The next day, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
The soft, early light bathed the White Bone Tree, making it appear even more otherworldly. Had the sun risen higher and the light grown stronger, the tree would have become a blinding sea of white.
Especially its crown—during the day, it resembled a miniature sun; at night, a tiny moon.
Sōjun Minamoto rose from beneath the tree.
He had spent the entire night there, witnessing and guiding the course of events.
The Shrine Domain was now fully stabilized.
The White Bone Tree had become the surface emblem of the Shrine Domain. At the same time, it served as the new core of Jujutsu High's barrier. In essence, it was a clone of Sōjun Minamoto himself.
A clone that possessed a Golden Core.
Even Sōjun Minamoto couldn't begin to imagine what it would take to destroy this tree. Its resilience was beyond comprehension.
Now, this place wasn't just the safest spot in Jujutsu High—it might be the most secure location in all of Japan.
And most importantly, the White Bone Tree's growth potential had yet to be fully realized… Judging by when it was planted,
it was still just a sapling.
Sōjun Minamoto circled the tree, studying it for a moment.
Even with his heightened vision, he couldn't detect the presence of the Domain from the outside. He could sense that something had changed, but couldn't pinpoint what.
If he weren't intrinsically linked to the tree, even he wouldn't be able to find the temple's entrance.
The White Bone Tree possessed an innate ability for concealment and disguise.
After completing the circuit, Sōjun Minamoto stood in front of the tree. He paused briefly, then walked straight toward it without hesitation.
The gap between them closed quickly.
He didn't slow down at all. The tree's crown swayed gently, as if urging him to move faster.
Just as he was about to collide with it, Sōjun Minamoto stepped forward again, his body making direct contact with the trunk.
A ripple spread across the warm, jade-like bark. In the next instant, he vanished into it, disappearing from the outside world.
It felt like passing through a curtain of water. Then, his vision suddenly opened up.
The familiar red carpet, stone pillars, murals, the throne...
He had entered the temple.
This time, there were no villagers, no divine statues, and no sorcerer crafting them. It felt like an entirely new experience.
The temple stood vast and grand. Though it had only one level, it felt as if it could reach the heavens.
At the far end, the throne sat empty, yet it seemed to call to him.
Sōjun Minamoto stepped onto the red carpet and walked forward slowly.
The silence was absolute. Even his steps on the plush carpet made no sound, yet the sensation beneath his feet was as firm as walking on stone.
It was a strange feeling—soft, yet grounded.
He passed by one stone pillar after another, ascended the nine-tier platform, and finally stood before the throne.
He studied the sword-pierced thorn flower and the throne entwined with thorns for a moment, then took a seat.
Immediately, a deeper understanding of the shrine filled his mind.
Sōjun Minamoto looked around, slightly dissatisfied. With a casual wave of his hand, the red carpet turned gold. The golden petals reversed, shifting into a deep crimson that bled across the surface like spreading blood.
The murals on either side also changed.
The grotesque, sharp-toothed figures vanished, replaced by abstract patterns composed of black lines. Each image radiated a distinct, veiled power—faint, almost imperceptible—like blinking eyes, silently watching those who walked the golden path.
The dome above disappeared as well, replaced by a vast, star-strewn night sky.
A single flickering star rippled through the sky, and soon the heavens shimmered with starlight.
Soft starlight spread across the hall, casting its glow upon the walls. It didn't dim the space; rather, it brought a quiet serenity, filling the air with a sense of calm and peace.
Sōjun Minamoto didn't know what Aragami's Domain was originally called—but it no longer mattered.
The Domain had nothing to do with Aragami anymore. Aragami himself had been completely consumed, absorbed into Sōjun Minamoto's cursed energy.
Everything that needed dismantling had already been dismantled.
He rested his arms on the throne's armrests, propping his head up with one hand, quietly attuning himself to the Domain, sensing the power within it.
It felt completely different from when he activated his own Domain Expansion.
As he delved deeper into it, his understanding of Domain application sharpened.
The shrine wasn't entirely cut off from the outside world. Anchored by the White Bone Tree, the interior and exterior remained connected.
This came with both benefits and drawbacks.
The benefit was obvious: the Shrine Domain had been permanently solidified—more precisely, the mental image Domain of a Special Grade Curse had been thoroughly stabilized.
To other sorcerers, such a thing would seem impossible.
But Sōjun Minamoto had achieved it.
The drawback was that, unlike Aragami, he couldn't make the shrine evolve autonomously, nor could he alter the internal environment at will to differ from the outside world.
He also couldn't control the flow of time as in the legends—where a single day inside could equal a year outside.
Originally, he'd been aiming for something like a cave-heaven or a blessed land.
He even had a name picked out.
But as expected, becoming an overnight success was never that simple.
Still, Sōjun Minamoto didn't feel any regret.
The shrine still had plenty of room to grow.
It had already fused with the White Bone Tree, and since the tree was a unique clone of himself, its potential was just as immense. Combining two high-potential entities meant the White Bone Tree had now grasped a whole new Domain.
This had been a deliberate trade-off—he gave up already powerful features in exchange for maximizing future growth.
The shrine would be rebuilt according to his vision.
That was the best possible outcome.
Satisfied, Sōjun Minamoto rose from the throne.
Honestly, it was a bit hard on the butt.
He walked once more down the golden carpet, passing between two rows of towering stone pillars entwined with black lines, supporting the vast celestial canopy.
Exiting the shrine, the great doors shut automatically behind him. He stepped through the ripple within the White Bone Tree and returned to the outside world.
Sunlight struck his face.
It was summer now, and the heat was gradually building. He raised a hand to shade his eyes.
In that case, top priority for the shrine: climate control.
He casually made adjustments to the Domain's settings.
Sōjun Minamoto patted the trunk of the White Bone Tree.
"Next up, redesigning the attic's architecture—that's your job."
After all, with a Domain, who still lives in a regular house?
In high spirits, Sōjun Minamoto strolled leisurely toward the dorm.
The sun blazed hotter and hotter.
He planned to get some proper rest. Everything about the tree could be left to its clone now.
After spending so much time running around, Sōjun Minamoto returned to his dorm, switched on the air conditioner, sank into the couch, and let himself melt into it.
It was time for a bit of well-earned relaxation...
Just then, a sharp jolt stirred in his chest.
Within his mental image Domain, the Fly Head figure began flickering violently.
Sōjun Minamoto froze. If he remembered correctly, that damn thing was in Riko Amanai's hands.
And Riko Amanai... wasn't she on a mission today?!
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake