Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Fighting Spirit Award

While he had succeeded in slaughtering the group of undead, in exchange, Toshizou was covered in filth. His clothes reeked. The stench of the rotting undead was terrible indeed.

Well, I wont be meeting with any ladies anyway. More importantly, Im hungry.

Said Toshizou, but the old man in the fox mask disagreed.

I may be old, but stench is stench. Even if we were able to acquire some food, I would lose my appetite with this man sitting next to me.

But

Toshizou scratched his cheek uncomfortably, but as I felt the same way, I picked up iron bars that were on the ground and held them with both hands.

What is that?

Asked Toshizou.

Dowsing. If you hold it like this while walking, it will show you where the nearest source of water is.

We just have to retrace our steps if we want water.

Yes, but I thought the old man would like a hot spring as well.

Upon hearing this, the old man laughed.

Hahaha!

What a kind Demon King you are. If I didnt have a master already, I would want to serve you.

You can still serve two masters.

Toshizou chided. But he knew that the elder had no intention of doing that. And so the matter was dropped.

Now, I would like to soak in a hot spring if there is one. Im very fond of hot springs, you know? Is there really one nearby?

Thats what Im searching for.

I pointed the iron bars in different directions until they spread out.

Apparently, there is.

And so it was with much grinning, that we headed in that direction.

The reason that there was a hot spring in this underground labyrinth, which was also a graveyard, was so that the people who protected this place could bathe. It wasnt for the common people, but for the shrine maidens who offered prayers. And so we encountered a number of statues that were based on them.

Well, no one is using it now. So we are not likely to encounter any beautiful women here.

Toshizou said as if disappointed. And then he took off his clothes and stepped into the water. As there was nothing interesting to look at, I also took off my clothes and entered the hot spring.

Phew. It feels good.

I muttered. And Toshizou agreed.

Hot water is like magic energy. And a hot spring can be more effective than any recovery magic.

Toshizou said as he started to wash his face. And then he said,

By the way, you have a surprisingly impressive physique, master.

Really?

And like that, I was suddenly witnessing an arm wrestling match. And the old man was stronger than I was expecting. It wasnt just appearance, but he had a hidden power within as well.

A warrior with superhuman strength

Is he a descendant of Kintarou or Chinzei Hachirou? Toshizou Hijikata thought of past great men.

Well, it was just a joke. But it was clear that he wasnt Hajime Saitou. Toshizou had been sure that the old man in the fox mask was from the Shinsengumi, but he could still not guess who it was.

There had been dozens of them. And so it was difficult. However, after talking for some time, it became obvious that he wasnt Isami Kondo or Souji Okita. They had been his close friends, and he would recognize them even if they had aged. And so Toshizou had guessed that he might be Saitou, but he now knew it was also wrong.

As for why, it was because this man was right handed.

(Hajime Saitou, captain of the Shinsengumi 3rd unit, was left-handed.)

And so this man was not Hajime Saitou.

So, who was he then? He had a similar air to him as the southern country samurai, Kanichirou Yoshimura, but according to the rumors, he had comitted suicide in Kyoto.

There was also the possibility that he was Shinpachi Nagakura, but I wanted to exclude him for personal reasons. Nagakura was not someone you wanted as an enemy. I had been with him back when I was still training, and we had gotten along. He had even saved my life before. So I didnt want to be enemies.

However, life wasnt so easy as to be able to avoid things you didnt want to do. While we were just arm wrestling now, I had a feeling that we would have to fight eventually.

As Toshizou thought this, the old man started pushing harder.

You seem to be distracted. That will lead to your defeat.

He said, and then pushed with even more strength. He was trying to finish it quickly.

The world will laugh if the demon vice-captain loses to an old man. And so I wont hold back.

He said, and then used the rest of his strength.

Once most fighters had exerted all of their power, the rock underneath them shattered. And with a loud noise, it broke into two.

If there was no table, then the match would have to be a tie.

The old man panted as he said,

I feel like I let the enemy leader escape.

He sighed.

And I wasnt able to put an old man in his grave.

Toshizou muttered. And so it was a draw.

It was a good match, but then the old man with the fox mask said something surprising.

While you didnt win, I will still take off the mask.

Toshizou and the Demon King were surprised.

Really?

Aye, as a fighting spirit award.

He said. And then he quickly took off the mask.

What they saw was

The Legendary Rebuilding of a World by a Realist Demon King