I'm a demon in Tokyo!

Chapter 183 An Unprecedented Special Qualities, Kaga Kiyomitsu's Spiritual Awakening! The Super Grand Prize of the Seed Battle?

Inside the Special Affairs Department.

Having just "tamed" Xiaoyue Lan to work, and not even having had two days to relax, Nanjo Ai pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance and downed the remaining 2L bottle of water on the table in one gulp.

"call--"

Nanjo Manami tossed the empty bottle back into the corner trash can.

She hadn't even had a few days of good fortune when Uesugi Tetsuya ran into some sick and miserable family member.

All I can say is that it's fortunate it wasn't an embodiment of suffering or suffering itself, or perhaps it was something I encountered in this life...

Logically speaking, it is absolutely impossible for sick and suffering relatives to appear in this world.

Because Dr. Louke has been watching the suffering of patients all the time, for more than ten or even decades.

But outside of this world, it is still very common for sick and suffering family members to be together.

Whether in the vast expanse of the Eternal World or in the "cracks"—that's what the operators who have been to the Eternal World say.

Sick and suffering relatives are like locusts or crickets in the grass and rice fields; you're bound to encounter them if you just take a few more steps.

—Uesugi Tetsu met a family suffering from illness and wanted to know how to deal with their suffering.

This is normal.

Nanjo Aimi thought.

Because he had recently experienced the Red Tide firsthand and narrowly escaped the pain of separation from loved ones, one of the eight sufferings.

"besides."

Nanjo Manami took a can of cola from the army of cola bottles in the freezer next to her desk, and said with a hiss,

"Materials that can help the Spirit Control Technique break through to a higher level are possible, and we currently have quite a few in stock, but it wouldn't be accurate to say that these things aren't rare."

So if you accept that, Uesugi-kun, you won't be requesting any more supplies of materials or pills from the Special Affairs Department for the rest of this month.

—Uesugi Tetsu glanced at the date on his phone.

- 2024.5.25.

Well, there's less than a week left until the end of May.

It's more important to max out the remaining proficiency in Spirit Control Technique.

During the Warring States period, it was impossible to cultivate spirit control techniques, and in the present world, it's not convenient to spare even a few hours of time for that. At present, it's also inconvenient to draw cards.

In summary, it is extremely worthwhile to use up this "share" that is almost imperceptible on a daily basis.

Nanjo Manami: "Are you still in Tokyo?"

"Yes, of course I am," Uesugi Tetsu replied helplessly. "Nanjo-nee, you could find out this by checking your phone's location, right?"

"This is because we're worried about infringing on the operators' personal privacy."

"I think they're just too lazy to investigate..."

Nanjo Manami did not answer, but instead abruptly and decisively changed the subject.
"I'll get things ready here, and you can just come and pick them up later."

The reporting process takes about six or seven hours... but they work 24/7, 365 days a year, so leave a little extra time. Everything will definitely be arranged perfectly for you after eight hours!

Eight hours?

In the Warring States period, that would have taken about five days.

This time is acceptable.

Just as Uesugi Tetsu was about to press the red hang-up button, Nanjo Aimi, on the other side, spoke up as if she had foreseen it.

"Don't hang up! Don't hang up!"

His finger, about to fall, hovered in mid-air.

Uesugi Tetsu blinked: "Is there anything else, Nanjo-nee?"

"Seed Wars!"

Nanjo Manami sighed, her voice gradually shifting from urgent to languid: "I almost forgot to tell you about the Tokyo Seed Battle!"

Uesugi Tetsu glanced at the time and, finding there was still plenty of time, replied, "Isn't this seeding tournament still a while away? Why bring it up now?"

"There is a period of time, and there is a period of time."

Nanjo Manami chuckled.
"The key point is that the grand prize for the top seed, which was previously unknown or even unknown, has recently become clear."

The mention of the grand prize immediately piqued Uesugi Tetsu's interest: "What is it?"

"It seems that the five people felt that everyone was dragging their feet and had no enthusiasm for this seeding battle, so Yin Yang Quan Zhu himself brought out a legendary katana as the final grand prize."

It's something you can get by defeating all your opponents and becoming the champion of Tokyo—

In the silence, Uesugi Tetsu heard the resounding name of a sword come from the other end of the phone.
“Minamoto no Yorimitsu’s Spider Cut.”

