CHAPTER-31
At 7:27 PM, in front of the main gate of the Tokyo Jujutsu High School, Zenin Toji leaned against a large tree and casually crushed a few mosquitoes that approached.
Because the college is close to the mountains and forests, it is not as hot as the city, but correspondingly, there are more mosquitoes here.
Zenin Toji was somewhat irritable. Ever since Zenin Kiyoshi was taken into the interrogation room, he had been particularly dissatisfied.
Even Zenin Toji himself wasn't quite sure where this feeling of unease came from. In short, his first impression of the college wasn't particularly good.
Zenin Naobito squatted on the threshold, showing none of the demeanor of a patriarch of one of the three great families. He grinned at Yaga Masamichi, then slowly said:
"Hahaha, I never expected your first meeting as teacher and student would be under such circumstances. But you're such a bastard, actually bringing Qing along. Hey, are you sure those bastards won't use any dirty tricks to question him?"
A strong smell of alcohol wafted from Zenin Naobito's mouth, causing Yaga Masamichi to instinctively turn his face away. However, he could understand Zenin Naobito's thoughts. After all, Zenin Kiyoshi was someone the other party had specifically instructed, but he had still brought him to the interrogation room, which was indeed a bit inhumane.
However, for the safety of the civilians in that area, Yaga Masamichi had to do this, but he still had to give face to Zenin Naobito.
"Don't describe the high school as some kind of gangster gathering place! Zenin Kiyoshi's questioning was just a basic case-solving exercise; no cursed tools were used."
"Cursed tools? Do you actually have any torture tools specifically designed for interrogation?"
Zenin Naobito looked at Yaga Masamichi with a smile on his face, but Yaga Masamichi knew that the other party actually wanted him to give a guarantee and explanation.
"Don't worry, those kinds of cursed tools are generally not used in minor cases like this. Moreover, when using those cursed tools, they will cause some degree of harm to both the user and the person being cursed. So unless it involves a very serious social case, they are not allowed to be used."
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Moreover, since you personally led Zenin Kiyoshi there, the people there are far more adept at reading people than I am. Given their way of handling problems, the reason they haven't come out yet is most likely just for show.
When he said these words, Yaga Masamichi's face looked somewhat unnatural.
After all, admitting to having systemic problems in front of others is bound to be somewhat embarrassing.
But Zenin Naobito laughed upon hearing this. He patted Yaga Masamichi on the shoulder and then said with a smile:
"These kinds of things happen everywhere, don't think too much about it. When Qing starts school, I'll treat you to drinks at the Yakitori-gai gate!"
Upon hearing this, Yaga Masamichi shook his head, then slowly said:
"Forget it, I don't like eating those animal organs, and it's really not worth it to cut the mushrooms in half and grill them for you. But there's something I want to ask you. I remember you told me before that Zenin Kiyoshi's technique is repulsive force, but the cracks I saw at the scene were obviously blasted out by someone's fist."
While a Grade 3 sorcerer could shatter a wall, I'd only ever seen a Grade 2 sorcerer create a wound that looked like it had been sliced through tofu. Zenin Kiyoshi's sorcery power wasn't at that level, and I didn't see any residual cursed energy on the wall. This meant his punch was entirely due to his physical strength…"
At this point, Yaga Masamichi stopped talking, but his meaning was clear: he believed that Zenin Naobito was lying, and that Zenin Kiyoshi's innate technique was most likely not the so-called repulsive force.
Hearing Yaga Masamichi's words, Zenin Naobito also felt somewhat strange. He looked at Yaga Masamichi and asked, puzzled:
"Qing Xiaogui was sent to me by your college, and you were the ones who conducted the innate technique test on Qing Xiaogui back then. Why are you asking me about it now?"
"So things are getting a bit complicated now. Zenin Kiyoshi's method of obtaining life may not be as simple as we think."
Just then, the door to the interrogation room behind them was pushed open, but the person who came out was not Zenin Kiyoshi, but Gakuganji Yoshinobu, who was serving as the vice principal of the college at the time.
He hunched over, looked at the two people squatting on the ground, and then slowly said:
"Zenin Kiyoshi has been cleared of suspicion, but his innate technique had problems in the previous test. Now Master Tengen will conduct a second test on him. You can come and watch together."
After saying that, Gakuganji walked directly inside, while Yaga Masamichi and Zenin Naobito exchanged a glance, then got up at the same time and walked into the high school.
Seeing this, Zenin Toji didn't say anything, but with a flash, he appeared directly beside Yaga Masamichi, who looked like he had seen a ghost.
"How...how did you do that?!"
Despite the fact that the other party had no cursed energy whatsoever, they were able to move at a speed beyond his comprehension, which made Yaga Masamichi feel that his worldview had been shaken.
Zenin Naobito seemed to find this scene quite amusing. He patted Yaga Masamichi on the shoulder and said with a smile:
"Hahaha, this guy is the strongest in our Zen family, even I can't beat him."
Upon hearing this, Zenin Toji turned his head and glanced at Zenin Naobito. He had absolutely no desire to agree with the old man's statement about "our Zen family."
Inside the interrogation room, Zenin Kiyoshi looked at the woman with long, silver-white hair before him, feeling slightly surprised.
Tengen's appearance is completely different from the inhuman form described in the original work. At this moment, she looks like a beautiful woman with overly fair skin, without any trace of the original character.
"You don't seem afraid of me?"
Tengen looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, his voice as clear and melodious as a silver bell.
"I have learned about you from the family's records. You are a great being who has protected humanity for thousands of years, so I feel that I should not be afraid of you."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Tengen smiled:
"You're a bit different from them. You're not afraid of me at all; instead, you're just curious about me. Do you wonder why I've been able to live so long?"
Zenin Kiyoshi didn't know how to answer this question. He just looked at Tengen and tried his best to calm his thoughts.
Why is Tengen here?
Isn't this just an ordinary case of a cursed spirit committing murder?
How could someone like her come looking for me in person?!
CHAPTER-32
Tengen's sudden arrival completely disrupted Zenin Kiyoshi's plans. It should be noted that this important figure, who did not have much presence in the original work, actually possessed just as much information and inside information as Kenjaku.
His hastily formulated plans might fool some people through his connection with the Zenin Naobito, but if he tried to pull off such a thing in front of Tengen, the chances of it being seen through were very high.
Moreover, considering Tengen's performance in the original work, Zenin Kiyoshi felt a headache coming on.
Things started to spiral out of control.
Tengen seemed to sense the somewhat impolite thought in Zenin Kiyoshi's mind. She frowned, a hint of helplessness appearing in her clear eyes.
"I know you're confused right now, wondering why something like a cursed spirit attack would make me leave the barrier and go to all this trouble to appear here, right?"
The monk nodded respectfully and said:
"That's true. After all, as far as I know, Lord Tengen, you are an important figure who protects the entire country's barrier. You shouldn't be here for something like this."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's respectful tone, Tengen nodded. She was barefoot, her bare feet white with a hint of pink. She wasn't sitting cross-legged on the ground, but rather her soles were facing Zenin Kiyoshi openly. The slightly curved arches of her feet seemed to exude a faint fragrance.
