Chapter 195: Unexpected Thrust Expert! Benign Unknown Effect, The Old Wave Arrives, Black Phone Booth Suddenly Appears
Shangshan Che’s thoughts stirred slightly.
Three thousand Soul Spirit Points instantly vanished like water vapor, leaving only a meager five hundred points.
But in return, Kaga Kiyomitsu, flying in with excitement, caused the blade of the sword to emit a brilliant, dazzling glow!
A clear sword cry rippled through the Matsudaira residence, making many samurai feel the tremor of the swords at their waists and look up in confusion.
But then, it lazily began to spin in the air as if it had drunk fake wine.
Finally, it fell to the ground with a *thud*, embedding itself deeply into the wooden floor, and made no further sound.
Only the glow on Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade continued to intensify, becoming a small sun that could shine without being plugged in.
Shangshan Che had initially thought that this Soul Enhancement would be like the previous ones, ending with a faint shimmer on Little Jia’s surface.
However, the time required this time was predictably going to far exceed his expectations.
“Was it because the effects of the enhancement were too many at once…”
After all, this enhancement cost three thousand Soul Spirit Points, while the last one only cost five hundred, a sixfold difference. It was normal for Kaga Kiyomitsu to be overwhelmed and faint.
Then it could stay here and enhance for a while. There were still over ten hours anyway, so it wasn’t that urgent.
Shiraishi, who was closest to Kaga Kiyomitsu and could touch it with his hand, watched in stunned silence.
Since when could the sword at their leader’s waist fly around on its own?!
Now it felt like even a mere Daito was more capable than him. What should he do?
Okabe Motonobu, who had just finished her report, patted her abdomen with an expression of extreme confusion: “Tetsu-sensei, your sword can move on its own… does it have self-awareness?”
— If her weapon could do that, she probably wouldn’t have to constantly deal with it breaking in half when she changed direction mid-swing because it went against her will.
“Yes,” Shangshan Che spread his hands and pointed at the motionless Kaga Kiyomitsu. “While it can’t speak, Little Jia understands human speech and can do simple things on its own.”
“Oh, oh! It can understand us speaking?!”
Okabe Motonobu’s eyes widened considerably.
She couldn’t help but want to touch the small section of the blade near the hilt, not covered by the Pale Color, and then hold this beautiful Daito in her embrace to cherish it.
But she held back.
Since the Daito, called “Little Jia” by Tetsu-sensei, had its own consciousness, if she were to touch it without permission from it or an elder…
Wouldn’t that make her a pervert!
And one who preys on children!
That wouldn’t do.
So, she couldn’t help but ask with a hint of pleading: “Tetsu-sensei, when Little Jia wakes up, can I touch it?”
Shangshan Che was taken aback by her words.
But he immediately realized that Okabe Motonobu had been mesmerized by Kaga Kiyomitsu before her eyes.
It was only natural.
After being forged by the Zashiki Warashi, Kaga Kiyomitsu, which was already very beautiful, possessed a liveliness that no other sword had.
Not to mention, threads of the Sorrow of Parting’s Pale Color hung upon it, appearing and disappearing, making anyone who saw it feel a pang of longing.
If a samurai who had accompanied a sword for over ten or even decades saw Kaga Kiyomitsu up close and remained unmoved, they would truly be an unyielding deity.
Everyone must surely love Kaga Kiyomitsu.
Okabe Motonobu was just more direct, saying “I want to touch it!”
Shangshan Che smiled and nodded: “Of course. Little Jia is a gentle and well-behaved child, and I’m sure she’ll like a cheerful and generous older sister like you, Motonobu.”
Okabe Motonobu licked her lips: “Then I’ll be waiting.”
Behind Shangshan Che, the dignified and graceful Two-Foot Adult quietly gazed at Kaga Kiyomitsu.
— After only a few days, this sword had actually developed a thinking consciousness. It seemed to be quite favored by Lord Che.
No, that was only natural.
Kaga Kiyomitsu had begun serving Lord Che around the same time as herself.
But the former was held in Lord Che’s hand day and night, slaying countless Demons and Monsters for him. Without it, Lord Che would surely be very troubled.
In contrast, she herself was often of little use.
Just looking at these past few days, even without her by his side, Lord Che had still accomplished what needed to be done.
After careful consideration, a clear answer had emerged in the Two-Foot Adult’s mind.
