"Good morning, Young Master Naoya!"
Just as Zen'in Naoya stepped out of his room, the servant who had knocked immediately bowed 90 degrees, offering a stack of documents with an ingratiating smile.
"I have finished organizing the notices issued by the Jujutsu Headquarters. Please take a look, Young Master!"
It was a middle-aged man.
His voice was extremely nervous, and sweat from his forehead kept dripping onto the wooden floor. It seemed that merely being alone with Zen'in Naoya brought this servant immense psychological pressure.
Zen'in Naoya raised his eyelids and glanced at him briefly.
He only remembered that this guy seemed to be a guard responsible for protecting the Zen'in estate, serving as a background character in the main plot, an insignificant NPC.
Uh...
What was his name again?
"Are you a member of the main family? What is your name?"
Zen'in Naoya elegantly took the documents and asked casually while flipping through them.
"?! Yes, yes! This humble one is named Oda. Although I am a member of the main family, I did not inherit any cursed technique. Thanks to the great kindness of the clan head, I was able to join the Kukuru Unit to work..."
Oda felt like crying but had no tears.
The Zen'in clan followed the principle of the supremacy of strength. Even if one was a member of the main family, if they were born without inheriting the ancestors' cursed technique, they could not hold any status in this noble Big Three Sorcerer Family.
Even Zen'in Ogi, the younger brother of the current clan head, had a daughter named Zen'in Maki who, because she did not inherit any cursed technique, still suffered endless humiliation in the Zen'in clan until she finally ran away from home to Tokyo to make a living on her own.
But at the very least, he had worked by Young Master Naoya's side for such a long time since childhood. Although he didn't expect to rise to power with him, did this next clan head not even remember his name?!
Sure enough, in the Zen'in clan, not inheriting a cursed technique was the original sin...
Ignoring Oda's despair, Zen'in Naoya focused on reading the documents.
The documents were issued by the Jujutsu Headquarters.
The Jujutsu Headquarters was the highest authority leading and regulating jujutsu sorcerers. It was a power structure jointly recognized by the Big Three Sorcerer Families and could bypass any procedures to directly issue orders to all jujutsu sorcerers.
If a jujutsu sorcerer defied the Jujutsu Headquarters or resisted its orders, the Headquarters could even directly issue a death sentence and have other jujutsu sorcerers join forces to execute them!
The document from the Jujutsu Headquarters was titled "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons." Its content announced that a massive rampage of cursed spirits had occurred in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The curse user Geto Suguru had orchestrated an incident to seize the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Orimoto Rika, but was ultimately defeated head-on by the first-year Jujutsu High student Okkotsu Yuta. The Special Grade Sorcerer Gojo Satoru was then responsible for the aftermath, killing Geto Suguru on the spot.
After reading the document, Zen'in Naoya frowned on the spot.
The good news—he had transmigrated into the prequel of Jujutsu Kaisen, which was one year before the start of the main plot. He didn't have to worry about the Zen'in clan being exterminated in the next second.
The bad news—even being one year early didn't help him at all. He was still a villainous character far removed from the protagonist's group.
What was even more fatal was that Geto Suguru's death destined his corpse to be possessed by Kenjaku. This also meant that this super villain would obtain Cursed Spirit Manipulation, thereby triggering the start of the Culling Game, and ultimately leading to the resurrection of Ryomen Sukuna.
This was obviously an unfavorable start.
If he could have transmigrated into Zen'in Naoya's childhood, he could have at least tried to win over Zen'in Toji as a trump card, so he could at least have an invincible bodyguard by his side.
At least someone better than an incompetent middle-aged uncle like Oda.
"You organized this well."
Zen'in Naoya casually praised him.
It wasn't that he was being polite; Oda's work was indeed meticulous. Being able to summarize the events that happened far away in Tokyo so clearly, even a transmigrator who knew the plot couldn't find any faults. No wonder villains always had a few lackeys by their side. The feeling of being a leader was really not bad.