"Well, if it were just a normal cursed spirit attack, I would never have appeared here. Or to put it another way, if it weren't you who's here today, I would never have left the underground barrier, even if it were anyone else, even Gojo Satoru."
You can think of it this way: the only reason I came up here was to see you.
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Tengen, lowered his head slightly, and his gaze met Tengen's jade-like feet. He was a little embarrassed, looked away, and asked in a puzzled tone:
"See me? But I'm just an ordinary Grade 4 sorcerer. What is your reason for coming to see me?"
Tengen stood up, braced his hands on the table, and leaned his upper body directly towards Zenin Kiyoshi. At the same time, his delicate little nose sniffed the air, like a wildcat searching for food.
A faint fragrance wafts through the air, somewhat reminiscent of dried orange peel—a delicate and lingering scent that brings a sense of profound comfort.
When Zenin Kiyoshi had that feeling in his mind, he felt like he must be going crazy to make such a comment about an old woman who was thousands of years old.
Fortunately, Tengen didn't notice this at the time. She was only looking at Zenin Kiyoshi, her voice filled with a plea and longing that hadn't been seen in thousands of years:
"You're no ordinary Grade 4 sorcerer, Zenin Kiyoshi. From the moment you entered here, I felt something called destiny turning within me. Do you know what that feeling is?"
Upon hearing this, Zenin Kiyoshi suddenly remembered something: the legendary destiny of the "Six Eyes" and the "Star Plasma Vessel".
The reason Tengen has been able to live to this day is not only because her own techniques are somewhat special, but also because the human world occasionally finds Star Plasma Vessels that she can fuse with, thus stabilizing Tengen's body that is constantly evolving towards higher levels.
According to the ancient records of the Zenin family, the time interval between fusions with the Star Plasma Vessel is about 500 years. Furthermore, when the fusion of the physical body is about to take place, two fixed entities, namely the [Six-Eyed] and the [Star Plasma Vessel], will always appear.
It was as if it were a curse or destiny.
Tengen had lived for many years. Although Zenin Kiyoshi had managed to control his emotions well, she still knew that Zenin Kiyoshi must have guessed what she meant by destiny by now.
This is why she enjoys chatting with intelligent people. Although she herself isn't particularly intelligent and has been hurt by intelligent people before, she simply likes them.
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"You should have guessed some things by now, right? Star Plasma, Six Eyes..."
Tengen's body drew closer and closer, and Zenin Kiyoshi could even feel the other's breath, warm and moist, like waves lapping against his cheeks.
At this point, Zenin Kiyoshi could no longer pretend to be stupid; that would be too hypocritical.
He sighed, stepped back slightly, and softly asked the Lord Tengen, whose face was almost touching his own:
"I did look into some related information, but it was just out of curiosity..."
Before Zenin Kiyoshi could finish speaking, Tengen smiled at him and said:
"Just curiosity? Then why do you possess both the aura of [Heavenly Restriction] and [Six Eyes]?!"
Hearing Tengen's words, Zenin Kiyoshi felt as if his mind had been struck by lightning. How could Tengen have sensed such a thing?!
Could she possibly sense that he possesses a system?!
No, that should be impossible.
Seemingly noticing the sudden tension in Zenin Kiyoshi's muscles, Tengen revealed a sly smile, her silver teeth flashing in a bright grin:
"I was right, wasn't I? The aura of Heavenly Restriction and the aura of the Six Eyes—if you possessed only one of these two auras, I wouldn't sense anything unusual about you. But when these two auras appear on one person at the same time, they create a strange chemical reaction. I call that unique aura the 'Crack of Destiny'."
Tengen looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, his eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness:
"I know you must be a little flustered right now, but I have no intention of harming you whatsoever. I have hardly ever left that room since I was five years old. My mission seems to be only for that barrier that spans the entire country, and my fate seems to be imprisoned in the Star Plasma Vessel."
"The imprisoned fate is not only for the Star Plasma Vessel, but also for myself. Do you really think I'm willing to merge the soul of a stranger with mine? Do you really think... this prisoner-like life is what I want to continue for a thousand years?"
As Tengen spoke, she bit her lip slightly. She had two canine teeth, and a drop of blood slid down the corner of her lips. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, her eyes filled with a light that had not been seen for nearly a thousand years.
"I don't want to continue with this fate anymore, and your appearance is the key to breaking this fate!"
You are the first person I have seen in thousands of years to possess both Heavenly Restriction and Six Eyes, along with Limitless-type power, all within a single body!
CHAPTER-33
Tengen looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, his eyes burning with a intensity that seemed to scald a hole in his skin.
Although he felt a little uncomfortable under that gaze, Zenin Kiyoshi breathed a sigh of relief.
She was unaware of the system within her; she was only particularly sensitive to it due to the combined effects of [Heavenly Restriction] and [Six Eyes].
Moreover, it's estimated that only Tengen could perceive this in the entire Jujutsu Kaisen world. As for others, even those at the level of Gojo Satoru or Sukuna probably wouldn't be able to sense it. In that case, it's barely a good thing.
No! This isn't a good thing either!
Tengen clearly has something he needs to do. What if he's asked to take care of Zenin Toji and Gojo Satoru right now?
Thinking of this, Zenin Kiyoshi felt as if he had been forced by the Hydra to eliminate Benbo Ba, the leader of Sun Wukong and his companions...
However, he composed himself and slowly said to Tengen in front of him:
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"Lord Tengen, the reason I have the [Six Eyes] and [Heavenly Restriction] on me is most likely due to the abilities of my spells. At first, I also thought that my spells were simply the repulsive force diagnosed by the advanced specialist, but later, when I subconsciously tried to use spells, I discovered that my abilities were not simply repulsive force control..."
At this point, Zenin Kiyoshi raised his hand, and a unique aura belonging to the Limitless Technique and the Six Eyes instantly dissipated throughout the room.
At this moment, Zenin Kiyoshi's eyes, which were originally brown, suddenly turned somewhat blue, like starlight adorning the sparse night sky.
Zenin Kiyoshi reached out and touched the back of Tengen's hand. Even though they were very close, Tengen could still feel that if Zenin Kiyoshi hadn't taken the initiative, she would almost never have been able to touch the other's palm in her entire life.
The speed gradually decreased as it approached Zenin Kiyoshi's body, until it finally came to an almost complete stop.
A look of expected ecstatic joy appeared on Tengen's face. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, her voice trembling slightly:
"This is... a technique with no limits?! You possess Six Eyes, and you also possess a technique with no limits?!"
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Tengen, shook his head, and then nodded:
"It's a bit like that, but it's not. Compared to Mr. Gojo Satoru's original power, what I can imitate is only a very weak part, and it's far from comparable to the original."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Tengen looked at his azure eyes with some surprise, and denied it with a firm tone:
"You say your technique is imitation?! That's impossible! No imitation technique can replicate someone's special physique! The Six Eyes and Ten Shadow Techniques, as well as the Kamo family's Crimson Blood Manipulation Technique, are similar to a physique, which can only be inherited from one's ancestral bloodline. It's impossible for a simple imitation technique to acquire it."
Hearing Tengen's words, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't offer any further explanation. Instead, the azure light in his eyes faded, and a slightly violent aura burst forth from his body. The vigorous blood and vitality made Tengen, who hadn't been in contact with the opposite sex for a long time, feel somewhat uneasy.
