Summoning Rika

"Okkotsu, try summoning Rika first. Let me see!" Xia Jie said to Okkotsu.

Okkotsu nodded slightly and removed the ring from his necklace. Vast, seemingly endless Cursed Energy poured into the ring in his hand.

A howling gale suddenly swept across the school grounds, growing stronger and stronger until it gouged trenches into the ground.

Faint, shrill, ear-piercing cries came from within the raging wind.

"Yuta... Yuta!"

"I love you most!"

Through the violent gale, Xia Jie vaguely caught sight of the true form of Rika Orimoto, the Queen of Curses.

A savage single eye, wild long hair, a pale body brimming with power, and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth... One glance alone made Xia Jie's skin crawl.

What a brutal creature! Judging by the aura of her Cursed Energy alone, she had at least dozens of times Shadow Maru's power!

Okkotsu was a monster too, if he could manifest Rika Orimoto! Was his Cursed Energy really infinite?

Okkotsu held on, trying to maintain Rika Orimoto, but her form still slowly dissipated in midair.

"Phew... phew..."

Okkotsu dropped to his knees, gasping heavily. The effort had clearly taken quite a toll on him as well.

"That was terrifying!" Xia Jie wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said to Gojo Satoru, "I knew Rika Orimoto was extraordinary, but I never expected her to be this powerful!"

"Even I was shocked the first time I saw her!" Gojo Satoru rubbed his chin. "So, do you have a way, Xia Jie?"

"As for a way... of course I do!" Xia Jie said with deliberate hesitation. "But if we do this, will Jujutsu High be okay with it? I have a feeling they'll sentence Okkotsu and me to death!"

"Hahaha!" Gojo Satoru burst out laughing. He got Xia Jie's dark joke. "If you have that kind of power, who could sentence you to death?"

Xia Jie glanced at Gojo Satoru. That's you... and Okkotsu. I don't have that kind of ability!

He walked over to Okkotsu, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Can you do it one more time, Okkotsu?"

Okkotsu got to his feet and looked at Xia Jie with blazing eyes. "Xia Jie, do you really have a way?"

"I do!" Xia Jie nodded slowly. "You know that my Cursed Technique can summon Cursed Spirits in the first place. Rika may be special, but she can still be manifested."

"Really?" Okkotsu asked in delight.

"Yes, really! But the one who summons her can only be you, not me!" Xia Jie pointed at Okkotsu.

"Huh? Xia Jie, what do you mean by that...?" Okkotsu asked in confusion. "Didn't you see that I can't summon Rika?"

Xia Jie shook his head. "Rika's Cursed Technique is already imprinted on you. All that's missing is a vessel! I can create that vessel with my ability, but Rika's consciousness won't willingly attach itself to it. So you have to create this vessel yourself!"

"But I can't create Rika's vessel," Okkotsu said awkwardly. "That's why I asked you for help!"

"Can you really not?" Xia Jie looked at Okkotsu meaningfully. "Okkotsu, what is your Cursed Technique?"

"It is... Copy." Okkotsu looked at Xia Jie in surprise. "You mean you want me to Copy your Cursed Technique?"

"That's right. It's the best solution." Xia Jie lowered his voice. "In my opinion, your Cursed Technique is the strongest! You can use almost any Cursed Technique!"

One reason Xia Jie was willing to let Okkotsu Copy his Cursed Technique was that he wanted Okkotsu to owe him a favor. Another was that if Okkotsu truly wanted to Copy it, Xia Jie could not stop him anyway.

Hadn't Toge Inumaki's Cursed Speech been learned by Okkotsu after they went on just one mission together?

"It's not as simple as you say!" Okkotsu shook his head. "My Cursed Technique is shared with Rika. If Rika doesn't appear, I can't Copy your Cursed Technique on my own!"

Xia Jie froze. He had not expected Okkotsu's Copy to have such a limitation.

Come to think of it, when Okkotsu Copied the Sky Woman of the Sendai Four Heavenly Kings' Cursed Technique, Rika had first swallowed the Sky Woman's arm...

