Finally, there was Kenjaku.
He opened the Spatial Gate.
Outside, torrential rain poured down amidst thunder and lightning.
He looked at Mahito's attire, watching him place Kirigiri at his waist and put on his bamboo hat, fully prepared.
At this moment, Kenjaku felt as if he had returned to ancient times, when everyone wore this kimono set with a haori and a bamboo hat, carrying a long blade.
Every samurai walked the streets like this, ready for life or death at any moment.
Few knew that Kenjaku had once been a samurai.
In the original work, during the final battle between Kenjaku and Yuki Tsukumo, Tsukumo had once mocked Kenjaku as a disgraced samurai.
And now, he was hallucinating the past.
"The bell of the Gion Shoja temple tolls, echoing the impermanence of all things. The color of the flowers of the sala trees reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline."
Uraume chanted softly.
That face, which always maintained a malicious expression, had changed at some point.
He settled down and opened his eyes, those deep black eyes staring blankly at Mahito as if in a dream.
He snapped back to his senses and resumed his malicious smile.
"It seems preparations are complete. Mahito, there is no turning back once you go."
"I understand."
"In the ranking of Jujutsu Sorcerers, Sorcerers are always considered a step above Cursed Spirits."
"A Special Grade Cursed Spirit actually corresponds to a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer."
"In the Zenin Family, there are four Special Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers and seven Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers."
"The rest are nearly a hundred battle-hardened Jujutsu Sorcerers without Cursed Techniques."
"Don't blame me for being wordy, Mahito, have you really thought this through?" Kenjaku asked.
The current Mahito was classified as a Special Grade Cursed Spirit—an Intelligent Special Grade Shell Spirit—the manifestation of human curses toward humans.
This meant there were four Jujutsu Sorcerers ranked above him and seven Jujutsu Sorcerers equal to him in strength.
The remaining nearly one hundred Jujutsu Sorcerers were also experts capable of causing him trouble, and he hadn't even collected the Cursed Techniques of everyone in the Zenin Family.
This was a battle of a completely different nature compared to the fight with Kinji Hakari.
Although Kinji Hakari had the strength of a Special Grade Sorcerer and Mahito had theoretically transcended this Grade by defeating him, it shouldn't be calculated that way.
The reason Mahito could easily defeat Kinji Hakari was that he had thoroughly researched him before the battle.
He held an absolute advantage in intelligence and had prepared counter-measures.
Kinji Hakari knew nothing of this; the battle had ended before it even began.
But this time was different.
Although he knew the Zenin Family through the original work, he didn't know everything.
He had no advantage in intelligence.
On the contrary, his information was likely already laid out before the Zenin Family. He held no advantage in intelligence.
A true battle to the death.
Just for a Black Flash, was it worth it? Of course it was.
Or rather, if he couldn't take this step today, he would never be able to take it in the future.
Now that Satoru Gojo was away and he knew most of the Zenin Family's secrets, recorded many powerful Cursed Techniques, and had the help of the god-slayer sword Kirigiri, shrinking back now would be no different from a slow suicide!
It was precisely this kind of battle, with the risk of death but not entirely without the possibility of victory, that could allow him to grow at the fastest speed.
If not now, when?
Mahito stepped through the Spatial Gate, and the heavy rain immediately slammed against his bamboo hat.
He listened to the sound of raindrops hitting the hat, imagining the sound of clashing swords.
His previously calmed emotions gradually rose.
He walked down the road, at the end of which was the Zenin Family estate, which appeared hazy in the torrential rain.
Suddenly, he felt someone's gaze on him.
This was a strange experience; he clearly wasn't using any Cursed Technique, but his Cursed Energy permeated his surroundings, spreading outward.
Every drop of rain and every sound wave was under his observation.
He was like the god of this world, and now the god looked around, easily discovering the surveillance.
But he did not turn his head or waver, simply continuing to walk toward the end of the road.
More and more gazes focused on him.
