Chapter 54: Tamamo-no-Mae, Gods and Demons, and Sengoku Ruins

Practicing his breath-control technique to dispel the chill creeping down his spine, Uesugi Toru quietly observed the person who radiated such an immense sense of danger to him—was she a blind girl?

Indeed, this Kujo Tsubaki, who claimed to be a two-star operational specialist from the Onmyoryo, appeared to be holding a white cane, and she had never once opened her eyes.

Yet Uesugi Toru did not harbor the slightest shred of contempt for her. Putting aside her identity as a so-called "two-star specialist," the pressure radiating from her in that fleeting moment was something he had only ever felt from Old Man Oni.

This creature was definitely not simple.

Amidst a brief silence, Kujo Tsubaki tapped her cane and spoke: "Based on experience. I have been on this train for a week."

—Strong in ability, and smart as well.

The reason Uesugi Toru had not asked why was precisely to test whether she could see through his questions.

Not just anyone could manage that—under the oppressive majesty and terrifying visage of the Hannya spirit, the vast majority of ordinary people could not even think straight.

Take Kitano Runa and Second-Foot-sama, for instance.

Both of them kept their heads lowered, unable to even muster the courage to look directly at Uesugi Toru's face, while Miyamoto Ryo beside them was shaking all over from sheer fright.

Only Hattori Ayako, whom he had just rescued, and Makino Hitomi, whose face was flushed with an inexplicable excitement, were barely able to look at him.

As for Kujo Tsubaki... rather than successfully resisting the pressure, she seemed utterly unaffected.

Just as Uesugi Toru prepared to take a step forward, he heard Hattori Ayako nearby mimicking the others as she bowed to him and said, "Lord Hannya, you saved me! If there is ever anything you need me for, please do not hesitate to ask!"

The Hannya mask showed neither joy nor sorrow: "Even if the price demanded is your life?"

Hattori Ayako's eyes were resolute: "Even if it is my life."

"Hn, not bad."

Uesugi Toru nodded, then quietly returned to his seat, patting the extremely nervous Second-Foot-sama on the back of her hand: "Don't be afraid, I'm not going to eat you."

As soon as these words left his mouth, Kitano Runa, who was also sitting right beside him, felt her scalp tingle and her legs turn to jelly—if he wasn't going to eat that girl, didn't the subtext mean he was going to eat her?!

"I-I believe that milord would never do such a thing."

Second-Foot-sama laughed dryly, prompting Uesugi Toru to heave an internal sigh.

He had only just realized that the effect of this "Visage of the Spirit" was to forcibly drop his charm stat down to zero. Anyone looking at this mask would naturally be frightened by the fierce and malevolent ghost-god.

"And you lot, sit properly in your seats. That monster won't make a move against you."

Kujo Tsubaki spoke once more.

Hearing this, Hattori Ayako hurriedly pressed her remaining two classmates down onto the seats right beside her.

Only a moment later, the head teacher, sporting an enormous protruding belly, slowly boarded the tram. The moment his feet touched the floorboards, his appearance underwent a rapid transformation.

His Western suit mended itself, his ferocious features softened into a wealthy and amiable expression, and the exaggerated belly that had dragged along the floor shrank back into an ordinary beer gut.

He casually chose a seat and settled down securely.

However, this still did not change the fact that the passenger count had jumped back up to three.

—Kitano Runa had also noticed this, which was why she was utterly certain that the Hannya sitting beside her was not some human in disguise, but a flesh-and-blood malicious fiend.

A fiend who, should she happen to displease him, might slaughter her just like that white hannya had.

At this thought, Kitano Runa's fingertips trembled uncontrollably, though she quickly took a couple of deep breaths to calm her body down, lest she provoke the hannya sitting next to her.

"Lord Hannya, I have a question."

As the tram resumed motion, Kujo Tsubaki's crisp voice broke the silence once again: "Why do you protect humans?"

This woman certainly talked a lot...

Still, if she truly was some two-star specialist from the Onmyoryo, conversing with her more might pry loose some intelligence he was otherwise unaware of.

