Under the binding vow, Yuji was holding his own better than before. Even with the disadvantage of fighting one-armed, his speed and strength had skyrocketed. Every punch, every kick, every move felt sharper and more precise. He ducked under the curse's wild swings and landed another solid blow to its face. But as he fought, he couldn't shake a gnawing realization—the curse was adapting.
'It's fighting smarter,' he thought, his frustration growing. 'It's because of Sukuna's finger.' The rage boiled in his chest as the curse countered his attack, catching his kick mid-air.
"This is going nowhere," Yuji muttered through gritted teeth. His binding vow had been active for 25 seconds now—just 35 more to go. Time felt like it was slipping through his fingers. "Should I extend it?" he thought. His mind raced with possibilities, but before he could finish his train of thought, the curse landed a devastating hit to his head, sending him flying across the rubble-strewn battlefield.
Yuji groaned as he pulled himself back to his feet, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. His vision blurred for a moment, but he could still see the curse standing there, smiling at him. It was unnerving.
"Damn, you've really upped your game," Yuji muttered, trying to keep his breathing steady. But then he froze.
The curse began to...speak.
"You're not exactly a pushover either, human," the curse said, its voice a disturbing cacophony of men and women speaking at once. Yuji's stomach dropped. It's talking? Since when can cursest under control talk? Isn't Geto controlling this thing?
The curse seemed to read his confusion. "Having that other human sorcerer control me was rather bothersome. But since you pushed me past my limits and helped me evolve, I broke free from that control."
Yuji's jaw tightened as the curse gave a sickening grin. "As thanks, I'll kill you with something I just learned," it continued.
The curse's voice sent a chill down Yuji's spine. The words felt wrong, alien, as if they shouldn't even exist. His eyes widened as the curse raised its right hand.
"What the hell is it doing?" Yuji muttered under his breath, his heart pounding.
The curse extended its palm outward, fingers together and straight. Then, with slow precision, it bent its index and middle fingers upward at a 90-degree angle, forming a "V" shape, while the remaining fingers pressed against its palm. It rotated its wrist slightly, angling the palm upward.
Yuji's stomach sank. No way. It's not—
The curse's voice echoed ominously through the air as its twisted grin widened.
"DOMAIN EXPANSION: Void of Assimilation!"
The atmosphere cracked like glass before shattering completely, plunging Yuji into an eerie, oppressive space. The domain was a nightmarish void—an endless expanse of pulsating, dark red energy that felt alive. In the distance, distorted figures writhed, merging and breaking apart as if consumed in an eternal cycle of suffering. The ground beneath Yuji's feet shifted, slick and unsteady like a sea of blood and flesh.
"Well, this is bad!" Yuji screamed internally, his heart pounding as he stared into the pulsating, grotesque void of the curse's domain. He hadn't expected to encounter a Domain Expansion this early in his life as a sorcerer, let alone be trapped in one without backup. The oppressive air pressed against his body like a suffocating weight, and the writhing, nightmarish figures surrounding him made his skin crawl. His mind raced. Could he pull something off in this situation? Was he even ready for this?
As doubt crept in, a memory surfaced—fragments of a conversation from his past life.
"Are you kidding me? Sorcerers learn way more in the heat of the moment! Look at Megumi and Gojo!" a boy at the lunch table had argued passionately.
Kazukai, his past self, had sighed, watching his friends debate the intricacies of Jujutsu Kaisen. But the boy, Haruta, had a point. Sorcerers often unlocked their greatest potential when their lives were on the line. Megumi's half-formed Domain Expansion against the finger-bearer wasn't perfect, but it was enough to turn the tide in his favor. That was enough to inspire Yuji now.
Snapping back to the present, Yuji clenched his fists and muttered, "If I don't do something now, I'm dead."
He raised his right hand into a cross-like shape, mimicking Gojo's hand sign for Domain Expansion. Without his left arm, the stance felt incomplete, but it would have to do. "Falling Blossom Emotion," he whispered, pouring every ounce of cursed energy into the technique.
