Tokyo Sword Saint Online Dealing

Uesugi Kiyoshi possessed the ability to create mirages.

Since his Hundred Demons Scroll was fully awakened, he has been able to manipulate the mirage energy in the Mirage Tower to achieve some simple purposes—such as shelter from rain and wind. As for defending against swords, he currently does not have enough mirage energy.

The mirage energy he infused into Hyakumonogatari, which he stole from the demons, will not disappear, but will transform into the will-o'-the-wisps around his self-portrait in the Hyakumonogatari Scroll.

The amount of will-o'-the-wisp indicates the amount of mirage energy he possesses. When he uses the Hundred Tales Card game from the Inugami Scroll, the fierce phantom of the Inugami behind him is formed from will-o'-the-wisp transformed into mirage energy.

He only lightly released a wisp of mirage onto his clothes.

This wisp of mirage immediately spread like wildfire across his shirt, breeches, and boots.

"Spirit-gathering equipment has a high acceptance rate for supernatural power and can fully utilize the power of supernatural power. Although there are many madmen among those prophets who attempt to completely eradicate ghosts and gods with science, the things they produce are indeed rare and exquisite."

"As long as you input enough extraordinary power, this garment will be more defensive than a sturdy suit of armor, and it can even withstand attacks from the same extraordinary power."

Uesugi Kiyoshi seemed not to hear Kudo Yuichi's words, and with some curiosity, he once again channeled a wisp of mirage energy into his gold-rimmed glasses.

For a fleeting moment, his vision blurred, and then, in his eyes, a faint white glow appeared on Kudo Yuichi's body.

"The Yuanming Mirror is used to detect those who perform secret rituals or are possessed by ghosts and gods. It can also detect extraordinary individuals hidden among people. Extraordinary powers related to humans are displayed as white light in the Yuanming Mirror, while those related to ghosts and gods are displayed as red light."

This thing's function overlaps with Uesugi Kiyoshi's "Mind's Eye".

However, it actually looks quite good on him. This thing adds a touch of elegance to his whole being, giving him a bit of a "suit-wearing thug" vibe.

Not bad, not bad. I knew the benefits and treatment here were good, even the work clothes are so high-end.

Uesugi Kiyoshi nodded in satisfaction.

Chapter 89 The Artifact of Demons and Gods

When Uesugi Kiyoshi and Kudo Yuichi returned to the conference room, a thin agreement had already been placed in front of Uesugi Kiyoshi's seat.

Also placed next to the agreement was a somewhat antique bronze key.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa had a relaxed smile on his face as he fiddled with the black jade cane in his hand, lost in thought.

His eyes lit up when he saw Uesugi Kiyoshi enter.

"Yes, this outfit suits you very well, Uesugi-kun."

"I have drafted the contract. Please sign it. The key next to it is the key to the Shosoin Repository. I hope you will keep it safe. Starting tomorrow, you will need four keys to open the Shosoin Repository, instead of three."

Uesugi Kiyoshi picked up the contract and quickly skimmed through it, finding no problems.

It's probably the kind of labor contract that Japanese corporations commonly use for their employees, except that some additional contracts and benefits have been added at the end, which is pretty much the same as what Ryunosuke Akutagawa said before.

Uesugi Kiyoshi signed the document readily and asked, "Akutagawa-san, does this thing have any binding force on superhumans?"

Ryunosuke Akutagawa stood up and shook his head.

"Of course not. You can't expect the laws of mortals to restrain the extraordinary."

"What if someone breaches the contract?"

Ryunosuke Akutagawa smiled meaningfully.

"The association has its own methods."

He said something that was laced with murderous intent, but Uesugi Kiyoshi wasn't too surprised.

So-called laws can only be effectively implemented under the protection of state coercive organs.

To deter superhumans, one naturally needs even greater military force. He didn't feel threatened; he was just working for someone else for a living and had no intention of breaking his contract.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa walked to the end of the conference room, to a Japanese-style shoji door. With a flick of his cane, a small, dark square box appeared in the center of the door.

With a few clicks of gears turning, a keyhole shaped like a nine-square grid was revealed.

Kudo Yuichi also stepped forward, and a few seconds later, three bronze keys were inserted into the keyhole.

Uesugi Kiyoshi pushed up his glasses and, through the non-prescription lenses that seemed to glow with a mirage, he could clearly see that the keys were all shimmering with a faint fluorescence.

The light intensified instantly after the shoji doors were opened, causing him to squint slightly.

The dazzling colors of the pearls and jewels shimmered wildly, enough to dazzle the eyes and bewitch the soul.

There are no additional buildings inside the Shosoin Repository, only countless shelves arranged neatly.

Surrounded by a collection of items on the shelf is a transparent petri dish that seems somewhat out of place with the overall decor.

The display stand is filled with all sorts of antiques that look like they've been around for a long time.

Lifelike paintings, bronze mirrors for women, spears and armor, luxurious jewelry and diamonds, musical instruments with Chinese characteristics, ritual implements of Yin-Yang masters and Buddhist implements of monks, and the Four Treasures of the Study for literati.

This place is like a museum full of Japanese history, where the vibrant colors of each period of the country are transformed into corresponding collections and quietly preserved here.

