"Muta, any signs of Yuta Okkotsu?" Masamichi Yaga asked. He had been briefed by Hiroshi on Kokichi Muta's role, utilizing his Cursed Technique of Puppet Manipulation to search every nook and cranny in Shibuya for any signs of Yuta Okkotsu. "Negative, Principal Yaga," Kokichi replied. "Where could he be hiding?" Yaga pondered.
Masamichi Yaga headed the operation in Shibuya, with Principal Gakuganji temporarily assuming the duties of the recently deceased higher-ups. Hiroshi Senju had paved the way to a new era of sorcery, unaware that Kenjaku would plunge Japan into chaos.
But for now, he faced the King of Curses.
After a brief exchange of words, Hiroshi had an idea upon seeing the crows Mei Mei employed, likely for another pay-per-view program for this fight. "That woman's love for money is something else," Hiroshi thought. The fact that Mei Mei worked almost instantly for big money amazed him.
Then, he gazed down at Sukuna. "Hey, King of Curses, you're strong, just not the strongest " Hiroshi's words echoed. Bizarrely, Sukuna felt compelled to respond, "What's the difference?" he said as he crossed his arms.
"Presentation!" Hiroshi exclaimed. As soon as he did, the entire Shibuya Ward rumbled as gigantic trees emerged from the ground. From beneath Hiroshi emerged the Wooden Human, and from all around him, Wooden Dragons emerged.
The explosion of Cursed Energy startled everyone.
Within the Field Headquarters, seeing massive trees grow in the distance and hearing Hiroshi's words on television, Suguru and Shoko chuckled at Hiroshi's antics. Megumi facepalmed at his mentor borrowing lines from a movie, while the rest were surprised by the massive scale of the forest Hiroshi created.
From afar, Yuta stood at the edges of Shibuya, observing the massive forest that had been conjured. "Senju Hiroshi, you are one step behind," he chuckled.
Yuta summoned Rika and used her immense, almost infinite cursed energy to cast "Idle Transfiguration." In that moment, all the people Kenjaku had marked began to awaken. Yuta took a seal from his sleeve and tore it apart; the seal for cursed objects had been released, and they too would soon awaken.
As Yujaku began to monologue, Uraume sat beside him, watching the fight intently.
"There are those like Yuji Itadori who swallow cursed objects, and those like Junpei Yoshino who have cursed techniques but lack the brain of sorcerers. I adjusted both of their brains to those of sorcerers. The former gained strength to become a vessel, and the latter learned how to utilize cursed techniques.
"Then, I lifted the seal on those cursed objects. When I was marking them, some people were unconscious due to my cursed energy. They should be waking up soon. To make them understand cursed energy better, I will make them kill each other. Those are the children and cursed objects I have carefully selected."
"What are you blabbering about, Kenjaku? Sukuna-sama is right there fighting and will win," Uraume said proudly.
"Hehe, I doubt it," Yuta replied.
"What do you mean?!" Uraume snarled.
"Ryomen Sukuna was sealed at the height of his power; I saw it. I was supposed to fulfill the binding vow I had with him right after he slaughtered those sorcerers he was fighting. But before I could do so, Senju Hashirama defeated and sealed him into 20 fingers."
"What are you trying to say, Kenjaku?" Uraume demanded.
"I'm saying that Senju Hiroshi is already on par, if not surpassing, the level of his ancestor. A 15-fingered King of Curses will barely make him sweat," Yuta explained.
The forest grew as Sukuna unleashed slash after slash, attempting to cut away the greenery surrounding him. He eventually resorted to putting his hands together to dice the general area around him. The forest stopped growing immediately around Sukuna, but as he looked around, he noticed the trees beginning to bloom and release pollen. Instantly, Sukuna realized the effects of the pollen being released. "What an unstoppable technique," Sukuna thought to himself as he continued to cut away at the trees that released pollen, only to see them grow back. He then looked up at Senju Hiroshi, who was smirking down at him from atop the Wooden Human.
"In order to stop this, I can only target the caster," Sukuna thought as he sped towards Hiroshi's location. With a wave of his hand, the Wooden Dragons lunged at Sukuna. He deftly jumped around the first one and sent a slash that managed to cut off the wooden dragon's head. The second one attempted to bite him, but Sukuna countered with "Spiderweb." The Wooden Dragon was reduced to cubes. As he broke free, Sukuna realized that the first dragon he decapitated had regrown its head and was now chasing him.
