Japanese Terrorist: What? I'll fight Hellstar!

"Ms. Igarashi, is that right? Please continue."

Amamiya Rin looked at Igarashi Sakiko, his gentle words like a spring breeze. Igarashi Sakiko's breathing unconsciously slowed down in line with Amamiya Rin's pace of speech, and the turbulent emotions she had just felt calmed down like a wave that had been soothed.

"Well, actually... I don't know much either."

She lowered her eyes, looking at the crushed cherry blossoms at her feet, her voice lowered, tinged with embarrassment.

"Even the fox spirit worshipped by the Changxi family... I only made sense of it when this young lady mentioned it just now, something about disappearing into the shadows and being sacrificed to the fox. Because fox spirit worship is prevalent in Rongzhiqiu, and the Changxi family has some influence in Rongzhiqiu."

Sakiko Igarashi's gaze wandered, and she raised a finger and gently scratched her cheek.

"So, you only have a superficial understanding, yet you come out here and speak so presumptuously?"

Tsuneki Maaya laughed in exasperation.

Is this woman some kind of self-important, delusional person with delusions of grandeur? Just because of some inexplicable associations, she comes out and spouts all sorts of nonsensical nonsense.

"Because I can see."

Sakiko Igarashi straightened her chest, her eyes shining, and looked at Rin Amamiya.

"see?"

Amamiya Rin's eyelids twitched.

Speaking of "seeing"...

"You're Ultraman, right?"

Sakiko Igarashi pointed at Rin Amamiya and said confidently.

These words struck like a thunderbolt in the cherry blossom-strewn courtyard, making even the warm light of the lanterns under the eaves seem to flicker, and the air instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Tsuneki Maaya was stunned for a full three seconds before she sneered, her coldness and anxiety replaced by utter absurdity.

"Ultraman? Ms. Igarashi, what nonsense are you spouting? How could such a childish tokusatsu character possibly exist? I think you're not a psychic after all, just a delusional chuunibyou!"

As if she had heard the funniest joke in the world, her eyebrows were raised high.

As she spoke, she glanced at Yu Gonglin, hoping to see a supportive expression on his face, but what she saw instead was a hint of helplessness.

Amamiya Rin wiped her face.

An oversight!

Amamiya Rin realized that he had overlooked something.

To superpowered individuals and some aliens, Ultraman's human form is usually just a bright, shining light bulb.

Although this is not the Ultraman universe, and he is not an official Ultraman, his soul is in the form of a giant of light. If he has the ability to see through ghosts, it would not be surprising if he could see through his true identity.

Fortunately, he didn't go to the Metropolitan Police Department because he was with Tomie. If Ranko Inudo had seen him, she probably would have immediately recognized him as Ultraman Seven, who appeared in Saeki's haunted house.

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, an ordinary person like you who can't see the light would never understand."

Sakiko Igarashi glanced disdainfully at Maaya Toki, her gaze fixed firmly on Rin Amamiya, her eyes shining brightly, and she spoke loudly.

"Absolutely right, Amamiya Rin, you are Ultraman! Ultraman Seven who appeared in Nerima Ward yesterday! I could see him! I saw him the moment he walked into the hall. The light emanating from you, that warm light, it was definitely Ultraman."

Sakiko Igarashi's cheeks flushed an unnatural red with excitement, and she looked like an explorer who had discovered a new continent, her gaze fixed on Rin Amamiya so intense it seemed to burn two holes in him.

"You're crazy. Even if country bumpkins are superstitious, they wouldn't be so superstitious as to believe Ultraman is real, would they?"

Tsuneki Maaya couldn't see through Amamiya Rin's thoughts, but she herself wouldn't accept Igarashi Sakiko's statement.

Moreover, as the eldest daughter of the Toki family, she had been preparing for the wedding banquet these past few days and knew nothing about the Giant of Light in Nerima Ward, only thinking that Igarashi Sakiko was talking nonsense.

"I can't believe my sister-in-law has a relative like you. I hope that after she marries into the Changxi family, she'll have less contact with the friends she made in the countryside."

Toki Maaya looked at Igarashi Sakiko with disdain, and her tone became stiff and cold.

As a young lady from a prominent family in the Tokyo area, this attitude is understandable.

Outside of Tokyo, everything is in the countryside, and Ebisu Hill, where Sakiko Igarashi and Hinako Fukami were born, is the real countryside.

