I, Den-O, the Contract Urban Legend

"So, did Ueya-kun gain anything from this operation?"

Faced with Lord Kami's question, Inoue Ue also fell into deep thought.

"Well, at least Hanako took out the guy with the hypnotic powers?"

Because of Hanako's psychological problems, they still haven't found Shikoku's base today.

Iwanaga Kotoko nodded when she heard this.

"That's enough. I just heard a rumor from the monsters: 'The Shikoku 88 Night Parade is planning to attack the Nura Clan tomorrow night.'"

"Tomorrow night?"

If you calculate the time carefully, it seems that the four countries' forces have appeared in Chiba for some time. Has the plot reached the stage of war without us noticing?

But today he saw the short film "Seven Friends", and the Inugami who was killed in the original work should still be alive, right?

Or was this video filmed a few days ago?

Well, I have to say, I am starting to get more and more curious about what happened at the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade. Anyway, it seems that he still needs to go out for another trip tomorrow night.

"Can I ask Ueye-kun to intervene in this battle on my behalf this time?" asked Kotoko Iwanaga.

"I understand. I'll come and take a look at the situation..."

Iwanaga Kotoko meant to let Inoue Ueya represent the power of the "God of Wisdom" to intervene in the battle between Shikoku and Nura. Her goal was to maintain a balance between humans and monsters. Letting the monsters fight was not a solution, especially since both sides were on the scale of the Hundred Demons Night Parade this time, which would make it more likely for accidents to occur, whether it was monsters or passers-by.

Chapter 137: First Meeting

In fact, this is not the first time that Inoue Ueya has intervened in disputes among monsters on behalf of Iwanaga Kotoko.

Iwanaga Kotoko's combat ability is only at the level of an ordinary person, and Inoue Ue is worried about letting her take risks alone, so he unknowingly begins to intervene in various events on her behalf in this way.

Although she possesses the so-called "god" identity and the ability to communicate with ghosts, this identity can make most monsters obey her orders, and she can easily resolve small disputes. However, there are still some monsters who do not take her, a "god" who retains a human identity, seriously. It is not uncommon for them to deliberately bypass her eyes and do things secretly.

Of course, there is another situation, such as the dangerous incident at Tenjin Elementary School that requires going to an unknown place and involves strange rituals. This kind of incident rarely happens, but under Inoue Ueya's suggestion, he finally took it all on.

"Or I'll go with Ueye-kun tomorrow night. Anyway, this isn't a particularly dangerous incident..." Iwanaga Kotoko said thoughtfully.

Although it was understandable that Inoue Ue would be worried about her safety, Iwanaga Kotoko felt a little embarrassed to let him appear in her place.

"Huh? But there's the safety issue..." Inoue Ueya frowned.

Although he has never actually witnessed the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, but with a bunch of monsters running out to engage in a big fight, the scene tomorrow night should be very chaotic, right?

Hearing this, Iwanaga Kotoko shook her head.

"This is my responsibility. If I leave every danger to Ueya-kun, then the meaning of the "God of Wisdom" will disappear! Big"

Inoue Ue hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed with Iwanaga Kotoko's idea.

Although he didn't want Iwanaga Kotoko to get hurt, doing so might make her lose the opportunity to grow. Given her status in the monster world, she would probably encounter many dangers in the future, right?

It wasn't like he could always be by Iwanaga Kotoko's side, and the monsters that usually protected her weren't very powerful either. She usually completed the commissions she received on her own, so if she suddenly encountered a monster that went berserk, it would be bad...

After all, she is the "God of Wisdom". When faced with major events, she also needs to try to solve difficulties with her own wisdom.

"Well, since they are monsters, maybe we can use your identity, Kotoko, to stop this fight?"

If we want to prevent the conflict between the two sides, then the key point lies in the grudges and goals of the two monster organizations...

Oh, and the "Devil's Hammer" that can indirectly lower the intelligence of its holder should also be one of the culprits, right?

Inoue Ueya himself may not be able to think of any way to persuade the two monsters to stop fighting, but if Iwanaga Kotoko appears in person, it is hard to say.

Upon hearing this, Iwanaga Kotoko also nodded.

"Indeed, the influence of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is truly too great. If we're not careful, it could still cause some major chaos. Thinking about it carefully, the most ideal solution is to stop them from fighting..."

Sadako and Hanako, who had just stopped arguing, finally noticed that Inoue Ueya and Iwanaga Kotoko had walked aside, seemingly discussing something, and then they sneaked over to eavesdrop.

"Hey, come a little closer, I can't hear what Inoue and the others are saying..."

"Seriously, stop pushing me from behind, you bad otaku!"

Fortunately, Mary had already fallen asleep and Yashakuyuki was not at home, otherwise if the four girls started arguing, the situation would probably have never ended.

Noticing something was amiss, Inoue Ueya sighed and without a word, dragged the two girls who had been crouching behind the sofa over to him. "Are you finally calming down? Stop hiding over there. We're discussing the situation between the Shikoku forces and the Nura Clan. Come over and listen."

