Chapter 219: Hundred-Eyed Demon Awakens

"Xiao Jia, how do you feel?"

"Good... very good! Xiao Jia feels like she's never felt this good...!"

Uesugi Toru plucked his heartstrings and exchanged a few simple words with Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was buzzing and vibrating non-stop.

But because Tamamo-no-Mae and Yagyu Shou were right in front of him, he couldn't just ignore the two of them and openly go check the changes on Kaga Kiyomitsu's panel.

The panel isn't going to grow legs and run away; checking it in two hours isn't urgent either.

"Speaking of which, Big Brother Uesugi, you really like your sword a lot."

Tamamo-no-Mae examined the interaction between this master and servant.

She didn't mind that Uesugi Toru hadn't looked at her first; instead, she pinched her chin, striking a detective's pose.

Uesugi Toru thought for a moment, sat up, and replied,

"If you kept the fountain pen you used on your first day of work until now, and it could still talk to you, calling you Master, your feelings for it would run just as deep."

Tamamo-no-Mae opened her mouth, but couldn't help being rendered speechless.

Yagyu Shou nodded behind her: "What Uesugi-kun says is absolutely correct."

"Alright, what did you call me for?"

Uesugi Toru shook his head, tossing his sluggish thoughts out of his mind: "My work is here?"

"Uh... Big Brother Uesugi, you're a pure workaholic too. It's only been a little over four hours since we risked our lives to close that passage."

Tamamo-no-Mae put her hands on her hips and sighed.

She raised her head, shielded her forehead with her hand, narrowed her eyes at the cloudless sky, and said: "The weather's this nice, and we haven't eaten in so long.

Naturally, we should go eat first... eat a bowl of noodles!"

She held up a peace sign and said with a smile: "I know a ramen shop next to the dojo that's explosively delicious!"

At Tamamo-no-Mae's words, Uesugi Toru remembered that his last meal was the yakitori he ate last night with Shizuku, Nanjo Sister, and the others.

And although that yakitori was all-you-can-eat, the portions were actually pitifully small.

If the taste hadn't been decent, Uesugi Toru would definitely have filed a complaint against that shop in the name of the Special Affairs Division.

He really couldn't understand why just changing "grilled chicken" to "yakitori" — a mere one-character change — could cause such a huge difference in price and portion.

This kind of magic is truly miraculous.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Uesugi Toru pressed his palms together in prayer and said seriously: "Senior Tamamo-no-Mae, please get me a delicious, large bowl of ramen."

"Since Big Brother Uesugi puts it that way, it's on me!"

Tamamo-no-Mae thumped her chest twice, letting Uesugi Toru call her Senior while she called him Big Brother.

—Tamamo-no-Mae wasn't wrong; that ramen shop really wasn't far from the dojo, about a ten-minute walk at an ordinary person's pace.

"But who could find a shop opened in a location like this?"

After winding through nine curves and eighteen bends, Uesugi Toru, who finally stopped in an alleyway only wide enough for two people to walk side by side, was a bit speechless.

He looked up; he couldn't even see a signboard with the shop's name.

In other words, if you don't go in and ask, you wouldn't even know what's sold inside, or even if it's a shop at all.

"A treasure shop like this, opening in a location like this is what makes it good!" Tamamo-no-Mae grinned. "Otherwise, with us coming at this hour, how could there still be seats?"

"If the owner did this because he took your advice, he'd definitely be secretly wishing you'd hit the jackpot."

Uesugi Toru retorted inwardly and followed her inside.

Tamamo-no-Mae familiarly waved a hand and sat on the old wooden seat at the counter: "Boss! Two bowls of the usual, and make the other one super large!"

Not long after her voice fell, a middle-aged man wearing a white chef's uniform, a headscarf tied on, revealing a kindly smile, walked out from the back.

He likewise familiarly returned the greeting,

"It's Tamamo-no-Mae, how was work today?"

So Tamamo-no-Mae started complaining to this ramen shop owner about this and that.

The owner listened while hand-pulling noodles; in just over ten seconds he actually pulled the dough from zero into a full bowl's worth of noodles.

