Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

"Don't worry!"

When Kenjaku said this, he wasn't simply trying to provoke Jogo.

"I just want to confirm something."

"Confirm what?" asked Hanami. Up until now, Hanami had remained silent, watching the situation unfold as if he were just an observer. But that didn't mean he would stand by and let himself be used without understanding why.

"There's something unusual about Ryuji's powers and techniques. Abilities that shouldn't belong to him," Kenjaku said, recalling the recent broadcast.

That "Malevolent Shrine" ability, for example—that domain was something he knew should belong to the King of Curses, Sukuna. Kenjaku had seen it before and was familiar with its nuances.

That wasn't a power Ryuji should have control over.

So why could Ryuji use it? Was it just some kind of mimicry technique?

Over the years, Kenjaku had encountered many sorcerers and techniques. Among them were copy techniques, but Ryuji's power didn't align with any of the mimicry techniques Noritoshi had seen before.

What was it?

He was deeply curious.

In truth, Kenjaku's purpose was straightforward: he wanted to explore the limits of human potential. The reason he sought to revive Sukuna and bring about chaos was, at its core, for this purpose to see how far humanity could evolve.

That was why he had experimented with the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings.

In a way, Kenjaku was a madman willing to create chaos and destruction in pursuit of his dream. But his commitment couldn't be denied. Spending over a thousand years pursuing a single goal required a rare kind of persistence.

Originally, Kenjaku had focused all his ambitions on Sukuna, hoping that the revived Curse King would push humanity to its limits. But now, he had a new candidate—Ryuji.

Perhaps Ryuji could become something even greater, even more powerful, than Sukuna.

But first, he needed to test Ryuji.

"You're so long-winded. I can't even understand half of what you're saying!" Jogo muttered. Compared to Kenjaku, his thoughts were much simpler. He didn't care about lofty goals; all he knew was that Noritoshi had just sent a fellow curse spirit to its death.

"Fine, think of it this way: I want to find out exactly how strong Ryuji is," Kenjaku said, deciding to provide a simple explanation to appease his companions.

"Ah, I get it now." Jogo seemed to understand, though he was still disgruntled. Even if it was just a test, he felt it was disrespectful to throw away a curse spirit's life so casually.

"Relax," Kenjaku said smoothly. "When the time comes, Sukuna's power will be enough to defeat Ryuji." He said this as if to reassure the other curses, though he had already started formulating another plan.

"Besides," Kenjaku added, "this firearm curse spirit is a product of the new era, completely different from you all, right?"

"..."

Jogo didn't have a counterargument. It was true—he and the other older curses didn't see these new curses as true companions. That was why he hadn't intervened earlier. His only real allies were Hanami, Mahito, and Dagon. They were the ones who understood him, the ones who had shared laughter and battles together.

At the thought of Dagon, a shadow crossed Jogo's face.

"Jogo." Hanami placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, sensing his sadness.

"Next time, before we act, we need to fully understand this human's abilities. We can't afford another impulsive mistake."

Their last act of recklessness had cost them Dagon. They couldn't let that happen again.

"I know," Jogo muttered, slowly regaining his composure, though his single eye still glinted with anger.

Kenjaku, observing the exchange, only smiled faintly. It was impossible to tell what he was really thinking.

---

"Wow, that's amazing!" Chika exclaimed, wide-eyed after hearing Ryuji's stories of exorcising curses. She looked at him with admiration.

"Ryuji-san! Ryuji-san! Next time you go curse-hunting, can I come along?"

Before he could respond, she had already latched onto his arm. Her obvious enthusiasm and her somewhat exaggerated chest didn't go unnoticed.

"Chika!" Kaguya gave her friend a strained smile. "Ryuji-san must be exhausted from all his work. Don't pester him."

This "Earth's Problem Child" was pushing her limits. She needed to be stopped, preferably with a swift penalty. Or maybe even execution! Kaguya felt a pang of jealousy.

"It's fine," Ryuji replied with a smile, shrugging casually.

Kaguya interpreted this as favoritism toward Chika, and her mood dropped a bit. But then, Ryuji placed a gentle hand on her head.

"Kaguya, you're welcome to join me, too, if you want."

"Really?" she asked, her previous gloom immediately lifting.

"Of course," he replied with a nod.

Kaguya's heart soared. So, Ryuji still liked her best after all. The inner villain in her mind was practically cackling with triumph.

---

"Shouldn't we be going over to greet him?" Erina asked, puzzled, as she looked at her grandfather. She understood why they were at the banquet—to build a connection with Ryuji. So why were they waiting?

"Let's hold back a little longer," Senzaemon Nakiri replied in a low voice.

Erina's confusion deepened, but her cousin, Alice, took the opportunity to speak up.

"Oh, Erina, you really don't know anything, do you?" Alice said, a hint of smugness in her tone.

Though Alice often teased Erina, deep down, she didn't truly dislike her cousin. She just had a competitive streak, always wanting to prove herself against Erina, especially in cooking. She had yet to win a single match between them, and that stung her pride.

"Not long ago, a minor consortium tried to recruit Ryuji by threatening his loved ones," Alice explained openly.

"How despicable!" Erina said, frowning. Such tactics were truly underhanded.

"So, what happened to that consortium?" she asked.

"Oh, they're gone," Alice replied, as if it were obvious. "What do you think would happen to anyone dumb enough to mess with a top sorcerer?"

"Gone?" Erina echoed, a bit lost.

"Yes, gone. As in, wiped out. Not a single one of them left alive."

Alice remembered her own surprise when she first heard the news, though it made sense the more she thought about it. But she realized her cousin was still a bit sheltered.

"That's… that's ruthless," Erina muttered. She couldn't believe Ryuji would go that far. When she first met him, he'd seemed so friendly and kind. Now, she was seeing a different side of him.

"Times have changed, cousin," Alice said, suddenly finding Erina's naivety boring. "Now we're in the sorcerers' era. If you're reckless enough to threaten them, what do you expect?"

Erina opened her mouth to protest, about to say that she wouldn't have gone to such extremes, even if threatened.

"Erina," Senzaemon interrupted her, his tone serious. "Be careful what you say."

Some things were better left unspoken. He could see that his granddaughter had been shielded from the harshness of the real world. She could think what she liked in private, but here, she had to be cautious.

Erina fell silent, though the conflicted expression on her face remained.

---

Ryuji, on the other side of the room, had overheard everything. With his heightened senses, it was easy to catch their conversation. The white-haired girl with red eyes—Alice Nakiri—had caught his attention. Her appearance was distinct, and he found her perspective interesting.

When Alice noticed Ryuji glancing her way, she was startled. Had he heard everything?

Ryuji simply raised his glass to her with a slight smirk, then looked away.

Alice returned the toast, a faint blush on her cheeks. For some reason, she felt oddly validated, and her earlier awkwardness dissipated.

Both Erina and Senzaemon noticed her actions. Senzaemon felt a bit of relief—this was a good start. Erina, however, remained silent, feeling a strange sense of inadequacy. She had always been the center of attention, yet Ryuji hadn't even looked her way.

---

"Let's go over now," Senzaemon finally said, gesturing for both his granddaughters to join him.

"Alright!" Alice agreed instantly. She was eager to make her introduction.

Erina hesitated, but Alice teased her with a smirk. "If you're too scared, Erina, you can just wait here."

"Who said I'm scared?" Erina shot back immediately.

***

For every 300 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 100+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.