CHAPTER 157: The Emperor Awakens
The rock glowed.
A faint red pulse first. Then another. Then —
Boom.
Ren took a sharp step back just as a silent pressure—not cursed energy exactly, but something deeper—exploded outward from the stone. Like gravity collapsing in on itself, like the air got heavier. Thicker.
The glow intensified. A red light bled through every crevice of the cave.
And then—
Crack.
The stone shattered, breaking apart into chalky dust. For a second, Ren couldn't see anything through the cloud—
—but something was moving.
From within the dust, a figure slowly emerged.
A man.
He was naked, tall, and far too thin. His skin looked almost papery, bone-pale. Long white hair cascaded down his back—smooth, untouched, like porcelain thread. His lips were sharp and refined, almost too delicate. Aristocratic.
But his eyes—
Black.
Too black. Too calm.
And yet, they were the most normal thing about him.
Until they stared.
Until the pressure they radiated made Ren's stomach twist.
Ren's breath caught, heart locking up in his chest.
'Run.'
That was the only word screaming through his skull.
Before Ren could move, time felt like it stopped.
The man raised a hand, slowly. Calmly. His finger carved through the air like a calligraphy brush, drawing with grace and eerie precision.
"Cover," the man said.
His voice was old. Dusty. Not weak—just ancient.
With that single word, his finger moved again, and a glowing kanji appeared in midair—袱.
It floated for only a second before crumbling apart like burning paper.
The black ropes that clung around his body began to shift—curling, slithering, twisting.
And then, with a subtle movement, they wove themselves into a red robe that wrapped around him like royal garb. His hand ran through his hair as if bored.
"… Were you the one who unsealed me, young one?" the man asked, tilting his head slightly. "Your soul is interesting, for sure. Hmm. You have odd clothing. What era is this?"
Ren couldn't breathe. His thoughts spiraled—
'Run… Why? Because he has more cursed energy than anyone! Fucking hell… It's like I'm looking at Gojo! But… He has more cursed energy than Gojo! Not only that, his reason—his presence—is on a different level!'
Ren's legs didn't respond.
'Who the fuck is this guy?! He speaks like he's from the past… That technique—drawing kanji midair—what is that?! A cursed technique? I've never seen anything like that in JJK!'
Before Ren could finish his thought—
The man vanished.
And was suddenly standing directly in front of him.
Ren froze.
The man looked him over, his gaze almost… curious.
"Your soul is abnormal," he said quietly. "But more than that… you have such low cursed energy. Yet it is… interesting… how effectively you're cultivating it."
Ren's jaw tightened. He hadn't even seen the man move. No cursed energy flare, no displacement. Just blink—and he was there.
And then it hit him—
He saw it. My Red Cursed Circuit… He saw the structure inside my body in seconds…'
Even Gojo would have needed time.
'Actually… if Gojo really took off his blindfold and looked at me closely, he would for sure notice my red cursed circuit… Another reason I stay away from him after I perfected it… But this man saw it instantly.'
There was no running.
But Ren ran anyway.
No hesitation.
He ignited Overdrive instantly—his cursed energy flaring and coating his entire body in a violent flash of crimson red lightning.
But he didn't attack.
Instead, he twisted his foot and kicked Mei Mei—hard—straight out of the cave.
"GO TO BASE AND TELL OGAMI TO START PROJECT (RE)!!"
Ren screamed in English.
The ancient man blinked.
Not from the attack. Not from the movement.
But from the language.
He didn't understand it.
He had never heard English before.
Mei Mei, mid-air, caught herself against a tree with practiced agility. Her eyes were wide.
'He… said to start Project (Re)… in English? Ah, what the hell is Projeck (Re)?! ugh… I have to follow…'
She wanted to argue. Wanted to scream and run back in.
But she couldn't.
She leapt away through the jungle, faster than she had ever moved. Tree to tree. Heart racing.
'Ah… You better not get hurt or fight, you stupid brat! Why does he keep pushing me away when a real fight happens?!'
Ren had given her an order. She had to obey.
Back inside the cave, Ren stood alone.
He straightened, face grim. "Who are you?" he said. "Did I unseal you? Maybe… And this era? What era are you from?"
The man didn't answer. He simply blinked.
Then—
BOOM.
A punch landed straight into Ren's stomach, hard and fast.
Too fast.
The impact cracked the air, and Ren's body flew—slamming against the far cave wall with bone-shattering force. The stone cracked beneath him. A horrible, wet choking sound escaped his throat as blood poured from his mouth.
The cave trembled.
And just then—the sunlight broke through.
It shone through the broken roof, casting gold onto the man as he walked toward the exit.
The red robe shimmered.
He stepped into the light with the composure of a monarch. And then—he spoke, almost amused.
"You don't know me?"
He turned slightly. Just enough for Ren to see the glint of ancient cruelty in his eyes.
"I am Emperor Sutoku."
Ren's eyes widened in horror.