Chapter 178: Lord Imagawa has arrived, and the clear sky has appeared

"Tetsu-kun, I'm coming in……"

At the doorway, Imagawa Yoshimoto was about to place her hand on the edge of the sliding door when she saw the entire wide sliding door slam into the other side with a brush.

Slap!

The sudden breeze lifted her hair strands.

Wearing only a loose outer robe that exposed his sturdy chest and abdomen, his whole body emitting a faint heat as if he had just finished cultivating, Uesugi Toru lowered his head.

Smiling at the girl who almost bumped her head into his abdominal muscles,

"Lord Imagawa, good evening."

Uesugi Toru then shifted his gaze and nodded toward the two-shaku Adult not far behind, signaling that she had done enough.

After all, as Uesugi Toru's shikigami, all she could do was symbolically block with words and actions.

She couldn't possibly really do anything to this head of the Imagawa Clan!

"Mm……"

Imagawa Yoshimoto lightly withdrew her nose tip from the range of the heat, and poked her head out from the gap under his armpit curiously: "Tetsu-kun, what are you doing in your room so late?"

Uesugi Toru turned aside to reveal his spotlessly clean room to Imagawa Yoshimoto's eyes, he spread his hands, signaling her to come in,

"I had some slight insights into cultivation this afternoon, and am alone refining and comprehending them to consolidate my realm."

The girl took off her geta, lightly entered his room, and after casually pulling the sliding door shut, looked around and nodded with satisfaction.

——A man as diligent in cultivation as Tetsu-kun is indeed also very particular about personal hygiene.

She was very satisfied with this point.

Unlike Motonobu……every time she didn't sleep for two days in a room, she'd make the whole place a mess, with discarded weapons and the smell of alcohol everywhere.

Looking at it this way, that little demon creature that looked like a rat indeed suited her quite well.

After looking around, Imagawa Yoshimoto rudely knelt at the main seat before the small wooden tea table, and asked Uesugi Toru, who was sitting cross-legged, flatly,

"Tetsu-kun, do you know what you did this afternoon?"

"What I did this afternoon……"

Uesugi Toru exhaled a mouthful of scorching gang qi, pinching his chin with his hand, pretending to be deep in thought.

After a long while, he snapped his fingers and answered seriously,

"Taking a stroll. In such good weather, of course I had to bring Shiraishi and the two-shaku one to experience more of the prosperity of Sunpu Castle under Lord Imagawa's rule."

"Pfft."

Hearing this lie that was like fooling a ghost, Imagawa Yoshimoto really couldn't hold back, covering her mouth and laughing lightly.

But Uesugi Toru speaking like this really made it hard for her to feel displeasure in her heart.

Imagawa Yoshimoto had heard such words countless times long ago.

But the key was that the person saying these words was the one and only Great Onmyoji, Onmyoji Toru who had slashed out thirty thousand kan with one strike today.

For him to flatter her.

This feeling was completely different.

At this moment, Uesugi Toru seemed to remember some trivial matter and casually mentioned: "By the way, I went to the test cutting ground to stretch my muscles a bit."

"A bit?"

Imagawa Yoshimoto exhaled slightly from between her lips and teeth, clasping her hands and raising her chin with the back of her hand, smiling as she stared at the seemingly unaware Uesugi Toru,

"Tetsu-kun, now the strike you made this afternoon has spread like crazy, whether in Sunpu Castle, the Imagawa Residence, or even outside Suruga Province, whether commoner peddlers or elders……"

"There are countless, countless people who know that Great Onmyoji Toru's sword technique is also unrivaled under heaven."

Imagawa Yoshimoto said this and paused deliberately: "By the way, those old fossils are like startled birds, hurriedly sending for the guards who haven't shown their faces for a long time to come to their sides."

"Making the Imagawa Residence very lively tonight."

Hearing this, Uesugi Toru glanced at the prompts that kept popping up.

【Your Muromachi Period Sengoku Period Era Reputation +3……】

【Your Muromachi Period Sengoku Period Era Reputation +2……】

His reputation value's growth had not stopped since this afternoon——presumably such growth would continue for a long time.

