Chapter 1 The Equivalent Exchange

Suren breathed a sigh of relief when Fujiwara Hayato said he had a solution.

Although he knew the price would be substantial.

He asked calmly, "Please, what must I give to revive my friend?"

Fujiwara Hayato glanced at him and replied directly, "Although your friend died in the lower-dimensional novel world, the cost is relatively small, but reversing life is a taboo. Therefore, you still need to offer your soul to a 'demon'."

"Oh."

In the eyes of an alchemist, everything requires equivalent exchange. Suren wasn't surprised by these words.

He even felt fortunate to have the qualifications to make a deal with a demon.

At least he wasn't powerless.

He asked, "What do I need to do?"

Fujiwara Hayato responded, "Since you can come out of this novel space, your soul has value to a demon. Have you heard of the 'Cursed Ship'?"

"I have."

Suren nodded, recalling a story almost everyone at sea knew: "Sometimes, on foggy nights, lucky people encounter a ghost ship drifting on the sea. It's full of gold, silver, treasures, wine, and beautiful women. You can go aboard and take whatever you want, party however you like. But those who go aboard must get off before midnight, or they'll never be able to leave. When the ghost ship disappears, you'll have to go with it and become a ghost sailor."

Fujiwara Hayato said, "I know an ancient secret method of sacrificing one's soul and making a deal with a demon. You can use it to revive your friend. The price is that you only need to board that 'Cursed Ship' at a specific time and sail to its final destination. In simpler terms, you're paying the demon with your 'future' to fulfill your current wish."

"That's all?"

Suren was surprised.

He thought he would have to sacrifice his soul and die on the spot, or something…

So it was just about boarding a ship?

In his mind, considering his current physical condition and how long he might live, this was an ideal "price."

Suren also guessed that the "Cursed Ship" wasn't just any ordinary ghost ship. It seemed to involve some great secret.

"Yes. Don't underestimate this 'price'. With equivalent exchange, what you get and what you give must be of equal value…"

"Thank you, Mr. Fujiwara. Please tell me the method."

"..."

Fujiwara Hayato explained the method, and Suren carefully wrote it down.

Now that he finally saw hope of reviving Chitose Ryouko, his heart…

He asked curiously, "Mr. Fujiwara, have you ever been on that ship?"

"Of course. I once made a deal with a demon for certain things. But…"

Fujiwara Hayato seemed to suffer a memory lapse, stopping mid-sentence. "I'm sorry, my limited memory can't give you any further explanation. There are too many secrets in this world. If you want to explore them, go see for yourself. Being an adventurer is a very interesting experience."

"Yes."

Suren nodded, not pressing for more details. He knew what he needed to know.

He looked at the man before him, got up, and said, "Farewell, Mr. Fujiwara."

Fujiwara Hayato smiled, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Yes. Goodbye, young man."

......

The cursed space could no longer trap Suren. As soon as he had the thought, the surrounding environment rapidly changed.

The characteristic coldness of Yomi gradually dissipated, and his vision brightened.

Suren saw the long-lost sunlight shining on his skin, warming him.

He was slightly unaccustomed, probably because he had been in dark environments for too long. He squinted his eyes slightly, taking a long time to adjust.

Suren looked around and realized he was back in Edo, still on the barren slope where he had been drawn in.

Moreover, to Suren's surprise, he didn't hear any sounds of war in the city.

The "Black Sun Ritual" seemed to be over. The solar eclipse was gone, and the weather was decent.

Judging by the traces, the city had seen some bombardment and fighting.

"I wonder how much time has passed outside…"

Suren murmured to himself and walked toward the city.

After inquiring, he found out that while they were in the cursed space for a month, only five days had passed outside.

Moreover, the entire situation in Yamainu had undergone earth-shattering changes.

"The Sun Emperor, Kamufuku, has been forced to abdicate?"

Suren sighed.

After some questioning, he learned the entire story.

Because the "Tsukuyomi" had appeared, and the current Saio's (high priestess) Miko (shrine maiden) was missing, the battle a few days ago met almost no resistance except from the Kamufuku imperial family. The Takeda Shogunate had seized imperial power and become the new "Moon Emperor."

Divine right of kings meant that even the Shinto religion and all residents had to obey the will of the gods.

Naturally, there were no dissenting voices within the country.

The Takeda Shogunate quickly stabilized the situation with its strength and the divine will.

Moreover, because of the means of polluting the sun, the Takeda Shogunate's Black Sun Ritual almost completely uprooted all the "outsiders" lurking in Edo in one fell swoop. This made the domestic faith more pure and almost eliminated any hidden dangers.

