Lately, Mahito couldn't shake the feeling that he was running himself ragged.
Even though his faction grew larger by the day and his subordinates multiplied, he constantly felt short-handed. That was especially true right now.
He still remembered when he was first cornered by Kenjaku and Jogo six months ago. Back then, he relied on pure bluffing to force Kenjaku into a Binding Vow, securing the time he needed to grow into his current strength. In those days, he couldn't go anywhere without at least one intelligence-type Curse by his side—usually Jogo or Hanami. He didn't care what Kenjaku was up to, mostly because he couldn't control Kenjaku anyway.
Since then, Kinji Hakari, Sadatsuna Ashiya, the five second-generation intelligence-type Cursed Spirits, Tsumiki Fushiguro, Toji Fushiguro, and the late additions—Choso, Eso, and Kechizu—had all joined him.
His faction had truly risen to power.
To put it bluntly, with their current forces, even a head-on clash with the entire Jujutsu world would only leave them slightly disadvantaged. And that slight disadvantage was entirely due to Yuta Okkotsu and Yuki Tsukumo. Even though Mahito's faction was incredibly formidable, and even though Mahito himself could now trade his life for Satoru Gojo's, absolutely no one could match Yuta Okkotsu and Yuki Tsukumo.
Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers were truly broken, game-breaking existences.
It wasn't that Mahito's side lacked fighters of that caliber. Kinji Hakari, Tsumiki Fushiguro, Toji Fushiguro, and Kenjaku—measured purely by combat prowess—were all Special Grade level. His side possessed four such monsters. Counting Mahito himself, that made five Special Grade Sorcerer equivalents. Meanwhile, the Jujutsu world, even factoring in Satoru Gojo and Tengen, only had four.
And Tengen was purely a barrier specialist; her frontline combat strength was negligible.
The real problem was that the enemy's Special Grades were complete cheats! Even the weakest of them, Yuki Tsukumo, would be a nightmare for any of Mahito's Special Grades to defeat in a head-on fight. Worse still, if she found a safe spot, she could simply drag an opponent down to hell with her as she died.
Yuki Tsukumo perfectly embodied that popular internet meme regarding powerful bosses: *Invincible against anyone below Special Grade, guaranteed mutual kill against anyone Special Grade or above.*
In the original timeline, even with the massive disadvantage she faced, if Yuki Tsukumo hadn't been so soft-hearted, she could have absolutely taken Kenjaku to the grave with her. If she had just hardened her resolve and thrown caution to the wind, Kenjaku would have died right there with a hundred percent certainty.
Yeah. After personally fighting Yuki Tsukumo and comparing it to Kenjaku's canonical power level, Mahito was absolutely certain: if Yuki and Kenjaku engaged in a genuine clash of Domain Expansions, Kenjaku would lose without a doubt. How the hell was Kenjaku supposed to withstand *Star Rage*? He simply couldn't!
Pure stats were the king of logic.
If it weren't for Gojo's Six Eyes and Limitless, or Yuta Okkotsu's absurdly broken limitless Cursed Technique, Yuki Tsukumo would easily rank among the absolute greatest in the entire history of Jujutsu.
Mahito honestly suspected that if Satoru Gojo or Ryomen Sukuna fought her without prior intel, they might end up as a mutual kill too. And Mahito wasn't just blowing smoke—after all, Yuki was the only character in the original work with a confirmed planet-busting ability. Forget about whether it required a suicidal sacrifice; just acknowledge that she could blow up a planet.
Hell, 'planet-busting' was an understatement. If you compressed the Earth into a two-centimeter glass marble to form a Simulated Black Hole, the entire solar system wouldn't survive. That was system-busting! Back when he read the manga before crossing over, Mahito had discussed this in group chats. Every single member, Mahito included, agreed that the one-eyed cat author had gotten drunk and typed those stats with his feet.
As for Yuta Okkotsu... in the past, he was manageable, but now the bastard somehow possessed Tengen's immortality technique! Even Kenjaku openly admitted that unless they used a seal, even a thousand-year-old Curse User like him had no idea how to fight him. What were they supposed to do?!
