The summoned shikigami Tamainu, conjured by "Abe no Ariyuki," exchanged stability for greater destructive power. One after another, black shadow-hounds howled and lunged into the horde of hellspawn, claws ripping through floorboards and air alike. They carved through flesh like wolves unleashed upon a flock of sheep—wild, brutal, unstoppable.
But the Tamainu were few in number. In contrast, the demons from Hell poured endlessly from the gaping gate behind them. High above, Abe no Seimei looked down upon it all with serene detachment, watching as more and more demons bypassed the Tamainu and closed in around "Ariyuki."
"Oh no… how terrible… This humble monk appears to be in quite the dangerous situation~."
Grinning without a trace of concern, "Abe no Ariyuki" glanced at his embattled shikigami—then turned to the horde of demons and gathered onmyōji from the Mikado-in Clan glaring murderously at him.
"Mmmmm… is this where I die, I wonder?"
Foul-smelling roars echoed through the air. Burly, grotesque demons, each wielding a unique and vicious weapon, charged toward him, smashing the earth beneath their feet.
Seeing them, "Ariyuki" flung his arms up in mock terror and shouted theatrically:
"WAAAH! Don't come any closer! This humble monk has severe cleanliness issues! If you scare me, I really can't be held responsible for what might happen~!"
Then, ever so slightly, he lifted his eyes—glancing meaningfully at Seimei, still floating above—and raised a hand.
But before he could form the hand seals for a summoning, chains of spiritual energy burst from nowhere, coiling around his wrists and binding them tight.
"You think I'd just stand here and let you cast again?!"
Still locked in the stance of her incantation, Mikado-in Tenkai laughed maniacally.
"With your hands bound, there's no summoning for you!"
"Wha? Such underhanded tactics—how cunning!"
"Abe no Ariyuki" widened his eyes in feigned shock… then smiled calmly.
"Well then, guess this humble monk will just have to show a little more."
In the next instant, his robes tore open—and from beneath, a second pair of arms emerged. They formed a hand seal without hesitation.
His grin stretched wider, wicked and gleaming.
"[Come forth with thunder—Nue]."
Clear skies darkened.
Thunderclouds rolled in from nowhere, blackening the heavens. Lightning cracked across the sky, splitting it wide.
The ceiling above shattered.
A massive avian beast descended, face covered in a white bone mask. Electricity danced across its wings and limbs like living snakes of light.
Pale lightning surged down with explosive force. As the most destructive element of nature, it reduced demons to ash with every strike. Even Hell-forged monsters, resistant to infernal fire, perished instantly beneath that pale-blue blaze.
"Ooooh, good girl, good girl~ You came right away when I called."
Perched atop Nue's head, "Abe no Ariyuki" stroked the creature's feathers in a squatting pose, completely at ease.
"Same name, maybe—but you're much more lovable than that gold-haired brat over there."
As if it understood, Nue gave a piercing screech. The lightning crashing down from above grew thicker.
"Abe no Ariyuki" hadn't lowered his voice in the slightest. Every Mikado-in head and Abe no Seimei himself heard the jab—and their expressions darkened as one.
Then, space collapsed.
The miniature black hole—the same one that had previously reduced everything to nothing—descended once again. Not even the lightning cloaking Nue could protect it.
Before the vortex touched down, "Abe no Ariyuki" leapt clear. But Nue, being far too large, was caught and instantly erased.
He landed gently in the courtyard, eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh? Lost your temper? That's no way to lead a new world. So petty."
"No more games, jester."
Seimei finally stepped forward.
He would act personally.
"The progress of this new world cannot be stopped. Become dust beneath its wheels."
A black sphere, larger than any before, formed in his hand. Even nearby demons were torn apart and consumed by it—Seimei showed no concern.
"So… that's Father's true power…"
Abe no Kippei raised an arm instinctively to shield himself, eyes wide with awe.
"Hahahaha! As expected of our lord! With such might, no one can stand against us!"
Tenkai wept openly, overwhelmed with admiration.
The world twisted and darkened. The black sphere expanded like a gateway to another dimension. Rocks, buildings, trees, rivers—everything was pulled toward it, swallowed whole.
Wind howled violently.
"Abe no Ariyuki" crouched low to avoid being sucked in, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
"Wow. Not even sparing your own troops? That's… classic Seimei. So pure and earnest…"
Having made up his mind, he whispered his next incantation under his breath.
As the enormous black sphere drew closer, his lips moved:
"[Kyūkō, Polar Light, Crows and Proclamation, Between Reflection and Form]—"
Crimson and cobalt merged at his fingertips, swirling into a radiant violet.
"[Void Style: Shi]."
And then—the storm ceased. The world fell silent.
The two annihilative forces collided.
Color drained from reality, leaving only monochrome. Black and white.
