I'm a demon in Tokyo!

Chapter 217 Grand Master, do you remember me?! Secret Realm Rewards: An anonymous individual tied for first place!
[You have been detected to have entered a special area: Projection Realm (Late Muromachi Period/Sengoku Period)!]

In the vast, white secret realm, a long-awaited mission notification suddenly popped up, causing Uesugi Tetsuya to pause in surprise.

Has the system classified this Warring States Secret Realm as the mortal realm?
Uesugi Tetsuya exclaimed "Huh?" and used his mind to bring up the map options for those who could descend.

Then you discover a brand new option behind the dimly lit [Edo Castle], [Arakawa Ghost Village], [Kisaragi Station], and the gray [Sengoku Period].

——【Projection Secret Realm (Late Muromachi Period & Sengoku Period)】.

He was lost in thought.

If that's the case, then doesn't that mean I don't need to reach out and touch the vortex of the secret realm like everyone else to enter?

Or is it about being able to "work remotely" from anywhere?
This is so much more convenient...

Before Uesugi Tetsuya could finish his thought, he suddenly realized that the important point was not that.

The real point is that everyone else only has three lives and three chances to challenge!
—And he gets two challenge attempts every day!

Uesugi Tetsu laughed: "Aren't you even going to put on an act anymore..."

The hints don't stop there.

This area has forty-two floors. Upon first clearing floors ten, twenty, thirtieth, and fortieth, you can choose one of three random rewards, with the rewards increasing progressively!

[Furthermore, you will receive a special and unique reward when you are the first person to completely clear this dungeon!]

[Special Rule: When you are in the Projection Realm, the combat proficiency gained is greatly increased!]

Uesugi Tetsuya ignored the prompt.

He sat up and turned his head, but saw nothing except for the thick fog not far in front of him.

The other three sides were all a vast expanse of white, but for some reason he knew that fifty meters away was the "boundary" of this level.

"It seems that this fog is essentially a safety barrier before each layer of battle begins..."

After confirming that the projected enemies in the secret realm would not appear immediately, Uesugi Tetsuya began to read the newly appeared prompts.

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

The secret realm has only forty-two floors, and Saito Ryuichi had already conquered up to the thirty-ninth floor.

With only three levels remaining, Saito Ryuichi will be able to completely conquer this Sengoku Projection Secret Realm.

But if what Mr. Y said earlier is true—that every ten floors correspond to one star level, then wouldn't there be god-level beings above the fortieth floor?
Even without that, the difference in combat power between the projections of the powerful figures on the last few levels would probably be quite significant.

"But I'm only on the first floor now, so there's no use thinking about it. Wasn't Saito Ryuichi also electrocuted and screaming by that lightning-wielding projection on the fortieth floor..."

Uesugi Tetsu clicked his tongue, pondered the "projection that is skilled in using lightning magic" for a moment, and wanted to step forward and reach out to touch the edge of the thick fog.

Touch the dense fog to begin the challenge.

—After entering the secret realm, he learned of this rule at some point.

[The existence of the Top 100 Creations related to the Projection Realm has been detected.]

[The higher your ranking on the top 100 list when the secret realm closes, the richer the rewards you will receive.]

"Is this okay?"

A piece of paper that Mr. Y casually tore off could actually be accepted by all the prompts.

This is no longer a question of whether it is powerful or not, but rather something strange and bizarre.

It's absolutely bizarre!

—I'll ask Nanjo-nee later who this "Y" is, the head of the countermeasures office.

As soon as the notification popped up, Uesugi Tetsu's finger had already touched the thick fog.

In an instant, the thick fog that had blocked all perception and observation suddenly dissipated, revealing the figure on the other side of the fog.

He had no choice but to temporarily withdraw his attention, grip Kaga Kiyomitsu tightly, and stare seriously straight ahead.

The next moment, what appeared in Uesugi Tetsu's field of vision was a middle-aged farmer who was thin, malnourished, and holding a rusty pitchfork.

There was no spiritual power, no internal energy, and not even a trace of internal energy.

