The underground experimental area of the Oriental Folklore Research Institute.
Eichi was listening to an old professor report on the latest research progress.
"Speak in plain language."
After listening to the old professor drone on for over ten minutes with incomprehensible jargon, Eichi finally couldn't take it anymore.
Interrupted by Eichi, the old professor paused, subconsciously looking at Eichi's clear yet foolish... bewildered eyes.
"My apologies, I forgot you haven't even gone to university yet. I got a bit carried away and used a lot of technical terms."
The old professor scratched his head, a little embarrassed. Not only was Eichi the benefactor who provided their research funding, but he also realized he had been treating a child as an equal in conversation.
When Gojo and Geto weren't around, Eichi often displayed a maturity beyond his age. Coupled with his rapid development, if it weren't for Eichi's still-tender face, no one would have taken him for a child.
He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, 'If you count my previous life, I might not be younger than you,' but then he thought, 'Wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?'
Eichi reluctantly closed his mouth.
This scene made the old professor chuckle happily, evidently interpreting Eichi's attempted retort as a child being stubborn.
"Simply put, we've discovered a property of Cursed Energy: Cursed Energy is idealistic."
After saying this, the old professor's body trembled slightly.
This old professor originally conducted research on energy weapons, but later, due to a directive from Japan's 'dad,' Japan had to cut many projects.
The old professor's research project also saw a significant reduction in funding.
Disheartened, the old professor chose to retire and enjoy his golden years.
When Eichi unexpectedly received the news, a strange idea immediately popped into his mind.
Energy? Weapons?
Cursed Energy should be considered a form of energy, a type of energy for individual combat. cursed tools are weapons that use this energy.
This idea lingered in Eichi's mind. Later, Eichi simply prepared a pair of glasses, identical to Maki 's, that allowed ordinary people to see Cursed Spirits, and went to visit.
The old professor, idle and bored at home, was very frustrated. When cooking, he either cut potatoes too thick or cut his hand. When cleaning, he left watermarks everywhere and accidentally broke a vase.
Under his wife's disapproving gaze, the old professor could only drink tea and read the newspaper every day.
Go out and have fun?
Having spent his entire life in research, the old professor didn't know what to do for fun.
His children had their own work, and he didn't want to bother them.
At this time, a strange young man approached him, showing him a world he had never encountered before.
This immediately piqued the old professor's interest.
After an in-depth conversation with Eichi, the old professor immediately agreed to help Eichi with Cursed Energy research.
Initially, Eichi was very happy, until he saw the equipment procurement list handed to him by the old professor.
Trembling, he pulled out the bank card Gojo had given him back then. Looking at the balance, Eichi, who hadn't smoked since his Rebirth, suddenly wanted to light a cigarette to calm down.
This was also why Eichi started taking on numerous Cursed Spirit exorcism requests.
Scientific research really burns through money, but fortunately, Cursed Spirit exorcism also brings in money quickly.
After discussing the equipment with his subordinates, Eichi directly called Gojo .
There was no other way; some items were restricted, and others required connections.
Once the equipment was complete, many assistants were also found. Eichi didn't have to worry about this; the old professor gathered the people himself.
Several Grade 4 Cursed Spirits were captured for research, several sets of Cursed Spirit restraint devices were purchased, and two low-level Jujutsu Sorcerers were hired to manage the Cursed Spirits.
After all these procedures, the money spent made Eichi almost want to throw his hands up and quit.
"Cursed Energy is inherently idealistic, isn't it? Otherwise, how would we control them?"
Eichi looked at the old professor, somewhat speechless.
You spent all that money just to figure this out?
Hearing this, the old professor sighed softly.
"Yes, Cursed Energy is inherently idealistic. How can those of us who have studied materialism our entire lives cope with this?"
After speaking, the old man, a little disheartened, stroked the Jade Hounds beside Eichi.
The worldview and values he had believed in for decades were shattered like this, and it took the old professor a considerable amount of time to adapt.
"You can see them now?"
Eichi was somewhat surprised. Although the old professor was wearing glasses, they were for nearsightedness, not the cursed tool glasses used to observe Cursed Spirits.
"Exactly, that's also why I just said Cursed Energy is idealistic."
