All the Cursed Energy had been recorded, and then—
——Cursed Technique Unleashed!
The spider silk wrapped around Mahito suddenly burst, all the spider silk rushing outwards from within his body.
These spider silks, containing the woman's Cursed Energy, disappeared into Mahito's body in an instant.
All the spider silks had a unified target: the caster herself!
But the woman was not flustered. She said coldly, "It's useless."
The spider silk quietly disappeared in the air.
If she didn't know, that would be one thing; but since she already knew that Mahito had the ability to reflect direct offensive Cursed Energy, the woman had naturally prepared.
At this moment, her preparation played its role: before the reflection, she first controlled the spider silk to self-dissolve, something only she could do.
Mahito suddenly recalled the end of Ama no Habakiri.
That rapidly moving, massive compressed wind blade didn't seem to maintain its original state until the very end; it exploded at the last moment.
This indicated that the Jujutsu Sorcerers had already prepared for Ama no Habakiri to self-detonate when releasing it.
If Mahito had indeed directly used Interstellar Flight to reflect Ama no Habakiri at that time, he would probably have been hit by the Jujutsu Sorcerers' timely detonation of the Cursed Technique, suffering explosion damage at close range...
"These people really have been observing and studying me well."
"You can't use other abilities if you've used a Cursed Reversal Technique, right?"
"Is that ability of yours, which nullified Jinichi-sama's punches, also unusable?"
Suddenly, a squad member said coldly, "We already know all your information! Cursed Spirit, you have nowhere to run now!"
A crisp stomping sound appeared beside Mahito.
It was the Utsusemi user.
This time, he didn't use his fist.
He pulled a ninja short sword from his kimono sleeve, and as he appeared, the short sword had already thrust out!
Mahito turned sharply, Kirigiri already swung before he turned, but there was no one in front of him.
Cicada Shell Warp!
Before Mahito could turn, this elusive Jujutsu Sorcerer had already disappeared.
A ninja short sword suddenly pierced Mahito's spine.
"Indeed, you can only use one Cursed Technique at a time."
The Utsusemi user loudly revealed his analysis.
"If you could still use Tsukumogami Manipulation, this attack would have been blocked by the Tsukumogami in your hand."
"If you still had the defensive Cursed Technique that could defend against Jinichi-sama, this attack wouldn't have pierced your body."
"But now you must maintain the Cursed Reversal Technique to prevent Life-Entangling Shura Silk from tangling you again."
The next moment, the Utsusemi user disappeared from behind Mahito, reappearing directly in front of him.
He looked up at Mahito, his face bearing the arrogance of a god looking down on a mortal.
"Victory is decided."
He coldly declared the outcome of the battle.
The remaining squad members of the Zenin Clan looked at Mahito with cold eyes, simultaneously forming hand signs, ready to attack at any moment.
Mahito took a deep breath.
As he breathed, the wound on his spine, pierced through, completely healed at a visible speed.
He slowly lowered his body, drawing all his perception back to himself.
He placed Kirigiri at his waist, one hand loosely gripping the blade as if Kirigiri's blade were covered by a sheath, and the other hand gently rested on the hilt.
Because the grip was too loose, Kirigiri's tip had to touch the ground to support its weight.
Mahito did not use Tsukumogami Manipulation; he presented an Iai stance entirely based on his own understanding.
As the Utsusemi user said, he now had to use Soul Creation to perform other Cursed Techniques.
Although the switching of these Cursed Techniques had become more proficient in this battle, no matter how proficient, the rule of only being able to use one Cursed Technique at a time still existed.
He had not yet been able to break through this boundary.
They had already seen through this point.
They pressed on, step by step.
Although they had sacrificed all the Kukuru, two Special Grade 1 Sorcerers, and one Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, they did not collapse as ordinary soldiers would have.
Anger quietly burned in their hearts, yet they were not blinded by it.
They advanced over the bones of their comrades, without fear in their hearts.
It's time to retreat.
Any rational person should have such a thought.
But Mahito did not think so.
At this moment, he was fully immersed in this Jujutsu Kaisen.
His blood was boiling, but his heart was calm, like magma buried beneath the sea surface.
Of course, he still had a chance to win.
He hadn't explained the true purpose of Interstellar Flight to anyone.
