Progress and Planning

Under the night sky, the moon illuminated the forest as somewhere in the midst of it, a scene unfolded.

A shirtless figure was sitting on a rock, its surface polished. The distant sound of the river echoed through the serene forest. In front of him was a campfire that further illuminated the area. It was Toji.

Toji was eating a large piece of cooked meat. Beside him on the ground lay the corpse of a small beast, skinned with only the bones remaining.

'Tomorrow, I'll set out from this place.' Toji thought, chewing on the food as he gazed at the fire that sparked and crackled over the wood. It had already been six years. Tonight would be the final night he stayed here.

"Stats." Toji muttered, and a translucent screen appeared before him.

[Stats:]

[Name: Toji]

[Age: 16]

[Physique: Heavenly Restriction (Transcendent Stage)]

[Cultivation Base: None. Just break through your physical limits.]

Nothing special stood out except for his physique's level. Over the past six years of training, Toji had only managed to improve his Heavenly Restriction to the Transcendent Stage. Improving this kind of physique wasn't simple. To progress, one needed to be under immense pressure to break through to the higher levels. Normal physical training had only allowed Toji to advance from the Mortal Body Stage to the Spiritual Sea Stage, a difference of just one realm.

Realizing the difficulty of improving further, Toji knew he needed to fight. Specifically, he sought out the spiritual beasts that roamed deep within the forest. Toji's luck had led him to encounter many of these creatures, most at the Spiritual Sea realm. However, the bad luck, the strongest beast he'd found was only at the Peak level of the Soul Palace realm.

Since then, Toji had fought almost daily, his battles culminating in the deaths of these beasts. He relied solely on his physical body, refraining from using weapons. This was the only way to temper his physique and improve. Facing a Peak Soul Palace realm beast had once pushed him to advance to the Transcendent Stage. Yet, for Toji, this wasn't enough as killing it was way too simple. He needed much stronger opponents, challenges that could put him on the edge of death. Only then could he potentially break through. Even heavenly tribulations weren't particularly effective given the relatively low level stages he was advancing through.

To this day, Toji didn't know if there was another way to improve beyond fighting stronger opponents. Perhaps in the future, he'd explore cultivation resources meant for physique tempering, though he wasn't certain they'd help. After all, the name of his physique was Heavenly Restriction for a reason.

But fighting wasn't all Toji had done.

"Let's see." He said after finishing his meal. Standing up, his appearance was illuminated by both the fire and the moonlight. His face had matured over the past six years, showing a more defined jawline and sharp, symmetrical features. His medium-length black hair had a layered, tousled, shaggy texture that framed his face, with strands casually falling over his forehead and sides. His sharp green eyes, slightly almond-shaped, gave him a hunter's gaze.

(Image)

Toji's upper body was a testament to perfection, each muscle sculpted symmetrically. His eight-pack abs were aligned flawlessly, his chest broad and solid, and his arms showcased detailed biceps and triceps, with thick, powerful forearms. His wide back and defined muscles tapered down to his narrow waist. Even his legs displayed the same perfection, toned and powerful, as he stood in shorts.

Raising his right hand, a black ring on his fourth finger emitted a faint purple glow. Instantly, a collection of items appeared on the ground before him.

These were weapons of various types being, two long straight-edged katanas, two small moon-shaped daggers, and a futuristic gun with bullets that faintly glowed.

These weapons were ones Toji had forged himself. While only slightly above mortal weapons, they were sturdier and more durable due to their materials, black iron and refined steel, he'd mined from mountains using nothing but his fists. These ores were common ores, typically used for apprentice-level crafting.

Of all his creations, the gun was his pride. Unlike ordinary modern firearms, it bore a futuristic and alien aesthetic. Its smooth metallic finish reflected iridescent hues. Glowing energy conduits ran along its body, leading to a crystal-like core at its center, which emitted a faint, blue light, its apparent power source. The barrel tapered into a smooth, cone-like opening, seamlessly blending into the weapon's streamlined design. With slight visible triggers, handles, or magazines, the gun appeared ergonomic yet enigmatic, exuding advanced technology and mystery.

(Image)

This weapon was made with the help of the system. While Toji had forged it himself, the system provided the necessary blueprints for its creation.

And this is where the energy-embedded pearl played a crucial role in its forging. During the process, the pearl had been placed near the Desolate Anvil. Each strike of the Desolate Hammer seemed to establish a link between the hammer and the pearl, causing the pearl to release its embedded spiritual energy into the ore that was being shaped into the gun. The result was an ultimate assassin-type weapon, perfectly suited to Toji.

To complement the gun, Toji also crafted bullets infused with spiritual energy. He had initially hoped the gun could generate its own ammunition, but it couldn't. Disappointed but undeterred, he forged his own bullets. The balance between the gun and bullets, both infused with spiritual energy, was critical. Without it, the weapon would likely explode or not give the outcome he wanted as he doubted a normal gun and bullets could pose any threat to cultivators.

"Everything is now set." Toji muttered as his ring glowed faintly again, storing the items back into its dimensional space. Tomorrow, he would leave this place.

===

The next day.

In the Eastern Wilderness of the Azure Realm.

Toji sat in an inn, eating from a bowl with chopsticks. He was dressed in a tight, black traditional martial arts outfit. One of the system's perks was the ability to create as many outfits as he needed, something Toji was grateful for, at least the system wasn't stingy.

