The photograph was uploaded to the group chat.
The compressed image was somewhat blurry, but the striking white hair and sunglasses were still clearly visible.
A trembling finger tapped the photo and enlarged it.
The white-haired boy in the picture smiled with such radiant brightness.
He had broken free from the feudalism and decay of the jujutsu world, a cerulean flower blooming from the mire.
Yet the sharp blade piercing through his chest destroyed all of the beauty that scene should have possessed.
Striking the target with a devastating blow at the moment of greatest happiness and relaxation— this was one of Fushiguro Toji's "bad habits."
[This is my fault.]
He had known the truth and chosen not to report it, never warning any of his friends to remain vigilant upon entering the school.
[This is my fault.]
He had kept silent, inserting himself into the game between Kenjaku and Tengen and weaving everyone into his schemes.
[This... is the result of my own cruelty and softness of heart.]
His fingers clenched tightly around the fabric over his chest.
Had he truly been cruel, he should have remained silent from beginning to end instead of anxiously asking questions and inadvertently causing the "photo incident."
Had he truly been soft-hearted, he should have warned them in advance instead of crying crocodile tears afterward and pretending to be compassionate.
Blood flowed from Gojo Satoru's body.
He had presumptuously called himself their friend, only to force two minors into a battle balanced between life and death.
Asou Akiya's thoughts detached themselves from reality.
He ascended to a higher vantage point, overlooking the entire situation from above.
Then he returned once more to the cruelty of reality.
He drew breath in great, ragged gulps.
A fine sheen of sweat covered his entire body.
His emotions had overloaded.
"...Are you okay?"
Held under Asou Akiya's watch and unable to leave, Kong Shiu instinctively asked the question.
The two of them remained inside the car, consuming fuel while the air conditioner blew cold air that failed to dispel the oppressive atmosphere filling the vehicle.
Before establishing the Binding Vow, the black-haired boy had repeatedly spoken of waiting for the deaths of "Gojo Satoru" and "Getou Suguru," treating Fushiguro Toji as nothing more than a blade meant for killing.
Now that the Binding Vow had been made, the situation had already been set in motion.
Powerless to resist, Kong Shiu had sent the new assignment to Fushiguro Toji's phone precisely at three o'clock.
As for when the other man would actually see it...
He had no idea.
Kong Shiu caught a glimpse of Asou Akiya's phone.
Akiya made no attempt to conceal the screen, simply staring blankly at the photograph.
Had Fushiguro succeeded?
Had the Six Eyes, whose bounty had remained on the darknet for years, finally been brought down?
"It doesn't matter."
A violent surge of emotions surfaced on Asou Akiya's face, emotions Kong Shiu couldn't fully comprehend.
The only things he could distinguish were sorrow and merciless resolve.
The sorrow... was it grief over the possible death of the Six Eyes?
The ruthlessness... was it the determination to see someone through to their death?
Kids these days...
Did they really have to be this mentally twisted?
Kong Shiu's scalp tingled. His hand instinctively moved toward his pocket, seeking a cigarette out of habit, only to be met with a cold glance from the boy beside him.
"Don't smoke in front of me."
After a long while, Asou Akiya finally regained his composure.
Once he realized that he was suffering because of the choice he himself had made, he let out a self-mocking laugh.
At least with this photograph serving as preparation...
...when he saw the corpse in person, he probably wouldn't lose control.
Even with his mind shaken to its core, Asou Akiya's reason continued to function methodically, arranging everything in orderly succession.
"We're currently positioned at the outer edge of the Six Eyes' field of vision."
"Twenty minutes from now, call Fushiguro Toji."
"No matter what happens, you must make direct contact with him."
"You're an intermediary. You won't throw away your own life and fifty million yen over misplaced principles. The moment Fushiguro Toji completes the assignment of 'killing the person in charge of the Time Vessel Association,' leave the Time Vessel Association immediately."
"After that, wait for my instructions."
Asou Akiya had already confirmed that Kong Shiu was not one of Kenjaku's informants.
Kong Shiu had never encountered anyone with stitches running across their forehead, nor had he established anything less than the strictest possible confidentiality Binding Vow.
When an intermediary fell into enemy hands, there were only two outcomes: death, or compromise.
Anyone could be exploited.
Powerless, Kong Shiu was much like another "Asou Akiya"— someone who could survive in a dangerous world only by swallowing his grievances and enduring humiliation.
At a time when Asou Akiya had no one else he could rely on, Kong Shiu was, for the moment, worthy of trust.
Unless killing became absolutely necessary, Asou Akiya had no desire to stain his hands with blood in a world governed by curses and karmic consequences.
Although Kong Shiu stood under suspicion as an accomplice, they were now co-conspirators.
Once the Star Plasma Vessel Mission had finally settled into dust...
...he would deal with this man.
Asou Akiya forced Kong Shiu out of the car.
Commandeering the intermediary's business vehicle for himself, he seized the driver's seat— and slammed his foot down on the accelerator.
He sped back toward Tokyo Jujutsu High.
From the moment he received that photograph, he had every reason to race back as if his life depended on it.
"Shoko, you and Utahime-senpai stay on standby in the dormitories and be ready to provide support at any moment."
"And get in touch with Yaga-sensei. Make absolutely certain that he does not go anywhere near the Tombs of the Star Corridor. I'm on my way back to the school right now."
Asou Akiya placed the call to his friends while steering the car one-handed, his voice unusually stern.
Ieiri Shoko's calm voice came through the receiver.
"Understood."
During the drive, Asou Akiya calculated in advance the amount of time he would remain "absent."
He could rely on luck once.
He could not rely on it twice.
If he encountered Fushiguro Toji within the school grounds while the man's killing intent had reached its peak, the outcome awaiting him would be death.
That kind of extreme mortality risk could be left for Zen'in Naoya to enjoy.
The tracker indicated that Zen'in Naoya remained underground within Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The chess piece had not wandered from its designated position.
Twenty to thirty minutes.
That was Asou Akiya's estimate for the conclusion of the two battles.
In addition, he believed that Gojo Satoru's understanding of Heavenly Restriction, combined with Getou Suguru's combat strength exceeding that of the original story, would buy them even more time.
He was eighty percent confident that Zen'in Naoya would succeed in getting Amanai Riko away safely.
As for those who stubbornly ignored warnings and insisted on walking the path toward death—he regrettably could not afford to worry about them.
The first battle:
Fushiguro Toji vs Gojo Satoru.
The second battle:
Fushiguro Toji vs Getou Suguru.
Even beneath the manic roar of the engine, what Asou Akiya truly listened to was every movement transmitted through Zen'in Naoya's earpiece.
The button-shaped listening device positioned near the young man's heart faithfully relayed the sound of Zen'in Naoya's heartbeat.
Thump—thump—
Zen'in Naoya's heartbeat conveyed information to Asou Akiya, who remained outside the school.
A steady rhythm meant that nothing had happened.
An irregular rhythm meant that the second battle had begun.
...
The area around Tokyo Jujutsu High's front gate had been plowed through once again.
With "Blue" unleashed at full power, azure light erupted outward, carrying explosive force concentrated into a single directional point of impact. The surrounding structures were torn apart as Gojo Satoru, cold sweat running down his face, completed the task of clearing away every possible obstacle.
The matter of "Heavenly Restriction" reminded Gojo Satoru of the very first question on one of his history exams.
[In the long history of the jujutsu world, there once existed a special category of individuals who, shortly after birth, had certain precious things taken from them by heaven itself. The jujutsu community defined such people as those bearing a "Heavenly Restriction."]
"We'll see where the hell you can run now."
Gojo had assumed this would finally "flush Fushiguro Toji out of hiding.
Yet his face turned pale for a split second.
The Six Eyes could not capture Fushiguro Toji's whereabouts.
Too fast.
His speed had surpassed the bounds of humanity itself.
[Based on your historical knowledge… the characteristics that have appeared among individuals with "Heavenly Restriction."... Multiple choice question…]
Gojo's vision failed to lock onto Fushiguro Toji. He abruptly swung his gaze from side to side. Amid the afterimages, Toji's cold expression carried an overwhelming aura of strength, while a sense of danger assaulted Gojo from every direction.
[A. Rare.]
Fushiguro Toji's ability to counter Gojo Satoru surpassed anyone Gojo had ever encountered.
The destructive power of one human against another far exceeded that of curses against humans.
Because—
humans understood humans best.
[B. Zero cursed energy.]
Many years ago, when the two had first met, Fushiguro Toji had been shocked that his presence had somehow been detected.
And now, Gojo finally understood the confusion he had felt back then.