— Absolutely, she must build a good relationship with Kaga Kiyomitsu.
In the future, she might even “profit” from it.
With that thought, the Two-Foot Adult’s gaze towards Kaga Kiyomitsu softened.
Only Imagawa Yoshimoto did not look at it, merely sipping the cold barley tea from her teacup in small sips.
It was just a sword, she had long grown accustomed to it.
“By the way, Sister Motonobu.”
Without further discussion of Kaga Kiyomitsu, Shangshan Che continued the topic he had intended to bring up: “Regarding the subsequent strategy, I have something to say.”
“I’m all ears.”
When it came to business, Okabe Motonobu sat up straight, half-opening her eyes and quietly looking directly at him.
Thus, Shangshan Che informed Okabe Motonobu about his recent sensing of the World Revival and the basic situation of his conversation with Imagawa Yoshimoto.
As for the situation regarding the Plague, he glossed over it.
— The fewer people who knew about the Eight Sufferings, the better.
— This much was certain.
Although the latter did not exclaim in surprise, the clenched fists on her knees proved the tremor within her.
Okabe Motonobu first glanced at Imagawa Yoshimoto. Seeing that her Lord was still drinking tea, she took a deep breath and said solemnly,
“This is… a great change unseen in a hundred years.”
“Sister Motonobu, I think I need to put aside matters outside of Mikawa for now.”
Shangshan Che reminded her, knowing that Okabe Motonobu would subconsciously think of the surrounding Oda, Hojo, and Takeda clans.
She would even be contemplating when to mobilize troops.
Shangshan Che: “The Great Demons causing the unrest are what we need to consider first.”
“Indeed.”
Okabe Motonobu gathered her thoughts and asked seriously, “Then, Tetsu-sensei, what is your plan?”
Shangshan Che extended his hand and took out a large stack of Disease Expelling Talismans he had drawn after the rage effect from his Storage Bag, letting them fall heavily onto the floor.
“— Sister Motonobu, you will lead the army to sweep from weak to strong, pacifying towns and cities, while I will go and take the enemy General’s head tomorrow morning.”
Okabe Motonobu asked: “Do you know where the enemy is?”
Shangshan Che nodded: “There’s a specific Onmyōdō that can directly pinpoint their location.”
“Onmyōdō…”
Okabe Motonobu sighed softly: “That’s really convenient.”
“So, Tetsu-sensei,” the female General with flowing black hair stared at him intently, “can you explain to me the reason for wanting to strike directly tomorrow?”
— This part of the reason had been deliberately omitted by Shangshan Che earlier.
But since Okabe Motonobu had noticed, he would have to substitute it with “Great Demons spreading the Plague.”
— Shangshan Che added, while Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded to the bewildered Okabe Motonobu, indicating the information was reliable.
After listening, Okabe Motonobu said no more.
Because she felt that Shangshan Che’s decisive idea was absolutely right…
No, if it were her, she would probably have rushed to the destination without a second thought.
How could she still be here leisurely eating and making preparations?
After briefly digesting the information Shangshan Che had provided, Okabe Motonobu looked up again: “If it’s tomorrow morning and it can be finished within a day, I can also go to assist…”
“No, Sister Motonobu,” Shangshan Che said calmly, “You need to stay here and protect Lord Yoshimoto’s safety.”
He was uneasy about leaving Imagawa Yoshimoto alone.
Those samurai armies that relied solely on numbers without outstanding combat power were not very reliable.
Imagawa Yoshimoto frowned upon hearing this.
“I must go too,” her tone was calm and serious.
Shangshan Che turned his head and gave her a heavy gaze: “The situation there is unknown, and there are too many dangerous and powerful demons. I may not be able to protect Lord Yoshimoto…”
“Lord, Tetsu-sensei is right.”
Okabe Motonobu immediately agreed.
Imagawa Yoshimoto did not reply.
She put down her teacup and met Shangshan Che’s gaze without flinching.
Her thoughts, decisions, and will were all clearly written in her gaze.
— “Then, I want the name Imagawa Yoshimoto to spread throughout the land, so that everyone who hears your name will immediately think of you, and you will be truly known to all.”
The wish Shangshan Che had made to her the day before flowed silently through Imagawa Yoshimoto’s heart.