"Regarding the battle tomorrow night, I have an idea..." Iwanaga Kotoko said confidently.

……

The next day.

Inoue Ueya and Iwanaga Kotoko arrived at the Nura clan's mansion early in the morning, intending to meet Nura Rikuo before the two sides started fighting.

After discussing the battle plan yesterday, Kotoko Iwanaga asked the monsters to tell the Nura clan that Shikoku was preparing to launch a surprise attack, and told them that she wanted to talk to Nura Rikuo, who was temporarily managing the Nura clan in place of her grandfather.

If you want to minimize casualties, "ending the battle" is naturally the best method, but it is also the most difficult method to achieve.

For example, there needs to be a person with enough prestige to make the monsters give up fighting on their own initiative, as well as a powerful fighting ability that is enough to shock them. These are not things that can be created just by wanting them.

It just so happens that if Iwanaga Kotoko and Inoue Ueya join forces, they will meet the above conditions.

Iwanaga Kotoko and Inoue Ueya looked at each other and nodded secretly.

To be honest, Inoue Ue was a little embarrassed looking at Nura Rikuo who had not transformed into a monster sitting in front of him.

He recalled the last time he accidentally shot Nura Rikuo in his Holy Spear form...

Well, anyway, I didn't cancel my transformation at that time, and Nura Rikuo didn't see his appearance. As long as I don't transform in front of him, I won't be discovered, right?

That’s right, now just treat it as our first meeting!

After thinking for a while, Inoue Ueya suddenly showed an unusually bright smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Inoue Ueya, and next to me is Iwanaga Kotoko. This time we've come to meet you mainly to stop Shikoku's actions. It's nice to meet you, Nura, uh... classmate?"

Nura Rikuo seemed to have not expected the assistant of the "God of Wisdom" to be so enthusiastic, and he was stunned for a moment.

He had heard about Iwanaga Kotoko from his grandfather a long time ago. He knew that this god also existed to maintain a balance between humans and monsters. He began to yearn for this special force that was somewhat similar to his own ideals.

However, when Nura Rikuo recalled what Ushioki had said before, he also heard that the armored man who attacked them at Twisted Eye Mountain was a subordinate sent by the God of Wisdom. In the end, he still felt a little ashamed of Iwanaga Kotoko and the others.

Nura Rikuo knew that the group of rat monsters in the old rat incident killed many people. In addition, he later decided to cover up the Ushioki who was the conniver out of personal ideas. What he did seemed to have gradually deviated from his original intention of allowing humans and monsters to coexist.

"Hello, there's no need to be so serious. Just call me Nura. Thank you for your guidance!"

Chapter 138 There is another very important question

"Come, come, have some tea..."

For some reason, Nura Rikuo's attitude was unexpectedly enthusiastic.

"Let's not talk about politeness. I should have sent a monster to tell you yesterday that the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade is going to attack the Nura clan. The reason we came here this time is to discuss strategies to deal with them..." Iwanaga Kotoko said in a serious tone.

That's right, now is no longer the time for casual chatting. Monsters from the four countries will attack tonight...

"Shikoku..."

Nura Rikuo remembered the ancient sword that the Ushio Group stole from the Shikoku stronghold yesterday...

No, to be more precise, it was the "handle". His expression suddenly became a little strange.

Although Uncle Niugui kept saying that the knife handle might be a trap or something, after leaving it at home for a whole night, apart from the remaining knife handle still emitting a faint sense of "fear", there seemed to be nothing special about it.

If it is said that it is a fake made by Yu Zhang, it doesn’t seem likely. If it is not a fake, why would it be left in an unattended place?

The meaning is unclear.

So, why do the four countries regard this broken sword as a powerful artifact?

Nura Rikuo still hasn't come up with an answer.

"Well, to be honest, the Nura Clan sent someone to infiltrate the base of the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade yesterday..."

The person in front of him was not an enemy, but the god of wisdom who maintained order in the monster world. He was also a person his grandfather trusted very much. Nura Rikuo thought that he did not need to hide any information from them, so he told them everything that happened yesterday.

After a moment, Inoue Ueya showed a surprised expression.

Having read the original work, he clearly knew that the proof of dominance mentioned by Nura Rikuo was actually the "Devil's Hammer", a magical artifact that reduces one's intelligence.

I really didn't expect that they actually succeeded in stealing that thing. According to the original development, Yu Zhang would not let them steal the sword. Then, with his mind controlled by the demon sword, he would directly go to war with the Nura clan.

Obviously, due to unknown reasons, the future that Inoue Ueya knew has changed.

Although it is unknown what happened to the "Devil's Hammer" of which only the handle is left, it is probably because the demon sword has lost its function that Yu Zhang allowed the Nura clan to steal it.

Iwanaga Kotoko nodded.

