Jujutsu Kaisen: I have everything I need now!

dark.

This was a darkness even purer than the secret chamber that had imprisoned him for sixteen years. There was no sound of wind, no smell of medicine. Only a heavy, almost suffocating pressure of magical energy seeped out from behind the wooden screens on all sides.

Kokichi and I knelt on the cold, damp floor.

This is the outer perimeter of the "Taboo Treasury," the deepest part of the high school, a secret place specifically for interrogating sorcerers who commit serious crimes.

Behind the screen sat several clay-sculpted, dark figures. They were ancient relics of the sorcery world, high-ranking figures hiding in the shadows. Directly in front of them stood Yoshinobu Rakanji, his murky eyes flashing with murderous intent.

What sent chills down Kokichi's spine even more were the few silent figures in the corner. The unfathomable power emanating from them was enough for him to guess, even without turning around, that they were the pinnacle of the sorcery world, the top-tier sorcerers.

"With Kokichi."

Leyan Temple plucked a string on his zither, and a piercing buzzing sound echoed in the secret chamber. "Explain your body, which is practically perfect."

Kokichi lowered his head, his pupils trembling slightly. The look in his eyes before he left on the first day of December flashed through his mind.

Do what you want to do.

He spoke to Kokichi and recounted the whole story, omitting the events of December 1st: "Masato and the others betrayed the promise. The moment the treatment ended, Masato attempted to completely transform me."

The shadowy figure behind the screen swayed slightly, instantly increasing the sense of oppression.

"continue."

"I was prepared." Yukichi looked up at the screen in front of him. "I had prepared a way to fight them. The moment the real person touched my soul, I used all my reserves and exchanged my lifespan for power, overdrafting the next ten years of my curse power output, and finally forced them to retreat."

"So, you forced back two top-tier cursed spirits, and the only price you paid was your lifespan?"

It's a lie riddled with holes, but in the face of the special case of Heaven and Curse, no one can say it's impossible.

"Yes," Yukichi insisted.

The secret room fell into a deathly silence.

Rakuganji stood up, walked up to Yukokichi, and gripped his wrist with his withered fingers.

A moment later, the principal of the Kyoto school frowned.

In his perception, the magical energy channels within Yukichi's body did indeed exhibit a depleted state, as if they had been severely overdrawn. This was because Yukichi had genuinely overdrawn his lifespan during the battle with the silken rope, but it was no longer within the time frame of the Horse Talisman. He had promised to treat him again on the first day of the twelfth month, but little did he know that this would become the perfect disguise.

"For this body, you've given up near-level one combat power?" Leyan Temple withdrew his hand, his tone tinged with mockery and pity. "Just like the choice you would make."

"I want to live as a human being, a normal human being." Kokichi gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Let him go," a dark figure behind the screen spoke. "Although his fighting strength has been weakened, he now knows the Cursed Spirit's next plan. Since he's willing to sign a pledge of absolute obedience to prove his innocence, we have no reason to waste a pawn."

......

Western suburbs of Kyoto.

This is a heavy industrial factory that has been abandoned for nearly twenty years. The huge, rusted gears are as tall as a three-story building. The air is filled with a pungent smell of rust and an indescribable stench of decay, which appears even more eerie under the cover of the tent.

"According to intelligence, this place was originally a gathering place for level two cursed spirits, but in the past week, three passersby have gone missing in this area, and the level has been changed to level one." Kamo Kenki walked at the front, his steps were very steady, and he held several small bottles filled with blood between his fingertips.

Kamo Noriyuki is currently in charge of the second-year students at the Kyoto school, and he's the one who leads them on every mission. This time, he's also brought along the first-year students, December 1st.

"Intelligence has never been accurate at the college." Zenin Mai snorted coldly, slowly turning the revolver in her hand, her sharp eyes scanning the haphazardly placed steel beams above.

Miwa Kasumi gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her breathing slightly rapid. She was in a state of high alert, ready to activate her Simple Domain stance at any moment.

"Senior, I don't think the feng shui here is very good." December Shuo, carrying a huge hiking backpack, lingered at the door, looking like he was ready to run away at any moment.

"Shut up, December. If you dare take a step back, I'll make a hole in your thigh first," Zhenyi threatened without turning her head, but her hand holding the gun remained motionless.

December 1st sighed and glanced at the mechanical watch on his wrist.

8:00

In his mind's eye, the talisman engraved with a giant dragon pattern was shining with a crimson light.

"Boom!"

Without warning, the steel frame of the factory's dome snapped, and dozens of massive steel pipes rained down. From the darkness, a gigantic cursed spirit covered in black compound eyes suddenly leaped out.

"Scatter!" Kamo Noriyuki roared, blood spurting from his fingertips.

However, the cursed spirit was incredibly fast. Its scythe-like limbs drew a black line in the air, instantly severing the blood arrow and heading straight for Zhenyi's face.

"Tsk!" Mayu gritted her teeth, her trigger pull no longer keeping up with the cursed spirit's advance.

Just then, everyone saw a blur before their eyes, and the last December suddenly appeared in front of Zhenyi. There was no fluctuation of magical power on him; he simply stretched out his right hand and aimed it at the chest of the cursed spirit.

"What are you doing..." Zhenyi's exclamation was not yet out of her mouth.

"hold head high--!"

An indescribable heatwave exploded instantly. Crimson flames burst forth from the palm of December's new hand.

The air was instantly sucked away. The compound-eyed cursed spirit, possessing a near-superior aura, didn't even have time to scream before it was instantly vaporized by the impact of that crimson energy.

"Boom!"

The aftershocks of the explosion penetrated the entire factory building, blasting a huge hole several meters in diameter in the wall. The intense heat melted away the surrounding rust and scrap metal, turning it all into molten iron.

Kamo Kenki and Miwa Kasumi were thrown back several steps by the aftershock, staring blankly ahead.

In the rising flames, the new moon withdrew his hand, his gaze chillingly calm.

"December...you..." Mayi's hand holding the gun trembled slightly. This wasn't the cursed disability she knew; this power definitely exceeded level two, even level one.

"This is my unique technique: store up magical power and unleash flames," December New Year hurriedly explained to the crowd.

But with that dragon's breath, the earth trembled, and a strong sense of malice overflowed from the crack. An arm covered in black hair slowly climbed up the edge.

"That's... a Special Grade!!!" Kamo Noriyuki's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty. He tried to release the spell, but found his body almost stiff under the other's pressure.

Soon, a cursed spirit covered in black fur appeared before them, its cursed power gathering around it, ready to attack at any moment.

Just then, a blue beam of light slammed into the head of the super-grade cursed spirit. Although it did not cause a fatal injury, it forcefully blasted the half of the monster's body that had just been exposed back into the pit.

"The Great Exorcism Cannon... is it a mechanical ball?" Miwa Kasumi turned her head in surprise.