Chapter 143

Uesugi Toru's tiger-like frame immediately shuddered.

The gacha pool came alive?

How did the black-haired loli Hundred-Eyed Demon inside the gacha pool throne start moving on her own?

And for some reason, whether it was an illusion or not, that black-haired loli seemed to have glanced at him before raising her foot to kick down the Five Thunder Orb.

【——Purchase "Five Thunder Orb"?】

Pretending to stare at this prompt for a long time, while actually using the corner of his eye to keep observing the black-haired loli, Uesugi Toru discovered nothing unusual whatsoever.

After kicking down the Five Thunder Orb, the black-haired loli sat back on the throne, fiddling with her fingers in utter boredom, looking exactly like an NPC waiting for him to trigger the next step.

Uesugi Toru pondered for a moment, then truly focused his attention on this sudden purchase prompt, and then saw a second prompt pop up.

【Note: You must pay a price of equivalent value recognized by the "Hundred-Eyed Demon" to purchase the "Five Thunder Orb".】

The prompt displayed for a while then disappeared, replaced by an empty black grid that appeared next to the gacha pool page — very similar to the Storage Backpack's grids.

"This is disastrous, the yokai avatar in the gacha pool turned into a merchant."

Uesugi Toru suspected whether he had unknowingly done something that suddenly triggered a hidden mechanism of the gacha pool, causing the scene before him to appear.

He opened the Storage Backpack, then surprisingly discovered that Soul Ash was also displayed within it, marked as "Soul Ash×1280".

The other weapons, props, and equipment all emitted a faint glow, indicating they could be placed into the grid located in the gacha pool.

He thought for a bit, then decided to first take out 100 portions of the hard currency Soul Ash and put them into the grid.

And the very instant Uesugi Toru placed the Soul Ash into the grid, that black-haired loli who had originally been sitting with legs crossed lazily raised her eyelids, then sneered disdainfully.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon is completely uninterested in the item you placed "Soul Ash×100".】

It's merely a gacha pool projection, yet its standards are surprisingly high.

Uesugi Toru used his mind to move away the Soul Ash, then next attempted three different quantities of Soul Incense Ash — Micro, Small, and Large.

As for "Soul Incense Ash (Medium)", he had used it up previously when upgrading Haku to Two-Star Half, and currently had no stock.

But it didn't matter much.

Because the black-haired loli was completely uninterested in all three types of Soul Incense Ash, popping up the exact same prompt as with the Soul Ash before.

"Since that's the case..."

Uesugi Toru tried placing the Soul Incense Candle with quality as high as "Rare+" into the grid.

This time, the familiar prompt did not pop up.

The black-haired loli blinked, put down her legs, and straightened her body, seemingly examining this Soul Incense Candle carefully.

【26】 The black-haired loli blinked, put down her legs, and straightened her body, seemingly examining this Soul Incense Candle carefully.

After a moment, she nodded flatly, fingertips curling up slightly.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon is slightly interested in the item you placed "Soul Incense Candle".】

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon has issued a trade request to you.】

Uesugi Toru waited a while, then saw a trade request so black-hearted it could be called outrageous.

【You must pay "Soul Incense Candle×5" to obtain "Five Thunder Orb".】

Looking at that "×5" following behind, he was almost amused to the point of laughter by anger.

Five strands of Soul Incense Candle of the same quality just to exchange for one Five Thunder Orb, huh? This black-hearted gacha pool and black-hearted avatar might as well just run straight into his Storage Backpack and rob him, why bother with such roundabout methods.

"But then again," Uesugi Toru moved back the Soul Incense Candle, thinking to himself that it was fortunate there was no forced buying and selling that stole his Soul Incense Candle, "the prompt said from the very beginning that the value of the trade item must be recognized by the other party."

So, the thing the black-haired loli, that is, the Hundred-Eyed Demon, wants should be very clear.

He looked toward the crimson pupil in the Storage Backpack.

——"Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball".

