The training yard was quiet.
Too quiet.
Nobara stood across from Takeru, hammer resting casually on her shoulder.
"…I'm only agreeing to this because you promised 'controlled sparring.'"
Takeru nodded.
Bandages still wrapped tight across his torso.
"…Confirmed."
Megumi stood off to the side, arms crossed.
"…I don't like this."
Yuji raised a hand.
"…Yeah, same."
Inumaki sat nearby.
"…Salmon…"
(this feels like a bad idea)
Gojo, of course, was smiling.
"…Alright, begin whenever—"
Takeru moved.
Too fast.
"…BLACK FLASH!"
Nobara's eyes widened—
Impact.
The hit landed.
Perfect timing.
Perfect cursed energy alignment.
But Takeru had pulled the force—
just enough that Nobara skidded back instead of taking full damage.
"…WHAT THE—?!"
CRACK.
Silence.
Takeru's right arm hung for half a second.
Then—
completely gave out.
Yuji froze.
"…Oh no."
Nobara blinked.
"…Wait… did you just—"
Takeru looked at his arm.
Bent wrong.
Useless.
"…Okay then…"
Megumi immediately stepped forward.
"…STOP—"
Too late.
Takeru shifted.
Left side.
Nobara raised her guard.
"…Don't you—"
He blocked her incoming strike—
then attempted a controlled counter.
"…Cleave."
A light one.
Measured.
Minimal output.
CRACK.
His left arm shattered on impact.
Takeru paused.
Looked down.
"…Dammit."
Nobara stared at him.
"…ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!"
Yuji was already panicking.
"…STOP MOVING, STOP MOVING—"
Megumi's voice sharpened.
"…You've exceeded structural limits!"
But Takeru—
still moving.
He shifted his weight.
"…Adjusting."
Nobara backed up slightly.
"…NO YOU ARE NOT ADJUSTING—"
Takeru jumped forward—
KICK.
"…BLACK FLASH!"
The moment his foot connected—
the air detonated again.
Nobara barely blocked it—
but still got pushed back hard.
CRACK.
Takeru's right leg snapped.
He froze mid-motion.
Balance completely gone.
"…HUH?!"
Yuji yelled immediately.
"…WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HUH'?!"
Nobara shouted.
"…YOU'RE BREAKING YOURSELF!!!"
Megumi stepped forward again.
"…THIS IS OVER—"
Takeru didn't stop.
He landed—
barely—
on his remaining leg.
Hop.
Then—
another kick.
"…BLACK FLASH!"
Impact.
Again.
CRACK.
His left leg broke.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Takeru stood—
for half a second—
on nothing but instinct.
Then collapsed.
Face-first.
Not unconscious.
Not out.
Just—
down.
Yuji ran over immediately.
"…OKAY WE'RE DONE, WE'RE DONE, WE'RE DONE—"
Nobara followed, furious.
"…WHAT PART OF 'CONTROLLED' DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!"
Megumi knelt beside him, checking quickly.
"…Both arms broken. Both legs broken."
A pause.
"…Torso barely holding."
Inumaki stood up quickly.
"…SALMON!!"
(THIS IS BAD)
Gojo walked over, hands in pockets.
Looked down.
"…Wow."
A pause.
"…You lasted longer than I thought."
Everyone turned.
"…THAT'S YOUR RESPONSE?!" Nobara yelled.
Takeru, still face-down, spoke calmly.
Muffled slightly.
"…Conclusion."
Yuji leaned closer.
"…You don't get to make conclusions right now!"
Takeru continued anyway.
"…Black Flash currently incompatible with injured state."
Megumi closed his eyes briefly.
"…No kidding."
Nobara crossed her arms, fuming.
"…You think?!"
Takeru shifted slightly—
immediately regretted it.
"…Further adjustment required…"
Yuji grabbed his shoulder.
"…NO MORE ADJUSTMENTS!"
Gojo turned slightly.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"…Back to Shoko. Again."
Nobara pointed.
"…THIS TIME DON'T LET HIM OUT."
Megumi nodded.
"…Agreed."
Inumaki added firmly.
"…Tuna."
(lock him in)
Takeru exhaled slowly from the ground.
"…Noted…"
And for the second time in what felt like no time at all—
they carried him back.
Completely broken.
Again.