"I had no intention of using this on you, but you got too complicated, Okkotsu." Geto's voice was cold as his domain fully engulfed the school grounds, casting everything into a dark, shimmering void.
"Shit," Yuta mumbled under her breath, feeling the sheer weight of the cursed energy surrounding her. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she surveyed the chaotic scene.
"Rika, can you help me with something?" Yuta asked, taking a stance with her right hand raised, fingers crossed, while her left formed an "O" shape near her waist.
"Anything for you, Yuta!" Rika's voice boomed with unwavering loyalty. She poured a surge of cursed energy into Yuta.
'Let's see if I can do this!' Yuta thought, determination etched into her expression.
It was a sunny afternoon following class. The students had just finished a detailed lesson on Domain Expansions, a pinnacle technique for sorcerers. Yuta found herself captivated by its complexity.
"Domains are incredible," she murmured while wiping sweat from her brow after a training session. Her fascination with cursed techniques often drove her to push beyond her limits.
"Yo, Yuta, can I talk to you?" Yuji called from behind, interrupting her workout routine.
"Um, sure. What's up?" Yuta asked, panting as she rested her hands on her knees.
"It probably won't be long before you run into a Domain Expansion, so I wanna show you something to counter it. It's called Falling Blossom Emotion," Yuji explained, his tone uncharacteristically serious.
Yuta's eyes widened. "That sounds intense."
"It automatically counters the sure-hit effect of domains by using cursed energy as a barrier," Yuji continued. "It's tough to pull off, but I think you can do it."
Cursed energy erupted from Yuta's body, forming a radiant shield. The Falling Blossom Emotion activated, deflecting the sure-hit effect of Geto's domain.
"Thanks, Yuji," Yuta whispered, her voice steady despite the chaos around her.
Hundreds of cursed spirits materialized, their grotesque forms screeching as they lunged at her.
"Let's go, Rika!" Yuta commanded.
Silence.
Her heart sank as she turned around. Rika was struggling against an invisible force, her body flickering between forms.
"H-Huh?"
"Oh, yeah," Geto taunted, a smug grin on his face. "My domain's sure-hit effect can switch between targeting my curses or activating the part of my technique that lets me consume curses. Did I forget to mention that?"
Rika's form twisted and condensed into a glowing cursed spirit ball. Yuta's connection to Rika snapped, and the Falling Blossom Emotion collapsed, leaving her wide open.
"It took quite a lot to pull that curse away from you, Okkotsu. I had to sacrifice multiple special grades just to barely have a chance." Geto's voice dripped with triumph as he swallowed the cursed spirit ball whole.
"I'll honor you, Okkotsu, by giving you my best attack." Geto's eyes gleamed with sadistic glee. "Maximum Uzumaki."
Hundreds of cursed spirits condensed into a swirling mass, forming an enormous ball of cursed energy. The sky darkened as the attack hurtled toward Yuta.
Yuji flew toward the school grounds, his heart pounding. He had sensed Rika's summoning and then felt Geto's cursed energy spike to an overwhelming level.
"I hope I'm not too late!" Yuji shouted, pushing himself to go faster.
As the school came into view, his eyes widened in horror. A massive Domain Expansion loomed over the area, distorting the very air around it.
'A domain that large?!' Yuji thought, dread creeping into his chest.
The domain shattered violently, sending shockwaves through the air. Yuta's burnt and broken body flew out of the destruction, completely missing an arm.
"You sure are impressive," Geto mused, his voice calm amidst the chaos. "You reinforced yourself with raw cursed energy. I'm sure, under different circumstances, you would've been an amazing sorcerer."
Yuji landed behind Geto, his breathing ragged as he surveyed the carnage.
"Y-Yuta? Everyone?" Yuji's voice cracked as he saw his friends lying motionless, their bodies battered and broken.
"Oh, hello, Yuji." Geto turned, a mocking smile on his face. "It seems you were late to the party."
Yuji's mind spiraled. Memories of his grandfather's death resurfaced, mixing with the grim reality before him. His friends, his comrades—slaughtered by the man standing before him.
"What was all that talk of stopping me when I declared war? It seems like you can't ever keep a promise," Geto sneered.
Yuji's fists clenched. His grandfather's words echoed in his mind.
"I promise to be safe, Gramps."
"I promise I'll be fine, Yuko."
Geto's words cut deep. Was he right? Could Yuji never keep a promise?
Geto lunged forward. "You're truly a failure, Itadori Yuji!" "Black Flash!"
The blow rocked Yuji's core, knocking him out of his daze. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying. Through blurred vision, Yuji formed a hand sign.
"Blood Manipulation: Blood Clone." Three copies of Yuji appeared, landing safely beside him.
Blood dripped down Yuji's head, staining his face. His eyes burned with rage.
"I'll make you suffer," Yuji growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Geto laughed, summoning Rika. "Have a go at it."
"Blood Manipulation: Serpent King!" a Yuji clone shouted, forming a massive serpent out of blood. The creature roared as it lunged at Geto.
'Prioritize distracting Rika and leaving Geto open,' the real Yuji communicated telepathically to his clones.
"You impress me more and more, Itadori," Geto admitted, amused.
Rika handed him a megaphone. "Disappear."
The blood serpent was obliterated instantly. Smoke filled the air as the three Yuji clones burst through, engaging Rika in a desperate battle.
Geto prepared to intervene, but a fist slammed into his jaw, snapping his head back.
