I, Den-O, the Contract Urban Legend

Yasen thought for a moment and added, "Well, the sleeping position is a bit bad. He thinks that Sadako will occasionally perform joint techniques on Ueya while she is asleep."

Miss Sadako blushed and felt a little embarrassed. She turned around and stared at Inoue Ueya fiercely.

"Yasin, do you want to take a bath together later? Let me help you rub your back." Hanako smiled and invited Yasen to take a bath together, as if she had some plans.

This bad girl is not like Sadako and Mary. She can't put down her pride and ask Arsen about Inoue Ueya in public, so she has to find a chance to ask her alone. Even Hanako is a little curious about what Inoue Ueya thinks of her. According to a tomboy's idea, rubbing each other's backs in the bathroom and taking a bath together with other girls is the best way to enhance friendship.

Hearing this, Yasen nodded and responded with a smile: "Sure, let's take a shower together!"

"Then I want to go too!"

"Me too!"

The girls rushed to second the motion and seemed very interested in the proposal.

Although Yasen said "Great" in her heart, her expression did not change much. She responded very calmly: "Hmm, that's perfect. Then let's just have a bath together with the girls of the Inoue family today!"

——Nice, I didn’t expect that I could take a bath with the girls so soon!

Even though it was Inoue Ueya's personality mask, Arsen had inherited some of his ideas. At this moment, she was ecstatic because she knew that this girl's body could see many things that the male body could not see!

However, as the real person, Inoue Ueya couldn't help but guess what Yasen was thinking. He saw through everything and immediately protested, "Sharing a bath? No, of course not! Yasen, are you still a gentleman of the Inoue family? Don't forget that you are my personality mask!"

Sadako slammed the table and shouted, "That's enough, Yasen-chan is completely different from you! Inoue Ueya, don't eat tonight! Go back to your room and reflect on it. My sleeping posture is not that bad!"

???

Inoue Ueya looked at Sadako with an innocent face, his eyes full of confusion. The situation seemed different from what he had imagined. Was this development the opposite?

Chapter 206: Inevitable Sacrifice

While Inoue Ueya and others were enjoying their long-lost daily life, the atmosphere at the Hanakaiin family in Kyoto was not so joyful.

Everyone seemed to have not yet recovered from the fact that the "Phantom Thief" defeated all the guardians, and morale was a little low. That incident was a heavy blow to the Hanakaiin family.

"Hey, have you heard about the seal being broken?"

"You're talking about how all eight barrier guardians were defeated by a young man in black. Such explosive news would have spread a long time ago..."

"Those of you who weren't there probably don't know. I participated in the support of Nijo Castle that day and saw with my own eyes the strongest genius of the Hanakaiin family. Hanakaiin Akifusa actually limped out of the hall. It seems he must have suffered serious injuries in the battle with the young man in black!"

"Ah, we're already in such a mess even dealing with a young boy. If we run into some big monster, won't we be completely wiped out?"

"That's right. Although we've already made up our minds to defend Kyoto at all costs, if we follow the unreliable plan of the higher-ups, wouldn't that just mean we're sending ourselves to our deaths..."

The Onmyojis also began to discuss the security of the Kyoto seal in private. Whether it was strength, tactical deployment, or even the attitude towards dealing with the enemy, as the young man in black said, there were too many shortcomings. It seemed that because of years of comfort, the top leaders of the Hanakaiin family gradually began to underestimate the importance of the Kyoto barrier. The seal was full of security loopholes and could be captured by sudden monster attacks at any time. It was a potential threat to anyone in Kyoto.

In fact, not only them, but even the top management held an emergency meeting because of this matter.

In a courtyard of the Hanakaiin main family, sitting on chairs were not only the head of the main family, but also the heads of various branch families, and standing nearby were the geniuses and sealed guardians from various branch families and the main family, including Hanakaiin Yuura, Hanakaiin Akifusa and others.

The twenty-seventh head of the clan was the first to break the silence, saying, "It just so happens that I've been planning to strengthen the seal's defenses for a while now. However, the seal's decay process is long, and strengthening the defenses requires considerable resources. You previously held back on my proposal, claiming the seal guardians were more than capable of handling it. Now, I guess there's nothing more to say, right?"

The black-haired boy's surprise attack came at the perfect time. Not only did it make everyone realize their own lack of strength, but it also gave him a strong reason to expend resources and strengthen defenses.

Although Hanakaiin Yuura's grandfather was the 27th head of the family and his status was the highest in the family, he still could not make decisions on many things alone. His power as the head of the family was not something he could use at will, especially important matters related to the family. In most cases, he still had to discuss important family matters with the heads of the various branch families.

Under normal circumstances, the cost of training an Onmyoji is not low. The main family members are affected by the curse of Yuyuko, and the number of direct descendants is not much compared to the branch family. Naturally, the chance of producing talented people is even smaller. It is impossible for such a few people to allow this family to continue from hundreds of years ago to the present. The reason why the Hanakaiin family has been able to develop to its current scale is inseparable from the support of the branch family behind it.

"After all, we have to be on guard against the reincarnated Feathered Fox..."

That's right, Hanakaiin Akifusa has already informed everyone of the information that Inoue Ueya mentioned. First, it was the information brought back by Hanakaiin Yuura, and then there was the information mentioned by the black-clothed boy with unknown strength that the Feathered Fox was preparing to attack Kyoto. It didn't matter whether the information was true or false. They didn't dare to take it lightly. The actual combat power displayed by the guardians was weaker than everyone expected.

The heads of the branch families sitting next to the 27th head of the family looked at each other, thought for a while, and finally nodded in agreement to the proposal.

There is nothing much to say about this matter. All the guardians of the seal were easily defeated, and the top leaders who had been immersed in long-term comfort were also awakened. The Onmyojis of the Hanakaiin family also began to question the command of the top leaders. If they don’t find a way to solve the security loopholes of the seal as soon as possible, I am afraid that no one will be willing to fight when Yuyuko attacks.

"At this point, there's nothing we can do. We'll just do what the boss says."

The 27th head nodded and then turned his attention to the guardians. "Do you have anything to say about support? Is there anything you need our cooperation with?"

It was indeed a bit embarrassing to be knocked down by a black-haired boy of unknown origin, but it could be considered a blessing in disguise. The guardians also gained something from this incident. Their own shortcomings and some problems that were subconsciously overlooked when defending the barrier were also noticed by them.

Hanakaiin Akifusa raised his right hand and said, "It's not just our defenses that need strengthening. I believe we need to devise various countermeasures for every possible scenario."

Over the past day, Hanakaiin Akifusa finally recovered from the crushing defeat.

Hanakaiin Akifusa is a guy with a strong competitive spirit. Although he is a little unwilling to accept his defeat, he has not forgotten his due responsibilities as the Onmyoji of the Hanakaiin family. After reflecting on himself for a while, he thinks that Inoue Ueya is right. Looking back, his ideas are indeed a bit lacking in caution.

"If possible, I, being the strongest, will defend the first temple. I want to prepare for the worst. If the seals are breached one after another, I hope the Hanakaiin family will mobilize and evacuate the residents of Kyoto before going to support the guardians..."

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked. They had not expected that the strongest genius in the family would say such words. Is this still the Hua Kaiyuan Qiufang they knew?

"Ridiculous!" The old man, the head of the Eighty-Ryu branch family, who was sitting nearby, frowned with displeasure and shouted, "How can you admit defeat before the battle even begins? If you do that, won't the seal be lost even more easily?"

"But what about the lives of those residents? Are we just going to watch them being attacked by monsters? Once they fall, they fall. There are only a few people in the family who are strong enough to fight. Do you still expect anyone to turn the tide of the battle?" Hanakaiin Akifa retorted.

"Those people are inevitable sacrifices. Once Yuyuko breaks the seal and retakes Kyoto, do you think there will be fewer deaths?"

Chapter 207 The time I spent training in Chiba was not wasted!

