I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 225 I've decided on you, Orochimaru!

Good afternoon, viewers.

"Welcome to the second group stage match of the third division of the Kendo competition!"

"Takashi, a second-year student from Higashi-Izumo High School, will face off against Ishiryu, a student from Ishioka Municipal Kokufu High School!"

The competition has already begun in a colossal building that can hold 200,000 people: the huge arena, surrounded by spectator seating, is divided into more than a dozen smaller arenas where the contestants have taken to the field to battle.

Because it's a brutal elimination system where the winner is decided in a single round, everyone is very cautious. Unless a player is extremely confident in their abilities and is prepared to unleash a powerful burst of damage to take down the opponent, they won't charge in aggressively right from the start!

"Oh, Shi Long has launched the first fierce attack!"

The massive stadium with a capacity of 200,000 people is so large that you can barely make out figures when watching a football match. As for watching a skill-based contest like a sword fight, unless you're an extraordinary person, you can't even catch a glimpse of the spectacle with your naked eye, because you can only see a tiny dot.

The island nation's government has its reasons for designing it this way.

On the one hand, there will definitely be more and more superhumans in the future. With the eyesight of superhumans, it is not unimaginable that they can see fine movements hundreds of meters away.

The "Pegasus Princess" in the Imperial Palace possesses "divine eyes" that can even see a mosquito's leg several kilometers away!
On the other hand, there is the progress of technology.

"Xiao's start was unfavorable."

The audience wore headsets and glasses, and through AR glasses, the competition, which was hundreds of meters away, seemed to be happening right in front of them.

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that uses optoelectronic display technology, interactive technology, multiple sensor technologies, computer graphics, and multimedia technologies to integrate a computer-generated virtual environment with the user's surrounding real environment.

To convince users, through sensory experience, that the virtual environment is a component of their surrounding real environment;
Augmented reality has new features such as combining virtual and real elements, real-time interaction, and 3D registration.

Well, that's all I've said.

The original purpose was to bring 'virtual singers' into reality.

The venue is now used to assist in watching the games, which is one of the reasons why the island nation's government dared to build such a large venue.

what?
Why not stay home and use your phone?
You don't understand, do you? This is called atmosphere.

"Pressuring himself and forced to retreat repeatedly, Xiao was caught in a fierce battle."

Amidst the professional commentators' sighs of regret, in a small battlefield, one side launched a fierce attack while the other struggled to hold on.

Although Xiao is 1.7 meters tall, he is definitely considered 'petite' in the all-Japan Kendo competition: his opponent is over 1.85 meters tall and has a big, thick waist. He is more like an active athlete than a high school student.

In most contact sports, height, strength, long arms, and a lot of muscle are always advantages.

On the American football field, where everyone is a human beast, standing at 1.9 meters tall and weighing over 100 kilograms: don't expect any small guys to be agile; in reality, these big guys are just as quick to react.

But the real despair comes from a disparity in strength.

This led to Xiao being suppressed and forced to retreat, and he was about to be forced out of control!

"Xiao is about to begin his final, desperate struggle—"

The commentator abruptly paused, because near the baseline, Xiao, who was at a disadvantage, seized the opportunity during the clash of the two swords, blocked the opponent's weapon with his bamboo sword, hooked and tripped with his feet, and at the same time crashed into the opponent's arms, releasing one hand and grabbing the opponent's chest armor.

He turned around, arched his back, and suddenly exerted force, managing to 'carry' the other person on his back, and then threw them away due to inertia.

thud,

"Shilong player falls to the ground, out of bounds!"

"what?"

"Xiao delivered a victory speech."

This move completely baffled the commentator; however, being a professional, he quickly adjusted his mindset.
"A truly spectacular match,"

"As you can probably tell, the move Xiao used is not swordsmanship, but the 'big back hip' from karate."

"That was a truly bold and unexpected technique, to suddenly win with karate in a sword fight."

"I would like to remind the audience, and also the contestants—"

The on-site commentary continued to provide scientific information:

"This martial arts competition does not prohibit the use of 'cross-discipline' techniques."

"In other words, in an archery competition, you can also try to rush in front of your opponent and subdue them; just like Xiao-kun did, in a swordsmanship competition, he suddenly used karate techniques to turn the tide."

The essence of this competition, organized by the island nation's government, is to select practical talents to become extraordinary individuals.

When faced with extraordinary disasters, people will stop at nothing to avoid them. No one will honestly engage in a sword duel with you. Moreover, even the "sword saints" in the history of the island nation used all sorts of underhanded tricks during duels.

On the battlefield, only those who survive have the right to talk about 'martial virtue'.

A corpse cannot stand up and refute.

"What do you think, Yu-kun?"

On the platform, the old man Tokugawa Mitsunari watched with great interest, then turned to ask a question.

