Was it because of me?

[The airport was bustling with people at security on the return trip.]

[Suguru Geto watched you retrieve the long object tightly wrapped in cloth from the conveyor belt, raising his eyebrows slightly.]

["That's... Nanami's unsharpened cursed tool, the Cleaver, isn't it? When did you borrow it, Shunchen?"]

[You slung the charm-wrapped Cleaver across your back, your tone as calm as if you were discussing the weather.]

["To prepare for the worst. We're entering the final countdown on the bounty, after all. It never hurts to have another ace up your sleeve."]

[Suguru Geto hesitated. Though he didn't say it aloud, you understood the meaning in his eyes: Aren't you a little too wound up?]

[But only you knew the truth. You even felt that doing this much to prepare for the man named Toji Fushiguro was still far from enough.]

[Still, you wouldn't be the one primarily fighting that man. Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto would, so you only needed to create as many openings for them as possible.]

[After all, Satoru Gojo had indeed rested at your suggestion. Though he certainly wouldn't be at his peak, he was at least in much better shape than at the same point in your previous simulation.]

[Before returning to Jujutsu High, you excused yourself to the restroom and completed your final tactical preparations.]

["Pseudo-Body Formation" could create up to five physical cursed energy clones. The original and the clones didn't share pain, but they shared vision. As long as a clone remained, the original could instantly swap places with any one of them.]

[The drawbacks were that the clones had extremely little resistance to attacks and would forcibly dissipate after taking a certain amount of damage. Creating clones divided cursed energy evenly, so the more clones there were, the weaker each one's attacks became.]

[All your remaining cursed energy was split in two. Your original body temporarily hid in the mountain forest, while this clone, carrying 50% of your cursed energy and Nanami's short blade on its back, strode openly to the most conspicuous position at the rear of the group.]

["Hey, Shunchen."]

[But your actions plainly couldn't escape Satoru Gojo's Six Eyes. He noticed the change in your cursed energy and asked you, somewhat puzzled.]

["You even copied that Paper Bag Curse User's cursed technique? But what are you doing now? Scouting?"]

[Since he'd seen through you, you simply admitted it openly.]

["I think if the enemy makes a move, they'll prioritize taking me out-the 'healer,' or the support who doesn't have much combat strength but gets in the way."]

["..."]

[Satoru Gojo fell silent for two seconds before his expression grew increasingly strange, as though he had seen some incomprehensible creature.]

["Shunchen, do you have some kind of persecution complex?"]

[As he spoke, Satoru Gojo pointed at the rows of torii and the barrier in the mountains behind him, then continued.]

["Jujutsu High's barrier is right ahead. What kind of lunatic would dare attack here?"]

[Faced with Satoru Gojo's mockery, you merely pushed up your glasses in silence without arguing.]

[Because you knew that lunatic not only dared, but was waiting just inside the barrier.]

[Not long after those words, they officially stepped into the barrier Tengen had erected around Jujutsu High.]

[The fluctuations of cursed energy in the air instantly became familiar and steady. This was Master Tengen's barrier.]

[Feeling the familiar fluctuations of the barrier, Suguru Geto finally relaxed a little after three days of tension.]

[He turned toward Misato Kuroi and Riko Amanai, who had been on edge behind him the whole time, and gave them his signature gentle, reassuring smile.]

["We're inside Jujutsu High's barrier now. At this point, we're basically safe."]

["Really?"]

[At his words, Riko Amanai's somewhat dim eyes instantly lit up, and she cheered excitedly.]

["Thank goodness! We finally don't have to keep living in fear!"]

[Yet, in contrast to the cheering girl, Suguru Geto noticed out of the corner of his eye that your face remained expressionless.]

[Not only had you not relaxed, you had taken the borrowed cursed tool, the Cleaver, off your back and gripped its handle tightly with both hands, your knuckles white from the force.]

[Your stance looked as though you were about to cut someone down the next second.]

["Shunchen, what are you doing? We're already at Jujutsu High. You don't need to..."]

