I was so stupid. Really. After crossing over, my mind was entirely consumed with the delusion of being a 'Tokyo God' protagonist. I didn't think about anything else, entirely tossing a classic anime like *Jujutsu Kaisen* to the back of my mind.
Mahito felt so much secondhand embarrassment he wanted to claw a three-bedroom apartment out of the concrete with his toes.
*But you can't blame me!* Mahito complained internally. *I literally don't have stitch marks!*
It was true. Even though he had just confirmed he was the notoriously vile antagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, his appearance didn't perfectly match the original canon.
The reason was unclear—perhaps a divergence in self-perception, though he couldn't be sure—but he merely possessed medium-length white hair and heterochromia (one blue eye, one yellow).
The iconic patchwork stitch marks across his face were completely absent. Since his appearance differed so drastically from the original character design, naturally, he hadn't realized he was Mahito.
"Um, Mr. Mahito?" Junpei Yoshino asked, trembling slightly.
Mahito had just given Junpei his name. He had briefly considered adopting a fake name, or using his name from his past life, but ultimately abandoned those ideas. He resolved to use the name 'Mahito.' It wasn't out of profound respect for the title; it was purely for convenience. Furthermore, if he ever encountered an Innate Technique that targeted true names, he could use 'Mahito' as a shield. Whether it would work or not was unknown, but it couldn't hurt.
"Sorry, I zoned out for a second." Mahito exhaled, forcefully suppressing his crippling embarrassment. "Where was I?"
"Right, you were talking about Cursed Spirits," Junpei said.
The moment he realized this boy was Junpei Yoshino, Mahito understood: he wasn't in some generic urban fantasy. This was *Jujutsu Kaisen*. There was no time to leisurely screw around anymore. He had to start planning for the future. He vividly remembered that the Special Grade Cursed Spirit 'Mahito' was the nexus of multiple warring factions. If he didn't want to be exorcised or absorbed, he needed to rapidly accumulate leverage.
Furthermore, transmigrating into a world he already knew provided a monumental advantage: the entire power system was laid bare before him. He could calmly integrate and upgrade his powers without fumbling blindly in the dark. He could simply plagiarize established theories.
Take his half-baked 'Thought Imprint' for example. It never appeared in Jujutsu Kaisen, but similar theoretical manipulations did. He also knew exactly what the canon Mahito was capable of achieving in the future. Mastering those techniques in record time and pushing them to even higher extremes was practically guaranteed.
And upon realizing he was a Cursed Spirit, his immediate, overriding thought was: *I need to Incarnate.*
In truth, Mahito didn't know all the intricate benefits of Incarnating into a human vessel, but he knew one absolute truth: only by Incarnating could he use Reverse Cursed Technique (RCT). Standard Cursed Techniques use negative energy; RCT uses positive energy. Cursed Spirits are entities comprised entirely of negative energy. Therefore, Curses don't *need* RCT. As long as their Cursed Energy doesn't run dry, they can regenerate even if they're reduced to a severed head. Conversely, because they are made of negative energy, Cursed Spirits physically *cannot* output Reverse Cursed Technique.
Mahito didn't strictly *need* RCT to heal, but he needed to experience it firsthand. He could survive without it, but he couldn't afford to be ignorant of it.
Every technique requires the accumulation of prior knowledge. To ascend to the absolute pinnacle, he needed to understand as many Cursed Techniques as possible. As an exceptionally high-tier technique, RCT was the ultimate prize. He didn't necessarily need to use it in combat, but he absolutely had to possess the underlying technology. For that, taking a flesh-and-blood vessel—Incarnation—was mandatory.
Aside from RCT, Mahito didn't know what other secrets Incarnation held. But he knew that the entities standing at the absolute apex of this world all possessed physical flesh. Even Tengen, who was actively evolving into a higher state of existence, had maintained a human vessel for centuries. He didn't know the exact mechanism behind the advantage, but mimicking the strongest in the verse was a foolproof strategy. He could figure out the details later.
And he believed the boy in front of him, Junpei Yoshino, could provide massive assistance. Conveniently, Junpei was currently desperate for his guidance. It was a mutual convergence of needs, and Mahito wouldn't be stingy with his lore knowledge.
These calculations flashed through his mind in an instant. A second later, he was eloquently lecturing Junpei.
"Before we discuss Cursed Spirits, you must understand a fundamental truth." Mahito walked alongside Junpei down the sidewalk. Neither had anywhere to be, meaning they both had plenty of time to kill, so they simply strolled. "Everyone in this world possesses Cursed Energy. But only a microscopic fraction of humanity has the ability to control it. Those are Jujutsu Sorcerers. The vast majority of humanity simply leaks their Cursed Energy into the world during their daily lives."
Before realizing this was the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, Mahito obviously didn't know this, as his morbid research hadn't drilled down to the metaphysical baseline. But since he *did* know this was JJK, the underlying 'settings' of the world held no secrets for him. He could pontificate with supreme confidence. It was highly likely that the ancient scholars researching the essence of Cursed Energy didn't understand it as comprehensively as he did.
"Cursed Spirits are amalgamations of the Cursed Energy leaked by humans. Even if a monster isn't real, if enough people share a cognitive terror of it, it will easily manifest as a powerful Curse," Mahito explained. "For example, famous urban legends or yokai specific to this country."
Junpei nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly asked, "Then what about you, Lord God? Are you also formed by something similar to Cursed Energy?"
Mahito looked at him, slightly surprised. Although he had been explaining Cursed Spirits, he hadn't explicitly stated that *he* was one. In Junpei's mind, he was still supposed to be a God.
Amused, he asked, "What makes you think that?"
"Because of light novel lore," Junpei said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Yokai are born from fear, and Gods are born from faith. If the real world operates similarly—where Cursed Spirits are born from the collective negative curses and fears of humanity—then shouldn't the inverse be true for positive energy? According to most novels, that's how Gods are formed."
This was something Mahito actually didn't know, but he did know of a concept that perfectly matched the description: Reverse Cursed Technique. For a Curse born of negative energy, RCT was a lethal poison. But for a human, RCT was a panacea—a miracle that could heal fatal wounds and literally regrow flesh from bone.
As long as the target wasn't dead, RCT could bring them back!
Aside from those born with the innate talent, this high-level application of energy could be mastered through supreme technical skill. In other words, it was a 'Technology.'
A technology that rivaled, or even surpassed, most Innate Techniques.
This fascinated Mahito intensely. It cemented his resolve to acquire a physical vessel. Only through Incarnation could he study RCT, and he was certain RCT hid even deeper secrets. He intended to unearth all of them.
"As much as I'd love to claim I am a God born from the beautiful wishes of humanity," Mahito paused, deciding against deception and opting for strategic honesty, "regrettably, I am merely a highly unique Cursed Spirit."
Now Junpei was genuinely shocked. "Y-You're a Curse too? But... you just said Cursed Spirits are formed by human curses. Logically, a Curse born from human hatred should be inherently hostile to humans. Because it's a curse! But you aren't like that. You chose to... um... help those who have fallen."
Mahito waved his hand dismissively. "Don't dress it up in pretty words. I was just warping minds. I simply target absolute, irredeemable scumbags instead of innocent bystanders. By now, you should have guessed why I can so effortlessly twist the human mind."
"That's still incredible. You defied your own instincts," Junpei said. Mahito glanced back at him. Junpei's eyes were wide, practically sparkling. He genuinely believed it. Even after learning Mahito was a Curse, a species biologically hardwired to butcher humanity, Junpei held zero prejudice against him.
He truly viewed Mahito as his personal savior.
In the original story, Junpei was manipulated by Mahito with pathetic ease. Seeing the boy act exactly the same way in reality left Mahito momentarily speechless.
Yet, incomprehensibly, Mahito understood him.
When a person's entire world is suffocating darkness, and a single beam of light pierces through, of course they will grasp at it blindly, without logic or reason—even if that light is radioactive poison.
"I wasn't finished, Junpei," Mahito said, locking eyes with him. "You're right. Widely feared yokai and urban legends easily accumulate negative energy, birthing incredibly powerful curses. Jujutsu Sorcerers categorize them as Special Grade Imaginary Vengeful Spirits. But there is something else. Something older, more tangible, and far more terrifying than folklore."
Junpei blinked, suddenly realizing something. "Are... are you talking about natural disasters?"
"Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Forests. The Ocean." Mahito's voice dropped into a low, resonant cadence. "Compared to yokai, these forces—often worshipped and granted 'divine' status—are the true source of primordial terror. If the fear of these forces condenses into curses, you can imagine how apocalyptic the resulting Cursed Spirits would be."
Junpei stared at Mahito blankly, his expression suddenly twisting into terror.
He quickly lowered his head, trying to hide his face, his voice trembling. "You... you aren't a Curse born from a natural disaster, are you?"
Mahito asked, thoroughly entertained, "Why do you say that?"
"Based on what you just said, a Curse born from a natural disaster would wield cataclysmic power. They would embody the disaster itself. But your abilities aren't like that. The only curse I can think of that matches your specific powers... is just one thing."
Junpei took a deep breath and raised his head again, the trembling gone from his eyes.
Like a shonen manga detective dramatically exposing the culprit, he stated with absolute certainty: "Humanity. You are the Curse born from humans' fear and hatred of other humans!"
*Brilliant. Truly brilliant,* Mahito praised internally.
He wasn't actually surprised. In the original canon, Junpei was incredibly sharp. During their philosophical talks, the original Mahito praised Junpei as one of the few humans who could actually keep up with his intellect. Remember, the original Mahito's insights regularly stunned Kenjaku, a thousand-year-old mastermind, and commanded the utmost respect from Jogo, an insanely prideful Special Grade.
For Mahito to take an interest in someone, they had to be exceptional—if not in Cursed Technique, then in sheer intellect.
And now, after less than thirty minutes of interaction, Mahito completely understood why his canon counterpart favored Junpei so heavily.
