I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 311 and 312: The Worldview Unfolds

Inside another private room at the Ginza upscale club.

The room was packed with middle-aged and elderly men who looked to be in high positions of power.

If a journalist familiar with politics were here, they would immediately recognize many familiar faces.

The Superintendent General of Police, the Governor of Tokyo, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff of the Imperial Household Agency, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, officers from Yokota Air Base, and more than a dozen other figures were all prominent and influential individuals.

Despite the room's lavish and extravagant decor, clearly indicating a place of debauchery and debauchery, everyone sat upright with serious expressions, as if they were having a meeting in the National Assembly.

It looks somewhat strange and comical.

If this scene were to circulate on social media, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar in Japanese public opinion.

Although it's commonplace in Japan for the upper class to visit clubs and chat with young women, hardly even newsworthy, it's still quite remarkable that so many high-ranking officials and powerful figures gather together to indulge in illicit affairs...

That's shameless! Ugh!

Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting!

Of course, this was just a misunderstanding. With the crisis of Mount Fuji's eruption just over, these important figures had no interest in visiting temples or gardens.

They have gathered for a small meeting and are now listening to the Uchiha Immortal Sect recount the thrilling day and night that has transpired.

When Uchiha Senmon emerged from the toad's belly, he was surprised to find himself at a port in Tokyo Bay.

Jiraiya casually announced that he wanted to go to Ginza for research, and the Uchiha Senmon immediately contacted the Metropolitan Police Department, arranged a private car to escort him, and booked the most exclusive club in Ginza.

While the Toad Master was indulging in revelry at the club, representatives from various factions also arrived one after another.

When they heard that the Uchiha Senmon group had traveled to the Moon City through the passage of Lake Motosu and had made a trip to the moon, even the well-informed bureaucrats were in an uproar.

"Going to the moon? And there are oceans on the moon, how is that possible!"

"Princess Kaguya was an ancient person from the Heian period, a thousand years ago. Humans didn't achieve manned moon landing until after the 60s."

"The technology of the mystical side is even more advanced than that of the United States, the world's leading technological power!"

The bigwigs present were momentarily taken aback.

Their mentality is not hard to understand; just look at the demons and monsters that appeared after 19 Heisei.

They pose no threat to human society whatsoever; on the contrary, they are captured and studied by them.

Monsters and evil spirits are officially designated as Type A and Type B, and are therefore treated as special experimental animals to some extent.

Until April of this year, top-tier figures from the mysterious side, such as the Akatsuki, Orochi, and Kaguya, emerged one after another, delivering a series of slaps in the face and shattering the values ​​and arrogance of many people.

The mysterious side reveals only a small part of its profound strength and capabilities to the world, which is truly awe-inspiring!

After the two major crises in Sapporo—the extraordinary battle in Sapporo and the eruption of Mount Fuji—even the most stubborn person had to admit that the top combat power among the extraordinary individuals was enough to confront the military head-on.

It has reached a point where it could destroy the Japanese regime and even threaten human civilization.

Although modern civilization still possesses heavy weapons of mass destruction such as thermobaric bombs and bunker buster bombs, and even nuclear weapons have not yet been deployed.

However, the destructive power of top-tier superhumans, coupled with their unpredictable teleportation abilities, makes them practically human nuclear bombs.

As long as they are not foolish enough to directly confront a nuclear bomb, it is not difficult for them to bring down a powerful country by using guerrilla tactics.

Even if one rationally considers the top combat power of the mystical side as something on par with nations, many people in their hearts only acknowledge that the mystical side's destructive power is indeed terrifying, but do not believe that their civilization and technology can be compared with modern society.

Just like civilized people conquered by barbarians, even if they have no choice but to submit to the threat of force, they are only outwardly compliant but inwardly resentful.

They also concoct all sorts of insulting titles to maintain the sense of superiority of civilized people.

The manned lunar landing has always been regarded as a milestone in humanity's conquest of nature. Now, upon hearing that this great achievement was already accomplished thousands of years ago, it is hard not to feel somewhat disheartened.

"Unbelievable!"

The most unacceptable of these is the US ambassador to Japan. Although the manned moon landing was a small step for mankind and a giant leap for civilization, it has always been a source of pride for the US to boast about its national power and technology.

The US ambassador to Japan looked at the Uchiha Senmon with suspicion and said:

"Officer Uchiha, this isn't a scam, is it?"

Uchiha Senmon replied calmly:

"Your Excellency Ambassador, this is simply what I have seen and heard; I am merely stating the facts."