Looking at it that way, Okkotsu, you really are a man determined to live off a woman to the very end!

After silently mocking him, Xia Jie thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there is another way. I can Condense Rika's Cursed Core, while you provide the Cursed Energy to create Rika's vessel!"

"Still, I don't know whether it'll work. I've never tried it before!"

Okkotsu did not hesitate for long. He said resolutely, "If it's the only way, then we have to try it no matter what!"

"Then," Xia Jie held out his hand, "Okkotsu, give me that ring!"

"Huh?" Okkotsu hesitated for a moment, but still handed the ring over to Xia Jie.

Xia Jie took the ring and spoke slowly. "My Cursed Technique is said to summon Imaginary Cursed Spirits based on legends, but to put it more accurately, it actually creates those legendary Cursed Spirits."

"The process of creating a Cursed Spirit is actually very simple, almost entirely automatic. As long as I try to Condense the Cursed Core of these Imaginary Cursed Spirits, the Cursed Core will form on its own, then rapidly absorb Cursed Energy and Condense a Cursed Spirit's vessel."

"I expect Rika's appearance will work the same way!"

"However, unlike those legendary Cursed Spirits, Rika's legend has not yet become so deeply ingrained in people's hearts! Fortunately, Okkotsu, you have this ring. It is enough to serve as Rika's anchor in this world!"

Xia Jie placed Okkotsu's ring between the tips of his index fingers, forming a strange hand seal. He continued, "Now, let's give it a try! Okkotsu, get ready!"

As Xia Jie spoke, he began pouring Cursed Energy into Okkotsu's ring.

Almost in the blink of an eye, an eerie card appeared above the ring, flickering with Rika Orimoto's full image. An extremely ominous and terrifying aura radiated from it.

Xia Jie only had time to shout, "Okkotsu!" before the Cursed Energy in his body was drained almost instantly, and the system parasitizing his body entered standby mode.

Damn it! I was careless!

Xia Jie had thought that Rika's Cursed Technique had already been constructed, and with Rika's anchor in his hands, creating the spiritual foundation for Imaginary Rika should not consume much Cursed Energy.

But to his surprise, the instant Rika's spiritual foundation took shape, it drained every last bit of Cursed Energy from his body, and it even seemed to be growing more intense.

This is bad! I'm done for!

Xia Jie felt his consciousness starting to blur. Just then, Okkotsu pointed at the card floating in the air.

Vast Cursed Energy erupted in an instant, and Rika's vessel rapidly took shape in midair.

"Yuta!"

Rika, the Ju-On spirit who had once again descended into the world, let out an excited yet terrifying shriek. But when she turned and saw Xia Jie lying motionless on the ground, her single eye instantly filled with hatred and disgust, and her pale claws slashed toward Xia Jie.

As the creator of Imaginary Cursed Spirits in a certain sense, Imaginary Cursed Spirits could sense the special "bond" between themselves and Xia Jie the instant they descended.

Aside from Cursed Spirits like Thunder Maru and Shadow Maru, which relied entirely on Xia Jie, all other Cursed Spirits would prioritize severing that special "bond."

That unique "bond" was no gift, but a Binding Vow upon the Imaginary Cursed Spirit itself. Through it, Xia Jie could locate the Cursed Spirit, and if he could subdue it, he could even become its master.

Rika had attacked Xia Jie so fiercely because she sensed this.

Shadow Maru hurriedly rose from Xia Jie's shadow, while Okkotsu rushed to stand in front of Xia Jie... But Rika's attack in that instant had exceeded everyone's expectations. Even with Shadow Maru and Okkotsu right beside Xia Jie, their reactions were 0.0001 seconds too slow.

Just as Xia Jie was about to be pierced through by Rika's claws, the claws seemed to hit some kind of barrier and could not push through.

Gojo Satoru brought his middle and index fingers together and activated his Cursed Technique, blocking Rika's attack.

Gojo Satoru stared at Rika's terrifying face and said leisurely, "That won't do, Rika-chan! He's my adorable student!"