Shirou Runs Amok / Minamoto no Raikou and the Four Heavenly Kings

This seems to reveal the level of integrity in different departments of the human world and the underworld. The Miss Shinigami sat down immediately upon hearing there was food to be had, while the police department is not allowed to eat at other people's expense records. They simply went out to find a fast food restaurant, ate something, and even got a receipt for reimbursement.

However, in these countries, only the lower-level officials are generally clean; as for senior officials, they play the same trick as in the West: parachuting them into large companies or universities to hold sinecure positions and receive high salaries.

For example, an entrepreneur who wants to build a skyscraper might lobby an official in this way.

"We want to build a few more floors, otherwise it will be troublesome if you don't have an office when you retire and join our board of directors."

So how exactly? When the evaluation criteria don't keep up with the actual situation, people still can't figure it out.

"Then we'll part ways here, Miss Shinigami. The handover of the ghost is now in your hands. As for Mr. Mori, we'll treat it as a suicide, is that alright?" the inspector said.

"Yes, they agreed. Let's do it this way!" Miss Shinigami answered on behalf of the speechless ghosts.

The two ghostly lovers nodded to Death and bowed to the police officers.

"Okay, goodbye then. And Shirou- kun, thank you for your help."

"Please don't be shy," Shirou said.

After that, the trio of detectives left, but the Horse-Headed Miss Shinigami stayed behind. She had become quite familiar with Mashiro by then, and they chatted casually.

"What's life like in the underworld?" Miss Shinigami's Mashiro.

"The underworld was established by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Ten King of Hell to provide a place for the souls of the dead to reside. In fact, the underworld is quite ordinary. Just like the human world, it has cities, various merchants, and entertainment venues, providing a temporary rest for souls waiting for reincarnation and before eliminating their attachments."

However, beneath the underworld lie eighteen levels of hell, places to punish wicked humans and demons, and to suppress evil spirits who disobey the laws of the underworld. But unless it's something as heinous as murder for money, or a grave crime, one won't be imprisoned there. Mashiro, you can rest assured." The Horse-Headed Miss Shinigami replied without ceremony, eating the food that was offered to her.

"What is Miss Shinigami doing inside?"

"We Grim Reapers are like civil servants in the underworld, doing various jobs in an organization jointly established by the Ten King of Hell of Hell. My job is generally to guide the dead into the underworld and maintain its order, much like a police officer in the human world."

"Listen to me, Mashiro ~! Lately, I've been staying home all the time except for work, so my mom kicked me out. Now I have to scrimp and save to rent a place. If only I could find a handsome guy with a hundred-square-meter apartment within the fourth ring road of the King of Hell, I could marry him." Miss Shinigami said while eating stir-fried carrots.

"Really? You've had it tough too." Mashiro patted the head of the Miss Shinigami's horse.

"Mmm, mmm... Human carrots are so sweet, so delicious~!" Miss Shinigami said gratefully.

At that moment, the proprietress let out a scream.

"Oh no!!! Old man! Help! The old man has been attacked by a monster!"

"Damn it! Where did these evil monsters come from?! How come they all appeared in one day?!" The Horse-Headed Miss Shinigami angrily picked up her scythe and chased after them.

"Shirou!" Mashiro pleaded. Boss Niu was a good man, and they couldn't just leave without helping him.

"I understand! I'll be right back!" Shirou nodded and said.

"Okay!" Mashiro nodded, clenching her little fist to cheer for Shirou.

Shirou rushed towards the kitchen at the back of the inn.

Inside, a group of little ghosts, special creatures from the underworld, appeared. They had no hair, and their skin was green and covered in scales, similar to that of reptiles like lizards.

For some reason, the ley lines in the inn's kitchen were connected to the rifts of hell, and these small, ferocious monsters kept emerging from the ground, attacking the humans inside the kitchen.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" Boss Niu arm had been stabbed, used his other hand to shake off the little devils waving their claws and sticking out their tongues, protecting his proprietress.

"Evil spirits, begone! Let this old man repay the proprietress for a meal and a place to stay! Drink up!" The Explosion Head Uncle grabbed the Buddhist prayer beads around his neck, clenched his fist, and slammed it into the little devil, knocking him to the ground.

"Gah!!!" Unexpectedly, the little devil got up from the ground, revealing a fierce look, grabbed the prayer beads, and ripped them off!

The Explosion Head Uncle in a fierce and evenly matched fight.

They do not belong to the category of ghosts, but are monsters native to hell. They are inferior to Japanese oni in terms of intelligence and strength, and have a vicious nature, taking pleasure in bullying and killing other creatures.