Uesugi Toru moved one eyeball into the trade grid, and soon saw the black-haired loli reveal an unconcealed delighted smile.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon is very interested in the item you placed "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball".】

She slightly narrowed her eyes, and even the pupils on the throne narrowed into a slit along with her.

Immediately after, the second prompt popped up.

【You must pay "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball×3" to obtain "Five Thunder Orb".】

Uesugi Toru glanced at the remaining Hundred-Eyed Demon eyeballs in his backpack; counting the one he had drawn at the very beginning, there were exactly three.

Damn, can the black-haired loli in the gacha pool see through what's in his backpack?

This is way too f*cking precise.

However, if three Excellent Quality eyeballs can exchange for a "Rare+" quality Five Thunder Orb, this trade is still very worthwhile.

Because as Uesugi Toru's strength and mental state level grow higher and higher, he doesn't have much need for this kind of prop that purely increases vision anymore.

Looking back at Uesugi Toru's recent battles, he indeed rarely has use for the Hundred-Eyed Demon Eyeball.

And the Five Thunder Orb's bonus to his current combat system should still be very obvious.

Thinking to this point, Uesugi Toru hesitated no longer, swiped all three Hundred-Eyed Demon eyeballs into the trade grid, causing the black-haired loli on the Bone Throne to reveal a slightly surprised expression.

She seemed not to have expected this trade would actually go so smoothly.

【You paid "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball×3", trade completed.】

【You obtained, "Five Thunder Orb"!】

But the prompts didn't end there.

In the gacha pool, three shrunken crimson pupils had already appeared in the black-haired loli's hand.

She played with the three eyeballs, the corner of her lips curling into a satisfied smile.

The black-haired loli lifted her chin and let out a light hum, kicking the Mountain of Treasures once.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon is very satisfied with this trade.】

【You additionally obtained, "Attribute Enhancement Pill (Random)"!】

"Boss is generous!"

After reading the prompt, Uesugi Toru could barely keep the corners of his mouth from rising — originally, trading three pupils for one gacha pool ending, not even knowing if a Five Thunder Orb would come out of it, was already a small profit.

Now, the Hundred-Eyed Demon that had inexplicably come "alive" inside the gacha pool had actually given him an extra item.

No matter what the item was, or whether it had any use, being given it for free — if that's not generous, what is?

Moreover, judging by this item's name, it belonged to the eminently practical sort, and the kind that could be used immediately.

Uesugi Toru opened his hand, and a small pink round medicine pill appeared in his palm.

【Attribute Enhancement Pill】

【Quality: Superior Quality】

【Effect: After consumption, increases Charm Attribute by two points. (Randomization complete)】

【— A pill medicine from who knows how many years ago, seemingly possesses the effect of consolidating the foundation and cultivating vitality.】

Good, good, good — so this "consolidating the foundation and cultivating vitality" boosts Charm, does it.

Uesugi Toru didn't say another word, and threw the pink little pill into his mouth.

In an instant, a subtle tingling, numbing sensation rose from deep within his body, but it vanished before long, ending before he could even enjoy it.

Uesugi Toru opened his Attribute Panel to check, and found that his Charm Attribute had indeed risen by two points, finally breaking through from "9" to the double digits "11", becoming the last attribute to break into double digits.

However, he took out his mobile phone, opened the "Camera" selfie function, but discovered no major change — he could only feel he was still just as handsome.

"Forget it... wasn't expecting a thousand-yen phone's front camera to make anything out anyway."

Placing the phone to one side, Uesugi Toru believed these two points of Charm change would sooner or later manifest in all aspects of his future days.

Then he took out the main event of this transaction — the Five Thunder Orb.

The Five Thunder Orb was roughly fist-sized, not too heavy, cool to the touch yet unexpectedly possessing a matte texture, as if a coating had been deliberately added to increase friction and prevent the orb from sliding from the hand.

The orb was entirely crystal clear and translucent; from its appearance it looked completely like a precious gemstone.

