"It is finally over."
His exhausted body could not hide Eichi's inner joy.
Before the battle, he had repeatedly practiced with his Spirit Base shadow.
Finally, he obtained a key piece of data, it would take 6 to 7 seconds from summoning the Spirit Base shadow to the completion of its Noble Phantasm.
This meant that for those 6 to 7 seconds, he had to ensure Mahoraga could not interfere with him or the Spirit Base shadow unleashing its Noble Phantasm.
This gave Eichi a massive headache.
Even the strongest Qiongqi could not hold Mahoraga for 7 seconds under its fierce assault, 3 seconds was uncertain.
After all, for those 7 seconds, Qiongqi could not retreat a single step while covering Eichi and Artoria.
After repeated simulations and practice, Eichi prepared this subjugation plan.
A group assault, and one where they fought to the death to win.
If one Shikigami or Shadow Servant could desperately hold it back for 1 second, Eichi would extend that time to 2 or 3 seconds through cooperation among the Shikigami. Everything was to buy enough time.
For the first 3 seconds, he originally planned to break Mahoraga's balance with a sneak attack, then have the Giant Elephant and two Shadow Servants give their all to prevent it from regaining balance, thus buying enough time.
This did cause Mahoraga some trouble, but only a little, far from his expectations.
Next, Eichi managed to buy those 7 seconds within 7 seconds, at the cost of himself and Caster sustaining two minor injuries, three Shikigami being severely injured, and two Shadow Servants being killed in action.
Although it was somewhat tragic, at least the two goals set before the battle were achieved.
First, prevent Mahoraga from interfering with the summoning of the Spirit Base shadow and the release of the Noble Phantasm.
Second, ensure Mahoraga was within Artoria's maximum range when the Noble Phantasm was unleashed.
Artoria would find the angle of the Noble Phantasm's attack herself. The key was not to exceed the range.
To be honest, if Caster had not successfully obstructed Mahoraga in the last half-second, Eichi would have had to go in himself.
He would have had to entangle it for the last half-second with a self-sacrificing attack, then have the Shadow Servant Archer carry him away from Mahoraga.
However, this also risked losing the Archer piece, because if someone had to hold it until the very last moment of the Noble Phantasm's release, then Eichi's remaining option would be Archer. But he could not guarantee that the System's piece would not be destroyed by Artoria's Noble Phantasm.
If, after staking everything, he still failed to subjugate it this time, then he would only be able to wait a dozen years to invest in the polar bears and go watch their weapon experiments.
Fortunately, Eichi succeeded.
Dragging his weary body, he rode on Qiongqi's back and left the mountains.
Although the battle had not lasted long, it placed a huge burden on his body.
It was like someone who usually does not exercise or work out going to the gym for the first time and overtraining.
Such an approach would overwhelm the body, causing anything from general soreness to muscle strains.
Eichi was in that state now.
Although he had a strong physique, he had been operating his Cursed Energy at overload to subjugate Mahoraga.
Landing in a remote area, Eichi canceled Qiongqi's summoning to let it rest, then released a large number of Rabbit Escape for vigilance.
After resting for a while, his condition recovered significantly.
His physical injuries healed under the effect of Reverse Cursed Technique.
The mental fatigue caused by over-activating his Cursed Energy also eased.
Once his condition improved, he did not rush home, but eagerly summoned Mahoraga.
He was like a child who had finally received a long-desired toy.
Eichi circled Mahoraga, touching here and looking there, having a great time.
"Next is the most important ability test."
Eichi raised his hand, and a tiny bolt of lightning flew from his fingers, striking Mahoraga.
This was Nue's lightning.
The user of the Ten Shadows Technique can use the abilities of their Shikigami. In the original work, Sukuna, when fighting Gojo Satoru, used Max Elephant's water manipulation, referencing Blood Manipulation, to unleash the Ten Shadows version of Piercing Blood.
Although he did not know why Megumi did not use it, was it because he did not have enough Cursed Energy?
After all, Megumi did give the impression of being low on mana.
Suddenly, a thought popped into Eichi's mind.
Could it be that Gege only thought of this usage later?
Eichi, deep in thought, frowned because the solution Mahoraga provided was too simple, so simple that he was a bit speechless.
Strengthen defense with Cursed Energy.
"Mahoraga, why do you defend against lightning like that?"
The next moment, Mahoraga gave an answer that made Eichi not know whether to laugh or cry.
The attack was too weak, no threat, simple defensive measures were sufficient.
Eichi shook his head helplessly. Mahoraga was his Shikigami, his companion, and he did not want to harm it unnecessarily.
This was also why the attack he just released was so weak.
He only wanted to know how Mahoraga adapted to and broke Nue's lightning, not to harm it.
"What if the lightning attack just now was strengthened a hundredfold?"
Mahoraga fell into thought.
Soon, a new solution appeared in Eichi's mind.
Modify the body surface with Cursed Energy to form a special insulating fat layer, while filling the body with Cursed Energy so the blocked lightning scatters in all directions.
"That feels so familiar."
Eichi stroked his chin.
"I remember now, is that not an electric eel?"
He slapped his forehead.
As a child, he had been curious why electric eels could electrocute other fish but not themselves. Later, when he asked someone, the answer he got was very similar to this.
"What if it is a thousand times stronger?"
Mahoraga provided the answer.
Modify itself to adapt to lightning to a certain extent, while diverting most of the current into the ground.
"A lightning rod?"
Soon, another solution appeared in Eichi's mind.
"A Faraday cage?"
A Faraday cage is a metal enclosure that prevents electromagnetic fields from entering from the outside or escaping from the inside.
The reason Eichi knew this was because a relative in his previous life was driving outside and was struck by lightning.
However, his relative was completely fine.
After returning to the village, he told everyone about it, believing he was blessed by heaven.
Later, a research team came to the village, and a doctor told him it was a Faraday cage.
The lightning was blocked by the car's external metal shell. As long as he did not open the window or touch anything, he would be fine.
Thus, this unsolved mystery in the village was resolved.
"Show me, let me try it."
Somewhat curious, Eichi asked Mahoraga to experiment according to the method it provided.
Soon, Mahoraga's figure changed slightly.
It seemed to have gotten a little fatter.
Eichi reached out and touched it.
Earlier, Mahoraga's body had felt like solid muscle, but now the texture had changed quite a bit.
Its skin was even smoother.
Eichi raised his hand, charged up, and unleashed lightning.
This time, it was not a casual flick like an electric arc, but a highly destructive bolt unleashed after serious charging.
Blinding lightning struck Mahoraga, yet its body showed no change.
The lightning that struck it began to spread around it.
Mahoraga was not harmed.
"Interesting."
"If the enemy is the Giant Elephant, how would you adapt to and defeat it?"
Eichi continued to ask.
Because it had just fought the Giant Elephant, Mahoraga's mind had recorded its data, so this time Eichi did not need to summon the Giant Elephant to fight it.
After a while, Mahoraga's body changed again.
It became more angular, and its muscles were like rocks all over its body.
Its hands also became sharper.
"I see, there is not just one solution, and they can be stacked."
Mahoraga gave its answer through action.
Strengthen its physical body to suppress the Giant Elephant in close combat.
This was the fastest way to adapt to the situation and break free of the Giant Elephant's entanglement.
Enhance its perception to calmly deal with the snake tail's attacks.
This was the simplest and most direct way to adapt to the Giant Elephant's attacks by changing itself.
Without the restraint of the snake tail, the Giant Elephant would be too clumsy and could only be toyed with to death by Mahoraga.
Eichi recalled its strike just now, which severed the elephant's trunk and the snake tail's head in one slash. So that was the result of enhanced perception.
Track and break the snake tail's attack trajectory, then cut it off.
Soon, Eichi discovered something interesting again.
Mahoraga's answer regarding how to "defeat" the Giant Elephant had layers.
The first method was to change the Cursed Technique's output, letting its Cursed Energy adhere to the Giant Elephant's wounds to suppress regeneration.
The second method was to strengthen the penetration of the Sword of Exorcism with lightning.
By striking vital points, the Giant Elephant would be annihilated before it could use Reverse Cursed Technique.
Yes, Mahoraga used Nue's lightning.
At the same time, Eichi also found that after Mahoraga took the Giant Elephant as an imaginary enemy, the changes made to cope with lightning were canceled.
"Mahoraga can use my abilities."
However, recalling that Mahoraga also used Sukuna's slashes in the manga, it was no longer surprising.
By now, Eichi had a sufficient understanding of Mahoraga's abilities.
The strongest Shikigami that can gain resistance to enemies and devise effective ways to strike them by analyzing their attacks.
When Mahoraga is first summoned, it is like a hero without equipment.
Afterward, it changes itself to adapt to the attacks it receives.
This feels like playing a game and choosing a tank character with unique mechanics. If the opponent has high physical damage, build armor. If they have high magical damage, build magic resistance.
Once the opponent's attacks become ineffective, Mahoraga will find ways to deal effective damage to the enemy based on the situation.
It can tank, it can deal damage, and it is a natural counter to Cursed Spirits. Given enough time, it can counter almost anything.
Eichi found that although Mahoraga's adaptability has an upper limit, this upper limit can be increased.
Under his command, Mahoraga began actively analyzing and mastering the Giant Elephant's water manipulation.
Eichi's smile grew wider.
After adapting to Ten Shadows abilities, it provided even more methods for adapting to and defeating the Giant Elephant as an enemy.
This feels like those game heroes that grow by stacking layers. Mahoraga can continuously record, analyze, and input the attacks it receives into its database.
The more Techniques and countermeasures stored in the database, the faster it will adapt to new enemies in the future, and the more methods it will have to defeat them.
Eichi looked at Mahoraga with satisfaction.
Such a Shikigami, with a high starting point, capable of continued growth and becoming stronger, and also allowing its master to experience the joy of nurturing, was truly perfect.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)