Chapter 60: Drumbeats From The Rear
【You killed the Scattered Wandering Soul “Chi” and obtained 0 Soul Ash.】
【You killed the Scattered Wandering Soul “Chi” and obtained 0 Soul Ash.】
……
【You killed the Half-Star Wandering Soul “Chi” and obtained 3 Soul Ash.】
“Weak beyond belief.”
Shangshan Che silently shook the blood off his blade and sheathed it, leaving Ye Chun, who was watching from behind with shoulders hunched, stunned.
Ye Chun leaned forward, excitedly whispering to Two-Foot Adult: “Two-Foot, Two-Foot! Your brother is so awesome, this is too cool and too reassuring!”
“Hmph hmph, of course. Che Ad… my brother handles these worthless trash like chopping vegetables.”
Two-Foot Adult proudly placed hands on hips, proficiently using idioms.
But Shangshan Che was far from as relaxed as they were; he furrowed his brows tightly, feeling that these demons called “Chi” were simply too weak.
Not to mention their almost nonexistent reaction to surrounding noises and lack of aggression—even when Shangshan Che swung his blade at them, they barely reacted in time.
Moreover, the Scattered “Chi” didn’t drop any Soul Ash at all, which was the first time he had encountered such a strange situation.
The two Half-Star “Chi” did drop some Soul Ash, but together it was merely a measly ten points, even less than what a Sturdy Farmer would yield.
There were many eerie phenomena in Kisaragi Station, truly many.
“Just a few Wandering Souls trapped here.”
Shangshan Che walked up to the excited Ye Chun: “Can you keep going, Ye Chun?”
“Yes yes yes!”
Ye Chun nodded repeatedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Shangshan Che and his Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist, unable to resist asking: “Shangshan, are you perhaps a descendant of a legendary mysterious ancient family? A descendant of the ‘Dragon of Echigo’ from the Sengoku Period?”
The Dragon of Echigo was also called the military god by some, a nickname for the Sengoku Period daimyo of Echigo Province Uesugi Kenshin, who could stand alongside the renowned Oda Nobunaga and Takeda Shingen as one of the three great generals.
Being famous, he was often exploited in light novels and manga by authors.
The main target audience was teenagers like Ye Chun.
Shangshan Che was somewhat speechless.
However, this gave Shangshan Che an even more suitable identity.
So he made an expression as if to say “You’ve figured it out,” and said flatly: “If there’s no second Uesugi Clan, then I suppose I am.”
Ye Chun immediately let out a series of surprised “oh oh” sounds and sent a boastful post.
The three continued forward.
Shangshan Che maintained his cool persona as a descendant of the Dragon of Echigo, but in reality, he listened extremely carefully to every word Ye Chun said ahead.
Soon, he had constructed a profile in his mind of Ye Chun’s basic information, personality, and hobbies.
Born into an ordinary family in a remote small town, not poor but not wealthy, went to school by the book, like most people not planning to advance to higher education, so average grades.
Had a couple of good friends, joined a laid-back club, had many hobbies but wasn’t proficient in any; if picking the most prominent, it was manga.
“Completely an ordinary high school girl…”
Shangshan Che murmured, and up to now, he still hadn’t found even a single point to “save” her.
Could “saving” simply mean escorting Ye Chun out of the Kisaragi Station map?
That would be too simple.
After walking a bit further, Ye Chun ahead let out a cry of surprise: “Shangshan Jun! It’s that tunnel—I think it’s the one the train passed through when I came!”
Tunnel.
Shangshan Che looked up and saw the three old, large characters “Isanuki” on the pitch-black tunnel entrance in the night, with patina and weathering suggesting at least several decades.
“But it looks really dark inside, like I can’t even see the road clearly. Shouldn’t we wait until dawn to go in?”
Ye Chun suddenly regretted not staying overnight at the station.
“So you mean we should spend the night in this wilderness?” Shangshan Che said darkly. “After so long, who knows what demons and monsters might appear from the surrounding woods.”
Ye Chun bit her lip: “Then I’ll follow Shangshan Jun’s lead.”
“Hold tight to Two-Foot’s hand; she’ll stay with you.”
Darkness was no issue for Shangshan Che, provided he incarnated as Laughing Hannya.
So he continued: “There might be danger ahead, so I need to use Onmyōdō to transform into the form of a Hannya. Ye Chun, don’t be afraid.”
“Oh?! Hannya!”
Ye Chun exclaimed excitedly, then realized her reaction was over the top: “Cough cough, I mean, if you warn me ahead, I won’t be scared.”
“Alright then.”
Under Ye Chun’s gaze, Shangshan Che recited a nonexistent incantation, formed nonexistent hand seals, and incarnated as Laughing Hannya.
The blurry night scene instantly brightened; the 270-degree view from the Hundred-Eyed Ghost Eyeballs revealed dangers clearly, and the explosive power far surpassed his normal state.
In incarnated form, Shangshan Che could dispatch that group of “Chi” with one slash.
Shangshan Che turned back and saw Ye Chun staring at him blankly.
He wondered, could making no expression at all now scare ordinary people unconscious?
Was this passive skill that strong?
“Ye Chun?”
“So cool…” the girl murmured, then ran up to touch here and there, exclaiming, “This is too cool! Transformation, just like Kamen Rider!”
After closely examining the Hannya Mask for a while, Ye Chun withdrew her hand and sincerely evaluated,
“Both majestic and cool. I’ve never seen anyone cooler than you in my life, Shangshan Jun.”
“Uh… thanks for the compliment.”
It was the first time Shangshan Che had heard such an evaluation; after all, in this state his Charm was zero, and previously Two-Foot Adult and Kitano Runa had been quite frightened.
Ye Chun was someone he could get along with.
“Yeah! I feel super safe right now!”
Ye Chun patted her chest: “Next, please lead me through the tunnel, Shangshan Jun!”
“Don’t fall behind.”
Shangshan Che drew Kaga Kiyomitsu and took the lead into the deep, lightless Isanuki Tunnel.
He remembered that in the main Kisaragi Station supernatural phenomenon story, shortly after Ye Chun entered the tunnel, a relentlessly approaching taiko drum sound would come from behind.
That should be the Supernatural Phenomenon · Taiko Bell from the Main Quest.
But that was just an orally transmitted story; in reality, the Taiko Bell might appear directly ahead in the tunnel, since it always stayed there.
—That made more sense, didn’t it?
Just like now.
Dong…
Dong.
Dong!
In the darkness, someone forcefully beat a sturdy taiko drum, blocking the path ahead.
And it rapidly approached here.
Shangshan Che looked up, taking in the full 100-meter distance—
【Taiko Bell（Two-Star）】
“Two-Foot, take Ye Chun and run back first, and hurry.”
Shangshan Che began fully circulating his Ki-Gong Technique, his body emitting crackling explosive sounds: “It might kill with drum sounds; it’d be hard to protect you like that.”
“Then be careful, Che Adult!”
Two-Foot Adult’s heart tightened, recalling the scene of Shangshan Che being counterattacked to death by White Hannya, but she didn’t hesitate much and quickly pulled Ye Chun to run back.
Ye Chun oddly glanced at the girl pulling her, but didn’t think much of it, instead shouting loudly: “Go get ’em, Shangshan Jun! Beat all these demons and monsters down!”
“I’ll borrow your good luck.”
Shangshan Che assumed a Heian-period eye stance, adjusting his breathing to build power.
The Taiko Bell was a full One-Star stronger than him; without knowing its exact Strength, Shangshan Che believed he needed to land a heavy blow first for the subsequent combat.
Dong dong dong!
The rumbling taiko sounds echoed in the empty tunnel.
Shangshan Che stared indifferently at the increasingly near taiko drum and the several wooden Dolls playing it around.
First slash, break the drum…
But after the taiko drew a bit closer, Shangshan Che was shocked to discover that the label above it began to blur and fade.
Finally, it changed to a completely different name—
【Horse-Brained Music（One-and-a-Half Star）】
And at the same time, from far behind in the tunnel came a soul-shaking drumbeat.
Wave after wave, showing no sign of weakening despite the great distance.
—Taiko Bell!
The one behind was the real Taiko Bell!
