256-260

Chapter 256: Can You Add a Pair of Cat Ears? 

The “fish” Uchiha Hikari was trying to hook wasn’t Jogo, Hanami, or any of the other Special Grade Curses. 

Those curses had some strength and ambition—creating a world for curses, sure—but at their core, they were just pawns. The intel they held and the moves they made all bore the shadow of a certain mastermind pulling the strings. 

Yup, that’s right. 

Kenjaku. 

This guy was the one stirring up chaos from the dark corners of the Jujutsu world, the one holding the most secrets. If they wanted to revive Sukuna, they’d likely need his help. 

After all, Jujutsu High and Jogo’s group only had ten of Sukuna’s fingers between them. The rest? Probably in Kenjaku’s hands. Plus, Sukuna’s mummified body was under his control too. 

For now, Hikari stuffed the few Sukuna fingers she’d taken from Mahito back into his possession, then activated Yasaka no Magatama to issue a command: return to his original hideout. 

This was her first attempt at fully controlling someone—or rather, a curse’s will. 

Even with someone like Danzo, she’d only altered parts of his memory, planting fabricated ones. Compared to that, what she was doing to Mahito was technically simpler. 

It just did a number on the brain cells. On a normal human, it could cause permanent memory damage or even dementia. 

But whatever. 

Mahito was a curse with recovery powers surpassing even Muzan Kibutsuji from next door. If he couldn’t bounce back, well, he’d just have to deal with the consequences. 

“Alright, the bait’s set.” 

“Now we wait for the big fish to bite.” 

Hikari stretched lazily, crossing her hands behind her head. 

From Mahito’s memories, she’d learned that he and his group had a one-way line of contact with Kenjaku. Usually, Kenjaku, posing as “Suguru Geto,” would reach out to arrange a meeting. Trying to track him down proactively might spook him, so patience was the play—wait and strike when the time was right. 

Later that day, Hikari’s group met up with Gojo Satoru and Yuji Itadori at Gojo’s place. 

They swapped notes on their progress. 

“…So, the curse called Hanami got away?” Hikari raised an eyebrow. 

“Yup,” Gojo nodded. “That curse has some serious durability. It tanked five of Yuji’s Black Flashes, an attack from the Special Grade Cursed Tool Playful Cloud, and one of my Imaginary Purple shots, and still had enough juice to keep moving. But I let it escape on purpose. 

From what I’ve seen, I’m betting there’s another accomplice behind them who hasn’t shown up yet. Whatever these curses are up to, it’s part of a bigger scheme. So, why not use this chance to lure them out and take them all down in one go?” 

“Hm…” 

Gojo was fishing too, it seemed. 

What he didn’t know was that the “accomplice” was his long-lost friend, “Suguru Geto.” The moment they’d reunite would also be when Kenjaku sealed him in the Prison Realm. 

Of course, with Hikari’s interference in this timeline, the infamous “Shibuya Incident” was unlikely to happen as it did originally. 

But Hikari wasn’t about to spill the beans on Kenjaku to Gojo. 

Because, well… she kinda wanted to see his face when he met “Geto” again. 

And when Yuji and Kenjaku, the “mother-son” duo, came face-to-face? That’d be a scene worth grabbing popcorn for. 

Over the next few days, Hikari rented a few suites in a hotel near Gojo’s place for herself, Esdeath, and Yamato—who was disguised as an ordinary girl using a transformation technique. 

While remotely controlling Mahito’s actions with Yasaka no Magatama, Hikari dove into studying the Idle Transfiguration technique. 

After some trial and error, she could now alter parts of her body’s appearance at will within thirty seconds and revert them just as easily. 

Using it on others, though? That required caution. 

Hikari’s soul was a dual one, tempered by her Mangekyo Sharingan and further refined through exposure to the worlds of Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, and Mieruko-chan. It was far tougher than most, so she could handle larger distortions without issue. 

But for others? One wrong move, and they’d end up like Mahito’s transfigured humans—grotesque monsters or worse, exploding on the spot. 

In fact, when Hikari tried turning her hands into cat claws, she nearly couldn’t revert them. 

Esdeath, witnessing the whole thing, looked intrigued. “So, this is the ability you got from that Mahito guy?” 

“It’s a bit weird, but… kinda cute.” 

She pulled out her phone, snapped a couple of photos of Hikari, and, under Hikari’s bemused gaze, glanced at her ears. “Can you make those into cat ears too? It’d probably look more balanced.” 

“?” 

A question mark practically floated over Hikari’s head. 

“Are you… trying to turn me into a beast-mode Leone?” she quipped. 

Leone’s Lionelle Teigu, King of Beasts: Lion King, let its user transform into a feline form. In the original timeline, Leone even fused with it, becoming a lion-human hybrid—probably exactly the kind of thing Esdeath wanted to see. 

Speaking of which, Esdeath had only recently learned to use a smartphone. 

Hikari had gotten her one mainly for communication. Since Esdeath wasn’t in the group chat like Yamato or Yuji, and pulling her into a Tsukuyomi illusion for talks wasn’t as convenient, a phone was the easier option. 

But Esdeath, who’d lived her whole life in the Akame ga Kill world with barely any modern tech, was like a kid in a candy store. In just a few days, her phone’s gallery was bursting with nearly a hundred photos and videos. 

A good chunk of them? All Hikari. 

Her face, her back, her chowing down on food outside, her lounging in casual clothes after a shower, even her groggy, just-woke-up look with messy hair—all captured in detail. 

Hikari was a bit speechless. “…Can’t you take pictures of someone else, Esdeath? Or maybe snap some selfies?” 

“Selfies?” Esdeath raised an eyebrow. “What’s the point of that?” 

“…” 

So taking pictures of me is the point? 

Esdeath, unfazed, continued, “Didn’t you ask me to take photos of you before? Like that one with the East Sea Cloud Dragon or when you were piloting that robot at Dr. Gero’s lab? Why’s it a problem now?” 

