Tokyo Fall Guys beats up the supernatural

Page 356

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ye, who had a large beard, took a deep breath.

"...I suddenly feel like I don't want to talk to you anymore, Ninomiya-san."

"Don't mind it, don't mind it." Ninomiya Yuki waved his hand: "I've been reading Chinese online literature lately, so I had some associations. Just pretend I didn't say anything."

"Keep reading," Jiang Ye, the bearded man, said helplessly, rubbing his forehead.

Ninomiya Yusuke continued looking down, then frowned and asked, "What's the meaning of these photos?"

The photo shows the wastewater treatment plant after the explosion and fire. In the ruins that have been burned beyond recognition, some colorful syrup residue can still be seen in the corners.

"syrup?"

Jiang Ye, with the big beard, nodded: "To be precise, it's syrup laced with resentment. Some people speculate that it's a trace left by the Fall Guys."

Ninomiya Yusuke suddenly realized: "You mean, Taira no Masakado rushed into the wastewater treatment plant after his defeat because Fall Guys appeared?"

“Very likely,” said Jiang Ye, the bearded man.

"At the time, Todo Kiryu was on the bridge, but no one knows what happened at the wastewater treatment plant later."

"All we know is that Kiryu Kaine, who is also Kiryu Todo's younger sister, also became an exorcist. Together with Ryuuichi Kousaki's daughter, Ringo Kousaki, she killed Rin-yūdō. Later, Taira no Masakado, who was on the defensive, was killed by Kiryu Todo."

Whether Fall Guys appeared at the wastewater treatment plant, and whether they are related to the Kiryu siblings, is currently unknown.

Ninomiya Yuuki continued flipping through the pages and saw countless Fall Guys.

The scene shows people running through the streets, followed by a photo of a giant dragon Fall Guy crushing a group of half-demon.

"Wherever Kiryu Toudou is, Fall Guys will appear. There must be some relationship between Kiryu Toudou, Fall Guys, and Ruko-sada that we don't know about," the bearded Eno concluded.

Ninomiya Yusuke remained silent for a long while before saying, "Isn't this a good thing?"

“…Huh?” Jiang Ye, with a large beard, raised one eyebrow.

Seemingly thinking that the bearded Jiang Ye hadn't heard her clearly, Ninomiya Yusuke raised her voice a little and repeated, "I said, isn't this a good thing?"

"With such a powerful Mr. Ren, coupled with the righteously righteous Fall Guys, aren't they the best asset to the association?"

"What a load of crap!" Jiang Ye, the bearded man, slapped the platform next to him that was used to boil water on the stove, looking very angry.

The next second, he screamed and raised his hand. The steel platform could be used to boil water, let alone his hand. He felt a piercing pain after only touching it for less than a second.

But this injury was nothing to Jiang Ye, who exorcised demons with his physical body. He shook his hand in pain, then grinned and said, "Then there's Mr. Ren, who's almost like an evil spirit, and the bone tengu, who's practically a monster, and the inhuman jelly bean..."

"Not to mention the half-demon companion he met in Urayasu City, have you noticed that he doesn't even have a normal human by his side!"

Ninomiya Yusuke raised his hand: "Doesn't Miss Lu count?"

Upon hearing this, the bearded Jiang Ye stared intently at Ninomiya Yusuke with a very strange look: "Ninomiya-san, you...you think Ji Zizhen is a normal person?"

Ninomiya Yusuke fell into deep thought.

He recalled the stories he had heard about Lu Zizhen: striking the association building with lightning, nearly killing someone who came to provoke him on his second day in the association, and directly stealing jobs from other veteran exorcists...

Recalling the way the association members looked at Lu Zizhen as if they were seeing Gian, and then thinking about who was responsible for her working overtime these past two days, Ninomiya Yujing looked sorrowful.

“…You’re right, Jiang Ye-san, Miss Lu is not a normal person at all.”

"Right!" The bearded Jiang Ye clapped his hands, a look of sympathy on his face. "So, you still think Kiryu Toudou is okay?"

Ninomiya Yusuke composed himself and began to think again, but the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Finally, he looked up and said, "But even if he has a problem, so what?"

“Eno-san, the situation we are in now... he is probably the only one who can stand up to Tamamo-no-Mae.”

"If you think there's something wrong with him, fine, if we don't let him fight against Tamamo-no-Mae, who will?" Ninomiya Yusuke spread his hands: "Nikko City is in this state now, Eno-san, what are we going to do?"

Jiang Ye, the bearded man, was silent for a moment before saying, "I have a method, but I'm still considering it."

"An exorcist from Kyoto claimed to be able to resolve the Tamamo-no-Mae incident."

Ninomiya Yusuke shook his head: "Come on, Eno-san, you and I both know that Kyoto doesn't produce nobodys."

"Exorcists who can't make a name for themselves in an ancient place like Kyoto have no choice but to come to Tokyo to find a way to make a living. But if they can't make a name for themselves in Kyoto, do they think they can do it in Tokyo?"

