I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 422 and 423: The Death Game

"Kobe City, the stage for the first ceremony is Kobe."

In a special care ward of a private hospital in Tokyo, Hideo Tosu, dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown, leaned against the headboard, his face pale, covering his mouth, and frowning as he pondered deeply.

On the back of his right hand, a bright red curse mark, like two overlapping rocks, shimmered with a faint light.

Inside the ward, there were only a handful of people, including the Prime Minister, Uchiha Senmon, and the US Ambassador. The entire floor had been placed under lockdown by the Supernatural Police Department, and not even a fly could get in.

"Department Head Uchiha, what's the date today?"

"It's the second day of the Obon festival, August 16th," Uchiha Senmon replied without hesitation.

"Then it hasn't even started yet. I must arrive at the barrier in Kobe before the 20th and swear to participate in this ceremony, or I will be stripped of my life by the curse seal."

What exactly was the content of this ceremony prepared by Abe no Seimei?

"It's a deadly game of mutual slaughter!"

Everyone was startled.

The Prime Minister and the US Ambassador looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Battle Royale?"

"So, the Hunger Games?"

The first thing the US ambassador thought of was the movie starring Jennifer Lawrence.

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Senmon's face showed a thoughtful expression.

"Fighting among themselves? But only Mr. Tori and Ms. Jeanne have been marked with the curse. Could there be other extraordinary individuals participating in this death game?"

"Could it be that they're going to target ordinary citizens?"

The Prime Minister's expression changed drastically.

Although Kobe is not as prosperous as Kyoto, it is still a large city with a population of 150 million. If a city-wide battle royale were to actually take place, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Before the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, the Japanese government was already overwhelmed by the month-long evacuation and resettlement of 2.6 million Kyoto citizens. Now, in less than five days, it is simply unrealistic to persuade 1.5 million Kobe citizens to leave.

Moreover, the Japanese government had just made a blatant attempt to cover up its victory in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, and Kobe, less than 100 kilometers away, immediately followed suit by evacuating its citizens. This not only contradicts its own actions but will also inevitably cause a nationwide uproar and widespread panic.

"Tsk, how should I put it?"

Tosu Hero tapped his head with a distressed expression.

Abe no Seimei had crammed too many messy rules into his head, leaving him somewhat dizzy and disoriented.

"Give me a map of Kobe."

At Uchiha Senmon's command, Ichimaru's assistant, who was waiting outside the door, presented the latest version of the city plan issued by the Kobe City Government within a few minutes.

"The area covered by the barrier is three kilometers in radius, centered on the Kobe Bridge."

"Hero Tosu took a black marker and circled the area around the Kobe Bridge on the map," he said in a deep voice.

"At that time, none of the selected individuals will be allowed to leave the barrier. The consequences of leaving will be the same as those who fail to arrive in Kobe in time: they will be deprived of their lives by the cursed seal."

The Prime Minister and the US Ambassador stared at each other intently at the map.

The Prime Minister pondered for a moment. The area with a radius of three kilometers centered on Kobe Bridge belongs to Shinko Town and accounts for only a small part of the entire city, with a population of less than 100,000.

Compared to a population of 150 million, evacuating only this many people is still manageable.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the Prime Minister couldn't help but let out a long breath, his expression softening.

"Mr. Tosu, you haven't answered my question yet."

Uchiha Senmon, his face serious, looked directly into Tori Hideo's eyes and asked:

"Besides you and Jeanne, who else is participating in this deadly game?"

"Those chosen by Abe no Seimei are not limited to superhumans; even ordinary people can participate in this death game," Tosu Hideo said with a strange expression, hardly believing it himself.

"What!?"

Uchiha Senmon's expression changed, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes.

Jeanne is a new generation of superhuman, second only to Uchiha Senmon himself. Tori, who has four hearts and can use various escaping techniques, is also an A-rank superhuman. How could an ordinary person possibly have the power to fight against a superhuman?

In this way, the death game becomes too unbalanced and its meaning is simply unclear.

"Most importantly, ordinary people with cursed seals can perform spirit summoning rituals to summon the souls of extraordinary beings bound by Abe no Seimei to fight alongside them."

"Is this a spirit summoning spell...?"

"I don't quite understand what you're saying. Could you explain it to me in simpler terms?"

The Prime Minister and the US Ambassador looked at each other, completely bewildered, and then started asking questions all at once.

