For a Jujutsu Sorcerer, whether or not they can use Domain Expansion is a qualitative difference. A Jujutsu Sorcerer who can use Domain Expansion naturally stands above those who can't. One could even say that without special means, the one who can can kill the other directly within their line of sight.
Kenjaku said slowly, "If you had already learned Simple Domain by now, I naturally wouldn't stop you, and I'd even suggest you go test Yuki Tsukumo's mettle."
"But you don't. It's too dangerous to go see Yuki Tsukumo now. She might very well use Domain Expansion the moment she sees you. I don't know what Yuki Tsukumo's Domain Expansion is, but whatever it is, Mahito, I don't believe you would survive."
Mahito smiled. He pointed at Kenjaku and said to Ashiya Magon, "This is the benefit of learning the sword."
Ashiya Magon was bewildered; he stared blankly at Kenjaku, not understanding.
Kenjaku, however, understood. He frowned slightly. "Mahito, I thought you could distinguish between recklessness and courage."
Mahito said with a smile, "You think I'm going to see Yuki Tsukumo just like this?"
Kenjaku rubbed his chin, somewhat bewildered. "What exactly do you mean?"
Mahito said calmly, "I'll be blunt. I've never been worried about Yuki Tsukumo, even if in your words she has the ability to destroy the jujutsu world single-handedly. What I'm worried about is the person behind Yuki Tsukumo. How could Yuki Tsukumo possibly find Kinji's phone number?"
This question was for Kinji Hakari. Kinji thought for a moment. "Could it have been given by Mei Mei?"
"If Mei Mei dares to appear before me, she will surely die." Mahito shook his head. "Mei Mei knows my terrifying nature better than anyone; she must have guessed some of my abilities. When I made an agreement with her back then, I actually wanted to see her credibility… Unfortunately, she didn't pass."
"Maybe it was because my hand touched Ui Ui, and she felt offended?"
Mahito shrugged. "I'm not sure, but the only certain thing is that she isn't in Japan at all right now."
Kinji Hakari realized, "She ran away! I remember she has properties all over the world. She could be anywhere in the world right now, but the one place she couldn't be in is Japan, because she broke her word!"
"Even though there was no Binding Vow, she couldn't withstand your personal revenge, Mahito. She must have gone into hiding. During this period, she couldn't possibly contact anyone from the jujutsu world. My phone number wasn't leaked by her."
This wasn't Kinji Hakari talking nonsense; Mei Mei was exactly that kind of person.
In the original work, there was also this scene. After confirming that Ryomen Sukuna had emerged and Gojo Satoru was sealed, Mei Mei's first reaction wasn't to unite and fight Ryomen Sukuna, but to take Ui Ui and flee, going to the United States to be a bystander.
Ryomen Sukuna was certainly more terrifying than Mahito, and Gojo Satoru was indeed still in Japan, but Ryomen Sukuna wasn't targeting Mei Mei, and Gojo Satoru couldn't stay by her side twenty-four hours a day, right? Being targeted versus not being targeted are completely different concepts. With Mei Mei's personality, she wouldn't stay in Japan to wait for death.
After saying this, Kinji Hakari's expression changed drastically. "Besides her, there shouldn't be anyone who clearly knows the relationship between you and me. In other words, did Tengen make a move?"
Kenjaku denied it. "No, it's not Tengen. I know Tengen. Unless her safety is threatened, she won't involve herself in the jujutsu world. Right now, we don't have the ability to assault Tengen's territory, and my existence hasn't been exposed. Tengen couldn't have acted."
Kinji Hakari was lost. "Then who is it?"
Mahito uttered a name: "Gojo Satoru."
Everyone was shocked.
Kenjaku's face was gloomy. "Where exactly was it exposed? With Gojo Satoru's personality, he should still be at the stage of looking down on us, even if we did wipe out the entire Zen'in Family… Who is it? Could it be Kokichi Muta? But we've already signed a Binding Vow with him; he shouldn't…?"
"If it really were Gojo Satoru, then Gojo Satoru would have called Kinji directly. I'm willing to believe this is just a coincidence." Mahito exhaled. "But I can't be sure… That's why I must go see her. I know it's dangerous, but it's better than having Gojo Satoru directly come knocking on our door. We aren't ready to go to war with Gojo Satoru yet, are we?"
Kenjaku realized. "I see. Is this what they call moving forward without looking back?"
Ashiya Magon interrupted them, "Wait, how did we get to moving forward without looking back?"
Kenjaku glanced at him and smiled. "Your own theory, and yet you didn't fully grasp it?"
Ashiya Magon's lip twitched, and the bamboo sword in his hand began to emit a glow of Cursed Energy again.
"When there is no other way, move forward without looking back. This is the domain of the weak," Mahito said slowly. "Swordsmanship has never been just a skill for killing; it's also a way of life."
"Miyamoto Musashi once wrote The Book of Five Rings. It's a swordsmanship manual, but even more, it's a military strategy and a way of life. That is true swordsmanship."
"Although Ashiya-san has never had such a book, his words and actions reveal this at every turn."
Ashiya Magon was speechless. "Do I?"
"Why does Ashiya-san hate the current leaders of the jujutsu world so much?" Mahito asked.
"Because they are unworthy of their positions!" Ashiya Magon spat, his face full of loathing.
"I thought you would say it's because of the ambition in your heart," Mahito smiled.
Ashiya Magon paused for a few seconds before saying in a complex tone, "I've never hidden the ambition in my heart. In fact, I've said similar things to almost everyone under my tutelage. I even require every disciple who learns Simple Domain from me to follow a Binding Vow: when I need them, they must fight for me unconditionally. Of course, I wouldn't use this Binding Vow lightly."
In fact, even in the original work, when Ashiya Magon died, he had never used it once. He really hadn't; it was a Binding Vow for nothing.
Mahito waved his hand casually. "Does Ashiya-san think I'm praising you?"
"To hide himself, Ashiya-san lived in a cramped grocery store, eating others' leftover rotten potatoes, drinking unwanted water, wearing an old man's apron, with wrinkles on his skin deep enough to crush a fly."
"Clearly an immortal, yet he didn't dare to absorb too much of his disciples' lifespans. His strength has regressed so much he can't even hold a sword."
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