Coming clean

"Huh? What the hell was that? What happened?"

The sudden change in his body jolted Hajime Kashimo awake just as he was about to fall asleep.

Sensing that the total amount of cursed energy in his body had suddenly increased by a huge margin, Hajime Kashimo was baffled.

"What the hell is this? Is this even my body anymore?"

Hearing Hajime Kashimo's voice, Lu Yun froze.

"Ahaha, uh, you're still awake, Deer God?"

"With all that commotion, how could I possibly sleep?"

Hajime Kashimo shot back,

"What exactly happened?"

Lu Yun's face tensed as he forced himself to act as though nothing had happened.

"Nothing. I'm still growing, that's all. No big deal. Forget about it."

"Oh, I see. If it's nothing, I'll go back to sleep."

Lu Yun thought he had successfully bluffed his way through and let out a long sigh of relief. But then Hajime Kashimo changed his tone and sneered.

"Did you think I'd say that, kid? Who would believe that bullshit? I may be an old relic, but I'm not that easy to fool.

Don't think I can't do anything to you just because we're sharing a body, kid. You'd better tell me the truth."

Cold sweat poured down Lu Yun's back. He had really shot himself in the foot this time. He had known he couldn't hide the changes brought about by his golden finger from Hajime Kashimo forever, but he hadn't expected to be exposed so soon.

What do I do? Work, you stupid brain!

Lu Yun racked his brains, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation.

He had no choice. The truth was so absurd that no one would believe it.

Oh, I've got it!

Struck by inspiration, Lu Yun put on a solemn air, lowered his head, and clasped his hands beneath his chin.

"Since you've noticed, I won't hide it anymore. This is actually my cursed technique!"

A cursed technique?

Hajime Kashimo was suspicious.

"Wasn't your cursed technique that information network thing?"

"Come on, Deer God, you've misunderstood. My information really does come from a special source. It's not a cursed technique. This is what my cursed technique actually does. How else could you explain the changes in my body?"

Fair point. It did seem like only a cursed technique could produce an effect like this.

Hajime Kashimo really couldn't think of any other possibilities, but he wasn't about to believe Lu Yun so easily.

"I don't believe you. What kind of bullshit cursed technique is this?"

So Lu Yun left out a few details and gave Hajime Kashimo a brief explanation of his "cursed technique."

"You get stronger by defeating opponents? How could a cursed technique that ridiculous possibly exist?!"

Lu Yun's explanation only made Hajime Kashimo more incredulous.

He had never heard of a cursed technique with such an absurd effect.

"Now, that's where you're wrong."

Lu Yun wagged a finger.

"There are even more ridiculous ones out there. Have you ever seen a cursed technique that makes your wishes come true, Deer God?"

"You're making that up!"

Hajime Kashimo refused to believe anyone possessed such a ridiculous cursed technique.

Lu Yun gave a soft snort.

"Not only do they exist, there's more than one. One of them happens to belong to a player in the Culling Game."

The two people Lu Yun meant, whose cursed techniques could "make wishes come true," were naturally Fumihiko Takaba from the original story and Alien Maru from the sequel.

"Seriously?"

Seeing how confidently Lu Yun spoke, Hajime Kashimo began to waver.

Compared with a cursed technique that absurd, Hajime Kashimo's own seemed rather laughable. That enormous disparity was also a major reason he refused to believe such techniques existed.

Other people's cursed techniques make wishes come true, while mine turns me into a suicide truck. It's just so... you get it, right?

"Don't worry, Deer God. If we get the chance, I'll definitely let you see it for yourself."

Hearing Lu Yun speak as though he had witnessed it firsthand, Hajime Kashimo found it increasingly difficult to dismiss the possibility.

"Uh, maybe next time."

Sensing Hajime Kashimo backing down, Lu Yun pressed his advantage, determined to settle the matter once and for all.

"When you look at it that way, isn't my cursed technique easier to accept? Besides, the only reason it works so well is thanks to you, Deer God!"

"Me?"

"Of course! Without you, Deer God, I'd just be an ordinary person. How could I possibly beat a jujutsu sorcerer? Let alone defeat someone with Special Grade strength and get such a huge payoff. It's all thanks to you, Deer God!"

Hajime Kashimo paused.

Put that way, it really did seem to make sense.

Lu Yun continued coaxing him along.

"Without you, Deer God, I might not even have become a jujutsu sorcerer, much less challenged powerful opponents. You're practically my lucky star! On my own, I couldn't beat anyone. I might not even be able to trigger my cursed technique's effect. Without you, Deer God, this technique would be total garbage!"

"That makes sense. Your cursed technique is practically on par with mine. Mine might even be better. It comes with cursed energy that has electrical properties, so most people really aren't a match for me."

After hearing Lu Yun's analysis, Hajime Kashimo even felt rather pleased with himself.

So his cursed technique wasn't the worst after all. Plenty of people had it worse than he did.

Lu Yun's face twisted. Hajime Kashimo's words nearly made him lose it, but fortunately, he was a veteran at keeping a straight face. His powerful control over his facial muscles allowed him to hold it in.

No, I can't laugh yet. Hold it in. Just one last step. He's almost convinced.

"Exactly, Deer God. And now that we're sharing the same body, my cursed technique can even help you fight Sukuna!"

Hajime Kashimo scoffed.

"That won't be necessary. I have no interest in that outside help of yours. I'll defeat Sukuna with my own strength."

"Wow, Deer God, you've got some serious ambition!"

Keeping a straight face once again, Lu Yun gave him a thumbs-up in praise.

"All right, enough talking. Do whatever you want. Just stop disturbing my rest."

Even flattery grew tiresome after a while. Hajime Kashimo was already exhausted, and now that he understood the cause of the changes, he said no more and fell asleep again.

Finally, I bluffed my way through.

With Hajime Kashimo quiet again, Lu Yun finally no longer had to keep a straight face. He relaxed abruptly, though his taut facial muscles remained stiff for a moment.

He raised a hand to rub his cheeks. Convincing Hajime Kashimo again had really taken a lot of brainpower. Fortunately, it had gone smoothly, and Lu Yun finally had time to test his new abilities.

Although the reward information had already given Lu Yun a thorough understanding of his new abilities, knowledge on paper only went so far. Until he tried them himself, he would never know how they actually worked.

"Then let's try this one first."

Glancing at Ryu Ishigori, who lay a short distance away, Lu Yun willed it and raised his hand, firing an electric shock at his body.

With his severe injuries still unhealed, Ryu Ishigori naturally couldn't dodge it. The spot struck by the current stung slightly, then the sensation faded a moment later.

Ryu Ishigori hadn't noticed Lu Yun's little move and thought a mosquito or something had bitten him. Scratching the stinging spot, he muttered in puzzlement,

"Weird. A mosquito can actually bite through my skin? Maybe it's because I'm injured."

He soon stopped worrying about it. Only Lu Yun remained beside him, carefully sensing the strand of his cursed energy that he had sent into Ryu Ishigori's body.

"This... this is?!"

Lu Yun's eyes widened.