Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

On a certain dark, chilly night, the sky was adorned with an inky expanse of clouds, and the cold wind swept mercilessly across the streets of Tengu City.

The silence was broken only by the soft whooshing sound of wind as a lone figure flew through the night sky, his silhouette slicing through the air at an incredibly fast pace. He came to a sudden halt before landing atop one of the buildings, effortlessly coming to rest in a crouch before standing tall and fully upright.

His presence seemed to transcend this world, an almost divine essence in the midst of the night.

"Looks like I can only maintain this form for about an hour." the figure murmured, as though speaking to himself, his voice echoing with a sense of quiet contemplation. His expression remained impassive, his gaze piercing as he examined himself.

The transformation he had undergone was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

The figure was none other than Shido, now adorned in a form that resonated with power, his Spirit Mode.

Using the 'Concept of Multiply', he made a copy of himself that is currently in bed so that Kotori wouldn't doubt him in case she barged into his room.

This was the first time he had fully experienced the strength of this mode after awakening within his inner world, and it left him both awed and slightly elated by his current appearance.

No matter how many times he saw his current look, he couldn't help but feel slightly narcissist considering how sharp and handsome he became.

His usual black hair had transformed into long, flowing silvery-white strands, catching the light in stark contrast to the dimming night. His face, once handsome but unremarkable, had become even more so, the sharpness of his features amplified to a point that bordered on ethereal beauty.

But it was his eyes that truly made him resemble something otherworldly. His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was now activated, casting an ominous light from his gaze. Those crimson eyes held an almost evil aura, exuding a chillingly cold vibe that made his presence seem unsettling, like a harbinger of something catastrophic.

Shido's body was clad in jet black and pearl white armor.

The patterns etched into the armor pulsed with faint gold and obsidian hues, seemingly alive with energy.

These markings shifted with a fluidity that matched the grace of the lightest breeze, echoing the flow of both holy and evil forces within him.

On his back, a divine ring rotated with a steady rhythm, exuding an aura of both radiant light and consuming darkness. It swirled with an almost balance of brilliant gold and black consuming energy that seemed to absorb the surrounding atmosphere. To an onlooker, it was not merely a decoration, but it was an ethereal symbol of duality, the embodiment of his connection to light and darkness.

Shido had summoned his Angel, and the sight was nothing short of terrifying.

His Angel, Abaddon, had manifested as a gauntlet that extended all the way to his elbows. It was an elegant yet domineering gauntlet that added to his powerful form.

The right gauntlet had a divine white color with intricate blue patterns swirling across it, emanating a holy aura. In contrast, his left gauntlet was jet black, adorned with golden markings that exuded a far more ominous aura.

The combination of these two gauntlets, coupled with the swirling duality on his back, made Shido look like a true embodiment of light and darkness in perfect balance.

This was the first time Shido had utilized this form since his awakening in his inner world.

As he examined his weapon, he had initially expected it to manifest as something familiar, maybe a sword or a spear. But to see a gauntlet… it had astonished him.

Still, he was not entirely displeased with it. The gauntlet added an air of dominance to his appearance, a sense of overwhelming elegance that no weapon could compare to. Still, he knew this form had limitations, and as much as he admired the transformation, he knew he had to make the most of the time he had.

After examining his body for a moment longer, Shido sighed, a brief expression of frustration flitting across his face.

"The Spirit Mode's duration was almost up..." he muttered. It was true that while this form made him almost on par with the Spirits themselves, it wasn't something he could maintain indefinitely.

Yet, he felt calm despite that limitation. He had only just begun, and he was certain that, over time, he would find a way to prolong this transformation. Perhaps sealing more Spirits would help him unlock further potential, allowing him to extend the duration or even master this form.

Shido could already tell that his power had grown.

The Spirit Mode, combined with the enhancements from his Sharingan and Angel, was formidable.

The only thing that seemed strange to him was the lack of a noticeable backlash from the Sharingan's activation.

Normally, its activation brought excruciating pain, a dark pull on his psyche that could nearly break him if used too frequently.

However, in his Spirit Mode, the pain was absent, leaving him with a perfect, unrestrained sense of power. He couldn't help but wonder, 'Does that mean the drawbacks of the Sharingan are completely negated during this form?'

It was an intriguing thought. With his Sharingan granted to him by his system, combined with his Angel and other abilities, he wondered if the "Susanoo" technique might be within his grasp.

While he couldn't yet bring himself to use it. It would certainly cause far too much collateral damage here in Tengu City and Shido couldn't help but consider it. Maybe in the future, once I'm in another world…

Returning his focus to the present, Shido called up his Stats Panel to measure the increase in his attributes while in Spirit Mode.

With a familiar Ding!, the glowing translucent screen appeared before him, displaying his updated statistics.

Name: Itsuka Shido

Level: 34

Race: Spirit (Unsealed)

Class: None

Attributes:

STR: D++ → B

VIT: D+ → C+++

AGI: D+ → C+++

INT: C+ → B+++

Charm: E+ → D+++

Luck: D → C++

The surge of power from his Spirit Mode was reflected in his increased stats, and Shido felt a surge of satisfaction. His abilities were enhanced far beyond expectations, granting him a new sense of control.

