Not a detective

Page 195

The best method that Asakawa Riku could think of, which was also the best way to resolve this power of faith, was to dismantle it from within the believers, from the very root of their faith.

Just like with Aoandon, as long as the rumors are no longer believed, the ghost stories will lose their momentum.

Just like on Red Stingray Island, if you plant the seeds of doubt in the villagers, the gods will disappear.

This is the correct way to deal with the evil god, as Asakawa Riku knows, but the problem is that the number of believers this time is too large.

70 people... This is not something that can be solved simply by holding a speech. How can 70 believers be persuaded to abandon their cult beliefs at the same time?

Should we broadcast anti-superstition messages on television at the same time, or should we use a megaphone to continuously preach over Tokyo?

It's not realistic at all, and these believers are currently in a state of fanaticism, so they don't seem like they can listen to explanations properly.

This method is not currently applicable.

Moreover, what worries him most is Shinonome Kosuke's current situation... That old fox currently has no physical body, but can freely possess believers and constantly transfer.

In other words, it's uncertain whether we can catch him and kill him.

With 700,000 followers, as long as one in 700,000, as long as one person is still alive, Kosuke Shinonome can survive. As the faith continues to spread, this cult will be revived.

This is the terrifying aspect of the "divine state." This opponent is far more terrifying than Shuten-dōji, who is simply "powerful." Like wildfire that cannot be extinguished, it will spring back to life with the spring breeze.

If he were Shinonome Kosuke, he would definitely have one of his followers hide underground, or simply flee the country...

In that case, it would never be possible to completely eradicate them.

"This is really difficult..."

Asakawa Riku murmured, still feeling a bit of despair. Even Shinonome Suetsuki was silent now, probably because she couldn't think of a better solution.

Perhaps only the descent of a true god could resolve this situation.

He glanced back at the people in the room; if all else failed, he would have to resort to this last resort.

Before a missile hits Tokyo, take everyone you can with you and leave this place.

He couldn't save the world, but he could at least save the people around him.

Asakawa Riku turned back to the window. He looked at the deep, empty night sky. The wind and snow continued to fall, and the believers continued to howl and roar wildly as they struggled on the ice.

Wait... when did the wind get so strong?

He suddenly felt confused.

I remember when I first arrived here, it was drizzling and snowing on the street, but it was just a light drizzle and not too heavy, just very cold.

The cold wind wasn't so strong back then, but now it's completely different. The fierce wind is pounding against the glass, making a loud banging sound, and the windows are almost bursting open.

The outside world was swept by a scene like a typhoon, the trees on the streets were bent, and the believers could hardly keep their feet on and fell on the ice.

Bang bang bang!

The gale-force winds, carrying raindrops and snowflakes, mingled together, creating a terrifying scene that seemed to have emerged from nowhere. The sense of impending disaster grew even more absurd, as if something was about to befall us.

Could it be Shinonome Kosuke's divine power... or something else entirely...?

The window in front of Asakawa Riku finally gave way and was pushed open by the wind, shattering instantly and startling everyone in the room.

"careful!"

Xingyu reacted quickly, immediately reaching out to control the flow of water and helping Asakawa Riku withstand the cold wind and snow.

Although he was soaked, it didn't bother him. However, the wind had blown his hair wildly, and he stared wide-eyed at a point of light on the horizon.

—Could it be that the missile landed ahead of schedule?

Even though a lot of things in the room were blown over and made a mess, he still stood by the window, without moving or flinching.

"Brother... what's wrong? Should we hide?"

Yukie noticed his silence and unusual behavior, walked over, and looked at him with concern.

However, the moment she looked up at the sky, the expression of surprise instantly spread to her, the same astonishment.

"How...how is this possible..."

Asakawa Riku's voice was a little hoarse:

"...Yuki, you've come at the right time. Can you take a look and see if my eyes are blurry from being too tired today?"

He even added with a somewhat absurd laugh: "Look, isn't that your sister over there?"

...

The short-haired girl, with a solemn and dignified expression, remained incredulously suspended high in the sky, riding on the ferocious storm.

She was wearing an outfit called "Water Dry".

A thin, pure white fabric wrapped around the neck and covered the front of the garment, secured with a thin strap at the right shoulder.

