I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 425 and 426: Kannabi Bridge

As night deepens and the tide ebbs and flows, the Kobe Bridge, spanning Osaka Bay, is brightly lit.

On the eve of the appointed day, the picturesque seaside city of Kobe, particularly the Shinko-cho district, which spans a five-kilometer radius around the Kobe Bridge, fell into an eerie silence.

The streets were deserted, and the residential buildings were dark and deep, a scene of complete abandonment.

The main traffic arteries surrounding the empty city were instead under martial law by heavily armed Self-Defense Force soldiers, and several helicopters were patrolling the area with searchlights on.

The truth will eventually come out. Shinko Town in Kobe City is about to become the battlefield for Abe Seimei's death game. No matter how much the Japanese government tries to shirk its responsibilities, it cannot ignore the safety of nearly 100,000 local residents.

Therefore, the residents of Shinko Town were urgently evacuated one day prior. As for the reason, it could only be vaguely stated that Abe no Seimei's unusual behavior had been discovered.

Such frequent policy changes have thoroughly embarrassed the Japanese government.

The whole country was in uproar, with protests erupting and demonstrators surrounding the Prime Minister's official residence.

But at this point, the prime minister and cabinet, having given up all hope, became even more defiant, stating that they had no comment.

This time, the US firmly stood by the Japanese government, so this wave of protests is unlikely to cause much of a stir.

"As expected, finding superhumans who are intentionally lurking in the city is not an easy task."

In a building within the designated barrier, Torii Hero and Kurogane Kouzo spoke face to face, while behind Kurogane Kouzo, Akai's illusory shadow stood silently.

After Kurogane Kozo agreed to cooperate, and after Akai's spirit manifested, the Supernatural Police Department immediately seized the opportunity, wanting to obtain detailed information about the Celestial Realm, Abe no Seimei, and other matters from Akai.

However, whether it was Abe no Seimei who did it or not, Akai only remembered bits and pieces of what happened before his death, and was mostly clueless about everything else.

However, one thing the Supernatural Police Department can confirm is that the deceased superhumans summoned by Abe no Seimei, after being reborn, are able to inherit the original owner's memories. This gives them sufficient understanding of modern technology and language, making them less likely to be caught out.

Two days ago, two superhumans suddenly attacked and fled. Afterwards, the Supernatural Police Department tracked them along the way with cameras. One of them disappeared halfway, while the other jumped into Osaka Bay and disappeared without a trace.

However, there are less than 10 minutes left before the start of Abe no Seimei's death game, so they should be appearing in Shinkocho soon.

The Supernatural Police Department has set up multiple fake and real strongholds within the barrier area, which are heavily guarded by elite special forces belonging to the Supernatural Police Department.

The rules state that selected individuals cannot leave the area bounded by the barrier, but they do not say that ordinary people cannot enter.

Modern heavy firepower still possesses considerable destructive power against superhumans below the Shadow level.

Having secured an absolute home-field advantage, the Tosu hero can immediately call for fire support, as well as logistical supplies, medical resources, and more, at his command.

The Supernatural Police Department made thorough preparations for this deadly game.

Even so, both Tosu Hideo and Kurogane Kouzo were still uneasy, after all, this was a death game where only one person could survive.

They had no idea whether they could come up with a solution at the last minute.

"Mr. Kai, do you think we have a chance of winning this time?"

Wearing a tactical combat uniform, Kurogane Kouzo weighed the special alloy nunchucks that the Supernatural Police Department had given him and silently asked Kai in his mind.

The nunchucks provided to him by the Supernatural Police Department, while not some extraordinary equipment, were still much tougher and more durable than any he could buy on the market.

Even firearms and ammunition could be provided to him by the Supernatural Police Department, but neither Kurogane Kouzo nor Akai had any experience using firearms, so they had to decline.

There's actually a little secret about Black Iron Shiki.

Two months after summoning Mr. Guy, Kouzo Kurogane and this passionate man share a body. Occasionally, in his dreams, he can glimpse fragmented experiences and memories of Mr. Guy's past life.

For example, Mr. Guy's lifelong rival and best friend, Kakashi's face...

