Chapter 92 (Patreon)

After Kenjaku rescued Mahito, the curse’s mangled body returned to normal in an instant.

The crushed flesh, torn limbs, and wounds that should have been fatal all vanished as if they had never existed.

“Ahaha… I didn’t think a Special Grade sorcerer would be that strong.”

Mahito laughed lightly, as though the fight had only been an amusing experiment.

Kenjaku glanced at him.

“You were almost exorcised, and you’re still laughing?”

Mahito stretched his neck from side to side, testing the condition of his restored body.

“I almost died, sure. But I learned quite a bit from them.”

His smile widened.

“Even if my body is torn apart or ground into pieces, as long as the shape of my soul doesn’t change, I won’t die. And the cursed energy I consume will recover in time.”

Kenjaku watched him for a moment before speaking.

“That jujutsu sorcerer with the short blade had an unusual Cursed Technique. It felt like he could interfere with your soul.”

Mahito lowered his gaze and thought for a while.

“It’s possible.”

Then he shook his head.

“But if he doesn’t understand the outline of the soul, his technique won’t reach me. Besides, his overall strength isn’t at the Special Grade level. There’s no need to be overly cautious of him.”

A short while later, while passing near a bridge, Kenjaku and Mahito noticed someone familiar.

Sukuna’s vessel.

Itadori Yuji was sitting on the grass with Yoshino Junpei.

Mahito’s eyes curved with interest.

“Well, well. We hit the jackpot.”

At the same time, elsewhere, Ragnar Kagenou looked at the message sent by Rika Orimoto.

“Found one this quickly?”

The message mentioned Kento Nanami as well.

Ragnar narrowed his eyes slightly.

If Rika had encountered a Special Grade Cursed Spirit together with Nanami, then the curse was most likely Mahito.

A curse born from humanity’s fear and hatred of other humans.

One of the most dangerous Special Grade Cursed Spirits currently moving in the shadows.

Ragnar put away his phone.

“Fine. Let’s take a look.”

Soon after, Ragnar arrived at Rika Orimoto’s location.

The moment Kento Nanami saw him, he spoke first.

“Mr. Kagenou. I didn’t expect you to come personally.”

Ragnar glanced at Nanami, then at Rika.

“A Special Grade Cursed Spirit and a Special Grade curse user are involved. It would be stranger if I ignored it.”

Nanami nodded.

“That is true. There are several things about the Special Grade Cursed Spirit we fought that I need to report.”

Ragnar said calmly, “Go ahead, Nanami.”

Nanami adjusted his tie and went straight to the point.

“The movie theater murder case we investigated was caused by a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Its Cursed Technique is called Idle Transfiguration. It can reshape a person’s soul at will.”

His expression darkened slightly.

“It turns humans into weapons. If Ms. Rika had not arrived in time, I likely would not have been able to defeat it.”

Nanami paused for a moment before continuing.

“And there is one more important point. I believe that Cursed Spirit is still a child.”

Rika Orimoto nodded in agreement.

“I felt the same. Setting aside the fact that he’s an unregistered Special Grade, his movements, judgment, and way of fighting were all instinctive. He wasn’t fighting like someone with proper experience.”

Nanami continued.

“He likely has not been born for very long. He is greedy, curious, and enjoying his own growth.”

His tone became heavier.

“The previous Special Grade Cursed Spirit fought Mr. Kagenou and learned Domain Expansion from that battle. If this one is allowed to continue growing, I believe it won’t be long before he reaches that level as well.”

Rika’s expression sharpened.

“If we leave him alone, the number of victims will only increase.”

Nanami looked at Ragnar seriously.

“If we don’t exorcise him as soon as possible, the situation may become irreversible.”

Ragnar listened quietly until both of them had finished.

Then he said, “I understand what you’re worried about. But if we want to exorcise him, we need to find him first.”

His gaze shifted slightly.

“And according to what you said, there is also a Special Grade curse user moving with him.”

Nanami frowned.

“Yes. That is the troublesome part.”

Ragnar continued, “There may be more than two of them. They could have several Cursed Spirits under their command.”