“Those were different from these… candid life shots,” Hikari sighed, wondering if she should teach Esdeath some new phone tricks to distract her from the camera. Maybe… introduce her to some gacha games? 

Imagining Esdeath glued to her phone, lost in a game, Hikari couldn’t help but smirk. 

“…Phew, finally back to normal.” 

After some effort, Hikari looked at her now-normal hands and let out a relieved breath. “C’mon, it’s dinnertime. Let’s grab something to eat. Yuji mentioned a new restaurant in Shinjuku that’s supposed to be pretty good. Wanna check it out?” 

“Sure,” Esdeath nodded. 

As they slipped on their shoes to head out, Hikari opened the group chat, pinging Yamato and Yuji to see if they wanted to join. 

After the exchange event at Jujutsu High wrapped up, Yamato, true to her plan, challenged Yuji to a spar. 

Yuji then dragged in Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Panda, and Maki Zen’in, and the group quickly hit it off. 

Well… “hit it off” in the literal sense—they were sparring up a storm. 

Yamato knew her strength was a bit much for the Jujutsu world, so she held back, avoiding Haki or her Devil Fruit powers and sticking to pure physical combat. Even then, she wiped the floor with them. 

As a result, Maki and Panda, both skilled in physical techniques, started calling Yamato the new “Heavenly Tyrant.” 

In the Jujutsu world, certain individuals traded limitations—like a lack of cursed energy or techniques—for exceptional physical prowess, like Megumi’s dad, Toji Fushiguro, or Maki herself. Yamato’s traits fit that mold, so the nickname wasn’t surprising. 

That evening, Hikari and Esdeath met up with Yamato, who arrived with Gojo and the others, at the restaurant. They booked a private room for a small group dinner. 

During the meal, Hikari struck up a conversation with Megumi, casually bringing up the Ten Shadows Technique. 

“…Miss Uchiha, you want to see my shikigami?” Megumi asked. 

“Something like that,” Hikari nodded, her tone light. “Mr. Gojo mentioned the Ten Shadows Technique is a Zen’in family heirloom, using shadows as a medium to summon up to ten shikigami. The last one’s supposedly so powerful it could take down a Six Eyes user in a mutual kill, right?” 

“Gojo… told you even that?” Megumi frowned. 

At this point in time, Megumi was still dutiful, not yet in the “whatever” mindset he’d adopt during the Sukuna battle later. He knew the final shikigami was Mahoraga and could summon it, but since he hadn’t tamed it yet, he kept it as a last-ditch, mutually destructive trump card. 

Hikari’s request to see Mahoraga just for “curiosity” didn’t sit right with him. 

“Look, I know it’s a bit sudden,” Hikari said, “but I can guarantee Mahoraga won’t run wild in the city. If you want proof I can pull it off, ask Gojo.” 

She paused. “Also, I hear your sister, Tsumiki Fushiguro, has been in a coma for years, right? If I can help wake her up, would you let me see Mahoraga?” 

Megumi’s eyes widened. “How do you know about Tsumiki? …Is that true?” 

“Of course,” Hikari said, pointing to her glowing, fiery eyes. “These eyes of mine can see the future.” 

Tsumiki’s coma was due to an ancient sorcerer choosing her as a vessel for reincarnation, much like Yuji’s situation. 

For Hikari, it was an easy fix. 

She’d just dive into Tsumiki’s mental world, yank out the ancient sorcerer’s soul, and take it down. If Tsumiki’s soul was damaged or warped, Hikari could use her newly acquired Idle Transfiguration to restore it. 

That said, Hikari was still a bit rusty with soul restoration. She figured she’d need to practice on a few curses or humans first. 

Experimenting on random people was obviously a no-go, but grabbing some vile criminals to “contribute to medical progress”? Hikari saw no issue with that. Surely, those scumbags wouldn’t mind. 

Megumi said he’d think it over carefully. 

With her abilities, Hikari could easily toss an illusion to make him “voluntarily” agree. 

But since he was Yuji’s close friend and a decent guy, treating him like Mahito or Danzo felt wrong. 

More importantly, Hikari didn’t want to overuse her will-altering powers. Doing it too much might blur the line between right and wrong, turning her into the kind of person she despised. 

A few days later, in the evening, Mahito finally sent word. 

Kenjaku had shown up. 

Chapter 257: One at a Time, or All at Once? 

Based on the memories extracted from Mahito… 

The meeting spot Kenjaku had arranged was in Okutama Town, a small city in the westernmost part of Tokyo, bordering Saitama Prefecture. It was dozens of kilometers from Hikari Uchiha’s current location. 

With “Shangri-La” at her disposal, that distance was no different from a quick stroll. 

So… 

Hikari and Esdeath grabbed a quick dinner, packed light, and stepped into the teleportation array. A flash of purple light later, they vanished from the living room, reappearing the next second on a secluded narrow street. 

At this hour, the street was nearly deserted. 

The sky hung dark and heavy, carrying the ominous weight of an approaching storm. 

“…That should be the place.” 

Hikari scanned her surroundings, her gaze locking onto a nearby izakaya. From her vantage point, she could make out a few blurry figures inside, their hushed voices mingling with an unsettling aura. 

“Let’s go, Esdeath. Time to check it out.” 

Hikari started walking, quickly leading Esdeath across the short street to the izakaya’s entrance. 

They pushed through the door. 

The roughly hundred-square-meter room held a counter and seven or eight tables, with a handful of customers easily visible. Hikari’s eyes swept the room, immediately spotting Mahito and his group by the wall— 

Jogo, Hanami, Dagon… 

And Kenjaku, disguised as the black-haired, black-robed Geto Suguru. 

The main villain crew from the original Jujutsu Kaisen story was almost all here—missing only Rika, but she was Sukuna’s subordinate. While she collaborated with Kenjaku and the cursed spirits, she didn’t operate with them, so her absence was expected. 

