Tokyo, but I'm a deceitful scumbag.

Therefore, this must be some kind of secret realm, only it's incredibly large.

Let's talk to the locals first and gather some information.

But before that, I need to change my outfit.

Hoshino Hideyuki snapped his fingers, and his modern clothes instantly transformed into a linen kimono, while the corpse of the narrow-eyed Onmyoji behind him turned into a large wooden box.

After doing all this, he immediately went down to the path at the foot of the mountain, mingled with the travelers, and walked together toward the city gate.

It was called a city gate, but there were no stone walls, just a few simple bamboo houses, looking like the entrance to a Boy Scout summer camp.

Two guards with spears stood outside the door. It was unclear whether they would collect money or search people, but Hoshino Hideyuki simply used illusion magic to get past them.

After entering the city, he hadn't walked far when he smelled a pleasant fragrance.

Turning my head, I saw a small shop with the words "Soup Noodles" on the sign. It probably sells something similar to ramen. Judging from the way the customers around me were wolfing it down, it must taste pretty good.

Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I've eaten.

Sigh, at this very moment, I, the fox, should be happily enjoying hot pot and singing songs with my accomplice, Miss...

It's all your fault!

Hoshino Hideyuki glanced at the corpse that had turned into a wooden box on its back with disdain again, and then decisively walked to the ramen stall.

That’s it for now, let’s eat first.

He glanced around and said to the shop owner, "Could you please give me the same kind of noodles as that guy?"

"Alright, sir, please wait a moment..."

Hoshino Hideyuki raised an eyebrow.

What a strong Kansai accent!

No, everyone around me has the same accent. In other words, I'm the one who should be considered to have an odd accent.

It seems I need to be careful...

Ah, it seems it's already too late.

Hoshino Hideyuki pursed his lips and looked at the three people who had sat down at his table without saying hello.

The three men were all burly men with fierce faces, wearing loose-fitting kimonos with tattoos on their exposed forearms. Two of them had their hair tied in braids, while the last one had a shaved chonmage hairstyle.

They were generally not very tall, only a little over 1.6 meters, which somewhat reduced their imposing presence.

But this didn't stop their leader—the man with the shaved head—from smiling confidently at Hoshino Hideyuki:

"Good afternoon, sir! Where are you from?"

Hoshino Hideyuki smiled and replied, "I come from the Great Tang Dynasty in the West."

"Where is that? Overseas?"

Hideyuki Hoshino curled his lip in disdain.

I've never even heard of that. It's not even up to par with the Japanese.

"Hey, you're the one who started this provocation!"

The man with the chonmage glared and said, "Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony. Let me tell you, we have a rule in Nishimaru Castle that outsiders must treat the locals to a meal!"

"We brothers don't ask for much. Just order three more servings of the noodles you just ordered, and that'll be enough for you!"

"You'd better do as I say, or else..."

With a cold smile, the man with the chonmage-like hair lifted a corner of his clothes, revealing the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"Got it~"

Hideyuki Hoshino smiled and nodded.

not far away.

The shop owner turned away with a sympathetic look on his face.

As an honest man, he disliked the behavior of the shaved heads, but there was nothing he could do; he couldn't afford to offend these local thugs.

I just hope this outsider will back down soon, so he can suffer less...

"Boss, three more bowls of noodles, the same as before."

Huh, you've already compromised? Well, that's fine.

The shop owner agreed, turned around, and was then shocked.

Hoshino Hideyuki was still sitting at the table, while the three people from before were lying sprawled on the ground.

After a long while, they struggled to their feet, remained silent, lowered their heads, and slunk into a nearby alley.

Shop owner: ?

Oh my god!

Is this outsider really that amazing?!

A few seconds later, the shop owner came to his senses, then bowed deeply and asked in a respectful but slightly strange tone, "Sir, are you... sure you want three bowls of noodles?"

Since you've already driven the people away, why not just have one serving?

"I'm sure~"

Hoshino Hideyuki, holding the money bag he had just snatched, replied with a smile, "I ate three extra portions by myself, and they paid for it~"

Shop owner: ?!

Wow, what a big appetite this outsider has! He eats so much, no wonder he's so strong.

Can't be bothered, can't be bothered.

But then again...

Although it felt good to see three thugs get beaten up, what if they came back to retaliate... Sigh, outsiders come and go, but I still have to run my business here...

