-540- Then let me join

"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo————!"

The Chimera's howl transformed into a pitch-black tempest, swirling across the entire training ground. The true form of this inky tempest was entirely composed of miasma, causing disruptions in the spiritual energy within the Onmyo Academy, gradually giving birth to new spiritual disasters.

The entity known as Nue had fully evolved to Phase 4. Its monstrous form stood defiantly in the center of the training ground, howling amidst the dark wind, propelling the shockwave of miasma towards all directions.

In the face of this pitch-black miasma storm, the two independent exorcists exhibited their respective prowess.

"Even if you evolved, there's nothing to be too arrogant about," Kagami Reiji remarked, his hands still casually tucked inside his pockets.

He looked at the Phase 4 Nue without a hint of solemnity, wearing an expression of disdain on his face, while his magical power surged.

"————!"

Reiji then casually sang a set of words, almost like a hum.

The usage of this word didn't last a second, and the user himself didn't even move a muscle.

However, this word conjured a tremendous force.

"Boom!"

An impact akin to lightning expanded from Kagami Reiji, shattering, crushing, and dispersing all the oncoming miasma. It displayed extraordinary power.

Regardless of whether it was magic or jujutsu, they shared many commonalities due to their converging paths. One of the commonalities was that the incanted words themselves were a form of power.

In both magic and jujutsu, chanting incantations was the most fundamental way to utilize their respective powers.

However, in jujutsu, some words would transform into power the moment they were chanted.

Among them, the most famous were two kinds.

One was "Kotodama" or Word Spirit.

The other was "Majin" or Seed Words.

The former empowered one's speech with compelling force, enabling them to influence an opponent's mind, compelling the opponent to act according to what was said—a jujutsu technique.

The latter involves empowering the shortest words to manifest effects in reality when chanted, making it a type of sorcery that influences the immediate environment as the words are spoken.

To offer an analogy, Kotodama is akin to hypnosis, enabling one to coerce the subject into actions according to their instructions.

On the other hand, Majin is the weaponization of speech, capable of inflicting harm on adversaries or providing defense.

Due to their domineering effects and the difficulty in execution, both of these branches of magic are categorized under the Imperial-style. They are well-known types within the 'Imperial Onmyojutsu,' to be precise.

Currently, Kagami Reiji is utilizing Majin, specifically invoking the mantra of Bishamonten, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. This holds a powerful repelling effect.

Compared to Kagami Reiji, Kogure Zenjirou faced the incoming overwhelming miasma with equal ease.

"Clang!"

With a crisp sound, Kogure Zenjirou unsheathed the sword at his waist.

———The 'Omnipotent Sword.'

This was Kogure Zenjirou's moniker.

Like an onmyoji who wielded various jujutsu as weapons, Kogure Zenjirou's weapon was this sword he held in his hand.

Using a sword as a weapon didn't mean Kogure Zenjirou wasn't an onmyoji.

Even if one excelled in swordsmanship, humans were extremely fragile when faced with spiritual disasters and jujutsu.

Thus, Kogure Zenjirou was both a swordsman and a formidable onmyoji.

"———————"

Kogure Zenjirou chanted an incantation that resonated with the atmosphere of the battlefield.

It was a subjugation mantra beseeching Bishamonten, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. As Kogure Zenjirou recited the mantra of the war god, he received the god's blessing. An immense and dense spiritual energy enveloped him, causing a leap in Kogure Zenjirou's spiritual power.

Under this blessing from the war god, Kogure Zenjirou's physical capabilities surged, and the potent spiritual energy throughout his body transformed into jutsuryoku, converging on the blade in his hand.

This was the origin of the 'Omnipotent Sword.'

With the blessing of the war god, Kogure Zenjirou not only gained inhuman strength, but also compressed his spiritual power into the sword he wielded, turning it into a blade of spiritual force. Its power was enough to sever all, akin to Rozen's 'Magic Resilience,' albeit with a different approach.

However, unlike 'Magic Resilience,' which infused psychic energy into the weapon in the form of a blade, Kogure Zenjirou compressed the jutsuryoku within the blade to create a slashing force. This not only had exceptional power, but it could also inflict damage on spiritual energy and spiritual entities.

However, this elevated the requirements for the quality of the weapon itself. If the quality couldn't withstand the immense jutsuryoku, it was not only a question of whether it could endure the potent jutsuryoku, but also whether the jutsuryoku could flow into it—a variable unknown.

For this reason, the sword Kogure Zenjirou wielded wasn't an ordinary weapon. It was a talisman blessed by Great Tengu, a genuine divine sword named ———— 'Second Norimune.'

Kogure Zenjirou raised the 'Second Norimune' against the Chimera, allowing the spiritual pressure of the divine sword to soar. The space centered around the blade seemed to twist.

"Clang!"

Kogure Zenjirou swung the Heavenly Demon Sword.

The magical slashing strike instantly transformed into a crescent moon arc, carrying dense and potent jutsuryoku, slashing through the air and aiming ahead.

"Splitch!"

Amidst the resounding and crisp cutting sound, the onslaught of the pitch-black miasma was completely severed and sent scattering.

The advantage of a blade of spiritual force lay here; it not only could create physical destructive power but could also inflict harm on spiritual energy and spiritual bodies."

The two independent exorcists each used their spiritual powers to eliminate the oncoming miasma.

"————————"

Following this, both Kogure Zenjirou and Kagami Reiji chanted the incantation for the 'Fire Realm Incantation,' summoning fire and creating flames that turned into explosive gusts, sweeping towards the Chimera.

For exorcists, this jutsu was the standard purification technique against spiritual disasters. Most active exorcists would have learned the incantation for the 'Fire Realm Incantation.' Even when facing a Phase4-level Chimera, this technique showed significant effectiveness.

As a result, the flames burned the miasma, incinerating it and even scorching the air, extending directly to the Chimera, setting it ablaze.

"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo————!"

The Chimera roared in what seemed like a mixture of pain and anger, immersed in flames. However, it relentlessly used its own miasma to resist and showed no signs of weakening.

Seeing this, Kogure Zenjirou and Kagami Reiji immediately understood.

"Not enough firepower?"

"Tsk!"

Kogure Zenjirou frowned, while Kagami Reiji clicked his tongue in response.

Yes, it wasn't that the 'Fire Realm Incantation' was ineffective against the Chimera, but relying solely on their spiritual powers couldn't match the scale of a Phase4.

This was a level that required the involvement of the entire Exorcism Division for a successful purification.

For Kogure Zenjirou and Kagami Reiji alone, even though they wouldn't be at a disadvantage, purifying the Chimera wouldn't be an easy task.

Unless...

"Then let me join."

A voice chimed in.

"————————"

Flames surged with the incantation, sweeping through the air and rushing towards the Chimera.

"Boom!"

The flames met in mid-air, the jutsuryoku of the three 'Twelve Divine Generals' intertwining and forming a massive conflagration against the Chimera.

The Chimera's cries finally turned into ones of agony.

"It's you?"

"Hmph!"

Kogure Zenjirou looked at the newcomer in surprise, while Kagami Reiji's face turned serious, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.

"Let me do it."

Rozen ignored Kogure Zenjirou's surprise and Kagami Reiji's hostility, and walked slowly towards them.

His gaze fell on the Chimera.