My Dream is Shikigami Master (4)
"What, you're not heading out today?"
Usually, even if it was late, I'd head to work after breakfast, but there I was, lounging around watching TV with Hoah. Lilith, fresh from brushing her teeth, shot me that question as she eyed me.
So I told her as much.
"Figured I'd just chill at home today."
Instead—call it making up for it—she'd seemed a bit bummed yesterday despite saying it was fine, so I'd decided to learn some shamanism from Hoaran.
Not full-on proper training or anything.
More like jumping a few levels ahead in handling Hoah, the shikigami.
I hadn't even nailed the basics of shamanism yet, but since I wasn't crafting the shikigami myself—just tanking by supplying ki—maybe I could pull it off? Hoaran said it was doable, so that's why I was going for it.
"Oh...? Well, learn well then. Can't hurt."
"Yep."
Anyway, while I waited for Hoaran—who'd insisted on doing the dishes despite my offer, turning down my help—I was playing around with Hoah. In she came, apron and all, and said,
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hanjo."
"Ah, dishes done?"
"Just finished. And Lilith—how many times have I told you not to eat snacks on the bed?"
"My bed, my rules. I'll clean it up later, duh?"
Hoaran let out a sigh at Lilith's retort, but hey, that was progress in my book.
Whenever Hoaran wasn't around, I'd be the one cleaning up Lilith's messes.
Hoaran had nagged her so much that now Lilith at least tossed her own snack bags and beer cans. Massive growth, if you asked me.
Anyway, sighing at Lilith's words, Hoaran untied her apron and said,
"Fine, we'll revisit that later... You wanted to learn about handling shikigami—Hoah."
"Yeah, I've already got the transfer, and it can't hurt to know, right?"
"Wise thinking. Best to start from the basics, but even days of training here won't match a single day in Fox Forest. Better to focus on that."
But, Hoaran continued,
"With Hoah, it's less about learning specific techniques and more about knowing what she can do."
"Uh... yeah?"
"You show talent in shamanism, Hanjo, but mastering shikigami control isn't a one-day thing. No helping it. You're only carving out today to learn from me, right? So that's the smarter path."
Made sense.
I wasn't expecting to master shit in a day anyway, so I nodded along. Hoaran turned to Hoah, nestled in my arms, and said,
"First, about Hoah's tails. As you know, my shikigami—divine splits—each hold a principle in their tails. Think of them as storing the spells I can cast. More tails mean more power. Originally, Hoah held only the principle of 'Body,' but in this upgrade, we've added more."
"Hoah."
Hoah nodded at Hoaran's words, her tails swishing.
Five whole tails on that little thing.
Watching her proudly wag them from that tiny butt, Hoaran told me,
"Besides the original 'Body' principle, we've added 'Heart,' 'Ki,' 'Yin,' and 'Yang.' Among all my shikigami, Hoah's now top-tier strong. Over a hundred spells she can judge and cast on her own—with self-awareness, no less. She's practically the strongest."
Hoah was no joke.
Makes sense—compared to single-tailed shikigami, five tails meant five times the power, simple math. Plus, unlike the others, Hoah moved independently without orders.
And we'd used Yustitia's Dragon Heart for the upgrade materials.
"But that's only with steady ki supply. A shikigami's strength scales with its master's. Even the strongest can't shine without solid backing ki. Hoah's got the Dragon Heart, so no real strain, but if we skip that, there's nothing to learn. So today, make her cast without the Dragon Heart's ki."
"Wait, so...?"
"You want to handle shikigami, right? If you can control her with just your ki, that's plenty for now."
Sounded legit, so I nodded. Hoaran eyed me and said,
"First, Hoah. Try Fox Fire. Dragon Heart ki's fine this time."
"Hoah!"
Hoah nodded, palm out—and whoosh, a small flame sparked, floating up light as you please.
"Whoa..."
Scorching hot.
Room temp shot up the second the Fox Fire bloomed over her hand.
Flames right in front of us, yet barely singeing—Hoaran must've warded the area.
Lilith, munching snacks beside us, cracked open a beer, bitching about the sudden heat... Total excuse to pound drinks midday, obvious as hell.
Hoaran sighed at her again, then turned to me.
