I'm a demon in Tokyo!

Chapter 236 Four-Tailed Fox - Two and a Half Stars! Thousand Faces → A Thousand Faces and Myriad Forms, Bewitching Ghosts and Gods! Jade Bones → Thunder Bones!
Chisa kept her head down, clutching her phone, which was covered in a white bear-shaped soft case that was clearly two sizes too big, for a long while.

After a long while, she took a deep breath and finally mustered the small courage to speak her mind.

But when she looked up again, Uesugi Tetsuya, who had been squatting in front of her, had disappeared.

Clear footsteps came from the other side of the corridor, gradually fading away, along with the hand that was waving towards her with its back to her.

Chisa opened her mouth, wanting to catch up and speak.

But in the end she didn't do it.

The girl licked her dry lips with the tip of her tongue, looked down again, and saw the LINE number that Uesugi Tetsu had given her.

——【Yin-Yang Major General · Nanjo Aimin】.

She had heard the older students in the building talk about this position, and it seemed like a very high-ranking job.

He is a legendary "big shot".

To avoid becoming increasingly hesitant to add this important person as a friend later, Chisa closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and tapped "Add Friend" on the screen.

There was no verification, nor was Chisa given any extra psychological preparation.

The friend request was accepted immediately.

You have added "Yin Yang Daishu - Nanjo Manami" as a friend.

The next moment, a message popped up in the lit-up profile picture frame.

[Nanjo Manami: Who are you?]

……

Since the elevator leads directly to the top floor of the Special Affairs Department, Uesugi Tetsuya had no choice but to walk up to the rooftop via the fire escape.

No rooftop key is needed, nor is it necessary to use the crowbar that has already been given to someone else to break the locked rooftop door.

As soon as Uesugi Tetsuichi stepped into the fire escape, Karasu Tengu understood his intentions.

The heavy, locked iron gate to the rooftop opened silently.

On the rooftop, all was calm and peaceful.

Because of the strong winds and torrential rain, thunder and dark clouds, all the variables were kept out by the multiple barriers of the Shizuoka City Special Affairs Headquarters.

Uesugi Tetsu looked up.

The slender trees on the street were snapped in half, and raindrops like bullets poured down from the pure black sky. Pale lightning streaked through the cold rain, and deafening roars echoed through the steel jungle.

"Lord Tengu," he asked softly, his eyes closed, amidst the stillness of the surrounding spiritual energy, "would it be possible to lower the barrier and place it below the rooftop?"

No one answered; only the barrier above their heads disappeared.

A chilling wind and bitter rain swept over us.

However, what followed was a sudden change in the direction of spiritual energy flow within a radius of several hundred meters!
Everything chaotic and disordered, following the spiritual energy of the rain and waves that swept across the entire world, seemed to find a pillar, a center point, in an instant.

So they flocked there.

Within seconds, a huge funnel of spiritual energy appeared above the headquarters of the Special Affairs Bureau, and it continued to expand over time.

On the top floor of the Special Affairs Department, the bright red alarm lights were so blinding that one could hardly open their eyes.

The clerk, who was staring at the string of blood-red data in front of him, felt his heart clench suddenly.

He roared, "Sir! The spiritual energy concentration within a hundred meters has increased by three hundred percent in ten seconds! Is this some kind of demonic being of the ghostly or god-like level...?"

The tengu calmly raised his eyes, interrupting him: "Who made this huge model? It can't even tell if it's human or demon?"

"It's just special affairs officers practicing on the rooftop," Karasu Tengu said calmly. "Don't make a fuss, turn off the alarm."

The bizarre answer made the clerk's eyes widen. He glanced at the data on the screen that made his whole face turn red, and cleared the alarm in disbelief.

"By taking advantage of the tide to cultivate myself deeply, I've ended up becoming a security guard?"

As the tengu spoke, he suddenly raised his head with great interest.

—Because, nearly half of the lightning that once roamed freely over the entire city of Shizuoka has now been drawn toward the Special Affairs Office building by some force.

Amidst countless bright red alarms, the Tengu pressed down on his palm: "Everything is normal."

[With the arrival of the tide, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is activated, and the proficiency of your skills, especially Spirit Control Techniques, is increasing at a significantly faster rate!]

[Because you used lightning to temper your body, the proficiency improvement rate of your skill, Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony, has greatly increased!]

Huhuhu——!
Endless, vast spiritual energy gathered high above the Special Affairs Department building, flowing and being continuously purified as if manipulated by an invisible hand.

