Chapter 124: Tiger's Shadow
Ren thrust out both hands.
In an instant, each transformed into the snow-white claws of Divine Dog: Totality.
With one claw striking left and the other right, he slammed both shikigami away simultaneously.
The wolf and tiger were sent crashing across the ground.
Watching them writhe in pain, Ren's eyes gleamed with growing excitement.
That Divine Dog: Totality no longer belonged to Megumi.
Or rather, it had belonged to him.
Moments ago, it had sacrificed itself to protect its master and had been slain by Tiger Funeral.
"So... puppet manipulation..."
Ren watched Tiger Funeral shake the dust from its fur before calmly rising to its feet again, deep in thought.
It seemed capable of seizing the souls of those it killed and manipulating them like puppets.
Interesting.
Perhaps its ability to injure souls was merely a secondary effect.
Its true technique was the manipulation of souls.
While its mastery over souls was nowhere near the terrifying level of that blue-haired stitched-faced cursed spirit, the ability to command the souls of the dead was still an exceptionally powerful technique.
At last...
This shikigami had finally piqued Ren's interest.
"Got anything else to show me?"
he asked with an eager grin, staring directly at Tiger Funeral.
Nearby, the fallen Divine Dog: Totality staggered back onto its feet.
Compared to Tiger Funeral, its strength had always been inferior, so the blow it had just received had left it in far worse condition.
A strange light flickered within Tiger Funeral's massive eyes.
Divine Dog: Totality suddenly shuddered, as though receiving an unseen command.
Dragging its battered body, it began circling Ren.
At the same time, Tiger Funeral moved in the opposite direction.
Wolf and tiger split apart, slowly forming a pincer attack from both sides.
Ren paid them little attention.
As for Divine Dog: Totality...
Although they both wielded the same "dog claws," his version was fundamentally different.
His Divine Dog: Totality had been created through a perfect fusion, making it significantly stronger than Megumi's original.
On top of that, it had devoured one of Sukuna's fingers and evolved even further.
If Ren hadn't deliberately suppressed the invisible blade of cursed energy coating his claws during their previous clash—simply to compare the strength of the two versions—
Megumi's Divine Dog would have been killed a second time with a single strike.
As for Tiger Funeral...
Its ability to damage the soul alone posed no real threat to him.
Because Ren could perceive the outline of souls, he could reinforce and protect his own soul with cursed energy.
Their earlier exchange had already proven as much.
If he weren't intentionally testing the limits of Tiger Funeral's abilities...
He could have ended the fight in a single blow.
Ren let out a quiet sigh.
What a hassle.
The shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique only revealed their full abilities after they had been subdued. Until then, all a user knew was the basics—their names and appearances.
The Zen'in Clan probably had detailed records passed down through the generations.
But considering Megumi's relationship with the Zen'in family...
That wasn't exactly an option.
For now, all Ren could do was what he was doing now—test each shikigami bit by bit.
Tiger Funeral and Divine Dog: Totality roared and lunged at him together once more.
Bang! Bang!
Boom!
Slash!
...
After exchanging dozens more blows, Ren finally confirmed that Tiger Funeral had no hidden abilities left.
His clawed hands reverted to normal.
With a flick of all ten fingers, countless invisible blades shot through the air, instantly carving the tiger into countless fragments.
"Senior!"
At the same moment, two anxious voices called out from behind him.
Ren turned around.
What greeted him were Tsumiki's worried eyes and Megumi's pale, absent-minded face.
Round Deer was still channeling healing energy into him, but it wasn't having the slightest effect.
Ren hurried over and grasped Megumi's injured arm.
A torrent of positive energy from Reverse Cursed Technique poured into the wound.
In the blink of an eye—
Megumi's severed arm was completely restored.
"W-Why...?"
Color slowly returned to Megumi's face as he stared at his restored arm in disbelief.
"Why didn't Round Deer's Reverse Cursed Technique work on me?"
"It's not that Round Deer's Reverse Cursed Technique failed," Ren explained. "It's that ordinary Reverse Cursed Technique doesn't work on this kind of injury."
"Because you can't perceive the soul."
"The wound was inflicted directly upon your soul. It has to be healed at the soul level."
"A shikigami's abilities are limited by its summoner's understanding. Since you can't perceive souls, Round Deer can't heal your soul either."
"That's why its Reverse Cursed Technique was ineffective."
"...The soul?"
Megumi repeated the word, his eyes filled with confusion.
"That's right."
Ren nodded.
"Tiger Funeral attacks the soul directly. No matter how tough your body is, physical durability means nothing against it."
"And by the same logic, no matter how powerful your Reverse Cursed Technique is, it can't heal wounds inflicted upon the soul."
"That's why I told you not to challenge it again until you've obtained a way to deal with soul-based attacks."
"If you can't perceive your own soul and reinforce it with cursed energy..."
"...then every one of its attacks is a one-hit kill."
"What a terrifying shikigami..."
Megumi murmured, his expression filled with lingering fear.
"It truly lives up to the name Tiger Funeral."
Ren nodded.
"So far, it's undoubtedly the most lethal of all the Ten Shadows shikigami."
At that moment, Tsumiki interrupted their conversation.
"Senior..."
She looked at him intently.
"You said... souls."
"You can actually perceive them?"
"Hm?"
Ren blinked.
"Yes. Why?"
Tsumiki stiffened ever so slightly.
"N-Nothing."
She quickly composed herself, though her expression remained somewhat strange.
"I just think..."
"...it sounds very convenient."
Before Ren could ask what she meant, she smiled mischievously.
"For dating."
She gave him a playful wink.
"If you can perceive souls..."
"...wouldn't it be easy to find your soulmate?"
Watching his usually gentle and graceful sister suddenly display such playful teasing, Megumi's face—only just beginning to regain its color—turned pale again.
A surge of blood rushed to his chest.
He doubled over, coughing violently.
Ren, meanwhile, could only smile helplessly at Tsumiki's teasing.
"If only it were that simple."
"I only gained this ability because of... certain experiences."
"To be precise, I can only sense the outline of a soul."
"I can't clearly see its inner nature or essence."
Then he looked at her curiously.
"But why are you so interested in this?"
"Oh, nothing."
Tsumiki smiled naturally.
"I was just curious."
"Being able to perceive souls..."
"...that's really amazing, Senior."
"Uh..."
Ren scratched his cheek, blushing slightly under the admiration shining in her bright, watery eyes.
"There's nothing that amazing about it."
"It's only the most basic level of perception."
"And besides... it isn't even something I earned through my own efforts."
He couldn't help feeling that Tsumiki was praising him far too much.
Come to think of it...
She'd been acting like this rather often lately.
Around everyone else, she was always elegant, composed, and impeccably polite.
But whenever she was with him...
Every now and then she'd unconsciously do things that almost seemed like she was trying to please him—even flatter him.
Is it because...
she wants to win the favor of the person she likes?
The thought crossed Ren's mind, and an involuntary smile spread across his face.
Now that he'd realized it...
He found that he rather enjoyed this strangely endearing side of her.
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