Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Looking in the direction of the sound, everyone was somewhat surprised.

In that instant, all the towering torii gates outside the shrine had collapsed, reduced to rubble. Along with this, a nagging feeling arose in the shrine maidens' hearts—the gods had abandoned them.

Chapter 371: Empty Cicada

When the light from the magic circle faded, both Harunobu and the shrine maiden were momentarily stunned. Harunobu sensed a familiar gaze, but the owner of that gaze should be in Tokyo. Even if she was incredibly powerful, she couldn't possibly be helping from this far away... right?

The shrine maidens, however, were not as relaxed as Harunobu. They were initially ecstatic because the gods had responded to them for the first time! They knew they were right! They were right! The gods had not disappeared at all, nor were they the so-called monsters those blasphemers claimed to be—and then, they discovered that the gods had summoned the Divine Cutter.

Why did this happen? For the first time in nearly a century, a faith passed down through generations has received a response; the trespasser who broke into the shrine is about to fall under divine power and become their food. Two joyful events overlap, and these two joys will bring them even more joy. What they should have received was a time of blissful happiness, like that of a paradise on earth… But why did it turn out this way?

The more excited they were at the beginning, the more desperate they are now. For these twisted fanatics, being condemned by thousands is nothing; even if they are at odds with the world, they will firmly believe that they are right. But being deliberately and divinely severed by their god is another matter entirely.

Although this was something Tian Dian Nu Ming had long wanted to do, she simply hadn't been able to—she was still a virgin! Who would want such a slut's follower?!

But let's ignore those in Tokyo for now and focus on the event itself.

Besides Harunobu and the shrine maidens, there was also a third party present: the villagers. Despite their complete incomprehension of the magic and the situation, they didn't become stunned. With the appearance of the shrine maidens, Harunobu's attention on them lessened, allowing them to relax considerably. Most importantly, they understood the power of the magic circle, so they naturally assumed the shrine maidens had the upper hand. After all, this wasn't the first time the shrine maidens had defeated enemies they thought were invincible.

So the young man shouted loudly, like a mad dog seeing its master: "Witch! Kill them! These guys are government lackeys!"

The sudden shouts broke the silence between them. The six shrine maidens, who had been brought out of hiding due to the failure of the magic circle, almost simultaneously raised their hands and skillfully pulled off their sexy shrine maiden outfits. By the time Yakumo Kurenai, Shiranui Ran, and Tachibana Seiko rushed over, they had only managed to cut a few flimsy pieces of fabric.

"Empty Cicada Technique..." Shiranui Ran disdainfully tossed aside the fabric that wasn't even enough to make a bra for her. "There are ninjas here? Never heard of them."

"Maybe it's one of those demon ninjas hiding deep in the mountains." Yakumo Kurenai carefully examined the shrine maiden's outfit in her hand, and after making sure she could conjure it with magic, she tossed it aside. The design was fine as a reference, but the actual product was another story—it was the kind of thing everyone would ride.

Several gunshots suddenly rang out, and the villagers who wanted to escape stopped in their tracks, revealing bitter smiles. Meanwhile, Hirako and Tachibana Seiko took down the seven shrine maidens led by Keiko, and even ruthlessly chopped off their hands to prevent them from escaping with strange magic like the other six shrine maidens.

However, the two of them underestimated the fanatics' madness. Just after they chopped off the hands, the seven priestesses, realizing there was no hope of escape, all tilted their heads to the side and fell silent. Yakumo Kurenai came over carrying the red fox head, waved it around, and shook her head regretfully: "They even shattered their souls in one go. What a bunch of lunatics."

Harunobu tapped Yakumo Kurenai's little head: "This head can also be used to examine souls?"

"No, it's just a phonograph now," Yakumo Kurenai said with a smile, tossing the fox head in her hand. "But this will help Harunobu remember me, right?"

That's true.

Harunobu rolled his eyes and ruffled Yakumo Kurenai's hair; before he could speak, Yakumo Kurenai interjected, "But, if you want to use it, you can, it's still quite soft inside~"

The little fox spirit spoke in a seductive voice, even prying open her fiery red fox head to show Harunobu her soft mouth, which was still secreting mucus. Harunobu, speechless, changed his approach from rubbing to grabbing, performing a soul-absorbing act, which immediately calmed the deliberately mischievous Yakumo Kurenai down. However, judging from her expression, she clearly wouldn't dare do it again next time.

