Chapter 283 King of Curses

In the past, Ryan would have jumped straight into explaining the mission details behind it all. After all, he understood these things better than anyone. But this time, it wasn't necessary.

This mission was his alone. The others didn't need to know the details. Whether they understood or not didn't matter—none of them could participate anyway.

Besides, there was another point to consider.

The group consisted of top Shinobi who were all exceptionally intelligent. Tobirama, Minato, and Kakashi were well-known for their sharp minds, but even those not typically recognized for their intellect were far beyond ordinary people.

And that was no surprise.

To become an elite ninja—to reach the level they had—required far more than just raw talent or physical prowess. Their strategic minds were what set them apart. Even Tsunade, who seemed doomed to lose every gamble, wasn't lacking in intelligence. As the world's best medical ninja, Tsunade had to master an immense breadth of knowledge beyond ordinary shinobi. Medicine wasn't just about herbs and remedies—it required deep expertise in human anatomy and precise chakra control. Her losses weren't due to poor judgment, but simply terrible luck.

And right now, as the conversation unfolded, it was clear they were already piecing together the truth.

The strength of this so-called "Cursed King," Sukuna, was beyond anything they had faced before.

Ryan was curious—how much had they already figured out?

At that moment, Kakashi spoke up, his voice calm and analytical.

"Look at these two missions," he said, drawing everyone's attention. "The first one involves collecting all of this guy's fingers. The second one is about awakening and defeating him."

He paused for a moment, letting the implications settle.

"In other words, this guy was sealed away," he continued. "Someone—or something-went—went to great lengths to keep him locked out of the world. That's why we never encountered him before. Our previous missions were all about dealing with active threats. But this… this is different. He wasn't just some enemy we missed. He was something else entirely—something that was never meant to see the light of day."

A heavy silence followed Kakashi's words as everyone absorbed the weight of the revelation.

If Sukuna had been sealed away all this time, then the fact that he was surfacing now could only mean one thing—something had changed. And whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

Everyone present nodded in agreement.

Tobirama was the first to break the silence, his voice sharp and analytical. "Sealing is always a last resort. If they locked him away instead of eliminating him, that means killing him wasn't an option."

Minato folded his arms, a frown forming on his face. "Or worse... they thought they had eliminated him, only for him to resurface centuries later. If his power lingered even after death, that would explain why his remains were scattered instead of destroyed."

Minato sighed, his expression grim. "For a threat to endure beyond an era, it must have been beyond what any Jujutsu Sorcerer of that time could handle. And now, it's our problem."

Tsunade scoffed, cracking her knuckles. "Tch. I've seen plenty of so-called sorcerers get themselves killed messing with curses they had no business handling. If this Sukuna freak is still around, then Ryan just needs to blast him for good."

Hashirama, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, his voice unusually serious. "Even I don't like the sound of this. If sealing him was the only choice, it means he wasn't just strong—he was similar to the tailed beast."

Madara smirked, eyes glinting with interest. "Hmph. A tailed beast, you say? Now this is getting interesting."

Kakashi exhaled, shaking his head. "I was hoping for a little less enthusiasm."

The conversation erupted with speculation as everyone spoke at once.

Ryan listened, slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected them to piece it together so quickly.

They had correctly deduced that Sukuna had been sealed rather than killed, meaning that even with all the power available at the time, eliminating him outright hadn't been an option. That alone spoke volumes about his strength.

"As expected of the shinobi who can become Hokage," Ryan thought to himself.

A heavy silence fell over the group, and Ryan could feel their gazes turning toward him. At first, it was subtle—Hashirama tilting his head, Naruto crossing his arms, and Tsunade tapping her fingers impatiently against her bicep. Then came the pointed stares from Tobirama and Madara, the two least inclined to tolerate delays.

"He knows something."

Ryan could practically hear their thoughts without them saying a word. It wasn't just suspicion—it was certainty. They had worked alongside him long enough to recognize the signs.

