I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 277 Dog-like Sparring
"Ryuji, this is Yuto."

“You don’t need to tell me, Saki, I still remember his stupid face.”

"You are... Ryuji Yamagami?"

While the 'underworld slaves' were immobilized, the three quickly fled the scene and hid in a convenience store in the town.

Using the light of the emergency lamp, Tatsuki Hayato once again scanned the blond, slicked-back-haired boy with the necklace and earrings.

Is this still the neighbor's child he remembers?
"You don't have black hair."

"It's dyed!"

"I remember your family lived in a temple."

Are there any rules prohibiting monks from wearing necklaces and earrings?

To have or not to have, that is the question.

The other party's confident and assertive response left Tatsuki Yuuto speechless.

Even ancient high monks probably never considered that future generations would dye their hair and wear big gold chains, right?
"Saki, keep an eye on what's happening outside."

"I have something to say to this kid."

The blond, slick-back-haired boy named 'Yamagami Ryuji' spoke in an unfriendly tone, like a real 'delinquent'. He first instructed the girl Saki to guard the gate, and then put his arm around Tatsuki Hayato's shoulder.

"Come over here, let's talk."

He looks exactly like a delinquent hostage-taker.

Bang!
When they reached the convenience store's restroom, Yamagami Ryuji gave a powerful shove, sending Tatsuki Hayato crashing into the wall.

"Who let you come back?"

"You've been gone for ten years, what are you doing back now?"

? !
"Are you really Ryuji the Mountain God?"

Tatsuki Yuuto's back slammed against the wall, leaving a numb sensation, but for him, witnessing the 'earth-shattering' changes before his eyes was far more surprising than seeing his childhood friend.

In his memory, Yamagami Ryuji was the son of the abbot of their town's temple. He had always been a kind-hearted person who always said, "Amitabha, everyone, don't be angry, let's love each other." How did he become such a delinquent?
"nonsense,"

The blond, slick-back-haired boy, speaking in a low voice, grabbed Tatsuki Hayato's collar menacingly.

"Don't answer questions with questions; I'm asking you!"

"My home is gone,"

?

"After leaving here, my family settled down in Kyoto. You probably know that, right? That great Onmyoji just took over Kyoto."

After hearing the explanation, the fierce aura dissipated, and the bad-looking mountain god Ryuji released Tatsuki Hayato's collar.

"Feel sorry,"

"But you've come back at a really bad time."

Frustrated, Yamagami Ryuji rubbed his blond hair, and another question came to mind.

"And what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

"In search of my father,"

"Here's the thing."

Tatsuki Hayato didn't hide anything and explained the reason for his trip.

"Damn it!"

He muttered a curse under his breath.
Ryuji Yamagami looked even more agitated.

"Then you shouldn't have dragged Saki into this. Never mind, it's too late to say anything now, you guys should go home!"

"But my father—"

Raising his hand to abruptly interrupt Tatsuki Hayato, Yamagami Ryuji took a deep breath.

Your father is dead!

"Go home right away, and then take the tram to leave here first thing tomorrow morning."

"This is your last chance. Don't get involved with Saki again, just for the sake of..."

"for what?"

The sudden sound interrupted the 'communication' between the two boys.

Saki, with her side ponytail, appeared beside them. She had quietly appeared at the toilet door at some point and happened to witness the scene of Yamagami Ryuji 'threatening' Tatsuki Hayato.

"Ah, just for love and justice?"

Faced with the inquisitive gaze of the girl Saki, the slick-back-haired 'delinquent' looked embarrassed.

"This guy... It's one thing for Yuuto not to know, but Saki, why are you being so ridiculous? Don't you know how dangerous the town is at night?"

Skipping over the previous topic, the boy named 'Yamagami Ryuji' pointed outside.

"If I hadn't happened to be passing by, you would all be finished."

Was it really just a 'perfect' opportunity to pass by?

Tatsuki Yuuto, leaning against the wall, wasn't stupid.

According to Saki, the entire town will enter a state of 'silence' once the bell rings.

