~ Earlier, during Amatsuyu's toilet break ~

Amatsuyu had left the bathroom building in confusion as he still didn't know what to do about Akira. Coupled with the fact that his emotions were soon returning, the situation wasn't looking good for him. He hadn't been able to come up with a single plausible idea to take Akira down with, it seemed impenetrable. He couldn't quickly beat him down, as he wasn't strong enough for that nor would that most likely save Kaharu.

He couldn't coerce Akira into releasing him, as Akira seemed to only follow his own will. Maybe he should've actually fixed Akira's pen in some way, as it seemed to matter to him, but he didn't have a contact nor did he know how to fix pens.

As he had exited the bathroom, he caught sight of the grove next to it that slowly transitioned into a forest. That was likely the part he'd seen before as Amatsuyu had left Choukou High with Akira.

Among the bushes and trees was a bench with an older man who had a slightly transparent hue to him. Aside from the old-fashioned kimono he wore and the fact that he was transparent, he looked like any old man. He had no specifically distinguishable features to him from what Amatsuyu could see.

The transparent old man caught sight of the brightly-colored high school student and locked his eyes onto him.

Amatsuyu decided to approach him as an idea formed in his head, the potential identity of the somewhat normal-looking old man had been percieved by him.

The old man had a bored look to him, and he didn't react as Amatsuyu dropped down on the bench after cautiously checking the entrance to the bathroom building.

He tilted his head towards Amatsuyu and continued to look silently, as Amatsuyu looked forth with a slight sense of awkwardness. He usually wouldn't be, but if a god was staring at him that intensely, then he'd feel awkward.

A couple of moments passed as Amatsuyu was unsure of how to break the current situation, the staring had continued for long enough to become the new 'normal'. Amatsuyu shook his head as he realized the situation didn't matter, there was too much at stake to worry about the insignificant stuff. Amatsuyu turned around as he raised his hand slightly and said

"So, you're a god?"

The old man took a second to look behind him before he realized, saying

"You're talking to me…!?"

"Well… yeah."

The old man started flushing with a red streak running across his clearly-defined cheek-bones as he slowly said

"Does that mean that you…

saw me staring at you...?"

"Well---"

"AAAGH, How embarrassing!"

Amatsuyu stared at the old man with a deadpan face as he commented in his head

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

- What are you!? A God or a teenage girl!? -

The old god scratched his head awkwardly as he continued with

"I'm sorry for staring like that, it's just that I was bored and you looked quite interesting, with that hair and jacket you have."

The word interesting grabbed Amatsuyu's attention as his mind wandered quickly to a different subject. He forced his mind back as he was again distracted. He realized the return of his emotions was imminent. He pushed again on his point, as he asked

"Well, don't mind that. You have any God candidates?"

The old man's face faded to a somber look as he quietly touched the sand beneath him with his foot. He said

"I don't.

My last candidate died a few months back… It's tough. You don't find them very often, and they're mortals so they're time here is limited.

That's why I've been sitting here for a while. Here's where we used to sit as we discussed all kinds of things, not only gods and such.

Ever since that, I've felt this weird feeling.

Like a cold winter day has set itself in my heart, I suppose it's that 'loneliness' he spoke of once.

I miss him"

Amatsuyu stared blankly at the old man as the old man suddenly started waving his arms as he said

"Ah! I didn't mean to bother you with the details of my story.

It's nice to be able to interact with somebody, though."

Amatsuyu bit his lip as he thought

- Don't feel bad, old man! My heart…! -

He then corrected his uniform as he found the opportunity to at least try out his theory, and said to the old man

"Well, would you like to get a new god candidate, then?"

The old man furrowed his gray eyebrows as he commented

"New candidate? Who? You?"

Amatsuyu shook his head as he stood up and said

"No, not me. If you come to the pathway over there, hide yourself in a bush, and chant the incantation quietly when I bang on a tree two times, you'll be able to get a new candidate."

Before the god even had the time to respond, Amatsuyu ran off towards the entrance of the bathrooms, waving his hand in the air as a slightly confused old man sat by a bench surrounded by warm, autumn colors.

He smiled as he commented to himself

"It's not even winter yet, is it?"

…

~Monday, the twenty first of October, 12:24, after Akira's forced joining into the shrine ~

Amatsuyu ran across the streets he had previously experienced those high levels of stress at, and the memories from those moments replayed in his head.

He felt a bit embarassed at the amount of anguish he had gone through, but he knew that it had been justified in the end. It felt strange for him to have managed to survive such a menacing threat, but what seemed even stranger was that he wasn't sure what Kaharu would think about his win over him.

On the train ride, Kaharu had made it pretty clear that he was excited over defeating the supposedly strongest student ever, who managed to nurture a power out of their excessive spiritual energy.

Amatsuyu just shook his head as he continued running, he couldn't worry about stuff like that when he had to meet the person he was talking about.

The corners he turned led to recognizable sights, and eventually as he turned one last corner, Choukou High was visible, with a very confused high school student looking around. Amatsuyu quickly approached the artificially blond delinquent with a broad smile, and jumped at him, yelling

"You're safe, brother---!"

Kaharu didn't have the time or consciousness to avoid the throw, so he was subjected to the hug. He just commented

"What's happening!?"

Amatsuyu realized that it would be better if he properly explained to him, so he sat himself up properly and went through the events as Kaharu listened in confusion. By the end, Kaharu had one comment as he said

"So he's still powerful!? You just made a compromise, then!"

"Well, he's super strong and a---"

"Let's go beat him up!"

Amatsuyu got an estranged face as he commented

"You can't. You disappeared, remember?"

"Well, I'm here now, right? Also, his powers are changed."

"It's too dangerous!

Let's just go and buy something at the convenience store instead. Your treat"

Kaharu sighed as he reflected on the story Amatsuyu had told and made a rational decision, he said

"I'm paying!?

Well whatever, you did accomplish my mission, after all, I've sure been spending a lot of money lately though..."

They started walking as Amatsuyu realized something, and said quietly

"Ah, I forgot to give him the money for his time.

Whatever,

I'll be back, after all."

Kaharu looked back at Amatsuyu as he said

"What do you want?"

"Something with orange!"

"Of course… How stupid."

…