However, at this moment, Tengen's attention was not on those things. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi as if she had seen a ghost, her voice trembling uncontrollably, and said to Zenin Kiyoshi:
"This, this is really an imitation technique?! You can even imitate a body like Heavenly Restriction, which are almost absolute rules ordained by the heavens?!"
If Zenin Kiyoshi's imitation of the Six-Eyed's ability had made Tengen doubt that it was something else, then the appearance of Heavenly Restriction (Sorcerer Killer) completely shattered the last trace of doubt in Tengen's heart!
Unlike the Six-Eyed One, which still carries some cursed energy, the Heavenly Restriction–bound body is a genuine, super-pure physical enhancement that can only be achieved without the presence of any cursed energy.
At the same time, the special nature of Heavenly Restriction (Sorcerer Killer) also means that no matter what kind of cursed tool the opponent uses to imitate the effect, it will not have any effect in front of Heavenly Restriction (Sorcerer Killer), because Heavenly Restriction itself can be regarded as a huge insulator of cursed energy.
Whether it's a curse or an attack imbued with cursed energy, it will be greatly weakened on the body of the Heavenly Restriction, and this weakening is so great that it can render all the effects of cursed tools ineffective!
But Zenin Kiyoshi was right in front of him, and in less than a second, he changed the nature of his spell and even his physical constitution!
If this spectacle hadn't actually happened before his eyes, Tengen would never have believed it!
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Tengen, whose red lips were slightly parted and whose eyes were fixed on him, and felt a little nervous.
Among the things he told Tengen, some were true and some were false. If the other party were to arrest and dissect him at this moment, then the only people he could rely on would probably be Zenin Toji and Hanami.
Fortunately, after a brief moment of shock, Tengen regained her composure. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, took a deep breath, and then solemnly said:
"You carry an aura of destiny that I cannot escape, and your spells are top-tier imitation spells that I have never seen before. In this opportunity that I have waited for thousands of years, I do not want to let go of what may be my only chance. Therefore, Zenin Kiyoshi, I want to make a deal with you!"
Seeing Tengen's serious expression, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't hesitate for long and said directly:
"As long as it doesn't involve my principles or bottom line, I think I can still help you as much as possible."
What is your bottom line?
"I don't want to kill good people and innocent people, that's all."
"This is a very rare bottom line, but don't worry, I won't make you do that kind of thing. I just need you to go to Okinawa and make contact with my next Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai. I will tell you what happens next, but not now."
Upon hearing that familiar name, a faint look of confusion appeared on Zenin Kiyoshi's face:
"Contact the next Star Plasma Vessel? Why? It's been 400 years since you last received a Star Plasma Vessel. According to the 500-year cycle, you shouldn't need the next Star Plasma Vessel for the next few decades."
At this point, Zenin Kiyoshi suddenly had a bad feeling.
Tengen's slightly somber expression perfectly confirmed his thoughts.
"The demand for Star Plasma is increasing, and I can already feel it. In less than ten years, I will have to undergo a fusion!"
CHAPTER-34
At this point, Tengen's tone changed noticeably, and an invisible pressure enveloped Zenin Kiyoshi, making him somewhat uncomfortable.
"But what direct connection does this have with you asking me to make contact with that Star Plasma Vessel? Isn't destiny mostly just a coincidence?"
Zenin Kiyoshi doesn't really want to get close to Amanai Riko right now. Her status and position are too special. Although the Q organization and Time Vessel Association don't have much screen time in the original work, that's because they were facing two Special Class 3 fighters, Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru.
For two villains who have little screen time in the eyes of a special class, they are not so easy opponents to deal with.
Moreover, going to Okinawa would be like exiling himself, since there are no important figures there. He was planning to stay in Kyoto for a while longer, to get to know as many powerful sorcerers from the original work as possible, and to gain favor with them.
Seemingly sensing the resistance in Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Tengen smiled faintly. She had expected Zenin Kiyoshi to react this way. After all, judging from their earlier interaction, Zenin Kiyoshi was not the traditional sorcerer who would accept her orders with gratitude.
That's understandable, though. She had read Zenin Kiyoshi's information and knew he was a foreigner who had never received any protection from her protective barrier since childhood. It was understandable that he didn't have any respect for her.
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Of course, she herself did not intend to get Zenin Kiyoshi to do things for her for nothing. Just like the wolf culture in a company, it is wolf culture that requires sufficient compensation. If the compensation is meager and the wolf culture is combined with it, it is just a pile of dog shit.
Tengen raised an eyebrow and looked at Zenin Kiyoshi. Her aura shifted again at that moment, transforming from that of a friendly, approachable older sister to that of a powerful figure accustomed to a high position. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, her voice carrying a hint of seriousness and sternness:
"I won't let you do things for nothing, Zenin Kiyoshi. The power and resources I've accumulated here in Tokyo over thousands of years can satisfy almost anything you want. I can't see the details of your imitation technique, I can only sense the faint aura on your body. Every time a Star Plasma Vessel appears, it is accompanied by the birth of the Six Eyes."
After consulting countless ancient texts, I finally found the solution to the Star Plasma fusion in the diary of a curse master from six hundred years ago. Whether you believe in fate or not, I have lived for so long, and there are always some things that I myself cannot explain.
Each time, during every fusion of the Star Plasma Vessels, a Six-Eyed owner is born. Only one Six-Eyed owner will appear in the same era, and who that owner is is completely random. The Six Eyes do not only appear in the Gojo family; in fact, over the past few thousand years, the Six Eyes have appeared on people of all kinds of identities.
Ordinary people, curse users, family sorcerers, but it has never appeared on those who are bound by Heavenly Restriction!
The Heavenly Restriction is different from the innate technique. It is a constitution, a soul that has been marked by the heavens before birth. Every being with Heavenly Restriction has an indescribable special aura. In my years of research, I have found that most of the marks exist in the soul, and only a very small portion is stored in the body.
No, the storage of the mark should not be separated into the physical body. The location of the mark is deeper than the physical body. I cannot describe the specific part to you, but this aura is incompatible with the Six Eyes. People with Heavenly Restriction can never have the special physique of the Six Eyes!
Moreover, among the vast majority of Heavenly Restrictions, there is a type of pure physical enhancement physique called "Heavenly Tyrant." It is the most unique among all Heavenly Restrictions, capable of shielding all the exploration and detection of cursed energy. However, just when I thought that this existence could help me sever my destiny, I discovered that the aura of destiny on the possessor of the Heavenly Tyrant was actually the most severe.
A similar case occurred a thousand years ago, but in the end, the Heavenly Tyrant died at the hands of a group of curse users without even seeing the face of the Six-Eyed One. Since that incident, I have known that simple Heavenly Restrictions cannot sever destiny.
But your appearance has rekindled my hope. You are the first person to combine Heavenly Restriction (Sorcerer Killer) and Six Eyes, so you are my only hope. I know you still don't quite believe me, but I can assure you that at least until I shatter my own destiny, I will not do anything to harm you.
To show my sincerity, you can obtain all your food, lodging, and training materials for your trip to Okinawa directly from me. Although I don't need these cursed tools myself, I have collected quite a few interesting or dangerous ones over the thousands of years, and I can give them to you if you want.
