I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Of course, this time it includes many seeds as well.

Soon, videos appeared with covers that read "XXX Preliminary Ranking Results" and titles like "Uesugi Tetsu, Minamoto Shizumi, Tsuchimikado Arashi, Saito Ryuichi, Kitada Kei... have concluded today!"

The comments section quickly filled with fans of each contestant and rational analyses of the players.

—On his way home, Uesugi Tetsuya took out the small black metal piece he had received and examined it.

According to the staff, the serial number will appear on the blank front of the medal after the official ranking results are released.

Meanwhile, the subsequent match schedule will be released, and the significance of this ranking sequence will be revealed.

"The dog tag says yes."

After playing with the metal piece for a while, Uesugi Tetsuya stuffed it into his pocket.

Throwing it into the storage backpack might prevent it from achieving its original effect, which would be another hassle.

After glancing at the weather forecast on his phone, Uesugi Tetsu discovered that there would be thunderstorms tomorrow night.

But that’s tomorrow too.

Anyway, let's go home and have dinner first.

—The door wasn't locked, and Uesugi Tetsu pushed it open, immediately smelling the aroma of food wafting from upstairs.

Uesugi Tetsuya's face lit up with joy, thinking to himself that Ririko was truly an exceptional roommate.

Without her, I guess I would only be able to order a cheap bento box to heat up and eat at night... no, I mean, I would only be able to buy a cheap bento box to heat up.

Yaegaki made a move, and Uesugi Tetsuya ran upstairs in a few steps.

On the spacious dining table, there were only two large bowls of egg fried rice.

"I started my practice quite late, so I didn't have time to prepare complicated meals."

Ririko, who had already started shoveling rice into her mouth, puffed out her cheeks and mumbled something indistinctly.

"Where is the time to stop?" After the two wisps of water evaporated on his palms, Uesugi Tetsu immediately sat down and picked up his chopsticks. "Riki! You're practically my long-lost godfather!"

Amidst the aroma of fried rice, Ririko's intermittent voice drifted over: "By the way, there are three things you could improve on that knife you used today."

"Listen."

Uesugi Tetsu, who was eating heartily, nodded to her.

So, while eating, Ririko explained her insights in great detail.

When Uesugi Tetsu put down his empty rice bowl, he was surprised to find that his proficiency in the Natural Rishin-ryu style had increased by about ten points.

"Do you understand everything?"

"How could you not understand chewing it up and feeding it to someone else?"

Ririko smiled after hearing this: "That's settled then, I'm going to wash the dishes."

"okay."

Uesugi Tetsuya, who was happily moving to the sofa, took out his phone and opened the pile of messages from Huijue that had accumulated during the meal.

[Huijue: Uesugi, the negative energy on the surface of the Jizo statue has been removed. This negative energy has been transferred to Buddha statues in local temples; it's a mutually beneficial arrangement.]

[Huijue: Actually, even if it were removed, it should have been returned to you. But because this humble monk needs to review the temple's records, I have to pay some... protection money? tribute? or rent? Anyway, that's the gist of it.]

[Huijue: Then, in the past few days, this humble monk found two specific, highly probable solutions in the files.]

Just as Uesugi Tetsuya was about to send a "you've worked hard" emoji, he subconsciously sat up straight and looked down.

[Huijue: Firstly, after blessing the Ksitigarbha image with a special secret method, it is thrown into the body of the "aggregate of evil thoughts". After about one or two months, the power of vows within will automatically flow out.]

In this way, your shikigami will be restored to its original state, but you will also gain a malevolent thought that has become a Buddha.

As for special secret techniques, you may either perform them yourself, or I may teach them to you, Uesugi.

[Huijue: The second method... is for you, Uesugi, to personally direct your thoughts deep into the Jizo statue and actively absorb the power of wishes with your shikigami.]

Because of the seal, the power of will remains unchanged, and can be refined and absorbed by your shikigami little by little.

However, this requires strong mental cultivation and a deep connection with the shikigami itself, because once you enter it, you will be trapped in a very realistic illusion created by the shikigami itself.

If you're not careful, even you, Uesugi, could easily become lost and succumb to this illusion.

Ririko's state of mind is perfectly acceptable, but this humble monk is unaware of her relationship with this shikigami.

[Huijue: The choice is ultimately up to Uesugi.]

[Huijue: I will return to Tokyo in a few days, and then I will return the Ksitigarbha statue to you.]

[Moon Sand: Thank you, Master (seriously.jpg).]

……

Noon the next day.

On the rooftop, amidst the unexpected thunderstorm, Uesugi Tetsuya, his skin charred black, opened his eyes, which were filled with a vibrant, deep purple light.

【Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony (Expert 5/5600)】

[Effect: Master the power of thunder.]

—At this moment, I am thunder.

Chapter 250: A wave of the hand, and the thunderstorm dissipates! Seed rankings revealed! A brutal tournament format, the Sword Saint Grand Prize!

Above the dome, dark clouds hung like a city on the verge of collapse.

Thunderstorm raged.

A pale white lightning dragon appeared amidst the falling rain, constantly weaving through gaps in the clouds, only to be amplified by an unseen force at the moment of its descent, and then all of them were drawn to the same point—

On the rooftop of the Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Office.

A grand yet invisible barrier of Yin-Yang magic rose up, enveloping Uesugi Tetsuya, who was charred black all over and slowly exhaling as he opened his eyes.

It completely blocks all curious, puzzled, and veiled gazes from the outside world.

Extremely tough.

"The Five Thunder Technique has been broken through."

It was accompanied by words that sounded almost like whispers.