"Face me, Geto." Yuji's voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
Dozens of jabs followed in rapid succession. Geto struggled to keep up, barely blocking each strike. A powerful kick to the side sent him flying into the forest.
Yuji formed hundreds of Blood Convergence Spheres around the school as Geto rode a dragon-like cursed spirit toward him.
"Let's end this war tonight!" Geto roared.
Yuji leaped toward the dragon, his focus unshakable. He dodged a curse spirit, crouched to avoid a kick from Geto, and sprang up with an axe kick.
"Black Flash!" The impact sent Geto skidding back.
Yuji pressed forward. "Black Flash!"
Another blow connected.
"Black Flash!"
A hit to the head.
"Black Flash!"
Yuji finished the chain with a devastating kick, sending Geto flying off his dragon.
Yuji sliced the dragon apart with his dagger. Memories of Toji Zen'in flashed through Geto's mind—another "monkey" who had completely outclassed him. Now, this boy was doing the same.
Desperate, Geto healed himself with Reverse Cursed Technique. As Yuji descended, Geto raised his arms.
"I shouldn't do this, but at this point, I don't care. AFTER I KILL YOU, SATORU IS NEXT!"
"Dismantle." Yuji's chilling voice cut through the chaos. Blood sprayed as Geto's hands were severed.
"Sukuna's cursed technique?!" Geto gasped, horrified.
Yuji walked toward him, radiating demonic energy. "I hope you know when I said I'd make you suffer, I meant it."
Yuji made a hand sign for "torture." "Domain Expansion."
Geto found himself surrounded by a blood-red sea. No sky, no land—only an endless abyss.
"I control your entire blood system now: blood pressure, blood sugar, fluid levels. You know what happens to the brain under certain conditions?"
Geto's eyes widened in terror.
"I control what you see, hear, smell, feel—what you think." Yuji pointed a finger gun at him. "Enjoy your time in hell."
The scene transitioned back to the schoolyard. Yuji stood over Geto's limp body, his breath ragged. His vision blurred from exhaustion.
Footsteps approached.
The first years and Yuko arrived. "Hey, it seems like Rika broke free and saved you," Yuji said softly.
Yuko and Yuta rushed to hug him. Maki, smiling softly, joined the embrace.
"Yay! Group hug!" Panda yelled, pulling Inumaki in.
Yuko, Yuta, and Maki glared at him, sending shivers down his spine.
Before Panda met his doom, a familiar voice spoke.
"Congratulations on beating Geto and breaking Rika's curse." Gojo walked toward them, clapping.
"And who are you?" everyone asked, confused by Gojo's lack of a blindfold.
"Your handsome, amazing sensei?" Gojo blinked, puzzled.
"Where's Geto's body?" Gojo asked.
Yuji's eyes widened. The body was gone. "Oh, shit."
"Anyway, go rest up in the spare dorms. It's evident your guy's are destroyed," Gojo said, gesturing toward the wreckage of the first-year dormitories.
Yuji exhaled deeply, exhaustion threatening to pull him to the ground. His body ached from the prolonged battle, and the strain of using both a Domain Expansion and Sukuna's cursed technique left his cursed energy nearly depleted.
As they all began to walk toward the temporary dorms, Yuji's voice softened. "Oh yeah, Geto asked me to tell you something."
Gojo turned back to Yuji, puzzled. "What did he say?"
Yuji's usually cheerful expression faltered. "He said you were his only best friend... and that he's sorry things turned out this way."
Silence hung in the air. The weight of the moment pressed on all of them, and Gojo's usual unbreakable demeanor seemed on the verge of shattering.
Yuji, sensing the raw emotion, nodded. "I'm sorry, Gojo." He didn't say anything more—there was nothing more to be said.
As they continued walking, Maki suddenly grabbed Yuji's shoulder, her face flushed. "Me, Yuko, and Yuta need to speak to you later," she muttered hastily before sprinting ahead.
Yuji stood frozen, bewildered. 'Is this a confession?!' he thought, his mind racing.
Panda, noticing Yuji's dumbfounded expression, smirked. "Looks like someone's popular."
"Shut up," Yuji grumbled, his face heating up.
Kenjaku stood in a dimly lit room, the eerie flicker of candlelight casting shadows across the walls. Geto's body lay on a bed, completely healed, though unconscious.
"You really wanted me to save his life and not just take control of the body?" Kenjaku asked, his tone curious as he turned toward a figure standing near the window.
A woman with long red hair streaked with black highlights leaned against the windowsill. Her mature figure was accentuated by the crimson glow of her eyes, which gleamed mischievously.
"Of course," she said with a playful smirk. "It's better for me to control his mind so you can save your technique for when we really need it."
Kenjaku narrowed his eyes. "And you think you're better at planning than I am?"
The woman flipped her hair back, her expression confident. "I know I am, little brother."
Kenjaku scoffed. "Yeah, right."
She ignored his remark and walked toward Geto's body, placing a hand on his forehead. Her cursed energy flared as she began to weave her technique into his mind.
Geto's fingers twitched, and his eyes fluttered open. For a brief moment, confusion clouded his gaze before it was replaced by a blank, obedient expression.
"Good boy," the woman whispered with a satisfied grin. "Now, let's prepare for the next phase."
Kenjaku watched silently, his expression unreadable. Though he despised her arrogance, he couldn't deny that her abilities were impressive.