Chapter 149: Eve Of The True Sword Match, Win All To Prove The Strongest! Dangerous Secret Art
Deep within the Obscure Moon Hall dojo, Karatorishigure, who was wrapped head to toe in bandages and sitting cross-legged on the black rock wall, was startled, his fingertips gripping the dagger trembling slightly.
“Tch.”
But in just an instant, he let out a slight breath and calmed his emotions.
“So the ordinary crow flock’s dynamic vision can’t capture Shangshan Che’s speed… whatever, that’s expected.”
“Akatsuki Ran, that lazy bum, won’t even bother coming up here.”
Karatorishigure unhappily sheathed the dagger in his hand, opening his pitch-black, empty pupils, and looked toward Shangshan Che, who was smiling while gripping “himself.”
—Though it was just an ordinary crow, it couldn’t be lost at the dojo doorway for such a ridiculous reason.
Shangshan Che stared at the pitch-black crow in his hand that had been “cawing” moments ago, soon noticing its eyes become lively, showing very human-like emotions.
He loosened his grip slightly to let the crow spread its wings, knowing it was probably connected now.
Though there had been some private conflicts with Kuzuha Chihaya before, this crow boy hadn’t done much besides peeking from afar.
So Shangshan Che remained very polite.
He tapped the crow’s short beak and asked, “Buddy, could you trouble yourself to lead me inside?”
“Caw.”
The crow called out irritably, then flapped its wings and flew in front of Shangshan Che, signaling him to follow.
But before Shangshan Che could take a step, he heard someone in the nearby parking lot shouting his name.
The voices were one adult and one child; the child was a boy, his voice clearly still immature and undeveloped.
“Sister Hoshi, this match is a one-versus-three wheel battle where Special Affairs Office’s Shangshan Che has to fight three disciples of Obscure Moon Hall alone… who do you think will win?”
The relatively mature female voice answered without hesitation: “Shangshan Che.”
Hearing the female voice sound somewhat resentful and gnashing her teeth, Shangshan Che said,
“—Do I even need to think? Of course Shangshan Che loses!”
Just from that one sentence, he could clearly feel the hatred the voice’s owner had for “Shangshan Che.”
Shangshan Che blinked in confusion, wondering when he had offended someone again.
These days, he was either rushing on the road or immersed in the Eternal World, dealing with people from the Sengoku Period hundreds of years ago—how could he possibly provoke anyone else?
So Shangshan Che looked over full of doubt.
Not far away, a barefaced girl with a high ponytail, wearing a white tracksuit and simple jeans, was striding over with her strikingly white long legs.
She was also holding the hand of a short-haired boy who looked spirited and extraordinary.
In no time, the high-ponytail girl, who seemed like she’d snuck out of university to play, walked up to Shangshan Che and gave him a sunny toothy grin.
“Hello, are you here to watch the match?”
Shangshan Che hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “You too?”
“Ah, that’s great! Could you tell me the way?”
The girl chuckled sheepishly.
Before Shangshan Che could answer, her gaze was immediately drawn to Two-Foot Adult, whom he was holding, wearing a small white hat with exquisitely carved features.
“Wow! So tiny and cute!”
The girl immediately let go of the boy’s hand she brought, squatted down, and gently pinched Two-Foot Adult’s little face.
This made Two-Foot Adult’s voice bubble with gurgles: “Pretty sister… we’re not that close, are we?”
The boy standing behind helplessly covered his forehead, grabbed the girl’s shoulder, and pulled her back.
“Sister Hoshi, you need to keep your distance from strangers—distance!”
After pulling the girl back, the boy, who was only about two Two-Foot Adults tall, bowed apologetically: “Sorry, sir, my teacher’s overly friendly personality is impossible to change—please forgive her.”
“No, that’s fine.”
Shangshan Che clearly sensed the sharp spirit, energy, and vitality emanating from the boy, raising his brow in surprise.
This boy’s state of mind cultivation was actually at the same level as his own—around Unity of Man and Sword · Clear Mirror.
But he had an extra “Technique · Afterimage,” giving him a slight edge in spirit.
