"You really are despicable, Kenjaku!"
Satoru sneered without restraint, his voice laced with irritation.
"It had to be done. To keep you within the Prison Realm for one minute, there was no other way," Kenjaku replied calmly, shrugging.
He tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "But tell me this, the moment you saw Shion's head, how many memories flashed through your mind?"
Satoru stuck his tongue out defiantly. "Not telling!"
Kenjaku scoffed, "Such a childish temper, hmm?"
Suddenly, his expression shifted. The Prison Realm began to tremble violently, and immense cursed energy burned around Satoru like searing flames.
"What… how is this possible?"
Kenjaku's voice wavered with alarm.
The Prison Realm, created from the remains of the monk after his passing, was designed to both seal a target and lock away their cursed energy entirely.
But here was Satoru, still manifesting cursed energy?
Satoru looked upward, a savage grin spreading across his face. "Is this the great surprise you prepared, Kenjaku? You want to seal me with a broken box?"
Boom!
Satoru's cursed energy exploded outward like a gale force wind. Kenjaku's hair whipped wildly, and even the Prison Realm trembled on the brink of collapse.
"Bastard!"
Panicked, Kenjaku barked, "Hurry, help suppress him!"
He slammed both hands into the ground, using his own cursed energy to forcibly hold Satoru down as Satoru struggled to rise.
The three cursed disasters, barely alive and staggering to their feet, rushed forward like frightened animals.
They had poured everything they had just to trap Satoru. If he broke free now…
They threw every ounce of cursed energy into holding him down.
The Prison Realm creaked and strained, collapsing bit by bit like a malfunctioning clock.
Kenjaku roared, "Hold on! The Prison Realm is almost closed!"
Satoru snapped his head up, eyes blazing with ruthless intent.
Boom!
A tremendous eruption of cursed energy burst outward, tearing through the suppression.
The force blasted Kenjaku and the three disasters deep into the shattered ruins.
But it was clear Satoru was spent, every last scrap of energy exhausted.
The Prison Realm finally snapped shut, shrinking into a small cube that fell heavily to the ground.
"Cough, cough…"
Kenjaku rose from the debris, hacking as he watched his wound slowly heal courtesy of reverse cursed technique.
The three disasters crawled forward, battered and limping toward the inert Prison Realm.
"Finally… success!"
Despite his grievous injuries, Jogo's face lit up with joy, like someone who had just beaten a final boss.
"I never thought sealing one Gojo would be this tough!"
"It's good we changed our target from Gojo Shion to Satoru," another whispered, shaking his head, "If it had been Shion instead, I don't even want to imagine it!"
"We probably would have all died!"
Kenjaku's expression, however, remained grim.
"What's wrong, Kenjaku? You look uneasy."
Kenjaku spoke in a serious tone, "I feel like things went far too smoothly."
"Huh?"
Jogo gestured toward his missing arm. "You call this smooth?"
Kenjaku shook his head. "Not the operation itself, what happened when the Prison Realm sealed Satoru."
"Seeing his forged head did daze him for a moment, but with the Six Eyes, did he really not see through the flaw?"
"I think he might have seen right through my disguise instantly, and his actions afterward looked like he was cooperating."
Kenjaku pulled four pitch black nails from his robe. "Creating Shion's fake head was Plan A. These Dragon‑Trapping Nails that suppress cursed energy and techniques, that was Plan B. All four of us opening our domains to suppress him was Plan C, and there was even a Plan D…"
Jogo's mouth twitched. "You're really cautious."
Kenjaku shrugged. "I'm a remnant from the Golden Age of Jujutsu, I survived centuries of schemes and slaughter. I didn't expect Plan A to work on the first try…"
He bent to pick up the Prison Realm cube, his face darkening.
But suddenly the closed eyes on the Prison Realm opened again, bright blue just like the Six Eyes.
Thud!
The cube slipped from Kenjaku's grip, plummeting into the ground with enough force to make a huge crater.
Even Kenjaku staggered back.
"What…"
Jogo bent down to lift it, only to find it felt as though he were lifting a mountain.
"Tch! A true monster! He can still do this even sealed?"
Jogo's face turned grim, but Kenjaku broke into a slow smile.
"The more he resists, the more it shows desperation. I think I overthought it. Satoru being sealed wasn't something he wanted to do."
Kenjaku waved a hand. "Forget it for now. He can't stay like this long. You all wait here while the Prison Realm returns to normal."
Mahito raised a hand, smirking, "Um, can I go out and play with those sorcerers?"
Kenjaku sighed, "Sure. I've put up four veils anyway. Hardly anyone can get this far to rescue him. Jogo staying here is fine."
"Hanami, come with me to support the others and check on Shion's fight with Sukuna."
Jogo's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're leaving me here alone to guard the Prison Realm?"
Kenjaku waved him off. "Relax. Satoru can't get out of the Prison Realm, trust me."
With that, Kenjaku, Hanami, and Mahito departed the station.
"Hey! Don't leave! Bastards! Wait!"
Jogo protested, but they were already gone.
He stared down at the Prison Realm cube, its surface rippling with eerie azure pupils like the Six Eyes.
He swallowed hard, hiding behind a trash can, peeking out to watch it warily.
"There shouldn't be a problem, right? It's the Prison Realm. Even Satoru shouldn't break it… right?"
Jogo muttered to himself for reassurance.
Kaka—
Suddenly the Prison Realm trembled.
Jogo screamed and bolted, shouting, "Kenjaku! Hanami! Mahito! Hurry! Satoru's coming out!"
After running a few steps, he looked back.
The Prison Realm shook a couple more times, then went still.
Jogo froze, trembling, picked up a piece of rebar, and poked at the cube.
Kaka—
He dropped the rebar and ran.
The Prison Realm fell still again.
Ehehe...
Inside the Prison Realm, Satoru wore a mischievous grin, the prank a success.
---