The farmer, wearing only a thin, earth-colored linen cloth that was practically nonexistent, was staring intently at Uesugi Tetsuya, his eyes brimming with inexplicable killing intent and resentment. He immediately charged forward with a hoarse roar.

"what?"

Uesugi Tetsuya, who was just about to draw his sword, was stunned.

Can ordinary people whose combat power is inferior to Tamamo be projected into the secret realm?

Instead of killing the opponent with a single blow, he raised his hand and used his materialized qi to bind the farmer inch by inch in an instant, then lifted him up, causing him to shake his head and spit out saliva in mid-air.

Perfect timing! We can also take this opportunity to study the Eye of Interpretation and observe this secret realm further.

Uesugi Tetsu took two steps back, slightly widening his eyes as he looked at the farmer who was struggling with all his might, but to no avail.

The eye of interpretation opens.

In an instant, all the farmer's movements slowed down as if they had entered bullet time.

Besides, the farmer had only blinked once when Uesugi Tetsu discovered that he could already "see" the expression on the farmer's face after the tenth blink.

It is a preview.

The Eye of Interpretation greatly enhances the effectiveness of pre-reading!

It even made the mirror in his heart more acute, clearer, and brighter, able to reflect things far more obscure than before.

The "Insightful Eye" significantly enhanced his observational skills, marking a clear improvement.

Uesugi Tetsu looked the farmer over and then walked to the "boundary" and tapped it with his finger to confirm its existence.

He brought up the panel again and found that he could not enter or leave the secret realm at will. He would probably only be automatically sent out if he died.

This also explains why Saito Ryuichi did not choose to immediately re-enter after his first attempt failed.

Because Saito Ryuichi only has two challenge attempts left.

"Although we don't know the flow of time here compared to the outside world, the concentration of spiritual energy in the secret realm is much higher than in ordinary places in the real world."

After sensing this, Uesugi Tetsuya tried to activate his Spirit Control Technique, absorbing the rich spiritual energy from the surroundings into his body like a whale swallowing its prey.

A few minutes later, Uesugi Tetsuya stared at the untouched proficiency level on the Spirit Control panel and fell silent amidst the farmer's hoarse roar.

This bug doesn't seem to be able to be exploited.

Uesugi Tetsu sighed and looked again at the farmer, who was bound hand and foot with his internal energy and exuded murderous intent.

"There's no other way but to start killing."

With a flick of his finger, a sharp, weapon-like aura pierced through the farmer's skull.

As the farmer's voice abruptly ceased, Uesugi Tetsu's vision blurred, and he saw the rising fog once more.

We've arrived at the second floor.

He touched the thick fog in the same way and then saw an ordinary foot soldier holding a spear and wearing light armor.

Apart from being physically stronger and having upgraded equipment, they are no different from farmers.

Without further ado, Uesugi Tetsuya flicked his finger again and arrived at the third floor.

……

After casually unleashing a bolt of lightning that blasted the roaring, charging ordinary samurai into charred remains, Uesugi Tetsu looked at the reward notification that popped up in front of him.

You have cleared the tenth level of the Projection Realm. Please choose one of the following three rewards.

【Part 1: The Scroll of Dharma Demonstration (Fragment)】

Part Two: A Brand New Pitcher

【Three: Light Foot Armor】

Uesugi Tetsu: “…”

"Well, it's not bad."

You have obtained the Fragment of the Spellcasting Scroll.

After clicking on option one, Uesugi Tetsu put the scroll worth 100 proficiency points into his storage backpack.

Except for the first time which took a little longer, the subsequent nine floors were all cleared in one move.

Although I didn't gain many proficiency points because my opponent was too weak, I got a spellcasting scroll in just one minute, so what more could I ask for?

Uesugi Tetsuya still knows how to be content.

The projections on the eleventh to twentieth floors have a combat power range of one to one and a half stars.

Even a samurai or a demon of this caliber would be instantly killed by Uesugi Tetsuya.

no difference.

Only Uesugi Tetsu's Five Thunder Technique output power increased slightly.

So, after rampaging through the battlefield, Uesugi Tetsuya, who was preparing to collect his loot, saw the pop-up reward notification again.

