In Tokyo, I draw cards and become a big demon

Uesugi Che held the ice cola and took a sip, feeling the refreshing and stimulating taste of carbonated drinks for the first time in a long time.

But what comes with it is a sense of relaxation and peace of mind that cannot be described in words.

He didn't say thank you.

He just asked, "Sister Nanjo, you couldn't have called me just because of the brief encounter we just had, right?"

Nanjo Aimi narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down, as if she could see through him from the inside out.

"Well, I wanted to confirm whether you had been attacked. I forgot to mark you before."

Feeling the goose bumps rising on his skin, Uesugi Tetsu asked, "Do it?"

"Uesugi-kun, you should have noticed it the moment you entered the dojo."

Nanjo Ai said: "It's like someone is always watching you from a distance."

"Indeed, there is, but we haven't found the source." Uesugi Tetsu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Is it Kujo Oboroya, the master of the Oborozuki-do dojo?"

Nanjo Aimi nodded in slight surprise and readily admitted, "Yes, it's her."

She pointed to her eyes and said, "Kujo Oboroya possesses a powerful demonic eye of unknown origin, allowing him to easily 'see' every inch of the entire dojo."

Uesugi Tetsu was a little confused: "Then why did she do this?"

Nanjo Aimi spread her hands and said, "Who knows? No one can fully grasp the evil tastes of this old witch who has lived from the Edo period to the present."

"But now I have already cast a spiritual power mark on you, Uesugi-kun."

She sank back into the sofa and yawned a little sleepily.

"Unless she wants to slap me hard in the face twice and start a fight, from now on, Uesugi-kun, you will no longer be at risk of being spied on by this old witch."

Nanjo Aimi closed her eyes and whispered, "I know you have more secrets than most people, so you have to keep them even better."

Uesugi Che opened his mouth and subconsciously wanted to say thank you.

But he remembered what Nanjo Aimi had said before, so he shut his mouth again.

"Then Nanjo-san, if everything is alright, I'll leave first."

"Ah."

After drinking the ice cola in one gulp, Uesugi Tetsu knew that the most important thing for him at the moment was to continue practicing the Coronal Breathing Technique.

Then, tell Nanjo Aishi the fact of victory:

——Your idea is not wrong.

……

For the next two days, Uesugi Tetsu was almost alone in the room prepared for guests at Longyuetang, practicing the Corona Breathing Technique.

He didn't meet with Lilizi much. One reason was that practicing breathing techniques was a slow and steady process, which was different from swordsmanship, and did not require him to discuss it with Lilizi in a fierce confrontation.

Secondly, Uesugi Tetsu knew that if he stayed for too long, Rikiko would definitely see through his thoughts, and he would have to tell her the news that Tokugawa Hoshi had arrived.

In this case, in order to avoid complications before the crucial real sword test, Uesugi Tetsu decided to suppress the news for the time being.

On the 18th, three hours before the real sword test began.

"In the past two days, there have been a lot more people in Longyue Hall."

Uesugi Che looked tired as he slowly exhaled a white energy that seemed to be tangible. He heard the dense and detailed discussions coming from the corridor outside.

The vast majority of them are spectators.

The audience wanted to see the Oborozuki-do, who had not been publicly exposed for a long time, but still relied on three or two disciples to easily exorcise the demons of the entire Yokohama city.

Although there were many spectators, Uesugi Tetsu never met the three disciples of Longyuetang who were about to face him during the past two days.

Originally, Uesugi Tetsu wanted to continue to spread the message to them that "Nishaku-sama is very important to Uesugi Tetsu."

But he never even saw Crow Tori Shigure's crows again.

It was as if those three people didn't care about him at all.

"But this is fine."

Uesugi Che no longer paid attention to such trivial matters, but looked at the panel next to him that was marked with the Coronal Breathing Technique.

——[Coronal Breathing (Proficiency 2922/3500)].

During these dozens of hours, Uesugi Tetsu consumed 5 portions of soul-soothing incense ash (small) and practiced day and night without sleep before his proficiency in the Corona Breathing Technique increased by about points.

There are still 588 points of proficiency required for promotion.

According to common sense, two high-intensity battles are enough to fill these proficiency gaps.

But it's not enough.

What Uesugi Tetsu wants is not "high probability" but "certainty".

This real sword test must be won.

And, win beautifully!

Without hesitation, he took out the two incomplete scrolls of the technique from his storage backpack and used them on himself, which he had originally intended to leave on Bai Shi for experimentation.

——[Coronal Breathing (Proficiency 3122/3500)].

"That's almost it."

Uesugi Tetsu sensed the surging corona energy in his body and slowly calmed it down, letting it flow quietly through his limbs and bones, and through every part of this body.

Then he took out Kaga Kiyomitsu and placed it flat on his knees. He asked the katana that had not been unsheathed for a long time, "Xiaojia, are you ready?"

hum.

Kaga Kiyomitsu made a short but firm humming sound.

Again, no hesitation.

Uesugi Che smiled and touched the hilt of the knife, then plucked his heartstrings and heard a vague sound, as if he was still eating snacks.

"——po! We are always ready!"

Then, he was alone.

Uesugi Che closed his eyes and entered a state of deep meditation in an instant, recovering his lost mental and physical strength at an extremely fast speed.

Two and a half hours later.

dong dong dong.

Someone knocked on Uesugi Tetsu's door.

