In a classroom at Jujutsu High, Sakurada Niji told everyone the entire plot as he knew it.
Suguru Geto said, "After Tengen failed to assimilate, they evolved into a body resembling a cursed spirit. Then, for unknown reasons, Tengen deceived Yuki Tsukumo, who was guarding them, resulting in Kenjaku killing her and absorbing Tengen."
"And Kenjaku could only control Tengen after taking over my body. He used my body to absorb a cursed spirit named Mahito, finally fulfilling all the conditions needed to realize his wish."
"In other words, the key to his plan is acquiring my body," Suguru Geto concluded.
"Yes. Now that Satoru has become the strongest sorcerer of the modern era, Kenjaku won't show himself openly. Instead, he'll find some way to make your death seem 'plausible,' then take over your body," Sakurada Niji replied.
"If he's going to make a move himself, that makes things much simpler," Masamichi Yaga said.
After discussing it together, they established a binding vow, agreeing not to discuss anything about the "future" with anyone until Kenjaku was dead.
The next day.
Toji Fushiguro took Riko Amanai and Kuroi overseas to search for Yuki Tsukumo.
Meanwhile, Shoko forged a report declaring Riko Amanai and Toji Fushiguro dead and submitted it to the Jujutsu Society Higher-Ups, who gave no response.
They seemed unconcerned about Tengen's failed assimilation.
Time passed, and August 2007 arrived.
The summer sun blazed fiercely, its scorching light mercilessly baking the earth. The sky was a vast, clear blue, but the clouds were sparse, letting sunlight pour down unchecked as though it meant to melt the entire world.
At Jujutsu High, the group was playing a throwing game, with Satoru Gojo as their target. A pencil and an eraser hung motionless in front of him.
"Mm~ It works!" Satoru Gojo picked up the eraser floating before him and toyed with it.
"How does that work~?" Shoko asked.
"Automatically selecting the cursed technique's targets?" Suguru Geto ventured.
"Yep~ Though, to be precise, I'm the technique's target~ It used to be manual. Now it's automatic~"
"Instead of judging solely by cursed energy intensity, it can now assess an object's danger based on speed, mass, and shape."
"It'd be even better if I could distinguish poisons~ Unfortunately, I can't do that yet~ But as it stands, I can keep Limitless running almost indefinitely with minimal resources."
"Keeping it running constantly will fry your brain..." Shoko remarked.
"He's definitely using Reverse Cursed Technique to keep repairing his brain," Sakurada Niji said.
"...Uh, that feels kind of weird. Every time Satoru regenerates his brain, is he still the same Satoru?" Suguru Geto looked blankly at him.
"Ha~! You're just jealous that I learned Reverse Cursed Technique~" Satoru Gojo looked smug, convinced the two were simply bitter over what they couldn't have.
"Figures. Even dying once didn't change you at all," Sakurada Niji muttered.
"Well~ Say what you like~ Now I can use Blue and Red quickly with simple hand gestures. Next up is researching long-distance teleportation and Domain Expansion~ It's so lonely~ There's nobody I can discuss it with~" Satoru Gojo began whining as he showed off his learning ability.
Sakurada Niji ignored Satoru Gojo, quietly took out his phone, and played a video for Geto and Shoko.
"Wow, Shoko, look! This prematurely aged white-haired guy in the video actually said that~"
"Here it comes! Geto, hurry~" Shoko urged.
Suguru Geto quickly cleared his throat and recited along with the voice in the video, drawing out every word. "Throughout heaven and earth~ I alone am the honored one~"
Then neither Shoko nor Geto could hold it in anymore, and they clutched their stomachs as they laughed.
Satoru Gojo showed no particular reaction. He simply stared at Sakurada Niji, only speaking once Niji began to feel a chill.
"Niji-chan~ Dare to take me on~?" Satoru Gojo challenged.
"Heh. Cheap bait. So what if I don't?" Sakurada Niji refused to rise to it.