"Well, it's highly possible that Princess Kaguya went to the moon."

Professor Nagayama, a leading authority and renowned scholar in the field of Japanese folklore, immediately drew everyone's attention with his speech.

As a highly sought-after member of the Metropolitan Police Department's expert panel, he was also invited to attend the hearing.

"The five treasures from *The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter*—the Hourai Jade Branch, the Fire Rat Robe, the Stone Bowl Before the Buddha, the Dragon Head Jewel, and the Swallow Shell—are all crucial items in this Mount Fuji incident. Furthermore, eyewitnesses mention that Princess Kaguya possesses immortality, which corresponds to the existence of an elixir of immortality, doesn't it?"

Professor Changshan spoke eloquently and persuasively.

Professor Changshan's words left the group of bigwigs stunned.

"Fictionalization is not fabrication, and adaptation is not random rewriting. According to the description in 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,' Princess Kaguya descended from the moon to Japan, and her final fate was to be welcomed back to the moon. This may be a metaphor for this event."

Although Professor Nagayama was speaking up for him, Uchiha Senmon felt a little strange.

Something doesn't feel right. Is Professor Changshan overthinking things?

"Princess Kaguya was the first person from Japan, and the first person in the world, to go to the moon, and also the first person to pursue freedom and equality."

Professor Nagayama's interpretation of "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" is exactly the same as his interpretation of "The Tale of the Heroic Son Raiya".

While the connection may seem a bit far-fetched, it's not entirely absurd, and it even has a refreshing feel to it.

Furthermore, Professor Nagayama's strong confidence as an authority in the field of folklore caused Japanese bureaucrats, who were superstitious about authority, to nod frequently.

Uchiha Senmon then reported downwards, especially highlighting the "Nine-Tails" and "Jinchūriki" mentioned by Kaguya and Tobi during their conversation.

"The nine-tailed fox spirit, isn't that Tamamo-no-Mae, the golden-haired, white-faced yokai, one of the three great yokai of Japan?"

In Japan, when people talk about the Nine-Tailed Fox, everyone's impression is of Tamamo-no-Mae, the peerless enchantress who bewitched Emperor Toba.

"But it doesn't seem that simple. Tobi said that Kaguya-hime was the previous Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, while Tamamo-no-Mae is the next Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. They are clearly not the same person."

"Professor Changshan, I would like to hear your insights."

Professor Changshan, whose name was called, felt a surge of heat in his chest when he saw all the high-ranking officials looking at him. He then began racking his brains for a solution.

"Jin-jin are sacrifices offered to the gods and spirits during the construction of fortifications, but Jin-jin cannot be simply regarded as offerings to the Nine-Tails."

Professor Nagayama pondered for a moment, then hesitantly and tentatively said:

"I suspect that the so-called Jinchuriki is likely the reincarnation of the Nine-Tailed Fox... no, it's a name for someone whose body was taken over by the Nine-Tailed Fox."

He noticed that the other high-ranking officials in the private room did not rebuke him for talking nonsense, but instead all seemed to be listening attentively.

Professor Nagayama, who had initially felt somewhat uneasy, suddenly felt much more at ease and began to feel confident.

"According to legend, the Nine-Tailed Fox was actually a yokai that fled from the mainland to Japan by sea. Before taking the name Tamamo-no-Mae, the Nine-Tailed Fox had many other names."

Professor Changshan spoke eloquently, as if telling a story.

"Daji, who destroyed the Shang Dynasty; Baosi, who overthrew the Zhou Dynasty; and Huayangtian, the demonic concubine who led the Mauryan Dynasty to its demise in India—all were once aliases of the nine-tailed fox spirit. These three women were very likely the jinchūriki of Princess Kaguya and Tamamo-no-Mae before them!"

Professor Nagayama's bold reasoning suddenly enlightened and resonated with everyone present.

"Yes, yes, I've heard this story. The nine-tailed fox is a monster that originated in India, then spread to the mainland, and finally ended up in Japan."

"Professor Changshan truly lives up to his reputation as an expert in folklore; he is indeed knowledgeable, erudite, and possesses an exceptional memory!"

"No, no, that's just my personal opinion."

Professor Changshan waved his hand in a gesture of feigned modesty.

A faint black line appeared on Uchiha Senmon's forehead.

Why did he feel that Professor Changshan's words were becoming increasingly unreliable?

Next, Uchiha Senmon spent another ten minutes concisely recounting the ending of the incident.