This was exactly why Mahito was running himself ragged.
He needed to flip the current power dynamic! And the first step was to further bolster their own strength!
"That's the situation!" Mahito declared, his face deadly serious. "I'm going to start rigorously evaluating everyone's combat readiness!"
Kenjaku chimed in, "With the Dream Migration drawing closer by the day, it's certain that we are approaching the final, decisive battle with the Jujutsu world. You could say this battle will decide the future of humanity. Before Tengen ascends to godhood, we must trigger the Dream Migration as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if Tengen truly becomes a god, against the combined might of a Divine Tengen and Satoru Gojo, we'll have no choice but to..."
"Die?" Choso, the newest addition, asked in a heavy voice.
Everyone turned to look at Choso, making him tense up. "What? Am I wrong? A Divine Tengen would possess the ability to meticulously manage and manipulate Japan's grand barrier all by herself, while Satoru Gojo can only be matched by Mahito. When the time comes, if a Divine Tengen coordinates with Gojo to divide and conquer us, even if Mahito has the strength to rival Gojo, he won't be able to save us in time. Is my assessment incorrect?"
Jogo couldn't help but chuckle. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but rather one of self-deprecation. He remembered when they first collaborated with Kenjaku, and Kenjaku had used the exact same speech. Looking back, everyone had been terrified by Kenjaku's framing. That fear led them all—Mahito included—to fall for it and sign the Binding Vow. Thinking about it now, they had been so naive back then.
Choso frowned at Jogo, suspecting he was being mocked. But before he could demand an explanation, Jogo spoke in a surprisingly gentle tone, "What Kenjaku means is, if we lose this competition, we'll just have to move to the United States and rule from the shadows there."
Exactly. Even if the terrifying combo of Divine Tengen and Satoru Gojo truly materialized, they could just hide overseas. But back then, not even Mahito had considered it, because Mahito suffered from a severe case of narrative path-dependency. He assumed Japan was the absolute center of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. He thought that once Tengen became a god, she would establish a global presence, leaving Mahito with nowhere to run.
But after personally taking a trip to the US, Mahito suddenly realized that even if Tengen achieved true godhood, her influence wouldn't reach overseas. In the mundane world, Tengen was pure background lore. She mattered in Japan, but internationally? She had zero geopolitical leverage.
Just look at what that US Army Lieutenant General had said. The United States didn't give a damn about some thousand-year-old Jujutsu Sorcerer—if they had to wage war, they would wage war!
Choso blinked, utterly bewildered. "Huh?"
Yep, Choso was making the exact same mistake Mahito had made back then.
Kinji Hakari spoke up, looking deeply uncomfortable. "I used to harbor some romanticized fantasies about America, but ever since I negotiated with the US President, the thought of being stuck there for a thousand, or ten thousand years... it gives me full-body goosebumps. Sigh, I used to think Japan was a rotten mess, but now I realize it's actually great here. Anyway, I refuse to go to the US unless we go all in and lose."
Hakari spoke with the overflowing emotion of a man saying, 'If my startup fails, I'll be forced to cry while serving as the President of the greatest superpower on Earth', leaving Choso utterly speechless.
Hanami looked at Jogo and signed, [To think that after dying once, Jogo is actually capable of gently comforting someone. Jogo, you have truly grown.]
Dagon hopped twice in confusion and let out a few incomprehensible squeaks.
"Stop talking to me like I'm a child needing comfort!" Jogo grumbled in annoyance. "I still have a fiery temper! And you, Dagon, knock it off! Be quiet!"
Hanami just chuckled, completely ignoring Jogo's warning.
Ever since his first death, Jogo had indeed grown—both in strength and in how he carried himself. Now, he truly possessed power nearing that of a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Well, nearing it.
He still couldn't sit at the same table as a true Special Grade, but against one with weak defensive capabilities, he could at least attempt a mutual kill.
Mahito was very satisfied with Jogo's current personality.
