Megumi Fushiguro watched the scene unfold in disbelief.
The Special Grade curse looked as if it had seen something incomprehensible. It froze in place, letting out a low, threatening growl.
"Lynn...? How did you get in here?"
Megumi's voice was raspy. How did he get in? This was a Special Grade's Domain Expansion. Even the exit had been sealed off!
"As I suspected. This curse has raw power but lacks intelligence. It instinctively fears an ordinary person like me who carries the scent of 'Rules'."
Lynn didn't look at the Special Grade curse hovering inches away. Instead, he turned his back to it, gazing quietly at Megumi. "Just a little feature of that card."
"Since you tore the invitation, it means you're ready to make a deal."
Lynn held up a finger and wagged it gently. "I can resolve this situation for you. I can save both your life and the life of that kid who lost his hand. But you... you have to pay the price."
"W-what price?" Megumi gasped.
Lynn pointed to Megumi's shadow on the ground. "I want you to agree that one day in the future, when I call for it, you will unconditionally summon a certain Shikigami to serve me. Regardless of what that Shikigami is. Even if it's the one you were just about to summon... the big guy."
Megumi's pupils constricted.
This guy... he definitely knows about Mahoraga!
"ROAR—!!"
The ignored Special Grade curse finally reached its breaking point.
It roared and lunged, its pale hand charged with enough Cursed Energy to slice through steel, aiming straight for the back of Lynn's head. It moved so fast it left afterimages in the air.
"Behind you!!" Megumi screamed, instinctively moving to form a hand seal.
However, Lynn didn't even turn his head. He just kept looking at Megumi, waiting for an answer.
"Do we have a deal?"
The wind of impending death ruffled Lynn's hair. The curse's claws were mere centimeters from his neck.
"Deal!!" Megumi screamed. Whatever the price, as long as it saved Yuji and Nobara!
In that instant, Lynn snapped his fingers.
"Contract established."
[Transaction Complete!]
[Item Acquired: Requisition Rights for one of Megumi Fushiguro's Shikigami.]
[System Valuation: 5000 Points.]
[Current Balance: 5570 Points]
CLANG—!
There was no explosion of clashing Cursed Energy. Only a heavy, metallic sound that resonated through the entire Domain.
Megumi's eyes went wide.
Countless golden chains materialized out of thin air. Like living pythons, they instantly pierced through the Special Grade curse's chest, limbs, and skull, pinning it violently in mid-air!
These weren't chains made of Cursed Energy. The aura flowing through them was ancient and authoritative. It was... "Rules."
In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, a "Binding Vow" is absolute law. And Lynn's cheat was the ability to weaponize that law.
"According to Rule No. 1 of Exchange No. 8: The life and property of a debtor are under the absolute protection of the Exchange until the debt is paid in full."
Lynn turned around, snapping open a black folding fan to block the sight of the curse's twisted, struggling face.
"This kid owes me a huge sum of money. Until he pays it back..."
"I can't allow him to die."
Sizzle—
The golden chains tightened. The Special Grade curse let out a bloodcurdling shriek. Its massive reserves of Cursed Energy were completely inert in the face of the "Rules."
"What... what kind of Cursed Technique is that?" Megumi stared, dumbfounded.
No hand signs. No incantations. Just a sentence and a snap of the fingers, and the Special Grade that had driven him to despair was pinned to the wall like a butterfly in a display case?
"Just a businessman protecting his investment."
Lynn closed the fan. Although he looked calm on the surface, the hand hidden in his sleeve was trembling slightly.
This was the first time he had used the highest level of the [Forced Default] function. Watching his points drain away made his heart bleed.
[WARNING! Lethal Attack Detected!]
[Triggering "Creditor Protection Mechanism" requires points: 5000 Points / 5 Minutes.]
"Five minutes."
Lynn turned to Megumi. "I can only keep it frozen for five minutes. Take the girl who fell into the hole and get the hell out of here."
"As for the one with the missing hand, leave him. I have business with him."
"But you..." Megumi hesitated. "You'll be alone..."
"Go."
Lynn's voice turned cold, brokering no argument. "Don't make me lose money on this."
Megumi gritted his teeth and took a long look at Lynn. The man's back looked thin, but in that moment, it seemed incredibly imposing.
"Understood! Thank you!"
Megumi turned and sprinted into the darkness. His white Divine Dog was dead, but he had other Shikigami he could use to find Nobara.
Watching Megumi leave, Lynn finally let out a sigh of relief. His mysterious, high-and-mighty posture instantly slumped.
"Cough..."
He covered his mouth and coughed twice, his palm slick with cold sweat. "Damn... acting cool is exhausting. This Special Grade is tougher than I thought. 5000 points only buys me five minutes."
He looked up at the Special Grade curse. Though pinned, it was still struggling madly, trying to use brute force to snap the chains.
Cracks were already appearing on the golden links.
"Breaking out already?"
Lynn didn't run.
"Since I spent the money, I have to make a profit."
Lynn pulled the colorful "Rubik's Cube"—the Prison Realm (Replica)—from his vest. Although it was a knock-off used for intimidation, its core material was still a special crystal capable of containing Cursed Energy.
This replica was the reason he had the confidence to come here and solve this problem today.
Lynn was always a man who moved only after careful planning.
He walked up to the Special Grade curse and raised the cube.
"With this, the plan is complete."
"A Special Grade curse... wonder how many points it'll sell for? Heh heh..."
However, right then.
A bone-chilling cold suddenly hit him from behind. It wasn't the pressure of the Special Grade curse, but something purer, more evil... the aura of the King of Curses.
"Interesting."
A lazy, arrogant voice echoed through the empty Domain.
"To think there's someone who can use a boring thing like a 'Contract' to suppress the instincts of the soul."
Lynn's hand froze in mid-air.
He slowly turned his head.
On a pipe not far away, Yuji Itadori—who should have been unconscious—was standing. The tattoos on his body had turned into black stripes. His severed hand had regenerated. And below his eyes, a second pair of eyes had opened.
Ryomen Sukuna.
"Itadori must have switched with Sukuna right before he passed out. Just adding to the chaos..."
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Lynn's temple.
The disruption to his plan caused a momentary flash of panic, but he quickly calmed down, his mind racing.
Sukuna was looking at Lynn with amusement, eyeing the golden chains binding the Special Grade curse.
"Hey, brat."
Sukuna grinned, revealing a cruel smile. "Your Cursed Technique is quite interesting."