Life and death. Light and shadow. Inside and out. All boundaries inverted and warped. Chaos consumed the rules of existence.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The dharma wheel hovering above "Abe no Ariyuki" turned thrice—
And he disintegrated.
It was as if a million years had passed in a single breath. His body withered to dust, scattered by the wind.
Even he, with his absurd defenses, was annihilated in an instant.
The rest fared no better.
The tide of demons was obliterated on contact. Flesh stronger than steel was worthless before the power of temporal collapse.
Like leaves on a wave, they were torn apart, helpless before the current.
Even the Mikado-in clan heads—those who stood at the very pinnacle of onmyōji power—were utterly helpless.
Ouraketsu's colossal shikigami. Kippei's lightning that could command the skies. Mizuhiruko's fusion of the five elements…
All unleashed their strongest arts. None could slow the tide.
Despair.
Their pride, born of dominance, crumbled like sand beneath a tsunami.
Satisfied, Seimei raised his arms and began his true invocation.
"Star's shadow. Sky's shadow. Will's shadow. God's shadow."
"Look, my children! This is my trump card! The embryonic shape of the miracle I shall complete! Remember the helplessness of gazing into the heavens—kneel, as before a god! Let this tree root into the void, corrode, cover, and grow—upon this wasteland, I will build my divine kingdom!"
A moment later, stars filled their vision.
It was as if they had been cast adrift in a sea of constellations.
As their senses returned, they realized—
This wasn't a starfield.
It was a tree. A massive, universe-spanning tree, its roots coiling through the void, its branches reaching beyond the stars.
Before its immensity, even planets seemed like dust.
Their souls quaked. Their minds recoiled.
Amid such cosmic depth, their wills were as fragile as paper.
Colossal branches reached down. Even time and space themselves could not shake them. Beneath the canopy was peace—a hallowed sanctuary immune to chaos.
And Seimei—stood at its heart.
He was the god of this realm.
"…"
It defied comprehension.
Their minds refused to process what they were seeing. The clan heads stood speechless, minds blanked by sheer awe.
Bathed in violet light, they stared out from within the tree.
"…Ah… ahh…"
Tears welled unbidden.
They looked at Seimei's back as if worshiping a messiah.
"You see it now, don't you, my children?" Seimei's voice rang with glory.
"This is our strength. A force beyond even the gods—a key to remake this corrupted world."
He spread his arms wide as if to embrace all creation.
"In the thousand years I've been gone, the world changed more than I imagined. Yōkai like Nurarihyon, who refuse to bow, can be crushed with a gesture. But I did not expect… such a brilliant onmyōji to arise in this age."
"Regrettably, that onmyōji is a fool. He stood against us—against this sacred order."
Fanatical fervor ignited in their eyes. They responded instantly.
"What an ignorant wretch! A fool who, drunk on his own meager talent, dares defy our lord!"
"He had some skill, I admit. His shikigami gave us trouble. But compared to Lord Seimei, he was like a flea trying to stop a carriage."
"He died too easily. He should've been broken, humiliated—made to drown in his own despair. That would've taught him not to meddle again in his next life."
"Someone that dumb will probably reincarnate as a maggot. Crushed in a filthy alley without anyone noticing—fitting, really!"
They rejoiced in Seimei's power, celebrated the approaching birth of the new world.
Until—
"He's not dead."
Seimei's words halted the chorus instantly. Shock rippled across every face.
Impossible.
No one could survive that.
"That wasn't his true body. Just a shikigami."
Seimei's tone was serious now, firm and exacting.
"That's why I acknowledged him. That one shikigami pushed you all this far—and fought me to a draw. His concealment techniques were so flawless I only sensed the truth the moment it was destroyed."
After a pause, he added solemnly:
"Even in my prime, I don't know if I could've defeated that man."
It hit like lightning splitting the heavens.
The Mikado-in Clan heads were stunned speechless.
Their lord. Their god. Their celestial star—had just placed that mysterious onmyōji on his level.
Reality itself felt like a hallucination.
Their faith in Seimei wavered. He'd expected it—and didn't care.
Because his confidence lay elsewhere.
"If that man had existed a thousand years ago… he might have truly stopped me. But now—it's too late."
"Fate itself has recognized the righteousness of my dream. It has opened the path to my success!"
His voice rose like a sermon.
Then, he pointed to the colossal tree behind him.
"This—the Fantasy Tree—is my greatest prize from Hell! A divine entity capable of overwriting reality with fantasy! It harmonizes perfectly with my astral manipulation arts! That is how I gained basic control in such a short time."
"When it fully matures, our eternal paradise will be real!"
"And so—my descendants!"
Seimei's voice thundered.
"Purge this world of filth! Accelerate the Fantasy Tree's growth!"
"I have high expectations for you."
"With me here… and with the Fantasy Tree at our backs…"
"There shall be no foes before us."
---
T/N: bro is just using jujutsu kaisen cursed techniques
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