"'Assimilation' isn't 'death.' Lord Tengen is me, and I am Lord Tengen!"
Riko Amanai had clung to this mantra to comfort herself.
But now, with assimilation looming, an inexplicable irritation gnawed at her.
"Riko? Riko?"
"Huh?"
Riko snapped awake, meeting the puzzled gazes of her teacher and classmates.
"So sorry, Sensei!"
The teacher touched Riko's forehead. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Riko forced a sheepish smile. "Just some family stuff. I zoned out."
"Really?"
The teacher patted her head. "You seem off today, Riko. Is everything okay at home?"
Riko flashed her usual cheer, shaking her head. "I'm fine, Sensei, don't worry!"
…
Satoru Gojo gazed at the blue sky and white clouds, yawning.
"So boring!"
Sawa Gojo flicked his little brother's forehead. "Boring means nothing's happening. That's good!"
"Good?"
Satoru's face sagged. "Bro, you really think letting Tengen assimilate Riko is good?"
"What's this? One meeting, and you're attached?"
Sawa teased.
Satoru flushed. "No way! It's just… this whole thing's hard to stomach!"
"Why should that old hag's word sacrifice an innocent girl for some 'greater good'?"
Suguru Geto, nearby, said calmly, "Lord Tengen masters barrier techniques. Ninety percent of the jujutsu world's barriers are set or reinforced by him."
"If Tengen's evolution fails, those barriers collapse, destabilizing the entire jujutsu world."
"Assimilating the Star Plasma Vessel is for the bigger picture."
"Tch~"
Satoru rolled his eyes. "I hate righteous logic and grand ideals!"
"Tengen's safety, jujutsu stability—what's that to Riko? Just because she's the Vessel, she bears it all?"
"Disgusting!"
"Bro, what's your take?"
Sawa stayed silent.
Satoru blinked, sitting up from his lounge chair. "Hey! Big bro, don't tell me you agree with Suguru? That's not like you!"
Suguru cast a curious glance, wondering Sawa's stance.
Sawa dodged the topic, saying out of nowhere, "Reverse Cursed Technique's tricky. Should I try dying to test it?"
"…"
"Wait!"
Suguru's brow furrowed. "Sawa! Satoru! Get to the school—Riko's in danger. Two of my cursed spirits got exorcised!"
They sprang into action.
Suguru headed to check the exorcised spirits' location, while Sawa and Satoru went for Riko.
Misato Kuroi tagged along but was promptly hoisted by Sawa.
"Huh?"
"Leave Riko to Satoru. Stay with me. I'm worried they'll pull a decoy and snatch you once we're gone!"
"Satoru, go!"
Satoru nodded, teleporting to Riko's school.
Misato hung her head, feeling like a burden.
"Don't look like that."
Sawa reassured her, "You're Riko's only family. She'll need you to look after her."
"Huh?!"
Misato's eyes widened. "What… what do you mean?"
Sawa grinned. "Shh! It's not set in stone!"
Still, Misato's heart raced with hope.
…
Following his cursed spirits' intel, Suguru reached a long corridor.
A figure blocked his path.
"Let me introduce myself—Kenji Nakamura."
Nakamura smirked, holding a talisman.
Cursed energy dripped like water, pooling into a shadow.
Two cursed spirits crawled out.
Suguru watched, intrigued. "A spirit-controlling technique? Looks like we're the same type of sorcerer!"
Without hand signs or tools, Suguru merely thought, summoning two far stronger cursed spirits from the shadows.
Nakamura's eyelid twitched.
Cursed Spirit Manipulation, an ultra-rare innate technique, was the pinnacle of spirit control.
Though his own technique paled in comparison, Nakamura stayed calm, brimming with confidence.
His real strength wasn't spirit control—it was hand-to-hand combat!
Spirit manipulators, without fail, were weak in close quarters, like fragile mages.
"Summon two spirits first, giving him the false impression I'm no good at melee!"
Nakamura's eyes gleamed, mentally rehearsing how he'd fight and kill Suguru.
"Yes! Perfect! All under control!"
"The advantage is mine!"
Then Suguru struck.
A massive sandworm filled the corridor, its toothy maw engulfing Nakamura's form!
BOOM!
The fight seemed over fast.
Suguru relaxed. "Done. Time to link up with Sawa and Satoru."
Suddenly, the upper-right window shattered.
Nakamura had leaped out as the sandworm charged, returning the moment Suguru dropped his guard!
Short blade in hand, he aimed for a killing blow!
But Suguru, anticipating this, dodged and produced a cursed tool.
"That's… Yurei!"
Nakamura gaped, stunned to see the legendary Special Grade cursed tool here.
Suguru chuckled. "Its first real fight. Lucky you!"
With a step, Suguru closed in, wielding the three-section staff like a dancing butterfly!
"How?! Your combat skills—" Cough!
"Tasuke? Tasuke! It's you!"
"Compared to me, who sees things others can't, my parents always favored my perfect little brother. Only you, Tasuke, stayed by my side!"
"Say, Tasuke, it's been fifty years, hasn't it? Since you died…"
"Oh… this is my life flashing before my eyes."
The yellow Shiba Inu "Tasuke" vanished, replaced by the black-and-red three-section staff cracking with a sonic boom!
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🤦 : Oops! You've reached the limit for today. But just for your power stone and recommendation I might— no I would add additional Chapter.
20PS — 1 additional Chapter
40PS — 2 additional Chapter and special mention if you've contributed 3 or more PS.
That's all. Enjoy Reading!