Chapter 330: When Did I Ever Lose? Great Wild God Mask Of Wrathful Hannya, The Final Karuta Opponent!
“Your Excellency Shuten, you lost.”
Shangshan Che smiled and placed the last karuta card beside his hand, speaking to the dazed one-horned oni woman in front of him.
Shuten Doji looked at the few karuta cards left in front of him, his hand still suspended in mid-air, momentarily unable to react.
——How did I lose out of nowhere?
There was no intense showdown, no back-and-forth scheming and calculation, just a powerless defeat without knowing where it went wrong.
It clearly felt like the karuta game had just begun, the situation still looked great, the advantage was clearly mine…
But coming back to his senses, he realized he had already fallen into defeat.
Shuten silently lowered his palm and re-examined Shangshan Che as well as the neat stack of karuta cards piled beside him.
The six-tailed fox in front of him was completely at ease.
Such technique… simply divine.
It had even surpassed the realm of “technique.”
If it was just about karuta skill, she temporarily conceded defeat.
Shuten licked his lips.
——This man achieving this level only made her more interested.
——She wanted to conquer him, by any means necessary.
Facing the complex and fiery gaze of Shuten Doji who had come back to his senses, Shangshan Che smiled without speaking.
After a few seconds of silence, Shuten Doji tossed the karuta card from his left hand to the ground, making a crisp “snap” sound.
She pursed her lips toward Shangshan Che: “A bet’s a bet, six-tailed fox.”
“Whatever you want, just say it.”
Shuten Doji sat up, spreading her legs wide in a bold stance, casually grabbing a wine bowl from the side, downing it in big gulps before casually smashing it on the ground.
“But six-tailed fox.” Shuten stared at the “karuta mountain” stack of fully forty or so karuta cards, “I have a small request too… of course, you don’t have to agree.”
“Please speak, Your Excellency Shuten.” Shangshan Che said.
Shuten grinned: “Later, play another ten rounds with me—of course, just pure karuta matches.”
Not convinced, huh.
Does not being convinced help?
If not being convinced and skill were enough, then what need is there for 【Karuta’s Only Solution】?
“Of course, no problem.”
Shangshan Che shrugged indifferently: “Since Your Excellency Shuten insists, let’s finish these ten rounds first. That way, when you bring out your item later, you’ll be more convinced.”
“Me convinced? Six-tailed fox… don’t think winning one round against me makes you all that.”
Shuten sneered coldly, directing the nearby fox-masked attendant to reset all the karuta cards.
……
Ten karuta rounds passed in a flash.
Shangshan Che and Shuten Doji’s win-loss ratio was 10:0.
Shuten Doji, who hadn’t faced a karuta opponent in over a century, lost ten matches in a row.
And all were crushing defeats.
Shuten was dumbfounded, not even noticing the karuta cards scattering from her hand to the ground.
She couldn’t have imagined this outcome.
In those ten rounds, every one she remembered Shangshan Che’s previous moves and thought process, summarized patterns and lessons from before, and used dozens or even hundreds of “winning tricks.”
Every time she felt that grasping the fleeting opportunity in the next round would give her a good chance to win.
But in the end, she still lost inexplicably.
And still without understanding why.
“Six-tailed fox… how exactly did you do this?”
Shuten tugged at her hair, nearly going mad: “You didn’t cheat, did you!”
Shangshan Che placed his index finger to his lips, smiling as he uttered two words,
“Secret.”
Those words and the punchably smug smile right now made Shuten grind her teeth in anger.
If not for being in the hanafuda market, if not for the fox-masked attendant standing nearby, she would have pinned this tight-lipped six-tailed fox to the ground and “beat” him thoroughly!
Leaving him no time to cry!
Shangshan Che ignored Shuten’s attitude, calmly setting the karuta cards aside: “Alright, Your Excellency Shuten, we’ve finished the matches.”
“Whatever you brought this time… let’s see it all.”
Shuten said nothing more upon hearing this, simply pulling out a ragged old cloth bag from behind.
Then, Shuten reached in, pulling out wine jar, wine jar, wine jar… and wine jar.
Dozens or hundreds of jars of aged fine brew were haphazardly piled on the barren ground, nearly filling the space, leaving Shangshan Che open-mouthed, unsure what to say.
“Stop, stop, stop.”
Seeing Shuten Doji still trying to pull out more wine, Shangshan Che hurriedly called to halt: “Besides the big jars of wine, is there anything else?”
