I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Okabe Motonobu, whose thoughts had been interrupted, turned his gaze and saw a completely unexpected figure.

Che's shikigami?

She narrowed her eyes, suppressing her anger for the time being, and wanted to ask a question.

But Lord Erchi was faster, pulling a crumpled letter from his robes: "It's an urgent letter from Lord Imagawa!"

The displeasure and indifference on Okabe Motonobu's face immediately vanished.

She strode over, carefully took the letter from the two-foot-tall man's hand, and quickly but meticulously scanned it.

Then, he stood there in a daze.

A full minute later, Okabe Motonobu frowned deeply and muttered to himself, "Could such a thing really exist in this world?"

She nodded to the two-foot-tall man, then shouted outside.

"Summon all generals and officers of the rank of Attendant General and above!"

"Now! Immediately!"

……

——【Mountain Whale King (3.5 stars)】.

A huge notification with a hint of red popped up.

Three and a half stars?

Uesugi Tetsu released his grip and placed his palm on the hilt of Kaga Kiyomitsu's sword, but did not draw it immediately.

He called out loudly, "Your Excellency King of the Mountain Whales, I mean no harm."

This Mountain Whale King was arguably the strongest demon he had encountered since arriving in the Warring States period.

It's so easy to encounter monsters of a higher rank than those on the map... It seems that high-star monsters appearing in hidden maps are indeed not uncommon.

The color of the label above his head was different from the other high-star prompts he had seen before.

The tags on characters like Love and Separation, and the Ten Hatchlings Night Walker at the time, were blood red, while the Mountain Whale King, which was also a three-and-a-half-star character, only had a slight red tinge.

It looks big, but it's not very scary.

After a brief silence, a deep, halting voice with a thick accent broke the sound of hammering and slowly emerged from the thick fog.

"I've warned you several times."

After these words, Uesugi Tetsu felt a gaze, like a high beam, sweep over him warily several times, and then he felt the fierce killing intent around him gradually subside.

The Mountain Whale King said calmly, "Since you have nothing to do with that disgusting fellow, leave quickly."

Disgusting guy?

Uesugi Tetsu guessed, "You mean that guy who spreads plague-infected demons everywhere?"

A loud hissing sound rang out.

"It seems you humans have encountered those things before," the Mountain Whale King said in a deep voice. "Alright, I have little interest in you. Let's go down the mountain."

"Going down the mountain now is probably not a good idea."

Uesugi Tetsu cupped his hands in greeting: "I have come here to find the master craftsman in that temple who forges weapons. I hope the Mountain Whale King will grant my request..."

"roll!!!"

As if a sore spot had been touched, the Mountain Whale King roared, even temporarily dispelling the thick fog around it.

Then, the enormous body, as tall as a small mountain and two or three stories high, came into view.

The Mountain Whale King was over ten meters tall when it stood up, its two pale, winding fangs gleaming coldly, and its body covered with countless scars of all sizes.

It lowered its head, coldly looking down at the insignificant humans in comparison.

Uesugi Tetsu tapped the hilt of his sword.

—It's good that the Mountain Whale King has intelligence and consciousness, but it's not good if it gets in my way.

But considering its three-and-a-half-star rating and the possibility of it becoming an ally in the fight against disease, it wouldn't hurt to say a few more words.

He patiently explained, “The source of that plague and monster is called ‘sickness and suffering.’ If left unchecked, everything on this mountain will wither and die within a month.”

I came to Sanhe to deal with that illness.

With that, Uesugi Tetsu extended an invitation to the Mountain Whale King: "I wonder if you, sir, can understand this simple principle and lend me a hand?"

"It can be used to deal with the plague demon."

The mountain whale king, who had lived for an unknown amount of time, opened its mouth to reply, but before Uesugi Tetsuya could even exhale, it emphasized,

"But Master Tiangong will not let you see him!"

Master Tiangong...

Uesugi Tetsu tilted his head, sensing a deeper connection between them.

But that's not important.

The important thing is that the wild boar still tried to stop him despite being warned.

"So it seems we can't reach an agreement?"

Uesugi Tetsu calmly drew his sword, pale blood dripping from the tip, drawing the wary gaze of the Mountain Whale King.

"Human, if you sheathe your swords and step back now, we can still discuss cooperation."

It spoke in a cold voice, the sound waves echoing through the mountains, lingering for a long time.

"If not..."

Before it could finish speaking, Uesugi Tetsu felt fierce gazes coming from the surrounding mist.

With a casual glance, he could see rows of notifications for "Mountain Whale" popping up.

Although most of them are half-star and one-star, such a number is indeed not to be underestimated in the mountains.

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head, his body radiating blinding lightning: "Really, you don't know what's good for you."

Imagawa Yoshimoto remained silent, and drew his own twin swords.

"My little ones..."

Just as the Mountain Whale King was about to speak, the sound of hammering suddenly disappeared completely.

The next moment, a loud voice came from the dilapidated temple.