Yet the girl he called teacher seemed utterly ordinary from every angle, like a normal female college student…
After a brief thought, Shangshan Che spoke: “Weren’t you just asking for directions? Just follow me.”
The boy nodded slightly with eyes closed, while the girl straightened her ponytail, stood up, and gave him a thumbs-up.
“Thanks, handsome little bro.”
Next, the two adults and two children followed the crow controlled by Karatorishigure, winding through to the main gate of Obscure Moon Hall.
Halfway there, the girl couldn’t help complaining: “What’s up with Obscure Moon Hall? Why make the entrance so complicated? It’s dizzying.”
The crow flying ahead faltered mid-air, nearly crashing, but didn’t look back.
She muttered: “But handsome little bro, how do you know the way here? Using a map app?”
Shangshan Che pointed at the crow ahead: “Just asked the crow at the doorway. This crow is great—answers every question and leads the way.”
“Oh? Can crows develop spiritual intelligence too?”
The girl, who had been looking around, finally fixed her gaze intently on “Karatorishigure.”
She laughed: “I’ve long heard Obscure Moon Hall is great at raising spiritual beasts. Seeing it now, it’s indeed extraordinary.”
Passing the vast but empty surface dojo, the two adults led their “children” and followed the crow toward the still-open underground passage.
The underground passage was very narrow, long, and monotonous—nothing but stone slabs.
So Shangshan Che kept hearing the girl beside him muttering to herself or chatting with the boy she held.
Shangshan Che intended to ignore it until he heard the girl mutter slyly—
“Heh heh, in a couple days I’ll personally see that Shangshan Che get brutally beaten! To vent my anger!”
Shangshan Che’s brow twitched slightly.
What grudge or grievance? They’d never even met, and she was already cursing at a jujutsu level.
He couldn’t help asking curiously: “Did that competitor Shangshan Che do something bad?”
The girl put her hands on her hips and fumed: “Bad! This kid is utterly rotten!”
“—After so long, I still haven’t seen my dear, adorable little sister’s face! Then rumors say this jerk seduced her away!”
“Dog! Totally dog!”
She raised her brows, stared seriously at Shangshan Che, and clenched her fists: “When I see Shangshan Che later, I’ll flatten him first… for daring to lay hands on Lili Zi!”
Shangshan Che timely showed curiosity: “May I ask who you are, Your Excellency?”
“Oh, sorry about that.”
She stuck out her tongue slightly.
“Almost forgot to introduce myself—I’m Tokugawa Hoshi, one of the notaries for this Special Affairs Office versus Obscure Moon Hall True Sword Match.”
Tokugawa Hoshi paused, then added: “As for earlier, I heard that competitor Shangshan Che seduced my favorite little sister Tokugawa Ririko, so I’m a bit upset.”
Tokugawa, Hoshi?
Hearing this name, Shangshan Che immediately perked up.
—This was Lili Zi’s third sister, who had long entered the Ghost God realm!
—No wonder he couldn’t gauge her strength; the gap was just too vast.
“By the way, I haven’t asked your name, handsome little bro.”
Tokugawa Hoshi winked at him.
My name?
Shangshan Che instinctively held his breath, breaking into a cold sweat in an instant.
Saying “I’m Shangshan Che” in this situation? That’d be disastrous.
He’d probably get backhanded by the fuming Tokugawa Hoshi and embedded into the wall on the spot.
“I… I am…”
He blinked frantically, stroking his chin as if pondering, his mind racing at full speed.
After an excruciatingly long second, Shangshan Che shook his head calmly: “Sorry, I’m a Special Affairs Office agent, so it might not be convenient to give my name.”
“Oh oh!”
Tokugawa Hoshi nodded, making a cross sign in front of her lips with her fingers: “I get it! Agents—revealing names could get you cursed. I understand, no trouble.”
Karatorishigure, flapping his sore wings ahead, could only keep flapping while listening to the nutrient-free chatter behind.
He was naturally impatient, but what use was impatience?
If not for Tokugawa Hoshi behind, he’d drop everything, disconnect from the crow, and leave.