He could be called a Ramen Hermit.

Uesugi Toru didn't speak.

He quietly stared at this outwardly kindly owner, using his fingertip to press down on the restless Kaga Kiyomitsu.

Uesugi Toru turned his gaze to Yagyu Shou beside him and found his face also lacked any extra expression.

"So the two of them have eaten at this ramen shop for so long and never discovered this owner's true caliber?"

—In Uesugi Toru's perception, this ordinary-looking ramen shop owner's mere existence could disrupt his Sword Principle, an existence on the same level as the Master Instructor from just now.

As for who was stronger or weaker, Uesugi Toru couldn't quite tell.

But this made him understand the reason the owner ran his shop like this... maybe he just didn't want ordinary customers coming in to disturb him.

"Three bowls of Kishimen Tempura Noodles, slightly spicy, coming up!"

Along with the owner's resonant shout, a large bowl of ramen churning with blood-red bubbles landed before Uesugi Toru's eyes, making the corner of his mouth twitch.

This damn thing is called "slightly spicy"?

Tamamo-no-Mae laughed hehe, picked up her chopsticks: "Big Brother Uesugi, just eat! This meal's on me!"

No, is this a question of treating or not treating?

Soon, the sound of slurping noodles rang out from the side, accompanied by the girl's satisfied exhalations.

By the time Tamamo-no-Mae had eaten three or four mouthfuls, she noticed Uesugi Toru was still holding his chopsticks stirring the noodles, looking hesitant.

So she waved her hand and said definitively: "Don't look at how red this soup is; it's actually not spicy at all when you eat it."

Is that so?

With a half-believing, half-doubting attitude, Uesugi Toru used his chopsticks, which had already turned blood-colored, to pick up the glossy, piping-hot noodles and put them in his mouth.

Tamamo stared at him, chewing loudly on crisp tempura as she asked, "How is it? Not spicy at all, right."

"Hiss— not spicy."

Uesugi Toru answered as such.

Then, to prove it was indeed not spicy, he wolfed down two more bites, simultaneously receiving a nostalgic gaze from Yagyu Shou.

After a bout of all-out fierce battle, adhering to the principle of absolutely no waste, Uesugi Toru set the bowl down heavily.

He gazed at his own hands that wouldn't stop trembling, silent.

Looking again at Tamamo beside him chewing noodles in small bites, eating with relish, Uesugi Toru keenly felt the regional difference was so distinct.

If not for Tamamo speaking a mouthful of Kansai dialect, he would have thought the other party had come running from the Sichuan-Chongqing Region.

"Right, Big Brother Uesugi, what's your Special Affairs Division code? Let's add each other as friends."

After asking the boss for three more tempura, Tamamo, on half-time break, patted her little belly and let out a crisp burping sound, then took out her mobile phone.

Uesugi Toru was confused, and asked in as calm a tone as possible: "What is this?"

"It's a row of hidden asterisks in the APP personal profile, usually hidden……"

Halfway through speaking, Tamamo froze, swiped a finger across Uesugi Toru's phone screen, and opened her small mouth wide: "You don't have the Special Affairs Division APP!"

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow: "Does this have any use?"

Tamamo felt her cognition had been refreshed.

There's actually an agent who doesn't even have the Special Affairs Division APP, then how did Uesugi Toru survive all this time, doing so many missions……

Following Tamamo's instructions, Uesugi Toru entered a line of code, then downloaded the black-icon Special Affairs Division APP in the store.

This icon, Uesugi Toru seemed to have some impression of it.

Quite a while ago, Kitano Runa seemed to have downloaded it when assessing talent, to check the S-rank Potential benefits.

But he indeed hadn't paid much attention, that was correct.

Soon, the Special Affairs Division APP finished downloading.

"Tap this first, then this, finally this……"

Like a simplified newbie guide, Tamamo let Uesugi Toru skip a whole bunch of unnecessary troublesome operations, directly arriving at the login interface.

"Then just scan your face and you're good."

