Chapter 177: 【Epic+】Possibility of the Hundred-Eyed Demon

【Hundred-Eyed Demon】

【Quality: Epic】

The deep-blue【Rare+】label that had originally floated above the black-haired Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli's head had suddenly turned into a purple【Epic】!

The black-haired loli sat cross-legged on a throne far more exquisite than before, forged from white bones and fresh blood, yawning listlessly.

As if she never slept well.

A scarlet pupil turned with her gaze, as if crossing the barrier of the gacha pool to lock eyes with Uesugi Toru.

But upon close inspection, one could see the black-haired loli's pupils were not precisely focused; instead, they were scattered across every corner of the black sky background where double moons hung.

The gacha pool of Edo Castle itself had not changed at all.

What changed was only the Hundred-Eyed Demon on the throne.

After advancing from【Rare+】to【Epic】, although the Hundred-Eyed Demon's appearance had not changed noticeably,

whether it was her bearing, her gaze, or the composure in her every gesture, all proved her "powerful" essence.

"So... she had always wanted the 'Hundred-Eyed Demon's Eyeball,' even willing to trade treasures from the gacha pool, just to advance herself."

Uesugi Toru stared at the black-haired loli in the gacha pool, who was idly fiddling with her fingers with great interest, and couldn't help but feel even more strange.

Because, for ordinary yokai in the Genjitsu and Chang Shi, seeking advancement of their own essence was quite reasonable.

——Even if they did not know what so-called quality was, the instinct from their bloodline would still make them unconsciously pursue higher quality endlessly.

But the problem was, the black-haired Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli existed within the Two-Star Gacha Pool·Edo Castle.

What exactly was she?

Was she a real, existing "Hundred-Eyed Demon" yokai that had already reached Epic Quality?

Or was she merely a phantom within the gacha pool, which would vanish into smoke once he drew her out?

Uesugi Toru sized up the black-haired loli who could make the entire Edo Castle begin to rain just by raising her finger, and for the time being did not know.

But one thing could be certain.

That was——the Hundred-Eyed Demon's quality advancement within the gacha pool was absolutely beneficial to himself!

Uesugi Toru was about to close the gacha pool page, thinking of saving more Soul Ash to draw from the pool, when a huge prompt popped up again right in the center of the gacha pool.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon has issued you a new request!】

He lowered his head to look, his gaze sweeping from bottom to top in an instant over the small mountain of treasures and the jade-white bare feet dripping with raindrops, landing on the Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli who raised her index finger toward the sky——

or rather toward him, revealing a smile with a "victory in hand" feeling.

Detailed prompts regarding the request appeared the next moment.

【The Hundred-Eyed Demon's Request】

【Mission Introduction: The Hundred-Eyed Demon needs more materials "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Eyeball" to continue advancing her quality!】

【Note: The material "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Eyeball" can be substituted in varying amounts by various "Eyeball Materials."】

Uesugi Toru took two seconds to read the prompt, and understood why the Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli revealed such a smile.

Because, she probably believed that now that she had absorbed so many eyeballs and undergone quality advancement——

even without picking out good things from the small mountain of treasures to trade, she could definitely continuously harvest "eyeballs" that would allow her own quality to improve.

To this, Uesugi Toru silently expressed......

The Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli was not wrong at all!

——The Hundred-Eyed Demon, who had already reached Epic Level and would surely become one of his incarnations in the future, could actually continue to advance her quality!

And, she could continue advancing just by eating the big eyeballs of various yokai!

If they missed this village, where else would there be such a good thing!

One must know, now whether it was the Hannya Incarnation or the Four-Tailed Fox Incarnation, although they could continue star upgrades, Uesugi Toru had no clue at all about quality advancement after Epic!

There were not many clues, and he did not know if he could continue advancing his quality without obstruction!

So, helping the Hundred-Eyed Demon was helping himself......

Uesugi Toru thought compliantly:

As for those miscellaneous small items and props, forget it!

Anyway, in the end, your whole person is mine.

