White Brahma's Mask

Caught completely off guard, White Brahma took the full-force downward slash almost directly to its face.

"ROAR--!"

It released the half-eaten farmer's corpse in its hand and let out a tragic roar.

"Didn't you say you were going to kill me?" Uesugi Tetsu laughed, his full health restored upon entering Tokoyo. He used Fearful Smile again. "I'm standing right here! Why isn't Lord White Brahma making a move?"

Weakened from the destruction of its projection, coupled with the intense pain and the strong control of Fearful Smile—the combination left White Brahma thrashing wildly in place, unable to even mount a proper resistance.

Didn't that Laughing Brahma just come from the real world? How could it have possibly chased me into Tokoyo so quickly...

And it came straight for me!

Crossing between the real world and Tokoyo is incredibly difficult. Even after finding the highest point of the tide and using the convenience of a summoning ritual, it only managed to send its projection into the real world with great difficulty.

And that alone took it an unknown amount of time.

But it's only been a few minutes since then!?

White Brahma's barren mind raced, but it couldn't comprehend the reality before it.

It struggled to stand, roaring internally after taking another hit:

--Is this damned Laughing Brahma a mythical Lord of Tokoyo, able to enter and leave Tokoyo at will!?

"You lowly, damned Laughing Brahma! I swear, I will ensure you don't die, and then I will tear your flesh from your bones, piece by piece!"

White Brahma's cold, angry voice echoed. As the words fell, a faint black light emanated from its body, and Uesugi Tetsu felt his body become several times heavier and weaker.

Another powerful support talent skill.

Uesugi Tetsu frowned. How many talents did this White Brahma have?

Lengthening claws, body mistification, crying control, sonic attacks, and now this one...

I can't give it any more chances to reveal its trump cards.

"Lord White Brahma, saying things you cannot do only invites ridicule."

Adopting the Seichin-ryū stance once more, Uesugi Tetsu had to admit that, with Kaga Kiyomitsu's enhancement, the thrust-type sword technique was indeed his highest damage move right now.

Fortunately, this White Brahma is dull-witted. If my opponent were Ririko, I would have been decapitated the second time I used this move.

"Hhhh--Hhhh--"

Ingesting air like a whale, Uesugi Tetsu activated his Internal Energy within his body without regard for the consequences.

In Tokoyo, he didn't need to worry about his Internal Energy exploding his body if he activated too much—a little pain was something he could endure.

As long as he could bring down the stubbornly resisting White Brahma before him.

Even though his sneak attack was successful, Uesugi Tetsu did not let his guard down one bit. He spoke coldly, "One sword. It only takes one sword for me to kill you."

White Brahma, however, wouldn't give its enemy the chance to gather strength. It immediately put on a sorrowful expression, and a sharp sonic wave erupted from its mouth.

"It's too sad..."

Uesugi Tetsu's voice trembled. After allowing White Brahma's claws to pierce his lungs, he raised his voice by two octaves and roared sadly, "Why must you make me so heartbroken!"

As his voice fell, all his Internal Energy exploded in an instant, forming a ring of pale white energy waves around Uesugi Tetsu.

Amidst a grating explosion, Kaga Kiyomitsu pierced White Brahma's mask and head in a flash. At such close range, it couldn't react, nor could it possibly dodge.

"Why didn't you dodge?" White Brahma trembled, murmuring in disbelief. "You'll die too... What good will this do you?"

Laughing Brahma grinned at it and rasped, "Because... I have a revival coin."

Kaga Kiyomitsu was pulled out and swung down again.

White Brahma's head, its expression complex, rolled slowly to the ground, pinned by Uesugi Tetsu's foot.

He looked at the rapidly appearing notifications before him and closed his eyes with a smile. "There. All exorcised."

Uesugi Tetsu slowly collapsed amidst the startled cries of the approaching Two-Shaku-Sama. Finally, he saw the white-hatted girl being forcibly withdrawn by the Ksitigarbha statue.

Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes and found himself lying on a hospital bed.

An unfamiliar ceiling came into view.

The strong smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils, making him extremely uncomfortable. But soon, the continuous stream of notifications dispelled this discomfort.

[You have killed the incomplete 2.5-star vengeful spirit "Severely Wounded White Brahma", obtaining 327 Soul Ash!]
[You used Kaga Kiyomitsu · Replica to slay "Severely Wounded White Brahma", and the quality of Kaga Kiyomitsu · Replica has been significantly improved.]
[Your skill, Incomplete Ki-ai Technique, proficiency +70!]
[Your skill, Tennen Rishin-ryū, proficiency +45!]
[Main Quest Two, Exorcise 1-star Ghost Story · Severely Wounded White Brahma, has been completed!]

As expected of the final BOSS of Arakawa Ghost Village, it dropped over three hundred Soul Ash at once. Combined with what he had left, he could do another ten-pull soon.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't help but smile like he had reaped a great harvest.

"Uh... Uesugi-kun, what are you thinking about? You're smiling so... cough, happily?"

It was then that Uesugi Tetsu noticed a girl standing by his hospital bed.

Kitano Runa.

Her expression at this moment was a textbook-perfect palette of emotions: thirty percent worry, thirty percent surprise, and forty percent hesitation.

Uesugi Tetsu blinked and sat up amidst Kitano Runa's gasp. "Kitano-san, are you alright?"

"I... You! Don't you have any common sense? You shouldn't move around on a sickbed without knowing your own condition," Kitano Runa sighed, holding her forehead. "Should you be concerned about me right now?"

"I'm different from you, Kitano-san."

Uesugi Tetsu leaped off the sickbed and said to Kitano Runa, whose hands were still awkwardly suspended in mid-air, "Since you've already seen my 'Sword from the Heavens' technique, do you still think I'm an ordinary person?"

"So that wasn't a dream?!"

"The gloomy shut-in from the next class is actually a superhero who can jump four stories high? Am I crazy, or is this world crazy?"

Kitano Runa's mouth hung open in bewilderment, lost in an ineffable shock.

Uesugi Tetsu seized this moment to scan the notifications—

[You have obtained the White Brahma's Mask (Special Item)!]

[White Brahma's Mask]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect 1: Equip. After equipping the 'White Brahma's Mask', Charm -10. Gain the skill 'Death Shriek'.]

[Effect 2: Can be used on a very small number of Brahma-type demons. After use, if the Brahma-type demon's quality is below 'Rare', it will immediately increase by one tier.]

[--Orphaned in life, lonely in death.]

Uesugi Tetsu's breathing hitched. He looked at the glowing 'Effect 2' and thought that White Brahma was far too generous. Not only did it practically hand over its head, but it even brought a substantial gift for him.

This made Uesugi Tetsu feel a little bad.

[You have completed Main Quest 2, do you wish to claim your rewards?]

[Claiming rewards...]

[Main Quest 1: Explore Arakawa Ghost Village, Completed!]

[Main Quest 2: Exorcise White Brahma, Exceeded!]

[Side Quest 1: The Ksitigarbha Statue's Damage, Exceeded!]

[Side Quest 2: The White Scarecrow, Completed!]

[Filtering rewards for you...]

[Filtering complete!]

[You may choose two rewards from the following five options.]

[1. Soul Ash: 800 points.]

[2. ...]

Wait.

Uesugi Tetsu suddenly remembered something.

He shifted his gaze from the always-visible notifications and asked Kitano Runa sternly, "Kitano-san, can you tell me how you encountered White Brahma?"

Tomorrow's chapter will be updated at 23:55, please be sure to check it out!

Tuesday's chapter will be updated at 23:55, please be sure to check it out!

Important things are said twice!