I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 220 Special Guest
Kumamoto City,
Located in the central part of Kyushu Island, Kumamoto is the third largest city on the island and the prefectural capital of Kumamoto Prefecture. It is also the largest city in the prefecture, with a population of approximately 75. The city boasts well-organized streets, numerous modern buildings, and is home to Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's three most famous castles.

This place isn't far from Nagasaki and is part of an urban area. Although we were unlucky enough to be attacked twice by the 'Yomi Rift', fortunately, the reinforcements this time were much more effective.

"Fusion Secret Technique: Magic Mirror Ice Crystal!"

With her wide robes and flowing long hair, Youluo raised her hands.

Above the city, where the cold wind howls, enormous ice crystals solidify out of thin air, forming spherical rings that enclose the cracks in the sky.

At the same time, the Onmyoji group of the Isoya family collectively cast a spell, causing the raging torrents of the Kuma River to surge upwards towards the giant ice ball in the sky until they touched it:

Click click click click,

The ice spread downstream along the river, and under everyone's watchful eyes, it quickly formed a magnificent ice tower, supporting the ice ball.

"It's truly spectacular,"

Beneath the black stand-up collar trench coat lies the traditional attire of an Onmyoji (yin-yang master).

Looking up at the towering ice pillars in the city, the black-haired youth, Ryuji Hanakain, couldn't help but sigh.

"My sister is so strong, I, as her older brother, am under a lot of pressure."

He glanced again at the mature woman who gracefully descended, dressed in a white Onmyoji robe with flowing long hair, and couldn't help but mutter to herself.

"That's absolutely obscene,"

"."

The woman next to her, Kasakain Mami, glanced at Ryuji.
I really wanted to criticize his "loser" attitude, like his sister was getting married, but after thinking about it, I didn't say it.

"untie,"

With a graceful landing, Youluo broke free from the 'three-in-one' state with Lianzhen, Pojun, and Lucun, instantly shrinking in size and transforming from a cold older sister into a flat-chested middle school student.

That's more like it! My sister isn't that mature!
"Thanks for your hard work,"

While inwardly grumbling, Ryuji Hanakain smiled and stepped forward to hand the towel to his younger sister.

"Phew~~ The three-way fusion is still too much of a stretch."

The girl, now back to her middle school student appearance, wiped her sweat and looked up at her 'masterpiece'.

"With the ice crystals sealing it off, the evil spirits won't be able to get out for a while, but—"

"I understand. Leave the task of setting up the barrier to us."

Ryuji Hanakain patted his younger sister's head affectionately.

"You go and rest first."

"Then I'll leave it to you, Brother Long Er and Brother Mo Meiliu."

Yura didn't insist and handed a scroll to her brother Ryuji, letting them set up the barrier.

This is a sealing scroll made by my master. As long as you unfold it and inject spiritual power, it will unfold automatically, making it incredibly easy to use.

"Thank you all for your help,"

As Yura approached and bowed to her, Igoya Dai shook her head slightly.

"We're just doing the work; you're the one who truly seals away the evil spirits."

Although the Isogai siblings have been training and fighting hard during this time, they are still far behind Yura, who has become stronger as if he cheated.

"I only relied on secret techniques,"

After breaking the fusion, Yura's strength plummeted, revealing his weaknesses.

"It's impossible to maintain the power of a 'Great Demon' for an extended period of time."

That's already very strong.

Igotani Dai remained noncommittal in response to Yura's candid words.

Although Yura's strength in her normal state is only at the Tiger level, once she merges with the three shikigami, she can unleash the power of a Demon-level 'Great Demon'; moreover, it seems that there are no side effects. This is a secret technique that countless people, and even countless extraordinary beings, would covet.

Even if there were huge aftereffects, people would still flock to it.

For superhumans, when faced with an enemy far stronger than themselves, they are willing to accept any price, even if it means risking their lives!

As long as you live, there is still a chance; if you die, everything becomes meaningless.

"Let's take a break before heading to the next city."

Upon hearing this, the government official standing nearby instinctively showed anxiety on his face.

But in the end, she didn't say a word, and patiently waited for the 'Onmyoji' to finish their rest.

This time, another 'Yellow Spring Rift' erupted over several cities, but the island nation no longer needs to guard against the 'Nine-Tailed Force'. In addition, many superhumans have become stronger one after another, and the expansion of the superhuman special police and guardian spirit forces has made it no longer as difficult as before, and they can barely cope.

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.

Kochi Prefecture, Kochi City.

"Uranium Light Wave Fist - Heavy Artillery Bombardment!"

