I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 402 and 403: The Feng Shui Array of Heian-kyo

"The divine arrow that purged Taira no Masakado was shot by Hachiman Daimyojin! We all saw it!"

"No, it's Susanoo-no-Mikoto!"

"Bullshit! Your Yasaka Shrine is shamelessly taking credit for others' work!"

The following morning, outside Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine.

Seeing the two elderly priests with white hair and beards glaring at each other, practically ready to roll up their sleeves and start a full-blown fight, Mineko Yuuki looked somewhat helpless.

Mineko Yuuki's hair was dyed a bright red, and her black uniform from the Supernatural Police Department couldn't hide her alluring figure. Compared to three years ago, she exuded even more femininity.

"Minister Yuki, based on the combined data from eyewitnesses and surveillance footage, we can confirm that the purple arrow of light was shot from above Yasaka Shrine to Hachiman Shrine."

Mineko Yuki was originally the branch chief of the Kyoto Prefectural Supernatural Police Department. She had been summoned to Tokyo by order of the Cabinet to receive special training from the minister. After the incident at the Gion Festival last night, she rushed back to Kyoto overnight to take charge of the situation.

Yuki Mineko took the document handed to her by her subordinate, glanced at it a few times, turned the page, and her gaze lingered on the white-clad Sasuke photo that was tucked inside.

A pair of scarlet Sharingan eyes, utterly indifferent, exuding an aura of domineering arrogance.

"Is this young man in white the Sharingan survivor that Jiraiya mentioned? Tsk, he's really handsome. Just a tiny bit less so than Uchiha-senpai."

Suddenly, an operative arrived and whispered a few words in Yuki Mineko's ear. She nodded, left the two old priests arguing heatedly, and walked towards a large tent outside the open space.

Armed self-defense forces were everywhere, and they all raised their guns and saluted when they saw Yuki Mineko approaching. She waved her hand, pulled open the tent flap, and went inside.

"Minister Yuki! You've finally arrived! The meeting was just waiting for you."

Inside the tent sat the governor of Kyoto Prefecture, the commanders of the Kyoto Ground Self-Defense Force's Uji Garrison, and the officers of the Okubo Garrison—all powerful figures in Kyoto Prefecture.

On the other side, there were rows of laptops, and the faces on the screens were those of very important people.

Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, Special Envoy of the Imperial Household Agency, U.S. Ambassador to Japan...

And the head of the Supernatural Police Department, Uchiha Senmon!

"The attack by the Nue horde and Masakado during last night's Gion Festival razed four shrines—Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Kojin Shrine, and the Kyoto Imperial Palace—to the ground. Hachiman-gu Shrine lost one side hall, but the main buildings were not significantly damaged..." A bureaucrat stood up to report.

The bigwigs from Kyoto Prefecture all looked as if they had lost their parents, their brows furrowed in sorrow.

These shrines, each with a history spanning a thousand years, were all national-level cultural heritage sites, and it is truly heartbreaking that they were reduced to ashes.

Such a large-scale supernatural attack occurred during the highly anticipated Gion Festival, causing tourists to scatter in panic. Even the native Kyoto residents were filled with fear and unease, scrambling to flee the city.

"According to eyewitness testimonies from the priests at Yasaka Shrine, the third transcendent being with the Sharingan disappeared in a flash of lightning after killing Nue."

The official giving the report read from his prepared statement in a measured and formal manner:

"Although the priests were too dizzy from the lightning to see who shot the purple arrow, judging from the location and the timing of its appearance, it was most likely the work of the white-robed superhuman."

A commotion broke out among the important figures, both at the scene and far away in Tokyo.

"The straight-line distance between Yasaka Shrine and Hachiman Shrine is a full 10.5 kilometers. So, another Kage-level powerhouse..."

"Does he possess the same Sharingan as Itachi and Tobi, and is he also a member of the Akatsuki?"

"But the white-clad youth killed Nue and Masakado, which should have been helping humanity, and he wasn't wearing the Akatsuki's signature black robe with red clouds. He might not be an Akatsuki member."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

"cough."

On the screen, Uchiha Senmon coughed lightly, immediately attracting everyone's attention, and the murmurs quickly subsided.

"Although the white-clad youth also possesses the Sharingan, it would be somewhat arbitrary to conclude that he is a member of the Akatsuki organization."

A complex, unspoken emotion flickered deep within Uchiha Senmon's eyes as he spoke softly:

"The Onmyoji who orchestrated the resurrection of the god Set in Delna City last month, and the white-clad superhuman who appeared in Kyoto, are most likely from the celestial realm."

As the number one transcendent being, the Uchiha Immortal Sect's words carried great weight, and everyone who heard them felt a deep sense of unease.

"It's at this sensitive time again. The 'severing the connection between heaven and earth' set up by Lord Taishan is gradually losing its effectiveness, or even has ended. Japan must make plans as soon as possible."

The expressions on everyone's faces were complicated, and the atmosphere suddenly became so heavy that even breathing could be clearly heard.

