Chapter 109

【Since your comprehensive evaluation rank is S, you have obtained the S-Rank corresponding reward — Soul Ash 1000 points. Walker's Assembly Token (Special Prop)! Divination Sticks (Special Prop)!】

Two Special Props?

Special Props differ from ordinary weapon equipment; they have no specific grade divisions, but most possess an irreplaceable special nature.

Uesugi Toru first took out the "Walker's Assembly Token"; this was yet another prop related to his identity as a Walker.

He hadn't expected that the task related to the "Broken Walker Token" he obtained last time wasn't finished yet, and he had actually gained another Token.

An icy cool touch transmitted from his palm; Uesugi Toru lifted it with great difficulty and examined it closely.

— After his Physique Attribute became "1", he felt like a bodybuilder who had gone days without water or carbs; even though his appearance hadn't changed in the slightest, his strength had deteriorated to an extreme, to the point where even normal breathing was strenuous.

Purely strong on the outside, dry on the inside.

【Walker's Assembly Token (Special Prop)】

【Usage: Consume 100 Soul Ash to permanently light up this Assembly Token. After lighting the Token, inject a small amount of Spirit Power to use it.】

【Note: This Token can only be used in Chang Shi.】

【— A simple, dust-covered Assembly Token, perhaps belonging long, long ago to a certain Walker who measured the whole of Chang Shi.】

The Assembly Token differed slightly in shape from the Walker Token he held; though called a Token, it was more like a perfectly curved round cake.

Uesugi Toru wiped away the heavy Dust on it with his wrist, revealing an ancient-style "Assembly" character in the very center of the Token.

Although he still couldn't read the character, just like before, he could understand the meaning of this writing without needing to read it.

"Assembly... meaning I might encounter other Walkers?"

Uesugi Toru pondered, but upon seeing this final annotation and recalling Katsumi's words, he shook his head again.

Right now, even the existence of Walkers is extremely rare.

Those who obtain this Assembly Token and can reach this so-called "Assembly" would be even fewer; it's best not to hold any hope.

Temporarily putting away the Assembly Token, Uesugi Toru took out the second Special Prop he had obtained, the "Divination Sticks".

The so-called Omikuji is actually Japan's traditional divination method — at shrines or Temples, spending a hundred or two hundred yen lets you hold a tube filled with sticks written with "Fortune", "Misfortune", and the like; after confirming the matter in your heart, you shake and shake, and obtain a fortune slip related to that matter.

However, Uesugi Toru understood that the vast majority of shrines and Temples, for the sake of tourists' experience, stuff the tubes full of "Fortune" or better slips; "Misfortune" is exceedingly rare.

So Uesugi Toru never believed in this sort of thing.

But the tube in his hand was absolutely nothing like those manually controlled wooden slips —

The tube was neither light nor heavy, overall a slender cylinder; delicate wood grain covered every part of the tube, and holding it, Uesugi Toru could feel a warm, moist touch.

Peering through the tube cover engraved with complex cloud patterns, one could see the interior seemingly divided in two; the deep tube neatly held row upon row of Omikuji.

Just holding it, Uesugi Toru found the thoughts in his heart stirred into a slight churn — as if the tube was unhurriedly asking him "What do you want to ask?"

【Divination Sticks (Special Prop)】

【Usage: The Divination Sticks have two tubes: "Divination Request" and "Divination Change".

The Divination Request Tube can be used once every three days; after confirming the matter in your heart, draw a stick. The more concrete the matter, the more accurate the fortune's auspiciousness or inauspiciousness.

The Divination Change Tube can be used once every ten days. After a successful Divination Request, the Divination Change Tube can be used to randomly change the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness; if dissatisfied after the change, the stick may be discarded without applying the change.】

【— Misfortune is what fortune leans on; fortune is where misfortune lurks.】

"Predicting the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of future events..."

Uesugi Toru gazed at the deep interior of the tube, and a decision formed in his heart at once.

He closed his eyes, silently chanted "The influence on me after the First Wave arrives tomorrow" several times in his heart, then gently shook the tube.

Clack.

Before long, a slender, round Omikuji slid out from the tube mouth and fell beside Uesugi Toru's hand.

With a touch of curiosity, he picked up the Omikuji —

【Omikuji · Fortune】

Below the prompt popped a short line of annotation.

【— The great trend has arrived; move with the wave.】

"Do you have to speak in this Riddle-like four-character phrase?" Uesugi Toru looked at the annotation for a while and exhaled, "But since it's 'Fortune', it means the First Wave won't cause too much trouble."

After all, above "Fortune" there remains only "Great Fortune"; this already represents that this matter is extremely good.

And he cannot leave Arakawa Ward tomorrow; this also means the arrival of the First Wave tomorrow won't produce excessive negative impact on Arakawa Ward.

It seems after the death of Dissociated Love, the remaining shrimp soldiers and crab generals can't stir up any waves — the Special Affairs Division's months of preparation weren't for nothing.