Looking at Igarashi Sakiko, whose face was full of certainty and whose attitude was excited, Amamiya Rin remained silent for two seconds, then nodded slightly, without any intention of denying it, which can be regarded as acknowledging Ultraman's identity in front of Igarashi Sakiko.

"I knew it! I was right!"

The moment she received the tacit approval, Sakiko Igarashi's cheeks flushed bright red, and she almost jumped up on the spot. She quickly covered her mouth to suppress the scream that was about to come out of her throat, and even her breathing became rapid.

In fact, Sakiko Igarashi has mild autism, according to hospital tests.

Because she claimed to be able to see things that others couldn't, often talked to some unseen being, and was terrified of the dark—but she really could see ghosts and spirits, though no one believed her, and everyone thought she was a weirdo.

However, it was neither a ghost nor a god; now, she saw Ultraman!

That's Ultraman! If I could become Ultraman's partner, so what if I'm considered a monster? Forget autism, even severe depression would be cured.

"Ms. Igarashi, what else do you know about today's wedding banquet? You can't just have some guesses and assume this wedding is a sacrifice, can you?"

Rin Amamiya pressed Sakiko Igarashi for an answer.

He didn't believe that the girl really only had a superficial understanding, and that seeing the light emanating from him was enough for her to run out and slander Chang Xijia.

"I don't know much about the Changxi family. I only know that, if I'm not mistaken, the fox spirit worshipped by the Changxi family should be the same fox spirit that is popular in our Rongzhigaoka. But... that fox spirit is not very proper."

Sakiko Igarashi rubbed her cheeks with both hands, trying to calm herself down. She took a deep breath, and the rise and fall of her chest gradually subsided, but her gaze towards Rin Amamiya was still full of longing.

"I come from the Thousand-Year-Old Cedar Shrine. Although we also enshrine fox spirits, hundreds of years ago, we enshrined the local sacred tree. According to records, the sacred tree was suddenly struck by lightning one day. The villagers judged that the sacred tree could no longer protect them, so they chose to enshrine the second oldest fox spirit to suppress the legendary water dragon that spewed poison. However... it seems that the sacred tree did not perish. It once entered my dream, asking me to revive the shrine and telling me that the shrine had been taken over by an evil god. But the next day, the fox spirit also entered my dream, saying that the shrine could not be revived and that the reason the shrine was abandoned was because it had worshipped the evil god that had entered my dream the day before."

As she spoke, Sakiko Igarashi pouted, somewhat dissatisfied, or rather, resentful.

Her biggest dream is to inherit the Millennium Sugi Shrine and become its head priest.

Two deities appeared in her dream; one told her to revive the shrine, and the other told her to abandon it. Clearly, she was more willing to believe the former deity's revelation in her dream, because the former's request was more in line with her wishes.

"The fox spirit even threatened me, scolding me as a foolish shrine maiden who dared to serve an evil god, and threatened to crush my head. That fox spirit was definitely not the benevolent fox of legend! Oh, and I also once saw the fox spirit and Uka no Mitama Kami fighting atop the fox spirit statue. Uka no Mitama Kami's attendant was a fox, that is, a fox spirit, but the fox spirit seized Uka no Mitama Kami's throne..."

Sakiko Igarashi began to speak rapidly, her words growing faster and faster, as if she had finally found an outlet for words she had been holding back for too long.

However, as she spoke, Amamiya Rin's expression gradually became strange.

Why is Uka no Mitama Kami appearing again? That looks like Miketsu-no-Kami, the famous Inari Kami.

The Inari god was defeated by his own servant? How come this story is getting more and more bizarre?

Uka no Mitama-no-kami, is that also the Amatsu-no-kami of Takamagahara? In Japanese mythology, he is the god in charge of grains and harvests, also known as Uka no Mitama-no-kami or Kurane-no-kami-no-mikoto. He is the son of Susanoo and Ōichihime, the daughter of Ōyamatsumi-no-kami. He not only has a name and surname, but also various related legends and stories, and he appears frequently in various fantasy and mythological works.

How did I end up here, only to become a stepping stone for my own servants? That's utterly absurd.

Amamiya Rin carefully observed Igarashi Sakiko's expression.

He didn't doubt that Sakiko Igarashi was lying to him, but there's always someone who adds their own subjective interpretation when they speak.

"This is getting more and more absurd. Let's end this boring fantasy story here!"

Tsuneki Maaya's expression also became impatient.

Of course, she held Igarashi Sakiko in even greater contempt and treated her with more disdain.

