This summer was another unbearably harsh one.
Cursed spirits came endlessly, like maggots.
Exorcised, absorbed.
Over and over again.
Exorcised, absorbed.
What did cursed spirits taste like?
Atsushi didn’t know.
But clearly…
He was enjoying himself!
[Grade 3 Cursed Spirit killed.
65 EXP absorbed.
20 gold obtained.
Current EXP: 324.
Current gold: 188.
Level increased to Lv.2.
336 EXP required to reach the next level.]
[Please select the attribute you wish to upgrade.
Current level: Lv.2.
Attribute Points available: 1.]
[Available options: Physical Enhancement, Total Cursed Energy, Cursed Energy Manipulation Precision, Cursed Technique Effect Enhancement.]
After smashing the worm-shaped cursed spirit in front of him into fragments with a cursed energy-infused punch, a translucent interface appeared before Atsushi.
“Mm, good.
I’ve already absorbed the experience from five cursed spirits.
A Grade 4 cursed spirit gives 32 EXP, while a Grade 3 gives 65…”
Looking at the interface, Atsushi chose to put his Attribute Point into “Total Cursed Energy.”
“But if reinforcing your body with cursed energy lets even someone with a relatively weak physique gain strength beyond that of an ordinary person, then what’s the point of choosing Physical Enhancement?”
After making his choice while pondering the question, Atsushi closed the translucent interface.
That’s right, Atsushi was a transmigrator.
And he had come from the year 2026.
Therefore, it took him exactly 0.00000001 seconds to accept the fact that he had transmigrated into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Another 0.00000001 seconds later, he discovered the special ability that came with his transmigration, the [Hextech Brawl System].
Simply put, the [Hextech Brawl System] was modeled after the “Hextech ARAM” mode from League of Legends.
As the system’s owner, Atsushi could level up like a character in League of Legends, gain Attribute Points after leveling up, and obtain Hextech Augments as enhancements at certain levels.
The instant he figured out his situation, Atsushi, a longtime League addict and powerscaling fanatic, didn’t feel much anxiety about leaving his original world behind, nor did he immediately worry about being separated from his family and friends.
Instead…
He was thrilled!
Who wouldn’t want to end up in Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shinjuku, tell Ryomen Sukuna, “You’re the challenger,” during the final battle, get fired up enough to open a Domain, eat a World-Cutting Slash, then get turned into a fraud meme and spammed all over the comment sections of powerscaling videos?
As for his family and friends?
Well, there wasn’t much he could do about that now.
After all, Atsushi had grown up being told that he should work hard, make something of himself, and distinguish himself from the crowd.
And becoming a transmigrator certainly gave him an opportunity no ordinary life ever could.
He believed that if his family and friends knew about this, they would probably be proud of him.
That’s right, probably.
Atsushi might not have been entirely normal.
But there was no doubt that right now, he was brimming with motivation!
Thus, after immediately figuring out how his new ability worked, he began hunting cursed spirits.
“At the start, I can obtain one basic ability from this world’s power system instead of choosing a champion.
At Level 3, I can unlock my first Hextech Augment.
At Level 6, I can unlock either a Maximum Technique or Domain Expansion.
And every cursed spirit I kill gives me gold.
Although I only have 188 gold right now, the passive daily increase should give me around 100 gold…”
After sorting through the information, Atsushi lifted his outer clothing.
He could clearly see the crimson armor covering his chest slowly melting away as he deactivated his Innate Technique.
That’s right, the moment Atsushi arrived in this world, he had received one opportunity to choose a basic ability.
As a replacement for choosing a champion skill, the system gave him the chance to select one of three Innate Techniques from this world.
Those three techniques were…
The inherited technique of the Zenin Clan, one of the Three Great Families, [Ten Shadows Technique].
The inherited technique of the Kamo Clan, one of the Three Great Families, [Blood Manipulation].
The inherited technique of the Gojo Clan, one of the Three Great Families, [Limitless].
The Ten Shadows Technique was a technique that allowed its user to summon ten different shikigami using shadows as an intermediary.
Among them, the tenth shikigami, Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga, could adapt to any and all phenomena and possessed terrifying combat power capable of contending with the strongest figures in the world, Satoru Gojo and Ryomen Sukuna.
As for Limitless, it was the Innate Technique used by Jujutsu Kaisen’s most popular character and the strongest sorcerer on the protagonist’s side, Satoru Gojo.
Based on the concept of Achilles and the tortoise, it could infinitely divide space, preventing an opponent from ever reaching the user.
Yet when faced with these two incredibly tempting choices, Atsushi chose…
Blood Manipulation.
There was no other reason.
The Ten Shadows Technique had too low a starting point, while Limitless depended far too heavily on an additional trait.
As someone very familiar with Jujutsu Kaisen, Atsushi understood the strengths and limitations of each Innate Technique all too well.
