I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 173 The Rise of the Wu Family
"Nani?!"

"Barsaka—"

Those who participated in this gathering
They are all members of long-standing martial arts families from island nations, who have fought bloody battles at Mount Koya.

But upon hearing Yagyu Onoda's words, everyone was still utterly shocked, almost doubting their own ears!

The young samurai, ninja leaders, and armored generals all instinctively stood up and retreated, but the young girl from the Honke family remained serious and showed no reaction, which made Yagyu Onoda look at her with new respect.

To remain so calm in the face of the temptation of the 'breathing technique' is truly worthy of being a descendant of Honda, who is destined to inherit the title of 'Peerless in the East'.

Honda Tadakatsu, a famous general of the Sengoku period, was called "a general who possesses both talent and ability" by Oda Nobunaga and "a warrior unparalleled in the East and unmatched throughout history" by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He served Tokugawa Ieyasu and participated in 57 battles without ever being injured. After retiring, he became fond of wood carving. He cut his finger with a knife and lamented, "This is my fate," before dying.

This 'second-generation Honda' is good at keeping his emotions hidden, truly showing the demeanor of a great general.

Yagyu Onoda and Honda Nidai both remained indifferent.

The others who had suddenly stood up awkwardly sat back down, and Tokugawa Mitsunari, still wearing his mask, was the first to speak.

"Yagyu-kun,"

"I am getting old, and perhaps I am hard of hearing."

"You just said you wanted to share the secrets of 'breathing techniques' with us?"

Faced with the eager gazes of the others, Yagyu Onoda nodded.

"That's right,"

How can this be
The same thought still lingered in the minds of most of those present.

That's a 'breathing technique'! It's an extraordinary inheritance—in the entire island nation, artificial superhumans are no longer rare, but how many families possess extraordinary inheritances?
Of the priestesses and shrine maidens, only the 'Inari God' has descended to earth; of the Onmyoji, there are only two families, Isoya and Keikain; of the Buddhist sect, there is only the lineage of the monk Shio Koyasan; and of the rest, only the Yagyu family before us remains!
The Inari Shrine is located halfway up the 'divine tree'.
In the recent competition for the title of 'Miko', the major families have been using all sorts of tricks. On the surface, they appear to be on good terms, but in private, they are almost fighting to the death. If it weren't for the fear of the 'Miko's' ears, they would have used all sorts of unscrupulous methods.

The Igoya family is a separate entity, and its members are recruited from within the village; outsiders are not allowed to interfere.

The same applies to the Hanakain family. They have taken the mysterious and unpredictable "Yu-kun" as their master, and their extraordinary members live in seclusion, either attending school or practicing. Others cannot even covet them.

Master Zhixiong went missing on the battlefield some time ago. Although the government claims that the master is in seclusion and meditating, how could they not know? The Buddhist community is almost in tears!

Finally, a transcendent being emerged, and one even possessed a legacy, but then he inexplicably disappeared?!

Buddha, why is this?
If I had known this would happen, I should have shamelessly begged him to leave the 'inheritance' behind first.
As for Yagyu Onoda in front of him—

"Yagyu-kun,"

The 'Koga' family head, whose tone was stiff, stood up and knelt on one knee.

"Whenever there is a need, the entire Koga ninja will give their all!"

Hey,
Why are you like this?

Seeing the head of the Koga family kneel down on the spot, the others couldn't sit still: if they were to kneel down as well, their ancestors would probably jump out and kill them.

"I am from the Hattori family."

Hattori Hanzo, however, had no such concerns. After all, his Hattori family were originally ninjas who later became samurai, so face and such were completely unimportant; winning was the ultimate goal.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for that."

Raising his hand to stop Hattori Hanzo's actions, Yagyu Onoda's gaze swept over the hesitant Takagi Mitsukazu's face, past Tokugawa Mitsunari, whose face was covered by a mask but whose breathing was heavy, and finally landed on Honda Nidai, who still looked calm.

Good, they're all skilled.

"Gentlemen, I am presenting my family's 'breathing technique,' and I need your oath in return."

?

That's right.
Hearing Yagyu Onoda say this, the others felt relieved.

"Please speak, Mr. Yagyu. We will do our utmost to accomplish this task, as long as it is within our capabilities."

It was Tokugawa Koga, who was still the highest-ranking and oldest, who spoke first: his words represented the opinions of the others.

This is a 'breathing technique'! It's a secret art that allows them to cross the threshold of the 'wolf' level: in the judgment of the island nation and America, only those who have mastered 'yin-yang arts', 'Buddhist supernatural powers', 'breathing techniques', 'sorcery', or 'self-created skills' can be considered wolf-level.

