章節 30: Moment of Peace

Turns out, Shuichi's necklace had been taken by Gojo Satoru for 'observation'. He mentioned the necklace having a rather peculiar curse, something that made to analyze anything and everything it could.

Which was... surprisingly accurate. Then again, could anything lesser be expected from the bearer of the six eyes?

He left a note at the spot the necklace had been kept, which was at the cursed armory of the Jujutsu Headquarters.

All things considered, Shuichi wanted to head in there and absorb all the curse energy from the weapons stored inside. Alas, he could not do so. Though if he did, he did not doubt that his cursed energy reserves would go through a significant increment.

Besides, he had to focus on getting his necklace back at the moment.

"I apologize for the trouble." Yaga said, his fists clenched in annoyance and eyes squinted down to paint a very powerful picture.

Shuichi did not doubt that Gojo Satoru was in for a not-so-good time.

"I do not need an apology. I simply need my necklace back. I'll have you know that it was the first ever cursed tool I created. If I do not get that back, it would be a bad impression on your part. Not to mention it might even lead to complications in our collaboration later on." Shuichi replied.

Indeed.

The necklace was of Supreme importance. Almost 90% of the plans Shuichi had for his growth in the future used the necklace as a viable standpoint, a foundation if you will.

Admittedly, the necklace had not been refined to a high extent. With his imporved control over cursed energy and the newly experienced black flash, he could probably make another necklace of the same powers in about 5 hours or so.

But even then, if he simply allowed for the annoying albino to steal his stuff, wouldn't that make him look like a pushover?

Not to mention it was dangerous to let such a powerful cursed tool out there. Especially in the hands of Gojo... wait, scratch that. He has the six eyes, he does not necessarily need the necklace.

And in the first place, the necklace was supposed to collect information and store it. The information bank could only be accessed by cursed energy of a specific signature, more specifically, Shuichi's own. Making it impossible for anyone to utilize the necklace. If anything, anyone that steals it would only supply it with more information to analyze.

Now that I think about it... isn't it more beneficial that he stole it? I would only get more information on his cursed technique this way... No! I must get it back! At this point, it was not a matter of logic and reason, it was a matter of ego.

What reputation would he have if he allowed him to simply steal his necklace?

"Hmm. Don't worry. The necklace will he returned to you in 15 minutes." Yaga said, breaking Shuichi out of his thoughts.

"I'd like that." He smiled in response.

Hearing Gojo Satoru's teacher speaking with such confidence, Shuichi dispelled his worries.

Gojo Satoru, as powerful as he is, is still prone to human relations. In a kind of destructive way, he might say. That point was further proved by the fact that he has not graduated early, or even chose to come to Jujutsu High in the first place.

He longed for a life he could not possibly have, he longed for human interactions that were normal. He longed to talk with someone that did not see him just as the 'strongest'.

That was the reason Shuichi deduced that however cocky and arrogant Gojo Satoru was, he must hold deep respect for his teacher.

A simple and clear deduction. Of course, he could be wrong, but the way Yaga had reacted to seeing Gojo's note gave him no reason to think otherwise.

I wonder what I should have for dinner? An idle thought came across his mind.

...

Peculiar.

That was the single opinion Satoru Gojo had of the necklace he had 'borrowed'.

The necklace was made up of normal stainless steel which had a shiny luster. It was in the shape of a six pointed star with a small cavity in the very center, through which a small, inconspicuous metallic rod going from the left point to the right.

At the very center of the rod, there was a shiny orange colored synthetic crystal, which shone with the malevolent glimmer of a curse. The necklace was bound from the sides with a chain made out of silver, from which a thick aura of curse could be felt.

An information gathering device... Gojo mused, pinching his chin in contemplation. This type of curse is more practical than anything. Perfect for gathering information about cursed techniques and would provide anyone a great advantage. After all, knowledge is power. But if he only needed to gather information about cursed techniques, why bother increasing the power of the tool to such a degree? The necklace can gather information from the gross level to all the way upto the atomic level.

