"Thank you for your hard work, Hanami. Leave the rest to me—"
The moment Jogo stood up, the three people present felt a massive, indescribable cursed energy. This cursed energy pressed down on them like a towering wave. Cold sweat poured down Aoi Todo and Toge Inumaki's faces.
Yuji's pupils shrank slightly.
This guy just now... poured a massive amount of its own cursed energy into the dying Hanami, thereby saving Hanami's life?
Jogo casually raised its hand toward Yuji.
"Ember Insects."
A swarm of mosquito-like insects—each the size of a normal adult human head—rapidly formed beside Jogo. Before Jogo could finish its sentence, they charged right in front of Yuji.
So fast... Almost the same speed as that Naoya Zenin!
But Naoya's speed was extreme because his technique could accelerate—whereas Jogo's own speed was inherently beyond limits.
No time to condense blood armor... Crap, I have to take it head-on!
"Brother!"
CLAP!
Just as the pink-haired boy crossed his arms, subconsciously closed his eyes, and prepared to take Jogo's attack head-on—he felt his world spin in the next second. A crisp clap exploded in his ear.
Aoi Todo clapped instantly, swapping positions with him.
When Yuji opened his eyes again, the sight before him was all the Ember Insects pouncing on Aoi Todo.
The insects' sharp mouthparts pierced Aoi Todo's arms and torso. These Ember Insects then began to glow with an orange-yellow light, releasing all the heat within their bodies the moment they pierced the target—
BOOM—!
"Todo—!"
Each Ember Insect was like a miniature explosive shell. Not only did they attack with explosions, but the sound waves they released could also cause the enemy to fall into a brief coma.
The heat from the explosion sent Aoi Todo flying. He crashed onto the riverbed not far away. White steam rose. Todo's skin instantly charred black under the high temperature, revealing the scarlet muscle texture underneath.
"That's one... although the target was wrong."
The pungent smell of burning flesh filled the air.
Jogo then turned its arm toward Toge Inumaki.
Whoosh—
Crimson flames spewed from its palm. The towering flames transformed into a massive pillar of fire several meters in radius, sweeping toward Toge Inumaki with a momentum that seemed capable of swallowing everything.
"Inumaki-senpai—!"
The towering flames burned so hot that the air began to distort. The river water beneath their feet rapidly evaporated from the high temperature. If this hit, Toge Inumaki would surely die! However, although the range of the flames was wide, their speed was much slower than the Ember Insects. Yuji dove toward Toge Inumaki to the side—
"Get down!"
The moment Yuji tackled Toge Inumaki to the ground, a large pool of fresh blood welled up beside them. Yuji was converting all his cursed energy into blood—the scarlet liquid unfurling like a giant curtain in front of Toge Inumaki.
SPLASH—
The towering flames crashed into the sea of blood. The blood began to boil the moment it contacted the flames. White steam rose from the surface of the blood sea.
The edges of the blood sea quickly began to thin, the white steam growing thicker. The flames seeped in through the weak points of the blood—like a flood about to break through a dam.
After the consumption of several previous battles, Yuji felt the cursed energy in his body bottoming out at a visible rate.
"Inumaki-senpai! Go quickly! Take Todo and leave!"
Yuji gritted his teeth and said to Inumaki.
"...Bonito flakes (No, what about you)?"
"Don't dawdle—I have another way! You guys staying here will only hold me back. Go quickly!"
Yuji roared.
"..."
Toge Inumaki was silent for a while, then finally broke free from Yuji's embrace. After he stumbled to his feet, the flames spewing from Jogo's palm finally stopped. A massive amount of steam enveloped the surroundings, almost completely obscuring their vision.
Taking advantage of the steam blurring their vision, Toge Inumaki pulled down his collar.
"Don't move!"
Jogo had just lowered its hand, preparing for the next round of attacks, when the compelling force of Cursed Speech froze it in place.
"...?"
The curse was stunned. But at the same time, Toge Inumaki spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Pfft! Cough cough cough..."
Toge Inumaki clutched his throat and said to Yuji in a hoarse voice: "Salmon! Tuna mayo (I'll go first! You absolutely must not die!)!"
After finishing this last task, the white-haired boy rushed toward Aoi Todo. He unsteadily hoisted Todo onto his shoulder and ran quickly toward the outside of the barrier.
"Don't worry—I will win!"
Yuji briefly glanced at their retreating figures, then broke into a run—
The time effect of Cursed Speech was only about two short seconds. He had to use this only opportunity created by Toge Inumaki's control over Jogo to strike first with a Black Flash!
BOOM—!
Kicking off the ground fiercely, sending rubble flying, Yuji's body shot toward Jogo like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Jogo's body remained immobile, having not yet broken free from the confinement of Cursed Speech. However...
Just as Yuji raised his fist—the cyan cursed energy burning on it gradually turning pitch-black—
Yuji saw Jogo's mouth curl into a grin, revealing two rows of pitch-black teeth.
At the same time, the pink-haired boy sensed two strong fluctuations of cursed energy from both sides of his body.
