My head hurts…
It was like being forcibly shaken awake after a terrible hangover.
Amid the intense throbbing pain, Kamo Shizumi opened his eyes groggily.
Then he saw a stitched-up face wearing a teasing expression.
The other party had pale skin, clearly revealing that he was not human.
His heterochromatic eyes, one gray and one blue, reflected a curious expression.
He lowered his head, pried open his eyelids like a voyeur staring through a cat’s eyes, and asked:
“This guy… is he already dead?”
Another humanoid creature with a single eye and a slightly hunched body came over and stood beside him.
He looked down expressionlessly.
“Not sure. Kenjaku’s arrangements were a complete mess to begin with…”
“Hey, hey, hey~ Are we going to have wasted our time?”
“Ten to one. Remember to complain properly to that Kenjaku bastard later.”
“All right… But Jogo, look. It seems like this guy is alive again?”
“…Seriously? Let me see.”
Two people and three eyes immediately crowded around him, almost making Kamo Shizumi unable to breathe.
Huh?
What is going on right now?
Did I transmigrate?
Jujutsu Kaisen???
That revolutionary work where everyone keeps elbowing each other because they are all family, and in the end the grandson brings a bunch of people to violently beat up his great-grandfather, beats him into mush, and then he dies of shame?
I can barely understand this setting, but why are the first two people I encounter these two disasters…?
Mahito and Jogo?
Elite enemies blocking the door right at the start?
What is the point of playing anymore…
Just kill me already!
At the same time, various memories belonging to the young man named Kamo Shizumi surfaced in his mind, allowing him to quickly understand what had happened.
He had originally been a seventeen-year-old native of Kumamoto City!
But for reasons unknown, two disasters had invaded his home and slaughtered every member of his family except him.
The blood flowing across the floor was still warm, while the smell permeating the air was exceptionally pungent…
After trying to accept reality within three seconds, Kamo Shizumi seemed to resign himself to his fate.
He closed his eyes and gave up on arguing or resisting.
Just restart my life.
I will treat this as a nightmare…
Goodbye, Jujutsu Kaisen!
“Is this guy pretending that he cannot see us?”
“That is getting a little irritating.”
However…
Before Kamo Shizumi could say anything, footsteps sounded beside him.
After a moment, a lazy voice drifted down the hallway…
“The so-called ‘resurrection from the dead’ is merely a superficial appearance. In reality, this person’s appearance has simply retained its original form, while his interior has already become completely different. After all, the period of time I originally set for him was seventeen years.”
A moment later, a man wearing Buddhist robes and a topknot stepped into the light.
His appearance seemed rather unremarkable.
He clasped his hands together within the loose sleeves of his robes and looked down at Kamo Shizumi from above.
A faint, teasing smile appeared on his face.
“Although it could already be considered a relatively mature technique before, this is, after all, a rather special ‘incarnated’ body. It is worth looking forward to seeing what it can do.”
He sounded as though he were talking to himself, but his gaze remained firmly fixed on Kamo Shizumi.
Then, as if urging him on, he said:
“Stand up and let me see what condition you are in now.”
“…”
He wants me to stand up?
Should I listen to him?
After a brief hesitation, Kamo Shizumi nervously opened his eyes and met the gaze of this seemingly laid-back yet bizarre man.
Kenjaku.
In a certain sense, this guy was the most scheming person in all of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Making Yuji with his own hands, a thousand-year plan, Tengen’s best friend, an absolute lover of chaos…
He had enough titles to give him dozens of nicknames, but there was not enough space for that many people here.
If one were to transmigrate into Jujutsu Kaisen and choose the person one would least want to encounter or interact with, this guy would definitely be high on the list.
However…
After hearing Kenjaku’s explanation, Kamo Shizumi could not help but develop a rather subtle thought.
He called me an incarnated body…
As everyone knows, the essence of incarnation is to process certain parts of a sorcerer’s body after their death into cursed objects, and then use a vessel to achieve “resurrection.”
In other words.
It is body snatching.
That is the correct answer.
‘Did Kenjaku help me steal this body?
Why would he do that?’
The timeline should not have reached the Culling Game yet, right?
Otherwise, these two guys beside me should already have been reduced to ashes.
Also…
‘He does not seem to realize that the person who took over the body is the wrong person?’
You have been overwritten by a transmigrator, buddy.
Kenjaku slowly stepped forward and reached into his sleeve, taking out something.
It was a fist-sized object with a pale bluish-green color all over.
It looked like ten-year-old zombie meat that had been completely frozen and then thawed.
Kenjaku smiled as he looked at him.
“Your memories may still be somewhat confused, but there are more important matters at hand, so I had to take a few liberties.”
He took two steps forward and promptly stuffed the chunk of meat into Kamo Shizumi’s mouth.
“Swallow it. Savor it carefully and then remember who you really are.”
His mouth was covered, leaving him unable even to spit it out.
Kamo Shizumi could only struggle symbolically a few times before completely giving up resistance.
The chunk of meat entered his stomach.
Kamo Shizumi’s entire body suddenly trembled as though he had been electrocuted, and then he seemed to lose consciousness.
Mahito, standing behind them, could not help but let out an “Oh.”
“His eyes rolled back…”
“That is merely a normal phenomenon. In terms of its nature, this is probably equivalent to a process of ‘secondary incarnation.’ ”
After releasing Kamo Shizumi, Kenjaku seemed to be in an excellent mood.
The corners of his mouth showed no intention of dropping.
Jogo stared at the young man convulsing on the ground and spoke in an utterly flat tone.
“So, what exactly is special about this guy? Did we really need to come all the way to Kumamoto and search for him among ordinary people?”
“The Death Paintings… Have you heard of them?”
After saying this, Kenjaku seemed to realize that he was wasting his time.
He chuckled lightly and waved his right hand as though swatting away a fly buzzing in front of him.
“Never mind. You probably would not be interested in understanding them either… To put it simply, the Death Paintings were a product of experiments I conducted using a woman with a special constitution as a vessel.”
After understanding the whole story, even the mischievous Mahito could not help sticking out his tongue.
“You really are twisted, you know that?”
Kenjaku had no intention of responding.
He merely lowered his gaze calmly.
“Although the process was complicated, my research into the Death Paintings still failed to reach my expectations. At most, it merely demonstrated the possibility of something that was half human and half cursed spirit… Based on this, I subsequently made two different arrangements.”
“The first…”
His gaze shifted to the side.
After thinking for a moment, he revealed a teasing smile.
“It is better not to mention that for now. That side is still in the process of growing.”
“As for the second, it is what you see before you.”
“To observe the decay of corpses and the exposure of white bones, and even the emptiness reached after everything has turned to dust… To see the unstained essence of all phenomena within the flow of impermanence, and to perceive the true nature of ‘neither defiled nor pure’ within impurity.”
“This is the transcendent form I created. Right… I should probably give it a name.”
Kenjaku rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Let us call it the ‘Unstained Form.'”
Mahito squatted down and poked the half-dead fellow with his right hand.
He asked curiously:
“So what makes him different? At most, he is just half human and half cursed spirit, right?”
“This is merely his starting point.”
Kenjaku lowered his gaze and stared at the figure on the ground, his tone becoming rather subtle.
“I want to see more possibilities from him. If the Death Paintings represent death itself, then what I want to explore through him is the ‘seed of rebirth’ that might appear at the very end.”
Mahito shrugged, but Jogo finally seemed to develop a little interest.
He looked toward Kenjaku.
“Pure awareness taken from that which transcends purity and defilement…? Your ambitions are too great. Can something like that really happen?”
“You seem rather knowledgeable, Jogo.”
“I have lived for quite some years. It is merely a Buddhist reference. Of course I have seen it before… I simply have no interest in it.”
Kenjaku chuckled lightly and folded his arms across his chest, speaking casually.
“It was merely an experiment to begin with. Failure does not matter. After all, to ensure that this pawn is truly usable, I also need to place several layers of insurance and restrictions on him… Of course, that is assuming he can wake up first.”
Speaking of which…
“You should be able to regain consciousness by now, right? Muku?”
“…”
Kamo Shizumi had actually been awake the entire time.
But he did not dare speak.
None of the people present were exactly good-natured.
Furthermore, he needed some time to understand the things that had appeared before his eyes when he swallowed that chunk of meat.
[Misalignment System]
Seeing this thing finally allowed Kamo Shizumi to breathe a sigh of relief.
The protagonist really did have privileges.
Without a cheat, he genuinely had no idea how he would survive.
However, considering the origin of his identity and the timing of the cheat’s appearance, Kamo Shizumi had reason to suspect that Kenjaku had somehow managed to do something good while intending something malicious…
What does it mean to help me steal a body and then conveniently give me a cheat?
Now this really is a case of there being nothing better in the world than one’s mother.
[Refer to the original plot and selectively make changes to obtain corresponding points.]
That is such a simple description.
Does this mean I am supposed to be a troublemaker?
Considering that everyone in Jujutsu Kaisen is completely insane, doing something like this should not be too difficult.
It is just like the description says: the key is to make changes “selectively.”
For example, Gojo getting sealed is something that definitely needs to happen …
Otherwise, how is Sukuna supposed to fight Gojo without eating enough fingers?
Am I supposed to fight Gojo alongside that damn old thing?
I would not even be enough to serve as a speed bump.
While sighing inwardly, Kamo Shizumi happened to see the panel containing information about himself.
[Kamo Shizumi]
[Total Cursed Energy: 39]
[Cursed Energy Efficiency: 18]
[Cursed Energy Output: 22]
[Innate Technique: Blood Manipulation (Modified)]
[Physical Skills and Cursed Energy Manipulation: 33]
[Derived Abilities: None]
[Note: A value of 30 represents the average level of a Grade 2 sorcerer, 60 represents the average level of a Grade 1 sorcerer, and 85 represents the average level of a Special Grade sorcerer.]
How should I put it?
At first glance, it seems somewhat complicated, but after calmly analyzing it, it is easy to understand the differences and the basis for the classifications.
As everyone knows, Gojo Satoru once said that a sorcerer’s overall strength is basically determined to a large extent from the moment they are born.
After all, the core aspects of a sorcerer are mostly innate.
You have a wooden stick while I have an assault rifle.
We were never on the same level to begin with…
Furthermore.
‘In theory, the things that can actually be trained should only be physical skills, combat experience, barrier techniques, and things like that.’
Of course, even these things depend on talent.
For example, Higuruma immediately understood domains after getting started, and learned Reverse Cursed Technique under extreme pressure.
Then there is Mahito’s 0.2-second Domain Expansion and so on…
By reasoning backward from the results, it is not difficult to see that the world of jujutsu does not exactly value hard work.
So, taking everything into consideration and analyzing the current situation…
There is one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.
The good news is that Kamo Shizumi’s innate technique is the Kamo family’s signature technique, Blood Manipulation.
Although this technique does not possess any particularly outstanding power or characteristics, its advantage is that it can both attack and defend, while also allowing for many different applications.
Also, what is the deal with this “Modified” designation?
For now, he could only understand it as something Kenjaku had added to the technique himself…
He could investigate it later when he had the opportunity.
As for the bad news, that was simple enough.
From the information on the status panel, it could be seen that Kamo Shizumi’s current level of strength was probably not even enough to qualify as a Grade 2 sorcerer.
Brother, what kind of strength does a Grade 3 sorcerer below Grade 2 actually have?
Let us make a simple list of people.
Kasumi Miwa, Maki Zenin, Nishimiya Momo (Grade 2 in the original)…
Just thinking about being placed on the same level as these prodigies made Kamo Shizumi want to laugh bitterly from anger.
This was truly hopeless.
Without the system’s help, he might as well have used Blood Manipulation to put a bullet through his own head.
It would probably have been more painless.
“Can you hear me?”