As for currency, Toji needed spiritual ores, the standard medium of exchange in this world. For now, he had used a Spiritual Sea beast core to pay for his meal. But these cores were limited, and he couldn't afford to waste time hunting low-level beasts unless they were extraordinary being Sacred beats, and such occurrences were rare. For now, he needed a plan.

Toji considered the idea of establishing a name for himself, something akin to being a contractor. The original Toji in Jujutsu Kaisen, he was known as the Sorcerer Killer, but why? It was never personal, just business. That business was being paid to eliminate targets, to assassinate.

'But where do I start with that?' Toji thought, dazed. He genuinely had no idea how to begin.

'Wait a minute.' His eyes lit up as a thought struck him, or rather, someone came to mind. 'Ye Chen.' A wide smile spread across his face as he recalled the former protagonist of this world. Ye Chen would be the perfect starting point. After all, he already had an enemy, a transmigrator but with a Villain System.

Fortunately, Toji remembered the beginning and end of Ye Chen. Beyond that, the plot is unknown for him, but this was enough. Toji needed a way to establish his name, to make himself known so people would seek him out for contracts, providing him with stronger opponents to fight while boosting his strength, reputation and profits. To achieve that, he needed to create a scene, a moment significant enough to make his existence known.

'But what kind of scene can I create?' Toji wondered, resting his arm on the table, his chin on his palm, and tapping his cheek with a finger.

"What? The Upper Realm?!"

"While ascension is extremely difficult, descending from the Upper Realms is impossible! This goes against the laws of the universe!"

A lively conversation drew Toji's attention. At a nearby table, four people were deep in discussion. Intrigued, Toji shifted his gaze toward them.

"It's true." One of them said.

"That's right." Another added, nodding in agreement. "I heard that the person was a young man from the upper realm who defeated all the elites of the three forces trying to invade the Taixuan Sacred Land for its ten-thousand-year-old Spiritual Veins, in a single blow. Even the Great Sun Empire's Limitless Tower was destroyed."

"Bingo." Toji's smile widened as he listened. This was it, the perfect opportunity to create a scene. Based on what he overheard, it seemed the story had already progressed. He might've arrived late to this world, but this situation couldn't be more ideal.

"And it seems to be the perfect situation." Toji murmured to himself. Word had already spread about the figure from the Upper Realm, and that was Gu Changge, the transmigrator. This meant that people, even in the outskirts of the Central State, were aware of him. It was a chance to make a massive impact. Now, how should he start?

"System." Toji whispered.

[Yes, Host?]

"Are the ten-thousand-year Spiritual Veins beneficial to me in some way?" Toji asked. From the conversation, he remembered the mention of these veins within the Taixuan Sacred Land. Before acting, he needed to know if they held any value for him.

[In a physical sense, no.]

'I expected that much.' Toji thought, unsurprised by the response. The Heavenly Restriction's improvement method seemed wholly reliant on his own efforts. He was restricted from any external help when it came to advancing his physique.

[But…]

Toji perked up, noticing there was more to the system's response.

[The Spiritual Veins can be used to improve your items through forging.]

"You…" Toji's forehead twitched as veins bulged in frustration. He thought the Spiritual Veins might offer him some groundbreaking advantage. Instead, the system suggested they could be used for forging? Couldn't he just find better ores?

'Wait… Improving the items through forging?' Toji's brow furrowed as he reconsidered. Not forging entirely new weapons, but upgrading existing ones?

"System, do you mean I can upgrade the grade of all my weapons?" Toji asked, his tone sharper. He had assumed the items he possessed, the ones the original Toji used, were fixed at their current power levels. But if he could enhance them further…

[Yes, Host.]

"Heh." Toji chuckled, his smile twisting into a crazed grin. 'Now that's what I'm talking about.' Just the thought of upgrading weapons like the Inverted Spear of Heaven, Split Soul Katana, Chains of a Thousand Miles, and Chains of Heaven sent a thrill down his spine. These weapons were already overpowered in some sort of way, so the idea of pushing them even further was exhilarating.

Little did Toji know, upgrading such weapons would come with its own set of consequences he'll have to face.

"So, Taixuan Sacred Land it is." Toji stood from his seat, his decision made. This would be his first destination in this world. And with Gu Changge there, Toji was excited, not just to face him but also the formidable guard accompanying him. Of course, he'd need to play it smart to avoid dying when facing that old man.

Earlier…

"Damn it all." Ye Chen muttered as he trudged down the road, his black cloak shrouding his figure.

Anger simmered within him, fury born from endless humiliation. His steps were heavy with frustration as he reached an inn.

"Taixuan Sacred Land… Gu Changge…" Just saying those hateful names made Ye Chen's blood boil. "What you did to me yesterday, I will be sure to pay it back a hundred-" Ye Chen froze mid-sentence, his eyes widening.

'W-What the hell?' Ye Chen thought, panic overtaking him. A bone-chilling sensation washed over him, weakening his body. For a moment, he felt as if an immense mountain was pressing down on him, and his knees nearly buckled under the invisible weight.

'Who… Who was that?' Slowly, Ye Chen turned his head, his gaze locking onto the back of a man who had just passed by him. The overwhelming pressure from that fleeting moment wasn't an illusion, it was real. His body still trembled from the experience.

'Ye Chen, are you okay?'

A voice echoed in his mind, snapping him out of his daze. Glancing down at his right hand, Ye Chen saw the faint glow of a ring.

"Yes, Master, I'm fine." He muttered, exhaling slowly.

Even so, the lingering sensation remained, etched into his memory. With a final glance at the man's retreating figure, Ye Chen shook off the unease and stepped into the inn.