"I think what Patriarch Bashiliu said is correct. Since we don't have enough power to do everything, we have no choice but to make a decision. It's also a last resort. Securing the seal is more important than evacuating the residents. If such a thing really happens, I can only say that the victims are unlucky."

"After all, this is a seal that our family has guarded for hundreds of years. We can't let it be destroyed by our generation, right?"

"How disappointing! It's fine that I couldn't defeat that black-clad young man of unknown origin, but I never thought that our family's most powerful genius would have such naive ideas..."

Several heads of branch families, such as the Fukuju-ryu, Aika-ryu, and Ido-ryu, rejected Hanakaiin Akifusa's idea of ​​sending people to evacuate the citizens. Other heads of families remained silent and watched coldly. No one supported Hanakaiin Akifusa's approach.

"The people of Kyoto are lives too. Are we going to give up even them? Just to guard those seals that have begun to decline and will be released sooner or later?" Hanakaiin Akifusa still couldn't accept their actions. This was the first time that these familiar old men seemed so strange in his eyes.

Seeing Hanakaiin Akifong's face still showing an expression of disbelief, the Yasuru clan leader sighed and said, "Haven't you regained consciousness after being knocked down once? Then let me make it clear, you simply can't save everyone."

"Yes, you are a genius, and the strongest genius of the Hanakaiin family, but what's the point? No matter how powerful one is, no one can be absolutely invincible. You may even be defeated by a young man due to carelessness or the opponent's unknown abilities."

"Can you guarantee that the defending Onmyoji will survive if the fighting force is dispersed?"

"If the attacker is indeed that Yuyuko, you won't be dealing with just one young man, but an entire Hundred Demons Night Parade! In that case, do the scattered forces really have enough strength to protect and evacuate all the citizens?"

"'Wanting to save everyone' is just a delusion for the weak. It's just fiction. Whether you're an ordinary human or an Onmyoji, our abilities ultimately have their limits. We must make the right choices when necessary. As a genius since childhood, you should understand our difficulties, right, Akifusa?"

What the heads of the branch families said had their reasons. An inexplicably heavy pressure arose in Huakaiyuan Qiufang's heart. Faced with the questions from the heads of the families, he was speechless for a moment.

"No, I agree with my brother Qiu Fang!"

Suddenly, the silence in the courtyard was broken by a clear, childish voice. Hanakaiin Yuura emerged from the crowd and spoke in a resounding voice, "An Onmyoji's responsibility is to protect humanity. That's why they need to guard the seal. To easily abandon the lives of others and make unnecessary sacrifices—that's not the Onmyoji I know!"

Although Huakai Ruan Youluo was defeated in most of the battles during her training in Qianye, she did feel her growth, except for her figure.

She believes that monsters are "black" and humans are "white", and that the two are incompatible and opposing existences. She prefers to choose a relatively stable approach rather than an ideal possibility. The ideas of the Onmyoji and the elders certainly have their reasons, but they are obviously biased. However, now she also has her own beliefs!

Over in Chiba, Hanakaiin Yuura personally witnessed another possibility. Even urban legends can live with humans, not to mention monsters. Although there are still monsters that attack humans, they are only a minority and still within an acceptable range. There can be no bad people in human society, and the same is true in the world of monsters.

"If you can't even save the people right in front of you, then there's no point in even dreaming about successfully preventing the seal from being broken."

The ideas of the elders do have reference value, but they are not necessarily all correct. Hanakaiin Yuura decided to walk her own path. She wants to carry out her own beliefs. There is no point in blindly acting according to other people's ideas. She wants to do what she thinks is right!

The head of the Yasyu branch family turned to look at Hanakaiin Yuura, frowning unconsciously. He then said, "I see, a 'Pojunshi'? I have to say, you do have the potential to defeat Yuyuko. However, due to your age and experience, your true strength is far inferior to Akifusa. Forget saving people, do you really have enough to deal with a monster attack?"

Although she felt the fierce gaze from the branch family head, Hanakaiin Yuura was not shaken at all. When she was in Chiba, she had helped Yasha Yuki control her spiritual power and had personally experienced countless times the pressure of spiritual power that erupted from her due to her runaway power. Compared to that level of oppression, the branch family head in front of her was not worth mentioning at all!

