Around the time Yama and the others were getting settled, Naname was being brought to kneel to the Great Sonmyō of the East. She is carried by the boy while quickly traversing through the lush jungle-like area surrounding Tohoto.
Naname begins to feel a sense of peace. Soon she is brought to the base of the East Sonmyō’s mansion, the spacious, towering, pillars, and buildings were covered in lustrous gold and elegant jade.
The servant slowly lets Naname down and she is left in slight awe, he leads her into the building where they are abruptly stopped by a group of lofty muscular men. The towering men hold a silent conversation before the servant and Naname are allowed entry.
Naname looks to them confused and decides to brush it off. Upon entering the mansion she is struck with the gleam and shimmer of the bejeweled and golden interior. Wondrous silk drapes, rich mink, and velvety cheetah-patterned carpeting surround the areas of the mansion.
“This place is gorgeous!” Naname says to herself. Continuing her focus on the materialism of the mansion, they quickly reach the Throne Room where the Great Sonmyō of the East lies.
In front of them stood two brilliantly-giant ruby red doors in obsidian lining, the servant bows and slowly opens the doors; giving Naname the impression that he cannot enter.
She decides to cautiously step into the breathtakingly spacious room. In the far back a large bed adorned in peacock feathers and silk, shaded by a gold and emerald canopy, that hangs over it. Naname immediately feels the pressure that the Great Sonmyō of the East exudes. She notices the Sonmyō’s majestic headpiece from afar, without being able to make out the details. While she is stuck in a trance she quickly hears, “Come forward.” in a firm yet gentle tone.
Naname walks towards the base of the luxurious cradle before she stops at the pressure oozing from it. “W-what is this…” She asks herself anxiously.
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“Hello there.” She hears as she is snapped from her trance.
“It seems my servants have brought me a little gift.” The Sonmyō says eagerly with a smirk.
Naname almost unnoticeably furls her eyebrows for a split-second second but is unable to speak.
“And who might you be?” The Sonmyō asks.
Without hesitation, Naname introduces herself.
“I-I am Noriagi Naname.”
Hearing her last name, a remembrance rushes to the forefront of the Sonmyō’s mind, she smiles.
“I am an orphan from Chuoto in Kannoji, it is my greatest honor to be in your presence.” She finishes before firmly planting her forehead on the ground.
“An orphan you say?” The Sonmyō responds.
“Now why would my servants bring a parentless bastard in my throne room.”
“What use do you possibly serve?”
Naname says nothing.
Hearing the conversation, the servant that stayed at the door somewhat reluctantly takes a slight and single step inside the room.
Feeling the heavy need to vouch for Naname the servant goes against orders, instantly he is apprehended by the hidden guards in the room.
Hearing the commotion behind her Naname turns around to see her guide pinned down by two guards who she had previously not noticed.
“What is going on?!” She asked worriedly.
“What has he done?”
The Sonmyō laughs.
“It would appear your friend here would risk his life for you.”
“Tell me again, what purpose do you serve?”
Her immediate worries about the guide's well-being, slowly fade as Naname reminds herself why she risked travelling this far in the first place.
“I’ve come in order to hone my skills.”
“I aim to be the strongest in all the land, ruled by no man, demon, or anything else out there.” She says firmly.
“Oh?” The Sonmyō smirks seeing remnants of herself in Naname.
“You wish to be the strongest?”
She pauses for a moment.
“Even stronger than me?”
With the completion of the rhetorical question, the entire room is filled with a suffocating pressure flowing from the Sonmyō. Such a sensation caused Naname to cower in fear nearly deep within her heart, she is completely speechless.
The magnitude of just a small fraction of the Great Sonmyō’s energy could be felt through the village and into the far outskirts of the border.
“Do you believe you could reach these heights?”
“Do you think yourself capable of being the strongest under the skies?”
Naname is silent for a few seconds before lifting her head calmly but sturdily and slamming it into the marble floor.
“YES!”
Naname shouts with ferocious enthusiasm, a tone resembling that of a lost dog who has found a master.
With her rebuttal, the energy emanating from Naname begins to heat up, the Sonmyō quickly notices a sense of uniqueness to her overall Kishō(Chi nature).
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“Your will is admirable.”
“However, I will need more than words.”
“There’s a reason why I’m the strongest Sonmyō of my generation.”
Joy begins to flood Naname’s spirit.
“I promise, I will show you just how far I can and will go!” She says lifting her head enthusiastically.
“How far are you willing to go?” The Sonmyō replies quickly.
“Anything!” Naname says instantly.
Thinking for a bit the Sonmyō looks to the servant that attempted to enter her chambers.
“Kill the knave who tried to enter earlier.”
Naname is slightly shocked.
“K-kill him?”
“I…”
She thinks to herself for a few seconds, “Is she testing me... or is she serious?”
“I know I want this bad but…wh-”
“And if I don’t do this, will everything so far have been for nothing?”
“Am I even wanting too much by being here?!”
“What am I even doing here?!!” many thoughts ring through her head before she slowly makes her way to her guide.
Thinking quickly on her feet, Naname, in the end, decides to make an attempt to barter for the servant's life.
“This boy here has brought me to you, I believe he may have some value.”
“Value?” The Sonmyō replies.
“You believe a Yogo to have worth?”
Noticing the difference in title, Naname switches up her strategy.
“I knew not of his status when he assisted me through Mabushī Mori [(まぶしい森) Radiant Forest].”
“Yogo are useless men.” The Sonmyō replies.
“You say this worm helped you?”
“What does that say about you?” She says to Naname in a leer.
