"What are you looking at? You seem so focused," Kenjaku asked.
At this moment, Kenjaku stepped into Mahito's Domain Expansion: *Dharmadhatu Transmigration: Nirvana Realm*. He walked across the white sands, limping slightly toward Mahito.
Ryomen Sukuna's deduction was correct. Mahito's Domain Expansion was indeed embedded into the entirety of the Dream Migration. Every action within this massive barrier was visible to Mahito's eyes. Furthermore, every resurrected individual was brought back by Mahito's automated technique. In other words, every resurrected sorcerer, without exception, had been recorded by Mahito's *Idle Transfiguration*, and their techniques had been logged into the Reverse Cursed Technique: *Soul Creation*.
No, even if they weren't personally resurrected by him, as long as they fought, healed, or acted within the Dream Migration, the game automatically recorded everything about them. These records were synchronized to the *Dharmadhatu Transmigration: Nirvana Realm*, equating to their soul information being engraved.
Simply put: Sooner or later, the soul information of anyone acting within the Dream Migration would be completely mastered by Mahito!
Mahito hadn't lied to Kokichi Muta. He really needed someone to probe the two Special Grade newcomers in the Tokyo No. 2 Colony. The best method, of course, was to kill them directly. But these two Special Grade newcomers were insanely strong. Especially Fumihiko Takaba—that guy was practically unkillable unless he himself wanted to die. There was even an evaluation in the original work stating his ability rivaled the combination of Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes and Limitless.
Mahito was very covetous of Fumihiko Takaba's technique. Truly, super covetous!
But he wasn't in a rush. As time passed, the secrets of Takaba's technique would eventually be fully copied to him. Mahito only needed to sit quietly in the high heavens, waiting for this delicious meal to be delivered to his mouth, ready to be swallowed whole.
Look, wasn't the other Special Grade newcomer's [Domain Expansion: Deadly Sentencing] currently displayed right before his eyes?
"Ah, it's Higuruma's [Executioner's Sword]," Kenjaku looked at the screen in front of Mahito and laughed. "Truly an exaggerated technique. Even Tsumiki Fushiguro's brother was killed easily. He didn't even get to use Mahoraga."
"The effect is stronger than I imagined," Mahito praised. "It truly lives up to the name of 'Sure-Kill.' Megumi Fushiguro died instantly just from having his skin broken. No wonder Jogo lost to him. Even I might die if I were slightly careless."
Mahito wasn't lying. In the original work, the [Executioner's Sword] was a technique that even Ryomen Sukuna dared not face directly. Sukuna believed he would die if the sword so much as scratched the skin of his finger. In the end, Higuruma realized too late that Sukuna had already severed his own hand at the wrist before the stab connected.
Certified by Ryomen Sukuna himself: Touch it, and you really die!
And back then, Hiromi Higuruma hadn't fully matured. During that battle, Sukuna had privately noted: *[His Cursed Energy manipulation has already caught up to me and Satoru Gojo.]* At that time, Higuruma had only just grasped Reverse Cursed Technique; he was still in a state of rapid growth.
The current Hiromi Higuruma was even more exaggerated. Because he had points to spend on understanding jujutsu common sense and techniques, his Cursed Energy manipulation reached a level rivaling Ryomen Sukuna in just one day. Furthermore, filling in his lack of common sense allowed him to better modify his primitive Domain Expansion. The original work never showed Higuruma engaging in a Domain battle, but now, Higuruma had anticipated it and prepared the condition: [Under special circumstances, the charge can be changed].
In the original story, up until the very end, Higuruma couldn't do this. Not because he lacked the ability, but simply because he didn't have the time to grow! The original story didn't have something as convenient as the Dream Migration; Higuruma's growth had been practically feral.
"The Executioner's Sword is indeed a super-strong technique, but it has too many restrictions," Kenjaku sighed. "Although its offensive power is unparalleled under heaven—as you said, even people at the level of you, Satoru Gojo, or Sukuna would die instantly if their skin was cut—you don't fear death. Satoru Gojo's Limitless mobility makes him impossible to hit, and Ryomen Sukuna could kill him with long-range slashing techniques alone. The Executioner's Sword would be useless."
This was correct, and Mahito nodded in agreement.