I can guarantee you that my personal collection of cursed tools is no less than, if not more than, the current three major families. Or rather, what they can currently obtain are cursed tools that I don't think are very useful.
Furthermore, I also have some information on most of the cursed spirits and sorcerers over the years, and I can even tell you about the sealed locations of special grade cursed objects."
Upon hearing this, Zenin Kiyoshi's resolve began to waver.
Because he was a transmigrator, Zenin Kiyoshi understood better than anyone else just how important intelligence was in this world.
Even someone as powerful as Gojo Satoru, with Limitless, could be countered by Inverted Spear of Heaven and Black Rope.
Even if Gojo Satoru is at his peak, he can still be cleaved in two by Ryomen Sukuna when she is low on health due to insufficient information.
The reason why Mahito has such great destructive power in the original work is largely due to his dangerous and unknown magical techniques.
If everyone in the original story knew about Mahito's techniques, the casualties they could cause would be reduced by at least half.
At least the wild rose won't have half its brain blown off.
As for the importance of cursed tools? The combat power of Zenin Toji with cursed tools and Zenin Toji without cursed tools is almost two different levels.
The Prison Realm could seal Gojo Satoru into submission, and the Black Rope could make the black guy slow down Gojo Satoru...
These few things alone are enough to explain the importance of cursed tools in the original work.
If one could truly freely access the thousands of years of data and cursed tools accumulated by Tengen, then such a thing might not seem so unacceptable...
CHAPTER-35
Finally, after being offered a series of generous terms by Tengen, Zenin Kiyoshi raised his head. He looked into those azure eyes, took a deep breath, and said:
"I need to know the specifics of what you want me to do. Just the information about contacting the Star Plasma Vessel is too little. I need more information so I can decide whether or not to accept your cooperation."
Hearing this, Tengen breathed a sigh of relief. Only when the other party is willing to cooperate with you will they ask about some details. If the other party is not even willing to cooperate, then they will not ask about those trivial things at all.
She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, a smile appearing on her face:
"It's very simple. First, help me protect Riko Amanai. At the same time, try your best to get along with her and be wary of the Time Vessel Association. Although they claim to be my followers, their beliefs have started to go wrong. I can sense that they have a high degree of resistance to the Star Plasma Vessel. You need to protect Riko Amanai from them."
Is that all?
"Of course it's more than that, but I can't give you precise task criteria right now, because even I don't know exactly what I'll be asked to do next. It depends on my physical condition. My body's current rate of evolution surpasses all my past experiences, and I myself don't know what will happen next..."
Tengen's expression was slightly forlorn. She looked at her palms, at her skin that had become so pale it was almost inhuman, and a bleak smile appeared on her face. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi and said with a hint of self-mockery:
"I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. In my dreams, I'm no longer human. I'm like a thumb with six or seven eyes. My emotions are no longer as volatile as they are now. Even my body has lost its female secondary sexual characteristics. At that time, I might be more like a cursed spirit than a human."
The image of Tengen from the original work appeared in his mind. Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Tengen's beautiful face and felt a pang of emotion.
For a woman, even if she has lived for thousands of years, the complete deformation of her body must be something that is very difficult to accept.
Despite his pitiful state, Zenin Kiyoshi was not prepared to accept less pay; he did not want to be easily fooled into working.
"Lord Tengen, there is a saying in my country that things in dreams are often the opposite of reality. The things you dream about may never happen in reality."
Tengen raised his head, looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, and said with a smile:
"What if the dream is about good things? Would you still think that way?"
Zenin Kiyoshi shook his head, then replied directly:
"If it's a good thing, then this dream is a good omen, a prophetic dream."
Upon hearing this, Tengen couldn't help but smile, like a flower blooming in the cold interrogation room, beautiful and full of life.
"That really fits the character of people from your country. But thank you for your comfort. Let's get back to the main point. What do you need to be willing to get to know that girl?"
Zenin Kiyoshi pondered for a moment upon hearing this, and then spoke:
"Cursed tools are real-world products, and there's a chance I could take them. It's not realistic for you to hand them over to me now, since I don't have anything to leave you as collateral. That would be unfair to you, and I don't want our cooperation to be strained because of this. Therefore, I've excluded cursed tools from the list."
So all that's left is information on various cursed spirits, curse users, sorcerers, and special grade cursed objects. If possible, I'd like you to give me all of this information. Often, the more I know, the better I can do things for you.
Zenin Kiyoshi's answer surprised Tengen. She had thought he would ask for a lot of cursed tools, and she was even prepared to bargain with him. But she didn't expect his request to be so reasonable that Tengen had no reason to refuse.
She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, nodded, and then said softly:
"I can tell you about sorcerers, cursed spirits, curse users, and some cursed tools, but information about special grade cursed objects is extremely dangerous. I will not reveal this information to you until I have established absolute trust in you."
"Are there any special grade cursed objects on Okinawa Island?"
"Yes, and you will most likely deal with that special grade cursed object in the future, but not now. Although you were born with a very special spell, your base amount of cursed energy is not high. If your Heavenly Restriction does not change further, you will probably only be a quasi–special grade sorcerer at most. It would be very dangerous to rashly come into contact with that kind of special grade cursed object."
Zenin Kiyoshi frowned. Listening to Tengen's wary tone about the cursed object, a bad premonition suddenly welled up in his heart.
Then, Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Tengen and asked in a tentative tone:
"Could it be Ryomen Sukuna's fingers?"
This time, it was Tengen's turn to be stunned. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment:
How did you know?
"Just a guess..."
Tengen was momentarily at a loss for words in response to Zenin Kiyoshi's words. She sighed and then said:
"Since you've already guessed it, I won't explain any further. Sukuna was from the same era as me, and his terrifying power far exceeds your imagination. It wouldn't be wrong to say that he is the strongest sorcerer in history. Even just one of his fingers has the strength of a special grade curse spirit. So, I won't let you touch that thing until you reach the level of a special grade sorcerer."
"If that's the case, then once I reach the level of a top-tier sorcerer, I'll have to come into contact with that thing?"
"Yes, but I will also give you more compensation in return."
Why would you want to come into contact with that thing?
"Because I need to master the resurrection progress of Sukuna faster than some others."
Upon hearing this, Zenin Kiyoshi stopped asking questions. Tengen had already said enough, including a lot of information that wasn't explored in depth in the original work.
For example, the relationship between Tengen and Kenjaku, the foreshadowing and contingency plans of the Millennium Plan...
Although these things are not depicted in the anime, many things in the real world cannot be considered entirely based on the original work.
Especially in this period of more than a decade before the main storyline, there are simply too many things that were not explained in the original work.
Zenin Kiyoshi took a deep breath, looked at Tengen, and slowly said:
"I agree to cooperate with you."
CHAPTER-36
When I came out of the interrogation room, it was completely dark. Because of the proximity to the mountains and forests, the mosquitoes here were larger than elsewhere.
After swatting a mosquito covered in patterns, Zenin Naobito clicked his tongue, then patted Zenin Kiyoshi's head twice and slowly said:
"You little brat, you really know how to cause trouble for others. You're not a high-level sorcerer yet. When it comes to incidents of cursed spirits attacking humans, you should avoid getting involved if you can. There are so many unlucky people in the world who have been attacked by cursed spirits. Do you think you can take care of every single one of them?"
