The Contradiction
Summary: (Our favourite office man finally got his first lesson about Jujutsu, but he's get more confused than ever.)
Jin left his office early, a full three hours before he's usually did, and hurried to Natsuto's café. The streets were quieter than usual, and when he arrived, the café was silent, with no staff in sight.
"Excuse me," Jin whispered as he entered, his eyes darting around in search of Natsuto.
The café was empty, but Jin's senses tingled with the presence of someone unseen. He spun around to find Natsuto standing there, an eyebrow raised in surprise.
Natsuto had thought Jin, a non-jujutsu, wouldn't notice him, but Jin's quick reflexes proved otherwise. Natsuto had hoped to give Jin a playful fright, but that plan was now foiled.
"Good, you're here," Natsuto said, recovering his composure.
"Come, let's go to my office," he directed, leading the way to a more private setting for their discussion.
********
Kushina was totally stumped when her seal went up in flames out of the blue. She wondered if not using the special chakra-ready paper, pens, and ink was the problem. Even when she used her last few blank scrolls and special writing tools, the explosions got even bigger.
Luckily, she was doing her second attempt experiments in a hidden forest spot, not too far from where the Itadori family lived, so it was unlikely anyone would notice the noise.
She just couldn't figure it out. Why were her seals blowing up like that?
Kushina was sure she had done everything right, just like she always did. None of it made sense. Feeling defeated, she sat down on the forest ground, staring at the seal that wasn't finished, trying to decide what to do next.
'Get it together, Kushina. Channel your inner Minato. What's his move?' she pep-talked herself. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to clear her head and find a solution.
Kushina understood that despite their diverse formulas and applications, all seals adhered to Universal Principles. This was a notion advanced by the Second Hokage, renowned for his mastery of seals, a distinction he shared with the Uzumaki Clan.
The initial rule for crafting seals is the selection of a suitable element, enveloped in chakra, to serve as a stable base. The most reliable anchors are solid objects like paper, which offer portability, or rocks / ground, and for the crazy, even one's own body.
No historical records suggest that seal creators ever attempted to inscribe formulas on volatile elements such as water, air, electricity, or fire, presumably due to the high risk of malfunction.
Also, when you write the seal formula, you need the right tool to transfer your chakra to the anchor you've chosen. This could be a pen or ink that has chakra in it, the blood from a living thing ( since all living things have chakra in their blood ), or even just using your hands to push chakra to your fingertips.
How well you write the formula with the right tool really matters because it affects how well the seal will work. Using tools that already have chakra in them is the easiest and best way, but it's also the most expensive.
Other ways are cheaper but harder to do because they need you to be really good at controlling your chakra and staying focused so you don't mess up.
And lastly, you have to put just the right amount of chakra into the seal to make it start working. If the seal is simple, it might not need much chakra, but more complicated seals will need more. You have to get the amount of chakra just right—not too little and not too much.
So, between these 3 rules. Where the one she was break it?
Kushina is in the midst of a perplexing situation, trying to adhere to the three essential rules of seal-making, and it's not going well. She's certain she hasn't violated the second rule; she infused her chakra into a regular pen to inscribe her seal formula without any issues.
The problem might lie with the first rule, which dictates that seal formulas must be written with element-infused chakra to prevent the seals from combusting.
Despite this, her second attempt, which involved using chakra-infused scroll paper, ink, and pen, resulted in an even more massive explosion than her first try. This outcome has led her to doubt whether the quality of her seal's foundation is the real issue.
Eliminating the possibility of breaking the first two rules, Kushina is left with the third rule as the likely culprit.
She's facepalming big time, realizing her chakra control is all over the place in this new world, making her most weakest justu even just go wild—way more than back home.
Then comes the "Oh No" moment. She groans, knowing she's gotta go back to square one with chakra control if she wants to whip up a seal strong enough to take her back to her own world.
To gauge her chakra control, Kushina picks up a leaf and conducts a traditional test: placing the leaf on her forehead or chest should reveal her chakra's control stability. If the chakra is too weak, the leaf will simply fall off; if it's too strong, the leaf will be propelled away.
In Kushina's case, The Leaf, which wasn't even attached to her yet, was blasted away with such force that it resembled a kunai knife thrown at high velocity, piercing straight through a tree trunk.
Yup, this going to be all long ass day for her.
********
Three hours.
That's how long it's been. Not just any three hours, but the kind of middle life crisis, never-ending, "why did I agree to this?" three hours.
Holy Shit!
Three. WHOLE. HOURS. And Utahime? She's been the lone warrior, the babysitter extraordinaire, enduring the chaos of watching over two tiny babies from next door since her mom and grandpa left to buy groceries in the city, leaving her behind.
"You won't get bored babysitting them. These two babies are angels, you'll be fine," her mother said to her.
