Chapter 88: The Taizan Fukun Ritual
[Your actions have earned the appreciation of the plot character Kenjaku. Your reputation with Kenjaku has increased.]
[Current Standing: Indifferent (78/100)]
Tsk. A grin spread across Kaito Shirogane's face. He felt a new level of disdain for this "thousand-year-old schemer" hiding inside Wasuke Itadori's body.
The man was undoubtedly a powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer, one who had abandoned all morality and ethics. He was capable of possessing a woman's body, marrying Jin Itadori—the twin brother of Sukuna's reincarnated vessel—and giving birth to Yuji Itadori, a perfect container created specifically for Ryomen Sukuna. From a certain perspective, he was sufficiently insane, a powerful sorcerer driven by pure "emotion."
But on the other hand, Kenjaku lacked the candor of Sukuna or Gojo. Both Sukuna and Gojo operated with the absolute conviction that they were the strongest. That unrivaled belief, "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the Honored One," was both the source of their strength and the result of it. For a Jujutsu Sorcerer, that kind of intense, singular emotion was the very reason those two had climbed to the absolute summit.
Kenjaku was clearly lacking in this regard. He had fear. He had worries. He had… a mind for self-preservation. Even after scheming for a thousand years and mastering far more knowledge and Cursed Techniques than any ordinary sorcerer, he still chose to hide in the shadows when facing the sorcerers of the modern era.
And even when facing a junior like himself, he still had to play these manipulative, veiled games.
Kaito held his head high. He was now certain that if they were judged purely by their "aptitude" within the metaphysical system of Jujutsu, his own was superior to Kenjaku's—even if he, an outsider, didn't even know if he was capable of possessing an Innate Technique.
A critical part of the Jujutsu Kaisen power system was that almost all techniques were [Innate Techniques], abilities one was born with. But being born with it didn't mean you could use it. Even if one possessed the Cursed Energy to see curses, their brain structure ultimately determined if they could use their Innate Technique. It was a unique rule suggesting that born sorcerers and ordinary humans were, in fact, two different species, like mutants and humans in a comic book. This, at least, gave Geto Suguru's "monkey theory" a sliver of credibility.
"Now then, do you know who is currently leading the remnants of the Jujutsu world in their final struggle?" Kenjaku asked.
Kaito thought for a moment. Gojo was dead. The Jujutsu forces in Tokyo had been all but eradicated. The only ones left would be the people in Kyoto—both the Kyoto Jujutsu High and the ancient noble clans rooted in the city.
As he thought of this, a strange look crossed Kaito's face. He still had that special emblem in his inventory. [Emblem of Shinto]. Besides boosting his Spirit and Energy, it also increased his reputation gains with Shinto factions. In the Demon Slayer world, he had gained considerable reputation with the hidden Shinto faction and the ancient Onmyōji clans like the Tsuchimikado. He was curious how the "old guard" in this Kyoto would react if he showed them that emblem.
"The people in Kyoto?" Kaito answered.
Kenjaku nodded, adding, "To be precise, it is Geto Suguru, leading his so-called Star Religious Group. He is organizing the survivors, clinging to the foolish dream of nuking Tokyo to exorcise the Spiritual Disaster. But as many know, that nuke will only give birth to a new, Special Grade Cursed Spirit, one far more powerful than any before it—a curse born from this nation's decades of primal, lingering fear of nuclear annihilation."
[You have triggered the Side Quest: Stop the Nuke.]
[Quest Description: Japan's high command has resolved to drop a nuclear bomb on Tokyo. Kenjaku believes this act is not only futile but will trigger other disastrous consequences. Stop the nuclear strike from happening.]
[Quest Reward: 1 C-rank Singularity, 3000 Dimensional Points.]
The quest itself, both its reward and its objective, seemed straightforward. But there was one logical inconsistency. For Kenjaku, whether the nuke dropped or not, or whether a "Nuclear Curse" was born, should have been irrelevant to him. The only absolute crisis in this land was the [Dead Silent Capital - Tokyo], the place where an unprecedented Cursed Spirit was being born, and the terrifying Reincarnator who had caused it all, still lurking in the shadows. Kenjaku, Geto, and every other surviving sorcerer, regardless of their past allegiances, should have been focused only on that enemy.