Besides, even if you become a highly skilled sorcerer later, you don't need to manage spirit attacks that don't occur within your jurisdiction or mission area. Don't create trouble for yourself or others, understand?!
Zenin Naobito yawned, and a pungent smell of alcohol, which had been trapped deep in his throat, wafted out with the yawn, drifting in the air.
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No one was particularly surprised or opposed to Zenin Naobito's statement. Even Yaga Masamichi, who had the strongest sense of justice, was the same. He just frowned slightly. Although he didn't quite agree with Zenin Naobito's views, he didn't refute them.
Being a sorcerer is an extremely high-mortality profession. Just completing the sorcery tasks within their own jurisdiction already results in a mortality rate of over 80%. Asking sorcerers to manage attacks outside of their assigned tasks is an act of sacrificing the well-being of others and is utterly shameful.
It's like the difference between the Virgin Mary and a Virgin Mary chart.
The Virgin Mary would prioritize the lives of others over her own when danger strikes, while the Virgin Mary, even when powerless, would still radiate a foolish kindness that could kill those around her.
The difference between "follow me" and "go for me" is quite significant.
Needless to say, if it weren't for Zenin Kiyoshi, he wouldn't have bothered with such a thing at all.
Just when everyone thought that Zenin Kiyoshi would humbly accept the teachings of Zenin Naobito, Zenin Kiyoshi, who was usually quite obedient, resolutely expressed his opposition at this moment:
"A speck of dust in the era, when it falls on a specific person, can become an insurmountable mountain."
There are many unfortunate people in the world who have been attacked by cursed spirits, including myself. My parents died in that attack. Because I was actually in that environment, I know better than anyone how strong my desire to survive was when faced with a cursed spirit attack.
I will not try to save someone out of my own strength. If I am not capable of saving the other person, I will not act rashly and drag myself or my companions down with me.
But when I have the ability to save others, I will not be stingy with my abilities, nor will I look down on ordinary people. In my eyes, so-called sorcerers are just ordinary people who have luckily mastered special abilities.
"Only those who fight valiantly to protect the weak can be called sorcerers. Merely refraining from harming ordinary people is only slightly better than the curse users that everyone despises."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Yaga Masamichi's tightly furrowed brows completely relaxed at this moment. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, and his eyes, which were covered by sunglasses, were now flashing with a sharp light.
When Zenin Naobito first tried to push Zenin Kiyoshi to the high school, Yaga Masamichi didn't have a good impression of Zenin Kiyoshi. He thought Zenin Kiyoshi was just another spoiled second-generation sorcerer who relied on his family's power.
When Yaga Masamichi saw Zenin Kiyoshi standing apologetically beside the corpse, his malice towards Zenin Kiyoshi completely vanished. He began to realize that the young sorcerer before him was a sorcerer with some conscience.
After listening to Zenin Kiyoshi's speech, Yaga Masamichi's feelings towards Zenin Kiyoshi completely changed to admiration and friendliness. He liked what Zenin Kiyoshi said, and even though he himself was unable to do what Zenin Kiyoshi said because of his mediocrity, he had still been adhering to his original intentions all these years.
Just like what Zenin Kiyoshi said, only those who are willing to fight for ordinary people can be called sorcerers.
At this moment, Zenin Toji stopped swatting at the mosquitoes. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi with no expression on his face, but his thoughts were unconsciously returning to the punishment room of the Zenin family when he was a child. Did he also hope that someone would come to rescue him back then?
As the one being refuted, Zenin Naobito should logically feel extremely angry and humiliated to be directly refuted by his junior in a country like Japan, where the culture of seniority is extremely strong. However, Zenin Naobito was unusually silent at this moment.
He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, then suddenly smiled, a somewhat awkward smile, his face wrinkled up like an old chrysanthemum.
His voice was a little hoarse, and the smell of alcohol was still very strong.
"You little brat, you really dare to say that. But you're right, a sorcerer should be like that, but if you do that, you'll be walking down a path where you could die at any moment. You're still young, you haven't experienced enough, you don't understand how difficult that path is, you don't know how dark that path is."
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I ask you, if at the end of this road you are only faced with a mountain of your comrades' corpses, what would you do?
The old man's voice was muffled, as if he had been holding his words in for many years, and when he spoke, it had a stale quality.
Upon hearing Zenin Naobito's question, everyone silently turned around and looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, who was only about ten years old at the time.
Even though he was just a kid around ten years old, everyone felt an inexplicable sense of trust. They felt that this problem, which had troubled many sorcerers their whole lives, could be answered reasonably well by this kid.
Zenin Kiyoshi looked up. It was pitch black all around, except for the bright white light shining from the streetlights above everyone's heads.
A few unidentified small flying insects danced under the streetlights, and the surrounding wind was stuffy, carrying the sticky sweat unique to summer.
He raised his head, looked at the crowd, suddenly smiled, and then slowly said:
"There is no death without regret for a sorcerer. It is dark outside the streetlight, but it is still lit here. A corpse is not just a corpse, or rather, the soul that once resided in the corpse is the most important thing."
The words those souls wanted to tell us, the changes that piling up corpses could bring—that is the end of this road. The path blocked by corpses and chunks of flesh is the greatest curse upon the souls of the departed!
CHAPTER-37
If silence is the greatest form of agreement, then the crowd is so shocked by Zenin Kiyoshi's words that they are somewhat speechless.
The first to react was Yaga Masamichi. He took off his sunglasses, squatted down, and suddenly pressed down on Zenin Kiyoshi's shoulders, his eyes reddening.
No one resonated with the statement "There is no death without regrets for a sorcerer" more than him.
After all, Zenin Kiyoshi borrowed this line from Yaga Masamichi in the original work.
"Zenin Kiyoshi, although I know this sudden way of speaking is probably a bit impolite, I sincerely thank you. Your words truly cleared up many things that I couldn't understand. Based on this alone, you can be my teacher!"
After saying that, Yaga Masamichi even lowered his head slightly towards Zenin Kiyoshi. This tough-looking uncle still maintained his tough-guy style in his actions.
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Seeing this, Zenin Naobito also realized what was happening. He smiled and gently pulled the drooping Yaga Masamichi aside, saying helplessly:
"You idiot, how could you do this to a kid who's only ten years old? Aren't you afraid of ruining his good fortune and lifespan? Hahaha, I think you're the one who's drunk. Alright, get out of here. This is an outstanding junior of my Zen family!"
"Ahem, to have such awareness, you certainly have more talent than me. But anyone can say nice things; we'll see if you can actually do what you say you will!"
He was like a strict yet loving parent, constantly teaching his outstanding junior, but under the dim light, a faint trace of regret was clearly visible on Zenin Naobito's face.
As the oldest sorcerer here, he has lost more than anyone else here.
A blinding summer, a dead lover, a bitterly cold winter, a departed dear friend...
There are too many regrets, and alcohol is the only thing that allows him to see them again in this mortal world.
He patted Zenin Kiyoshi's shoulder twice with a laugh, then walked forward with a smile. The old man walked alone at the front, and for some reason, his thin and narrow shoulders seemed even more hunched at this moment, as if the memories of the past were weighing on his shoulders.
