The next day, Hayashi En woke up unusually early.
He planned to exorcise all the shikigami today, except for Mahoraga.
According to the original story, the ten shikigami corresponding to the Zenin family's hereditary Ten Shadows Technique all require an exorcism ritual; they can only be used after being defeated.
Furthermore, during the ritual, if anyone other than the sorcerer themselves participates, the ritual will not be successful.
However, for Hayashi En, he had a natural advantage in exorcising shikigami.
Unlike the sorcerers in the original work, he had two cursed techniques at his disposal.
Combined with his current Special Grade combat power, while he wasn't sure about Mahoraga yet, the other shikigami were as good as his.
...
Three hours later, deep within a secluded forest.
Junpei stepped out of the car and looked at his boss.
"Boss, did we come all this way to deal with some dangerous cursed spirit?"
"No, it's personal business."
Hayashi En straightened his suit cuffs and retrieved the black cane, [Golden Order], from the trunk.
This was a remote location Hayashi En had specifically chosen.
Bringing Junpei along was purely because Hayashi En was too lazy to drive.
After all, what kind of boss drives himself?
He pointed at the shadow beneath his feet and smiled.
"Junpei, retreat outside the barrier. No matter what you see, do not interfere."
"Understood."
Junpei obediently retreated behind a tree trunk a hundred meters away.
Hayashi En stood in the open forest clearing and took a deep breath.
"Let's start with something easy to warm up."
With one hand in his pocket, Hayashi En casually formed a hand seal with his right hand. His cursed energy flowed into the shadows following a specific circuit.
"Exorcism—[Toad]."
Ribbit!
Along with a dull, thunderous croak, the shadow on the ground suddenly surged up, transforming into a mass of pitch-black fluid.
Immediately after, a giant toad shikigami the size of a small car leapt out.
A shikigami's power is tied to its sorcerer.
The Toad Fushiguro Megumi summoned was barely half a person tall, but here with Hayashi En, it was as large as a compact car.
In its un-exorcised, berserk state, the Toad's cloudy eyes instantly locked onto the only living thing before it.
Swish!
Without a moment's pause, a long pink tongue shot out like a high-pressure water gun, carrying a nauseating stench and enough kinetic energy to pierce steel, heading straight for Hayashi En's face.
"Tsk, tsk."
Hayashi En stood his ground, not even blinking.
The moment the long tongue was about to touch the tip of his nose, he moved.
His left hand, coated in a thin layer of cursed energy, darted out at a speed invisible to the naked eye, unexpectedly seizing the slimy, high-speed tongue!
Crack!
A crisp crack erupted in the air.
The massive kinetic energy was instantly neutralized by Hayashi En's system-enhanced Special Grade physique. The resulting gust of wind tousled his bangs, but his leather shoes didn't move an inch.
"The strength is decent. Good for controlling small fry."
Hayashi En offered a casual critique.
In the next second, the muscles in his arm suddenly tightened.
"Get... over here!"
Boom!
Terrifying monstrous strength erupted.
The massive Toad was actually yanked off the ground by Hayashi En like he was swinging a yo-yo!
The giant frog's body drew a helpless arc through the air before slamming heavily into the dirt at Hayashi En's feet, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Before the Toad could struggle to its feet, a cold cane was already pressed against its forehead.
[Ratio Technique].
*Pfft.*
The Toad let out a weak wail before its body rapidly disintegrated, turning into a docile pool of shadow that flowed back beneath Hayashi En's feet.
[EXORCISM SUCCESSFUL.]
From a distance, Junpei watched, dumbfounded.
That was a shikigami with Grade 2 or even Semi-Grade 1 strength! Did the boss just one-shot it?
"Easy. Next."
Just as Hayashi En was about to continue the exorcisms, he suddenly felt a restriction from the technique.
Sensing it carefully, he realized the issue.
There was a required cooldown period between two exorcism rituals.
"It takes about half an hour."
Hayashi En scratched his head in annoyance; this was slightly outside his plan.
He could sense that the further he progressed with the exorcisms, the longer the intervals required.
