I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 447 and 448: The Nine Tailed Beasts

"This deity is Izanagi, who possesses the power to create the world in the Japanese creation myth."

"The *Tenetium davidii*, with its DNA double helix structure, is simply unbelievable. This was a Nobel Prize-worthy discovery from the 1950s and 60s. Does this mean that theology had already reached the pinnacle a thousand years ago?"

"The three tomoe in his eyes are the Mystic Eyes possessed by members of the extraordinary terrorist organization Akatsuki! What's going on?"

Although the sage with two horns on his head in the mural has a unique appearance, his obvious action of creating the island with a spear still reminded the experts and scholars present of Japanese creation myths.

"These were originally top secret files, but the situation is dire, and it's no longer time to keep them secret. Please do not divulge them after you've read them."

The naval captain took out an iPad, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and brought up the documents and videos inside, which he then passed around to Professor Changshan and other scholars.

The Sharingan and Mangekyou Sharingan, which are deeply feared by immortals, Buddhas, and even Kage-level powerhouses...

The divine power named after the god of destruction, Susanoo; the black calamity fire named after the sun god, Amaterasu, which incinerates heaven and earth...

Hiruko-no-Kami, an abandoned child of Izanagi and his wife, hatefully cursed the Sharingan clan who inherited Izanagi's bloodline, and was later sealed away by Itachi with the Totsuka Blade...

All the scholars and professors were taken aback, then became incredibly excited, and began whispering and discussing amongst themselves.

"Is this really the truth? Unbelievable!"

"The immortal in the mural is also holding a gourd, which is exactly the same as the Totsuka Sword from the Battle of Kobe."

In Japanese mythology, the first person to wield the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (Ten-Fist Sword) was Izanagi, the father of the gods, who used it to behead and burn Kagutsuchi, who had killed Izanami. The Totsuka-no-Tsurugi was eventually passed down to Susanoo, who used it to slay the ferocious Yamata no Orochi (Eight-Headed Serpent).

Professor Nagayama's face flushed red and then turned pale. His hands trembled as he tried to take off his glasses, but he failed several times.

Oh, I see? Oh, I see!

The faint traces left behind by all the previous extraordinary events are gradually becoming clearer, and the puzzle in Professor Changshan's mind is being pieced together.

"No wonder the Sharingan possesses such immense power; it turns out he's a descendant of Izanagi-no-Mikoto!"

Among the secrets disclosed by the US side are many unheard-of stories, which even Professor Nagayama, a former advisor and scholar to the Supernatural Police Department, had never heard of. It is certain that the Japanese high command kept them secret for political reasons.

As descendants of Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the power of the Sharingan is undeniable. In contrast, those sitting comfortably in the Imperial Palace show no signs of divine abilities and are simply ordinary mortals.

It makes one suspicious of the royal family's lineage.

Among the so-called unbroken bloodlines in the world, the Confucian family of China has been replaced several times through human molecular analysis. The conspiracy theory that the imperial bloodline was replaced during the Northern and Southern Dynasties has been prevalent in Japan for a long time.

Professor Nagayama glanced at the naval captain with a subtle look.

This is a taboo topic in Japanese politics, and only the US can so casually declassify it for them.

Let's call him a naval captain for now.

His official identities include, but are not limited to, CIA agent, federal government bureaucrat, etc., and he can switch between them at any time as needed.

As a major power that has held global hegemony for decades, it is naturally not lacking in a sense of vigilance and awareness of potential dangers even in times of peace.

Over the past three years, the United States has accumulated some capital by taking advantage of Japan, but its foundation in the mystical world is still too weak.

If other ancient and small countries were to discover extraordinary heritage in some hidden corner, they might just turn their fortunes around and soar to new heights. But the United States' predicament is not only its short history, but also the possibility that if an extraordinary Native American was discovered on its territory, it might immediately turn its attention to the White House.

More importantly, although the crisis caused by the fake Abe no Seimei has been brought to a smooth end, the doomsday-like news he uttered, which did not sound like a joke, is a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all those in the know.

After discovering that the ruins on Ghost Island were related to the Age of Gods, relevant U.S. departments immediately began an intensive investigation.

They deceived their ally Japan, tricked and lured a group of top archaeologists and folklore experts to brainstorm and unravel the mystery of the Age of Gods.

"The shrine that is suspected to be dedicated to Izanagi is only part of the ruins on the island. There are many more amazing places. Please follow me to another location."

Professor Changshan and other scholars followed the naval captain out of the temple and arrived at the foot of a waterfall on the main peak, where the cascading waterfall had created a pool of water.

"Everyone, put on your raincoats and rain boots."

Although he didn't understand why, Professor Nagayama put on a waterproof coat and followed the naval captain, wading through the deep water.

Behind the waterfall was a water curtain cave, a hidden paradise inside.

