Chapter 140

Isn't he selling himself out just for a biscuit?

Uesugi Toru was confused and stunned, but upon seeing the words "meat floss flavor" on the compressed biscuit packaging he had just handed over, he immediately understood.

Meat floss, meat floss—though it had nothing to do with real meat, at least it had a meaty flavor!

Then he looked at this little ninja named Shiraishi.

That slender frame that seemed like it would fall over at the slightest breeze, and that height that was worrying.

Not to mention going three days without nine meals, at least he'd be going three days without six.

Although ordinary people in this era weren't exactly starving to death, what they ate could hardly be called delicious—or to put it bluntly, as long as it filled their stomachs and kept them from dying, it was fine.

Rice, barnyard millet, wild vegetables, rice bran...

And this was for farmers who owned their own houses and farmland.

But this little ninja Shiraishi? He had absolutely nothing.

Uesugi Toru guessed he either had to try his luck hunting in the wild, or pick something edible by the roadside to stuff into his stomach, or failing that, go into the city to beg for a meal, and maybe he'd run into a kind person and get a full meal.

Or maybe stealing someone else's leftovers wasn't impossible?

But no matter how you put it, these things had absolutely nothing to do with "meat."

Not to mention whatever damn meat-eating ban the emperor had issued in the past, just the outrageous price of meat was something a guy like Shiraishi, who wore straw sandals until they were rotten and still wouldn't replace them, could afford.

No wonder he could see light in his eyes while eating dry, hard compressed biscuits.

Uesugi Toru touched his chin—if this bit of compressed biscuit could make him say such things, then if he really brought back two jin of meat when he returned, would Shiraishi kneel down on the spot and kowtow to take him as a foster father?

But forget it, he wasn't that lacking in sons... having him call him boss was indeed about right.

And besides, he had just arrived and happened to lack a local guide who could get things done, and Shiraishi was indeed not bad.

As for the small matter of one more mouth to feed, Uesugi Toru had never worried about it.

Even if the compressed biscuits ran out and it wasn't convenient to go back to Genjitsu to buy things, he could easily let himself and this little ninja eat fish and meat.

Otherwise, wouldn't all his strength have been trained in vain?

"I never lack food to eat."

Uesugi Toru snapped his fingers, and more than ten compressed biscuits fell before Shiraishi's eyes, and he continued: "The key is whether you have this qualification."

Shiraishi first gnawed a few more mouthfuls of compressed biscuits, then seemed to choke, and only after drinking a few mouthfuls of water did he let out a satisfied long sigh.

He had gone too long without feeling this ease of eating without having to calculate carefully.

And although this thing in his hand looked strange, its taste was really very similar to the chicken he had eaten a long, long time ago, absolutely delicious!

Shiraishi patted his chest, making a dull thumping sound: "I'm an expert among the Iga Group!"

Iga Group?

Uesugi Toru blinked, thinking he knew this one.

—All the ninjas under heaven come from the two Kaga!

This so-called "two Kaga" referred to Koga and Iga Province.

The ninja schools of these two places were still passed down even in the present Genjitsu, and there seemed to be many experts, not to mention more than one Ghost God Level figure.

So he said: "A ninja from Iga, right? That's very famous, even I, a hidden person, know of it."

"Ninja? What ninja?"

Shiraishi showed a confused expression.

He rarely showed such an expression, because as an expert of the Iga Group, there were really very few things he didn't know throughout the entire Tokaido and even farther regions.

But he indeed had never heard the word "ninja."

Uesugi Toru was also confused: "Aren't you saying you're from the Iga Group? Isn't that just Iga ninja!"

"The Iga Group is the Iga Group, but what the hell is a 'ninja'!"

Uesugi Toru didn't know—actually, the word "ninja" was only invented and spread in the Edo Period.

Now him telling Shiraishi this was like telling people of this era about "infantry-tank coordination" or "the importance of air superiority," completely meaningless.

Shiraishi scratched his messy hair that could serve as a bird's nest, and grinned: "Let's not talk about that! Anyway, as an expert of the Iga Group, I know a lot of intelligence and news about this Tenka, and you, an Onmyoji who has been hidden for so long, aren't we a perfect match!"