Uesugi Tetsuya's skin, charred black by the lightning, peeled away bit by bit, revealing the newborn, soft, white skin beneath, like that of a baby.

The purple light in his eyes subsided, and Uesugi Tetsu lowered his gaze to the panel and prompts that had appeared before him.

【Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony (Expert 5/5600)】

[Effect: Master the power of thunder.]

—At this moment, I am thunder.

[Because your Five Thunder Technique - Qi Harmony has been upgraded to Expert level, your Physique has increased by 3!]

[Because your Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony has been upgraded to Expert level, your Spiritual Arts have increased by 5!]

[Because your Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony has been upgraded to Expert level, your lightning affinity has greatly increased!]

[Because your Five Thunder Techniques - Qi Harmony has been upgraded to Expert level, your understanding of everything related to "thunder" has greatly deepened!]

"Has lightning affinity doubled again?"

Uesugi Tetsu reached out, removing all protective measures from his body, including his internal energy circulation, and caught the lightning bolt that had been slightly amplified by Nanjo Aimi.

Boom!

The thunderbolt struck with tremendous force, yet it only left a small black dot and winding lightning patterns on Uesugi Tetsuya's palm.

There is also a pain similar to numbness and itching that even ordinary people can tolerate.

If he were to raise his Qi circulation again and actively activate the Five Thunder Technique, then the lightning that had previously caused him considerable damage would have become toys that he could hold between his fingers.

Uesugi Tetsu stood up, his usual protective stance rising as he allowed the lightning to strike his head.

Hmm... I feel nothing.

He tightened his fingers, and the lightning that was about to fall stopped in mid-air, then shrunk and floated down according to his will, hovering in front of him.

The lightning generated by nature can indeed be manipulated at will.

Uesugi Tetsuya played with the lightning bolts, each as thick as a thread, and laughed happily.

"Thanks to Nanjo-nee's help, otherwise it would probably have taken several more days to break through."

—During this thunderstorm, Nanjo Aimi guided the lightning to the top of the Special Affairs Office to assist him in practicing the Five Thunder Technique.

—Nanjo Manami not only used Yin-Yang techniques to appropriately enhance the effect of the thunder, but more importantly, she raised a barrier to prevent outsiders from prying into her life.

From the moment Sky Dome One hovered over Tokyo, the first day of the Eastern Region Seed Station Qualifiers began, and attention became increasingly focused and active throughout the city.

If it weren't for Nanjo Manami, even if the thunderstorm were twice as bad, Uesugi Tetsu would have had to give up the idea of ​​training in the open air.

Because it's too easy for people to see.

If others, even opponents, witness the entire process, it would almost certainly indicate that Uesugi Tetsuya's Five Thunder Technique has made a breakthrough, so everyone should be careful.

That's not the case nowadays.

—Because Nanjo Manami's public statement was that she wanted to collect some thunderstorms to play with and study new Yin-Yang techniques.

Since she herself possessed a considerable amount of Yin-Yang techniques, this explanation was reasonably plausible and did not arouse much suspicion.

Uesugi Tetsu clenched his fist, causing the lightning in front of him to dissipate silently.

"Hmm... since the lightning element's resistance to attacks has improved so much, its striking ability should not be bad either."

He thought for a moment, then raised his finger toward the sky.

The Five Thunder Technique is activated.

Then, tiny, purplish-black lightning bolts burst forth from Uesugi Tetsu's fingertips.

The bolt of lightning pierced through the dark clouds in less than a tenth of a second, reaching the calm stratosphere.

Under the gaze of Uesugi Tetsu's Eye of Interpretation, the lightning that released almost no energy to him actually dissipated completely ten thousand meters away.

A kilometer is gone in an instant, ten thousand meters is gone in the blink of an eye.

Of course, lightning of similar intensity to what we just witnessed would lose its threat from a kilometer away.

At a distance of 10,000 meters, it is far less powerful than even the most ordinary static electricity.

Lost in thought, Uesugi Tetsu flicked his fingers again.

The lightning still shone.

However, this time the distance was within 100 meters.

After observing it repeatedly, he nodded in satisfaction.

—It can continuously release and fully recover to keep up with the consumption of the Five Thunder Technique basic attack, which can almost instantly kill a half-star ghost at a distance of about 100 meters.

As for demons that are not weak against lightning, then we might need to increase the quantity.

In other words, from this moment on, the human wave tactics for half-star and below have lost their meaning for Uesugi Tetsuya.

"Other than that?"

Uesugi Tetsu raised his palm, squinted his eyes, and observed the barely perceptible yet significantly altered Qi circulation on his skin.

He could feel that ever since the Five Thunder Technique broke through to the expert level, the circulation of Qi on his body surface had been changing with the passing of every second.

It seems that "thunder" has entered the cycle that was originally constructed by the interweaving of qi and spiritual power.

The perspective of the eye under the interpretation validates Uesugi Tetsuya's idea.

In his eyes, lightning containing a trace of the Guhuoniao's aura surged into him at the beginning of each cycle, and began to communicate and merge with the two "natives".

This time, it wasn't even Uesugi Tetsuya who was in charge, but rather a natural result of the Five Thunder Technique operating as it was.

The dual circulation of Qi is gradually transforming into a triple circulation.

Afterward, the energy circulation containing a large amount of thunder power will become more solid, more resilient, and also more...destructive.

"The plan to use the Five Thunder Method to deeply strengthen muscles and nerves can also be put on the agenda."

Because of the expert-level Five Thunder Technique's precise manipulation of lightning at a deep microscopic scale, coupled with the ability of the interpretive eye to "see" it—