When I turned back, the beatdown had already started.
Yuji moved first.
His fist slammed into Yorozu's chest with a heavy thud.
Then Gojo followed up, landing a clean punch straight to her ribs.
Yuki stepped in next, delivering a brutal hook to her face.
Finally, Yuta stepped forward and slashed across her chest with his katana.
If someone had walked in at that exact moment, they would have thought we were just… beating up a defenseless girl.
Which, technically speaking…looked very bad out of context.
But the truth was the complete opposite.
All of us were holding back massively.
Yorozu couldn't reinforce her body with cursed energy right now, and none of us wanted to cripple Tsumiki in the process.
Every strike was calculated.
Precise. Controlled.
Gojo's Six Eyes were constantly analyzing her condition, making sure we didn't accidentally damage Tsumiki's soul or push the separation in the wrong direction.
"Lower," Gojo said calmly.
Yuki adjusted her next strike slightly weaker.
Yuji followed with another punch.
Once the damage built up enough—
Shoko nodded to us.
"Alright. Heal."
That was our cue.
I stepped forward with Shoko and Yuta. All three of us placed our hands on Yorozu's body and poured positive energy into her.
Warm light spread across the bruises forming on Tsumiki's body.
Cuts closed.
Bones repaired.
Internal damage reversed.
Within seconds, she looked almost completely unharmed again.
Then we stepped back.
"Round two," Yuji muttered.
The cycle continued.
Punch. Kick. Slash.
Soul damage.
Then healing.
Over and over again.
Ten full minutes passed like that.
Honestly? It was exhausting.
Even Gojo looked mildly annoyed by the repetition.
Finally, Gojo stepped forward again.
He pulled his arm back.
CRACK.
His fist landed squarely in Yorozu's chest.
Something shifted.
We all felt it instantly.
A strange thing was separated from Tsumiki's body.
Yorozu's soul finally tore away from her.
The ancient sorcerer fell out of Tsumiki like melted wax.
She looked grotesque now—like a lump of twisted Play-Doh struggling to hold shape.
Yorozu tried to crawl toward Tsumiki's unconscious body.
Her fingers stretched desperately across the ground.
"N… no…"
Before she could reach her—
I stepped forward. Then stepped on her.
My foot crushed down onto her soul, pinning it down.
She froze beneath my heel.
"Like I said," I said calmly.
"You mess with Megumi…"
I pressed down harder.
"You mess with all of us."
CRUNCH.
Yorozu's soul shattered like brittle glass.
The cursed energy around her dispersed instantly.
Silence fell. Then something strange happened.
I blinked.
For a brief moment, I could still see the fading remnants of Yorozu's soul.
The shape of it. The fragments that were dissolving.
Wait…Wait. I froze.
I could see it.
Gojo suddenly appeared beside me with a wide grin.
"Oh?"
His bright blue eyes locked with my own green eyes.
"You got another power-up?"
He leaned closer, studying me.
"I saw that stomp. You damaged Yorozu's soul directly."
His grin widened.
"As expected from my student."
I shrugged casually.
"Well, I have the strongest teacher. I should at least be capable of doing something like that."
Gojo laughed.
"That's the spirit."
We exchanged a few more smug remarks before turning our attention back to the real priority.
Tsumiki. She was still standing where we left her.
Frozen. Eyes blank.
"…Ah," I said slowly.
"That makes sense."
Everyone looked at me.
"Unlimited Void overloaded her brain," I explained. "But that brain is still Tsumiki's brain."
Gojo rubbed the back of his neck.
Megumi was staring at his sister.
His hands were trembling.
He had just watched us beat his sister's body repeatedly—even though we were healing her the entire time.
I walked over to Tsumiki.
Then gently placed my hand against her head.
"Let's wake her up."
I began channeling positive energy directly into her brain.
Yuta and Shoko immediately joined me.
Three streams of Reverse Cursed Technique flowed into her.
Seconds passed.
Then—Her eyes twitched.
Life slowly returned to them.
Her breathing steadied.
Color came back to her face.
Finally, Tsumiki blinked.
She looked around in confusion.
Then her eyes landed on Megumi.
For a moment, she just stared.
Then she walked forward.
Megumi looked like he couldn't breathe.
Tsumiki reached him and hugged him tightly.
"It's okay, Megumi-kun," she said softly.
"I'm here now."
Megumi completely broke down.
He hugged her back, shaking as tears streamed down his face.
The hug lasted a full minute.
Then another. Then another...
Eventually, it started getting a little awkward.
I glanced at Gojo.
Gojo glanced back at me.
A silent communication passed between us.
We both nodded.
Then walked forward and joined the hug.
Megumi and Tsumiki looked completely shocked.
But neither of them pushed us away.
Yuji watched for about three seconds before running over.
"Group hug!"
Now there were five people.
Yuta and Yuki stood nearby watching.
Yuta lasted about ten seconds before sighing.
"…Alright."
He joined too.
Yuki crossed her arms.
She watched the growing pile of people hugging for another fifteen seconds.
Then sighed.
"…This is stupid."
She walked over and joined anyway.
Now, Shoko stood alone.
She stared at the ridiculous cluster of people.
Then muttered quietly:
"…If you can't beat them, join them."
She walked over and joined the hug as well.
Now it was a full crowd.
At this point, nobody could even tell who was hugging whom anymore.
Another minute passed.
Finally, Yuki spoke.
"Are we done yet?"
"Shush," Gojo said calmly.
"Home-wrecker."
Yuki stared at him. And just like that
The situation evolved into a silent battle of pride.
Now it was a game.
Who would give up the hug first?
Definitely not me.
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End of chapter