"Spider...cut?"

Spider Cutter, whose real name is Hizamaru, was originally one of two famous swords commissioned by Minamoto no Mitsunaka, the ancestor of the Tada Genji clan.

However, it only became famous after Minamoto no Yorimitsu, the son of Mitsunaka, inherited it and, during his serious illness after killing Shuten-dōji, used this sword to kill Tsuchigumo, who came to assassinate him.

From then on, the name "Spider Cutter" spread to later generations.

Therefore, even Uesugi Tetsu was stunned.

No?

Is it possible that a katana with such a reputation, which has been passed down since the Heian period and is likely of legendary status, can be given away as a reward so casually?

He asked incredulously, "The Yuan family is really that generous?"

"Actually, it wasn't the Yuan family who were generous, it was Quan Zhu."

Nanjo Manami, unusually, had few complaints about her superior.

"He's actually a very good person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken on the dual pressure from the Minamoto family and the Onmyōryō, leading a group of new blood to Tokyo to set up a special affairs office."

It's probably a legendary, or at least an epic-level katana, and it must have unique effect attributes attached to it.

"I really want this knife, Nanjo-nee."

Uesugi Tetsu felt that with his current arm strength, he should have no problem holding the knife with one hand.

At that time, I'll use Kaga Kiyomitsu on my right hand and Spider Cutter on my left.

When these two strikes land together, the negative effects above the enemy's head explode to an extreme level, piling up like a mountain!
"Is that so?"

She smiled and said, "In that case, Uesugi-kun, you'd better take this Tokyo seeding tournament even more seriously."

Then, Nanjo Manami lowered her voice and said,

"These opponents are not like that M woman who is now struggling to pick up the documents next to me, who can be easily dealt with."

As Nanjo Manami finished speaking, several messages popped up on Line.

Uesugi Tetsu glanced at the file name and found it to be a simple profile of a seeded opponent.

"Currently, two of the 23 wards in Tokyo have confirmed their roster spots."

"One of us?"

Uesugi Tetsuya downloaded the document and opened it.

Nanjo Manami shook her head: "No, they are Shinjuku and Shibuya respectively—two in Shinjuku and one in Shibuya."

Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes in confusion.

As far as he knew, weren't Shinjuku and Shibuya the most developed and populous areas in Tokyo?
Moreover, it's said that the Five-Man Group and the headquarters of the Special Affairs Bureau are also located in that area.

Logically, the competition between these two districts should be exceptionally fierce.

But unexpectedly, it was the first region to have its roster confirmed and that was the focus of other teams' research.

He started flipping through the documents.

"Shinjuku's seeded players... [Ryuichi Saito] and [Kai Takizawa], both are sorcerers who practice Yin-Yang techniques, but the former is three and a half stars while the latter is only three stars."

Uesugi Tetsu continued reading, then exclaimed in surprise, "Nanjo-nee, why is only [Minamoto Shizumizu] participating from Shibuya Ward? Aren't there supposed to be two or three participants?"

"Ah, what you said has reminded me."

Nanjo Manami said quietly,
"Although Quan Zhu is a good person, he is not so generous as to give away the famous sword passed down through generations."

“So,” she paused, then repeated what her colleague had said a couple of days ago, “this Spider Cutter was probably something he couldn’t bring himself to do, so he thought of giving it to this fourth daughter of the Minamoto family as a coming-of-age gift in such a roundabout way.”

"And this Gen Shizumi, just last night, single-handedly defeated all the seeds and prospective participants in Shibuya Ward."

Only then was her request to compete solo approved.

Uesugi Tetsu carefully examined the documents—

Yuan Jingshui, the fourth daughter of the Yuan family in this generation.

The practice is one of the four extreme breathing techniques, and the current progress is unknown.

At the same time, he has achieved remarkable success in the ancient style "Shinto-ryu", and his outward expression of his state of mind seems to have reached the level of "hundred refinements".

Judging from her record of directly killing multiple three-and-a-half-star demons, her strength is at least on par with the White Bone Wax Statue, and it's normal for her to be even stronger.

In short, even if he doesn't unleash his Rage Burst, it's hard to say who would win against her, even if he were in his Warring States period state.

