Ten Shadow Prison
Rogi had grown accustomed to the system messages, they felt like a constant stream of insults in his eyes, hurled at him by the system.
Having endured it ten times before, he was too fatigued to pay much attention or make sense of the onslaught.
That's why, sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, he lacked the time or mental capacity to focus on anything else.
Making him click and click and click.
Now, he found himself confronted by a colossal black creature, bus-sized, gnawing on a massive bone.
On closer inspection, Rogi recognized the creature's features and lazily remarked.
"A giant honey badger?"
Perplexed, Rogi furrowed his brow, his knowledge of this cursed spirit shikigami sorely lacking.
The system had drained his mind with its relentless torment, leaving him with no choice but to click through the processes until they were completed.
And so, here he stood, face to face with this monstrous beast.
The creature sniffed the air twice before slowly turning its attention towards Rogi, who pondered aloud.
"Don't honey badgers have an insatiable appetite?"
Although unfamiliar with the cursed spirit shikigami before him, Rogi still retained a degree of familiarity with earthly creatures.
Realizing that one of the creatures resembled a honey badger, Rogi wasted no time.
He swiftly utilized his ability to conjure his shadow storage and stowed away some food within it.
The food became his meal, a readily available meaty feast.
Carefully, Rogi opened the package containing the meal.
"Shlack!"
The sound of the opening package caught the creature's attention, causing it to bare its fangs and claws.
It lunged towards him, but Rogi instinctively shielded himself with the ready-to-eat meal, eyes tightly shut.
In that pivotal moment, Rogi was astounded to find himself still alive, as if witnessing a miracle.
He caught the sound of sniffling and cautiously opened his eyes.
Observing that the creature had grown wary and took a step back upon realizing he was watching, Rogi seized the opportunity.
He opened the snack and tossed it in front of the creature, enticing it with the aroma of the ready-to-eat meal.
"It works!"
Rogi exclaimed, a sense of wonder filling his voice as he marveled at the scene before him.
Though not sure with the creature, this was a far better outcome than facing an endless cycle of sleep deprivation that would ultimately lead to his demise.
With a triumphant grin, Rogi swiftly retrieved another meal from his shadow storage, ready to continue his feeding strategy.
As Rogi observed the honey badger-like creature retreat slightly, his anxiety grew.
The sheer size of the beast caused perspiration to trickle down his forehead with the slightest movement it made.
The creature sniffed the air repeatedly, clearly cautious of the new scent wafting before it.
Yet, Rogi was well aware that the creature was drawn to it.
Soon enough, the creature devoured the food with ease, its massive form resembling an adult savoring a piece of candy.
Rogi promptly fetched another stash of food and flung it in front of the creature.
He maintained a steady stream of offerings, eagerly awaiting the moment when the system would bring an end to this dreadful nightmare he yearned to escape.
Suddenly, as Rogi's supply dwindled, the creature fixed its gaze upon him and lunged forward! Regret surged within Rogi, his heart sinking.
"Did I fail?"
He questioned himself, his voice laced with disappointment.
The creature's head enveloped him, exerting a slight pressure, and with a resounding crack, it was over.
Overwhelmed by a sense of failure, Rogi sank into a state of depression upon realizing that his consumption of the other players had been in vain.
However, an unexpected voice interrupted his thoughts, exclaiming.
Ding!
[ You died! But StupidLove made it unlike the other 1264 players.
[ The first-timer who made it!
[ Congratulations! ]
The system chimed in, adding.
[ The player StupidLove could have transformed into a sleepless disaster cursed spirit, awakening after several decades if the player StupidLove had not succeeded. ]
Stunned, Rogi could only utter a profanity-laden exclamation.
"What the fuck!?"
A peculiar sensation crawled up his spine, sending shivers down his back.
Yet, the system seemed unfazed, treating it as a casual piece of information.
Ding!
[ Warning: All Ten Shadows abilities will be replaced, and some may be removed. Please be prepared, and congratulations again, dear player StupidLove. ]
Swallowing hard, Rogi glanced at the number of individuals who had been transported to the cursed spirit world, his terror mounting.
If it hadn't been for his knowledge of honey badgers on his own Earth, separate from this Jujutsu Kaisen Earth, what might have transpired?
Furthermore, had he not ventured outside that night to pilfer food, what kind of special-grade spirit would he have become?
With a quizzical expression, Rogi gazed at the system and posed a question.
"No longer a Ten Shadows user? Then what will I become?"
Rogi's inquiry, however, was met with a repetitive response from the system,
Ding!
[ Please wait, reconstructing shadow ability, reconstructing shadow ability. ]
Not long after, the system chimed once again, declaring.
Ding!
[ The Ten Shadows Technique has been replaced with the Ten Shadow Prison. True to its name, unlike users of the Ten Shadows Technique who can summon and battle Shikigami to subdue them.
[ Users of the Ten Shadow Prison must seek out ten Shikigami on their own and tame them. Once tamed, the user of the Ten Shadow Prison can transform them into prison warden Shikigami who will be in charge of cursed spirit prisoners. ]
But the system wasn't finished yet.
It continued to explain everything to Rogi.
[ Furthermore, the abilities of shadow bind and shadow hide have been replaced by Shadow Chain and Shadow Shackles.
[ The chain operates similar to a regular chain but can be strengthened by the creature that it's inspired from and the chain could regenerate on its own.
[ While the Shackles possess the innate ability of the first prison warden Shikigami that cannot be summoned now as it was in the level ten prison cell as a warden, the highest level. ]
[ Shadow storage is not changed. ]
The system continued its relentless flow of information.
[ Furthermore, the Ten Shadow Summons ability differs between users of the Ten Shadow Technique and the Ten Shadow Prison.
[ While users of the Ten Shadow Technique can summon their shadows at will, requiring suppression to tame them and use them in combat anytime they like once tamed, the Ten Shadow Prison user has two summoning methods:
[ 1. When the target is shackled or bound, the shackles become unbreakable, and the shikigami wardens, ranging from one to ten shadow shikigami wardens, will attack the bound target one by one.
[ 2. The user of the Ten Shadow Prison can bind the shackles to themselves, summoning the wardens to fight on their behalf.
[ 2.1. However, the wardens can only operate within the range of the chains. Should the user of the Ten Shadow Prison perish, the shikigami or Shikigamis will devour their soul and memories and gain their freedom.
[ 2. 2. Conversely, if the shikigami dies, the chain user of Ten shadow Prison it will permanently acquire the deceased Shikigamis abilities. ]
Suddenly, Rogi noticed that the system displayed a flashing red screen accompanied by an alarming sound.
[ Warning: The abilities of the shadow shackles can only be used if the creature hidden in the tenth level of the prison is satisfied. If it remains unsatisfied, the abilities of the shackles and chain cannot be utilized. ]
[ The warden grade could be anything. ]
Rogi took a deep breath, a realization dawning upon him regarding the implications of the changes to the Ten Shadow Technique.
"So all the training I underwent under my father would become futile since I am no longer considered a user of the Ten Shadow Technique?"
Yet, seemingly in response to his concerns, the system chimed in.
Ding!
[ The user's knowledge and mastery of the Ten Shadow Technique will also be replaced and transformed into the Ten Shadow Prison Ability. ]