Just as the shop owner was struggling with what to do, Hoshino Hideyuki seemed to see his confusion and said, "Don't worry, boss. Those three won't come back. I've already talked to them and brainwashed them."

"Oh, thank you so much."

The shop owner didn't believe Hoshino Hideyuki's words and still planned to apologize afterward.

Hideyuki Hoshino shrugged, not wanting to explain further.

After the bowls of noodles were served, he casually asked the owner, "Speaking of which, do you know anything about..."

"My friend, I'm afraid I know the answer to your question better than you do."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a hearty female voice. He looked up and saw that three more people had come to the table.

However, unlike last time, this time there were two men and one woman, and they were wearing armor and had swords at their waists.

Hideyuki Hoshino was speechless.

Is my location some kind of special mission location? Does it spawn a trio of NPCs nearby at regular intervals? And does it gradually increase in level based on my battle record?

"I just witnessed you teaching those three a lesson. Your skills are truly remarkable and admirable. With your abilities, coming to this remote place, you must be hunting down the long-haired demons and then heading to Ashihara to retrieve the Divine Jewel, right?"

Before Hoshino Hideyuki could figure out how to reply, the woman among the three people opposite him sat down and smiled at him:

"In that case, I would like to invite you for a drink. I hope you will not refuse."

Hideyuki Hoshino glanced at the woman.

He was in his early thirties, tall and agile, with his beautiful hair tied up in a bun at the back of his head. He wore a simple armor made of bamboo strips and deerskin on his chest, and a straw hat and a matchlock gun on his back, dressed as a warrior.

Looking closer at her face, her features were delicate and her skin was fair. Although there were some signs of aging, they also added to her mature charm. Especially her luscious red lips, when she smiled, they could steal the souls of every man nearby.

But Hideyuki Hoshino remained calm.

Firstly, he wasn't a man, but a male fox; secondly, he was a seasoned veteran and felt that while the woman before him was nice, she was far inferior to Ryoko Senjougahara and the others.

But speaking of which, this person's temperament is a bit like Lady Eboshi from the anime Princess Mononoke from my past life, isn't it?

So he smiled slightly and replied:

"Sure, but I only drink the best wines~"

Chapter 200 The scumbag fox just wants to eat a few more bites of vegetables

The woman's eyebrows twitched noticeably when she saw Hideyuki Hoshino's smile.

She sighed inwardly:

This man is truly extraordinary!

He's incredibly skilled and has an outstanding appearance; no wonder he didn't react much when he saw me—he'd probably look much better in women's clothing than I do.

She laughed out loud, then told one of her men to go and buy the best wine from nearby, and said:

"My name is Naoko Sakuragi, the leader of the Yukawa Clan. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask who you are...?"

"Rukawa Makoto..."

Upon hearing the other party's surname, Hoshino Hideyuki instantly came up with the most suitable fake name for himself. Then, he secretly used the "Mirror View" technique to tentatively inquire about the so-called long-haired demon, Ashihara Miyako, and the Divine Jewel.

Sakuragi Naoko was momentarily confused and completely forgot that she should have asked about the person in front of her first, so she began to answer everything she knew.

Soon, Hideyuki Hoshino learned about the current situation.

This place is indeed separate from the present world.

Without Tokyo or Kyoto, people's understanding of history is extremely incomplete. At most, they know about the Ashikaga Shogun, and think of him as a minor figure from a distant place, just like looking at a globe and not being able to find any Americans.

Here, people only recognize Ashihara as the largest city, and the Hojo Shogun who lives there is the most honorable person.

In addition to humans, this region is also inhabited by a type of monster called the Long-haired Demon.

Unlike ordinary lone monsters, the hairy demons are numerous and form tribes to abduct other monsters or humans as slaves.

These long-haired demons usually like to fight each other, but after many battles, a long-haired demon king will emerge victorious. Under his leadership, the long-haired demons will form a large army and attack the capital of Ashihara.

At this time, General Hojo would issue a decree to kill demons, calling on all the talented and extraordinary people in the land to come to Ashihara to help.

Of course, considering that food and space in the city were limited, General Hojo didn't want just anyone.

He only wanted strong, able-bodied men or members of martial arts families. If either of them came carrying the head of the long-haired devil, he would immediately grant them an official position and give them preferential treatment.