Having made up his mind, Mahito immediately took action.
His first objective was to make contact with Mei Mei and Ui Ui. It was far easier than he anticipated. Because Mei Mei was an absolute, unapologetic capitalist, as long as the price was right, anything was negotiable.
A single phone call from Hakari was all it took for Mei Mei to agree to a meeting, bringing Ui Ui along. Naturally, business was business. Hakari wasn't working for Mahito for free; he expected his own cut.
"New Humanity." That was Hakari's payout. He wanted to become a New Human.
According to Mahito's explanation, a 'New Human' was functionally a 'Half-Cursed Spirit.' They possessed all the biological advantages of a Cursed Spirit without sacrificing their physical flesh.
Once transitioned into a New Human, the need for sustenance vanished. Metabolism ceased. Every single biological energy requirement was completely fulfilled by passively absorbing the cursed energy naturally permeating the atmosphere. Even if one suffered a catastrophic injury, as long as they weren't killed instantly, their body would slowly regenerate over time.
But the most crucial benefit was immortality.
Becoming a New Human automatically granted eternal life. It was the ultimate, unattainable dream of emperors and conquerors throughout history, yet for a 'New Human,' it was merely a baseline biological function.
So, what was the cost?
The cost was mental degradation.
Even if the flesh could endure forever, could the human mind withstand the sheer weight of eternity? That was a question even Mahito couldn't definitively answer. However, functionally speaking, that was just nitpicking. You've achieved literal immortality, and you're complaining about mental fatigue? As Mahito put it—
"Give an otaku a cup of coffee and a PC, and they can happily live until the end of the world. Are you saying you're mentally weaker than an otaku? Mental degradation? Where would that even come from?"
As a side note, influenced by Mahito, Hakari had recently started reading a lot of manga.
With a cup of coffee and a PC, he figured he could probably live to see the end of the world too.
A week later, Mei Mei and Ui Ui finally met with Mahito.
The designated rendezvous point was a quiet café. Because it wasn't the weekend, the shop was virtually empty. Only a handful of customers sat scattered about, including someone who looked like a university student hunched over a laptop, writing a thesis. The atmosphere was peaceful.
Just then, Mei Mei pushed open the café door.
Mahito instantly threw his hand in the air, grinning ear to ear as he shouted loudly, "Over here! Over here!"
A passing waiter immediately stepped in. "Sir, please keep your voice down."
"Sorry, sorry, I'm just too excited." Mahito looked completely innocent, pressing his hands together in a theatrical apology.
*So that's the Lord of Curses.* Mei Mei stared at Mahito.
He was wearing his usual white button-down shirt, his long white hair cascading down his shoulders. His heterochromatic eyes, one gold and one blue, caught the café's warm lighting, glimmering softly.
Despite knowing he was a Cursed Spirit, Mei Mei had to admit: he possessed a perfectly sculpted nose, sharp, striking eyes, and slender eyebrows. His face was entirely devoid of blemishes, as pale and flawless as fresh snow. He was handsome enough to make any woman's heart skip a beat.
His expression was relaxed, sporting a natural, closed-mouth smile. He looked elegant and serene. As long as he kept his mouth shut, he was a picturesque sight. Unfortunately, the moment he opened his mouth, it was like a torrential downpour ruining a beautiful landscape—he instantly became insufferably flippant and highly punchable.
*This feeling... right. It's exactly like Satoru Gojo. He's a beautiful man cut from the exact same cloth as Satoru Gojo.*
Mei Mei led Ui Ui over to Mahito's table. Hakari sat next to Mahito, looking profoundly bored. Seeing Mei Mei, he raised a hand in greeting.
"About time you showed up. I was getting sick of waiting. Well, my job as the middleman is done. I'm out of here—"
Before Hakari could finish, Mahito cut him off.
"Kinji has already become a 'New Human,' you know! He's the living proof of my sincerity. Look closely, look! Doesn't he look absolutely perfect? Zero side effects!"
"...Hey. I'm supposedly one of your top generals, right? Do you really have to pitch me like a human trafficker selling livestock?"