Falling Blossom Emotion was a technique he had cobbled together through his own training, inspired by ancient methods passed down by the Big Three Sorcerer Families. Unlike Simple Domain, which manifests a barrier to counter a domain's guaranteed-hit effect, Falling Blossom Emotion shrouded the user in cursed energy, automatically countering any attack that touched them with equal force. The technique wasn't perfect—it was basic, clumsy, and far from polished—but Yuji didn't need perfection right now. He just needed survival.
His cursed energy flared to life, enveloping him in a rough, uneven aura that pushed against the overwhelming pressure of the domain. He gritted his teeth as the technique fought to hold back the domain's guaranteed-hit effect, which rebounded off him with violent force.
"It's sloppy as hell," Yuji muttered, sweat dripping down his face. "But it's holding for now!"
The curse stared at him, its grin widening. "Interesting," it said, its voice a chorus of warped, overlapping tones. It rushed at Yuji with a newfound ferocity, the domain amplifying its movements to terrifying levels.
'Even with Falling Blossom Emotion, I'm at a disadvantage,' Yuji thought as he braced himself. The domain was boosting the curse's strength, speed, and precision. One mistake, and it would be over. Still, he refused to back down.
The two clashed violently, Yuji's fists meeting the curse's overwhelming power. Each strike sent shockwaves through the domain. "I'll beat you even in your own domain!" Yuji roared, grinning despite the pain radiating through his body.
From above, Gojo watched the battle unfold, his expression unreadable. He held Yuko tightly, ignoring her desperate attempts to free herself and intervene.
"Sensei, you need to help him," Megumi said, her voice shaky as she clutched the edge of his sleeve. The suffocating aura of the domain weighed heavily on her, sweat dripping down her neck.
Gojo remained silent, his sharp blue eyes focused on the fight below. Finally, he spoke, his tone calm but firm. "The kid will be fine. Let's see how far he can push himself."
In the domain, Yuji grit his teeth, trading blow for blow with the curse as he desperately dived out of the way of another strike. For a fleeting moment, he saw an opening—an opportunity to land a hit. "GOOD," he shouted to himself mentally as he threw his fist forward, connecting with the curse.
But nothing happened.
It hit him like a brick. His binding vow had reached its one-minute limit.
"Oh no," he muttered under his breath.
"Oh yes," the curse mocked, its warped voice dripping with malice. Before Yuji could react, the curse's massive fist slammed into his gut, making him cough up blood as the sheer force sent him flying across the domain. His body skidded to a halt, wracked with pain, as Falling Blossom Emotion flickered and struggled to hold. Yuji groaned, clutching his stomach, his mind racing for a solution.
The curse didn't give him time to think. Slowly approaching, it towered over him with a sadistic grin. "You know, human, I just realized something," it said, its voice eerily calm. "Since I'm made entirely of cursed energy... can I manipulate my body?"
Yuji's eyes widened. "What—?"
"Looks like I can!" The curse giggled, its tone a blend of glee and malice. Its arms twisted grotesquely, morphing into long, sharp blades. Without hesitation, it began stabbing Yuji repeatedly, purposefully avoiding his vital organs to prolong his suffering.
Yuji screamed in pain, his body convulsing as the blades pierced him again and again. His blood pooled on the ground beneath him, his vision blurring. Bear it. Bear it, he repeated to himself in his head. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to concentrate. He had no choice but to try something he'd failed at so many times before—Reverse Cursed Technique.
C'mon. Work. Please work, he begged silently, desperate for anything to keep him alive.
His thoughts flashed to Gojo's words, a distant memory that suddenly felt so relevant it was as if Gojo was standing beside him.
"When you stabbed me through the throat, I gave up on counterattacking and poured all my focus into the Reverse Cursed Technique," Gojo had once explained. "Cursed energy is negative energy. While it can enhance the body, it can't regenerate it. So you multiply that negative energy against itself to create positive energy. That's the Reverse Cursed Technique!"
Gojo's casual tone echoed in his mind, but Yuji knew it was easier said than done. Reverse Cursed Technique required him to focus beyond the agony, to find clarity in the chaos.