Even if the North Sea King's fleet wanted to come, they would have to consider whether they could afford to lose another fleet.

......

After gathering the information, Suren walked out of the teahouse and strolled along the streets of Edo.

What surprised him even more was that even after the Takeda Shogunate seized imperial power, Mite Himeya was still working as a geisha at the geisha house?

"Does she want to continue hiding her identity and then manipulate everything from behind the scenes?"

Suren guessed.

Now that he knew Mite Himeya was an alchemical homunculus, he was sure she played some kind of "decisive" role in the chaos of Yamainu.

However, what he couldn't understand was that "Tsukuyomi" had actually descended.

Suren thought of "Izanami" in Yomi. Although these personalized gods of faith didn't have true divine ranks, they still had some incredible abilities.

"But this is also good. If she's not in the imperial palace, it will be easier to approach her."

Suren thought to himself and walked toward the Ginza district in XC.

He didn't know how long his current physical condition could last. While he hadn't yet "mutated" into a monster, he had to do what needed to be done.

Fujiwara Hayato, the author in the novel world, was still waiting for him to rewrite the ending. Time was limited. If he delayed any longer, that sliver of regret might not last, and Miko and Chitose might never return.

......

Post-war Edo felt much quieter.

With the Takeda Shogunate as the new emperor, the student movement seemed to have been suppressed. He no longer saw the "New Learning" students in black uniforms marching in the streets as often as before.

The current situation in Yamainu was developing toward complete isolation.

A foolish populace with limited information meant a purer faith and greater power for the monarch?

Suren wasn't surprised.

He stepped into what was once a prosperous geisha district. After walking a few steps, he passed a shop with a signboard that read "Ichisun-ken" geisha house.

Geisha house names usually have some poetic flair. This name came from a famous Yamainu haiku: *Fleeting firefly light, appearing, disappearing in an inch of space, how can one endure the loneliness.*

The geisha houses were still the same, but the scenery was different.

Most of the Yamainu locals were very poor. Without the consumption of outsiders and pirates, the entertainment industry in Ginza in the West City had also declined, and the whole street was lifeless.

A black crow flapped its wings in the sky, landed on a high point of a roof, and watched the surroundings.

Suren, holding a cane disguised as a runic black umbrella and carrying a black scythe wrapped in a canvas bag on his back, passed by without attracting any attention.

Sensing the surroundings, he noticed some ninjas and ronin mixed in on the street, but they weren't too strong.

After thinking about it, he could understand.

Now that the entire Edo was under the control of the Takeda Shogunate and the Black Dragon Society, there were no insidious outsiders, so there was naturally no need to be too careful.

Moreover, the fact that Mite Himeya was the leader of the Black Dragon Society had been concealed from almost everyone. If she were always accompanied by powerful bodyguards, she would have revealed her identity long ago.

Besides, her own combat power was not weak. It was almost impossible for anyone to harm her in Edo.

According to the information Chitose had provided, Mite Himeya's own combat power wasn't strong, only around the level of a fourth or fifth-tier professional. But because she had an alchemical body, immune to both physical and magical attacks, almost no conventional means could harm her.

Suren had the black scythe and could use it freely without worrying about the curse backlash, so he had a chance to try.

But he was worried about some of Mite Himeya's other methods.

For example, the means to pollute the sun.

It was still early, not the time for entertainment.

The geishas hadn't opened for business yet, and there were few customers anyway, so they were strolling outside in groups of two or three.

Suren didn't directly enter the "Ichisun-ken" geisha house. He wandered around nearby, planning to see if he could find other breakthroughs besides a head-on confrontation.

But, coincidentally, as he was passing by, he suddenly sensed a familiar "soul fire" in a tavern.

.......

"Why is this guy here?"

To Suren's surprise, the "Ayakashi" Abe Yasuwa was actually disguised as a tavern patron, drinking in the tavern?

Last time, this guy had tested Mite Himeya and caused quite a stir with a big fight.

Then he disappeared.

Now he was actually swaggering around here drinking?

Quite bold…

Suren thought to himself.

Now that he had seen that method of "polluting the sun" and summoning "Tsukuyomi," he felt more and more that Mite Himeya's methods and schemes were unfathomable.

Abe Yasuwa still dared to show up in Edo, so his courage and skill were definitely not ordinary.

However, on second thought…

Suren also thought, "This guy must know Mite Himeya is here. Is he also here for her?"

What was his purpose?

