I'm a demon in Tokyo!

Chapter 210 New Profound Technique - Sword of No Knowledge! Fang Xiangshi reappears, the second effect of the Lin Word Technique!
In heavy rain.

Two balls of intensely hot flames hovered in mid-air, and the expression on the human head at the very center of the flames grew increasingly agonizing and painful, causing the crimson fire to blaze even brighter.

——【Cong Yuanhuo (two and a half stars)】.

"A two-and-a-half-star demon, how terrifying."

Uesugi Tetsu exclaimed in surprise, "If I had seen you guys at this close range before, I would have been roasted to a crisp."

The two clumps of primordial fire ignored him, simply floating over from the left and right, intending to surround and burn him, inflicting pain upon him.

The heat seeped through the rain and landed on Uesugi Tetsuya's skin.

"But it's a pity."

He reached out and grasped her hand, saying with utmost seriousness, "I am not the same person I used to be."

Boom!

The two clumps of primordial fire spun silently, and as if by prior arrangement, they pounced from ten meters away in an instant!

They evaporate all the moisture along the way, sending scalding steam soaring into the sky.

However, Uesugi Tetsuya, who was targeted by them, did not move.

Or rather, it's already done.

Tick.

The intact raindrops flowed over Uesugi Tetsuya's still-cool fingertips and fell into the incredibly sticky mud at his feet.

Just like the countless raindrops falling from the sky in Edo Castle.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't turn his head to look any further. Instead, he calmly released his hands, put them in his pockets, and walked towards the mansion of the nameless swordsman from his memory.

pat pat pat.

Just as he was about to reach the end of the short street, two eerie white bolts of lightning finally appeared, emerging from the twisted head amidst the two clusters of primordial flames...

Exploded!

Countless streaks of blue-purple lightning surged wildly from the long, narrow crack, illuminating the deep sky of Edo Castle in the rainy night.

[You have killed Cong Yuanhuo (2.5 stars) and gained 272 Soul Ashes!]

[You have killed Cong Yuanhuo (2.5 stars) and gained 251 Soul Ashes!]

[You have obtained the essence of Congyuanhuo!]

Proficiency level hints are almost negligible.

"call……"

The dragon-like aura was gently exhaled by Uesugi Tetsuya, and then dispersed completely with a wave of his hand.

He played with the small red bead in his hand, placing it in front of him with a touch of nostalgia.

"This essence is of much lower quality than the one Nanjo-nee gave me."

Stroking the glass-bead-like surface of the spirit, Uesugi Tetsuya didn't intend to use it to enhance Kaga Kiyomitsu this time.

Even without a bug-level talent skill like "Soul Enhancement" to strengthen itself, a mere high-quality spirit essence wouldn't bring much improvement to Kaga Kiyomitsu now.

Uesugi Tetsu walked straight in the middle of the road.

This time, even though he didn't deliberately walk in the shadows to hide himself, no foolish demons approached him, trying to devour him.

The wandering samurai who roamed the streets and alleys would instinctively change direction as soon as they sensed his presence, and from time to time, hungry eyes, both greedy and terrified, would emanate from the thatched huts.

When Uesugi Tetsu looked up again, he suddenly saw at the end of his line of sight a powerful demon with an exquisitely beautiful upper body, but with eight long, arthropod legs covered in thick, black bristles.

——【Jorogumo (3.5 stars)】.

The woman dressed in silk clothes happened to turn her head and look at him.

Neither of them stopped walking; their eyes simply met.

Uesugi Tetsu's gaze remained indifferent.

Jorogumo bowed her head slightly to him, revealing a pitiful expression.

"This Jorogumo has also grown much stronger during this time."

After confirming that the other party had not followed, Uesugi Tetsu thought to himself.

This is the best thing that could happen.

A three-and-a-half-star Jorogumo is not weak in any aspect.

His purpose in coming here was to find the nameless swordsman, not to sweep away demons and obtain soul ash.

Not only that.

Uesugi Tetsu could also sense that, apart from those few demon warriors, there was another extremely terrifying being in Edo Castle that had not yet shown itself.

Therefore, even though he was strong enough, he did not go out of his way to hunt down the demons within his perception range and commit massacres.

……

Since there were no obstacles in his path, Uesugi Tetsuya, having deactivated his avatar, arrived at the entrance of the nameless swordsman's mansion in just twenty minutes.

Passing over the stone sculpture of a small cat guarding the gate, Uesugi Tetsu gently pulled the doorbell twice.

Boom, boom.

Soon, the door opened.

With a creak, the wooden door opened to both sides, and an even stronger stench of decay rushed into Uesugi Tetsuya's room...

He sniffed it and found that there was no difference in smell.

So, was this stench of decay something he perceived through the clear mirror of his mind?

Sick and aged.

Uesugi Tetsu felt this way upon "smelling" this scent.

Uesugi Tetsu stepped into the courtyard and, just like last time, walked to the wide-open entrance of the dojo.

The empty dojo looked especially desolate in the reflection of the torrential rain.

If you squint again, you can see the nameless swordsman still sitting in the center of the dojo, motionless.

He was still wearing that straw hat.

Just as Uesugi Tetsu was about to step into the dojo, he inexplicably felt a vague and unclear sensation.

It seems that as soon as you step into this dojo, you will be plunged into some unknown terror.

No, that's not right.

Uesugi Tetsuya, grasping this feeling, was startled.

This feeling shouldn't be confined to this small dojo.

Instead, it's the entire courtyard... no!
It has already extended countless miles from the courtyard into Edo Castle!

Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly realized—this was the reason why there were no demons around.

Once they step into this "range," the demons will face an unknown and terrifying attack.

But what is this?
Sword Domain?
However, Uesugi Tetsu had experienced Ririko's sword domain up close, and the sword domain didn't feel like that to him.

Not sure.

But one thing is certain: as a fellow swordsman of the Natural Rishin-ryu school, the nameless swordsman is far stronger than him and Ririko in both strength and swordsmanship.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle to himself.

That's only natural, isn't it?

This nameless swordsman is so old, I wonder how many years he has lived.

How old is Ririko?
He's almost eighteen.

Without giving it any further thought, he stepped into the dojo, causing the edge of the nameless swordsman's hat to tremble slightly.

The hoarse breathing echoed once again in the temple after a long time.

Uesugi Tetsu could clearly feel his waist being looked at, and then he heard a hoarse voice.
"It's only been a few days, and he's already truly embarked on the path of skill and reason..."

The surprise in his voice flashed by, replaced by a smile: "However, as expected of Uesugi Tetsuya..."

The nameless swordsman struggled to lift his head.
"Come on, sit down."

Uesugi Tetsuya didn't say much, and sat cross-legged opposite the swordsman whose skin was dark brown and whose muscles had almost completely disappeared, leaving only drooping bones.

The nameless swordsman said softly,
"Since you have chosen the path of skill versus reason, I am no longer qualified to instruct you."

Uesugi Tetsuya was taken aback.

What does this mean?
As if he had read Uesugi Tetsuya's mind, the nameless swordsman continued speaking without any abruptness, echoing Uesugi Tetsuya's thoughts.
"Because everyone embarks on a completely different path in terms of skills and principles."

Surrounded by like-minded people, the path to enlightenment is fraught with hardship, and one must walk alone...

"The words of others are like the light of fireflies, both real and illusory."

The nameless swordsman's rough veil swayed.

“From now on, no one will be here to help you.”

Uesugi Tetsu nodded silently.

—This might be one of the reasons why Ririko only taught him the general methods earlier.

After letting the downpour continue for a while, the nameless swordsman changed the subject: "However, there is still some profound secret."

He asked, "Uesugi Tetsuya, could you demonstrate the Triple Thrust for me?"

"it is good."

Uesugi Tetsu immediately stood up, reached out, and grasped the invisible "Kaga Kiyomitsu" brought by skill and reason in his hand, casually assuming a starting stance.

For him now, the use of the Three-Stage Strike has become as instinctive as eating and drinking; he can easily unleash it in the blink of an eye without any special technique.

Under the silent gaze of the nameless swordsman, three invisible sword lights emerged from the void and disappeared at the same time and in the same spot.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "An impeccable foundation."

Uesugi Tetsu shrugged: "Every swordsman who dares to embark on the path of skill and reason should have this foundation."

"Ha ha……"

The nameless swordsman suddenly chuckled for no apparent reason: "Uesugi Tetsu, do you know about the Nameless Sword?"

The Sword of No Ignorance is a higher level of profound mystery within the Natural Principles of Mind.

Even when he broke through to the expert level, Uesugi Tetsuya still did not gain any memories related to it.

This demonstrates just how valuable it is.

Uesugi Tetsu nodded: "I've seen people use it before."

—During sparring, Ririko used it in front of him more than once.

The nameless swordsman asked again, "So, what does it feel like?"

"quick."

Without hesitation, Uesugi Tetsu answered, "Unparalleled speed."

The Unknown Sword that Ririko used was much faster than the sword light that appeared out of nowhere in her sword domain.

"That one must be very straightforward."

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Tetsu blinked.

In a sense, that is indeed the case.

The nameless swordsman ignored Uesugi Tetsuya's thoughts. He slowly raised his withered finger, a hint of smugness surfacing in his hoarse voice.

"What I'm going to teach you is based on nothingness."

"—The strongest Unknown Sword."

The nameless swordsman flicked his finger, and two faint sword lights collided before Uesugi Tetsu's eyes.

Then disappear.

"Quickly, we just need to be even faster to counterattack."

“But ‘no’ is different,” he said. “If you can’t even feel it, how can you talk about countermeasures?”

Having said that, the nameless swordsman paused deliberately and asked Uesugi Tetsuya,

"Want to learn?"

"Want to learn."

Without the slightest hesitation, Uesugi Tetsu sat down again, his eyes fixed intently on the nameless swordsman: "Please instruct me on this 'Nameless Sword' concerning 'nothingness'."

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

For some reason, the nameless swordsman, who was standing close by, burst into laughter and clapped his hands enthusiastically: "Then let's go!"

"Since Uesugi Tetsu wants to learn, what reason do I have not to teach him?"

Loud laughter and deep darkness enveloped Uesugi Tetsuya.

Squeak, squeak~
Amidst the chirping of birds, a slightly bewildered Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes again.

But the wooden planks and furnishings in front of him were so new that they didn't look like an empty and decaying temple at all.

The nameless swordsman wearing a straw hat has also disappeared.

He turned his head and saw the bright sunshine and the scene of birds singing and flowers blooming.

Further away, the sounds of children playing could be heard.

What kind of situation is this...?

Before Uesugi Tetsuya could even form a thought, it was abruptly interrupted.

All that remained was that old, sneering voice.

"—Where are you looking, Uesugi Tetsu?"

A moment of trance.

Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes again, and a vibrant scene came into view once more.

What just happened was...

Before the idea could even take shape, a strong sense of impending death filled Uesugi Tetsuya's heart.

His pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively raised his sword to block! But he blocked nothing.

Neck severed, the world spinning.

"The second time."

“That won’t do, Uesugi Tetsuya. You only have one hundred chances… one hundred chances to master this secret technique.”

At that moment, Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly realized what was happening.

—What killed him was the nameless sword of that nameless swordsman!
But it's too late.

Consciousness disappears, then reappears.

Uesugi Tetsu took a deep breath, instantly clearing his mind.

You prefer to start a trial without saying a word, right?

Without any hesitation, he opened his storage backpack and focused his attention on the unremarkable gray incense ash.

Use the soothing incense ash!
In the next instant, death struck again!
But this time, Uesugi Tetsu managed to grasp that fleeting "feeling" in the instant before death.

The fourth time I opened my eyes.

As if in 4K resolution and Dolby Vision, Uesugi Tetsuya opened his arms and smiled and nodded at the nameless swordsman who was nowhere to be seen.
"Come and kill me."

And so the sword light arrived as expected.

Beheaded, then resurrected, beheaded, then resurrected...

Die, die, die, die, die, die.

Uesugi Tetsu has almost lost count of how many times he has died.

All that is known is that this nameless sword, which the nameless swordsman calls "Wu," is truly difficult to track down.

Even with the aid of the soothing incense ash, Uesugi Tetsuya, after dying so many times, only had a tiny bit of clue.

No wonder he was called "the strongest" by the nameless swordsman.

"But a little is enough, isn't it?"

In the bright sunlight, Uesugi Tetsuya opened his eyes and murmured softly.

He didn't raise his hand, nor did he use any force.

There was no warning.

In the void, a sound like the clanging of metal echoed, seemingly an illusion.

Touching his unharmed neck, Uesugi Tetsu grinned: "Senior, how many times is this?"

"...ninety-one times."

"That was really thrilling." Uesugi Tetsu breathed a sigh of relief. "I almost didn't get to learn such exquisite swordsmanship."

crackle.

The sunlight and the brand-new dojo disappeared, and the torrential rain poured down again.

Uesugi Tetsu, who could almost hear the movements of the entire Edo Castle, opened his eyes and saw...
[Because you have experienced ninety-one deaths and learnings within the sword heart of the "Nameless Swordsman," you have mastered the profound essence of the Natural Reason Style—the Sword of Nobunaga: Concealment.]

Ok?
"hidden"?
Shouldn't it be "nothing"?

"Hidden, empty, nothingness—this was the path I explored in the beginning."

The nameless swordsman took a couple of tired breaths: "It's called the strongest secret technique, do you really expect me to learn it completely in the blink of an eye?"

"The road must always be walked step by step."

"So, I guess I was being a bit greedy?"

Uesugi Tetsu smiled noncommittally: "Actually, there's nothing wrong with learning it in an instant. It's just a secret technique, nothing more than drawing and sheathing the sword."

The nameless swordsman suddenly fell silent.

The veil swayed, and Uesugi Tetsu knew the other person was watching him.

"Yes, it's just a secret technique."

The nameless swordsman sighed softly: "Uesugi Tetsuya, you are a strongman, there is no doubt about that."

"Then I must say that you have a very good eye, senior."

Just as Uesugi Tetsu was about to get up and bow to express his gratitude, he saw the nameless swordsman raise his withered hand, signaling him to stop.

"No need for thanks."

The nameless swordsman said, "If you want to be grateful for what you've gained today in the future, then come back when you've taken another step forward."

Uesugi Tetsuya pondered for a moment: "What would be considered a further step?"

"Sword Master".

The nameless swordsman spoke slowly,
"I'll wait for you to become a renowned swordsman."

As the aged voice faded, a pale golden mission prompt appeared before Uesugi Tetsuya's eyes.

[Who in the world doesn't know you? After becoming a master swordsman, come to Edo Castle and find the nameless swordsman. Only then will he accept your gratitude.]

The last time I saw a quest notification related to gold was during Little Jia's legendary quest.

"A swordsman, huh..."

Uesugi Tetsu murmured.

Swordsman, swordsman.

In other words, the nameless swordsman should also be considered a master swordsman.

Come to think of it, this is the first confirmed swordsman I have ever met.

"I just don't know if Kujou Oboroya and Hoshi-nee count..."

Uesugi Tetsu pulled himself out of his thoughts, nodded to the nameless swordsman who was still sitting on the ground, and then turned to leave.

"Let's go through the back door."

The nameless swordsman's voice made Uesugi Tetsuya pause in his steps.

He looked up and understood why he had to go through the back door.

Because, outside the open courtyard gate, stood a red-faced samurai with slanted eyes, carrying a katana.

Fang Xiangshi.

The samurai was idly chewing on a damp straw when he noticed someone looking at him and casually raised his head.

He and Uesugi Tetsu looked at each other across the distance.

Crash.

Distance and the rain did nothing to lessen the oppressive feeling emanating from Fang Xiangshi in the slightest.

asphyxia.

Just being stared at made Uesugi Tetsu feel like his mind and body were about to completely stop.

The nameless swordsman urged from behind, "He won't dare come in, let's go..."

Uesugi Tetsuya did not move.

He could sense that although he was still far inferior to this Fang Xiangshi, he was completely different from when he first started.

At least, he could vaguely sense just how strong Fang Xiangshi was.

It's like falling into water and touching solid ground, so the dark bottom of the water is no longer frightening.

But judging from the other party's expression... it seems they have long forgotten that they once casually killed Xiao Banruo, who had just stepped out of her home.

Uesugi Tetsu stared at Fang Xiangshi, raised his hand, and slowly made a throat-slitting gesture towards the other party.

Only then did Fang Xiangshi reveal an expression of great interest.

For the first time, the samurai with slanted eyes showed a pleased expression, nodded at him, and revealed his undisguised killing intent.

Uesugi Tetsuya didn't look at him again, and quickly turned and walked towards the back door.

—Only someone with a brain would rush up and confront the god-level Fang Xiangshi head-on!

……

Inside the room, still enveloped by the effects of the calming incense ash, Uesugi Tetsuya, wide awake, opened his eyes.

"We have to leave very early tomorrow morning, so it's unreasonable to ask someone to sleep now."

He sat up, listening to the sounds of the game outside, and pulled up his skill panel one by one, pondering which skill to "favor".

After some thought, Uesugi Tetsu looked at the Lin character technique he had just learned yesterday.