Kenjaku’s voice came over, carrying a hint of impatience.
Kamo Shizumi suddenly came back to his senses and glanced toward the side.
When he met Kenjaku’s calm, emotionless eyes, he could not help feeling somewhat nervous.
Calm down.
Analyze the situation first.
‘I am another experimental product Kenjaku created after or alongside the Death Paintings.
In terms of nature, I should be roughly the same as the other ancient sorcerers who made contracts with him…’
In theory, he should only have been awakened during the Culling Game, but there were exceptions.
For example, Megumi Fushiguro’s older sister was different.
‘So, should I first go along with Kenjaku’s intentions and demonstrate my loyalty?’
After all, even if I want to develop my strength, I have to stay alive first.
At worst, I can prostrate myself before Gojo Satoru later and join Jujutsu High!
Who says I cannot be Yuji’s brother too?!
“Does this guy look a little dazed to you? Is he really all right?”
“For his safety, I placed restrictions and binding on him. I also prepared memories and information to be implanted beforehand… Honestly, I cannot find a reason for him to betray me.”
Since the subject had been brought up, Kenjaku looked toward Kamo Shizumi and asked with a broad smile:
“Kid, do you know who I am?”
—If I call you Mom, do you dare to answer?
Although that was what he was thinking, Kenjaku’s current identity was special.
If Kamo Shizumi gave the wrong answer, he might immediately trigger the “Loving Mother Cleans the House” ending.
Using the garbage information that had been implanted into his mind, he forced a stiff smile and said softly:
“Kenjaku… Father.”
Clap.
Kenjaku brought his hands together, a remarkably cheerful smile appearing on his face.
“Excellent. It seems my experimental theory was not mistaken. This experimental product seems quite stable.”
The moment he finished speaking, Kamo Shizumi’s vision suddenly blurred.
He instinctively blinked and shook his head.
[The plot of the “Predetermined Death” has been distorted.]
[Reward: 3 Free Attribute Points]
…Huh?
Kamo Shizumi froze for a moment before realizing what had happened two seconds later.
—According to the original plot, there was a very high chance that he would have given the wrong answer, triggering a bad ending where Kenjaku casually killed him…
No wonder there was no mention of this “This extrqa Death Painting” in the original story.
In the eyes of an old monster like Kenjaku, incorrect experimental data had no value for further research.
Naturally, there would be no room for discussion.
He was simply a “failed product” that was not even worth mentioning.
Who would have thought?
A simple movement of his mouth had saved his own life.
Could that count as a talent?
It was genuinely difficult to say.
Furthermore, although he had managed to preserve his life for now, what happened afterward was another matter.
After all, it was difficult to survive in the villain faction…
Sukuna, that terrifying big shot, was an unpredictable bastard in the first place.
After Shibuya, he went on a rampage and smashed both heroes and villains alike.
There was also no way to contact the good guys.
The higher-ups of the jujutsu world were controlled by Kenjaku.
The moment he slipped away, his “loving mother” would probably ride a cursed spirit after him and catch up.
Although Gojo Satoru was very caring toward his students, he was extremely ruthless toward enemies.
Before finding a suitable opportunity, revealing the truth to that guy would not mean much.
More importantly, Kamo Shizumi still needed to rely on the plot to obtain some reward points.
Otherwise, with his current level as a Grade 3 sorcerer, the best way to survive would probably be to simply move out of Japan, wait until the battle was over, and then return.
Shout, “Yuji, we are brothers!” Then happily play pachinko with his cheap little brother for three hundred years…
“Absolute strength. The loneliness born from it. Let me use three hundred years of pachinko to teach you the true meaning of fun!”
—Actually, that did not sound too bad.
But regardless, he first had to survive this complicated situation.
Afterward, he could slowly find opportunities to increase his strength, escape Kenjaku’s control, and regain his freedom!
Just as he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, Kamo Shizumi suddenly felt a chill run through his body.
He raised his head and glanced over, only to see Mahito staring at him with a half-smile.
Oh, crap!
