I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 318 and 319: Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Yama, the Great King of Hell

"Woof, woof!"

The white beast was only the size of a small dog, but it killed the Minotaur as soon as it appeared, making it a force to be reckoned with.

Standing atop the dust piled high with corpses, it roared, its gaze fierce and imposing.

But then it suddenly let out a bark, and its original imposing manner vanished.

The Uchiha Sage Sect extended branches and vines to bind a giant demon, and only then did they have a moment to take a closer look, their pupils immediately shrinking.

The small white beast has the characteristics of a tiger's head, a single horn, dog's ears, a dragon's body, a lion's tail, and a qilin's feet.

Isn't this Di Ting, the mythical beast under the seat of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in Chinese legend?

"Boom boom boom".

"Click click click..."

Although the Minotaur was defeated, the other giant demons and hundreds of clay figures continued their fearless advance towards the main hall's defenses.

"Woof!"

The little white beast twitched its wet black nose, its dog ears perked up, and then, as if diving into the ground, it burrowed into the soil and disappeared without a trace.

A few seconds later, a mound of earth rose up beneath the feet of a Rakshasa demon nearly ten meters long with broad shoulders and a thick waist, and then a white figure leaped up.

A small white beast, resembling a Di Ting (a mythical beast), stepped on the Rakshasa's knee and seized the latter by the neck.

The body of the ghost, which even heavy machine gun bullets could not harm, was bitten through by the white beast as easily as if it were made of tofu, and turned into dust.

After successfully striking, the small white beast disappeared back into the ground.

They continued to do the same, killing several giant demons one after another.

The previously precarious defense line was immediately relieved of pressure.

Everyone was stunned, and even the gunfire seemed to have thinned out considerably.

"What are you all standing there for? Stop staring and organize a counterattack!"

Uchiha Senmon shouted, and the other Self-Defense Force members and SAT members snapped out of their daze. Their heavy weapons spewed flames, blasting the horde of corpses into pieces.

Those ferocious and enormous demons, when they encountered the small white beast, were as if they were restrained by heaven and earth, none of them being a match for it.

Furthermore, the Uchiha Senmon used the Splinter Technique to relentlessly attack, and within just a few minutes, all the giant demons were exorcised one by one.

With the most threatening spirit gone, the remaining clay figures were nothing but a rabble, and the balance of power shifted dramatically.

However, the resurrected dead have no concept of morale and continue to advance fearlessly.

And in mid-air, ghosts, like swarms of mayflies, drizzled down, clinging to the ashes and awakening the sleeping dead.

"If this continues, it will never end."

Just then, the small white beast once again sprang out from the soil of the main defense line.

Although its snow-white fur was spotless, it still turned around like a dog after a bath, then leaped up and jumped onto the roof of the main hall of Senso-ji Temple.

"Woof!!!"

A deafening bark, loud enough to stop the clouds in their tracks, swept across the Senso-ji Cemetery like a storm.

The overwhelming will-o'-the-wisps were swept away by the wind, leaving only scattered clouds and drifting winds.

The army of clay figures that had been restless on the ground also collapsed to the ground with thuds.

The little beast's roar was terrifyingly loud!

Uchiha Senmon's expression changed slightly.

But why does its bark sound so much like a dog's?

The little white beast stood on the roof ridge, its tail wagging back and forth, looking quite pleased with itself.

"What kind of strange beast is this? Did it also escape from hell?"

"But it looks cute and well-behaved, just like a dog, so it's definitely on our side."

"You dog slave, besides, this isn't even a dog! Maybe it's in disguise."

The Self-Defense Force members cautiously surrounded the main hall, looking at the adorable and harmless little beast, hesitating whether to lower the guns they were aiming at.

Uchiha Senmon pushed through the crowd and came to the main hall, scrutinizing the small white beast with a critical eye.

At the critical moment, the little beast stabilized the defense line and swept away the demons and monsters in one fell swoop, proving they were friends, not enemies.

Could this supernatural power of exorcising ghosts and devouring souls really be the auspicious beast Di Ting under the seat of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the ruler of the underworld?

"Woof!"

The little white beast's eyes lit up the moment it saw Uchiha Senmon. It jumped down from the roof and trotted over to him.

The others were startled.

"Wait a minute, don't fire yet."

Uchiha Senmon sensed no malice from the little white beast. He crouched down, looked at it, coughed lightly, and tentatively said:

"Hello there."

I wonder if the small animals that resemble Di Ting can understand human speech?