【Five Thunder Orb】

【Quality: Rare+】

【Use 1: Holding the Five Thunder Orb will greatly increase the power of lightning-related jutsu within a certain degree.】

【Use 2: When near the Five Thunder Orb, the cultivation speed of lightning jutsu is slightly increased.】

【Use 3: Inlay onto weapon equipment. After inlaying, the amplification effect weakens, but new unknown effects will appear based on the inlaid equipment itself.】

【Note: There is a chance of failure when inlaying the Five Thunder Orb.】

【— People always ask me my secret to never getting an empty pull, so I took out this orb.】

"Two effects, a bit better than expected, huh."

Uesugi Toru had originally thought the Five Thunder Orb was simply an item that increased attack power; he hadn't expected it could also increase cultivation speed.

Holding the Five Thunder Orb in hand, Uesugi Toru exhaled lightly, and let his fingertip shoot out a strand of electric light roughly twice the thickness of a hair.

"Ho, it directly doubled?"

Uesugi Toru glanced at the Five Thunder Orb's description, thought for a moment, then shot out a strand of electric current the thickness of an index finger.

The ideal situation this time should have been "electric current the thickness of a thumb", but it fell slightly short and didn't reach it.

"In other words, the Five Thunder Orb's amplification of power decreases as the electric current's own power increases."

Uesugi Toru nodded.

This was normal; if the Five Thunder Orb could double jutsu power under any circumstances, it shouldn't be a Rare Quality item, but at least a "Super Epic" quality rare treasure.

"But how strong is this thing really..."

Uesugi Toru tried flicking the Five Thunder Orb with his finger, and discovered to his surprise that it was actually even harder than he had imagined.

He struck the Five Thunder Orb's surface with his knuckle using force, and then heard a "clang", "clang" sound.

Right, a fourth use has emerged.

— In a desperate situation, this Five Thunder Orb can at least serve as a solid ball carrying a massive electric current to smash into an enemy's face.

If he survives, he can still recover it after smashing and reuse it.

And there's no need to worry about it possibly shattering if dropped in daily use, very worry-free.

After playing admiringly with the Five Thunder Orb glowing all over for a while longer, Uesugi Toru finally turned off the ten-minute alarm set on his phone.

"Time to go back."

Unlike the water pressure of the Deep Sea he usually skimmed past, entering the Sengoku Period from Genjitsu brought Uesugi Toru more of a subtle sense of dislocation.

This feeling was as if his spatiotemporal perception had been stretched very long, and then before he had time to adapt, he was thrown into the Sengoku spacetime, letting everything around him become normal again.

Thus, a faint lingering sense of dislocation remained in the mind of Uesugi Toru, who had already silently stepped onto the roof beam of Tanaka Ryo's House.

He paused a moment, forced down the rising nausea, and thought to himself that in his free time he ought to make a few more trips to adapt.

Otherwise something big might happen at a critical moment.

Anyway, no need to run maps right now...

Uesugi Toru jumped down from the roof beam, glanced outside and found the sky had already turned completely dark, and a huge full moon was already hanging in the Night Sky.

He walked out of the "Earth Seat" — that is, the room floored with bamboo mats similar to tatami.

Uesugi Toru immediately saw Shiraishi leaning against the Doorway, covered only by a single layer of clothes, her small body curled into a ball from the cold.

"How come you're sleeping here, not even a breath of warmth from your mouth, you wouldn't have frozen to death, would you..."

However, when Uesugi Toru drew close to look, he discovered Shiraishi had actually wrapped herself in the loose single clothes she originally wore on the outermost layer, using her mouth to perfectly block the only large gap exchanging air with the outside world.

This way, she could ensure as much as possible that the air entering the clothes was warm.

"She's quite something."

Uesugi Toru rarely couldn't help but mumble with a laugh, marveling that this too was the wisdom of survival.

He crouched down and pushed Shiraishi's shoulder with his hand, asking directly: "Why not go inside to sleep? Inside there's clearly a fire burning, it's much warmer, isn't it?"