Otherwise, no matter how strong the spiritual energy is, it can only be considered a dog. There is one exception: Sakuma-sensei.

With the demonic power transmitted by the female student 'Feiyuanmo', he was able to unleash the strength and speed of a 'weak tiger', making him so powerful that bricks could fly!
He could defeat a regular Wolf-level fighter with just his fists and feet, forcing the government to give him a 'Wolf-level' rating.

But who else on the entire island nation is a winner in life like him?

And these 'martial arts' practitioners, if they can't create their own skills, will only be stuck at the dog level.
"One day,"

"I need you to do something for me."

"Don't worry, this matter will not harm you or your loved ones, nor will it jeopardize the greater good of the island nation."

? !
"Can,"

It was the head of the Koga family who spoke first, as always.
He came from a family of ninjas, and his motto was to do whatever it took to complete a mission.

He wouldn't hesitate for a second if he could just rush to the Prime Minister's residence and start a massacre, even if it meant obtaining the 'breathing technique'.

"The Hattori family is also fine,"

Hattori Hanzo nodded in agreement; his family also had a ninja tradition, and besides...
If this opportunity is not seized, given the current situation of frequent extraordinary disasters in the island nation, it is hard to say whether there is a future.

The reason they didn't participate in the Ibaraki Incident or the Koyasan Counterattack was simply because they were too weak! If they had stepped onto such a battlefield, it would have been extremely difficult to protect themselves.

“Takagi Miwa, none dared disobey.”

Since both of them were so decisive, the young samurai, a descendant of Miyamoto Musashi's disciple, readily agreed as well.

I can only speak for myself.

The masked samurai slowly opened his mouth, and Takagi Mikazu lifted his chin.

"Old man, don't be modest; even if your Tokugawa family is in decline, you are still much better off than us."

The Tokugawa family, after all, was a shogunate that ruled the island nation for nearly three hundred years, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it could have continued indefinitely.

During the 'anti-shogunate movement', many countries still believed that the Tokugawa family was the 'royal family' and were willing to send troops to help suppress the 'rebellion'. At the same time, the Tokugawa family also had tens of thousands of elite troops, so they were not without the ability to fight.

Ultimately, for the sake of the greater good, the Tokugawa family voluntarily withdrew from the island nation's political arena and became leisurely dukes.

This bond has allowed them to live peacefully to this day: Twenty years ago, when the Imperial Princess Aiko was born, the head of the Tokugawa family, as the representative of the samurai class, served as the ceremonial archer.

Although it cannot be compared to the past, its power and status are still unmatched by the other 'declining' families present here.

".All right."

"If that day comes, my Tokugawa family will give it our all!"

Nodding, Yagyu Onoda's gaze fell on the last person.

"Ok?"

Honda's second generation seemed to have just come to their senses.
"I agree."

Could this person have been spacing out the whole time?!

Banishing the thought from his mind, Yagyu Onoda stood up.

"Then, please swear in the name of 'Great Bodhisattva Hachiman' that if you break this oath, your entire clan will die under arrows!"

? ? ! !
Upon hearing Yagyu Onoda's words, the faces of the people present couldn't help but twitch.

What a cruel vow!

Hachiman Daisuke is the 'god of archery' of the island nation. He protects the country, wards off disasters, blesses fertility and childbirth, and possesses various merits. Because he is also the guardian deity of the Minamoto clan, he has been regarded as a war god since the Kamakura period.

Basically, all samurai families would pray for the protection of Hachiman Daisatsu.

The island nation has more than 4 Hachiman shrines and temples, which is more numerous than the number of Inari shrines.

Of course, Inari God still has an absolute advantage in the number of believers: after all, one must fill one's stomach before going into battle.

Given the current situation of extraordinary beings descending, if we swear on the name of this 'God of War' that we were to betray him, it's obvious that the consequences would be extremely dire.

But for the sake of the 'breathing technique,' he had no choice but to swear an oath. "I, Koga Takeo, swear to Hachiman Daisatsu."

"I, Hattori Hanzo, swear before Hachiman Daisatsu."

"I, Tokugawa Mitsunari"

"Ok?"

It seems the situation wasn't fully understood, but everyone solemnly swore an oath, and Honda's son decided to follow suit.
"I, the second generation of Honda, swear to the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman: If I am ever summoned by the head of the Yagyu family to perform the 'breathing method', I will do my utmost, even at the cost of my life."

"Those who break this oath, their entire clan will perish under arrows!"

"Alright, everyone, please follow me."

---

"Father, are you looking for me?"

The girl named Honda 2 returned home and was summoned to her father's presence.

"I heard the Yagyu family has summoned other samurai families. What is it for?"

"It's to teach us 'breathing techniques'."

"Cough cough cough cough!!!"

