The Order Was Reversed

What was this guy suddenly talking about?

That was Kana Shizumi's first reaction, but he quickly showed a rather surprised expression.

Huh? Wait, wait, wait...

Could I possibly have a second cursed technique?

"Are you surprised? Ah... I hadn't explained it clearly to you yet, had I? Right, right, this is the second proposal I wanted to mention."

Kenjaku smiled as he wagged the index finger of his right hand, speaking in a rather showy tone.

"Start gathering Six Paths Tsuji's Cursed Objects as soon as possible. Separately, they're merely Special Grade Cursed Objects, but once you collect all of them, they should produce something like a chemical reaction."

And then...

"Once those things combine with the restriction inside your body, they should eventually become an entirely new power... I can't guarantee it one hundred percent, but I think there's a very real possibility that it could give rise to a second cursed technique."

Oh!

Two cursed techniques?

Kana Shizumi could only say that he was truly looking forward to it. And after that, Kenjaku still hadn't stopped talking.

"Of course, once you've gathered all of Six Paths Tsuji's Cursed Objects, there are also some rather special advanced applications. But those are more theoretical."

Kenjaku tilted his head, pondered for a moment, then reached into his clothes and fumbled around. In the end, he took out a yellowed notebook.

Judging from its appearance, it was an old-fashioned notebook with quite a sense of age to it.

"Since your research itself stopped a long time ago, I didn't continue examining it in depth afterward. Still, over the years, I've gained some different insights... I've written all those understandings in this notebook. Go explore them yourself."

Just like that.

Kenjaku clasped his hands inside his sleeves, opened his mouth in a yawn, and squeezed a few tears from the corners of his eyes.

"It's about time for me to rest today as well... Take your time figuring out the rest yourself."

It was a high-end apartment, after all. There were certainly enough rooms.

But before returning to his room, Kenjaku didn't forget to add one more thing.

"Oh, right, right. Starting tomorrow, your primary area of activity will be within the Tokyo metropolitan area."

Kana Shizumi, who had just tucked the notebook into his chest, couldn't help showing a slightly bewildered expression at those words.

Huh? Why?

He didn't even need to ask. The expression on his face was enough to convey it.

"Because of your cursed technique, you'll attract some unnecessary trouble... It'll be rather troublesome to settle, so until the dust has settled, you'd better avoid Kyoto's side as much as possible."

After saying that, Kenjaku gave a light wave and walked into his room without looking back.

Leaving only Kana Shizumi behind to tidy up the room, along with plenty of time to think.

Why did Jail Mom say that?

After thinking for a while, Kana Shizumi seemed to suddenly realize something.

Crimson Blood Manipulation...

Though it was quite useful, just as he'd said before, its nature was rather special, so using it would easily draw unnecessary attention.

How the hell did the Kamo Clan let an inheritor of such an important cursed technique end up outside?

It was probably something along those lines... Kana Shizumi himself had no intention of returning to acknowledge his ancestors, so taking the initiative to avoid them was a good choice too.

But he'd have to operate in Tokyo?

At the thought of that White-Haired Madman at Jujutsu High, he couldn't help shivering.

He'd better be more careful whenever he went out from now on. If they really ran into each other, he might not even have time to beg for mercy...

With a sigh, Kana Shizumi simply cleaned up the table and sink, then put the trash where it belonged.

He had to admit.

Kenjaku's living habits were unexpectedly decent...

At the very least, he didn't leave household trash scattered everywhere, he properly organized the books he finished reading, and even in daily conversation, he always carried himself in an unhurried manner, like a professor who had everything under control.

If one ignored his inhuman ideas and logic, working under someone like him actually wasn't too bad.

After all, Kenjaku really did teach him things.

With that thought, Kana Shizumi sat down by the window and took out the notebook Kenjaku had given him.

Mount Fuji couldn't be seen at all at this hour of the night, but the prosperity of the Tokyo metropolitan area lay spread out before him. Looking at all those dazzling neon lights... it had its own distinct charm.

Tch, reeks of money.

With a sigh, Kana Shizumi opened the notebook in front of him.

"On the Connection and Analysis Between Six Paths Tsuji's Cursed Objects and the Form of Purity"

What was with such a serious title...

Though he was only saying it casually, considering Kenjaku's personality and thirst for knowledge, perhaps the guy really had held some research position after the Meiji Restoration.

Holy shit, don't tell me you actually published papers?

Kana Shizumi flipped to the second page, where Kenjaku's handwritten words had been left behind.

"I often reflect that only after gaining a long life can one truly experience so many different things.

Whether it is experiencing different lives, considering problems from entirely different perspectives, learning more knowledge, or witnessing the changes and transitions of eras...

Countless times, I have been grateful that I was born in the most suitable age and could experience everything as an observer. These things make up my life, and they will also be the sole original purpose that supports me as I continue onward."

Kana Shizumi noticed a record written in the corner.

"Recorded in the third year of the Keio era."

This made Kana Shizumi scratch his head.

Couldn't you just use the Western calendar...? Now I have to calculate the year myself. What a pain!

He sat there and began counting on his fingers.

As everyone knew, Japan's modern and contemporary periods generally referred to its history after the Meiji Restoration.

In other words...

"It was after 1868..."

Then what about before that?

Strictly speaking, that would probably fall under the historical category of the Edo period.

And Kana Shizumi's memories had more or less stopped at that point, so he had to use his phone's search engine to figure out the specific changes in dates and years.

Edo generally referred to the period between 1603 and 1868, and within that...

Kana Shizumi searched for the term "Keio" and finally found the answer he was looking for.

It was the period when someone named Emperor Ninko was in power, right at the tail end of the Edo period... because after he stepped down, it transitioned seamlessly into Meiji.

And the Keio era name had been used during the final four years of his rule.

The third year of the Keio era referred to 1867.

Using that as a reference point, Kana Shizumi made a simple comparison with the period when Kenjaku had designed Six Paths Tsuji and the Death Paintings...

Then he discovered the problem.

That wasn't right...

"The Death Paintings were a product of the Meiji Era, but this..."

According to Kenjaku's description, the design of Unblemished had been derived from the Death Paintings.

But now, the order was clearly reversed.

Where was the problem?

Kana Shizumi rubbed the back of his head, then raised his hand thoughtfully and turned the page before him...

The next page.