Even though its body couldn't move, Jogo could still freely mobilize its cursed energy. So the moment Yuji charged forward, it was ready to counterattack.
From the corner of his eye, Yuji caught sight of two dark red silhouettes bulging from the ground. Two small, curved volcanoes—barely half a person's height—with their craters angled unnaturally, anticipating his charging direction.
The speed was so fast that Yuji had absolutely no way to defend—
BOOM—!!!
The two volcanoes erupted simultaneously.
Crimson magma spewed from the craters, pincer-attacking Yuji from both the left and right sides simultaneously. It instantly covered the pink-haired boy's body.
"..."
Scorching heat.
Crushing him from all directions. A scorching heat that left him nowhere to escape. Yuji felt as if he had been stuffed into an erupting volcano. His skin began to crack under the high temperature. Every inch of skin exposed to the flames crying out in pain.
Amidst the endless flames, he saw Jogo's figure drawing closer and closer—
Jogo sprinted right in front of Yuji. It leaped into the air and kicked him in the face.
BANG!
Yuji's body flew backward out of the flames, crashing into the steam-filled air, then fell heavily to the ground.
The steam generated by the clash of blood and fire earlier hadn't dissipated—but Jogo could pinpoint Yuji's exact location through their respective cursed energy. It continued expressionlessly:
"Sukuna's vessel, you indeed have some skills. To reach the level of exorcising Mahito and Hanami after only being in contact with jujutsu for a few days. No wonder Mahito got beaten into depression by you."
"Perhaps your talent is greater than Mahito's. It's just a pity that your life ends here."
There are still ten minutes left.
Jogo thought to itself.
In that case, it would just heavily injure Yuji Itadori along the way—forcing him to sign a Binding Vow to exchange bodies with Sukuna.
"..."
Yuji didn't answer. He just slowly stood up from the ground. White gas continuously rose from his charred skin, blending into the surrounding steam. He looked like an iron block just taken out of a furnace and plunged into cold water.
His school uniform had completely turned into tattered rags hanging off him. His skin surface was covered in charred burn scars.
"Hah... Hah... Hah..."
Every breath felt like sandpaper scraping back and forth in his trachea. The inhaled air carried the residual scorching heat of the flames. The exhaled breath was mixed with a faint smell of blood.
The operation of the Reverse Cursed Technique had completely stopped. It wasn't that he didn't want to use it—his cursed energy had completely bottomed out.
To be able to freely operate the Reverse Cursed Technique, Yuji would have to wait until he had eaten at least eight or nine fingers.
Yuji lowered his head, looking at his slightly trembling hands. The backs of his hands were covered in burn scars. The skin on his knuckles cracked open. The flesh underneath was a charred mess.
Five days. From his rebirth to now, it had only been five days.
He was confident he could recover his peak strength within half a year... No, maybe he didn't even need half a year. With the experience and skills accumulated over sixty-eight years, three months would be enough.
But the time left for him now was simply too short.
The gap in time couldn't be made up by experience and skills alone. Sixty-eight years had taught him how to become stronger quickly—but knowing how was one thing. The physical gap couldn't be bridged. Just like computer hardware unable to support software that requires massive processing power.
Most of the cursed energy provided to Yuji by Sukuna's fingers had been absorbed by Sukuna.
When Yuji ate the first finger, he only went from an ordinary person to being able to see cursed spirits. Back then, condensing a small blood orb was very strenuous for him. Up until now, he had only eaten four fingers.
His cursed energy was completely exhausted.
Like the most delicious, high-end cake shop—looking empty near closing time—it was inevitably disappointing.
"Hah... Hah... Hah..."
But he still had a chance. Gojo-sensei was outside the barrier. He just needed to hold out for about ten minutes, and Satoru Gojo would be able to break the barrier.
As long as he did that...
Yuji suddenly felt his vision go dark.
When he came back to his senses, beneath him was no longer the ground by the riverbank—but a pool of scarlet water. Only, he wasn't stepping on the water's surface. He was sitting on a small hill made of cattle and sheep skulls.
"Hey, brat."
Yuji turned his head and found Sukuna sitting next to him.
"Sukuna? Why did you suddenly pull me in here?"
This time, he hadn't actively faded his consciousness. Sukuna had pulled him in.
Yuji was surprised. Usually, when he fought, Sukuna would just watch silently from within his body—never interfering or disturbing him. So now, the pink-haired boy didn't quite understand Sukuna's intention.
The two were sitting side-by-side on the pile of bones.
"Brat, it looks like you're going to lose."
A smile hung on Sukuna's face. He was crossing his legs, resting his chin on one hand, his crimson eyes glancing sideways at him.
"Not necessarily." Yuji shook his head. "I just need to buy time. Gojo-sensei will break the Curtain soon."
"Buy time?"
Sukuna repeated the phrase. His tone was somewhat disgusted. "That kind of fighting style—clinging to life—is too boring. That's not what I want to see."
