Staring at the resurrected Satoru Gojo, Toji Fushiguro was so stunned that he momentarily forgot his own plan to retreat. "Reverse Cursed Technique?"
"Correct. The moment you pierced my throat, I gave up on counterattacking and poured every ounce of my energy into Reverse Cursed Technique."
Satoru felt as though he had achieved a state of transcendence. Even facing the opponent who had nearly killed him, he didn't hold back on the explanation. "Cursed energy is negative energy. While it can strengthen the body, it can't regenerate it. So, you multiply negative energy by negative energy to create a positive. That is Reverse Cursed Technique."
"It sounds easy, but I could never pull it off before. The two people around me who can do it always sound like they're talking nonsense when they try to teach it. I couldn't understand a word."
"You talk too much," Toji muttered. He only half-understood the explanation and was growing impatient, yet he remained politely in place for Gojo to finish. In a clash between masters, a sneak attack like the one Hasegumo pulled earlier was just tacky. He stood there, expressionless, but inwardly he thought: Is this kid high?
"But in the throes of death, I grasped the core of cursed energy." Satoru's voice grew more elated, his eyes no longer even tracking his opponent but staring up at the sky. "The reason you failed was because you didn't cut off my head. And when you stabbed me in the brain, you didn't use that cursed tool."
"Wait, so that knife could actually bypass his technique?"
Hasegumo was standing nearby, unable to get a word in edgewise. Listening to Gojo's grandiose explanation, he finally started to piece things together. "The thing you're talking about? I already smashed it," he said, pointing to the debris on the ground to remind them he was still there.
He couldn't help but wonder: Is this guy really that strong? He actually managed to push Satoru Gojo to the brink of death? Why did he seem so much easier to handle when I fought him?
In the world of jujutsu, battles between sorcerers and curses often come down to "compatibility" unless one possesses the overwhelming power of someone like Saitama. It wasn't uncommon for the weak to defeat the strong if their techniques or styles were a perfect hard counter.
To be truly "Strong," one had to be the best in their field while maintaining the versatility to handle any situation. Superior tactical thinking, peak physical conditioning, vast cursed energy reserves, refined energy control, and deep mastery of one's technique—in the jujutsu world, mastering even two of these five pillars earned one the title of a powerhouse.
Having returned from the brink of death, Satoru Gojo was now a top-tier contender in all five. Even he felt that he was terrifyingly powerful at this moment.
"The reason I lost?" Toji looked at him and drew the Split Soul Katana. "The fight is only just beginning."
Toji, who had decided to flee just minutes ago, drew his weapon once more, ready to face two powerhouses simultaneously.
"Is that so? I guess... maybe it is." His voice reaching a fever pitch, Satoru laughed manically, spreading his arms wide and leaving himself completely exposed to Toji.
Seeing this, Hasegumo didn't join the fray. Instead, he opted to be a spectator. He found a nearby rock and sat down cross-legged.
He had two reasons for staying out of it: First, while Hasegumo loved fighting strong opponents, he had little interest in those he had already defeated. Even though Toji had nearly slipped away earlier, the scales of victory had already tipped completely in Hasegumo's favor. If they kept fighting, Toji's defeat was inevitable.
Second, Satoru had nearly died. While Hasegumo couldn't fully empathize, he could tell Satoru's current mental state was... concerning. It wasn't his usual flighty self. Being "solo-killed" must have been a massive blow to his ego; letting Satoru handle Toji alone would probably help him find some peace of mind.
While Hasegumo was overthinking things, Satoru didn't feel anything was "wrong." On the contrary, he felt wonderful. Facing Toji's overhead slash, he didn't dodge or block. He simply leveled his right hand like a pistol.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"
A sphere of dark-red cursed energy collided with the tip of the blade. As if meeting no resistance at all, the Split Soul Katana was instantly vaporized. Though Toji had anticipated that his weapon might be destroyed and let go just in time to dodge, the speed of "Red" far exceeded his calculations.
"What a monster," Toji muttered, glancing at his now-missing right arm. He turned to Hasegumo. "Well, look at that. Now I'm just like you."
"Huh?" Hasegumo thought this guy was impressive in a twisted way—nearly dead and still making jokes. "Not quite." He pointed to his own left shoulder. "You lost 'Righty.' For a man, the significance of the right hand is... well, it's not that simple."
Satoru, having fired the Red, didn't seem to care about his opponent's condition. Supported by the Limitless, he floated horizontally in the air, limbs spread wide as if embracing the universe.
"Sorry, Riko. I'm not even angry for you right now," he whispered, looking at the sunset clouds. "I don't hate anyone. Right now, the world just feels... wonderful."