The brutality of the battle between Kage-level powerhouses remains fresh in people's minds. After three years of peaceful and stable life, none of these people wanted to return to the old era of chaos and demons.

For the past three years, Japan has held several grand Taishan Fujun festivals, praying that Taishan Fujun will protect Japan and ensure that the connection between heaven and earth will last forever.

However, the extraordinary events that have occurred in Delna and Kyoto, as this statement suggests, could very well be a harbinger of the end of the Jedi-Tenchu ​​alliance.

Even if the top brass of the Japanese government want to bury their heads in the sand, they have no choice but to face reality.

"Furthermore, this extraordinary terrorist attack could not have happened naturally; there must be some ulterior motive behind it."

Nue, and Taira no Masakado—these are not Type A or Type B spirits that appeared after a mysterious resurrection, but ancient evil spirits and monsters recorded in books.

The four shrines and temples that were destroyed, as well as the Yasaka Shrine and Hachiman Shrine that escaped unscathed, are all ancient temples with a history of over a thousand years. The smell of conspiracy is palpable.

"Professor Nagayama, what's your opinion?"

"Please look at the map. From Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei in the northeast to Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine in the southwest, there is a straight line. The other four shrines are all on the same line. This is the 'Demon Gate Seal' set up by Emperor Kanmu at the beginning of the construction of Heian-kyo."

For a considerable period of time before and during the Heian period, what the Yamato court feared most was not civil unrest, treason, or natural disasters, but the haunting of vengeful spirits.

Before Heian-kyo, the capital was Nagaoka-kyo. Due to power struggles, Prince Sawara, the younger brother of Emperor Kanmu, was exiled to Awaji Island and died in resentment on the way.

In the years that followed, members of the royal family died one after another, and Nagaoka-kyo was hit by floods and plagues. Natural disasters and man-made calamities continued. After consulting with Onmyoji (yin-yang masters), the Yamato court believed that it was the vengeful spirit of Prince Sawara that was causing the trouble.

Prince Sawara is also one of the four great evil spirits of Japan, alongside Heiji Masakado.

The Yamato court decided to relocate its capital to seek refuge, but fearing that Prince Sawara's evil spirit would not linger, it attached great importance to the new capital's ability to protect against vengeful spirits. The Yin-Yang School absorbed the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory of the Tang Dynasty and carefully selected an auspicious location as the capital.

The Black Tortoise in the north guards the hills, the Vermilion Bird in the south governs the low-lying areas, the White Tiger in the west guards the main roads, and the Azure Dragon in the east assists in managing the rivers. When the four gods correspond, peace and prosperity can be maintained.

With Mount Funaoka to the north, Kyorochi Pond to the south, the Sanyo Road to the south, and the Kamo River flowing eastward, Heian-kyo's location was exceptionally auspicious.

Even with such good feng shui, Emperor Kanmu still felt it was insufficient, so he established numerous shrines and temples to strengthen the feng shui formation of Heian-kyo.

Among them, the most important are the Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei and the Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, which guard the two gates to the underworld.

According to Yin-Yang Dao, the northeast direction is the Ghost Gate, and the southwest direction, which is opposite to the Ghost Gate, is the Inner Ghost Gate. These are the entrances and exits for evil spirits and monsters, and the two points are a straight line that must be passed through.

"The mastermind's goal is very clear: to destroy Kyoto's feng shui formation!" Professor Nagayama said confidently.

The bigwigs from Kyoto Prefecture looked at each other, and then broke out in a cold sweat.

They had also heard of the feng shui formations and the Ghost Gate sealing of Heian-kyo.

"To sabotage the seal on the Gate of Hell—what a wicked intention!"

"Fortunately, there was the white-clad extraordinary being who shot down Taira no Masakado and Nue, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Kyoto is an ancient capital with a history of thousands of years. The strange tales of demons and monsters have never ceased since ancient times. Who knows how many demons and monsters are lurking beneath Kyoto's grounds.

Most of their assets and power are in Kyoto. If a full-scale demon parade were to take place, who could withstand it?

The Kyoto Prefecture officials were still shaken, and their favorability towards Sasuke in white sky skyrocketed.

"Although last night's attack was unsuccessful, will the mastermind behind it come back again?" someone suddenly asked.

"Yes, very likely."

Professor Changshan nodded solemnly and said:

"Of all the ye that attacked yesterday, apart from the two that were shot, the rest flew away. The mastermind behind this will definitely not let this go."

The Kyoto Prefecture was thrown into chaos, in a state of panic, as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

"What should we do?"

"Your Supernatural Police Department must come up with a solution!"

"Please rest assured, as the branch manager of the Kyoto Prefectural Supernatural Police Department, I will do my utmost to protect the safety of Kyoto."

Although Mineko Yuki is a woman, her heroic and dashing demeanor is truly remarkable.

The people of Kyoto Prefecture felt somewhat relieved, but they were not completely at ease.

