I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 248 Swarming

Chapter 248 Swarming
"recently,"

"Suzuka Mountain, the 'sea nation,' has officially established an alliance with our island nation."

"The Prime Minister delivered a speech earlier, praising the alliance and saying it would bring prosperity to the island nation in many aspects, including the economy and culture."

Overnight, when the islanders woke up, they were shocked to find that newspapers, computers, and mobile phones throughout the island were broadcasting news about the alliance with 'Suzuka Mountain and Sea Kingdom'. The overwhelming presence of the news was like a brainwashing message, leaving many elderly people completely bewildered.

"Suzuka Mountain?"

In the park, a group of old men were chatting.

It is, after all, a local legend of their island nation.

Perhaps young people don't understand, and have no interest in understanding. But these elderly people remember clearly:
"Isn't that Suzuka Mountain where that simp Ōtakemaru lives?"

According to legend, Ōtakemaru was one of the three great demon kings, alongside 'Tamamo-no-Mae' and 'Shuten-dōji'.

He possesses three divine weapons: the Great Tonglian, the Small Tonglian, and the Manifestation Lian. He can shroud mountains in black clouds and has the divine power to control storms, lightning, and fire rain, earning him the title of Demon King.

Unfortunately, he's just a simp!
She falls in love with Suzuka Gozen, a demon woman known as 'Tateu-ga-buka' (Standing Eboshi Hat).

However, Suzuka Gozen fell in love with the Shogun Seii, who had come to subdue Ōtakemaru.

So Suzuka Gozen beckoned with her finger, and Ōtakemaru willingly offered her the two divine swords, Ōtōren and Ōtōren.

Immediately afterwards, Suzuka Gozen turned and presented the two divine swords to the Shogun; the Shogun, wielding Ōtakemaru's twin swords and accompanied by Ōtakemaru's goddess, cut Ōtakemaru down—the scene was incredibly gruesome, proving a truth:
Those simps deserve a terrible death!

Even later generations couldn't stand it anymore.
He was removed from the ranks of the 'Three Great Demon Kings' and replaced by Ōtengu.

"Shut up, you idiot!"

The old man next to him shouted angrily, interrupting his companion.

"Are you tired of living?"

"Aren't you afraid the people from the Sea Kingdom will chop you up?"

"A maritime nation? I live inland, what do I have to fear from people from a maritime nation—"

The elderly man, who had been asking questions, stubbornly retorted, but immediately fell silent when his gaze swept beyond the park.
The young people who stopped looked at him with a strange expression.

"That old fellow had some sake early this morning,"

"Don't take it to heart."

"It's gone, it's gone!"

The old man who interrupted him stood up. It was clear that he had considerable 'prestige' in the area. The passersby quickly stepped away and went about their business.

Only in the park did the elderly man who had 'said the wrong thing' turn pale with fright.

"This is...this is..."

The way those people looked at me just now was like they were looking at food.

"You've lost your mind,"

The respected old man frowned, and amidst the other old men's confusion, he began to explain:
"The government has already allied with 'Suzuka Mountain' to jointly deal with the 'Nine-Tailed Force'; at a time like this, are you trying to sabotage the island nation's grand plan by saying such things?"

A charge of 'treason' can wipe out not only an individual, but also an entire family or village in an instant.

When war breaks out, who will talk to you about 'human rights'?
"Besides, you're wrong too."

"The announcement from above should be released soon—"

The respected old man was respected because he had a son who was a member of parliament, so he knew a lot of 'insider information' last night.

"It wouldn't hurt to tell you in advance,"

As everyone else listened attentively, the old man coughed.

"The leader of Suzuka Mountain is naturally 'Young Master' Ōtakemaru."

"However, it is said that it is currently in a deep sleep, and is currently in charge by the 'elder' Hai Ming. It originally had three generals under its command, but 'Hai Ren'..."

"We know, we all know!"

A group of people spoke up, saying that everyone in the island nation knew about the feud between Kyokotsura and Kainin.

We've tasted enough; please take it away.

"What I'm about to tell you is something you definitely don't know."

The dignified old man sneered.

"Suzuka Gozen is Ōtakemaru's older sister."

???

"Wait a minute, that legend—"

Someone couldn't help but speak up, but was interrupted by the dignified old man waving his hand.

"You all know that it's a legend, and a legend written by the ancients at that."

It's obvious to anyone with a brain that humanity will ultimately be the biggest winner: the truth is something only those involved a thousand years ago would know.

Anyway, I've got it.

"Forget those nonsensical legends; if someone with ulterior motives hears them, hmph~~"

"I understand, I understand."