"Ugh!"

The lightly sleeping Shiraishi was startled by Uesugi Toru suddenly appearing beside him, and he tumbled head over heels.

He rolled around on the ground a few times, then pulled the single clothes off his head and stared speechlessly: "B-boss? Is it you?"

Shiraishi cautiously stepped forward and sniffed several times before confirming it was Uesugi Toru himself.

He lowered his voice and said unhappily: "Boss, you make no sound when you walk or breathe, just like a ghost!"

After speaking, Shiraishi rubbed his shoulders and exhaled a breath of warm air into his palms: "I'm about to freeze to death out here, why is the day-night temperature difference so big lately?"

"Then why not sleep inside?" Uesugi Toru raised his hand, releasing some internal qi to dispel the chill on Shiraishi, "I never said you had to sleep outside the house, did I?"

Shiraishi, suddenly feeling all the coldness leave his body, blinked in surprise. He pursed his lips, wanting to thank him, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

So Shiraishi crossed his arms and hummed: "As an expert of the Iga Group, I'm naturally used to such harsh environments."

"Of course, and also to better give warning and attract the attention of those who come at night." He shook his head and said, "Boss, it's truly pitiful that you don't even know this bit of common sense."

"In short, it's all for me, right?"

Uesugi Toru responded, then asked: "So, how long have I been gone?"

"If Boss you died for no reason, I wouldn't have so many good things to eat in the future!"

Shiraishi said that first, then looked up and stared at the moon for a while before replying: "About two and a half hours, I think."

Ten minutes versus two and a half hours...

Uesugi Toru silently nodded.

That is to say, the time flow between Genjitsu and the Warring States Period is roughly one to thirty; one day passing in Genjitsu means a month flies by in the Warring States Period.

"This is much greater than at Kisaragi Station."

Uesugi Toru thought in his heart; this outrageous time flow difference should also prove that the time limit for completing the main quest in the Warring States Period would be extended considerably.

But that's better.

If the time flow on both sides were the same, and he got stuck here in the Warring States Period for a few months or a year, then in Genjitsu perhaps the second and third waves would have already passed.

What use would completing this three-star level task be then?

But using the extra time to crazily grind proficiency probably wouldn't work either—the precedent of Kisaragi Station was still there, and the panel's bug wasn't that easy to find.

"This extra time is just right for exploring the path of advancing my mental state."

Uesugi Toru nodded inwardly; before entering the Warring States Period, what he lacked most was time, so perhaps he could only rely on attributes to forcibly break through his mental state.

And now he suddenly had thirty times more time, more than enough for him to calm down and slowly explore the path ahead.

Seeing Uesugi Toru silent for a long time, Shiraishi waved his hand in front of his eyes: "Boss? Hello?"

Uesugi Toru gave him a violent knuckle-flick on the head and said: "Come inside to sleep."

After pulling the forehead-holding Shiraishi into the house and telling him to sleep inside, Uesugi Toru ran to the corner, sat cross-legged, and began his daily meditation and cultivation.

Although proficiency didn't increase as fast as in Genjitsu...

But ensuring daily cultivation was a good habit that must not be abandoned.

—That's what Shizuku said.

Since even the Involution Master and Cultivation Emperor said so, then as her "disciple," Uesugi Toru had no reason not to do the same.

Early the next day.

The meditating Uesugi Toru clearly felt the gaze sneaking up to him, and suddenly reached out to flick his finger.

"Ouch!"

Shiraishi clutched his forehead and cried out in pain.

But he soon cast aside this minor pain and asked curiously: "Boss, did you sit here all night without sleeping?"

"Cultivation."

"Cultivation?"

Shiraishi was puzzled; in his impression, cultivation shouldn't be a group of shirtless men gathering together, waving wooden swords and sweating like rain, right?

Sitting counts as cultivation?

Uesugi Toru opened his eyes and spat out a qi sword two meters long toward the side, making Little White's eyes go wide.

