The breathing of Kenjaku became a little unstable.
Ryuji looked at him calmly.
Geto's will was completely gone, but it seemed he had finally relaxed.
The people Geto was most worried about were the Hasaba sisters.
He had saved them from that cursed village and raised them since they were young. The Hasaba sisters regarded Geto as their father.
And Geto had always treated them like his own daughters.
"How unexpected!"
After catching his breath, Kenjaku slowly stood up.
A twisted smile crept across his face.
"If you hadn't reawakened Geto's will, you might have actually landed a fatal blow at the most crucial moment of my plan!"
Thinking of this, Kenjaku's smile grew even more arrogant.
"It's all thanks to you!"
"Haha!"
Ryuji also laughed.
"I promised the Hasaba sisters that I would bring Suguru's body back, so..."
At this point, Ryuji paused for a moment and then grinned.
*Shua!*
In an instant, his figure disappeared from sight.
When he reappeared, he was already behind Kenjaku.
At the same time, a massive curse spirit, summoned using Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation technique, erupted behind Kenjaku and charged toward Ryuji.
"Die!"
Ryuji didn't even glance at the curse spirit.
He swung his fist.
The curse spirit shattered instantly, and Ryuji's punch landed squarely on Kenjaku!
*Bang!*
With no resistance, Kenjaku's body was sent flying by the punch, crashing through several large trees in its path.
He could feel that almost all the bones in his body had broken.
But as a sorcerer who had lived for so long, Kenjaku still had a few tricks up his sleeve. Soon enough, he stood up again.
"This strength... It's comparable to—or rather, it surpasses the power of the first-generation King of Curses, Sukuna!"
Even if Sukuna himself were resurrected, Kenjaku doubted that he could be beaten so easily with just one punch.
"This guy..."
Looking at the calm expression on Ryuji's face, the playful grin Kenjaku had been wearing completely vanished.
If he wasn't careful, he might really die here. He hadn't expected this sorcerer, whom he'd never taken seriously, to bring him such a grave threat.
"Not bad."
Although Ryuji had succeeded with one strike, he didn't press his attack. Instead, he flexed his fist and nodded in satisfaction.
During this time, he had absorbed so many special-grade curses. While he could feel his body had grown stronger, almost inhuman, he hadn't yet tested his power in combat.
Now, after this battle, he felt thoroughly satisfied.
"I don't think we really need to keep fighting!"
Seeing Ryuji's gaze shift toward him again, Kenjaku smiled and raised his hand in a relaxed manner.
"We can work together, right? I know many things, and I'm sure you'll find them valuable."
Originally, Kenjaku believed that Sukuna was the strongest force in existence, but now he wasn't so sure.
"Sorry, I don't make a habit of working with rats."
Ryuji laughed at Kenjaku's offer.
Work with an old fox like Kenjaku? Who knows when he'd be stabbed in the back?
Although Ryuji wasn't afraid, he also saw no reason to risk it. Besides, he doubted there was anything Kenjaku could offer that was worth his attention.
"Rat?"
Kenjaku's expression darkened.
No matter what, as a special-grade sorcerer, Kenjaku had his pride. Being called a rat would inevitably strike a nerve.
If cooperation was off the table, then there was only one option left—battle.
"You really think you can defeat me?"
As he spoke, Kenjaku activated Cursed Spirit Manipulation, releasing all the special-grade curses that Suguru had painstakingly gathered over the years.
"I can eat them all in one sitting!"
Seeing the flood of curses, Ryuji laughed.
Why hadn't he thought of this before? Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation could control an unlimited number of cursed spirits. Over the years, Suguru had accumulated tens of thousands of them.
Sure, many were weaker, but sheer numbers could change the game. If he absorbed them all, it would be a feast.
Ryuji's grin widened at the thought.
Kenjaku, however, had no idea what Ryuji was thinking, but the sight of his smile sent a chill down his spine.
"Damn it!"
After being blown away by a single punch, Kenjaku's cursed spirits quickly recovered.
Seeing that the cursed spirits Hanami and Jogo were unharmed, Kenjaku relaxed slightly.
"That human sorcerer doesn't seem to be targeting us," Hanami's voice echoed in the minds of Kenjaku and Jogo.
Judging from the situation, it seemed Ryuji's primary target was Kenjaku. Although they had allied themselves with Kenjaku, in truth, they were merely using each other. There was no need to risk their lives for a human.
With this in mind, neither Hanami nor Jogo moved to help.
"Strange! Strange! Strange!"
Suddenly, Mahito, one of the other cursed spirits, began clutching his head in confusion.
"What's wrong?"
Jogo and Hanami turned toward him.
