I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 67 A Fisherman Never Misses a Match

"Hey, look at this post."

"A large number of crows are mysteriously circling near my home; I suspect they are supernatural beings like 'crow tengu'."

On the tram, several junior high school students were scrolling through their phones and having an enthusiastic discussion.

"It's most likely because there's a garbage recycling station near his house!"

Others dismissed the question and then presented their own findings:
"I think this is somewhat possible: My dog ​​seems to be looking at me strangely?"

"Don't all dogs look like that?"

These middle school students were engrossed in their heated discussion, oblivious to everyone else, fantasizing about encountering extraordinary beings and then using friendship, love, and charisma to 'subdue' them and make them their shikigami; thus embarking on a crazy life of exorcising demons and saving the world.
As high school students, Akihi Yu and Iori Nao were naturally not so excited: class representative Nao was seriously checking the news, while Akihi Yu closed his eyes to rest.

As for the middle-aged office workers in the carriage, most of them looked numb and completely listless.

Forget about instant success and arrogance. After being toughened down by society, they know perfectly well that these things are not for them. Instead of hoping for such unrealistic things, they should focus on how to get today's work done.

Only when their gaze swept over the young people in the carriage did their expressions soften.

It was as if they were recalling those days: when they were so full of vigor and thought they were invincible.

"Yu-kun,"

"The extraordinary has become the biggest topic of conversation across the entire island nation."

From the overwhelming news on her phone, Nao, the class monitor, could easily tell that the entire island nation was in an uproar because of the government's announcement of the "extraordinary": countless pieces of information about "suspected" extraordinary beings flooded the internet, and the police system must be working non-stop.

Not only in island nations, but in other countries, the headlines and trending topics are all dominated by "extraordinary".

Even with the island nation's government's confident endorsement and videos, the internet is still filled with a lot of skepticism: This is understandable, the world of science is perfectly fine, and suddenly some kind of ghost or god appears, so the vast majority of people can't accept it.

It seems this argument is going to continue for a long time: in fact, most people in the island nation itself are in a state of confusion.

Waking up to find a hundred ghosts roaming the night and supernatural beings descending—is this a joke?

However, office workers still have to go to work, and students still have to go to school.

"If you could gain extraordinary power, what would you want?"

The class monitor next to him suddenly turned around and asked.

Ah this
Shouldn't that be my line?

Opening his eyes, Akihi Yu, who was practicing ninjutsu while controlling his clone, casually answered.

"It's probably a power that can be called 'invincible'."

After giving the class monitor an ambiguous answer, Qiu Riyou stroked her chin.

"Fighting and killing is too troublesome; 'spells' and the like that, which involve waving your hand, are more suitable for me."

"A sorcerer?"

The class monitor put away his phone and stood up.

"Sounds good, but..."

Extraordinary power is not something that can be easily obtained.

Not to mention their ability to 'choose' for themselves.

"I was just saying."

Upon hearing the announcement that they were about to arrive at XXX station, Akihi Yuya stood up.

"These kinds of things are all about fate."

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.

Lake Toya
It is a freshwater lake located in southwestern Hokkaido, Japan.
Near Uchipo Bay, part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park, is also known as the 'Crater Lake'.

As you can tell from its name, this is a lake that was formed in the early 20th century after it was submerged due to frequent volcanic eruptions.

Although located in Hokkaido, Lake Toya is a "non-freezing lake," with its clear waters shimmering year-round. Combined with the surrounding volcanic terrain, it boasts the famous "Lake Toya Onsen," making it Hokkaido's premier tourist destination.

Of course, the locals think: It's just a lake, what's so interesting about it?

Several elderly people living nearby, carrying fishing gear and buckets, walked towards the lake while chatting and laughing.

Lake Toya is rich in rainbow trout and wakagi, both of which are prized fish. However, the elderly enjoy the pleasure of fishing rather than caring much about the catch: otherwise, a day of fishing could earn more than a day of working.

To be honest, they don't need to work. They can make a living simply by renting out their houses as guesthouses.

Why do those "outsiders" like to come here to see the scenery and soak in the hot springs?
"I'm absolutely going to catch a taimen in Lake Toya today!"

"You said that twenty years ago."

