It was an absolute paradigm shift!
Kenjaku waved it off dismissively. "I am not some rigid, traditionalist fossil. I am more than happy to absorb new information, so I am well aware of what cloning is.
"But a 'vessel' and a 'clone' are two entirely different concepts. Cloning requires the target's DNA. Where exactly do you plan to source the DNA for a cursed object or a Cursed Spirit? Setting aside the fact that modern medical science hasn't even perfected the cloning of complex lifeforms, even if they had, there is no guarantee a clone would be functionally superior to a vessel I have meticulously carved over years."
Hakari slid his sunglasses back on. "Is that so? Guess I was off the mark. Mahito, what's your play?"
"It truly is the optimal method," Kenjaku said, smiling radiantly.
Mahito stared at Kenjaku. The millennial Curse User seemed incredibly eager for Mahito to go through with the cannibalism plan.
It likely wasn't driven by some obscure Jujutsu necessity; it was purely Kenjaku's twisted sense of entertainment. Much like his obsession with merging Tengen with humanity to force a hyper-evolution, he didn't actually care about the catastrophic consequences. He simply wanted to see what would happen.
"I'm not doing that," Mahito stated.
"Why not?" Kenjaku asked.
"It takes too much time," Mahito replied.
"Time?" Hakari pushed his sunglasses up slightly. "You're still in your growth phase. What's wrong with spending some time to cultivate a body that perfectly fits you? The way you're talking, it sounds like some apocalyptic threat is breathing down your neck, forcing you to speedrun your evolution."
Mahito praised him, "As sharp as ever, Hakari. Spot on."
Kenjaku looked disappointed but didn't press the issue. "Mahito's assessment is accurate. Executing my plan to cultivate a perfect vessel takes a minimum of ten years. We certainly don't have that kind of time. Mahito, do you have any other ideas?"
Hakari looked thoughtful but didn't pry further. He realized he had stumbled onto a massive conspiracy today. While Mahito trusted him, that millennial fox was definitely capable of laying traps for him. He had plenty of time; the remaining secrets would eventually reveal themselves.
"I am going to build my own body," Mahito declared firmly.
Kenjaku wasn't entirely surprised. He merely commented, "It's true that your current body restricts you. While it wouldn't be as perfect as Reincarnation, physically constructing a customized body would certainly offer a higher synchronization rate than your current stolen vessel. But you must understand: this isn't an optimal solution. It's a compromise borne of necessity."
Because Mahito was a Cursed Spirit, no matter how he tweaked a human shell, it would never naturally harmonize with a Curse's soul. Mahito already understood this limitation perfectly.
"No, there is a way to make it perfect," Mahito asserted confidently.
Kenjaku looked at him with renewed interest. "Please, elaborate."
Mahito thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you know about Human Transmutation?"
Both Kenjaku and Hakari froze.
What Mahito intended to exploit was the ultimate 'black box' of the Construction technique.
Among all innate techniques, 'Construction' is arguably the most anomalous. It is one of the extremely rare techniques capable of bypassing all physical laws to manifest whatever the user visualizes. Furthermore, once created, the construct is permanent; it doesn't vanish when the user stops supplying cursed energy.
In the original story, the primary users of this technique were Mai Zen'in and the ancient sorcerer Yorozu.
Setting Mai Zen'in aside—she literally sacrificed her life to replicate a single cursed tool, which somewhat adheres to the laws of equivalent exchange—the ancient sorcerer Yorozu was an entirely different beast. Inspired by the kinetic energy mechanisms of butterflies and bees, she created the 'Bug Armor,' a heavy biological exoskeleton. The absurdity of her creation far eclipsed Mai's.
Mai Zen'in at least needed to 'understand' the structural assembly of a gun. Yorozu practically willed her armor into existence entirely through 'delusion.'
That was the sheer, terrifying nature of Construction. You had to respect it. However, unconstrained visualization wasn't enough on its own.
Because Kenjaku had imparted his encyclopedic knowledge to him, Mahito possessed a profound understanding of the Construction technique. The reason he hadn't considered using it to build his own body until Hakari mentioned 'cloning' was due to a specific limitation.
No matter how absurd Construction was, it couldn't bypass one fundamental prerequisite:
—Cognition.
Construction cannot create something the user cannot conceptually comprehend.
Yorozu's ultimate construct was the 'Perfect Sphere.' This sphere possessed infinite pressure, annihilating absolutely anything it touched. Yorozu was able to construct it solely because she had been formally educated on the mathematical concept of a perfect sphere. She grasped the concept, and therefore, was able to manifest it.
This perfectly illustrates the core limitation of Construction.
You cannot just randomly daydream an object and expect it to materialize. You must possess a foundational, conceptual understanding of the object to extract the necessary elements for creation.
If you cannot cognitively grasp the existence of a thing, you cannot construct it.
For example: An indestructible blade. You can visualize a blade cutting through steel. You can visualize it cleaving a mountain. You can even visualize it slicing a planet in half. If you can truly comprehend that scale, you can successfully construct that blade.
But can you visualize a blade that 'cuts away the concept of lifespan' to grant immortality? If you cannot cognitively process how that mechanism works, the blade cannot be created.
Similarly, Kenjaku had previously asserted that a human shell could never perfectly adapt to a Cursed Spirit's soul. No matter how Mahito modified the flesh, he couldn't conceptualize a perfect biological bridge. Therefore, it was logically impossible for him to use Construction to forge a perfect vessel.
That was why Mahito had never considered it. He simply couldn't visualize the blueprint.
But after Hakari introduced the concept of 'Cloning,' Mahito's cognitive horizons violently expanded.
He obviously wasn't going to literally 'clone' himself; Kenjaku had already thoroughly debunked that. What mattered was the *conceptual framework*.
Construction is driven by visualization. With sufficient cognitive framing, even biological armor is possible. Even a theoretical 'Perfect Sphere' can be manifested.
Therefore, he just needed to visualize a body. His own body.
"Human Transmutation is the process of synthesizing a human being using flesh, soul, and spirit. In other words, as long as you can synthesize these raw elements, you can birth a human without the need for a biological mother's womb," Mahito explained.
Kenjaku frowned deeply. "I have never heard of such a ritual."
If a millennium-old Curse User had never heard of it, it certainly didn't exist in the Jujutsu world.
"It's a concept from a manga," Mahito clarified. "*Fullmetal Alchemist*. It should be extremely famous in this country."
It was indeed famous. The current year was 2018; *Fullmetal Alchemist* was still highly relevant pop culture.
"How the hell are you treating manga logic as real life?! Reality isn't a comic book!" Hakari whipped off his sunglasses, yelling in utter exasperation.
*You, a literal manga character, are lecturing me about reality?!* Mahito couldn't help but burst out laughing.
That's right. This was Mahito's ultimate trump card.
Even now, Mahito fundamentally perceived himself as living inside a manga. Everyone around him felt vividly real, and Kenjaku had just unloaded ancient lore that never even appeared in the original story. Logically, Mahito should have accepted this reality by now.
But first impressions are deeply ingrained. Everything around him screamed that this was reality, and his rational mind agreed. Yet, deep in his subconscious, an unshakeable voice constantly reminded him that he had transmigrated into a fictional world; he was a manga character.
Usually, this cognitive dissonance was irrelevant. Given enough time, the surreal feeling would likely fade completely.
But right now, that dissonance was fully active. And it was about to become his absolute 'Ultimate Move.'
Mahito spoke with profound implication: "It may be a setting from a manga, but as long as *I* absolutely believe it to be real... doesn't that make it real?"
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Hakari retorted loudly.
"No, hold on... he might actually be right," Kenjaku interjected.
"Huh?" Hakari whipped his head toward Kenjaku, looking at him like he was a lunatic.
"Innate techniques are governed by the user's cognitive world. They evolve and shift based on personal perception." Kenjaku raised a hand and tapped his forehead. "A sorcerer's technique is engraved right here, in the brain. Because of this, techniques actively respond to human thought, often undergoing radical mutations... Hakari-san, isn't your own technique the perfect example of this?"
Hakari froze, his brow furrowing. "You mean... my Domain Expansion?"
Hakari's Domain Expansion completely defied classical Jujutsu theory. If one didn't actively force the connection, no one would ever assume traditional Domains and Hakari's pachinko fever-dream were fundamentally the same mechanic.
The truth was, cursed techniques evolved alongside human civilization. Hakari was merely one example, but there were others. It was easy to foresee a future where rule-bending anomalies like Hakari became the standard norm rather than bizarre exceptions.
