After Mortis manifested, she glanced around and said, "I was just trying it out. Didn't think it would actually work."
Sakiko replied, "It's the seam between reality and cognition. Nothing that happens here is surprising."
She turned her head, checked that everyone was in position, and her expression hardened.
"Next… I'm going to buy Potential Avatars for the three of us at the same time."
She was saying this specifically to Wakaba Mutsumi and Nagasaki Soyo.
Last time, when she and Soyo bought a Potential Avatar simultaneously, the two of them had ended up summoning counterparts from the same world. It made Sakiko uneasy—was it her physique that was special, or… were the people of this world just built differently?
Testing the hypothesis was easy. Basic controlled-variable method.
All she had to do was let Soyo buy Potential Avatars a few times at different times, alone, and see whether the summons came from completely different power systems. The answer would reveal itself.
But right now, for Soyo's safety—and to clear Morinami Minami's Palace—they needed Sukuna's combat power.
So until the chaos settled and everything returned to calm, it was better not to introduce new variables. They would replicate the successful setup: everyone buys at the same time, same as before.
Sakiko opened the group shop in the sub-chat and tapped purchase.
Her eyes snapped open.
This time, she not only felt that familiar resonance linking her and Soyo again—she also sensed a second resonance forming between herself and Mutsumi.
A sharp glint flashed in Sakiko's eyes.
She summoned the new Potential Avatar.
Just like last time, it was Gojo Sakiko—Six Eyes and Limitless.
Sakiko closed her eyes as a flood of information poured into her mind. This version hadn't learned Reverse Cursed Technique yet, and didn't have Domain Expansion either.
When she opened her eyes, Gojo Sakiko was wearing a dark, fitted school uniform.
Still tall—well over 180 centimeters—but her face was noticeably younger than yesterday's summon.
Round black sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose, partially obscuring the Six Eyes. There was still a trace of adolescent softness in her features; her jawline was gentler; the lazy, seasoned carelessness at the corner of the eyes hadn't formed yet. In its place was a teenager's shameless confidence—lighthearted, thoughtless, and faintly infuriating.
Since the complete-version Gojo Sakiko Sakiko had summoned yesterday afternoon was still within the 24-hour window, Sakiko flicked her intent—
And called her back out.
Two avatars of the same origin, from different stages of life, stood shoulder to shoulder for comparison.
The complete-version Gojo Sakiko was clearly taller, built a whole size larger. Broad shoulders. The muscle definition in her torso and arms had that dangerous kind of weight—criminally tempting, yet undeniably heavy with explosiveness.
Her expression was wilder, more arrogant, like the world existed only as background scenery.
The younger Gojo Sakiko was slimmer, without that oppressive muscle outline. Her lines were softer, which made her look even longer and more elegant.
She didn't wear the same feral arrogance—her smile was more relaxed. But beneath that easy grin was still the same gaze that didn't quite acknowledge others.
Not arrogance born of experience.
Arrogance born of talent.
The kind you get from being born at the top and never tasting true defeat.
Sakiko crossed her arms and thought fast.
In raw combat power, the younger Gojo Sakiko was far behind the complete version.
No Domain Expansion, no Reverse Cursed Technique to continuously repair the mental burden Six Eyes placed on the brain—meaning she couldn't keep Limitless defense active around the clock. There would be windows where she could be ambushed.
She also lacked Cursed Technique Reversal. She couldn't even use Red, let alone Hollow Purple, which required combining the forward and reversed techniques.
At that moment, Mortis walked over.
She stopped, craned her neck, and sized up both Gojo Sakikos before turning to Sakiko.
"So that's your otherworld counterpart. She's really strong—and really cool."
"Hmph."
Sakiko let out a soft snort through her nose. The corners of her mouth rose almost imperceptibly. She flipped her hair with practiced, tsundere pride, her whole face screaming Obviously.
Then Mortis added casually,
"But Sakiko, why didn't you have Mutsumi summon a Potential Avatar yesterday too? Wouldn't that have given us another fighting unit?"
Sakiko's confident, smug smile froze in place.
Heat rushed to her cheeks.
She… had actually missed that blind spot.
Soyo sighed and stepped in.
