A Foot Soldier of Chentang Pass

At the third watch of the Dog hour, the clapper’s sound carried the spring chill over the walls of Chentang Pass.

Zhao Sanmazi leaned his halberd against the base of the wall, pulled out a millet cake and broke it in half, tossing one piece to Qian the Cripple squatting beneath the battlements. "Heard the commander-in-chief’s wife hired another tutor for that little fiend. This makes the seventh teacher he’s driven off!"

A burst of laughter immediately rose from the gate tower.

Qian the Cripple spat crumbs into the brazier. Air whistled through the gap left by his missing front tooth. "That white-bearded old scholar last time? The little devil hung him from an East Sea reef for three days. When they hauled him back, even his books had been pickled like salted vegetables!"

New recruit Wang Sanpao leaned closer to the coals to warm his hands, his frost-cracked fingers red as shrimp. "My ma said the general’s third son was a demon star reincarnated. Sooner or later, he’ll—"

Before he could finish, Zhao Sanmazi stuffed cake into his mouth. "You courting death? Last month, sneaky player Ma from the east gate ran his mouth and happened to be overheard by Madam Yin. He got punished with cleaning latrines for half a month!"

Fang Yu silently sharpened his arrowheads, sparks flickering on and off against the bluestone.

A draft blowing through the wall crenellations swept Qian the Cripple’s pipe smoke around, choking Wang Sanpao into a coughing fit.

"Still, Brother Fang’s got a hard life." Qian the Cripple tapped Fang Yu’s leather armor with his pipe stem. "That little demon kicked you with a shuttlecock the other day. Anyone else would’ve been reporting to the King of Hell by now!"

Fang Yu did not even look up. "The shuttlecock was wrapped in sheepskin. He didn’t use any hidden force."

"Quit pretending to be so mature!" Zhao Sanmazi suddenly lowered his voice. "Did you see yesterday at noon? Widow Hu from the eastern market fish stall stuffed meat into your bundle!"

The gate tower instantly erupted in jeers.

Wang Sanpao smacked his lips enviously. "Brother Fang, teach me! Last time I carried Lady Hu’s fish basket, she kicked me three times."

"Carried a fish basket?" Qian the Cripple laughed so hard his pipe shook. "You dumped live fish into her pickle jar. She showed mercy by not beating you with the carrying pole!"

Amid the laughter, hurried hoofbeats suddenly rang out below the wall.

The men hurriedly grabbed their halberds and swords, only to see scouts from the Sea Patrol Camp riding through the streets with command flags over their shoulders.

"The weather’s changing again." Qian the Cripple narrowed his eyes at the sea fog thickening by the east gate. "The seafood hauled up yesterday had streaks of black blood in its gills."

Zhao Sanmazi tossed his crumbs to a tabby cat dozing under the eaves. "Heard commander-in-chief Li invited an immortal master from Qianyuan Mountain to set up an altar at the Sea Gazing Platform."

The conversation was cut off by a sudden blast of horns.

Several soldiers approached and shouted at them, "Shift change! You’re patrolling the western outskirts!"

Fang Yu adjusted his newly issued leather armor and followed squad leader Zhao Sanmazi and several foot soldiers toward the wheat fields outside the western outskirts.

The twelve-man squad held torches aloft, their light scattering like fireflies across the furrows. The night wind carried the scent of green wheat mixed with incense ash from a distant wild shrine, making the recruits rub their noses.

Wang Sanpao pulled his clothes tighter. "Something feels off tonight! Why does this cold wind keep howling?"

As they passed the crooked old scholar tree, Zhao Sanmazi suddenly raised a hand to halt them.

Beyond the torchlight, rustling came from the depths of the black wheat sea, like a dull blade scraping bone.

"Grab your weapons!" Zhao Sanmazi drew his ring-pommel saber, the bronze rings on its spine clattering wildly.

Fang Yu gripped his standard-issue spear and joined the veterans in forming a semicircle.

Three torches flew toward the sound at once—at the instant the sparks burst open, a two-zhang-tall shadow rose on its hind legs. Its ghostly green beast eyes flickered amid the wheat, and a bloodstained scrap of coarse cloth still hung between its fangs.

"West Mountain Dog Demon!" Zhao Sanmazi spat, drawing a semicircle in the mud with his blade tip. "Five circle behind and bind its legs! Six block its retreat path!"

A muffled roar like rolling thunder came from the dog demon’s throat, its mane standing on end like steel needles.

The moment two veterans threw out their lassos, the beast turned into a foul wind and pounced.

