"The God of Wealth and Commerce, deeply revered by the Japanese people, was actually nothing more than an abandoned deity of Takama-ga-hara.
But those things are not important. In mythology, stories of abandoning wives and children are not uncommon, like in the neighboring ancient Greek mythology, where a divine child or demigod is discarded every few days, and soon after, a human or demigod hero appears among mankind.
Ebisu's story is actually not much different from those.
Born noble, although he fell into the mortal world, people still revered him, and he became a deity with an exceptionally high status.
The origin of Ebisu is actually quite an absurd story.
Everything began when Izanagi and Izanami, those irresponsible parents, abandoned their first child, causing the newborn Ebisu to drift across the ocean.
That is why "Ebisu" in early Japan referred to something floating upon the sea.
That is also the reason why Ebisu is connected to the sea.
At first, "Ebisu" referred only to Ebisu himself, but later it became associated with all things floating on the sea. In the Japanese mythological records Yu had read, the interpretation of "things floating on the sea" was extremely abstract.
"Things floating on the sea" included not only ships drifting across the ocean, but also whales surfacing from the sea to breathe, as well as dolphins leaping over the surface of the water.
All those creatures were classified as "things floating on the sea," and only after that did the deity Ebisu become inseparably connected with the Sea and fish.
As for why Ebisu was also worshipped as the God of Commerce and the God of Wealth, it was inseparably connected to Japan's nature as an island nation.
As an island nation, in ancient times what Japan relied upon for survival and livelihood was nothing other than maritime trade and fishing. And the ships floating upon the sea were not governed by the Japanese Sea God Watatsumi, but fell under Ebisu's authority.
To ensure the safe voyage of their ships, Japanese merchants worshipped Ebisu as the God of Commerce, and because trade could bring immense wealth, he was also praised as the God of Wealth.
At first, this belief spread only through coastal regions, but human nature is to blindly follow others, and combined with the fact that some merchants who worshipped Ebisu truly gained wealth, the belief that Ebisu possessed the powers of Commerce and Wealth became widespread, completely solidifying his status.
It could be said that Ebisu's rise into such a highly revered deity was inseparably connected with humans.
Logically speaking, Ebisu, who had been abandoned by his parents in Takama-ga-hara and worshipped by humans, enjoying human incense and prayers, should not carry such immense hatred toward humanity. Therefore, when Yu saw the old deity, he felt that the other party was not Ebisu and that his assumption had been wrong.
"You are the God Slayer? Ho~ Truly young."
At that moment, Ebisu carefully observed the young man who had stopped his fish. With only a glance, he recognized the young man's identity. However, even knowing Yu's identity as a God Slayer, Ebisu did not show disgust toward him like some other deities. Instead, he smiled, surprised by Yu's youth.
Actually, Ebisu's reaction was normal. Gods hated God Slayers, and Ebisu hated them as well. However, compared to God Slayers, Ebisu hated even more those deities hiding in the divine realm who had mercilessly abandoned him!
Ebisu could be said to desperately wish to break into Takama-ga-hara and teach that group of deities a lesson, but he was still only a defective deity born from Izanagi and Izanami. As for combat, he could not even defeat the goddess born from Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, let alone the Three Noble Children and his divine parents.
Yu had done what he himself wished to do but did not dare to, so how could Ebisu not feel pleased?
However… this God Slayer who came before him seemed to stand on the side of those humans.
Thinking of this, Ebisu looked at the Wind blocking his fish, and his old face gradually became dissatisfied.
He hated when others interfered with his actions, even if the other party's behavior pleased him, but… the sins those humans committed absolutely could not be forgiven easily.
He was the God of Commerce and Wealth, but even more than that, he was the God of Fisheries. The actions of those humans had already completely crossed the limits of proper conduct toward fisheries!
That was a sin he could never forgive!
"God Slayer, do you know who I am?"
Looking at the fish with clouded eyes desperately crashing into the Wind, Ebisu asked incomprehensibly.
"…"
Looking at Ebisu, Yu remained silent; he truly could not guess which Heretic God controlling fish and Wind stood before him.
After all, the information this Heretic God displayed was far too little, and although everything pointed toward the Heretic God Ebisu, Yu felt that Ebisu, deeply worshipped and revered by humans, should not carry such intense and targeted hatred toward humanity.
But if he was not Heretic Ebisu, then… who could he be?
"Forgotten, huh? Or perhaps abandoned once again?"
Seeing that Yu had not immediately recognized his identity, Ebisu's eyes darkened, and he muttered as if he had expected it.
