Cain needed to be eliminated in advance. This was the conclusion Kenjaku reached after hearing Hanami's report.
Cain's strength had already crossed a dangerous threshold. Among the Cursed Spirits, Jogo stood as the highest combat power, an existence comparable to a Special Grade Sorcerer.
Even when facing Special Grade Sorcerers like Yuta Okkotsu or Yuki Tsukumo, Jogo could still fight head-on.
Yet such a top-tier entity had been killed by Cain without any warning.
Superhuman physical capabilities, an abnormal regenerative ability, the power to manipulate his own flesh freely to attack from any angle, slashing attacks capable of splitting the earth itself, and even Domain Expansion.
After learning all of this from Hanami, Kenjaku finally understood just how dangerous Cain truly was.
More importantly, from Cain's battle with Jogo, it was evident that after consuming a Sukuna Finger, Cain had mastered Sukuna's technique, Dismantle.
Based on this deduction, Cain was capable of assimilating the power within Sukuna's Fingers and continuously evolving.
If allowed to keep growing, he would inevitably become a threat on the level of Gojo Satoru, perhaps even surpassing him and standing at the very peak.
To prevent that outcome, Kenjaku decided to mobilize the Cursed Spirits and eliminate Cain before he could fully mature.
As expected, the higher-ups reacted immediately.
Having remained in power for far too long, the Jujutsu Headquarters elders had long since abandoned their original ideals.
To preserve their authority and status, they rejected any change that could threaten their position, harboring deep hostility toward figures like Gojo Satoru.
Now that a powerful and rapidly evolving asset had appeared on Gojo's side, their hostility toward Cain grew even stronger.
In order to suppress his growth, they accepted Kenjaku's proposal.
They agreed to use Cursed Spirits to surround and eliminate Cain, while also taking this opportunity to weaken Gojo Satoru's faction.
Since Cain possessed a Sukuna Finger, killing him would both cripple Gojo's side and reduce Sukuna's chances of revival. A perfect outcome.
As the architect of this plan, Kenjaku was confident.
The finger-bearing Cursed Spirit had merely been a probe.
Once Cain dealt with it, the real assault would begin.
Hanami and Dagon would execute a coordinated attack.
Due to Jogo's death, Dagon had prematurely emerged from his Cursed Womb, gaining an additional surge in power.
Kenjaku himself would engage Cain directly to draw his attention, while Hanami would provide support from concealment, gradually draining Cain's Cursed Energy.
At the decisive moment, Dagon would activate his Domain Expansion.
A flawless plan.
If Cain responded with his own Domain, or even if he endured the initial assault before activating it, both Hanami and Dagon could deploy their Domains simultaneously.
Cain was not Gojo Satoru. As long as enough forces were present to suppress him, he would eventually exhaust his Cursed Energy and fall.
At least, that was what Kenjaku believed.
The moment Dagon dragged Cain into his Domain, Kenjaku was certain the outcome had already been decided.
Within a Domain, the sure-hit effect was absolute.
Empowered by the Domain's amplification, Dagon's fish-type Shikigami ignored spatial constraints and engulfed Cain in an instant.
Their teeth, capable of crushing reinforced concrete, snapped shut.
For a brief moment, Cain felt the crushing pressure of the deep sea, cold and suffocating, clouding his thoughts.
Then everything changed.
Boom.
Golden lightning erupted violently, swallowing the Shikigami whole.
Amid the thunderous roar, Cain reappeared on the shoreline, completely unharmed, his body wreathed in lightning.
"Is this your trump card?"
Ignoring the Shikigami reforming around him, Cain stepped forward, advancing toward the ocean.
"If this is all you have, then I overestimated you."
Like a bolt of lightning, he crossed a hundred meters in an instant, appearing directly before Dagon.
The force of his movement split the sea apart. His speed had surpassed the limits of the environment itself.
"Compared to Jogo, you are far too weak."
All eight of Cain's arms rose simultaneously.
"At this level, I don't even need Domain Expansion."
"Damn it! Don't underestimate me!"
Dagon roared, pushing his Cursed Technique to its absolute limit.
Hundreds of Shikigami descended from every direction.
