Chapter 86: Wonders Of The World, Nothing Beyond Their Grasp
【Life and Death Taiko Drum】
【Quality: Superb】
【Effect: Striking the “Life” side will attract demons and monsters within a certain range, while striking the “Death” side will repel them.】
【——The taiko drum beats on, life and death vast and boundless.】
Shangshan Che gazed at the introduction of the “Life and Death Taiko Drum” with great satisfaction.
Although its quality was not high, it should be considered exceptionally effective against low-intelligence demons and monsters around Zero-Star and Half-Star.
This meant he could use the Life and Death Taiko Drum to drive away the demon horde and easily cross the Sea of Chi at the end of the Isanuki Tunnel, to see what lay beyond!
——The Life and Death Taiko Drum is not as large as the taiko drum of the Taiko Bell, but rather resembles a double-sided hand drum with small balls hanging from either side.
The side carved with the character “Life” was unusually smooth and snow-white, on which Shangshan Che could clearly glimpse himself; the side carved with “Death” was rough and pitch-black, as if it had swallowed all surrounding light.
Striking the Life and Death Taiko Drum did not require shaking nonexistent small balls on either side, but rather using the two small, luminous white drumsticks it came with.
The drumsticks were about half a finger’s length of Shangshan Che’s, making drumming with them a bit awkward.
“This hand drum would be quite suitable for Two-Foot Adult to use.”
——Two-Foot Adult is small in target, has high HP, is not slow in movement speed, and also fits this small hand drum, making her the perfect candidate to wield this taunt item.
After summoning Two-Foot Adult from the Ksitigarbha Statue, before Shangshan Che could even speak, the girl, smelling the strong scent of blood from the person before her, anxiously surrounded him.
“Po! Che Adult, where are you injured? Is the Taiko Bell still alive? What do you need me to do?”
“Don’t rush, don’t rush.” Shangshan Che put his hand on the girl’s white hat, scooped her up into his arms, and immediately felt weak, warm currents spread throughout his body.
Although Two-Foot Adult’s healing effect was weaker when transformed into Hannya, Shangshan Che estimated that if he reverted to his original state, he would die on the spot.
As his field of vision was instantly elevated, Two-Foot Adult instinctively let out a surprised cry, “Po~”
“Although the injuries are severe, holding you, Two-Foot Adult, should allow me to recover in no time. As for the Taiko Bell, I have already slain it.”
Shangshan Che handed the Life and Death Taiko Drum and the small drumsticks to Two-Foot Adult, whose eyes were sparkling as she looked at him, and meticulously explained how to use them.
“Mhm! Che Adult, I understand. I will definitely help you well in battles from now on!”
Two-Foot Adult said with a serious expression, holding the small drum, “I will never be just a vase that is only good for looks and healing Che Adult’s injuries!”
“Good, good.”
Facing his Shikigami’s declaration of effort, Shangshan Che naturally chose to offer encouragement—Two-Foot Adult had indeed not been idle while staying alone in the Ksitigarbha Statue.
She had almost reached the threshold of One-Star, and perhaps in a few more hours, she could recover to the One-Star realm, at which point Shangshan Che’s combat power would be further enhanced.
Carrying Two-Foot Adult, Shangshan Che had walked to the latter half of the Isanuki Tunnel, but he still hadn’t encountered the detestable Horse-Brained Music.
“The Supernatural Phenomenon mentioned in the Main Quest is not restored by Kisaragi Station after being killed.”
This meant that the only Supernatural Phenomenon remaining to be exorcised in Main Quest Three was the tough High-Speed Grandpa, so he could now focus on exploring the map and the two Side Quests.
Shangshan Che looked around the interior of the tunnel, hoping to discover something unusual, “This Isanuki Tunnel, apart from lacking lights, doesn’t seem any different.”
“Two-Foot Adult, do you find anything strange about this tunnel?”
Two-Foot Adult, who had been gripping the small drum and warily observing her surroundings, paused. She squinted and thought for a while before recalling Shangshan Che’s question.
The tunnel’s strangeness?
Two-Foot Adult seemed to have a feeling, but couldn’t quite articulate it.
So she pinched her chin and thought hard, determined to uncover this feeling for Che Adult today!
Shangshan Che, not receiving an answer, didn’t say much; he had asked Two-Foot Adult purely out of habit.
——Since conventional methods weren’t working, he would have to find clues from the quest description.
Vehicle.
The quest synopsis stated that entering the “other side of the world” required passing through the Isanuki Tunnel by driving a vehicle.
But this was Kisaragi Station; where would Shangshan Che find a vehicle?
It couldn’t possibly be the train that entered the station at the beginning of each loop… although he could try, Shangshan Che felt it was unrealistic.
The second option was to find the driver who drove the car in the original story of the Kisaragi Station Supernatural Phenomenon and directly take the car by defeating him.
But that would also require luck, and was a matter of chance…
“——Che Adult, I think I know what’s different about this tunnel.”
Two-Foot Adult’s unexpected words interrupted Shangshan Che’s thoughts. He paused slightly and asked curiously, “Then tell me.”
“Po… I felt a sensation similar to when I returned to the Ksitigarbha Statue, though it was faint and light, I believe it truly exists.”
The moment of returning to the Ksitigarbha Statue?
Shangshan Che’s gaze sharpened—this was a spatial fluctuation, as the Ksitigarbha Statue contained an independent small space for Shikigami to reside.
This coincided with his guess.
The reason why the feeling was “faint and light” now was because they were not traveling by vehicle.
Then, to complete Side Quest One, all that remained was to find a vehicle.
“Two-Foot Adult, thanks to you, the answer to the problem has now appeared.” Shangshan Che patted the girl’s head, causing her to chuckle and push up her hat brim with her hand, revealing a sweet smile.
Soon, the two arrived at the end of the tunnel. The density of the Sea of Chi had not decreased much despite Shangshan Che’s previous slaughter; in fact, it had become even denser.
Countless semi-transparent demons stood still or wandered, giving a sense of oppression akin to facing an unprovoked horde of zombies in a Category III film.
Two-Foot Adult had never seen such a scene before and immediately made a grimace, “Che Adult… perhaps we should turn back and go the other way.”
“Drum,” Shangshan Che said. “The drum in your hand can disperse them all. Try it if you don’t believe me?”
“Oh!”
Two-Foot Adult inwardly scolded herself with a “po,” realizing she had forgotten such an important matter.
——Such a timid and cowardly Shikigami like myself is truly unworthy of a perfect Master like Che Adult.
She bit her lip, found the black “Death” side of the drum, and tentatively tapped it with the drumstick.
Dong—
Although the hand drum was small, the sound it produced could travel far.
They were at least a hundred meters away from the end of the tunnel, yet just this tentative tap from Two-Foot Adult had caused the demons near the tunnel entrance to stir and push outwards.
It worked!
Two-Foot Adult’s eyes lit up. She clamped the small drum between her thighs and then, with a little force, continuously tapped the hand drum.
Dong dong dong!
By the time Shangshan Che walked the hundred meters to the end of the tunnel, the originally crowded demon horde had completely vanished.
Whether Zero-Star, Half-Star, or even One-Star demons, all had fled in fear, scattering thinly into the mountain forest and onto the roads further away.
The effect of the Life and Death Taiko Drum was somewhat beyond Shangshan Che’s expectations.
He had originally thought that the drum could at most interfere with demons below One-Star, and he would have to deal with the One-Star demons himself.
But to his surprise, all the demons had fled as if avoiding a plague.
This item, the Taiko Bell, had indeed been a great drop.
Shangshan Che had originally wanted some Ragdolls or that pair of jade-white drumsticks, but now it seemed their actual utility was inferior to this palm-sized hand drum.
After a moment of reflection, Shangshan Che, carrying Two-Foot Adult, easily crossed the Isanuki Tunnel.
He looked back and saw the blurred characters “Isanuki” on this side as well, though the writing here was even more indistinct; if Shangshan Che hadn’t known beforehand, he likely wouldn’t have been able to recognize it.
Outside the tunnel, apart from the demon horde, the classic trio of railroad tracks and mountain forest, there was nothing else, appearing desolate and far more deserted than Arakawa Village.
At least there were buildings of different styles to see there, and the rumbling from the Factory didn’t make the journey so tedious.
Shangshan Che had no choice but to continue walking along the railroad tracks.
But as he walked, Shangshan Che suddenly noticed that the perpetually dense mountain forest actually had a deep, branching path?
Could this be the road leading to the Mountain Inn mentioned in Side Quest Two?
However, no matter where this path led, Shangshan Che would choose to enter it.
With his injuries almost healed, Shangshan Che told Two-Foot Adult to return obediently to the Ksitigarbha Statue, and then cautiously proceeded alone along the path.
After walking for a short while, Shangshan Che saw a clean and orderly Tiled House. Above the doorway hung a plaque emitting a faint fluorescence.
It read—
【All kinds of wondrous items under heaven, encompassing all things】
