Hero? I'm just here to borrow power!

"Humanity? Father, back then, you personally executed quite a few similar... 'ghosts.' You watched helplessly as their blood flowed from their bodies, so glaringly red. You knew perfectly well that they were actually your kind, cursed monsters just like us. Did you ever feel a pang of sympathy, even for a moment?"

"I did at the beginning. But later, I gradually became indifferent to it."

The old man poured himself another glass of wine. As he spoke, he slowly shook his head. "Those who have fallen will eventually become mindless, deadly beings. Only annihilation is their only destiny. Since this final outcome is unavoidable, let us view killing them as a form of mercy that helps them find liberation."

"relief?"

"Yes. For us hybrids, there are only two paths in the world. One is the path of humans, and the other is the path of dragons. To walk the path of dragons is to fall. And those who fall are 'disqualified from being human'."

Yuan Zhisheng was silent for a moment. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag.

“Dad, I’m not like you. I saw the photo Crow sent me. The murderer who was beheaded by Byakuya-kun was just a child of the Sakurai family. He was imprisoned in that prison from birth because of his unstable bloodline. Twenty-three years have passed, but his life has never truly begun. He injected those poisons called ‘Molotov cocktail’ into his veins because, in his heart, he was already killed by this world the moment he was born.”

Yuan Zhisheng gazed at the sword blank, which was glowing red-hot in the charcoal fire. The sword blank had reached the best time to be forged again.

"If I were there, I would also cut off his head without hesitation. Because I was born into this world as an 'Emperor,' and my blood is several times richer than his, yet I still retain a human mind. But for that same reason, what right do I have to call him an incurable fallen one who has embarked on the path of the dragon?"

However, the old man did not immediately pull the red-hot knife blank from the charcoal fire as usual. He simply looked at Genjiro silently, his eyes becoming deep and sharp.

"Chiki, you've changed. Did the appearance of that man named Kamishiro Byakuya make you weak?"

“Father, I have never changed.” Yuan Zhisheng put down the empty wine glass in his hand.

“I envy Bai Ye Jun. I envy his decisiveness, his ruthlessness, and his lack of hesitation. Facing those former comrades who have become ‘demons,’ he would not hesitate to cut off their necks.”

Yuan Zhisheng took out another cigarette and lit it.

“Dad, you must have heard of the concept of ‘Tao’. In my opinion, Bai Yejun is the kind of person who has found his own ‘Tao’. He told me that as long as he believes something is right, he will do it without hesitation, regardless of whether others see it as good or evil.”

"Yes, I've heard of it."

“But I am different. I also have things in my heart that I believe are right. But throughout my life, I have been doing the exact opposite, things that I believe are wrong.”

Yuan Zhisheng raised his head and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, which, in the dim light, resembled a series of sorrowful faces.

"Are you tired of violence?" the old man asked.

“Yes, and not entirely. What I’m tired of is something even more bitter than violence itself.” Genji smiled bitterly, stubbing out the half-smoked cigarette in his hand.

"Let's not talk about that anymore. I think Bai Yejun has done a great job. His personal status in the family and the Execution Bureau is rising significantly. As the director of the Execution Bureau, I am very relieved about this."

"Chishin, you've always been a kind child."

The old man looked at him and said slowly, "But there are some things that you, as the 'Emperor,' must hold onto tightly."

"Dad, don't talk like I'm about to retire."

Genji stood up and put the black coat, which had been dried out by the fire, back on.

"This afternoon, I received official notification from the main body. The Kassel College headquarters has dispatched an elite team to Japan. Their target is something deep within the Japan Trench. They will use the college's latest deep-sea submersible, named 'Princess Kaguya,' to conduct seabed exploration. The submersible has already been transported to Tokyo Port by military transport aircraft. This is an operation entirely led by the college headquarters. The deep-sea team is dispatched directly from headquarters, and the submersible was also manufactured by headquarters. Professor Schneider, the head of the executive department, will conduct transoceanic command via satellite, while the college's artificial intelligence 'Norma' will monitor the entire process."

Since Genjiro had already said that, the old man had no choice but to get down to business, saying, "We are only responsible for assisting and supporting."

Yuan Zhisheng was slightly taken aback.

"Headquarters hasn't interfered in our Japanese branch's affairs for decades. Why are they suddenly extending their reach into Japan this time?"