She knew without doubt that going with Che to slay the Plague would be very dangerous.
It might even cost her her life.
It might sever everything she had yet to grasp.
She would no longer have the chance to March to Kyoto, no longer have the chance to become a ruler of the realm, no longer have the chance to ascend to the General’s position and make everyone who saw her look up to her…
But!
However, to fulfill this second wish, how could she miss the hard-won publicity opportunity immediately following Che’s single-handed slaying of the Plague?
So, should she choose a stable future leading to becoming a ruler of the realm, or should she choose to take a step towards fulfilling this impossible wish?
If it were any other Clan Head in this realm, they would clearly understand how to choose.
“But I want both.”
Imagawa Yoshimoto moved her lips, and in a nearly inaudible whisper, as if talking to herself, she said,
“Imagawa Yoshimoto is just that greedy.”
Shangshan Che gazed at her speechlessly, a headache forming.
The moment he saw the girl’s gaze, he understood.
Imagawa Yoshimoto had already made her decision.
— No matter what he said next, even if he talked to the heavens, he couldn’t change her mind.
She was simply unreasonable like that.
Shangshan Che sighed: “Then, Lord Yoshimoto, you must wear that Armor from morning till night, without any slack.”
Okabe Motonobu chimed in from the side: “Tetsu-sensei is right! Lord, why don’t you listen…”
She was about to finish speaking when she realized Shangshan Che had instantly switched sides and was now standing with Imagawa Yoshimoto, who for some reason had a hot-headed urge to go to the front lines.
— It was one thing for the Lord to go crazy, but for Tetsu-sensei to go crazy with her too!?
Okabe Motonobu opened her mouth, suddenly unsure what to say.
No matter how much she said, could she make these two change their minds?
She could only raise her hand: “Then I’ll go too…”
“No.”
“No.”
Two voices spoke in unison from across from her, causing Okabe Motonobu’s smile to falter.
— The Lord and Che must have colluded to annoy her, they must have!
— Otherwise, how could Che possibly agree to such a clearly dangerous request! He dotes on the Lord too much!
Okabe Motonobu’s eyes darkened, and she felt a sense of hopelessness.
“Since Lord Yoshimoto has decided this, then Sister Motonobu, you must remain here.”
Shangshan Che said, “There are many people here at Yoshida Castle, and Matsudaira Motoyasu has returned to the Matsudaira Clan’s main base. We need someone capable to hold things down.”
That was true.
Okabe Motonobu averted her gaze.
If she were the one accompanying the Lord, she would at least die with clarity, rather than live in fear for the next two days.
But even she knew that no one was better at dealing with those strange demons than Che, and she certainly couldn’t.
Seeing Okabe Motonobu’s tacit acceptance, Shangshan Che brought out the stack of Disease Expelling Talismans: “Then I will explain the information about those demons and the possible illnesses to you in detail, Sister Motonobu…”
Nearly half an hour later, Shangshan Che, having finally finished his long lecture, looked at the female General who was nearly falling asleep with her eyes half-closed: “Have you remembered most of it?”
Okabe Motonobu replied drowsily: “Roughly, yes.”
Since she felt it was fine, he didn’t need to worry too much.
*Knock knock.*
Shangshan Che tapped the table twice, beginning to decide the destinations of the two little ones.
He first looked at the Two-Foot Adult: “Two-Foot, you’ll come with me.”
— As the “core equipment” that allowed him to return to the Mortal Realm with peace of mind before encountering the Plague, the Two-Foot Adult, to whom he could confidently hand over the Key of History, was indispensable.
After speaking, Shangshan Che then looked at Shiraishi, who was continuously rubbing his fingers, clearly nervous,
“As for Shiraishi…”
Shangshan Che paused, as if contemplating.
In reality, there was no need to think.
Shiraishi, who wasn’t even Two-Star level and lacked the Lifeblood HP talent like the Two-Foot Adult, couldn’t possibly accompany him to search for the Plague.
Let alone a Three-Star Great Demon, even if he ran into a group of Shijie Worms or was targeted by a few Half-dead Birds, Shiraishi would be in mortal danger.
“You should go with Sister Motonobu.”
Upon hearing this, even though Shiraishi had anticipated it, his heart couldn’t help but dim slightly.
He was truly useless from beginning to end.
Like a decorative piece that only consumed resources and produced nothing, or like grass that could be mowed down at any moment.
