Beyond the main teaching building, Onmyoji Academy within the Great Barrier had other structures, just like any ordinary school. While most schools boasted sports fields or swimming pools, the Academy had a dojo and a shikigami dormitory.
The dojo was primarily for practical combat tests, split into spellcasting and physical combat sections. The "shikigami dormitory," as the name implied, was a place where shikigami were summoned, bound, and trained for battle. An altar stood at its center, enabling students to call forth their shikigami. Every day, it was arguably the busiest spot in the entire barrier.
Most students at Onmyoji Academy considered themselves chosen ones. Daily, they offered prayers and sacrifices, hoping to summon a powerful shikigami to serve them.
There were two main ways an Onmyoji could acquire a shikigami. The first was through desire and force: if a yokai submitted willingly and signed a contract, it would become their subordinate. But this was easier said than done. Most yokai were proud, fierce, and fiercely independent. Becoming a shikigami meant surrendering their freedom forever—many would choose death over servitude.
The second method was the one Ren Kuroda and his companions were about to witness. By offering sacrifices at an altar, they could gain the favor of a god, who might sign a contract and lend them power when needed.
Yes—a god.
Japan claimed to have "eight million gods," but prestige was relative. Many were weaker than common yokai. Most weren't even capable of entering Takamagahara, the realm of the spirits. Though called deities, many were merely mountain spirits or wild beings embodying the concept of "goodness."
Even so, gaining a shikigami this way was far from simple. Any deity, no matter how low in rank, required recognition—not just offerings, but acknowledgment of the Onmyoji's own existence. Unlike yokai-type shikigami, which were bound in subordination, deities did not pledge exclusive allegiance. They could form contracts with multiple Onmyoji, acting as helpers rather than servants. When summoned, they projected an avatar into the mortal world. But if displeased, they could refuse, regardless of the offerings presented.
Thus, deity-type shikigami were often mere projections of their true divine form. Many Onmyoji naturally preferred yokai-type shikigami—loyal, hardworking, and dependable—but acquiring them was far more difficult than enlisting a deity.
Deity-type shikigami didn't require battle or submission, only the god's approval. In earlier times, even Onmyoji of average strength dreamed of being noticed by a god, hoping for the boon of summoning power. To be chosen by a powerful deity could change an exorcist's life entirely.
Today, as always, the shikigami shrine was crowded. Most students gathered near the altar, watching summoning rituals unfold. Offerings covered the table while Onmyoji sat cross-legged, chanting fervent incantations. When a shikigami responded, the magic circle glowed, and the offerings disappeared.
"The magic circle's lit! A deity has responded! Which upperclassmen are these?"
"Oh wow… this might be the first time this week!"
Not long after Ren Kuroda followed Yamato Kuka and Kyuuka into the shikigami guild, a sudden commotion erupted from the altar area. All attention turned toward the source.
In the center of a glowing magic circle sat a boy roughly Ren's age. His spiky, sun-kissed hair and slightly stocky frame made him look more like a boxer than an Onmyoji.
"That's the Jizō family. The responding deity must be tied to the land," Yamato Kuka said, her eyes lighting up in recognition.
There were many Onmyoji families, but the Jizō family was unmistakable. Ranked eighth among the ancient "Thirteen Demon-Slaying Families," their bloodline resonated with the power of the earth. Family members were known for superhuman strength, and their services were for hire—money always spoke louder than loyalty.
Ren knew little of Onmyoji family politics, but the shikigami summoning ritual fascinated him. His gaze fixed on the boy in the magic circle.
Jizō Maruji, the boy in the center, looked tense. He had summoned shikigami countless times over the past half-month. Today, finally, a deity had answered. Excitement surged through him, though anxiety still clung to his every movement.
Summoning shikigami was safe, but incredibly costly. To attract a deity's attention, ordinary offerings wouldn't do; the stronger the god, the more exquisite the tribute had to be. Offerings could never be reused, for doing so was seen as grave disrespect. The fact that Maruji had summoned daily for two straight weeks spoke to the shrine's immense wealth.
Onlookers watched eagerly, speculating which deity would appear next. But just as the magic circle blazed brightly, it abruptly dimmed, as if a fire had been snuffed out.
The offerings on the altar were gone, vanished without a trace.
"The summoning failed," Yamato Kuka said with a soft sigh, observing the dimmed magic circle. "The god accepted the offerings, but judged the Onmyoji insufficient to earn approval."
"So… the deity took the offerings, but decided the summoner was incompetent and just left?" Ren Kuroda muttered, speaking more out of instinct than intent. At that moment, Jizō Maruji stirred, waking from his brief doze…
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