"good,"

"Although they didn't possess extraordinary powers, their wit and courage in the battles were quite remarkable."

These words made Qiong Mei next to him tilt her head slightly.
Don't underestimate them just because they are students. They are also core members of the Kengan Association. Compared to those martial artists, the high school students below are far too inexperienced in terms of skills and tactics, and even hesitant in their fights. Killing people on the Kengan Association stage is not commonplace, but it happens every now and then.

So for Kyō, who was playing with clay, watching the game here was less appealing than going home and scrolling through her phone.

"There are still quite a few highlights."

Yu's gaze swept across the group of ordinary high school students, and he noticed that quite a few of them possessed a trace of chakra.

Not bad, not bad. As expected of the period when modern people exercise the most, these high school students are already at their best in terms of physical fitness. With the huge amount of exercise, they have already absorbed some free chakra on their own. They are all at a good level.

but--

Things are different now.

In the past, when Yu saw a promising target, he would casually give them an ability.

Now, the only person who can make him willingly grant him abilities must be a true genius among geniuses.

Turning our attention to the women's group: many matches are still in a state of flux and entanglement, but one match ended much earlier than expected.

Yu's gaze followed the high school girl who had removed her helmet, and she lowered her eyes. Whatever this power may bring you, you cannot refuse what I've given you!

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.

The sun gradually set.

"Today's match was very intense."

"Of course! As long as you make it into the top three, you can become a superhuman!"

"I've decided, I want to learn archery too!"

"You? Good luck!"

Today's match has ended, and a large number of spectators walked out of the giant stadium, forming streams of people that dispersed throughout the Koshien-cho district of Nishinomiya City.

The buildings in this area have all been acquired by the government and converted into numerous hotels to accommodate the more than 200,000 spectators. In fact, this is still far from enough, and many buildings throughout the city are undergoing intensive renovations.

While the Koshien baseball tournament once garnered immense attention, it was ultimately just the sweat and glory of 'ordinary people'.

The current Koshien 'Martial Arts Tournament' is a real opportunity for a fish to leap over the dragon gate!
If there hadn't been a genuine lack of tickets and repeated reminders from the government not to crowd into Nishinomiya City, the number of spectators would have far exceeded this 'mere' 200,000.

Regardless, the event brought a huge influx of tourists to Nishinomiya City, and the entire city was busy and happy. After a day of competition, most of the contestants were eliminated, leaving behind countless regrets, tears, and resentment; but it also gave birth to many 'stars'.

Officials, coaches, and teachers from various counties surrounded these 'stars,' showering them with concern and hoping they would achieve a top-three finish.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that in the future, the number of superhumans will be a good indicator of whether a region is 'developed'.

Just like Shizuoka Prefecture and Hayakawa Town, which were once truly 'impoverished and remote'.

Because of the emergence of 'Sea Ninja Village', a large number of conglomerates spared no effort to invest massive amounts of money, building roads through mountains and bridges over rivers, and forcibly expanding large areas of flat land in the mountains! The scale continues to expand, and it is about to develop into a 'city'.

With Umi-nin in charge, the Isoya family's level of security ranks only after Tokyo and Osaka.

Even within the prestigious Nagoya metropolitan area, there are signs of relocation towards that area. Under such circumstances, how can one not compete?

If it weren't for the deterrent presence of the Osaka Self-Defense Forces and the presence of extraordinary figures on site, various forms of doping, underhanded tactics, and even biochemical modifications would likely have occurred.

The Way of Technology, making a grand entrance!

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.

Night falls,

Apart from the patrolling 'security team', even the most excited people are ready to rest.

After the arrival of the extraordinary era, people began to 'go to bed early and get up early': extraordinary beings and evil spirits are not afraid of sunlight, but under the light, human courage will always be blessed.

As time ticked by, until the clock struck one o'clock: in a mansion in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.

Jiu Kong Yao Ai pushed open the bedroom door.
The girl silently went to the high-ranking Onmyoji's room and pushed him away.
The door is unlocked.

really
The little girl pushed the door open a crack, nimbly slipped into the room, and closed the door behind her.

"master,"

A glance,
Jiu Kong Yao Ai saw Abe no Seimei sitting by the window, reading a book under the moonlight.

While kneeling and bowing, the little girl peeked out: she was reading "Uji Shūi Monogatari" (Tales of Uji Remnants).

"I do not know Minamoto no Yoshitsune, but I know Seimei."

"The account in this book is far too exaggerated."

"My master was the number one Onmyoji in Heian-kyo, a legendary figure who dominated the entire era. This evaluation from later generations is most fitting."