“Ahem…” 

Hikari cleared her throat, flashing a warm smile at Jogo and the others, who were quietly scheming at their table. 

“Sorry to interrupt, cursed spirit gentlemen, but you’re surrounded. If you surrender immediately, I might consider giving you a dignified end.” 

“…?” 

Jogo and the others, mid-planning, froze. They turned to look at her, their faces a mix of shock and uncertainty. 

“You… talking to us?” Jogo pointed at his own face, seeking confirmation. 

Hikari tilted her head. “Who else?” 

“…” 

At that moment, white smoke practically steamed out of Jogo’s volcano-like head, as if his CPU had short-circuited, unable to process the situation. 

Hold on… 

How did this human kid, who looked like she hadn’t even graduated middle school, have the guts to talk to them like that? 

Did she not realize that he—and the others seated nearby—were special-grade cursed spirits? 

Or… 

“Who are these two humans? Did you call them here?” Jogo turned to Kenjaku. 

In his mind, Kenjaku was Geto Suguru, a special-grade sorcerer wanted by the jujutsu world for breaking its rules. If Hikari and Esdeath were connected to anyone, it had to be him. 

But Kenjaku shook his head. “I’ve taken a few human sorcerer disciples, but I keep meetings like this strictly confidential. This kid… probably some heir from a jujutsu clan, passing by and spotting us, thinking she can play hero.” 

“Huh?” 

That made sense. 

Not every sorcerer could gauge a cursed spirit’s strength just by their appearance. This black-haired girl, clearly still wet behind the ears, likely mistook them for low-grade spirits, which explained her boldness. 

With that in mind… 

Jogo casually raised his right hand, ready to incinerate them to ash. 

But just then… 

He paused, a sudden instinct making him glance up at the other woman by the door—the one with long, ice-blue hair. A faint sense of dread crept into his chest. 

The next moment… 

Esdeath raised her eyes, her cascading hair stirring without wind, exuding an overwhelming aura that swept through the room! 

“These guys are the so-called ‘special-grade cursed spirits’?” 

“They don’t look like much. Way weaker than that Gojo Satoru guy… Can we start already?” 

The last operation against Mahito had been handled by Hikari alone, with Esdeath arriving after the fight was over. 

But now… 

“Hang on a sec.” 

Hikari snapped her fingers, summoning the “Shangri-La” teleportation array beneath their feet. With a flash of light, everyone vanished from the izakaya, reappearing in a deep mountain range hundreds of miles away. 

Here, Esdeath finally unleashed her full presence. A bone-chilling blizzard seemed to materialize out of nowhere, sweeping across the area. Everyone felt a shiver, as if plunged into a frozen wasteland, the cold seeping into their bones. 

“Impossible…” 

“This oppressive aura… it’s even more terrifying than Gojo Satoru. Since when did a sorcerer like this exist among humans?” 

“And what’s with this place? An instant teleportation technique? Or an innate domain?” 

Jogo and the others were dumbfounded, still reeling from the sudden shift in scenery, only to be stunned again by Esdeath’s overwhelming presence. Then, they watched as towering ice walls sprang up around them, soaring dozens or even hundreds of meters into the sky, sealing at the top. 

—This was Esdeath’s sealing technique. 

Now, the thousands of square meters of this mountaintop were completely under her control, a “domain” of her own making. 

Beneath ice walls over half a meter thick, even Jogo, the strongest among them, felt a surge of dread, recalling the humiliation and fear of being dominated by Gojo. 

A battle was now inevitable. 

Under the menacing glares of the special-grade cursed spirits… 

Hikari remained unfazed, speaking calmly. “So, are you coming at us one at a time, or all at once?” 

… 

In the end, Jogo and the others chose to attack together. 

With the entire area sealed by ice and snow, escape was no longer an option. Their only chance of survival was to defeat the ice-blue-haired woman. 

But that was no easy task. 

The pressure Esdeath exuded was no less than Gojo Satoru’s. Against him, they’d only had a sliver of hope by working together, and it was the same with her. 

However… 

Even in this situation, two figures stayed out of the fight. 

One was Kenjaku. 

He’d always had a transactional relationship with Jogo’s group, and being naturally cautious, he wasn’t about to tangle with a mysterious powerhouse like Esdeath without knowing the full picture. 

The other was Mahito. 

When Jogo and the others saw Mahito break from the group, scurrying to Hikari’s side like a loyal puppy, they could hardly believe their eyes. 

“Mahito, what are you doing?!” 

“You’re the leader of the cursed spirits!!” 

“No wonder these two human sorcerers found us! Mahito’s the real traitor! When did he betray us?! What the hell happened?!” 

Though shocked beyond belief… 

With the enemy at hand, Jogo and the others stuck to their plan, reluctantly facing Esdeath. 

Their strength might not match Gojo’s, but in terms of Naruto or Akame ga Kill! worlds, they were on par with Kage-level or Imperial General-level fighters. For Esdeath, they weren’t so weak that they’d crumble under a single casual punch. 

At that moment… 

Esdeath cloaked herself in a thin layer of ice and snow, forming armor over her body. With a cat-toying-with-mice attitude, she took on Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon simultaneously. Jogo had briefly considered having Hanami and Dagon hold Esdeath off while he ambushed Hikari, but the thought barely formed before Esdeath sensed it, flashing in front of him and kicking him back. 

With that… 

The special-grade cursed spirits finally faced reality, unleashing their full arsenal—physical attacks, techniques, everything—assaulting Esdeath like a relentless storm. 

Ice, fire, water arrows, fields of flowers… 

Elements clashed in mid-air, punctuated by bursts of dazzling light. 

Worth noting was Jogo’s innate domain. 

As the strongest of the four cursed spirits, born from humanity’s fear of the earth, Jogo wielded fire manipulation. His domain, “Coffin of the Iron Mountain,” could turn a vast area into a molten inferno in an instant, reducing ordinary sorcerers to ash the moment they stepped inside. 