Of course, the canon Mahito's 'favor' resulted in Junpei experiencing firsthand how 'admiration is the furthest state from understanding' right before being brutally transfigured.
But now, Mahito felt a surge of genuine relief. Encountering Junpei again, almost as if ordained by fate, was incredibly lucky. Having such a blindly loyal, yet undeniably sharp follower was a massive asset.
This time, however, Mahito wouldn't waste Junpei like his canon counterpart did. Junpei Yoshino was far too valuable an asset to be thrown away as a cheap psychological weapon.
"Exactly right. You guessed it. I am the Curse born from the fear humans harbor for one another, which is why I was born with the Innate Technique to manipulate humanity," Mahito confessed. He turned his head, gazing up at the sky.
A perfect 45-degree angle of melancholy. It was time to spin absolute bullshit!
"Junpei, I may be a Cursed Spirit, but my desire to ascend to Godhood is absolutely genuine. Did you notice the contradiction in what I just told you?"
"Cursed Spirits are born from human curses. In other words, while my instincts constantly scream at me to exterminate humanity, objectively speaking, the moment humanity goes extinct, Cursed Spirits will vanish immediately after."
"As a Cursed Spirit, my true objective shouldn't be to harm humans. On the contrary, I *must* save humanity. Not for their sake, but for the continued survival of Cursed Spirits."
Mahito spoke with bleeding sincerity: "I want to become a God. I want to save humanity. I mean this from the bottom of my heart."
"Because, as you have personally experienced, the cruelty humans inflict upon each other vastly eclipses the harm caused by Cursed Spirits—"
"To say something that might make you uncomfortable: the worst a Cursed Spirit will do is kill you. But the depths of agony humans will inflict upon their own kind... I'm sure you understand that intimately."
His delivery was flawless, bleeding with empathy. But objectively, it was pure, unadulterated sophistry.
It was like arguing that internal political strife justifies inviting a hostile foreign military to occupy your country. Any seasoned political mind would instantly see through the logical fallacy.
But Junpei was a second-year high school student. It wasn't that he lacked intelligence or clarity; he simply lacked the worldly cynicism to dissect the manipulation. His school didn't teach psychological defense against cult leaders.
Furthermore, the political ecology of this country primed its citizens to accept foreign intervention without much resistance. After all, modern Japan was essentially a semi-colony of the United States. Given that cultural backdrop, Mahito's twisted logic encountered zero psychological resistance in Junpei's mind.
Knowing this, Mahito pushed forward ruthlessly. He raised his voice:
"Therefore, I will become a God."
"So that humans will never harm each other again."
"Therefore, I will become a God."
"So that Cursed Spirits can exist in perpetuity."
"Therefore, I will become a God—a supreme, absolute God! Because only an absolute God has the authority to pass judgment on this entire rotten world!"
"I will forge a society where everyone can survive! I will build an eternal paradise where Cursed Spirits can thrive! I will become the shared God of both humanity and Curses, using my power to force an eternal symbiosis—"
"Until this entire planet becomes my Divine Kingdom!"
Mahito snapped his head back, locking his gaze directly into Junpei's eyes. He was a master of the soul. He had been actively researching how to weaponize his gaze as a vector for the Thought Imprint. While he hadn't perfected the brainwashing visual jutsu yet, he had unlocked the 'prerequisite technology.'
Mahito could now project intense, overwhelming emotional frequencies through his eyes. A perfectly calm person might be able to shake it off, but... breaking out of a fanatical trance wasn't something ordinary people could do.
Why do so many people willingly bankrupt themselves for cults? Are they stupid? No. It's because once the fanaticism takes hold, rationality is annihilated. They will sell their children; they will march to their deaths without a second thought.
Mahito was currently utilizing his beta-test Thought Imprint. He used his eyes to violently amplify Junpei's fanatical devotion...
Actually, wait. He didn't even need to.
The blinding fervor radiating from Junpei's eyes told Mahito everything he needed to know. The boy had completely brainwashed himself!
Knowing the iron was white-hot, Mahito struck instantly: "Junpei. Are you willing to help me?"
Without a fraction of a second's hesitation, Junpei roared in the middle of the street, screaming with every ounce of strength in his lungs:
"I, Junpei Yoshino, will gladly lay down my life for you!"
*Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!* Mahito nodded in supreme satisfaction. *I've got him completely under my thumb!*
Wait... did someone else's voice just overlap with Junpei's shout?
Mahito whipped his head toward the side of the street. Standing there, as if they had been watching him the entire time, was a duo. Or rather, one Cursed Spirit and one Curse User.
The voice that had echoed Junpei's shout belonged to the Curse.
"Oho." The Curse User slowly smoothed out a look of profound shock, replacing it with an inherently unsettling, malicious smile. He spoke smoothly. "I thought we were coming to welcome a new comrade. I didn't expect... we'd be welcoming the future God of the new world."
The earth-born Cursed Spirit Jogo, and the thousand-year-old Curse User Kenjaku, appeared before Mahito without a shred of warning.
...*Fuck. The final bosses are spawn-camping the beginner village!*