"So what do we do next?"
Sukuna asked with his arms folded across his chest.
With Tiger's problem resolved, it was his turn.
He lifted his head slightly, a smug look mingling with the disdain in his eyes.
He had already recovered his cursed technique! No more special training!
Bwahahaha-!
Gojo thought for a moment, then said, "Well... next up, you'll be getting your domain back~"
Huh-?
Sukuna's smug expression froze instantly.
...Oh, right...
...There's still the domain.
The King of Curses from a thousand years ago... how could he possibly not have a domain? He definitely had one.
And Sukuna didn't know how to use one.
And so-
His coursework list became:
- Learn reverse cursed technique (completed)
- Acquire innate cursed technique (completed)
- Use a domain (pending)
Sukuna felt a little glum.
Wasn't he progressing through his assignments a little too fast?
This was only the first day, right? Was his very first day of special training supposed to be this packed? What would he have left to learn later?
Gojo interrupted Sukuna's thoughts.
"But a domain isn't something you can recover just like that, so let's get your feel for combat back first."
He stretched his arms, loosening up.
Then he beckoned Sukuna with a finger.
"Next, you'll fight me~"
Sukuna: ...
*???*
You... you're serious?
He was dumbfounded.
Wasn't this a little too difficult...?
He had heard Megumi Fushiguro explain that the only reason this white-haired bastard hadn't been beaten to death yet (?) was that he stood at the very top of all Jujutsu Society, the man known as "the strongest."
If he were his thousand-year-old self, it probably wouldn't be much of a problem, but right now, he couldn't even use a domain...
And besides...
His fingertips twitched.
I don't think I really like charging in to fight people, either... it just feels a little strange.
He was also a clean freak and didn't want to punch anyone directly.
Couldn't we just stand at a distance and blast spells at each other?
He felt like he ought to be a ranged class, sneaking in a slash now and then and occasionally throwing out a heal...
In short, no hand-to-hand combat-that was for barbarians!
The barbarian Satoru Gojo paid no attention to Sukuna's thoughts. Seeing that Sukuna still hadn't moved, he gave up waiting, stepped forward, and threw a punch.
Sukuna's pupils contracted, and he swiftly raised his arms to block it head-on.
Boom-!!
Violent currents of air burst outward from the two of them, flattening the surrounding vegetation in a circle.
I... blocked it?!
Slightly startled, Sukuna immediately felt cursed energy surging wildly inside him, like an enormous python that had broken free after a long confinement, raising its head to hiss at its enemy.
His immense cursed energy formed a thick barrier that enveloped him completely.
Gojo's fist struck that barrier without even touching his body.
After their brief first clash, the two separated again.
...What an incredible amount of cursed energy...
A flicker of surprise crossed Gojo's eyes.
This much, with only two fingers?
The corners of Gojo's mouth lifted slightly.
This just keeps getting more interesting.
Sukuna retreated and steadied himself, his expression perfectly composed.
Inside, however, he was panicking like crazy-
That scared the hell out of me! ...
Was he seriously trying to beat me to death just now?
Good thing my body's combat instincts are still intact. Looks like I can manage a fight on reflex alone.
Sukuna stared at Satoru Gojo and ground his teeth.
Time to teach you a lesson-
His fingertips swept through the air, sending several intersecting Dismantles hurtling toward his opponent.
Gojo pushed hard off the ground, darting through the gaps between the slashes like lightning as he charged toward Sukuna.
Sukuna sprang backward, his hands never stopping as he traced a dense barrage of Dismantles through the air.
The two figures flashed through the forest, one chasing the other, at speeds almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Sukuna's expression grew increasingly focused. His rising battle lust carried his cursed energy into a smooth flow, and his attacks came faster and faster.
He seemed to have endless power. With no need to worry about consuming cursed energy, he devoted all his attention to unleashing attacks on Satoru Gojo.
His mental power spread without resistance, encompassing several hundred meters around him. Every blade of grass and every tree stood out as clearly as if etched into his mind, and he knew every foothold and piece of cover like the back of his hand.
The feeling of having everything under his control sent his nerves into a state of intense excitement, a faint gleam flickering in his dark red eyes.
He brought his hands together, interlacing all ten fingers-
Above Satoru Gojo's head, dozens of crisscrossing Dismantles descended in a net-
Boom-!
The slashes struck the ground, sending clouds of dust flying everywhere.
Sensing his opponent's cursed energy signature stop beneath the net, Sukuna, who had gotten carried away with the fight, suddenly stiffened after a few breaths. His heart sank.
...Wait, did I actually crush Gojo to death?
...Probably not, probably not. The strongest wouldn't go down that quickly. Have faith in that white-haired menace's ability to stick around for a thousand years.
Muttering to himself, he hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over.
"...Gojo?"
He murmured, "He's not actually dead, is he?"
A pulse of cursed energy suddenly came from ahead, and Sukuna stopped in his tracks.
Immediately afterward, an overwhelmingly forceful shock wave of cursed energy erupted from the dust, skimming past his ear and shooting into the distant sky.
The sensation of extreme danger made his pupils shrink. His body went slightly numb, as though it had sensed an irresistible force, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight up his spine.
This guy...
Sukuna ground his teeth. Gojo had deliberately fired right past him. He was trying to intimidate him, wasn't he?
As the dust cleared, Gojo appeared where he had been, having just fired a Red. He was completely unharmed, without even a speck of dust on his clothes.
He casually blew on his fingertips, then smiled and waved at Sukuna.
"That felt pretty good. Sure enough, a little fighting was all it took for you to remember how."
"Aw, it's a shame all you do is retreat. Can't you fight me head-on so I can see what your hand-to-hand skills are like?"
He even looked a little disappointed as he shook his head.
Sukuna: ...
Who would want to fight you head-on?!
He was a civilized man. He refused to get into brawls.
Things were fine as they were. At least he could deal with any special grade cursed spirit that showed up.
But...
He couldn't quite understand Satoru Gojo. Why help him regain his strength? Whatever else he was, he was still a cursed spirit, an enemy of humanity.
Didn't humans love that whole "those who aren't our kind can't be trusted" thing?
Still, he didn't ask. After all, the current situation worked in his favor, and he didn't want to get involved in complicated questions.
He... rather liked his current life. Although he only had a limited amount of time outside each day, he enjoyed spending time with Tiger and the others. If possible, he didn't want any of this to change.
"This is enough. Next is the domain, right?"
He averted his gaze, skipping over Gojo's request for close combat.
"I wanted to try using my domain just now, but even if I say 'Domain Expansion,' it seems I still need to make the right hand sign..."
And he hadn't remembered that hand sign yet.
He felt a headache coming on.
Once hand signs got complicated, they really weren't something he could figure out through trial and error.
He turned and tried asking Satoru Gojo.
"What's your domain? If it's convenient, could you show me so I can use it as a reference?"
Gojo paused, and a faint, mischievous smile suddenly spread across his lips.
"Are you sure you want to see my domain?"
Gojo's smile made Sukuna's skin crawl. Nothing good ever came of that white-haired bastard smiling.
"...What, is it an instant-death domain?"
He had heard Megumi Fushiguro explain that some domains guaranteed victory the moment an enemy was drawn inside.
If it was that kind, he really couldn't take a look.
"Not quite~" Gojo eagerly formed a hand sign, looking at Sukuna with undisguised amusement. "Then here I go~"
Sukuna: "..."
*?*
Why did it feel like something was off?
Before you continue