Tokyo: Starting with the Shrine Maiden

Not long after, all the snakes disappeared.

Mari Tsuchimikado let out a breath.

This spell is equivalent to the fifth rank.

She had to use supernatural powers to resist.

Fortunately, Haruhiko or anyone else didn't dare to barge in, otherwise they would have either been bitten to death or poisoned.

"For safety, do not step on the black areas on the ground."

Mari Tsuchimikado reminded her.

She sent out a flame once again.

This time it didn't go out.

"Let's go in."

With a light leap, Tsuchimikado Mari floated into the air.

The same procedure was followed by everyone else.

Haruhiko was pulled to his side by Tsuchimikado Mashiro.

Hotaru Hoshino followed closely behind him.

In other words, he was protected.

Although it was quite safe, Haruhiko didn't feel like he was exploring a dungeon.

The passage was quite dark, but thanks to Tsuchimikado Mari's flames, one could barely see the surroundings.

Everywhere there were smooth stone walls.

Judging from the marks, it was carved by hand.

But apart from that, it's just ordinary.

The group successfully reached the vicinity of the passage.

The view suddenly opened up, revealing the underground hall.

It is paved with white jade, making it appear very expensive.

In the middle stood a middle-aged man dressed in hunting attire.

Ashiya Michiman.

Haruhiko was taken aback.

That's far too easy.

Apart from the snakes at the entrance, there were no traps or dangers.

To be honest, it's very strange.

Haruhiko wasn't the only one who thought this way; everyone else did too.

"The key lies in this body."

Mari Tsuchimikado frowned slightly and stepped forward.

278. Chapter 278 The Great Tengu

Haruhiko looked at Tsuchimikado Mari and subconsciously held his breath.

Despite her formidable strength, she still felt somewhat nervous and worried when facing the legendary Ashiya Dōman.

Tsuchimikado Mari slowly stepped forward and stopped when she was half a meter away from him.

What comes into view is Ashiya Dōman, who appears to be asleep.

The hunting robes he wore also looked quite ordinary.

However, Tsuchimikado Mari did not believe there was no danger.

Ashiya Dōman would certainly have laid the most elaborate trap for his true identity.

The swarm of snakes formed by the fifth-tier spell at the entrance is dangerous, but it cannot cause much damage to a fifth-tier psionicist.

Given Ashiya Dōman's abilities, he couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

Mari Tsuchimikado raised her hand.

Most traps are actually triggered by very simple conditions.

They will attack anything that enters their range.

The psionic energy flowed out like water.

Under Tsuchimikado Mari's control, it slowly approaches Ashiya Doman's body and finally makes contact with him.

The next second, a visible light spread outwards.

Tsuchimikado Mari instinctively stepped back and erected a barrier in front of her.

But nothing worked.

The light moved so fast that it enveloped everyone in an instant.

Haruhiko felt a blur before his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was no longer in the ruins, but on an unfamiliar ceiling.

He sat up and looked around. The decor was very old, at least a thousand years old.

Haruhiko was suddenly startled; his own clothes had also changed.

It's a hunting robe, an exclusive outfit for Onmyoji, and it's exactly the same as Ashiya Doman's.

He frowned slightly.

Have we fallen into an illusion?

But he was completely unaware.

Since he merged with Xue Dan, he could sense abnormalities even with fifth-order illusions.

Now that it's not there, it's as if the world around him is real.

But reason told him that it was fake.

After all, he had just been inside the ruins.

Haruhiko got out of bed, walked slowly to the door, and pushed it open.

What comes into view is a palace-style courtyard.

The garden, rockery, and fountain are all very elegant in both layout and scenery.

You can tell at first glance that they are a wealthy family.

Haruhiko walked to the fountain and saw his current appearance reflected in the water.

It was Ashiya Dōman, or more accurately, the young Ashiya Dōman.

What's going on with this illusion?

Haruhiko fell into deep thought.

Generally, the purpose of illusion is to confuse the enemy, thereby achieving a fatal blow.

The situation is clearly different now.

Haruhiko was trapped in the illusion, but he was not attacked.

Considering that this was an illusion triggered by Ashiya Doman's body, he couldn't help but think of a possibility.

How to prevent others from getting close to your body?

Then just set up an illusion that only you can escape.

Haruhiko transformed into a younger version of Ashiya Dōman and became trapped in his memories.

It is very likely that his story will span decades or even thousands of years.

By the time he came out, he had already died of old age.

Haruhiko's heart tightened.

The most urgent task is to break this illusion.

Otherwise, he can only wait for Tsuchimikado Mari and the others to rescue him.

With their abilities, this illusion might not last that long, but it's hard to say.

"Since we're going to wait anyway, let's take a look at Ashiya Doman's memories. Maybe we can discover his secrets."

Having made up his mind, Haruhiko prepared to take action.

The first thing is to figure out our current situation.

His understanding of what happened a thousand years ago mainly comes from his character Hayate in his first playthrough.

Because I'm a swordsman, I mostly encounter other swordsmen.