Ch.26 What Does It Mean to Be a Cheater?

"Based on my understanding of jujutsu, there are only two main types of judgment mechanisms," Akira began.

"Individual judgment and curse energy judgment."

"Individual judgment can further be divided into body judgment and soul judgment."

"Body judgment is the easiest. You can summon a few cursed spirits to act as cannon fodder or borrow some cursed corpses from the principal. Wear them down bit by bit, then have Panda go in for a pounding. If that's not enough, Gardevoir can step in as backup. Once they're on their last breath, you go in for the finishing blow."

Fushiguro Megumi was dumbfounded. "Is that... even allowed?"

"The rules are fixed, but people are flexible," Akira continued, sharing his philosophy on life. "The world isn't about who follows the rules best; it's about who can bend them the most within reason. As long as you complete the shikigami taming ritual, no one cares how you do it. We jujutsu sorcerers operate outside of societal norms, in the shadows of humanity. If you don't learn to adapt, you'll die."

A delinquent like Megumi was no match for the cunning wisdom of adults, and his handsome face contorted in confusion.

"And soul judgment?" the now-enlightened youth pressed.

"That's trickier. Cursed spirits won't work, and cursed corpses might not either. We'd have to test it. But even if that doesn't work, we have cursed tools. Hit the shikigami with a cursed tool until it's softened up, and then you go in for the kill."

Akira grinned. "That's how the great Heroic King became an Archer, with the 'golden flash tactic.' Or, you could call it the 'Panda tactic,' since it's basically ancient human ingenuity at its finest."

Maki chuckled, amused. "I'm in charge of the cursed tool storage at Jujutsu High. We've got dozens of cursed tools—more than enough to bash them with."

Megumi could only blink in disbelief. "Am I being trained by outlaws? This doesn't feel right."

"Curse energy judgment is even more complicated," Akira continued. "Cursed corpses, cursed tools, and cursed spirits are all useless for that. But luckily, we've got plenty of melee fighters at Jujutsu High. Even without curse energy, they're strong. We'll restrain the shikigami, and you focus on dealing damage."

Akira cracked his knuckles while Maki flipped her ponytail, ready for battle. They looked like a pair of unstoppable forces.

On a side note, Akira had tested Gardevoir's abilities. Since her powers were based on psychic energy, which includes mental strength, it couldn't be substituted for curse energy, so she was out for this particular strategy.

"Unfortunately, all those methods won't work," Gojo Satoru chimed in, casually pouring cold water on their plans. "The Ten Shadows Technique has strict limitations. No outside forces can interfere—cursed corpses, cursed tools, cursed spirits—all of them are prohibited. Our ancestors were pretty stingy. I wonder if famous figures like Taira no Masakado or Abe no Seimei would resurrect out of sheer frustration if they knew."

As Gojo nonchalantly revealed some deep, historical truths about the Three Great Families, the mood shifted.

The origins of the Three Great Families correspond to three of Japan's most notorious vengeful spirits.

The Gojo family's origin lies with Sugawara no Michizane, one of Japan's most famous scholar-deities, known for his tragic exile.

The Zenin family traces back to Taira no Masakado, a legendary rebel who fought against the imperial court. It's said that Masakado had a son, Taira no Masakuni, who, in turn, is linked to Abe no Seimei, Japan's greatest onmyoji. Seimei's influence on the Ten Shadows Technique is undeniable.

As for the Kamo family, their roots lie with Emperor Sutoku, who, after being exiled by Emperor Go-Shirakawa, used his own blood to write cursed scriptures. Upon his death, his blood seeped from his coffin, and the Kamo family's "Blood Manipulation" technique was born from that cursed legacy.

Akira didn't doubt Gojo's judgment, but he wasn't discouraged either. He maintained a calm, knowing smile. "That's fine. There are still ways to manage this. We can use the terrain and various tools, like building a sturdy cage to trap the shikigami inside. Then, we can chip away at it with long-range attacks. We can even use modern machinery—excavators, steamrollers. If it can channel curse energy, I'll figure out how to make it work. Even if it's something as nightmarish as Cthulhu, I'll ship it out with a freight container."

"Of course, these are all external aids. You can use them, but don't rely on them. The core of the technique lies with the sorcerer. No matter what the ritual entails, it can't restrict the sorcerer. That's why I've been pushing you to focus on close combat, tool usage, and coordination with your shikigami."

Megumi's eyes widened. "The sorcerer should never be limited by the technique. It's the sorcerer who controls the technique."

"Bingo! You're not just the sum of your shikigami. Don't let the Ten Shadows Technique box you in. Like I said, the technique is dead; you are alive."

Akira glanced subtly at Gojo Satoru. This was a man who had evolved beyond the limits of his family's perfected technique, becoming not just the strongest but something truly invincible.

The only downside was that Gojo had done it instinctively, without realizing the significance behind his actions. He hadn't passed that understanding on to others.

That's the difference between a genius and a regular person. A genius operates by intuition, while regular people need to painstakingly summarize and refine every little detail just to keep up.

Akira was grateful for his Pokémon Trainer System, which allowed him to start from scratch, watching and learning everything from the ground up. It was this system that made him a competent teacher, opening new doors for his students.

From that day onward, Fushiguro Megumi was no longer just the delinquent "Fushiguro." He became a dedicated student of jujutsu.

"I understand now. Please continue to guide me, Akira-senpai, and everyone else as well. I'll master all the shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique. When that day comes—"

"Bring it on," Maki said with a smirk, beckoning with her hand.

"Count me in," Panda chimed in, raising a paw.

"Salmon," Inumaki added, ever the man of few words.

Akira smiled as he watched the scene unfold.

Jujutsu Kaisen may carry the banner of a hot-blooded shonen, but in truth, it leaned more into the grim side of things—death, injuries, and tragedies were commonplace. But with Akira's help, perhaps things would turn out better this time.

He couldn't help but wonder, though—if Megumi grew stronger, would Yuji Itadori still consume Sukuna's fingers and become the catalyst for everything?

But maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. A good-hearted person like Yuji deserved to live in the light, not in the shadows.

As for the villains, Akira had plenty of time to hunt them down one by one.

The darkness is always unpleasant. The light is much better.

"We all need to become stronger, and then we can do something meaningful for this world," Akira muttered to himself.

It was at that moment that Gojo admitted, "You're better suited to teaching than I am. When it comes to guiding students, I can't compare. I'll leave the first-years, Megumi, and the upcoming transfer student in your hands. Just let me know if you need anything."

"No need for now. I've already been paid."

He wasn't talking about money—although salary and royalties were nice—but the emotional rewards. The genuine respect from the students and his mother Hayami's peaceful, contented smile meant far more to him.

Moreover, there was something else—something new from his system.

[Trainer Meme detected. Collecting and converting... New Trainer Template unlocked: Green.]

No wonder Megumi was the second male lead, with his spiky hair and all. Now Akira truly knew what it meant to be a cheater in the game of life (cue tactical lean back).