The moment both sides locked eyes, the tension in the air thickened to the point where even the faintest movement felt deliberate, as if the world itself had slowed to witness what would unfold next, yet despite that suffocating pressure, Masamichi Yaga still chose to speak and avoid the upcoming confrontation, which was no doubt coming over rushing for each other's throats.
"We don't have to do this, Yoshinobu... you know as well as I do that what those old men are doing is wrong. No matter how big of an insufferable brat Satoru is, it's undeniable that we need Gojo now more than anything to fight whoever erected those barriers." Yaga said with a tense expression.
He had a feeling that his old friend wouldn't listen to him. While there was a big age gap between them, it tended not to matter once you worked together for a significant amount of time.
And that was exactly why, because he knew the man, Yaga had a feeling that no matter what he said, it wouldn't matter.
Gakuganji was too strict and traditional in his view of following rules and orders. If the higher-ups had ordered him to capture or kill either of them, it's most likely Yoshinobu Gakuganji would follow through with that.
But still, he tried. Yaga tried his best.
He told him to stand down, to think about what he was doing, to understand that this was not the way forward, but the old man did not budge even slightly, his expression unmoved and his stance firm, as though he had already accepted the consequences of his actions long before arriving here.
"Regardless of the consequences, Masamichi... I will carry my order. I hope you understand." That calm reply explained his stance completely. Yoshinobu Gakuganji was loyal to the higher-ups.
And even Yaga understood that, the old man was merely following orders, something he had been doing his whole life. Yaga didn't expect the old man to change his ways at this age.
"I understand." Yaga nodded, he really did.
This all was the will of the higher authorities. Something inside me tightened with irritation, and my gaze shifted toward Noritoshi Kamo, who stood beside the old man with the same unwavering resolve, already knocking another arrow infused with his blood and cursed energy as if words held no meaning in this situation.
I was finally starting to figure out what Gojo was trying to change with his presence in the Jujutsu High School and him becoming a teacher of all things.
I could feel that whatever hesitation might have existed had already been buried beneath duty, and that realization alone told me that talking would not change anything.
At least not until I gave them a good beating. At least that's how the talk no jutsu is supposed to work, right? Always after you're done beating the shit out of the enemy, never before.
As soon as the talk between the two principals ended, I took it as a signal to start the battle.
The moment the arrow in Kamo's hand was released, I moved without thinking, my body reacting faster than my thoughts as I twisted just enough for the projectile to pass by, feeling the sharp edge of cursed energy brush past me before it slammed into the ground behind me with enough force to crack the surface.
Those arrows are like homing missiles. They track you all the way in, so avoiding them was extremely hard.
I did not waste time dwelling on it, because another arrow was already coming, and another after that, each one aimed with lethal precision, forcing me to weave, step, and adjust continuously as I closed the distance between us.
"I'll handle him," I said quickly to Yaga, not taking my eyes off Kamo for even a second, because at this point hesitation would only get me killed. "You take care of the old man."
I did not wait for a reply, because by then I was already moving forward at full speed, pushing through the barrage of arrows with nothing but instinct and reflex guiding me, until finally I entered his range and forced the fight into something he could not maintain from a distance.
I lacked long range, had to do something about that sooner or later. But with that said, it wasn't that these arrows of his posed too much danger to me. My reinforcement was good enough to bear with them if they were to stick on me, just in case.
The moment I stepped in close, I drove my fist forward, and he barely managed to block, the impact echoing between us as we transitioned immediately into hand-to-hand combat. Exactly what I wanted.
Noritoshi Kamo visibly shook as he took a single step back at the powerful punch I connected with him. He was able to block in time, but the force was enough to push him back.
That was when I realized just how much I had changed, because despite his skill, despite his precision, I was not falling behind; instead, I was matching him, even pushing him back at times, my movements sharper and more controlled than they had any right to be, every step and strike reflecting the brutal training I had endured under Maki Zenin.
Three days of hell, but it was worth it.
I could feel it in the way my body moved without hesitation, in the way my balance held firm even when he tried to disrupt it, and in the way my attacks forced him to respond rather than dictate the pace himself.
But more than anything, I had learned how to read, or rather predict, my opponent's movements while fighting Maki.
I can't say I can predict her movements, but I was close enough to read her intention a bit, and that was enough. If I can do that with Maki, Kamo here was easy.
"You don't have to do this, you know," I said as our blows collided again, my voice steady despite the intensity of the exchange, because even now I was trying to find a way to end this without crossing a line I could not take back.
I don't know what happened in the story, but I knew almost none of the students in JJK were bad. So I'd rather not kill him if I don't absolutely have to.
It's tempting, since he had Blood Manipulation. However, what kind of man will I be if I start killing aimlessly just for power?
Nah... not doing that. At least not on potential allies.
"We're supposed to be on the same side."
"I have my duty," he replied without hesitation, his tone firm even as he adjusted his stance and pushed back against my advance.
"That duty tells you to kill your own allies?" I shot back, pressing forward again, but this time he did not simply respond with physical skill alone, because I felt the shift in his cursed energy before I saw it.
I saw him finally opening his narrowly slitted eyes completely, at least one of them, and blood marking was clearly visible around that eye. I knew that he was using his technique to speed up his blood, red blood cell division, and blood flow and temperature to give himself a boost.
The technique was called Flowing Red Scale in the anime, and Kamo was also the first one to show us this application of Blood Manipulation.
