Low-Fantasy Occultist Isekai

Creating a shikigami was a basic invocation technique, commonly used by Onmyōdō practitioners for errands. It used to be a much more respected ability, but as summoning powerful spirits became impossible, it became a minor utility skill.

Nick hadn't bothered with it in this life because he rarely needed such weak constructs when he could do so much on his own, and he didn't know enough about the local spirits to attempt to subjugate the more powerful ones. But now, it was precisely the solution to his problem: a simple, disposable minion that could lure Jack away without jeopardizing Nick's secrets.

I won't even need to capture a sprite for this. Just a touch of willpower is enough.

He snuck around the back of a mossy log, carefully making it look like he was checking a bush for berries. There, he found an armload of fallen twigs and a tuft of dry grass. Settling onto his haunches, he began assembling the puppet, binding the sticks into a vaguely humanoid shape with the grass, creating a rough skeleton of limbs and a torso.

He created a faint swirl of air to muffle any sounds he made, using [Wind God's Third Eye] to ensure Jack was still far enough away that he couldn't see him. He sensed his presence drifting closer as he tried to see what Nick was doing, but he couldn't traverse the clearing without being spotted, forcing him to take the long route around.

The shikigami was nearly complete within a couple of minutes—a spindly figure with a hollow chest cavity, perfect for lodging the hobgoblin core. Nick carefully wedged the crystal inside, feeling it settle with a click.

Almost done. Now, to breathe some life into it.

He bit his index finger with a hiss, drawing a bead of blood. He let a single drop fall onto the puppet's forehead, watching as it was absorbed. Then, in hushed syllables, he recited the most basic Onmyōdō invocation.

"Yorishiro ni narite,

Watashi no kotoba ni kotae yo."

"Be kind to me and respond to my words."

The air seemed to shimmer around the puppet. A faint, pale glow seeped from the hobgoblin core, traveling along the twigs until it converged at the eyes, forming two tiny pinpricks of greenish light. Nick felt the puppet jerk before it sat upright.

Despite how simple the magic was, a breath of relief escaped him. It worked.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have cast [Minor Shikigami]

+ 200 Exp

Yeah, yeah. Not even a drop in the bucket, I know. With the core, I didn't even need to provide the mana.

The puppet was no more than a mindless servant, barely a step above a golem. It could only follow simple commands, as it had no intelligence of its own. Perfect for leading Jack away.

Nick murmured a command. "Go. Find that blond scout. Draw him away from camp. No lethal force—just keep him busy running around. Self-destruct once I give you the order."

The puppet finished morphing under the influence of Nick's mana and took on a humanoid shape. Its face finally smoothed into something resembling a Brownie, a small creature vaguely related to the fae. It nodded, emitting a faint chirp, then scampered off into the undergrowth.

It's the kind of thing that should easily be mistaken for a dungeon monster, even if it were found.

Nick waited, monitoring its first steps through the tenuous link he held—like a thin thread connecting them. He felt the puppet's eagerness and a flicker of amusement crossed his face. Shikigami often mirrored their creator's emotions, and right now, Nick was itching for a bit of revenge.

A minute passed. He sensed the puppet moving toward Jack and fed it just enough information to help it locate the hidden scout. As it got closer, it began throwing pebbles, shifting positions to make it appear as if the attack came from different angles.

Jack reacted as soon as the first stone left its hand. He spun around, letting it pass him harmlessly, searching for the enemy. The puppet flitted from cover to cover, continuing its barrage. Jack kept dodging, surprising Nick with how well he moved—he was more agile than he had given him credit for.

Still, the plan worked. Jack was being led away from the creek. After another few minutes of this, the puppet would lure him deep enough into the forest for Nick to have plenty of time.

Predictably, that was when Nick felt a jolt in the link, and his brow furrowed. Something was intruding, prying at the spiritual link. A more powerful presence was forcibly overriding Nick's control.

He cursed under his breath. "I forgot to ward it," he muttered. "Dammit."

Stolen novel; please report.

The puppet froze in place, and Nick felt the link fracture. He tried to reassert control, but a malicious wave of mana brushed his efforts aside, locking him out of the puppet's mind.

In an instant, the shikigami was no longer his.

Nick clenched his jaw. Without obsidian wards or runic sigils to protect the puppet, it was a prime target for possession. He had planned to dispose of it too quickly for something like this to happen, but now he saw he hadn't been careful enough. Something else had it.

The Green Ocean was teeming with enemies capable of that, and for once, Nick couldn't depend on [Blasphemy] to pull him out of this mess.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on the remnants of the link. He could still see the puppet, but it felt distorted, as if looking through a shattered lens. The Brownie's face, once featureless and docile, now wore a feral grin with elongated fangs. Its eyes glowed a deep, sickly yellow.

Worst of all, it stood barely ten paces from Jack, who was just stepping out from behind a wide oak, having finally cornered his elusive attacker.

Nick felt a surge of dread. He's in actual danger. I lured him out far enough that no one could help him in time.

The puppet turned to face Jack, tilting its head with a jerk. Its twig limbs twitched in unnatural spasms. Then, it lunged, moving faster than it should be capable of.

Jack's eyes widened. He slashed out with his dagger, but the puppet ducked under the blow and jumped onto him. Twigs latched onto Jack's arms, pushing him backward into the trunk of a tree. Nick could feel the puppet's new occupant cackling through the fractured link.

No, Nick thought, launching himself forward. He sprinted, desperately trying to get close enough to get them in range of [Wind God's Third Eye].