It seemed completing all the exorcisms today would be impossible.
...
Thud!
Following a dull thud.
A terrifying white serpent, thick enough to require two people to encircle it, crashed to the ground.
The smoke and dust cleared.
Hayashi En stepped on the Great Serpent's head with one foot, elegantly flicking non-existent dust off his cane.
The giant snake beneath his feet rolled its eyes back, having completely lost its ability to resist, letting out a whimper of submission.
[EXORCISM SUCCESSFUL.]
"Whew..."
Hayashi En let out a soft breath.
He checked the time.
Less than ten minutes had passed.
In the distance, Junpei had become completely numb to the spectacle.
As he watched the giant serpent—resembling a mythical creature—meekly vanish into the shadows, he gained a new understanding of his boss's strength.
To Hayashi En's perception, the next exorcism ritual would require a two-hour interval.
Thus, he ordered Junpei to bring the camping equipment from the car.
With the help of the tentacles of Junpei's shikigami, Moon Dregs, the campsite was set up, and a hot pot began to bubble and steam.
Hayashi En picked up a freshly cooked slice of Wagyu beef and popped it into his mouth while it was hot; the rich fat exploded with flavor.
While swishing the meat in the pot, Junpei asked curiously, "Boss, how do you know the Zenin family's hereditary technique? Are you a member of the Zenin family?"
Hayashi En let out a light chuckle.
"Of course not. Don't go poking your nose into things."
Junpei hummed in response, then followed up.
"And about promising Geto Suguru to resurrect Sukuna that day... are you really going through with it? Sukuna sounds like bad news."
"Of course. A Binding Vow is nothing to play around with."
Hayashi En curled his lip.
"Besides, I already intended to resurrect Sukuna anyway."
Under Junpei's surprised gaze, Hayashi En shrugged.
"I'm a businessman. I don't care who the other party is; I only care about how much profit I can make."
"For me, resurrecting Sukuna leads to a future that suits me better."
Having finished, seeing Junpei shivering slightly, Hayashi En added with a smile:
"But, a businessman is still, at the end of the day, a man."
"I can make deals with cursed spirits, but I will never stand on their side."
...
Two hours later.
The sky had grown dark.
Hayashi En stood up and stretched his neck.
"Next is Nue."
This shikigami was extremely useful in the original story.
It solved the problem of sorcerers being unable to fly.
Furthermore, it could release lightning; it was a high-value shikigami in every sense.
Hayashi En crossed his hands, forming the shape of a bird.
"Come out for some fresh air, [Nue]."
Screech!
A sharp, piercing cry instantly pierced the heavens.
A monstrous bird wearing a human face mask, its body wreathed in violent orange-red electricity, soared into the sky.
Upon appearing, Nue didn't charge mindlessly like the first two. Instead, it relied on instinct to sense the danger radiating from the man on the ground.
It cunningly increased its altitude, circling a hundred meters in the air, and beat its wings.
Zap! Zap! Zap!
Countless feathers wreathed in high-voltage electricity poured down like a torrential rainstorm!
"Oh? Trying to kite me?"
Hayashi En strolled through the storm of lightning, dodging with ease as he watched the high-flying bird.
"Pretty smart."
"However..."
Hayashi En suddenly snapped his fingers.
"I have just the 'brother' to deal with you!"
The shadows boiled.
The previously exorcised [Great Serpent] appeared once more!
But this time, it wasn't there to attack. Instead, it coiled and compressed its massive body like a super-spring ready to trigger.
Hayashi En stepped onto the Great Serpent's head, bending his knees slightly.
"Send me up!"
The Great Serpent's terrifying muscular strength erupted instantly, launching him like a catapult!
Whoosh!
Hayashi En himself became a bolt of black lightning, instantly crossing a vertical distance of a hundred meters and appearing above Nue, defying the laws of physics!
A hint of panic seemed to cross Nue's eerie human face mask.
It tried to flap its wings and escape, but it was too late.
The cane in Hayashi En's hand was already raised high, his Special Grade cursed energy pouring out without reservation.
"Get... down!"
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