Perhaps in a few days, his leader would fail in a place he couldn’t see, and die.
Then, from now on, he would have to wander again.
A sense of powerlessness spread over Shiraishi, bit by bit.
However, he visibly relaxed, waved his hand, and put on a nonchalant expression,
“Phew~ I really have to thank Boss for his mercy. Otherwise, if I had gone along, my life would have been forfeit.”
Shangshan Che nodded at him with a smile.
Shiraishi’s peripheral vision caught the gleaming Kaga Kiyomitsu.
He wondered if, when he became stronger than this sword, he would finally be of use.
【 Current Walker of the Eternal World’s Historical Influence: 1.14%→1.15%! 】
The prompt for Historical Influence suddenly popped up, out of place among the sporadic Reputation prompts.
Strange.
This influence increased even when he did nothing?
Shangshan Che was utterly bewildered.
But this slight increase in influence, for no apparent reason, was generally a good thing.
However, he didn’t have any extra time to deal with these trivial matters now.
Shangshan Che clapped his hands and concluded, “Then tomorrow morning, after confirming Yoshida Castle is safe, we depart.”
He looked at Imagawa Yoshimoto and said,
“A surprise attack, the sooner the better.”
The latter closed her eyes, her nostrils flared, and she responded with a soft hum.
……
Deep night.
Imagawa Yoshimoto and Okabe Motonobu were sleeping together.
In the room, which should have been silent, Okabe Motonobu’s voice suddenly broke the quiet,
“Lord, you shouldn’t have gone.”
She turned over, looked at the black-haired girl beside her who was pretending to sleep with long, steady breaths, and poked the latter’s cheek with her finger,
“Stop pretending to be asleep, Lord. You think I don’t know you?”
Imagawa Yoshimoto, who hadn’t slept despite resting with her eyes closed for hours, reluctantly opened her eyes.
She shook her head, “My decision is made.”
Okabe Motonobu stared at her quietly for a while, then asked shrewdly, “Because of Che?”
Imagawa Yoshimoto replied calmly, “A small part.”
She turned her head and met the pair of deep, fully opened eyes in the darkness.
She heard Okabe Motonobu chuckle,
“I don’t think it’s just… a small part, is it?”
She had been with Imagawa Yoshimoto for so long that she was intimately familiar with some of her small habits.
Especially at such close range.
“Motonobu, I think you might have a misunderstanding…”
“Then, Lord, tell me where I am mistaken…”
Under the faint moonlight, a long conversation began.
……
At the same time, in another quiet room nearby.
Shangshan Che was consoling Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was vibrating unhappily, “There, there. Sister Motonobu has such a great figure; it’s not like Little Jia you’re losing out.”
Not long ago, Kaga Kiyomitsu had completed Soul Enhancement. Just as the light faded, Okabe Motonobu had caught it and given it a thorough ‘hug,’ leaving the child trembling afterward.
Buzz!
The heartstring vibrated.
Shangshan Che understood. Little Jia felt Okabe Motonobu’s actions were too rough… and that gaze and aura were as if she wanted to swallow it whole!
Protest! Strong protest!
Don’t give me to someone like that again!
“Alright, alright, I’ll try my best, I’ll try my best.”
After Shangshan Che made a completely unconvincing promise, the innocent Kaga Kiyomitsu was contentedly placed in his hand, allowing him to do as he pleased.
He gripped Kaga Kiyomitsu’s hilt.
Before Shangshan Che could even open his panel to check the three new effects, he suddenly felt something was different about himself after holding Little Jia.
Now… it seemed he could effortlessly execute the Three-stage Thrust without even assuming a stance?
Wasn’t the already simple startup for Tusk Thrust shortened to almost nothing, almost as fast as Iaijutsu?
Thrust Specialization, after being strengthened again, actually brought about such an effect!
Swish, swish, swish.
The enhancement prompts flashed across his vision like a screen.
【 Your Kaga Kiyomitsu · Blade of Parting’s Effect 1, Effect 2, and Effect 4 have been enhanced! 】
【 Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect – Thrust Expert! 】
【 Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect – Slashing Specialization! 】
【 Your Kaga Kiyomitsu has gained a new effect – Blazing Fortune+! 】
Shangshan Che immediately looked down, focusing his gaze on the description of “Thrust Expert.”
