The golden evening sun stretched their shadows across the sidewalk.
Rei Ao walked in the center.
On his leftan elegant, cool, long-legged bestselling author in black tights.
On his righta mature, flirtatious, top-tier editor with devilish charm.
The sight turned more than a few heads
It was like something straight out of a romance movie.
And Rei Ao?
He looked completely at ease, like he was just taking two close friends out for a casual afternoon tea.
Only the playful glint buried deep in his eyes hinted at the truth:
He was absolutely in control of the game.
Chapter 843: There are Gods here? Several?
French Restaurant
Polished silver cutlery shimmered softly under the restaurant's warm, ambient lighting.
The air was rich with the aroma of toasted bread, black truffle, and top-grade steak.
Rei Ao, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Sonoko Machida had just taken their seats by the window at a cozy, upscale booth.
A waiter approached, handing them the menus with practiced elegance.
Utaha casually flipped hers open, scanning the options with her usual grace.
Her wine-red eyes danced across the selections, but it was obvious her thoughts weren't entirely on the food.
She glanced sideways at Rei Ao, who was focused on the wine list, and the corner of her lips curled into a knowing smile.
Sonoko, clearly entertained by the silent chemistry between them, was just about to crack a playful jab
When suddenly:
[Ding! Kirishima Touka has joined the Trade Chat Group!]
[Ding! Mitsuha Miyamizu has joined the Trade Chat Group!]
A soft notification rang in their minds. Not aloud, but deep in their consciousness. Only certain people could hear it.
All three of them paused for a split second.
Even though Utaha and Sonoko weren't technically part of the main chat, their strong link to Rei Ao let them pick up the system alerts.
Utaha looked up and met Rei Ao's eyes. No words neededhe got the message.
Sonoko raised a brow and gave a sly smirk, like she was thinking "More sisters joining the club, huh?"
"Looks like we've got new members in the group," Utaha said, closing her menu and tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear.
She gave Rei Ao a teasing smile. "Go on, you're the group admin. Sonoko and I will handle the food."
She knew the drillnew members needed a proper welcome, and that was Rei Ao's job.
Sonoko nodded, took the menu from the waiter, and added, "Yup, leave it to us. You take care of businesswe'll make sure you eat something amazing~"
She even threw in a wink.
Rei Ao smiled at the both of them, genuinely appreciative.
"Thanks. I owe you."
He put down the wine list and closed his eyesnot to rest, but to dive into the multiversal space known as the Trade Chat Group.
The interface was already buzzing.
Touka and Mitsuha's arrival had stirred the quiet like stones tossed into a still lake.
Akame: "Oh? New faces? Been a little while since we got new people."
Frieren: "Welcome. Curiouswhat kind of worlds are you two from?"
Saeko Busujima: "Welcome. Don't forget to check the rules."
Ayame Yomogawa: "Welcome, you two! The vibe here's really chill. No need to stress!"
Mai Sakurajima: "Hey there. If you're confused, check the pinned announcements."
Stella: "And if you need help, don't be shy."
Megumi Kato: "Yeah, everyone's super friendly here."
The chat exploded with greetings, intros, and a few humble brags.
Beings from every imaginable worldhumans, elves, dragons, godsshowed just how wild and diverse this group really was.
Rei Ao: "Welcome to @Kirishima Touka and @Mitsuha Miyamizu. Glad to have you in the Trade Chat Group."
Rei Ao: "This group connects every world in existence. There's a lot to take in, so don't feel rushed to speak up. Just explore, and ping me or check the announcements if you need anything."
As the admin spoke, the flood of messages slowed a little.
All eyes shifted to the two new names, everyone wonderingwho were they, and what kind of worlds did they come from?
Mitsuha Miyamizu sat curled up on a tatami mat, hugging her knees. Her shrine maiden robes spread neatly around her.
A glowing blue screen hovered in front of her, flooding with messages scrolling faster than she could read.
"Dragons... elves... gods?" she murmured, still in disbelief.
None of this made sense.
It felt like her entire worldview was being ripped apart at the seams.
She pinched her armhard.
"Ow!"
Definitely not a dream.
So... it was real?
This chat group really did connect infinite worlds?
And the people talking were actual legendary beings?
Excitement and confusion crashed over her like a tidal wave.
As a shrine maiden, she had a lifelong understanding of what "gods" were supposed to be.
But these peoplethese "gods"were they the same as the guardian deity enshrined at the Miyamizu family shrine?
Her curiosity and spiritual instincts were in overdrive.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and finally gathered the courage to send her first message:
Mitsuha Miyamizu: "Um excuse me is this a message from the gods?"
Another ripple hit the chat.
Stella: "A message from the gods? Hmm. If you're talking about how this group works, maybebut it's probably not what you're imagining."
Stella: "Some of us here have actually reached the level of divinity."
Saeko Busujima: "Gods? Heh. In a sense, yeah. We kinda are."
Couronne: "Totally! We've got a bunch of insanely powerful deities in this chat!"
Sui: "Mitsuha-san, don't worry. Everyone here comes from different places and power levels. A lot of what we are depends on our strengthand how we understand the world."
Mitsuha stared, jaw slightly open.
They... really were gods?
And from the sound of it, not just onebut several?
She couldn't hold back.
Mitsuha Miyamizu: "Then... um... is there a guardian deity here? The kind we call 'Itomori God'like the one enshrined at Miyamizu Shrine?"
The chat paused.
Misaka Mikoto: "Itomori God? Sounds like a local thingprobably unique to your region's belief system."
Megumi Kato: "Yeah, sounds like a hometown guardian spirit. I don't think we have anyone with that title here."
She couldn't recall Rei Ao assigning anyone a title like that.
Ai Hayasaka: "From the name and your description, it sounds super localized. This group pulls from all kinds of world systemsand usually, divine ranks come from Rei Ao. So probably not."
Julis: "There's no record of a 'Itomori' shrine in my kingdom either but that's not surprising. We're clearly not from the same world."
~~~
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Chapter 844: Gods? Then why are Ghouls Suffering?! Touka's Anger
After reading everyone's replies, Mitsuha Miyamizu felt a slight pang of disappointment.
But thenanother message instantly caught her eye.
Shinoa Hiiragi: "Hey, little shrine maiden~ Instead of asking us, why not just ask the big boss himself?"
"Rei Ao-kun can casually hand out divine titles, y'know. A bunch of us got ours from himlike @Stella and @Saeko Busujima!"
Divine titles...?!
Mitsuha's eyes widened dramatically.
Those two words hit her brain like a lightning bolt.
The group admin, Rei Ao, could actually grant someone the status of a god?
Didn't that mean he was above all gods? Like the God of Gods?
That realization hit her even harder than finding out there were actual deities in the group chat.
Her mind went completely blank.
Even breathing felt difficult.
In her traditional view of the world, gods were supreme beings, revered and worshipped.
But someone with the power to create gods?
That was on an entirely different level.
Just then, Rei Ao spoke up again.
Rei Ao: "@Mitsuha Miyamizu, the 'godhood' we're talking about here isn't quite the same as the shrine deities you offer prayers to."
"In this context, a divine title is more like a power alignmenta rank that represents control over part of the world's fundamental rules. It comes with powers far beyond what normal people can handle."
"Yeah, I can grant that kind of authority to certain individuals. But don't confuse it with the traditional god system tied to worship. It's not the same thing."
Rei Ao's explanation was sharp, clear, and straight to the point.
He broke it down in a way that even Mitsuha could understand.
Not about faith. Not about being worshipped.
This was about granting power. Authority over reality.
Mitsuha: "..."
She stared at the messages.
Her face still filled with confusion and disbelief.
She didn't really get terms like "power alignment" or "fundamental rules," but keywords like "transcendent power," "controlling reality," and "granting abilities" were enough.
This admin named Rei Ao...
He wasn't just strong.
His existence itself was beyond anything she could possibly comprehend.
Maybe not a God-king in the old myths, but undeniably someone terrifyingly powerful.
She sat there frozen.
Her entire worldview had just been flipped upside down.
All she could think was: What the hell did I just walk into?!
Anteiku Upstairs Bedroom
Unlike Mitsuha, who was just confused and overwhelmed
Touka Kirishima had been watching the group chat with cold, narrowed eyes.
Curled up on her bed, her indigo eyes peered out from behind messy bangs, locked on the glowing screen.
"Gods... handing out godhood..."
She muttered the words under her breath, a bitter, sarcastic smirk forming at the corners of her mouth.
When she saw Mitsuha eagerly asking about guardian spirits, when she saw those so-called gods casually chatting about power alignments like it was nothing
All the rage and despair she'd buried deep down erupted like a damn volcano.
