I'm a demon in Tokyo!

"This flavor is really strong."

Uesugi Tetsuya, who had been thrown into the air, landed steadily, pulled the half-burnt cigarette out of his mouth, and coughed several times before he could exhale.

Even with the menthol in the cigarette, the tobacco flavor is still pungent... But what do Nanjo and the others call this again?

mellow?

In short, Uesugi Tetsuya had absolutely no idea why so many people liked smoking, especially among the corporate slaves in the Special Affairs Bureau.

After using his inner energy to completely remove the smell of tobacco from his nasal cavity, Uesugi Tetsu extinguished the cigarette butt and casually tossed it into a rare trash can by the roadside.

It's really great that Hokkaido didn't remove all the roadside trash cans for some inexplicable urban aesthetics after Nanjo Manami took over. It would have left people with nowhere to throw away their trash.

Breathing in the fresh air that came from the sparse population, Uesugi Tetsu looked around and realized that he was just a few steps away from his house.

"You're pretty accurate with your aim..."

Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but marvel at Nanjo Aimi's spirit control technique; it was truly miraculous that she could throw it so accurately from such a distance while he was struggling.

Such proficiency is beyond his current level of understanding.

Upon arriving at the courtyard gate, Uesugi Tetsuya immediately sensed the subtle flow of "rhythm" in the surrounding environment.

With a glance, Qianjingzhitong saw Lilizi on the rooftop, her hair tied in a high ponytail, practicing swordplay alone in the moonlight, her movements seemingly slow and unhurried.

Unlike the Sword Domain, the principles of swords are visualized and quantifiable... The concept of "rhythm" is actually quite mysterious.

The reason why Uesugi Tetsu calls this feeling "rhythm" is because he only feels it when the wave is about to come.

—The first wave occurred during the Warring States period, when the world was revived.

Now... it is the same.

And now, Lili Zi is on Tiantai Mountain, following the rhythm of this wave, freely wielding the longsword in her hand, which is made of qi.

This ambiguous compliance has fallen into a realm that Uesugi Tetsu can hardly comprehend.

Just like learning anything, there are always "talented" and "hard-working" types. If Uesugi Tetsuya prides himself on pure hard work, then what Ririko is doing now can only be understood by other talented people.

"But it's quite beautiful."

The Thousand Eyes, transformed into the All-Seeing Eye, hovered in mid-air, silently admiring the girl dancing with her sword under the moonlight. It watched her nimble, seemingly real yet elusive steps, the graceful yet fierce movements at the tip of the sword, and her half-open, clear yet misty eyes.

It is clear that Ririko has now reached a rare state of harmony with nature.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't disturb him rashly. He first looked at Chisa and, finding that she was already asleep, tucked the air-conditioning blanket that had been kicked off most of the way.

Incidentally, he also took out his phone, wanting to use the all-knowing encyclopedia to find out what those strange demon names he saw in the Netherworld were.

"Kapala... heretical vengeful spirit... Basuda..."

Soon, Uesugi Tetsu's face turned pale.

Because Wikipedia clearly states—

The so-called "kapala" is actually the name of a ritual implement in a certain type of esoteric Buddhism.

As for the raw materials, they are human skulls. After a certain ritual or prayer, this half of the skull is transformed into a so-called magical artifact containing magical power.

The full name of "Basuda" is "Basuda Five Offerings".

In ordinary Buddhism, the "Five Offerings" refer to five kinds of offerings: incense, flowers, lamps, water, and fruit. These are used for sacrifices, praying for blessings, and making offerings to Bodhisattvas.

But the "Five Offerings" of Esoteric Buddhism...

Its unusually bizarre and bloody content made Uesugi Tetsuya unable to bear watching.

He recalled the two kinds of demons he had seen in the secret land of the underworld, which were countless and stretched far beyond the horizon.

If such demons are born from this, then how many people have died because of them?

The first time, Uesugi Tetsu felt that Yomi had done a good thing by annihilating all of these things.

After deleting these browsing records to prevent Erchi from seeing them on his phone later, Uesugi Tetsu then focused his attention on the [Huijue's Kapala Bowl] in his storage backpack.

In other words, this is the skull of "Huijue".

For a fleeting moment, Uesugi Tetsu wanted to ask the person in question directly on Line to see if there were any clues or insights.

But after thinking for a moment, Uesugi Tetsu decided not to do it.

Because there might be some unpredictable consequences.

Let's first have the all-knowing Lord Mokujin from the walking assembly take the lead...

Thinking of this, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but sigh that it was fortunate that the gathering was started in time, waking Lord Mokutsu from his slumber.

Otherwise, if we had waited any longer until Lord Mokujin had completely lost his mind, many things would have been much more difficult to handle in retrospect.

Whether it's the Key to Walking, the completely unannotated secret realms and hidden realms, the ancient knowledge from thousands of years ago, or the objects that can explain various things related to walking...