More importantly, since when did Mahito start calling him 'Kinji'? When they first met, it was 'Hakari-san.' After they fought, it became 'Hakari.' Now, barely a week later, they were fast-tracked to first-name basis. Was the next step calling him 'Kin,' just like Kirara did?
Hakari thought to himself that this guy was way too overly familiar, but he didn't actually reject the nickname.
This was the exact reason Mei Mei had come. 'New Humanity.'
This new race, destined to completely rewrite the global paradigm, was sitting right in front of her. If the King of Curses wasn't lying, this singular product alone could generate enough wealth to last Mei Mei several lifetimes. Even though she knew perfectly well that associating with him was incredibly dangerous, she couldn't resist coming to see it for herself, bringing Ui Ui as her insurance policy.
Her absolute devotion to capitalism simply wouldn't allow her to ignore the invitation. Despite the massive risks, she had to come.
And with Ui Ui here, if things went south, they could teleport away instantly.
Mahito's terms were astonishingly simple.
"As long as my sister and I let you touch our skin, you'll guarantee us two 'New Human' slots... Are you serious?" Ui Ui stared directly at Mahito, asking bluntly.
Mei Mei and Ui Ui took their seats across from Mahito. Without needing to flag down a waiter, two fresh cups of coffee and an assortment of pastries were already waiting for them on the table. It seemed Mahito and Hakari had been here for a while and had politely ordered ahead.
Mei Mei lightly brushed the side of her coffee cup. It was still perfectly warm. The temperature was ideal—almost as if he had flawlessly predicted the exact second they would arrive.
"That's the deal. Simple, isn't it? All I need is to briefly touch your skin, and I'll grant you two 'New Human' slots. Whether you use them yourselves or auction them off to the highest bidder is entirely up to you. An incredibly lucrative trade, wouldn't you agree?" Mahito smiled radiantly, his voice drifting like dandelion fluff, clear and melodic as a distant dolphin song.
Mei Mei took a moment to appreciate the Lord of Curses' handsome face, then shifted her gaze to the thoroughly annoyed Kinji Hakari.
"So this is... a New Human," she murmured.
If one were to ask what was different about Hakari compared to before, there was only one visible change.
Resting lazily on Hakari's broad shoulder was a tiny, amphibious-looking salamander. It had delicate wings folded against its back, a pair of small horns crowning its head, and fine scales armored its entire body. It looked exactly like an infant dragon.
And this tiny infant dragon was radiating the exact same cursed energy signature as Kinji Hakari.
A Shikigami? A clone? The side effect of a cursed technique?
No, it felt different. It felt almost like—
"Kinji Hakari. That thing... is *you*, isn't it?" Mei Mei watched him with deep interest.
It wasn't a clone. It was his *other half*.
Hakari's eyebrow twitched upward, and he let out a chuckle.
The exact moment his lips curled into a grin, the infant dragon simultaneously snapped its eyes open and mirrored the exact same grin.
"..." Mei Mei had to admit, the sight was profoundly unsettling.
Mahito chimed in to explain:
"Compared to Cursed Spirits, the human soul is incredibly rigid and difficult to alter. Attempting to forcibly reshape it carries a massive risk of severe physiological backlash."
In terms of raw resilience and plasticity, the human soul was indeed inferior to a Curse's. This was likely because humans relied on the physical shell of flesh for protection, causing their souls to become comparatively 'lazy' and inflexible.
"Unfortunately, if one wishes to transition into a 'New Human' with absolutely zero side effects, even I cannot achieve it in a single step."
Despite describing it as a regret, Mahito's expression was incredibly smug. Mei Mei perfectly understood why he was so proud.
It was simple deduction. Because Cursed Spirits lacked a physical body, their souls and minds were perpetually exposed to the elements. To maintain their very existence, their souls had to be unfathomably durable. Consequently, when it came to defending against soul-targeting attacks, Curses were far superior to humans.
Delicately manipulating a human soul to grant it immortality without shattering it was undoubtedly a hundred times more difficult than manipulating a Curse.
