Hero? I'm just here to borrow power!

"Oh? I thought you, Gojo Satoru, were the type who liked science fiction novels. I didn't expect you to be more familiar with manga. That's right, to use a term often used in manga, it's definitely another world."

Byakuya nodded, seemingly acknowledging Gojo Satoru's statement.

"No, I still can't accept what Teacher Baiye said. I don't understand at all what he means by a realm larger than reality, a mental world, or another world."

Even the usually taciturn Fushiguro Megumi started scratching the back of his head, too astonished to continue thinking.

“I think I understand what Baiye-kun meant by the spell ability. But as Hui said, it’s just too amazing. Compared to your projection, even my ‘no limits’ is just a simple spell. No wonder you don’t like to use ‘publicizing spells’. Now it seems there’s no need to make it public.”

Gojo Satoru raised his head, seemingly accepting the setting of the technique that Byakuya had described, but then he spoke again.

"But how can you be sure that vast 'other world' is indeed your birthplace?"

"It's very simple."

Byakuya looked at his red Akara suit.

"If sorcerers or spirits can use 'domain expansion' to materialize their innate domains into reality, I can do the same."

Byakuya gazed into the heart of the man named Heroic Spirit Emiya within his own body.

An endless red plain, with giant gears spinning in the sky, weapons planted on the ground, and flames leaping in the air, flashed through Bai Ye's mind.

"If there's a chance, I'll let you see that thing called 'domain' or 'barrier'."

Bai Ye said with a smile.

"Huh? If there's a chance? I thought you'd show us your expertise right now."

Gojo Satoru, who had been excited when he heard Byakuya say that, became disappointed when Byakuya changed the subject.

"Domain? Fushiguro Megumi just explained that because of the restraint, the time I can use my technique is limited. I'm already struggling to maintain the state of using the technique to use Dojigiri Yasutsuna on Itadori, so how could I possibly use a domain for no reason?"

Bai Ye shook his finger, indicating that displaying a domain was something he couldn't do.

"That's such a shame."

Gojo Satoru did not insist that Byakuya display his domain, but simply sighed in regret.

"Oh right! Itadori! Teacher, Itadori and the others have been inside for so long, I hope nothing bad has happened. I guess I should go over there..."

Upon hearing Byakuya mention Itadori, Fushiguro Megumi immediately recovered from the shock of hearing about the effects of Byakuya's spell and began to worry about Itadori and the others.

"Okay, okay."

Gojo Satoru waved his hand, signaling Fushiguro Megumi not to get too excited.

"That kid Itachi is pretty crazy. Although it's his first mission, his performance is no less than that of a second-level mage with advanced skills."

Even during his conversation with Byakuya, Gojo Satoru, who possesses six eyes, did not stop observing Itadori Yuujin and the others, and therefore had no concern for their safety.

Just then, the wall of the abandoned building in front of Fushiguro Megumi twisted, and the figure of a cursed spirit appeared, as if it were fleeing for its life.

"I'll destroy it!"

Upon seeing the cursed spirit appear, Fushiguro Megumi immediately assumed the starting stance for her own technique, preparing for battle.

"Don't worry."

Gojo Satoru smiled.

"Soul Spirit Spell - Resonance!"

A low shout rang out on the top floor of the abandoned building. Then, the cursed spirit that had just escaped the building was instantly pierced to pieces as if several huge nails had appeared out of thin air. Before it even hit the ground, it turned into a pile of ashes and disappeared with the wind.

"Not bad, it's pretty crazy too."

Gojo Satoru commented with a smile, his tone containing seven parts excitement and three parts appreciation.

"That must be Kugizaki's technique, it's pretty good."

Looking at the spot where the cursed spirit disappeared, Byakuya also praised Kugizaki Nobara a few times.

"If I hadn't just heard you explain the effects of your spell, I would have thought the same thing..."

Fushiguro Megumi, standing to the side, withdrew her attack gesture, pursed her lips, and thought to herself.

As the cursed spirit was exorcised, the building, which had been radiating ominous cursed power, slowly became "clean" in Bai Ye's eyes. Although the cursed aura that had once lingered due to the cursed spirit still existed, now that the cursed spirit had been eliminated, it was estimated that after some time, this abandoned building could be reused.

Two minutes later, Yuujin Itadori and Nobara Kugizaki also came out of the building. Unlike when they went up, they came down with a little boy. According to Itadori and the others, the boy seemed to have accidentally entered the building and was trapped by the curse.

Then Gojo Satoru suggested that everyone take the child home together, and Itadori and the others naturally agreed.

With Gojo Satoru's six eyes, he probably would have noticed this child long ago.

Is this also part of the test? Although with his strength he can completely guarantee that the child will not be harmed even if something goes wrong, just like Gojo Satoru's evaluation of Itadori and Kugizaki, this guy himself is "crazy enough".

