2 The adventure starts

As I lounged in the back seat of the car, my handler droned on and on about the mission ahead. His voice, a monotonous melody in the background, barely registered as I let my thoughts wander.

The mission, as he described it, seemed deceptively simple: eliminate the curse spirit plaguing Satozakura High School before it could wreak any more havoc. But I knew better. There was always more to these missions than met the eye, especially when they involved me.

I couldn't shake the feeling that this whole thing was just a distraction, a way for those old geezers at the top to get rid of me. And why? Because I'm too damn powerful for their liking. It's a classic case of jealousy, if you ask me.

But as much as I'd love to give those geezers a piece of my mind, I had bigger fish to fry. Like figuring out how to navigate this mission without causing a ripple in the timeline. See, the thing about this situation I'm in is that one wrong move and I could end up screwing everything up. And trust me, I've seen enough sci-fi movies to know that's not a risk worth taking.

So here I am, stuck between a rock and a hard place, trying to come up with a plan that doesn't involve getting myself killed or messing with the space-time continuum. Fun times, right?

I let out a long sigh, running a hand through my hair as I tried to clear my mind. "Focus, Kazuya," I scolded myself. I've got a mission to complete, whether I like it or not.

But as much as I tried to push away the nagging thoughts in my head, they just kept coming back. Killing off Mahito seemed like the most logical solution, but that would only complicate things further. And let's be real: I don't need any more complications in my life.

With Hakumen Toji and Asta by my side, taking down Mahito should be a walk in the park. But revealing my trump cards this early in the game? Not exactly my style. I prefer to keep my enemies guessing. Thank you very much.

And then there's Kenjaku, lurking in the shadows like the sneaky bastard he is. Another problem I need to deal with, but one step at a time, right?

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the noise of my handler's voice and focus on the task at hand. "Relax, Kazuya," I told myself. "You've got this."

Leaning back in my seat, I considered my options. Striking a deal with Mahito seemed like the only viable solution at this point. After all, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I was nothing if not adaptable.

But Mahito's curse technique... Now that's a whole other can of worms. Manipulating the souls of anyone he touches? Talk about a terrifying power. But hey, I've faced worse, right?

My curse technique, Deadman's Quota, gives me the ability to summon shikigamis based on characters from games, anime, comics, you name it. It's a pretty neat trick, if I do say so myself. But that's not all. I can also create shikigamis from scratch, based on anyone or anything I choose.

Take Sukuna, for example. I could whip up a shikigami version of him and infuse him with Gojo's abilities on top in no time. But there's a catch. Before I can use any of these custom abilities, I need to take a hit or gain a thorough understanding of how their powers work. No shortcuts are allowed.

Some might say I should stick to summoning, but where's the fun in that? Sure, my summons come with their own set of character traits, but my creations? They're like blank canvases, waiting to be molded into whatever I desire.

It's like a game, really. My summons are presets, while my creations are custom builds. And while I could fuse with my shikigamis, there's always the risk of them overwriting my personality. No thanks.

As for Mahito's power... Well, let's just say I'm tempted. The thought of adding another tool to my arsenal is too good to pass up. But I'll need to tread carefully. One wrong move, and I could end up playing right into his hands.

But hey, that's the name of the game, isn't it? Adapt or die. And I'll be damned if I let some cursed spirit get the best of me.

With a smirk, I cracked open my eyes, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. Bring it on, Mahito. I'm ready for you.

As my handler's voice broke through the haze of my thoughts, I glanced out the window and saw the school gates looming ahead. It was showtime.

Stepping out of the car, I leaned in through the window and shot Kaito, my handler, a warning look. "Hold off on setting up the veil until I give the signal," I muttered, my tone brooking no argument.

Kaito nodded, understanding the drill, before driving off to a safe distance. With a sigh, I turned and made my way towards the school grounds, my senses on high alert.

But before I could take another step, I decided to perform a couple of incantations to summon my trusty shikigamis. First up was Hakumen Toji, the King of Ops and heaven divider. With a few muttered words, the samurai materialized before me, clad in white armor with a dragon motif. I still can't get over the fact that I made this guy straight out of a fantasy game, with armor that screamed "badass."

Next was Asta, the loud-as-hell midget in black. Another incantation later, and the humanoid demon stood beside Hakumen, ready for action. This dude was a humanoid demon, complete with horns, wings, and a tail—the whole shebang. And let's not forget those four swords he was packing. Talk about intimidating.

With my shikigamis at the ready, I entered the building, my eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of trouble. Mahito may be elusive, but I wasn't about to let him slip through my fingers.

