They embarked on their journey to the Tachibana clan's district right after Satoru had finished his smoke. Their path led them through the heart of the city, where Ren once again had a glimpse of regular people, those who weren't part of any clan. He observed the city's architecture, which still bore the traditional style of the Noroi clan.

Traditional buildings dominated the landscape, devoid of any signs of electricity. The two discernible differences were the clothing of Tachibana clan members, primarily dark-blue kimonos, and the fact that every one of them carried a weapon by their side. Swords were prevalent, but there were occasional hand axes, clubs, spears, and an assortment of other sharp armaments.

"This way," Satoru directed Ren, leading him along the street while deliberately avoiding the locals, who eyed the two intruders with suspicion.

In due course, they arrived at a substantial wooden structure that seemed stadium-like to Ren. Its vast, round design featured towering walls that inclined inward, lacking any visible windows. A lone electricity line was connected to it, presumably providing power for the lighting, a rare sight in this district judging by what he was able to observe thus far.

A gathering of people lingered nearby, but hardly anyone ventured inside. As Ren inspected the area more closely, he noticed guards stationed at the entrance.

Upon their approach, one of the guards stepped forward, blocking their path. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, his kimono's sleeves torn off to reveal arms adorned with numerous scars.

"Who are you, and what is your purpose?" the guard inquired.

Satoru introduced himself and gestured towards Ren, explaining, "I am Satoru Noroi of the Noroi clan, and this is Ren Noroi, also of the Noroi clan. We've come for the trial of strength."

The guard raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting towards Ren. The younger man, aware of the fact that he appeared tougher than he truly was, met the sentinel's scrutiny head-on. Apparently, his demeanor was sufficient to grant them entry.

"You may proceed," the guard said, stepping aside.

"Thank you," Satoru acknowledged as he moved forward, with Ren closely following.

Inside, they found themselves in a spacious area with several corridors branching out on both sides and a notably large passage stretching straight ahead, vanishing into darkness. Lamps hanging from the high ceiling provided illumination with a characteristic buzzing sound.

In the center stood an oval-shaped counter. A lanky man was seated in the middle of it, appearing rather bored as he rested his head on his arm, which was propped up on the table. He straightened up upon seeing the newcomers.

"How may I assist you?" he inquired, forcing a smile.

"I'm Satoru Noroi of the Noroi clan, and this is Ren Noroi of the Noroi clan. We seek information about your new trial of strength," the old man explained as they approached.

The skinny man behind the counter examined them, his gaze starting with Satoru, then moving to the much younger Ren, who had chosen to remain silent.

"What do you wish to know?" he inquired after a moment.

Ren spoke up, his curiosity evident. "I've never seen one of those blue-haired mountain apes. This old man here keeps telling me that there's no way I could defeat one, but I would rather use my own eyes to measure this than listen to his word."

This elicited a chuckle from the Tachibana clan member. "We keep them underground. I'm sure the keepers won't mind if you have a look. Follow me."

The man led them to an entrance on the side, blocked by a small gateway, which he opened. He then directed them towards one of the tunnels.

This particular tunnel led them to a staircase that descended underground. The moment they reached the lower level, the pungent stench of the creatures hit them. It was a foul odor, worsened by the stagnant air that allowed it to fester.

The Tachibana clan member started coughing and grimaced. He covered his mouth with the sleeve of his kimono and pointed further down the tunnel. "Go this way. Someone will take you from there," he managed to say before hurrying back upstairs.

Satoru watched him go but refrained from saying anything. Ren paid little heed to the situation and focused on his objective.

The ceiling lamps provided ample light, preventing them from getting lost in the labyrinthine passages. They quickly moved forward and passed by a post nestled in an alcove. A man sat there, eating a sandwich despite the horrid smell in the air.

"Fho ae u?" he asked with his mouth full.

Satoru repeated his mantra. "My name is Satoru Noroi, of the Noroi clan, and this is Ren Noroi of the Noroi clan. This young one has never seen a mountain ape, and although he is interested in your trial of strength, he wishes to first see the monster before making his decision."

The man didn't verbally respond but nodded. He got to his feet and motioned for them to follow, the sandwich still in hand.

Guided by the local man, they entered an area with cells. Each cell was spacious, large enough to accommodate a large animal, yet most were empty. A few people passed them, giving curious looks to the newcomers, but no one spoke out, as they were under the escort of a Tachibana clan member.

The stench grew more intense as they drew closer to their destination, and they eventually arrived at the end of the corridor. The last five cells were occupied.

The monsters in the cells were enormous, easily larger than the tallest human Ren had ever seen. They had four arms each, with the upper pair being larger and equipped with massive, razor-sharp claws that could easily tear flesh apart. The lower pair of arms were smaller but appeared more agile. Thick, wire-like fur covered their bodies, a pale blue in color, and from their lower jaws protruded massive tusks.

As soon as the group appeared around the cells, the creatures began growling but kept their distance.

