Chapter 235: When Did I Ever Say You Could Leave?
As an [Innate Technique], [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] is actually far from the best choice, though in reality, one doesn't get to choose these things.
In terms of growth potential, it cannot compare at all to the Zen'in family's [Ten Shadows Technique]. For the latter, one only needs to cultivate step-by-step to reach the peak, and the two [Divine Dogs] are essentially given as a starter bonus.
What about [Cursed Spirit Manipulation]?
Without the corresponding resources for cultivation, an ordinary person who has just awakened this technique might not even be a match for a weak Grade 3 cursed spirit, let alone talk about subjugating and manipulating them.
In late-stage growth, [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] is even less likely to compete with [Ten Shadows]. The former requires the constant searching for and capturing of powerful cursed spirits to maintain strength, while the latter only requires the user to continuously refine themselves within the technique.
If one considers the final shikigami, Mahoraga, the gap is so wide that capturing even several Special Grade cursed spirits could hardly bridge it.
However, the [Ten Shadows] is, after all, a hereditary technique of the Zen'in family. From the perspective of diversity, [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] does offer a great deal of maneuverability... so, judging comprehensively, its true ranking would likely be one tier higher than ordinary shikigami techniques.
Yet, if comparing versatility and all-around utility, it loses out completely to the Kamo family's [Blood Manipulation]. That technique enhances the sorcerer's personal strength in all aspects, leaving no weaknesses in defense, power, recovery, or even binding enemies and long-range lethality.
In contrast, a technique like [Cursed Spirit Manipulation], which brings zero direct enhancement to the sorcerer themselves, appears somewhat weak.
But what about in actual reality?
Clearly, both the Kamo family's [Blood Manipulation] and the Zen'in family's [Ten Shadows] surpass ordinary techniques in every way. Yet, the one who ultimately achieved the status of a Special Grade sorcerer was Suguru Geto, who mastered [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] shortly after graduating from Jujutsu High.
Facts have proven that what is truly powerful is never a specific effect of a technique, but the person wielding it.
This was not a victory for the technique, but an incomparable talent belonging solely to Suguru Geto.
It's just a pity that this talent happened to encounter a monster like Gojo Satoru, who possessed both the [Six Eyes] and the [Limitless], proving once and for all that there is no such thing as "the most talented person," only someone even more talented.
Had it not been for the series of events that followed, which made Suguru Geto feel deeply that non-sorcerers were not worth saving, he might not have strayed into the path of a curse user.
And Suguru Geto himself, on the foundation of [Cursed Spirit Manipulation]—which provided no self-buffs—developed the divine skill [Maximum: Uzumaki], which allowed him to absorb cursed spirit techniques for his own use.
If possible, Kenjaku would naturally be unwilling to abandon this exceptionally gifted body. After all, Suguru Geto didn't just have excellent talent in techniques; even his physical strength was top-tier among sorcerers, fully comparable to a Grade 1 sorcerer specializing in physical combat.
A body this excellent was a case Kenjaku had only encountered once in over a thousand years.
As long as the time since death wasn't too long, the body he occupied would regain full vitality, possessing the natural cycle of aging and sickness of a normal human. According to Kenjaku's original plan, he wanted to use this perfect vessel until it reached old age before discarding it.
To be forced by Emiya into a state where he had to abandon it now was truly a regret...
But regret aside, the loss wasn't exactly astronomical. After all, one must tally battle damage and gains together to calculate the final profit and loss.
The original plan was still proceeding quite smoothly, if one ignored the accidents caused by everything related to Emiya... but it didn't matter. Ryomen Sukuna, having regained more than half of his power, would soon arrive on the battlefield.
Kenjaku didn't even need to provide much guidance; the commotion here in Shibuya was so massive that there was no reason Sukuna wouldn't come.
As long as the overall plan suffered no accidents, all losses were worth it. For this day, Kenjaku had waited far, far too long.
Kenjaku indeed had no way to defeat a monster like Emiya—whose growth speed was even more exaggerated than the Jujutsu High students—in a head-on fight, but he didn't need to. Once his plan was fully implemented, the entire human race would enter a new era, and the weak non-sorcerer portion of the population would undergo a transformation, evolving together into a higher state.
After that, those who currently denied and were hostile toward him would surely change their narrow-minded judgments and feel gratitude for this unprecedented change.
At that time, even if Emiya possessed even greater power and tried to stop the result, what use would it be? No matter how powerful one is, there are ultimately things that cannot be changed.
He couldn't clear away the endless malice of humanity, and he certainly wouldn't be able to reverse the evolutionary process, making humans—who had finally escaped weakness—return to their original frail state.
Just as a broken mirror can never be restored to its original state, the process of human evolution is naturally irreversible.
In Kenjaku's eyes, what he had to do now was not fight; he had never considered himself some proud warrior. Thus, when encountering danger, he simply had to escape from this place.
"Dagon...?!"
While Kenjaku and Emiya were still engaged in their mental chess match, Jogo—who should have been a third party—had no such inclinations. It had even completely forgotten that it was supposed to be in an irreconcilable state of hostility with Emiya, coming to Emiya's side completely unguarded, focusing all its attention on its companion.