At the same time, the ocean surged upward, forming massive water dragons that charged toward Cain.
At the brink of death, Dagon's control over his technique broke through its limits, unleashing power far beyond anything he had shown before.
But in the next instant, everything was erased.
The Shikigami were shredded by invisible slashes.
The water dragons were obliterated by golden lightning.
Cain's eight arms struck simultaneously, unleashing a storm of blows that overlapped into hundreds of afterimages.
In a single moment, Dagon's body was reduced to a bloody mist by sheer physical force.
"How is this possible?!"
Kenjaku's voice trembled with disbelief.
Dagon was no ordinary Cursed Spirit. He was a Disaster-class entity born from humanity's fear of the ocean.
To negate the sure-hit effect of his Domain and then kill him instantly...
What kind of existence was this?
"Kenjaku!"
Hanami's voice rang out.
Countless roots burst from the ground, binding toward Kenjaku in an attempt to restrain him.
In the next instant, the barrier shattered.
Cain had already crossed the distance, moving at an incomprehensible speed as he rushed toward Kenjaku.
"Maximum Technique: Uzumaki!"
Kenjaku shouted as he leapt back, gathering an immense sphere of compressed Cursed Energy.
Unlike standard techniques, a Maximum Technique represented the pinnacle of a Cursed Technique's output.
As the ultimate expression of Cursed Spirit Manipulation, Uzumaki could fuse countless Cursed Spirits into a single mass and fire them as a high-density blast.
The more Cursed Spirits consumed, the greater its power.
However, it required time to prepare.
"Hanami!"
"I am ready."
Before Kenjaku could finish charging, Hanami arrived.
"Domain Expansion: Shining Sea of Flowers!"
A vast surge of Cursed Energy erupted from the ground.
The surroundings shifted once again.
The battlefield returned to the Juvenile Detention Center, only to be overwritten by a dense forest blooming with cursed flora.
Kenjaku intended to use the terrain to exhaust Cain.
"Tch. Annoying."
Cain clicked his tongue and stood up.
Unlike Dagon, Hanami had existed for a long time.
As a Disaster-class Cursed Spirit, her mastery over her technique rivaled Jogo's.
Hallucinogenic pollen.
Cursed buds that drained Cursed Energy.
Indestructible roots.
In an instant, countless attacks descended upon Cain.
But just like before, golden lightning surged outward, annihilating everything.
Standing upon the scorched ground, Cain looked ahead.
"So you've finally revealed yourself."
Hanami stepped forward.
The cloth that once wrapped her left arm was gone, and immense Cursed Energy gathered there.
At the same time, Kenjaku's Uzumaki reached completion, its energy condensing into a terrifying sphere.
After witnessing Dagon's death, both were fully focused.
Attacking one would expose Cain to the other.
"In that case, I'll crush both of you head-on."
Two arms extended from Cain's abdomen, forming a hand sign.
Now that all enemies were present, there was no reason to hold back.
"Domain Expansion: Resonance of a Thousand Thunderbolts!"
Boom.
A vast Domain unfolded.
Barren land spread outward, swallowing the forest and floral sea.
Golden lightning descended endlessly, carrying a divine, overwhelming presence.
Kenjaku observed calmly.
"It's more complete than expected."
Cain's Domain evenly clashed with Hanami's.
This alone was abnormal.
He had only awakened Domain Expansion less than half a month ago.
Yet now, it stood on equal footing with a fully matured Domain.
"A true monster."
Kenjaku had lived for a thousand years, yet never had he seen such talent.
"If allowed to grow, you will surpass Gojo Satoru."
"But unfortunately, you will die here."
With that, Uzumaki was unleashed.
All of Kenjaku's stored Cursed Spirits were poured into that single attack.
Its power exceeded even his own limits.
"It ends now, Cain."
"You're right. It ends here."
Cain remained calm.
He knew that attack could not be endured head-on.
But...
"No matter how powerful an attack is, it must hit to matter."
A Domain was the fusion of an Innate Domain and a Cursed Technique, manifested through a barrier.
Cain's Domain was built upon Current Propulsion.
But he possessed another technique.
Dismantle.
"Attack!"
Uzumaki surged forward.