Naname slightly bows her head in humility.
“I’ve practiced Somatic and Inner Arts with the kids from my orphanage since I was little.”
“I can guarantee my worth, I was just exhausted from an attack by the other Nations.”
“So you survived that onslaught then.” She replies.
“Yes, together with the other members of the house we fought off Shinobi.” Naname says.
“Matters not.” The Sonmyō interjects.
“Kill him.”
Sensing the seriousness in her voice this time Naname has begun to find her resolve.
“I…” She turns to the Yogo.
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As she gets closer to him, his face is that of happiness and confusion. Within arms reach, Naname stretches out her right hand horizontal to her shoulder. Focusing Chi in the palm of her hand, it begins to glow bright red.
The Sonmyō quickly notices the distinctive Kishō, as her previous thoughts about Naname’s identity are confirmed. Her hand begins to shine purple with a red hue; she is now facing her friendly guide. He looks to her, still and silent, just as he had been the entire time.
Naname looks to him and begins to sympathize as she continues to hesitate. “Is this really happening?” She asks herself.
The guards holding the boy down slowly move to the side, Naname’s eyes begin to well up with tears. As he sees this the Yogo’s facial expression quickly changes to one of concern. “Why are you looking at me like this?” She says to herself.
“WHY WILL YOU STILL SAY NOTHING?!” Naname yells out loud.
The boy continues to look at her, as a tear drops from her eye. “I can’t do this.” Naname says to herself, the emotion can be felt deep in her soul. In this instance, a chime, in the sound of a windchime bell is heard by the Sonmyō’s ear.
“Stop.” She says immediately.
With her hand still glowing Naname turns around.
“I have changed my mind.” She says quickly and plainly.
“I will overlook the Yogo’s foolishness in light of him bringing you here.”
Naname powers down.
“Thank you.” She says in a relieved tone.
The Sonmyō waves her hand away and the guards remove the boy before Naname has a chance to notice.
“Child, what was your name again?” The Sonmyō demands.
“Noriagi Naname, Great Sonmyō.”
“Welcome to the summery Tohoto in the brilliant land of Honooji.”
“I am the Great Sonmyō of the East, The Halcyon, Eitachi Haraise.” She says powerfully with a smile.
Naname bows upon the utterance of her name.
“So this is The Halcyon Eitachi Haraise…” She says to herself in excitement.
“It is my greatest honor to be here and be lead by such a world treasure.”
The Sonmyō smiles.
“Please, come closer.”
As Naname makes her way up to the Sonmyō, she can finally get a good look at the Strongest Woman in Atarachi and Mightiest Sonmyō of the 4 Nations.
Reaching the edge of the bed where the Sonmyō was laying, Naname lays her eyes on long-hair of deep concord purple, hanging off the bed, radiating like a shimmering glacier. Moving further up Naname notices her eyes were drenched in muddied topaz with silver roots; wrapped in skin reminiscent of baked flour.
The Sonmyō stretches out her hand for Naname to grab. As they connect flesh another chime can be heard in the Sonmyō’s ear.
“There is a blaze in your heart, one that can only flourish here.”
She brings Naname a bit closer.
“Tomorrow you shall begin a new life.”
“One that you choose.” She says sweetly as Naname nods her head in agreeance.
“I will have the guards take you to your new living arrangement.”
The Sonmyō waves her hand effortlessly and immediately two men in red masks appear.
"Show her to her room.” The Sonmyō commands.
Before she can speak, Naname is quickly whisked away.
As she is gone the Sonmyō begins to talk aloud.
“So The Child has finally arrived…”
“Of course fate would have it be a Noriagi…” She slightly groans as a chime is heard.
“That matters not.” A different voice replies.
“Family names mean nothing in the face of destiny.” The voice continues.
“I know, it just might make things more difficult if the right people find out who she is.”
“Not that anyone could stand to me.” She pouts.
“Relax Ise-sama.” The voice replies.
“No one will know or care if you adopt her.”
The Sonmyō thinks for a bit.
“I suppose…” She replies.
“However, you’re right... I should relax Ehrelt.”
“After all, taking a Goddess's advice helped me get here in the first place."
Ehrelt smiles.
“I’ll be going to sleep now.” The Sonmyō states.
“Okay! You know where I’ll be!” Ehrelt replies before vanishing.
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Naname is quickly met with her new living arrangement, and to her astonishment, it is everything she would have wanted and more. However, something had been nagging at her for some time.
“I’ve noticed… I haven’t seen any other women around.” “Are all the servants male?” She asks herself.
Not paying it too much attention; however, she quickly plops on her new bed and is charged with glee.
“Unbelievable.” She says out loud.
“I knew it was a long shot getting the Sonmyō to train me, but as luck would have it…”
“It is strange how quickly she accepted me, though…” She thinks for a bit.
“Ah, well I better not fret on the small stuff. What matters is that I’m here now!”
“Here! All… all… by myself.” Naname looks to the floor.
“Ahhh! Why am I thinking about him.”
Naname quickly changes her thought pattern.
“I do hope everyone is safe, though…”
“If I can make it by myself, I’m sure the others can too!” She says, standing in affirmation before laying back down.
“The best thing I can do is focus on getting stronger.”
“That boy won’t beat me!”
She says as the tone in her voice lowers.
“I wonder how Ranmari, Aori, and Ryukyuka are doing…”
Naname slowly closes her eyes.
A long traumatic and arduous journey, filled with strenuous situations, was the perfect recipe for a night of deep sleep. One Naname wouldn’t find herself waking up from for a few days.
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