But… 

For Esdeath, it meant nothing. 

She didn’t even need to try hard to summon a massive blizzard, neutralizing the fiery domain and then obliterating it. 

As for Hanami and Dagon… 

Their strength fell short of Jogo’s. 

Hanami, born from humanity’s fear of forests, wielded wood-based techniques, while Dagon, born from fear of the ocean, used water-based ones. 

Notably, Dagon’s domain, “Horizon of the Captivating Skandha,” created a vast, beach-lined blue sea, summoning countless giant fish monsters to attack. Hikari was intrigued by this ability and had asked Esdeath to spare Dagon’s life. 

—If she could acquire this domain, she’d have a private beach for vacations anytime, anywhere. 

A personal beach where she could swim naked without worrying about prying eyes—the ultimate vacation spot… 

While Esdeath faced Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon alone… 

Hikari was squaring off with Kenjaku. 

At this point… 

Kenjaku seemed to realize something, eyeing Hikari cautiously. “You’re allies Gojo Satoru brought in?” 

“Nope.” 

Hikari shook her head, a mischievous smile on her face. “To be precise, we’re here because of your son.” 

“…Son?” 

“That’s right. His name’s Yuji Itadori.” 

Hikari stared at Kenjaku, enunciating each word. “You’re no stranger to that name, are you? After all… he’s the child you carried for ten months and birthed with such effort.” 

“?!!” 

Kenjaku’s pupils shrank in shock. 

Even Esdeath, Jogo, Hanami, and the others, mid-battle, widened their eyes in disbelief, glancing over with stunned expressions. 

Carried… for ten months? 

Geto Suguru? 

What the hell? Was this top-tier jujutsu rebel secretly a woman disguised as a man? 

Or… had human society advanced to the point where men could get pregnant and give birth? 

Unlike the clueless Jogo and company, Kenjaku’s shock was far more intense, his usual composure crumbling. “What… do you know?” 

“Oh, quite a bit.” 

Hikari counted on her fingers, listing casually. “Like how your real name is Kenjaku, a mysterious sorcerer who’s lived for a thousand years, body-hopping through Noritoshi Kamo, Kaori Itadori, and now Geto Suguru. You’ve sired the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings and Yuji Itadori through human unions… and you’re plotting to seal Gojo Satoru with the cursed tool ‘Prison Realm.’ 

“Gotta say, I admire your dedication to science—switching genders isn’t unheard of, but going so far as to bear children with other men? That’s rare. 

“Or… maybe your original body was female?” 

In the original Jujutsu Kaisen, Kenjaku’s true appearance and gender were never revealed, only that he was once a friend of Tengen. 

So… 

It was hard to assume anything about his gender. 

But if Kenjaku was originally female, yet had inhabited Noritoshi Kamo’s body and fathered the Death Paintings with a human woman… that’d be pretty wild. 

At this moment… 

Kenjaku, his identity exposed, dropped the “Geto Suguru” facade. His aura shifted, and he summoned a dense swarm of cursed spirits—Pox Granny, Giant Catfish, Black Bath… In the blink of an eye, hundreds, thousands of cursed spirits filled the air, baring their menacing fangs at Hikari. 

“…Quite a number.” 

Hikari shook her head slightly. “All flash, no substance.” 

With her words, a dark red aura flared behind her, forming the shape of a skeletal giant. 

The Third Power: Susanoo! 

Chapter 258: The Power Bank Plan 

This was the first time Uchiha Hikari unleashed Susanoo in the Jujutsu world. 

Even in its basic skeletal form, the moment the crimson giant materialized, an overwhelming aura blanketed the battlefield. Kenjaku, standing behind a swarm of hundreds of shikigami, wore a look of pure shock. 

“What… is that!?” 

A shikigami? 

But… could even the Zen’in family’s shikigami, one of the Big Three, radiate this level of oppressive force? 

Under Kenjaku’s gaze, Hikari raised her right hand. 

Susanoo mirrored the motion. 

Then, a massive crimson sword, over ten meters long and wreathed in flames, materialized in the air, gripped firmly by Susanoo’s skeletal hand, its blade leveled forward. 

“You ready to take this slash?” Hikari asked, locking eyes with Kenjaku. After a brief charge, she swung the blade. 

Whoosh!! 

A tsunami of wind roared, and a blazing wave of fiery sword energy surged forward! With one swing, it carved out a fan-shaped inferno nearly a hundred meters wide. Within that zone, hundreds of shikigami disintegrated on contact, vaporized before they could even react. 

One slash, obliterating both form and spirit! 

Sensing danger, Kenjaku had already begun retreating the moment Hikari raised her sword. 

At the same time, he flicked his sleeve, activating his domain: “Womb Profusion!” 

Instantly, the gravity in the area spiked a hundredfold! 

The slashing sword energy slowed under the crushing force, and by the time it reached Kenjaku, its power had waned. It only tore his clothes and left a bloody gash across his chest, failing to cleave him in half. 

Everyone within a few hundred meters felt an immense pressure crash down on them. Curses like Jogo slowed to a crawl, their movements sluggish. Even Esdeath, mid-punch, frowned slightly, her steps growing heavy. 

Hikari was the only one unaffected. 

Susanoo absorbed most of the pressure, so she stood within the skeletal giant, her expression calm. “So this is Kaori Itadori’s domain? Not bad. A bit stronger than the Judgment Spear Teigu, maybe.” 

Kenjaku could use the techniques of his past hosts. The Cursed Spirit Manipulation summoning shikigami came from Suguru Geto, while Womb Profusion, which manipulated gravity, was from Yuji Itadori’s mother, Kaori Itadori. 

Amplifying gravity by dozens of times was just one application. 

There was another… 

“Reverse!” 

