We recovered Kenjaku's remains.
I contacted Tengen immediately.
"The target has been secured. Please call Teacher Yaga, return his phone, and arrange for someone to be sent here."
—I sensed the Cursed Energy signature vanish and wondered… You were remarkably swift.
Tengen's voice drifted through the line, laced with genuine surprise.
It was only natural. We had neutralized the threat far faster than anyone could have anticipated.
"Thank you for your assistance."
—I do not typically interfere with the affairs of the mundane world, but I made an exception this time. The stability of this nation was at stake.
"Then, going forward…?"
—This may sound cold, but the current Jujutsu world should be able to handle whatever comes next. I will not step forth again.
Tengen drew a firm line. No more help.
That meant I couldn't rely on them to track down Special Grade Curses. I wouldn't be able to ask for help locating Cursed Objects either. Their resolve was absolute.
'I should be satisfied with this.'
We had caught Kenjaku, the greatest variable in this world. There were no more urgent reasons for Tengen to get involved anyway.
"That's a pity."
—I apologize, but if I continue to permit exceptions, my influence on the mundane world will become too heavy. It would disturb the very balance I maintain.
"I understand. It can't be helped."
—My thanks. This incident was an exception where our interests aligned, so I shall offer no formal reward. However, should you find yourselves in a truly dire situation, I may offer a word of support.
The lingering disappointment vanished instantly. That promise alone was a sufficient reward.
"That's more than enough. Thank you."
—Mmm. I leave the arrangements to you. Please give the proper instructions when you are contacted.
"I will. Take care."
I hung up the phone and took a steady breath. We had crossed a major hurdle.
"You finally look like you can relax, Master."
Koyanskaya of Light—my Assassin—smiled at me. She had tucked the corpse into a black crossbody bag. She had put quite a bit of effort into casting preservation magecraft to prevent decomposition.
"You did a great job."
"I only fired a few shots. But honestly? The target's reflexes were better than I expected. It actually took me by surprise."
"He's lived for a thousand years, after all."
A millennium of accumulated combat experience and mastery of jujutsu. In terms of pure threat, he wasn't far behind a top-tier Servant.
If they had fought one-on-one? Or if we had fought him while he was possessing Geto's body like in the original timeline? It would have been far more difficult. It might have been tricky enough to make the plan fail.
Shuten-douji had used her charms on the few humans who had accidentally witnessed the scene. The cleanup was perfect.
Vrrrrt.
As I caught my breath, the phone in my pocket vibrated.
"Hello?"
—I received word from Tengen-sama. Tell me how you want to proceed.
It was Yaga.
"I'll take the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Please come pick me up at the station."
—I hear your luggage is quite substantial. Will you be alright?
He was obviously referring to Kenjaku's body. There was nothing else it could be.
"Yes. Don't worry."
—Understood. I'll meet you at Tokyo Station. See you there.
"Yes. I appreciate it. I'll call as soon as I arrive."
I hung up and tucked the phone away. The capture of Kenjaku was a total success. After meeting me at Tokyo Station, Yaga took over the transport of the body, and we returned to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"Shoko."
"Yeah, yeah~."
Inside the morgue at Tokyo High, the resident doctor, Shoko Ieiri, gave a lazy wave. As a sorcerer capable of outputting Reverse Cursed Technique, she was exempt from most field missions. Her duty was to remain at the school and heal the wounded.
"I've brought the body of a curse user. Can you analyze it?"
"Doing it alone is asking a bit much. I'm still just a student, you know?"
Shoko murmured in a slow, drawling voice. She was perfectly nonchalant about performing an autopsy on a corpse. They say sorcerers have to be a little crazy, and she was a prime example of that detachment.
"Ah, that's right. I forgot."
Yaga apologized with an awkward expression. He had momentarily forgotten she was still training under the professional forensic sorcerers.
"Seriously, how do you forget that?"
"Ahem. My apologies. It's just that compared to those two idiots, you're so exemplary that I…"
"Aha. Well, I guess I can't blame you. I am different from those fools."
Shoko's chin lifted slightly with pride. A little praise went a long way with her.
"Anyway, can I count on you?"
"Well, it's not like I have a choice. Autopsies have to be done even if it's late at night. Let me see the specimen."
"Right. I'll put it on the table."
Yaga lowered the large crossbody bag from his shoulder to the floor—gently, ensuring no damage was done. He unzipped the bag and pulled out the corpse.
It was Kenjaku, with nothing but a single hole through his abdomen. His complexion was pale and devoid of life. He was the perfect corpse.
Thud.
As Yaga placed the body on the operating table, Shoko approached.
"Hmm… you said the people who handled those two idiots took care of this guy? It looks like they finished him with Cursed Energy… but it's bizarre."
Sorcerers must be killed with Cursed Energy or Jujutsu to ensure they don't manifest as vengeful cursed spirits after death. Shoko checked for this first and concluded it was safe.
However, Kenjaku hadn't been killed by Jujutsu. Shuten-douji had done it with her own hands. It was a precise assassination—perforating the abdomen and meticulously crushing the internal organs. She hadn't used a shred of Jujutsu in the process.
Instead, Shuten-douji had utilized magecraft to neutralize Cursed Energy. With hands wreathed in that conceptual power, she had reached into the source of his Cursed Energy and torn it apart.
"Huh?"
Shoko tilted her head as she examined the body. Something felt off.
"What is it? Is there a problem?" Yaga asked.