How could there be someone who possessed no cursed energy whatsoever, existing as naturally and unobtrusively as grass, trees, pebbles, and stones?
[D. Extraordinary potential.]
Heaven had stripped Fushiguro Toji of cursed energy in exchange for granting him a powerful body of flesh and blood.
Fushiguro Toji had been the unfortunate soul described in the history lessons.
A man untouched by fortune.
The true bottom rung of the Three Great Sorcerer Clans.
Back when Fushiguro Toji had still been called Zen'in Toji, before he severed his ties with the Zen'in family, anyone could step on him.
Anyone could insult him.
Everyone believed that the birth of a person with zero cursed energy within the Zen'in family was nothing less than a disgrace.
"So strong... and so underhanded..."
Gojo Satoru's thirst for battle had been fully awakened. His excited "Six Eyes" widened to their limit.
So this was the "extraordinary potential" mentioned in the answer key?
A powerful unlucky bastard?
No.
He was clearly a powerful individual whom the jujutsu world had grossly underestimated—someone the Zen'in family refused to acknowledge.
Before long, Gojo could already feel the strain settling into his eyes. His brain labored under the burden, and his five senses had lost the sharpness they normally possessed. Fushiguro Toji's strategy of wearing him down had successfully forced Gojo into one of the lowest points of his combat effectiveness.
Even so, he could still endure.
He would prove to Fushiguro Toji that he wasn't afraid of a battle of attrition.
A genius would always remain a genius.
After several exchanges, Gojo repeatedly drove Fushiguro Toji back with jujutsu. Azure light flickered intermittently within his palm, sometimes shifting into a far more dangerous and unstable crimson glow that served to deter Toji from advancing recklessly.
The success rate of Gojo Satoru's "Red" wasn't particularly high.
But it was more than sufficient to scare people.
The surrounding landscape had been reduced to a field of craters and broken earth. Beyond it still stretched vast tracts of untouched forest. As Fushiguro Toji continuously searched for new footholds, he calmly assessed the situation.
"The neutral state of 'Limitless' that stops everything in its tracks... the attractive force of 'Blue'... the repulsive force of 'Red'..."
"Everything's exactly as expected."
"As I thought, you're a little stronger than I imagined. Rumor has it this brat's already reached special-grade level."
Fushiguro Toji lowered his stance, bloodthirsty intent filling his eyes.
"But that's not a problem."
"I can handle this..."
As someone who had once belonged to the Three Great Clans himself, Fushiguro Toji had pored over every ancient record concerning the "Six Eyes" long before his defection.
The combination of the "Six Eyes" and the "Limitless" technique had ceased to be a secret long ago.
He had relived those memories countless times in his dreams.
And now, at last, he had the opportunity to defeat the supreme genius of the jujutsu world.
Kill the Six Eyes.
Then kill the Star Plasma Vessel.
All of these important figures within the jujutsu world— They could all go to hell.
After probing the upper limits of Gojo Satoru's strength, Gojo likewise succeeded in further pinpointing the traces of cursed energy residue coming from the "Ugly Treasure" attached to Fushiguro Toji.
Fushiguro Toji no longer hesitated.
Before the tide of battle could turn against him, he had the Ugly Treasure release the thousands of low-grade curses he had painstakingly captured from streets and alleyways over the years.
Every single one of them had been specially prepared as his "personal care package" for Gojo Satoru.
The sight of countless low-grade curses blotting out the sky was so overwhelming that Gojo froze in disbelief.
In his entire life, he had never encountered anyone who fought like this.
What the hell was this?!
He could no longer locate the curse attached to Fushiguro Toji.
This guy definitely wasn't some secret admirer.
He was an enemy with a blood feud against him!
At 3:10 p.m., the group split into two.
For Riko's safety, Getou Suguru took the lead in escorting Amanai Riko and Kuroi Misato away, assuming responsibility for the final stage of the Star Plasma Vessel Mission.
The Tombs of the Star Corridor lay beneath Tokyo Jujutsu High, descending an unknown number of meters into the earth. It was an extremely mysterious and secure place.
In Getou Suguru's memories, nothing had ever gone wrong within the Tombs of the Star Corridor.
The three rode the elevator downward.
The elevator continued its descent, carrying them toward that deep and ominous place awaiting the "Star Plasma Vessel".
Amanai Riko displayed an extraordinary calm.
