Itadori Yuji suddenly snapped his eyes open, but what he saw wasn't the ceiling while lying in bed, but a familiar deserted street.
The whole world was extremely quiet.
Commercial buildings were neatly divided into two rows, with sidewalks in front of them and a wide roadway in the center.
Itadori Yuji was now standing blankly in the middle of the road, right on a zebra crossing.
He reached out and clenched his hand, took a deep breath, and could clearly feel the fresh air entering his nose and mouth before exhaling the waste air.
Whether it was the deep breathing or his athletic ability, he could hardly distinguish whether this was reality or a dream.
From his physical sensations, he even thought this was spatial translocation rather than a dream.
"No way?" Itadori Yuji muttered to himself. "I actually arrived at the Dream Walk Migration in my sleep? What on earth is the principle behind this?"
Itadori Yuji was clearly talking to himself, but a sweet AI voice responded to him:
"This is a dream barrier constructed with the great Japanese barrier as its base, designed by a thousand-year-old Sorcerer, and executed by Mahito, who possesses the Six Eyes and Idle Transfiguration. In this dream barrier, all injuries will only leave phantom pain upon returning to reality, excluding death. However, death can be reversed through points for resurrection, so please do not worry."
Itadori Yuji looked back.
Right by his ear, a palm-sized golden Kogane was floating next to him, and the voice was coming from it.
It continued:
"This is the personal Kogane for No. 4528. Kogane can provide the master with all guidance and support for the Dream Walk Migration, including but not limited to purchasing weapons, purchasing treatment, purchasing knowledge, purchasing wishes, and checking enemy information."
"Master, Kogane suggests you immediately buy your own information lock; otherwise, your information could be queried by other Koganes at any time."
"Finally, does Master like the name and image of Kogane? If you don't like it, you can also spend Dream Walk Migration-exclusive points to change Kogane's name and image. It's very cheap!"
Itadori Yuji's mouth twitched.
Are you serious about that last part?
You're really treating this like a game, where even the exclusive NPC can have skins bought for it?
Do you think I haven't played those pay-to-win games before?
Itadori Yuji pointed his index finger at himself.
"What the heck is No. 4528? Is that my code name?"
"It means you are the 4,528th Jujutsu Sorcerer to enter," Kogane said in a cheerful AI voice. "If Master is a Jujutsu Sorcerer amateur, Kogane will explain the basic situation of Jujutsu Sorcerers for free. Does Master need it?"
"I'm the 4,528th person to enter?"
Itadori Yuji's voice became sharp.
"Yes, Master," Kogane's voice was as sweet and cheerful as ever. "Are there any other questions, Master?"
Itadori Yuji's heart pounded.
He hadn't expected that so many Jujutsu Sorcerers would so easily step into the Dream Walk Migration before even ascertaining the facts.
Hadn't they thought that everything the King of Curses said was a scam?
Itadori Yuji had no doubt that if Mahito simply blew up the current Dream Walk Migration at this moment, nearly five thousand Jujutsu Sorcerers would suffer immediate brain death.
Stepping into this game was equivalent to handing one's life over to the King of Curses.
Itadori Yuji had come here with such resolve, thinking he was one of the few brave loners.
He didn't expect that he was the one being hesitant and indecisive, while others had already entered and begun fully enjoying the game.
You've got to be kidding me!
Is Mahito's reputation in the Jujutsu World really that good?
Itadori Yuji dared to swear that even if Gojo-Sensei announced such a game in the Jujutsu World, it would be impossible for so many people to enter in such a short time.
The current situation was as if to say Mahito's credibility overwhelmingly exceeded Gojo-Sensei's.
Itadori Yuji felt indignant for Gojo, but then he thought of the usual Gojo-Sensei and the rumored King of Curses...
Um...
It seemed Gojo-Sensei's reputation really wasn't as good as Mahito's?
This is a real bummer, Gojo-Sensei.
Itadori Yuji sighed for Gojo Satoru.
"How do I get points?" Itadori Yuji asked.
"The simplest way is to find a safe place to refine your Cursed Energy and then release it freely. The more Cursed Energy you release, the more points you get," Kogane said. "Of course, the points provided this way are very few. If Master has a certain level of strength and ambition, Kogane suggests directly fighting Cursed Spirits. In these four Dream Walk Migration great barriers, there are approximately ten million Cursed Spirits wandering around. By killing these Cursed Spirits, you can obtain points. The more powerful the Cursed Spirit, the more points you get, with no upper limit."
Itadori Yuji's pupils contracted.
"Ten million Cursed Spirits? Are you sure?"
"This is the number of Cursed Spirits provided by Kenjaku, the Curse User from a thousand years ago. Among them are many Special Grade Cursed Spirits with historical records of being sealed. There is absolutely no mistake."
Kogane flew up and down, an action akin to a person nodding slightly.
It confirmed:
"Does Master need Kogane to explain the points earned for each grade of Cursed Spirit? Or should I continue explaining the channels for obtaining points?"
Itadori Yuji felt his throat go dry, as if he were walking in a desert.
Is this the weight of a thousand-year Curse User?
What on earth are ten million Cursed Spirits?
Itadori Yuji doubted he would even see that many strangers in his entire life.
No, he wouldn't even see a million.
Yet a thousand-year Curse User could produce ten million Cursed Spirits—what kind of hellish joke was this?
"Please continue explaining the channels for obtaining points."
"Besides refining Cursed Energy for release and killing Cursed Spirits, the act of fighting itself can earn points. This is because, compared to the free release of Cursed Energy, the speed at which a Jujutsu Sorcerer refines and releases Cursed Energy during battle makes them like a different creature compared to their usual state, especially in battles between Jujutsu Sorcerers."
"Battles are even more so, so seeking out high-level Jujutsu Sorcerers to fight is the fastest way to obtain points."
Kogane said in a cheerful voice:
"Of course, if it's a fight to the death, the amount of points gained will be faster than in a regular battle. If the fight reaches its most intense moment, the points obtained from the release might even match the points required for resurrection. In other words, as long as you go into a fight to the death—a sufficiently intense fight to the death—it's worth it even if you die, and there might even be a surplus!"
"Use these surplus points to buy Cursed Tools, knowledge, or even exchange them for an Innate Technique to improve your own strength; then continue to fight to the death. Because the master's strength has improved, the speed of accumulating points will be even faster."
"Through this positive cycle, challenge the Key Holder, obtain the key, acquire the wish of infinite possibilities, and become a legend who changes the world."
Itadori Yuji's pupils contracted.
He understood Kogane's words.
Things like extracting Cursed Energy for free release or killing Cursed Spirits were nothing major.
Although they could provide "subsistence," they were things people with no real ability would do.
The true way to play Dream Walk Migration was through slaughter.
The more one slaughtered, the stronger they became, the closer they could get to the wish of infinite possibilities, and the more they could become a true legend!
This was a massive coliseum game, and everyone in it was a gladiator!
Itadori Yuji smelled the scent of blood; it was a cruelty carried by the wind.
In this instant, he felt his hair stand on end.
His previously relaxed body tensed in a flash, as if he had stepped into a sea of corpses and bones. He could only do his best to climb upward, kicking away the corpses beneath his feet.
Itadori Yuji asked hoarsely:
"What is a Key Holder?"
"Dream Walk Migration has a total of four major barriers: the Tokyo First Barrier, the Tokyo Second Barrier, the Sendai Barrier, and the Sakurajima Barrier."
"Although the great Japanese barrier covers all of Japan, there are only these four barriers that everyone enters after falling into the dream. The original plan was ten, but considering the time constraints, it was ultimately reduced to four."
Kogane first explained the premise in detail before clarifying the identity of the Key Holders:
"In these four major barriers, Tsumiki Fushiguro, Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon serve as Key Holders respectively. They will randomly appear in their respective barriers. Defeating them will grant the key to meet Mahito. Those holding a key will meet Mahito together on December 24, 2018. Mahito has promised that defeating him will grant the true wish of infinite possibilities."
Itadori Yuji realized the true way this game was played.
The first stage was the accumulation stage.
By hunting Cursed Spirits or engaging in death matches between Jujutsu Sorcerers, one accumulated points. These points were used to acquire power—whether it was jujutsu knowledge, Cursed Tools, Innate Techniques, or Cursed Energy talent, all could be purchased with points.
This stage was the most chaotic period. Everyone was an enemy, and every Cursed Spirit became food. This was a massive free-for-all coliseum.
The second stage was the challenge stage.
At this point, the Jujutsu Sorcerers who survived the grand melee would surely search the entire map for the Key Holders. They would kill a Key Holder to obtain the key, and after becoming a new Key Holder, they would also have to ensure their own survival.
This stage tested not only one's combat ability in a melee, but also made the mastery of timing extremely important.
In this stage, besides necessary combat power, strategic ability must also be exceptional. Otherwise, one might very well manage to defeat a Key Holder with great difficulty only to fall at the hands of others.
Itadori Yuji had played similar games; he thought the best way was to gather a group of teammates to protect himself, promising that if he won, he would carry the team's wishes to face the King of Curses.
The final third stage was the 1v4 stage.
Of course, this was the ideal situation, because everyone's ultimate goal was to kill the King of Curses.
Theoretically, this should be a cooperative hunt, but as people carrying the wishes of a team, they likely wouldn't honestly cooperate with others.
It was even more likely that before facing Mahito, the four would have a major battle first, allowing Mahito to reap the benefits.
No, perhaps even more arrogantly, what if it were Gojo-Sensei?
Itadori Yuji thought of Gojo Satoru's face and suddenly realized with a conflicted expression that if it were Gojo-Sensei, he would definitely choose to beat the other three to a pulp first and then honorably engage the King of Curses in a 1v1 samurai duel.
If it were Gojo-Sensei, he would 100% do that!
Itadori Yuji took a deep breath.
"A Dream Walk Migration that lasts for a month, huh? Looks like it's time to go all out!"
"No, Dream Walk Migration will run continuously."
Kogane continued in its cheerful and sweet voice:
"Because Mahito has the ability to return from death, even if he does not win but dies in this session of Dream Walk Migration, he can immediately resurrect through the Cursed Energy collected by Dream Walk Migration. After that, Dream Walk Migration will also become a play space for all Jujutsu Sorcerers. Points will still be provided, and the channels for purchasing knowledge, Cursed Tools, Innate Techniques, and Cursed Energy talents will not be closed."
"It will continue eternally and incessantly until the next competition begins."
Itadori Yuji was stunned.
Kogane continued in its happy AI voice:
"Of course, the wish of infinite possibilities promised by Mahito remains valid. If Mahito were to die, wouldn't the wish of infinite possibilities become invalid? That simply wouldn't do."
"I think everyone will look forward to Mahito staying alive and being immortal, right? Humans are truly wonderful! Right, Master?"
Itadori Yuji's face looked grim.
Didn't this mean that from the moment Dream Walk Migration was established, Mahito's ascension to godhood was set in stone?
Now, the human side could only delay the time it took for the King of Curses to become a god, and after this, it would be impossible to truly stop him.
What a desperate future!
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