Bai Ye thought to himself.

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Baiye, thank you for your knife."

Only then did Yuujin Itadori remember that he still had the sword that Byakuya had given him and spoke up, then he held the sword in both hands, wanting to return it to Byakuya.

"You're welcome. You did a great job and did not disgrace the reputation of this knife."

Bai Ye smiled, refusing to accept the sword Itadori handed him. Instead, he immediately released his control over the Heroic Spirit Emiya. As the power of the Heroic Spirit Emiya disappeared from his body, the Dojigiri Yasutsuna in Itadori Yuujin's hand turned into specks of light and scattered.

"Huh? It disappeared?"

Yuujin Itadori stared in surprise at the slowly dissipating Dojigiri Yasutsuna in his hand, then looked at Byakuya and saw that Byakuya's clothes had returned to the high school uniform, realizing that Byakuya had dispelled the spell's effect.

"It's getting late, you should take this child home. I won't keep you company any longer."

Looking up, Bai Ye saw that the sunlight shining down from the sky was already tinged with the glow of dusk. He had been with Gojo Satoru and the others for so long that the old guys in the higher echelons of the jutsu must already know. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, it was best not to continue getting involved with them.

Gojo Satoru understood what Byakuya was thinking and nodded.

"Well then, let's part ways here for now, Byakuya-kun. I'm really looking forward to the day you show me that 'other world' you've been talking about." Gojo Satoru smiled and waved goodbye to Byakuya.

"Huh? What's another world? Is it from a manga? And isn't Byakuya-sensei coming with us?"

At this moment, Yuujin Itadori, who had just heard the White Night Talk, said with some reluctance.

"Teacher Bai Ye is also a top-level teacher. It's already quite remarkable that he's been able to stay with us for so long."

Fushiguro Megumi spoke up to remind him.

Goodbye, Professor Baiye.

Then, Fushiguro Megumi said this earnestly as she bid farewell to Byakuya.

Goodbye then!

"bye Bye!"

Upon hearing Fushiguro Megumi's words, Itadori Yuujin and Kugizaki Nobara also waved to Byakuya.

Bai Ye smiled back at them, then turned and left, leaving only his back view in their sight.

"Where should we go next?"

After all, Byakuya wasn't actually busy today, so there was no real need for him not to continue working with Gojo Satoru and the others.

Neither provoking the old guys at the top nor making Itadori's Ryoumen Sukuna realize the threat he posed and change his plans were what Byakuya intended.

After parting ways with Gojo Satoru and the others, Byakuya walked along the roadside, pondering where he should go next.

Just then, he heard a commotion of voices. He turned around and realized that he had somehow ended up in front of a pachinko parlor that looked very crowded. Because the door was open, passersby could clearly hear the people playing pachinko and the sounds made by the pachinko machines inside.

"Pachinko?"

As Bai Ye thought this, his expression suddenly turned strange.

Then, after a moment of rummaging, he pulled out a crumpled pachinko voucher from his pocket.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Chapter 15 Pachinko

Pachinko, a type of pinball game, is a very popular form of entertainment in Japan.

Originating in Nagoya, Japan in 1930, its prototype was inspired by European billiards machines.

"Pachinko" is a direct translation of pinball, and the gameplay of this game machine is essentially very simple: you launch small steel balls into a disc, and as the balls fall, they will continuously collide with nails or other obstacles on the disc, thus changing their trajectory. If they can land in the designated position, you will receive a reward.

However, this simple game machine has captivated countless people in Japanese society. According to incomplete statistics, Japanese people spend more than $2000 billion on Pachinko every year, which is equivalent to the revenue of Las Vegas casinos for thirty years. Because Pachinko is not only addictive but can also bankrupt people, it has earned the nickname "a machine that creates useless people".

Despite being disguised in fancy game console shells, gambling is still gambling at its core, and it's quite normal for people to become addicted to it and turn into useless individuals.

Bai Ye didn't want to be a useless person. Although even if he spent every day in the pachinko parlor and lost big, he still wouldn't lose all the balance in the bank account that the spell director would open for him, after experiencing a terrible card-drawing process, he now deeply hated gambling.

But he came here for another reason.

The moment he pushed open the shop door, a piercing electronic sound wave, accompanied by the sound of steel balls colliding, hit him, as if someone had stuffed an old-fashioned television into his ear canal.

Amidst the flashing lights of the pinball machines, a magical girl-themed machine was playing a sweet Japanese voiceover on a loop: "Good luck~ You'll definitely win the grand prize on the next shot~" A pink halo reflected on Bai Ye's taut jawline, making his disgusted expression look comical and distorted.

With a frown, Bai Ye looked around, as if searching for someone in the pachinko parlor.

However, all that could be seen were colorful pinball machines. In this cramped space, not only could Bai Ye only see with his naked eyes at this moment, but even if he used his clairvoyance ability after transforming, he would not be able to cover the entire room without occupying a high place.

Moreover, the pachinko parlor was so noisy that Bai Ye couldn't hear anyone around him talking. All he could hear was the clatter of marbles rolling in the game machine and the various music sounds that the pachinko machine made when a prize was won, which made him feel irritable.

"Tsk... Since we're already here, let's give the pachinko voucher we won last time a try."

Bai Ye, who was squinting from the noise, changed her approach and decided to wait and see.

The items drawn from the transformation system, like the power gained from transformation, have a "compatibility" attribute. Therefore, Bai Ye doesn't need to worry about issues like his vouchers only being usable at certain pachinko parlors.

Bai Ye scanned the store and found a slightly more spacious spot. Perhaps because it was in a corner, there were two empty machines there.

"A magical girl-themed pinball machine? Looks like even pachinko parlors know that money can be made from anime and manga."

Looking at the pinball machine with its cute girly paint job, Bai Ye muttered to himself as he stuffed the crumpled voucher into the banknote slot.

The voucher that Bai Ye inserted did not cause any abnormality in the pinball machine. Just like receiving real banknotes, the pinball machine immediately started playing pleasant music, and the colorful mechanical lights lit up along with the girl's coquettish voice.

"So where should I press? Here?" Completely unfamiliar with pinball machines, Bai Ye tapped the edge of the screen with his finger, his knuckles touching a layer of sticky grease—whether it was sweat left by the previous player or the remnants left by some cursed spirit, he didn't know. With a clattering sound, countless small steel balls began to surge down from the top of the machine, and the magical girl's illustration trembled continuously under the impact of the pinballs.

Bai Ye then watched as hundreds of small steel balls fell towards the pinball machine, blocked by various obstacles along the way, and bounced in strange directions. Faced with this seemingly random but actually predetermined result with the probability firmly controlled by the computer, Bai Ye's evaluation of "pachinko" was only two simple words.

"boring."

Byakuya's luck was always very stable. After losing a thousand yen, Byakuya stared speechlessly at the pinball machine in front of him, having gained nothing.

"It's really boring."

While Bai Ye was trying out the pinball machine with the voucher, a stranger seemed to have entered the pinball machine next to him, which had been empty. He was putting banknotes into the pinball machine while responding to Bai Ye's words.

"But countless office workers would rather escape here after get off work than go home. Humans are really strange, don't you think?"

A discordant sound suddenly rang out amidst the electronic sound effects, like an alarm that would sound when a bug occurs in a game system.

Bai Ye turned his head and saw a young man who looked to be in his twenties standing next to him. He had a face covered with stitches under his medium-length blue hair, and he was wearing a black shirt with a mesh pattern on his upper body and black trousers on his lower body.

Although it was the first time Bai Ye had seen it, its distinctive features allowed Bai Ye to recognize its identity at a glance: a top-tier cursed spirit—a real person.

"Because you are a curse, that's why you wouldn't understand."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ye curled the corner of his mouth and responded sarcastically.

"So you deliberately left the filth in front of the door to lure me here?"

"That's great, it seems you're not averse to communication."

The blue-haired cursed spirit in front of him did not change his expression when he heard Bai Ye's words. Instead, he continued to play the pinball machine by himself. As he spoke, he took out several thumb-sized blue objects from his palm and placed them on the pinball machine like ornaments.

"After all, I've heard that you're the most dangerous sorcerer in the world of sorcery besides Gojo Satoru. I've made quite a few preparations to earn this opportunity to talk to you."

As the blue-haired spirit spoke, it tossed one of the cyan objects toward Bai Ye.

Then, the curse spirit tilted its head to observe Bai Ye's reaction. The sutures bulged slightly as the facial muscles were pulled, like lurking centipedes.

"So, can you tell what they are?"

Bai Ye accepted the item thrown to him by the blue-haired cursed spirit. Looking at the strange object in his hand, about the size of a thumb and resembling a piece of cured meat, Bai Ye, being a transmigrator, naturally understood its true nature.

"Are you happy to have turned someone into this? Is this the only question you came to me about?"

Bai Ye lowered his head, looking at the human body he held in his hand, which had been twisted into a thumb-sized deformity by the blue-haired cursed spirit's magic alteration of the soul. His face, backlit, appeared completely black.

"Haha, as expected of a top-tier expert, you really can tell the difference."

The blue-haired cursed spirit's pinball machine seemed to have won the grand prize. With the girl's laughter inside the machine, a large number of small steel balls poured out of the machine's outlet with a "clattering" sound.

"It seems I'm the luckier one. Should I share some of the prize with you?"

Seemingly somewhat excited, the blue-haired cursed spirit grabbed a handful of small steel balls that had flowed out of the pinball machine and showed them to Bai Ye.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Zhenren. Just a quick question: do you think life comes first, the body or the soul?"