Ignorant, yet unafraid.
She had not allowed the prospect of death to consume her heart.
Her mind held firmly to the first half of what Gojo Satoru had said to her.
[Do not fear death, or you will become weak.]
At this point, the only thing Amanai Riko could do was exactly what she had claimed she would do— continue forward with unwavering resolve.
[I know.]
[I am Tengen, and Tengen is me.]
Amanai Riko repeatedly hypnotized herself with those words.
She did it for the sake of Kuroi Misato, who was accompanying her toward the "end."
She no longer had any path left to retreat along.
Ahead of her—
even if hell itself awaited—
she would walk all the way to the very end.
Misato was her family.
And she was the greatest reason Amanai Riko was willing to sacrifice herself.
Getou Suguru remained silent, the corner of his eye constantly monitoring Amanai Riko's emotional state.
Yet the girl's willingness to sacrifice herself struck directly at the soft spot that had always driven Getou to protect the weak.
He genuinely liked this immature young girl who still retained a measure of innocence despite the tragedy of her circumstances.
[You are not someone without a sense of self.]
[Because you choose to protect others, you possess a radiance that sets you apart.]
[Riko, what Satoru and I can help is the version of you willing to stand up and resist Lord Tengen.]
Getou Suguru adopted the same attitude as Asou Akiya.
Until matters were truly set in stone, he maintained his lofty composure, exerting relentless pressure upon Amanai Riko.
People facing death were destined to descend into madness.
And if madness was inevitable— then they might as well embrace it completely.
At one of the passageways leading toward the main hall, Kuroi Misato came to a halt.
This was as far as outsiders were permitted to go.
Getou Suguru still wore an expression of calm indifference as he allowed the two of them to say their farewells.
[Satoru.]
[Why are you still dragging your feet and not here yet?]
[But there's one thing we've all been wrong about. After the passing of centuries, there will no longer be another "boy" and another "girl" destined to meet Lord Tengen. I won't allow Riko to walk into the hell of sacrificing herself.]
[Although doing this betrays Lord Tengen... if I don't do it, then I betray my own conscience.]
Getou's thumb gently rubbed against his phone.
The shattered device, its screen destroyed, could no longer be used to communicate.
Some time later, Getou Suguru led Amanai Riko to an extraordinarily magnificent platform.
A thousand doors and passageways extended outward in every direction around them.
At the center of the platform stood an ancient tree that had weathered a thousand years of history.
Beneath it spread layer upon layer of ancient architecture.
Zen'in Naoya stood some distance away from them.
Upon noticing their arrival, he stepped forward before stopping roughly ten meters away.
His demeanor remained arrogant.
He looked down upon Amanai Riko with contempt, resembling a noble heir from ancient times who disdained common-born women.
As a result, rather than appearing to be someone who had come to provide support, he looked more like someone loafing around and muddling through the mission.
"Zen'in-kouhai," Getou called out.
Getou Suguru was a polite and civilized person. After giving a slight nod of acknowledgment, he didn't particularly care whether the other party responded.
According to Satoru's judgment, Zen'in-kouhai was bound by a Binding Vow imposed by Akiya, making the likelihood of him being an enemy extremely low.
Simply put, you might not trust Zen'in Naoya's character, but you could trust Asou Akiya's way of doing things.
Asou Akiya would never allow a dangerous individual to remain by their side under the pretense of offering help.
"Riko, we're almost there. The residence of Lord Tengen is beneath that great tree ahead."
"...Mm."
Amanai Riko's spirits visibly sank.
Getou Suguru behaved as though he hadn't noticed at all, continuing with a smile as he introduced Lord Tengen's domain.
"The main hall of the Tombs of the Star Corridor is truly magnificent. It has remained unchanged for a thousand years, bearing witness to the changing tides of Japan's jujutsu world. It's steeped in cultural significance."
"Lord Tengen safeguards the foundations of the barrier techniques and has rendered tremendous service through tireless effort. They are revered by everyone throughout the jujutsu world."
"Without Lord Tengen, there would be no barrier techniques that everyone can use..."
Amanai Riko: "..."
It gave off exactly the same feeling as an overenthusiastic real estate agent dragging you down the street while trying to sell you a house.
The more Zen'in Naoya listened, the more bewildered he became.
Wasn't the plan supposed to be letting the "Star Plasma Vessel" escape?
