Curse Return: Infinity

In the afternoon, Sōjun finished his martial arts practice at home.

He didn't frequent the dojo anymore, only visiting when learning new martial arts. Most of the time, he practiced alone at home. 

A teacher shows the way, but self-cultivation depends on the individual. 

Now that he had mastered the basics, he could correct his mistakes independently. By integrating his technique with his cursed energy, his progress was both steady and fast. 

At this moment! 

He had just wrapped up his daily training and was bent over his desk, diligently jotting down his reflections and insights about martial arts. 

From time to time, he clenched his fists or flexed his calves, carefully experiencing and analyzing his movements. 

Thanks to his innate technique, his studies and training yielded twice the results with half the effort. His notebook was already filled with dozens of pages of notes. 

Knock, knock, knock! 

A sudden knock broke the silence. 

"Auntie?" 

Minamoto Sōjun called out but received no reply. 

Realizing the housekeeper wasn't in—she usually came by only during meal times—he frowned slightly. 

Knock, knock, knock! 

The knocking resumed. 

Sōjun got up to answer the door. 

He opened it as far as the security chain allowed. His view was immediately filled with a towering, muscular man blocking the doorway. 

The man was extraordinarily tall, with a robust build. His exposed arms bulged with muscles that occasionally twitched. Sporting a buzz cut and a fierce expression, he looked like a stereotypical gang boss. 

Something about him seemed familiar, though, prompting Sōjun to ponder. 

Despite his intimidating appearance, the man spoke gently, in stark contrast to his looks. Without rushing, he asked, "Little one, are you Minamoto Sōjun?" 

Sōjun nodded. 

The man softened his tone further, leaned forward, and said, "I'm your mother's brother—your uncle. May I come in?" 

Sōjun's face twisted into a strange expression. Such a gentle tone paired with such a menacing face? 

Was this some kind of classic scam? 

"I'm your parents' friend! Open the door!" 

However, Sōjun recognized who the man was. Unimpressed by being addressed as "little one," he beckoned the man closer with a gesture. When the man obediently leaned down, Sōjun whispered as if sharing a secret: 

"What's more twisted than curses in this world?" 

The man froze. "Is... is it people?" 

"Wrong answer!" 

Grinning mischievously, Sōjun began closing the door. 

Realizing the misstep, the man straightened and adjusted his attitude toward the "child." 

He took out his phone, made a quick call, and then handed it to Sōjun. A familiar female voice came through the receiver: "Sōjun, that's your uncle. Don't be afraid. You can count on him if you need anything." 

Beep.  

The call ended abruptly. They both seemed used to such brevity—one opened the door without complaint, and the other silently pocketed the phone. 

"Ahem." The man cleared his throat. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Yaga Seidō, Yūri's younger brother. You can call me Uncle or just use my name." 

"Hello, Uncle!" Sōjun greeted sweetly. 

"As expected, Yūri didn't warn you in advance, did she?" Yaga chuckled. 

"..." 

Sōjun was still bewildered by Yaga's sudden appearance, unaware of the connection or the reason for his visit. Expecting his parents to give him a heads-up? 

What a joke! 

"Yūri told me you've awakened your innate technique, so she asked me to guide and mentor you," Yaga explained. 

Sōjun gestured for Yaga to sit down. Out of habit, he pulled a pen from his pocket and held it out to him. 

Yaga, though puzzled, accepted it. 

Sōjun leaned toward Yaga, pulling out a lighter as if to ignite the pen's tip. Just as he was about to flick the flame, he caught himself. 

Straightening up immediately, he placed his hands on his lap and responded politely, "Thank you, Uncle." 

Although Sōjun's earlier mannerisms reeked of delinquency, his youthful face made Yaga dismiss them as signs of bad influence from someone irresponsible. 

Yaga observed Sōjun closely. "Hmm, you must be about ten years old?" 

When Sōjun nodded, Yaga continued, "You don't look much older or younger than your age, which means your technique has stabilized. 

"Your family's inherited techniques usually involve either controlling the body or the soul. There's also the possibility of inheriting the Yaga clan's puppet manipulation technique." 

Yaga scrutinized Sōjun. "It's obvious, though. Yours is body control, isn't it?" 

He elaborated further, "From a young age, your physical development has been faster than your peers. Even though it slowed down after awakening your technique, the traces remain evident. 

"From the structure, shape, and distribution of your muscles to your movement habits, everything about you exudes physical strength. You've been practicing martial arts, right? Your speed, strength, and explosiveness... In just three or four years, achieving this would only be possible with a body control technique as support." 

Sōjun nodded in agreement. Spot on analysis. 

Raising a hand, he asked, "But is it possible to simultaneously control both the soul and the body?" 

"Impossible!" Yaga's reply was immediate and firm. "The jujutsu world has its balance. While the body and soul might seem vastly different, they are interconnected, influencing and depending on each other. 

"Everyone has weaknesses—things that counter or restrain them. Cursed techniques, no matter how varied, boil down to affecting either the body or the soul. Controlling both would mean perfection, and perfection simply doesn't exist." 

This explanation made Sōjun pause in thought. He could control both body and soul—and even cursed energy. 

While he agreed with Yaga's logic and had felt the existence of this balance, his case was an exception. 

What Yaga couldn't possibly imagine was that Sōjun was a visitor from another world. He hadn't originally been part of this balance. That's why his innate technique had awakened flawlessly, granting him perfect control. 

As he left more traces in this world, the balance mechanism began incorporating him into its system. His slowed development was proof of this adjustment. 

Yet, instead of being worried, Sōjun felt a surge of excitement. Though he ought to be anxious, there was no need. His plans were meticulous, balancing speed with stability. 

By countering balance with balance, he knew he was on the right path. 

---

At that moment, Yaga suddenly sat upright, his expression serious. He locked eyes with Sōjun. 

"Before we begin formal training, answer me this: 

"Jujutsu sorcerers often walk hand-in-hand with death—not just their own but also the deaths of those cursed and the grotesque remains of curses they must destroy. 

"This is not an easy path. It requires a certain degree of madness and motivation. 

"So, what is your motivation for becoming a jujutsu sorcerer?"

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