As she spoke, three steaming golden tempura were placed before Tamamo again; she licked her lips and directly went at them like a ferocious beast pouncing on prey.

Uesugi Toru scanned his face according to the process, but discovered a prompt popped up on the screen: 【Please release Spirit Power to verify Spiritual Power Fluctuation】.

The Special Affairs Division's high tech really is abundant, they can actually verify Spirit Power authenticity through a mobile phone.

Without much thought, Uesugi Toru pressed his finger on the screen, and input a trace of Spirit Power into the Onmyo Jutsu Formula that appeared after the prompt disappeared.

【Respected Special Affairs Division Agent Uesugi Toru, welcome to your login】

"Eh, what is this prefix?"

Reminded by Yagyu Shou from farther away, Tamamo tilted her head and asked muffledly.

She turned her gaze again, looking at "Uesugi Toru" in the top left corner of the APP main page.

Behind the name followed a gold-colored suffix 【Seed】.

The girl's whole body shook: "Nanjo Aimi values you this much!?"

Red Confidentiality Level, gold Potential Level……

Tamamo just thinking that she had worked like a super ox in the Special Affairs Division for three or four years, yet both these levels were still white, made her somewhat speechless.

Even if it's the highest level within white, it still cannot conceal the fact of mediocrity.

Uesugi Toru looked back and forth at the two's homepages: "Is there any difference?"

Life is hard, Tamamo sighed.

"The gold suffix is a color that can only appear if a Regional Manager or Onmyo Daizoku personally guarantees……

Look at Yagyu, his suffix is also Seed, but it's white."

"So that's how it is, thanks for the explanation."

Uesugi Toru raised his hand, preparing to routinely click away all the red dot prompts on the screen.

"Don't click, Big Brother!"

Tamamo couldn't care less about anything else, and with her right hand still stained with oil, she forcefully gripped his wrist.

At this time, Uesugi Toru's finger was still an inch away from the 【Weekly Classified Events Broadcast】 column.

Seeing this, Tamamo heavily let out a breath of relief.

She rarely collected her smile, and earnestly admonished: "Big Brother Uesugi, things like this, don't open them in public occasions in the future.

If agents like us with insufficient Confidentiality Level see things we shouldn't, we'll be subjected to strange methods of Memory Erasure."

Tamamo shrank her neck: "I don't want to be brainwashed."

There's actually this kind of particularity.

Uesugi Toru said a word of apology, and after giving his Personal Code to Tamamo and Yagyu Shou, began researching this Special Affairs Division APP.

【Forum】, 【Demon Catalog】, 【Mission Bulletin】, 【Related Logs】, 【Current Benefits】, 【What Can Help You】……

The APP's functions are very complete.

From benefits, salary, required intelligence, to when to go where, which local agents can be contacted, how long for reinforcements to arrive — all have clear markers.

If it were an ordinary Special Affairs Division agent, they would definitely feel much more at ease upon seeing these functions.

He fiddled with the APP for less than ten minutes, and Tamamo set her chopsticks on the bowl, saying to the boss, "Thanks for the treat."

The three walked out of the empty ramen shop; Tamamo crossed her arms and smiled at Uesugi Toru: "How about it, the ramen shop I recommended is delicious, right?"

Delicious, it indeed is delicious.

Just next time, don't order "mild" spicy……

Uesugi Toru could still feel his abdomen burning as if a fire were raging inside, comparable to having placed a Nue's feather within his body.

—Returning to the dojo, he found the Master Instructor personally and earnestly instructing disciples who were little different from rookies.

Uesugi Toru stood at a distance observing for a while, then shook his head with a smile: "Let's not disturb Lord Saijo for the time being."

It was just a footwork technique; it could be learned tomorrow or the day after, no need to rush this moment.

Anyway, there was no requirement for him to go on stage these two days.

Hearing Uesugi Toru's address, Yagyu Shou silently cast a glance: "Uesugi-kun, did you add the Master Instructor's Line?"

Uesugi Toru was stunned for a moment,

"That old man actually knows how to use Line?"

"Yes, the Master Instructor started using it even earlier than I did."

Hearing this, Uesugi Toru looked again at the Master Instructor, dressed in simple, plain kendo uniforms, strictly and meticulously teaching those disciples who might never touch the threshold of technique and principle in their entire lives.

"Alright." He nodded, scanned a code, and sent a friend request.

"So what do we do now?"

Tamamo had at some point already sat on the bench beside them, scrolling on her mobile phone.

She looked at Uesugi Toru, then at Yagyu Shou, but received no clear answer.

"Tch, at a time like this, it's still up to me to take action!"

With a series of phone vibrations, Tamamo quickly spoke like a string of firecrackers: "Uesugi big brother, my teammates who are clearing the dungeon are still recovering from injuries, so I can't go for now.

As for taking a vacation during such a sensitive time..."

She pouted: "Even if I wanted to rest, Yagyu wouldn't agree, right?"

"Then, the destination is very clear."

Tamamo snapped her fingers: "Then let's set off now to the Sengoku Secret Realm in Hamamatsu City to take a look, big brother, you've been very interested in that place, haven't you?"

"Coincidentally, I heard that secret realm allows one to temper strength and swordsmanship at almost no cost."

She tapped her mobile phone: "And although that place is dangerous, no one has died there so far; I believe our luck isn't bad enough to be the first."

After saying it all in one breath, Tamamo asked the two again,

"How about it, shall we go?"

Yagyu Shou silently nodded.

Uesugi Toru chuckled: "Is that even a question?"

Tamamo immediately made the decision,

"Hey, arrange it!"

"Uesugi big brother, send me your personal information so I can book a train ticket."

"Train?"

"Limited Express Train, it can reach Hamamatsu City in an hour and a half."

Uesugi Toru retorted: "Haven't trains been unusable recently?"

Tamamo blinked her eyes, not understanding for a moment.

Uesugi Toru explained: "The Mononoke Kisaragi Station, and trains that can send people into the Common World."

"Damn, this is actually real?"

Tamamo's small face turned pale, and she hurriedly refunded all the booked electronic tickets: "Then let's forget it; if we get sent into the Common World at a time like this, we're dead for sure."

"Then Uesugi big brother, you call a Special Affairs Division car to pick us up."

The girl pointed to the line that says 【Consumes 200 Contribution】 and said: "With your golden noble rank, you should be able to call a car for free."

Uesugi Toru looked and found it was indeed so.

He was first delighted; from now on, wouldn't he not need to spend money when going out, and have a special car and specialist for pickup and drop-off?

But then he was worried again; he damn it, why did he only discover this treasure app now? Then wasn't the one slash he was cheated out of by that taxi driver just now making him a big victim!

Twenty minutes later, a black sedan that looked somewhat ordinary but actually had bulletproof steel plates installed around it and exorcism formulas engraved inside stopped at the dojo gate.

The three got in the car.

The sedan's seats were soft and comfortable, far incomparable to the steel plates of a collection vehicle or the van seats where you couldn't even fasten a seat belt.

Tamamo lay down, holding her mobile phone up with both hands to continue chatting, not afraid that if she let go the phone would smash her face.

Uesugi Toru leaned back and began narrowing his eyes to check the changes in the Kaga Kiyomitsu Panel.

Soon, his eyes lit up.

The linkage effect mentioned before was indeed not a visible but unattainable pie.

【Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect—Slash Expert!】

【Effect Three: Slash Mastery → Slash Expert. When using slash-type sword techniques, it will cause massive additional damage. At the same time, Kaga Kiyomitsu will become an "Expert of the Slash Domain."】

【Because Kaga Kiyomitsu has mastered both "Thrust Expert" and "Slash Expert," a new trait·"Technique" has been produced!】

What Kaga Kiyomitsu newly gained was a "trait," not an "effect."

A trait is equivalent to an extra buff, generally divided into temporary and permanent.

—Like the trait Uesugi Toru received when he got Huijue's blessing, and Kaga Kiyomitsu's "Xin Punch Punch Ling" after being maintained, both belong to the temporary category.

But this "Technique" is obviously a permanent trait.

【Trait: Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting has gained a profound understanding of sword techniques, and can more skillfully master various sword techniques.

At the same time, now when you approach Kaga Kiyomitsu, you can also gain the effect of sword technique understanding bonus.】

After finishing reading the introduction of the "Trait," Uesugi Toru suddenly felt his thoughts become clear, and also felt that some more essential change had occurred.

The prompt answered his confusion—

【Because you held Kaga Kiyomitsu, your Sword Technique Trait (1%) has changed!】

【Your Sword Technique Trait (1%) has now been changed to Sword Technique (3%)!】

Even with Uesugi Toru's strong mental fortitude, he couldn't help but read the prompt again.

Simply because he held the current Kaga Kiyomitsu, he had actually taken two steps on the incomparably long great path of "Sword Technique."

Easy Solution.

"This really is……"

Uesugi Toru gazed at the Silver Blade that had sprung from the Sword Sheath, gazed at it, and also gazed at himself reflected in the Blade.

"Xiao Jia."

"Mm?"

"The road ahead, please continue walking it with me."

"Mm!"

Though the Sword Hilt and Sword Body were so cold, Uesugi Toru could feel Kaga Kiyomitsu's warm and fervent inner core from within them.

Uesugi Toru plucked the Heartstring, chatting with Kaga Kiyomitsu on and off.

The latter mostly just listened, because it still could not speak a large amount of complex words all at once.

But being willing to listen quietly was enough.

On the seat to Uesugi Toru's left, Yagyu Shou had already quickly cast several glances toward him.

He wanted to talk to Uesugi Toru about the previous Master Instructor, and about exchanging Sword Arts.

——But Yagyu Shou felt they weren't very close yet, and Uesugi Toru was talking to the sword named "Xiao Jia," making him too embarrassed to interrupt the two.

If there is no important matter, do not interrupt others' conversation.

This is the most basic Politeness.

So Yagyu Shou wanted to speak several times, but swallowed his words back because of intense inner conflict.

Because Uesugi Toru was chatting with Kaga Kiyomitsu while researching on his Mobile Phone, he also didn't notice Yagyu Shou's movements beside him.

He first tried to find materials related to the Sengoku Period on the Special Affairs Division App, but discovered that data from at least a hundred years ago was not allowed to be put into it.

The App prompted him to go offline to find physical materials to view.

Pity.

Next, Uesugi Toru looked up some materials related to Hamamatsu City.

——For example, the old turtle's residence was actually right here; on the Lake Surface in the city, there was actually built a huge Red Torii.

There was another one.

Uesugi Toru's gaze silently swept across the ch Forum.

——The origin of the Yatagarasu Station Legend from twenty years ago seemed to be in Hamamatsu City.

Buzz buzz.

The Mobile Phone vibrated, and a reply from Huijue popped up on the screen.

【Huijue: Although this poor monk has seen several cases of Wish Power Influence, the effects brought by different Wish Powers are completely different.】

【Huijue: Specific Analysis for specific situations; what to do and when to do it still requires this poor monk to personally take a Close Range Observation.】

Uesugi Toru sat up straight with a swish, causing Yagyu Shou beside him to be Shocked.

His fingers holding the Mobile Phone subconsciously exerted force.

As expected, Professional Expertise.

A true Buddhist Master like Huijue would surely be able to solve this small problem!

【Huijue: However, Uesugi Benefactor, this poor monk is currently in Kyoto and it's Inconvenient to go out; would it be alright to come find you when I return in a few days?】

【Tsukisuna-chan: Thank you, Master!】

Uesugi Toru immediately sent over an Expression Pack of "Not Urgent" and "Grateful."

Huijue ended the brief conversation with a "Thanks Understanding" Expression Pack in a style from over ten years ago.

His Avatar immediately went black, so it seemed it was indeed Inconvenient.

Uesugi Toru let out a sigh of relief.

With Huijue's guarantee, and Katsumi... the Adult of Two Shaku... who might bring a surprise, this problem was already considered Half Solved.

