Tenna Riko's Cursed Technique

"Huh? You want me to take her as a disciple?"

Yuki Tsukumo glanced at Riko Amanai, then asked Gojo Sawa.

Beside them, Gojo Satoru quipped, "Brother, this woman only loafs around overseas, she's completely a waste of a Special Grade title!"

"If you're going to teach Riko, you're more than capable yourself, or I could do it if it comes to that."

Yuki Tsukumo's forehead lined with exasperation. "So my reputation has already crumbled to this point?!"

"No, your reputation never crumbled—because it's always been like this."

"..."

Gojo Sawa spoke up to explain, "We really could teach Riko, but if we're talking about the most suitable teacher for her, it has to be you, Miss Tsukumo."

Hearing this, Yuki Tsukumo eyed Gojo Sawa suspiciously.

The latter didn't hide anything and said frankly, "Tsukumo, I know you're also a Star Plasma Vessel."

Yuki Tsukumo snorted coldly. "That old hag Tengen told you, didn't she? I can't figure out why she'd blab about that!"

Gojo Sawa didn't confirm or deny.

Tengen hadn't told him any of this; he was relying entirely on fragmented memories from his past life.

"In any case, Star Plasma Vessels have always been considered special existences with cursed energy but no innate technique. Clearly, though, Tsukumo, you're an exception."

"As a Star Plasma Vessel, you awakened a powerful technique like 'Star Rage.' Maybe you can help Riko awaken her technique too."

Hearing this, Riko Amanai's face lit up with anticipation.

She knew this blonde woman was one of the "Four Special Grades," a powerful sorcerer on par with Gojo Sawa and the others.

Someone beyond common sense like this might truly be able to change her fate.

Yuki Tsukumo rubbed her hair in frustration. "Well~ there is a way, actually."

"The truth is, Star Plasma Vessels don't lack innate techniques—they're just hidden by a special constitution. To awaken them..."

Yuki Tsukumo looked up, hesitating as she spoke, "You have to undergo 'assimilation' with Tengen."

"Huh???"

"Let me explain, it's not real 'assimilation.' It's letting Tengen absorb the root of the Star Plasma Vessel's constitution. Without that constitution suppressing it, the vessel's innate technique can re-emerge."

"So, back then, you..."

Yuki Tsukumo shrugged. "That's right. I went through this process back then and stumbled into awakening 'Star Rage.'"

Gojo Sawa, Gojo Satoru, and Riko Amanai exchanged glances.

"So? Are you going?"

Gojo Sawa asked tentatively, worried that Riko Amanai might already have a psychological shadow from that guy Tengen.

Riko Amanai clenched her fists, thumped her chest, and declared loudly, "Of course I'm going!"

"I'll go with you!"

Gojo Satoru said after a moment's hesitation.

Gojo Sawa also spoke up, "I'll tag along too. If something goes wrong, my domain and Reverse Cursed Technique might come in handy."

Though he didn't want to intrude on his little brother and Riko's private time, Gojo Sawa was worried that the old witch Tengen might play tricks or drop the ball.

As the number one pitfall in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, Gojo Sawa had zero trust in Tengen.

Yuki Tsukumo rolled her eyes. "I'm not going. I don't want to see Tengen's face again."

Tombs of the Star Corridor.

Gojo Satoru said worriedly, "Brother, come to think of it, we did mess up Tengen's initialization. That's a grudge, right? Will she agree to help us?"

Gojo Sawa shook his head. "Little brother! Have you forgotten what I taught you? As long as you're sincere and polite, you can always move people. Let the past be the past!"

"Huh?"

Gojo Satoru dug at his ear, hardly believing what he'd heard.

"Let's go."

Gojo Sawa led the way, striding quickly into the Tombs of the Star Corridor.

Entering this place that had once cost her her life, Riko Amanai clearly still felt uneasy.

Once inside the Tombs of the Star Corridor, their eyes fell on a towering tree as massive as a mountain, coiled there.

Gojo Sawa cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly, "Old hen! Get out here! Need a favor!"

Gojo Satoru and Riko Amanai stood frozen.

"This... this is what you meant by being sincere and polite, always moving people?"

Gojo Sawa gave an OK sign. "Yeah. If she doesn't want to help, I'll beat her until she does. That's what I call 'moving' someone."

"..."

At that moment, Tengen's body grew out from the tree trunk. His appearance was quite bizarre—a long, narrow head with a big mouth and four eyes, not much different from a cursed spirit.

Tengen looked somewhat helplessly at Gojo Sawa. "At least show some respect for a jujutsu senior who's lived a thousand years!"

Gojo Sawa rolled his eyes. "If someone could be as reliable as Kenjaku, who's also lived a thousand years, I wouldn't begrudge them my respect."

"Kenjaku!"

Tengen paused, surprised that Gojo Sawa could utter that name.

"It seems you know quite a bit of information."

"Well, I'm from the Three Great Families after all. I have ways of getting certain special intel, and the title 'Worst Sorcerer in History' isn't exactly hard to find."

Beside them, Gojo Satoru watched his brother and Tengen with a somewhat dazed expression.

What Kenjaku? What worst sorcerer?

I'm from the Three Great Families too—how come I don't know any of this?

"Alright, enough of that. What brings you to me this time?"

Tengen dropped the topic of Kenjaku and asked about Gojo Sawa's purpose.

Gojo Sawa explained the matter of Riko Amanai. Unexpectedly, Tengen agreed without hesitation.

"I've thought it over carefully. Though I've lived a thousand years and can no longer understand human emotions, the merger with the Star Plasma Vessel may have been my mistake."

"It was, plain and simple."

"...So helping Riko Amanai awaken her technique is a form of atonement for me."

Soon, Tengen and Riko began the process of "merger."

At first, Riko Amanai was a little scared.

But seeing Gojo Sawa and Gojo Satoru there, she inexplicably felt at ease.

The Gojo brothers kept their Six Eyes fully active the entire time, monitoring Tengen's every move.

Tengen looked somewhat exasperated. "Must you be this wary of me?"

"Who knows?"

Gojo Sawa shrugged. "After all, you're an old fox who's lived a thousand years."

"..."

Soon, the merger was completed smoothly. With Taku and Satoru watching, Tengen didn't pull any tricks.

Riko Amanai stepped out from the entwining vines, staring blankly at her own hands.

Gojo Satoru asked curiously, "Riko! How is it?"

Hearing this, Riko Amanai puffed out her chest, looking proud. "Oh ho! I've awakened a really strong technique! Get ready to be trampled under my feet, Gojo!"

"Looks like the technique you awakened affects your intelligence."

"You..."

"Alright, stop bickering. Yuki's still waiting outside!"

The group left the Tombs of the Star Corridor and met up with Yuki Tsukumo, who had been waiting for a while.

"How did it go? Smoothly?"

Riko Amanai nodded excitedly. "The technique I awakened is called 'Star Sorrow.' It lets me control the temperature within a certain range."

Yuki Tsukumo's eyes lit up with interest. "Star Sorrow—that's a great technique!"

"Yosh! From now on, I'm your jujutsu teacher!"

Gojo Sawa suddenly spoke up. "Star Rage, Star Sorrow—why do they both sound so unlucky? And they don't fit your personalities at all!"

Yuki Tsukumo and Riko Amanai both turned to glare at Gojo Satoru. "Then what should we call them? Star Happiness?"

"Well, your technique suits your personality, Gojo. Limitless—and you're pretty limitless yourself!"

"Ah-choo~"

Off to the side, Gojo Sawa, who had been dragged into the conversation for no reason, sneezed.