Jujutsu Kaisen: I Can Manipulate Time.

"It's not that I won't take you, but you look like a husky. I'm not going to play around. If a real fight breaks out, you haven't seen how fierce that thing is. Where do you think you'll run?"

After Kamihara Hajime shared the stunning photos he had taken with everyone, the white wolf that had been trailing Panda and Maki visibly bristled.

Such a perfect place, and you didn't take me?

The white wolf turned its head, occasionally glancing back, its back to Hajime, seemingly ignoring his explanation.

"Alright, alright, I'll take you this time, okay?"

Hearing this, the white wolf turned back, its intelligent eyes locking onto Hajime's, as if silently asking, "You're not lying to me, right?"

"Mission location: Yokohama. That's pretty close. Are they trying to hide in plain sight? These Curse Masters are quite cunning."

The Curse Masters had recently been spotted in Yokohama, suspected to be linked to a small local religious group. Specific details were scarce, but the opposing side likely included at least one Grade 1 Curse Master, with others unknown.

Originally, this mission could have been assigned to several Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers and Grade 2 combinations, but Hajime happened to be without a mission at Tokyo Jujutsu High during this period, and Gojo-sensei was missing somewhere, so the task fell to him.

There was no need to trouble others or risk personnel losses. Sending only Hajime sufficed. The gap between Special Grade and Grade 1 among Jujutsu Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits was massive.

Once this mission was assigned to Hajime, assuming the intelligence was accurate, it was almost a done deal. Yokohama wasn't far from Tokyo. After confirming the intel, Hajime got into the assigned car and headed there.

The driver wasn't one of the Tokyo Jujutsu High supervisors like Ijichi or Shintaro, but a new face—a man with a perpetual smile that, on closer inspection, seemed fake and unnatural, like a venomous insect's disguise.

Hajime paid no attention. He completely ignored unfamiliar people who made him uncomfortable. The driver's polite but subtly barbed small talk was perfunctorily dismissed.

Arriving in Yokohama, Hajime, accompanied by the white wolf, stepped out and headed toward the mission site. The place was the stronghold of that small religious group, though only superficially. Investigations revealed it to be a disguised hideout for those Curse Masters.

They seemed to be planning something, with other Curse Masters gathering, which had led to leaks and their location being tracked. The targets should be inside.

Inside the house, five oddly dressed individuals sat facing each other in pairs, except one who sat alone. The lone man wore only a black leather apron on his upper body, was completely bald, and had a strange mask covering his eyes and part of his nose.

He sprawled on the sofa, saying, "What? This isn't a request; it's a notification. I'm not easy to talk to. If you don't cooperate, death awaits you. Maybe becoming my masterpiece is an option? Haha…"

"You bastard…"

A man with triangular eyes and a scar across his face opposite him angrily retorted, "We're not those idiots Naine and Nanako! Suguru Geto-sama is dead! That thing, whatever it is, still wants to command us?"

"Hey, don't say things I don't understand. What I want is—"

Before he could finish, a sound from the door caught everyone's attention. In their instant vigilance, a figure appeared from behind the half-open door. Was it a dog?

It was a large husky, which immediately entered, tongue lolling out, curiously inspecting the people in the room. Seeing it was just a dog, a seemingly more normal man sighed in relief, "How did a dog get in? What are the people downstairs doing?"

"Idiot! Have you ever seen a dog with Cursed Energy like that? It's an enemy!" The bald man had already taken out a hammer. He wasn't looking at the husky, but at the half-open door where footsteps echoed.

"Hmm? Quite a few, actually."

Pushing the door open, a young boy walked in. He had a short black ponytail, and his face, devastating to those in the room, wore a lazy expression as if he were some young master who had accidentally wandered in.

"Let me see… Nemikiri Hisashi, Larue, two small fries. Oh? And an unexpected bonus. Kumoya Ruzo, right? You're on the wanted list too."

"A Jujutsu Sorcerer? Just you, a snot-nosed brat who hasn't even grown all his hair? You've come to the wrong place. Not only will you die here today, but I'll find your family and friends…"

One of the "small fries" exploded in rage. Already tense from being discovered, the dog and this ordinary-looking boy entering pushed him over the edge.

"Pfft~"

The sound of water being squeezed from a pouch rang out. The man's eyes widened; clutching his throat, blood poured uncontrollably, his complexion turning a sickly purplish-blue.

At the doorway, Hajime flicked his finger against the blade of Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, which had appeared in his hand at some unknown moment, producing a crisp, pleasant ringing. This poison was lethal to weaker enemies. It was hard to say whether the man's throat injury or the sword's poison was more fatal.

The other four Curse Masters, terrified, instinctively drew weapons or channeled Cursed Energy but dared not move. They hadn't sensed the attack nor how the sword appeared.

The unknown technique and the overwhelming disparity left them frozen. After the Curse Master collapsed in a pool of blood, the dog rose and walked out, while the boy cursed under his breath.

But they were far from relaxed. Such a powerful and malevolent enemy kept them on edge. Seizing the moment, Kumoya Ruzo leaped over the sofa and coffee table, swinging his small hammer toward Hajime's head with a sinister grin.

In the eager eyes of the others, Kumoya suddenly flew backward at an unnatural angle, smashing the tempered glass coffee table to pieces. The leather sofa cushioned his fall, pushing him against the wall where he finally stopped.

The sofa was now stained with blood. Kumoya's hammer had flown off, hitting the wall and vanishing. His situation was utterly miserable.

Blood covered his body, his arms pinned beneath him, and his face looked ravaged by blades, most facial bones exposed. His eyes appeared doubled in size due to surrounding flesh pulverized.

