Miracle Summoner

Generally speaking, when jujutsu of the same coefficient collide, the result is often not mutual cancellation but rather the stronger one absorbing the weaker one, thereby nullifying the opponent's technique while enhancing its own. This leads to an absolute advantage.

For example, in the case of jujutsu from Fudou Myouou, when Fire Realm Incantation collides with another Fire Realm Incantation, the stronger one will absorb the weaker one.

Even if the techniques are not identical, as long as they belong to the same system, this effect will be triggered.

For instance, Fire Realm Incantation is known as the Great Mantra of Fudou Myouou. If it collides with the Lesser Mantra of Fudou Myouou, the outcome is naturally that the former absorbs the latter. The same applies if it clashes with the Medium Mantra of Fudou Myouou. Even if it collides with Fudou Kinsoku, this effect will still be triggered.

This is because Immovable Golden Chain also belongs to the Fudou Myouou system. Since it shares the same classification as the Fudou Myouou Fire Arts such as Fire Realm Incantation, when they clash, the phenomenon of absorption and being absorbed will occur. Unless their power levels are nearly equal, a stalemate is unlikely.

In their first battle, when Rozen and Kagami Reiji simultaneously used Fire Realm Incantation, their jujutsu ended up in a deadlock for precisely this reason.

But now, Rozen's jutsuryoku has grown far beyond what it was back then, and his mastery of jujutsu has advanced tremendously. How could he possibly end up in a stalemate with Kagami Reiji again?

Even if Kagami Reiji has also improved over the past year and a half, compared to Rozen, that progress is insignificant.

Under these circumstances, when both of them unleashed Fire Realm Incantation simultaneously, the outcome was predictable.

Rozen's Fire Realm Incantation absorbed Kagami Reiji's Fire Realm Incantation effortlessly, transforming into an even more ferocious wave of fire surging towards him.

Kagami Reiji had somewhat anticipated this result, but he was still annoyed.

Using Fire Realm Incantation to directly clash like before was merely a test on his part.

Kagami Reiji wanted to know how much their power levels had changed after a year and a half.

And reality had given him a clear answer—Rozen's strength was still superior.

"—————"

Kagami Reiji immediately chanted the mantra of Kundali Vidyaraja, a deity symbolizing the expulsion of external enemies, reciting the Seed Syllable Mantra, which possessed an immensely powerful repelling effect.

"Boom——!"

The Seed Syllable Mantra converted Kagami Reiji's jutsuryoku into a thunderous shockwave, bursting forth.

The incoming firestorm was intercepted by the lightning, splitting apart and rushing to both sides as if cleaved in half.

"——————"

Standing amidst the firestorm, Kagami Reiji ignored the searing heat licking at his skin and pressed his palms together, loudly chanting a new incantation.

It was a jujutsu he had used before—one of the most powerful mantras among the countless extant true words, the Buddhottama Usnisavijaya Mantra.

At that moment, a surge of jutsuryoku wove itself into a roaring torrent, dispersing the firestorm while transforming into an avalanche-like force rushing toward Rozen.

Wherever it passed, the road, vehicles, and traffic lights were swept away as if consumed by a flood, all crushed beneath its might.

Yet Rozen remained unshaken, calmly chanting a Seed Syllable Mantra in response.

"——————"

This was the Seed Syllable Mantra of Mahavairocana, the sovereign who subdues hostile spirits, eradicates internal afflictions, and repels external foes.

The power of the Seed Syllable transformed into a jutsuryoku shockwave, just like Kagami Reiji's earlier technique, shattering the oncoming torrent.

However, Rozen's result was once again different from Kagami Reiji's—not merely splitting the incoming jujutsu to let it pass by on either side but utterly dispersing it, as if overturning a raging storm. The flood-like surge exploded into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.

Once again, this demonstrated the gap between Rozen and Kagami Reiji.

"Damn it!"

Kagami Reiji was furious, the veins on his forehead and temples bulging even more violently, revealing the sheer intensity of his frustration.

It wasn't just humiliation—it was the stark disparity in power that filled him with unwillingness and defiance.

Kagami Reiji had always relied on his jutsuryoku to dominate his opponents. Though he had trained extensively in jujutsu, it was primarily his enormous jutsuryoku that granted his techniques overwhelming power.

This had always been his advantage. Apart from Miyachi Iwao, he considered himself superior to any other Twelve Divine General–ranked national-class onmyoji in this regard.

But now, that advantage had completely vanished, and he was even being crushed in the most direct manner possible.

Seeing the mocking look in Rozen's eyes, Kagami Reiji didn't even need to think—he already knew what Rozen was about to say.

"What's wrong? Is that all?"

Rozen's words matched his expectations exactly.

At this moment, Rozen seemed as if he hadn't even gone all out, deliberately toying with him.

"I'll tear you apart!"

Kagami Reiji shouted in rage, abandoning brute force and suddenly leaping backward.

During his retreat, he rapidly threw out several talismans.

They were Shikifu.

And not just any Shikifu—they were original, custom-made Shiki-fu.

"Shikigami Generation!"

Kagami Reiji generated shikigami, summoning his own original artificial familiars onto the battlefield.

They were skeletal beasts, devoid of flesh, their entire forms composed solely of bones—artificial shikigami resembling undead creatures.

Twelve of these shikigami were created, rushing forward like a hunting wolf pack, encircling Rozen.

"Shikigami Generation!"

In response to Kagami Reiji's offensive, Rozen appeared to be imitating him, summoning twelve shikigami of his own. His Shikifu unfolded midair, transforming into a dozen Cat Binds, which pounced toward Kagami Reiji's forces.

The two sides' shikigami engaged in a chaotic battle, throwing the battlefield into turmoil.

Meanwhile, Rozen and Kagami Reiji had yet to halt their confrontation.

"Order!"

Kagami Reiji threw a talisman, igniting a wave of expanding flames.

"Order!"

Rozen once again countered his opponent in kind. The talisman he released radiated brilliance—

But unlike Kagami Reiji's fire talisman, Rozen's was a Water Talisman, summoning a torrent that surged forward to meet the incoming flames.

"Fire nourishes earth!"

Kagami Reiji swiftly formed a hand seal, activating a concealed talisman within the flames.

The hidden talisman was an Earth Talisman.

The flames were absorbed by the Earth Talisman, which caused the ground to tremble and crack apart, diverting the raging torrent into the fissures, making it vanish entirely.

Unfortunately for Kagami Reiji, his trick was far too crude to fool Rozen, who possessed Wise Eye.

"Water nourishes wood!"

Rozen had already cast a Water Talisman, letting it slip into the crevices in advance.

In the next moment, a surge of Wood Energy erupted—