Shiranui Ran happened to walk over: "There's really no hope. Soul Searching Technique can't be used on someone whose soul is shattered."

"Ugh... another wasted trip." Harunobu scratched his head in frustration. Two days in Osaka and he only had a needle-in-a-haystack clue. The progress was too slow. He was starting to miss his dojo, mainly because there were still so many things to do there... well, he just missed his wives in Tokyo.

However, it was only a momentary annoyance. He quickly composed himself and looked at the villagers who were being closely watched by Fujiwara Kaguya. Although the chances were slim, these guys were so close to the shrine maiden; surely they might have something useful to them?

Moreover, their bones probably weren't so hard that they would need a soul-searching technique to pry them open; the interrogation skills of ninjas are no joke.

Just as Harunobu was pondering this, a hand suddenly reached out in front of him. Harunobu looked at the fair wrist and the thin veil in front of him, and blinked: "Miss Yuan, what's this?"

Yuan Xueying, who had been relatively inconspicuous, stood in front of Qingxin, a slight smile playing on her aloof and ethereal face: "I think I can still find their location. Shall we go?"

The unity of man and nature has this effect?

Harunobu paused for a moment, then nodded naturally: "Far away?"

"It's hard to say, it's just a feeling, I can't describe it." Yuan Xueying said lightly, tossing the thin shrine maiden's outfit aside. "If I had to describe it, it's like seeing the ripples left by a fish leaping out of the water. I can roughly feel where the ripples spread and the ripples when it re-enters the water."

Minamoto no Yuki's words were indeed a bit hard to understand, with all that talk about fish and water. But thankfully, Harunobu had no shortage of clever people around him. Yakumo Kurenai quickly snapped her fingers and spoke before Shiranui Ran could react: "I understand! What you saw was the spatial disorder left by the Void Cicada Technique!"

Shiranui Ran pursed her lips and continued, "Spatial fluctuations are rare to begin with, and the fact that six people used it at the same time means the traces left behind will probably last for a long time; if Sakura can really see them, then perhaps we can catch them again."

The crowd visibly cheered, and Yuan Xueying's smile deepened slightly. Although she had become increasingly detached, her kind nature remained unchanged, and she naturally had no fondness for a terrifying organization like the Tongxin Society. She also deeply disliked these so-called Heavenly Maidens, finding fault with both their seductive appearances and their ruthless and insidious nature.

So she was naturally happy to be able to do her part in solving these problems. However, she still habitually modestly said, "I can only sense it, not see the actual trajectory. For example... I feel that they have actually returned to Osaka."

"Go straight back to Osaka from here?" Shiranui Ran was surprised again. "Their Ethereal Technique is so advanced—no, impossible, they must have used some other method."

Seeing that Miss Fox was about to fall into thought again, Harunobu had no choice but to take action.

Chapter 400

He patted her slender waist: "Alright, let's think about it on the way back. We should head back now."

“Before that,” Hirako began slowly, “what will happen to these guys, the teacher’s college?”

The villagers, who had been silent since earlier, became increasingly uneasy.

The author says:

Author's Note: Last day! Aren't you going to give me some votes or something? I actually updated 16.5 words this month, which is beyond my wildest dreams! Hopefully, I can keep up the good work next month!

Chapter 372: The Divine Child

While Harunobu and the others were thrilled by Minamoto Yuki's extraordinary abilities, the six shrine maidens who had narrowly escaped death were already soaking naked in the hot spring. There were not just a few of them in the hot spring, but dozens of people already seated there, forming several groups, each clearly belonging to a different faction.

This is not surprising, because although they belong to the same organization, they do not share the same faith. And Ame-no-Tsurugi-no-Mikoto, a deity who isn't particularly powerful and whose most famous "deed" is deceiving Amaterasu Daimyo through dancing, naturally wouldn't attract much attention. It could be said that without their usual connections and social networks, they wouldn't even be qualified to enter this hot spring.

Even if they manage to get in, they will have to pay a price.