Uesugi Toru turned his gaze back, and saw that the head of the Imagawa Clan had already fixed her eyes on his, her gaze deep,

"——Tetsu-kun, you really know how to bring me surprises."

"Oh? So Lord Imagawa was very surprised after learning of this matter."

Uesugi Toru smiled and nodded: "Then from now on, Toru will surely add some different colors to Lord Imagawa's life."

Boom!

"Stop playing dumb with me, Tetsu-kun!"

Imagawa Yoshimoto heavily slapped the wooden tea table: "When you swung that blade, even before leaving the Imagawa Residence today, you must have already figured out what might happen after swinging the blade."

"You are not Motonobu, doing something on a whim when the mood strikes."

"Lord Imagawa, saying that will hurt Motonobu-nee's feelings."

Imagawa Yoshimoto quietly stared at Uesugi Toru sitting across the tea table from her, thinking that indeed the higher one's achievements, the more unfathomable their thoughts.

——Directly swinging a blade that could serve as a hidden trump card in front of the masses, wasting others' temporary underestimation of Tetsu-kun's strength for nothing.

Even she couldn't figure out what Uesugi Toru was thinking.

Imagawa Yoshimoto rubbed her nose bridge and subconsciously licked her dry lips with the tip of her tongue.

——However, she later counted again and found that the benefits Tetsu-kun's blade brought far outweighed the drawbacks.

The blade Tetsu-kun swung not only made those old fossils gather all the potential reactionary forces; it also injected a strong stimulant into the Three Kingdoms Alliance, which had been tottering because their teacher was critically ill.

Besides, the reputation of the test cutting ground was also completely spread by this.

From now on, the test cutting ground would continuously bring a considerable income to the Imagawa Clan.

And most importantly, the talent that would always be lacking.

There was only one drawback.

That was, the other daimyo and provinces would therefore regard her even more as a thorn in their eyes.

Perhaps she would therefore enter the sight of the Miyoshi Sanninshu in Kinai, once again increasing the difficulty of marching on Kyo.

And...

Imagawa Yoshimoto frowned slightly in puzzlement, not knowing why this name had popped into her mind.

—Oda Nobunaga.

Why, when considering threats, was the first person she thought of this great fool of the Oda clan?

Compared to Takeda Shingen, and the already deceased "Viper of Mino" Saito Dosan... this great fool certainly couldn't count for anything.

Just based on that great fool's Nagoya Castle?

Imagawa Yoshimoto thought for a while, vetoed this idea, and then found the answer.

Perhaps it was because Tetsu-kun had seriously mentioned it to her before.

She silently sized up Uesugi Toru, who was absent-minded and had not a shred of reverence for her in his eyes, and asked cheerfully,

"Tetsu-kun, do you have tea?"

"Yes, yes."

Uesugi Toru opened his Storage Backpack and carefully selected from the stock within.

Imagawa Yoshimoto continued thinking.

—But what did it matter even if the other daimyo valued her?

Wasn't the so-called Tenka-bito someone who marched on Kyo under everyone's gaze and sat upon that highest position?

If she didn't even have such spirit, then by what right could she deserve those three words?

"The tea is ready, Lord Imagawa, please enjoy."

Imagawa Yoshimoto took the porcelain bowl on the tea table holding warm, clear, transparent black tea, she turned her head but did not see the tea leaves.

She only saw this large jar of tea in a transparent jar.

The girl asked in some surprise, "What tea is this?"

Uesugi Toru lied without thinking: "Ming Dynasty black tea, when I just came down from the mountain I saved a merchant caravan, and they gave it to me out of gratitude."

—Actually it was cheap black tea sold at Eleven, a big bottle for 400 yen.

Imagawa Yoshimoto widened her eyes and immediately lifted the porcelain bowl with both hands to sip the tea.

Instantly, the sweetness from modern industry exploded in the girl's mouth.

She was so sweet she sipped several times, but after putting down the tea bowl she felt it was inexplicably tasty.

Not sure, take another sip.

Repeating this, Imagawa Yoshimoto quickly drank the tea in her hand clean.

Seeing this, Uesugi Toru raised the large jar in his hand that was taller than her head: "Lord Imagawa, want more?"

Imagawa Yoshimoto had just lifted her tea bowl when she pressed it down again with her other hand,

"Cough cough! No need!"

She put on a stern small face and tapped the tabletop with her joints: "The matter this afternoon is considered past, let's talk about the main topic."

Imagawa Yoshimoto said seriously,

"Tonight I will come to find you, Tetsu-kun, just to ask if you have your own thoughts on the expedition in a few days.

After all, this time's opponent is a 'Great Demon' that has never fought or been encountered before."

She first briefly explained the general idea: "My plan is to divide the troops into two routes before arriving."

"One route will be led by Motonobu as Main General, the same main force as before, the other route will have fewer people and go first, heading into Mikawa Province before the main force arrives to obtain current intelligence and information."

"After grasping most of the current situation, then carry out suppression with the highest efficiency."

Imagawa Yoshimoto asked: "Tetsu-kun, which side do you want to go to?"

Uesugi Toru drank the sugar-filled black tea in one gulp, feeling his spirit slightly refreshed: "Shouldn't this kind of thing be decided by the lord?"

"—So didn't I say it, I have no experience dealing with Great Demons."

Imagawa Yoshimoto crossed her arms, inevitably lifting her originally loose robe: "Not pointing fingers at masters in fields you're not good at should be the most basic thing, right?"

Uesugi Toru smiled.

—If he were now following Oda Nobunaga, the other party would probably start arranging where he should go and what to do.

He asked: "Where is Hanzō going?"

"Naturally the latter."

Uesugi Toru pondered briefly, then replied: "Then let me, Hanzō, and you, Lord Imagawa, form a vanguard unit to sneak into Mikawa Province first."

"Me?"

Imagawa Yoshimoto, hearing her own name, was somewhat surprised.

She tilted her head, pointing at herself in puzzled confusion: "I don't know stealth or those tricks, why should I go along for reconnaissance?"

—The purpose was naturally to increase the fame of "Imagawa Yoshimoto."

But this couldn't be said carelessly; if she kept questioning, it wouldn't be easy to explain.

So Uesugi Toru slowly spoke the answer he had long prepared,

"Lord Imagawa's role is not to help, but to be a symbol.

To the people, the powerful clans, and the Great Demon hiding in the dark within Mikawa Province, declare—Lord Imagawa, the Lord of Mikawa, is coming."

He clapped his hands and said, with a catchy tone: "Lord Imagawa comes, days get better! Lord Imagawa comes, chaos is quelled! Lord Imagawa comes, Great Demons will be exorcised!"

The girl heard these words, the corners of her eyes curving with a smile.

So... she's treating me like a mascot.

"Not entirely out of the question." Imagawa Yoshimoto straightened her spine, wiggling her somewhat numb toes. "Tetsu-kun, then I'll allow you one attempt."

Uesugi Toru, who hadn't expected to pass her checkpoint so easily, froze for a moment, swallowing back his subsequent admonitions and words, and instead made a request,

"And if I enter Mikawa Province first, I can also take this opportunity to go search for Tenko."

Imagawa Yoshimoto: "Tenko? Must you go search at this critical moment?"

"It's not that I want to pick this time."

Uesugi Toru shook his head, patting the Vermilion Tachi at his side. "It's because I'm about to face a Great Demon, so I need to find that Tenko even more, to let Xiao Jia advance another level."

"——Because facing a Great Demon where everything is still unknown, even I might not be able to handle it. Every bit of strength increased is another bit of winning chance added."

Imagawa Yoshimoto scoffed: "Even if you, Tetsu-kun, cannot oppose it, does that mean the army I lead just eats for nothing? Even if that Great Demon is ten times more ferocious than that Red Oni from before, it certainly cannot withstand the offensive of over a thousand men."

If facing a yokai like the Red Oni that leans toward the physical side, a thousand-man army equipped with ashigaru, samurai, archers, and arquebusiers would naturally be a piece of cake.

But the problem is... that Great Demon might be the Hundred-Eyed Demon, or some other Great Demon skilled in mass beguilement and illusion arts.