The other elderly people nodded in agreement.

Having lived for sixty or seventy years, I understand these basic human relationships.

In this era of extraordinary chaos, at a crucial time when the island nation and 'Suzuka Mountain' formed an alliance, anyone who dared to utter a strange word would be shot on the spot and no one would dare to utter a sound.

However, unexpectedly, Suzuka Gozen is actually Ōtakemaru's older sister.

Where is that "Changing the Black Hat" now?
What kind of strength does it possess?
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.

Tokyo, Kasumigaseki.

Laboratory located below the Metropolitan Police Department.

"Eat it, this is your destiny."

Faced with the pearls handed to him by the director, the college student named Kenji sighed.

Eating this pearl will grant you 'extraordinary abilities', making you a true wolf-level master.

But at the same time, the enemies he will face will be even more formidable: he used to be just an ordinary college student in a diving club, but now he has to fight battles every day, and in the future he may even have to face the Nine-Tailed Fox's forces.

Thinking about it this way, even the pearls in front of me don't seem so appealing anymore.

"If you don't want to eat."

"Eat, I'll eat!"

He quickly grabbed the pearl, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed it.

"How about it?"

Facing the tense and expectant gazes of everyone in the laboratory, the college student Jian Er spread out his palms.

A bubble emerged from his hand, with faint, multicolored bands of light swirling around it under the lamplight, making it look just like a soap bubble.

"Soap bubbles?"

A researcher took a few steps forward, seemingly wanting to get closer for observation.

"Don't, don't!"

Jian Er hurriedly stopped him as he ate the second pearl.

"This is exploding foam!"

With a casual wave of the college student's hand, the fist-sized bubble flew to the side and hit a steel wall dozens of meters away:
boom! !

It was just a soap bubble, yet it suddenly burst with a violent impact.

After the explosion without smoke or flames:

There was a dent in the steel wall.

"This power—"

very nice!
Unless it's a specialized armor-piercing or anti-tank projectile, a typical explosion won't cause much damage to steel.

When this bubble lands on a living organism, the only possibility is that it will shatter into pieces on the spot.

"Special Police Officer Jian Er, please try to create multiple bubbles."

Upon hearing the expert's words, Jian Er spread his hands, and bubbles floated out one after another.

This quantity
"Very good!" Director Zhu Ya was overjoyed as she looked at the dozen or so college students surrounded by soap bubbles of various sizes.

Previously, Kenji was merely a melee superhuman capable of moving extremely fast in the sea; now, it has evolved into a tactical 'submarine' that moves incredibly fast and possesses bombing capabilities.

This is far superior to those "super potions" that not only carry risks but also only allow you to fight after drinking them!
There will undoubtedly be fierce competition within the island nation over these dozen or so pearls.

Thinking about this gave Director Zhu Ya a headache.

The navy has spared no expense by sending the newly built "Shenmu" ship this time. They are determined to get these pearls, and it would be best if the navy could take them all!
The army also has something to say: their Kafka General will personally go to the battlefield and fight two great demons in succession; the pearls must not be lost!
Even if Director Zhu Ya herself has no selfish motives, she still has to consider her subordinates.

This led to another round of open and covert struggles.

"My head hurts so much~~"

As for the issue of consuming these pearls and becoming associated with the 'Sea Kingdom' in a certain sense: after all, they are now called the 'Sea Kingdom Clan' after the transformation.

But for most people, and for almost everyone, it remains a coveted treasure!
Throughout life, we are constantly bound by various organizations.

Family, school, company, country!

Are they worried that eating the pearl will subject them to the control of the sea kingdom?
What a joke! For the billions of people in this world, the number of people who want to become dogs of the Sea Kingdom could circle the equator, but they still wouldn't even have a chance!
For example, the Indigenous people, who are now being vilified, were begging to join the United States back then, but the Americans looked down on them: "What kind of trash are you? You think you're worthy to be on equal footing with me?"

as well as,

One per person, aiming to create more dog-level 'Sea Kingdom Clan';
The pursuit of quality, with two per person, and the creation of more wolf-level masters, is also a big problem.

Thinking of this, Director Zhu Ya couldn't help but chuckle to herself: she never thought that one day she would be troubled by having too many 'extraordinary items'.

It's also a luxurious experience.

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.

For others:

"Captain, we have entered the Garo Islands area!"

A fishing boat, heavily modified, sailed through the waves, heading straight for the non-licensed waters instead of detouring.

"Everyone, cheer up!"

The captain was a tall, middle-aged man with a beer belly and two pistols hanging from his waist.

