Tokyo Jujutsu High.
After bringing Cain and the others back from the sushi restaurant, Gojo Satoru bid farewell to the students and went to Yaga Masamichi's room.
Unlike an ordinary room, Yaga Masamichi's room was filled with various dolls. From kappas to cats and dogs, it was as spectacular as an exhibition.
However, Gojo Satoru understood that these seemingly doll-like things were actually cursed corpses. Once activated, each possessed formidable power, capable of exorcising Cursed Spirit and assisting Jujutsu Sorcerers in battle.
Sitting on the floor in the center of the room, Yaga Masamichi was fiddling with a cursed corpse still under construction. Hearing the door open, he asked without looking up.
"What is it?"
"Came to report on the new students' status."
Yaga Masamichi expressionlessly said "Oh," not believing anything Gojo Satoru said.
Gojo wasn't that reliable.
For a simple new student report, Gojo Satoru wouldn't come looking for him late at night. There must be something else he wanted to discuss.
Sure enough, after finishing the discussion about Nobara Kugisaki's strength and technique potential, Gojo Satoru changed the subject.
"Yaga, I want to apply to go to the warehouse."
"The warehouse?"
Yaga Masamichi finally stopped what he was doing.
Tokyo Jujutsu High had many warehouses, but there was only one that Gojo Satoru would specifically mention.
The cursed warehouse, hidden by a barrier set up by Tengen, which housed special grade cursed objects and various dangerous items.
"What do you want to retrieve?"
"Sukuna's finger."
"No."
Yaga Masamichi refused without hesitation.
What Gojo Satoru wanted to do with Sukuna's finger, he could guess easily.
"Cain and Itadori Yuji still need observation. Now is not the time to give them fingers to consume."
"But I think it's a good opportunity. Actually, Cain... Huh?"
Just as Gojo Satoru was about to explain the sudden mutation where Cain completely digested Sukuna's finger, his body froze. He looked up towards the ceiling.
"What's wrong?" Yaga Masamichi asked.
"It seems an enemy has broken in."
Gojo Satoru took off his blindfold and looked toward the West Sector.
As a special eye that appears once in several hundred years unconditionally, the Six Eyes possess 360-degree telescopic vision, allowing him to see distant situations even from far away.
Because of this, Gojo Satoru noticed in that instant that a Special Grade Cursed Spirit emanating a scorching aura had appeared inside the school and was flying toward the western area.
As for the opponent's target... Cain?
Noticing the figure walking along the forest path, Gojo Satoru's expression became serious.
"I'll go check the situation."
"..."
'Why don't you tell me where the enemy is first.'
Boom!
Good, no need to say it then.
Looking at the pillar of fire shooting straight into the sky in the distance, Yaga Masamichi finally understood why Gojo Satoru had run off so quickly.
...
At the same time, on the main battlefield.
Surging flames rushed out in all directions, instantly turning the meticulously cultivated flowers and plants by the gardeners into nothingness.
The ground began to melt, white mist rose, and crimson flames burned fiercely all around.
Standing in the center of this sea of flames, a ball of fire suddenly burst from Jogo's head, and he squinted as he looked forward.
"It seems I underestimated you before."
"I wish you would continue to underestimate me."
Crisp footsteps echoed in this fiery hell, and a skeleton missing nearly half its flesh slowly walked out.
Having taken a direct hit from a massive blast, even Cain couldn't possibly escape unscathed.
Super-speed Regeneration and Reverse Cursed Technique activated simultaneously, and the ashen skeleton and flesh rapidly regenerated.
Like 3D printing, Cain returned to his original state within a few breaths, even his hair having fully regenerated.
"Hey, seriously?"
Jogo widened his eyes in surprise: "This kind of regeneration ability... are you a human or a Cursed Spirit?"
"I think I'm human."
As his voice fell, a cracking sound echoed.
Six thick arms drilled out from behind Cain.
The next second, the ground collapsed, and Cain appeared before Jogo, enveloped in lightning. Hundreds of fist shadows descended simultaneously, vast and imposing like an army, radiating a terrifying aura.
However, facing Cain's attack, Jogo showed no fear, his figure flickering as he vanished from the spot.
The various abilities Cain displayed indeed surprised him, but in terms of raw power, Jogo still had the upper hand.
Weaving through the hundreds of fist shadows, Jogo arrived directly in front of Cain and pressed his palm against his abdomen.
"Since you can regenerate, there's no need to hold back."
A torrent of surging flames instantly engulfed Cain, and the flesh he had just regenerated began to melt continuously.