She wore a gentle, slightly helpless smile, naturally slipping between Sakiko and Mortis like a buffer. She patted Mortis on the shoulder.
"Alright, stop… it's over. Time's already passed."
Mortis flinched under the press of her hand, looking at Soyo like a kid getting scolded by their mom. She stopped pushing, muttering in a small voice anyway:
"But bringing it up means she won't make the same mistake again…"
She grumbled, but still backed up two steps, unusually good at reading the room.
Sakiko let out a quiet, invisible breath of relief and shoved the embarrassment down.
Then Soyo summoned her newly generated Potential Avatar as well—and also re-summoned yesterday's "Xipi Sukuna."
Soyo closed her eyes and carefully sorted through the new information in her mind.
A few seconds later, she opened them, her gaze drifting between the two avatars.
From the feedback, the true Ryomen Sukuna had died long ago. After death, he became a curse; his fingers were severed into special-grade cursed objects.
That meant the Potential Avatars she had been summoning weren't Sukuna's original body.
They were incarnations—reborn inside other people's flesh by consuming cursed objects.
The first "Xipi Sukuna" had already swallowed nineteen fingers, plus an additional substitute to complete his incarnation. He'd also acquired the host body's Ten Shadows Technique. In sheer specs, he wasn't far from his ancient peak.
Today's newly summoned Sukuna wore a hooded uniform jacket open at the front, the same black markings crawling over his skin.
But this body was weaker: only fifteen fingers consumed. Total cursed energy and output ceiling were both below Xipi Sukuna's peak state.
Soyo narrowed her eyes, thoughtful.
This also suggested something important: the new Potential Avatar still came from that same "cursed energy" system.
Maybe as long as she and Sakiko used Potential Avatars at the same time, they would always be locked into summoning counterparts from that shared worldview.
Then, as if on cue, everyone's attention shifted to the one person who had been standing quietly to the side the whole time.
Wakaba Mutsumi noticed their gaze and, expression unchanged, summoned her own Potential Avatar.
A tall, fresh figure formed slowly—nearly the same height as the younger Gojo Sakiko. He wore a similar dark, high-collar technical-school uniform jacket.
But unlike Gojo Sakiko's fitted tailoring and sharp dress pants that hugged long legs, Geto Mutsumi's pants were loose—more like cuffed cargo trousers or harem pants, wide through the thigh and gathered at the ankles.
His green hair was half tied into a casually messy bun, a strand of bangs falling across his forehead. A faint, unreadable smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.
Mutsumi absorbed the information rising in her mind and said evenly, "My Potential Avatar uses the same negative-energy system you two mentioned before. It's called cursed energy."
Sakiko and Soyo exchanged a glance and gave a small nod.
They had both clearly felt that strange triple resonance at the instant of purchase. This outcome didn't surprise them.
Sakiko stepped forward and asked, "Then, Mutsumi—what's his innate technique? Does he have Domain Expansion? Reverse Cursed Technique?"
Mutsumi didn't hide anything. She shook her head cleanly.
"He doesn't have Domain Expansion. He doesn't have Reverse Cursed Technique either."
Sakiko nodded, her expression calm—no disappointment.
Truthfully, she hadn't expected much when she asked.
From Gojo Sakiko's own feedback, both Domain Expansion and Reverse Cursed Technique were rare, elite-level skills—things only a handful of monsters ever mastered.
Even Gojo Sakiko herself, in her younger years, lacked both.
And from Geto Mutsumi's youthful look, he was probably around the same age as the younger Gojo Sakiko. Not having them was normal.
Then Mutsumi continued, "As for the innate technique… the name is Cursed Spirit Manipulation. In simple terms, he can devour and control cursed spirits at will."
Sakiko rubbed her chin.
"Cursed Spirit control, huh… In a world full of cursed spirits, that would be terrifying."
Her analysis sharpened as her thoughts clicked into place.
"One-person army. The more cursed spirits he captures, the more overwhelming the numbers become."
"No need to risk your life charging in or fighting up close. You just stay in the back and command."
"Even if individual cursed spirits have a ceiling and his single-target upper limit isn't as insane as someone like Gojo, the strength of this technique is its massive floor and its safety. And you can combine different spirits' abilities for tactical synergy. In some ways, that's scarier than raw destructive power."