In everyone's eyes, Interstellar Flight's purpose was simply to reflect direct offensive Cursed Techniques.
This was intentional on his part.
There were five types of Interstellar Flight markers, and now that he had physically absorbed the attacks of all the other Jujutsu Sorcerers, he had naturally marked everyone else.
This meant that these people could no longer cooperate.
The reason he didn't mark himself was simple—from now on, he could engage in one-on-one duels with anyone!
Was this a 1v5?
No, these were five 1v1s!
Mahito suddenly remembered how he felt when he first transmigrated into Mahito.
When he opened his eyes, he was in a sewer.
Sewage flowed under his feet, and all he smelled was a fecal odor.
He turned to observe his surroundings; black grime flowed down the sewer walls.
A rat crawled from the depths of the darkness, and unknown mosquitoes flew endlessly over the sewage, emitting annoying buzzing sounds.
He was born from absolute filth.
And now, he was finally going to break out of that sewer.
"Come on, Zenin Clan! Use your blood to tell the whole world—"
"—I am not filth to be manipulated by you."
"—I am human!"
Mahito slowly closed his eyes.
The sound of the heavy rain grew weaker and weaker, finally disappearing into the end of time.
He fell into absolute darkness.
A ghostly blue core suddenly floated in his mind.
Jujutsu Sorcerers indeed had something like a Cursed Energy core, an organ-like entity.
Generally, this thing grew in the dantian area of the human body.
All Jujutsu Sorcerers extracted Cursed Energy through the Cursed Energy core.
Only when the Cursed Energy core resonated with the Jujutsu Sorcerer's spiritual world could the sorcerer use the legendary Black Flash.
And now, Mahito, as a "Half-Cursed Spirit," finally got to see this legendary Cursed Energy core.
It floated in Mahito's dark spiritual world, emitting a faint light.
Mahito began to adjust his breathing.
Every time the Cursed Energy core pulsed, he would breathe once.
At first, Mahito was forcefully making his breathing match the Cursed Energy core's pulse, but imperceptibly, the Cursed Energy core's pulse began to coordinate with his breathing.
The moment his breathing and the Cursed Energy core's pulse completely synchronized—Mahito drew his sword.
Mirokuji Kirigiri always made a crisp sound when swung.
She was usually quiet like a maiden, but when practicing Kirigiri Senra, she was always like a tiger roaring in the mountains.
Yet at this very moment, she made no sound at all.
A faint, almost imperceptible silver light appeared in the rain curtain.
A person suddenly appeared before the faint silver light.
The ninja short sword the Utsusemi user was preparing to ambush with was still in his sleeve.
His body silently split into two halves, the cut extending from his left shoulder to his right waist.
"Falling Blossom Emotion?" the Utsusemi user said, stunned, his last words remaining in the world.
His upper half fell onto the rain-soaked ground, his lower half knelt, and finally collapsed.
"How is that possible! That's Master Ogi's automatic counter Iai Slash!"
The Ama no Habakiri user was stunned, shouting in disbelief, "Just by seeing it once, this Cursed Spirit can learn it!?"
Automatic Counter-Attack Iai Cursed Technique.
This isn't an Innate Technique.
This is a general-purpose Jujutsu that any Jujutsu Sorcerer can learn!
The current Mahito indeed cannot switch his Innate Technique, but he can still use general-purpose Cursed Techniques.
This doesn't conflict with his Soul Creation.
Mahito slowly turned around, but by the time he completed his turn, he was already next to the woman.
He gently swung Kirigiri, and the woman stood motionless like a doll.
This wasn't because she didn't react in time, but because, for her, there was no danger at all at that moment.
"I've been waiting for you!" the Shadow Crocodile user roared.
A pitch-black shadow expanded infinitely, enveloping Mahito—or so it should have been.
The moment the shadow rushed out from under the Shadow Crocodile user's feet, it stopped.
Interstellar Flight!
The Shadow Crocodile's marked star was not adjacent to the woman's marked star, so the shadow carrying the Shadow Crocodile user simply couldn't reach the woman.
The tip of Kirigiri gently brushed past the woman's throat.
Her eyes widened.
She wanted to speak, but the words could never escape.
She opened her mouth blankly, blood spilling from the corners.
