"—So, for those reasons, Shikigami Techniques have characteristics such as 'moving 100% on the sorcerer's cursed energy', 'requiring an object to serve as a medium', 'manual control', 'requiring a taming ritual by the sorcerer alone', 'becoming unusable forever if completely destroyed', and 'having no soul since Shikigami are not living things'."
"I see!"
"On the other hand, Cursed Spirit Manipulation has characteristics like 'moving on the cursed spirit's own cursed energy after summoning', 'no medium required', 'automatic control', 'taming can be skipped if there is a gap in strength, and cooperation is allowed if necessary', 'becoming unusable forever if completely destroyed', and 'having a soul since cursed spirits are living things'. So, while they look similar, they are quite different."
"Indeed. However, looking only at this, Shikigami Techniques do not seem bad, do they...?"
"That is true. But if you look at the features one by one, you understand the 'hassle'. First, the point that they move 100% on the sorcerer's cursed energy and that control is manual. This means that 'operating a large army' is basically impossible. One good point is that because they are composed of the sorcerer's cursed energy, they can be the target or activation point of an Innate Technique."
"Ah, so if you move a lot of them, you run out of cursed energy quickly, and controlling them is tough."
"Exactly. Next is the need for a medium. This means the sorcerer has to carry the 'Shikigami's medium' around whenever the Shikigami isn't active."
"Ah, I can imagine that. Like paper charms, right?"
"Yeah. But in the case of paper charms, they are frankly just scraps of paper, right? Therefore, their durability ends up being appropriate for a scrap of paper."
"I see..."
"And next is the taming ritual. This is a ritual where the sorcerer alone must subdue the Shikigami... Although cursed tools and other Shikigami can be used, this implies that 'the Shikigami is weaker than the sorcerer'."
"Ah! That's true! I see..."
"And finally, the point about having no soul. This means you cannot treat them as disposable using a Binding of 'risking one's life'. With my Cursed Spirit Manipulation, I could order a random Fly Head to 'stake your whole existence and die' to self-destruct, and it would create an explosion about the size of a grenade. With a Shikigami, you can at most place a Binding like 'sacrificing a Shikigami I went to the trouble of creating', so the weight is inevitably lighter."
"I see. I understand well. It certainly seems like mediocre performance for all the various hassles."
"Yes. Though of course, they are extremely convenient for uses other than direct combat. Like reconnaissance or chores."
"I see... Thank you very much, Geto-senpai!"
"Thank you very much."
"You are welcome. ...So, Naoya, based on this, what do you think Haibara should do?"
Having said that, Geto passed the ball from his Shikigami lecture back to Naoya. Naoya responded, "Nice assist, Geto-kun. Thanks," and made a proposal to Haibara.
"Well, just like he taught ya. Shikigami Techniques are hard to fight with. For the time being, how about Barrier Techniques? It's a difficult skill, but in exchange, it offers a lotta freedom. Of course, cursed energy manipulation is important too. That's the ABCs of jujutsu battles."
"I see... Thank you, everyone!"
"Don't mention it. Since we're at it, wanna experience a barrier? Just a trial though."
"...Is such a thing possible?"
"I would definitely like to request it!"
"Me too, me too."
"I guess I'm interested if such a thing is possible."
"I might be curious too, I suppose."
"What the heck, you senpais are doin' it too? Well, I don't mind, but the method involves takin' my technique, ya know?"
Immediately after Naoya said that, Gojo clapped his hands as if he understood.
"...Ah, so that's it. I completely understood. ...Your Technique Reversal is seriously perverted. You can even do things like that?"
"Satoru-kun, as expected, you're sharp. You get it? Placing 'frames' applies to cursed energy manipulation too. Though I can't affect Innate Techniques."
"Well, I took it once during the Precure incident... Still, Naoya's Reversal... it's super convenient. Let's try various things next time."
"Do ya think I'm Doraemon?"
"No, it's not that convenient. Don't get full of yourself."
"Satoru, I think you should learn to choose your words a bit better."
"Ugh, a sound argument. I hate sound arguments..."
"It's not just a sound argument, it's common sense. You're amazing but an idiot... Gojo. An amazing idiot."
At Shoko Ieiri's reaction, laughing cacklingly as if amazed, Gojo received a shock greater than when Geto said it, froze, and then suddenly rebooted with a serious face.
"Even Shoko!? ...Eh, seriously? Am I that bad? Naoya? What do you think, Naoya?"
"No, not really? It's the Three Families, right? Having a personality like gutter scum is something we're born with. I don't really mind it; it's daily life. ...But well, by the standards of normal people, if you were sued, you'd lose, wouldn't ya? You'd probably be charged with power harassment and intimidation."
"Seriously... I intended not to be as rotten as the geezers in the higher-ups though..."
"Gojo is totally depressed. That's funny."
"...Is the morality of the jujutsu world that terrible?"
"Curses originate from negative emotions, right? The Three Families are bloodlines of scum that have scrutinized negative thinking to the extreme. You could say the high frequency of gutter scum is an occupational disease. Satoru-kun is a provoking piece of trash, but he's on the better side, even like this."
"...I see. I have come to an amazing world."
"People from sorcerer families have their own family struggles, huh..."
"I wondered why Satoru provokes people so much when he's a good kid at heart, but I see."
"...Suguru, why do you sometimes look at me with my mom's eyes?"
"True. Geto Mama... Pfft."
Amidst the students' chatter, which was veering further and further off-topic, the chime announcing lunch rang through the dormitory.
As a result, the Barrier Technique experience session was rescheduled for the afternoon, and the group headed to the dorm cafeteria together on good terms.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]