“They say there is a ‘dragon embryo’ in the Japan Trench,” the old man said calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"..." Yuan Zhisheng's brows furrowed instantly.

"Dad, you mean..."

"The burial place of the gods."

At almost the same time, Yuan Zhisheng and the old man uttered the cursed name in unison.

#I overslept! Who understands the redemptive feeling of sleeping until 1 AM after an afternoon nap? Bonus chapter! Four chapters guaranteed today, aiming for five!#

Black Moon Tide: Chapter 103 Uesugi Erii

The moment has finally arrived.

Bai Ye thought calmly to himself.

The year he spent working at the Sheki-Hachika Executive Bureau in Japan brought back memories of the relatively peaceful days he spent at the Jujutsu High School during the Jujutsu Kaisen world.

The Sheqi family's executive bureau has a large number of executive officers.

However, according to the family's higher-ups, apart from Genjiro, the young master of the "Emperor" bloodline, and the newly promoted "Kamishiro Byakuya," there were no other powerful combatants in the Executive Bureau who could be rated as S-class.

However, unlike that cursed world of magic, in this world, even the most vicious Deadpool and the hybrids whose bloodlines have gone out of control will eventually fall to the merciless attacks of modern technological weapons.

Even though ordinary bullets don't do much damage to those tough monsters, the Snake Clan's "Ganryu Research Institute"—a facility comparable to the equipment department of the main campus of Kassel College—had already developed alchemical bullets specifically designed to deal with hybrids and Deadpools. Made primarily of mercury, this liquid metal, also known as quicksilver, possesses a natural and immense lethality against dragons.

Therefore, these missions of hunting "ghosts" are not actually that frequent.

Within the vast and ancient organization of the Snake-Headed Eight Families, the name "Kamishiro Byakuya" is highly regarded by the younger generation due to his outstanding, even somewhat terrifying, achievements in the Execution Bureau. However, having only been a member of the Snake-Headed Eight Families for a short year, Byakuya has undoubtedly not yet come into contact with the true core of power within this family.

However, his current status and position are not yet sufficient to explore the greatest secret of the Snake Clan, the forbidden cemetery called "Shrine of the Gods" where "gods" are buried—which is the "Takamagahara" he is looking for.

But Bai Ye wasn't in a hurry.

Current exchange points: 7180

Throughout the year, he tirelessly eliminated those degenerate mixed-race individuals who lurked in the shadow of Japan.

And we are very close to achieving our ultimate goal of using 8000 exchange points to redeem a brand new A-grade random character card.

At this point, Bai Ye had already separated from Crow and the others.

The crow and the yaksha are going to Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, to meet their young master, Genjiro.

As for Byakuya, he was going to another place on the outskirts of Tokyo. The reason he didn't want to go to Kanagawa Prefecture was simple: he knew exactly who Genjiro and the others were going to pick up.

The special envoy team dispatched to Japan by the Kassel College headquarters included César Gattuso, Chu Zihang, and Lu Mingfei. Two of them knew him.

Although he believed that Chu Zihang's personality would allow him to keep his identity a secret, he had absolutely no confidence in Lu Mingfei.

Therefore, Byakuya made an excuse to return early to the shrine where the main branch of the Snake Clan was located to attend the meeting.

He would be tasked with the important mission of receiving the Kassel College headquarters commissioner, a mission that was naturally handed over to Crow and Yaksha.

At this very moment, deep in the mountains outside Tokyo, a torrential downpour relentlessly pounded the roof of an ancient shrine. Rainwater cascaded from the eaves, tracing countless beautiful parabolas in the air before crashing heavily onto the flagstones, splashing up rings of water.

In the courtyard, the ancient cherry tree, which is said to have grown for hundreds of years, is experiencing a poignant cherry blossom snowfall in this cold, heavy rain.

Byakuya, carrying an old-fashioned oil-paper umbrella, walked alone on the slippery stone steps leading to the shrine.

He passed under the torii gate, which had been charred black in the war years ago and had never been repaired for some reason, and walked down the stone steps covered with pink and white cherry blossoms that had been knocked down by the rain.

Beside the vermilion stone wall in front of the main hall of the shrine, the family guards, dressed in black suits and with long swords at their waists, bowed three times to Bai Ye upon seeing him. Then, they parted to the left and right, like two rows of silent statues, respectfully inviting Bai Ye to enter.