She didn't believe in gods.
Not even a little.
If gods were real, then why did ghouls existbeings who looked human but had to feed on humans to survive?
If gods were kind, why did she grow up starving?
Why did she have to watch her friends get slaughtered by Doveswhy did she have to become a killer just to make it to the next day?
If gods were truly omnipotent, why did they just ignore the horror of being born a ghoul?
Why let the cycle of suffering repeat endlessly?
These so-called godssitting up high, enjoying their privilege and powerhow could they ever understand the pain of someone like her?
Someone crawling through the dirt, bearing a cursed fate from the moment she was born?
All this talk about godhood and power
To her, it just sounded fake.
Cruel.
A slap in the face to everything she'd endured.
She'd had enough.
Touka suddenly sat up straight.
Her indigo eyes blazed redkagune triggered.
Her fingers clenched so tightly they went white.
Fueled by raw fury, pain, and helplessness, she fired a message into the chat like a bullet:
Touka Kirishima: "Bullshit! There are no gods! If there were, then why the hell are we stuck with lives this tragic?!"
The messageraw, bitter, and laced with anguishhit the chat like a wrecking ball.
The scrolling feed froze.
Akame: "Hmm? Tragic fate?"
Inori Yuzuriha: "There's anger in her voice."
Frieren: "This new girl... she's hurting. A lot."
Saeko Busujima: "She sounds filled with despair and rage. Her world must be a nightmare. Kinda reminds me of Couronne back in the day."
Couronne: "I... yeah."
Ayame Yomogawa: "Kirishima-san, are you okay? What happened?"
Tohru: "She sounds like someone fate's been screwing with for a long time."
Yukino Yukinoshita: "Her words are harsh, but I can feel the helplessness behind them."
Miko Yotsuya: "Tragic fate? Wait are we talking ghosts?!"
Megumi Kato: "Touka Kirishima-san, if you want to talk... maybe we can help?"
Sui: "The sorrow in her words... it's real. I can feel it."
Shizue Izawa: "Don't worry. Take your time. No one here's gonna mock your pain."
Whether they were warriors, gentle souls, gods, or just regular peopleeveryone picked up on the raw, soul-deep agony behind Touka's words.
The jokes and lighthearted banter vanished, replaced by genuine concern.
Just like everyone had saidthis group was kind.
They didn't care if you were from another world,
or if your life was hell.
They were still willing to show compassion.
Touka sat in silence, stunned.
That wave of unexpected kindness
She had no idea how to respond.
Chapter 845: The Tragic Fate of Ghouls, Doomed from the Start
Rei Ao's eyes were calm but deep.
He already knew exactly what was tormenting Touka Kirishima
The cruel biology of a ghoul.
Rei Ao: "@Touka Kirishima, you're right."
Rei Ao: "In your world, there's no such thing as an all-powerful, all-knowing god who saves everyone."
Rei Ao: "At least, not one that actually steps in to stop the bloody, hopeless cycle between ghouls and humans."
Rei Ao: "And really, your fate as ghouls was doomed from the very start. It's a tragedy baked right into the fabric of your worlda world that's broken and unbalanced from the ground up."
His calm but brutally honest words silenced the group chat in an instant.
And on the other side of the screenTouka Kirishima froze.
He... knows what ghouls are?
He even saidout loudthat their fate is a tragedy?
A cold chill ran down her spine.
Even though she'd already accepted that truth long ago, hearing it stated so plainly by someone from another world
by someone so mysterious and powerful
still hit like a gut punch.
It felt like being exposed, vulnerable. Like a raw nerve had been touched.
And now, the whole group was buzzing with curiosity.
Aihara Enju: "Ghouls? What are those?"
Tohka Yatogami: "A tragic fate... does it have something to do with eating? Is it possible to be sad even with good food?"
Fubuki: "@Rei Ao, mind explaining? I'm curious."
Tohru: "Me too! What kind of being is tragic enough to get your sympathy?"
Mabel: "So... is it like when demons were hated and hunted by humans?"
Hiiragi Shinoa: "Ooh, sounds dark. Group Admin spill it!"
Rei Ao breaks it down
Faced with everyone's questionsand their concern for Touka
Rei Ao didn't hold back.
He took a small sip from his glass, glanced across the table at Utaha and Sonoko, both watching him expectantly.
They were just as intrigued.
Then, with a serious tone, he addressed everyone across the multiverse group chat
