Chapter 1: Just Shadow Technique

View Cover

I was reincarnated into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

At some point, memories of my past life naturally surfaced and blended into my own.

My name in this life was Zenin Daisuke.

I had been living as a low-ranking member of the Kukuru Unit because my innate technique had never manifested, but not long after recalling my past life, a technique finally emerged.

Screeeech.

"What a dud."

"Pardon?"

When it came to the many inherited techniques possessed by the Zenin clan, the most famous one that came to mind was undoubtedly the Ten Shadows Technique, which used "shadows" as a medium to control shikigami.

Before me, displaying my technique for the first time since I was born, shadows rippled as they swallowed a cursed spirit. Yet the high-ranking clan member watching merely frowned and shook his head.

"The Ten Shadows Technique is granted two Divine Dogs from the very beginning. Yet you are handling only shadows, without any Divine Dogs. A Ten Shadows Technique without shikigami cannot be called Ten Shadows. So it is merely a ‘Shadow Technique,’ is it? A half-baked thing indeed. Take him away."

I was promptly dismissed and returned to what could perhaps be called my home.

The Kukuru Unit dormitory.

There were plenty of hostile looks directed at me from those who had shared my fate until just recently, only for me to escape it.

It did not matter. I had to clear out my room soon anyway, since I would be enrolling at Jujutsu High. I would never see these bastards again.

Besides, in the original story, these guys would all be slaughtered by Maki later on...

But wait, wasn’t I a Zenin too?

...I’d think about that later.

As long as I got along well with people at Jujutsu High, I’d survive. Probably?

After roughly packing my things, I headed out to the training grounds.

The Kukuru Unit’s training schedule had ended, so the place was quiet.

"Just a Shadow Technique, huh."

I pressed my hands together in a hand sign and drew out the shadows.

I did not really need to form a hand sign, but my proficiency was still lacking.

I could not be sure whether the shadows of my technique were identical to those of the Ten Shadows Technique, but since I would have to rely on this technique to fight from now on, it would be wise to get acquainted with them.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Training this late? You’re working hard, aren’t you?"

"...Naoya?"

That blond hair and those snake-like eyes. It was Zenin Naoya.

As a Grade 1 sorcerer with an exceptionally high standing in the clan, he was someone a nobody like me would normally have no connection with. What did he suddenly want?

"I heard about it. You’re going to Jujutsu High, right? No interest in joining the Hei?"

"No. It isn’t even a complete Ten Shadows Technique, after all. A half-assed nobody needs to know his place if he wants to live a long life."

The Hei was the Kukuru Unit’s superior organization, where Zenin men with cursed techniques belonged. Getting in there meant being recognized within the Zenin clan, one way or another. If I had not retained memories of my past life, I would have happily joined. But not now.

Because when Maki Zenin awakened her Heavenly Restriction in the future and slaughtered the Zenin clan, the Kukuru Unit and the Hei would be the first to get wiped out.

If I wanted to live a long life, sticking with Jujutsu High now was the better choice.

"That’s a real shame. If that’s what you want, though, can’t be helped. But if you’re going to Jujutsu High, that kid will probably be enrolling too, won’t he?"

"You mean Toji’s son?"

"That’s right. You two ought to get along, seeing as you’re in the same boat."

"...Thank you for the advice."

Naoya then turned and walked off.

So he had just come to rub it in: Megumi and I were both half-baked nobodies, so we should make nice with each other.

It seemed he had been quite surprised that even a half-finished Shadow Technique had manifested. Considering the man had never once spoken to me first before this.

After Naoya left, I focused on training my technique once more.

When I had displayed my technique in the Zenin clan’s cursed spirit repository, I had sensed that something was strange.

As though some important part of my past-life memories had yet to return...

"I remember now."

My memories of my past life—or, more precisely, the boundary between life and death that connected my past life to this one. The boon I had received there from a transcendent being.

"Reverse Cursed Technique...!"

Whoooosh.

A wave of positive energy surged from my hand.

Energy of life, the complete opposite of the murky cursed energy born from people’s negative emotions.

Right. To survive in this harsh world, you needed at least one special boon.

More importantly—

"I can’t summon the Ten Shadows Technique’s shikigami as the price of gaining Reverse Cursed Technique? What kind of bullshit is that?"

So that was why my technique had no shikigami.

What the hell? Give me back my Ten Shadows.

Comments (0)

Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register