Thinking this, Uesugi Toru closed the gacha pool page, and entered this "Hundred-Eyed Demon's Request" into the front of his mental to-do list.

Slap.

Before he could even take a step, an ancient sheepskin map slowly unfolded before Uesugi Toru's eyes.

He raised an eyebrow.

What's going on again?

Gazing at this inexplicable nationwide map for a moment, Uesugi Toru saw a marker on it——

【"Eyeball" Hunting Ground Marker】.

"Eyeball" Hunting Ground?

Uesugi Toru understood at once, he narrowed his eyes, and saw scattered light points on the map that could be freely zoomed in and out by a certain multiple.

This map should have been made by the Hundred-Eyed Demon to mark where prey carrying "eyeballs" on their bodies were located.

She actually could do such a thing?

Can only say, as expected of an Epic Level Hundred-Eyed Demon......

Gazing at the enlarged map for a moment, Uesugi Toru compared it with the Genjitsu map and the Sengoku Period map already memorized in his mind, and suddenly froze in place.

Because, the location where the light point was, happened to be in the Sengoku Period map's......

Mikawa Province!

Uesugi Toru raised a guess in his heart.

Could it be... that the great demon stirring up trouble in Mikawa Province and bewitching the masses is also a Hundred-Eyed Demon?

This possibility is not nonexistent.

It's actually quite high.

After making such a guess, Uesugi Toru did not show any fear; instead, he couldn't help but curl his lips.

Extremely pleased.

If the great demon located in Mikawa Province is a Hundred-Eyed Demon, then that would truly be... getting something for nothing.

It seems that for now, gacha pulls at the Edo Castle Card Pool can be put on hold.

—If one accidentally pulls out a Hundred-Eyed Demon incarnation that is only Epic Level, and then discovers that in reality it cannot absorb eyeballs to upgrade its quality, that would truly be a cause for despair.

In short, Uesugi Toru is already eager to run over and pluck every eyeball from that great demon in Mikawa Province.

"Let's keep going."

Uesugi Toru led the two little ones to the doorway of the Imagawa Residence with a beaming smile.

Just as he crossed the threshold, he saw Okabe Motonobu leaning against the steps with her head tilted, an alcohol gourd placed on her belly, sleeping soundly and happily.

There were no samurai guarding the doorway beside her; presumably they were afraid of waking her.

The footsteps of the three walking together naturally woke Okabe Motonobu, who was right nearby.

She half-opened her eyes in a daze, exhaled a strong scent of alcohol, and gave a hehehe laugh,

"Ah... Mr. Toru, good morning."

Uesugi Toru looked at the sun about to set behind the horizon in the distance and couldn't help but be speechless.

He then looked down at Okabe Motonobu, whose cheeks were flushed, clothes disheveled, and who could barely speak clearly, and kindly advised,

"Motonobu-nee, it would be better to go back to your room to sleep."

"It's fine, it's fine~ Isn't it cooler outside?" Okabe Motonobu fiddled with her sash, which for some reason had been tied into a dead knot, growing more irritable the more she fiddled, until sweat could be seen beading on her forehead.

After more than ten seconds, Okabe Motonobu, having failed to untie her sash, twisted her body, lay flat on the ground squeezing out a flat shape, and asked in a daze,

"By the way, Mr. Toru... what did you do just now when you went out?"

"Just taking a stroll. See, I've brought the whole family along."

Uesugi Toru sighed, looked away, and pointed at the two little ones standing stunned behind him.

"Oh, oh, is that so..."

Okabe Motonobu's tone was wavering, until it suddenly rose at the end,

"Then in a couple of days, I'll take you to several places in Sunpu Castle that you absolutely must go to—it'll be so much fun!"

"Got it."

Uesugi Toru had just replied when he saw her already lying on the ground, continuing to snore loudly.

Uesugi Toru: "......"

With the mindset of not letting the other party freeze to death, Uesugi Toru crouched down to probe Okabe Motonobu's qi circulation.

After discovering she was unharmed, he called the two little ones to step over Okabe Motonobu, who had somehow suddenly lain horizontally again, becoming a second uneven "threshold."

