The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

"So why is your body so weak?"

Looking at the white-haired, animal-eared girl in front of him, Shi Bai was speechless.

As one of the strongholds of yokai, the airspace above Yokai Mountain is an absolutely prohibited zone for flying.

If it weren't for this reason, Shi Bai wouldn't have had to suffer so much climbing up. He could have just flown up from the beginning, which would have been so much easier, and he wouldn't have ended up in such a big mess now...

"...Because I was thinking I'd get a free meal today, I deliberately starved myself for several days."

Feeling somewhat guilty, the white wolf tengu turned its head to the side and mumbled something.

"I had been preparing for this banquet for a long time. Because my younger sister is too young to attend such banquets, I even prepared several bags to carry food, intending to bring some back for Momiji. But then, I suddenly received a message from the Great Tengu..."

"No, are you White Wolf Tengu really that poor?"

Hearing this ridiculous reason, Shi Bai's expression immediately became quite strange.

"They've fallen so low that they can't even afford a meal, yet they still want to attend banquets..."

"So I'm really afraid that once the Heavenly Demon takes over, my sister and I won't even be able to afford food and will starve to death... even though we're almost at our breaking point now."

Touching its rumbling stomach, the white wolf tengu weakly spoke.

"Food is a very precious thing. It's not easy to eat your fill. I can't hunt or fish. Only in this rare season can I eat to my heart's content..."

"Surviving is hard, but getting enough to eat is even harder!!"

P.S.: Good evening

Chapter 89 Ghost King of the Ghost Clan

Every living thing has a need for material things.

Just as trees yearn for sunlight, fish need the ocean, and birds long for the sky, Shi Bai's fondness for lolis is essentially the same principle.

To be honest, if it weren't for the white wolf tengu in front of him telling the story, Shi Bai really wouldn't have known that these lower-level monsters were in such a... miserable state.

Because he had only encountered top-tier powerhouses like Eirin Yagokoro before, Shibai really had no concept of these kinds of people, and felt a bit like, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"

Perhaps the only ones who have experienced that kind of life at the bottom are the Four Seasons Little Lolita and the Succubus, but clearly, neither of them seems like the type to talk about such things.

Shi Bai suddenly understood why, back when they lived in the bamboo forest, a certain little girl would nag him for an entire afternoon over a little bit of leftover food.

However, Shi Bai was still quite surprised by the fact that the white wolf tengu usually didn't even have enough to eat.

"That shouldn't be the case. There should be plenty of food up on the mountain, right? What about fruit?"

"They were all taken by other monsters; I can't beat them."

The white wolf tengu looked rather aggrieved.

"The White Wolf Tengu already had the lowest status within the Tengu clan, and food rations were extremely tight. The clan only distributed enough food for one person each day..."

"Then why don't you go fishing or hunting? With your skills, you should be able to catch some prey, right?"

“Those hunting areas are all guarded by special yokai. Our Tengu clan’s hunting area is managed by the Yamabushi Tengu, so I can’t get in at all. Not to mention the hunting areas of other yokai races.”

It would have been better if Shi Bai hadn't asked; his question only made the white-haired, beast-eared girl look even more aggrieved.

"Also, I only know how to use a knife, I have absolutely no idea how to fish. I clearly aim at the fish in the water, but I miss every time..."

"That's the phenomenon of light refraction... Don't you ever study physics properly?"

As Shi Bai mentally conjured up the image of the white-haired creature in front of him, intently wielding a knife and hacking at a fish swimming in the water, only to splash water all over itself each time, he couldn't help but sigh and rub his forehead in exasperation.

"The phenomenon of light refraction... what is that?"

Looking up, the white wolf-tengu looked completely bewildered.

"It's nothing. I have no interest in tutoring you in physics; I'd be more interested in tutoring you in health and physical education..."

With a slight pout, Shi Bai walked up to the other person, and behind them who was looking puzzled, he bent down and picked them up in his arms.

"Guide the way."

"Wait, wait, wait... wait, ...

Suddenly being picked up, the girl's face instantly turned bright red, and you could even vaguely see wisps of steam rising from it.

