Mahito felt his mouth go dry. Upon learning Junpei Yoshino's name, he knew with absolute certainty that he would be targeted. But he hadn't expected to be spawn-camped this early. By the looks of it, if Jogo hadn't spoken up, Mahito wouldn't have even sensed him or Kenjaku trailing them.
But that raised a critical question: why were Jogo and Kenjaku appearing together right now?
In the original canon, Kenjaku sought out the Cursed Spirit faction on his own initiative, and by the time they met, Mahito was already established as their undisputed leader. When Kenjaku and the Curses first appeared in the story, Mahito wasn't present, but fragments of dialogue between Jogo and Kenjaku hinted at him. Mahito only formally debuted after Jogo's disastrous fight with Satoru Gojo.
But this was entirely different. Mahito hadn't even met Jogo yet, and Kenjaku had proactively brought Jogo straight to his doorstep. The plot was already derailing in ways Mahito couldn't predict.
"I haven't introduced myself. I am Jogo, the manifestation of the earth's curses." Jogo stood before the park's water fountain, staring at it. Beside him stood the ever-smiling Kenjaku, whom Jogo proceeded to introduce. "And the Curse User beside me is Suguru Geto. He sought me out, and then led me to you."
Standing behind Mahito, Junpei couldn't help but mutter upon hearing this, "The earth's... curses."
Jogo glanced at Junpei and suddenly asked, "Human, what is your name?"
"A-Ah, yes. My name is Junpei Yoshino," Junpei replied timidly.
"You are a human, yet you wish to lay down your life for a Cursed Spirit?" Jogo asked.
Junpei took a deep breath, forcing his voice to remain steady. "I simply want a better tomorrow. And I believe that without a revolution, that better tomorrow will never arrive. You can call me a traitor to humanity, but I don't believe I've betrayed anyone. Quite the opposite. Humanity is fundamentally evil. This kind of evil cannot be overcome by humans themselves. We need a God. We need a supreme God to govern us—it will be far superior to humans governing themselves."
Junpei had started off stammering, but the more he spoke, the higher his voice climbed, until his final words bordered on a roar. The light of absolute fanaticism burned in his eyes. He truly viewed Mahito as a God, and himself as His devout believer. It wasn't mindless zealotry; it was born from a deep, calculated despair that humanity could not save itself, leading to his fanatical worship of Mahito's ascension to Godhood.
In a way, his reverence for Mahito eclipsed even Jogo's. It was a deeply morbid, skin-crawling brand of faith.
Jogo nodded thoughtfully and looked back at Kenjaku. "Is this the same method you used to plant that spy within Jujutsu High? Because that spy also despaired at modern humanity and desired an unpredictable revolution?"
Kenjaku shook his head slightly. "No, I used a different strategy. Admittedly, my previous methods were imperfect. But if I can borrow Mahito's power, my plans will be absolutely flawless."
Mahito recalled that Kenjaku's spy in the original story was Kokichi Muta—Ultimate Mechamaru, the Kyoto Jujutsu High student. Bound by a Heavenly Restriction from birth, his body was agonizingly fragile, forcing him to interact with the world and fight purely through remote-controlled mechanical proxies.
He desperately craved a healthy body that could move freely. Because of this, he forged a Binding Vow with the Curse User Kenjaku: he would act as a spy, but in exchange, Kenjaku had to use Idle Transfiguration to cure his Heavenly Restriction.
Exactly as Kenjaku said, it had nothing to do with ideals or faith; it was purely transactional. Which was why, the moment Kokichi's body was healed, he instantly turned against them.
Mahito looked at Kenjaku without changing his expression. "A Curse User actively seeking out Cursed Spirits for an alliance. How novel. You said your name is Suguru Geto?"
Kenjaku nodded slightly, a placid smile plastered on his face. "Because our interests align. I wish to recreate the golden age of Jujutsu from a thousand years ago, and Jogo wishes to invert the hierarchy between humans and Cursed Spirits. Both Jogo and I are dissatisfied with the current Jujutsu Sorcerers, which is why we are collaborating."
Mahito flatly interrupted his bullshit. "You're lying."
Kenjaku froze.
Mahito stared at him, repeating it for emphasis. "You just lied."
Mahito wasn't bluffing. He genuinely saw through Kenjaku's lie.
In the original canon, Mahito could discern lies through the subtle fluctuations of a person's soul. The current Mahito could do it even more effortlessly. It wasn't that his raw power had surpassed canon Mahito yet; it was that his intense focus on mind control and brainwashing made him hyper-attuned to the specific soul tremors produced when a human lied.