Zenin Toji was least affected by Zenin Kiyoshi's words, for a simple reason: he had no relatives or friends... let alone the experience of their deaths.
However, when the image of the dead body of the Zenin Toji appears in my mind, I still feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Deep within the barrier of the college, Tengen listened to Zenin Kiyoshi's words. Her hand holding the teacup paused for a long time until her wrist ached. Only then did she swallow the slightly cool tea. Her hair fell down, and no one knew what she was thinking at that moment.
Over thousands of years, how many things has she witnessed?
However, Zenin Kiyoshi was in no mood to consider the emotions of the others; his mind was already filled with the system's voice.
"Congratulations on gaining favor with Yaga Masamichi!"
"Yaga Masamichi's favorability +35 (goodwill)!"
"Congratulations on receiving a 10% bonus to Yaga Masamichi's ability!"
"Acquire: [Cursed Corpse Creation] (The ultimate form of puppet manipulation)! 10%"
Note: Because the [Cursed Corpse Creation] ability is extremely dangerous, the host can currently only create Grade 3 cursed corpses. The system strongly advises against creating cursed corpses above Grade 3, as it will have an extremely unpredictable burden and impact on the soul!
Cursed Rebirth\] has been detected as a special rebirth technique. Information about this technique is now being fully disclosed!
Spellcasting process:
I. Life-Giving Ritual: In this stage, the host will use various materials and media, such as a resentment diary and a cursed mask, to create a doll's body.
II. Severing the Soul Fragments of the Host's Original Body: Through the [Soul Thread Stitching Technique], the host's own soul is torn apart and implanted into the core of the cursed body (similar to the cursed object sealing principle of Ryomen Sukuna's fingers, that is, a part of the host's own soul is permanently torn off and given to the cursed body as its soul).
Third, construct the cursed energy circulation system of the cursed body itself: that is, to construct cursed energy recovery patterns similar to the meridians of the human body within the cursed body, so that the cursed body can autonomously absorb negative emotions in the environment and convert these cursed energies into energy. Care must be taken in this process, otherwise the leaked cursed energy will give birth to cursed spirits of the same or slightly weaker level, depending on the level of the cursed body.
Cost of using the technique:
Permanent loss of soul: During the process of creating the cursed corpse, the creator's soul will suffer permanent loss. Even if the soul is recovered from the cursed corpse later, slight soul damage will still occur. This process is irreversible.
Second, the backlash of causality: the process of creating cursed remains involves an absolutely forbidden area, which will produce various ominous signs. These signs will increase as the number of cursed remains created increases, and will curse the host in the form of a [causal chain] when the host is weak.
Third, the energy siphon: After the creation of the cursed corpse, the negative emotions absorbed by the cursed corpse can only provide energy for its physical activity, not for maintaining the spell's effect. Therefore, every month, the cursed corpse will absorb a portion of the host's cursed energy as a supply. As the number of cursed corpses increases, the host's own cursed energy may not be able to supply so many cursed corpses.
"Congratulations, host, you have gained a 10% bonus to the total cursed energy of Yaga Masamichi!"
"Please continue your efforts, host. When the favorability of Yaga Masamichi reaches 40, the next part of the bonus will be unlocked."
"The next stage bonus is 30%!"
Listening to the series of messages in his mind, Zenin Kiyoshi felt somewhat taken aback. This was the first time the system had given him such a long prompt.
Even Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes and Limitless Power didn't give him such a long hint.
It seems that in the world of sorcery, the uniqueness of one's innate spells is not simply determined by the character's combat strength.
If Sukuna's slashing technique were given to someone like Zenin Jinichi, whose cursed energy is very weak, it would probably only be used for cooking.
Or to put it another way, when Sukuna took over Megumi Fushiguro's body, the animal size that appeared when using Megumi Fushiguro's Ten Shadows Technique was completely different from Megumi Fushiguro's.
It was only two meters long, and the lightning bolt was only as thick as a utility pole.
Its wingspan nearly covered two buildings, and the lightning bolt was several meters wide!
The same spell, when used by people with different amounts of cursed energy, can be completely different.
Without a doubt, Zenin Kiyoshi believes that the [Cursed Rebirth] technique, which has received so many explanations from the system, has an astonishingly high potential for growth!
CHAPTER-38
As night fell, Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Zenin Toji's courtyard, which had been meticulously maintained to an almost outrageous degree. A hint of astonishment crossed his face, but he smiled and praised Hanami:
"Thank you, Ms. Hanami. This place is so cleaned it doesn't look like a place we live at all."
Zenin Toji glanced at Zenin Kiyoshi, then collapsed onto the sofa, inhaling the faint scent of grass, and still said with a somewhat foul mouth:
"It's just that your place is messy, kid. Before you came, I would tidy it up myself from time to time."
Ignoring Zenin Toji's obviously nonsensical ramblings, Zenin Kiyoshi slumped onto the other sofa. He looked up at the spotless ceiling and asked Hanami:
"Sister Hua, we're moving out in a few days. You don't really need to clean the ceiling. It just benefits the bastard Zen family who move in later."
Hanami didn't know how to answer Zenin Kiyoshi's question. As a newborn, Hanami didn't even have a clear understanding of the concept of family. Perhaps thinking that Zenin Kiyoshi's question was a reproach, Hanami's voice was a little low, and even the two branches growing in her eye sockets seemed to wilt at this moment.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what I can do. Cleaning your place is the only thing I can do..."
Hanami's voice was low, and Zenin Toji noticed this. He wanted to say something to comfort Hanami, but when he opened his mouth, he didn't know what to say.
A person who has never been treated gently will not know how to treat others gently.
So, Zenin Toji found what he thought was the best method. He stood up, tied his apron, and walked towards the kitchen, saying to Hanami as he did so:
"Hey, little grass, can you eat vegetarian food?"
"I...I haven't eaten yet..."
Hanami was somewhat flustered, not even realizing that the name Zenin Toji was calling out wasn't particularly pleasant to hear.
At this moment, Zenin Kiyoshi smiled and said:
"If you don't mind eating vegetarian food, even if you get sick from it, the cursed spirit can just use its cursed energy to repair your body, right?"
Zenin Kiyoshi's persuasion made Hanami hesitate.
To be honest, although she is a nature-loving spirit, it doesn't mean that Hanami is an extreme environmentalist. For her, the appropriate death of flowers and plants is a natural process of responding to nature.
Hanami cares about the whole of nature, not just plants.
Therefore, she didn't have much resistance to eating some dead plants, and since she couldn't refuse people, she agreed.
Zenin Kiyoshi turned and shouted at Zenin Toji:
"Cook two more dishes for Sister Hua to eat, use less oil and add more chopped green onions."
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"You brat, you have no right to give orders here!"
Zenin Toji's cooking skills were actually surprisingly good; she made pan-fried tofu, tomato and egg soup, boiled chicken breast, and broccoli salad...
Okay, most of the dishes are fairly simple, but they taste pretty good after being drizzled with vinegar and chili oil.
Because of her body shape, Hanami was initially not very good at using chopsticks, so Zenin Kiyoshi taught her to use them by sticking the chopsticks upright.
They ate their meal in the living room because there was a TV there. Although the TV programs around 2000 were a bit boring for Zenin Kiyoshi, he still watched the entire prime-time slot with the two of them with great interest.