【 Thrust Expert: When using Thrust-type Sword Skills, it will deal massive additional damage, and Kaga Kiyomitsu will become an “expert in the domain of thrusts.” 】
The description of the effect hadn’t changed too much.
But the change reflected in reality, the effect on him, could be described as outrageous!
“Thrust… Expert.”
Shangshan Che whispered, causing the Kaga Kiyomitsu in his hand to vibrate with pride, exuding a kind of profound confidence.
With such a significant change, could it be that Little Jia, now possessing this effect, was already comparable to an ordinary expert-level swordsman in the mere “domain of thrusts”?
He himself was still a little short of reaching the expert level of the Natural Reason School.
Kaga Kiyomitsu’s change perfectly illustrated the meaning of “choice is greater than effort.”
A light gradually ignited in Shangshan Che’s eyes.
Then, would it be “Thrust Master”?
Master.
That was the realm of a Sword Master.
Although he knew it was almost impossible to cross such a chasm in a single enhancement, Shangshan Che still felt a bit of anticipation.
To have Kaga Kiyomitsu touch the realm of a Sword Master in a certain aspect solely through point allocation?
This was something many people wouldn’t even dare to imagine…
Shangshan Che’s gaze drifted downwards.
【 Slashing Specialization: When using Slash-type Sword Skills, it will deal massive additional damage. Concurrently, Kaga Kiyomitsu will better understand “how to perform slashes.” 】
That’s right, “slashing” had also embarked on the same path as “thrusting.”
Did that mean if he were to collect all the enhancement directions for Kaga Kiyomitsu’s sword skills in the future, he could make it a true Sword Master solely through Soul Enhancement!
A Daito Sword Master!
No one would understand how to wield a blade better than it!
Shangshan Che unconsciously tightened his grip on the hilt and said with utmost sincerity, “Little Jia, I love you to death.”
Buzz?
Kaga Kiyomitsu stopped, pondering the meaning of those words.
Shangshan Che smiled and exhaled, looking at the subsequently enhanced Blazing Fortune.
Hmm… there were no fundamental changes.
【 Blazing Fortune+. When slashing with Kaga Kiyomitsu · Blade of Parting, the enemy will continuously suffer high dual damage to their Body and Spirit. 】
Additionally, it will likely increase your luck for a period of time. 】
The Blazing physical and mental damage increased, and the probability changed to a high probability.
It had become more practical.
Judging by the “+” sign that followed, a major change would likely occur during the next Soul Enhancement.
“The future is promising.”
With the surprise of “Thrust Expert,” Shangshan Che felt this enhancement had already paid off.
Just as he was about to sheath Kaga Kiyomitsu, he noticed a prompt pop up at the edge of his vision.
Another expert?
【 Note: Upon further enhancement of the effect Slashing Specialization, a beneficial unknown effect will occur. 】
“Slashing Expert, huh… it can even synergize with Thrust Expert?”
Shangshan Che brought Kaga Kiyomitsu to his nose and whispered in admiration, “Soul Enhancement… Zashiki truly lives up to the name Master Craftsman.”
The Soul Enhancement effect fundamentally changed Kaga Kiyomitsu’s awkward situation of needing to slay countless demons over a long period to achieve significant improvement.
It achieved an efficient effect of immediately transforming slain demons into combat power.
Shangshan Che then looked at the subsequent price list.
Enhancing Slashing Specialization required 1000 points, Blazing Fortune+ required 2000 points…
The Soul Spirit Points required for Thrust Expert were not that high, only 1500 points to enhance it further.
As he had thought, the second enhancement was the qualitative leap.
So it could be set aside for now.
The best course of action would be to enhance Slashing Specialization to create synergy, and then enhance the “Spirit” effect so Little Jia could better utilize these two expert effects.
Satisfied, he sheathed Kaga Kiyomitsu and reached out, activating his Spirit Control Technique.
The liquid spiritual power danced and flickered between his five fingers, as flexible as a part of his body.
“Che Adult, please.”
Two-Foot Adult, who had already drawn the array patterns and watched for a while, spoke up.
Shangshan Che patted her little head,
“You’ve worked hard.”
The other immediately broke character, revealing a sweet smile as if she had eaten honey.
Shangshan Che had already refocused his attention, his gaze falling on the array patterns which were relatively more complex than basic Onmyōdō like Fireball Technique or Gold Blade Technique.
“The position of Affliction…”
He reversed his fingers, allowing the liquid spiritual power to fall in an orderly fashion.
Generally, it was sufficient to simply fill the array patterns with spiritual power in sequence to activate them.
However, Shangshan Che decided to use the more consuming “liquid spiritual power” to illuminate the spell, considering the high Status of Affliction.
Anyway, he would return to the Mortal Realm for an hour or two later, and this consumption could be fully recovered by breathing for a few minutes.
Drip.
The spiritual power fell like threads of rain, gradually filling the array patterns, which were also constructed from spiritual power.
Swish, swish, swish.
As each spell node was filled and lit up, it made Shiraishi, who was pretending to sleep against the wall in the corner of the room, toss and turn even more.
About ten minutes later, a sapphire coordinate suddenly lit up on the map Shangshan Che had initially placed in the center of the array patterns.
He breathed a sigh of relief and, after waiting a moment without sensing anything unusual, picked up the map to examine it closely.
“Nishio City.”
“So Affliction was indeed colluding with Jodo Shinshu in Western Mikawa.”
But colluding with the Eight Sufferings… the precedent of the Friendship Club was still fresh in his memory.
If nothing unexpected happened, Jodo Shinshu would likely face the same fate of being completely consumed.
After noting the coordinate location, Shangshan Che handed the map to Two-Foot Adult and instructed her to keep it safe.
“And this, too.”
Shangshan Che took out the Key of History · Shrine from his backpack and silently placed it in her palm.
He sent a message through his heartstrings, “If I return to the Sengoku Period again, I will appear near it. So absolutely, absolutely do not lose it.”
Two-Foot Adult became serious, and she also sent a message through her heartstrings, “Popo… I understand, Che Adult.”
Then, she tucked the Key of History, which was about the same length as her palm, into her chest, and with Shangshan Che watching, it was swallowed with a “plop.”
“It will never be lost here!”
Shangshan Che: …
Although it was hard to comment, Two-Foot Adult had no storage ability, so placing it in this location was indeed exceptionally safe.
With a helpless sigh, Shangshan Che continued to instruct,
“Before I return, you and Imagawa Yoshimoto can scout the surrounding areas with fewer demons. Remember not to expose yourselves.
If you see many Half-dead Birds and cannot guarantee not to expose yourselves upon landing, it’s fine to stay in the sky with her and do nothing.”
Shangshan Che instructed, “In short, safety is the most important.”
He then took out some food and water from his backpack and handed them to Two-Foot Adult, repeating the previous instructions.
However, Two-Foot Adult not only showed no impatience but instead revealed a satisfied smile as she listened.
She enjoyed Shangshan Che’s caring tone.
Before leaving, Shangshan Che reinforced her heartstrings again with his Spirit Control Technique, “If there’s danger, shake your heartstrings violently, and I will return immediately if I sense it.”
“Che Adult, have a safe journey.”
Two-Foot Adult placed her hands in front of her and bowed slightly.
After the sound of a sliding door opening and closing, Shiraishi could no longer keep up the pretense for the night.
He said groggily, as if just waking up, “Little Boss… why is Boss gone now?”
“There are important matters to attend to.”
After speaking, Two-Foot Adult felt her words were a bit harsh, so she smiled at the other child and comforted him,
“Alright, Che Adult has definitely seen your efforts. It’s just that there’s been too much going on these past few days, and it’s making it hard for the Adult to catch their breath…”
…
Skipping past the calm water pressure, they could hear the omnipresent, majestic roar of the waves.
It was deafening, as if the world were being destroyed.
“Is the aftershock of the tide, or perhaps the one-point-five tide, arriving…”
It was the same late night.
Shangshan Che opened his eyes in the silent mountain forest, as if the terrifying sound of waves moments ago was a mere illusion.
He took out his mobile phone as usual, and as soon as he opened it, he saw a bright red warning displayed on it.
【Warning! Warning! Warning!!!】
【Tide precursor has arrived. Special Affairs Office personnel are instructed to obey superior arrangements and prepare for response!】
【Tide precursor has arrived. Ordinary citizens are instructed to lock their room doors and dial the emergency hotline as soon as possible if they encounter abnormal situations!】
【—Special Affairs Office · Astronomy Path Division.】
Below there is the green, clickable 24-hour 【emergency hotline】. The Special Affairs Office is quite user-friendly in this regard.