Under these circumstances, it was already unbelievable that he and Saki risked being besieged by the 'Netherworld Slaves' to go out; it was even more absurd that the mountain god Ryuji would pass by at this time.

However, he didn't say it out loud. On one hand, they were childhood friends who hadn't seen each other for ten years; on the other hand, Tatsuki Hayato's gaze fell on the girl with the side ponytail: it wasn't hard to guess why Ryuji would be here.

"Going back? No way!"

Upon hearing Yamagami Ryuji's suggestion, Saki immediately objected.

"The whereabouts of Yongren's father are unknown, and we still need to go and find him."

"you--"

Enraged by the girl's words, Yamagami Ryuji looked up at the ceiling, but he also understood that Saki was just like that.

After all, they were good friends who had lived together for more than ten years.

"All right,"

Gritting his teeth, the badly dressed mountain god Ryuji decided to go all out.

How are you planning to find people?

"If the plan makes sense, I'll help you this once."

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.

A few minutes later,

The procession moving through the town under the moonlight and streetlights had grown by one more person.

"Ryuji, that move of yours is amazing."

With the addition of this boy, who exuded a bad aura but was actually a 'monk', the three of them moved forward at a much faster pace.

With this extraordinary 'monk' around, there's no need to deliberately detour around 'underworld slaves'; all it takes is to unleash the 'Immovable King Mantra' to render these 'underworld slaves' immobile, allowing them to pass through easily.

"How come I didn't know you had supernatural abilities?"

In response to Saki's question, the blond, slicked-back-haired Yamagami Ryuji patiently explained:
“Some time ago, I went to Mount Koya to listen to Master Shio preach Buddhism; after practicing it a few times, I felt a faint ‘spiritual power’ in my body.”

As the divine tree grows longer, those with exceptional talent can even become extraordinary beings in battle.

After obtaining the Buddhist practice method from the 'Three-pronged Vajra', the monk Zhixiong spread it throughout the island nation.

The threshold of the Ritsukoya Esoteric Buddhism sect is now so high that monks from numerous temples are practically wearing down the place. Keep in mind that Japan has a staggering 33 monks!

Although compared to ascetic practices, the 'supernatural potion' is still faster.

However, having a cultivation method is always faster than relying solely on life-or-death struggles to break through: this is the case with Yamagami Ryuji. Relying on the Buddhist 'cultivation method,' he has already entered the ranks of the extraordinary, although he is at the weakest 'weak dog' level, and he is also a 'magic-type' extraordinary being.

"The 'Immovable King Mantra' can suppress all evil spirits, but unfortunately my cultivation is not high enough, so I can only immobilize them."

As he explained, Yamagami Ryuji led the two through the street.

“I know where you’re going,”

"Be prepared."

In the eyes of Yamagami Ryuji, Tatsuki Hayato's father was already a dead man.

They had no idea about the changes that person had undergone in the past ten years, or rather, in the last few months.

"careful!"

Just as they were making their way forward without any obstacles, Tatsuki Yuuto suddenly rushed forward and knocked away the mountain god Ryuji, who was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

Clang! !

The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing shattered the tranquility of the town, echoing through the night sky!

"Who are you?"

The mountain god Ryuji, who was knocked aside and staggered, turned his head and saw a person wearing a black robe and a white mask, pressing down with a long stick in his hand.

The one pinned beneath the long staff was Tatsuki Yuuto, who was kneeling on one knee with his metal baseball bat raised.

If he hadn't run into them, it would have been Yamagami Ryuji's turn to use his skull:

Go and test the power of that blow!

Judging from Tatsuki Hayato's determined expression, it's definitely not as simple as 'a bag'.

Damn it, have these guys finally made their move?
"Yugo-?!"

"do not move,"

A gleaming samurai sword appeared from behind, held horizontally in front of Saki's neck, making her freeze.

"Who are we? Hehehe~~~"

The man holding the long stick seemed to have heard something amusing and burst into laughter.