"If you can touch me~ I'll grant you one request~" Satoru Gojo coaxed.
Suguru Geto watched from the sidelines. He planned to let Sakurada Niji test the waters before taking his own turn.
"Niji~ Don't let that scumbag fool you!" Shoko warned.
Sakurada Niji suddenly felt tempted. He had let Geto take all the missions that year to collect cursed spirits, so he hadn't earned much. He had only recently repaid the two hundred million he'd borrowed to buy Skyward Support last year, and money was tight.
I've trained so hard for a year... All those techniques I've worked out...
Sakurada Niji weighed his strength and his resources, and suddenly felt he could do it.
"Heh~ I haven't spent this past year sitting around! Let's fight, Satoru!" Sakurada Niji was brimming with fighting spirit.
They moved to the Training Ground.
After the battle with Toji, Satoru Gojo had paid to renovate the Training Ground. It was now larger and sturdier.
Suguru Geto and Shoko bought chips and cola from a vending machine and settled in to watch.
Sakurada Niji and Satoru Gojo walked to the center of the Training Ground, ready to begin their fight.
"One thing first! No Purple!" Sakurada Niji warned.
"Tch..." Satoru Gojo grumbled.
This guy... If I hadn't brought it up just now... Was he going to blast me with Purple...?
Suguru Geto summoned Rainbow Dragon and took Shoko up to the best viewing spot in the sky.
"Niji~ Good luck~" Shoko called from the sidelines, raising her beer.
With Utahime's help, she had gradually stopped smoking, only to become a drunk instead.
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!" Shoko counted down, dropping her beer can at the final second.
Satoru Gojo instantly vanished and appeared behind Sakurada Niji. A punch imbued with Blue struck Niji's back with a bang, hitting the barrier he had created.
Sakurada Niji reacted instantly. Before the barrier could break, he swept his blade toward Satoru Gojo's waist, but before it even touched Gojo's Limitless, Niji retreated with Flash Step.
After putting some distance between them, he pointed his fingers at Satoru Gojo like a gun, gathered cursed energy, and fired it from his index finger. The cursed energy scattered randomly through the air, turning into irregular rays that fixed the surrounding air in place and partitioned space.
He had succeeded in cutting off Satoru Gojo's teleportation.
Sakurada Niji had now improved in every respect, and had developed different uses for his Space-Severing Lines. If Satoru Gojo hadn't teleported right at the start, he would never have gotten the chance.
Through his six eyes, Satoru Gojo saw space partitioned like a spiderweb. Sakurada Niji's cursed technique was scattered haphazardly through it, and the dense "lines" left no room for anyone to pass.
Satoru Gojo immediately formed a hand gesture and used Blue. As the blue sphere advanced, it cleared away all the "webs" in its path.
Meanwhile, Sakurada Niji kept moving, changing position after every "shot." In Satoru Gojo's eyes, the entire Training Ground's space had been taken over by the "lines" Niji had spread.
Is he trying to confine me to a small area? To force me into a position where I can't use Blue or Red?
Satoru Gojo stopped using Blue and instead increased Limitless's output. Everything within a meter of him fell within its range. With each step, Limitless destroyed a little more of the "lines" in space. Step by step, he slowly moved through the "web," about to emerge from the cage of "lines" Sakurada Niji had created.
"Trying to wear me down is pointless, isn't it?! Niji-chan~!" Satoru Gojo watched Sakurada Niji, who was still creating "lines" to envelop and fix the surrounding space in place.
"Is it~? Take a look at this!"
Sakurada Niji suddenly stopped creating "lines." He brought his right index finger and thumb lightly together, forming an irregular triangle with the web of his hand, while letting his other three fingers rest naturally.
He softly uttered, "Domain Expansion-Stillness of All Things."
A vast amount of cursed energy surged out of Sakurada Niji, spreading around him and connecting to the "lines" he had laid down before extending along them. Then the "lines" connected to one another, and cursed energy filled the gaps between them, forming an irregularly shaped domain.
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