Chapter 189: Victory for the Youth Division
Boses stared at the Mahoraga before him, utterly at a loss for words.
He couldn't kill it.
He couldn't shake it off.
And its combat power was absurdly overwhelming.
After such a prolonged battle, he finally understood the nature of this monster's ability—adaptation, an exceedingly rare and terrifying trait.
Every rotation of the halo behind Mahoraga's back marked its complete adaptation to one of his attacks.
To defeat it, one would need a brand-new technique, powerful enough to kill it in a single strike. Otherwise, victory was impossible.
Unfortunately, he had realized this too late.
Every technique he could use had already been adapted to. At this point, there was no way for him to win.
Noticing the score ticking upward, Boses knew the truth—the outcome of the youth division match was already decided.
There was no chance of a comeback.
Still, losing the youth division wasn't entirely meaningless.
At the very least, he now understood this shikigami's ability.
Tomorrow, in the adult division, if Fushiguro Megumi were to take the field, they could assign a warrior equipped with proper countermeasures.
---
Elsewhere, when Zen'in Kaon finally found Ria, the girl was completely exhausted, slumped against the roots of a massive tree. Her appearance was messy and battered, clearly at her limit.
Meanwhile, the Simurian warrior who had been fighting her was now locked in a furious fistfight—with the inexplicably arrived Todo Joi.
"Best friend!" Todo roared as his fists blurred into afterimages, laughter filling his face like a madman.
"Your punches disappoint me! This can't be all you've got! Unleash your full potential!"
The Simurian warrior's forehead veins bulged.
"Who the hell is your best friend?! Are you insane?!"
He had been on the verge of defeating Ria when this human gorilla suddenly appeared out of nowhere, asking him—of all things—what kind of girl he liked.
He had casually answered, 'big-bodied', and that single sentence seemed to flip some kind of switch.
Since then, Todo had launched into an all-out assault, grinning like a deranged fanatic while pummeling him nonstop.
"Best friend!" Todo shouted again, eyes blazing.
"Let us evolve together!"
No matter what the opponent said, Todo Joi completely ignored the Simurian warrior's protests, immersing himself in the bliss of having "found a best friend."
Watching this scene, Kaon's cheek twitched slightly.
"Doesn't this guy seriously need to see a psychiatrist…?"
After muttering her complaint, she quickly moved to support Ria, checking her condition.
"I'm fine," Ria waved her hand weakly. "I'm just completely exhausted. Sorry… I didn't help much. I kind of dragged everyone down."
"You did your best," Kaon said reassuringly. "And besides—we've already won."
She removed her watch. The score displayed on it showed the Jujutsu side had reached 100 points.
The next second, it ticked up to 101.
The match was officially over.
---
Elsewhere, Gojo Kamui was still locked in an intense battle with his opponent.
"This is it!" he laughed, exhilarated. "I really have to thank you for pushing me this far!"
He raised his arm, forming his fingers into the shape of a gun and aimed at his enemy. Under the crushing pressure of a true special-grade opponent, he finally grasped the deeper essence of cursed energy, stepping into an entirely new realm.
A dark red glow ignited at his fingertip. Terrifying energy gathered, tinting the surrounding world crimson.
Gojo Kamui was ecstatic.
"So this is the Reverse Cursed Technique… The world suddenly feels clearer. Simpler."
At that moment, he felt invincible.
"Cursed Technique Reversal—"
Across from him, the Simurian top-tier warrior sensed real danger.
This attack was no joke.
But before Gojo Kamui could fire his first reversed technique, a loud voice echoed throughout the forest:
"The Youth Division match of the Jujutsu–Simurian Exchange hereby concludes.
Winner—The Jujutsu Sorcerer Team."
The announcement froze everyone in place.
The glow at Gojo Kamui's fingertip slowly faded.
"…We already won?" he muttered.
He'd been so focused on the fight that he hadn't even noticed his team's score surpassing one hundred.
Nearby, Okkotsu Kaguya was in a similar state.
Blood stained his white shirt, yet his wounds were steadily healing.
He looked at his opponent with sincere gratitude.
"Thank you… for holding back."
That battle had finally allowed him to master the Reverse Cursed Technique—something he had been just short of grasping for the entire past month.
"I didn't hold back," the Simurian warrior replied flatly. "You don't need to be modest."
He wasn't lying. He had fought at full strength.
Simurian warriors had no habit of pulling punches. That Okkotsu could last this long—and even awaken an advanced application of cursed energy—was proof of his sheer talent.
---
"So we really lost…" Boses muttered, watching Mahoraga dissolve into shadow. A complex look flickered through his eyes.
"The High Priest was right. Earth's younger generation… is truly formidable."
The number of Earth's sorcerers was far smaller than that of the Simurian people, yet their talent seemed even greater.
"Let's hope you're still alive after tomorrow…" he added quietly, before turning and leaving the battlefield.
With that, Earth secured the first major point of the exchange.
---
Viewing Chamber
"Hahaha! Earth's younger generation is incredible," Dex laughed openly. "I never imagined Boses and the others would lose so thoroughly."
There was no trace of displeasure on his face. On the contrary—the stronger Earth proved itself to be, the happier he seemed.
Beside him, the High Priest narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling faintly without saying a word. Whatever he was thinking remained unreadable.
"Oh, sheer luck, sheer luck," Gojo Satoru said humbly.
Though his tone was modest, his expression practically screamed I told you so, as if he were already looking down on everyone through his nostrils.
Nearby, Principal Yaga covered his face and sighed helplessly, patting Gojo on the shoulder.
So many years had passed, yet aside from speaking a bit more calmly, this man was just as unreliable as ever.
"Ahem," Yaga cleared his throat. "Mr. Dex, High Priest, dinner has been prepared.
Please rest well afterward. The exchange isn't over yet—tomorrow is what truly decides the outcome."
"Excellent," Dex nodded. "Leo, take everyone to dinner first. I have something I'd like to discuss privately with Mr. Gojo."
He deliberately sent the High Priest away.
The High Priest glanced at Dex, then led the Simurian warriors out under the guidance of the Jujutsu sorcerers.
One by one, the Jujutsu side also began to leave.
Before long, only Gojo Satoru and Dex remained in the chamber.
"Mr. Dex," Gojo asked casually, "what did you want to talk to me about?"
Dex's smile slowly faded, replaced by a solemn expression.
"It's about tomorrow's match," he said gravely.
"Mr. Gojo… there are some things I need to tell you."