Chapter 6
At the moment the Cursed Spirit with countless arms attacked, Zenin Ryuichi's palm moved in a strange, almost imperceptible gesture. His fingers shifted so quickly that if not for Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes, it would have been nearly impossible to catch.
When the final sign was drawn, a wave of power rippled out. With Ryuichi as the center, everything within a short radius—dust, pebbles, even the stagnant air—was instantly refined into a "Cursed Tool." That mysterious ability completely shredded the Cursed Spirit the moment it took shape. Its thick cursed energy, hidden deep within its monstrous frame, was devoured and funneled into Ryuichi's Six Immortal Thief Treasury.
"Only two percent increase from a semi–first-grade curse, huh?"
Ryuichi frowned as the translucent panel only shifted from 10% to 12%.
According to the system's logic, the deeper the progress, the harder it became to unlock the "Eight Secret Arts." In the beginning, absorbing fourth-grade Cursed Spirits gave him one full percent of progress. But once he reached 5%, he needed five times the same amount just to raise it a single step. And now? Even a semi–first-grade curse barely moved the needle.
"It seems pushing the Six Immortal Thief Treasury to completion will be far harder than Divine Armament Hundred Refinements." Ryuichi muttered with irritation.
"It's still a first-grade Cursed Tool, right?" Gojo Satoru's voice snapped him from his thoughts.
"Yeah." Ryuichi rubbed his brow. He never tried to hide from Satoru—under those heavenly pupils, nothing could remain concealed.
But then, another thought came unbidden. Among the Eight Secret Arts, one in particular stirred his curiosity—Fenghou Qimen, the art of manipulating destiny itself. It was said to twist time and space, rewriting good and bad fortune. Could that technique… even resist Gojo Satoru's Limitless? The very idea made his heart stir with excitement.
Suddenly, with a light peng, Gojo Satoru dropped from the high platform. His speed left several afterimages drifting like ghosts in the air, before he reappeared across from Ryuichi.
"Refining objects into Cursed Tools in an instant, punching cursed energy into every particle around you… this kind of Jujutsu completely breaks common sense." His tone was curious, though his eyes beneath the sunglasses gleamed with amusement.
Cursed Tools, after all, weren't mere weapons. Each bore histories written in blood and tragedy. Yet Ryuichi ignored all that—everything his hands touched, from a leaf to a pebble, could become a weapon powerful enough to rival first-grade curses. That was the power of Divine Armament Hundred Refinements.
"Breaking common sense?" Ryuichi chuckled. "Satoru, if we're being honest, your Six Eyes are the real common-sense breaker here."
Gojo blinked, then burst into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! You've got a point. Still… I'd love to see the face of that old Zenin fossil if he learned what you're capable of. He might faint outright."
Ryuichi's smile thinned, turning sharp. "The Zenin clan, huh? I've never had a good impression of them. If they keep provoking me… it'll get troublesome."
The words were casual, but the killing intent that bled from him was suffocating. Gojo, ever carefree, grew quiet for a rare moment.
"You're not strong enough to take on the entire Zenin family yet. If the wrong people learn about your abilities, it'll bring disaster." For the first time, Gojo spoke with real weight in his voice.
Ryuichi smirked coldly. "Satoru, you know me. I'm too lazy to hide, too lazy to run. So…"
His long black hair shimmered faintly before fading into silvery strands, his eyes glinting with a bone-chilling frost. His grin twisted upward into something cruel.
"Whether it's the Zenin clan… or the entire Jujutsu world, anything that stands in my way—I'll destroy."
Gojo looked at him carefully. For the first time, he felt as if he were seeing the true face of his friend: serene yet merciless, a Buddha carved from stone but stained with blood.
Then he grinned and clapped Ryuichi on the shoulder. "Hahaha! That's right. You're Zenin Ryuichi. And together…"
"We are the strongest!!"
Hearing those words, Ryuichi's heart warmed despite the chill in his voice. "Satoru… don't you think it's embarrassing to say something like that?"
"Embarrassing? Nah. I'm just speaking the truth."
The two walked side by side under the pale moonlight, their shadows stretching across the empty factory floor.
Yet in the darkness they left behind, a faint trace of cursed energy began to stir.
"…The sorcerer who can create Cursed Tools in an instant… how interesting." A cold, whispering voice echoed faintly before vanishing without a trace.