Free Web NovelChapter 337: 337 Jujutsu Kaisen 2
As I entered Kyoto, I saw quite a few people. Upon seeing me, they suddenly began to bow — as if witnessing the arrival of a king in a historical drama. Apparently, my activities had spread rumors across Japan that a deity had descended.
Then a man and woman approached with a child, knelt before me, and pleaded.
"Hachiman-sama, please heal our child’s eyes."
The parents said that, so I looked at the child. The child had a cane, unable to see — there were no eyeballs, and the eyelids were sunken into the sockets. I wondered if sorcerers were up to something, so I read their memories. They were ordinary peasants with no issues. So I placed my hand on the child’s face and used [Unlimited Transmutation] to restore the eyes.
"Done. Live well."
The child, now able to see, touched the parents’ faces and smiled brightly. The parents bowed repeatedly to me, expressing their gratitude.
"Oh, thank you, Hachiman-sama."
"Thank you, Hachiman-sama."
Many people who witnessed this were astonished and murmured among themselves.
"No way... so the rumors were true..."
"A god truly has descended."
"Given the state of the world, it’s no wonder the gods are angry enough to descend."
From then on, people with severed limbs or congenital disabilities began gathering around me one by one, seeking healing. Most of them were victims of war or curses. I began healing them without hesitation. The healed individuals and their families offered me grain or fruit with devotion.
But seeing their own gaunt, starving bodies as they offered such things was pitiful. They must have brought whatever they had saved.
"Listen well. You don’t need to offer me tributes. If you can afford to offer such things, take care of your families and feed them well."
The people hesitated, then said to me,
"Please do not refuse, Hachiman-sama."
"Enough. It’s enough that you eat well and live well. Take it back."
To be honest, I felt a bit bad about it. These things might be precious food to them, but to me, they were useless. My inventory was overflowing with fresh ingredients. So I simply told them to take it back.
Then several people asked me,
"Hachiman-sama, we truly wish to repay you. Please show us the way."
"If you truly wish to repay me, I would be grateful if you built a small shrine."
Since they insisted so much, I asked them to build a small shrine. That way, with people praying, I could naturally gain divine power.
"So we shall, Hachiman-sama."
Healing people as I went, I continued moving deeper into Kyoto. Then I saw a very large shrine in the distance. From that point on, no more people were visible, and the sky gradually grew overcast and gloomy. Using [Jack Sparrow’s Compass], I confirmed that sorcerers and special-grade curses were gathered at that shrine.
So I slowly walked toward the shrine. Then, suddenly, numerous special-grade curses and sorcerers began launching surprise attacks.
"Die, Hachiman!"
BOOM! CRACK! BOOM BOOM!
I casually swung my fist, popping the attacking curses and sorcerers like balloons as I slowly advanced.
"This monster!"
As I approached the shrine, their numbers increased, but it was no problem for me.
KABOOM! BOOM BOOM! CRACK! BOOM BOOM!
"Ugh... he’s not human."
Then, those who grew fearful after seeing me fight began to hesitate or flee. With so many, there were bound to be stragglers, so I summoned all my shadow soldiers.
[You called?]
"From now on, kill anyone who tries to leave the shrine."
[As you command.]
As countless shadow soldiers appeared behind me and surrounded the shrine, the curses and sorcerers panicked and quickly retreated into the shrine. But the speed at which I killed and advanced was faster than their retreat.
KABOOOM! BOOM BOOM!
"Gyaaah!"
"Help!"
The shadow soldiers also followed me, tightening the noose around the entire shrine. Having summoned all the shadow soldiers I had gathered over time, there were truly an overwhelming number. Behind me, it was as if a black wave was rolling in. Moreover, these shadow soldiers were enhanced by the [Enhancement] ability obtained from Konosuba — even the lowest-level soldiers were more than a match for the sorcerers and curses.
As numerous curses and sorcerers were killed, techniques began pouring into me through [Murder Steal]. The same applied to those killed by the shadow soldiers — since the shadow soldiers were my ability, I could steal techniques from their kills as well.
"Dammit! This isn’t how it was supposed to be — he was supposed to be alone..."
BOOM! THUD!
As I ascended the stairs and reached the shrine, I saw many curses and sorcerers gathered. They looked at the shadow soldiers following behind me, swallowed nervously, and tensed up.
I stood before them and spoke.
"It’s gloomy in here — the atmosphere is heavy."
Snap!
I snapped my fingers, and the sky, which had looked ready to rain at any moment, instantly cleared. This was the result of using [Weather Manipulation].
The sorcerers and curses, seeing this, gasped and began murmuring.
"Th-this can’t be... Is he truly a god?"
"Impossible..."
Then, a white-haired woman in a kimono stepped forward and spoke to me. She was the one who had me watched.
"What grievance do you have with us to do this, Hachiman?"
"You killed and toyed with the powerless. So when a being stronger than you appears, you should have no complaints even if you receive the same treatment. So accept your death quietly."
As I finished speaking, a winged woman suddenly soared into the sky and shouted at me.
"You’re the one who should be judged, acting like a god!"
As the woman rose high into the sky, a large magic circle-like formation appeared in the heavens.
"Light, the light that purifies all. Erase sin, fault, and sorrow, and guide these beings!"
The woman spoke thus, then brought her hands together as if blowing a trumpet, blowing light into it to activate her technique. Pillars of light suddenly appeared around me. But that was all — there was no effect. Neither I nor the shadow soldiers took any damage.
"Oh~ light that cleanses the impure. But what to do? We are not impure beings."