During the commercial break, Zenin Kiyoshi swallowed the tofu in his mouth, then said to Zenin Toji:
"We may be going to Okinawa for a while, specifically during the summer break, from July 20th to August 31st, which will be about 40 days."
Upon hearing this, Zenin Toji glanced at Zenin Kiyoshi with some surprise, as if to confirm that Zenin Kiyoshi had not gone mad.
"Are you out of your mind, kid? We don't have enough money to go to a place like Okinawa. That old man thinks you're too young and that he won't keep the money if he puts it in my hands. So we only have enough for food and rent each month. If you want to go to Okinawa, you'll have to swim across the sea."
Hanami didn't speak. She didn't know what Okinawa was. When she heard about this strange place name, she subconsciously pictured a piece of burlap rope being battered by the sea.
Zenin Kiyoshi had anticipated Zenin Toji's reaction early on, and without any intention of hiding anything, he spoke directly to Zenin Toji:
"Today in the interrogation room, I met Lady Tengen. This is what she asked me to do. She will cover all the expenses, and she will give us 20 million yen just for completing this first mission. She will also let me choose any item from her cursed tool storehouse to borrow."
The loan period is... five years.
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Zenin Toji had already dropped his chopsticks, his mind filled with those two keywords.
"Cursed tool shop", "20 million yen!"
He put down his bowl and chopsticks, looked at Zenin Kiyoshi with a serious expression, and then said:
"Since it's a request from those people above, we probably don't have the right to refuse. You probably can't complete the task by yourself, so give me half of the reward."
"Give you half? Yen is easy to divide, but what about the items in the cursed tool storehouse?"
"It depends. If there's something suitable for you, take it first. If there's something suitable for me, I'll take it first and make up the difference later."
Hearing Zenin Toji's words, Zenin Kiyoshi smiled and nodded. He was not surprised by Zenin Toji's choice, or rather, this choice was more in line with Zenin Kiyoshi's understanding of Zenin Toji's character in the original work.
Although Zenin Toji outwardly claims that he no longer cares about what the Zenin family thinks of him, he is unwilling to give up any opportunity to thoroughly humiliate them.
People will eventually be trapped by what they cannot obtain in their youth, even by the heavens and tyrants who are rejected by all their families.
"Okay, as for the specific details of the task, it is to make contact with a girl who is currently in elementary school, named Riko Amanai."
Hearing this, Zenin Toji didn't feel there was anything wrong with it. After all, it was just contacting the mission target at the beginning of the mission, which was just being responsible for the basic mission.
But the next moment, Zenin Kiyoshi's words interrupted Zenin Toji's still somewhat serious way of thinking:
"As for Lady Tengen, she's instructing me to contact Riko Amanai now. She said she'll tell me the rest later."
CHAPTER-39
"You mean Tengen is asking you to take the money from the vocational high school to Okinawa and make contact with some kid?!"
Zenin Toji's slightly helpless expression seemed to suggest that the entire world of sorcery was rotten to the core.
However, he didn't pay much attention to this. After all, Zenin Kiyoshi wasn't his son, and he could date whomever he wanted. Besides, the average lifespan of a sorcerer was short. If he didn't enjoy life early, he would have nothing left when he died.
Having figured this out, Zenin Toji looked at Zenin Kiyoshi and said indifferently:
"It's good for you to start dating sooner. After all, for a sorcerer, it's questionable whether they'll even live to the age where they can date."
Hearing Zenin Toji's auspicious words, Zenin Kiyoshi's lips twitched twice:
"Thank you for your kind words. I hope that after I die, I can stand in heaven and look down at you."
"If your mouth can get you to heaven, then heaven will become hell."
Listening to the two bickering, Hanami couldn't quite understand what they were saying, but she couldn't help but feel a little satiated by the atmosphere.
She breathed in the faint smell of cooking oil in the air, listened to the television program that had become background noise, and stared intently at the two people in front of her who were mocking each other. For some reason, Hanami suddenly wished that this time could pass more slowly, much slower.
From the moment she opened her eyes, what came into her view was a head that looked exactly like Mount Fuji.
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Seemingly out of instinct, Hanami knew that the volcano was of its own kind. Although it was small in size, it contained a terrifying power within it.
The little guy wasn't particularly good-tempered and had little patience. Looking at his half-rotten body, he simply reached out and burned those parts.
It hurt a little, but Hanami knew that the other person had done those things so that she could be born sooner.
However, it would have been even better if the shorter man had been a little gentler and had asked if he was injured at the end.
But the short man didn't pay any attention to those things; he just looked at himself and then said:
"My name is Jogo. From today onwards, you will be called Hanami. This is the name of the previous Spirit of Nature. Don't ask too many questions. You just need to inherit this name."
Furthermore, from today onward, you must understand one thing: all humans in this world right now deserve to die. Only we are the new humans born in accordance with the will of Heaven; we are the true masters of this world. One day, we will create a great world where cursed spirits can freely rejoice!
The little guy—no, Jogo—had a very loud voice. When he spoke those words, it was as if fire was coming out of his mouth and nose. Hanami found it very interesting, and she knew that it was because Jogo was too emotional.
Hanami didn't know what a new human was, or even what a human was. For some reason, even after seeing humans with her own eyes, Hanami didn't sense any great malice in them.
However, in order to prevent the Dagon from discovering her abnormality and to prevent the Dagon from feeling lonely, Hanami often showed hypocritical hostility towards humans.
She didn't even know why she did that; perhaps she just wanted to make Jogo happy.
In general, at the end of each event, apart from killing those bastards who were destroying nature, Hanami was more curious about ordinary humans than hostile towards them. As long as the Dagon didn't return in time, Hanami would let them go and use the fact that their corpses were eaten by plants as a cover to make it easier for the humans to escape.
Just when Hanami thought that she and Jogo could live like this forever, a beautiful human found Jogo and herself.
The moment Jogo saw the woman, he wanted to burn her alive, but a few minutes later, the woman pinned him to the ground. He couldn't even move his face, let alone resist.
Just as Hanami was about to risk her life to save the Dagon, the other party suddenly told her to stop. Then, after talking to the Dagon, the woman inexplicably became her ally.
But isn't the Dagon supposed to hate humans the most? Why does it still have to cooperate with humans?
Hanami didn't understand these things, nor did she understand the Dagon, or rather, she was somewhat afraid of it.
Because the Dagon has a very bad temper, it often scolds her...
The woman named Kaori Itadori discovered her true feelings and assigned herself a different task. It was this task that led her to meet these two extremely interesting humans.
Thinking of this, Hanami subconsciously raised her head and looked at the Zenin Kiyoshi in front of her.
Zenin Kiyoshi also noticed Hanami's gaze. He stopped his friendly greeting with Zenin Toji, turned to look at Hanami, and revealed a bright smile.
But that smile was like the first ray of dawn piercing through the darkness in Hanami's heart.
From birth until now, every time she makes eye contact with someone, she is met with either battle or fear. Even when she looks at the Dagon, she is met with an extremely impatient expression and told not to do so.
She had once asked Jogo why he didn't want her to stare at him, and Jogo told Hanami that Hanami looked too much like the previous Spirit of Nature, and that he felt a little annoyed every time he saw her.