As Ebisu's words fell, the scar-covered dolphin beneath him looked at Yu with crimson eyes full of hatred.
Looking at the Heretic God, Yu said nothing, but the holy sword Joyeuse appeared in his hand.
The holy sword Joyeuse shone upon the night sky, drawing the attention of some fish, as well as the gaze of the Heretic God.
"That sword of yours… truly unimaginably luxurious. If only it could float upon the sea…"
Ebisu's eyes were fixed upon Joyeuse in Yu's hand, and although his expression remained calm, every word he spoke revealed his greed toward Joyeuse.
Ebisu controlled all things floating upon the sea; everything floating upon the sea belonged to him, so as long as Joyeuse floated upon the sea, it would become his! No one would be able to take it away!
Thinking of this, Ebisu's old and cloudy eyes began calculating like a cunning merchant.
Yu also sharply sensed that something was wrong.
What did "float upon the sea" mean? He was certain he clearly sensed the greed of this Heretic God, just like that of a merchant.
"Heretic Ebisu… huh…"
From Ebisu's reaction earlier, Yu guessed his identity, and his gaze toward Ebisu gradually became hostile.
Yu understood that among those so-called gods, there were not many good people, and many of them carried hostility toward humans, but… Yu never expected Ebisu to display such overwhelming hatred toward humanity.
No matter what, Ebisu was a god worshipped by humans, but his current behavior made it seem as though humans had slaughtered his parents.
Frowning, Yu did not understand what was happening with Ebisu, but he also did not wish to know so much. What disputes or hatred? If he simply killed Ebisu, would not everything be solved?
"If you want my sword, come and take it yourself."
As Yu's words fell, the killing intent hidden within his heart was no longer concealed; it exploded violently, and the raging Wind transformed into blades of Wind that slashed toward Ebisu. At the same time, a series of radiant swords appeared behind the young man. The moment the radiant swords appeared, Yu waved his hand, commanding them to pierce Ebisu.
"Hmph!"
Yu's sudden attack surprised Ebisu with its decisiveness, but he was still a Heretic God. No matter how unskilled he was at combat, Yu could not injure him so easily.
With a cold snort, Ebisu raised his hand, and sea mist spread before him. Arrow-fish condensed within the sea mist, and in the next moment violently shot forward, colliding directly with the radiant swords.
"Bang!"
After a dull impact, the arrow-fish blocking the radiant swords violently exploded, transforming into a bloody aura that enveloped the radiant swords. The radiant swords, struck by the bloody aura, began to corrode; their shining bodies had now become incredibly dark, and even signs of erosion appeared.
Seeing this, Yu decisively dispersed those radiant swords, then condensed several more and attacked Ebisu again.
Seeing Yu launch a second wave of attacks the instant the first was blocked, Ebisu's lips curled into a smile, but he did not take Yu's attacks seriously.
He was not stupid; he could see that Yu's current attacks were merely testing him. He could see the magnificence of the holy sword Joyeuse in Yu's hand, as well as its power. It was strong, but only for ordinary people; to him, it was incredibly weak!
"Truly surprising decisiveness."
Surprised by Yu's determination, Ebisu smiled faintly, but this time he did not condense arrow-fish within the sea mist to block the attack. Instead, he allowed the radiant swords created by the young man to pierce his body.
However, those radiant swords that pierced Ebisu's body only caused ripples like water, without truly injuring him.
Seeing this, Yu also realized that Ebisu's current method was exactly the same as when he first met Freya, except Freya had used a substitute body to test him and appear.
No wonder that guy had reacted so calmly upon seeing him.
"God Slayer, have you only realized it now?"
Looking at Yu remaining silent, Ebisu's face twisted into a mocking smile, and his old face wrinkled as he laughed, like a disgusting fleshy chrysanthemum.
"Yes, and no."
Lightly nodding, Yu was not affected by Ebisu's mockery, but calmly said something incomprehensible.
"Hmm?"
Hearing that, Ebisu raised an eyebrow, preparing to say that Yu was merely defeated and unwilling to admit it, when suddenly a beam of moonlight fell upon him.
At the same time, inside the Ebisu Shrine, an old woman dressed in miko clothing looked at the intensely concentrated moonlight upon her body, and her originally kind face became incomparably distorted!
In the next moment, the moonlight flashed, and the old woman's figure vanished from the shrine, reappearing before Yu.
Looking at the old woman, Yu smiled faintly:
"I do not remember the Ebisu Shrine ever having completely healthy people, Ebisu. You hid yourself very deeply, but you forgot one thing: how could an ordinary divine beast possibly conceal my presence?"