Tokyo: My Hundred Demon Scroll

Furthermore, fate here is not a closed loop; there is no scenario where Chihiro dies because I foresaw her death and then did something that led to this misfortune.

Predicting the future is the result of deduction; it is one possibility for the future.

This is based on the premise that Gu Yun does not actively influence it.

Without external forces, fate will follow this path.

Conversely, when Gu Yun gets involved, fate will be changed.

"Where is the protective charm?"

Gu Yun thought of the amulet he had given to Qian Xun, which was his latest creation and contained his extremely powerful spiritual energy.

In theory, Gu Yun doesn't need to worry; this protective charm is sufficient to ward off curses and dangers from higher-level demons.

But now?

The amulet did not react at all.

Is it because the child wasn't wearing an amulet?

Gu Yun thought it was unlikely, because he had applied a shallow illusion to the amulet, which would make the wearer want to carry it with them.

Whether it's hanging around the neck or placed in a pocket, it's almost always carried close to the body, making it impossible to forget.

It has comprehensive protective functions and its protective range is extremely wide, even preventing accidents such as car accidents, falling off cliffs, and encountering perverts.

Therefore, with double insurance, Gu Yun did not think that Qianxun would lose the protective charm.

"The opponent's magical power is very strong."

The protective barrier remained completely unresponsive, unable to transmit even the slightest message. This was the first time Gu Yun had encountered such an opponent.

He made a careful assessment, using his own shikigami as a reference.

"Only someone at least as strong as Sister Hua could do that."

The red spider lily is the spirit of ecology, and such beings are few and far between in every world.

"Now we're in trouble..."

Gu Yun was somewhat worried. He looked at Yu Yao and said, "Xiao Yu, prepare the divine chariot."

"Ah."

Yu Yao summoned his chariot, while Gu Yun performed divination to determine Qian Xun's location, only to find that no such person could be found.

"I…"

Gu Yun awkwardly released his hand seal: "No such person found? What situation would result in no such person found?"

It's not that we can't find them, it's that there's no such person.

"Have they disappeared due to ghost stories?"

Clearly, only those who have disappeared from public view will receive a "no such person found" response.

The traces of the other party's existence in this world have been erased.

"Beep~~Beep~~"

Once aboard the carriage, Gu Yun called Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Shizuka?"

"Is there something you need, Gu Yun?"

It's only 7 o'clock, there's still plenty of time, and Jing Ke'ai is still snuggled in bed, sleeping in late.

Chihiro.

"What happened to Chihiro?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka was taken aback, and asked with some confusion.

Do you know Chihiro?

"..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Is Chihiro from our class? Of course I know."

Why are you asking me this? That's strange.

'Xiao Jing still remembers Qian Xun; she's not dead yet.'

If someone is simply missing, people will at most fill in the blanks in their minds about their disappearance.

But if the other person dies, everything related to that person will be erased from everyone's memory.

Hiratsuka Shizuka has no spiritual power, but the fact that she can remember Chihiro means the girl is still alive.

"Hello? Hello!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "What exactly happened? Is Chihiro in trouble?"

Chihiro was a member of a girl group when Hiratsuka Shizuka was in elementary school.

They got along very well and were very close friends.

Upon hearing Gu Yun's question, Hiratsuka Shizuka also began to worry about Chihiro.

"She has disappeared without a trace."

Gu Yun explained the current situation to Hiratsuka Shizuka and said, "So Shizuka, could you do me a favor and send me a message every 5 minutes?"

The message contained only two words: Chihiro.

When Hiratsuka Shizuka stops sending messages, it means the word 'Chihiro' has disappeared from her phone.

Along with her memories, they also disappeared.

"I see."

Knowing how terrifying the disappearance was, Hiratsuka Shizuka picked up her phone and began to play the role of the woman behind Gu Yun.

Let's go back to the morning of that day.

Chihiro feels extremely guilty after learning about her brother's existence and the truth about his death. Her mother, Yuko Ogino, has a change of heart and decides to take her daughter back to their hometown to pay respects to her deceased son.

The Ogino family originally lived in a quaint village named after the nearby Kohaku River, which was called Kohaku-go.

Pergawa Township is not large; it is located deep in the mountains. Apart from the elderly, almost all the young people in the village have left to work in cities in Japan.

"It's right in front."

Akio Ogino drove the car, while his wife and daughter sat in the back seat, where many gifts had been delivered.

Chihiro Ogino's grandparents also live in Hakukawa Township. During holidays, the Ogino family would return there to visit their elders.

Of course, they wouldn't reveal Chihiro's secrets.

That was a taboo for the Ogino family.

But before this time, the Ogino couple would always avoid Chihiro and secretly visit their deceased child.

In Japan, many people have the custom of setting up shrines in their homes for deceased elders and descendants.

The ancestral hall is small, just a shrine with memorial tablets for the deceased inside.

There is a small chime on the side. People who come to worship strike it and then put their hands together in remembrance.

The Ogino family obviously wouldn't set up something like that.

But after today, they will probably take the child home and worship him.

"Haven't you seen your grandparents in a long time?"

Yuko Ogino stroked her daughter's hair. After talking to the child, her inner conflict was resolved, and she was no longer afraid to look Chihiro in the eye. Her overall demeanor also improved a lot.

If a high-level sorcerer were to use their ability to see ghosts to observe her, they should be able to see the faint glow emanating from Yuuko's side.

That is the blessing of the benevolent gods.

Although it is very rare, it is indeed a blessing from the gods.

Chihiro Ogino was a kind and gentle boy. To save his sister who had fallen into the water, he jumped into the Kohaku River without hesitation and ultimately gave his own life to bring Chihiro back to safety.

The snail had told the couple that humans could become gods.

The "becoming" here does not mean being deified.

It's more like a state blessed by benevolent gods.

People who die for others may be chosen by benevolent deities and become new gods if they meet certain conditions.

This is similar to being cursed by resentment and twisted into a demon.

The benevolent spirits of the Kohaku River witnessed Ogino Chihaya saving his sister and were so captivated by it that they made the 12-year-old boy the new river spirit.

Of course, the Ogino family was unaware of this.

The snail had made a special trip to see the Amber Master, but the River God boy had already forgotten his identity.

There is always a price to pay for a human becoming a god.

If he can retain his memories, is he a human or a god?

Just like cultural identity, sometimes ethnicity, or even race, can seem less important, and the same is true for deities.

If Chihiro Ogino were still alive and received the blessing in human form, he would still be human.

Unfortunately, he is dead.

In this way, it is equivalent to a rebirth, starting a completely new journey.

'Don't you remember anything?'

The snail, after talking to the boy, realized this and hoped that he could protect the residents of Pochuan Township so that they could live happily under the protection of the river god.

What no one expected was that Pochuan Township was filled in by humans.

The homeless river god lost his home and sadly left this land.

The snail even went to look for him specifically because of this.

Unfortunately, the other party went to the afterlife, a place that humans can never set foot in.

Even with the snail's magic and connections, there was no way to travel to the next life.

"Alright, you can get off now."