Tokyo people don't talk about Wude

Chapter 443, Section 440: The First Spark

Yuji Suzuki stood under the bright lights of the central broadcasting station at the NHK broadcasting station, took a deep breath, and kept encouraging himself in his mind.

He, an unremarkable former delinquent who needs to dye his hair blonde to make himself stand out, is standing on the largest radio station in Wano Country tonight, giving a speech in front of the entire nation, just like an international superstar.

Everything was so magical that he had so much to say, but didn't know where to begin.

His mind was filled with Hanami's adorable smile and all the little moments he shared with his beloved girlfriend—was Hanami doing well now? Was she watching his live stream?

He inexplicably thought of Kyushu's hearty smile again—if he didn't perform well on stage, would that smile really disappear forever?

"can we start?"

A deep voice brought him back to his senses; it was Mishima Jack urging him on.

Yuji Suzuki took a deep breath and, as if making a firm decision, threw away his speech notes.
"let's start!"

The other two nodded, signaling that the others were ready.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the advertising screens, mobile phones, televisions and other devices on the streets of Tokyo started flashing, and the images were forcibly switched to the NHK emergency news channel.

The scene from five days ago is being reenacted.

"Hey, hey, hey, Yoroshiku~~~ Everyone in Wano Country, can you hear me?"

On the screen, three somewhat carefree high school students stand under the spotlight. They seem wilder than "ordinary students," yet more serious than delinquents.

They all looked excited, like they were high.

The boy in the very center deliberately imitated the arrogant tone of a biker gang when he greeted them, and his voice instantly spread to every corner of Tokyo through countless electronic devices, lingering for a long time.

After exchanging the first greeting, Suzuki Yuujin paused. Perhaps due to excessive excitement, his mind suddenly went blank.

Genji Takatsuki decisively took the microphone and roared in a rude Kansai trilled 'r':
"Hey!! You cowards who've tucked your scrotums into your bellies! What are you doing? Are you scared just because that old monster did a few acrobatics in the sky?!"

This rude remark was like a slap in the face, striking everyone hard. Many viewers, who had been immersed in despair and fervor, couldn't help but frown and show embarrassment.

Ryujin Shinsei in the sky seemed to have heard it too, turning his head to look in the direction of the NHK radio station, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"You shameful cowards! The Ash Hero shouldn't have come to save you!" Takatsuki Genji's neck was flushed red, his voice deafening, and hoarse and cracking.
"Look up, look at him!! Who do you think he fought for all this time?! Your wavering expressions! Your shameful thoughts! Do you deserve his blood and sweat?!"

"What 30%? I'm bad at math, so who cares about percentages—one percent or one hundred percent is none of my business!!"

"What right does that old monster have to decide our lives? Are we his pawns?! Why does war have to happen? It's clearly not the fault of other countries! What basis does he have for saying that starting a war will make this country better? Are you all idiots? Even elementary school students wouldn't believe such illogical nonsense, you morons!!"

"Think it through carefully! That old monster is no good person; he's a complete madman! You ungrateful and shameful bastards, wake up and see why you're all like this!!"

After finishing speaking in one breath, Genji Takatsuki couldn't stop panting, as if he had sucked all the air out of his lungs.

Tang Zegui took the microphone and spoke calmly but with great excitement:
"The three of us used to be high school classmates in Ash Heroes! We were originally a bunch of hopeless delinquents! Just idle scum who caused trouble everywhere!"

"But he saved us. He taught us a lesson and then told us that we could actually change and choose a different life!"

"So with his help and encouragement, we all graduated from high school with excellent grades! I got into law school and plan to become a lawyer! Takatsuki plans to lead the school team to Koshien this year and become a professional baseball player! Even Suzuki, that good-for-nothing guy, got into university and found a super hot girlfriend!"

"Can you imagine? Scum like us actually achieved what we have today! Without him, our lives would definitely be bleak! We know very well that he's always been that kind of person. Even when he's covered in wounds, he's always thinking about other people!"

"He's not a traitor to the country, much less a terrorist! He's always been fighting to save others! He's the bravest, gentlest, and greatest man I've ever met!!"

"And I believe he hasn't given up yet! He absolutely won't lose! So..."