Oh no, Utahime is definitely not feeling bored babysitting these two hellions. Her instinct was right. These two little hellions are not angels at all. Especially the one named after a King Of Curses ( who names a baby that?! ), who had a hobby of trying to smash anything within arm's reach.
Every time she thwarted one of his demolition attempts by securing him in the baby coil ( it's like a baby straightjacket but more socially acceptable), he'd shoot her the stink eye. Those two little red eyes glared with the intensity of a thousand suns.
Look away for a mere sixty seconds, and poof! The little escape artist would vanish, crawling away like a Formula 1 racer and then vanishing into the shadows, like under the table. The first time it happened, Utahime nearly lost her marbles.
Yuuji, unlike his mischievous twin, is relatively stable. He's not the escape artist his brother is, but he's got a knack for turning Utahime's hair grayer by the minute. Yuuji has a peculiar habit of trying to eat anything with bright red colour.
Once, Utahime nearly panicked when she caught him attempting to consume a sizable ladybug. And if you think Yuuji's mukbang sessions end there, think again!
If he's not munching on unsuspecting insects, he's wailing like a siren until Utahime plays 'Find the Red Object' to appease his peculiar palate. By sheer luck, she had an old doll dressed in a kimono that was redder than a sunburnt tomato.
This makeshift pacifier worked wonders, stopping Yuuji's cries and turning them into a drool waterfall that would put Niagara to shame.
Currently, Yuuji is gnawing on the doll's kimono, but thankfully, the fabric withstands his tiny teeth, only getting soaked with drool.
Knock...
Knock...
Hearing a knock, Utahime bolted to the door faster than a cat chased by a vacuum cleaner, leaving behind her duo of diapered demons with a stern, "Stay put, or else!" Sukuna, the eye-rolling infant contortionist, and Yuuji, the kimono-chewing enthusiast, didn't bat an eyelid.
As Utahime swung open the door, she was greeted by a vision of stunning woman with long, bright red hair and violet eyes. Utahime's inner monologue went something like,
'Is she a supermodel?'
"Hey there! Name's Uzumaki Kushina, your friendly neighborhood redhead! I'm here to collect the munchkins, Yuuji and Sukuna. They haven't turned the place upside down, have they, dattebane?" Kushina asked with a smile that could light up the whole block.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too. I'm Iori Utahime, Fubuki Haru's granddaughter. And n-no, Uzumaki-san, they're not a burden at all! Yuuji and Sukuna are quite the angels to look after. Please, make yourself comfortable in the guest room; I'll bring them out to you in a jiffy!"
As soon as Uzumaki-san settled in, Utahime turned on her heels and scampered to the bedroom. Her heart sank when she found only Yuuji, who was busy nibbling on a doll's kimono. Sukuna was conspicuously absent.
"AHH, SHIT! " The curse was silent but thunderous in her mind. She scoured the room, her eyes darting from corner to corner, but Sukuna remained elusive.
"Hello? Kid, are you alright in there? Do you need any help?" Uzumaki-san's voice, laced with concern, floated in from the living room.
Utahime's panic crescendoed.
"N-no need, Uzumaki-san! I just need to... use the restroom!" she lied, buying herself time to search elsewhere.
With each passing second, Utahime felt her hair might turn gray from the stress. The thought of confessing to Uzumaki-san that she had misplaced one of her children was mortifying.
It felt like an eternity, and still, Sukuna was nowhere.
Doubt crept in—was she really meant to be a Jujutsu Sorcerer when she can't even find one little baby? Despondent, she slumped to the kitchen floor, hugging her knees as tears welled up.
"Are you okay, kid?" Uzumaki-san's voice, now close, startled her.
Utahime looked up, her apology ready on her lips.
"Uzumaki-san, I'm so sorry, I lost Suku—"
Her words trailed off as she saw Sukuna, nestled peacefully in Uzumaki-san's arms, his brother by his side.
"Sukuna was with you all along?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner! Sukuna crawled over to me while you were away. I thought you had seen him, dattebane!" Uzumaki-san explained, a hint of panic in her voice.
"No, no, it's my fault! I should have been more vigilant," Utahime insisted, her voice tinged with guilt.
"Don't be so modest! You're one of the best babysitters we've had. These two are a handful, even for their grandfather. You should see how they've aged him, dattebane!" Uzumaki-san chuckled. Utahime's laughter bubbled up despite herself, relief washing over her.
"Oh, before I forget," Uzumaki-san continued, handing over three crisp of 10,000 Yen notes, "this is for your time." Utahime tried to protest,
"Oh no, Uzumaki-san, you really shouldn't—"
"Nonsense! You've been a tremendous help. It's the least I can do, Dattebane!" Uzumaki-san insisted, pressing the money into her hand. With the money finally accepted, Uzumaki-san glanced at the clock.
