Chapter 1 An Unexpected Reunion

Kitsune-no-Suke looked around at the dense forest with a troubled expression, plucked the bell on its chest, and saw the message pop up on the transparent panel: "[Time-space error! Please try again in ten minutes!]". It sighed, just as it was thinking of finding a random place to go...

A distinctive, cold voice echoed in my ears.

"Shikigami?"

Just as it turned around, a pair of black Doc Martens landed in front of it. When Kitsunenosuke took a few steps back and looked up, he was stunned.

Her long, jet-black hair was tied in a high ponytail, fluttering gently in the breeze. She wore a simple white vest and carried a bow and arrows on her back.

He wore black cargo pants, and a small dagger was tucked into his waistband. His light gold eyes were somewhat mesmerizing.

Kitsune-no-Suke's ears twitched; it sensed no malice from this person. Moreover… it detected fluctuations of spiritual energy emanating from him!

Han Zhou lowered her eyes to look at the fox-shaped shikigami, feeling a little curious. She had walked the world for thousands of years, experiencing countless springs, summers, autumns, and winters.

This is the first time she has ever seen such a novel shikigami that incorporates high technology.

"My lord! I sense spiritual energy emanating from you. Would you like to become a Saniwa? The benefits are excellent!"

Hearing Kitsune's words, Hanshu felt a slight displeasure.

【Saniwa】

As the name suggests, they are the ones who judge the gods and listen to divine pronouncements.

She didn't like the title, and besides... not everyone was qualified to become a [Saniwa].

Thinking of this, she calmly asked, "What are the requirements to become a Saniwa?"

"All you need is spiritual power!"

The threshold is incredibly low. Han Zhou doesn't know what the situation is with the gods in this area. How can they be "judged" so easily?

"Tell me in detail what a Saniwa does and which faction you belong to. I'll consider it further."

In the year 2205 AD, the story unfolds as "Historical Revisionists" attempt to rewrite history and attack past eras. To thwart this conspiracy, the "Time Government" dispatches "Saniwa" (spirit guardians), who are able to awaken the "Touken Danshi" (sword warriors) within ancient swords and fight alongside them to protect the integrity of history.

“Protection, history?” Han Zhou said softly. Only those who have lived through long years can know the weight of history.

The Saniwa (Master) is a guiding light for many sword spirits, bearing the responsibility of leadership and the mission of protecting history.

She wanted to see if the people chosen by this so-called government of time could shoulder this heavy mission.

"Okay, I agree."

Kitsune-no-Suke happily wagged its tail, and when it plucked the bell on its chest again, it was able to activate the teleportation array. It hopped to Hanzhou's feet.

"Then let's set off!"

The golden light quickly enveloped the man and the fox, and they vanished from their spot in an instant.

Kitsune-no-Suke positioned itself outside the government building, leading the way and explaining the situation to Hanzhou. Upon landing, Hanzhou spread his senses, detecting the spiritual energy of many people—some pure, some impure, some powerful, some weak.

A mixed bag

"We allocate Honmaru based on the Saniwa's spiritual power level, from D to S. The stronger the ability, the larger the Honmaru will be, and the more resources and salary will be allocated."

Kitsune-no-suke led Hanshu to the front desk and pushed an information collection form in front of Hanshu.

Han Zhou naturally wouldn't fill in his real information; apart from his name, everything else on the form was fake.

When Kitsune saw the code name "Kanshu" in the code name column, it wagged its tail and patted a crystal ball on the front desk with its paw.

"Lord Hanzhou, please infuse your spiritual power into the crystal ball to distribute the Honmaru."

She nodded; Han Zhou had already noticed the little gadget. She slowly channeled her power into it, stopping after only a dozen seconds, and withdrew her hand after looking at the "S" inside.

"S, S-rank?!" Kitsune-no-suke couldn't help but exclaim loudly. It hadn't expected that the Saniwa it had met by chance outside would possess such powerful spiritual energy.

The number of S-rank citadels in the current political climate can be counted on one hand, and... judging from the fact that this person still has energy to spare, Kitsune-no-suke feels that Lord Kanshu's strength is far more than this.

Every S-rank Saniwa is a pillar of the current political situation. Shocked as I am, I still intend to finish my guiding duties first.

"Ahem, please choose a sword as your starting sword, Master Saniwa."

Han Zhou looked at the swords and blades that appeared before him. Upon seeing a familiar one, he immediately reached out and drew it from its sheath. He paused, then paused, noticing the intact tip of the blade. He gently stroked the body of the sword.

"Kyushu Kiyomitsu... thank goodness it wasn't broken." Kanshu sheathed his sword, looking at Kitsunenosuke. "I want him."

"Lord Hanzhou, this is a beginner's guide. Although you seem quite skilled at using spiritual power, I'd still like to ask if you need a teacher?"

"No need, I want to go back to the citadel first." There are too many people here; it's not suitable for waking up Kashuu Kiyomitsu.

Kitsune-no-Suke tilted its head, but this was fine with it. After all, the appearance of an S-rank Saniwa was no small matter; it needed to report it to the higher-ups in the government. "Alright, your Honmaru number is S001. Please proceed. I will come to your Honmaru tomorrow to guide you."

After watching Hanzuru enter the teleportation array, Kitsune-no-Suke immediately prepared to contact his superiors. The allocation of S-rank Honmaru is entirely based on strength. 001 is currently the largest Honmaru under the current administration, and it's essentially a small world unto itself.

To support such a citadel requires immense spiritual power. Not to mention the need to provide spiritual power for the spirits, this citadel is more than capable of housing the entire sword-wielding clan.

Such a person must be kept in politics!

——Honmaru——

After confirming that there were no surveillance cameras here, Han Zhou awakened the sword spirits.

The knife in his hand gradually dissipated, transforming into cherry blossoms, which then scattered. The black-haired youth had vibrant red eyes, and a mole beneath his lip added a touch of playfulness.

"I am Kiyomitsu Kashuu. A child of the lower reaches of the river, a son of the river plains. Difficult to master, but top-notch performance."*

Kashuu Kiyomitsu finished speaking instinctively and looked at his new master. But after seeing the other's face clearly, he couldn't help but be stunned.

"You are... Lord Hanzhou?"

Looking at the tsukumogami that appeared before him, Han Zhou couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Red really suits you.

"Yes, it's me."

Kashuu Kiyomitsu instinctively took a step forward, his red eyes meeting the warm, pale golden sunlight. Ultimately, he chose to follow his heart and reached out to embrace the person who had transcended the passage of time.

The cool scent of pine lingered around his nose, and even before it materialized, he could feel someone gently stroking his blade—the gesture of someone who loved his sword.

Kiyomitsu Kashuu felt very reassured.

Han Zhou looked down at Kashuu Kiyomitsu, who was hugging her waist, and gently patted his back. His cold voice was flat, but Han Zhou could still hear the soothing meaning in his tone.

His sword, which served as Okita Souji's personal sword, eventually broke at the Ikedaya shop. In his memory, Okita Souji had a teacher who had instructed him in swordsmanship since childhood.

To Okita Souji, that was a respected elder.

That was Han Zhou.

A note from the author:

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