Although he often doesn't remember clearly after waking up, it still gives Kouzo Kurogane a feeling of being in another world, a sense of melancholy and感慨.

Although he agreed to join forces with the Tori no Hero of the Twelve Divine Generals to overcome the difficulties, the only person Kouzo Kurogane truly trusted was Mr. Kai.

"Young man, don't be discouraged. Before you cross the finish line, the outcome is still uncertain."

Kurogane Kouzo shook his head with a wry smile.

"It's almost midnight."

Torii Hero raised his hand to check the time, and reminded him as if facing a formidable enemy.

Kurogane Kouzo nodded in agreement.

Five, four, three, two, one...

As the second, hour, and minute hands overlapped, a piercing, bone-deep pain emanated from the cursed seal on Kurogane Hui San's right hand. His face contorted in agony, and he gasped in pain.

"Ouch, that hurts..."

Just then, the lights in the room suddenly went out, making it pitch black and completely silent.

"Mr. Tosu!"

But there was no response. Looking around, the Tosu Hero who was originally standing opposite him and the security guards around him had all vanished into thin air, leaving him all alone.

Kurogane Kouzo's alarm bells went off instantly. His eyes widened alertly as he scanned his surroundings, his leg muscles taut, ready to burst out the door at any moment.

"Mr. Kai."

"I am here."

Kouzo Kurogane let out a soft cry in his heart. Receiving a response from Teacher Kai, he felt slightly relieved. He squinted and, after his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, examined his surroundings.

He was struck dumb, as if by lightning.

The place he was in was no longer the familiar Shinko Town, or rather, the modern steel city; all he could see was a pristine natural landscape.

However, no primeval forest on Earth has mushroom caps the size of a house or bamboo groves as thick as two or three people can hug!

"This is... a secret realm!?"

Kurogane Kouzo was completely taken aback and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen pigs run. After the advent of the extraordinary era, Japan has frequently heard stories of secret realm entrances appearing in various locations, and lucky individuals returning from them with abundant rewards, or even becoming extraordinary beings by sheer luck.

But how did I end up in this secret realm for no reason?

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the back of his right hand, jolting Kurogane Kouzo out of his shock. He instinctively clutched the back of his hand.

"Could this also be part of Abe no Seimei's scheme?"

Indeed, it seems that only Abe no Seimei, who presided over this deadly game, had the ability to drag people into the secret realm without them even realizing it.

Now that he had come to his senses, he had already entered the secret realm. Presumably, the Bird Hero and the two chosen ones who had come to ambush him earlier had also been drawn in.

In this way, the off-site methods prepared by the Supernatural Police Department are completely useless.

Did Abe no Seimei move the location of the death game from the real city of Kobe to a secret place for the sake of "fairness"?

Somewhat bewildered, Kurogane asked in a deep voice:

"Mr. Kai, what should we do now?"

"Don't panic, check your equipment first."

Kurogane Kōzō immediately checked the items he was carrying. In addition to weapons, he also had enough high-energy food for a week and a small medical kit.

The Supernatural Police Department's preparations were indeed thorough.

"Although the location has been moved to a secret realm, Abe no Seimei's set end time should still be only one week."

Mr. Kai's voice echoed in Kurogane Kouzo's mind:

"In that case, we can't be slow. First, we need to find a base where we can take shelter, and then use that as a center to explore outwards. Ideally, we should find a place to roost and other partners who are willing to cooperate with us, and then we can make further plans."

Under Mr. Kai's guidance, Kurogane Kouzo found a safe hiding place, but after several days of searching, he found no useful clues.

"Mr. Kai, look what this is?"

On the third day, Kurogane Kouzo and Akai passed by a place that resembled an ancient battlefield.

Broken kunai and rusty shuriken lay buried among the desolate walls and weeds.

"But it must be quite old, I don't know if it was hundreds of years ago, maybe a brutal battle took place here."

Kurogane and Akai did not linger around the ancient battlefield for long before continuing their journey.

As they waded across a small lake, Akai suddenly issued a warning, saying:

"Stop!"

