Compared to the rich historical accounts of other books and the famed Necronomicon, the Book of Azathoth was not well known.
This was because, strictly speaking, the Book of Azathoth was not really a book, and even putting quotation marks around its name to call it such was incorrect.
The Book of Azathoth represents Azathoth's will, recording the great dreams of Azathoth. It could also be described as the predetermined truths of everything in the past, present, and future of existence.
Kagami retracted the summoned dark clouds of Ithaqua's authority, and with a slight mental command, the Book of Azathoth appeared in his hands.
He looked at the heavy tome in his hands, remembering the dangerous journey into the Dreamlands that had led him to it. As Atlach-Nacha's champion, he had privileges others didn't, but even those came with risks.
The Spider Queen had granted him this incomplete version of the book, warning that staying too long in the Dreamlands might attract unwanted attention—particularly from the sleeping god in R'lyeh.
The materialized Book of Azathoth was an ugly thing, its edges bound in something resembling animal teeth, and the rest appeared to be made of a skin-like substance, scorched by flames.
Even holding it feels wrong.
He opened the pages slowly, revealing obscure and incomprehensible alien script. The symbols seemed to shift and move under his gaze, as if alive.
One glance was enough for Kagami to confirm that he couldn't understand the text—at least not directly.
After all, this book was the embodiment of Azathoth's will, containing everything from all dimensions and universes. If he could read it all at once, wouldn't that make him omniscient and omnipotent?
Before reaching that point, however, his human brain would likely explode from being overwhelmed by such vast knowledge.
Though he was immune to the dread caused by unspeakable horrors, his brain capacity was still that of a normal human. He had to approach the text carefully, letting understanding come gradually through the dream-state.
As he ran his fingers across the textured pages, his attention was caught by a few dark red bloodstains in the lower right corner of the first page.
"This is..."
After a moment's thought, Kagami remembered—it should be Uchiha Izumi's blood, effectively her "signature."
A girl who "signed" this book became known as a "Signer," gaining certain powers and forbidden knowledge, but her soul consequently belongs to the Outer Gods. In other words, Izumi's soul was currently imprisoned within this book.
Kagami continued to study the pages, letting his consciousness drift closer to the dream-state that allowed comprehension. The alien script began to arrange itself into patterns he could almost grasp.
Each session brought new understanding, though the process was painfully slow. Sometimes he had to stop, his nose bleeding from the mental strain.
After several such sessions, a particular passage became clear—one that spoke of unique rituals and cosmic unions.
The text described how Yog-Sothoth could mate with human women by distorting space and time, superimposing predetermined events from other timelines into the current one.
While Kagami lacked such power, the book revealed an alternative: an ancient and mysterious ritual that could yield a similar result.
This ritual involved merging the blood or other bodily tissues of two entities, enabling a mystical union. It bypassed all barriers of reproductive compatibility.
The ritual imposed no restrictions based on gender, biological sex, or reproductive systems. Male-male, female-female, male-female, and any other pairings were all possible.
The two chosen participants, regardless of their biology, could transcend these limitations, with one designated participant inevitably bearing new life.
This ritual was known as the "Birth of the Black Goat."
Though it was unclear what the ritual entailed, just hearing its name made him immediately associate it with the All-Mother.
Shub-Niggurath, born of the darkness of Azathoth, the source of all things, was one of the three primal gods alongside Yog-Sothoth and Nyarlathotep.
Yog-Sothoth governed the laws of space-time, being the creator of all knowledge and wisdom in the universe. All dimensions of time and space fell under its dominion.
Nyarlathotep, the executor of Azathoth's will, served as the messenger and spokesperson for the Outer Gods, shaping the universe according to Azathoth's intentions—only to destroy it afterward.
Shub-Niggurath was known as the Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, and the All-Mother. She possessed unparalleled reproductive power.
She was the Mother Goddess, with nearly all the Great Old Ones being her offspring. Indeed, the birth of all life, as well as spells and magic related to healing, restoration, and fertility, were closely tied to her.
Rituals seeking bountiful harvests couldn't proceed without her presence.
For this reason, Shub-Niggurath was the most revered among the deities. Her name often appeared in chants dedicated to other Great Old Ones, further emphasizing her importance as the All-Mother.
When Kagami continued deciphering the text through his dream-state comprehension, the requirements for the ritual began to emerge. The success of the Birth of the Black Goat depended on gaining the Black Goat's response. The book detailed several methods, each with its own probability of success.
A large gathering engaging in hedonistic revelry might work, though the success rate was noted as dismally low.
Advanced magical rites could summon the Black Goat directly—a more reliable but extraordinarily difficult method reserved for powerful archmages.
Then his eyes caught a crucial detail: possession of a Black Goat Spawn would guarantee almost certain success.
It acted as the All-Mother's intermediary, accepting sacrifices, devouring those who defy her, and spreading her gospel across the world.
Of course—the child's flesh would call to the mother, Kagami realized.
The text revealed another crucial aspect—the ritual required organic matter from two living beings, and both participants had to be willing and aware of the ritual's nature. This wasn't some simple curse that could be cast unknowingly.
Who would I choose? Kagami pondered. The book's description made it clear that gender and species were irrelevant—any pairing could work.
Haku's face flashed through his mind. "Brother, I'm pregnant." Kagami shook his head violently, horrified at himself. No, Haku is too pure for this.
Then he thought of Danzō, imagining the elderly man with a swollen belly blushing and confessing to Hiruzen, "I'm expecting.".
The mental image almost made him laugh out loud. But reality sobered him quickly—Danzō would likely terminate any such pregnancy and eliminate all witnesses, ruining the plan for an Offspring of the Wind.
Think logically, Kagami told himself.
The partner couldn't be anyone close to him—any pregnancy would create chaos and possibly implicate him. They needed to understand the ritual's reproductive nature without refusing to participate. And if he wanted multiple Offsprings of the Wind...
What I need is a group desperate for population growth.
The answer hit him like a lightning bolt, so obvious he wondered why he hadn't thought of it immediately.
What place in the ninja world needed help with reproduction more than any other?
What village was so desperate for new bloodlines that they might willingly accept an otherworldly ritual?
The more he read of the Birth of the Black Goat ritual, the more perfect it seemed for his needs. The participants only needed to understand and accept the ritual's purpose—a reproductive union.
They didn't need to know the identity of their partner.
Anonymous encounters weren't unusual in the shinobi world, especially for... reproductive purposes. Many clans had such traditions when they needed to protect bloodline secrets while still expanding their numbers.
He closed the Book of Azathoth, its skin-like cover warm under his fingers.
He knew the right village.
---
On the night of a new moon, a tall man appeared in the forest without warning. It was the King's Herald, a subordinate to Hastur.
However, at this moment, it was Kagami operating in the guise of the King's Herald.
Leaping atop the treetops, he gazed upon several fortresses perched atop mountain peaks.
These structures resembled massive mountain-top fortresses connected by towering bridges spanning the peaks. However, this was actually a village—Nadeshiko Village.
Named after the pink carnation that symbolized ideal womanhood, Nadeshiko Village was home to a society of formidable kunoichi.
The village was a ninja village and a matriarchal settlement. The entire population consisted solely of women.
The kunoichi followed a recognized practice of "marriage through combat."
In this custom, they would duel outsiders. If the outsider could defeat them, they would win the right to marry into the village.
For ordinary villagers, marriage was less restrictive—they could freely pair with someone from the outside world.
If a child born from such unions was male, he would be taken by the father; if female, she could remain in the village.
On the other hand, kunoichi could only marry a man who defeated them in combat. Even then, the man could not live in the village, and the children would be handled the same way as those of ordinary villagers.
The sole exception was the village chief. If a man defeated the village chief in combat, he could truly marry into the village. The chief's husband was the only man allowed to live in Nadeshiko Village, a special privilege granted exclusively to the leader.
Many years ago, Jiraiya once infiltrated Nadeshiko Village for research purposes, only to catch the attention of the village chief.
The beautiful chief challenged him to a duel, declaring that if he lost, he would marry into the village.
The duel ended in a draw.
At the time, Jiraiya was far from an inexperienced ninja—he had been to Mount Myōboku and mastered Sage Mode. Losing to a small village chief was virtually impossible.
Thus, he had clearly held back.
Despite his usual flirtatious nature, he was pragmatic in this matter. After all, if he agreed to marry in, he would have become the only man in a village full of women...
Now, considering the situation, Kagami saw an opportunity. With both the desire and ability to act, he decided there was no reason to hold back.
Looking up at the sky, he noted that it was the perfect night.
---
"Shizuka-sama, it's time for bed."
"Mm, just a little longer."
In the candlelight of her room, Shizuka caressed the wooden toy in her hands.
Tokiwa, observing her enraptured expression, sighed helplessly and retreated silently into the shadows by the door.
The current chief of Nadeshiko Village was still unmarried. She had adopted an orphan from the village as her apprentice, naming her Shizuka.
Although the current village chief had yet to formally announce it, there was no doubt that Shizuka was her chosen successor to become the next chief.
However, the fate of the village chief was bound to a strict tradition: to duel a strong opponent and invite the victor to marry into the village—there was no other path.
Recently, though, Shizuka had developed a fondness for a male merchant named Sagiri, who was granted special permission to freely enter and leave Nadeshiko Village.
With his relatively handsome appearance and sweet-talking ways, Sagiri had utterly captivated the naive Shizuka, who fell hopelessly in love with him.
At that moment, the wooden toy Shizuka was toying with in her hands was a gift brought by Sagiri from the outside world.
As a member of Nadeshiko Village, Tokiwa had repeatedly warned Shizuka not to trust a man's words, reminding her that the village's rules would never allow their relationship.
However, as Shizuka's personal guard, who had watched over her since childhood, Tokiwa couldn't bear to refuse Shizuka's tearful pleas. Reluctantly, she turned a blind eye to their secret meetings and even stood watch for them.
Yet, having seen much in the village, she knew that such forbidden actions never ended well in Nadeshiko Village.
Am I harming her by indulging her like this? Should I let her face reality sooner rather than later?
Resolving to take a firmer stance, she stepped forward and said, "Shizuka-sama, It's time for bed."
This time, her tone was non-negotiable.
Shizuka, realizing she was serious, reluctantly put down the toy and untied the ribbon securing her single ponytail.
Her jet-black, lustrous hair cascaded over her shoulders. Gently running her fingers through her silky locks, she looked toward Tokiwa and asked, "Am I beautiful?"
Tokiwa nodded. "You're beautiful, Shizuka-sama. The most beautiful."
"That's why Sagiri doesn't deserve your beauty. Only a strong—"
Before she could finish, Shizuka turned away with a displeased expression.
"Tokiwa, stop bringing this up. Sagiri and I truly love each other."
"…."
As the tense atmosphere lingered in the room, an abrupt, piercing alarm shattered the silence.
"What's…" Shizuka looked puzzled, but Tokiwa was immediately alert.
"Someone's invading the village!"
"Shizuka-sama, quickly put on your clothes. I'll go check the situation!"
After warning her, Tokiwa leapt out of the window, leaving behind a slightly bewildered Shizuka.
Nadeshiko Village had often attracted the attention of intruders with ill intentions.
Initially, these intruders were mere opportunistic thieves. Later, rogue or renegade ninjas began targeting the village.
However, as the village's unique Nadeshiko Techniques gained renown, ordinary ninjas no longer dared to trespass.
In the past few decades, the only person bold enough to infiltrate the village had been Jiraiya.
Now, years later, who would have the audacity to intrude again?
As she darted across rooftops toward the commotion, Tokiwa wondered what kind of reckless fool this intruder might be.
From her vantage point, she soon spotted a group of kunoichi surrounding the intruder. It seemed the situation was already under control.
Just as she was about to turn away, a sudden scream erupted from within the group of ninjas.
"Ah!"
Tokiwa quickly turned back. A strange darkness suddenly exploded outward.
Although it was already nighttime, and the village streets were dimly lit under the new moon, this darkness was like ink, spreading and engulfing everything around it.
---
Kagami surveyed the dozens of kunoichi who had suddenly surrounded him with a slight hint of surprise.
He controlled the body of the King's Herald, allowing him to appear anywhere instantly without triggering alarms like barriers or detection systems. Yet, after only strolling down the street for a short while, so many people had already discovered him.
It seemed that the defenses against intruders in Nadeshiko Village were exceptionally tight.
And upon seeing the kunoichi of Nadeshiko Village with his own eyes, he finally understood why Jiraiya had come here for "research."
The women of Nadeshiko Village were almost universally stunning, with delicate features and long, sleek black hair as a common trait. Their specially tailored ninja combat uniforms accentuated their feminine characteristics in vivid detail.
If it were just one or two beauties of this caliber, they might be resistible. But when an entire village was filled with women of such attractiveness, it would be difficult for any man to maintain his composure.
As Kagami calmly observed the kunoichi around him, not a single one of them dared to approach or take action.
To them, the image of the King's Herald was far too abnormal.
A figure entirely cloaked in black—black skin, black eyes, black teeth.
Logically speaking, someone like this should have been difficult to spot in such a dark environment. Yet for some reason, they had all seen him wandering the streets in the dead of night with ease.
On his face, there were no distinguishable features of a local person, except for the fact that it was clear he was a man.
This man held a heavy book in his hand. What exactly was he planning to do, appearing in Nadeshiko Village in the middle of the night?
A strong sense of unease radiated from the King's Herald, oppressing the kunoichi to the point where they didn't even dare to breathe heavily.
They didn't even notice that as they approached the King's Herald, the surrounding light seemed to dim.
"Who are you?"
Steadying her nerves, one of the kunoichi finally mustered the courage to ask.
In response to the question, Kagami calmly replied, "I am merely someone who admires Nadeshiko Village."
