Becoming Sukuna

Late at night, the bright moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting faint rays onto the serene face of the girl. If her eyes weren't wide open, it would have been a peaceful scene of a girl sound asleep.

The one sleeping was Yukinoshita Yukino. But what does this have to do with Sukuna?

Once Yukinoshita Yukino's consciousness drifted into slumber, Sukuna once again took control of her body. After the battles of the day, the exhausted girl had fallen into a deep sleep, completely unaware her body had been occupied.

Of course, Sukuna didn't intend to do anything malicious; he simply wanted to verify a theory.

"System," Sukuna called softly in his mind.

Error: Identity verification failed.

Verifying identity…

Identity verification complete. The Ultimate Jujutsu Sorcerer System is at your service.

As expected.

Staring at the translucent blue screen floating before him, Sukuna felt a wave of exasperation.

When he first awakened after transmigrating, he had tried summoning a system cheat. However, the system had malfunctioned due to identity recognition errors. Adding to that, being inexplicably sealed within Yukinoshita Yukino's body led Sukuna to suspect that the system's identity binding had gone awry. His soul had been bound to the system, but the physical binding had mistakenly identified Yukinoshita Yukino.

This meant Sukuna could summon the system and view its error messages but couldn't use it.

What kind of shoddy manufacturer creates a system that misbinds its host? One-star rating—definitely leaving a bad review!

"System, explain why this happened," Sukuna demanded.

System self-check in progress…

Response: The error occurred during the host's transition between worldlines. Due to spatial-temporal turbulence, the system's positioning failed, resulting in this outcome. The failed transmigration is a result of the system's error.

What? The system's a directionally challenged fool?

Hearing the explanation, Sukuna was momentarily stunned.

Host is the system's first user. To compensate for the error, the system offers to use its remaining energy to send the host to the intended destination—the Heian Era. There, the host will replace Ryomen Sukuna and become the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer of a millennium past. Would you like to proceed?

So it's a rookie system, and I'm its first love?

"Absolutely not. I'm not interested in becoming some ancient monster," Sukuna replied flatly. "So, my being sealed in Yukinoshita's body was also due to the positioning error?"

Yes.

"And you also restricted my actions?"

Yes… This is a protective mechanism designed to prevent the host from being possessed by overly powerful entities. It is not the system's intentional action.

So, Sukuna could forcibly take control of Yukinoshita's body because the soul-binding was tied to him, bypassing some restrictions.

Most of his doubts had been cleared. Now, it was time to see what the system could actually do.

The system interface was simple and clean, featuring a point-based system where Sukuna could earn rewards by defeating curses or Jujutsu sorcerers. Points could be exchanged for various techniques and cursed tools. Completing specific tasks, like defeating a certain number of curses, would also improve his attributes. However, such improvements seemed relatively useless to him.

Current Points: 600

Given the power he currently possessed, Sukuna doubted he could find an opponent capable of challenging him in this world.

But then a thought struck him, and he asked uncertainly, "System, do these attribute improvements apply to me or Yukinoshita Yukino?"

Attribute improvements apply to Yukinoshita Yukino. Techniques are engraved on the host.

Not bad. Pure attribute boosts weren't of much value to Sukuna, but he could redeem some interesting techniques for entertainment.

Wait. Since I'm in her body, wouldn't the techniques I redeem eventually imprint onto her as well? That would mean I'm essentially getting two sets of techniques for the price of one!

Amused by the thought, Sukuna began browsing the system's redemption list.

Suddenly, a task panel popped up.

System Compensation Task: Defeat a special-grade curse. Reward: Physical Manifestation.

The reward sounded intriguing, but there was no rush.

Sukuna wasn't particularly eager to regain his own body. It was far more entertaining to manipulate Yukinoshita and Hachiman, sending them out to hunt curses under his command. While powerful special-grade curses were rare, weaker ones weren't hard to find.

Most importantly, if he left Yukinoshita's body, he would lose his VIP position, sitting comfortably and giving orders. He had to admit, teasing the serious and easily flustered Yukino was incredibly amusing.

"A fourth-grade curse earns 100 points, third-grade earns 500 points, second-grade earns 1,000 points, first-grade earns 5,000 points, and special-grade earns 10,000 points… Same for sorcerers," Sukuna muttered as he read the system's rules. "Are all special-grades worth only 10,000 points?"

…

Unexpectedly, the system went silent. Moments later, the point rules were updated.

