My Goddess is Good at Pretending-Chapter 718 : Necessary Precaution

The gates slowly parted before them, not by mortal hands, but by an unseen divine force.

With nothing left to lose, the seven summoned heroes stepped forward. Their hearts filled with hope and uncertainty for what awaited them within the Celestial Palace.

Led by Sacred Sakura Saintess, Miko, the summoned heroes entered the grand hall of the Celestial Palace.

In that instant, they widened their eyes in awe.

The hall was so grand and vast, stretching endlessly like a realm with no boundaries. Many pillars carved from divine crystals that shimmered with celestial light floated neatly.

The floor was an endless sea of sacred sakura petals, glowing faintly with the essence of divine energy. The ceiling was not actually a ceiling, but the outer space sky scenery of the infinite cosmos, swirling with constellations and celestial bodies, shifting as if time flowed differently in this sacred imaginary domain.

The heroes could feel power beyond any mortal comprehension in this space, pressing against their souls.

"..." Mashiro gripped his hand, knowing his conjecture was proven correct. The Sacred Sakura Goddess was by all means far more powerful with higher divine authority than the Glorious God.

Her divine avatar or projection had yet to appear, but he already felt so small and insignificant. This kind of feeling was never there when he met and talked with the Glorious God.

Before anyone could speak or react, Miko suddenly stopped and turned to them.

"Kneel down." Miko commanded softly, pointing downward.

The heroes hesitated. The grand hall appeared empty, and there was no one present besides them. But before they could voice their confusion, an overwhelming radiance erupted from the fabric of space above.

A blinding light descended from above.

An immense wave of divine power swept over the hall like a cosmic tide, suffocating yet gentle, commanding absolute reverence.

The heroes collapsed onto their knees, their bodies unable to resist the sheer magnitude of divinity. The atmosphere shifted as sacred divine energy filled the air, pulsing with authority.

The Sacred Sakura Goddess and the Divine Pantheon emerged from the bright spatial rift.

At the center of the celestial radiance, upon a throne woven from celestial sakura and divine gold, the Sacred Sakura Goddess was seated as the supreme divinity of her domain.

She was ethereal. Her long, flowing hair shimmered between dark midnight and soft purple, adorned by sacred sakura petals, mirroring the hues of the divine blossoms.

Her robes, woven from heavenly silk, carried the stars embroidered in the fabric, glowing faintly like a whisper of divinity. Her gaze was gentle and serene but held the divine wisdom and warmth.

Surrounding her stood her Divine Pantheon, a gathering of celestial beings, each exuding overwhelming power beyond human comprehension.

"!!!" The summoned heroes could not bring themselves to look up. Their bodies trembled under the divine presence. Their souls quivered in reverence just because of the divine radiance and the mixed celestial auras in the air.

For the first time since being summoned into this world, they understood what it meant to be in the presence of true Gods!

---

"!~" Elysia responded with a tender smile at the kneeling Miko.

Miko wished to hide their pantheon's name, and therefore, it was only known as the Divine Pantheon, not Elysium. However, she found it inappropriate for her lovely plushie avatar to kneel before her and her pantheon members alongside the summoned heroes.

With a gentle gesture, she raised her hand and brought Miko back to her side.

Miko stepped forward as she still had to speak on the summoned heroes' behalf.

"O Divine Mama, O esteemed Pantheon of the Heavens, these are the heroes who seek your divine mercy. Though their mission in this world has been fulfilled, they remain bound to this land. They have come to plea for your blessing to return them back to their home world."

Miko's words echoed softly throughout the hall, yet a silence followed.

"..." Elysia listened in silence. Her gaze was serene as she gazed at the kneeling summoned heroes. She and her pantheon members already discussed this before, and the decision had been made. However, they didn't need to rush to reply, giving a sense of tension for the heroes.

Around her, the assembled pantheon of angels and goddesses murmured amongst themselves, considering the request.

Then, after a moment, Elysia spoke. Her voice was gentle yet absolute. "Raise your heads, O Heroes of the otherworld."

The celestial energy in the hall pulsed as her voice, gentle yet commanding, echoed through the vast chamber.

The heroes were stunned in that instant as they witnessed the celestial beauties of unparalleled brilliance. The Sacred Sakura Saintess stood next to the Sacred Sakura Goddess, and this pair of mother-daughter was like the ethereal beauty blessed by Heavens.

And then, the pantheon members, the high-rank immortals, and the goddess of the higher world. None of them could see anyone's visage clearly because of the divine light, but by the divine auras exuded by these divinities, they concluded it, and they knew it for sure... the Sacred Sakura Goddess and the Divine Pantheon held extremely high authority in the Heavens, far exceeding the Glorious God and his Council of Gods.

"Your wish shall be granted."