If he only wore a mask and a jade pendant to maintain his human form, Uesugi Tetsu estimated that he would be slammed to the ground by the opponent in about two or three strikes.

But there are still a month or two before the seeding tournament begins.

No rush, no rush at all.

Uesugi Tetsu: "If I really get first place and take away this Spider Cutter, which is like a gift, will that Onmyo Gonshu secretly make things difficult for me later?"

"He's not that narrow-minded; in fact, he'd probably be quite pleased to see this happen."

Nanjo Manami snorted coldly: "It's long overdue for someone to prove in public that the Four Extremes Breathing Method isn't a panacea."

Uesugi-kun, you, go and kill her.

"Then I'm relieved." Uesugi Tetsu didn't feel much pressure.

Who knows how long he had been cultivating during the Warring States period, or how powerful his demonic avatar would become, a month or two later?

"But if even the four daughters of the Yuan family have participated in the seeding tournament, then aren't there still three ahead of us?"

Seizing the last moment, Uesugi Tetsu asked, "Could it be that the three older brothers and sisters in front of her are actually weaker than her?"

Nanjo Manami was speechless: "The reason why it's called a seed war is to let potential 'seeds' compete against each other and prove themselves."

What's the point of bringing out already renowned powerhouses for the competition?

She said calmly, "Leaving aside Tokugawa Hoshi, whom you have already met, let's take the eldest daughter of the Minamoto family, Minamoto Kokomizu, for example."

He defeated the contemporary sword saint when he was a child, and not long ago he killed the most difficult spirit-type ghost with a single strike when the wave came.

She's not even in the same league as you guys.

"How do you suggest we fight?"

Nanjo Manami countered with a question,

"Are we asking them to come to the kindergarten and bully the weak?"

Uesugi Tetsu's eyebrows twitched as he listened.

Well, another one at the level of a demon god.

—It feels like there are demon-level beings everywhere these days. My combat power in the real world has inflated to this extent in just a few weeks, right?

Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but mentally complain a couple of times.

But he knew that in reality, the other person had been diligently training for a long time, but he had only just learned about it through Nanjo Manami's channels. This was the essence of the saying, "One minute on stage requires ten years of practice off stage."

Moreover, it's quite normal for Yuan Xinshui, as the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, one of the three major families, to possess god-like strength.

It would be strange if none of the strongest members of the younger generation were at the demon-god level.

"Alright, Uesugi-kun," Nanjo Manami advised, "Their battlefield is the Imperial Tournament. Don't overthink it now. Just focus on your training step by step."

She said matter-of-factly, "With your talent, you'll catch up with them sooner or later."

Although Uesugi Tetsuya found it pleasant to hear, he still asked, "Then, Nanjo-nee, why did you register me and Ririko for the Imperial Tournament before the tide even arrived?"

"A publicly funded trip! Didn't I say so before? The Special Affairs Department has so much funding, why not take advantage of it!"

Nanjo Ai-mi spoke with righteous indignation.

That seems to be true.

Uesugi Tetsu clicked his tongue and looked at the nine minutes that had passed: "Then, Nanjo-nee, see you at the Special Affairs Department in eight hours."

"No, no!" Nanjo Ai said in a harsh tone. "I finally get a little time to relax, don't pass on your troublemaking nature to me!"
"At the very least, we'll talk after I finish my hotpot tomorrow morning!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she slammed down the phone.

Uesugi Tetsu put down his phone and shrugged.

—Well, that's fine then. It's just a matter of getting something anyway.

Moreover, it's time for Nanjo-nee to take a good rest for a couple of days.

"Fortunately, everything went smoothly according to plan without any hiccups."

Uesugi Tetsu once again took out the Key of History, wondering if it was because he had encountered a Zashiki-warashi.

……

In the dilapidated temple on Whale Mountain.

When Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes, he saw the door, its protective energy intact and completely still.

"The water pressure is almost nonexistent."

He considered his words about "divination in the room" for a moment, then put on a faint smile and pushed open the door.

As soon as the door was opened, Imagawa Yoshimoto, who was sitting by the door, immediately stood up, his tone slightly anxious and expectant.
"Che-jun, what were the results of the divination?"

During the long wait, the girl had temporarily removed half of her diaper and placed it aside, so her hair was now loose.

His appearance, half dressed in black with full breasts and half in short sleeves, gave him a unique and heroic air.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't look at it for long, and slowly said, "Although the journey is extremely dangerous, the future is vast, much broader than the entire world today."

"The journey is fraught with danger..."

Imagawa Yoshimoto repeated these words softly, his gaze hardening once more.

She smiled and said, "Throughout history, which famous monarch has had a smooth path to power?"

When Uesugi Tetsu saw her grasp his hand, he said earnestly,
"Chejun, I will accept all the hardships that are bound to come and use them to temper myself."

Gazing at Imagawa Yoshimoto, who was not tense or anxious at these words, but rather amused by them, Uesugi Tetsu suddenly remembered a sentence.

As the saying goes,
—He who bears the nation's shame is the master of the state; he who bears the nation's misfortune is the master of the world!

Imagawa Yoshimoto may have already embarked on this path.

She casually released Uesugi Tetsu's wrist, then looked at the zashiki-warashi who was still focused on forging iron, not even slightly distracted by the external changes.

"Che-kun, Zashiki Tenko's forging may be nearing completion."

Uesugi Tetsuya also turned his gaze to the sparks flying from the anvil.

—The zashiki-warashi, with only a soaked cloth wrapped around his chest and his whole body covered in sweat, had an icy expression as he raised a heavy iron hammer that looked incredibly heavy.

Then, again and again, mixed with the flickering flames of good fortune, it struck towards Kaga Kiyomitsu's blade—

Smash it with all your might!

Every strike was delivered with all one's might!

At the same time, the angle of each hammer blow is impeccable!
Uesugi Tetsu could see that the dazzling golden light emanating from Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was lying on the anvil, had spread to more than nine-tenths of his body and was about to envelop the tip of the blade.

boom!
Tiny sparks flew and scattered between the black iron hammer and the motionless anvil.

boom!
The flames of Fukuzawa fell like raindrops, causing Kaga Kiyomitsu, enveloped in brilliant gold, to tremble violently.

"Give it to me... okay!"

The Zashiki-warashi murmured unconsciously, its eyes reflecting the last glimmer of silver blade tip. It took a deep breath and raised the iron hammer in its hand high.

boom!
The heavy hammer fell, silencing all unnecessary noise.

Everything has calmed down!

Wow!

A burst of intense golden light erupted, followed by the sound of the Zashiki-warashi as if it were about to collapse.

“Mr. Prajna, I am…”

"—I have lived up to your expectations!"

Stunned by the intense golden light, Uesugi Tetsu didn't think twice and quickly went to the Zashiki-warashi, helping her up from where she was about to collapse to the ground.

Uesugi Tetsu looked down and saw a pale face radiating joy and smugness.

"Mr. Hannya, why don't you check on Kagami first?" Zashiki-warashi smiled weakly. "Just leave me aside and let me rest."

She chuckled: "We blacksmiths are very durable!"

buzz~
As the Zashiki-warashi finished speaking, Kaga Kiyomitsu stood up abruptly from the anvil.

Then, it slowly floated in the air and then slipped into Uesugi Tetsuya's palm.

Uesugi Tetsuya supported the zashiki-warashi with one hand, staring blankly at the quality he had never seen before.

【Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Farewell】

[Quality: Epic → Epic+++!]

Can an epic be followed by three "+" signs?

How come this hasn't become an epic title yet?
Or was there originally only a "+", and this "+++" is purely because the Zashiki-warashi's forging skills are too strong?
He noticed that "Epic+++" was still glowing faintly, so he clicked on it with his mind.

【Epic+++: This is an extremely special quality, forged only by highly skilled artisans using special materials. It is not counted between the "Epic" and "Super Epic" quality levels.】

Now I understand.

This extraordinary quality is a miracle achieved only by combining a Zashiki-warashi (a type of Japanese house spirit) that has been preserved here for hundreds of years with this piece of qualified spirit gold.

Uesugi Tetsu gently helped the zashiki-warashi to a nearby temple pillar.

Then, he continued to look expectantly at Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was trembling slightly with pleasure in his hand.

Soul Points: 0

Hmm, there's an extra line of text that I don't understand.

But no rush, let's finish reading first.

[Effect 1: Thrust Enhancement - Extreme.]