“Besides wine…”
Shuten paused for a good while: “Hiss—actually, I didn’t bring anything else. I have no memory orbs, the currency used in the hanafuda market.”
She shrugged displeased,
“After all, I never thought I’d lose in a place like this.”
Shuten Doji’s karuta skill was actually ridiculously high, so this mindset made sense.
Shangshan Che tsked inwardly.
Doesn’t that mean I’m screwed…
Shuten looked around at the pile of wine jars, pondered, thinking at least she shouldn’t break her word.
A spit is a nail; what she said, she would do.
So she kept rummaging in the ragged cloth bag, dumping out wine jars, and after a good while, gritted her teeth and pulled out a mask, placing it on the ground.
A mask entirely deep purple, with blood-red pupils, even clearly sensing the surging anger and rage upon it… Hannya Mask?
【Mask of Wrathful Hannya】
Such a prompt popped up above the mask.
Shangshan Che examined it, noting that though this Hannya Mask emitted purple light from its surface, it differed from the purple light he’d seen on epic grade gear before.
His intuition told him this so-called “Mask of Wrathful Hannya” was a good item, an absolute treasure.
The boost to Red Hannya Incarnation from this Hannya Mask might exceed his imagination!
But outwardly, Shangshan Che remained composed, keeping a neutral expression as he asked: “Your Excellency Shuten, what does this mean?”
He raised a brow, his tone carrying slight displeasure,
“You want me to wear a demon Hannya’s mask?”
“Six-tailed fox, don’t you dare look down on this mask.”
Shuten Doji stared at the mask on the ground for a moment, showing a pained expression: “This 【Mask of Wrathful Hannya】 is one of my prized collections over the years!”
She slammed the ground hard,
“If ghosts weren’t bound by their word, I wouldn’t part with it!”
“Oh, a prized collection?”
Shangshan Che asked “puzzledly,”
“Does this mask have some big backstory?”
“Of course.”
Shuten raised a hand, downed a whole jar of wine, and exhaled long: “This was the mask I tore from that old Hannya when I followed Lord Yorimitsu to conquer Mount Oe!”
She gestured at her shoulder,
“Back then, I nearly got torn in half right here.”
Seeing Shangshan Che’s still indifferent “go on” expression, Shuten Doji tsked and continued,
“To tell you the truth, six-tailed fox, that old Hannya was a 【Great Wild God】 blessed by part of Mount Oe back then!”
Great Wild God.
That was a new term.
Shangshan Che’s eyes shifted slightly.
He asked curiously,
“Great Wild God? What does that mean?”
“You don’t even know this?”
Now it was Shuten Doji’s turn to be puzzled.
“I’ve been in secluded training alone, honing my karuta technique.” Shangshan Che said matter-of-factly, “Otherwise, I couldn’t have beaten you eleven times in a row so easily, Your Excellency Shuten.”
“Six-tailed fox, you…”
Shuten gnashed her teeth in fury—Shangshan Che’s words made it sound like she was some random shrimp soldier or crab general he could brush off!
But… him winning eleven times in a row was still the damn truth!
“Hoo…”
Nearly exploding with rage, Shuten calmed for a while before grudgingly explaining to Shangshan Che,
“So-called wild gods are mostly beings empowered by blessings from some 【Spiritual Land】 in the mortal realm or Eternal World, or from a shrine there…
Yeah, something like that.”
Ignoring Shangshan Che’s skeptical gaze, Shuten Doji continued: “And 【Mount Oe】, even among many 【Spiritual Lands】, ranks top-tier.”
“—Thus, wild gods blessed by Mount Oe have power far exceeding ordinary wild gods, hence called 【Great Wild God】.”
Shangshan Che nodded thoughtfully.
This seemed truthful, but judging by Shuten’s demeanor, she didn’t know much more about it either.
So Shangshan Che asked: “Then what about you, Your Excellency Shuten? Are you a Great Wild God too?”
“I’m not, and I’m not like those ordinary wild gods.”
Shuten immediately shook her head, then proudly patted her bandaged chest,
“I advanced step by step through purification of my own oni tribe bloodline, without any external aid!”
“Anyway, enough of that.”
Seeing no change in Shangshan Che’s expression, Shuten waved it off, pointing again at the purple Hannya Mask between them,
“A mask from a Great Wild God Hannya. Though its power has faded over centuries, it’s still the essence of her entire being and proof of her existence. Can it cover the bet?”