I considered summoning a tracker shikigami to aid in my search, but decided against it for now. No need to rush, after all. Patience is a virtue, or so they say.

As I roamed the halls, I kept my senses sharp, listening for any telltale signs of Mahito's presence. But, try as I might, there was nothing. Not even a whisper of his cursed energy.

Just as I was about to give up and try another approach, I heard it. The sound of grunts is echoing from somewhere nearby. Curiosity piqued, and I followed the noise, my shikigamis trailing behind me like silent sentinels.

And there, at the back of the school building, I found them. Four guys, stomping mercilessly on someone who lay crumpled on the ground.

My eyes narrowed as I took in the scene before me. The victim—a thin young man with green eyes and shoulder-length brown hair—looked painfully familiar. Junpei.

For a moment, I hesitated, a brief flash of memories flickering through my mind. Memories of my own past, of being bullied and beaten down, before it all faded into the background.

With a resigned sigh, I shook off the memories and strode forward, my gaze hardening as I approached the bullies.

"Hey!" I called out, my voice cutting through the air like a knife. "What do you think you're doing?"

The four thugs turned towards me, their expressions shifting from amusement to irritation as they sized me up. The leader, a cocky son of a bitch, stepped forward, his lip curling into a sneer.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" he spat, his words dripping with disdain.

Without missing a beat, I lunged forward, my fists flying as I unleashed a barrage of blows on the bastard's body. Six hits in rapid succession, followed by a swift trip, sent him crashing to the ground.

As he lay there, dazed and disoriented, I delivered one final blow, my foot connecting with his face with a sickening crunch.

The other three thugs watched in horror, frozen in place, as they realized they'd messed with the wrong guy.

With a satisfied smirk, I turned and walked away, leaving them to nurse their wounds and think twice before picking on someone again.

Mahito could wait. Right now, there are more pressing matters at hand.

Crouching down beside Junpei's prone form, I felt the familiar surge of anger boiling within me. Part of me wanted nothing more than to give the rest of his bullies a taste of their own medicine, but I knew better than to let my emotions get the best of me.

Instead, I focused my attention on Junpei, summoning the reverse curse technique to undo the damage done to his body. I watched in satisfaction as his injuries vanished before my eyes, leaving him sitting up in wonder and awe.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice softer than usual.

Junpei blinked up at me, confusion evident in his eyes. "Y-Yeah... I think so," he stammered, gingerly testing his limbs.

I nodded, a sense of satisfaction washing over me as I watched his injuries vanish before my eyes. "Good. Take care of yourself, kid," I said, offering him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before standing up.

Junpei's eyes widened in disbelief as he examined his body, noting the absence of any injuries or pain. "Who... who are you?" he stammered, his voice filled with awe.

I simply shrugged, a nonchalant smirk playing at the corners of my lips. "Just a guy passing through," I replied cryptically, not bothering to offer up any more information.

Junpei's gaze shifted to his bullies, or rather, the leader who lay sprawled on the ground, nursing his wounds. With a determined glint in his eyes, he turned back to me.

I stood up, dusting off my hands as I glanced around, my senses on high alert. And then, it hit me—a flare of curse energy emanating from the school gym.

I reached for my phone, quickly dialing my handler's number. "Set up the veil," I instructed, my voice tense with urgency. Within seconds, a dark dome of energy enveloped the premises, shielding us from prying eyes.

I was already moving towards the school gym, my shikigamis trailing behind me like loyal guardians.

As I approached the gym, a sense of foreboding washed over me, sending shivers down my spine. Something wasn't right. My shikigamis fell into battle formation beside me. As I kicked open the door, sending it flying with a resounding crash, I was greeted by a horrifying sight.

Several students had been turned into transfigured humans, their bodies contorted and twisted beyond recognition. And standing in the center of it all was the culprit—a human-looking cursed spirit with a patchwork face and a malevolent glint in his eyes.

Mahito.

Without hesitation, I grabbed a nearby basketball and infused it with curse energy, hurling it towards him with all the force I could muster.

The ball collided with Mahito's chest, sending him crashing into the far wall with a satisfying thud. As he staggered to his feet, a surprised expression crossed his face.

But before I could make another move, a terrified voice cut through the chaos.

"Please, help me!" cried a girl, her eyes wide with fear as she cowered in the corner of the gym while a transfigured human was about to eat her. Hakumen acted immediately and sliced off the transfigured human's limbs before throwing the girl towards the exit. Jeez, dude, I know you have issues but did you have to throw her like that.

