Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

The soft chime of the doorbell echoed through Maki's apartment. She opened the door to find Ryuji standing there, his posture relaxed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Yo," he greeted casually, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Maki stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind him. As Ryuji moved into the living room, his eyes landed on Mai, who sat stiffly on a chair, arms crossed over her chest. Her blank expression betrayed no emotion, but the tension in her posture radiated defiance. She was clearly trying her best to look tough and unbothered.

"So that's why you called me," Ryuji said, glancing back at Maki with a knowing look.

Maki fidgeted under his gaze, avoiding eye contact. She glanced off to the side and muttered, "Yeah."

Ryuji's faint smile grew into a soft chuckle, which only deepened Maki's discomfort. Forcing herself to meet his gaze, she gestured toward Mai.

"This is Mai, my twin sister," she said, her tone firm but tinged with hesitation.

Ryuji nodded, still smiling. "I could tell from the resemblance."

Mai snorted softly but said nothing, her tough exterior firmly in place.

Maki sighed, already exasperated by her sister's attitude. "Please don't mind her," she said apologetically, glancing at Ryuji.

He, however, seemed unfazed. Another chuckle escaped him as he leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry," he said casually. "It's fine."

Though he didn't say it aloud, Ryuji found Mai's tough act amusing. He could see right through her but decided to let it slide for now.

Once the initial awkwardness passed, Maki began explaining what had happened over the past few days. She recounted how she had convinced Mai to leave the Zenin clan and described the confrontation at the compound in detail. She told him about her battle with Ogi, her father, and how she had coldly declared their departure from the family. Her voice was steady and confident, the voice of someone who had fought for and earned her freedom.

Ryuji listened attentively, nodding occasionally. When she finished, he met her gaze with quiet approval. "You did well, Maki. Really well," he said simply. "And don't worry, if the Zenin family tries anything, you've got my full support."

A rare, genuine smile crossed Maki's face. It wasn't often she let her guard down, but Ryuji had a way of making her feel safe—like she didn't have to carry everything on her shoulders alone.

Meanwhile, Mai, who had remained silent up until now, felt strangely out of place. Watching Maki and Ryuji talk so naturally, she couldn't help but feel like an outsider intruding on a private moment. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her gaze flickering between them.

Ryuji noticed immediately. "So, what about her?" he asked, tilting his head toward Mai.

Maki hesitated, her voice softening. "If it's not too much… could you liberate her from the curse too?"

Ryuji's expression didn't change. He leaned back slightly, crossing one leg over the other as he studied Mai for a moment. Then, his lips curled into a faint smile.

"You're mine," he said calmly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "So it's only natural that I take care of your sister too."

Maki's eyes widened slightly at his words, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Meanwhile, Mai clicked her tongue, muttering, "Tch," as she looked away, trying to hide her reaction.

Ryuji motioned for Mai to come closer. "Come here."

Mai froze, her tough-girl façade cracking just a little. She glanced at Maki, who gave her an encouraging nod. Though doubt lingered—about Ryuji, about the curse, about everything—she decided to trust her sister. Without a word, she stood and walked over to where Ryuji sat, stopping just in front of him.

Ryuji reached out and placed a hand on her head, his touch gentle but firm. Mai stiffened slightly, but she didn't pull away.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand. "It's done," he said simply, leaning back as though nothing had happened.

Mai blinked, her voice laced with disbelief. "That's it? Are you sure?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "It happened so fast."

Before Ryuji could respond, Mai suddenly staggered, clutching her chest as a surge of cursed energy coursed through her. The air around her grew heavy, charged with raw power.

Maki's eyes widened as she felt the shift in Mai's aura. It was like night and day. In an instant, Mai's cursed energy had transformed from a barely noticeable trickle to a raging torrent.

Mai gasped, her hands trembling as she tried to process what was happening. The cursed energy flowing through her was overwhelming yet exhilarating.

"I…" Mai whispered, her voice shaking. "I can feel it. The energy…"

Ryuji's faint smile remained as he explained, his tone calm. "It's the opposite of what happened with you, Maki. When I used Idle Transfiguration on you, your cursed energy vanished completely, amplifying your physical abilities. But for Mai…" He gestured toward her. "Her cursed energy has been unlocked, pushed to its natural potential."

Maki stared in astonishment. The cursed energy emanating from Mai was enormous, easily pushing her from Grade 3 to Grade 1, and nearly brushing the edge of Special Grade territory.

Mai, meanwhile, was still trying to comprehend the transformation. For as long as she could remember, she had been held back by her pitifully low reserves of cursed energy, a limitation that made her cursed technique almost useless in combat.

This glaring deficiency had shaped her entire life. It was the reason she turned to marksmanship, honing her skills with a gun to compensate for what her cursed energy lacked. She knew her limitations and had worked tirelessly to make the most of her meager resources, forcing her Construction cursed technique into a supportive role.

But the Construction was not a technique meant to be limited. Mai had always known that deep down. Her cursed technique had one of the highest potential ceilings among all Zenin clan members, a fact she had buried beneath years of frustration and resentment. The cost of activating it, a toll directly on her cursed energy and life force had made it impossible for her to fully explore its true power.

Even so, in the canon, she had proven what it was truly capable of. In the end, she had sacrificed herself to craft a cursed tool for Maki, pouring every ounce of her energy and her life into that final act of defiance against their oppressive family. That was the ultimate expression of Construction's potential: creating something extraordinary, even at the cost of everything.