The Legend of Tokyo Taoist

Chapter 832 The Beginning of the War (11)

Super powers, UFOs, ghosts... Since the 1980s, due to the influence of the two major powers during the Cold War, this trend of studying supernatural phenomena has swept the entire world, and Japan is no exception.

Even though that craze has passed, there are still fans who believe in these things. This shows how fanatical the atmosphere was at that time, and almost everyone was discussing those things.

Qian Xiaoyi recalled that in the records passed down by Taoist Lingkong, it seemed that a group of special people did appear briefly at that time due to the influence of group cognition.

"Although at that time, with the bursting of the economic bubble, everyone began to worry about their livelihoods and was unable to take care of themselves, the craze for supernatural research gradually began to subside." Ashiya Yoshisuke continued to tell the story of Amahara Mari: "But Hayafune Katsuhiko still successfully caught the end of this craze, used deception to attract investment, and founded his own supernatural research institute."

Ashiya Yoshisuke paused, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and said, "...As you can see, this institution called [Supernova Children's Potential Development Institute] is, as the name suggests, a children's training institution. Hayafune Katsuhiko claims that he has found the switch that can stimulate superpowers in the human body, and can develop children's potential and allow them to awaken superpowers..."

Ashiya Yoshisuke laughed sarcastically: "These super powers include telekinesis, perspective, hearing images, precognition... and only children have the opportunity to develop super powers because their bodies are not fully developed, so there is a chance to interfere and activate their potential. Adults cannot because their bodies are fixed."

Qian Xiaoyi sneered: "It sounds reasonable, but in fact, children are easier to control and fool, right?"

"That may be true, but we just need to know that he made his fortune from this." Ashiya Kichisuke continued, "In the next few years, by constantly deceiving parents who wanted their children to develop superpowers, Hayafune Katsuhiko's career went smoothly. There was even a TV station that interviewed him at the time. Unfortunately, the information has long been lost and the footage can no longer be found."

"Many people believed that he was the [Godfather of Superpowers], including some employees in his organization. When he was at his most proud, he married a female employee who admired his talent and gave birth to his own daughter, Chizuru Hayafune."

"But the good times didn't last long. After the millennium, the superpower craze faded and the agency's business began to decline. Chizuru Hayafune's mother might have been brainwashed by Katsuhiko Hayafune and believed in the superpower scam. She also wanted her daughter to awaken superpowers, so Katsuhiko Hayafune took advantage of the situation and used Chizuru Hayafune as the signboard of his own agency, packaging her as a genius superpower girl to attract business."

"However, this did not change the decline of this training institution. When those [children with super powers] who had been trained and had grown up, they found out that they had not awakened any super powers. They felt that they had been deceived. So a large number of deceived children and parents came to the door, wanting an explanation and compensation. But when they got there, the Supernova Children's Potential Development Institute had been closed, and all the employees were missing. Hayafune Katsuhiko disappeared from the scene."

Nanajo Masato was very contemptuous: "He ran away with the money."

Hoshiba Ryou stroked his chin and said, "Hayafune Katsuhiko has disappeared, so the next era will be the era of [Amahara Mari], right?"

"That's right." Ashiya Yoshisuke pressed the remote control again, and the next photo appeared. It was exactly what Amahara Mari looked like now. He had a beard, his hair had grown longer, he was wearing a white robe, and he opened his hands, facing the believers like a saint.

"A few years later, a new sect emerged, which we know as the Hope Cult." Ashiya Kichisuke said, "Hayafune Katsuhiko became [Amahara Mari] from then on. He used his original team to form the prototype of the Hope Cult. I'm afraid that the demons saw his talent as a con man and let him establish this sect as a puppet for their activities in the outside world."

Suzuna asked curiously, "But... why is it him? He's just a liar who is being chased around, right? He's said to be talented, but we didn't see how great his talent was. In the end, didn't he just run away?"

Inuyama Heita was a little surprised: "Ms. Suzuna is here too?"

"What do you mean I'm here too? That's so rude!" Ling Na said angrily, "I'm an exorcist after all, okay?"

Ashiya Kichisuke became a little serious: "Suzuna's question is very good. It is indeed a question worth thinking about. So I suspect that it is very likely that Amahara Mari really researched something during his time at the superpower training institution, so the Hundred Demons chose him." "Researched something... Do you mean superpowers?"

"That's impossible! If he really has super powers, he wouldn't run away~"

"Superpowers don't exist."

"What did you say?! If you ask me, not only do superpowers exist, but UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, ghosts, and underground people all exist!"

Just as everyone was discussing their opinions, Qian Xiaoyi said, "That's it, right? Aquarius. During the 'development of children's potential', perhaps due to some tragic accident, Amahara Mari accidentally discovered the method of making Aquarius, or the idea."

After hearing this, everyone suddenly understood.

"That makes sense! Those Aquarians are indeed existences that cannot be ignored."

"But I remember... Aquarius is a monster created by the power of [despair], right? What on earth did he do in a children's training institution to discover such a thing..."

"It sounds like that guy is a really big bastard! He deserves to die!"

Ashiya Kichisuke nodded: "Mr. Qian's speculation is very likely correct. It is probably because of this that Amahara Mari can become a cadre of the Hundred Demons instead of a mere puppet. So far, our Exorcist Alliance has now identified its clear enemy. As exorcists, we only need to perform in our own field. We also have someone to take care of worldly matters."

Masato Nanajo and Mio Tachibana looked at each other and nodded. This was exactly their mission. After hearing what Mari Amahara had done, their fighting spirit became even more intense.

"We've talked about Mari Amahara, so let me introduce the main enemies of the Hope Cult that we exorcists have to deal with." Yoshisuke Ashiya began to operate the remote control.

"First, of course, it's the Patriarch Amahara Mari. I've already talked about his situation. I'll leave it to the strongest among us to deal with."

"Next, his daughter, Chizuru Hayafune, is also known as the "Monster". She may be the most terrifying existence in the Hope Cult. Please be careful when you see her and do not attack her without permission."

Since there were no recent photos of Chizuru Hayafune, Ashiya Yoshisuke could only use her childhood photos instead.

Looking at the photos on the projection screen, Inuyama Heita felt somewhat doubtful and angry.

"One, why would you... help that kind of person?" he thought.

(End of this chapter)