She was no longer worried that Igarashi Sakiko would reveal what she and Amamiya Rin had said to others. Who would believe someone who was so full of lies, even if she said something to others?

"Mr. Amamiya, let's go back first, the wedding banquet is about to begin."

Tsuneki Maaya turned to look at Amamiya Rin, her tone immediately softening as she extended an invitation.

"You should go back and attend to the other guests. The stories this girl told were very interesting, and I'd like to continue talking to her."

Amamiya Rin met Toki Maaya's gaze and said calmly.

"...Alright, please don't miss the wedding banquet."

Tsuneki Maaya hesitated for a moment, but upon hearing Amamiya Rin's voice, the thought of returning to the hall to entertain the guests took over.

She turned and left, leaving only Sakiko Igarashi and Rin Amamiya in the courtyard.

Sakiko Igarashi also stopped talking, as if she realized that she had exaggerated too much.

In fact, because few classmates, family, or friends were willing to listen to her, she finally met someone who was willing to listen, and she lost her composure and talked too much.

"Sorry, I don't think I got to the point. The important thing is, I met with Hinako this morning, and she seemed strange..."

Just as Sakiko Igarashi was about to say something more, a clear bell rang out from the direction of the hall. Three deep chimes pierced the silence of the courtyard.

Immediately afterwards, the emcee's booming voice came through the loudspeaker: "The auspicious time has arrived! All guests, please proceed to the main hall to witness the wedding ceremony!"

The master of ceremonies' voices echoed through the courtyard, landing on the ground covered with fallen cherry blossoms, clear and solemn.

Amamiya Rin gently pressed Igarashi Sakiko's shoulder, silencing her for now, and said, "Don't act rashly. Just observe the ceremony. If any fox spirits cause trouble later, I'll intervene."

Sakiko Igarashi nodded vigorously, like a believer who had received a promise from a god. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she obediently followed behind him, walking together toward the brightly lit worship hall.

Back in the hall, guests had already risen in twos and threes and were moving towards the outer worship hall approach. The air was filled with the fragrance of clothes and the rustling of silk and kimonos, all wearing polite smiles.

Once they reached the main hall, the crowd's attention finally shifted from Tomie to the main entrance.

The shoji doors at the front slid open to the sides, and the white-kimono-clad bride slowly walked in, guided by two shrine maidens.

Hinako Fukami, the bride at the wedding banquet, wore a pure white kimono and a white cotton hat with long white lines hanging from the brim. Her face was mostly covered by the white lines, revealing only a section of her fair chin and slightly pursed lips. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her fingertips slightly curled, so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her movements and steps gave a stiff impression.

A young man wearing a black patterned haori hakama walked in, followed by several middle-aged men in similar formal attire.

Tokiyuki, the male protagonist of the wedding banquet, was about twenty years old. He was tall and straight, with regular features, gentle eyes and brows, and a perfectly timed smile on his lips. He walked with ease and exuded a comfortable and gentle temperament.

"They're such a perfect match."

"The young master of the Chang family is indeed a handsome and talented man."

"Is that the future mistress of the Changxi family? She's said to be the young master's childhood sweetheart."

Upon seeing the two main figures of the wedding banquet, the guests showered them with praise and gave them ample face.

However, there are always those who like to disagree.

"However, they don't seem to be a wealthy family."

Several young Chinese men huddled in a corner, holding wine glasses and whispering amongst themselves, their voices tinged with curiosity.

"It is said that they came from a village called Rongzhiqiu."

"Don't talk nonsense. What's more important than feelings? What kind of family does Changxi's family have? Do they need to rely on marriage to climb the social ladder? The young master is willing to marry her, and his family accepts it, which means this young lady must have something special. Besides, childhood sweethearts are much more reliable than any social alliance marriage."

Another Chinese youth nudged his companion gently, signaling him not to speak out of turn in this setting.

"That's true. Look at the way the young master looks at the bride. That tenderness can't be faked."

The Chinese youth smiled and immediately changed his tune.

The group exchanged smiles and stopped discussing it, instead raising their glasses and waiting for the ceremony to officially begin.

The master of ceremonies on the platform cleared his throat, picked up the microphone, and his solemn voice resounded throughout the hall: "The auspicious hour has arrived. The wedding ceremony of Chang Xi Shou Xing, young master of the Chang Xi family, and Shen Shui Chu Zi, daughter of the Shen Shui family, shall officially begin—"

The music resumed, the chatter in the hall gradually subsided, and everyone's attention focused on the newlyweds.