Although the Ten Shadows Technique nominally possessed ten shikigami, its user could only use the Divine Dogs at the beginning.
The remaining shikigami had to be personally “tamed,” meaning they had to be defeated in an exorcism ritual before they could be used.
Even worse, the taming ritual had to be completed by the user alone.
Even if someone else helped, the ritual would be rendered invalid.
Trying to use the earlier shikigami to tame Mahoraga was about as difficult as this:
This is addition.
This is multiplication.
This is an equation.
All right, you’ve learned everything.
Now go solve Goldbach’s conjecture.
It was basically absurd!
Forget Mahoraga.
Even all those earlier shikigami combined might not be enough to tame Round Deer, which could use Reverse Cursed Technique to heal itself!
Therefore, among all the past inheritors of the Ten Shadows Technique mentioned in the original manga, not a single one had successfully tamed every shikigami through their own strength alone.
Even Megumi Fushiguro, one of the main characters and Yuji Itadori’s close friend, had failed to accomplish this.
Only the main antagonist, Ryomen Sukuna, reached the technique’s highest level after incarnating in and taking control of Megumi’s body.
Although Atsushi believed the system could eventually let him reach a level where he could face someone like Sukuna, choosing a technique with such a difficult early stage seemed far too risky.
He seriously suspected he would get stuck before he ever had the chance to grow strong enough.
As for the other inherited technique, Limitless, it was an even bigger trap.
Despite being an inherited technique, its practical use was closely tied to a special trait known as the Six Eyes.
Without the Six Eyes, an ordinary person couldn’t process the information required to use Limitless effectively, making the technique almost impossible to handle.
These two inherited techniques were essentially abilities that only revealed their full potential under extremely specific conditions, so Atsushi immediately passed on them.
That left only Blood Manipulation.
“Blood Manipulation…
a technique that lets you control your own blood in battle.
Its advantage is that the only medium you need is your own blood, so the barrier to entry is very low.
As for the drawback…”
As he spoke, Atsushi felt a wave of dizziness.
Looking at the blood armor on his chest, which he had discarded and which was slowly melting away without returning to his body, he continued.
“Because the blood was hardened into armor, the clotting function was overstimulated.
If I absorb it back into my body, there’s a risk of developing a blood clot, so I can only discard it…
But that means I’ll become anemic.”
Supporting himself against the wall, Atsushi raised his head.
Another cursed spirit’s roar came from the distance.
“But that’s fine.
Unlike ordinary users of Blood Manipulation, I can use gold to buy equipment that increases my health…
Warmog’s Armor, Spirit Visage, Overlord’s Bloodmail…
As long as I can get equipment like that, a drawback of this level should be manageable.”
“Yeah, this can work!”
The cursed energy gained from leveling up surged through Atsushi’s veins.
“If I keep going like this, I can become strong enough to stand at the top.”
A cursed spirit that looked as though a human and a centipede had been stitched together slowly crawled into view from around the corner of the alley.
“Blood Manipulation…
Convergence!”
Atsushi pressed his hands together.
The blood armor on his chest, still slowly melting, transformed into a sphere of blood and flowed into the gap between his palms.
His fingertips aimed at the cursed spirit in the distance.
“And then…
Piercing Blood!”
“Buzz!”
The liquefied blood transformed into a crimson line and violently tore through the air!
The half-human, half-centipede cursed spirit slowly crawling into view didn’t even have time to roar before its head was pierced through in a single strike!
Then, as Atsushi forcefully pulled both hands downward, the cursed spirit’s body was instantly sliced in half by the razor-sharp stream of blood!
Several writhing cursed spirits behind it were torn apart as well.
[Grade 3 Cursed Spirit killed.
65 EXP absorbed.
20 gold obtained.
Current EXP: 389.
Current gold: 208.
271 EXP required to reach the next level.]
[Grade 3 Cursed Spirit killed.
65 EXP absorbed.
20 gold obtained.
Current EXP: 454.
Current gold: 228.
206 EXP required to reach the next level.]
Exorcised, absorbed.
Over and over again.
Exorcised, absorbed.
In the alley, the young man wielding Blood Manipulation continued slaughtering the endless cursed spirits pouring forth like maggots.
Until, at last, a pleasant notification sounded beside his ear.
[Level 3 reached.
Please choose your Hextech Augment.]
However…
This should have been the perfect start.
But at that moment, because of Atsushi’s mistake, a cruel reality appeared before him, severe enough to shatter his confidence.
[Qualitative Change Activated: Glass Cannon]
[Your maximum health is permanently reduced by 30%, but your attacks deal 15% bonus true damage.]
Staring at the Hextech interface before him…
Atsushi froze solid, just like his blood.
The transmigrator who had hoped to become the strongest seemed to have stumbled before he had even finished taking his first steps?
(To be continued.)