Mahito reached out, embraced her waist, and gently laid her on the ground.
Raindrops fell onto the woman's body, drenching her.
Mahito swung Kirigiri a third time, this time at the Heavy Pressure user.
The Heavy Pressure user's reaction was incredibly swift.
Although he didn't know why the Shadow Crocodile hadn't spread its shadow, he didn't sit idly by.
The moment Mahito appeared before him, he immediately activated his Cursed Technique.
"Idiot, don't activate your Cursed Technique!"
"He has completely learned Elder Ogi's 'Automatic Counter-Attack Iai Slash'!" the Ama no Habakiri user roared.
But it was too late.
Mahito brushed past the Heavy Pressure user, and a line of blood appeared across the Heavy Pressure user's waist.
Only then did he remember Ogi Zenin's Iai Slash characteristic:
If it were merely a simple, unpowered sword fight, it would be fine.
But if you use a Cursed Technique attack, Falling Blossom Emotion combined with Iai Slash will cut you down before you can even launch your attack.
This is the ultimate "first among firsts."
As long as you are within the new attack range, no Jujutsu Sorcerer can survive.
So that's it...
This is why Elder Ogi's Innate Technique, despite being just an ordinary Molten Flame, was still rated as Special Grade 1.
Truly powerful, Elder Ogi.
The Heavy Pressure user thought with regret: What a pity. Elder Ogi's power has instead become nourishment for the King of Curses, forging the sharp blade that is about to slaughter the Zenin Clan.
The Heavy Pressure user's body split in half and fell to the ground, his blood washed away by the rain.
Mahito took a step, and the Shadow Crocodile user's pupils dilated.
This single step brought him directly in front of the Shadow Crocodile user.
Mahito's wrist twisted, and Kirigiri swung down a fourth time.
The Shadow Crocodile user sidestepped in the blink of an eye.
The tip of Kirigiri grazed his clothes, cutting his kimono.
Mahito's eyes opened slightly.
The Shadow Crocodile user gasped, a faint smile on his face.
"Since I know you've learned Elder Ogi's Automatic Counter-Attack Iai Slash, how could I possibly use Cursed Energy to fight you?"
"Don't joke around. Do you think I can't fight without Cursed Energy? We Zenin Clan Jujutsu Sorcerers are versatile in both close and long range!"
He pulled a short sword from his sleeve and adopted a defensive stance.
The next instant, a fist slammed into his face, the immense impact flattening his face, all his features caving in.
His body was sent flying backward by the tremendous force, like a cannonball, instantly crashing into the wall of the Zenin Clan compound with a resounding boom.
"Who said I must use a sword to kill?"
Mahito let Kirigiri hang naturally, looked at the last Jujutsu Sorcerer, and smiled: "How about it, want to escape?"
The Ama no Habakiri user unconsciously swallowed, his eyes darting towards the passage to the Zenin Clan's main residence.
Naoya Zenin stood there, looking at him with a gloomy expression.
Just as the Ama no Habakiri user looked over, he saw Naoya Zenin glaring back at him.
He abruptly turned back, facing Mahito, and let out a furious roar: "I won't..."
A silver glow appeared before his eyes, instantly piercing his brain.
Just as he, distracted by fear, shifted his gaze to Naoya Zenin, Mahito decisively threw Kirigiri.
The sound of Kirigiri cutting through the air in the torrential rain was masked by the rain.
By the time the Ama no Habakiri user's gaze shifted back, Kirigiri had reached his glabella.
He died from brain penetration before he could even finish his sentence.
Mahito switched his Soul Creation Cursed Technique back to Tsukumogami Manipulation.
He extended his hand, and Kirigiri let out a crisp hum.
She seemed displeased as she extracted herself from the Ama no Habakiri user's brain, slowly flying back into Mahito's hand.
Mahito shook the blade, and the rainwater washed the blood and flesh from Kirigiri's blade.
He also looked up at the last person in the Zenin compound, smiling: "Naoya Zenin, now, who is arrogant?"
Naoya Zenin took a deep breath, lowered his body into a sprinter's starting position, and roared with a twisted face:
"Captain of the Hei!"
"Special Grade 1 Sorcerer!"
"Naoya Zenin!"
"I've come to challenge you—!!!"