"--stop!"

Uesugi Tetsu raised an eyebrow, finding the voice surprisingly familiar.

Strange things.

Upon hearing this voice, the Mountain Whale King's fierce expression immediately softened, even becoming ingratiating.

It ignored Uesugi Tetsuya and the other person, and knelt down in the direction of the dilapidated temple, bowing its head deeply, and said in a trembling voice,

"Master Tiangong...it's been a long time!"

But the voice ignored it, instead filled with doubt and disbelief.

"Mr. Prajna?"

Mr. Prajna?

Who would call themselves that?

Uesugi Tetsuya was stunned. He first looked at the Hannya mask at his waist, which had changed its appearance, and then looked in the direction of the sound.

Then, behind the threshold of that dilapidated temple, I saw a face that was both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar, but which, in any case, should absolutely not be there.

is her?

But how is that possible?

Uesugi Tetsuya sheathed his sword and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he gazed at her intently and tentatively replied,

"Zashiki, it's been a long time."

Chapter 182 The Zashiki-warashi's Trial of Heavenly Craftsmanship, Yellow Alert for the Tide! Kaga Kiyomitsu, give me a Super Evolution!

Uesugi Tetsu gazed at the girl standing behind the threshold of the dilapidated temple, staring blankly at him... perhaps she should be called a young girl now.

Zashiki-warashi had grown a little taller than when they parted in Arakawa Village, and his face had matured somewhat.

But this is still the smallest change.

Compared to physical appearance and height, the most significant change in the aura of a Zashiki-warashi is its overall demeanor.

The naivety of the past is gone, replaced by a calmness like water.

The Zashiki-warashi stared at him openly, her face filled with surprise and joy, no longer the socially awkward girl who had cowered in her robes, afraid to even make eye contact.

His already well-developed muscles have become even stronger, and irregular scars cover his incredibly healthy, tanned skin.

Her entire being practically screamed "asceticism".

It's hard to imagine how much a Zashiki-warashi must have experienced in the mortal world to become such a mature being.

She stood inside the threshold and smiled brightly at Uesugi Tetsuya, who wore a Hannya mask at his waist.

"Mr. Prajna, it really is you."

—Without a doubt, this is the Zashiki-warashi he bid farewell to in Arakawa Village, who refused to become his shikigami and promised to make him a bowl of red bean rice every year.

But that's what's even stranger.

Zashiki-warashi isn't a walking creature, so how could it possibly have returned from the world of the future, five hundred years in the future, to the present world of five hundred years ago?

Moreover, judging from the age and account of the blacksmith in Nashunfu Castle, he had seen the Heavenly Craftsman when he was a child, and the Zashiki-warashi had been staying in the dilapidated temple on the top of Mount Kaijin for who knows how long.

It's been at least a decade or so.

I don't understand.

Uesugi Tetsu pulled himself out of his brief reverie and looked again at the girl with the rag draped over her shoulder.

However, Zashiki-warashi herself is right in front of us, so we can ask her later and all these questions will be answered.

"Since Mr. Prajna just said that he came here to find the Heavenly Craftsman... then that means he came to find me."

The Zashiki-warashi scratched his cheek somewhat embarrassedly: "I've only been forging iron here for many years, and I've only occasionally saved and taught a few people. The rumors are just getting bigger and bigger."

"To call it a work of nature is a bit of an exaggeration."

As she spoke, she noticed that Uesugi Tetsuya and his companion were still surrounded by the pod of mountain whales, so she waved to them.

“Mr. Prajna, why don’t you and the lady behind you come in first and we can talk later?”

—The Zashiki-warashi seems unable to leave the area of ​​this dilapidated temple?

Uesugi Tetsu nodded: "Of course."

Imagawa Yoshimoto, standing to the side and slightly behind, raised his eyes and asked, "You two know each other?"

“I know him.” Uesugi Tetsu patted Kaga Kiyomitsu, who was also trembling with pleasure at his waist. “Kaga was made for me by the Zashiki master, and he has been with me for a long time.”

“But strangely, she shouldn’t have been here, so we were both surprised.”

After listening, Imagawa Yoshimoto pondered for a moment and then made a simple judgment based on the few fragments he had just heard.

She nodded silently to herself.

Well, this girl called "Zashiki" shouldn't be my rival.

After Uesugi Tetsu finished speaking, he started walking.

Just as they were about to step into the temple, the Mountain Whale King, who had been bowing his head for a long time, finally couldn't help but lower his voice and ask as softly as possible,

"Master Tiangong... what about me?"

"Little Pig, didn't you come in once before? I told you long ago that once you leave, you can never come back in."

The Zashiki-warashi shrugged: "So if you're willing, I'll have to trouble you to stay in the mountains and keep an eye on the gate for me, and also look out for anyone who's in trouble."

"Yes! Of course I'm willing!"

The Mountain Whale King immediately responded with a rumbling sound, which made the surrounding trees tremble slightly.