Of course, the most important thing is the sense of security that comes from having such a powerful figure backing you up "at home".

From these perspectives, Lord Fukuzu is truly a genuine "elder."

Of course, that's all.

For the next few hours, Uesugi Tetsu continued to silently admire Ririko's sword dance, watching her become more and more skilled and adept at a visible pace.

In the end, even he himself benefited. Not only did his proficiency in the Natural Mind Style increase by several hundred points, but his swordsmanship also seemed to have taken a slight step forward.

"call……"

Ririko let out a long sigh, lowered her hand, and let the qi sword in her hand dissipate. She looked at Uesugi Tetsu, who was clapping beside her.

Is it pretty?

She asked.

"very nice."

Uesugi Tetsu answered earnestly, his eyes filled only with appreciation for pure beauty.

“That’s good…” Ririko looked up and saw the sun and moon hanging in the night sky at the same time. She said with a sense of realization, “I think I’m starting to understand where the so-called God who sees God should be.”

After praising Ririko once again, Uesugi Tetsu had a long-awaited exchange with her on swordsmanship before blurring out the image of Mokuzu.

He told her that he had a highly respected and very old "elder" who was no longer alive.

"Next, I need to see this elder about some matters."

Uesugi Tetsu realized that it wasn't good to keep it from Ririko all the time, so he used this ambiguous explanation to tell her what he was doing when he "frequently went out".

This might also become an excuse for doing things that are even more unspeakable.

"Then go ahead, and please give my regards to this senior for me."

Ririko nodded to him.

Uesugi Tetsu then left again, sweeping through a bunch of two-player battle games on the street before entering the walking gathering.

……

Snack Mountain walked through the gathering unchanged.

With a final, powerful jump, the pixelated character, who had endured countless falls and re-emergences, leaped to the very top of the screen.

We have reached the end of the road.

On the 100-inch screen, a blue pixelated figure and a golden crown symbolizing "the strong" gaze at each other across the distance.

With bloodshot veins etched into his eyes, Huo Jin gripped the controller tightly yet carefully, gently pushing the joystick to guide the pixelated figure step by step toward the crown.

Then, touch the crown.

Then, golden light shone brightly on the screen, and the pixelated figure put on a crown symbolizing absolute power and temperament, gazing alone at the rising sun.

Game Over

[Awe-inspiring powerhouse! You've reached an unprecedented ten thousandth floor, proving yourself to be a true "powerhouse."]

【…】

"A strong person!"

Wearing only a thin white T-shirt, Huo Jin sat cross-legged on the ground, watching the production team scrolling on the black screen. Excitedly, he jumped up and flew into the air.

That small face, which was originally covered by indifference and a faint smile, is now full of boundless joy, even to the point of near-maniacal happiness.

"I am the strong one!"

After the production team finished rolling, Mokujin, now wearing a golden crown, jumped up in place, standing shoulder to shoulder with the sun. Her little face flushed red, and she shouted excitedly.

"I am the true, absolute strongest!"

—Uesugi Tetsu, who had just entered the walking gathering, looked at this scene and wondered if he had opened the door in the wrong way.

It's been so long, and not only has Lady Mokujin not used her feet to control the game controller, but she hasn't even touched the snacks I brought last time.

Just how long did she struggle with this absurd game called "If You're Strong, Climb 10,000 Floors"...?

Uesugi Tetsuya stared at Mokujina's hands, which were trembling slightly, with a strange expression.

Could it be that he's been playing non-stop ever since I left last time?

It seems Lord Mokuzu's competitive spirit is indeed stronger than expected...

The distant Mokujin laughed for a while before realizing that Uesugi Tetsu had actually appeared at the walking gathering.

Mokuzu turned his head to look at Uesugi Tetsuya who was approaching, then tactically sat back down, moved the controller, and deliberately placed the pixelated figure wearing a crown in the center of the screen, before asking indifferently,

"Oh, it's Uesugi Gyoro. Why are you back again so soon? Have you been busy lately?"

Uesugi Tetsuya had a keen eye for this kind of child's thoughts. He nodded first: "After all, the second wave is approaching, Lord Mokuzu, please understand."

Then, as if he had "suddenly noticed" the little figure on the screen, his expression faltered slightly, his pupils contracted, and he slowly spoke, as if trying to conceal his inner shock.
"Lord Mokujin, so you've already reached the ten thousandth floor...?"

"Yes."

Huo Jin slightly raised her chin, trying very hard to suppress the smile on her small face and keep it calm, so much so that the expression on her face looked rather strange.

she says,

"As an absolute powerhouse, he only took it a little more seriously and easily passed this low-cost little game."

"That's really impressive."

Uesugi Tetsu stared intently at the little figure wearing a crown, seemingly admiring it from the bottom of his heart, while inwardly reciting something in a monotone.

The naive and inexperienced Mokujin was easily swayed by this. Uesugi Tetsu's few words not only dispelled her earlier embarrassment and awkwardness, but also made her feel quite flattered.

