Chapter 68: Departure, New Mission
Rin and Miguel sat side-by-side by the airplane window. Outside the cabin, the clouds were like cotton, and the low hum of the engine, muffled by the thick walls, served as the background noise for their casual chat.
Rin leaned back in his seat, listening to Miguel beside him flipping through his recent Cursed Spirit investigation notes, occasionally interjecting a word or two about the recent happenings at the Star Plasma Cult.
Although they had flying Cursed Spirits like the Cursed Spirit, when it came to traveling, they couldn't compare to this iron fellow (the plane).
Especially for long distances, no matter how steadily a Cursed Spirit flapped its wings, turbulence was inevitable, and the wind scraped against the face like small knives. Inside the plane, however, not only was the speed faster, but they could also rest comfortably in their seats.
Because of this, unless they needed to conceal their tracks or were in a special rush, Rin preferred public transportation like planes or high-speed rail.
This way, he didn't have to worry about attracting the attention of ordinary people and could conserve his energy during the journey. After all, every mission could face unknown dangers, and having more composure meant having more confidence... "I heard you took care of those two Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers from Tokyo Jujutsu High the other day? That's great! This really brings honor to our Star Plasma Cult!"
Miguel turned to look at Rin, a hearty smile on his face, his tone filled with undisguised approval.
Rin gently rubbed the corner of his clothes with his fingertips, his tone carrying a hint of modesty:
"It was alright. Their strength was certainly impressive—Aoi Todo's Martial Arts and Mei Mei's Black Bird Manipulation were quite tricky—but they still fell short of being 'top-tier.'
If I were to truly encounter a Special Grade Sorcerer, my limited abilities probably wouldn't even allow me to touch the hem of their clothes."
Rin's words were full of humility. As soon as he finished speaking, Miguel smiled, shook his head, and patted his shoulder:
"You are just too modest.
Don't forget you've only been a Jujutsu Sorcerer for just over three months. To be able to spar with and defeat a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer from Tokyo Jujutsu High—that's progress others wouldn't even dare to dream of. If it were anyone else, they might still be practicing basic Cursed Energy control right now."
Rin listened, merely curving his lips, and offered no further defense.
He knew clearly that Yuta Okkotsu, who was about the same age as him and had also been introduced to jujutsu for just over three months, had already managed to defeat Suguru Geto, a Special Grade Sorcerer.
That extraordinarily talented young man, according to the timeline, should have already stepped into the Jujutsu World by now, right?
Perhaps they wouldn't have to wait too long. In a few more months, they might meet on a certain battlefield, and only then would he truly see the gap between himself and the "pinnacle."
Pulling his thoughts back from the image of Yuta Okkotsu, Rin looked down at the small tray table in front of him, lightly tapping the Cursed Energy detection Cursed Tool Miguel had just pulled out, bringing the conversation back to the current mission:
"Boss, just how strong is this newly emerged Special Grade Cursed Spirit we're looking for this time?"
Hearing this, the smile on Miguel's face faded slightly. He picked up the detector, and the pulsating green ripples on the screen suddenly became more rapid, as if responding to his tone:
"Strong, definitely strong. I haven't confronted it directly, but the last time I investigated the village it destroyed, just looking at the residual Cursed Energy residue on the ground told me it was unusual. Ordinary Cursed Spirits couldn't leave behind that kind of trace."
"Actually, the ranking of Cursed Spirits isn't absolute. Although the basic rule is that a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer is matched against a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, the difference in strength among Special Grade Cursed Spirits is vast."
Miguel traced his finger across the detector screen, his tone becoming graver,
"The weaker Special Grades can still be handled by an experienced Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, but the truly powerful ones require a Special Grade Sorcerer to personally suppress them. These Cursed Spirits are not only physically strong, but some have even awakened their own Domains.
If we truly encounter a guy like that, even if the two of us team up, we'd likely face great peril."
Miguel's words instantly made Rin think of the "four calamities," and he subconsciously nodded.
Just taking Jogo from the four calamities, even without activating his Domain, he has the ability to instantly kill a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Don't look at how Jogo is always suppressed by top powerhouses like Satoru Gojo and Sukuna; if it were anyone else, surviving three moves against him would be considered impressive. Being able to spar with an existence of that level already demonstrates how terrifying its strength is."
"So what should we do now? What if this Cursed Spirit also has a Domain? Wouldn't our situation be too dangerous?"
Rin slightly furrowed his brow, his tone hiding some concern. He had just grasped the Simple Domain; if he truly encountered a Cursed Spirit that could deploy a full Domain, the outcome would likely be grim.
Seeing Rin hesitate, Miguel smiled confidently and patted his arm:
"Relax, don't assume the worst. Cursed Spirits with Domains are rare to begin with; most Special Grade Cursed Spirits never grasp the threshold of a Domain in their lifetime. Even if we do run into one, not all Domains have the 'Guaranteed Hit' effect; some merely strengthen the user's attack.
Even if we take ten thousand steps back and are that unlucky, I have a way to deal with it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Miguel pulled out an object wrapped in black silk from his backpack and gently uncovered it on the tray table. Inside lay several strands of black rope. The rope glowed with a cold, dark light, its surface engraved with dense cursed talismans, and if one got close, they could feel a faint yet sharp fluctuation of Cursed Energy.
Rin recognized it instantly:
"This is your special grade cursed tool, the black rope?"
"That's right. This is my family heirloom. Don't underestimate it; it's extremely capable."
Miguel pinched the two ends of the black rope and gave a slight tug. The rope instantly straightened, and the cursed talismans flashed faintly.
"Its core effect is to disrupt the flow of Cursed Energy and interfere with the operation of Cursed Techniques. Whether it's a Jujutsu Sorcerer's Cursed Technique or a Cursed Spirit's Domain construction, as long as it gets tangled up, the Cursed Energy circuit will fall into chaos.
So even if that Cursed Spirit really manages to open a Domain, I can interrupt it right as it starts."
Miguel's words completely reassured Rin.
He recalled the scene that had flashed through his mind: Miguel had once used this black rope to stall Satoru Gojo. Even though Satoru Gojo hadn't been serious at the time, treating the confrontation playfully, the fact that this Cursed Tool could temporarily prevent the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer from freely using his Cursed Technique was enough to prove its power.
With such a "trump card," they had more confidence to maneuver, even if they encountered a Cursed Spirit with a Domain.
As the cabin announcement alerted them that they were "approaching the destination airport," the scenery outside the window gradually changed from clouds to continuous suburban forests. They were getting closer to the area where the Special Grade Cursed Spirit was active.
After getting off the plane, the two men walked out of the terminal building.
It was nearly a hundred kilometers from the airport to the deep mountain area where the Cursed Spirit was active. If they waited for a taxi or bus, it would take several hours at least, and if the Cursed Spirit moved during that time, they would have to track it again.
"Don't wait, let's go now."
Rin said, condensing black and red Cursed Energy on his fingertips, and raised his hand, waving it toward the empty parking lot.
The moment the Cursed Energy hit the ground, a low hum sounded, and a massive Cursed Spirit materialized from the Cursed Energy. When its wings spread, they nearly obscured half the sky, and its fine scales shimmered with a dark purple luster under the sunlight.
"Your method is still the most efficient."
Miguel laughed, patted the Cursed Spirit's wing, and swung onto its broad back. "Hold on tight. Let's get there as quickly as possible and first figure out that guy's exact location."
Rin also leaped up, settling securely beside Miguel, and patted the Cursed Spirit's neck:
"Let's go. Fly northwest, as the detector shows."
The Cursed Spirit let out a low cry, powerfully flapped its wings, and shot straight into the sky, carrying the two men quickly toward the deep mountain area, leaving behind only a faint trail of Cursed Energy that soon vanished into the horizon.
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