He surveyed the figures seated around him: Kenjaku, Jogo, Hanami, Dagon, Kinji Hakari, Sadatsuna Ashiya, Tsumiki Fushiguro, Sha, Hane-kaede, Yayoi Suzu, Yuki-ori, Yuki-ren, Toji Fushiguro, Choso, Eso, and Kechizu.
Before he even realized it, his faction had swollen to this magnificent scale.
"Before we rigorously test everyone's strength, let's have a progress report... Kinji, you're up first," Mahito directed.
"Nothing major, except I've been getting anonymous phone calls recently. Pretty sure it's the higher-ups from Jujutsu Headquarters," Hakari said, his voice low. "The caller claims he can smooth things over for us, asking only that we reserve a seat of power for him in the future."
"Whoever it is, reject him." Sadatsuna Ashiya's voice had reverted from its elderly rasp to a youthful tone, though it still carried a profound sense of world-weariness. He spoke dismissively. "If we fail, it goes without saying. But if we succeed, I don't care who he is—if he refuses to obey us, just have Sha call the police on him."
Eso and Kechizu weren't as strong as their eldest brother, and they rarely spoke during meetings. Yet, right now, both wore expressions of utter disbelief. The simple-minded Kechizu managed to hold it in, but Eso couldn't contain himself. Slipping into a slightly effeminate tone, he asked incredulously, "Call the police? Are you serious?"
Sha turned to look at Eso. In the original timeline, Eso was a towering, muscular man deeply ashamed of the grotesque face formed of blood on his back. He would do anything to prevent others from seeing it. But now, thanks to Mahito's Idle Transfiguration, he had been normalized. Though still a massive bruiser, he could proudly bear his back to the world.
Sha replied flatly, "The police will excel at their sworn duties. Since an anonymous call of this nature constitutes attempted bribery, once we file a report, the police are obligated to use their authority to track down the owner of the anonymous number. After that, they will execute an arrest."
Eso's mouth twitched. "I thought the police were useless."
"If the police fail, it signifies a systemic failure in the judiciary." Sha maintained her stoic response. "Simply continue to escalate the report. If we escalate it to the very top and it remains unresolved... then it becomes our job."
Eso's casual demeanor instantly evaporated. He felt a razor-sharp aura envelope the entire room. It was as if everyone could hear the distinct ring of a blade being drawn from its scabbard, yet listening closely, it was just a phantom breeze rustling his hair.
"Big Sis's swordplay has leveled up again," Hane-kaede praised.
"I am unworthy of the compliment," Sha said with total sincerity. "I owe it all to Fushiguro-kun for accepting my challenges. Sparring with him has been immensely beneficial."
"I don't care, just have the fifty million ready," Toji Fushiguro chuckled darkly.
Sha's face twisted in agony, prompting a wave of good-natured laughter from the rest of the room.
Yeah, that fifty million was a debt. Every time they sparred, Sha owed Toji fifty million yen. In the past month alone, she had challenged him three times, racking up a debt of 150 million yen. Since she still didn't have an official job, she had been forced in desperation to start contacting the talent scouts who used to hand her business cards.
If it weren't for the fact that Mahito was in the most critical phase of his ascension to godhood, and that the Dream Migration still required Sha's barrier expertise, Miss Sha might have actually debuted as an idol by now!
Choso glanced at his younger brothers and said, "This is the best way. If we arbitrarily unleash violence on a whim, it might feel satisfying, but it will only turn the world against us. Playing by the rules leaves room to maneuver. It seems restrictive, but it practically reduces the hostility others harbor toward us. Take right now, for example—aren't we already receiving defectors?"
"I suspect there will be more and more in the future."
Mahito heard the unspoken subtext from his newest subordinate: Choso wanted to maintain this current status quo.
It was a stark contrast to the original work. There, not only Choso, but his two brothers as well, had incarnated into grotesque, mutated bodies. Worse, their very existence was built upon the sacrifice of innocent human vessels. Because of that, Choso had judged that walking the dark path was easier and more comfortable for them than the path of light.
