"...The Forbidden Vault's defenses still aren't strong enough."
The mont Yuki Tsukumo heard Naoya Zenin's blunt criticism, she lost it on the spot and refused to continue.
"This is as far as my Barrier magic goes. Besides, your Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault is already secure enough. How much stronger do you want it? Should I go drag Tengen over here for you???"
As the first Special Grade Sorcerer of the modern era, Yuki Tsukumo was not only imnsely powerful, she was also known as a walking library of Cursed Techniques. As a Star Plasma Vessel, she had at least so understanding of practically every Cursed Technique, and her mastery far surpassed that of an ordinary sorcerer.
Whether it was Reverse Cursed Technique, Cursed Technique Reversal, or Domain Expansion, they were all child's play for this blonde beauty.
And yet now, Naoya Zenin was dissatisfied with her skill in Barrier magic.
"Our next opponent is Kenjaku, who has lived for a thousand years. No matter how secure the Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault is, he must have found so weakness in it by now."
Naoya Zenin spoke calmly.
"Yuki Tsukumo, what I need from you isn't to strengthen the old defenses. I need you to use your Barrier magic to add new rules to the Forbidden Vault."
The Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault had three safeguards.
The first was the [Secret Chamber].
Only the Clan Head key could open the Forbidden Vault directly.
At present, that Clan Head key was in Naoya Zenin's possession.
Without the Clan Head key, the only way to open the Forbidden Vault was to forcibly break through the Barrier magic.
However, even an airtight [Secret Chamber] had an unavoidable flaw.
Naly, there were copies of the Clan Head key within the Zenin Clan.
For an ancient family with a thousand years of history, no matter how strict the ancestral rules were or how carefully things were managed, this sort of situation was bound to happen.
Just like how Ogi Zenin currently had a copy in his possession.
Since the current Clan Head, Naobito Zenin, was always idle or away on missions, his younger brother, Ogi Zenin, had long been the one managing the clan.
They couldn't possibly wait for Naobito Zenin to co ho every single ti the Forbidden Vault needed to be opened just because of a rule like that.
That would only throw the Zenin Clan into complete chaos.
Rules were fixed, but people were not.
So naturally, copies of the Clan Head key ca into existence.
That was exactly what worried Naoya Zenin.
Kenjaku might have a key to the Forbidden Vault.
And not just the Zenin Clan's.
The Gojo Clan, the Kamo family...
To him, the keys to the Forbidden Vaults of the Three Great Families were likely nothing more than collectibles he had obtained long ago.
The only Forbidden Vault he probably did not have a key to was the one at Tokyo Jujutsu High, a newer institution.
The second safeguard was the [Cursed Spirits] imprisoned inside the Forbidden Vault.
Aside from serving as the Zenin Clan's storehouse, the Forbidden Vault was also a forbidden ground used to punish clan mbers.
Extrely vicious spirits were sealed inside, all of them captured through great effort by generations of Zenin Clan ancestors and locked away in the Forbidden Vault.
Even if gumi Fushiguro, who possessed the supre inherited technique, [Ten Shadows Technique], were imprisoned inside, powerful as he was, he would still die violently.
There was no helping it.
The forbidden ground was filled with Grade 2 Cursed Spirits. He simply would not be able to withstand them.
But to Kenjaku, that safeguard might as well not exist.
In fact, if he entered the Forbidden Vault while possessing Suguru Geto's corpse, those vicious Cursed Spirits would instead beco fighting power for that ancient monster and imdiately turn on the Zenin Clan, tearing into them without rcy.
The third safeguard, and the most important one, was the [Barrier].
As a critical site for storing Special Grade Cursed Objects, the Forbidden Vault naturally required a powerful Barrier to suppress them.
And since the birth of the Jujutsu World, there had only ever been one strongest Barrier master.
Tengen.
To gather all the Cursed Energy in the world onto this island nation and prevent rampaging Cursed Spirits from harming humanity, Tengen had, over the long years, created a miracle that every Barrier master could only look up to.
A Barrier covering all of Japan.
And it did not cover only the land.
The oceans, the skies.
Tengen's Barrier was like a transparent, spherical shield, completely enclosing the entirety of Japan.
And since it was a Barrier that covered all of Japan, it naturally had certain crucial anchor points.
The [Dragon Veins].
The Forbidden Vault was one of the major nodes in that vast Barrier.
That was why Yuki Tsukumo had thrown up her hands and refused to continue.
After all, no matter how skilled she was in Barrier magic, she could never match Tengen-sama.
The Barrier around the Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault had been established personally by Tengen back then.
However, to Naoya Zenin, the fact that the Barrier had been established by Tengen was precisely what made him uneasy.
Kenjaku's [Culling Ga] had only been able to unfold smoothly because he stole Tengen's authority and seized control of the Barrier.
In other words, Kenjaku had spent at least a thousand years studying one thing.