Thank you for your suggestion. The point system has been adjusted to reflect strength within the same grade. Points now vary based on power: Fourth-grade curses/sorcerers earn 100–500 points, third-grade earns 501–1,000 points, and so on. Special-grade now ranges from 10,001 to 49,999 points.

Current Points: 900

"Oh? Why doesn't the special-grade max out at 50,000?"

Answer: No special-grade curse or sorcerer matches the host's level. The 50,000-point tier is exclusive to the host.

Hearing the explanation, Sukuna's jaw dropped in disbelief.

Okay, I appreciate the flattery, but isn't this a bit over-the-top?

Are all systems this sycophantic, or is mine just special?

After understanding the system's functions, Sukuna returned to his innate domain, relinquishing control of the body to Yukinoshita Yukino. The sleeping girl remained blissfully unaware of what had transpired.

It felt somewhat like a dolphin's split-brain sleep—allowing for long-term endurance.

However, Sukuna soon noticed his domain undergoing a dramatic transformation.

"Something's wrong…"

He watched as his domain space became increasingly ethereal, replaced by the scene of a hospital delivery room. A frail but resolute woman lay on the bed, her smile warm despite her exhaustion. Beside her stood a middle-aged man, cradling a newborn with the joy of holding a precious treasure. A little girl tugged at the man's pant leg.

"So this is Yukinoshita Yukino's memory projection?"

Sukuna quickly realized what was happening. He was now observing the life of Yukinoshita Yukino as if watching a vivid VR movie, detached yet completely immersed.

Yukinoshita Yukino was born.

There were no extraordinary signs accompanying her arrival, yet she quickly became the cherished treasure of the entire Yukinoshita household.

Ordinarily, when a second child is born into a family, the elder sibling often feels neglected as the parents' attention is divided. This can lead to feelings of resentment. However, Yukinoshita Haruno, Yukino's older sister, felt no such jealousy. Instead, she adored her little sister.

As Sukuna watched the little girl playing happily with her older sister, her face glowing with a sweet smile, he couldn't help but smile himself.

Young Yukino was both thoughtful and adorable. Most importantly, she hadn't yet developed the razor-sharp tongue that would define her later years. In this innocent stage of life, she was far more charming than her older self.

When Yukino was old enough to start elementary school, her parents' friends visited, bringing along their child—a charming, golden-haired boy named Hayama Hayato.

The three children, being close in age, quickly became inseparable.

As the eldest, Haruno excelled in her studies and had a bright, outgoing personality. Naturally, she became the leader of their little group. Wherever Haruno went, the two younger children followed closely. Even when they played with other kids in the neighborhood park, Haruno was the undisputed leader. Despite her young age, she ruled their small circle like a natural-born leader.

Childhood is often carefree, and this was especially true for the Yukinoshita siblings, who grew up in the comfort of a wealthy family. They had no real worries and were free to enjoy life. Even though their mother was strict, she often softened her stance due to their young age.

As Haruno grew older, however, their mother began imposing stricter expectations on her. Haruno was enrolled in various lessons to shape her into a perfect reflection of the Yukinoshita name.

This naturally meant Haruno had less time to spend playing with Yukino and Hayato.

The Yukinoshita family occasionally hosted grand banquets. Watching her sister interact so effortlessly with the adults at these events, Yukino couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration. To her, Haruno was like a radiant sun, and from a young age, Yukino began aspiring to be just like her.

While adults praised Haruno for her exceptional abilities, their compliments to Yukino were often limited to words like "cute" and "well-behaved," rather than "remarkable."

This distinction spurred Yukino to work even harder in her studies, determined to close the gap and become as extraordinary as her sister.

This moment was likely the origin of Yukinoshita Yukino's drive for excellence.

"So Haruno's flawless, practiced smile has been honed since childhood, huh?" Sukuna murmured. He reached out, intending to pinch Haruno's cheek, but his hand passed right through her as though he were a ghost.

The inability to interact was unsurprising, given that this was merely an illusion crafted from Yukino's memories. However, that didn't stop Sukuna from leaning close to Yukino's childlike form, playfully pretending to analyze the workings of her mind.

A pink skull—just as he had imagined.

Time continued to flow in the memory. Yukinoshita Yukino and Hayama Hayato were now in fourth grade, while Haruno, three years their senior, had entered middle school.

One seemingly ordinary day, as Yukino arrived at school, she discovered that her indoor shoes were missing from her shoe locker.