Shangshan Che pretended to consider for a long time before “reluctantly” replying,
“Let me touch it first, feel it out.”
Shuten magnanimously waved: “Sigh, touch and feel as you like.”
Shangshan Che grabbed the deep purple Hannya Mask from the ground, instantly feeling a towering rage surge from it into his mental consciousness.
Even with his ridiculously high comprehensive willpower, he couldn’t help but daze for an instant.
Blinking, Shangshan Che could finally see the panel wrapped in deep purple flames before him.
【Mask of Wrathful Hannya】
【Quality: Super Epic+】
【—All worldly anger shall be possessed.】
—A super epic item, but with a very special panel.
—According to Shuten Doji, this mask was likely degraded from legendary quality.
Jackpot, this was a real win.
This face really scored him big.
Originally, he might only get one super epic grade equipment item even after fully clearing this karuta factory.
But now, before even the final round, he’d gotten a “quasi-legendary” item from Shuten Doji, one highly synergistic with Red Hannya Incarnation.
Power of looks, terrifying!
Holding the mask, Shangshan Che felt his heart wildly calling for this mask, wanting to use it immediately and fuse with it.
But no usage prompt popped up.
Shangshan Che figured he couldn’t use it now because he was in six-tailed fox incarnation state; switching back to Red Hannya would let him figure it out.
Great stuff, really great stuff!
Though excited inwardly, Shangshan Che outwardly fiddled with the mask for a while before “reluctantly” sighing,
“Since Your Excellency Shuten insists, I’ll accept this mask.”
Shangshan Che held the mask and mock-fitted it to his face in front of Shuten Doji.
“Looks good, looks good!”
Having downed several jars of aged wine in short time, cheeks flushed, eyes slightly glazed, Shuten Doji chuckled,
“Six-tailed fox, it suits you! Truly… a unique charm!”
Shangshan Che didn’t respond, hanging the Mask of Wrathful Hannya at his waist and standing up: “If Your Excellency Shuten has nothing else, I’ll be going.”
“Soon, I have the fifth round match of the karuta tournament.”
With that, Shangshan Che casually took several large jars of wine.
—This wine gets one drunk after two sips, but it’s a treasure that induces Heaven-Human Resonance.
With so much lying around… it wouldn’t do not to auto-pick some.
“Hey hey hey! Six-tailed fox, don’t go. Stay tonight, I’ll be gentle and take good care of you, guarantee you’ll want to come back…”
Shuten Doji tried to stand and stop Shangshan Che, but saw the fox-masked attendant block in front of her.
“Tsk, fine.”
She narrowed her eyes, irritably sitting back down.
But watching Shangshan Che’s swaying back and those six endearing tails, Shuten Doji still shouted,
“Six-tailed fox, what’s your name? I’ll come find you when I have time!”
The Qing at Shangshan Che’s waist stirred upon hearing this, itching to unsheathe and slay this insolent oni on the spot.
—Lord Yorimitsu clearly slew Shuten and all these generals.
“If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”
Bang.
Shangshan Che’s words came with the door-closing sound.
Shuten stared at the tightly shut wooden door, gulping down big wine, muttering very displeased: “You six-tailed fox, don’t let me catch you outside…”
“If we meet again, you’ll regret it.”
……
Outside the door, Shangshan Che suddenly shivered for some reason.
He turned and saw the fox-faced woman still standing at the doorway waiting for him.
Before he could speak, the fox-faced woman bowed deeply, her tone extremely respectful,
“Honored adult, congratulations on your victory in the tournament’s fourth round.”
“Next, please follow me to the fifth round venue of the Number One Karuta Tournament Under Heaven, which is also the final round.”
Shangshan Che nodded, following behind the fox-faced woman’s unhurried steps.
Along the way, he noted that on the second floor, including the room with Shuten Doji he’d just entered, there were thirteen private rooms total.
The fox-faced woman’s graceful footsteps suddenly stopped.
Shangshan Che looked up to see a mahogany door towering three people high standing before him.
The fox-faced woman stood by the door, respectfully pushing it open for him,
“Adult, please.”
Amid the smooth turning of the hinges, the massive mahogany door slowly opened to both sides.
Standing inside was a figure Shangshan Che couldn’t be more familiar with.
