Chapter 42

【Eight Shaku Woman】

【Quality: Rare】

【Rank: Zero-Star (One-Star Half)】

【Rank Limit: Two-Star Half】

【Talents: Curse Positioning, Bidirectional Healing, Illusory Body】

【——Eight Shaku Grea... oh no, should call her Two Shaku Two Sun Two Bu Two Rin Adult now.】

Tsk tsk, didn't expect Eight Shaku Adult's quality to actually be Rare grade, comparable to the Three-Tailed Fox in the One-Star Card Pool.

Rank limit even reached a full Two-Star Half, in terms of potential at the current stage it can be said to completely surpass this Laughing Hannya owner of hers.

"Right, Two Shaku Adult, could you hear me talking to you in my heart just now?"

Two Shaku Adult shook her head, the two little pigtails that appeared at some point swaying slightly: "Po~ couldn't hear specifics, but could sense the general gist of Master's thoughts was to have me come out from the Jizo Statue."

After saying this she reacted, stamping her foot: "I am Eight Shaku Adult ah Eight Shaku! Turning into this appearance is just a special circumstance!"

"Okay Two Shaku Adult." Uesugi Toru thought and said, "Don't call me Master from now on, that sounds too tacky."

Two Shaku Adult blanked slightly; as far as she knew, in the Edo Period Shikigami and Onmyoji signed contracts and were in a subordinate position.

The former had to obey almost unconditionally the vast majority of the latter's commands.

If not Master then what?

"My real name is Uesugi Toru, call me whatever you want, just don't call me Master."

Uesugi Toru waved his hand; if Two Shaku Adult kept calling Master Master, he didn't dare imagine what expression Shizuku and Nanjo Sister would have seeing it.

"Then... Tetsu-kun?" Two Shaku Adult probed; if Uesugi Toru was unwilling to let her call his name she would immediately switch to calling him Uesugi Adult.

"Up to you."

Uesugi Toru replied indifferently — right now, still better to first look at Two Shaku Adult's talents.

【Talents: Curse Positioning, Bidirectional Healing, Illusory Body】

【Curse Positioning: After Eight Shaku Woman briefly observes an arbitrary target, she can continuously position that target; positioning precision gradually declines as time passes. Positioning limit is one.】

Two Shaku Adult having this type of talent was within Uesugi Toru's expectations.

After all in the most widely circulated version of the Mononoke, no matter where the protagonist runs to, they will feel Eight Shaku Adult clinging behind them like a bone-gnawing pestle.

Meeting once and being able to position someone ignoring distance, simply a must-have skill for thousand-mile pursuit killing.

Just unclear whether this curse is easily discovered or dispelled, because reality isn't a game, for powerful Onmyoji this type of curse should not be hard to discover and dispel.

【Bidirectional Healing: After being embraced by Eight Shaku Woman, both parties receive continuous healing effect. The higher the embraced one's Charm Attribute, the stronger the healing effect.】

Uesugi Toru glanced at Two Shaku Adult who had been staring straight at his face since appearing, momentarily speechless.

Can only say it's a very fitting talent for her character design, and the strength is not bad; paired with Awakening Spirit Mist should be able to rapidly recover state after disengaging from combat.

【Illusory Body: Eight Shaku Woman has no vital points. Each attack only reduces Eight Shaku Woman's "HP"; cannot damage Eight Shaku Woman's physical body; when Eight Shaku Woman's HP reaches zero she dies.】

No wonder just now when he slashed through Two Shaku Adult's body he felt no resistance... turns out there's this absurd talent existing.

In that case, wouldn't that mean Two Shaku Adult can do extremely dangerous things?

For example, normal Yokai seeing a cute little white-hatted girl walking toward it would absolutely never imagine the girl has rows of explosives strapped to her body, right?

This is just the most basic usage; similar fancy tricks still await Two Shaku Adult and him to develop together.

Uesugi Toru nodded, giving Two Shaku Adult a thumbs up: "Not bad, very not bad!"

The latter had hands on hips, proud beyond words.

But right now there's a problem —

Although Two Shaku Adult's theoretical rank is One-Star Half, in reality she currently has no essential difference from a Zero-Star Stray Spirit, fragile to the point that even without vital points Uesugi Toru could finish her in two or three slashes.

"Two Shaku Adult, is there any method to let you recover your strength?"

"Following Tetsu-kun works." Two Shaku Adult hehe laughed twice, walked a few steps closer, almost pressing against him, "But if we can embrace, recovery speed would be even faster."

Uesugi Toru stepped back half a step, raised hand to block Two Shaku Adult's pouncing body: "For now let's keep this distance."

He fell into thought.

Although Two Shaku Adult's recovery method is very thrifty and economical, due to Ghost Dad's existence at home, he can't possibly hug her and sleep.

And Uesugi Toru doesn't want to expose Two Shaku Adult to the outside world; at a critical moment she might become a trump card to turn the tables.

But this way, wouldn't Two Shaku Adult's strength recovery speed be greatly slowed?

"You try this."

Uesugi Toru took out a portion of Soul-Calming Incense Ash (Minor) and placed it in his hand.

He thought since Soul-Calming Incense Ash can be used as upgrade material, would it also have miraculous effect on Mononoke recovery?

But before he could speak, Two Shaku Adult's small face leaned in, staring tightly at his palm, drool almost flowing out,

"This... what is this..." Two Shaku Adult's still exaggerated chest heaved, panting heavily, "Why is it so enticing!"

Uesugi Toru holding the Soul-Calming Incense Ash asked: "If I give this to you, can it shorten the time to recover strength?"

"Popo!" Two Shaku Adult nodded repeatedly, eyes sparkling.

"Then these three portions you use first; if not enough come ask me again."

Finished speaking, Uesugi Toru took out the three portions of Soul-Calming Incense Ash (Minor) he had drawn not long ago, and handed them to Two Shaku Adult.

Two Shaku Adult opened her mouth, expression somewhat dazed.

She thought this must be her fantasy before dispersing, otherwise how could there be a boy both handsome and generous who contracted her, saved her from this dead land, then unsparingly gave her such precious treasures.

This sickness sleeping once cures it...

"Still spacing out for what, hurry back into the Jizo Statue to lie down and recuperate."

Uesugi Toru's voice made Two Shaku Adult return to her senses.

She pursed her lips, didn't know how to speak, in the end could only bow deeply, childish voice yet incomparably sincere:

"Thank you for your mercy, Toru-sama."

Uesugi Toru smiled at her and placed the Jizo Statue into the Storage Backpack—if the Jizo-sama wished to emerge, stirring the connection in his heart would let him know.

Next, Uesugi Toru took out the 【Universal Possession Vessel Prototype】 he had gained from subduing his first Shikigami.

【Universal Possession Vessel Prototype】

【Quality: None】

【Effect: None for now】

【——There is nothing you cannot imagine that it cannot become. But the premise is, you need a good blacksmith.】

That is to say, as long as there is a good smith, it can be used to forge a Vessel capable of subduing any Yokai Kaidan.

Uesugi Toru thought of the little fellow at the Blacksmith Shop, not knowing whether he had learned any real skill from the blacksmith.

By then, he would go ask.

Putting away the Vessel Prototype, Uesugi Toru clapped his hands once.

Thus, this life's task was considered perfectly completed, though it was a pity that the life had not been spent much.

Uesugi Toru decided to go to Edo Castle to explore delivering a head—the matter of slaying Haku Hannya would have to wait until Jizo-sama recovered some combat power first.

At least, he had to recover to the point where he could release "Curse Positioning" onto Haku Hannya in an instant.

So Uesugi Toru did not want to go find out Haku Hannya's location now either.

If the other side also possessed enough Spiritual Wisdom to think, they would surely hide away after being startled to recover from their injuries.

By then, the task would be difficult to handle.

Uesugi Toru did things without anything else—just one word: steady!

A winnable game would absolutely not be wasted or thrown away, but played steadily and surely, grasping absolute victory in hand.

Ten minutes later.

Not long after going out, Uesugi Toru, who had been chopped up like slicing melons and vegetables by the passing Three-Star Half Ghost Samurai "White Bone," returned to Genjitsu as he wished.

This time it was refreshing; one slash across the neck and there was no pain at all.

This White Bone's Sword Technique is not bad!

Buzz buzz.

Uesugi Toru's Mobile Phone vibrated.

Opening it to look, it was actually a message from Shizuku.

End of Chapter