Many large hands had become accustomed to touching these free bodies, accompanied by contemptuous and mocking glances. However, the six priestesses had no time to deal with the jealousy of those ugly women. They eagerly squeezed into the arms of their large-handed masters, and soon the once quiet hot spring was filled with the sounds of water splashing and slapping.

Moreover, inspired by them, the others who had come specifically for this also abandoned the foreplay and got down to business.

After a long while, the priestesses, having successfully drained a considerable amount of magic to heal their injuries, leaned lazily against the pool, letting the cloudy white liquid slide from their dark hair to their lips. And from the crowd, having satisfied their desires, voices finally broke into serious conversation: "Hey, did you guys just escape here? I didn't hear you went into the city!"

Some sarcastic questions hit the bullseye, but the six priestesses readily admitted: "That's right, we were just attacked and had to use the Empty Cicada Technique; and if we hadn't reacted quickly enough, we probably wouldn't have even had a chance to use the Empty Cicada Technique."

Upon hearing the priestess's reply, the crowd, who had been mocking and waiting to see a spectacle, stopped laughing. Everyone here knew each other well and was aware of the six priestesses' personalities; they weren't the type to swallow their pride. They always responded directly to sarcastic remarks, and had even fought with them more than once.

So their behavior is very strange right now, and unusual behavior usually indicates a problem, especially for an underground organization like theirs.

For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat tense, and even the person who had started the trouble remained calmly silent. After a long while, a burly man with thick hair, whose overall appearance resembled an upright bear, finally spoke: "Asuka Umeko, stop being so mysterious, what exactly did you encounter?"

Umeko Asuka, the shrine maiden who took over the position of priestess at the shrine after Asuka Eiko's tragic death, rubbed her fingers together with a fawning smile upon hearing the man's words: "Lord Takeru, we're now just six of us left, completely naked. We really have no choice..."

“Each shrine will contribute 1,000 yen, and I will personally contribute 5,000 yen. Is that enough?” The bear-man, known as the Martial Venerable, interrupted Asuka Umeko, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Asuka Umeko wanted to earn a little more, but after thinking about it, she gave up. The fact that this bear-like man had earned the nickname "Martial Venerable" among these fanatical believers and hadn't been killed was enough to demonstrate his strength and status. Even at its peak, their Ame-no-Miko Shrine wouldn't dare provoke the Susanoo Shrine across the street, let alone now that only six of them remained.

So she smiled charmingly and began to recount her previous encounter with Harunobu and the others. Since it hadn't been long, she finished quickly. However, the atmosphere, even more subdued than before, remained for a long time after they finished speaking. As people who weren't exactly of the same ilk in a broad sense, and being from higher-ups, they all understood what Asuka Umeko was talking about.

Finally, it was the Martial Venerable who broke the silence. His large, bell-like eyes glared at Asuka Umeko, and his fan-like hands gripped her naked, full breasts, causing excruciating pain: "Asuka Umeko, do you know what you're saying?"

Asuka Umeko's face twisted as she spoke, "I..."

"You're saying that one, or even many, true descendants of gods have appeared." Wu Zun interrupted Fei Niao Mei Zi, clearly not intending to listen to her answer at all. "Do you want to hear what you're saying? Do you think it's fun to insult our shared beliefs? Or have you gone mad after your stronghold was destroyed?"

Asuka Umeko licked her red lips, a mocking smile on her face: "Don't fool yourself, Martial Venerable. What else could make divine power abandon us besides the legendary orphaned children of gods? Could it be that our gods have abandoned us?"

That's impossible, after all, it's not the first time they've borrowed divine power.

So Wu Zun pinched Fei Niao Mei Zi's chest, stared at her with wide eyes, and after a moment blinked slightly: "We need evidence."

Asuka Umeko raised her chin: "The only evidence is the six of us, but if you're brave enough, you can go to my shrine now. They might still be searching for us in that area, but they're quite strong."

“Just a bunch of samurai and ninjas, nothing more than a bunch of mortals.” Wu Zun released Asuka Umeko’s chest. “You’d better be telling the truth, or you’ll want to die there.”

“You may not believe it, Martial Venerable, but taking a look doesn’t take much effort.” Asuka Meiko was not to be outdone. “And I should also remind you that, apart from that man, all of those people have excellent aptitude; even if they are not divine offspring, they would be excellent as sacrifices or seedbeds.”