Kurogane Kouzo's foot, which had just stepped out, immediately hovered in mid-air, unable to retract or land, but he still maintained his balance.

"What's going on, Mr. Kai?"

Akai's spirit immediately manifested beside Kurogane Kouzo, raising his head to signal him to look at the sky.

As soon as Heitie Hui San looked up, he broke out in a cold sweat.

Hidden among the lush bamboo leaves are two rows of sharpened bamboo stalks, concealing a deadly threat. Anyone unaware of this will be riddled with thorns if they step on them.

"The fact that someone set a trap means there might be someone nearby."

Kurogane became increasingly cautious, moving like a cat, avoiding the lurking traps and hiding nearby to observe.

Half a day later, he finally found his target.

It was that underbite who knew the art of invisibility who set up a hiding place in a secluded cave on the cliff.

Kurogane Teruzo saw with his own eyes that the underbite hid inside the cave.

Because they had the upper hand, they should take this opportunity to deal with Di Baotian first. Otherwise, if Di Baotian, who could become invisible, were to run around, it would be much more difficult to eliminate him.

After Oishi went out again, Kurogane Kouzo silently followed behind him, looking for an opportunity to strike.

The man with the underbite turned left and right, and entered another cave.

However, shortly after secretly following them into the cave, Kurogane Kozo immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Because that underbite figure simply turned a corner and disappeared from Kurogane Kouzo's sight.

"Has it become invisible again? No, it's a trap!"

Kurogane's expression changed drastically, and he immediately tried to return the way he came. Just then, a rumbling sound came from the mountaintop, and one huge rock after another rolled down from the cliff face of the cave, collapsing in an instant.

"Earth Release: Rock House Collapse."

Outside the cave, the black-haired hedgehog withdrew his hand from the ground, a mocking expression on his face, and said:

"A kid is a kid, he can't even do something as simple as counter-tracking."

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

"Firelight, and we've successfully taken care of the first one."

Immediately, the semi-transparent camouflage body next to the black hedgehog head gradually became clear.

"We're really lucky; we actually managed to run into each other so quickly even in a secret realm."

Firelight nodded, looked at his companion, and said in a relaxed tone:

"If the two of us team up, taking down the other winners will be a piece of cake. In the end, we'll see who comes out on top."

The man with the underbite, who was usually quiet and reserved, nodded silently.

"I never imagined this would be near the Kannabi Bridge where we met our demise!"

Seeing this, Huoguang also showed a satisfied expression. He stood up and looked around, his face full of emotion and a hint of disbelief.

"I actually remember quite a bit about the surrounding terrain. In that case, we must make good use of this advantage and lure and kill the other superhumans one by one."

Firelight licked his lips, his face revealing an excited and bloodthirsty ferocity.

Having finally been given a second chance at life, what does it matter if one resorts to any means necessary, even slaughtering hundreds or thousands of people?

"Let's go find our next target."

Huoguang glanced at the pile of rubble that buried Kurogane Kōzō, then turned away to leave.

"boom!"

Just then, a deafening explosion rang out from the pile of rubble, sending debris flying and dust billowing up. A figure appeared directly in front of the two of them.

"impossible!"

Huoguang and Dashi both changed their expressions drastically, their eyes revealing disbelief.

They actually managed to escape from the collapsed cave; even they might not have been able to do it.

Kurogane Kousuke was covered in dust and dirt, looking like a homeless man. Although he was just standing still on the ground, his feet seemed to be rooted to the mountains and the earth.

The next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes!

A domineering aura and power completely different from the previous body immediately burst forth with ten or a hundred times the momentum. The enormous pressure made the large rock and the flames opposite feel suffocated.

The air seemed to freeze instantly, and a monstrous aura pressed down on the two of them without mercy, making them feel terrified in an instant.

"The Eight Gates Formation, the Third Gate - the Gate of Life - Opens!"

Akai roared.

Da Shi gritted his teeth, formed a hand seal, and was about to use the camouflage concealment technique to disappear.

"boom!"

The thunderous kick shattered the air, instantly turning the boulder into a shower of bloody and mangled fragments.

(End of this chapter)