In fact, in the original story, Mahito had explicitly stated that human souls were pathetically fragile compared to Curses; the slightest mistake would instantly kill them.
Yet, Mahito had still accomplished it. It was truly a feat worthy of pride, even arrogance.
"I wonder if you're familiar with Yuki Tsukumo's combat style?" Mahito suddenly asked.
"The combat methods and innate techniques of Special Grade sorcerers are classified as top secret. Even if one actively tries to investigate, gathering comprehensive intelligence is extremely difficult," Mei Mei replied calmly, not trying to hide her lack of knowledge. "So, unfortunately, no. I am not familiar with it."
As for why Satoru Gojo's technique was common knowledge despite him also being a Special Grade—that was entirely Gojo's own fault. He made absolutely zero effort to hide it. If anyone asked, he would gleefully explain the exact mechanics of his technique in excruciating detail. He simply didn't care.
In the original story, Yuki Tsukumo's technique remained an absolute mystery until her final battle. Prior to that, even the millennial mastermind Kenjaku had failed to gather any concrete intelligence on it. That alone spoke volumes about how perfectly her technique was concealed.
"Yuki Tsukumo possesses a Shikigami that doubles as a Cursed Tool, linked directly to her own cursed energy. It is named 'Garuda'. As a Cursed Tool-type Shikigami, it can act as a secondary target for her innate technique, allowing it to execute the exact same technique synchronously."
Mahito spoke unhurriedly, laying out his entire thought process:
"My methodology for evolving humans into 'New Humanity' was directly inspired by Yuki Tsukumo's Cursed Tool Shikigami. Since a human cannot be directly mutated into a 'New Human' in one step... what if the transition was handled by a Shikigami inextricably linked to the human's soul?"
Mei Mei looked closely at the infant dragon perched on Hakari's shoulder, meticulously analyzing its cursed energy output. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she barely would have registered its presence. In other words, maintaining this Shikigami 'other half' required practically zero cursed energy upkeep from the sorcerer. Sustaining it 24/7 wouldn't pose the slightest burden.
But that wasn't because the master was supplying the Shikigami with energy. It was the exact opposite—
"The sole purpose of this Shikigami is to absorb cursed energy from the atmosphere and feed it directly into its master," Mahito explained methodically. "Through this slow, highly regulated, and perfectly safe process, the Shikigami will gradually physically transmute its master into a 'Half-Cursed Spirit' lifeform.
"Because the body can now autonomously draw sustenance from atmospheric energy, the biological need to consume food will gradually disappear. The same goes for metabolism. Furthermore, because the entire body is now sustained by a perfectly closed loop of cursed energy, cellular aging halts completely. All biological energy requirements are replaced by cursed energy circulation. And eventually, one day..."
Mahito made a dramatic 'ta-da' gesture, inviting Mei Mei and Ui Ui to closely observe Hakari.
"...The human will completely molt into a transcendent organism capable of surviving solely by breathing in cursed energy. From that day forward, they will never age. They will never need to eat. They will never suffer permanent physical disability. As long as they are not violently killed, they will live forever.
"That is the absolute promise of 'New Humanity'."
Mei Mei took a slow, deep breath, carefully regulating her surging emotions. She perfectly understood the mechanics.
Mei Mei wasn't some crusty Jujutsu academic, so she didn't grasp the hyper-complex, theoretical minutiae. But Mahito had explained it brilliantly. It was simple, elegant, and idiot-proof. Even a pragmatist like her could see the flawless logic behind it. She was entirely convinced.
"Are there any other side effects?" Ui Ui asked sharply. "Such as physical mutations, psychological warping, or a personality shift toward that of a Cursed Spirit?"
"That is exactly why the Shikigami acts as the intermediary buffer," Mahito said, pointing at the infant dragon on Hakari's shoulder. "This infant dragon is a Shikigami that Kinji crafted with his own hands. I simply bridged the connection, tying the Shikigami directly to Kinji's soul, permanently transmuting it into his 'other half'.
"When the time is right and the transmutation is complete, the infant dragon will seamlessly fuse back into Kinji. He will then possess both a Cursed Spirit form and his original human form. Furthermore, because this Shikigami is inextricably linked to Kinji's soul, Jujutsu mechanics recognize them as the exact same entity. Therefore, the Shikigami can also utilize Kinji's cursed technique... even his Domain Expansion."
Having it laid out so plainly, any competent sorcerer would understand the brilliance of the design.
If there were any horrific side effects to the transmutation process, they would manifest on the Shikigami first. If the Shikigami began to warp, they had plenty of time to intervene and correct it. If the Shikigami operated perfectly normally and exhibited no issues, it meant the host's 'New Humanity' transition was proceeding flawlessly.
The Shikigami essentially acted as an external organ, providing a perfectly safe, observable metric for the evolution process.
Mei Mei nodded in deep satisfaction. It truly was an ingenious method. It was incredibly safe, and if something did go wrong, it would be instantly detectable. At that point, the user could simply sever the connection and remain an 'Old Human,' or seek Mahito out to patch the glitch and resume the process. The choice remained entirely in the user's hands.
With that settled, Mei Mei had only one final question.
"I understand why this is incredibly safe and convenient for Jujutsu Sorcerers. But what about normal people?" Mei Mei asked. "Normal people cannot actively control their cursed energy, nor do they possess innate techniques. How do they transition into New Humans?"
Hakari suddenly piped up. "Hey, Mei Mei. Have you ever watched *Digimon*?"
Mei Mei blinked. *What is that?*
Ui Ui's eyes suddenly lit up. "Mr. Hakari, you watch *Digimon* too?!"
Hakari beamed, completely in his element. "This Shikigami is basically our Digimon! You've seen *Digimon Frontier*, right? I'm Takuya Kanbara, and my Shikigami is the Spirit of Fire!"
Ui Ui gasped in delight. "Oh! I totally get it now!"
*What exactly do you get?* Mei Mei kept her face perfectly neutral, not saying a word.
Mahito couldn't help but laugh out loud. "It seems Miss Mei Mei isn't quite caught up on youth culture. That won't do at all! I hear Satoru Gojo is incredibly well-versed in this stuff. You have to keep up with the times, you know!"
Mei Mei sighed gracefully. "Fair enough. That is indeed my blind spot. I suppose I'll have to watch this *Digimon* when we get home. *Digimon Frontier*, was it?"
Ui Ui puffed out his chest proudly. "Don't worry, Sister! I'll watch it with you!"
"Mhm. You're so reliable, Ui Ui." Mei Mei smiled warmly.
"Being able to share your burdens is my greatest honor, Sister!" Ui Ui beamed, his eyes sparkling with absolute devotion.
*These siblings are definitely messed up in the head.* Mahito and Hakari thought the exact same thing simultaneously, their mental wavelengths syncing like true brothers.
Ui Ui quickly explained, "What Mr. Hakari means is that the Shikigami doesn't require the host to be a sorcerer. It's simply an external organ designed specifically for cursed energy absorption and physiological transmutation.
"Normal people can't actively manipulate their cursed energy like sorcerers do, but normal people still *generate* cursed energy. As long as they generate cursed energy, they can bind to the Shikigami. 'New Humanity' isn't a privilege exclusive to sorcerers."
Hakari clapped loudly. "As expected of a fellow fan! A perfect 10/10 explanation!"
Ui Ui tried to suppress his grin, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him as he looked up expectantly at Mei Mei. Mei Mei gently stroked his hair, and Ui Ui instantly smiled so wide his eyes crinkled shut.
Mei Mei suddenly asked, "If the entire world transitioned into 'New Humanity'... would Cursed Spirits cease to exist?"
The entire table went dead silent.
Both Ui Ui and Hakari froze. They had never even considered that staggering possibility.
The birth of Cursed Spirits was the direct result of massive populations of normal humans leaking their uncontrolled cursed energy into the atmosphere. This leaked energy circulated, pooled together, and eventually manifested into physical curses—Cursed Spirits.
