurehead except for the third order, which no deity has been able to attain until now.
The Order of Binial Mandate, led by Illionis, the supreme ruler of the Celestials, and Lucy Morningstar, the supreme ruler of the Infernals.
Next is the Order of the Genesis Omega Accord, led by Amaterasu, Shiva, Judah, and three more subsequent Transcendental Virtual Deities.
Lastly, however, no Transcendental Virtual Deity has ever claimed ownership in the Order of the Nameless Tribunal.
Reasons are unknown. However, it had been so for a long time. But now—
SHINTO STAR
Izumo lake.
A serene river ran quietly beneath an endless star-woven sky depicting distant constellations.
Sitting in front of a serene river, casting a fishing rod. Extremely long black hair that cascades down to her waist.
Wearing a yukata with embroidered flowers. She radiated a mature, feminine beauty in every movement.
She sat atop a rock, casting her rod into the river that sprawled before her, the surrounding trees beautifying the place.
The elegant woman paused before looking up at the sky.
"Oh, that was Ageha... She rarely causes such a large disturbance.…"
The lady said, without any particular expression on her face, before letting out a silent huff.
Despite being in a sector several hundred light-years from Ageha's current location, she could easily feel the disturbance even without focusing on it.
Positioned behind her was another female who was just like her, but slightly different.
Dark-purple hair fell behind her back, adorned with a delicate flower pin and a glowing butterfly clasp.
Her outfit was more of a mixture of ceremonial cloth with light armor, creating a youthful, warrior-priestess elegance.
"That was just Ageha-chan, wasn't it?"
"Haha, as expected of her. Though for her to cause such a disturbance means she has found something interesting."
The other woman, placing her hands above her eyebrows and looking at the sky of their virtual cluster, commented.
"She and Ichor-chan are the same."
Just as those words left the other young woman's lips, a blue streak of light suddenly flashed behind them, and someone appeared from it.
"....Ama–chiiiiiii!"
Amaterasu-Ōmikami glanced over her shoulder, sighing as the Primal Star dropped in like a meteor of noise and impatience.
"That was quick." She said flatly.
Ageha skidded to a stop behind her before then coming to a realization. Ageha froze.
"You know… I have told you many times that unauthorized entry into another's domain is rude, don't you think?"
"A–Amachi? ... W-wait. No, no, no, that's not what I came for.....!"
Waving her hand, Ageha shook her head; however, before she could even continue, Amaterasu beat her to it.
"Is it about that one? 'Blackstar'? Well, yes, I've been quite informed."
"Y-Yes—!"
"No." Her voice was like a system override. "Delete those virtual thoughts of yours immediately."
"....Wha—!?"
Ageha stumbled back, visibly stunned, hearing the words of her fellow goddess.
In truth, Amaterasu was one of the few who could outmatch her.
Back then, during the great war against the forces of Encroaching, along with the Apostate, towards the war's end, Ageha had lost all sense of reason.
Amaterasu calmed her, not with words, but with a force that could only be called divine.
From then on, Ageha developed a slight fear of the goddess and began to regard her as an elder sister, though she never said so aloud.
"Elder Sister?"
Wakahhime, who was beside Ageha, looked towards Amaterasu, who seemed quite stubborn today.
She knew this mood.
"Well, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to know the Deity themself before speculating. Whether they really are Ageha-chan's 'counterpart' or not."
Suggesting that to the High Goddess, she said nothing at first.
Amaterasu simply continued looking forward; her fishing hook causing ripples in the virtual pond.
Then with a sigh.
"For now, observe and don't make large movements. If you really want to, his current status is too low for that, so in the end, you'll wait."
"Ugh!"
"But sister, isn't it natural? With what we've seen… I'd say it's only a matter of time."
"Wakahirume… as a member of the Tribunal, do you believe in the possibility of a new head?"
Hearing that, Ageha and Wakahirume looked at each other. They knew the goddess in front wasn't one to talk on topics like this vaguely.
Ageha, for her part, belonged to the Genesis Omega Accord. A Primal Star Entity, whose Authority additionally aligned with the creative principle of Genesis.
Wakahirume, however, was different.
Her power did not stem from the expected paths. And thus, she walked with the Nameless Tribunal.
Each order is different with different beliefs and ideas. They were not a faction, simply an affiliation. Associations based on paradigm, not allegiance.
Well, they had influence, not in the normal way, but that really wasn't anything that concerned any member following that path.
"Elder sister… are you saying…"
Amaterasu shook her head.
"Prophetic Star Phecda couldn't compute it. That's why for now. Ageha, don't get too close to him, be he 'your other half' or not."
"Many other Tribunals especially the fanatics aren't one to be reasoned with."
Speaking of which, Wakahirume let out a knowing expression. It was also because of that she quit attending their assemblies.