Hajime, having turned, looked down at the injured Curse Master. Despite the poison from Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, Kumoya's strength was considerable, supported by Cursed Energy as he clung to life.

"Kumoya Ruzo, a Curse Master skilled in cursed tool creation, but extremely cruel. Once wanted for abusing and killing civilians and Spellcasters to create cursed tools."

He had talent. Some of his tools were powerful, but his brutal methods harmed many, using victims' intense emotions before death to craft bizarre cursed tools. He was notorious.

"Let's reintroduce ourselves. Second year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, Kamihara Hajime. My mission is to eliminate you remnants of the Hyakki Yagyō incident. You remember me, don't you?"

Nemikiri Hisashi and Larue began sweating. Especially Larue — wasn't Hajime the boy who attended Tokyo Jujutsu High with Suguru Geto? Though his hair was different back then.

During the Hyakki Yagyō, rumors said a Jujutsu Sorcerer with that name killed the Special Grade Cursed Spirit they planned to awaken — Shuten-dōji. According to the latest intel, the new Special Grade Sorcerer also bore that name.

Nemikiri Hisashi, under intense pressure, nearly activated his Technique for a last-ditch effort when Larue, bare-chested with pink heart-shaped nipple covers, stopped him.

"Your Excellency hasn't attacked yet. Do you have some purpose?"

Hajime looked at the strange muscular man. Among the Curse Masters, this one still had a bit of sense. He thought he'd have to kill another to warn them.

"Locations and names. Tell me where your accomplices are hiding. I can let you go today in exchange. You can escape, but beware future pursuits."

"Impossible!" Nemikiri Hisashi shouted. "We are family! You think I'd betray them? We're not monkeys! Who would betray their own just to survive?"

Suddenly, Hajime appeared in front of Nemikiri Hisashi and casually punched his abdomen. Nemikiri flew backward, spitting blood mixed with flesh fragments. Larue, enraged by his companion's injury, punched Hajime.

Following Nemikiri's path, Larue charged without activating his Technique, though his wounds were lighter. The other small fry was paralyzed with fear, trembling and losing the will to fight.

"You speak."

Hajime placed his left hand on the man's shoulder with a harmless smile. The man trembled, silent. Hajime said, "What? Are you throwing away your chance to live?"

"You call ordinary people monkeys and treat humans like animals. What's your standard? Whether they have Inherited Techniques? Isn't it all about power? Then in my eyes, aren't you the monkeys?"

"Well said!"

An unfamiliar voice echoed. Hajime shifted gaze to the corner, but it was empty.

Suddenly, a black, flowing entity emerged from thin air, expanding to the size of a water tank, then a crude humanoid puppet slowly rose.

"This is a puppet Technique, remotely controlled. It's coming for me! The controller doesn't dare show himself…"

The puppet emitted a distorted voice, "These Curse Masters and Cursed Spirits are all the same. Their actions are ridiculous. For their so-called noble ideals, they fabricate meaningless ideologies…"

"What about you, Hajime? What do you think about humans, Jujutsu Sorcerers, and Curses? The mix inevitably causes conflict. Even among humans, there is struggle; let alone between these vastly different groups…"

Hajime scrutinized the puppet. Destroying it would be useless; it was just a mouthpiece.

He understood: human negative emotions birth Curses, which foster Cursed Spirits, while Jujutsu Sorcerers originate from humans, creating a delicate balance.

Humans and Curses exist symbiotically; as long as humanity lives, Curses won't disappear.

There are two theoretical solutions: eliminate all Cursed Energy in humans, or make all humans Spellcasters who control Cursed Energy. Both were absurd.

Hajime never cared for such grand ideas. He had few interests beyond this objective world and his own small sphere. He wasn't a savior; why bother?

So he sneered, "Someone who won't show their face is no better than trash. Cursed Spirits, humans, Jujutsu Sorcerers — I am human and Jujutsu Sorcerer. I stand on my own side, but have no interest in changing the world."

"All I want is to send you disgusting creatures to hell. No righteous excuses. You kill people; be ready to die in return."

"You…"

Nemikiri Hisashi stood, Cursed Energy rising, a black spike emerging in his hand. Driven by rage, he charged.

Blood splattered.

Nemikiri Hisashi's headless body collapsed. The black substance around the puppet stirred.

"Domain Expansion: Realm of Empty Dreams."

Is this a Curse?

The aura concealed the puppet's true nature, so Hajime hadn't noticed. The Domain covered the room; corpses and Larue vanished. Only Hajime was lit in endless darkness.

A Special Grade Cursed Spirit? Allied with Curse Masters? Would Curses ally with humans?

Technique Reversal, Time Stop.

The darkness vanished; the room returned. Half the puppet's body was sunk into solidified darkness. Hajime frowned. Larue was missing.

Forget that, handle the immediate. A regular mission had escalated to Special Grade Cursed Spirit and a sneaky enemy. Am I a trouble magnet?

Two slashes cut the puppet into pieces. As Hajime dispelled his Technique, a bizarre four-legged creature was squeezed from the ground. Bewildered, it was pinned by Hajime's blades — Totsuka-no-Tsurugi and Onikiri appeared in his hands.

Without Technique enhancement, Hajime's speed was incredible. Light streaks left afterimages on the Cursed Spirit. After the curse sword's Technique activated, the creature perished.

"No… too weak!"

Sensing something was wrong, Hajime found no traces of others. The target escaped long-distance. It might be good that the mysterious entity saved Larue. Capturing Larue again would yield info on the other.

In an ordinary residence.

The scarred man on the forehead opened his eyes. Behind him, a four-legged long-nosed Cursed Spirit emerged from darkness, rolling out the severely injured Larue.

"The probe went well. Unexpectedly strong. The plan needs changing."

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