This is a very ancient shrine, but Bai Ye could tell that it must have undergone meticulous renovations over the years, because it didn't feel dilapidated at all; instead, it exuded a profound and historical majesty.

The only things that haven't been repaired are the charred torii gate at the entrance and the vermilion stone wall. It remains exactly as it was back then, without even being cleaned. The stone wall is stained red with large patches of dried blood that have seeped into it.

Byakuya was likely the first high-ranking member of the Snake Clan to arrive at this shrine. The heads of the eight great clans had not yet arrived, while the young master, Genjiro, was probably in Kanagawa Prefecture, receiving the three "elite" specialists from Kassel College.

By this time, he had probably realized that his gangster-style intimidation tactics, used to scare off newcomers, were completely ineffective against the group of lunatics from Kassel. Now, he was probably forced to dance and sing with those guys, and then rack his brains arranging hotel accommodations for them.

However, it might not be entirely accurate to say that none of the eight heads of the family arrived.

At this moment, Bai Ye discovered that another girl was already quietly sitting in the seat representing the head of the Uesugi family.

Bai Ye understood why so many black-clad guards from the Snake Clan had already surrounded the entire shrine and placed it under heavy guard before the other clan heads even arrived.

It turned out that she had also arrived early.

The girl also saw Bai Ye.

She was a girl with long, dark red hair that was as soft and smooth as the finest silk.

In the dimly lit shrine hall, even with his superhuman eyesight, Bai Ye could clearly see the other person's deep rose-colored, jewel-like eyes and her graceful, swan-like neck.

Actually, calling her a "teenager" isn't quite accurate, as the girl in front of us is already fully grown.

However, anyone who sees her eyes will unconsciously perceive her as an innocent, young girl.

Because no adult can possess such clear, unblemished eyes.

She was dressed in a traditional red and white shrine maiden outfit and knelt quietly in her designated spot.

Her long white robes spread out on the ground like blooming lotus flowers, and with the embellishment of her crimson hakama, she resembled a cherry blossom standing alone in the world.

She is the nominal head of the Byakuya family, Uesugi Erii.

When she saw Bai Ye, her clear eyes suddenly lit up.

She stretched out her slender finger and pointed to the brand-new PS3 game console in front of her—it was hard to imagine that someone would bring such a thing so openly into such an ancient and solemn shrine.

She then pointed to another game controller next to her, as if extending a silent invitation that only the two of them could understand.

It will take at least another hour for the other heads of the Snake-Headed Eight Families to arrive, and the young master, Genjiro, may not arrive for another two hours.

Bai Ye was curious about what could possibly be the reason that allowed Uesugi Erii, the head of the Uesugi family who was always tightly controlled by her clan and was like a caged bird, to arrive at this shrine ahead of time... as if she were waiting for someone to arrive.

However, Bai Ye did not dampen the spirits of the girl before him.

With plenty of time to spare, he put away his oil-paper umbrella, walked over to Uesugi Erii, skillfully plugged in all the cables for the game console, then hung up a huge white projection screen in front of the shrine wall covered with various scrolls depicting gods and demons, and finally turned on the game console for her.

……

"Drink!"

On the screen, the muscular, dark red man, Akuma, unleashed a swift and powerful Shoryuken (rising dragon punch) aimed straight for his opponent's chin. In front of him, the beautiful Chinese woman in a blue cheongsam with cute buns, Chun-Li, crossed her arms and steadily blocked Akuma's powerful attack.

When the crow and the yaksha arrived at the shrine, Genji had not yet arrived, nor had the other heads of the family.

The two of them were entrusted by Genjiro to come here in advance to keep an eye on Uesugi Erii, who had already arrived at the shrine, to make sure she didn't cause any trouble.

But now they could only sit upright and kneel in the main hall, like two primary school students waiting for their teacher to scold them, watching the exciting Street Fighter IV battle on the big screen.

Before the main curtain, there were eight small tables, each about the size of a palm, made of black lacquered wood. On each table were eight different long swords, each representing the lineage of a different family. On the hilts of the swords, eight different and intricate family crests were engraved in pure gold, representing the eight families of the Snake Clan, who held unparalleled noble status in the mixed-race world of Japan.