Even with his resolute mind, Uesugi Kiyoshi couldn't help but momentarily lose his composure.

Because all of these items, without exception, shimmered with a dazzling fluorescence.

This means that they possess so-called "supernatural powers".

"This is an artifact of the gods and spirits."

"We call them -- collectibles."

Ryunosuke Akutagawa walked up to Kiyoshi Uesugi and explained calmly.

"The term 'collection' in the Collectors Association has two meanings."

"One purpose is containment—we contain the ghosts and spirits that wreak havoc on the human world, as well as all strange and bizarre beings."

"Secondly, we collect artifacts—we collect extraordinary and divine objects."

"If extraordinary individuals can wield extraordinary power, then certain items, after being immersed in extraordinary power for a long time, will also undergo inexplicable mutations and possess various special abilities."

"To give you an example, Uesugi-kun, with your strength, if you use the same sword day after day for decades, then under the nurturing of your extraordinary power, your sword will gradually become a weapon of gods and demons."

"The meaning of the name 'Demon God Weapon' is that it is a weapon capable of slaying demons and gods."

"These collectibles can greatly enhance the combat power of superhumans when facing ghosts and gods in different ways. This is the source of our Collectibles Association's confidence in gaining a foothold in Tokyo."

"We may be small in number and have a weak foundation, but we are well-equipped."

"That's what I mean."

Uesugi Kiyoshi wasn't dazzled by the collection. With a thoughtful expression, he murmured, "To possess such a large number of collectibles."

"Heh, there must be some restrictions on using these things, otherwise the Tokyo Metropolitan Government would definitely be controlled by the Collectors Association."

"This is too many. If each of the superhumans affiliated with the association is equipped with a few, what kind of ghost or god can't they deal with? Why bother going to such lengths to wipe out the followers and churches of ghosts and gods?"

Ryunosuke Akutagawa nodded first, then shook his head.

"Yes, there are indeed restrictions, but the inability of collectibles to be widely available is not just a matter of restrictions."

"These things may seem numerous, but that doesn't mean they are cheap."

"Many prophets have spent their lives hoping to find a way to mass-produce artifacts of the gods and spirits. The spirit-gathering equipment you have is a byproduct of their repeated attempts."

"But that's all. To date, no one has succeeded."

"The formation of each artifact of the gods and spirits requires a long period of gestation and the sculpting of a sufficiently powerful supernatural force. The cost in every sense is too high."

"The Collectors Association's main strength lies in its collectors and investigators."

"Collectors will receive a collectible as a gift when they join the association."

"Investigators are qualified to use [performance] to exchange for collectibles."

"Besides that, no one else is allowed to step into this room."

"You must understand, Uesugi-kun, we will not easily hand over our collections to others without sufficient trust."

Uesugi Kiyoshi clicked his tongue and made a sarcastic remark.

"Performance. Is this some kind of sales company?"

Although Ryunosuke Akutagawa knew that Kiyoshi Uesugi was joking, he still shook his head seriously.

"It's a performance evaluation for containing ghosts and spirits; there are specific regulations for the conversion method."

"By contributing to the association, you can exchange it for various collectibles and enhance your own strength."

"Simple, straightforward, and rewarding. I think you'll like it here, Uesugi-kun."

Uesugi Kiyoshi glanced around at the collection on the shelf again, let out a sigh, and a rather interested smile appeared on his lips.

"Sounds pretty good, but judging from the number of collectibles left here, the performance bonus required to exchange for this item will probably be quite substantial, right?"

"Never mind, it's not important. I'm just a newbie, I don't want to think about it too much."

Are there any restrictions on the use of these collectibles?

Uesugi Kiyoshi asked the question that concerned him most.

Strictly speaking, there are no restrictions, but...

"When using it, it is important to remember that it is the person using the object, not the object controlling the person."

The answer to this question was given by Yuichi Kudo.

He took out a pocket watch from his pocket, stroked it a few times, and said somewhat solemnly.

“The artifacts of ghosts and gods are not inanimate objects. Qing, ghosts and gods can possess bodies, so the artifacts of ghosts and gods may not be unable to do so.”

"You must have seen the Demon Sword of the Dongwen Society, right?"

"The demonic sword in her hand—Myoho Muramasa—is a vicious and malevolent weapon."

"It is said that every owner of that knife was deranged by Muramasa, becoming an ominous person who only knew how to kill and brought endless suffering to his family. This is the possible consequence of a weapon of the gods."

"It's not as terrible as sinking into depravity, but it's definitely not easy either."

“In particular, using multiple artifacts of the spirits and demons can place a great burden on the user’s mind, which is a significant side effect.”

Uesugi Kiyoshi nodded thoughtfully.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa stepped forward, his smile becoming more relaxed.

"The most important evolution of mankind is learning to use tools. There is an old Chinese saying that goes, 'If you want to do a good job, you must first have the right tools.' Uesugi-kun, you don't need to worry too much."

"Extraordinary people are always hanging on a tightrope, with a bottomless abyss beneath their feet."

"If one can withstand the fall, a mere collectible item cannot steal the mind of an extraordinary person."