A group of elderly people sat down in the shade of a tree. Hokkaido is covered in snow and wind all year round during the autumn and winter seasons, which is the primary reason why the area is sparsely populated.

However, the summer temperatures are cool and not humid, with an average temperature of about 25-28 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for outdoor activities.

A small stool, a hat, a water bottle, a fishing rod, and a toolbox—the equipment was complete.

Next, the old men took out various baits made from a mixture of fermented rice, earthworms, and other odds and ends, first scattering them in semi-circles; then they swung their fishing rods back and forth in the air, drawing arcs, and finally:
"go."

The thin fishing line was cast into the water, the hook gleaming silver in the sunlight, and it quickly sank into the water.

Meanwhile, an elderly man took out a pipe from the last century and then pulled out a bag of tobacco leaves.

"The finest Kanagawa tobacco leaves were sent to me from Tokyo by my grandson."

?

"Give me some,"

"Give me some too~~"

Other elderly people also took out their pipes and offered to smoke for free, even though the tobacco from Fukushima was actually the best.

But for some reason, the elderly no longer dare to smoke the tobacco there.

That's too much force; I can't handle it.

Soon, wisps of smoke drifted from the pipe. A pipe, a bowl of tobacco, and sitting there all day long—this was the daily routine for these elderly people.

After fishing for several hours, the catch was meager. A few small fish in the plastic bucket had already been released, leaving only the larger, adult fish. Several old men began to happily share their lunch: for them, life was nearing its end, and they were just living one day at a time.

Someone set up a small stove, picked out the largest fish, and slaughtered it on the spot, removing the scales, gutting it, and salting it. After a series of skilled procedures, they began grilling it on the spot.

The others took out sake, peanuts, and dried plums. Only the old man who had vowed to fish for taimen remained by the lake.

"Hey, still fishing for your taimen? Come over and have a drink!"

In Lake Toya, a vast freshwater lake, people catch taimen that are two or three meters long every few years or decades. But for the average person, it's just an amusing anecdote. To catch such a behemoth, not only do you need a strong physique, but your fishing rod must also be specially made.

The fishing rod the old man is holding is specially made; he's not just talking about fishing for taimen.

People always need to find some goals for themselves.

"The taimen is already listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, so even if you catch one..."

From under the shade of a nearby tree came the voices of other old men. The old man fishing, however, remained unmoved.
"I know!"

Even if he catches it, he will release it.

As for why he is so obsessed with fishing for taimen?
Perhaps it was something I boasted about to my son when I was young, or a promise I made to my grandson later. I've long forgotten the reasons behind it!

Amidst the shimmering water, a strange shadow appeared and then disappeared.

"Ok?"

The old fisherman was stunned, rubbed his eyelids, and almost thought he was hallucinating.

Gollum~~
Just then, a series of bubbles suddenly appeared underwater.

Immediately afterwards, a tremendous force struck, almost knocking the old man away.

"I've caught a big fish! Help!!"
On the other side, the old men who were eating and drinking all put down their bowls, chopsticks and wine cups.

When they turned their heads, they saw their old friend being pulled into the lake by a fishing rod bent into a bow shape, his feet already in a horse stance.

"Let go!"

"You bastard, are you out of your mind?"

Fortunately, the group was not far away, only a few steps away. An elderly man who was still quite strong rushed over and grabbed the old fisherman around the waist, preventing him from being dragged directly into Lake Toya.

"Can't let go!"

"This is my dream of thirty, maybe fifty years!"

Despite being an old man, he was as stubborn as a 'hot-blooded youth,' gripping the fishing rod tightly as if he wouldn't let go even if he were dragged into the water.

"You rascal. I'll help you too."

"Together,"

Seeing this, the other elderly people rushed over, some hugging her waist, some holding her hand, and some even helping to grab the fishing rod.

"Follow my rhythm, one two, one two, one two!"

A group of old men, like children in a tug-of-war, rhythmically pulled backward while chanting slogans, displaying a burst of 'old-age passion'. It was fortunate that the fishing veterans were using high-tech equipment, otherwise it would have broken long ago.

"Wow, this is heavy! We really caught a big one."

There really was something big underwater. They pulled backward, and the other thing swam forward. Finally:
splash,

A person who is completely soaked?
They dragged me up.

???

"Aaaaaah, a corpse!!!"