Hanakaiin Yuura wore a calm expression, staring at the branch family heads with a determined look. He then responded, "Trying to overwhelm us with your aura? Who are you looking down on? My time training in Chiba wasn't wasted! It's true that I can't handle this on my own. So what about finding more reinforcements from elsewhere? I don't understand why the family has to face this crisis alone. If they know they're lacking in strength, wouldn't it be more efficient to ask for help from others?"

The other seal guardians looked at each other when they saw this. Compared to the ideas of the old men who were the heads of the branch families, the relatively humane approach of Hanakaiin Akifusa and Yuura was obviously more in line with their ideas, and they all expressed their support for Hanakaiin Yuura.

"That's right. The reason I became an Onmyoji is to protect people. How can a seal that will eventually break due to weakness be more important than a living life?"

"If sacrificing a little of the family's dignity can save more lives, then seeking external help is a good idea."

Sensing the increasingly tense atmosphere, the 27th generation head of the clan had no choice but to step forward as a peacemaker, trying to ease the tension. "Calm down, everyone. Things aren't that serious yet, are they?"

"What Akifa and the other family heads say makes sense. Whether it's defending the seal or rescuing the citizens caught up in the incident, as members of the Hanakaiin family and as Onmyoji, these are our responsibilities. There's no need to engage in pointless arguments! I agree with Yuura's proposal, but the Hanakaiin family has limited manpower, and dispersing it is difficult to implement. So, as for external aid, just go find some willing supporters to join us. The Hanakaiin family is willing to pay the corresponding compensation."

In the end, the topic ended with the decision of the head of the family. Although the heads of the branch families still seemed a little confused, Qiu Fang and others still managed to get the head of the family's approval.

"Rather than that, let's talk about tactical deployment—"

After a long discussion about the defense of the seal, everyone finally ended the meeting.

The head of the Yashiryu branch family sighed, glanced at Hanakaiin Yuura before leaving, and said softly, "I have said everything I need to say. If you still refuse to give up, I, an old man, will be powerless to stop you. I hope you will take good care of yourselves."

Chapter 208: Sack? What on earth did you learn in Chiba?

Watching the cold old man, the head of the branch family, walking away, Hanakaiin Yuura still couldn't understand his thoughts.

"He's even willing to throw away the lives of the citizens, but I sensed the tone of his words before he left wasn't false. What on earth was that old man thinking?"

At this time, Hanakaiin Ryuji appeared from behind Yuura and tapped her head gently with his hand.

"Are you an idiot? Even though the head of the Yashiryu family told Qiufang to give up the rescue plan, it doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the safety of the citizens. An Onmyoji is still an Onmyoji after all. That old man was once someone like you..."

……

The head of the Yasuru family walked out of the Hanakaiin family headquarters and took out a brown photo from his pocket. There was a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

"If I hadn't rushed out to save people during the demon-killing mission, you wouldn't have died, right?"

In fact, there was a reason why the heads of the branch families reacted so strongly to Hanakaiin Akifusa's proposal. The seal was only one of the reasons. The more important reason was a large-scale demon-exorcism mission that took place a long time ago.

That time, they had to defeat a sinister youkai organization. Although their strength wasn't comparable to that of the Nura Clan or the Hagoromo Kitsune, they all harbored a strong malice towards humans and possessed a cannibalistic appetite. They were said to be alien species from the West, monsters known as "ghouls." While their individual strength wasn't strong, their resemblance to humans made it difficult for ordinary people to identify them with the naked eye. Furthermore, they possessed infectious powers, using blood as a medium to transform humans into their own kind...

Onmyoji is an exception. Spiritual power can negate the erosion of their blood, so when a ghoul encounters an Onmyoji, they can either kill him directly or choose to escape.

