"No, wait!" Yuki Tsukumo stopped him, sweating profusely.
She was used to speaking her mind directly; she dared to give the middle finger even to the Culling Game Supervisor's people...
...and cursed even at an ancestor-like figure like Tengen.
But the problem now wasn't a clash of ideals, but the need to see the King of Curses!
Without seeing him, how could Tengen lock onto him?
Yuki Tsukumo rubbed her face, forcing her voice to become gentle as she said into the phone: "I think there are some things we should still talk about in person."
Mahito was silent for a long time before asking: "Yuki Tsukumo, do you think I'm a fool?"
"I knew I blew it!" Yuki Tsukumo clicked her tongue.
She seemed to hear a light chuckle from the distant Tengen.
Damn it, she messed up!
The opportunity to break the stalemate was right in front of her!
"Is there no room for discussion?" Her tone weakened.
"What is there to talk about?" Mahito asked.
"You've already spoken so definitively."
"Maybe... maybe..." Yuki Tsukumo began to ramble.
She was truly not good at this sort of thing.
In fact, she was the same in the original work: facing the impending Kenjaku, even though she knew Tengen's plan must have flaws, she still followed it due to a lack of information and her trust.
In the end, she was screwed over by Tengen, dying so miserably she didn't even use her Domain Expansion.
"But I will still come to see you," Mahito suddenly said.
Yuki Tsukumo was stunned.
"Why?"
"You should know I will definitely set a trap."
"Because I won't refuse anyone who wants to see me," Mahito said with a smile.
"Because my future is destined to be the co-ruler of humans and Cursed Spirits."
"How could an Emperor fear meeting his subjects?"
"I should uprightly receive all praise and scorn, light and darkness, and let everyone see my every move, seeing my determination to rule the world."
Yuki Tsukumo was dumbfounded; she was almost unable to speak.
She had long known that the King of Curses must have a massive ambition—which was natural, after all, he called himself the King of Curses.
From that title alone, one knew he wasn't a Cursed Spirit who would stay under someone else.
He would surely stir up a massive wave, devouring everything along the way, and finally sweep across the world like a gale, a mountain flood, or a tsunami.
But she thought he would only do so once he was certain he had the strength.
If the King of Curses were an uneducated Cursed Spirit, Yuki Tsukumo wouldn't have any doubts; she would only mock him for being so arrogant as to dare come see a Special Grade Sorcerer just because he wiped out the Zenin Clan.
She would give him a quick death the moment she saw him, and perhaps even use his corpse to make a Cursed Tool.
But he had a master.
Ashiya Magon couldn't possibly not know what a Special Grade Sorcerer truly represented.
The only explanation Yuki Tsukumo could think of was one:
"You... are confident you can deal with Satoru Gojo now?" Yuki Tsukumo asked.
"At least escaping is no problem," Mahito said.
"Do you know Satoru possesses the fastest speed in this Jujutsu world?" Yuki Tsukumo said coldly.
"You think you can run away?"
"Even if you run to Mars, Satoru can catch up to you."
This was pure bluffing.
She had no idea if Satoru Gojo could actually go to Mars, but she knew that if it were truly necessary, Satoru Gojo could absolutely do it.
Thus, she spoke with full confidence.
"Tsukumo-san," Mahito suddenly asked, "Are you afraid of me?"
Yuki Tsukumo...
"You are also a Special Grade Sorcerer; you should be full of self-confidence," Mahito said faintly.
"But since when did you start considering... that after your defeat, you could only rely on Satoru Gojo to turn the tide??"
Yuki Tsukumo took a deep breath and calmly began to sort through her emotions.
Am I afraid? Yuki Tsukumo asked herself.
Then, unsurprisingly, she reached a conclusion—yes, I am afraid.
She was afraid of this Cursed Spirit who could confidently come to meet her without hesitation.
Yuki Tsukumo was certain that the King of Curses was definitely not a fool.
In other words, if it really came to meet Yuki Tsukumo without needing to establish any Binding Vow preventing mutual attacks, it meant it had the ability to control the situation.
Even if a battle broke out on the spot, it could retreat unscathed, or even... kill her.
The unknown brings fear, and fear brings hesitation.
Yuki Tsukumo had no idea what Mahito's methods were, so she naturally chose a more cautious approach—just as in the original work, where despite her dissatisfaction, she still chose to carry out Tengen's plan to deal with Kenjaku.
"You are even more perceptive than I imagined, Cursed Spirit," Yuki Tsukumo said slowly.