Kamo Shizumi was badly frightened.
He hurriedly stood up and took half a step backward.
This bastard did not even look remotely normal to begin with.
Back when he had read the manga and watched the anime, Kamo Shizumi’s strongest impression of him had always been his fight against Mechamaru.
It was basically like having a ghost image shoved directly into his face…
“So, does that mean this guy is one of our companions now?”
Mahito did not seem to care about Kamo Shizumi’s attitude.
He merely looked toward Kenjaku as though seeking confirmation.
“Of course. Is there a problem?”
“Hmm~”
Mahito did not answer directly.
He merely rubbed his chin with one hand.
Judging solely from his expression, it was easy to associate him with a mischievous child full of bad ideas.
And right now, he was clearly thinking very hard about how to make trouble for someone.
“I am just worried that this guy’s level of strength will be able to satisfy me…”
Mahito shrugged.
There was a slightly smug quality to his smile, as though he were excluding a new student who had just entered the school.
He then glanced backward.
“There are not many of us, but everyone here is pretty strong, right?”
No one answered.
But Jogo quickly expressed his opinion.
“I do not care about such things, but since Mahito brought it up, there should be no problem with testing him a little.”
…Huh?
Kamo Shizumi had only just breathed a sigh of relief, but now he felt as though his skin had suddenly been pulled tight.
Out of the tiger’s den and straight into the wolf’s lair?
Considering his own Grade 3 sorcerer-level strength, the three people here would all treat him as nothing more than a speed bump…
Fighting back was impossible.
So he could only call for help.
“Father!”
To survive, I am even calling you Dad!
Save me!!!
Compared to Kamo Shizumi’s nervousness, Kenjaku’s reaction was considerably calmer.
He did not stop his cheap son from retreating behind him.
Instead, he wore a thoughtful expression and said quietly:
“Although the bloodline and abilities of the Kamo family have been retained overall, ordinary human lineage has also been incorporated into him. His strength should therefore have been diluted considerably…”
As he spoke, Kenjaku rested his right hand against his chin.
He turned his head like a wealthy nobleman trying to decide whether to eat sukiyaki or premium sushi for dinner tonight.
Then he looked down at Kamo Shizumi.
“Come to think of it, this is a rare opportunity. Let me see your level.”
He raised his left hand and waved cheerfully as though greeting someone.
“Right here. Use Piercing Blood on my palm. I will reinforce and protect my palm with cursed energy beforehand, so there is no need to worry…”
“No. Rather, if you can actually injure me under these circumstances, that would be closer to what I would consider a normal level.”
What?!
No, wait.
You want me to pierce the cursed-energy-reinforced palm of my loving mother with Piercing Blood?
If I remember correctly, even Choso after powering up during the Shibuya Incident could not accomplish that!
For a newcomer who had just awakened, this requirement was ridiculously high!
And Mahito was clapping and cheering beside him.
“Great, great! Our new companion is actually that strong? I am starting to look at you differently! Right, Jogo?”
The volcano-headed man directly pulled a chair over from the room and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.
He looked exactly like a spectator saying, “You can start your performance now.”
Kamo Shizumi simply stood there in a daze.
Why did these people seem to assume that I was strong?
I just awakened!
I have never used Blood Manipulation even once, and you want me to use some advanced technique to attack someone?
Seeing that Kamo Shizumi did not react, Kenjaku kindly reminded him:
“What is wrong? Do you not know how to use Piercing Blood? I should have included this information in the memories bound by the restrictions. I even included the techniques passed down through the Kamo family for generations…”
Could it be…
“You do not know how to use it?”
Seeing Kenjaku look at him with an inspecting expression, Kamo Shizumi stiffly swallowed.
In theory, once someone comprehended their innate technique, they should naturally know how to use it.
But obviously…
Kamo Shizumi was an exception.
I genuinely do not know how to use this thing…
At this very moment, he deeply realized just how malicious the world of jujutsu could be.
—No talent?
No talent means you should go reincarnate!
You are wasting everyone’s time by staying alive!