"Minister Uchiha, could you please move to Kyoto and personally oversee things for a while? With you here, Kyoto will surely be as stable as Mount Tai," the Kyoto governor pleaded humbly, looking at the screen.

"Yeah! Yeah!"

The other Kyoto bigwigs immediately brightened up and echoed their agreement.

Although Suzaku-hime is ranked among the top three of the Twelve Divine Generals, how can she compare to the number one extraordinary Uchiha clan leader?

"Absolutely not! Minister Uchiha must stay in Chiyoda to protect the Imperial Palace."

Before the Uchiha Sage could even speak, a representative from the Imperial Household Agency immediately jumped out and vehemently objected.

The one that haunted Hachiman Shrine last night was Taira no Masakado, and its head is buried in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tomb.

It's just a few steps from the Imperial Palace.

According to legend, after Taira no Masakado was defeated, his head was sent to Heian-kyo and displayed to the public. In order to find his body, which was separated from his head, his head flew to Kanto and landed in Musashi Province, which is now Tokyo's Shouzuka.

Tokugawa Ieyasu of the Tokugawa Shogunate greatly admired Taira no Masakado.

Not only did he build his Edo Castle near the Head Mound, but he also built seven shrines around the Head Mound, including the Masakado Mound, the Yorijin Shrine, and the Kabuto Shrine, to enshrine Taira no Masakado's head, armor, and helmet, and arranged the Big Dipper constellation to protect Edo.

After the Meiji Restoration, the Emperor moved to Edo Castle and became neighbors with Kamizuka.

Last night, I heard that Taira no Masakado's headless body was haunting Hachiman Shrine, which almost scared the Imperial Household Agency and the Imperial Family so much that they vomited.

Taira no Masakado's mortal enemy was undoubtedly the Imperial Family.

Even if the headless body is exorcised, who can guarantee that Taira no Masakado's head won't cause trouble?

If Taira no Masakado were to storm the Imperial Palace, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Like frightened birds, the Japanese high command summoned the elite of the Supernatural Police Department overnight to guard the Imperial Palace.

Moreover, the royal family left the Imperial Palace early the next morning, citing a state visit as the reason.

"This might be a diversionary tactic by the mastermind!"

"You Kyoto Prefecture must consider the bigger picture. For the safety of the Imperial Palace and the long-term stability of Japan, Minister Uchiha absolutely cannot leave Tokyo."

"Besides, this is only a possibility, maybe it's just needless worry."

The bigwigs in Tokyo were working in perfect unison.

After the Battle of the Angels in Delna, the Japanese high command sensed an impending storm and thus summoned the Twelve Divine Generals from all over the country to protect Tokyo.

The riot at the Gion Festival clearly indicates that someone is plotting something sinister. Throwing out the Uchiha clan chief as their trump card at this time could leave these important figures in danger of losing their lives if something happens in Tokyo and they are unable to attend to everything.

Taira no Masakado's location, Kyuzuka, is in Chiyoda Ward, where every inch of land is incredibly valuable, and it's the heart and essence of all of Japan. How could we sacrifice the greater good for a small gain?

Kyoto Prefecture must prioritize the overall situation.

"You people from Northeast China are shameless!"

"If you hadn't transferred Branch Manager Yuki, we in Kyoto wouldn't have been caught off guard yesterday."

The high-ranking officials from Kyoto Prefecture were furious and repeatedly berated the authorities, almost to the point of breaking off relations with Tokyo.

After a heated argument that left them both red-faced, they eventually compromised.

"Although it is a pity that I cannot go, I will send the other twelve divine generals to Kyoto Prefecture to take charge."

Although Kyoto Prefecture was not entirely satisfied, it had no choice but to accept it reluctantly, as it was ultimately powerless against the powerful.

"Professor Nagayama, four of the nodes sealing the Gate of Hell have now been removed, leaving only Yasaka Shrine and Hachiman Shrine. If the mastermind wants to launch another attack, where will they start?"

"It must be the Inner Demon Gate, Hachiman Shrine!"

Professor Changshan pondered for a long time before stating firmly:

"The Hachiman Shrine is the exit. If it is erased, from a feng shui perspective, it will be like the gates of hell are wide open. Once the two ends of the gates of hell are open, demons and monsters can come in unimpeded, and the Yasaka Shrine will be unable to support itself."

"I see."

"Professor Nagayama is truly learned and knowledgeable!"

The important figures from Kyoto Prefecture looked solemn and nodded frequently.

"The other four temples and shrines must be rebuilt immediately to seal the gates to the underworld!"

"At the same time, impose a curfew and deploy the Self-Defense Forces into the city to protect Hachiman Shrine and Yasaka Shrine!"

There are a total of 9 Self-Defense Force bases in Kyoto Prefecture. Although Minister Uchiha cannot be there in person, there are plenty of ordinary Self-Defense Force personnel.

The state apparatus immediately sprang into action, and Kyoto Prefecture entered a state of war preparedness.

(End of this chapter)