The necklace silently floated around in Gojo's palm, kept afloat by the power of limitless. Occasionally, the necklace shone with a dark blue light, the contours of which were not clearly visible.

Constantly analysing it's surroundings to be in a perpetually state of observation. That guy Zenin, he seems to have outdone himself. Or it might be that he's still holding out many secrets. As the necklace floated in his embrace, Gojo fell into thought, replaying the scenes of his fight with Zenin Shuichi.

It must be somehow linked to that guy's cursed technique. When the necklace shone with a small fluctuation in cursed energy, Zenin Shuichi's cursed energy underwent a change; a transformation or perhaps transmutation would be a better word.

Something to do with information? A cursed technique that can negate cursed techniques as long as enough information is provided? It's plausible. That would explain his strange behavior of wanting to confront me head on, despite realizing that it would be futile. After all, the necklace seems to react the most when it's put right in front of a subject of analysis.

It can also be a cursed technique that lets him mimic any type of curse as long as he can gather information about it; or perhaps even alter the very state of it. Or it might be something entirely unrelated to it all.

Gojo's eyes blurred for a moment as he imagined a scenario. A cursed technique that alters the state of the world itself... The prerequisite needed for that can be complete knowledge of whatever it is that he's trying to alter. It might even be something more ridiculous.

Having such thoughts, a smile graced his lips as his gaze turned to the sky. Unconsciously, he hummed, as if in wait of something.

Although something like that is highly unlikely, especially since the Zenin clan had been stupid enough to expel him out of the clan. Wasn't the case that Zenin Shuichi was a useless reject of the clan that didn't have a technique? How come he had one?

Not to mention his situation was not looking too great in the cursed energy department either. Supposedly, he had a below average cursed energy, somehow even lower than that of a normal human. But now, all that has been completely flipped onto its head.

How can one increase their cursed energy? Is such a thing possible? Short bursts of cursed energy can occur when one experiences extreme negative emotions, thereby, giving a person a slight increase in reserves. But to increase his reserves to such an extent? Not to mention that strange ability to make constructs out of cursed energy and the almost effortless refining of cursed tools; coupled with the strange transmutation of his cursed energy multiple times in the fight... There are so many things wrong with this on so many levels. Gojo contemplated in an astounding serious manner, yet the smile on his face only seemed to grow more prominent.

Now that I think about it, does he have a cursed technique that can alter the self? Forcefully triggering a change in the body and the very nature of cursed energy? That would also explain the need to gather information to such a high accuracy that the necklace provides. It may also explain the multitude of powers he seems to have at his disposal; it's not that he has a lot of abilities, it's just that all of those abilities are a result of a single technique!

Suddenly, Gojo laughed out loud. The sound of his cheerfulness echoing in the surroundings. His hearty laugh made him drop his glasses which he had been holding with his left hand.

Seeing that, Gojo shook his head. It is all just a theory. I can't get my hopes up... Although, I am looking forward to it now.

Just then, his senses which had been focused onto the necklace picked up a grave sense of danger.

Bam!

Before he could react, a powerful blow landed right onto his head, stunning him momentarily. And just from the nature of that blow, Gojo realized who it was.

"What the hell?! Yaga-sensei?!" He yelled, turning to look behind him at the older male.

His glare was met with a stern expression that held unconcealed displeasure. A vein seemed to be popping on Yaga's forehead, and his teeth were gritted. As piece of paper seemed to be crumpled up in his fist, the very fist he had used to hit Gojo with.

Seeing his expression and the familiar note that was in his hands, Gojo sweatdropped and fell silent momentarily.

Under Yaga's unchanging gaze, Gojo was unsure how to react. "...Umm... It was a prank?" He blurted out in the end.

Bam!