"..."

Wu Zun and the others exchanged glances in silence before finally making a decision.

"Alright, let's see just how amazing they are that they can make you say something like that."

Just as Asuka Umeko said, it wouldn't take much effort to just take a look. If it really is as she said, then their century-long wish as "the child of the gods" can finally see the light of day. If not, then obtaining some high-quality offerings would still be good.

Even if this is fake, at least they'll have six more decent toys. The kind that can be played with however they want, and are also very durable.

Wu Zun shook his head, suppressing his sadistic urges, and stood up from the hot spring, revealing the tiny, pitiful little bean sprout that had been deprived of too much nutrition.

"..."

A loose-fitting black trousers was placed in front of Wu Zun's legs. Wu Zun silently scanned his surroundings, and everyone immediately looked away, pretending that they hadn't seen anything.

Two puffs of hot air rolled out of Wu Zun's nostrils as he forcibly averted his attention. Even he couldn't bring himself to use violence against everyone present, so he could only pretend that the mistake he had just made hadn't happened.

That shouldn't have happened. He usually stayed until the very end and would even use magic to disguise himself. But this time he was too anxious and surprised, not only getting up early but also not noticing when the disguise spell was about to expire.

There was no other way; they, the "Children of Gods," were an organization dedicated to finding a way to revive the gods and restore this country and the world to true order. Hearing the sudden possibility of his long-cherished wish being fulfilled, even beneath his calm exterior, he did lose some control.

Hmm, so maybe the others didn't see it either?

Martial Venerable maintained his indifferent expression, raising his right leg, only to be suddenly grabbed by Asuka Umeko. He glared at her angrily, but Asuka Umeko seized the opportunity, clinging to him and pressing herself against him.

Chapter 401

He leaned close to his ear: "Lord Martial Venerable, we're quite skilled at treating that area, you know?"

The Martial Venerable paused for a moment, then calmly said, "You few, lead the way."

The crowded hot springs finally quieted down.

Chapter 373: Intuition

Finally, Harunobu handed the villagers over to the police in the county where the train station was located. Although he could have simply killed them all, their crimes hadn't reached that point, and keeping them alive might yield some information. Besides, the most annoying young man was already dead—he'd been driven to his death by the sight of the shrine maidens fleeing or dying…or perhaps he'd been scared to death?

Anyway, nobody cares about him.

Since it was on their way, they didn't waste much time. Before dark, Harunobu and the others boarded the train again and began their return journey to Osaka.

On the way, Qingxin asked Shiranui Lan if she knew the Void Cicada Technique and if she could teleport everyone back directly. The answer was yes, and she was quite skilled at it, without needing to take off her clothes. However, even with her proficiency, a single Void Cicada Technique could only teleport a maximum of one kilometer, and it would consume a large amount of mana. Moreover, this spell only works on oneself and cannot be used to transport others.

So if those shrine maidens really did return to Osaka using the Ethereal Cicada Technique, then there's definitely something wrong. As far as Shiranui Lan knows, the last person who could teleport so easily over long distances was the Wheel Rokudo, who was mercilessly verbally assaulted by Harunobu in Ueno Park. Moreover, that's a rare talent spell; not everyone can learn it, and even if they do, they might not achieve the same effect. It's like charm spells aren't uncommon, but none have an effect as powerful as Shiranui Lan's, where even her scent possesses a strong alluring quality.

Red Yakumo's fox-like head still remembered some information about the leaders of the Tongxin Society, including Rin Rokudo, Tenmoku Ren, Aoandon, and Mandarin Duck Fire, among others. However, there was no information about the leader of the Tongxin Society, only that the special ability to manipulate corrupted power was something he had assigned to his subordinates.

He must be Izanami's partner.

Harunobu shook his head and leaned back: "I really don't know what the Tongxin Society is trying to do. If they want to rebel, they don't have to kill the Emperor, let alone go to that extent."

After listening, Yuan Xueying, who was sitting by the window, turned her gaze away from the outside and interjected, "Speaking of which, what exactly is this Tongxin Society?"