Jogo glared at Kenjaku suspiciously. "What's the meaning of this, Suguru Geto?"
Kenjaku's expression didn't waver. "I didn't lie. I simply omitted the full picture. Just like you two, I find the modern Jujutsu world to be an eyesore. I want to overthrow modern Jujutsu society. Jogo, you want the same, don't you? And you, Mahito. You wish to become a God. The modern Jujutsu world will undoubtedly be your greatest obstacle."
*What a masterful silver tongue. Not a single lie, yet perfectly concealing his true agenda.* Mahito narrowed his eyes and nodded. "That part, at least, is true."
Kenjaku feigned wiping sweat from his brow, though he hadn't shed a single drop, and his smiling face remained perfectly intact. "My, my. I never expected a Cursed Spirit to possess the ability to detect human lies. That is quite a formidable power. It seems I will have to be completely honest with you all from now on."
Jogo snorted coldly. "You should have done that from the start."
Mahito's lips curled upward. "You're lying again. You're currently calculating how to manipulate us while avoiding the heavy lifting, not how to be 'completely honest.'"
Jogo whipped his head around, glaring murderous daggers at Kenjaku. Kenjaku raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. "You can see through that as well?"
"Hmm, who knows?" Mahito said with a beaming, sinister smile.
*That* was a lie. Mahito hadn't detected any soul fluctuations that time, because Kenjaku had genuinely spoken those words without active deceit. A novice might have believed him, but Mahito, deeply versed in the treacherous art of human language, knew with absolute certainty that Kenjaku was scheming contingencies.
After all, Kenjaku's ultimate goal fundamentally conflicted with the Cursed Spirits' desire to swap places with humanity. A start-to-finish alliance was conceptually impossible. No matter what Kenjaku promised now, he would inevitably betray them. That was an indisputable fact.
Since that was the case, Mahito had to crush his momentum and establish dominance early. Otherwise, he'd be sold out before he knew it.
Waves of blistering heat radiated from Jogo. "Suguru Geto, what is your true objective?"
Kenjaku answered with profound seriousness, "To overthrow the current Jujutsu world."
Jogo looked at Mahito. Mahito sighed. "That statement is true. Though I suspect that's not his ultimate endgame."
"Regardless of my endgame, our immediate interests in toppling the current Jujutsu world are perfectly aligned. I can forge a Binding Vow with you right now. Until the current Jujutsu society is overthrown, we shall be the staunchest of allies. Neither side may betray the other through direct or indirect means. How does that sound?" Kenjaku offered gravely.
This statement was true. Furthermore, if he established a Binding Vow, he would absolutely adhere to it. In this world, Binding Vows were absolute laws. Even entities as overwhelmingly powerful as Ryomen Sukuna had to abide by them. Over his thousand-year existence, Kenjaku frequently utilized Binding Vows with others, fulfilling every single condition he agreed to.
Anyone deeply involved in the Jujutsu world understood this absolute rule, which is why Jogo stopped pressing the issue. He merely scoffed, "A Curse User full of lies."
Kenjaku looked the picture of innocence as he lowered his hands. He knew that the moment he proposed a Binding Vow, open hostilities between them were off the table—at least until Jujutsu society was reduced to ashes.
Mahito looked between the two of them and suddenly asked, "Jogo, have you already fought Suguru Geto?"
Jogo looked surprised. "How did you know? Yes. The bastard actually has some skill."
*No shit,* Mahito thought. *If you hadn't fought him and recognized his strength, an arrogant Curse like you would never tolerate a human strutting around in front of you.*
When Jogo first arrived in Tokyo, he was arrogant enough to challenge Satoru Gojo directly, fully confident he could kill him. It was clear proof that he possessed zero understanding of the modern Jujutsu world's power ceiling. He must have been dripping with hubris. If a random human had approached him without demonstrating serious firepower, Jogo would have incinerated him on the spot.
"Please, calm down a bit, Jogo. Look, your unconsciously leaking Cursed Energy is making Junpei sweat profusely," Kenjaku noted. He looked up at Junpei and offered a smile—a smile so intrinsically terrifying it sent a violent shudder down Junpei's spine.
Jogo frowned, glanced at the sweating Junpei, and slowly reined in his emotions. The oppressive heat wave dissipated, and Junpei exhaled a shaky breath.
