Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Empire

Athena seemed a lot more relaxed around me lately, which, to be honest, was weird. I mean, she used to flinch like I was going to blow her up every time I said her name. Now? She's all calm, even casual. It wasn't fear turning into admiration or anything, but still, the shift felt... unexpected.

Not that I was complaining. It made working with her way less awkward. For once, she wasn't stuttering through every sentence, and seeing her actually talk like a normal person? Pretty refreshing.

We were in the planning room, which was basically this dim, bunker-like space with old maps pinned everywhere. Athena was leaning over the big table in the center, her brow furrowed as she traced paths on a faded map. The hum of the mana generators in the background gave the room this low-key sci-fi vibe.

Even though she was improving, Athena still wasn't exactly strong. That was on purpose, though. I wanted to push her mental game first—build some resilience before worrying about brute strength. It was a long play, sure, but I had time.

Still, the thought of someone else stepping up as a leader crossed my mind. Not because I doubted her, but, you know, options. I had the potential to create other leaders, maybe even ones better suited for specific roles. The idea of splitting the empire into sections popped into my head. Having one person run the whole thing felt... risky. Besides, I had 11 years to get this thing off the ground—plenty of time to try out new ideas.

"Hey, Athena," I said, leaning back against the table. "What would you think about splitting the empire into, like, different kingdoms? You'd still rule part of it, of course."

She looked up, her expression thoughtful. "It depends," she said slowly. "There are some benefits, sure, but it could lead to unnecessary conflict. If you do it, I'd suggest dividing by categories, like intelligence or military, instead of geography."

I nodded, pretending to mull it over, but honestly, one word she said stuck out to me. Competitions. I couldn't help but grin.

"You said competitions, right?" I asked, a little too eager.

She raised an eyebrow. "I did. Why?"

"Think about it," I said, gesturing vaguely. "Competitions push people to get better. In wars, they lead to innovation. Same deal here—if different parts of the empire compete, everyone grows stronger."

Athena crossed her arms, clearly not sold. "Sire, if you don't mind me asking, why are you so focused on making the empire so strong? What enemy are we preparing for?"

I hesitated for a second. It wasn't like I'd kept my plans secret, but I hadn't laid it all out, either. "The enemy," I said finally, "is the world."

Her eyes widened, and for once, she seemed genuinely shaken. "The world?" she echoed.

"Yeah," I said with a shrug. "We can't think small. If we're not ready to face everyone, we'll be crushed the moment we show weakness."

She frowned, clearly processing this new information. "That... changes everything," she muttered. "How am I supposed to lead an army against thousands of curses and sorcerers?"

I laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood. "You don't have to lead everything. Maybe you could start as an ambassador for Japan or something. I shouldn't limit myself to one country, right?"

That got a small smile out of her. "That would certainly make things easier."

"Good. Now, get back to work. No slacking, okay?" I teased, smirking as she rolled her eyes and returned to the map.

Later, in my room, I decided to check in with the system.

"Hey, system," I said, lounging on my bed. "What's the chance of me beating Sukuna right now?"

[There is a 1% chance of you defeating the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, at 20 fingers with your current power level.]

"Seriously? One percent? That's just disrespectful."

[Even at one finger, your chance is only 5%.]

"Huh? Wait, what? How does that even work?"

[Even in his weakest form, Sukuna is still a special-grade curse. Your current body lacks the enhancements of a Heavenly Restriction user, and you have no effective attacks against him.]

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "Okay, no need to be that blunt."

The truth stung, but it wasn't like I expected much. I knew I wasn't ready. Still, seeing it laid out like that hit different. I wasn't even close.

That just meant training was a priority now. Using what I remembered from Todo and Gojo's teachings, I got to work on cursed energy basics.

After a few days of practice, I managed to pull off the [Divergent Fist]. Small win, but I'd take it. If Yuji could survive a fight with a special-grade using this, it'd do for now.

Between training sessions, I kept an eye on Athena's progress. Watching her step up made me weirdly proud. It was like she was finally growing into the role.

Meanwhile, Orion and the system were busy designing a body for me that balanced speed and strength. It wasn't as simple as just snapping my fingers and getting a perfect form—it had to work with the techniques I was learning.

Looking at everything, I realized how lucky I was to have time. Eleven years might sound like forever, but I'd need every second of it.

The next morning, I was up before sunrise, the sky outside still a deep shade of blue. Training had become part of my routine—boring but necessary. Today, though, I was determined to change it up. Just grinding techniques was starting to feel like a drag, and I needed a better sense of progress.

"Hey, system," I muttered, pulling on a plain training uniform. "Got any simulations I can use? Like, a combat scenario or something?"

[Simulations can be provided. Specify parameters.]

"Uh... give me something tough but manageable. Don't make it Sukuna-level, though. I'm not looking to die today."

[Generating simulation... Completed. Opponent: Grade 1 Curse. Setting: Ruined cityscape.]

Before I could process the details, my vision blurred. The next second, I was standing in the middle of a crumbling city. Skyscrapers leaned at awkward angles, vines snaking up their sides. Broken glass and debris littered the streets, and the air was thick with a strange, smoky haze.

"Alright, this is kinda cool," I said, stretching a bit. "Let's see what I'm up against."

The ground trembled slightly, and a guttural growl echoed through the empty streets. Turning toward the sound, I spotted the curse. It was humanoid but twisted, its arms unnaturally long, dragging against the ground as it lumbered toward me. Its face—or what was left of it—was a mass of jagged teeth and glowing red eyes.

"Lovely," I muttered, cracking my knuckles. "Let's do this."

The curse moved faster than I expected, closing the distance in seconds. I barely dodged its first swipe, the claws slicing through the air where my head had been.

"Okay, not bad," I said, trying to sound confident, even as my heart pounded. I focused, channeling cursed energy into my fists. When the curse lunged again, I stepped to the side and countered with a punch to its midsection.

The impact sent it staggering back, but the [Divergent Fist] was still too weak to do serious damage.

The fight dragged on for a while. The curse was relentless, and my stamina was already starting to waver. I'd land a few solid hits, but nothing decisive.

[Analysis: Current strategy is inefficient. Recommend targeting weak points.]

"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered under my breath.

I took a deep breath, focusing on the curse's movements. Its swings were powerful but predictable. The next time it lunged, I ducked low and aimed a punch straight at its knee. The joint shattered with a sickening crunch, and the curse let out an ear-splitting roar, collapsing to the ground.

Before it could recover, I charged up cursed energy into both fists and slammed them into its chest. The energy burst through its body, and with one final howl, the curse disintegrated into black smoke.

As the smoke cleared, the simulation ended. I was back in my room, drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

"Okay, that was... something," I said, collapsing onto the floor.

[Performance: 68% efficiency. Improvements recommended.]

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Work harder," I muttered. Still, I couldn't deny the fight had been good practice.

Later that day, I checked in on Athena. She was in the war room again, surrounded by scrolls and maps. It looked like she hadn't moved since last night.

"You good?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

She glanced up, looking a little surprised. "Oh, sire. Yes, just... strategizing."

"You've been at it for hours. Take a break. Go, uh, do something fun. Do you even have hobbies?"

Athena blinked, clearly not expecting that question. "Hobbies?" she echoed.

"Yeah, you know, stuff you do for fun. Please don't tell me reading strategy manuals counts."

She hesitated, then smiled faintly. "I suppose I enjoy embroidery, though I haven't done it in years."

"Embroidery?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Did not see that coming."

"Why not?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I don't know, just thought you'd say something more... intense. Like fencing or archery."

She chuckled softly. "I can assure you, sire, even a strategist needs quiet hobbies."

"Fair enough," I said, waving her off. "Go embroider something. I'll keep an eye on things here."

Athena hesitated but eventually nodded. "Thank you. I'll be back shortly."

As she left, I glanced at the maps she'd been studying. Her plans were solid—better than I'd expected, honestly. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that we needed more than just strategy.

We needed action.

That night, as I sat by the window, staring out at the dark horizon, a thought crossed my mind. The empire wasn't just about building power—it was about purpose. If I wanted loyalty, if I wanted to create something worth fighting for, I had to give everyone a reason to believe in it.

"Hey, system," I said softly.

[Yes?]

"Add this to my to-do list: figure out what this empire is really about. Beyond just taking over the world."

[Task added.]

It wasn't much, but it felt like a step in the right direction. For now, that was enough.

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A/N: In case you are confused on the stimulation part it's a combination of Orion and the system. Sorry for not clarifying this in the chapter.

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Happy new years (btw).