The curse, dragging Yuji's limp body across the domain like a rag doll, laughed maniacally. "Weakling," it sneered, its voice echoing in Yuji's ears. "You're not even worth killing quickly."
But Yuji wasn't paying attention anymore. He shut out the taunts, the pain, the overwhelming presence of the domain itself. He centered all his cursed energy, pouring it into the void within himself, multiplying the negatives against each other in a desperate attempt to create something positive.
And then, it clicked.
A spark ignited deep within his core, and warmth spread through him—pure, radiant energy. His wounds began to close, his body mending itself for the first time.
The curse, now bored with Yuji's silence, sighed as its domain began to dissipate. It raised its blade-like arm high above its head, ready to end him once and for all.
"Thanks for helping me evolve, human," it said mockingly, its voice calm but full of malice. "But in the end, you're weak—just like the rest of your race."
It swung its blade down, aiming for Yuji's throat.
But Yuji moved.
In a flash, he rolled out of the way, the blade crashing into the ground where he had just been. Before the curse could react, Yuji was on his feet, his eyes blazing with determination.
"Not so weak now, huh?" Yuji muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
Before the curse could fully process what was happening, Yuji's fist collided with its face. But this wasn't just a normal punch. His hand was laced with the positive energy of Reverse Cursed Technique—a force that was twice as potent against curses.
The impact was devastating. The curse's head snapped back as it was sent flying across the shattered remnants of its own domain.
For a moment, there was only silence. Yuji stood there, his chest heaving, blood still dripping from his wounds, but his body now healing steadily.
The curse pulled itself up from the rubble, its grin now replaced with a look of rage. "You...!" it growled, its voice losing its previous calmness.
But Yuji didn't flinch. He wiped the blood from his mouth and smirked, his body surging with renewed energy. "Ready for round two?"
Yuji grinned, his body trembling from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Blood dripped from his lip, but he couldn't stop smiling. The sheer power coursing through him felt intoxicating—overwhelming even. He looked at his hands, flexing them as if discovering himself anew.
"So this is what it feels like," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous, the grin never leaving his face. He felt invincible, as though every ounce of pain he'd endured was worth it for this moment.
Above, Gojo observed with a smirk, arms crossed lazily as the scene unfolded below him. "Looks like he's like me, huh? Needs a good ass-kicking to figure it out," Gojo mused. His words drew incredulous looks from both Megumi and Yuko, who could hardly believe what they were seeing.
"Reverse Cursed Technique? On top of everything else he's already pulled off?" Megumi muttered, beads of sweat forming on her temple. "He's breaking everything I thought I knew about limits."
Yuko nodded silently, wide-eyed. Even though she'd been in the presence of Satoru Gojo himself, watching Yuji defy the odds like this felt surreal.
Yuji rolled his shoulders below, now standing tall and unharmed. His left arm was fully restored, and he flexed it experimentally. "Oh yeah, I'm back." His voice dripped with confidence, his grin widening as his energy crackled with intensity. He activated Flowing Red Scale Stacked, the cursed energy flowing through his body surging to new levels, now reinforced with the positive energy of Reverse Cursed Technique.
Looking at the curse, Yuji tilted his head, a taunting edge in his voice. "You know, my technique requires me to use my own blood to power up. So now that I've figured out this healing thing, guess what, curse?" He gestured to himself as he stepped forward.
The curse, its earlier smugness evaporating, backed away instinctively. "W-what are you?" it stammered, eyes wide with something Yuji had never seen before: fear.
Yuji smirked, his gaze cold and unrelenting. "The blood I once lost? I can replace it endlessly now. I can heal as fast as I burn. You better brace yourself, because I'm just getting started."
The energy surrounding Yuji intensified, and he coated his hands in solidified blood, the cursed energy thrumming through it like a heartbeat. "Blood Manipulation: Convergence." Spheres of blood materialized around him, orbiting him menacingly like crimson planets. Without hesitation, Yuji bolted forward, faster than ever before, his movements sharp and deliberate.
The curse could barely react. Every attempt to defend itself or create distance was thwarted as Yuji relentlessly closed the gap. His strikes landed with precision and power, each one breaking the curse further.