Hanami felt she had no way to alleviate this situation. The only thing she could do was silently follow behind Jogo, trying to ease the oppressive and crazy aura emanating from him.
Zenin Kiyoshi's smile was the first positive feedback he had ever received when making eye contact with someone.
For some reason, Hanami suddenly felt like crying at this moment.
"Sister Hua, you should get some rest. I'll do the dishes. You've had a hard day too."
These two short sentences caused Hanami's favorability towards Zenin Kiyoshi to rise significantly.
She suddenly realized that the meaning of the word "companion" might lie in finding the answer here.
While Hanami was still in a daze, the sound of water rinsing plates could be heard coming from the kitchen.
She quickly got up and rushed towards the kitchen.
He only left Zenin Toji with one sentence:
"Mr. Toji, could you help me find out when the replay is scheduled for tomorrow?"
"No, hurry up and wash the dishes. It's not much, it'll only take a few minutes. The commercials haven't finished yet. By the time you finish washing the dishes, the commercials will be over."
After listening, Hanami nodded, then walked with unprecedentedly light steps to Zenin Kiyoshi's side, and said with a smile:
"Kiyoshi, let me help you."
Although Zenin Kiyoshi never said he disliked the surname Zen-in, Hanami had a hunch that Zenin Kiyoshi, like Zenin Toji, didn't really like the word "Zen-in".
CHAPTER-40
"My lord, this is the place where Zenin Kiyoshi and his group will be moving to. All the curse users from the surrounding area are also here. Please take a look."
As a somewhat hoarse voice rang out, a cold and sticky atmosphere began to rise from the underground secret chamber of the Zenin Ogi room.
Zenin Ogi picked up the stack of documents, casually flipped through them a few times, and then said to the person in the shadows:
"Are there only a few curse users around? They're all useless. Can these guys really handle Zenin Kiyoshi?"
The being in the shadows, hearing Zenin Ogi's complaints, immediately knelt down, pressing his forehead to the ground, his voice becoming even hoarse:
"My lord, Zenin Kiyoshi is not a particularly troublesome sorcerer. His personal strength is only at the level of a Grade 3 sorcerer. We only need to lure Zenin Toji away from him, and we can easily deal with Zenin Kiyoshi."
Zenin Ogi remained silent upon hearing this, his somewhat gloomy face appearing even more ferocious in the flickering candlelight.
Looking at his trusted confidant kneeling on the ground, Zenin Ogi remained silent. After about three or four seconds, he suddenly loosened his tightly clenched jaw and spoke gently:
"How long have you been working for me?"
The person kneeling on the ground answered without the slightest hesitation, without even raising their head:
"It's been six years..."
Before he could finish speaking, a sharp blade of light slashed down towards his neck.
However, the scene of blood splattering that Zenin Ogi had imagined did not appear. The kneeling subordinate stood up at that moment, and his attack was easily blocked by the opponent.
Seeing his subordinate looking at him with a helpless smile, Zenin Ogi's face flashed with a cold glint, and he demanded:
"Who exactly are you?! Where is the real Yuichi? And what are your motives for approaching me?"
However, the imposter Yuichi didn't rush to answer Zenin Ogi's question. He casually pushed away the long sword that Zenin Ogi was swinging at him, sat cross-legged, and looked at Zenin Ogi with a smile on his face. His expression was normal, and his voice became neutral at this moment:
"Don't be in such a hurry. I need to answer your questions slowly. And don't be nervous. If I really wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be alive now. As for the communication artifact [Rock Worm] on your back, don't hide it. You can crush it right now and see if anyone comes to save you."
Hearing that voice, Zenin Ogi felt a chill run down his spine. He had a feeling that the other party was not bluffing, but truly possessed a powerful force that could control all his actions at will.
Even after realizing this, Zenin Ogi still did not back down. He knew that even if his opponent was stronger than him, he was certain that his opponent could not kill a Grade 1 sorcerer like him in a short time. As long as he could stall until someone came, taking down his opponent would not be difficult.
Therefore, his attitude did not become more polite; on the contrary, it became even more aggressive.
"I don't need anyone to save me! Answer my questions!"
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Hearing Zenin Ogi's extremely forceful reply, Yuichi seemed a little surprised, but he quickly guessed what Zenin Ogi was thinking at that moment. He shook his head and decided not to continue arguing with this idiot.
He only enjoys chatting with intelligent people; communicating with idiots, even for just a second, is an extremely torturous experience.
As a faint aura of cursed energy emanated from his body, Yuichi looked at Zenin Ogi with an exaggerated smile on his lips:
"My name is Kenjaku, or you can call me Noritoshi Kamo. As for the original owner of this body, he is dead. But there's nothing we can do about it. He overheard some things he shouldn't have. As for why I'm getting close to you, the reason is simple: I'm also very interested in that brat named Zenin Kiyoshi."
Before I killed this man named Yuichi, I had already gotten everything you wanted from him, which I found interesting, so I came to you to cooperate.
Upon hearing the word "cooperation," Zenin Ogi's worries instantly dissipated.
It seems to be just as I expected. Although the other party is stronger than me, they are not much stronger, otherwise they wouldn't have approached me about cooperation.
Kenjaku looked at Zenin Ogi, whose body had visibly relaxed a little. Although he didn't show any expression on his face, he felt even more contempt for Zenin Ogi. With such an idiot in a high position in the Zenin family, the family must be pretty much rotten inside.
Short-sighted, malicious, intellectually deficient, and weak...
What a natural plaything.
This is Kenjaku's evaluation of the Zenin Ogi.
At this moment, Zenin Ogi spoke to Kenjaku in a tone of complete control:
"I don't know if you're telling the truth, but since you killed my subordinate Yuichi, I think you should give me an explanation no matter what. But considering that you and I both target Zenin Kiyoshi, I can agree to cooperate with you, but on the condition that you ensure Zenin Kiyoshi's death."
Kenjaku sighed and looked at the Zenin Ogi in front of him. For some reason, a sense of irritation inexplicably arose in his heart.
It's been too long since I've dealt with an idiot. Sure enough, the arrogance and prejudice that these fools are born with still make me feel disgusted.
The next moment, Yuichi's signature fake smile vanished, and as a terrifying cursed energy enveloped the Zenin Ogi, Kenjaku's icy voice rang out:
"So, I really hate talking to an idiot like you. You have no choice. I'm only asking you to cooperate because I need to cover up my current identity. You just need to listen to me and don't need to have your own ideas. Do you understand?"
Feeling the aura that seemed to crush every bone in his body, Zenin Ogi finally understood the situation.
He lay on the ground, unable to utter a complete sentence, only able to make "woofing" sounds from his throat, much like a stray dog.
Kenjaku patted the other person's head, the coldness on his face disappearing, replaced by the slightly dismissive smile from before:
"It seems you have a humble side too. If you had shown this earlier, our conversation might have been much more pleasant."
The night was as dark as ink. In the basement of the room where Zenin Ogi was located, a purge plan targeting Zenin Ogi was being plotted.
Meanwhile, Zenin Kiyoshi was studying several techniques he had previously acquired.
In particular, Geto Suguru's Cursed Spirit Manipulation technique brought him a surprise that far exceeded his previous expectations.