"Would you call this getting the hang of it the second time around?"
Aikawa Kaze stood in a secluded corner off a shopping street, his eyes filled with resignation.
He had finally struggled through high school and graduated from college, only to transmigrate again just as he was about to interview for a job. Surely he wouldn't have to take the college entrance exams all over again?!
Tragic.
It looked like he would never find out whether that incredibly well-paid job was real. And to think he had even imagined making an anti-scam video about it and becoming an overnight sensation.
Kaze glanced down and confirmed that he was wearing what appeared to be a school uniform. He felt around in his pocket and pulled out a student ID.
"Touhou Academy, Class 1-A, Aikawa Kaze."
"Should I say I'm used to this already...?"
As expected, the shop window's reflection showed a male high school student with black hair and eyes, a classical Eastern air, and slightly long hair.
I really don't want to take the college entrance exams again!
Perhaps he could try a different path?
He casually scanned his surroundings. Based on his previous experience, his home should be somewhere nearby, and an "NPC" who knew him ought to appear in the area.
Kaze looked around, then the corner of his mouth twitched.
Did everyone in this world have such a twisted sense of aesthetics that they walked around wearing grotesque dolls disgusting enough to make people vomit?
Obviously not.
Which meant there was only one truth!
Kaze covered his face.
This time, he had actually transmigrated into Jujutsu Kaisen!
Before he could even put on an expression of anguish, Kaze realized something was wrong.
The eyeballs of an eye-covered cursed spirit perched on the shoulder of a passing office worker shifted slightly, directing its gaze toward him.
Oh, crap!
He remembered that, according to the series' rules, these low-level cursed spirits effectively "didn't exist" to people who couldn't see them. But if someone could see them, these low-level pests would latch on to that person.
Still, looking away now would be unwise. That would make his odd reaction far too obvious.
Rather than immediately avert his eyes, Kaze kept looking in that direction, pretending he couldn't see the cursed spirit and was simply focusing on the shop window behind the office worker.
As luck would have it, it was a game store, with a large poster hanging by the entrance.
"I almost forgot! The new Pokémon game is out. I can't wait!"
Spotting the poster featuring that familiar yellow electric mouse, Kaze hurried past the office worker and into the shop. The cursed spirit's eyes rolled around, but it apparently noticed nothing and fixed its attention back on its host.
Got away with it!
[Ding~ Greetings, esteemed Transmigrator 1214! Your intelligent transmigrator AI system has been activated. Would you like to open your starter gift pack now?]
Kaze breathed a sigh of relief as he entered the shop, hearing the system activate at the same time.
Before he could investigate it properly, however, he heard a little girl's voice.
"Is that you, Aikawa? Are you back from your trip?"
His true surname had actually been Aikawa, and his given name Kaze, but after crossing over, they had inverted into the compound surname Aikawa and the given name Kaze.
At first, being addressed that way had felt a little strange, but he had gradually grown accustomed to it.
Several snippets flashed through Kaze's mind, like a film playing on fast-forward.
She was the neighbors' little girl. After learning that both his parents had died, the kindhearted couple next door had taken good care of him, often inviting him over for meals. Over time, they had become close.
Since both of them were very busy with work, they often asked him to look after their daughter.
That was how things had worked between him and Ayumi, the elementary school girl next door in his previous world. These new memories had slipped into place seamlessly.
In an instant, Kaze knew the girl's name.
"Oh, Sakura! I just got back." Kaze smiled and nodded, then added with a hint of distress, "I must have been away too long. I've almost forgotten where I live. What a headache!"
"Oh, honestly, what am I going to do with you?" The little girl planted both hands on her hips and declared proudly, "In that case, I'll lead the way! You really can't get by without me!"
"Mm-hmm! Thank you, our adorable, dependable Sakura!"
The other customers couldn't help smiling at the sight. Nobody actually believed a high school student had forgotten the way home; they all assumed he was teasing the little girl.
"How about I buy you a Pikachu plush?"
"Daddy already bought me a Pikachu! Could I have an Eevee plush instead?"
"Of course."
Sakura put down the large Pikachu plush she had been holding, which looked expensive at a glance, and thoughtfully chose a palm-sized Eevee instead-a cheap little bag charm an elementary school student could afford by saving up some pocket money.
She's just as thoughtful and well-behaved as Ayumi!
The girl instantly rose in Kaze's estimation. Compared with little terrors, obedient, sweet, considerate children were naturally much more likable.
Back in his previous world, before the plot began and Ayumi joined the Detective Boys, she had been a sweet, obedient child.
After buying the girl a plush as payment, he was successfully led home.
Standing before an apartment door bearing an "Aikawa" nameplate, he naturally took the key from his pocket and unlocked it without the slightest difficulty.
Just like his previous transmigration, he had an identity that fitted seamlessly into the world, complete with identification documents and keys. Both parents were dead, and he had a car, a home, and an inheritance.
He didn't really object to that background. It was the sudden second transmigration disrupting his plans that annoyed him.
Besides, this world was far more dangerous than the Detective World.
"System, open the starter gift pack."
[Please select your desired jujutsu ability category: offense, defense, healing, control...]
Kaze blinked, the corners of his mouth lifting as he joked.
"Isn't there a select-all option? Choices are for kids. I'm an adult, so I want everything."
[Request received. Searching...]
"Huh? I was joking. You can actually do that?" Kaze suddenly sensed that something was off. "Wait, can I choose again? Would a more versatile ability be weaker, or come with huge restrictions?"