But this time, their physical forms were entirely crafted via Construction and Idle Transfiguration. Both the vessels and their souls were hand-crafted by Mahito. Naturally, his two brothers weren't grotesque monsters. Their hands were entirely clean. Ironically, because they had been sealed away as Cursed Objects since birth, they could even pursue a fully justified, righteous vengeance against the Jujutsu world.
A clean origin and a righteous vengeance gave them countless avenues of retreat. This completely altered Choso's judgment from canon, making him deeply invested in maintaining order and rules.
Mahito snapped his fingers. "We'll do exactly as Sha said. If another anonymous call comes in, record it and call the police. Don't we have a politician in our pocket, too?"
Hakari nodded. "A Diet member bought an immortality slot. It was an arrangement Mei Mei set up before she left."
"Mei Mei may have betrayed us, but I haven't reneged on that deal," Mahito smiled pleasantly. "When the time comes, have that politician keep an eye on the police department. I'm sure having a VIP breathing down their necks will motivate the precinct to take our reports seriously."
Even as he spoke, Mahito marveled at the absurdity of it all. While the Jujutsu world watched them with predatory eyes, Mahito, armed with the twin bargaining chips of Immortality and Resurrection, was thriving in human society like an absolute kingpin. Actually, no—*they* were the ones watching the Jujutsu world with predatory eyes. When he really thought about it, aside from historical pedigree, the Jujutsu world was entirely outmatched by his faction. No wonder Hakari was already fielding defection calls.
Mahito called out the next name. "Kenjaku?"
"The US side is proceeding flawlessly," Kenjaku said with a pleasant smile. "The President is extremely enthusiastic about establishing the American Grand Barrier. Especially after you subtly hinted that your immortality is reliant on Tengen's barrier framework, he's been pushing aggressively. I imagine the US Ambassador has already personally visited the Japanese government offices to demand answers. The day Tengen leaves Japan is drawing near."
As for whether Tengen would simply ignore the US's demands? Kenjaku was absolutely certain she wouldn't.
Over the past millennium, Tengen had merged with a Star Plasma Vessel multiple times. Every single time she merged, she was forced to painfully recall exactly *why* she had to do it. Tengen wasn't a cold, unfeeling entity; her supposed coldness stemmed entirely from her absolute certainty that she had to maintain her humanity. Consequently, with every merger, her resolve to preserve the equilibrium of the Jujutsu world only grew stronger.
After a thousand years, this doctrine was carved into her very bones. So, when faced with massive external pressure, Tengen would inevitably take action. Even if it meant gambling her own life, she would forge ahead.
This was exactly why, in the original story, even though Tengen knew Kenjaku had prepared a flawless trap for her, she still refused to abandon the Tombs of the Star. Fleeing temporarily to avoid his Vanguard would have been the optimal strategic choice, but she outright refused. She preferred forcing the protagonist squad to act as her bodyguards over abandoning her post.
Because she *had* to fulfill her duty. She *had* to maintain the Tombs of the Star!
The same logic applied now. With Yuta Okkotsu acting as a viable substitute, and facing naked geopolitical coercion from the United States, Kenjaku calculated that Tengen's ingrained complexes would flare up. She would rather put herself in lethal danger than allow the Jujutsu world's balance to shatter. She would definitely travel to the United States.
"Excellent. This ensures we can safely trigger the Dream Migration," Mahito nodded with a smile, moving to the third report. "Jogo, detail the preparations for the Dream Migration."
Jogo straightened his back. "The ten barrier nodes across Japan are fully prepped for coverage. Hanami personally led the squad. It's impossible for the Sorcerers to have detected us, and we encountered zero resistance. It went so smoothly I'm actually getting paranoid."
In the original story, the Culling Game comprised ten major colonies, though the narrative only focused on four. These ten nodes were established centuries ago by Tengen herself. They were the most stable and efficient locations for casting grand-scale barrier techniques. Mahito had no intention of altering them. Kenjaku was the grandmaster in this field, and Kenjaku desired the initiation of the Culling Game more than anyone; he absolutely wouldn't sabotage this step.