[Before Suguru Geto could finish speaking to you, danger arrived.]

["Wukong! Block it!"]

[The cursed corpse that had remained on standby on your shoulder suddenly swung its long staff, trying to intercept the dark figure that seemed to have appeared out of thin air.]

[Unfortunately, Wukong was considerably slower when operating on only infused cursed energy and preset mechanical commands, let alone against an opponent like Toji Fushiguro.]

[Before that man, such mechanical commands were too slow.]

["Too slow."]

[A languid, hoarse voice rang out.]

[Crack. Before Wukong's body could even fully unfold, it was dismembered into components in midair, scattering across the ground.]

[Immediately afterward, a cold Samurai Sword pierced your chest with unstoppable momentum.]

[The tip entered through the front of your chest, precisely shredded your heart, then emerged from your back, the blade trailing a wisp of crimson blood mist.]

[This scene was nothing new to you, but this time, you didn't feel the extreme pain of the previous simulation.]

[The anticipated, heart-rending agony didn't overwhelm your consciousness. Instead, the effect of Masochism [R] activated.]

[That near-death sensation of having your heart pierced was violently transformed within your neural pathways into an extreme rush of dopamine!]

["Ngh... hah...!"]

[The ultimate "pain" of hurtling toward death nearly crushed your reason in an instant.]

[Your pupils suddenly dilated, yet the corners of your mouth rose uncontrollably until they spread into an extraordinarily savage, extraordinarily delighted grin.]

[It was precisely this utterly abnormal reaction that left even Toji Fushiguro, standing before you, stunned.]

[The man known as the "Sorcerer Killer" had killed countless people. He had seen plenty scream, beg for mercy, and despair.]

[But he had never seen someone who, at the instant their heart was pierced, didn't collapse, but instead wore such an expression... something like ecstasy.]

["Huh? This brat... disgusting."]

[That brief instant of distraction was your only chance of victory.]

["Just... hit him!!!"]

[Drawing on the adrenaline unleashed by the pain, with the speed boost from Masochism, you swung the fastest slash of your life in this slow-moving world!]

[In that moment, Satoru Gojo's turn, Suguru Geto's terror, and Riko Amanai's scream all stretched endlessly in your ears.]

[Both Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto's shouts, as well as Riko Amanai's scream, seemed slowed until their voices warped.]

[Your eyes saw only that man's neck.]

[The blunt blade in your hands cleaved downward, and the "Ratio Technique" imbued in it began to awaken. Black cursed energy lightning condensed along the blade into tangible thunderbolts!]

[7:3! Critical point!]

["Oh?"]

[Toji Fushiguro's reaction was absurdly fast. Even caught off guard, even facing this all-out strike, he merely raised his left hand.]

[In this world running at full speed, his left hand moved even faster than your swinging blade.]

[A heavy metallic clash rang out. The absolute disparity in strength knocked the Cleaver straight out of your hands, splitting the skin between your thumbs and forefingers.]

[But you hadn't gained nothing. A bloody gash deep enough to expose bone appeared on the man's left arm! Blood dripped down his solid muscles.]

[For a clone with only 50% of your original cursed energy, making the Heavenly Tyrant at full strength bleed was already a miracle worth boasting about!]

["Shunchen!!"]

[Only now did Suguru Geto react. Seeing your pierced chest, his eyes nearly split with fury as he roared, released the Rainbow Dragon, and charged over.]

["Forget about me! Attack now!!"]

[You shouted with the last of your strength.]

[The next second, having sustained damage beyond its threshold, your body didn't fall. Instead, like a bursting soap bubble, it vanished with a pop into a skyful of cursed energy lights.]

[Only the bloodstained Samurai Sword remained, falling alone to the ground.]

[Because Suguru Geto hadn't encountered the Paper Bag Curse User, he had never seen the "Pseudo-Body Formation" technique and was momentarily stunned as well.]

["What the hell?"]

[Toji Fushiguro shook the blood off his hand, his brow furrowing further as he looked at the vanished corpse.]