[You have cleared the twentieth level of the Projection Realm. Please choose one of the following three rewards.]

【Part One: The Scroll of Dharma Demonstration】

【Two: Ordinary Plain Gun】

【Three: Heart-protecting mirror】

Subconsciously, Uesugi Tetsu wanted to click on the spell scroll.

But his gaze was immediately drawn to the "ordinary plain gun" below.

"This thing... is really good."

Uesugi Tetsu raised an eyebrow slightly—compared to the 500 proficiency points that could be earned through grinding, these rare and replaceable weapons and items were more useful.

You have obtained a basic, unprocessed gun.

Having chosen his reward for breaking through to the twentieth floor, Uesugi Tetsuya took a deep breath.

The road ahead will not be so easy.

Open your eyes and touch the mist.

——【Blurred and swollen (two and a half stars)】.

A humanoid figure, its entire body covered in purplish-black skin and filled with an unknown amount of translucent pus, stood swaying before Uesugi Tetsuya.

Suffering from illness and family members; swollen and swollen.

"This is really like running into an 'old acquaintance'..."

Uesugi Tetsu sneered.

During the Warring States period, the environment in the Kingdom of Sanhe was severely polluted, largely due to the presence of swollen cells containing thousands of viruses.

However, compared to its powerful ability to destroy the environment, Oborozumi's own combat strength is utterly pathetic.

He didn't even draw his sword, because he didn't want to dirty Kaga Kiyomitsu's blade.

Uesugi Tetsu held his breath and, with the high-speed operation of the Spirit Control Technique and the Five Thunder Technique, drew out a constantly surging, pale white lightning dragon in his palm.

Then, with perfect precision, it seized the moment just before Oboro exploded, and at its weakest moment, it had the Thunder Dragon envelop it!

[Your skill, Five Thunder Method: Qi Combination Proficiency +34!]

[Your skill, Spirit Control Technique - Qi Proficiency +18!]

……

[Your skill, Natural Rational Flow proficiency +5! ]

[Your skill, Spirit Control Technique - Qi Proficiency +22!]

……

The projection secret realm, the thirtieth floor.

[Your skill, Natural Rational Flow proficiency +9! ]

[Due to your extensive combat experience and your presence within the projection realm, your trait, Sword Principle (1%), has changed!]

[Your trait, Sword Principle (1%), has now been changed to Sword Principle (2%)!] "This can increase?"

After once again slaying his younger brother Ii Naomori, who had become much stronger than the last time they met, Uesugi Tetsu slowly calmed his internal energy and blinked in astonishment.

Can skill and reason really change during battle?
He had no idea before.

After sensing the change in his feelings, Uesugi Tetsu's eyes lit up.

This place is truly a treasure.

Not only does it give him proficiency and treasure rewards, it can even improve his skills and reasoning, which are usually very difficult to progress in. If he were outside this place, where would he find such a good thing!

Once his Qi Sea had calmed down and his spiritual energy was fully replenished, Uesugi Tetsuya, having caught his breath, looked expectantly at the three-choice reward for clearing the thirtieth floor.

The reward for clearing the 20th floor was already of "rare" quality, so it's time for something better.

[You have cleared the 30th floor of the Projection Realm. Please choose one of the following three rewards.]

【Part One: Records of Dharma Teachings】

[Records of Dharma Teachings]

[Quality: Epic]

[Effect: Grants 1000 proficiency points to the specified skill upon use. The effect is not diminished when used on expert-level or higher skills.]

Time, though seemingly endless, passes in the blink of an eye.

"So, the spell scroll causes a loss when used with expert-level skills?"

Uesugi Tetsu nodded thoughtfully, thinking to himself that it was fortunate he saw the hint here, otherwise he would definitely have lost out in the future.

【Two: Anchor】

Anchor (Special Item)

[Quality: None]

[Effect: Placing it in the Qi Sea will greatly enhance its stability. It will also produce unknown beneficial effects depending on the specific Qi Sea.]

—An anchor, used for positioning.

Items related to the Qi Sea...

Unsure, let's take a look further.

