Japanese Terrorist: What? I'll fight Hellstar!

Two people stood at the edge of the hall, beside the side door leading to the inner courtyard.

One was a young woman dressed in a dark kimono, her sash tightly tied, outlining her slender waist. She looked at the couple surrounded by guests not far away, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Who are those two people?"

Tsuneki Maaya withdrew her gaze and asked the servant beside her.

The servant replied in a low voice, "Young lady, those are guests invited by Lord Eide. The man's surname is Amamiya, and the woman's surname is Kawakami."

"Uncle Yingchu?"

Tsuneki Maaya's brows furrowed even more.

That uncle, who came from a collateral branch, was uneducated and only knew how to revolve around women.

And... Kawakami?

This surname made Tsuneki Maaya's heart skip a beat.

In the past two days, while socializing with her family in Tokyo, she heard some rumors that her uncle, Eishu, had invited a taboo person who shouldn't have been invited to the mayor's banquet last time.

but……

Her gaze fell once again on Meat-Gai Tomie.

That face was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, but her figure... was just too muscular.

His shoulders were much wider than those of an average woman, and the muscle definition in his arms was visible even under long sleeves. He sat with an imposing posture, exuding an irrepressible masculine aura.

Women are more likely to attract other women than men, right?

No! It should be said that he appeals to both men and women, except that most of the female guests were attracted to Mr. Amamiya next to him.

Tsuneki Maaya's gaze shifted to Amamiya Rin, and their eyes briefly met in the air.

Amamiya Rin nodded slightly and then looked away.

Tsuneki Maaya's gaze lingered on Amamiya Rin's face for a few more seconds.

That face was indeed handsome, with sharp features, strong brow bones, and a dignified air of heroism. He also had a strong and well-proportioned physique, with broad shoulders. He sat there with his back straight, and the outline of his muscles could be seen under his suit. His calm and masculine temperament made people inexplicably want to take a second look.

There must be a mistake, right? Although she's quite charming, she doesn't seem like the legendary enchantress.

Tsuneki Maaya's fingers tightened slightly as she handed the teacup to the servant beside her, smoothed the wrinkles in her kimono, and walked over unhurriedly.

The guests who had been fawning over Tomie and Rin Amamiya, upon seeing Tsuneki Maaya approaching, instinctively fell silent, bowed slightly, and stepped aside. Tsuneki Eiji was taken aback for a moment, but immediately became more reserved.

Although Toki Maaya is a girl, she is still the eldest daughter of the main family, and her status in the family is slightly higher than that of Toki Eichu, who is from a collateral branch.

"My niece, Maaya, what brings you here?"

Chang Xiying greeted Chang Xizhen with a proper smile.

"Uncle Yingchu, is this gentleman your guest?"

Tsuneki Maaya's gaze fell on Amamiya Rin, and she gave a perfectly timed smile.

"He is Amamiya Rin, a friend of Kawakami-san."

Chang Xiying wanted to click her tongue, but considering the occasion, she held back and introduced Yu Gonglin in a cold tone.

Tsuneki Maaya immediately understood.

Her uncle's thoughts were written all over his face. He had probably taken a liking to Miss Kawakami for a long time and tried every means to invite her over, but she completely ignored him. She also had such a handsome male companion with her. He had no choice but to invite Amamiya Rin over as well.

I never expected that Uncle Yingchu, who is always so arrogant, would be so humble in order to please a woman.

A sense of absurdity flashed through Toki Maaya's mind, but she showed no sign of it on her face. She turned around to face Amamiya Rin, bowed slightly, and performed a perfect standing salute that was flawless.

"Hello, I am Toki Maaya, the eldest daughter of the Toki family."

Tsuneki Maaya greeted Amamiya Rin with a clear and gentle voice, displaying the demeanor of a well-bred young lady.

"I apologize for disturbing you."

"Miss Changxi, you're too kind."

Amamiya Rin stood up and nodded in return. He was very tall, and the moment he stood up, the guests who were originally surrounding him subconsciously took a half step back so as not to have to look up at Amamiya Rin.

His voice was calm and gentle, with a slow and steady rhythm, like a summer evening breeze brushing across a calm water surface. It was not aggressive at all, but rather full of tolerance and comfort, making people feel inexplicably at ease and comfortable.

Hearing that gentle, soothing voice, Toki Maaya's gaze towards Amamiya Rin softened even more.

The initial wariness and probing in her heart had long since vanished without her realizing it, replaced by a fondness that she herself hadn't even noticed.

"Today is my younger brother's wedding banquet. It's a family gathering with many guests. Please forgive me if there is anything I haven't done well in terms of hospitality."