The middle-aged man who was drinking tea almost choked to death on the spot. After a violent coughing fit, he looked up in disbelief.

"Is he willing to do it? What did he ask for?"

"Father, it's like this."

After the girl slowly recounted everything that had happened, the middle-aged man remained silent for a long time.

"Alas, I fear their scheme is..."

Very big!

"It won't harm our family, nor will it undermine the greater good of our island nation. My daughter sees no need to refuse."

Indeed, no.

The middle-aged man knew that if he were present, he would have agreed without hesitation.

To take it even more extreme, as long as he and his daughter are not harmed, it doesn't matter how many other people die!
That's a 'breathing technique,' which is more important than life itself to the Wu family.

"You did the right thing,"

"Go practice your breathing techniques. This favor from the Yagyu family will not come easily."

"Yes, Father, may I take my leave."

The meticulous young woman bowed and stepped back, then went straight to begin practicing her breathing technique.

Practicing martial arts is her life: not out of any interest or ambition, but simply because of her father's teachings, it has become a daily routine.

However, her father stopped teaching her marksmanship after she turned twelve, which left the girl feeling quite regretful.

I wonder how much stronger my father has become over the years?

In response, a certain twelve-year-old daughter...

The middle-aged man who was poked down

do not want to talk.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Not far from the Yagyu family home, on a hillside surrounded by trees, there is a mansion.

The mansion occupies a large area and has a very simple and rustic architectural style: ancient white courtyard walls, two wooden gates, and a family crest with three leaves surrounded by a circle on the gate.

clover,

In this island nation, this family crest is second only to the royal family's 'sixteen-petaled, eight-layered chrysanthemum crest', and represents:

The Tokugawa family.

"master,"

A black sedan pulled up in front of the mansion, and a fully armed samurai stepped out.

With a bow from the middle-aged butler, the other party stepped into the mansion before them.

The ancient cobblestone path winds its way out, and the clear pond is full of koi. When you walk to your room, two maids in kimonos immediately open the wooden door on either side, a scene reminiscent of hundreds of years ago.

Stepping into the room, the masked samurai raised his hand and turned the switch on his chest.

puff,

The ancient armor opened up like a blooming flower, revealing the smooth metal, complex wiring, and various ingenious structures inside—it was actually a powered armor!
Moreover, it's the Metropolitan Police Department's latest 'Sharp Blade' power armor: it's said that once equipped, it can defeat wolf-level superhuman beings.

However, this power armor is clearly 'custom-made' because:
"Hey, breathing technique."

An old man jumped out of the power armor.

That's right, it's a two-meter-tall power armor, but the driver inside is an old man who's only 1.3 meters tall.

In this situation, special modifications are definitely necessary; otherwise, one cannot move freely at all.

"Such an irresistible offer."

The old man was dressed in a standard blue kimono. Although he was bald and wrinkled, his eyes were still sharp and he looked to be in good spirits.

Tokugawa Mitsunari, the 13th head of the Tokugawa Zaibatsu, was a wealthy and extravagant man whose family was so powerful that even the island nation's political leaders treated him with great respect. He was also a passionate fighter and had organized numerous underground fighting tournaments.

However, after his superhuman arrival, his fighting matches became a joke.

The neighboring 'Kengan Club', relying on its extraordinary potions, launched 'Extraordinary Fighting' first, squeezing out his competition.

"I, Tokugawa Mitsunari,"

I walked into the old house and picked up a samurai sword that was on the sword rack.

"And wouldn't you also like to be a martial artist yourself?"

But his physique is really...
Fortunately, the extraordinary has arrived!

Previously, he could only be a 'bloodthirsty Autobot' in the stands.
Later, despite his children's objections, he gritted his teeth and drank the extraordinary potion, finally realizing his dream of doing things himself.

And now-

Clang,

He drew his gleaming longsword, which reflected a pair of eyes that refused to grow old.

“Breathing techniques,”

If I master it, I can become a swordsman!
For a chaebol leader like him who has enjoyed everything, he can pursue whatever he wants!
"drink,"

Just do it,

With a shout,

The long sword slashed at the sword rack in front of him.

Like a sharp blade cutting paper, it silently cleaves it in two!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Not only them, but also Takagi Miwa, Hattori Hanzo, and Koga Takeo returned home and immediately began to bury themselves in studying the 'breathing method,' to the point that they forgot to eat and sleep.

The fact that they were able to obtain the extraordinary potion through 'military merit' already demonstrated their talent and strength, so they naturally wouldn't waste this hard-won opportunity.

Whatever the Yagyu family wants them to do, only those with sufficient strength can accomplish it!

Before that, improve your own strength and expand the family's influence:
Then we will face an even more dangerous and bizarre future!

(End of this chapter)