I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 226 The Curse of the Sharingan
the next day,
"Dear viewers!"

"After a tense and fierce competition, the top eight in the men's and women's kendo competitions have been determined!"

Let us all give them our sincerest applause, blessings, and encouragement!

Boom boom boom boom boom,

Two hundred thousand people simultaneously erupted in a deafening roar, and the entire Koshien stadium erupted in cheers.

In this enthusiastic atmosphere, even ordinary spectators wouldn't hesitate to applaud for their loved ones, cheer for their classmates, or shout encouragement for their county. After all, the 16 contestants who made it this far deserve their respect.

"It's simply a miracle,"

Xiao, who never imagined she would be standing on this stage, couldn't help but sigh.

I hope I don't get caught. My parents and Li are probably all glued to the TV, watching my silly face.
But that’s all.

Xiao has a clear understanding of his own strength. Although he doesn't know why his strength has inexplicably increased recently, it is not enough to support him to continue: those who can stand here are all true masters of swordsmanship with top-notch skills, strength, and mentality.

Ok,
Just give up after a half-hearted attempt.

However, what Xiao didn't know was that his 'relaxed' attitude was seen by others as simply a sign of unsatisfied desire!
Can't even get motivated for the national competition?
That bastard who pretends to be weak to get his way!

Are they deliberately making every match incredibly difficult? Are they hiding some kind of secret weapon?

It's no wonder they overthink things, because Xiao came from the same place and the same school as the girls on the other side:

The gazes of the other participating high school girls, whether filled with hidden fear, high fighting spirit, or serious vigilance, all fell upon the girl named 'Bukushima'.

Despite her outward appearance being that of a traditional 'Yamato Nadeshiko', anyone who has fought her—or rather, watched her fights—understands that she is an extremely dangerous opponent! Even with full protective gear, several fighters have been sent to the hospital immediately after their matches against her.

They're practically demons!
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would have almost suspected that there was a man under the protective gear.

"So let's wish all the contestants the best of luck in achieving their desired results!"

After the host finished his impassioned speech, the contestants left the arena and returned to the rest area to prepare for the next round of the competition.

The swordsmanship competition came first, and with its single-elimination format, the preliminary rounds were completed yesterday. Today, the finals will be a round-robin tournament to determine the top three. Tomorrow, karate will follow, then archery, and finally horse racing.

Generally, to maximize viewership, the most popular events should be saved for last.

However, the island nation's elites wish no one would pay attention, so they could showcase their talents in horse racing. Unfortunately, given the world's current attitude towards the extraordinary, horse racing will also attract countless people's attention, scrutinized with magnifying glasses and down to the smallest detail.

In this situation, trying to resort to underhanded tactics becomes extremely difficult.

"Bukushima-kun!"

A clear voice rang out from the contestants' tunnel.

A girl with shoulder-length short hair walked over and extended her right hand.

"I am Miyuki Sawashiro,"

The other person is clearly a high school student, but has an old-fashioned name from the last century, which clearly indicates that her parents are quite conservative.

The name doesn't matter; the reason she took the initiative to greet me was because:

"I am your next opponent."

The short-haired high school girl's face showed a serious expression mixed with a hint of eagerness.

I will defeat you!

If it were someone else, they would most likely think it was a provocation.

But judging from her poised and confident expression, it seemed more like a righteous declaration of war.

"OK,"

Dokushima also extended his right hand and smiled slightly.

See you on the field.

Ah, youth! X2
Xiao, standing to the side, looked on with a sigh, unaware that an invisible 'shadow clone' was making the same sentiment.

Hmm, it's about time to begin.

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.

In the locker room,

"Miyuki Sawashiro is a good opponent."

Busujima, organizing his equipment, smiled slightly; another exhilarating battle was about to begin.
"lie,"

? !
Suddenly, that unfamiliar voice rang out again from behind.

brush--

As he turned around abruptly, the bamboo sword in his hand shot out like lightning; the sharp sound of it cutting through the air proved that this attack was all-out!

空、

However, Busujima's all-out attack still missed.

"who are you?"

"A dignified, extraordinary being, only knows how to hide behind a weak woman and play tricks?"

"Hmph, I disdain to disguise myself as any ghost or god."

"I am the great demon of this island nation!"

The voice behind him snorted coldly, then continued:
"To be of my bloodline yet follow the rules is utterly absurd, utterly absurd!"

The Great Demon's Fate?
Combining this with what the other party had said yesterday—"to kill the people for the sake of the ruler, and to kill the ruler for the sake of the people"—Bukushima, who was holding a bamboo sword on guard, understood.

"Are you Emperor Sutoku?"

Emperor Sutoku was the 75th emperor of Japan during the late Heian period. Emperor Go-Shirakawa, Masahito, was his younger brother from the same mother.