"But if the [Executioner's Sword] is paired with [Confiscation], it becomes terrifying," Mahito said. "The gap between a sorcerer with an Innate Technique and one without is massive. Even for me, challenging a strong enemy without using any techniques would be very dangerous. For example: Jogo?"
"Jogo?" Kenjaku thought for a moment and laughed. "Not quite. I think it would take someone at least at my level."
"Are you looking down on Jogo?"
"Eh? Am I?"
"If I didn't have a technique, I can't imagine how I'd deal with Jogo's [Maximum: Meteor]. Are you saying you could tank it without a technique?" Mahito asked, puzzled. "I know that relying solely on Jogo's Domain Expansion wouldn't threaten me even without a technique; I could easily kill him inside his Domain using a Simple Domain. But Jogo's Maximum is different. The attack power is too high, and the range is too large. Even I couldn't withstand it without a technique."
Mahito wasn't being humble. Jogo's Maximum had received praise from Ryomen Sukuna. For someone as proud as Sukuna to say *[You're actually quite strong]* to Jogo in the afterlife, he was referring to Jogo's Maximum.
Kenjaku was even more confused. "You're engaging in a no-technique duel with Jogo, and you'd actually let him fire off a Maximum? The moment you see Jogo, wouldn't you just burst him down instantly? He wouldn't even have the chance to use Maximum: Meteor. With Jogo's brain, he wouldn't be able to react in time, right?"
*Ah, so that's what Kenjaku meant.*
Kenjaku read Mahito's expression and laughed. "Alright, I admit Jogo has the strength, but whether one has strength and whether that strength can actually be displayed are two different things."
"Just like the battle between Higuruma and Jogo. Jogo confidently [Pleaded Guilty] and didn't even open his own Domain Expansion because he looked down on that primitive Domain. He wanted to kill Higuruma with absolute power. And the result?"
"His technique was confiscated directly. His flames, capable of easily melting a Grade 1 Sorcerer, misfired. He couldn't open his Domain even if he wanted to. He could only rely on pure Cursed Energy reinforcement to fight."
"And then, seeing the Executioner's Sword, he felt he could tank it with his reinforcement. He proudly declared that the [Executioner's Sword] was only fit to cut his oily skin. His judgment wasn't wrong; it really did only cut a layer of skin... but cutting the skin was enough."
"The trigger conditions for the [Executioner's Sword] were met, and Jogo died instantly."
"Flame technique, Domain Expansion, combat tactics—none of them played a role. The only thing that worked was Cursed Energy reinforcement, but he used that reinforcement to headbutt the [Executioner's Sword]!"
"Ten parts strength, and he didn't even display half a part. Is that useful?"
Mahito sighed. "Fair enough. Jogo's brain really does need some training."
"And his personality too."
"Right, his personality too."
Mahito and Kenjaku suddenly burst into laughter.
Sometimes Mahito had to admire Jogo. How did he manage to be so strong yet never have the space to show it? Even in the original work, if you counted the time Jogo displayed high-level strength, it amounted to less than one episode—maybe half an episode. And now it was even worse. Every opponent he picked was someone who could press him into the dirt: Kinji Hakari, Satoru Gojo, and now Hiromi Higuruma. He never failed to catch an L.
Mahito thought: *Jogo really needs to be trained properly. —When the time comes, I'll just throw him into another world!*
"So, why did you come to find me?" The small talk ended, and Mahito asked casually. "I remember you were still sneaking around trying to contact Uraume, right? Now Uraume has found Sukuna and doesn't want you anymore. Did you come to tattle to me?"
Kenjaku smiled awkwardly. "You knew about all that, huh."
"I even found a secret weapon to deal with you," Mahito laughed. "I'm looking forward to seeing your face when you see the secret weapon I prepared for you."
Kenjaku's heart stirred slightly. "Did you resurrect someone I don't know about?"
"Guess," Mahito said cheerfully.
Kenjaku sighed inwardly. Ever since Mahito's strength increased, he had begun to unconsciously radiate a certain majesty. This majesty didn't come from his language or behavior—in fact, Mahito's words and actions were still frivolous and casual, barely changing at all. He possessed majesty because he no longer hid himself. His confidence grew by the day, and his majesty grew with it. By now, even facing Kenjaku, Mahito didn't bother to hide anything.
It was the composure of the strong. The old Mahito pretended to be strong, but now—he *was* the strong.
"My wish can be said to have been fulfilled," Kenjaku shifted his feet, looking at the playback of the battle between Higuruma and Megumi, and spoke softly. "Ever since you announced immortality and the determination to establish a planetary barrier, the prosperity of jujutsu became an inevitability. My ultimate goal was, in fact, to return to a world where jujutsu prospered. I originally intended to achieve this through the super-imposition of Tengen and all of Japan, but you walked a different path. I am far inferior to you."
Mahito asked curiously, "Why are you suddenly saying all this?"
"I want to participate in the [Dream Migration] personally," Kenjaku said seriously.
Mahito turned his head to look at Kenjaku, frowning. "Do you know what you are saying?"
"I am very clear," Kenjaku said.
Among all of Mahito's subordinates, only four had entered the Dream Migration: Tsumiki Fushiguro, Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon.
Aside from those four, none of his other subordinates participated, including Kinji Hakari, Kenjaku, Ashiya Sadatsuna, the Second Generation Intelligent Cursed Spirit, the Death Painting Brothers, and so on.
Why?
Because the Dream Migration was a massive Binding Vow; it was Mahito's apotheosis ritual!
Gojo's group had guessed correctly; this apotheosis ritual indeed involved a Binding Vow. But they likely hadn't anticipated that to ensure a 100% success rate for becoming a god, this Vow was extremely harsh, even for Mahito himself. The moment the Dream Migration opened, there was a shocking Binding Vow that Gojo and the others wouldn't dare imagine:
*[Any player, as long as they defeat Mahito in the end, can realize a Finite Infinity wish. And this wish—includes becoming God.]*
That's right. Even if the subject wasn't Mahito himself, but another player, the apotheosis ritual could still succeed! This deeply hidden Binding Vow was a secret only Mahito's inner circle knew. Kenjaku, as the founder of the barrier, naturally knew it too.
Therefore, apart from the necessary Key Keepers, none of Mahito's subordinates who knew the truth would enter the Dream Migration, because entering was equivalent to becoming Mahito's enemy!
"You want to die?" Mahito asked.
Kenjaku wasn't surprised by Mahito's words at all. Asking to enter the Dream Migration while fully aware of its Binding Vows implied an intent to oppose Mahito that was too obvious to miss. This hostility was even higher than Satoru Gojo's. Kenjaku was naturally aware of the risks.
So he raised both hands in a surrender gesture and said aggrievedly, "Quite the opposite. I am seeking survival."
"It seems you've already foreseen your ending," Mahito laughed.
"To be stripped of all abilities and thrown into the most dangerous otherworld in the form of the lowliest ant. You want me to personally experience the most powerless life, without end. You will continue to do so after I die, until my soul is worn down to numbness. You will seal my memories, letting me live again like a newborn baby... and then, at my happiest moment, unlock the seal and repeat the operation. Until the river of time runs dry, until the world is destroyed," Kenjaku said flatly.
This time, Mahito was genuinely surprised. "...You can actually simulate my thought patterns? How did you do that?"
Correct, Mahito really planned to do that!
Don't say a small character like Kenjaku isn't worth it, and don't say it's too cruel. In Mahito's eyes, Kenjaku was worth it! Mahito truly possessed a 'Thought Imprint'. For anyone who developed a shred of goodwill toward him, Mahito could permanently fix that goodwill so it never faded. Currently, everyone he had contact with, even Satoru Gojo who was confirmed as the final boss, actually carried this goodwill. Otherwise, Gojo wouldn't have been willing to set up the Binding Vow with Mahito at the most critical moment: *[Whoever wins takes over the other's core forces]*.
When Gojo was willing to establish such a Vow with Mahito, it proved that Gojo actually trusted Mahito's character from the bottom of his heart.
But Kenjaku was completely different.
Even if Kenjaku was willing to submit, this submission was never truly solidified. His mindset was closer to *[Waiting for the right time]*. As long as Mahito remained dominant, he would never betray him. But once Mahito faltered, Kenjaku would betray him immediately, without hesitation.
His mindset was consistent from beginning to end, never evolving. Therefore, aside from fixing his [Never betray while dominant] trait, the Thought Imprint couldn't truly make him behave.
Why?
Before this, Mahito didn't know. But ever since fighting Ryomen Sukuna, Mahito finally understood why: Because of the Open Domain Expansion!
