Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Empire

It's been a few days since I created Athena, and I would say the construction of our base now has a solid plan in place. Everything has been mapped out, and the only thing slowing things down is me. But, of course, I have my reasons.

Lately, I've been brainstorming ways to create a cursed spirit that could help improve my physique and upgrade my body. It was an idea I had been looking forward to, but I had no idea how to make it happen. Luckily, the system has been really helpful, providing me with tips that could enhance the process.

Now, I wouldn't call myself the best strategist or a mastermind in terms of smart thinking. But if you had asked me to find the least efficient way to waste your day, I could have figured that out in one minute.

The system suggested I use binding vows to maximize the cursed spirit's functionality. Honestly, I feel like I'm becoming Sukuna with all these binding vows. It's starting to get a bit much. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't unhappy with what the system was suggesting, but I can't help but wonder—how many more binding vows will I be able to use before I run out?

"So, the plan is to create a creature similar to Mahito, then bind it with a vow," I said aloud to the system.

[Yes, that is the plan. This will allow you to enhance both your intelligence and physical abilities more easily.]

"Wait," I paused, my thoughts racing. "Don't binding vows need to be agreed upon by both parties?" That caught my attention. Had I found a loophole, or was there something else going on that allowed me to bypass this rule?

[You are not an exception to the rule. The reason you can create this binding vow is because the cursed creature has not yet materialized. In simpler terms, you've placed the vow on yourself.]

That made sense. But… have I been talking too much about binding vows? It feels like my entire success in this world has been due to exploiting the system's binding vow mechanics. I mean, who wouldn't take advantage of such an obvious loophole? Just look at Sukuna, that fraud. He's the reason my glorious blue-eyed king, Gojo, lost in the first place.

Now that I had the method figured out, it was time to test the theory.

I stretched out my hand and began to imagine Orion—a young man with dark hair and deep brown eyes. I focused on his powers, visualizing the ability to manipulate his own body at will. Shifting my focus, I imagined manipulating my hand from my hip to my brain, casting the binding vow.

"Orion will not be able to tamper with anyone's body but mine, and he shall not possess a physical form. In exchange, he will be gifted with unbridled knowledge."

I had used the same trick twice. Let's see if it worked.

Eagerly, I flexed my massive biceps and admired the other well-developed muscles on my body. For now, I was sporting that dream bodybuilder physique I had always wanted to try out, though this wasn't my permanent form. It was something I had wanted to experiment with for a long time. It was truly fascinating to see how this could alter my body.

"Orion, compress my muscles so they remain just as strong, but more flexible," I commanded.

The moment I finished my sentence, my body visibly shrank. My once muscular frame transformed into a lean, athletic build, replacing my earlier bulk. It was an odd but satisfying feeling, seeing the perfect body I had long dreamed of.

Now that the muscles were in place, it was time to focus on the martial arts. The system did have the ability to pass information on to Orion as well, so this would be interesting. They were essentially roommates now. While the system was smarter, it couldn't directly affect my body. Any martial arts it told me would be like listening to an audiobook. But because the system could communicate with Orion, this pairing made for a deadly combination.

"System, can you pass on martial arts knowledge to Orion? Orion, make sure to etch every single bit of information you receive into my muscle memory and brain."

This was truly amazing.

I can't even begin to explain how it felt, but suddenly, I was moving as though I had years of martial arts experience. I knew I had mastered it when I felt how fluid and instinctive my movements were. No mirror was needed.

All these sorcerers might as well pack it up—I had no weaknesses left. I possessed everything someone of my high status could need: intellect, martial prowess, strength, cursed energy, and my cursed technique was definitely not lagging behind.

(A/N: Notice how lil bro didn't say he was good-looking, I nerfed him for a reason.)

Sukuna, hide yourself. Wait, he technically is hiding since the twenty fingers still haven't been found.

That leads me to another mystery—what timeline am I in? I had been so preoccupied with my personal matters that I forgot to check what era I was in. How could I call myself perfect when I didn't even know what time period I was living in?

There was one person—or rather, one thing—that I could rely on: the system. It knew where my base was, and it surely knew more.

"Yo, system, what timeline am I in?"

[You are in the normal JJK verse, except you and your cursed spirits have invaded it.]

Kind of hypocritical, coming from someone who isn't supposed to be here either.

"No, I mean, have the canon events started? If not, how far behind are we?" I pressed. It couldn't just give me some cryptic answer this time.

[No, the events involving Yuji Itadori joining the Jujutsu world have not yet started. We are currently 11 years behind.]

"Ehh, 11 whole years?!" I was dumbfounded.

[Indeed.]

Eleven years? This was both a blessing and a curse. I now had more time to prepare, but the thought of waiting 11 years was a bit too much. What the hell was I supposed to do with that time? In all honesty, I could probably end the entire series before Yuji even steps onto the scene.

Am I being too overconfident? Maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that eleven years felt like an eternity.

"Athena!" I called out.

"Coming soon, sir!" Athena's immediate reply echoed back.

"Athena, slow down the plans for the Empire. I believe time is the essence of success," I said calmly. The excuse was perfect—I wasn't going to waste the next decade trying to track down Kenjaku's body or hunt down the missing Sukuna fingers. It would be much more enjoyable to spend time with my little group of cursed spirits while I could.

"O-of course, right away!" Athena responded, albeit hesitantly. She should be happy with this decision—it meant she could put in a lot less effort. Sometimes, hard workers just didn't make sense. It's okay to strive for success, but balance is key.

It's not always the student who studied the hardest who gets the highest grade. (A/N: Young readers, please don't use this as an excuse not to study.)

My plans had been completely derailed. I had expected to be two or three years behind, at worst. I had even thought the main timeline had already started. Now, my plans were being ripped to shreds by something as simple as time.

But, it wasn't all bad. There were silver linings—more time to relax, and more time to prepare.

I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to change in the JJK world, but one thing was certain: the same stupid ending could not happen again. I would change the course of events from behind the shadows.