For instance, his four-tailed fox's 【Mirage Tower】 talent can beguile hundreds simultaneously; those three-star and above Great Demons specializing in this path would only do better.

If when facing such a Great Demon, an unprepared army gets beguiled, that scene would be truly spectacular.

Uesugi Toru explained in detail to Imagawa Yoshimoto the possible yokai and their abilities, causing the latter to frown deeply,

"There are actually such strange and eerie yokai in this world? Truly unheard of."

Having listened, she asked with slight worry,

"Would just the three of us going be a bit too few?"

Uesugi Toru: "No, if there are few people I can still stand by Lord Imagawa's side at all times, but with more people the variables increase, and the target and exposure risks also grow considerably."

These words made sense.

Imagawa Yoshimoto, who had entered the room smiling not long ago, only felt that in just a few dozen minutes a whole pile of worries and problems had been added.

Just because of this "Great Demon" existence, an originally simple and easy-to-understand suppression had actually become fraught with difficulties.

Yokai and demons, truly everyone should kill them!

She lay prone on the table, gently blowing small bubbles in her mouth, quickly sorting out the current situation.

A few minutes later, Imagawa Yoshimoto propped herself up again, stood, and said to Uesugi Toru,

"I understand. When the time comes, if everything is prepared I will call for you, Tetsu-kun."

The girl slid open the sliding door again, and saw Erchi Adult sitting at the doorway, chatting with Shiraishi while guarding the door.

She put on her geta, then under the gaze of the two little ones turned her head and said softly toward the room interior,

"Tetsu-kun, good night."

Erchi Adult watched her departing figure, narrowed his eyes, and let out a "Ha" in his heart.

……

In the Sengoku Period, half a month's time passed in the blink of an eye.

This period was exceptionally calm, whether inside the Imagawa Residence or outside Sunpu Castle, even the intelligence coming intermittently from Mikawa Province.

Like undercurrents surging before a towering wave.

In this half month, every time Uesugi Toru saw Shiraishi he saw him poring over that Ninja Secret Manual, expression serious and eager.

——Correspondingly, Shiraishi's strength also grew considerably, as if completely without bottlenecks he rocketed to One-Star.

The power of one punch had already reached a full four hundred kan!

Although for most ninjas it's still not enough to look at, for the Shiraishi of two weeks ago it was already a doubling of improvement!

By now he'd also learned quite a few ninjutsu, counting as a proper little ninja.

The Test Cutting Ground in Sunpu Castle also became famous far and wide because of Uesugi Toru's one slash; the people coming daily to observe or test cut were countless, just the heads piled up several nearby streets.

Everyone, everyone hoped they too could make this Black Zan Tester report the number "thirty thousand kan"!

Unfortunately, since Uesugi Toru, forget thirty thousand kan, even samurai who could cut to ten thousand kan were rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, few and far between.

——And for Uesugi Toru himself, the deadline for the task of suppressing the Mikawa Province uprising still had a full month and a half or so, still not very urgent.

His daily routine was cultivation, guiding Erchi Adult and Shiraishi a bit, sleeping, then continuing cultivation.

Because of Imagawa Yoshimoto's existence, even if Uesugi Toru didn't need to worry about various social interactions, his needs could also be met near-perfectly.

"So, this Hard Bone cultivation is finally considered complete!"

Uesugi Toru stood up abruptly from the medicinal liquid clearer than Shimizu, bones crackling incessantly beneath membrane and muscle, bringing the final intense pain.

His brow twitched unceasingly; even after enduring a full half month of torture, he still couldn't adapt with an expressionless face.

The intense pain of Bone Forging, because the Gang Qi must penetrate deep into the body before starting to temper and forge, was simply more than a whole order of magnitude higher than the pain of Skin Tempering.

Let alone Bone Forging in a medicinal bath.

But only by enduring pain ordinary people cannot endure can one step ahead in the climb!

Crackle crackle!

In the final moments, the bone sounds gradually fell silent.

Uesugi Toru faced the golden fragmented sunlight cast from outside the window, slowly spread his arms, flesh crystalline and full, like a master-level sculpture from ancient Greece.

