The dim bulb in the corner of the room flickered, as if it might go out at any moment. Cold wind slipped through the window's cracks, slicing the air with icy gusts. On the thin mattress tossed directly onto the floor, Yuta Okkotsu's body lay still.
His eyes stared at the ceiling without blinking, pupils dilated and empty. His chest rose and fell in a steady but nearly imperceptible rhythm.
His face showed no trace of fatigue or frustration. No worry, no hint of humanity.
His left arm rested outstretched, hand open as if waiting for something that would never come. His right hand lay loosely over his stomach, without weight or intent.
A faint creak broke the silence as the wood beneath the mattress shifted slightly. Yuta didn't react.
Time seemed nonexistent here. The room was merely a space where a body operated on autopilot.
Soulless. Purposeless.
His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, lips parted just enough to sustain slow breaths.
A machine waiting to shut down.
Suddenly, his body shuddered.
His pupils contracted, as if a blinding light had ignited in his mind. His chest heaved, gasping for air unevenly.
His hands clenched tight.
His vacant stare sharpened with focus.
His once-expressionless face twisted abruptly, as if an avalanche of sensations had erupted all at once.
His throat let out a hoarse, muffled sound, almost a desperate groan.
His eyes widened, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, fear… and something harder to name.
His breathing grew heavy. His heart pounded, echoing in his own ears.
The body that had been unresponsive now sat up abruptly on the bed, eyes scanning the dark room in a frantic search for answers.
His hands trembled. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
"What… what the hell is going on…?"
The words slipped out before he was fully aware he'd spoken them.
A knot tightened in his throat, paired with the strange sensation of being in a body that was—and yet wasn't—his own.
'Calm down… think… breathe…'
He ran his hands over his face, trying to make sense of what he felt, but each emotion crashed over him in chaotic waves.
Fear. Relief. Despair.
And a faint… smile?
Yuta POV
"Okay… I need to think this through…"
I take a deep breath, the cold air scraping my throat. My hands still shake, but I'm slowly getting a grip.
"Right… let's do this… where the hell am I?"
I look around. The house is simple, older than anything I remember living in. And yet…
"This makes no sense. I… I'm Yuta Okkotsu?!"
I press a hand to my chest, feeling the strong heartbeat. Alive. I'm alive.
"But why… why him of all people? I was supposed to be dead, wasn't I? Is this some kind of random reincarnation?!"
My mind scrambles for rational explanations, but it all feels like a bad joke.
"The world of *Highschool DxD*… and I'm here? Man, I watched that as a teenager and thought it was trash that the protagonist got power from boobs!"
A crooked smile creeps up. I don't know if I'm laughing from nerves or the irony.
"But hold on… why am I in the body of a *Jujutsu Kaisen* character if I'm in the *DxD* universe? That doesn't add up!"
I close my eyes, trying to ignore the headache starting to form.
"Doesn't matter now… what matters is I'm alive. And if this body is Yuta's, that means… I've got potential. Even starting weak, this is a second chance. And this time, I won't waste it."
I open my eyes and stare out at the night through the window. The cold feels less bothersome now.
"Let's see what this ridiculous world has in store for me…"
Ding
A sharp sound cut through the silence, like an electronic whisper vibrating in the air.
In front of me, a translucent blue screen materialized, floating inches from my face.
[JJK System Initialized]
The message pulsed in a soft glow, accompanied by a faint notification chime.
My eyes widened. I leaned back slightly, but the screen followed.
[Welcome, User: Yuta Okkotsu]
[Soul Synchronization: 100% Complete]
Another panel appeared below:
[Current Status]
Name: Yuta Okkotsu
Level: 1
Cursed Energy: 5% (Extremely Low)
Skills: None
Inventory: Empty
[Active Functions]
Inventory
Mission Offers
Status Check
I rubbed my eyes, but the screen stayed.
"What… is this actually a system? Like in a game?"
The screen updated again, as if answering my question.
[Welcome Gift]
Unlocking of Cursed Energy Inherent to the Body.
Skill Awakened: Cursed Energy Flow (Controlled) — Beginner Level.
I felt a faint warmth pulse in my chest. It was fragile, but real.
A dense, cold, yet vibrant energy, like a thin thread of electricity running from my arm to my fingertips.