"What the hell? Hurry up and give us directions! If we're any later, we won't even get a drink!?"

Without hesitation, he interrupted the girl in his arms, his face showing obvious heartache.

"You're hungry, but I'm hungry too!!"

"Oh……"

..................................................................

At the height of the atmosphere, a long-dormant arena in the very center of the city was reopened.

This arena is built from a stone called "bedrock," which is said to be absolutely indestructible and has been passed down from the ancient mythological era. It is quite ancient in the history of the Oni race, with the earliest records dating back tens of thousands of years.

The Ghost Clan is known for its forthright and generous nature, fondness for drinking, aversion to tedious formalities, and respect for powerful beings.

This is not only felt in all aspects of daily life, but also reflected in the so-called succession ceremony of the Ghost King of the Ghost Clan.

As the Ghost King among the Ghost Clan, one cannot command respect without immense power and convincing strength. Therefore, the so-called arena battle is the focus of the Ghost King succession ceremony.

The so-called Ghost King succession ceremony is by no means something that can be done in a simple and ordinary way. It is not enough to simply bestow the title upon the recipient and consider the ceremony complete.

—The one who will succeed as the Demon King of the Demon Clan will face the challenges of all beings on this arena!

The challengers she faces are not only from her own kind, but also from powerful demons of other races. Only those who can fight to the very end on this arena and whose strength earns the admiration and recognition of the onlookers will be qualified to become the Demon King of the Demon Clan!

If someone truly exists who can defeat the Ghost King candidate on the arena and persist until the end, then regardless of whether they are a member of the Ghost Clan, they can still become the Ghost King of the Ghost Clan!

Although there has never been such a precedent in history, the Ghost Clan is a race that never lies, a fact acknowledged even by their opposing gods. Therefore, the authenticity of the rules regarding this Ghost King succession ceremony is beyond doubt.

This is the rule of the Ghost King succession ceremony among the Ghost Clan, as simple and brutal as the Ghost Clan's character.

Back then, whether it was Hoshiguma Yuugi, Ibaraki Kasen, or Kinkara, they all earned their titles through sheer hard work in the arena, using their formidable strength to truly uphold the title of Demon King.

So, within minutes of the long-sealed arena being opened, a large number of monsters quickly gathered around it.

Everyone harbors a sense of wishful thinking; if they could truly defeat their opponent and become the Ghost King, the benefits would be immeasurable.

Anyway, the Ghost King candidate on the arena can't pose a life-threatening danger to them, so what's wrong with giving it a try? What if they actually succeed?

Yes, in this Ghost King succession ceremony, a gauntlet battle is allowed. The only rule on the stage is that there are no rules—except for the restriction on Ghost King candidates and the rule that once defeated, one cannot return to the stage. In fact, a large group of people can even go up and gang up on each other.

Of course, the demons aren't completely stupid. If something like dozens of powerful demons shamelessly ganging up on the stage were to happen, they would send out an equal number of powerful demons in return. After all, there are no rules on the arena.

Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, the dozens of powerful youkai who were on good terms with the oni clan that Hoshiguma Yuugi had specifically invited still haven't shown any intention of arriving.

However, given the current situation, there is no way to back down. All Hoshiguma Yuugi can do, besides stepping in when necessary, is to trust the other party.

If a demon from another race were to seize the throne of the Demon King, they would become the greatest sinners in the history of the demon race.

No matter what, Hoshiguma Yuugi would never allow such a thing to happen.

Amidst the intense attention and the resounding shouts echoing through the mountains, a small figure calmly stepped onto the arena. The moment this small figure stepped onto the arena, it instantly drew gasps of surprise from the surrounding monsters.

The reason is simple: the candidate for the Ghost King who stepped onto the stage to accept the succession ceremony of the Ghost King appears to be a short little girl with the body and appearance of a toddler, with long, straight light brown hair.

The little girl's head tilted to the left and right, and the pair of long, curved horns that were disproportionate to her height, along with the chains tied around her waist, confirmed her identity as a demon. However, judging from her appearance alone, she seemed far too young.

—Can such a young being really be appointed as the long-vacant Demon King among the demons?

