Since the Asuka era, Japan’s Onmyōdō began to sprout, gradually blooming over time and developing unique traits separate from the continent.
These practitioners have independently advanced their abilities, forming a truly peculiar style.
The origins of Japanese shamanism trace back to the continent. The shamanism that crossed over to Japan captivated the Japanese people’s eyes, leading those who could only rely on their own bodies and talents to indulge in it and become shamans. The first practitioners—what we might call the “first generation”—explored truths and sought paths like other shamans, but…
As time passed, Japanese shamans prioritized survival over enlightenment and practice.
Typically, shamans would develop divination to fall under the protection of power holders, but given Japan’s frequent wars, they wished to protect their own bodies and hoped for their safety to be passed down through generations.
Hiding in the mountains, they escaped taxes only to be attacked; staying in villages led to forced conscription, and upon barely returning from such tribulations, they starved to death due to harsh tax burdens. Showing off their skills in shamanism could lead to recruitment, but that resulted in the inevitable overuse of magic that left their bodies horrifically ruined, leading to death. On top of that, maintaining close relationships with power holders for their protection was no easy task.
Being friendly was not the issue.
The problem was that the heads of those powerful figures could roll at any moment.
They’d face attacks from assassins, fall victim to curses hurled at them by opponents, die in wars, be taken prisoner, perish amidst peasant revolts, get sliced apart by warriors’ sword energy, or meet their end thanks to typhoons or earthquakes.
And what happens when they die?
Naturally, the efforts of the shamans who built friendships with those power holders vanish into thin air.
No, just disappearing into thin air would be fortunate. It was common for shamans with close ties to be executed along with the power holders or to be reduced to mere “tools” by whoever took charge next. Shamanism, although fraught with costs, offered much in terms of effectiveness, and if one squeezed out their life, they could witness it.
As such tragedies unfolded, the goals of Japanese shamans began to transform gradually.
Training their bodies, minds, and souls was replaced with enduring the harshness of everyday life. Rather than seeking a path, they pursued the continuation of their own lives. Instead of expanding their consciousness, they focused on their own well-being.
Survival.
Shamans learned magic solely for that purpose, exhibiting self-serving traits as they focused on their own bodies, rather than catering to others’ selfish desires. And as this cycle continued, Japanese shamanism evolved into a form specialized in survival and evasion, while divination and rituals experienced endless degradation.
Amidst such bizarre transformations, a singularity appeared.
That was the emergence of contractors.
Contractors claimed to have been chosen by various gods, wielding unique powers while wielding knowledge unknown to humans to intervene in the world. They fought against the evil spirits born from excessive warfare and drove off malevolent spirits that roamed freely, harming people.
And in gathering together under their blessings,
The scope was what they deemed the “world.”
In other words, all of Japan.
“Blessings have been bestowed by the deities for the unfortunate lives of humans.”
“The world will be abundant.”
Under their blessings, everyone became happy.
Warriors grew stronger and faster.
The grains harvested by farmers increased in number.
The fruit bearing on trees became larger and sweeter.
While the tiny bodies of people remained unchanged, at least the absurd deaths had significantly decreased, leading to an increase in population.
The grace of the gods was truly immense.
Moreover, these blessings were equally bestowed upon the shamans.
The great gods, the transcendent beings, loved all humans.
They were endlessly benevolent toward humanity.
“Shamanism is not a perverse power but a force that turns the bodies and souls of people upside down. While it does not diminish human value, it grotesquely distorts their shape, preventing them from living as they ought.”
“The great beings respect those who seek paths and truths through shamanism. How could one hate those who explore the depths of the mind and endure the pain of having their souls turned upside down while pursuing knowledge?”
“But you do not learn shamanism with grand ideals; instead, you learn it solely as a means of survival, enduring the perils that consume your lifespans while moving gradually further from survival, creating a situation akin to tragedy.”
“Therefore, I shall show you what can protect your bodies and prolong your lifelines.”