Kaito didn't point this out. He accepted the quest, then requested that Yuji Itadori drive him to Kyoto.
"Yuji is still young. Such a long journey is too much for him. I will arrange for someone else to take you," Kenjaku refused, as expected, and arranged for another man to escort Kaito.
Kaito and Kenjaku locked eyes, both smiling, as if each had seen through the other's scheme. Kaito just shrugged and turned to leave. He already understood Kenjaku's goal. This "Stop the Nuke" quest was, in essence, just a pretext to send him to Kyoto, straight to the front lines of the disaster. Whether Kaito succeeded in stopping the nuke or was captured by Geto, the result was the same: he would be forced to interact with the alliance that was forming to fight the Gojo-Curse.
Kaito guessed that the main plot of this world now revolved around Geto Suguru and the Cursed Spirit Gojo. All the other hidden factions would eventually be forced to throw their power behind one of these two sides.
"Hello, Mr. Tao. My name is Kong Shiyu. I'll be taking you to Kyoto." A man in a black suit, with short, neat hair and a calm expression, was waiting for him downstairs. He opened the door to a black Honda sedan and invited Kaito in.
Hearing the name Kong Shiyu, and combining it with other plot clues, Kaito became even more certain of his theory. Kong Shiyu was a very "coincidental" character. He had first acted as the middleman for the Star Religious Group, hiring Toji Fushiguro to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai, which had led to Gojo's first "death" and subsequent awakening. Later, after Geto's defection, he had helped Geto violently consolidate the Star Religious Group, making him its leader. There were even records of Kong trying to hire assassins to kill Gojo when he was a child.
This guy was, without a doubt, Kenjaku's man. His appearance now was all the proof Kaito needed. And it also confirmed, from another angle, that Geto Suguru was still being manipulated by Kenjaku. Everything Geto was doing, or being forced to do, was according to Kenjaku's will.
"Tsk. The great Lord Kenjaku couldn't spare a Cursed Spirit to fly me to Kyoto? He has to make a monkey like you use such a primitive method?" Kaito said, sitting in the back seat, intentionally provoking him.
But Kong Shiyu just smiled, unfazed, started the car, and pulled onto the road. Kaito watched the rhythm of Kong's breathing and his pulse. He was completely unaffected by the taunt. This guy is a smart one.
But… I don't like smart people.
Kong Shiyu suddenly felt an icy chill on his back. He instinctively tensed and glanced in the rearview mirror. He saw "Mercenary Tao" staring at him. That gaze was filled with undisguised hostility.
This guy… might actually be a complete psycho. Kong Shiyu had navigated both the underworld and the Jujutsu world, doing plenty of dirty work. He had met all kinds of people, killers and sorcerers. Very few of them were mentally stable. But this "Mercenary Tao" felt exceptionally dangerous. His thoughts and actions were completely unrestrained. He didn't fear the power of the Jujutsu world, nor did he respect the laws of the mundane one.
Because of the Tokyo catastrophe, all of Japan was in a panic. Entire districts were deserted. The wealthy had already fled the country, and those who remained had fled to the opposite ends of the island, as far from Tokyo as possible.
The car sped on. Kong Shiyu, in a state of inexplicable tension, managed to drive Kaito to the border of Kyoto in just over three hours.
Suddenly, Kaito smashed the side window and stuck his body out, feeling the wind tear at him as the car sped along at 140 kilometers per hour. He saw a familiar, yet unfamiliar sight. The Kyoto of the Jujutsu Kaisen world was far more prosperous than the Taisho-era version. Beyond the ancient, concealing shrines stood modern skyscrapers of steel and concrete.
"You know, Kong Shiyu," Kaito shouted over the wind, "my luck has never been very good."
Kong, in the driver's seat, could only vaguely hear the madman shouting. He couldn't help but glance back. The crazy bastard had almost his entire torso hanging out of the car. At this speed, if they crashed, he would be turned into a smear of paste.
Kaito felt no danger. On the contrary, he enjoyed the stimulation. He held his left hand high in the air. The Curse Mark of Inari was starkly visible in the sunlight. "So, Kong Shiyu, you should be careful when you're with me! Heh."
BOOM!
