10th Finger

[A/N: I've got good news and bad news. Good news, it will be canon. Bad news, I will only upload once a week. BUAHAHAHAHA! Serves you right, readers!

If you want more chapters, then, force me. Force me by voting in this fanfic. Well, if not, not my problem even if I have 5 more chaps stocked.]

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Standing in front of an old and former home, Ryū stood in front of it while reminiscing about the time he grew up here until it was time for him to finally become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

This place was full of memories that he cherished so much that he eliminated any curses within a kilometer of the said home.

He thought of all the things he played with his brothers and some talks with his parents. The pride he felt coming from them assures him that this time around, he became a proper son and is a model to follow for his little brothers.

He thought about his time as a baker in his family's business. Seeing all people eat breads with a smile on their faces gave him the sense of duty being fulfilled, as well as exorcising curses that attached to people who enters the bakery.

And that's where he encountered her. Even though she's much younger than him, even though she can't entirely see curses or phantoms when they first met, he knew that she will see them soon after a few more years as he felt that her cursed energy inside is enough, but it seemed to be restricted by an unknown force.

Then, a year ago, he met her. Fear and dread filled her, causing a curse to pop up after sensing such negative emotions from her. Then, he exorcised both the spirit and the said phantom. Although, you cannot touch these phantoms, you can still exorcise them with cursed tool or by flowing your cursed energy throughout your body to touch them which, doing so, allows them to hurt you as well.

Next, his thoughts ventured into his master, Silver Sterling. Apparently, he exist as a side story of DanMachi anime of this version that showed who he was and his abilities. Although the real deal is much more powerful, the Anime version of him isn't too far-fetched as his attitude, his way of talking, his kindness covered in ice prison, it matches perfectly with his master. It was quite a shock.

Aside from that, he started to go back of what he had said before to answer the question of why does he want to get strong. When he remembered his past answer, he cringed at such cliché line. To be honest, he felt like he doesn't seem to be the same person anymore, but not entirely changed.

He's more like, changing through experience. Now, even though he wants to protect his loved ones, he will only do it when they needed it, not each time they are in kind of problem. Now, he likes to get stronger because he wants to enjoy going around the world, traveling and seeing new sights.

"I guess, Tsukumo-san's adventurousness have finally rubbed off on me. Well, traveling is good, but seeing the same thing will get it boring." He muttered to himself.

'Wait! If shishō traveled here from the DanMachi version of this world, does that mean he can help me travel to other worlds? I'm not sure if he can transport other person other than his own since I've never met anyone other than him who could travel here. Speaking of travel, how come no one recognized shishō when he's literally wearing the clothes he wore in the Anime? Magic, I guess?'

Soon, he arrived on a mountain path leading up the mountain with nothing on the summit. However, when he reached the top, the scene gradually changed and a small hut appeared just right beside of what seemed to be a forge building made of stones.

This place is none other than Silver's current base of operation.

As he entered inside, he looked around, trying to sense if his master is inside. And his master wasn't present as even his scent wasn't even there.

"*Sigh*... I guess, he's not back yet. He took way too long to come back this time. I wonder where he did go." Ryū muttered to himself.

He proceeded to go into a room with two talismans sticked into each doors. When he opened the door, he felt nothing. But when he entered inside past the doorframe, that's when he felt 9 special-grade cursed objects that are very known as cursed wombs.

Just kidding!

Those 9 cursed objects are none other than 9 fingers of Sukuna.

"Nine fingers..." He pulled something from his pocket and muttered, "This will be the tenth. I'm not gonna let them kill Yūji, nor do I let them get any of the fingers."

Now, Ryū never intended to help the Jujutsu world into obtaining the fingers of Sukuna to save the world in exchange for Yūji who is more than a friend, he's more of an idiot little brother that the elder brothers likes to hang out with.

To boost their own egos because their little brother has low IQ, but at the same time, proud to have such little brother who would help you no matter what when you are the one who needed help the most.

Well, soon he will have a little sister too, so it's like hitting two birds with one stone just by living. How? Well, he never tried to find the Itadori family nor tried to find the Zen'in family, you can say he's lucky to have meet them even without trying.

He's also a lucky bastard who got the best girl of Jujutsu Kaisen as his waif- wife which weebs would kill just to have her as theirs.

Ryū left the place. Even if the whole place isn't locked, only those with permission can get inside. How? Magic, of course! Cursed Techniques can't do shit to things that existed just before humanity lived, and Mana is way more ancient than humans, or more generally, mortals.

Although, Life existed first just a second before Mana, the first lifeforms are known as Immortal Beings, Higher Beings, Gods, Olympian, or other gods with divinity from different pantheons.

But, since this world are all about curses, cursed energy can't do shit to Magic and Mana.

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• Hinokami's Bakery •

Part-time baker, part-time sorcerer. That is the life of Ryū. I mean, he's good at baking! It must be because of his bloodline being connected to fire, and you need fire in using oven, right? But he can also do the old way of baking by using a oven that kinda looked like a forge.

Aside from that, Mieruko-chan, or just Miko-chan, always comes to this bakery to release all her fatigue by eating breads here as well as talk to her best friend who she kept protecting clumsily before. Now, the Jujutsu Association provides protection for Yurikawa Hana in exchange for her full cooperation.

But, of course, Ryū pulled a Gojō and changed the conditions to: "She will be right under me and I will personally train her. So, if you guys want to send her somewhere else, you've got to ask me first." And that's how she still have her freedom while also not scaredd of those phantoms anymore as well as exorcise many curses.

And now, she's a Grade 2 jujutsu sorcerer in just a year, which is already very impressive. Of course, Ryū didn't helped her since that would be bias in the system of promotions. Well, the first time she got promoted was from Takuma Into, who is a Grade 2 when Yotsuya was still Grade 4 sorcerer.

The next promotion was from Grade 3 to Grade 2 was none other than the same person who promoted himself, Tsukumo Yuki!

Now, he wondered who would be the next to promote her. Of course, it also depends on her if she can get more stronger.

⟨♪Riiing♪⟩

He looked at his phone and saw who was calling.

‹Nitta Akari›

"Moshimoshi! Kazu- *ahem* Ryūjin desu!"

⟨Ryū, they sent a mission for you.⟩

"Oh? First name only and no honorifics? Did you eat something suspicious?"

⟨This is no time for jokes, Ryū-kun!⟩

"And now, you're using -kun in my name~!" Ryū teased.

⟨You damn brat!⟩

Even though they're not talking face to face, he knows that her face is as red as tomato. Nonetheless, he only laughed until he knows it's more than enough.

"Anyway, what's the mission? Or should I say, assignment?"

⟨Well, your mission is go and check Jukai forest for any possible curses in there since-⟩

"It's the well known Japan's suicide forest, I know. I'll go there."

⟨Well, good luck, Ryū.⟩

"Thanks, Akarin!"

⟨Wait, what did you- *blip*⟩

'Aokigahara, here I come! Should I also buy some food so I can eat them on the way back home? I guess, I should.'

"*Sigh*... It's so satisfying to hang up the phone when they're about to complain."