Tang Zegui shouted until tears streamed down his face:

"You all better stay alert, you bastards! Don't be fooled by this old devil's words! He will definitely come back and blast that damned false god down from the sky! He'll give us all a peaceful world!!"

Yuji Suzuki patted Takasho Karasawa on the shoulder, gesturing for him to go aside and wipe his tears, while he took the microphone himself.

Their words ignited the guilt and anger burning within him like fire. Amplified by the [Sage's Elixir], these emotions threatened to scorch his reason. He raised the microphone, took a deep breath—this time, he could no longer hesitate, nor would he back down:
"Listen up, everyone! The Ash Hero is not dead! He can still be saved!"

Following Kagari Otonashi's instructions, Suzuki Yuujin picked up his phone and showed the screen to everyone:
"Take out your phones and open the [Gensokyo Website]! Look at this, everyone!!"

The screen displays a voting page:
Do you believe in the existence of Gensokyo?
"Yes"

"Exit the website"

But the next second, Suzuki Yujin's phone screen flickered, and the voting changed to:

Do you believe in the existence of Gensokyo?
"Yes"

"unnecessary"

"This fraudulent poll had us completely fooled before, but now it's time for us to fight back!" Suzuki Yuji continued:

"If everyone chooses 'no,' we can weaken the false god's power and rescue our great hero!! We should have the right to refuse; we must stop this war and let the false god's conspiracy go to hell!"

The viewers in front of the screen were stunned for a moment, and many people began to search for their phones, their fingers trembling as they opened web pages.

Just as the boy said, a "not needed" option was added to the voting page.

Can selecting "not needed" really reverse the situation?

The public remains skeptical, but many are beginning to waver, their fingers hovering over the option, eager to give it a try.

All of this was naturally Chen Han's doing, a masterpiece he created using the [Izanami Core] privileges.

Due to previous revelations by the "Shattered Dreams Organization," the public knows that Ryujin Undying Inoue is using this website to plunder people's souls through voting.

Everyone who has chosen "yes" has voluntarily surrendered the ownership of their soul, a choice that can never be reversed.

Chen Han, using his core privileges, launched a new poll with similar functionality on the Gensokyo website.

However, unlike before, this vote gave people the right to "refuse".

Whenever someone selects "not needed," the core receives an incorrect interference message and temporarily loses control over that person's soul. Although only temporary, this greatly increases the computational load on the [Izanami Core], reduces its efficiency and control over soul energy, thus causing Ryujin Shinazugin's power to spiral out of control.

In other words, the more people choose "not needed," the weaker Ryujin Shinazugin will become in a short period of time, and he may even suffer a backlash.

This is the maximum interference Chen Han can achieve using "Alter," provided that the public cooperates.

Kagari Otonashi will seize the opportunity to use Sirius's sniper bullet to enter Shinzoin Ryujin's body and deliver the final blow.

But will everything really go as they wish?

"Noisy."

Just as the people's hopes were rising again, the six-armed figure in the sky slowly raised its finger.

Ryujin Shinazugin's all-seeing gaze locked onto the NHK television broadcasting studio:
"Shut these insects! Pierce through, Senbonzakura—!"

A near-tangible surge of true energy instantly condensed at his fingertips—

"Whoosh-!"

In an instant, his true energy transformed into a thick beam of energy, as thick as a coiled dragon, tearing through the night sky with a pinkish-white afterimage like cherry blossoms, and shooting straight toward the NHK studio.

"Boom!!!"

Light streaked through the air, followed by a deafening roar. A huge hole was instantly blasted through the broadcasting building, and flames shot skyward.

The live stream signal was immediately cut off, and the screen fell into static and silence.

In an instant, the entire city stared in disbelief, their faces deathly pale, as the glimmer of hope was extinguished once more.

"Monster, monster!"

"If we disobey him, will we also die a miserable death like this?"

"No! Help! Don't kill me! I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

A profound sense of oppression spread rapidly through the city like a cold wave. People lowered their heads, once again sinking into fear and helplessness, unable to look up at the six-armed, god-like figure standing in the sky.

