I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 288 Regrouping
"Sister Tanimura?"

As Higashi Hidemi leaped onto the roof, she turned around and, sure enough, saw a familiar 'senior'.

For Higashi Takami, the memory of Tanimura Hoshino is still fresh; back then, when Itsuki possessed her body, the two of them happily 'hunted' around everywhere, but they were almost killed by each other - fortunately, Fuji Seiko, the senior from the Extraordinary Countermeasures Department, arrived in time, which allowed Itsuki to 'live'.

"You're a newcomer to the Extraordinary Countermeasures Department?"

Emerging from the mist on the other side, Tanimura Sena glanced at Higashi Takami and Izuki inside her.

"Where are the rest of you?"

"I'm the only one left in the 'Guardian Spirit' squad,"

They lost their commander as soon as they landed, and were then repeatedly attacked; the Guardian Spirit squad has been scattered in all directions, and it's hard to say how many are left.

"And this Yua-nee."

"Ordinary people?"

Tanimura Hoshino frowned slightly.

“No, there’s still a trace of ‘spirit’ on him.”

Those are ordinary people who have lost their 'guardian spirits'. It seems the government has suffered a heavy loss this time.

But what does that have to do with their underworld?

"follow me,"

Two Shiba Inus named 'Mocha' and a military dog ​​named 'Mai' flew back to Tanimura Hoshino's waist and transformed into two long swords that automatically returned to their sheaths.

As the captain of the Underworld, Hoshino Tanimura's strength is steadily improving; at the same time, she also has a 'vice-captain' assigned to her.

"Captain Hoshino!"

A little girl dressed in traditional black underworld attire, with a short knife hanging from her waist, ran out of the mist.

"Little Dove, check if there's anyone else nearby."

"Yes!"

The little girl raised her hand in a salute, looking like she had stolen an adult's clothes and run away; but in fact, she was an old person from the 'underworld'.

How many souls wandering in the underworld were 'ferryed' to Fengdu by her?
It was the former 'White Child', but now he's been promoted and received a raise!

Become the vice-captain of one of the twelve teams in the underworld!

"Kagura's Mind's Eye—"

As the little girl clasped her hands together, a spiritual light shone in her eyes.

In her 'vision', spirits appeared one after another, ignoring terrain obstacles and distance.

Even the surrounding black mist could only suppress her 'vision': however, this battlefield was not large, and it was more than enough to scout the surrounding area.

Ok?
Looking back, the little girl 'Little Dove' had a puzzled look on her face.

She just sensed
"what happened?"

"It's alright, Captain Hoshino, come with me."

Having located a human nearby, Kobato led the group toward that location.

When they arrived from the underworld according to the 'gathering time', all they saw was a city shrouded in mist and superhumans fighting amongst themselves. There was no other way but to gather these people together first before considering attacking the 'ghost city'.

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.

Another battlefield,
Reddish-brown lava flowed everywhere, eroding the earth and carving out huge pits.

If it weren't for the semi-melted high-rise buildings nearby, one would definitely doubt that they were standing on a volcano crater, rather than on a street in the western part of Nagoya.

Clang! !

The crimson longsword slashed down on the five-meter-long spear, brightening the entire battlefield and painting it with a crimson hue.

From the crimson longsword, endless magma flowed continuously, and blazing flames flickered wildly; from the five-meter-long spear, billowing black mist spread everywhere, corroding bones and flesh, and stealing spiritual power and blood!
The one wielding the long sword is none other than Wataru Tanimura, one of the captains of the Underworld. The Zanpakuto in his hand, named 'Inu-giri Crimson Lotus', was forged by 'Totosai' at the request of his master. When he wields it, magma rolls and flames follow, which greatly enhances Wataru Tanimura's strength.

After another clash of swords and spears, as both sides retreated, Tanimura Watari changed tactics.

He plunged the long sword in his hand into the ground, then flicked it forward!
"Big fire-breathing!"

Rumble, rumble~~~
Even though it was a street in a big city, as Tanimura Watari flicked his long sword, the ground suddenly bulged up like a volcano!

Although it was only a 'miniature' volcano about the size of a basketball court, as the protruding 'crater' suddenly erupted, the lava waves rolled and countless sparks of heat immediately sprayed towards the opposite side, just like a real volcanic eruption.

As the crimson flames fell, they transformed into the shapes of fists, dazzling and eye-catching.

Dozens of demon soldiers were unable to escape in time and were struck by the magma containing the power of the bloodline limit. In the blink of an eye, they were completely incinerated and disappeared, their bodies and souls annihilated!
Even a tiny spark can leave a terrifying hole in the body: these evil spirits made of chakra are utterly vulnerable when faced with higher-level chakra.