She was temporarily chosen as a representative to be sent to the Anti-Demon Division, and she really didn't know anything about this kind of information, mainly because she hadn't thought about finding out before. After all, the Ueno explosion alone was enough for her to take action against the Tongxin Society, and she didn't need any other information. But now, hearing Harunobu's sigh, she became interested again.

Shiranui Ran leaned against the door of the private room, her eyes fixed on Yakumo Kurenai, who was sitting in Harunobu's lap with Fujiwara Kaguya. She explained in a calm tone, "Those lunatics have changed their slogans several times. At first, they said they wanted to establish a world where humans and yokai are equal; then they said they wanted to create a world where yokai are supreme; and then they said they wanted to make Japan the world's number one power."

Yuan Xueying was speechless and didn't know what to say, so she could only retort in exasperation, "Isn't this a contradiction?"

“Yes, but they don’t seem to think so.” Shiranui Ran laughed. “Harunobu, do you remember the first time we met?”

Harunobu rubbed Yakumo Kurenai's little belly and continued, "You mean those mutated humans? Although it's not the first time, I have to say they're really crazy."

Shiranui Ran added, "But if we turn all the people in Japan into that kind of thing, wouldn't that solve the contradiction between human-demon equality and yokai supremacy—a yokai-turned-human is still a human, after all."

Harunobu rolled his eyes: "And incidentally, you'll also gain an army that is absolutely obedient and fearless of death, making Japan the world's number one power, right?"

The two took turns speaking, filling in the gaps in Yuan Xueying's knowledge and successfully turning the lawyer's daughter into a target of anger. She knew the Tongxin Society was shady, but she hadn't expected them to be this awful.

Even her recently increasingly aloof and ethereal demeanor, as if she might vanish into thin air at any moment, was shattered, and she became more lively and vibrant. The contrast before and after surprised everyone except Yuan Xueying. They hadn't noticed it before without comparison, but now, it seemed like something was off about Yuan Xueying.

Before Harunobu could even begin to think about how to start the conversation, Fujiwara Kaguya blurted out, "Sakura, you look so much better now than before; I was worried you'd turn into a stone woman."

Oh no, this child has been led astray too.

Harunobu pinched Fujiwara Kaguya's bottom and said, "Ms. Minamoto, Kaguya means..."

“I know.” Yuan Xueying rolled her eyes at her friend. “This isn’t the first time this guy has been so outspoken. I’m used to it.”

Fujiwara Kaguya chuckled and scratched her head: "Sorry, Sakura; but you've changed so much! I was wondering why you seemed a little strange lately."

“I just figured out some things, just like Koharu.” Minamoto Yukisakura gently patted the sword lying across her lap. “When I was facing the Ueno explosion, I realized that things in the world don’t happen in an orderly fashion, but can happen at any time.”

"To combat these unexpected events, what is needed is nothing other than great strength; just like Section Chief Hira and Advisor Shiranui, although I am still far from being as good as the two of them."

As she spoke, Yuan Xueying's aura returned to that ethereal, otherworldly, and aloof feeling; it even gave people a sense of fragility, as if she might merge into the world at any moment.

Because of this strange feeling, Harunobu and Shiranui Ran felt no joy at being praised; instead, they felt as if they were being mocked. After a little thought, they realized that this was due to the sense of crisis brought about by Minamoto Yuki Sakura. The genius of this lawyer seemed to far exceed their imagination.

Qingxin immediately said, "Miss Yuan, since you want to become stronger, why not join our Qingkong Pavilion?"

Yuan Xueying, who had just regained her ethereal state, almost broke down again, but managed to hold it in at the last moment. Then she politely declined, saying, "Then let's forget it. I'm an only child, and I will definitely have to find a husband to inherit the family name in the future."

Okay.

Qingxin couldn't say anything. Even if he guaranteed that he wouldn't take action, it wouldn't matter, since outsiders wouldn't think that way.

The topic then shifted, veerging towards other aspects.

As they chatted, the train, billowing black smoke, roared through the city center, punctuating a series of urgent bell rings. A group of oddly dressed, blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners peered curiously over, their gazes sweeping over Harunobu's carriage, leaving a hint of doubt.

"What is wrong, Your Majesty?" a tall, handsome foreigner asked in a low voice.