Yuki Tsukumo was dumbfounded; she was almost unable to speak.
She had long known that the King of Curses must have massive ambitions—which was natural, after all, he called himself the King of Curses. From that title alone, one could tell he wasn't a Cursed Spirit who would stay under someone else. He would surely stir up a massive wave, devouring everything along the way, and finally sweep across the world like a gale, a mountain flood, or a tsunami.
But she had thought he would only act like that once he was certain he had the strength.
If the King of Curses were an uneducated Cursed Spirit, Yuki Tsukumo wouldn't have any doubts; she would only mock him for being so arrogant as to dare come see a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer just because he wiped out the Zen'in Family. She would kill him the moment she saw him and might even use his corpse to make a Cursed Tool.
But he had a master. Ashiya Magon couldn't possibly not know what a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer truly represented.
The only explanation Yuki Tsukumo could think of was one: "You… are confident you can deal with Gojo Satoru now?" Yuki Tsukumo asked.
"At the very least, escaping won't be a problem," Mahito said.
"Do you know that Satoru possesses the fastest speed in the jujutsu world?" Yuki Tsukumo said coldly. "You think you can run? Even if you run to Mars, Satoru can catch up to you."
This was pure bluffing. She had no idea whether Gojo Satoru could actually go to Mars, but she knew that if it were truly necessary, Gojo Satoru could absolutely do it. Thus, she spoke with full confidence.
"Tsukumo-san," Mahito suddenly asked, "are you afraid of me?"
Yuki Tsukumo…
"You are also a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer; you should be full of confidence," Mahito said faintly. "But since when did you start considering… that after your defeat, you could only rely on Gojo Satoru to turn the tide?"
Yuki Tsukumo took a deep breath and calmly began to sort through her emotions. Am I afraid? she asked herself.
Then, unsurprisingly, she reached a conclusion—yes, I am afraid.
She was afraid of this Cursed Spirit who could confidently come to meet her without hesitation. Yuki Tsukumo was certain that the King of Curses was definitely not a fool. In other words, if he truly came to meet her without even needing a Binding Vow preventing mutual attacks, it meant he had the ability to control the situation. Even if a battle broke out on the spot, he could retreat unscathed, or even… kill her.
The unknown brings fear, and fear brings hesitation.
Yuki Tsukumo had no idea what Mahito's methods were, so she naturally chose a more cautious approach—just as in the original work, where despite her dissatisfaction, she still chose to carry out Tengen's plan to deal with Kenjaku.
"You are even more perceptive than I imagined, Cursed Spirit," Yuki Tsukumo said slowly. "You're right; I shouldn't be afraid of you. It should be you who is afraid of me. Since you don't refuse to meet me, then name a time and place. You arrange everything, and I will go alone."
"I don't trust you, Tsukumo-san," Mahito said.
"No trust?" Yuki Tsukumo wasn't surprised at all. "I know—you want me to make a Binding Vow? No problem, I'll do it. What kind of Binding Vow do you want? That I'm never allowed to attack you? Or that I forget all information about meeting you, keeping only the memory of our conversation? Or something else?"
Yuki Tsukumo was already prepared.
"There are three Binding Vows," Mahito said.
Yuki Tsukumo's heart sank. To be able to propose three Binding Vows so methodically meant that the King of Curses had long anticipated this. He had made all the preparations, just waiting for her to step into it. And she had no choice, unless she gave up this hard-won clue.
Yuki Tsukumo felt as if the King of Curses had woven a giant web, and she was the insect trapped within it, waiting for the spider to descend.
Mahito said unhurriedly, "You will forget the time and place."
"You will come before me at the designated 'time' and place without anyone noticing. You will go alone."
Yuki Tsukumo's thoughts raced, and she immediately realized Mahito's intention:
"The place you've specified isn't in Japan, but overseas! You know Tengen is monitoring me, and you're avoiding her! You have a spy within the jujutsu higher-ups, someone with a rank high enough to know about Tengen's and my secret operations!"
We actually alerted Tengen? Mahito was startled for a moment, but the thought vanished in an instant.
However, Yuki Tsukumo was right about one thing: Mahito indeed did not intend to meet her in Japan. It was too dangerous. Gojo Satoru was in Japan, and the anticipated battle with Yuki Tsukumo would be far more intense than the Zen'in battle. It was easy to imagine mountains being wiped out; it might even trigger earthquakes at its peak.
Japan was not suitable—they had to go overseas.
It was the same logic as during the Zen'in battle, when the Zen'in Family deliberately sent Gojo Satoru abroad before fighting Mahito.
Japan was too small for Gojo Satoru. If a massive battle occurred, as long as Gojo Satoru was in the country, he would inevitably arrive. Only when Gojo Satoru was not in the country could such a battle unfold freely.
Conversely, as long as Gojo Satoru was in Japan, he wouldn't be able to sense battles occurring in other countries. The best way to avoid Gojo Satoru—aside from sending him abroad—was to go overseas directly. The world was more than just Japan.
"Imagine whatever you like, Tsukumo-san," Mahito chuckled.
Tengen… you've failed in your duty. Yuki Tsukumo held back the urge to complain.
She thought about it and suddenly realized something. "You didn't stipulate that I'm not allowed to attack you?"
She immediately understood the implication. She said coldly, "You're using me as a stepping stone, wanting to test the strength of a Special Grade Sorcerer in preparation for facing Gojo Satoru in the future?"