["A clone? Tch. Got played, huh."]

[After all, the intelligence Toji Fushiguro had received about you focused on your "Reverse Cursed Technique," which could be used on others. Not a single word mentioned that you possessed this sort of lifesaving cloning skill.]

["Scatter!!"]

[Satoru Gojo reacted fastest. The instant he saw you dissipate, he understood your intention.]

[Though shocked that you had managed to injure the enemy in such a desperate situation, he didn't waste the second you had bought with your life.]

[Boom! Azure cursed energy erupted.]

["Have we met somewhere before?"]

["Don't worry about it. I'm not very good at remembering men's names either."]

[When your consciousness shifted to your body several kilometers from the scene, the strange emotions stirred up by Masochism didn't carry over to this body, since pain wasn't shared between clones.]

[But with the clone's destruction, half your cursed energy had genuinely been consumed, inevitably leaving you distinctly weak.]

[Judging by the result, you thought your plan could tentatively be considered a success.]

[At least, compared with being killed instantly last time, you had truly made a difference.]

[But you saw large flocks of panicked birds appear in the distant sky.]

[And you could clearly make out with the naked eye that there seemed to be an enormous commotion over there.]

[You couldn't help feeling puzzled. You had already injured that man.]

[Under those circumstances, did Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto really still need to go to such lengths fighting together?]

[A faint sense of foreboding rose in your heart, and you immediately set off, hurrying toward the scene.]

[The closer you got, the more clearly you could feel Satoru Gojo's unrestrained cursed energy.]

[You had never seen Satoru Gojo expend cursed energy so extravagantly.]

[With his Six Eyes, he always made the most of every bit of cursed energy, never wasting even a trace.]

[This extravagance was just like a final eruption after the situation had spiraled out of control.]

[Just as you were about to step into Jujutsu High's barrier, that violent cursed energy suddenly... disappeared.]

[It didn't gradually weaken. Like a snuffed candle flame, it instantly vanished into nothing.]

[The entire world fell into deathly silence.]

["Impossible..."]

[Your heart clenched violently, and an ominous premonition engulfed you like a black tide.]

[Ignoring the weakness from your depleted cursed energy, you stumbled around the corner.]

[What greeted your eyes was wreckage strewn across the ground, shattered stone slabs, and a figure lying in a pool of blood.]

[The strongest, who always held his head high as though the entire world were beneath his notice, now lay quietly in the red liquid.]

[His throat had been completely slit open by a sharp blade. Blood still welled out intermittently, soaking his dazzling white hair.]

[More fatal still was his forehead, which bore the mark of something sharp having pierced it.]

[His signature sunglasses lay shattered beside him, their fragments reflecting the pale sky.]

["Damn it! It wasn't supposed to be like this...!"]

[You rushed over and dropped hard onto both knees in the pool of blood, reaching a trembling hand toward his carotid artery.]

[No pulse.]

[No breathing.]

[Even the cursed energy presence that usually felt so oppressive had receded like the tide, leaving only deathly cold stillness.]

[Satoru Gojo... was dead...?]

[Your mind went blank, countless thoughts tearing madly at your nerves.]

[Why? According to the information from the previous simulation, he'd nearly died, but he'd survived in the end!]

[Was it because of me?]

[Was it because I had him deactivate his technique and rest over the past few days, making him lose his reaction speed at the critical moment?]

[Was it because I thought I was clever, using a clone as bait, only to interfere with his judgment instead?]

[Was I... the one who got him killed?]

[Once that thought arose, it coiled tightly around your heart like a venomous snake.]

["Stop screwing around! Aren't you the strongest?! Wake up!!"]

[You let out a low roar of refusal, not caring whether Toji Fushiguro was still nearby. Pressing both hands firmly against Satoru Gojo's mangled neck and forehead, you pushed "Reverse Cursed Technique" to its limit.]

[It was as though you wanted to atone, to make up for the mistake you had committed.]

["Even if it's just one last rally... move for me!"]