"Tsk, the resilience," he muttered as he analyzed the situation. Dodging multiple Wooden Dragons that were now in pursuit, Sukuna arrived at the foot of the Wooden Human, which promptly attempted to stomp on his former location. Sukuna dodged the attack and pointed at the foot, commanding, "Dismantle!" A multitude of slashes managed to cut off and reduce the foot to cubes. Evading the first and second Wooden Dragons that lunged at him, Sukuna took to the air, only to have the Wooden Human's massive hand swat him through multiple buildings.
"It's Useless Sukuna! I have the High Ground!" Hiroshi Exclaimed.
Multiple Wooden Dragons continued to chase the King of Curses, demolishing buildings in their path. As Sukuna fought on, he grew increasingly annoyed at the turn of events. Just moments ago, he had been having fun against Megumi, but now he found himself running around because of Hiroshi—a surprising reversal.
Hiroshi waved his hand, casting "Shinboku no Jumon: Laughing Buddha Jutsu." Massive wooden hands emerged in front of Sukuna, further impeding his escape. Sukuna once again put his hands together, enabling him to send an infinite number of slashes around him. This technique, which he had used in the original timeline to reduce buildings to dust while being chased by Mahoraga, was now being used defensively.
As the Wooden Dragons crashed into Sukuna's location, they were turned to cubes and bits. However, Sukuna quickly noticed that despite all his slashes and cuts, the Wooden Dragons were regrowing rapidly. The realization that he was being pressured by inanimate objects, rather than fighting the sorcerer himself, was beginning to annoy him. His frown deepened as the fight went on, and every time he looked at Senju Hiroshi sitting and smirking at his situation, his irritation grew.
Coming to a conclusion and acting on it were two different things, and Sukuna knew he had to approach Senju Hiroshi to even begin to attack him. The fact that he was being kept 200 meters away indicated that his opponent was somewhat aware of his Domain Expansion.
Seeing Sukuna attempting to approach him but being held back by the sudden appearance of hands, endless Wooden Dragons, and the occasional clone, Hiroshi thought about many things. "This 15-Finger Sukuna has enough firepower to cut through my constructs but not enough to lethally injure me," Hiroshi smirked. "The premise is that he can even come near me, hehe."
"What's wrong, King of Curses? Having a hard time?" Hiroshi taunted, his voice echoing through the chaotic battlefield.
Sukuna, visibly frustrated, scowled at Hiroshi's words. The relentless Wooden Dragons and the Laughing Buddha Jutsu were proving to be more than just a nuisance; they were a formidable barrier. "Damn that Senju," he muttered under his breath, slashing through another wave of wooden constructs.
The longer Sukuna spent inside the vast forest Hiroshi had created, the more he realized that Senju Hiroshi was more than capable of delaying him indefinitely or until Itadori Yuji took back control.
"So far, he only accelerates the growth of plants. I haven't seen him summon it from anywhere," Sukuna thought as he weaved through the gigantic constructs, making his way toward Hiroshi.
As Hiroshi watched Sukuna approach at high speed, constantly shifting direction to dodge the wooden constructs rising from the environment, he mused, "I want to see how he does his 'Fuga' Fire Arrow thing. I feel like I can still do more with my Cursed Technique."
"There is the Maximum Technique, Shinsu Senju, but that does not warrant it today. I've come here to learn," Hiroshi thought.
Sukuna's movements were a blur as he deftly avoided the various obstacles Hiroshi had set.
Hiroshi knew that Sukuna was on a timer, and any moment now Yuji Itadori could switch back. In a move that bewildered Ryomen Sukuna and the rest of the onlookers, Hiroshi abandoned his high ground. The wooden constructs attacking the King of Curses halted.
"What is he doing? Why isn't Sensei going in for the exorcism?" Megumi asked, watching intently.
All the teams had assembled in the lobby of the Field Headquarters.
"Why is Senju abandoning his advantage?" Kusakabe asked, his voice filled with confusion.
"He's planning something," Nanami analyzed, adjusting his glasses. "Knowing Hiroshi, he's probably goading Sukuna into something he wants."
"He mentioned wanting to learn a technique from Sukuna, so Nanami might be onto something," Suguru said as he entered the room.
Hiroshi unsummoned the Wooden Human and the Wooden Dragons, standing a few meters away from Sukuna. "It seems like you can't reach me without me giving you a handicap, so here I'll make things easier. Square up and show me what you've got," Hiroshi said, taking an unorthodox stance, his right foot forward and left foot behind, as he was a left-handed fighter.
