"Huh?" Jogo looked at Hayashi in confusion. "What kind of question is that, kid? Do you think you're in a position to ask us questions? Worry about yourself first."
Suddenly, Hayashi's figure blurred as he flashed to another spot in the open area. Where he had been standing moments before, several vines had almost wrapped around him. If not for his cursed energy allowing him to sense the underground movement, he would have been caught.
"Teleportation?" Jogo and Suguru Geto spoke simultaneously. This kind of speed, almost invisible to the naked eye, could only be explained as teleportation.
"Don't play games. I can sense it all. I just want to ask about things I don't know," Hayashi said, trying to appear calm.
"Kid, who are you, really?" Jogo was very curious now. This definitely wasn't an ordinary jujutsu sorcerer, nor was he a novice.
There were few who could move that fast.
The atmosphere grew tense, but Hayashi smiled and said, "Tokyo's not that big. There are only two jujutsu high schools. Take a guess."
Wait, wasn't one of them not in Tokyo?
"Jujutsu High? You're from Jujutsu High?" Geto seemed to realize something. "One of Gojo Satoru's people?"
"Haha, you could say that," Hayashi smirked, though internally, he was calculating the right moment to escape. From the stitches on Geto's forehead, Hayashi could tell that this wasn't the Suguru Geto of old—those who knew, knew.
The heat from the volcano atop Jogo's head intensified, as if it could erupt at any moment, and the surrounding temperature began to rise rapidly. "Don't think that just because you've got some strength, you can act arrogant. You're not the first Jujutsu High student we've killed. Don't overestimate yourself."
"You've killed Jujutsu High students?" Hayashi's expression shifted slightly. He didn't know much about these guys' pasts, but hearing that they had killed students from Jujutsu High was alarming. Though, Jogo had only said "similar"...
"Don't worry. You won't be the last." Jogo wasn't interested in explaining further. He was getting ready to attack. There was no way he was going to let Hayashi leave.
In an instant, Hayashi used Time Flash and appeared right in front of Hanami. Without hesitation, he slashed downward with Black Steel.
Hanami's reaction was incredibly fast, as he had been watching Hayashi the entire time. As the blade descended, Hanami raised one hand to block.
"Bang!"
A dull, solid sound rang out. Hanami's legs bent slightly, his eyes wide with disbelief. That strike had caused significant damage. The blade had sunk deep into his skin.
"Go back and tell your 'Mahito' that I will kill him! And for the lives you've taken today, I will repay the debt!" Hayashi growled, his voice laced with anger. Although there was a bit of impulsiveness and lack of forethought in his words, Mahito's actions had enraged him too much. He would share part of this with Gojo Satoru later so that they could be prepared.
After all, what Hayashi said today could cause a butterfly effect that would change the future.
He followed up with a fierce kick to Hanami's stomach.
Azure Black Flash!
Boom!
The kick sent Hanami flying into the wall, which cracked upon impact before he was slammed into the vines he had previously summoned.
Hayashi then quickly used Time Flash again and disappeared from the area in an instant.
"Don't run!" Jogo shouted as he prepared to give chase, but Geto stopped him. "He's already gone. You won't catch him."
"Damn it, I was played by a kid!" Jogo was fuming. The temperature in the room rose by several degrees. "I should have used my domain and taken him out from the start."
"This situation wasn't suitable for using a domain. And with all of us here, it wasn't necessary. But now isn't the time to dwell on it—we need to leave." Geto turned to Hanami, who was slumped against the vines. "Are you alright?"
Hanami didn't speak. He simply nodded before quickly forming hand signs. Vines wrapped around the four of them, and in the next moment, they sank into the ground.
After they left, everything returned to normal. The temperature slowly dropped back to normal, and aside from the dead bodies and the destruction inside the store, it was as if nothing had happened.
"That kid... who on earth is he? How does he know about Mahito?" Jogo couldn't make sense of it. Mahito had never shown himself in public or been discovered. How could a mere student know about him? Could it be that Gojo Satoru was aware as well?
"Don't jump to conclusions. That kid likely has some special ability. Just because he knows something doesn't mean that Gojo or Jujutsu High knows it too. We'll figure it out when we get back," Geto said sternly, already considering adjusting their future plans and investigating Hayashi's background.
But then, Geto added with a hint of amusement, "If you hadn't been toying with him earlier, would he have gotten away?"
"Hmph, so you noticed. We'll deal with that brat later. He might even have some other uses," Jogo chuckled, not denying it.
None of the four had been serious earlier. They were merely testing the boy's abilities.
As they quickly moved through the underground, the others couldn't help but notice that Hanami was injured. The marks on his hand and stomach were still visible. While he could heal, it was clear that he had indeed taken damage.
Hayashi, meanwhile, was long gone. After using Time Flash to get away, he blended into the crowd as if he had just appeared out of nowhere. No one around him seemed to notice anything strange.
However, Hayashi couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't been able to cut through Hanami's arm with Black Steel.
Was his own cursed energy not strong enough, or was Black Steel not sharp enough?
No matter how he thought about it, it didn't make sense. With his current strength and the cursed tool Black Steel, he should have been able to sever Hanami's arm. Was Hanami's arm really that tough, that even a cursed tool couldn't cut through it?
At least he had escaped quickly. If those special-grade curses had activated a domain, he'd have been done for.
"I'd better hurry back to school. No way I can keep this job." The only thing Hayashi regretted was not being able to save the store's employees. Jogo's move had been too fast. He hadn't had the time to stop it, nor the ability.
Hayashi wasn't powerful enough to prevent someone like Jogo from casting cursed techniques. Even Gojo Satoru would probably struggle to save those people in that situation.
But Hayashi had no doubts about Gojo's strength. He just hadn't seen it firsthand, so the idea of Gojo being 'invincible' was still somewhat abstract to him.
"Finally, I'm back." Hayashi returned to his dorm at Jujutsu High, collapsing onto the bed. These past days hadn't been too exhausting, but the encounter with the four special-grade curses had left him mentally drained.
Even though he had appeared calm at the time, inside he had been terrified. But he had to maintain a façade of composure, so that the enemy wouldn't be able to read him.
Had he shown fear from the start, there was no way he'd have made it out alive. That's how it always was—once you let fear take over, defeat wasn't far behind.
After this experience, Hayashi had a clearer understanding of his own abilities. He wasn't strong enough to take on truly powerful special-grade curses yet, at least not until he mastered a domain.
For now, Hayashi wasn't too worried about ordinary special-grade curses. As long as he didn't encounter any real monsters, he could handle himself.
But after spending most of the day back at school, he hadn't seen Fushiguro or the others. Even the upperclassmen weren't around.
"Where is everyone?" Hayashi looked around but couldn't find them. Maybe they had gone out.
It wasn't until dusk that Hayashi finally saw Fushiguro and the others return.
"Hayashi! Where the hell have you been?" Nobara Kugisaki stormed over angrily the moment she saw him, grabbing his ear.
"Ow! Ow! Take it easy! What's going on? Missed me that much?" Hayashi grimaced in pain. This girl had some serious strength.
"Who said anything about missing you? I'm asking where you've been all this time. You didn't answer your phone! Were you trying to disappear?" Nobara's eyes widened with fury, making Hayashi think she was about to eat him alive.