Had you somehow become one of Lord Tengen's biggest fans?
Veins faintly appeared on Amanai Riko's forehead.
She forcefully suppressed them, lifted her chin proudly, and declared,
"I shall be living here from now on!"
Getou Suguru applauded politely.
"Then should I address you as Lady Riko from now on?"
Amanai Riko's eyes lit up.
"That's right!"
Then she blushed.
"...Even if all of you miss me in the future, that's okay. I... I will definitely miss all of you too!"
Getou Suguru pretended to look troubled.
"Satoru and I also have a friend named Asou Akiya. What if, someday, we wish to bring our friend to meet the legendary Lady Riko, who sacrificed herself for the jujutsu world..."
"What if Lady Riko refuses to see us?"
Amanai Riko's eyes immediately grew moist.
"I-I don't know..."
Whether she wished to see them or not… was never a decision she would be allowed to make.
She had no choice.
Getou Suguru's palms came together.
"Gojo and I discussed this before we came here. We're willing to give Lady Riko one chance. Will you choose to merge with the revered Master Tengen of the jujutsu world, or will you choose to remain an ordinary Amanai Riko?"
Getou Suguru smiled, "As long as Little Riko refuses to become Lady Riko, then everything will be fine."
Amanai Riko lifted her head, tears shimmering in her eyes, utterly stunned.
When she had come this close to hell, she had thought she was all alone, that there would no longer be anyone left to pull her back.
"You all—" Amanai Riko turned her blurred gaze toward the other person present.
"Please ignore me. Do whatever you want." Zen'in Naoya shrugged. As time passed, his heartbeat gradually became more erratic. The flow of blood through his veins accelerated, his nerves tightened to the breaking point, yet the flow of cursed energy within him settled into an almost unnatural calm.
A truly skilled sorcerer always knew how to control their cursed energy.
As the heir apparent of the Zen'in family, what he lacked least was experience in conflict—even if this time he had to stand against his own cousin.
Sweat gathered in Zen'in Naoya's palms, but outwardly he flawlessly played the role of someone who couldn't care less whether the "Star Plasma Vessel" lived or died. Again and again, he reviewed the rehearsal they had conducted in the hotel room on the night of December 11, doing everything possible to improve his chances of success. Now that he had made up his mind about where he stood, his feelings toward Fushiguro Toji had become even more complicated, tinged with both guilt and an eager desire to challenge him.
Just as Kamo had predicted—Gojo wasn't here. Most likely, his cousin had lured Gojo away through some kind of scheme.
Having remained here all afternoon, cut off from much of the outside world's information, Zen'in Naoya found himself deeply impressed by the Kamo heir's ability to predict events. His confidence surged.
From this point onward, his mission wasn't to fight.
His mission was to save the "Star Plasma Vessel", escape with her alive, and leave the battlefield to Getou. Compared to Getou, who would have to confront Toji head-on, his own task was considerably easier.
["Your cousin is the sort of person who possesses a twisted sense of humor."]
["I've already estimated the timing for when he'll make his move. Whether this succeeds or fails depends entirely on how you perform in the moment. Based on my understanding of Getou Suguru, he's the person best suited to untangle Amanai Riko's inner turmoil. He will definitely save Amanai Riko."]
["The moment Getou Suguru says, 'Let's go home, Riko-chan.'"]
["The instant the girl agrees is the moment you save her. Be ready."]
["Save her, get behind Getou Suguru, and then—"]
["Choose your timing carefully and run for it immediately!"]
...
3:18 PM.
Second by second, time crept toward the critical turning point decreed by fate.
At this very moment, both Zen'in Naoya and Tengen within the " Tombs of the Star Corridor" watched the two of them without blinking.
Getou Suguru's attempt to talk Amanai Riko through it produced an almost miraculous effect. His smile was sincere, and a trace of heartache softened the long lines of his brows. The empathy he possessed for the weak reached a depth neither Gojo Satoru nor Asou Akiya could ever attain.
Every weak person he saved became part of the path of justice he practiced and one of the pillars supporting his heart.
Getou Suguru extended his hand toward the person he wanted to protect.
"Let's go home, Riko-chan."
"...Okay!"
At last, Amanai Riko burst into tears and chose freedom, entrusting both her life and her faith to the person standing before her.
She reached out, wanting to clasp Getou Suguru's hand in return...
["First movement: Start running."]