"You're running out of tricks," Yuji said coldly, watching as the curse scrambled backward, its body shaking.
It was cornered now, desperation written all over its grotesque features. "I'll end this now," Yuji said from behind it, his sudden appearance startling the curse to its core.
He spread his hands, manipulating his cursed blood with expert precision. "Blood Manipulation: Crimson Binding." A dense, net-like structure of blood formed around the curse, ensnaring it completely. The curse struggled, its movements frantic, but the net only tightened, holding it in place like a fly caught in a spider's web.
Yuji smirked, his eyes narrowing. "Choso, I hope you're watching," he muttered to himself. "This is something even you haven't pulled off yet."
With the curse immobilized, Yuji summoned the blood spheres around him, their energy intensifying as they hovered menacingly. "Blood Manipulation Combination Technique: Piercing Supernova," he roared, his voice echoing as the spheres converged on the curse.
The moment the spheres made contact, they detonated with a force that shook the ground beneath them. The explosion was catastrophic, sending shockwaves rippling outward. Entire buildings crumbled from the force, rubble scattering as the night sky was lit by the crimson glow of Yuji's attack.
When the dust finally settled, the curse was gone. Wiped out completely.
Yuji, however, was barely standing. His vision blurred, his body trembling as he tried to stay upright. The energy he'd poured into the final attack had taken its toll. He stumbled, his legs giving out beneath him as he fell unconscious, his body falling toward the ground.
But before he could hit the rubble-strewn earth, a familiar hand caught him.
"You did well, kid," Gojo said softly, holding Yuji's limp body. His usual carefree demeanor was still there, but his eyes held a rare flicker of pride.
Megumi and Yuko finally breathed again, the suffocating weight of the battle now gone.
"What... what is he?" Yuko whispered, her voice shaky.
Megumi shook her head, staring down at Yuji in Gojo's arms. "He's not like anyone else. Not even close."
Gojo chuckled, his tone light as he turned to the two of them. "Well, he's like me," he said casually. "Someone who needs to get his ass kicked to figure things out. That's how you know he's got potential."
With that, Gojo slung Yuji over his shoulder, turning to leave the wreckage behind as the quiet night settled in. "Let's head back. He'll need some rest before he starts breaking more records."
Gojo adjusted Yuji's unconscious body on his shoulder, letting out a soft chuckle as he turned to leave the ruins of the battlefield. "He's really something, huh?" he said casually, though there was a glint of pride in his eyes.
Megumi and Yuko were still frozen, trying to process what they'd just witnessed. Yuko finally broke the silence. "That curse... It wasn't normal. Not with that kind of power."
Gojo waved her off lazily, his tone dismissive. "Oh, it was tough, sure. But Yuji handled it, didn't he? Kid's got a knack for surprising everyone."
But as he turned his gaze back to the battlefield, something caught his attention. His eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the debris. The curse had eaten a Sukuna finger during the fight—Gojo had seen it with his own eyes—but now, there was no trace of it. The cursed energy signature, unmistakable and potent, had completely vanished.
"Huh," Gojo muttered to himself, his brow furrowing for a split second. "That's strange." He adjusted his blindfold slightly, focusing for a moment to double-check the area. Still, nothing.
Yuko noticed his hesitation. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Gojo said with a nonchalant shrug, his carefree grin returning. "Finger's gone, but hey, not my problem. If it's out there, I'll deal with it later. No biggie."
Megumi didn't seem as convinced, her sharp eyes narrowing at Gojo's casual dismissal. "That's not exactly reassuring."
Gojo waved her off again, already turning to leave. "Relax, Megumi. If it shows up, it shows up. We've got bigger things to deal with—like making sure Yuji doesn't break himself the next time he decides to play hero."
He glanced at the unconscious Yuji, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Still, not bad, kid. Not bad at all."
With that, Gojo walked off into the night, the two students following close behind. But even as he joked and teased along the way, the lingering thought of the missing Sukuna finger stayed in the back of his mind.
"Whelp," he muttered under his breath, just quiet enough that no one could hear. "Guess I'll deal with it when it comes back to bite us."