Operating entirely on this foundational theory, a certain Special Grade Curse User had once proposed a radical ideology:
*"If we just slaughter every single normal human on the planet and only leave sorcerers who can perfectly control their cursed energy leakage... wouldn't that permanently eradicate Curses?"*
The theory was mathematically flawless. But the methodology was apocalyptic.
The man who attempted to turn that extreme ideology into reality was Suguru Geto.
Every single sorcerer in Japan knew his name. That Special Grade Curse User had personally orchestrated the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, unleashing hordes of Cursed Spirits into densely populated cities for indiscriminate slaughter.
His target wasn't the Jujutsu Sorcerers. It was the normal humans. He intended to commit global genocide against non-sorcerers to create a utopia solely for shamans.
Eradicating Curses! That was his absolute 'Righteous Cause.'
And now, the exact same underlying theory was producing a radically different solution.
The King of Curses. This unprecedented, transcendent Cursed Spirit... had personally proposed a flawless, non-lethal method to drive his own species into extinction. Oh, the bitter irony.
Hakari muttered softly, "...She's right. If the entire world became New Humans, Cursed Spirits would genuinely go extinct. Theoretically speaking, it's absolutely airtight."
Ui Ui's eyes widened in awe. "The thousand-year-old unsolvable dilemma of Jujutsu... was just solved by a Cursed Spirit?"
Mei Mei took a deep breath. She brought her legs together, straightened her spine to perfect posture, and rested her hands gracefully in her lap. She unconsciously shifted into a formal *seiza* sitting position.
"Lord of Curses," she asked gravely. "Do you wish to eradicate Cursed Spirits?"
"Oh, you..." The Lord of Curses smiled. It was a perfectly natural, elegant smile, yet Mei Mei felt a sudden, bone-chilling cold pierce her soul.
He said softly, "Aren't you... drastically underestimating humanity?"
Mei Mei blinked, taken aback. "Underestimating humanity?"
"The curses harbored by humanity run a hundred times deeper than any Cursed Spirit," Mahito said, his words dripping with profound implication.
Mei Mei suddenly felt her skin crawl. But the dread wasn't directed at the King of Curses sitting across from her. It was directed inward. Toward her own past. Toward everything she had witnessed in her life. Toward her own existence. Toward her own insatiable greed.
"Let me ask you, Miss Mei Mei," Mahito whispered. "Could you ever allow 'New Humanity' to become the universal standard?"
*Could I allow it?*
Mei Mei arrived at the answer without a single microsecond of hesitation.
*No.*
Even if it was perfectly achievable. Even if all she had to do was bow her head and beg the King of Curses. Even if the King of Curses happily agreed. Even if. Even if. Even if.
No matter how many flawless justifications existed, no matter how effortless the execution was.
She... would never allow it.
Why?
Because if she did—
"I wouldn't be able to make any money off it," Mei Mei exhaled a long breath, a bitter, cynical smile twisting her lips. "I cannot betray my own nature. I could never allow 'New Humanity' to be given away for free."
And there was a much darker, deeper reason.
Right now, the keys to 'New Humanity' were clutched in her hands. She had become the exclusive broker. This meant she held absolute leverage over the life and death of every single powerful elite who desired immortality. She would own all their favors. By monopolizing these connections and favors, she could effortlessly catapult herself to the absolute pinnacle of human society.
Once she stood at the apex of the global hierarchy... wouldn't she desire eternal rule? And if she could rule eternally, would she ever allow—
Would she ever allow *other* immortals to sit at her table and take a slice of her cake? Even if she could somehow stomach it, acting completely out of character...
What about the *other* immortals? The billionaires and politicians she sold the slots to? Would *they* allow it?
Mei Mei closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her gaze had returned to its usual, icy calculation.
She suddenly asked, "King of Curses. I mean no offense, but I must ask... What exactly are you the curse of?"
"Humanity." Mahito's smile curved like a crescent moon, the upturned corners of his mouth sharp as demonic horns. He whispered, "I am the manifestation of humanity's curse upon humanity."