He reached out to touch the air, felt the residual warmth, and said to Uesugi Toru in disbelief: "Boss! I want to learn this!"

—Because if he learned this, he wouldn't fear freezing to death sleeping in the mountains in winter!

For this, Shiraishi had already prepared to serve Uesugi Toru like an ox or horse and complete one hundred and eight arduous tasks!

But he didn't expect Uesugi Toru to nod and say flatly,

"Sure."

Shiraishi was stunned for a moment, not expecting the answer to be so straightforward.

"Didn't I say so before?" Uesugi Toru looked at him and raised a finger: "If you want to learn, I'll teach you."

"This..."

Shiraishi indeed remembered this.

But he thought Uesugi Toru was joking!

After all, this breathing method that could enhance physical fitness, the so-called "secret art," was only accessible to samurai of the great families.

Presumably Boss had learned it with great difficulty.

How could he possibly teach it so simply to a brat like him who wasn't even worth a hundred mon?

Seeing his hesitant look, Uesugi Toru was instead confused: "What, unwilling to learn?"

—When Shizuku first said she wanted to teach him, he had been more than happy.

"No! Not that!"

Shiraishi hurriedly shook his head, suddenly becoming somewhat incoherent.

Because the surprise came too suddenly, it hit him and left him a bit dizzy and dazed.

Uesugi Toru understood upon hearing this answer.

He did not rush Shiraishi either, but instead kept sorting through his own bit-by-bit understanding of the Kiai Technique in his mind, wanting to find the most straightforward entry point.

Teaching someone, it was still his first time.

As for Shizuku before, she could not count as a person; she was a pure genius, a freak, a monster, so teaching Shiraishi could not be the same as teaching Shizuku, just saying whatever came to mind.

Otherwise, most likely after he finished speaking Shiraishi would still have a blank look, and that would be a waste of teaching.

Inside the earthen hut it was silent for a long time; after Shiraishi calmed his mood, he slowly sat up straight and said: "Boss, I won't do any kowtowing either; I know you're not the type who likes to put on a show."

He extended a finger and pointed at his own nose bridge: "Just one sentence — life and death, together."

"No need to take this matter too much to heart."

Uesugi Toru saw Shiraishi's small face this serious for the first time; he shook his head: "Whether I teach is up to me; whether you can learn is still up to you."

—Although he had the purpose of teaching Shiraishi, this was secondary, or rather incidental.

Fundamentally, Uesugi Toru still wanted to sort out all his learning within the Sengoku Period, and attempt to construct a system of his own.

Sorting through the Kiai Technique from the beginning counted as a basic attempt.

"Boss, you can't talk like that."

Shiraishi knitted his brows in displeasure: "You drag a random dog off the roadside and give it something tasty, it still knows to keep you company and lick you every day, let alone me……"

Uesugi Toru couldn't help laughing upon hearing this: "Then as you wish."

"Yeah."

Shiraishi twitched his nose tip, smelling the scent of genmai rice coming from outside; he smacked his lips: "This Tanaka Ryo is actually quite generous, making three meals a day now."

Finished speaking, he glanced at Uesugi Toru and snorted: "Then the repayment starts now! Boss, later I'll give you an extra mouthful from my bowl!"

Before long, Aina came in carrying yesterday's small wooden tray.

She greeted Uesugi Toru and the other, then neatly arranged the breakfast on the table.

Uesugi Toru took a look and found that compared to yesterday's "lavish" dinner, this breakfast was indeed much more meager.

There was only genmai rice cheaper than polished rice, a few small salted fish, and pickled radish.

"Aina, bring another set of bowls and chopsticks, sit down and eat together." Uesugi Toru smiled at her, "More people makes it livelier, and my morning appetite isn't that big anyway."

"Huh?"

The girl who had just stood up froze for a moment, not daring to ask more, just lowered her slightly red small face and said: "Okay, Toru-sama."