But Mahito ignored them, staring at Ryuji with crazed eyes.
"Why? Why doesn't my Idle Transfiguration work? I touched him, so why can't I change his soul?!"
This was what baffled Mahito the most.
When Ryuji had sent him flying earlier, it had given Mahito the chance to make contact. Normally, without his Domain Expansion, Idle Transfiguration required physical contact to work. Mahito had intended to use this opportunity to kill Ryuji.
But his technique had no effect.
No matter how much Mahito tried, Idle Transfiguration couldn't alter Ryuji's soul.
"How is this possible?!"
It was the first time Mahito had encountered a soul that couldn't be manipulated.
While Mahito struggled to understand, it was simple for Ryuji.
Thanks to absorbing so many cursed spirits, every aspect of Ryuji had evolved, including his soul. His soul had reached a level that could no longer be considered human.
For someone like Mahito, altering Ryuji's soul was simply impossible.
"Damn it!"
Jogo and Hanami exchanged glances, but they stayed quiet.
"Are we leaving?" Hanami asked.
If they left now, neither Ryuji nor Kenjaku would notice.
"Let's wait a bit longer," Jogo replied after a moment of thought, deciding to remain still and observe.
Although Hanami didn't quite understand, he didn't argue, choosing to stay and watch as well.
"Ahh, satisfying!"
After consuming several more special-grade curses, Ryuji's face lit up with satisfaction.
Though he wasn't completely full yet, this was still a fine meal.
"Any more? How about a few more?"
He glanced expectantly at Kenjaku, as if looking at a buffet.
Kenjaku was speechless.
Damn it! In all these years, I've never encountered a monster like this!
"Actually—"
Kenjaku was about to offer a deal, but Ryuji moved before he could finish.
*Shua!*
In the blink of an eye, Ryuji appeared above Kenjaku.
"If you're not going to release any more cursed spirits, then you're useless!"
"Die!"
With a loud boom, Ryuji's foot came crashing down.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The ground fractured and cracked under the sheer force of the attack. Trees shattered and collapsed.
Kenjaku barely managed to react, using his arms to block the blow. But both of his arms were fractured beyond repair, and even if he could recover, it would take time.
Ryuji didn't give him that time.
In a flash, Ryuji reappeared on Kenjaku's other side.
"I've had enough fun. Give me Suguru's body."
*Boom!*
Kenjaku was sent flying again.
*Cough!*
He spat out blood, glaring at Ryuji, who walked toward him with an arrogant, indifferent gaze.
That look, like he was nothing but a lamb to be slaughtered was unbearable.
"Damn it!"
Even Sukuna had never looked down on him like this.
For a brief moment, Kenjaku nearly broke under the pressure.
"Who do you think you are?!"
He screamed at Ryuji.
"Hm?"
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, surprised by the outburst.
"I am Kenjaku, the greatest sorcerer in history! Do you think you can kill me so easily?"
My goals are beyond what any sorcerer has ever dreamed of. The plan of death and rebirth must succeed—I cannot die here.
Even if I can't win now...
Kenjaku still had a few tricks up his sleeve.
"I—"
But before he could finish, cursed marks appeared on Ryuji's mouth.
"Kneel."
*Bang!*
With a sharp crack, Kenjaku's body dropped to the ground, forced into a kneeling position by Ryuji's overwhelming power.
"This… this is cursed speech!"
Veins bulged on Kenjaku's forehead as he struggled to stand. But all his efforts were in vain.
"Ryujiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"
He screamed Ryuji's name as the sorcerer slowly approached, his face filled with indifferent arrogance.
Kenjaku could feel it now, he was going to die! He was absolutely going to die!
With Ryuji's indifferent attitude and terrifying power, there was no doubt about it.
In desperation, Kenjaku's eyes shifted toward Jogo and the others, who were standing not far away, simply watching.
Damn cowards!
Though he had expected them to stand back, seeing it in person still filled him with frustration. Were they seriously just going to watch him die?
"Idiots, how long are you planning to just stand there?!"
Kenjaku desperately needed these cursed spirits to hold Ryuji off, even for just a moment.
But those cursed spirits weren't fools, they wouldn't act without a good reason.
"Don't you get it? This guy is a human sorcerer! If you want the cursed spirits to rule this world, then he's your enemy! If you don't kill him now, do you want to wait until he's even stronger?"
"…"
The four disaster curses weren't the smartest, but they weren't entirely brainless either.
Kenjaku's words finally made them take the situation more seriously.
He's right. Ryuji, as a human sorcerer, would inevitably become an obstacle to their goal of dominating the world.
If they didn't deal with him now, they might never get another chance.
***
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