Seemingly feeling that they had discussed this topic enough, Ninomiya Yusuke took a deep breath and said, "Let's leave this topic here, Eno-san."

"In Nikko City right now, we can only rely on Miss Lu and Mr. Ren. This was a fact that was set from the beginning. Look, they have only been here for less than a week and they have already provoked Tamamo-no-Mae."

“Although I’m exhausted these past two days, I can truly see Nikko City regaining its vitality, gradually awakening from this storm.” He clenched his fists, his eyes hardening: “Isn’t it a good thing to see your hometown revitalized?”

"It's better than when people talk about Nikko City and all they remember is 'a hot spring place that's close to Tokyo,' right?"

“…That makes sense.” Jiang Ye chuckled. “Nikko City is indeed very vibrant right now.”

"But what if Tamamo-no-Mae causes a huge disturbance in Nikko City, resulting in many civilian casualties?"

“I guess I’ll just have to accept my bad luck.” Ninomiya Yusuke smiled. “Good fortune and misfortune are never separate. Since we decided from the beginning to force Tamamo-no-Mae to show herself in this way, we have to learn to bear the corresponding consequences.”

Hearing this, the bearded Jiang Ye knew that he would not change his mind, so he could only sigh and say, "I hope that after this matter is over, you won't be confined to your home forever because of the responsibility, Ninomiya-san."

Ninomiya Yusuke seemed to have come to terms with it, whistling playfully, "It's okay, my house is big enough, even if I were confined for life, I wouldn't get tired of it."

Chapter 296 Kashima Shrine

Its daybreak.

At the cost of more than a dozen injuries, the exorcists successfully reduced the barrier around Sunlight City. The next morning, many evil spirits escaped from Sunlight City together, not wanting to be trapped.

They then discovered that the exorcists of Nikko City did not pursue or capture the evil spirits that escaped the barrier, and thus everyone understood the purpose of the Nikko City Great Barrier.

He forced all irrelevant people to leave, turning Nikko City into a cage that existed solely for Tamamo-no-Mae.

Any evil spirits or monsters that covet Tamamo-no-Mae must bear the increasingly intense pressure of this barrier.

Therefore, Nikko City was unusually lively the following day, and many evil spirits and monsters who had come with the intention of watching the spectacle began to withdraw from this city.

The city, where rain was imminent, dared not get involved any further, fearing that it might be caught in the crossfire if it wasn't careful.

After all, everyone now knows that Nikko City is not only home to Tamamo-no-Mae, but also to Mr. Ren, the one who pinned Taira no Masakado to the ground and slaughtered nine-tenths of the half-demons in Urayasu City with his companions.

Fight with him?

Don't die?

Tamamo-no-Mae was naturally aware of the shrinking barrier.

When she woke up, she looked at the barrier on the horizon and fell into deep thought.

So, Ninomiya Yuuki disappeared yesterday to do this. The shrinking barrier will make his space for movement smaller and smaller until he has no choice but to break through the barrier or show himself to fight the exorcist.

It's really troublesome.

A surge of irritation welled up inside her, making Tamamo-no-Mae quite unhappy.

Is there really no other way but to fight that guy again?

But... come to think of it, something's off about that guy. Even though being in a different world would inevitably have some impact, why is he...?

Has he really given up on Haoli?

Tamamo-no-Mae knew of the existence of Haoli, and that the so-called "drifting hell" was just a rumor among the evil spirits of the previous world. It wasn't until she actually witnessed Ren Doutang's existence that Tamamo-no-Mae believed it.

During the battle with Dou Tang, when the gate of Hao Li opened, a biting cold wind blew through the desolate and lifeless wilderness, and countless wronged souls whispered their stories within, which even Tamamo-no-Mae could not bear.

That sense of oppression is the power accumulated over countless generations and forged by the souls of countless evil spirits; it is the result of a discussion about life and death.

Before the wormwood, the earthwalkers will judge the sins, and the ghosts will take the souls and lead the dead into the wormwood.

The existence of vengeful spirits and the dead is a challenge to life and death, which is why Haoli gave up that majestic mountain and willingly turned into a drifting illusory light and shadow, pursuing it for countless generations.

Thinking of this, Tamamo-no-Mae recalled the day she fought against Tou-Tang. The disheveled boy's eyes shone with a fierce light, and his rage solidified into a terrifying force that enveloped his body. He looked even more frightening than she, a demon.

And... when the gates of Haoli opened, the Ghost Elder appeared...

Ah, I understand.

Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes lit up.

She finally realized what Ren Doutang was lacking at this moment.

The ground walker in Haoli no longer had the ability to open Haoli, and even that Ghost Elder had disappeared.

Why? What happened between him and that ghost elder? Or did Haoli truly say goodbye to him forever?

If it weren't for Hao Li... maybe we could still fight him, but first we need to remove the barrier around Nikko City...

