The Bone Cursed Spirit's form had not changed in the slightest; it was still as tall and gaunt as when first seen, its skeletal body, with clearly defined joints, glowed with a cold white light in the void. The texture of every bone was clearly visible, and the dark purple remnants of Cursed Energy still clung to the bone seams, testifying to the fierce battle that had taken place.
The moment its foot touched the ground of this space, a faint but clear connection suddenly arose in Rin's consciousness, as if countless invisible threads had quietly entwined, one end tied deep within his soul, the other firmly tethering the Cursed Spirit's consciousness, connecting the two intimately.
That was the signal of a master-subordinate relationship being established. There were no obscure runes, no complex rituals, only a will of complete submission, slowly transmitted along the threads, docile as a tamed beast, without the slightest resistance.
Without needing further explanation, Rin already understood.
This ferocious Cursed Spirit, which he had struggled with all his might to barely kill, was now completely his, their minds connected, with no more defiance.
He merely moved his thoughts, and the Bone Cursed Spirit, which had previously exuded a terrifying killing intent, obediently bent its knee, kneeling on one knee, its skull slowly lowered, its sharp bone blades resting by its side. Its posture was utterly respectful, and even the Cursed Energy around its body was completely retracted, as if afraid of disturbing its 'master' before it.
"So that's how it is. The Cursed Spirits I absorbed didn't directly dissipate, but re-gathered here."
Rin muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over the sac-like objects hanging on the divine tree, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
He raised his hand and waved lightly, not using any Cursed Energy, but merely controlling with his mind. All the sacs hanging from the branches fell, landing with a "thud" on the ground. The moment they burst, familiar Cursed Spirit figures emerged one by one.
There were the Mantis Cursed Spirits he had previously devoured, the Long-Haired Cursed Spirits, and those Grade 3 Cursed Spirits from the playground... They all gathered around Rin, some bowing their heads in submission, others emitting low hums, declaring their allegiance in their own ways, not one daring to make the slightest move.
Looking at these Cursed Spirits, which he had personally killed, now surrounding him, Rin felt a strange awkwardness in his heart. After all, not long ago, they were mortal enemies, but now they were interacting in such a'superior-subordinate' manner, which was truly peculiar.
"Sigh."
He shook his head lightly and again had a thought. Except for the talking Bone Cursed Spirit, all the other Cursed Spirits scattered with a whoosh as if receiving an order, roaming freely on the vast plain. Some napped by the tree roots, while others slowly paced around the divine tree. Clearly, they were not unconscious puppets; as long as Rin didn't deliberately control them, they could act according to their instincts.
"That saves a lot of trouble."
Rin nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the Bone Cursed Spirit still half-kneeling on the ground.
He had deliberately kept this Cursed Spirit because it was the only one among all the Cursed Spirits that possessed intelligence and could communicate. Perhaps he could glean some useful information about this space from it.
Without unnecessary pleasantries, Rin spoke directly: "Can you still speak?"
"Yes, my Lord."
The rough, hoarse voice sounded again, identical to when they met outside, with a metallic friction-like texture that sounded somewhat familiar.
Confirming that the other party could respond, Rin's heart filled with joy, and he quickly pressed on, his words slightly faster:
"How did you get here? What is this space? In what form do you currently exist? Can you leave here?"
A series of questions poured out like a barrage, but they did not cause the Bone Cursed Spirit the slightest panic.
It responded calmly, one by one, like an intelligent construct programmed to do so, its tone full of respect:
"My Lord, after you killed me, my consciousness fell into endless darkness. When I awoke again, I was already here, so I do not know how I arrived. As for this space, from my perception, it should be your spiritual sea, the dwelling place of your soul. I currently exist here as a fragment of a soul. As for leaving, it is not possible at present, unless your soul power is sufficient to support my manifestation outside."
Rin was not surprised by the answer.
He had already roughly guessed this information; it seemed this Cursed Spirit's knowledge was also limited.
He silently sorted it out in his mind: after a Cursed Spirit was absorbed, a part of its Cursed Energy body strengthened his physical body, and another part integrated into his own Cursed Energy. The soul fragments carrying its consciousness, however, eventually gathered in this spiritual sea, becoming his'subordinates.'
He really did 'eat them clean'.
Rin secretly grumbled to himself, but showed no apology on his face. He simply waved his hand, his tone casual: "Never mind, it seems you don't know much either. Go play somewhere else."
With that, he no longer paid attention to the Bone Cursed Spirit, turning instead to the towering divine tree to continue researching the anomalies of this space.
The Bone Cursed Spirit was also obedient, slowly rising and retreating to a tree root not far away, maintaining a distance from the other wandering Cursed Spirits, quietly awaiting orders, like a loyal guard.