"Look at the time! It's nearly noon, and I haven't started on dinner. I should head home. Thank you for your help, and feel free to stop by anytime, dattebane! And call me if you ever need anything!"
"Thank you so much, Uzumaki-san!" Utahime called out, waving goodbye as she retreated to her home. Relief washed over her—not only had everything turned out fine, but she also had a very big pocket money to show for her efforts.
Perhaps babysitting wasn't such a bad thing to do after all.
********
Natsuto took a leisurely sip of his cappuccino, his eyes occasionally meeting Jin's, who was visibly shaken. He waited for Jin to process the shocking truths about the Jujutsu world he had just revealed.
Jin was struggling with the realization that the childhood nightmares of monsters were not just stories; they were real, and many had suffered because of them.
"If you have any questions, just ask. Don't hold back," Natsuto encouraged, noticing Jin's reluctance.
Jin gathered his thoughts. "So, there's a group that handles these curses daily, right?"
"Yes, they've been doing this since the Heian Era," Natsuto replied smoothly.
"But who pays these Jujutsu Sorcerers for daily curse removals? It can't be just client requests every day, can it?" Jin questioned.
"You're right. While sometimes sorcerers get tasks from international clients, those are rare. Usually, the Japanese Military and Government officials fund their daily operations," Natsuto clarified.
"How can they afford to pay so much? You mentioned that even a lower-ranked sorcerer earns twice the minimum wage in Japan. The top sorcerers must earn a fortune."
Natsuto nodded.
"Seeing curses is a rare talent, found in only about 2% of the population. And fewer can fight them. Because of this rarity, the government pays well to secure the sorcerers' loyalty," he explained.
"But if the pay is so good, why do some sorcerers still go rogue or become Curse Users?" Natsuto sighed.
"Many reasons, but often it's due to corruption at the top. To advance, you need a recommendation from higher-ups. Some sorcerers don't get promoted due to politics, and if a better offer comes along, they might choose to leave,"
Jin furrowed his brow, confusion etched across his face. "Then what about you?"
Natsuto raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "Excuse me?"
"I mean... You're not a Jujutsu Sorcerer, right? Are you implying you're some kind of rogue?" Jin probed, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
With a nonchalant shrug, Natsuto leaned back, his gaze drifting to the ceiling as if it held the secrets of the universe.
"Well, if we're being technical, I'm not a Jujutsu Sorcerer because the higher up didn't fancy my kind mingling in their elite circles. Does that make me a curse user? Not quite. You see, I lack the cursed energy that would earn me such a title," he explained, his tone casual yet earnest. Jin's confusion only deepened.
"I don't get it. If you're neither a Jujutsu sorcerer nor a curse user, then what are you?"
"In the daylight, I'm your average Cafe Owner, but as night falls, I don the hat of a Merc, roaming Japan to exorcise curses. Though lately, I've been more of a barista than a merc. My girlfriend's expecting, and I'm trying to stir up a normal life."
Natsuto's eyes twinkled with mischief. "And to answer your burning question—if I'm neither sorcerer nor curse wielder—well, the answer is simple. I'm a Monkey," he declared, the grin on his face widening.
"...wut?"
A soft chuckle escaped Natsuto as he watched Jin grapple with the ambiguity of his words.
Jin stammered, "W-w-what do you mean you're a monkey? Can you... transform into one?"
Natsuto's laughter filled the room, a rich, hearty sound that bounced off the walls. "BWAHAHA! Oh, how I wish! Having the ability to shape-shift into a monkey would be quite the spectacle. Alas, I'm monkey-free in that department."
"Then why on earth would you say you're a monkey?!"
Natsuto's grin never faltered. "In the eyes of the Jujutsu World, I'm a Monkey because I don't possess the coveted cursed energy that ranks you among the elite. They label my unique talent as Heavenly Restriction."
Jin furrowed his brow in confusion. "But then, how does you can kill curses without cursed energy?" he inquired.
Natsuto leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "The answer is simple—I wield a cursed weapon."
Jin's eyes widened. "A cursed weapon?" he echoed.
"Yup," Natsuto nodded. "The Jujutsu Community also has crafted such weapons to aid the less potent sorcerers in their battles against curses. Some require the user's own cursed energy to activate, while others, like the one I possess, amplify the user's strength threefold, no external cursed energy needed. Even those not versed in Jujutsu can harness these weapons to kill curses. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
Jin nodded, albeit hesitantly. "Yes," he replied.
Natsuto returned to his cappuccino, only to realize he had already consumed half the cup. Jin's coffee sat untouched, steam no longer rising from its surface.
"Alright, you already ask me your questions for quite some time. Now, it's my turn," Natsuto declared, a playful grin spreading across his face.
"Alright, shoot," Jin responded, his smile slow but genuine.
"When did you start seeing curses? Recently, you said? This month? This week?" Natsuto probed.