But at this moment of life and death, Cain felt no fear in his heart, instead, he became calmer.
[Minds Eye: Greatly enhances the sixth sense, providing early warnings when danger approaches]
[Song of Courage: When engaged in combat, one can maintain composure, and the brain enters an active state, making it easier to capture the enemy's weaknesses and flaws.]
The skills originating from Prince of Tennis Cain and JOJO Cain took effect at this moment. It was as if time had stopped and everything around him began to slow down.
The intense pain from his physical body was cast aside. Looking at Jogo, who was close at hand, he suddenly abandoned regeneration for other parts and focused his efforts on his arms.
His legs instantly turned to ash, while his arms regenerated in the flames at a speed far beyond imagination.
Lightning surged, Cursed Energy churned.
In the face of life and death, he felt the Cursed Energy within him become unprecedentedly active. His lightning-wreathed fist slammed down onto Jogo's abdomen, and a black radiance blossomed at that moment.
Boom!!!
A deafening roar erupted, the flames were instantly shattered, and Jogo was sent flying backward, carving a trench in the ground that extended for a hundred meters.
"Are you kidding me!"
Taking a direct hit from a Black Flash, even Jogo couldn't remain unharmed.
Compared to just now, his abdomen now had a large hole, blood vessels appeared in the giant eyeball, and his aura became weak.
And at that very moment, Cain, whose regeneration was already more than halfway complete, reappeared before him, black lightning flickering around his fist once more, shaking heaven and earth.
"Don't look down on me so much!!!"
Being severely wounded by someone weaker than him, Jogo grew even angrier. The volcano on his head and the ear-like gaps on both sides spewed out massive flames.
With a loud bang, Jogo appeared behind Cain with a speed far exceeding his previous one, slamming him into the ground with his hands clasped together.
The earth instantly collapsed, turning more than half of Cain's body into mush, but the remaining torso instantly sprouted an arm that reached out toward Jogo, activating Current Propulsion and Dismantle simultaneously.
"?!!"
Jogo's pupils suddenly contracted.
It was like the Sword of Damocles hanging overhead was about to fall, an unprecedented sense of crisis enveloped him.
Cannot take it! Must not be hit!
As if realizing something, Jogo desperately tried to dodge to the side.
And at that exact moment, a black lightning sword qi flashed by, and Jogo's right arm instantly vanished.
Glancing backward, the earth was split in two, a bottomless trench extending to the horizon.
"Too bad, just a little bit short."
Cain's voice sounded once again.
The scene from a few seconds ago was replicated, the half of his body that had been turned to mush was visibly regenerating.
"...Monster."
Jogo forcibly suppressed his rage.
After two consecutive waves of attacks were countered, Jogo realized how severe the consequences of close-quarters combat were.
Whether it was the flames burning or physical strikes, Cain could counterattack relying on his unreasonable regeneration ability and flesh manipulation, achieving a result of trading injury for injury.
What was more troublesome was that he had just taken a direct hit from Cain's Black Flash, and his current condition was not good.
Continuing to fight hand-to-hand might lead to a complete reversal.
"If that's the case... then I'll blow you up from a distance!"
Jogo waved his large hand, and over a dozen fireballs descended from the sky, blocking Cain's path forward or backward.
At the same time, he raised both hands together in front of him, and vast, immense Cursed Energy surged from his body.
"Domain Expansion..."
"Don't you dare expand it!"
Cain had been observing Jogo's movements.
Seeing the opponent preparing to activate Domain Expansion, the side of his palm instantly transformed into a blade shape.
Current Propulsion and Dismantle activated again, and two beams of lightning slashed toward Jogo in an X-shape.
"Tch, truly troublesome."
Jogo was forced to cancel his action to dodge the attack, while simultaneously continuously raising his hands to unleash waves of fireballs.
Seeing this, Cain counterattacked with lightning bolts transformed into thunder projectiles while dodging.
Lightning and flames continuously expanded, like fireworks during the Spring Festival, as brilliant colors bloomed in the sky.
However, no matter what, Jogo was a Cursed Spirit born from humanity's fear of the earth, possessing extremely abundant Cursed Energy. In a long-range attrition battle, Cain's Cursed Energy would inevitably be depleted first, leading to defeat in this battle.
"Since that's the case... then I'll give it a try."
In a corner Jogo couldn't see, two brand-new arms appeared behind Cain, their palms overlapping.
A Jujutsu Sorcerer's Domain also had different levels.
Excluding domains cultivated to the extreme, like those of Sukuna and Gojo Satoru, there were also incomplete domains.