However, his thoughts on his stats were interrupted by soft, melodic laughter that seemed to reverberate from nowhere. 

Shido immediately tensed, his senses flaring. His gaze darted to the source, but there was nothing there. The laughter danced around him, sending a chill up his spine, and the cold breeze of the night only added to the eerie feeling. But something shifted in the air.

Suddenly, black-red matter began to materialize beneath Shido, quickly spreading across the ground. It rippled like oil, giving off an unsettling, unnatural aura.

Then, from this blackened substance, a figure emerged slowly. A woman, clothed in a crimson Gothic Lolita dress with delicate black frills, appeared from the matter, stepping forward with an ethereal grace. Her skin was porcelain pale, seemingly glowing with an unsettling beauty, and her long black hair framed her face, flowing elegantly down to her waist in long twin tails.

Shido's heart dropped. He had felt this presence before and knew instantly who had appeared before him.

As the woman's eyes locked with his gaze, she smirked, her lips curving into an elegant, amused smile.

"Fufufu, what an interesting sight…" she said, her voice smooth and seductive, yet filled with intrigue.

The tone was one of casual amusement, as though Shido were little more than an amusing diversion.

In an instant, Shido's mind raced. His hand instinctively went to his side, as if preparing for a fight, but he knew better.

This wasn't just any ordinary opponent. This was Tokisaki Kurumi, a Spirit known as "Nightmare," whose very name sent a shiver down the spine of even the most hardened warriors. The very idea of encountering her like this was enough to make anyone sweat.

Shido clenched his fists, his grip tight and steady despite the sweat running down his back. It was one thing to be facing someone with terrifying power, but he knew that Kurumi didn't just have raw strength, she had the experience, cunningness, and a sadistic personality that could outmaneuver even the most prepared opponents.

A scene of carnage was nothing to her, it was simply another day in the life of a woman whose path was paved with blood and destruction.

The woman continued, her tone teasing yet filled with sinister interest.

"Ara ara, I was wondering why I felt a sudden surge of Reiryoku in the middle of the night..." She slowly circled around him, a seductive gleam in her eye. "What an intriguing sight this is..." Her gaze lingered on him as if absorbing every detail.

She stopped, eyes narrowing. "A male spirit?" Kurumi's voice was now laced with curiosity. Her left eye which looked like a golden clock face flickered, her gaze piercing as though she were analyzing every aspect of Shido's existence.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew and the clouds dispersed, moonlight bathed Shido, unveiling his long silvery-white hair that cascaded down like silk.

Kurumi finally caught sight of his appearance.

His face was striking, with sharp angles and a regal allure that exuded power and poise.

There was an otherworldly magnetism to him, enhanced by his crimson eyes that glimmered like molten rubies. Kurumi froze as she caught her breath in her throat, and for a moment, her usually composed demeanor faltered.

Her heart skipped a beat.

'How… beautiful.'

The realization hit her hard, accompanied by an involuntary warmth blooming on her cheeks.

His presence was overwhelming while his appearance was nearly noble, effortlessly capturing attention and drawing people in.

Her breath turned hurried while looking at his face.

At that very instant, Shido noticed the flush on her cheeks and immediately realized the trap he could fall into if he didn't remain cautious.

He could feel the weight of her gaze, the predatory curiosity burning behind her mismatched eyes.

'This girl…' Shido thought, his lips were twitching.

'She's bad news.'

But he remained composed, confident that the Spirit Body effect could shield him.

Kurumi's thoughts swirled chaotically. She sensed his life force was unlike anything she'd felt before. It was like a boundless reservoir that could help her fire her 12th bullet repeatedly.

Yet there was more. There seemed to be something from him that made her have a favorable impression of him even if this was their first meeting.

'A flicker of longing? Happiness? No. That couldn't be… or could it?'

Shaking off her momentary distraction, Kurumi let out a soft, melodic laugh, though the faint pink on her cheeks remained.

"Fufufu… such a charming male spirit." Her voice was smoother now, almost teasing as it danced on the edge of something deeper.

Her left golden eye which looked like a clock glinted as she studied him.

The similarity between their crimson eyes was undeniable, a dangerous, icy depth, both compelling and unsettling. "You truly are unique." she mused, her breath steadying, though a glimmer of desire still lingered in her expression.

Shido kept his poker face, masking his growing unease. Kurumi's gaze wasn't just dangerous, it was suffocating. She was fascinated by him in a way that only spelled trouble.

Finally, Kurumi tilted her head with a gentle smirk, her tone light yet brimming with obsession.

"May I know your name?"

Shido hesitated for a moment but decided to answer, keeping his guard up. "Itsuka Shido." he said calmly, his expression remaining neutral. Little did he know, that revealing his name would soon lead to a big problem.

A soft giggle escaped her lips. "Shido-san… what a lovely name." she mused before elegantly placing a hand on her chest.

"My name is Kurumi Tokisaki, It is a pleasure to meet you Shido-san."

Shido nodded subtly, maintaining his poker face to mask his unease.

"Fufufu, I believe I'll enjoy getting to know you better, Shido-kun." Kurumi continued, her tone dripping with a dangerous fascination.

__________________________

Stats edited