Except for that special situation with [True Buddhism] last time, during her years guarding the Northeast, she hadn’t even seen a single level-six expert, only level-six monsters.

(As an aside, when Yaobikuni fought Qi Xing, she was at about seven-tenths strength; when Shijo Aoi fought Jingo Rin in the abandoned village, she was at about five to six-tenths.)

Before Jingo Rin was born, those so-called reclusive elder experts from the Northeast exorcism families were at most level-four material.

When encountering a level-six great monster, if they didn't want to be eaten and didn't want to beg the central authorities for help (or if central reinforcements couldn't arrive in time), they naturally had to resort to evil arts to solve the problem.

However, getting back to Magic City Tokyo.

That female ninja [Paoji] from just now, although she was killed in half a move by Qi Xing, Jingo Rin felt that in a different situation, she would count as at least a level-four combatant.

A level-four expert could dominate the countryside in the Northeast and serve as a reclusive elder for an aristocratic family.

But in Tokyo, she was nothing more than a subordinate cadre of one of the many evil forces, a pawn sent to test the strength of [Master Leipu].

As for Magical Girl Artemina, although she hadn't transformed, Jingo Rin intuitively estimated that this girl had at least five-tenths strength.

Is this the gap in strength between the central authorities and the local regions?

Samael had said before that desire brings power, so the more restless people's hearts are, the more power will gather.

The larger the city, the more it is a nest of human desire, and the easier it is for various powers to emerge from the human heart.

Jingo Rin was truly looking forward to what kind of experts she would encounter next in Tokyo.

Qi Xing couldn't possibly hog all the fighting opportunities, right? She was itching for a fight too!

—By the way, Gojo Masamichi actually has level-four strength, but combat is the kind of thing where not everyone can unleash their full potential at all times.

The female ninja had already established a psychological advantage, and it was at close range, so Gojo Masamichi was instantly taken out.

Just then, Elaine was chatting with the Magical Girl.

Jingo Rin took the opportunity to approach Qi Xing and asked in a low voice, "What level do you think the leader of that [Musk Pavilion] is at?"

Qi Xing saw at a glance that Jingo Rin's battle-hungry nature was leaking out from beneath her cold exterior, and he couldn't help but find it amusing.

But he still answered, "If it takes five moves to subdue that female ninja, then at most, they are only one or two tiers stronger than her."

"Considering the overall balance of Tokyo's dark society, the other evil overlords should be at a similar level."

"Of course, correspondingly, the righteous experts here in Tokyo… there are only a few who are at an equal or higher level."

As he spoke, Qi Xing casually counted on his fingers, recalling as he said coolly,

"The current Head of the Onmyoryo is an acquaintance; she is at this level."

"On the side of Buddhism, the nun who has extinguished the eight sufferings is an elder I greatly respect. I rarely see her fight, but she is at least at this realm."

"Then over at Mount Fuji, the reclusive Princess Kaguya—although I haven't met her, I've heard she is very strong."

He pondered for a moment and added:

"Besides them, there should be two or three others… In short, the number of righteous experts in Tokyo is actually slightly higher than that of the evil path."

After all, although the evil path is active in the metropolis, the righteous path is not weak—otherwise, this world would have blown up long ago, and how could they have barely managed to keep those evil forces under the surface?

Previously on the plane, Gojo Masamichi had briefly explained to them the three most rampant and vicious evil forces in Tokyo's dark world.

First is the [Rise Mora Group], which uses modified monsters as its main force to rob banks, jewelry stores, and art museums. They claim to want to conquer the world, but their behavior is nonsensical, and while the skill level of their members varies, they are all perverts.

Last night, Magical Girl Artemina just killed one of their monsters, and that guy already embodied their perverted nature.

Although their branches and sub-branches are frequently discovered and eliminated by the Onmyoryo, the Onmyoryo still cannot investigate where their headquarters is hidden, and they are at a complete loss.

Their legendary leader, Dr. Dogenzaka Elio, is said to be a mad scientist with world-shaking wisdom. It's impossible to judge his combat strength for now—perhaps he isn't even a combat type at all.

However, according to Qi Xing's experience, in this lewd world, so-called "mad scientists" basically have combat modes prepared for themselves. If it really comes to a fight, they might not be weak.

Next is the [Musk Pavilion] that Qi Xing and the others encountered on the plane. In contrast to the dark science-based [Rise Mora Group], [Musk Pavilion] follows the path of ancient Japanese arts—ninjutsu, various ancient martial arts, incantations, pharmacology, bedroom arts… they have even mastered certain demonic powers and evil arts.

Among the three major dark organizations in Tokyo, [Musk Pavilion] is the smallest and practices strict secrecy.

What's even more peculiar is that their organization's members are almost exclusively female. They also capture beautiful female citizens on a large scale for brainwashing and training, and even earn money through prostitution—it's well-known in the underworld that the women of [Musk Pavilion] all possess dreamlike beauty.

As for their leader, the Onmyoryo still hasn't been able to determine even her basic identity; she is terrifyingly mysterious, and they are at a complete loss.

The last force is the designated wide-area organized crime group [Kanto Yatsufusa-kai].

As the name suggests, it is a giant in the Japanese underworld. Its headquarters building is located in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, with about five thousand official members. If reserve members and subordinate groups distributed throughout the Kanto region are included, the total number is no less than tens of thousands.

[Yatsufusa-kai] is involved in many illegal businesses, including drug smuggling, arms trafficking, financial crimes, and illegal usury; it is the largest Japanese underworld organization with strongholds even overseas.

Three years ago, after Qi Xing achieved the Sage Body, he personally came to Tokyo and slaughtered more than twenty offices of [Yatsufusa-kai], as well as their entire headquarters building.

However, Qi Xing could never find the whereabouts of their Supreme Chairman, "Yatsufusa Eiichi." Even the trusted high-ranking members he tortured with electricity didn't know the Supreme Chairman's hiding place.

As a result, although [Yatsufusa-kai] suffered heavy losses and was severely crippled at the time, not long after Qi Xing left Tokyo, this wounded underworld beast quickly crawled back out of the mud.

"Thinking about it now, I'm afraid that at that time, the chairman of [Yatsufusa-kai] was already connected to some power hidden even deeper; otherwise, it would be impossible to evade my search out of thin air."

Speaking of this, Qi Xing thought of the [silver coin] that even Sasa could not currently detect, and he couldn't help but frown.

Jingo Rin heard this and asked skeptically, "Is the underworld in Tokyo that strong?"

"Actually, they aren't strong, but they do have some unique skills." Qi Xing sneered, "Otherwise, given the absurdity of this world, how could traditional gangs still survive? They would have been eliminated by other evil forces long ago."

So, without joking, the traditional gangs that can survive in this world are truly occult gangs.

"The Japanese underworld originated in the Edo period and originally came from three types of people."

Qi Xing, who had a good understanding of Eastern occultism, now began to explain to the truly unlearned Jingo Rin in a half-teasing manner,

"The first were the outcasts who were deprived of human rights by the authorities at the time: the Hinin and the Eta. They did jobs that no one wanted to touch, like collecting corpses, conducting funerals, and cleaning execution grounds. Although humble, the funeral industry is actually a profession with religious and mystical characteristics."

"The second were the gamblers who illegally operated casinos, or 'Bakuto.' Their origins actually lie in the 'Ninkyo' and 'Kyokaku' of the Muromachi period—that is, unemployed, fallen low-level samurai. Although they had fallen, they still kept some samurai airs, so they worshipped the guardian deity of the warrior class, Hachiman Daibosatsu."

"The third type were the itinerant merchants, medicine peddlers, and street performers who set up stalls around temples and shrines. They sold everything: medicine, prostitution, sumo performances, Noh plays, and even curses and prayers."

Speaking of this, Qi Xing sighed,

"Perhaps because they were mainly itinerant medicine sellers, the main deity these peddlers worshipped happened to be the Shennong Emperor."

Sounds strange, right? But it's true.

Japanese people also worship Shennong—especially medicine merchants and peddlers. As the ancient peddler groups evolved into underworld gangs, even the Yakuza began to worship the Shennong Emperor.

Outcasts in the funeral industry, unemployed former low-level samurai, and itinerant peddlers—as these three lower-class groups and their beliefs merged, they gradually evolved into the modern Japanese underworld.

Thus, in this absurd Sasa Universe, the mix of the funeral industry, Hachiman worship, and Shennong worship… they are indeed genuine occult gangs.

Just like the Beggar Sect in martial arts novels, which for some reason possesses the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and experts of the level of the Five Greats. These occult gangs really do hold some miscellaneous heterodox tricks in their hands.

"…Are there no righteous gangs like in the manga?"

Jingo Rin frowned, and after listening to Qi Xing's explanation, she suddenly asked.

"Like the ones in 'Reborn!', 'Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan', or 'Baki'?"

Qi Xing couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this.

—If it were the world from his previous life, Qi Xing certainly wouldn't believe in any "righteous gangs." How could such a thing exist?

However, this absurd world created by Sasa… happens to have one advantage: although it is full of evil paths, it also breeds many heroes.

Desire brings power, but power will bring out both sides of humanity.

This is also one of the few things Qi Xing occasionally appreciates about this silly world.

"There are, tentatively. I've seen one."

While chatting, everyone walked out of the airport.

However, at this very moment, something unexpected happened to everyone.

At the terminal exit, dozens of men in black were lined up neatly, like a wall of darkness, waiting quietly outside the door.

Everyone was wearing a black suit and tie, standing straight, with an oppressive and orderly presence.