Zhao Sanmazi blocked a claw with his saber, sparks flying everywhere as he roared, "Stab its flank!"

Fang Yu thrust his spear at that very moment. The tomoe in his eyes rotated, then vanished in an instant.

The spearhead barely grazed the dog demon’s rear, forcing it to twist away—straight into Zhao Sanmazi’s upward slash.

As the blade lodged in the demon beast’s shoulder blade, Fang Yu used his spear shaft to hook its hind leg. By sheer brute force, the two of them actually flipped the massive creature onto the ground!

"Good lad!" Zhao Sanmazi marveled at New Recruit Fang Yu’s strength as he pinned down the dog demon.

"My father is the Dog Demon King! My sworn uncle, Crow Immortal Lord, commands three thousand demon soldiers!"

Even as iron chains bound the beast, it howled and sprayed foam onto the torches with a sizzling sound. "If you don’t release me, Chentang Pass will be bathed in blood within three days!"

Zhao Sanmazi kicked it in the snout. "Shut up! We’ll drag you back for the commander-in-chief to interrogate!"

The fog thickened on the road back to the city.

The clatter of iron chains dragging over bluestone slabs mixed with the guards’ laughter. Zhao Sanmazi carried half a flask of unfinished burning liquor, breathing its fumes onto the dog demon’s drooping ears. "Beast! The branding iron at the Commander-in-Chief’s Manor will hit harder than my fists!"

Fang Yu walked at the rear of the group, his sole of boot deliberately—or perhaps casually—grinding over the black blood dripping from the dog demon.

If Earth Grudge Fear can eat demons… could I…

As they rounded the ruined stele beside the wild shrine, the fog suddenly thickened.

Zhao Sanmazi’s wine flask struck the edge of the stele. "Damn unlucky thing! I’ll piss on it and ward off the evil—"

Before he finished speaking, the dog demon’s tail end suddenly contracted, exploding in a cloud of foul yellow smoke!

"Cough, cough! The chains! The chains!" Wang Sanpao covered his eyes and ran wildly, knocking over three torches.

The sound of teeth gnawing iron came from the thick smoke. Zhao Sanmazi swung his saber, only to chop into a hitching post.

Although New Recruit Fang Yu could use Observation Haki to lock onto the dog demon’s location, everyone was around him, so he could not directly act and expose his abilities.

If he revealed bizarre powers he could not explain, like Ghoul, Earth Grudge Fear, or the Heaven Curse Mark, he would never clear his name even if he jumped into the Ganges River.

He secretly memorized the dog demon’s aura and let it escape.

The men were left dizzy by the smoke. By the time it dispersed, the chains had broken into several pieces, with only half a tuft of mane hanging from a thornbush.

"Fuck!" Zhao Sanmazi pounded the stele and cursed. "Should’ve stuffed dung into that beast’s asshole!"

Wang Sanpao said, "This is bad! That beast ate someone and got away! The farmers nearby are going to suffer!"

Zhao Sanmazi sighed. "Damn it, I was careless! Fuck! I’ll go take the blame from the commander-in-chief!"

On the day the dog demon escaped, a fine rain drifted over Chentang Pass.

The yellow earth before Li Jing’s Mansion had been pressed into two shallow pits by kneeling. Old Zhang’s Wife held a mutilated body wrapped in a straw mat, while her five-year-old child clutched half a grass-woven cricket and stared blankly at the gates ahead, utterly unaware of what had happened.

"Give me back my husband’s whole body!"

Zhao Sanmazi crouched beside the hitching post at the manor gate, slapping his own face back and forth with palms the size of cattail fans. The marks on his face were more glaring than Li Manor’s red lacquer.

"My fault! I should’ve chopped that beast apart right then!" Veins bulged in his neck as his ring-pommel saber ground sparks from the stone slabs. "I deserve to die!"

Hearing waves of mourning outside his home, Nezha, who had already been bored out of his mind, immediately became interested. With both hands still tucked into his pockets, he swaggered toward the entrance with that unruly gait.

Through the barrier, he saw Old Zhang’s Wife crying and the bewildered child beside her, and a trace of curiosity rose in his heart.

Nezha tilted his head and leaned against the stone gatepost of the Commander-in-Chief’s Manor, the Universe Ring spinning and humming on his fingertip. After listening for a while, he finally understood what had happened.

His eyes immediately lit up. He yanked his hands from his pockets. "Hey!" He suddenly kicked the bronze Barrier Beast on his left. "Let Young Master out so I can slaughter that dog demon!"