How to break through Tengen's Barrier.
If Kenjaku could ignore the [Barrier] and stroll straight through it, then no number of safeguards would matter. They would all be nothing but wasted effort.
That was why Naoya Zenin needed Yuki Tsukumo's help.
He needed her to layer her own Barrier magic over Tengen's and add rules that Kenjaku could not possibly know in advance.
That way, even for a thousand-year-old monster like Kenjaku, forcibly breaking into the Forbidden Vault in a short ti without alerting anyone would be extrely difficult.
As long as it could delay him, it would undoubtedly raise their chances of victory by a little more.
"...Sigh. That brat Suguru Geto really won't give anyone peace, even after dying."
Yuki Tsukumo let out a long sigh.
"But if Kenjaku really can break into the Forbidden Vault, then where in this world is actually safe?"
It was no wonder this blonde beauty sounded so pessimistic.
The security of the Forbidden Vault represented Tengen-sama's authority.
Tengen-sama's authority represented the Barrier over all of Japan.
If Kenjaku could freely break through that Barrier, it would be truly terrifying.
It would an that, if he wanted to, he could turn this country upside down in the very next mont, leaving it with no peace ever again.
"[Culling Ga]..."
Yuki Tsukumo bit her finger, her expression grave.
"The more I think about it, the more terrifying it becos. According to my latest investigation, hospitals all over the country have recently seen large numbers of patients falling into vegetative states. dicine can't explain it at all, but any Jujutsu Sorcerer could tell at a glance that they've been hit by so indescribable curse!"
"Mm."
Naoya Zenin only nodded coldly.
"That is Kenjaku's doing. He turned those ordinary people into special vessels, allowing top-tier warriors who died in the past to be incarnated and resurrected, so they can begin killing one another."
He began listing the nas of those warriors.
"Dhruv Lakdawalla, a legendary figure among ancient sorcerers who once single-handedly conquered the entire Japanese archipelago and rose to prominence during the Great Chaos of Wa."
"Takako Uro, captain of the Jitsugetsusei Advance Corps, the direct assassination unit of the Motofuji clan. In life, she clashed with Ryon Sukuna at the height of his power several tis and possessed a technique that allowed her to manipulate the sky."
"And Ryu Ishigori, the Human Cannon of the Mutsu region, hailed as the strongest shockwave."
"Could Kenjaku really have the power to incarnate and revive a whole group of monsters like that?!"
The more Yuki Tsukumo listened, the more shaken she beca.
These were historical figures renowned throughout the Jujutsu World. In their own eras, they had either stood at the peak as regional rulers or dominated all beneath them as unmatched heroes.
And now, every one of these powerhouses had been revived by Kenjaku in the modern age?
Satoru Gojo, the strongest of the modern era, might...
Might not even be a match for them!
"That's not all."
The man fell silent for a mont, then spoke the most terrifying na of all.
"And then there's the strongest from four hundred years ago, [The God of Lightning] Haji Kashimo!!"
"Are you kidding ? You an the God of Lightning, Haji Kashimo?!"
Yuki Tsukumo's expression changed at once.
Who was Haji Kashimo?
He was a peerless powerhouse spoken of in the sa breath as Ryon Sukuna, soone who once dominated an entire era!
Ryon Sukuna was evil and brutal. People feared that monster, so they gave him the na of a demon god and regarded the King of Curses as a walking natural disaster, the mortal enemy of mankind.
And Haji Kashimo?
The title [God of Lightning] alone was enough to prove his strength.
Legend had it that Haji Kashimo's technique was like thunder and lightning. In an instant, it could split mountains and vaporize oceans, its thunderous might making even heaven and earth tremble.
People often compared Ryon Sukuna to a calamity that ravaged the world, an uncontrollable King of Curses.
But Haji Kashimo was the reincarnation of Takemikazuchi, the God of Lightning who wielded divine punishnt. A war god. A military god.
He was a peerless powerhouse who had once suppressed a chaotic age by himself and forced every Cursed Spirit and sorcerer to bow before him.
Though the two lived in different eras, both stood at the very peak of jujutsu history.
One was [Demon].
One was [God].
One established his authority through slaughter and tyranny.
One ruled through thunder and martial arts.
If Ryon Sukuna was the ultimate darkness born from the depths of the human heart, then Haji Kashimo was the absolute Strength sent down by Heaven, a force that allowed no defiance.
Even Yuki Tsukumo, the most unrestrained person imaginable, felt only awe and submission when speaking of this God of Lightning.
"Kenjaku can even revive sothing on that level?! Once he wakes up, forget the Forbidden Vault. His thunder could flatten all of Japan!"
"So now you understand why I'm demanding so much from you, don't you?"
Naoya Zenin's expression grew colder.