Although these bigwigs had some understanding of the situation through satellite images and reports from fighter pilots on site, they still couldn't help but look at each other in disbelief when they heard that Princess Kaguya had been sealed away in an amber bottle by the toad sage of Mount Myōboku.

The expressions on their faces were incredibly varied.

The protagonist of "Jiraiya's Tale of the Raiyo," a ninja, uses the amber bottle, a magical artifact of Laozi from "Journey to the West," to seal Princess Kaguya from "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter," a plot that seems like something out of a third-rate novel.

It gives one a subtle feeling of cultural invasion and a strong urge to complain.

But since things have come to this, there's no point in denying it anymore.

"Is even 'Journey to the West' going to become a reality? Besides the Japanese gods and Buddhas like Konohanasakuya-hime, King Enma, Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, and Zhu Bajie, won't they also be real gods and Buddhas?" The Governor of Tokyo couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

The others also looked distressed.

"Ahem, Governor, King Yama is also a deity from the Central Plains."

Professor Nagayama coughed lightly before speaking in a low voice:

"Moreover, Tang Sanzang, also known as Xuanzang, was a real historical figure and the master of the founder of the Faxiang School of Buddhism in my country."

The founder of the Japanese Hossō sect, the monk Dōshō, was a disciple of Xuanzang. Around 653 AD, Dōshō accompanied the Japanese envoys to Tang China to study Buddhism and became a disciple of Xuanzang.

After returning to Japan, Doshō spread the Hosō sect in Japan, becoming one of the six major sects in southern Japan.

"Haha, is that so?"

"Professor, what kind of book is Journey to the West?"

The ambassador to Japan was completely confused and couldn't help but ask Professor Nagayama a question.

The Americans present also looked completely bewildered; this is a classic example of cultural differences.

Journey to the West has a strong cultural influence in Japan. Not only is there a dedicated TV series, but there are also many "homage" elements in various works, especially anime.

Of course, after "Journey to the West" was introduced to Japan, it was also adapted to local conditions. For example, Sha Wujing was depicted as a kappa.

"Your Excellency, have you ever watched Dragon Ball?"

Professor Nagayama pondered for a while, trying to start the conversation from the Japanese national manga "Dragon Ball".

"And what is that?"

Professor Nagayama was immediately speechless.

Indeed, how could a pure-blooded American with the American flag, like the ambassador to Japan, possibly read such a vulgar toy as comics?

Professor Nagayama looked even more distressed than when he was making up stories, as if he were constipated.

"Maybe, perhaps, it's like 'The Lord of the Rings'? A group of people going to find something..."

He and the ambassador to Japan were staring at each other blankly, completely unable to communicate.

"According to Inspector Uchiha's report, Princess Kaguya was merely a stepping stone. The Akatsuki's purpose in releasing Princess Kaguya was not to save her or destroy Japan, but to find the whereabouts of the Nine-Tailed Fox."

"Therefore, the purpose of the Akatsuki organization in stirring up trouble and causing chaos on Earth all this time is to find the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox."

"Princess Kaguya is now sealed away by the Toad Sage Jiraiya, but the whereabouts of the Nine-Tailed Fox remains a mystery. And why they're looking for the Nine-Tailed Fox—that's definitely a huge secret!"

The crowd began to discuss animatedly, their imaginations running wild.

After the eruption of Mount Fuji ended, the Akatsuki's purpose finally came to light, but what followed was even more mystery, leaving people puzzled.

"Inspector Uchiha, you not only completed the mission of rescuing Prince Akishino brilliantly, but you also gained the divine power of Lady Konohana Sakuya in a stroke of luck."

The Superintendent General, who had remained silent until now, approached Uchiha Senmon, looked at him with great admiration, and whispered:

Have you ever thought about taking it a step further?

"Superintendent General, what do you mean?" Uchiha Senmon's eyes flashed.

The Superintendent General patted Uchiha Senmon on the shoulder meaningfully, then stepped forward and announced loudly:

"Making wild guesses here is completely pointless. Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, who knows the whole story best, is being entertained by us right next door, isn't he?"

The Superintendent General of Police was like an old lion, surveying the crowd with an indescribable aura of power.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Why did the gods and extraordinary beings disappear from the world? What happened in 1999 that allowed demons and evil spirits to reappear? And the Akatsuki's purpose, the mystery of the Nine-Tails—the fog that has been obscuring our vision will finally dissipate!"

"Let's go and see the truth of the world!"

(End of this chapter)