This remark instantly incensed the kunoichi. Nadeshiko Village had long been coveted by men, and this wasn't the first time someone had dared to trespass. Yet, they hadn't expected such a bold response.
However, surprisingly, despite the provocation, the kunoichi didn't immediately attack Kagami in a fit of rage.
The King's Herald's appearance was simply too strange, shrouded in a mysterious and unknown aura.
Such an enigmatic and dangerous presence made them hesitate, uncertain of what they were facing. Until they could understand the nature of this threat, they deemed it too risky to act rashly.
"This place does not welcome men. Leave immediately!"
All the kunoichi gripped their kunai tightly, warily watching the King's Herald before them.
These women, typically untouchable and unyielding, now found themselves hesitating and even speaking words of caution.
Ignoring their warning, Kagami maintained his unchanging expression and replied in a calm tone, "What if I refuse to heed your advice?"
"Then we'll have no choice but to use force!"
"Everyone, attack together!"
A kunoichi who appeared to be the leader gave the order, and all the ninjas charged at the King's Herald with their kunai.
However, Kagami remained unperturbed. With just a thought, a wave of darkness spread from beneath the King's Herald's feet like ink staining the ground.
Wherever the darkness passed, the ground transformed into a pitch-black abyss. The creeping shadows even began climbing up the bodies of the kunoichi.
The lead ninja, who had been at the forefront, found herself enveloped by the darkness. Her body was immobilized in an instant, as if seized by invisible hands.
The strange sensation of being completely bound, combined with the horror of watching her own body being slowly swallowed by the darkness, made her scream out in terror.
"Ahhhh!"
The other kunoichi were momentarily stunned by the scene, but someone quickly snapped out of it.
"Quick, help her!"
Two nearby kunoichi instinctively reached out to try and peel the darkness off their captain, but their hands were also contaminated by the same blackness, which began spreading rapidly.
Just then, Kagami heard a sharp sound slicing through the air from above.
"Nadeshiko-Style: Explosive Cyclone Kick!"
A powerful burst of air accompanied by the roar of jets descended with a size-40 foot aimed directly at the King's Herald's head in a spinning vertical kick.
Instinctively, Kagami raised one hand to block it. The force of the kick sent a tremor through his arm, its power reverberating from the top of his head down to the soles of his feet, cracking the ground beneath him.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he deflected the incoming foot and sent it flying backward. He then glanced at his right arm, which had taken the brunt of the attack.
Though the jet-black arm bore no visible injuries, he could feel a faint twinge of pain.
It seemed the King's Herald's body wasn't entirely invincible. If the attack was strong enough, it could temporarily disrupt its form.
Standing opposite him, Tokiwa was equally astonished.
Her taijutsu had been refined to an exceptional level, yet the man before her had effortlessly neutralized her attack with just one arm.
Who is this man?
"Tokiwa!"
The surrounding kunoichi, seeing Tokiwa's arrival, immediately brightened with hope. Tokiwa was one of the strongest practitioners of Nadeshiko-style Taijutsu in the village.
Although her Explosive Cyclone Kick hadn't injured the King's Herald, it had interrupted his spellcasting. The kunoichi who had been infected by the creeping darkness were now free from its grasp.
"Don't engage him in close combat! Use throwing techniques!"
"Yes!"
Reassured by Tokiwa's presence, the kunoichi quickly regained their composure and prepared to attack the King's Herald with projectile techniques.
Tokiwa was the least attractive woman in the entire Nadeshiko Village. Her garishly painted thick lips and her square, masculine jawline were an eyesore.
Other challengers had clearly been aiming for Shizuka, yet Tokiwa always jumped in to intercept, claiming with smug self-importance, "You are unworthy of facing Shizuka-sama!" when it was obvious she was just desperate for male attention.
As Kagami prepared to act, a voice rang out from the rooftop of a nearby building.
"Stop!"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice. Standing there were a mature woman with short brown hair and a younger girl with a sleek black ponytail.
Kagami looked closely and recognized the short-haired woman as the same ninja who had once challenged Jiraiya years ago. Naturally, the ponytailed girl beside her was Shizuka.
The short-haired woman leaped down from the rooftop and introduced herself.
"I am Yumiko, the chief of Nadeshiko Village. May I ask what brings you here in the middle of the night?"
Yumiko had witnessed Kagami blocking Tokiwa's Cyclone Kick with one hand and realized that this was no ordinary opponent.
More importantly, his bizarre, almost inhuman appearance made her hesitate to attack him directly.
"My intentions are simple," Kagami said.
"I want you... and you."
As he spoke, the King's Herald raised his hand, pointing first at Yumiko and then at Shizuka.
But then, he lowered his hand, a smile spreading across his face as he shook his head.
"No… I want all of you!"