That woman seemed to be what’s known as an ’angel’ — a sorcerer who lived during the Heian Era, wielding a technique called ’Jacob’s Ladder.’ Jacob’s Ladder nullifies and extinguishes all phenomena caused by jujutsu, including innate techniques, barriers, cursed tools, cursed objects, and reincarnated bodies. The problem is that it only applies to cursed energy, which uses negative energy. It had no effect on me or the shadow soldiers, who are based on mana.
"No way... I clearly sensed dark energy... Are you truly a god? That a god has truly come to judge us..."
The angel, seeing us unharmed, looked bewildered. I waved my hand toward the angel. The angel floating in the sky was instantly divided into countless pieces of meat, falling to the ground.
Thud thud thump...
"Hiiieee!"
"Ugh..."
"I don’t want to die!"
Seeing that, some sorcerers and curses tried to flee through the shadow soldiers, but it was futile.
Slice! Slice!
"Gaah!"
"Ugh!"
The moment they approached, they were cut down and killed instantly by the shadow soldiers. I chuckled at the sight and asked them.
"Is this all you prepared?"
At my question, a massive, deformed creature stepped forward — Ryomen Sukuna. He had four arms and four eyes, with a body that looked like two people fused into one, so I recognized him immediately.
"Impressive. I couldn’t even see you cut, yet you wield such slashing attacks."
He stepped forward and praised the technique I used to cut the angel.
"So you’re the incarnated deity they’ve been talking about — Ryomen Sukuna."
"Yes, I am Ryomen Sukuna. I am grateful for your existence. My life has been utter boredom. There was no one left to challenge me, no one to oppose me. Then one day, I heard rumors that a god had descended, killing all sorcerers and curses. Intrigued, I decided to join this fight. But soon, I realized — I could never be your opponent... For the power I felt from afar was truly overwhelming."
Sukuna must have sensed the power I briefly released during the Kenjaku incident.
"I got goosebumps. I never imagined such a being could exist. Even now, my hands are drenched with sweat. How long has it been since I felt this... no, this must be the first time."
"Summarize it concisely in twenty characters."
Even when I said that, Sukuna just smiled and continued talking.
"I am very happy right now. I never knew being the challenger could be so enjoyable. You have no idea how grateful I am that you exist."
"Is that so? Then die gratefully."
I extended my hand forward and made a fist.
The space where Ryomen Sukuna stood distorted and instantly compressed. But Sukuna quickly escaped and swung his hand at me, firing a slashing attack. It seemed to be Sukuna’s technique — ’Mizushi’ (Kitchen).
Mizushi is an ancient Japanese term referring to either the palace kitchen or the cooks who worked there. True to its name, the technique Mizushi is one that embodies fire and knife (specifically, cutting ingredients). ’Kai’ and ’Hachi’ refer to ’cutting methods’ in Japanese cuisine, while ’Kamino’ also relates to using fire — meaning ’basic cooking method using fire.’ Therefore, the technique accordingly involves cutting or burning the target.
What he fired at me was ’Kai’ — a technique that fires invisible slashes at ultra-high speed, like an intangible blade. But I didn’t dodge — I used [Vector Transformation] to reflect the technique back at Sukuna.
SWISH SWISH SWOOSH!!!
"Guh! Th-this can’t be... such nonsense..."
This was the result of my research on cursed energy and techniques on the way here. For me, it’s a very good technique to practice with.
In that brief exchange, Ryomen Sukuna had been hit by multiple slashes. He was also missing one leg — a wound from when he hadn’t fully dodged my first attack.
"Impressive. No one has ever dodged my attacks before. To even counterattack... you’re quite interesting."
Just then, a pretty-boy who looked like a white-haired woman jumped forward, blocking Sukuna’s path.
"Sukuna-sama, let me fight alongside you."
"Step aside, Uraume! He’s not an opponent you can handle."
"But..."
"Do you want to die by my hand!?"
At Sukuna’s firm words, Uraume reluctantly stepped back.
"Why not fight together? If you don’t, you’ll surely die."
Sukuna chuckled and used Reverse Cursed Technique to instantly heal his wounds. His regeneration speed was beyond imagination — truly worthy of the title ’King of Curses.’
"I can’t share such pleasure with others."
"Is that so?"
Sukuna quickly approached me, swinging his four arms to attack while also firing ’Kai.’ He didn’t use ’Hachi’ — probably because ’Hachi’ has a problem: it’s a technique that cuts the target proportionally to the cursed energy they used, meaning its efficiency varies drastically depending on the disparity between Sukuna and his opponent.
For example, if Sukuna uses ’Hachi’ intending to cut an opponent twice, if the opponent is weaker than expected, depending on the level, they might be cut four times or even reduced to dust. If the opponent is comparable, the intended two slashes are applied. Conversely, if the opponent is stronger than expected, only one scratch-level cut is applied.
On the surface, this technique might seem like a bully’s tool for dominating the weak. However, given that opponents stronger than Sukuna are extremely rare, its utility is certain, and it’s considered a technique superior to ’Kai.’ The problem is that with such a rare strong opponent right in front of him, Sukuna was unable to use this technique properly.
SWISH-! SWISH-!
I blocked all his attacks with one hand, using [Vector Transformation] to deflect the incoming ’Kai’ slashes. Sukuna, instead, took damage and found himself busy healing with Reverse Cursed Technique.
"Guuh, impressive. My expectations were not wrong. To think I can’t even compete..."
Realizing he would only waste his cursed energy with no chance of victory, Sukuna stopped attacking, brought his hands together, and spoke.
"Domain Expansion: Fukuma Mizushi."