Uesugi Toru nodded—that was correct.

"Then I'll recognize you as my boss!"

Shiraishi finished the biscuit in his hand in two or three bites, and quickly grabbed another piece, but as expected, he was stumped by the plastic-sealed packaging.

But he didn't call Uesugi Toru for help, seemingly wanting to match strength with this compressed biscuit's packaging himself.

Uesugi Toru watched for a while, and finally couldn't bear to watch anymore, so he also picked up a biscuit, and slowly tore it open before his eyes, then slowly sent the biscuit into his mouth.

Mm, it really wasn't tasty.

And Shiraishi, who pretended to lower his head but was actually secretly glancing at Uesugi Toru's movements from the corner of his eye, soon imitated him and tore open the packaging.

He said while eating: "Boss mmm... from now on I'll eat meals with you!"

Uesugi Toru laughed after hearing that, put the remaining compressed biscuits back into the Storage Backpack, only leaving one piece for Shiraishi, thinking that this last sentence was probably the key point.

After Shiraishi finished the compressed biscuit in two or three bites again, and didn't even let go of the crumbs that fell to the ground, he suddenly noticed that the water container Uesugi Toru gave him seemed not ordinary either.

Shiraishi raised the mineral water bottle whose packaging had been torn off in his hand, and carefully examined this transparent, very lightweight and good-looking, water bottle without any strange smell.

Nanman Goods, definitely top-quality Nanman Goods!

He held his breath, and kept using his gaze to repeatedly examine the mineral water bottle,

"This bottle... could sell for at least several kan or even ten-plus kan of money."

In the Sengoku Period, the so-called "one kan" basically referred to "one market kan," which was eight hundred forty wen.

The purchasing power of eight hundred forty wen in this era was not low.

If only used to buy bean products and edible rice, eight hundred forty wen could absolutely satisfy one person's basic survival needs for almost a whole year.

And now, this weightless bottle in his hand could sell for at least several kan of money, letting him live freely for at least several months or even longer!

If the market is good, maybe all his equipment could be swapped for a full set!

Uesugi Toru never expected that Shiraishi, who had just acknowledged him as boss, would develop the idea of going solo over a mere mineral water bottle.

Shiraishi carefully pinched the mineral water bottle, and upon discovering it actually dented under the pressure of his fingers, he quickly loosened his grip, then widened his eyes in shock when he saw the bottle spring back.

Shiraishi looked toward Uesugi Toru walking to the warehouse doorway, seemingly not noticing him, and hurriedly slipped the mineral water bottle into his pocket.

——Why not escape now?

Just as Shiraishi was thinking this, he suddenly felt a faint gaze strike his back.

He turned around as if nothing was wrong, and saw the two-shaku Adult standing not far behind him, smiling with narrowed eyes.

Shiraishi instantly shuddered!

That's right! How could he have forgotten this yokai!

He immediately took out the mineral water bottle he had hidden in his clothes, thinking he had almost kicked the bucket, fortunately he was an Iga Group expert who noticed this detail.

Thinking this, Shiraishi immediately ran to Uesugi Toru's side with thudding steps, handing him the mineral water bottle that still contained unfinished water,

"Boss, your water bottle."

Uesugi Toru, who had just been preparing to jump onto the roof to observe the surroundings, blinked slightly, waving his hand: "Finish drinking it yourself, just don't litter, no need to return it to me."

After saying this, he pushed off with his feet and leapt up onto a roof over two meters high, leaving Shiraishi standing below dumbfounded.

How did he get up to such a high place all at once?

No! That's not the key point right now!

Shiraishi fiercely twisted his own cheek with his muddy little hand, and after gritting his teeth in pain, muttered: "So it's not a dream... this Southern Barbarian water bottle was really just given to me?"

He stood in place for a good while before cursing in his heart: "Damn it, this Onmyoji is also a big spender, who knows what heaven-defying and reason-violating things he secretly did that I don't know about!"