The two Barrier Beasts shook their heads like rattles. One of them said in a shrill voice, "Little ancestor, absolutely not! Commander-in-Chief Li specifically ordered us not to let you out. Last time you snuck out, you nearly kicked a new recruit to death with a shuttlecock. Luckily, he was born with immense strength, or there would’ve been a disaster!"

The moment Nezha heard that, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by faint anger. He put his hands on his hips and shouted, "I’m going out to catch a demon this time, not cause trouble! I promise I won’t stir up anything extra! Open the barrier already—don’t delay this lord from catching demons!"

A ball of Samadhi True Fire rose in Nezha’s palm, casting light over the demonic markings crawling up his neck. "I won’t kick anyone this time!" The flames suddenly surged three inches higher, making the Barrier Beasts’ bronze scales clatter in fright. "I’ll just chop off that beast’s dog head!"

"No! No way!" The two Barrier Beasts were unusually firm. Golden Light shone from their staffs, and ripples continued to spread across the barrier.

Nezha stamped his feet in frustration. He paced in circles twice, his eyes rolling around before an idea suddenly came to him.

He leaned close to the Barrier Beasts with a flattering smile. "You two lumps of iron, how about this? When I go out to catch the demon, just pretend you didn’t see me. Once I return, I’ll bring you something delicious—something you’ve never tasted before. How about it?"

The Barrier Beasts glanced at each other and hesitated, but they still shook their heads firmly. "No, no, Young Master Nezha. This is not something to joke about."

Nezha completely lost his patience. He stepped back several paces and shouted, "If you still won’t open the barrier, don’t blame me for being rude!" As he spoke, a layer of firelight faintly emerged over his body, and magic power began gathering in his hands.

At that moment, Yin Shiniang’s voice came from within the manor. "Nezha, do not make trouble!"

Yin Shiniang hurried out. Looking at Nezha, she frowned slightly. "You child, are you trying to cause trouble again?"

When Nezha saw his mother, his momentum weakened somewhat, but he still said unwillingly, "I really want to catch the demon and rid Chentang Pass of this scourge. I won’t mess around."

Yin Shiniang looked at Nezha, her eyes full of helplessness and affection. "It is good that you have such intentions, but you are too mischievous usually, and you are so strong. Mother truly cannot rest easy."

Nezha frowned. "Hmph! This won’t do, that won’t do—basically, you just won’t let me go out! Fine, fine! I’ll go rest! Let the demon eat everyone in Chentang Pass, then!"

Yin Shiniang watched Nezha’s departing back and silently sighed.

Under the cover of night, the streets and alleys of Chentang Pass seemed soaked in ink, dense and silent.

The dog demon had eaten someone in Chentang Pass and escaped. By ordinary reasoning, demons that ate people were extremely vicious and would generally strike again, so many more soldiers were sent out to patrol.

Fang Yu stood at a street corner with a spear in hand, his aura restrained.

His Sharingan quietly opened, golden tomoe slowly rotating. His icy gaze was like a sharp blade, cutting through the night inch by inch and overlooking no detail hidden in the shadows.

At the same time, his Observation Haki spread out like invisible ripples from his body in every direction, delicately catching every trace of life and fluctuation of emotion.

The mysterious power of Asgardian Magic also circulated around him, searching the air for the unique residual magic of the dog demon.

Fang Yu followed the source of the aura and turned into a secluded alley.

A faint fishy stench filled the alley. That pungent odor, like a guide within the darkness, made him increasingly certain of his judgment.

However, before an abandoned house, the footprints abruptly vanished.

Fang Yu did not panic. He slightly closed his eyes, his aura becoming even more stable as Observation Haki operated at full power.

In an instant, he sensed intense malice and fear surging not far away.

The malice was like a raging tide, coming from an unfamiliar and powerful aura. He determined that it belonged to the dog demon.

The fear, meanwhile, was like a weak candle flame wavering in the wind. It came from a human, an aura frail beyond measure, clearly suffering immense pain.

Fang Yu’s heart tightened. He lightly tapped the ground and raced toward the source of those auras.

Before long, a somewhat dilapidated granary came into view.

He silently approached. Through a crack in the granary, the scene inside instantly covered his eyes with a layer of frost.

Old Man Li, the granary keeper, was caught tightly by the throat in the dog demon’s jaws. Blood poured out, gathering into a glaring pool on the floor.

Old Man Li’s eyes were full of despair and pain. Under the dog demon’s tearing bite, his body had already gone still.

"Still eating? I came to catch you!" Fang Yu roared. He kicked open the granary door, and his presence suddenly surged.

