The decrepit apartment complex loomed ahead, riddled with narrow corridors and crumbling walls. Standing before it, Captain Maruyama Shōji of the Final Guard Unit let out a long, weary sigh.

According to the report, the complex had originally housed over thirty families—easily more than a hundred people.

But something had gone horribly wrong.

Since the night before, horrific screams had echoed from within the building. They continued until around five in the morning… and not a single soul had escaped.

The Metropolitan Safety Police had already dispatched over ten officers to investigate.

None of them had made contact since.

With years of combat experience, Maruyama could feel it in his bones—at least one Grade 2 Cursed Spirit was lurking in that building. Maybe even multiple Grade 3 or 4s.

Logically, a mission like this should’ve been handled by the clan’s Second Unit. But they had been dispatched yesterday along with the elite Zio Unit on an external operation… and still hadn’t returned.

In other words, the Final Guard was the only force available.

The lowliest of the clan’s combat divisions—forced to move up the battlefield.

Fortunately, due to the mission’s unexpected severity, the Zenin higher-ups had agreed to provide them with Grade 2 Cursed Tools.

In Zenin Kyūjō’s hands now was a long katana—standard issue for Cursed Tool Grade 2.

Meanwhile, Maki Zenin held a similarly ranked bow in her grip, though her expression made it clear she wasn’t too thrilled.

What she didn’t know was that these tools had only been secured because Kyūjō had personally requested them through internal channels.

Did she really think everyone was eager to charge into the front lines, swinging weapons at death itself?

If only their cursed tool reserves had enough bows and arrows, Maruyama might’ve turned the entire squad into ranged fighters.

Add some shieldbearers up front, and even if those Grade 2 spirits multiplied, he was confident they could take them down.

— — —

With the plan finalized, the Final Guard Unit was split into two squads. All members, except Kyūjō, wore Cursed Glasses to see the spirits inside.

Each team had about twenty members—one led by Maruyama, the other by Kyūjō himself.

They would enter from the main staircase and the emergency stairwell, sweeping the building from both sides in a pincer formation.

— — —

If it were up to Kyūjō, he would’ve preferred keeping the unit together.

With him positioned in the center, he could better protect everyone.

But the strength he had revealed so far still wasn’t enough to change Captain Maruyama’s mind.

Through his Infinity Perception, Kyūjō had already scanned the entire building in detail.

And what he found… was far worse than what anyone expected.

There weren’t just one Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.

There were two.

One was on the third floor—a vicious beast resembling a fanged skipjack tuna with four legs.

The other waited on the seventh—a jellyfish-like, translucent red curse, floating eerily through the halls. Its cursed technique contained lethal poison.

Even a light graze from it could instantly kill an ordinary human—like most of the squad members.

There were also over a dozen other spirits—Grades 3 and 4—scattered across the hundred-plus rooms within the seven-story building.

If Kyūjō hadn’t been here, the entire squad would’ve been slaughtered.

Even Maki, experiencing her first real mission, likely wouldn’t have made it out alive.

What Kyūjō didn’t know—having never seen the original timeline of Jujutsu Kaisen—was that his presence here had already shifted fate. This mission… was originally meant for Zenin Naoya and the Second Unit.

— — —

Shaking off the thought, Kyūjō looked over at Captain Maruyama, who stood leading his team, katana in hand.

Then, silently, Kyūjō made a decision:

He would no longer hold back.

With a light step, he pressed his foot to the ground.

In that instant—an overwhelming surge of power burst forth from his slim frame.

The floor trembled.

And then—he vanished.

— — —

In a flash, Kyūjō appeared on the third floor.

His katana swung in a clean, ruthless arc.

The fanged skipjack Cursed Spirit—a massive creature several meters long—was cleaved vertically in two before it even had time to react.

— — —

This particular spirit specialized in brute strength. Ordinary Grade 2 cursed tools wouldn’t even scratch its defenses.

But Kyūjō had already analyzed everything with Infinity Perception.

Without wasting time, he summoned his personal cursed weapon—Mugen—a sword born from his technique itself.

With one clean slash, the spirit was eliminated.

He then kicked off the floor, bursting through the ceiling above.

Floor four. Five. Six.

In mere seconds, Kyūjō was face-to-face with the floating jellyfish on the seventh floor.

Its body shimmered, rippling through the air like toxic silk.

He slashed once—nothing.

Twice—still moving.

Third strike—finally, the curse began to dissolve into mist.

But Kyūjō frowned as he looked down at Mugen, still in his hand.

His brows furrowed.

The truth was harsh: his current Cursed Energy level was still far too low.

Against humans—even trained sorcerers—his monstrous physical strength was often enough. No matter how enhanced their bodies were through Cursed Energy, they were still flesh and bone. Still human.

But Cursed Spirits weren’t human.

To defeat them, one needed actual Cursed Energy.

And Kyūjō’s current reserves? Probably not even enough to meet the standard of a Grade 4 Sorcerer.

Sure, Mugen was a powerful weapon. It was extremely effective against spirits.

But against higher-level enemies, its true damage output still depended on his own Cursed Energy—which, right now, was pitiful.

That was just a Grade 2 Curse.

What if he faced a Grade 1?

Or worse—Special Grade?

Would Mugen even be able to pierce their defenses?

Kyūjō doubted it.

And his instincts were right.

No matter how strong his body was, without sufficient cursed energy, he couldn’t hope to defeat powerful spirits.

Unless…

He followed the same path as the Heavenly Tyrant—Toji Fushiguro.

If Kyūjō equipped himself with a full set of Special Grade Cursed Tools, even he could challenge the highest classes of Cursed Spirits.

But if he wanted to fight without relying on cursed tools…

Then there was only one path forward.

He had to strengthen his own Cursed Energy.

No shortcuts.

No exceptions.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep