Memories That Never Existed

Yuji Itadori closed in on Choso, swinging a heavy Divergent Fist at his head.

Choso raised his arm to block, but Yuji Itadori's immense strength and double impact knocked him sideways.

Choso steadied himself and flung several clumps of blood at Yuji Itadori.

Yuji Itadori dodged every clump with nimble footwork. When he looked back at Choso-

Choso had already put some distance between them. He compressed blood between his hands, aiming at Yuji Itadori as he waited for an opening.

Danger!

Yuji Itadori instantly devised a countermeasure. He jumped straight up, deliberately exposing a massive opening to tempt Choso.

Sure enough, Choso attacked.

"Convergence: Piercing Blood!"

The high-pressure blood arrow reached Yuji Itadori's cheek in an instant.

Yuji Itadori reacted in a split second, swiftly folding his legs back and tilting his body sideways. After successfully dodging, he bent low and sprinted toward Choso.

Seeing Yuji Itadori dodge, Choso released the Piercing Blood in his hands and swept his arm at him.

Yuji Itadori caught Choso's arm with his right hand, but before he could swing his left fist, Choso kicked him away again.

At the same time, several clumps of blood floated up behind Yuji Itadori.

Yuji Itadori looked back. They were the very clumps that had been fired at him earlier.

Oh no, it's a trap!

By the time Yuji Itadori realized it, he was too late.

"Supernova!"

The clumps burst against Yuji Itadori's back, sending tiny droplets of poisonous blood piercing into his body.

"That hurts!!" Yuji Itadori staggered from the pain and fell backward.

Choso rushed in, crouched low, and condensed blood into a dagger, stabbing it into the top of Yuji Itadori's foot.

Just as Choso was about to stab his leg next, Yuji Itadori endured the pain and kicked at Choso's head.

Faced with the tremendous force, Choso could only sink down to absorb it. To his surprise, Yuji Itadori leaped straight up and slammed a kick into his back.

Choso was sent flying. He quickly regained his balance and dropped into a half crouch, taking the stance for Piercing Blood.

Yuji Itadori instinctively turned sideways to dodge, only to find that no blood came flying at him. Was that a bluff?

Flowing Red Scale!

The dark red markings on Choso's face spread instantly, greatly enhancing his physical abilities.

Choso closed in on Yuji Itadori at blinding speed and landed a swift, precise, vicious jab on his neck, lifting him off the ground.

Seizing the opening, Choso immediately followed with a leg sweep to throw off Yuji Itadori's balance, then struck him across the ear.

The physical enhancement from Flowing Red Scale was tremendous. That slap drove Yuji Itadori straight into the wall.

Yuji Itadori remained fairly lucid after the blows and was about to counterattack when Choso released him.

Having finished his combination, Choso quickly retreated and once again took the stance for Piercing Blood, aiming at Yuji Itadori.

This time, it was no bluff. Though the compression time was short, the blood jet still packed astonishing power, blasting Yuji Itadori away just as he fell from the wall.

Yuji Itadori slid several meters across the floor before stopping. Piercing Blood had also gouged a deep hole in his abdomen.

Yuji Itadori touched the wound in his abdomen. This isn't working. What should I do!?

Suddenly, inspiration struck Yuji Itadori. He remembered something Megumi Fushiguro and Chiyo Shin had discussed.

It had been at the gathering after the Goodwill Event.

Chiyo Shin had first sincerely apologized to everyone at the gathering. After receiving their forgiveness, he had taken a seat. Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill-

On the way back to the dorms, Chiyo Shin and Megumi Fushiguro had started discussing the three great clans.

Walking along the path with both hands behind his head, Chiyo Shin said, "I've seen the inherited Cursed Techniques of Mr. Gojo's family and the Zenin Clan.

"What's the Kamo Clan's technique like? Is it as strong as yours and Mr. Gojo's?"

Megumi Fushiguro thought for a moment before replying, "The Kamo Clan's inherited Cursed Technique is Blood Manipulation.

"It offers extremely powerful control at close, medium, and long range.

"It's a pretty good technique."

After a brief pause, Megumi Fushiguro continued, "But when I attacked Noritoshi Kamo with Max Elephant during the Goodwill Event, he seemed to lose control of all the blood outside his body.

"I didn't understand it then, but afterward, I figured it must have been the water Max Elephant released. The water's osmotic pressure disrupted the blood."

Remembering this, Yuji Itadori immediately ran toward the nearest restroom.

Seeing him go, Choso silently cursed him for a fool and followed.

Yuji Itadori entered the restroom and immediately jumped up, destroying every fire sprinkler on the ceiling and flooding the room.

Choso stepped into the restroom, briefly puzzled. "Water!?"

Something's wrong!

Choso had only glanced around the restroom when Yuji Itadori suddenly appeared behind him and threw a punch.

Choso reacted swiftly, counterattacking and forcing Yuji Itadori back.

He was about to launch a blood orb attack when he discovered he could no longer control his blood.

After a moment of surprise, though he did not understand why, Choso instinctively pushed Flowing Red Scale to its limit.

"Flowing Red Scale: Stack!"

The two closed in and tested each other out.

Then both struck swiftly.

Their fists left streaks in their wake, and bloody water splashed everywhere. It was impossible to tell whose blood it was.

Just as Yuji Itadori threw another punch, a blood crystal shot from Choso's fist. "Blood Manipulation: Blood Meteorite!"

The blood crystal pierced Yuji Itadori's liver.

Blood slowly trickled from the corner of Yuji Itadori's mouth. I'm done for. This attack is different from the others. I'm going to die!

Yuji Itadori's thoughts raced in an instant. Mr. Gojo's teachings echoed in his ears. I can't give up.

Pushed to his limit, Yuji Itadori sank into a horse stance and grasped how to turn fear into cursed energy.

My friends are still waiting for me to come back. Even if I can't make it back, I'm taking this guy down with me.

As that resolve rose within him, Yuji Itadori's cursed energy climbed steadily.

Choso watched Yuji Itadori's newly surging cursed energy. Parts of his own body trembled faintly with pain.

This kid's attacks really pack a punch. Three hits! From the start until now, not counting the attacks I blocked, Yuji Itadori has only landed three hits on me!

Choso coated his right arm in blood crystals, and his life-or-death clash with Yuji Itadori began anew.

Yuji Itadori rallied himself and struck first. Choso raised his right arm to block, and Yuji Itadori's punch shattered the blood crystals coating it, sending fragments flying.

Before Yuji Itadori could pull back his fist, Choso thrust a kick upward.

Yuji Itadori twisted aside to dodge, accidentally pulling at his wound. He endured the pain through that exchange, then swiftly retreated into a toilet stall and locked the wooden door.

Inside the stall, Yuji Itadori stepped onto the toilet and leaped up. He braced his hands against the wooden partitions on either side and planted his feet against the wall, gathering strength.

Just as Chiyo Shin had said, Yuji Itadori was going for the element of surprise.

Choso was somewhat baffled by Yuji Itadori's fluid sequence of movements.

Wait, what's the point of hiding in there?

Choso reached the stall door, but before he could do anything, Yuji Itadori finished gathering his strength. He pushed off the wall, twisted around, and shattered the wooden door with a kick that continued straight into Choso's face.

Choso took Yuji Itadori's fourth hit and was about to step back to regain his balance.

But Yuji Itadori quickly wrapped both legs around his neck and forcefully twisted his upper body, flinging Choso away.

Before Choso could steady himself after landing, Yuji Itadori closed in again and drove a Divergent Fist upward-a perfect liver shot!!

Yuji Itadori froze briefly after landing the blow. What was that feeling?

He had no time to think.

Choso raised his right arm and swung a full-force punch, smashing it into Yuji Itadori's left shoulder.

Unable to dodge in time, Yuji Itadori's left shoulder caved in instantly. Choso followed with another jab, crushing his chest and sending him flying backward.

Yuji Itadori slammed into the wall, coughed up a large mouthful of blood, and fell unconscious, his life hanging by a thread.

"You can't die yet! My little brother hasn't come back." Choso walked over to Yuji Itadori, reached down, and hauled him up, preparing to leave.

Just then, memories that had never existed flooded Choso's mind.