After Aina walked out, Shiraishi immediately leaned over and winked at him,

"Boss, I knew you had designs on this village girl; not making a move directly yesterday turns out you wanted to play the long game……"

"Can't even stuff your mouth with rice?"

Uesugi Toru wrapped a rice ball with Internal Qi and forcefully stuffed it into Shiraishi's mouth, making him let out muffled "mmph mmph" sounds.

—The reason he said those things to Aina was also to try whether he could thereby slowly change her life trajectory, and thus raise his "Historical Influence Degree" for the Sengoku Period in the "Walking Watch".

This "Historical Walking Degree" was still a big fat zero in the Walking Watch.

Uesugi Toru still didn't know what method could raise it, so since he could be different, he might as well be as different as possible.

In less than a minute, Aina ran back in holding bowls and chopsticks, her small face slightly excited as she knelt beside Uesugi Toru.

"Eat."

Uesugi Toru divided some of his own rice and dishes to her, making the girl's hands holding the bowl tremble a little.

"Many thanks, Adult."

Aina ate while giving thanks.

……

The next several days were calm as water, nothing worth mentioning.

Uesugi Toru and Shiraishi temporarily stayed at Tanaka Ryo's house eating free meals.

Usually Uesugi Toru would call Aina to eat together — originally he wanted Aina's Mother to come too, only unfortunately the latter was really unwilling, probably afraid of ruining her daughter's good thing.

Tanaka Ryo followed Uesugi Toru's wishes and told every villager what to do.

After finishing speaking, he himself lied that he was going fishing, but actually rushed overnight to Sunpu Castle to seek an audience with the Imagawa Clan and report Uesugi Toru's matter.

After Tanaka Ryo received an affirmative reply, he returned home excitedly, but did not reveal the slightest flaw to Uesugi Toru.

Uesugi Toru also had no energy to mind Tanaka Ryo's messy little thoughts; he was still busy organizing the Kiai Technique.

These two days he tried explaining it to Shiraishi once, but the latter said he completely didn't understand, so Uesugi Toru felt his simplification wasn't enough yet.

"But today, the Kiai Technique matter can wait a bit."

Not long after finishing breakfast in the morning, Aina collected the bowls and went out to wash them; Shiraishi knew he would cultivate during this time period so he ran to the gate and forbade idle people from making loud noise or walking in.

So only Uesugi Toru remained in the earthen room.

He stared at the panel before him as if in another world; a mere few hours in the present world equaled several days passed here in the Sengoku Period.

Uesugi Toru sighed: "Four-Tailed Fox, finally reached two stars."

【"Four-Tailed Fox (Youth Form)" upgrading: 100%!】

【Your Yokai Avatar·Four-Tailed Fox (Youth Form) has finished upgrading!】

【You have obtained, Yokai Avatar·Four-Tailed Fox (Adult Form)!】

The instant the three prompts popped up, the Attribute Panel placed to the side underwent a slight change.

【Physique: 33】

【Will: 31】

【Charm: 11→12】

【Spirit Arts: 29→32】

Charm increased by 1 point, Spirit Arts by 3 points—of course, this was merely the most insignificant part of the entire promotion.

Uesugi Toru looked at the Four-Tailed Fox whose card face had become more "flashy," and after browsing its panel from top to bottom, he slightly widened his eyes.

"Hiss—this skill."

【Four-Tailed Fox (Adult Form)】

【Quality: Epic】

【Rank: Two-Star】

【Rank Limit: Three-Star Half】

【Talents: Thousand Faces·Modified, Soul Seal, Divine Roaming, Anger, Mirage Tower】

【——Thousand Forms, Illusory Yet Not Real.】

【Thousand Faces·Modified: Consume Spirit Power, can shape one's appearance and height into any arbitrary form. At the same time, this talent can greatly converge one's own demon monster aura and spiritual power fluctuation.】

This Thousand Faces·Modified talent, transformed from Thousand Faces, was no less than a huge gift package smashed onto Uesugi Toru's face.

