As the crimson hues of twilight faded into the inky veil of night, Kurahashi Kyōko skipped dinner—she had already filled up on too many wagashi from the shopping street earlier.
Left to his own devices, Akiyama Ren whipped up a simple dinner. After filling his stomach, he walked into the living room, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Kyōko, let's start. Teach me Onmyōdō."
Kyōko didn't hesitate. With a slight shift in demeanor, she slipped seamlessly into "sensei mode." The playful sparkle in her eyes dimmed, replaced with scholarly seriousness. Sitting upright on the tatami mat, she began the lesson.
"When we talk about modern Onmyōdō, there's one name that stands above all—Tsuchimikado Yakou," she said, reverently. "A prodigy of the Tsuchimikado clan. It's thanks to him that we even have what's known as Modern-Style Onmyōdō today."
As she spoke, a subtle admiration flickered across her face. Even the normally teasing Kyōko had a look of respect when speaking of that legendary figure.
Ren, though, was internally sweating. Tokyo Ravens, huh? He remembered watching it in his past life… but the specifics? Long gone. He vaguely recalled the name Tsuchimikado Yakou, maybe a few flashy fights, and something about Shikigami—but the rest was foggy.
Still, with Kyōko's steady narration, those half-forgotten fragments started clicking into place.
Modern-Style Onmyōdō, she explained, wasn't just a continuation of the ancient Onmyōdō traditions. It was an evolved system—a fusion of classical Onmyōdō, Esoteric Buddhism, Shugendō mountain practices, and Shintō rituals, all synthesized into a comprehensive magical discipline. Tsuchimikado Yakou had turned spiritual theory into a battle-ready art.
Unlike Jujutsu Sorcerers, whose powers often relied on raw, explosive force, Onmyoji fought like elegant tacticians—more akin to spellcasters and summoners. Their offensive spells were precise, their Shikigami like loyal familiars. It was magic and summoning blended into an artform.
But that wasn't to say they were weak. Kyōko pointed out legendary figures like Miyaji Ban and Kure Zenjirō from the Twelve Divine Generals—Onmyoji who could fight toe-to-toe with martial experts.
Ren listened intently, though his brow creased with growing confusion. "Man... this feels way more complicated than Jujutsu," he muttered. "That was just punching curses in the face."
Then a thought struck him.
"Wait—what about the Zen'in Clan's Ten Shadows Technique?" Ren asked suddenly, eyes narrowing. "Isn't that kind of like summoning Shikigami too?"
Kyōko immediately scoffed. "Hmph. The Zen'in Clan? They're just glorified thieves."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Thieves? How so?"
She leaned forward, a trace of disdain in her voice.
"A thousand years ago, during the Heian Era, Onmyoji and Jujutsu Sorcerers were both in their golden age. But then came Ryomen Sukuna—the original King of Curses. A monster even the top Curse Art Masters couldn't handle.
"Desperate for power, those Jujutsu Sorcererss came to us Onmyoji for help. But we had our own wars to fight. So they turned to a darker path."
Kyōko's tone dropped, her voice growing colder.
"They began stealing from us. Kidnapping Onmyoji women. Forcing... unions. All in the hopes of birthing children with hybrid techniques."
Ren's eyes widened.
"The Ten Shadows Technique was born from that madness," she continued. "The Zen'in Clan's original Innate Technique was just Projection Sorcery. The Ten Shadows? That was a Frankenstein's monster of stolen Onmyōdō and curse arts, stitched together with bloodlines they didn't deserve."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Ren sat back, shocked. So the Ten Shadows Technique in this world… was created through dark means? It wasn't just some inherited cool ability—it was the product of desperation, betrayal, and twisted ambition.
Still, Ren couldn't deny a part of him was envious.
Ten Shikigami… Mahoraga… Even if most were weak, that final one? A living calamity. In the original Jujutsu Kaisen, even Gojo Satoru couldn't completely overpower Mahoraga. And now…
His eyes lit up. Wait. My Innate Technique, "The AlphaOmega Codex," lets me use any Jujutsu... so the Ten Shadows Technique should be fair game, right?
