Compared to closed-barrier domains,
an open-barrier domain is undoubtedly a level above.
Like a flower blooming without roots,
like a painting formed without a canvas.
The difficulty of mastering such a divine technique far exceeds that of ordinary domains.
Its power is the same.
At the cost of removing the barrier's constraints, the domain's range and destructive force are greatly increased.
The drawback, however, is that enemies within an open domain can escape its range before the attack lands, thereby avoiding the guaranteed-hit rule.
So why is an open domain considered stronger?
Because the strongest sorcerer in history—
Ryomen Sukuna, who stood unrivaled even in the golden age of jujutsu—
And Kenjaku, who has schemed in the shadows for a thousand years, conducting countless evil experiments to satisfy his desires and mastering innumerable techniques—
Both possess a thousand years' worth of accumulated knowledge.
No matter how strange the technique, no matter how genius the sorcerer—
they have seen it all.
And yet, when facing powerful enemies, both of them choose to fight using open domains.
That alone proves everything.
—
Bathed in a rain of blood, Mirai spread his arms wide, fully immersing himself in the supreme exhilaration of drawing closer to the core of cursed energy.
On one side, Sukuna's grim expression.
On the other, Mirai's delight.
At this moment—
though Mirai was the one being flayed alive, he seemed like the true victor of this battle.
In the next instant, the bone shrine formed from endless cursed energy suddenly vanished.
"…What?"
Mirai frowned slightly, his blood-red eyes locking onto Sukuna.
"What's wrong? You useless thing—run out of steam already?"
His utterly indifferent tone pierced straight into Sukuna's heart.
After a brief silence—
"Heh…"
A vicious smile curled at Sukuna's lips.
"I'll remember you… Zenin Mirai."
"Just wait."
"Once I deal with this brat, there'll come a day when you're kneeling before me, begging for mercy."
With that confident declaration, Sukuna thrust his right hand directly into Itadori's chest.
Before Itadori's consciousness could awaken, Sukuna tore out the heart from within his body.
At first, shortly after being consumed by Itadori, Sukuna hadn't cared whether he would revive in this era—
Nor did he care if the vessel containing his soul died.
Sukuna lowered his head, staring at the beating heart in his hand, his fingers slowly tightening.
But now…
The names Satoru Gojo and Zenin Mirai had become his motivation to revive in this era.
Since he had decided to return—
The biggest problem now was how to leave this brat's body.
Sukuna flashed Mirai a smile filled with malice—
Then crushed Itadori's heart with his own hands.
Now, it was time to go to the Innate Domain and have a proper talk with that brat named Itadori.
Mirai stood still, making no move to stop him, merely watching everything unfold with cold indifference.
Only when Itadori's body collapsed into the water with a plop did a false smile once again appear on Mirai's face.
—
At the entrance of the juvenile detention center—
Under a gloomy sky, a light rain began to fall.
Exhausted of cursed energy, Kugisaki slumped down into a puddle, leaning against the rear wheel with her head lowered.
"Fushiguro… White Zetsu didn't die, right?"
Fushiguro stood by the car, soaked by the rain, his emotions complicated.
His gaze swept over the two severed halves of a corpse lying in the back seat.
He remained silent.
It was common knowledge that cursed spirits turn to ash after death.
But in White Zetsu's case… Fushiguro didn't know how to answer.
Not far away, Ijichi was on the phone with Principal Yaga, requesting reinforcements from Jujutsu High.
"What—?!"
Fushiguro suddenly cried out, staring fixedly at the back seat.
Kugisaki shakily stood up and followed his gaze—her expression instantly froze.
"W-White Zetsu…?"
Under their shocked eyes, the corpse's pale skin slowly began to regain color.
The severed head gradually transformed into the face of a stranger.
At the same time, the stench of decay spread from inside the car.
Just as confusion set in—
A familiar voice came from behind them.
They spun around.
The iconic black cloak with red clouds.
That punchable expression. That annoying tone.
Holding a rainbow-colored umbrella, wearing flashy sunglasses—
White Zetsu waved at Kugisaki with a grin.
"Hey, delinquent girl—don't tell me you're crying because you're moved by me?"
Kugisaki froze in place, staring blankly at the resurrected White Zetsu, shock quickly turning into panic—
Then with a splash, she fainted into the puddle.
"…Did she faint from my handsomeness?"
White Zetsu blinked in confusion, his prepared speech instantly dying in his throat.
"White Zetsu-senpai… this—!?"
A beat slower, Fushiguro supported Kugisaki, staring blankly at him, unsure what to say.
"We'll talk about this later."
Ijichi walked over after finishing his call.
"Fushiguro, put the body in the back seat into the trunk first. Shoko-san might need it."
Having already learned some details over the phone, Ijichi remained relatively calm even in the face of White Zetsu's resurrection.
"White Zetsu, is Mirai-sensei also inside the detention center?"
White Zetsu nodded weakly.
"Yeah, that guy's definitely here. He's probably still inside fighting Sukuna."
He had originally wanted to "battle" Kugisaki outside—
But his opponent fainted before he even started.
Where was the justice in that?
Shaking his head in boredom, White Zetsu opened the passenger door and sat down, spacing out.
After a while—
"I'll take Kugisaki back to Jujutsu High for treatment first. Fushiguro, wait here for Itadori and Mirai-sensei."
Fushiguro nodded, watching as the black car slowly drove away.
As for White Zetsu—
He said he'd head back to the school once Kugisaki woke up.
—
Abroad, in an unknown valley—
"That man is seriously unbelievable!"
"Not only does he skip missions assigned by Jujutsu High, he even dumps them on my sister!"
A small figure about 1.5 meters tall, wearing a white shirt and black suspenders—
Ui Ui held a massive axe nearly his own height, complaining with dissatisfaction.
"Ui Ui~"
Mei Mei smiled alluringly, crouching down to pat his head.
"That man is different, you know~"
"He's the one your sister likes the most~"
Ui Ui pouted, gently wiping the traces of blood from Mei Mei's delicate face.
"You don't like him—you like the money he pays."
"Hehe~"
"You really get me. That's what I like about you."
As the siblings spoke, the special-grade cursed spirit nearby gradually turned into ash and dissipated.
"I'm really looking forward to this…"
Mei Mei took out her phone, sent a photo of the cursed spirit before its death to Mirai, and smiled.
"I wonder how big the reward will be this time~"
—
Abroad, in an unknown cemetery—
Just as Satoru Gojo located a special-grade cursed spirit, he received a call from Jujutsu High.
Boom!
A compressed sphere of cursed energy exploded directly against his face!
The special-grade spirit that launched the sneak attack hopped out from behind a gravestone.
"Yahihi~!"
It laughed smugly at the drifting smoke—
The next second—
A sky-blue beam of cursed energy shot out from the smoke, vanishing in an instant.
Silence.
The spirit stared blankly at the massive hole in its chest as its smile froze—
Its body slowly dissolved into smoke.
As the dust cleared—
Gojo stood there completely unharmed, holding the phone, never once sparing the so-called special grade a glance.
"…Got it."
Listening to Ijichi's report on the other end, the smile at the corner of Gojo's lips slowly faded.
His expression gradually turned serious.