For example, Megumi Fushiguro's domain in the original work was a typical case, possessing only partial characteristics of a domain.
But this was enough for Cain.
"Hm?"
Jogo's pupils suddenly contracted.
It was only when Cursed Energy surged on Cain's body surface that he noticed the two arms behind the opponent.
"This is bad!"
The thought of avoiding close combat was instantly thrown to the back of his mind. Jogo rushed desperately toward Cain, wanting to interrupt him.
But at the same moment, the remaining six arms on Cain swept down from a distance. Several intersecting nets of Afterglow intercepted Jogo in mid-air, making it difficult for him to move.
And when Jogo found a gap to dodge this intersecting net, the Cursed Energy on Cain reached its peak.
"Domain Expansion- Resonance of a Thousand Thunderbolts"
Boom!
Vast Cursed Energy surged out, and the earth burning with flames instantly turned desolate.
Golden lightning descended from the distant sky; the world lost its sound at this moment, only thunder played.
"I can maintain it for five seconds."
Cain stared at the figure in the distance.
His Cursed Energy was depleted, and his skill in barrier arts was limited. The domain Cain activated this time was extremely rudimentary, and the amplification of the technique's power was far lower than that of a normal domain.
However, even so, the domain still retained the most important function of a domain-sure-hit!
"It's over, Jogo."
Pouring all his remaining Cursed Energy into the next strike, Cain slowly raised his palm and swung it down from a distance the next instant.
Like a divine punishment descending from the heavens, golden lightning submerged Jogo.
Without any power to resist, this strongest Cursed Spirit born from a natural disaster dissipated into the air, turning into nothingness.
Bang!
A crisp shattering sound rang out, and the extremely rudimentary domain also collapsed. Cain reappeared on the school grounds.
The former forest path had turned into a fiery hell. The ground was riddled with craters as if bombed by missiles, and deep trenches cut the earth into fragments.
A hot wind that made his skin uncomfortable blew across his face. Cain closed his eyes and opened them again, his aura gradually stabilizing.
The great battle had ended, but he did not relax. Instead, he stood there silently for a moment before suddenly speaking.
"Aren't you coming out to avenge your comrade?"
"..."
The air suddenly fell silent, and the crackling sound of burning flames continued to echo all around.
In an inconspicuous corner underground, the Cursed Spirit with its left arm wrapped in a white cloth and branches growing from its eye sockets remained silent.
As a comrade-in-arms with shared ideals, Hanami naturally wanted to avenge Jogo, but... it was impossible.
Sensing the presence hidden within the sea of fire, Hanami's body burrowed deeper into the ground below.
And at the very moment Hanami left, Cain let out a sigh, looking toward a corner on the other side.
"Come on out, Gojo sensei."
"Won't you try waiting a bit longer?"
Gojo Satoru walked out, passing through the still-burning sea of fire.
"No need. That one has already run away."
"Huh? Really?"
Gojo Satoru looked around.
He had been watching with the Six Eyes the entire time. Even he hadn't detected the enemy, so how had Cain locked onto them?
"Intuition."
As if knowing what Gojo Satoru was puzzled about, Cain raised a hand and tapped his own head.
"My sixth sense is more sensitive than most. I can sense when danger is approaching."
"I see."
Gojo Satoru nodded thoughtfully.
Although it sounded somewhat unbelievable, considering it was Cain, it somehow made sense.
"Congratulations, Cain."
"Having mastered Black Flash and Domain Expansion, you now qualify to be a Special Grade Sorcerer."
"More than that, I'd rather rest."
Cain rubbed his eyes and lazily yawned.
Despite having the shared combat experience of other Cains, a life-and-death struggle of this level was still unprecedented.
After the fight with Jogo, Cain felt completely drained. All he wanted now was to find a place to sleep.
"I'll leave the cleanup to you, Gojo sensei."
"Cleanup... that might be a bit troublesome."
Watching Cain leave, Gojo Satoru looked ahead at the still-burning sea of fire.
Cain and Jogo had fought, each move a massive area-of-effect attack. By the end of the battle, nearly half the school was destroyed.
Especially that sword slash that cut through most of the campus. Even Gojo Satoru wasn't sure how to deal with it.
"Gojo Satoru, what's the situation here?"
At that moment, Yaga Masamichi, who had arrived belatedly, appeared in the sea of fire, his expression more serious than ever before.
"Yo~ Yaga, perfect timing!"
Gojo Satoru's eyes lit up as he reached out and patted the other man's shoulder. "I'll leave the cleanup to you."
Yaga Masamichi: "???"
Note: what do y'all think of domain expansion name?
...
Re2d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.