The world froze as Satoru Gojo stood face-to-face with the towering curse. His eyes, glowing a brilliant blue, pierced the oppressive darkness. The energy radiating from him was suffocating, pressing down on everything in its vicinity.
The curse snarled, its voice a guttural growl. "The balance must be restored. The strongest must fall."
Gojo smirked, sliding his hands effortlessly into his pockets. "You've got a one-track mind, don't you?"
The curse lunged, its grotesque form twisting unnaturally as it barreled toward him. Its claws extended, dripping with cursed energy that burned the air around them.
Gojo didn't flinch. Instead, he raised a single hand, his voice steady.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
A sphere of energy erupted from his palm, slamming into the curse with devastating force. The creature was thrown backward, crashing into the remnants of a crumbling building. Dust and debris filled the air, but Gojo's confident stance didn't waver.
"Sensei!"
Gojo glanced over his shoulder. Megumi, Yuta, and Ame stood a safe distance away, but their expressions were tense. Yuta had his katana at the ready, his body positioned protectively in front of Ame, while Megumi's Divine Dogs growled lowly beside him.
"You guys good?" Gojo called out, his tone almost casual.
"We're fine," Megumi replied, his gaze flicking toward the curse as it began to stir. "But that thing isn't down yet."
"Of course it's not," Gojo said, turning back to the curse. "They never learn the first time."
The curse rose, its body contorting and regenerating at an alarming rate. It let out a piercing shriek that echoed through the ruined village, its form swelling as it absorbed more cursed energy from the surrounding area.
"This one's different," Yuta said, stepping forward. "It's not just strong—it's feeding off the environment."
"Exactly," Gojo said, his voice calm. "Which is why you two need to stay back. Let me handle this."
"But Sensei—"
"No buts," Gojo interrupted, his tone sharp but not unkind. "Your job is to protect Ame. Mine is to make sure this thing doesn't ruin our night."
Yuta hesitated but nodded, retreating slightly with Megumi and Ame in tow.
The curse lunged again, its claws extending and shifting mid-strike into massive tendrils that lashed out in all directions. Gojo leapt back, the tendrils stopping just short of him as the air shimmered with his Infinity.
"Tsk, tsk," he said, wagging a finger. "You'll have to do better than that."
The tendrils twisted together, forming a massive spear of cursed energy that shot toward him with incredible speed. Gojo raised his hand, redirecting the attack into the ground. The impact shattered the earth beneath them, sending shards of rock flying.
"Is that it?" Gojo asked, tilting his head. His smirk widened. "You were more fun when you weren't trying so hard."
The curse roared in frustration, its grotesque body swelling further as it drew even more energy from the surrounding area. Gojo's gaze narrowed, his playful demeanor giving way to a rare seriousness.
"I don't have all night," he muttered. "Let's wrap this up."
He raised both hands, the air around him crackling with energy.
"Hollow Technique: Purple."
The combined forces of Blue and Red erupted from his palm, consuming everything in its path. The curse didn't even have time to scream before it was obliterated, reduced to nothingness by the overwhelming force of Gojo's attack.
Silence fell over the village. The oppressive cursed energy that had weighed them down earlier was gone, replaced by an eerie stillness.
"Is it over?" Megumi asked, his Divine Dogs disappearing as he approached Gojo.
"For now," Gojo replied, his tone uncharacteristically serious. He adjusted his blindfold, covering his eyes once more.
Yuta joined them, his katana still in hand. "That thing was… different. It wasn't like other curses we've fought before."
Gojo nodded. "It was definitely stronger than your average curse. But what's more concerning is the way it talked."
"It kept saying something about balance," Megumi said, frowning. "And how the strongest must fall."
Gojo's smirk returned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
They regrouped near the edge of the village, where Ame sat quietly, clutching her stuffed toy. Her wide eyes remained fixed on the ground, her small frame trembling despite Yuta's attempts to comfort her.
"Ame," Gojo said gently as he crouched in front of her. "Can you tell us what happened here?"
The girl hesitated, her grip tightening on the toy. "The monsters came," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "They… took everyone."
"Took them where?" Megumi asked, kneeling beside her.
Ame shook her head. "I don't know. They just disappeared. And then the big one came."
Gojo exchanged a glance with Megumi and Yuta. "The big one," he repeated. "Did it say anything?"
Ame nodded. "It kept saying the same thing. Over and over."
"What did it say?"
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear. "That the strongest has to die."
Gojo stood, his expression unreadable. "This isn't random," he said, his voice low. "Something's targeting us. Or more specifically… me."
"Do you think it's related to that prophecy?" Yuta asked.
Gojo didn't answer right away. His gaze drifted toward the ruined village, his mind racing.
"Maybe," he said finally. "But that's what we need to figure out. Yaga needs to hear about this."
"And Ame?" Megumi asked.
"We're taking her with us," Gojo said without hesitation. "She's the only survivor. She might know more than she realizes."
Yuta nodded. "Then we should move quickly. If more curses show up…"
"They won't," Gojo said firmly. "Not tonight."
As they prepared to leave, Gojo glanced back at the village one last time. The moonlight bathed the ruins in an eerie glow, the once-thriving community now nothing more than a memory.
He couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
"The strongest must fall," he murmured to himself, his smirk returning. "They can keep trying. But they'll never win."
With that, he turned and led the group into the night, the weight of the prophecy lingering in the air like a shadow.