Otherwise, how could he casually give such a valuable bottle to someone he had only met once?

Clearly someone who's been rich for too long!

Shiraishi glanced at the two-shaku Adult who had again followed closely to his side, and secretly thought in his heart: "Heh heh, I'll mooch food and drink off this big spender Onmyoji for a while.

——Once I've saved up enough valuable things, I'll kick him away and go solo!"

The key is not to be caught by this all-white yokai, and to slip away unnoticed in a crowded market area.

Poor Shiraishi didn't know that his body had already been planted with a curse positioning by the two-shaku Adult; even if he ran to Owari, Kyoto, or even farther regions right now, it would be useless.

On the warehouse roof, Uesugi Toru withdrew his gaze from the distant village full of small flat houses.

Shiraishi hadn't lied to him; there was indeed a village two or three hundred meters away, and many villagers could be seen walking back and forth in the streets.

It was just——

Uesugi Toru sniffed his nose tip.

There was a strong demonic energy that had drifted all the way here.

Whether it was called resentment or demonic energy.

Anyway, even from several hundred meters away, Uesugi Toru could extremely clearly sense that a yokai full of resentment was lurking in that "Hasu Village."

Uesugi Toru jumped straight down from the roof right in front of Shiraishi, making the child stare at him blankly.

He asked: "In that Hasu Village, have strange things been happening recently?"

"Ah, yes... part of the reason I dragged you here, Boss, is because of this."

Shiraishi had just finished answering when he looked at him with a ghost-seeing expression: "Boss, how did you know about this!?"

"That's right."

Uesugi Toru said lightly: "Because there are yokai in that village."

"Yokai!?"

Shiraishi glanced at the two-shaku Adult again and asked softly: "Boss, is it like her..."

"No, judging by the intensity of this resentment, this yokai isn't nearly as dignified and good-looking as my family's two-shaku Adult."

Uesugi Toru said: "If that yokai appeared before you, it would probably scare you to death directly."

Shiraishi shivered violently, and hurriedly said: "Then Boss, shouldn't we hurry and leave, go to Sunpu Castle, we should be safe once we get there!"

"Leave? Why leave?"

Uesugi Toru's thoughts turned, and in an instant he came up with a good idea: "Precisely because yokai are lurking in Hasu Village, that's exactly why I want to go there."

——Because killing yokai before the villagers' eyes, and letting them spontaneously promote his name as this "worldly Onmyoji" like tap water, is far more believable and real than him saying it himself with his own mouth.

This place isn't far from Sunpu Castle, the center of Suruga.

Once the name "Onmyoji," which should be unique in the present age, spreads, would Uesugi Toru still fear no one would come to request him?

"Things should be done early rather than late, let's go now."

Uesugi Toru had just lifted his leg when he felt his clothes corner grabbed by someone.

Looking back, it was Shiraishi with his small face full of seriousness.

"Boss, I cherish my life; if you really want to go throw your life away, I won't accompany you, we'll have to say goodbye here."

He gripped the cap of the mineral water bottle tightly and said word by word: "Considering you've treated me well, I'll advise you one last time."

Uesugi Toru carefully examined Shiraishi, and found he didn't seem to be lying.

So Uesugi Toru smiled: "Shiraishi, what makes you think I'm throwing my life away?"

Seeing him still acting so nonchalant, Shiraishi let go of his hand and began cursing loudly,

"Need you say it! That yokai kills people like hemp! Hasu Village has had over ten people dead these days, you big idiot Akaiishi, go there! Hurrying to reincarnate? Must go throw your life away now!"

This subordinate... seems to have been recruited quite well.

Uesugi Toru touched Kaga Kiyomitsu, which he had just taken out from the Storage Backpack—if Shiraishi didn't say a word, he might have been thinking of licking his pack and eating the legacy after he was killed by yokai.

But now, risking his life to advise him not to go, it showed Shiraishi was still quite responsible toward this cheap boss he had only known for a short while.

This damn kid, not bad.

Uesugi Toru shifted his gaze and found a large stone leaning diagonally beside a small tree not far away, then smiled at Shiraishi: "Then I'll prove my strength to you right now."

