After Hashioki left the house, Orochi sat in his study, drinking shochu alone.

He appreciated the silence and peace for a change.

A cold and silent ambiance filled the study, which he liked.

As a Game Administrator, he rarely gets to slow down, reflect, and unwind.

He also has his hands full keeping the other faction in check.

While he is drinking shochu alone, he noticed the door opening, and the familiar figure of his daughter came into view.

“Hinata, come in and take a seat. Let’s eat and drink. There is something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Hinata came in, and took a seat on the pillow, with her front facing her father.

The low study table automatically got filled with traditional Japanese dishes, complete with a Japanese dining set.

Seeing her father’s serious expression and intimidating stare, Hinata spoke up.

“Is something the matter, Oto-San? I know that the other faction can be a handful most of the time. I’ve had to deal with them in your absence. Tell me, if I didn’t assist you to do your thing, you would have lost your seat as a Game Administrator. Our vast territory and even the fortress you hold dear would have long fallen into the hands of the other faction without a fight had I not stepped in and filled the gap left by my deceased half-brother.”

She cut what she said mid-sentence.

 She still remembered the time her half-brother sacrificed his life to rescue her during the early days of the war with the goddess of death.

She still remembered the fierce battles that took place back then.

“Anyway, my point is you should learn to relax and unwind once in a while. Don’t let the other faction trick you into doing what they want. It’s better we take the lead and fool them, not the other way around.”

Then she filled her dining set with food and started eating.

Orochi took a deep breath, then exhaled.

“Listen carefully, daughter. Thanks for assisting me to do my stuff. You at least helped to lessen the weight of the burden I carry. Anyway, I won’t hold you for long, so I’ll go straight to the point. It’s time I finally divulged to you what I’ve been keeping for so long.”

“What is it, father? I’m all ears. “

Orochi drank another shot of shochu, then began to tell a detailed story of his past.

“I was once a black, eight-headed dragon with eight tails. I used to be huge back in my day. I was once the god of death, chaos, and destruction.  I used to terrorize and destroy towns, cities, and villages back then.  I also threw a wrench right in the plans of the other gods and infuriated them publicly all the time. Villagers and residents tried to flee in terror whenever they noticed me coming, or I’ll gobble them up without warning.”

Hinata is struck speechless by her father’s detailed narration of the events.

“Sounds cool, yes, daughter? I’m not yet finished talking.”

“I still remember the day I died clearly. I stayed for I don’t know how many weeks at Mount Torikumi near the Hi River in Izumo Province. It’s a few days before I get to eat the last daughter of two elderly couples named Arimachi and Taniguchi. Their youngest daughter is Kushinada Hime, who was still around your age at that time. That girl must have long ascended into the heavens already since I saw her by the side of Amaterasu’s brother before I got sent to this dimension. I’ve already eaten all seven of her sisters.”

He paused for effect, while Hinata shuddered with dread with what she pictured out.

“Sounds dreadful, yes? I was a bad guy back in the day. Pure evil without a conscience. Anyway, I was a few days away from eating that girl until Amaterasu’s brother descended upon the earth and messed up with my plan. The storm god Susanoo had the two elderly couples build a large fence with eight gates. Then he placed a platform on all eight gates, placed a vat inside, and poured very strong sake in the vat. I was in my dragon form back then, and greedy for alcohol, so I dipped all of my eight heads into the sake. It was so strong they got me drunk and asleep. I could only faintly sense my four heads and tails being hacked away before I woke up and roared in pain. It was an intense fight before the storm god finally found my weak spot and thrust me there with his katana.”

“That’s the reason why you got godly powers as a mortal. Before my death, I used to be a major god among the ancient Japanese. Then Amaterasu the sun goddess revived me a thousand years later but cursed me to stay in my human form as a punishment for what I’ve done in the past, before my death.  I also got myself demoted to a minor kami. She also sent me to this dimension as a form of penance for everything I’ve done.”

“I see. That explains your wicked streak, and why you like to mislead the other faction and watch those whom you train your guns on blunder about in the darkness. And hey, at least you got to keep all those cool godly powers.”

“Yeah. That’s not the point, daughter. The point is don’t do things you’ll regret later on. I used to be full of regrets back then, but I realized that wallowing in the past won’t do you shit at the end of the day if you don’t work your ass out to improve yourself. “

“That explains everything, dad. Turns out you’re quite the badass until now. The only difference is you used your powers for selfish gains back then.”

Orochi drank another shot of shochu. He sighed.

“That’s enough reminiscing for now. Anyway, things are starting to get more dangerous, now that Satsuki’s brother joined the fray. Noctis will avenge his brother sooner or later. I can sense it.”

“Things have always been dangerous, dad. I hope we did the right thing by casting our lot in with Satsuki and now, his younger brother.”

Hinata interjected while munching on some tofu.

“Anyway, I’m pleased with how you’re handling our defenses, daughter. You also made a huge contribution to making countermeasures if the other faction tries something funny again. On top of that, you spare no effort in mastering all of your powers and skills. Keep up the good work.”

His usual hard, serious, and intimidating glare softened into a warm and sad smile, then he patted Hinata’s head gently.

“Your smile reminds me of my now deceased mother. It’s time you spilled the beans about her real identity, dad. I knew something was off when she wouldn’t disclose her background back when she was alive.”

“That, my dear daughter, is another story I’ll tell on another day.”