Wait a minute.
Such a massive disturbance is merely a “precursor” to the aftershock of the first tide.
Shangshan Che was somewhat astonished.
He clicked the “×” in the upper left corner three times to exit the warning page. After thinking for a moment, he decided to call Nanjo Emi first.
—If he couldn’t reach her, he would call Kujo Tsubaki.
Because among the people he knew, those two were the most likely to understand the Sea of Qi… He should have asked Tokugawa Hoshi for her phone number back then.
He forgot at the time.
—The reason for not calling Shizuma Manatsu was that she might be on an external mission, and her phone might have been set to do not disturb.
What if his call caused Shizuma Manatsu and her companions to be wiped out during a critical moment?
Shangshan Che would never allow himself to become the cause of a total wipeout in a classic horror movie scenario.
Calling Nanjo Emi wouldn’t have this problem.
It wouldn’t matter even if she disturbed a Demon; Nanjo Emi could just kick all those ignorant Demons to death.
With that thought, Shangshan Che tapped the first number in his recent calls.
It wasn’t answered immediately.
Hmm, Sister Nanjo is also very busy at this hour, as expected.
Shangshan Che decided to wait for two more rings. If she still didn’t answer, he would call Kujo Tsubaki… though he’d need to think about what kind of Compensation to give her afterward.
After all, their relationship wasn’t very close.
Ring—
Ring—
Ring—
Amidst the thick darkness, a short, grinding metal friction sound of “ring ring” came.
Shangshan Che raised an eyebrow, only to realize the phone’s ringtone was wrong.
Although Nanjo Emi always answered her calls instantly lately.
He still remembered that her answering ringtone was some old two-dimensional song, something like “Beautiful Cruel World,” wasn’t it?
Click.
The hoarse, metallic ringtone suddenly paused for half a beat, and then it turned into a series of intermittent, tragic whimpers.
“What the hell?”
Shangshan Che put down his mobile phone and looked at the number 【444-4444】 on it, a thoughtful expression on his face.
He seemed to recall Nanjo Emi mentioning this number to him.
Was this a precursor to the arrival of a Black Phone Booth?
He had only come back for a moment, just to make a phone call.
Besides, the Black Phone Booth phenomenon in Arakawa Ward had already been cleared by Sister Nanjo, hadn’t it?
He’s encountering this too?
Shangshan Che immediately hung up the phone and turned it off, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble at such a critical juncture.
This Supernatural Phenomenon should be left to other Agents of the Special Affairs Office to resolve…
Woo—woo—woo—!
But Shangshan Che hadn’t expected that after he turned off his mobile phone, the Black Phone Booth’s ringing wouldn’t disappear. Instead, it intensified, and the whimpering grew louder.
It grew louder and louder, echoing in his ears and throughout the entire mountain forest.
He should destroy the phone first…
Shangshan Che fell silent, about to crush the mobile phone that had been with him for a long time, when the whimpering sound from the phone suddenly stopped.
The phone returned to normal.
Replacing it was, not far away, a telephone booth wrapped in black sheet metal, covered in dark red rust spots, with a retro design, which, according to common sense, should absolutely not exist in a mountain forest.
Hiss, hiss.
A hoarse electrical current sound rubbed against his ears like a snake’s tongue.
At this moment, Shangshan Che suddenly laughed,
“I didn’t want to cause trouble… and yet it’s become endless, hasn’t it.”
“It really proves that saying, ‘the kind are always bullied’.”
Clack.
A lifelike, pale mask fell into his hand.
Shangshan Che put it on expressionlessly.
Then, he bared his teeth in a bloodthirsty, ferocious grin at the Black Phone Booth not far away.
The previously constant crackling electrical sound, and the tragic whimpering, suddenly stopped.
Ceased abruptly.
As if frightened.
But Shangshan Che had retreated repeatedly before, yet he had received no respect.
Now, how could he let this nonsensical Black Phone Booth, which wasted his precious time, escape?
“Hello…”
The White Hannya, who had stirred the spiritual power tides of the entire mountain forest, stepped forward, smiling gently, and said softly,
“I’m here to answer the phone.”
A 9k chapter!
End of the month, requesting monthly votes!
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