Kenjaku nodded. "I know a modern sorcerer whose technique requires taking pictures with a smartphone. A thousand years ago, such a technique was fundamentally impossible because smartphones didn't exist.
"You are the same, Hakari-san. Your Domain Expansion manifests a roaring high-speed train. You don't honestly believe high-speed trains existed in Heian Era Japan, do you?"
Not just trains.
In the late stages of the original story, when Kenjaku initiated the Culling Game, wildly absurd techniques emerged constantly. Courtrooms, fighter jets—these concepts could *only* exist in the modern era. An ancient sorcerer could never manifest them.
Exactly as Kenjaku stated, the advancement of civilization catalyzed the evolution of cursed techniques. Techniques bound to modern concepts would only proliferate over time, transitioning from one-in-a-million anomalies to everyday occurrences.
Because the absolute core of a cursed technique was human cognition!
Hakari had genuinely never considered this. He scratched his chin in frustration and asked, "What does that prove?"
"It proves the absolute power of 'Conviction', Hakari-san." Kenjaku smiled faintly, pointing at Mahito. "If Mahito truly, completely 'believes' in the concept, then utilizing the 'Construction' technique to synthesize a vessel with a 100% synchronization rate is entirely possible."
With his cognitive constraints shattered, Mahito's imagination ran wild.
He declared, "Not just that. I might be able to replicate even more concepts."
Hakari admitted he was losing the thread again. "Like what?" he asked.
"I can replicate a Kamen Rider," Mahito said deeply.
"...Huh?" This time, not just Hakari, but even Kenjaku looked completely dumbfounded.
Mahito was slightly surprised. "Kenjaku, you know what Kamen Rider is?"
"It's one of Japan's big three Tokusatsu franchises! Even an ancient fossil like me knows about it!" Kenjaku suddenly grew incredibly animated. "Don't underestimate me! When it comes to Kamen Rider lore, I might actually know more than you!"
Kenjaku truly was a bizarre individual with incredibly eclectic knowledge. Near the end of the original story, he had flawlessly performed a traditional Manzai comedy routine with a professional comedian, catching and returning hyper-specific pop-culture references without breaking a sweat.
However, the manga had never explicitly stated he was a Tokusatsu fan. This was entirely unrecorded lore.
But then again, it made sense. Even Satoru Gojo was a massive Digimon fan, casually dropping references to SkullGreymon's "dark evolution." The private lives and hobbies of these god-tier sorcerers were truly a mystery.
Hakari rubbed his temples. "Hold on, why are we talking about Tokusatsu shows? Mahito, what kind of vessel are you actually trying to build?"
"How well do you understand my Reverse Cursed Technique?" Mahito asked suddenly.
"Soul Creation." Hakari had actually researched it extensively. After all, he had been defeated by it; it was only natural he'd want to understand exactly how he lost.
Because of the Thought Imprint, Mahito trusted Hakari completely. When asked, Mahito explained the mechanics without hesitation.
"You can record the soul of anyone you touch, and then simulate a fraction of their traits for your own use. The most critical application of this is recording their Innate Technique," Hakari summarized.
"Although you can only actively simulate one soul at a time, your storage capacity is limitless. Theoretically, as long as you touch them, you can use any Innate Technique in existence.
"You defeated me by using the Innate Technique of someone named Haruta Shigemo... Wait a minute. Did you record *my* Innate Technique too?!" Hakari's expression violently shifted.
"Of course I did," Mahito nodded smugly.
Hakari's face darkened, and he didn't say another word.
Kenjaku felt genuine, profound awe. Mahito's 'Soul Creation' was simply too overpowered.
Over the past millennium, Kenjaku had encountered numerous singular techniques capable of producing highly varied effects. The most iconic of these was, undeniably, the 'Copy' technique.
That's right. Yuta Okkotsu wasn't the first 'Copy' user Kenjaku had seen.
When evaluating Yuta, Kenjaku had explicitly stated that while 'Copy' was immensely powerful, it still fell far short of Suguru Geto's 'Cursed Spirit Manipulation'. The reason Geto died to Yuta wasn't because his technique was inferior; it was simply because Geto had divided his forces and didn't utilize his full power during their clash. If Geto had fought at 100% capacity, Yuta would have had zero chance of winning.
