A person in Tokyo becomes a demon god

Chapter 167 Spartacus Number 17

"After practicing for so long, I can still only draw a few small birds and the like."

Standing in front of her painting, Inoue Kaoru picked up her paintbrush and added eyes to several sketched birds.

A magical scene unfolded, like the legendary "dotting the eyes of a dragon," as the little birds' eyes rolled, they actually leaped off the paper, then spread their wings and chirped as they flew around Inoue Kaoru.

"Amazing!"

Seeing all this, Tokugawa Mitsuko made no attempt to hide her envy.

"It's just an ordinary little bird,"

Kaoru Inoue shook her head slightly and pointed to the blackboard next to her.

As she gave the command in her mind, the birds immediately flew towards the blackboard, and then:
Snap, snap, snap,

They all crashed into the blackboard, exploding into a cloud of ink.

"It's only enough to scare people."

This attack has almost no harmful effect, but it is extremely insulting.

"So, what is the power of the 'supernatural being' you created related to?"

Regarding Kaoru's abilities, Tokugawa Mitsuko tried to help her analyze and strengthen them: In this era, it's always good to become stronger, no matter what.

No, it should be said that in any era, the strong will always have an absolute advantage.

If Kaoru had Ashiya Doman's strength, why would she need to hesitate?

"Physical strength, energy, or cognitive ability?"

"Yes, both."

After careful consideration, Inoue Kaoru gave this answer.

Some 'knowledge' appeared in her mind, which was the truth about Ashiya Dōman's secret technique:
"This ability is called—"

"A super-powerful forgery!"

"The essence is to use Yin-Yang techniques to simulate living beings, ghosts and gods, and even the divine realm of Takamagahara."

In this memory, Ashiya Dōman at his peak could even simulate powerful deities like 'Takemikazuchi' and 'Takeminakata', which is why Mikiko couldn't simulate them, because:
"To achieve 'super-realistic forgery,' you need to have a very good understanding of the target."

Clearly, even the most top-tier Onmyoji can only reach the limit by associating with figures like 'Takemikazuchi'.

The level of the 'Three Noble Ones' has already surpassed that of the Great Onmyoji: whether it is 'Amaterasu' who rules Takamagahara; or Susanoo who wreaked havoc on both the divine and human realms, slew the Yamata no Orochi, and was finally heartbroken by his children and disappeared without a trace; or Tsukuyomi, who in mythology is so mysterious that only her name remains.

These were clearly not people Ashiya Dōman could have access to.

If he had that ability, Abe no Seimei would have had to admit defeat.

So, the most crucial thing is 'cognition'?

Mitsuko Tokugawa seemed thoughtful. Given Inoue Kaoru's current state, it would take time for her to develop an understanding of a particular 'being'. However:
"I have a way to quickly gain combat power."

"Huh? What is it, Mitsuko-neechan?"

Kaoru Inoue's small face showed a mixture of confusion and surprise. Did she have some profound 'knowledge' about a powerful person?

Not to mention her sister and brother Lu—in fact, she didn't understand their supernatural powers at all, and even if she drew them, they would just be 'ordinary people' without any power.

"The answer is simple,"

Mitsuko Tokugawa pointed her finger at Kaoru Inoue.

"It's you."

? !
Kaoru Inoue is the one who simultaneously meets both the conditions of 'cognition' and 'power'.

"I?"

The middle school girl pointed to herself in surprise.
Wow, that's powerful! Inoue Kaoru realized that what Mitsuko-nee meant was actually her previous 'Great Onmyoji state'.

At that time, although Inoue Kaoru was in a state of 'being controlled', her consciousness remained clear, and everything was as if she had experienced it herself. Even in the dead of night, the girl couldn't help but wonder if she was really controlled by the Great Onmyoji.
If she were in her shoes, she probably would have done the same thing.

Thinking about it this way, it seems feasible?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Osaka University,

During a previous Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, an incident involving a 'foreign professor' causing trouble was reported here.

