Inumaki Toge clutched his stomach, his hand tugging at his collar, revealing strange black markings around his mouth, mixed with traces of blood.
Maki Zenin was now dead serious. She regarded the boy in front of her as a major threat. With Hayashi immobilized by Inumaki's cursed speech, she twirled her spear, aiming a deadly thrust straight at Hayashi's chest.
The sense of impending death washed over Hayashi. Even though this was a mirror world, all his senses and the feeling of danger were real. This reminded him of the time when he had faced Shingo, that same overwhelming sensation.
In an instant, a layer of cursed energy armor enveloped Hayashi's body. Just as Maki's spear struck, it only penetrated about a centimeter before being stopped completely.
"What kind of cursed technique is this?" Everyone's faces showed disbelief. They had never seen such a technique, one that could block a cursed tool.
Maki's mastery of physical combat and cursed tools was unmatched. She could utilize cursed tools to their full potential, reaching levels others couldn't. Yet now, her spear couldn't pierce through Hayashi's strange technique.
Regaining control of his body, Hayashi turned, drawing Black Steel from his back, and swung it at Maki. The clash of their cursed tools sent Maki flying several meters back. As she landed, her expression turned uncertain and grim.
"A strange cursed technique, a suddenly appearing cursed tool, and superhuman speed... Not bad, not bad at all~"
As the tension mounted, a playful voice echoed through the air. Hayashi looked up and saw Gojo Satoru casually standing on the branch of a large tree, having appeared without a sound.
Seeing Gojo arrive, the others were overjoyed. Despite all their efforts, they hadn't been able to gain the upper hand on Hayashi, but now, with Gojo-sensei here, they felt relief.
Though the battle had just begun, Hayashi knew the senior students hadn't gone all out. If they had been fighting to the death, the situation would be much different.
Likewise, Hayashi hadn't used his full strength either, only showcasing part of his abilities.
Now that Gojo had arrived, Hayashi knew it was time to think about escaping. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could take on Gojo Satoru. That would be suicide.
"Jujutsu High is protected by a barrier technique to prevent outside intrusions. How did you get in?" Gojo's gaze locked onto Hayashi, noting the intense flow of pure cursed energy around him. It piqued Gojo's interest.
Hayashi had initially planned to return to the real world, but then remembered that entering the mirror world had cost him 10 points. If he didn't make up for it, he'd be at a loss.
So, Hayashi changed his mind. He released his cursed energy, then used his time-flash technique to speed off into the distance.
To Maki and the others, it looked like Hayashi had vanished. But in Gojo's eyes, he could clearly trace the trajectory of Hayashi's movement and could easily follow him.
"You guys stay here," Gojo said before vanishing from sight.
Hayashi didn't dare slow down. He continuously used time-flash, moving further away from the school and into the forest. His goal was to exorcise ten cursed spirits to make up for the points he had spent.
However, Hayashi had underestimated Gojo. Just as he thought he had escaped, Gojo suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his path.
Under the clouded sky, within the dense forest, Hayashi stood beneath a large tree, and ahead of him, Gojo Satoru stood casually, his hands in his pockets, looking as relaxed as ever.
"As expected from Gojo Satoru. If it had been anyone else, I would have shaken them off by now." At this point, Hayashi knew there was no point in running anymore. He had to face Gojo head-on.
Gojo Satoru, the strongest jujutsu sorcerer of the present day, ignited a fire within Hayashi's heart. In the real world, there was no chance to fight Gojo, but here, in this mirror world, he could!
Since this opportunity had presented itself, it would be foolish not to take it. Even though he knew he couldn't defeat Gojo, he could at least learn something valuable from the battle.
"Alright, it's just the two of us now. So, tell me, who are you, and where are you from?" Gojo's tone seemed casual, but in his mind, he was deeply intrigued. Hayashi's technique and strength were highly unusual and impressive.
This young man had enormous potential. Left unchecked, he could grow into a threat to the jujutsu world. Gojo needed to understand him.
"Who I am doesn't matter. Let's fight, Gojo Satoru!" Hayashi wasn't about to waste time with words. Whatever he said here would be meaningless, especially in this mirror world. Unless Gojo could provide useful information, talking was pointless.
"You're direct. Fine, then. Go ahead and make your move," Gojo said, spreading his hands wide in a gesture of invitation. Since Hayashi didn't want to talk, they could settle it with a fight. The outcome would be the same either way.
Facing Gojo, Hayashi knew he couldn't hold back even a bit. Cursed energy surged from within him like a fountain, enveloping his entire body. He gripped Black Steel tightly, pouring his cursed energy into the blade, causing the dark steel to emit a black-and-blue glow.
In an instant, Hayashi activated time-flash, his blade already descending upon Gojo. The strike was imbued with the power of Azure Black Flash, as Hayashi teleported directly in front of Gojo and swung down.
A terrifying force erupted from the blow. From the moment Hayashi had made his move, only a second had passed, but Gojo calmly raised one hand, catching the blade between two fingers.
Hayashi had always known Gojo was powerful, but now, having faced him, he truly realized just how overwhelmingly strong Gojo was!
In that single second, Gojo had not only reacted but had effortlessly caught his attack with just two fingers.
From Hayashi's perspective, it seemed that Gojo's fingers hadn't even touched Black Steel. There was an invisible force between them, preventing any contact.
It felt both incredibly close and impossibly far away.
"Not bad strength. Keep going," Gojo smiled slightly. Seeing that smile, Hayashi finally understood the immense pressure Gojo's enemies must have felt when facing him.
But there was no way Hayashi could let Gojo-sensei look down on him!
Hayashi suddenly crouched and threw a powerful punch at Gojo's stomach.
Azure Black Flash!
Power multiplier!
[Random multiplier activated]
[Power multiplier ×3]
Boom!
Gojo caught the punch with an open palm. But in the next moment, a much stronger impact followed, pushing Gojo back slightly.
"Your technique is quite peculiar," Gojo remarked, inspecting his hand. Though Hayashi hadn't truly landed a blow, Gojo could still feel a faint burning sensation.
Hayashi sheathed Black Steel. He realized that continuing this fight with weapons was pointless. No matter how fast or strong his attacks were, they were meaningless against Gojo if he couldn't even touch him. Any further use of cursed energy would just be wasted.
"Giving up?" Gojo asked, thinking Hayashi might have been planning a more powerful attack. Yet, here he was, putting away his weapon.