"That time, the ghouls transformed almost all the citizens of the city into their own kind. It was a large-scale disaster caused by the monsters. The Hanakaiin family sent out Onmyoji to fight against them. However, unlike the beautiful fictional story, the old man Yasuru ignored the ambush of the ghouls because he was obsessed with saving people, which led to the other Onmyoji sacrificing their lives to save him. The heads of other branch families also knew about this, so when they heard Akifusa's thoughts, they had such a big reaction..." Hanakaiin Ryuji, who was secretly following the head of Yasuru, explained to Yuura.

"Well, we roughly understand the situation, but why should we follow him?"

Yuura looked at Ryuji Hanakaiin with a malicious look on his face, his face full of confusion and puzzlement, and he wondered if he had been involved in some trouble again.

Hanakaiin Ryuji sighed and responded, "That old guy is already old, and he ran out without saying a word. Aren't you worried that he might get into an accident?"

"What? I was worried that you were planning to secretly put a sack on him..." For some reason, Hanakaiin Yuura breathed a sigh of relief.

"Huh? Sack? What on earth did you learn in Chiba?"

"After all, Big Brother, you look like a delinquent boy, and you particularly like to lie. You feel like someone who would do such a thing. Besides, there's no need to worry so much about that old man, right?"

"Oh, how can you say that about your brother? I'm so sad..."

"No, I won't trust you anymore anyway." Yu Luo said coldly.

As the victim, Yu Luo still doesn't quite trust her brother. This guy even tricked her into throwing mints into her soda, causing her to be sprayed all over.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind them.

"Ryuji is right. I was also adopted from the Yasuru family, and I know very well that old men are not always serious people. It would not be good if he did something dangerous on impulse or got into an accident. It's better to keep an eye on him for now..."

A figure suddenly emerged from a small bush beside them, startling Youluo. Turning back, he realized it was Hanakain Qiufang. "Qiu, Qiufang, brother? Why are you here too?"

"Just like you guys, I'm just worried about the old man."

"Hey, I, okay..."

Originally, Hanakaiin Yuura wanted to say something, but she vaguely saw several bushes behind Qiufang shaking, so she finally gave up complaining and had to turn around and continue following the eighty-year-old man.

"Stop arguing. Look, isn't there something wrong with the old man's expression?"

……

After experiencing the "Ghoul" incident, the head of the Yasuru family often thought about a question. If he had not run out to save people at that time, the Onmyoji who were traveling with him would not have sacrificed their lives, and those ordinary humans who were used as bait would not necessarily have died. So his impulsive behavior was indeed unnecessary, right?

"I successfully saved a few people, but at the same time, I indirectly killed a few people. Isn't that like exchanging lives for lives? How can this be considered a rescue?"

But the situation is different now. It is no longer a matter of exchanging life for life. Those little guys seem to have not understood the degree of danger after the seal is released. Not to mention the legendary "Nue", all those under the eight seals are dangerous beings whose strength is comparable to that of big monsters. Once the initial seal is released, the combat power of the Yuyuko forces will continue to rise.

"No, perhaps I can think in a more positive direction? Yuura actually withstood my mental pressure. Perhaps those children are really capable of dealing with the attacking Feather Fox?"

In the past, the tragedy happened because of my impulsiveness and lack of trust in my teammates. I can't do the same thing again.

"Come to think of it, those kids seemed frightened by my reaction. I have to go back and apologize properly later..."

Suddenly, strange things happened. A black smoke emanated from the body of the head of the Bashiliu family, and an inexplicable pain came from all over his body. He subconsciously closed his eyes, covered his chest with his hands, half-knelt on the ground, and a look of pain appeared on his face.

"Um, w-what's going on!?"

The people following behind the head of the Bashiliu family thought that he had suffered a relapse of his old illness. When they were about to go forward to see what was going on, they found that the painful expression on his face gradually disappeared, and he opened a pair of eyes that were completely occupied by darkness. His whole aura became weird, as if he was possessed by an evil spirit.

The "Yashiryu Patriarch" smiled strangely and muttered to himself, "Hahaha, it turns out I was right to choose the old man and the senior members of the Hanakaiyuan as the target of my possession. This time, I've overheard a lot of useful information. The timing is perfect. It's time to notify the Skeletons to launch an offensive against the seal."