At that moment, Roy saw the light.
"I..."
He desperately tried to speak, but still failed.
Three seconds passed. Detecting that he had made no choice, the system proceeded with a random draw on its own.
"Ding! No selection detected from the host. The system sprite will act on your behalf."
"Ding! Congratulations, host! Your luck is good. Your random draw is... the Jujutsu Kaisen system!"
Roy: "???"
Hey, hey, hey.
What I wanted was a Six Paths-level system that would let me fly through the skies and burrow underground with ninjutsu, and become immortal!
Not some Jujutsu Kaisen system!
But before he could even protest, the system sprite's notification sounded again.
"Ding! The Jujutsu Kaisen system has loaded. A corresponding template will now be matched from the following characters."
"One: Satoru Gojo template. Holder of the Six Eyes cursed technique, the Gojo Clan's once-in-a-century genius, and the strongest modern jujutsu sorcerer, who single-handedly reshaped the balance of power in Jujutsu Society."
"Two: Toji Fushiguro template. Possessor of the Heavenly Tyrant bloodline, the failure abandoned by the Zenin Clan."
"With a mortal body, he once single-handedly killed two young Special Grade Sorcerers... Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto."
"Three: Megumi Fushiguro template. Holder of the Ten Shadows Technique, son of Toji Fushiguro, and a genius of the Zenin Clan's new generation."
"Unfortunately, he cannot handle pressure well and tries to take his enemies down with him at the drop of a hat."
"Four: Ryomen Sukuna template. Holder of the Slashes cursed technique 'Malevolent Shrine,' the strongest sorcerer of a thousand years ago, and the King of Curses."
"Five: Yuji Itadori (Tiger Emperor) template."
"With the same slashes as Ryomen Sukuna, a half-cursed-spirit, half-human body, and the record for the most Black Flashes, he is the future's strongest jujutsu sorcerer."
"Six..."
"Ding! The list of Jujutsu Kaisen character templates is complete. Please make your selection within one second. If time expires without a selection, the system will draw at random!"
Roy opened his mouth, but no sound came from his throat.
"Ding! One second has elapsed without a selection from the host. The system sprite will expedite the random draw."
Roy: "..."
Forget it.
Some people were alive, but were already dead in every way that mattered.
Was the system sprite afraid he wouldn't die of sheer frustration?
It could have just given him one, yet insisted on making him choose.
He really could cry.
"Ding! Congratulations, host! Your luck has multiplied spectacularly. You have randomly drawn Ryomen Sukuna (Fushiguro template). It has now been issued."
"Ding! Initial template synchronization is only 50%. Please collect Ryomen Sukuna's fingers to increase template synchronization."
"Ding! No cursed energy detected in the Pirates world. The host has been awarded a 'Negative Cursed Energy Collection Ball.'"
"Please deploy it in the Pirates world. It will absorb all negative emotions, including greed and resentment, and convert them into cursed energy."
"Ding! A little tip: the more cursed energy there is, the stronger the host becomes. Ryomen Sukuna's fingers will condense from the absorbed cursed energy."
"The demand for negative emotions is enormous. Please spare no effort in spreading cursed energy far and wide."
"Ding! This introductory mission is complete. The system sprite will now depart temporarily and reappear at an appropriate time. Dear host, don't miss me too much!"
Roy: "..."
The system sprite was leaving already?
He hadn't even gotten on board yet.
Fortunately, before despair could descend, a violent tremor suddenly surged from the depths of his soul.
Deep within his consciousness, blood seemed to churn, and a towering throne of skulls rose from the ground, standing in sinister grandeur.
"Wait... what I have now is Ryomen Sukuna's Fushiguro template. That means this is the stronger version of the King of Curses, after Ryomen Sukuna possessed Megumi Fushiguro and fully mastered the Ten Shadows Technique!"
The tremors in his soul abruptly brought Roy back to his senses.
Immediately afterward, a vibrant energy surged through every limb and bone.
It was a special cursed energy, frantically stimulating and strengthening every inch of his body.
"Reverse Cursed Technique!"
In an instant, Reverse Cursed Technique activated, converting negative cursed energy into positive energy that healed every injury.
Soothed by that gentle yet powerful force, his faltering breathing rapidly steadied.
Broken bones, damaged organs, and all his bodily functions recovered at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Meanwhile, inside the cell.
"Young people just don't have a good eye for things."
"Keep your eyes peeled in your next life, or this is how you'll end up."
Brother Sangbiao endured the searing pain in his eye, bent down to pick up the two remaining steamed buns from the floor, and wolfed them down.
In food-starved Impel Down, even a mouthful of steamed bun to stave off hunger was an immense blessing.
Killing prisoners and stealing food were everyday occurrences.
Besides, he had traded an eye for this.
If he didn't eat them, wouldn't he have lost that eye for nothing?
The other prisoners in the cell grew excited too.
"Awesome! That's our ruthless Brother Sangbiao! Even losing an eye won't stop him from chewing on buns. What a tough bastard."
"Hmph, that kid really was useless. If that had been me, I'd have killed him instead. Some people are just hopeless."
Yet amid those overlapping jeers, a savage presence like an ancient beast suddenly swept through the entire area.