【Part Three: The Substitute Doll】

[Quality: Epic]

[Effect: After the user writes their true name in blood on the "Substitute Cloth," they can be resurrected once by a doll upon death. This effect is ineffective against beings of five stars or higher. It cannot overcome the barrier between the mortal and ordinary worlds.]

[——Where to place the doll is a question.]

Alright, now it's obvious who to choose.

Uesugi Tetsu already had a substitute doll that he hadn't used yet, and the one in the reward would become invalid if it was killed by a five-star being, while the one in his hand was one star higher.

You have obtained the Anchor (a special item)!

After selecting option two, a completely transparent triangular crystal fell into Uesugi Tetsuya's hand.

Although it's called an "anchor," it looks nothing like a ship's anchor; instead, it resembles a cheap plastic toy, making one wonder how effective it really is...

Uesugi Tetsu brought it close to his eyes and used his Eye of Decipherment to examine it for a while, but he still couldn't figure it out.

It can only be said that most special props are like this.

It looks ordinary, but when you actually use it, you'll find it has a completely different and amazing effect.

Uesugi Tetsuya temporarily tossed it into his backpack and continued his ascent to the thirty-first floor.

……

At this moment, what Uesugi Tetsuya didn't know was—

Mr. Y probably had some extra free time after arriving at his destination, so he updated the top 100 list remotely.

With the update now completed in a single refresh, the top 100 list is no longer updated only after the entire challenge has ended.

Instead, it's settled in real time.

The same applies to the stone tablet in front of the vortex in the secret realm.

Therefore, this included Tamamo and Yagyu Akira, who were waiting for Uesugi Tetsuya to emerge in front of the stone tablet, as well as countless operators who were paying attention to the newly emerging rankings in the Special Affairs Bureau APP, and even some busybodies.

Anyone who is watching the almost unchanged top 100 list can see that "Anonymous Person No. 666" is climbing up the current bottom line of the top 100 list - the 25th floor - at a terrifying speed!

Twenty-six, twenty-seven... In less than three minutes, this anonymous person, number 666, had climbed to the thirtieth floor.

That's not all.

After a pause of several tens of seconds, Anonymous Person No. 666 resumed his rapid ascent, reaching the thirty-fifth floor at an average rate of one floor per minute.

He has surpassed Yagyu Akira, who was originally ranked fourth, and is now tied with the third anonymous person on the current top 100 list.

Yagyu Chi stared at his declining ranking, but instead of being discouraged, his eyes revealed an expectant expression: "There are so many strong people in Hamamatsu City right now."

Tamamo glanced at him but didn't say anything.

What powerful expert... She looks exactly like Brother Uesugi who just went in to challenge the secret realm!
Saying they didn't participate in the top 100 ranking? Hmph, nobody would believe that!
Looking up at the glittering "thirty-five floors," Tamamo couldn't help but think of herself, who had been defeated and sunk on the second floor.

She used every trick in the book, even her teeth, to kill the old man with the pitchfork.

As a result, a much stronger guy came from the next floor and stabbed her through the heart with a spear.

Damn it!
Tamamo touched her flat chest with lingering fear, then looked up again, hoping that the "thirty-five floors" could grow a few more times.

The girl clasped her hands together, silently praying, "Brother Uesugi, please stomp on that Saito's head hard..."

Although Tamamo, who was well-versed in all kinds of intelligence, knew that such a thing was unlikely to happen.

Because that's Saito Ryuichi...

Meanwhile, the potential seed group in Arakawa Ward is bustling with activity.

The group, which usually only sends a few messages a day, exploded with excitement because of a top 100 list.

The newbies in the group were discussing – if everyone in our Arakawa area tried it, who could get the highest ranking?

[Hattori Ayako: Uesugi-kun. 】

[Akechi's general: It must be Uesugi-senpai!]

There's only one truth: to be honest, it really is Uesugi-kun.

Everyone in the group was shocked, not because they were surprised by the unanimous agreement.

But who exactly is this Uesugi-kun?

Next, "General Akechi" began to list, as if reciting a familiar story, all the deeds of Uesugi Tetsu that were publicly recorded in the Special Affairs Bureau's mission log.

"I don't think so."

