Persuasion

A sinister smile curled at the corner of Lu Yun's mouth. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the person before him from head to toe as though his eyes were an X-ray machine.

Takako Uro shuddered. Though her body was securely wrapped in her cursed technique, she felt as if every inch of her had been exposed to Lu Yun's gaze.

A chill ran over her skin, and a blush flashed across her face. Uro instinctively covered her private parts with her hands, her voice trembling:

"Y-you... what are you trying to do?!"

Seeing that she seemed to have misunderstood, Lu Yun gave her a disdainful look.

"What are you thinking? I like mature women, but you're too old, you pink-haired hag! What I meant was, if you don't cooperate, I won't even have to wait for Sukuna. I can end your second life right now."

Like Sukuna, Takako Uro had come from a thousand years ago. She was old enough to be Lu Yun's ancestor, yet she was thinking of robbing the cradle? Wouldn't that be letting her off far too easily?

The faint blush on Uro's face heated up at once, turning her whole face scarlet. Even the strands of her hair stood on end as her eyes widened.

"Who are you calling a hag?! This body is only in its twenties, okay?! I wouldn't want you either, you little brat!!"

In the modern memories Takako Uro had inherited, that classic line was usually followed by the same sort of scene. It was hardly surprising that she had misunderstood Lu Yun.

There was no helping it. Cultural differences and all that.

But she had never expected Lu Yun to turn up his nose at her age. Fury surged through her, and she raised both hands to hit him with Thin Ice Breaker.

Lu Yun was a far cry from his former self. How could he possibly miss her movement? He darted forward, clamped his left hand over Uro's head, and slammed it down toward the ground.

Before she could unleash Thin Ice Breaker, the tremendous force tipped her body backward, and the back of her head crashed into the ground.

The concrete caved in, her head buried in the center of the crater. The violent impact made Uro's eyes roll back.

Lu Yun lightly clapped his hands to dust them off.

Never mind the gravely injured Uro-even at her peak, she would have been no threat to him now.

"Cough, cough."

A sound came from the crater in the concrete. Lu Yun glanced over and said coldly:

"Calmed down now?"

Takako Uro said nothing.

Why does this guy seem even stronger? Isn't Hajime Kashimo asleep?

She couldn't understand why Lu Yun was still so powerful without Hajime Kashimo fighting for him.

Apparently, his threat to "end her second life" hadn't been a joke.

After a moment's thought, she finally spoke:

"What difference does it make? It's just dying sooner or later. If you're going to kill me, do it."

The Fujiwara clan had raised her from childhood as an expendable assassin. She hadn't even had a name of her own, let alone experienced a normal person's life.

Now that she had a chance to live again, of course she wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. Why would she rush off to her death again?

Seeing how firm she was, Lu Yun realized that getting Uro to join the Sukuna-Fighting Squad was probably out of the question. But he wasn't about to give up on a Special Grade fighter just like that.

"If you really don't want to face Sukuna head-on, you can at least provide support, right? If you want to live peacefully in the modern world without anyone bothering you, you'll have to get on good terms with the official jujutsu sorcerers of this era, won't you? Do you think they'll let ancient sorcerers like you do whatever you please?"

Once she heard she wouldn't have to face Sukuna directly, Takako Uro's attitude softened considerably.

"Then what do I need to do?"

Lu Yun considered it briefly.

"For now, stay in Sendai with Ryu Ishigori and clear out the cursed spirits and any jujutsu sorcerers harming civilians. Protect ordinary people as much as you can. Before long, someone named Yuta Okkotsu will enter the Sendai Colony. Give him all the points you earn. He and his companions will find a way to add a rule that lets people leave the Culling Game."

Hearing Lu Yun tell her to protect ordinary people, Takako Uro gave him a surprised look.

"I didn't expect you to care whether those ordinary people lived or died."

As she saw it, the strong usually did whatever they wanted and cared only about themselves. They never concerned themselves with whether ordinary people lived or died, much less offered them protection.

"No one is born strong. Everyone grows up under someone else's protection."

Lu Yun spoke without waiting for a response.

"I see,"

Takako Uro mused.

"And after that?"

"After that, go with Okkotsu. He'll take care of everything."

Seeing that Uro had no objections, Lu Yun turned to leave.

Before he left, however, he added one more thing:

"I don't know just how terrifying Sukuna is in your eyes, but someone has to do what needs doing. And I don't believe running away solves anything. When disaster strikes, no one can stay untouched."

His figure receded into the distance, leaving Uro lying there alone.

I should find something to wear first.

"Kogane, how many points do I have now?"

A red-and-blue figure leaped between buildings. With no more cursed spirit presences within his sensing range, Lu Yun called out Kogane.

It was November 6. Over the past few days, Lu Yun had been clearing cursed spirits from the colony while also rescuing ordinary civilians trapped inside.

Kogane appeared at his call and announced theatrically:

"My goodness, Player! You've already earned 191 points!"

A Kogane's personality was influenced by its owner. Perhaps that was why Lu Yun's Kogane had such a nasty personality.

Still, much as he disliked Kogane, Lu Yun had to admit that having a little helper beside him keeping track of his score was quite convenient.

He wasn't used to tallying up every point he earned.

"That should be enough. Time to get going."

Lu Yun considered his next move, then instructed Kogane:

"Kogane, add this rule for me: all players may view information on all other players at any time, including their names, current points, number of rules added, and the colony they are currently in."

Lu Yun did this to keep the developments ahead as close to the original plot as possible, even though his arrival had already changed many things.

"Player Hajime Kashimo has successfully spent 100 points to add a new rule. Current remaining points: 91."

Since Hajime Kashimo had originally obtained Kogane, the registered player information remained under his name, even though Lu Yun now controlled the body.

The next moment, every player in the Culling Game received notification of the new rule.

Inside the main residence of the Kamo Clan, one of the Three Great Families, a man wearing loose monk's robes, with a line of stitches across his forehead, received the notification as well.

"Oh, that was quick. Still, if it's him, that's hardly surprising."

The man in monk's robes was none other than Kenjaku, who had once again become the head of the Kamo Clan.

"Perfect timing. Kogane, look up Player Hajime Kashimo's location for me."

"Searching... Player Hajime Kashimo is currently in the Sendai Colony."

Kogane fluttered through the air, displaying Hajime Kashimo's information to Kenjaku.

As he stared at the information panel, an inscrutable expression crossed Kenjaku's face.

"Something like this actually happened? Now things are getting interesting."