Because, this was equivalent to allowing Uesugi Toru to use the Four-Tailed Fox Incarnation to walk the world freely in the Warring States Period.

Originally, Uesugi Toru had worried that he would be exposed as a yokai because of the Four-Tailed Fox's own aura.

If he were recognized as a yokai, it would not be easy to get by in the Warring States Period.

But now, this Thousand Faces·Modified talent added the last sentence "can greatly converge one's own demon monster aura and spiritual power fluctuation."

Once these two words "greatly" appeared, Uesugi Toru reckoned that except for Ghost God Level figures and Onmyoji close to Ghost God Level, absolutely no one could see through the effect of Thousand Faces·Modified.

And this Warring States Period was after all just a Three-Star Map, and Spirit Qi was extremely scarce.

Except for the extremely few possibly existing Hidden Bosses, where could one find the above two existences?

This also meant...

Uesugi Toru immediately transformed into a Four-Tailed Fox, then used Thousand Faces·Modified to knead himself into a human form—of course, the excess charm was also "kneaded" back by him.

Otherwise, this charm as high as 21 points, an outrageous charm capable of bringing disaster to the country and its people, would definitely trigger some things Uesugi Toru absolutely did not expect.

It's better to be normal—but 12 points of charm could already be counted as one of the top charm values in this era.

Uesugi Toru then hung the Hannya Mask on his waist, and now the normal attributes he could maintain in the Warring States Period became—

【Uesugi Toru (Four-Tailed Fox Incarnation)】

【Physique: 33→53】

【Will: 31→37】

【Charm: 12→12 (21)】

【Spirit Arts: 32→78】

"The current me, dealing with ordinary Three-Stars is definitely no problem."

In the Warring States Period, normally the total commanders one could see, or so-called Great Sword Masters, should be about at this level, right!

Uesugi Toru looked at the attribute values that had surged by several sections, and revealed the joy of an old farmer at harvest.

A long wait, finally bore fruit!

And, there was another equally exaggerated new ability!

【Mirage Tower: Consume Spirit Power, unfold a Mirage Tower Domain centered on oneself, and perform a Will Attribute Judgment. If the judgment succeeds, then cause all enemies within the domain to fall into random negative states such as "Cognitive Confusion," "Confusion," and "Stupor."】

Uesugi Toru did not even need to test it to be certain of this skill's strength.

Perhaps the Mirage Tower talent alone was not particularly outstanding, but what if Soul Seal was added?

Mirage Tower first unfolds the domain, then Soul Seal performs control.

With this combo, one could easily turn a group of enemies into fearless subordinates, and the cost-performance ratio was directly maxed out.

You must know, those like Uesugi Toru who could cultivate their mental state to the "Mirror of the Mind" level were extremely few, and the vast majority of people could not even achieve Heart Like Still Water!

This situation placed on the Warring States Period battlefield was even more obvious—letting Ashigaru who could not even eat their fill train in the illusory mental state was simply nonsense.

The remaining issue was just the range of the Mirage Tower Domain.

"This is indeed not good to try in the village..."

Uesugi Toru rubbed the corner of the wooden table with his finger, thinking about whether to make up an excuse and run to the deep mountains and old forests to try it himself.

"Hmm?"

Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes and heard a strange roar.

"You little brat, get out of my way! You don't even dare to come out, I want to see what coward is playing tricks inside!"

Immediately after, Shiraishi's stinky mouth voice came,

"I! Said! Wait for me! Boss is cultivating now, don't you this mustache-covered long-haired rotten mushroom head roar and shout randomly—"

Bang!

The sound of the wooden door bursting open interrupted Shiraishi's voice.

"Cough... cough cough... you damn it, wait for me, little master..."

That unfamiliar voice and the ear-piercing sword drawing sound came together, scaring Tanaka Ryo's family of three into covering their mouths, not daring to make any extra movements,

"—Dare to be disrespectful to an Upper Samurai! Watch me chop off your head with one slash!"

End of Chapter