Chapter 154

Uesugi Toru saw Rituna Minami pinch her chin with her hand after hearing this question, rest her elbow on her crossed thigh, and assume a pensive look.

She furrowed her brows, and after a long while turned to Uesugi Toru and asked back,

"Imagawa Yoshimoto, who is that?"

This unexpected question instead left Uesugi Toru at a loss for words.

Seeing Uesugi Toru's stunned appearance, Rituna Minami rarely coughed twice in embarrassment, then added,

"Because I myself am not very interested in history, the matter of Sengoku Daimyo probing the Genjitsu only happened a couple of days ago, and on top of that I've had a lot of things going on recently, so......"

——So, Rituna Minami does not know Imagawa Yoshimoto.

Only then did Uesugi Toru react.

If one is not a Sengoku history enthusiast or has not watched a Taiga drama, then the vast majority of ordinary people being able to name the "Three Heroes of the Warring States" and knowing who came before whom on the timeline is already quite good.

"Then Nanjo Sister, do you know the Battle of Okehazama?"

"Oh, that I naturally know." Rituna Minami raised a finger and answered, "It's Oda Nobunaga's claim-to-fame battle, very famous."

Knowing the Battle of Okehazama, yet not knowing the other "protagonist" of that battle, Imagawa Yoshimoto......

Actually this is quite reasonable, just like the old him.

Because no one has the interest to want to understand the stepping stones and losers beneath a legendary rise, just like not many people know the names of the second and third place finishers in an Olympic event.

Speaking of which, the probability of Imagawa Yoshimoto existing in the Chang Shi would be much smaller than that of Oda Nobunaga and the others, perhaps not even comparable to some famous retainers of the Oda Clan or Toyotomi clan.

"Fame, huh."

Uesugi Toru hummed in acknowledgment and silently thought, many rough ideas and notions popping up in his mind.

If one wants to expand Imagawa Yoshimoto's fame, it definitely cannot be done solely by making a fuss over the "Battle of Okehazama" alone.

Because before that, Oda Nobunaga was merely the great fool of Owari mocked by the people of the time, completely unconnected to the word "legendary".

So to make the four characters "Imagawa Yoshimoto" widely known, one still has to take it step by step, slowly.

Step one, at the very least make the many ordinary people of the Sengoku Period aware of Imagawa Yoshimoto because of "some unique characteristic".

For Onmyoji Toru, the only one of his kind in the Sengoku Period, wanting to accomplish this sort of thing is not too difficult.

As for an event, the Mikawa Region Uprising close at hand, and a Great Demon almost impossible to see in the Sengoku Period, would make a very good test subject......

Thinking up to here, Uesugi Toru suddenly froze.

——How did he unknowingly end up standing from Imagawa Yoshimoto's perspective helping this woman think?

Rituna Minami, who had already memorized this new name, looked at the pensive Uesugi Toru for a moment, then asked,

"So Uesugi-kun, what is your intention in suddenly bringing up this 'Imagawa Yoshimoto'?"

Uesugi Toru snapped back to his senses and answered without hesitation: "Because her danger level is very high; she is a Sengoku Daimyo who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Oda Nobunaga and even surpass him in some aspects. If underestimated, one will definitely pay a heavy price."

Rituna Minami nodded seriously, recording this passage in her laptop, preparing to add it to her report.

"Right, Nanjo Sister."

To prevent Rituna Minami from continuing to pursue questions related to Imagawa Yoshimoto, Uesugi Toru took the initiative to change the subject: "Why did you specially choose to call me over when that Great Onmyoji was present?"

The implication being, "Nanjo Sister, you really are too good to me."

This was already a worn-out topic, because Uesugi Toru had long felt this way more than once.

Rituna Minami naturally understood Uesugi Toru's meaning.

She casually flipped open the Coke's pull tab with her fingertip and pushed it in front of Uesugi Toru,

"Didn't you notice what Kujou Shinya said earlier?"

She said blandly: "Because I doubtlessly believe you are a once-in-a-millennium genius. And under this premise, all these treatments are merely a matter of course."

"Uesugi-kun, I will spare no effort in cultivating you, protecting you, satisfying you."

Rituna Minami shoved the pull-tab can with fine water droplets flowing on its surface into Uesugi Toru's hand, revealing an unquestionable smile,

"You just need to accept it with peace of mind."