"How foolish to give up your advantage," Sukuna mocked.
"Not the words I'd expect from someone who couldn't reach me a few minutes ago, but sure, let's go with that," Hiroshi fired back.
Sukuna squared up, but the moment he blinked, a fist was already close at hand.
Hiroshi's punch sent Sukuna flying through multiple buildings. In an instant, Hiroshi met the King of Curses on the other side, kicking him upwards.
"Cero," Hiroshi pointed upwards, and a black beam of cursed energy hit the King of Curses, sending him flying.
All this happened in the blink of an eye. Among the onlookers, only Suguru Geto could keep up and understand what had transpired.
Back at the Field Headquarters, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation and concern.
"Did anyone else see that?" Mei Mei asked, clearly impressed and bewildered.
"It happened so fast," Mai Zenin said, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"He's pushing Sukuna to his limits," Suguru said. "This isn't just a fight; it's a lesson, a test, and a demonstration all at once."
Suguru Geto's words echoed around the room, resonating with everyone present. The King of Curses was a relic of the past, an unbelievably powerful sorcerer from history. Few modern sorcerers could even challenge Ryomen Sukuna. In the current era, there were only four people who could fight him and possibly win: Senju Hiroshi, Gojo Satoru, Suguru Geto, and possibly Yuki Tsukumo—the Special Grade Sorcerers of today. The God of Sorcerers, Senju Hiroshi, was declaring to the world that he too could defeat the King of Curses just like his ancestor could. He was solidifying his position as the strongest sorcerer in the modern era.
---
**Back to the Battlefield**
Sukuna crashed to the ground with burnt injuries, missing an arm and a portion of his leg missing.
"Damn punk," Sukuna grunted as he healed himself, watching the confident and arrogant smirk on Hiroshi's face. It felt like looking in a mirror, as he was usually the one with that smirk.
"You're pretty good. There were only two people who could survive my attacks like that, and you're the third one. Congratulations," Hiroshi said in a congratulatory and arrogant tone.
Sukuna, having regenerated, pointed at Hiroshi. "Dismantle," he said, sending slashes flying at him.
The slashes hit Hiroshi, but he appeared unscathed, with no injuries. "No..." Sukuna thought as he replayed it in his mind. "Domain Amplification. My technique hit him, but he healed it almost instantly, leaving no blood. Is his Reverse Cursed Technique that potent, or is his control over cursed energy better than mine?" Sukuna was baffled at the rate of healing his opponent was demonstrating.
Using Domain Amplification absorbs most of the cursed technique, and whatever was left was healed almost immediately by Hiroshi's healing factor. Unknown to Sukuna, Hiroshi only used Domain Amplification; the healing was done by his innate ability.
Hiroshi smirked. As Sukuna swung at him, Hiroshi stepped back to dodge and delivered an uppercut, hitting Sukuna on the chin with such force that it disoriented the King of Curses, his ears ringing from the impact. The sheer strength behind Hiroshi's attack reverberated through Sukuna's body. The high-pitched noise in his ears added to the disorienting effect, making it difficult for him to focus. Hiroshi followed with a knee strike and a left hook, sending Sukuna to the ground, then attempted a low kick. Sukuna gathered himself and launched from the ground, dodging Hiroshi's low kick.
Sukuna waved his arms, launching slashes at Hiroshi, but Hiroshi remained unscathed, with only small cuts on his clothes. At this point, Sukuna had a cautious look on his face. The force of Hiroshi's hits was so destructive that even with cursed energy reinforcement, Sukuna felt fractures in his bones. He had to use Reverse Cursed Technique almost constantly to keep fighting effectively.
"His Cursed Energy... it has a special trait, an explosive one," Sukuna mused, analyzing the situation as he tried to understand why Hiroshi's punches were exceptionally destructive.
As Sukuna kept his eyes on Hiroshi, Hiroshi disappeared from his vision. With his guard up, Sukuna saw Hiroshi in his peripheral vision, aiming for a left hook. Sukuna ducked, and Hiroshi's swing demolished three buildings. Taking advantage of the moment, Sukuna touched Hiroshi. "Cleave," he said simultaneously, as Hiroshi smashed him into the ground, creating a crater around them. Sukuna managed to cut Hiroshi enough to draw blood, but Hiroshi's healing factor kicked in almost immediately.