A group of 'figures' darted about, constantly throwing punches in the sky.

Boom boom boom boom boom~~
A continuous stream of orbs of light exploded in the sky above Kochi Prefecture.
While tearing apart a large number of evil spirits, it also dyed the sky a dark blue, making Takagi Miwa, Hattori Hanzo, and Koga Takeo turn green with fear.

Because they owed Yagyu Onoda a favor, they participated in the 'assassination' operation against the American garrison; although the matter was eventually dropped, the guilty men were very eager to cooperate when summoned by the government.

only:

"If these guys keep fighting like this, will anyone be able to live in Kochi City anymore?"

"It should be okay."

The young samurai, Takagi Miwa, crossed his arms and thought for a moment before answering.

"The 'nuclear radiation' they produced was merely a temporary burst accompanying the attack and will soon decay and disappear."

That's what they say, but whether there will be any long-term effects depends on whether the people in the city below will experience various pathological reactions.

"It's hard to say,"

Hattori Hanzo couldn't help but shake his head.
"This is 'nuclear radiation' infused with extraordinary power,"

"From now on, two-headed snakes and three-legged toads will appear here."

These are all normal things.

But no matter what, it's better than dying right now.

"Gentlemen, let's get started."

Despite the Skyward Extraordinary Countermeasures Department's relentless bombardment with 'radiation fists,' many evil spirits still managed to escape and scatter.

Upon seeing these fleeing evil spirits, Takeo Koga drew his ninja sword and vanished in a flash, having entered a state of 'invisibility'.

A blurry figure could still be seen during the movement. It wasn't as sharp as a true 'penetrating escape', but it was already quite impressive to be able to do this.

The others also drew their weapons and charged at the evil spirits.

Their task was to control the number of evil spirits and wait for the Onmyoji from the 'Kasakain' family to arrive and seal the rift. ————

Adachi Ward, Tokyo.

"So, why are you here again?"

When Director Zhu Ya came to visit again, You put down her teacup and couldn't help but sigh.

"Director, you shouldn't have that much free time, right? Although this 'Yellow Spring Rift' is not as dangerous as the first one, it should not be underestimated."

The Yellow Springs Rift appeared 'without warning'. Even if the island nation reacts quickly, a large number of evil spirits will flood into the mortal world: even if superhumans arrive, these evil spirits can't be defeated, so won't they just run away?
Faced with a superhuman being far more powerful than themselves, evil spirits will scatter and flee, or burrow underground.
The subsequent impact is long-lasting and persistent.

"I've heard that many mountainous areas have been taken over by a large number of evil spirits?"

Regarding Yu's question

Director Zhu Ya's answer was completely undisguised.

"right,"

“In sparsely populated areas, a large number of evil spirits lurk.”

"The government has concentrated most villages in various towns, and may even continue to concentrate people in cities in the future."

For a small number of humans, evil spirits are deadly and dangerous: once surrounded by three evil spirits, even an ordinary person who musters the courage can easily be eaten.

Faced with menacing evil spirits, who dares to say they have always been brave and fearless?
If you encounter a high-level evil spirit, mere bravery will be useless, and you will only face death.

"Humans are ultimately social creatures. If the numbers increase, courage will naturally increase as well."

Director Zhu Ya picked up her teacup and took a sip. Although this meant giving up a large tract of land—who knew what kind of monsters might spawn in these barren places—concentrating people in the city was a necessary measure for the safety of the majority.

"The only good news is that, given the productivity of modern society, there shouldn't be any starvation."

"Then why aren't you going to deal with these things?"

Seeing that You had brought the topic back, Director Zhuya was not annoyed.

"Because there is another matter. You should have heard of the recent 'Island Country High School Martial Arts Tournament'."

"It's natural,"

Yu was still in school, so of course she knew about this.

"We would like to invite Yu-kun as a special guest to Koshien Stadium."

?

"Many people would be willing to show off like this."

"They are all busy clearing out evil spirits. The only one who is relatively free right now is Youjun: mainly because this conference is of great significance and a strong person is needed to oversee it."

The island nation's hosting of a 'martial arts tournament' at this time is certainly not just about selecting geniuses among high school students to become superhumans.

It also serves to demonstrate national strength and stabilize public sentiment.

Stabilizing public sentiment is easy to understand. On the one hand, it can divert the attention of the entire island nation's population; on the other hand, it is also a direct form of propaganda: as long as you work hard enough and achieve excellent results in the competition, you can become a superior person.