Uesugi Toru gripped the ice-cold Coke, poured a mouthful into his mouth, and for the first time in a long while felt the refreshing fizz and stimulation of a carbonated drink.

But accompanying it was an indescribable sense of relaxation and peace of mind.

He did not say thank you.

He merely asked: "Then Nanjo Sister, you couldn't have called me just for that brief encounter earlier, right."

Rituna Minami narrowed her eyes, sizing him up and down, as if seeing through him inside and out,

"Mm, first wanted to confirm whether you've been struck. Forgot to throw a mark on you earlier."

Feeling goosebumps faintly rise on his skin, Uesugi Toru asked: "Struck?"

"Uesugi-kun, you should have noticed from the moment you entered the Dojo, right."

Rituna Minami said: "That feeling of being faintly watched from afar the whole time."

"Indeed there was, but I could never find the source." Uesugi Toru hesitated a moment before speaking, "Is it the Dojo Master of Oboro Moon Hall, Kujou Rōya?"

Rituna Minami nodded with slight surprise, readily admitting: "Mm, it's her."

She pointed at her own eyes and said: "Kujou Rōya possesses a powerful Yōkai eye of unknown origin, hence she can easily 'see' every inch of space within the entire Dojo."

Uesugi Toru was a bit puzzled: "Then why does she do that?"

Rituna Minami spread her hands: "Who knows. No one can fathom the bad taste of an old hag who's lived from the Edo Period to now."

"But now I've already thrown a Reiryoku mark on Uesugi-kun you."

She let her whole body sink into the sofa again, yawning with a hint of weariness,

"Unless she wants to slap me hard across the face and then start a war directly, from now on Uesugi-kun you won't have the risk of being peeped on by this old hag anymore."

Rituna Minami closed her eyes and said softly: "I know you have more secrets than ordinary people, so they must be guarded all the more carefully."

Uesugi Toru opened his mouth, subconsciously wanting to say thank you.

But he then recalled Rituna Minami's earlier words, and so closed his mouth again.

"Nanjo Sister, if there's nothing else, I'll be going first."

"Mm."

Finishing the iced Coca-Cola in one gulp, Uesugi Toru knew that what mattered most right now was to continue cultivating the Corona Breathing Technique.

Then, using the fact of victory to tell Rituna Minami:

"Your idea was not wrong."

Over the next two days, Uesugi Toru practically stayed alone in the room prepared for guests at Oboro Moon Hall, cultivating the Corona Breathing Technique.

He also didn't meet with Shizuku much; first, cultivating a breathing technique, this kind of grinding work, was different from swordsmanship and didn't require intense collisions with Shizuku to discuss.

Second, Uesugi Toru knew that the longer he stayed, the more certainly Shizuku would see through his thoughts, and then he would have no choice but to tell her the news that Tokugawa Hoshi had arrived.

Since that was the case, to avoid complications before the crucial Shinken Shiai, Uesugi Toru still decided to temporarily suppress this news.

The 18th, three hours before the Shinken Shiai began.

"These past two days, there have been many more people in Oboro Moon Hall."

Uesugi Toru's complexion was weary as he slowly exhaled a white Qi Coating that seemed substantial, hearing the dense, fine discussion sounds coming from the corridor outside.

The vast majority of them were audience members.

They were audience members who wanted to catch a glimpse of Oboro Moon Hall, which had not formally appeared before the world's eyes for a long time, yet still relied on two or three disciples in the dark to easily exorcise the yokai of all Yokohama City.

But although there were many audience members, over these two days Uesugi Toru had not met again with the three Oboro Moon Hall disciples who were about to face him.

Originally, Uesugi Toru had still wanted to spread among them the message that "Adult Two Shaku is very important to Uesugi Toru."

But he hadn't even seen Crow Takes Time Rain's crows again.

It was as if he simply hadn't been taken to heart by those three at all.

"But, this is also fine."

Uesugi Toru no longer paid attention to such small matters, but instead looked at the Status Window beside him marked Corona Breathing Technique.

"—【Corona Breathing Technique (Proficiency 2922/3500)】."

Over these past few dozen hours, Uesugi Toru had fully consumed five portions of Soul Incense Ash (Small), cultivating day and night without sleep to raise the proficiency of Corona Breathing Technique by roughly four hundred points.

Still lacking 588 points of proficiency to advance.

By common sense, two high-intensity battles would be enough to fill these proficiency gaps.

But, it was still not enough.

What Uesugi Toru wanted was not "high probability," but "certainty."

This Shinken Shiai, he had to win.

And, he had to win beautifully!

Without hesitation he took out two Enpo Scrolls (Fragment) from the Storage Backpack, using them on himself instead of saving them to test on Shiraishi as originally intended.

"—【Corona Breathing Technique (Proficiency 3122/3500)】."

"That should be about enough."

Uesugi Toru sensed the Corona Qi churning endlessly within his body, slowly calming it, letting it flow quietly through his four limbs and hundred bones, through every part of this flesh.

Then he took out Kaga Kiyomitsu and placed it flat on his knee, asking the Uchigatana that had not been drawn for a long time: "Xiao Jia, are you prepared?"

Hum.

Kaga Kiyomitsu emitted a short but firm humming sound.

Likewise, without hesitation.

Uesugi Toru smiled and touched its sword hilt, then plucked the heartstring, hearing a muffled sound, as if still sneaking small snacks,

"—po! We, Two Shaku, are ready at any time!"

Next, only he himself remained.

Uesugi Toru closed his eyes, entering a state of deep meditation in an instant, recovering his depleted spirit and mental power at an extremely fast speed.

Two and a half hours later.

Boom boom boom.

Someone knocked on Uesugi Toru's room door.

Uesugi Toru calmly opened his eyes, and upon recognizing the visitor's footsteps, showed a slight look of surprise.

He had not expected that among so many people, the one who would actively volunteer to call him would be this person.

Uesugi Toru rose and equipped Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist, and after opening the door he saw Shigemitsu Yusuke with a very serious expression, and his attire neat to the utmost.

"Uesugi Senior!"

The moment he saw Uesugi Toru, Shigemitsu Yusuke bowed deeply to him.

A straight ninety degrees, not a bit more, not a bit less.

Uesugi Toru: "There is no need for this."

Shigemitsu Yusuke rose, looking directly into his eyes and said: "No, ever since being defeated by Uesugi Senior's shikigami two days ago, I have made up my mind to change myself."

"First, I must maintain respect for 'Senior,' no matter in what aspect this 'Senior' surpasses me."

Shigemitsu Yusuke paused, then continued: "But likewise, I will regard Uesugi Senior you as my number one target and constantly chase after you."

"—In the future, I will first defeat Senior your shikigami, and then personally defeat Senior you!"

Looking at the youth before him with a serious and stern expression, whose words revealed a simplicity and sincerity, Uesugi Toru couldn't help but smile.

"Do your best." He said just as seriously.

Then, Uesugi Toru began at the doorway, before Shigemitsu Yusuke's eyes, to put on equipment and props one by one.

First summoned was Adult Two Shaku—she had already put on the Innocent Divine Doll, greatly increasing her own flesh degree, allowing her to roam more freely through the battlefield.

Next, the Cold Steel Arm Guard gleaming with cold light was put by Uesugi Toru onto his forearm, and the pale gold Komainu Bell was hung beside Kaga Kiyomitsu.

On the other side of his waist hung the ferocious, terrifying White Hannya Mask and the limpid, crystalline Four-Tailed Fox Jade Pendant; dense yokai aura spread from Uesugi Toru's entire body, forcing even Akechi Yusuke to retreat half a step.

Finally, the exquisite, antique Chief Priest Robe fell, covering all of this completely.

Uesugi Toru savored the once again swelling, full power, extended his hand, and let the neither-long-nor-short plain spear fall into his grasp.

For the first match, he decided to meet the enemy with plain spear arts.

Akechi Yusuke stared at Uesugi Toru, who had completely changed his appearance in a single instant, and was momentarily dumbfounded.

"Sen, Senior Uesugi... the upcoming Shinken Shiai has three consecutive rounds; don't you need to hold back some hidden trump cards?"

"—When facing disciples of Oboro Moon Hall, one must hold a mindset of going all out from the very start; one cannot underestimate anyone."

Uesugi Toru glanced at him indifferently: "Akechi-kun, why do you think the entire Oboro Moon Hall, with only a few people, can easily dominate all of Yokohama City?"

Without waiting for Akechi Yusuke to answer, Uesugi Toru said: "Kill. Slaughter every last yokai, evildoer, and rival who dares show their face, who dares stir up trouble."

"Moreover, Akechi-kun." Uesugi Toru looked at him with a half-smile, "How can you be so sure these are all my hidden trump cards?"

Having said this to the stunned Akechi Yusuke, Uesugi Toru suddenly remembered something.

Almost forgot.

He took out the divination stick tube, shook it casually, and pinched the round, slender bamboo slip that fell from the tube's mouth.

Flipped it over.

The vivid, passionate characters "Great Fortune" printed on the bamboo slip were revealed.

【Omikuji·Great Luck】

【—Follow your heart's desire, that is good enough.】

Uesugi Toru curled his lip, and casually tossed this Great Fortune omikuji onto the ground.

This pre-battle auspicious omen was quite nicely obtained.

He turned around, gripping the tall, long plain spear, and slowly walked toward the underground arena.

The distance from Uesugi Toru's room to the arena's passage was very, very long, so the closer he walked, the more clearly he could hear the commotion coming from inside the arena.

The closer he walked, the more he could feel the uproar of voices within the arena.

Countless noisy discussions poured from the arena into the passage, then reached Uesugi Toru's ears.

He reached the underground arena's entrance, his footsteps treading on the boundary between light and shadow.

In just an instant, Uesugi Toru could feel dense, countless gazes land on his body, on his shadow.

Even though he had not yet formally stepped into the arena.

"There are actually this many people; looks like Oboro Moon Hall's reputation is indeed not small."

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow; this was still the first time he had fought someone under the gaze of so many spectators.

He stood in place for a while longer, nodded thoughtfully: "However, it seems most people don't look favorably on me."

This was only natural.

Gripping the plain spear in his hand tight, Uesugi Toru, accompanied by two chi of Adult, slowly walked into the heated underground arena.

And just as he was about to step onto the arena's sand ground, hurried footsteps came from the passage behind.

The next moment, Akechi Yusuke's roar came from far away: "Senior Uesugi—"

"Wishing you, Martial Luck!"

Then Uesugi Toru smiled.

He turned his gaze toward the back seat, nodded slightly, and stepped into the vast underground arena under Akechi Yusuke's gaze.

Intense light projected down from the circular dome, stabbing Uesugi Toru's eyes into a slight squint.

He scanned a full circle, confirming this arena was roughly a circle about fifty meters in diameter, its total area far larger than that previous Small Training Ground Number Three.

Uesugi Toru raised his head, and finally saw the Oboro Moon Hall Dojo Master Kujou Rōya sitting on the towering main seat, eyes closed.

Kujou Rōya wore a loose, deep purple Daoist robe, had a youthful appearance of about thirty years old, snow-white soft long hair draping from her shoulders to the ground, and the aura around her was calm and auspicious.

This appearance and temperament were quite beyond Uesugi Toru's expectations.

Due to the previous "peeping" incident, Uesugi Toru had originally thought Kujou Rōya would be the sinister type, face wrinkled like tree bark, whole body emitting an ominous aura, an old witch.

Now seeing her, aside from the spreading, interlaced blood-colored patterns on her skin, everywhere else was practically no different from ordinary women of the same age or even younger.

A disguise.

Uesugi Toru shifted his gaze slightly, looked to the right, and saw the three Referees of this Shinken Shiai.

From Onmyoryo, Kujou Shinya, who was nodding at him.

From Tokugawa House, a pair of eyes narrowed into slits, already coldly smiling and raising a fist at him, Tokugawa Hoshi.

And the last person...

That one wearing a T-shirt printed with a huge "Chao" character, wearing a thick skull necklace, currently revealing white teeth and smiling at him, Huijue.

Uesugi Toru couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

He completely hadn't expected to see Huijue here.

A moment later, Uesugi Toru saw clearly the coat behind Huijue—printed with Special Affairs Division, accurately speaking, the Onmyo Daizoku status window coat.

Originally, Rituna Minami just having Huijue hang a name in Special Affairs Division was already very difficult.

But now he had actually become an Onmyo Daizoku with real power, and openly sat before so many people's eyes.

The significance represented behind this was huge.

It seems, in the time since he parted from Huijue at Hongan-ji, many things he didn't know had occurred.

But these are all afterwords.

After nodding at him, Uesugi Toru walked toward the arena center, and saw Akatsuki Ran already waiting there, already starting to play with a bone dagger out of boredom.

"So slow..."

Akatsuki Ran still let out that kind of lazy, listless voice.

She wore a black mask, her eyes half-lowered.

But this time she wasn't wearing a loose color-block hoodie; instead she wore a full-body tight leather suit from neck to ankles and wrists.

The pale pink leather suit faithfully revealed every inch of Akatsuki Ran's body curves.

But likewise, it also exposed to everyone the fact that aside from the bone dagger in her hand she had no weapons.

Uesugi Toru's gaze swept over the ordinary sand ground around them: "You came too early; I'm actually the one who arrived on time."

"Early, huh..."

Akatsuki Ran mumbled, pulled the mask down from behind her ears, tossed it casually beside her snow-white feet that looked almost unreal, then framed Uesugi Toru with her dark deep pupils.

In the short time before the Referee announced the start, the two faced off about ten meters apart, observing each other without leaving the slightest opening.

During this time, the discussions of the audience who had rushed from surrounding cities and counties, from all corners, and from various small dojos and small families grew increasingly intense.

An Onmyoji asked curiously: "Brothers, I can't sense any Spirit Power from either of them, so I can't tell their strength; can you talk about how you see it?"

"It's obviously the woman in leather on the left; this kind of thing you can tell just by looking at their Jing Shen, right."

"You're right, but that little Shikigami in the Pure White Wedding Kimono is so cute, I've already taken dozens of photos of her, willing to sell!"

A dojo disciple who had done thorough Intelligence shrugged: "Akatsuki Ran has personally slain no fewer than a hundred Yokai in these two years; the other one, Uesugi Toru, is a new rising cultivator after the First Wave; who do you think has the better chance of winning?"

Someone not far away sighed: "Now I just hope Uesugi-kun can last a bit longer; otherwise my admission ticket, train ticket, and lost wages money won't all be wasted?"

That Onmyoji froze: "Wait, isn't this Shinken Shiai three rounds?"

Once those words came out, the surrounding crowd finally couldn't help laughing, making the laughter in this area rise and fall in succession.

Behind Uesugi Toru, the Arakawa Ward group led by Rituna Minami sat here.

Hearing the laughter that came every short interval from the surroundings, Hattori Ayako pursed her lips and asked the person beside her: "Why does it seem like nobody looks favorably on Uesugi-kun..."

"Because theoretically it's indeed not easy to win; data analysis says so."

Beside her, Maki Hitomi pushed up her glasses and said flatly: "Naturally, I personally support Uesugi-kun."

Hearing this answer, Hattori Ayako tightened her fist and asked the same question to Shizuku on the other side.

The latter, showing only a pair of eyes, shook her head silently — there was absolutely no need to think further about something already finished.

Ever since she first saw Uesugi Toru walk out from the passage, this Shinken Shiai, at least the outcome of the first and second rounds, had already been decided.

Even though the match hadn't started yet.

— Uesugi Toru is that kind of person; if you're just a little careless, you might be left far behind by him.

Shizuku indifferently withdrew her gaze from the arena and instead covertly cast it toward the Referee's seat.

"Third Sister..."

She revealed an extremely complex gaze, murmuring softly in her heart.

And beside her, Hattori Ayako's complexion became visibly nervous upon seeing Shizuku shake her head.

Her palms slightly seeped cold sweat.

Hattori Ayako looked at Uesugi Toru below with his calm complexion, and hearing the constant objective evaluations from the surroundings, finally stood up and shouted loudly,

"— Uesugi-kun, do your best! I believe you can win!"

Hearing Hattori Ayako's cheering from behind, Uesugi Toru unexpectedly blinked, turned back and nodded at her in acknowledgment.

In that very instant, in the moment before Kujo Rōya had yet to announce the participants, before the three Referees had yet to announce the rules.

Akatsuki Ran moved.

In a split second, silver light attacked like an arrow!

(End of Chapter)