When he realized he wouldn't make it in time, as the shikigami was about to land a fatal blow, he gritted his teeth and seized the sensory spell, twisting its matrix until he could manually direct its output. He disregarded nearly everything related to his safety and pushed twice as much mana as usual, extending his range in their direction as far as possible.

The forest around him lit up in swirling lines of air, and at the far edge, he spotted the puppet pinned to Jack's chest, forcing him to the ground.

Nick lifted a hand, channeling mana into [Jet Stream]. If he missed, he could kill Jack by accident, but if he hesitated, Jack was definitely done for.

He took aim, forming the wind into a narrow, drilling vortex. He inhaled, locked onto the puppet's shape, and unleashed the spell.

The air shrieked as the vortex spiraled forward. Nick guided it with [Wind God's Third Eye], making minute adjustments to allow it to glide around the trees.

The puppet somehow sensed the incoming attack and tried to leap away, but it was too late. The vortex pierced it from behind, shredding the twig frame and crushing the hobgoblin core. Nick felt a flicker of malevolent frustration from the occupant, and then the link severed entirely.

A small explosion of straw and twigs showered Jack, who gasped, pushing the puppet's remnants away. He coughed, wild-eyed.

Nick showed himself, heaving deep breaths, and extended a hand to help Jack up. The scout stared at him, disbelief and confusion flickering across his face, but he accepted Nick's help.

For a moment, neither spoke. The remains of the puppet lay on the ground, inert, with the hobgoblin core shattered into fragments of dull crystal.

Jack cleared his throat, wincing as he tested his arms for injury. "I—I owe you. That thing nearly had me."

Nick forced a casual shrug, even as adrenaline still pounded through his veins. "We're all in this together. You would have done the same for me, I'm sure," he said, shameless enough to try to take advantage of the situation. He had a pretty high CHA. There was no reason not to use it.

Jack's gaze lingered on the fragments, and for a second, Nick worried he might somehow realize what it was. But eventually, his shoulders slumped. "I guess I'm not that good a scout, eh?"

"You can't guard against everything," Nick murmured, feeling very awkward in having to reassure him. He was also still scouring the area for whatever had possessed the shikigami, but either it was incredibly stealthy, or its range far exceeded what he could manage.

The awkward silence hung between them until Nick broke it by stepping over to the puppet's remains, pretending to examine them with mild interest. He gave a small, resigned sigh. "Nothing left to salvage. Let's head back."

Jack nodded, appearing more subdued than ever. Together, they walked through the moonlit clearing, with Nick leading the way. He focused on controlling his breath, gathering his composure in the process.

That was too close. I almost got him killed.

Yet, Nick felt a faint sense of relief as they neared the tents. Jack might still be suspicious, but now Nick had saved his life. That would buy him at least a measure of goodwill. Maybe enough to keep him from snooping around again.

Nick checked the potions and was satisfied to find that his absence hadn't somehow ruined them.

The entire day had been chaotic, and he nearly killed Jack. However, he had salvaged the situation and was ready to get through the ritual since no one else appeared inclined to disturb him.

The circle was established well beyond the creek, on the far side of a narrow glade he had deliberately chosen for its natural boundaries. The flowing waters served as a separation point, giving him extra oomph for his privacy spells.

Time to reinforce the wards. I don't want that thing to interfere now.

He circled the perimeter of the small clearing, scattering ground stoneroot and whispering incantations that reinforced the protective lines. The air around him lost oxygen, becoming hostile to anyone without a high CON.

Those below one hundred points in the attribute would immediately experience a killer headache and fatigue, pushing them to turn back. That should be enough to deter the clueless. As for his father, Marthas or Arthur… Nick could only hope they wouldn't come this way. And if they did, perhaps the wards would give him a valuable minute or two to get rid of the evidence.

I don't want to waste more time, but I think I need another layer of security just to make sure.

Nick knelt on the grass, taking out a piece of chalk, and sketched a complex spiral that branched into five lines. This was a variation of the Ritual of Abnegation, his preferred method to crush any spiritual or magical fluctuations. It had worked when he sacrificed the Vine Wraith; it would work now, too.

He prepared it meticulously, ensuring each rune was angled precisely, each line an unbroken path. A single mistake could collapse the entire structure at the worst time, dispelling his primary ritual and leaving him unfinished. But he didn't feel like risking it after how close a call he just had.

This will also work to keep any nearby spirits from interfering.

After nearly half an hour, he stood up and surveyed his work. The runes shimmered faintly, and he was confident they would channel his intent properly.

One last sweep, and I'm good to go.

He returned to the other side of the water, checking for any footprints or obvious signs of his presence. Then, he carefully placed the half-finished potions on a rock as if he might return to them soon.

That done, he had no more excuses for delaying.

He hopped over the creek again and walked over the circle. When he reached its center, where the Oni core waited for him, he whispered the activation word.

"Qallarinapaq"

"Begin"

A ripple coursed through the clearing as the Abnegation runes lit with a soft, purplish glow.

He bit down on his tongue until he tasted blood—just enough to serve as a spark. He spat a single drop onto the ground, letting it fall right where the runic lines overlapped.

His eyes fluttered closed as he tapped into the power of the main ritual. The lines glowed with a dull red shimmer, only to be consumed by the Abnegation spiral. Tension filled him as the two powers collided.

For an instant, he feared the secondary circle would trigger incorrectly and snuff out his entire ritual, but it didn't—he'd done his work well. Instead, it balanced, and power began to flow from the Oni core.