Shoko shook her head. "No. It's just that the body is too clean. Even considering the cool weather, it's too fresh. Like it was just caught."
"…I'll ignore the choice of words for a corpse. So, the state of preservation is that good?"
"Yeah. The people who caught this guy must have done something, but it's strange. It feels like Jujutsu, but I don't sense any Cursed Energy."
No Cursed Energy detected. Yaga had known this for a while, so he wasn't surprised.
"They likely used a specialized method. Don't pay it too much mind."
"Are you sure that's okay?"
"You wouldn't be able to figure it out anyway. They aren't going to share their formulas or processes with us. It's best to just accept it."
"If you say so."
Shoko nodded as she scanned the body one last time.
"Stitch marks on the forehead. I think I'll start by peeling this part back."
***
After getting back from the mission, I fell into a deep sleep and woke up feeling refreshed. It was a glorious morning. Kenjaku was gone. And thanks to that achievement, two more 'Cost' slots had opened up.
'Finally, everyone is here.'
I washed my face and sat on the bed with a light heart. Then, I spoke the names.
"Raiko. Ushi-gozen."
I closed my eyes as I called them. When I opened them, the sight was both expected and unexpected. They were both wearing qipaos—China dresses.
Wait, since we're in Japan, shouldn't it be kimonos? I knew Raiko had a China dress Craft Essence, so I could accept that, but Ushi-gozen was a surprise.
"Master. You have finally called for me. You have no idea how long I've been waiting."
Before I could even process my confusion, Raiko was already closing the distance. The ultimate slayer of Mysteries from the Heian period, the woman who had claimed the heads of countless monstrous yokai. She was the possessor of a dangerous, overwhelming maternal love. Minamoto-no-Raiko was perilous, but immensely reliable.
I had put in a lot of work back at Chaldea to make her understand the nature of my harem by constantly appealing to her maternal instincts. Still, I had intentionally delayed her summoning until last, fearing her reactions might change if she were the first one here.
"I'm sorry. I kept you waiting, didn't I?"
"Yes. It felt like an eternity. As your mother, it makes me truly sad."
Raiko pouted. She was a somber beauty with a voluptuous figure, and seeing her look so forlorn was strangely captivating. She still possessed that unique madness of the Berserker class—the tendency to blur the lines between maternal affection and romantic love.
In the past, those two emotions were identical to her, but things were different now. That was the result of the 'education' she had received since our time in Chaldea.
"I rarely find myself agreeing with Raiko's sentiments… but this is one of those exceptional cases."
Ushi-gozen, who had been standing silently, sat down beside me. Her short hair and hollow, unfocused eyes gave her a haunting presence. Her slender build and dark aura commanded the room. Ushi-gozen was an Avenger—practically another aspect of Raiko's personality.
Even though she appeared as a younger version of Raiko, her feminine curves were incredibly well-developed. More so than most women.
So, there I was. Ushi-gozen on my left, Raiko on my right. Two women exactly to my taste were clinging to my sides.
"Furthermore, I didn't expect you to summon that… vermin, Shuten-douji, before me."
Raiko narrowed her eyes as she clung to my arm. She looked like she was on the verge of actually crying.
"I'm sorry. I judged that summoning Shuten first was the best tactical move."
"If that is Master's judgment, I suppose it cannot be helped, but…" Raiko's voice trailed off into a sniffle.
With that body and that face acting like that, a sudden surge of… something improper rose within me. Damn it. I really wanted to do something I shouldn't mention out loud.
"Master. Please do not indulge Raiko's selfishness too much. The previously summoned Servants are already waiting outside, growing quite impatient for your appearance."
Unlike Raiko, Ushi-gozen was calm. Though her stature was smaller, her voice was much more mature. While Raiko's voice was the kind that could melt your ears, Ushi-gozen's had a chilling edge, but both were incredibly alluring.
"Right. Let's head out."
I stood up to lead them out. Since I couldn't link arms with them while walking, they both took my hands. I looked like a child being taken for a stroll by two parents. That was the exact vibe of our formation.
"You've finally gathered everyone. Good work, Master."
As we entered the living room, the Assassin—Koyanskaya of Light—greeted us as the group's representative. The other three welcomed me with smiles.
"The cow finally showed up. It was nice and quiet while you were gone… but I suppose it couldn't last."
Shuten smirked at Raiko. Fortunately, the tension wasn't as sharp as it had been back in Chaldea.
"It is simply tragic that an insect like you was summoned first."
"Are ye sayin' Master's judgment was flawed then?"
"Urgh! That's… that's not what I meant…!"
Raiko stammered, completely cornered by Shuten's logic. She had walked right into that one. However, even with the verbal barbs, they seemed surprisingly close. It reminded me of the Heian-kyo Singularity.
Back then, Raiko hadn't been prejudiced against Oni, and Shuten was the same. They had actually gotten along quite well. It was only after the Singularity was resolved and history returned to its proper course that their relationship soured into one of mutual slaughter. Seeing them now, I often wondered if they were actually quite compatible.
That opinion hadn't changed. If anything, they both seemed more awkward around Ushi-gozen, who shared their demonic nature. This applied to both Raiko and Shuten-douji.
"Everyone's getting along, I see," I murmured softly.
Every eye in the room suddenly snapped to me. The sudden weight of their collective attention was a bit overwhelming. But since I had it, I decided to make the most of it.
"Everyone, take a seat. Now that the whole team is here, let's review our future plans and get everything organized."
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 56
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T