Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

Mount Fuji erupts.

Billowing volcanic ash spews from the towering crater into the clouds. Flames surge skyward, their scorching heat threatening to burn the very air. The atmosphere distorts from the blazing magma. Searing lava and pungent sulfur create a scene like the gates of hell, as glowing magma hurls debris in all directions.

Years of accumulated snow melts away silently as earthquakes intensify, awakening this long-dormant volcano in fury.

Standing at the crater's edge, Jōgo gazes at this terrifying scene without a trace of fear, throwing back his head in excited laughter. He feels an unparalleled power flowing into his body as his Cursed Energy levels surge rapidly.

In this moment, he believes that even if the King of Curses Ryōmen Sukuna stood before him, he could reduce him to ashes with his strongest flames!

"Kenjaku, how's my power?" Above his head, a crater-shaped formation swirls with magma, ready to erupt at any moment.

Kenjaku and Ashiya Dōman stand at the crater's edge, with Ashiya holding a black umbrella while glancing at him, marveling at the Cursed Spirits' natural gifts.

Not only do they possess long lifespans, but they also have powerful mimicry and learning abilities — this humanoid Cursed Spirit has excellent potential.

"Well, you've gained the strength of one or two fingers. After this volcanic eruption ends, you'll probably reach the level of seventeen fingers, but that's basically your current limit."

Though born from human fears, Cursed Spirits differ slightly from Devils — Devils can rapidly increase their strength through fear and even have a chance to break their own constraints, ignoring their limitations.

In comparison, Cursed Spirits have limited growth through fear, and once they reach a certain level, they must find ways to break through their limitations on their own.

If they could combine the advantages of Devils and Cursed Spirits, and compensate for their weaknesses...

Ashiya Dōman and Kenjaku exchanged a brief glance before looking away — implementing such a fusion would be far too complex and lay beyond both their areas of expertise.

Though disappointed by this revelation, Jōgo remained determined.

After all, the hopes of countless Cursed Spirits rested upon his shoulders!

Ashiya spoke up, "The Spiritual Vein seal beneath Mount Fuji has accumulated terrifying power over the past thousand years. If we were to detonate all this Spiritual Power at once with the Fire God Spell, it would obliterate the entire area — and us along with it."

"That's why I've designed a three-step process with three layers of technique seals. First, I'll use the Fire God Spell to detonate the outer layer, dispersing the accumulated Spiritual Power safely. Once that settles, we'll trigger the second layer to break the thousand-year-old seal through the Spiritual Veins."

"The third seal will then act as a pressure point, and with one final Fire God Spell, we'll trigger the volcano's complete eruption."

Kenjaku applauded Ashiya's detailed explanation with genuine admiration. Though Jōgo didn't fully grasp the technicalities, he joined in the applause.

"While the first two steps are relatively safe, we must exercise extreme caution with the third — one wrong move could prove fatal."

Jōgo and Kenjaku's inhuman features tensed as they held their breath, ready to follow Ashiya's instructions.

Ashiya nodded with satisfaction. He had originally planned to travel to South America to create a Cursed Spirit similar to the Smallpox Deity. However, his nighttime observation of the stars revealed an approaching hurricane near Japan that promised something intriguing.

So he remained, lending his expertise to Kenjaku's Mount Fuji detonation plan, his sharp intellect making quick work of this complex challenge.

"Cough cough cough cough cough..." The choking volcanic ash made Ashiya furrow his brows as he continued, "An ordinary Fire God Spell cannot detonate these seals. I will set up an altar to enhance the spell's power. During this time, my Cursed Energy and attention must be completely focused on the altar. You two must protect me from crater debris — if I'm struck, all our efforts will be wasted!"

Hearing this, Jōgo said solemnly, "Don't worry. With us here, you just focus on detonating Mount Fuji. Kenjaku will handle the rest."

Ashiya was satisfied with this response — though he had prepared means to revive himself, who would want to experience death?

He began setting up the altar with professional Onmyōji bearing, impressing Jōgo, who knew nothing of Onmyōdo.

As the altar took shape, volcanic ash thickened around the crater, completely blocking Ashiya's vision. He paid it no mind.

At this time, the magma inside the crater began to gradually boil.

Ashiya stood atop the altar, talismans floating in his hands as he muttered incantations. When he threw out a talisman, the crater's magma instantly erupted with such terrifying force that even Jōgo stepped back.

Before the crater could settle, the entire volcano began to shake while Ashiya continued chanting with closed eyes.

As volcanic ash blanketed the altar and the rumbling of impending eruption echoed, Jōgo elbowed Kenjaku and called out loudly, "Hey Kenjaku, this Onmyōji's Fire God Spell is really something! What do you think — if I were to use it, would I become even stronger?"

Barely audible through the volcanic ash, Kenjaku replied, "How would I know? You can ask Ashiya Dōman."

"Hahaha, I'll ask right now!"

Seeing that Kenjaku wouldn't stop him, and thinking of how the genuine article was learning Onmyōdo, Jōgo picked up a small stone and threw it toward the altar, "Ashiya Dōman, this Fire God Spell is really something! Can I learn it?"

Kenjaku smiled at this, waving away the surrounding ash as he walked to the crater's edge, watching the scorching magma about to fully erupt.

At this rate, Ashiya's Fire God Spell should have begun, so Jōgo wouldn't get an answer.

At the same time, confusion flashed in his eyes as he muttered, "Mount Fuji's Spiritual Power is concentrated — should the first eruption be this powerful?"

An intense sense of crisis swept over his whole body. His instincts screamed that the power of this first detonation was far beyond what it should be.

Just then, Ashiya's voice made his whole body shudder.

"What? What Fire God Spell? I haven't even started yet."

The smiles instantly vanished from Jōgo and Kenjaku's faces as they instinctively looked at the boiling magma, then at each other. Though neither spoke, they could see the same thought in each other's eyes.

Run!

Boom!

Jōgo and Kenjaku's bodies instantly shot away, racing toward the mountain's foot.

Sensing something wasn't right, Ashiya quickly recovered his senses. Using Cursed Energy, he dispersed the volcanic ash around him, barely managing to recover his vision.

Then Japan's largest volcano unexpectedly erupted!

Right in his face!

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Monitoring the Spiritual Vein changes, the Bureau of Onmyō noticed something was wrong and immediately reported.

"Chief, terrible news — the Sankō Shrine's seal has broken. It's causing Spiritual Veins across Japan to surge, even affecting Mount Fuji's underground Spiritual Veins. This active volcano has begun erupting."

The fan-wielding elder, ranked as a National First-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Impossible. Mount Fuji's Spiritual Veins have been dormant for so long. Even if the Sankō Shrine's seal broke and the legendary Divine Beast manifested, at most it would only affect Mount Fuji — how could it possibly erupt?"

However, no matter what they said, it had already happened.

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With the Sankō Shrine's seal broken, the Mountain God — a being as tall as the mountains themselves — extended its terrifying tentacles and crawled to the peak.

Below, Mei and the others sat in the café, watching in despair as the colossal being's aura darkened the sky above them.

The Mountain God's massive shadow fell like a curtain over the mountain's foot, completely blocking out the sky.

Miko and Hana trembled, realizing the gravity of their situation.

Meanwhile, Daiki, who had unleashed the Mountain God, simply glanced up at the sun in the sky.

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T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!

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