"Isn't that also what Tsukumo-san wants?" Mahito asked calmly. "Aren't you also coming to meet me with the intention of eliminating me during the meeting?"
Yuki Tsukumo was speechless; her anger dissipated.
"Since both sides already know what the meeting entails, both sides will prepare accordingly," Mahito said slowly. "Tsukumo-san, none of my intelligence sources have specific details about your Cursed Technique. I only know that your strength is immense, almost enough to solve problems with brute force alone. You are also highly proficient in general techniques—Shikigami, barrier techniques, and Cursed Energy reinforcement. Even if brute force fails, you can still rely on general sorcery."
This was the truth; Mahito indeed had no intelligence source detailing Yuki Tsukumo—but he himself knew everything clearly.
The battle between them had already begun at this moment. He continued:
"Your Reverse Cursed Technique is also very powerful. Fatal wounds in the conventional sense are nothing to you, and kamikaze tactics are useless."
"I can't find any flaws in you. If there is a standard for a Special Grade Sorcerer, you are the most complete one. Whether in physical combat, techniques, survivability, or mobility, you excel in everything."
Mahito smiled. "I look forward to meeting you, Tsukumo-san."
"On the… battlefield."
Yuki Tsukumo took a deep breath and smiled. "Me too, King of Curses."
Reducing the Variables
Yuki Tsukumo hung up the phone and complained loudly into the air, "Tengen, you've failed in your duty! You actually let a Cursed Spirit's spy infiltrate the jujutsu higher-ups! Now we're in a very passive position."
A phone rang, and Yuki Tsukumo answered without surprise.
"It is indeed my failure," Tengen sighed.
"I thought you'd say you can't control the jujutsu higher-ups; after all, those old men won't listen to you," Yuki Tsukumo sneered.
"The jujutsu higher-ups are meant to maintain the highest degree of purity, and I am the prerequisite for ensuring that. I failed to notice that they had been infiltrated…"
"…or perhaps bought off. I should have recognized long ago the corruption that immortality brings. I should have issued a warning, but I failed to do so. I am deeply ashamed," Tengen lamented.
Yuki Tsukumo no longer knew what to say.
Tengen was supposed to stand at the pinnacle of the jujutsu world. Her Immortality Technique ensured the continued prosperity of Jujutsu Sorcerers. She had no obsession with power or wealth, living forever in an empty shrine, ceaselessly maintaining the great barrier over Japan. She was almost like a saint, yet as humble as an ordinary stone.
Yuki Tsukumo could no longer voice any complaints.
She asked, "Tengen, now that our operation has been exposed, are you still confident you can capture the King of Curses?"
"My barrier cannot extend overseas; I am powerless…" Tengen pondered. "Perhaps you could ask Gojo Satoru for help."
"No. Remember the second Binding Vow? I must meet him without anyone noticing. If it were you, I don't fully understand your methods, so I could maintain the Binding Vow while you track me. But I understand Satoru's methods very well—I can ensure he won't be able to track me," Yuki Tsukumo sighed.
"You understand Gojo Satoru so well?" Tengen asked curiously. "He possesses the world's most refined 'eyes.' No flow of Cursed Energy can escape his sight. If he wanted to track you, he only needs to record your residual Cursed Energy, and no matter where you go, he could find you."
"It's precisely because I understand his Six Eyes so well that he can't track me," Yuki Tsukumo said. "His Six Eyes are known worldwide. To counter them, countless Jujutsu Sorcerers have pooled their knowledge. Most of it is useless—but some methods work. And I happen to be one of the few who can make it work."
Kenjaku once told Mahito that a battle between Jujutsu Sorcerers is ultimately a battle of intelligence. Even if there is a vast difference in strength, as long as you understand the opponent completely, there is always a way to avoid them. At the very least, you can recognize your limits and avoid certain death.
Yuki Tsukumo was an all-around Special Grade Sorcerer and understood Gojo Satoru extremely well. She had ample experience in concealing herself from the Six Eyes.
Conversely, Yuki Tsukumo had kept her own information extremely well hidden. This made Kenjaku cautious when facing her, far from the ease shown when dealing with Gojo Satoru.
"He is too proud," Tengen said.
This was an admission that if Yuki Tsukumo truly intended to hide, even Gojo Satoru would not be able to find her.
"It seems we'll just have to fight it out," Yuki Tsukumo said, regaining her spirit. "At least that spy in the higher-ups hasn't revealed everything. The King of Curses doesn't know the details of my Cursed Technique—only that my strength is immense… Heh. The outward manifestation of my technique is just overwhelming strength, and I've never performed a Cursed Technique disclosure. My information control has worked."
"I will find a way to reduce the forces around the King of Curses," Tengen said thoughtfully. "Although Ashiya is an ancient Jujutsu Sorcerer, his combat ability is negligible and shouldn't pose a threat. The real concerns are the Intelligent Cursed Spirits created by the King of Curses, the group of Curse Users, and… Kinji Hakari."
"Looks like it'll be a chaotic battle," Yuki Tsukumo clenched her fist, but her expression was not heavy. She was actually quite good at chaotic battles—she didn't fear them, but rather looked forward to them.
But Tengen said, "…Not necessarily."
Not necessarily?
"I've said many times that Ashiya is a conservative samurai whose pursuit of honor was unmatched even in his own era," Tengen said slowly. "If you truly go alone, then as the King of Curses who inherited Ashiya's spirit, it is highly likely he will also face you alone—just as he went alone to the Zen'in Family."
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