That presence was so terrifying that the prisoners watching the spectacle instantly felt their pupils contract, their faces filling with fear.
"My God, what's happening... how many people has someone with this bloodthirsty presence killed?"
"This is terrifying! It's like facing an emperor of the New World! Has one of the Four Emperors broken into Impel Down?"
Brother Sangbiao, who stood closest with his mouth still stuffed with steamed bun, abruptly stopped swallowing. He stood frozen, feeling as though he had plunged into an ice cellar.
"What's going on... what a terrifying presence..."
While his mind reeled, an even more horrifying sight unfolded before him.
The figure who had been on the verge of death slowly stood up.
Only now, both his appearance and bearing were completely different.
Firm muscular contours extended to his face, and mysterious black markings appeared across his cheeks, making him look bewitching and sinister.
His black hair swept upward and back, naturally carrying an arrogance that looked down upon all living things.
And the arm that had been brutally snapped, the body that had been beaten to pieces, had now returned to their original condition.
"Impossible... who the hell are you?!"
Brother Sangbiao's eyes went wide, cold sweat pouring off him.
His instincts told him that if he dared move even slightly, he would be brutally slaughtered on the spot.
Under his utterly horrified gaze, Roy slowly opened his eyes.
A pair of scarlet, bloodthirsty eyes looked coldly down at him.
"Ant, you're holding your head too high."
Crack!
Brother Sangbiao's legs snapped at the sound. He crashed to his knees and let out an agonizing scream.
The darkened steamed bun fell from his mouth and rolled to Roy's feet.
"Ah."
The other prisoners were struck speechless, even holding their breath.
Who could have imagined that someone who had clearly been at death's door would stand up again?
No one had even seen how he struck, yet Brother Sangbiao's legs had already been cleanly severed.
"I hate being looked down on."
Roy paid no attention to anything around him.
Now possessing 50% of Ryomen Sukuna's template, he already had the combat strength of an Admiral.
In this updated version of the Pirates world, he would not claim to be invincible, but he was already a powerhouse standing at the pinnacle.
"Ah... please, spare me! I know I was wrong! You can't kill me..."
The excruciating pain finally made Brother Sangbiao feel overwhelming terror. Abandoning all dignity, he hoarsely begged for mercy.
But the roles of hunter and prey had already reversed, and Roy would never let him go.
"Now you're scared? Where was that earlier?"
"I still remember perfectly clearly how you tortured me to death."
"So you don't mind if I slaughter you in an even crueler way, do you?"
"Ordinary Slash: Dismantle."
He merely crossed his fingers and casually swept them aside.
A slash burst forth without a sound, and Brother Sangbiao's right hand fell off.
Dismantle was Ryomen Sukuna's basic slashing cursed technique, its power freely adjustable according to the caster's control over cursed energy.
Against an ant like Brother Sangbiao, he could slice him apart effortlessly without pouring in any additional cursed energy.
Gulp.
The prisoners who had been staring at the two were now trembling violently all over.
"This is terrifying... Brother Sangbiao can't fight back at all!"
They even had an instinctive feeling.
If Roy wanted, he could kill all of them as well.
Even with cell doors between them, there would be no chance of escape.
Roy swept an indifferent gaze over the surrounding cells.
Everyone hastily lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Only then did he turn his gaze back to Brother Sangbiao, who was about to die in excruciating pain.
"Didn't you enjoy stealing buns earlier? Go on, steal some more."
Seeing that begging was useless, Brother Sangbiao used his last strength to raise his vicious eyes and stare fixedly at Roy.
"Haha... kid, don't get cocky! You think killing me means you can leave Impel Down?"
"I'm telling you, the jailers will notice this commotion any second. Let's see how you-"
Crack!
But the man he now faced was no longer the timid, frightened Roy who had just transmigrated.
This soul had endured threats, had been tortured to the brink of death, and then gained the King of Curses' abilities when the system arrived.
Under the template's influence, some of Ryomen Sukuna's traits had become part of his personality... perhaps not even a trace of unnecessary gentleness remained.
Facing Brother Sangbiao, who had tried to kill him, he had absolutely no reason to stop.
"Ant, come to think of it, I really should thank you."
"Otherwise, I might actually have followed the routine and slowly waited to die in Impel Down."
"Heh, to express my gratitude, I'll use your life as my thanks."
"I think I'll remember you forever."
Roy casually sent out another slash.
Brother Sangbiao's body was cut in half at the waist on the spot.
It did not end there. Without losing momentum, the slash sliced through the iron cell door imprisoning him as well.
Without so much as looking at the corpse on the floor, Roy stepped through the doorway, which no longer served any purpose, and spoke coldly.
"From this moment on, Ryomen Roy is officially online. I'm officially taking over Impel Down."
Just as he stepped out, he unleashed another slash, precisely striking the projection Den Den Mushi in the prison corridor.
He had not finished his business yet and did not want to be disturbed.
What he did not know, however, was that at the very moment the projection Den Den Mushi was destroyed and its signal cut off,
the Impel Down jailers responsible for surveillance finally noticed something was wrong.
Before you continue