Rin once again focused his attention on the divine tree, gently placing his palm against the trunk.
A familiar sense of connection instantly transmitted, and a warm power surged into his body through his palm, as if he and the divine tree were originally one, inseparable.
The next second, a thick vine slowly descended from the treetop. The vine was covered with tender green leaves, like a natural ladder, stopping steadily in front of Rin.
He stepped onto the vine, and as it slowly ascended, he gradually approached the treetop.
As his view continuously rose with the increasing height, Rin finally got a clear view of the entire spiritual sea. The vast plain stretched endlessly, with emerald green tree roots interwoven into a net. Even ascending to a high altitude, he could not see the boundaries. In the distance, a hazy white mist enveloped the ends of the world, and within the mist, more thick tree roots could vaguely be seen extending, exuding a sense of mystery and the unknown.
He arrived at the branches at the top of the divine tree. The wind carried fine wisps of clouds past his fingertips, bringing a cool sensation. The branches beneath his feet trembled slightly with the breeze, conveying the steady 'breathing' of the divine tree.
As far as his eyes could see, it was an unfamiliar world. A sense of indescribable loneliness suddenly surged like a tide, climbing from his feet, up the branches, over his body, through his chest, and tightly clutching his heart, almost making him unable to breathe.
Only at this moment did Rin finally have the chance to calm down and think.
Previously, due to the urgency of the situation, he had only focused on dealing with Cursed Spirits and evading pursuit, never truly considering what lay ahead.
Now, in this tranquil Soul Sea, without the pressure of battle or the crisis of survival, panic, like a belated tide, quietly crept into his heart.
What should I do now?
Endless questions swirled in his mind: Could Geto Suguru's ideal truly be realized? What dangers would he face if he followed him? Could his Sharingan still evolve? Why was the divine tree bound to his soul? No one could answer these questions for him.
It was as if everything had changed: a strange world, strange people, strange Cursed Spirits; yet, it was also as if nothing had changed, he was still alone.
In his previous life, he was an orphan, struggling silently in an unfamiliar city. He had finally managed to get a small house of his own, where he could go home every day to watch anime and read novels, living a mundane but stable life. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he had transmigrated to this perilous world of Jujutsu.
Gazing at the magnificent yet solitary scene before him, Rin's lips curled into an extremely faint bitter smile, a smile that contained self-mockery and an undisguised bewilderment.
But this bewilderment did not last long. A moment later, Rin's hand, hanging by his side, quietly clenched, his fingertips pressing against his palm, as if gathering strength for himself.
The next second, he slowly straightened up, first steadying his swaying body against the wind, then standing completely upright. The gloom in his eyes had already dissipated, replaced by a subtle trace of determination.
Rin, think of the benefits.
He encouraged himself in his heart, his voice soft but carrying undeniable power. You now possess the superpowers you've always dreamed of!
Sharingan, Cursed Spirit absorption, Cursed Technique Replication... these abilities that only existed in anime are now yours! You were already alone, you have nothing to lose.
Everything before you is not a curse, but an opportunity given by heaven, an opportunity to realize your dreams and live a more exciting life!
Words of self-encouragement echoed repeatedly in his heart, and his eyes grew clearer. The previous panic and confusion gradually gave way to fighting spirit.
But just as Rin was immersed in his self-adjustment, and he didn't know how much time had passed, the once bright full moon in the sky had, at some unknown point, been stained with a touch of blood red. The red spread rapidly like ink dripping into clear water. In an instant, the entire full moon was completely enveloped in a bloody hue, becoming an eerie blood moon, exuding a chilling aura that dyed the entire spiritual sea a dark red.
But the changes did not stop there.
In the center of the blood moon, a dark scar suddenly appeared. Immediately after, three tomoe slowly emerged, rotating with the scar around the center of the blood moon—it was the form of a Sharingan!
The three tomoe spun rapidly, carrying an intense aura of hatred and slaughter, as if they wanted to tear the entire sky apart.
It's a Sharingan... The thought had just flashed through Rin's mind when his eyes involuntarily fixated on the 'eye' in the sky, symbolizing hatred and sin.
The Sharingan on the blood moon spun faster and faster, its red light growing more intense. Reflected in Rin's dark eyes, it actually dyed his originally black pupils blood red. In his eyes, the double tomoe were spinning rapidly!
The next second, an irresistible and powerful attractive force emanated from the blood moon, as if an invisible giant hand had seized his consciousness, intending to pull his entire being into that blood-colored vortex.
Rin only felt the world spin, watching as the blood moon grew closer and larger, eventually completely engulfing his vision.