Mahito had prepared to start fighting five seconds into the meeting because his words indeed carried a condescending insult, especially for someone like Kinji Hakari who dared to defy the conservatives of the Jujutsu world.
But he didn't expect Kinji Hakari to actually endure it without attacking.
The first reason he thought of was that Kinji Hakari was taking Kirara Hoshi's wishes into account; for his companion's sake, Hakari was temporarily enduring.
But soon, he keenly perceived the fluctuations in Kinji Hakari's Soul.
Hakari was pretending to be on the verge of exploding, but in reality, he didn't want to fight at all.
This wasn't endurance, but a scheme; he was bluffing.
This was the first time Mahito encountered a true 'verbal blade.'
Before this, even an old fox like Kenjaku hadn't done this...
That's it, Mahito suddenly understood.
Because Kinji Hakari had no idea he had eyes that could see through the Soul, he was testing Mahito in his own way, wanting to obtain more information.
'Should I play with him?' Mahito thought.
Splash, splash, splash.
Kirara Hoshi acted as if he didn't see the tense atmosphere, pouring wine with ease.
He took out two wine glasses, placing them in front of Hakari and Mahito respectively, and raised the bottle, pouring with practiced movements.
He asked casually, "So, if I were to ask you to use your Cursed Technique for me, what would be required?"
After thinking, he added:
"Oh right, if you say you want me to whisper in his ear to change Kin's mind, I'll refuse."
"Although I'm looking forward to your Cursed Technique, I care more about Kin than my own wishes."
"I unconditionally follow all of Kin's decisions."
Mahito glanced at Kirara and smiled.
He said to Hakari, "You have a good woman."
Kirara looked triumphant.
Hakari frowned, thinking: 'Is the bluff not working? Or does this Cursed Spirit in front of me really have the confidence to defeat me? Or perhaps he doesn't understand my ability?'
'But that doesn't make sense either.'
'Although the number of times I've personally dueled is small, and I'm confident I've traumatized my opponents every time I strike, those Sorcerers eager for evolution wouldn't keep my ability a secret.'
Mahito crossed his fingers, resting his arms on the table, and propped up his chin with the backs of his hands.
"Kinji Hakari. Unknown Cursed Technique, suspected to be related to luck or gambling."
"Compared to your never-before-disclosed Cursed Technique, your Domain Expansion is more widely known."
"Domain Expansion: Idle Death Gamble."
"Modeled after the legal gambling game pachinko, as long as you get three matching symbols, you hit the jackpot."
"After hitting the jackpot, you obtain a bonus reward."
Hakari kept his cool and didn't make a sound.
Mahito continued with great interest:
"The rules themselves are simple, but what's not simple is the reward obtained."
"Since it's a gambling game based on pachinko, the odds should also be the same as pachinko."
"But you can rely on an unknown Cursed Technique to change those odds, allowing you to hit the jackpot 100% of the time."
"That jackpot is—"
Mahito paused and said word for word:
"—Infinite Cursed Energy."
Jogo and Hanami, standing behind Mahito, let out low exclamations simultaneously.
Mahito wasn't finished:
"For four minutes and eleven seconds starting from the moment you hit the jackpot, you obtain Infinite Cursed Energy."
"At the same time, if you are injured during this period, your body will automatically perform Reverse Cursed Technique to heal itself."
"In other words, within the four minutes and eleven seconds after hitting the jackpot, you are invincible."
"After the four minutes and eleven seconds end, the Domain dissipates."
"But since you had Infinite Cursed Energy during that time, you retain enough power to expand the Domain again immediately, allowing you to loop the process."
"A nesting-doll-style Domain Expansion."
"This is something even Satoru Gojo and Ryomen Sukuna cannot do!"
"But Kinji Hakari can."
Jogo and Hanami were completely speechless.
Jogo even felt a wave of lingering fear.
No wonder this man hadn't spared him a single glance from beginning to end.
He thought it was the man's arrogance, but it wasn't arrogance—it was confidence.
He was confident that a Special Grade Curse like Jogo was no different from a pebble on the road or an ant by the lake to him.
A truly different dimension.
Isn't this—literally—invincibility?
How do you fight such an enemy?
Kinji Hakari lay back on the sofa again, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
"It seems you are very clear about my Cursed Technique; that saves me some breath."
"King of Curses, you are still in my fight club."
"I will abide by the rules I set myself."
"Since you haven't affected me or my fight club, I will also ensure you won't be harmed here."
He crossed his arms and spoke calmly:
"But I won't fail to react to your offense because of that—I'll give you a chance."
"Use your ability to fulfill Kirara's wish, and I'll grant you a way out, letting you leave here."
Jogo wanted to angrily question his arrogance again, but this time, without Mahito's intervention, Hanami quickly pulled him back.
Before this, Jogo and Hanami really hadn't looked into the owner of this fight club.
In fact, they didn't believe a lone human could pose a threat to them at all, so they followed Mahito here without knowing anything.
Just like how they knew nothing and were coaxed by Kenjaku into dealing with Satoru Gojo.
If Mahito hadn't appeared out of nowhere, they would still be foolishly following behind Kenjaku.
Now with Mahito, they had even less need to think about these trivial matters.
But now, a 'trivial matter' had turned into a potentially fatal major issue, which could only be decided by Mahito.
Mahito suddenly asked, "Want to give it a try?"
Kinji Hakari was stunned.
Mahito slowly reached out his hand, palm up, and placed it on the table.
He said, "Try and see if my ability works on you?"
Mahito looked up, his heterochromatic eyes—one gold and one blue—seeming to illuminate one's heart.
"Idle Transfiguration: Heterochromatic Projection: Emotion Ignition!"
Kinji Hakari's heart was fiercely stirred!
His eyebrows shot up like two swords piercing the heart.
He looked directly into Mahito's eyes, his hands twitching; he was tempted.
Not tempted by Mahito's 'evolution' ability—in fact, he didn't believe in evolution at all.
Sorcerers who could reach his current strength had infinite confidence in their own potential.
Even if there were an 'evolution,' Kinji Hakari was confident he could reach it on his own without relying on Mahito.
What tempted him was understanding the essence of the King of Curses' ability.
This was a good opportunity.
But his extraordinary self-confidence didn't make him light-headed.
Before Mahito came to him, he already knew the fate of Jiro Awasaka.
He knew Awasaka was still lying in the infirmary; clearly, there was nothing wrong with his external or internal injuries, yet he just wouldn't wake up.
This must be Mahito's Cursed Technique.
With such a bizarre Cursed Technique, he didn't want to make contact mindlessly.
"What's wrong? Worried my Cursed Technique will affect you?"
A faint light appeared in Mahito's heterochromatic eyes, like starlight in the night sky.
The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and he said composedly, "Then I'll take another step back..."
"I'll allow you to use Domain Expansion."
"If you can touch me even once, I'll agree to your request."
—Silence.
Jogo and Hanami simultaneously broke into a cold sweat.
Kirara Hoshi handed the wine glass to Kinji Hakari.
He took a deep breath, took the glass, and downed the wine in one gulp.
'This is a provocation,' Kinji Hakari thought.
'I can't fall for it. I need to stay calm, calm, calm—'
'Screw it!'
"I'm going to pull your tongue out, King of Curses!"
He formed hand seals and shouted in rage:
"As you wish! This is the Domain Expansion you've been waiting for—"
"Idle Death Gamble!!"