The Demon’s Menu
Chapter 1054: The Dilemma of Middle-aged People Is Due to Embarrassment (2)

Unexpectedly, Jason managed to react in time.

What was that silver glow just now?

A secret technique?

Or?

The female detective who speaks her mind directly asked.

"Jason, what was that silver radiance?"

"A slash."

Jason replied.

The ’Evil-Slaying Slash’ advanced from ’Protection Against Evil’ is indeed a kind of slash.

As for Yukiko, who was as swift as the wind just now?

In Jason’s eyes, that was nothing out of the ordinary.

His perception being over nine times that of an ordinary person allowed him to grasp her movements the instant she acted.

And his agility, over six times that of an ordinary person, provided him with enough reaction speed to match her.

Moreover, countless battle experiences made it clear to Jason what he should do.

Nothing was more fitting than the ’Evil-Slaying Slash’.

Although Jason really wanted to go up and kick her, to stomp on that face, the ’Evil-Slaying Slash’ was more convenient.

"A slash?"

"Was that Sword Qi?"

"Sword Qi capable of annihilating a Hannya?"

The female detective didn’t show any special reaction to Jason’s answer; for her, who had just stepped into the ’Inside World,’ it was enough to know that Jason was powerful.

The more powerful Jason was, the more advanced techniques she could learn—even if Jason had only agreed to teach her the basics.

However, for a wandering Onmyoji, the matter was different.

This wandering Onmyoji knew exactly what kind of person could emit Sword Qi slashes.

A master swordsman!

One of the top-class individuals among sword-users.

And someone capable of wiping out a Hannya with a single Sword Qi strike...

A grand master swordsman!

Receiving this answer, the wandering Onmyoji trembled all over.

The inheritor of the ’Immovable King’s Body’ of Tongshou Temple.

The bloodline of a great demon.

The power of a grand master swordsman.

What kind of monster is this...

Such a being couldn’t possibly appear within the ’Prosperous Moon,’ could it?

Only in very secret places could such a monster emerge, right?

Even those secret places find it difficult to see such beings.

They were only to be found in the Warring States period, or even earlier eras.

But...

Why would it appear in the ’present world’?

What exactly is its purpose?

No good!

I must keep an eye on him!

For the safety of the ’present world’!

That’s right!

The safety of the ’present world’!

Master Tongshou Temple must have also acknowledged him as the inheritor of the Temple for the sake of the ’present world’s’ safety, gradually transforming him with unique Buddhist teachings.

It must be so!

The wandering Onmyoji looked up again at the monk, his gaze becoming even more reverential.

At this time, the elderly monk placed his hands together in a prayer-like gesture and said softly to Jason, "Master, there is something I wish to discuss with you... about the Hannya just now."

The voice that was already very soft became completely inaudible towards the end.

The Monk had used the ’Silence Technique.’

Only Jason could hear it.

"Okay."

After nodding, Jason did not leave immediately.

He turned and walked towards the entrance.

There, Ryosuke was lying in a sorry state, his left arm bent at an odd angle.

"How is it?"

Jason asked his collaborator.

"Better than I expected."

"At least I made it through."

Ryosuke said with a chuckle of self-mockery, even trying to show Jason his left arm but just moving it caused him to wince in pain.

"Brother Ryosuke, please don’t move.

"I will set and dress your fracture."

"I also have some herbal remedies here that can speed up healing."

The elderly monk from Tongshou Temple came over, carefully helping Ryosuke to his feet from the right side.

"Ryosuke brother should also be informed about the matter with the Hannya, as it is closely related to him," the Monk said as he applied the ’Silence Technique’ again.

Jason nodded.

Ryosuke frowned, quickly realizing something.

This caused the middle-aged detective’s heart to sink continuously.

However, upon seeing Urashima, he still said in his usual tone, "Call the guys, it’s time to get to work."

"Yes, Officer Ryosuke."

Urashima saluted promptly.

But as he passed the bloodstains, Ryosuke couldn’t help but pause in his step.

Then, he turned and quickly went back to his business.

...

In the small courtyard of Tongshou Temple.

Ryosuke’s arm was wrapped up, and the rest of his injuries had also been treated.

"Isn’t there a secret technique of Onmyoji that can heal immediately?"

Ryosuke asked the older monk.

"There is."

"But I don’t know it."

The older monk stated truthfully.

"Okay then."

Ryosuke shrugged subconsciously, but this movement immediately pulled at his wounds, making him wince and inhale sharply from the pain.

The older monk watched this scene with a smile, and only after he pressed his palms together in a gesture of respect did he turn serious.

"Master, do you know of ’Blossom Cherry’?"

The older monk asked.

"Blossom Cherry?"

Jason frowned and shook his head.

He knew of cherry blossoms.

Blossom Cherry?

It was his first time hearing of it.

"’Blossom Cherry’ is an organization hidden within the official forces, originally formed to maintain the rightful powers of base-level police officers and patrols, but as time passed, the organization slowly changed as those originally protected climbed to higher positions, gaining greater power and influence."

"As time went on, such power and influence grew like a rolling snowball."

"Ten years ago, the influence of ’Blossom Cherry’ started to penetrate the ’Inside World’."

"Not the kind of superficial investigations you could do without, but the real mastery of the secret techniques of the ’Inside World’."

"From what I’ve gathered, the two yōkai disturbances and the downfall of three martial arts dojos in the ’Inside World’ over the last decade are all linked to this organization."

The older monk said this and then turned his head to look at Ryosuke.

"Ryosuke, are you aware of ’Blossom Cherry’?"

Asked the older monk.

"Only recently learnt of it."

"And I’ve encountered the monsters they created."

"That woman just now, she was one of those monsters, right?"

Ryosuke asked.

He temporarily left out his conversation with Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

Because he just couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Mostly out of embarrassment.

The dignity of a middle-aged man always manifests in the strangest of places.

Even not splitting the stream while urinating can be a source of pride.

What about when you get even older?

Not wetting the bed becomes the ultimate pride.

"Yes."

"Although I don’t have conclusive evidence, it’s highly likely."

The older monk nodded, then turned to look earnestly at Jason.

"Master, please be cautious."

"The methods of ’Blossom Cherry’ are different from what we know."

"They are unscrupulous in achieving their goals and they do so with a veneer of legitimacy."

"The woman who became a Hannya today didn’t do so without reason."

The older monk warned Jason with his life experience.

Jason nodded slightly.

He valued the older monk’s words.

Where in the world are there so many coincidences?

It wasn’t just anybody who turned into a Hannya, but someone from Urashima’s acquaintance.

If there were no tricks involved, Jason would never believe it.

Meanwhile, Ryosuke became even more troubled.

In the end, the middle-aged detective gritted his teeth.

"I think this incident was targeted at me, and I’ve just dragged everyone else down."

Ryosuke continued to withhold the details about Tsuchimikado Motoharu, and recounted the events of the previous night.

"Sorry!"

"It’s all my fault!"

"I will take care of everything!"

As he said this, Ryosuke knelt down, with his forehead pressed tightly to the ground.

Jason couldn’t help but laugh as he looked at Ryosuke in this state.

Ryosuke looked up in astonishment.

Jason just sighed softly.

"Such an overly sentimental middle-aged man."

"Not only indecisive."

"But always so self-righteous."

After saying this, Jason stood up and walked out of the temple.

Outside the temple, several figures in dark suits stood rigidly as if they were robots, with cold expressions gazing at Jason as he walked out.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Jason?"

As a figure from behind this group spoke up, a middle-aged man wearing glasses came forward, smiling at Jason.

Jason also looked at the man.

Then, he answered directly—

"No, I’m not."

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