["Second movement: Charge straight ahead."]
["Third movement: Pull Amanai Riko away and freeze her into a photograph, preventing her temple from being struck by a bullet."]
Zen'in Naoya's technique activated.
He appeared with godlike speed.
From his perspective, the Projection Sorcery technique divided a single second into twenty-four continuous frames. During the activation of the technique, he entered a state of extraordinary velocity, and any ordinary person he touched would be frozen by its effects.
Bang—!
A sharp gunshot rang out across the vast, empty platform.
["Fourth movement: Reinforce yourself with cursed energy defenses."]
["Fifth movement: Place yourself in front of Amanai Riko."]
["Sixth movement: Retreat while carrying her."]
["Seventh movement: Protect your vital points and endure the barrage of gunfire."]
It was as though Asou Akiya himself were standing at Zen'in Naoya's side, guiding him at close range, whispering instructions into his ear on how to deal with Fushiguro Toji's assault.
Bang bang bang—!!!
The person concealed in the shadows had yet to reveal himself, but his reactions were astonishingly swift. There were still twelve rounds remaining in the pistol's magazine, and he fired them in merciless succession, the muzzle trained directly on Zen'in Naoya and the "Star Plasma Vessel" he was shielding with his own body.
["For every action after that: do whatever it takes to escape behind Getou Suguru!"]
["You are not Toji's match."]
Getou Suguru's pupils contracted sharply.
At the critical moment, Zen'in Naoya erupted into motion, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye as he snatched Amanai Riko's life back from beneath the rain of bullets.
But something even more shocking followed.
Getou Suguru discovered that the Amanai Riko who had survived had suddenly transformed into a "photograph"—thin and flat, like a single sheet of paper. She slipped past the gunfire, as though she had been compressed into a paper cutout.
Having just brushed against death itself, Zen'in Naoya clutched Amanai Riko and fled toward Getou Suguru like a madman. His expression twisted grotesquely.
The one pursuing him from behind was the cousin he had worshipped fanatically since the age of ten—the "Heavenly Tyrant" who had abandoned the Zen'in family years ago, Toji, for whom cutting down curses and slaughtering people was as effortless as chopping vegetables.
"Getou-san! Release your cursed spirits, now!!"
He didn't want to cry out for help.
But Toji wanted him dead.
The murderous intent surging toward him sent chills racing down his spine.
He had just snatched a life away from Death itself.
It was too exhilarating—so exhilarating that he immediately wanted to run back to the Zen'in household.
[Kamo!]
[Once I fulfill my end of the bargain, I'm dropping out of school—AAAAAH!]
3:20 PM.
The first battle had ended. The second battle had begun.
The area around the school gates had been reduced to a scene of utter devastation, crisscrossed with destruction.
The white-haired boy lay in a pool of blood.
The light of the "Six Eyes" had faded into darkness. A flyhead settled upon that vacant face. His forehead had been pierced through. From his neck to his chest and abdomen, his body had been ripped open. Multiple stab wounds had torn through the flesh of his thighs. In that life-and-death struggle, he had been defeated by Fushiguro Toji's ruthless and underhanded tactics.
At this moment, Gojo Satoru resembled a beautiful corpse—snow-white and drenched in blood.
From outward appearances, not even the slightest trace of life remained.
Asou Akiya abandoned the vehicle and sprinted toward the very front of the staircase.
He informed no one.
He let out no hysterical cries.
When Asou Akiya reached Gojo Satoru's side, his strength gave out all at once.
With a thud, he dropped straight to his knees.
He collapsed before the white-haired boy whose brush with death had been orchestrated through the very situation he himself had painstakingly engineered.
The once-radiant "Six Eyes" had lost their brilliance.
Those pupils could no longer look at him.
Gojo Satoru lay where he had fallen in defeat.
Fushiguro Toji had not severed Gojo Satoru's head, as though it were the final shred of mercy left within the "Heavenly Tyrant".
"It will work."
"Sorcerers can comprehend Reverse Cursed Technique in the space between life and death."
Asou Akiya's hands dug into the muddy earth, the soil already soaked through with blood.
"You'll definitely come back to life."
Without realizing it, Asou Akiya found himself empathizing with every wound carved into Gojo Satoru's body. It felt as though blades were carving into his own heart.
He had prepared himself for this.
He had already seen the photograph born from his worst nightmare.