"Once I subjectively understand Cursed Energy, I can gradually observe it."
Eichi was a bit skeptical. If truly understanding Cursed Spirits allowed one to observe them, then why did Maki in the original story still need to wear glasses to observe Cursed Spirits?
Having received education related to Cursed Spirits and having slain numerous Cursed Spirits, would you dare say Maki didn't understand Cursed Spirits?
He summoned Enka from his shadow. Sure enough, the old professor didn't notice the additional shikigami in front of him.
It was the Jade Hounds' actions that made the old professor notice something unusual.
"Judging by the little guy's reaction, have you summoned a new shikigami?"
"Exactly. If, as you say, understanding Cursed Energy allows one to see Cursed Spirits and shikigami, then why can't you see Enka?"
"Because I don't know Enka's appearance, size, or the nature of its Cursed Energy. My mind cannot imagine what Enka looks like, so naturally, I cannot observe it. As for the Jade Hounds' appearance, I knew it the first time we met."
Hearing this, Eichi recalled Nanami teaching Yuji Itadori to observe residual Cursed Energy in the original story.
The residual Cursed Energy was there, but Yuji Itadori couldn't see it before Nanami taught him; after Nanami taught him, Yuji Itadori could see it.
"Young man, do you know about Schrödinger's Cat?"
"I've heard of it."
"You can research that if you have time. Now, let's look at my research results."
With that, the old professor led Eichi to a laboratory.
Inside the laboratory was a metal box, and a Grade 4 Cursed Spirit, radiating cold, was confined within it.
"Matsushita-kun, begin."
"Yes, Professor."
With that, the researcher named Matsushita flipped a switch.
The space inside the box seemed to fluctuate slightly. Eichi could see a slight distortion in the air inside the box.
The Grade 4 Cursed Spirit, radiating cold, began to howl in pain.
"What is this?"
"A type of electromagnetic wave."
"Electromagnetic wave?"
"Exactly. You can understand it as us heating the experimental device using this electromagnetic wave."
"Induction cooker?"
No, that thing inside was a box.
"Microwave oven?"
...It's different, but if you want to understand it that way, it's fine."
Seemingly noticing Eichi's confusion, the old professor continued.
"At first, we had a question: why can Cursed Spirits clearly penetrate matter yet also cause physical damage to it?"
Eichi recalled the Cursed Spirit at the beginning of the story that phased through the ceiling and wall to injure Megumi Fushiguro, and then the Cursed Spirit that appeared through a wall but grabbed a child to threaten Nobara.
"When a young researcher proposed the idealistic viewpoint, we quickly verified it and found that Cursed Spirits also observe themselves through this 'idealistic' method."
"It believes it can pass through walls, so it passes through walls. It believes it can touch, so it touches. Later, we even conducted a test: a researcher without cursed tool glasses shot directly through a Cursed Spirit, but an observer wearing glasses shot, and the bullet made a hole in the Cursed Spirit's head."
"This made us even more convinced that Cursed Spirits and Cursed Energy exist in an idealistic form."
"However, this idealism has significant limitations; it cannot exceed their cognition, otherwise, the Cursed Spirit will be unable to maintain its body and will collapse."
"Through research on the residual Cursed Energy left after a Cursed Spirit dissipates, we discovered the special energy that constitutes Cursed Spirits."
"Later, we began to research this special energy and found a way to interfere with it."
"For example, this Cursed Spirit."
The old professor pointed to the Cursed Spirit in the laboratory, which had already begun to dissipate.
"According to the Cursed Spirit catalog you gave me, this Cursed Spirit was born from people's aversion to severe cold. Through repeated research, we found that by observing it and subjecting it to... electromagnetic heating, we can destabilize its energy structure and thus kill it."
After thinking about it, the old professor still gave up on using technical terms and explained it using Eichi's concept of a microwave oven.
"Without using Cursed Energy?"
"Without using Cursed Energy."
Hearing the old professor's affirmative reply, and also because he indeed didn't see any Cursed Energy fluctuations in this large "microwave oven," Eichi believed him.
They had indeed found a way to cause harm to Cursed Spirits scientifically, without using Cursed Energy.
Regardless, this was a good start.