The next day, he returned, rested and ready. Each step was like liquid, the shadow casting under him moved. More than just following his motion, like they were being commanded.

In the span of one night, Takumi was able to gasp his control over the basic tool of Ten Shadows to its fullest capabilities.

He put in some extra information by reading the manga; he is also now able to wield some new tricks as well.

"Divine dogs." He sewed both hands together, putting extra curse energy into his summoning as the two of them came out.

"Toad." Both hands facing each other, thumbs press together horizontally, index bend fingers downward with the tips of his index fingers to lightly touch each other below the crossed thumbs.

"Great serpent." One-handed, he found that this summons, in particular, has the hand sign work just as well whether it's one or two hands.

Open palm, putting his index finger and pinky finger on top of the two middle fingers to make snake eyes and his thumb curved for the mouth.

The way he summoned them, the curse energy he used, the shadow which he summoned them through. A whole process that he maximized to their potential.

"Only using what is basic." He stared wide-eyed even Tojiko could not see this and not react in the same way.

His wolves now grow larger, fang and claws all extended with a boost in speed and agility. His toad now looking like a car, holding inside is what he expected to be much greater than the looks gave off. And great serpent does not change much in size but it does make it more ferocious in speed and more durable.

All of them are what he will use to tame the next three Shikigami. With the fourth summons being his new target.

"Nue." His hands make the shadow of an eagle.

A large bird with orange feathers and a skull mask shrieks as it emerges from its shadows, flying high before swiping down and smashing into great serpent, releasing a burst of electricity.

To the bird's surprise, it did little to hurt it. It flew back in shock as Shirane and Kurona ran up the body of the Great Serpent and jumped.

Buzzing in electricity, Nue flew away. But then a tongue from below almost knocked it out of the sky. Hitting one of the wings with a strong force, the bird got one wing hurt and flapped much harder to stay airborne.

And that's where he wanted it to be; Shirane used Kurona's body as a jumping pad and hopped for the second time. Flying straight at Nue who can't move as fast anymore.

*slash*

One precise strike with her claw into Nue's chest left the bird to fall to its demise. Takumi let out a relaxed smile, seeing the Shikigami dissolve into the liquid shadow. Now he has another one added to his team of Pokemon.

"Now, onto the fifth one." There isn't much time to waste, using this amount of curse energy will be bad for a long battle but as of now. He can hold it, even if his summons got damaged he can recover them in time.

"Max elephant." His index and pinky are used to make the tusk as the ring and middle finger form the trunk, one hand overlapping the other.

Takumi was greeted by the sound of a trumpet as Max elephant entered his range. Great serpent attacks first by slamming head first at it.

The two giant beasts collided, kicking the ground apart in a contest of might and size. Enhance, Great Serpent holds a better advantage, but it is still only making a small gap in pushing the Elephant.

'Shirane, Kurona, go for the throat!' Sending his telepath message, the wolves get right to work.

They ran under Max Elephant's belly, dealing shallow cuts before chomping right at the neck.

Withered with pain, it tried to pull away but got tangled by a long tongue.

Then Takumi ran up to its face and jumped directly into its skull, knocking Max's elephant's head to get hit by a second hit by the great serpent. No doubt disorienting it, followed up by Kurona hopping on top of its head and biting down hard.

A loud trumpet sound came out as Max Elephant used the last bit of strength to launch a water blast. It came out in high pressure, pushing back the great serpent's whole head. Then it shoots wildly at everyone else, trying to get the two wolves off.

"Toad, aim for that trunk." Takumi commanded, and the toad's tongue warped itself around Max Elephant's trunk.

Takumi then opens up a shadow beneath its body and lets it fall down. Trapping the elephant's legs inside his shadow.

It took much more time than he was preparing for, two hours. He was worried that they have to try again because of how much curse energy he was using.

But in the end, Max Elephant is now a part of his Shikigami group as well.

"I think it's time for you to stop." Tojiko chimed in, Takumi reluctantly had to agree. Even when he doesn't want to, but this one subjugation has taken a huge amount of curse energy from him.

Max elephant damage absorption is so high that he needs the help of all his three Shikigami and himself to bring it down. And even so, it wasn't easy as the thing can overpower most of what he has.

Opening and closing his hand, Takumi could feel their presence inside his shadow now. 'maybe I should hold it off for now.' he looked at his wife, who was showing concern to him.

"Sure, I have to take a look at my new tamed Shikigami anyway." Takumi smiled; he closed his eyes as Tojiko picked him up and carried him back into the car.

"You did great."

"Thanks, but I wanted to try and get the Rabbit next."

"You don't have to push it so much by yourself."

"but I do; this technique requires me to do it. by myself." Emphasized in the last part, "I want you to see that I can do things with my own strength too."

He wanted her to see that, it's good that she is so devoted but devotion can be blind.

"Anyway, that's enough of Jujutsu and sorcery. What do we have for dinner."

"Let's order for tonight, I'm too tired."

"Oh, where's the "i can do things by my own strength" go ?" she mocked and Takumi returned the jab, "you can try to cook by yourself then, i won't mind at all."

The two laughed and joked as they made their way home.