Upon seeing the little girl, the monsters beside the arena immediately had this question in their minds, followed by a strange feeling of ecstasy.

If that's the case, does that mean I also have the opportunity to become the Ghost King of the Ghost Clan?

...There are quite a few monsters here who hold this kind of idea.

In the bustling night, the central arena was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. As the gate leading to the arena was slowly opened, several impatient figures rushed onto the stage.

One of the rules of the arena competition is that a new match can only begin after the previous one has ended. However, there is no limit to the number of people who can go up for each match, and the arena is large enough.

There are a total of twenty-five matches in the tournament. Based on Hoshiguma Yuugi's past experience, the first dozen or so matches should be quite easy. The real challenge will likely arise after the powerful youkai choose to step onto the stage.

She knew Ibuki Suika's strength well; in terms of power alone, she was only slightly weaker than herself, so she wasn't worried at first.

But when she saw the monsters who had come up, she suddenly stood up from her chair, and her face instantly turned extremely ugly.

Among the three yokai chosen to enter the fray at the beginning, one of them was a yokai of the Great Yokai level.

...Why would a monster of this caliber appear at the very beginning?

Clenching his fists tightly, Hoshiguma Yuugi vaguely sensed a conspiracy in his heart.

"Is this the level you're at right from the start...?"

Taking a deep breath, Ibuki Suika looked up at Hoshiguma Yuugi upstairs and clenched her fist.

For the honor of the Ghost Clan, she would never allow herself to lose here.

As the black fence slowly descended again, the voices of the monsters in the audience came in, and various shouts and cries echoed in the air above the arena, pushing the atmosphere of the first arena opening battle to its climax.

boom--! ! !

Just as the fence was fully lowered, a loud roar resounded on the arena. Ibuki Suika's small figure had silently appeared in front of the three challengers in an instant.

Just as the roar resounded, two of the three monsters who had entered the arena were sent flying uncontrollably, crashing far away into the monster horde outside the arena.

"Pretty good speed and power, but do you think that will be useful to me?"

The only remaining great demon on the field was slightly startled at first, and then a cold smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

"If you want to defeat me, then unleash your full power!! The power I possess is not just..."

"You? I wouldn't even need to use one percent of my power to deal with you."

Before he could finish his sentence, the little girl's cold voice rang out behind him.

"!!!"

Upon hearing these words, he was immediately startled.

It was right in front of me just a moment ago, how could it be so fast...!?

—This was the last thing that flashed through his mind before he lost consciousness.

"Clap."

As if throwing away a piece of junk, Ibuki Suika tossed the great yokai she had defeated in one move far off the stage.

It took her... three seconds to take down these three opponents!

As if a song had been cut off at its climax, the previously bustling atmosphere suddenly came to a complete halt.

Is that all?

After scanning the area around the arena, Suika Ibuki revealed a slightly wicked smile.

"Don't forget, the opponent you're facing now is the Ghost King of the Ghost Clan!! If you don't go all out from the start... do you want to die!?"

boom--! ! !

Like a bucket of water being poured over a pot of boiling oil, the previously quiet environment around the arena was instantly ignited by Ibuki Suika's undisguised remark!

"That Suika guy..."

Hoshiguma Yuugi, who was watching the game from upstairs, slowly loosened her clenched hands and breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, she quickly became anxious again.

She wasn't stupid; there was definitely some conspiracy she didn't know about in this succession ceremony of the Ghost King.

Although Suika Ibuki won the first tournament with a surprising and impressive performance thanks to her abilities, she still had a full twenty-four more matches to go!

The further she progresses, the greater the difficulties and challenges she will face; this is almost inevitable.

However, at this crucial moment, she was severely short-handed. Even if she played through her injury to help, she could only play one game because of the rule that each person could only play once.

Her time to play will definitely be in the 25th and final match, but before that... can Suika Ibuki hold on?

P.S.: Tickets

Chapter 90 I may not be human, but you really are a dog.

Just as the Ghost King's succession ceremony was in full swing, a conversation was taking place in a secluded room not far from the bustling arena.