I clenched my fist, feeling that latent power for the first time.
[New Mission Available!]
Mission: Understanding the New Self
Objective: Maintain active Cursed Energy flow for 10 minutes.
Reward: +5% Permanent Cursed Energy | Unlock Random Level 1 Skill.
I stared at the screen, my mind racing.
"So this is how it starts… not so different from the games I used to play. But here… if I screw up, it's not just a game over. It's real death."
My fingers curled into a fist.
"Alright, System. Let's see what you've got for me."
The energy kept circulating, unstable, like an engine trying to start for the first time. But I wasn't stopping. Not now.
I took a deep breath, the cold air filling my lungs.
The screen hovered before me, its timer marking the mission's start.
[Time Remaining: 10:00]
"Ten minutes keeping this active… sounds easy. But this energy's more stubborn than I thought."
I sat cross-legged on the thin mattress, closed my eyes, and focused on the flow of that dense energy.
At first, it was like trying to hold water in my hands—it slipped, unraveled, faded.
'Focus. I've seen this in anime, read about it… just picture the energy flowing, control the output, keep it steady.'
A tingling sensation climbed from my feet to the top of my head. The hairs on my arms stood on end.
The cursed energy surged stronger, like a circuit stabilizing.
[Time Remaining: 07:43]
A strange heat coursed through my muscles. Pain followed, like small shocks, but I endured.
'This is real. It's weak still, but it's real.'
[Time Remaining: 04:12]
Sweat dripped from my forehead. My fingers trembled, but the energy began to flow more steadily. As if my body was, bit by bit, remembering what it meant to be strong.
[Time Remaining: 00:15]
"Almost there…"
A faint blue mist started to envelop my palms. Weak, but visible.
[Mission Complete!]
The screen shifted instantly, a soft confirmation sound filling the room.
[Rewards Received!]
Permanent Cursed Energy: +5% (Current Total: 10%)
New Skill Unlocked: Cursed Energy Manipulation: Temporary Blade (Level 1)
A new panel appeared, more detailed:
[New Skill]
Temporary Blade: Condenses cursed energy into a blade for up to 30 seconds. Durability and damage are low, but sufficient for defense and initial tests.
I looked at my palm, feeling the energy respond to my command almost instinctively.
With a snap, a short blade of pure energy formed above my fingers, flickering slightly like a blue flame.
I smiled, this time without confusion, just that old, familiar thrill of achievement.
"I think I'm starting to like this…"
I rotated my hand slowly, studying the blue blade hovering above my palm.
The blade shimmered like a flame about to die, its form unstable and translucent. It didn't look solid… and it definitely didn't seem capable of cutting anything.
I brought my other hand closer, hesitant, and touched the blade with my fingertips.
A shiver shot up my spine.
The blade's surface felt cold yet alive. It wasn't like touching metal or glass… it was like brushing against a weak electric current, vibrating softly against my skin.
"This… is it?"
I raised the blade to my eyes, examining every detail. The structure seemed incomplete, as if the cursed energy wasn't enough to hold it firm.
"The skill says temporary blade, but it doesn't explain how to actually use it… or if this thing cuts anything or is just a shiny decoration."
I stood slowly, my bare feet touching the cold floor. I looked around for something to test it on.
My eyes landed on the leg of a broken chair propped in the corner.
"Alright… let's see if this does anything."
I brought the blade to the piece of wood and, with a quick motion, tried to cut.
Nothing.
The blade's glow flickered like a candle in the wind, but the wood stayed untouched.
"Are you kidding me?"
I sighed heavily.
"Either I'm doing this wrong… or this thing's just a visual placebo."
A subtle notification appeared in the corner of the interface:
[System Tip: The Temporary Blade skill depends on the amount and control of cursed energy. Train manipulation to strengthen its form and effect.]
I let out a dry laugh.
"Great. So right now, this is the most useless blade in the universe…"
But even frustrated, a crooked smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
"At least it's a start."
The blade dissolved into blue particles moments later, as if the System had ended the demonstration on its own.
Bonus Chapter Available!
If you're enjoying the story and want access to an exclusive bonus chapter, consider supporting me on Patreon!
Your support helps me keep creating more content like this.
Check it out here: p atreon.com/22Mirko22
Thank you so much for your support!