It is important to manage stress.

It's important to remove the things that cause negativity in your life.

Sadly for me, this is something I no longer have the privilege to do, since in this life I was reborn as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

In my past life I had a few stress related problem. I wasn't the most... fit person. My diet wasn't really the best, as I couldn't help myself with delicious foods or sweets. You only live once, so might as well indulge in tasty stuff like yaki soba, steak or cinnabon.

Hahaha... yeah...

Then there was the smoking. I mean, that's a way to cope with stress, so that's helpful, right?

Let's not even talk about my love life.

"Sorry, it's just... I don't think things are working out between us."

"I just don't see us together in the future? Like, this doesn't feel like it's going somewhere."

"The spark is gone, you know? Things are kinda boring?"

The spark of gone?! Asshole, that should be my line! You should be sweeping me off my feet, not the other way around!

Maybe I just had bad luck with boyfriends. Every single time.

Naturally, I kinda stopped dating after that. Saying it's inevitable that I won't meet a good guy.

I wanted kids too...

Now if you didn't notice, there was one last stress I had.

Anger.

Lots of anger.

None of it express, of course. Don't want to seem like a "crazy bitch".

I didn't want to be "bossy" or "bitchy" or whatever. As the eldest among my siblings, I had to be the responsible one. And I loved it, you know. Looking after everyone, cooking for them, or helping them study, or just playing or hanging out. Being the one to lend an ear, or give some "sage" advice.

"Wow, you're really smart, big sis... how come you still don't have a boyfriend?"

I had to deal with a lot of little shits.

So yes, I was good at keeping things in. Handling it all with a smile.

And what did that get me?

Dying at 43 years old from a heart attack. At forty fucking three!

Hey, God?

WHAT!

THE FUCK!?

"My, Hime-chan! To think you would be blessed with so much Cursed Energy at such a young age?"

"Honey, maybe this is a sign that our clan will have good fortune in the future too!"

That was my parents reaction upon me learning to use Cursed Energy when I was six.

I'm so fucking glad my stress from my past life is making you happy, you fuckers!

Okay, okay. That's not fair. My parents maybe stereotypical stern Asian parents, being from a tradition Sorcerer Clan and all-albeit a minor one-but they were actually pretty good people.

The Iori Clan... honestly wasn't really big enough to justify being called a "clan". But they were acknowledge as one, due to supervising the sacred sites in Kyoto.

And by "supervise", I mean just live there and keep the place clean.

"Ooooh! Dear, look, look, Hime-chan developed an Innate Technique! At eight years old even!"

"Thank you, O' Kami and our ancestors for giving us such a blessing as this child. To think our Hime could be so talented. Is this a sign that a 'genius' will emerge for our clan, like the Gojo?"

"Hahah, Dear, you silly. Let's not get too far ahead. Now dry those tears, Hime will be concerned."

Yeah dad, what the fuck are you thinking? Don't compare me to one of the monsters of this world.

"These are tears of pride, Honey!"

I remember my parents saying while smiling. Fuck me, were they dorks when they don't have that mask of "serious, stern tradition parents". But they did love and support me.

Yes, they had some expectations of me, as would be normal for this world, setting and the culture of Japan that I was reborn into.

But their expectations were pretty tame. They never asked that I do more than what I could.

If I can use Cursed Energy, then they ask I practice a certain amount of time with it.

If I can use an Innate Cursed Technique, then they ask I practice that.

They never asked for something unreasonable like being able to suddenly use Domain Expansion or the like. Although I did learn how to do Curtain and other barriers easily enough. Likely because my Innate Technique affects an area than directly targets people.

In a way, while being reborn into this death world was stressful, it had been pretty stress-neutral thus far.

Then I went to Kyoto Jujutsu High.

It was my first year in Kyoto Jujutsu High.

"Hello, I am Iori Utahime. It's a pleasure to meet you both, and I hope we can get along and work well together." I told my fellow classmates.

We were seven all together, but my assigned "team" as it were, were just these two.

"Nice to meet you. I hope we have a profitable relationship, Utahime-san." One of my current classmates, and team member, Mei Mei, said to me.

Wait, did she just say "profitable relationship"? The hell? I knew she was money obsessed but isn't this too much! Also, she was money-hungry since she was this young!?

"Gojo Tanaka. Follow my lead, don't cause problems, don't get killed and that would be fine for this team." Our resident Gojo said.

Keep it in. Keep it in. Calm down. Don't shout at someone from the Big Three Families. Don't deck him in the face. He has Limitless like Gojo, so it would be useless anyways. Although this fucker doesn't have the Six Eyes, so he'd probably die if something big attacked him constantly.

"Ahaha, no need to be irritated, Gojo-san. We're all here to fight Curses-" I tried to laugh off his introduction.

"Sama."

I was interrupted.

"Call me with 'sama'. Don't presume we're on the same level, housekeeper." He said. I could almost imagine that old head squeeze of high blood pressure returning the more this bitch kept talking. "Even your Technique is to help those already on top rise higher. So don't forget your place." He didn't wait for a reply as he turned and walked away.

"..." I smiled and said nothing, but once his back was turned my fist clenched for a moment.

How easy would it be? Without even cursed energy to alert him, punch him in the back of the head.

"Hmm..." Mei Mei made a noise from next to me.

"That was intense, huh, Mei Mei-san." I laughed it off again. I looked to my classmate only to see her leaning closer to me, as she had an interested look on her face. "Is... something the matter?"

"...Your eyes had an interesting look for a moment there." Mei Mei said.

"Eh?" I blinked in confusion.

"Anyways, we should head on for our mission, before Gojo-san finishes it before we arrive. Can't have payment without participating." Mei Mei gave me a nod as she turned to walk away too.

"Ah, right." I said before following post-haste.

"Do you remember the Cursed Spirit we're dealing with?" Mei Mei said to me, although it honestly kinda felt like she was just saying that to make small talk. She wasn't someone who would forget mission details, at least I didn't get that impression from her.

"Ah, yes." I nodded. "The location is the Tennoji Park. Following the zoo outbreak due to some explosions smuggled in by animal rights group, a lion had managed to escape the zoo and ended up in the park. While it was later put down, the news of that didn't circulate all that much due to there being almost no causalities from the lion. However, a rumor circulated that the lion was still in Tennoji Park.

"Some people who went there went missing, starting a local legend of a second lion that had escaped, or that the lion was a mother that had a cub, and it was left behind in the park, where it survived and grew up there." I summarized the history of the Curse we were hunting. "Over time as more people went missing in the park after dark, more rumors spread, however even though many officials search the park, there was no sign of the lion. Although the stories do specific that victim were only targeted at night." I finished then added. "Officials didn't want to search at night since they didn't want to give a predator such a natural advantage. Although there was a show attempt to prove to the public that there was no lion, and no one got hurt during that."

"What do you think?" Mei Mei asked.

"Probably a spirit with a barrier that has conditions on it's activation, like time of day, amount of people and so on." I speculated.

"Hmm," Mei Mei nodded. "Seems to be the case. Hopefully it's that cut clear."

"Hopefully."

I could only hope my trusty shotgun will do the job.

What? You thought I was fighting fucking hand-to-hand in this job!

Later on, after travel via train ride followed by a car ride, we reached the park, and walked quite a while in it.

Mei Mei used her Black Bird Manipulation to scout ahead, and thank god for that.

We found the Curse alright. We definitely found it.

It wasn't one lion Cursed Spirit lookalike.

It was five.

Or it would be more accurate to say it was one being that divided itself into five part. Basically the lion pack were actually one Cursed Spirit.

Tanaka killed one easily enough. Then we faced a problem as the moment that one died, the other fours' Cursed Energy levels doubled.

Then it doubled again when Mei Mei killed one with her knife-blade-thing. So now we have three Grade 2, maybe even Semi-Grade 1 Curses on our asses.