Let's get rid of those 'ghost soldiers' who are providing cover first! Otherwise, if these ghost soldiers are allowed to exist, even if Tanimura Wataru is not afraid, the remaining government personnel will not be able to hold on. On the street not far behind him, several wounded army superhuman officers formed a circle, protecting their other colleagues.

If it weren't for Tanimura Wataru's timely arrival, the entire Japanese army would have been wiped out!
Faced with the surging lava that was burning and igniting his demon soldiers, the samurai on horseback, spear in hand, pulled on the reins.

"Come--"

The five-meter-long spear was held horizontally and rolled up in mid-air.

In an instant, the surrounding air was rippled, attracting countless dismembered limbs of ghost soldiers, which rolled and gathered towards him.

However, as soon as they got close, these ghost soldiers immediately disintegrated into black ash and dust like charcoal slag; even the black mist that permeated the entire battlefield was drawn in and poured into the spear swirling around by the general!
The spear, which was engulfed by countless ghost soldiers and black mist, immediately emitted a terrifying, shrill, and mournful wail.
Countless figures of men, women, and children were constantly rising and falling on the spears, struggling frantically, as if in an inescapable hell or on the banks of the Sanzu River.

This is 'Dark Chakra,' which is essentially the raw material for constructing 'Zero-Tail,' the sea serpent. As someone's control over 'Dark Chakra' becomes more and more proficient, it has been able to endow 'creations' with the ability to use Dark Chakra, as well as considerable intelligence.

In the face of the strong, there is sorrow, despair, and hatred.
Everything can be transformed into power!

"kill!"

The warrior, having absorbed a large number of ghost soldiers and black mist, transformed into a chaotic cloud, roared.

At the same time, he moved.

With a gentle tap of its legs against the horse's belly, the 'ghost warhorse,' sharing the same mind, spurred its hooves forward.

Tap tap tap tap——

Amidst the thunderous clatter of hooves, the spear, carrying the mournful cries of a thousand souls and the sharp, piercing wails of anguish, streaked across the sky, hurtled toward Tanimura Watari!
This thrust, seemingly casual, was incredibly fast! The word 'kill' had barely left his lips when the spear was already piercing Tanimura Wataru's eyes! It was only because the cone-shaped black trail it left was still spreading, forming a giant, pitch-black cone, that it gave the illusion of a slow movement.

Witnessing this attack, the government's extraordinary officers, hundreds of meters away, turned pale and lost all courage; had they not been so weak-kneed, they would have instinctively turned and fled.

The spear, carrying the final pleas, despair, and curses of numerous evil spirits, struck, and Tanimura Wataru dared not be careless.

He drew a semi-circle with his long sword and met the tip of the opponent's spear with a standard vertical slash!

It was an attack against an attack!
"Dog bites Guren!"

With a single slash, the magma gushing from the longsword bared its fangs and claws, transforming into a giant hound's head; with the force of swallowing a skyscraper, it lunged at the spear-wielding warrior!

boom----

Towering pillars of lava pierced the clouds and rose abruptly from the city amidst wildly flickering flames.

? !
It caused countless people and evil spirits to turn back.

Even the fog that enveloped the entire western part of Nagoya could not conceal the aftershocks of the battle that soared into the sky.

"A fierce battle is taking place over there?" "Fire...no, more like magma-related abilities?"

Go check it out!

Those confident in their abilities rushed toward the towering pillar of fire.

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.

"Ok?"

Ryuji Keikain also looked up at the direction where the pillar of fire shot into the sky, his brows furrowing slightly.

This intensity
It's at least at the level of a powerful tiger; calling it a ghost wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"Ryuji, what's the next step?"

Holding a long sword crackling with lightning, Kakaiin Mami Ryu approached and inquired.

Their battle was over: the 'Demon General' was held back by the two of them, and after the other Onmyoji from the other families dealt with the remaining demon army, they launched a joint attack, and the Tiger-level Demon General finally died on the spot.

The Kakaiin family is well-prepared in terms of techniques, shikigami, and tools; with their combined abilities, it's not impossible for them to gang up on a tiger-level opponent.

Moreover, this 'Ghost General' is essentially an evil spirit and doesn't possess the troublesome abilities of a normal Tiger-level being.

"Let's go take a look,"

"Everyone, maintain formation!"

With a shout, the Hanakain family, having once again repelled an attack, set off.

Is the magma the extraordinary sword forged by 'Daodaozhai'?

Ryuji learned from his sister that the operation was actually spearheaded by the underworld, not the island nation's government: given the series of events that occurred on the summit of Mount Fuji recently, it was easy to guess that people from the underworld had arrived.

Hopefully, the people from the underworld will be strong enough, otherwise this operation will most likely end in failure!

Because of a certain 'most powerful Onmyoji in history,' not only Yu, but also the three veteran Oni-level powerhouses from the island nation dared not act rashly.