This statement proved Kenjaku intimately understood the absolute limits of the 'Copy' technique; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so definitive. Yet, even the legendary 'Copy' technique paled in comparison to Mahito's 'Soul Creation'.
'Copy' required the user to physically consume a piece of the target's flesh. 'Soul Creation' bypassed that entirely. In terms of sheer efficiency in hoarding multiple techniques, it completely shattered Kenjaku's historical paradigm.
It was safe to say that strictly due to the existence of 'Soul Creation', sooner or later, Mahito was guaranteed to ascend to the throne of World Sovereign—even if he didn't technically attain 'Godhood'.
This was the exact reason Kenjaku was playing nice.
Currently, Kenjaku could effortlessly crush Mahito. But as time passed, the power gap would violently invert. Worse yet, because they had formed a Binding Vow, Kenjaku couldn't attack him now. And by the time the Vow expired, Kenjaku would have lost the ability to fight back entirely.
"If my theory works, 'Soul Creation' will evolve to an entirely new dimension." Mahito couldn't contain his excitement and laughed aloud.
"What exactly are you going to do?" Hakari asked.
"A Kamen Rider's transformation belt... can load multiple data cards simultaneously," Mahito said with profound implication.
Hakari's pupils shrank to pinpoints. A violent shudder ripped through his body as the horrifying reality of Mahito's plan clicked.
"The vessel you're going to build... will be able to actively run multiple instances of 'Soul Creation' at the exact same time?" Hakari managed to force the words out. It felt as if he had been plunged into the Marianas Trench, the crushing pressure from all sides threatening to asphyxiate him.
Mahito turned to look at Kenjaku. "Is it possible?" he asked.
"This completely shatters a thousand years of Jujutsu theory." Kenjaku took a deep, shuddering breath, unable to suppress his own manic excitement. "I don't know. I honestly don't know... But it is absolutely worth attempting! Your Idle Transfiguration... your Soul Creation... exactly how far does your path extend?! This is... this is truly—"
*This is thrilling me to the core!*
*He's growing too fast,* Hakari thought in silent terror. *If this keeps up...*
*Gojo-sensei, can you really handle this monster?*
"Ah, one more thing," Mahito suddenly said to Hakari. "Could you do me a favor and call Mei Mei?"
"Mei Mei?" Hakari frowned in confusion. "Her technique is 'Black Bird Manipulation', right? Is a technique like that really worth your attention?"
"It's a convenient utility technique, but her technique isn't the one I'm interested in."
"Then who?"
"Mei Mei's younger brother, Ui Ui. His is the technique I want," Mahito smiled. "Once I acquire Ui Ui's technique and finish constructing my new vessel... then I'll be fully equipped to go test the mettle of the Modern Strongest, Satoru Gojo."
Ui Ui's technique was teleportation.
With a mere wave of his hand, wrapping himself and his targets in a cloth, he could instantly teleport from Japan to the United States. In terms of pure escape capabilities, its performance—both in precision and range—far exceeded Kenjaku's spatial portals.
Once Mahito acquired Ui Ui's technique, he could engage Satoru Gojo with zero hesitation. —Because even if he couldn't beat him, he could outrun him.
Additionally, there were several other techniques he needed to urgently acquire.
Previously, because 'Soul Creation' was strictly limited to executing one technique at a time, Mahito hadn't been in a rush to hunt down a massive arsenal. Beyond a select few high-tier techniques, acquiring more was functionally useless; it was better to specialize.
But if he successfully constructed the Perfect Vessel, the paradigm shifted entirely.
In this world, there were countless fascinating techniques with terrifying synergistic potential. When combined and layered simultaneously, they could easily rival the absolute power of 'Limitless'.
'Resonance', 'Ten Shadows', 'Cursed Speech', 'Tool Manipulation', 'Puppet Manipulation', 'Ratio', 'Poison', 'Miracles', 'Inverse', 'Construction', 'Boogie Woogie', 'Love Rendezvous', 'Probability Fluctuation', 'Copy', 'Blood Manipulation', 'Solo Forbidden Zone', 'Audio Amplification', 'Projection Sorcery'...
And, of course, Mahito's signature foundation—'Idle Transfiguration'.
*Satoru Gojo. Can your 'Limitless' stand against an infinite arsenal of techniques?*