Now, it was a power struggle, of those who wanted the figurehead seat and the authority that came with it.
One of which was being able to hold the status of those similar to deities who have transcended.
In other words, if a non-transcendent virtual deity takes the figurehead seat, then they automatically gain that status. Not the powers, however.
As those words fell, Ageha visibly deflated, a pout on her face. She tried to speak but eventually deflated.
"Fine….. then….. once... just once….."
"Haah. Well, I'm also not stopping you in any way. If anything, I wish you good luck."
"But Amachi clearly doesn't look happy."
"Oh my, I look like this everyday though."
Just when the banter passed around them lightly, they all heard a thud. Actually, normal deities would not have heard it.
It was so low, so sub-basal, that only deities of their level could perceive it at all.
Ageha's eyes dropped to the floor, and she knew exactly who was coming.
The arriving person naturally did not need to announce himself before being recognized.
Just by stepping closer, the virtual ground trembled under his footsteps, the one who embodied tyranny.
"There he comes, fun sparring partner number one."
"No wonder. The trembling I felt back then explains it. It can only be you."
The figure who appeared was a man of hulking mass.
Not only was he a living giant, but he also had hulking muscles.
Dark hair, wild and slightly tousled, framed a face with piercing blue eyes that glinted like sharpened steel.
He wore a casual outfit—an open-chested garment resembling a dougi, paired with matching black trousers tucked neatly into combat boots.
His chest and arms were marked with tattoos: a coiled nine-headed dragon, its heads curling across his back and shoulders.
Transcendent Virtual Deity: Susanoo.
Accompanying him was a younger-looking man trailed just a step behind, clad in combat-fitted gear, similar in cut and purpose to Wakahirume's own.
"Hello, everyone."
He said lightly, giving a respectful nod.
"Ahh! Izumo spotted!"
Wakahirume said that with a smirk, pointing playfully toward the younger male deity, who blinked once before smiling back in recognition.
"What..? It's rare to see you around these days, what's with the visit."
"Ageha over there found her counterpart."
The comment should have summoned one of two reactions from Ageha:
either a battle-hungry grin or a panicked glance whenever she faced Amaterasu.
But instead, her expression was… distinct. She flushed.
A faint red touched her cheeks as she turned her head away ever so slightly.
Izumo and Susanoo were completely taken aback by that look, like they could have mentally echoed, "Why are you blushing?"
But in the end, both wryly shook it away.
"Ooh. No wonder. I see now. But then, that means…"
"A Tribunal, huh?"
Izumo muttered with a quiet sigh and then the place fell silent once more.
"Well," Susanoo said at last, his voice low, "it doesn't matter if he's Tribunal or not. If he's worthy, that's all that matters."
Then he glanced to the side.
"Or… what's my sister's verdict?"
Until now, Amaterasu had remained silent.
But as her name was spoken, she exhaled, gently casting her fishing rod aside into the virtual lake with a soft splash.
She rose slowly, like the dawn, and walked toward the hulking deity with measured grace.
"Well, it's as you've said. I simply don't want the Tribunals to set their sights on Ageha."
Izumo looked at Susanoo who also looked back at him. They quite understood what Amaterasu was talking about.
Ageha's position as the Neutrality was extremely delicate.
Even her being part of Order Genesis was never truly a part of them. She followed their path, but not their activities.
But her counterpart was to be a Tribunal, and should such knowledge become known, it might threaten her status as the Neutrality.
Surely, other deities fond of her would not agree to such a thing.
That, for Amaterasu, was undisputed.
[COMMUNITY THREAD]
[Myriad-Shinto sub-thread]
[Starting thread]
[StarSeeker42]: [Guys from Myriad Star, what is up again?]
2 min(s) ago
[Likes: 18] [Replies: 8]
↳ DignityWatcher replying to @StarSeeker42: [Wah! I was woken up by Lady Ageha's dignity today. How long has it been since the last time?]
↳ ShintoAlly replying to @StarSeeker42: [Wait! Lady Ageha is at Shinto's Sector?]
↳ AmaterasuFan replying to @StarSeeker42: [Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu. Lady Amaterasu.]
↳ ChillPillBro replying to @AmaterasuFan: [Take a chill pill bro.]
↳ StormGlazer replying to @StarSeeker42: [Lord Susanoo also seemed to be rather active. Is something happening?]
↳ BlackstarSpeculator replying to @StormGlazer: [We're speculating it's because of the person called Blackstar, not only on our side. Other sides would have taken notice of him, Yikes.]
↳ BugWatcher replying to @BlackstarSpeculator: [Cockroach that flies?]
↳ BlackstarSpeculator replying to @BugWatcher: [No, we're not talking about the Bug that flies…. Yet.]
[Thread end]
[THREAD CLOSED]