For instance, why the Onmyoryo still existed now that the Special Affairs Division had been established.

Of course, he could also feed her some false information in return.

"Because of my disciple."

The gravelly voice of the Hannya rang out: "My swordplay disciple is human. That is all."

Kujo Tsubaki remained impassive, yet within the depths of her mind, a mocking chuckle sounded—one that only she could hear.

"A future Hannya King taking a human as a disciple. Truly a rarity."

Kujo Tsubaki asked internally: "What is meant by the King of Hannya?"

"It means he possesses the potential to break through the Four-Star threshold. Little Kujo, have you still not figured out even this much by now?"

Kujo Tsubaki startled, instinctively tightening her grip on her cane.

The so-called Four Stars denoted a "Ghost-God." Below it lay the "Ghost," while above it resided the "God."

Japan once claimed to possess eight million ghost-gods, but the vast majority of them were merely ghosts, falling far short of true gods.

An unknown ghost-god—even for an aggressive faction like the Onmyoryo—would have to be appeased first, with a shrine built in their honor...

And as everyone knew, common demonic fiends like hannya had an upper limit that could barely brush against the edge of three stars; even the most ferocious red hannya could be considered a disgrace among evil spirits.

Yet the hannya before her actually had the chance to become a true ghost-god.

Kujo Tsubaki thought inwardly: "Tamamo, what are your thoughts?"

"—Kill him while he is weak, flay his skin, draw out his tendons, and take his mask. After doing that, your own strength might suddenly touch the two-and-a-half-star mark, you know."

The nine-tailed fox's laughter was melodious and sweet, carrying a trace of unperceivable greed.

Kujo Tsubaki frowned, using a surge of spiritual power to seal her mind's eye, once again blocking out the laughter of the great demon.

"I understand, Lord Hannya."

Kujo Tsubaki nodded in acknowledgment: "I will report your situation upward and do my best to ensure that the members of the Onmyoryo do not come into conflict with you. Aside from that, might I ask who your disciple is..."

"No comment."

Uesugi Toru stated coldly, believing that stripping away the air of mystery too early was hardly a good choice.

Amidst their conversation, the tram had slowly rolled forward to the approach of the next station.

"The next station, Sengoku Ruins, is arriving."

"The next station, Sengoku Ruins..."

Uesugi Toru looked outward, catching sight of a desolate wilderness where weapons and corpses littered the ground as far as the eye could see.

Even the Warring States period from centuries ago had appeared; as expected, the train was traveling through Tokoyo, the Everworld.

For only in Tokoyo could the bizarre spectacle of different eras overlapping onto the same tract of land exist.

"Lord Hannya, many samurai and foot soldiers may board at this station. If the seats are full, please be prepared to get off at any moment."

Kujo Tsubaki paused, then emphasized loudly: "Once full, extremely terrifying things will happen inside the carriage."

"Understood."

Uesugi Toru picked up Second-Foot-sama and placed her on his lap, saying, "If we have to step outside later, don't let go."

Second-Foot-sama nodded nervously, pressing down firmly on the small white cap upon her head, suddenly feeling that Uesugi Toru's hannya visage possessed a unique charm of its own.

It felt... like a majestic beauty that belonged solely to a malevolent spirit.

Second-Foot-sama was not widely read and lacked the proper adjectives to describe it.

Regardless, she found that she was beginning to grow rather fond of Lord Toru even in this terrifying guise.

Kitano Runa glanced out of the corner of her eye at Second-Foot-sama nestled in Uesugi Toru's lap, sitting on pins and needles as she restlessly rubbed her knees.

W-What about me?

If Lord Hannya doesn't hold onto me tightly, won't I be served a piping hot bento the moment I step off the tram?

The screech of the tram's brakes was already clearly audible. Kitano Runa mustered her courage and stammered softly, "M-Milord Hannya..."

*Screeech.*

The sound of the doors sliding open completely swallowed her plea.

Uesugi Toru cast his gaze toward the entrance.

At the doorway, a majestic samurai with a tachi slung at his waist and a deep crimson do-maru cuirass draped over his shoulders was just preparing to step across the threshold.