Madara crossed his arms, a rare smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're quieter than usual, Ryan. Don't tell me you're enjoying watching us struggle to figure it out."

Tsunade leaned forward slightly, golden eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Alright, enough messing around. You obviously know something, so stop keeping us in suspense." There was no irritation in her voice—just genuine interest.

Road to Ninja, Tsunade rolled her eyes but smirked. "You really like making us work for it, huh? Fine, I'll bite—what's the big reveal?"

Hashirama chuckled, shaking his head. "Ryan, come on! You can't just drop hints and leave us hanging like this. Spill it already!"

A chorus of voices demanded answers, their curiosity evident.

Ryan chuckled, shaking his head. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"I have to say," he began, "you're all exactly what I'd expect from the shinobis of Konoha. When it comes to intelligence, you're in a league of your own."

He smirked. "Honestly, your guesses are already about ninety percent correct."

The group exchanged knowing looks, smug expressions appearing on their faces.

Hashirama grinned, his usual carefree confidence shining through. "Of course. We are Hokage, after all." There was no arrogance in his voice—just the simple truth spoken with the ease of a man who had earned his place at the top.

Tobirama folded his arms, nodding in agreement. "You don't make it to the top without some serious skill." His tone was sharp, matter-of-fact, as if stating an undeniable law of nature.

Minato let out a small chuckle, his sharp blue eyes glinting with amusement. "Did you really think we wouldn't figure it out?" There was a warmth to his words, a quiet confidence that made it clear—he had never doubted their ability to piece things together.

Despite their half-joking tone, there was a quiet confidence behind their words. They had seen and overcome countless impossible situations before. This was just another puzzle to solve.

The lighthearted banter faded, and Ryan shifted gears, his expression turning serious. It was time to explain.

"Ryomen Sukuna," Ryan began, his voice steady. "He's considered the strongest being in the entire world of Jujutsu Sorcery."

That alone was enough to make the Hokage present widen their eyes in surprise.

"But," Ryan continued, "no one truly knows the full extent of his power. After all, over a thousand years ago, in that world, Sukuna was a sorcerer so powerful that even among the strongest, none could rival him. Upon death, he became a Cursed Spirit, earning the enduring title of King of Curses."

A murmur of shock rippled through the group.

"A thousand years ago, and he was already at the top?" Hashirama muttered, crossing his arms. "That's not just powerful—that's on the level of a Tailed Beast."

"Maybe even beyond," Tobirama added, his brow furrowing. "Even the Tailed Beasts were once part of the Ten-Tails. Their strength is immense, but they were never human to begin with. This Sukuna… he started as a sorcerer."

"Yet he's still around," Minato said grimly. "Not even the strongest shinobi live for a thousand years. Not without unnatural means."

Madara scoffed, arms folded. "A monster like that reminds me of the Tailed Beasts before we controlled them. A force of nature, beyond human limitations."

Tsunade, the one from Ryan's world, cracked her knuckles. "Then the question is—how do we put this one down?"

The Road to Ninja, Tsunade smirked. "Simple. The same way we handle any rampaging beast. Beat it into submission—or seal it away forever."

The weight of Ryan's words settled over them. It was one thing to face strong enemies, but a legendary figure from a thousand years ago, one who couldn't even be killed, was another matter entirely.

"It makes sense now," Tobirama mused. "They couldn't kill him, so they sealed him instead."

Ryan gave a small nod but then shook his head. "That's part of the story," he corrected, "but not the whole truth."

The Hokage leaned in, their curiosity piqued.

"Sukuna wasn't just powerful," Ryan explained. "He was at the absolute peak of existence even back then—a terrifying entity with two faces and four arms, like an Ashura from legend."

He paused, letting the imagery sink in before continuing.

"But the world of sorcery in that era was far stronger than it is today. Jujutsu techniques were at their peak, and sorcerers as a whole were significantly more powerful than modern ones."

"And yet," Ryan added, his voice dropping slightly, "even in such an era, when countless sorcerers banded together to challenge him… they all failed."