Emperor Sutoku had no other notable characteristics besides his love of poetry.

Unfortunately, he has a terrible father.

He ascended to the throne as a child, and power remained in the hands of his father, Toba.

Later, because he had no children, his father directly gave him a 'younger brother' to be his adopted son.

Then this 'adopted son,' who was actually the 'younger brother,' became Emperor Konoe. It sounds incredibly confusing.

Emperor Konoe's father, Toba, was actually his biological father and still held great power; his older brother and godfather, Sutoku, had raised him and thus earned him respect.

As a result, the frail and sickly Emperor Konoe died first, followed by Emperor Toba, who was already the 'Retired Emperor', who also passed away the following year. When Emperor Sutoku saw this, he thought, "Well, finally, my day has come!"
However—no.

Before his father died, he passed the position to his younger brother from the same mother.

That is, Emperor Go-Shirakawa refused to see Sutoku one last time, even on his deathbed, which caused Sutoku to break down on the spot.

When he was young, his father made all the decisions, and when he grew up, his father still made the decisions; both emperors were his "younger brothers," and he, as the eldest son, was practically adopted!

Damn it!

As it turns out, the poet's rebellion was just a joke.
In short, Chongde quickly fell into a disadvantageous position and had no choice but to shave his head and surrender.

In theory, surrendering and becoming a monk would have allowed him to receive generous treatment and live out the rest of his life well; however, Sutoku not only had a terrible father, but also a terrible brother: the ruthless Emperor Go-Shirakawa rejected his surrender and exiled him to Sanuki Province.

During his exile, Chongde copied five scriptures by hand and presented them to Heian-kyo (Kyoto), pleading for his release.

However, his younger brother still refused and returned the scriptures. In utter despair, Chongde bit his tongue and wrote in his blood on the returned scrolls: "I wish to become a great demon king, to wreak havoc on the world. With these five Mahayana scriptures, I dedicate them to the evil paths!"

He angrily threw himself into the sea, and from then on, the island nation suffered from constant natural and man-made disasters, and the people lived in fear.

Years later, Taira brought a sword to the palace, sparking the samurai rebellion; he completely undermined the rule of the imperial family, which could be considered as avenging his family.

Yes, according to legend, after his death, Emperor Sutoku transformed into the famous—

"Daitengu?"

call,

A pair of enormous wings unfolded in the locker room.

brush,

Busujima, sword in hand, turned and finally saw his opponent's figure, surprisingly...
nice?

Besides the pair of wings on its back,
He looks like a refined middle-aged man.

Putting aside his identity as Emperor, the other party was indeed a famous poet—no, he should be called a katana poet.

"Now that you have seen your ancestors, why don't you pay your respects?"

? ?
You're an ancient person from thousands of years ago, who would want to worship you?!

"Emperor Sutoku, your enemies have long since vanished."

"As for me, even if I am your descendant, what do you want to do with me?"

"I told you, I'll let you unleash your true nature."

The refined middle-aged man spoke calmly.
"My bloodline is destined to turn this island nation upside down—" I said.
Even someone as particular about etiquette as Pokkuri Island nearly swore at him.

What does your grudge have to do with me?

"Sorry, all I want to do right now is participate in the competition."

Despite being rejected on the spot, the Ōtengu who called himself 'Shōtoku' showed no anger.

"My blood flows in your veins,"

"Only after I died did I realize why my father treated me this way—"

As he spoke, his dark pupils suddenly contracted, transforming into three rotating tomoe!
At the same time, blood filled his pupils, turning them crimson.

"All because I have awakened His bloodline,"

"A plain cup, a toast."

As for why the island nation's royal family awakened this bloodline, that's a long story.

???

What is this?
Can you please not drag me into your millennia-old, or even ancient, feuds?
Do you think you can stay out of this?

Seemingly seeing through Busujima's thoughts, the Great Tengu 'Shōtoku' gave her a cold look, the three tomoe in his eyes slowly rotating.

"Susanoo once wreaked havoc in Takamagahara, and eight million gods harbored deep resentment towards him!"

In other words, he couldn't defeat Susanoo.

Otherwise, given his personality, he would have been killed long ago!
As His bloodline, He was destined to be scorned and cursed by the gods.
Knock knock knock,

"Senior Busujima, it's time for you to go on stage."

? !
Suddenly realizing what was happening, there was no Great Tengu in the changing room. Emperor Sutoku?
"Hallucination."

Impossible. If there was any possibility of 'auditory hallucinations' yesterday;

So what just happened was definitely not as simple as 'hallucination': she hasn't been eating raw mushrooms lately!

"Come right away."

No, we must report this to the 'Supernatural Countermeasures Section'.

Even if it turns out to be just her 'delusion', at most she'll just have to go to a mental hospital for treatment.