But…
"Then why can't I summon any Shikigami?" he murmured, brow furrowed.
Frustrated, Ren called out mentally: System! What gives?
[Ding! There is already an inheritor of the Ten Shadows Technique in this generation. The Ten Shikigami are unique and cannot be duplicated. A second user cannot summon them unless the current inheritor dies.]
Ren blinked. "Huh?! So even if I copy the technique, it's just shadow tricks and no actual Shikigami?"
[Ding! Correct.]
He clenched his fists. "Tch… Then it's basically a watered-down version! System, that's some serious scam energy. You owe me compensation!"
[Ding! This ability was not obtained via a System Reward Chest. The System holds no liability.]
Ren nearly faceplanted onto the tatami. "You little…"
"Huh? Don't try to weasel your way out of this! The Ten Shadows Technique might not be from a chest, but I copied it using the Rimuru Template, which Idid get from the beginner chest. So by association, this is still your problem!"
System: "..."
Ren smirked. "So? Are you compensating me or not?"
[Ding! Compensation accepted. One-time offer!]
His eyes sparkled. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"
[Ding! Rewarding Host: Compensation Treasure Chest.]
"Open it right now!"
[Ding! Opening Compensation Treasure Chest… Congratulations! You've obtained the following Shikigami: Hotarugusa, Kyonshi Ani, Kyonshi Imouto, Yuki Onna, Hakuro, Ubume, Shiro Mujou, Kuro Mujou, Youtou Hime, and Takiyasha Hime.]
Ren blinked. His expression twisted with disbelief. "…Seriously? These are all Shikigami from the Onmyoji mobile game back on Earth! You really imported them wholesale?"
Out of the ten, only one was SSR. The rest? Cute, maybe, but far from top-tier.
"Couldn't you have given me at least five SSRs? This gacha system of yours is rigged…"
"Ren, are you even paying attention?" Kurahashi Kyōko asked, arms crossed and eyes narrowing.
Ren quickly shifted gears, smiling sheepishly. "Of course! I'm totally focused."
"Then let's move on. I'll teach you the basics—your first Onmyōdō technique: summoning a beginner-level Shikigami."
She reached into her robes and pulled out a small ofuda charm. Holding it between her index and middle fingers, she chanted under her breath. A soft glow enveloped the charm, and moments later, a young girl materialized before them.
Ren did a double take. That face—wasn't that Yotsuya Miko from that horror anime?
"This is a basic paper Shikigami," Kyōko explained. With a flick of her wrist, the summoned figure dissolved back into the charm. She handed it to Ren. "Want to try?"
He shook his head with a grin. "Nah, I don't think I need it."
Kyōko nearly dropped the charm. "You what? How do you expect to summon anything without a charm?! Unless… you've made a direct pact with a spirit…"
"Relax," Ren said, stretching. "Watch closely."
Without forming seals or chanting a single word, he clapped his hands together like a kid playing make-believe. Then, with a dramatic, chuunibyou flare:
"I choose you—Hotarugusa, descend!"
A pool of black shadow rippled open at his feet like spilled ink. From the inky depths, a figure rose—a girl clad in a green short-skirted kimono, clutching a massive dandelion almost as tall as she was.
Kyōko's jaw visibly dropped.
****************
Shikigami info that the MC drew and their rarity.
Hotarugusa (蛍草) R Healer, plant-based
Kyonshi Ani (跳跳兄) R Male, childlike, solemn demeanor
Kyonshi Imouto (跳跳妹) R Petite undead girl, childlike and calm
Yuki Onna (雪女) SR Ice attacks, AoE freeze
Hakuro (白狼) SR Archer, high crit potential
Ubume (姑獲鳥) SR Winged ghost woman, protective skills
Ghost Messenger White Shiro Mujou (白無常) SR Soul collector, control unit
Ghost Messenger Black Kuro Mujou (黒無常) SR Soul collector, burst attacker
Demon Sword Princess Youtou Hime (妖刀姫) SR High single-target damage
Takiyashahime Takiyasha Hime (滝夜叉姫) SSR Sorceress princess, versatile DPS
The game is called Onmyoji by NetEase, a popular strategy RPG. It should be available globally