With a shift of Kenjaku’s hand seal, the gravity flipped. Everyone was yanked upward, “falling” into the sky. Even Susanoo staggered, floating dozens of meters before Hikari stabilized it with her Flight Technique, hovering with her feet off the ground. 

“Got any other tricks?” she asked. 

“…” 

Kenjaku’s pupils narrowed. 

Cursed Spirit Manipulation and Womb Profusion were his go-to techniques. Most opponents, even Special Grade sorcerers, would fumble under their weight, exposing weaknesses for him to exploit—like how he’d later kill Yuki Tsukumo. But this black-haired girl? She was completely unfazed, something he hadn’t anticipated. 

“…No choice, then.” 

After a brief hesitation, Kenjaku formed the seals for Cursed Spirit Manipulation again, summoning every remaining cursed spirit he had. This time, hundreds of them filled the sky, a dark, oppressive mass far more imposing than before. 

Then, he clasped his hands. “Maximum: Uzumaki!” 

Instantly, the cursed spirits swarmed together, merging and compressing into a dense, dark vortex of cursed energy, surging toward Hikari like a tidal wave. 

Facing this ultimate technique of Cursed Spirit Manipulation, Hikari didn’t budge. Susanoo tanked the hit, and as faint cracks appeared on its skeletal frame, her eyes narrowed slightly. 

“Leaving marks on the second-stage Susanoo… about on par with Danzo’s Wind Release, I’d say.” 

Kenjaku noticed the cracks too, his eyes glinting with excitement, as if he saw a path to victory. 

But… 

Hikari glanced at the skeletal giant, then casually looked away, raising her sword again. “My turn.” 

With that, she swung once more. 

A crescent-shaped wave of fiery sword energy erupted from the blade, slicing through the cursed spirit vortex like a hot knife through butter. It streaked toward Kenjaku like a meteor chasing the moon. He had no time to dodge—blinding starlight filled his vision, and with a crack, his body was cleaved in two! 

One slash… 

“Done.” 

Hikari twirled her sword, letting the crimson blade and Susanoo’s skeletal frame fade into the air. 

Kenjaku wasn’t dead yet. Without a host body, reduced to just a brain-like lump, he had no means to resist further. 

Meanwhile, Esdeath, after toying with Jogo like a cat with a mouse, mimicked Gojo’s move and twisted off his head. Then, with a few heavy punches, she sent Hanami and Dagon crashing into the ground, leaving craters over ten meters deep. 

Gravely wounded, they were forced to deactivate their domains, their cursed energy nearly depleted. 

These curses were limited in strength to begin with. Even Jogo, the strongest, was only about as powerful as Sukuna with eight or nine fingers—outclassed by Gojo. Esdeath hadn’t even used her full power, holding back on the final blows at Hikari’s request to keep them alive. 

Next up… 

“Time to seal them.” 

Hikari pulled out pre-prepared sealing scrolls and began sealing Jogo and the others, labeling each with “Fire,” “Wood,” “Water,” and so on for distinction. 

Mahito’s scroll got a “Rotten” label. Fitting for a total scumbag. 

Kenjaku’s was simply “Brain.” 

As she worked, Esdeath crossed her arms, watching Hikari’s sealing technique with a cool gaze. “What’s the plan for them now? More fishing?” 

“Nah,” Hikari shook her head. “The big fish is already caught—this brain-looking guy. As for Jogo and the others… I’ve got other plans.” 

Kenjaku aside, Hikari had already decided what to do with Mahito and the four Special Grade Curses. 

Killing them outright? Too wasteful. 

Using them as power banks? Now that’s making the most of them. 

Yup. 

When she’d first tried absorbing Idle Transfiguration from Mahito, Hikari noticed something. These curses, born from human fear, hatred, and despair, had an uncanny affinity for absorbing those negative emotions. As long as such emotions existed nearby, they’d continuously convert them into fresh cursed energy. 

That’s why Mahito and his crew had such insane recovery. Even when Jogo was reduced to a head by Gojo or Mahito was forced to self-destruct to escape Nanami and Yuji, they could regenerate fully in no time by soaking up negative emotions. 

Sure, their capacity to absorb those emotions wasn’t limitless due to their strength caps. 

But the supply of negative emotions? That was endless. 

As long as human society existed, fear, hatred, and despair would keep flowing. Even outside the Jujutsu world, it’d be the same. 

This meant Hikari could use Mahito and the others as conduits, repeatedly siphoning off the cursed energy converted from negative emotions—a sustainable way to “drain the pond without killing the fish.” 

In theory, it sounded solid. 

Whether it’d work in practice? That’d take some testing. 

Hikari planned to take her time experimenting. 

The battle on Tokyo’s west side didn’t make the news or cause a stir like the one in Hokkaido. Hikari had chosen a remote mountain area, sealed off by Esdeath’s ice and her own Blood Coral Barrier. Plus, it happened at night, so while the commotion was big, it stayed contained to the mountain, with minimal impact elsewhere. 

In the days that followed, some in the Jujutsu world noticed the disturbance but kept it under wraps, preventing it from leaking to the public. 

During this time, Hikari stayed low-key, only checking in with Gojo and Yuji to mention she’d clashed with some Special Grade Curses and picked up a few more of Sukuna’s fingers. Between Jujutsu High’s five and Jogo’s original five, she now had ten. 

She figured Kenjaku likely knew where the remaining fingers were—or had hidden them himself—but she’d need to dig through his memories to confirm. 

So, Hikari focused most of her attention on studying the curses’ techniques and memories. 

After some practice, her Idle Transfiguration skills had improved significantly. She could now freely enlarge, shrink, restore, or regenerate wounds on others’ bodies. 

To get there, as planned, she’d quietly conducted extensive experiments on a group of heinous criminals. By choosing scattered locations and restoring their bodies while wiping their memories after each test, she kept her actions under the radar. 

“Restoring” was a loose term—since these were irredeemable scumbags, and Japan’s Western-leaning laws often failed to punish them adequately, Hikari saw no issue with tweaking their “functions” during experiments. Call it justice. 

