Chapter 78: Nightfall, Metamorphosis
The night deepened; the living room in Geto's faction base was still filled with the scent of alcohol and clamor, the sound of clinking glasses faintly reaching the second floor.
Rin, however, did not participate in this post-battle relaxation; after dinner, he went upstairs alone and pushed open the door to his room.
After washing up, he stood before the bathroom mirror, the steam not yet fully dissipated, blurring his silhouette in the glass.
He raised a hand to wipe away the mist on the mirror, and that face, both strange and familiar, became clear; the callowness between his brows had not yet fully faded, but the dullness of the past was gone.
In the past, the version of himself in the mirror always had eyes filled with a touch of detached indifference, and even his posture revealed an imperceptible tension, as if he were always guarding against everything around him.
But now, the gloom in his eyes had been replaced by a sharp light, and although his lips were not curled into a smile, they revealed an undisguised edge.
His shoulders were broader and sturdier than when he first arrived, his arm muscles outlined in firm curves from frequent battles, and even the movement of adjusting his collar carried a sense of certainty and pride that he had not possessed before.
Rin stared at himself in the mirror, his fingertips gently brushing against his cheek.
That was where the Gargoyle's petrifying Cursed Energy had once covered him, and the near-death sensation of coldness seemed to still linger beneath his skin.
It was that life-or-death duel with the Special Grade Cursed Spirit that acted like a raging fire, burning away the last trace of cowardice and hesitation within him.
In the past, his control over power had been somewhat raw, mostly passive responses, but now, he could clearly perceive the Cursed Energy flowing within him and precisely control the domain fluctuations of the "Second World War Battlefield"; this tangible sense of "possessing power" gave his entire being an air of composed solemnity.
He clenched his fist slightly, and the moment his knuckles turned white, black-red Cursed Energy flickered at his fingertips—not deliberately channeled, but a natural manifestation of power filled to the brim.
The youth in the mirror had eyes that grew increasingly sharp—that was the steadfastness only gained after being tempered by life and death, a metamorphosis that came from truly accepting this power and this world.
In the past, he was like a sword hidden in its scabbard, silent yet harboring unease.
But now, the sword was unsheathed, its edge fully revealed, and even his breath carried the aura belonging to the strong.
This was perhaps the change brought about by power—not the arrogance of bullying the weak, but the confidence to control his own destiny and face all threats head-on, naturally emanating from his very bones, making him a completely different person from the lost self he once was.
Rin slowly unclenched his hand, the Cursed Energy receding back into his body, and the light in the mirror softened accordingly.
He took one last look at the figure in the mirror and turned to walk toward the window.
The base in the night was quiet, with the sound of wind faintly coming from the distant mountains and forests, and he knew that, having experienced this metamorphosis, he finally had the qualifications to protect himself in this world.
Night soaked into the room, and Rin lay on the bed, but his consciousness detached from his body like light smoke, stepping once again into that familiar Divine Tree Space.
Having traveled back and forth several times, he was already familiar with the path; without needing to grope his way, he walked straight through the hazy mist of Cursed Energy and arrived beneath the Divine Tree at the center of the space.
The Divine Tree was different from before; beside its thick trunk, a giant cocoon, half a person tall, floated silently, its translucent white shell entwined with light green vines extending from the Divine Tree, which acted like veins constantly transporting pure Cursed Energy into the interior of the cocoon.
The residual Cursed Energy that had once belonged to the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, the Gargoyle, was being continuously absorbed and reconstructed by the cocoon, and the air itself was permeated with heavy energy fluctuations.
Rin stood not far away, waiting quietly, his gaze fixed on the cocoon.
Before long, the cocoon suddenly trembled violently, and fine cracks appeared on its translucent white shell; then, with a crisp "crack" sound, the shell suddenly shattered, and countless specks of light scattered in all directions.
After the light dissipated, the figure of the Gargoyle reappeared; the Cursed Energy around its body was more concentrated than before its death, its sharp beak glinted with a cold light, and although its remaining wings had not fully recovered, they exuded an aura of greater oppression than ever before.
The Gargoyle, as soon as it was resurrected, did not resist in the slightest; it immediately bowed down toward Rin, its head pressed close to the ground in an extremely respectful posture, completely devoid of the rampant ferocity it had shown when battling Rin earlier.
Seeing this, a genuine smile finally curled the corners of Rin's lips.
This was the first Special Grade Cursed Spirit he had subjugated, and its strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Special Grade; this gain was enough to make him feel pleased.
He raised a hand to signal the Gargoyle to rise, his voice calm yet carrying an unquestionable sense of authority: "You may move freely in this space for now and familiarize yourself with your reconstructed power."
The Gargoyle let out a low response, flapped its wings, and retreated to the side, beginning to adapt to the newly born Cursed Energy within its body.
After the Gargoyle retreated, Rin turned his attention to himself, beginning to take stock of the gains brought about by this life-and-death battle.
He closed his eyes, sensing the Cursed Energy flowing within him; the total amount of Cursed Energy had actually undergone a qualitative leap after the battle, and the sense of fullness at this moment had already reached the sum of six Special Grade Cursed Spirits' Cursed Energy.
Converted to the Cursed Energy level of Sukuna's Finger, it was roughly equivalent to the strength of five fingers combined, enough to support him in utilizing his domain more frequently.
Next, he moved his limbs, the firmness of his muscles clearly perceptible.
Having experienced the Gargoyle's petrification suppression and high-intensity combat, his physical fitness had once again broken through a bottleneck; his strength, speed, and resistance to damage had all improved by a tier compared to before, adding a greater sense of explosive power to his every movement.
What Rin cared about most was the change in his eyes.
He reached up to touch his eyelids, clearly sensing the special energy surging deep within his eyes; the Sharingan was slowly evolving toward a higher-level "Mangekyo Sharingan." Although the increase in Ocular Power was not obvious, it already allowed him to capture the flow of Cursed Energy more precisely, and even predict the trajectories of his opponents' Cursed Technique in battle—this evolution undoubtedly added an important trump card to his arsenal.
And the greatest breakthrough was undoubtedly his domain, "Second World War Battlefield."
After the direct confrontation with "Eternal Stone Coffin Garden," the stability and destructive power of his domain had both significantly increased.
The phantoms of the Weapons of War within the domain were also more realistic; the power of the Cursed Energy shells was enough to directly pierce through the body of a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, and even his control over space was several times stronger than before, completely shedding the raw feeling of an "initial-stage domain."
Rin slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing in his gaze.
This battle brought not only an increase in power but also a metamorphosis of mindset; from passively responding to crises to actively controlling the battlefield, from the raw application of power to now being able to use it with ease, he had truly entered the ranks of "Special Grade Sorcerer."
He looked up toward the top of the Divine Tree, where the specks of Cursed Energy among the branches and leaves flickered, as if heralding more possibilities for the future.
With the assistance of the Gargoyle, this Special Grade Cursed Spirit, and the leap in his own strength, he now had more confidence to face whatever might come, whether it be the undercurrents of the Jujutsu World or the schemes of Geto Suguru.