"Squeak squeak squeak!!!" The rat-man hidden in the darkness, its eyes glowing red, commanded the group of monsters, "Hurry up and attack! Otherwise, you'll miss your chance!"

"Squeak squeak squeak squeak!!!" The rat monsters gathered in a group, circling in place, and a black demonic wind suddenly rose up on the ground, sweeping towards the room where Mashiro was.

"Shirou!!!" Mashiro shouted, and was then swept up in the demonic wind.

"Oh no! Mashiro!" Shirou realized then that this was a diversionary tactic and quickly ran back to the room where they had dinner.

"Damn it! They got back so quickly! Kid! Stop that human!" the leader of the rat-men ordered in a shrill voice.

"Don't even think about running! Give Mashiro back to me!" Shirou was Mashiro angry now. Projection Heracles's stone blade, forcibly adding Monstrous Strength to his body. Ignoring the brat who pounced on him, he leaped high into the air, smashed through the hotel ceiling, and jumped to the rooftop.

The rat-man, realizing the situation was dire, shouted, "Your Majesty! We've caught the man! Let us in at once!"

"Well done!!!" At this moment, a muffled sound came, and a huge red claw tore through space and emerged from the ground. This hand alone was the same size as when the rampaging Kishimojin carried five hundred Oni infant. The black wind swept up the Mashiro rat spirit, which quickly jumped into the palm.

"Oh no, it's the Demon King! Mashiro!" Miss Shinigami exclaimed.

"Damn it! Put Mashiro down!" Shirou leaped high into the air and unleashed his strongest axe strike, slashing at the finger the size of a gate pillar, sending sparks flying.

However, the giant claw ignored Shirou's attack, grabbed Mashiro, and burrowed back into the underworld. The crack instantly closed, Shirou tried to chase after it, but missed!

They could only watch helplessly as Mashiro, enveloped in the Mashiro wind, vanished into thin air.

Chapter 874 Shirou's Rampage

As the Demon King's giant claw retracted into the crevice, the boundary between the human world and hell instantly closed and vanished. As for the other subordinates, seeing that the Demon King had left and their mission accomplished, they did not linger. The little devils and other monsters transformed into black mist and disappeared completely.

"Damn it! Where did Mashiro go?" Shirou anxiously looked around, trying to find a way to catch up, but it was all in vain.

"Shirou -kun... I'm sorry, but it's impossible to find the path to Hell here," the Miss Shinigami said softly.

Although Kamakura is the closest place to the demon realm and the underworld, a rift that directly connects to hell is still almost impossible. This is because the weak points of this boundary constantly change over time, like dust particles floating in the air. Finding such a dust-like gap and squeezing through it is virtually impossible.

"As far as I know, there are only a few passages like that between Kamakura and the underworld, and between Kamakura and the Demon Realm. That demon king probably found a fixed passage from hell to the human world," said the Miss Shinigami.

The Demon King's actions were interconnected, starting with a diversionary tactic and then abducting Mashiro. Clearly, it was a planned and premeditated operation.

"Was that a ghost from legend? That little girl must have been taken to hell! I've read in some ancient books that there are beings in hell who are transformed from humans into evil spirits, and they snatch beautiful women from the human world," the Explosion Head Uncle had rushed back said in a deep voice.

"Hell! Where is the passage to hell? We have to go and save her," Shirou said.

"No! Impossible! They're not like the legendary Onmyoji Abe no Seimei. Humans can't possibly defeat the demons of hell. You saw the difference in physique, didn't you? Just one of their arms is bigger than all of ours combined." The Explosion Head Uncle shook his head and said.

"What should we do then? Call the police? No... calling the police won't do any good," the Fat Director said worriedly.

"I understand... I'll figure it out myself." Shirou turned and walked into the inn, about to leave.

Shirou looked at the place where Mashiro had been taken away. Now, only an empty space remained. It wasn't that there was some underground passage, but rather that it was separated by a world. He no longer had the power of being the creator of the white god. Breaking through a world was no easy task.

As Anti-World Noble Phantasm, the first thing that comes to mind is naturally the trump card that Golden Flash used most often when he went berserk.

Enuma-Elish, the Enuma Elish, is named 'EA' by the King of Heroes himself. In the Sumerian mythology, it was a star artifact used to create the world when Earth was still in a state of hellish darkness and chaos. It is the ultimate 'sword' that was born from the planet itself.

Just as humans cannot comprehend the thoughts of the Earth, Shirou, as a human, cannot comprehend it in any way, and therefore cannot Projection it.

