I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

He countered, "Are we going to our deaths?"

The young man's face contorted as he tried to retort, but after gripping the hilt of the knife at his waist for a long time, he couldn't utter a single word.

Because... what Lord Honda said is true.

Even if we kill the hundreds of demons guarding the Matsudaira family, what difference will it make?

Inside and outside this city, there are tens of thousands of terrifying monsters, some even more powerful than Lord Honda.

But he was unwilling...

Boom!

Rumble!

Just as the young man was thinking this, a deafening thunderclap suddenly came from outside.

The young man paused for a moment, then turned his gaze, along with Honda Tadakatsu, toward the wide-open window.

And so the young man witnessed a scene he would never forget.

Above the bright, azure sky, a vast expanse of dark clouds, seemingly alive, was surging—but in an instant, they were annihilated and swallowed up by a winding, roaring thunder dragon.

The lightning, a bluish-purple hue, pierced his eyes even from a distance of over a thousand meters.

Amidst the thunderous roar, Honda Tadakatsu's father, one of the future Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa clan.

The man who currently holds power in the Matsudaira family and has been resisting the infiltration and erosion of the Imagawa family revealed an indescribable smile amidst his astonishment.

Honda Tadataka murmured.

"Such thunder... It's Che, it's the great Onmyoji Che who has arrived."

It wasn't just him, and it wasn't just the Matsudaira family.

At this moment, countless people in Yoshida Castle, suffering from the plague, raised their heads and saw the winding, roaring lightning.

The widely circulated rumors and reputation had taken effect, causing most people who witnessed the scene to murmur involuntarily.

“Che”.

"The legendary great Onmyoji, Che."

"Now, only he can rid the demon and save Yoshida Castle."

……

“By taking all the civilians in Yoshida Castle hostage and having the half-dead birds spread this message to that Onmyoji, we can put immense pressure on him.”

A sinister smile stretched across the face of the scabies shop owner, which was covered in festering sores.

"It wouldn't be impossible to make the Onmyoji surrender and kill him without lifting a finger."

Bodhidharma listened quietly until the end.

He took a step forward and said calmly, "This humble monk will not stop the two benefactors... After all, this is a novel thing that I have never seen before, and it is beneficial to my cultivation."

"As long as the two benefactors believe it can be done and will be effective, that is enough."

Bodhidharma spoke indifferently to his two ailing relatives behind him.

Bodhidharma was never concerned about such trivial matters.

How are the people in Yoshida Castle faring? How many have lived and how many have died? Has the purpose of suffering been achieved? What are the consequences of doing as He instructed?

Bodhidharma never cared about these trivial matters.

He only cares about what he thinks and sees.

For example, rescuing those on the verge of death from the epidemic and observing their physical and mental changes; or giving a meal to a pregnant woman in despair and receiving gratitude.

It could be saving someone, killing someone, or saving someone and then killing them...

These are the kinds of things right before Bodhidharma's eyes, and that is what he cares about.

Because these are all worldly experiences, a part of his self-improvement and spiritual cultivation.

Next, the scabies master spoke quite a bit more beside Bodhidharma.

The monk, who appeared dull and dressed in poverty, listened silently until the moment the scabies vendor stopped speaking, then nodded.

"Then let us do as you two benefactors suggest."

The scabies shop owner couldn't help but reveal a sinister smile, bowed to Bodhidharma, and left.

Kuva continued to follow Bodhidharma in silence.

As he walked, he would notify the half-dead birds waiting around, and then have them notify the swarm of Vision Insects and other usable companions to prepare.

The group of demons slowly made their way towards the west gate of Yoshida Castle.

……

"Lord Yiyuan, you and Lord Jingsan will have to wait here for a while."

Uesugi Tetsuya also did not mount his horse. He stood at the foot of the Mountain Whale King and looked up, saying, "Because the number and strength of the enemy are unknown, I am not absolutely certain that I can protect you."

Imagawa Yoshimoto pressed down hard with his hand on the hilt of his sword, but kept his eyes closed without changing his expression.

"That's how it should be."

Uesugi Tetsu nodded: "At that time, please wait until I have exorcised all the demons in Yoshida Castle before I come back to fetch you, Lord Yoshimoto."

After saying that, Uesugi Tetsuya, having finished putting on his gear, turned around and walked alone toward Yoshida Castle.

“Che-jun”.

Uesugi Tetsuya paused slightly, turned around, and saw Imagawa Yoshimoto bowing his head deeply.

"May your military fortune flourish."

He didn't reply, but simply swayed his hips and took a step.

Ten minutes later.

Uesugi Tetsu, who had already reached the wide open space in front of Yoshida Castle, silently looked up and saw the flock of half-dead birds constantly pouring out of the castle.

The pale white and black feathers intertwined, spiraling up into the sky before quickly dispersing.

It seems they learned their lesson from the earlier annihilation of a large number of their troops by the Thunder.

Uesugi Tetsu twitched his nose slightly, catching a strong smell of despair and decay emanating from within the city.

Wait, a feeling of despair...?

Uesugi Tetsuya was slightly taken aback—so the "qi" in spirit control techniques also includes this?

Before he could think any further, the rather simple gate of Yoshida Castle opened right in front of him.

His family members, suffering from illness, opened the door on their own initiative, which was somewhat unexpected.

The next moment, a dense swarm of insects, each the size of a baby's fist and with scarlet compound eyes, surged out like a tide.

But this did not frighten Uesugi Tetsuya; instead, it made his eyes light up.

Because these sick and suffering creatures with huge compound eyes, probably called "vision worms," ​​are likely one of the materials that Hyakume-ki marked on the "map"!

Unexpectedly, these vision-stealing insects actually came to him on their own.

That's really something, it came to me without any effort at all!

As for the abilities of these visual insects, they are insignificant—they can only interfere with a person's mind, thereby distorting the target's visual perception.

But how strong is Uesugi Tetsu's mind?

Not only is it protected by the skill and the remnant heart, making it immune to most control and charm effects, but it has even reached the state of clarity and stillness, and is about to forge its own heart embryo.

Such a realm is beyond the influence of these tiny insects.

Because Uesugi Tetsuya's gaze was entirely focused on the swarm of Vision Insects, he didn't even notice Kubu and Scabbard Monk who were slowly strolling out of the city gate.

Only after the surging crowd of relatives dispersed, clearing a wide path in the middle, did Uesugi Tetsu turn his gaze back to the present.

Among the densely packed small prompts, three large prompts stood out.

——【Bound by Suffering (Three Stars)】.

——【Scabies Master (3.5 stars)】.

——【Wooden Fish Daruma (Two and a Half Stars)】.

The color of the Bitter Bond is slightly darker than that of the Karmic Illness Elder, but they are about the same. The name of the Three-and-a-Half Star Scabies Master is stained bright red, which is the most dangerous warning he has seen since arriving in the Warring States period.

Finally...

Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes in confusion, gazing at the monk with an emotionless, wooden expression who was walking in the very center of all the family members.

What the heck is this "wooden fish daruma"?

Isn't this a Buddhist tsukumogami (神物)?

It seems that this wooden fish dharma is not under mind control—and there is no need to control it at only two and a half stars.

So why would he mingle with these sick and suffering relatives?

Furthermore, the color of the characters "木鱼" (wooden fish) in "木鱼达摩" (wooden fish Dharma) has become very light, as if it is about to disappear.

These subtle anomalies tugged at Uesugi Tetsu's heartstrings.

But he immediately dismissed these superfluous thoughts.

Because at this point, none of that matters anymore.

Since we're already with the sick and suffering, and since we've become hostile demons, there's no need to say anything more.

Slay, exorcise, annihilate... it doesn't matter what words you use, just turn these bastards into ashes.

Uesugi Tetsu looked around ahead.

Half-dead bird, vision insect, miasma demon, rotten beak, translucent swollen creature filled with turbid pus, and a few more unrecognizable retinues.

With such a large number, it would be difficult to deal with them if they maintained their four-tailed fox form.

Because Uesugi Tetsu had already expended too much spiritual energy on that lightning strike.

Even while maintaining its four-tailed fox form, it could only unleash some insignificant lightning.

Thinking this, Uesugi Tetsu reached for the ferocious and menacing white Hannya mask that had been dangling at his waist for a long, long time.

"Gah—! Great Onmyoji Che, listen up—!"

In the sky, the hoarse cries of the half-dead bird made him pause for a moment.

Uesugi Tetsu heard hundreds of half-dead birds say to him in unison, "The people of this city, this Yoshida Castle, have all been infected with the disease!"

He was puzzled at first, but when the half-dead birds uttered their next sentence, Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly realized.

"If we insist on resisting, the seeds of the plague will all break out!"

Even if you slaughter us all, you will only gain a dead city!

"But if you surrender now, we will withdraw from Yoshida Castle within ten days, giving you a chance to survive!"

The half-dead birds kept repeating the above words, which spread throughout the city, to every household, and to the ears of everyone who was still awake.

Countless scarlet gazes fell upon him, as if awaiting his decision, or as if the gaze of the people brought an invisible, heavy pressure.

As the half-dead birds recounted their story, just as Bodhidharma was about to say something, he saw Uesugi Tetsuya, a hundred meters away, take off his white robe and then remove a Prajna mask from his waist.

Then, it was slowly applied to his handsome face.

Click.

The mask is fastened.

Transformation – Demon Incarnation: White Prajna!

In an instant, a chilling, majestic, and mysterious aura emanated from the Onmyoji Che, making Daruma feel a chill run down his spine.

In the sky, the half-dead birds' words faltered.

Instead, the half-dead birds began to subconsciously look away, but due to orders, they did not count the conflicting commands to look back.

The swarm of Visionary Insects also began to stir, some of which had even activated their abilities on Uesugi Tetsuya before dying alone from the backlash.

"spirits……"

Ku Fu slowly opened his mouth, and a look of shock appeared in his cloudy eyes beneath the yellow and white cloth.