Hiroshi kicked Sukuna away and touched his abdomen, realizing Sukuna's effort resulted in only a small cut. "All that for a drop of blood," Hiroshi said in a mocking tone.
Sukuna walked out of the rubble, glaring at Hiroshi. "Are you mocking me?" he demanded.
"No, I'm stating facts," Hiroshi replied calmly.
Sukuna emerged from the rubble, launching himself back into the fray with Hiroshi. In the midst of their intense exchange of blows, Hiroshi decided to inject a bit of banter.
"Hehe, You're from the Heian Era right? So you must like poems," Hiroshi taunted as he deflected one of Sukuna's strikes and grabbed his wrist.
Sukuna, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone, smirked in response. "Depends on the poem," he retorted, attempting to twist out of Hiroshi's grasp.
Hiroshi chuckled as he smoothly weaved around another punch from Sukuna, seizing the opportunity to deliver his improvised verse. "Roses are red," he began, delivering an uppercut to Sukuna.
"I've got Shibuya on lock," Hiroshi followed up with a swift palm strike that created distance between them.
"He ain't got no hands, so watch the King of Curses get rocked!" Hiroshi concluded with a flourish, delivering an impactful axe kick that sent Sukuna crashing into the ground.
The impact was brutal, but Sukuna, though momentarily stunned, quickly recovered his footing. He glared up at Hiroshi, his expression a mix of frustration and determination. The banter, though unexpected, only fueled his desire to turn the tide of battle in his favor.
"Is he not pushed far enough?" Hiroshi thought, his mind racing as he prepared his next move. With a deliberate gesture, he brought his hands together, summoning a multitude of hands that materialized around him in readiness. The display of power prompted Sukuna to do the same.
"Domain Expansion: Divine Tree Emergence" (神樹出現)
"Domain Expansion: Malevolent Shrine" (伏魔御厨子)
A massive god tree erupted into existence behind Hiroshi, its towering form set against a sky-blue backdrop with the ocean stretching beyond. Meanwhile, a shrine emerged from behind Sukuna, its environment transforming into a scene centered around a distorted Buddhist shrine that now enshrined demons. The shrine's roof sprouted horns, adorned with human skulls hanging down. Grotesque mouths formed the entrances, complete with teeth and tongues, while four disfigured tree-like stumps with gnarled branches stood at each corner.
---
"There it is!" Megumi exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise and anticipation as he witnessed both fighters unleash their Domain Expansions.
"Open Barrier Domains?" Mei Mei questioned, startled by the revelation that Sukuna also possessed an open barrier domain, a rarity that surprised her.
"The first Open Barrier Domain clash in history," Suguru remarked calmly, his gaze fixed on the unfolding spectacle.
---
"An Open Barrier Domain?" Sukuna thought, surprised by yet another revelation. A barrierless domain was exceedingly rare, and the fact that Senju Hiroshi possessed one as well—though Sukuna still harbored disdain for the name "Senju"—spoke volumes of the respect he held for strength.
Their domains clashed, and it became clear to both fighters that Hiroshi held a significant advantage. For the first time in history, Sukuna realized his domain was being pushed back. His defeat at the hands of Senju Hashirama, where he was pummeled into oblivion by a massive Buddha statue without any domain expansion or tricks, was a bitter memory he refused to accept. Caught off guard now, facing the progeny of that man, Sukuna found himself on the defensive in a domain clash—a scenario he never imagined.
Determined to end this quickly, Sukuna realized he needed to unleash his strongest attack. Leaving his shrine, he immediately initiated the brawl with Hiroshi. Sukuna struck Hiroshi with "Dismantle," but Hiroshi shrugged it off and countered with a fist strike. "Heavenly Spear Fist!" Sukuna braced himself, gathering the majority of his cursed energy in his abdomen to endure the attack. Desperately, he grabbed Hiroshi and executed "Cleave." Both "Cleave" and "Dismantle" hit Hiroshi, who shrugged off the blows.
Despite this, Sukuna considered it a success. To use his "Divine Flames," he needed to hit his opponent with both "Cleave" and "Dismantle." As Sukuna was sent flying, he managed to stabilize himself on top of the shrine, wearing a victorious smirk.
