A manga convention.
It was a gathering place for all fans of Japanese-origin fictional works.
A paradise for anyone passionate about 2D works — something Jacob had always dreamed of visiting in the Land of the Rising Sun.
"Wow, that's Ken Kaneki and Professor Onizuka! Over there, Jibril from *No Game No Life*… So many cosplays on the streets! This is really paradise!" he said excitedly while browsing the stalls.
On the other hand, he felt a bit awkward looking at his own eccentric-looking cosplay.
"Should I have worn something more elaborate?" he thought, before pushing the idea aside.
As a young man who enjoyed challenges, Jacob felt that his male version of Power cosplay was decent.
But it wasn't enough to satisfy his perfectionist side.
Anyway, he would have missed the manga convention if he had tried to get a more complex outfit on a whim.
"Indeed, I'll change my outfit for the next convention. For now, it's time to stock up!" he exclaimed as he made his way around the stands.
Like a storm, Jacob claimed collector's edition Blu-rays of famous works like *Attack on Titan*, *Inuyasha*, and *Gurren Lagann*.
"Wow, I love this! But I also need some more chill stuff to read," he thought to himself.
Perhaps it was fate, but Jacob's eyes fell on a manga stall.
"A-All the available volumes of *Jujutsu Kaisen*, with a Choso figurine!" he muttered, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.
Jacob wasn't just a reader of manga and comics — he was also a collector.
However, he couldn't find the complete *Jujutsu Kaisen* manga in his home country, nor figurines of this quality.
This find was excellent news.
After all, he was a huge fan.
He couldn't wait to read the physical manga instead of online scans.
"I spent a lot of money on this particular figurine, but it's worth it," he muttered with a satisfied expression.
The figurine was supposed to represent Choso in his cursed relic state.
The seller had mentioned that a Taoist monk had recently tried to take it from him because it emitted otherworldly energy.
But Jacob didn't care.
For his passion, money and superstition weren't priorities.
Besides, he was an atheist.
"If this object was really dangerous in his religion, he would have bought it to avoid trouble, haha," he joked as he walked down the street.
Jacob also planned to display these works on his friend Claud's grave, because the latter had been killed at another manga convention.
An electric scooter accident.
He felt a little sad for him, but he liked to think that his best friend was in a better dimension.
"Weird, the weather is insanely hot," he said to himself, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief.
The sun was beating down hard on Jacob's forehead, but he still tried to protect his merchandise while walking through the scorching heat.
Once he reached the subway, he entered without any issue. Unfortunately, the heat only got worse.
Especially since Japanese subways are always packed with people.
Jacob didn't know exactly what was happening to his body at that moment.
Nevertheless, he could confirm one thing.
He felt dizzy, with nowhere to sit or lean on to regain his strength.
Thus, the heat began to cloud his mind.
"E-Strange… are you okay?" That was the last voice he heard before losing consciousness.
No one noticed that the strange figurine had also disappeared.
…
Jacob didn't know how much time had passed since he lost consciousness in the subway station.
An hour?
A day?
Maybe even a month?
That question no longer mattered to the young man after he regained consciousness.
Now he had a new priority.
He wanted to get out of this place.
Darkness.
That was the only thing Jacob could perceive in his cramped surroundings.
Not only was this place extremely narrow, but he felt as if he was submerged in some kind of unknown liquid.
As for why Jacob couldn't uncover the secret of this place despite having spent a long time there…
It was simply due to his limited periods of activity.
He couldn't stay conscious for long, even if he wanted to, because an overwhelming urge to sleep overpowered his will.
'I also have no strength,' he thought as he slightly moved his limbs.
It was already a good sign that he could move them, since he was neither a vegetable nor disabled.
Nevertheless, the lack of real vision greatly worried the young man.
He feared he would reach the stage of madness.
However, Jacob decided to let go in this mysterious and unknown place.
It was better to surrender to sleep than to force himself awake only to fall back into darkness.
Especially since he felt neither hungry nor thirsty.
…
Slap.
"How dare you!" roared a man as he looked at a woman on the ground.
Several servants tried their best to calm the fury of the Kamo clan patriarch, but to no avail.
He had just struck his own daughter in the face after she confessed to being pregnant by an unknown man.
"You have tainted our bloodline with the blood of a man whose identity you don't even know!" he spat venomously.
"I-I'm still a virgin—" she tried to explain, but her voice was cut off by her father's menacing aura.
The woman lowered her head in shame.
She couldn't bear to meet the eyes of the man who had once been gentle with her.
"Tsk… Don't you dare stand before me again. You may move her belongings to the servants' quarters," he said, turning his back on her.
"B-But Lord Izanagi, she is still your daughter—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the patriarch slapped him across the face with the back of his hand.
"What daughter? I see none. My only family now is my son Noritoshi," he declared, looking around with eyes full of resentment.
Izanagi slammed the door shut violently.
"Young mistress… are you really sure you didn't have any inappropriate contact with a man?" asked a servant.
"Hic… N-No, I… I just suddenly started having strange symptoms," she explained, shedding tears.
The servants exchanged discreet glances and then nodded in unison.
They all concluded that she was lying to them.
It was common sense that a child needed a father to be conceived.
Otherwise, how could it appear?
Thus, the servants judged that their mistress had questionable morals.
Several rumors would be born from this interpretation, and it marked the beginning of the misfortune of the poor woman who turned out to be capable of giving birth to curses.