Motioning for her to run, I called out, "Go! Get out of here!"

She wasted no time in obeying, disappearing into the safety of the hallway as I turned my attention back to Mahito.

Our gazes locked in a silent battle of wills, neither of us backing down.

"So, you're the one causing all this trouble," I said, my voice dripping with disdain.

Mahito chuckled, his eyes gleaming with malice. "And who might you be? Butting in with my fun so suddenly, that could have killed me, you know?"

"Suck it up, patch face; you and I both know that ball barely hurt you," I replied, my tone cold and determined.

With a flick of his wrist, Mahito summoned several transfigured humans to his side, their twisted forms shambling towards me with unnatural movements.

But I was ready for them. With a swift motion, I summoned Hakumen and Asta to my side, the two shikigamis springing into action with lethal precision.

The tension crackled in the air like static electricity as Kazuya and Mahito faced off, their shikigamis poised for battle. With a lazy smirk, Kazuya motioned for Hakumen and Asta to attack, while Mahito's lips curled into a sadistic grin as he watched the chaos unfold.

Hakumen and Asta moved with deadly precision, cutting through Mahito's transfigured humans like a hot knife through butter. But Mahito remained unfazed, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight as he taunted Kazuya.

"You call those shikigamis?" he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "They're about as threatening as a couple of kittens."

Kazuya rolled his eyes, barely bothering to dignify Mahito's taunts with a response. "Says the guy who's hiding behind a bunch of mindless goons," he retorted, his tone laced with lazy amusement.

But Mahito wasn't done yet. With a cruel chuckle, he continued to provoke Kazuya, his words like daggers aimed at his opponent's pride. "I hope you're not too attached to those shikigamis of yours. They won't last long against my transfigured humans."

Kazuya merely shrugged, his expression bored. "We'll see about that," he replied nonchalantly, though inwardly he was seething with frustration at Mahito's taunts.

As the battle raged on, Mahito's sadistic laughter echoed off the walls of the gym, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked within. But Kazuya remained focused, his mind working overtime as he searched for a way to gain the upper hand.

Mahito was unfazed, his twisted grin never faltering as he watched the carnage unfold. "Is that the best you can do, Kazuya?" he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "I expected more from someone who fancies himself a powerful sorcerer."

Kazuya merely rolled his eyes, his lazy smirk never leaving his lips. "Save your breath, Mahito," he retorted, his tone dismissive. "You'll need it to scream when I'm through with you."

With a wicked grin, Mahito turned his attention to the healing shikigami, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "I'll enjoy tearing that one apart," he taunted, his voice dripping with sadistic delight.

But Kazuya was ready for him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Hakumen and Asta charging towards Mahito, their blades flashing in the dim light of the gym. As they clashed with Mahito's remaining transfigured humans, Kazuya and Mahito locked eyes, each sizing up the other as they watched their monsters do battle. Mahito couldn't help but be impressed by the skill and power of Kazuya's shikigamis. It was almost as if he were watching two skilled warriors fighting for their king, rather than mere summons.

A faint hum of appreciation escaped Mahito's lips as he observed the spectacle before him. Inwardly, he felt a surge of inspiration, silently thanking Kazuya for providing such an entertaining display.

On the other hand, Kazuya's mind was racing with a different set of thoughts. As he watched Mahito closely, he pondered how to trick him into using his curse technique without falling victim to it himself. He recalled Nanami's narrow escape from Mahito's grasp, but the exact method still eluded him.

The simple domain or flooding his soul with curse energy were possible options, but Kazuya knew he needed to put on a convincing act to lure Mahito in and forced the spirit into making a heavenly vow. And to do that, he needed to acquire Mahito's technique first.

With a decisive nod, Kazuya made his move, summoning another shikigami to the fray. This one appeared as a robed shinigami, wielding healing powers that boosted Kazuya's own strength.

Mahito's eyes narrowed as he observed the newcomer, recognizing its potential threat. With a taunting smirk, he called out to Kazuya, "Cheater!"

Kazuya chuckled, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I'm not playing fair, Mahito. I'm playing to win," he retorted, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief.

But Mahito wasn't about to back down. With a wicked gleam in his eye, he launched himself into the fray, his movements fluid and graceful as he danced between the battling creatures.

"You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve, kid" Mahito taunted, his voice filled with cruel amusement. "But too bad yours won't be enough to save you from what's coming."

Kazuya shrugged, his lazy demeanor belying the determination burning within him. "Oh, really? Care to test that patch face?" he replied, his voice calm and confident despite the chaos unfolding around them.