I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

He stared at the lifelike red Hannya mask and burst into cheerful laughter: "You're quite interesting, really quite interesting... In that case, I'm looking forward to it!"

"—By the way, what's your name?"

Uesugi Tetsu let out a silent "Ah!" before realizing a few seconds later that Yanliu had indeed asked that question.

Come to think of it, he had just called Yuan Jingshui "First Miss".

This guy……

After giving his name to the smiling young man, Uesugi Tetsu thought to himself with a sigh—this Yanliu really doesn't know anything about his other opponents.

He's arrogant and conceited, yet he's not even a god-like figure. I don't know where he got his confidence from.

Does he really think he's the best in the world?

If you're so arrogant, why don't you go and cause trouble for Yuan Xinshui?

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head, took out a bottle of chilled lemon tea from his storage space, and started drinking.

After thinking for a moment, he took out another bottle and threw it at Yuan Jingshui.

The latter opened his palm, letting the lemon tea fall steadily onto his hand.

Yuan Jingshui looked at the lemon tea in her hand thoughtfully for a while and found that it was exactly the same as the one she often drank at home.

Strange, how did Uesugi-kun know she was drinking this lemon tea?

She herself didn't know what brand it was.

It was only because her older sister always brought back lemon tea from outside and didn't drink it that Yuan Jingshui started to eliminate the lemon tea in order to prevent it from piling up.

'Thanks. ’

Regardless, Minamoto Shizumi thanked Uesugi Tetsuya.

—The first round of elimination matches took place three hours later, directly eliminating the remaining 64 contestants.

This is because each player only has three challenge opportunities, and can only challenge players ranked up to 10 places higher than themselves.

The competition for rankings in sequence 50, and even in sequence 20 and beyond, is exceptionally fierce.

Several large arenas and a dozen smaller arenas were simultaneously engaged in battle, with the battle situation projected with crystal clarity, much to the delight of the onlookers.

What's strange is that despite Ririko being in a fiercely contested and rather delicate position, no one has tried to challenge her.

In fact, the reason is very simple.

Because of the rules of the seed battle—a successful challenge does not consume an opportunity, but a failed challenge will consume one.

When you run out of challenge attempts, you can no longer challenge others, but you still need to accept challenges from others to maintain your current position.

In this situation, it is clearly not a wise move to pick the most conspicuous and toughest opponent among ten potential rivals.

Ririko wasn't in a hurry.

She touched the Kaga Kiyomitsu, which seemed to be brimming with excitement, and was getting used to the feel of holding it.

Let's fight our way up after the rankings stabilize a bit.

That's what the girl thought.

As for why the top twenty positions in the sequence are currently calm...

—That's because to get into the TOP10, you have to defeat Saito Ryuichi, who is currently in the TOP10.

We are currently in the first stage of the elimination rounds. Among the top twenty, no one wants to be the first poor guinea pig to test Saito Ryuichi.

In the fierce competition for rankings, even the younger brother, Mingzhi You, struggled to keep up, and his own ranking quickly dropped to outside the top sixty.

Yagyu Akira, who was originally ranked 62nd, ended his battle cleanly and decisively, temporarily occupying the 33rd position with three victories.

Of course, there are far more than just the two of them.

Many seeded players from Tokyo's 23 wards saw their rankings drop rapidly, while those top players who fought their way through the preliminary rounds continued their impressive run.

This included several people who were ranked next to Ririko in the preliminary rounds.

They are -

Currently ranked 24th, Lin Renye of the One-Sword Style!

Currently ranked 36th, he may have received the true teachings of the Second Heaven Class, Miyamoto Tachibana!

Currently ranked 39th, God Dream Hayashi Saki Ryu Kitamura Yoyu!

"There are a few who are reasonably capable."

As Motonobu Okabe sat down, his gaze was immediately drawn to the unusually fierce-looking mask of the Red Hannya.

She raised an eyebrow and held up a finger: "There are masked contestants? The little monk from Hozoin Temple, who is that?"

—When the TOP10 promotional video was being shown, Motonobu Okabe got lost on his way to the restroom, which caused him to miss the chance to see Tetsu Uesugi's face.

"I don't know. I was playing chess with Ms. Qian Sha just now and didn't pay much attention."

Hozoin Inri shook his head.

"Anyway, those who are going down the field now are just small fry, so there's nothing to pay attention to."

At this moment, Chisa replied triumphantly, hands on her hips.

"Hmph, that's the current fifth-ranked Uesugi-san, who will soon be crowned champion of the seeding tournament—Uesugi Tetsu!"

Motonobu Okabe's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

Uesugi...Tetsu?

Che?

Is that guy?

Okabe Motonobu's gaze turned cold and indifferent as she looked at Uesugi Tetsuya, who was sipping lemon tea, and scrutinized him closely.

Then, the answer came to me in my heart—

There's nothing in common between him and that great Onmyoji Che.

Not only was his aura mediocre, but he also lacked any similar equipment from head to toe, and even the magical katana at his waist was gone.

Other explanations are possible.

But even the mysterious and unpredictable Che couldn't possibly give up that katana that could understand human speech, right?

Motonobu Okabe let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps I'm being too sensitive.