Think about it carefully: the First Wave won't bring excessive harm to Genjitsu society; instead, it lets Ordinary People gradually come into contact with the Supernatural, Yin-Yang Technique, and Yokai Kaidan through this opportunity.

Letting everyone peacefully understand that a New Era seems to have arrived is the normal phenomenon.

Although Chang Shi has risen, it is still an unknown number of ten thousand eight thousand li from Genjitsu.

Even if heaven and earth awaken alongside Yokai, the most that emerge are merely some Half-Star, One-Star minor Yokai.

And the Special Affairs Division's Onmyoji have long known the Wave is coming and have planned meticulous, foolproof countermeasures.

The reason Arakawa Ward saw such massive casualties and crisis was mainly due to the existence of Dissociated Love, one of the Eight Sufferings — the previously harmful Friendship Club was her doing; the Red Tide that nearly destroyed all of Arakawa Ward was also her handiwork.

Besides that, the biggest Spiritual Event was only the "Sleeping District" incident the Nue of the Yokai Guidance Association produced a few days ago; Ordinary People are almost entirely unaware.

It only dared secretly dispatch Living Beings at night to scrape Stranger Souls little by little, completely not daring to Face Off directly with the Special Affairs Division.

Satisfied, he tucked the Omikuji at his Waist, put away the tube, listened to the surroundings' movements for a while, and only after confirming no one was around did he take out what was perhaps the biggest Harvest of this incident.

— Mythic Material · Dissociated Love.

This is the Material obtained from killing Dissociated Love.

It was also through this opportunity that Uesugi Toru learned that above the grade "Legend" there actually exists a grade named "Myth".

For Uesugi Toru, who currently possesses only two Epic Props, both gifted by others, this is simply unimaginable.

Uesugi Toru lowered his head to look; a Crystal-clear heart met his eyes.

It still pulsed extremely faintly, firmly holding his gaze.

Uesugi Toru was momentarily speechless, discovering that apart from "beauty," no vocabulary was sufficient to describe the heart he held in his hands.

He even gave birth to the thought of swallowing the heart in his hand in one gulp.

【Dissociated Love】

【Quality: Myth】

【Effect One: Can serve as core material for a Six-Star Positive God's promotion to Seven-Star.】

【Effect Two: When carried on one's person, it will slowly polish the bearer's mental state in a special way.】

【——Aibetsuri.】

Only when Uesugi Toru saw "Effect Two" did his whole person suddenly startle.

He looked again at the Dissociated Love in his hand, and shockingly, it no longer possessed the bizarre, grotesque attraction it had moments ago.

Uesugi Toru swiftly circulated the Jade Heart Technique to guard his mind, cursing inwardly that this "special way" of polishing was what it meant.

The panel only listed two effects; heaven knows what bizarre effect would occur if he really swallowed this heart in one gulp.

Becoming a new Eight Sufferings·Aibetsuri was not entirely impossible.

"Dead and still not letting things rest..."

Uesugi Toru forcefully kneaded the Dissociated Love once, then fiercely threw it back into the Storage Backpack — even if it could be used to polish his mental state, he would wait until at least all his attributes recovered.

Just a glance earlier nearly caused a catastrophe; Uesugi Toru dared not continue keeping this thing by his side.

As for Effect One, that was even more unattainable for him... apart from letting him know that a Six-Star existence is called a "Positive God," it was of no help at present.

When it comes down to it, this thing's grade is simply too high; it was never material the current Uesugi Toru should have obtained.

Aibetsuri, in the instant after being defeated by Nanjo Rituna, managed to sky-escape from Arakawa Ward to Ota Ward at Tokyo's southernmost tip — it should have been impossible for anyone to discover, let alone catch up.

But Uesugi Toru, relying on the Nail-Head from the Nail-Head Seven Arrows that Katsumi gifted him, this artifact from myth and legend, achieved it.

"No wonder Aibetsuri showed a confused expression at that time..."

Uesugi Toru gazed at the Nail-Head in his hand, from which deep, profound cracks were emerging — even a part of the legendary Nail-Head Seven Arrows would be damaged because of this.

If it were a tracking artifact of slightly lower grade, it probably couldn't be used at all.

At that time, the Two-Shaku Adult's curse positioning was also erased to disappearance in a single instant.

"Luck, ah."

Sighing with emotion, Uesugi Toru browsed the remaining proficiency prompts.

First was the Corona Breathing Technique, which successfully broke through to Proficient Level after battling Aibetsuri.

【Your skill, Corona Breathing Technique, has risen to Proficient Level!】

【Corona Breathing Technique (Proficient 550/3500)】

【Effect: Internal Organs Fortification, Qi Circulation to Four Extremities, breath like fire.】

【Because your Corona Breathing Technique rose to Proficient Level, your Physique +5!】

【Because your Corona Breathing Technique rose to Proficient Level, your Internal Qi volume increased!】

"Proficient Level requires 3500 proficiency points; the later stages will be something else?"

