Tokyo, Harajuku, inside a high-end dessert shop.
Gojo Satoru was sprawled ungracefully across a sofa, face-to-face with a mountain of limited-edition parfaits and edamame cream kikufuku.
"So..."
Gojo mumbled, a spoon still clamped between his teeth.
"That Mechamaru kid really made it back alive? From a Special Grade?"
"Indeed. Luckily, he was fast on his feet. I heard the Kyoto lot were practically wailing with relief."
Hayashi En sat across from him, with only a single cup of black coffee in front of him.
He adjusted his glasses and produced a small box wrapped in black velvet from his coat, sliding it gently across the table toward Gojo.
"More importantly, Mr. Gojo, I'm far more interested in the upcoming Halloween."
"What's this?" Gojo raised an eyebrow, reaching for the box.
"A curious little item I picked up on the black market."
Hayashi En smiled. "Feel free to open it."
Gojo opened the box.
Inside lay a small cube, its surface covered in eerie, unsettling eyes.
It resembled a puzzle cube, emitting a faint, unpleasant ripple of cursed energy.
Gojo's expression shifted instantly.
Even through his blindfold, Hayashi En could feel the weight of his sharp gaze.
"This thing..."
Gojo picked up the cube, his tone turning playful. "The structure is sophisticated, but it doesn't actually do much. It's like an empty shell..."
Hayashi En interlaced his fingers and spoke slowly.
"Precisely. It is merely a replica. If it were the genuine article, it might actually be capable of sealing you."
"Hah! Seal me?"
Gojo acted as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world, tossing the cube lightly in the air. "Nothing has been created in this world that can contain me."
"Naturally, you are invincible."
Hayashi En humored him, but his tone shifted.
"However, as a merchant, I prefer to be prepared for every eventuality."
"This replica cannot seal anyone, but it possesses a unique function—Phase Resonance."
"If you carry it with you... on the off chance—and I do mean a very remote chance—you are actually imprisoned within the real one..."
Hayashi En pointed at the cube.
"This item will serve as your only positioning beacon."
"Mr. Gojo, I have confirmed that the real artifact truly exists. Have you ever considered what would happen to this world if you, the strongest, were sealed away?"
"This is simply insurance. I doubt any of us want to see the day it becomes necessary."
"But if that day ever comes and you've refused it today, there will be no room for regret."
Gojo stared at the cube in his hand. His Six Eyes confirmed that it held no hostile intent; it was purely a complex, inanimate cursed tool.
"Fine then."
Gojo casually stuffed the cube into his uniform pocket and grinned.
"Since you're so worried about me, I'll go ahead and accept this little 'token of affection'."
"That will be one hundred million yen, please."
"?"
Despite his grumbling, Gojo still produced his black card.
Seeing the transaction finalize, the smile on Hayashi En's face deepened.
Most of the chips were now on the table.
In the coming Shibuya Incident, he would be the sole winner.
...
Late that night, at the rear mountain training grounds of Jujutsu High.
After seeing Gojo off, Hayashi En arrived at the clearing alone.
'Less than a week until Shibuya.'
Hayashi En removed his suit jacket and unbuttoned his cuffs, revealing his well-built forearms.
'Physical reinforcement complete, Domain complete, armory fully stocked.'
'Now, only the final two puzzle pieces remain.'
He looked down at his shadow.
There were ten types of shikigami in the Ten Shadows Technique.
Aside from the Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga, Hayashi En had already tamed eight of them.
Only the last one remained—the ninth shikigami.
"Come out."
Hayashi En formed a hand seal, his cursed energy surging into the shadows like a rising tide.
"Tiger Funeral."
Roar!!!
Accompanied by a low, mournful roar, a massive tiger covered in black stripes stepped slowly out of the shadows.
Unlike the ferocity of the Divine Dogs, this tiger's eyes burned with ethereal blue ghost-fire, and its body was shrouded in a field that felt heavy and sluggish.
The Ninth Shikigami: Tiger Funeral.
This was a shikigami that had never been revealed in the original story.
After starting the taming ritual, Hayashi En realized its ability was force field interference.
"Come here, big guy."
Hayashi En gripped the Golden Rule. He didn't call on his other shikigami for help, nor did he open his Domain.
He intended to use pure physical strength to make this beast submit.
"Roar!!"
Tiger Funeral lunged forward, the surrounding gravity instantly doubling in an attempt to crush Hayashi En.
But Hayashi En merely cracked his neck. His form blurred like lightning, vanishing from his spot.
Boom!!
An unadorned, heavy punch slammed into the tiger's forehead.
Monstrous strength equivalent to six fingers smashed the massive beast directly into the ground.
...
Ten minutes later.
The battle was over.
Tiger Funeral lay obediently at Hayashi En's feet before dissolving into a mass of shadows and merging back into his own.
At this point, excluding his ultimate trump card, Hayashi En had completely mastered all the powers of the Ten Shadows Technique.
Hayashi En stood under the moonlight, reviewing his current combat configuration.
He possessed two innate techniques: the Ten-Section Script and the Ten Shadows Technique.
The nine tamed shikigami were:
Divine Dogs: For olfactory scouting and high-mobility biting. Currently the primary offensive unit in standard combat, their claws can injure Special Grades.
Toad: For tongue-binding and rescuing allies. Often used in fusion with Nue.
Great Serpent: For ambushes and giant-scale constriction. Fragile, but possesses extreme explosive power.
Nue: For flight and electricity. The core of aerial combat.
Max Elephant: For high-pressure water cannons and crushing weight. Used for clearing areas or pure weight suppression.
Rabbit Escape: Creates a massive number of clones to confuse the enemy's vision, specialized for escape or diversionary tactics.
Round Deer: Possesses Reverse Cursed Technique (area healing). This was Hayashi En's strongest support, allowing him to save the cursed energy he would otherwise spend on self-healing.
Piercing Bull: Linear charging. The further the distance, the greater the power.
Tiger Funeral: Manipulates gravity and balance within a certain range; its claws possess a spirit-tearing effect. Close-quarters crowd control.
"Excellent."
Hayashi En nodded in satisfaction.
For close combat, he had his six-finger physique, Tiger Funeral, and Piercing Bull.
For long-range, he had Nue, Great Serpent, and Max Elephant.
For support, he had Round Deer and Rabbit Escape.
Plus cursed tools like the Golden Rule and Infinite Kunai.
His skill set included Reverse Cursed Technique, Domain Amplification, and Simple Domain.
And finally, his Domain Expansion—Ten Realms of Condemnation.
"Everything is ready."
Hayashi En looked out at the glittering night view of Tokyo.
"One more week..."
"October 31st."
Without realizing it, three months had passed since he arrived in this world.
From an ordinary man with nothing to the power he held now.
Hayashi En exhaled softly and murmured to himself.
"I can't stop now. I still need those last two fingers..."
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