Ashiya Sadatsuna once said that the true reason for an Open Domain lay in Ryomen Sukuna viewing the entire world as his kitchen. In this kitchen, all living things were his food. No one was qualified to sit at the same table as him. His willpower superseded the entire world, which was why he could use an Open Domain.
In the original work, someone had evaluated Sukuna similarly: He was a man of extreme ego. In terms of ego alone, no one in the entire world could compare to Ryomen Sukuna.
It wasn't that Sukuna didn't understand sympathy or lacked empathy. Quite the opposite; in the final battle, he specifically explained his understanding of love. Although it was twisted logic, it was self-consistent. And in the afterlife conversation with the original Mahito, he mentioned he had two chances to change his path. It could be said he wasn't devoid of emotion.
But this was actually more terrifying! Because while possessing sound emotions, he fully accepted his behavior of doing whatever he wanted in this world, without a shred of repentance. He engraved absolute ego and absolute selfishness into his soul, unwavering until death.
Only a genuine monster who had spiritually cast aside all humanity could use an Open Domain Expansion!
This was the true reason why Satoru Gojo, despite seeing and cognitively recognizing the Open Domain, couldn't use it.
One must remember that in the final Domain battle between Gojo and Sukuna, Gojo's barrier was evaluated by others as *[Something we can't understand anymore]*. This evaluation was on the same level as Sukuna's Open Domain.
Because Gojo truly still had humanity, he couldn't achieve the absolute selfishness of Sukuna, so he couldn't achieve an Open Domain.
And in the entire series, besides Ryomen Sukuna, there was one other person who had an Open Domain: Kenjaku.
His mental state was, in fact, the same as Ryomen Sukuna's! That was why he could use an Open Domain. And precisely because Tengen knew the cause of Open Domains, he never considered the reason Kenjaku could use one.
Such a bastard, completely devoid of humanity, deserved to be tortured forever. Even death would be a mercy for him! This was the sentence Mahito passed on him.
"I can engrave the contours of other people's souls into my Innate Domain," Kenjaku raised his hands, explaining with a smile. "Mahito, I've had too much contact with you. I can also engrave the contour of your soul. Therefore, I can simulate your thinking to a limited extent. Although it is far from your simulated soul, if I wanted to, I could even use your *Idle Transfiguration* through a Binding Vow."
Mahito's thoughts raced, and he suddenly had an epiphany. "So that's it! That's how you were able to give birth to Yuji Itadori! And that's how you can copy techniques!"
In the original work, Kenjaku used a third, distinct technique besides his own body-hopping technique and the possessed body's *Cursed Spirit Manipulation*: It was Yuji's mother's *Anti-Gravity System*.
According to Yuki Tsukumo's judgment in the original work, Kenjaku could engrave three to four techniques into his brain, but that was limited to Kenjaku himself. Others couldn't do it. For example, later on, when Yuta Okkotsu used Kenjaku's technique to take over Gojo's body after Gojo's death, Yuta couldn't use his own *Copy* technique. He could only use Gojo's *Limitless* and *Six Eyes*. Even when expanding a Domain, Yuta didn't use his own [Domain Expansion: Authentic Mutual Love], but Gojo's [Domain Expansion: Infinite Void].
Why? The reason lay in Kenjaku's Innate Domain!
Kenjaku's Innate Domain was a special one capable of copying souls. His [Domain Expansion: Womb Profusion] featured a pillar of flesh with countless human faces. That wasn't meaningless; it symbolized the countless copied souls!
Kenjaku looked puzzled. "didn't you know already? Haven't we discussed this before?"
In the original work, there was a casual chat between Sukuna and Uraume. Sukuna said regarding Yuji Itadori: *[Kenjaku's gross things... that boy is probably a reincarnation of my twin brother. You can understand it as having the same soul as me.]*
Additionally: *[I was originally supposed to be born as one of twins, but my mother was starving during pregnancy. To gain energy, I absorbed my twin brother before birth. That guy's soul went through countless reincarnations and got entangled with Kenjaku.]*
But there was a problem. Even at the end of this chat, Sukuna's summary was a conjecture. He said: *[As you know, Yuji Itadori is a player in the Culling Game. He naturally has a Sukuna finger sealed inside him. To ensure the vessel's strength, that had to be done.]*
This essentially explained that Yuji Itadori and Ryomen Sukuna had almost identical souls. But at the same time, Kenjaku didn't use Sukuna's brother's soul directly. Yuji Itadori's father was the true reincarnation of Sukuna's brother.