When he activated his Flowing Red Scale technique, everything about him changed instantly, his speed increasing, his reactions sharpening, and the gap I had managed to create through close combat vanished just as quickly, forcing the fight into a balanced exchange where neither of us held a clear advantage. Our strikes collided in rapid succession, each movement met with an equal counter, and for the first time since the fight began, I felt myself being pushed rather than doing the pushing.
My physical power was my bane, there was only so much I could gain in just three days after all. Sucks, but I have to deal with it. I just poured more cursed energy into my reinforcement to increase my defensive and attacking power.
However, what made it worse was the unpredictability, because in the middle of our exchange, he would suddenly use his Blood Manipulation, launching attacks from angles that disrupted my rhythm entirely, forcing me to react on instinct just to avoid taking a direct hit. It was not just a fight of strength or skill anymore, but one of constant adaptation, where every moment demanded awareness, and every mistake carried real consequences.
But when compared to the enemies I had faced so far back in Shibuya, I honestly couldn't see him posing much threat.
No doubt Kamo was good, but just not that good.
"You're hesitating," he said during one of our clashes, his voice cutting through the noise of impact as he pressed forward with renewed force.
Hesitating, huh…
Well of course I was, but I wouldn't call it hesitation, but more of holding back intentionally. I could end this farce the moment I open my domain, however, that felt a bit like overkill.
Technically, I shouldn't need my domain to fight a semi-grade 1 sorcerer. At least not until I intend to kill the enemy and take his power, which I don't intend here.
And honestly speaking, I don't need it.
All that training under Maki wasn't for nothing, while I didn't learn any game-changing moves or techniques, but oftentimes, it's the subtler improvements which actually make a person strong.
"Yeah," I admitted, blocking another strike while adjusting my footing, because denying it would have been pointless. "Because I don't want to kill you."
"Then you will lose."
For a second, I had a smile plastered on my face, hearing that.
Lose.
Me.
"Nah…"
"I'll win."
He didn't respond and just pushed forward again, I did the same, forcing myself to commit, because hesitation was no longer an option if I wanted to survive this. Our movements accelerated, each exchange faster than the last, until the fight blurred into a constant series of impacts, feints, and counters, yet even then I could feel that I was not quite breaking through.
To be able to break even with a Blood Manipulation user when using Flowing Red Scale was no small feat, and I was no Yuji or Maki to boast a superhuman physique. But I was doing alright.
The monotone sound of flesh hitting flesh continued until my mind started to become numb to everything else outside the fight, focus building with every drop of blood I dodged, every punch or kick I blocked, and every hit I myself landed.
And then, without warning, something aligned in that zone of undisturbed focus.
But suddenly my body, my cursed energy, and my movement synchronized perfectly, as if everything had fallen into place for just a fraction of a second.
I knew the feeling well, had experienced it so many times that I could now tell when it was about to happen, or at least what I needed to deliver it.
A mind solely focused on achieving my goal, and a firm will.
I stepped in, my fist driving forward with absolute precision, and when it connected, the impact was unlike anything before, a distortion rippling through the air as the force multiplied beyond its natural limits.
Space bent, black lightning crackled, and a resounding sound of thunder erupted.
Kamo dodged that attack just fine, but the force wasn't something even his Flowing Red Scale could handle. Blood Manipulation or not, Black Flash was no easy thing for just anyone to tank.
The strike sent him flying backward, his body crashing into the ground with a force that echoed outward, and in that instant, everything changed for me.
I was once again in that zone.
I was already moving to drive my point home that this fight was futile, but it turned out the man was already knocked out.
'Tsk… couldn't even tank a single Black Flash… comparatively, I did much better back when Mahito hit me directly on my f*cking face.' I snarled with irritation.
For a second, disappointment rolled over me, that fight was no fun.
I kind of felt like I was looking at a miniature version of Megumi here.
Both have the most prized technique of their original clan, but both were, I wouldn't say weak, but just disappointing.
Blood Manipulation was such an incredible technique, given to a good and talented user, and one could eventually reach special grade for sure, and what did he do?
Sigh…
For a second, the thought of just taking the technique for myself originated inside me, while I by no means was any sort of jujutsu genius, what I learned was on the edge of the blade and death by pawning my life on the line.
But I was certain I could at least do better than him, the technique would have been much better in my hands.
And as soon as the thought came, I immediately squashed it down, that line of thought was, well, dangerous.
And just as I was in my own world, I heard a loud crashing sound coming from where Yaga was fighting that old man.
My body stiffened, and after sending a last inquiring glance at the now unconscious Kamo heir, I ran back.
Back to Yaga.
xXx
A/N : Okay, there must be two question in all of your mind. First why not use his domain when he could, second why not kill Kamo and take Blood Manipulation.
The second was already explained in the chapter, while MC has no qualms killing enemies, he rather not do it to allies, especially a teenager like him doing what he feel was the right thing by following order.
MC still have a firm code of conduct and bottom line on his actions. Its pretty apparent when he first fought with Jogo to save Maki or later entered into Sukuna's domain to once again save both Maki and Yuki.
Now, if this were someone else, let's say a curse user using their power for wrong reasons, then sure he wouldn't have waited to kill him.
Now, as for why not open his domain, after all its not necessary to kill him after he use his domain, he can always choose to spare the enemies life even inside the domain, and the simple reason was cause now hid domain is a much more costly move for him.
Its consume massive CE and he rather save the damn technique for when he really needs it. And as stated in the chapter, he didn't needed his domain. While he has no special power without his domain, he has grown to the point that he doesn't need any to find a fight against any one under an absolute first grade level.
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