"These are the apes. Don't get too close, because they might grab you, and that could end badly. They are quite smart, as you see, so they won't stand right next to the bars, giving you a false sense of security, but don't be fooled," the man warned them.

"How strong are they?" Ren asked.

"They could easily tear a man apart," the worker replied.

Ren continued with his questions, "Would a candidate have a chance with one of them?"

The man chuckled briefly. "If the candidate was a genius like Akira Tachibana, then yes. In fact, he did kill one as a candidate. Now, when you saw one of them, are you reconsidering your desire to take part in the trial?"

Ren mumbled his reply, "Yeah," but his mind was elsewhere. Even while staring at these monstrous creatures, he couldn't help but think of a way to defeat one. ‘They must have a weakness. Something… There has to be a way. Maybe I should ask Tsukiko?’

Satoru interrupted his thoughts, saying, "Let's go," as he placed his arm on Ren's shoulder. It snapped Ren back to reality.

Escorted by the Tachibana clan member, they left the area, heading straight home. It was a silent walk, as Ren continued to ponder his options. He didn't want to give up, but he also couldn't see himself besting one of these creatures.

Upon reaching their neighborhood, they encountered Ayako. She emerged from the property surrounded by the hedge and immediately greeted the two with a smile.

This change in her demeanor surprised Ren, considering her earlier resentment. He asked, "You visited the neighbor?"

"Neighbor?" She responded with a question of her own before turning her gaze to her husband, her brows furrowing. "What did you tell this poor man?"

Satoru chuckled awkwardly, and Ayako rolled her eyes. Her focus returned to Ren as she explained, "This was Haruki's house. It has been empty for years, with a small exception when some people barged in, but we chased them away. I come here from time to time to keep it clean... Just in case," her expression turned somber.

Ren quickly changed the topic, asking, "What's for dinner?"

"Dinner? Oh right... I should make dinner," she acknowledged and hurried away from them.

Ren noticed tears in Ayako's eyes when she abruptly left. He understood the reason behind her hasty exit, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips. Satoru followed his wife in silence, and Ren, feeling weary from all the lies surrounding him, was the last to move. He made his way straight to his room, where Tsukiko awaited him, comfortably sprawled on his futon. He sat on the floor in front of the cat.

‘You read my mind again,’ he remarked.

‘You wanted to talk, so I came,’ Tsukiko replied.

‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘I need to know if there is a way for me to beat a blue-haired mountain ape.’

Laughter echoed in his mind. ‘There is always a chance. A very, very tiny one, but it does exist.’

‘I need a big, solid chance,’ Ren sighed. ‘I need that sword.’

‘Because you want the wife, or would you rather put your hand on this Hinata girl?’ Tsukiko teased.

Embarrassed, he looked away, eliciting more laughter from the goddess.

‘I could tell you, but that would be helping, and I said I won't help you anymore. If you want to do this, you have to do it on your own,’ she added.

‘I can't do it on my own,’ he protested.

‘If you say you can't, then you definitely can't.’

‘If I say I can, it would mean I can?’ he responded with a hint of irony in his thoughts.

‘No, but it would mean there is a chance,’ Tsukiko replied.

‘A chance close to zero. I need a better chance. I need a solid one, to even justify trying.’

‘Then look for one. If you won't look, you won't find.’

With his frustration mounting and the images of the monstrous creatures haunting his mind, he decided to lie on the floor, right next to Tsukiko.

‘Who is Akira Tachibana?’ he asked after a moment of contemplation.

‘Akira Tachibana is the current leader of the Tachibana clan. He is a genius who never went to the Realm of Gods because his father died early, and instead, he took over the clan. Many believe that he could find the treasure if he would go.’

‘How strong am I compared to him before he became a candidate?’

‘You are like a mouse in a cat's paws,’ Tsukiko giggled.

He sighed again, growing increasingly frustrated. He rolled onto his side, resting his head on his arm and staring at the entrance to his room. ‘If only I had more time, then with this body, I could learn how to fight properly and have a good shot. Why does nothing work my way?’ he complained.

‘You can always wait for the next competition,’ Tsukiko suggested.

‘And let somebody steal my wife from me? Not happening,’ he protested, earning yet another laugh from the goddess.

‘Then you better think hard and create a good plan, or you are going to lose that girl because I can tell you right now that many desire her just as you do.’

This revelation made him growl out of pure frustration as he rolled back onto his back and stared at the ceiling. No matter how hard he tried, there was no solution that would pop into his mind. Time passed, and dinner came, but nothing changed in his situation. He went to sleep still deep in thought, hoping desperately that a solution would eventually form in his mind, but nothing like that happened.

He was hunted by the nightmares of the blue-haired mountain apes stealing the beautiful girls from him. His soon-to-be wife and the stunning Hinata. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t do anything to prevent the monsters from snatching the women right in front of his nose, and then escaping with them.