"It's just you."

Without wasting a moment, Uesugi Tetsuya took a deep breath and immediately entered the black space containing the ancient silver characters.

The moment the character "临" came into view, Uesugi Tetsu felt a vast and boundless sea of ​​knowledge rushing into his mind.

This was completely different from the difficult and challenging observation session last time.

"Is the effect of calming incense ash really that strong...?"

After several long yet fleeting hours, a refreshed Uesugi Tetsuya finally came to his senses.

—The incredibly powerful understanding effect just now was most likely the lingering influence left by the nameless swordsman's direct guidance with his sword heart.

"This old gentleman is truly generous..."

Wow!
On the back of his right hand, a dazzling silver light stung Uesugi Tetsuya's eyes.

He looked down, took a closer look, and was startled twice.

Mastery level: 5.011%

Five percent?!
One moment of enlightenment and my mastery increased by a whopping 5%?!
Staring at the constantly popping up notifications, Uesugi Tetsuya's mouth dropped open in astonishment—

[Because your mastery of the "Lin" character technique has reached 5%, the effectiveness of your "Lin" character technique has been enhanced!]

[Because your mastery of the "Lin" technique has reached 5%, the cost of using the "Lin" technique has been reduced!]

[Because your mastery of the "Lin" technique has reached 5%, you have achieved a new effect!]

【The Secret of the Character "Lin"】

Mastery level: 5.011%

[Effect 1: After use, a barrier can be created at will.]

[Effect 2: After use, it enhances oneself.]

[—The beginning of all things, the ruler of all things.]

Uesugi Tetsuya intended to casually swipe aside the formulaic effect enhancement prompts, but he soon saw the newly appeared "Effect Two".

Are there any experts? !
The brief introduction piqued Uesugi Tetsuya's interest. He wanted to see what kind of enhancement method this was...

—Rumble rumble rumble!
A loud mechanical roar rapidly approached from the distant sky, becoming almost within reach in just a few seconds, seemingly disappearing from the azure horizon.

Come again? !
When Uesugi Tetsu looked up, he saw a huge, matte iron bird hovering outside the window in the sky.

Helicopter!
They're armed!
The pitch-black propeller left countless afterimages in mid-air, emitting a deafening sound.

The next moment, the helicopter door was violently pulled open, and a burly man whose uniform was almost bursting out of his hand stepped out.

He shifted his gaze and quickly locked it onto Uesugi Tetsuya.

Buzz!

My phone vibrated by the bedside.

When Uesugi Tetsu took a look, he was stunned.

Because such a message popped up above.

[Urgent! This is the vehicle here to pick up Operator Uesugi Tetsuya to support Shizuoka Prefecture. Please get on as soon as possible.]

He looked up at the hovering helicopter again, and his lips twitched violently.

So you're just using me as a drop-in, aren't you?

But Uesugi Tetsuya didn't waste any time.

He flung open the window and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Xiao Jia, let's go!"

Kaga Kiyomitsu, sheathed in his sword, immediately trailed a winding stream of light and landed steadily in his palm.

Uesugi Tetsu leaped into the air and landed perfectly beside the burly man in the helicopter, much to the man's astonishment.

He raised his chin.
"Let's go."

The helicopter then rapidly ascended under terrifying gravitational acceleration, speeding towards Shizuoka Prefecture.

……

After one hour.

Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Above Jundong County Tunnel.

Uesugi Tetsu felt his phone vibrate again.

Upon closer inspection, it was a distress message from Yagyu Akira, an agent from Shizuoka Prefecture whom he had just added yesterday—otherwise, he wouldn't have been picked up by helicopter so suddenly.

However, the person on the other end of the phone is probably not the real person.

Because the tone of voice is completely different.

Uesugi Tetsuya didn't reply with the fifth "Almost there," but instead tossed his phone back into his storage bag.

He heard the man in uniform shout anxiously, "Lord Uesugi! The ground below is about to give way! Where should we hover and lower you down?"

"arrive?"

Uesugi Tetsu looked down and saw the thick, palpable resentment and demonic aura emanating from the mountain forest.

—Among them, there must be quite a few of the big eyeballs that Nanjo had mentioned to him before.

—Now, the food supply for Hyakume-ki, who's already plump and healthy in the gacha pool, is secured!
He patted the experienced Special Affairs officer on the shoulder and gave him a bright smile.

"Then let them look up."

(End of this chapter)