With Idle Transfiguration mastered, Hikari was ready to put another part of her plan into action. 

“That guy… he’s still around Tokyo, right?” 

“Time to pay him a visit.” 

The next evening, Hikari brought Esdeath to a dam near Tokyo. After a bit of searching, they found a hidden basement converted from an abandoned factory. 

“You’re Mechanicmaru?” Hikari asked. 

“…Who are you?” replied a young man with a spiky black ponytail, around seventeen or eighteen, slightly older than Yuji. His body was wrapped in bandages, his face deathly pale, looking frail. 

No surprise there. 

Since birth, he’d been afflicted by the Heavenly Restriction, leaving his body so weak he could barely move normally. 

But that same restriction granted him immense cursed energy and a wide technique range. Using Puppet Manipulation, he could create “Mechanicmaru” puppets of various sizes, projecting his consciousness into them to act in his place. 

In theory, these puppets could operate across all of Japan. 

In the original story, Kokichi Muta, aka Mechanicmaru, struck a secret deal with Mahito and Kenjaku, trading Jujutsu High intel for a chance at a healthy body. But after the deal, he was forced to fight them, lost, and died—a tragic figure. 

And now… 

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Uchiha Hikari, a friend of Yuji Itadori and Gojo Satoru.” 

“And the one who sealed Mahito and Suguru Geto.” 

Hikari got straight to the point. “I’m impressed by your talent in mechanical engineering and want to invite you to join my research institute. In exchange, I can use Idle Transfiguration to restore your body to full health. What do you say?” 

“?!” 

Chapter 259: Approval from Minato Namikaze 

Hikari Uchiha’s words carried a bit of a bombshell. 

Yoshinobu Gakuganji, who had been waiting to meet Mahito, was stunned for a moment before slowly processing it. “You’re saying Mahito and the others are already… How’s that possible? And Gojo Satoru… Why should I trust you?” 

“Well…” Hikari tilted her chin up. “You know Gojo Satoru and Yuji Itadori’s phone numbers, right? Give them a call to confirm. As for Mahito and ‘Geto Suguru,’ they’re right here.” 

As she spoke… 

Hikari pulled out two sealing scrolls, unsealing them on the spot to give Gakuganji a look. 

In their sealed state, their bodies were rigid and unable to speak freely, but the jujutsu world had no concept of “transformation jutsu” or “genjutsu.” So, just seeing their faces was enough to confirm their identities. 

Meanwhile… 

Gakuganji, still skeptical, dialed Yuji’s number and exchanged a few words, finally accepting Hikari’s claims. But his expression remained puzzled. 

“Idle Transfiguration is supposed to be Mahito’s unique technique. How can you use it?” 

Hikari didn’t elaborate. “I have my ways. No need to dig deeper.” 

“Before you decide whether to accept my offer, I should warn you about something. The fact that you leaked info about the ‘Sister Exchange Event’ to Mahito and his crew has already been noticed by Jujutsu High—especially by Gojo and Utahime. They’re investigating, and it won’t be long before they trace it back to you. What do you think the jujutsu higher-ups will do to you for that? 

“But… if you accept my invitation, I can help smooth things over.” 

In the original story, Gojo was the first to suspect and confirm Mechamaru as the traitor, tasking Utahime with a discreet investigation. But when they went to apprehend Gakuganji, he was already gone. 

That same night, Gakuganji died at Mahito’s hands, leaving only a few “mini-Mechamarus” with his consciousness, which later took part in the Shibuya Incident. 

Now, with Mahito and Kenjaku already sealed, one cause of Gakuganji’s death was gone. 

But his betrayal of Jujutsu High remained a fact. 

Even if Gojo turned a blind eye, the jujutsu higher-ups wouldn’t. They might lack the guts to take on Sukuna, but when it came to punishing their own, they were pros. They’d sentenced Gojo to death just for suspecting he was in league with a still-living “Geto Suguru.” They executed Principal Yaga for “inciting students to cause the Shibuya Incident” because of Sukuna’s rampage. For someone like Gakuganji… 

Killing him or sparing him was just a matter of a word. 

The solution, though, was simple. 

If Gakuganji became “one of them,” Hikari could pull some strings with the elusive higher-ups, asking them to let him off for her sake. 

When it came to “persuading” people… 

Hikari was quite experienced. 

“So, what’s your choice, Mechamaru?” 

“…One more question. This research institute you mentioned—is it far from Tokyo or Kyoto?” 

“Hmm… a little far.” 

Hikari thought for a moment. “But not too far. Don’t worry, it’s legit work. No restrictions on your freedom. Eight-hour workday, five days on, two days off, food and lodging included. You can leave the institute on weekends to come back here, just give me a heads-up.” 

To be precise… 

The workplace Hikari had in mind for Gakuganji was in another world. 

Far? Definitely—too far to measure by normal means. 

Close? Also true… 

Because traveling between worlds was just a matter of “shifting.” One thought, and you’re there, faster than a plane. 

The only hitch was that Gakuganji wasn’t a chat group member, so he couldn’t shift on his own. Hikari would need to act as the middleman to bring him back. 

Once or twice was no big deal. 

But every weekend? That’d be a hassle. 

(I wonder if the [chat group] could add a feature to actively pull people in, or maybe a “guest” system, letting non-members join temporarily or granting them shifting privileges?) 

(Maybe limit the number of shifts per month or add an application process where non-members submit requests, and I, as group leader, approve them for targeted shifts… Shouldn’t be an issue, right?) 

Hikari mulled it over, planning to explore the idea later. 

If she could make that feature work, she could bring Esdeath into the group. 

That’d make traveling to other worlds with the Ice General much easier. 

“Oh, Mechamaru,” Hikari added, “the list of people I’m inviting to the institute includes one more—your classmate from Kyoto Jujutsu High, second-year Kasumi Miwa. If you join, you’ll likely be colleagues.” 

—Kasumi Miwa, a second-year at Kyoto Jujutsu High, a mediocre Grade 3 sorcerer, one of the few “normal” people in the jujutsu world, and the object of Gakuganji’s secret crush. 

Compared to prodigies like Yuji Itadori or Megumi Fushiguro, Miwa became a sorcerer solely to support her younger siblings’ education. 

Hikari figured her wealth could come in handy. If she could recruit Miwa with a bit of cash, that’d be a nice bonus. 

… 

Maybe it was the mention of Miwa. 

Gakuganji finally made up his mind, accepting Hikari’s olive branch and signing the drafted “employment contract” as requested. 

Afterward… 

Under Gakuganji’s slightly nervous gaze, Hikari stepped forward, placing a hand on his head and silently activating her technique: “…Idle Transfiguration.” 

Purple aura flowed gently. 

Cursed energy, drawn from Mahito, streamed from Hikari’s palm, seeping into Gakuganji’s body and spreading through his limbs. 

A transformation, from soul to flesh, began subtly. 

Ten minutes later… 

Hikari withdrew her hand. 

“…The technique’s done. Try standing and walking a bit to feel the effects.” 

“!” 

The result was no surprise. 

Hikari had rehearsed this before—during experiments on societal scum, she’d twisted their souls into a paralyzed state, then restored them with Idle Transfiguration. So, applying it to Gakuganji now was second nature, even smoother than she’d expected. 

Gakuganji was thrilled. 

After pacing a few circles and stretching his newly healthy body, Hikari spoke casually, “Stay here for a few days and don’t wander off. I’ll talk to Gojo about the leak. As for Miwa, I’ll handle that soon, so don’t worry about it.” 

“…Alright.” 

Gakuganji nodded, his excitement giving way to calm as he began pondering his future. 

Then… 

Hikari chose her words carefully before bringing up another topic. “I heard you once built a particularly massive ‘Ultimate Mechamaru,’ right? Can I see it?” 

… 

Near a dam by Tokyo Bay… 

Hikari got her wish, laying eyes on Gakuganji’s “Ultimate Mechamaru.” 

To be precise, it was called “Ultimate Mechamaru Absolute Form Armored Puppet Prototype 0.” Its design leaned more toward EVA-01 than a Gundam, standing about thirty to forty meters tall—roughly the size of Susanoo’s fourth form. Its sleek, silver-white body radiated a rugged, powerful aesthetic. 

“…Not bad.” 

Hikari nodded slightly. 

In terms of raw strength, “Ultimate Mechamaru” wasn’t all that impressive. It could briefly elevate Gakuganji, a quasi-Grade 1 sorcerer, to special-grade levels, even overpowering Mahito at one point. But that strength came from seventeen years of Gakuganji’s accumulated effort, essentially a one-time use. 

Even at special-grade level, its combat power was just decent—not on par with a Gundam or EVA, or even Akame ga Kill!’s Supreme Teigu or Haunted by the Evil Spirit. 

But… 

Strength is temporary; style is forever. 

In terms of aesthetics, “Ultimate Mechamaru” blew Dr. Gero’s designs out of the water. With Gakuganji handling visual design, combined with Dragon Ball’s cutting-edge tech, they could create mechs that were both cool and strong. 

“Keep it up, kid. I’ve got high hopes for you.” 

After some encouragement, Hikari snapped a photo of “Ultimate Mechamaru” and shared it in the chat group. 

[NoName: [Ultimate Mechamaru Absolute Form Armored Puppet Prototype 0.jpg]] 

[NoName: What do you think?] 

[GhostPrincess: Wow, is this the mech made by that ‘Mechamaru’ guy you mentioned, Miss Hikari? It looks so cool!] 

[Bulma: The design kinda reminds me of the ‘EVA-01’ Eri posted last time, just a different color… But what’s with this name? It’s so weird.] 

[EternalBro: Weird? I think it’s a pretty badass name. Did you come up with it, Hikari?] 

[NoName: …Nope, I don’t have that kind of naming flair. It was thought up by a sorcerer from Yuji’s world.] 

In reality… 

Hikari glanced at Minato Namikaze’s message in the group, a faint smile tugging at her lips. 

She’d figured Minato would approve of “Ultimate Mechamaru’s” over-the-top name. 

That long, chuunibyou-style naming was so Minato’s vibe. If he ever visited the jujutsu world and met Gakuganji in person, they’d probably hit it off with plenty to talk about. 

… 

That evening… 

Hikari left Gakuganji, using “Shangri-La” to return to Tokyo and meet Gojo. She gave him a rundown of recent events. 

“I see…” 

“So, the traitor who leaked the ‘Sister Exchange Event’ info was Mechamaru, huh?” 

“Based on Jujutsu High’s usual style, Mechamaru would face harsh punishment for this. But… since you see potential in his cursed corpse craftsmanship, I’ll talk to the higher-ups about it.” 

Gojo made the promise. 

Truthfully, he didn’t care much about the leak. 

It hadn’t caused any real damage and even indirectly helped him out. Without this, who knows how long the higher-ups would’ve sat on those five Sukuna fingers? 

Plus… 

Gojo wasn’t a fan of the higher-ups’ conservative ways. If he could stir up their stagnant pool, he was more than happy to do it. 

As for Sukuna… 

“So, you’ve already gotten ten fingers from Mahito’s group, along with leads on the remaining fingers and Sukuna’s mummified body?” 

“Yep.” 

Hikari nodded. 

She’d scoured Kenjaku’s memories. 

As expected, Kenjaku knew the whereabouts of nearly all of Sukuna’s fingers—or at least their general locations. Sukuna’s “mummified Buddha” corpse was also stored in his secret warehouse. 

With this intel, collecting all twenty fingers was just a matter of time. 