Jiukong Yao Ai's obedient answer, if in the past this evaluation did indeed 'elevate' the Abe family; now that the extraordinary has returned, the weight of the former 'first Onmyoji' seems even more terrifying: even the famous 'Ushiwakamaru' Minamoto no Yoshitsune, who wiped out the Taira clan at the end of the Heian period, was far inferior to him.

"It's just an empty title,"

Closing the book in his hands, the Great Onmyoji stood up.

"In my lifetime, Abe no Seimei was confident that I was second to none in the battle of yin and yang."

"Even Shuten-dōji, Ōtakemaru, and Inu-dōji, who are rare demon kings in the world, are not afraid of them in the slightest."

After he finished speaking, his gaze fell on the little girl kneeling on the ground.

"But the Yamata no Orochi is an ancient and powerful demon; even I dare not presume to claim certain victory."

"Wouldn't it be better if I taught you some self-defense techniques, so you could live a life of wealth and honor?"

"Please enlighten me, Master."

However, the little girl simply kowtowed again, clearly determined.

"That's fine,"

Since she still insisted, Abe no Seimei's expression also turned serious.

"Get up now."

"Kyuu, do you know how Orochi fell?"

"I know, he was killed by Susanoo."

Susanoo, also known as "Susanoo-no-Mikoto," was appointed as a sea god by Izanagi, the creator god of the island nation. Together with Amaterasu, who represents the sun, and Tsukuyomi, who represents the moon, he is one of the "Three Noble Sons" and the most revered deity in the island nation.

However, this guy is known for his volatile temper and is called the 'God of Destruction'. His only act of bravery was slaying the Yamata no Orochi.

"Master, is it to obtain the power of Susanoo?"

The little girl hesitated before asking, but even the number one Onmyoji in Heian-kyo, stealing the power of the gods or the Three Noble Children, was too unbelievable, wasn't it?

In Tokyo, there is a sacred tree bestowed by the Inari deity. Under the shade of this sacred tree, evil spirits and monsters retreat in fear. Such power does not seem like something that can be easily stolen.

"Ha, you little kid, you've got some wild ideas."

Even the great Onmyoji couldn't help but laugh.

"What is the status of the Third Prince?"

"Furthermore, Susanoo's temper makes it extremely difficult to borrow his power."

Even the mighty Amaterasu was driven to despair by this guy, and he killed the Great Food God with his sword because of his suspicions. Clearly, he's not someone you can reason with. Therefore—

"If you really want to defeat Orochi, there's only one way left."

"Become Yamata no Orochi!"

? ?
Under the little girl's surprised gaze, the great Onmyoji, with his back to the window, patted his folding fan.

"The Yamata no Orochi died at the hands of Susanoo-no-Mikoto,"

"Eight pieces of remains were found, representing the soul, ghost, evil, demon, monster, slaughter, spirit, and death respectively."

"If we could collect these remains and use them for our own purposes, their power, though not as ferocious as when they were alive, would still make them invincible in the world!"

After speaking, the Great Onmyoji looked at the little girl.

"Don't forget, Yamata no Orochi is dead."

Now, in the Yellow Springs, there is only His unwilling soul; in this way, He may still have the power to fight!
"Use the power of Yamata no Orochi to fight Yamata no Orochi?"

"That's right,"

"However, the power of Orochi is extremely fierce."

"To absorb this power, one must endure eight lifetimes and eight deaths, a journey akin to falling into the deepest hell. Are you—willing?"

brush,

The paper fan is opened.

The great Onmyoji, with his back to the window, gently waved his paper fan. Moonlight shone on his white hair, making him appear ethereal and otherworldly, unlike any ordinary mortal.

The little girl knelt on the ground, looked up at the other person, her mind filled with countless thoughts, which finally settled into two words:
"willing!"

"it is good,"

The great Onmyoji reached into his sleeve and took out a piece of bone.

“I happen to have a piece of the ‘Orochi’ bone. If you are determined, you can eat it.”

The great Onmyoji handed the skeleton to the little girl, issuing his final warning:
"Therefore, there is no turning back."

"Thank you, master!"

Without hesitation, the little girl took the skeleton and bit into it.

click,

"Aaaaaaahh ...

A horrific scream suddenly erupted, and Jiu Kong Yao Ai fell to the ground, frantically scratching her face with both hands!

She used so much force that her fingernails even dug into her flesh, and with a swift pull:
Tear

She tore off a layer of bloody skin from his face.

Watching the little girl rolling on the ground, tearing at her skin, the great Onmyoji felt neither joy nor sorrow.

Orochimaru's modification technique—this is the power he bestows upon his opponent; with continued enhancement, it can indeed transform them into 'Yamata no Orochi'. However:
All of this was just a script he had 'written'. The other party was constantly trying to find out who the 'mastermind' was, and the moment You noticed, their future fate was already sealed!

some things,

The best way to survive is to see less, hear less, and know less.

(End of this chapter)