"Yamagami Ryuji, weren't you secretly investigating us?"

"What, now that we've shown up openly, are you going to pretend you don't know anything?"

Chance,

While the man in black robes was speaking, Tatsuki Yuuto, who was being suppressed by him, suddenly turned to the side, causing the man's long stick to slide across the metal baseball and slam into the ground with a thud.

At the same time, Tatsuki Yuuto rolled to the side and stood up.

"Are you supervillains?"

"Hehehe, so what if it is?"

With the long staff slung over his shoulder, the masked man in black robes exuded an air of utter confidence.

"Are you going to call the police, or are you going to scream for help? I'll help you—"

"Idiot, shut up."

Another masked woman in black robes, who was holding Saki hostage with a long sword, spoke. Her low, cold voice made the man holding the long stick, "Chi," pause.

"Hmph, you're nothing but..."

Although his tone was displeased, the man with the long stick, who was called 'obsessed', kept his mouth shut.

“You shouldn’t have come back, nor should you have delved into the secrets of this town.”

The masked, black-robed figure behind Saki continued coldly.
"Now, come with us."

How to do?
Tatsuki Yuuto's gaze swept over the mountain god Ryuuji, hoping his childhood friend could create another miracle, but the other had already raised his palm and begun chanting a spell, and the effect was:
"Is this the mantra of Acala?"

The masked, black-robed man holding a long staff stretched his shoulders.

"It feels like carrying a few hundred pounds of extra weight, but that's about it—"

It's over,

In an instant, despair flashed through the hearts of both boys.

The mountain god Ryuji only knows this one move. It's not that the "Immovable King Mantra" is weak, but rather that his magical power is too weak.

As for Tatsuki Yuuto, he was just an ordinary person. Faced with these two mysterious people who didn't seem 'ordinary' at all, what could he do but surrender?
suddenly,

Chen Yueyong felt a chill on his ankle.

Before he could react, a chilling killing intent surged into his mind.

"kill!"

With a roar, Tatsuki Yuuto's eyes suddenly turned blood red as he lunged at the masked man in black robes wielding a long staff. The metal club in his hand swept out with a sharp whistling sound!
???

Clang————

This time, the sound of metal clashing was deafening.

"You bastard, you're a superhuman too?!"

Stumbling backward, the masked, black-robed man with the long staff, who had been repelled, asked in horror.

His answer was another whistling metal baseball bat! If that hit landed, it would be enough to smash an ordinary person into a pile of mud.

brush,

A long sword reached out from the side, wrapping around and pressing down.

boom!
The metal baseball bat, its trajectory forcibly altered, slammed heavily onto the street; amidst the flying dirt and rocks, a dent the size of a washbasin was immediately created.

The black-robed man with the long staff, who had narrowly escaped death, had his brows twitching wildly beneath his mask.

This power is probably at the 'Strong Dog' level!
That can't be right. Could they really be students from Kyoto, all of them superhumans?
"Walk,"

A black-robed man wielding a long sword darted past, his movements swift and decisive.

Without time to think, the black-robed man with the long staff, who was only at the 'dog' level, immediately turned and ran, waving his hand at the same time.

"Stop him!"

"Roar~~"

"Roar~~"

They were dressed as dead people.

The 'underworld slaves,' which looked like corpses no matter how you looked at them, surrounded them from all directions.

Pfft

With his eyes bloodshot, Tatsuki Yuuto swung his metal baseball bat and snapped the neck of the 'Nether Slave' at the front.

However, this was not enough to stop these 'underworld slaves'. These beings, who had no fear and only a few instincts left, continued to advance with firm steps until they were suddenly knocked down by the metal baseball bat!
The boy who rushed into the 'Netherworld Slaves' group was like a madman. The baseball bat caused this, resulting in broken hands, flying heads, cracked chests, and broken waists.

"This is Yuuto?!"

"I...I don't know either."

Seeing their childhood friend unleash his incredible power, both Yamagami Ryuji and Saki were stunned.

(End of this chapter)