Finally, it transformed into an incredibly pure liquid and fell into the body of the man sitting cross-legged in the center of the rooftop, causing his proficiency in the Spirit Control Technique to advance a little further.

The man, however, seemed completely dissatisfied with the harsh environment, which was almost like a Category 14 spiritual hurricane.

He took out a bead crackling with electric arcs and released all the spiritual power gathered in his body, causing the lightning within his sight to gradually approach him.

The first issue is static electricity.

Crackling, tiny arcs of electricity surged around him, then he absorbed them all, transforming them into a barely perceptible glimmer of white light at his fingertips.

Immediately afterwards, a bolt of lightning about the thickness of a finger rushed straight in, but in the blink of an eye, it fell into the vortex along with the surging spiritual energy and merged into the crystal clear Five Thunder Pearl.

Feeling a faint tingling sensation on his skin, Uesugi Tetsuya, with a Hannya mask and a four-tailed fox jade pendant hanging from his waist, suddenly opened his eyes and murmured softly.
"Thunder comes."

Then, lightning struck.

Boom!

A bolt of lightning as thick as a water bucket tore through the dark clouds, which were thicker than a city wall, in an instant, enveloping Uesugi Tetsuya in a cold white light.

Burning heat, pain, numbness, suffocation...

The aftereffects of the lightning strike immediately manifested on Uesugi Tetsuya's body, but were quickly soothed and calmed by his "Pale Madness" talent within a few breaths.

Having already ingested the calming incense ash and opened his interpretive eyes, Uesugi Tetsuya grinned and laughed loudly.
"Not enough, more—!"

Witnessing all this, the Tengu smiled and clapped his hands lightly, causing the sixteen bolts of lightning that had been generated within a radius of five thousand meters to change direction in that instant.

They all fell towards Uesugi Tetsuya!

Rumble!
For a fleeting moment, Uesugi Tetsu felt as if he had lost control of his body, and that his entire soul was about to drift up to the heavens along with the lightning.

However, within the Qi Sea, the cards of the Four-Tailed Fox and Hannya shone brightly, producing enough energy in just half a breath to revive Uesugi Tetsuya's consciousness and even restore him to his full vitality!

Metal and water generate each other!

But the thunder continued.

One, five, ten...

Dense bolts of lightning continuously emerged from the clouds, which were hundreds of meters thick, and without exception, they were precisely guided to strike Uesugi Tetsuya's head.

Uesugi Tetsuya was aware of the extent of his Five Thunder Technique's influence; even if it could attract real lightning, it wouldn't leave him in such a sorry state.

It was as if the words he shouted had violated the heavenly law, angering the heavens, and that they would strike him dead with lightning today!
Uesugi Tetsuya, who could clearly sense the connection between his body and the outside world, was breathing heavily and realized that if things continued like this, he would soon have to retreat back into the building.

Then...

Uesugi Tetsu lowered his eyes and glimpsed the majestic and furious thunder dragon in the murky water before his knees.

What a waste of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
"Breathe—breathe—"

The breathing sound of some enormous monster grew louder and louder, and the words of the Corona Breathing Technique's bone-forging stage flowed through Uesugi Tetsuya's mind.

Forge your bones! Forge your bones!
Using the power of the thunder and lightning of heaven and earth, I will temper all 206 iron bones in my body into complete jade bones in one go!

[Because you drew lightning to temper your body, your skill, Corona Breathing Technique - Jade Bone Stage, is undergoing a special change...]

At this moment, Uesugi Tetsuya had no time to pay attention to the prompt appearing before him. He could only do his best to simultaneously activate the Spirit Control Technique, the Five Thunder Technique, and the Corona Breathing Technique.

The Spirit Control Technique provides pure spiritual energy, the Five Thunder Technique uses it to guide lightning, and the Corona Breathing Technique absorbs lightning to temper bones and the entire body.

An even stronger physique allows the Spirit Control Technique to operate even faster.

The three elements, through a series of coincidences, formed a near-perfect cycle.

Throughout the long and agonizing ordeal, all of Uesugi Tetsu's efforts, based on what he had learned so far, were gradually accumulating into an incredibly rapid increase in proficiency on the panel.

The tengu, who stood high in the sky constantly unleashing sword light, lowered its gaze, a hint of surprise turning into delight: "Turning immense pressure into motivation, this child truly has potential..."