There are countless people in this world named XX Che.

Moreover, that guy was already this strong hundreds of years ago, so how could he possibly be a contestant in this seeding tournament now?

He's more suited to be a referee.

Of course, it would be great if we could take off that guy Uesugi Tetsu's Hannya mask.

Okabe Motonobu squinted, waiting patiently, not daring to risk being questioned or discovered by the unfamiliar people around him and asking about the face behind the mask.

As for why Okabe Motonobu didn't just search for "Uesugi Tetsu" online...

For Motonobu Okabe, the idea that one could find clear personal information on "public facilities" like "cell phones" and "the internet"—which everyone has—would be a complete upheaval to her worldview.

Before her worldview was overturned, she naturally couldn't have imagined it.

Just as Uesugi Tetsu felt that someone was watching him from a distance, but he couldn't find his target in the sea of ​​hundreds of thousands of people.

On the stage, Lin Ren, who came from the One-Sword Style, defeated his opponent with just one strike, successfully entering the top twenty in the rankings.

Amidst thunderous cheers, Lin Ren silently watched as several demons swiftly healed their fatally wounded opponents.

Blood flows backward, broken bones are reconnected, and muscles and skin are restored to their original state in the blink of an eye.

This sword strike nearly severed the opponent's head.

The words "ghosts and gods" are indeed not unfounded.

After a moment of reflection, he spoke without hesitation.

“I challenge Saito Ryuichi, ranked tenth.”

Saito Ryuichi looked up in slight surprise when his name was called, seemingly not expecting to be targeted at such an early time.

The top ten members all turned their attention to this battle, hoping to glean insights into the strength of the two sides from this first truly worthy match in Sky City.

Two beams of light flashed, teleporting Saito Ryuichi and Lin Ren, who was wielding a blood-dripping katana, to the central arena.

Lin Ren also lowered his head towards Saito Ryuichi, who had his mouth slightly open and was about to say something.

“Master Saito, please enlighten me.”

Saito Ryuichi did not reply.

The referee, a ghost god, turned his head in the center of the ring, and after confirming that both of them were ready, raised his palm: "Trial match... Begin!"

"I surrender!"

The instant the referee's hand fell, Saito Ryuichi raised his hand, his voice echoing throughout the entire stadium.

In that instant, Takizawa Kai opened his mouth in disbelief, the commentators on the live broadcast were stunned, the tens of thousands of viewers in the venue were silent, and the screen of the live broadcast room was flooded with a sea of ​​question marks.

Even Saito's opponent, Hayashi Jin, who was preparing to draw his sword on the stage, froze in place, abruptly stopping his movement.

Only Minamoto Shizumi glanced at Saito Ryuichi's back and smiled calmly.

"The battle hasn't even started yet, so why is Chief Saito admitting defeat?"

Lin Ren frowned, sheathed his sword, and asked impatiently.

"Because I'm not confident I can beat you, Lin-kun." Saito Ryuichi smiled, as if he wasn't the one who had lost face in front of hundreds of millions of people.

This is a lie.

Saito Ryuichi simply didn't want to waste his energy and stamina so early, nor did he want to test the strength of the Flame Stream above.

Even if multiple spirits use magic to restore the fighter's strength, the "fatigue" after the battle cannot be erased.

Besides... this TOP10 position will have to be given away sooner or later.

This means constantly accepting challenges from ten other goalkeepers; whoever wants to be the goalkeeper can take the role.

Anyway, Saito Ryuichi definitely won't take the job.

Without replying to any further words, Saito Ryuichi nonchalantly allowed himself to be enveloped by the pillar of light and teleported to seat number 20 in the rankings.

"The end... A completely unexpected and god-like development! Saito actually chose to concede the moment the match started! Not everyone has that kind of courage!"

During the live stream, the commentator's smile was stiff, even though sweat was dripping down his chin, but thankfully the stream didn't fall into an awkward silence.

"The Saito family brat is still as cunning as ever."

As they spoke, Yuan Xinshui subtly poured all the cheap barley tea from her cup out the window.

Unexpectedly, Kyujou-in Jin noticed the empty cup at a glance and diligently refilled it for her.

"That's the best solution, Xinshui-jie, except you'll get a scolding from the old men... But that scenario wouldn't work in the Saito family, would it?"

Yuan Xinshui silently looked at the full cup and didn't reply.

……

Lin Ren also exhaled unhappily, and was about to challenge TOP9 Yan Liu when he found that his challenge application had failed.

Because of the Flame Stream, the challenge to the TOP 8 has already begun!

"How about we make a bet?"

Fifteen seconds ago.

Yan Liu loosened his muscles and limbs, and said with a smile to the eight people in front of him: "I will be able to sit in the first place before I am successfully challenged by the people below me."

Beneath the mask of the Red Hannya, Uesugi Tetsuya smiled silently.

"This is... trying to treat me and Yuan Jingshui like trash and get rid of us."

Chapter 288 When you can become stronger at will, the victorious Yanliu meets the "hardworking" Uesugi Tetsuya.

"I'm going to challenge TOP8, who was that again... I forgot, never mind, anyway, I'm going to challenge the one above me!"