As he steered the ship and gave orders, he revealed two rows of teeth that were black and yellow from frequently chewing betel nuts.

"If we find just one pearl, we can rise to the top!"

"If I could join the Sea Kingdom, hahaha~~"

At this point, the captain himself laughed.

Dreaming~~
"I want to marry a mermaid!"

"I am Lady Kani's dog!"

The other sailors in the cabin started yelling and shouting, each one behaving in a dissolute manner.

Because what they are doing now is truly putting their lives on the line.

Heading to the Philippine Islands in search of the 'Pearl of the Sea'!
Why suppress yourself in a place where you could die at any moment? Say what you want to say, do what you want to do!
Keep in mind that this is the battlefield of the Sea Kingdom, the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the multinational coalition forces—even if the Sea Kingdom and the Island Kingdom are now allied and won't attack humans, what about the Nine-Tailed Fox's forces?
The Nine-Tailed Fox's forces kill and steal souls—a classic villainous style; and the kind of villain with no bottom line and no room for maneuver.

Once in the hands of the Nine-Tailed Fox's forces, begging and cursing were useless; they were too lazy to waste words and killed him on the spot.

Moreover, those elusive 'sea serpents' clearly lack the ability to communicate.

Human souls are his food; he eats them on sight.

If you encounter this, you can only blame your bad luck.

"Ok?"

"Captain, there's a ship 30 nautical miles away from us!"

Since they've come all this way to risk their lives, they naturally have to do everything they can to 'arm' themselves.

This fishing boat is equipped with radar that has been passed through countless hands and can detect ships more than ten kilometers away.

"The opponent's speed is 20 knots?"

The sailor staring at the instrument panel was taken aback.
That's fast!

Ordinary fishing boats have a speed of about 10 knots.

The fact that the ship on the radar could reach a speed of 20 knots is already quite terrifying.

1节就是1海里/小时，而1海里等于1.852千米；20节换算成汽车，就是37码左右。这个速度在陆地上自然是乌龟爬，但是海里已经不慢了。

Ships also face the resistance of water while sailing.

A typical cruiser has a speed of around 26-30 knots, while an aircraft carrier only reaches 30-35 knots.

A boat that can run at 20 knots.
"Is it a warship?"

One of the sailors couldn't help but ask,
"No, it should be called a modified ship."

The ship's first mate thought for a moment and then spoke.
"If it were a warship, they would have spotted us long ago."

However, judging from the route the enemy took, they did not detect any trace of the ships beneath their feet; otherwise, they should have arrived by radio or missile.

That's right, it's a missile!
This area of water in the Philippines was originally a 'devil's zone' that everyone avoided.

But during the live stream, Kani-hime waved her hand and scattered countless pearls across the Philippine Islands, causing the whole world to erupt in excitement!

Extraordinary! This is extraordinary power!

Moreover, unlike 'super potions', there are no barriers to entry and no risks involved.

Once I swallowed a pearl, my fate was in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven!

Overnight, countless ships flocked in.

Warships, yachts, fishing boats, and even residents from the surrounding islands came to this sea area in small wooden boats, creating a scene reminiscent of "a thousand sails racing".

After retreating again and again, when they arrived at the "multinational coalition" that had established a defensive line in Australia, they realized, "This won't do."
The previously slow-moving navies of various countries immediately unleashed astonishing mobilization power.

As they headed towards this area, they broadcast warnings to all vessels:
This is a military zone. Any non-national vessels that approach this area are subject to immediate firing!

It's no longer just a battle between humans and demons; it's become a chaotic melee between humans, humans and demons, and demons and demons, making the situation more complex and chaotic.

"Take out the 'Stinger'!"

"Yes!"

Several sailors immediately rushed into the lower cabin and soon came out carrying several high-tech 'rocket launchers'.

No, it's not a rocket launcher, but a man-portable air defense missile.

They couldn't possibly come here empty-handed to fight—the captain of this ship sold everything he owned to equip himself with not only long and short firearms, but also several sets of 'Stinger' darts.

quickly,

Another ship appeared on the high seas.

Upon seeing the boat beneath their feet, the other party immediately sailed towards them.

"Buzz buzz buzz, this is the 'Conra Yap'!"

A weary voice came through the radio in the captain's cabin:

"Our ship has been attacked by demons, and we hope to receive help—"

However, their answer was:
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Missiles flying away one after another.

There is no such thing as a 'man-portable anti-ship weapon' in the world.

However, using man-portable air defense systems as a makeshift solution is perfectly fine: the speed of a ship cannot compare to that of an airplane.

boom! boom! boom!
Three flames rose up from the approaching ship.

"Hahahaha~~"