He knew this guy was from the Katyusha family, so he wasn't an enemy.

Suren thought and walked straight in.

As soon as he entered, he noticed that the vigilant guy had also noticed him.

Abe Yasuwa was sitting by the window on the second floor, in a position where he could observe everyone in the tavern.

Suren's intention to walk over almost made the Ayakashi jump out the window in alarm.

Fortunately, the guy recognized him in an instant.

Suren walked over and sat down opposite him. Abe Yasuwa stared at him, looking him up and down as if he had seen a ghost, and was greatly surprised: "You actually came out yourself?"

However, at the same time, he seemed to understand something and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suren didn't intend to explain much. "Mr. Abe, what are you doing here?"

Abe Yasuwa listened, his tone a little strange. "What am I doing? It's not for your sake."

Although he was disguised, the effeminate look in his eyes made Suren very uncomfortable. He asked, "For me?"

Abe Yasuwa nodded and said, "That young lady heard about the situation in Yamainu and asked me to confirm your condition. You were sucked into the Black Sun before. I was trying to find a breakthrough to save you…"

"..."

Suren felt a very strange feeling in his heart.

Was Katyusha so afraid of him dying that she arranged people everywhere to protect him?

Although he was grateful, Suren always felt that that girl's motives didn't seem so pure. It wasn't just because he was a friend that she didn't want him to die, but there were also some other factors involved.

Abe Yasuwa didn't continue, letting out a long sigh. "Forget it, now that you're okay, I can report back."

One could hear the relief in his tone, imagining how much pressure this guy had been under before.

The Kamufuku imperial family had been overthrown by the Takeda Shogunate. He was alone, and no matter how powerful he was, it would be difficult to achieve anything.

......

However, at this moment, Abe Yasuwa seemed to have discovered something and let out a light exclamation: "Huh… why do I feel like you've become a 'ghost'?"

He was proficient in Yin-Yang secret arts, so he naturally sensed the abnormalities in Suren's body.

Suren didn't explain much about his experiences in Yomi and asked casually, "Can you fix it?"

Abe Yasuwa frowned, as if it looked very troublesome, and asked instead, "Can I check it out?"

Suren held out his hand.

Abe Yasuwa carefully sensed it, as if taking a pulse.

But it would have been better if he hadn't checked. The expression on his face became stranger and stranger. Looking at Suren again, it was as if he wasn't seeing a person but a monster. The corner of his eye twitched violently. "Your condition… how did you survive until now?"

"..."

Suren glanced at him but didn't say much.

He was currently suffering from several negative conditions: mental distortion, physical distortion, Yomi's spiritual corruption… and so on.

For a normal person, it would indeed be a miracle to survive.

He was probably alive because of the "X serum."

However, the cause was no longer important. The question was whether he could be saved.

Abe Yasuwa shook his head and said, "'Becoming a ghost' is irreversible. Your situation is very special. Not only has your body changed, but your soul has also been demonized."

At this point, he looked as if he was feeling some heartache, and then said, "I can only use Yin-Yang secret treasures to suppress it. Moreover, I can only suppress and transfer some of the ghost energy, which will probably extend your life for a while. As for the rest, I am powerless."

Abe Yasuwa took out something that looked like a teru teru bozu (shine-shine doll) and placed it on the table.

Suren identified it and realized that it was a rare treasure.

[Onmyoji's Teru Teru Bozu]

Detailed explanation: An Abe clan Onmyodo inherited artifact containing a trace of Yin-Yang power; wearing it on your person can transfer some of the ongoing negative conditions suffered by the body; it wards off evil and protects the body, harmonizes Yin and Yang, and has great restraint against ghosts;

This thing, as an alchemical item, was also a rare "Dark Gold Quality" treasure.

He asked in surprise, "You're giving it to me?"

"Yes."

Abe Yasuwa's expression was slightly odd.

He didn't say it, but in his heart, he was thinking, if that young lady hadn't told me to protect your life at all costs, would I be willing to part with such a treasure?

"Oh. Thank you."

Although Suren didn't say it, he could guess.

The two of them didn't have much of a relationship. This guy had given him such a valuable thing, so it was naturally because of Katyusha.

He was still brooding over that "suicide soldier" in the Cursed Valley last time, and now this again.

It seemed like he was owing more and more favors…

But because it was a life-saving item, he accepted it without ceremony.

Moreover, this [Teru Teru Bozu] was exactly what he needed to solve his immediate problem.

He had actually thought of someone who could treat his physical distortions long ago: Danny's father, Dr. Banks.