Then Sakiko's tone shifted, a hint of helplessness slipping in.
"But our world doesn't have cursed spirits."
It was like being handed a master key that could open any safe in existence—only to realize you lived on an island with no safes.
Or like giving a top-tier hacker a computer with no internet connection.
A brilliant tool with no ammunition.
Realizing the problem, Sakiko turned to Mutsumi.
"Mutsumi. Does his summon come with any already-tamed cursed spirits?"
Mutsumi nodded.
"Yes."
Geto Mutsumi raised one hand, palm up.
Black cursed energy gathered in his palm, compressing into a dark sphere.
"But… based on the combat footage you and Soyo shared yesterday, the spirits he brought with him aren't particularly strong."
She stared at the black sphere and reported the current inventory.
"The strongest two: one has extremely high defense, and one has a simple Domain with rule-based attacks. But against your two Potential Avatars, they probably wouldn't survive a single exchange."
Sakiko sighed and nodded.
"Understood. With the lack of raw materials and the limited strength of his current stock, Mutsumi's Potential Avatar can't serve as immediate frontline power."
At that moment, Soyo hesitantly raised her hand.
"Um… I have an idea."
Sakiko caught the movement instantly. A gleam flickered in her eyes.
In the span of a heartbeat, she swapped her face into that bright, charismatic "leader" smile—open, warm, encouraging.
"Soyo, say it. Whatever it is, I'll back you."
That support seemed to lift a weight off Soyo's chest. The hesitation between her brows disappeared.
She lowered her hand, her gaze firm as she met Sakiko's eyes.
"Sakiko—do you remember what you told me?"
"Shadows come from human negative emotions. And cursed energy is also a power that leaks from negative emotion and becomes energy."
The moment those words landed, Sakiko's pupils dilated. A lightning bolt of possibility split her mind.
Soyo didn't pause.
"So, Sakiko… do you think it's possible…"
Her eyes shifted to Geto Mutsumi.
"That his Cursed Spirit Manipulation hard-counters every Shadow?"
Sakiko sucked in a sharp breath.
Because—damn it.
It really was plausible.
If Geto Mutsumi's technique could treat Shadows the way it treated cursed spirits, then in targeted suppression, it might even surpass brute-force monsters like Gojo and Sukuna.
Gojo and Sukuna, no matter how strong, could only destroy.
Cursed Spirit Manipulation was conceptual dominance.
A Shadow wouldn't even qualify for resistance—it would be forcibly compressed into a sphere and swallowed, becoming part of the user's arsenal.
Sakiko said, "That's… a genuinely groundbreaking idea."
Soyo scratched her head, embarrassed.
"I-I'm not that amazing. I just… kept thinking about it last night. I was originally wondering if cursed energy could strengthen Shadows."
Then she added, more carefully,
"But it's still just a theory. Whether it works or not, we need an experiment."
Sakiko nodded.
"Right. We test before we conclude."
So Soyo asked, "Then should we head to the subway Impression Space now? There are tons of Shadows there, and the danger level is relatively low. Perfect for a first capture test. If it works, Mutsumi can stockpile combat power too."
Sakiko frowned slightly. The time cost felt high.
Then she seemed to remember something.
Her lips curled into a smile that was, by all moral standards, extremely kind-hearted.
And by all survival instincts, absolutely terrifying.
She shook her head.
"No need to go through all that trouble. Why go all the way to the Impression Space?"
Then, with perfect casualness, she turned toward Mortis.
"Isn't there a perfectly good Shadow standing right here?"
Soyo blinked—then instantly understood. She turned as well.
Mutsumi's calm gaze flickered faintly as she followed.
Kocho Shinobu—and the gathered Potential Avatars—also shifted their attention.
Every pair of eyes landed on Mortis, who had been idly kicking pebbles out of boredom.
Mortis's foot froze mid-kick.
A bead of cold sweat slid down her temple.
She swallowed hard, eyes darting between Sakiko's bone-chilling smile and Geto Mutsumi.
Then she stumbled backward a full step.
She crossed both arms over her chest and blurted, panic rising:
"W-wait, hold on! Are you guys serious?! You're going to use me for an experiment?!"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter125)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter250)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I'm Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 20
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