But unfortunately, no matter how emotional or hoarse its cries were, Dagon, who had turned into a glowing sphere, had no ability to respond. Under the effect of [Maximum: Uzumaki], Dagon had been stripped of all "impurities," including memories and emotions, leaving only a special collection of technique information.
Normally, this technique wouldn't be powerful enough to directly absorb a cursed spirit of Dagon's caliber; the user's power would need to be several tiers higher than the spirit's. Kenjaku was clearly not that powerful. Even with his current ability, directly absorbing a Grade 1 cursed spirit was his limit.
Regrettably, after the brutal battle with Emiya, Dagon's body was not only heavily damaged, but its cursed energy had been nearly ground away by the [Sea-Cutting Sword], leaving it unable to gather even a shred of cursed energy to release a technique.
In such a withered state, rushing directly to Kenjaku's side meant being effortlessly erased.
But Jogo didn't care about the logistics; it only knew that its companion had been cruelly killed by Kenjaku in such a way.
"What a pity... such an excellent technique, to be left here sealed forever."
Even now, Kenjaku showed no sign of restraint. Instead, he couldn't stop adding fuel to Jogo's already burning sorrow and rage. He truly did feel a sense of regret; even if he could retrieve this sphere after completing his plan in the future, without [Cursed Spirit Manipulation], it would be difficult for him to absorb the technique within.
To wait for another human with such a powerful technique to appear, and then occupy them to master it, was nearly impossible. Kenjaku was very seriously considering whether to permanently keep [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] for his own use.
"You bastard... we are not objects you can manipulate at will, you prick!"
At this moment, Jogo was truly enraged to an unprecedented degree, but the thoughts in its mind became strangely clearer. It knew that with its current self, there was absolutely no possibility of killing the man in front of it. It might not even survive the pursuit of the humans now that it was alone.
So, rather than becoming that pathetic...
"You must want to kill this guy too, right, Emiya Shirou?"
"...?"
While Emiya was still wondering what Jogo was going to suggest, the spirit spoke decisively: "Then our goals are exactly the same... I want to cooperate with you to kill this guy."
"As long as we can kill him, I don't care about giving up the goal of killing all humans. Even if you want me to do something, or even just die directly, it's fine... Please!!!"
Emiya never expected such words to come out of a cursed spirit's mouth, but the gaze Jogo turned toward him was undeniably firm. Clearly, Jogo blamed all the deaths of its companions on Kenjaku—the one who had been plotting against them from the start—and was prepared to do anything to kill him.
Killing all humans and making cursed spirits the masters of the world was indeed its wish, but it wasn't just its wish; it was a wish that stood upon their group. Jogo didn't even consider other mindless low-level spirits as kin, but it viewed its companions as... family. With a heart for revenge against its enemy, the goal of killing all humans was no longer important.
Emiya couldn't imagine a cursed spirit going to such lengths for its fallen companions, but he truly had no reason to refuse a proposal aimed at Kenjaku. He just needed to ensure he wouldn't be negatively affected first.
"You don't need to say that; I will spare no effort in targeting that guy... If your hatred is truly that vast, just attack him as much as possible. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Emiya naturally wouldn't enter even a verbal agreement with a cursed spirit like Jogo, but he also had no reason not to kick Kenjaku while he was down. It was the same old saying: the method that resolves the enemy is the truly good method.
"Fine. I hope this is the last time I trust a human...!"
To prevent Kenjaku from having a chance to escape due to a long delay, Jogo wasted no more words. The moment its voice fell, it charged toward Kenjaku without hesitation.
Unlike Dagon, Jogo's body had only been heavily injured by Emiya recently; its internal cursed energy reserves were still plentiful. As long as it didn't care about the potential consequences, it could naturally continue to pour out its cursed energy without limit.
Under the influence of rage, the power of its technique even rose significantly, allowing Jogo to climb to a height it had never reached before. If it were the old Jogo, it might have felt excited, but now, its mind was focused entirely on how to kill Kenjaku.
Boom—!
Lava shot into the sky, exploding instantly in front of Kenjaku. Smoke, dust, and wind carrying the glow of fire covered all the nearby streets in an instant, shattering every fragile object in its wake.
Yet, amidst this exaggerated display of power, Kenjaku's face remained steady.
"Do you still not understand? We are no longer in the same [Realm]."
"If you only understand brute force, you will never be able to break through the barrier between us."
Just a few centimeters in front of Kenjaku, a semi-transparent layer perfectly isolated him from the external environment. Specifically, the corner of his clothes didn't even flutter, as if everything happening outside had nothing to do with him.
This was the massive transformation in Kenjaku's barrier techniques after he had barely grasped the realm of space and worlds. Had Emiya's Rule Breaker not been so overwhelmingly effective at countering all forms of techniques, Kenjaku might have even had the confidence to pit his barrier techniques against Gojo Satoru's infinity, to determine once and for all which was stronger.
Kenjaku clearly wanted to continue mocking and belittling his opponent, but the sharp pain from his shoulder and chest pulled him back to reality in an instant.
He quickly glanced at Emiya's position, then decisively enveloped himself in a new layer of barrier.
"What a pity. Now is not a good time for conversation. This is likely the last time we meet, Jogo."
"..."
Bang!
"Sorry, when did I ever say you could leave?"
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