But it is, after all, a top university in Osaka with numerous research institutions. So after expelling all the 'foreign professors,' the Self-Defense Forces took over the place and put up a new sign for '7th Academic Research Institute.'

That's right, this is Osaka's '7th Academic Research Institute'!
Top universities are already top research institutions; this is simply a matter of 'restoring' their original purpose.

A large number of fully armed soldiers and special police are stationed at Osaka University, making it practically a giant military camp, which makes the students who come in and out tremble with fear.

On the one hand, unarmed college students would certainly be afraid of facing fully armed soldiers: in this day and age, who dares to gamble on the other party's composure? On the other hand, the research in schools nowadays is all about the supernatural; who knows what problems might arise?
There are far too many disaster movies with plots involving supernatural research that then spirals out of control.

Moreover, due to the tight schedule, many experiments are directly conducted as 'clinical trials,' which is quite challenging to the average person's worldview.

Just like that military vehicle driving into the campus, after stopping in front of a research building, a group of men and women dressed in prison uniforms, handcuffed and shackled, filed out of the open door.

"Is this what today's 'volunteers' are like?"

Several fully armed soldiers stepped forward and negotiated with the yakuza members who brought the 'volunteers'.

"Yes, sir."

This yakuza member belonging to 'Blackout'

He raised his hand and gave an awkward, inappropriate military salute.

"These are today's 12 volunteers, all of whom are foreigners with 'clean' backgrounds. Please check them, sir."

As he spoke, he handed over the tablet in his hand.

The information above contains details about these 'volunteers,' who are mostly illegal immigrants who have come to the island nation.

Although the island nation experienced the "lost three decades," it remains very attractive to Southeast Asia; when supernatural disasters strike, these illegal immigrants immediately lose their jobs. Unable to return home by smuggling themselves, they become "marginalized" members of society.

Now, they are being used by the island nation's government and recruited as 'volunteers' to assist in various supernatural experiments.

Blackout, on the other hand, is a yakuza organization primarily composed of non-professionals.

They are the perfect people to handle the task of recruiting volunteers.

"Sir, may I leave now?"

"Well, let's go."

With a casual swipe of his finger across the tablet in his hand, the Self-Defense Force sergeant completed the 'acquisition'.

They're just a bunch of test subjects, what's so interesting about them?

"Take them in."

it turns out,

So easy?

In the crowd, a short-haired girl lowered her head, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

The problem is that she often encounters 'accidents,' which makes her, no, the entire Wood Spirit, suspicious and paranoid.

That's right, this 'short-haired girl' is number 17!
Guided by the 'Tracer Mushroom,' she infiltrated the area. With her abilities, charging in directly wouldn't be difficult, but that would alert the enemy. She had already experienced the devastating power of human technology—guns, cannons, missiles, and tanks—once again. So, Number 17 devised a plan: to blend into the ranks of these 'volunteers.'

I originally thought that getting into this university would be enough.

I can't believe I wasn't discovered even after arriving here?

Let's wait a little longer then.

In any case, the handcuffs and shackles on her body were just 'decorations' that she could break free of at any time.

Inside the building,
“Here, you will not have names, only numbers.”

Upon entering the building, the newly arrived 'volunteers' began receiving instructions and being assigned tasks.

“I know what you’re afraid of. Remember, we are the government, not the yakuza. As long as you cooperate with the experiment, no one will intentionally harm you.”

The Osaka military officer in charge of managing the 'volunteers' is giving a speech, or rather, 'making empty promises'.

"If during the experiment,"

"You are fortunate to have gained supernatural powers, and you can instantly become people of high status!"

"Think about it, this is your only way to access supernatural powers. Even if there are some risks, it's worth it, right?"

As he spoke, the military officer snapped his fingers.

"Yes,"

A man with distinctly tropical rainforest features stepped forward.
“I am Dakira, from a remote mountainous area in the province of Palawan, Philippines.”

The man who called himself 'Dakira' had dark skin and typical outlaw features, but his well-developed and muscular physique clearly indicated that he was not an ordinary person.

"I gained supernatural powers during the experiment and am now a proud junior officer in the island nation's army."

