The clan head threw the sake bottle into the middle of the room.
The bottle shattered, and he stuck out his tongue to lick the last drop of sake clinging to his lip.
The Zen'in clan head had guessed correctly.
That was exactly what Mahito was thinking.
Mahito hadn't lied to Kinji Hakari.
He really had figured it out.
In the original work, there is a finishing move that theoretically all Jujutsu Sorcerers can use called Black Flash. It's a secret technique that only a Jujutsu Sorcerer in an excellent state can pull off. After using Black Flash, both Jujutsu Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits enter a special state of awakening. This state makes the user's body and mind transparent, allowing even Technique Burnout to recover in an instant.
In the original work, Mahito relied on landing a Black Flash to enter a state called Idle Transfiguration: Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing. That was his final form. Although he lost his shapeshifting ability, his physical performance was boosted to an unprecedented level, effectively evolving into a higher-dimensional existence vastly different from his pre-transformation state.
But the current Mahito, despite being stronger than he was in the original work's timeline, couldn't do this.
He couldn't land a Black Flash, nor could he enter Idle Transfiguration: Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing.
Why?
Because his heart wasn't pure enough?
Because he had never had a battle to the death?
Mahito judged it was both.
It was because he considered too many complicated things, and because he had never gone through a life-and-death struggle.
Time was running out.
It was now July 2018, and in the original work, December 24, 2018, was the end.
If Mahito hadn't fully grown by then, he would surely die.
Kenjaku would absorb him, or Gojo Satoru would kill him.
No matter where he ran, he believed Kenjaku and Gojo Satoru would find him.
Kenjaku would do it for fun, and Gojo Satoru would do it for the greater good—unless he gambled.
Gamble that Kenjaku would be killed by Gojo Satoru.
Gamble that Gojo Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna would perish together.
Then gamble that the protagonist group would see him as pitiful and not kill him.
And finally gamble that human governments were all fools who wouldn't realize that Cursed Spirits, under Mahito's leadership, could potentially rule the world as Earth's new masters.
Only then would he have a way to live.
Was that possible?
What a joke.
How was that any different from handing his life over to the heavens to roll the dice?
Though the world was vast, he had nowhere to belong.
So, Mahito came alone.
Jogo had tried his best to persuade him, but Mahito didn't agree to let them follow.
Kinji Hakari also urged him not to be impulsive, but he still refused because this wasn't an impulse.
Only Kenjaku realized the change in Mahito.
He asked Mahito, "What do you want me to prepare?"
"Is there any preparation that can help me land a Black Flash?" Mahito asked.
"The growth of a Jujutsu Sorcerer isn't always smooth and steady. Solid soil plus a bit of soul and imagination, followed by a trivial catalyst, and a person will be completely renewed."
Kenjaku smiled.
"Mahito, what matters is your state of mind."
"In what kind of state do you want to fight?"
"It's fine, don't be shy."
"Exhaust your imagination, exhaust your feelings, and ultimately, follow your own heart's intent."
It was the same concept as the original Gojo Satoru choosing December 24th for the final battle; it was the last day of the year, carrying great special significance.
Sometimes, such a choice alone could elevate one's state of mind.
Now, Mahito needed this as well.
Mahito thought for a moment and smiled.
"I understand."
He chose a day of torrential rain and had Kinji Hakari call the Zen'in clan.
He washed his body meticulously, rose from the bath, and put on the clothes Kenjaku had carefully prepared.
It was a broad white top with diagonal hems folded and worn properly, a pair of loose black hakama tied at the waist, white tabi socks, and wooden geta.
Finally, he draped a black haori over his shoulders.
Hanami combed his messy, flowing long hair.
The originally frizzy hair became smooth under Hanami's careful grooming, like white silk.
When he stood up, his long hair fell naturally like a pure white cloak.
[We await your return, our Lord. ]
Hanami offered a blessing.
Mahito smiled and nodded gently.
Jogo handed over a wide bamboo hat.
He took it; the edge of the hat was decorated with sun and moon motifs that made a crisp sound as they swayed.
He put it on.
"Fifty years of human life is like a dream, an illusion," Jogo said softly.
"Where there is life, there is death; what regret does a brave man have?"
These were the words Oda Nobunaga spoke before the desperate battle that broke the Sengoku period's deadlock, through which he stepped into the world.
Jogo had immense expectations for Mahito, and even now, he still did.
"The Zen'in clan doesn't quite count as the Battle of Okehazama," Mahito understood perfectly.
Dagon rose from the seawater, looking up at him with watery eyes.
He reached out and gently stroked Dagon's head.
"Mahito is invincible," Dagon said.
He flicked Dagon's forehead with the back of his hand.
"You shouldn't say that at a time like this."
Kinji Hakari looked at him and handed him the scabbard he had prepared long ago.
He reached out to take the scabbard and slightly raised his other hand.
Standing to the side, Kirigiri slowly took flight, sliding into the scabbard and finally clicking against the edge with a soft hum.
Kinji Hakari hesitated to speak, but finally said,
"I wish you great fortune in war, Mahito."
"Of course," he replied.
Finally, there was Kenjaku.
He opened the spatial gate.
Outside, torrential rain poured down amidst thunder and lightning.
He looked at Mahito's attire, watching him place Kirigiri at his waist and put on his bamboo hat, fully prepared.
At this moment, Kenjaku felt as if he had returned to ancient times, when everyone wore this kimono set with a haori and a bamboo hat, carrying a long blade.
Every samurai walked the streets like this, ready for life or death at any moment.
Few knew that Kenjaku had once been a samurai.
In the original work, during the final battle between Kenjaku and Yuki Tsukumo, Tsukumo had once mocked Kenjaku as a disgraced samurai.
And now, he was hallucinating the past.
"The bell of the Gion Shōja monastery tolls, echoing the impermanence of all things. The color of the flowers of the sāla trees reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline."
Kenjaku chanted softly.
That face, which always maintained a malicious expression, had changed at some point.
He settled down and opened his eyes, those deep black eyes staring blankly at Mahito as if in a dream.
He snapped back to his senses and resumed his malicious smile.
"It seems preparations are complete."
"Mahito, there is no turning back once you go."
"I understand."
"In the ranking of Jujutsu Sorcerers, sorcerers are always considered a step above Cursed Spirits."
"A Special Grade Cursed Spirit actually corresponds to a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer."
"In the Zen'in clan, there are four Special Grade 1 sorcerers and seven Grade 1 sorcerers."
"The rest are nearly a hundred battle-hardened Jujutsu Sorcerers without Cursed Techniques."
"Don't blame me for being wordy, Mahito, have you really thought this through?"
Kenjaku asked.
The current Mahito was classified as a Special Grade Cursed Spirit—an intelligent Special Grade Cursed Spirit—the manifestation of humanity's curses toward humanity.
This meant there were four Jujutsu Sorcerers ranked above him and seven sorcerers equal to him in strength.
The remaining nearly one hundred Jujutsu Sorcerers were also experts capable of causing him trouble, and he hadn't even collected the Cursed Techniques of everyone in the Zen'in clan.
This was a battle of a completely different nature compared to the fight with Kinji Hakari.
Although Kinji Hakari had the strength of a Special Grade Sorcerer and Mahito had theoretically transcended this rank by defeating him, it shouldn't be calculated that way.
The reason Mahito could easily defeat Kinji Hakari was that he had thoroughly researched him before the battle.
He held an absolute advantage in intelligence and had prepared countermeasures.
Kinji Hakari knew nothing of this; the battle had ended before it even began.
But this time was different.
Although he knew the Zen'in clan through the original work, he didn't know everything.
He had no advantage in intelligence.
On the contrary, his information was likely already laid out before the Zen'in clan.
A true battle to the death.
Just for a Black Flash, was it worth it?
Of course it was.
Or rather, if he couldn't take this step today, he would never be able to take it in the future.
Now that Gojo Satoru was away and he knew most of the Zen'in clan's secrets, recorded many powerful Cursed Techniques, and had the help of the God-Slaying Sword Kirigiri, shrinking back now would be no different from a slow suicide.
It was precisely this kind of battle, with the risk of death but not entirely without the possibility of victory, that could allow him to grow at the fastest speed.
If not now, when?
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