But who was Tokugawa Hoshi… she was on the same level as his master, or even higher.
Failing to host her properly wouldn’t just derail the True Sword Match—his life might be at risk.
In the dark stone chamber, Karatorishigure sighed silently.
No choice; the weak always have no say before the strong.
“Um, Ms. Tokugawa?” Shangshan Che pointed at the increasingly low-flying crow ahead. “Shall we keep going? It looks tired from flying.”
“Well said.”
After the name episode, the group’s pace quickened—mainly because Shangshan Che sped up.
Soon, led by the crow now trotting on the ground, Shangshan Che arrived underground in the Obscure Moon Hall dojo.
Or rather, the true Obscure Moon Hall dojo.
After leaving the passage, the “living presence” around Shangshan Che grew stronger.
He looked around—the first hall at the passage exit was quite modern, though a wooden sign in ancient style stuck out beside it.
The sign listed directions like arena, training ground, with arrows.
“Caw.”
The crow called softly ahead, then waddled toward the “guest area.”
Karatorishigure headed first to Tokugawa Hoshi’s quarters.
—Naturally; a mere opponent to be beaten in two days couldn’t compare to a Ghost God-level notary.
“So this is where I’m staying.”
At the wooden door with a vintage feel, Tokugawa Hoshi waved farewell to Karatorishigure beside her: “Thanks, Mr. Crow.”
Then, she grinned meaningfully at Shangshan Che and said,
“So, Special Affairs Office agent sir, see you later?”
Shangshan Che, planning to slip away silently once she closed the door, forced a haha laugh and a strained smile: “See you later, Ms. Tokugawa.”
Click.
Tokugawa Hoshi entered the dorm with the boy and shut the door.
Shangshan Che immediately exhaled heavily.
He looked at Karatorishigure and waved his mobile phone: “Thanks for the trouble. No need to guide anymore—see you at the True Sword Match in two days.”
“Caw.”
The crow called irritably, flapped its rested wings, and flew off swiftly.
Once the crow was out of sight, Shangshan Che turned to Two-Foot Adult, who had been laughing heartily on the Heartstring Channel since earlier.
The girl covered her mouth giggling: “Che Adult, instead of settling scores with me, you should leave first—who knows if this door might suddenly open.”
Shangshan Che found this reasonable, so he grabbed Two-Foot Adult and headed straight to the meeting point sent by Nanjo Emi.
The “meeting room” Nanjo Emi sent wasn’t far from Tokugawa Hoshi’s place; in under three minutes, Shangshan Che arrived.
As he planned to check room numbers one by one, he suddenly spotted a familiar girl holding a water cup walking past.
Shangshan Che paused, instinctively reaching out to stop her: “Wait…”
Hattori Ayako, about to grab a drink, halted and looked back, first puzzled, then frowning in thought.
Finally, she lit up with joy: “It’s you, Shangshan Jun!”
Hattori Ayako grabbed his sleeve with both hands: “Shangshan Jun, I haven’t properly thanked you for the living being matter yet!”
Only after she said this did the related memories surface in Shangshan Che’s mind.
—Oh right, he’d met her before on that Eternal World train during the Kisaragi Station area unlock task.
—Later, before encountering the Nue of the Demonic Sword Society, he’d seen Hattori Ayako again; she’d provided quite a bit of information.
But wasn’t she ordinary? How was she in Obscure Moon Hall’s underground?
“Ms. Hattori…”
Shangshan Che asked puzzled: “How are you here?”
Hattori Ayako froze briefly, then realized: “I’m here as Arakawa Ward’s A-rank seed, accompanying Nanjō Great Officer to watch and learn from the upcoming True Sword Match.”
As if fearing misunderstanding or further questions, she pointed to the deep black-blue mark from her armpit to neck.
“I was rated A-rank because I accidentally contracted a Three-Star shikigami.”
This explained everything to Shangshan Che.
He nodded: “Could I trouble Ms. Hattori to take me to the meeting room first? Checking room by room wastes time.”
“Of course, no problem!”
