Keitaro gazed at the pulsating seal with a twisted smile on his lips. He murmured in a determined voice, "Yeah, you will be useful to me." The Jikininki, which was once a terrifying monster, had now become a valuable source of knowledge waiting to be unlocked.He began his experiments with methodical precision.
He began by testing the range of the creature. He teleported various objects at different distances from the seal to observe the Jikininki's reactions. With each attempt, he gained a better understanding of its abilities.
However, Keitaro wanted a deeper understanding of the creature. He desired to delve into the Jikininki's subconscious and uncover the secrets hidden within. Keitaro created a complex seal and created a perfect clone of himself. He instructed the clone to strengthen the seal immediately if he breathed differently.
Keitaro approached the seal with confidence and placed his hand on the Jikininki's head, hoping to enter its subconscious. He used his knowledge of the soul and cursed energy to attempt a daring feat – a forced intrusion into the Jikininki's subconscious.
The world dissolved into an inky blackness. Keitaro found himself adrift in a void, disoriented and suffocating in the despair thick in the air. Suddenly, he saw hundreds of souls - wispy figures shimmering with a faint, malevolent light. They were the devoured souls, their faces twisted in eternal screams, their cries echoing through the emptiness.
As if sensing his presence, the souls latched onto Keitaro's leg with an otherworldly hunger. Their combined pull threatened to drag him deeper into the abyss. Panic threatened to consume him, but then, a sudden shift. Chains of pure energy, radiating a familiar blue glow, materialized around the thrashing souls, forcing them back. The chains were an extension of the seal his clone maintained outside, providing a temporary rest....for now
Taking a deep breath, Keitaro ignored the shrieks of the damned and focused on the Jikininki's soul itself. It wasn't a single entity, but rather a swirling vortex of darkness, fueled by the stolen souls trapped within. He could sense the creature's raw hunger, its insatiable desire to consume. Yet, there was something else - a flicker of something akin to regret, a faint echo of the human soul it once was.
Keitaro spent precious moments observing and gathering information. He studied the Jikininki's memories, fragmented and distorted as they were. He witnessed the creature's origin, the insatiable greed that birthed it, the descent into monstrous hunger. He also glimpsed the Jikininki's victims, their final moments of despair fueling the creature's power.
The knowledge was overwhelming, but Keitaro persevered. He needed to understand not just the Jikininki's abilities, but also the source of its torment. As if he knew the creature history maybe this would help him.
Just as Keitaro felt himself reaching the limits of his mental endurance, a sense of urgency pulled him back. He opened his eyes to find himself back in the real world, his hand still resting on the Jikininki's head.
He sigh a bit to himself, this creature was created from people fear of it....in a sense its kind of embody that fear with its power being eating soul and all.
So if this was anything to go bye, he would'nt be suprise if he met werewolf or a vampire, heck even a sirene wouldnt suprise him.
Though that made him wonder....were they curse spirit of the gods too, was there a chance he could get to meet one of those mythical beings if yes he wanted to learned from them.
That was if they were friendly, if not he wasnt against the idea of slicing their head off really.
Keitaro than looked at the creature infront of him before taking out a pencil and a notebook.
He then started looking at the creature before he started to make a sketch...
"Yes..something like that could work" Keitaro though to himself...
He made about 50 sketch of the creature, each one being more unique than the one before it.
He looked at the creature before slighly bowing his head and saying
"Thank you"
As those words left his mouth, the seal folded in on themself and close into what looked to be a pen.
Keitaro would spend some time studying this creature when he get back.
Keitaro returned to the serene atmosphere of the Buddhist temple, the weight of his experience settling on him like the cool mountain air. Master Tenzin, his wizened face etched with concern, awaited him by the koi pond.
"Keitaro," the master greeted, his voice a gentle rumble, "how fared your encounter with the Jikiniki?"
Keitaro straightened his posture, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "It went well, Master Tenzin. I learned a great deal." He didn't elaborate further, knowing the full weight of his experience might be best shared later.
Master Tenzin nodded, a knowing light in his eyes. He understood the weight of such encounters, the need to process them before sharing. "Good," he said simply. "Tonight, after your meditation, I will share with you the ancient tales of the Jikiniki. Their origins, their weaknesses... perhaps even a path towards redemption."
A spark of excitement ignited within Keitaro. Redemption for a creature born from fear? It was a fascinating concept. He spent the rest of the day in quiet contemplation, the image of the Jikiniki and the swirling vortex of souls within its subconscious flickering in his mind.
'so to them exorcising a curse is more like redemption or second chance at life' Keitaro though to himself
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the temple grounds, Keitaro joined Master Tenzin under the starlit sky. The master, his voice raspy with age, began his narration.
"The Jikiniki," he began, "are born from a darkness that festers within human hearts – insatiable greed. Over generations, fueled by fear and despair, this darkness coalesces, taking on a monstrous form. They are drawn to the cursed souls, remnants of beings burdened by negative karma, and devour their essence."
'so...a curse that is attracted to people with higher than usual curse energy amount....if its very sensitive to curse energy it would explain how he knew where i would teleport to before i evem teleported there....it probably sense the curse energy spike..' Keitaro though to himself.
A/N....cool