Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Empire

When you have a literal cheat code inside your favorite anime, there are a lot of things you'd love to try. And that was my current predicament—I had all the power in the world, yet it seemed like the more I thought about it, the more complicated it became. It was strange, really. I had been saying that too much lately: things aren't as simple as they seem.

On paper, the idea was easy enough. Create an empire, wait two or three years, and then change the world. But now, in the middle of it all, I was sitting here bored out of my mind, surrounded by paperwork, endless responsibilities, and a bunch of problems I hadn't even anticipated. I was becoming frustrated. Why was running an empire so goddamn difficult? The crazy part? I wasn't even doing most of the work.

I had power beyond imagination, but when it came down to the details, it felt like I was drowning in a sea of bureaucracy and logistics. It was like running a business, but on a scale so massive that it made corporate tax codes look like child's play.

I mean, seriously—how could you expect a former Burger King janitor to suddenly step up and become a supreme overlord in two days?

Actually, scratch that. There were plenty of examples of random people suddenly being thrust into positions of great power. Some of them had to struggle their way to the top. But not me. No, I had the cheat code. I could create curses, monsters, and even beings that didn't exist in any normal sense. I had an empire in the making, and I should've been on top of the world. Instead, here I was, twiddling my thumbs, annoyed and unmotivated.

The issue was, I didn't have the determination to build every single curse I needed. Couldn't someone else just do it for me? It felt like too much work. Sure, I could create entire armies of cursed spirits, but creating each one from scratch felt… exhausting.

Wait.

Why not just create a version of myself? A cursed spirit form of me, someone who could handle everything while I focused on something else. It was like creating my own clone. Why didn't I think of that before? With the power to create life-forms, why not create a version of myself that could run the empire in my stead?

But then, I hesitated. I didn't want to be completely hands-off. Sure, I could leave my clone to handle the grunt work, but I wanted to be involved in the development before I passed on the reins. The problem was I wasn't just going to be running this empire for fun. I had bigger plans. What I really needed was to be the most powerful version of myself—someone who could defeat the likes of Sukuna with ease, someone who could stand at the pinnacle of power.

I'd have to go through a huge training arc, learning and growing stronger. But what if I could shortcut that? Maybe I could create a curse that could help me traverse worlds? Could I possibly tap into that power? I'd heard that there were restrictions, though—God had mentioned something about limits. But what if I could push those boundaries? Or maybe that was hoping for too much…

Enough of these useless thoughts. Time to stop being a lazy bum and get some action. This empire wasn't going to run itself. I needed to get out of my head and into the real world.

I stood up from my chair, stretching and preparing to take action. I had spent too long brooding. If I was going to be the ruler of this empire, I had to get serious.

But first, I needed a break.

"Athena!" I called out, readying my voice. "Get in here! I need your attention!"

Almost immediately, my loyal subordinate appeared. Athena, the one who followed my orders with almost military precision. She didn't answer my call, though; instead, she rushed towards me, eyes wide, her footsteps quick.

"Here I am, sir!" she said, sounding more like a soldier reporting for duty than an employee.

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to be so formal, Athena. You don't need to be on edge around me."

She looked at me for a brief moment, as though assessing whether I was serious. But then, she seemed to relax, just a little. "Understood, sir."

I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. I really wasn't the intimidating overlord some people thought I was. Sure, I could strike fear into the hearts of my enemies, but there was something that bothered me about Athena. Something that gnawed at me.

How would you feel if your own daughter was almost afraid of you?

I didn't want her to be afraid of me. I wanted her to see me as a leader, yes, but I also wanted to be someone she could trust and confide in. I didn't want to be the sort of person who only inspired fear. I wanted there to be mutual respect, not just blind obedience.

I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Athena," I began softly, "take a break today. We've been working hard enough." I gave her a playful grin, hoping to lighten the mood. "Let's have some fun. No empire talk. No rules. Just you, me, and some time to relax."

She looked at me, surprised by the offer. I could see the tension in her shoulders ease slightly as she processed my words.

"Are you sure, sir? We have a lot to do."

I nodded firmly. "We'll get to it. But everyone needs a break every once in a while. And right now, you're the one who needs it the most."

Athena blinked at me, processing what I said. I could tell she was conflicted. She was a hard worker, and in many ways, I admired her dedication. But I also knew how easy it was to burn out, especially when you were constantly under pressure.

"You're right," she finally admitted. "It would be lovely to spend some time with you. What do you have in mind?"

I grinned mischievously, feeling the spark of mischief return. "Let's just get out of here. Go for a walk. Maybe hit up that new café in the district. Who knows? Maybe we'll even have some fun while we're at it."

Athena's lips quirked into a small smile. "That sounds nice. Alright, sir. Lead the way."

It was strange—here I was, an emperor, with an empire at my fingertips, and yet I was looking forward to a simple day out. The thought of normalcy, even if just for a little while, was a welcome break from the chaos of my life.

As we walked out of the base together, I couldn't help but wonder about the future. There was so much to do, so many challenges ahead. But for once, I wasn't going to worry about it. There was a time for planning and a time for action. Today, I was going to focus on the present—on Athena, on the moment we shared, and on the fact that even an overlord needed a break.

Maybe this was the key to ruling an empire after all: balance. A little bit of power, a little bit of fun, and a lot of patience. Tomorrow, I would get back to work. But for now? I was content.

I had an empire to build, a future to secure, and a curse to create—but that could wait. Today, I was going to enjoy being something other than an overlord.

And that was just fine by me.