He clenched his right fist. Armament Haki wrapped around it in an instant like black flames. Leaping into the air, he carried endless fury and threw a punch filled with overwhelming power!

Bang! A dull, heavy explosion rang out like a heavy hammer striking the heartstrings.

The dog demon’s head took the punch head-on. Its massive body swayed violently, its eyes filled with shock and pain as it staggered back several steps, nearly falling over.

Feeling the hard impact against his fist, Fang Yu muttered inwardly, This little dog demon actually possesses strength on the level of the Second Order Genetic Lock. The creatures of the Investiture of the Gods World truly are far stronger than imagined!

Yet he had no intention of retreating. The power inside him surged like a raging torrent through his meridians.

He clenched his fist again. The Haki around his body became increasingly dense, every inch of muscle taut as a drawn bow. With unstoppable momentum, he smashed another heavy punch into the dog demon’s flank!

The dog demon let out a miserable howl, its enormous body crashing onto the ground like a kite with its string cut.

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

Flames engulfed the dog demon. Fang Yu swung the Ukaku that emerged from within his body, combining it with Lightning Release: Earth Grudge Fear’s False Darkness and unleashing his ultimate move! Lightning Release: False Darkness Feather!

Lightning struck the dog demon, and lightning feathers infused with lightning-nature Chakra pierced its lower back!

After its limbs twitched a few times, it lost all ability to resist.

"My father is the Dog Demon King! My uncle is the Crow Demon King! My master is—"

New Recruit Fang Yu interrupted the dog demon. "I am of the Uchiha Clan."

The instant he spoke, the Mangekyō Sharingan activated. Golden tomoe rotated, and the dog demon whimpered, shut its eyes, and fainted dead away.

Standing before the unconscious dog demon, Fang Yu’s heart stirred. The dormant Earth Grudge Fear within him seemed to receive a summons. With a strange ripple, four Earth Grudge Fears writhed out from his sleeves, collar, and other openings.

The moment they appeared, the Earth Grudge Fears eagerly slithered toward the dog demon.

The first Water Release: Earth Grudge Fear pounced onto the dog demon first. It opened a mouth covered in black blood vessels and viciously bit down on the dog demon’s hind leg.

The dog demon cried out in pain, releasing a muffled roar even in unconsciousness. It tried to shake its body and throw off the Earth Grudge Fear, but the creature held on tightly, its sharp teeth buried deep in the dog demon’s flesh.

Then the other three Earth Grudge Fears found their positions as well, biting the dog demon’s abdomen, shoulder, and neck respectively.

Like a group of crazed little devils, they tore and bit with all their strength. The dog demon’s fur was ripped away, blood flowing in streams and gathering into a dark red pool across the ground.

Fang Yu watched the changes in the Earth Grudge Fears with complete focus, his heart full of anticipation.

"This dog demon has strength at the Second Order Genetic Lock level. If Earth Grudge Fear can devour and absorb its power, perhaps it can evolve through this and strengthen me."

Yet as time passed, Fang Yu’s face gradually turned disappointed.

Although the four Earth Grudge Fears had bitten the dog demon until it was covered in blood, they themselves underwent no changes. They remained the same as before. Their blood vessels did not turn blacker, their bodies did not grow at all, and even their aura did not strengthen in the slightest.

"Doesn’t work?"

After a while longer, Fang Yu confirmed that Earth Grudge Fear truly gained no benefit from the dog demon. He could only sigh helplessly.

With a wave of his hand, the Earth Grudge Fears twisted back to Fang Yu’s side, crawled up his arms into his sleeves, and became masks again, hiding within his body.

"Looks like I need to refine this demon into a pill for it to be useful."

At this point, there was nothing else to do but let it go.

He hoisted the dog demon onto his shoulder and headed toward Li Jing’s Mansion with heavy steps.

Moonlight fell across him, stretching his shadow long behind him.

When he reached the entrance of Li Jing’s Mansion, Old Zhang’s Wife was still kneeling there, her crying mournful and bitter.

Neither Li Jing and Yin Shiniang’s comfort nor the rain shelter and cotton quilt they had provided had stopped Old Zhang’s Wife from crying. Her child, whom she had borne late in life, was instead sleeping soundly, snoring away.

Fang Yu threw the dog demon onto the ground, his voice drifting over lazily. "I caught the demon. Stop crying."

Old Zhang’s Wife lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. Looking at the dog demon on the ground, disbelief first flashed through her eyes before endless hatred and grief filled them.

With a thump, she dropped to her knees and repeatedly kowtowed to Fang Yu. "Thank you, hero! Thank you for seeking justice for my husband!"