Three or five well-arranged temples and magnificent stone corridors came into view. Two rows of broken stone statues were cracked and covered with moss. They had endured the test of time over the long years and exuded an ancient and mysterious aura.

"Unbelievable! There are such magnificent ruins inside!"

"The greatest archaeological discovery of the 21st century! Invaluable and of extraordinary significance!"

All the scholars couldn't help but widen their eyes in delight and excitement.

"Why are all these Buddha statues headless? This is a major crime against history!" an expert lamented.

"Dr. Joseph, that was the case when we discovered this site."

The naval captain said in a gentle tone:

"When geological workers were exploring Ghost Island, they discovered a huge cavity inside the main peak, which led them to discover the secret passage under the waterfall."

Professor Nagayama examined the headless Buddha statues on both sides of the corridor.

Although the heads of the Buddha statues have disappeared, the prayer beads around their necks and their robes are typical of Buddhist style.

In particular, the headless Buddha statues have their left index and middle fingers extended, while their thumb presses down on their little and ring fingers to form a sword sheath. Their right hand is also in a sword shape, and then the sword in their right hand is placed in the sheath in their left hand.

"The Acala Mudra of Esoteric Buddhism!"

Professor Changshan was not just a figurehead; he had a wide range of knowledge and quickly identified the problem:

"Could this be some kind of training ground?"

At the center of the cave ruins stands a towering temple, with no doors, windows, or entrances, only a relief of a beast's head that resembles a tiger but is not quite a tiger.

"We haven't found a way to enter the temple, so we haven't resorted to violence yet."

What a lack of understanding of romance! Such a precious and extraordinary ancient civilization site, and you want to destroy it with bombs? You really are a Saxon barbarian from a bandit background.

Professor Changshan muttered a few words to himself, but his face remained impassive as he asked:

"Do you mean we need to find a way to crack the entry point?"

"Not only that, there are many other questions I would like to ask Professor Nagayama, an authority on Japanese yokai and folklore."

The naval colonel said meaningfully, and then picked up the walkie-talkie and muttered a few words.

"Bang."

The searchlights suddenly turned on, and everyone couldn't help but squint. After their eyes adjusted to the light, they looked closely.

On the front cliff face stands a huge relief sculpture, tens of meters in size. A colossal creature with bull horns opens its huge mouth and spits out a ring, while its body is composed of eight octopus tentacles.

"Professor Nagayama, in your opinion, what kind of monster is this?"

Professor Changshan carefully examined the clues for a long time, racking his brains, but still couldn't figure it out.

Japan has many octopus-themed monsters, such as the giant octopus, and there are also quite a few bull-headed monsters, such as Ushi-tachi-bo, Ushi-tachi-ma-men, and so on.

"Could it be... a demon?" Professor Nagayama asked somewhat guiltily.

In Japanese folklore, the Ushioni is a giant sea monster with the head of a bull and the body of a spider or crab, not one with octopus tentacles.

However, if one were to force an interpretation, it could be attributed to a bull demon, since the bull-headed monster in the relief has eight octopus tentacles, clearly making it a sea monster.

"Oh, what about this one?"

The naval captain made a gesture, and another beam of light shone on the opposite cliff face, illuminating a bas-relief of a demon of the same size, burning with flames and growing two tails.

"It's definitely Nekomata!" This time, Professor Nagayama was full of confidence.

"And what about the rest?"

Suddenly, the top of the cave shone brightly.

And there's more.

Professor Changshan frowned, looked around, and was immediately dumbfounded.

The walls of the circular cave are covered with reliefs of huge monsters. Including the "Ushioni" and "Nekomata" from before, there are a total of nine!

All the experts and scholars were deeply moved by these nine magnificent and weathered reliefs, and remained speechless for a long time.

A giant raccoon with a thick tail, a monkey with four tails, a five-tailed behemoth that resembles a fusion of a dolphin and a horse, an insect-like monster with layers upon layers of wings...

Even with Professor Changshan's decades of expertise in yokai studies, he couldn't identify what kind of yokai it was.

"Nine-Tailed Fox!"

Upon seeing the last relief, Professor Nagayama's pupils contracted, and he blurted out.

Behind the ferocious fox, nine tails surged forth, shaking heaven and earth.

"So, what did you learn, Professor Nagayama?" the naval captain asked expectantly.

"I'm truly ashamed to say that, apart from the Nekomata and the Nine-Tailed Fox, I'm not 100% certain that I can confirm the true forms of the other yokai." Professor Nagayama said with a bitter face, racking his brains for a long time before finally having to tell the truth.

"Even Professor Changshan doesn't know what these multi-tailed magical beasts are?"

"But I made an unexpected discovery, they..."

Before Professor Nagayama could finish speaking, the naval colonel interrupted, saying:

"The tails of these monsters increase in length with each generation, right?"