The car was violently jolted. Kong instantly felt the car lurch. He instinctively slammed the brakes, turning to yell at the madman, but Kaito was already getting farther and farther away. That bastard… he jumped from the car at 140 kilometers per hour?!
"You…!"
Before Kong could even finish his curse, a massive shadow blotted out the sun. He looked up, and his entire body went cold, his skin prickling in pain. A gigantic Cursed Spirit was descending from the sky.
CRASH!
The car slammed into the Cursed Spirit's body, crumpling instantly and then exploding. At the last possible second, Kong Shiyu threw open his door and dove out. The immense inertia sent him tumbling violently across the pavement, breaking several bones and severely tearing his muscles.
"You really are unlucky, aren't you, Mr. Kong?" a voice said.
The curse from [Secret Rite - Strike of Inari] would cause Kaito to suffer "additional malice." Even walking down the street, people would feel provoked by him. How much more so in a world swarming with Cursed Spirits? By hanging his body outside a high-speed vehicle, he was essentially acting as a giant, moving lure for any hostile entity. Encountering a Cursed Spirit attack was almost a certainty.
Kong tried to push himself up, but as the Cursed Spirit roared, he could only twist his head to look at the madman. He didn't understand. He had followed his orders. He had made no move against him. Why had this man suddenly done this?
Kaito ignored the massive, bird-like Cursed Spirit, with its giant beak and bloated body. It wasn't built for speed. He walked directly toward Kong Shiyu. The Cursed Spirit raised its head and pecked down at him.
CRACKLE!
The sound of Thunderclap and Flash. Kaito instantly moved at high speed, appearing at Kong Shiyu's side and grabbing the "black glove"—the secret fixer—by the neck.
"I just don't like having a smart person following me around," Kaito said.
Yes, Kaito had no intention of following Kenjaku's plan and joining Geto. Whether the nuke was stopped or not had nothing to do with his main quest. Or rather, if stopping the nuke was mandatory, there were plenty of other Reincarnators in this world. Someone else would handle such a "simple" task. What Kaito wanted was to touch the core of this world's main quest: the Spiritual Disaster! The true nature of the ability that had killed Gojo Satoru and turned Tokyo into a dead city.
The answer to that question was most likely known by the noble families and religious orders of Kyoto, the ones who had survived since the Heian period. To do that, he couldn't have a troublesome spy like Kong Shiyu at his back.
The Cursed Spirit pulled its beak from the ground, leaving a crater several meters deep in the concrete.
Kaito held Kong by the throat, and his hand suddenly tightened.
Crack.
With the clear sound of a larynx being crushed, Kong Shiyu trembled twice, and went still.
[You have killed Kong Shiyu. You have gained 50 Dimensional Points.]
[Milestone Update: Slaughterer (19/1000)]
Kaito hurled Kong Shiyu's body at the giant bird-curse as a distraction. He himself turned and leaped off the highway, sprinting toward a distant shrine. The bird-curse raised its head and swallowed Kong's body, but by the time it looked for Kaito again, he was already two kilometers away.
After more than a century, Kaito Shirogane once again stood at the mountain gate of the [Fushimi Inari-taisha]. The shrine of this era was far more vibrant. Unlike in the Taisho era, when it had lost its patrons to Muzan, the modern-day shrine was a famous tourist destination. Along with its worshippers, casual believers and sightseers also added to its incense.
Kaito quickly ascended the mountain path through the tunnel of a thousand torii gates. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but as he approached the shrine, he felt the curse mark on his left hand begin to pulse with a faint, dark light.
Kyoto was also affected by the fall of Tokyo. There were very few people at the shrine, not even many priests. Kaito arrived at the main courtyard and saw only one old man in a priest's robe, diligently sweeping red maple leaves.
The man turned, and the moment he saw Kaito, he froze.
"You are…"
Kaito intentionally held up his [Emblem of Shinto]. "I have some questions I would like to ask the Head Priest, if he is available."
The old man bowed deeply and respectfully. "Lord Messenger… are you here to ask about the Taizan Fukun Ritual?"
Kaito frowned. The Taizan Fukun Ritual?
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Guys We cross the 1100 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter
Next goal 1200 power stone,come on guys you'll can do it, good luck.
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