And in the midst of this long and arduous journey, a crisp notification sound, as if something had finally come to fruition, rang in Uesugi Tetsuya's ears.

The four-tailed fox jade pendant at his waist vanished in a flash.

The next instant, Uesugi Tetsuya felt his spiritual energy sea, which had already reached its limit, expand and expand, freeing up an unknown amount of space.

The supply chain of spirit control techniques, which had been squeezed to its limit, began to operate at double the speed, just like it had been coated with engine oil and WD40!

[“Four-Tailed Fox (Adult)” Upgrade in progress: 100%!]

[Your demon avatar, the Four-Tailed Fox (adult form), has been upgraded!]

[You have obtained the Demon Incarnation: Four-Tailed Fox (Complete Form)!]

[As the tide arrives, your demonic avatar, the four-tailed fox, senses the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; your spiritual power increases by 2!]

Having finally caught his breath, Uesugi Tetsuya opened his eyes and glimpsed the brand-new panel he had been waiting for.

【Demon Incarnation: Four-Tailed Fox (Complete Form)】

[Quality: Epic]

[Rank: Two and a half stars]

[Level Cap: Three and a Half Stars]

[Talents: Thousand Faces, Divine Travel, Soul Imprint, Wrath, Mirage]

"Speaking of which... won't the tengu discover that I've automatically transformed into a four-tailed fox here?"

The moment Uesugi Tetsuya's question arose, a new talent update that had been introduced after the Four-Tailed Fox advanced to two and a half stars popped up before his eyes—

[Thousand Faces, Myriad Forms: Consumes spiritual energy to shape one's appearance and height into any form. Simultaneously, this talent greatly conceals one's aura and spiritual energy fluctuations, making the disguise undetectable to beings of four stars or below.]

After quickly scanning the entire talent description, Uesugi Tetsuya focused his burning gaze on the last sentence.

—The disguise cannot be seen through by beings of four stars or below!

In other words, even ghosts and gods cannot see through the fact that Uesugi Tetsu has actually transformed into a four-tailed fox!

This improvement is nothing short of a qualitative leap!

With just one simple sentence, Uesugi Tetsuya's combat power in the real world was greatly increased.

Even if the Four-Tailed Fox only changes this one talent with this star upgrade, the resulting increase in combat power is far better than having two or three more useless talents.

Although it's a pity that the quality of the four-tailed fox incarnation didn't improve like in the first wave, the extra two points of spiritual magic attribute is still quite good.

After all, quality improvement is a rare and precious thing that can only be encountered by chance.

Bathed in lightning, yet with a considerable amount of leeway, Uesugi Tetsuya looked at the subsequent prompts.

[Please note! Your Demon Avatar: Four-Tailed Fox has reached two and a half stars, and your special equipment, the Four-Tailed Fox Jade Token, has changed!]

【Four-tailed Fox Jade Plate】

[Quality: Epic]

[Effect 1: Moderately increases the wearer's spiritual affinity.]

[Effect 2: Increases the wearer's spiritual attribute by 40% equivalent to "Demon Incarnation: Four-Tailed Fox".]

[Effect 3: Increases the power of the wearer's lightning-based Yin-Yang techniques.]

[—A warm, smooth jade pendant, engraved with a lifelike four-tailed fox, feels cool to the touch. It now seems to have undergone special tempering, with occasional flashes of electricity across its surface.] In addition to the first and second enhancements, the four-tailed fox jade pendant has gained a third new effect.

Uesugi Tetsuya exclaimed, "What does this have to do with me being struck by lightning?"

"So being struck by lightning has so many benefits..."

With the activation of the Thousand Faces and Myriad Manifestations technique, Uesugi Tetsuya donned a layer of clothing over his body that was absolutely indestructible by lightning.

He stood up despite the thunder, stretched, and the majestic Prajna mask at his waist shone even brighter.

Because of the significant increase in pure numerical values, the lightning that Uesugi Tetsu had barely managed to withstand with almost all his might was no longer a heavy burden.

There is still pressure.

But that's all.

Glancing at his current attribute panel, Uesugi Tetsuya chuckled happily.

【Uesugi Tetsu (Four-tailed Fox Incarnation)】

[Physique: 63→96]

[Willpower: 54 → 66]

[Charm: 13→28]

[Spiritual Arts: 51 → 111]

If the "Lin" technique is used, the physique can also break through 100.

"It's just that the charm attribute is a bit too high."

With a slight shift in Uesugi Tetsu's mind, the Thousand Faces Manifestation suppressed its charm attribute back to 12 points, barely squeezing into the category of a normal person.

"Also, Lord Karasu Tengu, isn't that enough already?"

Uesugi Tetsu looked up speechlessly at the lightning that kept striking him even though he hadn't activated the Five Thunder Technique.

"No matter how many times you chop me, you won't get the hidden item..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the lightning bolts that were still striking him suddenly stopped and disappeared in mid-air.

Now, Uesugi Tetsuya, who was being pelted by the torrential rain, finally had a chance to look at the several large numbers indicating his proficiency.

—Although the flow state was interrupted by the four-tailed fox who had completed its advancement, the effect of the Soul-Soothing Incense Ash had been completely exhausted.

Originally, Uesugi Tetsuya's spirit was already close to exhaustion.

Overall, it's harmless.

[Your skill, Coronal Breathing proficiency +380! ]

[Your skill, Spirit Control Technique - Qi Proficiency +500!]

[Your skill, Five Thunder Method: Qi Combination Proficiency +500!]

"Ok?"

Uesugi Tetsu remembered that he had nearly two hundred points of proficiency before the Jade Bone stage.

Now that each cultivation session increases by 380 points, wouldn't that directly put me into the flesh-refining stage?

Uesugi Tetsu wouldn't make a mistake with addition and subtraction within a few hundred.

He looked through the clues again and realized that's how it is.

[Because you used lightning to temper your body, your skill, Corona Breathing Technique - Jade Bone Stage, has undergone a special change!]

[Corona Breathing Technique: Jade Bone Stage → Corona Breathing Technique: Thunder Bone Stage!]

[Increase the proficiency required to complete the Thunderbone stage! Completing the Thunderbone stage will unlock new traits!]

【Corona Breathing Technique (Thunder Bone 551/600)】

[—With thunder as his bones, and his body transformed into lightning.]

I never expected that a spur-of-the-moment spiritual practice would yield such a delightful and unexpected reward.

Moreover, he is only 50 points away from completing the Thunder Bone stage, which will take at most three or four days.

"This makes me want to try my luck by drawing a couple of cards..."

Uesugi Tetsuya muttered to himself, "Anyway, I'm going to draw some Requiem Ash for the Four-Tailed Fox's advancement right now, so rewarding myself with another draw from the Demon King's Pool wouldn't hurt..."

My thoughts were interrupted by a vortex that suddenly appeared in mid-air.

Sensing the powerful aura from the other end, Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes with delight, thinking to himself that it was time to get the soul ash that would be his reward.

He quickly spoke up to prevent the demon from being struck by the black sword light the moment it emerged.

"Lord Karasu Tengu, please show mercy."

Uesugi Tetsu deliberately took out Kaga Kiyomitsu and wore it at his waist, but did not pull it out.
"Let me do it, let me stretch my muscles a bit."

With one hand pressing down on Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was buzzing excitedly in the downpour, Uesugi Tetsu stared expressionlessly at the black vortex.

In the darkness of night, a towering, silver-white mech, brimming with mechanical and streamlined beauty, slowly emerged from the vortex.

A pale red label popped out from the top of its head.

——【Combat Sequence Vanguard A921 (3.5 stars)】.

Unlike the prototype, the mech named "Vanguard" has no flesh or blood exposed on its body.

A subtle sense of crisis rose in Uesugi Tetsuya's heart, which surprised him quite a bit.

This combat sequence actually has a chance to kill him in this state?
Even if the chance is negligible.

Uesugi Tetsu felt that his current strength was already very close to that of himself in the forty-first level of the projection secret realm.

On the other side was merely a mass-produced mech manufactured by the factory owners.

"Um……"

After a moment's hesitation, Uesugi Tetsu stretched his aching shoulders and gave the vanguard no chance.

He flicked his finger.

And so the thumb-sized ball of lightning, which had been accumulating in his fingertip since the very beginning of his cultivation over the past few hours, and compressed to its limit, flew out silently.

The vanguard soldier, about to emerge from the vortex, suddenly turned his head, his eyes instantly filled with a scarlet blood light!
It struggled more fiercely, trying to escape this vortex that even the ordinary world couldn't escape.

But it's too late.

The moment the lightning ball touched its surface, the compression and restriction of the Spirit Control Technique and the Five Thunder Technique were suddenly released.