"AAAAAAAH!" I ran from one of the Lion Curses firing behind me, but the fucking thing was dodging! Why the fuck does it know how to dodge? It's a Curse shaped like an animal! So act like an animal, be stupid, get shot and die!

I couldn't even use my Innate Technique as I had to use Solo Forbidden Area to power up Mei Mei and Tanaka, once we found out about the Lion Cursed Spirit's gimmick. Fucking rumors and people exaggerating the number of lions.

Sadly my Cursed Energy buff wasn't some OP thing that instantly made Sorcerer into GigaChads. The whole 120% thing from canon requires chanting, dancing, music and the works. I guess Cursed Energy needs to get into the fucking mood to work right.

The standard amplification that I can give is a 40% increase to someone's Cursed Energy, including myself of course. And I couldn't use it multiple times consecutively, I needed a break in-between.

Eventually I evaded the Cursed Spirit into a tree.

Yes, seriously climbed a tree. Somehow it didn't follow me.

It just circled the tree. Slowly.

Ah. I got it now. This isn't an animal. It's a Curse. Of course it wants to revile in my fear, to feed on the negativity of this situation to keep it's strength. Or something.

Also, the fucker was still dodging my shotgun.

Click. Click. Click.

My brain was working fast. Thinking fast. But I was not smart! So I was being dumber faster!

"Housekeeper, I need support here! Strengthen me!" Tanaka shouted as he faced two of the Lion Curses.

"Mei Mei, I'm outta bullets! Throw me one of your knives, please." I shouted, not even bother to acknowledge Fraudjo over there.

"Hmm, this is suppose to be a team effort, and I've more than done my part." She said thoughtfully.

Mei Mei, I beg you please stop with a sassy character.

"Alright, how would you like it for 100,000 Yen?" Mei Mei said with lazy smile.

"MEI MEI, I'M FROM A CLAN, BUT I'M NOT FUCKING RICH!" I cried out.

"HOUSEKEEPER!" Fraudjo shouted, but again I was busy, I was freaking out-

The Lion Curse roared.

And now the Cursed was climbing up the tree.

I never noticed that Mei Mei was actually heading in my direction.

All the stress, anger that I felt in this life, the memories of my past life, all of this seemed to pound in my head till it reached a boiling point.

I jumped.

I jumped at the Curse.

It opened it's maw to devour me.

I slammed the empty shotgun between it's jaws, giving me one moment of reprieve as it couldn't bit me, and with my weigh we fell off the tree.

I didn't think.

I just wanted this stupid thing dead.

I gathered my Cursed Energy, held it all in my hand.

Hand clenched into a fist.

And right as we were about to reach the ground, I punched.

Sparks of black and red erupted. I felt dopamine or whatever slam into my brain, like a wave of coolness and sweet calm.

BANG!

The Lion Cursed Spirit's throat blew up, leaving a hole in it. The Cursed Spirit was definitely dead.

Dead.

From my hands.

I looked at my hands covered in spirit blood. Ectoplasm or whatever.

"My, my, Utahime-san. Looks like you didn't need the knife after all." Mei Mei said from next to me, but I wasn't focusing on her.

Just this feel of fleeting possibility in my hands.

"YUMEMI, HELP!" Tanaka shouted.

Mei Mei had an ugly frown on her face.

I had a lot of Cursed Energy. I noticed some gash on my arm. It might have been from climbing the tree. It might have been from grazing one of the Curse's claws or fangs.

Cursed Energy is negative.

To be positive I need to multiple a negative by a negative.

I smashed the Cursed Energy together. I just had more as they fused like two splashed of water.

I gathered it up more. In the same spot, with the same intensity. Two bags of Cursed Energy.

Still no.

Create Cursed Energy within Cursed Energy. I forced it to gather to change charge.

And it did.

I immediately healed, returning physically back to full healthy without any scratches or wounds.

"...Huh, Utahime's service potential just shot up." Mei Mei muttered to herself.

I felt it then. The distinctiveness of Reversed Cursed Energy.

I looked up to see Tanaka on his last leg as both Semi-Grade 1 Cursed Spirits were trying to bite him, but his Limitless were keeping them at bay for now.

"Mei Mei, can I rent that knife from you?" I said, only focusing on fight in front of me. I held a hand for her.

"Oh, if it's only a rental, I suppose it's okay 10,000 Yen, and only for five seconds." Mei Mei said, but I felt there was a more jesting tone in her voice.

"I'll buy you some beer later." I said as I felt her hand the blade to my open palm.

I gathered up my Cursed Energy, feeling it move and flow in a way it never did before. It a way, that was never so easy before.

Solo Forbidden Area, my Innate Technique, amplified my Cursed Energy even higher.

And threw the knife.

I felt a spark as my fingers left the handle.

It zoomed through the air, making a whipping sound.

BAM!

One of the Lion Curses was stabbed right in the face, it's brain matter flying out the back of it's head.

The Grade 1 Curse Spirit was the only one left.

"Here." I grabbed Mei Mei's shoulder and used what was left of my Cursed Energy to charge her up. "Consider this a down payment on the loan." I said, to which Mei Mei chuckled. "I'll leave it to you and that asshole. I'm gonna go to sleep now."

"Fufufu, you know what, just for you, Hime-chan, I accept." Mei Mei chuckled and smiled, as she walked off toward the Cursed Spirit.

I passed out.

Given that I woke up later in Kyoto Jujutsu High, I was alive, and awarded the title of Grade 2 Sorcerer.

"Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure." I chanted while holding the corresponding hand signs for this barrier.

The curtain fell like a dome entrapping me and the Cursed Spirit in the abandoned camp house. I heard a scream as the enraged Cursed Spirit was being forced to emerge.

It didn't look like Jason Voorhees but it did have a knife arm. Or rather it had one arm that was a blade and many legs.

It hissed while looking at me menacingly.

"Fight start." I said invoking my Binding Vow, Slaughter for Popularity. I know, my naming sense is great.

The Cursed Spirit looked like it was walking toward me, but with it's many legs it was moving quite fast. It messed with perception maybe?

I easily dodged a swipe of it's arm, but felt the attack was closer than it should.

Ah, it messed with perception of distance.

I closed my eyes and let my Curse Energy sense take over.

I dashed forward, parried his lunging arm to the side and slammed a fist into it's stomach.

"RRRAAAAAAGH!" It shouted in pain, while coughing to regain its breath.

Slaughter for Popularity was a simple vow. From the moment I say "fight start" against a Cursed Spirit till the moment it's dead I will not use Reverse Cursed Technique to heal myself. If I succeed the radius of my Innate Technique will increase a certain percentage, based on the strength of the Cursed Spirit and the fight's difficulty.

It suddenly moved away and the area was quiet.

This was what I had been doing for the past year. Training solely to get stronger, while improving on my basic abilities.

Binding Vows were helpful, like with Slaughter for Popularity, or in training. Parkinson for Pianist makes it so that I lose 95% of my Cursed Energy control during my training spars for a 45% improvement in my energy control, as long as the opponent is stronger than me. Thankfully Mei Mei's connections-I have no clue how the fuck she has those-are insane, as she could supply me with either Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer from Clans or mercenaries she knew.

Again, seriously, how does she have these connections if she's a Jujutsu High First Year student. Of course the payment her help, was to offer free healing equal to the number of times she provided me a sparring partner, or when she was one herself.

I felt one of the Curse's many legs reach for my own. I jumped stumped on it, making it scream, revealing it's location.

The scream didn't reveal it's location, it made the sound in a different direction. Rather the Cursed Energy it employed to make the scream appear in a different place is what revealed it to me.

I grabbed the leg, with a violent tug, pulled it at me, and punched it away.

Tanaka didn't work as a sparing partner.

I was too familiar with his fighting style. I knew how long he can keep up Limitless. I knew how long it takes him to refresh it's usage. I knew how he liked to prioritize using it. He can't just keep it up as an omnidirectional invisible wall indefinitely. Bro wasn't the Honored One.

At some point, I just stopped thinking of him as a "stronger opponent".

Tanaka was really pissed off when Parkinson for Pianist stopping working when I fought him. But then, it's not really my faulty that even with shitty control I could just outlast him till his Limitless drops.

He said that such fights weren't honorable, and they didn't mean I was stronger than him.

I told him I'm not, but he wasn't an unrealistic opponent for me anymore.

Errr, let's just say chats between us are kept to a minimal, without any small talks. Not that there was small talks to begin with.

I felt something zip at me and dodged at the last second, but I was still hit. Something sliced the side of my head, cutting me pretty badly.

I opened my eye while looking around, to see the Cursed Spirit with it's legs, like a monkey, holding many knifes. Knifes that didn't have Curse Energy.

Ah, that's why I didn't sense them.

It screamed and started throwing them, I went on the offensive, dodging and running toward it.

The sailed passed me, one got too close. The Cursed Spirit grinned as it saw me flinch.

Right, need to end this now.

I kept running forward, my reinforced body tanking any hit that glazed me, and I took a knife to a kidney. I felt a branch hit my leg and break. Fuck it wasn't as far as I thought. The disturbance fucked up my balance, but with my other good leg, I just lunged forward.

The Cursed Spirit opened it's mouth, full of jagged teeth, in a parody of a smile, at what it saw was a suicidal last effort.

Then it's arms felt weak, like they couldn't hold themselves up. He looked at his body in confusion.

"My Cursed Technique is Solo Forbidden Area, it let's me amplify Cursed Energy in a certain radius around me by 60%." I spoke, invoking the Revealing of One's Hand Binding Vow. "But when doing a Reversal, it dampens Cursed Energy by 60%!" I cried out. The familiar inner wince that I was somehow doing my Reversal wrong, was easily ignore with practice.

That day I first used a Black Flash, I didn't just gain Reversed Cursed Energy. My Technique and energy flow was streamlined. Less energy was wasted and in turn an increase in Solo Forbidden Area's effect came about.

I felt my Cursed Energy shoot up, then gathered it all into one arm, for the Technique I had been working on for the past year.

The one attack I could call my only current trump card.

Every single Cursed Energy pouring into my fist.

I punched forward. The Cursed Spirit's face turned to one of fear as in panic it shot forward with knives and arm. I blocked the arm heading to my face. I ignored the knives hitting the sides of my body and those that missed.

My fist drew, closer and closer to it's face.

"Cursed Technique!" I shouted my Extension Technique, the zone of Innate Technique was confided to only my hand. And at the moment of impact I applied the amplification. "Idol Impact!"

The gathered Cursed Energy exploded forward right as it was applied to the Cursed Energy. For the Curse, it felt like it was hit by a strong fist followed by an explosion, as all that energy was released in it's face all at once.

Azure and ink flames of Cursed Energy exploded outward from where I hit the Cursed Spirit, like a half-formed energy ball break outward. With a whopping 90% increase of Cursed Energy in that attack.

Naturally all of the Curse's upper body erupted into a wave of blood and gore. Thankfully away from me.

It was definitely dead, Jim.

The biggest indicator for my success was the feeling of Solo Forbidden Area's radius increasing by... five inches.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" I shouted to the sky as I began healing myself. Pain washed away from my like sweat under a shower. "Five inches! What the hell is this bullshit! That should be half a meter easily. That was a Grade 2 you fuckers! I could have died! Died!"

I shouted and argued with the heavens, because there wasn't really anyone to shout at.

My current radius had went from ten meters around me to twenty three meters during the past year.

Well 23 meters and 5 inches now. I'm not gonna do the math. FUCK MATH!

But of course I've gotten stronger during that time, so Cursed Spirits that used to be a challenge to me, are no longer doing it for my growth.

Fuck, do I actually have to hunt down Grade 1 Cursed Spirits now?

Maybe I could find a Special Grade one chained down and kill that.

"If only I was so lucky." I sighed. "Welp, time to call this one in."

I was sat down on the ground leaning against a wall, wiping my sweat with a towel after another sparring session.

This time with Mei Mei.

"Your reactions have improved, Utahime-chan." Mei Mei said as she came and stood next to me, leaning against the wall as well. "With how well you're improving your Techniques and diversifying them, you're well on your way to being a Semi-Grade 1. Although if you want me to give you some advice, that will cost you however."

I looked at her, seeing her amused expression and rolled my eyes, before raising a hand for her to grasp.

"I'll heal your fatigue for this session." I said to which Mei Mei smile and shook my hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Mei Mei said as I used my Solo Forbidden Area's targeting to hit her with my Reverse Cursed Technique thus healing her immediately.

Usually you need some medical knowledge and more in-depth study into Cursed Energy in order to apply Reverse Cursed Technique to someone else. My Innate Technique allows me to bypass the need for any of that, thus I can get right into healing others back to full health on the spot, as long as I have enough energy.

"Well?" I said, a bit too urgently.

"I think you should focus more on martial arts. You've been letting yourself fight more recklessly ever since you learned Reverse Cursed Technique. Taking hits that you don't need to, since you always think to yourself 'I can heal later'." I winced at that but didn't say anything, since, well, she is right. "Other than that, hmm... You seem to have something on your mind lately? I would say you weren't as focused this time."

I looked down as I resting my arms on my knees and sighed.

I wasn't sure if I should seek life advice from Mei Mei of all people, since well, she's not really what one considers a moral person. I'm pretty sure the only reason I don't see her brother around, was because the last time I saw them interact I couldn't help but look at Mei Mei warily.

Nothing... actively bad happened between them, but the way she talked to him, or encouraged him with rewards for listening to her... It wasn't really comfortable to see. And no one around me said anything, or looked weird out.

I wanted to say something but I wasn't sure it was my place. I didn't want to seem like the odd one out, by saying something.

Of course from then on, I'm pretty sure Ui Ui hates me, since Mei Mei spends time either with me or him, but not both together. Which means less time for him to be around her.

God dammit, what did I do to deserve this?

Still, I should at least... hint at what's bothering me? It wasn't about Mei Mei's grooming sadly. It was something more selfish.

And... I kinda hated myself because I prioritized that.

"It feels like I'm doing it wrong." I finally said.

"Hmm?" Mei Mei tilted her head, looking interested.

"Ever since that day, that Black Flash. Ever since I learned Reverse Cursed Technique, and when I first used Reversal it felt like I'm using my powers wrong. Not just that the Reversal felt wrong, but even my normal Technique suddenly felt like I'm doing it wrong." I explained.

"Ho? Even though it got stronger?" Mei Mei blinked at that.

"Yeah, if anything it made it more apparent." I said looking at my hand. "Like I'm not actually amplifying-Or rather amplifying is the wrong way to look at it." I shook my head, closed my hand and look down, lost in thought again. "That it's a side effect not the main reason for what's happening."

"Well now." Mei Mei held a hand to her chin. "Usually I'd say you're overthinking it, since any registered Technique is studied front and back to help the Sorcerer using it." That it was the Jujutsu Society's method of knowing their employed pawn's weaknesses went unmentioned. "But it's your Technique, and if you're saying there's something unexplored in it, I'll leave you to that." Mei Mei then gave me a pointed look, her casual lazy smile ever present on her face. "But is that really all there is? Utahime is pretty smart in figuring things out, so do you really have no idea on how to solve this?"

I looked up meeting her gaze before looking away.

"I have an idea..." The solution was simple honestly.

It's the same answer to: 'How one can grow stronger in this world?'

Selfishness.

Focus on nothing but yourself, on nothing but your personal desires. Remove everything excessive about you, till you only have your wants and wishes and enact your will for only them.

"So what's the problem?" Mei Mei asked.

"I don't want to use that mindset." I said bluntly.

"Mindset?" Mei Mei sounded confused for the first time.

"Hmm," I nodded. "The 'mindset of the strongest'." I explained. "Something I noticed about the Sorcerers that make it to the top of our profession and stay there. Alive. The answer to become strong, or how to fix my Technique, if I just think like them, then I can solve everything, get anything I want."

"Oh my, insight like that from Utahime? That sounds like finding hidden gold, or insider information in the stock exchange." Mei Mei joked, but did look intrigued and interested.

"Heh, you're overblowing it." I chuckled. "Besides you already have that mindset yourself, so it's not like you need to pay for this knowledge." I leaned my head back and looked at the ceiling, and its fluorescent lights.

"Revealing the worth of something someone has that they don't know is worth money. That's basically what a consultation is sometimes." Mei Mei said. "Besides, while I'm flattered that you think I'm strong, I'm only recently became a Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer. I'm no where near the 'top' like you're implying."

Semi-Grade 1 in your Second Year of high school. That's kinda bullshit, lady.

"Consider this a freebie, then." I said, before sighing and closing my eyes. "Solipsism."

I opened my eyes to see Mei Mei looking at me with wide eyes, actually looking intrigued.

"What you put your attention on is what grows. Basically if you focus only on yourself and your desires, that's how you grow stronger." I said plainly.

Jujutsu Sorcery is an independent sport as Satoru would one day say.

And I have to follow that advice if I want to grow stronger and survive the coming upheaval.

I'm not some shounen hero that can upturn the way this setting or world works.

Yet, I can't help but feel disgusted at the thought of following fucking Sukuna's philosophy.

"That..." Mei Mei began. "Has to be the nicest way anyone had ever called me a narcissist." She pushed herself off the wall and began to leave the training room.

"Wha!" My eyes widened in shock at her reply. Oh shit, I didn't meet insult her like that. "Mei Mei, I didn't mean-" I quickly stood up, only to stop from following her when she began laughing.

"You're not wrong." Mei Mei chuckled. "I actually quite like how you worded it. But Utahime, that really is the case."

"Eh?" I blinked.

"The more a Sorcerer focuses on improving themselves, rather than trying to help others, the stronger they get and thus the more money they can make." Mei Mei advised.

"It always comes back to money with you." I felt my shoulder slump at her reply.

"But you know... and this one is a freebie." I immediately paid attention. "Everyone's selfish desires are different. For me, it's making money and to enjoy it by being able to get whatever I want with it. For Tanaka it's to takeover Gojo Satoru's place." I snorted to which Mei Mei smiled. "But for you, are your selfish desires really that bad?"

Mei Mei then continued and left, leaving me with my thoughts.

It was another mission gone wrong.

The mission this time was about Cursed Spirit that targeted men. Several men in their prime from mid-twenties to mid-thirties went missing along the Hakone Turnpike, due to hearing a "woman singing".

Several crashed cars were found, discarded in the famous mountain pass, and so we were dispatched. It should have been the Tokyo side that got this, but because some bullshit inner Jujutsu High politics, that I didn't care to listen to, that our side, Kyoto went instead.

It was an Ubume. A spirit that looked like a bird woman that was suppose to target children.

Except in this case "children" referred mental state than actual age for some reason. It targeted men with longing for maternal love. Except this Cursed Spirit grew too strong that it wasn't targeting humans anymore. It targeted other Cursed Spirits too.

Dozens if not maybe a hundred smaller Cursed Spirits, born from molesters or rapist gathered around the Ubume calling her "mommy" and following her every other.

"'Semi-Grade 1' my ass, this is definitely fucking Special Grade!" I cried out as we were trapped in the Curse's Domain that targeted any men inside.

Tanaka was gone.

"No! No! I will not share mother with you, fuckers!" He shouted as she punched another Molester Cursed Spirit and fought another one.

Well at least he was technically on our side as he was targeting all the other Curses first, before listening to "mommy" about killing us.

"There will be quite the hazardous pay when I survive this." Mei Mei said nonchalantly in Simple Domain I made to shield us from the onslaught for a little while, only acting to OHK any Curse that entered.

"You're already planning to run?" I didn't stop from noticing how she said 'I' and not 'we' in that sentence.

I think I should feel angry, but Mei Mei... is Mei Mei, and I think I've long accepted her as she was. We're not friends, not in any true meaning of the word, but we work together. And hang out.

And everything else that friends do, but I always knew that underlying notion that Mei Mei only cared about herself, and accepted that. So a situation like this, surprisingly... isn't actually a surprise.

"Of course, it's important to know when you're outmatched to plan better." Mei Mei said. "Also we aren't paid to deal with Special Grade. It only makes sense to run and only do the work we are suppose to do."

"What about Tanaka?" I said, struggling to keep the domain going any longer.

"There are always losses, Utahime. Think about yourself." Mei Mei said, for the first time her expression looked gentle to me, like she was genuinely giving me advise without any reason or cost, but because she wanted to.

Yet I couldn't accept it.

Maybe it was childish. I have seen dead bodies already in this job.

But I've never seen the corpse of someone I know. I didn't want to start now yet.

"Boost me up, and use Reversal on the edge of the Domain. I'll have my birds outside make an opening, and we can use that." Mei Mei quickly made a plan. "Come on, give us a little blessing, miko-chan~." She said playfully.

"'Bless'?" I blinked at Mei Mei's word, then look at my hand covering in Cursed Energy.

Hime-chan is such a blessing, even her Technique blesses others.

I remember my parents said that to me once.

My Innate Technique amplifies the Cursed Energy of those in the radius around me. This includes myself.

Amplify.

Why though?

I was born to a family of traditional Sorcerer. I'm a miko. A priestess for the kami and keeper of traditions, but...

How am I blessing others when I increase their Cursed Energy?

Cursed Energy was...

Cursed Energy was negative emotions coalescing up and blending together into forming power. Power born of all the ugly emotions of mankind.

A blessing?

How can that be a blessing?

My eyes widened. I felt a tingle in my spine. A calm like feeling spread through me as this new understanding solidified in my mind.

No. It was always there but I just refused it.

I was never blessing anyone.

I was cursing them.

"Utahime?" Mei Mei said at my silence.

All this time, I was just strengthening the bonds of the negative emotion people had. Cursing them with more negativity. That's why their Cursed Energy levels increased.

I followed my instincts, bring my right hand up, holding it to the side of my chest as if in prayer-an incomplete anjali mudra, or just prayer with one hand-and my left hand was held to the side, fingering pointing down, palm forward-varada mudra.

"Domain Expansion."

Mei Mei's eyes widened.

My barrier changed and exploded forward as my Domain began to overtake the scenery.

The ground was replaced by the sky. Or the sea. One couldn't tell.

The roof/sky was covered in a fog of sorts, where one couldn't tell if it was sunrise or sunset.

A single Torii Gate stood in this realm.

"Bestowing Kagura."

I spoke and felt every single Cursed Energy signature within my Domain.

I felt how every Cursed Spirit's energy echoes, pulsed and move, even the Ubume.

If my Innate Technique curses others to increase their negativity, then my Reversal will relieve them.

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Gathering Hallowed Belt."

The fog parted to reveal sunlight.

I targeted all Cursed Spirits simultaneous. Not just the Cursed Spirit, their Cursed Techniques but their Cursed Energy itself.

I beheld those bonds of negative emotions... and released them to the heavens.

The Curses screamed. Howling in unspoken terror and agony as their very existence was liberated of the very malice that made them up, like purifying a soul so it would head to heaven, reincarnation or a peaceful afterlife.

A few seconds later all the Curses were gone, and as I removed my Domain we were greeted by the night sky of the real world.