At first, the nearby patrolling soldiers had only gathered because of the noise at the gates, coming to watch the excitement.

But when they clearly saw the once-mighty dog demon tied firmly in iron chains on the ground, every one of them was so shocked their mouths hung open.

"My heavens!" One foot soldier stared with eyes wide open, his face full of disbelief as his voice rose involuntarily. "Fang Yu did this alone? When that dog demon escaped before, so many of us couldn’t stop it, yet he actually captured it alive?"

"Exactly!" Another soldier looked at Fang Yu with admiration. "I heard that after the dog demon escaped, Fang Yu kept tracking it without sleeping or resting. I didn’t expect him to actually pull it off!"

"Good grief, what kind of skill does that take?" Someone else clicked his tongue in amazement. "A whole group from the sixth squad nearly died to that dog demon before, but he took care of this menace alone. Chentang Pass has gained another fierce general!"

The crowd’s discussion grew louder and louder, swallowing Fang Yu like a tide.

Within the crowd, Wang Sanpao’s jaw nearly dropped to the ground. His mouth hung open, and for a long while he could not say anything.

Thinking back to the danger they had faced while patrolling together against the dog demon, he still felt lingering fear. Yet Fang Yu had now captured that vicious demon alone. The enormous contrast was difficult for him to accept.

"Brother… Brother Fang, you’re incredible!" Wang Sanpao finally found his voice and stammered, "Before, I thought none of us could do anything against that dog demon. I never expected you to actually…"

Zhao Sanmazi, who had been blaming himself constantly for letting the dog demon escape, finally saw the huge weight in his heart fall away when Fang Yu captured it.

He pushed through the crowd and strode quickly to Fang Yu. His eyes reddened slightly as he tightly grasped Fang Yu’s hands, his voice trembling. "Brother, it’s all thanks to you! If you hadn’t caught that dog demon, I’d never have been able to erase this guilt from my heart for the rest of my life. You really saved me!"

Fang Yu nodded slightly. "No problem. Just buy me a meal."

At that moment, Li Jing and Yin Shiniang hurried out from the manor.

Li Jing immediately saw the dog demon lying on the ground with an unwilling look on its face, while Yin Shiniang beside him also looked astonished.

After the dog demon escaped, they had been following the matter as well and knew how troublesome it was. They had never expected a mere foot soldier to resolve it.

"Fang Yu, did you capture this dog demon?" Li Jing’s voice was low yet powerful, carrying a hint of scrutiny and inquiry.

Fang Yu stepped forward. "Reporting to the commander-in-chief, I did."

Li Jing nodded slightly, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes. "Good, very good! You’ve rendered merit in capturing a demon. Tomorrow, the entire Chentang Pass will be informed, and you will be rewarded!"

As soon as he said this, the soldiers around them looked at Fang Yu with even greater envy.

To receive Li Jing’s public praise and have it announced throughout the city—what an honor that was for a foot soldier.

His future prospects would be limitless.

Fang Yu maintained a calm expression on the surface, but inwardly, he thought,

Getting on Li Jing’s radar might really give me another way out in this perilous Investiture of the Gods World.

Li Jing shifted his gaze from Fang Yu to the woman kneeling on the ground. "Madam Zhang, remember to collect the relief payment from the office tomorrow. No matter what, you still have to raise the child."

Madam Zhang hurriedly kowtowed. "Thank you, commander Li!"

"Alright, everyone, disperse!"

The crowd left Li Manor chatting and laughing. Just as Li Jing and Yin Shiniang turned away, Fang Yu’s Observation Haki caught their conversation.

"Will we really be able to invite that many people to Zha’er’s birthday banquet?"

"Hmph. I’m the commander of Chentang Pass. Even if I have to get on my knees and beg, those people will come celebrate Zha’er’s birthday!"

The muscles beside Fang Yu’s nose twitched slightly. Gritting his teeth, he complained, "Damn it! Ninja World Fang Yu at least had ten months to develop. Why do I have to face a birthday banquet, the Heavenly Tribulation, and Chentang Pass getting flooded right from the start?"

Stephen Fang: "How is that any different from opening your eyes to see Nick Fury turn to ash and an interstellar communicator tossed onto the ground?"

"The difference is huge! I can’t Reboot the Timeline here!"

Bruce Yu: "Why not just bail?"

Pirate World Fang Yu: "I think running away would be better too."

After much deliberation, New Recruit Fang Yu shook his head. "Running away right away would be no different from leaving Konoha at the start. I might as well take a gamble and usher in my own shining moment!"