No matter what others might think, this kind of life was nothing short of a dream come true for Nobita.
As for Lin Feng, though, it didn't really make much difference to him.
Ever since he had upgraded his drawing skill to Level 6, he no longer had to worry about his manuscripts.
The sketches he used to need to carefully picture in his mind before putting on paper now flowed out naturally the moment he picked up his pen.
And when he modified the original story to fit the current world's setting for his secondary creations, he no longer had to stop and think over minor details, wasting precious time.
Everything just came together effortlessly.
It was also a good chance to finally see what a so-called "typhoon" was really like.
But if the bad weather was going to last for several days straight, he'd need to stock up on ingredients ahead of time.
Mostly just the food he himself would need for the next few days. As for his other housemate, Chachamaru, it seemed quite fond of canned cat food.
At least the box of cans he bought from the pet shop yesterday should last it for a while.
"Lin Feng, everyone's gone home already. Let's go too."
Lost in thought, Lin Feng had been a little slow packing up his schoolbag.
The other students were thrilled about the school closing for the storm, and they'd all dashed off so quickly that the classroom had almost emptied in no time.
"Mm."
Lin Feng nodded, slinging his bag over his shoulder and leaving the classroom together with Shizuka.
Looked like he'd be spending the next few days at home.
It was the perfect opportunity to build up a stockpile of manuscripts — that way, he wouldn't have to worry about falling behind on updates later.
After all, starting next Monday, Demon Slayer would begin releasing two chapters per week.
With Lin Feng's current drawing speed, that wasn't exactly a difficult pace to maintain, but having enough drafts saved up would definitely bring peace of mind.
Once he'd taken care of the groceries, he could settle in to study at home — and wait to see what kind of terrible weather a "typhoon" actually was.
——
Meanwhile, as night fell—
On an unknown cliffside deep in a mountain valley, a torch suddenly flared to life in the darkness, illuminating a rough, bearded face marked with a feral intensity.
Around his neck hung a wooden pendant etched with strange, ancient symbols.
He wore a black, old-fashioned robe; without the torchlight, it would have been nearly impossible to spot him in the night.
And as his torch was lit, several more flames kindled one after another behind him.
"Move! Quickly! This way!"
Led by their commander, the group advanced along a wooden scaffold clinging to the cliff wall, heading toward a cave at the edge of the precipice.
It was, as the saying went, a dark and windy night—perfect for murder. From their sneaky behavior and choice of timing, these people clearly didn't come with good intentions.
The further they went, the narrower the cliffside path became.
From above, the terrain resembled the head of a dragon jutting out from the cliffside — and their destination lay right in the dragon's open mouth.
Each man's expression was tense and solemn; it was clear this operation had been long in preparation.
At last, under the leader's guidance, they made it across the obstacles along the cliff face and reached the extended ledge — the dragon's head itself, overlooking the valley below.
"This is it!"
"This place is the holy ground of the Arashi Clan — where the god sleeps eternally!"
"After all this time, I've finally found it… hahahaha!"
Before them stood a massive stone door carved with ancient patterns and symbols. The Arashi clan leader holding the torch broke into a wild, unrestrained grin.
To gain greater power, to strengthen his dominion, to seize control of this world completely—
He had waited far, far too long for this moment!
"You lot, get to work!"
At his command, the others strode forward to the stone gate, hefting the iron picks they had brought with them, and began hammering away at the massive slab.
At first, the stone door was incredibly tough, but after several rounds of relentless strikes from the burly men, cracks began to appear.
Before long, with a sharp crack, one of the thinner sections finally broke through.
"Faster! Keep going!"
Seeing the widening fractures, the Arashi clan leader lifted his torch high, his narrowed eyes gleaming as he barked his order.
Bang!
Even the sturdiest wall, after countless years of erosion and decay, couldn't remain as solid as before.
So, under their relentless assault, a large hole was soon smashed open in the stone gate at the dragon's-mouth cave.
"Out of the way!"
The moment the hole broke through, the Arashi leader charged forward, torch in hand, to the very front.
He stared into the dark opening before him — and stepped inside without hesitation.
Cold, eerie gusts wafted out from the depths of the cavern, but his eyes burned with feverish greed.
A crooked, sinister smile crept across his lips.
"Yes… yes, this is the place. Everyone, follow me in!"
Without the slightest hesitation, convinced he had found the right location, the Arashi clan leader plunged deeper into the shadowy tunnel with his torch held high.
The others exchanged quick glances, then followed close behind.
Their goal was clear — to find the tomb of Ulanda, the former patriarch of the Arashi Clan, and claim the treasure known as the Mafunka Pearl.
Until they secured it, retreat was not an option.
The winding tunnel stretched downward into the earth, its depth impossible to gauge, descending deep into the mountain's heart.
After a long, arduous trek, the torch-bearing leader finally arrived before a stone chamber entrance.
There was no path beyond — meaning this was the end of the passage.
The tomb of Ulanda, patriarch of the Arashi Clan.