The rest of the way was smooth and unobstructed.

Uesugi Toru returned to his small courtyard and found that the plain spear he had commissioned at the blacksmith shop earlier had been fitted with its shaft, leaning against the threshold of the room.

His eyes lit up, and he strode over, grabbing the plain spear to check its information.

【Plain Spear】

【Quality: Rare】

【Effect One: Pierce. When thrusting with the plain spear, it will deal a large amount of additional damage.】

【Effect Two: One Body. The spearhead and shaft are one body; if the spear tip is not broken, the spear is not destroyed.】

【Effect Three: Restore. When not in use, the plain spear itself will continuously restore its durability.】

【—A plain spear forged with care by the "Blacksmith" of Sunpu Castle.

Like the tachi, it is not worthy of having a unique name.】

Still three short effects not much different from the previous tachi, except that to fit the function of the plain spear itself, the effects had changed quite a bit.

"Solid, really solid."

Uesugi Toru stroked the smooth spear shaft, sparing no praise.

He took a slight breath, and lightning surged in his palm, instantly covering the entire shaft of the plain spear with fine thunder.

After a moment, the lightning faded.

Uesugi Toru examined the plain spear in his hand again.

But he found no trace of damage on the spear tip or shaft.

This formed a stark contrast with the two plain spears from the Special Affairs Division he had used before.

—Those two spears, after he used the Five Thunder Technique: Kiai, could basically only be considered disposable items.

But this plain spear would not have the embarrassing situation of breaking upon reaching its durability limit halfway through, as happened during the Shinken Shiai before.

This blacksmith truly deserves to be praised by Imagawa Yoshimoto; his skill is indeed consistently top-notch.

Worth the price.

After casually flourishing the spear, Uesugi Toru put the space-consuming plain spear into his storage backpack, turned to look at the two little ones who had been whispering to each other not far behind.

The relationship between Ni Shaku and Shiraishi really has improved...

Since that's the case.

Uesugi Toru thought for a moment, then said to them, "You two play by yourselves for a while; you can also cultivate if you want. After slashing that blade at the Trial Cutting Ground earlier, I have some insights and want to go into seclusion for an hour or two."

Saying this, he plucked the heartstring to inform Adult Ni Shaku of the true purpose, then instructed,

'Do not let anyone enter the room.'

"Popo!"

The Major Officer blinked, answering seriously over the Heartstring channel.

Uesugi Toru also wasted no more time, returning to the Room, closing the Sliding Door, and simply locking it with Gang Qi to prevent it from being accidentally Pushed Open by others.

He took out the History Key Shrine and used it without a second word.

Tremendous Water Pressure surged, sending Uesugi Toru back into Genjitsu.

"Hah—"

Opening his eyes on the Hotel's large Bed, Uesugi Toru immediately fished out his Mobile Phone from his Backpack, not wanting to Waste Time a single moment.

Because the Time Flow on both sides was Fifteen to One, chatting for a few Minutes in Genjitsu meant an hour would pass on the other side.

He opened his contacts and dialed Rituna Minami's number.

Uesugi Toru looked outside through the Seam in the curtains, seeing the deep, ink-black Sky.

The call connected in an Instant.

"Speak if you have business."

Rituna Minami's steady, cold voice transmitted from the Speaker, yet it was obviously more listless than before by more than a fraction.

Listening, she didn't sound as dry and exhausted as the past few days; one supposes the Worker Bloodline kicked in, letting her already Adapt to the current workload intensity.

Uesugi Toru made a long story short, explaining to Rituna Minami his need for "Eyeball material."

Ideally, it would also let him go slay Yokai and exorcise Mononoke on the side — after all, the Soul Ash deficit was still quite large.

Rituna Minami: "Oh, that. I happened to see it when I was going through the Task database the day before yesterday."

Uesugi Toru, hearing unexpected news, instead let out a "Ha."

A Task location matching such harsh conditions — it actually existed just by asking?

