Chapter 96 (Patreon)

Looking at Yuji Itadori’s dazed expression, Ragnar Kagenou found himself at a loss for words.

“Even so, slow down a little. The preparations aren’t finished yet.”

“Oh, right, right. Is there something else, Kagenou-sensei?”

Ragnar studied Yuji carefully before asking, “Did you make a Binding Vow with Sukuna?”

At that, Yuji thought for a moment.

“Now that you mention it… I think there was something like that.”

Yuta Okkotsu was speechless. “You think?”

Rika Orimoto tilted her head. “Could the Binding Vow have made you forget what it was?”

Yuji suddenly clapped his hands together.

“That’s it! I remember making a deal with Sukuna, but I can’t remember anything after that!”

Using the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, Ragnar peered into Yuji’s inner world and saw it clearly. Deep within his soul, chains connected him to Sukuna.

“When did you make that deal with Sukuna?”

Yuji answered immediately.

“It was when Sukuna ripped out my heart. He healed me with his technique, and in exchange, I made a… Binding Vow with him.”

Ragnar stared at him with a strange expression.

Yuji shrank back a little. “W-what is it?”

Ragnar sighed.

“In the end, you really are too trusting.”

“Huh?”

“Your heart wasn’t healed by Sukuna. I was the one who saved you.”

“What?!”

A moment later, Yuji’s expression changed completely.

He clenched his fists, cursing Sukuna for being shameless, dishonest, and worse than he had ever imagined.

Only after Yuta and Rika spent some time calming him down did Yuji finally regain his composure.

Ragnar reached into the Gate of Babylon and drew out Rule Breaker.

“Wait! Kagenou-sensei, I believe you saved me, I really do, but there’s no need to reenact the whole thing, is there?!”

Yuji immediately hid behind Yuta, shouting with an exaggerated look of panic.

Ragnar was speechless for a moment.

“Come here. Who said anything about killing you?”

Left with no choice, Yuji walked over obediently.

“P-please be gentle.”

“Enough.”

Ragnar flicked Yuji on the forehead.

“Ow… huh?”

Yuji froze.

“It… doesn’t hurt?”

He looked down in amazement at the strange dagger that had pierced his chest.

At the same time, inside his Innate Domain, Sukuna realized that the Binding Vow between him and Yuji had been severed.

“Ragnar Kagenou…”

Sukuna’s face twisted with irritation.

“You really do have some absurd tricks. To think you could even break a Binding Vow.”

The more Sukuna thought about it, the more furious he became.

But right now, there was nothing he could do.

He had yet to recover his full strength, and if he clashed head-on with Ragnar Kagenou in his current state, there was no chance of victory.

“It’s only one setback.”

Sukuna slowly narrowed his eyes.

“As long as Yuji Itadori is still alive, there will be countless opportunities.”

With that thought, Sukuna gradually fell silent.

In the outside world, Ragnar withdrew Rule Breaker and said, “Whatever Binding Vow you made with Sukuna before, it no longer exists.”

“R-really? I don’t feel anything different, though.”

Yuta looked at the scene with a faint sense of familiarity.

“That dagger… isn’t it the one you used before to seal the cursed energy inside Rika?”

Rika nodded as well.

“It really does look like it. My memories from back then are a little hazy, but the shape of that dagger is hard to forget.”

Ragnar glanced at the two of them.

“I didn’t expect you both to remember. That’s right. This is the same dagger.”

After a short pause, Ragnar turned back to Yuji.

“Now, I don’t just need you to gather Sukuna’s Fingers. I need you to master Sukuna’s power as well.”

Yuji was stunned.

“Master… Sukuna’s power?”

“That’s right. Your own cursed energy reserves aren’t especially high, but your physical body is exceptional. That is exactly why you are compatible as Sukuna’s vessel.”

Yuji nodded.

He had heard similar things from the people around him more than once.

“And on top of that, you don’t have an innate Cursed Technique.”