However, Ea isn't the only Anti-World Noble Phantasm. In countless parallel worlds, with countless possibilities, Shirou, after countless trials and tribulations, devised a different method in order to obtain that absolute power to break through a world.

'If we can't replicate it, then we'll forge one ourselves.'

By comparing the fragments of information passed down from ancient mythological texts, and finding materials similar to those in mythology, such as the Divine Beast, fangs, and tails of divine beasts and monsters, forging them, and through countless trials and errors, and by devoting one's entire life to honing human skills beyond their limits, one can create divine artifacts from nothing.

Shirou will use this sword to cut open the path to hell and take Mashiro back no matter what. He still remembers his conversation with Mashiro, when Mashiro asked him if he would go looking for her like that guy named Mori went looking for his girlfriend after she died.

He had clearly promised to protect the girl.

The girl trusted him just as much.

So this time, no matter what, he had to cross that threshold and bring the girl back.

Shirou recklessly poured in magical power, and the Projection sword in his hand gradually took shape, emanating an eerie aura and an intense heat that seemed to melt everything.

"Hey, what exactly is that knife? And what kind of ability is it to produce all sorts of weapons out of thin air?" The Explosion Head Uncle glanced at it from afar, then quickly looked away, feeling dizzy.

"Nobody knows either, this is bad, really bad! That knife looks dangerous?" The Miss Shinigami looked at the sword that Shirou Projection half of its blade onto, put her hand in her mouth, and began to bite it tremblingly.

"Is Shirou-kun really such a reckless person?" the Fat Director asked in surprise. He clearly thought highly of Shirou and wanted to guide this promising young man onto a bright path to stardom. However, the aura he saw in Shirou made him hesitate, to be honest.

"Waaah..."

As we all know, horses are very sensitive and delicate creatures. It is precisely because they are particularly concerned about their own existence that they can get along very well with humans. As the best Riding animals, they served as a means of transportation similar to automobiles in ancient times, and were even more reliable than automobiles.

At this moment, the Miss Shinigami with the horse's head was also nervously stopping Shirou, afraid that he would do something foolish.

The sword gradually took shape, its blade so sharp that even a glance was dazzling. Runes were etched onto it by the light of fire. The immense magical power it emitted caused Shirou to break out in a cold sweat and turn pale.

"Wait! Wait! That sword is too dangerous! Shirou, calm down. I know you're worried Mashiro was captured. But that's the Demon King! A monster who defied the rules of the underworld and was banished to hell to rule over its own territory. Even you, Shirou, alone, couldn't possibly be a match for him." The horse-headed Miss Shinigami said, trying to stop Shirou.

"Damn it! No matter what it takes, I have to rescue Mashiro." Shirou clenched his fists, forcing himself to calm down.

"Wait, Miss Death, doesn't the underworld care about this kind of situation?" the Explosion Head Uncle asked.

"No, a demon king like that would require at least seven death gods to deal with. Besides, there are countless evil spirits in hell. If we rashly enter, we'll be targeted by evil spirits from other forces. It's just too chaotic inside. That's why even Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Ten King of Hell only exiled these evil spirits to hell. Even if we wanted to, we wouldn't know where to begin," the Horse-Headed Miss Shinigami explained anxiously.

Chapter 875 Minamoto no Raikō and the Four Heavenly Kings

"Is there no one capable of defeating the Demon King?" Shirou asked.

"It's not that there aren't any. In places like the Demon Realm and the Monster Realm, there are experts who specialize in hunting demons and monsters, and there are also beings who specialize in dealing with ghosts. However, those are actually all ominous creatures, and even if you find them, it might not be a good thing," Miss Shinigami said hesitantly.

"Witchers? Aren't they professionals like me, exorcism masters? Alright! I'll go talk to those people then." The Explosion Head Uncle patted his chest and said.

"No, no, you'll get killed. There are many monsters in there that are incredibly powerful themselves," Miss Shinigami said, waving her hands repeatedly.

"Hey..." The Explosion Head Uncle stiffened his neck and dared not speak again.

At that moment, a group of people emerged from the shadows on the other side.

"Ghost King? There's definitely a lingering smell of bedbugs. How dare he come to the human world? On our way back, let's just sneak over and kill him!" An elegant female voice came from the shadows.

"That's right, my lady!" The samurai girl looked at the tall woman walking ahead with admiration.

"Whatever it is, just kill them," said a haughty woman holding a bow.

"That's exactly how it should be, it's so cool! Slaughter the Ghost King's ghost city, and then take all the gold chains, gold belts, and stuff!" the strong, blond, watermelon-headed man said with a laugh.