How did Kenjaku do it?
Sukuna's conjecture actually revealed it. Even without a Sukuna finger, Yuji was a body naturally capable of sealing Sukuna. In other words, his body *was* essentially Sukuna's body. The logic wasn't hard to follow: Since it was a body naturally possessing the seal of Sukuna, didn't that prove Yuji Itadori's body was Sukuna's flesh?
The ability Kenjaku just described explained everything. His Innate Domain could copy souls!
By engaging in the most intimate physical acts with the reincarnation of Sukuna's brother, Kenjaku copied the brother's soul. Through this soul, Kenjaku reverse-engineered Sukuna's body, and then gave birth to it through his own body. That was the truth of Yuji Itadori!
"I just suspected you always held something back when discussing things with me. I couldn't figure it out. And look, you really were holding back, right until now," Mahito laughed. "You win. I never knew your Innate Domain could copy souls. This must be your core secret."
This also explained why Kenjaku could use an Open Domain despite not reaching Sukuna's level of ego: He was truly insane! Copying all the souls of the people he met into his Innate Domain, tangling all those thoughts together—gentleness and cruelty, optimism and pessimism, desire and despair. How could he not be crazy?
In the original work, Kenjaku once showed a mother's gentle expression to Yuji, only to discard him the next instant. This schizophrenic behavior now had an explanation:
He truly had a mother's tenderness, and he truly had cold-blooded cruelty. Both thoughts existed simultaneously and were unified by Kenjaku amidst the conflict. Only a madman like this could use an Open Domain Expansion!
Kenjaku sighed. "Alright, I did pull quite a few tricks. That is why I am here to beg for my life. Mahito, I am no match for you no matter what. Why not let me into the Dream Migration to seek survival? I swear, even if I win, I will absolutely not ruin your apotheosis ritual. I can establish a Binding Vow."
"Faced with the temptation of godhood, even a Binding Vow isn't insurance, because a God's computational ability can maximize the avoidance of a Vow's negative effects," Mahito rejected. "I thought you would understand the logic better than me."
Kenjaku suddenly said, "My target is [Fumihiko Takaba]. I wish to obtain his technique. The moment I obtain his technique, I will immediately exit the Dream Migration. Since this Binding Vow would inevitably take effect before the final moment of your apotheosis, the Vow would still work on me. How about it?"
Mahito said with interest, "It sounds like Fumihiko Takaba's technique would allow you to avoid the new life I'm bestowing upon you?"
*What kind of 'New Life' is that?!* Kenjaku's mouth twitched.
"I just want to try," Kenjaku said seriously. "Besides, since my Binding Vow won't affect your apotheosis, my entering the Dream Migration only benefits you. My Cursed Energy residuals, my technique, all my knowledge and experience will be copied by your [Dharmadhatu Transmigration: Nirvana Realm]. You should be happy about that, right?"
"But the price is my unhappiness. You might actually use Takaba's technique to escape the new life I gave you, which would make me very unhappy," Mahito said cheerfully. "Just the thought of you, you bastard, getting away scot-free makes me exceptionally displeased. I'd rather not have your knowledge and skills if it means you going to live the new life I planned for you."
"I don't remember you being such a childish person?"
"That's because before, I couldn't afford to be childish," Mahito said as a matter of course. "But now, I can be childish if I want. That is true freedom."
*Fuck your freedom!* Kenjaku thought numbly.
"However, I agree," Mahito suddenly laughed.
Kenjaku didn't feel happy. On the contrary, his scalp tingled. He restrained his smile and asked, "Why?"
"Did you forget? I just said I prepared a secret weapon specifically for you," Mahito said meaningfully. "I thought I'd have to wait until I became a God to enjoy this joy. But since you're jumping in yourself, I can only express my greater joy: This is truly wonderful!"
Kenjaku's heart rate accelerated. He felt some massive phobia slowly enveloping him, yet he knew nothing of the truth behind this fear. "...Who exactly is that secret weapon?" Kenjaku asked suspiciously. "Is it Tengen? But Tengen has already gone to America."
Mahito said with a beaming smile, "Guess?"
Kenjaku went numb.