"It's so sweet," said Tsuneki Maaya softly, her eyes gentle and tender.

"Thank you, Miss Changxi. I'm just not used to noisy occasions. I hope you'll forgive me."

Amamiya Rin replied politely.

"I see."

Tsuneki Maaya's gaze swept over the noisy crowd in the hall, looked at the clock on the wall, turned back, her eyes filled with anticipation, her heart inexplicably racing, and extended an invitation to Amamiya Rin.

"The auspicious time for the divorce banquet is still almost half an hour away. The main hall is crowded and noisy, and since you don't like this environment, sir, the late-blooming cherry blossoms in the backyard have just opened these past few days. They're perfect for viewing at sunset, and it's quiet there too. Would you be willing to come with me for a stroll in the courtyard, sir?"

She was startled when she said those words. As the eldest daughter of the main branch of the Changxi clan, inviting a man she had only known for less than half an hour to the courtyard alone was far too unladylike.

But looking into Yu Gonglin's calm eyes and listening to his reassuring voice, all she wanted was to find a quiet place to have a deep conversation with him.

"Maaya—!"

Seeing this, the veins on Chang Xiying's forehead throbbed. He couldn't help but call out Chang Xizhenling's name, wanting to lash out, but he controlled his emotions due to the occasion.

Damn it! What the hell is going on? First it was Ms. Tomie, then Ms. Kawakami, and now his niece has inexplicably developed feelings for this guy. What's so great about this poor guy? He's just a little handsome and has a good physique, isn't he?

Chang Xiying gritted her teeth, her eyes seeming to spit fire.

The smile on Tsuneki Maaya's face faded, and her eyes showed a hint of displeasure.

"I was just seeing that our distinguished guest wasn't used to noise, so I was helping out by showing him around the family courtyard. Is there anything wrong with that? Or does Uncle Yingchu think I lack the proper manners for entertaining guests?"

As the eldest daughter of the main branch of the family, she already held a higher status in the clan than Chang Xiying, who was from a collateral branch. This question immediately left Chang Xiying speechless.

"No...there's nothing wrong with it."

Chang Xiying suppressed her anger and said with a forced smile.

"What does Mr. Amamiya think?"

Tsuneki Maaya turned around and looked intently at Amamiya Rin.

"That is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask."

Amamiya Rin nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Her faint smile seemed to melt away the twilight in Tsuneki Maaya's heart.

"Thank you for showing me the way, Miss Changxi."

As she spoke, Amamiya Rin turned to look at the musume-kai Tomie beside her and gave her a subtle glance.

Meat-modified Tomie was already annoyed when she saw Toki Maaya talking to Amamiya Rin. Now that she saw the two of them going out alone, her brows furrowed even more. Just as she was about to explode, she met Amamiya Rin's calm but unquestionable gaze.

She clicked her tongue, turned her head away, and suppressed her displeasure, turning it into a burning anger within her.

Ignoring Tomie's attitude, Toki Maaya turned around and led the way, leading Amamiya Rin out of the hall through the side door and into the courtyard behind.

As soon as you enter the courtyard, the fresh scent of grass and trees wafts over you, isolating you from the noise and smell of alcohol in the hall.

This is a typical Japanese dry landscape garden, with white sand paving the ground, stacked stones forming a mountain, and the branches of several late-blooming cherry trees stretching out at an angle. When the wind blows, the pink and white petals fall down in a flurry.

One by one, the white wooden lanterns under the eaves lit up, their warm yellow light filtering through the washi paper and casting dappled shadows on the ground, mirroring the falling cherry blossoms.

"This Tsunegi Shrine is the clan shrine that has been passed down through generations of the Tsunegi family. Apart from the rituals and family ceremonies, outsiders rarely set foot here. Even members of the clan and close family friends only come here when they are worshipping the spirits of the Tsunegi clan's ancestors, such as the Kuzunomiya-no-Mikoto and the Tsunegi clan's ancestors."

Tsuneki Maaya walked beside her, introducing the Tsuneki family's territory to Amamiya Rin.

"Katsunomiya no Mikoto? This deity's name sounds somewhat unfamiliar."

Amamiya Rin paused for half a second, her eyebrows slightly raised, her tone carrying just the right amount of doubt.

In this world filled with ghosts, gods, and the bizarre, every unfamiliar deity's name often represents unknown dangers and evil.

Or rather, it represents the plot of a Japanese horror manga, game, or TV series.

After all, while Japan is said to have eight million gods, that's just a figure of speech. Those who are qualified to be worshipped have proper names—for example, after their names there is a character that symbolizes their divine status, "命" (life).