The one who claimed to be a contractor of the rabbit god spoke these words, gathering all the Japanese shamans. He collected their knowledge into one place, selecting what would be beneficial for their survival. Among those were also items classified as shamanism, yet were not magic in nature.
What had been erroneously classified as shamanism due to ignorance was systematized.
Magic that required minimal cost was chosen by the contractors.
And what was organized in this manner was packaged as sorcery.
“Shamanism is an unstructured force that possesses the grandeur to embrace all things. However, buried within that greatness, there is something that is not shamanism. I have borrowed the power of the great deity to select for you what is not shamanism.”
“However, the samples are far too scarce to develop independently, so I have combined those that are well-suited together with low-cost magic.”
“You should cherish this well, and use it as armor to protect your bodies.”
“Thus, grow your power so that you can safeguard yourselves without paying a harsh price.”
The shamans were grateful for the contractor’s grace.
They bundled the shamanism and non-shamanism organized by the contractor under the name of Onmyōdō and the ones who learned it came to be known as Onmyōdō practitioners, or simply Onmyoji.
Onmyōdō practitioners gradually developed the meager art of Onmyōdō.
This style evolved to fit the transformed environment of Japan brought about by the contractors, advancing in the direction of utilizing dense energy and the souls and huns scattered all around. Yet, even as they made progress, they did not forget the obsessions of the old shamans, making Onmyōdō a shape that prioritized the survival of practitioners.
Fighting directly was too risky.
Consequently, Onmyōdō practitioners imitated the magic of creating fairy mimics, drew pictures on paper, and crafted spells to command those drawings; this was called shiki.
The abilities of Onmyōdō were not diverse.
Since they amalgamated non-magic with low-cost elements, it might have been good for living according to their nature, but compared to standard shamanism, their capabilities had extremely low limitations and their power was insignificant.
To compensate for this, they chose to create divine objects and stuff them with the souls and huns alongside energy for practical use.
This was called inscription magic.
In addition, to create spaces hiding from those aiming for their lives, they developed barrier magic and enhanced talismans, cultivating curses that would let them slay enemy commanders with swords and arrows. They began to focus on developing magic for survival while utilizing the energies and souls abundant throughout Japan, emphasizing practicalities over traditional magic.
And even amid all this, they also learned divination, not as a disposable battle ally but to be recognized as an essential existence.
This is precisely why Onmyoji has endured until modern times.
From the moment they were defined as Onmyoji until now.
They did not hesitate to grasp power for the sake of survival, and even when heads and rules changed, they continued to use their talents to secure important positions, build connections, and maintain their lineage. This remained true even through Japan’s world wars and into the modern era.
And saying they do not hesitate to align with power means they are sensitive to power.
They knew how to distinguish between rising and falling stars, as well as understanding how to sell their favors without incurring their wrath.
However, stars cannot be defined by a single interpretation.
Many have appeared to rise only to fall, while others appeared to fall and then rise again.
Even fruits that seem delightful on the outside may be sour or astringent, and while the shine of gold may be alluring, it could be filled to the brim with dark iron. Hence, they diligently worked to gauge the temperaments of power holders without crossing them, sparing no expense to separate the jewels from the stones. They extended their favors toward those deemed gems to earn their protection while offering only the bare minimum to those seen as stones to avoid incurring their resentment.
Indeed.
They bestow.
It is not a tribute to them.
It is a bestowal.
With the power of Onmyōdō.
With the strength of the group known as Onmyoji.
With irreplaceable status and capabilities!
Exchanging Onmyōdō in return for the protection of power, they bestow favors even to those unqualified to keep hostility at bay.
All for the sake of survival.
For the prosperity of the Onmyoji group.
For a peaceful and abundant life.
But there can’t be rights without obligations.
The Onmyoji must ensure that outside shamans cannot enter Japan for the sake of a tranquil life. They needed to protect against shamans who would recklessly wield their powers in this blessed land of Japan and prevent outside shamans from leveraging absolute power in their place.
“The investigation into Uchikawa Ryosuke has been completed.”
That was the mission of the Onmyoji, for the very survival of the group and the safety of Japan.