Hattori Ayako nodded vigorously, beckoning to Shangshan Che and the clearly shikigami Two-Foot Adult emanating spiritual power fluctuations: “You two, follow me.”
Leading Shangshan Che to the meeting room, Hattori Ayako knocked.
Click.
Moments later, someone opened the door from inside.
As Shangshan Che expected, it was Shizuma Manatsu.
Seeing the visitor, the poker-faced, power-saving Shizuma Manatsu smiled faintly: “Shangshan Jun, long time no see.”
“Long time no see.”
With the door open, Shangshan Che saw everyone in the spacious room, standing or sitting.
—Of course, including Nure-onna kneeling in the corner scrubbing a board, with a “No Swearing” sign around her neck.
He scanned in mild surprise; so many people.
He’d thought for this True Sword Match, it’d just be him and Nanjo Emi, maybe Lili Zi watching.
Seated at the head, Nanjo Emi glanced faintly at him and yawned: “Took you long enough; I was about to fall asleep.”
Since it was just casual grumbling, without waiting for Shangshan Che’s reply, Nanjo Emi clapped to draw attention.
“Anyway, this is our main contender for this True Sword Match, Shangshan Che.”
Nanjo Emi said: “Just call him Shangshan Jun.”
Instantly, numerous gazes fell on Shangshan Che—curious, scrutinizing, relieved.
Of course, Nure-onna, Kitano Runa, and Lili Zi didn’t look over.
Nure-onna wished she could wrap herself entirely in her black hair, no mood to look around.
Kitano Runa kept her head down silently, fingers tapping her phone screen rapidly, making Shangshan Che’s phone vibrate nonstop.
As for Lili Zi… she’d greeted him with Sword Domain the moment he entered, so no need to interrupt her cultivation now.
After a few seconds, Nanjo Emi waved: “You’ve seen each other; do whatever after. Just don’t wander into no-visitor zones.”
As her words fell, Makiya Hitomi, having memorized Shangshan Che’s appearance, nodded at him and eagerly left.
Hattori Ayako whispered beside: “Don’t mind Makiya Jun leaving without a word, Shangshan Jun. He’s just at a key point in his Onmyōdō research.
“He talks plenty when he has time.”
“Got it.”
Feeling the relentless vibrations from his pocket phone, Shangshan Che’s face twitched; he finally took it out and set Kitano Runa’s messages to “Do Not Disturb.”
He skimmed the short, segmented messages.
Roughly: long time no see, Shangshan Jun why are you holding such a cute loli, are you a lolicon, I have fully loaded X stuff if you want…
Shangshan Che put down the phone speechlessly, looking at tight-lipped Kitano Runa, who wouldn’t speak in front of strangers but typed furiously.
So social anxiety and chattiness aren’t mutually exclusive.
After sending a “Not Interested” emoji, Shangshan Che looked at Lili Zi, arms crossed against the wall, hood and mask hiding most of her face, exposing only her eyes.
—Lili Zi was disguised this way probably to avoid recognition by outsiders or possible Tokugawa family members.
—So better not tell her yet that her third sister Tokugawa Hoshi was here.
Even if needed, wait until True Sword Match day.
After all, Tokugawa Hoshi would watch the entire True Sword Match as a “notary”…
Damn, he’d still be in trouble then.
Thinking this, Shangshan Che asked Nanjo Emi, who had closed her laptop and finished work: “Sister Nanjo, what’s a ‘notary’ mean?”
Nanjo Emi’s typing fingers paused.
Without looking up, she replied,
“They’re credible individuals dispatched by major credible organizations to ensure the ‘True Sword Match’ proceeds. For the match itself or fulfilling pre-match promises.”
“—Essentially identical to the Imperial Grand Competition format.”
Nanjo Emi: “This time, Onmyo-ryo, Special Affairs Office, and a certain major family each send one Ghost God-level to guarantee fairness.”
A certain major family…
Shangshan Che understood; Nanjo Emi knew all about Tokugawa Hoshi coming.
—And she’d still brought Lili Zi knowing that.
So his worries probably wouldn’t happen.
