Cursed Ritual

The entrance of my room opened, and out came a small group of people.

Almost all of them wore dark blue masks. They just wore plain masks with eyeholes, no animal masks. However, one of them was showing his face.

He appeared to be a helpless old man but was surprisingly fit and muscular for his age. He had a ponytail and a thick beard. Although he was wearing a white robe, the muscles on his showed that this guy was not normal. I could also smell something similar to Dragon's scent.

As if to confirm my thoughts, I saw the symbol of the Sugawara Clan on his robes.

"Master, this is the Curse of Gluttony. We believe it needs physical contact to initiate a technique, so as long as you perform it a meter away from the chains, the ritual won't be interrupted." A masked man stood forward and pointed at me.

The maskless leader answered, "Very well, I will begin the ritual... Remember that during my rest, all orders from Dragon must be followed. With this, Kaneyori's seal will only last another five years at best... Until I recover, seek out another Cursed Womb using all our manpower. I promise the royal court will fall someday with everyone's assistance."

After his serious answer, the soldiers took a step back. The leader stepped forward and pulled out a piece of cloth. It was a long fabric and completely black. It was a shade so black with no other colors; it seemed that light was absorbed into it without ever returning.

As the man pulled out the fabric, he used gloves and carefully wrapped the cloth around my eyes. After a few moments, I noticed my vision was completely empty. If I could move in these chains, I would resist, but after being blindfolded, I realized my body's strength was completely gone. It was even worse than the seals in this room.

As my body fell to the ground, I tried to speak, but my mouth stayed shut. Although I couldn't see anything, the old leader said, "Submerge into the light, brighter than luminosity. Seal that which is shackled."

As the man spoke, I noticed a burning sensation travel across my wrists and ankles where the chains were placed. I suddenly felt heavy, as the burning sensation grew across my body... Is this death? I can't believe it's happening so soon. And so painfully!

The leader continued, "The time of fetters cometh. The Magistrate, whom ascended upon the boundary of frailty, shatter! Now, Gabimaru, Cursed Sin of Gluttony, distort into malevolent thoughts!"

As he said this, I felt my body float and the blindfold fall off my face. Then, to my surprise, the old man forced an enormous rush of dark energy into me. As I looked around, I noticed my body became very short, the size of a piece of paper on the ground.

That's when I realized I was staring at the leader with a weird perspective. It was like my vision was diagonal for some reason. Also, the burning sensation disappeared.

When I blinked, I noticed my vision go completely dark. After straining my eyes, I returned to the short diagonal perspective. Something really strange must have happened.

"Sir, why does that fabric have an eyeball?! Does that have to do with the ritual?" I saw one of the soldiers behind the leader ask.

The leader coughed some blood and slowly answered, "It's... Normal. The seal forced the Special Grade... into the cloth. It can sometimes use cursed energy to create a body part, but never anything like an arm or leg... This seal used too much energy... Quickly give it to Kaneyori... Before his old seal gains enough cursed energy to incarnate!"

As the old man spoke, his body fell to the ground. Some masked soldiers picked him up and escorted his body away somewhere. Similar to him, my body was picked up using a wooden stick as they brought my blindfold body to another building.

All I could think about was how it was finally time for me to leave this place. Unfortunately, I still wasn't allowed to leave, as they just forced it on me like they forced me to do other things in the past. However, they were just leading me down to some random room.

...

When I entered the room, I saw a small child wearing a black blindfold. One of the guards then unwrapped the blindfold carefully and stored it in a container. Once he finished, I was then wrapped around the boy's eyes.

Once they finished wrapping me around the boy, the guards left without speaking.

"Welcome to my face. Your name is Gabimaru, is it not?"

I figure out the voice was coming from below me. It seemed the boy I was tied to was speaking.

It felt like shit to be pushed around all the time... Wait! Can I use my technique on this little bra-

"You must be wondering if your mind control technique works. I hate to bring the bad news, but your techniques are completely sealed within this fabric. I can explain the situation; just let me grab some tea first." The boy under me spoke.

Goddammit! These bastards really are overestimating my technique and causing so much trouble for me! It's also not like I can just tell them my technique cannot be used on people who do not think about me regularly! Shit! This loyalty-based ordering isn't mind control! Or else I would have escaped this shithole a long time ago!

Suddenly, the boy got up and brought us to a small closet, where he started making tea.

...

After a few minutes, the boy sipped his tea.

I quickly asked him, "Little brat, where are we, and why am I inside a blindfold on your face?"