Could it be I've had dog's luck lately……

As if to refute Uesugi Toru's thought, Rituna Minami continued,

"This Task was taken by a local about a week ago…… but I feel they probably can't handle it."

Click.

The sound of a ballpoint pen clicking transmitted; Rituna Minami pondered a moment then said: "So if they request aid from the Special Affairs Division, I'll put your name first. Is that okay?"

"Big help, Nanjo Sister."

A hint of amusement leaked from Rituna Minami's Tone: "But if you Air Drop over, you'd better be prepared to babysit a dozen or so Adults."

Babysit?

Uesugi Toru Cold smile: "Knock unconscious the ones who don't listen, beat the ones who won't stay down into submission — when facing dangerous Yokai, where's the time to Explain so much."

"Then do your best when the time comes."

Accompanied by the sound of keyboard strikes falling, it seemed a new document was Transmitted.

Then, Rituna Minami's Tone became somewhat Solemn,

"Besides that, Uesugi-kun."

She said: "Don't answer random calls during this period."

Uesugi Toru Confusion: "Calls?"

Rituna Minami: "Yes. Recently a Phenomenon has Appeared where 'answering an incoming unknown call causes the answerer to die before long.'

At first it was Ordinary People who died, then it rapidly spread to some Special Affairs Bureau Staff investigating the matter.

The current scope covers half of Tokyo."

Hearing this, Uesugi Toru Subconsciously asked back,

"Mononoke?"

"Should be."

Rituna Minami's voice was not fast, revealing Overtime Irritability: "Perhaps it was already eliminated, but the Mononoke·Black Telephone Booth has appeared again, yet by now some details revealed don't seem like it.

So I Suspect there might be an even more bizarre Mononoke wearing a layer of Black Telephone Booth skin — Not Impossible."

Uesugi Toru: "Special Affairs Division can't Trace it?"

Rituna Minami Sigh,

"Because this Mononoke picks easy-to-kill people to strike…… More importantly, when we wanted to divine and investigate, we discovered a bigger Hand behind the scenes erasing traces.

This is also why I previously said the possibility of a skin-suit exists."

"Although it's quieted down considerably after being noticed by me and a few other Major Officers, this Mononoke still has extremely high Danger."

Rituna Minami Solemn: "If you accidentally answer a call, remember to tell me immediately."

"Okay."

After confirming Rituna Minami had finished speaking, Uesugi Toru hung up, then backhandedly opened LINE and told Shizuku and Kitano Runa about this.

Especially Kitano Runa.

With her Constitution, the possibility of running into this sort of thing was extremely high.

But he didn't expect Kitano Runa to actually Instant Reply.

【Never Be a Loser!: This has been spreading fast in the Special Affairs Division since Yesterday, I already knew, but thanks anyway Uesugi-kun for reiterating!】

【Never Be a Loser!: Sincere thanks. jpg】

【Tsukisuna-chan: Good then.】

Then Kitano Runa sent him a group Invitation.

Uesugi Toru glanced at the few group nicknames inside, found they were all Acquaintances, and joined.

A sweep of the group showed all were Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Division potential Seeds, like Hattori Ayako, Maki Hitomi, even Shizuku was pulled in.

And the group owner was Kitano Runa.

Uesugi Toru smiled.

—Not surprising at all that an offline socially anxious girl was just as socially anxious online and would do something like this.

Probably because it was late at night, even after Uesugi Toru joined the group, no one sent a welcome message.

After casually setting "block group messages," Uesugi Toru checked the time and found only three minutes had passed.

There was still a full half left of the six-minute deadline.

So Uesugi Toru opened Shizuku's avatar, thought for a moment, and sent her a message.

He knew Shizuku definitely hadn't slept, or was feigning sleep while cultivating in the contemplation world.

【Tsukisuna-chan: Shizuku, I've completed Skin Tempering.】

【Tsukisuna-chan: Also, I luckily found the subsequent Tendon Casting method, and I'll teach you when I come back.】

Sure enough, when Uesugi Toru silently counted to ten in his mind, a large exclamation mark popped up.

