Chapter 38: Power of Ghosts and Gods (Weak) → Power of Ghosts and Gods!

"Those two little ones seem even more delicious than I imagined."

Perched on the window ledge, Ai Birishi licked her lips with a look of regret. "It seems it will be difficult to truly savor their flavor using only my avatars."

"Oh well. If I can't have them as an appetizer, they will serve as a fine dessert," Ai Birishi turned back to look at Niijima Yuta, who stood behind her like a hulking monster of muscle. "Don't you agree, Niijima?"

Niijima Yuta dropped to one knee. "Indeed, as you say."

"Considering the time spent on adaptation, it is time to grant you the power of the demon god you so crave."

Ai Birishi stepped down from the ledge and walked over to Niijima Yuta, who still reached half her height even while kneeling. She smiled brightly. "I am not the kind of person to break a promise, you know."

Hearing these words, Niijima Yuta's massive frame trembled uncontrollably. "Niijima will never forget this kindness!"

"That sort of thing is actually irrelevant."

Ai Birishi produced a glass bottle she had prepared in advance and poured out a small, cyan-blue sphere. "This is the essence of a Blue Oni. Consume it."

Niijima Yuta took a deep breath and swallowed the orb.

The next instant, his already taut suit tore apart at the seams. His skeleton grew taller and thicker, and his muscles rapidly swelled and expanded, knitting his body into a single entity brimming with explosive power.

Scalding steam hissed out, accompanied by a low, pained growl.

In mere dozens of seconds, Niijima Yuta transformed into a robust Blue Oni, his skin a deep cyan, with two horns crowning his head and a stature exceeding two meters.

He lowered his head, clenched his fists, and let out a chilling chuckle. "Master, I feel... better than I ever have."

"But walking out looking like that is hardly convenient."

Ai Birishi reached out and rested her fingertips against Niijima Yuta's skin.

In the next few seconds, the Blue Oni, who would likely not have survived a single day in the outside world, transformed back into a sturdy human male, though his appearance and voice were now entirely different from before.

"That's more like it!" Ai Birishi clapped her hands happily and tossed him a brand-new suit. "Niijima, find someone to come in here."

"Someone, come in!"

The newborn Niijima Yuta roared toward the door. A moment later, a cultist who had just been fervently spreading the doctrines of "Fraternity" online walked in.

Ai Birishi touched him with her hand and said, "From now on, you are Niijima Yuta."

"Yes!"

The cultist, his mind and body twisted and reshaped simultaneously, roared and sat down in the seat formerly occupied by the real Niijima Yuta.

As they walked out of the Fraternity Club headquarters together, Ai Birishi suddenly turned back and said, "Niijima, you are free from now on."

Niijima Yuta was stunned. "Master, why..."

"Shh—"

Ai Birishi pressed her index finger to her lips. She said softly, "Say no more. I loathe entanglements that refuse to end."

Niijima Yuta immediately shut his mouth.

"If you truly feel guilty about it, you can always go find those two little ones and play for a while," Ai Birishi waved at him. "That's all. Bye-bye."

***

And so, under Niijima Yuta's gaze, the departing Ai Birishi split into countless avatars, each taking the form of an ordinary person.

Men, women, old, young, students, office workers, drifters...

Just like that, the white-haired woman vanished at the end of the road, replaced by a single drop of water lost in the sea of Tokyo's humanity.

Sensing the various supernatural powers within him, Niijima Yuta closed his eyes.

He felt he should do something to repay the kindness bestowed upon him by the benevolent and generous Lady Ai Birishi.

"Uesugi Toru and Tokugawa Ririko, is it?"

He muttered, revealing a smile as wicked as any demon's. "Wait for me."

***

【"Laughing Hannya (Juvenile)" upgrading: 100%!】

【Your Demon Avatar: Laughing Hannya (Juvenile) has finished upgrading!】

【You have obtained: Demon Avatar: Laughing Hannya (Youth)!】

Holding the mindset of someone opening a blind box, Uesugi Toru, who had intentionally remained in his safe-house spawn point, carefully read down from the first line of notifications.

【Laughing Hannya (Youth)】

【Quality: Superb】

【Rank: One Star】

【Rank Cap: One-and-a-half Stars】

【Talents: Power of the Demon God, Terrifying Smile, Berserker】

【—The Laughing Hannya, which takes pleasure in intimidating and pranking children, has grown quite a bit, but its potential goes far beyond this.】

【Power of the Demon God: The Hannya is a demon god.】

The first thing that caught his eye was the core talent of the Laughing Hannya, now shed of the "Weak" suffix—Power of the Demon God!

"Let me see how much this bumps up my physique."

Laughing Hannya, manifest!

In the quiet thatched hut, a mask of the Laughing Hannya—its grin more sinister, its appearance more majestic—flew out and gently clicked onto Uesugi Toru’s face.

Silence.

It wasn't because the surge in power disappointed him by failing to meet expectations, but rather...

It was powerful. Far too powerful!

So powerful that Uesugi Toru didn't dare to breathe too loudly, fearing that a single exhale might blow down this dilapidated hut, forcing him to spawn in the open air the next time he entered the Ghost Village.

Even his internal energy, generated by his Qi-honing techniques, had more than doubled in density!

"Hoo..."

Carefully exhaling, Uesugi Toru, not yet adjusted to this terrifying spike in power, let out a sound like a booming bellows.

He checked his attribute panel:

【Uesugi Toru】

【Physique: 15→29】

【Will: 10→14】

【Charm: 6→6】

【Spirit Arts: 3→4】

No wonder.

His physique had surged by 14 points in an instant—a nearly twofold increase!

Furthermore, attributes did not grow linearly, but rather through a complex calculation method Uesugi Toru did not yet fully grasp.

To his own sensation, this increase in physique made him at least three to four times stronger than before.

He felt that he might not be able to take on ten of his pre-upgrade self at once, but beating up five of them at the same time certainly wouldn't be a problem.

Yet, this also left Uesugi Toru with a significant doubt.

—Could a mere upgrade from half-star to one-star grant a demon such a terrifying boost in strength?

—The quality of the Laughing Hannya was only [Superb].

If that were the case, wouldn't other demons be a disgrace to the one-star rank? How did the Onmyoji deal with demons and urban legends that grew several times stronger with every single upgrade?

Therefore, it was likely not the case; otherwise, Tokyo would have long ago been overrun by monsters, and there would have been no need to wait for the "First Wave."

Uesugi Toru recalled the light that had emerged when he first drew the Laughing Hannya avatar.

It was purple.

He had only seen that same shade of purple on weapons in the blacksmith’s shop before the smith disappeared—the color of an Epic weapon.

So—

Uesugi Toru concluded that it wasn't that all demons were this strong, but that his Laughing Hannya was an anomaly among them.

That explanation made more sense.

He continued reading downward.

The "Terrifying Smile" skill was straightforward; with his Will increased by 4 points, its potency should have increased as well, but that was all.

The key was the new talent that appeared after the Laughing Hannya reached one star!

Uesugi Toru's eyes burned with excitement, for there was no talent more suited to a melee-focused demon like the Laughing Hannya.

—【Berserker】!