Although Sukuna existed as an observer in the illusion, free to move as he pleased, he was ultimately tethered to Yukinoshita Yukino. Since this illusion was crafted from her memories, he couldn't stray too far from her. If he exceeded the permissible range, he would be forcibly teleported back to her side, much like a spirit bound to a location.

Even without witnessing who had taken Yukino's indoor shoes, Sukuna immediately discerned the culprits.

"Really now, you little brats. Do you think you're master criminals executing a flawless crime? Or do you just enjoy returning to the crime scene for kicks?"

Sukuna glared, exasperated, at the three young girls nearby. They were sneaking glances at Yukino, visibly flustered and anxious over her missing shoes, while giggling with mocking laughter.

The hiding spot for the shoes was laughable. Sukuna only had to take a few steps to spot the white indoor shoes discarded on top of a hallway cabinet. With Yukino's elementary school height, even jumping wouldn't have helped her reach them.

Before long, Yukino noticed her shoes atop the cabinet. After asking a passing teacher for help, she finally managed to retrieve them. Even so, the little girl had to stand for a long time in front of the school building, enduring strange looks from other students as she waited near the shoe locker for a teacher to pass by.

Standing there with her bag in hand, lips pressed together as if she were being punished, young Yukino looked both pitiful and stubborn.

If it had been Sukuna, he would have marched straight into the classroom wearing his regular shoes without a second thought.

But this was just the beginning.

Beyond the prank of hiding her indoor shoes, Yukino endured a slew of bullying and exclusion. Her recorder for music class was found with spit in it, and no one wanted to team up with her for collaborative assignments.

At school, aside from Hayama Hayato, almost no one was willing to talk to her. Even Hayato had his own circle of friends, leaving him with less and less time to interact with her. At home, her sister Haruno was preoccupied with tasks assigned by their mother and couldn't spare much attention for Yukino.

When Yukino tried to confide in her mother about her school troubles, her concerns were dismissed. Her mother simply said, "A daughter of the Yukinoshita family shouldn't be so weak," urging her to handle things on her own.

In her mother's eyes, this approach was likely meant to foster independence. However, she failed to recognize the crucial question: How was a fourth-grade girl supposed to cope with an environment so toxic it felt suffocating?

Just as fish cannot survive without water, humans cannot thrive without fitting into their surroundings. Deviating from the group's norms isolates a person and leaves them helpless. Bullying in schools doesn't foster growth—it poisons the soul.

For no fault of her own, Yukino was inexplicably ostracized and hated.

Every time Sukuna saw Yukino curled up in a corner of her bed, clutching a stuffed toy, he felt an intense urge to slap those little brats. He even wanted to throw Hayama Hayato into the mix.

Speaking of Hayato, Sukuna found the boy problematic.

When they were younger, playing with the Yukinoshita sisters, Hayato would blush profusely whenever Haruno teased him. Normally, young children, whether in kindergarten or early elementary school, don't have much awareness of gender differences. Boys typically played with boys, and girls with girls. Even when they did mix, blushing wasn't exactly common.

Yet this boy seemed to harbor a faint crush on Haruno from a very young age, leading Sukuna to lament how early Japanese kids matured.

But it wasn't Hayato's feelings for Haruno that truly annoyed Sukuna.

As an observer, Sukuna could clearly see that Yukino's initial isolation stemmed from jealousy among the girls in her class over her closeness to Hayato.

Instead of alleviating the situation, Hayato's attempts to mediate only worsened things. Mimicking Haruno's ability to navigate adult conversations with ease, he clumsily tried to smooth things over between Yukino and his so-called "friends."

The result was catastrophic. Instead of offering timely support, he poured fuel on the fire—a textbook example of good intentions gone awry.

Yukino's situation only deteriorated. It wasn't until her mother noticed something was seriously wrong that she transferred Yukino to study abroad after finishing elementary school.

After witnessing these events, Sukuna couldn't help but sarcastically applaud.

The Yukinoshita family was truly something. The father, a live-in son-in-law, seemed relatively normal and genuinely cared for his daughters. However, constrained by his status in the household, he dared not oppose his wife's strict educational methods.

As for the sisters, Haruno, groomed as the heir, became an emotionally detached, hyper-rational individual who hid her true feelings. Meanwhile, Yukino, tasked with the impossible mission of conquering an oppressive atmosphere, failed to grow or find happiness. Instead, she retreated into herself, becoming a hedgehog bristling with emotional defenses.

It was a tragedy that left Sukuna utterly speechless.