"To be frank, it was just three days ago," Jin admitted, still grappling with the shock. "And sometimes, it still sends shivers down my spine."
Natsuto leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Are you absolutely certain you haven't harbored a dark deep hatred against your enemy, maybe your own boss, this past week?"
"No, no!" Jin protested. "I'm not one to harbor such deep-seated hatred."
Natsuto sighed, closing his eyes in contemplation before reopening them with renewed focus.
"For a normal person to see curses for the first time, there are a few possibilities. The first is an intense, sudden hatred that fuels their cursed energy, elevating them to a Jujutsu Sorcerer's level. But that's a rarity, not something that happens overnight. You'd need decades of deep fully loathing to finally triple your own cursed energy. So, we can rule out that method," Natsuto explained.
"The second method involves cursed glasses that allow the wearer to see curses. However, these are exorbitantly priced and coveted by the affluent. I presume your glasses are ordinary?"
Jin nodded. "Yes, they're just regular glasses. I can see curses with or without them."
"So, it's not the glasses. That leaves us with methods three or four," Natsuto mused.
"And what might those be?" Jin inquired, curiosity piqued.
"The third is a binding vow from someone within the Jujutsu world, cursing you to see these curses for life. The fourth involves a heavenly restriction, similar to mine. But I doubt the third applies to you; typically, a curse from a sorcerer would boost a person's cursed energy, enabling them to see curses. Yet, your energy is lower than an average civilian's—It's A Conundrum. And with even a trace of cursed energy, a Heavenly Restriction is unlikely! Ah, this is giving me a headache!" Natsuto exclaimed, clutching his head in feigned agony. With a soft chuckle, Jin regarded Natsuto's antics before diving into his tale with a twinkle in his eye.
"You know, the very first time curses made an appearance wasn't at some forsaken crossroads or a haunted mansion—it was right in my bedroom, looming ominously over my son's crib," he said, his voice tinged with a blend of humor and solemnity.
"The curse was massive, and it brought with it a stench so foul, it was as though a mouse had met its demise and taken a prolonged dip in the city's sewers. I must confess, it was the first time I felt a genuine fear for my son's safety," Jin admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor as he recounted the chilling episode from days past.
"You have a son?" Natsuto interjected, surprise lacing his tone.
"Twins, actually. Just three months old, soon to be four," Jin replied, his face softening at the thought of his boys.
"I take it Ken and Rui are in the dark about this?" Natsuto prodded further.
"Yeah, I've kept it under wraps at work. It's not that I don't trust them, but if word got out that I'm a father, my paycheck might suffer. You see, our company's yearly bonuses favor the childless—the single folks without the extra mouths to feed. And those bonuses? They're a lifeline for buying the good baby formula, the kind that doesn't come cheap but ensures my sons grow up strong and healthy! So, I've chose to keep silence," Jin explained, his head bowed under the weight of his secret. Natsuto, too, remained quiet, absorbing the gravity of Jin's predicament.
Natsuto leaned in, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "....Y'Know, Heavenly restrictions are quite the oddities, don't you think? Here I am, completely free of cursed energy, yet my senses are sharper than every normal people and Jujutsu Sorcerer. It's intriguing that you can smell curses too. It seems your instincts have heightened to match mine."
Jin's eyebrows lifted in confusion. "What are you getting at?"
Natsuto leaned back, his eyes glinting with a mix of humor and confusion. "You're a living Paradox, Jin. Cursed energy lingers in your body, albeit weaker than the normal citizen, Yet you see the curses clear as day. It's as though you've been graced with a heavenly restriction similar to mine, yet you still harbor cursed energy within… It's a conundrum that eludes me," he confessed.
Jin stood firm, a note of defiance in his voice. "I don't share your unique abilities. I might sense and see curses, but that doesn't mean I have a heavenly restriction. And I certainly don't have the strength of a titan."
"Is that so?" Natsuto's grin grew mischievous.
"Then, would you mind opening that door?" He pointed to his office entrance. Jin, though slightly taken aback, did as asked and opened the door with surprising ease, only to be met with Natsuto's knowing smile.
"Any idea how much my office door weighs?" Natsuto asked, his voice laced with humor.
Jin guessed, "60 pounds (27 kg), maybe?"
"Try 2.3 tonnes," Natsuto corrected him, his grin now playful yet sly.
Jin's expression turned to one of shock. "You're kidding me, right?"
"Not in the slightest," Natsuto replied, still grinning. "When I say my office is as secure as a vault, I literally fucking mean it. I personally designed that door to be as sturdy as a bank vault's. It's so heavy that not even my strongest subordinates can open it."
Jin was speechless, his mind racing to make sense of Natsuto's words.
"So, Itadori Jin," Natsuto pressed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity,
"What exactly are you?"