Professor Changshan gave an awkward smile.

The tails of the nine giant beasts varied in size, from the one-tailed, two-tailed, three-tailed... to the eight-armed "Ox Demon" and finally to the nine-tailed fox demon.

With careful observation, it is not difficult to discover the pattern of the demon reliefs on the cliff face.

"The most distinctive feature of the nine monsters is the number of tails, ranging from one to nine. They must have some kind of connection with each other, which is why we internally refer to them collectively as 'Tailed Beasts'."

The naval captain surveyed all the tailed beast reliefs and said in a solemn tone:

"Judging from the size and layout of these reliefs, these eight tailed beasts possess power comparable to the Nine-Tailed Fox, which is being hunted by the Akatsuki!"

Professor Changshan's expression changed, and he wholeheartedly agreed.

The Akatsuki organization's purpose in wreaking havoc in Japan was to obtain the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The power that even a Kage-level expert would risk his life for must be unimaginably powerful.

And besides the Nine-Tailed Fox, there are actually eight other beings with such power?!

"The 'seeds' of destruction from beyond the universe fell from the sky, took root, sprouted, grew into a divine tree, and drained the earth's spiritual energy, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Age of Gods."

The naval captain took out his iPad, looked at the screen, and read aloud, word by word.

"It was said by the Toad Sage, Jiraiya-sama..."

Professor Nagayama's pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum size.

"Professor Nagayama, do you remember the other possibility for the destruction of the Age of Gods?" The naval captain nodded and said.

Professor Nagayama's face behind his glasses suddenly shifted between light and shadow.

A divine beast with nine heads and forty-five tails devoured all the civilizations of the various eras on the continent. The reason why the Nine-Tailed Fox possesses power that even gods and Buddhas fear is that it inherited the bloodline of that world-destroying demon.

However, judging from the eight tailed beasts that were adjacent to the Nine-Tailed Fox in the ruins, they also inherited the same power.

Professor Changshan had a brilliant idea.

Or perhaps, that world-destroying demon is an amalgamation of the nine tailed beasts?

If we can decipher the mysteries within the ruins, we can uncover the truth behind the destruction of the Age of Gods—a golden opportunity to go down in history!

Professor Nagayama, who was initially resentful for being tricked into coming, suddenly became eager to try his hand at it.

The naval captain glanced at his watch with his left hand held horizontally and chuckled:

"Night has fallen before we knew it. Let's get some rest tonight, and start the archaeological work tomorrow. Although the conditions on Ghost Island are basic, safety is absolutely guaranteed..."

Before the words were finished, the cave floor suddenly tilted sharply to the east, causing everyone to lose their balance and crash heavily to the ground, with screams echoing everywhere.

Just when things had finally returned to level, violent earthquakes began to strike repeatedly, and large stones rolled down from the cave ceiling.

"An earthquake? No! The island is sinking!"

Suddenly, one of the scholars let out a howl, and everyone immediately turned pale, crying and scrambling towards the cave entrance.

"Professor Nagayama, are you alright?!"

The naval captain had run halfway when he suddenly turned around and found Professor Changshan lying on the ground with his head on a piece of gravel, his life hanging in the balance.

They were actually knocked unconscious in the first wave of shock!

"Fuck!"

The naval captain cursed loudly, gritted his teeth, and went against the flow of people to turn back, helping Professor Changshan up and fleeing back.

As fate would have it, just as they were about to reach the waterfall, the rocks at the entrance collapsed, trapping the two inside.

The experts, scholars, and soldiers, filled with panic, watched as the tremors on the island intensified, threatening to cause the sky to collapse and the earth to shake violently. They didn't care whether there were more or fewer people; they all ran back to the dock like wolves and pigs, wishing they had more legs.

The surging tides have submerged most of the forward bases along the coast, but fortunately, several lifeboats remain on the shore.

The scholars, who were normally too weak to even kill a chicken, jumped onto the boat and rowed with all their might.

Under the cover of night, the sea breeze howled, and the thick fog on the sea dissipated. A warship flying the Stars and Stripes rushed towards the scene as fast as a shooting star.

"Here, here!"

"Help!"

After being hastily pulled onto the warship, everyone looked back and was immediately filled with fear. Most of Ghost Island had sunk into the sea, with only half of the main peak remaining above water.

"roar!"

Suddenly, a roar like thunder shook everyone to their core.

A giant turtle head, larger than the Oasis of the Seas international cruise ship, suddenly surfaced, creating a tsunami-like wave.

Everyone was dumbfounded, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

This isn't Ghost Island, it's Turtle Island!

"Heavens! Look up at the sky!"

The originally bright silver moon turned blood red at a speed visible to the naked eye, vivid and glistening.

The Crimson Moon returns.

(End of this chapter)