At times like this, one still had to rely on the Connections Accumulated along the way.

A great stone fell in his heart, and along with it, the atmosphere around Uesugi Toru relaxed quite a bit.

Holding Kaga Kiyomitsu, Uesugi Toru closed his eyes with a clear conscience, letting his thoughts wander.

Seeing that he seemed to be resting, Yagyu Shou also felt it inappropriate to speak and disturb him, so he went through another round of inner conflict.

……

Compared to the Limited Express Train, the speed of driving was indeed slower.

But the advantage was being able to precisely arrive near the destination.

"Three of you, because there is an important Task Prompt waiting for me to rush to not far away, may I let you off here?"

The uniformed driver, who had not spoken a word since boarding, spoke for the first time.

Here, it was only a little over two kilometers from the marked location of the Sengoku Secret Realm; if walking fast, it would take less than twenty minutes.

Proper course of action.

Uesugi Toru took the lead in pushing open the car door and got out.

He turned his head, looking at the surrounding slightly low and desolate Buildings, and expanded his Perception Field a bit strangely,

"Around here, there aren't many people."

Upon hearing this, Tamamo spread both hands,

"The sir from the Central Capital must be used to crowds of people by now... The suburbs of an ordinary city are just like this, not much different from the countryside."

Indeed.

Uesugi Toru rubbed his temples, recalling that the vast majority of Japan's population was concentrated in several major metropolitan areas.

Among them, a few major cities had especially large populations.

Under the influence of such a strong siphon effect, the number of people scattered on the edges of the remaining cities naturally dwindled.

"Fewer people is actually quite nice, quiet."

Uesugi Toru looked around at the tranquil scenery, stepping on the edge of the gray-white old asphalt road, walking slowly toward the direction of the Sengoku Secret Realm.

One could only say it was worthy of being the suburbs.

Along the way, Uesugi Toru not only saw no pedestrians, but not even a few small cars for transport.

The only thing seen was probably a yellow bus swaying down the middle of the road, with not even one-tenth of its seats filled.

But once approaching within eight hundred meters of the direction of the Sengoku Secret Realm, it began to become lively.

This "lively" did not refer to a hubbub of voices.

On the contrary, the surroundings were simply quiet enough to hear a needle drop, making one doubt whether there was really anyone inside those brightly lit buildings.

The liveliness here was that Uesugi Toru's perception was telling him—the strong ones in this area were simply too numerous to count!

At least a dozen different types of fierce Qi, rich Spirit Power, Five Elements Onmyodo, Kekkai and techniques belonging to the Four Paths, and many more chaotic yet powerful auras that Uesugi Toru could not identify.

These people should all have come for the Sengoku Secret Realm.

Yagyu Shou suddenly laughed and said, "You've come to the right place."

Uesugi Toru, whose line had been stolen, nodded: "Then first..."

He suddenly stopped speaking, turned his gaze, and his cold, sharp eyes scanned the surroundings inch by inch.

But found nothing.

But just now, in that moment when a sentence paused, Uesugi Toru clearly felt himself being stared at by a strange gaze unlike any other.

Though he could not say where the strangeness lay, it was definitely different from the other cultivators silently observing him.

Otherwise, he would not have had such a clear and strong perception.

"Hah..."

Uesugi Toru exhaled, giving up the thought of finding the owner of the gaze.

Since he had not discovered it just now, it was even more unrealistic to want to find the other person in the crowd now.

"Uesugi-kun, what's wrong?"

Yagyu Shou turned back and asked.

"No, nothing."

Uesugi Toru shook his head and followed the footsteps.

They soon reached two hundred meters outside the Sengoku Secret Realm.

To be precise, it was the doorway of the Sengoku Secret Realm's Safety Zone.

Standing here, they still could not see what the so-called Secret Realm looked like, but they were indeed blocked outside by the yellow-black isolation tape of the Special Affairs Division.

Two burly staff members with fierce Qi circulating around their bodies watched them and bowed slightly, saying,

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to enter the Secret Realm, you can apply for a 【Pass】 on the APP first."