A heavy silence followed his words.

"Then… how did he die?" Minato finally asked.

Ryan's expression remained unreadable. "No one knows," he admitted. "But what we do know is that after his death, his body didn't just decay. His immense power remained, and his twenty fingers turned into special-grade cursed objects—each sealed separately and scattered across the world."

Another silence filled the room, this one heavier than before. The implications were clear.

A being too strong to be killed. A power so immense that it lingered even after death. And twenty remnants of that power, locked away for a reason.

"A normal Kage-level shinobi shouldn't even think about facing him," Tobirama stated, his expression dark. "Even the strongest among us would be risking their lives."

Hashirama exhaled slowly, his usual carefree demeanor absent. "I've fought gods before. I've seen monsters. But if what you're saying is true, Sukuna isn't just powerful—he's something unnatural. Something wrong."

Madara smirked, though there was no amusement in his eyes. "A being that can't be killed… If he existed in our time, the world would've united just to take him down."

As Ryan finished speaking, a heavy silence filled the room. Then, one by one, the Hokage reacted, their expressions filled with astonishment.

Tobirama folded his arms, his sharp gaze narrowing. "This is beyond extraordinary… If even a fraction of what we've heard is true, then we're dealing with something far outside the norm."

Minato nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah… So, compared to that era, modern Jujutsu techniques are underdeveloped? It sounds like sorcery back then was at a level we can't even imagine."

Hashirama let out a low whistle. "Hard to picture what the world must've been like when sorcery was at its peak. If this Sukuna guy was already the strongest back then, that's terrifying."

Road to Ninja, Tsunade leaned back with a scoff. "An existence like that… It's almost unfathomable. Makes the Tailed Beasts look tame by comparison."

Madara crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. "She's right. The Tailed Beasts possess overwhelming raw power, but they lack the precise control a shinobi has over their chakra. They don't need it. Their strength alone is enough to crush most foes."

His eyes glinted with interest as he continued, "But that's also their limitation. They can't mold their chakra into complex techniques the way humans do. They rely on instinct and brute force, whereas a true shinobi—one with absolute mastery—can shape their power into something far more refined… and far more dangerous."

The room grew heavier with the weight of their thoughts.

"But…" the original Tsunade mused, her fingers drumming against the table. "How did someone like him die?"

It didn't make sense. A being with such overwhelming vitality… dying just like that? Unlikely.

Even a thousand years after his death, just his severed fingers contained enough power to remain as special-grade cursed objects. Strong enough to house fragments of his consciousness. Strong enough that, if gathered, they could bring him back to life.

Simply put, there was no way Sukuna had died of natural causes.

Hashirama folded his arms, his usual easygoing expression giving way to something more serious. "That reminds me of how we handled the Tailed Beasts. When something is too strong to kill outright, sealing it away becomes the only option. It seems these Jujutsu sorcerors agree with my method of handling the tailed beast,"

Minato nodded in agreement. "If Sukuna's power remained intact even after his death, then whoever stopped him must have gone beyond simply defeating him. They had to make sure he never returned." His eyes narrowed slightly. "That kind of sealing technique… It must have been on a Level Eight Trigrams Seal."

Tsunade exhaled, shaking her head. "And yet, here Ryan got a mission to take him down, talking about him like he's a problem we have to deal with now. That means something went wrong."

Madara smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Or maybe… someone was foolish enough to undo the work of those before them. Either way, it doesn't change the outcome." His gaze flickered toward Ryan.

They weren't wrong. Among humans, there were always outliers—beings that defied logic, warriors who reached realms beyond comprehension. And if such an individual had existed, that person would have been Sukuna's greatest threat.

With the discussion reaching its natural end, Ryan stretched and got to his feet.

"Alright," he said casually, cracking his knuckles. "That's enough talk. It's time to complete my missions." He turned toward the exit, a confident grin spreading across his face.

"I'm going to put an end to Sukuna myself." A glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. "I wonder how strong he is… I hope he doesn't disappoint me."

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