He had believed he could face Gojo Satoru's mutilated state rationally.
When he had spoken those murderous words to Kong Shiu, he had not felt even a trace of regret.
But after seeing Gojo Satoru like this, all he could feel was an endless tide of guilt crashing down upon him.
Even the most correct path could also be the cruelest one.
Asou Akiya remained motionless for a long while.
His fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and touch Gojo Satoru. His knuckles curled inward, only to be forcibly drawn back.
Anything that might interrupt Gojo Satoru's chance to comprehend Reverse Cursed Technique—
Could not be allowed to happen.
Gojo Satoru was in the midst of fighting with everything he had to save himself.
Hope still existed.
At last—
Asou Akiya merely lowered his head.
The tears born of guilt dampened his cheeks, yet his expression looked as though it had shut down after running past its limits. What remained on his face was numbness and gentleness. Using both arms, he drove away the flyheads buzzing around the battlefield near Gojo Satoru.
"I said this before."
"In this lifetime, there will never be a second pair of 'Six Eyes'."
Others might be more beautiful.
Others might possess elegance capable of eclipsing an entire era.
But none of them were the Gojo Satoru whom he had personally watched step into the world.
[Gojo Satoru, either we survive together, or we die together.]
[I will never abandon you and leave you behind alone.]
[Don't be afraid. You won't depart this world in solitude. The final misfortune that befalls sorcerers will not become your fate.]
Asou Akiya smoothed over the fingerprints he had left in the blood-soaked soil and struggled to rise to his feet.
Intense hatred and negative emotions surged within him.
He restrained them.
He gritted his teeth and endured.
He did not kill a single low-grade curse fluttering around Gojo Satoru, ensuring that no trace of his own cursed energy would be left behind amid the residuals lingering at the scene.
Then, he withdrew his bloodshot gaze.
He refused to remain weak any longer.
His body swayed unsteadily as he forced himself onward, taking one step after another toward the final stage of the plan he had constructed around the "Star Plasma Vessel" mission.
[I'm weak—far weaker than Zen'in Naoya by a considerable margin.]
[So I have to hide myself well. Don't cry. Crying is useless. I have to wait. Wait. Wait…]
At that moment, Akiya Asou had suppressed every trace of his madness, leaving a row of teeth marks embedded into his lower lip.
Behind him lay Gojo Satoru, his eyes open in deathless stillness, while Akiya moved forward without hesitation, convinced that somewhere ahead, everything would still reach a turning point.
And if it did not—then he would make every enemy taste the bitterness that had torn through his own heart.
The shrill ringing of an incoming call cut through the air.
Akiya Asou glanced at the screen and saw that it was Ieiri Shoko calling.
On the day Lord Tengen awaited the "Assimilation", alarms had begun echoing through the barriers of Tokyo Jujutsu High. Personnel within the school had withdrawn from dangerous areas, entrusting the battle to the dependable Gojo Satoru and Getou Suguru. Noticing the massive number of low-grade curses gathered near the school gates, Ieiri Shoko and Utahime Iori had not dared approach, both of them gradually developing a dreadful sense of foreboding.
Akiya Asou spoke in the same calm tone he always used, soothing the two of them.
"Shoko, don't come out. Gojo is fine. It seems he's in the process of comprehending Reverse Cursed Technique. He absolutely cannot be disturbed right now. I still have other important matters to deal with afterward, so I'll be muting my phone for the time being. I won't be able to answer your calls."
Akiya Asou didn't even know how he had managed to finish that conversation.
He turned his head and looked back at Gojo Satoru once more.
There was longing in his gaze.
Even shattered beyond repair, a treasured jewel remained a treasure in his eyes.
"We'll contact you once we've completed the mission."
Not far away—
Gojo Satoru could no longer cut into their phone conversations with his usual liveliness.
His pair of "Six Eyes" stared silently up at the sky.
As the breeze drifted through the forest, ripples spread across the pool of blood beneath him.
The scent of blood saturated the air...
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Author's Note:
The exchange in this chapter—
"Let's go home, Riko-chan."
"...Okay."
—between Getou Suguru and Amanai Riko is taken directly from the original source material, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. It didn't feel appropriate to alter it, so I'm noting it here in the author's comments.
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TL Note: Btw, I'm planning to go back and revise earlier chapters to fix inconsistencies, so uploads might slow down a bit for a while.