Target, Sendai City

Mahito looked toward him.

"What do you mean?"

"Literally. It's true that I like sorcerers with talent, but before that, I prefer those who can display an extraordinary temperament."

Kenjaku raised his right hand, poked his index finger at his temple, and tapped it lightly, a subtle smile appearing on his face.

"A thirst for power, or the desire to explore unknown realms... only with these primitive curiosities as a driving force can a sorcerer climb further toward the peak."

And in contrast to that.

"That guy clearly possesses a Heavenly Restriction, yet from the bottom of his heart, he doesn't acknowledge everything he has. He wants to discard this hard-won talent and instead pick up these mundane things."

Ah...

It really makes one sigh.

Kenjaku even felt a literal sense of "discomfort" just by speaking these words.

He raised a hand to cover his mouth, squinting as he shook his head.

"The reason is actually that he wants to experience the life of an ordinary person?"

What a joke, it makes me want to vomit.

Although Mahito couldn't empathize with that part, to him, humans were disgusting to begin with.

He was already satisfied enough that Kenjaku was willing to express this much.

"So you mean you originally had some expectations for that kind of person?"

"Of course."

Kenjaku leaned forward slightly, the expression on his face becoming somewhat wistful.

"Born missing half his body, nearly paralyzed. It means the cursed energy bonus used for the exchange was very high... at times like this, one should follow their talent and make the right judgment."

And what exactly should he do?

"Completely abandon his own physical body. Through the help of cursed energy, condense his consciousness into a specific part, thereby achieving transcendence of the flesh..."

By doing this, he could get rid of his most fundamental "weakness."

After all, hiding the main body is one of the necessary conditions for this "Heavenly Restriction."

"After completing this step, according to the constraints of the Binding Vow, the cursed energy bonus he gains will rise accordingly. And through his own amplification and adjustments, the precision of his Puppet Manipulation will certainly improve as well."

He poured out the grand blueprint in his mind just like that.

At this moment, Kenjaku's tone not only became excited, but he also seemed eager to try it himself.

"After that, I can complete the sub-categorization of the puppets, carrying out different levels of differentiation based on the degree of cursed energy amplification. For example, the most basic enhancement type, or the assassination type targeting specific sorcerers..."

In short, to be frank.

"The combination of Puppet Manipulation and Heavenly Restriction is quite good. With reasonable coordination, one can even experience the thrill of assembling a Gundam with one's own hands."

Theoretically, this body did indeed make Kenjaku feel it was somewhat "delicious," but compared to his current skin-suit, it felt a bit like a chicken rib.

After all, building Gundams isn't as interesting as Pokémon.

If I can't catch Pokémon, how am I supposed to play a sorcery battle royale?

Mahito had been listening with great interest, but at this point, he wore a confused expression.

"What is that? Gundam?"

"You haven't even watched that? Since you claim to be the malice of humanity, you should at least understand some popular art works of the time, right? Otherwise, people will think you're just all talk."

"I guess so... do you have any recommended works?"

"Although theoretically it's more appropriate to start from UC, a young person like you might be better suited to start with 00... Of course, I personally recommend Seed; this idol-style creation also has a unique flavor."

"...?"

Mahito scratched his head in confusion. Although they hadn't been in contact for long, he just felt...

"How do you know everything, you guy?"

"I had a lot of free time when I was pregnant in the past, so I watched a lot of things."

"...???"

Don't pour this inexplicable knowledge into my brain!

Mahito patted the side of his head with his right hand, trying his best not to let his mind wander.

"Speaking of which, regarding that guy's Binding Vow, can we be sure... there's no possibility of it exposing us?"

When the conversation turned to business, Kenjaku's expression changed accordingly. He didn't answer immediately, instead remaining silent and thoughtful for a while.

He re-examined his plan from beginning to end before nodding to signal his confirmation.

"No problem, I specially modified this Binding Vow. It is specifically designed for sorcerers whose abilities are too convenient and who are prone to leaking information."

"But since it's related to sorcery, there's no reason to guarantee 100% safety, right?"

"You catch on quickly. That is indeed the truth. So..."

Kenjaku raised his right index finger and placed it in front of his nose, revealing a meaningful smile.

"I actually left a backup plan. That guy will definitely be able to notice it... as long as the agreement is reached, he will be able to take the opportunity to fight back and send the information out by activating his puppets."

Precisely because it is an obvious "loophole," there is no possibility of it being overlooked.

"His attention will definitely have been drawn away, so he won't have any extra brainpower to think about other issues... He will try every means to prepare everything, striving to turn against us after we help him get rid of the Binding Vow."

However.

"You should understand, right? That guy won't be our match."

The greatest advantage of a Heavenly Restriction lies in this incomparable "price," and after stripping away his strengths, all that remains is a shut-in boy who has been passively imprisoned for over a decade due to issues like his disability.

After a brief pause, Kenjaku revealed a slightly mocking smile and spoke in a tone as if talking to himself.

"People who think they are clever like this are the easiest to deal with."

Meanwhile.

Having bought his ticket and intending to board the train heading toward Tokyo, Kana Shizumi suddenly stopped on the platform.

He gripped the ticket stub tightly in his hand, his expression thoughtful after a moment of contemplation.

Obedience is one thing, but before that, Kana Shizumi couldn't completely give up on thinking...

After all, he still hadn't figured out what Kenjaku's research purpose was. Since he wanted to protect himself, Kana Shizumi had to seize every opportunity to save himself.

So what is the current problem?

"What method is Kenjaku using to monitor my actions?"

He couldn't figure it out.

That's why he needed to probe!

Before Kenjaku completely lost patience with him, he had to figure out the means the other party was using to monitor him... only in this way would Kana Shizumi have a possibility of regaining his freedom later on.

Thinking of this, Kana Shizumi paused for a moment before choosing to turn back and return to the ticket office.

After observing the map for a while, his gaze finally landed on the direction completely opposite to Tokyo.

Decided.

Tap.

He pressed the ticket purchase button, and the destination shifted accordingly to...

Sendai City.