Chapter 6: Walking the Eternal World

What on earth is this "Enter the Eternal Realm" option that just popped up?

Uesugi Toru examined the option with keen interest.

[A fissure in the Eternal Realm has been detected. You may now choose to enter the Eternal Realm for exploration.]

Beyond that, there was no further explanation.

He nodded thoughtfully.

Well, I don't get it.

Without further ado, Uesugi Toru clicked on the glowing "Enter the Eternal Realm" option. There was no point in overthinking; game mechanics that seemed confusing would become clear once he started playing.

In an instant, Uesugi Toru’s vision went black, and he collapsed onto his bed.

...

Cold. No shaking.

The smell of decaying thatch filled his nostrils. Uesugi Toru took a deep breath of the turbid, frigid air, clutched his head, and swayed as he sat up.

Without hesitation, he chose to assume the form of the Laughing Hannya. The chaos in his senses immediately dissipated by more than half.

Uesugi Toru opened his eyes to see a gloomy thatched hut and a flurry of translucent text before him.

[The long, deep descent has concluded. You have arrived in the Eternal Realm...]

[This land, which once bordered the mortal world, has been forgotten by all after the passage of long ages, sinking into the abyss of the deep. So much so that not even the fall of the Lord of the Eternal Realm is known to any.]

[The Eternal Realm has lost its shared master. Different eras have fallen into one bag; the decaying land breeds filth, and evil spirits run rampant...]

[This is a paradise for demons and a hell for the living.]

[Oh, soul of the living, currently only able to manifest as a weak Laughing Hannya, you who are the future Lord of the Eternal Realm.]

[Welcome to the Eternal Realm.]

The Eternal Realm?

If he recalled correctly, it was the place in mythology that stood in opposition to the "Mortal World" where humans lived... a world inhabited by ghosts, demons, and urban legends.

Uesugi Toru’s eyes lit up.

If that’s the case, doesn't this mean the streets are filled with ghouls, demons, and wandering souls?

—These are all my precious resources for gacha pulls!

He couldn't wait to stand up, but accidentally bumped his head against something.

*Whoosh—*

A faint light flickered within the dilapidated hut. Uesugi Toru looked up to find an old, broken shrine covered in spiderwebs.

[You have illuminated the Shrine of Edo Castle.]

[Shrine: A basic anchor point. Once illuminated, it can be used for teleportation or resurrection.]

Uesugi Toru roughly understood. It was like a spawn point in an online game, though this was likely an online game where he was the only player.

With that thought, Uesugi Toru prepared to head out and explore aggressively, and while he was at it, slash every minor monster he encountered to farm resources.

Souls, here I come!

[Current area unlocked: Edo Castle (Four-Star)]

[Main Quest I: Explore at least 80% of Edo Castle. Current exploration: 0%]

[Main Quest II: Exorcise the Ghost Samurai—The Ten-Thousand Slayer, Fang Xiang (Four-Star), The Thousand-Enemy White Bone, and The Wax Figure (Three-and-a-half-Star).]

[Side Quest I: Peering from the Depths—Ever since you stepped into Edo Castle, you have felt a faint, lingering gaze.]

Uesugi Toru, who was just about to push open the door of the hut, froze. He squinted at the two characters following "Edo Castle," and after confirming he hadn't misread them, he stood there in bewildered silence.

Are you kidding me, buddy?

I’m just a half-star infant Laughing Hannya, and you want me to explore a four-star map?

I’m afraid any random monster passing by could kick me to death.

And this main quest... expecting a half-star nobody like me to exorcise a four-star, ten-thousand-slaying ghost samurai?

If I could do that, ha, I’d be invincible.

But then again.

Uesugi Toru pondered.

Risk often implies opportunity.

A high-star map definitely contains more than just minor monsters that could kill him in one hit; it must also hold high-star items and props far beyond what he could currently obtain in the real world or through the gacha pool.

Furthermore, based on the information about the shrine, he didn't just have one life; he could continuously resurrect in the Eternal Realm.

Thinking of it that way, it wasn't so hard to accept.

Besides, the prompts weren't over yet.

[Weak future Lord of the Eternal Realm, please choose one of the following three identities to serve as your foundation for establishing yourself in this turbulent Eternal Realm.]

Uesugi Toru scanned the three identity options and immediately made up his mind.

[Scion of the Hojo: Our clan has fallen. The Kamakura period was consumed by flames; now, you are the last hope of the Hojo family. Effect: Charisma +10, increased reputation. Unlocks the unique special event: "Revitalize the Hojo Family."]

[Wayfarer: Since ancient times, wayfarers have measured the history and land of the Eternal Realm with their own feet, and so shall you. Effect: Increases the probability of triggering hidden events.]

[Sengoku Ronin: A ronin lost upon the land of the Eternal Realm. Effect: Physique +5, immediately gain "Ronin Tachi," immediately gain 500 soul fragments, and a bonus to sword skill training speed.]

The Sengoku Ronin option was discarded immediately, no questions asked.

Although the "Ronin Tachi" shimmered with a deep blue light, suggesting it was a rare, high-quality weapon, and the 500 soul fragments would solve his current shortage, this was clearly a pure early-game hero build. He wasn't currently facing any life-or-death crisis, and the only late-game talent—the training speed bonus—was restricted to "Sword Arts."

The growth potential was too narrow. Pass.

As for the remaining two, Uesugi Toru deliberated for a moment before excluding the "Scion of the Hojo," which offered charisma and reputation.

If he guessed correctly, the clan referred to in "Scion of the Hojo" must be the Hojo family from the end of the Kamakura period.

Revitalizing the Hojo family was fine, and he might even reap many unexpected gains from the identity.

But the problem was that all the different eras of the Eternal Realm existed on the same land.

Uesugi Toru didn't want to enter the Eternal Realm only to immediately run into the behemoth that destroyed the Hojo family; a half-star Laughing Hannya like him probably wasn't even as strong as their guard dog.

That being the case, he had no choice but to pick "Wayfarer."

Increasing the probability of triggering hidden events was decent, though how high that "probability" actually was remained to be seen.

Uesugi Toru felt his luck had always been poor—otherwise, he wouldn't have transmigrated into a cold metal locker.

[You have selected the identity "Wayfarer."]

His hand grew heavy as he felt a copper token covered in rust and dust appear in his palm. It was inscribed with faint, blurry characters that presumably read "Wayfarer."

Uesugi Toru picked up a few pieces of straw, tied them together simply, and hung the token from his waist.

He waited a few seconds to ensure no new prompts appeared, then took another deep breath. He donned the Laughing Hannya mask, embedded with the eye of a Hyakume, and gripped his old firewood knife, ready to backstab at a moment's notice.

In this state, Uesugi Toru felt confident enough to contend with a one-star evil spirit.

He placed his palm gently against the door of the thatched hut.

And slowly, he pushed it open.