"You're right; I shouldn't be afraid of you."
"It should be you who is afraid of me."
"Since you don't refuse to meet me, then name a time and place."
"You arrange everything, and I will go alone."
"I don't trust you, Tsukumo-san," Mahito said.
"No trust?" Yuki Tsukumo wasn't surprised at all.
"I know, you want me to make a Binding Vow?"
"No problem, I'll do it."
"What kind of Binding Vow do you want?"
"That I'm never allowed to attack you from now on?"
"Or that I forget all information about meeting you, keeping only the memory of our conversation?"
"Or something else?"
Yuki Tsukumo was already prepared.
"There are three Binding Vows," Mahito said.
Yuki Tsukumo's heart sank.
To be able to propose three Binding Vows so methodically meant that the King of Curses had long anticipated this.
He had made all the preparations, just waiting for Yuki Tsukumo to jump in!
And Yuki Tsukumo had no choice, unless she generously gave up this hard-won clue.
Yuki Tsukumo felt as if the King of Curses had woven a giant web, and she was the insect in it, waiting for the spider to descend.
The King of Curses said unhurriedly, "You will forget the time and place."
"You will come before me at the designated 'time' and place without anyone noticing."
"You will go alone."
Yuki Tsukumo's thoughts raced, and she immediately realized the King of Curses' intention:
"The place you've specified isn't in Japan, but abroad!"
"You know Tengen is monitoring me, and you're avoiding her!"
"You have a spy within the Jujutsu Higher-Ups, someone with a Rank high enough to know about Tengen's and my secret operations!"
...We actually alerted Tengen? Mahito was startled for a moment, but it vanished in an instant.
However, Yuki Tsukumo was right about one thing: Mahito indeed did not intend to meet her in Japan.
It was too dangerous!
Satoru Gojo was in Japan, and the anticipated battle with Yuki Tsukumo would be much more intense than the Zenin battle.
It was easy to imagine several mountains being wiped out; it might even cause an earthquake at its peak.
Japan was not suitable; they had to go abroad.
It was the same logic as during the Zenin battle, when the Zenin Clan deliberately sent Satoru Gojo abroad before starting the fight with Mahito.
Japan was too small for Satoru Gojo.
If there were a massive battle, as long as Satoru Gojo was in the country, he would inevitably arrive.
Only when Satoru Gojo was not in the country could a massive battle occur in Japan.
Conversely, as long as Satoru Gojo was in Japan, he wouldn't be able to sense battles in other countries.
The best way to avoid Satoru Gojo, besides sending him on an overseas mission, was to go directly to another country!
The world was more than just Japan.
"Imagine what you will, Tsukumo-san," Mahito chuckled.
Tengen, you've failed in your duty.
Yuki Tsukumo refrained from complaining.
She thought about it and suddenly realized something: "You actually didn't stipulate that I'm not allowed to attack you?"
She immediately realized the meaning of this.
She said coldly, "You're using me as a stepping stone, wanting to test the skills of a Special Grade Sorcerer in hopes of facing Satoru in the future!?"
"Isn't this also what Tsukumo-san expects?" Mahito asked calmly.
"Isn't Tsukumo... also coming to meet me with the idea of taking the opportunity to eliminate me during the meeting?"
Yuki Tsukumo was speechless, her anger dissipating.
"Since both sides know the outcome of the meeting, both sides will be prepared," Mahito said slowly.
"Tsukumo-san, none of my intelligence sources have specific details about your Cursed Technique."
"I only know that your strength is immense, almost enough to solve problems with brute force alone."
"You are also highly proficient in general techniques—Shikigami, Barrier Techniques, and Cursed Energy reinforcement."
"Even if brute force can't solve a problem, you can handle it with general sorcery."
This was the truth; Mahito indeed had no intelligence source telling him about Yuki Tsukumo—but he himself knew everything perfectly well.
The battle with Yuki Tsukumo had already begun at this moment.
He continued:
"Your Reverse Cursed Technique is also very powerful."
"Fatal wounds in the ordinary sense are not even minor injuries to you, and kamikaze tactics are useless against you."
"I can't find any flaws in you."
"If there's a standard for a Special Grade Sorcerer, you are the most standard one."
"Whether it's Taijutsu, techniques, survivability, or mobility, you excel in everything."
Mahito smiled.
"I look forward to meeting you, Tsukumo-san."
"On the... battlefield," he said.
Yuki Tsukumo took a deep breath and smiled.
"Me too, King of Curses.