"Exactly," Genji nodded. "But binding is a double-edged sword. Once you violate the established limitations, the power boost disappears, and sometimes there will even be backlash. Therefore, clever sorcerers set limitations that are easy to follow in most cases but can bring significant advantages."
He paused and pointed to the other "handshake" seal.
"The second type is a binding established between a sorcerer and another party. It's usually based on an exchange of interests—for example: 'I'll do this for you, you don't harm me,' or 'We share this information, but it must remain confidential.' This type of binding is much more difficult to establish than the first, since both parties must agree to the terms sincerely, and the binding force must be mutual."
Genji's expression became more serious. "What's more important is that with bindings between others, the punishment for breaking the contract is often uncertain. It might just be a loss of power, or it might be… death. Therefore, in the jujutsu world, unless it's a last resort or there's absolute trust, few sorcerers easily establish bindings with others."
Eriri listened intently and subconsciously asked, "Then… what is a Heavenly Restriction?"
"Heavenly Restriction," Genji said slowly, flicking his finger. The two seal symbols in the air merged into a more complex mark with a "scale" pattern. "is the third and most special kind—a binding forcibly imposed at birth."
He looked at Megumi Katou, his voice soft but clear. "You didn't 'choose' this constitution, but when you were born, you were forced into some kind of exchange. At a certain cost, in exchange for a certain powerful ability. That is the essence of Heavenly Restriction—a forced transaction."
"A transaction?" Megumi Katou repeated softly.
"Yes," Genji nodded.
"The essence of Heavenly Restriction is an extreme 'equivalent exchange.' On one side, a huge cost; on the other, a supreme ability. The most common example…"
He paused, and his voice lowered. "Is my younger brother, Zen'in Sei."
The atmosphere in the study became serious for a moment. Eriri remembered that Genji had mentioned before—a younger brother with no cursed energy, but with the strongest body.
"Sei is a Heavenly Restriction user," Genji said, a calmness spanning a thousand years in his voice. "He was born without a trace of cursed energy. He couldn't see cursed spirits at all and couldn't use any jujutsu. That is a fatal flaw in a jujutsu family—he would be considered 'useless' and even 'ominous.'"
"But in exchange," he continued, his deep indigo eyes narrowing slightly, as if remembering something, "he received the strongest body ever seen in the jujutsu world. His muscle density is tens of times that of an ordinary person. His bone strength is comparable to a special-grade cursed tool. His nerve reaction speed allows him to catch objects moving at supersonic speeds."
"He could tear apart a Grade 2 cursed spirit with his bare hands at ten years old. At fifteen… he could already fight a special-grade cursed spirit."
Eriri gasped. Utaha's fingers stopped on the keyboard, her crimson eyes widening. Even Megumi Katou's eyes widened slightly.
"That is one kind of Heavenly Restriction," Genji concluded. "Exchanging 'cursed energy'—the most fundamental thing for a sorcerer—for a supreme 'body.'"
"Then… what about me?" Megumi Katou asked, her tone still calm, but Eriri noticed her fingers clench slightly.
"You, Megumi Katou, your situation is very special. Your constitution makes you 'transparent' and faint in perception. But the laws of jujutsu are often dialectical. There must be gains and losses."
He paused, as if searching for a more understandable way to explain.
"A blessing in disguise. This constitution gives you an extremely rare talent—you have a naturally, extremely high damage reduction rate for all attacks based on cursed energy."
"Damage reduction?" Megumi Katou blinked.
"Correct. You can think of it as a passive, permanent buff state," Genji used a game term to make it easier for Eriri and Utaha to understand. "Like in a game, your character is born with a shield that reduces magic damage. In the jujutsu world, the essence of this 'shield' is the characteristic of your body."
Utaha's crimson eyes suddenly lit up, and her fingers tapped the keyboard with a flurry of sound. "In other words, the actual damage dealt to her by cursed energy attacks will be significantly reduced?"
"Exactly," Genji nodded. "The reduction rate depends on the form and power of the attack, as well as the attacker's ability to adapt to your constitution. For a pure cursed energy shockwave, the effect might be the worst. For subtle cursed techniques that require continuous locking or penetration, the effect might be nearly zero. Theoretically, as long as the primary damage principle of the attack relies on cursed energy, it will be reduced."