"Woof!"

The little white beast sniffed at Uchiha Senmon's scent, let out an excited cry, and then leaped into Uchiha Senmon's arms, sticking out its tongue to lick his face.

Even the usually composed Uchiha Senmon was stunned.

"Wait, wait! What's going on?"

Uchiha Senmon finally managed to peel the small white beast off his body, held it in his hand, and looked at it with a frown.

"Woof."

The little white beast opened its innocent eyes, grinned, and revealed a fawning smile similar to that of a Shiba Inu.

It looks like a dog!

The Uchiha Immortal Gate, who had initially been somewhat amused and exasperated, now showed a gentle smile in their eyes.

Others gradually gathered around, and began to discuss the matter.

"What kind of monster is this?"

"Amitabha! This beast resembles a dragon but is not a dragon, a tiger but is not a tiger, a lion but is not a lion, a qilin but is not a qilin, and a dog but is not a dog. This is the auspicious beast under the seat of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Listen carefully!"

The young novice monk at Senso-ji Temple, with his palms clasped together and chanting Buddhist mantras, spoke with a hint of excitement.

"Di Ting? Never heard of it."

"There are many statues of Ksitigarbha in the mountains of my hometown, but I have never heard of such a mythical beast following him around."

The Jizo worship is also widespread in Japan. It is said to have spread from Baekje to Japan in the sixth century AD, and reached its peak during the Nara period.

As the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva evolved in Japan, it changed dramatically. The Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, who sits beside the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, disappeared without a trace, and also took on the divine role of overseeing areas outside of hell.

Besides temples, Jizo statues can be seen everywhere in Japan, including in streets, alleys, cemeteries, and mountain paths, and are regarded as the guardian deity of pedestrians and travelers.

Japanese Jizo statues often wear red bibs and hats similar to those used by infants.

Because Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is also the guardian deity of children, parents pray to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to protect their children's healthy growth, and even if their children unfortunately die young, they will entrust their protection to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

In Japanese folklore, children who die are said to build stone towers in the Saiga Plain to express their longing for their parents and siblings. Only when the stone towers are completed can they be reborn, but they are often destroyed by evil spirits.

Looking at the small white beast lying in Inspector Uchiha's arms, affectionately licking his palm, some people were puzzled.

"In short, it's the divine beast of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, right? But why does it look like a dog? And it was barking earlier?"

"You are unaware of this."

The young novice monk winked and showed off:

"The original form of Di Ting, the mount of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, was a white dog. Because the Ksitigarbha Dharma is based on filial piety, and dogs are loyal, just as Manjushri's lion represents wisdom and Samantabhadra's white elephant represents great practice, Di Ting of Ksitigarbha represents a loyal and unwavering heart."

"The little monk seems to know quite a lot."

"Not at all!" the young novice monk said, waving his hand in a show of modesty.

"But isn't Senso-ji Temple dedicated to Kannon Bodhisattva? This little bald monk is neglecting his duties and spouting nonsense!"

Is it a white dog?

Uchiha Senmon casually stroked the white beast's head, and the beast rubbed against his palm, barking repeatedly.

It does feel a bit like the little yellow dog that Ah Ming adopted at home.

But even puppies are only this affectionate towards their owners or their owners' family members.

How could a mythical beast like Di Ting be so friendly to me on our first meeting?

This left the Uchiha clan, who were "overwhelmed with gratitude," completely bewildered.

Just then, the communicator on Uchiha Senmon's waist rang.

"Uchiha, the drone footage shows that all the dead in the cemetery have turned to ashes. And what was that dog barking just now?"

"Wait a moment, I'll be right there."

Uchiha Senmon casually responded a few times, then turned to the Self-Defense Force members and gave them instructions.

"Guard this church well and do not let any possible escapees take advantage of the situation."

"yes!"

Holding the small white beast, Uchiha Senmon hurried through the main hall and along the Nakamise Street, arriving at the main gate of Senso-ji Temple.

"Inspector Uchiha, what is that strange little animal you're holding?"

Uchiha Senmon succinctly recounted the battle that had taken place in front of the defensive line, and informed the Governor of Tokyo and the Superintendent General of Police, among other important figures, of the possibility that the small white beast was Di Ting, a disciple of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Everyone was taken aback, and then their expressions changed.

"If even a divine beast like Di Ting has appeared, then the true name of the nameless deity is about to be revealed—it must be Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!"

This is truly an extraordinary Buddha statue!