Of course, since this was the long-term 'Dream Migration' and not the single-use 'Culling Game' from canon, Mahito still decided to concentrate their focus on the four major colonies shown in the manga, funneling the energy of the ten nodes into those four. This drastically reduced the required maintenance, giving Mahito more time to hone his own power.
As for why it went so smoothly... Even Gojo's Six Eyes would struggle to detect Hanami's covert movements. The Jujutsu Headquarters' monitors didn't stand a chance. With Hanami running point, perfect execution was the only logical outcome.
"Tsumiki?" Mahito asked.
Tsumiki Fushiguro wore a dark expression. "The attempt to replicate the Zi-O Driver using Construction failed. I'm still trying to isolate the structural flaw."
*You actually want to build a Kamen Rider belt?!* Mahito internally facepalmed. Ever since Tsumiki broadened her horizons, she had become increasingly unhinged. Sometimes, even Mahito found her ideas insanely far-fetched.
But he had to admit, this exact mindset was why Tsumiki had experienced the most explosive growth in combat power. She was now fiercely determined to fight Ryomen Sukuna head-on.
Tsumiki cast a sidelong glance at Kenjaku and said flatly, "I refuse to believe Lord Sukuna would miss out on a grand festival like this. I will be waiting for his arrival in Tokyo Colony No. 1. I'm confident I can give him a sufficiently grand surprise, to repay him for the 'kindness' he showed me in the ancient era."
Kenjaku merely shrugged, his pleasant smile unwavering. He didn't even attempt to argue.
Yeah, everyone present knew Kenjaku was pulling strings in the shadows, but no one knew exactly *what* he was doing. And ultimately, his clandestine schemes didn't matter. He was executing his assigned tasks flawlessly, and whatever strings he was pulling hadn't violated their Binding Vow. That meant his little tricks posed absolutely zero threat to Mahito prior to the total overthrow of the Jujutsu world.
It was exactly like Mahito's Binding Vow with Kokichi Muta in the original timeline. Even though Mahito knew perfectly well that healing Muta would immediately result in a death match, he still healed him. Because a Vow is a Vow.
"Excellent," Mahito praised. "Then Sukuna's opening battle is yours to handle. Toji, you know your job, right?"
Toji roughly scratched his spiky hair and nodded. "Yeah, I got it. I'll keep an eye on Tsumiki. If she gets in over her head..."
"There is absolutely no need for father to intervene. I am more than capable alone," Tsumiki stated proudly.
Toji just shrugged.
"Sha." Mahito smiled. "You give me the most peace of mind."
"Yes!" Sha sat at perfect attention, her voice crystal clear. "Aside from the four major colonies, the minor barrier networks across Japan have been fully inspected with the assistance of Hane-kaede and Yayoi Suzu. Yuki-ori and Yuki-ren have already surpassed me in raw barrier knowledge and execution; they have completely fortified the foundations."
The ten major colonies were heavily guarded, which was why the powerhouse trio of Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon was dispatched. Hanami provided stealth, Jogo provided overwhelming firepower, and if things went south, Dagon could provide an aquatic escape route. It was the perfect strike team.
The minor nodes across Japan required maintenance, but security was lax. Hane-kaede's massive crow Shikigami and Yayoi Suzu's wind-chime portals easily bypassed the guards. While Yuki-ori and Yuki-ren were terrible at swordsmanship and got scolded by Sadatsuna Ashiya daily, their barrier techniques had advanced at a terrifying pace. They were now fully qualified masters, and they had personally configured those barriers.
Sha's primary role was actually to stick by Yayoi Suzu. If an emergency occurred, Yayoi would open a wind-chime portal, allowing Sha to step through and act as immediate heavy-hitting reinforcements.
This was exactly why Sha, despite shouldering immense responsibilities, still had the free time to accompany Mahito to the United States. She was simply an insurance policy, a bodyguard with plenty of downtime.
As a side note, the original story only featured the ten major colonies; Kenjaku had ruthlessly abandoned the minor nodes. This was actually part of his Binding Vow. Kenjaku used the areas untouched by the Culling Game barriers as safe zones, relocating non-sorcerers there to fulfill his contractual obligations.