"Bullshit, it's still moving. Did it hook up with a diver?"

"How could that be? Lake Toya doesn't offer diving services. I didn't do it on purpose! Hey, you guys have to be my witnesses!"

Seeing that he had caught a "person," the old fisherman panicked, throwing down his fishing rod while trying to explain himself. Noticing the "person" clutching his cheek and writhing in pain, he quickly ran over.

"Red Bean Paste Private Marseille"

"It's all my fault, ah~~ don't move, I'll help you take the fishhook out."

Upon hearing the old man's words, the 'person' lying on the ground opened his mouth in pain and pointed to the inside of his mouth.

"Okay, let me see. Hey, bring me the first-aid kit!"

Upon hearing his words, another old man quickly turned around, ran to the shade of a tree, and brought over a small box.

The box contained not only nitroglycerin and blood pressure medication, but also supplies for treating external injuries: a group of old men were fishing, and if something happened, they might be dead by the time they called for help. Bringing these 'common medicines' was essential.

"Open your mouth wide, that's good."

"Bear with it—"

"Ouch~~"

With a cry of pain, the blood-stained fishhook was removed.

The old fisherman took out a cotton ball, put it into the patient's mouth and pressed it against the wound, while comforting the other person.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's all over now."

"It's all my fault. If you want compensation, please don't hesitate to ask."

Having at least a few rooms, the old fisherman believed he could still afford to lose money thanks to the tourism industry.

"Brother"

"What are you doing? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"No, don't you think this person is a bit strange?"

An old man nearby hesitated before speaking up, explaining that there had been chaos just now, and everyone was busy 'saving people'.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the person lying on the ground was actually a 'naked man'. His muscles appeared well-proportioned, but his greenish skin was too unusual; initially, it had been mistaken for seaweed or something similar, but now it seemed to be something else entirely. Furthermore:

The other party did indeed have 'human' facial features, but with large eyes, a small nose, and a mouth that stretched all the way to the base of the ears. Wait, where were the ears?
"Gululu?"

Helped up by the old fisherman, the strange 'person' stared at him with a pair of eyes covered in black stripes.

The two stared at each other, and for a moment, the atmosphere became extremely awkward.

"Ahem, you."

He glanced at the other man's bald head and the tangled hair that resembled seaweed; his gaze swept downwards, across the turtle shell on the other man's back. After thinking for a long time, the old fisherman finally spoke in a dry voice.

"Kappa?"

"Water God?"

"It couldn't possibly be cosplay, could it?"

Do young people these days have such extravagant ways of having fun?
"Anyway, is there anything I can do to make amends—"

Just as the other old men turned to flee and the old fisherman looked mournful, this naked creature, which looked very much like the legendary 'kappa', twitched its nose.

His gaze fell on the grilled fish on the stove next to him.

"You want to eat this?"

"no problem!"

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.

Where do extraordinary beings come from?

The local police, who were fully armed and had written their wills on the way, arrived.

What I saw was a group of old men curiously surrounding a bald man with a tortoise shell on his back, who was eating heartily.

Human body, turtle shape, Mediterranean hairstyle
What is it if not the famous 'Kappa' from the island nation?
"Officers, you've finally arrived."

An elderly man waved and pointed to the 'kappa' that was eating heartily.

"We caught one. Please take care of it."

Yesterday, the authorities suddenly released some 'Regulations on Countermeasures for Extraordinary Phenomena/Biographies,' and today we encountered the infamous Kappa.

The scene before him made the policeman feel dizzy, and he wondered if he was still half asleep.

"Hello,"

Mustering my courage, I stepped forward.

After thinking for a long time, the policeman finally managed to utter a nonsensical sentence.

Have you eaten?

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.: By the way, I'd like to recommend some books by authors from the same period.
Hogwarts: What bad intentions could Amon possibly have?

Recommendation:
“A certain audience member’s paranoia said I don’t understand human nature, and I think he’s right.”

"So, in order to understand what human nature is, please allow me to conduct a large-scale experiment."

"Hmm...it's normal to find some fun during experiments, isn't it?"

—Amon

So, what bad intentions could Amon possibly have?

(A fanfiction combining the HP and Mystery IPs, written by a veteran author, quality guaranteed.)
(End of this chapter)