-560- Dominate or be Dominated

— "Pain."

This is the only sensation Rozen feels at this moment.

However, it's not physical pain; it's mental anguish.

At the moment Raven's Wing possesses him, Rozen feels like a sharp needle is piercing into his brain, causing his spirit to tremble, emitting a wail akin to agony.

Rozen is acutely aware of what's happening.

It's his instinct telling him that his mind, or rather his spirit, is currently under invasion by an external presence.

And that invader is Raven's Wing.

In this moment, Raven's Wing seems to want to take over everything about Rozen. It first invades his mind and then begins to take control of his body.

Rozen can sense that, under these circumstances, his body is starting to become uncontrollable.

And Rozen's "Mind's Eye" allows him to realize that his spiritual energy is gradually being replaced by miasma.

"A spiritual disaster...?"

Rozen instantly understands what's going on.

As an onmyouji, Rozen naturally wouldn't be unaware of matters concerning spirits.

And Miyachi Iwao had also mentioned that entities like Hokuto, who were servent-type shikigami, were actually a type of spiritual disaster and could be classified within the realm of Phase 3.

If that's the case, then Raven's Wing, also a servent-type shikigami just like Hokuto, is naturally the same. Once it goes berserk and transforms into a Phase 3 spiritual disaster, it's not surprising at all.

Currently, Rozen is being possessed by this entity, gradually transforming into a "Living Spirit," just like Hokuto.

However, this is only temporary.

Once Rozen's self-awareness is eroded by Raven's Wing, he won't be a "Living Spirit" anymore; he will truly fall and become a spiritual disaster, an Orge.

This is something Rozen cannot bear.

However...

"The current development is still within my expectations."

Feeling both his body and spirit gradually being eroded, although Rozen feels somewhat uncomfortable, his inner self remains extremely calm.

Raven's Wing possessing Rozen and going berserk was a situation Rozen had foreseen.

"After all, leaving aside others, I am very clear that I am not Yakou."

Given this, with Raven's Wing, attuned to Yakou's spiritual energy, possessing Rozen, going berserk was the only path.

Kakugyouki and Hishamaru believed that Rozen likely was a reincarnation of Yakou and should not go berserk.

However, Rozen knew very well that once possessed by Raven's Wing, he would undoubtedly go berserk.

So, despite knowing this, Rozen still chose to let himself be possessed by Raven's Wing.

It wasn't just because Rozen was prepared, but as he had mentioned before, it was a risk worth taking.

Of course, Rozen wasn't prepared to truly go berserk and then becoming a spiritual disaster.

Perhaps, whether Kakugyouki or Hishamaru, they both believed there were only two outcomes when Raven's Wing possessed Rozen: one being recognized as Yakou's reincarnation, gaining Raven's Wing's approval, and the other being unrecognized, allowing Raven's Wing to control and cause Rozen to go berserk.

However, in reality, while these two outcomes were not incorrect, their essence was different.

"This is a showdown."

A confrontation between Rozen and Raven's Wing.

Following their intense battle last time when Raven's Wing attempted to possess Rozen, this time, they resumed their battle in this manner.

In other words, it wasn't about whether Raven's Wing acknowledged Rozen, but whether Rozen would be controlled by Raven's Wing.

Rozen, who already knew he wouldn't be recognized by Raven's Wing, chose to be possessed by it for this reason.

"As a summoner, how could I be controlled by a familiar?"

Rozen planned to attempt to manipulate Raven's Wing in the process of it attempting to dominate him while being possessed.

Thus, it wasn't a matter of recognition; it was a matter of who would control whom.

Either Rozen would successfully control Raven's Wing.

Or Raven's Wing would successfully control Rozen.

There was no other possibilities.

"Let's see whether you dominate me first, or I dominate you."

Covered by the pitch-black feathers all around him, gradually transforming into the form of a crow-like monster, Rozen forcibly maintained his consciousness. He resisted Raven's Wing's invasion while struggling to extend his hands and form seals.

These were the seals of the mystic realm.

As he formed these hand seals, Rozen closed his eyes and activated his magical circuits, converting the surging magical energy into jutsuryoku, allowing it to flow throughout his body.

"Clang!"

In this instant, a golden Sanskrit letter appeared on Rozen's forehead.

This was a meditative technique called "Akanishi Meditation," which could purify the user's spiritual energy in one breath, blocking external magical interference.

It was mainly used to deal with curses, hypnotic spells, and mental disturbances in magic. It could even rapidly calm the mind and stabilize the spiritual body. High monks from Buddhism frequently used it to gain self-awareness and see through the world's illusions.

Rozen entered the meditative state of "Akanishi Meditation," allowing the golden Sanskrit letter to gradually replace the spiritual energy being replaced by miasma on his forehead.

"Good!"

Only now did Rozen regain his clarity, opened his eyes, and, while maintaining the use of "Akanishi Meditation," began to mobilize jutsuryoku once again.

This time, Rozen didn't convert magical energy into jutsuryoku but instead transformed it into mental energy, depicting a series of patterns on various parts of his body.

Just like how magic circles and runes etched on "Magic Defence" enhanced its defensive capabilities, Rozen was now sketching a series of runes on his body.

The purpose of these runes was to strengthen Rozen's control.

From this moment on, Rozen's counterattack preparation was complete.

"Bring it on!"

Magical energy on Rozen's body once again transformed into jutsuryoku, surging out all at once.

The spiritual energy of Raven's Wing, prepared to invade Rozen's body and mind, clashed with Rozen's own jutsuryoku, facing each other in a standoff and mutually colliding.

It seemed like Raven's Wing's spiritual power intended to push aside Rozen's jutsuryoku, attempting to reinvade Rozen's body and mind to dominate him.

However, Rozen not only resisted it stubbornly using his jutsuryoku but also turned the tables by entangling Raven's Wing, bringing its spiritual energy under his control, making it subject to his manipulation.

Raven's Wing seemed surprised by this turn of events, struggling fiercely.

"Too late."

Rozen began chanting incantations.

These incantations had no particular pattern and couldn't form a clear meaning. However, they were all related to manipulating shikigami. Some even involved aspects of magic, used to control familiars.

In this way, Rozen's ability to manipulate, control, and command shikigami reached its peak. He forcefully captured Raven Wing's struggling spiritual energy and compelled it under his dominion.

Though Raven's Wing fiercely resisted, against Rozen's astonishing control, these resistance efforts appeared exceedingly feeble.

Gradually, Raven's Wing's spiritual energy weakened through its struggles and was ultimately completely dominated by Rozen.

"Success!"

Rozen smiled suddenly.

At this moment, from Raven's Wing, a myriad of knowledge began to flood into Rozen's mind.