At the same time, Hanami released her stored energy, expanding her Domain further.
Illusions flooded Cain's senses.
Drowsiness crept into his mind.
"So this is your final move."
When Cain opened his eyes again, everything was clear.
The attack was right in front of him.
Yet he did not move.
His hands formed a seal behind his back.
All remaining Cursed Energy erupted at once.
"Domain Expansion: Coffin of the Demon-Sealing Priest!"
A second Domain unfolded.
Under Cain's control, Resonance of a Thousand Thunderbolts and new domain merged together, causing the Domain's output to surge to an entirely new level.
By coincidence, at that exact moment, Hanami had just completed a burst of Cursed Energy, leaving her reserves in a brief state of stagnation.
Unable to react in time, the newly fused Domain instantly overrode Hanami's Domain Expansion, Shining Sea of Flowers.
The dense forest and blooming fields vanished, replaced by a desolate wasteland that engulfed the entire battlefield.
In the next instant, countless lightning-infused slashing attacks rained down, colliding head-on with the Maximum Technique: Uzumaki.
The power of hundreds of thousands of Cursed Spirits erupted at once. Even the fused Domain could not withstand such overwhelming force.
Within just a few breaths, the violent torrent of Cursed Energy tore the Domain apart, blasting the Juvenile Detention Center, which served as the battlefield, high into the sky along with it.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion echoed as a massive mushroom cloud rose from the ground. The terrifying shockwave spread outward, reaching even Ijichi, who had already retreated two kilometers away.
His body was violently thrown across the ground, tumbling more than ten times before crashing into a private vehicle behind him, finally stopping his momentum. Pain surged through his body as bruises spread across his skin.
"Cough... What just happened..."
Confusion filled Ijichi's face.
As an outsider, he had no way of understanding what had occurred in that brief instant.
By the time he regained awareness, everything in front of him had been completely overturned, and a sharp ringing filled his ears.
"The direction of that explosion was..."
As if realizing something, Ijichi forced himself to stand despite the pain and looked forward.
"Wait. You've got to be kidding me."
When the scene ahead came into view, Ijichi froze completely.
There was nothing left.
The Juvenile Detention Center and all surrounding buildings had been completely erased by the explosion.
All that remained was a massive crater.
Looking into it, he saw only a deep, bottomless darkness, like an abyss that seemed to devour everything.
After staring blankly for several seconds, Ijichi finally snapped out of it and hurriedly took out his phone.
This was a major incident. He had to report it to Gojo Satoru immediately.
Thump!
At that moment, a dull sound reached his ears.
Ijichi paused and turned his head.
The ground beside him, which had been intact just moments ago, suddenly split open into a large fissure.
A figure crawled out.
Half of its body was missing, and it was holding a head in its arms.
"You are... Geto Suguru?"
Ijichi instinctively stepped back.
As a staff member of Jujutsu High, he had naturally seen Geto Suguru before.
But that only made the situation more terrifying.
Geto Suguru was supposed to be dead.
So why was he here in such a state?
"Yo. Long time no see, Mr. Ijichi."
Geto, now reduced to only his upper body, glanced down at himself.
"Could you lend us a hand? Hanami and I are not exactly in a condition to move. We need someone to carry us."
"You've got to be joking."
Ijichi immediately drew a pistol from his coat.
Even if he did not understand the situation, this version of Geto Suguru was clearly dangerous.
"I suggest you do not shoot."
Geto smiled faintly.
"My partner is standing right behind you. If you make any sudden moves, the consequences may not be something you can handle."
Partner?
Ijichi's body stiffened.
He slowly turned his head.
Only then did he notice a young man standing behind him, with stitched scars running across his face.
Though he appeared human, Ijichi immediately recognized him as a Cursed Spirit.
"Quite a commotion you caused, Geto Suguru."
Ignoring Ijichi entirely, the young man, Mahito, walked past him toward Geto and Hanami.
"Where's Dagon? Why isn't he here?"
"Dead. Cain was stronger than expected. Hanami and I barely survived."
"[I'm sorry, Mahito. Cain moved too fast. By the time I realized, Dagon had already been sacrificed.]"
"I see. What a pity."