"?!"
However, such a simple compliment almost scared Oda out of his wits.
A compliment from the arrogant Zen'in Naoya?!
One must know that from childhood to adulthood, this genius jujutsu sorcerer had either coldly ignored him or mocked him with sarcasm. In short, he had never said a single good word to him!
After all, he was just a middle-aged man, a servant doing odd jobs in the Kukuru Unit, while Zen'in Naoya had long stepped into the pinnacle realm of Special Grade 1 Sorcerers.
Whether in terms of status, position, or strength, the two of them were existences that completely could not be compared...
Could... could it be that he was digging a massive pit waiting for him to jump in?
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world!
Please don't, Young Master Naoya.
I don't want to be a suicide squad member!
I only follow behind your ass because the Zen'in clan pays generously and I can get a high salary!
If I wasn't truly lacking in ability, who would be willing to be your servant?!
"...?"
Zen'in Naoya looked at the servant whose face had suddenly turned deathly pale, feeling a bit clueless in his heart for a moment.
Although the compliment just now did indeed make him feel quite nauseous inside, it was a reasonable and logical evaluation after all. It was far from reaching the point of breaking character, so even with Zen'in Naoya's condescending and arrogant personality, the system was able to successfully pass the check.
Zen'in Naoya was actually in a good mood.
The important thing was that he had taken another step closer to gaining the initiative.
The transmigrator knew clearly that the original owner's arrogant and conceited soul was long gone. Now, he was borrowing his body, little by little regaining control over this character's body and destiny.
Little Zen'in Naoya, I can handle you easily.
However, the young aristocratic master quickly frowned and broke out in intense goosebumps.
Because he caught a glimpse of some water stains on the corners of the documents.
That was... sweat stains.
Without a doubt, it came from the hands of this middle-aged man who was sweating profusely from nervousness.
This made Zen'in Naoya unable to help but feel a wave of disgust—
Touching the paper with sweat secreted from the palms was simply a kind of pollution, an... unforgivable filth.
This dirty feeling made him extremely displeased, to the point where he almost couldn't hold back from cursing out loud.
But, he held it back.
Zen'in Naoya knew it was his Mental Mysophobia acting up.
But he had to find a way to overcome it.
Sigh, it seems I need to find a beautiful young maid.
A beautiful girl's hand sweat must smell fragrant; maybe the mysophobia wouldn't have a problem with that.
However, considering the original owner was a guy who died to a beautiful girl's kitchen knife, it was better to dispel this thought as soon as possible.
Just like that, Zen'in Naoya pondered as he headed towards the Zen'in clan's meeting room.
As soon as he walked into the courtyard, the servant Oda immediately held up a black umbrella for him, shielding him from Kyoto's cold rain.
This meeting seemed to be not just a Zen'in clan meeting; it had gathered countless prominent figures in the Kyoto jujutsu world.
After all, with such a major event that could shake the jujutsu world occurring in Tokyo, Kyoto, as the guardian of the ancient heritage of the jujutsu world, could not sit still and wait for death. They had to make corresponding countermeasures.
The aristocratic young master, draped in a black wide-sleeved haori, was expressionless. His sharp, slanted eyes swept over the bustling crowd around him.
His appearance instantly caused the surrounding noise to freeze.
The Kyoto jujutsu sorcerers subconsciously made way, even lightening their breathing by a few fractions.
That was out of...
Fear of the strong.
The transmigrator narrowed his eyes slightly, looking around at the admiration and fear, his emotions difficult to calm down for a moment—
He had truly transmigrated into Jujutsu Kaisen.
Although it was one year ago, the plot was about to officially begin.
Every step from now on would be like walking on thin ice. Would he be able to successfully reach the other side?
"Young Master Naoya, the meeting is about to begin."
A servant bowed respectfully to remind him.
"Lead the way."
Zen'in Naoya did not reveal any flaws or imperfections, walking towards the meeting room with a cold face just like that.