He was a top expert in the field of biotechnology and had very in-depth research into biological distortions. If he couldn't solve this problem, it would be difficult to find someone else in this world who could.

But Suren's current condition probably wouldn't allow him to leave Yamainu alive.

With this thing, it seemed possible.

.......

Although he had lost a treasure, the mission was finally completed. Abe Yasuwa's depressed mood, which had been suppressed for several days, was finally relieved. He said, "Okay, now that I've done what I can do, I'll arrange for you to leave Yamainu."

Now that Suren had come out alive, he didn't need to think about approaching Mite Himeya anymore.

After several attempts, he had completely lost the desire to confront that woman. The more he learned about that woman, the more mysterious she became.

Suren remained silent upon hearing this suggestion.

He didn't respond about leaving but instead said, "Mr. Abe, I would like to ask you about a secret technique." 大风小说

Abe Yasuwa was slightly puzzled upon hearing this: "The Art of遁甲 (Dunjia)?"

Although it was a secret passed down only within the family, if it was for him… it wouldn't be a big problem.

But why?

A strange look suddenly appeared in his eyes.

Suren nodded: "Yes. If it's convenient."

During the battle against [Shuten-doji] in Yomi, he almost perished when he tried to unleash the Four-Stage Hormone Overdrive.

After thinking about it carefully, he realized that there was a flaw in his technique.

In his [Rune Vajra] state, his physical strength was enough to support that level of combat, which meant that the general direction was correct.

However, certain organs and tissues were still failing and damaged, which meant that there was a problem with the details.

The [Hormone Overdrive] secret technique wasn't about releasing as many hormones as possible, but about precise control. It required specific hormones to stimulate specific bodily tissues and organs. Moreover, the precision of hormone secretion directly affected combat power.

This secret technique came from Gerald, the leader of the old Lundun Umbrella Organization, [Forensic Pathologist]. However, due to the limited professional tiers in old Lundun, that talented man who liked to study corpses had only researched it to the "Three-Stage" state.

The Four-Stage was Suren's own exploration and was still a "semi-finished product" technique.

Originally, he could have spent a lot of time trying to slowly improve this technique in the future, but now, he couldn't wait.

Now that he was isolated and alone, and he had to face Mite Himeya, the only desperate means he could think of was this [Hormone Overdrive] secret technique.

And he only had a half-baked understanding of the "Four-Stage," while the "Five-Stage" was completely blank.

If he blindly tried to unlock the "Five-Stage," he would definitely die on the spot, let alone fight.

Therefore, he needed a shortcut to perfect the "Four-Stage" and even try to touch the higher-level Five-Stage!

And there was an opportunity right in front of him.

Suren had studied the Yamainu's "Art of 遁甲 (Dunjia)," which in essence was also about stimulating the body's potential to unleash stronger combat power.

Although the essence was vastly different, some of the theories were connected. For example, how to deal with the problem of the body enduring excessive pressure, how energy flowed, how meridians were protected, and combat techniques in ultra-high-pressure states…

The imperial family only had some incomplete copies. Miko said that the Ninja Sect and Onmyodo had their own most advanced "遁甲 (Dunjia) Secret Techniques."

The Abe Yasuwa in front of him was the most orthodox Onmyoji direct descendant in Yamainu.

.......

"What… what are you going to do?"

Hearing this, although Abe Yasuwa was asking, he had actually guessed that this guy in front of him was probably going to stir up trouble.

You finally came out alive, and you're still going?

His face became very ugly, and he quickly advised, "Don't think recklessly. I can tell you clearly that that Mite Himeya is very special and has some mysterious methods. Even if a seventh-tier professional from your alchemy system faces her, they wouldn't have much chance of winning! And I suspect that one of the Three Divine Treasures of Yamainu, [Yata no Kagami] (Eight Span Mirror), has fallen into her hands. She's very strong…"

"Yes."

Suren listened with an unwavering expression, nodding without joy or sorrow. He didn't force the issue, immediately got up, and said, "Then I'll take my leave, Mr. Abe."

He was determined to go, whether anyone helped him or not.

"You…"

Abe Yasuwa looked at Suren leaving, his face becoming very troubled.

Although he didn't know why he wanted to do this, his attitude was already very clear.

If it was someone unrelated, Abe wouldn't care about his life or death if he didn't listen to advice.

But this was the person that that young lady had ordered to protect at all costs!

Finally, seeing that Suren was really about to leave, Abe adjusted reluctantly and waved his hand: "Wait!"