? !
A murmur immediately arose from the crowd.
Many people's eyes gleamed, which greatly pleased the Japanese military officers.

Using high-pressure tactics to control these 'volunteers'? That's a last resort: modern people have independent thinking, even illegal immigrants: if these guys deliberately cause trouble in the experiment, or even resist violently, although we're not afraid, it will still be a problem.

Why not get them to cooperate willingly?

As long as there are 'role models' and 'hope', humans will obediently follow orders, thus saving them a lot of manpower.

"Supernatural power,"

"Can we have it too?"

After making grand promises, these volunteers were assigned to individual rooms: the distinctive iron-framed bunk beds, allowing more than a dozen people to live in a single room.

"It should work, right? Look at 'Dakira,' he gained power, didn't he?"

The 'volunteers', their hands and feet shackled, talked to each other, their blank and fearful faces now showing signs of hope.

Supernatural power... if they could obtain it, then—

Who would still be a dog for the island nation's government!
Why not just go to a small town and become a local tyrant?
"Hehehe, foolish humans."

? !
Just as everyone was talking enthusiastically, a sneer came from the far end of the room.

It was a short-haired girl who, after leisurely examining the room, turned around and mocked everyone present.

"If there were a stable path to becoming supernatural, would it be your turn?"

"If all of you idiots were to die, it would be a question whether even one superhuman could emerge."

These words are as harsh as they can be, but they are the truth.

Given the sheer volume of knowledge bombarded by modern society, even 'smugglers' have seen countless blockbuster movies and are well aware of the government's true nature: if supernatural powers could be obtained reliably, how could it possibly be their turn?

To put it bluntly, they are just lab rats.

It is indeed possible to be lucky enough to gain supernatural powers in an experiment, but what are the chances of that?

"Shut up!"

"Say one more word and I'll beat you up!"

Faced with the girl's sharp words, the other 'volunteers' were enraged and stood up.

Lies don't hurt, truth is the knife.

With this illusory "pie in the sky," at least they have something to look forward to.

But rationally speaking, everyone knows that death is the more likely outcome for them.

No, it should be 99.9%. As for how many nines are after the decimal point, that depends on the capabilities of the research institutions in Osaka.

"Are you angry and embarrassed? Trying to escape reality?"

Faced with the menacing group of 'volunteers,' the girl showed no panic whatsoever; instead, she revealed a smile of great interest.

"Fools, do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you really want to live?"

???

Jingle Bell--! !

"Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!"

"Volunteers from Zone D break out of the residential area! Volunteers from Zone D break out of the residential area!"

As red warning lights flashed, urgent announcements blared from broadcast systems throughout Osaka University.

"All the rioting volunteers are equipped with sturdy vines; it's currently unclear whether this is due to a large-scale awakening of abilities or being parasitized by them."

"All units are to enter a state of alert and close off all access routes within their respective areas!"

"Calling in Special Rapid Reaction Force—"

Amidst the blaring alarms at Osaka University, a group of 'humans' rushed out of the building.

As mentioned in the broadcast, they were covered in vine-formed 'armor,' making them appear much larger, like sturdy 'dwarves.' Only their eyes were visible: the soldiers' bullets struck them, sending sparks flying.

"Not free, I would rather die!"

A righteous and imposing man rushed forward and knocked a soldier down.

Then he picked up the other man's gun and began firing at the other soldiers: he was a 'volunteer' arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on charges of spreading a cult.

"Humanity will never be enslaved!"

Another man followed suit, covering his face with his hands and rushing towards a soldier.

He was a yakuza member who was injured in a battle with a rival organization and then came here.

"Hoo hoo hoo hoo!"

The guy following behind, judging from the dark skin peeking out from under the vine 'helmet,' was probably a member of some African tribe.

Even though I haven't learned the island language yet, I still rushed out.

In short, this chaotic group of cultists, yakuza, and illegal immigrants launched a 'slave uprising'.

Their confidence to resist stemmed from the vine armor they wore.

Praise to Person Number 17!
Grant them the power to withstand bullets!
(End of this chapter)