Kafka and Master Shio stayed in Osaka to keep watch on Abe no Seimei's movements in Kyoto; if the other side made any moves, the two of them would hold them off until Yu and Yura came to their rescue.

In this way, the task of dealing with 'Ghost Tail City' was undertaken by a large number of mid- to low-level superhumans.

In the minds of others, they only need to deal with the minions, while the big boss will be handled by the three human demon-level powerhouses.

However, Ryuji Hanakain knew that Kafka, Shio, and his sister Yura would not participate in the fight—instead, the people from the underworld would serve as the high-end combat force.

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.

Clang,

The crimson longsword was driven into the ground, leaving the government's extraordinary officers with expressions of despair.

Lost!

Tanimura Watari of the underworld has been defeated!

"Is this the power of 'Oni Shibata'?"

On the contrary, it was Tanimura Wataru, who had lost an arm, who calmly faced the samurai in front of him.

"You're very good, Ghost Messenger."

The samurai holding the spear spoke slowly; it was none other than the renowned Shibata Katsuie.

If you were to ask who the greatest general of the Oda clan was, opinions would certainly vary; but if you were to ask who the fiercest general of the Oda clan was, without a doubt, only Shibata Katsuie could bear that title.

As the man who had been the top general of the Oda clan since the time of Oda Nobuhide, Oda Nobunaga's father; after Oda Nobunaga succeeded as head of the clan, Shibata Katsuie, as a retainer of Nobunaga's younger brother Nobuyuki, witnessed Nobunaga's 'absurd and unruly' behavior and prepared to kill Nobunaga and make Nobuyuki the head of the clan.

He once led his army to defeat Nobunaga's army, and Sasa no Masuke, one of Nobunaga's "Seven Spears of Azukizaka", died at his hands.

However, in the moment of crisis, Nobunaga displayed calm military talent, and by relying on the ambush in the center of the army, he actually reversed the course of the battle.

It was this battle that made Shibata Katsuie realize that Nobunaga was not the 'useless' person everyone thought he was.

Later, Nobunaga forgave his actions and even comforted Shibata Katsuie, saying that everything he did was for the sake of the Oda clan. With his heart convinced, Shibata Katsuie became the sharpest spear in Oda Nobunaga's hands; for decades, he fought in the north and south, and was active on the front line of the Oda army.

In the eyes of this 'Shibata Katsuie', Tanimura Wataru, who could fight him to a standstill with just a katana, was a worthy opponent.

"pity,"

Each serves their own master, so they can only fight to the bitter end.

"It's a pity, but there's really no need for that, after all, I'm not a samurai."

"Woof!!"

"Roar---"

Just as Shibata Katsuie, wielding a long spear, was about to kill the 'ghost' in front of him, two roars mixed with howling winds came from the side!
Clang,

He held his five-meter-long spear horizontally, blocking the two extraordinary canine spirits that rushed towards him!
The immense impact caused Shibata Katsuie's horse to veer a few meters to the side.

"cross!"

Hoshino, dressed in black, leaped over and glanced at Tanimura Wataru's broken arm with concern.

"Why are you so careless?"

"It wasn't an accident, I really couldn't beat them~~"

Tanimura Wataru wasn't embarrassed at all. He wasn't a samurai, and he had lost more battles than he had won in his 'life,' so he didn't feel any regret about it.

So--

The severed arm rose, and blue 'spiritual energy' emerged from it.

A hand formed of spiritual energy reached backward, stretching out towards the crimson longsword that had been knocked away; with a soft "poof," the longsword was pulled out of thin air from the ground and flew back into his palm like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Shibata Katsuie, we'll team up against you, no problem?"

Bang! !

After swiping his spear to shake off the two dog spirits, the demon daimyo named 'Shibata Katsuie' looked at Tanimura Wataru, who was holding a crimson longsword.

And then there was Tanimura Hoshino, whose two dog spirits flew over automatically and transformed into two long swords that fell into her hands.

"I have no opinion."

"Hey, hey, hey, is this the final battle coming ahead of schedule?"

When Higashi Takami/Itsuki, along with a vice-captain named 'Kobato,' arrived at the battlefield, they witnessed a scene of the couple battling the demon general: Tanimura Wataru wielded a crimson longsword amidst surging lava, while Tanimura Hoshino's twin swords were crisscrossed with jagged edges—both were formidable warriors at the Tiger level!

The generals they were besieging were clad in heavy armor, and their warhorses were dark and handsome.

He wielded a five-meter-long spear, creating a black curtain of darkness, and surprisingly, he held his own against two opponents.

"Who is this ghost general? How is he so powerful?!"

However, at least a strong ally came to stabilize the situation.

(End of this chapter)