"Now you, Hanjo. Make Hoah use Fox Fire. Hoah, use only Hanjo's ki this time."
"Hoah."
"Yep."
I nodded with Hoah at Hoaran's words.
So I told Hoah to use Fox Fire.
But...
"Hoah."
She just stared at me, blank as fuck.
Watching her ignore the Fox Fire order, Hoah let out a deep sigh-look.
"Hoaaa..."
Then she grabbed my hand, plopped it on her head.
"Hoah."
Give ki, dummy.
"Oh."
I hurriedly pulled up ki and pumped it into her—whoosh, Fox Fire bloomed in her palm.
"...There we go?"
Felt like post-nut fatigue, ki sucked right out. Staring at the flame, I said that, and Hoaran shook her head.
"No way that's it. Keep feeding ki like that—what happens when Hoah's away from you?"
"...Uh, piggyback ride?"
No separation issues then, right? But Hoaran and Hoah stared me down.
Under their gazes, I mumbled,
"...No good?"
"No."
"Hoah..."
Straight-up rejection from both. Especially Hoah—hit me hard, left me down. Hoaran told me,
"Don't overthink. Recall lifting the Fox Stone. You did it without touching—pure intent, not ki. Similar principle. Swap stone for Hoah, intent for ki. She's linked to you directly, unlike the stone, so it'll be easier. You can do it."
Recall the Fox Stone lift?
Her advice made sense, but replicating that method? Nah.
Back then, to lift the damn thing, I'd fantasized flipping up Hoaran's or Lilith's skirts for that panty peek motivation.
Pure "lift it" willpower? Bullshit—pure horniness fueled it. No way I could reuse that.
Hoaran didn't know, so she suggested it...
"...Hoaaa."
"Ah."
Hoah, reading my mind, gave me that pitiful look.
"No, back then it was unavoidable."
Gift overload, brain drowning in lust.
"Hoah..."
For real.
Desire over will, but hey, lifted it twice as easy. Not an excuse—truth.
"What's wrong?"
Hoaran tilted her head at me and Hoah.
I blurted to her,
"Nah, nothing."
No way I'd spill to Hoaran—Hoah already knew, fine. Time for Plan B.
Back then, "lift" imagery amped it up. Now? Different—needed to inject ki into Hoah.
Inject...
Something popped up, but too pervy for Hoah. Shelved it.
Instead, Hoaran's line about our connection clicked—worth checking.
"Oh..."
Focusing between me and Hoah, a thin thread linked us.
Not quite ki thread...
But weirdly, not just Hoah.
"This..."
Yustitia, crashed out on the bed post-breakfast nap—thread to her too. And more threads splitting off elsewhere.
Slightly different feel from Hoah's.
When the hell did my body sprout all these?
Amazed to notice now, but I'd never scanned myself with abilities before.
Anyway, figured it out quick.
Not just Hoah and Yustitia—three more threads. Obvious what they were.
My Gift.
The links powering other non-human abilities during Gift flares.
Probably threads to Eileya, Sati, Liliana too if they were here.
"...Here."
I focused on Hoah's thread, pushed ki through it like injection.
"...Hoah?"
She flinched, turned to me.
Reaction confirmed it worked. I said,
"Hoah, Fox Fire."
She nodded, palm out.
Whoosh...!
"There?"
"...Quick. Thought it'd take all day, even with hints."
Hoaran stared, eyes wide in pleasant surprise.
"Eh... fast?"
"Yes. You're barely past shamanism basics. Didn't expect that speed. True talent, Hanjo."
Talent? Nah.
She spelled it out, I just followed.
Seeing her beam, Truly my child, made my face heat up.
"Good. Next'll be easy too. Can't master all her spells in a day, but a few more? Sure. Hm, Body Fortification next."
"Body Fort?"
"From her original 'Body' principle. Strengthens the body."
"Ah, that."
Recalled the white-haired clone beating bitches physically. Nodded.
"Cool. Same method?"
"No. Fox Fire's basic 'Heart' spell. Body Fort's 'Body' tier—two steps up. Wrap her body in your ki this time. And..."
I soaked up Hoaran's explanation, drilling Hoah's skills one by one.