The shoulders were slit, revealing a red undershirt underneath. Thin white straps draped down through the flowing sleeves. The hem of the shirt hung forward, and below it, red culottes were tied at the ankles.

Wearing tabi socks and black shoes, her short, jet-black hair flowed freely without being tied up, highlighting her imposing presence and soaring above the world.

Traditionally, only female clergy wore water robes without chrysanthemum embellishments, and they were not priestesses, but rather noblemen of samurai or court noble families.

Even more incredibly, only half of the girl's body was human; the other half, to be precise, her right leg and right hand, were nothing at all.

But it did not blend into the pitch-black night. The outlines of the dried sleeves and trouser legs were shimmering with a bluish light, as if something was coalescing into new hands and feet, glowing.

This bizarre and unbelievable form further enhanced her divinity, making it seem as if the entire storm emanated from her power and authority over the whole of Tokyo.

Looking down at everything below, looking down at the chaotic city, looking down at the rebellious believers—

"Gods... False and filthy things, do they even deserve to call themselves gods?"

She laughed, revealing her fangs and sharp teeth.

"Let me tell you, I'm the real deal."

Winter of God: Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Evil Wind

The energy between heaven and earth is called wind. It is an indispensable natural tool that brings all things to a standstill. What people usually refer to as the "wind spirit" is actually evil energy.

The Fengji clan has worshipped the "Wind God" since ancient times, and this clan also derived its surname from this.

Of course, this is not a belief that can be widely accepted. It is said that there are eight million gods in Japan, who bring blessings and so on. But compared to other gods who "bring happiness", gods who "bring misfortune" are too niche. Who would worship such an evil god unless they wanted to curse others? How could sticking effigies leave a good impression on others?

Historically, there have been no believers other than those within the tribe itself.

Even during the Heian period, their reputations were far inferior to those of Abe and Ashiya, especially their custom of sacrificing their own body parts, which was regarded as heresy.

Under such persecution and exclusion, the Kazamatsuri clan was forced to relocate as a whole, expelled from the power center of Kyoto and the religious center of Ise, and moved to the then insignificant Edo area. They built a shrine in a remote mountainous area. As time went by, the clan became even smaller, and the branches and collateral branches eventually returned to the main family's roots.

In this day and age, only a single lineage remains.

However, because the ancestors, the patriarchs, maintained a devout and great spirit of sacrifice, and because this relatively isolated state was not greatly disturbed by external factors such as power and money, they were able to focus on their cultivation. By a twist of fate, their Onmyoji system was passed down well, even though it has never been accepted by the mainstream Onmyoji.

All of this changed completely with the arrival of Kazamatsuri Akihisa and his daughter, which altered the status of this clan in the world of Onmyoji.

Kazamatsuri Akihisa, known as the "Spiritual Eye," is considered to be the Onmyoji who had the deepest connection with yokai, the widest circle of shikigami, and the deepest understanding of that world since Seimei.

His daughter was even more extraordinary. It is said that on the day she sacrificed her "half-body," the image of a young girl appeared on the Yata no Kagami (mirror image) enshrined at Ise Grand Shrine.

Strength is the best passport. With her extraordinary talent, Chizuko reclaimed what belonged to her family from those old guys.

That is, the secret technique of [Divine Descent].

“I was really disappointed when I saw those ancient books.”

Chizuko, suspended in mid-air, muttered to herself, "I always thought my research was missing something, which is why I hoped to find the missing clues in those old books. But the contents of those books were exactly the same as what I thought, without the slightest deviation, and even less clear than what I wrote. Only then did I realize that it was no coincidence that modern Onmyoji could not recreate the [divine descent].

During the Heian period, Onmyoji could freely allow yokai to possess their bodies and then use exorcism techniques to separate them without any aftereffects.

However, modern Onmyoji can no longer even master exorcism techniques, let alone the further "divine descent" that allows deities to descend into their bodies.

In terms of pure spiritual power, modern Onmyoji are actually no less skilled than those of the past; in fact, Chizuko would be considered above average even in ancient times.

The problem lies in its [mystery].

As human technology advances and people's rational understanding increases, the exploration of the world intensifies, and the mysterious world is compressed into a narrower and more confined space.