Kenjaku stroked his chin. "This won't do. Simply having the ability to see Cursed Spirits only qualifies him for logistical support roles within Jujutsu High. He will never climb into the upper echelons. If that's the case, his utility to us is extremely limited. Mahito, what do you plan to do?"
Mahito replied coolly, "Relax. I'll ensure he is highly valued."
Kenjaku nodded thoughtfully. Although he maintained his placid smile, Mahito's soul-piercing eyes saw right through him. In that exact moment, Kenjaku was ecstatic.
*This bastard is testing my abilities,* Mahito realized.
Honestly, Kenjaku's probing actually relieved Mahito. It meant that while Kenjaku grasped the core concept of Mahito's technique, he didn't know its upper limits. Kenjaku needed to study Mahito further to confirm if Mahito was truly the 'key' he was searching for.
Being viewed as a mere tool naturally filled Mahito with resentment. However, flipping the perspective revealed a massive opportunity. As long as Mahito's growth outpaced Kenjaku's expectations—exceeding Kenjaku's capacity to control him—Kenjaku would be forced to rely on Mahito to achieve his ultimate endgame.
The power dynamic would instantly invert.
Mahito was playing a high-stakes game of time management.
Mahito turned to Junpei. He believed the linchpin to breaking Kenjaku's control lay with Junpei—or more accurately, what he was about to make Junpei do.
He placed his hand on Junpei's head, gently stroking his hair. As he did, his soul-altering power breached deep into Junpei's brain. An imperfect, yet relentless Thought Imprint began rewriting his psyche, ensuring he could never harbor even a single thought of betrayal.
Previously, Mahito had simply utilized his soul-altering power without ever giving it a name. He had assumed it was divine authority, and divine power didn't need a label. But now, he knew exactly what it was. He needed its true name.
Idle Transfiguration.
From this moment onward, his power to reshape the soul would be known as Idle Transfiguration.
"Junpei, from this moment on, you are my eyes. Every scrap of information you witness will become my nourishment. I am going to mold you into a partial clone of myself. You will infiltrate Tokyo Jujutsu High masquerading as another victim traumatized by Cursed Spirits. I need you to absorb every piece of knowledge you can access. Analyze your peers' Innate Techniques. Seize any Cursed Tools that can augment your power..."
Junpei's expression was initially tight with anxiety, but as Idle Transfiguration took hold, his vibrant eyes glazed over. His face slackened. His eyes rolled upward, exposing bloodshot whites that looked like crimson spiderwebs. His body vibrated slightly. Layer upon layer of Cursed Energy began pooling within him, circulating, expanding until it roared like a torrential river, flooding his entire physical vessel.
Mahito was actively mutating Junpei Yoshino into a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
It was easier than he had anticipated. Though he hadn't operated on an actual Sorcerer yet, his earlier experiments had already mapped out how to 'transmit' his power into others. In fact, that starving old man he first experimented on still harbored faint traces of his Cursed Energy, though it was far too minuscule to be easily detected.
But this was entirely different. He was going to forcefully forge Junpei into a genius Jujutsu Sorcerer—a vessel perfectly adapted to eventually Incarnate Mahito's own being. Yes, he was prepping Junpei's body to be his future flesh vessel!
Mahito spoke softly to him: "From this moment on, you are a Jujutsu prodigy. You will possess a colossal reserve of Cursed Energy. This energy will continuously refine your flesh, forcing your body to adapt to increasingly extreme outputs."
"I am altering your brain. Your focus, comprehension, and logical reasoning are being maximized. As you push your own limits, your intellect will evolve even further."
"You will possess peerless learning capabilities and a capacity for casting Jujutsu that others cannot hope to reach."
"I will preserve your innate talent. Despite awakening your Cursed Energy at such a late age, you possess something ordinary sorcerers do not. You have your own Innate Technique."
"I won't tell you what your Innate Technique is. You are about to enter the Jujutsu world as a total novice, and a novice shouldn't know everything from day one. You only need to know one truth:"
"In the Jujutsu world, eighty percent of a Sorcerer's maximum potential is dictated by innate talent. Hard work is merely a secondary accessory. And you... possess the most terrifying talent of them all."
If it were possible, Mahito would have aggressively copied his Idle Transfiguration over to Junpei. But he couldn't. He didn't fully understand himself yet. Even the end-game canon Mahito couldn't do it. Canon Mahito's mastery of the soul eventually allowed him to mutate humans into networked clones that shared his consciousness, but he could never grant those clones the ability to cast Idle Transfiguration themselves.