Prove? How to prove?

Shiraishi was just thinking this when he suddenly noticed the Kaga Kiyomitsu at Uesugi Toru's waist.

That vermilion scabbard, red as blood, was reflecting the cool sunlight straight into his pupils.

This scabbard, this hilt... Shiraishi didn't even need to think, didn't even need to look at the blade, to know this sword's price absolutely could not be lower than one hundred koku.

Craftsmanship of this grade just lacked having the two characters "Famous Sword" carved on it!

— Boss! You still say you're not a villain samurai!

Shiraishi ground his teeth hard, wanting to stab this villain samurai he had just acknowledged as his boss to death with a single slash — because samurai represented the meaning of villain, all samurai deserved to die!

But since Boss is a samurai, then why could he tell there were monsters in Hasu Village?

Thinking like this, Boss should be an Onmyoji, right.

Strange, strange.

Shiraishi felt his brain turn to mush in an instant.

He stopped thinking and instead followed behind Uesugi Toru, wanting to see what kind of tricks this boss could pull off.

Soon, Shiraishi saw the target Uesugi Toru intended to cut this time — a large wooden stake that had just been soaked by rain, still bearing three or four knots, roughly as thick as three of his waists.

"This wood just got rained on, hard to cut... Boss, I advise you to just stop here." Shiraishi snorted, "Don't go ruining your precious uchigatana."

Words were words, but Shiraishi still honestly moved that heavy wooden stake into position, making it convenient for Uesugi Toru to chop.

"What are you doing, Shiraishi?"

Uesugi Toru looked at Shiraishi scurrying about moving the wooden stake, and knocked on the stone beside him that stood nearly half a person tall: "What I'm cutting is this thing."

Cut the small tree beside it...

Shiraishi had just turned his head when he involuntarily let out a "Ha," revealing a puzzled and doubtful expression.

This boss I just acknowledged, wouldn't have hysteria, would he...

Using a sword to cut stone, is this something a normal person could think of, it's completely wasting a treasured blade.

Shiraishi stared at this stone nearly as tall as himself, his eyeballs suddenly rolling around, and he said excitedly: "Boss! Want to make a bet with me!"

His tone was urgent, as if afraid Uesugi Toru would go back on cutting the stone: "If you don't cut this stone open, can you give me the uchigatana in your hand!"

"Can, it can."

Uesugi Toru knocked on the Kaga Kiyomitsu that was unwillingly being used as a wager by its owner, and asked back: "But what if I do cut it open?"

"Ha! Hahaha!" Shiraishi heard this question and couldn't hold back a laugh.

He hurriedly patted his chest to pat away the laughter, thought for a good while, then casually waved his hand: "If Boss you win, I'll bet my head to you."

Shiraishi pointed at his own neck: "Here, this one."

Uesugi Toru nodded noncommittally: "Then it's a deal?"

Shiraishi nodded vigorously: "Absolutely no going back!"

Uesugi Toru looked at the stone beside him — this stone that wasn't even one-tenth the size of Kisaragi Station's concrete pillars.

There's even this kind of good thing?

He couldn't help hooking the corner of his mouth, just about to draw his sword, but pressed down on Kaga Kiyomitsu again: "Shiraishi, you check this stone for problems first, don't wait until I cut it open then say I faked it and refuse to honor the bet."

"Unnecessary trouble..."

Shiraishi muttered, pulling out the most worn kunai from his waist, and forcefully chiseled at the seams on the stone. Upon discovering it was immovable, he nodded at Uesugi Toru.

"No problem! Boss, hurry up and cut, don't waste time!"

He eagerly retreated to the side, already fantasizing about the wonderful life after pawning off this famous sword.

When that time comes, I can eat polished rice every day, have meat at every meal, hehe, aiheihei... running into such a foolish boss counts as my good fortune.

Look at you, never-seen-the-world appearance.

Uesugi Toru shook his head, slowly drew Kaga Kiyomitsu, then casually swiped once at the center of the stone.

Finally the blade entered the scabbard.

