Although it was supposed to be completely random, the indicator board seemed to have lost all sense of randomness, as the female lead appeared twice in a row.
With two female leads already showing, riichi was declared.
The third panel on the indicator board was spinning.
All that remained was for the train to enter the station.
Would the illusory male lead meet the person he yearned for?
If the person the male lead yearned for was the same as the "female lead" displayed on the indicator board, then it would be the grand prize.
By the way, purely based on statistical probability, the chance of winning the grand prize is 1 in 239.
But judging by the current situation, the probability of the grand prize was—
10,000%!
"You're in peak condition, Hakari," said Mahito.
"Isn't this exactly what you wanted, King of Curses?"
Kinji Hakari took a deep breath and removed his black fur coat.
Underneath, he wore a tight-fitting white T-shirt that perfectly outlined his muscular physique.
As he breathed slowly, his muscles rippled like a wild leopard coiling its strength.
"Mahito, I'll assist you!"
Jogo stepped forward, wanting to reach Mahito's side.
"This is a duel between kings. Even a Cursed Spirit should know better than to ruin the mood," Kirara suddenly spoke up.
Jogo tried to advance but found he couldn't reach Mahito no matter what.
In an instant, he realized the distance between them was growing, and he was eventually pushed into a corner.
Cursed Technique: Love Rendezvous!
With a casual wave of a hand, Kirara immobilized Jogo, preventing him from moving.
A thought flickered through Jogo's mind:
A spatial-type Cursed Technique!
It wasn't spatial teleportation, but spatial control.
He could run normally, and his feet were moving, but no matter how much he ran, he couldn't get any closer to Mahito.
It was like walking down an endless corridor, never reaching its end.
As expected of Kinji Hakari's right-hand person, to possess a spatial-type Cursed Technique.
If paired with Hakari's invincibility, wouldn't the enemy be unable to escape and just be beaten to death?
Mahito was in danger!
Hanami thought of this too.
If they couldn't move freely themselves, what about their Cursed Techniques?
She let out a roar, preparing to use her own technique.
But at that moment, Mahito raised his hand.
Hanami clenched her fist, her fingernails almost digging into her palm, but she ultimately stopped herself from using her technique.
Jogo grew anxious.
He roared,
"Mahito, I can fight alongside you as a tool. Just as a Cursed Spirit Manipulation sorcerer's use of Cursed Spirits is considered part of the sorcerer's strength, this doesn't violate the 'king versus king' Binding Vow. You should use me!"
Kinji Hakari's pupils contracted.
"'Use me'? What does that mean?"
"Can you turn a Special Grade Cursed Spirit into a tool?"
"What type?"
"A weapon? Equipment? Or shikigami manipulation?"
Mahito sighed.
As he expected, although the intelligent Cursed Spirits were loyal and diligent without ulterior motives, their intellect was no different from a child's.
Such children wielding immense power—
no wonder they were manipulated by Kenjaku in the original work.
"Who knows," Mahito said casually, raising his wine glass and taking a small sip.
The train had arrived at the station.
The doors suddenly opened.
The animated sequence for Idle Death Gamble had reached its finale.
The answer was about to be revealed.
Steam billowed forth, and from within emerged—
the female lead!
The indicator board spun:
female lead, female lead, female lead.
Jackpot!
Infinite Cursed Energy!
"Then I'll get the answer myself!"
Kinji Hakari let out a roar.
Power boiled.
Music suddenly drifted through the Domain.
It was the theme song of the Private Pure Love Train.
As long as this theme song played, Kinji Hakari would possess infinite Cursed Energy and unrestricted Reverse Cursed Technique.
The duration of the theme song was exactly 4 minutes and 11 seconds.
4 minutes and 11 seconds of invincibility!
Boom!!
Kinji Hakari slammed his fist onto the low table, shattering it.
Fragments scattered like splashing raindrops.
Mahito propelled himself backward from his seated position.
Shards grazed his cheek.
Hakari charged through the storm of fragments, one fist already clenched, and threw a punch!
Mahito threw his wine glass, which smashed against Hakari's fist.
The fist, coated in infinite Cursed Energy, shattered the glass, scattering wine like blooming cherry blossoms.
Kinji Hakari's fist struck the ground where Mahito had dodged.
With a deafening roar, the entire room shook.
Cracks spiderwebbed out from the point of impact, spreading across the floor and climbing the walls, until even the light bulbs shattered, raining down glass shards.
Mahito retreated sharply, slamming his back against the door to force it open.
"It's too cramped here. Let's find a more spacious place."
Kinji Hakari followed.
Kirara trailed behind Hakari out the door.
Only now was the spatial technique imprinted on Jogo and Hanami released.
They followed Kirara out.
The moment they stepped outside, their footing wavered for an instant.
Because of an earthquake.
Kinji Hakari was throwing heavy punches at Mahito in the corridor.
He advanced step by step, carrying immense Cursed Energy and formidable power.
Mahito was forced back by the shockwaves.
Hakari's Cursed Energy carried a rasp-like ferocity, each blow like a wildly swung spiked club.
Mahito had turned his skin to steel, but he still felt a stinging pain from the Cursed Energy erosion.
Mahito moved with ghostly agility, his toes lightly tapping the ground, while Hakari was like a giant beast, shaking the earth with each step.
Mahito continuously flipped and shifted in the corridor.
Hakari's fists danced like furious dragons.
He stayed close, not letting Mahito escape his attack range.
Roaring, he threw punch after punch.
Whenever his fist hit a wall, a huge crater formed, surrounded by spreading cracks.
He was practically demolishing the entire corridor single-handedly.
Mahito kept retreating, then suddenly vanished—
he had entered the emergency stairwell.
Kinji Hakari charged in after him.
Kirara instantly understood where Mahito wanted to go—
the rooftop.
This former multi-story parking garage had an extremely spacious rooftop, designed from the start to be used for parking as well.
The vast, open rooftop was perfect for both sides to unleash their full power.
Mahito wanted a fair fight with Kinji Hakari there.
Kirara took out a phone and dialed the staff.
"Clear out all the guests. Cancel all fights tonight. You all leave too."
"Make it clear to the guests: A-Jin is entertaining some formidable visitors. Staying here could be life-threatening."
Mob tactics were useless in high-level jujutsu combat.
At this point, the staff staying here would only serve as potential hostages for the Cursed Spirit trio, and the guests were no different.
Rather than risk being threatened later, it was better to clear the area now.
Jogo and Hanami rushed past Kirara and into the emergency stairwell.
"Didn't I say not to disturb A-Jin's fight?!"
Kirara suddenly flared up.
With a spread of their hands, the space before Jogo and Hanami seemed to fold and extend outward.
By the time they realized it, they were already far from the emergency door.
Cursed Technique Release: Love Rendezvous!
A clearly marked seal appeared on the emergency door—
the Southern Cross constellation mark carved by Love Rendezvous.
Jogo and Hanami suddenly snapped to awareness.
They too felt the sensation of being marked.
The technique had marked everyone present.
From now on, Kirara held the initiative.
They looked at Jogo and Hanami with leisurely composure.
Jogo turned, glaring fiercely at Kirara, and growled in a low voice:
"Old human, you've pissed me off!"
"Flame Eruption!"
Jogo held nothing back.
He intended to kill Kirara in one strike.
Flames roared from beneath him, surging forward and devouring the entire corridor.
Glass and walls slowly melted under the intense heat.
Explosive light and flames even burst from the corridor, shooting out the windows like a raging dragon swimming through a sky of fire.
Jogo was using his full power in his normal state, precisely because he understood the danger of spatial control.
With no way to physically reach Kirara, he could only hope the surging flames of his Cursed Technique would instantly consume them.
Kirara stood motionless, yet the flames swept past without causing any damage.
Jogo's pupils dilated, because the flames actually reversed course.
The scorching torrent of fire surged back like a tidal wave, crashing into him.
Jogo immediately deactivated his technique, but the searing heat still singed the hem of his clothes, leaving a charred mark like a black dot on white paper.
The entire corridor was filled with rising heat, distorting the air.
Kirara raised a hand and gently touched their hanging bangs.
The tips were already curled.
Even though the fire technique hadn't hit directly, the mere physical phenomena accompanying the intense flames could still reach them.
Kirara revealed a smile, but it held none of a woman's cuteness.
It was the smile of a Jujutsu Sorcerer in battle—
ferocious, sharp, like a bayonet.
"Me?"
"It's been a long time since I fought a Special Grade Cursed Spirit."
"Fighting two at once makes me a bit nervous," Kirara said with a full smile.
"Because my technique lacks direct offensive power, using it is a bit troublesome."
"But if we really start fighting—what would happen?"
Jogo clicked his tongue sharply.
As expected, sorcerers with spatial techniques were a pain.
You simply couldn't harm them.
Jogo and Hanami exchanged a glance.
Hanami shook her head slightly.
Just as Jogo attacked, Hanami had tried to take advantage of Kirara's diverted attention to rush to Mahito's side, but she failed.
Even though Kirara themself wasn't paying attention, the technique still functioned.
The most troublesome situation had arrived:
Jogo and Hanami were pinned down here.
Stand by.
"Mahito, you must hold on. I'll be there soon."
Jogo took a deep breath and faced Kirara squarely.
"Until A-Jin and your king decide the outcome, I won't let you leave here!"
Kirara formed a one-handed seal, ready for battle.
In the jujutsu world, there's a strange ranking system:
a Jujutsu Sorcerer's rank is always one level higher than a Cursed Spirit's.
That is, a Grade 2 sorcerer corresponds not to a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit, but to a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
Kirara, before suspension, was ranked:
Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Which corresponded precisely to a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
Jogo slowly breathed, calming himself.
Although he understood and clearly knew he was no match for Kinji Hakari, this Grade 1 sorcerer Kirara was different.
While the rank suggests a Grade 1 sorcerer corresponds to a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, theoretically making them equals in strength...
there was a misconception here.
There are gaps even among Special Grades.
The reason Jogo remained classified as a Special Grade Cursed Spirit wasn't because his strength only reached that level—
but because the highest classification for Cursed Spirits in the jujutsu world is only Special Grade.
In the original work, there was a scene where Jogo and Nanami Kento faced off.
Nanami Kento was a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, experienced and powerful, fully prepared at the time.
Yet Jogo appeared beside him in the next instant, lightly touched him, and he was instantly burned to death.
A one-hit kill.
An unprecedented intelligent Cursed Spirit was brewing his own fury, slowly releasing it.
He formed a one-handed seal, looking at Kirara.
His irritable voice calmed.
The Cursed Energy around him was released slowly and orderly.
His immense Cursed Energy transformed into layers of heat waves spreading outward.
The excessive thermal energy was scorching, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Jogo had an epiphany.
This was absolutely not the same as the low-grade sorcerers he had encountered in the past.
Before this, aside from Kenjaku, who could give him some pressure, he had never met any other sorcerer who could match him.
He was supremely confident, yet reality had violently knocked him down.
Kinji Hakari was one thing, but he never expected this little sidekick to also possess such strength.
Now, Mahito was in danger.
He could not allow himself to sink into despair.
"Hanami, don't intervene. You must preserve your full strength to help Mahito," he said.
Hanami hesitated for a moment, ultimately suppressing the urge to act and standing quietly to the side.
In fact, Hanami and Jogo's abilities didn't synergize well.
While cooperation provided some enhancement, it was a case of twice the effort for half the result.
Not intervening now was the most rational tactic.
Hanami understood this logic.
She didn't throw a tantrum but complied with Jogo's request.
Then Jogo turned his gaze back to Kirara and said gravely:
"I also need to conserve some Cursed Energy to help Mahito."
"So... one-tenth."
"I will use one-tenth of my Cursed Energy to finish you."
"You can try, Cursed Spirit," Kirara said.
"Here I come, old human!"
Jogo roared.
Both sides moved at the same time.
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