Okay, I'll go after this match!

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.

"Sorry for the wait,"

"The women's round of 16 is about to begin!"

"The two contestants are Busujima from Higashi Izumo and Miyuki Sawashiro from Tokyo Bunkyo High School!"

"Viewers who follow kendo should be familiar with Busujima-san; she won the 'Gyokuryu-gi' women's championship last year! She was the undisputed favorite to win. By the way, Takashi, the boy, also comes from Higashi Izumo High School—truly a place with outstanding people."

"As for Miyuki Sawashiro, she also comes from a family with a strong martial arts background. Many of her relatives work in the military and police, and are known for their bravery."

As both sides stepped onto the stage, only two tiny figures walked up into the vast venue.

After the audience cheered, applauded, and encouraged them...
They all put on glasses and headsets.

"Yu-kun,"

The extraordinary individuals naturally didn't need these devices. On the platform, the old man Tokugawa Mitsunari rested his arms on his knees and tilted his head slightly to ask Yu a question.

Who do you think will win this match?

"It's hard to say,"

"Hahaha~~ It seems that Yu-kun doesn't have much experience with these 'low-level' battles."

The old man was a big fan of fighting. Although he couldn't participate in the fights before due to health reasons, he had been watching for decades and had developed a sharp eye for it.

"That little girl named Busujima is going to win!"

"The only question is, how long will it take to win?"

Yu remained noncommittal as the old man, Tokugawa Mitsunari, was enthusiastically muttering things like "ten moves" or "twenty moves."

If this were indeed the case under normal circumstances, but—

How could things possibly develop normally with the interference of the 'Great Tengu'?
"Game start!"

With a sudden downward wave of the referee's hand, the women's fencing round of 16 began, watched by 200,000 spectators at the stadium and over a billion online viewers.

"A beautiful parry!"

"Miyuki Sawashiro has once again launched a test."

On the arena, two fully equipped young women exchanged blows, their bamboo swords clashing with a series of sharp, rhythmic strikes. Their movements and footwork possessed a unique charm that was pleasing to the eye, even to a layman.

"A spectacular uppercut,"

"That move by Busujima almost ended the match."

The two figures suddenly separated, and the one who retreated staggered. From the explanation, it was clear that Poison Island had gained the upper hand.

but--

"If I had gone all out, that last sword strike would have already taken him down."

The voice behind him sounded again, causing Busujima, who was suppressing his instincts, to frown.

Yes, she was well aware of her strong violent tendencies and her bloodthirsty nature; but she had always tried to suppress them. The education she received on Dokdo Island made her understand that this was a society governed by the rule of law, and that she should be a good person. Well, at least try to be a good person.

But the voice behind me:
"Good guy?"

"The eight million gods will not let you have an easy time; your life will consist only of fighting and killing."

"Shut up!!!"

?

Sweeped back by a sudden burst of Busujima's sword, Sawashiro Miyuki, her opponent, looked completely bewildered beneath her helmet.

What happened? I didn't say anything.
but,

Busujima-kun is incredibly powerful!
The girl, undeterred by her defeat, charged forward again with her sword drawn.

"I'll let you—"

? !
The frenzied poison island suddenly surged forward, an irresistible force struck, and both hands went numb.

The sword was knocked away!
Before the high school girl named 'Miyuki Sawashiro' could react, her vision blurred, and then a numbness ran down her back.

Did I fall to the ground? I need to get up immediately—?!

However, before she could put her thoughts into action, a figure holding a bamboo sword appeared before her.

Through the metal bar of the helmet, Miyuki Sawashiro saw a distorted face!

"I--"

Pfft

The girl trembled violently as soon as she spoke.

Speechless.

Because the wooden sword pierced through the bottom edge of her helmet and went through her neck!

"I told you to shut up!!!"

? ? ? ?
In an instant, the large hall with 200,000 people fell into dead silence.

In the eyes of all the spectators, a bamboo sword in the hand of one contestant pierced the neck of another contestant who had fallen to the ground.

Judging from the remaining parts of the bamboo sword, it was pierced through!

brush,

Before anyone could react

Black ink flew in, rolled up, and bound the two of them.

"That shouldn't be the case,"

Yu, looking bewildered, rubbed his temples and glanced at the Osaka official beside him, who was completely dumbfounded.

"What are you waiting for? Go and invite the shrine maiden of Inari."

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.

P.S.: The Japanese encyclopedia *Wakan Sansai Zue* mentions that Susanoo's pent-up anger transformed into "Ame-no-Mae-hime," a highly rebellious goddess. She absorbed the evil energy of Takamagahara and gave birth to tengu and tengu demons. Therefore, all the Uchiha clan's Gundams are based on the image of a great tengu.
(End of this chapter)