Mahito sighed, though there was no real emotion behind it.
As a being born from human hatred, he was incapable of genuine sorrow.
Dagon's death only meant their future plans would become more troublesome.
"By the way, Geto, why did you stop me earlier?"
Mahito glanced at Ijichi.
"Does this one have any value in staying alive?"
"Of course. He can drive."
With such a large-scale disturbance, Jujutsu High would be alerted even without Ijichi's report.
Staying here was unwise. They needed to leave immediately.
However, Hanami usually traveled through the earth, and Mahito was still immature.
In their current condition, they needed someone capable of driving.
Ijichi was the perfect choice.
"Mr. Ijichi, we will be relying on you."
"In exchange, as long as you deliver us safely, I will spare your life. How about it?"
"Stop joking."
Ijichi gritted his teeth.
"No matter how afraid of death I am, I will never help you."
"I see. What a shame."
Geto shook his head.
"Mahito. Take care of him."
"Should have said that sooner."
A twisted smile spread across Mahito's face.
Perhaps to deepen Ijichi's despair, he did not attack immediately, instead walking forward step by step.
Faced with this, Ijichi understood there was no escape.
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
In the next instant, a loud impact echoed.
Mahito's body was sent flying backward, crashing into the ground dozens of meters away.
"Huh?"
Ijichi's eyes widened in shock.
Since when did his pistol have that kind of power?
"No..."
Realization struck him.
He turned around.
"Cain! You're not dead?!"
"If you don't know how to speak, you can remain silent."
"Ah... sorry, that's not what I meant."
"I know. Otherwise, you would already be airborne."
Cain slowly walked out of the massive crater behind them.
"You two are quite good at surviving. I thought that attack had already finished you."
"We should be the ones saying that."
Geto stared at Cain for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh.
This was simply unfair.
Even without taking a direct hit, the Maximum Technique: Uzumaki, formed from hundreds of thousands of Cursed Spirits, had detonated right in front of him.
At the final moment, he had summoned the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Smallpox Deity, using its Domain as a buffer to evade the initial blast.
After that, it was only because Hanami sacrificed most of her body to shield him and burrow underground, absorbing life force while retreating, that they barely survived.
But Cain?
He had been standing at the very center of the explosion, less than five meters away.
Even with the fused Domain acting as a buffer, there was no way he should have been safer than them.
"Maybe it's because my will to survive is stronger."
Cain smiled faintly, as if seeing through Geto's thoughts.
Due to Hanami's interference, he had been unable to immediately detonate Uzumaki, placing him in extreme danger.
But even in desperate situations, there is always a path forward.
[Survival Instinct: The stronger the will to survive, the greater the boost to all attributes. Easier to break through in dire situations.]
At the brink of death, Cain's will surged to its peak, and the power within him completed its final evolution.
Using the fused Domain as a shield, he avoided the initial blast, then continuously activated Reverse Cursed Technique while relying on high-speed regeneration to recover within the torrent of Cursed Energy.
"While other versions of me are showing off, I'm the one getting beaten the moment I appear. Ridiculous."
After muttering inwardly, Cain focused his will, deploying the Spirit Devouring Barrier as he stepped forward.
"Looks like this is the end for us."
Geto raised his hand.
"How about giving me a chance to surrender? I still have some value."
"Surrender?"
Cain glanced at the ground beneath his feet.
"Surrender is a lie. A sneak attack is the real plan, right?"
Thump!
The moment his words fell, the ground beneath him shattered.
Mahito's upper body burst out from below.
"Haha! You let your guard down!"
Mahito grabbed Cain's ankles, grinning wildly.
"Not attacking the moment you noticed me was your biggest mistake!"
Idle Transfiguration activated.
Through direct contact, Mahito reached for Cain's soul, attempting to distort it.
But in the next instant, his vision blurred.
A strange mist surrounded him.
Thump!
Geto: "...?"
Hanami: "?"
Both stared in shock.
Mahito had suddenly exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
Seriously.
How did you just explode?
But no one answered.
At the exact moment Mahito's body burst apart, Cain's figure appeared in front of them.
BOOM!!!
Note- Hanami is non binary, so I'll be using whatever the author is using.