Pass?

If they really waited for this thing to be processed, they would have to go back.

Tamamo smiled disdainfully, raised her chin, and patted Uesugi Toru's back: "Big Brother Uesugi, just show them your main page directly!"

Uesugi Toru asked no more and did exactly that.

The golden Seed Status Window made the two Special Affairs Bureau Staff members stunned for a moment.

They leaned in to look at the screen, confirmed for a while, and then looked at Uesugi Toru with a calm face in amazement.

The two staff members stepped aside, their tone inevitably carrying a touch of respect: "Sir Uesugi Toru, and the two of you, please enter."

One of the staff members opened a translucent glass tube and released a Shikigami of roughly equal strength to temporarily take the post, saying they would lead the way.

As soon as Uesugi Toru crossed the isolation tape, he found the scene before him suddenly changed.

From the original modern buildings, it instantly turned into a desolate flat dirt slope.

At a glance, he could see countless rotting weapons, truly having three parts of the appearance of the Sengoku Graveyard he had seen on the Yomi Train in the past.

Kekkai?

He looked back, but did not see any obvious technique patterns, nor did he feel the slightest fluctuation of a Kekkai.

The Onmyoji who laid down this Kekkai must be highly skilled, perhaps even a Great Onmyoji belonging to the Astronomy Dao.

If one raised their head to look into the distance, they could see a slowly rotating White Vortex above the desolate dirt slope.

This Vortex was neither a physical entity, nor did it emit any Spirit Power, nor did it exist within Uesugi Toru's perception.

Yet it floated in midair under the naked eye's observation, rotating at a fixed speed.

Tamamo let out a soft exclamation.

Uesugi Toru thought to himself: "This Vortex can indeed be called a phenomenon."

And before the Vortex, there was a black-haired man dressed in a black Suit, black long pants, black tie, and black Shoes, holding paper and pen, quietly gazing at it.

Before the staff member could bring the three closer, the man spoke lightly: "Staff Member Ota, I have not received an application for a Pass."

The staff member's face stiffened, letting Uesugi Toru's group stand where they were, and immediately walked forward: "Mr. Y, these three are..."

"Oh?"

After a brief explanation, the man curiously turned his head and looked at Uesugi Toru, who was gazing at the Secret Realm Vortex.

This kid, is somewhat different.

The man committed Uesugi Toru to memory in his heart.

His gaze shifted slightly, and he saw Tamamo sticking out her tongue, greeting him somewhat nervously and awkwardly.

He had seen this little fellow before; she was quite a promising seedling.

"Alright, Agent Ota, return to your post first."

The man smiled warmly at him: "Leave these three to me to entertain."

The agent breathed a sigh of relief, quickly left the man's side, and walked out of the kekkai's range.

"Nice to meet you, Uesugi-kun."

The man smiled at Uesugi Toru,

"I am the supervisor of the Countermeasures Office, Y. You may call me Mr. Y."

For some reason, as Uesugi Toru was being watched, a large patch of goosebumps suddenly rose on his back.

He laughed somewhat stiffly: "Nice to meet you, Mr. Y."

"Since you've gone to the trouble of coming all the way here, you must surely want to challenge this Warring States Secret Realm, right?"

Mr. Y waved at him: "Then let me briefly introduce this secret realm to you."

Although Uesugi Toru felt uncomfortable all over, he still calmly approached Mr. Y's side, hearing the other speak in an incomparably peaceful voice,

"This secret realm is challenge-based, and within it are recorded projections of the strong from the Warring States Period."

Mr. Y was introducing it when Uesugi Toru suddenly felt a disturbance in the Edo Castle Gacha Pool, which emitted a booming roar, and prompts popped up one after another.

The Hundred-Eyed Demon has awakened!

"Uesugi-kun, what happened?"

Before he could check the prompts, Uesugi Toru, whose train of thought was interrupted, subconsciously turned his head and saw Mr. Y staring fixedly at him, revealing an inexplicable smile.

End of Chapter