[Category confirmed. Changes are unavailable.] [All abilities provided by the system are high-tier EX-rank abilities. Whether an ability is limited depends on the transmigrator.] [Three matching abilities found in inventory. Please select...] [Ability one: Eye of Insight]
Whether written text, the use of weapons, unusual martial arts, or even physical constitutions such as the hereditary abilities of other races-as long as something existed in the world, seeing it once was enough to understand it completely and use it proficiently.
Advantage: a monstrously powerful, top-tier ability.
Disadvantage: places an immense burden on the body and brain. This ability is exclusively for geniuses. If you aren't enough of a genius, use it at your own risk.
[Ability two: Cosplay Mastery]
Acquire the abilities of fictional characters through cosplay, with an overall assessment encompassing appearance, mindset, speech, and more. The greater the similarity, the stronger the inherited abilities. Naturally, the cosplayed character's strengths and weaknesses also apply. There are no other restrictions.
Advantage: as long as your acting is good enough, you can always confidently claim you have an even chance against a god!
Disadvantage: going out of character or breaking character will weaken or even erase the ability. Those with insufficient acting skills should consider carefully.
[Ability three: Fate Summoning: Heroic Spirit Possession]
Acquire heroic spirits' abilities and various items through summoning. This ability relies heavily on character and luck. Each time you summon a new heroic spirit, you gain one opportunity to experience 100% of their abilities. After that... it depends on whether you can earn their approval and how much you can learn.
Advantage: as long as you're blessed with luck, skilled at winning people over, and have a solid character, you'll be fine.
Disadvantage: the chronically unlucky need not apply. Those who struggle to communicate with people-or heroic spirits... if you summon a troublesome heroic spirit, you're on your own.
Looking at the same three-choice format as in the Detective World, Kaze took a deep breath.
Indeed, all three abilities were extremely versatile. Used properly, they covered offense, defense, healing, control, damage output-every capability he could think of.
But the price of such "all-round power" was an equally terrifying set of drawbacks.
There isn't really a choice here, is there?
The Eye of Insight was undeniably powerful, but the strain it put on the body and brain was enough to scare anyone off. Besides, he wasn't a genius, just an ordinary person.
Cosplay Mastery had impressive advantages, but while he wasn't completely devoid of acting skills, he certainly couldn't guarantee his performance! Who could guarantee they could adopt a character's entire mindset?
He wasn't an award-winning actor. If he accidentally broke character while cosplaying someone in combat, wouldn't it be instant game over?
For example, if he cosplayed Luffy and became afraid of fighting, that would contradict Luffy's carefree, fearless personality. He would immediately go out of character, and his abilities would plummet.
Or if he cosplayed Madara Uchiha and failed to notice someone behind him, wouldn't that contradict his sensitivity to people at his back and instantly break character?
Besides, he couldn't spend twenty-four hours a day acting as someone else to guard against danger. That would be miserable.
So, although the drawbacks of Heroic Spirit Summoning were disheartening too, it was comparatively more dependable. After all...
"System, based on the setting and description, does 'character' mean compatibility?"
In the Fate setting, unless someone deliberately sought out a Holy Relic or added some bizarre incantation, the summoned heroic spirit should share a certain degree of compatibility with the summoner.
Evil people were likely to summon demons, antiheroes, and the like. Conversely, kind people would summon heroes inclined toward friendliness and integrity.
[That is correct.]
"Then there's no problem. I choose three."
It looked like he wouldn't need Satoru Gojo standing by as backup.
After all, Kaze was confident that, although he wasn't some flawlessly virtuous saint, he was still a well-adjusted young man raised on core socialist values.
In terms of compatibility, someone like him would never summon a serial killer or demon.
Judging by the nine-alignment chart, he might not necessarily be lawful good, but surely he was at least lawful neutral?
[Your jujutsu, "Heroic Spirit Summoning," has been delivered, along with a complimentary summoning circle. Please check.]
Kaze couldn't spare a thought for eating. The moment he received the ability and circle, he took out paper and a pen and began copying the image in his mind.
Drawing the circle took him a full hour. Reciting the summoning incantation took only a minute.
Once he finished reciting it, he could even sense that he could choose how much cursed energy to invest.
He wasn't sure how much cursed energy he had, but hoping for a miracle from a single pull, he chose to pour in all of it.
A flash of white light later, a plate of mapo tofu appeared on the table.
[Extra-Spicy Mapo Tofu: consume to restore stamina. The restorative effect depends on personal taste.]
Kaze stared at the mapo tofu for a long time. Feeling his body weaken after his cursed energy had been drained dry, he expressionlessly went to cook a pot of rice.
Mapo tofu over rice it is today!
"System, tell me, is there some level panel you haven't shown me? Did I summon this thing because I'm only Lv. 1 and haven't leveled up yet?"
[Please don't deceive yourself, dear Transmigrator 1214. Although your ability will indeed grow in the future, card pulls... Heroic Spirit Summoning has nothing to do with levels.]
"..."
You definitely just said card pulls, didn't you?!
Kaze viciously scooped up a mouthful of mapo tofu and rice and shoved it into his mouth.
Of course he knew card pulls had nothing to do with a character's level, only the player's luck. But couldn't he cling to that tiny possibility?
"Damn it, now I'm remembering my miserable luck in Onmyoji back then..."
Perhaps tomorrow he could divide his cursed energy into ten portions and try a ten-pull?
"System, is there a pity system?"
[Nope.]
"..."
"No pity system or published rates? Zero stars! Is your creator even operating legally? The government requires those rates to be disclosed, and a pity system too!"
[That's outside my knowledge base! Please say it again!]
"Are you artificially stupid?"
[Please talk to me more~ I'll understand you better and better~]
"..."
Was it really artificially stupid, or was it pretending?
Before you continue