"Your cursed energy manipulation is much finer than that volcano head's, and your understanding of innate techniques is better too. You crush it in almost every aspect—but because of your lack of cursed energy reserves, you're being beaten to a pulp by it. Aren't you unwilling to accept this?"
"Truly disappointing, brat."
Sukuna raised an eyebrow, then shook his head to himself.
Yuji was silent for a moment, then spoke. "What exactly do you want?"
"Hehe."
Sukuna chuckled, shifting his position on the pile of bones to cross his other leg.
"How about I lend you my cursed energy?"
"...?"
Yuji was stunned. He looked at Sukuna's face—which was exactly the same as his own—and finally shook his head. "No need."
The boy's voice was calm.
"Sukuna, I don't need to borrow your power."
In his past life, when the fledgling Yuji Itadori fell into desperate straits, he would think about letting Sukuna out to face the enemy. Back then, he was too weak. So weak that when facing a Special Grade curse, he could only pin his hopes on another, more powerful existence. But now he wouldn't. Sukuna was Sukuna, and he was he. Using someone else's power to fight the enemy was completely meaningless.
"Oh?" Sukuna raised an eyebrow. "Refusing so decisively? I'm not giving it to you for free, stinking brat. You have to pay me."
Sukuna didn't expect Yuji to answer him like that.
He raised his arm and put it around Yuji's shoulders.
"Don't you want to exorcise those two curses? If you exorcise those two guys, who knows how many humans will be saved."
After Sukuna finished speaking, a hint of hesitation flashed in Yuji's eyes.
Sukuna caught that momentary wavering. The curve of his mouth widened a bit more.
"One finger. I'll only give you the cursed energy of one finger."
Sukuna held up one finger. "In exchange. First—starting today, for the next year, you have to give me control of the body for two hours every night. I want to play games. Watching you play, you stinking brat, is too infuriating."
After he finished speaking, he held up a second finger.
"Second—every noon, you must take me out to eat desserts. Bring me desserts from the most expensive dessert shops in Tokyo. Don't try to fob me off with cheap stuff."
"That's all."
"If you're willing to agree to these conditions, I'll lend you my power."
Yuji's eyes widened slightly. He looked at Sukuna's smiling face, and a sudden warmth rose in his heart.
"You... are you actually caring about me? Sukuna?"
"...?"
Sukuna's expression froze. A flash of annoyance crossed his face, which then turned into disdain.
"Hmph." He turned his head away. His voice turned cold. "I'm not caring about you, nor am I helping you, stinking brat. It's a transaction. Understand? A transaction."
"Hmm..."
Yuji understood Sukuna's meaning. It seemed his efforts these past few days hadn't been in vain.
A smile also appeared on the boy's face.
"Alright. I agree. But just this once."
"Hehe, whatever. I can't be bothered with your matters either. Did you think I wanted to lend you my power?"
Sukuna snorted coldly and turned his head back.
"Then it's settled. It's a deal."
"Yeah. It's a deal."
The two didn't sign a Binding Vow. Sukuna believed Yuji wouldn't break his promise—and Yuji indeed wouldn't.
After spending these past few days together, an invisible tacit understanding had formed between them.
"Phew—then I'll be going."
"Go on, kid. Show that guy what your potential really is."
"Yeah."
Yuji exhaled a breath of stale air, then closed his eyes. In the blink of an eye, his consciousness returned to reality.
"..."
"Hah... Hah... Hah..."
Jogo stared at the swaying figure not far away.
As a cursed spirit, it also sensed the depleted cursed energy within Yuji's body. From that charred body, probably not even the last dregs of cursed energy could be squeezed out, right? Standing there panting heavily now, he was nothing more than a battered and bruised human.
"Yuji Itadori, aren't you planning to let Sukuna out? If this continues, you really will die by my hands."
"..."
Yuji didn't answer Jogo's question. He looked down at his hands, covered in burn scars.
I originally didn't want to borrow Sukuna's power.
But it couldn't be helped.
Yuji originally would have explicitly refused Sukuna's request—but he suddenly realized he didn't want to reject Sukuna's "enthusiasm."
That incredibly stubborn King of Curses... clearly just wanted to help him, but insisted on talking about "transactions," "payment," and "I'm not caring about you." He was clearly starting to enjoy their time playing games and eating desserts together—but he would die before admitting it.
If Sukuna could truly experience the joys of life, understand that everyone's life has value, and realize that this world isn't just about the strong preying on the weak and doing whatever one pleases—then Yuji would probably be happy for him too.
Therefore, Yuji didn't refuse Sukuna.
"Hoo... Hoo... Hoo..."
Yuji raised his hands, bringing his palms level with his head. He looked at his charred palms.
Pitch-black cursed marks appeared on his skin—extending from the corners of his eyes like two streaks of dried ink, spreading all the way down his jawline.
His heavy panting gradually ceased.
The Reverse Cursed Technique began to operate. The charred burns on his palms faded at a visible rate. White steam rose from his body.
An extremely massive cursed energy filled his limbs and bones.
The boy took a deep breath.
"Come on, Sukuna."
"Let's do this together."
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