When people no longer believe in monsters or gods, these "external" forces will weaken or even disappear.

The future belongs to technology, and there is no longer any fertile ground for those supernatural beliefs to take hold.

Therefore, even if Chizuko mastered the correct method and had the talent to make it work, she was still unable to reproduce that secret technique that only appeared in historical records.

But tonight is different.

Tonight, the entire city of Tokyo is shrouded in fear and madness, with fanatics roaming the streets, a perfect illustration of the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons".

Tokyo's road curfews, internet and speech censorship have created a relatively closed space, where the devout believers have obscured the brilliance of reason and knowledge.

Tonight in Tokyo, the air is thick with mystery, as if anything could happen here.

There are no restrictions.

All of this provided Chizuko with an excellent stage. Even if it was just for one night or just once, she would never let this opportunity slip by.

"Qi communicates with evil spirits, and wind communicates with evil spirits."

The wind howled loudly in her ears, but her voice still rang out firmly and clearly.

The right hand, fabricated by spiritual power, combined with the left hand, which was human, to form a series of complex gestures.

The light emanating from its body grew stronger and stronger, and with the sweeping wind, it seemed to tear through the curtain of night, illuminating the entire night.

The Kojiki states, "The wind god is Shina-tobi, the ancient god." "Shi" means wind or breath. Combining human breath and wind, "Shina" evokes the image of a long, lingering breath.

The "wind god" commonly referred to is actually evil energy. Evil energy sneaks in through gaps in things. If the god of poverty seeks out the gaps in people's negligence, then the wind god seizes the gaps in temperature. The wind god exhales yellow vapor, which is the moisture generated from the earth. All winds originate from the earth. For ordinary people, it is advisable to avoid evil energy and remain alert.

Izanagi in the Nihon Shoki: "...Only the morning mist fills the air! It is the breath that blows and transforms into a god, named Nagatobe no Mikoto, also known as Nagatsuhiko no Mikoto, who is the wind god."

A bad wind is a storm, a headwind, and a wind that brings disaster.

“Shinatobi, Nagatobe no Mikoto, Nagatsuhiko no Mikoto.”

In an instant, the air dissipated, and everything became quiet.

The tornado receded, revealing the delicate face of a young girl. Her appearance remained unchanged; she was still slender, elegant, and a refined young lady.

But those eyes shone with a dazzling blue light, which could be clearly seen even from hundreds of meters above the ground.

The gale disappeared, the tornado disappeared, even the rain and snow disappeared, the temperature returned to normal, as if it were no longer winter, and all weather phenomena dissipated with the arrival of the gods.

Chizuko, suspended in mid-air, slowly raised her hand. Her palm, reconstructed by Feng Liu and imbued with a divine quality, was small yet gradually covered the entire sky above Tokyo.

The power of the wind god is simple and pure: disease, calamity, chaos, misfortune—anything related to "bad" can be associated with Him.

Chizuko only said two sentences:

"Pain is indispensable. Without pain, one cannot perceive the suffering of reality. Without clarity, how can one experience greater pain?"

"All living beings, feel the pain."

She pressed her palm down and cast the first curse, and in that instant, the pain returned to the 70 fanatical believers in Tokyo.

Winter of the Gods: Chapter Thirty - Great Tengu

“Ahhhhhhh…!”

"It hurts...it hurts so much!!"

"What's going on? Where am I?!"

The first to react were the fanatical believers gathered downstairs at the firm.

They fell on the ice, initially feeling no pain, but simply kept getting up and continuing to walk, falling again and again.

But at this moment, those who were "cursed" by the wind god no longer enjoyed the state of "being free from illness and disaster." The feeling of pain returned to their bodies, and they could not resist it.

Having accumulated a large number of bruises, sprains, cold, and frostbite, they suddenly experienced an overwhelming amount of pain that they could not bear and screamed in unison.

The wails echoed throughout almost the entire street, lingering in the night sky for a long time.

Some people's feet were still buried in the ice and they couldn't pull them out. They didn't know what it was like to be surrounded by darkness. It was like being in a nightmare, and they could only cry out in fear.

Looking out the window at these scenes, Asakawa Riku gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar girl in the sky—

It's really her.

What a malicious person.