He paused.

“The Special Grade Cursed Spirit that attacked me before is most likely connected to them as well.”

Nanami’s eyes narrowed.

“That would mean they are a group with multiple Special Grade Cursed Spirits.”

Rika added, “And they are hiding, while we are exposed. That alone puts us at a disadvantage.”

Nanami spoke in a low voice.

“Yes. If they decide to attack first, we may not be able to respond in time.”

Ragnar looked at the two of them.

“Don’t look so grim. Our side isn’t exactly lacking Special Grade sorcerers either.”

His voice remained calm.

“Jujutsu sorcerers are naturally more troublesome for curses to deal with. And we have four Special Grades who can move. That is more than enough.”

After the discussion ended, Ragnar had Nanami and Rika continue searching for Mahito’s whereabouts.

As for Ragnar himself, he went to find Itadori Yuji.

After asking Ijichi Kiyotaka for information, he made his way to Yoshino Junpei’s house.

Yoshino Junpei.

The source of this incident.

The boy chosen as the piece meant to break Itadori Yuji.

Ragnar stood outside the Yoshino residence and looked at the warm light shining through the windows.

If he remembered correctly, Kenjaku would place one of Sukuna’s Fingers inside the Yoshino household tonight.

Then Yoshino Junpei’s mother, Yoshino Nagi, would be killed by a Cursed Spirit drawn to the finger.

After that, Mahito would interfere.

He would frame Junpei’s classmate, Sato Shota, and push Junpei into killing him.

Ragnar’s eyes remained calm.

Kenjaku. Mahito.

Your plan is well arranged.

But Itadori Yuji is not as fragile as you think.

Ragnar did not enter the house immediately.

If he showed himself too early, Kenjaku likely would not appear.

Night gradually fell.

Inside the house, Yoshino Junpei lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

A single thought kept circling in his mind.

People don’t have hearts.

That sentence had once saved him.

But now that he had obtained power, another thought weighed on him.

If I kill someone, then my own soul will be stained.

He thought about it for a long time.

In the end, Yoshino Junpei still could not bring himself to kill anyone.

Downstairs, Yoshino Nagi stirred awake while lying at the table.

She slowly opened her eyes, stretched lazily, and muttered, “Hmm… did Yuji-kun already go home?”

Just as she was about to get up, she noticed something strange lying on the table.

A hideous, dried finger.

Nagi blinked.

“Hm? What is this?”

She picked it up and looked at it carefully.

“A finger?”

At that exact moment, a Cursed Spirit drawn by Sukuna’s Finger appeared behind her.

Boom!

A violent impact exploded through the room.

Nagi screamed and fell to the floor.

“W-what was that?!”

Dust filled the room.

When it finally began to settle, Yoshino Nagi saw a handsome blond man standing in front of her.

Behind him, something was pinned to the ground, pierced by a golden light.

No... it wasn't merely light.

A golden Noble Phantasm.

Nagi stared blankly.

“A handsome guy? Wait, no, why are you in my house? And why did something explode?”

While Nagi’s thoughts were thrown into chaos, hurried footsteps came from upstairs.

Yoshino Junpei rushed down.

“What happened?!”

He looked around in panic, then saw that someone had broken into their house.

His eyes immediately sharpened.

“Don’t… move.”

Ragnar ignored the warning.

He walked past them, reached the table, and picked up Sukuna’s Finger.

Junpei’s gaze followed his hand.

“What is that?”

Then he noticed the thing on the floor.

A grotesque Cursed Spirit had been pierced through by the golden Noble Phantasm, its body nailed in place and unable to move.

Junpei’s face changed.

“A curse…”

His voice trembled.

“You’re a jujutsu sorcerer?”

Ragnar turned slightly, Sukuna’s Finger held between his fingers.

He did not answer immediately.

Instead, his gaze moved from the dead curse to Junpei.

“Cursed Spirits are dangerous. That much is true.”

Then he looked toward the place where the curse had fallen.

“But whether something is good or bad can’t be decided by appearance alone.”

After saying that, Ragnar turned to leave.