Upon hearing the Sacred Sakura Goddess' reply, the heroes exhaled in relief. They never expected their plea would be granted easily. Their hearts were beating with emotions of joy, gratitude, and an underlying sense of apprehension.

But then...

Her next words sent a shiver down their spines.

"However, such a favor cannot be granted freely."

The atmosphere grew solemn.

"To allow an unrestricted return without divine oversight would set a dangerous precedent. Therefore, I shall bestow upon you a contract, the one that will bind you by the sacred laws." Elysia raised her finger.

At her decree, a golden contract scroll inscribed with divine sigils materialized before the heroes, hovering in the air.

Seeing her mama's gaze, Miko nodded slightly. She stepped forward toward the heroes to enlighten them from the shock. "You were summoned into this world against your will, but you have been transformed by this world's laws. You are no longer ordinary humans of Earth. You have gained strength beyond mortals, abilities that defy the natural order of your home world."

"You shall return to your home world, but you will not do so as you are now. Some of your otherworldly power shall be stripped away and your otherwordly spiritual energy will be drained. What remains will be yours to wield, but you shall not misuse it."

The heroes tensed as the weight of her words sank in, but they nodded silently.

"Furthermore," Miko continued, "you must swear an oath to protect Earth at all costs. Regardless of anything, you shall be its unseen guardians. You'll be bound by the rules and conditions set in the contract of heroes. That is the price of your return."

Miko extended her hands, pointing at the floating scroll of heroes. She gestured for the summoned heroes to read it thoroughly.

Silence followed. The heroes exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of what was being offered. To return home, they had to sacrifice much.

They had fought against monsters, demons, and even the Demon King. They had acquired skills, magic, and divine blessings... powers far beyond what Earth could comprehend. They wished to save and protect their world as heroes as well, but their power would be stripped as the price for their return...

Yet, was it not worth it?

After reading the contract, they found all the rules and conditions were much or less reasonable. It was like the restriction so they wouldn't do the evil upon their return. Mashiro put his faith in Miko and her Divine Mother, becoming the first one to be bound by the contract.

He placed his hand on it, and a series of words emerged before his eyes. He read it out loud, sealing his oath in the name of his soul.

One by one, the other heroes also placed their hands on the divine contract.

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The ancient celestial runes glowed brilliantly as their fates were sealed.

With this pact forged, Elysia smiled faintly, feeling pleased. She already prepared the return trip for tomorrow morning, and these heroes could receive a free ride.

However, there was a hero who hesitated. Liu Kang backed away as if he didn't want to return to his home world. The prices, rules, and conditions for returning home were too much, and he couldn't follow them.

"Liu Kang, you..." Mashiro found it was unbelievable. He thought Liu Kang shared some beliefs that aligned with his justice, but apparently, when he thought he understood Liu Kang a bit as a good comrade, he turned out to be someone who backed away from the seemingly easy rules and conditions.

"What? Why did you back away, dude?" Richard frowned. They came here for it, but when the return path offer was already right before them, one of their comrades backed away.

The other heroes looked back, wondering why Liu Kang backed away from the contract of heroes. They were absolutely sure the Sacred Sakura Goddess wouldn't trick them because she had no reason to do so to them, the lowly mortals, especially since Saintess Miko already did so much for them.

"I just can't accept it. The Goddess won't lie, trick, let alone break her promise. You may return to Earth and do what you want. There is no home for me on Earth. If the price for return is this heavy, I don't mind staying in this world." Liu Kang sighed. He then clasped his fist toward the divine presence. "I only hope that you will forgive me and let me leave, Your Divine Grace."

"You are so considerate to the Demon King of Pride. We won't interfere in your affairs as long as you never cross our bottom line." Elysia replied with a hint of implied meaning, leaking the secret like it was nothing.

"!!!" The other heroes gasped in shock. They knew Liu Kang was a bit off, but they never ever expected he would form a pact with a Demon King!

"..." Liu Kang felt the tension. It felt like his heart was being squeezed, but he knew it, he didn't dare look his 'former' comrades in the eye. They might hate him or condemn him, but he already chose his path.

Without further ado, he bowed slightly to the Sacred Sakura Goddess and turned around, walking away as if he would abandon everything.

"Wait!" Mashiro rushed to block Liu Kang, but he was a bit too late. Liu Kang already passed the exit gate and vanished into thin air.

*Bam!*

Mashiro crashed into an invisible wall and failed to catch his leaving comrade. He had something to say, but he left just like that?!

"He has returned to the outside world. We'll send you back to Earth tomorrow morning. Prepare yourself, tie up any loose ends in this world, or you might be summoned to this world again in the future." Elysia snapped her finger, sending the six heroes back to themselves.

She was sure they had something to discuss among themselves, especially about Liu Kang.