He gently pulled down his bamboo hat to cover his face, advancing at a steady pace through the curtain of rain.
Kirigiri seemed to sense the danger, emitting a crisp hum and trembling restlessly in its scabbard.
He lightly stroked Kirigiri, and the long blade's crisp hum slowly dissipated, becoming as quiet as a maiden.
The Zenin estate fell into a commotion.
The guards nervously watched Mahito in the rain, their hands unconsciously pressing against the long blades at their waists.
Suddenly, over fifty people emerged from within.
The expressions on their faces were as dead as stone; they were more professional than the guards.
Before Mahito could even get close, their blades were already unsheathed.
In an instant, the sound of drawing blades filled the air, even drowning out the sound of the rain.
Mahito scanned them, suddenly focusing his gaze on one of them.
He felt the rising power around him; this man was the leader among them.
He recalled information from the original work; it seemed this person was also a character from the original work.
Normally, Mahito would never remember such a minor character, but his state was exceptionally good now.
With just one look, he recognized the man.
"Zenin Family, Captain of the Kukuru Unit, Shinro Zenin?" he suddenly asked.
The man was stunned. "You know me?"
Mahito finally stopped his footsteps, and everyone unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Only Shinro Zenin did not; he glared at Mahito cautiously, hesitating whether to strike first.
Although Mahito's body was relaxed now, his stance in the wind and rain was like that of a god or demon.
The lower half of his face under the bamboo hat was shrouded in darkness, even his heterochromia eyes were covered, leaving only a quiet terror pressing forward.
"All Jujutsu Sorcerers in the Zenin Family without a Cursed Technique are obligated to join the Kukuru Unit."
"Because they lack a technique, they can only train their physical performance, so everyone is a combat expert, capable of defeating Cursed Spirits of the same Grade with just physical skills."
Mahito lightly brushed the hilt of Kirigiri as his power ignited unknowingly. He said softly:
"But that isn't the mission of the Kukuru Unit."
"The Kukuru Unit's mission is to assist the Hei."
"You've been deployed, which means the Hei are behind you? Are you the pawns sent to test me?"
"'Pawns' is such an ugly word." Shinro Zenin sneered.
"A mere Cursed Spirit doesn't need the lords of the Hei, as long as I—"
Suddenly, Mahito turned.
Mid-turn, he brought Kirigiri in front of him and, with the force of the rotation, violently threw Kirigiri along with its scabbard.
Shinro Zenin hadn't expected a warrior to throw the blade in his hand before the battle even started.
Fortunately, he was always prepared for surprises; seeing this, he immediately swung his long blade to parry Kirigiri.
Amidst the crisp sound of the collision, Mahito activated his Reverse Cursed Technique Application, setting the target of Soul Creation to: ——Aoi Todo.
Technique release, Uncanny Valley!
Kirigiri flew toward the sky due to the reaction force of the parry, its scabbard falling off mid-flight.
With the crisp sound of a clap, the scabbard and Mahito swapped places, and a hand gripped the hilt of Kirigiri.
Shinro Zenin's pupils dilated.
He was currently holding his blade up in a parry, and there was no way he could have imagined Mahito would appear before his eyes in an instant.
His last sentence wasn't finished, and his movement wasn't complete, but Mahito was already in front of him.
At this moment, he finally saw Mahito's face clearly.
Those heterochromia eyes shimmered in the torrential rain, looking like a god or a ghost.
Soul Creation switched: Momo Nishimiya, Tool Manipulation Technique!
The blade lightly sliced through Shinro Zenin's throat, cutting into the esophagus, passing through the neck bone, and emerging from the gap.
A single strike, a decapitation!
"The manifestation of human Curses upon humans, Mahito, making his appearance!"
Mahito kicked Shinro Zenin away.
The severed head still bore an arrogant expression as it flew through the torrential rain, landed on the soaking wet road, and rolled into the gate.
Blood fountained from the cut on his neck.
Amidst the spreading blood, Mahito raised Kirigiri and pointed it straight at the Zenin!