Better worry about himself now…
“Sister Nanjo, notaries can’t attack competitors, right?”
After Nanjo Emi gave him a strange look, she answered,
“No.”
Shangshan Che relaxed.
At least he wouldn’t have Tokugawa Hoshi jump from the stands mid-match yelling, “Hey, isn’t this the guy who seduced my little sis? Let’s spar.”
Though he and Lili Zi maintained a pure friendship and master-disciple bond so far, their behavior via Tokugawa Haruhiko at the Tokugawa family was totally over the line.
He released Two-Foot Adult, letting her play with her phone nearby.
Then Shangshan Che sat on the sofa, opened a cola chilled with water-based Onmyōdō, poured it in, and showed a contented expression.
Perfect temperature, perfect bubbles—definitely Sister Nanjo’s handiwork!
After chatting with Kitano Runa on his phone while sitting on the sofa and resting, Shangshan Che asked Nanjo Emi, who had closed her laptop:
“Sister Nanjo, do you have ninja cultivation manuals or ninja secret techniques?”
—He wanted “ninja manuals” to bring back to the Sengoku Period for Shiraishi, who was developing ninja traits.
—Shiraishi had great potential; just teaching him bits of Ki-Gong Technique had boosted Historical Change Degree.
So now, he wanted to try something bigger.
After Shangshan Che spoke, he sensed a gaze on him shift.
He turned to see an unfamiliar boy—strength seemed barely passable.
Not dwelling on the ordinary boy, Shangshan Che soon heard the reply:
“—We have them, but for ‘ninja’-related cultivation methods, you’d need an excuse.”
Ninjas, active in the world’s dark side since the Edo Period, had their cultivation methods stored plentifully in the Special Affairs Office warehouse.
But most ninja techniques were insidious, with superior disguise and Breath Concealment to escape far stronger foes.
Thus, “ninjas” had been shunned by mainstream cultivation circles since modern times.
Though Nanjo Emi found Shangshan Che’s request odd as usual, she didn’t pry, propping her chin:
“For example, if you win the True Sword Match solo, I’d have reason to request basic methods from the Five Person Council.”
“But for complete ones leading straight to Ghost God level…”
Nanjo Emi crossed her legs, pondered long, then said: “If you beat every seed in Tokyo’s seed tournament afterward, the Five Person Council couldn’t refuse.”
“Even if your request is absurd and dangerous.”
She snapped her fingers, curving her lips at Shangshan Che: “So Shangshan Jun, it’s that simple.”
Nanjo Emi slowly clenched her fist before him.
“Show this world your potential and strength, and things will go your way.”
Shangshan Che met Nanjo Emi’s calm gaze.
He took a deep breath.
Win the True Sword Match, then the entire Tokyo seed tournament.
Defeat all opponents, mercilessly crush all geniuses underfoot, proving he’s the one no one can ignore.
Then requests would be eagerly met, even offhand ones.
Conversely, even sky-shattering boasts get no attention.
“I understand.”
Shangshan Che nodded seriously.
Akechi Yuya, standing by for a while, couldn’t hold back after seeing Shangshan Che nod without hesitation, stepping forward worriedly.
Akechi Yuya said sincerely,
“Um… Shangshan Jun, I feel you’re not that strong; I’m afraid you’ll be in danger on stage.”
Meeting Shangshan Che’s puzzled gaze, the fresh, earnest boy fresh from the mountains gripped his sword, speaking from a “protect my comrade” heart:
“So, could you spar with me before the match? If you lose, let me take your place!”
After Akechi Yuya said this, not just Shangshan Che looked at him puzzled.
Even phone-holding Kitano Runa and meditating Lili Zi threw complex glances.
Akechi Yuya clutched his chest, feeling his heart pounding.
It was his first time making such a bold request.
Shangshan Che frowned, sized him up, pondered, then showed speechless astonishment.
Apparently, this earnest little brother had gravely misjudged his strength due to Jade Heart Art, Spirit Condensing Technique, and bringing along Two-Foot Adult the Two-Star shikigami.
He suddenly found it amusing.
—Little brother, you don’t seem confident in your own strength!