"Oh, it's always so strange seeing a blindfold grow a mouth just to speak before it quickly dissipates in the air. Anyway, you are in the Sugawara Clan. The reason for the blindfold is something even I am not completely knowledgeable about; only my grandfather knows." He answered me in a very calm voice.

He continued to speak with unexpected surprise, "My deepest apologies! I forgot to mention; my name is Sugawara no Kaneyori, the young master. Recently, I turned five years old and needed you to replenish the seal."

Hmm... That name seems familiar. Probably from one of my history classes. Sugawara... Kaneyori!

Now I remember! This guy... Kaneyori isn't simple!

In Japan, there is the story of the three vengeful ghosts, which were based on true stories. Then there is Sugawara no Michizane, the one who was one of the vengeful ghosts during the Heian period.

But his true name was suspected never to have been Michizane, as that was a posthumous name out of respect. His real birth name... was Sugawara no Kaneyori!

This man was the great ancestor of both Okkotsu Yuta and Gojo Satoru! This is the guy who will create my greatest thorn in the 21st century! That's unless I find some way to make use of the situation to prevent the Gojo-pocalypse.

No! Forget Gojo! The entire tradition and history of Japan and sorcery depends on this brat! I literally have myself wrapped around a future deity and source of Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers.

...

After some time, I finally could calm down and realize the situation.

Kaneyori took a sip from his tea and asked me, "You don't seem to be the only member of your 'family' of curses, right? As a scholar, I take note of all supernatural and academic categories. If I recall correctly, you are a set of Special Grade curses: Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Wrath, and Pride..."

After another sip, he continued, "Gluttony, symbolizing over-indulgence and over-consumption, a complete lack of self-control. It doesn't explain your technique, but rather your behavior since you have been ordering 'unique' dishes from the outside. If I stumble across another one of your kind, I'll not generalize the symbolism to the techniques, but their state of mind."

This little brat... Is he really five years old? Based on the last few minutes, I can already consider him a child genius. But what's with the over explanation about my sin? It's just a fun little nickname I picked up from my past life. Although, I must admit that the behavior part is somewhat true.

The brat smirked and said, "Considering your silence, I assume it's true that your technique is your only strength. At least I don't have to worry about anything happening in my sleep, like with the other guy before you. I haven't even been allowed to use my technique once, so someone as weak as myself could only rely on Cursed Tools. Even a bracelet I'm wearing represses all cursed energy around me."

"Hmm, do you mean that all cursed energy techniques are ineffective? Also, cursed energy is severely repressed around your body?" I asked him.

"Ha, that's just with the blindfold and bracelet. Don't underestimate the Sugawara's wealth. We are ranked highly among the Royal Court. Considering your negligible energy, the seal may even last long enough until we find a replacement. Though I am still quite curious as to why you didn't escape earlier with such a strong technique..." Kaneyori pondered as he put down his cup of tea.

So the rich brat has a few Cursed Tools which nullify all forms of cursed subjects, strange. Considering this family knows about techniques, I would assume they would use them in their personal goals. And how is this brat so good at guessing? I should be quiet, or I might accidentally expose something unnecessarily.

For now, I'll just wait for the five days to pass, so I can leave a mark on that girl's mother using my pinky.

...

Five days passed, and I was able to afford another Faith Mark. During this short period, I've come to learn some things while meditating inside this blindfold.

As a cursed spirit, my growth depends on the amount of negative emotions and energy related to me. All curses have innate racial superiority over humans. Theoretically, as a curse, I can grow without limits.

Cursed energy comes from negative emotion, and as curses have always existed alongside humanity, the older they are, the more time they have to accumulate stories and energy throughout history. Of course, someone at my level would be unable to resist the seal of Special Grade Cursed Tools which not only nullify techniques, but even cursed energy.

Thus I had only one option: Mark the little girl's mother, use the rest of the pinky to mark the father, and wait until I have enough faith to spread the word of 'Gluttony' using that family. If everything went well, I would be able to escape before the five year deadline.

However, that was the supposed situation around five days ago. Now, I knew some critical information.

After thinking about it clearly... do I even have an innate technique?

Kaneyori says so. Dragon says so. Even brother Monkey would have said so.

Now here's the question: What is that technique? Is it Cult Creation? Contract Creation? Nope!

I've never possessed an innate or inherited technique. So, does that mean the rules of cursed energy suppression or cursed technique nullification work? After testing my Contract Creation, I can say confidently, Chainsaw Man Traits are free to use! There is no limit or input to use them.

Well, well, well? How does that get me out of a situation where I only have a pinky and a blindfold to activate the 'physical contact' condition of creating a Follower? So many questions, right? Well, here's the answer: Sugawara no Kaneyori.

He's literally wearing me on his face!

Ironically, I've been so blind that I thought a blindfold could nullify everything. Haha, what a joke!

Little girl, don't lose that pinky I gifted to you! I'm gonna be coming for your mom next, so hold it tightly!

After this, Gluttony's rise will be on the horizon!

[Cult: Yama's Court, Level: 1, Marks: 0, Followers: 2, Faith: 0]

Welcome to Yama's Court, little Kaneyori... I wonder if converting you will change the course of history in the future. Well, even if this doesn't, I will find another way to do so! We are not taking any chances against the Gojo-pocalypse!

Isn't that right little Kaneyori, or rather, Michizane?

+ 2 Faith

Sunset? Well, time for bed soon. I can't wait for tomorrow.

...

~Two weeks later~

Exactly two weeks passed since the evening when I turned Kaneyori into my follower. I'm roughly two months old now.

I've made good progress, but I've also realized a terrible mistake I made.

In the past, when I ordered the little girl to feed half of my pinky to her mom, I assumed that my mark would be ready at the time. However, I instead spent my Mark on Kaneyori. So, uh, when the little girl fed my pinky to her, nothing happened.

Pretty stupid mistake... I wasted 5 Faith on the order, which is a big loss. Just that order alone could have created suspicions and have my influence discovered. But the biggest loss was the half pinky I fed the mother. It was already many days later before I could afford another mark, and that pinky of mine was already down the shitter.

It's too bad I can't take back orders I make or ask for a refund.

In conclusion, I only had half a pinky, which was barely enough to be considered big enough for the 'physical touch' condition of creating a Follower. Any smaller and the pinky would just register as a random piece of cursed energy not affiliated to my main body.

It was really starting to feel like I was on a deserted island, and that pinky was my communication device to the outside world. Now, that device only had one charge left to use.

Of course, I was in a dilemma.

The situation a few weeks ago was dire, and that family's complete conversion to Yama's Court would have prevented any suspicion. Now, the problem was that if I converted the mother, the father would definitely catch on.

Currently, my options are: Convert the mom and pray the two girls don't get reported, or I can convert the mom and kill the father discreetly.

Any other option to give the pinky to someone else was impossible. Really, who would eat a random meal from a little girl during chaotic ancient times? Only family could eat what their daughter make them without being suspicious of their strange cooking behavior. Everything came down to suspicion, and avoiding it was key to growing.

This is especially true since Dragon was definitely aware that there must be a chance of me touching a few people during my escape a few weeks ago. That guy was smart and I have no doubt that his spies are monitoring many families. This would make killing the father even harder, but it's also very important to do.

That was the dilemma...

However, to move my focus, I looked at the progress I made. I couldn't suppress a smirk from inside the blindfold.

[Cult: Yama's Court, Level: 1, Marks: 1, Followers: 2, Faith: 10]

I created a Mark to hold just incase the mother or father became suspicious. During this time, I can only pray my connection with that girl doesn't disconnect.

Everything has been too stressful lately... How will I ever reach 100 Followers to cross the next Level?

Well, while that little girl is secretly spreading news of 'Gluttony' to keep my image in the mind of others, I will work on increasing Kaneyori's loyalty. I've been doing my best for a few days while crying myself to sleep thinking about the loss of half a pinky, which I STILL haven't regenerated!

"Hey! Hey! Kaneyori!" I ask him, forming my lips from cursed energy on the blindfold.

This little brat was taking a nap. After rubbing his eyes, he asked, "What is it Gabimaru?"

- 5 Faith

"Form a contract with me. Also, you will forget everything related to this contract after you sign it." I gave an order using the Faith.

However, just like before, Kaneyori answered with shock, "Hell no! Wait? How the hell do you have telepathy?! Is this another technique?!"

- 5 Faith

I give another order, "Forget everything that happened in the last two minutes. When this happens, you will feel sleepy."

When I gave this order, he calmed down and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he was snoring again.

...

As I thought, Kaneyori's loyalty wasn't high enough. Making him sign a contract was something he innately refused in his soul. Most curses could use it, so he likely developed a subconscious level of rejection towards them, like the humans from Chainsaw Man.

I have already tried this method previously and the results were similar. This means 20 Faith was wasted and I likely made no additional progress.

Obviously, the issue was the lack of loyalty. I could always gather Faith, but raising loyalty was an impossible task without alerting the target. Maybe it's my lack of experience, but this problem seems unsolvable. I am in a deadlock of Followers, suspicions, and loyalty. It really seems that the only solution to my never ending worries was to wait things out.

At the very least, time was the thing I lacked the least...