Genji touched his chin and smiled. "In a way, this girl is Sukuna's natural enemy. His series of slashes looks flashy, but they are actually invisible slashes created by cursed energy."
"So," Utaha stopped typing and adjusted her glasses, "Katou-san's constitution is actually a 'talent' that hasn't been fully discovered yet?"
"You could say that," Genji ate the last chip and tossed the wrapper into the trash can—the movement was so accurate that Eriri wondered if he had been practicing secretly. "But this talent is very subtle and requires her own discovery and mastery. Forced provocation might be counterproductive."
The study was quiet. The sky outside the window was completely dark, and the faint sound of insects came from afar. The light in the study was warm, and the air smelled of old books, paint, and snacks.
Megumi Katou lowered her head and looked at her own hand. An ordinary high school girl's hand—nails neatly trimmed, skin smooth. Nothing special.
"Lord Zen'in Genji," she suddenly said, her voice very soft, "you said… this is the compensation for 'Heaven.' So what is this 'Heaven'?"
The question was profound.
Genji was silent for a few seconds, then smiled. There was a complex meaning in that smile, spanning a thousand years.
"I don't know," he admitted honestly. "I have seen countless 'anomalies' and studied countless 'rules,' but what 'Heaven' is… I still can't understand. It might be the operating laws of the world, it might be the will of a higher dimension, or it might just be… coincidence."
He floated to the window, turned his back to the three of them, and looked out at the night.
"But I think what matters is not what 'Heaven' is, but how we view the 'special' within ourselves. Do you see it as a burden or as a gift? Do you let it define you, or do you use it to create your own possibilities?"
He turned around, his deep indigo eyes clear as a mirror in the light.
"Katou-san, the truth is, your presence is faint. But that also means you can choose to 'appear' or 'disappear' anytime, anywhere. You can be the background in a crowd, or the protagonist at a critical moment. This 'selectivity' is a power in itself."
Megumi Katou looked at him quietly, her black eyes reflecting the light, and also reflecting the boy in ancient clothes who spoke more transparently than anyone else.
After a long time, she nodded slightly.
"I see," she said. "Thank you, Lord Zen'in Genji."
"You're welcome," Genji floated back to the sofa and picked up the cola again. "But on the other hand, I am really interested in your constitution. If you don't mind, I would like to conduct simple tests regularly to record data changes. Of course, it won't interfere with your daily life."
"Okay," Megumi Katou nodded. "I also want to know… what 'possibilities' I have."
"Then I want to participate too," Utaha closed her laptop, her crimson eyes shining remarkably. "This research on a rare constitution is excellent creative material. I have basic knowledge of medicine and psychology, and I can keep auxiliary records."
"You just want to satisfy your curiosity!" Eriri complained, but didn't object.
"Aren't you curious, Sawamura?" Utaha raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want to know if Katou-san's special constitution will inspire your game creation?"
"I-I'm for art!"
"Fine, for art."
They started bickering again. Megumi Katou looked at them, and the corners of her lips lifted in that very faint arc again. This time, the smile was more noticeable.
Genji floated over to Eriri's desk, curiously looking at the sketchbooks spread out. They contained various character sketches, including realistic portraits, exaggerated comic styles, and what were clearly game character designs.
"Did you draw all these?" He asked.
"Yes," Eriri turned her head away, the roots of her ears slightly red. "I just drew them casually. They're not finished yet…"
"They're amazing," Genji said sincerely. "Artists in my time couldn't draw such dynamic lines. And…"
He pointed to a sketch—it was a rough outline of Megumi Katou's profile. The lines were simple, but the charm was captured accurately.
"Your observation is keen. Katou-san's subtle emotional expressions—you captured them."
Eriri's face turned even redder. She grabbed the sketchbook and shoved it into a drawer. "I-It's just practice!"
"Tsundere," Utaha whispered.
"None of your business!"
Megumi Katou watched this scene and suddenly said quietly, "Um… Eriri-san, if you need me as a model, you can call me anytime. I don't have much experience being a 'heroine,' but… I'll do my best to cooperate."
Eriri was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously.
"Okay!"
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