That was how ordinary Cursed Techniques worked.

Without an inherited technique or a special bloodline, very few people could create a technique of their own from nothing.

“But now, your chance has come.”

Ragnar looked directly at Yuji.

“Master Sukuna’s cursed energy. Master his slashing technique. Take what belongs to him and make it yours.”

Yuji’s pupils trembled slightly.

“Sukuna’s Cursed Technique… I can really learn it?”

Even Yuta and Rika were visibly surprised.

Was it truly possible to learn a technique that belonged to Sukuna?

Seeing their expressions, Ragnar knew exactly what they were thinking.

“Do you know this? Before Sukuna became the King of Curses, he was human.”

Ragnar’s voice remained calm.

“Learning his technique is not impossible. Especially for you, Yuji Itadori. You have the aptitude for it.”

Yuji stared at Ragnar.

Then his expression hardened with resolve.

“I want to learn it. Please teach me, Kagenou-sensei!”

Yuji truly wanted to learn a Cursed Technique.

In his battles against special grade cursed spirits and Mahito, the fact that he had no technique had left him far too passive when facing curses.

“Fushiguro has the Ten Shadows Technique. Kugisaki has the Straw Doll Technique. But I…”

Yuji clenched his fists.

“I couldn’t do anything.”

Ragnar smiled faintly.

“Of course. That won’t be a problem.”

He understood what Yuji was feeling.

Against cursed spirits, fighting without a Cursed Technique was a heavy disadvantage.

“I have already seen Sukuna’s technique. I finished analyzing it some time ago.”

For Ragnar, who possessed the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, no Cursed Technique was truly a secret. As long as he saw it once, he could analyze, reproduce, and use it.

However, teaching that technique to someone else was another matter.

He still had to break it down and guide Yuji step by step.

After all, it was not as though he could simply transfer the technique into Yuji’s head.

“Sukuna’s slashing technique has two basic applications: Dismantle and Cleave.”

Ragnar raised one finger.

“Dismantle is the standard slash. It is especially effective against inanimate objects, but it can also be used against cursed spirits, jujutsu sorcerers, and humans.”

Then he raised a second finger.

“The advanced application is Cleave. It adjusts to the target’s toughness and cursed energy, making it a slash with the potential to kill in a single strike.”

Ragnar paused before continuing.

“However, Cleave requires direct contact with the target, unless…”

Yuji leaned forward.

“Unless what?”

“Unless you can understand Domain Expansion. Inside a completed domain, that restriction changes.”

Yuji swallowed.

The training began.

Ragnar carefully explained Sukuna’s slashing technique and guided the cursed energy inside Yuji’s body several times.

After several hours, Yuji barely managed to learn Dismantle.

Of course, compared to Sukuna’s slash, Yuji’s version was still far too weak.

During the training, Yuta and Rika also shared their own experience with handling cursed energy and using Cursed Techniques.

Afterward, Yuji swung his hand through the air.

Several thin slashes cut forward, tearing across a distance of nearly ten meters.

For a first attempt, it looked rather impressive.

“Haa… haa…”

Yuji bent forward slightly, breathing hard.

“Kagenou-sensei… using a Cursed Technique eats up cursed energy fast.”

Ragnar watched the marks left by the slashes.

“It’s somewhat similar. At least it looks intimidating.”

Yuji scratched his cheek.

“Only intimidating, huh…”

Yuta gave him a gentle smile.

“No, that’s really impressive. The fact that you can already use the technique makes you a genius.”

Rika nodded beside him.

“That’s right, Yuji. You’ve only been learning for a few hours. People from sorcerer clans can spend years learning how to properly use their inherited techniques.”

Yuji looked down at his hands.

Then he slowly smiled.

“Thank you, Kagenou-sensei… Okkotsu-senpai, Rika-san.”

Ragnar looked at him calmly.

“What are you thanking me for?”

Yuji raised his head.

Ragnar’s next words made his expression freeze.

“This isn’t over yet.”