This was still the effect after Uesugi Toru's proficiency requirement was reduced by 30%; if going by the original requirement, a full 5000 proficiency points would be needed to break through to Mastery Level.

Then further down, wouldn't it be 10000 points, then double again...

Five-digit or even six-digit proficiency requirements; heaven knows how many years of grinding.

"Also don't know what this so-called 'Qi Circulation to Four Extremities' feels like."

Uesugi Toru moved his rather powerless fingers, glancing at the Spirit Control Technique which he had already squeezed in 20 proficiency points for in the past two days.

【Spirit Control Technique (Entry Level 0/300)】

【Effect: Command Heaven Earth Qi, connect Ten Thousand Things' spirits.】

【Because your Spirit Control Technique rose to Beginner Level, your Spirit Arts +3!】

Aside from giving him +3 Spirit Technique Attribute, the Spirit Control Technique had almost no change.

However, this Great Onmyo Technique Fragment's required proficiency was pitifully low, so Uesugi Toru didn't mind grinding it during rest periods; who knows, maybe when it reaches Mastery or higher, miraculous effects will appear.

After the two skills broke through, the Attribute Panel changed again —

【Uesugi Toru】

【Physique: 1 (25→30)】

【Will: 1 (13)】

【Charm: 1 (9)】

【Spirit Arts: 1 (10→13)】

Now even without using any power related to the Yokai Avatar, Uesugi Toru is sufficient to exorcise One-Star Half or even Two-Star Yokai; if he wears all his equipment, he probably wouldn't be inferior even against an ordinary Two-Star Half Yokai.

"Right, there's also Kaga Kiyomitsu."

Recalling the prompt about Kaga Kiyomitsu undergoing unknown changes after slaying Aibetsuri, Uesugi Toru took out Kaga Kiyomitsu, but was stunned to discover he currently couldn't draw it from the Sword Sheath.

"Hm?"

【Kaga Kiyomitsu·Imitation is undergoing unknown change: 4%】

Uesugi Toru clicked his tongue: "This Aibetsuri really insists on crazily displaying its existence sense even after death."

Boom—

Thunder rumbled across heaven and earth.

Placing the lifeless Kaga Kiyomitsu on his lap, hearing the rumbling sound, Uesugi Toru looked toward the rainy window outside with a vague sense.

Uesugi Toru silently savored the continuously rising Spirit Power Concentration in his surroundings; he believed that anyone who could faintly perceive the existence of Spirit Power would understand one thing —

This heaven and earth they were once familiar with is about to become different from any time in the past.

The tide is about to arrive.

……

"The tide is about to arrive."

On the rooftop, Kondo Tomoya, who had washed the bloody smell from his body with wind and rain, spoke.

Shizuku gazed at the distant fires being continuously extinguished, then looked at the anxious crowd, and asked with slight urgency: "Major Officer Kondo, have you seen Nanjo Rituna after that?"

"If she were to step forward and announce that Ai Betsuri has been defeated and everything is over, it would stabilize the current panicked hearts and accelerate the process of order recovery in the entire Arakawa Ward."

Kondo Tomoya shook his head,

"Tokugawa, there is no one in the current Arakawa Ward who can command her, not even me."

Shizuku's eyes moved: "Meaning, you know her location."

"I don't know what Nanjo is thinking right now either, so don't think about going to arrest her back……"

Kondo Tomoya spoke halfway, helplessly changed his words,

"Five Person Council."

"——She should have gone to find the Five Person Council because of those fleeing officials."

……

"You don't have an appointment, and the Five Person Council hasn't notified——"

In front of an ordinary detached house, the tall, burly black-suited operative retreated two more steps, blocking the doorway and said with incomparable stiffness.

"I said, special times, special circumstances require special treatment. I will bear all responsibility, whatever happens afterwards has nothing to do with you."

Nanjo Rituna raised her eyes slightly, making the operative feel as if all the Spirit Power in his body had been drained in an instant, only feeling his limbs go numb and unable to exert strength.

"Now, I'll say it one last time."

Nanjo Rituna raised her fingertip, aiming at the trembling operative,

"Move aside."

Click.

The door behind the black-suited operative suddenly opened, causing him to fall backward uncontrollably.

A voice came from the empty detached house: "Let her in."

The operative, as if granted amnesty, crawled to the side on hands and feet.

Nanjo Rituna paid him no further mind, alone she stepped across the boundary, disappearing into the darkness.

The last two days of the month, brothers asking for monthly tickets!

——

Recommending a friend's book:

"Plague Fiend: Starting from Immortality"

This world is sick.

The source has undergone unknown mutation, any disease parasitizing the human body transforms into a plague fiend, they slice open people's skin and parasitize within.

Chu Cheng time traveled to an ancient dynasty rampant with plague fiends, discovering he had actually gained the ability to exempt costs.

And the first extraordinary trait he possessed was actually immortality.

【Cancer Fiend: Immortality】

【Cost——Useless organ hyperplasia, flesh body failure (Already Exempted!)】

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(End of Chapter)