"Mr. Ashiya?" Mahito looked at the youthful ronin.
"I simply act as the guard dog for the estate. Aside from processing the Curse Users brought in by Choso, nothing has happened," Sadatsuna Ashiya said. "Kenjaku's barrier techniques are truly formidable. Even now, not a single Sorcerer has managed to breach the perimeter. It's perfectly safe here."
Ashiya's duty was simultaneously the most boring and the most crucial. It was boring because when nothing happened, there was literally nothing to do. It was crucial because... if something *did* happen, he was the absolute final line of defense, and highly likely to die in the process.
This suited Ashiya's personality perfectly. Defending the home base required a level of patience and stoicism that only he possessed. Sure, Kenjaku could technically do it, but trusting Kenjaku with the main base was out of the question.
"And finally, Choso?" Mahito asked.
Choso tensed slightly. Sitting perfectly upright, he spoke slowly, "The Curse Users we contacted have all been assembled. I've 'disciplined' the unruly ones. Naturally, there were no casualties. If they are going to die, they will die after the Dream Migration begins. I know where to draw the line. Furthermore, I had Eso and Kechizu scour the rest of Japan for Imaginary Vengeful Spirits. Unfortunately, we haven't located any new ones."
"Do we have every Curse User in Japan under our banner?" Mahito asked.
"All of them," Choso sneered. "The ones who refused the invitation had their limbs broken and were dumped in the holding wing. Mr. Ashiya is keeping watch over them."
"And the international ones?"
"I sent the invitations under Suguru Geto's name." Choso's tone turned complex. "Even though the invitations reek of suspicious circumstances, the majority of the foreign Sorcerers promised to attend. However, I can't guarantee those promises hold weight."
The reason they were willing to come despite the obvious trap was simple: even if it was a lie, they were desperate to verify the truth. Suguru Geto's sheer charisma in life was undeniable.
"Even a fraction of them showing up is fantastic!" Mahito was highly pleased. "This was always the most grueling logistical task. In the past, Kenjaku handled the networking. Unfortunately, Kenjaku is now tied up with the US negotiations. Your arrival perfectly filled that gap."
Pausing for a moment, Mahito offered a comforting word. "Don't worry about the Imaginary Vengeful Spirits. Before this, Kenjaku already guided Jogo and the others through the major spawn points. It's completely understandable that you haven't found any new ones. Your work has been exemplary. I am very satisfied. You can relax."
Choso let out a long exhale. "It is my honor."
Mahito surveyed his forces with immense satisfaction. Right now, they truly felt like the shadow rulers of Japan. But he remained clear-headed; he knew this was merely the setup phase. The real blood and steel would come after the Dream Migration was established.
"With the administrative reports concluded, it's time to rigorously test our combat strength." Mahito's expression turned solemn. Everyone in the room immediately straightened up.
At the end of the day, managing a faction was just logistics. The true mission was a battle of life and death. With the preparations finalized, the countdown to the decisive war had begun. At this juncture, only absolute, overwhelming power could provide true reassurance.
No one resented Mahito's demand to test their strength. Quite the opposite—they eagerly anticipated it. They wanted to display their absolute peak condition during this audit. It was for the sake of the Dream Migration, and to prove their worth in the new world that would follow.
This was especially true for Tsumiki and Toji Fushiguro. They were slated to engage Ryomen Sukuna. If their power fell short, it was better to avoid throwing their lives away. Forcing Mahito to waste energy fishing their souls back from the River of Souls would be utterly humiliating.
Mahito's promise of resurrection was real, but their strength was their own. Relying on an extra life to fight recklessly like street thugs was beneath them. It was utterly undignified and would only expose their combat data to the enemy, leading to a vicious cycle of defeat. No one in this room was that stupid.
Suddenly, a ringtone shattered the solemn atmosphere.
Mahito shot a glance at Hakari.
Kinji Hakari pulled out his phone with a grave expression. He spoke solemnly, "I set my phone to silent during meetings. But I assigned a custom ringtone for one specific, highly critical contact."
Mahito's eyes narrowed. "Satoru Gojo?"