Tamamo-no-Mae bit her finger.

When the barrier changes again, she will be able to deduce the location of each node of the barrier based on the fluctuations. With her abilities, she can still attack the barrier nodes.

If it were a stable barrier now, Tamamo-no-Mae, who couldn't find the nodes, would feel at a loss.

However, when the barrier shrinks, the exorcists who maintain the nodes must move. Once they move, the connection between the nodes and the barrier becomes unstable, which Tamamo-no-Mae can notice if she is careful.

Exorcists at that time were certainly the most vigilant.

Just like a cat chasing a mouse, now, Tamamo-no-Mae, the mouse, must steal the cheese while the cat is awake.

If the nodes are not quickly destroyed, Tamamo-no-Mae, who is entangled in the battle, will have to face the siege of exorcists, or even the arrival of the Touhou Project.

Thinking of this, she smiled. Her heart, which had been racing when she saw Ren Doutang, gradually calmed down. She narrowed her eyes and whispered coldly.

"Let me witness that anger again, Ren Doutang, that... the grief and pain of being unable to protect anything."

………………

While Nikko City was in such turmoil, Zatoichi finally returned to Kashima.

Kashima, as a coastal city, has always been shrouded in mystery because of the Kashima Shrine. The vast shrine houses hundreds of antiquities, many of which have been designated as national treasures, and has always been a place with a rich cultural atmosphere.

Today, on what should have been an ordinary day, Kashima Shrine has suddenly suspended all public visits.

Ordinary people could only see rows of black cars driving along Shin-Nakamichi-dori outside the Great Torii Gate, arriving at the parking lot outside Kashima Shrine.

After all other vehicles were driven away, the parking lot was filled with black sedans, many of which were dilapidated and looked as if they had been attacked.

These vehicles came from all over Tokyo, and although they all looked extremely suspicious due to their damage, no one dared to stop them.

After all the vehicles were parked, someone held a tall roll of paper and stretched out a two-meter-high black cloth around the parking lot to block the view of ordinary people.

These unusual actions left residents who had lived nearby for over a decade completely baffled.

Over the past year, Kashima Shrine has been closing more and more frequently, almost every few days. Each time it is said to be for emergency maintenance, but no one knows what exactly has been done for maintenance.

However, people often hear inhuman sounds coming from this dense forest, leading many to speculate that Kashima Shrine has become haunted.

After all, it contains artifacts with a history of several hundred years.

With the increasing number of paranormal events and urban legends, it's not entirely unacceptable that precious treasures might develop their own spirits and begin to cause trouble.

It's better than believing that the pink Fall Guys will stand up and beat up the supernatural to protect ordinary people, right?

These battered black cars only added to the mystery surrounding Kashima Shrine.

Zatoichi got out of the car, his hand tightly gripping the empty scabbard, while his driver, a man in a suit, picked up a briefcase from the back seat, bowed slightly to Zatoichi, and said, "Lord Zatoichi, please allow me to take my leave first, as I must report back."

Zatoichi nodded, and the man in the suit turned and left.

Chapter 297 Kashima Yoonzo's Land

The same scene unfolded next to each car: many men in suits, almost identical except for their appearance, carrying silver briefcases, bowed slightly to their masters before turning and leaving.

They walked out from beside the car, gathered together, and formed a long line to walk into the path leading to the large torii gate. They were all expressionless and looked like a group of robots.

The number of briefcases collected far exceeded the number of tasks completed.

...Those guys who died because they failed to complete the mission, they became the spoils of the mission, and they too would be packed into the briefcase.

Zatoichi watched the departing figures in black suits, his face expressionless.

This is Kashima Yoshizo, an organization that sometimes seems too cruel, but it is precisely because of this that Kashima Yoshizo is able to gather a large number of evil spirits who worship power.

"Hey, Zatoichi-san, what's wrong? You look so disheveled."

Someone next to me let out a lewd, sly laugh.

Zatoichi glanced sideways and saw a sly-looking old man approaching him, a long sword strapped to his waist.

Although the short old man looked unremarkable, and his kimono was filthy and covered in stains, his sword was polished to a shine, with even the hilt gleaming.

"Ah... Izu no Kami Muneharu, you're still alive." Zatoichi clearly looked down on this man, squinting his eyes and speaking in an unfriendly tone.

"Hehe, thanks to you, isn't that right?" Izumori Muneharu rubbed his hands together, appearing somewhat obsequious, and glanced at Zatoichi's scabbard, which was now empty of its blade, a barely perceptible glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"What, you want to fight me just because you see I don't have a sword?" Zatoichi sneered, paused on the scabbard in his hand, and stared intently at Izumori Muneharu: "Fine, then let's see if you can beat this old man without a sword."

Izumori Muneharu's lips twitched. He quickly looked away and laughed awkwardly, "Hahaha... Zatoichi-san is really joking. I'm just an ordinary human being. How could I possibly defeat such a powerful evil spirit as you?"