Ryuma Shinseiin's voice once again resounded over Tokyo, deep yet firm, like a divine pronouncement:
"Since they admit to having connections with the leader of the rebels, they were accomplices. Now that the rebels have been executed, their seditious lies will cease to exist!"

The pronouncement of the verdict seemed to silence the entire city of Tokyo. It was as if even the sound of breathing had vanished from the city, leaving only the sound of wind and rain battering the crumbling walls.

Just when things seemed to have settled, a familiar young voice suddenly pierced through the static screen and slowly rang out:
"Hey cough cough, that was close! You old geezer, why do you resort to violence when you can't win an argument?!"

Immediately afterwards, two more flippant voices interrupted:

"This is what they call a god? His magnanimity is nothing special! Hahaha!"

"Listen up, everyone in Tokyo—we're still alive! That false god can't kill us!!"

The scene abruptly returned to normal. Smoke and dust filled the air, the studio was dilapidated, and the background consisted only of broken tiles and ruins.

But the three delinquent teenagers reappeared in front of the camera, looking disheveled and grinning foolishly.

Ryuma Shinazugin's attack just now was indeed precisely aimed at the studio; theoretically, it was impossible for him to miss, but—

"What's going on? My power has gone out of control?" Ryujin Shinazugin's expression changed. His right index finger trembled uncontrollably, as if it were no longer under his control.

Just as he was about to fire the "destructive ray," he felt a sudden surge of power within him, causing his aim to falter at the crucial moment, and the shot went astray by several meters.

It was this slight deviation that caused his attack to miss its mark, giving these three wretched brats the chance to mock him, the "god"!
Almost instantly, Ryujin Shinji understood what was going on.

"Kagoya Otonashi, you persistent, vengeful insect—" he gritted his teeth, barely managing to maintain the composure expected of a "god."

He had already guessed that it must be because the [Izanami Core] was interfered with, which caused his power to go out of control.

This very mistake caused him to lose his dignity as a "god"!

"You troublesome brats, I'll deal with you right now—" Ryujin Shinazuma's anger surged, and he raised his finger again, but suddenly his breath caught in his throat, and the true energy that was about to gather in his palm instantly dissipated:

"Damn it, these vile insects have gotten out of control again!!"

Meanwhile, in the NHK studio, Yujin Suzuki forced a stiff smile at the re-erected camera, his legs trembling violently, and his trousers were soaked, with water dripping from the cuffs, though he himself was unaware of it.

He hadn't expected that old monster to be so ruthless, unleashing a "destructive ray" at the slightest provocation.

Turning his head to glance at the ruins beside him, still emitting thick smoke and lava, the strong stench of burning flesh filled his nostrils, almost causing Suzuki Yuji's heart to stop.

He was just a few steps away from death.

If it weren't for the [Sage's Elixir] holding him back, he would have fainted from fright long ago, or simply been killed by the aftershocks of the attack.

But he was still a man of courage. Since he had survived such a close call, he was determined to get revenge on that old devil!
With this thought in mind, Yuji Suzuki raised both middle fingers at the camera and laughed mischievously:
"Hahaha! You self-proclaimed god, you stinking old man, all you're good for is talking! In the end, you can't even kill a few of us delinquents! You piece of trash! False god!"

With blood streaming down half his face, Genji Takatsuki lunged forward, snatched the microphone, and roared, "See that, Ryujin Undeadin! We're still alive! You can't kill us! We will never surrender to you! Ash Heroes will not lose to a third-rate like you!!!"

Tang Zegui pulled out his cracked phone, tapping away furiously: "Everyone! We 'don't need' any Gensokyo! This kind of thing is utterly worthless! This country 'doesn't need' war, and we don't want this old devil deciding our future!!!"

Faced with life and death, the three men were stirred to their blood, their emotions rising higher and higher.

Their unrestrained laughter and hoarse shouts gradually began to infect the people of the city.

Many people gripped their phones tightly, their eyes fixed intently on the "not needed" button on the screen.

People are afraid, people are confused, people are hesitant.
then
"Ash Heroes! Ash Heroes! Ash Heroes!!"

Somewhere on a street in Tokyo, a child's voice rang out first, a child's desperate shout.

Immediately, like a spark igniting a prairie fire, shouts rose and fell, shaking the heavens and the earth.

(End of this chapter)