Uesugi Che opened his eyes calmly, and showed a little surprise after hearing the footsteps of someone.

He didn't expect that among so many people, this person would be the one who volunteered to call him.

Uesugi Tetsu stood up and put Kaga Kiyomitsu's belt around his waist. After opening the door, he saw Akechi Yuya's very serious face and his meticulously dressed clothes.

"Uesugi-senpai!"

The moment he saw Uesugi Tetsu, Akechi Yu bowed deeply to him.

Straight ninety degrees, not more or less.

Uesugi Tetsu: “That’s not necessary.”

Akechi Yuya stood up, looked him straight in the eyes and said, "No, ever since I was defeated by Uesugi-senpai's Shikigami two days ago, I have made up my mind to change myself."

"The first point is to maintain respect for my 'predecessors,' no matter in what respect they surpass me."

Akechi Yuya paused, then continued, "But similarly, I will also regard you, Uesugi-senpai, as my number one target and will continue to pursue you."

"——In the future, I will first defeat your Shikigami, and then I will defeat you myself!"

Looking at the young man in front of him with a serious expression and a simple and honest tone in his words, Uesugi Che couldn't help but smile.

"Come on." He said seriously.

Then, Uesugi Tetsu started taking out his equipment and props one by one and putting them on in front of Akechi Yuya at the door.

The first person summoned was Nishaku-sama - she had already put on the Immaculate Mikuni, which greatly increased her own toughness, allowing her to move more freely in the battle.

Immediately afterwards, the cold steel arm armor with a cold glow was put on Uesugi Tetsu's forearm, and the light golden Komainu rattle was hung next to Kaga Kiyomitsu.

On the other side of his waist hung a ferocious and frightening white Prajna mask and a crystal clear four-tailed fox jade token. A strong demonic aura spread from Uesugi Tetsu's body, causing Akechi You to take a half step back.

Finally, the exquisite and retro palace maid robe fell, covering it all up.

Uesugi Che savored the power that was expanding and filling him again, stretched out his hand, and let the medium-length spear fall into his hand.

In the first duel, he decided to fight the enemy with spearmanship.

Akechi You also stared at Uesugi Tetsu, whose appearance had changed in an instant, and was stunned for a moment.

"Go, Senior Uesugi... the upcoming true sword trials will be three rounds in a row. Don't you need to keep some cards in reserve?"

"——When facing the disciples of Longyuetang, you must have the mentality of giving your all from the very beginning and not underestimate anyone."

Uesugi Tetsu glanced at him calmly. "Akechi-kun, why do you think there are only a few people in the entire Oborozuki Hall, yet they can easily dominate the entire city of Yokohama?"

Without waiting for Akechi Yuya to reply, Uesugi Tetsu said, "Kill. Slaughter all the demons, villains, and opponents who dare to show their heads and cause trouble."

"Besides, Akechi-kun." Uesugi Tetsu looked at him with a half-smile, "How can you be sure that these are all my trump cards?"

After speaking to the stunned Akechi Yuya, Uesugi Tetsu suddenly remembered something.

Almost forgot.

He took out the divine fortune stick tube, shook it casually, and picked up the round and slender bamboo stick that fell out of the tube mouth.

Flip over.

The bright red and warm word "good luck" printed on the bamboo stick was revealed.

【God's Lot·Good Luck】

【——Just follow your heart, that's all.】

Uesugi Che raised the corner of his mouth and threw the auspicious fortune stick to the ground.

This pre-war prize was quite good.

He turned around and slowly walked towards the underground arena with the slender spear in his hand.

The passage from Uesugi Tetsu's room to the arena was very long, so the closer he got, the clearer he could hear the noises coming from the arena.

The closer you get, the more you can feel the bustling crowd in the arena.

Countless noisy discussions poured into the passage from the arena and then reached Uesugi Tetsu's ears.

He walked to the entrance of the underground arena, his footsteps on the dividing line between light and shadow.

In just a moment, Uesugi Tetsu could feel the dense gazes cast on him and his shadow.

Even though he hasn't officially entered the arena yet.

"There are so many people here! It seems Longyuetang is quite famous indeed."

Uesugi Che raised his eyebrows. It was the first time for him to fight with others in front of so many people.

He stood there for a while, nodding thoughtfully, "But it seems like most people don't think highly of me."

This is also a matter of course.

Holding the spear tightly in his hand, Uesugi Tetsu and Ershaku-sama slowly walked towards the underground arena where the atmosphere was bustling.

Just before he was about to step into the sandy area of the arena, hurried footsteps were heard in the passage behind him.

The next moment, Akechi Yuya's roar came from afar: "Uesugi-senpai—"

"I wish you good luck in martial arts!"

So Uesugi Toru laughed.

He turned his head and nodded behind him, then stepped into the vast underground arena under the sight of Akechi Yuya.

The intense light projected down from the circular dome made Uesugi Che squint slightly.

He looked around and confirmed that the arena was roughly a circle with a diameter of about fifty meters, and its total area was much larger than the previous small training ground No. 3.

When Uesugi Tetsu looked up, he finally saw Kujo Oboroya, the head of the Oborozuki-do Dojo, sitting on the high main seat with his eyes closed.

Jiujo Oboroye was wearing a loose dark purple Taoist robe. He had a young face of about thirty years old, with long, smooth snow-white hair falling from his shoulders to the ground. The aura around him was calm and peaceful.