Needing 350 points for Time Flash, just hearing the name made Hayashi feel it would be incredibly reliable. Perhaps it would be a great technique for either offense or escape.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the cursed technique Time Flash.]
Upon receiving it, both Hayashi's body and mind were filled with the memory of Time Flash. The next moment, although he hadn't moved from his spot, he was already standing on the grass five meters away.
Just like that, without any warning, he had teleported.
"Haha, this is so cool!" Hayashi laughed aloud. But it wasn't long before he realized that the simple teleportation he had just performed had consumed a large amount of his cursed energy.
The energy consumption was even greater than when using Cursed Energy Armor—nearly three times more.
But the effect was definitely worth it. Hayashi realized that the application of Time Flash went far beyond just this. When he used Cursed Energy Release, he could teleport to any point within his sensing range with pinpoint precision.
When using Cursed Energy Release, the consumption of Time Flash was cut in half. However, Cursed Energy Release also consumed cursed energy. So, when using both Cursed Energy Release and Time Flash together, it equaled the energy consumption of Cursed Energy Armor times three.
It was much better than using Time Flash alone.
At this point, Hayashi couldn't claim to have the strength of a special-grade sorcerer—there was still some distance to go—but he was at least near first-grade.
After all, being a special-grade sorcerer wasn't just about raw strength. It was also about knowledge, techniques, and an understanding of various situations. Only then could one be called a special-grade sorcerer.
Although Hayashi had become significantly stronger than when he started, he knew that he was still far from enough. This world wasn't kind to the virtuous. The enemies lurking in the shadows would use any means necessary to take your life.
They would use every trick in the book, and Hayashi needed to learn more, to train, and to understand this world. That was the most important thing.
Gojo Satoru was incredibly strong, but you didn't see him running around constantly killing curses. With his strength and speed, taking out ten or more first-grade curses—or even special-grades—in a day would be like child's play.
But he didn't do that. Gojo was extremely composed. Despite his youthful appearance and charm, his age showed in his wisdom and experience—traits that Hayashi and the others admired most.
The stronger someone was, the more they understood. They held respect and reverence for the world, not just for their own power. After all, who could guarantee that Gojo Satoru was truly 'invincible' in this world?
The word 'invincible' was something Gojo had applied to himself, but it was also something acknowledged by others. However, the world was vast. From a global perspective, maybe Gojo could claim to be 'invincible' in Japan, but what about the rest of the world?
There were billions of people worldwide, and while the number of sorcerers and curses might be small, globally speaking, there were still many. Surely, among them, there were powerful sorcerers and curses hiding in plain sight.
At this point, Hayashi could finally say that he could protect himself. Yes, this time, he could truly defend himself—no longer just empty words.
The day passed quickly. Fushiguro and Nobara still hadn't returned, and Gojo-sensei was nowhere to be found.
Hayashi ended up making dinner for himself and going to bed early—after all, he was still recovering.
Although there were sorcerers skilled in healing, flesh wounds still took time to heal.
The night was peaceful, and the surroundings were quiet. Hayashi slept comfortably, seemingly unconcerned about Itadori's situation.
When he opened his eyes, the sun was already out. He got up, poured himself a glass of water, and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.
After getting himself ready, Hayashi opened the door and stepped outside. He saw Fushiguro walking toward him.
"You're back?" Hayashi could clearly feel Fushiguro's low mood, even though he wasn't openly showing it.
"Yeah. You okay?" Fushiguro nodded, only noticing a few scars on Hayashi's face, but he seemed otherwise fine.
Hayashi was wearing clothes that covered the bandages underneath, making it look like nothing was wrong. "I'm fine. Has Nobara returned?"
"She's in her room. I need some sleep. We'll talk when I wake up." Fushiguro said softly, his mind still haunted by the image of Itadori lying on the ground. He pushed open the door and went inside.
Hayashi didn't press further. If Itadori really had died, Fushiguro would surely be devastated. But Sukuna wouldn't let Itadori die—not yet, at least.
So there was no need to appear too sorrowful; Hayashi was clear about that.
As he passed Nobara's room, he heard a voice from inside. "Hayashi, did you know that Itadori won't be coming back?"
Hayashi stopped in his tracks. The door opened, and a tired-looking Nobara appeared.
"I know," Hayashi nodded.
"Fushiguro told you?"
"No, no one told me."
"Then how do you know? Were you there that day?"
"No, but I can sense it even if no one says anything. You and Fushiguro are both feeling down, and Itadori hasn't come back. That says it all." Hayashi sighed, "I'm not a cold person."
"Then why… Why didn't you help them if you still had strength left?" Nobara realized she had spoken out of turn. She didn't know what Hayashi's situation had been—how could she assume he had anything left to give?
Hayashi calmly looked at Nobara, speaking with certainty, "In the future, no matter which one of you is in danger, if I have the ability, I'll definitely protect you. Don't overthink things. Focus on resting."
"I'll go make breakfast for you guys. You can't fight on an empty stomach." Hayashi waved and walked away with a carefree attitude.
Nobara watched Hayashi's retreating figure, feeling like something about him had changed since yesterday, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
Naturally, breakfast had to be light and healthy. Unfortunately, there were no soybeans at the school, so making soy milk was out of the question, but a basic breakfast could still be managed.
At breakfast, Nobara was the only one who showed up. No matter how much they called Fushiguro, he didn't come.
"He said he wants to be alone for now. We should leave him be," Nobara said, understanding that Fushiguro was hurting. After all, Itadori had died right in front of him.
"Eat while it's hot. It's best that way. After breakfast, let's all rest for a few days. I doubt we'll have any missions for a while. Once you're feeling better, I'll take you guys out to have some fun." Hayashi grabbed a meat bun from the table and began eating.
He had made the buns himself, and since there weren't many people, they were quick to prepare.
"Yeah, right. With the little money you have, what kind of fun can we have?" Nobara didn't want to dwell on Itadori's death and tried to cheer up, even though they hadn't known each other for long. After all, they had fought side by side.
"Don't worry about that. Just eat up." Hayashi smiled slightly. Soon, he'd have to go out and earn some money. Sitting around at school wasn't going to make money appear in his pocket.