Needless to say, two large bumps formed on top of Gojo's head that day.

~~~

Shuichi walked into his apartment, his mental power having been mostly exhausted.

Yaga had fulfilled his promise and delivered his necklace back to him without any mishaps. And without having to meet Gojo or anyone else, Shuichi was permitted to leave with his new identity as an official sorcerer.

What a strange day...

Slumping down onto the small bed he had set up for himself, he took out his phone to call Ryouta. After discussing about the mansion that he had requested, Shuichi didn't immediately want to go to sleep.

At present, it was only 7 pm, plenty of time to give just a little bit of a nudge to his cursed energy control and cursed energy reinforcement.

Nodding to himself, he took out a shirt from his clothes and some pieces of specialized paper from a box.

Talismans were made from a special kind of paper. It was made from bamboo pulp and was supposedly 'blessed', as everyone in the Jujutsu society liked to call it.

From the viewpoint of mysticism and jujutsu practices, symbolism meant a lot and stood at the center of almost all cursed phenomenon.

The concealment of a space being made through a 'Curtain', torii gates and their strategic placement, the act of crossing rivers, they all held deeper meaning in mysticism.

The concept of a 'blessing' in such a way could be approach in many different manners. The way these papers were blessed was quite simple. It operated through a simple japanese sacrificial ritual that was used to appease the shrine gods. Use the papers as a target of 'blessing' and offer food and other goods to a great existence. That was the most typical and simplest way to 'bless' a talisman paper.

It was worth mentioning that talisman papers were not actually blessed by a Diety, instead, it was simply the symbolic meaning that mattered. The symbolic meaning granted to a concept through the collective viewpoint of an entire nation or even the entire world, that was what gave it power.

Talismans used for different uses were blessed in different ways, and a single method may even be used to bless multiple types of talismans.

The Diety blessing method could give rise to many specialized talismans and seals, only through the act to 'praying' and 'sacrificing' to different gods. A lightning effect talisman that stuns opponents by praying to Susanoo, a sun talisman that dispeals evil through Amaterasu, a talisman that promises good harvest when hung in a field through Inari. Even other dieties of the various cultures across the world could be used, but the japanese gods worked the best, since the symbolism associated with them had been tempered through hundreds of years.

Talismans were almost all purpose. The thing is, their ability was not so powerful. Most of the time, hundreds of talismans needed to be used in order to generate any substantial power, as such, they were not fit to be used in combat, and most were used only for sealing.

But I can ignore such a restriction. Shuichi mused with a smile as he took out a brush and some ink. And with a gentle stroke, he began to write something on the paper.

A sealing talisman is generally blessed by praying to Izanagi or Hachiman, both of which, in some way or form can point towards sealing. One may also use an artificially created 'sealing water' made from weakened curses and the blood of strong sorcerers. Then, dipping the paper in, it can make the strongest type of sealing talismans.

Even though this paper hasn't been directed at a particular Diety, I can still circumvent it and make a pretty strong sealing talisman.

In the future, I'll remake it and make it stronger.

As he finished writing, he looked at the talisman in satisfaction. It was a Kanji word "封", meaning Seal, or closing.

~~~

A/N: I'm backkkkk!!!!!!

Anyway, I recently finished the first book of the lord of mysteries, and I gotta say, it is a banger. Anyone that hasn't watched it should do so right now. You won't regret it, trust me.

Reading the book gave me quite a lot of ideas, one of which is the 'symbolism' thing.

It already exists quite prominently in Shintoism so I don't have to do too much, as jujutsu kaisen makes use of shinto principles quite a lot. And if you're really trying to look into it, Jujutsu Kaisen has quite a bit of symbolic references itself.

A barrier of Concealment being named 'Curtain', the act of crossing rivers used to enter an incomplete domain, the act of entering a door transferring people to a completely random location, mahoraga' wheel and even his full name, even the power system itself, all of it is filled with symbolism.

You could say I have founded a deeper part of the JJK powersystem.

I will try expanding on the power system of jjk a lot and also add things that stem from my own unique understanding of the power system. Anyway, you can expect somewhat regular updates. No promises though.