As for demonstrating national power...
Other countries were fighting tooth and nail for it, and the island nation produced eight vials of the highest-level 'supernatural potion' in one go!
Such "wealth and power" has attracted the attention of many countries: the highest-grade extraordinary potion, once consumed, will make one a "strong dog" level, or E+; while the lower-grade extraordinary potion will only make one a standard dog level, which is classified as E in other countries.

As for the 'Level 3 Extraordinary Potion', it barely breaks through the limits of the human body and is called an 'E-level Weak Dog'.

Aside from a few 'geniuses', under normal circumstances, it takes a year of relentless training to improve from a weak dog to a canine level.

Experts estimate that it would take about two years of continuous training to train a dog to become a 'strong dog'. Of course, there is a faster way: going to the battlefield.

As the island nation with the deepest research into the supernatural, after collecting a large number of experimental samples, they discovered that the battlefield was the easiest place to break through.

"While the leap in life-or-death situations can lead to tremendous advancement, they also come with risks."

Director Zhuya didn't say it, but You understood without her having to.

Unless someone has a bit of a 'protagonist's halo,' trying to break through on the brink of death is more likely to result in immediate death!

This method, which relies entirely on luck, is clearly unsuitable for the improvement of most extraordinary individuals.

Even though the island nation now has ways to improve, such as 'Buddhist practice,' 'Onmyoji secret techniques,' 'Samurai breathing techniques,' and even 'Uranium Light Wave Fist,' which has significant side effects, why not take the lead from the start?
If an extremely lucky person were to find the 'True Spirit of a Hundred Demons' and be willing to sell it, that would be truly priceless!
Of course, the more likely explanation is murder and robbery.

"I understand,"

Yu nodded.
"You want me to be in charge of security?"

The participants are all 'ordinary' high school students, so what kind of tricks can they pull off?
However, with the island nation's government offering so many extraordinary drugs as rewards, not only are other countries drooling over them, but even the local conglomerates and extraordinary forces are probably secretly coveting them.

In this situation, there isn't a single strong person who can keep the situation in check; if the potion is discovered to have been stolen or robbed halfway through the competition, that would be a huge mess.

"alright."

Yu finally agreed.
It's a 'grand event' that all high school students in the island nation participate in, so wouldn't it be a shame not to go and join in the fun?

While we're at it, let's see if there are any promising talents... cough cough, talents.

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.

Higashi-Izumo Junior High School
The sports hall was packed.

No, it was packed to the brim: almost all the students at the school were crammed into the gymnasium, leaving no room to sit.

The second-floor stands were also densely packed, making one frown in fear that a collapse might occur at any moment.

All the students held their breath, staring intently at the center of the gymnasium, whether they understood it or not.
Two high school students, fully equipped with protective gear, are fighting each other with bamboo swords!
The so-called 'bamboo sword' is naturally made of bamboo strips: select bamboo that has grown for more than three years, and then select, weigh, straighten, plan and polish the strips; then use processed cowhide, strictly following the rules for making bamboo swords, to wrap the hilt and other parts, and connect the cowhide with a very tough nylon rope.

Although not as lethal as a real or replica knife, it can still cause serious injury or even death if it hits a vital spot!
The two players on the field were testing each other.
Their swordsmanship was quite skillful, suggesting they were people who practiced regularly.

After several exchanges, the taller man finally lost his temper, roared, and charged forward with his sword.

In kendo matches, shouting not only motivates oneself but also intimidates the opponent: not everyone can remain calm when facing a roaring opponent charging at them.

However, his opponent happens to be just that kind of person.

He raised the bamboo sword in his hand, his gaze fixed intently on the other person's shoulder beneath his protective gear, and then:
Bang, bang, bang!

Amidst a series of sounds of bamboo swords clashing, the tall fighter charged and attacked fiercely, his momentum like a tiger descending the mountain. Just by listening to the sounds of the clashes, it was clear that he was showing absolutely no mercy!
This is a chance to become extraordinary and rise to the top in one step, how could I possibly hold back?

Such a violent aura made the surrounding students tense up and their faces turn unnatural.

The boy who had boasted in the morning, "Why wouldn't I dare?", subconsciously took a step back, drawing disapproving glances from behind.

How many people can remain calm when faced with a bamboo sword striking with all its might?
Unfortunately, his opponent was clearly a calm and collected person.

After a prolonged and unsuccessful attack, the tall player finally showed signs of fatigue, and his movements slowed down.

It's now--

The bamboo sword thrust forward, and as the opponent instinctively raised their sword to block, it suddenly changed direction, heading straight for the back of the opponent's hand.

Snapped,

"The winner is Xiao from Class 2B!"

(End of this chapter)