He lifted his chin at Shiraishi: "Alright, you look, has this stone been cut in half by me?"

This sentence interrupted Shiraishi's train of thought as he was fantasizing about his future wonderful life.

Shiraishi just came back to his senses and saw the large stone split neatly into two halves, slowly toppling to both sides.

Just like his worldview up to now, collapsing with a resounding crash.

Shiraishi walked dazedly to the stone, tapped it with his finger, then poked it with his kunai, and after confirming the stone really had been cut in half with one slash, revealed an incredulous expression.

But the wood is already made into a boat.

No matter what means Boss used to do it, cut open is cut open.

Now, it's reached the moment for him to fulfill the wager.

Shiraishi clenched his two small fists, lowered his head hard, and stretched out his thin neck: "Come, Boss! Draw your sword and cut off my head!"

Uesugi Toru: "?"

"What use do I have for your head?"

Uesugi Toru patted Shiraishi's small head, and after he raised his head said, "I want an Iga Group expert who knows lots of intelligence, not a stinky head, understand?"

"Since you acknowledge this wager, then follow me from now on."

Uesugi Toru used his thumb to push out a section of Kaga Kiyomitsu's blade, and said calmly: "If you run away, cutting off your head then won't be late either."

Not, not dead?

Shiraishi widened his eyes, and the joy of survival after a calamity surged in his eyes and on that dust-streaked small face.

You have to know, wagers or promises at this time are very heavy, generally after making a bet they'll be fulfilled, especially samurai who value "promises" more than their lives.

Shiraishi thought Uesugi Toru would without a word draw his sword and chop him down!

Boss! He's different from the others, from the other samurai!

"Good egg! Boss, you're a good egg!"

Shouting words Uesugi Toru couldn't understand, Shiraishi tightly hugged Uesugi Toru's thigh, refusing to let go.

This backfired; instead, he became the Boss's lifelong lackey.

Just thinking of the two-meter-plus Adult before, and Uesugi Toru's slash that cut the stone in half with incomparable ease, Shiraishi felt the future suddenly turn bright.

He never expected that he, unlucky up to now, would actually gain a blessing in disguise and latch onto such a thick thigh — this time he really struck it rich!

His life, it's going to get good!

Good times, are coming!

Shiraishi couldn't help breaking into a foolish grin, munching on a compressed biscuit as he followed behind Uesugi Toru toward Hasu Village.

—A mere monster, what is it! My Boss can casually cut a stone in half, could he possibly fail to kill you?!

……

Before long, Uesugi Toru's party of two arrived before Hasu Village.

—To avoid drawing too much attention and suspicion, Uesugi Toru had put away the Adult beforehand.

They had only just reached the boundary of Hasu Village, not even entered yet, when villagers already discovered the two of them.

And immediately a small riot broke out, seemingly sending someone to fetch whoever could take charge.

"This is normal, Boss." Shiraishi, a tail grass stem in his mouth, was picking biscuit crumbs from his teeth, "Looking like you do, anyone would take you for a big figure from a noble courtier family."

"The Village Chief will probably bring a group running over any moment, then kneel and kowtow to you."

At this, Shiraishi rolled his eyes: "If they don't kowtow, they'll be beheaded… Hmph! These are all the unwritten rules set by that bunch of rotten samurai."

Uesugi Toru thought to himself that samurai in this chaotic era were indeed barbaric; if placed in the current Genjitsu, even Ghost God Level figures wouldn't have the face to put on such airs.

So he listened to Shiraishi and stood grandly before the village main street, looking left and right as if waiting for something.

Sure enough, not even three minutes had passed when a bald old man led a group rushing over in a fluster, then cracklingly knelt before him.

The kneeling old man spoke in a strange accent: "Adult, I am Tanaka Ryo, Village Chief of Hasu Village. I wonder what the Adult requires this humble one's help with upon arriving at our village?"

Uesugi Toru gave an indifferent hmm and asked: "Has your village had any monsters causing trouble recently?"

As these words came out, that kneeling Tanaka Ryo along with the group of youngsters behind him all abruptly changed expression.

(End of Chapter)