"Speak, Uesugi Gyoro, what's the matter this time?"

Huo Jin, in a showy manner, manipulated the little figure to walk back and forth at the very top of the game.

"I will not hesitate to help if there is anything I can do."

Uesugi Tetsuya took out a two-player fighting game with a picture of a burly man and a handsome young man printed on it, and casually said, "But this matter has nothing to do with the Wave."

"A new game?"

At this moment, Huojin's confidence had swelled to its peak, and he casually snatched it: "What type?"

Uesugi Tetsu gave a brief introduction to what "PVP" and "fighting games" were, which made Mokuzu smile again.

"What? You want me to bully Uesugi Gyoro like this?"

Mokuzu inserted the disc, tossed a controller to Uesugi Tetsu, and casually placed his feet on the controller: "It's not impossible... Uesugi, I'm terrifyingly strong right now."

"Before we get down to business, let's play a few rounds with Lord Mokujin first."

Uesugi Tetsu smiled and began to "plan".

Thirty minutes later.

Game Over

As the characters appeared, Uesugi Tetsu could clearly hear the crisp cracking sound of the handle beside him.

After being brutally beaten ten times by him with the little loli, Huojin was already on the verge of being in critical condition, but her face was gloomy and calm. It seemed that the previous game had indeed tempered her mentality to be extremely strong.

"Uesugi walks."

Huojin said,
"Next time you come, I will definitely beat you to a pulp."

"Then I'm really looking forward to the results of Lord Mokujin's special training."

With a smile, Uesugi Tetsuya put down the controller, having already decided to "narrowly lose" to Mokujin in the next Business Bureau event, and clapped his hands.

"Well then, sir, let's end the game time here."

Hearing his words, Huo Jin also snorted through her small nose and turned to face him directly: "Speak, I'm listening."

Uesugi Tetsu then spoke,
"Actually, I went to the Underworld before and found some things."

Before he could even take out Huijue's kapala bowl, he saw Huojin frown and coldly ask, "Secret Land?"

She immediately pressed for an answer.
"How did you get there? Has that place been restored to its former glory?"

Uesugi Tetsuya was taken aback.

He hadn't expected Huojin's reaction to be so strong.

Before taking out the kapala bowl, Uesugi Tetsu briefly explained how Ye Chun had sent him there, and stated that apart from him, the place was basically a wasteland in the ordinary world.

"It's good that no one else has found out."

Mokujin didn't show any extra expression, but said to Uesugi Tetsuya in an almost cold, commanding tone: "Uesugi, tell your friends to stop getting involved with that place and to stop trying to develop it."

"—That kind of place must never be known to more people."

"I understand, Lord Mokujin."

Uesugi Tetsu nodded seriously: "I will talk to her."

He then took out the kapala bowl and said, "This is a relic of an ancient walking spirit named 'Huijue'."

Huo Jin stared at it, remaining silent.

Old friend...

After a long pause, she took the somewhat old kapok bowl and sighed silently.

Seeing this, Uesugi Tetsu hesitated for a moment before asking,
"Lord Mokujin, do you know this person?"

"Ah."

Huo Jin nodded and said calmly,

"He was quite famous on the move for various reasons at the time, and I really disliked him; we just couldn't get along."

At this point, Mokujin looked at Uesugi Tetsu: "You are Chikage, you should know the story of Jizo and the previous Chikage, right?"

Uesugi Tetsu nodded.

"Then he is similar to Ksitigarbha."

Huo Jin lowered his eyes: "That era, that barbaric region... even for me, it was an era of unprecedented darkness and ignorance."

Even the calamity symbolizing disaster says so...

Uesugi Tetsu thought about what he had found out, and then he thought about how there must be even more things he didn't know about that dark era.

During the quiet walking gathering, Mokujin suddenly asked,
"Uesugi Gyoro, do you know how demons and spirits become aragami?"

Uesugi Tetsu, who was already a dual-demon god, was certainly aware of this.

Compared to becoming a true god, which is extremely difficult, becoming an aragami is a relatively understandable method.

He nodded and replied.

There are two paths you can take.

"First, we continue to replicate the path we have walked and the methods we have used to advance from weakness to our current state. This is the right path that will never be wrong."

The second option is to consume human offerings and be worshipped, thereby gaining a large amount of spiritual power and becoming a local deity. This is a shortcut and the choice of many more ghosts and gods.

Once outside the designated area, the power of the Aragami who take shortcuts will be slightly weakened, but will still be far greater than that of the Oni-gods.

—Two paths to the Aragami: the former's power comes from oneself, while the latter's power comes from all living beings.

“Uesugi Gyoro, you’re absolutely right.”

Huojin raised the kapala bowl in his hand, stared at it, and calmly said,

"But it's too slow."

"These two methods, and all those other complicated means, are just too slow."

The god said indifferently,
"—Eating people would be far, far faster than any of these methods." (End of Chapter)