【Shi:!】

【Shi: Okay!】

【Shi: Wait for me to come back!!!】

—Arakawa Ward, inside Uesugi Toru's villa.

Sitting cross-legged before the large "Wu" character, the girl sitting in the cold moonlight fell into thought after replying to the message.

—Now, how long has it been since Uesugi-kun's "business trip"? A whole day? He actually went from just completing Tough Skin to completing the entire Skin Tempering Stage.

Cultivation in the Flesh Palace must be done step by step in reality; not a bit of it can be faked.

What method did Uesugi-kun use to achieve this so quickly?

Impossible to understand.

Shizuku's small face unconsciously showed a fleeting expression of suffering.

She stared at the three characters "luckily" on the phone screen and exhaled: "Still, it's fine, although I can't compare to Uesugi-kun in progress in the Flesh Palace..."

Shizuku closed her eyes and "internally viewed" herself.

She softly murmured: "But after two thousand three hundred attempts, it finally worked; Internal Tempering of Five Viscera has been perfectly completed, and Qi Penetrating Four Extremes should be achievable in a few days."

Of course, there's also 【Double Zhou Tian Unceasing】 coming after this, and the most important one in the Sea of Qi stage,

—【Hundred Apertures Clear Brightness】!

Although there's no clear clue yet, since the first two are completed, the last two can't possibly completely block her.

Try more, make more mistakes, die more.

Standing on countless fallen "selves," there will eventually be results.

According to Third Sister's notebook, Hundred Apertures Clear Brightness is a prerequisite for opening the Sea of Qi.

And.

There's a gap as vast as heaven and earth between one aperture, ten apertures, and a hundred apertures.

According to the information Shizuku has obtained so far, it seems the complete Hundred Apertures Clear Brightness is only recorded in Xin Guan Xi Fa.

This is one reason why geniuses who rarely emerge from small places and small dojos get beaten by even mediocre clansmen of the Four Great Families.

Because Xin Guan Xi Fa truly isn't on the same level as the vast majority of other breathing techniques!

"Then I'll just try my best."

Shizuku lowered her eyes, deleting word by word what she had originally wanted to say, wanting to give Uesugi Toru a surprise when he returns home in the future.

He found out the path of Tendon Casting for me, so I will forcibly open this Sea of Qi shrouded in mist for him—

and bring it forth!

On the other side.

Uesugi Toru watched the "typing..." that had lasted a long time but then disappeared, and smiled silently.

It's probably been less than 24 hours since he left home, so it's normal for Shizuku to be shocked by this.

After sharing the good news, Uesugi Toru threw his phone back into the Storage Backpack, closed his eyes again, and lay on the bed.

Everything in Genjitsu vanished instantly with this somewhat familiar strange twisting sensation.

Splash—!

But this descent seemed different from before.

I don't know if it's an illusion.

Before Uesugi Toru felt his consciousness grow hazy, he seemed to see far away, on the sea level at the far end of his vision...

a sky-covering, earth-shattering colossal wave rising!

In Uesugi Toru's room at the Imagawa Residence.

He panted heavily, expelling all the stuffiness and oppression from his lungs, then lightly jumped up to take the History Key from the roof beam.

Uesugi Toru hadn't come back to his senses from that dreamlike scene just now when he heard the extremely panicked voice of Adult Erchi from outside the room,

"Hey hey hey! That, that!"

Adult Erchi blocked left and right, anxiously said,

"Imagawa-sama! Can you wait to go in? My Lord Toru ordered that no one is allowed in, and if I let people in, I'll get a spanking tomorrow!"

Unfortunately, this seemed only to further fuel the curiosity of the young Head of Family outside the door.

Through the thin sliding door, Imagawa Yoshimoto's deliberately pinched light laughter, and Adult Erchi's listless voice that hadn't even noticed the change in his heartstring, rang out together,

"Wuu wuu wuu, Imagawa-sama..."

"Tetsu-kun, I'm coming in..."

End of Chapter