At this moment, all the small tables were empty, except for the one representing the Uesugi family, where two figures sat. The crow and the demon remained absolutely silent; after all, this was the family shrine, where, according to legend, the spirits of their ancestors roamed, and any shouting would be a grave disrespect to them.

However, the head of the Uesugi family was frantically pressing the controller, his fighting spirit soaring in Street Fighter IV.

In the Street Fighter series, a game familiar to many players, there's an old saying: "If your Rising Dragon Punch misses, the consequences are dire." At this moment, Uesugi Erii precisely seized upon this huge opening in Akuma, controlled by Byakuya. Taking advantage of the moment when Akuma's Rising Dragon Punch was blocked by her Chun-Li Parry and his body was still in a state of great stiffness, she decisively initiated with a heavy kick, followed by a medium kick to cancel out the subsequent movement.

At this point, Akuma had less than one-tenth of his health remaining. If she could successfully connect this combo with the subsequent "EX Hundred-Crack Kick," Akuma would surely die.

However, at this most tense moment, Erii Uesugi made a mistake. Mistakes are common in fighting games, and even the top professional players cannot avoid them.

After canceling her middle leg, she was so excited that her fingers accidentally pressed an extra heavy leg command, and she failed to press the subsequent EX Hundred-Crack Kick.

However, this was actually harmless. At this point, Akuma had already been kicked to the edge of the screen, and his health was reduced to a mere sliver.

Akuma is a character with naturally lower health than other characters in the game. Even if he manages to successfully defend against Chun-Li's next jump attack, it seems like there's no way to turn the tide.

"I bet 200,000 that Miss Erii will win," Crow said in a low voice to the Yaksha beside him.

“Difficult. The opponent is Bai Ye Jun. I’ve never seen him lose a game.” Yasha also lowered his voice and answered with slight movement of his lips.

“Eri’s rage meter is full. Byakuya-kun is now backed to the edge of the screen with nowhere to retreat. One ‘Phoenix Wing Fan’ will definitely knock him out.”

“I’m betting. I believe that Byakuya-kun is a man comparable to Daigo Umehara, the ‘God of Fighting Games’.” Yasha gave Crow the middle finger, a rude gesture that, between the two of them, meant “OK”.

In the game system of Street Fighter IV, even if the opponent successfully blocks the attack of a special move, a quarter of their health will be forcibly deducted. At this moment, Erii Uesugi has already entered the command for Chun-Li's ultimate special move "Phoenix Wing Fan" into her game controller.

In the crow's view, Akuma was doomed.

However, at the very moment the incredibly flashy special effect of the finishing move lit up, Akuma, controlled by Byakuya, was not defeated. Instead, a dazzling blue light emanated from his body.

SAVING ATTACK! A special system added in Street Fighter IV, but its core effect is similar to "Blocking" or "Precision Defense" in earlier versions.

When attacked by an opponent, pressing the MP and MK keys simultaneously will allow you to use a special stance to block the opponent's attack. If you fail to perfectly block every frame of the opponent's attack, the damage you receive will temporarily turn into "virtual health" that can be slowly restored. Only by perfectly blocking every frame of the opponent's attack can you truly avoid any damage.

At this moment, Akuma, in an unavoidable position at the edge of the screen, actually used a perfect parry that can be described as a "divine skill" and requires precision down to a fraction of a second to completely block Chun-Li's ultimate attack, "Phoenix Wing Fan," which was like a storm!

Immediately afterward, during the massive, uncancellable recovery animation following Chun-Li's use of her special move, Akuma began to charge up his power.

An ominous, hellfire-like red light emanated from his body.

"Instant prison kill!"

Akuma seized Chun-Li's fleeting opening and ended the match with Akuma's signature move from the Street Fighter series.

Chun-Li's health bar vanished instantly, leaving only Akuma's silhouette with the giant character "天" (heaven) on it, silently floating on the screen.

Black Moon Tide: Chapter 104 White Night’s Weapon

Aside from Yasha and Crow, who often risked their lives alongside Byakuya, most of the other members of the Snake Clan probably wouldn't guess that Byakuya, a monster who always had a cold face and could cut a speeding train in half with a single slash, was actually quite good at video games.

But actually, Bai Ye was already very good at playing games before he transmigrated.

His exceptional learning ability is one of his few special talents.