"If the Shikoku forces' goal is to occupy Chiba's territory, defeat and replace the Nura Clan, then it makes sense why they were causing trouble everywhere before. So I have a suggestion..."

Kotoko Iwanaga hopes that the Nura clan can hold on to their stronghold and try to avoid conflicts with Shikoku at the level of the One Hundred Demons Night Parade, and then asks her and Ueya Inoue to go and negotiate with the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade.

As long as the Nura clan did not choose to fight, a large-scale battle could have been avoided.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot accept this approach. They've already come knocking on our door. If we choose to flee now, the Nura Clan's prestige will plummet. Even if we use this method to drive away the Shikoku 88 Demons Night Parade, I'm afraid other monsters will come and cause trouble soon..."

Nura Rikuo knew full well that reputation was a crucial factor for the Nura Clan. Just as Ushi-Oni had said, his grandfather, Nura Nagisa, had rapidly aged due to an old injury and was now missing. Furthermore, his father, the second-generation leader of the Nura Clan, had long since passed away. The Nura Clan now lacked a leader who could command everyone's trust. Unruly monsters like Old Rat were also increasingly numerous within the group. The entire group was a facade of strength, but a core weakness. They absolutely could not afford to suffer any more setbacks, or else it would only lead to more trouble...

Moreover, if they turn a blind eye when they see someone causing trouble in their territory, they will no longer be qualified to continue to be Chiba's monster organization.

Although he could understand Iwanaga Kotoko's ideas, Nura Rikuo was now the representative of the Nura Clan and the candidate for the third generation, so he had to think from the perspective of the Nura Clan.

"I understand the logic. After all, a conflict between the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons could accidentally injure passersby and expose youkai to the public. However, facing the unilateral provocation of the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade, there is no reason for the Nura Clan to remain silent."

Hearing this, Inoue Ue couldn't help but sigh.

I knew it wasn't that simple. Sure enough, Nura Rikuo wouldn't compromise so easily...

"In that case, how about letting you have a one-on-one duel with the four countries?" Inoue Ueya suggested.

Taking advantage of this opportunity to negotiate with Yu Zhang, I can go and see what the situation is with the four-nation force.

Anyway, the "Devil's Hammer" has been destroyed, so half of my goal has been achieved. The next step is to try to prevent the damage caused by the conflict between the monsters on both sides.

Well, there’s also that Night Sparrow. Maybe we can use her to find the location of the Hyakumonogatari Group or even the Gomonin clan.

"One on one duel. Although I am very confident in the strength of the monsters in my group, if the Nura group loses, what price will we have to pay?"

If Shikoku loses, they'll just have to leave. But what if Nura loses? Will they just let Shikoku take over Chiba's territory?

"Well, you're going to have to fight in the end anyway, right? It doesn't have to cost anything, or you two can discuss it later. Anyway, our main goal is just to avoid the chaos caused by the One Hundred Demons Night Parade, and this will also reduce the casualties of weaker monsters, right?"

Nura Rikuo hesitated for a while, but finally nodded and agreed to Inoue Ueya's proposal.

"Well, I have no reason to object, provided you can really convince the Eighty-Eight Demons of Shikoku Night Parade..."

Hearing this, Inoue Ueya smiled confidently.

"Don't worry about that. I have a way to convince them!"

It's just the Night Parade of Eighty-Eight Demons of Shikoku. If word-of-mouth doesn't work, physical authorization will be enough.

[Hehe, Mr. Inoue hasn't forgotten that Sode-inspired God that suddenly appeared and scared him before. Now I finally have the chance to beat them up...]

"Compared to this, there is another very important issue..."

Inoue Ueya looked at Nura Rikuo with a serious expression, which made the other party gradually nervous.

"I've wanted to ask this for a long time. I heard that the young master of the Nura clan can transform into a Nura demon. So when you transform into a demon, will the back of your head also grow longer?"

"Ah?" Nura Rikuo was full of questions.

The corners of Iwanaga Kotoko's mouth twitched slightly, and she immediately reached out to cover Inoue Ueya's mouth. "Ahahaha... Excuse me, time is limited. Now that we've gotten a response from the Nura Clan, it's time for us to set off to find the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade!"

Chapter 139 It’s too late

"Ahahaha... Now that we've received the Nura Clan's response, it's time for us to say goodbye."

When Iwanaga Kotoko dragged Inoue Ueya away, the voice of Natsukawa Hanako rang in his mind.

[Hey, wait a minute! I'm feeling a familiar 'fear'. That sword Nura was talking about is the 'Devil's Hammer' that belongs to the Hyakumonogatari group! Hurry up and find a way to get it, and then destroy it completely before the Hyakumonogatari group can react!]

Considering that the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Demons Night Parade seems to have some connection with the Hyaku Monogatari Group, Hanako has been secretly paying attention to the conversation between the three people through the Contract with the Demon God from the beginning, hoping to get some clues about the whereabouts of the Hyaku Monogatari Group from Nura Rikuo.