"As expected of the leader! Exorcising demons and monsters is our duty. But if we're going to do it, we must execute the plan properly. Should we get them drunk with wine, or should we just poison them?" The woman dressed as a monk wearing a bamboo hat said with a smile, emanating a chill.

The tall and outstanding Minamoto no Raikō, accompanied by the Four Heavenly Kings, walked towards them.

Shirou also saw the group approaching and understood. The awkwardness he felt when Projection the Noble Phantasm earlier, along with the reaction of the Demon Mother statue, all made sense now.

Although he hadn't seen any trace of Servant in the human world before, that didn't mean they weren't in the underworld or the Demon Realm! But now it seems their appearance was perfectly timed.

"Ugh!!! They're those worst monsters in the hunting world!" Miss Shinigami was so scared that her ponytail stood on end, and she was sweating profusely.

"Oh my, what a cute little pony from the underworld! What are you doing here? Are you guiding someone to the underworld?" a woman with long purple hair asked with a smile as she approached.

"Shirou! I'll go back first and gather some information for you guys." The horse-headed Miss Shinigami trembled and ran away in a flash.

"Proprietress, have Boss Niu prepare some snacks for us to drink with, the usual." the female warrior said.

"Yes, I'll go right now. Please have a seat, gentlemen. If you'd like to rest, just go back to your rooms; I keep them spotless every day," the proprietress replied with a smile.

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, proprietress." Minamoto no Raikō nodded. She and the Four Heavenly Kings were actually regulars here. In fact, the Boss Niu wife had specially reserved a room for them.

Although they mainly operated in the Demon Realm, Kamakura was originally the stronghold of Minamoto no Raikō and her Four Heavenly Kings. During the Heian period, they were the undisputed rulers of the Japanese supernatural world. Powerful Oni Tribe like Shuten-doji and Ibaraki Doji were killed by them, and great demons like the Great Spider were slaughtered without hesitation.

They used every means at their disposal to subdue demons, whether by brute force or by deception and poison, they always managed to defeat the terrifying monsters. Moreover, for every monster they slew, the swords they used became famous throughout the country, renowned swords for suppressing demons and eliminating evil.

The origins of famous swords like Dojigiri Yasutsuna, Onikiri, Higekiri, Kumokiri, and Ushiwakamaru's Hagoromo all follow this pattern.

"Then let's go to the room and have a proper talk, Shirou." Minamoto no Raikō finally turned his gaze to Shirou and said with a smile.

"Hmm." Shirou nodded. He had calmed down now. The chance to save Mashiro depended on these people.

Miss Shinigami and Explosion Head Uncle were intimidated by Minamoto no Raikō's noble air and could only chuckle awkwardly as they hid below. Shirou had no choice but to continue alone.

Upon entering the room, Raikou's attitude changed immediately, no longer needing to maintain the dignity of Shogun.

"Shirou ~! Mommy missed you so much~!" Raikou threw herself at Shirou.

Shirou's True Instinct activated, and he instantly jumped backward and to the side, dodging Raikou's deadly embrace.

"Lord Raikou you were talking about...?" the samurai girl beside her asked in confusion.

The Minamoto no Raikō here is one of the Servant came out of Chaldea on vacation to kidnap Shirou. She came to this world and, by chance, met the Four Heavenly Kings, who were under her command, and together they began a life of slaying demons. However, fate did not abandon her, and she still met Shirou.

"Come, Shirou, let me introduce you to my family." Raikou, seeing that his hug had failed, was not discouraged and still cheered up.

"I actually know these people," Shirou said, bowing to the Four Heavenly Kings Raikou.

Watanabe no Tsuna, Tsuna, is a swordswoman and samurai girl. She is extremely filial and righteous, and deeply admires Raikou. It was she who severed Ibaraki Doji's hand with a single stroke.

Urabu no Suetake, Take, is a cold beauty who carries a bow and possesses a pair of Magic Eye that can see through illusions and magic.

Usui no Sadamitsu, also known as Hikari, is a sorceress dressed as a female monk. Although she wears a straw hat, she still exudes a mature feminine charm.

Sakata Kintoki, Kintaro who is as famous as Momotaro, is a familiar face that Chaldea has already seen, and is also the only male among the Four Heavenly Kings.

"Sorry, buddy. It seems that because of the different time periods when I was summoned, I don't have any memories of Chaldea," Kintoki said.

"No, actually I'm pretty much the same. Although I have the memories, it's been a very, very long time since those good things happened," Shirou said with a wry smile.