"Prime Minister and Ambassador, please don't worry. After Mr. Tosu and I have confirmed it, we will organize the information and inform you."

Uchiha Senmon turned to look at the two of them and said seriously.

Seeing this, the Prime Minister and the Ambassador had no choice but to keep quiet.

Is this the Taishan Fujun Festival?

Uchiha Senmon pursed his lips, lost in thought and remained silent.

In addition to collecting the flesh and blood of extraordinary beings as materials for the Taizan Fukun Festival, Abe no Seimei also imprisoned the souls of these extraordinary beings for his own use.

Given her reputation as the greatest Onmyoji in history, it shouldn't be difficult for her.

However you look at it, it's still somewhat unbelievable.

"Mr. Tori, can you also summon the souls of extraordinary beings to fight alongside you?" Uchiha Senmon asked, a sudden thought flashing through his mind.

"No, it's a privilege unique to ordinary people. According to the rules, as a superhuman, I cannot perform a spirit possession ritual," Torii Hero said with a wry smile.

In this way, the gap between the extraordinary and ordinary people who are selected will no longer be so large, and ordinary people will also have the opportunity to fight back.

The Uchiha clan pondered deeply.

It barely managed to maintain a fragile balance, but there were too many suspicious points.

"So, how many people participate in the ceremony in Kobe?"

They asked a few more detailed questions, but even Tosu Hideo couldn't answer them all. In the end, Uchiha Senmon could only pick out a few key questions.

"What are the conditions for victory?"

"The number of people who will appear in the first ceremony is not specified in the messages left by Abe no Seimei, so I don't know either."

Tosu Hero licked his dry lips, paused, and said:

"However, there is only one condition for the Kobe Barrier to be lifted: eliminate all the chosen ones except yourself before midnight on August 27th, or you will be completely wiped out."

Within a week, an unknown number of selected candidates had to fight each other until only one person remained.

This sounds like raising a venomous insect!

Moreover, although it is known that Abe no Seimei's goal was to transform all 100 million people in Japan into living dead through the Taizan Fukun Festival, the method by which she achieved this has always been shrouded in mystery and remains a mystery.

Even though she now knows the rules of the ritual that will be performed in Kobe, she still can't figure out or understand what she is preparing to do.

Whether it's power, intelligence, or the accumulation of knowledge in the mystical realm, there's a world of difference between the Supernatural Police Department and Abe no Seimei, this thousand-year-old fox spirit.

She can only lead me by the nose.

After allowing the hero of Tosu to rest and recuperate for the time being, the Uchiha Senmon, the Prime Minister, and the US Ambassador moved to another room to continue their meeting.

"Minister Uchiha, is there really no way to stop Abe no Seimei? We absolutely must stop her before the ceremony!"

Before he could even settle into his seat, the prime minister, desperate and grasping at straws, blurted out his words.

"No! Prime Minister, have you forgotten Abe no Seimei's warning before he left?"

Before he could finish speaking, he was rudely interrupted by the US ambassador.

Abe no Seimei had warned that if her ceremony was stopped, he would launch a parade of demons in New York and Washington, and the United States would suffer the consequences.

There's no reason for a father to shield his son from disaster!

Regardless of the circumstances, the five Kage-level powerhouses who were resurrected on the surface by Abe no Seimei are like a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of Japan and the United States.

Monsters of the Kage level are already enough to make modern governments hesitate to act, but now they have immortal bodies that even nuclear weapons might not be able to kill, leaving them with no way to deal with them except to sit on a pedestal.

The leader cursed inwardly, calling the American devils utterly depraved and devoid of conscience.

For a long time, in addition to economically exploiting Japan, the United States has intensified its efforts to extract a large amount of extraordinary resources from Japan during the extraordinary era. When it comes to the matter, it is like a non-stick pan, unwilling to share any risks.

"Mr. Ambassador, there are some things I would like to ask for your country's assistance with," said Uchiha Senmon.

"Please speak frankly, Minister Uchiha."

The US ambassador spoke to Uchiha Senmon with a friendly demeanor, his attitude even more polite than when he spoke to the Japanese prime minister.

"You should know about the extraordinary abilities of the Birds Nest Hero."

Uchiha Senmon glossed over the matter, saying:

"I wonder if your country's Extraordinary Countermeasures Department has any Type A weapons capable of using Lightning Release?"

"I see."

The US ambassador rolled his eyes, nodded, and said in a watertight manner.