A bird drifted slowly across the sky, reflected in the crystalline blue of the Six Eyes. Pointing one finger to the heavens and the other to the earth, a golden radiance erupted behind him, momentarily blinding both Hasegumo and Toji.
Satoru Gojo uttered the legendary words: "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one."
In this moment, he felt exactly as Hasegumo had when he first mastered his Maximum Technique: as if the entire world revolved around him. It was the pure mental satisfaction that came with a massive leap in strength.
He looked down at Toji, who still hadn't given up. Toji had pulled out another unknown cursed tool, attached it to a chain, and was swinging it toward him.
"The downside of a technique passed down through generations is that it comes with an instruction manual. The details are easily leaked. This guy knows my technique well." Debris was frozen in the air before him, blocked by the neutral Limitless.
Satoru's thumb rested gently over his index and middle fingers. "But this... even in the Gojo clan, only a tiny handful of people know about it."
He began to coalesce cursed energy at his fingertips. "Lapse and Reversal. Bringing two infinities together to create imaginary mass... then pushing it out."
"Hollow Purple."
"Something's wrong." Feeling something terrifying hurtling toward him, Toji's pupils dilated.
"I don't work for free. Usually, I'd have said something like that and ditched."
"But, looking at this awakened Limitless user—likely the strongest sorcerer of this era..."
"I wanted to deny him. I wanted to crush him."
"The Zen'in clan that rejected me, the jujutsu world, and the very peak of it all."
"In order to validate myself, I twisted my true nature."
"In that moment... I had already lost."
The Chain of a Thousand Miles fell limply from his hand. The right side of Toji Fushiguro's torso had been completely erased by the Hollow Purple. He looked at his blood-stained left hand. Hadn't I already thrown away my pride?
I chose the path of respecting neither myself nor others.
"Any last words?" Satoru asked, looking at the man who had nearly killed him. He decided to be gracious enough to listen to a final cry.
He expected curses, mockery, or perhaps regret.
"None." Toji, having made peace with his death, seemed to remember something. "In two or three years, my kid will be sold to the Zen'in clan. Do whatever you want with that."
He stood there, perfectly still. The story of the Sorcerer Killer reached its end.
"I guess from now on," Hasegumo stood up and walked over, trying to lighten the heavy mood, "the title of 'Strongest Physical Body' in the jujutsu world belongs to me."
Satoru looked at him with a look of inexplicable disgust. Being around this guy made his "cool factor" vanish instantly. He turned his head away, ignoring him.
"Riko..."
Suguru Geto burst through the barrier, covered in grime and blood. He looked at the dead Toji Fushiguro, momentarily lost for words.
"She's here." The mood-killer Hasegumo held out Chobo. "This thing's stomach can hold a lot."
"You're late, Suguru." Seeing his friend was bloody but stable, Satoru felt like himself again. "Actually, you're pretty fast. Where's Shoko?"
"I was worried about the fighting catching her. After she healed me, I left her with Haibara." Suguru took Chobo gently, pulled Riko Amanai's body from its mouth, and lowered his head. "It's too late. We failed."
"It was my mistake. Not yours." Satoru took the girl from his arms. "Should we go kill the Star Religious Group people? Right now, I don't think I'd feel anything doing it."
"No. There's no point." Suguru didn't look at him as he spoke, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself. "The Star Religious Group is mostly non-sorcerers. The masterminds who actually understand the jujutsu world won't be there waiting for us."
"A point? Do we really need one of those?" Satoru turned and walked back toward the barrier.
"Of course. For a sorcerer, it's absolutely necessary." Suguru's voice grew so faint it was almost inaudible.
"Kids these days... so dramatic."
While Suguru and Satoru were having their moment, Hasegumo realized neither of them wanted to talk to him. Being the sensible person he was, he didn't say a word and simply slipped away.
Back inside the barrier, he confirmed with Masamichi Yaga that there were no other intruders. He dragged Nanami back to the dorms, called over Shoko and Haibara, and soon the four of them were lined up in lounge chairs, enjoying the "sinful" comforts of modern capitalism.
"Senpai's words are truly deep," Yu Haibara said, looking suitably impressed despite not knowing what he was impressed by.
"You'll lick anyone's boots. It's making me sick." Kento Nanami felt that Haibara had spent too much time around Hasegumo and was starting to lose his mind.
"What are you even talking about?" Shoko asked, listening to Hasegumo. It felt like he had said something profound, yet also absolutely nothing at all.
"Tch." Hasegumo didn't explain. He took a long sip of his Coke and let out a satisfied sigh.
Best to let time slowly mend the wounds in their hearts.