A pure white, intense light bloomed silently, and the vanguard vanguard and the vortex disappeared into the rain.

[You have killed Combat Order Vanguard Soldier A921 (3.5 stars), gaining 411 Soul Ashes!]

Looking at the meager kill notification, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but show a look of disgust.

The robots produced by this factory owner are incredibly stingy. Not only do they drop far fewer Soul Ashes than other monsters of the same rank and combat power, they also drop absolutely no equipment or items.

Alas, capital.

I wonder how many ordinary workers those factory owners exploited and drove to madness before they could produce such a vanguard.

Inside the Special Affairs Department building, Yagyu Chi silently watched as Uesugi Tetsuya effortlessly dealt with the mecha that had posed a serious threat to his life with a mere flick of his finger.

"When we first met a few days ago, Uesugi-kun wasn't nearly as strong..."

Hearing Tamamo constantly shouting "Yay!" beside him, Yagyu Akatsuki couldn't help but feel a huge sense of frustration.

In just a few days, Uesugi Tetsuya had become noticeably stronger.

And what about him?
Liu Shengchi asked himself honestly, and he realized that he had indeed turned much of what he had gained from the training in the secret realm into his own.

But this difference is so subtle that even people who don't know him well wouldn't notice it.

"A true genius... huh?"

Liu Shengchi silently clenched his fist, completely unaware that his fingernails had already dug into his palm.

……

Just a few hours later, the peak of the aftershocks of the wave had passed.

Shizuoka City remained unharmed under the protection of the tengu who controlled the barrier. Leaving aside economic losses, the number of casualties did not exceed double digits.

The vast majority of them were special agents who were injured while dealing with demons and were sent to the hospital.

"Brother Uesugi, have you received your payment?"

“We’ve already used them all up.” Uesugi Tetsu glanced at Yagyu Akira, who hadn’t said a word since they met. “If there’s nothing else, let’s head back to the dojo.”

—Not only should I continue to seek instruction from Yaegaki at the Normal School, but I should also ask for more detailed information about the duel.

After all, the appointed day was fast approaching.

There are only about three or four days left.

Having accomplished several major feats, Tamamo, preparing to take a six-month annual leave, shrugged.
"We have no objection!"

"that……"

A slightly weaker voice slipped in through the gaps in the conversation.

Chisa, now wearing a smaller version of the Special Affairs Department uniform for some unknown reason, glanced past the surprised Yagyu Akira and the barely suppressed laugh Tamamo, and looked up at Uesugi Tetsu once more.
"Uesugi-kun, can I come with you?"

When Uesugi Tetsu was called upon, he temporarily interrupted his thoughts on what to do next. The moment he saw Chisa looking directly at him, he roughly understood what the girl was thinking.

But now is not the right time; Chisa can't possibly go with him to the Eternal World to face the Hojo family.

And then there's the teacher's college student... who doesn't seem suitable to take care of eleven or twelve-year-old girls, probably.

So he smiled and said, "Chisa-chan, would you like to go directly to the Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Office? I'll be going back later."

Chisa fell silent.

A few seconds later, she hummed in agreement and nodded with a hint of reluctance: "Okay, Uesugi-nii."

Tamamo, standing next to her, didn't say much, but was actually beaming with joy.

You know, the ruler of Arakawa Ward is that... With Nanjo Taishu there, there's absolutely no need to worry about Chisa's safety!
Moreover, she heard that Nanjo Taiju was a rare strongman who was decisive at work and very self-disciplined in life.

If Chisa could follow her, she would definitely learn a lot!
“Then let’s decide on this.” Uesugi Tetsu nodded. “We’ll split into two groups… Of course, we need to find a reliable bodyguard for Chisa-chan.”

"Do you really need to tell me this, brother?"

Tamamo gave a familiar hum and said, "Leave it to us!"

Listening to their familiar conversation, Chisa, standing to the side, subconsciously clenched her phone and pursed her lips.

But just thinking about how Uesugi Tetsu promised her he would also return to the Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Department, Chisa couldn't help but look forward to that day.

……

Inside the special affairs department shuttle bus, which had been temporarily equipped with several layers of barriers, Uesugi Tetsu looked at the amount of requiem ash that was not yet enough to advance the Four-Tailed Fox.

Then, he glanced at the three card pools that were lit up in the list, and looked at his current Soul Ash reserves of up to 5,600 points.

There is nothing to hesitate about.

Let's draw cards!

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(End of this chapter)