Effect 2: Soul Severing → Soul Absorption and Soul Severing (Unique)!
When using Kaga Kiyomitsu's Blade of Parting to slay demons and monsters, Kaga Kiyomitsu's quality will be enhanced more efficiently!

Additionally, when slaying demons, you can choose to forgo obtaining Soul Ashes and convert them into Kaga Kiyomitsu's "Soul Points".

Consuming Soul Points can enhance and upgrade various effects of Kaga Kiyomitsu.

Uesugi Tetsuya opened his mouth slightly; if he wanted to drink water, he would have sprayed a mouthful of water all over Kaga Kiyomitsu.

So that's what the Soul Points are used for!
Accumulating enough Soul Points can actually enhance the effects on Kaga Kiyomitsu?

This, coupled with Kaga Kiyomitsu's enhanced Zanpakuto effect...

That's more than outrageous.

Just outrageous!
It can be said that Kaga Kiyomitsu now comes with a "deep blue panel" by himself!

Actually, seeing this, Uesugi Tetsuya was already completely satisfied.

The "Soul Drain and Spirit Severing (Unique)" effect alone is enough to justify its epic+ quality!
But perhaps, it's not just that.

[Effect 3: Slash Enhancement - Extreme.]

Effect 4: Blazing → Blazing Blessing. When using Kaga Kiyomitsu's Blade of Parting to slash, the enemy will continuously suffer both physical and mental damage.

At the same time, there is a slight probability that it will improve your luck for a period of time.

The change in the intensity of the flames is likely the result of the Zashiki-warashi using the hammer to drive the blessed fire down.

This is something only a Zashiki-warashi can do.

Seeing this, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but turn around and look at Zashiki, who was being taken care of by Imagawa Yoshimoto and couldn't suppress her big smile.

I feel like I owe her a huge favor.

How am I supposed to pay it back?
Uesugi Tetsuya had a headache.

[Effect 5: Farewell Blade (unique).]

[Effect Six: Refined to the same. Kaga Kiyomitsu's toughness and hardness are greatly increased, making it extremely difficult to break. At the same time, Kaga Kiyomitsu will become more adaptable to forging.]

Glancing past one of the key figures who shaped Kaga Kiyomitsu into his current state, Uesugi Tetsu looked toward the last, and only, newly appearing notification.

[Effect Seven: Spirit. After enduring the trials of time, drinking the blood of countless demons, and being forged by the Zashiki-warashi, the spirit of Kaga Kiyomitsu: The Blade of Parting has finally awakened to its fullest potential.]

[—This is the blade that slays the eight sufferings, especially separation from loved ones. Forged by the preparatory celestial craftsman, the Zashiki-warashi, it has fully awakened its own spirituality and is far stronger than before.]

Spiritual awakening?
Why is there a riddle-solving effect description here?

Uesugi Tetsu carefully read the introduction to "Spirit".

Then, he shook the Kaga Kiyomitsu sword in his hand, which, apart from the faint golden light emanating from its blade symbolizing good fortune and trembling more violently, seemed to be no different from before.

Uesugi Tetsu looked him up and down again, but still couldn't see any fundamental change.

Conventionally speaking, the effect of a single word is particularly powerful.

For example, the "rage" that the four-tailed fox transforms into.

So he flicked the beautiful blade of the sword—so exquisite that it could instantly attract the attention of all the swordsmen around him just by being drawn—with his finger and asked curiously.

"Little Jia, where have you awakened?"

hum~
Kaga Kiyomitsu swayed the blade from side to side.

Uesugi Tetsu asked, puzzled, "Didn't you make a buzzing sound before?"

Buzz!
Kaga Kiyomitsu was displeased by the earthquake.

Then, it suddenly flew out of his palm, buzzing as it raised its pale and golden blade high towards him.

It was as if a spirit was gripping the hilt of its sword from behind.

Uesugi Tetsuya was dumbfounded.

What if your own sword flies up and tries to kill its master?
Very urgent, waiting online.

Seeing this, Kaga Kiyomitsu happily spun around in mid-air a few times, and after a moment he made two high-frequency buzzing sounds, as if he was saying something to him.

It was only then that Uesugi Tetsu realized with astonishment.

In his heart.

Surprisingly, another extremely faint heartstring was connected, one that could not be detected without calming the mind and perceiving it!
(End of this chapter)