"Yuki Tsukumo, you must cover the Barrier, and you must guard it with everything you have. Otherwise, if Kenjaku steals the [Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique] and fully revives the Thunder God Haji Kashimo along with that group of historical powerhouses, humanity won't have even the slightest chance left."
The blonde woman swallowed hard.
No way.
Was all of humanity seriously about to be finished?
Yuki Tsukumo, get serious. This is no ti to joke around anymore!
How much longer are you planning to slack off over there?!
The fate of all mankind is resting on your shoulders right now!!!
What exactly have you been traveling around the world for all this ti?
Wasn't it to save all living beings and wipe out Cursed Spirits once and for all?!
"Hmph. It's just one asly Barrier, isn't it? Just a Barrier Tengen set up a thousand years ago, right?"
The Special Grade Sorceress's gaze sharpened. Cursed Energy gathered at her fingertips as she began chanting under her breath.
"Break!!!"
Seeing that Yuki Tsukumo had finally gotten to work, Naoya Zenin could at last relax.
Little punk.
As if I can't handle you.
Scare you a little, and you learn your lesson right away.
What worried this transmigrator most right now was still the Forbidden Vault.
Suguru Geto's corpse was the biggest bargaining chip he had.
Not just against Kenjaku, but against Satoru Gojo as well. It was a key plot device capable of influencing both of their actions.
It sounded awful, but Suguru Geto was far more useful dead than alive.
Of course, Naoya Zenin could have simply destroyed Suguru Geto's corpse and had it cremated.
However, Suguru Geto's body was both a hot potato and his get-out-of-jail-free card.
Precisely because he had Suguru Geto's corpse firmly under his control, Kenjaku would not act rashly. He would only co after making every possible preparation.
Otherwise, if it ca down to assassination, Kenjaku had a thousand ways to secretly kill Naoya Zenin.
Wasn't he only holding back because he feared that if Naoya Zenin died, the once-in-a-millennium precious technique known as [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] would vanish forever?
The sa logic applied to Satoru Gojo.
Otherwise, the mont Naoya Zenin stepped through the school gate with his left foot first, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era would have crippled him on the spot with [Unlimited Void].
That was why he would never move Suguru Geto's corpse elsewhere.
Sealing it as a Special Grade Cursed Object in the Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault was the most reliable choice for now.
He would not feel safe putting it anywhere else.
With it inside the Forbidden Vault, when he got anxious in the middle of the night, he could even run over there, chat with his dead friend about everyday things, and talk in front of his nutrient tank.
Wait.
Put that way, am I actually the necrophiliac freak here???
Of course, while the Zenin Clan's Forbidden Vault was important, the other Forbidden Vault could not be ignored either.
The Forbidden Vault at Tokyo Jujutsu High contained several of Ryon Sukuna's Fingers and the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings. He could not let Kenjaku dig that one up with a shovel either.
The issue was that he truly had no authority to ddle with the school's Forbidden Vault. Even if he wanted to reinforce its defenses, no one would agree.
But that did not an the problem had no solution.
The reason Naoya Zenin had entered Tokyo Jujutsu High as a teacher naturally included this consideration as well.
In the original story, Kenjaku sent Mahito to infiltrate the Forbidden Vault. Kenjaku himself definitely could not appear at Tokyo Jujutsu High, because the entrance to the Tombs of the Star was inside the Forbidden Vault. If Kenjaku showed up there, Tengen would detect him imdiately.
The reason Mahito could successfully infiltrate the Forbidden Vault was because of a diversion. The other Special Grade Cursed Spirits created chaos at the sa ti, and with chamaru acting as a mole inside Tokyo Jujutsu High, Mahito was able to steal the items without anyone noticing.
But things were different now.
This transmigrator would not be fooled.
As long as he set up a contingency plan in advance, he could turn that diversionary tactic against them and completely strangle the still-undeveloped Mahito in the cradle.
A cold, calculating gleam flashed through Naoya Zenin's eyes.
The reason he had not expelled chamaru earlier was not only to give him a chance to turn back, but more importantly, to use him against Kenjaku.
What made a mole dangerous was that the information they passed along was real. It let soone play with others from a god's-eye view, as if they could see through everything.
But once a mole's identity was exposed, they were no more than a bright light bulb shining in the dark, drawing ecstatic moths straight to their deaths.
chamaru was Naoya Zenin's most important pawn for countering Kenjaku.
The instant chamaru made any move to pass along information or cooperate with Kenjaku's sneak attack, Naoya Zenin would notice and counter him imdiately.
In other words, every word chamaru sent out now was sothing Naoya Zenin deliberately wanted Kenjaku to hear.
Just like this ti, when he was preparing to lead his students out on a mission.
As soon as Kenjaku took the bait, convinced this was the perfect opening, and began an all-out rush on the Forbidden Vault, Naoya Zenin was completely confident he could bury that thousand-year-old monster here for good!!
...
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