But… 

Hikari wasn’t planning to do the legwork herself. She intended to let Gojo handle it, then face Sukuna to see what he was made of once everything was ready. 

“Got it. Dealing with Sukuna was always the jujutsu world’s responsibility. You and Esdeath have already helped more than enough, and I’m grateful. I’ll take care of tracking down the rest of the fingers.” 

Gojo made another promise. 

After a brief pause, he spoke softly. “One more thing… Could I see the body of Geto Suguru, the one Kenjaku was using?” 

Chapter 260: Miwa Kasumi and Fushiguro Tsumiki 

Uchiha Hikari had indeed preserved Suguru Geto’s body. 

But… it was the bisected kind. 

She’d sealed Kenjaku’s brain-like form and Geto’s body separately, intending to hand them over to Gojo Satoru as a favor. Since he brought it up, she casually pulled out the sealing scroll and tossed it to him. 

“I’ve checked it. Most of his soul has been consumed and assimilated by Kenjaku, but there’s still some lingering will left. If you want to ‘meet’ him one last time and catch up, I can make it happen.” 

“…Meet him again? Your abilities can do something like that, Miss Hikari?” Gojo’s eyes widened slightly. 

“Of course,” Hikari nodded. 

She’d already tried and confirmed that the Idle Transfiguration couldn’t restore Geto’s lingering will—it could only reshape existing matter, not create a new soul from nothing. 

Similarly, Edo Tensei was off the table. Like resurrection in Dragon Ball, it required a relatively intact soul. 

But the essence of that lingering will was Yin Release energy, something her Yasaka no Magatama could absorb. 

And Yasaka no Magatama could also transfer that energy to others. 

So, Hikari could extract Geto’s lingering will and project it into Gojo’s mental space, letting them have a virtual conversation, much like Kakashi and Obito’s meeting in the mental realm at the end of Naruto. 

“I see…” Gojo’s expression softened, and he said earnestly, “In that case, please help me out, Miss Hikari.” 

“Sure thing.” 

With that, Hikari activated her Mangekyo Sharingan and used Yasaka no Magatama on the ice coffin containing Geto’s body. 

Since Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro were there too, she figured, why not? She cast Tsukuyomi on both, pulling all four—Gojo, Geto, Yuji, and Megumi—into the Tsukuyomi space for a reunion. 

While they chatted, Hikari hung back, messing around in her Tsukuyomi world by playing a version of Minecraft. 

Since her Mangekyo evolved into the Eternal Mangekyo, her Tsukuyomi space had become vast, practically limitless. She’d recreated iconic structures from various worlds—Konoha Village, Karin Tower, the Akame ga Kill Empire Palace, Black Swan Port, Tokyo Skytree—down to the smallest details, indistinguishable from the originals. 

For Hikari, building these was a way to train her ocular powers. 

When Gojo and the others seemed about done, she floated over from the Skytree’s direction, landing in front of them. 

“…Miss Hikari,” Gojo greeted. 

“Finished talking?” she asked. 

“…Yeah, we’re done,” Gojo replied. 

Both Gojo and Geto had pretty carefree personalities. Though they’d once clashed over conflicting ideals, even fighting to the death, time had softened those wounds. They exchanged some greetings, farewells, and a few words of concern for the younger generation—especially Megumi. 

Megumi’s father, Toji Fushiguro, had been an enemy to both Gojo and Geto, but Megumi himself was practically raised by Gojo, making him something like Geto’s “nephew” in a way. Geto, acting the part of an elder, offered a few words before waving goodbye. 

“Time’s about up. I should get going.” 

“See ya.” 

Under everyone’s gaze, Geto’s lingering will faded, vanishing completely. 

Hikari turned to Megumi with a slight smile. “So… about your sister and Mahoraga. Have you made up your mind?” 

She’d previously offered to heal Tsumiki Fushiguro in exchange for seeing the Zen’in family’s Mahoraga, but Megumi hadn’t agreed right away. 

Now, though… 

“Deal,” Megumi said, his eyes still lingering where Geto had vanished. After a pause, he continued, “I believe you now, Miss Hikari. You’ve got some incredible abilities. If you can wake my sister, I’ll summon Mahoraga as you asked.” 

“Great.” 

The next day, at Gojo’s introduction, Hikari met with Kasumi Miwa from Kyoto Jujutsu High and extended an invitation to join her research institute. 

At first, Miwa hesitated. 

But when Hikari unleashed a financial offensive, the girl from a modest background started to waver, promising to think it over. Jujutsu High offered student aid and mission pay for sorcerers, but it wasn’t much more than a typical office job. 

Plus, there were precedents for sorcerers quitting to live normal lives—like Nanami Kento, who worked as a salaryman for years before returning. So, Miwa switching careers wasn’t exactly forbidden. 

Still, after two years at Jujutsu High, with teachers and friends she’d grown close to, leaving felt a bit off to her. 

“No rush,” Hikari said lightly. “My offer’s open-ended. Join whenever you’re ready.” 

Compared to Mechanicmaru, Miwa wasn’t a top priority. It’d be nice if she joined, but no big deal if she didn’t. 

After parting ways with the blue-haired girl, Hikari followed Megumi to his old home. 

There, she saw Tsumiki Fushiguro, lying in a coma on a bed. 

Strictly speaking, Megumi and Tsumiki weren’t blood-related. They were stepsiblings from a blended family, raised together since childhood because their father, Toji Fushiguro, was pretty unreliable. Years ago, Tsumiki had been caught in a cursed spirit incident near the Eighty-Eight Bridge, falling into a coma that lasted until now. 

“…How is she?” Megumi asked, visibly tense. 

He cared deeply for his stepsister. 

“Should be fine,” Hikari replied. She placed a hand on Tsumiki’s forehead, using Idle Transfiguration to sense her soul’s state, then nodded with understanding. 

“Her soul’s been partially corrupted, but it hasn’t reached the final stage. There’s still a chance to save her.” 

(End of Chapter)