Kitano Runa chuckled, temporarily left the group chat, and clicked on the blue avatar filled with the ocean.

[Never be a loser! :Poke it.jpg]

【Never be a loser!: Ririko! That top 100 ranking seems really popular lately, they're gathering geniuses from all over the world for trials. I bet Uesugi-kun will definitely go there too, why don't you go and show off your skills?】

As a seasoned "glass catcher" on LINE, Kitano Runa deliberately added the keyword "Uesugi-kun" to her words.

Otherwise, Ririko might not even bother to reply to such trivial trending topics.

But this time she miscalculated.

Ririko turned her gaze away from the top 100 list and the pop-up message about Kitano Runa, her heart as calm as still water, without the slightest ripple.

She simply wore her Taoist robes and continued to practice alone in the empty Taoist temple.

Spiritual practice.

A solitary spiritual practice.

An endless journey of spiritual practice.

Most ordinary people cultivate themselves for what? Money, beauty, power, a stronger body, and the sense of security that they won't be killed by demons.

And so on and so forth.

But Ririko is different.

She prides herself on being different.

Being able to practice swordsmanship, cultivate oneself, and continue on this path is enough.

"Everything else doesn't matter."

The eighteen-year-old girl closed her eyes and murmured softly, as if emphasizing something.

"—If you want to go, that's fine with me."

In the Special Affairs Office, Nanjo Ai shrugged, having finished half a day's work and gotten a precious break.

She scrolled through the forum, which seemed to have exploded, and chuckled: "This kind of effect, like a virus invasion... without a doubt, it must be Y's doing."

Nanjo Ai used her toes to tap the shadow beneath her.
"Xiaoying, if you go, take Xiaoru and Rihefang out for a walk too, so they can get some fresh air. Don't stay cooped up in the office all day like me, or you'll go crazy."

A startled cry came from the shadows: "How could you say something like that? As expected, Ai-mi, your mind has gone mad!"

Nanjo Manami crossed her arms dismissively and crossed her long legs: "Anyway, I'm about to get a promotion and a raise, so being stuck in the office is just a thing of the past."

—At the foot of a desolate mountain in Kanagawa Prefecture.

The massive, muscular Red Prajna was decapitated, and the shimmering blue demon sword drank its fill of blood.

Yuan Jingping calmly took out a handkerchief from her waist and wiped the bloodstains from her cheek. During her rest, she listened quietly to the servants behind her reporting the day's news.

"Top 100 Ranking of Secret Realm Challenge? Such an empty title is nothing but..."

"Hmm? Saito Ryuichi is number one?"

"Is there another anonymous person who has tied for first place with him?"

"Get the car ready, right now! I need to get to Hamamatsu City as quickly as possible and crush them all."

……

Ten minutes ago, in the projection secret realm.

"Grand Master..."

It took Uesugi Tetsuya a full ten minutes to recover his strength. He reached out and touched the edge of the mist, where he saw that familiar figure as tall and strong as a mountain.

He gripped the hilt of Kaga Kiyomitsu's sword tightly and slowly raised it.

"This time, I can win without using my rage."

To Uesugi Tetsu's surprise, the Great Master, who was not far away, did not roar and charge at him like the humans or demons on the previous thirty-eight floors after he opened his eyes and stood up.

Instead, she stared at him blankly, and gradually a look of great confusion appeared on that huge face made of wood and stone.

This anomaly heightened Uesugi Tetsuya's vigilance once again, preparing him to unleash the Mumei Sword at any moment.

In the suffocating silence, Uesugi Tetsu heard the Grand Master speak, his voice dry and filled with bewilderment, uttering a word he had never imagined before.

"The Great Onmyoji... Che?"

He suddenly looked up and stared into the Grand Master's obsidian pupils.

Does it remember me?

How could it possibly remember me?!

Is this not the present world, but a projection of a secret realm five hundred years after the Warring States period?!

Uesugi Tetsu felt a chill run down his spine.

After gazing at the Great Master for a long time, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but ask the question of the great demon he had once personally killed.

"You...remember me?"

　6k, I wasn't in a good state today, I'll adjust and catch up in a couple of days.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)