Eichi was about to leave after investigating the situation, but new information came from within the shadows.
There were intruders.
His Cursed Energy covered the shadows he was lurking in, so he immediately detected the intruders when they approached within a certain range.
Eichi turned around, and a small dagger slashed toward his neck.
He raised his hand to block the attack.
Blood flowed, and the skin at the wound instantly turned purple.
"Poison?"
Eichi kicked the slender figure.
The figure was sent flying out of the shadows.
Only then did Eichi get a clear look at the person's appearance.
It was a woman, less than 1.5 meters tall, appearing somewhat frail.
She was referred to as a woman because her expression and gaze clearly lacked the innocence and immaturity of a child.
Given the historical scarcity of food in Japan, it was highly likely this person, who resembled a little girl, was actually an underdeveloped woman due to malnutrition in her youth.
"What happened?"
"Someone flew out just now."
The sudden commotion drew everyone's attention.
Eichi thought to himself, This is bad.
The shadow morphed into a beast's head full of sharp teeth, biting off the purple part of Eichi's arm.
His Reverse Cursed Technique activated, and the wound healed instantly.
Eichi decided to retreat.
"The intruder is in the shadows."
The Jujutsu Sorcerer who had been sent flying spoke.
"In the shadows?"
"Was it the outsider who snuck in earlier?"
Everyone immediately looked toward Eichi's location.
After seeing who had been sent flying, they didn't question her statement.
This Jujutsu Sorcerer, resurrected through Incarnation, had once served under warlords in chaotic times as a ninja and specialized in assassinations using shadow infiltration.
By now, Eichi had already moved to a different shadow and was preparing to leave the barrier.
Sizzle, sizzle.
The sound of burning flames echoed.
Streaks of fire snakes appeared within the barrier, and the previously dim surroundings were suddenly illuminated.
The fire snakes stopped moving.
The shadows within the barrier were now confined to a few narrow areas.
The connected shadows on the ground had been severed by the light.
Left with no choice, Eichi delved deeper into the shadows and leapt into another one.
"Over there!"
Boom.
The area where Eichi had been hiding was instantly bombarded with attacks.
A flurry of Cursed Technique attacks shattered the wall, forcing him to emerge from the shadows.
"A weakness."
A slender man holding a short blade lunged at Eichi's back.
Eichi turned and threw a punch.
Pfft.
The slender man abruptly froze, but the short blade had already pierced Eichi's left shoulder.
Eichi looked at the man's arm. His right hand had vanished.
That hand reappeared at Eichi's shoulder, as if it had detached and acted independently.
"Shadow Spear."
Tens of sharp spears burst forth from the shadows, stabbing toward the slender man.
He had no choice but to retreat.
The short blade embedded in Eichi's shoulder also disappeared.
So that's it. His Technique opens a small spatial gate within about five meters, allowing for surprise attacks.
Eichi quickly grasped the nature of the man's Technique.
By now, several people had already surrounded him.
Eichi began pouring Cursed Energy into the shadows.
"What a shame, I almost killed him."
The slender man licked the blood on his short blade.
"Aren't you all going to move? Killing him might earn you a reward from Lady Tamamo."
He looked around and asked.
"I don't care about rewards. Let me handle this guy."
"Move aside. If anyone's taking him down, it's me. I've been bored these past few days."
"Whoever's fastest gets him."
For a moment, they began arguing over who would fight Eichi.
Since their resurrection through Incarnation, Tamamo-no-Mae had ordered them not to leave the barrier until everyone had completed their Incarnation.
Initially, some disapproved.
But those who opposed her were instantly incinerated by Tamamo-no-Mae.
They had no choice but to remain inside the barrier and wait for her preparations to be completed.
Now, an enemy had appeared at last to relieve their boredom.
Naturally, they weren't going to let him go.
"Heh heh, hahahaha."
Eichi laughed, his anger reaching its peak.
"Huh? Kid, what are you laughing at?"
A burly man with a scarred face glared at him.
Eichi stared coldly at the people before him.
"I'm asking you..."
"Who exactly gave you the courage?"
A crazed smile crept across Eichi's lips.
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
The burly man had barely finished speaking when he was impaled by the shadow beneath his feet.
"You can't even use Reverse Cursed Technique. Trash."
The shadow flung the man's body into a corner.
"Everyone, attack!"
Over a dozen Jujutsu Sorcerers charged at Eichi.
"Limitless Cursed Technique: Ten Shadows Treasure Wheel."
Countless Rabbit Escape leapt from the shadows under Eichi's feet.
A white wave of Rabbit Escape blocked all incoming attacks and pushed the sorcerers back.
"Wah ah ah, damn rabbits!"
Rabbits bite when cornered.
Those engulfed by Rabbit Escape were treated to its full ferocity.
"Max Elephant, Nue, Chimera: Dumbo."
"Moo!"
Dumbo let out a thunderous roar.
A massive wave of water flooded the barrier.
Sizzle.
Purple lightning surged from Dumbo's body.
The electricity rapidly spread through the water, sending many Jujutsu Sorcerers into violent convulsions.
Shadows enveloped Eichi, shielding him from the current and carrying him swiftly through the water.
"Toad, Great Serpent."
With the Toad and the Great Serpent at his side, Eichi launched a brutal massacre within the flood.
Many Jujutsu Sorcerers inflicted serious damage on him using various strange abilities.
Where is that woman who can move through shadows?
Eichi's eyes constantly scanned the surroundings.
He was especially wary of that woman who could also maneuver through shadows.
Did she hide herself in a shadow?
Eichi began to sense the surrounding darkness.
Just then, a Jujutsu Sorcerer used all his strength to blast open a hole in the barrier's outer wall.
Rumble.
At first, it was just a small stream.
As the hole widened, all the water inside the barrier poured out like a raging flood.
Everyone inside, including Eichi, was swept out.
"Round Deer."
The moment he landed, Eichi activated healing.
At the same time, his gaze swept across the battlefield.
In just a few minutes, a portion of the ancient Jujutsu Sorcerers resurrected through Incarnation had already been killed.
Many of them had just been watching the fight moments ago, only to be overwhelmed by Eichi's wide-range AOE and killed before they could react.
But he didn't let his guard down due to this early success.
The remaining ones were not going to be easy to deal with.
There were still several whose Techniques he hadn't fully analyzed.
Above Eichi's head, the Ten Shadows Treasure Wheel began to rotate.
Dumbo disappeared.
In its place, Qiongqi, the most balanced and versatile shikigami, was summoned.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)