Amaterasu no Mikoto, Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, Ōkuninushi no Mikoto, Takamō no Munemi no Mikoto… there are countless examples of deities whose names end with "Mikoto" as a respectful title. The "Mikoto" at the end of a deity's name is an honorific title for the deity or emperor, its core meaning derived from "Goji," "Gogen," or "Gomei," representing the will, decrees, and divine power of the god, symbolizing absolute authority and inviolable divinity.

Kuzunomiya Mikoto, whose title is honorific and who is enshrined in a large family shrine, is definitely not a minor figure.

The fact that she cannot be found among the gods suggests that she is very likely an original character created by a certain work.

"If you're unfamiliar with Kuzunomiya Mikoto, then what about Kuzunoha?"

Tsuneki Maaya turned to look at Amamiya Rin and asked with a smile.

"Kuzuha? The white fox Kuzuha, the mother of the great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei?"

Amamiya Rin immediately understood.

When talking about Kuzunoha, the first thing that comes to mind is naturally the legendary Onmyoji, Abe no Seimei, who was half-human and half-fox.

According to the Tale of Kuzuha, the white fox Kuzuha met and fell in love with Abe no Seimei's father, Abe no Masatsugu. After giving birth to Abe no Seimei, she could no longer remain in the human world and had to leave without saying goodbye. Because Abe no Seimei had a fox spirit as his mother, he inherited powerful spiritual abilities and was born with the ability to see evil spirits or vengeful spirits.

Of course, this is just one story. According to other records, Abe no Seimei's father actually married a lowly entertainer. However, the legend of the white fox Kuzunoha made Abe no Seimei, the great Onmyōji, even more legendary, which greatly helped to consolidate his position.

In real history, Abe no Seimei's mother was likely a street performer, but in this world, the existence of the white fox Kuzunoha is very likely real.

"So the Kuzu no Mikoto that your esteemed household worships is the white fox Kuzu leaf."

Amamiya Rin nodded in agreement, her tone calm and even, yet subtly guiding the conversation deeper into the subject.

"A family that worships fox spirits as their ancestral deity... does that mean the Toki family are descendants of Abe no Seimei?"

"No, it's just some kind of relationship, but not the kind of relationship that involves descendants."

Tsuneki Maaya shook her head.

"Even if they aren't descendants, to be connected to the white fox Kuzunoha, could they be from an Onmyoji family or a Shinto family?"

Amamiya Rin asked tentatively.

"The Toki family is not such a noble family; they are just a representative wealthy and powerful family in the Tokyo area."

Tsuneki Maaya chuckled softly, the curve of her lips carrying a hint of self-deprecation.

"It is said that the heads of the family in each generation were skilled in business, especially in times of turmoil, and accumulated a great fortune. However, although they had money, their reputation was not very good. Whenever there was chaos, the Chang family would make a fortune, and they would always be happy. They would be happy because of natural disasters and man-made calamities. People who were close to the Chang family had all heard similar rumors."

"So, you're just profiting from the national crisis?"

Amamiya Rin summarized it in one sentence.

To put it bluntly, those so-called rumors are just a way for people to make a fortune while the country is in trouble.

Amamiya Rin's words were not very pleasant to hear, but Tsuneki Maaya did not show the slightest anger upon hearing them.

Perhaps it was from the moment they met that she inexplicably trusted the man in front of her. The grievances and dissatisfaction that had been building up in her heart seemed to have found an outlet, and she couldn't help but complain to him.

"Mr. Amamiya, those words are so unfair to the Toki family. For hundreds of years, there have been many people who are jealous of our family. I have heard such slanderous rumors since I was a child and I am used to them. But to hear them from your mouth is really a bit unexpected and hurtful."

The wind carried pink and white cherry blossom petals onto her shoulder. Tsuneki Maaya sighed sadly, raised her hand to gently brush them away, and explained to Amamiya Rin.

"The Chang family has risen from humble beginnings to its current status not by making a fortune during natural disasters or man-made calamities, but by the vision and sense of propriety of successive family heads."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the main hall hidden in the twilight deep within the courtyard, her tone now tinged with a deep-seated reverence.

"Moreover, our Changxi family has worshipped the Gezhi Palace for generations, and our ancestral spirits have always protected our family. Whenever the times are turbulent, the head of the family can receive a warning from the unseen, helping us avoid disaster and seize opportunities that others cannot see. To outsiders, this is what it means to make a fortune in times of chaos, but the common people are ignorant and only think that the Changxi family has made a fortune because they have caused the disaster."

"Yeah?"

Amamiya Rin remained noncommittal, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

If it were an ordinary merchant family, this might simply be the envy and slander of outsiders. But once it involves deities or non-human forces, things are not so simple.