【Your Skill, Corona Breathing Technique Proficiency +26!】

【Your Skill, Five Thunder Method: Kiai Proficiency +7!】

——Hard Bone, complete!

【You have completed Flesh Palace Cultivation · Hard Bone Stage!】

【Your bone strength has risen slightly!】

【Your Physique +1!】

【Corona Breathing Technique (Iron Bone 3/500)】

【Effect: Cultivate to Perfection, bones like black iron.】

【——Skin as the outline, bones as the support.】

After hard bones comes iron bone.

Uesugi Toru smiled.

——Once he finishes cultivating skin, bone, flesh, and tendons, wouldn't he be a humanoid tyrannosaurus rex capable of easily knocking down tall buildings?

Just mastering the breathing technique can achieve this level... the effects of Expert Level and even Master Level afterward really make one look forward to it.

Thinking this, Uesugi Toru shook his head, tossing this overly distant goal out of his mind.

This isn't something he should consider now.

He shifted his gaze, placing his sight on another prompt.

At the same time, the proficiency of Five Thunder Technique: Kiai, which can be cultivated alongside the breathing technique, increased by over a hundred points, now exceeding one thousand!

【Five Thunder Technique: Kiai (Proficiency 1001/1400)】

「Clearly the improvement to my body is about the same as Skin Tempering, or even more, yet the attribute only increased by a tiny bit. 」

Uesugi Toru moved his tendons and bones, emitting a series of sticky explosive sounds, forcibly squeezing the medicinal liquid in the bone seams out of his pores.

He stepped on the wooden floor, and after using Gang Qi to remove the residual medicine on his body surface, he silently thought,

「Perhaps, it's because the later the attribute, the greater the improvement represented by a single point. 」

After dressing in the room, Uesugi Toru opened the sliding door locked with Gang Qi, only to see an unexpected figure.

——Clad in Black Armor, expressionless, eyes wide open, Okabe Motonobu.

The extent to which Okabe Motonobu opened her eyes this time was far, far greater than that previous misunderstanding.

Almost equal to a normal person!

Uesugi Toru exhaled the viscous cold air, looking at the small Kozu nestled on her shoulder.

「Broke through again? 」

Okabe Motonobu first muttered a sentence with slight surprise, then exaggeratedly split the corners of her mouth; thanks to her high mastery over her body, this extent even reached a bizarre degree,

「This is a good thing, Mr. Toru! 」

She reached out and heavily patted Uesugi Toru's shoulder, and after feeling that incomparably solid support, she laughed loudly,

「The army is ready; today the lord has ordered me as Main General, and you, Mr. Toru, as Deputy General to march into Mikawa Province and suppress the rebellion! 」

「And this. 」

Uesugi Toru hadn't yet replied when Okabe Motonobu stuffed a large pile of folded papers into his arms.

He glanced through a gap and found they seemed to be portraits of human faces.

The painter's skill seemed very good, carving the details vividly.

Uesugi Toru was about to say something when Okabe Motonobu pressed her index finger, covered in rough leather armor, against his mouth.

The warrior absolutely loyal to Imagawa Yoshimoto spoke coldly like iron,

「Burn after reading. 」

Then she spoke; between her raised lips and teeth seemed to constantly surge a suffocating, bloody stench,

「Leave none alive. 」

Uesugi Toru silently nodded.

「What about the time? 」he asked.

「We'll talk about that later; first come with me to see the lord. 」

Okabe Motonobu turned around, and in the blink of an eye had already recovered her smiling appearance, saying,

「After all, this time I'm merely ordered by the lord to notify you, Mr. Toru. 」

Uesugi Toru lifted his foot, stepping out from the doorway of his home, calling for the Adult Two Shaku and Shiraishi, who were happily gnawing on seaweed rice balls, to follow.

It's time to march.

Uesugi Toru looked at portrait after portrait, calmly thinking.

At the same time, it was also the time of death for those old things who sit idle and consume.

Who knows how much legacy and gold coins those old things, who have been sucking blood on the Imagawa Clan for who knows how long, will drop?

Really, slightly looking forward to it.

End of Chapter