"There is one more thing. I suggest that our two countries withdraw the arrest warrants for Yamashita Tetsu, Shiranui Hagoromo, and the Hawk Organization."

Uchiha Senmon uttered a startling statement.

"this……"

The Prime Minister and the US Ambassador both frowned and remained silent.

"The ritual initiated by Abe no Seimei has also dragged Ms. Jeanne from the Hawk Organization into it."

Uchiha Senmon pressed his advantage, saying:

"Given the Eagle Organization's modus operandi, they won't stand idly by in a crisis that threatens all of humanity. We should unite all forces that can be united now; the Eagle Organization's overall strength is not much inferior to the Twelve Divine Generals."

In the past, if someone had suggested making peace with the Eagle Organization, they would certainly have been questioned about their motives.

However, even the head of state and the US ambassador can distinguish between priorities.

The conflict between Japan and the United States and the Eagle Organization, besides the struggle for interests in the secret realm dungeon, has evolved into a lot of grievances and grudges, which are actually due to the fact that neither country can back down.

"Minister Uchiha, I will carefully discuss your proposal with the cabinet later."

The head of state pretended to be reserved and thought for a moment before going down the slope.

After all, Japan is currently facing an unprecedented crisis, so it would be good to strengthen its capabilities even if it means some effort.

In any case, Yamashita Tetsu was seeking the position of Prime Minister, and there was no real enmity between them. It was not impossible to consider letting the matter rest.

"I will also report to the President."

Such a big matter was naturally beyond the authority of the US ambassador to make, but his attitude was still quite positive.

Although the relationship between Japan and the United States is not one of mutual dependence, but rather like that of a dog and its master, Abe Seimei declared that his intention was to have global repercussions, not just limited to Japan.

If Japan were to fall, it would trigger a domino effect, potentially worsening the already turbulent international situation.

Without taking any risks, the United States will do its best to support Japan in eliminating Abe no Seimei.

After a few perfunctory exchanges with the Prime Minister and the US Ambassador, Uchiha Senmon returned to the Supernatural Police Department headquarters to continue working overtime.

A day later, the results of the tests on Takahashi Kazuya, who had been resurrected by the Taishan Fujun Festival and was of utmost concern to the Uchiha Sage Sect, were reported in great detail, both physically and mentally.

"As expected of the real Kazumasa Takahashi!"

As Uchiha Senmon perused the mental evaluation report, his dark eyes betrayed his barely concealed excitement.

Experts from the Paranormal Police Department unanimously agreed that Kazumasa Takahashi was truly resurrected, and not some strange entity impersonating him.

"But can this posture truly be considered living?"

Uchiha Senmon opened another physical examination report. The dust-like body showed no physiological reaction. Living like this was, in a sense, worse than death.

After her resurrection, can Mikoto truly accept becoming such a non-human being?

However, for an old man who is seriously ill and barely clinging to life, becoming the dust body resurrected by the Taishan Fujun ritual is not unacceptable compared to death.

In some ways, it has achieved an alternative form of immortality.

Abe no Seimei's act of handing over the resurrected Takahashi Kazumasa to the Japanese government was malicious, likely driven by a twisted sense of humor and a conspiracy to sow discord within the upper echelons of the Japanese government.

The appearance of Abe no Seimei and the Taizan Fujun Festival brought immense pressure, like a landslide and a tsunami, making it almost impossible for the Uchiha Immortal Sect to breathe. They hadn't felt this sense of powerlessness and despair in a long time.

But hope also appears alongside crisis, though it is only like a black light shining in the chaos.

After the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, the Uchiha Immortal Monk realized the vast difference in strength between the two sides and that his hopes of seizing the Taishan Fujun Ritual Technique from Abe no Seimei were slim. However, he only sought to have a clear conscience and die for his cause.

For now, we can only take it one step at a time.

"Should we send A-Ming and Nami Ryu abroad?"

Uchiha Senmon was suddenly inspired, and a thought arose in his mind that he had never had before.

Even if the Uchiha Sage Sect is determined to fight to the death, there is no need to leave Akira in Japan and gamble on the one-in-five chance that he can be turned into a living dead.

However, once Abe no Seimei's ceremony in Japan is successful, it is certain that her influence will sweep the globe. At that time, who can remain aloof and unaffected?

Uchiha Senmon sighed.

Just then, Ichimaru's assistant knocked on the door and respectfully reported to the leader:

"Department Head Uchiha, Abbot Kanbara requests an audience."

(End of this chapter)