This time, not to mention Qi Xing, even Jingo Rin, who only knew what gangs looked like in manga, was dumbfounded—huh? Speak of the devil and he appears?

But Qi Xing, Elaine, Tsukimiya Ran, and even Gojo Masamichi swept their eyes over the attire of these men in black, discovering something unusual from the accessories on their bodies.

Some wore silver rings on their hands, with a black Iron Cross emblem engraved on the ring face;

Some had black and white pendants pinned to their chests, cast with a black eagle, or tie clips with a cross-sword and crown.

Even more, belt buckles and cufflinks were faintly engraved with Runes.

This sharp temperament was not the crude arrogance of ordinary gangs.

Thus, the four people familiar with Tokyo's dark world immediately understood the identity of these men in black.

However, just as Qi Xing walked forward, intending to greet them,

These dozens of men in black, with uniform movements as if they had practiced countless times, bowed in unison.

Dozens of straight, clean ninety-degree bows, like trees bowing in a gale, shocked the surrounding travelers, who all looked over.

However, what shocked everyone the most was,

These men in black, with their grim momentum and looking like an army, were not bowing to Qi Xing.

But—

—Unanimously saluting Jingo Rin!

In an instant, even Jingo Rin was rarely taken aback and completely confused!

In the motionless ranks of black-clad men, only three people stepped out.

The leader was an extremely burly and sturdy woman.

She looked to be at least fifty years old, with short, neat gray hair, chiseled facial features, broad shoulders, and thick arms; muscle lines were still faintly visible under her well-tailored black suit.

Such a powerful stride, as if every step could leave a mark on the ground.

On her right hand, she wore a heavy, antique silver ring, with a lion carved on the ring face, along with the Rune "Eihwaz," representing "resilience."

And the two young girls following closely on her left and right formed a sharp contrast. Although their figures, appearance, and ages were different, both were dressed in black, possessed beauty not inferior to Tsukimiya Ran, and their light footsteps made one almost unable to feel their weight.

Between their brows, they faintly revealed a solemnity that did not match their age; they did not look like ordinary attendants, but more like female warriors specifically responsible for protection and execution of missions.

The three walked steadily forward and soon arrived in front of Jingo Rin.

The strong and mighty female general did not hesitate, knelt on one knee, pressed her fist against her chest, and said solemnly:

"[Lionheart Society] Magical Girl Brunhilde, welcomes the Young Master back to take her rightful place."

Following her action, the two young guards also knelt down in unison, their voices crisp and firm:

"Magical Girl Siegrune,"

"Magical Girl Ortlinde,"

"We, all members of [Lionheart Society], have longed for this day as if it were a thousand autumns, and finally welcome your arrival!"

The three voices overlapped, sonorous and powerful, echoing throughout the terminal exit.

—Welcome the Young Master back to take her rightful place!

So, probably for the first time in her life,

Jingo Rin was, this time, truly, completely scared.

Volume Four: Evil Magic City Tokyo: 124: Origin of the Magical Girl

[Lionheart Society],

It is an independent underworld group in Tokyo established in 1997.

Although not comparable to the [Kanto Yatsufusa-kai] that rose in the early 20th century, it has a history of nearly thirty years, enough to be called an old-school gang.

Qi Xing came to Tokyo in 2016 in this life. Not long after arriving, he learned that in this Magic City Tokyo, there was actually a group of "righteous" gangs that should only appear in manga; they didn't sell drugs or prostitution, but only dealt in smuggling tobacco, alcohol, jewelry, and art, and operating gambling businesses.

However, unlike the "righteous gangs" full of hot-blooded loyalty in manga, the style of this [Lionheart Society] was very strange.

They were not traditional Japanese gangs at all; there were no tattooed old men in kimonos displaying katanas in tatami offices. There was no habit of drinking shochu and bragging, nor did they believe in that set of Showa-style "spirit."

The style of [Lionheart Society] was completely different.

They were more like a group of Japanese people wearing black suits, role-playing as a Germanic knight order, and then operating a black market economy in Tokyo.

…Just saying this makes one feel like they might be crazy.

But that was the fact.

[Lionheart Society] took knightly "loyalty" as its creed; the organization was strict, acting like an army. Internal members used Latin or German codenames. Every cadre-level figure wore a ring, pendant, or armband symbolizing honor, and the emblems were either an Iron Cross or a Prussian Black Eagle.

Some members even wore swords or black cloaks embroidered with Runes.

Nine years ago, when Qi Xing first saw [Lionheart Society], he was speechless for a long time, very suspicious that he had walked into the wrong scene.

After all, when you are venturing through Tokyo's underworld, who could expect to encounter a group of Japanese people cosplaying as Teutonic Knights in black suits and discussing smuggling business with you?

And although the style was ridiculous, they were still a gang, just a very principled one. Before every new member was officially recognized as a "knight," they had to go through a solemn oath ceremony: