"Two years already, huh."
Ryder rotated his wrist, his gaze distant and unfocused.
He was a transmigrator who'd crossed over into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen and become a child of the Zenin family, one of the three great clans of the jujutsu world.
His birth name was Zenin Ryuichi, but being a Zenin had brought him no advantages whatsoever.
As a Zenin descendant born without a single trace of cursed energy, Ryder had become something like vermin within that jujutsu-supremacist family. Eventually, they'd driven him out under the guise of "field training."
The moment he was expelled from the estate, his long-delayed system finally activated.
The Eight Mystical Skills from the Yiren manga. The eight absolute techniques that reigned at the pinnacle of that entire world.
Only when he fully mastered one skill and reached 100% progress would the next randomly unlock.
Even with his cheat ability, mastering Divine Forge had taken Ryder a full two years. He'd only just unlocked Gluttonous Devourer recently.
Having mastered Divine Forge, Ryder could instantly refine any object into high-quality cursed tools. That earlier Grade 4 cursed spirit had been far too weak.
It couldn't even withstand the devouring power of Gluttonous Devourer, let alone face any cursed tools forged by Divine Forge.
Ting-a-ling~
A crisp chime rang in Ryder's ears. Around his neck hung a small cross pendant, different from ordinary accessories.
The cross now radiated faint blue light, occasionally producing sounds like wind chimes.
The noise pulled Ryder from his thoughts back to reality.
"Come out now, or don't bother showing your face ever again."
Ryder snapped his fingers casually.
Poof!
A rocking chair appeared out of thin air behind him, oddly out of place in this eerie scene.
The chair was covered in wisteria patterns, looking refined and elegant.
Ryder leaned back into the rocking chair, his gaze cold as he stared toward a corner outside the construction site.
Like an eternal glacier, the surrounding air seemed to thin.
Finally, two large men in black suits and sunglasses emerged from the construction site entrance.
The leader radiated thick cursed energy. Clearly no ordinary sorcerer.
Seeing Ryder relaxing in his chair, the older of the two men stepped forward, leaving his companion half a pace behind.
He approached Ryder directly.
"Young Master Ryuichi! You've been out long enough. Time to come home."
Though the man's words were phrased as a request, his tone left no room for negotiation.
As if merely speaking would make the boy before him obediently follow home.
Ryder lay in the rocking chair, swaying gently, seemingly enjoying the moonlight that had finally broken through the clouds.
He completely ignored the man's words, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly.
"Zenin Ryuichi! Don't push your luck!" Veins bulged on the man's forehead. Everyone knew Zenin Ryuichi was a worthless waste without a trace of cursed energy.
Now somehow, through some damn stroke of luck, he'd acquired this strange jujutsu ability. Even the Zenin family elders had been alerted and personally ordered the two of them to bring Ryuichi back to the clan.
But seeing this former piece of trash now treating him with such dismissive disdain, the man's temper flared. Still, for the sake of the elders' orders, he suppressed his rage.
"The Zenin family? Not interested." Ryder narrowed his eyes as if he couldn't even be bothered to look at the man.
He waved his hand dismissively, like shooing away a fly.
"You bastard! Do you even know what you're saying?! Countless jujutsu sorcerers would kill for a chance to join the Zenin family!" The man roared, looking at Ryder with disbelief.
Like he was staring at a madman. He'd assumed Ryuichi would happily return with him upon hearing the family's decision.
After all, as one of the pillars of the jujutsu world, the Zenin family's power and resources were unimaginably vast.
But he never expected this Zenin Ryuichi would treat him with such an attitude.
"You think having a few cheap tricks makes you hot shit?!" The man shouted. Seeing Ryder's indifferent expression, his left hand suddenly swung forward.
Dark purple cursed energy rapidly spread across his arm. Overwhelming power surged forth instantly.
"Quake!"
Tremendous force wrapped in sinister cursed energy. This terrifying punch dyed the surrounding air purple.
It shot straight toward Ryder lounging in the rocking chair.
As a Grade 2 jujutsu sorcerer, the man was confident he could easily teach this arrogant brat a lesson.
He estimated Ryder was at most Grade 3 level, barely entry-level at that.
However.
The next moment, everything changed.
A silver-white flash illuminated the night, then vanished in an instant.