Innate Techniques were black boxes. In the entire lore of the world, only three specific conditions could pry those black boxes open. Unfortunately, Idle Transfiguration couldn't crack them on its own.
Mahito already had theories on how to bypass this, but now wasn't the time. Aside from dictating an Innate Technique, Mahito bestowed upon Junpei everything a true genius required.
This was also foundational prep for learning Reverse Cursed Technique. As a Cursed Spirit, Mahito could not learn RCT. But Junpei, operating as his pseudo-clone, could. Thanks to his month of grotesque experimentation, Mahito's understanding of the human brain was unparalleled. Junpei was already sharp, but after this neurological overhaul, his cognitive limits were shattered.
When Mahito decided to send him to Jujutsu High, he resolved that Junpei had to be a peerless genius. He needed him to master every universal Jujutsu skill available. Not just RCT, but simple Shikigami summoning, Barrier Techniques, Simple Domains, and Cursed Tool crafting. As long as it wasn't an Innate Technique, Junpei had the capacity to learn it.
The more techniques Junpei learned, the stronger his capabilities became—and ultimately, all of it would be fed directly back to Mahito.
Just as everything a believer acquires is ultimately offered upon the altar of their God. And right now, Mahito was Junpei Yoshino's God!
Out of the corner of his eye, Mahito caught a momentary flicker in Kenjaku's expression. It wasn't fear; it was sheer, unadulterated ecstasy. This was the exact key Kenjaku needed—the power to freely alter the flesh and dictate the degree of Incarnation in others. Mahito was flawlessly demonstrating that exact capability, and Kenjaku was internally rejoicing.
The silent, desperate race against the clock between Mahito and Kenjaku had officially begun.
Either Mahito's growth would stagnate, ending with him being reduced to Kenjaku's tool, or he would invert the hierarchy, forcing Kenjaku to grovel at Mahito's feet to realize his millennial dream.
Kenjaku couldn't help but ask, "What is your plan? Are you going to tear off one of Junpei's arms? That alone won't be enough. The Jujutsu Higher-Ups won't believe a Cursed Spirit of your caliber spared a human just for the price of an arm."
"Naturally. An arm or a leg won't fool those paranoid bastards," Mahito said calmly. "But, if I turn him into my twisted, sadistic plaything... then the Sorcerers will lower their guard."
Jogo and Kenjaku exchanged a glance. Kenjaku asked, "Plaything? What exactly are you going to do?"
Mahito looked down at Junpei, whose body was utterly relaxed, yielding entirely to Mahito's manipulation. Mahito smiled. A smile as gentle and warm as a spring breeze.
He said, "It's simple. I'm going to turn him into a woman."
"...Huh?" Kenjaku and Jogo voiced their disbelief simultaneously.
Junpei violently convulsed. His previously relaxed muscles snapped taut. His eyes blew wide open, the sclera mapped with blood-red spiderwebs. He began screaming hysterically, "Wait! You haven't forgotten about that shrine maiden thing?! I don't want to be a shrine maiden! I refuse! I absolutely refuse!"
"How could you do this?! How could you do this to me?!"
"Junpei, this is the optimal solution, isn't it?" Mahito coaxed with sickening gentleness. "Given your current power level, it's statistically impossible for you to escape a Cursed Spirit like us. The only logical outcome of our encounter is your brutal death. Surviving with just a missing arm, leg, or eye cannot be written off as mere 'luck.' The Jujutsu world would never trust a survivor with that kind of story."
He drawled slowly, "But... being forcibly transformed into a girl? That changes everything."
Mahito smiled without parting his lips. He looked incredibly gentle, almost compassionate, but the words spilling from his mouth were the whispers of a devil.
He murmured, "This... is my sick hobby. You can go straight to the Jujutsu Sorcerers and cry your heart out about it. No, actually, you won't even need to say a word. The moment they realize a boy was grotesquely transfigured into a girl, they will automatically write it off as the deranged, sadistic whims of a Curse. They won't suspect you for a second. I guarantee it. It's infinitely more convincing than surviving half-dead, don't you agree?"
Junpei roared with every fiber of his being, "No! Absolutely not! No! You can't do this to me! You can't do this! You can't—!"
He didn't realize it, but over the span of less than five minutes, his furious, masculine screams had pitched upward, dissolving into the frantic wails of a girl.
He had become *she*.