In Japan, where Buddhism is deeply practiced, almost everyone recognizes Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who is considered a great supernatural being on par with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

No wonder even the unruly Jiraiya spoke of Him with such respect.

Some people were initially skeptical of Jiraiya's claim about the severing of the connection between heaven and earth, but now that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has given his endorsement, their confidence has been greatly boosted!

The Governor of Tokyo looked at the obedient little dog nestled in the arms of Uchiha Senmon like a lapdog, and couldn't help but feel envious, jealous and resentful.

"Inspector Uchiha, let me hug the Di Ting too."

The Governor of Tokyo shamelessly stretched out his hands, hoping to share in the blessings of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Di Ting is the mount of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. If you pet it, you can definitely eliminate your sins and bring good fortune.

It's probably okay that Di Ting is so clingy, right?

"Woof woof woof!"

Unexpectedly, the white beast acted out of character, baring its teeth at the Governor of Tokyo and nearly biting off his finger.

The Governor of Tokyo withdrew his hand dejectedly, and asked with a resentful expression:

"What exactly is going on?"

"Pfft."

Professor Nagayama couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Di Ting is a divine beast that lies beneath the altar of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. It can capture and recognize the sounds of all things in the world, and is especially adept at listening to people's thoughts."

His title as an authority in the field of folklore is well-deserved; he is also very knowledgeable about mythical creatures like Di Ting, which are relatively obscure in Japan.

"Di Ting has a single horn like the Xie Zhi, and it can distinguish between loyalty and treachery. No matter how filthy the intentions, they cannot be hidden from it."

The Tokyo governor's face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Doesn't that imply that he's not a good person?

"Hehehe."

"ha!"

A few snickers came from the surrounding area.

Everyone knows their own situation; someone who has climbed to this position must have some dirty laundry, but being exposed in public still makes the Tokyo governor lose face.

However, he dared not vent his anger on the divine beast Di Ting, and could only glare fiercely at Professor Changshan a few times.

Professor Changshan realized he had spoken out of turn and thought to himself that he was in the wrong, so he turned his head away.

Looking at the Uchiha Senmon holding the Diting, Professor Nagayama was lost in thought.

Inspector Uchiha is truly blessed. First, he was favored by Konohana Sakuya-hime of Shintoism, and then he gained special attention from the Buddhist divine beast, Di Ting.

It's quite a stroke of luck that Japan's two major religions both serve the same person!

In this era of great upheaval and change, Inspector Uchiha was truly a chosen one.

The Uchiha Inspector will soon become—no, he already is—a big shot!

Establishing a relationship with Inspector Uchiha as soon as possible would be entirely beneficial, and given that Inspector Uchiha's character has been certified by the Listening Beast, he is even more trustworthy.

"Bang."

In that instant, everyone's expression froze in shock. The solidified atmosphere seemed to crack with a crisp sound, followed by an unimaginable aura of darkness and terror descending upon the scene.

Humanity's most primal instincts are frantically sounding the alarm; they are approaching an unspeakable realm of terror.

"We've finally arrived."

Jiraiya, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground chanting mysterious incantations the whole time, slowly opened his eyes, his face full of solemnity, and looked at the stone Buddha under the Wind and Thunder God's gate.

Everyone couldn't help but follow Jiraiya's gaze and look at the stone Buddha sitting in the pit.

The stone Buddha's incomplete body gradually became whole.

It's not about repairing, but rather that parts that were previously invisible can finally be observed.

The true face of the nameless deity was revealed, leaving everyone speechless and dumbfounded for a long time.

It was a figure wearing a jeweled crown, dressed in ceremonial robes, holding a scepter, and with an angry expression...

"King Yama!"

Professor Nagayama spoke slowly and deliberately.

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and looked again. It was indeed not the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, but Yama, the King of Hell.

Moreover, the right eye of this stone statue is hollow, and it is actually a konjac Yama statue!

The people present were familiar with King Enma, who had appeared in the background of the Ghost Doctor incident. As a result, the number of graves at Genkaku-ji Temple, which enshrines King Enma, surged.

but……

"Even the mythical beast Di Ting has appeared in the world, how could it not be Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?!"

Just then, a black wheel flew up above the Wind and Thunder God Gate with lightning speed.

Violent ripples spread through the void.

In the blink of an eye, it expanded into a vortex with a diameter of over fifty meters, swallowing the statue of Yama, and sucking in and crushing everything around it.

Kamui Shuraken!

I still couldn't finish writing before midnight, just giving up now.

(End of this chapter)