To mitigate the slow speed and narrow range of "Divine Flame," Sukuna had entered into a binding vow. This vow restricted him from using "Divine Flame" when outnumbered unless inside his domain. In return, the cursed technique of "Malevolent Shrine" was expanded. It imbued all pulverized substances within the domain with explosive cursed energy similar to "Divine Flame." Sukuna contained this explosive potential within the domain by altering the barrier's specifications to restrict entry and exit for everything except living creatures. This effectively transformed particles into thermobaric explosives that scattered throughout the domain. When "Divine Flame" was unleashed, these explosives detonated, causing instantaneous high temperatures, shock waves, decompression, and intense pressurization that could kill all living things within the domain.
Now having met the minimum requirement, Sukuna muttered, "Furnace: Open."
"Here it comes!" Hiroshi entered Sage Mode, enhancing his understanding. Even when opponents did not explain their techniques, the world occasionally whispered secrets to Hiroshi—only when he faced top-tier opponents.
Prison Realm.
Life and death.
The rumbling of thunder and flashes of lightning.
Binding vows.
These were the images Hiroshi received. After this revelation, there were none.
Hastily, Hiroshi opened the Prison Realm. His clone immediately dissolved, and the clone's knowledge transferred to him.
It became clear that the time his clone spent in the Prison Realm was pivotal. The world of Jujutsu Kaisen revolved around the samsara cycle: life, death, reincarnation.
Smirking like a child with a new toy, Hiroshi thought, "I don't know the full extent of this power unless mastered, but it will suffice. I'll save my 'Shinsu Senju' for the 20-fingered Sukuna."
"Wither, God Tree!" Hiroshi commanded, and instantly, the colossal tree began to wither away. The serene sky it upheld shifted dramatically, turning from a sunny blue to a brooding, stormy canopy filled with lightning and thunder—a sight that heralded an apocalypse rather than peace.
"Life symbolizes the God Tree, and death symbolizes the lightning and thunder—the apocalypse, God's punishment to man and gift to nature, Divine Lightning," Hiroshi muttered, embodying the profound duality of nature's forces.
A severe binding vow accompanied Hiroshi's invocation of Divine Lightning. For one hour, he relinquished control over vegetation and trees, as the God Tree needed time to regenerate. In exchange, he wielded the power of Divine Lightning, a force granted by nature itself.
His second binding vow stipulated that he must be in Sage Mode within an open domain to harness this technique—a fusion of natural energy and cursed energy.
From behind Hiroshi, a towering wooden humanoid emerged, its hands cradling a bow crackling with lightning. The wooden giant's transformation to stone signaled the immense influx of natural energy coursing through it.
With practiced precision, Hiroshi took aim, his movements synchronized with the giant's as it prepared the lightning bow. In an instant, both bow and archer were poised.
"Indra's Arrow," Hiroshi intoned, naming the technique he unleashed with decisive intent.
Sukuna mirrored Hiroshi's actions, as he fired his own divine counterpart—Divine Flames.
The two divine forces—Divine Lightning and Divine Flames—collided in a cataclysmic explosion of blinding light, each representing the apex of their respective powers.
The explosion engulfed nearly an 800-meter radius of Shibuya, its intensity searing through the cityscape. In its wake, a gaping crater emerged where buildings once stood, the remnants of their structures now scattered debris amidst billowing smoke and swirling dust.
Hiroshi, standing amidst the devastation, focused his attention on Yuji Itadori, who lay unconscious with severe injuries. The young sorcerer bore the marks of Sukuna's fierce onslaught—missing limbs and scorched flesh. With practiced precision, Hiroshi placed his hand on Yuji's chest, channeling his Reverse Cursed Technique to heal the boy's wounds.
From within Yuji's subconscious, Sukuna observed Hiroshi's actions with a mix of disbelief and contemplation. He pondered his defeat, grappling with the unfamiliar sting of excuse-making "I wasn't at full strength," Sukuna muttered to himself, grappling with the reality of his defeat. It was unusual for him to make excuses, but facing Hiroshi had revealed the limits of his power in this altered timeline.
"This defeat," Sukuna acknowledged silently, "I will remember." His mind raced with thoughts of his next move. The defeat had left an indelible mark on his pride and strategy, compelling him to reconsider his approach.
"This prison will not suffice if I am to win," Sukuna resolved, disappearing into the shadows as he contemplated his next move, his thoughts veiled in the secrecy of his own intentions.
The outcome of this clash was clear: The God of Sorcerers had emerged victorious
A/N: Do we Run Duos Together Cause we suck at the game or do we suck at the game cause we run duos together? - Suguru Geto
A/N: You are my SPECIAL